Core Concepts Research Articles

Survivals and the persistence of the past

Abstract This article explores the latent potential in the anthropological concept of survival, especially through Tylor's usage of the term. Once a core concept of anthropological theory in the late nineteenth century, the idea was critiqued and abandoned in the wake of the structural and functional anthropology of the early twentieth century. However, the concept implies many different things, and in clearing away some of the more problematic meanings, this article focuses on the core of the idea: namely the persistence of the past in the present. The intention is to examine the concept in terms of what it tells us about the relation between the past and the present and, by implication, the historical process itself. By drawing on the distinctions between survival and related terms of relics, persistent practices, and revivals, this article suggests a reappraisal of the concept and its relevance to contemporary anthropology and archaeology.

Quad-channel waveguide-based near-eye display for metaverse

Quad-channel waveguide-based near-eye display for metaverse

Using longitudinal qualitative research to explore the experience of receiving and using augmentative and alternative communication.

People who have communication difficulties may benefit from using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Understanding and measuring outcomes from the use of AAC is an important part of evaluating the impact of devices and services. Outcome measurement needs to reflect the changing nature of the impact of using AAC on an individual's ability to participate in activities of daily life. There is a limited understanding of the concepts that should inform the evaluation of outcomes from AAC device provision, nor how people's expectations from AAC may change over time. To inform the development of a patient-reported outcome measure for AAC by understanding more about people's expectations from AAC and how these change over time. A longitudinal qualitative research study was designed and carried out with seven participants over a period of 2 years. Participants were recruited from a regional specialist assessment service for AAC in the south-west of the UK. Four semi-structured interviews were carried out: (1) before assessment for AAC, (2) after assessment, (3) directly after provision of an AAC device and (4) between 6 and 12 months after provision. An original analytic method was used in this study that built on the principles of longitudinal interpretative phenomenology analysis, applied with a dialogic theoretical lens. This approach enabled the inclusion of a range of multimodal and embodied data collected to this study and allowed the research team to draw out salient themes across the cohort group while attending to the influence of time and context on experience. The results confirm and extend the three core concepts that were used to guide analysis: changes; contexts; future possibilities. The contextual and temporal influences on outcomes attainable from AAC for this cohort were also identified and illustrated through cross-case comparison. Deeper, analytic, and conceptual engagement with theory, which was then applied to analysis of the data, provided methodological rigour in the study. The results enhance our understanding of people's hopes and expectations from AAC and how these change over time. This qualitative longitudinal research study provides new insights into the journeys of people who experience communication disability, and the shifting nature of their sense of identity as they engage with, and learn from using, AAC. The study is significant as it attends to the dynamic nature of experience and how contextual and experiential factors influence people's hopes and expectations from AAC. The paper presents an original application of longitudinal qualitative research methodology with people who use AAC which can be further applied and tested in the field of communication disability research. What is already known on this subject We did not know the impact that time has on the concepts that have been identified to represent important outcomes from AAC. The existing concepts used to define outcomes from AAC were not adequately conceptualized to develop a patient-reported outcome measure. This study sought to extend our knowledge about outcomes from AAC. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This study adds to the methodological toolkit available for qualitative inquiry in the field of communication disability research by presenting a longitudinal qualitative research methodology. It adds depth to our understanding of the concepts that underpin outcomes from AAC and highlights the dynamic nature of contexts and how this influences desired outcomes. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? This longitudinal qualitative research study provides a broader perspective on the experience of getting AAC. It will enable clinicians to better navigate the contextual and transitionary factors that influence people's experience of acquiring AAC devices. The enhanced concepts described will also support clinical conversations that consider the wider facets of communication and what AAC can add to existing communicative tool kits beyond getting a message across.

Understanding the Concept of “Nutraceutical”

Nutraceuticals, a portmanteau of “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical,” represent a rapidly growing and evolving field in the realm of health and wellness. This term refers to products that combine the benefits of both nutrition and pharmaceuticals, as they aim to promote health and prevent or manage diseases. Nutraceuticals encompass a wide range of substances, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, dietary supplements, functional foods, and bioactive compounds. The core concept behind nutraceuticals is their potential to deliver therapeutic effects beyond basic nutrition. They are designed to bridge the gap between dietary insufficiencies and pharmaceutical interventions. Nutraceuticals may enhance overall well-being, support specific physiological functions, or alleviate symptoms associated with various medical conditions.

How does aggregation‐induced emission aggregate interdisciplinary research?

Abstract It is a matter of debate whether the discipline independence in discipline formation narrows its interdisciplinarity. It is also less well understood how disruptive works emerge in investigative practice rather than a theory‐driven approach. Aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) is an atypical photophysical phenomenon, in which the whole (aggregate) is brighter than the sum of its parts (single molecule). Through measuring and computing the cognitive extent and evolution of research on AIE, including topics, epistemic‐social collaborative networks, interdisciplinarity, emergent concepts, core concept networks and knowledge flow, this study shows that a cross‐research scales concept and its practice can establish new bridges in the sciences and promote disruptive work. Focusing on mesoscale entities, scientists from many different branches of science are involved in theoretical research on mechanisms, as well as developing different AIE systems for applications. The data analysis in this study provides details showing how non‐reductionist concepts based on new scientific discoveries cross traditional disciplinary boundaries and aggregate interdisciplinary research. The emergence and evolution of the AIE field implies that scientists may be motivated to embrace nonreductionist ideas at different research scales, leading to a more permeable field boundary.

Between (ir)responsibility and (in)appropriateness: Conceptualizing norm-related state behaviour in the Russian war against Ukraine

Abstract The Russian war against Ukraine has challenged fundamental norms such as sovereignty, non-interference and the prohibition of the use of force. It has led to diverse reactions from the international community. Only very few states sided with Russia, some states remained neutral, while the vast majority condemned the attack and supported Ukraine in its right to self-defence. Thus, although there is no legal obligation, many states display behaviour that goes beyond diplomatic support. They support Ukraine financially and even deliver weapons to support Ukraine in its right to self-defence. In this article, we conceptualize different types of actors’ behaviour in world politics. We distinguish between responsible, irresponsible, appropriate, and inappropriate behaviour. We apply this typology to states’ reaction to the Russian war against Ukraine. The typology enables us to analyse the variation of the responses with reference to norms and responsibility, two core concepts of International Relations (IR) Theory and global politics. Counterintuitively as it might seem, we argue that the support of Ukraine with weapons can be categorized as responsible behaviour as it displays an over-fulfilment of the right to self-defence norm, which leads to the emergence of a new norm: the responsibility to support norm.

Fracture toughness tests of shale outcrops: Effects of confining pressure

Fracture toughness tests of shale outcrops: Effects of confining pressure

Chatbot responses suggest that hypothetical biology questions are harder than realistic ones.

The biology education literature includes compelling assertions that unfamiliar problems are especially useful for revealing students' true understanding of biology. However, there is only limited evidence that such novel problems have different cognitive requirements than more familiar problems. Here, we sought additional evidence by using chatbots based on large language models as models of biology students. For human physiology and cell biology, we developed sets of realistic and hypothetical problems matched to the same lesson learning objectives (LLOs). Problems were considered hypothetical if (i) known biological entities (molecules and organs) were given atypical or counterfactual properties (redefinition) or (ii) fictitious biological entities were introduced (invention). Several chatbots scored significantly worse on hypothetical problems than on realistic problems, with scores declining by an average of 13%. Among hypothetical questions, redefinition questions appeared especially difficult, with many chatbots scoring as if guessing randomly. These results suggest that, for a given LLO, hypothetical problems may have different cognitive demands than realistic problems and may more accurately reveal students' ability to apply biology core concepts to diverse contexts. The Test Question Templates (TQT) framework, which explicitly connects LLOs with examples of assessment questions, can help educators generate problems that are challenging (due to their novelty), yet fair (due to their alignment with pre-specified LLOs). Finally, ChatGPT's rapid improvement toward expert-level answers suggests that future educators cannot reasonably expect to ignore or outwit chatbots but must do what we can to make assessments fair and equitable.

Pillars of theoretical biology: “Biochemical systems analysis, I, II and III”

Michael Savageau’s Biochemical Systems Analysis I, II, IIIpapers, published in volumes 25 and 26 of the journal,kickstarted a research programme that originated many of the core concepts and tools of Systems Biology. This article briefly summarizes these papers anddiscusses the most relevant developments in Biochemical Systems Theory since their publication.

Fractal Geometry in High-Frequency Trading: Modeling Market Microstructure and Price Dynamics

This theoretical article delves into the intricate world of high-frequency trading (HFT) without empirical testing of real-world data, focusing on the incorporation of fractal geometry principles to enhance our understanding of market microstructure and price dynamics. In the introduction, we outline the significance of this research in the context of modern financial markets and lay out the objectives of our theoretical analysis. The article then takes an in-depth dive into fractal geometry fundamentals, illuminating its core concepts and its relevance within financial markets. Subsequently, the article explores the landscape of high-frequency trading, offering an overview of this dynamic domain and how fractal geometry can be incorporated into trading models. The section on modeling market microstructure presents theoretical approaches to understanding order flow dynamics, including novel derivations and equations. It then transitions into fractal-based approaches for analyzing the complexities of market microstructure, providing both an original perspective and numbered equations. Moreover, this article investigates the theoretical modeling of price dynamics, underscoring the pivotal role of fractal geometry in enriching these models. The discussion revolves around the fundamental autoregressive models and multifractal models, and it elucidates how fractal geometry principles, such as the Hurst exponent, come into play. We explore the self- similarity of price dynamics, fractal dimensions, and how these aspects can be integrated into high-frequency trading strategies. Overall, this article offers a comprehensive theoretical exploration of fractal geometry's implications in the realm of high-frequency trading, providing valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners seeking to fathom the complexities of market microstructure and price dynamics. The incorporation of fractal principles into financial models fosters a deeper understanding of self-similarity and complexity within financial markets, even in the absence of empirical data.

Kitchen Activities and Hands-on Experience during Lockdown COVID-19, Informal to Formal Education Core Subject Concepts an Empirical Study, Karnataka, India

Aim: Cooking and the kitchen have always been used to promote healthy eating habits in the home. However, there is little information about the learning while doing kitchen activities and the family member’s contribution in balancing family and COVID-2020-2021 phobia. The present study explores the unexplored concepts of kitchen action behind them with emotional bonding. Design: The study with a questionnaire to assess their experience being in the kitchen with the family members and to recall the relationship with the core textbook subjects. Place and Duration of the Study: The schools from 7 taluks of Shivamogga district Karnataka. However, the present study used the kitchen room as an informal learning area during the COVID-19 years (2019-2021). Methodology: We evaluated school students from 5-10 grades a total of 3800 students actively registered in the survey. The present study was an attempt to engage children (students) and family members to overcome the first phobia of school closure, what is next in the academic future. The later phobia was COVID symptoms; as a result, to connect people, family, and community with academic activities we examined how informal learning kitchen actions meet the goals of formal education (2019-2021). Results: The students involved in the study vary from Lower primary school (LPS – standard 1 to 4) 18.23%, Higher primary school (HPS – standard 5-8) 22.3%, and High school (HS – standard 8 to 10) 59.2%. The correlation was performed to know the relationship between sites with their interest in response to the kitchen activities and children (students) recalling /remembering based on the subject. Conclusions: The study revealed many interesting findings based on the family member's interaction within the kitchen. The present paper describes how homely activities evolved as continuous education without textbooks, pen, and pencil how hands-on experience remains forever, how they compared their actions being in the kitchen how it helped in remembering and recalling the core concepts of the textbook and how family played their mentor role, and how it benefitted them. COVID-19 and school closer opened new opportunities to learn and evaluate their subject concepts with experiments and Kitchen the super lab of Mother benefitted from experiential learning.

An exploration of participants’ views and experiences of cultural museums and their challenges

Cultural museums have always been considered guardians of culture, promoting the core concepts of cultural preservation and conservation. This paper delves into the challenges faced by two cultural museums from various perspectives and examines the transformation of museums in supporting Papuan culture through values centered on conservation and preservation, as gleaned from the experiences and views of the participants. This study is qualitative research that employs an interpretive strategy, with participants including museum personnel, cultural agencies in Papua Province, academics, and teachers from Cenderawasih University. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and literature studies. The study identified three themes: (1) Collection and space management, (2) Museum image, and (3) Capacity building and moral responsibility of human resources. To enhance cultural services, the study suggests that museums in Papua need to focus on strengthening collection management, enhancing visitor convenience, and providing increased staff support in the cultural field.

Managing Clinical Programs in Pharmacy at an Academic Medical Center in the United States

Managing Clinical Programs in Pharmacy at an Academic Medical Center in the United States

Creating the HAPS Physiology Learning Outcomes: terminology, eponyms, inclusive language, core concepts, and skills.

Learning outcomes are an essential element in curriculum development because they describe what students should be able to do by the end of a course or program, and they provide a roadmap for designing assessments. This paper describes the development of competency-based learning outcomes for a one-semester undergraduate introductory human physiology course. Key elements in the development process included decisions about terminology, eponyms, use of the word "normal" and similar considerations for inclusivity. The outcomes are keyed to related physiology core concepts and to process skills that can be taught along with the content. The learning outcomes have been published under a Creative Commons license by the Human Anatomy and Physiology Society (HAPS) and are available free of charge on the HAPS website.

Extending the Baldrige excellence model for managing community-based social enterprise

Purpose This paper aims to help understand how community-based social entrepreneurs experience world-class “performance excellence” models and to explore the core values that enable social enterprises to become high-performance organizations. Design/methodology/approach Underpinned by Mindsponge processes, the proposed conceptual framework critiques the Baldrige criteria for performance excellence (BCPE) model in a global south context. The mixed-methods study fosters an in-depth analysis. First, it validates the BCPE mechanism in community-based social enterprises (CBSEs) before identifying the significant core values and concepts of BCPE that influence CBSEs to achieve high performance. Findings The BCPE, adapted from global north corporate principles and applied at a community level, can significantly develop global south organization performance excellence. Five core values and concepts from the 11 fundamental beliefs in driving performance excellence were found to support performance excellence in CBSE management. These values and concepts are “customer-focused excellence,” “social responsibility,” “systems perspective,” “visionary leadership” and “focus on success.” Research limitations/implications First, factors influencing performance excellence are not limited to the core values elements discussed. Future research may clarify factors extracted from the “Process” category of BCPE to explore further how CBSEs can enhance their performance in a different formation path. Second, this study only considered the Thai-Phuan community in Pho Tak village, Nong Khai, Thailand, to represent as a single case study. However, different, clustered or contrasting CBSEs in other regions remain open for further exploration to enrich the knowledge of “performance excellence” in a community organization. Finally, a longitudinal study would be a welcome addition. Practical implications The following must be considered. First is setting a clear direction: the organization’s vision and mission, by purposeful design, should ensure that CBSE managers are leading by example and demonstrating the importance of social and environmental value creation. Second is developing institutional culture: fundamental core values focused predominantly on “customer-focused excellence” and “social responsibility” encourage collaboration by “working together to drive success”. Third is developing integrated management system: CBSEs need to ensure that the management systems can collaborate and complement each component to create performance excellence. Fourth is creating a learning organization: CBSEs need to create a culture of continuous learning through data collection, measurement, analysis and modification. Social implications This study clarifies that the implementation of BCPE is crucial to the establishment of performance excellence at both macro- and micro-level organizations. According to the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the fundamental drivers of BCPE are the same for all types of organizations and in all sectors, whether in the private sector, education, health care or government (Blazey and Grizzell, 2021). By applying the Baldrige excellence model at the community level, this study found that CBSE can similarly strive for excellence and improved performance. This can lead to strengthened services, increased productivity and enhanced quality of life for the community. Originality/value This study provides a novel viewpoint on the Baldrige paradigm. Expressly, BCPE is compatible with global south community-based organizations to enhance performance excellence. Its essential contribution demonstrates that Baldrige model concepts are more widespread within smaller and underdeveloped territories than imagined. The recent (post-study) inclusion of “Community” as an independent sector in the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards validates the research findings and recommendations proposed by this study.

Three conceptual clarifications about syntax and the brain

Linguistic theories offer empirical hypotheses about the architecture of human language, which provide the basis for neurobiological investigations into the study of language use. Unfortunately, progress in linking the two fields of inquiry is hampered because core concepts and ideas from linguistics are not seldom misunderstood, making them controversial and seemingly irrelevant to the neurobiology of language. Here we identify three such proposals: the distinction between competence and performance, the autonomy of syntax, and the abstract nature of syntactic representations. In our view, confusion about these concepts stems from the fact that they are interpreted at a level of analysis different from the level at which they were originally described. We clarify the intended interpretation of these concepts and discuss how they might be contextualized in the cognitive neuroscience of language. By doing so, the discussion about the integration of linguistics and neurobiology of language can move toward a fruitful exploration of linking hypotheses within a multi-level theory of syntax in the brain.

Global international relations and the essentialism trap

Abstract Global IR is an encompassing term for a range of work that has set out to globalize the discipline in terms of its core concepts, assumptions, and substantive areas of study. Our symposium supports Global IR's goals but also offers some friendly critiques of the project with the aim of increasing its impact and durability. In this Introduction to the symposium, we posit that Global IR is vulnerable to a dynamic that limits its capacity to upend the status quo, which we term the ‘essentialism trap’. Essentialism captures a range of commitments oriented around the notion that the world is constituted by pre-formed, fixed, internally coherent, and bounded social forms. The trap involves the overuse of essentialist categories by radical projects, a process that can result in the reinforcement of status quo categories and assumptions. With reference to previous openings in IR that have succumbed to this trap, we identify the dynamics that lead to this trap and suggest ways in which Global IR can avoid it by leaning more into relationalism and global history, and, thereby, fulfil the promise contained in the range of movements it speaks with and for.

A narrative review of challenges related to healthcare worker rights, roles and responsibilities in the provision of sexual and reproductive services in health facilities

IntroductionThis paper identifies and summarises tensions and challenges related to healthcare worker rights and responsibilities and describes how they affect healthcare worker roles in the provision of sexual and reproductive...

A critical review of the antecedents of enabling communities

PurposeAdopting a sense of critical enquiry when examining historical sources, it is possible to gain a richer and broader sense of present practice. The aim of this study is to emphasise the importance of historical research to present practice in teasing out the different elements at work and how they developed. A core assumption is that our consciousness depends on our interactions with others.Design/methodology/approachThis study is part of ongoing research into the historical background of the practice of discerning compassion. The methods used include archival research and the reading of primary and secondary literature.FindingsIn particular, it becomes clear that this way of working is always going to be problematic for political authorities as it promotes the questioning of accepted beliefs. This study emphasises that the core concepts underlying enabling community practice reach deep into the past and involve events not usually associated with the traditional histories of the approach. In particular, exploring outside of the traditional mental hospital background reveals a greater involvement of women than previously demonstrated. There are processes that have deep historical roots, the culture of enquiry, the benefits of mutual support and the understanding that people flourish better interacting with each other in a supportive and trusting environment rather than through coercion and instruction.Research limitations/implicationsAs with all historical research, this paper is limited by the resources available to examine particular events.Practical implicationsRecognition of the importance of historical enquiry as relevant to present-day practice.Social implicationsHistorical enquiry helps to acknowledge the importance of social events in shaping our present understanding. As W.H. Rivers argues, we have to understand what happened in the past before comprehending why present sociological events occur.Originality/valueThis paper is a unique enquiry into the early historical antecedents of enabling community practice. It is intended to stimulate more research into the field and to stimulate debate about the relevance of particular aspects of practice. It refers to sources that are not usually part of such discussions and, by implication, suggests that there is more to be explored. It is not an exhaustive account and is to be supplemented by another paper on leadership.

Optimizing delirium care in the era of Age-Friendly Health System.

Delirium is a significant geriatric condition associated with adverse clinical and economic outcomes. The cause of delirium is usually multifactorial, and person-centered multicomponent approaches for proper delirium management are required. In 2017, the John A. Hartford Foundation and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) launched a national initiative, Age-Friendly Health System (AFHS), promoting the use of a framework called 4Ms (what matters, medication, mentation, and mobility). The 4Ms framework's primary goal is to provide comprehensive and practical person-centered care for older adults and it aligns with the core concepts of optimal delirium management. In this special article, we demonstrate how a traditional delirium prevention and management model can be assessed from the perspective of AFHS. An example is the crosswalk with the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) Core Interventions and the 4MS, which demonstrates alignment in delirium management. We also introduce useful tools to create an AFHS environment in delirium management. Although much has been written about delirium management, there is a need to identify the critical steps in advancing the overall delirium care in the context of the AFHS. In this article, we suggest future directions, including the need for more prospective and comprehensive research to assess the impact of AFHS on delirium care, the need for more innovative and sustainable education platforms, fundamental changes in the healthcare payment system for proper adoption of AFHS in any healthcare setting, and application of AFHS in the community for continuity of care for older adults with delirium.