Effective Improvement Strategies Research Articles

Enhancing training transfer among stroke specialist nurses: Insights from latent profile analysis.

Using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify distinct categories within stroke specialist nurses training transfer and to explore the factors influencing these categories. Stroke represents a significant worldwide health challenge. During the treatment and rehabilitation of stroke, stroke specialist nurses play an essential role. However, despite significant resources devoted in the training of stroke specialist nurses, the effectiveness of training transfer is still at a moderate or low level. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify the factors affecting the training transfer of stroke specialist nurses and to formulate effective strategies for improvement based on these findings. This is a cross-sectional study. From August to September 2023, demographic questionnaires, stroke specialist nurses training transfer scales, nursing work environment scales, and job crafting questionnaire were used to survey 413 stroke specialist nurses in 5 tertiary hospitals in Henan Province, China. LPA was used to analyze the latent characteristics of nurse training transfer and to explore the predictive factors of different categories using univariate analysis and logistic regression. A total of 397 stroke specialist nurses were included, identifying three categories of training transfer: "low training transfer group" (20.40 %), "medium training transfer group" (31.74 %), and "high training transfer group" (47.86 %). Work experience, employment type, training duration, nursing work environment, and job crafting significantly influence the training transfer categories. The majority of stroke specialist nurses fall into medium and low training transfer group. Contract employment and less work experience are the main reasons for medium and low levels of training transfer. Enhancing work experience, designing effective training courses, ensuring equal pay, improving the nursing environment, and implementing job crafting strategies could effectively improve training transfer for various types of stroke specialist nurses.

Soundscape Architecture: conceptual proposals for improving the urban soundscape through building in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Architecture students from the University of Florida School of Architecture developing architectural and planning strategies in response to citizen generated initiative to improve the soundscape at multiple locations in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Site analysis including citizen participation in sound walks, personal observations, photo documentation, precedent studies, acoustic measurements, geographical measurements, and municipal code studies was conducted. This information informed conceptual and schematic design proposals for urban architecture (buildings), at critical locations in the urban fabric that seek to provide strategies toward improving the soundscape while supporting high residential density, mixed-use, entertainment, and transit. The work includes 11 student project proposals spanning two academic semesters. The work illustrates integrated design proposals addressing aspects of urban soundscapes such as: vertical distance as effective sound abatement strategy; buildings as acoustic buffers from transit or noisy streets; building envelope systems that both limit sound transmission and absorb sound; sound diffusing buildings; parking or limited occupancy program as buffer spaces; and land development code adoptions that can facilitate future implementation of effective soundscape improvement strategies. This paper will demonstrate the design process, issues of concern, prioritization of issues per specific sites, and show illustrations to visualize a range of soundscape strategies as architecture.

Macro-Nanoporous Film with Cauliflower-Shaped Fibers for Highly Efficient Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling.

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is a simple and effective cooling approach that does not consume any extra energy just by highly reflecting shortwave sunlight and highly radiating infrared heat through the atmospheric windows. In recent years, the application of photonic coolers and metamaterials for PDRC has been studied. However, they usually have complex processes and high precision requirements, which seriously limit large-scale fabrication. In this paper, a high-performance polyvinylidene difluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) PDRC fiber film was prepared by a simple and efficient electrospinning method combined with phase separation, and the obtained PVDF-HFP fibers have a cauliflower-shaped macro-nanoporous structure. The cauliflower-shaped structure provides more scattering sites of the fibers, and the fiber film with the macro-nanoporous morphology has a high scattering ability in the solar region, resulting in a high solar reflectivity of 99.65%. The PVDF-HFP porous film possesses an emissivity of 90.44% in the atmospheric window, and it can reach a maximum cooling temperature of 10.2 °C during the daytime. In addition, the excellent mechanical strength provides a guarantee for its large-scale practical application. This study offers an effective improvement strategy for the spectral performance of polymer fiber films, which is meaningful for green cooling management and reduction of carbon emission.

Evaluating The Implementation of The Newa Concept To Sustain Hotel Occupancy at Sanctoo Suites & Villas

Purpose: This research examines implementing the NEWA concept to maintain occupancy at Sanctoo Suites & Villas. The hotel industry faces significant challenges sustaining occupancy levels due to fluctuating demand and intense competition, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The research originates from the need to enhance occupancy rates, which are critical for the hotel's success. It addresses the problem of fluctuating occupancy rates and aims to develop effective improvement strategies. Research methods: This mixed-method research employs a qualitative approach supplemented by quantitative methods and the Servqual model, conducted over six months. Data collection methods include interviews, surveys, observations, document studies, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving executive management and hotel staff. Results and discussion: The research highlights a unique marketing concept aimed at delivering new extraordinary experiences while maintaining guest satisfaction. It underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach integrating high-quality service and innovative offerings to meet diverse guest needs. This strategy enhances the hotel’s market competitiveness and ensures long-term success. Key components of the implementation include personalized guest experiences, an efficient booking system, and a proactive marketing strategy emphasizing the NEWA (Nature et al. & Adventure) concept. Implication: The findings demonstrate that implementing NEWA can significantly benefit hotel occupancy, providing valuable insights for industry practitioners.

Boosted Near-Infrared Photothermal Conversion in Rare Earth Ions-Doped 2D SnSe Nanosheets for Solar-Powered Water Evaporation Systems.

Solar-powered water evaporation as a clean and abundant renewable energy-efficient desalination technology provides a promising strategy to solve the shortage of freshwater resources. However, the development and application of solar vapor technology are hindered by the relatively low near-infrared photothermal conversion efficiency of existing materials and the lack of effective improvement strategies. In this work, the conductivity characteristics of 2Dsemiconductors are capitalized on the high visible light absorption and ultra-low thermal. Specifically, rare-earth ion dopants into SnSe nanosheets, significantly boosting their near-infrared photothermal conversion efficiency and solar water evaporation performance are introduced. Remarkably, the photothermal conversion efficiency of the doped SnSe nanosheets surged from 51.56% to 82.11%, surpassing many previously reported photothermal materials. Furthermore, leveraging these nanosheets with enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency, a solar interfacial evaporation system is constructed. The evaporation rate of 2.17kgm-2h-1 and the efficiency of 96.5% can be achieved at one solar irradiance, and it also has good salt-resistance properties. The findings demonstrate the potential of rare earth ion-doped 2D semiconductor nanosheets in solar water evaporation, paving the way for future sustainable desalination solutions.

Constructing child-friendly cities: Comprehensive evaluation of street-level child-friendliness using the method of empathy-based stories, street view images, and deep learning

Despite the fact that streets are a crucial element in the development of child-friendly cities, existing street planning often overlooks child-friendliness. With the Gulou District of Nanjing as a case study, we used the method of empathy-based stories to assess the perception of children regarding the urban street environment and deep learning to evaluate the child-friendliness levels of streets on a large scale. Furthermore, we explored the effects of different street view elements on the child-friendliness and identified effective improvement strategies. The results showed that the streets in Gulou District generally had low child-friendliness levels, where low-level streets comprised 41.635 %, and extremely high-level streets only comprised 0.407 %. The spatial analysis revealed that areas with higher child-friendliness were concentrated in southeastern Gulou District, whereas areas with lower friendliness were predominantly on its periphery. Our work also indirectly reveals potential differences in the perception of street elements between children and adults. Children tend to favor artificial elements like buildings, walls, and fences. Our research emphasizes the urgency and importance of improving the existing street environment to support the development of child-friendly cities.

Research on the Current Status and Countermeasures of Chinese Language Teaching in Primary Schools under the Background of New Curriculum Reform

The continuous advancement of educational reform has set higher standards for the teaching of Chinese language in primary schools. Teachers are required to continuously explore and adopt innovative teaching methods while discarding outdated approaches to enhance teaching efficiency. Primary education marks the beginning of children's learning journey, playing a decisive role in stimulating their interest in learning and developing good habits. Therefore, improving teaching methods in primary schools not only positively affects children’s current learning but also lays the foundation for their future academic growth, contributing to the improvement of students' comprehensive abilities. Despitethis, the teaching outcomes in primary schools still have room for improvement.Some students have not yet developed good study habits and show resistance to learning, which affects the teaching effectiveness, especially in the Chinese subject where this issue is more pronounced. Therefore, it is crucial to deeply analyze the current situation of Chinese language teaching in primary schools and find effective improvement strategies. This can enhance students' motivation to learn and improve the quality of teaching.

Topically applied, fatty acid-containing formulations provide superior barrier benefits in an exvivo tape-stripped skin model.

Ex vivo skin has been used to study various skin conditions from atopic dermatitis to burn injury. The aim of this research is to identify a more effective barrier improvement strategy and to evaluate topical formulations in replenishing the skin. The skin can create new longer chain fatty acids and ceramides (CERs) from topically applied skin natural fatty acid to help renew the skin's barrier. An exvivo skin model damaged by sequential tape stripping of the stratum corneum (SC) was used to investigate the repair of the SC. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to assess the SC layers recovered. Ultrastructural analysis was performed using transmission electron microscopy to visualize the lamellar bodies and intercellular lipid lamellae. The data in this study provide the first direct exvivo evidence comparing different marketed formulations containing three CERs with those containing fatty acids. Free fatty acid (FFA)-containing formulations, but not CER-containing formulations, directly applied to the damaged skin, showed an increased number of repaired SC layers and this was reflected at the ultrastructural level by an increased intercellular lipid lamellae length and an increased number of lamellar bodies. These findings demonstrate that FFA-containing formulations can repair damaged exvivo skin and point to a repair mechanism in which topically applied palmitic and stearic acids, (which boost lipid levels and elongation) can increase the production and transport of lipids into a repaired SC and thus rebuild an effective skin barrier.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Philippine strawberry germplasm based on genome-wide simple sequence repeat markers

Abstract. Elec VH, Cadorna CAE, Tad-Awan BA, Basquial DA, Dumaslan MR, Rey JD. 2024. Genetic diversity and population structure of Philippine strawberry germplasm based on genome-wide simple sequence repeat markers. Biodiversitas 25: 2969-2979. Strawberry is a globally recognized fruit due to its health benefits and economic significance. Determining the level of genetic diversity and the relationship between germplasm resources involved in the breeding program is critical for effective crop improvement strategies. This study used 197 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of 24 strawberry germplasm from the Benguet State University (BSU) collection. In this study, 70% of the markers used were polymorphic with reproducible fragments. A total of 792 alleles were detected, with an average of six per marker. The diversity indices indicated an intermediate level of diversity among the germplasm based on the Jaccard coefficient. Results from cluster analysis generated three groups, separating the Red Milky Way and Summer Princess cultivars from the rest of the germplasm evaluated, while a third cluster was further divided into six subgroups. Furthermore, identified clustering patterns of the evaluated genotypes showed independence from the region of origin, coinciding with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and population structure analysis results. This study reveals the genetic diversity level and population structure of the strawberry cultivars in the Philippines using SSR markers, facilitating accurate identification and informed parental selection for breeding objectives.

Phenanthrene-induced hyperuricemia with intestinal barrier damage and the protective role of theabrownin: Modulation by gut microbiota-mediated bile acid metabolism

Hyperuricemia is prevalent globally and potentially linked to environmental pollution. As a typical persistent organic pollutant, phenanthrene (Phe) poses threats to human health through biomagnification. Although studies have reported Phe-induced toxicities to multiple organs, its impact on uric acid (UA) metabolism remains unclear. In this study, data mining on NHANES 2001–2016 indicated a positive correlation between Phe exposure and the occurrence of hyperuricemia in population. Subsequently, adolescent Balb/c male mice were orally exposed to Phe at a dosage of 10 mg/kg bw every second day for 7 weeks, resulting in dysfunction of intestinal UA excretion and disruption of the intestinal barrier. Utilizing intestinal organoids, 16S rRNA sequencing of gut microbiota, and targeted metabolomic analysis, we further revealed that an imbalance in bile acid metabolism derived from gut microbiota might mediate the intestinal barrier damage. Additionally, the tea extract theabrownin (TB) effectively improved Phe-induced hyperuricemia and intestinal dysfunction at a dose of 320 mg/kg bw per day. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that Phe exposure is positively associated with hyperuricemia and intestinal damage, which provides new insights into the toxic effects induced by Phe. Furthermore, the present study proposes that supplementation with TB would be a healthy and effective improvement strategy for patients with hyperuricemia and intestinal injury caused by environmental factors.

Challenges to Vietnamese Students Learning to Speak English

Speaking is a pivotal skill in English acquisition, particularly for students worldwide, including Vietnamese learners. This research delved deeply into the topic, employing survey questionnaires with 120 participants. The findings illuminated significant challenges faced by Vietnamese learners in speaking English. However, implementing effective strategies for improvement in speaking serves as an encouragement for learners and a catalyst for enhancing English proficiency. The primary objective of this paper is to underscore the imperative to address the obstacles hindering learners’ English-speaking skills. Through an extensive review of existing literature, this paper elucidates the importance of honing speaking abilities, as they pave the way for realizing aspirations. Undoubtedly, the guidance provided by teachers is indispensable for mastering English fluency and is instrumental in achieving success in various spheres of life. Moreover, such guidance elevates the standard and proficiency level of learners’ English-speaking skills. Consequently, this paper supplements its findings with practical suggestions aimed at mitigating the identified challenges and fostering proficiency in English speaking.

Factors Influencing the English Language Competency of Filipino University Students

This study explores the factors influencing English competency among Filipino university students to develop effective strategies for improvement using Descriptive- Qualitative Design. Findings indicate that the factors that influenced the students’ English competency are their commitment to improvement, aspirations to become future teachers, and engagement in hobbies; while the negative factors include cognitive processing difficulties, external determinants, and affective factors. To overcome the challenges in English competency, educators should foster a supportive learning environment, reduce anxiety by managing cognitive load, implement activities that build confidence, and strengthen students' self-belief. This holistic approach can enhance students' attitudes towards language learning and improve their English competency.

A novel strategy for flood flow Prediction: Integrating Spatio-Temporal information through a Two-Dimensional hidden layer structure

In recent years, neural network models have been extensively applied in flood prediction due to their superior performance. However, most studies aimed at enhancing models have simply stacked basic models, overlooking the need for designs specific to the physical attributes of hydrological data. While stacking basic models can enhance flood prediction to a degree, they often introduce significant unnecessary complexity redundancy. Moreover, improvement strategies are challenging to generalize across different models. To address this issue, a widely applicable Two-Dimensional Hidden Layer (Td) architecture is proposed. Unlike single hidden layer architectures, this design specifically tackles hydrological data’s spatiotemporal characteristics. Discretizing spatiotemporal information in flood and rainfall data yields an abstract, two-dimensional representation of the hydrological data to enhance the model’s ability to utilize hydrological information. Using a Td structure instead of the single hidden layer in Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM), and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), the TdRNN, TdLSTM, TdBiLSTM, and TdCNN models are developed to assess the novel structure’s impact on foundational models. Experiments were conducted using empirical flood process data from the LouDe Station in Shandong, China, and the NingXiang Station in Hunan, China. The results indicate that, compared to benchmark models, network models incorporating a Td structure exhibit superior adaptability across various lead times. For instance, at the LouDe Station, with a one-hour lead time, the TdCNN model showed improvements in the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency Coefficient (NSE), Kling-Gupta Efficiency Coefficient (KGE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) performance metrics by 26.24%, 33.48%, 62.51%, and 56.88%, respectively, compared to the CNN model. The new models also demonstrated significant performance enhancements under other conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that the Td structure is an effective and versatile model improvement strategy. It enhances the prediction accuracy by strengthening the model’s ability to utilize information. This study may contribute to the development of a flood prediction system and provide data to support subsequent reservoir scheduling and disaster mitigation planning.

The tightness of the measure-based method to estimate quantum coherence

With the advancement of quantum information science, the understanding of quantum coherence has become increasingly important. In this paper, we investigate the effects of different channels on quantum states and analyze the evolution process of quantum states during channel transmission. Our findings reveal variations in the impact of different channels on quantum coherence. Additionally, we explore the estimation of lower bounds on coherence after passing through these diverse channels. We observe that channel transmission has a certain influence on the tightness of lower bounds on quantum coherence. We conduct a detailed analysis of this influence and propose improvement method to enhance the tightness of the lower bound estimation. Based on our research results, we draw conclusions that unveil the characteristics of quantum coherence under different channel conditions. Furthermore, we provide an effective estimation method and improvement strategies to accurately assess the coherence of quantum states. This research holds significant implications for further advancements in quantum information processing and quantum communication.

Advanced Anode Materials for Aqueous Potassium‐Ion Batteries

AbstractAqueous electrolytes are praised for their inherent safety, cost‐effectiveness, and minimal environmental impact, making aqueous potassium‐ion batteries (APIBs) a viable alternative for sustainable and eco‐friendly energy solutions. Researchers have endeavored to anode materials that align with the unique requirements of aqueous electrolytes, and some proud achievements are made. The research about APIBs anode has focused on organic materials and polyanionic compounds, both exhibiting desirable hydrated potassium storage performance, and in recent years, on the development of metal compounds and alloy‐based materials with high theoretical capacities. However, the anode of APIBs faces a narrow electrochemical stability window (ESW) caused by aqueous electrolytes and volume expansion problems due to the large radius of potassium ions, which prevents them from exhibiting appreciable capacity with satisfactory cycling stability. This review meticulously delineates the latest advancements and representative materials for the anode of APIBs and introduces several common aqueous electrolytes and effective improvement strategies for them. The focus is on the advantages and bottlenecks faced by different types of anode materials, culminating in a proposed methodology to enhance APIBs anode efficacy. This review endeavors to furnish novel perspectives on the development and pragmatic deployment of APIBs anodes.

Challenges and Strategies for Medical Education in the New Era: An Analysis

Medical education, serving as the cornerstone for cultivating future healthcare talent, directly impacts the efficiency and quality of medical services. With the rapid advancement of medical technology and the growing demand for public health, medical education is facing unprecedented challenges and pressures. Optimizing resource allocation, updating educational content and methods, and strengthening soft skills training have become focal points for reform in medical education. This paper aims to explore key issues within medical education and propose effective improvement strategies, providing references and guidance for the development of medical education.

Practical Strategies for Improving the Quality of University Journals from the Perspective of Editors

With the deepening of academic research and exchanges, university journals, as crucial academic publishing platforms, play a significant role in the education sector, benefiting schools, teachers, and students alike. This paper delves into the quality connotation of university journals from the perspective of editors. Furthermore, it analyzes the current challenges in the publication and implementation of university journals, highlighting issues such as lack of distinctiveness and limited quality, which warrant further exploration and scrutiny. Finally, the research proposes a series of practical and effective improvement strategies. It aims to mobilize the efforts of all stakeholders, enhance team capabilities, and strengthen peer review processes to foster the advancement and enhancement of journal quality. Additionally, it aspires that the suggested methods will offer valuable insights to frontline educators and administrators.

A Socio Economic Exploration of Bediya Community of Rasabeda Village in Pursuit of Sustainable Development By IJISRT

Tribal communities have been an integral and captivating part of Indian society since the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. India is home to the second-largest tribal population in the world. Spread all across the country, these communities have rich traditions, vibrant cultures, and unique lifestyles. One such major tribal community is Bediya. This study is focused on bediya settlement in Rasabeda, a village in the hills of the Chota Nagpur plateau. The settlement is highly vulnerable and underdeveloped. The study aims to examine the socio- economic challenges faced by the Bediya residents, highlighting the community's current state of pervasive poverty and undernourishment. The aim of the research is to present a detailed analysis of Rasabeda by employing a multifaceted approach encompassing economic, demographic, social, livelihood, health, education, and agricultural dimensions. The research seeks to contribute valuable insights into fostering lasting development in the Bediya community. The findings of this study hold significance while implementing effective strategies for sustainable growth and improvement within similar contexts.

Reliability Analysis and Life Cycle Cost Optimization of Hydraulic Excavator

This study focuses on conducting a reliability analysis of an excavator from its field failure data and improve its reliability cost effectively. The aim of the research is to perform reliability estimation of systems and identify the critical subsystem with significant contributions to system unreliability. The reliability analysis was performed using repairable system data analysis approaches. Life cycle cost (LCC) was estimated for critical subsystems, and it was optimized to select cost effective reliability improvement strategy. The results of the study provide valuable insights into the performance and cost-effectiveness of the excavator and its subsystems, which can assist manufacturers and operators in optimizing their equipment’s reliability, availability while considering the cost implications over the life cycle of the equipment. The results show that the undercarriage has critical contributions to system unreliability. This study attempts deep down reliability analysis of critical undercarriage components for optimal selection of improvement method among feasible alternatives. LCC analysis and its optimization performed on the critical sub-system is expected to help OEM save approx. 15% of LCC. The empirical data used in the paper is based on field data gathered during the operational life of the hydraulic excavator over approx. six years in its Indian operations.

Data-driven analytics for student reviews in China's higher vocational education MOOCs: A quality improvement perspective.

Higher vocational education is the core component of China's national education system and shoulders the mission of cultivating high-skilled and applied talents. The wide application of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) has effectively improved the curriculum system of China's higher vocational education. In the meantime, some MOOCs suffer from poor course quality. Therefore, from the perspective of sustainable course quality improvement, we propose a data-driven framework for mining and analyzing student reviews in China's higher vocational education MOOCs. In our framework, we first mine multi-level student demands hidden in MOOC reviews by combining web crawlers and text mining. Then we use an artificial neural network and the KANO model to classify the extracted student demands, thereby designing effective and sustainable MOOC quality improvement strategies. Based on the real data from China's higher vocational education MOOCs, we validate the effectiveness of the proposed data-driven framework.