GitHub Discussions: An exploratory study of early adoption

Discussions is a new feature of GitHub for asking questions or discussing topics outside of specific Issues or Pull Requests. Before being available to all projects in December 2020, it had been tested on selected open source software projects. To understand how developers use this novel feature, how they perceive it, and how it impacts the development processes, we conducted a mixed-methods study based on early adopters of GitHub discussions from January until July 2020. We found that: (1) errors, unexpected behavior, and code reviews are prevalent discussion categories; (2) there is a positive relationship between project member involvement and discussion frequency; (3) developers consider GitHub Discussions useful but face the problem of topic duplication between Discussions and Issues; (4) Discussions play a crucial role in advancing the development of projects; and (5) positive sentiment in Discussions is more frequent than in Stack Overflow posts. Our findings are a first step towards data-informed guidance for using GitHub Discussions, opening up avenues for future work on this novel communication channel.

Associations Between Family Member Involvement and Outcomes of Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: Retrospective Cohort Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Little is known about family member involvement, by relationship status, for patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). OBJECTIVE Using documentation of family interactions in clinical notes, we examined associations between child and spousal involvement and ICU patient outcomes, including goals of care conversations (GOCC), limitations in life-sustaining therapy (LLST), and 3-month mortality. METHODS Using a retrospective cohort design, the study included a total of 858 adult patients treated between 2008-2012 in the medical intensive care unit at a tertiary care center in the northeastern United States. Clinical notes generated within the first 48 hours of admission to the ICU were used with standard machine learning methods to predict patient outcomes. We used natural language processing methods to identify family-related documentation and abstracted sociodemographic and clinical characteristics from the medical record. RESULTS Most patients were white (75.8%, n = 650/858), 50.9% (n = 437/858) were male, 55.8% (n = 479/858) were married, and the median age was 68.4 (IQR 56.5-79.4) years. Most patients had documented GOCC (75.9%, n=651/858). In adjusted regression analyses, child involvement (OR = 0.81, P = .41) and child plus spouse involvement (OR = 1.28, P = .30) were not associated with GOCC compared to spouse involvement. Child involvement was not associated with LLST compared to spouse involvement (OR = 1.49, P = .13). However, child plus spouse involvement was associated with LLST (OR = 1.60, P = .04). Compared to spouse involvement, there were no significant differences in 3-month mortality by family member type, including child plus spouse involvement (OR = 1.38, P = .13) and child involvement (OR = 1.47, P = .12). CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that statistical models derived from text analysis in the first 48 hours of ICU admission can predict patient outcomes. Early child plus spouse involvement in decision-making within the first 48 hours of ICU admission was associated with LLST, suggesting that families may prefer joint decision-making. Including all available family members early in ICU care may ease the limitations of life-sustaining treatments. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable

Interventions to promote family member involvement in adult critical care settings: a systematic review

ObjectiveTo identify, appraise and synthesise evidence of interventions designed to promote family member involvement in adult critical care units; and to develop a working typology of interventions for use by health professionals and family members.DesignMixed-method systematic review.Data sourcesBibliographic databases were searched without date restriction up to June 2019: MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Joanna Briggs and Cochrane Libraries. Back issues of leading critical care and patient experience journals were manually searched, as were the reference lists of included studies. All evaluation studies of relevant intervention activities were included; all research designs and outcome measures were eligible. Due to heterogeneity in interventions, designs and outcome measures, the synthesis followed a narrative approach. Service users met with the research team termly.ResultsOut of 4962 possible citations, a total of 20 studies were included. The overall evidence base was assessed as moderate to weak. Six categories of interventions were identified: environmental unit changes (n=2), web-based support (n=4), discussion-based support (n=6), multicomponent support (n=4), participation in rounds (n=3) and participation in physical care (n=1). Clinical and methodological heterogeneity across studies hindered meta-analysis, hence a narrative synthesis was pursued. Six main outcomes were identified, grouped under two categories: (i) involvement outcomes: communication (mean difference ranged from 6.39 to 8.83), decision-making (mean difference ranged from −0.8 to 5.85), satisfaction (mean difference ranged from 0.15 to 2.48); and (ii) health outcomes: family trauma (mean difference ranged from −7.12 to 0.9), family well-being (mean difference ranged from −0.7 to −4), patient outcomes (relative risk ranged from 1.27 to 4.91). The findings from the qualitative studies were thematically analysed to identify features of the interventions that participants perceived to influence effectiveness. Synthesised into five overarching categories (practicality, development, interaction, reflexivity and bridging), these can serve as principles to inform the future design and development of more refined family member involvement interventions.ConclusionsFuture interventions should be developed with much closer family member input and designed by considering the key features we identified. We call for future interventions to be multilayered and allow for a greater or lesser level, and different kinds, of involvement for family members. Choice of intervention should be informed by a baseline diagnostic of family members’ needs, readiness and preparedness for involvement.PROSPERO registrationCRD42018086325.

Member Influence and Involvement in Civil Society Organizations: A Resource Dependency Perspective on Groups and Parties

Which membership-based voluntary organizations constitutive of civil society such as parties, interest groups or service-oriented organizations keep their members active and which forms of activism do they cultivate? This article addresses this important question distinguishing two forms of ‘member activism’: ‘member involvement’, defined as members working for an organization, and ‘member influence’, defined as members’ participation in intra-organizational decision-making. Building on incentive-theoretical approaches to leader–member relations and resource dependency theory, we present a theoretical framework specifying distinct drivers of each form of member activism, which is tested using new data from four organization surveys conducted in four most different European democracies. None of the theorized factors has the same robust effect on both involvement and influence. Most notably, professionalization – reliance on paid staff – has a positive effect on involvement and a negative one on influence, stressing the need to distinguish carefully the different roles members play in civil society organizations.

What Student Positions can be Created on the LBUSD BOE to Increase the Effectiveness of Student Representation?

The Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education and superintendent make efforts to have student representation in the decision making process. However, there are many shortcomings in the student representation structure of the LBUSD BOE. The systems set in place do not encourage consistent and active student participation, and evaluations of recent student board member involvement show minimal to no participation. By comparing LBUSD to other CORE school districts, there are clear differences in the way students are represented on the BOE. Notably, many CORE school districts elect student BOE members and include a Student Advisory Council to advise the Board. Other CORE school districts have experienced valuable student participation with their models. LBUSD can draw from other CORE school districts to create a system of student representation on the BOE that fosters student involvement and values student voice.

Prioritizing professionals? How the democratic and professionalized nature of interest groups shapes their degree of access to EU officials

Interest groups are key intermediary actors between civil society and public officials. The EU has long emphasized the importance of interacting with representative groups that involve their members. Additionally, there is an increasing trend toward the professionalization of groups that invest in organizational capacities to efficiently provide policy expertise. Both member involvement and organizational capacity are crucial features for groups to function as transmission belts that aggregate and transfer the preferences of their members to policymakers, thus reinforcing the legitimacy and efficiency of governance systems. Yet, not all groups have these organizational attributes. This paper quantitatively examines the effects of interest groups’ investment in member involvement and organizational capacity on the level of access to EU Commission officials. The results indicate that member involvement does not pay off in terms of higher levels of access. In contrast, groups with high organizational capacities have more meetings with public officials of the Commission.

Dunbar’s Number goes to Church: The Social Brain Hypothesis as a third strand in the study of church growth

The study of church growth has historically been divided into two strands of research: the Church Growth Movement and the Social Science approach. This article argues that Dunbar’s Social Brain Hypothesis represents a legitimate and fruitful third strand in the study of church growth, sharing features of both previous strands but identical with neither. We argue that five predictions derived from the Social Brain Hypothesis are accurately borne out in the empirical and practical church growth literature: that larger congregations lead to lower active engagement from members; that single-leader congregations are limited to around 150 members; that congregations of 150 are further stratified into smaller functioning groups; that congregations expanding beyond 150 members undergo internal tensions and are forced to reorganise; and that congregations larger than 150 will require structural sub-divisions to retain active member involvement. While these assertions are reflected in the church growth literature and articulate the common sense assumptions of church growth experts, the Social Brain Hypothesis offers a coherent theoretical framework which unifies these observations and thereby represents a distinctive contribution to church growth studies.

Keterlibatan Anggota Keluarga Dalam Bisnis Dan Hubungannya Terhadap Kinerja Bisnis UMKM di Kota Padang

Purpose - This study aims to determine the relationship of family member involvement in business to the performance of SMEs businesses in the city of Padang.Methodology - The population in this study were allSMEs in the city of Padang. The sampling technique in this study is Non Probability Sampling. The number of samples is 100 respondents. The data analysis technique used is descriptive statistical analysis in the form of frequency distribution, percentage, cross tabulation, and chi-square test.Finding - From the results of this study, it can be seen that there is no significant relationship between the involvement of family members in the business towards the business performance of SMEs in Padang City. However, there is a significant relationship between the involvement of the number of family members and the dimensions of business performance, namely financial performance, the position of female family members significantly related to the dimensions of business performance, namely financial performance and preparing for the future. , the source of personal / friends' personal capital is significantly related to the dimensions of business performance, namely people development, the last source of bank capital is significantly related to the dimensions of business performance, namely financial performance.Keyword : Family member involvement, Business performance, family business

Involving clinical staff members in the management of low back pain in general practice: a qualitative interview study

Background Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Patient education and self-management have the potential to improve the care of patients. However, little available time for consultations challenge the delivery of optimal care in general practice. Involving clinical staff members in the management of diabetes and of patients with hypertension has shown to be feasible. Consequently, involving clinical staff members in providing education and information to patients may improve the delivery of patient information and education. However, this require a shift in the division of tasks and general practitioners’ (GPs’) barriers and facilitators for this is currently unknown. The aim is to explore GPs’ experiences of including clinical staff members in the management of LBP. Methods This is a qualitative, semi-structured interview study. We used a phenomenological approach to guide the data collection and the analysis in order to gain insight into the subjective experiences of the GPs and to understand the phenomenon ‘delegating tasks to practice staff’ from the GPs’ lifeworld. Analysis was conducted using inductive descriptive methods. Results We conducted five 60-minute interviews with Danish GPs. All GPs had experience with task delegation, but it varied which tasks the GPs delegated and to which types of clinical staff members. The following barriers towards clinical staff member involvement were identified: Patients with LBP is a heterogeneous group with a variety of treatment needs, the examination and treatment can be considered as one coherent process, and it would require external support. Involving clinical staff members can release GP time. Another facilitator was the possibility for improving the uptake of clinical guidelines and involvement of practice nurses was considered to improve the provision of patient education and lead to greater patient self-management. Conclusion While some GPs currently consider delegation to clinical staff members a good idea in the treatment of LBP, others prefer the existing treatment strategy without clinical staff member involvement. Consequently, healthcare providers need to address existing barriers and facilitators for involving clinical staff members when advocating for a future multi professional treatment strategy of LBP in general practice. Trial registration Not applicable.