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Abstract The selection of viewpoints is a crucial aspect in conducting visual impact assessments of architectural heritage. To address this issue, a quantitative viewpoint selection method based on GIS spatial analysis is proposed. The first step involves defining the factors that influence the selection of viewpoints for architectural heritage. Next, the city’s historical architectural areas are divided into units based on courtyards. Subsequently, a candidate set of viewpoints is constructed by extracting the skeleton lines and characteristic points of sub-regions. Finally, following the principles of viewpoint selection, the method achieves the selection of viewpoints for the visual impact assessment of architectural heritage. The Forbidden City is chosen as the practical area for implementation, and the results demonstrate that the viewshed coverage range in the architectural heritage area is as high as 96%. It represents that this approach for visual impact assessments of architectural heritage is more grounded.

Abstract Over the past several decades, significant scientific progress in xenotransplantation has brought the field to the threshold of clinical trials. In the past 3 years in the United States, experimental pig kidney and heart xenotransplantation have been performed on human subjects recently declared dead by neurological criteria (decedents). In addition, two pig heart transplants have been carried out in living patients under the United States Food and Drug Administration's expanded access guidelines. However, though there has been a flurry of activity there remain unanswered questions regarding how the public views xenotransplantation, what concerns may exist, and how to address these concerns in a meaningful way. This paper aims to underscore the importance of public engagement in xenotransplantation, emphasizing the ongoing need for studies to assess public opinions. The current evidence on public engagement studies is reviewed and gaps in our understanding are identified. We propose practical steps to advance this field. Additional studies to determine the extent of racial/ethnic differences in attitudes to xenotransplantation should be conducted. Empirical and descriptive analysis of certain religious viewpoints—especially minority faiths—would be valuable. As public engagement is an important aspect of public acceptance of novel research that is accompanied by risk, we suggest that xenotransplantation biotechnology companies might consider leading the way in funding this research.

The selection of viewpoints is a crucial aspect in conducting visual impact assessments of architectural heritage. To address this issue, a quantitative viewpoint selection method based on GIS spatial analysis is proposed. The first step involves defining the factors that influence the selection of viewpoints for architectural heritage. Next, the city's historical architectural areas are divided into units based on courtyards. Subsequently, a candidate set of viewpoints is constructed by extracting the skeleton lines and characteristic points of sub-regions. Finally, following the principles of viewpoint selection, the method achieves the selection of viewpoints for the visual impact assessment of architectural heritage. The Forbidden City is chosen as the practical area for implementation, and the results demonstrate that the viewshed coverage range in the architectural heritage area is as high as 96%. It represents that this approach for visual impact assessments of architectural heritage is more grounded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The importance of Early Clinical Experience (ECE) in education is increasing. This study aimed to investigate the viewpoints of medical students about ECE in teaching endocrine and gastrointestinal physiology lessons.Method: This study was conducted on 96 second-year medical students in endocrinology and gastrointestinal physiology classes including 15 sessions in the first and second academic semesters of 2022-2023. The first 45 minutes of the class was taught via the lecture method, after the 5 minutes break, the second 45 minutes of the class started by lecture method and a question based case-senario related to the teaching subject of the same session was asked from standard questions of United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). A researcher-made questionnaire was used at the end of sessions to assess the students' viewpoints. The questionnaire included 12 questions about ECE teaching method, quality of learning, content quality, and student motivation. They were rated by a 5 point Likert scale from completely disagree to completely agree.Results: The mean age of students was 20.82±1.37 years and 51 (53.1%) of them were male. The mean score of overall students’ motivation, quality of teaching and learning quality was 6.85 ± 1.97, 7.16±2.46, and 14.47±3.8 respectively.Conclusion: This study suggested the early clinical exposure in teaching endocrine and gastrointestinal physiology. This educational method can be used to solve problems such as students' understanding of the lack of connection between basic and clinical sciences to increase their motivation for learning.

Background: The importance of Early Clinical Experience (ECE) in education is increasing. This study aimed to investigate the viewpoints of medical students about ECE in teaching endocrine and gastrointestinal physiology lessons. Method: This study was conducted on 96 second-year medical students in endocrinology and gastrointestinal physiology classes including 15 sessions in the first and second academic semesters of 2022-2023. The first 45 minutes of the class was taught via the lecture method, after the 5 minutes break, the second 45 minutes of the class started by lecture method and a question based case-senario related to the teaching subject of the same session was asked from standard questions of United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). A researcher-made questionnaire was used at the end of sessions to assess the students' viewpoints. The questionnaire included 12 questions about ECE teaching method, quality of learning, content quality, and student motivation. They were rated by a 5 point Likert scale from completely disagree to completely agree. Results: The mean age of students was 20.82±1.37 years and 51 (53.1%) of them were male. The mean score of overall students' motivation, quality of teaching and learning quality was 6.85 ± 1.97, 7.16±2.46, and 14.47±3.8 respectively. Conclusion: This study suggested the early clinical exposure in teaching endocrine and gastrointestinal physiology. This educational method can be used to solve problems such as students' understanding of the lack of connection between basic and clinical sciences to increase their motivation for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family forest landowners own approximately 55 % of the state of Georgia's forestlands (24.6 million acres). Female forest ownership has grown in recent years and is expected to increase even further. Literature on forest landowners’ viewpoints about forestry in Georgia, in general, and about female forest landowners, in particular, is very limited. To address this research gap, we aim to investigate the viewpoints of family forest landowners regarding forestry in Georgia with a gender lens, i.e., the differences and similarities in how male and female family forest landowners view forestry-related issues in Georgia. Content analysis of responses to an open-ended question, which was in turn part of a mail survey, revealed six prominent themes, i.e., foresters/outreach, timber market, programs/resources/taxes, needs/suggestions, concerns, and desire to learn more. In general, a lower number of female responses fell under the foresters/outreach, programs/resources/taxes, needs/suggestions, and concerns themes, compared to their male counterparts. No female responses fell under the timber market theme, whereas the majority of male responses did. The desire to learn more theme received nearly equal number of responses from females and males. Our key findings indicate that 1) women require more assistance from foresters and need outreach opportunities to learn more about forest management, including topics such as timber markets, programs/resources/taxes; 2) males reported the timber market value is low and should increase; 3) males expressed more resources and programs are required for forest landowners to manage their forestlands (including tax incentives); 4) males and females suggested more public education about logging, expanded use of technology, and youth involvement in forest management; 5) women are concerned about invasive species and men about land development. These results are important to inform policymaking for supporting family forest landowners in Georgia, especially female forest landowners who are a rising segment of forest landownership in the state.

Many requirements engineering tools have been developed for gathering, documenting, and tracing requirements that can even be further processed for such purposes as analysis and transformation. In this study, we analysed 56 different requirements engineering tools for a comprehensive set of features that are categorised into multiple viewpoints (i.e., project management, specification, collaboration, customisation, interoperability, methodology, and user-support). The analysis results led to many interesting findings. Some of them are as follows: (i) the project planning and execution activities are rarely supported, (ii) multi-user access and versioning are highly supported, (iii) the most popular specification technique is natural languages, while precise specification via modeling languages is rarely supported, (iv) requirements analysis is rarely supported, (v) requirements transformation is considered for generating documents only, (vi) tool customisation via the tool integration and API support is highly popular, while customising the notation set is rarely supported, (vii) exchanging requirements is popular in such standards as ReqIF and Excel/CSV, while no single standard is accepted by all the tools, (viii) agile development is very common, while other methodologies (e.g., MDE and SPLE) are rarely supported, and (ix) user-guides, telephone, e-mail, and videos are the most preferred methods for user-support. The analysis results will be useful for different stakeholders including practitioners, tool vendors, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Q methodology is a unique, yet underutilized methodology designed specifically to scientifically study subjectivity. Q, as it is most often referred to, is an appropriate methodology whenever a researcher is interested in uncovering and describing the multiple divergent viewpoints on any topic. Such discovery of viewpoints provides insight into the subjectivities related to policies, values, priorities, judgements, opinions, and decisions. The disciplines where Q has been used for research are many, and include health sciences, education, and other social science / behavioral science fields. Because of its rather idiosyncratic place in research, however, many Q methodologists are self-taught or seek education through a few select universities that offer graduate level Q courses. The key to successfully approaching a Q study is to embrace its unique approach to studying subjectivity such that it is a powerful tool in health science education and other fields. It is common to find inconsistencies related to Q terminology, analyses, and decision making across studies. There is often an over reliance on concepts that come from purely quantitative methodologies such as R factor analysis rather than embracing the qualitative-quantitative hybridity of Q. This article is written as a primer with a focus on understanding Q at a deeper level rather than a step-by-step guide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large classes have a potential to stir a challenge for both developed and developing countries in their effort to deal with diversity that comes with learners' diverse abilities. The purpose of the study was to explore Grade 12 teachers' perceptions and experiences of teaching Accounting in large classes in Manzini region, Eswatini. The study used purposive sampling. The data collection instruments were questionnaires, personal observations, and semistructured interviews. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, while descriptive statistics computed for quantitative data. The study revealed that the majority accounting teachers were not contented with their class sizes as they faced several challenges when teaching accounting in large classes. Teachers agreed that evaluating work from group learning was necessary, but they used different approaches for assessment. This study presents insight into what secondary school Accounting teachers in emerging economies experienced with teaching Accounting in large classes, and the need to reflect on instructional practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many requirements engineering tools have been developed for gathering, documenting, and tracing requirements that can even be further processed for such purposes as analysis and transformation. In this study, we analysed 56 different requirements engineering tools for a comprehensive set of features that are categorised into multiple viewpoints (i.e., project management, specification, collaboration, customisation, interoperability, methodology, and user-support). The analysis results led to many interesting findings. Some of them are as follows: (i) the project planning and execution activities are rarely supported, (ii) multi-user access and versioning are highly supported, (iii) the most popular specification technique is natural languages, while precise specification via modeling languages is rarely supported, (iv) requirements analysis is rarely supported, (v) requirements transformation is considered for generating documents only, (vi) tool customisation via the tool integration and API support is highly popular, while customising the notation set is rarely supported, (vii) exchanging requirements is popular in such standards as ReqIF and Excel/CSV, while no single standard is accepted by all the tools, (viii) agile development is very common, while other methodologies (e.g., MDE and SPLE) are rarely supported, and (ix) user-guides, telephone, e-mail, and videos are the most preferred methods for user-support. The analysis results will be useful for different stakeholders including practitioners, tool vendors, and researchers.

This perspective paper discusses the compatibility of the Viewpoints and the Stanislavsky System in relation to the terms 'method' and system. The practice-led observations query how methods emerge from systems and what this might mean to the training actor. The paper also refers to the Crosspoints Acting System, a project developed by the author as a way of blending System-based acting with the goals of contemporary theatre and film production.

Transdisciplinary research (TDR) collaborations are considered effective when they yield relevant results for science and practice. In this context, the different expectations, experiences, skills, and disciplines of the team members involved determine TDR collaboration. Using the example of 13 team members involved in the 3-year TDR project 'Römerland Carnuntum 2040' (Austria), we aim to identify and compare diverse expectations regarding TDR collaboration. In doing so, we question the often emphasised dichotomy between science and practice as the main challenge of TDR collaboration and aim towards making individual expectations regarding TDR collaboration visible and tangible. The contribution of the present paper is twofold: on the one hand, we provide statements for a formative assessment to externalise implicit expectations, assumptions, and epistemologies of TDR project team members regarding TDR collaboration and results. On the other hand, we present the Q-methodology as a viable approach to uncover diverging viewpoints as visible, tangible, and enunciable differences that need to be acknowledged in early stages of TDR projects when allocating resources and planning further project steps. Our investigations result in two viewpoints: one emphasises learning, collective reflection, and knowledge exchange as the main TDR expectation. The second focuses on 'changing practices', assuming that the project supports the introduction of new practices for (sustainable) regional development. These diverging expectations reveal subconscious tensions, which have to be addressed when allocating resources and defining project success within the TDR project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Context It remains unclear whether there would be societal support for a lifestyle criterion for the healthcare priority setting. This study examines the viewpoints of experts in healthcare and the public regarding support for a lifestyle‐related decision criterion, relative to support for the currently applied criteria, in the healthcare priority setting in the Netherlands. Methods We conducted a Q methodology study in samples of experts in healthcare (n = 37) and the public (n = 44). Participants (total sample N = 81) ranked 34 statements that reflected currently applied decision criteria as well as a lifestyle criterion for setting priorities in healthcare. The ranking data were subjected to principal component analysis, followed by oblimin rotation, to identify clusters of participants with similar viewpoints. Findings We identified four viewpoints. Participants with Viewpoint 1 believe that treatments that have been proven to be effective should be reimbursed. Those with Viewpoint 2 believe that life is precious and every effort should be made to save a life, even when treatment still results in a very poor state of health. Those with Viewpoint 3 accept government intervention in unhealthy lifestyles and believe that individual responsibility should be taken into account in reimbursement decisions. Participants with Viewpoint 4 attribute importance to the cost‐effectiveness of treatments; however, when priorities have to be set, treatment effects are considered most important. All viewpoints were supported by a mix of public and experts, but Viewpoint 1 was mostly supported by experts and the other viewpoints were mostly supported by members of the public. Conclusions This study identified four distinct viewpoints on the healthcare priority setting in the Netherlands, each supported by a mix of experts and members of the public. There seems to be some, but limited, support for a lifestyle criterion—in particular, among members of the public. Experts seem to favour the decision criteria that are currently applied. The diversity in views deserves attention when policymakers want to adhere to societal preferences and increase policy acceptance.

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is a complex process involving various actors with deviating viewpoints, perceptions and approaches. This study identifies and explains different viewpoints in northern European MSP processes by contextualizing the different viewpoints of national maritime spatial planners, policymakers, scientists, consultants, and representatives of intergovernmental organizations who are involved in the MSP process. The Q Methodology, a method to study the subjectivity of participants, combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore people's viewpoints has been utilized to identify the different frameworks in MSP. A total of five viewpoints have been conceptualized in MSP, based on 17 participants and 39 statements, that cover the whole range of MSP. Simultaneously, respective factor loadings of participants have been identified. This research proves that there seems to be a limited set of viewpoints among the community, despite the amount of stakeholders, their different backgrounds and origin. Results of this study could help to manage different or even conflicting viewpoints in MSP in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-bat interactions are becoming more frequent with growing proximity between people and wildlife. As such, it is important to understand the perspectives of human stakeholders in these interactions, especially considering how media coverage of bats’ potential roles as the reservoirs of the ancestral virus to SARS-Cov2 has exacerbated negative perceptions of bats. We used Q-methodology to describe diverse viewpoints on bat conservation and management and identify areas of consensus among stakeholders in Singapore. We derived perspectives, problems, and priorities for bat conservation and management based on qualitative and quantitative analyses. The results reveal three distinct discourses. The ecocentric viewpoint advocates conserving bats for their intrinsic value. The anthropocentric viewpoint outright rejects the idea of conserving bats because of the perceived public-health threat that bats pose. The third discourse prioritizes educating citizens and enhancing general appreciation for biodiversity. All stakeholders agree on the need to reconsider COVID-19-related concerns about bats and address misconceptions that could hinder conservation. The top recommendation by stakeholders is to assess and improve bat-related attitudes and beliefs so that citizens become more supportive of conserving bats for their inherent value and roles in maintaining Singapore’s ecosystems. Considering both diverging and consensus viewpoints and engaging various stakeholders in conservation and management decisions can yield both attitudinal change and more effective solutions while meeting the ecological and social needs of conservation.

Team leadership in healthcare settings plays a fundamental role in ensuring that high-quality patient care is delivered. This study is the first to explore team leadership behaviors from the viewpoint of Iranian healthcare team members. This qualitative study was performed using directed content analysis. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 healthcare team members between October 2019 and June 2020. After each interview, the transcripts and related notes were read several times, semantic units were identified, and related codes were labeled. The specified codes were organized into subcategories and categories based on a predetermined framework placed in three main categories: transition, action, and interpersonal skills. Behaviors extracted from the transcripts consisted of 83 codes placed in 21 subcategories, and nine categories were assigned to three main categories of the predetermined framework. In the transition processes, situational analysis, teambuilding, debriefing, and feedback-seeking were the most influential leadership behaviors on the success of teamwork from the participants' viewpoints, especially members of surgical and emergency teams. Clinical competency, resource management, and coordination were more important leadership behaviors in the action processes, particularly in the opinion of attending doctors and nurses. Most participants emphasized conflict management, stress management, speaking up, encouragement, and accountability in interpersonal processes. This study improves our understanding of the leadership behaviors that influence successful teamwork achievement in healthcare settings. The findings have implications for further research and the enhancement of team leadership in healthcare settings, the development of structured team leadership training programs, and reliable assessment tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Infectious Diseases expresses gratitude to its authors, reviewers, and readers for their support in 2023. The journal received 2121 manuscripts for peer review, an increase from the previous year. The editors acknowledge the important role of reviewers in improving and publishing scientifically sound studies. The journal introduced new article formats, such as "Viewpoints," and launched a Mentoring Pilot Program for junior faculty. In 2024, the journal plans to issue calls for papers on antimicrobial resistance, microbiome science, and vaccine science. They also aim to highlight topics important to junior investigators and career development in the field of infectious diseases. The journal will offer guaranteed reviews for Fellows of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and work to simplify submission requirements across their journals. They also plan to feature cover art and original art in their articles. The editors express their excitement for the progress made and their eagerness to consider new ideas with the support of their authors, reviewers, and readers. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Background Egg freezing has emerged as a technology of assisted reproductive medicine that allows women to plan for the anticipated loss of fertility and hence to preserve the option to conceive with their own eggs. The technology is surrounded by value-conflicts and is subject to ongoing discussions. This study aims at contributing to the empirical-ethical debate by exploring women’s viewpoints on egg freezing in Austria, where egg freezing for social reasons is currently not allowed. Methods Q-methodology was used to identify prevailing viewpoints on egg freezing. 46 female participants ranked a set of 40 statements onto a 9-column forced choice ranking grid according to the level of agreement. Participants were asked to explain their ranking in a follow-up survey. By-person factor analysis was used to identify distinct viewpoints which were interpreted using both the quantitative and the qualitative data. Results Three distinct viewpoints were identified: (1) “women should decide for themselves”, (2) “we should accept nature but change policy”, and (3) “we need an informed societal debate”. These viewpoints provide insights into how biomedical innovations such as egg freezing are perceived by women in Austria and illustrate the normative tensions regarding such innovations. Conclusions Acknowledging the different prioritizations of values regarding assisted reproductive technologies is important to better understand the underlying normative tensions in a country where egg freezing for social reasons is currently not allowed. The study adds new empirical insights to the ongoing debate by outlining and discussing viewpoints of those directly affected: women. Following up on the lay persons perspective is particularly important in the context of future biomedical innovations that may challenge established norms and create new tensions. It therefore also adds to the societal debate and supports evidence-informed policy making in that regard.

(Dellsén, Philosophical Studies, 177(12), 3661–3678, 2020) argues that a positivistic defense of science's objectivity is incoherent because bias in the generation of scientific theories (implies that the rational evaluation of theories will also be biased. Even though this is an idea easy to agree with, this approach is flawed for two different but related reasons. First, Dellsén's notion of bias does not account for many ordinary biases. Second, Dellsén's use of bias at the community-level is inconsistent. It shifts from individual scientists generating new theories and making decisions to scientific communities evaluating and accepting what theories are valid. This article offers a stronger response than Dellsén's about aseptic objectivity in science by providing a more adequate account of bias, where psychological and behavioral aspects of individual scientists and community-level scientific practices are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: It remains unclear whether there would be societal support for a lifestyle criterion for the healthcare priority setting. This study examines the viewpoints of experts in healthcare and the public regarding support for a lifestyle‐related decision criterion, relative to support for the currently applied criteria, in the healthcare priority setting in the Netherlands. Methods: We conducted a Q methodology study in samples of experts in healthcare (n = 37) and the public (n = 44). Participants (total sample N = 81) ranked 34 statements that reflected currently applied decision criteria as well as a lifestyle criterion for setting priorities in healthcare. The ranking data were subjected to principal component analysis, followed by oblimin rotation, to identify clusters of participants with similar viewpoints. Findings: We identified four viewpoints. Participants with Viewpoint 1 believe that treatments that have been proven to be effective should be reimbursed. Those with Viewpoint 2 believe that life is precious and every effort should be made to save a life, even when treatment still results in a very poor state of health. Those with Viewpoint 3 accept government intervention in unhealthy lifestyles and believe that individual responsibility should be taken into account in reimbursement decisions. Participants with Viewpoint 4 attribute importance to the cost‐effectiveness of treatments; however, when priorities have to be set, treatment effects are considered most important. All viewpoints were supported by a mix of public and experts, but Viewpoint 1 was mostly supported by experts and the other viewpoints were mostly supported by members of the public. Conclusions: This study identified four distinct viewpoints on the healthcare priority setting in the Netherlands, each supported by a mix of experts and members of the public. There seems to be some, but limited, support for a lifestyle criterion—in particular, among members of the public. Experts seem to favour the decision criteria that are currently applied. The diversity in views deserves attention when policymakers want to adhere to societal preferences and increase policy acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to take a close look at the interplay of semantic and pragmatic components of animal jokes. Rather than insisting on the priority of one particular theoretical tradition and selecting a few illustrative examples, 30 animal jokes – most of them translated into English from Hungarian – are presented to help identify the different mechanisms that make them amusing. Adopting a theory-by-theory approach, it becomes clear that some jokes fit well the explanation of frame or script semantics, while others are best captured by one or another pragmatic framework and classification. This leads to the related question of whether it is possible, at this stage of research, to integrate the diverse lines of thought or whether the semantic and pragmatic study of verbal humour will have to remain relatively fragmented. It is argued that certain basic elements of major pragmatic theories are important complements to frame/script semantics, the humour of animal jokes is reliant on the same meaning-generating processes as observed in other jokes, and that the attraction of animal jokes lies in their psychological and cultural-anthropological characteristics. Finally, their cross-cultural investigation is encouraged.

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Abstract Background During the outbreak of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq that started in 2015, the course of the disease and the treatment were not consistent with the available literature. Physicians, particularly dermatologists, faced challenges with treating the cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions with high rates of treatment failure and resistance to treatment. We used Q-methodology to understand the range and diversities of opinions and the practical experiences of dermatologists about the treatment difficulties of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Methods This Q-methodology study was carried out in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and involved 37 dermatologists. A set of 40 statements related to different aspects of difficulties and uncertainties of treating cutaneous leishmaniasis was prepared. The dermatologists were requested to distribute the 40 statements into a scaled grid of nine piles from least agree to most agree. We applied by-person factor analysis using PQMethod 2.35 for the data analysis. Results The analysis revealed two different viewpoints about the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis and a consensus viewpoint. The first viewpoint emphasized the use of sodium stibogluconate-based combination therapy, concerns with treatment failure, and lack of compliance with the treatment. The second viewpoint emphasized the lack of standard treatment and advances in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. There was a consensus between both groups of respondents about many aspects of the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis, including considering sodium stibogluconate the first drug of choice for cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment. Conclusions This study revealed a diversity of viewpoints and uncertainties about the effectiveness of the available treatment modalities and treatment difficulties and failure. Interrupted supply and poor quality of the available drugs and lack of a standard and advanced treatment are the main problems facing the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. More research is required to determine the best treatment modalities for the different types of cutaneous leishmaniasis. There is a need for the development of treatment guidelines specific to the Iraqi context with a particular focus on the treatment of the resistant and atypical cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Forozan Sharifipour,1 Sousan Heydarpour,2 Nader Salari3 1Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 2Department of Reproductive Health, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran; 3Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranCorrespondence: Sousan HeydarpourDepartment of Reproductive Health, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, IranEmail s.heydarpour1394@yahoo.comObjective: To determine the viewpoints of nursing and midwifery students regarding the clinical learning environment and to identify the relationship between these viewpoints with some demographic characteristics of students.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on nursing and midwifery students (n=119) in the educational hospitals affiliated to Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences from February to June 2017. The data-gathering tools were a demographics questionnaire and the standard undergraduate clinical education environment measure. This tool comprises two main scales of learning through experiencing and social participation, with four subscales of opportunities to learn in and through work and quality of supervision, preparedness for student entry, workplace interaction patterns and student inclusion, and equal treatment. The score ranged from 25 to 125 and the higher the score the higher the quality of the educational environment. The collected data were analyzed in “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences” (Version20).Results: The nursing and midwifery students’ viewpoint of the clinical learning environment was suboptimal. There was a significant difference between the female and male students’ viewpoints of the clinical learning environment (p=0.007). There was no significant difference between students’ viewpoints of the clinical learning environment with marital status, employment, domicile, grade-point average, and number of days of internship. Nursing students had more positive viewpoints of the clinical learning environment than midwifery students (p=0.001).Conclusion: The results showed that the clinical learning environment was suboptimal based on the nursing and midwifery students’ perspectives. Intervention to improve the clinical learning environment is recommended.Keywords: internship, student, nursing, midwifery, clinical learning environment, viewpoints

Disability is a complex issue. The concept of disability evolves over time from a charity to the right-based approach. It is a tremendous public health concern worldwide. We cannot achieve Sustainable Development Goals by leaving behind the persons with disabilities. In this article, readers will know the evolving basic concepts of disability, disability models and so on. Persons with disabilities faced unjustified discrimination in society. They are excluded from education and employment opportunities. This group of people faced great difficulty in accessing primary health-care services. Persons with disabilities are the biggest minority group in the world. They are neglected in the family ground to the community, community to the national level and national level to global ground. This manuscript primarily focuses on disability in Bangladeshi perspectives. Readers can find existing legal frameworks to protect the rights of people with disabilities in Bangladesh. The various types of disabilities considered by the legal frameworks of Bangladesh. They will also know the current employment opportunities of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh and the economic costs of disability in Bangladesh.

Recently, due to scarce resources and the need to provide an evidence-base for healthcare professions' education (HPE), HPE research centres internationally have turned to identifying priorities for their research efforts. Engaging a range of stakeholders in research priority setting exercises has been posited as one way to address the issues around reducing researcher bias and increasing social accountability. However, assigning individuals to single a priori stakeholder groups is complex, with previous research overlooking cross-category membership and agreement between individuals across groups. Further, analyses have pitched stakeholder groups against one another in an attempt to understand who prioritises what, and often fails to grasp rationales underlying priorities. A deeper understanding of who prioritises what research areas and why is required to consider applicability of results across contexts and deepen social accountability and transferability. A web-based Q-methodological approach with n=91 participants (who) from ten pre-classified stakeholder groups was employed with post-sort interviews (why). Sixty-seven Q-set items (Chinese/English languages) were developed from previous research (what). Participants were mainly from Taiwan, although international researchers were included. Q-sorting was undertaken in groups or individually, followed by post-sort interviews. Eighty-six participants' Q-sorts were included in the final analysis. Intercorrelations among Q-sorts were factor-analysed (Centroid method) and rotated analytically (Varimax method). Interviews were thematically analysed. Six Viewpoints with eigenvalues exceeding 1 were identified (range = 3.55–10.34; 42% total variance; 35/67 topics), mapping high/low priorities for research foci: Workplace teaching and learning; Patient dignity and healthcare safety; Professionalism and healthcare professionals' development; Medical ethics and moral development; Healthcare professionals' retention and success; Preparing for clinical practice. Eighteen rationales for prioritisation were identified: impact, organisational culture and deficit of educators/practitioners were most highly cited. Each Viewpoint, held by multiple stakeholders, comprised a unique set of topic-groupings, target study participants, beneficiaries and rationales. The two most prolific Viewpoints represent how different stakeholder groups highlight key complementary perspectives of healthcare professions' education in the workplace (efficacy of teaching/learning practices, application of knowledge/values). By illuminating the detail around each Viewpoint, and presenting an holistic description of the who-what-why in research priority setting, others wishing to undertake such an exercise can more easily identify how stakeholder Viewpoints and their epistemic beliefs can help shape healthcare professions' research agendas more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A view is often more than just a piece of landscape, framed by the gaze and evoking emotion. Without diminishing these obvious 'tourism-important' advantages of a view, it is noteworthy that in itself it might play the role of an interpretative tool, especially for large-scale phenomena, the knowledge and understanding of which is the goal of geotourism. In this paper, we analyze the importance of scenic drives and trails for tourism, particularly geotourism, focusing on their ability to create conditions for experiencing the dynamically changing landscapes in which lies knowledge of the natural processes shaping the Earth's surface and the methods and degree of its resource exploitation. The issues are found in both wider and local contexts. A more detailed insight has been conducted on the basis of two, although in some sense peripheral, tourism regions from the Sudeten Mountains (southwestern Poland): Lasocki Grzbiet (a ridge) and Pasmo Lesistej (a small range). The subjects of the investigation were complex: the geotourism potential of selected viewpoints located on the most scenic routes (mostly paths and forest tracks) as well as the problems of maintenance, conservation, and protection of their educational value. Our work is based on desk and field research supported by results of GIS visibility analyses (conducted in the QGIS program). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a documentary source, this research uses an important and little-known legacy of views of the city of Malaga and its surroundings, from the 16th century until the arrival of photography in the mid-19th century. Its intention is to promote knowledge of the urban landscape, considering its transformations through its images. Therefore, several drawings by fifteen authors have been selected and analysed: Wyngaerde (1564-67), Civitates Orbis Terrarum (1572), Beckman (1661) Carter (1772-1777), Swinburne (1775-1806), Laborde (1812), Roberts (1833-38), Vivian (1834-39), Dauzats (1835), Chapuy (1842-44), Tenison (1850-53), Vallejo (c. 1850), Schöpel & Poyatos (1850), Guesdon (1853), Deroy (1850-1862). To interpret this graphic set for the first time, their points of view have been located at ten viewpoints, assessing their current status and visual interest. It has been found that the city of Malaga has been drawn from all directions and different distances to the urban centre. This is due to the fact that this territory forms a closed visual basin, delimited by a mountain barrier open to the sea from the South, with several hills of lower altitude and Mount Gibralfaro as a visual reference. In this way, a graphic approach is offered to a city with a complex topography and a rich network of crossed visual relationships reflected in historical images. Some viewpoints of Malaga have disappeared or have been transformed, but the whole constitutes valuable heritage that will allow future generations to continue enjoying unique views of the city and its landscape.DOI: https://doi.org/10.20365/disegnarecon.22.2019.21

This paper argues that rather than being a process that can be objectively planned or predicted, regional engagement on the part of universities is a learning activity featuring characteristics of a subjective deliberation process. This subjective deliberation process is simultaneously influenced by factors operating at the intra-organizational and regional level, as well as the field in which the university is located. A model that takes this multilevel environment into account is applied to a single case study region: Kaiserslautern (Germany). A Q-methodological approach is employed to reveal and analyze the aforementioned subjective perspectives regarding drivers of universities’ regional engagement. Two key viewpoints emerge from this analysis: one perspective reflects a highly institutionalized reading of regional engagement, and can be traced to the strong policy push to create universities as drivers of regional development in the Palatinate. The second perspective recognizes greater diversity among the various engagement activities pursued by universities beyond this narrow institutional engagement, driven through individual interaction with regional partners. These insights question the widespread pipeline-dominated perspective on universities’ regional engagement and argue for a more systemic understanding of the role of higher education institutions within their region.

Background: Egg freezing has emerged as a technology of assisted reproductive medicine that allows women to plan for the anticipated loss of fertility and hence to preserve the option to conceive with their own eggs. The technology is surrounded by value-conflicts and is subject to ongoing discussions. This study aims at contributing to the empirical-ethical debate by exploring women's viewpoints on egg freezing in Austria, where egg freezing for social reasons is currently not allowed.Methods: Q-methodology was used to identify prevailing viewpoints on egg freezing. 46 female participants ranked a set of 40 statements onto a 9-column forced choice ranking grid according to the level of agreement. Participants were asked to explain their ranking in a follow-up survey. By-person factor analysis was used to identify distinct viewpoints which were interpreted using both the quantitative and the qualitative data.Results: Three distinct viewpoints were identified: (1) "women should decide for themselves", (2) "we should accept nature but change policy", and (3) "we need an informed societal debate". These viewpoints provide insights into how biomedical innovations such as egg freezing are perceived by women in Austria and illustrate the normative tensions regarding such innovations.Conclusions: Acknowledging the different prioritizations of values regarding assisted reproductive technologies is important to better understand the underlying normative tensions in a country where egg freezing for social reasons is currently not allowed. The study adds new empirical insights to the ongoing debate by outlining and discussing viewpoints of those directly affected: women. Following up on the lay persons perspective is particularly important in the context of future biomedical innovations that may challenge established norms and create new tensions. It therefore also adds to the societal debate and supports evidence-informed policy making in that regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past several decades, significant scientific progress in xenotransplantation has brought the field to the threshold of clinical trials. In the past 3 years in the United States, experimental pig kidney and heart xenotransplantation have been performed on human subjects recently declared dead by neurological criteria (decedents). In addition, two pig heart transplants have been carried out in living patients under the United States Food and Drug Administration's expanded access guidelines. However, though there has been a flurry of activity there remain unanswered questions regarding how the public views xenotransplantation, what concerns may exist, and how to address these concerns in a meaningful way. This paper aims to underscore the importance of public engagement in xenotransplantation, emphasizing the ongoing need for studies to assess public opinions. The current evidence on public engagement studies is reviewed and gaps in our understanding are identified. We propose practical steps to advance this field. Additional studies to determine the extent of racial/ethnic differences in attitudes to xenotransplantation should be conducted. Empirical and descriptive analysis of certain religious viewpoints-especially minority faiths-would be valuable. As public engagement is an important aspect of public acceptance of novel research that is accompanied by risk, we suggest that xenotransplantation biotechnology companies might consider leading the way in funding this research., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Health Care Science published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd on behalf of Tsinghua University Press.)

This essay discusses my direction of Tony Kushner's translation of Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children and the ways in which I transposed my understanding of Stanislavski's Method of Physical Action and my practice of Viewpoints to work with actors to make tangible the play's anti-capitalist philosophy: by having them score their scripts with "payment" and "profit" rather than the typical Stanislavskian terms "tactic" and "objective," and by using Viewpoints to craft character and scenic gestus, a term Brecht used to define physical actions and stage compositions that conveyed social meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the problem of non‐perspective pose estimation from line correspondences in the traffic scenarios. A coarse‐to‐fine 3D road registration method is proposed for this problem in two stages. Firstly, the iterative closest point algorithm is exploited to estimate the pose coarsely. An objective function is then established to incorporate the feature correspondences for refining the coarse pose. Besides, the framework including road registration is employed for traffic video augmentation. The framework begins with the inputs of traffic videos, road information from Geographic Information Systems and 3D models of traffic elements (e.g. vehicles, pedestrians). Subsequently, 3D road model generation and point‐to‐line correspondence establishment are achieved in the preprossessing stage. After road and viewpoint registration, the 3D graphic engine is employed to simulate the traffic scene with the road, viewpoints and traffic elements. The augmented videos are generated by fusing the original frames and newly projected traffic elements. The authors demonstrate the superiority of the proposed registration method by the comparison to state‐of‐the‐arts in both quantitative and qualitative experiments. In addition, the frames of the augmented videos validate the proposed method in the application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing phenomena of interest as a system is valuable because system science methodologies are applicable for the analysis. This paper presents a model to describe and analyze phenomena which present (1) no definable boundaries, (2) multiple hierarchical levels, and (3) necessity of diverse viewpoints to understand the phenomena. The proposed framework, the hypernetwork model, is applied to describe the lifestyle disease and the music composition process. The hypernetwork model homogenizes boundaries, hierarchical levels, and different viewpoints to be treated as instances of relationship.

Background and Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the barriers to general medicine dissertation implementation in Zahedan University of Medical Sciences from the perspective of faculty members in 2017. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 100 faculty members of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences using census method and 80 questionnaires were completed. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: 49 (62.7%) of supervisors presented inadequate education of students in literature review, 32 (41.8%) lack of sufficient information about research priorities of the country, 29 (32.8%) lack of student guidance in theses writing (p=0.018) and 39 (46.3%) the statistical analysis of the results and their misunderstanding by the student as the main problems. Conclusion: The results showed that the most important obstacle for faculty members was inadequate education of the students in the review of literature and articles. In this regard, holding research methodology workshops can be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, a number of approaches have been proposed on the description of systems and software in terms of multiple views represented by models. This modelling branch, so-called multi-view software and system modelling, praises a differentiated and complex scientific body of knowledge. With this study, we aimed at identifying, classifying, and evaluating existing solutions for multi-view modelling of software and systems. To this end, we conducted a systematic literature review of the existing state of the art related to the topic. More specifically, we selected and analysed 40 research studies among over 8600 entries. We defined a taxonomy for characterising solutions for multi-view modelling and applied it to the selected studies. Lastly, we analysed and discussed the data extracted from the studies. From the analysed data, we made several observations, among which: (i) there is no uniformity nor agreement in the terminology when it comes to multi-view artefact types, (ii) multi-view approaches have not been evaluated in industrial settings and (iii) there is a lack of support for semantic consistency management and the community does not appear to consider this as a priority. The study results provide an exhaustive overview of the state of the art for multi-view software and systems modelling useful for both researchers and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that rather than being a process that can be objectively planned or predicted, regional engagement on the part of universities is a learning activity featuring characteristics of a subjective deliberation process. This subjective deliberation process is simultaneously influenced by factors operating at the intra-organizational and regional level, as well as the field in which the university is located. A model that takes this multilevel environment into account is applied to a single case study region: Kaiserslautern (Germany). A Q-methodological approach is employed to reveal and analyze the aforementioned subjective perspectives regarding drivers of universities' regional engagement. Two key viewpoints emerge from this analysis: one perspective reflects a highly institutionalized reading of regional engagement, and can be traced to the strong policy push to create universities as drivers of regional development in the Palatinate. The second perspective recognizes greater diversity among the various engagement activities pursued by universities beyond this narrow institutional engagement, driven through individual interaction with regional partners. These insights question the widespread pipeline-dominated perspective on universities' regional engagement and argue for a more systemic understanding of the role of higher education institutions within their region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism activation implies the inclusion of a potential tourism motive (tourism resource) into tourism offer, i.e. work on enabling its economic exploitation, whereby it moves into the category of activated tourism motives (tourism attractions). The role of landscape tourism motives in contemporary tourism offer cannot be denied, but despite this they represent an underresearched segment. The aim of this paper is to identify the ways of direct and indirect activation of landscape tourism motives. Direct activation refers to landscapes as tourism attraction. The forms of direct activation are viewpoints, scenic roads, art colonies and viewing landscapes as part of other activities. Indirect activation refers to the contribution of landscapes to tourism development, not through specific tourism activities, but via their contribution to other sectors of tourism industry. The forms of indirect activation are price differentiation in the hotel industry, the concept of landscape hotels and use of landscapes in tourism propaganda. In the practice of tourism activation of landscapes, viewpoints and scenic roads should be prioritised, whereby the successful examples from highly developed countries should be used as rolemodels which should be adapted to local conditions and possibilities. In the conclusion of this paper, some measures and activities for more successful use of landscape tourism motives will be pointed out.

Background The aim of the study was to explore the viewpoints of healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the adoption and use of eHealth in clinical practice in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Information and communication technologies (ICTs) including eHealth provide HCPs the opportunity to provide quality healthcare to their patients while also improving their own clinical practices. Despite this, previous research has identified these technologies have their associated challenges when adopting them for clinical practice. But more research is needed to identify how these eHealth resources influence clinical practice. In addition, there is still little information about adoption and use of these technologies by HCPs inclinical practice in Sub-Saharan Africa. Method An exploratory descriptive design was adopted for this study. Thirty-six (36) HCPs (18 nurses and 18 physicians) working in the clinical area in a tertiary health institution in SSA participated in this study. Using Qmethodology, study participants rank-ordered forty-six statementsin relation to their adoption and use of eHealth within their clinical practice.This was analysed using by-person factor analysis and complemented with audio-taped interviews. Results The analysis yielded four factors i.e., distinct viewpoints the HCPs hold about adoption and use of eHealth within their clinical practice. These factors include: “Patient-focused eHealth advocates” who use the eHealth because they are motivated by patients and their families preferences; “Task-focused eHealth advocates” use eHealth because it helps them complete clinical tasks; “Traditionalistic-pragmatists” recognise contributions eHealth makes in clinical practice but separate from their routine clinical activities; and the “Tech-focused eHealth advocates” who use the eHealth because they are motivated by the technology itself. Conclusion The study shows the equivocal viewpoints that HCPs have about eHealth within their clinical practice. This, in addition to adding to existing literature, will help policymakers/decision makers to consider HCPs views about these technologies prior to implementing an eHealth resource.

In dark tourism research there is a scarcity of literature that discusses Northern Ireland as a dark tourism destination. This research study was undertaken to investigate the difference in the level of support for dark tourism in Northern Ireland between the generations who lived through the Troubles and those who heard about them. This study employed a qualitative research method based on the completion of focus groups consisting of Protestants and Catholics from different generations. This allowed the authors to gather the views of different Northern Ireland residents' groups. The research found that the views of the younger generation (aged 18-35) and the middle-aged generation (36-55) are similar. These generations believe that the Troubles should be utilised for the purpose of dark tourism as this will benefit Northern Ireland financially and socially. In contrast, the older generation (aged 56-75+) believes that the Troubles are too recent to be exploited for dark tourism development. This is in line with the literature on the topic that was consulted as part of this research.

In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) formally listed snakebite envenoming (snakebite hereafter) as a NTD, adding it to the global health agenda and marking an important shift in both awareness and control efforts [[1]]. We explore how human health, animal health, and reliance on agricultural activity and domestic animals for livelihood should be considered in a One Health approach. In the human health dimension, available national estimates place snakebite as a leading cause of health burden due to NTDs in terms of disability-adjusted life years [[14]]. DIAGRAM: Fig 1: Pathways to health and livelihood losses due to snakebite in a One Health approach to the socioeconomic impact assessment of snakebite. [Extracted from the article]

Symptomatic acute CHIKV infection is mainly characterized by high fever and severe joint pain (arthralgia) that can compromise daily life activities [[2]]. CHIKV infection and its complications can be the underlying cause of death or trigger a decompensation of preexisting medical conditions leading to a fatal outcome. Atypical Chikungunya virus infections: clinical manifestations, mortality and risk factors for severe disease during the 2005-2006 outbreak on Reunion. A major epidemic of chikungunya virus infection on Reunion Island, France, 2005-2006. [Extracted from the article]