Hierarchical Classification Analysis Research Articles

Challenges and prospects for teaching ocean literacy in Brazilian schools

This study took as a case study the perspective of teachers working in the State of Rio de Janeiro by 53 interviews to investigate the challenges and prospects of including content about the ocean in Brazilian school classrooms. The data were subjected to content analysis and explored quantitatively using Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC) and Factor Correspondence Analysis (FCA) of word and terms used by teachers in their discourse. The main difficulties reported in including themes related to the ocean and marine environments in classes were the absence of OL in the school curriculum and university education, as well as the limited time to work on these subjects in classes, which is in line with the challenges faced by teachers from other countries. On the other hand, Brazilian teachers cited particular problems of Brazilian formal education, such as the need for professional development, support for an education with an interdisciplinary emphasis, and provision of financial resources for schools. However, DHC analysis also indicates strong connection of the teachers with the ocean due to sea fascination (24% of the answers in the textual corpus), spiritual and emotional connection (26.7%), leisure (22.7%) and professional interest (26.7%). Furthermore, the textual corpus also identified that teachers recognize the importance of teaching marine topics due to: students live in coastal areas (32.2%), the provision of ecosystem services (19.9%), preservation issues (34.2%), and limited student knowledge on these themes (13.7%). These data can help formulate educational policies to mitigate OL teaching barriers in Brazilian schools.

Trend detection and depletion effects evidence in time series of groundwater levels in the southern sector of the left bank of the Tagus-Sado Basin (Portugal, Iberian Peninsula)

In the last 20 years in Portugal, water resources have been affected to the point that water storage has decreased by 20% since 2000. Creating strategies to manage water resources requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing water storage and their effects over time. This study is focused on the evolution of Groundwater Deep Levels (GDL) by applying a two-phase trend analysis methodology to examine the dynamic changes in GDL within a series of monitoring wells located in the Central and Southern sectors of the Left Bank of the Tagus-Sado Cenozoic age Basin, situated in Portugal In the initial phase of trend analysis, Factorial Analysis of Mixed Data (FAMD) was employed and posteriorly the Hierarchical Classification Analysis (HCA). These techniques enabled us to identify distinct GDL trend profiles and generate interpretative maps illustrating their spatial distribution. In the second phase, the non-parametric Mann–Kendall Analysis (MKA) and Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA) were applied, allowing for a quantified confirmation of the different trend profiles previously detected. These techniques allowed the identification of positive and negative hydrodynamic trends in distinct sections of the Basin. In the SE sector they are characterized by a significative increase of GDL associated with overexploitation and in the Central sector with a decrease of GDL. Nevertheless, significant depletion effects can result from natural factors such as prolonged droughts, and in certain regions, changes in geological and hydrothermal dynamics, such as Alpine-age faults, graben, and horst structures, may account for these alterations.

The experience of pregnancy and motherhood in the career of Brazilian’s sportswomen: a qualitative study

Motherhood is a period there is a deconstruction of one identity and reconstruction of another, including changes in self-concept, commitment, and learning. For athletes who become mothers, these changes also occur and impact in their career. We aim to describe the experience of being pregnant for a group of Brazilian athletes, understanding the impact of maternity on the career and the postpartum for these women. A qualitative descriptive and exploratory study was conducted followed the guideline Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). We are using the semi-structured interviews with nine Brazilian athletes all of whom were professional athletes at the time they became pregnant. Maximum Variation Sampling and the snowball technique were used. The analysis was done using Iramuteq software, which performed Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC) and Similarity Analysis. The nine athletes had a mean age of 38.3 years (SD: 5.5 years), from different levels and sports, and all had at least one child. We identified 488 text segments, which resulted in two branches, divided into five classes: History in sport (class 2); Pregnancy planning and immediate postpartum (class 5); reconciling the routines of athlete and mother (class 3); Social support narrative (class 4); Childcare (class 1). The findings indicate that athletes can have emotional ga ins in reconcile motherhood with their sports careers to the extent that they have social support, relative planning to become pregnant, and reconcile their athletic routine with baby care. Keywords: Athletes; Pregnancy; Maternity, Sportswoman; Qualitative research; Career transition; Iramuteq.

A Recommended Monitoring Tool for the marine ecological status studies in the Western Moroccan Mediterranean coastal areas

This research provides general guidelines for monitoring the environmental quality state of the marine ecosystems using benthic microfauna as a bioindicator tool in the Western Moroccan Mediterranean coastal areas. The current faunistic composition of 18 superficial sediment samples collected in areas having a wild range of environmental conditions have been the subject of factorial correspondence and hierarchical classification analysis, allowing us to follow the distribution patterns of the benthic assemblages. Considering the influence of both hydrodynamic and sedimental conditions on the superficial sediment, recognized in this study as the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of species in this type of environment, we were able to delineate three environmental units, with specific faunistic response related to the corresponding environmental conditions. Leading us to identify the optimal sampling area for the biomonitoring surveys in this region. Shallow and high-energy coastal areas were found to limit data collection and the representation of the sampling area, while low-energy areas were identified as ideal for environmental surveys, showcasing strong faunistic response to stressful conditions. we recommend to conduct the ecological monitoring studies in the 10–30-meter depth range, where the environmental conditions favor the assessment of the current environmental quality state by the benthic microfauna.

Identification of three dietary groups in French university students and their associations with nutritional quality and environmental impact.

The student period is associated with changes in eating habits, usually leading to diets of lower nutritional quality. However, some variability may exist in students' dietary patterns. We aimed to describe French students' diets and identify dietary groups that may vary in nutritional quality and environmental impact. A representative sample of French students (N = 582) for age, sex and scholarship status completed an online 125-item food frequency questionnaire. The nutritional quality of diets was assessed by a score of adherence to the French nutritional guidelines (sPNNS-GS2 score, ranging from-17 to 11.5) and its environmental impact by greenhouse gas emissions for an isocaloric diet (GHGE). An ascending hierarchical classification analysis on food and beverage intakes led to three dietary groups. Between-group differences in food consumption, dietary indicators and sociodemographic characteristics were investigated using ANOVA models. The average sPNNS-GS2 score of students' diets was -0.8 ± 2.8, representing a 57% coverage of French nutritional recommendations, and GHGE were 5.4 ± 1.7 kg eCO2/2000 kcal. The three dietary groups were: a healthy diet group (20% of the sample) with the highest nutritional quality and high GHGE, which included older students with a higher level of physical activity; a Western diet group (40%) with the worst nutritional quality and high GHGE, which included more students who lived with their parents; and a frugal diet group (40%) with the lowest energy intake, intermediate nutritional quality, and low GHGE, which included more students who lived alone. None of the dietary groups optimized both nutritional quality and environmental impact simultaneously, which suggests an apparent incompatibility in the student population between these two sustainability dimensions. These findings emphasize the need for tailored public health policies that acknowledge the diversity of student eating patterns and address specific individual barriers to healthy and sustainable diets.

Permanent education for quality and patient safety in an accredited hospital

Objective To understand the challenges faced in terms of permanent education in health, for achieving quality improvements and patient safety at a public hospital undergoing hospital accreditation. Methods This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study with a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 professionals, lasting an average of 22 minutes. The interviews were subsequently analyzed and interpreted using Bardin’s thematic content analysis. The software Iramuteq was used to analyze the textual corpus, and BioEstat 5.3 was used to analyze the profile of the participants. The data collection took place in June 2022, following approval by the Research Ethics Committees. Results The descending hierarchical classification analysis, generated by Iramuteq, was applied, resulting in three categories: Challenges of Permanent Education through the Continuous Improvement Process, Permanent Education for the Promotion of Quality and Patient Safety in the Context of Hospital Accreditation, and Educational Strategies for Improving Quality and Patient Safety. Conclusion Challenges inherent to the actions of permanent education in health were identified, such as resistance to cultural change, adherence to activities, high turnover of professionals, and difficulty in releasing the nursing team to participate in activities, due to work demand.

Studies of the Chemical Reactivity of a Series of Benzimidazolyl-Chalcone by Quantum Chemical Approaches

This theoretical chemical reactivity study was conducted using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) method at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level of calculation. It involved a series of five (05) Benzimidazolyl-Chalcone (BZC) and allowed the prediction of the chemical reactivity of these compounds. The DFT global chemical reactivity descriptors (HOMO and LUMO energies, chemical hardness, energy, electronic chemical potential and electrophilicity) were examined to predict the relative stability and reactivity of BZCs. Thus BZC-4 which has a boundary orbital energy gap of ΔEgap = 3.650 eV is the most polarisable, most reactive, good nucleophile.and it is a soft molecule. The values of the global reactivity descriptors confirmed the high chemical reactivity of BZC-4. Local reactivity indices as well as dual descriptors were calculated to indicate the likely sites of electrophilic and nucleophilic attack of the different compounds studied. The analysis of the local indices and the dual descriptors revealed that the nitrogen heteroatom N13 is the preferential site of electrophilic attack and the carbon atom C1 should be the most reactive site with respect to a nucleophilic attack. the Hierarchical Ascending Classification analysis allowed us to group all five (5) compounds studied into three categories. The most active which are BZC-1 and BZC-5, the moderately active BZC-2, and the compounds BZC-3 and BZC-4, the least active. Moreover, this classification is consistent with the value of the Larvicide concentrations (LC100 (μg/mL)).
 Keywords : Benzimidazolyl-Chalcone (BZC), Global descriptors, Local descriptors, Dual descriptors

Factors determining safety culture in hospitals: a scoping review

ObjectiveTo evaluate and synthesise the factors determining patient safety culture in hospitals.MethodsThe scoping review protocol was based on the criteria of the Joanna Briggs Institute. Eligibility criteria were as follows:...

Classification of bottled waters marketed and consumed in Algeria through statistical approaches.

The main objective of this work consists of classifying 30 brands of water bottled and marketed in Algeria, based on their physicochemical compositions and their comparison with some foreign brands recognized in their countries or on a world scale. Relevant to this, descriptive statistics, as well as hierarchical ascendant classification (HAC) and principal component analysis (PCA), were used to analyse the data. The results of this study highlighted a similarity between some Algerian brands and other foreign brands of water in terms of mineral content. Moreover, the results obtained by using PCA and HAC allowed us to divide the sample of Algerian mineral waters into three distinct groups, each with similar physicochemical characteristics. The first group (Soummam, Manbaa Al Ghezlane, Mouzaia, Amane, Djmila, and Hayet) is characterized by very high levels of mineral salts compared to the other brands. The second group (Guedila, Tazliza, Arwa, Baniane, Saida, Ifri, Messerghine, Sfid, Mansourah, Batna, Mileza, S. Rached, Dhaya, Qniaa, and Lejdar) is distinguished from the first group by its average mineralization. Finally, the third group (Fezguia, Nestlé, Ovitale, L. Khedidja, A. Bouglez, Ayris, Righia, Togi, and Toudja) presents a very low mineralization.

Cross-cultural Mobility Representations of Academically Talented Brazilians: Triggers and Challenges

The present study investigated the cross-cultural mobility mental representations of a sample of forty-one academically talented Brazilians living in countries that offer opportunities to improve their talents. Technical-empirical instruments such as a demographic survey and a semi-structured interview script were used, and the Descending Hierarchical Classification Analysis (Iramuteq—Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires) was employed to compare the classes of words (clusters). Descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g., chi-square) with a 1 degree of freedom and 5% significance level were run as default. Results indicated an increase in the number of academically talented Brazilians going abroad over the last decade, with notable mobility triggers (e.g., development opportunities, quality of life, professional recognition) identified. As opportunities for these people are not always available in their countries, not migrating can represent an interruption in their talent development process, which extends throughout their life course. Cross-cultural mobility not only represents an exercise of personal agency or academic collaboration but also an escape from adverse social and political conditions.

Management of hemotherapy services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aimed to analyze the management of hemotherapy services (HS) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of municipal managers in different regions of Brazil. A qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was applied to HS managers in the three Brazilian capitals, from different regions of Brazil, during the period between September 2021 and April 2022. The textual content of the interviews was submitted to lexicographic textual analysis using the free access software, Iramuteq. The managers' perceptions resulted from the descending hierarchical classification (DHC) analysis, which generated six classes: availability of resources for the development of work; installed capacity of services; strategies and challenges for attracting blood donors; risks and worker protection; measures for crisis management; and communication strategies for the adhesion of candidates for donation. The analysis highlighted several strategies used by the management, as well as pointed out limits and challenges for HS organization and management, exacerbated in the context of the pandemic.

Gestão dos serviços hemoterápicos no contexto da pandemia de COVID-19

Abstract This study aimed to analyze the management of hemotherapy services (HS) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of municipal managers in different regions of Brazil. A qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews was applied to HS managers in the three Brazilian capitals, from different regions of Brazil, during the period between September 2021 and April 2022. The textual content of the interviews was submitted to lexicographic textual analysis using the free access software, Iramuteq. The managers’ perceptions resulted from the descending hierarchical classification (DHC) analysis, which generated six classes: availability of resources for the development of work; installed capacity of services; strategies and challenges for attracting blood donors; risks and worker protection; measures for crisis management; and communication strategies for the adhesion of candidates for donation. The analysis highlighted several strategies used by the management, as well as pointed out limits and challenges for HS organization and management, exacerbated in the context of the pandemic.

Site fidelity and population parameters of pantropical spotted dolphins in the Eastern Caribbean through photographic identification

The Agoa protected marine area, located in the French West Indies, eastern Caribbean, holds several cetacean species, of which the pantropical spotted dolphinStenella attenuatais the most commonly observed. This species is the focus of whale-watching activities off the leeward coasts of Guadeloupe and Martinique, which has allowed the development of a citizen science program to characterize individuals through the collection of photographic data. Here, we conducted a photo-identification study with a sample of 115,705 photos collected between 2014 and 2019, in which 290 marked individuals (179 in Guadeloupe and 111 in Martinique) were identified. Based on an Agglomerative Hierarchical Classification (AHC) analysis, dolphins from each island were separated into two residency clusters. The Catch–Mark–Release (CMR) POPAN statistical model for open populations estimated the pantropical spotted dolphin populations in Guadeloupe and Martinique at 657 (95% CI: 525–821) and 336 (95% CI: 253–446) individuals for frequent users, respectively, while occasional visitors were estimated at 3,063 (95% CI: 2,133–4,398) and 1,443 (95% CI: 1,024–2,033), respectively. The Martinique population tended to use a reduced coastal area and appeared to be smaller and stable, while the Guadeloupe population showed a slight decline in abundance throughout the study period. These results showed that the leeward coasts of Guadeloupe and Martinique are of particular importance for pantropical spotted dolphin populations, highlighting the need for continued monitoring through both scientific and citizen science programs to fill information gaps on this species in the eastern Caribbean.

Use of Interrupted Case Studies to Teach Scientific Communication: Examples from the Effects of Mining on Water Resources in Brazil

The mining industry in Brazil, despite contributing to economic growth, is one of the human activities that negatively impacts the environment. This situation can be contextualized in discussions of several curricular chemistry topics. One way in which science, technology, society, and environmental issues can be discussed in classes is through case studies. This article reports on three interrupted case studies, based on research articles, which were developed and implemented in a Scientific Communication Course offered to first-year undergraduate Chemistry students at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. During two sessions of this course, students, divided in groups, developed hypotheses, chose sampling points and equipment for instrumental analyses, and evaluated data provided in the case studies. Results from a Descending Hierarchical Classification Analysis of oral presentations, performed on IRAMUTEQ software, and from a quiz containing 11 true or false statements (response rate of 79%) provide evidence for the effectiveness of the case studies for conceptual understanding of different topics in chemistry, such as heavy metals, sediments, and principles of instrumental chemical analysis, and for the development of communication and oral presentation skills.

Repertórios interculturais de mulheres sobre concepções de HIV/AIDS em cenário interétnico

Abstract Objective to analyze, from the perspective of interculturality, the meanings attributed to HIV/AIDS that make up the repertoires of women in interethnic situations. Method a descriptive, retrospective study, developed based on the primary research database. The sample consisted of 642 records, from the application of the Word Association Test, with 386 non-indigenous women and 256 indigenous women from the municipality of Rio Tinto-PB. The responses learned from the AIDS-inducing stimulus were categorized according to group belonging, age and marital status. Data were processed by the IRaMuTeQ software, and analyzed using the Descending Hierarchical Classification, complementary specificities and factorial correspondence analysis techniques. The discussions were based on the three perspectives that encompass interculturality: relational, functional and critical. Results Three classes were formed: Biomedical Repertoire, Socio-emotional Repertoire and Behavioral Repertoire. Biomedical Repertoire was the most significant for both groups, being led by non-indigenous women; the socio-emotional and behavioral constituents were mostly represented by indigenous women. Final considerations and implications for practice in this interethnic setting, intercultural dialogue materializes in the exchange of a heterogeneous way of thinking-knowing-doing, which unfolds in the light of relational and functional interculturality, demonstrating embryonic movements towards critical interculturality.

The vulnerabilities of Venezuelan immigrants in Brazil and Colombia from the perspective of Intervention Bioethics.

To understand the vulnerabilities to which Venezuelan immigrants living in Brazil and Colombia are exposed, from the perspective of Intervention Bioethics. Qualitative study, carried out through a semi-structured interview, with 15 immigrants living in Brasília-Brazil and 20 in Medellín-Colombia, analyzed by the IRAMUTEQ software, in the Descending Hierarchical Classification and Similitude Analysis modalities. The first thematic axis dealt with the reasons for immigrating, above all, difficulties in accessing food and health services. The second axis revealed the trajectory of the migration process, especially the adversities faced before arriving in the countries. The third axis highlighted the challenges of integration in the destination countries, with emphasis on the processes of exclusion and discrimination faced. It was observed that both Brazil and Colombia need, as proposed by Bioethics of Intervention, to develop policies to reduce the vulnerabilities of immigrants to guarantee a dignified life without discrimination against them.

Perception of Portuguese nurses: clinical supervision and quality indicators in nursing care.

to describe nurses' perception of the influence of clinical supervision on improving quality indicators in nursing care. exploratory research with a qualitative approach, carried out with 16 nurses using the focus group. Data processing emerged from lexicographical textual analysis, resorting to Descending Hierarchical Classification and similarity analysis. 80.0% retention of 185 text segments with six-class construction. The words were represented by four graphs (supervisor, audit, care, and process); and three subgraphs (implementation, sharing and knowledge). in the perception of nurses, supervision influences quality indicators in nursing care.

Elementos formadores das dimensões do empreendedorismo social

Purpose: this study has a dual objective. First, it aims to identify the main academic literature elements of entrepreneurship which are measurement aspects. Second, to extract the dimensions associated with social entrepreneurship and pointing out its potential categories of analysis. Methodology: it is bibliographic research that reviewed the entrepreneurship models published in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. These models and their elements were analyzed using a qualitative methodology of content analysis with extraction supported by the Iramuteq software. Also, a lexical analysis was applied to allow the use of Descending Hierarchical Classification (CHD) and Similarity analysis techniques. Main findings: the analysis of studies that measure entrepreneurship pointed to the existence of two dimensions. First dimension towards traditional entrepreneurship. The second dimension aims at social entrepreneurship, and despite it is independent, this dimension uses aspects of traditional entrepreneurship. However, this new dimension is gaining its own space and, in the future, it may occupy the status of a paradigm. Theoretical/methodological contributions: qualitative data were treated quantitatively, allowing the statistical analysis of the dimensions used by entrepreneurship researchers and the subfield of social entrepreneurship. Therefore, the research identified relevant variables, which can be empirically validated to develop new instruments for measuring entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. Originality/value: the research identified the elements of measurement of entrepreneurship. Thus, the results contribute to guiding researchers in the construction of models or measurement instruments and the findings and present an overview of the field. Practical & Social implications: social entrepreneurship mitigates several social problems. Thus, studies of reviews that support future management tools in this subfield contribute to society and managers.

Food Insecurity in the Households of Polish Elderly: Diversity in the Perception of Its Causes by Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics

The aging of societies and the quality of life of the elderly may be accompanied by food insecurity. The aim of the study was to find the relationships between the perceptions of various causes of food insecurity, i.e., financial, social, health, and spatial, and then between those and the selected sociodemographic characteristics. The survey was conducted in late 2018 and early 2019 among 760 people aged 65 and older in two regions of Poland. Factor analysis with the use of principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the main causes of the prevalence of food insecurity. Cluster analysis using Ward’s hierarchical classification and logistic regression analysis were used to assess the relationship between the identified reasons for food insecurity, demographic characteristics, and socioeconomic status (SES). Two groups of causes that favor the experience of food insecurity among the elderly were identified, i.e., economic–social reasons and spatial–health reasons. They relate to such situations of food insecurity as concerns about food shortages, lack of staple foods, limited size or frequency of meals, and skipping meals. The high importance of economic–social (HE-S) reasons was associated with the low importance of spatial–health (LS-H) reasons, and conversely, the high importance of spatial–health (HS-H) causes was associated with the low importance of economic–social (LE-S) causes. HE-S and LS-H reasons were combined with low SES and residence in a city of more than 100,000 inhabitants. HS-H causes, on the other hand, were associated with LE-S causes and living in rural areas or towns of fewer than 100,000 inhabitants, as well as high SES. This specificity should be considered in the development of strategies and interventions aimed at reducing the phenomenon of experiencing food insecurity in the elderly population.

A field survey suggests changes in oasis characteristics in the Kebili region of southern Tunisia

Since their establishment, “traditional” oases have been known to be three-layered, while modern oaseshave been organized from their outset with one layer only of ‘Deglet Nour’ date palm cultivars. However, these definitions may no longer apply for Kebilian oases. A survey was therefore carried out on a random sample of 52 plots in Kebilian oases (“traditional” n=26 and “modern” n=26) to investigate the current situation. The data collected were analysed by the Pivot Tables method and a Chi-2 test of independence, and by a Multiple Component Analysis completed by an Ascending Hierarchical Classification analysis to characterise and classify each oasis type. Our results showed that “modern” oases have greater crop diversity than expected and can be organized in two or three-layer oases. In contrast, high crop diversity and the three vertical layers were found to be less frequent than expected in “traditional” oases. Our investigation found water availability in the oases, and irrigation frequency, to be the key factors of Kebilian oasis layout and typology changes. Agro-biodiversity losses could jeopardize the sustainability of the oasis system in “traditional” oases.