605 research outputs found
Test of Hockman and Oldham's job characteristics model in a post-secondary educational setting
One hundred and seventy-two subj ects participated in this
quantitative, correlational survey which tested Hackman and
Oldham's Job Characteristics Model in an educational setting.
Subjects were Teaching Masters, Chairmen and Deans from an Ontario
community college. The data were collected via mailed
questionnaire, on all variables of the model. Several reliable,
valid instruments were used to test the variables. Data analysis
through Pearson correlation and stepwise multiple regression
analyses revealed that core job characteristics predicted certain
critical psychological states and that these critical
psychological states, in turn were able to predict various
personal and work outcomes but not absenteeism. The context
variable, Satisfaction with Co-workers, was the only consistent
moderating variable between core characteristics and critical
psychological states; however, individual employee differences did
moderate the relationship between critical psychological states
and all of the personal and work outcomes except Internal Work
Motivation. Two other moderator variables, Satisfaction with
Context and Growth Need Strength, demonstrated an ability to
predict the outcome General Job Satisfaction. The research
suggests that this model may be used for job design and redesign
purposes within the community college setting
A qualitative assessment of the acceptability of hepatitis C remote self-testing and self-sampling amongst people who use drugs in London, UK.
BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C (HCV) diagnosis and care is a major challenge for people who use illicit drugs, and is characterised by low rates of testing and treatment engagement globally. New approaches to fostering engagement are needed. We explored the acceptability of remote forms of HCV testing including self-testing and self-sampling among people who use drugs in London, UK. METHODS: A qualitative rapid assessment was undertaken with people who use drugs and stakeholders in London, UK. Focus groups were held with men who have sex with men engaged in drug use, people who currently inject drugs and people who formerly injected drugs (22 participants across the 3 focus groups). Stakeholders participated in semi-structured interviews (n = 5). We used a thematic analysis to report significant themes in participants' responses. RESULTS: We report an overarching theme of 'tension' in how participants responded to the acceptability of remote testing. This tension is evident across four separate sub-themes we explore. First, choice and control, with some valuing the autonomy and privacy remote testing could support. Second, the ease of use of self testing linked to its immediate result and saliva sample was preferred over the delayed result from a self administered blood sample tested in a laboratory. Third, many respondents described the need to embed remote testing within a supportive care pathway. Fourth, were concerns over managing a positive result, and its different meanings, in isolation. CONCLUSIONS: The concept of remote HCV testing is acceptable to some people who use drugs in London, although tensions with lived experience of drug use and health system access limit its relevance. Future development of remote testing must respond to concerns raised in order for acceptable implementation to take place
Metric competencies for biomedical librarians: results of a survey developed by the EAHIL Evaluation and Metrics group
The library profession continues to evolve and respond to user demands with both tools and services that support instruction and research. These changes typically lead to a need for increased librarian understanding and training. One such example is seen in the growing interest surrounding bibliometrics, altmetrics, and personal identifiers. Each of these serve as indicators of impact, and are becoming increasingly important in research. To more clearly identify and measure the current prevalence of each in the librarian profession, the EAHIL Metrics Group developed and disseminated a survey designed to capture current demand, and identify potential knowledge gaps where training would be beneficial. This publication presents the results of the survey and discusses pathways to attaining and providing increased expertise
SU(N)-symmetric quasi-probability distribution functions
We present a set of N-dimensional functions, based on generalized
SU(N)-symmetric coherent states, that represent finite-dimensional Wigner
functions, Q-functions, and P-functions. We then show the fundamental
properties of these functions and discuss their usefulness for analyzing
N-dimensional pure and mixed quantum states.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures. Updated text to reflect referee comment
Clues from hypercalcaemia
British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 1021–1022. DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600220 www.bjcancer.co
Implementing needle and syringe programmes in Kenya: Changes, opportunities and challenges in HIV prevention
HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Kenya is at 18%, and has been attributed to risky injecting practices. The risk environment enabling these practices has not been explored. This paper reports findings from Access to Care, a qualitative study in Kenya. Using in-depth interviews with PWID, we explore how the introduction of needle and syringe programmes (NSP) has impacted on needle and syringe sharing. PWID report significant reductions in sharing injecting equipment following NSP, although sharing continues, linked to challenges in supply and amongst PWID living with HIV, linked to hopelessness for the future. We conclude that NSP should expand across Kenya, linked to efforts to overcome delivery challenges and efforts to support people living with HIV
Development and Performance of the Nanoworkbench: A Four Tip STM for Electrical Conductivity Measurements Down to Sub-micrometer Scales
A multiple-tip ultra-high vacuum (UHV) scanning tunneling microscope (MT-STM)
with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for imaging and molecular-beam
epitaxy growth capabilities has been developed. This instrument (nanoworkbench)
is used to perform four-point probe conductivity measurements at micrometer
spatial dimension. The system is composed of four chambers, the multiple-tip
STM/SEM chamber, a surface analysis and preparation chamber, a molecular-beam
epitaxy chamber and a load-lock chamber for fast transfer of samples and
probes. The four chambers are interconnected by a unique transfer system based
on a sample box with integrated heating and temperature-measuring capabilities.
We demonstrate the operation and the performance of the nanoworkbench with STM
imaging on graphite and with four-point-probe conductivity measurements on a
silicon-on-insulator (SOI) crystal. The creation of a local FET, whose
dimension and localization are respectively determined by the spacing between
the probes and their position on the SOI surface, is demonstrated.Comment: 39 pages, 15 figure
Multicomplementary operators via finite Fourier transform
A complete set of d+1 mutually unbiased bases exists in a Hilbert spaces of
dimension d, whenever d is a power of a prime. We discuss a simple construction
of d+1 disjoint classes (each one having d-1 commuting operators) such that the
corresponding eigenstates form sets of unbiased bases. Such a construction
works properly for prime dimension. We investigate an alternative construction
in which the real numbers that label the classes are replaced by a finite field
having d elements. One of these classes is diagonal, and can be mapped to
cyclic operators by means of the finite Fourier transform, which allows one to
understand complementarity in a similar way as for the position-momentum pair
in standard quantum mechanics. The relevant examples of two and three qubits
and two qutrits are discussed in detail.Comment: 15 pages, no figure
Impact of opioid substitution therapy on antiretroviral therapy outcomes:a systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected people who inject drugs (PWID) frequently encounter barriers accessing and remaining on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Some studies have suggested that opioid substitution therapy (OST) could facilitate PWID's engagement with HIV services. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of concurrent OST use on ART-related outcomes among HIV-infected PWID. METHODS: We searched Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, Global Health, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Social Policy and Practice databases for studies between 1996 to November 2014 documenting the impact of OST, compared to no OST, on ART outcomes. Outcomes considered were coverage and recruitment onto ART, adherence, viral suppression, attrition from ART, and mortality. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects modeling, and heterogeneity assessed using Cochran Q test and I2 statistic. RESULTS: We identified 4685 articles, and 32 studies conducted in North America, Europe, Indonesia, and China were included. OST was associated with a 69% increase in recruitment onto ART (hazard ratio [HR], 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-2.15), a 54% increase in ART coverage (odds ratio [OR], 1.54; 95% CI, 1.17-2.03), a 2-fold increase in adherence (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.41-3.26), and a 23% decrease in the odds of attrition (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, .63-.95). OST was associated with a 45% increase in odds of viral suppression (OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.21-1.73), but there was limited evidence from 6 studies for OST decreasing mortality for PWID on ART (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, .65-1.25). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of OST, and its integration with HIV services, to improve the HIV treatment and care continuum among HIV-infected PWID
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