Research on Work-Life Balance of Female Employees

Nowadays,the pace of work and life is accelerating rapidly,accompanied by significant changes in work content and family structure.Enterprises and employees are encountering various pressures and conflicts.Female employees,in particular,are experiencing increasing pressure in both social labor and family affairs,resulting in ongoing conflicts between work and life.Achieving a balance between these two domains is crucial for female employees.This article aims to analyze the influencing factors of work-life balance for female employees and to propose useful strategies to help them improve it.

Person-job fit and work-life balance of female nurses with cultural competence as a mediator: evidence from Nigeria

Objective: This study investigated the mediating effect of cultural competence in the relationship between person-job (P-J) fit and work-life balance among female nurses. Methods: Participants included 216 (mean age = 31.12;SD = 9.16) female nurses that were conveniently selected from two Federal Teaching hospitals in Nigeria. Three questionnaires via the perceived fit scale, cultural competence scale, and work-life balance scale were utilized for data collection. Data were analyzed using both the Pearson Product Moment Correlation and PROCESS macro statistical tools. Results: Results revealed that both P-J fit and cultural competence positively and significantly associated with work-life balance. Also, cultural competence partially mediated the relationship between P-J fit and work-life balance of nurses. Conclusions: The cultural competence enhances the capacity of nurses to balance work and family roles. Therefore, cultural competence training that enhances nurses’ capabilities to handle cultural diversities of patients is essential.

Long Work Hours and Work-Life Balance in Korea and Japan

This study examines long work hours and work-life balance in relation to wage level, workaholism, and consumerism in both Korea and Japan. Findings of this study can be summarized as follows. First, the hypothesis that the wages and working hours have positive but differential effects depending on wage level categories are supported. Second, effects of cultural factors, such as workaholism and consumerism, on long work hours, however, are not significant in both countries. Third, for Korean manual workers, the probability of working long hours is high, but the level of time scarcity is low; but the effect of union membership on long work hours is not significant in both Korea and Japan. Fourth, the hypothesis that negative effects of long work hours and time scarcity on satisfaction with work-life balance are supported. These findings suggest that an increase in wage for non-regular workers and a minimum wage are required to reduce working hours. In addition, they also suggest that reducing working hours, overtime work in particular, and wage gap are crucial to raising the level of satisfaction with work-life balance in both Korea and Japan.

A Strategic Assessment and Evaluation of the Major Determinants of Work-Life Balance for University Student Workers in Lebanon

This research aims to explore the major determinants of work-life balance(WLB)for university student workers in Lebanon.The proposed relationships consist of causality between each of the variables of working hours,proximity to employment,proximity to university,workload,study leave,leaving early,work from home,study at work,and flexible working hours on one hand,and work-life balance on the other.Employing a deductive approach,this study presents one main research question and quantitatively tests 11 hypotheses using a sample of 300 workers studying in both Lebanese University and Notre Dame University.The findings show that work-life balance significantly varies according to demographic factors.As for variables,the number of courses was found to have a significant negative causal relation with work-life balance,while the ability to obtain a study leave and leaving early have a significant positive causal relation with work-life balance.This research adds quantitative empirical proof that number of courses,study leave,leaving early significantly affect“work-life balance”of today’s private and public university student workers in Lebanon.Therefore,the findings offer a theoretical enrichment to the topic of work-life balance in general,and open way for new research to expand internationally as well as locally.

Hybrid model for BOF oxygen blowing time prediction based on oxygen balance mechanism and deep neural network

The amount of oxygen blown into the converter is one of the key parameters for the control of the converter blowing process,which directly affects the tap-to-tap time of converter. In this study, a hybrid model based on oxygen balance mechanism (OBM) and deep neural network (DNN) was established for predicting oxygen blowing time in converter. A three-step method was utilized in the hybrid model. First, the oxygen consumption volume was predicted by the OBM model and DNN model, respectively. Second, a more accurate oxygen consumption volume was obtained by integrating the OBM model and DNN model. Finally, the converter oxygen blowing time was calculated according to the oxygen consumption volume and the oxygen supply intensity of each heat. The proposed hybrid model was verified using the actual data collected from an integrated steel plant in China, and compared with multiple linear regression model, OBM model, and neural network model including extreme learning machine, back propagation neural network, and DNN. The test results indicate that the hybrid model with a network structure of 3 hidden layer layers, 32-16-8 neurons per hidden layer, and 0.1 learning rate has the best prediction accuracy and stronger generalization ability compared with other models. The predicted hit ratio of oxygen consumption volume within the error±300 m^(3)is 96.67%;determination coefficient (R^(2)) and root mean square error (RMSE) are0.6984 and 150.03 m^(3), respectively. The oxygen blow time prediction hit ratio within the error±0.6 min is 89.50%;R2and RMSE are0.9486 and 0.3592 min, respectively. As a result, the proposed model can effectively predict the oxygen consumption volume and oxygen blowing time in the converter.

Multi-Model Approach for Assessing the Influence of Calibration Criteria on the Water Balance in Ouémé Basin

Hydrological models are very useful tools for evaluating water resources, and the hydroclimatic hazards associated with the water cycle. However, their calibration and validation require the use of performance criteria which choice is not straightforward. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of the performance criteria on water balance components and water extremes using two global rainfall-runoff models (HBV and GR4J) over the Ouémé watershed at the Bonou and Savè outlets. Three (3) Efficacy criteria (Nash, coefficient of determination, and KGE) were considered for calibration and validation. The results show that the Nash criterion provides a good assessment of the simulation of the different parts of the hydrograph. KGE is better for simulating peak flows and water balance elements than other efficiency criteria. This study could serve as a basis for the choice of performance criteria in hydrological modelling.

Post-COVID-19 Challenges for Full-Time Employees in China: Job Insecurity, Workplace Anxiety and Work-Life Conflict

Background:Though the COVID-19 pandemic recedes,and our society gradually returns to normal,Chinese people’s work and lifestyles are still influenced by the“pandemic aftermath”.In the post-pandemic era,employees may feel uncertainty at work due to the changed organizational operations and management and perceive the external environment to be more dynamic.Both these perceptions may increase employees’negative emotions and contribute to conflicts between work and life.Drawing from the ego depletion theory,this study aimed to examine the impact of job insecurity during the post-pandemic era on employees’work-life conflicts,and the mediating effect of workplace anxiety in this relationship.Besides,this study also considered the uncertainty of the external macro environment as a boundary condition on the direct and indirect relationship between job insecurity and work-life conflicts.Methods:A two-wave questionnaire survey was conducted from October to December 2023 to collect data.MBA students and graduates from business school with full-time jobs are invited to report their perception of job insecurity,work anxiety,perceived environment uncertainty,and work-life conflict.This resulted in 253 valid responses.Data analysis was performed using the SPSS,Amos,and PROCESS.Results:The results showed that:(1)Employees’job insecurity would directly intensify the work-life conflict(B=0.275,p<0.001,95%CI[0.182,0.367]).(2)Employees’workplace anxiety mediates the relationship between job insecurity and work-life conflict(B=0.083,p<0.001,95%CI[0.047,0.130]).(3)The mediating effect of workplace anxiety between job insecurity and work-life conflict exists when perceived environmental uncertainty is high(B=0.049,95%CI[0.011,0.114]),while vanishes when perceived environmental uncertainty is low(B=0.024,95%CI[−0.005,0.068]).Conclusion:Job insecurity combined with perceived environmental uncertainty in the postpandemic era fuels employees’workplace anxiety and work-life conflicts.Post-pandemic trauma lingers,necessitating urgent attention and response.

Transverse momentum balance of dijets in Xe+Xe collisions at the LHC

We present a theoretical study of the medium modifications of the p_(T)balance (x_(J)) of dijets in Xe+Xe collisions at■.The initial production of dijets was carried out using the POWHEG+PYTHIA8 prescription,which matches the next-toleading-order (NLO) QCD matrix elements with the parton shower (PS) effect.The SHELL model described the in-medium evolution of nucleus–nucleus collisions using a transport approach.The theoretical results of the dijet xJin the Xe+Xe collisions exhibit more imbalanced distributions than those in the p+p collisions,consistent with recently reported ATLAS data.By utilizing the Interleaved Flavor Neutralisation,an infrared-and-collinear-safe jet flavor algorithm,to identify the flavor of the reconstructed jets,we classify dijets processes into three categories:gluon–gluon (gg),quark–gluon (qg),and quark–quark (qq),and investigated the respective medium modification patterns and fraction changes of the gg,qg,and qq components of the dijet sample in Xe+Xe collisions.It is shown that the increased fraction of qg component at a small x_(J)contributes to the imbalance of the dijet;in particular,the q_(1)g_(2)(quark-jet-leading) dijets experience more significant asymmetric energy loss than the g_(1)q_(2)(gluon-jet-leading) dijets traversing the QGP.By comparing the■of inclusive,■ dijets in Xe+Xe collisions,we observe■.Moreover,ρ_(Xe),P_(b),the ratios of the nuclear modification factors of dijets in Xe+Xe to those in Pb+Pb,were calculated,which indicates that the yield suppression of dijets in Pb+Pb is more pronounced than that in Xe+Xe owing to the larger radius of the lead nucleus.

Unveiling evapotranspiration patterns and energy balance in a subalpine forest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau:observations and analysis from an eddy covariance system

Evapotranspiration is an important parameter used to characterize the water cycle of ecosystems.To under-stand the properties of the evapotranspiration and energy balance of a subalpine forest in the southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,an open-path eddy covariance system was set up to monitor the forest from November 2020 to October 2021 in a core area of the Three Parallel Rivers in the Qing-hai-Tibet Plateau.The results show that the evapotranspira-tion peaked daily,the maximum occurring between 11:00 and 15:00.Environmental factors had significant effects on evapotranspiration,among them,net radiation the greatest(R^(2)=0.487),and relative humidity the least(R^(2)=0.001).The energy flux varied considerably in different seasons and sensible heat flux accounted for the main part of turbulent energy.The energy balance ratio in the dormant season was less than that in the growing season,and there is an energy imbalance at the site on an annual time scale.

On the Use of Monotonicity-Preserving Interpolatory Techniques in Multilevel Schemes for Balance Laws

Cost-effective multilevel techniques for homogeneous hyperbolic conservation laws are very successful in reducing the computational cost associated to high resolution shock capturing numerical schemes.Because they do not involve any special data structure,and do not induce savings in memory requirements,they are easily implemented on existing codes and are recommended for 1D and 2D simulations when intensive testing is required.The multilevel technique can also be applied to balance laws,but in this case,numerical errors may be induced by the technique.We present a series of numerical tests that point out that the use of monotonicity-preserving interpolatory techniques eliminates the numerical errors observed when using the usual 4-point centered Lagrange interpolation,and leads to a more robust multilevel code for balance laws,while maintaining the efficiency rates observed forhyperbolic conservation laws.

Harmonic balance simulation of the influence of component uniformity and reliability on the performance of a Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifier

A Josephson traveling wave parametric amplifier(JTWPA),which is a quantum-limited amplifier with high gain and large bandwidth,is the core device of large-scale measurement and control systems for quantum computing.A typical JTWPA consists of thousands of Josephson junctions connected in series to form a transmission line and hundreds of shunt LC resonators periodically loaded along the line for phase matching.Because the variation of these capacitors and inductors can be detrimental to their high-frequency characteristics,the fabrication of a JTWPA typically necessitates precise processing equipment.To guide the fabrication process and further improve the design for manufacturability,it is necessary to understand how each electronic component affects the amplifier.In this paper,we use the harmonic balance method to conduct a comprehensive study on the impact of nonuniformity and fabrication yield of the electronic components on the performance of a JTWPA.The results provide insightful and scientific guidance for device design and fabrication processes.

Euler’s First-Order Explicit Method–Peridynamic Differential Operator for Solving Population Balance Equations of the Crystallization Process

Using Euler’s first-order explicit(EE)method and the peridynamic differential operator(PDDO)to discretize the time and internal crystal-size derivatives,respectively,the Euler’s first-order explicit method–peridynamic differential operator(EE–PDDO)was obtained for solving the one-dimensional population balance equation in crystallization.Four different conditions during crystallization were studied:size-independent growth,sizedependent growth in a batch process,nucleation and size-independent growth,and nucleation and size-dependent growth in a continuous process.The high accuracy of the EE–PDDO method was confirmed by comparing it with the numerical results obtained using the second-order upwind and HR-van methods.The method is characterized by non-oscillation and high accuracy,especially in the discontinuous and sharp crystal size distribution.The stability of the EE–PDDO method,choice of weight function in the PDDO method,and optimal time step are also discussed.

Risk-Balanced Routing Strategy for Service Function Chains of Cyber-Physical Power System Considering Cross-Space Cascading Failure

Cyber-physical power system(CPPS)has significantly improved the operational efficiency of power systems.However,cross-space cascading failures may occur due to the coupling characteristics,which poses a great threat to the safety and reliability of CPPS,and there is an acute need to reduce the probability of these failures.Towards this end,this paper first proposes a cascading failure index to identify and quantify the importance of different information in the same class of communication services.On this basis,a joint improved risk-balanced service function chain routing strategy(SFC-RS)is proposed,which is modeled as a robust optimization problem and solved by column-and-constraint generation(C-CG)algorithm.Compared with the traditional shortest-path routing algorithm,the superiority of SFC-RS is verified in the IEEE 30-bus system.The results demonstrate that SFC-RS effectively mitigates the risk associated with information transmission in the network,enhances information transmission accessibility,and effectively limits communication disruption from becoming the cause of cross-space cascading failures.

Comparative Analysis of Metro Passengers’Mobility Patterns and Jobs-housing Balance of Metropolitan

The advent of the big data era has provided many types of transportation datasets,such as metro smart card data,for studying residents’mobility and understanding how their mobility has been shaped and is shaping the urban space.In this paper,we use metro smart card data from two Chinese metropolises,Shanghai and Shenzhen.Five metro mobility indicators are introduced,and association rules are established to explore the mobility patterns.The proportion of people entering and exiting the station is used to measure the jobs-housing balance.It is found that the average travel distance and duration of Shanghai passengers are higher than those of Shenzhen,and the proportion of metro commuters in Shanghai is higher than that of Shenzhen.The jobs-housing spatial relationship in Shenzhen based on metro travel is more balanced than that in Shanghai.The fundamental reason for the differences between the two cities is the difference in urban morphology.Compared with the monocentric structure of Shanghai,the polycentric structure of Shenzhen results in more scattered travel hotspots and more diverse travel routes,which helps Shenzhen to have a better jobs-housing balance.This paper fills a gap in comparative research among Chinese cities based on transportation big data analysis.The results provide support for planning metro routes,adjusting urban structure and land use to form a more reasonable metro network,and balancing the jobs-housing spatial relationship.

Jianpi-Huatan-Huoxue-Anshen formula ameliorates gastrointestinal inflammation and microecological imbalance in chemotherapytreated mice transplanted with H22 hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Jianpi-Huatan-Huoxue-Anshen formula[Tzu-Chi cancer-antagonizing&lifeprotecting II decoction(TCCL)]is a Chinese medical formula that has been clinically shown to reduce the gastrointestinal side effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients and improve their quality of life.However,its effect and mechanism on the intestinal microecology after chemotherapy are not yet clear.AIM To discover the potential mechanisms of TCCL on gastrointestinal inflammation and microecological imbalance in chemotherapy-treated mice transplanted with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS Ninety-six mice were inoculated subcutaneously with HCC cells.One week later,the mice received a large dose of 5-fluorouracil by intraperitoneal injection to establish a HCC chemotherapy model.Thirty-six mice were randomly selected before administration,and feces,ileal tissue,and ileal contents were collected from each mouse.The remaining mice were randomized into normal saline,continuous chemotherapy,Yangzheng Xiaoji capsulestreated,and three TCCL-treated groups.After treatment,feces,tumors,liver,spleen,thymus,stomach,jejunum,ileum,and colon tissues,and ileal contents were collected.Morphological changes,serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-22,TNF-α,and TGF-β,intestinal SIgA,and protein and mRNA expression of ZO-1,NF-κB,Occludin,MUC-2,Claudin-1,and IκB-αin colon tissues were documented.The effect of TCCL on the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora was analyzed using 16S rDNA sequencing.RESULTS TCCL treatment improved thymus and spleen weight,thymus and spleen indexes,and body weight,decreased tumor volumes and tumor tissue cell density,and alleviated injury to gastric,ileal,and colonic mucosal tissues.Among proteins and genes associated with inflammation,IL-10,TGF-β,SIgA,ZO-1,MUC-2,and Occludin were upregulated,whereas NF-κB,IL-1β,IL-6,TNF-α,IL-22,IL-8,and IκB-αwere downregulated.Additionally,TCCL increased the proportions of fecal Actinobacteria,AF12,Adlercreutzia,Clostridium,Coriobacteriaceae,and Paraprevotella in the intermediate stage of treatment,decreased the proportions of Mucipirillum,Odoribacter,RF32,YS2,and Rikenellaceae but increased the proportions of p_Deferribacteres and Lactobacillus at the end of treatment.Studies on ileal mucosal microbiota showed similar findings.Moreover,TCCL improved community richness,evenness,and the diversity of fecal and ileal mucosal flora.CONCLUSION TCCL relieves pathological changes in tumor tissue and chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal injury,potentially by reducing the release of pro-inflammatory factors to repair the gastrointestinal mucosa,enhancing intestinal barrier function,and maintaining gastrointestinal microecological balance.Hence,TCCL is a very effective adjuvant to chemotherapy.

Fast and Balanced Charge Transport Enabled by Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Layers for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

Metal oxide charge transport materials are preferable for realizing long-term stable and potentially low-cost perovskite solar cells(PSCs).However,due to some technical difficulties(e.g.,intricate fabrication protocols,high-temperature heating process,incompatible solvents,etc.),it is still challenging to achieve efficient and reliable all-metal-oxide-based devices.Here,we developed efficient inverted PSCs(IPSCs)based on solution-processed nickel oxide(NiO_(x))and tin oxide(SnO_(2))nanoparticles,working as hole and electron transport materials respectively,enabling a fast and balanced charge transfer for photogenerated charge carriers.Through further understanding and optimizing the perovskite/metal oxide interfaces,we have realized an outstanding power conversion efficiency(PCE)of 23.5%(the bandgap of the perovskite is 1.62 eV),which is the highest efficiency among IPSCs based on all-metal-oxide charge transport materials.Thanks to these stable metal oxides and improved interface properties,ambient stability(retaining 95%of initial PCE after 1 month),thermal stability(retaining 80%of initial PCE after 2 weeks)and light stability(retaining 90%of initial PCE after 1000 hours aging)of resultant devices are enhanced significantly.In addition,owing to the low-temperature fabrication procedures of the entire device,we have obtained a PCE of over 21%for flexible IPSCs with enhanced operational stability.

Rolling Decision Model of Thermal Power Retrofit and Generation Expansion Planning Considering Carbon Emissions and Power Balance Risk

With the increasing urgency of the carbon emission reduction task,the generation expansion planning process needs to add carbon emission risk constraints,in addition to considering the level of power adequacy.However,methods for quantifying and assessing carbon emissions and operational risks are lacking.It results in excessive carbon emissions and frequent load-shedding on some days,although meeting annual carbon emission reduction targets.First,in response to the above problems,carbon emission and power balance risk assessment indicators and assessment methods,were proposed to quantify electricity abundance and carbon emission risk level of power planning scenarios,considering power supply regulation and renewable energy fluctuation characteristics.Secondly,building on traditional two-tier models for low-carbon power planning,including investment decisions and operational simulations,considering carbon emissions and power balance risks in lower-tier operational simulations,a two-tier rolling model for thermal power retrofit and generation expansion planning was established.The model includes an investment tier and operation assessment tier and makes year-by-year decisions on the number of thermal power units to be retrofitted and the type and capacity of units to be commissioned.Finally,the rationality and validity of the model were verified through an example analysis,a small-scale power supply system in a certain region is taken as an example.The model can significantly reduce the number of days of carbon emissions risk and ensure that the power balance risk is within the safe limit.

Multisensory mechanisms of gait and balance in Parkinson’s disease:an integrative review

Understanding the neural underpinning of human gait and balance is one of the most pertinent challenges for 21st-century translational neuroscience due to the profound impact that falls and mobility disturbances have on our aging population.Posture and gait control does not happen automatically,as previously believed,but rather requires continuous involvement of central nervous mechanisms.To effectively exert control over the body,the brain must integrate multiple streams of sensory information,including visual,vestibular,and somatosensory signals.The mechanisms which underpin the integration of these multisensory signals are the principal topic of the present work.Existing multisensory integration theories focus on how failure of cognitive processes thought to be involved in multisensory integration leads to falls in older adults.Insufficient emphasis,however,has been placed on specific contributions of individual sensory modalities to multisensory integration processes and cross-modal interactions that occur between the sensory modalities in relation to gait and balance.In the present work,we review the contributions of somatosensory,visual,and vestibular modalities,along with their multisensory intersections to gait and balance in older adults and patients with Parkinson’s disease.We also review evidence of vestibular contributions to multisensory temporal binding windows,previously shown to be highly pertinent to fall risk in older adults.Lastly,we relate multisensory vestibular mechanisms to potential neural substrates,both at the level of neurobiology(concerning positron emission tomography imaging)and at the level of electrophysiology(concerning electroencephalography).We hope that this integrative review,drawing influence across multiple subdisciplines of neuroscience,paves the way for novel research directions and therapeutic neuromodulatory approaches,to improve the lives of older adults and patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Separate-layer balanced waterflooding development technology for thick and complex carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East

Based on the waterflooding development in carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East,in order to solve the problem of the poor development effects caused by commingled injection and production,taking the thick bioclastic limestone reservoirs of Cretaceous in Iran-Iraq as an example,this paper proposes a balanced waterflooding development technology for thick and complex carbonate reservoirs.This technology includes the fine division of development units by concealed baffles and barriers,the combination of multi well type and multi well pattern,and the construction of balanced water injection and recovery system.Thick carbonate reservoirs in Iran-Iraq are characterized by extremely vertical heterogeneity,development of multi-genesis ultra-high permeability zones,and highly concealed baffles and barriers.Based on the technologies of identification,characterization,and sealing evaluation for concealed baffles and barriers,the balanced waterflooding development technology is proposed,and three types of balanced waterflooding development modes/techniques are formed,namely,conventional stratigraphic framework,fine stratigraphic framework,and deepened stratigraphic framework.Numerical simulations show that this technology is able to realize a fine and efficient waterflooding development to recover,in a balanced manner,the reserves of thick and complex carbonate reservoirs in Iran and Iraq.The proposed technology provides a reference for the development optimization of similar reservoirs.

Impact of different intravenous bolus rates on fluid and electrolyte balance and mortality in critically ill patients

The effect of intravenous bolus rates on patient outcomes is a complex and crucial aspect of critical care.Fluid challenges are commonly used in critically ill patients to manage their hemodynamic status,but there is limited information available on the specifics of when,how much,and at what rate fluids should be administered during these challenges.The aim of this review is to thoroughly examine the relationship between intravenous bolus rates,fluid-electrolyte balance,and mortality and to analyze key research findings and methodologies to understand these complex dynamics better.Fluid challenges are commonly employed in managing hemodynamic status in this population,yet there is limited information on the optimal timing,volume,and rate of fluid administration.Utilizing a narrative review approach,the analysis identified nine relevant studies that investigate these variables.The findings underscore the importance of a precise and individualized approach in clinical settings,highlighting the need to tailor intravenous bolus rates to each patient's specific needs to maximize outcomes.This review provides valuable insights that can inform and optimize clinical practices in critical care,emphasizing the necessity of meticulous and exact strategies in fluid administration.