Executive Support Research Articles

Executives Strike Back: Political Benefits of Sanctioning the U.S. Supreme Court

Abstract Recently there have been extraordinary instances of public and political elite complaints toward the Supreme Court. Through a survey experiment, we find that when respondents read that a copartisan executive is offended by recent Supreme Court decisions and threatening to ignore future decisions, respondents increase their support of executives’ not complying with and going public against the Court. Additionally, we find that partisans reward candidates by voting for them at higher rates if they ignore a Court decision that harmed the participant’s party. Our findings hold implications for continued institutional arrangements and our understanding of the functioning of our democracy.

Evidence from aphasia suggests a bidirectional relationship between inner speech and executive function

Research over the past several decades has revealed that non-linguistic cognitive impairments can appear alongside language deficits in individuals with aphasia. One vulnerable cognitive domain is executive function, an umbrella term for the higher-level cognitive processes that allow us to direct our behavior towards a goal. Studies in healthy adults reveal that executive function abilities are supported by inner speech, the ability to use language silently in one's head. Therefore, inner speech may mediate the connection between language and executive function deficits in individuals with aphasia. Here, we investigated whether inner speech ability may link language and cognitive impairments in 59 adults with chronic, post-stroke aphasia. We used two approaches to measure inner speech: one based on internal retrieval of words and one based on internal retrieval plus silent manipulation of the retrieved phonological forms. Then, we examined relationships between these two approaches to measuring inner speech and five aspects of executive function ability: response inhibition, conflict monitoring/resolution, general task-switching ability, phonological control, and semantic control. We also looked for dissociations between inner speech ability and executive function ability. Our results show tentative relationships between inner speech (across multiple measurement approaches) and all aspects of executive function except for response inhibition. We also found evidence for a double dissociation: many participants show intact executive function despite poor inner speech, and vice versa, so neither process is strictly reliant on the other. We suggest that this work provides preliminary evidence of a bidirectional relationship between inner speech and executive function: inner speech supports some aspects of executive function via internal self-cueing and certain aspects of executive function support performance on complex inner speech tasks.

Comparative Study of Management Information Systems in Cement Companies in Southeast Nigeria, South Sulawesi, Kenya

This study explores the impact of Management Information Systems (MIS) and technological innovations on the performance of cement manufacturing firms in Southeast Nigeria, South Sulawesi, and Kenya. This study examines the use of management information systems in the cement industries of Southeast Nigeria, South Sulawesi, and Kenya using a literature review methodology. Through a comprehensive literature review of three key journals, the findings reveal a significant positive correlation between the use of decision support systems, transaction processing systems, and executive support systems, and the enhancement of corporate performance. In Southeast Nigeria, these systems increased firm performance by 0.321, 0.496, and 0.501 respectively. Impact of information technology on agency capacity in the cement industry in South Sulawesi. The effect of information technology on body skills is 0.267 and p-value 0.025, it has a significant effect on the statement, which proves that information technology has a direct effect on the body. They have the ability to support movement. In Kenya, the adoption of strategic and technological innovations notably improved sales volumes, operational efficiency, and cost reduction, with a mean aggregate score of 4.12 from surveyed department heads. The findings underscore the importance of strategic innovations tailored to specific industry needs and the necessity of training programs to equip employees with essential technical skills. This research provides actionable insights for cement firms aiming to enhance their competitive edge and achieve sustainable growth in a dynamic global market.

Application of improved grey wolf model in collaborative trajectory optimization of unmanned aerial vehicle swarm

With the development of science and technology and economy, UAV is used more and more widely. However, the existing UAV trajectory planning methods have the limitations of high cost and low intelligence. In view of this, grey Wolf algorithm is being used to achieve collaborative trajectory optimization of UAV groups. However, it is found that the Grey Wolf optimization algorithm (GWO) has the problem of weak cooperation. In this study, based on the traditional GWO pheromone factor is introduced to improve it.. Aiming at the problem of unstable performance of swarm intelligence optimization algorithm under dynamic threat, deep reinforcement learning is used to optimize the model. An unmanned aerial vehicle swarm trajectory planning model was constructed based on the improved grey wolf algorithm. Through experimental analysis, the optimal fitness value of the improved grey wolf algorithm was lower than 0.43 of the grey wolf algorithm. Compared with other algorithms, the fitness value of this algorithm is significantly reduced and the stability is higher. In complex scenarios, the improved grey wolf algorithm had a trajectory length of 70.51 km and a planning time of 5.92 s, which was clearly superior to other algorithms. The path length planned by the research and design model was 58.476 km, which was significantly smaller than the other three models. The planning time was 5.33 s and the number of path extension points was 46. The indicator values of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle swarm trajectory planning model designed by this research were all smaller than the other three models. By analyzing the results, the model can achieve low-cost trajectory optimization, providing more reasonable technical support for unmanned aerial vehicle mission execution.

The Effectiveness of Cyber Threat Intelligence in Improving Security Operations

The purpose of this research was to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) in enhancing security operations, while simultaneously identifying the various barriers to its adoption. Additionally, the study aimed to provide potential solutions to mitigate the identified barriers, to ensure successful adoption of CTI.A systematic review was undertaken to identify the main factors of enhanced security operations. Relevant questions and statements were then developed from these factors and a questionnaire was created using Google Forms. These questionnaires were then distributed via email to a sample size of 50 information technology professionals. These results were then analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. Overall, the research revealed that companies who used CTI reported significant gains in threat detection and response, risk management and threat-hunting abilities, which in turn lead to enhanced security operations. According to the research, several factors prevented organizations from adopting CTI. Among these were technological, regulatory, ignorance-related, and lack of executive support. Finally, to tackle these identified barriers the following were proposed adopting comprehensive awareness and education programs, the formation of an Executive CTI Steering Committees, structured CTI training and skills development programs, technology assessment and modernization initiative-based initiatives, proactive compliance, and legal strategies.

Police reform from the top down: Experimental evidence on police executive support for civilian oversight

AbstractThe accountability of police to the public is imperative for a functioning democracy. The opinions of police executives—pivotal actors for implementing oversight policies—are an understudied, critical component of successful reform efforts. We use a pre‐registered survey experiment administered to all U.S. municipal police chiefs and county sheriffs to assess whether police executives’ attitudes towards civilian oversight are responsive to 1) state‐level public opinion (drawing on an original n = 16,840 survey) and 2) prior adoption of civilian review boards in large agencies. Results from over 1,300 police executives reveal that law enforcement leaders are responsive to elite peer adoption but much less to public opinion, despite overwhelming public support. Compared to appointed municipal police chiefs, elected sheriffs are less likely to support any civilian oversight. Our findings hold implications for reformers: we find that existing civilian oversight regimes are largely popular, and that it is possible to move police executive opinion towards support for civilian oversight.

Insight from industry-early lessons learned about AI adoption in core procurement processes, directions for managers and researchers

PurposeThere is a growing body of conceptual work considering the potential of AI in supply chain and procurement, and there is great interest in AI among managers. But, according to a recent study, digital strategies for procurement are often missing or not satisfactory. Literature offers conflicting guidance on possible adoption areas for AI in core procurement processes. Given the need for better digital strategies for procurement and the need to further develop the understanding of adoption potential, the purpose of this paper is to explore actual adoption levels, experienced benefits, readiness levels and barriers to implementation in industry. This informs nuanced, not hyped, managerial consideration and identifies further research opportunities.Design/methodology/approachLeveraging items used in literature to study adoption of other technologies, the authors conduct the first empirical exploration of actual adoption levels of AI in procurement. The authors do so by collecting survey responses in three manager workshops, and the authors use the workshops to seek manager input in the interpretation of findings and the identification of implications for managers and researchers.FindingsThere appears to be less consideration given to AI in procurement than interest in the topic might imply. Adoption levels are generally low, implying that there is a lot of room for the development of consideration, use cases and possible pilots by managers and researchers. The authors find procurement benefits of AI adoption to be broader than costs and productivity alone, including visibility and innovation. But, readiness appears to be at relatively low levels with factors commonly considered in literature, such as executive support and willingness to invest, less relevant than less widely considered elements such as human sense making and supplier readiness.Originality/valueThis first empirical exploration moves past conceptualization and the study of potential adoption into the study of actual adoption levels in different procurement core processes. The authors expand the consideration of readiness by including additional items of human sense making as called for in literature. The authors also include and develop supplier readiness consideration, which is often missing from research. With the help of participating managers, the authors are able to develop a more comprehensive framework for the consideration of AI adoption. This can help bring nuance, not hype, to consideration and provides a rich portfolio of research items and constructs to further explore.

(085) DAILY CHANGES IN GENITAL PAIN, NON-GENITAL PAIN, AND MOOD, AS PREDICTORS OF SEXUAL DESIRE AND SEX WITH PARTNER: THE ROLE OF POSITIVE MOOD AND THE NEED FOR A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY OF SEX

Abstract Introduction There is a lack of research using prospective daily reports to study the associations between genital pain, psychological state, and sexual function. Although many studies have examined the relations among these variables, the most common strategy used is one-time retrospective accounts, which are limited by recall bias and the inability to study day-to-day variations in these symptoms. Objective To examine how day-to-day changes in genital pain influence daily changes in negative mood, and how day-to-day changes in genital pain and psychological symptoms are associated with daily changes in sexual desire and having sex with a partner. Methods A sample of 258 women with genital pain completed daily surveys measuring pain symptoms, psychological state, and sexual desire and activity (n=5831 surveys total; M=20.6 surveys per participant). Daily reports of genital pain addressed pain intensity, duration, and type (continuous vs intermittent); daily reports of psychological state addressed feeling depressed, tense/on edge, happy, and attractive/beautiful; and daily reports of non-genital pain addressed headaches and cramps. Presence of menstruation was also queried. Multilevel analyses tested for effects of genital pain on negative mood; and for effects of all pain and psychological symptoms on sexual desire and sex with partner. Results Analyses presented in tables 1 and 2 consider only days when genital pain was present (3316 surveys; 57% of surveys). Analyses including days with no genital pain were also conducted, recoding pain intensity and duration as zero, and excluding pain type, with only minor changes in results which did not change the overall conclusions. Table 1 presents results from models testing for effects of genital pain on feeling depressed and feeling tense/on edge, and show that, controlling for random intercepts of individual participants, feeling depressed was significantly predicted by all three pain scores, whereas feeling tense/on edge was predicted only by pain intensity and duration. Table 2 presents results from models predicting sexual desire/libido and having sex with partner from all predictor variables while controlling for random intercepts of individual participants. Overall, the results from these models show that the strongest and most consistent predictors across the two outcomes were the psychological variables of feeling tense/on edge, feeling happy and feeling attractive. Feeling depressed had no effect on either outcome. Of the genital pain symptoms, only pain duration had an effect on desire, whereas both pain duration and intensity predicted sex with partner. Pain intensity showed a positive association with sex with partner, which likely reflects an increase in pain intensity after having sex. Conclusions The current findings illustrate the potential impact of genital pain on negative emotions, as well as the importance of positive mood (feeling happy and attractive) on sexual desire and activity. Whereas past research has often focused on negative affect as an outcome of genital pain1, and as a predictor of sexual function2, the present study suggests that we give more attention to positive mood and a positive psychology approach3 in addressing the link between genital pain and sexual function. Such an approach may also have broader implications for general wellness. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Data was partially collected using the app “Vulvae”, which is a free-to-use app, and presents no conflict of interest for either of the authors. Clarification: No industry support in study design or execution.

(116) SUBJECTIVE AND GENITAL SEXUAL RESPONSE IN FEMALE BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS: RESULTS FROM A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY STUDY

Abstract Introduction Sexual dysfunction is a prevalent concern affecting more than 70% of female breast cancer survivors, casting a substantial shadow on their quality of life. Beyond the physical impact of cancer and its treatments, the emotional and psychological toll of sexual dysfunction introduces additional challenges, amplifying stress levels and undermining overall well-being. Acknowledging the profound implications of sexual dysfunction in this group and the absence of therapies, there is an urgent need to delve deeper into the intricacies of its manifestations. Objective This study aimed to gather preliminary data on psychophysiological aspects of sexual function in premenopausal breast cancer patients undergoing antihormonal therapy and compare them with a healthy control group. Exploring sexual arousal in breast cancer patients may unveil potential targets for innovative treatment strategies to address sexual dysfunction in this population. Methods Participants were prescreened during a telephone interview. We included 40 premenopausal breast cancer survivors with an age range of 29 to 57 years (M = 43.5, SD = 6.36) on current hormonal treatment and 20 healthy controls with an age range of 22 to 35 (M = 27.55, SD = 3.19). Physiological measures (VPA and HRV), subjective sexual arousal (SSA) and self-reported orgasm were assessed in response to audiovisual stimuli and vibrotactile clitoral stimulation sexual stimuli in breast cancer survivors and healthy controls. Self-reported measures like the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Sexual Self-Esteem Inventory (SSEI) und the PROMIS29 were incorporated. Data were analyzed using 2-level mixed effect models. Results No significant differences in VPA scores were observed between healthy controls and breast cancer survivors. Both groups exhibited a greater genital response to clitoral vibrator use than to visual stimuli. Group differences emerged in SSA and HRV, with higher SSA and lower HRV being detected. Breast cancer survivors climaxed less frequently than healthy controls and had significantly lower self-reported sexual function. Conclusions Physiological measures of arousal in breast cancer survivors were comparable to healthy controls and only subjective arousal differed. This finding indicates that subjective arousal should be further explored as the focus of intervention and treatment methods for breast cancer patients experiencing sexual dysfunction. Our findings underscore the importance of tailored strategies that resonate with individual narratives, acknowledging the emotional intricacies of post-cancer sexual well-being. This study not only contributes to scientific knowledge but also calls for a compassionate and personalized treatment paradigm, enriching the landscape of survivorship care. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: WOW Tech GmbH Clarification: No industry support in study design or execution.

(095) CHRONIC EPIDURAL SPINAL CORD STIMULATION AS A POTENTIAL TREATMENT FOR SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION IN WOMEN WITH SPINAL CORD INJURY

Abstract Introduction Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a lifelong condition that affects approximately 294,000 individuals in the United States, with an estimated 17,900 new cases occurring each year. Despite sexual function being reported as a top priority to restore after injury, research on sexual dysfunction after SCI is scarce, especially among people with gynecological anatomy. One major challenge in treating female sexual dysfunction (FSD) after SCI is the heterogeneity of symptoms. Women can have impacted libido, genital sensitivity, lubrication, and/or ability to orgasm. This is further complicated by the comorbidities of bladder and bowel dysfunction, which are also common after SCI. Epidural spinal cord stimulation (eSCS) has emerged as a promising treatment for SCI, demonstrating positive results across various domains for motor-complete patients, including bladder, bowel, and sexual function. Objective The primary objective is to determine if chronic eSCS improves survey-reported sexual function after SCI in women. The secondary objective is to determine if chronic eSCS improves survey-reported bladder and bowel function. Methods Seven female participants who are motor and sensory complete after traumatic SCI with injury levels between cervical (C)6 and thoracic (T)10 were recruited for the study. Participants were implanted with a 16-contact paddle lead epidural spinal cord stimulation at the T11-T12 level and followed for 13 months. The Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS), Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction Score (NBDS), and Neurogenic Bladder Symptom Score (NBSS) were administered monthly. Participants received continuous stimulation over 13 months. A generalized linear model was created for each outcome to examine trends in function over time with an alpha of 0.025 (Bonferroni corrected). Results In the first 6 participants analyzed, we found that sexual distress improves over time (p<0.001) in the largest series of women participants with SCI targeted for restoration of function (Figure 1). One woman reported restoration of orgasm after five years of chronic SCI. Additionally, we found a statistically significant improvement in bowel function as measured by the NBDS with stimulation (p<0.003) from the generalized linear mixed effects fit corresponding to the follow-up visit number. There were no statistically significant trends in the NBSS scores, however, one participant noted that she no longer uses an intermittent catheter to empty her bladder indicating functional improvements that are not captured by the survey. Conclusions Epidural SCS is a promising therapy to improve female sexual function after chronic SCI. Although quantitative surveys remain the most valid and reliable measures of pelvic organ function after SCI, we saw improvements in function that were not captured by the questionnaires. Still, we found significant improvements in validated surveys of bowel function and female sexual distress over time. These high-priority outcomes for women with SCI are potential targets of restoration using commercially available spinal cord stimulation. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Abbott. Clarification: No industry support in study design or execution. Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Stim Sherpa.

International experience in the implementation of the service model of the police and its role in protecting the constitutional rights and legitimate interests of the individual

Relevance. The study is relevant because the global trend in public administration emphasizes respecting citizens' legitimate rights and interests. As a key law enforcement agency, the police play a crucial role in this respect. Transitioning to a service model can transform the police from a punitive body to one that serves society and provides quality services. Purpose. The study aims to investigate the experience of implementing the service model of policing in various developed countries, identify the core principles of this model, and determine its role in protecting citizens' constitutional rights and legitimate interests. Methodology. The primary method used is generalization. By examining the different ways countries have transitioned to a service model, the study identifies the main features and principles that constitute this model. Results. The study examines the concept of service policing, defining its signs and principles. It analyzes the implementation experiences in highly developed countries such as the United States, Great Britain, and Japan. The study explores specific programs and technologies used, as well as the positive and negative aspects and consequences of applying the model. It also assesses the role of this transition in protecting constitutional rights and legitimate interests. Conclusions. The study concludes that adopting a service model of policing, as evidenced by experiences in developed countries, is crucial for protecting citizens' constitutional rights and interests. Key principles include legislative and executive support, community engagement, and the use of effective programs and technologies. This model enhances public trust, law enforcement effectiveness, and fosters a cooperative relationship between the police and the community, ultimately contributing to a safer and more just society. Keywords: community-oriented police; police services; transition to a service model; law enforcement

Social accountability challenges and recommendations by community service rehabilitation therapists.

Social accountability entails providing equitable and accessible services that are tailor-made for the community's healthcare needs and enable rehabilitation therapists to improve the efficiency and efficacy of healthcare delivery and their response. Enabling them to provide optimal care during their community service year requires understanding the gaps in their knowledge, experience and the support they provide to the communities they service. Four in-depth individual interviews and four focus group discussions were conducted via Zoom. The qualitative responses to the questions related to the challenges and recommendations associated with social accountability in clinical settings were analysed using an inductive thematic approach via NVIVO. Four sub-themes emerged for each of the two areas of interest: the challenges relating to (1) budget and equipment constraints, (2) staff shortages, (3) cultural and language barriers and (4) scope of practice limitations. The recommendations related to (5) collaboration with community caregivers, (6) service inclusion in primary health care clinics, (7) improved executive management support and (8) continuing professional development. Equipping graduates with the knowledge, skills and support needed to work in an under-resourced setting is essential for community service rehabilitation therapists to ensure social accountability, given that they often work alone, specifically in rural settings.Contribution:Being aware of the challenges that face community service rehabilitation therapists, having the necessary tools and health facility management support will enable ongoing improvements in their ability to provide socially accountable services.

Interactive assistance via eHealth for small- and medium-sized enterprises’ employer and health care manager teams on tobacco control (eSMART-TC): A cluster randomized hybrid type II trial (N-EQUITY2101/J-SUPPORT2102).

10606 Background: Organizational commitment and consistent leadership are crucial to facilitate implementation of workplace wellness programs. We aimed to investigate whether interactive assistance for SME managers to implement tobacco control programs (compared with usual practice) would increase 6-month abstinence rates in tobacco-smoking employees. Methods: This hybrid type II cluster randomized effectiveness implementation trial was done in Japan. SMEs in the intervention group received interactive assistance to employers and health managers for 6 months by supporting employees through campaigns, tailored ongoing facilitation, and ensuring executive engagement and support, aiming to promote utilization of reimbursed smoking cessation treatments and implement smoke-free workplaces. SMEs in the control group received feedback on the results of the baseline survey and information on smoking cessation measures. Stratified randomization was used to allocate SMEs to either group. The primary outcome was salivary cotinine-validated 7-day point-prevalence abstinence rate at 6 months, and the key secondary outcome was the adoption score of the two recommended measures (promote smoking cessation standard treatment visits, and smoke-free policy) at each SME at 6 months (range: 0–2). Other secondary outcomes included implementation and process outcomes (e.g., proportion of smoking cessation treatment use). Results: Between July 1, 2021, and May 16, 2022, 38 SMEs enrolled. Twenty SMEs were randomly assigned to the intervention group and 18 SMEs to the control group. Among 2,929 employees enrolled, 2,556 responded the baseline survey (response rate: 87.3%; men 65.0%; mean age 44.8 years) and 713 of them (27.9%) indicated being a current smoker in the baseline. Then 176 (6.9%) were omitted because of missing primary outcome data (mainly owing to not responding, turnover, resignation, or retirement); therefore, 537 participants (21.0%) were included in the intention-to-treat based analyses of the primary outcome. At 6 months, the validated 7-day point-prevalence abstinence rate in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group (11.2% vs 4.6%; difference = 6.6%, 95% confidence interval: 2.2%–11.1%, p=0.004). Regarding the analysis for key secondary outcomes, all randomized SMEs were included. At 6 months, adoption score of the two recommended measures was also significantly higher than that in the control group (1.5 vs 1.1; difference = 0.4, 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.86, p=0.047). Conclusions: Interactive support for SME managers to implement tobacco control measures (compared with usual practice) can accelerate the implementation of evidence-based smoking cessation measures and significantly increase 6-month abstinence rates. Clinical trial information: UMIN000044526.

Opportunities and Challenges for Augmented Reality in Family Caregiving: Qualitative Video Elicitation Study.

Although family caregivers play a critical role in care delivery, research has shown that they face significant physical, emotional, and informational challenges. One promising avenue to address some of caregivers' unmet needs is via the design of digital technologies that support caregivers' complex portfolio of responsibilities. Augmented reality (AR) applications, specifically, offer new affordances to aid caregivers as they perform care tasks in the home. This study explored how AR might assist family caregivers with the delivery of home-based cancer care. The specific objectives were to shed light on challenges caregivers face where AR might help, investigate opportunities for AR to support caregivers, and understand the risks of AR exacerbating caregiver burdens. We conducted a qualitative video elicitation study with clinicians and caregivers. We created 3 video elicitations that offer ways in which AR might support caregivers as they perform often high-stakes, unfamiliar, and anxiety-inducing tasks in postsurgical cancer care: wound care, drain care, and rehabilitative exercise. The elicitations show functional AR applications built using Unity Technologies software and Microsoft Hololens2. Using elicitations enabled us to avoid rediscovering known usability issues with current AR technologies, allowing us to focus on high-level, substantive feedback on potential future roles for AR in caregiving. Moreover, it enabled nonintrusive exploration of the inherently sensitive in-home cancer care context. We recruited 22 participants for our study: 15 clinicians (eg, oncologists and nurses) and 7 family caregivers. Our findings shed light on clinicians' and caregivers' perceptions of current information and communication challenges caregivers face as they perform important physical care tasks as part of cancer treatment plans. Most significant was the need to provide better and ongoing support for execution of caregiving tasks in situ, when and where the tasks need to be performed. Such support needs to be tailored to the specific needs of the patient, to the stress-impaired capacities of the caregiver, and to the time-constrained communication availability of clinicians. We uncover opportunities for AR technologies to potentially increase caregiver confidence and reduce anxiety by supporting the capture and review of images and videos and by improving communication with clinicians. However, our findings also suggest ways in which, if not deployed carefully, AR technologies might exacerbate caregivers' already significant burdens. These findings can inform both the design of future AR devices, software, and applications and the design of caregiver support interventions based on already available technology and processes. Our study suggests that AR technologies and the affordances they provide (eg, tailored support, enhanced monitoring and task accuracy, and improved communications) should be considered as a part of an integrated care journey involving multiple stakeholders, changing information needs, and different communication channels that blend in-person and internet-based synchronous and asynchronous care, illness, and recovery.

Impact of Project Planning, Monitoring And Evaluation on the Sustainability of the Millennium Village Project in Pampaida, Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State Nigeria

The sustainability of a project refers to the capability of a project to retain its usage over the long term. The Millennium Village Project (MVP) in Pampaida was purposely initiated to alleviate over 70% of the populace from poverty. The study examined how project planning, monitoring and evaluation influenced its sustainability, adopting the participatory and the stakeholders’ theory with the involvement of donors, government, and the community people in achieving the set goals and objectives of the Project – poverty reduction. The study applied the mixed method research technique –qualitative leading and corroborated by quantitative. We selected 368 people from the community as respondents from the 28 settlements of Pampaida to provide us with the data through structured questionnaires, interviews, focused group discussions and systematic observations. The statistical tools used in the analysis were; simple percentages, frequency tables, mean, standard deviation, and the application of the SPSS version 26 for inferential statistics while using Linear Regression Technique to test the hypothesis. In the research, hypotheses were framed in null forms to address the objectives of the study and were tested statistically, which corroborated the use of thematic analysis of interviews and observations of the research. The study found that project planning, monitoring and evaluation were significant factors that positively affect the sustainability of MVP projects. Therefore, the study recommends that; the government prioritize effective, structured and comprehensive project planning to guide the project objectives. In terms of Project execution maintenance and support, feedback mechanism and capacity-building initiative, the community needs to establish committees to implement a robust and rigorous monitoring and evaluation system.

R-Blocks: an Energy-Efficient, Flexible, and Programmable CGRA

Emerging data-driven applications in the embedded, e-Health, and internet of things (IoT) domain require complex on-device signal analysis and data reduction to maximize energy efficiency on these energy-constrained devices. Coarse-grained reconfigurable architectures (CGRAs) have been proposed as a good compromise between flexibility and energy efficiency for ultra-low power (ULP) signal processing. Existing CGRAs are often specialized and domain-specific or can only accelerate simple kernels, which makes accelerating complete applications on a CGRA while maintaining high energy efficiency an open issue. Moreover, the lack of instruction set architecture (ISA) standardization across CGRAs makes code generation using current compiler technology a major challenge. This work introduces R-Blocks; a ULP CGRA with HW/SW co-design tool-flow based on the OpenASIP toolset. This CGRA is extremely flexible due to its well-established VLIW-SIMD execution model and support for flexible SIMD-processing, while maintaining an extremely high energy efficiency using software bypassing, optimized instruction delivery, and local scratchpad memories. R-Blocks is synthesized in a commercial 22-nm FD-SOI technology and achieves a full-system energy efficiency of 115 MOPS/mW on a common FFT benchmark, 1.45× higher than a highly tuned embedded RISC-V processor. Comparable energy efficiency is obtained on multiple complex workloads, making R-Blocks a promising acceleration target for general-purpose computing.

How Health Care Organizations Are Implementing Disability Accommodations for Effective Communication: A Qualitative Study

Prior studies have documented that, despite federal mandates, clinicians infrequently provide accommodations that enable equitable health care engagement for patients with communication disabilities. To date, there has been a paucity of empirical research describing the organizational approach to implementing these accommodations. The authors asked US health care organizations how they were delivering these accommodations in the context of clinical care, what communication accommodations they provided, and what disability populations they addressed. In this study, 19 qualitative interviews were conducted with disability coordinators representing 15 US health care organizations actively implementing communication accommodations. A conventional qualitative content analysis approach was used to code the data and derive themes. The authors identified three major themes related to how US health care organizations are implementing the provision of this service: (1) Operationalizing the delivery of communication accommodations in health care required executive leadership support and preparatory work at clinic and organization levels; (2) The primary focus of communication accommodations was sign language interpreter services for Deaf patients and, secondarily, other hearing- and visual-related accommodations; and (3) Providing communication accommodations for patients with speech and language and cognitive disabilities was less frequent, but when done involved more than providing a single aid or service. These findings suggest that, in addition to individual clinician efforts, there are organization-level factors that affect consistent provision of communication accommodations across the full range of communication disabilities. Future research should investigate these factors and test targeted implementation strategies to promote equitable access to health care for all patients with communication disabilities.

Exploring key drivers of tourism sustainability practices and their impact on sustainable competitive performance in the accommodation industry

This study aims to explore key drivers of tourism sustainability practices and their impact on the sustainable competitive performance of the tourism accommodation industry. The study adopts an exploratory research design under qualitative research, using semi-structured interviewing of owners and managers of tourism accommodation firms using the TOE framework and RBV theory. The findings reveal that technological sustainability expertise, executive sustainability support, organizational resources and capability, service intermediary sustainability practices, collaborative innovation adoption capability, tourism sustainability regulatory policy, and sustainability practices perceived by residents are the key drivers of TSP. The outcomes also show that tourism sustainability practices have a positive impact on the SCP of accommodation firms. This study makes a theoretical contribution to the literature on tourism sustainability by exploring how TOE antecedents motivate firms to adopt sustainability practices as product innovation, which in turn enhance SCP. Also, this study provides strong backing for the premises of the TOE framework, and RBV theory offers valuable practical insights for managers and owners. This will aid in identifying the pivotal factors influencing TSP and SCP, enabling the implementation of innovative strategies to enhance firm competitiveness. Also, the research can help the government and policymakers formulate sustainable tourism policies to promote tourism innovations. The adoption of sustainable practices has been a focal point for both academic researchers and professionals in the tourism industry. However, there has been insufficient exploration of the TOE drivers that facilitate the integration of tourism sustainability within the context of TAFs in a developing country. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap in knowledge.

An overview of cybersecurity in Zimbabwe's financial services sector.

As nations, businesses, and individuals rely on the Internet for everyday use, so are cybercriminals manipulating systems to access information illegally and disrupting services for financial gain. The global cost of cybercrime eclipsed one trillion US Dollars in 2020, with Africa losing US $3.5 billion. A quantitative research methodology was adopted to investigate factors affecting cybercrime in Zimbabwean financial institutions. The study focused on the technical aspects of cybersecurity. Data were collected from July 2022 to October 2022, targeting technology experts in the financial services sector. Participants were recruited from 13 institutions to rank cybersecurity constructs, frameworks, and challenges associated with cybersecurity. Data was collected using a questionnaire distributed to participants. Descriptive statistics were used to extract meanings from the responses that measure mean and standard deviation. Network and data security were the most highly ranked cybersecurity constructs, while physical security was the least. The top three barriers are increasing sophistication of threats, limited skills and emerging technologies, while lack of executive support was the least. The top frameworks used are the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), while a fifth is yet to adopt cybercrime frameworks. The study proposes that financial institutions establish a cybersecurity culture to fight cybercrime, addressing cybersecurity barriers and following best practices. Financial institutions should invest in cybersecurity technologies, train security specialists, and employ a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The study's small sample may affect the generalisability of the results. Financial institutions should implement strategies to raise awareness and collaborate with institutions to train cybersecurity security specialists to close the skills gap.

(030) Hand Held, Self-Applicable Radio Frequency Device for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction. A Pilot Study with 6 Months Follow-Up

Abstract Introduction Collagen is an essential component of the structures involved in the erectile mechanism. Radiofrequency (RF) energy has been shown to renew and restore the spatial structural arrangement of collagen fibers and may improve erectile function of men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED). Objective To assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of low-intensity radiofrequency (RF) therapy in men with ED. Methods Men with moderate & mild to moderate ED, with or without the use of PDE5-inhibitors were included. After instructions, each patient treated himself with the radiofrequency device (Vertica®), applying his selected individual RF intensity. Patients underwent, according to the protocol, 12 sessions of 30-minute treatments over 2 months. Patients were evaluated at baseline, 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment using validated questionnaires; International Index of Erectile Function (Full IIEF), IIEF-EF, and erection Hardness score (EHS), satisfaction (EDITS, BSW), and disease-specific quality and quality of life (QEQ, SQOL). In each session, patients filled safety and side-effect questions (pain, fever, burning, discomfort, urinary disorders). The Wilcoxon signed ranks test and the Marginal Homogeneity test were used for statistical processing. Results Twenty-seven out of 28 men treated, were available for 6 months follow-up, mean age 59.2±9.7. The mean ED duration was 41.2±29 months. Mean baseline IIEF-EF was 16.8±1 and improved significantly to 24.8±1.6, 24.3±1.8, and 24.2±2.08 at 1, 3 and 6 months respectively (p<0.001). The Minimal Clinical Important Difference (MCID) criteria were met by 25/28 (89%) at 1-month follow-up and 20/27(74%) at 6-month follow-up (p<0.001). A statistically and clinically significant improvement was demonstrated in the Full IIEF and EHS scores at baseline and during follow-up. No correlation was found between IIEF improvement and the age of the patients. Borderline significance (p=0.05) was found between the duration of ED and IIEF-EF improvement. No side effects were reported and participants rated the device as very comfortable and easy to operate. Conclusions The novel radiofrequency, home-use device for the treatment of ED shows promising results and the potential to improve erectile function. In this study, it was feasible and safe. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to determine the long-term efficacy of the treatment. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Ohhmed, Israel. Clarification: No industry support in study design or execution. Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Ohhmed, Freya, Besins, Verility.