Study Directions For Future Research Research Articles

Yemeni EFL University Students’ Attitudes towards Using Eliademy as a Learning Tool: اتجاهات طلاب الجامعات اليمنية الدارسين للغة الانجليزية كلغة أجنبية نحو استخدام منصة الاليادمي الإلكترونية (Eliademy) كأداة تعليمية

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the attitudes of Yemeni EFL students towards using Eliademy as a learning tool. The second goal was to explore any similarities and differences between graduate and undergraduate students and between males and females in terms of their attitudes towards using Eliademy as a learning tool. This study employed a quantitative approach. One hundred and twenty students of the fourth level of the B.Ed. program and forty students enrolled in the M.Ed. program at the Department of English in the College of Education at Sana’a University in Yemen participated in this study during the academic year 2017 /2018. Data were collected using a questionnaire whose analysis revealed a positive attitude towards using Eliademy as a learning tool. The findings of this study indicated that the highest mean average among the five components of the attitude scale was the Behavioral Engagement (BE) (M= 4.09), followed by Developing Language Skills (M= 4.04) and the Linguistics Confidence (M= 3.92). Finally came the Attitude to Learning Linguistics with Technology (M= 3.76) and the Technology Confidence (M= 3.56). This study concluded that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean of the undergraduate and graduate students towards using Eliademy as a learning tool in favor of the graduate students. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between male and female students in terms of their attitudes towards using Eliademy. This study ends with some pedagogical implications and directions for future research studies.

Recent advances in network-based methods for disease gene prediction.

Disease-gene association through genome-wide association study (GWAS) is an arduous task for researchers. Investigating single nucleotide polymorphisms that correlate with specific diseases needs statistical analysis of associations. Considering the huge number of possible mutations, in addition to its high cost, another important drawback of GWAS analysis is the large number of false positives. Thus, researchers search for more evidence to cross-check their results through different sources. To provide the researchers with alternative and complementary low-cost disease-gene association evidence, computational approaches come into play. Since molecular networks are able to capture complex interplay among molecules in diseases, they become one of the most extensively used data for disease-gene association prediction. In this survey, we aim to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date review of network-based methods for disease gene prediction. We also conduct an empirical analysis on 14 state-of-the-art methods. To summarize, we first elucidate the task definition for disease gene prediction. Secondly, we categorize existing network-based efforts into network diffusion methods, traditional machine learning methods with handcrafted graph features and graph representation learning methods. Thirdly, an empirical analysis is conducted to evaluate the performance of the selected methods across seven diseases. We also provide distinguishing findings about the discussed methods based on our empirical analysis. Finally, we highlight potential research directions for future studies on disease gene prediction.

State of the Art and New Directions on Electrospun Lignin/Cellulose Nanofibers for Supercapacitor Application: A Systematic Literature Review.

Supercapacitors are energy storage devices with high power density, rapid charge/discharge rate, and excellent cycle stability. Carbon-based supercapacitors are increasingly attracting attention because of their large surface area and high porosity. Carbon-based materials research has been recently centered on biomass-based materials due to the rising need to maintain a sustainable environment. Cellulose and lignin constitute the major components of lignocellulose biomass. Since they are renewable, sustainable, and readily accessible, lignin and cellulose-based supercapacitors are economically viable and environmentally friendly. This review aims to systematically analyze published research findings on electrospun lignin, cellulose, and lignin/cellulose nanofibers for use as supercapacitor electrode materials. A rigorous scientific approach was employed to screen the eligibility of relevant articles to be included in this study. The research questions and the inclusion criteria were clearly defined. The included articles were used to draw up the research framework and develop coherent taxonomy of literature. Taxonomy of research literature generated from the included articles was classified into review papers, electrospun lignin, cellulose, and lignin/cellulose nanofibers for use as supercapacitor electrode materials. Furthermore, challenges, recommendations, and research directions for future studies were equally discussed extensively. Before this study, no review on electrospun lignin/cellulose nanofiber-based supercapacitors has been reported. Thus, this systematic review will provide a reference for other researchers interested in developing biomass-based supercapacitors as an alternative to conventional supercapacitors based on petroleum products.

Research of Language Teacher Identity: Status Quo and Future Directions

After 20 years of study since researchers of second language teacher education have increasingly emphasized the importance of investigating L2 teachers’ mental lives, the research of language teacher identity has been flowering and providing intriguing insights to deepen the field’s understanding of how L2 teachers develop and learn to become teachers. While a sociocultural perspective of language teacher education speaks to the situated nature of teacher learning and language teacher identity development, this perspective has generated a growing body of literature that highlights the role of socialization in language teacher identity formation. Reviewing the important ideas and findings in the existing research, this article begins with a summary of theoretical conceptualizations of language teacher identity, and then examines the status quo of contemporaneous language teacher identity research. Next, it discusses the socialization process in language teacher identity development, and ends with further research directions for future studies.

Pathological Mechanisms in Diabetes of the Exocrine Pancreas: What's Known and What's to Know.

The clinical significance of diabetes arising in the setting of pancreatic disease (also known as diabetes of the exocrine pancreas, DEP) has drawn more attention in recent years. However, significant improvements still need to be made in the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of the disorder, and in the knowledge of the pathological mechanisms. The clinical course of DEP is different from type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). DEP develops in patients with previous existing exocrine pancreatic disorders which damage both exocrine and endocrine parts of pancreas, and lead to pancreas exocrine insufficiency (PEI) and malnutrition. Therefore, damage in various exocrine and endocrine cell types participating in glucose metabolism regulation likely contribute to the development of DEP. Due to the limited amount of clinical and experimental studies, the pathological mechanism of DEP is poorly defined. In fact, it still not entirely clear whether DEP represents a distinct pathologic entity or is a form of T2DM arising when β cell failure is accelerated by pancreatic disease. In this review, we include findings from related studies in T1DM and T2DM to highlight potential pathological mechanisms involved in initiation and progression of DEP, and to provide directions for future research studies.

Monitoring Thermal and Non-Thermal Treatments during Processing of Muscle Foods: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Technological Advances

Muscle food products play a vital role in human nutrition due to their sensory quality and high nutritional value. One well-known challenge of such products is the high perishability and limited shelf life unless suitable preservation or processing techniques are applied. Thermal processing is one of the well-established treatments that has been most commonly used in order to prepare food and ensure its safety. However, the application of inappropriate or severe thermal treatments may lead to undesirable changes in the sensory and nutritional quality of heat-processed products, and especially so for foods that are sensitive to thermal treatments, such as fish and meat and their products. In recent years, novel thermal treatments (e.g., ohmic heating, microwave) and non-thermal processing (e.g., high pressure, cold plasma) have emerged and proved to cause less damage to the quality of treated products than do conventional techniques. Several traditional assessment approaches have been extensively applied in order to evaluate and monitor changes in quality resulting from the use of thermal and non-thermal processing methods. Recent advances, nonetheless, have shown tremendous potential of various emerging analytical methods. Among these, spectroscopic techniques have received considerable attention due to many favorable features compared to conventional analysis methods. This review paper will provide an updated overview of both processing (thermal and non-thermal) and analytical techniques (traditional methods and spectroscopic ones). The opportunities and limitations will be discussed and possible directions for future research studies and applications will be suggested.

An Exploration of Yemeni University Students’ Attitudes towards Learning Linguistic Courses Using Google Classroom

This research paper intends to investigate the attitudes of Yemeni university students towards using Google Classroom as a learning tool. It also aims to explore any similarities and differences between graduate and undergraduate students and between males and females in terms of their attitudes towards using Google Classroom as a learning tool. This study employed a quantitative approach. One hundred and twenty students of the fourth level of the B.Ed. program and forty students enrolled in the M.Ed. program at the Department of English in the College of Education at Sana’a University in Yemen participated in this study during the academic year 2018/2019. Data were collected using a questionnaire whose analysis revealed a positive attitude towards using Google Classroom as a learning tool. The findings of this study indicated that the highest mean average among the five components of the attitude scale was the Behavioral Engagement (BE) (M= 4.09), followed by Developing Language Skills (M= 4.04) and the Linguistics Confidence (M= 3.92). Finally came the Attitude to Learning Linguistics with Technology (M= 3.76) and the Technology Confidence (M= 3.56). This study concluded that there was a statistically significant difference between the mean of the undergraduate and graduate students towards using Google Classroom as a learning tool in favor of the graduate students. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between male and female students in terms of their attitudes towards using Google Classroom. This study ends with some pedagogical implications and directions for future research studies. Keywords Google classroom, students’ attitudes, gender, linguistics courses

Modeling the role of perceived green value and consumer innovativeness in green products’ consumption intention within the theory of planned behavior

Sustainable consumption is on the rise, however scarce literature exists to explain the consumers’ perceived green value of green home apparel in the Chinese context. This study while applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) explores consumers’ intention to consume green products guided by Perceived Green Value (PGV) dimensions of utilitarian value, environmental value and hedonic value through a study of electric home appliances in China. The key findings established from a survey of 426 students in Beijing – China reveal a positive significant relationship between the three green value dimensions and the TPB factors’ of attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. The relationship was however strongest between the three dimensions and attitude. Further, the relationship between TPB factors and intention to consume green products was significantly positive. In addition, consumer innovativeness positively moderated the relationship between the three PGV dimensions and attitude. The discussion and conclusion outlines the theoretical implications and the value dimensions for marketing practitioners and policy makers to focus on in order to enjoy long term business sustained success. The scholars acknowledge the study limitations and offer research directions for future studies.

Dry Electrodes for Human Bioelectrical Signal Monitoring.

Bioelectrical or electrophysiological signals generated by living cells or tissues during daily physiological activities are closely related to the state of the body and organ functions, and therefore are widely used in clinical diagnosis, health monitoring, intelligent control and human-computer interaction. Ag/AgCl electrodes with wet conductive gels are widely used to pick up these bioelectrical signals using electrodes and record them in the form of electroencephalograms, electrocardiograms, electromyography, electrooculograms, etc. However, the inconvenience, instability and infection problems resulting from the use of gel with Ag/AgCl wet electrodes can’t meet the needs of long-term signal acquisition, especially in wearable applications. Hence, focus has shifted toward the study of dry electrodes that can work without gels or adhesives. In this paper, a retrospective overview of the development of dry electrodes used for monitoring bioelectrical signals is provided, including the sensing principles, material selection, device preparation, and measurement performance. In addition, the challenges regarding the limitations of materials, fabrication technologies and wearable performance of dry electrodes are discussed. Finally, the development obstacles and application advantages of different dry electrodes are analyzed to make a comparison and reveal research directions for future studies.

Adult Neurogenesis in Epileptogenesis: An Update for Preclinical Finding and Potential Clinical Translation.

Epileptogenesis refers to the process in which a normal brain becomes epileptic, and is characterized by hypersynchronous spontaneous recurrent seizures involving a complex epileptogenic network. Current available pharmacological treatment of epilepsy is generally symptomatic in controlling seizures but is not disease-modifying in epileptogenesis. Cumulative evidence suggests that adult neurogenesis, specifically in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus, is crucial in epileptogenesis. In this review, we describe the pathological changes that occur in adult neurogenesis in the epileptic brain and how adult neurogenesis is involved in epileptogenesis through different interventions. This is followed by a discussion of some of the molecular signaling pathways involved in regulating adult neurogenesis, which could be potential druggable targets for epileptogenesis. Finally, we provide perspectives on some possible research directions for future studies.

Amphicarpic plants: definition, ecology, geographic distribution, systematics, life history, evolution and use in agriculture.

ABSTRACTAlthough most plants produce all of their fruits (seeds) aboveground, amphicarpic species produce fruits (seeds) both above‐ and belowground. Our primary aims were to determine the number of reported amphicarpic species and their taxonomic, geographic, life form and phylogenetic distribution, to evaluate differences in the life history of plants derived from aerial and subterranean seeds, to discuss the ecological and evolutionary significance of amphicarpy, to explore the use of amphicarpic plants in agriculture, and to suggest future research directions for studies on amphicarpy. Amphicarpy occurs in at least 67 herbaceous species (31 in Fabaceae) in 39 genera and 13 families of angiosperms distributed in various geographical regions of the world and in various habitats. Seeds from aerial and subterranean fruits differ in size/mass, degree of dormancy, dispersal and ability to form a persistent seed bank, with aerial seeds generally being smaller, more dormant and more likely to be dispersed and to form a seed bank than subterranean seeds. In addition, plants produced by aerial and subterranean seeds may differ in survival and growth, competitive ability and biomass allocation to reproduction. Amphicarpic plants may exhibit a high degree of plasticity during reproduction. Subterranean fruits are usually formed earlier than aerial ones, and plants may produce only subterranean propagules under stressful environmental conditions. Differences in the life histories of plants from aerial and subterranean seeds may be an adaptive bet‐hedging strategy.

What drives our behaviors in buildings? A review on occupant interactions with building systems from the lens of behavioral theories

Occupant behavior has a significant impact on building systems’ operations and efficiency. As a result, several innovative approaches have been introduced to quantify the dynamics of occupants within indoor environments, such as interactions with different building systems and the impact of various feedback and interventions to reduce the building energy consumption. To achieve this, researchers have highlighted the importance of reducing energy consumption without impacting occupant comfort. As a result, there is an increasing body of research evaluating how different theories of behavior across a variety of disciplines can explain occupant interactions with building systems. Future progress in this area calls for an in-depth understanding of behavioral theories in explaining occupant interactions with different building systems. In this paper, we have used a structured literature review approach to investigate how different psychological, sociological, and economic theories have been applied to explain occupant interactions with heating and cooling (HVAC systems), opening windows and ventilation, lighting and shading, electronic appliances, domestic hot water, as well as energy conservation behaviors. Throughout the paper, we identify the most common theories and methodologies applied within the existing research, general findings related to how occupants interact with different building systems, as well as a number of identified gaps within the literature. Finally, we provide a discussion on directions for future research studies in this area under each building system.

Online presence, visibility and reputation: a systematic literature review in management studies

PurposeThe purpose of this 22-year paper is to synthetize business and management literature in the context of online presence, online visibility and online reputation concepts. In particular, this paper aims to generalize the analysis by investigating the level of interest of the Internet, digital and interactive marketing-focused literature, as well as the more general business and management one towards these topics.Design/methodology/approachTo identify the existence or otherwise of an online presence, visibility and reputation definition, as well as an index for measuring them, a systematic review and a content analysis process were performed on 199 articles categorized over 1997-2018.FindingsThe findings highlight the absence of clear and shared online presence, visibility and reputation definitions; the absence of unanimously accepted indexes for measuring them; and the identification of a sequence relationship between the three investigated constructs.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper underlines the need for both theoretical and empirical contributions to reduce the complexity characterizing the business and management literature focused on these topics.Originality/valueThe current study brings out interesting directions for future research studies by systematizing all the articles devoted to the online presence, visibility and reputation concepts from a business and management perspective.

Integrating predictive analytics and machine learning within sap erp hcm ecc6: enhancing strategic human capital management through intelligent data insight

Over the last five years, predictive analytics and machine learning have been integrated into ERP systems, mainly SAP ERP HCM ECC6, to improve the strategic HCM. This has made organizations use big data and machine learning algorithms in making the right decisions in talent acquisition, workforce planning, and employee retention. The current paper aims to establish how and to what extent predictive analytics and machine learning can be applied in the SAP ERP HCM ECC6 to enhance the HCM process. A literature review of the current literature is performed to evaluate the feasibility of using predictive analytics and machine learning in improving decision-making based on HCM data. The paper also provides a framework for adopting these tools within ERP systems and presents conclusions, research implications, and suggestions for future research. The research outcomes of this study indicate that predictive analytics and machine learning are useful in the decision-making process in an organization in that they provide information on employee performance, turnover, and planning for the workforce. These technologies have practical applications in talent management, payroll, and employee engagement and, therefore, improve the HCM processes. Figures in tables and graphs are included to support the discussion of the ideas and results. -Finally, the study's future research directions and practical implications are discussed, focusing on the competitive benefit of intelligent data analysis.

Solving Management Problems in Water Distribution Networks: A Survey of Approaches and Mathematical Models

Modern water distribution networks (WDNs) are complex and difficult to manage due to increased level of urbanization, varying consumer demands, ageing infrastructure, operational costs, and inadequate water resources. The management problems in such complex networks may be classified into short-term, medium-term, and long-term, depending on the duration at which the problems are solved or considered. To address the management problems associated with WDNs, mathematical models facilitate analysis and improvement of the performance of water infrastructure at minimum operational cost, and have been used by researchers, water utility managers, and operators. This paper presents a detailed review of the management problems and essential mathematical models that are used to address these problems at various phases of WDNs. In addition, it also discusses the main approaches to address these management problems to meet customer demands at the required pressure in terms of adequate water quantity and quality. Key challenges that are associated with the management of WDNs are discussed. Also, new directions for future research studies are suggested to enable water utility managers and researchers to improve the performance of water distribution networks.

Intertwined impacts of water, energy development, and carbon emissions in China

China is rapidly expanding its alternative and non-conventional energy production capabilities. Although renewable electricity remains the focus, considerable investment has supported construction of coal liquefaction and coal gasification facilities in the desert steppes of north-central China, new coal mines in arid Inner Mongolia, and tight oil and gas extraction in the Ordos to supplement limited domestic supplies of oil and gas. At the same time, China is also facing severe drought and water scarcity in these same regions and in response has expanded various water supply technologies such as desalination and wastewater treatment. Recent government goals and measures for reducing energy and water consumption and increasing efficiency introduced in national policies, however, are poorly or not coordinated, resulting in contradictory objectives for which physical interlinkages are not well understood. This research intends to provide insights for future energy-water nexus management decisions in China, through systematic, comprehensive modeling of the water-energy nexus in China based on comprehensive, bottom-up technology characterizations. Existing studies fail to adequately characterize the details on specific technologies, nor do they comprehensively cover all energy sectors, including energy conversion for non-energy products. We developed integrated assessment (IA) capabilities to allow stakeholders to observe the tradeoffs between various technology options and policy decisions and to test hypotheses/premises in a scenario-driven environment. The results of our analysis underscore the growing interconnection between water and energy in China, the mixed trade-offs from developing low-carbon technologies such as renewable energy and inland nuclear, and the importance of water-energy nexus issues at the regional and local scales. This study lays the groundwork for an integrated resource policy planning process in China and provides an assessment methodology and research directions for future studies of the water-energy nexus. Finally, this study contributes to the water-energy nexus literature by providing systematic data and policy implications for China, where data are typically less accessible, as well as providing references for other regions in the world that are facing similar water and energy use and planning challenges.

Supply chain security management: a citation network analysis

Security management has become a topical issue in supply chain management (SCM). Researchers are keen to address issues related to the prevention, mitigation, and recovery from security incidents and to the development of security management systems with cost efficiency consideration. This study presents a citation network analysis (CNA) of supply chain security (SCS) by analysing 143 sample SCS articles. Specifically, we conduct a cluster analysis and a main path analysis to identify the research clusters in SCS literature and show knowledge transformation in SCS chronically. We identify four research clusters, which are: 1) SCS conceptualisation and application; 2) security management systems; 3) transportation security; 4) terrorism, and the research gaps in each cluster are discussed in this review. This study helps reveal the current trend in SCS management research and suggest potential research directions for future study in SCS.

Integrating lncRNAs and mRNAs expression profiles in terminal hindgut of fetal rats with anorectal malformations.

The detailed embryonic etiology and pathogenesis of anorectal malformations (ARMs) remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that gene expression abnormalities were the key factors that result in ARMs. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were reported as the 'transcriptional noise' within the genome. The expression profiles of lncRNA and mRNA remain less characterized in the pathogenesis of ARMs. Furthermore, the function of lncRNAs in the regulation of this process has not been investigated so far. Therefore, this current study was aimed to integrate lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles in terminal hindgut of ethylenethiourea (ETU)-induced ARM rats using Agilents lncRNA and mRNA co-expression microarrays. ARM model was induced with ethylenethiourea (ETU) on gestational day 10. Cesarean deliveries were conducted to collect the embryos on gestational day 20. For the extraction of total RNA, 1-cm terminal hindgut tissues were collected from three fetal rats with similair weights. The microarrays and quantitative RT-PCR analysis were conducted to evaluate the lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles in normal fetal rats and ARM fetal rats. Compared with control group, 164 lncRNAs were observed to be aberrantly expressed (FC ≥ 2; P < 0.05) in ARM group, including 36 upregulated and 128 downregulated, while 772 mRNAs were observed to be aberrantly expressed (FC ≥ 2; P < 0.05) in the terminal hindgut, including 350 up-regulated and 422 down-regulated. The differential expression profiles between the ARM and the control group were used for gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis. A subset of those RNAs was identified to be closely related to the development process of ARMs. The four RNAs that were differentially expressed between the two groups were selected for qPCR validation, and the results were in line with the microarray data. In addition, the lncRNAs and mRNA co-expression network was established according to the correlation analysis. We predicted the functions of transregulatory lncRNAs by the TFs (transcription factors) which might modulate their expression. In the core network of lncRNA-TF pairs, the lncRNAs can be classified into 5 categories of pathways governed by Jun, c-Myc, Usf1, Alf2, and Stat3. From the above results, it can be suggested that these aberrant lncRNAs might participate in the pathogenesis of ARM, and our present work may provide new research directions for future studies of ARMs.

Sustainability Assessment of Bioenergy from a Global Perspective: A Review

Bioenergy, as a renewable energy resource, is expected to see significant development in the future. However, a key issue that will affect this trend is sustainability of bioenergy. There have been many studies on this topic but mainly focusing on only one or two-dimensions of the issue and also with much of the literature directed at studies of European regions. To help understand the wider scope of bioenergy sustainability, this paper reviews a broad range of current research on the topic and places the literature into a multi-dimensional framework covering the economic, environmental and ecological, social and land-related aspects of bioenergy sustainability, as well as a geographical analysis of the areas for which the studies have been carried out. The review indicates that it is hard to draw an overall conclusion on the sustainability of bioenergy because of limited studies or contradictory results in some respects. In addition, this review shows that crop-based bioenergy and forest bioenergy are seen as the main sources of bioenergy and that most studies discuss the final utilization of bioenergy as being for electricity generation. Finally, research directions for future study are suggested, based on the literature reviewed here.

Women’s football studies: an integrative review

PurposeWomen’s football has received increasing attention in the academic literature, partly due to its growing popularity worldwide. However, women’s football research remains scattered across numerous academic domains. Focusing on the social sciences, humanities and management disciplines, the purpose of this paper is to map and organise contributions, and to identify research directions for future studies within these disciplines.Design/methodology/approachUsing the keywords “women”, “girls”, “female” and “football” or “soccer” to initially identify articles, an integrative approach was followed to evaluate and analyse relevant literature. In all, 117 academic journals were classified and subsequently divided into 26 themes according to the subject area, topic and level examined.FindingsResults of this integrative review show an increasing trend of journal publications since 1998, with a large representation of studies related to historical and sociological research, where qualitative methods are dominant. Articles investigating economic, managerial and marketing areas appeared in more recent times. Women’s football has been researched from different perspectives (players, fans, sport organisations) and across various countries.Research limitations/implicationsThe restricted scope of this review (i.e. its focus on social sciences) and the manual classification of articles represent two limitations of this study. However, the synthesis of academic literature provided may assist scholars who are interested in women’s football and women’s sports research to fill identified research gaps and contribute to further advance academic investigations in this area.Originality/valueThis paper provides an overview of salient research avenues and represents the first attempt to critically appraise the direction of academic contributions in women’s football for the purpose of advancing scholarly inquiry in this sport.