Contextual Reference Research Articles

An increasing cooperation between Vilnius and Bucharest: the reflection of Lithuania in Romanian media

The purpose of this article is to analyse how the most read Romanian media outlets (Libertatea, Digi24, Ştirile Pro TV, Adevărul, Click!) were reporting news about Lithuania in the period between 24 February 2022 and 15 April 2024, with two aims being elaborated in the research. The first goal is to focus on the reflection of Lithuanian and Romanian bilateral relations; the second goal is to assess the Romanian media coverage on the news related to Lithuanian national security. The research suggests that the Romanian media is extensively reporting news from Lithuania. These news items can be grouped into three categories: the first category is the security news; the second category is the other news containing anything directly related to Lithuania excluding security questions; the third category is the contextual news, with only contextual references to Lithuania among other things. Meanwhile, the security category can be grouped into three subcategories, those being: the news from Lithuania; the news covering Lithuanian and Romanian bilateral relations; the contextual news. The analysis confirms the intensively developing bilateral relations as well as wide coverage of Lithuanian security questions in Romanian media. The study aims to expand the perceptions of the geographical dimension of the Lithuanian network of bilateral relations, and representation of Vilnius’ security perceptions in NATO allies.

A Memory-augmented Conditional Neural Process model for traffic prediction

This paper presents the first neural process-based model for traffic prediction, the Memory-augmented Conditional Neural Process (MemCNP). Spatio-temporal traffic prediction involves predicting future traffic patterns based on historical traffic data and the road network structure. This problem remains a challenge due to the dynamic and heterogeneous nature of urban traffic. Existing models often struggle to capture these complexities, particularly in data-limited scenarios. To address these limitations, our model presents a novel framework for uncertainty estimation based on the conditional neural process, and further incorporates a memory network module designed to acquire a representative contextual reference, thereby improving model performance under complex data distributions. By integrating the conditional neural process and the memory network, MemCNP enables the learning of the most representative contexts through iterative updates, enhancing the model’s generalisability. This allows our model to be applicable beyond car traffic, effectively handling diverse real-world traffic scenarios, including urban non-motorised traffic such as cycling, which is essential for advancing more sustainable transportation systems. This is demonstrated by comprehensive experimental results on six benchmark datasets (PeMS04, PeMS07, PeMS08, NYCTaxi, CHIBike, and T-Drive) against existing state-of-the-art traffic prediction models, where MemCNP demonstrates superior performance. Additionally, through ablation and reliability studies, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the model’s effectiveness.

Media Ownership and Its Role in Shaping News: Analysing Republika's 1999 and 2021 Coverage in Light of the 2024 Gaza Genocide

This study aims to examine the reporting of the Israeli aggression towards in the Indonesian newspaper Republika during the years 1999 and 2021, with a contextual reference to the 2024 Gaza genocide. The reports were selected through purposive sampling, focusing on direct coverage from both 1999 and 2021. Additionally, interviews were conducted with members of Republika's editorial team. Using Entman’s framing theory as well as Shoemaker and Reese’s Hierarchy of Influences model, the research identifies notable differences in news framing between the two periods. In 1999, the coverage in Republika largely emphasised political support from prominent figures, both in Indonesia and internationally, advocating for the defence of Palestine. In contrast, the 2021 coverage highlighted support from civil society, including athletes and celebrities. Differences are also evident across several levels of the Hierarchy of Influences model, with the media routine, organisational, and ideological levels being the most prominent. In 1999, Republika’s reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the international section was relatively independent, focusing primarily on political issues. By 2021, however, the reporting followed a compartmentalised model, where one section complemented and connected with others. Despite the differences in time and ownership, Republika's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remained consistent. The newspaper continues to assert that the Palestinian people must be defended, a position shaped by its Muslim readership, who maintain a strong psychological connection with Palestinian Muslims. Keywords: Framing, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, media ownership, the influence of mass media hierarchy, Republika.

Should a single growth standard be used to judge the nutritional status of children under age 5 years globally? No

Universal growth standards for under-five children, given the worldwide variation in healthy growth and several determinants of anthropometry, are imprecise measures of nutritional status, particularly when used cross-sectionally. In constructing the global-use WHO growth standard, linear growth differences between contributing sites and pooled mean were >0.2 SD in 37% of observations. Systematic reviews confirm even greater variability, notably amplified for weight-for-age and head-circumference-for-age metrics. Unsurprisingly, developed nations had higher, and LMICs lower, growth dimensions. Contextual growth references predict neonatal morbidities, pathological short stature, macrocephaly, cardiometabolic risk factors, and adult noncommunicable diseases better than the WHO standards. Child body composition also varies contextually, with greater adiposity despite comparable weights in South Asian populations. Thus, contextual references, though not the perfect solution, are better suited for everyday practice and nutrition policy. Growth standards should only be used as a screening for clinical judgments aided by precise biomarkers.

Mapping Word-of-Mouth Pathways: Tie Strength and Contextual Reference Considerations

This qualitative study explores "Mapping Word-of-Mouth Pathways: Tie Strength and Contextual Reference Considerations" with the aim of understanding the dynamics of word-of-mouth (WOM) communication. The research model investigates the influence of tie strength and contextual references on the propagation of WOM messages. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select participants representing diverse social networks and contexts. Data analysis involved thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes in the qualitative data. The findings reveal that tie strength plays a significant role in shaping the direction and intensity of WOM exchanges, with strong ties facilitating more direct and impactful communication. Contextual references, including situational factors and target group characteristics, also influence WOM pathways, guiding the dissemination of messages. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of WOM dynamics and provides insights for marketers and communicators seeking to leverage WOM effectively.

Exploration of Practice Teaching Reform Based on Outcome-Based Education Concept: Taking Environmental Design Major as an Example

The concept of OBE (outcome-based education) is more focused on designing and implementing teaching activities around expected learning outcomes than the traditional teaching model and enhancing the quality of education through clear and measurable learning outcomes, which has led to profound changes in the field of education. However, environmental design practice teaching faces a series of challenges in the implementation of the OBE concept, including the complexity of the assessment system, personalized learning and creative learning, and over-reliance on quantitative assessment. Therefore, in order to further deepen the professionalization of the OBE concept, we have conducted research on the design education practice models at home and abroad, explored the practice teaching models and their applications such as project system, studio model, practical internships, and technology-driven interdisciplinary integration, and took the practice innovative teaching models of Stanford d.school and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) as examples to explore the characteristics of the curricula, cultivation modes, and the development of the environmental design professional practice teaching model. The characteristics of OBE and RISD are discussed to provide a global vision and local contextual reference for the practice teaching reform of environmental design majors.

Word-of-Mouth Escalation Levels

A huge amount of marketing literature focuses on communication among customers about products, services, or providers, which is referred to as Word-of-mouth (WoM). However, only a small part of the literature discusses in which situations and between which individuals WoM occurs. This article derives theoretically that the tie strength and the contextual reference between individuals can be regarded as important predictors for the occurrence of WoM: More precisely, we suggest that a higher tie strength and a contextual reference has an association with the likelihood that WoM occurs. We apply several scenarios with different levels of disconfirmation of expectations – which are regarded as escalations levels. Afterwards, a quantitative empirical study proves that individuals are more likely to tell others about certain events if these people have a higher tie strength. Also, we provide evidence that the contextual reference has an impact. The article underlines the importance of WoM for businesses and contributes to the existing literature.

Algorithmic crime prevention. From abstract police to precision policing

ABSTRACT The growing digitisation in our society also affects policing, which tends to make use of increasingly refined algorithmic tools based on abstract technologies. But the abstraction of technology, we argue, does not necessarily entail an increase in abstraction of police work. This paper contrasts the ‘abstract police’ debate with an analysis of police practices that use digital technologies to achieve greater precision. While the notion of abstract police assumes that computerisation distances police officers from their community, our empirical investigation of a geo-analysis unit in a German Land Office of Criminal Investigation shows that the adoption of abstract procedures does not by itself imply a detachment from local reference and community contact. What we call contextual reference can be productively combined with the impersonality and anonymity of algorithmic procedures, leading also to more effective and focused forms of collaboration with local entities. On the basis of our empirical results, we suggest a more nuanced understanding of the digitalisation of police work. Rather than leading to a progressive estrangement from the community of reference, the use of digital techniques can enable experimentation with innovative forms of ‘precision policing’, particularly in the field of crime prevention.

Modeling and Control Simulation of Power Converters in Automotive Applications

This research introduces a model-based approach for the analysis and control of an onboard charger (OBC) system for contemporary electrified vehicles. The primary objective is to integrate the modeling of SiC/GaN MOSFETs electrothermal behaviors into a unified simulation framework. The motivation behind this project stems from the fact that existing literature often relies on finite element method (FEM) software to examine thermal dynamics, necessitating the development of complex models through partial derivative equations. Such intricate models are computationally demanding, making it difficult to integrate them with circuit equations in the same virtual environment. As a result, lengthy wait periods and a lack of communication between the electrothermal models limit the thorough study that can be conducted during the design stage. The selected case study for examination is a modular 1ϕ (single phase) onboard computer (OBC). This system comprises a dual active bridge (DAB) type DC/DC converter, which is positioned after a totem pole power factor correction (PFC) AC/DC converter. Specifically, the focus is directed toward a 7 kW onboard computer (OBC) utilizing high-voltage SiC/GaN MOSFETs to ensure optimal efficiency and performance. A systematic approach is presented for the assessment and selection of electronic components, employing circuit models for the totem pole power factor correction (PFC) and dual active bridge (DAB) converter. These models are employed in simulations closely mimicking real-world scenarios. Furthermore, rigorous testing of the generated models is conducted across a spectrum of real-world operating conditions to validate the stability of the implemented control algorithms. The validation process is bolstered by a comprehensive exploration of parametric variations relative to the nominal case. Notably, each simulation adheres to the recommended operational limits of the selected components and devices. Detailed data sheets encompassing electrothermal properties are provided for contextual reference.

Определение речевых интенций субъектов общения по дискурсивным маркерам

<p>The article continues a series of studies of the intentional space of social media and discursive markers of users’ intentions. The aim of the study was to test the possibility of determining speech intentions by their markers in the discourse. Participants — 291 individuals (77 males, 214 females; M=19.4 years). Respondents filled out a methodology prepared taking into account expert assessment, which contained 18 statements of social network users, and noted the intentions expressed in them. The first version of the methodology form, with statements without markers, was completed by 97 respondents, the second one, with one marker, by 96 respondents, and the third, with three markers, by 98 respondents. It has been founded that the intentions “to express doubt”, “to object” and “to insult” are best defined, while the intention “to criticize” is the worst identified. The addition of discourse markers generally improves the determination of intentions, which is consistent with their understanding as specific discourse regulators that clarify the contextual reference of what is said. This tendency is not found in all the categories studied, which is due to the possibility of subjective interpretation of sayings and ambiguity of the context. The variants of mixing of intentions in case of their incorrect identification are described. Some intentions are more often mixed with one category, which is due to their cognitive closeness, while others are mixed with a set of intentions, which indicates their blurring in consciousness. An analysis of the use of markers showes that only some intentions can be considered discursively identified. This encourages further search for markers of speech intentions and opens up new research perspectives.</p>

“Thoughts, that breathe, and words, that burn,” or the growth of a writer’s mind: Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s diary

Published first in 1969, Diary by E. B. B. (1831–1832) has been an intersection of scholarly debates on nineteenth-century English literature, femininity, diurnal narrative, and aesthetic experience. A confessional document of the last two years of Elizabeth’s life at the family estate of Hope End, the diary throws her unique self-creationist and self-revisionary impulses into relief. It is an outstanding prose-fiction piece of evidence of her overall penchant for self-acclaim by way of self-denial. This paper aims at tracing the development of the woman writer in view of the immediacy and ontological priority of an implied Other found at the core of self-writing, as Elizabeth’s diary signals. A modicum of contextual references to some of E. B. Browning’s poetical works brings out her self-reflexive leanings. Finally, it could be argued that self-questioning distinguishes Elizabeth Barrett Browning as a polemicist whose private diary identifies the concept of time as the kernel of her perception of identity as responsibility.

Meaning of wellness in caring science based on Rodgers's evolutionary concept analysis.

Wellness is a holistic, multidimensional, and process-oriented property on a continuum. It has been used interchangeably with and is undifferentiated from concepts such as health and well-being without an in-depth clarification of its theoretical foundations and a reflection on its meaning. The concept of wellness is frequently used, but its definition remains unclear. To conceptually and theoretically explore the concept of wellness to contribute to a deeper understanding in caring science. Rodgers' evolutionary concept analysis was applied to the theoretical investigation of data from publications of international origins. The focus was on antecedents, attributes, consequences, surrogate and related terms, and contextual references. A literature search was performed through a manual review of reference lists and an online search in CINAHL and PubMed via EBSCO, and in ProQuest. Abstracts were examined to identify relevant studies for further review. The inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed papers in English; papers published in scientific journals using the surrogate terms 'wellness', 'health', 'health care', and 'health care and wellness'; and papers discussing and/or defining the concept of wellness. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Based on the findings from this concept analysis, a definition of wellness was developed: 'a holistic and multidimensional concept represented on a continuum of being well that goes beyond health'. Implications for nursing practice were correspondingly presented. Wellness is defined as a holistic and comprehensive multidimensional concept represented on a continuum of being well, that goes beyond health. It calls attention by applying the salutogenic perspective to health promotion in caring science. It is strongly related to individual lifestyle and health behaviour and is frequently used interchangeably with health and well-being without an in-depth clarification of its theoretical foundation.

Multi-criteria decision-making methods: application in humanitarian operations

PurposeThis paper aims to examine and compare extant literature on the application of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques in humanitarian operations (HOs) and humanitarian supply chains (HSCs). It identifies the status of existing research in the field and suggests a roadmap for academicians to undertake further research in HOs and HSCs using MCDM techniques.Design/methodology/approachThe paper systematically reviews the research on MCDM applications in HO and HSC domains from 2011 to 2022, as the field gained traction post-2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami phenomena. In the first step, an exhaustive search for journal articles is conducted using 48 keyword searches. To ensure quality, only those articles published in journals featuring in the first quartile of the Scimago Journal Ranking were selected. A total of 103 peer-reviewed articles were selected for the review and then segregated into different categories for analysis.FindingsThe paper highlights insufficient high-quality research in HOs that utilizes MCDM methods. It proposes a roadmap for scholars to enhance the research outcomes by advocating adopting mixed methods. The analysis of various studies revealed a notable absence of contextual reference. A contextual mind map specific to HOs has been developed to assist future research endeavors. This resource can guide researchers in determining the appropriate contextual framework for their studies.Practical implicationsThis paper will help practitioners understand the research carried out in the field. The aspiring researchers will identify the gap in the extant research and work on future research directions.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first literature review on applying MCDM in HOs and HSCs. It summarises the current status and proposes future research directions.

Nowe obywatelstwo i patriotyzm na pograniczu kultur: międzykulturowy kontekst

The cultural diversification of states deconstructs the model of a homogenous national community, yet it requires the maintenance of the stability of democratic institutions in a situation where culturally different citizens are increasingly resistant to forced assimilation and subjugation. A multicultural state must actively protect the cultural identities of its citizens. Some dilemmas arise in the understanding of citizenship and patriotism, for which state multiculturalism and interculturalism at the level of an individual citizen become contextual references. Therefore, the subject of this article is the different types of new citizenship and patriotism, with model approaches to them. The author exposes multiculturalism, revealing the new citizenship and intercultural connotations of patriotism. She looks at these categories from a cultural borderland perspective. With reference to the pillars of coexistence identified on the basis of empirical research in this borderland, the author conceptualizes intercultural citizenship and patriotism. She also points to their multidimensional nature with an intercultural connotation. The author sees them as integrating factors of a culturally diverse society. Their national-cultural, identity, and community provenance gives an intercultural character to the integration process. Integration conceived in this way fosters the evolution of the nation-state into a heterogeneous national community operating within its borders.

THE POLITICS OF BRANDING PHOOLAN DEVI: A CONUNDRUM OF TERRORISM V/SJUSTICE

The notion of ‘one man’s terrorist is other man’s freedom fighter’ is highly debated when it comes to branding a person as a terrorist in academia as well as in the legal field. In the absence of an internationally accepted definition of terrorism, the usage of the word “terrorism” and “resistance” is often misused and hence, branding of someone being a “terrorist” or “resister” becomes sloppy and incorrect. Phoolan Devi, the Bandit Queen, on one hand is seen to be a dauntless dacoit dressed in Khaki with a rifle on her shoulder who killed 22 Thakur men in broad day-light. And on the other hand, she emerges as ‘figure of resistance’ for the people of her community who stood up against the atrocities committed to them and killed their perpetrators. Now, is she a terrorist or a resistor? This research looks into the politics of these definitions and the politics of branding establishing the idea that defining/branding comes into play with a certain exercise of power indicating towards the politics of hierarchy. Therefore, definitions of ‘terrorism’ and ‘resistance’ are based on their contextual references and depend on who defines and with what motives and what agency.

An analysis of Yemenis’ responses and sentiments on social media towards the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic

Recently, many studies have widely dealt with data mining and Text classification, including sentiment analysis. Sentiment analysis (SA) is an application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) implemented to understand the public’s attitudes. The recent proliferation of social media has helped gauge the public’s mood. The current study aims to explore the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Yemeni community and generate indices assessing public sentiments and attitudes using lexicon and rule-based approach (VAEDR: Valence Aware Dictionary and Sentiment Reasoner) and qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. 8,830 Facebook and YouTube comments were analyzed before and after the declaration of COVID-19 on 10th April 2020 in Yemen. The results revealed that sentiment polarity with and without contextual reference differed significantly. Without contextual reference, neutrality was prevalent and reached 55%; negativity scored 24% while positivity reached 21% before 10th April, but after this date, negativity was dominant and reached 57%, neutrality scored 28%, and positivity scored 15%. With contextual reference, positivity was prevalent and scored 72% before 10th April, but after this date, negativity dominated the public’s mood and reached 78.23%; positivity highly decreased to 18.65%, while neutrality scored 3.12%. The study demonstrated the superiority of SA based on the contextual reference of words.

Staging Urbanism: A Study of City Life in Selected American Plays

The mid-20th century saw many American playwrights explore the realities of city life to powerful effect. Plays that emerged during this time paint an interesting picture of urban America as a paradoxical place of endless opportunity and limited resources. The characters of this setting have the dramatic potential to be uniquely tragic, often attracted to cities by promises of economic freedom only to be destroyed by the tough and competitive nature of urban life. The study aims at constructing a contextual reference framework within which Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Arthur Laurents’ West Side Story, and Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun are analyzed to explore how the stressful environments of the city shaped life for different groups of urban residents. This study employs a textual analysis method to investigate how these three iconic plays of the mid-20th century create the tragic and tumultuous setting of the American city. By analyzing selections of dialogue from each play, the influence of city life on the words and actions of characters in each play will be shown to be instrumental in conjuring the hectic and often desperate realities of urban life in mid-20th century America.

„The steps were made of asphalt the steps were made of the blood of nothingness”: On Jarosław Marek Rymkiewicz’s Cycle Six Poems for Orpheus

The article discusses Jarosław Marek Rymkiewicz’s late poetic series titled Six Poems for Orpheus with the aim to explore the metapoetic dimension of these poems and the continuities between them. Rymkiewicz wrote these poems within a time span of over ten years, hence their varied historical and political contextual references. The article also identifi es the specifi c features of Rymkiewicz’s Orphism and addresses the possible meanings of both the Thracian poet’s catabasis and the romance with the nothingness on the part of the subject of Rymkiewicz’s mini-cycle. It also looks at the implications of the concept of blurring the line between death and life in Rymkiewicz’s poetic writing.

A multimodal approach to reading language-image-text combinations

The project presented here is an experience report carried out in a university C1 German course and based on the reading of F.C. Delius' novel The Walk from Rostock to Syracuse. This article aims to provide suggestions for the practical application and the linking types of language-image texts. The students re-live the protagonist's escape on a sailing boat across the Baltic Sea from Eastern Germany during Germany’s separation from the West to fulfill his dream of a journey through Italy. This text lends itself to be explored in a multimodal way, as it presupposes implicit knowledge that includes certain historical and cultural contextual references. Therefore, information and extra-textual images are necessary to visualise and understand the narrative. Both the reading process and the results of the multimodal project are recorded in a reading blog. This offers a variety of possibilities for linguistic expression and acquisition as the multimodal approach provides varied resources for activity-based reading and communicative learning among peers.
 Keywords: Images, intertextuality, literacy, multimodality, reading comprehension;

(Un)Tethering Indigeneity: The Colonized, Settlerized, Nationalized, and Something Else

Abstract The term indigenous has been used as a contextual reference to Armenians in relation to Asia Minor. In the ruins produced by the conjoined interests of various ruling classes and global capitalism, how does one come to understand (collective) Armenian indigeneity beyond an experience of ongoing loss? In this article, I propose divesting from exclusionary and abstracted nationalist articulations of indigeneity. I draw on a queer feminist reinterpretation of an Armenian fairy tale, as an opening for healing Armenian necrophilic indigeneity and orienting toward the preciousness of life.