Conectar
by Aishwarya Subramanian, Rachel M. Germain
Animals navigate landscapes based on perceived risks vs. rewards, as inferred from features of the landscape. In the wild, knowing how strongly animal movement is directed by landscape features is difficult to ascertain but widespread disturbances such as wildfires can serve as natural experiments. We tested the hypothesis that wildfires homogenize the risk/reward landscape, causing movement to become less directed, given that fires reduce landscape complexity as habitat structures (e.g., tree cover, dense brush) are burned. We used satellite imagery of a research reserve in Northern California to count and categorize paths made primarily by mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in grasslands. Specifically, we compared pre-wildfire (August 2014) and post-wildfire (September 2018) image history layers among locations that were or were not impacted by wildfire (i.e., a Before/After Control/Impact design). Wildfire significantly altered spatial patterns of deer movement: more new paths were gained and more old paths were lost in areas of the reserve that were impacted by wildfire; movement patterns became less directed in response to fire, suggesting that the risk/reward landscape became more homogenous, as hypothesized. We found evidence to suggest that wildfire affects deer populations at spatial scales beyond their scale of direct impact and raises the interesting possibility that deer perceive risks and rewards at different spatial scales. In conclusion, our study provides an example of how animals integrate spatial information from the environment to make movement decisions, setting the stage for future work on the broader ecological implications for populations, communities, and ecosystems, an emerging interest in ecology.by Nachapol Supanumpar, Pagaporn Pantuwadee Pisarnturakit, Natthinee Charatcharoenwitthaya, Keskanya Subbalekha
A serious adverse effect of antiresorptive drugs, which are widely used to treat osteoporosis, is medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Physicians can reduce the risk of MRONJ by educating patients and emphasizing the importance of good oral health. However, limited information is available regarding physicians’ awareness and clinical practices associated with MRONJ. Hence, this study aimed to examine physicians’ awareness related to MRONJ and associated clinical practices. This study was a cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 to February 2023. An online self-administered questionnaire was sent to physicians in Thailand who prescribed antiresorptive drugs for osteoporosis. Most respondents agreed that antiresorptive drugs might cause MRONJ (92.3%), poor oral health increased the risk of MRONJ (84%), and MRONJ is an important consideration in patients with osteoporosis (85%). Of the respondents, 48.1% and 15.5% always referred patients to dentists before and during antiresorptive therapy, respectively. Approximately 60% of physicians informed patients of the MRONJ risk before prescribing antiresorptive drugs, and 30% inquired about patients’ oral symptoms at the follow-up visit. Overall, 44% of physicians advised patients to receive oral health care; the most common reason for not advising this was that respondents did not consider themselves to be adequately knowledgeable to detect oral health problems. These findings indicate that while most physicians who prescribed antiresorptive drugs for osteoporosis were aware of and considered MRONJ in their practice, several took insufficient action to prevent it. This highlights the need to emphasize clinical practice guidelines and collaboration between physicians and dentists.The aims of this study were as follows: (a) to examine the relationship between perceived organizational support and resilience; (b) to investigate the potential mediating role of general self-efficacy and cognitive reappraisal among emergency nurses who have experienced workplace violence; and (c) to explore the application of Kumpfer's resilience framework to emergency department nurses.
A cross-sectional study.
From February 17, 2021, to March 8, 2021, 825 emergency nurses working in the emergency departments of tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China, completed an online survey. Data on resilience, organizational support, cognitive reappraisal and general self-efficacy were collected through questionnaires. The Spearman analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between variables, while the mediation analysis was conducted using AMOS 23.0 statistical software.
The findings of a study involving 825 emergency nurses who reported experiencing workplace violence reveal a positive correlation between perceived organizational support and resilience. Additionally, it has been observed that the relationship between these two factors is mediated by both cognitive reappraisal and general self-efficacy. Furthermore, the mediating effect of cognitive reappraisal is more significant in this relationship.
Kumpfer's resilience framework is found to apply to emergency nurses. Perceived organizational support, an environmental factor, affects resilience directly and positively. In addition, cognitive reappraisal and general self-efficacy, which are individual factors, mediate this influence path. These findings suggest an interaction between environmental and individual factors in determining the resilience of emergency nurses.
These findings have implications for developing resilience intervention strategies for emergency nurses exposed to occupational violence. Enhancing personal attributes such as general self-efficacy and cognitive reappraisal is as significant as strengthening external organizational support environments for enhancing nurses' resilience.
Emergency nurses participated in the pilot test of our questionnaire survey and gave their opinions on the questionnaire design.
What is already known about the topic? In emergency rooms, workplace violence is prevalent, and it seriously endangers nurses' physical and mental health. Enhancing resilience can improve nurses' ability to self-regulate after experiencing violence. However, the drivers and mechanisms of resilience among emergency nurses who have experienced workplace violence remain unidentified.
What this paper adds? This study confirms the applicability of Kumpfer's resilience framework to emergency nurses who have experienced workplace violence. Nurses' self-efficacy and cognitive reappraisal mediate the relationship between perceived organizational support and resilience after exposure to workplace violence. The resilience process for emergency nurses involves the interaction of individual and environmental factors.
Implications for practice/policy. Managers and researchers should consider the interaction between individual and environmental factors when developing resilience intervention strategies for emergency nurses who have suffered workplace violence. It is essential to support emergency nurses from the dyadic dimensions of the environment and the individual. A supportive organizational environment and individual positive adjustment strategies are equally important in promoting resilience among nurses.
To explore the prevalence of social isolation among Japanese community-dwelling older adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as determine how family and friend connections before and during the pandemic affected frail older adults during the pandemic.
A cross-sectional study.
A total of 852 community-dwelling older adults in Hokkaido and Tokyo, Japan were surveyed conducted between April and November 2021 using convenience sampling. The Lubben social network scale-6, frailty screening index, and geriatric depression scale were used to assess social isolation, frailty and depression, respectively. A path analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of social isolation on frailty.
Participants had a mean age of 76.8 ± 6.6 years. Overall, 46% and 59% of participants were socially isolated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. Frailty was found in 19% of participants during the pandemic. Friends and family connectedness before the pandemic had no direct relationship with frailty; only friend connectedness affected frailty indirectly via depression. Family connectedness during the pandemic had a significant, negative and direct relationship with frailty.
The findings show that connectedness with family and friends is critical for older people's physical and mental health.
Nurses in the community should consider these findings to reduce mental health problems and physical decline among older adults. It is important to identify older adults who are socially isolated from their families or friends and provide resources to help them build relationships within their communities.
Community centre staff and community volunteers assisted in data collection. The public was not involved in data analysis, interpretation or manuscript preparation.
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