Survey of deans of agriculture

Introduction: Although, several factors have been identified as significant determinants in online learning, the human interactions with those factors and their effect on academic achievement are not fully elucidated. This study aims to determine the effect of self-regulated learning (SRL) on achievement in online learning through exploring the relations and interaction of the conception of learning, online discussion, and the e-learning experience. Methods: A non-probability convenience sample of 128 learners in the Health Professions Education program through online learning filled-out three self-reported questionnaires to assess SRL strategies, the conception of learning, the quality of e-Learning experience and online discussion. A scoring rubric was used to assess the online discussion contributions. A path analysis model was developed to examine the effect of self-regulated learning on achievement in online learning through exploring the relations and interaction among the other factors. Results: Path analysis showed that SRL has a statistically significant relationship with the quality of e-learning experience, and the conception of learning. On the other hand, there was no correlation with academic achievement and online discussion. However, academic achievement did show a correlation with online discussion. Conclusion: The study showed a dynamic interaction between the students’ beliefs and the surrounding environment that can significantly and directly affect their behaviour in online learning. Moreover, online discussion is an essential activity in online learning.

Physical activities and social interactions are essential activities that ensure a healthy lifestyle. Public open spaces (POS), such as parks, plazas and greenways, are key environments that encourage those activities. To evaluate a POS, there is a need to study how humans use the facilities within it. However, traditional approaches to studying use of POS are manual and therefore time and labor intensive. They also may only provide qualitative insights. It is appealing to make use of surveillance cameras and to extract user-related information through computer vision. This paper proposes a proof-of-concept deep learning computer vision framework for measuring human activities quantitatively in POS and demonstrates a case study of the proposed framework using the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (DRFC) surveillance camera network. A custom image dataset is presented to train the framework; the dataset includes 7826 fully annotated images collected from 18 cameras across the DRFC park space under various illumination conditions. Dataset analysis is also provided as well as a baseline model for one-step user localization and activity recognition. The mAP results are 77.5\% for {\it pedestrian} detection and 81.6\% for {\it cyclist} detection. Behavioral maps are autonomously generated by the framework to locate different POS users and the average error for behavioral localization is within 10 cm.

Concept location in source code is an essential activity during software change. It starts with a change request and results in a place in the source code where the change is to be implemented. As a program comprehension activity, it is also part of other software evolution tasks, such as, bug localization, recovery of traceability links between software artifacts, retrieving software components for reuse, etc. While concept location is primarily a human activity, tool support is necessary given the large amount of information encoded in source code. Many such tools rely on text retrieval techniques and help developers perform concept location much like document retrieval on web. This paper presents and discusses the applications of text retrieval to support concept location, in the context of software change.

Coastline extraction has become an essential activity in wake of the natural disasters taking place in some regions such as tsunami, flooding etc. Salient feature of such catastrophes is lack of reaction time available for combating emergency, thus it is the endeavor of any country to develop constant monitoring mechanism of shorelines. This is a challenging task because of the magnitude of changes taking place to the coastline regularly. Previous research findings highlight a need of formulating automation driven methodology for timely and accurate detection of alterations in the coastline impacting sustainability of mankind operating in the coastal zone. In this study, we propose a new approach for automatic extraction of the coastline using remote sensing data. This approach is composed of three main stages. Firstly, classifying pixels of the image into two categories i.e. land and water body by applying two normalized difference indices i.e. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). Then, the process of binary conversion of classified image takes place using a local threshold method. Finally, the coastline is extracted by applying Sobel edge operator with a pair of (3×3) kernels. The approach is tested using 2.5m DubaiSat-1 (DS1) and DubaiSat-2 (DS2) images captured to detect and monitor the changes occurring along Dubai coastal zone within a period of six years from 2009 till 2015. Experimental results prove that the approach is capable of extracting the coastlines from DS1 and DS2 images with moderate human interaction. The results of the study show an increase of 6% in Dubai shoreline resulting on account of numerous man-made infrastructure development projects in tourism and allied sectors.

Establishing a connection between regional climate variability and rainfall delivery variability associated with extreme events will enable us to gain an improved understanding of the potential impacts of climate change on essential human activities — such as broadacre farming — via the rainfall delivery mechanism. Historical synoptic data shows that recent climate variability displays greater divergence from the long term trend, suggesting that short-to-medium term climate variability can be analysed using the synoptic characteristics of the delivery mechanism. Importantly, therefore, if we are to understand the variation in rainfall delivery and water availability associated with climate change and its potential impact on natural resources and reliant human activities — such as soil and agriculture — then we must consider the climate divergence from long term trends, rather than the long term trends themselves. This paper seeks to demonstrate that synoptic characterisation (in the meteorological context) is a technique that can be used to assist us establish a connection between climate divergence and deviations in rainfall patterns, and thus can be adapted as an effective short-to-medium term climate analytical and forecasting tool. The development of such a tool will facilitate better decision making and risk management, for information gained through the synoptic characterisation of regional climate can enhance the basis for studies that provide a large portion of the data required for evaluating and validating numerical regional and global scale climate models. It is the information from these studies that assist in the evaluation of the impacts due to potential future climate changes on the regional hydrologic system.

A longitudinal analysis of the COVID-19 effects on the variability in human activity spaces in Quito, Ecuador

The articles in this special section focus on the Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor networks. IoT is being embraced by numerous companies across most industries. This transformation is all about the adoption of digital technologies underpinning essential societal and human activities, while at its heart is the digital transformation of businesses. As more Internet-connected devices are being deployed to automate and collect various data, the adoption of IoT efficiently boosts business life all over the world, which is further supported by breakthrough innovations. The latter are remarkable as they employ the IoT technologies to mitigate global warming, save water, increase yields in smart farming, provide a backbone for autonomous vehicles, and many more.

The close relationship between charged particles and electromagnetic fields has been wellknown since the 19th century, thanks to James Clerk Maxwell’s brilliant unified theory ofelectricity and magnetism. Today, electromagnetism is recognized as an essential aspect ofhuman activity and has consequently become a major component of senior high-school andfirst-year university science curricula. However, while the action of electrical force oncharged particles is generally well understood, that of the magnetic force still remains amystery for some students, and thus the analysis of combined interactions quicklybecomes a real puzzle. To improve the teaching of these phenomena, and alsoto facilitate comprehension by students, we have developed a computer-basedsimulator to replicate the motion of a real charged particle under the influence of anycombination of electric and magnetic fields. Using this software, students are able tovisualize the motion of charged particles and thus gain a better understandingof the effect of electric and magnetic fields. The software is available as a freedownload.

The COVID-19 pandemic, from early 2020, compelled rigorous border restrictions among nations. Travel between countries became virtually impossible to curb the virus's rampant spread. All plans involving face-to-face human interactions had to be abandoned except for essential pandemic-related activities. Consequently, the scheduled leaders' visits from Indonesian Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) to Japan during this period had to be withdrawn as well.This annual event, initiated in 2004 through collaboration between the Center for the Study of Islam and Society (PPIM) at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University of Jakarta and the Government of Japan, aims primarily to enhance understanding and cultivate friendship between Japan and Indonesia, particularly among the Muslim community. Over nearly two decades, this program facilitated the participation of 157 leaders (kiai and nyai) from diverse regions in Indonesia, enabling them to observe contemporary developments in Japanese society while exchanging insights into the characteristics of Indonesia's Muslim community with the local people. Domestically, this initiative also desired to strengthen networks among pesantrens.

A mechanistic study of the essential allosteric activation of human pancreatic alpha-amylase by chloride ion has been conducted by exploring a wide range of anion substitutions through kinetic and structural experiments. Surprisingly, kinetic studies indicate that the majority of these alternative anions can induce some level of enzymatic activity despite very different atomic geometries, sizes, and polyatomic natures. These data and subsequent structural studies attest to the remarkable plasticity of the chloride binding site, even though earlier structural studies of wild-type human pancreatic alpha-amylase suggested this site would likely be restricted to chloride binding. Notably, no apparent relationship is observed between anion binding affinity and relative activity, emphasizing the complexity of the relationship between chloride binding parameters and the activation mechanism that facilitates catalysis. Of the anions studied, particularly intriguing in terms of observed trends in substrate kinetics and their novel atomic compositions were the nitrite, nitrate, and azide anions, the latter of which was found to enhance the relative activity of human pancreatic alpha-amylase by nearly 5-fold. Structural studies have provided considerable insight into the nature of the interactions formed in the chloride binding site by the nitrite and nitrate anions. To probe the role such interactions play in allosteric activation, further structural analyses were conducted in the presence of acarbose, which served as a sensitive reporter molecule of the catalytic ability of these modified enzymes to carry out its expected rearrangement by human pancreatic alpha-amylase. These studies show that the largest anion of this group, nitrate, can comfortably fit in the chloride binding pocket, making all the necessary hydrogen bonds. Further, this anion has nearly the same ability to activate human pancreatic alpha-amylase and leads to the production of the same acarbose product. In contrast, while nitrite considerably boosts the relative activity of human pancreatic alpha-amylase, its presence leads to changes in the electrostatic environment and active site conformations that substantially modify catalytic parameters and produce a novel acarbose rearrangement product. In particular, nitrite-substituted human pancreatic alpha-amylase demonstrates the unique ability to cleave acarbose into its acarviosine and maltose parts and carry out a previously unseen product elongation. In a completely unexpected turn of events, structural studies show that in azide-bound human pancreatic alpha-amylase, the normally resident chloride ion is retained in its binding site and an azide anion is found bound in an embedded side pocket in the substrate binding cleft. These results clearly indicate that azide enzymatic activation occurs via a mechanism distinct from that of the nitrite and nitrate anions.

Evidence suggests that anthropogenic climate change is accelerating and is affecting human health globally. Despite urgent calls to address health effects in the context of the additional challenges of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and ageing populations, the effects of climate change on specific health conditions are still poorly understood. Neurological diseases contribute substantially to the global burden of disease, and the possible direct and indirect consequences of climate change for people with these conditions are a cause for concern. Unaccustomed temperature extremes can impair the systems of resilience of the brain, thereby exacerbating or increasing susceptibility to neurological disease. In this Perspective, we explore how changing weather patterns resulting from climate change affect sleep - an essential restorative human brain activity, the quality of which is important for people with neurological diseases. We also consider the pervasive and complex influences of climate change on two common neurological conditions: stroke and epilepsy. We highlight the urgent need for research into the mechanisms underlying the effects of climate change on the brain in health and disease. We also discuss how neurologists can respond constructively to the climate crisis by raising awareness and promoting mitigation measures and research - actions that will bring widespread co-benefits.

Performance Appraisal is a tool for performance improvement. It is an essential human resource activity intended to increase efficiency and productivity and provide an opportunity to continuously review agreed-upon targets as per the organization's set objectives. The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of performance appraisal on the application of professional knowledge, time management, creativity in teaching, and professional development on the performance of public secondary school teachers in Migori County, Kenya. Goal-setting theory guided this study. A descriptive survey design was used. The sample size included 342 teachers from 57 schools. The study used simple and stratified random sampling techniques. Questionnaires and a document analysis guide were used to collect data. Content validity was tested through expert judgement by the supervisors. The test re-test method was used to test reliability. The reliability of the questionnaire instrument was 0.85. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient ('r'), and multiple Regression analysis. The study established that Teacher performance appraisal is a significant predictor of teachers' performance. The study concludes that teachers' performance appraisal translates into efficiency and increased productivity. The study recommends, among others, that performance expectations of the teacher should clearly be communicated to them by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and that teachers should be involved in designing performance appraisal criteria.

Recently, by improved computational biomechanics software, biomechanical analyses of various kinds of body movements are attainable. Sit-to-Stand movement is one of the essential human daily activities on average performed four times in an hour. The style of standing up is different for each person and it depends on his/her manner. Obesity, age, infirmity and each kind of standing up style has its individual biomechanical influence on human body. As a result, finding the appropriate standing up style is beneficial for patients, elders, physiotherapists and every person engaged in STS movement infirmity. In the present study, musculoskeletal simulation of STS maneuver was performed to determine the biomechanical influences of various standing up strategies. The musculoskeletal simulation software AnyBody (version 5.1, Anybody Technology, Aalborg, Denmark) was used so as to simulate four disparate standing up styles. Therefore, the influences of the modification of four mentioned STS styles on body joints and muscles was discussed and compared in order to find the appropriate sit-to-stand strategy for each kind of human infirmity. Our results showed that each kind of STS task has its particular blind spots and strong spots. And finally, it was discussed that the sit-to-stand assistance and rehabilitation devices must be customized for each person depending on his/her infirmity.

Geographic information science in the era of geospatial big data: A cyberspace perspective

When something is institutionalized, it is established as a convention or norm of an organization or culture. Most professional disciplines have institutionalized and published their professional ethical expectations. Universities routinely include ethical study in the curriculum for medicine, law, business, and the environment. The agricultural science curriculum lacks consideration and study of the effects of agriculture’s ethical dilemmas on society. Moreover, agriculture, the essential human activity and the most widespread human interaction with the environment, needs a defined moral foundation. Ethics has not been institutionalized in US land-grant universities with agricultural colleges,2 colleges of agriculture in other countries, agricultural professional organizations, or the agribusiness industry. That is not to say there are no professional ethical standards.