Fuzzy logic methods in assessing the transport and warehouse complexes functioning quality

In most sectors of the national economy, technical facilities are represented by unloading devices that extract bulk cargo from the freight rolling stock, store it for a certain time, and ship it to a similar or other type of transport. Objects intended for the implementation of the stages of loading, unloading, and various storage periods, including bulk cargos, are commonly referred to by the broad scientific community as transport and warehouse complexes (TWC). Most operations performed in the TWC are the movement of goods (internal movements, receiving or sending goods by various modes of transport. The authors clarified the concept of "transport and warehouse complex" - it is an element of the transport network of the region, providing communication of external transport systems of the regions and performing the functions of converting the cargo flow of the region into the cargo flow sent by the region. On the one hand, they perform functions of transshipment points in relation to deep (economic) warehouses, and on the other – the functions of storage facilities. Their primary purpose is determined and depends on a large number of factors, including: the size of the direct service area, the ratio of the design capacity of the warehouse to the volumes of deliveries and the use of bulk cargo, as well as the condition of roads in the serviced area, the uniformity of the receipt of bulk cargo and the availability of vehicles for their delivery to the consumer.

Creating, Recruiting, and Developing: Key Tasks and Their Challenges

The ECHO model is uniquely suited to developing education for a wide range of agencies and providers serving the needs of older adults with IDD. The program’s structure and its educational philosophy depend on modeling teamwork in both the hub and the spokes. Recruitment of participants included paid caregivers, healthcare practitioners, and direct service providers, focusing on team participation at each site. In developing the curriculum, it was critical to recognize the roles played by each sector, as well as the complementary contributions of others. Consequently, curriculum content needed to be multidisciplinary and multifocal, and recognize both the breadth of contributors and time limits in selecting content for each session. Didactic presentations and case studies embodied these features. Priorities included best practices in person-centered care; differential diagnoses; and physical, social, and environmental factors. The facilitators of, and challenges to, these priorities offer implications for advancing educational programs with similar objectives.

Generative Semantics 3: The Ethos

This chapter describes the distinctive ethos of Generative Semantics, which permeated the field from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, exactly when the counterculture (“the hippies”) were flourishing as a broad cultural movement. While there were many personal motivations in the development of this ethos, a broad generalization holds that just as the counterculture was rooted in rejecting establishment values, the Generative Semantics ethos was rooted in a rejection of perceived Chomskyan values. Their intellectual style embraced humor (Chomsky epitomizes seriousness), political engagement (Chomsky was a forceful activist but segregated his political and linguistic work sharply), and a veneration of data for the sake of data (Chomsky’s data was always highly constrained, in direct service to his theoretical claims; Generative Semanticists eagerly pursued data even when it undermined their theories).

Factors Shaping Public Perceptions of Market-based Activities Undertaken by Canadian Nonprofits

Charitable nonprofits are engaging at increasing rates in market-based activities. This study examined Canadian public perception of nonprofits’ market-based activities. Latent variables for trust, financial accountability, transparency, direct and general familiarity, understanding of nonprofit roles in service delivery and advocacy, and orientation towards market-based activities were created using a secondary dataset of nationally representative Canadians (n = 3853). Results show that positive perceptions of market-based activities of nonprofits are influenced by familiarity of nonprofits, accepting their advocacy role, and perceiving them as being accountable. Those with stronger views of nonprofits as providers of direct service had unfavorable perceptions of the nonprofit’s market-based activities. The findings have implications for nonprofit managers who engage in market-based activities and want to promote a positive orientation to these endeavors to engage consumers and investors.

Program sustainability post PEPFAR direct service support in the Western Cape, South Africa

Background Public health practitioners have little guidance around how to plan for the sustainability of donor sponsored programs after the donor withdraws. The literature is broad and provides no consensus on a definition of sustainability. This study used a mixed-methods methodology to assess program sustainability factors to inform donor-funded programs. Methods This study examined 61 health facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa, supported by four PEPFAR-funded non-governmental organizations from 2007 to 2012. Retention in care (RIC) was used to determine health facility performance. Sustainability was measured by comparing RIC during PEPFAR direct service (20072012), to RIC in the post PEPFAR period (2013 to 2015). Forty-three semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants. The qualitative data were used to examine how predictor variables were operationalized at a health facility and NGO level. Results Our qualitative results suggest the following lessons for the sustainability of future programs: Sufficient and stable resources (i.e., financial, human resources, technical expertise, equipment, physical space) Investment in organizations that understand the local context and have strong relationships with local government. Strong leadership at a health facility level Joint planning/coordination and formalized skill transfer Local positive perceived value of the program Partnerships Conclusion Sustainability is complex, context dependent, and is reliant on various processes and outcomes. This study suggests additional health facility and community level staff should be employed in the health system to ensure RIC sustainability. Sustainability requires joint donor coordination with experienced local organizations with strong managers before during and after program implementation. If the program is as large as the South African HIV effort some dedicated additional resources in the long term would be required.

Mental Health and Wellness of Service Providers Working with People Experiencing Homelessness in Canada: A National Survey from the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Santé Mentale et Bien-Être Des Prestataires de Services Qui Travaillent Avec Des Personnes en Situation D’itinérance au Canada : un Sondage National sur la Deuxième Vague de la Pandémie COVID-19

Objective: This study examined the scope of common mental health problems and perceived impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among direct service providers working with people experiencing homelessness in Canada. Method: This cross-sectional study used an online survey that was disseminated to homeless service, supportive housing, and harm reduction organizations and networks. Data were collected on depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress, compassion satisfaction and fatigue, and substance use problems as well as pandemic-related changes in mental health and wellness. A total of 701 service providers completed the survey and were included in data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the primary research questions, with hierarchical multiple regression models also being fit to explore mental health and wellness differences by occupational service setting. Results: Most direct service providers (79.5%) working with people experiencing homelessness reported a decline in their mental health during the pandemic. There were high rates of common mental health problems within the sample that are largely consistent with those found among health-care workers during the pandemic. Occupational service settings were not associated with the severity of mental health problems, indicating pervasive issues across the workforce, though providers who were younger and spent more time in direct service roles were at greater risk. Conclusions: The common mental health problems and negative impacts of the pandemic among service providers working with people experiencing homelessness highlight a highly vulnerable workforce that could benefit from improved access to supports. Given the similarities between our findings and other studies examining essential workforces, it is recommended that initiatives that provide accessible mental health care to the health-care workforce during the pandemic be expanded to include homeless and social service providers.

A Multilevel Intervention Framework for Supporting People Experiencing Homelessness with Pets

Approximately one in 10 people experiencing homelessness have pets. Despite the psychosocial benefits derived from pet ownership, systemic and structural barriers can prevent this group from meeting their basic needs and exiting homelessness. A multilevel framework is proposed for improving the health and well-being of pet owners experiencing homelessness. Informed by a One Health approach, the framework identifies interventions at the policy, public, and direct service delivery levels. Policy interventions are proposed to increase the supply of pet-friendly emergency shelters, access to market rental housing and veterinary medicine, and the use of a Housing First approach. At the public level, educational interventions are needed to improve knowledge and reduce stigma about the relationship between homelessness and pet ownership. Direct service providers can support pet owners experiencing homelessness by recognizing their strengths, connecting them to community services, being aware of the risks associated with pet loss, providing harm reduction strategies, documenting animals as emotional support animals, and engaging in advocacy. By targeting policies and service approaches that exacerbate the hardships faced by pet owners experiencing homelessness, the framework is a set of deliberate actions to better support a group that is often overlooked or unaccommodated in efforts to end homelessness.