Choice Of Strategy Research Articles

Recovery practices of slovenian sport climbers

Post-exercise recovery interventions enable athletes to overcome greater training loads and thereby enhancing their performance. Post-exercise recovery strategies serve to optimize recovery, help lower performance decline and prevent overtraining. The purpose of this study was to examine the current practices and attitudes towards post-exercise recovery among Slovenian sport climbers. 339 sports climbers from Slovenia (186 males, 153 females), consisting of 330 recreational sport climbers and 9 competitive sport climbers completed an online survey which was active from February to May 2022. The most common recovery strategies among sport climbers are sleep/rest (84%) and stretching (77%). A significant proportion of sport climbers (87%) reported sleeping duration below the recommended amount of sleep. Personal opinions notably influence the choice of recovery strategies (6 out of 9 competitive sport climbers and 71% of recreational sport climbers). Our findings reveal discrepancies between individual beliefs regarding the effectiveness of specific strategies and their practical implementation. Competitive sport climbers have more individualized recovery strategies (p = 0.012) and use a greater number of recovery strategies (p = 0. 005). Even though that such recovery practices of sport climbers are often in conflict with the literature, we can conclude that sport climbers recover solidly. This data may suggest that recovery does not play a major role in sport climbing performance.

Treatment strategies for smartphone addiction: efficacy study of transcranial direct current stimulation and exergaming

ObjectiveSmartphone addiction is on the rise globally. This study aimed to compare the rehabilitative effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and exergames on smartphone addiction among college students. Additionally, we discussed the central mechanisms through changes in electroencephalography (EEG) to provide clinical insights.MethodsThirty-six participants were randomly assigned to three groups: control group, tDCS group (bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex stimulation), and exergame group. The intervention lasted for 4 weeks with twice-weekly sessions. Outcome measures included the Smartphone Addiction Scale - Chinese Version (SAS-C), Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) net scores, and event-related potential (ERP) data collected during the IGT, focusing on P300 and feedback-related negativity (FRN) amplitudes.ResultsAll groups showed significant reductions in SAS-C scores post-intervention. Behaviorally, post-intervention scores improved, indicating significant effects of different interventions on participants’ strategy choices. P300 amplitudes increased significantly at outcome electrode sites for all groups, with the most notable increase in tDCS group FC2 and CP1. FRN amplitudes decreased significantly post-intervention in the control and tDCS groups, with significant differences between the two groups.ConclusionAll three interventions appeared to have alleviating effect on smartphone addiction. After 4 weeks, participants showed improved executive control and decision-making abilities. Specifically, significant effects were observed in the tDCS group, with increased P300 amplitudes in the frontal, parietal, and central regions, as well as FRN amplitudes in the central and frontal regions. This suggested that tDCS enhanced psychological resources and improved inhibition control capabilities.

Intercultural Experience as a Unique Facilitator of Immigrant Entrepreneurship

ABSTRACTThis study seeks to unpack some underlying factors for immigrant entrepreneurial success. Specifically, we develop an integrative framework for immigrant entrepreneurship utilizing three key pillars or building blocks: home–host cultural asymmetry (related to cultural distance), home–host cultural integration (related to cultural interface), and immigrant entrepreneurship (related to adaptive learning). Through a phenomenon‐driven research approach, our study finds (1) when the home‐cultural heritage and family values interface with host country's cultural values, such interface is likely to have significant effects on the process of immigrant entrepreneurship; (2) immigrant entrepreneurs may go through the same sequential stages of cultural shock and cultural adaptation that other immigrants do; (3) we further find that immigrant entrepreneurs' business success may depend on a process of effective intercultural integration, with the process of intercultural integration that may shape the microfoundations of immigrant entrepreneurship and the choice of entrepreneurial strategy. Our study contributes to the growing research streams on immigrant entrepreneurship: the specific intercultural integration for immigrant entrepreneurship and the unique microfoundations of immigrant entrepreneurship.

Green Disposable Packaging and Communication: The Implications of Bring-Your-Own-Container

Problem definition: A growing number of firms are encouraging consumers to participate in “bring-your-own-container” (BYOC) behavior in which consumers bring their own reusable packaging to purchase and consume products, thus reducing single-use packaging waste. In this paper, we study the environmental implications of a firm’s BYOC implementation when considering its disposable packaging choice and communication strategy. Methodology/results: We build a stylized model to study a firm’s joint decisions on BYOC, disposable packaging choice, and communication and their implications on the environment. Our main results follow. First, allowing BYOC reduces the firm’s incentive to make fraudulent green claims about its disposable product packaging; however, BYOC implementation may harm the overall environment while improving the firm’s profit, thereby creating a new form of greenwashing. Second, the adoption of third-party certification for green disposable packaging is an effective remedy to mitigate the negative environmental impact of BYOC. In addition, the environmental implications of adopting third-party certification (either voluntarily or because of government mandates) depend on the relationship between the environmental qualities of green disposable packaging and reusable packaging. Whereas it always benefits the environment when the firm’s green disposable packaging has better environmental performance, adopting certification may negatively impact the environment if consumers’ reusable packaging is greener. Furthermore, we find numerically that offering a price discount for BYOC may encourage the firm to adopt certification because of increased profitability, thereby leading to the aforementioned environmental implications. Managerial implications: We offer operational insights on how firms should make joint decisions on BYOC, disposable packaging choice, and communication. We also generate insights on how governments should regulate firms’ green claims when firms start to allow BYOC. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2021.0605 .

Household satisfaction with health services and response strategies to malaria in mountain communities of Uganda.

Measuring satisfaction with health service delivery in fragile communities provides an opportunity to improve the resilience of health systems to threats including climate change. Additionally, understanding factors associated with the choice of response strategies to certain public health threats provides an opportunity to design context-specific interventions. We used polytomous latent class analyses to group participants' responses and an additive Bayesian modelling network to explore satisfaction with health service delivery as well as factors associated with response strategies of households to malaria. We did this with a focus on the rural parts of Uganda in Mount Elgon. We found that approaches to malaria control and management at household level include the use of traditional (54.5%), private (20.5%) and publicly available services (25%). Regarding satisfaction with health services, 66.6% of respondents were satisfied with health service components of information flow, drug/vaccine access and accessibility. Type of housing, livelihood sources, previous malaria experience and health services were strongly associated with responses to malaria occurrence at household level. The rest of the factors were weakly associated with malaria responses. The indigenous interventions utilised by households to manage and control malaria were largely dependent on their satisfaction with health service delivery components. Interventions thus ought to leverage local existing knowledge to optimise outcomes and ensure sustainable health.

АНАЛІЗ ЦІНОВИХ СТРАТЕГІЙ ТА СПОЖИВЧА ПОВЕДІНКА В КОНТЕКСТІ МАРКЕТИНГОВИХ ДОСЛІДЖЕНЬ

Abstract introduction. The article examines the views of scientists regarding the formation of price strategies. The main approaches to pricing are considered, with the help of which companies set optimal prices for their services and goods. Factors affecting the company's choice of pricing strategy and affecting consumer behavior are considered. It is conducted research in relation to behavior of consumers and built model of satisfaction of consumer necessities. The purpose of the article. Consideration of pricing strategies of companies and their impact on consumer behavior. Researching consumer behavior and building a model for satisfying consumer needs in goods or services. Methods. Carrying out research the methods of abstraction, analysis, logical, theoretical and historical generalization and comparison are used. For basis of research a dialectical method is taken. Results. The article examines the main approaches to pricing, with the help of which companies set optimal prices for their services and goods. The factors affecting the company's choice of price strategy are considered, and the factors influencing consumer behavior are highlighted. Conducted research on consumer behavior. The proposed model of meeting the needs of consumers in goods or services, which contains 8 sections: the consumer's awareness of the need for the need for a product or service; collection of information; selection of goods or services; decision-making; purchase (payment) of goods or services; evaluation of the choice made and enrichment of experience; the degree of satisfaction of the need for a product or service and consumption of the results. Conclusiоns. After researching and analyzing the available types of marketing price strategies, business entities choose their own price strategy, taking into account certain existing tools, taking into account: characteristics of the service or product, market segment, market competition, competitor analysis, level of market demand, marketing strategies, etc. .. The use of the correct price strategy and the concept of pricing contributes to the achievement of goals: ensuring the stable financial condition of the business entity, meeting the needs of consumers. The offered model in relation to satisfaction of necessities of consumers in commodities or services gives understanding to the process of making decision by consumers in relation to a purchase that is the basic factor of success of company in a competition environment. Companies, that is able to adapt oneself to the necessities of consumers and, to their requirements, that understand the customers, have more chances to retain and attract clients, promote a competitiveness and score a success at the market. The question of the method of determining prices for certain types of services and the behavioral reaction of consumers requires further research.

Online travel agency or blockchain-based platform?

Online travel agency has been used by most hotels to attract customers. However, hefty commissions and unverified reviews reduce hotels' cooperation intentions. Armed with unique advantages, blockchain-based platforms with higher blockchain-adoption costs can alternatively offer peer-to-peer booking service. This paper investigates the hotels' choice strategies on online travel platforms, blockchain-adoption conditions, and effects of blockchain-based platform. The results show that marginal blockchain cost, commission rate and customers' perceived distrust value of online reviews have great influence on the hotels' decisions. Although blockchain-based platforms can create win-win situations for hotel(s) and customers, they are not widely available as it is considered imperfect and costly. Alarmingly, there exists an invalidation effect of online travel platforms in a competitive market, resulting in non-equilibrium.

A Study on Consumers’ Willingness to Purchase Autonomous Vehicles from a Multi-Party Interaction Perspective: A Tripartite Evolutionary Game Model Involving the Government, Automobile Manufacturers, and Consumers

With the rapid development of autonomous driving technology, the advent of the autonomous driving era has become inevitable. An in-depth study of consumers’ willingness to purchase autonomous vehicles is critical to accelerating the adoption and commercialization of autonomous vehicles. By constructing a tripartite evolutionary game model of governments, automobile manufacturers, and consumers, we analyze the stable choice of unilateral strategy and equilibrium strategy of autonomous vehicle purchase intention. The MATLAB2022b tool was used for data simulation analysis to verify the validity of the conclusion and the influence of related factors on the purchase intention toward autonomous vehicles. The results show the following: (1) The combination of government support, active R&D, and consumer purchasing is the evolutionary stability strategy (ESS) of the model. (2) With an increase in government support, the probability of automobile enterprises taking the initiative to participate in R&D also increases. However, the negative impact of risk can significantly reduce the incentive for firms to conduct R&D and reduce the effectiveness of government support. (3) Government subsidies to consumers and purchase incentives offered by automotive companies can significantly increase the likelihood that consumers will purchase an autonomous vehicle. Based on these findings, recommendations are made to strengthen government support, establish risk mitigation mechanisms, and strengthen market promotion efforts to promote the commercialization of autonomous vehicles. The study provides a new perspective for understanding multi-party interactions in the rollout of autonomous vehicles and provides valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders.

A Study on the Relationship between Field Cognitive Style and English Reading Strategy Choice

In recent years, China has accelerated its internationalization process and made more and more achievements in cross-border exchanges and cooperation. Learning English is essential for the current generation of college students. English reading is an important means to acquire English language knowledge, understand external information, and improve English language practice skills. Since the 70s of the 20th centuries, many scholars at home and abroad have been conducting a lot of research on the correlation between reading strategies and cognitive styles, but most of them are descriptive analysis, and there are few empirical studies. In this study, 324 first-year students majoring in science and engineering of Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology were selected by random sampling method, and the questionnaires of mosaic pattern test (Chinese version) and reading strategies were conducted, and data processing was carried out by SPSS 26.0, and descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test and Pearson correlation analysis were performed. The results show that there are significant differences in the use of reading strategies among field-independent and field-dependent science and engineering freshmen. Among them, field-independent individuals are more inclined to choose metacognitive strategies, and field-dependent individuals are more inclined to choose social/emotional strategies. Teachers should give full consideration to the characteristics of students' cognitive styles in English teaching, scientifically adjust the design of activities, the selection of teaching materials and teaching methods, and provide diversified guidance to help students correctly understand themselves and improve their learning efficiency. Due to the limitation of time and sample size, there are still many shortcomings in this study, but to a certain extent, it reflects the current situation of science and engineering English learners in China, and provides empirical data support for teachers' "teaching" and students' "learning".

Production line location strategy for foreign manufacturer when selling in a market lag behind in manufacturing

It is a prevalent practice for foreign manufacturers to market their products in regions with lower manufacturing capabilities. However, the manufacturer’s choice of production line location strategy is significantly influenced by tariffs and negative brand effects caused by localized production. In this paper, we build a game-theoretical model considering a supply chain composed of a foreign manufacturer and a local retailer. The foreign manufacturer initially produces both high-end and low-end products at the oversea (with higher manufacturing capabilities), selling them in the local market through a local retailer. We explore various production line location strategies for the foreign manufacturer, including both location at the oversea, both location at the local market (with lower manufacturing capabilities), and separate location, and analyze the impacts of tariffs and negative brand effects. By comparing equilibrium results in different strategies, we discover that as tariffs rise, both location at the oversea may be the best choice for the foreign manufacturer instead of separate location strategy, which challenges the prevalent practice where many foreign manufacturers opt to produce high-end products overseas to uphold brand influence while localizing low-end products to minimize tariff costs. Overall, there is no singularly dominant production line location strategy for the foreign manufacturer, and each strategy holds the potential to yield the highest overall supply chain profit. In addition, as tariffs rise, customer surplus will increase under separate location, and only the separate location strategy or both location at the local market strategy is likely to yield the highest consumer surplus.

Is chronic kidney disease predictive of coronary artery bypass grafting after acute coronary syndrome? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) provides superior long-term outcomes to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for multi-vessel coronary artery disease. People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk of multi-vessel coronary artery disease, and experience greater morbidity and mortality following acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Purpose To determine whether CKD affects choice of revascularisation strategy after ACS. Methods We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CENTRAL and the NIHR’s website of funded studies to identify articles referring to ACS and invasive coronary management in high-income countries over the past 12 years until 29th September 2023. Full text articles were included if data on rates of CABG were reported in people with and without CKD who were revascularised following ACS. CKD was defined as one or more recording of an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60mls/min/1.73m2, however proxies for this were accepted. Risk of bias was assessed via ROBINS-E. Random effect meta-analyses estimated the odds ratios for CKD and CABG, stratified by ACS type and receipt of dialysis. Certainty of evidence was assessed according to GRADE. Results Initial searches generated 15,138 articles, of which 13 observational studies were included in this review (8,021,743 participants). Amongst people revascularised following ACS, those with CKD were more likely to receive CABG than those without kidney disease (OR for the average exposure effect 1.47 (95% CI 1.30-1.66)). The likelihood of CABG in people with CKD receiving dialysis and those with CKD not receiving dialysis were similar as the 95% confidence intervals demonstrate (ORs 1.25 (95% CI 1.00-1.57) and 1.41 (1.19-1.67) respectively). The effect of CKD on increased likelihood of CABG appeared greater following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) than non-ST elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS) (OR 1.53 (95% CI 1.27-1.83) versus 1.10 (0.98-1.25) respectively, p=0.003). Certainty of the evidence was low for receipt of CABG in people with CKD not receiving dialysis, and moderate for all other outcomes. Conclusion In high-income countries, CKD is associated with increased receipt of CABG amongst people revascularised following ACS. This finding is likely explained by the greater prevalence of multi-vessel coronary artery disease in this population. It is however unclear why the association between CKD and receipt of CABG is stronger in those with STEMI compared to NSTE-ACS, and whether this accurately reflects differential need between the two groups.Figure 1Figure 2

Prediction of potential energy on player scoring trend in tennis match based on Hopfield neural network model

In tennis, it is very important to catch the direction and trend of the match when the score happens. This paper aims to establish a mathematical model to predict the dynamic change of match progress and the appearance of match points, and explain the role of "momentum" in the match. By mining the real-time match data of 2023 Wimbledon Tennis Open, based on Hopfield neural network and entropy weight method, the technical level, psychological pressure and fatigue level of players in the match are selected as the influencing factors, and the mathematical model between the "momentum" of players and the change of the match flow is established, and the change of the match schedule can be predicted more accurately. The change of momentum may affect the motivation of players, and the choice of a reasonable strategy may be a magic weapon to win the match. It is hoped that this can help the pre-competition training of tennis players and promote the vigorous development of tennis events.

Public–private partnerships and human development

Abstract The restructuring of a state is crucial for promoting human development. For this reason, public–private partnerships (PPPs), the so-called “fourth revolution” in reinventing the state, have become a global strategy of choice. Yet, existing studies on PPPs mainly analyze their effect on growth or inequality, not human development. This article uses data from the human development index (HDI) database to investigate the impact of PPP projects on human development. With the increasing scale of public infrastructure investments and the need to improve public services, it is necessary to examine whether PPPs are justified in improving social welfare. We conducted the analysis for all low- and middle-income countries using propensity score matching (PSM) and multivariate analysis. Additionally, we present the HDI predictions. We believe that assessing the impact of public–private cooperation on increasing social welfare, reducing social exclusion, and implementing investments with a robust social impact is essential. Overall, we found a statistically significant effect of PPPs on human development, demonstrating that the growing scale of PPP investments in low- and middle-income countries enhances their HDI.

The Influence of ESG Factors on Portfolio Performance Based on the Perspective of Markowitz Portfolio Theory

Abstract: In this paper, the inclusion of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors in portfolios is investigated to determine their impact on portfolio performance and its mechanism. Based on the data collected by Bloomberg for 10 stocks from 2003-2023 and Markowitz's portfolio model, it is found that: (1) the inclusion of ESG constraints negatively affects portfolio performance; (2) the inclusion of ESG constraints shifts the GMVP to the right and reduces the convexity of the efficient frontier, thus lowering the portfolio's performance. This study enriches the literature on the factors affecting portfolio performance as well as responsible investment and ESG investment, and is of value to investors or organizations in making investment strategy choices.

An online interactive physics-informed adversarial network for solving mean field games

We propose an online interactive physics-informed adversarial network (IPIAN) to address mean field games (MFGs) from the perspective of physics-informed interaction. In this study, we model the interaction between agents as a physics-informed exchange process, quantifying the evolution and distribution of individual strategy choices. We utilize the variational dyadic structure of MFGs to transform the dynamic game problem into a static optimization problem, subsequently employing the adversarial network to solve the mean field games. Based on the generative adversarial framework, two online physics-informed networks solve the value and density functions. These networks are trained to approximate the solution of MFGs through adversarial means. Additionally, a self-attention mechanism is introduced to enhance the focus on strategic physics-informed, thereby improving the expressiveness of IPIAN. Numerical experiments validate the effectiveness of IPIAN in solving high-dimensional mean field game models, as demonstrated by obstacle avoidance experiments with a quadrotor in various scenarios.

An Integrated SIMUS–Game Theory Approach for Sustainable Decision Making—An Application for Route and Transport Operator Selection

The choice of management strategy for companies operating in different sectors of the economy is of great importance for their sustainable development. In many cases, companies are in competition within the scope of the same activities, meaning that the profit of one company is at the expense of the other. The choice of strategies for each of the firms in this case can be optimized using game theory for a non-cooperative game case where the two players have antagonistic interests. The aim of this research is to develop a methodology which, in non-cooperative games, accounts for the benefits of different criteria for each of the strategies of the two participants. In this research a new integrated sequential interactive model for urban systems (SIMUS)–game theory technique for decision making in the case of non-cooperative games is proposed. The methodology includes three steps. The first step consists of a determination of the strategies of both players and the selection of criteria for their assessment. In the second step the SIMUS method for multi-criteria analysis is applied to identify the benefits of the strategies for both players according to the criteria. The model formation in game theory is drawn up in the third step. The payoff matrix of the game is formed based on the benefits obtained from the SIMUS method. The strategies of both players are solved by dual linear programming. Finally, to verify the results of the new approach we apply four criteria to make a decision—Laplace’s criterion, the minimax and maximin criteria, Savage’s criterion and Hurwitz’s criterion. The new integrated SIMUS–game theory approach is applied to a real example in the transport sector. The Bulgarian transport network is investigated regarding route and transport type selection for a carriage of containers between a starting point, Sofia, and a destination, Varna, in the case of competition between railway and road operators. Two strategies for a railway operator and three strategies for a road operator are examined. The benefits of the strategies for both operators are determined using the SIMUS method, based on seven criteria representing environmental, technological, infrastructural, economic, security and safety factors. The optimal strategies for both operators are determined using the game model and dual linear programming. It is discovered that the railway operator will apply their first strategy and that the road operator will also apply their first strategy. Both players will obtain a profit if they implement their optimal strategies. The new integrated SIMUS–game theory approach can be used in different areas of research, when the strategies for both players in non-cooperatives games need to be established.

NGOisation and food sovereignty: unearthing the intricacies of NGO-driven food sovereignty efforts. Insights from Uganda

AbstractIn many places, social movements and organised networks are the primary drivers of mobilisation for food sovereignty. Elsewhere, the concept has been institutionalized and incorporated into national food policy frameworks. However, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding places where food sovereignty efforts are spearheaded by NGOised civil society. This study addresses this gap by examining five Civil Society Organisations promoting food sovereignty in Uganda through qualitative research. Through in-depth interviews, the study explores the implementation, activism, and mobilisation strategies employed by these organisations. The findings reveal that civil society organisations play a significant role in advancing food sovereignty in Uganda. They do so through practical initiatives such as disseminating knowledge, building capacity among smallholder farmers, promoting agroecological practices, and politicizing agricultural development through farmer mobilisation, policy advocacy, and formation of strategic alliances. Nonetheless, the study highlights critical areas for improvement. First, the need for better coordination among CSOs to create synergies that can enhance the impact and sustainability of their efforts. Second, the need to complement non-contentious strategies with more politically assertive actions to address systemic barriers. Finally, the need to forge alliances for FS among rural producers, urban consumers, and other non-farming populations. The main takeaway from these findings is that Food Sovereignty is a dynamic and context-dependent concept, requiring equally flexible strategies to promote it. Therefore, the choice of mobilisation strategies should be carefully adapted to the unique political, cultural, and economic context, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

Molecular Genetic Factors of Risk Stratification of Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrial Carcinoma

Background: According to epidemiological studies, endometrial carcinoma is one of the most frequently diagnosed malignancies of the female reproductive system, with an increasing incidence. Currently, the risk stratification of this neoplasm takes into account the stage, degree of tumor differentiation, histological type and depth of myometrial invasion. Since the publication of the last International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system for endometrial cancer in 2009, numerous reports have appeared on the molecular characteristics of different types of endometrial carcinoma. Taking this into account, the FIGO Committee determined in 2023 that changes and updates to the staging system are justified to reflect new information about this tumor. Due to the high prevalence of the disease and mortality from endometrial cancer, an in-depth study of the molecular genetic characteristics of tumor cells is relevant; the results of such studies can be used to improve the efficiency of diagnosis, assess the risk of metastasis and prognosis of the disease. Lymph node assessment is crucial for the choice of treatment strategy for endometrial cancer, since metastatic lymph node involvement is one of the main factors affecting prognosis. At the same time, the criteria for the appropriateness of lymphadenectomy in low-differentiated malignant tumors are not clearly defined. Various molecular methods have been proposed to assess the status of lymph nodes; candidate genes are being studied as potential diagnostic biomarkers, as well as microRNA. The aim of the study was to analyze the literature data on numerous studies of molecular risk factors for progression in endometrioid carcinoma, as well as to preserve the most important marker changes in relation to the prognostic development of this disease. Methods: A literature review was conducted using data from the electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Wiley Cochrane Library for the period from 2018 to 2023 using the specific keywords. Results: The current scientific genetic studies on metastasis and prognostic factors in uterine cancer were analyzed, and a systematization of the reviewed data from the modern literature was done. Conclusions: To select the most effective treatment - intraoperative, adjuvant or combination therapy, minimize postoperative risks of lymphadenectomy and clearly predict the results - further study of the molecular genetic features of endometrial cancer is necessary.

Assessing Variance in Male Reproductive Skew Based on Long-Term Data in Free-Ranging Rhesus Macaques.

The unequal share in male reproduction (male reproductive skew) has been reported across primate species. To explain the distribution of male reproduction within groups various skew models have been applied to primates, however the "dynamic tug-of-war" model first accounted for the specifics of primate sociality. This model assumes that an increase in the number of competing males, a high degree of female cycle synchrony and their interaction will result in a lower degree of male reproductive skew. Here, we first tested the predictors of this model in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) using long-term demographic and genetic data (up to 9 groups over 22 seasons) of the Cayo Santiago population (Puerto Rico). We also tested an extended version including group size and sex ratio and their interaction with female cycle synchrony. Finally, we investigated which male attributes determine the probability to become a top sire (highest paternity share per group and season). Confirming studies, male rhesus macaques exhibited low to medium degrees of reproductive skew based on the multinomial index, M. Unlike predicted, reproductive skew was higher in groups with more males. The extended analysis suggested that reproductive skew increased with group size in more male-biased groups, but decreased with group size in female-biased groups indicating that the numbers of male and female group members matter. We detected no effect of female cycle synchrony on the variance of reproductive skew. Finally, only maternal rank predicted the probability to become a top sire as long as males resided in their natal group. Together, our results did not support predictions by the dynamic skew model in rhesus macaques, but strengthen studies suggesting that other factors in addition to male-male competition predict male reproductive output in rhesus macaques. Future skew studies should consider female choice and alternative male mating strategies.

A new approach to continuous assessment: Moving from a stressful sum of grades to meaningful learning through self-reflection

This paper proposes a new approach of continuous assessment of a formative nature, aimed at achieving meaningful learning with lower stress levels. This approach minimizes the punitive nature of traditional summative continuous assessment and replaces typical graded activities with self-reflecting ones. To conduct the formative evaluation, a teaching model has been developed to guide the choice of feedback and feed-forward strategies to be implemented by the instructors, depending on the students’ levels of competence and confidence. To validate the effectiveness of this approach, a quasi-experimental design was employed, with the new continuous assessment method in the experimental group and the summative continuous assessment method in the control group. The experiment was conducted in a Mathematics course with undergraduate Economics and Business students. Data were collected through test scores and a perception questionnaire. The results indicate that the new evaluation method promotes meaningful learning and yields better academic results compared to the traditional continuous evaluation. Students expressed high satisfaction with the new approach, noting that it allows them to understand their formative status and address deficiencies before undertaking evaluable activities. They also believe this strategy helps reduce the stress associated with the summative evaluation itself.