We present necessary and sufficient conditions for a Boolean function to be a negabent function for both an even and an odd number of variables, which demonstrates the relationship between negabent ...functions and bent functions. By using these necessary and sufficient conditions for Boolean functions to be negabent, we obtain that the nega spectrum of a negabent function has at most four values. We determine the nega spectrum distribution of negabent functions. Further, we provide a method to construct bent-negabent functions in n variables ( n even) of algebraic degree ranging from 2 to ( n )/2, which implies that the maximum algebraic degree of an n -variable bent-negabent function is equal to ( n )/2. Thus, we answer two open problems proposed by Parker and Pott and by Stănică et al.
Future nurses should possess the knowledge and competences necessary to ensure patient safety. However, little evidence is available on the way in which students learn patient safety-related ...principles over time. This study explored the progress of a cohort of Italian undergraduate nursing students as they acquired patient safety knowledge and competences from time of enrolment to graduation.
A longitudinal study carried out between 2015 and 2018 enrolled a cohort of 90 nursing students from two Italian Bachelor of Nursing Science Degree Courses at the Udine University, Italy. The students were followed-up on an annual basis and data collection was performed three times: at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years. The validated Italian version of the Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey tool was used to collect data.
At the end of the 1st year, students reported an average 4.19 out of 5 patient safety knowledge acquired in classrooms (CI 95%, 4.11-4.28), which was stable at the end of the 2nd (4.16; CI 95%, 4.06-4.26) and 3rd years (4.26; CI 95%, 4.16-4.32) and no statistical differences emerged over the years. With regard to the competences acquired in clinical settings, at the end of the 1st year the students reported an average 4.28 out of 5 (CI 95%, 4.20-4.37), which decreased significantly at the end of the 2nd year (4.15; CI 95%, 4.07-4.23; p=0.02) and increased at the end of the 3rd year (4.37; CI 95%, 4.27-4.47; p<0.01).
Nursing students' competences in patient safety issues increases over time, while their knowledge remains stable. Students are more vulnerable at the end of the 1st year, when they seem to be overconfident about patient-safety issues.
Exponential sums of symmetric Boolean functions are linear recurrent with integer coefficients. This was first established by Cai, Green and Thierauf in the mid nineties. Consequences of this result ...has been used to study the asymptotic behavior of symmetric Boolean functions. Recently, Cusick extended it to rotation symmetric Boolean functions, which are functions with good cryptographic properties. In this article, we put all these results in the general context of Walsh transforms and some of its generalizations (nega–Hadamard transform, for example). Precisely, we show that Walsh transforms, for which exponential sums are just an instance, of symmetric and rotation symmetric Boolean functions satisfy linear recurrences with integer coefficients. We also provide a closed formula for the Walsh transform and nega–Hadamard transform of any symmetric Boolean functions. Moreover, using the techniques presented in this work, we show that some families of rotation symmetric Boolean functions are not bent when the number of variables is sufficiently large and provide asymptotic evidence to a conjecture of Stănică and Maitra.
Although nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) are exposed to prolonged stress, no burnout prevention policy has yet been established. This study aims to determine the attitudes and "sense" of ...knowledge of burnout in nurses with burnout.
The study, which has a qualitative exploratory phenomenological design, was carried out in several Croatian ICUs in 2017. ICU nurses suffering from burnout according to their score on the Maslach Burnout Inventory were chosen randomly from five hospitals. Their participation was voluntary. Of the 28 participants, 86% were women (n=24) and 14% men (n=4). They were aged mainly between 36 and 45 (n=11 (40%)) and between 26 and 35 (n=10 (36%)). Semi-structured interviews were conducted up to the saturation point. The conversations were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The text was analysed using inductive thematic analysis, with codes derived and grouped into clusters by similarities in meaning, and interpretation as the final stage.
Emergent themes, compromised private life, stressful work demands, stress reduction options, protective workplace measures and sense of knowledge reflected a variety of experiences, attitudes and knowledge of burnout.
Nurses with burnout provided an insight into their experience and attitudes, and the problems created by burnout. Given the poor sense of knowledge about this syndrome, there is a need to implement education on burnout in nursing school curricula, and clear strategies in the ICU environment, i.e. information, awareness-raising, and specific guidelines on coping, burnout detection and prevention. Approaching burnout prevention through attitudes/social learning may be a novel and feasible model of addressing this issue.
Working with bereaved parents is an immense challenge for professionals in the field of perinatal care and requires a high level of knowledge and skill. This article aims to evaluate the ...effectiveness of the Perinatal Loss Care blended educational programme.
An evaluative assessment was carried out using a scored questionnaire to gather pre- and post-programme data. Participants were medical and healthcare professionals (n=200) who participated in the programme voluntarily (the Medical Professional/Motivated group and the Others group) or were selected by their employer and for whom attendance was mandatory (the Medical Professional/Non/Motivated group).
Participants' perception of their own knowledge and understanding of perinatal bereavement care was significantly higher on completion of the educational programme, proving its effectivity. There was a statistically significant effect on overall score in individual groups of respondents, as well as the whole set (p<0.001), with post-intervention scores higher than pre-intervention scores. No statistically significant differences in overall score were detected before participation in the educational programme in individual groups (p=0.204). Participants from the Medical Professional/Non/Motivated group achieved lower post-intervention scores to a significantly greater extent (p<0.05) and more often perceived the educational programme as being "very difficult" (χ
=20.66, df=6, P<0.01) compared to other groups.
The educational programme was assessed as effective. Care of bereaved parents has its specifics and healthcare professionals should possess a basic knowledge of how to provide sensitive care during this time.
In this paper, we consider the spectra of Boolean functions with respect to the action of unitary transforms obtained by taking tensor products of the Hadamard kernel, denoted by H , and the ...nega-Hadamard kernel, denoted by N . The set of all such transforms is denoted by { H , N } n . A Boolean function is said to be bent 4 if its spectrum with respect to at least one unitary transform in { H , N } n is flat. We obtain a relationship between bent, semibent, and bent 4 functions, which is a generalization of the relationship between bent and negabent Boolean functions proved by Parker and Pott cf., LNCS 4893 (2007), 9-23. As a corollary to this result, we prove that the maximum possible algebraic degree of a bent 4 function on n variables is n /2 and, hence, solve an open problem posed by Riera and Parker cf., IEEE-TIT 52:9 (2006), 4142-4159.
This paper models and analyzes Nega-Watt markets. In the proposed setting, a utility operator wants to curtail some amount of demanded load during peak hours in order to save energy generation costs. ...The problem for the operator is twofold: 1) select the consumers, and 2) determine the amounts of load to be curtailed by each one of them. The major novelty in this setup stems from the arising uncertainty due to consumer non-engagement. Even if an a priori agreement is reached between the operator and a consumer about the load to be curtailed, the consumer may not succeed to curtail the load. The second element that makes our problem formulation different from other markets is the incentive design per se. We argue that the operator needs to employ a two-branch incentive, that is, provide consumers with a reward if they actually curtail the load and charge them a fine if they do not. We employ this dual-mode incentive into various game-theoretic market mechanisms, such as bilateral negotiation and different types of Stackelberg mechanisms that result in selecting the consumers and the amounts of load to curtail. We define equilibrium points for the mechanisms and compute the resulting contractual agreements between the operator and each selected consumer for load curtailment. Our results reveal interesting insights about the impact of the competition arising among consumers and the consumer-operator interaction on the expected benefits for the operator and the consumers.
The purpose of this research was to identify the prevalence of violence towards nursing staff in Slovenian nursing homes.
For the purpose of this study, a non-experimental sampling method was ...employed, using a structured questionnaire as a data collection instrument (n=527). The contents of the questionnaire proved valid and reliable, with a high enough degree of internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha minimum 0.82).
The nursing staffs working in nursing homes for senior citizens are at high risk of violence. In the last year, the employees were most often faced with verbal violence (71.7%), physical violence (63.8%) and sexual violence (35.5%). 35.5% of employees suffered injuries at their working place. During aggressive outbursts of nursing home residents, employees particularly experience vulnerability, fear and insecurity.
There is a need for a comprehensive approach to tackle workplace violence. Some psychiatric health care facilities have already introduced certain measures in this field, and reduction of workplace violence proves that it is possible to reduce aggressive outbursts of patients. After conducting further quantitative research, which would expose detailed characteristics and the background of such violence, it would be sensible to develop similar measures in the field of health care in nursing homes.
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