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The #metoo movement prompted many librarians to self-disclose accounts of sexual harassment within their workplaces. In 2022, we used the validated Sexual Experiences Questionnaire to survey people who had recently worked in public libraries in order to measure the prevalence of sexual harassment within the field. A very high percentage of respondents stated they had experienced inappropriate behaviors from coworkers, patrons, and/or board of trustees. Nearly a quarter also shared qualitative comments which revealed a lack of psychological safety for those working in public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians are on the front lines of today's partisan and civic conflicts, fueled by fragmentation in ways different groups of citizens know the world, the shattering of common agreement about what it means to be an American, and loss of human connections across different epistemic communities. In this article, I argue that concepts of public work and its expression in "citizen professionalism" and the idea of nonviolent civic politics developed through decades of educational public work in the black freedom movement are profound resources for library professionals to use in addressing such conflicts. The article describes the little-known movement of Jeanes Teachers, who organized black communities to build thousands of Rosenwald libraries and schools and created interracial alliances in the American South. They had deep belief in the potential of everyone, black and white. Their pedagogical, political, and relational skills and constructive nonviolent philosophy have many lessons for librarians today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Contemporary Accounting Research is the property of Canadian Academic Accounting Association 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.)

Introduction: This study investigates the confounding effects of reverse-coded items on the measurement of confidence in mathematics using data from the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Methods: The sample came from the Saudi Arabian cohort of 8th graders in 2019 involving 4,515 students. Through mixture modeling, two subgroups responding in similar ways to reverse-coded items were identified representing approximately 9% of the sample. Results: Their response to positively valenced and negatively valenced items showed inconsistency and the observed unexpected response patterns were further verified using Lz*, U3, and the number of Guttman errors person fit indicators. Psychometric analyses on the full sample and the truncated sample after deleting the aberrant responders indicated significant improvements in both internal consistency reliability and factorial validity. Discussion: It was concluded that reverse-coded items contribute to systematic measurement error that is associated with distorted item level parameters that compromised the scale's reliability and validity. The study underscores the need for reconsideration of reverse-coded items in survey design, particularly in contexts involving younger populations and low-achieving students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of discretion in public procurement has been the subject of wide debate in regulation literature and practice. Greater discretion potentially may allow for greater efficiency in procurement. However, when social capital and institutional quality are low, more discretion can easily open the door to bribery and corruption. In this paper, adopting a semiparametric approach and using a large dataset of public works managed by Italian municipalities, we empirically assess the effects of a reform in the regulation of public works in Italy, approved in 2011, that has increased the discretion of bureaucrats in the choice of the firms. The results provide evidence that the reform has exerted a positive, although mild, effect on the performance of public works execution. However, the positive role of the reform is more relevant in those areas where the effect of public service norms and prosocial behaviors are higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of procurement tools to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in public contracts by analysing contract awards for public works published on Tenders Electronic Daily in 2018–2022. Focusing on dividing contracts into smaller lots, a key feature of the 2014 EU modernised procurement framework, this study's findings reveal that splitting contracts might not necessarily attract SMEs to bid but increases their chances of winning such contracts. Other factors, such as using open and unrestricted bidding procedures and allowing SMEs to showcase their specialisation by awarding contracts based on the best price-quality ratio, positively affect the SMEs' bidding. The findings of this study emphasise the importance of thoroughly considering individual contract characteristics and overall procurement settings to accommodate SMEs' limited resource capacities and foster their performance in the public procurement marketplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a new form of self-targeted social protection scheme: beneficiaries carry out a series of small tasks on their mobile phones, each linked to a small payment. Key advantages over traditional public works include potentially large reductions in leakage, costs, and delays. The proposed scheme may also be suitable to wider demographics as it does not require physical labour and can be availed from home. A prototype implementation of a ‘cellfare’ scheme was tested in rural India, and 42 participants with experience of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, a large Indian public works programme, favourably compared the proposed scheme to the existing one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how being employed in public works exposes workers and their households to poverty. Public works consist of centrally planned and financed works targeting long‐term unemployed or inactive. Evidence is primarily negative concerning improved employment trajectories, while we still know little about the poverty outcomes. To examine this, we draw on the 2014–2019 cross‐sectional data of the EU‐SILC survey for Hungary. Hungary has invested significantly in these programmes over the last few years, and since 2014, it has provided a unique opportunity to access income and public works information within EU‐SILC. Results highlight the relevance of both quantity and quality of employment. Public workers are better off than long‐term unemployed. However, they show higher poverty risk than non‐public workers (about twice as much). Living with non‐public workers substantially reduces their poverty risk, while households of only public workers struggle more to avoid poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay introduces our special issue by arguing that the concept of infrastructure can help us better understand eighteenth-century culture and history even if the word did not exist in that period. It shows moreover how scholars of the eighteenth-century world can contribute to the burgeoning field of infrastructure studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Influence of Motivation, Work Environment, and Competence on the Performance of Civil Servants in the Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing and Settlement Areas Office (PUTRPKP) of Takalar Regency, guided by Andi Mappatompo Badawi and Dg. Maklassa. This study aims to analyze and explain the Influence of Work Motivation, Work Environment, and Competence on the Performance of Civil Servants in the Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing and Settlement Areas Office (PUTRPKP) of Takalar Regency. This type of research is quantitative research, which is research based on data that can be calculated to produce a solid assessment using SPSS. This study used 68 respondents using multiple linear analysis techniques. The results of this study show that work motivation has a significant positive influence on ASN performance with P = 0.007 < 0.05 with a coefficient value of 0.380. The work environment has a positive and insignificant influence on ASN performance with P = 0.502 > 0.05 with a coefficient value of 0.118. Competence has a significant positive influence on ASN performance with P = 0.024 < 0.05 with a coefficient value of 0.280. The Work Motivation variable is the most dominant variable that affects ASN Performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red micro-light-emitting diodes (μ-LEDs) with AlGaInP/GaInP multiple quantum wells are fabricated with an oxide perimeter region to control the current injection path. When the values of the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the 30 μm-size μ-LED with the oxide perimeter region are compared with those of the device without the oxide perimeter region, an improvement as high as 40% is observed at current densities <80 A/cm2. From the finite-difference time-domain simulation of the light-extraction efficiency (LEE), which shows that the LEE of the device with the oxide perimeter region is ∼12% smaller than that of the device without the oxide perimeter region, it can be seen that the increased EQE is attributed to the improvement of the internal quantum efficiency (IQE). Since the oxide perimeter region limits the current paths to the sidewalls of the μ-LED chips, the nonradiative recombination via sidewall defects is considered suppressed, resulting in the improvement of the IQE. The oxidation of the AlGaAs layer utilized in this work is easy to implement and accurately controllable, suitable for mass-production of high-efficiency red μ-LEDs for display applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freedom of information (FOI) laws are known to expose governmental weaknesses, but do they improve the structural workings of public administration, professionalizing governance? This study examines FOI's effect on a cornerstone of effective governance—bureaucratic hiring. Using coarsened matching methods to compare over 5400 municipalities in Brazil—approximately half possessing FOI regulations and half without—we identify significant reductions in discretionary patronage‐based appointments. Municipalities with FOI regulations reduce both higher level "political control" and lower‐level "electoral rewards" hires. Our explanation, tentatively supported by a comparison of early versus late FOI adopters, centers on sequencing: in the short term, leaders view FOI as a supplement to administrative control and thus reduce higher‐level hires. As FOI becomes more institutionalized and exposures more probable, leaders reduce lower‐level hires. Contributing to scholarship on transparency and bureaucracies, our results enjoin policymakers to double‐down on commitments to FOI policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem restoration initiatives present natures as intervention-requiring problems. However, not all stakeholders may be able to recognise and relate to the issues that motivate restoration. Instead, they may put forward alternative understandings of natures as problematic issues in need of management and collective action. Therefore, ecosystem restoration can turn generative into new forms of publics that are brought together – and drawn apart – by distinctive configurations of nature-issues. This paper analyses such a reorganisation by focusing on three restoration projects carried out in Finland. The projects sought to engage farmers in restoring agricultural streams while proposing the practice of stream restoration as an extensive ecosystem revitalisation. In the studied cases, farmers could become attentive to the potential of stream habitats to develop into viable and rich ecosystems, while their neighbours only showed interest in improving the drainage functions of streams. The restoration initiatives generated connectedness between farmers, streams habitats and the restoration projects, but also disconnectedness between natures and publics. The possibilities of the studied projects to carry out their restoration plans rested mostly on the specification of the restoration plans as a means to manage ontological differences. The findings indicate that instead of promoting ecosystem restoration as a tightly coupled practice, it can be useful to generate space for collective action that unfolds in terms of partially different natures and nature-issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes representations of mobility and public transport in the following Mozambican novels: Terra Sonâmbula [Sleepwalking Land] (1992), O Outro Pé da Sereia [The Mermaid's Other Foot] (2006) by Mia Couto, O Comboio de Sal e Açúcar [The Train of Salt and Sugar] (1999) by Licínio Azevedo, and Museu da Revolução [Museum of the Revolution] (2022) by João Paulo Borges Coelho. Despite the importance of mobility and public transport in these works, existing scholarship has not considered these themes but has opted for more traditional categories such as 'travel', 'diaspora', and 'migration'. Focusing on the literary portrayals of public transport and infrastructure of mobility – i.e. buses, ships, and railway stations (Couto), a slow-moving train (Azevedo), and a Toyota Hiace car (Borges Coelho) – this article aims to demonstrate the central role that the mobility/immobility binomial plays in the representation of post-independent Mozambique. The main argument of this article is that the images of the railway, the road, automobility, and maritime travel are the literal driving force of the narratives and contribute to the (un)building of the national space. I use literary perspectives on mobility studies and world-system approaches developed within the framework of world-literature (Warwick Research Collective) to demonstrate that the tropes of mobility and the representations of public transport in the four novels register and encode the social, political, and economic transitions in Mozambique's colonial and post-colonial history and its incorporation into the capitalist world-system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Public and patient involvement is critical to ensure that research is relevant and addresses what matters most to the person through co-production. Involvement at the design stage where ideas for research are developed prior to formal ethical approval, can positively influence the direction of research design, methods, and outcomes. Although ethical approval is not required at this stage, being ethically conscious is imperative to prevent unwarranted unethical practices. To ensure this, the public and patient intervention at the design stage of a doctoral research project was benchmarked against Pandya-Woods 10 ethically conscious standards and the INVOLVE values and principles framework. Ethical approval was also gained for publication. Main body: Patient and public involvement was undertaken with two diverse patient and public groups as an agenda item in their regular Teams meeting. Thoughts on the research project, the timeline, what matters most to the individuals in the group with regarding the design and outcomes from the research, the best method for data collection for public research, and next steps were discussed. Conclusion: Public and patient involvement had a positive influence on the design and outcomes of a doctoral research proposal and held the researcher accountable for impact of the research on the public. Positive changes to the research from working with public and patients exploring 'what matters to you' included: An ontological change in the way that the research was conducted, identification of some main themes to run as a thread throughout the research, development of content for an international scoping review, identification of the best method for data collection for patient research, and accountability of the researcher to write a plain English summary at the beginning of each thesis chapter, and a summary report at the end for dissemination. Plain English summary: Public and patient involvement (PPI) is encouraged at every stage of research to make sure that research is relevant, and addresses what matters most to the person by working together as equal partners. This commentary reflects on how PPI at the beginning of a research idea can positively influence the design, methods, and outcomes of the research. This stage of research is known as the 'design phase'. It is important that although ethical approval is not needed for this phase, that the researcher acts in an ethically conscious way. The doctoral research 'What factors and influences demonstrate quality and impact of the Southeast Consultant development Programme?' commented on in this paper, has been mapped against some standards and has gained ethical approval for publication. Two public and patient groups (PPG) were approached to be involved in the design phase of this research as an agenda item in their regular meeting. The PPG lead sent an involvement information sheet and consent form prior to the meeting to aid decision making whether to attend or not. Those involved could leave at any point and all discussion was anonymised. The PPI positively influenced the research in the following ways: A change in the way that the research was conducted. Identification of main themes to be addressed based on 'what matters to me'. Development of content for an international scoping review. The best method for patient research. Accountability held of the researcher to write a plain English summary at the beginning of each thesis chapter and a summary report at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Architectural Education features an interview with Amy Stelly and Virginia Hanusik, focusing on their work in South Louisiana. Stelly's advocacy work centers around the removal of the Claiborne Avenue highway in New Orleans, while Hanusik's photography documents the architectural objects and infrastructures of fossil capital in the region. Both artists explore themes of environmental justice, racial capitalism, and community engagement in their practices, aiming to reimagine the built environment and challenge oppressive systems. Their work reflects a deep connection to the Gulf South and a commitment to telling the stories of the region through art and activism. [Extracted from the article]

This article argues that medieval urban authorities developed nodal spatial strategies to mitigate various risks—from accidents, floods, and military vulnerability to sickness and scarcity. Using digital methods (Geographic Information System [GIS]) to map public works during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in one large city (Ghent), it offers a fuller understanding of urban governance in dialogue with a city's topography and environmental and sociopolitical challenges. Ghent's authorities invested in gates, bridges, markets, thoroughfares, key buildings, and waterworks. Tracing their interventions reveals the city as an interconnected, moving system, an economy of movement. Attention concentrated on these points because several types of interests related to communal well-being converged there. The city was thus capable of absorbing shocks (war, floods) through regular maintenance and monitoring. Tracing public works that promoted mobility can therefore tell us much about power dynamics and how communities functioned in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algorithms are rapidly transforming government bureaucracies. The implications of this transformation for the work of public service employees are not yet well understood. So far, the literature has mostly neglected the use of algorithms by these "screen-level bureaucrats", and this constitutes a major gap in our knowledge about how algorithms affect bureaucracies. To understand the work of screen-level bureaucrats and to explore how they actively engage with algorithmic software to support their assessment of online fraud, we analyzed 45 hours of observations and 12 in-depth interviews at the Netherlands Police. We employ a socio-material perspective to analyze the dynamics between screen-level bureaucrats and algorithms. We conclude that for administrative tasks, algorithms help screen-level bureaucrats to perform their work by providing structured data and allowing them to focus more on assessments which need a nuanced judgement. At the same time, algorithmic advice in a decision-making task is simply ignored by the screen-level bureaucrats as they predominantly rely on their professional judgement in the assessment of online fraud reports. This highlights the need to further investigate how an algorithm should not only provide accurate advice to the screen-level bureaucrats but also convince them to follow it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a comparative study about the male teacher who works in the primary public education in Rio de Janeiro -- Brazil and Aveiro -- Portugal. We intended, fundamentally, to investigate the reasons of teachers 'professional choice who are engaged in area typically associated to women, for this we analyze the teachers' professional choice from questionnaires and interviews that we made with them. We note that the representations of the attributes considered feminine exert great influence on male 'teachers' career choice, which have repercussions on the high percentage of primary female teachers and in low percentage of male primary teachers. However, we demonstrate that man can choose this activity for pleasure and success and those individuals are capable of doing their job regardless of gender prejudice in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Need in Deed's work with Philadelphia public school teachers and their students centers empathy, informed investigation, and civic action. Bolstered by these values and with the support of the My Voice framework and dedicated Need in Deed staff, educators are equipped to co-create authentic classroom communities with their students. In Need in Deed classrooms, students feel a sense of belonging, are supported in taking academic risks, and understand their agency as change makers. In this piece, Need in Deed staff and teachers give an overview of the My Voice framework and share stories from Need in Deed classrooms that highlight Dr. Gholdy Muhammad's five pursuits of culturally and historically responsive teaching - identity, skills, intellectualism, criticality, and joy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hole accelerator is proven to benefit the hole injection for traditional light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) because the induced electric field provides the holes with more kinetic energy to pass through the electron‐blocking layer, enhancing the hole injection efficiency. Herein, the effect of the hole accelerator (HA) layer on the micro‐LEDs by modeling the characteristics of the devices with a current density of lower than 10 A cm−2 is investigated. The simulation results show that the appended HA layer brings a knot of the electric field in the HA layer, leading to higher internal quantum efficiency (IQE) than the device without HA under the low current density. The thickness and composition of HA, the quantum number, and the material of quantum barrier are also simulated and analyzed. The simulated radiative, Shockley–Read–Hall, and Auger recombination rates show that the IQE of the micro‐LED with the HA layer is higher than that without the HA layer under the current density of lower than 10 A cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River dredging is crucial for mitigating the risk of floods by enhancing the water-carrying capacity of rivers. Nevertheless, the key difficulty lies in the appropriate disposal of dredged material, resulting in escalated costs. Predominantly consisting of silt, the dredged material demonstrates constrained bearing capacity and strength. Nonetheless, there is a prospect to derive value from excavated sediments, with potential applications in diverse public works projects. The processed product derived from dredged material can serve diverse purposes, such as filling railway and highway embankments, as well as the subgrade of pavements. The comprehensive study involved analyzing the fundamental properties of the dredged material collected from the Allochibagh flood channel of the Jhelum River. The analysis focused on determining the basic geotechnical properties of the soil mass. The tests unveiled the fine and cohesive nature of the dredged soil. To enhance its properties, sand was introduced as a stabilizing agent in varying proportions. The investigation revealed an initial augmentation in compressive strength as the proportion of sand increased, attaining an optimal mixture whereafter the strength declined. This study explores the utilization of sand as a stabilizing agent for dredged soil to enhance its strength and optimize its application. The process of stabilizing dredged soil with sand demands a thorough examination of hydrogeological processes, the specific characteristics of the dredged soil, and the intricate transport of contaminants. This formal and multidisciplinary effort seeks to elevate the overall stability of the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article, titled "On the Subject of WBS or BRM," is a letter to the editor written by Crispin Piney in response to Dr. Kenneth Smith's musings on work breakdown structures (WBS) and the value of assigning weights to milestones. Piney analyzes Smith's example of the Public Health Project and proposes a benefits map (BM) as an alternative approach to organizing components and determining their contributions to the target benefit. Piney argues that milestone weighting is important for tracking progress in programs, but it should be based on a valid representation of how each milestone contributes to the goal. The benefits map can serve as a planning tool and facilitate communication among team members and stakeholders. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliches Institut Mitteilungen is the property of Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG 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.)

Cost overruns, delays, and poor quality are frequent in public investment projects under the contract modality, executed by the Executing Unit: Special Project Huallaga Central and Bajo Mayo (PEHCBM). The purpose of this research is to identify the factors that affect the fulfillment of contracts for the execution of public works in the PEHCBM. This research includes the determination of the most influential factors using the relative importance index (RII), as well as surveys administered to a sample of 25 experts. A total of 91 articles from 48 academic journals were selected. With the application of the RII, 21 factors were determined, distributed among the dimensions of cost, time, and quality, and validated by the experts with a Spearman's coefficient of value 0.521. In the case study, seven relevant factors were determined in PEHCBM execution contracts, identifying overtime between 4.7% and 524.2%, as well as a cost increase between 8.8% and 52.2%. Similarly, adverse situations detected by the Comptroller's Office were determined, with an accumulated economic damage of about PEN 19 million, determining the high influence of the cost, time, and quality dimensions on them. In conclusion, this study shows the high overtime and the deficient quality of the works carried out by the contracting modality, which generated economic damage to the State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate whether individual differences in public service motivation (PSM) between the public and private sectors are a cause or a consequence of choosing a job, testing self‐selection and socialization hypotheses using a longitudinal dataset from a nationally representative cohort in Korea. The study uses two samples from the data of three successive waves (t − 2, t, t + 2) surveyed biennially, finding that "self‐selection" can more persuasively explain the state that employees in the public sector have higher levels of PSM than those in the private sector, with job seekers with high PSM levels being more likely to work in the public sector and with the magnitude of differences in PSM between the public and private sectors maintained through the early years after entry into the workplace, while the levels of PSM, however, decrease in all job sectors. Implications of our findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study implemented a series of social work groups with physician lectures for new mothers in Shanghai, China, and evaluated the practice effects. Outcome data of the intervention (N = 84) and comparison (N = 38) groups were collected using the Maternal Social Support Scale before, immediately after, and three months after the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the service effects in different periods. The intervention group showed a significant increase in total social support in three dimensions (informational, emotional, and instrumental) immediately after the intervention. Informational and total social support increased significantly over time with no group effects. [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.)

This article examines Charles Baudelaire's poem "The Swan" and its portrayal of the urban river, specifically the Seine in Paris, as a symbol of exile and an eerie environment. The poem reflects the effects of industrialization and urbanization on the river, which had become polluted and forgotten. It presents a hazy image of a natural landscape beneath the surface of the city, evoking feelings of nostalgia and alienation. The article also discusses the influence of romantic depictions of the urban river in French poetry, particularly the work of Victor Hugo. [Extracted from the article]

The article analyses the bureaucracy in constructing public works in the former African colonies under Portuguese rule and its historical background. Focusing on the country’s late colonialism, it problematises the interpretation that justifies the exceptionality of the architecture built in these territories, unparalleled in the metropolis, with the purported lesser agency of central power in its implementation. To this end, legislation is examined on: a) the organisation of colonial public works services and its application to a particular colony (Mozambique); b) the evolution of the colonial public works sector in the central administration; and c) the awarding, evaluation and supervision of public works. By cross-referencing it with archival documentation, the extensive interference of the Ministry of Colonies/Overseas Territories in the supervision of public architecture projects is proven, a contribution is made to the reinterpretation of the coexistence between colonialism and modern architecture, and avenues for future research are proposed.

This study aims to explore the less explored area of leadership behaviors within public construction project organizations. A correlational research design was adopted, with data collected through a questionnaire-based survey of 169 professionals involved in public construction projects in Vietnam. Structural equation modeling with partial least squares estimation was used to analyze the data. The results confirmed five behavioral dimensions, namely motivating leadership, goal setting, supportive leadership, participative leadership, and directive leadership, which can be used to assess the leading function in public construction work management. The study also revealed that supportive leadership and directive leadership have a significant impact on management effectiveness. Additionally, supportive leadership acts as a mediator for goal setting, motivating leadership, and participative leadership, while directive leadership acts as a mediator for goal setting and participative leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1850s, Portugal initiated an ambitious public works program spearheaded by railroads. In this article, I analyze how policymakers (congressmen, government officials, engineers, and military officers) debated and managed the construction and operation of the Portuguese railroad network using the theoretical framework of critical infrastructure. I show that railroads were deemed critical to modernize the country, draw it closer to the European core nations and further from the periphery, and to attract traffic to the Portuguese harbors. The absence of railroads was considered a vulnerability that could jeopardize Portugal as a nation and it fostered a sense of urgency that motivated policymakers to act, to a large extent, hastily. The construction of the network brought about other vulnerabilities that, for different motives, could threaten the future of the country. In a parallel way, the implementation of the system was marked by vulnerabilities that originated within or surrounding it, which limited its technical potential. Balancing between a literature review and the use of primary sources (parliamentary debates, technical reports, the press, and photography), I argue that the criticality associated with railroads, as a sociotechnical construction, was central to motivate their construction, but different vulnerabilities, inherent or external to the system, limited their influence and the advantages touted by its promoters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compare the relative effectiveness of selected active labour market policies (ALMPs) available to young unemployed people in Poland in 2015 and 2016. We find sizeable negative employment effects of participating in public works programmes, particularly among disadvantaged individuals. The second-least effective ALMP was standard on-the-job training, even though it was the most popular among young unemployed people. We also show that on-the-job training vouchers (where the unemployed find the training provider) were more effective than standard on-the-job training schemes (where the public employment service finds the training provider) for all subgroups of participants. However, we find no support for the greater effectiveness of vouchers in the case of classroom training. Moreover, the most effective alternative for participants in public works programmes and on-the-job training depended on gender. Women would have benefited the most if they had been offered an on-the-job training voucher, while men would have benefited the most if they had participated in classroom training (standard or financed with a voucher). Finally, we find that the offer of public employment services does not match the needs of tertiary-educated women, who constitute a significant part of the young unemployed in Poland.

Social safety nets are expanding in Sub-Saharan Africa. While proponents perceive them as a means to combat poverty and vulnerability, opponents view them as wasteful use of scarce public resources and do not significantly overcome poverty. Previous studies have primarily focused on assessing the impact of these policies on current poverty levels, with insufficient evidence available regarding their impact on future poverty, which deserves equal attention. We drew on the Tanzanian 2017–18 Household Budget Survey, comprising 9,463 households to evaluate the impact of productive social safety net (PSSN) program on households' vulnerability to poverty (VP). The VP was evaluated using vulnerability as expected poverty (VEP), whereas the impact was estimated using Instrumental Variable (IV) method. We found that PSSN reduces household VP by 13.4%, suggesting that it is an effective policy instrument for reducing poverty and vulnerability. Notably, the estimated impacts were greater for households enrolled in conditional cash transfer (CCT) and public work (PW) combined, suggesting that a package of CCT and PW is likely to have a more substantial impact within the realm of social safety nets. Our findings offer evidence in favor of policies that promote the broader expansion of social safety nets as anti-poverty policy instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this was to assess the effectiveness of stretching for improving shoulder range of motion (ROM) in overhead athletes with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD). The secondary aims were to compare whether the combination of stretching plus manual therapy was more effective than stretching in isolation and if any stretching technique was superior to others. A systematic review and a meta-analysis were designed. The MEDLINE, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched. Clinical trials investigating the effects of stretching in isolation or combined with other manual therapy techniques on ROM and pain intensity in athletes with GIRD were included. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies, and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE tool. Two independent assessors extracted data through a standardized form. The random-effects models were applied. Sixteen randomized controlled trials were included in this systematic review with a meta-analysis, with a methodological quality ranging from high to low. The stretching techniques in isolation showed statistically significant improvements in internal rotation and horizontal adduction ROM. Adding glenohumeral dorsal gliding to a stretching protocol showed better improvement in internal rotation ROM than stretching in isolation. Stretching techniques with manual stabilization showed better benefits than self-stretching techniques. A very low certainty of evidence suggests that stretching produces statistically significant changes for improving ROM in patients with glenohumeral internal rotation deficit. The combination with glenohumeral dorsal gliding seems to produce better improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates three alternative active labour market policy programmes available to young job seekers in Slovakia who were registered in 2011. All of the programmes facilitate gaining work experience and share a comparable design; however, they differ mainly in the collected workplace experience and the composition of participants. Using administrative data, we first explore the selection into each programme; second, we estimate the treatment effects on job seekers' postparticipation absence from the registry of the unemployed. For this we argue that we have sufficiently rich data to control for selection into programs. We use a dynamic estimator and report the average treatment effects of participation in different periods between the sixth and fifteenth month after starting unemployment. For participation in earlier stages of unemployment, we confirm differences in the programmes impacts, with patterns described by previous literature; workplace experience collected in either the private sector or in a regular workplace appears to improve the chances of absence from registered unemployment of young job seekers relatively more than does participation in a public works type of programme. When compared later in the unemployment spell, the between-programme differences level out. Despite its ambivalent average impact, the public works type of programme positively impacts specific subgroups of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public works program (PWP), the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in India, opened a new chapter in rural governance, signifying transformative potential for enhancing economic and social security. Despite the aim of this social protection scheme to enhance the "livelihood security of the household", provide employment to landless labourers, and encourage sustainable development, young men still opt to be migrant labourers in Bombay, many of whom become infected with AIDS and subsequently die. Often economic returns outweigh social risks and the new channels of disempowerment it reopens for women and children who are dependent on the income of these migrant men. We draw on ethnographic research conducted in Udaisarai (Gram Panchayat), Bhitaura block in Fatehpur District (Uttar Pradesh), to uncover rural-to-urban migration to Bombay, for better employment opportunities, and AIDS as one of the fallouts of the poor implementation of MNREGA. These pressing concerns need to be critically evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empowering women requires a multidimensional and holistic approach that encompasses the social, political, and economic aspects of women's development. Economic empowerment is particularly crucial for achieving sustainable development in society. This is especially important in South Asia, where women's poverty levels are high. Microfinancing for South Asian women expands their opportunities in public works, agriculture, finance, and other sectors, thereby accelerating economic growth and helping to mitigate the effects of current and future financial crises, especially at the household level. This study systematically examines evidence of the impact of microfinance initiatives on women in South Asian countries (SAARC countries) using 38 articles. It considers the effects on decision-making; economic gains, such as income, savings, and expenses; freedom and mobility; educational gains; and asset accumulation. The study also assesses the impact on non-financial outcomes like food security, health and nutrition, and social benefits. The results conclude that efficient and effective women's microfinancing can bring significant benefits for women in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The British Equality Act 2010's Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) aims to mainstream equality into the decision-making of public authorities. Although it has generated substantial critique, it has been the subject of surprisingly few empirical investigations, and existing literature does not address the role of the PSED in enhancing accessibility—either in the specific context of streetscapes or more generally. Here, we present the findings of a doctrinal and qualitative study on this topic. It consists of a critical review of relevant case law and an empirical study in which we interviewed disability campaigners, lawyers, and people working in or for public authorities. Two broad issues emerged from the empirical investigation: involvement and enforcement—on each of which our interviewees identified a range of concerns. These, together with our critique of case law, inform our analysis of the impact and effectiveness of the PSED in the context of streetscape accessibility, and accessibility more broadly. We conclude that, while the PSED (together with other Equality Act duties) is charged with a critical role in embedding equality—and, therefore, accessibility—in public authority decision-making, various factors have severely hampered its ability to deliver. Accessibility too often appears to be subordinated to other policy agendas instead of being embedded within them. There is an urgent need for reform to ensure that accessibility is suitably prioritised—both generally and in the particular context of streetscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of subjective well-being (SWB) have increased in recent years. However, there is limited information on how employment in the public sector affects SWB. Using representative World Values Survey (WVS) data from Kazakhstan, this study analyzes how working in the public sector affects SWB and whether financial satisfaction mediates this relationship. The findings demonstrate that although a positive relationship exists between working in the public sector and financial satisfaction, working in the public sector does not affect SWB. In other words, public sector employment does not matter for SWB, although it matters for financial satisfaction. These findings offer insights into studies of SWB, particularly for less studied contexts, such as Central Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper records the results of a pioneering exploration borehole drilled in 1984 to a depth of 403.84 m in the London Basin and underlying London–Brabant basement high. The key objectives of the project were to measure the equilibrium temperature in the Paleozoic basement, estimate the temperature gradient after climate impact corrections and assess the heat flow in the area. From this, estimates of temperature at depths of 2000 m could be made with a view to evaluating potential geothermal resources. From the downhole measurements, a temperature gradient of 16°C km−1 was estimated with a temperature range between 46°C and 51°C at a depth of 2000 m, considered to be consistent with other UK sites where there is no contribution from high heat production granites. The results of the Thamesmead exploration borehole suggested that the geothermal potential of the Devonian and the Paleozoic basement below London is poor, and no further work was carried out. The work has remained unpublished until now but in view of the current renewed interest in geothermal resources it is appropriate to make the work public. Although the results were not encouraging, they do remain as a contribution to the revitalized assessment of geothermal resources in the London area and the UK in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrology has a long history, but is still considered a young science due to its lack of a solid scientific foundation as a natural science. Field experimentation is crucial when investigating hydrological processes and mechanisms, and is essential if hydrology is to have a solid, science‐based foundation. Professor Wei‐Zu Gu (1932–2022) was an internationally renowned scientist in the field of hydrology and is recognized as the greatest pioneer of experimental hydrology and isotope hydrology in China. He created the Hydrohill experimental catchment, which serves as both a great public facility for experimental hydrology and a valuable legacy for researchers that will enable them to conduct advanced hydrological experiments in the future. This legacy consists of innovative infrastructure that bridges the gap between natural watershed experiments and artificial physical models. The Hydrohill is an intensively instrumented experimental catchment that allows different elements of the hydrological cycle and their tracing indicators to be comprehensively measured. To provide an in‐depth understanding of the Hydrohill, this paper presents a short history of the site, its experimental objectives, a site description (including location, construction and instrumentation), site conditions (such as soil, hydrological and meteorological properties), and its contributions to hydrological science. We acknowledge Professor Gu for creating the Hydrohill experimental hydrology facility and enhancing our understanding of hydrological processes and mechanisms. Finally, we hope that Chuzhou Scientific Hydrology Laboratory, along with support from Professor Gu's friends, will ensure the continued growth of the Hydrohill so that it can address unsolved problems in hydrology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many liberal philosophers claim that people are free to do as they will by default; any interference must be justified. This supposed presumption of liberty does a significant amount of theoretical work for public reason liberals such as Gerald Gaus and John Rawls. This paper shows that Gaus’s explicit defense of a presumption of liberty fails. Gausa and his many followers repeatedly appeal to a particular thought experiment from Stanley Benn. We argue that this thought experiment fails to show that there is a presumption of liberty, but instead shows, at best, the trivial point that when any particular moral concern is specified to be the only relevant concern, then there is a presumption in favor of that concern. Further, Gaus, along with Shaun Nichols, has tried to demonstrate empirically that the intuitions and conclusions he draws from this example are fairly uniform and universal among other moral agents, but we explain why their experimental results do not vindicate any such conclusion. We conclude that undermining the alleged presumption of liberty places public reason liberalism in serious jeopardy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we invite the reader to join us in developing a culturally situated understanding of mental health at work in the Global South. Basing our analysis within the context of Peru, we situate depression as a feminist‐inspired “Public Feelings project,” whereby embodied experiences such as depression are inseparable from historical, social, and political structures of oppression (Cvetkovich, 2007). Through methodologically engaging in a mode of Nguyen et al.’s (2016) epistemic friendship, we explore the experiences of 12 Peruvian working women who self‐identify as having depression. Using interviews and arts‐based methods; specifically, Peruvian‐inspired portraiture, as a potential well for hope, healing, and humanity, we consider the narratives, experiences, feelings, and other embodied forms of knowing around depression and work in Peru. Working with the in vivo concept of “being loco,” we develop two art‐works presenting in dialogue with findings that explore the potential of how a Public Feelings lens might open up theoretical and methodological vistas for exploring in situ health experiences as constituted in particular geohistorical and gendered landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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