Adaptive Strategy Research Articles

An Adaptive Extended Kalman Filter With Passivity-Based Control for DC-DC Converter in DC Microgrids Supplying Constant Power Loads

This paper proposes an adaptive nonlinear control strategy to eliminate the instability problem of buck converters in DC microgrids (DCMG) considering constant power load (CPL). The strategy includes an Adaptive Passivity-Based Controller (PBC) and an Adaptive Extended Kalman Filter (AEKF). The proposed AEKF performs faster and more accurately than the conventional EKF and adjusts the covariance matrices adaptively. Furthermore, this AEKF directly estimates the unknown CPL power supplied by the converter and prevents the number of measurement sensors from increasing. Hence, PBC ensures system stability alongside AEKF. The controller guarantees Lyapunov stability and fast dynamic response in the presence of uncertainties and perturbations compared to other nonlinear methods. MATLAB simulations and laboratory implementation are provided to confirm the performance and robustness of the proposed control strategy and validate the analysis.

Acculturation strategies and psychological adaptation of two generations of the same ethnic minority group in different sociopolitical contexts

This study examines the acculturation strategies and adaptation outcomes of two generations of the Russian ethnic minority in two post-Soviet republics, Estonia and Kyrgyzstan. Theoretical analysis suggests two possible alternative strategies of adaptation, namely integration and assimilation. These are based on their preferred way of acculturating and on the social capital (bridging and bonding) that they have accumulated. We expected that the preferred way of acculturating would depend on some contextual characteristics, such as cultural distance and the state policy towards the ethnic minority. In each of the two countries, the members of two generations of Russians were surveyed, including adults who were socialized during Soviet time and those whose socialization occurred after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The total sample (N = 687) included the following four subsamples: Estonian adult Russians (N = 234); Estonian young Russians (N = 152); Kyrgyz adult Russians (N = 150); and Kyrgyz young Russians (N = 150). The results allow us to conclude that in a cultural context that is culturally similar and with a restrictive sociopolitical climate (Estonia), the adaptation of an ethnic minority generation-to-generation changes from the strategy of assimilation to integration. In a context characterized by a larger cultural distance, and a more inclusive sociopolitical climate (Kyrgyzstan), the adaptation of an ethnic minority generation-to-generation goes in the opposite direction: from the older generation's attempts to integrate towards assimilation among the younger generation. However, both strategies lead to similar outcomes in terms of their level of psychological adaptation.

Assessing the spatiotemporal dynamics of water and carbon fluxes in subtropical forest of Xin’an River Basin using an improved Biome-BGC model

Extreme climate occurred frequently in subtropical region, which seriously affects carbon and water fluxes such as evapotranspiration (ET) and gross primary productivity (GPP) of terrestrial ecosystems. The process-based biome biogeochemical cycles (Biome-BGC) model is widely used for simulating carbon and water fluxes of forest ecosystems. However, the lack of the interaction information of climate, vegetation and soil, such as the hysteresis effect, canopy stratification on photosynthesis, impedes better simulations of the ecohydrological processes. Here, we tended to improve the simulation accuracy of Biome-BGC model at a subtropical forest on the Xin’an River in Southeastern China by reconstructing the precipitation series, modifying the ET and canopy multilayers modules, and optimizing the parameters. The spatiotemporal patterns of GPP, ET, water use efficiency (WUE) and their response to environmental factors across the Xin’an River Basin from 1982 to 2018 were further explored. The results showed that the improved model performed well, with the determination coefficient, root means square error and mean absolute error being 0.730, 1.522 gC/m2/d and 1.218 gC/m2/d for GPP, 0.857, 1.082 mm/d and 0.838 mm/d for ET, respectively. Basin-averaged GPP, ET and WUE increased during 1982-2018 and these increasing trends were more pronounced during 1999-2018. Significant positive trends of WUE occurred in the northeast corner. The increasing air temperature and precipitation respectively dominated the increase in GPP and ET, the increasing CO2 concentration and NDVI mitigated the negative effect of extreme precipitation on WUE. Given that human activities such as afforestation have effectively reduced the extent of damage to forest ecosystems from extreme precipitation, we highlight an urgent need to formulate adaptation strategies aimed at reducing the risk of extreme climate in humid regions.

Adaptive Reliable Cluster Head Selection Strategy for Multi-Hop Multimedia Wireless Sensor Networks

Adaptive Reliable Cluster Head Selection Strategy for Multi-Hop Multimedia Wireless Sensor Networks

Assessment of Flood Vulnerability and Coping Strategies of Communities Living along River Tana in Madogo Ward, Kenya

Purpose: Flood is a natural disaster that occurs due to the sudden onset of rainfall that causes runoff waters from high to low altitude area. Community living along the River Tana in Madogo ward, Tana River County are affected by the floods when it occurs. It was therefore important to assess factors contributing to their flood vulnerability and assess their flood coping and adaptation strategy for current and future planning. This study assessed the factors contributing to flood vulnerability, adaptation and coping strategies along River Tana in Madogo Ward, Tana River County, Kenya. The research objectives were to assess the trends of flood occurrence in Madogo Ward between 2000 and 2020 as well as the coping and adaptation strategies of communities to floods in Madogo Ward.
 Materials and Methods: A descriptive research design approach was used. Data collection approaches involved the use of questionnaires to identify coping strategies by communities. Key informant interviews were also conducted with government officers within the study area to provide information on factors contributing to flood vulnerability, flood trends, occurrence adaptation and coping strategies. Secondary data was acquired through journals, books, and maps. The Statistical Package for Social Science was used to analyze the quantitative data. The analyzed data was presented through maps, tables, figures and graphs.
 Findings: The results indicated that the floods occur after every two years in the study area with different magnitudes and durations. The main coping strategies employed by the community living along River Tana in Madogo Ward was relocation to the higher grounds. It was also established that the community in the area had developed adaptive strategies to flood by putting barriers round their houses. Further findings indicated that the major flood vulnerability factor was topography of the area.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Based on the findings, it is being recommended that community leaders and county government of Tana River should not allocate plots in the flood zone area. Hence, there is a need for flood zone mapping for resident to know whether they are living within flood zone or not. Additionally, the people’s economic power should be enhanced through entrepreneurial training and giving them first priority in job opportunities. There is also a need to improve the quality of the infrastructures in the area to enhance their resilience to the negative impact of floods.

Recruitment Strategies in the Integration of Mobile Health Into Sickle Cell Disease Care to Increase Hydroxyurea Utilization Study (meSH): Multicenter Survey Study.

Hydroxyurea is an evidence-based disease-modifying therapy for sickle cell disease (SCD) but is underutilized. The Integration of Mobile Health into Sickle Cell Disease Care to Increase Hydroxyurea Utilization (meSH) multicenter study leveraged mHealth to deliver targeted interventions to patients and providers. SCD studies often underenroll; and recruitment strategies in the SCD population are not widely studied. Unanticipated events can negatively impact enrollment, making it important to study strategies that ensure adequate study accrual. The goal of this study was to evaluate enrollment barriers and the impact of modified recruitment strategies among patients and providers in the meSH study in response to a global emergency. Recruitment was anticipated to last 2 months for providers and 6 months for patients. The recruitment strategies used with patients and providers, new recruitment strategies, and recruitment rates were captured and compared. To document recruitment adaptations and their reasons, study staff responsible for recruitment completed an open-ended 9-item questionnaire eliciting challenges to recruitment and strategies used. Themes were extrapolated using thematic content analysis. Total enrollment across the 7 sites included 89 providers and 293 patients. The study acceptance rate was 85.5% (382/447) for both patients and providers. The reasons patients declined participation were most frequently a lack of time and interest in research, while providers mostly declined because of self-perceived high levels of SCD expertise, believing they did not need the intervention. Initially, recruitment involved an in-person invitation to participate during clinic visits (patients), staff meetings (providers), or within the office (providers). We identified several important recruitment challenges, including (1) lack of interest in research, (2) lack of human resources, (3) unavailable physical space for recruitment activities, and (4) lack of documentation to verify eligibility. Adaptive strategies were crucial to alleviate enrollment disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These included remote approaching and consenting (eg, telehealth, email, and telephone) for patients and providers. Additionally, for patients, recruitment was enriched by simplification of enrollment procedures (eg, directly approaching patients without a referral from the provider) and a multitouch method (ie, warm introductions with flyers, texts, and patient portal messages). We found that patient recruitment rates were similar between in-person and adapted (virtual with multitouch) approaches (167/200, 83.5% and 126/143, 88.1%, respectively; P=.23). However, for providers, recruitment was significantly higher for in-person vs remote recruitment (48/50, 96% and 41/54, 76%, respectively, P<.001). We found that timely adaptation in recruitment strategies secured high recruitment rates using an assortment of enriched remote recruitment strategies. Flexibility in approach and reducing the burden of enrollment procedures for participants aided enrollment. It is important to continue identifying effective recruitment strategies in studies involving patients with SCD and their providers and the impact and navigation of recruitment challenges. ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT03380351; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03380351. RR2-10.2196/16319.

Female entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystems

Purpose This study aims to delve into the lived experiences, challenges and visions of women entrepreneurs in Jordan, placing a magnifying glass on those spearheading or co-pioneering start-ups. It aims to understand the myriad factors that influence their entrepreneurial journey, from motivation to the future of their niche. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative lens, this study is anchored in semi-structured interviews encompassing 20 Jordanian women entrepreneurs. Following this, thematic analysis was deployed to dissect and categorize the garnered insights into ten salient themes. Findings The study reveals that personal experiences and challenges are pivotal in directing these women towards niche markets, aligning with the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Tools such as digital instruments, customer feedback and innovative strategies like storytelling and augmented reality are integral to their entrepreneurial success, resonating with the resource-based view (RBV). Additionally, challenges like cultural barriers and infrastructural limitations are navigated through adaptive strategies, reflecting the resilience inherent in these entrepreneurs. Networking, mentorship, embracing technological advancements and implementing sustainable practices are highlighted as crucial elements underpinned by the social identity theory (SIT). Originality/value Contrary to the extant body of research, this study provides new insights into the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in Jordan, highlighting the practical relevance of theories like TPB, RBV and SIT for both policymakers and the start-up community in niche markets.

Adaptation of trend analysis over a small-scale region for assessing climate change parameters

Abstract Several natural and anthropogenic activities mainly escalate the demand for water and food and develop implications for their availability. Hence, it is necessary to analyse the natural and man-made changes for managing resources precisely. This study focuses on assessing the trends of climatic factors such as rainfall and temperature using the Mann–Kendall (MK) test and innovative trend analysis (ITA) for the agricultural cropping seasons. The findings revealed that a statistically insignificant increasing trend in rainfall is observed for all three cropping seasons (i.e.) Kuruvai/Samba (June–September), Thaladi/Navarai (October–January), and Sornavari (February–May), while the mean temperature shows a significantly increasing trend for all three cropping seasons. The results obtained using the MK test are compared with those of the ITA test to identify the reliable trend technique for climatic factor analysis of small regions. To manage the impacts of climate change and develop sustainable conditions in agriculture, this micro-level study assists the decision makers to prefer suitable trend analysis techniques and helps in identifying the climate change adaptation strategies for small regions. Also, this study is helpful for rural farmers to increase their adaptability conditions with regard to the climate change impacts as they are the frontline victims of climate change.

Burnout and coping mechanisms among healthcare professionals in central Uganda

BackgroundThe escalating global prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals poses a serious health concern. Recent studies focus on prevalence and predictors of burnout among healthcare providers, emphasizing the need for well-being interventions. This study investigates burnout and coping mechanisms among healthcare professionals in central Uganda, addressing the dearth of knowledge about coping strategies specific to the region.MethodsAn analytical facility cross-sectional study was conducted in five healthcare facilities in central Uganda between June to July 2023. Participants included physicians, nurses, and technicians actively engaged in direct patient care. Data were collected using socio-demographic surveys, the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL-5), and the Brief-COPE tools.ResultsThe study revealed a high prevalence of burnout, with 39.8% of participants experiencing significant levels. Active coping, positive reframing, and denial were negatively correlated with low burnout levels. Dysfunctional coping, specifically self-distraction and denial, showed positive correlations with average and high burnout levels. Emotion-focused coping mechanisms were not employed across burnout levels.ConclusionsThe results emphasize the demanding nature of healthcare roles in the region and highlight the need for comprehensive, context-specific interventions to address burnout globally. While some healthcare professionals utilized adaptive strategies such as seeking social support, engaging in self-care activities, and utilizing problem-solving skills, others resorted to maladaptive coping mechanisms such as substance use and avoidance behaviors. This dichotomy highlights the need for targeted interventions to promote adaptive coping strategies and mitigate the negative impact of maladaptive behaviors on individual well-being and patient care.

Talent training practices in SME hotels

Purpose: This study aims to explore and analyse the intricacies of talent management and employee development practices within the hospitality industry. By delving into various training methodologies and assessing their impact, the study seeks to unveil the strengths, challenges, and opportunities each presents.Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a qualitative research design, utilizing an inductive and exploratory approach. Given the nuanced and dynamic nature of talent management in the hospitality industry, this methodology allowed for a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of practices, impacts, and underlying dynamics.Findings: This study highlighted the diversity in talent management within the hospitality industry. Outsourced courses and peer-to-peer learning were common, each presenting unique advantages and challenges. Coaching was valued but faced scheduling and cost issues. Notably, exclusion from talent pools resulted in employee frustration, mistrust, and increased turnover intentions, underscoring the need for inclusive and adaptive talent management strategies.

Comparison of changes in stress coping strategies between cognitive behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy

BackgroundCoping refers to conscious responses to negative circumstances, with the intention of ameliorating these situations. Few studies have compared the differences between psychotherapy and medication treatment for coping strategies for depression. In this study, we investigated the differences in coping strategies between cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) combined with medication (CBT group) and medication alone (pharmacotherapy group) among outpatients with depression.MethodsA prospective observational study was conducted among 50 patients with major depression (24 and 26 in the CBT and pharmacotherapy groups, respectively). Stress coping strategies (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations [CISS]) and depression severity (Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition [BDI-II]) were assessed at baseline and 16 weeks later. Changes in the CISS and BDI-II scores in both groups were tested using repeated analysis of variance. Inverse probability weighting with propensity score analysis was applied to address potential selection bias.ResultsAt 16 weeks, the CBT group exhibited increased CISS task-oriented coping, distraction, and social diversion scores, which differed from those of the pharmacotherapy group. The CBT group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than the pharmacotherapy group.LimitationsThis study was not a randomized controlled trial and thus may have selection bias.ConclusionGaining adaptive coping skills, including task-oriented coping, distraction, and social diversion skills, by combining CBT with medication may lead to greater improvement in depression symptoms. These findings suggest that clinicians should evaluate coping strategies and facilitate the acquisition of adaptive coping strategies in patients with depression to reduce their symptoms.

Short-term Electricity Load Forecasting Based on Improved Seagull Algorithm Optimized Gated Recurrent Unit Neural Network

INTRODUCTION: The complexity of the power network, changes in weather conditions, diverse geographical locations, and holiday activities comprehensively affect the normal operation of power loads. Power load changes have characteristics such as non stationarity, randomness, seasonality, and high volatility. Therefore, how to construct accurate short-term power load forecasting models has become the key to the normal operation and maintenance of power.OBJECTIVES: Accurate short-term power load forecasting helps to arrange power consumption planning, optimize power usage and largely reduce power system losses and operating costs.METHODS: A hybrid decomposition-optimization-integration load forecasting method is proposed to address the problems of low accuracy of current short-term power load forecasting methods.RESULTS: The original power load time series is decomposed using the complete ensemble empirical modal decomposition method, while the correlation of power load influencing factors is analysed using Pearson correlation coefficients. The seagull optimisation algorithm is overcome to fall into local optimality by using the random adaptive non-linear adjustment strategy of manipulated variables and the differential variational Levy flight strategy, which improves the search efficiency of the algorithm. Then, the The gated cyclic unit hidden layer parameters are optimised by the improved seagull optimisation algorithm to construct a short-term electricity load forecasting model.The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation experimental analysis. The results show that the proposed method has improved the accuracy of the forecasting model.CONCLUSION: The CEEMD method is used to decompose the original load time series, which improves the accuracy of the measurement model. The GRU prediction model based on improved SOA optimization not only has better prediction accuracy than other prediction models, but also consumes the least amount of time compared to other prediction models. 

The Catholic Church in Hungary and Romania during the Communist Dictatorship: A Comparative Analysis

The structure and cultural characteristics of a society are, in the words of Joseph Schumpeter, “like metal” – they bend and melt but do not readily evaporate. My comparative analysis confirms the diagnosis that the everyday presence of dictatorship cannot be adequately described by the standard top-down models of ideologically driven communist power. The substantive differences in developments between Hungary and Romania suggest that external power is only part of the construct, however rigid the hegemonic structure. By looking at the reactions caused by similar effects in different contexts, it becomes clear what has an impact on what. The relationship of the churches to the state in the countries under study includes similarities and differences shaped by distinct historical trajectories that are partly structural and partly situational. In terms of circumstances, Romania’s Orthodox pattern regarding the relationship between the state and the church also determined the relationship with other denominations and sealed the fate of Greek Orthodox Catholics. The measures taken against Roman Catholics, although more or less the same as in Hungary, also tended more towards the state-church model. However, this feature was not the primary cause of the different impact in Romania compared to Hungary. This is because, just as the relationship between church and state differed from country to country, so did the relationship of the churches to their own “national” societies. Further, no matter how tempting it might be to consider the Catholic Church a closed entity, the comparison clarifies that neither the hierarchical division nor the same (Catholic) norm made behaviour uniform. The differences arising from local configurations of the single norm grew more and more evident in the 1950s. All this suggests that state and church strategies and actions were shaped more by the conflict of contexts and pressures to comply than by the tension between the scope of action and the constraints: the differences between Romania and Hungary are explained by the different contexts and the cross-generational ecclesiastical and social patterns A greater historical understanding explains how bishops in Hungary, in line with previous conditions and established practice, hoped for quasi-freedom in church operations through a “partnership” with the state while the Roman Catholic Church in Romania has been operating under exlex conditions for four decades. That does not mean that a rational-legal approach on its own is the key to understanding what has occurred. Under a dictatorship, we can identify deviance, excesses, abuses and arbitrary actions in relation to the law. However, these “models” can only be understood in the context of processes that transcend political history. The behaviour of the authorities in Bucharest towards the Catholic Church has been dramatic compared to other countries under Soviet influence. With the arrests of Áron Márton and Anton Durcovici, the public hierarchy appointed by the Holy See ceased to exist. The elimination of dioceses by the state was also a unique feature. The resistance organised by the Jesuits and Franciscans, with the support of the faithful, successfully paralysed the ecclesiastical administration, which had been put in place due to state intervention after the arrest of Áron Márton. This process was largely due to the church’s strengthened social embeddedness in previous years and its successful adaptation of strategies developed to cope with its minority status. Over the centuries, the Catholic Church in Transylvania has faced a series of challenges that have threatened its very existence. These pressures have also shaped the thinking of its clergy and its relationship with its faithful. The recoveries from crises have led to innovative and flexible adaptation strategies, making the local church “tough” and thus contributing to its management of the next crisis. The mentality of the church, which was minimally domesticated or determined by the secular power, showed fewer Josephine traits than in Hungary. The relationship between church and state tended towards the passive model, while the relationship between church and society tended towards the active model. The Catholic Church’s double minority status in Transylvania during the Communist years – minority as a Hungarian and minority as a Catholic – created an alternative society that did not allow it to abstain entirely from politics. Beyond individual choices, this also made its confrontational position more flexible and its submission more moderate.

Effects of Short-Term Nitrogen Additions on Biomass and Soil Phytochemical Cycling in Alpine Grasslands of Tianshan, China

The nitrogen deposition process, as an important phenomenon of global climate change and an important link in the nitrogen cycle, has had serious and far-reaching impacts on grassland ecosystems. This study aimed to investigate the survival adaptation strategies of plants of different functional groups under nitrogen deposition, and the study identified the following outcomes of differences in biomass changes by conducting in situ simulated nitrogen deposition experiments while integrating plant nutrient contents and soil physicochemical properties: (1) nitrogen addition enhanced the aboveground biomass of grassland communities, in which Poaceae were significantly affected by nitrogen addition. Additionally, nitrogen addition significantly influenced plant total nitrogen and total phosphorus; (2) nitrogen addition improved the plant growth environment, alleviated plant nitrogen limitation, and promoted plant phosphorus uptake; and (3) there was variability in the biomass responses of different functional groups to nitrogen addition. The level of nitrogen addition was the primary factor affecting differences in biomass changes, while nitrogen addition frequency was an important factor affecting changes in plant community structure.

Shrub leaf area and leaf vein trait trade-offs in response to the light environment in a vegetation transitional zone

The leaf is an important site for energy acquisition and material transformation in plants. Leaf functional traits and their trade-off mechanisms reflect the resource utilisation efficiency and habitat adaptation strategies of plants, and contribute to our understanding of the mechanism by which the distribution pattern of plant populations in arid and semi-arid areas influences the evolution of vegetation structure and function. We selected two natural environments, the tree–shrub community canopy area and the shrub–grass community open area in the transition zone between the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau. We studied the trade-off relationships of leaf area with leaf midvein diameter and leaf vein density in Cotoneaster multiflorus using the standardised major axis (SMA) method. The results show that the growth pattern of C. multiflorus, which has small leaves of high density and extremely small vein diameters, in the open area. The water use efficiency and net photosynthetic rate of plants in the open area were significantly greater than those of plants growing in the canopy area. The adaptability of C. multiflorus to environments with high light and low soil water content reflects its spatial colonisation potential in arid and semiarid mountains.

PhbZIP2 regulates photosynthesis-related genes in an intertidal macroalgae, Pyropia haitanensis, under stress

Intertidal macroalgae are important research subjects in stress biology. Basic region-leucine zipper transcription factors (bZIPs) play an important regulatory role in the expression of target genes under abiotic stress. We herein identified a bZIP2 gene PhbZIP2 to regulate abiotic stress tolerance in Pyropia haitanensis, a representative intertidal macroalgal species. Cloning and sequencing of the cDNA characterized a BRLZ structure and an α coiled-coil structure between amino acids and Expression of PhbZIP2 was detected to upregulate under both high temperature and salt stresses. A DAP-seq analysis revealed the PhbZIP2-binding motifs of (T/C)TCCA(C/G) and A (A/G)AAA (G/A), which differed from the conserved motifs in plants. Overexpression of PhbZIP2 was indicative of a high temperature and salt stress tolerances in transgenic Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. It was suggested that PhbZIP2 was probably involved in regulating expression of the photosynthetic-related genes and the response to the abiotic stresses in P. haitanensis, which provide new insights for elucidating efficient adaptation strategies of intertidal macroalgae.

B-Box transcription factor BBX28 requires CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS1 to induce shade-avoidance response in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Shade avoidance syndrome is an important adaptive strategy. Under shade, major transcriptional rearrangements underlie the reallocation of resources to elongate vegetative structures and redefine the plant architecture to compete for photosynthesis. BBX28 is a B-box transcription factor involved in seedling de-etiolation and flowering in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), but its function in shade-avoidance response is completely unknown. Here, we studied the function of BBX28 using two mutant and two transgenic lines of Arabidopsis exposed to white light and simulated shade conditions. We found that BBX28 promotes hypocotyl growth under shade through the phytochrome system by perceiving the reduction of red photons but not the reduction of photosynthetically active radiation or blue photons. We demonstrated that hypocotyl growth under shade is sustained by the protein accumulation of BBX28 in the nuclei in a CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS1 (COP1)-dependent manner at the end of the photoperiod. BBX28 up-regulates the expression of transcription factor- and auxin-related genes, thereby promoting hypocotyl growth under prolonged shade. Overall, our results suggest the role of BBX28 in COP1 signaling to sustain the shade-avoidance response and extend the well-known participation of other members of BBX transcription factors for fine-tuning plant growth under shade.

Typology of Plantain Cultivation in a Context of Climate Change in the Agroecological Zone of Haut-Sassandra, Central-West, Côte d'Ivoire

The Haut-Sassandra region (Côte d'Ivoire), experiencing climate change with its many consequences, continues to produce bananas even if the level has fallen in recent years. This work was carried out to understand the adaptation strategies of plantain farmers facing the consequences of climate change. The methodological approach consisted of listing banana plantations of more than one hectare in Haut-Sassandra and carrying out a survey on plantain cultivation practices observed in this agroecological zone. The survey carried out made it possible to list 34 banana plantations with areas of between 1.5 and 5 hectares. For the establishment of banana plantations, slash-and-burn crops are the most favored (100%). The most used crop type is the crop association (85%) (cocoa (65%), coffee (15%) and food crops (5%)). Only 15% of banana plantations were monoculture. The fight against the wind is achieved by hedges made up of plots of rubber and teak surrounding the banana plantations. Symptoms of biotic and abiotic diseases were observed in all the banana plantations investigated. To maintain sustainability and better banana production, Haut-Sassandra planters combine several agroecological practices.

Non-Performing Assets: A Current Overview of Selected Indian Public Banks

This research paper provides a detailed overview of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in selected Indian Public Banks as of the year 2024, aiming to assess current trends, sector-specific distributions, and the effectiveness of management strategies in mitigating NPAs. Given the critical role of NPAs in determining the financial health of banks and their potential impact on the broader economy, this study seeks to identify effective strategies for NPA management within the evolving economic and regulatory landscape of India. Utilizing a descriptive analytical approach, the research analyzes secondary data sourced from the Reserve Bank of India, covering the period of April 2023 to March 2024. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to perform a comprehensive examination of NPA trends across different sectors and banks, the impact of NPAs on bank profitability, and the recovery rates of secured versus unsecured NPAs. Key findings indicate significant variations in NPA levels and recovery rates among banks, with sector-specific vulnerabilities, notably in the SME sector, highlighting the need for targeted risk management strategies. The study underscores the importance of robust regulatory frameworks and strategic NPA management in enhancing bank profitability and ensuring economic stability. The implications of these findings are significant for policymakers, regulatory bodies, and banking institutions, advocating for strengthened NPA management practices and adaptive strategies to navigate the complexities of the banking sector.

Burdens and resources of Austrian clinical psychologists: results of a qualitative study two years into the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic increased the mental health burden in the general population, enhancing the demands placed on mental healthcare professionals.MethodsThis study aimed to assess the burdens and resources of clinical psychologists that emerged since the beginning of the pandemic. N = 172 Austrian clinical psychologists participated in a cross-sectional online survey between April and May 2022. The burdens and the sources of support that emerged during the pandemic were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsMental health-related issues were identified as the greatest burden, followed by work-related themes and restrictions imposed by the government to combat the spreading of the virus. The most important resources mentioned by the clinical psychologists were social contacts and recreational activities. Practising mindfulness and focusing on inner processes and work-related aspects were further important resources mentioned.ConclusionOverall, it seems that clinical psychologists have a high awareness of mental health-related problems related to the pandemic and use adaptive coping strategies to deal with them.