Alternative Research Methods Research Articles

Digital Spindle: A New Way to Explore Mitotic Functions by Whole Cell Data Collection and a Computational Approach.

From cells to organisms, every living system is three-dimensional (3D), but the performance of fluorescence microscopy has been largely limited when attempting to obtain an overview of systems’ dynamic processes in three dimensions. Recently, advanced light-sheet illumination technologies, allowing drastic improvement in spatial discrimination, volumetric imaging times, and phototoxicity/photobleaching, have been making live imaging to collect precise and reliable 3D information increasingly feasible. In particular, lattice light-sheet microscopy (LLSM), using an ultrathin light-sheet, enables whole-cell 3D live imaging of cellular processes, including mitosis, at unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution for extended periods of time. This technology produces immense and complex data, including a significant amount of information, raising new challenges for big image data analysis and new possibilities for data utilization. Once the data are digitally archived in a computer, the data can be reused for various purposes by anyone at any time. Such an information science approach has the potential to revolutionize the use of bioimage data, and provides an alternative method for cell biology research in a data-driven manner. In this article, we introduce examples of analyzing digital mitotic spindles and discuss future perspectives in cell biology.

Application of statistical methods in Internet financial information analysis

Abstract In today’s modern globalised world, we are faced with numerous data which form the basis for many crucial decisions. The ability to perform the analysis and interpret data correctly is, therefore, of essential importance in practically every field. The field of financial Information is one of such fields, especially the segment of information that is used by companies in corporate communication. This article is focused solely on the information that refers to the Internet financial reporting, which is important particularly for the external stakeholders. The research was made on the basis of the Internet Financial Reporting (IFR) Index for 27 Slovenian companies listed on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange. The article demonstrates the methodological approach to the creation of the IFR Index, which served as the new variable in the following steps of this research, for which various statistical analyses were performed (univariate, bivariate, and multivariate). Based on the descriptive statistics, the main characteristics of the IFR Index are identified, and, by using the t-test for two independent samples, it was found out that there is a difference among the companies listed in the two different listings. Moreover, through the use of the correlation analysis, the correlation between the IFRC and the IFR-P variables was verified, and, in the end, through the use of the multiple regression analysis, it was discovered that the size of the company is the factor which influences the level of the IFR Index. The purpose of this article is to show the awareness of the alternative research methods, and to facilitate the selection of the most appropriate method for addressing particular research questions in the Internet Financial Reporting.

The role of 3D reconstruction in surgical training for the ENT young surgeon

Abstract BACKGROUND. Nose and paranasal sinus surgery requires an accurate anatomical knowledge and a fine systematic learning. Surgical practice on cadaveric specimens is very important for the ENT resident to allow for a step-by-step learning, but it is not easy in all countries to have access to this compound. MATERIAL AND METHODS. We propose 3D-printed anatomical bone model exercitations as an alternative method for anatomical study, morphological research and surgical learning RESULTS. We have achieved very satisfactory morphological results both for the colours and shapes. CONCLUSION. The use of 3D modelling simulation allows the young surgeon to improve their technical skills and to the expert surgeon to plan the preoperative strategy in complex situations.

Возможности использования атомной силовой микроскопии в металлографии

Возможности использования атомной силовой микроскопии в металлографии

Development of online microdialysis–microfluidic-based photocatalyst-assisted vaporization device–inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry hyphenated analytical system for in vivo quantification of the transition of brain extracellular mercury after thimerosal administration

In this study, an ultrasensitive and salt-tolerant online microdialysis–microfluidic-based photocatalyst-assisted vaporization device–inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (MD/μFPCAVD/ICPMS) hyphenated analytical system was developed for the in vivo quantification of the transition of mercurial concentration level in the extracellular fluid (ECF) of rat brains after the administration of thimerosal (TMHg). Under optimal operation conditions, the limits of detection (based on 3σ) of the proposed analytical system for methylmercury (MMHg) and TMHg in the saline solution corresponded to 2.7 and 1.7 ng L−1, respectively. We demonstrated the applicability of our proposed analytical system for animal experiment via observations of the variation in ECF mercurial concentration level after the administration of MMHg and TMHg. The results suggested that TMHg can penetrate through the blood–brain barrier as MMHg via an unclear mechanism. Based on the obtained results, our proposed analytical system exhibits satisfactory reliability and validity to monitor the transition of the ECF mercurial concentration level after the TMHg is administered. Hence, our proposed analytical system can provide a potential alternative method for toxicological research of TMHg in the brains of living animals.

Application of High-Throughput Screening Raman Spectroscopy (HTS-RS) for Label-Free Identification and Molecular Characterization of Pollen.

Pollen studies play a critical role in various fields of science. In the last couple of decades, replacement of manual identification of pollen by image-based methods using pollen morphological features was a great leap forward, but challenges for pollen with similar morphology remain, and additional approaches are required. Spectroscopy approaches for identification of pollen, such as Raman spectroscopy has potential benefits over traditional methods, due to the investigation of the intrinsic molecular composition of a sample. However, current Raman-based characterization of pollen is complex and time-consuming, resulting in low throughput and limiting the statistical significance of the acquired data. Previously demonstrated high-throughput screening Raman spectroscopy (HTS-RS) eliminates the complexity as well as human interaction by incorporation full automation of the data acquisition process. Here, we present a customization of HTS-RS for pollen identification, enabling sampling of a large number of pollen in comparison to other state-of-the-art Raman pollen investigations. We show that using Raman spectra we are able to provide a preliminary estimation of pollen types based on growth habits using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) as well as good taxonomy of 37 different Pollen using principal component analysis-support vector machine (PCA-SVM) with good accuracy even for the pollen specimens sharing similar morphological features. Our results suggest that HTS-RS platform meets the demands for automated pollen detection making it an alternative method for research concerning pollen.

A Mobile Phone App Designed to Support Weight Loss Maintenance and Well-Being (MotiMate): Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundFew people successfully maintain lost weight over the longer term. Mobile phones have the potential to deliver weight loss management programs that can encourage self-monitoring while also providing some behavioral therapy to assist users in developing personal skills that may be necessary for improved longer term weight loss maintenance.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate a program supporting weight maintenance, which uses a behaviorally based mobile phone app to manage weight, food, exercise, mood, and stress.MethodsIn a randomized controlled trial over 24 weeks, the full version of the app (MotiMate) was compared with a control app (monitoring only; excluding mood and stress) for its effect on weight, diet, and psychological well-being. Both apps had the same visual appearance and were designed to deliver all intervention content without face-to-face contact. The control version included features to track weight, food intake, and exercise with limited feedback and no encouraging/persuasive features. The intervention app included more persuasive and interactive features to help users track their weight, food intake, and physical activity and prompted users to enter data each day through notifications and included a mood and stress workshopping tool. Participants were recruited through advertising and existing databases. Clinic visits occurred at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. At all visits, the clinical trial manager recorded body weight, and participants then completed a computer-delivered survey, which measured psychological and lifestyle outcomes. Objective app usage data were recorded throughout the trial.ResultsA total of 88 adults who had lost and maintained at least 5% of their body weight within the last 2 years were randomized (45 MotiMate and 43 control). Overall, 75% (66/88) were female, and 69% (61/88) completed week 24 with no differences in dropout by condition (χ21,87=0.7, P=.49). Mixed models suggested no significant changes in weight or psychological outcomes over 24 weeks regardless of condition. Of 61 completers, 53% (32/61) remained within 2% of their starting weight. Significant increases occurred over 24 weeks for satisfaction with life and weight loss self-efficacy regardless of app condition. Diet and physical activity behaviors did not vary by app or week. Negative binomial models indicated that those receiving the full app remained active users of the app for 46 days longer than controls (P=.02). Users of the full version of the app also reported that they felt more supported than those with the control app (P=.01).ConclusionsAlthough some aspects of the intervention app such as usage and user feedback showed promise, there were few observable effects on behavioral and psychological outcomes. Future evaluation of the app should implement alternative research methods or target more specific populations to better understand the utility of the coping interface.Trial RegistrationAustralia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12614000474651; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=366120

Disabling Power of Class and Ideology: Analyzing War Injury through the Transnational Disability Theory and Praxis

My doctoral thesis, through a case study of the theocratic-nationalist politics of the Iranian regime and the imperialist politics of the U.S., Russia, and Western Europe in the Middle East, investigated the ways in which gendered-, ideological-, and raced social-relations sustain armed conflicts and generate disability/injury. The study contributed to the emerging field of materialist/Marxist disability studies and critical race moves in disability studies by engaging the dialectics of geopolitics in order to contextualize war, and by proposing a new transnational theory for theorizing disability. In this paper, I extensively discuss my theoretical framework, along with the methodology for collecting and analyzing data in order to offer a radical alternative research method to traditionally biomedical, post-conventionist, liberal, and bourgeois approaches to disability. Additionally, I discuss how I built the new model using the case study in details while introducing its core theoretical constructs emerging directly from the case study. My conceptualization of a transnational theory/model interrogates the violence of the global political economy in producing disablement on a global scale. Finally, I discuss possible directions for further development of the transnational disability model not just as a theory, but also as praxis, active revolutionary knowledge, and political consciousness.

A Nationwide Flash-Mob Study for Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Our primary objective was to evaluate the Marburg Heart Score (MHS), a clinical decision rule, or to develop an adapted clinical decision rule for family physicians (FPs) to safely rule out acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in patients referred to secondary care for suspected ACS. The secondary objective was to evaluate the feasibility of using the flash-mob method, an innovative study design, for large-scale research in family medicine. In this 2-week, nationwide, prospective, observational, flash-mob study, FPs collected data on possible ACS predictors and assessed ACS probability (on a scale of 1-10) in patients referred to secondary care for suspected ACS. We collected data for 258 patients in 2 weeks by mobilizing approximately 1 in 5 FPs throughout the country via ambassadors. A final diagnosis was obtained for 243 patients (94.2%), of whom 45 (18.5%) received a diagnosis of ACS. Sex, sex-adjusted age, and ischemic changes on electrocardiography were significantly associated with ACS. The sensitivity of the MHS (cut-off ≤2) was 75.0%, specificity was 44.0%, positive predictive value was 24.3%, and negative predictive value was 88.0%. For the FP assessment (cut-off ≤5), these test characteristics were 86.7%, 41.4%, 25.2%, and 93.2%, respectively. For patients referred to emergency care, ACS could not be safely ruled out using the MHS or FP clinical assessment. The flash-mob study design may be a feasible alternative research method to investigate relatively simple, clinically relevant research questions in family medicine on a large scale and over a relatively short time frame.

Co-creating bodily, interactive, and reflexive knowledge through art-based research

ABSTRACT In the past few decades, there has been a growing amount of interest toward alternative research methods within consumer culture research. The goal of such approaches is to engage understanding in a more multisensory, bodily, and experiential manner. While aiming to transgress traditions of research, alternative approaches often end up inadvertently repeating existing structures of knowledge. To provide a perspective on how alternative methods could utilise the full power of the tools they propose to use in research, this paper introduces art-based research (ABR), a process-oriented methodology that involves taking on artistic practice as part of research. ABR is bodily, interactive, and contextualised, employing a different approach to what knowledge is, how and when knowledge is created, and who is a part of knowledge-creation. The paper suggests that ABR can become an important political tool for critiquing traditions of and discussing power structures within academia.

Economic development possibilities of the city of Suchedniów

Suchedniów is a city located in the northern part of the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship and has a rich industrial history. Since the turn of the 80's and 90's, the city has not found any effective ways for the local development. The aim of the presented article is to explore the development possibilities of Suchedniów with an indication of tourism and spa. Another goal is to analyze the tourist preferences of Polish residents, which give the picture of tourism and the sense of its development in the city. Another purpose of this article was to investigate the current health resort situation in Poland to find out whether the city's health-related development is justified. The adopted research methodology was based on surveys conducted among Polish citizens. These data provided information about the tourist preferences of Polish people. The received information also showed development trends in tourism in Poland. Another, alternative research method was critical analysis of literature and available information on the Internet. In this case, the internet is a very important source of information, because dynamic changes in this sector cause the information in the literature to be outdated. Conclusions resulting from the article show that there is a possibility of introducing tourist and health development paths in Suchedniów. Research and analysis shows that Suchedniów has the possibilities and conditions to go away from the industrial model and face towards tourism and spa. The present conditions and tourist preferences of Poles are also conducive to this type of transformation.

USER EXPERIENCE EVALUATION AND CREATIVITY STIMULATION WITH AUGMENTED REALITY MOBILE APPLICATIONS

While customer information and knowledge need transform in the context of globalization and technological change, it is important for organizations to efficiently meet new and changing needs and stimulate consumer creativity through the use of augmented reality mobile applications. In order to solve this kind of problem, it is important to evaluate mobile applications with respect to user experience. The purpose of this study is to evaluate alternative research methods for user experience assessment in augmented reality, to determine whether the selected user experience survey method is suitable for augmented reality mobile applications’ evaluation, and to identify features, which would improve augmented reality mobile applications in order to enhance users’ creativity and positive attitude. The article presents the analysis of theoretical aspects of evaluation of augmented reality mobile applications, the concept of the augmented reality, the augmented reality mobile application evaluation results and the recommendations for the user’s creativity stimulation. Research methods such as scientific literature analysis and user experience survey are used to achieve the purpose of the article.

Making hidden spaces visible: Using drawing as a method to illuminate new geographies

In recent years there has been a growing body of scholarship on the use of alternative research methods in Geography, and the social sciences more broadly, as well as ongoing interest in the connections between Geography and art. There has been much less attention, however, given to how drawing might be used practically or productively as a method, and to how it might allow geographers to reach or see places they couldn't otherwise. Although many researchers advocate conducting interviews and research in situ, thinking about the importance of location, there are times when entering a specific space is not possible. This paper details how the practice of drawing enabled me to make spaces that I wasn't able to visit as an ethnographic researcher, spaces that I felt were largely invisible to me, visible. While conducting fieldwork in a shelter for migrant domestic workers who had fled from their employers in Singapore, I used drawing as a way to shed a new light on the homes in which they had been working and to understand their everyday lives and experiences within them. This method made visible the living and working environments of women who had experienced employment abuse, as well as physical and sexual violence, while maintaining their anonymity and confidentiality, from a space of (relative) safety.

Opportunities and challenges brought by the China outbound travel market

Purpose As the Chinese outbound travel market has become a paramount target for world tourism with significant growth potential, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact that the Chinese outbound travel market has on the European tourism industry. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews both academic and trade literature to provide an overview of the opportunities and challenges that the China outbound travel market might bring to the European tourism industry. Findings The paper presents the major topics relating to China outbound tourism research and the current research gaps. Chinese outbound tourists are not a homogenous group of tourists. The paper addresses opportunities and challenges from two key segments of China outbound travel (Chinese international students and Chinese senior tourists). Practical implications The paper calls for alternative and innovative research methods and research behaviour in tracking the impact of Chinese outbound tourists. Closer collaboration between academics and industry practitioners might provide a better understanding of this market. Originality/value The paper offers recent insights on the Chinese outbound tourism market based on an analysis of relevant literature by both academics and industry practitioners. This allows the relevant stakeholders to adopt proactive strategies to minimise potential negative impacts and maximise opportunities.

Kazakhstan Realities in the Perception of Representatives of American Ethnolinguoculture

The purpose of the article is to describe the axiological characteristics of the realities of modern Kazakhstan society and the ethnic character in the perception of representatives of American ethnolinguoculture by using experimental data. Based on the analysis and description of associates obtained as a result of the associative experiment and sociocultural questionnaire survey, conclusions were drawn about the national-cultural markedness of a linguistic sign. The use of the method of the free-associative test helped to obtain objective and subjective characteristics for each stimulus word. The analysis of associates of American informants determined the novelty of the approach to the problem of intercultural communication in multicultural Kazakhstan society. The generalisation and analysis of associates and answers to questions on the sociocultural topic made it possible to construct a conceptual structure of the image of Kazakhstan and its realities in the consciousness of a linguistic personality of another culture. Also, in the article, an attempt was made to conduct a sociocultural questionnaire survey as an alternative research method. The answers and comments of respondents made it possible to comprehend and describe the respondents’ attitudes and opinion on the national-cultural values of the Kazakh people, to determine a range of discussion problems in different worldviews and to counter sociocultural realities in intercultural communication.

Trash, teaching and the city: the “Big Hole Counter Narrative” project and the “Urban Anthropology: Research Methods and Fieldwork” course at Sol Plaatje University

This essay reflects on an anthropology course developed at one of the two “post-apartheid” universities in South Africa. The course included collaborating with artists and a local dance/ performance troupe. It culminated in a film by Francois Knoetze (featuring collaborators), a musical performance by the Amandla Danca Teatro, and an exhibition by students. Knitting together practice, theory and alternative research and narrative methods, the course intervened on a developmentalist trajectory in the romantic “sparkling” narrative of Kimberley as the “city of diamonds.” Alternative, ordinary and sometimes contested stories emerged.

Participatory Research and Empowerment: A Conceptual Revisit of the Debate on Alternative Social Science Research

After the 1970s, there has been a growing emphasis on participatory research aimed at capturing people’s lived realities of everyday lives. The proponents of participatory research (also called alternative research) build on a critique of what is called “extractive,” top-down, and so-called objective empirical research of positivist kind. In contrast, alternative research method embeds research with empowerment and regards survey based conventional research as instrumental. This paper first introduces basic premises of alternative research method together with its philosophical underpinning. Drawing arguments from Robert Chambers the following section compares and contrasts the conventional and alternative research methods. Further, a paradigm shift in social science research in terms of reversals of frame, reversals of modes, reversal of relation and reversal of power is dealt. The final section draws a conclusion that compared to survey based, “objective,” conventional research method, participatory researches are superior in facilitating knowledge generation process, eventually empowering the people.Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.11, 2017; 115-129

Using internet data sources to achieve qualitative interviewing purposes: a research note

In this research note, we examine the function, merits, and challenges of using internet data sources, namely, social media discussion analysis and email interviewing, alongside data collected for the same study from traditional face-to-face interviewing. This comparison opportunity arose from recruitment challenges in our study, which investigated kindergarten teachers’ perspectives and experiences with play-based teaching in kindergartens. Although we had planned to use only face-to-face interviewing, recruitment challenges prompted the use of other data to examine the same research objective, allowing us to analyze the data from each method side-by-side. We contend that social media analysis and email interviewing offer complementary benefits to approaches currently available for qualitative researchers, especially when recruitment attempts through traditional methods fail. This article focuses on practical and practice-based aspects, for qualitative researchers who are seeking alternative research methods to collect rich data about participants’ perspectives and experiences.

Cultural appropriateness of International Child Abuse screening tools for child abuse and neglect: a qualitative study

BackgroundAlthough much research has been done into fertility and childbearing in the Palestinian context, research into the practice of child-raising is scarce. In preparation for a study on child discipline and abuse in the West Bank, we investigated the cultural appropriateness of two International Child Abuse screening tools: one for parents or caretakers (ICAST-P) and the other for young people aged 18–24 years (ICAST-R), which were both developed by the International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN). MethodsThe research team used purposeful selection to obtain a diverse sample and did ten in-depth interviews with mothers, ten with single men aged 19–24 years, and ten with single women aged 18–23 years in the West Bank. Besides general questions about child discipline, interviewers asked all participants for feedback in relation to clarity, acceptability, and relevance of the ICAST survey questions. Findings26 (87%) people interviewed perceived most ICAST questions as acceptable and relevant. However, their feedback suggested severe problems related to sexual abuse questions. Young women suggested that such questions could reopen emotional trauma in a context where support services are at a minimum. Many of the interviewees asked if respondents would answer these questions truthfully and warned that both interviewees and interviewers could face social repercussions. The group of 20 men and women aged 18–24 years also raised issues about child abuse and neglect that were not addressed by the ICAST surveys, such as discrimination among siblings by parents. Additionally, young people questioned whether people who are illiterate and those with mental disabilities could be included in the survey. InterpretationIn view of the absence of adequate services for psychological follow-up for victims of sexual abuse, our findings suggest that the survey in its original version could cause harm. Combined with the doubtful sensitivity of this instrument as a screening technique, our study highlights the importance of undertaking validation of research instruments before being introduced into a new cultural setting. In the Palestinian context, alternative research methods need to be considered to study issues of sexual abuse. FundingQatar National Research Fund.

Explaining sustainable supply chain performance using a total interpretive structural modeling approach

In this paper, we have attempted to develop a theoretical framework to explain sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP) using a total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) technique, an alternative method for generating theories. We have identified the enablers of SSCP using two organizational theories: resource-based view (RBV) and institutional theory (IT). Next, we have developed an instrument (structural self-interaction matrix) to capture the inputs of the respondents. Following graph theory logic, the directed graphs used for joining two nodes were converted into binary digit matrix (reachability matrix). Finally, the reachability matrix has been used to develop a total interpretive structural model (TISM) following Sushil’s (2012) guidelines, and further corrected existing inconsistencies in the previous TISM works using Sushil’s (2016) correction suggested for TISM-based models. The current study contributes to our understanding of SSCP and the enablers of SSCP. This study also contributes to the body of alternative research methods that have been used for generating management theories. Our study also provides guidance to the practitioners who are engaged in management of the sustainable supply chain performance in their organizations. Finally, our study also outlines the limitations of the current study and future research directions to expand the current study to a next level.