Exploring experiences among people diagnosed with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study.

The objective of the study is to describe the experiences of people diagnosed with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative data were collected through semistructured interviews conducted with people affected by cancer in the Australian context. Following institutional ethical approval, interviews were conducted over Microsoft Teams and Zoom platforms and complied with confidentiality requirements. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed, and emergent themes were developed using thematic analysis to understand patient experiences of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic was disruptive to the daily experiences of supportive care. Four overarching themes were identified related to: 1) the impact on accessing healthcare services, 2) encounters with healthcare professionals, 3) the impact on daily living, and 4) the impact of COVID on psychological well-being. As the COVID-19 pandemic held global consequences on cancer practices, it is recommended that nursing and other multidisciplinary healthcare professionals reflect upon these findings, in the context of planning for future pandemics. We encourage further exploration into the sustainability of telehealth services universally, given the issues highlighted in this study

Slow stress relaxation in randomly disordered nematic elastomers and gels

Randomly disordered (polydomain) liquid crystalline elastomers align under stress. We study the dynamics of stress relaxation before, during and after the Polydomain-Monodomain transition. The results for different materials show the universal ultra-slow logarithmic behaviour, especially pronounced in the region of the transition. The data is approximated very well by an equation Sigma(t) ~ Sigma_{eq} + A/(1+ Alpha Log[t]). We propose a theoretical model based on the concept of cooperative mechanical resistance for the re-orientation of each domain, attempting to follow the soft-deformation pathway. The exact model solution can be approximated by compact analytical expressions valid at short and at long times of relaxation, with two model parameters determined from the data.Comment: 4 pages (two-column), 5 EPS figures (included via epsfig

Assessing the genetic and pathogenic variability of Pyrenophora teres f. maculata (spot form net blotch of barley) and its ability to overcome currently-used sources of resistance on the Canadian prairies

Non-Peer ReviewedEighty two isolates of the fungus Pyrenophora teres f. maculata, causal agent of spot form net blotch (SFNB) of barley, were collected across the Canadian prairies. Following genetic analysis using 13 microsatellite DNA markers, 27 isolates were selected to assess the degree of pathogenic variation in the fungus. Pathogenic variability was evaluated by inoculating isolates onto 11 barley genotypes as differential hosts at the seedling stage. One week following inoculation, the second and third leaves of each plant were rated on to a 1–9 disease severity scale, and plants with scores of 1–3 and >3 were scored as resistant and susceptible, respectively. The entire experiment was repeated. Cluster analysis revealed 13 distinct pathotype groups (virulence patterns) among the 27 representative isolates. Disease severity ratings ranged from 2.2 to 6.1 with a mean of 4.6. To assess the risk of resistance breakdown, the resistance of four barley cultivars (‘AAC Synergy’, ‘CDC Meredith’, ‘Cerveza’ and ‘Major’), which had been previously identified as resistant to SFNB on the Canadian prairies, was evaluated at the seedling stage against six isolates of P. teres f. maculata representing four different pathotypes. The resistance in ‘CDC Meredith’ was clearly overcome by all isolates tested, while ‘AAC Synergy’, ‘Cerveza’ and ‘Major’ still exhibited resistance against all of the pathotypes. The identification of fungal isolates virulent on ‘CDC Meredith’ suggests that producers should avoid growing the same resistant barley variety in short rotation, and avoid relying on resistance as the sole approach to disease management. Judicious use of fungicides, coupled with rotations of at least two years between barley crops and diversity in the barley varieties grown, will promote effective and sustainable management of spot form net blotch

Transgressing the moral economy: Wheelerism and management of the nationalised coal industry in Scotland

This article illuminates the links between managerial style and political economy in post-1945 Britain, and explores the origins of the 1984–1985 miners' strike, by examining in longer historical context the abrasive attitudes and policies of Albert Wheeler, Scottish Area Director of the National Coal Board (NCB). Wheeler built on an earlier emphasis on production and economic criteria, and his micro-management reflected pre-existing centralising tendencies in the industries. But he was innovative in one crucial aspect, transgressing the moral economy of the Scottish coalfield, which emphasised the value of economic security and changes by joint industrial agreement

Numbat nirvana: the conservation ecology of the endangered numbat Myrmecobius fasciatus (Marsupialia: Myrmecobiidae) reintroduced to Scotia and Yookamurra Sanctuaries, Australia

Despite a vigorous reintroduction program between 1985 and 2010, numbat populations in Western Australia are either static or declining. This study aimed to document the population ecology of numbats at two sites that are going against this trend: Scotia Sanctuary in far western New South Wales and Yookamurra Sanctuary in the riverland of South Australia. Scotia (64 659 ha) and Yookamurra (5026 ha) are conservation reserves owned and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and where numbats were reintroduced in 1999 and 1993 respectively. Both sites have large conservation-fence-protected introduced-species-free areas where there are no cats (Felis catus) or red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Numbats were sourced from both wild and captive populations. From small founder populations, the Scotia numbats are now estimated to number 169 (113–225) with 44 at Yookamurra. Radio-collared individuals at Scotia were active between 13 and 31°C. Females had home ranges of 28.3 ± 6.8 ha and males 96.6 ± 18.2 ha, which leads to an estimated sustainable population or carrying capacity of 413–502 at Scotia. Captive-bred animals from Perth Zoo had a high mortality rate upon reintroduction at Scotia due to predation by raptors and starvation. The habitat preferences for mallee with a shrub understorey appear to be driven by availability of termites, and other reintroduced ecosystem engineers appear to have been facilitators by creating new refuge burrows for numbats. This study shows that numbats can be successfully reintroduced into areas of their former range if protected from introduced predators, and illustrates the difficulties in monitoring such cryptic species.</jats:p

Four theorems on the psychometric function

In a 2-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) discrimination task, observers choose which of two stimuli has the higher value. The psychometric function for this task gives the probability of a correct response for a given stimulus difference, Δx. This paper proves four theorems about the psychometric function. Assuming the observer applies a transducer and adds noise, Theorem 1 derives a convenient general expression for the psychometric function. Discrimination data are often fitted with a Weibull function. Theorem 2 proves that the Weibull "slope" parameter, β, can be approximated by [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the β of the Weibull function that fits best to the cumulative noise distribution, and [Formula: see text] depends on the transducer. We derive general expressions for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], from which we derive expressions for specific cases. One case that follows naturally from our general analysis is Pelli's finding that, when [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. We also consider two limiting cases. Theorem 3 proves that, as sensitivity improves, 2AFC performance will usually approach that for a linear transducer, whatever the actual transducer; we show that this does not apply at signal levels where the transducer gradient is zero, which explains why it does not apply to contrast detection. Theorem 4 proves that, when the exponent of a power-function transducer approaches zero, 2AFC performance approaches that of a logarithmic transducer. We show that the power-function exponents of 0.4-0.5 fitted to suprathreshold contrast discrimination data are close enough to zero for the fitted psychometric function to be practically indistinguishable from that of a log transducer. Finally, Weibull β reflects the shape of the noise distribution, and we used our results to assess the recent claim that internal noise has higher kurtosis than a Gaussian. Our analysis of β for contrast discrimination suggests that, if internal noise is stimulus-independent, it has lower kurtosis than a Gaussian

The employee as 'Dish of the Day’:human resource management and the ethics of consumption

This article examines the ethical implications of the growing integration of consumption into the heart of the employment relationship. Human resource management (HRM) practices increasingly draw upon the values and practices of consumption, constructing employees as the ‘consumers’ of ‘cafeteria-style’ benefits and development opportunities. However, at the same time employees are expected to market themselves as items to be consumed on a corporate menu. In relation to this simultaneous position of consumer/consumed, the employee is expected to actively engage in the commodification of themselves, performing an appropriate organizational identity as a necessary part of being a successful employee. This article argues that the relationship between HRM and the simultaneously consuming/consumed employee affects the conditions of possibility for ethical relations within organizational life. It is argued that the underlying ‘ethos’ for the integration of consumption values into HRM practices encourages a self-reflecting, self-absorbed subject, drawing upon a narrow view of individualised autonomy and choice. Referring to Levinas’ perspective that the primary ethical relation is that of responsibility and openness to the Other, it is concluded that these HRM practices affect the possibility for ethical being

Exploring the role of HR practitioners in pursuit of organizational effectiveness in higher education institutions

This paper focuses on how HR professionals view their role in contributing to organizational effectiveness in the HE sector. Drawing on interview data, we trace how rival definitions of organizational effectiveness relate to two emergent conceptions of rationality. Firstly we identify instrumental forms of rationality based on assessments of how well (or efficiently) organisations achieve pre-ordained objectives. Secondly, we identify stakeholder satisfaction models of organisational effectiveness, which concern the extent to which competing needs of stakeholders are satisfied and, thus, presuppose a more dialogic view of rationality. The context for our discussion is the UK Higher Education sector and, drawing on our research, we argue that universities can be seen as moving from a stakeholder satisfaction model to an instrumentally rational model of organisational effectiveness. Our findings suggest that HR professionals do support attempts to re-orientate their institutions towards a top-down form of organisation, which would privilege high level objectives and efficiency (thus following the prescriptions of the New Public Management movement). This implies a move away from a more traditional view of universities as discursive and participatory organisations, where effectiveness is regarded as meeting the varied needs of stakeholders, such as academics, students and the wider society, in a balanced way. However, whilst the HRM professionals largely favour such a shift, they acknowledge limitations to the extent that is practical or even entirely desirable

Open Government Data: A Focus on Key Economic and Organizational Drivers

Grounding the analysis on multidisciplinary literature on the topic, the existing EU legislation and relevant examples, this working paper aims at highlighting some key economic and organizational aspects of the "Open Government Data" paradigm and its drivers and implications within and outside Public Administrations. The discussion intends to adopt an "Internet Science" perspective, taking into account as enabling factors the digital environment itself, as well as specific models and tools. More "traditional" and mature markets grounded on Public Sector Information are also considered, in order to indirectly detect the main differences with respect to the aforementioned paradig