Spontaneous brain activity has received increasing attention as demonstrated by the exponential rise in the number of published papers on this topic over the last thirty years. Such “intrinsic” brain activity, generated in the absence of an explicit task, is frequently associated with resting-state or default-mode networks. The focus on characterizing spontaneous brain activity promises to shed new light on questions concerning the structural and functional architecture of the brain and how they are related to “mind”. However, many critical questions (...) have yet to be addressed. In this review, we focus on a scarcely explored area, specifically the energetic requirements and constraints of spontaneous activity, taking into account both thermodynamical and informational perspectives. We argue that the “classical” definitions of spontaneous activity do not take into account an important feature, that is, the critical thermodynamic energetic differences between spontaneous and evoked brain activity. Spontaneous brain activity is associated with slower oscillations compared with evoked, task-related activity, hence it exhibits lower levels of enthalpy and “free-energy” (i.e. the energy that can be converted to do work), thus supporting noteworthy thermodynamic energetic differences between spontaneous and evoked brain activity. Increased spike frequency during evoked activity has a significant metabolic cost, consequently, brain functions traditionally associated with spontaneous activity, such as mind wandering, require less energy that other nervous activities. We also review recent empirical observations in neuroscience, in order to capture how spontaneous brain dynamics and mental function can be embedded in a non-linear dynamical framework, which considers nervous activity in terms of phase spaces, particle trajectories, random walks, attractors and/or paths at the edge of the chaos. This takes us from the thermodynamic free-energy, to the realm of “variational free-energy”, a theoretical construct pertaining to probability and information theory which allows explanation of unexplored features of spontaneous brain activity. (shrink)

Background: Adolescents can be vulnerable to diminished dignity in the hospital because young people have significantly different healthcare needs than children and adults. They like to cooperate with caregivers only when they get respectful and dignified care. Care without considering dignity can adversely influence the adolescents’ recovery. However, many studies have been conducted on exploring the concept of the patients’ dignity from the adult patients and fewer studies still have explored the dignity of young people. Objective: This study explores the (...) hospitalized adolescents’ perception about dignity. Research design: A conventional qualitative content analysis method was used to explore the meaning of hospitalized adolescents’ dignity. Participants and research context: Hospitalized adolescents in general medical and surgical pediatric units were eligible to participate. Data were obtained through unstructured interviews. Purposive sampling was used and adolescents were recruited until data saturation was reached (n = 13). Ethical considerations: Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Participants were provided with information about the purpose, reasons for recording interviews, voluntary participation, and confidentiality of data and interviewees. Findings: Dignity was reflected in four themes: (1) protection of personal privacy, (2) protection of autonomy, (3) respect for identity, and (4) intimate communication. Discussion and conclusion: Hospitalized adolescents stated that healthcare services should protect their personal privacy and autonomy. Also, they should respect the adolescent’s identity and communicate intimately with them to provide the dignity. Adolescence is a discrete developmental stage, with specific healthcare needs which must be addressed effectively by healthcare providers especially nurses. (shrink)

Background: Ethical codes are guidelines that orient nurses and ensure that their decisions are in accordance with the values of the professional system. These codes show that there is a connection among values, patients’ rights, and nurses’ duties. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the viewpoints of patients, nurses, and nurse managers regarding the extent to which clinical ethical codes are observed. Research design: In this descriptive–comparative study, data were collected using three questionnaires based on Iranian nurses’ ethical codes with (...) a focus on clinical care. The reliability of the questionnaire was verified by test–retest method (r = 0.9). The patients were interviewed by the researcher, but nurses and managers completed the questionnaires themselves. After all, the data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software (v 15). Participants and research context: In all, 100 patients, 100 nurses, and 30 managers from internal and surgical wards of two major hospitals in Shiraz, Iran, participated in 2014. Ethical considerations: This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All the participants signed written informed consents. Findings: According to the results, 70% of the patients, 86% of the nurses, and 53.3% of the nurse managers rated nurses’ adherence to ethical codes as satisfactory. The mean scores (standard deviation) of the level of adherence to ethical codes were 38.44 (6.91) in the patients, 41.08 (4.82) in the nurses, and 37.83 (6.98) in the nurse managers. The results of analysis of variance revealed a significant difference between the attitudes of the nurses and the other two groups (p = 0.001). Discussion: Nurses’ adherence to ethical codes was satisfactory in all three groups. Accordingly, our findings agree with the results of some national and international studies, although there are still controversies in this regard. Conclusion: Although the nurses rated their performance in certain fields more satisfactory compared to the patients and managers, all the three groups agreed that clinical ethical codes were properly observed in the internal and surgical wards. Nurses can improve the quality of care by considering the viewpoints of patients and managers about their ethical performance. (shrink)

One of the mathematical programming techniques is data envelopment analysis, which is used for evaluating the efficiency of a set of similar decision-making units. Fixed resource allocation and target setting with the help of DEA is a subject that has gained much attention from researchers. A new model was proposed by determining a common set of weights. All DMUs were involved with the aim of achieving higher efficiency in every DMU after the procedure. The minimum resources and targets allocated to (...) each DMU were commensurate to the efficiency of that DMU and the share of DMU in the input resources and the output productions. To examine the proposed method, other methods in the DEA literature were examined as well, and then, the efficiency of the method was demonstrated through a numerical example. (shrink)

AimsThis study aimed to investigate barriers in the observation of professional ethics during clinical care from a nursing viewpoint. Also, it examined the association between these barriers and nurse demographic variables.MethodsA descriptive-analytic design was carried out on 207 nurses working in selected hospitals within an urban area of Iran in 2019. Data were collected using a standard questionnaire containing 33 questions that measured barriers to observation of professional ethics. The questionnaire measures three domains of management, environment and individual care.ResultsIn the (...) management dimension, the most important barrier preventing observation of professional ethics was the shortage of personnel. For the environmental dimension, biological changes due to working on the nightshift, and for the individual care dimension, a lack of time were the most important barriers preventing observation of clinical ethics. Findings additionally highlighted a significantly inverse association between barriers to observing professional ethics and the male gender, participating in the ethics workshop and high work-level experiences.ConclusionsIt is suggested that nursing managers in hospitals correct and remove obstacles with careful planning and emphasis on principles and standards of care including environmental and managerial factors and training professional ethics to nurses. (shrink)

The availability in universal grammar of two separate copulas of predication & identity is supported by an analysis of pseudoclefts in Welsh. A single-copula analysis of the ambiguity between predicational & specificational interpretations of pseudoclefts in English cannot be extended to Welsh, where specificational interpretation (1) is permitted by only one of three copular paradigms, all of which may have a predicational interpretation, & (2) is possible with both of the D-structures used in the single-copula analysis to distinguish between the (...) two interpretations in English. It is argued that the differences between English & Welsh with respect to the interpretation of copular constructions can only be explained by positing a dual-copula analysis for Welsh & a single-copula one for English; the data confirm the existence of a type-shifting functor in English that is realized lexically as a copula in Welsh. 47 References. J. Hitchcock. (shrink)

Previous research with speech and non-speech stimuli suggested that in audiovisual perception, visual information starting prior to the onset of corresponding sound can provide visual cues, and form a prediction about the upcoming auditory sound. This prediction leads to audiovisual interaction. Auditory and visual perception interact and induce suppression and speeding up of the early auditory event-related potentials such as N1 and P2. To investigate AV interaction, previous research examined N1 and P2 amplitudes and latencies in response to audio only, (...) video only, audiovisual, and control stimuli, and compared AV with auditory perception based on four AV interaction models. The current study addresses how different models of AV interaction express N1 and P2 suppression in music perception. Furthermore, the current study took one step further and examined whether previous musical experience, which can potentially lead to higher N1 and P2 amplitudes in auditory perception, influenced AV interaction in different models. Musicians and non-musicians were presented the recordings of a keyboard /C4/ key being played, as well as CO stimuli. Results showed that AV interaction models differ in their expression of N1 and P2 amplitude and latency suppression. The calculation of model and has consequences for the resulting N1 and P2 difference waves. Furthermore, while musicians, compared to non-musicians, showed higher N1 amplitude in auditory perception, suppression of amplitudes and latencies for N1 and P2 was similar for the two groups across the AV models. Collectively, these results suggest that when visual cues from finger and hand movements predict the upcoming sound in AV music perception, suppression of early ERPs is similar for musicians and non-musicians. Notably, the calculation differences across models do not lead to the same pattern of results for N1 and P2, demonstrating that the four models are not interchangeable and are not directly comparable. (shrink)

This paper investigates the structure of networked publics and their sharing practices in Persian Twitter during a period surrounding Iran’s 2017 presidential election. Building on networked gatekeeping and framing theories, we used a mixed methodological approach to analyze a dataset of 2,596,284 Persian tweets. Results revealed that Twitter provided a space for Iranians to discuss public topics. However, this space is not necessarily used by voiceless and marginalized groups; and the uses are not limited to discussing controversial issues. The growing (...) body of conservative crowdsourced elites emerged to defend the regime’s ideology. Moreover, the dominant networked frames were shaped around normal and routine subjects in an election time. Thus, Twitter was not a platform for only seeking liberal demands. It was to some extent used to serve the regime’s political interests. Furthermore, while many ordinary users rose to prominence, mainstream media continued to act as powerful players. This study contributes to the existing literature into networked practices, digital democracy, and citizen journalism; particularly in restrictive contexts. (shrink)

While organizational deviance has become a popular research topic in the past two decades, deviant behavior remains a contested concept, with several research studies being done to better define the term. As a result, researchers have introduced various definitions and constructs which seem to overlap one another. Such proliferation might backfire and could lead to more confusion. Looking at deviance from an ontological aspect, therefore, will help to decrease such confusion among researchers. Another advantage to ontologically viewing deviance is that (...) it provides a better understanding of the concept. To prevent deviance occurring within an organization, the first step is learning more about it. This study therefore aims to discover how researchers can use ontological view to provide a better understanding of deviance, thus creating a deviance-free climate within an organization. This study looks at the role of storytelling in sharing norms within an organization to provide such a deviance-free climate. (shrink)

There are many studies conducted on recommendation systems, most of which are focused on recommending items to users and vice versa. Nowadays, social networks are complicated due to carrying vast arrays of data about individuals and organizations. In today’s competitive environment, companies face two significant problems: supplying resources and attracting new customers. Even the concept of supply-chain management in a virtual environment is changed. In this article, we propose a new and innovative combination approach to recommend organizational people in social (...) networks based on organizational communication and SCM. The proposed approach uses a hybrid strategy that combines basic collaborative filtering and demographic recommendation systems, using data mining, artificial neural networks, and fuzzy techniques. The results of experiments and evaluations based on a real dataset collected from the LinkedIn social network showed that the hybrid recommendation system has higher accuracy and speed than other essential methods, even substantially has eliminated the fundamental problems with such systems, such as cold start, scalability, diversity, and serendipity. (shrink)

Research shows that exploring language corpora through data-driven learning plays a significant role in language learning. Nevertheless, it is not clear if using concordancing as an application of DDL affects the learners’ second language motivation. To address this gap, the current study adopted a triangulation design, validating quantitative data model, and a quasi-experimental design. Ninety English-major university students with an intermediate level of English language proficiency, divided into control and experimental groups, took part in the study. Drawing on a second (...) language motivational self-system questionnaire, the findings of the study did not result in any statistically significant differences between the students in their second language motivational self-system. Altogether, the students found learning English through a DDL approach with concordancing less motivating than receiving explicit instruction. The study has implications for language teaching and learning. (shrink)

Some researchers, even professors in universities, sometimes do unethical actions unintentionally due to lack of a mentor in their academic life. In this opinion piece, we aim to show that journals and publishers can play the role of a mentor for authors of scientific articles, especially young M.Sc. and Ph.D. students, to teach them the ethics in research and publishing. In this way, both journals and researchers will benefit from such a plan.

The central focus of this essay is Isaiah Berlin’s arguments about the concepts of negative freedom and positive freedom, developed in his philosophical work Two Concepts of Liberty. By adopting a philosophical standpoint, this essay explores the application of Berlin’s notions of freedom at the organizational level, within the workplace, and in the management field. This essay presents three philosophical arguments that provide some clarifications about the potential challenges associated with autonomy in organizations. These arguments incorporate Berlin’s ideas of freedom (...) with philosophical insights from Heidegger, Sartre, Frankfurt, and Confucius to highlight the missing elements of autonomy in management literature and its implementation in organizations, explaining the challenges of autonomy and the reasons for some unexpected results. Recommendations for future studies and managerial implications are discussed. (shrink)

Background: Dignified care is one of the main objectives of holistic care. Furthermore, paying attention to dignity as one of the fundamental rights of patients is extremely important. However, in many cases, the dignity of hospitalized patients is not considered. Dignity is an abstract concept, and comprehensive studies of the dignity of Iranian patients hospitalized in general hospital settings are limited. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the concept of dignity from the perspective of patients hospitalized in (...) general hospital settings in Iran. Research design: This study takes a qualitative approach. Data were gathered using individual, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis was the method used to analyse and interpret the data. The criteria suggested by Guba and Lincoln were used ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Participants and research context: A total of 14 hospitalized patients in general hospital settings in Shiraz participated in this study. Ethical considerations: The Research Ethics Committee of the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences approved the protocol of the study and the ethical principles were followed throughout. Findings: The findings of this study revealed four main themes – ‘respectful atmosphere’, ‘patient privacy’, ‘preservation of authority’ and ‘receiving attention’ – and 10 categories. Discussion: Patients need to be hospitalized in a respectable environment in which their privacy is preserved and paid attention, providing them with sufficient authority in terms of medical decisions and their life-related issues. The dignity of hospitalized patients will be preserved under these conditions. Conclusion: Patients hospitalized in general hospital settings need to retain their dignity. This can contribute to the optimal therapeutic outcomes for them. Therefore, it is suggested that a cultural, professional and institutional background, in which all components of the patient’s dignity are protected and emphasized, should be provided. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic has struck the world and caused serious disruption in education. Lockdown and social distancing measures have prompted a paradigm shift in delivering education, resulting in o...

Background and objectivesThe study of brain functional connectivity alterations in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder has been the subject of considerable investigation, but the biological mechanisms underlying these changes remain poorly understood. Here, we aim to investigate the brain alterations in patients with ADHD and Typical Development children and accurately classify ADHD children from TD controls using the graph-theoretical measures obtained from resting-state fMRI.Materials and methodsWe investigated the performances of rs-fMRI data for classifying drug-naive children with ADHD from TD controls. Fifty (...) six drug-naive ADHD children and 56 age matched TD controls were included in this study. The graph measures extracted from rs-fMRI functional connectivity were used as features. Extracted network-based features were fed to the RFE feature selection algorithm to select the most discriminating subset of features. We trained and tested Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting using Peking center data from ADHD-200 database to classify ADHD and TD children using discriminative features. In addition to the machine learning approach, the statistical analysis was conducted on graph measures to discover the differences in the brain network of patients with ADHD.ResultsAn accuracy of 78.2% was achieved for classifying drug-naive children with ADHD from TD controls employing the optimal features and the GB classifier. We also performed a hub node analysis and found that the number of hubs in TD controls and ADHD children were 8 and 5, respectively, indicating that children with ADHD have disturbance of critical communication regions in their brain network. The findings of this study provide insight into the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying ADHD.ConclusionPattern recognition and graph measures of the brain networks, based on the rs-fMRI data, can efficiently assist in the classification of ADHD children from TD controls. (shrink)

Collaborative learning with cases characteristically involves discussing and developing shared explanations. We investigated the argumentation scheme which learners use in constructing shared explanations over evidence. We observed medical students attempting to explain how a judge had arrived at his verdict in a case of medical negligence. The students were learning within a virtual learning environment and their communication was computer mediated. We identify the dialogue type that these learners construct and show that their argumentation conforms with an abductive form of (...) argumentation scheme (‘inference to the best explanation’). We also assessed the students’ learning and propose that it is related to particular features of this argumentation scheme. (shrink)

This paper develops an empirically grounded, processual view of corporate social performance (CSP) by analyzing how internal organizational processes affect a firm’s social performance. Based on two case studies, we argue that changes in a firm’s social performance are triggered by continuously reoccurring instances of poor fit between the firm’s routines and its institutional environment. We propose that reactive change processes, initiated by stakeholder critique threatening the organization’s legitimacy, will result in isomorphic type of social performance changes. In comparison, proactive (...) change processes, initiated by slack resources, are more likely to result in nonisomorphic type of social performance changes. Furthermore, we propose that top-down driven processes will result in structural social performance changes in the direction of internationally influential stakeholders’ demands, while bottom-up driven processes will result in output social performance changes in the direction of locally influential stakeholders’ demands. (shrink)

The productivity of researchers and the impact of the work they do are a preoccupation of universities, research funding agencies, and sometimes even researchers themselves. The h-index is the most popular of different metrics to measure these activities. This research deals with presenting a practical approach to model the h-index based on the total number of citations and the duration from the publishing of the first article. To determine the effect of every factor on h, we applied a set of (...) simple nonlinear regression. The results indicated that both NC and D1 had a significant effect on h. The determination of coefficient for these equations to estimate the h-index was 93.4% and 39.8%, respectively, which verified that the model based on NC had a better fit. Then, to record the simultaneous effects of NC and D1 on h, multiple nonlinear regression was applied. The results indicated that NC and D1 had a significant effect on h. Also, the determination of coefficient for this equation to estimate h was 93.6%. Finally, to model and estimate the h-index, as a function of NC and D1, multiple nonlinear quartile regression was used. The goodness of the fitted model was also assessed. (shrink)

Background: Nurses’ behavior in Educational-Medical centers is very important for improving the condition of patients. Ethical climate represents the ethical values and behavioral expectations. Attitude of people toward religion is both intrinsic and extrinsic. Different ethical climates and attitude toward religion could be associated with nurses’ behavior. Aim: To study the mediating effect of ethical climate on religious orientation and ethical behaviors of nurses. Research design: In an exploratory analysis study, the path analysis method was used to identify the effective (...) variables on ethical behavior. Participants/context: The participants consisted of 259 Iranian nurses from Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Ethical considerations: This project with an ethical code and a unique ID IR.UMSHA.REC.1395.67 was approved in the Research Council of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Findings: The beta coefficients obtained by regression analysis of perception of ethical climate of individual egoism (B = −0.202, p < 0.001), individual ethical principles (B = −0.184, p = 0.001), local egoism (B = −0.136, p = 0.003), and extrinsic religious orientation (B = −0.266, p = 0.007) were significant that they could act as predictors of ethical behavior. The summary of regression model indicated that 0.27% of ethical behaviors of nurses are justified by two variables: ethical climate and religious orientation. Discussion and conclusion: Intrinsic religious orientation has the most direct impact and then, respectively, the variables of ethical climate of perceptions in the dimensions of individual egoism, individual ethical principles, local egoism, global ethical principle, and ethical behavior and extrinsic religious orientation follow. All the above, except global ethical principles and intrinsic orientation of religion have a negative effect on ethical behavior and can be predictors of ethical behavior. Therefore, applying strategies to promote theories of intrinsic religious orientation and global ethical principles in different situations of nursing is recommended. (shrink)

Background: Professional commitment is an important factor in employee performance. COVID-19 outbreak has seriously affected the nurses working conditions. Numerous factors can affect nurses' professional commitment in this situation. Aim: To explore the nurses' lived experiences, attitudes, views and perceptions toward professional commitment and factors affecting it in the Covid-19 crisis. Method, Setting and Participants: This qualitative study was conducted using phenomenological approach and content analysis method. Twenty-five nurses were interviewed using semi structured in-depth interviews. Conventional content analysis was used (...) to analyze collected data. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences. Results: Five themes were extracted as follows: “Collaborative empathetic commitment”, “Loyal commitment”, “Sacrificial commitment”, “Commitment with doubt and concern” and “humanistic commitment”. Discussion and Conclusion: The Covid-19 crisis has caused major changes in nurses' working conditions, which have also affected the concept of professional commitment to the nursing profession and revealed new concepts. Identifying internal and external factors that can enhance nurses' commitment to the profession in critical situations such as the Covid-19 outback is of particular importance. (shrink)

Social responsibility is intertwined with nursing; however, perceptions of Iranian nurses about social responsibility has not been explored yet. This study, as part of a larger qualitative grounded theory approach study, aims to explore Iranian nurses’ perception of social responsibility. The study participants included 10 nurses with different job levels. The study data were generated through semi-structured interviews. The participants were selected through purposeful sampling approach, which was then followed by theoretical sampling until reaching the point of data saturation. All (...) the interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through constant comparative analysis. Positive human characteristics, professional competencies, professional values, solution-focused nursing care, and deployment of professional performance are five categories obtained from the study. The participants believed socially responsible nurses to have positive personality characteristics as well as the necessary skills to do their duties accurately. Such nurses also respect the values, observe the professional principles, and take major steps toward promotion and deployment of the nursing profession in the society. (shrink)

The integration of psychedelic substances into modern Western therapeutic practice has sparked a critical examination of many topics including: efficacy of psychedelics to treat mental health diagnoses without psychotherapeutic intervention, what models of therapy to use, and ethical implications related to altered states of consciousness. Of utmost concern are issues of power dynamics leading to incidents of sexual abuse. These issues underscore the importance of understanding therapeutic dynamics within the context of psychedelic-assisted therapy. This paper aims to explore these intersections, (...) addressing sexual abuse issues in Western psychedelic-assisted therapy while elucidating pathways towards ethical practice and regulatory frameworks. (shrink)

The negative emotions generated following stressful life events can increase one’s risk of depressive symptoms and promote higher levels of perceived stress. The process model of emotion regulation can help distinguish between adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies to determine who may be at the greatest risk of worse psychological health across the lifespan. Heart rate variability may affect these relationships as it indexes aspects of self-regulation, including emotion and behavioral regulation, that enable an individual to dynamically adapt to the (...) changing demands of both internal and external environments. In this study, we expected individual differences in resting vagally mediated HRV to moderate the influence of emotion regulatory strategies among our sample of 267 adults. We found support for the hypothesis that higher vagally mediated HRV buffers against the typical adverse effects of expressive suppression when evaluating depressive symptoms and found weak support when considering perceived stress. There was no evidence for an interaction between cognitive reappraisal and vagally mediated HRV but there was a significant, negative association between cognitive reappraisal and depressive symptoms and perceived stress. Future work may determine if intervening on either emotion regulation strategies or HRV may change these within-persons over time. (shrink)

Background: Nurses are often faced with complex situations that made them to make ethical decisions; and to make such decisions, they need to possess the power of moral reasoning. Studies in Iran show that the majority of nursing students lack proper ethical development. Socratic teaching is a student-centered method which is strongly opposed to the lecturing method. Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the impacts of Socratic questioning on the moral reasoning of the nursing students. Research design: In a (...) quasi-experimental study, Crisham’s Nursing Dilemma Test was used to evaluate the results of three groups before, immediately after, and 2 months after intervention. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software (v 15). Participants and research context: Through random allocation, 103 nursing students were divided into three groups. In experiment group 1 (37 students), intervention consisted of Socratic questioning-based sessions on ethics and how to deal with moral dilemmas; experiment group 2 (33 students) attended a 4-h workshop; and the control group (33 students) was not subject to any interventions. Signed informed consent forms: This research was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University. All the participants signed written informed consents. Findings: There were significant differences between experiment group 1 and experiment group 2’s pre-test and post-test scores on moral reasoning (p ≤ 0.001, p ≤ 0.001), nursing principled thinking (p ≤ 0.001, p ≤ 0.001), and practical considerations (p ≤ 0.001, p ≤ 0.031). Discussion: Both the teaching approaches improved the subjects’ moral reasoning; however, Socratic questioning proved more effective than lecturing. Compared to other similar studies in Iran and other countries, the students had inadequate moral reasoning competence. Conclusion: This study confirms the need for the development of an efficient course on ethics in the nursing curriculum. Also, it appears that Socratic questioning is an effective method to teach nursing ethics and develop nursing students’ competence of moral reasoning. (shrink)

Background: Nurses face challenges regarding professional identify. Being unaware of these challenges and not owning positive professional identify leads to a lack of self-confidence. Thus, nurses face problems in interpersonal communication and lose their attachment to their profession. Few studies have engaged with impediments to forming positive professional identity in relation to intensive care nurses. Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impediments to forming positive professional identity in nurses working in intensive care unit. Research design: In (...) this study, the conventional content analysis method was used in order to obtain the impediments to forming positive professional identities in nurses. Data were collected through 15 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus group interviews from March 2015 to June 2016. Purposive sampling was used and participants were recruited until data saturation was reached; they were then analyzed using the conventional content analysis method. Participants and research context: In total, 24 intensive care unit nurses from one hospital in Northern Iran were selected through purposive sampling. Ethical consideration: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Findings: Four main themes of professional identity challenges were extracted from the analysis of the data: neglect of professional status of nursing; distrust of nursing knowledge; unprofessional performance; and low professional attraction. Discussion and conclusion: Nurses stated that the neglect of the professional status of nursing and distrust of nursing knowledge have always been a hindrance in forming a positive professional identity. They also mentioned that unprofessional performance and low professional attraction are the other influencing factors in this regard. Thus, detecting these factors can guide nurses and their managers towards creating positive professional identity, and as a result, will improve their job satisfaction, professional advancement, and durability. (shrink)

Background and ObjectivesFocal cortical dysplasia is a type of malformations of cortical development and one of the leading causes of drug-resistant epilepsy. Postoperative results improve the diagnosis of lesions on structural MRIs. Advances in quantitative algorithms have increased the identification of FCD lesions. However, due to significant differences in size, shape, and location of the lesion in different patients and a big deal of time for the objective diagnosis of lesion as well as the dependence of individual interpretation, sensitive approaches (...) are required to address the challenge of lesion diagnosis. In this research, a FCD computer-aided diagnostic system to improve existing methods is presented.MethodsMagnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 58 participants. Morphological and intensity-based features were calculated for each cortical surface and inserted into an artificial neural network. Statistical examinations evaluated classifier efficiency.ResultsNeural network evaluation metrics—sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy—were 96.7, 100, and 98.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the accuracy of the classifier for the detection of the lobe and hemisphere of the brain, where the FCD lesion is located, was 84.2 and 77.3%, respectively.ConclusionAnalyzing surface-based features by automated machine learning can give a quantitative and objective diagnosis of FCD lesions in presurgical assessment and improve postsurgical outcomes. (shrink)

La présente recherche s’intéresse à l’impact du contexte phonétique sur les formants 1, 2 et 3 des voyelles nasales françaises. La chaine parlée en français est constituée de la succession des voyelles orales et nasales influencées par le contexte consonantique. En nous appuyant, dans cette étude, sur le modèle de Stevens et House, dit « production undershoot model »,nous avons abordé plus particulièrement l’effet du contexte phonétique sur les trois voyelles nasales françaises afin de vérifier l’hypothèse suivante : dans le (...) contexte phonétique, la consonne influerait, non seulement, sur le formant 1 et 2 mais aussi sur le formant nasal de la voyelle nasale et elle l’écarte de son propre « hyperespace », bien qu’elle ne bannisse pas l’anti-formant. Pour vérifier notre hypothèse, nous avons analysé les productions phonétiques de 4 étudiants de français de première année de l’université d’Ispahan à l’aide d’un logiciel d’analyse de sons tout en tenant compte des variables acoustiques des formants 1, 2 et 3. Notre corpus est constitué de 2 phrases collectées lors du deuxième semestre de l’année universitaire 2016-2017. Dans les productions phonétiques des apprenants étudiés, l’effet du contexte phonétique donne lieu au phénomène de ratage de cible des voyelles nasales et empêche surtout la constitution du formant nasal ou du murmure nasal, d’où l’apparition d’un écart de prononciation. (shrink)

Understanding the beliefs held by the learners about learning a language, and the way they utilize their thoughts about knowledge and learning seem essential for planning a constructive language program. Following this line of research, this paper aims at testing a hypothetical model of the relationship between epistemic beliefs and subscales of language-learning strategies through the mediating role of learners' self-efficacy. To this end, a sample of 300 Iranian high school students, taking regular courses, completed three survey questionnaires. At this (...) stage, correlational analysis and structural equation modeling were employed to probe the interconnections, analyze the model, and outline the conceptual framework. The results revealed that the LSE framework can adequately account for the learners' LLSs. In particular, the results indicated that efforts, persistence, and imitation positively and significantly influenced LLSs. However, EBs with the mediating role of LSE were known to be a significant factor in demoting the LLSs. Notably, knowledge and learning agents were the negative predictors of LLSs. This paper suggests that LSE has higher explanatory power than EBs in predicting LLSs. The findings of this study suggest that teachers and material developers should pay serious attention to the learners' self-efficacy as they were known to influence LLSs. (shrink)

Considering the importance of complying medical and general ethics and the lack of a study on determining ethical considerations in the communication network of women undergoing hysterectomy surgery, this study aimed to present these aspects in the patients’ lives by a standard researcher-made instrument. This mixed method analysis (exploratory sequential mixed methods design was conducted in the whole of 2020 to create the “ethical considerations in communication network of women undergone hysterectomy” questionnaire and investigate its psychometric properties. A researched-made instrument (...) was validated and its psychometric properties were checked among 218 women by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Accordingly, the 8 factors extracted included “complying ethical consideration by the physician (a)”, “complying ethical consideration by medical team (b)”, “complying ethical consideration in the hospital (c)”, “complying ethical consideration by the secretory in the clinic (d)”, “complying ethical consideration by the spouse (e)”, and “complying ethical consideration by the family and friends (f)”, “complying ethical consideration by the media and society (g)” and “complying ethical consideration by herself (h)”. The results of Cronbach’s alpha test showed that there is moderate to good internal consistency in all dimensions. Cronbach’s alpha for the whole questionnaire was calculated as 0.75, which shows that the internal consistency is at a good level. According to the results of this study, the reliability (internal consistency) and construct validity of the ethical considerations in the communication network of women undergoing hysterectomy questionnaire were confirmed. However, in light of the study limitations, caution should be practiced in the interpretation of the results. There is a need for further longitudinal studies in multiple settings using random sampling methods. (shrink)

In this paper, we study the effects of using an algorithm-based risk assessment instrument (RAI) to support the prediction of risk of violent recidivism upon release. The instrument we used is a machine learning version of RiskCanvi used by the Justice Department of Catalonia, Spain. It was hypothesized that people can improve their performance on defining the risk of recidivism when assisted with a RAI. Also, that professionals can perform better than non-experts on the domain. Participants had to predict whether (...) a person who has been released from prison will commit a new crime leading to re-incarceration, within the next two years. This user study is done with (1) general participants from diverse backgrounds recruited through a crowdsourcing platform, (2) targeted participants who are students and practitioners of data science, criminology, or social work and professionals who work with RisCanvi. We also run focus groups with participants of the targeted study, including people who use RisCanvi in a professional capacity, to interpret the quantitative results. Among other findings, we observe that algorithmic support systematically leads to more accurate predictions from all participants, but that statistically significant gains are only seen in the performance of targeted participants with respect to that of crowdsourced participants. Among other comments, professional participants indicate that they would not foresee using a fully-automated system in criminal risk assessment, but do consider it valuable for training, standardization, and to fine-tune or double-check their predictions on particularly difficult cases. We found that the revised prediction by using a RAI increases the performance of all groups, while professionals show a better performance in general. And, a RAI can be considered for extending professional capacities and skills along their careers. (shrink)

Introduction: Informed consent constitutes one of the most important legal, professional, and ethical principles of a surgical operation. Consent obtained from a patient is only valid when the patient has received enough information regarding the proposed treatment option. This study aims to determine how much the patients are informed before undergoing surgery, as well as the factors influencing it in hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Method: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive–analytic study of 300 patients undergoing surgery in (...) 7 teaching hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The patients were recruited through clustered sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire completed by interview. Data were analyzed on SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: The mean score of data provision for patients was 27.09 out of 60, indicating the level of information provided as unacceptable. Among 12 questions dealing with data provision, patients had received an intermediate level of information about nature of the disease, type of surgery, benefits and importance of the surgery, and complications of rejecting the recommended therapy. On the contrary, they had not received enough information about the surgical procedure, type of anesthesia, potential complications of surgery, potential risks of surgery, other therapy options instead of surgery, length of hospital stay for surgery, postsurgical follow-up, and expenses of the surgery. In the majority (85%) of cases, the surgeon was reported to be the information provider. Among the variables studied, level of information received was directly related to the patient’s education level. Discussion: The findings of this study indicate that during the process of obtaining an informed consent for surgery, patients do not receive sufficient information, and it is necessary to provide the essential information in an understandable manner adjusted for the patient’s level of education. (shrink)

Background Belonging to the clinical environment and the professional values of the performers play a role in forming a professional identity. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the degree of connection among these concepts. Aim This study aimed to examine the mediating effects of professional values on the relationship between nurses’ clinical environment belongingness and professional identity. Design In the present study, a descriptive cross-sectional multicenter design was used. Participants and research context A convenient sample of 635 nurses recruited from (...) three hospitals in Fars Province, Southern Iran, from September 2023 to January 2024. Nurses Professional Values Scale–Revised, Clinical Environment Belongingness Scale, and Professional Identity Scale were used to collect the data. The mediation model was analyzed using SPSS v27 and the Process Macro 4.0. Ethical considerations The protocol of this study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Fasa University of Medical Sciences, and informed consent was obtained from all nurses. The study conforms to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Results Based on the results of regression analysis, clinical environment belongingness had a positive and significant impact on professional identity (β = 0.366, p < 0.001) and professional value (β = 0.676, p < 0.001). Professional value significantly predicted professional identity (β = 0.170, p < 0.001). The indirect effect of clinical environment belongingness on professional identity via professional values was statistically significant (β = 0.115, SE = 0.024, 95% CI = [0.068, 0.162]), and this effect was directly (β = 0.336, SE = 0.034, 95% CI = [0.297, 0.434]) significant. Conclusions The new theoretical framework for nurses developed in this study can contribute to professional development. It is further recommended that the promotion of professional value and clinical environment belongingness may be effective in enhancing the professional identity of the nursing staff, as indicated by the results. (shrink)

Članek obravnava Leibnizev načrt filozofskega jezika, t. i. »univerzalno karakteristiko«. Najprej izpostavimo dejstvo, da Leibnizev načrt temelji na določenem semiotičnem vidiku matematike, ki v kontekstu novoveške ideje matematizacije vseh znanosti predstavlja novost. Kakorkoli ima Leibnizev drzen načrt resne pomanjkljivosti, ki so nedvomno botrovale temu, da ni nikoli zares začel z njeno izvedbo, pa Leibniz črpa optimizem iz strogo platonistične zasnove svoje epistemologije, v kateri je karakteristika utemeljena. Karakteristika je v sami teoretski zasnovi mogoča le pod pogojem, da se zaveže klasičnemu (...) realizmu in se odpove tisti metodi filozofije zavesti, ki sta jo ustoličila Descartes in Locke. Iz tega, kaj karakteristika obljublja, in iz njene zavezanosti platonizmu pa je videti, da se karakteristika kot jezik narave v ključnih potezah zgleduje po neki tradiciji mišljenja jezika, ki ima svoj začetek v Platonovem Kratilu in ima v Leibnizevem času še vedno svoje zagovornike. (shrink)

Izhajajoč iz dveh slavnih Kantovih tekstov skuša pričujoči spis pokazati na notranjo zvezo med avtonomijo uma in subjektivno svobodo na eni strani ter nujnim pokoravanjem arbitrarni avtoriteti na drugi. V Kantovem načrtu za organizacijo Univerze se ta povezanost kaže kot delitev na zgornje in spodnje fakultete, pri čemer se morajo prve podrejati samovoljnim ukazom zunanje oblasti, druga pa naj se ravna le po načelih uma. Obe plati spadata skupaj v skladu s Kantovim paradoksnim stališčem, da samo omejitev osvobaja, medtem ko (...) bi neposredno sovpadanje obojega privedlo do nevarnosti totalitarizma. Toda ta bistvena zveza med umom in ne-umno arbitrarnostjo naposled meri drugam: subjekt, ki si v svoji radikalni avtonomiji in samoopredelitvi postavlja svoj lastni notranji Zakon, je prav v svojem jedru soočen z radikalno heteronomijo. Moralni Zakon, kategorični imperativ, subjekta šele zares oropa njegove iluzorne avtonomije, konec koncev je še manj umno utemeljen kot njegov objektivni protipol. Od subjekta zahteva nemogoče, ne da se ga zadovoljiti, a prav skozi to nemožnost, skozi to bistveno nezadovoljnost vznikne subjekt razsvetljenstva. Zadnji del skuša pokazati, kako Fou-caultova reaktualizacija kantovske pozicije zatre njene radikalne konsekvence. Foucault zvaja Kantovega subjekta na pred-kantovsko etično držo in tako zgreši tisto zastavitev subjektivnosti, ki je položena v temelje psihoanalize. (shrink)