Telework and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: The Underexplored Roles of Social Identity and Professional Isolation

Although telework--a flexible work arrangement in which employees work from a remote location at least some of the time--has been increasing in practice, little research has investigated its implications for employee behaviors and performance. The main focus of this study was to identify the mediating processes that explain the relationship between telework frequency and OCB performance, and to determine whether personality moderates the psychological consequences of teleworking. Survey data were collected from 286 teleworkers and 62 of their coworkers across organizations from a range of industries, jobs, and locations. Coworkers were recruited in order to assess teleworkers\u27 OCBs, but OCBs were also measured via teleworkers\u27 self-reports, as coworker ratings were more difficult to obtain. Two mediational processes were investigated: teleworkers\u27 perceptions of professional isolation, and their identification with their work group and their organization. Individual differences in proactive personality and need to belong were also assessed. Hypotheses positioning professional isolation and identification as partial mediators of the telework-OCB link were not supported. Also contrary to predictions, the personality variables of proactive personality and need to belong did not moderate the relationship between telework and these proposed mediators. However, a serial mediator model provided a better fit to the data. In this revised model, telework frequency was positively related to professional isolation, which was negatively related to both organizational and work group identification, which were subsequently positively related to self-rated OCBs. Telework frequency also bore a direct, positive relationship to identification when controlling for the effects of professional isolation. Lastly, there was a negative direct effect of telework frequency on self-rated OCBs, suggesting that the more frequently individuals teleworked, the fewer OCBs they tended to perform, even after controlling for the mediational roles of professional isolation and social identification. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed

Analysis of Growth and Prevalence of Malnutrition during Total Parenteral Nutrition Weaning: A Methodological Demonstration

Background: Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) is a life-saving intervention which provides nutrition to premature infants with immature gut functioning. Though essential for nutrition provision in the first days of life, TPN is not without risk. Therefore, it is important to introduce feedings into the gut and to wean off TPN when able. During this weaning phase, calorie and protein deficits have been observed to occur. Very few studies have investigated TPN weaning periods, and there are no studies on malnutrition associated with the TPN weaning period in premature infants. Methods: This study employed a retrospective chart review, with medical records from a Level IV Midwest Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Subjects were premature infants born between November 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018, weighing less than 1500 grams at birth, who received TPN for greater than two days during their hospital stay. Z-scores for weight, length, and head circumference were calculated and the change in weight z-score was used to assign malnutrition categories based on recommendations from the proposed methodology. Pearson’s Chi-Square for association and Kendall’s tau correlation tests were conducted to assign significance between differences and to understand relationships between variables. Results: There was a significant positive correlation between TPN wean length and overall malnutrition, indicating that malnutrition incidence increased as TPN wean length increased. Analysis of change in weight z-score indicated a 50% prevalence of any form of malnutrition at two weeks of age. Upon further investigation, there was a significant difference in means of TPN wean length between each form of malnutrition (mild, moderate, and severe). Conclusion: The results of this study support the emerging concept that the TPN weaning period is a phase when malnutrition can start to develop in premature infants. This study demonstrates how the proposed malnutrition criteria can be combined with TPN weaning data to add to an overall picture of growth during the NICU stay. Future research is warranted to confirm these findings with a larger sample and to establish TPN weaning protocol standards

The Engineering Hubs and Spokes Project - institutional cooperation in educational design and delivery

The emergence of blended learning techniques that embrace a combination of face-to-face and online learning environments offers a raft of opportunity for flexibility in education. While much writing has focused on the opportunities for flexibility for the students and teachers, this paper focuses on the opportunities for effective sharing of expertise and effort between institutions. The Engineering 'Hubs and Spokes' project is a collaboration between The Australian National University and the University of South Australia. It draws on the strengths of each to improve the range and quality of educational opportunities for students. Two components of the project are underpinned by blended teaching and learning techniques: sharing of courses at the advanced undergraduate level; and development of an integrated graduate development program. We describe choices made, benefits identified, and the challenges encountered in the early stages of the project. We discuss recommendations for the future of cooperation in educational design and delivery, and comment on the opportunities that arise for structural reform of the higher education sector

Relationship between chromatin structure and distal regulation

Mammalian genomes are organised into topologically associated domains (TADs) and chromatin loops through a loop extrusion process. Structuring of chromatin within these highly conserved TADs is believed to both facilitate gene regulation via distal enhancers whilst insulating their regulatory activity at TAD boundaries. Shh and its regulatory elements are all contained within a highly conserved, well-characterised 1 Mb TAD that has previously been proposed to form an invariant chromatin loop structure across various tissue types. The overall aim of my thesis is to further understand how distal enhancers operate to regulate their target gene during mammalian development. To do this, I used the Shh as a model locus to study the spatiotemporal dynamics of distal enhancers and the mechanisms of long-range gene regulation in relation to three-dimensional chromatin structure. To explore the spatiotemporal regulation of Shh across brain development I first performed ATAC-Seq on dissected, FAC-sorted embryonic brain tissue. I show that the Shh brain enhancers are accessible across embryonic brain development and that the Shh forebrain enhancer, SBE2, shows increased spatial proximity with the Shh gene specifically in SBE2-regulated cells. Next, to investigate the importance of TAD integrity on developmental gene regulation, we have manipulated the Shh TAD by deleting CTCF sites at the TAD boundaries. Both RNA and DNA fluorescence in situ hybridisation assays were used to investigate changes in Shh expression and chromatin conformation that result from these manipulations in single cells of developing embryonic tissue. I found that Shh loses its co-localisation with the tissue-specific enhancers in the CTCF mutant embryos but with no consequence on Shh expression patterns. I then used degron-tagged CTCF and cohesin embryonic stem cell lines to investigate if genome-wide depletion of these TAD architectural proteins affected Shh distal regulation using synthetic transcription factors. I found that cohesin is required for enhancer-driven gene activation, whereas CTCF was dispensable. Finally, I used patient-derived cell lines to study a human-specific SHH TAD boundary deletion found in acheiropodia patients. I show using DNA fluorescence in situ hybridisation that this deletion causes ectopic interactions between the SHH TAD boundary and a novel CTCF peak detected in patient cells, therefore, potentially preventing ZRS from regulating the promoter. Overall, my data shows that the removal of single CTCF sites in mice alters TAD structure but has no readily detectable effect on Shh expression patterns during development and results in no evident phenotypes. This suggests that the developmental regulation of Shh expression is remarkably robust to TAD perturbations. I then go on to show that distal regulation is dependent on cohesin but not CTCF. I propose a model where cohesin extrusion brings together distal elements to induce expression and CTCF functions to stabilise and insulate these interactions. This supports the view that CTCF provides robustness to developmental gene regulation. Ectopic CTCF binding in acheiropodia patients would block extrusion of cohesin and prevent SHH/ZRS interaction during embryonic development

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Potential Effectiveness of Dignity Therapy for People with Motor Neurone Disease

Background: Motor neurone disease (MND) practice guidelines suggest developing interventions that will promote hope, meaning, and dignity to alleviate psychological distress, but very little research has been done. This study begins to address this need by exploring the use of dignity therapy with people with MND. Dignity therapy is a brief psychotherapy that promotes hope, meaning and dignity, and enhances the end of life for people with advanced cancer. The aims of this study are to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of dignity therapy for people with MND. Methods/design: This cross-sectional feasibility study used a one-group pre-test post-test design with 29 people diagnosed with MND. Study participants completed the following self-report questionnaires: Herth Hope Index, FACIT-sp, Patient Dignity Inventory, ALS Assessment Questionnaire, ALS Cognitive Behavioural Screen, and a demographic and health history questionnaire. Acceptability was measured with a 25-item feedback questionnaire. Feasibility was assessed by examining the length of time taken to complete dignity therapy and how symptoms common in MND affected the intervention. Generalised linear mixed models and reliable change scores were used to analyse the data.Results: There were no significant pre-test post-test changes for hopefulness, spirituality or dignity on the group level, but there were changes in hopefulness on the individual level. The results of the feedback questionnaire indicates dignity therapy is highly acceptable to people with MND, who report benefits similar to those in the international randomised controlled trial on dignity therapy, a population who primarily had end-stage cancer. Benefits include better family relationships, improved sense of self and greater acceptance. Dignity therapy with people with MND is feasible if the therapist can overcome time and communication difficulties. Conclusions: Dignity therapy for people with MND is feasible and acceptable. Further research is warranted to explore its ability to diminish distress

The lived experiences of pain and fatigue in persons living with neurological conditions: A phenomenological study

Purpose: The aim of the study was to understand the experiences and impact of pain and fatigue and to further explore the relationship between participants\u27 descriptions of their lived experiences with these phenomena within and across multiple sclerosis, Parkinson\u27s disease, and cerebral palsy. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used to interview nine participants about their experiences of living with pain and fatigue in their respective conditions. A new phenomenological approach was adopted, and data was analyzed inductively using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Results: Three final themes including a lack of understanding, negative perceptions of pain and fatigue, and coping strategies used to manage these phenomena within and across conditions. Across conditions, pain and fatigue negatively impacted the biopsychosocial aspects of these persons’ lives, reducing their quality of life and overall well-being. Conclusion: Future researchers and clinicians should focus on emphasizing their patients\u27 lived experiences as essential in advancing research and healthcare in this field

Investigating the epidemiology of Terrapene herpesvirus 1 in freeranging eastern box turtle populations

Herpesviruses are ubiquitous, well described pathogens in captive chelonians worldwide, but their importance on free-ranging populations are less defined. In this thesis, a quantitative PCR was developed that detected a 58 base pair segment of the DNA polymerase gene segment of Terrapene herpesvirus 1 (Order: Herpesvirales; Family: Herpesviridae; Subfamily: Alphaherpesvirinae; Genus: Scutavirus). This assay was used to estimate prevalence of herpesvirus infection in 409 free-ranging eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) from Tennessee and Illinois. The overall prevalence in this study population was 31.3% (95% confidence interval: 27-36%), with a significantly higher prevalence in July (52.3%; 95% CI: 41-59%) compared to May (13.3%; 95% CI: 5-15%) and September (34.4%; 95% CI: 29-47%). Clinical signs recorded in box turtles were not significantly associated with herpesvirus infection and may be attributed to a latency period. The work presented in this thesis aids in characterizing the epidemiology of herpesvirus in chelonians

Exploring Co‐Parent Experiences of Sexuality in the First 3 Months after Birth

Introduction Research on postpartum sexuality has focused primarily on mothers, though new findings suggest that relational perceptions may have a strong influence over sexual desire and behavior. Little investigation exists regarding sexuality in partners of postpartum women. Additionally, recent findings point to the importance of a partner's sexuality for postpartum women's perceptions of their own sexuality in this time. Aims The goal of this research was to explore women's partners' sexuality in the early postpartum phase taking into account psychosocial context. Methods Partners (N = 114; 95 men, 18 women, 1 unspecified) of postpartum women completed a retrospective online questionnaire about their sexuality during the 3 months following their youngest child's birth. Main Outcome Measures Primary measures included sexual desire ( S exual D esire I nventory), latency to sexual behavior, and enjoyment and initiation of sexual behavior. Other psychosocial variables were investigated: partners' perceptions of the birth mother's sexual desire, perceptions of the birth experience ( Q uestionnaire M easuring A ttitudes A bout L abor and D elivery), postpartum stress ( P erceived S tress S cale), body image self‐consciousness ( B ody I mage S elf‐ C onsciousness S cale), social support ( M ultidimensional S cale of P erceived S ocial S upport), fatigue, and experiences surrounding breastfeeding. Results Partners reported most frequent engagement in intercourse in the postpartum period, earliest engagement in masturbation, and highest enjoyment of receiving oral sex compared with other sexual activities. Partners' sexual desire was not correlated with the psychosocial variables measured in the study. Findings for partners' sexuality were similar by gender, except for perceptions of social support and likelihood to engage in intercourse. Conclusions This study provided a novel perspective on the study of postpartum sexuality by investigating physical and psychosocial influences on the experiences of partners of parous women. Given parallels between sexuality reported by partners in this study and by birth mothers in past studies, this study provided evidence that sexuality in the postpartum period may be experienced similarly, highlighting the social and relational nature of the postpartum. van Anders SM, Hipp LE, and Kane Low L. Exploring co‐parent experiences of sexuality in the first 3 months after birth. J Sex Med 2013;10:1988–1999.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99697/1/jsm12194.pd