Framework Of Theoretical Model Research Articles

Theoretical Approach and Scale Construction of Patient Privacy Protection Behavior of Doctors in Public Medical Institutions in China: Pilot Development Study.

Considering the high incidence of medical privacy disclosure, it is of vital importance to study doctors' privacy protection behavior and its influencing factors. We aim to develop a scale for doctors' protection of patients' privacy in Chinese public medical institutions, following construction of a theoretical model framework through grounded theory, and subsequently to validate the scale to measure this protection behavior. Combined with the theoretical paradigm of protection motivation theory (PMT) and semistructured interview data, the grounded theory research method, followed by the Delphi expert and group discussion methods, a theoretical framework and initial scale for doctors in Chinese public medical institutions to protect patients' privacy was formed. The adjusted scale was collected online using a WeChat electronic survey measured using a 5-point Likert scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA) and tests to analyze reliability and validity were performed on the sample data. SPSS 19.0 and Amos 26.0 statistical analysis software were used for EFA and CFA of the sample data, respectively. According to the internal logic of PMT, we developed a novel theoretical framework of a "storyline," which was a process from being unaware of patients' privacy to having privacy protection behavior, that affected doctors' cognitive intermediary and changed the development of doctors' awareness, finally affecting actual privacy protection behavior in Chinese public medical institutions. Ultimately, we created a scale to measure 18 variables in the theoretical model, comprising 63 measurement items, with a total of 208 doctors participating in the scaling survey, who were predominantly educated to the master's degree level (n=151, 72.6%). The department distribution was relatively balanced. Prior to EFA, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was 0.702, indicating that the study was suitable for factor analysis. The minimum value of Cronbach α for each study variable was .754, which met the internal consistency requirements of the scale. The standard factor loading value of each potential measurement item in CFA had scores greater than 0.5, which signified that all the items in the scale could effectively converge to the corresponding potential variables. The theoretical framework and scale to assess doctors' patient protection behavior in public medical institutions in China fills a significant gap in the literature and can be used to further the current knowledge of physicians' thought processes and adoption decisions.

Functional modelling through Function Class Method: A case from DfAM domain

Functional modelling is an essential part of systematic design approaches and is often prescribed in engineering design textbooks. However, function models created with current function modelling techniques often lack formal and repeatable representation, limiting their use in computational reasoning. Therefore, this paper presents a new functional modelling method to support function models' creation with formal and repeatable representation. The key element of the proposed method is a Function Class – a function-modelling element that categorises defined functions on a function block level by specifying operating flow, input and output flows, and integrates primary rules for functional modelling such as conservation law. The formalisation on a function block level reduces the number of morphological errors and provides a theoretical framework for future computational processing of function models. This paper proposes a protocol for developing Function Classes and defines a theoretical function modelling framework through Function Class Method. The development and use of the Function Class Method are demonstrated through the development of Function Classes for the Design for Additive Manufacturing domain as the first step toward a universal function modelling approach.

Green reverse logistics technology impact on agricultural entrepreneurial marketing firms’ operational efficiency and sustainable competitive advantage.

The purpose of the study is to analyse how green reverse logistics technology impacts agricultural entrepreneurial marketing firms’ operational efficiency and sustainable competitive advantage. Systematic literature review and meta-analytical methodology was adopted to execute the current study. Reverse Logistics Model has been used for the current study as the theoretical model grounding the study as it enables a quick reaction and finding resolution for the customer return whilst regaining the highest value that is possible on each returned item. Results indicate that green reverse logistics technology has a strong influence on agricultural entrepreneurial marketing firms’ operational efficiency and sustainable competitive advantage. The study further shows existing research gaps that can be closed by future research studies. The study has limitations which may affect the generalisability of the results since they can only be applied testing the validity and reliability of the developed conceptual model. The study adds to theoretical literature development by extending knowledge on the Reverse Logistics Model theoretical modelling framework since there is paucity of research that have directly applied the same model in agricultural inputs entrepreneurial marketing firms’ operational efficiency and sustainable competitive advantage. Practically, the study enhances the need for adoption of contemporary technologies to solve the current challenges facing agricultural inputs entrepreneurial marketing firms’ sustainable operational efficiency and competitive advantage in the marginalised areas, not only in developing and emerging economies, but also dotted around the world. The study contributes to the conceptual development, theoretical and practical policy directions applicable to any agricultural inputs entrepreneurial marketing firms. A model can be tested to prove its validity and reliability in future similar studies, using alternative methodologies.

Conceptualization of Self-awareness After Acquired Brain Injury: A Qualitative Systematic Review

<h3>Objective(s)</h3> To establish (1) the theoretical models and frameworks of self-awareness in adults with acquired brain injury; and (2) how self-awareness is conceptualized within those models. <h3>Data Sources</h3> Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases were searched, references were screened and expert recommendations were included. Search parameters included English-language papers published up until December 2020. <h3>Study Selection</h3> Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts for all identified papers, and removed duplicates. Full text review by two reviewers determined a final set of papers for inclusion that met the following criteria: literature that articulates an original comprehensive definition and/or theoretical model or conceptual framework related to self-awareness in adults with acquired brain injury. From 7913 references, 35 were included in the review. <h3>Data Extraction</h3> Two reviewers extracted textual data that included study characteristics, definitions of self-awareness, description of model/framework, application to clinical practice, and author recommendations for assessment and/or intervention. Quality assessment was completed by two authors using a 6-item critical appraisal tool. <h3>Data Synthesis</h3> Narrative synthesis methodology was used to organize, comprehensively assess and synthesize the findings. Within these, 13 models, 12 conceptual frameworks and 2 theories were described. The main themes and subthemes were: Clinical presentation of self-awareness (classifications and dimensions of self-awareness), development of self-awareness (knowledge, feedback mechanisms, temporal aspects, self-evaluation, enablers, barriers), understanding (dys)function (cognitive processing mechanisms, neurological foundations, causal factors), and practice guidance (assessment and intervention). <h3>Conclusions</h3> There is a broad range of information to promote understanding of self-awareness for adults with ABI which provides a foundation to support future research to support development of targeted assessment and treatment approaches. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> There are no conflicts to declare.

Problem Behaviors of Adolescents: The Role of Family Socioeconomic Status, Parental Educational Expectations, and Adolescents’ Confidence in the Future

The comprehensive theoretical model of problem behaviors proposes that family socioeconomic status is one of the factors affecting adolescent problem behaviors. The purpose of this study is to further explore the mechanism of the influence of family socioeconomic status on adolescent problem behaviors based on the framework of the comprehensive theoretical model of problem behaviors. Further, it is to discover more protective or risk factors affecting adolescent problem behaviors, so as to provide theoretical guidance for the prevention of and intervention in adolescent problem behaviors. This study used data from the 2014-2015 academic year of the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) conducted by the China survey and data center at the Renmin University of China. A national representative sample of 6888 junior high school students was selected. Among them, 3342 (48.5%) were girls and 3546 (51.5%) were boys with an average age of 14.50 years (SD = 0.68 years). The results revealed that parental educational expectations and adolescents' confidence in the future played a contributory mediating role in the association between family socioeconomic status and adolescents' problem behaviors. Both parental educational expectations and adolescents' confidence in the future are protective factors against adolescents' problem behaviors and enhancing these factors can decrease the likelihood of adolescents' engagement in problem behaviors.

A model for mechanosensitive cell migration in dynamically morphing soft tissues

Processes such as embryonic development and wound healing involve a complex coupled interplay between cellular contractility and migration, as well as extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanics and remodeling. Despite intense efforts to describe biomechanical interactions between cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM), the regulatory principles of the coupled cell migration and contractility within dynamically morphing tissues remain poorly understood. Existing theories dealing with cell/ECM contractility do not account for the evolution of cell concentration that is a result of cell migration, which in turn inadvertently influences contractility and vice-versa. Here, we propose a mechanosensitive transient nonlinear theory to connect cell migration and contractility inside 3D ECM, while accounting for ”active” surface effects. Moreover, we introduce a finite element implementation to account for coupling cell migration and contractility capturing the transient large deformation response in complex tissue geometries. Motivated by microtissue experimental setups, simulation results presented in this work, capture changes in the bulk shape of morphing tissues as well as the evolution of the cell concentration for wounded and intact microtissues. The presented theoretical model and computational framework enable us to interpret experimental data, isolate factors that dominate the mechanical behavior, and conduct hypothesis driven research.

Factors affecting preventive behaviors of Alzheimer's disease in family members of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

As genetic factors increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the families of dementia patients are at risk of AD. We aimed to evaluate the factors affecting preventive behaviors of AD in family members of AD patients. Using constructed questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) theoretical framework, this cross-sectional study investigated factors influencing preventive behaviors of AD such the intention to take AD-preventive medicines, prior experience of taking cognitive function supplements, and AD-preventive lifestyle. 147 family members of AD patients were recruited through the Korea Alzheimer’s Caregiver Association. Out of 147 participants, 94.6% had intention to take AD-preventive medicines and 46.3% had experience of taking cognitive function supplements. The intention to take AD-preventive medicines were significantly influenced by self-efficacy (odds ratio [OR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03, 1.87) and dementia knowledge (OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.13, 10.39), whereas prior experience of cognitive function supplements was significantly associated with cue to action (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.07, 1.40). AD-preventive lifestyle was significantly influenced by socio-demographics such as age, sex, and marital status, and the HBM factors such as perceived susceptibility, self-efficacy, and cue to action. Self-efficacy, cue to action, dementia knowledge, and perceived susceptibility were significantly associated with preventive behaviors of AD. Also, family members of dementia patients, who are at risk of dementia due to genetic factors, lifestyles, and environment factors, had high level of AD-preventive lifestyle and strong intention to take AD-preventive medicines. Further research could be suggested to understand AD-preventive behavior and intention to take AD-preventive medicines in general population.

Towards a generic theoretical framework for pattern-based LUCC modeling: An accurate and powerful calibration–estimation method based on kernel density estimation

Several modeling strategies have been proposed to study Land Use and Land Cover changes (LUCC). However, substantial discrepancies have been noted between different models for the same problem, questioning their overall reliability and reproducibility. To address this challenge, we elaborate a generic, formally correct, theoretical framework for pattern-based LUCC modeling, which is implemented in our own software, CLUMPY (Comprehensive Land Use [and cover] Modeling in PYthon).The present work focuses on calibration. We devise a kernel density calibration–estimation method (Bayes-eKDE) that is shown on synthetic artificial data to be both accurate and algorithmically efficient. We also introduce a generic evaluation method that allows us to compare the calibration efficiency of existing models. The gain in precision and computational time of our calibration method is precisely quantified in this way.

Multi-UAV Enabled Aerial-Ground Integrated Networks: A Stochastic Geometry Analysis

Multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can function as aerial base stations to provide flexible and reliable communication services for massive ground devices (GDs). It is quite a challenging task to analyze such multi-UAV networks when considering practical mutually exclusive relationships among UAVs. Based on the tools of stochastic geometry, we in this paper develop a theoretical framework for modeling and analyzing aerial networks with UAVs following Matérn hard-core point process (MHCPP). As the tractable probability generating functional (PGFL) of repulsive point processes is unavailable, we employ an approximate approach based on the Poisson point process to analyze the cumulative interference and the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) of a typical GD. By considering both line-of-sight (LOS) and none-line-of-sight (NLOS) communications, we obtain the approximation expressions of the network coverage probability and average rate. Finally, extensive simulation results are presented to validate the efficiency and accuracy of our proposed framework.

Polycrystalline NbRe superconducting films deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering

• NbRe thin films were deposited by sputtering under different growth conditions. • The films are homogeneous and polycrystalline, with grains of small dimensions. • The films electrically behave as disordered superconductors. N b 0.18 R e 0.82 superconducting thin films are deposited by direct current (dc) magnetron sputtering under different growth conditions. The resulting films are homogeneous and polycrystalline, with grains of small dimensions. The electrical transport measurements, which evidence that the samples are disordered superconductors, are interpreted in the framework of different theoretical models in order to find a correlation between the structural disorder and the superconducting properties. Implications of these results are discussed with respect to both fundamental and applicative research, considering the interest in the possible non-conventional order parameter due to the lack of inversion symmetry and the potential of NbRe-based devices as Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors.

SENTENÇAS PEJORATIVAS VERDADEIRAS ALÉM DO NÚCLEO EXISTENCIAL: SOBRE AS IMPLICAÇÕES DA TEORIA DE HOM E MAY

ABSTRACT This paper considers one of the most significant and controversial attempts to account for the meaning of pejoratives as lexical items, namely Hom and May’s. After outlining the theory, we pinpoint sets of pejorative sentences that come out true on their account and for which the question as to whether they are compatible with the view advocated by them (so-called Moral and Semantic Innocence) remains open. Helping ourselves to the standard model-theoretical framework Hom and May (presumably) work in, we prove they are compatible with the view. Given that the issues of both the moral import of pejoratives and the practical effects of their utterance are not settled by the proof, we then highlight unwelcome moral and pragmatic implications for some of the pejorative sentences under scrutiny, thereby showing that the view, broadly understood, is not as morally and semantically innocuous as it is meant to be.

Willingness to Donate Organs After Death

Abstract: Background: Despite the growing number of organ transplants, there is still a significant difference between the number of donated organs and the number of people waiting for them. Knowing the reason people decide to donate is the first step to increasing organ donation rates. Aims: The main aim of the present study was to develop and validate a new scale for organ donation. Method: In three studies, 3,585 participants ranging in age between 14 and 89 years were selected through systematic random sampling. In the first study, we created a scale following the organ donation model theoretical framework and submitted the scale to exploratory factor analysis. In the second study, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis to cross-validate the hypothesized factor structure. In the third study, the scale was related to some important variables involved in organ donation. Results: Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis with a good fit index and acceptable levels of validity and reliability guarantee the quality of the scale and stable factor solution. Limitations: The main limitations are connected to social desirability, the presence of systematic bias of the population that refused to take part in the study, and the use of the Caucasian population. Conclusion: The resulting scale consists of 21 items in a seven-factor model (bodily integrity, fear of death, familial beliefs, altruism, medical mistrust, trust in the health institution, and emotional support). We also observed the relationship between scale factors, religiosity, and knowledge of organ donation with the willingness to donate organs.

Effect of interface carbonization on dielectric properties of potassium nitrate nanocomposite based on porous glasses

Dielectric properties and structure of pure and carbon-modified nanocomposites on the base of porous glasses with an average pore diameter of 6 nm (PG6) with embedded KNO3 have been studied at the temperature diapason of 300–430 K and at frequencies of 0.1–3 × 106 Hz on cooling. X-ray diffraction studies of these samples have shown, that in modified and unmodified composites there is a mixture of the low-temperature paraelectric phase ([Formula: see text]-phase) and the ferroelectric [Formula: see text]-phase. In modified composites, a decrease in permittivity and conductivity is observed. Dielectric response has been analyzed in the framework of modern theoretical models. Two relaxation processes have been identified and their origin has been determined. It has been found that the main contribution to the dielectric response of nanocomposite material PG6+KNO3 is provided by charge polarization on interfaces, which can be governed by modifying the inner pore surfaces. DC-conductivity of both composites has been estimated and the activation energies have been determined. Activation energy change observed in a vicinity of 360 K is attributed to the phase transformation and the appearance of KNO3 [Formula: see text]-phase.

A hysteretic model of localized frictional contacts with instrumental stiffness

The steady-state dynamic response of a single-degree-of-freedom system comprising both a hysteretic element and a spring is considered. The Hertz–Cattaneo–Mindlin theoretical framework for modeling of local tangential contact with friction is applied in conjunction with the Masing model of hysteresis to describe the hysteretic behavior of the multiple localized frictional contact interface. The steady-state tangential displacement amplitude of a rigid body under harmonic tangential force excitation is approximately determined by means of the equivalent linearization technique, based on the harmonic balance principle. A special attention is paid to the evaluation of the frictional damping and the determination of the backbone curve of the Masing model from the dissipation-amplitude relation.

Theoretical Framework Model (TFM) for Examining the Professional Development of Teachers

Theoretical Framework Model (TFM) for Examining the Professional Development of Teachers

A unified effective medium modeling framework for quantitative characterization of hydrate reservoirs

Quantitative characterization of hydrate reservoirs is essential for evaluating hydrate resources and monitoring environmental hazards. Rock-physics models provide the theoretical basis for linking the hydrate saturation and distribution to the elastic properties. However, many of the existing models ignore the coupled effect of hydrate saturation and complex morphologies on the elastic behaviors and thereby fail to accurately describe hydrate reservoirs. To address these problems, the authors have proposed a unified effective medium modeling framework honoring multiple hydrate morphologies. In this framework, the manners in which the different types of hydrates interact with the sediment grains are characterized by different effective medium models. In addition to the hydrate saturation, the modeling results also reveal the effects of the cement factor, friction coefficient, incidence angle, lithology, and hydrate morphology on the elastic properties of the hydrate reservoirs. Then, five experimental data sets for synthetic methane and tetrahydrofuran hydrates formed under different conditions are used to validate the feasibility of the unified rock-physics modeling scheme. The good agreement between the theoretical predictions and laboratory data indicates that this method can effectively determine the hydrate occurrence mechanisms from the acoustic responses in different hydrate formation environments. On the basis of the constructed elastic rock-physics templates, multiple hydrate morphologies are determined with cluster analysis and then used for constraining the modeling scheme. Finally, the proposed modeling method is tested using sonic logs from Ignik Sikumi, North Slope of Alaska, and Hole U1518B, the northern Hikurangi margin, offshore New Zealand. The hydrate saturations estimated from the velocities are consistent with the interpretations based on resistivity and nuclear magnetic resonance logs, as well as chloride measurements, confirming the applicability and feasibility of our unified theoretical modeling framework.

A theoretical modeling framework for motile and colonial harmful algae

Climate change is leading to an increase in severity, frequency, and distribution of harmful algal blooms across the globe. For many harmful algae species in eutrophic lakes, the formation of such blooms is controlled by three factors: the lake hydrodynamics, the vertical motility of the algae organisms, and the ability of the organisms to form colonies. Here, using the common cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa as an example, we develop a model that accounts for both vertical transport and colony dynamics. At the core of this treatment is a model for aggregation. For this, we used Smoluchowski dynamics containing parameters related to Brownian motion, turbulent shear, differential setting, and cell‐to‐cell adhesion. To arrive at a complete description of bloom formation, we place the Smoluchowski treatment as a reaction term in a set of one‐dimensional advection‐diffusion equations, which account for the vertical motion of the algal cells through molecular and turbulent diffusion and self‐regulating buoyant motion. Results indicate that Smoluchowski aggregation qualitatively describes the colony dynamics of M. aeruginosa. Further, the model demonstrates wind‐induced mixing is the dominant aggregation process, and the rate of aggregation is inversely proportional to algal concentration. Because blooms of Microcystis typically consist of large colonies, both of these findings have direct consequences to harmful algal bloom formation. While the theoretical framework outlined in this manuscript was derived for M. aeruginosa, both motility and colony formation are common among bloom‐forming algae. As such, this coupling of vertical transport and colony dynamics is a useful step for improving forecasts of surface harmful algal blooms.

Semi-analytical solution for undrained cylindrical cavity expansion in variably saturated soils

The effect of different initial degrees of saturation on the behaviour of variably saturated soils around an expanding cavity has not been adequately studied thus far. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this gap. Moreover, it sought to theoretically explain the cylindrical cavity expansion response in unsaturated three-phase media, particularly focusing on its effect on the cavity wall during the transition from an unsaturated to a saturated state. To this end, a semi-analytical solution based on a hydro-mechanically coupled Sheng–Fredlund–Gens model was proposed for the undrained cavity expansion problem in variably saturated soils in which unsaturated and fully saturated regions coexisted around the cavity. The cylindrical cavity expansion and expansion pressure response in initially unsaturated soils (considering different initial degrees of saturation) and initially fully saturated soils were explored. The proposed solution further extends the cavity expansion theory to unsaturated soils. Furthermore, this work could serve as a theoretical framework for modelling of the cavity expansion problem in the variably saturated soils considering the effect of hydraulic state transition.

Performance Evaluation Method of Library Knowledge Management Based on Data Mining

With the development of information technology and computer technology, the work of the library is becoming more and more digitized and networked. This article mainly studies the performance evaluation method of library knowledge management based on data mining. This paper uses attribute-oriented induction algorithm to mine generalized features. First, scan the entire data set to obtain different values of all attributes. Statistics, classification, and analysis of historical records help to understand the usage of books and periodicals and perform predictive analysis. This article uses statistical weighted weight calculation formula to calculate the library knowledge management ability evaluation index weight. The evaluation of the knowledge management ability of the library mainly adopts the questionnaire survey method, and the knowledge management status of the library is deeply understood in the form of interviews on the spot, and the obtained evaluation data and materials of the knowledge management ability of the library are organized and statistics. In order to prevent the model from remembering the patterns of the training set too deeply, to make the model more general, and to adapt to unknown data well, we use the test set to rest the model. The part of the data set that has not been used in the process of modeling and testing correction can be used to estimate the effect of the model, or to compare the effect of the model. For expert value, the value of the office is 1.02, which is approximately equal to 1, which means that the value and cost of the office are basically equal in the knowledge service of the library. The results show that the combination of knowledge management and university library management will help to form a systematic theoretical framework and behavioral model framework in the research of knowledge management models and strategies in university libraries.

Invariant Galton–Watson branching process for earthquake occurrence

SUMMARY We propose a theoretical modelling framework for earthquake occurrence and clustering based on a family of invariant Galton–Watson (IGW) stochastic branching processes. The IGW process is a rigorously defined approximation to imprecisely observed or incorrectly estimated earthquake clusters modelled by Galton–Watson branching processes, including the Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) model. The theory of IGW processes yields explicit distributions for multiple cluster attributes, including magnitude-dependent and magnitude-independent offspring number, cluster size and cluster combinatorial depth. Analysis of the observed seismicity in southern California demonstrates that the IGW model provides a close fit to the observed earthquake clusters. The estimated IGW parameters and derived statistics are robust with respect to the catalogue lower cut-off magnitude. The proposed model facilitates analyses of multiple quantities of seismicity based on self-similar tree attributes, and may be used to assess the proximity of seismicity to criticality.