Should I stay or should I go? Exploring the job preferences of allied health professionals working with people with disability in rural Australia

Introduction: The uneven distribution of allied health professionals (AHPs) in rural and remote Australia and other countries is well documented. In Australia, like elsewhere, service delivery to rural and remote communities is complicated because relatively small numbers of clients are dispersed over large geographic areas. This uneven distribution of AHPs impacts significantly on the provision of services particularly in areas of special need such as mental health, aged care and disability services. Objective: This study aimed to determine the relative importance that AHPs (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and psychologists – “therapists”) living in a rural area of Australia and working with people with disability, place on different job characteristics and how these may affect their retention. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to AHPs working with people with disability in a rural area of Australia over a 3-month period. Information was sought about various aspects of the AHPs’ current job, and their workforce preferences were explored using a best–worst scaling discrete choice experiment (BWSDCE). Conditional logistic and latent class regression models were used to determine AHPs’ relative preferences for six different job attributes. Results: One hundred ninety-nine AHPs completed the survey; response rate was 51 %. Of those, 165 completed the BWSDCE task. For this group of AHPs, “high autonomy of practice” is the most valued attribute level, followed by “travel BWSDCE arrangements: one or less nights away per month”, “travel arrangements: two or three nights away per month” and “adequate access to professional development”. On the other hand, the least valued attribute levels were “travel arrangements: four or more nights per month”, “limited autonomy of practice” and “minimal access to professional development”. Except for “some job flexibility”, all other attributes had a statistical influence on AHPs’ job preference. Preferences differed according to age, marital status and having dependent children. Conclusions: This study allowed the identification of factors that contribute to AHPs’ employment decisions about staying and working in a rural area. This information can improve job designs in rural areas to increase retention

Teaching energy conservation as a unifying principle in physics

In this work we present the design and assessment of a teaching sequence aimed at introducing the principle of energy conservation at post-compulsory secondary school level (16-18 year olds). The proposal is based on the result of research into teaching-learning difficulties and on the analysis of the physics framework. Evidence is shown that this teaching sequence, together with the methodology used in the classroom, may result in students having a better grasp of the principle of energy conservation. Keywords Physics education · Energy conceptions · Teaching activitie

A probabilistic method for the operation of three-phase unbalanced active distribution networks

YesThis paper proposes a probabilistic multi-objective optimization method for the operation of three-phase distribution networks incorporating active network management (ANM) schemes including coordinated voltage control and adaptive power factor control. The proposed probabilistic method incorporates detailed modelling of three-phase distribution network components and considers different operational objectives. The method simultaneously minimizes the total energy losses of the lines from the point of view of distribution network operators (DNOs) and maximizes the energy generated by photovoltaic (PV) cells considering ANM schemes and network constraints. Uncertainties related to intermittent generation of PVs and load demands are modelled by probability density functions (PDFs). Monte Carlo simulation method is employed to use the generated PDFs. The problem is solved using ɛ-constraint approach and fuzzy satisfying method is used to select the best solution from the Pareto optimal set. The effectiveness of the proposed probabilistic method is demonstrated with IEEE 13- and 34- bus test feeders

Survey of Third-Party Parenting Options Associated With Fertility Preservation Available to Patients With Cancer Around the Globe

Purpose: In the accompanying article, “Analysis of Fertility Preservation Options Available to Patients With Cancer Around the Globe,” we showed that specific fertility preservation services may not be offered at various sites around the world because of cultural and legal barriers. We assessed global and regional experiences as well as the legal status of third-party reproduction and adoption to serve as a comprehensive international data set and resource for groups that wish to begin oncofertility interventions. Methods: We provide data on the legalities of third-party assisted reproductive technologies and other family-building options in the 28 oncofertility-practicing countries surveyed. Results: We found regional and country differences that will be important in the development of tailored resources for physicians and for patient brochures that are sensitive to these local restrictions and cultural norms. Conclusion: Because many patients first consult Web-based materials, the formal assessment of the availability of these options provides members of the global oncofertility community with data to which they might otherwise not have ready access to better serve their patients

The borehole erosion test

Soil erosion is a major problem in civil engineering. It is involved in bridge scour, meander migration, levee and dam overtopping, internal erosion of earth dams, surface erosion of embankments, and cliff erosion. The best way to predict the erodibility of a soil is to measure it directly on a site specific basis by testing samples in the laboratory or by in-situ testing in the field. The borehole erosion test or BET is a new in-situ soil erosion test proposed to measure the erosion of the walls of a borehole while wet rotary drilling takes place. The increase in diameter of the borehole as a function of time and for a given flow velocity in the borehole is measured with borehole calipers. The result is a profile of soil erodibility as a function of depth. Tests in clay and in sand conducted at the National Geotechnical Experimentation Sites at Texas A&M University are presented

Differential involvement of the anterior temporal lobes in famous people semantics

The ability to recognize a famous person occurs through semantic memory. Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that the anterior temporal lobes (ATLs) are involved in the recognition of famous people. However, it is still a matter of debate whether the semantic processing of names or pictures of famous people has an impact on the activation of ATLs. The aim of this study was to explore the pattern of activation associated with a semantic processing of famous people based on face and written name stimuli. Fifteen healthy young individuals participated in our fMRI study, in which they were asked to perform a semantic categorization judgment task, based on profession, of visually presented pictures, and names of famous people. Neuroimaging findings showed a common pattern of activation for faces and names mainly involving the inferior frontal regions, the posterior temporal lobe, the visual cortex, and the ATLs. We found that the comparison names vs. pictures lead to significant activation in the anterior superior temporal gyrus. On the other hand, faces vs. names seemed associated with increased activation in the medial ATL. Moreover, our results demonstrated that the functional connectivity network anchored to the medial ATL, compared to the anterior STG, is more connected to the bilateral occipital lobe and fusiform gyrus that are regions implicated in the visual system and visual processing of faces. This study provides critical evidence of the differential involvement of ATL regions in semantics of famous people

Visual and auditory perceptual strength norms for 3,596 French nouns and their relationship with other psycholinguistic variables

Perceptual experience plays a critical role in the conceptual representation of words. Higher levels of semantic variables such as imageability, concreteness, and sensory experience are generally associated with faster and more accurate word processing. Nevertheless, these variables tend to be assessed mostly on the basis of visual experience. This underestimates the potential contributions of other perceptual modalities. Accordingly, recent evidence has stressed the importance of providing modality-specific perceptual strength norms. In the present study, we developed French Canadian norms of visual and auditory perceptual strength (i.e., the modalities that have major impact on word processing) for 3,596 nouns. We then explored the relationship between these newly developed variables and other lexical, orthographic, and semantic variables. Finally, we demonstrated the contributions of visual and auditory perceptual strength ratings to visual word processing beyond those of other semantic variables related to perceptual experience (e.g., concreteness, imageability, and sensory experience ratings). The ratings developed in this study are a meaningful contribution toward the implementation of new studies that will shed further light on the interaction between linguistic, semantic, and perceptual systems

Optimal design of a university campus micro-grid operating under unreliable grid considering PV and battery storage

This paper proposes a novel methodology for redesigning a micro-grid characterized by a heavy reliance on diesel generators due to receiving power supply from an unreliable grid. The new design aims at phasing out the diesel generators and replacing them with a hybrid energy system composed of photovoltaics and a battery storage system. Two optimization approaches are adopted, a heuristic genetic algorithm approach is used to achieve sub-optimal sizing of the hybrid system sources and a rules-based dynamic programming approach to ensure optimal power flow. In order to reduce the computation time, a novel combinational approach employing genetic algorithm, dynamic programming and rules-based algorithm is proposed. The intervention of the dynamic programming for optimal power flow is restricted to certain active hours within a given day, while the rules-based power flow algorithm runs only outside those hours. The study demonstrates that the application of the hybrid system yields minimal operational cost by almost entirely phasing out the diesel generators and significantly reducing the energy purchased from the grid during peak hours. The micro-grid of a university campus is used as a case study where energy and economic indicators are derived to prove the superiority of the proposed techniques. © 2020 Elsevier Lt

Hepatic Vein Thrombosis in a COVID-19 Patient with Hereditary Thrombophilia: A Case Report

Background: COVID-19 is an infection secondary to the novel SARS-COV-2 virus with a well-established increased risk for thrombotic events. However, the interaction between COVID-19 and other patient-specific hereditary or acquired thrombophilias remains a poorly explored area. Case Presentation: We herein report a case of a 23-year-old Caucasian female with known risk factors for coagulopathy (smoking, oral contraceptives, anti-phospholipid (aPL) antibodies, heterozygous Factor V Leiden mutation, and homozygous methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation) who developed a Budd-Chiari syndrome after testing positive for COVID-19. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a case of splanchnic vein thrombosis in a COVID-19 patient with the above risk factors. Conclusion: Such a presentation underscores the additional increased thrombotic risk attributed to COVID-19 infections in the setting of underlying hereditary or acquired thrombophilias