Preferred Way Research Articles

Production preference barriers and lowland-appropriate strategies of sustaining local food systems in drought-affected southern Ethiopia

A key element of food systems that look for significant inputs to ensure food security is food production. The production process is adversely affected by impermanent climates, particularly in places where droughts occur recurrently. In southern Ethiopia’s drought-prone Gamo lowlands, this study explores lowland-friendly strategies and challenges to food production choices. A cross-sectional survey design centered on households was utilized. Primary and secondary sources of data were used in the data collection process. The study’s primary data sources were the survey participants. The main methods used for gathering data were field observations, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and surveys. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed in the data analysis. Numerous obstacles stand in the way of food production preference, according to the results of the household-level study. The most often mentioned ones were low professional support, rising production input costs, inadequate professional support, and traditional agriculture methods. The methods that were found included improving access to basic production resources like farmland and oxen as well as managing production costs to a reasonable level in order to alleviate these constraints. Furthermore, it was discovered that reevaluating the trends in production that are transitioning from food crops to cash crops is a major problem in the Gamo lowland environment. With growers paying less attention to valuable food sources—root crops in particular—the move toward cash crops is one that should be closely monitored. As a result, it is advised that local food systems need to be sustainable in view of changing climate and a growing populace.

Scalable Authenticated Communication in Drone Swarm Environment

<p>The drone swarm is a preferable way to deploy many drones for large-scale missions. Establishing secure communication among drones in drone swarms is essential as the fog drone controls all other edge drones in the swarm. Although many researchers proposed methods of authenticating drones, most of them are unsuitable for use in swarm environments as they require either the ground station during the authentication or expensive PKI-based crypto operations with limited flexibility and scalability. In this work, we propose an efficient and scalable authentication protocol for drone swarm environments, enabling mutual authentication between fog and edge drones without involving the ground station. Moreover, we show that the protocol enables the verification of the sender in group communication. Protocol evaluations show security requirements satisfaction while achieving 14 - 20 times less computation overhead as compared to PKI-based models.​​</p> <p> </p>

Unexpected findings from L2 speech research can help us understand how humans process vowels

Research on nonnative speakers’ vowel production and perception has provided us with a number of surprising insights on how learners cope with nonnative vowels. Three of these initially unexpected, yet later solidly replicated, findings will be presented: (1) A decline in intelligibility of nonnative vowels as general proficiency improves (when an increase in intelligibility will be expected), (2) the use of acoustic cues in L2 vowel perception that cannot be attributed to transfer from the native language, and that are nonfunctional in the L2, and (3) the maintenance from infant speech perception in adult cross-language vowel perception of a bias favoring peripheral vowels. This presentation will discuss implications of these findings for our understanding of how vowel categories coexist in the minds of multilinguals, and of universally (native-language independent) preferred ways of vowel perception.

Adoption of artificial intelligence tools by retail organisations

Recent advancements in information and computing technologies have created a new category of artificial intelligence (AI) tools which are now being adopted by the retail industry. History reveals that every new technology-based tool faces barriers before becoming widely and successfully adopted, and AI tools are no exception. While numerous studies have already confirmed the benefits of these tools for multinational corporations, many retailers are facing significant barriers in adopting them. A review of the literature showed that the primary barriers are in the areas of human resources, strategic planning, project management and legacy IT systems. To build on these findings and find the AI adoption barriers, an international study of 13 retail and retail technologies experts from eight different countries was conducted. The results suggest that there is a preferred way for retail organisations to be structured and act in order to be successful at adopting AI tools. Based on the literature review and empirical results, a conceptual model for successful AI tools adoption is proposed. This model with broader research results contributes to the literature on AI tools adoption in retail organisations, suggests the steps organisations can take to be more successful, and highlights the importance of company culture and potential return on investment (ROI) of the AI solution for successful adoption.

To trust or not to trust? Trust landscape of organic animal husbandry: Mapping consumer attitudes and information demands in Germany

A mainly positive attitude of consumers towards organic animal husbandry with its higher keeping standards compared to the legal regulations is evident. However, less is known about consumers’ detailed expectations of organic husbandry and in particular their attitude and trust along the value chain of organic animal products. Which consumers trust the most, and how do they want to be informed about organic animal husbandry? Where along the chain are trust deficits that should be addressed in the future to support sustainable food consumption with high animal welfare standards? To answer these important questions a survey was conducted among 729 German meat consumers. Using a cluster analysis, various consumer groups were identified based on their trust levels. Further, these groups were characterized regarding their general attitude, their information behavior, their evaluation of current media reporting, and their preferred way to be informed (emotional/rational) about organic animal products. The results revealed three clusters that clearly differ in their trust level of organic husbandry. Respondents assigned to the first cluster are committed organic consumers with high trust and the most positive attitude. The second cluster, combines respondents who are generally open to organic meat consumption and showing the second highest trust level and positive attitude towards organic. They show a slight favor for a more rational presentation of information. The third cluster is the smallest and can be described as the skeptics with a low interest in organic. The results indicate a general moderate to high trust level along the value chain of organic animal products, with the highest trust in organic retailers and farmers and the least trust in processing and conventional retailers. These are important insights for the organic sector in order to improve consumer trust and therewith increase the market share of organic meat products.

Mental health service utilization and help seeking behaviours of adult Cambodians living in Western countries: A systematic scoping review.

Health disparity and under-utilization of health services is prevalent among Asian refugees and migrants in Western countries and can profoundly impact health outcomes. Cambodians who survived extreme physical and emotional trauma during the genocides enacted by the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970's are particularly vulnerable to poor mental health outcomes decades later. Understanding the experiences of help-seeking and service use by displaced Cambodians in Western countries may help to design more effective and culturally safe healthcare services. To identify characteristics or factors associated with help seeking behaviours and service utilization of displaced Cambodians with mental health issues living in Western countries. This review followed the Arksey & O'Malley methodological framework for scoping reviews. Articles for review were identified through searches of nine electronic databases and manual searches. Relevant articles were selected, and data was extracted and synthesized into key themes. This review included 15 articles. Most of the studies were conducted in the USA (n = 13) with one each conducted in Canada and New Zealand. Seven studies used qualitative interviews, five used a cross-sectional survey approach, two used a mixed-methods approach and one was a narrative review and case series. Key findings highlighted the impact of Cambodian cultural beliefs about mental health (guilt, shame and help-seeking stigma) on service utilization and the disconnect between Western models of service provision and preferred Cambodian ways of receiving support. Mental health services in Western countries are likely to be under-utilized by Cambodians due to a mismatch between health beliefs and Western models of care. Further investigation of the association between health beliefs and barriers to service utilization among adult Cambodian refugees is warranted.

Educational needs and career development of young epileptologists in Italy.

The Education and Career Task Force of the Young Epilepsy Section-Italy focuses on educational and career development needs of young Italian epileptologists. Two surveys were developed (pre- and post COVID-19 pandemic) in order to identify the needs of members of the Lega Italiana Contro l'Epilessia under 40 years of age. The first was distributed during the 42nd National Congress (Rome, June 5-7, 2019); the second during the 45th National Congress (Padova, June 8-10, 2022) and subsequently by e-mail until July 9, 2022. Data from the 2019 survey were analyzed descriptively. Data from the 2022 survey were further analyzed with Pearson's chi-square test to establish if gender, field of clinical practice, and professional role were associated with different needs. Sixty surveys were completed in 2019 and 69 in 2022. Attendance to courses and congresses as the preferred way to keep medical knowledge updated reduced between 2019 and 2022. The reason was different between trainees (mostly elevated costs) and early-career consultants (mostly organizational issues) (p = 0.005). The main needs for improvement also diverged: trainees indicated differential diagnosis and diagnostic approach to the first seizure while consultants indicated diagnostic approach to genetic epilepsies (p = 0.004); in the genetic field, priority needs were selection of genetic investigations for trainees versus genotype-phenotype correlations for consultants (p = 0.022). The field of practice (pediatric vs. adult) also impacted on the main needs for improvement that is, acquisition of expertise in neuroradiology and drug therapy for pediatric versus genetics for adult neurology trainees or consultants (p = 0.018); in the clinical area, differential diagnosis and approach to the first seizure versus status epilepticus (p = 0.027); in the genetic field, precision medicine versus genotype-phenotype correlations (p = 0.034). No differences were found based on gender. The surveys identified different needs based on professional role and discipline. The Education and Career Task Force of the Young Epilepsy Section-Italy (YES-I) launched two surveys among young Italian epileptologists. Our research shows that the educational and professional needs of young Italian epileptologists vary based on their job role and field of practice, but not on gender. Their preference for on-site congresses and courses reduced after the pandemic, and the main reason is linked to financial constraints for trainees and to organizational issues for consultants. The main expectation toward YES-I is to receive support for education and career development. Thus, we collected useful suggestions on how to organize our future YES-I activities.

Relationships influencing organisational culture in men’s elite football clubs in Norway

This paper examines the relationships within and outside organisations that have the leverage to influence culture in the context of men’s elite football clubs in Norway. Participants from three clubs held positions as Performance Director (n=2), sport psychology practitioner (n = 3), and physiotherapist (n = 2) and participated in semi-structured interviews focusing on the relationships, tensions, and dynamic organisational forces in their respective clubs. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we developed two overarching themes showing (1) Organisational cultures in time frames and (2) Relationships among stakeholders influencing organisational culture. Developing these themes indicated that an organisational culture is not only a point of arrival, but also a point of departure for future activities. Hence, those charged with organisational culture work must maintain awareness of the influence of a club’s history and how it influences dynamic tensions with stakeholders within and outside clubs. It is also critical that cultural practitioners are mindful of players’ and staffs’ individual journeys, which influence how they self-organise into fluid and temporary subgroups. The findings can sharpen our understanding of working with culture in elite football by emphasising other sources of culture besides leaders’ attempts at controlling or steering it in their preferred way. Using the findings provided in this study can help practitioners recognise organisational tensions or slippage towards cultural problems before they lead to traumatic organisational crises.

Visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic: Which learning style predicts academic success in nursing?

This study focuses on how different ways of learning affect the school success of undergraduate nursing students in Saudi Arabia, especially when they had to switch to online classes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It uses the VARK model, which identifies various learning preferences, to explore this topic. We wanted to find out what the main learning styles among these students are and how these styles relate to their grades, particularly in an online learning setting. Using a survey called the VARK questionnaire, we gathered information about the learning styles of 133 nursing students. We also collected their grades and used statistical methods to see if there's a link between the way they prefer to learn and their academic results. We found that most of the students (64.7%) liked using multiple ways of learning at once, with listening and doing activities being their top choices. However, those who preferred learning by doing or seeing struggled more with their grades when classes moved online. Online classes seem to work well for some students but not for others, depending on their preferred way of learning. This information is important for teachers so they can create lesson plans that work for all students, especially if schools have to switch to online learning unexpectedly.

Implementation of AI Based Model for Identification of Different Soil Types Using Tensorflow

AbstractThe agricultural industry is among the most important industry in the world and playing a critical part in human growth. Soil classification is becoming incredibly valuable, and recent study reveals that classification of images is proven as the preferred way of soil information for farmers. The testing of soil is the first step in construction planning to determine whether the plot of land is suitable for constructing any structure in order to prevent future disasters. In this work, the model has been proposed to address the visual classification of types of soil using the deep neural network (DNN) and tensor flow framework. Further, AI based sequential model has been created in python to classify the soil. This has been analyzed that with the use of proposed technique five types of soil viz. black, cinder, laterite, peat, and yellow soil has been classified while keeping the practical simplicity of the images. Far superior accuracy has been achieved using the CNN model on the above dataset. The model is useful for farmers to increase the crop production after identification of the appropriate soil type for respective crops.

Engagement of vulnerable communities in HIV prevention research in India: a qualitative investigation

BackgroundMeaningful community engagement (CE) in HIV prevention research is crucial for successful and ethically robust study implementation. We conducted a qualitative study to understand the current CE practices in HIV prevention research and to identify expressed and implicit reasons behind translational gaps highlighted by communities and researchers.MethodsFor this exploratory qualitative study, we recruited a purposive sample of participants from Indian government-recognised key populations such as men who have sex with men, transgender women, people who inject drugs and female sex workers; general population adults and adolescents/youth; and researchers. We conducted 13 virtual focus groups (n = 86) between July and October 2021. Data were explored from a critical realist perspective and framing analysis (i.e., examining how the participants framed the narratives).ResultsParticipants reported that study communities, especially those from key populations, were primarily involved in data collection, but not necessarily with optimal training. Involvement of communities before the start of the study (e.g., obtaining feedback on the study’s purpose/design) or once the study is completed (e.g., sharing of findings) were highlighted as priorities for meaningful engagement. Participants suggested meaningful CE in all stages of the study: (1) before the study—to get inputs in finalising the study design, drafting comprehensible informed consent forms and culturally-appropriate data collection tools, and deciding on appropriate monetary compensation; (2) during the study—adequate training of community field research staff; and (3) after the study—sharing the draft findings to get community inputs, and involving communities in advocacy activities towards converting evidence into action, policy or programs. Timely and transparent communications with communities were explicitly stated as critical for gaining and maintaining trust. Mutual respect, reciprocity (e.g., appropriate monetary compensation) and robust community feedback mechanisms were considered critical for meaningful CE. ConclusionsThe findings highlighted the translational gaps and priority areas for capacity building to strengthen CE in HIV prevention research. It is not only important to engage communities at various stages of research but to understand that trust, dignity, respect, and reciprocity are fundamentally preferred ways of meaningful community engagement.

A Daytime Smoke Detection Method Based on Variances of Optical Flow and Characteristics of HSV Color on Footage from Outdoor Camera in Urban City

In order for detection of a fire in fields, it is effective to detect smoke since it often behaves as a precursor of the fire. One preferable way for early detection is to use visual information from outdoor cameras that widely monitor the filed. There have been many attempts to detect smokes via optical sensors on digital cameras using optical flow methods, but not fully successful from practical-use aspects. It is because the area of smokes occupying on the footage by outdoor cameras is not necessarily large enough. Moreover, in case of urban cities, discrimination of the smokes from other moving objects such as cars, trees and turbines is not easy. Herein we propose a novel method to detect daytime smokes based on variance of optical flow and characteristics of HSV (hue-saturation-value) color. We apply the method to a set of footage of three days obtained in an industrial zone in Japan. Successful results are obtained as over 90% of smokes are detected. Notable is that this method is independent of solar radiation conditions on sunny and cloudy days.

The Home as a Space of Re-Education: Imperialism, Military Occupation, and Housekeeping Manuals

While much is known about the imperial home and its place in the colonial hierarchy and ‘civilizing project’, less is understood about the occupation household and its relationship to ‘re-education’. In the occupier home, the occupier wife managed domestic workers made up from the occupied, a role that performed the power and prestige of the occupier nation. But the occupier woman was also tasked with tutoring her staff in the preferred ways of housekeeping and family life, a form of re-education in the home. One way to understand this responsibility and compare it to colonial contexts is through the housekeeping manual. With a focus on occupied Japan (1945–1952), this article compares and contrasts two manuals, F.A. Steel and G. Gardiner’s The Complete Indian Housekeeper and Cook from British India (first published 1888) and The American Way of Housekeeping (1948) by the American women of the occupation, to demonstrate a textual and ideological genealogy between these and similar kinds of contemporary texts. In doing so, the article not only brings greater attention to the occupier wife, but reveals fundamental connections between the role of domestic re-education in imperial and occupation homes and its underlying importance in the performance of everyday power.

Self-assembly of sophorolipid and eugenol into stable nanoemulsions for synergetic antibacterial properties through alerting membrane integrity

Exploring the natural, safe, and effective antimicrobial is one of the preferable ways to control foodborne bacteria. In this work, novel oil-in-water nanoemulsions were formulated with sophorolipids and eugenol without any co-surfactant using a self-assembling strategy. These nanoemulsions showed high stability with sizes less than 200 nm when exposure to low concentrations of salt ions, various pH values (5.0, 7.0, 10.0), storage temperature and time. The synergistic antibacterial effects against both Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Bacillus cereus were determined with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.5 mg/mL and 0.125 mg/mL, respectively. Further microscopy (SEM, TEM, LCSM) examination and ATP/Na+-K+-ATPase assay results showed that the morphological changes, intensive cell membrane permeability, leakage of ATP, and decreased Na+-K+-ATPase contributed to the antibacterial effects. Moreover, the bonding mechanism between nanoemulsions and cell membranes were further evaluated by FTIR and ITC using a DPPC vesicle model, which demonstrated that the nanoemulsions adsorbed on the surface of bilayer, interacted with the hydrophobic chains of DPPC membrane mainly through the hydrophobic interaction, and altered the structural integrity of the lipid bilayer. These results not only provide a facile green strategy for fabricating stable nanoemulsions, but also highlight a new perspective for stabilizing essential oils for their widely application in food industry.

Analysing Serious Games and Virtual Reality for Cardiac Arrest Simulation

The technological industry is a continuously evolving field, meaning that old methods are constantly being overruled by such advancement. The focus of this study is to evaluate the level of development within technology when paired with already existing practices. Cardiac arrest is a type of medical situation that requires prompt action towards the people experiencing it. This is where virtual reality (VR) simulations can be an innovative method by which one can learn how to deal when encountering such a situation. Advances in VR simulations have allowed trainees to practice realistic, full-length procedures in a safe and controlled environment, where mistakes are permitted and can be further used as learning points. VR provides a flexible learning environment that adapts to the learner’s pace. The data gathered from this study reveals that VR simulation training can prove to be a successful alternative learning method depending on various factors specific to the subject as well as the person’s preferred way of learning when comparing VR to other traditional methods.

УНИВЕРСАЛИЗМ И ПАРТИКУЛЯРИЗМ: ФИЛОСОФСКИЕ ДИСКУССИИ ОБ ИЗУЧЕНИИ КОНСПИРОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ УБЕЖДЕНИЙ

In this article, the authors review current philosophical discussions about the essence and specific features of conspiracy beliefs, the purpose of which is to formulate its relevant definitions. The parties to the discussion are grouped around two conventionally distinguished positions, designated by the terms «universalism» («generalism») and «particularism» («minimalism»). The purpose of the article is to reveal the content of the philosophical discussion of the question about preferable way to theorize conspiracy beliefs. The purpose of the study determines the choice of comparative analysis as a key method. Particularism and universalism are compared by the authors from the point of view of the views of their representatives on the genesis of the content of conspiracy beliefs, the characteristic mechanisms for justifying such beliefs, and a number of socio-epistemological problems that arise in connection with the study of conspiracy beliefs. Based on the comparative analysis carried out, the authors draw conclusions about the adequacy of the very distinction between theoretical positions in the discussion of conspiracy theories using the dichotomy «universalism – particularism». The novelty of the presented conclusions lies not only in highlighting the content of philosophical discussions around the issues of theorization of conspiracy beliefs, but also in the critical analysis of ideas about the opposition of particularism and universalism. The practical significance of the study is to identify the limitations of the conceptual apparatus used to discuss the philosophical reflection of conspiracy beliefs.

The impact of baccalaureate nursing students’ thinking and behavioral attributes on timely progression

BackgroundNursing schools strive for timely progression. The purpose of this pilot study was to use the Emergenetics Profile to determine if specific preferred ways of thinking and behaving support on-time progression. MethodsPredictive, correlational design tested the relationship among Emergenetics Thinking Attributes, Behavioral Attributes, and on-time graduation. Thirty eight senior students participated. ResultsUsing multiple regression, the attributes of Structural thinking and Flexible behavior (p<.05) predicted on-time graduation. ConclusionsPaying attention to the details and keeping on task, while remaining flexible to change will lead to success in nursing school.

Examining the Impact of E-Learning on Students’ Knowledge Enhancement in the Sultanate of Oman

The present study attempted to examine the impact of e-learning system education on students’ knowledge enhancement focusing on the teacher, content, technology, and student and analyzing the e-learning factors on students’ learning. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 249 undergraduate students from Arab Open University, Oman campus. The data were analyzed with various statistical tools which can be used to find the relationship between the variables. However, it is revealed that there exists a high effect of e-learning on students’ learning. Further, it is noticed that there exists a moderate effect of e-learning on knowledge enhancement. Multiple regression was run to predict the e-learning system from all four independent variables such as student, teacher, technology, and content and it was proved statistically significant prediction on the dependent variable thereby accepting the study hypotheses. The study also revealed that there are many benefits and challenges associated with the e-learning system. Students were exposed to the e-learning system and felt more confident and comfortable while working on it. It is therefore recommended that e-learning will become the most preferred way of education throughout the Globe. E-learning’s effectiveness also depends on the level of individual and social support available when it is being adopted. Major efforts must be made by universities to continue to improve e-learning that fosters dynamic learning opportunities for students. It is essential to improve technological skills to achieve the best goal of knowledge enhancement. Further, this study can be conducted widely in all the higher education institutions across the country.

Prevalent Practice and Attitude toward Neonatal Jaundice among Saudi Mothers

Background: In the first week of life, neonate jaundice (NNJ) is a frequent reason for hospitalization and a major cause of newborn morbidity and mortality globally. It can cause long-term impairment and death in its most severe form. Inadequate family awareness and comprehension of this common neonatal problem can contribute to delays and complications. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes regarding NNJ among women of reproductive age in AlAhsa, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: Through an online survey, a descriptive observational cross-sectional research was conducted from May to August 2023 among mothers in AlAhsa, Saudi Arabia. Results: The mean age of participants was 34.2 ± 12.9 years; 17.4% of them had good level of knowledge about NNJ and predominant sources of information from relatives (50%) and internet (36.4%). A statistically significant association was found between age of the mother 30-39 years old, having &amp;ge; 4 children, being health care worker, the preferred way of treatment and level of knowledge of respondents about NNJ (P = 0.001). Conclusion: To reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality, it is essential to increase awareness of neonatal jaundice among mothers at high risk and to develop a practical approach to this.

Artificial intelligence's ability to process images

Penetration of technology into different fields and their dominion over them after a while is undoubtable. New technologies lure our souls and the dependency on them is inextricable once having tasted the fruit. We as a human easily addict to the convenient and comforting songs. As well as when they do our work for us in a more preferable and presentable way. This work was done to illustrate the artificial intelligence use in image processing. Its capabilities and issues are the key factors of the concerns of the work. Therefore, the work outlines the basic ideas behind artificial intelligence and its use in different areas and making accent on the capabilities of the technology when using tools powered by artificial intelligence to understand the meaning of the provided picture. Possible solutions are also described.