Exclusivity of Cultural Practices Within Emerging Disease Outbreak Responses in Developing Nations Leads to Detrimental Outcomes

A number of organizations provide aid and medical care to areas affected by emerging infectious disease outbreaks. This process oftentimes involves organizations traveling to developing areas and coordinating efforts on-site of the initial outbreak. Yet, the longevity and death toll of specific recent outbreaks and inability to effectively control them lead to unnecessary deaths and an unconstructive use of resources. While virtually all organizations justifiably point toward limited resources as an explanatory mechanism, this in itself does not excuse poor utilization of resources. Specifically, organizations systematically do not factor cultural practices into their disease responses. This is demonstrated in analyzing components of responses during 3 recent outbreaks occurring at different times and on different continents: Ebola in 2014 and 2019, and Zika in 2016. While systemic trends in these differential environments demonstrate the extent of the problem, fortunately, scientific innovations, collaboration with local individuals and leadership, and especially establishment of cross-cultural dialogue and response flexibility with the eventual development of effective behavioral change communication can help curb or mitigate this issue in the future.

Machine Learning-Based Node Characterization for Smart Grid Demand Response Flexibility Assessment

As energy distribution systems evolve from a traditional hierarchical load structure towards distributed smart grids, flexibility is increasingly investigated as both a key measure and core challenge of grid balancing. This paper contributes to the theoretical framework for quantifying network flexibility potential by introducing a machine learning based node characterization. In particular, artificial neural networks are considered for classification of historic demand data from several network substations. Performance of the resulting classifiers is evaluated with respect to clustering analysis and parameter space of the models considered, while the bootstrapping based statistical evaluation is reported in terms of mean confusion matrices. The resulting meta-models of individual nodes can be further utilized on a network level to mitigate the difficulties associated with identifying, implementing and actuating many small sources of energy flexibility, compared to the few large ones traditionally acknowledged.

Dynamic capabilities for the creation of logistics flexibility – a conceptual framework

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to develop a conceptual framework in which dynamic capabilities (DCs) for the creation of logistics flexibility are outlined, and elaborate it further based on empirical data from a case study at a Swedish fast fashion retailer.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework that aims to delineate the relationship between generic classes of DCs and logistics flexibility is proposed. Thereafter, based on a theory elaboration approach, empirical data from a case study at a Swedish fast fashion retailer is used to identify more specific DCs and further outline the characteristics of the DCs classes.FindingsThe proposed framework draws on the three DC classes of sensing, seizing and reconfiguring, and how they underscore logistics range and logistics response flexibility. The framework also distinguishes between DC classes and logistics flexibility that occur at operational, structural and strategic levels. DCs for the creation of logistics flexibility at a Swedish fast fashion retailer have also been identified and described as a means to further elaborate the characteristics of the DC classes.Research limitations/implicationsCurrent empirical data is limited to one specific company context.Practical implicationsThe research presents a systematic and comprehensive map of different DCs that underscore logistics flexibility, a useful tool supporting logistics development efforts regarding flexibility.Originality/valueThe establishment of a more detailed DC lens, in which different classes of DCs are included, means that an improved understanding for how flexibility is created can be achieved. It helps the research to move beyond the “here and now” existence of logistics flexibility to instead focus on how logistics flexibility can be created.

How Response Styles Moderate the Relationship between Daily Stress and Social Interactions in Depression, Social Phobia, and Controls

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Stress and social isolation are potent predictors of negative health outcomes and are impacted in mood and anxiety disorders. Difficulties in social interactions have been particularly noted in people diagnosed with major depression disorder (MDD) and social phobia (SP). It remains poorly understood, however, how these variables interact on a moment-to-moment basis and which variables moderate this relationship. Psychological flexibility, or the ability to be open to experiences while maintaining engagement in valued activities, may help moderate the relationship between stress and social interaction. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> This study examined these variables in participants diagnosed with MDD and SP and compared them to a control group. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Participants were diagnosed with a mental disorder (<i>n</i> = 118 MDD; <i>n</i> = 47 SP) or were in the control group consisting of participants without MDD or SP (<i>n</i> = 119). Using the event sampling methodology (ESM), participants were queried six times per day for 7 days about stress, social interactions, and emotional response (rigid vs. flexible). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Higher current stress levels were related to more social interactions. This relationship was even stronger in situations when response flexibility was increased, especially in the clinical groups. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Data suggest that a healthy psychological process (flexible emotional responding) buffers the relationship between stress and social interactions. We discuss how these variables interact and whether these patterns may paradoxically contribute to the maintenance of psychopathology.

Striatal direct and indirect pathway neurons differentially control the encoding and updating of goal-directed learning

The posterior dorsomedial striatum (pDMS) is necessary for goal-directed action; however, the role of the direct (dSPN) and indirect (iSPN) spiny projection neurons in the pDMS in such actions remains unclear. In this series of experiments, we examined the role of pDMS SPNs in goal-directed action in rats and found that whereas dSPNs were critical for goal-directed learning and for energizing the learned response, iSPNs were involved in updating that learning to support response flexibility. Instrumental training elevated expression of the plasticity marker Zif268 in dSPNs only, and chemogenetic suppression of dSPN activity during training prevented goal-directed learning. Unilateral optogenetic inhibition of dSPNs induced an ipsilateral response bias in goal-directed action performance. In contrast, although initial goal-directed learning was unaffected by iSPN manipulations, optogenetic inhibition of iSPNs, but not dSPNs, impaired the updating of this learning and attenuated response flexibility after changes in the action-outcome contingency.