Material Resources Research Articles

“Like an Emotional Trash Can”: An Interview Study of Bhutanese School Guidance Counselors’ Perceived Challenges and Resources

Abstract School counselors are responsible for students’ mental health and their increasingly complex issues. However, little is known about school counseling services in the Kingdom of Bhutan. This study conducted 28 semi-structured interviews with school guidance counselors in Bhutan, 19 online and 9 in-person, to investigate their perceived challenges and resources. The data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach to inquiry and thematic analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke (Qualitative Research in Psychology 3(2):77-101, 2006). The identified challenges and resources were grouped for further analysis according to Martin et al.’s (International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling 37(4):305-318, 2015) model of 11 factors influencing school counseling. The most often mentioned challenges were insufficient resources to cope with rising mental health needs and cultural barriers to the implementation of school guidance counseling, such as stigma and the role of corporal punishment. The most often mentioned resources were the importance of material resources, such as having a separate counseling room within the school, and the importance of support from external professionals, such as clinical counselors. In sum, the results revealed the need for (1) more resources to cope with the mental health needs of students, such as additional training, (2) more organization to systemize stakeholder collaboration and to clarify the school guidance counselors’ roles, (3) more awareness in the general population about school guidance counseling, including overcoming stigma towards mental health issues, and (4) more time for this profession to establish itself in the Kingdom.

Mechanism analysis of mechanical extraction of Pleioblastus amarus fibers by saturated steam pretreatment

Currently, bamboo fibers (BFs) are commonly processed through alkali boiling softening pretreatment, which generates wastewater that poses environmental pollution risks. This process is also complex and requires significant human and material resources. In contrast, the saturated steam softening pretreatment method studied in this study is environmentally friendly and significantly simplifies the post-processing of bamboo fiber preparation. Additionally, it provides methods and parameters for the hygrothermal-mechanical extraction of bamboo fibers. In this study, three-year-old bitter bamboo (Pleioblastus amarus) growing in Zhongtai town, Yuhang district, Hangzhou city, China was selected as the raw material. Firstly, bamboo fibers were prepared by crushing and mechanical extraction after softening through alkaline boiling and saturated steam pretreatment, respectively. The yield, mechanical properties, and other indicators of the fibers were then tested and compared. Subsequently, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe and comparatively analyze the microstructural morphology of the two types of fibers. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) was performed on the functional groups of bamboo after alkali boiling and saturated steam softening to investigate changes in cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Finally, the mechanism of mechanical extraction of bitter bamboo (Pleioblastus amarus) fibers by saturated steam pretreatment was further analyzed.

“It was simply disturbing“ - evaluation of the stress factors of nursing staff on special COVID-19 wards during the pandemic: a qualitative study

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has posed enormous challenges for healthcare systems worldwide. The strain on nursing staff working in special COVID-19 wards during the pandemic increased dramatically. To support nursing staff more effectively in similar situations in the future, it is important to identify specific stress factors to design effective support measures. Objective To collect the experiences and lessons learned from nursing staff who have been affected by COVID-19 pandemic on a special COVID-19 ward that were perceived as stressful. The findings should contribute to the development of specific support measures for healthcare professionals. Design Qualitative interview study. Setting We interviewed 14 members of nursing staff who worked on COVID-19 wards at two University Hospitals about their working experiences during the pandemic. Results We were able to identify 10 key stress factors. These included an increased workload, communication deficits, a difficult personnel situation, subjective pressure, the establishment of a new ward, a shortage of material resources, inadequate hygiene conditions, a lack of opportunities to cope with the situation, the absence of relatives and decision making. Conclusion The identification of various stress factors highlights the urgent need for comprehensive support measures. These measures could include concepts for dealing with physical and psychosocial stress, the provision of resources and sufficient personnel support. It remains crucial to proactively take preventive and supportive measures to reduce the burden and moral distress of nursing staff and protect their health in the long term. Despite the pandemic, the implications of our findings remain relevant for the future.

Arabia Felix: Fookes in the desert

Peter Fookes’ background in chemistry, allied with his understanding of geo-materials and desert terrain, allowed him to make an important contribution in the development of hot salty desert concrete technology from the 1970s onwards. Through his consultancy work across the Middle East, Peter recognized that widespread premature concrete deterioration was found, at least in part, to be associated with the presence of chloride salts, either introduced by contaminated aggregates or mix water, or due to salt weathering. In 1992 Peter was made an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Concrete Technology. In the 1970s he was instrumental in setting up the Bahrain Surface Materials Resources Survey, opening the door for a generation of desert geomorphologists to contribute to the development boom that followed in the Middle East. On the award of an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Geographical Society in 2003 he was described by Professor Sir Ron Cooke as ‘a true father of engineering geomorphology’. In later years he helped the oil and gas industry address the geohazard challenges posed by routing major pipelines through deserts across the Sahara and in Arabia.

Saudi Arabia’s Quest for Regional Hegemony on the Basis of Opposition to Iran

This study argues that Saudi Arabia’s increasing regional activism is not only limited to balancing the Iranian threat or competing with the Islamic Republic but is also related to its claim to be a regional hegemonic power. Within the framework of Robert Cox’s Antonio Gramsci-inspired approach to hegemony, Saudi Arabia has sought to establish hegemony through its oil revenues, integration with the global capitalist system, anti-Iranian rhetoric and institutional influence in the Gulf region. However, the inability to secure common consent among regional actors, failures on the ground and disagreements within the Gulf Cooperation Council are major obstacles to these efforts. By emphasising the interplay of ideas, material resources and institutions, the study reveals the limits of Saudi Arabia’s hegemony building and deepens the concept of regional hegemony through a neo-Gramscian analysis.

A Survey Study of Bhutanese School Guidance Counselors' Roles, Responsibilities, Challenges, and Resources

ABSTRACTThis study explores the young profession of school guidance counseling in Bhutan. It investigated Bhutanese school guidance counselors' demographic characteristics, activities, roles, and responsibilities. The characteristics were assessed using quantitative survey measures, including the International Survey of School Counseling Activities (ISSCA). We further investigated their self‐reported challenges and resources using open‐ended questions analyzed using content analysis and the analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT). Finally, we examined differences between the views of school guidance counselors in Bhutan and those of Bhutanese school stakeholders (school teachers and principals). Responses were obtained from 162 (90.5%) of the 179 school guidance counselors active at the time in Bhutan, 49 school teachers, and 16 school principals. The ISSCA results revealed that Bhutanese school guidance counselors, on average, rated the appropriateness of school guidance counseling activities higher compared to their school principal and school teacher colleagues but rated the activities of dealing with discipline cases and taking on administrative duties lower. The SWOT analysis further shed light on their challenges and resources, including the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic. The discussion of results, interpreted using Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner 1995) suggests that Bhutan's school guidance counseling profession needs more clearly defined roles, more time to establish itself, more initiatives to overcome stigma towards counseling, more material resources such as a counseling room and that schools need to make sure there is sufficient time and opportunities for students to see the school guidance counselor.

Hybrid long short-term memory and decision tree model for optimizing patient volume predictions in emergency departments

In this study, we address critical operational inefficiencies in emergency departments (EDs) by developing a hybrid predictive model that integrates long short-term memory (LSTM) networks with decision trees (DT). This model significantly enhances the prediction of patient volumes, a key factor in reducing wait times, optimizing resource allocation, and improving overall service quality in hospitals. By accurately forecasting the number of incoming patients, our model facilitates the efficient distribution of both human and material resources, tailored specifically to anticipated demand. Furthermore, this predictive accuracy ensures that EDs can maintain high service standards even during peak times, ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and more effective use of healthcare facilities. This paper demonstrates how advanced data analytics can be leveraged to solve some of the most pressing challenges faced by emergency medical services today.

Influence of oncology nurses' decision-making and personality traits on missed nursing care and related factors: a correlational study.

ObjectivesTo identify Missed Nursing Care (MNC) and related factors, as well as analyze the influence of nurses’ decision-making and personality traits on MNC in two Portuguese hospitals dedicated to cancer care. MethodsA cross-sectional, multicentric, descriptive-correlational study was conducted using a convenience sample of 298 nurses working in two hospitals dedicated to cancer care. Data were collected in the first semester of 2023 using a questionnaire that included sociodemographic and professional questions and the Portuguese versions of the MISSCARE Survey, the Nursing Decision-Making Instrument (NDMI-PT), and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI-P). ResultsNurses missed care occasionally, namely in the dimensions related to Patient empowerment/autonomy care and Efficacy of feeding and medication. Staffing, Patient volume and acuity, and Management and organization were moderate to significant reasons for MNC. The flexible decision-making style was predominant (81.5%). The most prevalent personality traits were Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to experience. Significant correlations were found between the four stages of the decision-making process and the personality traits and several dimensions of MNC. Data collection to assess a patient’s condition was negatively correlated with Team communication and Material resources. Similarly, the Emotional stability trait was negatively correlated with Team communication and Patient volume and acuity. ConclusionsThis study identified MNC and factors that can influence the quality of care. It is crucial to promote nurses’ training and specialization within healthcare teams, with a particular focus on enhancing some of their personality traits to make them more effective and efficient therapeutic agents.

A review on sustainable management strategies for navigating the piling e-waste crisis and associated environmental threats

In today's fast-paced technological era, multifaceted technological advancements in our contemporary lifestyle are surging the use of electronic devices, which are significantly piling e-waste and posing environmental concerns. This stock of e-waste is expected to keep rising up to 50 mt year-1. Formal recycling of such humongous waste is a major challenge, especially in developing nations. Mishandling of e-waste poses serious threats to human health, soil, and water ecosystem, threatening ecological and environmental sustainability. Complex matrix of resourceful materials comprising valuable metals like gold, silver, and copper, and hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants make its judicious management even more crucial. Potential toxic elements such as Pb, Cd, Cr, As, and Hg, as well as plastic/microplastics, nanoparticles are prevalent in components like batteries, cathode ray tubes, circuit boards, glass and plastic components which are known to cause neurological, renal, and developmental damage in humans. Effective and sustainable management of these requires a comprehensive understanding of their sources, environmental behavior, and toxicological impacts. This review explores potential approached for sustainable e-waste recycling (recycling of glass, plastic, rare earth metals, and base metals), and resource recycling through pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, biometallurgy, biohydrometallurgy, bioleaching and biodegradation plastic alongside challenges and prospects.

Multi-resource constrained elective surgical scheduling with Nash equilibrium toward smart hospitals

This paper focuses on the elective surgical scheduling problem with multi-resource constraints, including material resources, such as operating rooms (ORs) and non-operating room (NOR) beds, and human resources (i.e., surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses). The objective of multi-resource constrained elective surgical scheduling (MESS) is to simultaneously minimize the average recovery completion time for all patients, the average overtime for medical staffs, and the total medical cost. This problem can be formulated as a mixed integer linear multi-objective optimization model, and the honey badger algorithm based on the Nash equilibrium (HBA-NE) is developed for the MESS. Experimental studies were carried out to test the performance of the proposed approach, and the performance of the proposed surgical scheduling scheme was validated. Finally, to narrow the gap between the optimal surgical scheduling solution and actual hospital operations, digital twin (DT) technology is adopted to build a physical-virtual hospital surgery simulation model. The experimental results show that by introducing a digital twin, the physical and virtual spaces of the smart hospital can be integrated to visually simulate and verify surgical processes.

Exploring the interplay between guidance services and career success: Unveiling the key determinants?

This study examines the effect of determinants of stakeholders' attitudes on the perceived relevance of guidance services, policy implementation, and career success. An explanatory research design was adopted for the study. A sample of 413 guidance service coordinators at the regional, district, and school levels were selected. A self-developed questionnaire was used for the data collection. It was found that the availability of funds (finance) for payment of expenses incurred in relation to guidance services, competent and adequate guidance coordinators, and a dedicated office to ensure confidentiality for guidance services were the three determinants that predicted the perceived relevance of guidance services in Ghana. Additionally, provisions for guidance services on the teaching timetable, availability of logistics (material resources), and quality guidance coordinators were the only three determinants that influenced policy implementation and monitoring of guidance services at the basic school levels in Ghana. Human resources again emerged as the only determinant that influenced the career success of beneficiaries in Ghana. The study recommends that Ghana Education Service and heads of basic schools should appoint competent and adequate guidance service coordinators, resource them financially and logistically, allocate guidance services on the teaching timetable, and provide a dedicated office to ensure confidentiality.

Translation reception and multilingual faith literacies: a theory of practice inquiry into Quran’s Persian translations

ABSTRACT This inquiry adopts a practice theoretical perspective in thinking about how Quran Persian translations might feature in faith literacies in the multilingual province of Khouzestan, Iran. For the purpose of this inquiry, I conducted ethnographic observations and interviews. To make sense of the data, I drew on sociological theories of practice. As such, the paper underscores the spatiotemporal shaping of faith literacies and recitation practices. Furthermore, the material resources and technological affordances associated with faith literacies enact embodied performances which might determine the boundaries of recitation practices, and hence the reception of Quran translations. Moreover, interviewees’ habitus, particularly their translingual repertoire might rhizomatically bear on the need for translation. Additionally, meanings associated with Quran recitation seem to depend on habitus, translingual repertoire, and language ideologies, the combination of which might render translations either essential or unnecessary. This, at least partly, has to do with the immanent nature of meaning in faith practices characterised by prioritising contextual meaning over propositional content. In sum, the constellation of spatiotemporal resources, material configurations, embodied performance, translingual repertoire as well as language and religious ideologies shape, sustain and constrain the conditions of possibility for the reception of Quran translations within faith literacies and Quran recitation.

Perspectives of health workers on the facilitators and barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence following intensive adherence counseling in Northern Uganda

BackgroundIn some contexts, people living with HIV (PLWH) who are virally non-suppressed and participating in an intensive adherence counseling (IAC) program have demonstrated non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) even after IAC. There is limited literature on the facilitators and barriers to ART adherence following IAC.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the perspectives of healthcare workers (HCWs) on the facilitators and barriers to ART adherence following IAC among PLWH in Northern Uganda.MethodsThis was a descriptive qualitative study conducted among HCWs at the ART clinics of the two highest-volume public health facilities in Lira District. We purposively sampled 15 study participants and conducted face-to-face in-depth interviews using an interview guide formulated based on the components of the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation framework for Behavior change (COM-B framework). Thematic analysis was used based on the COM-B framework. In this study, the desired behavior was ART adherence following IAC. Factors that were perceived to positively affect any component of the COM-B framework were classified as facilitators and those that were perceived to negatively affect were classified as barriers.ResultsThe majority of the participants were females (53%), diploma holders (40%), and nurses (40%). The perceived facilitators and barriers to ART adherence following IAC emerged as six key themes under the subdivisions of the three domains of the COM-B framework: cognitive and emotional processes, physical and practical skills, accessibility and material resources, social relationships and cultural dynamics, cognitive beliefs and aspirations, and finally, emotional and subconscious drivers. These themes were identified as either facilitators or barriers to ART adherence following IAC depending on the lenses of interpretation.ConclusionsThis study offers a multidimensional insight into the facilitators and barriers to ART adherence following IAC and how the behavior influencing ART adherence can be optimized. The results suggest that optimizing cognitive and emotional processes, physical and practical skills, accessibility and material resources, social relationships and cultural dynamics, cognitive beliefs and aspirations, and emotional and subconscious drivers during IAC and any ART adherence-related intervention could yield the best level of ART adherence among the PLWH who are virally non-suppressed and on ART.

Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Removal: A Physical Science Perspective

Novel carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies are increasingly being considered as potentially useful tools to combat climate change. For specific atmospheric carbon dioxide management targets to be achieved, large-scale CDR strategies may be needed, even with aggressive efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the coming decades. This American Physical Society report breaks down the physical requirements necessary for large-scale implementation of CDR technologies, demonstrating the challenges inherent to incorporating CDR into any carbon dioxide management portfolio. It also provides a technical overview of new and current CDR approaches and evaluates their fundamental physical constraints. Based on the technical overview, the report makes several recommendations for the U.S. federal government and industry. These include ensuring that the potential for CDR does not compromise ongoing actions to reduce carbon emissions. The report observes, however, that while large-scale CDR technologies require a lot of energy and material resources, they might be needed in combination with emission reduction strategies to achieve specific climate goals. Research and development on CDR should be selectively pursued, despite the many challenges described in the report. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Assessing Readability of Patient Education Materials on Adult-Acquired Buried Penis.

Adult-acquired buried penis (AABP) is an increasingly prevalent condition characterized by the penis "buried" in prepubic/suprapubic tissue. AABP affects urinary and sexual function, hygiene, and psychosocial well-being. Because many affected individuals are unfamiliar with the condition or hesitant to seek medical help, accessible, high-quality patient education materials (PEMs) are necessary. The American Medical Association recommends that PEMs be written at or below a 6th-grade reading level. This study aimed to assess the readability of the most easily accessible AABP PEMs. After disabling user account information, the top 10 results for "buried penis treatment" from 3 search engines were collected. Academic journal articles, advertisements, and pediatric PEMs were excluded. Plain texts without graphics and extraneous information were copied to the Readability Test Tool (WebFX, Harrisburg, PA) to generate readability scores. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The top 10 results for each search engine, excluding duplicates, resulted in 12 unique articles. Of 5 readability tests used by the Readability Test Tool, the mean grade level necessary to comprehend resource content was 12.3, or about a 12th-grade level. The mean age estimated for understanding was 17.7, or an age range of 17-18 years old. Complex words comprised on average, 16.6% of a resource's material. This study emphasizes the inadequate readability of current PEMs for AABP. The readability for most accessible materials exceeds the recommended reading level of at or below 6th grade. Providers should aim to publish easily comprehensible online PEMs to promote patient awareness and comprehension.

Directions for stimulating the expansion of the practice of using domestically selected vegetable seeds

A developed mechanism for implementing instruments of state support for the seed industry in the context of stimulating the use of domestic vegetable seeds is presented, including an algorithm for assessing the priority of specific measures to motivate their purchase.Based on an analysis of the production and economic indicators of vegetable cultivation in a focus group of commodity producers, practice-oriented measures were developed to increase the efficiency of the vegetable growing industry, aimed at the use of compensation payments for certain types of material resources.

Missed nursing care and its contributing factors in different domains at tertiary care hospitals Karachi

Objective: To assess the frequency, types and contributing factors of missed nursing care among registered nurses in a tertiary care setting. Method: The descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from May to November 2022 at the Dow University Hospital, Karachi, and Dr Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, and comprised nurses registered with the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council. Data was collected using a validated tool. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. Results: Of the 232 nurses, 127(54.7%) were males, 105(45.3%) were females, 123(53%) were aged 30-39 years, and 73(31.5%) had work experience of 1-5 years. Nursing care components neglected by the nurses were patient bathing 127(54.7%), attending care conference 108(46.6%) and focussed reassessment 100(43.1%). Factors responsible for missed care were manpower resources identified by 152(65.5%) nurses, material resources by 141(60.8%), and communication factors identified by 84(36.2%). Conclusion: Various nursing care components were found missing during patient hospitalisation. Major reason for missed care was identified by the nurses as lack of manpower resources. Key Words: Missed nursing care, Contributing factors, Miss care.

Commodity-Material Values (Goods) in Current Turnover Insurance in the Field of Judicial and Business Practice

The demand for this type of insurance, such as commodity-material values (goods) in turnover is increasing. This is caused by an increase in the concentration of material resources in warehouses and distribution centers due to the activation of trade through marketplaces and online stores and large cases of loss of goods. Significant losses that may arise from sellers and intermediaries encourage business practices to enter into insurance agreements with special conditions depending on the purpose of insurance. If the purpose of insurance is to protect the property interest of the creditor then such contracts usually provide for a condition on the non-reduced balance of the pledged goods. In the case of concluding an insurance agreement for the purpose of maximum protection of interests (at the upper or middle limit of the value of goods in turnover) judicial and business practice, given the lack of legal regulation of insurance relations, does not currently have unified positions regarding a number of conditions of such agreements: what features of the insured object are necessary and sufficient for its individualization; how to determine the essential condition of the agreement and the insurance amount if the insured value of goods in turnover is variable; and finally what rules should be applied when calculating the insurance indemnity.

Translated article] Activities of clinical pharmacists in intensive care units.

The main objective of the activity carried out in an intensive care unit (ICU) and in general, in all hospitalization units, is to provide all the human and material resources to offer the best therapeutic care to admitted patients. Work in multidisciplinary teams, made up of specialists in intensive care medicine as those responsible for the patients, doctors from other specialties, specialized nursing, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and clinical pharmacists is an optimal approach to achieve the proposed objective. The activities of the clinical pharmacist can be developed at different levels (basic, intermediate, and excellent) depending on the degree of involvement, the time dedicated, the training, and the available resources. This article aims to establish an initial work guide, through recommendations aimed at the activity to be developed by the clinical pharmacist in the ICU in relation to critical patient care and quality improvement, which serves as a reference for those pharmacists who go to develop pharmaceutical care activities in critical patients.

Preface: 6th International Conference on Materials Science, Resource and Environmental Engineering (MSREE 2024)

This proceeding includes original and peer-reviewed research papers from the 6th International Conference on Materials Science, Resource and Environmental Engineering (MSREE 2024: http://www.msree.org), held on December 16-17, 2023 in Xi'an, China. The MSREE 2024 conference had three main topics: 1. Material Science and Engineering Applications; 2. Energy Science and Power Engineering; 3. Resource and Environmental Engineering. The aim of MSREE 2024 is to provide a platform for researchers, engineers, and academicians, as well as industrial professionals, to present their research results and development activities in materials science, energy technology, power engineering. It provides opportunities for the delegates to exchange new ideas and application experiences, to establish business or research relations and to find global partners for future collaboration. By submitting a paper to MSREE 2024, the authors agreed to the review process and understood that papers undergo a peer-review process. Manuscripts were reviewed by appropriately qualified experts in the field selected by the Conference Committee, who gave detailed comments and-if the submission was accepted the authors would submit a revised version that took into account this feedback. All papers were reviewed using a double-blind review process: authors declared their names and affiliations in the manuscript for the reviewers to see, but reviewers did not know each other’s identities, nor did the authors receive information about who had reviewed their manuscript. The Committees of MSREE 2024 invested great efforts in reviewing the papers submitted to the conference and organizing the sessions to enable the participants to gain maximum benefit. Qingwei Liu, Willie Jefferson Xi’an, China