Unexpected Benefits Research Articles

Exploring the Effects of the Human–Animal Relationship on Care-Farms in the Context of Trauma Histories

ABSTRACT This qualitative study explored the effects of human–animal relationships on care-farms, with specific attention to the context of trauma histories. We questioned how the interpretative act and belief in identifying shared narratives of prior suffering could change how people relate to their own narratives of trauma and grief and to animals. Drawing on a study of grieving individuals’ experiences on a care-farm providing support and psychoeducation to individuals who have experienced traumatic grief, we present the results of an in-depth qualitative survey. As part of the study, participants were asked to reflect on whether it was important that the service-provider’s model included helping rescue animals: 91% answered affirmatively. Participants were invited to expand discursively why, or why not, this had been meaningful to them. Our results show that participants assigned benefits from personally identifying a “shared narrative” of trauma with the animals, that witnessing a level of rehabilitation and resilience in animals with trauma histories was meaningful for participants for their own integration of grief, and that being able to contribute “care” for animals provided a mechanism for compassionate practice. Our findings suggest that animals with loss and trauma biographies may provide unique and unexpected psychological benefits to humans facing grief and trauma. We are not suggesting that animals who have a traumatic past have an inherent capacity for providing salutary benefit or that such animals should be engaged to provide therapeutic opportunities. Rather, we emphasize the importance of narrative and how such narratives change how participants relate to, and interact with, animals. Our research serves as an important reminder that “therapy animals” are living beings with their own life histories and experiences. Careful thought needs to be given when working with animals in a therapeutic context in order to protect both vulnerable humans and animals.

Physicochemical Properties and Antibacterial Activity of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles from Melothria pendula Linn. (Pipinong-Gubat) Leaf Extract

Nanoparticles have all kinds of unexpected benefits in different fields and industry. For this reason, the demand for nanoparticles is increasing at overwhelming rate the increased demand resulted to increase in production. Conventional method in synthesizing nanoparticles have been reported to be capital intensive, inefficient in materials and energy use. Because of this, researchers are leaning to biological method in synthesizing NPs. In this study, aqueous leaf extract of Melothria pendula Linn. (Pipinong-gubat) was used to biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the biosynthesized nanoparticle underwent physicochemical and antibacterial analysis. Physical and chemical properties of leaf extract have been determine having an black color, pleasant odor, boiling point of 94.3°C, density of 0.94g/mL, pH of 8 slightly basic and polar in both water and ethanol and non-polar in hexane. Secondary metabolites that are present in leaf extract are alkaloids, saponins and terpenoids. Having a coloration of yellowish-brown, the synthesized AgNPs was characterized using UV-VIS Spectrophotometer that the resulting peak confirm the formation of AgNps, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) determined the functional group that was present and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) determined the surface morphology that shows AgNps in agglomeration state at a magnification of (a) 1000 k (b) 2000 k (c) 3000 k (d) 4000 k and a diameter of (a) 100 um (b) 30 um (c) 30 um (d) 20 um. In terms with its antibacterial result, it was found out to be effective against S. aureus and E. coli. It has a clear zone of inhibition of 5mm in S. aureus and 3.67mm in E.coli. Furthermore, statistical treatment shows that there is no significant in antibacterial activity between positive control (Chloramphenicol) and sample (AgNPs). This implies that the sample could be a substitute to the market as antibacterial agent against S. aureus and E. coli.

Rural Parent's Experiences of Stress and Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic and School Closure

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated social and economic disruptions, resulting in cascading effects on the health and well-being of global citizens. However, little research has focused on how COVID-19 has affected rural regions, despite rurality being a critical factor for understanding community impact and response to the pandemic. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of rural Nebraskan parents with young children during the COVID-19 pandemic and school shutdown, and the strategies they used to support their families during that time. We conducted individual and group interviews with 22 white, non-Hispanic mothers living in rural towns, villages, and farms in the Great Plains region of the United States. Thematic analysis was used to generate the following themes related to pandemic challenges: Impacts on Children’s Education and Development, Impact on Parent’s Work, and Social-emotional Impacts. Additionally, we generated themes related to the ways that rural parents responded to those challenges: Successful Parenting Strategies, Children’s Strategies, Using Community Provided Resources, Finding Unexpected Benefits, and Hope. This study is meaningful because it documented the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and school shutdown on rural families with young children, and their responses to pandemic-related stressors. Our findings provide further insights into families’ experiences of how COVID-19 affected their lives. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.

Additional unexpected benefits of rewarding students for effective problem solving strategies: supporting gender equity in physics

An important goal of introductory physics courses is to encourage effective approaches to problem solving. To achieve this goal, many aspects of desired problem solving approach should be rewarded, e.g. via grade incentives rather than basing grades mainly or solely on correct final answers. Here we discuss findings of a study that suggests that shifting pedagogical emphasis to reward the process of problem solving approach rather than basing the grade primarily on the final answer may have an additional unexpected benefit of supporting gender equity in physics. Our study involves administering a previously-validated attitudes and approaches to problem solving (AAPS) survey in six large enrollment calculus-based introductory physics classes at a large research university in the United States. On average, women had a statistically significantly higher average AAPS score at the end of the instruction when compared with men. Moreover, on clusters of questions related to effective approaches to problem solving such as drawing diagrams and doing scratchwork, women had a significantly higher average score. Since drawing and scratchwork are part of a systematic approach to physics problem-solving, this finding suggests that women, on average, may take a more favourable approach to physics problem-solving when compared with men. Interview data with a subset of students corroborate this interpretation. Our findings suggest that awarding appropriate credit to the entire problem solving process, e.g. by giving credit for drawings and scratchwork, may support gender equity in physics. In particular, heavier reliance on open-ended questions on assessments, along with grading rubrics that are sensitive to the details of the problem-solving process, not only rewards the desired approaches to problem solving, but also supports gender equity since women are rewarded appropriately for their work. We encourage physics instructors to adopt instructional strategies that reward the problem solving process instead of only rewarding the product to ensure that students learn effective problem solving skills while also supporting a practice that is more equitable.

Skid Plate Development by using Topography Optimization

The objective of this paper is to show that how the development of skid plate can achieve without increasing the gauge and upgrading the material properties. There are certain factors which can influence the skid plate such as rail width, shape, ground clearance, attachment points, load coming on skid plate and the general shape of the object for which it is the skid plate's design and purpose is to protect (transfer case, fuel tank etc.). This document also covers the CAE procedure to evaluate performance of skid plate for structural integrity under static load condition for vehicles. Bead plays an important role to increase the structural stiffness but challenge is how to decide bead patterns and bead pattern can be achieved by using topography optimization approach. The skid plate should absorb the damage and protect underneath parts and protect vehicle function ability. This paper will demonstrate a few ways to achieve a successful skid plate design while gaining some other unexpected benefits described herein.

Reflecting on the Unexpected Benefits of Postgraduate Study and Exploring Meaningful Personal Development Planning

No matter where you are in your career, reflecting on your unique place in the world of midwifery is valuable. You don’t need to have a five-year plan or ideal job in mind to develop – and undertaking postgraduate education can offer the space to explore who you want to be as a practitioner and advocate for families. We’ve learned more than ever over the last two years that we can’t separate our personal and professional selves, so take time to know yourself and what you need to excel at whatever role you are doing. And remember that everyone experiences imposter syndrome sometimes!

Evaluation of flibanserin's benefits and tolerability in women with low libido and a history of breast cancer.

e18761 Background: After cancer treatment, women with sexual problems are more likely to have a poor quality of life and lack self-esteem. The 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology guidelines on interventions to address sexual problems in people with cancer lists flibanserin as a treatment option for premenopausal women with low libido and a history of cancer. However, flibanserin's clinical trials excluded women with a history of breast cancer; as a result, there is limited information on benefits and tolerability in this subset of women. This retrospective chart review study was conducted to address this knowledge gap. Methods: Structured data (partner and menopausal status, medications, medical history, and weight) were extracted from predefined fields in the clinic's electronic health record (EHR) system using on-demand reports. Free-text encounter notes served as the data source for unstructured data (benefits and tolerability). Patients with low libido (R68.82 or F52.0) plus a history of breast cancer and ≥1 flibanserin prescription submitted through the clinic’s EHR system (“Flibanserin Plus History of Breast Cancer” [FPHBC] patient), seen at the clinic between September 1, 2015, and August 31, 2021, are included in this analysis. Encounter notes were reviewed to ensure patients had a personal history of breast cancer and terms related to their benefits and tolerability coincided with their actual flibanserin usage. Patients were categorized as either FPHBC-User or FPHBC-Non- Users based on verified flibanserin usage. Results: Findings from the 20 FPHBC-Users are presented in the table below. Conclusions: Flibanserin was generally well-tolerated among FPHBC-Users and most women reported benefits in libido. Unexpected benefits included improved orgasm and other non-sexual benefits. The clinic consulted with all patients’ oncologists before initiating flibanserin which likely contributed to its safe use. It is important to acknowledge that flibanserin is just one component of care, and the benefits and tolerability reported here may or may not be related to treatment alone. Our findings may not generalize to all clinical practices, and more extensive studies are needed to verify these findings.[Table: see text]

Unexpected Benefits in Single Institution Experience With Successful Implementation of a Standardized Perioperative Protocol in Pediatric Thyroidectomy.

Introduction:To illustrate how quality improvement can produce unexpected positive outcomes.Methods:We compared a retrospective review of perioperative management and outcomes of baseline 122 pediatric total thyroidectomies to 121 subsequent total thyroidectomies managed by an Electronic Medical Record protocol in a large, free-standing children’s healthcare system. Process measures included serum calcium measurement 6−12 hours postoperatively; parathyroid hormone measurement 6 hours postoperatively; preoperative iodine for Graves disease, and postoperative prophylactic calcium carbonate administration. In addition, we completed 4 Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, focusing on implementation, refinement, usage, education, and postoperative calcitriol administration. The primary outcome included transient hypocalcemia during admission.Results:All perioperative process measures improved over PDSA cycles. Measurement of postoperative serum calcium increased from 42% at baseline to 100%. Measurement of postoperative PTH increased from 11% to 97%. Preoperative iodine administration for Graves disease surgeries improved from 72% to 94%. Postoperative calcium carbonate administration increased from 36% to 100%. There was a trend toward lower rates of severe hypocalcemia during admission over the subsequent PDSA cycles starting at 11.6% and improving to 3.4%. With the regular review of outcomes, surgical volume consolidated among high-volume providers, associated with a decrease in a permanent hypoparathyroid rate of 20.5% at baseline to 10% by the end of monitoring.Conclusions:In standardizing care at 1 large pediatric institution, implementing a focused quality improvement project involving the perioperative management of transient hypocalcemia in total thyroidectomy pediatric patients resulted in additional, unanticipated improvements in patient care.

Services and Challenges at a Native American Residential Substance Use Disorder Treatment Center during the COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges arose for a Native American residential substance use disorder treatment program in California (e.g., insufficient housing for quarantining, inadequate telehealth bandwidth, food shortages, client skepticism regarding safety needs). These challenges were addressed, culturally appropriate services continued, no clients tested positive for COVID-19, and unexpected benefits arose.

"I Felt Supported by the Peers in My Group": Analyzing Experiences of Youths with Mental Health Challenges of a Supported Employment Program in Canada.

PurposeThe objectives of this study were to gain an understanding of the experiences of youths with mental health conditions who have undergone a 16-week supported employment program (SEP) conducted in an urban centre in Canada.MethodsFocus groups and individual semi-structured interviews were used to capture the experience of youths who had completed the program. Youths were eligible if they were aged 19 to 30 years diagnosed with a mental illness and enrolled in the program. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. Primary codes were organized and mapped onto Donebedian’s Structure-Process-Outcome Model.ResultsAltogether, 34 participants, aged 17 to 30 years old, described their experiences participating in this 16-week supported employment program. Participants’ experiences of this program and with employment were categorized into four main themes focusing on the (1) structure of program, (2) process of care (3) outcomes of program, and (4) improvements to the program.ConclusionOverall, the experience of a supported employment program was perceived as valuable, with unexpected benefits of the program beyond employment including the establishment of routine, friendship, and self-confidence. The proposed model can be used as a structure for monitoring and evaluating SEP.

Five Lessons from a Year of Teaching Social Dance Online

When the COVID-19 pandemic pushed dance education online, it required us to adapt how we teach. Although teaching virtually wasn’t always easy, it gave us many new opportunities to learn and grow. In this article, we share five lessons we learned from a year of teaching social dance online at our university. In particular, we discuss how teaching online caused us to question many of our previous assumptions, pushed the boundaries of what we previously thought possible, revealed unexpected benefits of online and asynchronous modes of education, and reaffirmed that dance can have a significant impact on the lives of our students both on and off the dance floor. Based on these five lessons, we provide five questions that can inspire us as dance educators to create even more impactful experiences for our students going forward.

An Overview of the Cardiorenal Protective Mechanisms of SGLT2 Inhibitors.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors block glucose reabsorption in the renal proximal tubule, an insulin-independent mechanism that plays a critical role in glycemic regulation in diabetes. In addition to their glucose-lowering effects, SGLT2 inhibitors prevent both renal damage and the onset of chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular events, in particular heart failure with both reduced and preserved ejection fraction. These unexpected benefits prompted changes in treatment guidelines and scientific interest in the underlying mechanisms. Aside from the target effects of SGLT2 inhibition, a wide spectrum of beneficial actions is described for the kidney and the heart, even though the cardiac tissue does not express SGLT2 channels. Correction of cardiorenal risk factors, metabolic adjustments ameliorating myocardial substrate utilization, and optimization of ventricular loading conditions through effects on diuresis, natriuresis, and vascular function appear to be the main underlying mechanisms for the observed cardiorenal protection. Additional clinical advantages associated with using SGLT2 inhibitors are antifibrotic effects due to correction of inflammation and oxidative stress, modulation of mitochondrial function, and autophagy. Much research is required to understand the numerous and complex pathways involved in SGLT2 inhibition. This review summarizes the current known mechanisms of SGLT2-mediated cardiorenal protection.

Benefits and barriers in a clinical research competency development scheme for low- and middle-income countries

ABSTRACT Background The EDCTP-TDR Clinical Research and Development Fellowship (CRDF) scheme has offered one-year clinical research training placements for early- and mid-career researchers from LMIC since 1999. Objective Using the results of a 2018 external evaluation of the CRDF, the current article aims to identify the principal benefits for the main stakeholders of the CRDF scheme as well as the main barriers to accessing these benefits. Method Data analysis was derived from an external evaluation of the CRDF scheme. Based on a logical framework approach, data for the external evaluation was collected through document review, interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires collected from the main stakeholder groups. The evaluation was structured along six main themes: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and equity. Results The current paper focuses on the expected benefits, unexpected benefits, and barriers to enjoying benefits of the scheme for key stakeholders. Discussion Expected benefits were aligned with the development of clinical research competencies, which is the objective of the scheme. Unexpected benefits centred on transferable professional skills in scientific leadership and knowledge translation. Barriers mainly were found around engagement with home institutions and the return and reintegration of fellows following the training period. Conclusions and Recommendations Recommendations include further engagement with and support for home institutions and developing a formal framework for the development of transferable professional competencies, including leadership and knowledge transfer competencies.

Women's health for a primary care workforce.

Primary care training should include competencies to provide reproductive health services. In the United Sates, primary care is often provided by general internal medicine physicians. Longitudinal training experiences for internal medicine residents in women's health increase knowledge, skills and retention in careers in women's health, but very little literature describes their implementation. The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation and evaluation of a 2-year women's health training pathway in Internal Medicine. Using the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) model, we describe the salient features of a complex, longitudinal educational intervention at the development, planning and evaluation stages within a large academic medical centre. In 2019, we conducted interviews with the pathway participants (N = 6) in the first 3years of the programme and used the CIPP framework and Kirkpatrick's Model as an a priori codebook for analysis. Participants reported high fidelity and that the training was relevant and appropriate to meet their needs. Practicing clinicians similarly reported that training was relevant and useful and met desired goals for knowledge and integrated approaches to care. Trainees reported unexpected benefits of identity formation and a community of practice. These results suggest that longitudinal training pathways are an effective way to train Internal Medicine residents to provide comprehensive care to women. This study has broader applications for health professions education, providing a model for implementation and evaluation of complex educational interventions in large organisations. Future research should focus on dissemination to train a workforce prepared to offer evidence-based care to women throughout their lifespan.

A Covid-19 Led Revolution In Mathematics Teaching

The onset of COVID-19, along with its various mutations, has played havoc with many activities, not the least of which is education. For the majority of 2020 and 2021 in Australia, much of the teaching in both schools and universities was undertaken online, leading to a re-think of how learning and teaching might look in the future. This paper examines some of the challenges of remote learning, along with some of the unexpected benefits. Of particular interest is assessment, especially in mathematics-based subjects, and how a fair evaluation may be made of the students.

Potential effect of SARS-CoV-2 on solar energy generation: Environmental dynamics and implications

The Covid-19 pandemic is exerting a significant influence on global energy markets, and continuing to hinder the growth of core technology for the implementation of renewable forms of energy. With an unprecedented effect, the new coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV2, has succeeded to seize the control of most cities of the world and led to their closure. The newly-emerged virus has also resulted in environmental changes. The present study was conducted to show the indirect positive effects of COVID-19 on the reduction of air pollution, particularly in countries such as Italy, France, and India. Our research proved the existence of meaningful relationships between probable actions, air quality improvement, and increased energy generation by photovoltaic systems (PVs). Newly-obtained data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite illustrate that some cities have experienced a 45 to 50% reduction in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration compared to the same period in the past year. This reduction has provided two important and unexpected benefits, namely the reduction in environmental pollution (specifically air pollution) and, as a consequence, an increase in the amount of energy generated by PVs.

Understanding the conversation around COVID-19 and eating disorders: A thematic analysis of Reddit

BackgroundCurrent research has found dramatic changes in the lives of those with eating disorders (EDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We build on existing research to investigate the long-term effects and adaptations that people with EDs have faced due to COVID-19 related changes.MethodWe collected 234 posts from three separate time periods from the subreddit r/EatingDisorders and analyzed them using thematic analysis. The posts were examined for initial patterns, and then those concepts were grouped into themes to reveal the authentic experiences of people living with EDs during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsInitially, we found “lack of control” and “familial influences (loved ones seeking support)” emerge as themes within our broader data set throughout all three timeframes. There were additional themes that were present in only one or two of the collection periods. These themes consisted of “symptom stress,” “technical stresses and concerns,” and “silver linings.”ConclusionsOur analysis shows that people with EDs have fought significantly during the pandemic. Initially, the (lack of) control and routine in their lives has caused symptoms to become more challenging, while being forced to move back home also caused significant stress. However, concerns transformed as the pandemic progressed, resulting in new pressures causing people to exhibit novel ED symptoms or relapse altogether. Also notable is the relatively few COVID-specific posts as the pandemic progressed, suggesting that people have accepted COVID as their “new normal” and begun to build resilience to the challenges associated. These are vital factors for clinicians to consider as they begin taking existing and new patients, particularly as face-to-face treatment options become a possibility again.Plain English SummaryExisting research shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the lives of people who live with eating disorders in various ways. First, the pandemic has placed barriers on the path to recovery by limiting coping mechanism (and sometimes removing them altogether) and changing their relationships with food and the people in their lives. Second, the pandemic has forced treatment options to change since ED patients can no longer seek treatment face-to-face. Finally, there have been unexpected benefits to the pandemic, such as allowing individuals time to slow down and focus on their mental health. Previous studies examined individuals in clinical contexts rather than in their natural environments. We explored an online forum for people with eating disorders for the various themes that were discussed at three points over the period of March 2020-December 2020 and found that many people with EDs report worsening symptoms or relapse. However, we also noted that, compared to the beginning of the pandemic, people seemed to be less frequently asking for support during the third data collection period, implying an adaptation to the “new normal” of life in a pandemic. We conclude with a discussion of the findings.

Recasting embodied and relational teaching in the arts: teacher educators reflect on the potential of digital learning

ABSTRACT In this study, a group of seven teacher educators report on how they embarked on a process of collaborative autoethnography to uncover the problems and possibilities of teaching arts education using digital methodologies. Arising from the pressing need to pivot from in-person, campus-based teaching to online modes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the phenomenon prompted the authors to engage in critical and inquiry-oriented reflection on the experience. While the full group comprised teacher educators from across diverse disciplines, the current study focuses primarily on the idiosyncratic nature of teaching arts subjects such as music, drama and visual arts education to student teachers. Using qualitative analysis, the study identifies key themes and insights gleaned from critical explorations of the data. Although embodied pedagogies are considered no less valuable than before, the study reveals unexpected benefits that arise in the digital context, especially in arts education. In this frame, arts education is recast in a dynamic and unexpected fashion, despite the exigencies of the digital environment. Ultimately, the study points to important teaching and learning experiences, and new ways of framing dimensions of those experiences, that can inform future teaching worlds in the digital space.

Electronic Transmission to Conference Interpreters of Texts of Statements: Introduction of an Experimental System

Abstract Interpretation may be suited to the transmission of improvized speech, but today’s conference interpreter is likely to devote much time to the interpretation of prepared statements which can constitute a considerable challenge. Interpreters frequently prefer to receive these texts in written form, with a view to the preparation of their work or, at the very least, to have them as a visual support for their interpretation. Under the pressure of complaints that an inadequate share of texts was being supplied to interpreters, the interpretation management in a multilateral organization conceptualized, designed and implemented a system to encourage the direct and timely transmission of delegates’ statements to interpreters. This article describes this process, indicates the levels of success achieved, and explains unexpected obstacles and benefits, such as improved integration of interpreters into the meetings secretariats. It points towards the need for the support of organizations’ management in developing and implementing such systems, including the relevant technology. Last but not least, it explains how it is vital to garner the trust of delegates and speakers that their texts will be treated with due care and that such systems serve the faithful interpretation of their messages.

Evaluating the Benefits of a SNAP-Ed-Funded Community Garden Intervention Using Ripple Effect Mapping.

In North Carolina, rural communities experience high rates of chronic illness due to health inequities exacerbated by the decline of major industries. Community gardens increase access to fresh produce and opportunities for physical activity and may offer additional benefits. These benefits can be difficult to measure as they are often unplanned or unintended. This article describes how we utilized Ripple Effect Mapping (REM), a participatory approach for evaluating complex interventions, to understand the impact of a SNAP-Ed-funded program. We purposively selected six community gardens to participate in 2-hour, facilitated REM sessions. On average, 15 people participated in each session. Participants developed a map of benefits using Appreciative Inquiry, mind mapping, and consensus-building methods. The map organized benefits across three levels: first ripple (individual), second ripple (interpersonal), and third ripple (community). In addition, participants coded benefits using the Community Capitals Framework. After the sessions, the research team extracted identified impacts into a matrix, aligned them with the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework, and developed digitized maps. These data corroborated findings from previous evaluations and offered insight into community-identified benefits not previously documented, including other types of capital generated by community gardens in rural communities. In addition, REM was an effective approach to measure and report several SNAP-Ed evaluation indicators, including LT11: Unexpected Benefits. Ultimately, the research team found REM to be an effective community-engaged method for understanding a complex intervention's benefits while centering participant community voices and transferring ownership of the data to community partners, a key principle in equitable evaluation.