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Background:Job satisfaction among nurses often determines whether they choose to remain in the profession or in the facility where they work.Aim:The study sought to explore and describe the job satisfaction of registered nurses in South Africa through the lens of their nurse unit managers.Methods:A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design was undertaken. Fourteen unit managers were interviewed and Tesch's method of data analysis was used.Findings:Four themes emerged: ‘staff shortages lead to nurses feeling overwhelmed and frustrated’, ‘nurses’ work performance is undermined by limited resources and poor infrastructure', ‘discontent among nurses with regard to poor top level and human resource management’ and ‘despite challenges, nurses experience rare moments of job satisfaction’.Conclusion:Unit managers need to find ways to enhance existing elements of job satisfaction by emphasising the nurse–patient relationship and teamwork among their staff in order to improve the overall job satisfaction of staff.

AbstractAromatherapy with essential oils (EOs) has been linked to improvement of cognitive function in patients with dementia. In order to act systemically, active EO components must be absorbed through the skin, enter the systemic circulation, and cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). Thus, the aim of this work was to develop quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs), to predict skin and blood barrier penetrative abilities of 119 terpenoids from EOs used in aromatherapy. The first model was based on experimentally measured skin permeability for 162 molecules, and the second model on BBB permeability for 138 molecules. Each molecule was encoded with 63 calculated molecular descriptors and an artificial neural network was used to correlate molecular descriptors to permeabilities. Developed QSAR models confirm that EOs components penetrate through the skin and across the BBB. Some well-known descriptors, such as log P (lipophilicity), molecular size and shape, dominated the QSAR model for BBB permeability. Compounds with the highest predicted BBB penetration were hydrocarbon terpenes with the smallest molecular size and highest lipophilicity. Thus, molecular size is a limiting factor for penetration. Compounds with the highest skin permeability have slightly higher molecular size, high lipophilicity and low polarity. Our work shows that a major disadvantage of novel multitarget compounds developed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is the size of molecules, which cause problems in their delivery to the brain. Therefore, there is a need for smaller compounds, which possess more desirable physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics, in addition to targeted biological effects.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

AbstractMultiple syringe exchange programs serve the Chicago metropolitan area, providing support for drug users to help prevent infectious diseases. Using data from one program over a ten-year period, we study the behavior of its clients, focusing on the temporal process governing their visits to service locations and on their demographics. We construct a phase-type distribution with an affine relationship between model parameters and features of an individual client. The phase-type distribution governs inter-arrival times between reoccurring visits of each client and is informed by characteristics of a client including age, gender, ethnicity, and more. The inter-arrival time model is a sub-model in a simulation that we construct for the larger system, which allows us to provide a personalized prediction regarding the client’s time-to-return to a service location so that better intervention decisions can be made with the help of simulation.

A Year-Round Playground Twenty-Seven Hours from Broadway: Re-Assessing Jacksonville's Legacy as an 6'Almost Hollywood" by David Morton Attention Producers who contemplate sending companies South this winter... Wefurnish the need of the visiting producer. Essentially Jacksonville in the 19105 "was this close to becoming the country 's premiere destination for movie production" and could have wrested control of the American motion picture industry away from " that other film town."' Blair Miller's Almost Hollywood, follows up on Bean's perspective by stating if he could "venture a guess, it would be that most people have never thought aboutJacksonville's part in the history of moviemaking, much less that it once was a rival of Hollywood." The MPPC also connected film producers with George Kleine, the country's leading film distributor and largest supplier of Eastman Kodak film stock.29 The incorporation of the MPPC, also known as the "Edison Trust", effectively ended the domination of foreign (primarily French) films on American screens, and also standardized the manner in which films were distributed and exhibited. 54 The article goes on to state that the movie people in Jacksonville have made "hundreds of friends, personally and on the screen" and that the "establishment of the studios here has been a vast benefit to the city in many ways.'~55 This effort to attract additional motion picture productions to Jacksonville culminated in October 1914 when with the slogan "anything which helps Florida helps Jacksonville.". [Extracted from the article]

BackgroundMidwives play an important role as advocates and guides for women in labour regarding their choice of mode of birth. However, there is a paucity of research exploring midwives' perceptions of their role in how women make this choice.AimTo explore and describe how midwives perceive their role in facilitating the choice of mode of birth of women in labour at public sector birthing units.MethodA quantitative, exploratory-descriptive design was used. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 288 midwives in public birthing units in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.FindingsThe majority of the participants agreed that women in labour should be allowed to choose their preferred mode of birth. However, nearly half felt that care providers could overrule that decision depending on the health of the mother and the baby.ConclusionMidwives perceived themselves as the main role players in assisting women in labour to make an informed decision regarding the mode of birth that would best suit their circumstances.

The enhanced Commonwealth performance framework was introduced on 1 July 2015 under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.It should allow the Australian Parliament and public to understand the proper use of public resources, whether the accountable authorities of Commonwealth entities and companies are achieving their purposes and who is benefitting from Commonwealth activity. Demonstrating the achievement of purposes amounts to demonstrating outcomes and impacts. It requires Commonwealth entities and companies to move past an over-reliance on input- and output-focused performance measures. There is a clear role for evaluators in helping entities make this important adjustment. The opportunities lie in helping a larger cross-section of the Commonwealth public service understand and use the evaluators’ toolbox – for example, program theory and qualitative analysis – to improve the quality of published performance information available to the Commonwealth’s stakeholders. The evaluation community has the opportunity to become a centre of key expertise, and to make a critical contribution to building the capability of ‘performance professionals’ across the public sector.

Antimicrobial resistance has emerged in recent years as a significant public health threat, which requires both an ethical and a scientific approach. In a recent Policy Delphi study, on-farm use of antimicrobials was a key concern identified by veterinary professionals in Ireland. In this case study (the second in a series of three resulting from a research workshop exploring the challenges facing the veterinary profession in Ireland; the other two case studies investigate clinical veterinary services and emergency/casualty slaughter certification) we aim to provide a value-based reflection on the constraints and possible opportunities for responsible use of veterinary antimicrobials in Ireland. Using a qualitative focus group approach, this study gathered evidence from relevant stakeholders, namely veterinarians working in public and private organisations, a representative from the veterinary regulatory body, a dairy farmer and a general medical practitioner. Three overarching constraints to prudent on-farm use of veterinary antimicrobials emerged from the thematic analysis: ‘Defective regulations’, ‘Lack of knowledge and values’ regarding farmers and vets and ‘Farm-centred concerns’, including economic and husbandry concerns. Conversely, three main themes which reflect possible opportunities to the barriers were identified: ‘Improved regulations’, ‘Education’ and ‘Herd health management’. Five main recommendations arose from this study based on the perspectives of the study participants including: a) the potential for regulatory change to facilitate an increase in the number of yearly visits of veterinarians to farms and to implement electronic prescribing and shorter validity of prescriptions; b) a ‘One Health’ education plan; c) improved professional guidance on responsible use of veterinary antimicrobials; d) improved on-farm herd health management practices; and e) the promotion of a ‘One Farm-One Vet’ policy. These findings may assist Veterinary Council of Ireland and other competent authorities when revising recommendations concerning the prudent use of veterinary antimicrobials in farmed animals.

Veterinarians are faced with significant conflicts of interest when issuing certificates for the transport and slaughter of acutely injured and casualty livestock. In a recent Policy Delphi study, emergency and casualty slaughter certification was a key concern identified by veterinary professionals in Ireland. In this case study (the third in a series of three resulting from a research workshop exploring challenges facing the veterinary profession in Ireland; the other two case studies investigate clinical veterinary services and the on-farm use of veterinary antimicrobials), we aim to provide a value-based reflection on the constraints and opportunities for best practice in emergency and casualty slaughter certification in Ireland. Using a qualitative focus group approach, this study gathered evidence from relevant stakeholders, namely a representative from the regulatory body, local authority veterinarians with research experience in emergency slaughter, an animal welfare research scientist, official veterinarians from the competent authority, a private veterinary practitioner, and a member of a farming organisation. Results revealed a conflict between the responsibility of private veterinary practitioners (PVPs) to safeguard the welfare of acutely injured bovines on-farm and the client’s commercial concerns. As a consequence, some PVPs may feel under pressure to certify, for example, an acutely injured animal for casualty slaughter instead of recommending either on-farm emergency slaughter or disposal by the knackery service. Among Official Veterinarians, there are concerns about the pressure within processing plants to accept acutely injured livestock as casualty animals. Confusion pertaining to legislation and definition of fitness to travel also contribute to these dilemmas. Conflicts of interest arise due to the gap between governance and provision to facilitate on-farm emergency slaughter of livestock. Increased availability and acceptance of on-farm emergency slaughter by Food Business Operators (FBOs) would mitigate the need to certify acutely injured animals fit for transport and slaughter and thereby safeguard animal welfare. In the absence of nationwide availability and acceptance of on-farm emergency slaughter by FBOs, consideration should be given to methods to encourage all those involved in the food chain to prioritise animal welfare when in conflict with the commercial value of the animal. Training and guidelines for PVPs on the regulatory landscape and ethical decision-making should become available. The reintroduction of the fallen animal scheme should be considered to support farm animal welfare.

The provision of veterinary clinical services is known to elicit a range of challenges which require an ethical appraisal. In a recent Policy Delphi study, referrals/second opinions and 24 h emergency care were identified as matters of key concern by veterinary professionals in Ireland. In this case study (the first in a series of three resulting from a research workshop exploring challenges facing the veterinary profession in Ireland; the other two case studies investigate the on-farm use of veterinary antimicrobials and emergency/casualty slaughter certification) we aim to provide a value-based reflection on the constraints and possible opportunities for two prominent veterinary clinical services in Ireland: referrals/second opinions and 24 h emergency care. Using a qualitative focus group approach, this study gathered evidence from relevant stakeholders, namely referral and referring veterinarians, clients, animal charities, and the regulatory body. Six overarching, interrelated constraints emerged from the thematic analysis: the need to improve current guidance, managing clients’ expectations, concerns with veterinarian well-being, financial issues, timeliness of referral, and conflicts between veterinary practices. Possible solutions to improve veterinary referral and out-of-hours clinical services included clarifying the terms used in current norms and regulations (namely ‘referral’, ‘second opinion’, ‘24 h emergency care’ and ‘24 h cover’), improved communication (making the client aware of the different levels of veterinary care that are being offered, and transparent and full disclosure of clinical records), and the promotion of Continuing Veterinary Education in communication, business management and ethical decision-making. These findings may help inform the Veterinary Council of Ireland about future recommendations and regulatory measures.

Aim and Objective: This study investigates molecular structural requirements that are responsible for the antioxidant activity in phenolic compounds. Method: Antioxidant activity of compounds was determined with a 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical assay. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to classify phenolic antioxidants according to the key molecular features that contribute to their antioxidant activity. Artificial neutral networks (ANNs) was used to develop a predictive QSAR model. Results: Both models agreed that structural characteristics of phenolic compounds responsible for the antioxidant activity include: (1) number and position of alcohol groups on the aromatic ring; (2) molecular size; (3) flexibility/bulkiness; and (4) water solubility. PCA has classified data into phenolic acids and flavonoids, suggesting two distinct mechanisms of action. ANN has confirmed different mechanisms of action for flavonoids and polyphenolic acids, i.e. breaking of free radical chain reactions by donation of a hydrogen atom to neutralise a free radical and the chelating ability of polyphenolic acids. Conclusion: Although two phenolic acids may have the same relative polarity, their different functional groups may drastically change the nature of their interactions with free radicals, and their antioxidant activity.