Methodological Approach Research Articles

Quantifying reciprocal relationships between poverty and health: combining a causal loop diagram with longitudinal structural equation modelling.

This study takes on the challenge of quantifying a complex causal loop diagram describing how poverty and health affect each other, and does so using longitudinal data from The Netherlands. Furthermore, this paper elaborates on its methodological approach in order to facilitate replication and methodological advancement. After adapting a causal loop diagram that was built by stakeholders, a longitudinal structural equation modelling approach was used. A cross-lagged panel model with nine endogenous variables, of which two latent variables, and three time-invariant exogenous variables was constructed. With this model, directional effects are estimated in a Granger-causal manner, using data from 2015 to 2019. Both the direct effects (with a one-year lag) and total effects over multiple (up to eight) years were calculated. Five sensitivity analyses were conducted. Two of these focus on lower-income and lower-wealth individuals. The other three each added one exogenous variable: work status, level of education, and home ownership. The effects of income and financial wealth on health are present, but are relatively weak for the overall population. Sensitivity analyses show that these effects are stronger for those with lower incomes or wealth. Physical capability does seem to have strong positive effects on both income and financial wealth. There are a number of other results as well, as the estimated models are extensive. Many of the estimated effects only become substantial after several years. Income and financial wealth appear to have limited effects on the health of the overall population of The Netherlands. However, there are indications that these effects may be stronger for individuals who are closer to the poverty threshold. Since the estimated effects of physical capability on income and financial wealth are more substantial, a broad recommendation would be that including physical capability in efforts that are aimed at improving income and financial wealth could be useful and effective. The methodological approach described in this paper could also be applied to other research settings or topics.

The Deployment and Utilization of the Allied Health Professions Support Workforce: A Scoping Review.

The demand for healthcare services internationally continues to increase, exacerbated by patient backlogs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulties in recruiting and retaining healthcare staff. These difficulties have led to increased interest in workforce redesign, and the upskilling of existing staff in all areas of healthcare, including within the Allied Health Professions (AHP). Clinical support staff are a key component of workforce redesign, yet little has been documented on the utilization of this workforce across the wide range of professions that collectively form the AHP workforce. Existing research is also unclear due to the variety of titles used to describe them (eg, allied health assistants, therapy assistants, etc). This study aimed to review how Support Workers and Assistant Practitioners (SWAPs) are utilized within the AHP professions. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL complete, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were searched to find English Language primary research articles that explored the deployment of clinical support staff within Allied Health. Following the scoping review methodology, data from each study were analyzed in terms of design, key findings, and implications. A quality assessment was also completed. Thirty-nine articles met the eligibility criteria. Studies were undertaken in Australia, UK, and USA, and covered a range of AHPs and methodological approaches. Most articles employed qualitative methods, with highly variable research quality identified. Key findings were that cost-effectiveness of this workforce has not been formally evaluated in any setting or AHP discipline, and that support workers are a largely underutilized staff group potentially due to inconsistencies in their deployment and scope of practice, and the lack of a clear career pathway. Rigorous, quantitative, and mixed methods research into the deployment and impact of this staff group is needed in order to gain a clearer understanding of how they are optimally utilized across the different AHP disciplines.

Neurosurgical Practice, Training, and Research Capacity Assessment in Nigeria: A Methodological Approach

There has been a progressive growth of neurosurgery in Nigeria over the past 6 nulldecades. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate the state of neurosurgical practice, training, and research in the country. We used a mixed-methods approach that combined a survey of neurosurgery providers and a systematic review of the neurosurgical literature in Nigeria. The 83-question online survey had 3 core sections for assessing capacity, training, and gender issues. The systematic review involved a search of 4 global databases and gray literature over a 60-year period. One hundred and forty-nine respondents (95% male) completed the survey (65.4%). Their age ranged from 20 to 68years, with a mean of 41.8 (±6.9) years. Majority were from institutions in the nation's South-West region; 82 (55.0%) had completed neurosurgery residency training, with 76 (51%) employed as consultants; 64 (43%) identified as residents in training, 56 (37.6%) being senior residents, and 15 (10.1%) each held academic appointments as lecturers or senior lecturers. The literature review involved 1,023 peer-reviewed journal publications: 254 articles yielding data on 45,763 neurotrauma patients, 196 on 12,295 pediatric neurosurgery patients, and 127 on 8,425 spinal neurosurgery patients. Additionally, 147 papers provided data on 5,760 neuro-oncology patients, and 56 on 3,203 patients with neuro-vascular lesions. Our mixed-methods approach provided significant insights into the historical, contemporary, and future trends of neurosurgery in Nigeria. The results could form the foundation for policy improvement; health-system strengthening; better resource-planning, prioritization, and allocation; and more purposive collaborative engagement in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries.

Wet cooling of air oN plate finned tube heat exchangers

The objective of this paper is to provide the reliable calculation procedure for determining heat and mass flow rates for plate finned tube heat exchangers in dehumidification regimes that can be used easily in engineering practice. For this purpose, the experiments are conducted on two heat exchangers, and datasets for six more heat exchangers are used from literature. Comprehensive database is established with total of 637 sets of data, and it gathers 365 new measurement sets and 272 sets from open literature. The new calculation procedure predicts heat transfer rate and condensate flow rate where new methodology approach (based on the porous velocity, the ratio of characteristic surfaces and hydraulic diameter) is used. Predicted results show 5 to 10 % deviation for heat duty and up to 20 % for mass flow rate from experimental results, which is of importance to industrial practice.

Utjecaj ekscentrične porivne sile na odabir statvenog kliznog ležaja

Stern tube slide bearing of the shaft line of the ship's propulsion system causes losses during operation. Friction and material wear of the tribosystem occur. One of the reasons is the different navigating regimes of the ship, which have an influence on the formation of the velocity field on the ship's propeller. The variable velocity field defines the magnitude and the position of the thrust force. The methodology presented in this paper is based on the fact of the existence of the eccentricity of the thrust force, i.e. loads due to the action of the moment of the eccentric thrust force. Due to the changing position of the thrust force, the curvature of the elastic line of the sleeve inside the stern tube bearing, which is mostly spatial, changes. Spatial elastic line of the sleeve has an influence on the working area of the slide bearing. Therefore, the importance of a sufficient thickness of the lubricant layer for lubrication in relation to these changes was highlighted. In this paper, this is the initial criterion for the selection of materials and lubricants of the stern tube bearing. An equally important criterion would be to define the possible harmful impact of lubricant leakage with particles of bearing bush material on the ecosystem. In order to facilitate the whole process, the simplified analytical model is presented, which can be used in the initial stage of stern tube bearing selection. Such a model allows a simpler analysis of the influence of the elastic line on the condition of the stern tube bearing due to the loading by the weight of the ship's propeller and by the moment of the eccentric thrust force. The procedure for the initial selection of the stern tube bearing created by this methodological approach could have its practical application. For this reason, the paper analyzed different navigating regimes and their influence on the working area of the stern tube slide bearing. The obtained results can be useful in the selection of materials and lubricants for the stern tube bearing tribosystem.

Hexavalent Chromium adsorption from aqueous solution utilizing activated carbon developed from Rumex abyssinicus

The indiscriminate release of chromium-saturated effluent into water bodies has raised concerns regarding its effect on human health and environmental ecology. Therefore, this research aimed to remove hexavalent chromium from an aqueous solution utilizing activated carbon developed from Rumex abyssinicus. The adsorbent was prepared through chemical impregnation with H3PO4 and then thermally activated at 500 for 2 h. The optimization of the adsorption experiments was performed using the Box‒Behnken approach of response surface methodology. The characterization of the prepared activated carbon revealed good quality in terms of its amorphous structure, maximum specific surface area of 1722.9 m2/g and porous surface. Furthermore, the optimization results showed that a maximum removal efficiency of 95.97% was attained at an optimum working pH of 3, a contact time of 60 min, an initial chromium concentration of 70 mg/L and an adsorbent dosage of 0.6 mg/100 mL. The Langmuir isotherm model was found to have the best fit with the experimental data. Moreover, the kinetics study revealed that a pseudo-second-order model fit the data best, indicating the occurrence of chemisorption. Overall, this study suggested that Rumex abyssinicus could be an effective adsorbent for removing hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions.

Impact of Green Logistics on Vietnam's regional trade

This study investigates the impact of green logistics on Vietnam's regional trade within the frameworks of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) from 2007 to 2020. Employing a newly formulated Green Logistics Performance Index (GLPI) derived through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the research assesses how sustainable logistics practices influence trade performance. An extended gravity model is utilized to analyze the impact of green logistics across different regional trade agreements. The findings suggest that improved green logistics correlate positively with enhanced trade outcomes, highlighting the dual benefits of sustainability efforts in the environmental and economic realms. The study contributes to the limited empirical research on the intersection of green logistics and trade in Vietnam, offering a methodological approach for future analyses in this field. It provides valuable insights for businesses and policymakers aiming to align economic growth with sustainability objectives.

Efficient screening of pharmacological broad-spectrum anti-cancer peptides utilizing advanced bidirectional Encoder representation from Transformers strategy

In the vanguard of oncological advancement, this investigation delineates the integration of deep learning paradigms to refine the screening process for Anticancer Peptides (ACPs), epitomizing a new frontier in broad-spectrum oncolytic therapeutics renowned for their targeted antitumor efficacy and specificity. Conventional methodologies for ACP identification are marred by prohibitive time and financial exigencies, representing a formidable impediment to the evolution of precision oncology. In response, our research heralds the development of a groundbreaking screening apparatus that marries Natural Language Processing (NLP) with the Pseudo Amino Acid Composition (PseAAC) technique, thereby inaugurating a comprehensive ACP compendium for the extraction of quintessential primary and secondary structural attributes. This innovative methodological approach is augmented by an optimized BERT model, meticulously calibrated for ACP detection, which conspicuously surpasses existing BERT variants and traditional machine learning algorithms in both accuracy and selectivity. Subjected to rigorous validation via five-fold cross-validation and external assessment, our model exhibited exemplary performance, boasting an average Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.9726 and an F1 score of 0.9385, with external validation further affirming its prowess (AUC of 0.9848 and F1 of 0.9371). These findings vividly underscore the method's unparalleled efficacy and prospective utility in the precise identification and prognostication of ACPs, significantly ameliorating the financial and temporal burdens traditionally associated with ACP research and development. Ergo, this pioneering screening paradigm promises to catalyze the discovery and clinical application of ACPs, constituting a seminal stride towards the realization of more efficacious and economically viable precision oncology interventions.

Impact of financial literacy on consumer financial behavior: A systematic review and research agenda using TCCM framework

AbstractThe primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of financial literacy on consumer financial behavior through a systematic literature review. While numerous studies have explored this association, there is a lack of a comprehensive analysis that consolidates diverse insights and offers a holistic view. Our study addresses research questions, including the utilization of theoretical frameworks explaining the impact of financial literacy on consumer financial behavior. Also, we explore the diverse contexts encompassing industries, countries, and consumer types, involved in this relationship. We scrutinize the dependent, independent, control, mediating, and moderating variables involved, along with the methodological approaches utilized for assessing the impact. Employing the Theory, Context, Characteristics, and Methodology (TCCM) framework, we systematically analyzed 79 identified papers using the Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Reviews (SPAR‐4‐SLR) protocol. The findings highlight the multifaceted factors shaping individuals' financial decisions and behaviors, shedding light on the complex dynamics prevalent across industries, countries, and consumer segments. Our review offers insights into future research directions, advocating the integration of fresh theories and innovative methodologies to enhance existing knowledge. This study significantly contributes to academic understanding and offers valuable guidance for policymakers, businesses, and educators seeking to enhance financial literacy education and shape positive consumer financial behaviors.

An Ultra-soft Thermal Diode

The controlling of heat flow direction stands as a prominent methodological approach within the domain of thermal management, and this can be accomplished through the utilization of thermal diodes. However, if the thermal diode lacks mechanical compliance, hindering its intimate contact with heat source/sink surfaces, the thermal rectification performance is limited. In this work, we propose a method to solve the mechanical compliance problem that is introducing phase change material (PCM) consisting of dual alkanes (hexadecane and paraffine wax) and polyurethane to fabricate the heterojunction thermal diode. The fabricated thermal diode exhibits an ultra-soft mechanical feature, with a low elastic modulus of 0.4 KPa and >300 % elongation until failure – the best values reported to date for thermal diodes. The measured thermal rectification factor is as high as 1.42 – in line with the theoretical model prediction. Molecular dynamic simulations reveal that the thermal rectification mechanism of the PCM-based thermal diode originates from the crystal-amorphous phase transition of the hexadecane terminal as the temperature bias flips. Therefore, the heat flow in the forward direction is greater than the flux in the reverse direction. A series of experiments and finite element analyses are employed to verify the feasibility of thermal diodes for applications in real contexts like the civil engineering.

Analysis System for Logistics and Production Processes: A Methodological Approach to Signal Analysis for Forecasting

Analysis System for Logistics and Production Processes: A Methodological Approach to Signal Analysis for Forecasting

Trust and involvement of Cameroonian software developers in open-source projects

Trust and involvement of Cameroonian software developers in open-source projects

On the issue of the methodology of the study of petroglyphs of medieval architectural structures of the North Caucasus

The article is devoted to the problems of the methodology of the study of petroglyphs of architectural structures of the North Caucasus. The author considers methodological approaches to the interpretation of their semantics, taking into account the dual nature of petroglyphs of architectural structures, which, on the one hand, are a special cultural phenomenon with their pictorial traditions and a set of symbols, and, on the other, genetically go back to rock art, respectively, possessing the properties of rock paintings. The author believes that, interpreting the semantics of petroglyphs and their compositions, it is very important to take into account the historical context in which they were created and consider their significance in line with religious traditions relevant to the population of that era. According to the author, epic formulas or ideograms that originate in rock art play a special role in deciphering the meaning of petroglyphs of architectural structures, and in petroglyphs of architectural structures they acquire a specific character due to a narrow set of sacred symbols. The methodological basis of the research is a set of general historical, ethnographic and archaeological research methods, the use of which is determined by the nature of the material being studied. The author believes that, despite the difficulties of interpreting petroglyphs of architectural structures associated with the reconstruction of religious and mythological representations of the ancient population, it is a certain set of sacred symbols and their compositions, as well as epic formulas, that are the key to their deciphering. Petroglyphs of architectural structures have their origin in ancient rock art, which makes it possible to use in their research, including methodological techniques for studying rock paintings, the historiography of which has almost 150 years and a huge number of scientific monographs and articles. At the same time, the petroglyphs of medieval buildings in the North Caucasus possessed expressive self-sufficiency, which allowed the peoples of the region to use it to fix their religious, mythological and social traditions for transmission to the next generations.

Teachers S. A. and K. Ya. Lyugebil and their first kindergarten in Russia

Introduction. The history of the creation of the first preschool institutions in Russia is of interest to modern Russian historical and pedagogical science. The purpose of the article is to characterize the work of the first Russian kindergartens and the ascetic educational activities of the pioneers of Russian preschool education. Materials and methods. The leading research methods are the analysis of scientific literature, the biographical method. The author actively used an axiological methodological approach, which made it possible to identify and evaluate the most important achievements of the Lyugebil spouses and other Russian teachers in opening the first kindergartens in Russia. Results. Spouses Sofya Andreevna (1824-1914) and Karl Yakimovich Lugebil (1830-1887/1888) entered the history of Russian education as the founders of the country's first kindergarten. In their work, the Lugebil couple used the experience of their foreign predecessors, first of all, the German teacher F. Froebel, the creator of the first kindergarten in Europe. They were active members of the Pedagogical Society, at whose meetings they closely communicated with K. D. Ushinsky, P. G. Redkin and other prominent Russian teachers of that time; they invariably supported their progressive position on various issues of education development and sought to promote the idea of widespread preschool education in Russia. Discussion. The advanced teacher E. N. Vodovozova believed that the Lugebil spouses in their work sought to avoid thoughtlessly following the experience of others, even famous teachers such as F. Froebel and his direct students and followers. The Lugebiles went their own unique way. The progressive magazine Sovremennik paid close attention to the work of the first kindergarten, and in its articles gave a full account of the educational work carried out in this institution. The first kindergarten gave an impetus to the opening of similar institutions throughout the country, including in the province. Conclusion. The practical activities of the Lugebil spouses and other Russian teachers of the second half of the XIX – early XX centuries included axiological, humanistic content and therefore had a noticeable impact on the development of preschool education in Russia. The opening day of the first kindergarten, September 27 (1863), is celebrated in modern Russia as the day of the preschool worker.

Identification of the 18 World War II executed citizens of Adele, Rethymnon, Crete using an ancient DNA approach and low coverage genomes

In the Battle of Crete during the World War II occupation of Greece, the German forces faced substantial civilian resistance. To retribute the numerous German losses, a series of mass executions took place in numerous places in Crete; a common practice reported from Greece and elsewhere. In Adele, a village in the regional unit of Rethymnon, 18 male civilians were executed and buried in a burial pit at the Sarakina site. In this study, the first one conducted for a conflict that occurred in Greece, we identified for humanitarian purposes the 18 skulls of the Sarakina victims, following a request from the local community of Adele. The molecular identification of historical human remains via ancient DNA approaches and low coverage whole genome sequencing has only recently been introduced. Here, we performed genome skimming on the living relatives of the victims, as well as high throughput historical DNA analysis on the skulls to infer the kinship degrees among the victims via genetic relatedness analyses. We also conducted targeted anthropological analysis to successfully complete the identification of all Sarakina victims. We demonstrate that our methodological approach constitutes a potentially highly informative forensic tool to identify war victims. It can hence be applied to analogous studies on degraded DNA, thus, paving the path for systematic war victim identification in Greece and beyond.

Bioenergy and Biorefinery Potential of Residues: A Representative Case of the Sucre Region in Colombia

AbstractAgricultural and agroindustrial residues are produced worldwide but these residues do not have a specific use. Then, a high potential to produce bioenergy and value-added products has been wasted. Biomass conversion routes should be proposed based on regional needs, making different upgrading processes more reliable and feasible. Thus, bioenergy applications should be analyzed as potential solutions before analyzing prospective products based on the biomass chemical composition. The objective of this research is to provide an approach for defining potential energy-driven applications of lignocellulosic biomass in developing countries with high availability of biomass sources as a result of the agricultural vocation of a region/country. As a case study, this paper shows the Sucre region in Colombia. A methodological approach to define thermochemical, anaerobic digestion, and biorefining upgrading pathways is provided based on chemical characterization, proximate analysis, fuel properties, and biogas production potential. Corn cobs, rice husk, cassava stem, and subverified cassava stem were the most suitable feedstocks for thermochemical upgrading. Avocado seeds, peels, and cassava leaves were selected as the most suitable raw materials for biogas production. Finally, plantain peel, rachis, and organic food waste were selected as potential and prospective raw materials in biorefinery systems to produce high-value-added products. Graphical Abstract

Gabriel Zucman: Winner of the 2023 Clark Medal

The 2023 John Bates Clark Medal of the American Economic Association was awarded to Gabriel Zucman, associate professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley for his fundamental contributions to the study of inequality and taxation. Through meticulous empirical work and creative methodological approaches, he has revealed key trends about the concentration of global wealth, the size and distribution of tax evasion, and the tax-saving strategies of multinational companies. These findings have had a profound impact on the academic literature and on global policy debates. He has shifted the way economic research is done by showing that measurement can have a large impact in our field and on the world, inspiring many younger scholars to follow in his footsteps.

Breviarium rerum gestarum populi romani в отечественной и зарубежной историографии: к вопросу об источниках Феста

The transformative processes within the Roman Empire during the late 3rd and early 4th centuries brought about significant changes across various aspects of societal life, including the educational sphere. The proliferation of Christianity played a pivotal role in reshaping existing pedagogical prac-tices, ideologies, and standards, particularly among the elite class. With the emergence of a new political landscape during the dominatum era, there arose a demand for revised didactic norms. These norms aimed to provide administrators and officials with comprehensive insights into the history of Rome, its allies, and adversaries. During the 360s, concise didactic guides or “Breviaries” were developed. Notable among them is Flavius Eutropius' “Breviarium ab Urbe condita” (“Breviary from the Founding of the City”), recognized as a prominent textbook on Late Antiquity history in contempo-rary scholarship. Another significant work is the “Breviarium rerum ges-tarum populi Romani” (“Breviary of the Deeds of the Roman People”), compiled by an individual known as Festus (? – ca. 380). However, this text remained on the fringes of scholarly discourse for some time due to its brev-ity and the author’s heavy reliance on predecessors. Most scholars agree that Festus' "Breviarium" serves as a didactic compendium intended for both the emperor, who may not have been highly educated, and the officials of his empire. While there is little doubt among researchers regarding the peda-gogical nature of this work, several other questions, such as those concern-ing Festus' sources and the degree of the author's independence, remain un-resolved in historiography. Currently, there exist two approaches to address-ing the issue of identifying and studying Festus' sources. The first, positivist approach (endorsed by R. Jacoby, E. Wölfflin, A. Bettendorff, D.V. Kareev), states that Festus' sources can be easily identified by comparing parallels between his texts and those of his predecessors. However, there are differing views within historiography regarding the number and composition of the sources used by Festus in creating the “Breviary.” The second, critical ap-proach (advocated by D. Büer), denies the possibility of compiling an ex-haustive list of the sources of the “Breviary” due to the limited tradition of creating texts of this genre that have reached us. This article examines the evolution of historians' judgments regarding the possibilities and methods of identifying and interpreting Festus' sources in the composition of the “Breviary,” as well as discussing methodological approaches to studying this work.

Enhancing Urban Resilience: Strategic Management and Action Plans for Cyclonic Events through Socially Constructed Risk Processes

Cities will face increasing challenges due to the impacts of global climate change, particularly in the form of cyclonic events, necessitating a deeper understanding and the establishment of effective response mechanisms at both institutional and citizen levels. In this research, we tested the efficiency of crowdsourcing in fostering participatory resilience and improving urban management. The main aim was to design novel and accurate proactive response strategies and mitigate the adverse effects of cyclonic wind events through volunteerism, citizen science, and urban science. To achieve this goal, as a case study, the municipality of Soledad, Colombia was used. This research employed a two-phase methodological approach: (i) initially evaluating the spatial distribution of emergency response resources, and (ii) developing a geo-referenced survey to map, systematize, and categorize data and outcomes. A total of three hundred and seventy-eight residents across five neighborhoods in Soledad, which have experienced a high frequency of atmospheric wind phenomena over the past two decades, were surveyed. The results indicate that the crowdsourcing mechanism effectively enhanced the empirical understanding of atmospheric wind events in Soledad, facilitating the establishment of a geo-referenced volunteer network for real-time responses. Additionally, this study shed light on previously undocumented challenges, in terms of reducing the number of people affected, and the actions that would lead to improved urban development to reduce the impacts of cyclonic events, emphasizing the significance of citizen science in the social construction of risk and disaster risk reduction (DDR) efforts.

Psychological Contract: A Systematic Literature Review

English abstract only consisted of one paragraph This comprehensive study thoroughly examines the psychological contract literature by reviewing 134 papers published from 1989 to 2022. It extensively explores various aspects, including the conceptual framework, classifications, influencing factors, measurement criteria, and evolutionary trends of psychological contracts. Through a critical analysis, this paper reveals that certain areas within the realm of psychological contracts have reached a saturation point, with a wealth of existing research. It highlights the need for a paradigm shift towards studies conducted from the employer's standpoint, which can offer invaluable insights into the dynamics of psychological contracts. In essence, this review encapsulates the existing knowledge on psychological contracts and maps out a roadmap for future research, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives and methodological approaches