Field Of Practice Research Articles

Comparative analysis of leaf area index and maize yield estimation assimilating remote sensing and DSSAT crop simulation model

Maize is a global staple crop, impacting food security, economic development, and agricultural sustainability. This study investigates the integration of Sentinel-1A Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data with the DSSAT CERES-Maize crop simulation model to estimate Leaf Area Index (LAI) and rabi maize yield in Belagavi district, Karnataka. Field data, including LAI, days to anthesis, silking, grain filling, and farmers' field practices, were collected for model calibration and validation, supplemented by crop-cutting experiments (CCE) to determine actual yields. The study revealed strong correlations between LAI values obtained from remote sensing (RS) and field observations, with RS-derived LAI showing an average agreement of approximately 96.07% compared to field measurements. The DSSAT model exhibited slightly better performance, averaging 97.09%. Statistical analysis for LAI showed an R² value of 0.853 for RS and 0.864 for DSSAT, indicating strong correlations with observed LAI values. For maize yield estimation, the DSSAT model demonstrated higher accuracy with an average yield of 8129 kg/ha, compared to RS-derived yield averages of 7533.9 kg/ha and CCE yield averages of 8096.6 kg/ha. The average concordance between DSSAT and CCE yields was 94.19%, while RS and CCE yields had an average concordance of 92.29%. Statistical analyses revealed coefficients of determination of 0.854 for DSSAT-CCE and 0.867 for RS-CCE comparisons. The study underscores the value of combining RS data with DSSAT for comprehensive and accurate crop yield forecasting, highlighting the potential for improved agricultural assessments and decision-making.

Exploring ambidextrous human resource management and employee performance through the lens of managers’ ambidextrous orientation and individual ambidexterity

PurposeThe dynamic environment has necessitated searching for new ways for managing and grooming people for better performance. The purpose of this study is to explore ambidexterity in human resource management (HRM) for better management of paradoxical tensions and its effect on employee performance. Further, this research also addresses the black box in this relationship by evaluating the extraneous (managers’ ambidextrous orientation) and mediating (individual ambidexterity) variables in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research methodology has been used to explore the ambidexterity in HRM and its impact on employee performance. Around 470 banks have been contacted for data collection. The data have been thoroughly examined for reliability and validity. Further, it has also been checked for common method variance.FindingsThe findings revealed that individual ambidexterity mediates the relationship between ambidextrous HRM and employee performance. Further, managers’ ambidextrous orientation moderates the relationship between ambidextrous HRM and individual ambidexterity.Originality/valueThe present study makes an important contribution to the strategic HRM literature in general. The theoretical and practical implications have also been put forth for academic and practical fields. Lastly, the study contributes towards ambidexterity literature by examining it from an HRM perspective.

“The Sun Doesn’t Shine Like in ’85”

Abstract The legacy of Yugoslav music re-emerged in Serbia and in the wider post-Yugoslav cultural space during the 2000s, as the historical distance and growing dissatisfaction with capitalism led artists to reach out to the Yugoslav socialist past. This has taken many directions, from the reigniting of fandom of ex-Yugoslav music stars and the creation of tribute bands, to the renewal of interest in songs from World War ii and the composition of new music echoing Yugoslav memories and re-framing Yugoslav popular songs in the broader field of contemporary artistic practices. Most socio-musical formations and cultural scenes that have been fashioned after the break of Yugoslavia either rearticulated and incorporated particular sound legacies strongly associated with Yugoslav socialism or emulated its ‘ethos’ by contrasting the present with ideas and practices of Socialist Yugoslav society. The author will focus on female performers and authors, as well on the smaller socio-musical and artistic contexts related to the feminist movement. By acknowledging, comparing and interpreting the contributions of female and feminist artists / activists in Serbia who use music as a tools for social critique, the article offers an insight into a complex intersection between gender, ideology, and politics of remembrance ‘after Yugoslavia’.

Przyroda w perspektywie kulturoznawczej jako obszar badań

Issues related to the environment, its protection, climate change, etc., has been increasingly entering the field of humanities and social sciences. The article examines the theoretical framework for building a research program for cultural studies for environment, a subfield of cultural sciences relating to issues of nature. The context of consideration oscillates around the development of economic-cultural, and cultural-political issues with themes related to nature and its protection. The text indicates that culturally operationalized knowledge of nature can have both research and implementation translations, becoming the basis for building strategies or theoretical foundations for reflection in the fields of conservation practices.

PORTRAIT OF TEACHING ENGLISH IN PRIMARY SCHOOL UNDER KURIKULUM MERDEKA

The changes in the national curriculum in Indonesia have been regular since the independence. It is an action taken to improve the quality of education given the demands of both era and society as well as a preparation of more competitive outcomes. This study concerns teachers' perceptions of the current curriculum (Kurikulum Merdeka). It is important to see how it is going in the practical field, particularly in teaching English in primary schools. This study employed a case study design where Six English teachers from six different schools in Kuningan, West Java, Indonesia took part as participants in the current study. They were interviewed in two modes, onsite and online, to share their views regarding the Merdeka curriculum implementation. The data from the interviews were analyzed through qualitative analysis. The result shows that both schools and policymakers have done several aspects regarding the implementation. Meanwhile, along with its implementation, the challenges exist including time allotment, students’ proficiency, and students' motivation, Therefore, the findings should be taken seriously, to improve the quality of teaching English at the primary level.

Systematic Review and Reliability Generalization Meta-Analysis of the Video Game Dependency Scale

Objective Video Game Dependency Scale (VGDS) evaluates degrees of online and offline gaming disorder. In this study, we examined the average reliability of VGDS scores and whether they provide values that justify their use, characterized the variation in reliability estimates across studies, and identified study characteristics that explain heterogeneity in reliability estimates. Method A reliability generalization meta-analysis based on the REGEMA guidelines was conducted. From the 19 selected articles that applied VGDS, 14 (16 independent samples) reported 17 reliability estimates (16 alpha coefficients and 1 test-retest reliability coefficient). A random-effects model was applied in the statistical analyses. Results The average reliability of the total VGDS scores assessed as internal consistency by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.925 (95% CI [.901,.942]). The results also found these coefficients to be significantly heterogeneous. Conclusions According to the psychometric theory, VGDS scores can be considered reliable for exploring gaming disorder in field research and clinical practice. Significance statement This study provides evidence for the score reliability of the VGDS, a relevant tool for assessing Internet gaming disorder. It highlights the importance of addressing score reliability and advancing measurement and assessment in practice and research fields.

Technology for advancing behavioral health integration: implications for behavioral health practice and policy.

Behavioral health integration (BHI) encompasses the integration of general health, mental health, and substance use care. BHI has promise for healthcare improvement, yet several challenges limit its uptake and successful implementation. Translational Behavioral Medicine published the Continuum-Based Framework by Goldman et al., 2020 to create comprehensive guidance for BHI within primary care settings. Technology can help advance BHI and provide evidence to support it. This commentary describes challenges and illustrative use cases in which technology solutions help organizations achieve BHI through the Continuum-Based Framework domains. Two rounds of semi-structured interviews with field leaders, practice sites, and technology stakeholders identified key barriers in BHI amenable to technology solutions, applications of technologies, and how they facilitate BHI. Findings showed that technology can facilitate the implementation and scaling of BHI by reducing care fragmentation and improving patient engagement, accountability and financial sustainability, provider experience and support, and equitable access to culturally competent care. Continued efforts by stakeholders to address legacy policy and implementation issues (e.g. incentives, investment, privacy, and workforce) are needed to optimize the impact of technology on BHI.

Morphological discrimination of fouling Ulva and Blidingia species on Pyropia rafts in Rudong, China: an in-field protocol for early monitoring of algae forming the Yellow Sea green tide

Abstract Fouling seaweeds on nori cultivation rafts in Subei radial sand ridges (Jiangsu, China) are believed to be the source of the Yellow Sea green tide (YSGT). Although major species are consistent across years, their biomass and proportions undergo significant annual changes, which was speculated to be related to the size of YSGT. Therefore, early detection and biomass assessment of the bloom-forming algae are crucial, increasing the need to develop a morphological identification method suitable for large sample sizes in the field. In this study, fouling seaweeds were collected from this area in spring 2017. Five major species, Ulva aragoënsis, Ulva compressa, Ulva linza, Ulva prolifera, and Blidingia sp. were molecularly identified, and confirmed as the predominant fouling seaweeds on nori rafts over the past decade. In this unique ecological niche, the morphological features of species changed significantly yet stably. Based on morphological observations, an identification key for these five species was established. Furthermore, a simplified version containing only two indices was developed for practical field use, with an average accuracy of 81 % (δ 2 = 0.003) in empirical accuracy assessments. This method can be used to monitor the community structure and succession of fouling seaweeds at the geographical source of YSGT.

Hegemony and Colonialization in the Water Management Sector: Issues and Lessons for IWRM

Water resources management and the broad concept of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) attract varied perspectives about their effectiveness and equity as they address diverse needs across sectors and contextual situations. Managers in the water sector generally support their current governance models, while anti-poverty advocates seek more equity in the distribution of resources. Another group of stakeholders claims a lack of inclusivity in decision-making, leading to inequitable outcomes due to hegemony and colonialization of the water management domain by sector experts, officials, and other actors. IWRM focuses on reforms in water governance to achieve greater participation and sharing of power by all sectors of society in decision-making. It can facilitate the involvement of all groups of stakeholders, including those who may in some cases need to engage in social action to address water issues. This paper reviews the claims about the validity of IWRM and analyzes them according to management scenarios where water is a connector among sector issues. The scenarios show that participation in utility and local government decisions is the main pathway for urban water, wastewater, and stormwater management, while the same pathway is more difficult to organize in dispersed situations for domestic supply and irrigation in rural areas, some cases of aquifer management, and management of sprawling flood risk zones. The body of knowledge about participation in water resources management is robust, but organizational and financial capacities among existing entities pose barriers. Water resources management and IWRM do involve hegemony, and the field of practice has been colonialized, but the existential issues and complexity of the decisions and systems involved challenge society to manage successfully while assuring equity and participation through governance reform. The debates over hegemony and colonialization in water management provide an opportunity to continue improving the norms of practice and water resources education.

Conserving an underappreciated heritage resource: The rural landscape

Rural landscapes make up a significant percentage of the planet’s lands and waterways and must be included in any efforts to address climate change and habitat loss. However, the contribution of these landscapes to cultural heritage and nature conservation is not always appreciated. While there are multiple international designation programs and state-sponsored heritage landscape initiatives, these have a relatively small impact around the globe. This is also true for international programs that attempt to take a holistic perspective to conserving rural heritage. There are some promising community-based and collaborative programs in Australia and the United States, although in both countries, overall agricultural policies are not supportive of these approaches. The lack of recognition of cross-disciplinary practices is a barrier to integrated land management as is the failure to understand that a key factor is the role of people and their relationship with the land. The challenge is how to reach out and incorporate culture and natural heritage into the larger field of land policy and conservation practice.

The Influence of Field Work Practices, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy on Work Readiness

Job readiness is the ability of a human being to do things related to work activities. Job readiness is a trait and behavior that will be needed by students, especially final year students. To build job readiness, it is also necessary to practice field work, motivation and self-efficacy of students. This research is a type of quantitative research. This study made a sample of final year Management students Faculty of Economics and Business, UPNV East Java The sample technique used was Simple Random Sampling with a total of 94 students and data analysis techniques using the PLS (Partial Least Square) method, using validity tests, reliability tests, and hypothesis tests. The results of previous research on research related to the variables of this study show that there is a positive and significant influence on the influence of field work practices, motivation, and self-efficacy on work readiness.

Research on an Identification and Grasping Device for Dead Yellow-Feather Broilers in Flat Houses Based on Deep Learning

The existence of dead broilers in flat broiler houses poses significant challenges to large-scale and welfare-oriented broiler breeding. To ensure the timely identification and removal of dead broilers, a mobile device based on visual technology for grasping them was meticulously designed in this study. Among the multiple recognition models explored, the YOLOv6 model was selected due to its exceptional performance, attaining an impressive 86.1% accuracy in identification. This model, when integrated with a specially designed robotic arm, forms a potent combination for effectively handling the task of grasping dead broilers. Extensive experiments were conducted to validate the efficacy of the device. The results reveal that the device achieved an average grasping rate of dead broilers of 81.3%. These findings indicate that the proposed device holds great potential for practical field deployment, offering a reliable solution for the prompt identification and grasping of dead broilers, thereby enhancing the overall management and welfare of broiler populations.

Cremation in Interwar Romania: The Case of the Potter's Field.

This article aims to analyse the activities of Potter's Field practice in Romania as part of the Patriarch Miron Orthodox Association. From its very beginning it was orientated against the apparition of cremation in Romania, realized in the first cremation at the Cenușa Crematorium in Bucharest (1928). The target was to 'save' poor people from cremation, considering that the cremation aimed to remove from the local authorities the pressure of supporting the costs of burials for unidentified bodies and bodies that were unclaimed by families ('the social cremations'). Therefore, the Potter's Field practice developed in Romania in an original way in comparison to other countries. This situation indicated a way of translating cremation into reality in Romania and expressed some of its particularities in this country (the implication of the authorities, cremation as a personal choice or the forms of criticism by the religious environments).

Guest Speakers as Mentors: What Classroom Experiences Mean to Them

Resulting from the collaboration between five practicing professionals and an LIS faculty member, this article illuminates the experiences of librarians and archivists who engage with LIS students on a continuous basis as guest speakers in LIS classrooms. The phenomenological approach helps to elicit first-hand accounts that encapsulate practitioners’ priorities and concerns. The free-floating narratives are combined with an extensive literature review related to mentorship practices in professional fields; they are used to produce a blended viewpoint-analytical article that places empirical data in the context of the three-pronged framework of mentorship motivations, focusing on outcome-oriented, student-oriented, and personal-learning-oriented motivations. These types of mentorship motivations focus on transmitting professional knowledge, socializing LIS students to become responsible professional citizens, and learning about the state of the field and the workforce from students themselves. The article provides suggestions for future empirical research into the motivation of LIS professionals who choose to mentor LIS students through classroom engagements and other avenues.

Reiterated Fact-Making: Explaining Transformation and Continuity in Scientific Facts

Scientific facts are an essential element of modern life. Yet, despite an abundance of illuminating work in science and technology studies (STS), we lack a rigorous sociological framework for explaining how scientific facts emerge, gain traction, and then change over time. This article fills that gap. Drawing on Fleck ([1935] 1981), Haydu (1998), and a wealth of STS scholarship, I develop a comparative-historical approach called “reiterated fact-making” that analyzes scientific facts according to (1) the prevailing conditions of possibility; (2) the networks of expertise, social mobilization, and power built up around them; and (3) the epistemic and material path dependencies that accrue over the course of their careers. To demonstrate the utility of this framework, I draw on a mixed-methods study and explain the uneven histories of three genetic variants (XYY, Fragile X, and the 22q11.2 microdeletion) that have been used to delineate and diagnose new medical conditions associated with neurodevelopmental differences for the past several decades—taking on very different scientific, clinical, and social meanings as facts in the process. Reiterated fact-making helps us combine comparative-historical sociology and STS to explain how scientific facts can combine deep continuity and radical transformation as they are enrolled in shifting fields of research and practice.

Core components of infectious disease outbreak response

Outbreak response, as a technical and specialized field of practice, is struggling to keep pace with the evolving landscape of public health emergencies. Here, we analyze 235 different multisectoral activities that comprise outbreak preparedness and response. We explore the conditions under which these activities are applicable, including different phases of response, different operating circumstances, and different disease etiologies, and find that the core activities required for outbreak response largely apply across etiology and scale, but are more substantial during the early phases of response. To validate this framework with real-world examples, we then examine 246 reports from the WHO Disease Outbreak News (DON), a narrative record of outbreak history through time, and examine which of our activities are reported or implied in these narratives. We find that the core components of response are applicable across the vast majority of outbreaks, especially as they relate to basic epidemiology, infection prevention, and governance, and that many different kinds of real-world outbreaks require the same core set of responses. These findings point to a nearly-universal set of outbreak response activities that could be directly incorporated into national and international response plans, significantly reducing the risk and impact of infectious disease outbreaks.

An experimental investigation on frosting characteristics and performance of microchannel evaporators with varied aspect ratios

Microchannel evaporators are susceptible to frosting, which can significantly impair heat transfer performance. To provide a basis for microchannel evaporators' effective design and broad application, frosting experiments were conducted in this study. Leveraging infrared thermal imaging and digital image processing technology, the impact of different aspect ratios on refrigerant distribution was quantitatively measured, and the microchannel evaporators' frosting behavior and performance under frosting conditions were analyzed. The results showed that a higher aspect ratio for Evaporator C led to reduced uniformity in the refrigerant distribution, resulting in an increased frost height, a larger frosting coverage area, and greater frost accumulation. Consequently, as frost accumulated, Evaporator C exhibited the most discernible reductions in the heat transfer rate, evaporation pressure, and refrigerant pressure loss, which were 61.07 %, 31.7 %, and 52.83 %, respectively. Therefore, microchannel evaporators with small aspect ratios are recommended where practical field installation conditions permit. And the results are anticipated to provide useful guidance for selecting microchannel evaporators with the optimal aspect ratio, tailored to operate efficiently under frosting conditions.

Analysis of the Implementation of Standard Operating Procedures in Archives Management at PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Persero)

This research was motivated by the application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for archive management which was not yet effective when the researcher carried out practical field work activities carried out by employees. The aim of the research is to find out how the records management system works, how the records management SOP is implemented and how the effects of the records management SOP are implemented. This research uses a qualitative approach using observation, interviews and documentation methods. The data used in this research is primary data, namely data collected directly by researchers. Phenomenally, based on field observations, we see that space infrastructure is increasingly lacking in space, this is due to the increasing volume of archives. Meanwhile, during observations of archive sorting activities, several other practitioners felt confused about categorizing letters/documents that would be archived by different work units. With the Standard Operating Procedure indicators for archives, the application of SOPs to archive management and the influence of the application of SOPs to archive management. The results of this research conclude that the records management system is running well and in accordance with the applicable SOPs as its implementation is running well and even has a good impact on employee performance. Not only that, in terms of perceived obstacles, we also have good solutions to continually improve employee performance. This is one of the best steps in implementing records management in companies.

Influence of Participatory Decision-Making on Performance of HIV/AIDS Community Health Projects in Kisumu County, Kenya

Purpose: There are efforts to combat HIV/AIDS through Sustainable Development Goal and so, HIV/AIDS community health projects have been implemented to shape HIV/AIDS management and care. The present study examined influence of participatory decision-making on performance of HIV/AIDS community health projects in Kisumu County, Kenya. The study was grounded on stakeholder’s theory because the HIV/AIDS community health projects in Kenya is a results-oriented performance measurement system. Design/Method/Approach: The research design was descriptive survey design and purposively selected 59 HIV/AIDS project managers and 59 Monitoring and evaluation officers, while 379 beneficiaries were randomly selected using Krejcie and Morgan formula. Structured questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, which was analyzed through descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean score and standard deviation) as well as Pearson correlation and regression analysis. Findings: The study found a significant positive effect of participatory decision-making on performance of HIV/AIDs Community Health Projects at p<0.05. Participatory decision-making increases or enhances performance of HIV/AIDS Community Health Projects in Kisumu County. Theoretical and Practical Implications: This paper contributed to the body of research on participatory management by underscoring the argument that participatory decision making enhances the performance of HIV/AIDs community health projects. Originality/Value: This research not only demonstrates how community health projects can be efficiently run through involvement of primary stakeholders (beneficiaries), it is also an example of an application of stakeholder’s theory to a practical field. Research Limitations/Future Research: This research opens opportunities for future research on participatory management in community health projects. Paper Type: Empirical JEL Classification: D83, I18, L31, O15

3D Printing-Induced Hierarchically Aligned Nanocomposites With Exceptional Multidirectional Strain Sensing Performance.

High-performance sensors capable of detecting multidirectional strains are indispensable to understand the complex motions involved in flexible electronics. Conventional isotropic strain sensors can only measure uniaxial deformations or single stimuli, hindering their practical application fields. The answer to such challenge resides in the construction of engineered anisotropic sensing structures. Herein, a hierarchically aligned carbon nanofiber (CNF)/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite strain sensor is developed by one-step 3D printing. The precisely controlled printing path and shear flow bring about highly aligned nanocomposite filaments at macroscale and orientated CNF network within each filament at microscale. The periodically orientated nanocomposite filaments along with the inner aligned CNF network successfully control the strain distribution and the appearance of microcracks, giving rise to anisotropic structural response to external deformations. The synergetic effect of the multiscale structural design leads to distinguishable gauge factors of 164 and 0.5 for applied loadings along and transverse to the alignment direction, leading to an exceptional selectivity of 3.77. The real-world applications of the hierarchically aligned sensors in multiaxial movement detector and posture-correction device are further demonstrated. The above findings propose new ideas for manufacturing nanocomposites with engineered anisotropic structure and properties, verifying promising applications in emerging wearable electronics and soft robotics.