Coping with personhood limbo:Personhood anchoring work among undocumented workers in Italy

Prevailing socio-legal structures create a state of personhood limbo for undocumented workers, where broader society undermines various aspects of their personhood in a way that prevents them from fully representing and embracing all dimensions of their selves in and around the workplace. But how do undocumented workers cope with personhood limbo? Drawing on interviews with undocumented workers and civil society workers in Italy, we identify specific forms of what we call “personhood anchoring work” that undocumented workers engage in to claim aspects of personhood that are meaningful to them. Our theorization suggests that workers’ experiences of personhood are influenced not only by socio-legal structures, but also by their own agentic acts in response to external conditions, as well as their aspirations, past experiences, and future plans. A key finding of our study is that these practices do not aim to create or disrupt social orders, even in subtle or hidden forms of resistance. Instead, they enable undocumented workers to temporarily position themselves within the social order. In doing so, we also introduce a new way of conceptualizing the integration of undocumented workers that can account for the possibilities and limits of retaining rather than redefining personhood in the face of prevailing constraints.<br/

A leap from negative to positive bond. A step towards project sustainability

Departing from the normative formulation of stakeholder theory and building upon the current body of knowledge, this study aims to advance understandings on the benefits and challenges towards a more holistic approach to stakeholder management at the local level of major public infrastructure and construction projects (MPIC). Major construction projects, project managers, and the local community stakeholder are deemed to operate within a ‘negative bond’. This interaction is elucidated through the attribution theory lens, which shape the conceptual framework of the study. This paper illustrates that a broader inclusiveness of stakeholder views into managerial decisions can initiate to break this negative bond and shift it towards positive relationships. An organization’s conscious approach towards transparent communication with the local community stakeholder might help to shape a long-term perspective for better project benefits realization either at the national, regional, or local level. By ‘exceeding stakeholders needs and expectations’, project managers and local communities can better collaborate in order to achieve sustainable development over time

The Combined Effects of a Methacrylate Powder Dressing (Altrazeal Powder) and Photobiomodulation Therapy on the Healing of a Severe Diabetic Foot Ulcer in a Diabetic Patient: A Case Report

Weakened wound healing is a popular, severe complication of patients with diabetes that poses a risk for foot infection and amputation. In recent years, researchers have been searching to find new treatments for treating diabetic foot ulcer.&nbsp; In this case report for the first time, we applied photobiomodulation therapy and Altrazeal powder together to treat and expedite tissue repair in a severe case of diabetic foot ulcer in a 47-year-old woman who suffered from type 1 diabetes.&nbsp; &nbsp;We observed along with progress of combination therapy, the ulcer area was significantly reduced, and the wound healed within 16 weeks. Also, dermatitis and purulent secretion were treated, and pain was reduced. This reported case study, indicated the beneficial impact of the combination of photobiomodulation therapy and Altrazeal powder for the healing of a severe of diabetic foot ulcer in a patient with type one diabetes. Combined application of photobiomodulation therapy plus Altrazeal powder demonstrated an additive effect. Further clinical trials in clinical setting in is suggested to validate the results further. In addition, more studies in preclinical models are suggested to find mechanism of action of the combination therapy

Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduce the laparoscopic related shoulder pain?

Objective Although laparoscopic surgery is a good substitute for laparotomy in reducing postsurgical pain, many patients complain of shoulder pain after laparoscopic surgery and require pain-relief. Post-operative pain management leads to increased patient satisfaction. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a non-pharmacological, non-invasive modality that reduces pain by activating the descending inhibitory systems in the central nervous system. Given the importance of decreasing shoulder pain after gynecological laparoscopy, the current study aimed to investigate the management of shoulder pain in these patients using TENS. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study. A total of 112 women aged 18–45 years who experienced shoulder pain due to gynecologic laparoscopic surgery were included in the study. Patients were divided into TENS and control groups. In the TENS group, TENS was used twice for 20 minutes each, but in the control group, the patients received regular treatment. Patients were evaluated at intervals of 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, and 72 hours after laparoscopy for shoulder pain score. Results The results showed a significant decrease in visual analog scale scores at 2, 4, and 8-hour in the TENS group compared with the control group. At 24 hours evaluation, although the pain was reduced, the difference was not significant. At 48- and 72-hour assessment, all patients in each group reported zero score for severity of pain. Conclusion The findings suggest that TENS significantly reduces postoperative shoulder pain

Effect of topical honey application along with intralesional injection of glucantime in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Leishmaniasis is an endemic disease in Iran. Although many treatments have been suggested for this disease, there hasn't been an effective and safe treatment yet. Regarding the healing effect of honey in the chronic ulcers and its reported therapeutic effect in cutaneous leishmaniasis, we performed a study to better evaluate the efficacy of honey in cutaneous leishmaniasis and its final scar.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a prospective clinical trial, 100 patients with confirmed cutaneous leishmaniasis were selected and randomized into 2 groups. Group A were treated with topical honey twice daily along with intralesional injection of glucantime once weekly until complete healing of the ulcer or for maximum of 6 weeks. Group B were treated with intralesional injection of glucantime alone until complete healing of the ulcer or for a maximum of 6 weeks, too. The patients were followed for 4 months. The collected data were analyzed statistically using statistical tests including Chi-square, Mann Whitney and Kaplan – Mayer tests.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, 45 patients that had cutaneous leishmaniasis were treated with intralesional glucantime alone and 45 patients were treated with topical honey and glucantime . Ten patients left out the study. In the glucantime alone treated group, 32 patients (71.1%) had complete cure whereas in the group treated with both glucantime & topical honey, 23 patients (51.1%) achieved complete cure. This difference was significant statistically (p = 0.04).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Further studies to better clarify the efficacy of honey in cutaneous leishmaniasis is needed. We suggest that in another study, the efficacy of honey with standardized level of antibacterial activity is evaluated against cutaneous leishmaniasis.</p

Project governance and stakeholders: a literature review

Despite the importance of stakeholders in project governance, project management literature lacks from an inclusive framework which defines the roles, relationships and positions of internal and external stakeholders inside and outside of the organization's governance structure. This paper has the purpose to report a review on project governance literature to draw attention to the context within which the stakeholders are positioned, to extract their roles and relationships inside and outside of the organization and to develop new avenues for research regarding stakeholders in project governance. The conducted thematic analysis reveals that there are three contexts influencing organization's approaches towards stakeholders: success, megaprojects and ethics. The developed conceptual framework illustrates that organizations are in direct contact with external stakeholders at the organizational level and project level. Strategic decisions made at the organizational level are operationalised at the portfolio level and influence the approach towards external stakeholders at the project level. Considering the lack of theories to support general doctrine of stakeholder theory, this research suggests that future governance researchers adopt a broader view in selection of theoretical lenses in order to include the social and psychological aspects of the management of external stakeholders

Association of body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and waist circumference with cardiovascular risk factors: Isfahan Healthy Heart Program

BACKGROUND: Investigating association of obesity indexes with other risk factors of cardiovascular diseases can help finding the best index in clinic for each sex. In this study, relationship of obesity based on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio with cardiovascular disease risk factors was investigated. METHODS: Participants of the first phase of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP)in 2000-2001, including 12800 healthy people aged over 19 years from Isfahan, Najafabad and Arak (Iran), were studied. Anthropometric indexes and cardiovascular risk factors were collected using conventional definitions and standard questionnaires. Kappa coefficient of agreement between calculated risk factors with definition of obesity based on anthropometric indexes was calculated using SPSS software. RESULTS: Waist circumference showed the highest correlation with cardiovascular risk factors in men and women. Obesity based on BMI and waist-to-hip ratio in both sexes showed the same correlation with cardiovascular risk factors. In the correlation study matched for age, it was shown that the highest correlation was seen between waist circumference and two other indexes. Correlation coefficient over 60% showed the strongest agreement between obesity indexes and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSION: In Iranian population, waist circumference as a simple measure with a higher agreement with cardiovascular risk factors can be used in clinical settings and epidemiological studies. Keywords: Obesity Indexes, Obesity, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Isfahan

Understanding stakeholder experience through the stakeholder journey

In this article we consider stakeholder experience through the stakeholder's contact journey with a project. Drawing on the customer experience literature we consider the stakeholders experience by using customer experience as a metaphor. Stakeholder experience will involve cognitive, emotional, behavioural and social responses at touchpoints through the project. Key elements of customer experience are relationships, trust and value creation and we consider what those mean for stakeholder experience. We then identify that project stakeholders go through a four-stage experiential journey: pre-project; tendering; project delivery; and post project. These experiences shape around three types of touchpoints: project organization owned; stakeholder owned; and social/external context. We also consider five value creation elements and the cognitive and emotional responses at touchpoints. In the process we review what the project stakeholder literature has said about these issues. While few authors have addressed them directly, many relevant observations have been made. Establishing over these pieces is one stepping stone to develop future research for nourishing our understandings from stakeholder experience

Coping with personhood limbo:Personhood anchoring work among undocumented workers in Italy

Prevailing socio-legal structures create a state of personhood limbo for undocumented workers, where broader society undermines various aspects of their personhood in a way that prevents them from fully representing and embracing all dimensions of their selves in and around the workplace. But how do undocumented workers cope with personhood limbo? Drawing on interviews with undocumented workers and civil society workers in Italy, we identify specific forms of what we call “personhood anchoring work” that undocumented workers engage in to claim aspects of personhood that are meaningful to them. Our theorization suggests that workers’ experiences of personhood are influenced not only by socio-legal structures, but also by their own agentic acts in response to external conditions, as well as their aspirations, past experiences, and future plans. A key finding of our study is that these practices do not aim to create or disrupt social orders, even in subtle or hidden forms of resistance. Instead, they enable undocumented workers to temporarily position themselves within the social order. In doing so, we also introduce a new way of conceptualizing the integration of undocumented workers that can account for the possibilities and limits of retaining rather than redefining personhood in the face of prevailing constraints.<br/

Introducing Justice and Care in Complex Project Systems: An Empirical Study

While projects are becoming increasingly more complex in their organizational, technological, and environmental dimensions; complex systems are deemed by being unjust by nature. Previous research has suggested that heedful interconnection among the actors of the system can enhance organization’s capability in ethical coping with complexity. However, project-based organizations tend to cope with complexity through developing adaptive capacity within the borders of the organization and marginalizing the demands and concerns of some stakeholders. By investigating the controversial project of Rome Metro Line C and drawing on ethics of care and ethics of justice, this article suggests that coping with complexity is attainable by extending the organization’s border to include all stakeholders of the network. The empirical study proposes that by fostering the interrelation of stakeholders with the organization through a decentralized decision making will improve the extended organization’s capability in identifying and absorbing complexity