Project Participants Research Articles

Farmers’ Participation in Climate Smart Agriculture Initiatives and Adoption Decisions in the Arsi and East Shewa Zones of Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Climate change is a major challenge to sustainable agricultural production in the world. The intricacy of the problem requires farmers’ compliance with regenerative agricultural practices that can facilitate the conservation of fragile productive systems while sustaining their productivity. Accordingly, various climate change management strategies have been promoted in Ethiopia. This paper analyzed farmers’ participation in CSA practices and the determinants of adoption in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. The data were collected during the 2020 cropping season from 420 randomly selected farmers in the Arsi (highland) and East Shewa (lowland) zones of the Oromia region. The data was analyzed with descriptive and Logit regression. The results showed that of the total thirteen climate-smart agricultural practices that were assessed, about 6 and 4 were adopted by more than 50% of the farmers in the highland and lowland, respectively. Also, 21.0% and 42.4% of respondents from highland and lowland respectively participated in CSA programs or projects. Moreover, 35.5% and 34.8% of the highland and lowland agroecology farmers respectively adopted some CSA after project participation. In highland agroecology, crop rotation, crop residual management, crop diversification, and intercropping were the mostly used practices, while crop rotation, adjustment of planting time, minimum tillage, and planning of drought-resistant varieties were mostly used by lowland agroecology farmers. Moreover, logistic regression results reveal that CSA adoption is influenced by age, education, gender, family size, credit support, experience, extension support, non-agricultural income, and livestock holding. It was concluded that adoption of CSA was low, and promotion of extension support and CSA participation experiences will facilitate adoption of some CSA practices. More importantly, extension support should focus on CSA practices that were widely used by the farmers. Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 11, No. 1, April 2024: 79-91

Обратная связь как инструмент эффективного управления проектами: значимость, методы использования и практические примеры

This article analyzes the importance of feedback in Agile projects, emphasizing its role in improving management processes and motivating personnel. Methods of collecting feedback, such as surveys, meetings, and project data analysis, are discussed. Special attention is paid to practical aspects of giving and receiving feedback, including strategies for effective communication among project participants. Principles of transparency, openness, and respect are discussed in the context of the Agile approach, along with recommendations for developing authentic leadership and building trusting relationships within teams. The influence of feedback on the process of continuous improvement and project refinement is explored. Overall, the article provides an overview of modern methods and practices of using feedback in Agile projects and recommendations for their application to achieve suc-cessful outcomes.

Research on Stakeholder Behavior Strategy in Green PPP Project Financing

In the context of green development, while promoting green industry and sustainable development, green PPP faces the challenge of financing difficulties. Based on the evolutionary game theory of bounded rationality and taking government, social capital and financial institutions as the game players, this paper constructs an evolutionary game model for the behavioral decision-making of stakeholders in green PPP project financing. Using MATLAB software, we simulate and analyze the key factors affecting the behavioral strategies of each game player. The results indicate that: (1) The additional income obtained from participation in green PPP projects is a key factor affecting the decision-making of social capital and financial institutions, so it is necessary to improve the reasonable return mechanism of green PPP projects and attach importance to the construction of reputation mechanism; (2) Government subsidies can effectively encourage social capital and financial institutions to participate in green PPP projects, but the amount of subsidies should be within a reasonable range; (3) The government's reward and punishment intensity is a significant factor affecting the decision-making of social capital behavior. To this end, it is imperative for the government to enhance the performance evaluation system for green PPP projects and establish a balanced reward and punishment mechanism. This paper puts forward some suggestions on the decision-making of stakeholders in the financing process of green PPP projects, and provides references for the policy formulation of encouraging social capital and financial institutions to participate in green PPP projects.

Blockchain-enabled platform-as-a-service for production management in off-site construction design using openBIM standards

Integrating building information modeling (BIM) with emerging blockchain technology has gained considerable attention in addressing design collaboration problems like poor data security, weak traceability, and low transparency in off-site construction. However, blockchain implementations in off-site construction design, especially with openBIM standards, currently lack standardized workflow management and methods for ensuring data completeness within the blockchain environment. To bridge these gaps, this paper presents a novel blockchain-enabled platform-as-a-service (PaaS), specifically tailored for off-site construction to enhance interoperability and collaborative design efficiency using openBIM standards. The proposed PaaS offers two significant intellectual contributions: (1) a data contract system that manages openBIM workflow standardization and (2) a data escrow system that ensures the completeness and integrity of openBIM data. The data contract system utilizes an innovative asynchronous smart contract algorithm to streamline workflow checks, while the data escrow system introduces a new blockchain-driven data-checking strategy to ensure openBIM completeness at the data level. Besides, a PaaS architecture is developed to clarify the interaction logic between these two systems. The PaaS is validated and evaluated in openBIM-based design collaborations from a real-world project, with results indicating improvements: a 38% time-saving in design issue coordination and a 32% reduction in design data delivery time. Furthermore, the platform received favorable feedback from project participants, validating the approach and confirming the PaaS as a valuable tool for enhancing design collaboration in off-site construction.

Co-producing composite storytelling comics: (counter) narratives by academics of working-class heritage

Composite storytelling as a social qualitative research method represents a growing spirit of creativity to explore themes of social injustice. This article discusses the potential methodological affordances and challenges of such approaches when used to collectively unsettle, interrogate and (re)imagine what it means to become an academic of working-class heritage. The participatory project discussed in this paper involved eight social science and humanities academics in UK-based elite higher education institutions. In a series of storytelling sessions, the participants created narrative encounters to foster moments of critique and analysis to explore the complex social realities of their routes into and through academia as people of working-class origins. Working alongside an illustrator, the participants used empirical insights to create composite stories in multimodal comic formats. Through this work, we seek to prompt further discussions about the generative possibilities of pursuing similar methods in the social sciences and beyond to challenge forms of social injustice.

Library as an element of infrastructure for the popularization of agricultural science (by the example of the Small Agricultural Academy of SFRCA RAS)

The issues of popularization of agricultural science, the formation of a natural scientific worldview, the development of the research potential of young students, primarily of school age, their early career guidance, and the construction of a long-term career trajectory to train highly professional scientific personnel and specialists in the agro-industrial sector are considered. As an example of implementing a long-term popularization project based on a scientific town’s scientific and educational infrastructure, the activities of the Small Agricultural Academy of the Siberian Federal Scientific Center for Agrobiotechnologies are presented. The functions of all project participants were analyzed and systematized, and the directions of their interaction were described. The role of the Siberian Scientific Agricultural Library, a branch of the State Public Library for Science and Technology SB RAS, as a multifunctional communication center in the field of agricultural science, as 'well as in popularizing its achievements among the younger generation, was especially noted.

Global Citizenship and Internationalization at Home: Insights from the BRASUIS Virtual Exchange Project

This paper reports on the BRASUIS Virtual Exchange (VE) Project carried out in two universities in Brazil and another one in Switzerland. The theoretical framework informing the research is that of Collaborative Online International Learning COIL/VE as a strategy to develop Global Citizenship (GC) and Internationalization at Home (IaH) in the three institutions involved. The BRASUIS project involved 26 students from the universities involved and eight international scholars as guest speakers. The project included both synchronous and asynchronous exchanges carried out over 14 weeks. The methodology employed to analyze the impact of the BRASUIS project on the institution’s IaH and GC approach is qualitative, using content analysis to look at data from reflection reports and observations produced by the project participants and lecturers. Results of the analysis reveal a varying degree of institutionalised internationalisation when comparing Brazilian and Swiss institutions and suggest that the BRASUIS project made a significant contribution to the development of GC and IaH in the Brazilian institutions involved and though it was a teacher-led innovation, there is potential to institutionalize VE projects beyond individual teachers’ efforts in those institutions. Results are discussed in terms of the challenges and benefits of VE to develop GC and IaH.

Developing a risk framework for assembly construction based on stakeholder theory and structural equation modelling.

Occupational injuries in the construction industry have plagued many countries, and many cases have shown that accidents often occur because of a combination of project participants. Assembled construction (AC) projects have received extensive attention from Chinese scholars as a future trend, but few studies have explored the interrelationships and potential risks of various stakeholders in depth. This study fills this research gap by proposing a multi-stakeholder AC risk framework. The study surveyed 396 stakeholders, then analyzed the collected data and created a risk framework based on Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and the CRITIC weighting method. The results revealed that factors like "regular supervision is a formality," "blindly approving the wrong safety measures," and "failure to organize effective safety education and training." are vital risks in AC of China. Finally, the study validates the risk factors and the framework with 180 real-life cases, which shows that the proposed framework is theoretically grounded and realistic. The study also suggests multi-level strategies such as introducing AI-based automated risk monitoring, improving the adaptability of normative provisions to technological advances, and advancing the culture of project communities of interest to ensure AC's safe practices.

Abstract PO3-08-04: Prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations in an underrepresented population of women with breast cancer: Observations from the City of Hope INSPIRE study

Abstract Background: Because African American and Latina women have been less likely to undergo germline testing, it has been difficult to determine the prevalence of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition in these populations. Here we report the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutation in patients with a breast cancer diagnosis from City of Hope’s (COH) INSPIRE (Implementing Next-generation Sequencing for Precision Intervention and Risk Evaluation) study. Methods: Patients with a history of any stage breast cancer (stage 0-IV), who were seen by a City of Hope physician at the Duarte or Upland campuses, were approached by a clinical research coordinator for participation in an institutional tissue biorepository project. Demographic information included age, race and ethnicity. Patients consent for this IRB-approved study to store tumor specimens for future research use and Invitae germline testing for 155 predisposition genes which is performed at no cost to the patient. Results: From 7/9/20 until 4/2023, 2413 women consented for participation and underwent germline testing. Mutations in BRCA1 were identified in 53 and BRCA2 in 65. Table 1 summarizes the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations according to race and ethnicity. Pathogenic variants in BRCA1 were identified in 22/742 (3.0%) of Hispanic women compared to 16/1552 (1.7%) non-Hispanics (p=0.046). BRCA2 mutations were comparable 16/742 (2.2%) Hispanics and 47/1505 (3%) non-Hispanics. Hispanic women with breast cancer were 2.49 times as likely as non-Hispanics to carry a pathogenic germline BRCA1 mutations than BRCA2 (p=0.026) Conclusion: The prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations in the African American and Latina population is higher than what was observed in White women. These data provide additional support for the recommendation to perform germline testing in all women with breast cancer, regardless of race or ethnicity Prevalence of BRCA 1 and 2 mutations by Self-Reported Race and Ethnicity # Tested BRCA1 BRCA2 BRCA1 or 2 VUS/Negative Race Native American 15 0 1 (6.7%) 1 (6.7%) 14 (93.3%) Pacific Islander 8 0 0 0 8 (100%) Asian 367 5 (1.4%) 11 (3%) 16 (4.4%) 351 (95.6%) Black 136 7 (5.1%) 4 (2.9%) 11 (8.1%) 125 (91.9%) White 1675 37 (2.2%) 44 (2.6%) 81 (4.8%) 1594 (95.2%) Other 86 1 (1.2%) 4 (4.7%) 4* (4.7%) 82 (95.3%) Unknown 126 3 (2.4%) 1 (0.8%) 5 (3.2% 122 (96.8%) TOTAL 2413 53 (2.2%) 65 (2.7%) 117 (4.8%) 2296 (95.2%) Ethnicity Hispanic 742 22(3%) 16 (2.2%) 37* (5%) 705(95%) Non-Hispanic 1552 26(1.7%) 47(3%) 73(4.7%) 1479 (95.3%) Unknown 119 53(2.2%) 2(1.7%) 7(5.9%) 112(94.1%) TOTAL 2413 53(2.2%) 65(2.7%) 7(5.9%) 112(94.2%) * Patient had both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations Citation Format: Joanne Mortimer, Sydney Lindsey, Ilana Solomon, Wai Park, Duveen Sturgeon, Kathleen Blazer, Stacy Gray, Joseph Bonner, Xiaoyu Xia, Stephen Gruber. Prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations in an underrepresented population of women with breast cancer: Observations from the City of Hope INSPIRE study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-08-04.

The Effects of an Entrepreneurial Project on the Career-Choice Readiness, Metacognition, and Growth Mindset of Secondary Students

The present study evaluated the effect of a four-day entrepreneurial project on the career-choice readiness of secondary school students. The hypotheses underlying this study state that participation in a school startup project increases the students’ career-choice readiness, growth mindset, and metacognition. Based on the literature, it is also assumed that a positive correlation exists between metacognition, growth mindset, and career-choice readiness. The present study examined a student entrepreneurship program by conducting a pre–post design. School classes developed and implemented business ideas with qualified coaches within the program based on a comprehensive didactic approach. Data from each group of participants were collected at two measurement time points. The results demonstrated that the values for all constructs increased in the post-test after participating in the entrepreneurial intervention. Furthermore, the findings indicate that a growth mindset is related to career-choice readiness and mediates the relationship between career-choice readiness and metacognition. Moreover, metacognition additionally favors a growth mindset. Based on the findings, entrepreneurial projects at schools are helpful for vocational orientation and should be extended by cooperating with external organizations and partners.

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

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

Dietary fats and the APOE-e4 risk allele in relation to cognitive decline: a longitudinal investigation in a biracial population sample

BackgroundAPOE-e4 is the strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. However, the influence of APOE-e4 on dietary fat intake and cognition has not been investigated. ObjectiveWe aim to examine the association of types of dietary fat and their association to cognitive decline among those with and without the APOE-e4 allele. MethodsThe study included 3,360 Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) participants from four Southside Chicago communities. Global cognition was assessed using a composite score of episodic memory, perceptual speed, MMSE, and diet using a 144-item food frequency questionnaire. APOE genotype was assessed by the hME Sequenom mass-array platform. Longitudinal mixed-effect regression models were used to examine the association of dietary fat and the APOE-e4 allele with cognitive decline, adjusted for age, sex, education, smoking status, and calorie intake. ResultsThe present study involved 3,360 participants with a mean age of 74 at baseline, 62% African Americans, 63% females, and a mean follow-up of 7.8 years. Among participants with the APOE-e4 risk allele, higher intakes of total and saturated fat (SFA) were associated with a faster decline in global cognition. Among individuals with the APOE-e4 risk allele, a 5% increase in calories from SFA was associated with a 21% faster decline (β = −0.0197, P = 0.0038). In contrast, a higher intake of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-n3 PUFA) was associated with a slower rate of decline in global cognition among APOE-e4 carriers. Specifically, for every 1% energy increment from LC-n3 PUFA, the annual rate of global cognitive decline was slower by 0.024 standardized unit (SD 0.010, P = 0.023), about 30.4% slower annual cognitive decline. Higher SFA or other types of dietary fat were not associated with cognitive decline among APOE-e4 non-carriers. ConclusionsOur study found a significant association between SFA and faster cognitive decline, LC-n3 PUFA and slower cognitive decline among those with the APOE-e4 allele. Our findings suggested that higher intake of SFA might contribute faster cognitive decline in combination with APOE-e4 whereas LC-n3 PUFA might compensate the adverse effects of APOE-e4. The interaction between intakes of different types of dietary fat and APOE-e4 on cognitive function warrants further research.

Empathic Ability as a Driver for Project Management

Empathy is receiving increasing attention as it can contribute to the collaboration and connectedness required for today's global challenges. A similar trend reveals itself at the scale of project management, given the change from technological to integration-driven challenges in projects. The necessary integrated approach affects the key competencies sought in project team participants. Since empathy enhances one's feeling for and understanding of the project participants’ interests, it could support the integration assignment. Therefore, focusing on the Dutch civil engineering industry, this study investigated whether the project team's empathic ability drives project performance. The results suggest a positive correlation between the team's empathic abilities and performance. Additionally, the study provides insights into the industry's current level of empathic ability, prompting the conclusion that there is room to improve performance by increasing the project teams’ empathic abilities. .

Community participation in the electricity network development project in Bekasi from ecological citizenship perspective

This research explores the role of community participation in the electricity network construction project in Bekasi Regency, by viewing it through the lens of ecological citizenship. Ecological citizenship provides a framework for understanding the link between community participation and ecological responsibility in the context of energy infrastructure development. This research adopts a qualitative approach with a focus on in-depth understanding of the dynamics of community participation, influencing factors, and its impact on environmental sustainability. It is hoped that the research results will provide in-depth insight into the extent to which community participation can increase the sustainability of electricity network development projects. In addition, this research also aims to identify factors that influence community ecological participation in the project. Policy implications and recommendations will be generated to guide the development of similar infrastructure projects in the future by considering the ecological citizenship perspective.

Оценка потенциала развития индустриального парка на базе АО «Пластик»

The tendencies of the industrial park creation based on the Russian chemical enterprises are explored in the article, the potential resident basic requirements to the new manufacturing location are determined. The multiyear experience of the industrial park making in the JSC “Plastic” territory is summarized: from the engineering infrastructure modernization to the participation in the federal project “Proffessionalitet”.

Participatory Development Approach for the Rural Road Networks: A Case of Infrastructure Development Office, Kaski

This study aims to assess people’s participation in the rural road projects in Kaski District of Gandaki Province. The data were collected from 50 conveniently selected residents along the road project alignment Dopahare-Kristi-Bakrek- Pawaigaude area, using the convenient sampling procedure. This study is descriptive, and the questionnaires were used to collect data concerning the people’s participation and road infrastructure development in the villages. The findings of the study reveal that the presence of poor rural road infrastructure, both in quality and access, the road sector was found external resource-dependent, deficient in resource mobilization and topography of the rural area by itself escalates the problem. The community participation is not well-institutionalized in this project. The study concludes that public participation is crucial in developing a country like Nepal. People’s participation in Nepal is limited only for elite people, but not for people from disadvantaged groups. Though people’s participation has increased in Nepal over the last few decades but people from the underprivileged groups do not participate to the same extent of the elite group, which creates disputes in the society. This study recommends all concerned bodies such as the local communities, the municipality, and other stakeholders to take their responsibility to solve this critical issue.

Matrix-Network Modeling of Translation Communication from Perspective of Eco-Translatology

The article presents the results of a search study conducted based on ecosystemic and network approaches in translation studies within the framework of the concept of “human — network environment”. The relevance is determined by the importance of considering the socio-communicative aspect in translation activities and viewing the translator as a functionally integrated element of the network environment. Communicative-network interaction of participants in a translation project is described. The research methodology is based on the potential of matrix and network modeling methods for processing and visualizing data of translation communication. The analysis is carried out using two models: a responsibility distribution matrix and an undirected graph compiled using a social network visualizer program as a hypothetical projection of a more complex model, verified in practice. Examples of analyzing project interaction between written and oral translations based on a protocol of pilot interviews with English language translators about their experience working in a translation department at an industrial enterprise in the Chelyabinsk region are used as materials. The comprehensive methodology of matrix-network modeling allows for explicitating the specifics of work in a translation project at an enterprise, identifying control-network nodes that accumulate the main communicative load, and determining strategies to enhance communication efficiency.

Social Innovations for Empowering Pastoralist Women: Evidence from Dasenech, South Omo, Ethiopia

Innovations are vital for empowering women and youth by introducing alternative pathways for development. This study focuses on a social innovation project executed in Dasenech, South Omo, Ethiopia. The project introduced innovative initiatives (index-based livestock insurance (IBLI), a goat market value-chain system, an eco-friendly hydraulic ram pump, fodder production, and a vet drug store). Key among the goals of these initiatives was the empowerment of pastoralist women by promoting the livelihood base of the Dasenech Pastoralist Community. The present study assessed the contributions of these innovations to the empowerment of women and youth. We employed a mixed-method research approach to pool both quantitative and qualitative data using a household survey through Kobocollect, FGDs, KIIs, and case stories. We computed empowerment by employing a 5DE model with five domains, i.e., production, resources, income, leadership, and time use. The findings suggest that 93% of the project participants were empowered, recording “adequate achievements” in line with the 5DE model, i.e., with scores of at least 80% in four of the five requirements. Technological innovations that properly assess the context of the intervention area and, most importantly, that use proper avenues of implementation with women and youth as owners and leaders, have the capacity to empower such individuals in the economic, social, and political spheres.

Ten Years of Improving Glycemic Control in Pediatric Diabetes Care: Data From the Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry.

To evaluate, from 2013 to 2022, how HbA1c, the incidence of acute complications, and use of diabetes technology changed at the national level in Norway and how glycemic control was associated with use of diabetes technology, carbohydrate counting, or participation in a quality improvement project. This longitudinal observational study was based on 27,214 annual registrations of 6,775 children from the Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry from 2013 to 2022. Individuals aged >18 years, those with diabetes other than type 1, and those without HbA1c measurements were excluded. The outcome measure was HbA1c. The predictor variables in the adjusted linear mixed-effects model were 1) the use of diabetes technology, 2) the use of carbohydrate counting for meal bolusing, and 3) whether the patient's diabetes team participated in a quality improvement project. Mean HbA1c decreased from 8.2% (2013) to 7.2% (2021), and the proportion of youth reaching an HbA1c <7.0% increased from 13% (2013) to 43% (2022). Insulin pump use increased from 65% (2013) to 91% (2022). Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) use increased from 34% (first recorded in 2016) to 97% (2022). Insulin pump, CGM, and carbohydrate counting were associated with lower HbA1c and higher achievement of glycemic targets. Girls had a higher mean HbA1c than boys. Mean HbA1c levels were lower in clinics that participated in a quality improvement project for the following 4 years after the project. Diabetes technology, carbohydrate counting, and systematic quality improvement in pediatric departments led to improved glycemic control.

Training Professional Kindergarten Teachers and Preservice Kindergarten Teachers in Astronomy Education: The Challenges of the ABATAC Project

This article discusses the challenges faced by professional kindergarten teachers (PTs) and preservice kindergarten teachers (PSTs) during their participation in the ABATAC project, which took place during the academic year 2021–2022. The project’s aim was to provide astronomy training to PTs and PSTs, enabling them to plan and deliver astronomy lessons for young children. A combined quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data was conducted to comprehend the difficulties encountered by the participants during their training and implementation in classrooms. The research showed that ABATAC had an overall positive impact and did not present significant difficulties to the participants. However, some challenges that stood out included developing age-appropriate astronomy lessons for children and implementing ABATAC’s methodological approaches. Although the participants had limited knowledge of astronomy concepts and lacked experience in teaching astronomy activities, their confidence and self-efficacy in delivering astronomy activities improved after the ABATAC training. Additionally, some other issues, such as navigating the ABATAC course, were also brought up. The program appears to have contributed to an increase in the participants’ readiness and confidence to organize and implement astronomy activities in their teaching.