Transformation Process Research Articles

"Normal Means Blessing!" Awareness and Acceptance in Mothers of Children with Special Care Needs: A Qualitative Study

The objective of this study was to examine the acceptance and awareness of mothers with children with special needs regarding their children’s special situation. A qualitative exploratory approach was employed in this study. Between November 2023 and January 2024, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with 22 mothers of children with special needsFour primary themes emerged from the mothers included in the study regarding their acceptance and awareness of their children’s special situation: Challenges, Transformation, Adaptation, and Mistakes. The Challenges theme encompasses the child who deviates from expectations, lack of information, stigma, lack of support, burden of care, inadequacy, and guilt. The Transformation theme encompasses the concept of the special child, increased responsibilities, attitude toward the social environment, and normal means of blessing. The Adaptation theme encompasses the sub-themes of treatment and care, family dynamics, spirituality, and social. The Mistakes theme encompasses the sub-themes of dependency on the child, dependency of the child, and allowing secondary gain. The parents demonstrated a willingness to accept and be aware of their children’s special condition, which facilitated the process of transformation and adaptation. In order for parents to undergo the transformation process more expeditiously, it is necessary to enhance their acceptance and awareness.

Business readiness for dual transformation: an analysis of business capabilities for digital and sustainable transformation

In a dynamic business environment, the convergence of Digital Transformation and Sustainable Transformation has emerged as a comprehensive strategy for companies seeking to thrive in the modern era. For this transformation to successfully develop, the appropriate conditions must be present to carry out a process of digitisation and sustainability. Therefore, this research aimed to identify the readiness level of companies established in the city of Tijuana, Mexico, to adopt a dual transformation process. An analysis of the different digital and sustainable transformation models was carried out, and a self-diagnosis model was designed. Then, a quantitative instrument was applied to a sample of 148 small, medium and large companies in Tijuana between 2022 and mid-2023. The analysis consisted of a descriptive analysis of the data and a correlation analysis. It concludes that the elements that most explain the dual transformation are strategy, culture, organisational and technical capabilities. Likewise, the related factors are definition and communication, alignment, and scope of the objectives within the strategy; change management, knowledge and collaboration in the culture; within the organisation: leadership, processes and organisational structure; and finally in the technical capabilities data management, training and systems integration. The results of this research allowed us to identify and propose strategies to implement the dual transformation and increase the scalability and competitiveness of the adopting companies.

Continuous Transformation from Membrane‐Less Coacervates to Membranized Coacervates and Giant Vesicles: Toward Multicompartmental Protocells with Complex (Membrane) Architectures

AbstractThe membranization of membrane‐less coacervates paves the way for the exploitation of complex protocells with regard to structural and cell‐like functional behaviors. However, the controlled transformation from membranized coacervates to vesicles remains a challenge. This can provide stable (multi)phase and (multi)compartmental architectures through the reconfiguration of coacervate droplets in the presence of (bioactive) polymers, bio(macro)molecules and/or nanoobjects. Herein, we present a continuous protocell transformation from membrane‐less coacervates to membranized coacervates and, ultimately, to giant hybrid vesicles. This transformation process is orchestrated by altering the balance of non‐covalent interactions through varying concentrations of an anionic terpolymer, leading to dynamic processes such as spontaneous membranization of terpolymer nanoparticles at the coacervate surface, disassembly of the coacervate phase mediated by the excess anionic charge, and the redistribution of coacervate components in membrane. The diverse protocells during the transformation course provide distinct structural features and molecular permeability. Notably, the introduction of multiphase coacervates in this continuous transformation process signifies advancements toward the creation of synthetic cells with different diffusible compartments. Our findings emphasize the highly controlled continuous structural reorganization of coacervate protocells and represents a novel step toward the development of advanced and sophisticated synthetic protocells with more precise compositions and complex (membrane) structures.

Unravelling the potential of prussian blue analogues in oxygen electrocatalysis: A perspective on surface reconstruction

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) hold promises as catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion, especially in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Their high surface area and porosity combined with a tunable electronic structure featuring abundant metallic centers, make them attractive alternatives to traditional noble metal-based catalysts. Amongst these fascinating properties, the capacity for surface reconstruction to form active layers is one of the most sought-after characteristics of PBAs for enhanced activity. Recent advancements in operando and in situ techniques have further highlighted PBAs' capability for surface reconstruction during the electrocatalysis, particularly in alkaline solutions. State-of-the-art strategies for enhancing activity and stability of PBA-based catalysts, such as metal doping, tuning metal centers, introducing coordination sphere vacancies (VFeCN), and utilizing carbon supports, are closely linked to their ability towards surface reconstruction. However, key aspects warrant further exploration to achieve high electrocatalytic activity, including identifying initiators and pathways for surface reconstruction, establishing structure-property-activity correlations, and strategically manipulating in-situ catalyst surface reconstruction. This perspective focuses on understanding the transformation of PBA-based pre-catalysts to surface active layers on catalysts via surface reconstruction. A recent progress in PBA-catalysts towards advancing the electrochemical energy systems is highlighted. This perspective will guide the new entrants in the field to understand the process of surface transformation for establishing structure-property-activity relationships and thus to develop highly efficient PBA-based electrocatalysts.

Hybrid and coupled modeling for the design of fixed and suspended biomass reactors treating sanitary landfill leachates

This paper deals with an approach for hybrid and coupled modeling of the design of fixed and suspended biomass reactors for organic matter removal from sanitary landfill leachates. Five bioreactors, comprising Rotating Biological Contactors, Trickling Filter, Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket, Upflow Anaerobic Filter in Two Separated Stages (UAF-2SS) and Upflow Anaerobic Filter in Three Separated Stages (UAF-3SS) were evaluated by treating the organic matter contained in the leachates produced in two sanitary landfills. With respect to the hybrid and coupled models, the best performance in the approximation of the measured values in the Se/Si ratio to the predicted results of models were the equations for UAF-2SS and UAF-3SS reactors. Hybrid models were made up of a combination of mass conservation law and equations for estimating transformation process. Coupled models consisted of a combination of transport process models and transformation models based on the substrate utilization rate by the microorganisms.

Examining the Technostress Dimensions and Job Satisfaction in Nursing - A Cross-Sectional Study.

The healthcare system is increasingly being digitized. Besides expected benefits, the transformation can negatively affect nurses with increasing technostress. This study aimed to examine technostress among nurses and its association with job satisfaction. Cross-sectional survey data of 154 nurses working in acute hospitals in Switzerland was analyzed using Welch's ANOVA with the Games-Howell test and multiple linear regression model. Among the technostress dimensions, uncertainty was the most agreed upon by nurses, with a mean score of 2.21 (on a scale ranging from 0 to 4), and it differed significantly from other technostress dimensions. The multiple linear regression showed that the feeling of invasion of private life had the strongest negative association with job satisfaction (β = -0.34). Nurses experience constant changes or new developments in the technologies in their organization. Therefore, health organizations should carefully plan their digital transformation processes to minimize simultaneous technology implementations and allow adaptation time.

‘A new sense of my former self’ – transforming the self through vocational rehabilitation for people with acquired brain injury

Background Acquired Brain injury (ABI) causes ripples throughout the occupational and social fabric. It enters people’s lives at a significant personal cost, encroaching on people’s sense of self. Vocational rehabilitation is a viable venue to regain control of their life and support them in forming a new sense of self. From an occupational perspective, little is known about how vocational rehabilitation can support people through transforming their sense of self. Aim This study aims to explore how vocational rehabilitation may influence the relationship between sense of self and occupational engagement for persons with ABI. Material and Methods: Six persons with ABI were purposely sampled. Data were collected using semi-structured individual interviews and analysed using a hermeneutic approach. Results The analysis resulted in three themes: a new sense of my former self, engaging in occupations as transformation, and the significance of support. Conclusions Participating in vocational rehabilitation can enable persons with ABI to form a new sense of self. Engaging in occupations and professional support is significant in the transformation process. Significance From an occupational perspective, the knowledge gained in this study stresses the essential role occupational engagement and proper targeted support have for people struggling to return to work after ABI.

A Method for Reducing Training Time of ML-Based Cascade Scheme for Large-Volume Data Analysis

We live in the era of large data analysis, where processing vast datasets has become essential for uncovering valuable insights across various domains of our lives. Machine learning (ML) algorithms offer powerful tools for processing and analyzing this abundance of information. However, the considerable time and computational resources needed for training ML models pose significant challenges, especially within cascade schemes, due to the iterative nature of training algorithms, the complexity of feature extraction and transformation processes, and the large sizes of the datasets involved. This paper proposes a modification to the existing ML-based cascade scheme for analyzing large biomedical datasets by incorporating principal component analysis (PCA) at each level of the cascade. We selected the number of principal components to replace the initial inputs so that it ensured 95% variance retention. Furthermore, we enhanced the training and application algorithms and demonstrated the effectiveness of the modified cascade scheme through comparative analysis, which showcased a significant reduction in training time while improving the generalization properties of the method and the accuracy of the large data analysis. The improved enhanced generalization properties of the scheme stemmed from the reduction in nonsignificant independent attributes in the dataset, which further enhanced its performance in intelligent large data analysis.

Медиапространство как направление массовой коммуникации у студентов

Modern media space is an actively developing area of mass communication. A number of modern historians define it as a perspective for a negative scenario of social development. Modern man is actively involved in the media space, which forms his priorities, moods, tastes. Complements and diversifies leisure time. Almost everyone's day begins and ends with watching media content. Children and young people turned out to be especially active users. This trend is alarming. Live human communication is being replaced by a digital copy that does not require special energy costs from the user. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the problems of the production of audiovisual content in the media space. Building high-quality information content will minimize the negative component of the transforming communication process.

Temperature-Responsive "Nano-to-Micro" Transformed Polymersomes for Enhanced Ultrasound/Fluorescence Dual Imaging-Guided Tumor Phototherapy.

The perfect integration of microbubbles for efficient ultrasound imaging and nanocarriers for intelligent tumor-targeting delivery remains a challenge in precise tumor theranostics. Herein, we exquisitely fabricated laser-activated and targeted polymersomes (abbreviated as FIP-NPs) for simultaneously encapsulating the photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG) and the phase change agent perfluorohexane (PFH). The formulated FIP-NPs were nanosize and effectively accumulated into tumors as observed by ICG fluorescence imaging. When the temperature rose above 56 °C, the encapsulated PFH transformed from liquid to gas and the FIP-NPs underwent balloon-like enlargement without structure destruction. Impressively, the enlarged FIP-NPs fused with adjacent polymersomes to form even larger microparticles. This temperature-responsive "nano-to-micro" transformation and fusion process was clearly demonstrated, and FIP-NPs showed greatly improved ultrasound signals. More importantly, FIP-NPs achieved dramatic antitumor efficacy through ICG-mediated phototherapy. Taken together, the novel polymersomes achieved excellent ultrasound/fluorescence dual imaging-guided tumor phototherapy, providing an optimistic candidate for the application of tumor theranostics.

The whole-process tracking method of stable state transformation for multistable tensegrity based on Levenberg-Marquardt method

The tensegrity structure is prestressed spatial structure composed of rods and cables. Its multistable phenomenon brings great research potential in energy storage and robotic. In order to completely analyze the changes of configurations and mechanical property in stable state transformation (SST) processes of multistable tensegrity structures, a whole-process tracking (WPT) method based on Levenberg-Marquardt method is proposed. Three numerical examples are calculated, and the WPT is successfully realized, which proves the feasibility and universality of proposed WPT method. According to the calculation results, the variation of the driving force and elastic strain energy during SST are further summarized. Alternatively, different types of driving-paths are investigated, the results show that mechanical property during SST could be adjusted effectively by modifying the driving-path. The proposed WPT method and analysis results provides insights for designing and implementing multistable tensegrity structures.

A fuzzy-based emotion detection method to classify the attractiveness of urban green spaces

AbstractIn European studies, the most used definition of Urban Green Spaces (UGS) is based on the European Urban Atlas, which includes public green areas primarily used for recreation and green areas adjacent to urban areas that are managed or utilized for recreational purposes. UGS play a vital role in creating sustainable and resilient cities, as they provide essential social benefits for the well-being and health of urban residents. Both planners and scientists acknowledge the importance of involving, actively or passively, citizens in defining criteria for designing and managing inclusive and functional UGS. According to a post-normal science approach, the integration of hard data from scientific sources with soft data gathered from citizens’ engagement holds the potential to shape an innovative support system for public policies addressing significant, urgent, and uncertain challenges pertaining to UGS. Nowadays, the abundance of data generated through online reviews, opinions, and comments allows for collecting valuable information about people’s opinions and sentiments towards UGS. This study proposes a methodological framework that utilizes emotion detection techniques to identify and analyze citizens’ emotions concerning UGS through social reviews. To balance computational costs and classification accuracy, the framework introduces a fuzzy emotion-based classification method called FREDoC (Fuzzy Relevance Emotions Document Classification). This method incorporates a lightweight natural language pro-cessing (NLP) approach to detect and annotate terms associated with specific emotional categories within the text. The framework adopts the psycho-evolutionary classification approach based on R. Plutchik’s observations of general emotional responses. This model is implemented within a Geographical Information System (GIS) for the purpose of categorizing UGS, specifically green parks, according both to WHO report key indicators and to the detected relevant emotions. The outcome is a novel classification model of UGS that can assist decision-makers in identifying the attractiveness of UGS as catalysts for urban transformation processes.

The Innovative Implications of Smart Working in a Post-pandemic Era: A Model of Smart Working Satisfaction in Public Sector Organizations

New technological imperatives have changed the configuration of work, shifting it toward flexible and high-performance logics. Added to this was the global health emergency that paralyzed most work activities, with dramatic impacts on employment. During and after the emergency, organizations have realized that digital transformation has the potential to increase productivity, and Smart Working (SW) is part of this transformation process. The variable this analysis focuses on is Smart Working Satisfaction (SWS) in Italian public organizations, with the aim of identifying trends and solutions to improve human well-being and labor productivity. Accordingly, the research aims to answer the following questions: (a) What factors influence SWS? (b) What effects on satisfaction does a flexible form of work generate? (c) How does SWS manifest itself? A survey of 1,252 civil servants tapped the level of satisfaction of agile workers. The study aims to shift the focus of the scientific literature on SWS toward a new organizational approach to work. This research seeks not only to fill a theoretical gap related to SWS but also to demonstrate how the diffusion of new flexible working logics enhances workers’ sense of affiliation.

Integration of Electric Vehicle Power Supply Systems—Case Study Analysis of the Impact on a Selected Urban Network in Türkiye

Undoubtedly, the transition to electromobility with several million new, efficient charging points will have consequences for the energy industry, and in particular for network operators of the distribution infrastructure. At the same time, in the coming years the energy landscape will change into a system in which an increase in decentralized systems based on renewable energy sources will take over the leading function. This transformation process will further increase the complexity and overall pressure for change in energy systems over the next decade. In order to be able to ensure the energy supply and the reliable system operation of the grids in the future as well, communicative networking of generators, storage systems, electrical consumers and grid equipment is indispensable. This study aims to investigate the consequences of including electric vehicles in Istanbul’s power system using a unit commitment simulation model. The presented considerations analyze how uncertain and managed charging strategies affect the power system in terms of operating costs and renewable resources. The presented simulations indicate that, in economic terms, the use of a managed charging strategy saves 2.3%, reducing the total cost from USD 66.71 million to USD 65.18 million. The recipients of the presented research are both the demand and supply sides of the future energy transformation based on the idea of synergy of electromobility and renewable energy sources within the framework of the smart city idea.

The La dimensión política y psicosocial en prácticas grupales de enseñanza universitaria en psicología

It presents the systematization of teaching practices that have been developing for seven years in the Faculty of Psychology of the University of the Republic, the only public, co-governed and freely accessible university in Uruguay. The experience is located in two degree courses that seek to reflect on the formative trajectories located. We have found that the group dynamics and methodological tools of Clinical Sociology, particularly the Parental Project and the Social Trajectory taken as pedagogical-didactic devices, enable subjective and transformative processes. Both are part of the analysis of the involvement that enables the deployment of the political dimension of training and professional practice, contributing to questioning and resisting the impact of neoliberal logic at the societal and university level. Both devices also enable the implementation of an ethical-political stance of the teacher-student relationship on the level of knowledge that challenges the place of being-teacher, enhancing participation and autonomy in the process of becoming university. From the biographical singularity, it is possible to visibilize the various forms that assume the plot of the sociopsychic bond where they are produced, reproduced, resisted, rejected and re-signified university formation. It will deepen the transversal analysis of the macro socio-historical trajectory and the socio-cultural mandates, where from the story of the students themselves it is possible to politicize the formative experience. In this sense we understand that the methodological supports used can be an innovative key to rethink pedagogical proposals and their relationship with curricular contents in university education.

Hydrolytic Response of Beta-Amylase to Selected Starches when Adsorptively Immobilized on Agarose Gel

Fermentative microorganisms bring about transformative processes in food, thereby enhancing flavor and appearance indices, inhibiting undesirable components, improving shelf and storage life, as well as improving health and nutritional quality parameters. Traditional methods for identification of fermentative microorganisms involve cultivating and analyzing phenotypic characteristics, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Advanced molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, whole gene sequencing, next generation sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and hyper-spectral imaging offer rapid, cost-effective, and reliable identification of bacteria and fungi cultured on agar plates or in liquid media. Techniques, such as genotyping, examine the DNA sequence to determine the genetic makeup of microorganisms, alongside the grouping of isolates via application of phylogenetic tree similarity indices. Overall, modern molecular techniques have revolutionized the identification of fermentative microorganisms, providing efficient and more elaborate alternatives to traditional methods. In this review work, an attempt is made to examine the historical and analytical trends from the conventional methods to the most recent modern tools for effective identification of industrially-important fermentative microorganisms.

Recent Advances in the Identification and Characterization of Fermentative Microorganisms: An Exploratory Review

Fermentative microorganisms bring about transformative processes in food, thereby enhancing flavor and appearance indices, inhibiting undesirable components, improving shelf and storage life, as well as improving health and nutritional quality parameters. Traditional methods for identification of fermentative microorganisms involve cultivating and analyzing phenotypic characteristics, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Advanced molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction, whole gene sequencing, next generation sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and hyper-spectral imaging offer rapid, cost-effective, and reliable identification of bacteria and fungi cultured on agar plates or in liquid media. Techniques, such as genotyping, examine the DNA sequence to determine the genetic makeup of microorganisms, alongside the grouping of isolates via application of phylogenetic tree similarity indices. Overall, modern molecular techniques have revolutionized the identification of fermentative microorganisms, providing efficient and more elaborate alternatives to traditional methods. In this review work, an attempt is made to examine the historical and analytical trends from the conventional methods to the most recent modern tools for effective identification of industrially-important fermentative microorganisms.

Embracing the politics of transformation: Policy action as “battle‐settlement events”

AbstractSocietal transformations for addressing climate change are intensely contested and at risk of resistance and backlash to ambitious policy action. But they are frequently modeled through heuristics such as S‐curves which abstract from such conflicts, assuming increasing returns to scale as a driver of transformations. This is the case even while scholars accept the presence of political conflict in transformation processes. Within political science and allied disciplines, the notions of policy feedback and policy coalitions have been deployed to understand how such political conflicts may be understood. But these approaches risk gravitating toward an instrumental design impulse that inadvertently downplays conflict. We argue that policy action for societal transformations should be re‐conceptualized as an unfolding series of battle‐settlement events whereby heated episodic political struggles over a certain policy object or issue play out and eventually settle in ways that structure future debates while nonetheless remaining indeterminate and open to challenge or reversal. Such an approach reflects the varied empirical experiences of climate policy action to date which include both accumulation and reversal. It also helps explain trajectories of change that are discontinuous and lurching in contrast to common images of transformation as progressive and cumulative. We illustrate this approach through two cases of unfolding societal transformation on climate change: coal phaseout in the United Kingdom and renewable energy uptake in Australia.

Creating Organizational Resilience through Digital Transformation and Dynamic Capabilities: Findings from fs/QCA Analysis on the Example of Polish CHP Plants

Digital transformation, organizational resilience, and agility are now becoming key to meeting the competitive challenges of modern organizations. It is no surprise that digital transformation and digital technologies have also begun to significantly impact the energy industry, moving towards improving the sector’s profitability and efficiency. However, to move the difficult process of digital transformation in today’s dynamically changing environment, organizations, including those in the energy sector, need to build organizational resilience. Nevertheless, the relationship between digital transformation and organizational resilience has not yet been explained in a satisfactory and sufficient manner. Focusing on the level of digital transformation, and more precisely within the two dimensions of digital maturity, i.e., digital intensity and transformation management intensity, as well as based on the perspective of dynamic capabilities, this study developed a configurational framework and proposed a theoretical model to study the equifinal paths through which digital transformation and dynamic capabilities influence organizational resilience in energy sector companies. Based on a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA) conducted on selected companies in the energy sector, i.e., Polish CHP plants, the relationship among digital transformation, dynamic capabilities, and organizational resilience was investigated. The results show that a high level of organizational resilience is possible to achieve through two main paths based on the dominance of dynamic capabilities and the dominance of digital maturity. The results show that a high level of organizational resilience is possible to achieve through two main paths based on the dominance of dynamic capabilities and the dominance of digital maturity. The study found that digital maturity can significantly influence CHP resilience. Moreover, the transformation management intensity is strongly related to high organizational resilience. The paper concludes by describing theoretical and practical implications, as well as research limitations and prospects for future research.

Physician heal thyself (but integrate too?)

Though an important contributory factor in psychological therapy, post-qualification, the development of the self within professional identities is often a neglected topic. This article explores the practitioner’s personal growth across the professional lifespan and its potential valuable role within the process of psychological and therapeutic transformation.