Alternative Modes Research Articles

Understanding poverty through virtual simulation: implications for student clinical practice

Abstract Background Competency-based education among baccalaureate nursing students is emerging based on American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials. With the impact of COVID-19 on nursing education and AACN recommendations, changes were required to provide alternative modes of delivery and means of assessment. Purpose Virtual poverty simulation data is limited. The use of virtual poverty simulation will ensure students’ mastery of core competencies while offering versatility in an online environment. Methods Students virtually completed online pre-work, SPENT, a virtual poverty simulation, online debriefing, post-simulation assessment using the Simulation Effectiveness Tool, and post-simulation journaling. Results 94 % of students demonstrated improved clinical decision making, increased confidence in prioritizing care, communication and reporting, and fostering patient safety. Four themes were identified from journals. Conclusions The use of virtual poverty simulation with baccalaureate nursing students was identified as useful pedagogy for increasing student understanding of health implications related to poverty in a virtual learning environment.

Capital Analysis for Future Resettlement Approaches in Laos

Population resettlement is complex system in planning, implementing and monitoring of administration, land, houses, public facilities, livelihood, and other resources. One important element of resettlement work is the capital which plays a key role in the compensation, resettlement and livelihood restoration among project affected persons caused by development projects. This paper aims to contribute the quantitative analysis of influential capitals related to resettlement perspective. These include the natural capital, human capital, physical capital, social capital and financial capital. The paper also provides the alternative resettlement approaches and modes for future resettlement project in Laos.

A multi-criteria approach to prioritize electric-scooters ordinances. A case of Bloomington City, Indiana

Shared electric scooters have recently emerged as an alternative mode of transportation in many cities around the globe. However, they can become a nuisance to residents when they are not well regulated. The approaches to prioritizing laws and regulations of shared electric scooters have not been explored extensively. Therefore, this study presented a multi-criteria approach for prioritizing electric scooter ordinances using Bloomington, Indiana's survey data. The study applied a descriptive analysis, text mining, and logistic regression on 1,891 responses. The responses were based on a questionnaire with 13 predefined ordinances and an additional comment section. The three criteria- the frequency of selection of ordinances, the sequence of selection of ordinances, and the ordinances associated with additional comments were used. Results revealed a great variation in the priorities of the ordinances when the three criteria are used. The frequency of selection criteria would highly favor the ordinance related to enforcing scooter riders to follow traffic laws, while both sequence of selection and additional comments would favor prohibiting scooters from the sidewalks. The policy implications of the multi-criteria and individual criteria are also presented. It is expected that jurisdictions would apply the approach presented in this study and the associated proposed alternatives when prioritizing the ordinances for electric scooters.

The Effectiveness of Using Asynchronous E-Language Learning by High School Learners in Dohuk City

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, is classified as a deadly pandemic that has paralyzed every aspect of life all over the world including education (COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic, 2020; Sun et al., 2020). The spread of this virus has pushed the world into quarantine and to the implement of emergency lockdown plans to limit the virus’ spread. Most countries have been asked to stay at home to save their lives (UNESCO, 2020). With the advent of Covid-19, the luxury of making the choice was abolished. It has caused educational institutions around the world to close their doors and apply social distancing strategies such as moving their teaching and learning processes into the online space. COVID-19 has affected education systems severely. This deadly pandemic has challenged universities to provide students with online teaching and learning settings. During the Covid-19 period, e-learning became a temporary shift of instructional delivery to an alternate delivery mode due to the crisis situation (Hodges et al., 2020). As Murphy (2020) stated schools also have been threats to securitization at the time of the pandemic and needed to be closed to provide safety of students by creating social distance and preventing social interactions among people in which recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2020). Daniel (2020) indicated that education, which has grown up considerably at all levels for 50 years, has its greatest challenge so far. Thus, %90 of students could not attend their schools in the world and it has been estimated that there are 1,5 billion learners affected by school and university closures (UNESCO, 2020). The responses to the COVID-19 pandemic threat by schools around the world have varied, from total study cessation to a switch to online/distance learning. Like many governments, The Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government also ordered to cancel face to face instruction and determined to convert to the system into an online or distance education one.

Exploring the Flexibility of the Glycopeptide Antibiotic Crosslinking Cascade for Extended Peptide Backbones.

The glycopeptide antibiotics (GPAs) are a clinically approved class of antimicrobial agents that classically function through the inhibition of bacterial cell-wall biosynthesis by sequestration of the precursor lipid II. The oxidative crosslinking of the core peptide by cytochrome P450 (Oxy) enzymes during GPA biosynthesis is both essential to their function and the source of their synthetic challenge. Thus, understanding the activity and selectivity of these Oxy enzymes is of key importance for the future engineering of this important compound class. Recent reports of GPAs that display an alternative mode of action and a wider range of core peptide structures compared to classic lipid II-binding GPAs raises the question of the tolerance of Oxy enzymes for larger changes in their peptide substrates. In this work, we explore the ability of Oxy enzymes from the biosynthesis pathways of lipid II-binding GPAs to accept altered peptide substrates based on a vancomycin template. Our results show that Oxy enzymes are more tolerant of changes at the N terminus of their substrates, whilst C-terminal extension of the peptide substrates is deleterious to the activity of all Oxy enzymes. Thus, future studies should prioritise the study of Oxy enzymes from atypical GPA biosynthesis pathways bearing C-terminal peptide extension to increase the substrate scope of these important cyclisation enzymes.

Mode Choice Preferences of Female University Students and Impacts of Ride-Sharing Thereon

The equality of gender is accounted to be an indispensable element when it comes to sustainable transportation infrastructure planning in an inclusive society. Special attention in this regard must be required to reach the growing transportation demands of the urban population- especially in a developing country like Bangladesh. In this inclusive society, females constitute a major portion of the students as well as the workforce and contribute significantly to the economy. Although females have to rely on the different modes available in the existing transportation system for their day-to-day travel, they have different preferences among the alternative modes in terms of accessibility and safety. To assess the travel behavior of female students, this study explores the elements those influence travel choices (travel cost, travel time, security, and comfort) and evaluates the effect of ride-sharing facilities on their choice of mode. Data were collected from 360 female university students through an online questionnaire. The research focuses on two divisions of female students: staying at the residence hall (residents) and not staying at the residence hall (non-residents). Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were utilized to explain female travel behaviors and determine the importance of ridesharing services in their mode selection (rickshaw, bus, autorickshaw, bicycle, private car, and ridesharing). The study reveals that female students (both resident and non-resident) prefer rickshaws over other modes and the inception of ride-sharing services had a consequential effect on their choice of modes and travel behavior. This analysis will deliver beneficial information to relevant authorities and policymakers in evaluating existing transportation systems and will indicate the required mitigations that can be made to ensure social equity. Journal of Engineering Science 13(2), 2022, 43-49

Emergency remote learning - the experiences of higher education Physical Education students

The impact of Covid-19 caused significant disruptions to student learning, where online delivery and assessment represent a critical consideration for physical education teacher education (PETE). The Covid-19 pandemic posed a problem with sectoral disruption in higher education, sport, and physical activity. Students specialising in Physical Education (PE) had to experience a temporary shift of instructional delivery in the practical modules to an alternative delivery mode. The improvisation and rapid conversion of delivering learning activities were purely experimental to facilitate student learning. There is a general apprehension about online learning for students in PETE, most notably, the absence of face-to-face education through movement that is difficult to replicate digitally. Emergency remote learning engendered questions and challenges regarding pedagogical approaches. Lecturers explored the effectiveness of emergency remote learning through student experiences. Descriptive research was conducted, following a mixed-method approach to understand students’ experiences, perceptions, and challenges. 140 students specialising in PE completed an online questionnaire. The quantitative data were analysed using the statistical package for the social sciences programme, and the qualitative data was thematically analysed. The majority of the students feel they have successfully reached the outcome of each module respectively. The availability of online class recordings assisted students in their self-paced approach to learning. Collaborative learning was preferred only if the lecturer was involved, as it seemed a significant challenge when student-driven. A PE programme needs a face-to-face approach and can benefit from a blended teaching approach. Educators transitioning suddenly to remote operation can consider adopting a similar pedagogical approach.

Institutional Approaches to Evaluate Teaching Effectiveness: The Role of Summative Peer Review of Teaching for Promotion and Tenure

A growing body of literature has identified student evaluations of teaching (SETs) as introducing bias against minority faculty members and not serving as a reliable or valid measure of teaching effectiveness. This lack of reliability and validity presents issues for university tenure and promotion committees, as these institutional processes necessarily require accurate, objective, and holistically informed modes of evaluation to recognize teaching achievements. Summative peer review of teaching (SPRT) is an alternative mode of assessment that aims to provide evidence of teaching effectiveness to inform promotion and tenure. SPRT, as an institutional practice, has been adopted at a small cohort of institutions of higher education, marking a potential shift in practice. This article examines SETs to articulate the problematic elements introduced by SETs, specifically to examine if SPRT can serve as a viable alternative. By describing the SPRT processes that four institutions have taken, the authors aim to articulate these emerging approaches to collecting evidence of teaching effectiveness. In this descriptive work, it is our secondary contention that SPRT, through intentional design and facilitation, can offer a process that does not introduce bias in the same way as SETs and thus, can also be used to satisfy the growing need for practices that help achieve, in part, institutional goals related to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).

Crystal structures of 'ALternative Isoinformational ENgineered' DNA in B-form.

The first structural model of duplex DNA reported in 1953 by Watson & Crick presented the double helix in B-form, the form that genomic DNA exists in much of the time. Thus, artificial DNA seeking to mimic the properties of natural DNA should also be able to adopt B-form. Using a host-guest system in which Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase serves as the host and DNA as the guests, we determined high-resolution crystal structures of three complexes including 5'-CTTBPPBBSSZZSAAG, 5'-CTTSSPBZPSZBBAAG and 5'-CTTZZPBSBSZPPAAG with 10 consecutive unnatural nucleobase pairs in B-form within self-complementary 16 bp duplex oligonucleotides. We refer to this ALternative Isoinformational ENgineered (ALIEN) genetic system containing two nucleobase pairs (P:Z, pairing 2-amino-imidazo-[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazin-(8H)-4-one with 6-amino-5-nitro-(1H)-pyridin-2-one, and B:S, 6-amino-4-hydroxy-5-(1H)-purin-2-one with 3-methyl-6-amino-pyrimidin-2-one) as ALIEN DNA. We characterized both position- and sequence-specific helical, nucleobase pair and dinucleotide step parameters of P:Z and B:S pairs in the context of B-form DNA. We conclude that ALIEN DNA exhibits structural features that vary with sequence. Further, Z can participate in alternative stacking modes within a similar sequence context as captured in two different structures. This finding suggests that ALIEN DNA may have a larger repertoire of B-form structures than natural DNA. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reactivity and mechanism in chemical and synthetic biology'.

Analysis of transportation mode choice for Electric Rail Train (KRL) and bus for Yogyakarta-Surakarta travel routes

<p>The presence of the electric rail train (KRL) on the Yogyakarta-Surakarta route expands the list of public transportation modes available to residents of Yogyakarta, Surakarta, and surrounding areas. The Yogyakarta-Surakarta route was previously served by one of the road-based transportation, namely Bus, which was widely used but was abandoned by its users due to a variety of factors. The presence of various alternative modes of transportation today, combined with the Covid-19 pandemic, allows users of public transportation services, particularly the Yogyakarta-Surakarta route, to freely make their choices. Data was gathered through direct interviews and online questionnaires distributed using Google forms. Multiple linear regression and binary logit nisbah were used in the data analysis, and the results were obtained using software, specifically Microsoft Excel and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS). The Study by binary logit results show that lowering the CBUS (Bus fee) by 1,58 times the unit of money from the CKRL (KRL fee) to Rp7.595/trip from the original Rp12.000/trip will increase bus users by 30%. If TBUS (bus time) is accelerated by 1,81 times the unit time from TKRL (KRL time) to 1 hour and 23 minutes/trip from the original 2 hours and 12 minutes, bus users increase by 50%. Bus users will increase by 70% while KRL users will decrease by 30%, so the number of FBUS (bus frequency) must be increased to 16 times/day from the original 10 times/day by 1,69 times FKRL (KRL frequency).</p>

Consumer Choice Decision for Airport Taxi at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport

A taxi service provided by the I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport plays an important role in meeting the transportation needs of travelers, as it provides a convenient and effective means for people to go from the airport to their destination. However, in today’s competitive industry, airport taxi service may find it difficult to attract and retain a growing number of passengers. This research aims to identify strategies that can be used by airport taxi service, where this research will focus on identifying significant attributes that influence passengers’ decisions to use airport taxi services and determine the most effective strategies in an effort to increase the number of passengers. The research analysis was conducted using a discrete choice model approach to determine individual behavior. Multinomial logistic regression (MNL) model was used for the three alternative mode choices observed between Taxi, Minivan, and Grab. The model uses influential attributes such as waiting time, travel time, price, safety, convenience, capacity, and promotion. The research data was obtained quantitatively with data collection techniques using questionnaires with respondents spread across major cities in Indonesia. Based on the results of the analysis, it shows that the most significant attributes affecting taxi selection are safety, price, convenience, travel time, and capacity.

M2 macrophages enhance endometrial cell invasiveness by promoting collective cell migration in uterine adenomyosis

Research questionAre M2 macrophages implicated in endometrial invasiveness in adenomyosis? DesignSeventeen formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded uterine samples and 16 fresh endometrial biopsies were collected from women with or without adenomyosis. Double immunofluorescence was performed to determine the predominant macrophage population in adenomyosis between M1 and M2 phenotypes. The invasion capacity of endometrial cells was assessed by invasion assays and quantitative polymerase chain reaction for genes involved in cell motility and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Specific mechanisms of invasion were investigated by immunohistochemistry for E-cadherin, N-cadherin and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). ResultsOnly M2 macrophages were found to accumulate in adenomyosis, in higher numbers in both eutopic endometrium (P = 0.0109) and lesions (P = 0.0267) than healthy tissue. Co-culture with M2 macrophages significantly boosted invasion capacity in endometrial epithelial (P = 0.0002; P = 0.002) and stromal cells (P = 0.0469; P = 0.0047) from both adenomyosis patients and healthy controls. No gene expression differences indicating EMT were noted, either between co-cultured and control cells, or between healthy and adenomyotic cells. E- and N-cadherin protein expression did not differ significantly between endometrium from adenomyosis subjects and healthy tissue but MMP9 expression was increased in eutopic stroma from adenomyosis patients (P = 0.0492). In adenomyosis, both E-cadherin (P = 0.0379) and N-cadherin (P = 0.0196) were more extensively expressed in basal glands than functional glands. ConclusionsM2 macrophages accumulate in adenomyosis and enhance invasion capacity of adenomyotic and even healthy endometrial cells, implying that macrophage infiltration alone may be sufficient to promote the disease. This study failed to detect any changes pointing to EMT, suggesting an alternative mode of invasion. Strong E- and N-cadherin-positive intercellular junctions in basal (invasive) glands suggest the involvement of collective cell migration in the invasion process of endometrium.

Real-time mixed reality display of dual particle radiation detector data

Radiation source localization and characterization are challenging tasks that currently require complex analyses for interpretation. Mixed reality (MR) technologies are at the verge of wide scale adoption and can assist in the visualization of complex data. Herein, we demonstrate real-time visualization of gamma ray and neutron radiation detector data in MR using the Microsoft HoloLens 2 smart glasses, significantly reducing user interpretation burden. Radiation imaging systems typically use double-scatter events of gamma rays or fast neutrons to reconstruct the incidence directional information, thus enabling source localization. The calculated images and estimated ’hot spots’ are then often displayed in 2D angular space projections on screens. By combining a state-of-the-art dual particle imaging system with HoloLens 2, we propose to display the data directly to the user via the head-mounted MR smart glasses, presenting the directional information as an overlay to the user’s 3D visual experience. We describe an open source implementation using efficient data transfer, image calculation, and 3D engine. We thereby demonstrate for the first time a real-time user experience to display fast neutron or gamma ray images from various radioactive sources set around the detector. We also introduce an alternative source search mode for situations of low event rates using a neural network and simulation based training data to provide a fast estimation of the source’s angular direction. Using MR for radiation detection provides a more intuitive perception of radioactivity and can be applied in routine radiation monitoring, education & training, emergency scenarios, or inspections.

Black Towns and (Legal) Marronage

Since the U.S. antebellum era, enslaved and free Black people established places of their own to defend against White supremacist violence. These communities often formed on perilous landscapes, spaces considered undesirable, inaccessible, and uninhabitable by White planter classes. This form of fugitivity persisted after the postbellum era, and recurs in various forms in the present day, commonly through the formation of legally sanctioned Black communities. The rationales for contemporary incorporation of Black towns share similarities with their maroon predecessors—localized power and figurative escape from the whims of White governance. Using archival data, public databases, and secondary sources on Princeville, North Carolina, I argue that Black towns are not “towns” in the same way that White-founded towns exist in the United States, not only because of the persistent forms of violence leveled at them, but also because ontologically, Black towns do not develop from the same experiences and purposes as White towns. Despite their formal recognition by the state or other forms of legal status, Black towns often resemble their predecessors, maroon communities, which were extralegal spaces of freedom and alternative land relation formed in resistance to slavery in the West, beginning in the sixteenth century. The Town of Princeville established models of land and community relations that supersede capitalist development paradigms undergirding the municipality. This research builds on previous studies of contemporary plantation power relations, marronage, and Black place development and proposes alternative modes of place based on lessons from Princeville.

Quantifying disparities in access to recreational opportunities by alternative modes of transport

The paper draws upon open-source technologies to present methods of incorporating multiple travel modes into GIS analyses of cumulative opportunity and proximity-based metrics of accessibility. Two case studies are undertaken. The first uses isochrone analysis to evaluate national access to sport facilities expected to appeal to a broad range of ages and abilities. Predictably, urban areas and private car travel record the highest levels of access, but the revelation of geographical patterns in disparities between travel modes may allow transport planners and national and regional sporting bodies to identify where further investment in facilities and transport infrastructure might best be targeted. The second case study uses network tracing of shortest time pathways to consider city level access to greenspaces. Findings here suggest that cycling may offer similar access levels as private car travel, with much poorer outcomes for walking and public transport. Such studies demonstrate how active travel and public transport might be included in holistic GIS analyses to aid policy makers, and those who plan and monitor provision of sporting opportunities, to promote improved levels of access to, and participation in, physical activities within disadvantaged communities. They may also have value in cross-sector approaches that promote the wider health and environmental benefits of using active travel and public transport to access neighbourhood facilities.

Negative effects of long parental leave on maternal health: Evidence from a substantial policy change in Austria

I study the effect of parental leave duration on maternal health in the short- to medium-run leveraging variation in parental leave duration induced by an Austrian policy reform in the year 2000. Using rich administrative data and a regression discontinuity framework, I find that long parental leave of 2.5 years instead of 1.5 years deteriorates maternal health. Worse mental health mainly drives this effect. Alternative channels such as differential fertility, long-term employment effects, a change in disposable income or alternative mode of childcare are unlikely to be of main importance. There is substantial heterogeneity with longer leave spells being less harmful for mothers with unhealthy babies proxied by low birth weight.

Exploring micromobility mode preferences for last-mile trips from subway stations

The micromobility mode of transportation is convenient for short-distance trips in urban settings. The popularity of dockless sharing systems is rapidly increasing because of their characteristics of convenient rental/return and mobile payment options. Although many previous studies have examined travel behaviors regarding a single means of micromobility transportation, few have analyzed mode choice behavior among multiple, similar, and competing means of micromobility transportation. To our knowledge, no researcher thus far has examined micromobility as a potential means to solve the last-mile problem from the subway station to the destination. Therefore, a stated preference survey was conducted, analyzing factors and preferences influencing the mode choice of subway users for the last-mile trip. This study considered sharing dockless e-scooters and docked bicycles, as well as walking. It analyzed the differences in mode choice behavior of subway users based on their demographic and socio-economic attributes, as well as travel (travel purpose and distance), mode-specific (fare), and environmental (slope) characteristics. Two logit-based models—the multinomial logit (MNL) and mixed logit (ML) models—and two ML models based on residential areas of Seoul and Gyeonggi, Korea, were developed and compared. The results showed that the ML model was superior to the MNL model regarding model fit and individual parameters. In the ML model, the statistically significant variables included fare, marital status, household size, age, income, disability, and slope of roadway. However, the significance differed by alternative modes: for e-scooters (vs. bicycles), the factors influencing last-mile mode choice behaviors showed greater statistical significance. A comparison of the two ML models by region highlighted major differences in the results for the variables of household size and trip purpose between residents of Seoul and Gyeonggi. Urban transport policymakers interested in introducing micromobility services can use the findings of this study to make more well-informed decisions about traffic congestion problems and increase public transportation revenue in an environmentally friendly manner.

The effect of neighbourhood and urban center structures on active travel in small cities

Densification is the key intervention strategy proposed in the urban sustainability planning literature. Nevertheless, the blueprint for action is still vague, and especially so in small cities. Is, for example, the premise for and reward of densification relatively transferable between city scales? In addition, does difference in centre structures and distribution of facilities in small cities have an implication for active travel? By focusing on three Norwegian small cities, this paper addresses how built environment and attitudes influence active travel behaviour in small cities with different centre structures. Using descriptive statistics, ANOVA test and negative binomial regression on survey data, the paper finds that attitude towards active travel as well as accessibility significantly influence walk/bike trip frequency. Moreover, variation in small-city centre structure has an important implication for active travel but the effect varies between facility types. • Theoretical premise on the causal mechanism between urban form and travel behaviour in small city context is laid out. • City-scale built environment factors are strong predictors of average accessibility by active modes in small cities. • Attitude towards active modes strongly contributes to the propensity for active travel when alternative modes are available. • Distribution of facilities that optimizes active travel in a small city differs by facility categories.

Arc-flow formulations for the one-dimensional cutting stock problem with multiple manufacturing modes

In this paper, an integration of the one-dimensional cutting stock problem with an operational problem that arises in the manufacture of concrete poles is studied. Seeing that poles have a steel structure, different thicknesses of steel bars can be used in their manufacture. This variety in combining the materials to produce the structure of the poles is known as alternative production modes or multiple manufacturing modes. The problem considered here has the objective of minimizing the total cost to meet the demand for poles using the different available configurations. This problem has already been introduced in the literature and it has been formulated as an integer programming problem. To solve it, the column generation procedure was used. The contribution of this paper is to reformulate the cutting stock problem with multiple manufacturing modes using arc-flow formulations. Arc-flow formulations are promising tools to model and solve complex combinatorial problems. Computational tests are performed comparing the formulations using instances from the literature, which were generated based on the data from a civil construction plant. The arc-flow formulations increased the number of instances solved to proven optimality and also reduced solution time. Lower and upper bounds are also improved when compared with the solution proposed in the literature.

Simultaneous Determination of nicotinamide, kojic acid, Tranexamic acid, raspberry glycoside, azelaic acid, magnesium ascorbate phosphate and β-Arbutin in whitening cosmetics by UPLC-MS/MS

A UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of 7 whitening ingredients: nicotinamide, kojic acid, Tranexamic acid, raspberry glycoside, azelaic acid, magnesium ascorbate phosphate and β-Arbutin in cosmetics. The whitening active components were extracted from cosmetics by supersonic extraction with sodium chloride and dichloromethane to disperse the sample, and supersonic extraction with 0.015 mol/L potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution purified by HLB solid phase extraction column, scanned and detected by electrospray ionization source with positive and negative ion alternate scanning mode and multiple reaction monitoring mode. The results showed that the whitening active ingredients were separated within 3 minutes, with a good linear relationship (R>0.999), and the detection limit was 0.10mg/kg~0.75mg/kg. The recoveries (n=6) were 78.84%-104.85%, and the RSDs were 0.24%-11.35%. This method is suitable for the rapid determination of whitening active ingredients in cosmetics.