Walker Approach Research Articles

Patient motivation: A concept analysis.

Patient motivation is crucial in maintaining health-improving activities and helping patients recover from illnesses. Despite extensive research on patient motivation, this concept has not been clearly defined and remains ambiguous. The latest analysis of patient motivation was over two decades ago, thus necessitating the need to reexamine it in more updated literature. This study aims to explore the concept of patient motivation. The eight-step approach of Walker and Avant was used: concept selection, determining analysis aim, identifying concept use, defining attributes, model case identification, borderline and contrary case identification, antecedents and consequences identification, and empirical referent identification. Five databases, CINAHL, Cochrane, Medline, PubMed, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect, were searched for published works between 2014 and 2024 using the keywords "patient" and "motivation." The identified attributes of patient motivation are a psychological drive, a desire to adopt healthy behaviors, and goal-directed action. Antecedents of patient motivation are self-efficacy, provider-patient communication, and social support. Patient motivation leads to consequences, including healthier lifestyles and greater adherence and compliance. The present concept analysis draws upon current literature to suggest the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of patient motivation. Nurses can promote healthier lifestyles and greater adherence and compliance among patients by employing techniques to raise self-efficacy and provide social support while enhancing patient-centered interactions.

Concept analysis of psychiatric nursing competency in psychiatric nursing

This concept analysis study identified attributes and defined psychiatric nursing competency among psychiatric nurses. The approach of Walker and Avant was used for concept analysis, and a literature review was completed including eight steps. The concept of psychiatric nursing competency was identified as five attributes: professional assessment, situation coping skills, communication, cooperation, and self-management. Antecedents of the concept were psychiatric nursing education and experience, and the consequences were patient outcomes, patient safety, and efficiency of care. Psychiatric nursing competency was defined as the comprehensive ability to care for psychiatric patients appropriately and effectively in the nursing situation. This study is meaningful in that it clarified psychiatric nursing competency among psychiatric nurses, and the attributes and empirical referents of this study will be the basis for development to a psychiatric nursing competency measurement tool.

Designing a Spiritual Health Model for the Muslim Elderly Living in Nursing Homes.

The spiritual health of elderly residents in nursing homes is an essential aspect of their overall health that has been overlooked. There are no specific practical models available in this area. Therefore, the present study aimed to design a model to promote the spiritual health of Muslim elderly residents in nursing homes. This qualitative study is part of a larger study conducted in Iran in 2021 to design a model for the spiritual health of elderly residents in nursing homes in Islamic countries. The first part of the study was conducted using a qualitative method and a grounded theory approach. In the second part, using the findings of the qualitative stage and the theoretical production approach of Walker and Avant (2011), which includes three stages of determining central concepts, reviewing texts, and organizing concepts and statements within a relevant whole, a model for the spiritual health of elderly residents in nursing homes was designed. The resulting model includes assumptions, concepts, objectives, and operational strategies. Some crucial strategies of this model include improving social and organizational infrastructure, spiritual needs assessment, improving the structure and facilities of nursing homes, providing spiritual support, empowering nurses, likewise caregivers, and monitoring and evaluating corrective spiritual care. This model can provide a framework for enhancing the spiritual health of elderly Muslim residents in nursing homes by emphasizing improving the social structure and elderly care centers, assessing spiritual needs, providing spiritual support, and evaluating implemented measures.

Stochastic Compartment Model with Mortality and Its Application to Epidemic Spreading in Complex Networks.

We study epidemic spreading in complex networks by a multiple random walker approach. Each walker performs an independent simple Markovian random walk on a complex undirected (ergodic) random graph where we focus on the Barabási-Albert (BA), Erdös-Rényi (ER), and Watts-Strogatz (WS) types. Both walkers and nodes can be either susceptible (S) or infected and infectious (I), representing their state of health. Susceptible nodes may be infected by visits of infected walkers, and susceptible walkers may be infected by visiting infected nodes. No direct transmission of the disease among walkers (or among nodes) is possible. This model mimics a large class of diseases such as Dengue and Malaria with the transmission of the disease via vectors (mosquitoes). Infected walkers may die during the time span of their infection, introducing an additional compartment D of dead walkers. Contrary to the walkers, there is no mortality of infected nodes. Infected nodes always recover from their infection after a random finite time span. This assumption is based on the observation that infectious vectors (mosquitoes) are not ill and do not die from the infection. The infectious time spans of nodes and walkers, and the survival times of infected walkers, are represented by independent random variables. We derive stochastic evolution equations for the mean-field compartmental populations with the mortality of walkers and delayed transitions among the compartments. From linear stability analysis, we derive the basic reproduction numbers RM,R0 with and without mortality, respectively, and prove that RM<R0. For RM,R0>1, the healthy state is unstable, whereas for zero mortality, a stable endemic equilibrium exists (independent of the initial conditions), which we obtained explicitly. We observed that the solutions of the random walk simulations in the considered networks agree well with the mean-field solutions for strongly connected graph topologies, whereas less well for weakly connected structures and for diseases with high mortality. Our model has applications beyond epidemic dynamics, for instance in the kinetics of chemical reactions, the propagation of contaminants, wood fires, and others.

Nurse decision making in the emergency room: a concept analysis review

The development of decision-making models for emergencies is critical because emergencies can occur anytime and anywhere. This is because this situation requires quick and appropriate action. The purpose of this concept analysis is to analyze and clarify the concept of decision makers in the scope of emergencies and develop an operational definition of the concepts of decision makers, attributes, antecedents, and consequences. The method used is the concept analysis approach of Walker and Avant. The results of the analysis show that the attributes of the concept of decision-making include the process of managing resources to ensure effectiveness and security. This management process uses appropriate and effective procedures in accordance with standards, and the values that exist in society refer to human needs to achieve common goals. Antecedents for decision-making include used cases and technology. The consequences of decision-making include positive impacts such as readiness, experience, responsibility, and action according to emergency procedures. This analysis helps nurses understand concepts and make action decisions in the emergency room. It is recommended that nurses be aware of the characteristics of the situation and the technology used as a guide in performing such actions. More research is needed to analyze the needs needed in the decision-making of nurses' activities in the emergency room.

Numerical-experimental procedure for predicting fatigue life in SAE AMS 7475-T7351 aluminum alloy considering the effect of stress ratio.

This study addresses the prediction of fatigue life in SAE AMS 7475-T7351 aluminum alloys under variable loads, commonly used in the construction of aircraft fuselages. The main objective of the research was to develop a numerical-experimental procedure to analyze crack growth, using the Walker's approach which considers the effects of the stress ratio R on the fatigue crack growth rate d a / d N , combined with the Finite Element Method and Linear Regression of the Stress Intensity Factor. Observations showed that Walker's model effectively consolidated fatigue crack propagation data for various stress ratios when applied longitudinally to L-T rolling orientation, due to low dependence of exponent m on R -value in d a / d N equation. Simple averaging of m values effectively calculated Walker's exponent. The methodology employed experimental tests following ASTM standards for tension, fracture toughness, and fatigue, complemented by Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations. The Walker's model proved more effective, while the Paris-Erdogan model, which ignores the R effect, resulted in overly conservative service life estimates. The principle of similitude suggests that this methodology could be effective in predicting fatigue life in cases with complex geometries, where calculating the Stress Intensity Factor Fracture parameter is challenging and the Finite Element Method shows efficiency.

Four-compartment epidemic model with retarded transition rates.

We study an epidemic model for a constant population by taking into account four compartments of the individuals characterizing their states of health. Each individual is in one of the following compartments: susceptible S; incubated, i.e., infected yet not infectious, C; infected and infectious I; and recovered, i.e., immune, R. An infection is visible only when an individual is in state I. Upon infection, an individual performs the transition pathway S→C→I→R→S, remaining in compartments C, I, and R for a certain random waiting time t_{C}, t_{I}, and t_{R}, respectively. The waiting times for each compartment are independent and drawn from specific probability density functions (PDFs) introducing memory into the model. The first part of the paper is devoted to the macroscopic S-C-I-R-S model. We derive memory evolution equationsinvolving convolutions (time derivatives of general fractional type). We consider several cases. The memoryless case is represented by exponentially distributed waiting times. Cases of long waiting times with fat-tailed waiting-time distributions are considered as well where the S-C-I-R-S evolution equationstake the form of time-fractional ordinary differential equations. We obtain formulas for the endemic equilibrium and a condition of its existence for cases when the waiting-time PDFs have existing means. We analyze the stability of healthy and endemic equilibria and derive conditions for which the endemic state becomes oscillatory (Hopf) unstable. In the second part, we implement a simple multiple-random-walker approach (microscopic model of Brownian motion of Z independent walkers) with random S-C-I-R-S waiting times in computer simulations. Infections occur with a certain probability by collisions of walkers in compartments I and S. We compare the endemic states predicted in the macroscopic model with the numerical results of the simulations and find accordance of high accuracy. We conclude that a simple random-walker approach offers an appropriate microscopic description for the macroscopic model. The S-C-I-R-S-type models open a wide field of applications allowing the identification of pertinent parameters governing the phenomenology of epidemic dynamics such as extinction, convergence to a stable endemic equilibrium, or persistent oscillatory behavior.

Testing Thermostatic Bath End-Scale Stability for Calibration Performance with a Multiple-Sensor Ensemble Using ARIMA, Temporal Stochastics and a Quantum Walker Algorithm.

Thermostatic bath calibration performance is usually checked for uniformity and stability to serve a wide range of industrial applications. Particularly challenging is the assessment at the limiting specification ends where the sensor system may be less effective in achieving consistency. An ensemble of eight sensors is used to test temperature measurement stability at various topological locations in a thermostatic bath (antifreeze) fluid at -20 °C. Eight streaks of temperature data were collected, and the resulting time-series were processed for normality, stationarity, and independence and identical distribution by employing regular statistical inference methods. Moreover, they were evaluated for autoregressive patterns and other underlying trends using classical Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) modeling. In contrast, a continuous-time quantum walker algorithm was implemented, using an available R-package, in order to test the behavior of the fitted coefficients on the probabilistic node transitions of the temperature time series dataset. Tracking the network sequence for persistence and hierarchical mode strength was the objective. The quantum walker approach favoring a network probabilistic framework was posited as a faster way to arrive at simultaneous instability quantifications for all the examined time-series. The quantum walker algorithm may furnish expedient modal information in comparison to the classical ARIMA modeling and in conjunction with several popular stochastic analyzers of time-series stationarity, normality, and data sequence independence of temperature end-of-scale calibration datasets, which are investigated for temporal consistency.

A Semiautomatic Multi-Label Color Image Segmentation Coupling Dirichlet Problem and Colour Distances.

Image segmentation is an essential but critical component in low level vision, image analysis, pattern recognition, and now in robotic systems. In addition, it is one of the most challenging tasks in image processing and determines the quality of the final results of the image analysis. Colour based segmentation could hence offer more significant extraction of information as compared to intensity or texture based segmentation. In this work, we propose a new local or global method for multi-label segmentation that combines a random walk based model with a direct label assignment computed using a suitable colour distance. Our approach is a semi-automatic image segmentation technique, since it requires user interaction for the initialisation of the segmentation process. The random walk part involves a combinatorial Dirichlet problem for a weighted graph, where the nodes are the pixel of the image, and the positive weights are related to the distances between pixels: in this work we propose a novel colour distance for computing such weights. In the random walker model we assign to each pixel of the image a probability quantifying the likelihood that the node belongs to some subregion. The computation of the colour distance is pursued by employing the coordinates in a colour space (e.g., RGB, XYZ, YCbCr) of a pixel and of the ones in its neighbourhood (e.g., in a 8–neighbourhood). The segmentation process is, therefore, reduced to an optimisation problem coupling the probabilities from the random walker approach, and the similarity with respect the labelled pixels. A further investigation involves an adaptive preprocess strategy using a regression tree for learning suitable weights to be used in the computation of the colour distance. We discuss the properties of the new method also by comparing with standard random walk and means approaches. The experimental results carried on the White Blood Cell (WBC) dataset and GrabCut datasets show the remarkable performance of the proposed method in comparison with state-of-the-art methods, such as normalised random walk and normalised lazy random walk, with respect to segmentation quality and computational time. Moreover, it reveals to be very robust with respect to the presence of noise and to the choice of the colourspace.

Rapid methods for the evaluation of fluorescent reporters in tissue clearing and the segmentation of large vascular structures

SummaryLight sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) of large tissue samples does not require mechanical sectioning and allows efficient visualization of spatially complex or rare structures. Therefore, LSFM has become invaluable in developmental and biomedical research. Because sample size may limit whole-mount staining, LSFM benefits from transgenic reporter organisms expressing fluorescent proteins (FPs) and, however, requires optical clearing and computational data visualization and analysis. The former often interferes with FPs, while the latter requires massive computing resources. Here, we describe 3D-polymerized cell dispersions, a rapid and straightforward method, based on recombinant FP expression in freely selectable tester cells, to evaluate and compare fluorescence retention in different tissue-clearing protocols. For the analysis of large LSFM data, which usually requires huge computing resources, we introduce a refined, interactive, hierarchical random walker approach that is capable of efficient segmentation of the vasculature in data sets even on a consumer grade PC.

Rapid Methods for the Evaluation of Fluorescent Reporters in Tissue Clearing and the Segmentation of Large Vascular Structures

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) of large tissue samples does not require mechanical sectioning and allows efficient visualization of spatially complex or rare structures. Therefore, LSFM has become invaluable in developmental and biomedical research. Because sample size may limit whole mount staining, LSFM benefits from transgenic reporter organisms expressing fluorescent proteins (FPs), however, requires optical clearing and computational data visualization and analysis. The former often interferes with FPs, while the later requires massive computing resources. Here, we describe 3D-polymerized cell dispersions, a rapid and straightforward method, based on recombinant FP expression in freely selectable tester cells, to evaluate and compare fluorescence retention in different tissue-clearing protocols. For the analysis of large LSFM data, which usually require huge computing resources, we introduce a refined, interactive, hierarchical random walker approach that is capable of efficient segmentation of the vasculature in data sets even on a consumer grade PC.

Professional intimacy in nursing practice: A concept analysis.

This paper provides a critical analysis of the concept of professional intimacy in nursing practice. Professional intimacy is a key attribute to the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. However, there is a lack of clarity on the concept from a nursing perspective and little research has been done to explore the multiple dimensions of professional intimacy. Because of this, there is tentativeness in enacting and openly discussing this concept. The concept analysis approach of Walker and Avant (2011) was used to guide this manuscript. The eight steps described by Walker and Avant (2011) were implemented to identify antecedents, defining attributes, empirical referents, and consequences of professional intimacy using the literature published both historically and currently. The review identified 11 articles and based on analysis of the included articles, professional intimacy is the therapeutic relationship between a nurse and a patient that fosters closeness, self-disclosure, reciprocity, and trust at physical, psychological, and/or spiritual levels. This concept analysis shows that professional intimacy influences nursing satisfaction and promotes optimal patient outcomes. Nurses need to recognize that professional intimacy does not involve a crossing of professional boundaries and is vital to quality care.

Investigating the impact of the partonic structure on the description of hadronic collisions at high energies

The impact of the partonic structure on the description of the hadronic cross-sections is investigated considering a multichannel eikonal model based on the Good–Walker approach. The total, elastic and single diffractive cross-sections are estimated considering different parametrizations for the parton distribution functions and the predictions are compared with the experimental data for proton–proton [Formula: see text] and antiproton–proton [Formula: see text] collisions. We show that the description of the high-energy behavior of the hadronic cross-sections is sensitive to the partonic structure.

Emergency care: Operationalizing the practice through a concept analysis.

Current uses of emergency care are ambiguous and lack clarity, leading to imprecise use of the term in nursing practice. An explicit definition of emergency care is necessary to build and advance the field. An empirically driven definition of emergency care is lacking in the refereed literature. The purpose of this article was to present an in-depth inquiry of emergency care that contributes to the advancement of knowledge and to articulate a defensible definition of emergency care. This concept analysis was performed using the eight-step approach of Walker and Avant. A database search within the disciplines of nursing, medicine, education, and social sciences was conducted using the keyword emergency care. Databases of refereed literature were reviewed. Additional searches of nonrefereed literature, such as dictionaries and thesauri, were also examined. Based on this concept analysis, the attributes of emergency care include the immediate evaluation and treatment of an unexpected illness or injury. Emergency care is not specific to a setting or location. Antecedents to emergency care consist of a precipitating event, recognition that medical help is required, and access to emergency care. A model, borderline, related, and contrary cases of emergency care are presented. The identification of emergency care attributes in this concept analysis contributes to the body of knowledge in emergency care and clarifies the ambiguity of the concept to prompt developments in practice, theory, and research with implications for emergency nurse practitioner clinical education, and scope of practice regulation.

Model of diffractive excitation in pp collisions at high energies

A phenomenological model for the description of the single and double diffractive excitation in $pp$ collisions at high energies is presented. Considering the Good -- Walker approach, we propose a model for the eigenstates of the scattering operator and for the treatment of the interaction between them, with the high energy behavior of the cross section driven by perturbative QCD. The behavior of the total, elastic, single and double diffractive cross sections are analyzed and predictions for the energies of Run 3 of the LHC and those of the Cosmic Rays experiments are derived. We demonstrate that the model describes the current data for the energy dependence of the cross sections. A comparison with the recent data for the $\rho$ parameter and the differential elastic cross section are also presented and shortcomings of the current model are discussed.

Quality of Life in Cardiac Surgery: A Concept Analysis

The concept of quality of life has been widely used in various fields, especially health and nursing. Theconcept of quality of life in cardiac surgery patients requires a specific definition. Various experts havedefined the concept quality of life. However until now there has not been an agreement on appropriateand specific definitions. The aim to present a concept analysis of quality of life from the perspective ofcardiac surgery. The method used in this paper was the approach of Walker &amp; Avant (2011). This conceptanalysis was carried out with the aid of literature on quality of life obtained through the internet databasesof CINAHL, Proquest, and Google Scholar. The key words of interest were “Quality of Life” and “CardiacSurgery.” The search timeline was adjusted to articles published within 1976 to 2019. This concept analysiswas performed using the 8-step method Proposed by Walker and Avant. This method is identification of theattributes, antecedents and consequences of quality of life led to an operational definition of the concept ofquality of life as the individual’s perception of himself subjectively related to physical, psychological andsocial behavior to be prosperous in his life. This concept analysis was able to show that, quality of life is theindividual’s perception of himself subjectively related to physical, psychological and social behavior to beprosperous in his life. Quality of life will provide benefits to cardiac surgery patients: reduce length of stayand maintenance costs, prevent complications and social isolation

Diffractive excitation in pp and pA collisions at high energies

In this paper we consider the Good - Walker approach for the diffractive excitation and updated the Miettinen -- Pumplin (MP) model for $pp/\bar{p}p$ collisions considering the recent LHC data for the total and elastic $pp$ cross sections. The behavior of the total, elastic and diffractive cross sections is analyzed and predictions for the energies of Run 3 of the LHC and those of the Cosmic Rays experiments are derived. Our results demonstrate that the MP model is able to describe the current data and that it implies that the cross section for the diffraction excitation in $pp$ collisions is almost constant in the energy range probed by the LHC and slowly decreases at higher energies. Our results indicate that the Pumplin bound is not reached at the LHC and Cosmic Ray energies. Moreover, the implications of the diffractive excitation in $pA$ collisions is discussed. In particular, the MP model, constrained by the $pp$ data, is used to derive the main quantities present in the treatment of the diffractive excitation in $pA$ collisions. Predictions for the total, elastic and diffractive $pA$ cross sections are presented considering different nuclei. We demonstrate that the effect of fluctuations decreases at larger energies and heavier nuclei. The energy dependence of the diffractive excitation cross section in $pA$ collisions is estimated for different nuclei and compared with the predictions for the proton dissociation induced by photon interactions.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation for People with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Concept Analysis Based on Walker and Avant Approach

Pulmonary Rehabilitation for People with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Concept Analysis Based on Walker and Avant Approach

The effect of corrosive environment on fatigue life and on mean stress sensitivity factor

An experimental investigation of the effect of corrosive environment on the fatigue life of circular cross section specimens made from structural low carbon steel S355 is presented in this paper. Uniaxial load controlled fatigue tests in the regime of 105 to 107cycles were performed in two different environments: at room temperature in air (without corrosion) and in-situ fresh water solution environment. Various approaches to evaluate mean stress effect on stress-life behaviour in inert environment are reviewed and used to estimate the mean stress sensitivity factors both for air and corrosive environment. Mean stress sensitivity factor is calculated based on experimental results and predicted using the different approaches. Moreover, a comparison between Haigh Diagram predicted by these models and experimental results is proposed and the Walker approach is found to be the one that best fits experimental data.

Segmentation of Ground Glass Opacity Pulmonary Nodules Based on a Modified Random Walker Approach

Segmentation of Ground Glass Opacity Pulmonary Nodules Based on a Modified Random Walker Approach