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This paper deals with the question of whether nature sports are to be counted among the (traditional) sports and Kevin Krein's recent argument, based on sporting excellence, as to why they should. Krein argues that sports as such are ultimately about sporting excellence and because both so-called traditional sports and nature sports fulfil that criterion, nature sports belong in the sport domain. Here, I show that Krein's argument rests on an equivocation between two concepts of sporting excellence. Sporting excellence in traditional sports is connected to sporting success. Here agon (contest or competition) dictates or frames areté (striving for excellence). This is not the case for sporting excellence in nature sports, as these are not competitions. We are dealing with two different concepts of sporting excellence and Krein's argument, based on sporting excellence, must be rejected. It gives no basis for including nature sports in the sport domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theoretical article and applied case study examines the concept of academic research libraries adopting concepts that emphasize building the future rather than passively reacting through incrementalism and risk aversion which is standard practice. These include Peter Thiel's "Zero to One" theory, Power Law concepts, and Nassim Taleb's Black Swan theory, with the application of Lean Kaizen toward foundational existing systems. These concepts, taken together, catalyze the preparation for inevitable disruptive change. With them, there exists an opportunity to reduce the current climate of risk aversion and persistent incrementalism, stagnated growth, ineffectual leadership, and decreased morale and talent retention currently present within the industry. In a time where all industries are facing constant disruption that continues to compound, libraries and other cultural heritage institutions must take the initiative to challenge and change internally by building our future before we are disrupted by other more undesirable forces. In shifting away from incrementalism and risk-aversion, and focusing on building the future through calculated risks, constant experimentation, groundbreaking ideation, operational excellence, and strategies, libraries can redefine their roles, ensure relevance, and achieve long-term success in an ever-evolving ecosystem. This article introduces a 13-point comprehensive framework that integrates the preceding applicable theories that emphasize local innovation, agility, operational excellence, and a focus on embracing the Power Law, which contends that positive outcomes in every system are heavily skewed, and to win big we need to embrace these outliers and take balanced and calculated risks to succeed in an unknown future. This holistic approach empowers academic research libraries to revolutionize their operations, proactively address disruptions and build their future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I examine the tensions that a school principal experienced in reconciling performative priorities with equitable practices in a government secondary school in a low Socio-Economic Status suburb in Victoria, Australia. I use the notion of paradox to explore how the principal navigated contradictions and tensions. I aim to provide a more nuanced understanding of sense-making processes, agency, and capacity for action in the face of resource constraints, competing priorities and conflicting options in educational spaces. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari's notions of 'striated spaces' and 'lines of flight', I discuss how the principal worked simultaneously within and against inadequate resourcing and performativity pressures to cater for the more complex needs of a group of marginalised students in his school. I highlight the tensions that arose from this work. These tensions remained mostly unresolved, setting in motion an ongoing cycle of compliance, compromise, contradictions, and contestation. The findings show the complex interactions between material realities, punitive modes of accountability, self-discipline, and subjectivity. I conclude by discussing the need for an equity-informed policy agenda driven by a positive mode of accountability to enable equitable practices in school leadership and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multidisciplinary patient care rounds are increasingly seen as a vital complement to patient care management. Family engagement in these rounds, especially in the paediatric population, is important to treatment and outcomes, but there is little information about family experience in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Aims: To develop a process using family care journals (FCJ) to systematically evaluate family experience in the PICU and identify needed supportive resources that will enhance their critical care stay. Study Design: This is a single‐centre quasi‐experimental design conducted at a large urban quaternary level freestanding children's hospital. A family care journal (FCJ) was distributed to families upon admission to PICU to serve as a resource tool during their stay. An electronic point of care (POC) questionnaire was used to assess families' experiences in the PICU. Results: Three hundred sixty‐six questionnaires were completed (100% response rate) and analysed. Overall, there was an improvement in all phases post FCJ implementation compared with the baseline. Seventy five percent of families found it a useful tool for communication with the PICU team. Open‐ended comments revealed improvement opportunities related to communication, environment, and delay in care. Almost all commented on excellent nursing care. Conclusions: Introducing FCJ in a paediatric ICU is a practical approach, providing a cost‐effective method to assess family experiences and gain insights for ongoing quality improvement efforts. Collaboration among all care team members, including nursing, medical, and administrative leaders, is crucial for empathetically addressing parental needs during hospitalization. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Combining the use of journals and questionnaires provides the clinical team with an efficient means of collecting valuable feedback from parents regarding their experience in the PICU and the factors that foster ongoing commitment from families. Nurses play a crucial role in encouraging the adoption of these journals, as they promote greater parent involvement in their children's care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In June 2023 UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) announced that the contribution of research outputs to the next REF (Research Excellence Framework) exercise will be radically reduced. In addition, the link between individuals and research publications is to be replaced by a more generic emphasis on ‘research culture’. In this commentary I argue that this change in policy poses a significant threat to the legitimacy of the entire process and will endanger the kind of individual scholarship that is typical within much of the social sciences and the humanities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African understandings of personhood are complex, with different accounts emphasizing distinct aspects of what it means to be a person. Some accounts stress excellence of character and performing well in social roles and relationships, while others focus on innate moral qualities of individuals independent of their conduct and character. This paper sheds new light on these twin aspects of personhood. It proposes a way to navigate these dual features by bringing African and Western personhood into conversation, building on the strengths of each approach, and developing a new view of personhood that we call, Emergent Personhood. Section 1 introduces diverse approaches to personhood within African thought. Section 2 compares African and Western approaches. Section 3 evaluates advantages and disadvantages of each and identifies conditions that any account of personhood must meet to leverage the advantages and avoid the disadvantages identified. Section 4 introduces Emergent Personhood, which meets these conditions. Section 5 concludes that expanding the conversation about personhood across cultures enriches an ongoing conversation about what it means to be a person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty impacting reading, writing and spelling. Practising nursing requires a unique set of skills that encompass effective communication, critical thinking, and organisational skills. This article focuses on the experiences of nurses with dyslexia, shedding light on the distinct challenges they encounter and the resilient strategies they employ to navigate their roles and excel in the health profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are expected to strive for excellence but also for gender balance. Narrow interpretations of excellence in universities hinder women's advancement in academia. In this paper, we ask if there are ways that these policies may be reconciled. Excellence is an "empty signifier" that must be filled with meaning. We have investigated how Heads of Departments enact "excellence" and gender balance in hiring processes in four Norwegian universities. Many HoD argued for broadening excellence criteria and framed excellence as a collective rather than an individual concern. This allows for reconciling top-down institutional demands for excellence and diversity while catering to local needs. Thus, our paper suggests that in a context where increased diversity among faculty is called for, this may open up a space for critical reflection about the criteria for assessing academic quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African government announcement on revisiting the Policy for the Recognition of Higher Education Institutional Types has caused anxiety and ambivalence among Universities of Technology (UoTs), institutions that lack a solid foundation for conducting leading research. Most underperforming UoTs feared a possible downgrade or de-classification from being universities to becoming university colleges by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), potentially triggering attrition of experienced academic staff and students to prominent research-intensive universities. Paradoxically, this ambivalence has also stimulated renewed public interest and discourse on the constitution of research excellence and productivity for greater impact and their significance in UoTs contexts, as universities compete for academic existence, space and relevance amid highly demanding multiple stakeholders in the global community. Addressing specific aspects of research excellence and productivity, this conceptual paper employs Institutional Theory, secondary data of research productivity and the researcher's reflective insights to locate specific disciplinary areas where one UoT (hereinafter called 'Protea University') demonstrated formidable strength and research excellence areas it downplayed that require improvement. The study also proposes concrete strategies for transitioning this university to become a world-class leading research university in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world. The study proposes differentiated academic promotion criteria, research impact-lead international collaborations, benchmarking of the research practices and habits of research-intensive universities, innovation and consultancy-driven third-stream income generation and advancement of science communication as areas this UoT can build on to promote its image, reputation and drive of becoming a leading university on the African continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Impact Wellbeing campaign and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Pathway to Excellence Framework for elevating professional well-being in healthcare. Topics discussed include evidence-informed actions for improving hospital operations, proactive organizational assessments by hospital leaders and importance of interprofessional approach to addressing burnout and promoting professional well--being.

Urologic cancers are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, representing more than 10% of the total number of new cancer cases worldwide. These complex diseases are linked to several issues related to their diagnosis, management, monitoring, and treatment -- issues that require multidisciplinary solutions that encompass and manage patients as complex entities. In response to this, the so-called cancer centers of excellence (CCEs) emerged, defined as multidisciplinary institutions specialized in the diagnosis, management, monitoring, and treatment of specific diseases, including cancer. Different institutions, such as the European Association of Urology (EAU), have proposed and encouraged its consolidation, especially for the management of prostate cancer. These institutions must be composed of three areas: healthcare, education, and research, which have complementary interactions and relationships, stimulating research and problem-solving from a multidisciplinary approach and also covering elements of basic science and mental health. The implementation of these CCEs has generated positive results; therefore, it is necessary to stimulate their implementation with a uro-oncologic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are public policies effective in enhancing gender balance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate education? Although the literature is rich in studies that prescribe micro‐level interventions to promote gender balance in specific STEM areas or institutions, there are surprisingly few studies that quantitatively evaluate existing macro‐level policies. Using Germany's Excellence Initiative as an event study, I analyse changes in cohorts of doctorate recipients in STEM fields and investigate whether the Excellence Initiative's graduate school line of funding, which is a large‐scale public policy that aimed to create and sustain STEM graduate programs, also succeeded to increase women's share among STEM doctorate recipients. Assessing difference‐in‐differences in natural sciences and mathematics doctorate recipients between 2000 and 2014, I find no statistically significant evidence that the Excellence Initiative led to any significant increase in women's participation in STEM studies beyond already existing trends in these fields. I find, however, significant differences between funded and non‐funded STEM graduate programs in their rate of internationalization, which was another major policy target of the Excellence Initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested whether the fearless dominance trait, which originated in the psychopathy literature and is typically presumed to relate to non‐adaptive behaviors, also can lead to successful leader behaviors. According to Lykken's argument on fearlessness in psychopathy, the direction of the career path of individuals high on fearless dominance is mainly influenced by their level of pre‐vocational socialization, and prior research has found encouraging results for this view. Our goal was to test this hypothesis specifically in the leadership context. By connecting Lykken's fearlessness argument to a recent process model of leadership by Zaccaro and colleagues, we suggest that fearless dominance and successful pre‐vocational socialization (i.e., greater education) influence leadership outcomes via political skill. Our sample comprises 239 leaders, their superiors (N = 239), and a total of 457 subordinates. Using moderated mediation analyses, we show that leaders high on both fearless dominance and educational level possessed greater political skill at work, mediating improved job performance, transformational leader behavior, and team performance. However, for low educational level, this mediated relation is negative. We review our findings regarding Lykken's argument of successful fearlessness and provide an outlook for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article outlines how MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC), the recipient of the 2022 Pathway Award, used the grant to develop cutting-edge technology to improve the wellbeing of its staff. Topics discussed include background on MWHC, challenges that impact nurses' workplace experiences and their well-being, and project methods.

We study multidimensional diagrams in independent amalgamation in the framework of abstract elementary classes (AECs). We use them to prove the eventual categoricity conjecture for AECs, assuming a large cardinal axiom. More precisely, we show assuming the existence of a proper class of strongly compact cardinals that an AEC which has a single model of some high enough cardinality will have a single model in any high enough cardinal. Assuming a weak version of the generalized continuum hypothesis, we also establish the eventual categoricity conjecture for AECs with amalgamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) conducted a two-year process of literature review, writing, discussion, and debate within a panel of four subject matter experts in design, administration, and interpretation of Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE). This process resulted in a Best Practice Guidelines document which was then adopted by the APTA. OBJECTIVE: This article provides additional clarification regarding best practices and standard methodology for functional capacity evaluations including standard terminology for use by physical therapists and vocational rehabilitation professionals in determining the types of work a patient has the capacity of performing. METHODS: The clarification of the role of the FCE, who is qualified to conduct an FCE, complexities such as 'good effort' and pain in the evaluation process, clarification of terms from different government agencies, and the implications for disability determination are discussed. RESULTS: Specific guidelines for best practice with FCE are suggested and demonstrated through case studies. CONCLUSION: The best practice guidelines are detailed here to set forth qualification standards for FCE examiners and to promote clinical excellence, accountability, and consistency in the design, administration, and interpretation of FCEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) 4.0 has been recommended by researchers and practitioners as an effective strategy to enhance the operational excellence of companies, especially in highly competitive environments given the complementarity of LSS with Industry 4.0 (I4.0). Moreover, evidence suggests that companies commonly face difficulties and perceive the implementation process as challenging. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no comprehensive global model available that offers a step-by-step approach for implementing LSS4.0. The purpose of this study is, therefore, to develop a structured framework that directs organizations to successfully implement LSS4.0. This study follows a combined approach including a systematic literature review to identify existing gaps in recent research and an expert panel to provide valuable insights and validation during the development of the framework. Additionally, a case study was conducted in an automotive manufacturing company to validate the findings. The proposed LSS4.0 framework is based on the DMAIC approach subdivided into fifteen steps. It permits managers to seamlessly integrate LSS4.0 into their processes and selectively choose the relevant tools as required, avoiding digitalization without a clear purpose. Also, it offers a comprehensive solution for managers addressing contemporary industry challenges and enhancing operational processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neoliberal academy promotes a new managerial model based on the centrality of academic performance, conceived within the normative framework of meritocracy as the result of individual effort. The paper aims to investigate how merit and excellence are constructed, intertwined, and interpreted by Italian academics, and to understand the implications of the new logic in terms of (re) production of inequalities at individual and organizational levels. We conducted a content analysis on 176 semi-structured interviews with early and advancedcareer scholars in the STEM and SSH Departments, members of selection boards, Departments' Directors and their deputies in four Italian Universities. Findings show how the rhetoric of measurable excellence represents, for many academics, the way to reward merit and, therefore, the guarantee of impartiality and the necessary step for leaving the old academic logic based on affiliation and loyalty. However, the assumption that the new meritocratic system, opposed to the old cooptative one, is always capable of rewarding scholars for their individual value risks naturalizing and individualizing the opportunities' structure. Moreover, the margins of discretion seem to be still wide and open the door to biased evaluations and decisions guided by other organizational logics, that are obscured by the centrality of meritocratic rhetoric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to identify the degree of practicing ethical leadership in achieving academic excellence among faculty members in Jordanian universities from their point of view. The descriptive survey method was used, and the study sample consisted of (384) faculty members. The questionnaire was used as a study tool for the academic year 2023/2024. The study found that the degree of practicing ethical leadership in achieving academic excellence among faculty members in Jordanian universities, from their point of view, was high. The results also showed that there were statistically significant differences because of the gender variable, which was in favour of males, and the type of college, which was in favour of humanities colleges, as for the years variable, Experience was in favour of the category of 10 years or more, and light of the results of the study. The researchers recommended the necessity of conducting more studies and research on ethical leadership and the level of its impact on other variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of School Administrators is the property of School Administration Research Association, R.O.C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: The concept of training quality reflects that the effect of training is dependent on more than the mere product of training load (eg, duration, intensity, frequency). The aims of this commentary are to (1) propose a practice-oriented framework to describe training quality and its general and context-dependent characteristics and (2) discuss how athletes and coaches can work to improve training quality. Conclusions: Training quality can be viewed from different perspectives. The holistic dimension includes the entire training process (goal setting, gap analysis, application of training principles and methods, etc), while a narrower dimension encompasses the specific training sessions and how they are executed in relation to the intended purpose. To capture the varying contexts, we define training quality as the degree of excellence related to how the training process or training sessions are executed to optimize adaptations and, thereby, improve overall performance. Although training quality is challenging to quantify, we argue that identification and assessment of quality indicators will increase our scientific understanding and consequently help coaches and athletes to improve training quality. We propose that the physical, technical, and psychological factors of training quality can be improved through an individualized learning process of systematic planning, execution, and debriefing. However, assessment tools should be identified and scientifically validated across different training sessions and sports. We encourage further interventions to improve training quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Medical error is a leading cause of disability and death in healthcare settings and reporting colleagues' medical errors is one of the main strategies for medical error management and an ethical responsibility of all healthcare providers, including nurses. Most studies into reporting colleagues' medical errors used quantitative designs while it seems that using qualitative designs can provide better insight in this area. Purpose: This study explored nurses' experiences of reporting the medical errors of their colleagues. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted using the conventional content analysis approach. Participants were 22 hospital nurses purposively selected in 2021–2022 from different cities in Iran. Twenty-two in-depth semi-structured interviews were held for data collection. The data were analyzed via Graneheim and Lundman's conventional content analysis and trustworthiness was maintained using the criteria proposed by Guba and Lincoln. Findings: The main categories of the study were burnout and intention to leave the profession and growth and development. The two subcategories of the first category were the experience of injury and the experience of violence and the two subcategories of the second category were sense of worthiness and sense of motivation. Moral distress was the most important experience of almost all participants. Conclusion: Nurses mostly have negative experiences in terms of reporting their colleagues' medical errors. Negative experiences can act as the barriers to report colleagues' errors while positive experiences can act as its facilitators. Improvement of the patient safety culture in healthcare settings and interpersonal relationships among healthcare providers can reduce the negative experiences and promote the positive experiences of reporting colleagues' medical errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Despite antibiotic stewardship programs existing in most acute care hospitals, there continues to be variation in appropriate antibiotic use. While existing research examines individual prescriber behavior, contextual reasons for variation are poorly understood. Methods We conducted an explanatory, sequential mixed-methods study of a purposeful sample of 7 hospitals with varying discharge antibiotic overuse. For each hospital, we conducted surveys, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with antibiotic stewardship and clinical stakeholders. Data were analyzed separately and mixed during the interpretation phase, where each hospital was examined as a case, with findings organized across cases using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats framework to identify factors accounting for differences in antibiotic overuse across hospitals. Results Surveys included 85 respondents. Interviews included 90 respondents (31 hospitalists, 33 clinical pharmacists, 14 stewardship leaders, 12 hospital leaders). On surveys, clinical pharmacists at hospitals with lower antibiotic overuse were more likely to report feeling: respected by hospitalist colleagues (P =.001), considered valuable team members (P =.001), and comfortable recommending antibiotic changes (P =.02). Based on mixed-methods analysis, hospitals with low antibiotic overuse had 4 distinguishing characteristics: (1) robust knowledge of and access to antibiotic stewardship guidance; (2) high-quality clinical pharmacist–physician relationships; (3) tools and infrastructure to support stewardship; and (4) highly engaged infectious diseases physicians who advocated stewardship principles. Conclusions This mixed-methods study demonstrates the importance of organizational context for high performance in stewardship and suggests that improving antimicrobial stewardship requires attention to knowledge, interactions, and relationships between clinical teams and infrastructure that supports stewardship and team interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analysed the full text of all journal articles returned to the education subpanel of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021). Using a latent Dirichlet allocation topic model, we identified 35 topics that collectively summarise the journal articles that research units, typically schools of education, selected for submission. We found that the topics which units wrote about in their submitted articles collectively explained a large proportion (84.1%) of the variance in the quality assessments they received from the REF's expert peer review process. Further, with the important caveat that we cannot attribute causality, we found that there were strong associations between what the subpanel perceived to be excellent research and the adoption of particular methods or approaches. Most notably, units that returned more interview‐based work typically received lower scores, and those which returned more analyses of large‐scale data and meta‐analyses typically received higher scores. Finally, we applied our 2021 model to articles submitted to the previous exercise, REF2014. We found that education research seems to have become less qualitative and more quantitative over time, and that our 2021 model could successfully predict the scores assigned by the REF2014 subpanel, suggesting a reasonable degree of between‐exercise consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty Development (FD) has become essential in shaping design, delivery and quality assurance of health professions education. The growth of FD worldwide has led to a heightened expectation for quality and organizational integrity in the delivery of FD programmes. To address this, AMEE, An International Association for Health Professions Education, developed quality standards for FD through the development of the AMEE ASPIRE to Excellence criteria. This guide uses the ASPIRE criteria as a framework for health professions educators who wish to establish or expand approaches to FD delivery and scholarship within their institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's (NICE) new severity modifier, which has replaced the end-of-life (EoL) premium, on future NICE recommendations, considering past decision-making patterns. NICE technology appraisals (TAs) published between January 2020 and December 2022 were reviewed. Summary statistics were generated to assess how the new severity modifier might affect hypothetical decision making in historical TAs. A total of 138 data points were identified from 132 TAs. Although the EoL premium was applied in 46 appraisals (33%), 57 (39%) qualify for a severity-based quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) multiplier. Only 19 appraisals (14.6%) not receiving an EoL premium met the severity criteria, the majority (17) qualifying for a 1.2× multiplier. In appraisals predicted to meet the severity criteria, 45 (79%) were in oncology, making them 4.04 times (95% CI 1.91-9.02) more likely to qualify for a severity modifier than nononcology indications. Among historically EoL indications, 42 (91%) were predicted to meet the severity criteria, making them 14.8 times (95% CI 6.37-37.6) more likely to qualify for a severity modifier. The new severity modifier will predominantly benefit oncology indications, continuing their previous explicit prioritization under the EoL decision modifier. However, the new severity modifier is harder to achieve and less generous; only a fraction of appraisals qualify for the highest effective £51 000 per QALY threshold. The vast majority of indications previously approved at £50 000 per QALY would now need to meet a cost-effectiveness threshold of <£36 000. This may necessitate greater pricing flexibility from manufacturers and increase the likelihood of negative recommendations. • The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has made major changes to the adjustment of their cost-effectiveness thresholds, replacing the "end-of-life" premium for life-extending treatments with a severity-based, tiered approach to valuing new technologies. • Based on historical decision making, very few technologies appraised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence are likely to be eligible for the highest cost-effectiveness threshold, with the new severity modifier continuing to predominantly benefit oncology technologies. • The vast majority of indications previously qualifying for the £50 000 per quality-adjusted life-year gained end-of-life premium would now need to meet a cost-effectiveness threshold of either £30 000 or £36 000. This more restrictive policy environment may present challenges to the introduction of new technologies into the United Kingdom, but may improve the allocation of resources to where they provide the greatest benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple professional societies have emphasized the importance of professional development for physicians. This qualitative study aimed to explore pediatric hospitalists' perceptions of professional development needs and to refine a framework for professional development in pediatric hospital medicine (PHM). We conducted four focus groups in April to May 2019 with 19 pediatric hospitalists at six clinical sites within a single institution. Participants identified key components of professional development including skill development, personal growth, career satisfaction, and individualization. Hospitalists agreed upon 8 domains of professional development: clinical excellence, advocacy, global health, health care administration, informatics, medical education, quality improvement, and research. They also identified missing the mentorship necessary to change their passions into career advancement, highlighted barriers and facilitators, and noted that an alignment in personally meaningful projects to what is meaningful to the institution was in everyone's best interests. Faculty programs should build infrastructure to aid pediatric hospitalists in achieving their career goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the AVMA Excellence Awards, which will be presented at AVMA Convention 2024 in Austin, Texas, honoring recipients for their achievements in areas such as animal welfare, public health, and clinical practice. Among those recognized are Doctor Debra Hickman for her leadership in laboratory animal welfare and euthanasia research, and Janice Swanson, PhD, for her contributions to animal welfare as a professor and director at Michigan State University.

The article discusses the Nursing Leadership Scope and Standards (NLSS) guide for nurse teams as of 2024. Topics covered include the NLSS's standards of practice, nursing leadership scope and standards of professional performance, and accountabilities and responsibilities, changes made to meet current workplace challenges and opportunities, and their practical applications. Also noted is the NLSS connection to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Pathway to Excellence designation.

With the advent of targeted agents and immunological therapies, the medical research community has become increasingly aware that conventional methods for determining the best dose or schedule of a new agent are inadequate. It has been well established that conventional phase I designs cannot reliably identify safe and effective doses. This problem applies, generally, for cytotoxic agents, radiation therapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapies. To address this, the US Food and Drug Administration's Oncology Center of Excellence initiated Project Optimus, with the goal "to reform the dose optimization and dose selection paradigm in oncology drug development." As a response to Project Optimus, the articles in this special issue of Clinical Trials review recent advances in methods for choosing the dose or schedule of a new agent with an overall objective of informing clinical trialists of these innovative designs. This introductory article briefly reviews problems with conventional methods, the regulatory changes that encourage better dose optimization designs, and provides brief summaries of the articles that follow in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surah Al-Baqarah is regarded as one of the most significant chapters in the Holy Quran because of its rich content, which includes religious rulings on worship, transactions, and beliefs along with sermons and wisdom. It also holds the distinction of being one of the longest chapters in the Holy Quran. Numerous authentic Prophetic traditions highlight the virtues and excellence of this Surah. Furthermore, this Surah possesses several unique attributes, most notably its inclusion of the renowned verse known as "Ayat al-Kursi" considered the greatest verse in the Book of Allah Almighty. Authentic hadith emphasize the exceptional nature of this verse. Another remarkable feature of this Surah is the established merit of its final two verses, as they suffice the reader for their nightly prayers. In this research, the scholar conducts an analytical examination of the hadith related to this Surah. The primary focus lies on authentic hadith that highlight its virtues, accompanied by brief explanations. Furthermore, the study delves into the Surah's distinctive features as illuminated by these hadith and concluded with a concise summary of significant findings. The researcher followed an inductive and analytical approach in this study. The first approach was utilized to compile the authentic hadith pertaining to the excellence of this Surah while the second approach was used to analyse the texts of these hadith and elucidate its distinct qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a multistakeholder scale for assessing an excellent human resource (HR) function to demonstrate the extent to which it is focused on creating value from the perspective of its key internal and external stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: At the first stage, an in-depth literature review was conducted to extract the best practices for an excellent HR function. Then, to test the validation of the developed framework, it was sent to HR academics and practitioners in different countries. The survey responses were analyzed using the methods of the structural equation modeling (SEM) and confirmatory factorial analysis. Findings: This study proposes an excellent HR multistakeholder assessment scale consisting of ten criteria based on the perceptions of internal and external HR stakeholders. Research limitations/implications: This study suggests a framework for assessing overall HR excellence based on the perceptions of key internal and external HR stakeholders. In addition, it is recommended that future researchers empirically test the developed scale across various industries and firm sizes. Practical implications: HR managers, by using this framework, could continuously assess their HR excellence and compare their HR excellence with other companies' HR excellence in the industry and then plan for continuous improvement in different HR areas to improve their stakeholders' experiences. Originality/value: This paper identifies the enablers and results of an excellent HR department and designs a multistakeholder feedback scale to better understand key internal and external HR stakeholders' perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Business and operational excellence models are frequently employed by organisations as self-assessment tools for ensuring continued performance improvement. This paper presents an integrated methodology for excellence self-assessment that is applicable at organisational and functional levels. Design/methodology/approach: The self-assessment methodology was sequentially developed, based on a theoretical and practical perspective, and a case study was presented. Findings: This study develops: (1) a framework of excellence enablers and results criteria for each of the organisational, functional (core and supportive processes) and operational levels; (2) a framework of the characteristics of maturity levels of excellence according to enablers, results, organisational context, in addition to other assessment components; (3) a framework of the assessment and improvement steps for achieving excellence. Originality/value: Although several proposed methodologies are available for the self-assessment of business and operational excellence, these only partially focus on various organisational aspects (such as the organisational and functional level, and organisational context) and are primarily used as business excellence models by non-large organisations. This study aims to fill the research gap in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a chip antenna on millimeter-Waves. This antenna combined with TSMC 180 nm SiGe CMOS technology has the advantage of being small in size and is suitable for wireless communications. The multilayer architecture Horn antenna implemented on M4–M6 can meet both process reliability specifications and radiation performance. The results of the simulation show that the maximum gain is −4.2 dBi. The return loss measurement results are almost consistent with the simulation results, and the bandwidth range is 177.4–183 GHz. This article first describes the antenna production process and measurement results, analyses the impact of the parameters on the antenna, and further compares it with other designs. The excellence of this article is that it proposes a design that solves the problem of large millimeter wave loss and successfully reduces the area. At the same time, this article can contribute to readers' future optimization and continued research directions, and at the same time contribute simulation and measurement trends to let readers understand the stability of CMOS chip antenna simulation and measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To meet the challenge of advancing child welfare law, a field affecting millions of families a year, practicing attorneys have developed a wealth of guidance for best practices. The Judicial, Court, and Attorney Measures of Performance (JCAMP) provide a way to determine whether legal programs are following these recommended practices and to assess the strength of attorney–client relationships. After providing context around challenges to high quality legal representation, best practice guidance, and evaluation research findings, this article reviews the JCAMP measures of attorney practice. JCAMP may be used by legal programs to both assess their own practice and to elicit feedback from affected families to ensure consistent high quality representation. Boldly assessing attorney interactions, and the experiences of clients in the court process, is critical to guiding and empowering lawyers to achieve excellence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]