Preferred Means Research Articles

“Fair and Balanced”: What News Audiences in Four Countries Mean When They Say They Prefer Impartial News

ABSTRACT Impartial news, or news without a partisan slant or overt point-of-view, is overwhelmingly preferred by news audiences worldwide, yet what such preferences mean remains poorly understood. In this study, we examine what people mean when they say they prefer impartial news. We draw on qualitative interviews and focus groups with 132 individuals in Brazil, India, the UK, and the US, conducted in early 2021. Our results show while the idea of impartial news is widely embraced in abstract, ranging from notions of reporting “just the facts” to more nuanced views about how feasible impartiality is to achieve, there is no shared understanding of impartiality in practice. People’s perceptions of impartiality are rooted in two intertwined folk theories: the notion that news production and editorial decisions are guided largely by (a) partisan political agendas or (b) commercial considerations, determining what stories were chosen, ignored, or crafted in order to deceive and manipulate. There is some country variation around the importance of these folk theories, but their recurrence suggests that demonstrating impartiality to audiences requires convincing them not only that news content is balanced but also that editorial decisions were not driven by ulterior motives.

Review of vortex lattice method for supersonic aircraft design

AbstractThere has been a renewed interest in developing environmentally friendly, economically viable, and technologically feasible supersonic transport aircraft and reduced order modeling methods can play an important contribution in accelerating the design process of these future aircraft. This paper reviews the use of the vortex lattice method (VLM) in modeling the general aerodynamics of subsonic and supersonic aircraft. The historical overview of the vortex lattice method is reviewed which indicates the use of this method for over a century for development and advancements in the aerodynamic analysis of subsonic and supersonic aircraft. The preference of VLM over other potential flow-solvers is because of its low order highly efficient computational analysis which is quick and efficient. Developments in VLM covering steady, unsteady state, linear and non-linear aerodynamic characteristics for different wing planform for the purpose of several different types of design optimisation is reviewed. For over a decade classical vortex lattice method has been used for multi-objective optimisation studies for commercial aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle’s aerodynamic performance optimisation. VLM was one of the major potential flow solvers for studying the aerodynamic and aeroelastic characteristics of many wings and aircraft for NASA’s supersonic transport mission (SST). VLM is a preferred means for solving large numbers of computational design parameters in less time, more efficiently, and cheaper when compared to conventional CFD analysis which lends itself more to detailed study and solving the more challenging configuration and aerodynamic features of civil supersonic transport.

Engaging with imagery in the context of grief after suicide

Following a loved one’s suicide, bereaved persons are sometimes revisited by pain in the form of intrusive imagery. This paper focuses on externalising intrusive imagery. It also addresses the potential for imagery to be evoked to support re-membering conversations. Through the use of narrative practices, an image can become a site where new, preferred meaning can be made.

Unmet Needs for Comprehensive Sexuality Education: A Qualitative Study Among Secondary School Students in Western Kenya

The aim of this qualitative study was to explore desired ways to deliver comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and topics, among secondary school students in a low-resource setting in Western Kenya. One school (n = 440) has received 8–9-h CSE intervention, while the other school (n = 496) served as a control. After one-year follow-up the students were asked (one open-ended question) to suggest desired topics of CSE, with a response rate of 93% (n = 867). The following topics were suggested by the students: abortion, contraception, sexual rights, abstinence and STI/HIV, and preferred CSE delivery means were school-based teaching, online resources and social media, community-based elements or trusted individuals. The students who had not received the intervention were more in favor of an abstinence-only approach and demonstrated more negative attitudes toward abortion.

Whose responsibility is it to talk with children and young people about intersex/differences in sex development? Young people’s, caregivers’ and health professionals’ perspectives

IntroductionOver the past two decades, there has been a shift from concealing diagnoses of sex development from impacted people to the broad principle of age-appropriate disclosure. This change is consistent with children’s rights and with general shifts towards giving children medical information and involving patients in medical decision-making. The present paper examines how health professionals, young people and caregivers with experience in this area talk about the process of telling children about a diagnosis relating to sex development. The focus is on (i) who is given the role of talking with children and young people about their medical condition and care in the context of a diagnosis relating to sex development and (ii) what strategies seem to work, and what dilemmas are encountered, in engaging children and young people in talk about their condition and healthcare.MethodQualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out with 32 health professionals, 28 caregivers and 12 young persons recruited in the UK and Sweden, and thematic analysis was undertaken.ResultsThe analysis identifies strategies and dilemmas in communication and a widespread assumption that it is caregivers’ responsibility to talk with children/young people about the diagnosis. This assumption creates difficulties for all three parties. This paper raises concern about children/young people who, despite a more patient-centred care ethos, are nevertheless growing up with limited opportunities to learn to talk about intersex or differences in sex development with confidence.DiscussionLearning to talk about this topic is one step towards shared decision-making in healthcare. A case is made for services to take clearer responsibility for developing a protocol for educating children and young people in ways that involve caregivers. Such a process would include relevant medical information as well as opportunities to explore preferred language and meaning and address concerns of living well with bodily differences.

Stock selection and portfolio analysis of China’s insurance industry

Based on the economic pattern and financial market environment nowadays, stock is becoming a much more beneficial and preferred investment means. Investors need to consider several factors as industry development, era background and social circumstance to decide if it is worth investing. This essay will focus the China’s insurance industry to see which portfolio or single stocks can be the most beneficial. Different factors will be used in this experiment to both analysis long term and short term of stock return. The stock price, stock return, and related market return will all be detected from official websites. Several financial models will be used like CAPM model as supporting evidences which will be most suitable for such an experiment. Eventually, a certain stock portfolio will be made throughout the best and most suitable allocating method. In conclusion, there definite exist specific weighed stock portfolio in China’s insurance industry for investing, the most suitable way of making portfolio is throughout the weighted average of market capitalization.

Modeling the generative mechanism of personalized preferences from latent groups: A hierarchical nonparametric Bayesian method

Personalization is among the most prominent marketing strategies for facing online and offline retailers. The basis for personalization is learning the customer’s personalized preferences, but the sparsity of customer behavioral data makes it difficult to calculate personalized preferences and predict behaviors. Assuming that customer preferences are influenced by the latent group, we propose a Hierarchical Nonparametric Bayesian method (HNB) to model the generative mechanism of personalized preferences from latent groups. The proposed HNB employs a hierarchical and nonparametric structure based on the Dirichlet process, and constructs a combined model to analyze personalized preferences and latent groups. In the context of online shopping, HNB not only mitigates data sparsity with information from the latent groups, but also identifies the meaning of preference in customer purchase history and discovers latent groups accurately. Our experiments also show the number of preferences and latent groups is calculated automatically from the data, understand the generative mechanism of personalized preference from latent groups, and predict personalized purchases based on preferences.

Biodegradation of paraffin wax using Bacillus sp. SASH for quality improvement of crude oil properties

Biodegradation has become the most preferred and sustainable mean of reducing paraffin wax, removing paraffin deposition in pipelines and improving the flow of petroleum products. The current study focuses on the isolation of bacteria that has the capability to utilize paraffin as a sole carbon source and has been screened using 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol (DCPIP) dye as redox indicator. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus sp. SASH according to its 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. It is a moderate halophile that can grow in seawater at pH 7 and 37 °C. Bacillus sp. SASH was able to degrade various paraffinic products such as paraffin wax, heavy wax distillates, and liquid paraffin and it showed up to 84% paraffin wax degradation. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed that higher carbon chains after retention time of 18 min were removed after treatment of the wax with the bacterium. Bacillus sp. SASH enhanced the flow of different petroleum products by reducing their viscosity and pour point values. It was also able to reduce the viscosity and improve the flow of crude oil by 60%.

Perspectives of dairy employees at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey of health risks and educational needs

Our objective was to understand dairy employees' perceptions and educational needs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A bilingual (English and Spanish), anonymous survey targeted at dairy employees was circulated nationwide via university and allied industry media outlets. Responses (n = 63) from 11 states were received (May–Sep. 2020). Respondents worked in herds ranging from 50 to 40,000 animals in size. Dairy managers (33%) responded mostly to the English survey (52%), whereas entry-level workers (67%) chose the Spanish format (76%). Survey results highlighted different perspectives, educational needs, and preferred sources of information between English- and Spanish-speaking dairy workers. Overall, 83% of the respondents were somewhat concerned or very concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents (51%) indicated that their main concern was “to bring the virus from work to home and make my family sick.” Most dairy employees (83%) perceived that their employers were somewhat or very concerned about the pandemic. Respondents (65%) indicated that COVID-19 informative training was provided at the workplace, but training was more frequently undertaken among dairy managers (86%) than entry-level workers (53%). Most trainings (72%) were limited to posters on walls. The preferred means of information delivery was through in-person meetings at work (35%), with YouTube (29%) and on-demand videos (27%) as second and third options. The main source of information regarding the pandemic was social media (52%). Frequent handwashing (81%), limiting on-farm visits (70%), limiting agglomeration in break rooms (65%), hand sanitizer use (60%), and social distancing (60%) were the most common safety measures implemented at the workplace among the options given to respondents. Few respondents (38%) indicated that face-covering was required at work. Successful emergency plans on dairies should consider the outreach needs and preferences of dairy workers.

A model of international currency with private information

This paper studies a model in which nominal exchange rate is determined by asymmetric information. Within a two-country two-currency search-theoretic model, buyers have complete information, while sellers have incomplete information regarding the real value of foreign currencies in decentralized meetings. With no restrictions on which currency to use to settle transactions, sellers’ domestic currency turns out to be the preferred means of payment in equilibrium and various currency regimes emerge endogenously. The degree of information asymmetry and economic openness have ambiguous impacts on the nominal exchange rate due to the variety of currency regimes. When two countries interact in a policy game of setting inflation targets, the equilibrium inflation targets also depend on the degree of information asymmetry and economic openness, since these factors affect the seigniorage revenue and accordingly central banks’ temptation to inflate.

Assessment of Nursing Staff Learning Needs Around Person-Centered Risk Management in Nursing Homes.

The purpose of the current study was to describe nursing home (NH) staff's perceived learning and practice competency needs to facilitate effective delivery of person-centered care (PCC) when older adult residents' care preferences involve perceived risks. This needs assessment included a survey of NH staff and leaders (N = 87) and two focus groups (FGs) (N = 14). Results indicated staff were most confident handling preferences related to medication refusal (mean item rating = 4.1) and least confident in preferences related to smoking (mean item rating = 2.4). Staff were challenged in denying residents' preferences (mean item rating = 3.6) and worried about risk outcomes for residents or themselves (71.6%), reporting lack of policy and procedures to support them (48.1%). Survey results were enriched by FG themes: Establishing Person-Centered Values, Navigating Risk, and Operational Characteristics. Together, this information informed the development of a practice protocol to improve nursing competence in situations involving negotiation of resident and/or NH risks in care delivery. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(2), 7-12.].

Cloud-MobiNet: An Abridged Mobile-Net Convolutional Neural Network Model for Ground-Based Cloud Classification

More than 60 percent of the global surface is covered by clouds, and they play a vital role in the hydrological circle, climate change, and radiation budgets by modifying shortwaves and longwave. Weather forecast reports are critical to areas such as air and sea transport, energy, agriculture, and the environment. The time has come for artificial intelligence-powered devices to take the place of the current method by which decision-making experts determine cloud types. Convolutional neural network models (CNNs) are starting to be utilized for identifying the types of clouds that are caused by meteorological occurrences. This study uses the publicly available Cirrus Cumulus Stratus Nimbus (CCSN) dataset, which consists of 2543 ground-based cloud images altogether. We propose a model called Cloud-MobiNet for the classification of ground-based clouds. The model is an abridged convolutional neural network based on MobileNet. The architecture of Cloud-MobiNet is divided into two blocks, namely the MobileNet building block and the support MobileNet block (SM block). The MobileNet building block consists of the weights of the depthwise separable convolutions and pointwise separable convolutions of the MobileNet model. The SM block is made up of three dense network layers for feature extraction. This makes the Cloud-MobiNet model very lightweight to be implemented on a smartphone. An overall accuracy success of 97.45% was obtained for the CCSN dataset used for cloud-type classification. Cloud-MobiNet promises to be a significant model in the short term, since automated ground-based cloud classification is anticipated to be a preferred means of cloud observation, not only in meteorological analysis and forecasting but also in the aeronautical and aviation industries.

Clinical and biochemical characteristics of glycogen storage disease in Bangladeshi children from a tertiary care center

Abstract Background: Glycogen storage diseases (GSDs) are a group of metabolic diseases that results in aberrant glycogen metabolism due to genetic abnormalities of various enzymes. Glycogen degradation disorders primarily affect the liver, muscles, or both, which are the most seriously affected organs. Aim: This study aimed to determine the clinical and biochemical characteristics of GSD in children at Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Department, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 1 year and 6 months from October 2021 to March 2023. All children diagnosed with GSD on liver biopsy were enrolled in the study. Results: Among 437 children, 21 (4.8%) had a clinical diagnosis of GSD. The mean age at presentation to BSMMU was 2.3 ± 1.3 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.1. Hepatomegaly was the primary cause of abdominal distension in all 21 patients (100%), whereas splenomegaly was found in nine (41.8%) patients. No patient had exhibited jaundice. One patient (4.7%) had experienced delayed development. The levels of serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and uric acid were both increased in 16 (76.1%) and 20 (95.2%) patients, respectively. Around 4.7% of cases had neutropenia, hypoglycemia, and nephromegaly. Eighteen (85.7%) patients had short stature. Cirrhotic changes were absent in liver biopsy though periportal fibrosis was detected in 4 (19%) of the individuals. Conclusions: Children with GSD commonly present with short stature, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperuricemia. Histopathology of the liver remains the preferred diagnostic means in Bangladesh.

Some markers of authorial conflict intention in Internet comments during the COVID-19 pandemic

The range of conflict markers in confrontational interaction is determined largely both by the situation provoking the collision and by the conditions for the communication implementation. The context of the conflict in this work was the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The conditions for the conflict implementation became the virtual environment; Internet comment. The purpose of this reseach is to calculate the verbal and non-verbal markers of conflict speech behavior observed in Internet comments during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this goal the methods of complex communicative-pragmatic analysis, linguostylistic analysis and contextual analysis were used. With the methods of statistical analysis the frequency of the indicated verbal and non-verbal markers manifestation was determined and the preferred speech means to implement authorial conflicting intention in the designated time period was established. The verbal markers are some pejoratives, colloquies, jargon, occasional words, zoo-metaphors, English-language intersperses, phraseological units, lexemes with negative connotation which characterize human mental development, contain an expressive negative assessment of health, level of education, ethnic, racial, national, social affiliation of the characterized person, negative nomination of persons from the point of view of the profession, origin, socially condemned activities, persons with non-actual behavior, dissonant views, ideas and positions, language tools with the semantic meaning of threat, isolation, vaccination, imperatives, parceled constructions, subjunctive, multiple questions, repetitions, incomplete sentences, parallel constructions. Non-verbal markers include text in capital letters, strikethrough text, erratives, Internet memes. These verbal and non-verbal markers ensure the implementation of strategies and tactics of the conflict speech behavior of communicants of this period; they are the key factors in constructing attitude among the audience.

Optimization of Pregelatinized Taro Boloso‐I Starch as a Direct Compression Tablet Excipient

Background. Tablets are still the most preferred means of drug delivery. The search for new and improved direct compression tablet excipients is an area of research focus. This is because the direct compression method overcomes the drawbacks of granulation methods of tablet production. It exempts several treatment steps associated with the granulation methods. The requirements for the powders to be directly compressible include flowability, low friction tendency, compressibility, and fast disintegration capacity. Taro Boloso‐I is a new variety of Colocasia esculenta (L. Schott) yielding 67% more than a previously reported variety (Godare) in Ethiopia. This study is aimed at enhancing the flowability while keeping the compressibility and compactibility of the pregelatinized Taro Boloso‐I starch. Methods. Central composite design was used for the optimization of two factors which were the temperature and duration of pregelatinization against 4 responses. The responses were angle of repose, Hausner’s ratio, Heckel’s yield pressure, and tablet breaking force. Results and Discussions. An increase in the temperature resulted in decrease in both the angle of repose and the Hausner ratio and that of time decreased angle of repose as well. The Heckel yield pressure was observed to increase with increasing levels of both temperature and time. The pregelatinized starch prepared by heating 15% slurry of Taro Boloso‐I starch at the pregelatinization temperature of 66.22°C for 20 min showed desired flow property and compressibility. Conclusions. Pregelatinized Taro Boloso‐I starch could be regarded as a potential direct compression excipient in terms of flowability, compressibility, and compactibility. The PGTBIS could perform better as filler and binder in direct compression tablets than the Starch 1500® in terms of compactibility.

Is Systemic Heparinization Beneficial in Arteriovenous Fistula Surgery? - Our Experience

Background: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the most preferred means to achieve vascular access for hemodialysis in chronic kidney disease patients. Systemic heparinization during surgery is a well-established practice to prevent thrombosis and maintain graft patency. Patients and Methods: All patients who underwent AVF surgery between November 2015 and October 2021 were evaluated. Systemic heparinization was deliberately avoided. They were followed up at 1 week and 4 weeks post-procedure. Results: Two hundred and fifty-six patients were reviewed. One hundred and fifty-one (58.98%) radiocephalic AVF were created while 105 (41.02%) had brachial-antecubital AVF. The mean duration of surgery was 54.5 ± 7.2 minutes while that of clamp time of artery was 16.3 ± 9.7 minutes. Two hundred and forty-seven (96.5%) had palpable thrill or bruit could be auscultated immediately after surgery. It remained the same after 1 week. Graft thrombosis was 3.5%. Eight (3.12%) did not have any thrill or bruit, and were concluded to have graft thrombosis when assessed at 4 weeks. Four patients (1.56%) needed repeat procedures, while seven (2.7%) had hematoma and two (0.7%) had infection. Statistical analysis showed all observed values to be significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This analysis revealed, systemic heparinization did not have any additional benefit on maintaining graft patency and preventing thrombosis. Their incidence was, in fact, much lower than that proven in standard literature and previous studies. Preventing adverse effects like hemorrhage is beneficial too. Larger studies are required to establish whether systemic heparin use is at all necessary in AVF surgery.

Venture Debt

The preferred means of financing in Austria are bank loans. However, start-ups and some SMEs suffer from a lack of financing alternatives. A look across the border gives hope: venture debt is en vogue. The European Commission recognises the need for action. A Commission proposal dated 25.11.2021 to amend the AIFM Directive aims to create an efficient single market for loan-originating funds. Against this background, this paper deals with the existing legal framework for loan originating funds and provides first insights into upcoming regulatory developments.

Scale-up of the DMPA-SC in Nigeria: Why policy matters

BackgroundInjectable contraceptives have contributed substantially to Nigeria's rise in modern family planning methods usage. They are one of the most commonly used and preferred means of contraception among women in the country. Enabling policies are required to assure contraceptive access, security, and use. This study aimed to investigate the policy environment and how it supports or limits Nigeria's introduction and scale-up of subcutaneous depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC).MethodsThe design of this mixed-methods study was cross-sectional. Desk reviews of policy papers, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews were used to obtain information from respondents about the introduction of DMPA-SC in Nigeria and how existing policies influenced its scale-up. Data on DMPA-SC and other injectables were gathered from Nigeria's national electronic logistics management information system.ResultsThe findings suggest that policies such as task-shifting and task-sharing, cost-free policies, reproductive health policies, and others created an enabling environment for the scale-up of DMPA-SC adoption in Nigeria. The inclusion of DMPA-SC on the essential medicines list and the approved patent medicines list facilitated the scale-up process by ensuring private sector participation, removing economic barriers to access, fostering greater collaboration among health worker cadres, improving intersectoral partnerships, and improving logistics and client access. Despite significant anomalies in some implementing policies, injectable contraceptive consumption data demonstrate a progressive increase in DMPA-SC use during the study period. The results also indicate that policy initiatives have a favorable impact on the use of DMPA-SC throughout the country.ConclusionThe existence of policies, the active participation of stakeholders, and the political will of the Nigerian health system's leadership have all aided in the scaling-up of the DMPA-SC. Understanding how to build an enabling policy climate is critical for providing women with family planning options. These lessons from Nigeria emphasize the importance of these levers, which should be considered by teams intending to introduce innovative health products, particularly in developing countries.

A stochastic optimal scheduling of distributed energy resources with electric vehicles based on microgrid considering electricity price

With the expanding demand for electrical energy across the world and the growing concern about environmental matters resulting from the widespread use of fossil fuels in the power system, it is necessary to find suitable alternatives to resolve the problem. In this regard, Renewable Energy Sources (RES) that produce almost no pollution have become the preferred means of supplying the global energy demand. In this paper, a novel approach is proposed for formulating the problem and reducing reliability costs to achieve the minimum total cost of the grid. Concurrently, the transportation system has been replacing conventional vehicles with Electric Vehicles (EVs), where Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) have got the public's attention. Thanks to the Grid-to-Vehicle (G2V) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technologies, it is technically possible and economically justified to plug in such vehicles to receive/inject power from/to the grid. Alternatively, an emerging concept in electric power systems, i.e. Microgrid (MG), was developed and employed to level up the RESs’ penetration rate and maximize the capabilities of EVs using the smart infrastructure. Indeed, the V2G option is utilized for mitigating operating costs in order to host PEVs in the network. Therefore, optimally scheduling the MG would be of utmost importance. Thus, an efficient day-ahead stochastic operation framework has been developed in this research work for an MG equipped with renewable energy-powered Distributed Generation (DG) units and EVs. The mentioned stochastic programming framework is based on the Unscented Transform (UT). It is worth mentioning that the problem has been formulated as a stochastic programming problem with the objective of optimizing the total operating cost. The studied problem is then tackled using a biomimicry well-known approach called the “Converged Barnacles Mating Optimizer (CBMO) algorithm” and the results derived from simulating the problem would be compared to the ones achieved by some prominent algorithms.

Balancing the Communitarian, Civic, and Liberal Aims of Religious Education: Islamic Reflections

Balancing the communitarian, civic, and liberal aims of faith-based education presents a significant challenge to most religious education teachers. The communitarian approach to religious education is the most common, as it socializes children to become members of a given faith community. It recognizes students’ rights to collective identity and belonging. The civic approach to religious education asks, “what is the preferred meaning of respect in a religiously pluralist society, and how can it be promoted in the context of a deep belief in the primacy of one religion?” This approach also concerns itself with managing religious identities in a multifaith and democratic society. Liberal religious education involves asking the question, “how can one’s own religious doctrine be taught so as to allow the widest possible scope for critical reflection within [and about] a faith tradition?”. The current review essay addresses these questions by exploring the meanings, significance, and limitations of each approach and their possible implications for Islamic education in Israeli-Arab and Muslim-majority schools.