Undesirable Behavior Research Articles

Nonfragile output-feedback control for switched singular positive systems with time-varying delay under the Round-Robin protocol

This paper investigates a class of switched singular positive systems with time-varying delay, where the system parameters are uncertain. In order to decrease the consumption of the communication resources and avoid the phenomenon of data congestion, Round-Robin protocol is employed here. This is the first few attempts to introduce the Round-Robin protocol for such kind of positive systems. Moreover, the nonfragile controller is designed to suppress the undesired dynamical behaviors, which may occur if no control is implemented. By means of the matrix decomposition technique and the mode-dependent average dwell time method, sufficient conditions are established to ensure that the obtained closed-loop system has a prescribed l1 disturbance attenuation performance. Finally, three examples are presented to illustrate feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

A long-lasting gel-based diffuser of feline pheromone can help reduce undesirable behaviors in cats at home: comparison with an electric diffuser.

Using pheromone diffusers is part of the strategy to control stress-related behaviors in cats (Felis catus). The goal of the study was to compare the efficacy of a novel long-acting, unpowered gel-based diffuser containing a facial pheromone analog (Zenifel® gel diffuser, Virbac) with a similar electrically powered feline pheromone diffuser that already has proven efficacy, on situational stress in cats, at home. The study involved 90 owners of cats presenting undesirable behaviors receiving one diffuser or the other: 46 received one gel diffuser and 44 received one plug-in device and a refill, for the 2-month study duration. The presence of the various undesirable behaviors was checked regularly and a general score was given to rate their presence. The most reported behaviors were related to hypervigilance, seeking the owner's attention, hiding, excessive vocalization, inactivity, and excessive scratching. All six behaviors significantly improved over time with Zenifel® while only four improved with the reference product (no improvement for excessive meowing and inactivity). The general score significantly improved as of day 7 in both groups, with no difference between groups. More owners said they would use the product throughout the year with Zenifel® than with the reference product (80% vs. 42%, p < 0.05). Therefore, both diffusers can be used to help control undesirable behaviors of cats at home but Zenifel® is more convenient to use throughout the year.

Long working hours and preventive oral health behaviors: a nationwide study in Korea (2007-2021).

This study explored the association between working hours and preventive oral health behaviors. In total, 48,599 workers (22,992 females) were included from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2021). Weekly working hours were self-reported. The following three preventive oral health behaviors were set as outcomes: participation in annual dental check-ups; adherence to the recommended toothbrushing frequency (≥twice a day); and use of interdental cleaning devices. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using logistic regression. In male workers, the adjusted OR (95% CI) of the association between working ≥55 h/week and each outcome was 0.84 (0.77-0.92) for dental check-ups, 0.82 (0.72-0.94) for toothbrushing ≥twice a day, and 0.83 (0.76-0.92) for utilization of interdental cleaning device when compared to 35-40 h/week. In female workers, the adjusted OR (95% CI) of the association between working ≥55 h/week and each outcome was 0.79 (0.70-0.89) for dental check-ups, 0.88 (0.70-1.11) for toothbrushing ≥twice a day, and 0.80 (0.71-0.90) for utilization of interdental cleaning device when compared to 35-40 h/week. Additionally, low socio-economic status, such as low educational attainment, low income level, and blue-collar occupations, were major risk factors associated with non-adherence to preventive oral health behaviors in both male and female workers. Our study suggests that individuals who work long hours are more likely to exhibit undesirable oral health behaviors.

The concept of succession evasion: An invisible behavior in the organization.

The opposite of succession planning is a new concept called succession evasion; A deep understanding of this concept helps to correct the training process of competent staff in nursing management. This study was conducted with the aim of explaining succession evasion as a new concept in nursing management; Also, as an invisible aspect of organizational behavior in the field of management. The current research was conducted using a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis methods. The participants included nursing managers selected using the purposeful sampling method based on the entry and exit criteria. The code of research ethics and required permits were received. The method of semi-structured interviews was used to collect data, and the time of the interviews varied between 39 and 90 minutes. All data was recorded and transcribed. The method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman was used for data analysis. Guba and Lincoln's criteria were used for the accuracy and robustness of the data. MAXQDA software was used for data management. The subcategories related to succession planning included "Fear of succession planning," "Talent suppression," "Belief in the permanence of the position," and "Obstructing the growth of others." Succession evasion as an undesirable organizational behavior had four primary categories, fear of succession planning, talent suppression, belief in-Popsition stability, and obstruction to the growth of others. It is recommended to use the findings of this study in the context of further explanation of the concept of succession evasion as the opposite of succession planning in future research, and also, to use this concept for planning nursing management.

Active thermography in PBF-LB/M with the synchronized path infrared thermography

This contribution presents a new technique for active thermography in laser powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M), utilizing the Synchronized Path Infrared Thermography (SPIT) setup. The approach uses the processing laser to thermally excite the surface of a stainless steel specimen allowing for in-situ non destructive testing. A secondary galvanometer scanner, optimized for MWIR radiation, in combination with a high-speed thermography system, is capable of conducting detailed subsurface defect analysis. The tests are carried out with artificially induced defects of varying sizes, the method uses temperature gradient analysis and higher order derivatives of the temperature profile along the laser path to identify undesirable thermal behavior. The findings highlight the potential of SPIT as a non-destructive and efficient tool for enhancing PBF-LB/M process monitoring, with implications for improved manufacturing quality and safety.

Employee involvement in a hospital building project

Employee involvement in the planning and execution of building projects vastly affects both project success and functionality in the operating stage. This study is based on interviews with employees to investigate how they experience involvement in change processes related to a hospital building project in Norway. This answers the call for more qualitative approaches in project management research to unveil what actually goes on in projects.The study uses several theoretical lenses. First, we look at employees’ access to different bases of power and empowerment. Second, we analyse how path dependence affects experienced involvement. Third, we analyse the employees’ reactions to organizational changes; exit, voice, loyalty and neglect.The findings show the high involvement of appointed employee representatives in project groups, although they sometimes felt powerless and without necessary support. Ordinary employees lacked information and had little experience of empowerment. The project mostly followed a strict process of path dependence, and informants described behaviours of both exit, voice, loyalty and neglect. Lack of employee involvement might have resulted in impractical solutions and undesired employee behaviour.

Uvođenje kamera za uniformu u policijski rad - stvarna potreba ili iznuđeno rešenje

In the last ten years, police organizations in the USA and Europe have started to implement body worn cameras. The main purpose and goal of the implementation of these cameras is aimed at preventing unlawful and unprofessional actions and behavior of police officers and socially undesirable behavior of citizens. Miniature cameras on the body of police officers should deter police officers and citizens from committing illegal and socially unacceptable actions and procedures towards each other. Police organizations try to use body worn cameras to achieve the abovementioned goals as a substitute for other means of correcting unwanted behaviors, primarily training and education of police officers. This paper analyzes the reasons for the implementation of body worn cameras in the police organizations across the USA and in some European countries in order to reach a conclusion about the justification and the possibility to achieve complex and responsible goals only with the help of cameras.

The Use of E-Portfolios in Working with Pre-School Children

The advancement of information technologies has contributed to shaping a different vision of the life of society as a whole. In the age of digitalisation, society faces various changes in communication, as well as in everyday life. In the context of pre-school education and upbringing, the use of technology is on the rise for the purposes of implementing numerous educational activities. Communication with parents, monitoring the children´s personal growth and their behaviour, discovering the talents and abilities of pre-school children, and potential opportunities for preventing undesirable behaviour comprise activities which can be significantly improved by resorting to e-portfolios. Accordingly, this research aimed to explore the importance and methods of use of e-portfolios in working with pre-school children, as well as to pin down the prevailing type of e-portfolio based on pre-school teachers´ experiences. The research included 138 pre-school teachers from the city of Pirot, Serbia. Research results show that pre-school teachers resort to e-portfolios in pre-school institutions mostly to monitor children´s personal growth and behaviour. Consequently, they use such e-portfolios to prevent undesirable behaviour (with a special focus on aggressive behaviour). Likewise, the results indicate that an in-depth assessment e-portfolio is predominantly used by pre-school teachers, while the least frequently used is the subject-specific e-portfolio.

Robust stabilization of fractional-order hybrid optical system using a single-input TS-fuzzy sliding mode control strategy with input nonlinearities

&lt;p&gt;Hybrid optical systems with integrated control mechanisms enable a dynamic adjustment of optical components, ensuring real-time optimization, adaptability to changing conditions, and precise functionality. This control requirement enhances their performance in applications demanding responsiveness, such as autonomous systems, adaptive optics, and advanced imaging technologies. This research introduces a novel approach, employing a dynamic-free Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy sliding mode control (TS-fuzzy SMC) technique, to regulate and stabilize a specific category of chaotic fractional-order modified hybrid optical systems. The method addresses uncertainties and input-saturation challenges within the system. Leveraging a novel fractional calculus definition along with the non-integer type of the Lyapunov stability theorem and linear matrix inequality principle, the TS-fuzzy SMC approach was applied to effectively mitigate and regulate the undesired behavior of the fractional-order chaotic-modified hybrid optical system. Notably, this scheme achieved control without experiencing undesirable chattering phenomena. The paper concludes by offering concrete examples and comparisons, demonstrating how the theoretical findings are applied in real-world scenarios. This provides practical insights into the effectiveness of the proposed approach in diverse applications.&lt;/p&gt;

Psycho-social dynamics of criminology and humanistic corrections: An appraisal

The Constitution of India clearly states under Article 21 that "no person shall be deprived of his right to life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law". This is a fundamental human right that acknowledges the spirit of human existence. Article 20 also protects a person's right against conviction. No individual is a criminal by birth. Understanding various psycho-social variables affecting offenders' cognitive and affective processes is important. Family and social environment play a vital role in shaping an individual's behaviour, thought process, motive, and personality. The age-old notion that "Spare the rod, spoil the child" is a punitive way of disciplining undesirable behaviours. It implies harsher the punishment, the better the character of a person. Unfortunately, such belief is supported by law enforcement authorities. On the contrary, the humanistic approach emphasizes the correction of criminal behaviour by inculcating more positive human values and rebuffing punitive measures. The present paper analyses various psycho-social dynamics of criminology and emphasizes adopting the humanistic approach in corrective measures for the reintegration of offenders into the mainstream of society.

Can Subsidy Policies Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy Under Social Learning?

Vaccine hesitancy refers to a delay in getting or refusing vaccinations for efficacy reviews from early vaccinated individuals (e.g., social learning). However, no reviews occur if everyone delays. To overcome vaccine hesitancy, we first introduce social learning to characterize this undesirable behavior in two-period vaccine market (composed of a government, a manufacturer, and individuals). Then, designing subsidy policies are in three aspects: subsidy recipients (who should be subsidized, individuals or manufacturer), subsidy times (when subsidy policies should be set, preannounced or responsive), and subsidy paths (how the subsidy level should be adjusted over two periods, increasing or decreasing). Some results are yielded. First, if subsidy recipients are individuals, sales subsidies occur, and their equilibrium subsidy paths hinge on subsidy times. When sales subsidies are preannounced in the first period, a decreasing path is always optimal. In contrast, when these subsidies are responsive in two periods, an increasing path may be optimal. Second, these optimal sales subsidies can counter vaccine hesitancy and, further, utilize social learning to enhance vaccine coverage with different levels. Their differences are affected by two factors (government budgets and uncertain vaccine efficacy levels) that have asymmetric roles. Finally, if subsidy recipients are shifted from individuals to the manufacturer, cost subsidy occurs but it fails to overcome vaccine hesitancy.

Multi-objective Parameter Tuning and Performance Comparison of PI and FOPI Controllers for a Children’s Anesthesia Administration System

This work compares the performance of PI and FOPI controllers for a children’s anesthesia administration system applied to a FOPDT model based on data of 46 patients. Parameter tuning is performed through a multi-objective differential evolution optimization algorithm that includes a spherical pruning mechanism to obtain a good distribution along the Pareto front. The design objectives were the median and interquartile range of the integral of the absolute value of error (IAE). The Pareto front of the solutions of FOPI dominated the ones of the PI controller, although the PI Pareto front had a less disperse distribution. The best option of each Pareto set was determined by testing each option with the 46 patients and looking for the case that complies with the most or all problem constraints. The results of the tests showed that PI had a stable behavior with all patients, while FOPI showed an undesirable behavior with 5 out of 46 patients that did not comply with the constraints of the problem. Despite FOPI had a time response 37.33% faster, PI had better control characteristics and complied with all the design constraints in all patients, hence a control scheme such as FOPI is not justified.

Impact of Work-Family Conflict on Deviant Workplace Behaviors in Telecom Sector Organizations of Pakistan: Moderating Role of Islamic Work Ethics

The challenges of the information era and accessibility have reshaped the organizational environments and work dynamics. The issues originating from complex corporate cultures directly affect employees and their families and cause undesired behaviors at work by employees. To mitigate the instances of these behaviors, there is a need to understand the psychological condition of the employees involved in such undesired behaviors. The study focuses on the effect of work-family conflicts on deviant workplace behaviors by exploring the moderating role of Islamic work ethics. Data of 350 operational managers from four government and 26 private telecom organizations selected randomly in Pakistan was collected using a convenience sampling technique. The respondents were required to fill in the online questionnaire. The results indicate that work-family conflicts are positively and significantly related to deviant workplace behaviors and Islamic work ethics moderates this relationship. The introduction and implementation of Islamic work ethics can help in creating a progressive, cordial work environment and a system having better output in terms of performance, reliability and ownness. A “CIRCLE” approach (C - Code of Conduct &amp; Clear Communication, I - Incentives and Accountability, R - Reinforcement and Review, C - Cautious Hiring Process, L- Leadership Commitment/ Top to Bottom Approach, E - Ethical Training Regime) is recommended for the organizations to attain an exponentially evolving and improving organizational workplace environment.

The Implementation of Rewards and Punishment on the Students' Motivation in English Learning at Junior High School of SMPN 7 Mataram Academic Year 2022/2023

This research aimed to find out the implementation of rewards and punishment on the students’ motivation in English learning at eighth grade students’ of SMPN 7 Mataram in academic year 2022/2023. This study used a descriptive qualitative approach. The sampling technique consisted purposive sampling, which included 4 English teachers, and 40 students. The data was collected involved observations, interviews, and questionnaires. The researcher utilized data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion as analysis techniques. The results showed that the teachers respond positively to the students who showed a lack of motivation by conducting monitoring students’ behavior and their participation during learning process. Rewards and punishment were applied should be consider the condition and situation occurred in the classroom. Meanwhile, the teachers applied punishment by understanding the characteristics of each student so they did not feel uncomfortable, or disturbed their psychological. giving rewards made the students more diligent was 70%. 95% students were happy with rewards. Meanwhile, 87.5% students more responsible, and 82.5% students obey the rules and behave well. Therefore, it can be inferred that learning motivation has increased, and the students’ undesirable behavior has decreased.

Application of Behaviorism Theory in Dakwah

This research aims to examine the application of behaviorist theory in the practice of da'wah by exploring da'wah communication through the application of the principles of behaviorism. How the right stimulus can stimulate the desired response from the audience becomes the central question. Environmental influences, both social and cultural, are also important aspects to understand in the context of da'wah. How this environment can act as a stimulus that shapes religious behavior. This research uses qualitative research and a literature approach. Data was collected through relevant literature sources. The data has been analyzed through data reduction, data display and drawing conclusions. The results of the study show that the application of behaviorist theory in da'wah can help achieve the goals of da'wah by looking at the influence of the environment on mad’u behavior. Behaviorism emphasizes the use of da'wah methods that are more measurable, can change individual behavior significantly through stimulus and response such as the use of motivating lectures, the formation of worship habits, or the use of positive reinforcement to encourage participation in da'wah activities, by creating a relatable environment. Behaviorism theory is applied by providing reinforcement for desired or undesirable behavior in preaching. Forming habits in preaching can be done by repeating the desired behavior continuously. Classical conditioning can also be done by associating da’wah behavior with certain stimuli, such as certain environments or situations.

The Degree to which Teachers of the Second Cycle of Basic Education apply the Dimensions of Educational Security from their Perspective

Recently, many undesirable behaviors have spread in our daily life in society, whether from the teacher to his students or from the students among themselves as a result of the absence of educational security and the decline in the role of socialization institutions in general and the school in particular in training students on values. Positive social, Thus, the study was descriptive. Theory by adopting information about educational security and the nature of teachers’ practice thereof. The descriptive analytical approach was used and a questionnaire was administered to (48) male and female teachers at this stage. Therefore, the aim of the current research is to identify the degree to which teachers practice the dimensions of educational security, based on the theoretical framework and previous studies prepared in this regard, and accordingly, the curriculum was used, it came in first place with an arithmetic average of (2.26 and after education Dialogue learners ranked second with a arithmetical average of (2.19( while it came after providing a positive, supportive place for learners in the third and final rank with a low arithmetical average of (1.56). There were differences in the average scores of male and female sample members applying the dimensions of educational security in favor of female teachers in the three dimensions where the arithmetic mean for the dimension of using modern technologies is (48.40), for the dimension of educating learners in dialogue (75.35), and for the dimension of providing a positive, supportive place for learners (38.33). Differences were found. In the teachers’ scores on the questionnaire in favor of a diploma. qualification or above in the three dimensions, there were no differences in the teachers’ scores on the questionnaire in favor of 10 years of experience or more in the three dimensions.

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adolescents

Current research on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is generally based on quantitative methodology. This indicates a lack of information on how ADHD individuals explain this phenomenon, and what they experience. The aim of this research is to reveal how attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is experienced in adolescents and how adolescents explain this phenomenon. The participants in this study were ten adolescents aged 11-18 who were diagnosed with ADHD and did not have a comorbid diagnosis. Participants were interviewed through a semi-structured interview form. The interviews were conducted and recorded on an online platform, and a transcript of the voice recording of each participant was then created. The texts obtained from the transcripts were analyzed with an interpretative phenomenological analysis. As a result of the analysis, the following themes were found: Academic difficulty, normalizing and affirming the diagnosis, living with undesirable emotions and behaviors, and negative social experiences. The findings reveal that the ADHD-related experiences of adolescents and their explanations for the ADHD diagnosis are not of a single nature. Instead, they were also perceived in a positive light as well as negative. The results reveal that the awareness of professionals and families who have contact with ADHD-diagnosed adolescents should be raised, and interventional and motivational programs directed at ADHD treatment-related negative experiences of adolescents can be organized.

Academic Burnout and its Association with Undesired Behaviors among Faculty Members at Al-Balqa Applied University from Students’ Perspectives

The present study aims at identifying the association between university students’ academic burnout and undesired behaviors among faculty members at Al-Balqa Applied University from students’ perspectives. A cross-sectional design was used in this study. To collect data, convenience sampling was used to collect data from the study sample. The sample size consisted of 350 undergraduate students from different academic majors at Al-Balqa Applied University. The research instruments included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), which consists of 22 statements distributed over 3 domains: “emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment”, in addition to the scale of the unwanted behavior developed by Magableh and Abu Ghazal (2013) that covers the following domains: “teaching method, personal characteristics of faculty members, relationship with faculty members, faculty members' efficiency, classroom management and organization, motivational stimulation, and evaluation”. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) (v. 26, IBM Corp. New York City, USA). Descriptive statistics and parametric tests were used to analyze the gathered data. The results of the study showed that there is a significant statistical association between faculty members’ undesired behaviors and students’ academic burnout (r=0.361). The study concluded that faculty members’ undesired behaviors should be addressed to alleviate their impact on student's academic and psychological status. The study recommended conducting further awareness campaigns about coping strategies to alleviate the levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Keywords: academic burnout, undesired behaviors, emotional exhaustion, university students

Preference of dogs towards feeding toys made of natural rubber, and their potential to improve canine behaviour: A study based on owners' observations

Improper feeding methods can be linked to canine behaviour problems, as the conventional bowl-feeding approach fail to mimic natural behaviour and is associated with obesity. Feeding toys can potentially contribute to the enhancement of dog behaviour by mimicking natural hunting behaviour and promoting increased canine activity. Para rubber is a natural rubber with high flexibility and is tolerant of animal teeth, making it safer for animals compared to plastic and silicone. This study had two main objectives: firstly, to examine dogs' preferences for the scent and colour added to a para rubber toy; and secondly, to explore the impact of using para rubber feeding toys on dog behaviours. The feeding toys were produced from natural rubber, with added scents and colours incorporated during their production. Subsequently, these toys were distributed to dog owners for evaluation. Owners completed the Thai version of the C-BARQ questionnaire, which evaluate canine behaviour both prior to and following a month of interaction with the toys. The findings indicated that dogs exhibited a preference for yellow toys over blue ones, as well as a preference for vanilla-scented toys compared to those with a beef scent. Following one month of consistent use of the para rubber toy, dogs tended to reduce various undesirable behaviours. Notably, excitation behaviour showed a nearly threefold decrease, and this reduction was statistically significant (p = 0.003). These outcomes emphasise the potential of natural rubber feeding toys in mitigating excitation-related behaviours, while also highlighting dogs' preference towards specific colours and scents. Consequently, there is a suggestion that enhancing toys with appealing scents or colours might foster greater interaction between dogs and their toys, potentially leading to a positive influence on their overall behavioural welfare.

A National RDD Smartphone Web Survey: Comparison With a Large-Scale CAPI Survey

The most important national surveys of the general population for creating official statistics or public policymaking in many countries, including South Korea, are still conducted using face-to-face interviews with household members. Recently face-to-face surveys have faced threats to data quality from decreasing response rates and rising costs of in-person visits. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown exacerbated the situation for face-to-face surveys. Survey organizations suspended fieldwork or began to explore alternate means of collecting data. One alternative was a shift to telephone surveys; however, telephone interviews have encountered similar difficulties with declining response rates and increasing costs. Could a self-administered web survey be a viable alternative to interviewer-administered modes such as telephone interviews (CATI) or face-to-face interviews (CAPI)? Smartphones may offer opportunities not offered by other modes. We conducted a smartphone web survey using SMS invitations where a sample of cell phone numbers was selected by random digit dialing (RDD) and compared it with a large-scale national face-to-face survey (CAPI) where a sample of households was selected by stratified cluster sampling. The two surveys were conducted during the COVID pandemic in the second half of 2020. The coverage and sample representation of the smartphone web survey were comparable to that of the face-to-face survey. Despite the relatively small number of respondents, the quality of the smartphone web survey was sufficient to provide accurate data and compared favorably with the CAPI survey. The smartphone web survey yielded more reports of socially undesirable attitudes and behavior than the CAPI survey. The findings will guide researchers to explore new opportunities in establishing a web survey methodology that obtains data more conveniently, efficiently, accurately, and with less cost.