Nocturnal Lifestyle Behaviours and Risk of Poor Sleep during Pregnancy

The extent to which lifestyle practices at night influence sleep quality in pregnant women remains unknown. This study aimed to examine whether nocturnal behaviours were associated with poor sleep during pregnancy. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of a prospective cohort of pregnant women at 18–24 gestation weeks recruited from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, between 2019 and 2021. Nocturnal behaviours were assessed with questionnaires, and sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) with a global score ≥5 indicative of poor sleep quality. Modified Poisson regression and linear regression were used to examine the association between nocturnal behaviour and sleep quality. Of 299 women, 117 (39.1%) experienced poor sleep. In the covariate-adjusted analysis, poor sleep was observed in women with nocturnal eating (risk ratio 1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12, 2.04) and nocturnal artificial light exposure (1.63; 1.24, 2.13). Similarly, nocturnal eating (β 0.68; 95% CI 0.03, 1.32) and light exposure (1.99; 1.04, 2.94) were associated with higher PSQI score. Nocturnal physical activity and screen viewing before bedtime were not associated with sleep quality. In conclusion, reducing nocturnal eating and light exposure at night could potentially improve sleep in pregnancy.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Proceedings of the 29th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences- 1996 Does Telecommuting Make Economic Sense for Companies?

A major reason for the low take-up rate of telecommuting is that companies are not convinced of the economic benefits of telecommuting. They believe most of the benefits accrue to the workers but not the company. This paper presents the findings of a cost benefit analysis. Four categories of costs and benefits are identified. The analysis considers three categories of workers: managers, professionals and clerical workers. The results show that although savings from rent and overheads are significant, they are not the most important benefits, The main benefit comes from an increase in productivity. The initial startup and capital costs are signt$cant, particularly for managers and professionals. However, in the long run, operating costs and management costs are more important. The optimum arrangement is for managers and professionals to telecommute two to three days a week and for clerical workers to telecommute at least three days per week

Top management support in small business information systems implementation: how important is it?

Proceedings of the ACM SIGCPR Conference416-42585NZ

Information systems and occupational stress: a theoretical framework

The information systems (IS) profession is a stressful profession. However, there is little theoretical or empirical research on the effects of occupational stress on IS professionals. A major reason is because IS professionals and researchers are unaware of the consequences of occupational stress and unfamiliar with the occupational stress literature. The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework of occupational stress for IS professionals. Based on a review of the IS, psychology, and general management literature, 12 occupational stress models are identified. These stress models are analyzed along the two dimensions of focus and theoretical foundation. The analysis shows that most of the occupational stress models consider stress to be the consequence of the interaction between an environmental stimulus and the idiosyncratic response of the individual. Further analysis of these models suggests that nine key points are critical in developing a theoretical framework of occupational stress for IS professionals. A mapping of how the existing stress models incorporate the nine key points is also presented. The findings of this paper can provide a theoretical basis for further research on the occupational stress of IS professionals. Finally, an agenda for further research into this issue is presented.Occupational stress Information systems Human resource management Framework

Cultural Responses to Covid-19 Pandemic:Religions, Illness Perception, and Perceived Stress

Many psychological researchers have proven the deteriorating effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic on public mental health. In Malaysia, various Covid-19 clusters were associated with religious gatherings. From a cultural psychology perspective, how ethno-religious groups respond to this crisis originating from their unique rationality and ecological systems. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the illness perceptions of major religious groups (Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist) in Malaysia toward the Covid-19 pandemic, their stress levels, and the relationship between illness perception, stress, and forms of religious expression during the lockdown period. Through an online survey method, 608 Malaysian religious believers were included in this mixed-method empirical study, which adapted standardized instruments [Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)]. Statistical analysis showed that all three groups reported moderate levels of stress in average without any significant difference after controlling for age. Both internal and external forms of religious expression had a significant negative relationship with stress levels. Personal control, comprehension, and emotions domains of illness perception accounted for a significant variance in the stress level. Furthermore, religious expression significantly moderated the relationship between some illness perception domains and stress. Qualitative coding revealed that most participants perceived human behavior and attitudes, sociopolitical, and sociological factors as causal factors to the current pandemic. These findings confirmed the relationship between religious expression, illness belief, and stress regulation during the pandemic lockdown. Incidental findings of age as a potential protective factor for Malaysian believers warrants further study. In the conclusion, implications for public health policymakers and religious communities on pandemic prevention and well-being promotion were discussed

Ship Anti Ballistic Missile Response (SABR)

Includes supplementary materialBased on public law and Presidential mandate, ballistic missile defense development is a front-burner issue for homeland defense and the defense of U.S. and coalition forces abroad. Spearheaded by the Missile Defense Agency, an integrated ballistic missile defense system was initiated to create a layered defense composed of land-, air-, sea-, and space-based assets. The Ship Anti-Ballistic Response (SABR) Project is a systems engineering approach that suggests a conceptualized system solution to meet the needs of the sea portion of ballistic missile defense in the 2025-2030 timeframe. The system is a unique solution to the sea-based ballistic missile defense issue, combining the use of a railgun interceptor and a conformable aperture skin-of-the-ship radar system