Information Landscape Research Articles

The quality landscape of economics: The top five and beyond

Abstract Whereas a growing number of studies evidence that research quality notions and evaluative practices are field- and context-specific, many focus on single evaluative practices or moments. This paper introduces the concept of quality landscape to capture dynamics of interrelated quality notions, evaluative moments and practices in a research field. This concept shifts focus to (1) the field-specific universe of practices, devices and notions of research quality; (2) ways that interrelated valuations provide structure and boundeness to a landscape; (3) ways that perspectives on a shared landscape may change with position within the landscape; and (4) ways in which a quality landscape is intertwined with the field’s socio-epistemic conditions. With extensive interview data from top ranked departments in three Scandinavian countries, we use economics as a case for exploring the value of a quality landscape lens. We find that the field’s journal hierarchy and its ‘Top 5’ journals dominate the landscape, while other important evaluative practices beyond the top five are interlinked with the journal hierarchy. However, quantitative evaluative metrics common in other fields are virtually absent. We further find that national and local policy reinforce the journal hierarchy emphasis, and that career stages affect quality perspectives. We argue that the quality landscape is structured as a quality hierarchy with a focus on the core ‘general interest’, and suggest the notion of ordinalization (the process of rank ordering) as an organizing principle linking the quality landscape to the field’s socio-epistemic conditions. Finally, we offer suggestions for further research.

Reflexive control in emergency medicine

Emergency physicians (EPs) navigate high-pressure environments, making rapid decisions amidst ambiguity. Their choices are informed by a complex interplay of experience, information, and external forces. While cognitive shortcuts (heuristics) expedite assessments, there are multiple ways they can be subtly manipulated, potentially leading to reflexive control: external actors steering EPs' decisions for their own benefit.Pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, and media narratives are among the numerous factors that influence the EPs' information landscape. Using tactics such as selective data dissemination, framing, and financial incentives, these actors can exploit pre-existing cognitive biases like anchoring, confirmation, and availability. This creates fertile ground for reflexive control, where EPs may believe they are acting independently while unknowingly serving the goals of external influencers.The consequences of manipulated decision making can be severe: misdiagnoses, inappropriate treatments, and increased healthcare costs. Ethical dilemmas arise when external pressures conflict with patient well-being. Recognizing these dangers empowers EPs to resist reflexive control through (1) critical thinking: examining information for potential biases and prioritizing evidence-based practices, (2) continuous education: learning about cognitive biases and mitigation strategies, and (3) institutional policies: implementing regulations to reduce external influence and to promote transparency.This vulnerability of emergency medicine decision making highlights the need for awareness, education, and robust ethical frameworks. Understanding reflexive control techniques is crucial for safeguarding patient care and promoting independent, ethical decision making in emergency medicine.

Non-reciprocal band structures in an exciton–polariton Floquet optical lattice

Periodic temporal modulation of Hamiltonians can induce geometrical and topological phenomena in the dynamics of quantum states. Using the interference between two lasers, we demonstrate an off-resonant optical lattice for a polariton condensate with controllable potential depths and nearest-neighbour coupling strength. Temporal modulation is introduced via a gigahertz frequency detuning between pump lasers, creating a polariton ‘conveyor belt’. The breaking of time-reversal symmetry causes band structures to become non-reciprocal and acquire a universal tilt given by Planck’s constant and the frequency of modulation (hΔf). The non-reciprocal tilting is connected to the non-trivial topology of the Floquet–Bloch bands, which have a finite Chern number. Detailed characterization of the lattice potential depth and its dynamics highlights the role of high-energy carriers in the formation of optical potential landscapes for polaritons, demonstrating the possibility of modulation faster than the polariton lifetime and opening a pathway towards Floquet engineering in polariton condensates.

Rethinking Sporting Mystification in the Present Tense: Disneylimpics, Affective Neoliberalism, and the Greatest Transformation

While questioning the universalization, naturalization, neutralization, and idealization of sport and physical culture, this paper examines the ultimate mystification process of sport and physical culture by expanding upon two conceptual frameworks: Jules Boykoff’s celebration capitalism and Lawrence Grossberg’s affective landscape. It first analyzes the evolution of the Olympics into a corporatized, commercialized, spectacularized, and celebritized “Disneylimpics” that can consistently evoke an affective reverberation. It then introduces the idea of “affective neoliberalism” to highlight neoliberalism’s affective and ideological aspects. With Grossberg’s concept of affective landscape, this paper explores the internalization and intensification of anxiety and affective isolation within society. Additionally, the paper utilizes Karl Polanyi’s analysis in his influential book, The Great Transformation, to investigate the historical expansion of affective neoliberalism. By highlighting the 11 September 2001, attacks in the United States, it points out provocative militarization and (re)organization of the soul into a fictitious commodity, in addition to labor, land, and money, which triggers the greatest transformation. Lastly, summarizing central arguments, this paper concludes with modest suggestions, mainly focusing on two questions: (1) where are we now? and (2) how can we more effectively respond to the present context?

“Being a Global Citizen”: Australian Secondary Teacher Librarians in the Changing Information Landscape

Teacher librarians (TLs) play a central role in developing students’ information literacy capabilities, which are vital for effective participation in formal education and active engagement in society. This research enhances insights into information literacy instruction in Australian secondary schools, by investigating the perceptions of practicing TLs regarding the information literacy needs of teachers and students. This article presents the groundwork for this investigation, employing a phenomenological approach and discussing findings from an initial survey. The study will inform TL education and improve current information literacy education practices, addressing the demand for nurturing 21st century skills embedded in the Australian Curriculum.

In defense of information literacy across the disciplines

Information literacy, coined in the 1970s, covers a wide range of skills needed to navigate the information landscape to find relevant and useful information to solve problems. The teaching of information literacy is inconsistent across state standards, and West Virginia students entering college are often ill-equipped to find credible, useful information. Information literacy’s core skills include identifying individual information needs, finding relevant sources to solve those needs, and evaluating those sources for credibility. In the pre-Internet, mass media age, it was necessary primarily to evaluate and consider the bias of sources when assessing credibility. Then, mass disinformation/misinformation became a critical issue for information literacy, particularly in the mid 2010s. In the last two years, the now wide scale availability of generative AI tools now requires an even more substantial toolbox for information literacy. Unfortunately, discussions around equipping users with the appropriate skills have become increasingly siloed, with parallel developments in news literacy, digital literacy, media literacy, AI literacy, and reappropriation of science literacy to effectively encompass the same skill set. Here, I show the cross-disciplinary nature and value of information literacy, arguing for its superseding nature against these other literacies, and give recommendations for greater integration of information literacy instruction across college curriculum. Solutions for ILI implementation are readily found in the library and information science literature, and professional staff and faculty are in many institutions prepared or trainable to deliver ILI in both generalized and discipline-specific contexts to empower users to be more information literate and capable of navigating increasingly complex information landscapes.

Investigating Influential Users' Responses to Permanent Suspension on Social Media

Social media platforms use permanent suspension as a measure of last resort to intervene with users who spread harmful or misleading content. However, permanent suspension does not signify the end of a user's online presence, but rather on that specific platform. This issue is particularly salient for influential users with large audiences, as they have the potential to cause substantial shifts in the overall social media information landscape when suspended. Our work employs a mixed methods approach to study the context around, and behavioral patterns after, permanent suspension. We find that migration is a common step after suspension, and characterize a number of behavioral strategies and patterns that occur after influential users are suspended. By focusing on consequences of suspension across more holistically, we have identified numerous opportunities for design and future research to mitigate the potential negative effects of permanent suspensions on the broader social media information landscape.

Nutrition Today: Nutrition/Health Communications: Teaching Sourcing, Vetting, Discerning

Nutrition and food science and other health science communicators have faced a number of significant challenges over the past several decades, as the information landscape has evolved. The growth of Web-based science communication sources and, especially, social media’s impact on information dissemination have thoroughly transformed what was once strictly the purview of science and health journals. To meet the changing challenges, the present authors have published a series of articles presenting guidance for communicators in navigating the evolving information environment. In response to a number of questions from colleagues about how to seek and evaluate sound scientific information and to address the growing online repository of dubious food and health recommendations, the authors are addressing in the present article some modern themes. In particular, the article focuses on communicators’ evolving needs: where to go for accurate science-based information—how to guide the public to sound health and nutrition information and also how consumers might vet information sites online and how the public can be encouraged to develop new critical science-consumption skills and practical skepticism in the face of competing “information” claims.

Medical teachers’ identity learning during major curriculum renewal: A landscapes of practice perspective

Purpose To explore how medical teachers navigate their professional identities when required to implement critical pedagogy during an undergraduate curriculum renewal initiative. Methods A qualitative exploratory study was conducted, using focus groups and individual interviews with twenty-six purposively selected undergraduate medical teachers at a South African university. Data were transcribed, coded, and thematically analysed. Concepts of Landscapes of Practice Theory and Teacher Identity Learning provided an interpretive framework. Results Findings show that medical teachers’ perceived capacity to implement critical pedagogy was influenced by identities that were constructed within the boundaries of a traditional biomedical curriculum. Three themes were identified, highlighting the inherent liminality of traversing a changing educational landscape: engaging in new practices: moving into the boundary space; attempting alignment: navigating identity in the boundary space; imagining the future: embracing identity in the boundary space. Conclusion Globally directed curriculum renewal imperatives may challenge the established pedagogical practices and professional identities of medical teachers. There is a need for institutional spaces that foster collaboration, dialogue, and reflection with a view to supporting the ongoing identity learning and development of knowledgeability of medical teachers responsible for curriculum transformation.

A Quantum Approach to News Verification from the Perspective of a News Aggregator

In the dynamic landscape of digital information, the rise of misinformation and fake news presents a pressing challenge. This paper takes a completely new approach to verifying news, inspired by how quantum actors can reach agreement even when they are spatially spread out. We propose a radically new—to the best of our knowledge—algorithm that uses quantum “entanglement” (think of it as a special connection) to help news aggregators “sniff out” bad actors, whether they are other news sources or even fact-checkers trying to spread misinformation. This algorithm does not rely on quantum signatures; it merely uses basic quantum technology which we already have, in particular, special pairs of particles called “EPR pairs” that are much easier to create than other options. More elaborate entangled states are like juggling too many balls—they are difficult to make and slow things down, especially when many players are involved. So, we adhere to Bell states, the simplest form of entanglement, which are easy to generate no matter how many players are involved. This means that our algorithm is faster to set up, works for any number of participants, and is more practical for real-world use. Additionally, as a “bonus point”, it finishes in a fixed number of steps, regardless of how many players are involved, making it even more scalable. This new approach may lead to a powerful and efficient way to fight misinformation in the digital age, using the weird and wonderful world of quantum mechanics.

Russian historical and cultural landscape of Port Arthur and Harbin

The article reflects the results of the research conducted by the authors within the framework of the scientific project “Architectural image of the Motherland: Budapest, St. Petersburg, Harbin. European and national (local) aspects in Russian and Hungarian architecture – a comparative study of the turn of the 19th – early 20th centuries”. Based on archival data and materials from the authors’ field surveys, a systematic picture of the formation of the Russian cultural landscape of Port Arthur and Harbin is presented.

Anti-Systemic Counterpublics: Rethinking the Counterpublic Sphere

Amid debates over the impact of social media platforms on democratic societies, there is increasing academic interest in how they offer new spaces for destabilising forces and movements that challenge democratic values, practices and norms. This article proposes an analytical framework to study “anti-systemic counterpublics”—defined as arenas for production and circulation of discourse that undermine the legitimacy of the established socio-political order. Integrating insights from both counterpublics literature and the theoretical literature of anti-system parties, this study shifts focus from progressive counterpublics seeking to expand the discursive space for marginalised voices and groups to anti-systemic counterpublics contesting the dominant socio-political order. The analytical framework delineates three dimensions of anti-systemic counterpublics: the content of their discourse (discursive), their modes of articulation and expression (performative), and their strategies for alliance-building and positioning within broader information landscapes (positional). Using two case studies—anti-lockdown movements and a news outlet—I illustrate how such counterpublics often align with fringe political actors and hyper-partisan news media. These cases help illuminate their strategies, from crafting persuasive messages to mobilising identities, and opposing mainstream actors and narratives. This framework offers a lens to understand the evolution and influence of anti-systemic voices, both in digital and non-digital spaces.

Ecological Characteristics and Layout Optimization of Rural Landscape for Smart Cities and Ant Colony Algorithms

Studying the spatial pattern of rural settlements and its influencing factors is important for guiding rural economic development, optimizing the living environment of rural residents, effectively using land resources, and accelerating the construction of urban-rural integration. The purpose of this paper is to study the ecological characteristics and layout optimization of rural landscape oriented to smart city and ant colony algorithm, introduce the concept of smart city and rural landscape, propose the ant colony algorithm, take Hengshan District as the research area, and use the method of landscape ecology to analyze the layout pattern and layout of rural settlements in Hengshan District in two periods of 2015 and 2020 under different landforms, different distances from rivers, roads and towns. The landscape characteristics were analyzed. On this basis, nine indicators affecting the layout of settlements were selected. Then, with the suitability of rural settlements as the optimization target, the ACO optimization model was constructed by combining the relevant theories of ant colony algorithm, and the layout of rural settlements in Hengshan District was optimized with the help of GeoSOS geographical optimization simulation system. The experimental results show that after optimization, there are 12,354 rural settlements in Hengshan District, with an average patch area of 0.52 ha and a decrease in the number of patches, while the density of rural settlements PD of patches decreases, indicating that the fragmentation of rural settlements is reduced and the connectivity of settlements is increased.

83. Mapping the Consumer Health Information Landscape for Mullerian Anomalies in NNLM Region 4

83. Mapping the Consumer Health Information Landscape for Mullerian Anomalies in NNLM Region 4

A systematic review of AI literacy conceptualization, constructs, and implementation and assessment efforts (2019–2023)

The explosion of AI across all facets of society has given rise to the need for AI education across domains and levels. AI literacy has become an important concept in the current technological landscape, emphasizing the need for individuals to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to engage with AI systems. This systematic review examined 47 articles published between 2019 and 2023, focusing on recent work to capture new insights and initiatives given the burgeoning of the literature on this topic. In the initial stage, we explored the dataset to identify the themes covered by the selected papers and the target population for AI literacy efforts. We identified that the articles broadly contributed to one of the following themes: a) conceptualizing AI literacy, b) prompting AI literacy efforts, and c) developing AI literacy assessment instruments. We also found that a range of populations, from pre-K students to adults in the workforce, were targeted. In the second stage, we conducted a thorough content analysis to synthesize six key constructs of AI literacy: Recognize, Know and Understand, Use and Apply, Evaluate, Create, and Navigate Ethically. We then applied this framework to categorize a range of empirical studies and identify the prevalence of each construct across the studies. We subsequently review assessment instruments developed for AI literacy and discuss them. The findings of this systematic review are relevant for formal education and workforce preparation and advancement, empowering individuals to leverage AI and drive innovation.

Threat Existence to Limestone Formations Around Goa Peteng in South Bali Island, Indonesia

The limestone formations are a unit of geological rock formations that are important for the formation of unique Karst landscapes but are often threatened by development interests, one of which is in the environment around Goa Peteng, whose existence is threatened. This research aims to investigate: 1) the conditions of limestone formations around Goa Peteng, 2) identified threats to the existence of limestone formations around Goa Peteng, and 3) potential opportunities for protecting the existence of limestone formations around Goa Peteng. The methods used in this research include field observation, literature review, and assistance with map digitization. This assistance involves utilizing literature studies, both scientific articles and reports containing maps that also cover the study location. The results of the research show that the limestone formations in the Goa Peteng environment exist at of a level of karst development in the Goa Peteng environment, which is Mesokarst and parts of the surrounding area are Non-Karst apart from that there is Exokarst Potential and Endokarst though not much exists at the study location. The real threat to the existence of the karst landscape in the Goa Peteng environment is the development of mass tourism in the form of tourist accommodation such as hotels and villas, which has developed rapidly over the last 14 years, as seen from Satellite Image data. The limestone formations in the Goa Peteng environment themselves has the opportunity to be a place for education and further studies need to be carried out on the limestone formations and karst development in South Bali.

Data Summerization and Voice Assistant

This project focuses on data collection and writing, aiming to develop a framework for efficiently summarizing extensive knowledge available on the Internet. The proposed framework leverages morphological content and semantic information to sift through the vast amount of data online. The current information landscape is overwhelming, making it challenging for individuals to extract pertinent details quickly. The sheer volume of data on the Internet poses difficulties in searching for and assimilating relevant information from diverse sources. The solution lies in the development of an automatic writing system to address these challenges effectively. Summary summarization, a crucial aspect of this framework, involves identifying and condensing the most important and useful information from a given dataset. The goal is to create a concise version while retaining the full purpose of the original data entry. The significance of this approach becomes apparent in the face of the daunting task of making sense of big data, streamlining the process and facilitating efficient extraction of meaningful insights.

Profitability landscapes for competitive photovoltaic self-consumption

Photovoltaic self-consumption (PVSC) is a central element of the energy transition. However, retail electricity tariffs have not adapted to the emerging phenomenon of demand-side generation. We introduce the concept of profitability landscapes to evaluate the effects of a cost-reflective retail tariff and a competitive PVSC regulation on prosumers’ returns depending on system costs and self-consumption share. The trade-off between these two elements reveals the value of demand flexibility. We find that PVSC would be profitable in most European countries when external costs are internalized, confirm the diminishing marginal returns on demand flexibility and quantify the effects of prices, insolation and profitability on the value of demand flexibility.

Tackling the cold start issue in movie recommendations with a refined epsilon-greedy approach

With the rapid growth of the Internet and the consequent surge in data, the current era is characterized by information overload. As the domain of data processing and storage expands, recommendation systems have become pivotal tools in navigating this deluge, assisting users in filtering through vast information landscapes. A notable segment of this is movie recommendation systems. As living standards rise, so does the demand for cinematic experiences. Enhancing and refining the methodologies of these recommendation systems is, therefore, of significant value. However, a consistent challenge is the cold start problem encountered when new users join. Without prior viewing records or preferences, these users pose a dilemma for the system: how to offer relevant recommendations without historical data? Addressing this challenge, this paper proposes a unique method grounded in the N-armed bandit model, introducing an enhanced Epsilon-greedy algorithm specifically designed for movie recommendations for such users. By adjusting dynamically based on real-time user feedback, the algorithm aims to continuously hone its recommendation quality, ensuring a consistently better user experience.

Трансформація організаційної структури управління інноваційною діяльністю на підприємствах залізничного транспорту

The article determined that the reform of railway transport enterprises led to a violation of the structural integrity of the management system of innovative activity in the industry and a narrowing of the innovative potential of JSC «Ukrzaliznytsia», limiting its ability to maintain a sufficient level of innovative activity. It was established that even despite the reform and restructuring of the innovation management system, the functions of units responsible for producing innovations for the needs of industry enterprises remained extremely limited and were not focused on the implementation of modern tools and mechanisms for supporting innovative growth processes. It was determined that in the conditions of digitalization, the main key to the implementation of effective innovative activity is the company's ability to recognize strategically important information for its innovative growth, which will form the basis of the idea for future innovation. On this basis, the expediency is substantiated and the content, advantages, disadvantages and stages of implementation of technological scouting as a modern tool for supporting the innovative activity of companies are revealed. An approach to the transformation of the organizational structure of management of innovative activities at railway transport enterprises has been developed, which is based on the possibilities of technological scouting in increasing the innovative potential of enterprises of the industry and involves the creation of an innovation scouting center. The structure and functions of the innovation scouting center at railway transport enterprises are revealed, the key ones of which are highlighted as innovation intelligence and systematization of innovation data, formation of the innovation landscape, monitoring and forecasting of innovation changes, regulatory analysis, competitive intelligence and market research. The key areas of activity of the innovation scouting center at railway transport enterprises are characterized.