Formulation Of Research Questions Research Articles

Development of a research agenda for medical grade footwear in the Netherlands: A multidisciplinary multiphase project to determine the key research questions to advance scientific knowledge in the field.

The field of medical grade footwear is dynamic. Originally, a field where individual knowledge, expertise and skills determined the footwear and its outcomes, now becoming a more evidence-based and data-driven field with protocols and systems in place to create appropriate footwear. However, scientific evidence concerning medical grade footwear is still limited. Evidently, all stakeholders, from patients to pedorthists to rehabilitation physicians, will profit from a larger evidence-base in this field. A widely supported research agenda is an essential first step to advance and facilitate new knowledge. We formed a multidisciplinary team and followed the methodology from Dutch medical societies for the development of a research agenda on medical grade footwear. This consisted of seven steps: (1) inventory of relevant questions with users and professionals; (2) analyses of responses; (3) analyses of existing knowledge and evidence; (4) formulating research questions; (5) prioritising research questions by users and professionals; (6) finalising the research agenda and (7) implementing the research agenda. In phase 1, 109 participants completed a survey, including 50% pedorthists, 6% rehabilitation physicians and 3% users. Participants provided 228 potential research questions. In phases 2-4, these were condensed to 65 research questions. In phase 5, 152 participants prioritised these 65 research questions, including 50% pedorthists, 13% rehabilitation physicians and 9% users. In phase 6, the final research agenda was created, with 26 research questions, categorised based on the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health 'process description assistive devices'. In phase 7, an implementation meeting was held with over 50 stakeholders (including users and professionals), resulting in seven applications for research projects based on one or more research questions from the research agenda. This research agenda structures and guides knowledge development within the field of medical grade footwear in the Netherlands and elsewhere. We expect that this will help to stimulate the field to tackle the research questions prioritised and with that to advance scientific knowledge in this field.

Impact of integrating smartphones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics in Chegato Cluster, Mberengwa district, Zimbabwe

Worldwide, the utility of smartphones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics has been greatly recognized and taken advantage of. This is mainly because of the precisions this technology can bring in the classroom. This study investigated the impact of integrating smart phones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics at secondary schools in Chegato Cluster in Mberengwa district, Zimbabwe. It also examined strategies that can be used to enhance the use of smartphones in these schools. The study used a mixed method approach where both qualitative and quantitative data was gathered and was used to answer the formulated research questions. Ten parents, 10 Mathematics teachers, 4 school heads and 40 learners participated in the study. The study found that the introduction of the competence-based curriculum by the ministry of Education in Zimbabwe, which is in solidarity with Education 5.0 calls for the use of smart phones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics which ensures that several modern skills are being acquired by learners in Chegato secondary schools. Learners in Chegato Cluster benefit by using smartphones to store soft copies of various Mathematics textbooks which are often scarce in hard-copy form. Learners also benefit from Mathematical applications that are installed in their smartphones. Teachers use smartphones as media in the classroom to enhance learner-understanding of the concepts. Again, in Chegato, the use of smartphones has exposed learners to various Mathematical technological skills that help in the learning of Mathematics and has the potential of improving the pass rate. School heads and teachers acknowledged that the availability of smartphones in the schools has greatly assisted “O” level Mathematics learners to accomplish their tasks.Strategies that can be used to enhance the use of smartphones in secondary schools include the use of individualised student passwords which are controlled and monitored by the school administrators to ensure that the activities of each learner on the Internet can be tracked and any attempts by learners to visit undesirable sites are detected. Also, the use of software applications, such as Mikrotik Hotspot Blocker, can be used to block learners from accessing unsavoury Internet sites. The study concluded that though challenges such as lack of technological resources and some teachers’ negative attitudes towards the use of smart phones affect Chegato Cluster, most participants found it helpful to use smartphones in the classroom because the gadget expose learners to new and better ways of dealing with Mathematical concepts. The study finally calls for all the involved parties in the cluster and beyond to actively take up their responsibilities facilitating the use of smartphones for the benefits of the learners.

A Systematic Literature Review of Islamic Inheritance in Malaysia

The study aims to expand the existing body of knowledge by highlighting and summarising current studies on Islamic inheritance. Thus, this study presented a map of the research interest and determined primary issues to demonstrate current trends, future research directions, and theory development. A systematic literature review (SLR) approach was employed using the four-step reporting standard for the Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) review: research question formulation, systematic searching, quality assessment, and data extraction. A total of 33 screened articles between 2008 and 2022 were retrieved from two primary databases (Scopus and Emerald and one supporting database, Google Scholar). The factors were categorised into three primary themes: general, motives and preference studies, and determinant analysis. The themes were subsequently divided into seven sub-themes. Notably, most studies examined unclaimed asset issues based on the determinant analysis. This study offered useful insights into the current research interest regarding the subject. The issues and domains in the current study contribute new knowledge and theory development for future directions in the field. This study addressed empirical gaps and presents an excellent reference relevant for regulators, policymakers, and researchers in comprehending the issues and existing solutions in Islamic inheritance.

Psycho-educational group leaders through the homeroom approach: A systematic literature review

Guidance and counseling services can be done through the form of individual or group. A group shall be led by a counselor who has been previously trained in guidance and counseling. A leader must choose a leadership style with priority given to the achievement of goals within the group such as achieving cohesion within the group. The homeroom approach is how a counselor is able to create a group atmosphere of intervention, like a family atmosphere or a home atmosphere. The study aimed to review the reseach of homeroom intervention in guidance and counseling. The literature review is carried out in five stages: formulation of research questions, search for literature, processing of data, and assessment of the quality of filtering received and not received. A total of 100 articles were identified and subjected to PRISMA analysis, resulting in the selection of 12 articles for further in-depth examination. The criteria for articles included discussions on group leadership, counseling groups, strategies in group leadership, targeting students and guidance and counseling teachers in 2013-2023. The results showed that the homeroom approach can be considered as one of the group leader's qualifications. A group leader must have the ability to listen actively, receive, pay attention, create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, connect among members. A homeroom approach can facilitate the group leader to create an atmosphere of warm, welcoming, safe and comfortable within the group dynamics.

Procedural sedation and analgesia in pediatric diagnostic and interventional radiology: An expert DELPHI consensus document developed by the ITALIAN scientific society of anesthesia, analgesia, resuscitation and intensive care (SIAARTI).

Children undergoing diagnostic and interventional radiology procedures often require sedation to achieve immobility and analgesia if the procedure is painful. In the past decades, leading scientific organizations have developed evidence-based guidelines for procedural sedation and analgesia in children outside of the operating room. Their recommendations are being applied to procedural sedation in radiology. However, some questions remain open regarding specific aspects contextualized to the radiology setting, such as elective prone sedation, the urgency of the procedure, when venous access or airway protection is required, and others. To address the unresolved issues of procedural sedation and analgesia in pediatric diagnostic and interventional radiology. An expert panel of pediatricians, pediatric anesthesiologists, intensivists, and neuroradiologists selected topics representative of current controversies and formulated research questions. Statements were developed by reviewing the literature for new evidence, comparing expertise and experience, and expressing opinions. Panelists' agreement with the statements was collected anonymously using the DELPHI method. Twelve evidence-based or expert opinion incorporate are presented, considering risks, benefits, and applicability. This consensus document, developed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts involved in the field, provides statements to improve the quality of decision-making practice in procedural sedation and analgesia in pediatric radiology.

Chronic exercise effects on overall depression severity and distinct depressive symptoms in older adults: A protocol of a systematic and meta-analytic review.

There is high evidence that chronic exercise benefits overall depression severity in older adults. However, late-life depression is characterized by considerable heterogeneity in clinical manifestation emphasizing the need for more individualized exercise intervention programs. Therefore, the objective of the proposed review is to investigate the effects of chronic exercise on overall depression severity and on different symptoms of depression in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including older adults with a mean age of at least 60 years, and by considering the moderating effects of intervention characteristics and individual characteristics. This protocol is guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). We will use the Population-Intervention-Comparator-Outcomes-Study design (PICOS) criteria for study inclusion and will search the following database sources for relevant RCTs: Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, APA Psycinfo, SPORTDiscuss, Cochrane. Two independent reviewers will conduct the study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. Disagreement will be solved by a third reviewer. Primary outcome will be changes in overall depression severity and secondary outcomes will encompass changes in symptoms of depression as defined by the DSM-5, such as sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, mood, apathy, changes in weight, information processing speed, and executive functions, from baseline until the end of the intervention and to any available intermediary measurement or follow up. Meta-analysis will be undertaken to synthesize the effects of chronic exercise on primary and secondary outcomes. Subgroup analysis will investigate the moderating effects of intervention characteristics (frequency, intensity, duration, type of exercise, cognitive demand, social interactions, exercise supervision, behavioral change techniques, compliance, study design, dropout-rate, type of control group) and individual characteristics (age, sex, education, functional capacity, global cognition, population) on primary and secondary outcomes. Additionally, we plan to assess quality of evidence and publication bias, and to carry out sensitivity analysis. The results of the proposed review are anticipated to have a substantial impact on research and clinical practice. On the one hand, the review's conclusions could form the foundation for developing evidence-based recommendations for individualized exercise programs that alleviate depression in older adults. On the other hand, by revealing research gaps, the review results could encourage the formulation of research questions for further RCTs. This protocol has been published in the Prospero repository (PROSPERO 2022 CRD42022361418, available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022361418).

Impact of integrating smartphones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics in Mberengwa district, Zimbabwe

Worldwide, the utility of smartphones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics has been greatly recognized and taken advantage of. This is mainly because of the precisions this technology can bring in the classroom. This study investigated the impact of integrating smart phones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics at secondary schools in Chegato Cluster in Mberengwa district, Zimbabwe. It also examined strategies that can be used to enhance the use of smartphones in these schools. The study used a mixed method approach where both qualitative and quantitative data was gathered and was used to answer the formulated research questions. Ten parents, 10 Mathematics teachers, 4 school heads and 40 learners participated in the study. The study found that the introduction of the competence-based curriculum by the ministry of Education in Zimbabwe, which is in solidarity with Education 5.0 calls for the use of smart phones in the teaching and learning of Mathematics which ensures that several modern skills are being acquired by learners in Chegato secondary schools. Learners in Chegato Cluster benefit by using smartphones to store soft copies of various Mathematics textbooks which are often scarce in hard-copy form. Students also benefit from Mathematical applications that are installed in their smartphones. Teachers use smartphones as media in the classroom to enhance learner-understanding of the concepts. Again, in Chegato, the use of smartphones has exposed learners to various Mathematical technological skills that help in the learning of Mathematics and has the potential of improving the pass rate. School heads and teachers acknowledged that the availability of smartphones in the schools has greatly assisted “O” level Mathematics learners to accomplish their tasks.Strategies that can be used to enhance the use of smartphones in secondary schools include the use of individualised student passwords which are controlled and monitored by the school administrators to ensure that the activities of each learner on the Internet can be tracked and any attempts by students to visit undesirable sites are detected. Also, the use of software applications, such as Mikrotik Hotspot Blocker, can be used to block students from accessing unsavoury Internet sites. The study concluded that though challenges such as lack of technological resources and some educators’ negative attitudes towards the use of smart phones affect Chegato Cluster, most participants found it helpful to use smartphones in the classroom because the gadget expose learners to new and better ways of dealing with Mathematical concepts. The study finally calls for all the involved parties in the cluster and beyond to actively take up their responsibilities facilitating the use of smartphones for the benefits of the students.

Implementing Lean 4.0: a review of case studies in pharmaceutical industry transformation

PurposeThe purpose of this systematic review is to critically analyze pharmaceutical industry case studies on the implementation of Lean 4.0 methodologies to synthesize key lessons, benefits and best practices. The goal is to inform decisions and guide investments in related technologies for enhancing quality, compliance, efficiency and responsiveness across production and supply chain processes.Design/methodology/approachThe article utilized a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology following five phases: formulating research questions, locating relevant articles, selecting and evaluating articles, analyzing and synthesizing findings and reporting results. The SLR aimed to critically analyze pharmaceutical industry case studies on Lean 4.0 implementation to synthesize key lessons, benefits and best practices.FindingsKey findings reveal recurrent efficiency gains, obstacles around legacy system integration and data governance as well as necessary operator training investments alongside technological upgrades. On average, quality assurance reliability improved by over 50%, while inventory waste declined by 57% based on quantified metrics across documented initiatives synthesizing robotics, sensors and analytics.Research limitations/implicationsAs a comprehensive literature review, findings depend on available documented implementations within the search period rather than direct case evaluations. Reporting bias may also skew toward more successful accounts.Practical implicationsSynthesized implementation patterns, performance outcomes and concealed pitfalls provide pharmaceutical leaders with an evidence-based reference guide aiding adoption strategy development, resource planning and workforce transitioning crucial for Lean 4.0 assimilation.Originality/valueThis systematic assessment of pharmaceutical Lean 4.0 adoption offers an unprecedented perspective into the real-world issues, dependencies and modifications necessary for successful integration, absent from conceptual projections or isolated case studies alone until now.

Navigating political terrain: a comprehensive review of leadership theories in political science

Political science is increasingly focusing on the study of leadership factors in its field scope. Therefore, the primary objective of this article is to systematically analyze the use of leadership theories in scholarly publications of political science. This paper also underscores the lack of leadership theories or concepts in political science, offering insights to anyone interested in examining leadership in this academic discipline. This study introduces an alternative framework for analyzing leadership, specifically emphasizing political leadership. Thus, the question addressed in this study is: What leadership theories are applied to the study of political science? This study utilizes the systematic literature review approach, except for the Appraisal Quality stage, to examine political leadership theory and the notion of utilization as discussed in political science. The ROSE protocol is employed in this study due to its suitability for mapping and qualitative studies. Furthermore, PICo is used to formulate research questions in the context of this study. The results of this study, which involved the review of 75 papers, revealed the implementation of leadership theories and concepts in 15 distinct contexts or focus areas. The analysis of leadership in political science places significant emphasis on the dimensions of transformative and transactional leadership styles. Both leadership styles are frequently used in various research contexts. Overall, the prevalence of transformative and transactional leadership theories in political science can be understood as a reflection of the constraints political scientists face in comprehending the nature of leadership within a political context from a scientific standpoint.

Residents’ Risk Perception in Developing Destinations

This paper addresses a gap in research concerning local communities’ perceptions of emerging tourism destinations through the lens of risk perception theory. Despite extensive exploration of perceived risk across disciplines, little attention has been paid to how local communities perceive the risks associated with tourism development. This article aims to propose a framework to explore the multifaceted aspects of residents’ risk perception, encompassing various types of risks, emotions, personal factors, and the role of the media. By formulating research questions that probe into these dimensions, the paper also aims to provide a background for empirical studies that validate and refine the proposed model. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of local community perceptions, offering insights for policymakers and practitioners to foster sustainable tourism practices and community engagement.

Integrating Indigenous women’s traditional knowledge for climate change in Canada

Traditional Ecological Knowledge has historically been appropriated by White settler societies across the globe. It has an important role to play in environmental decision-making, particularly in climate policy. Due to past colonization and continued neo-colonial pressures, Indigenous women’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge has an even less prominent position in environmental policies. Traditional Ecological Knowledge can help build local expertise, formulate research questions, and provide insights into community adaptation and monitoring. We explore the case of Canadian environmental policy, arguing that although Canadian rhetoric seems to consider Traditional Ecological Knowledge, both women’s and otherwise, it rarely does so. When included, it is only done in a superficial manner within legal requirements. We suggest that the lack of attention paid to Indigenous women’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Canadian environmental decision-making (1) ignores the disproportionate impacts that Indigenous women experience because of climate change, (2) perpetuates gender blindness, and (3) does not recognize the key insights that women’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge can offer.

Study on Medicinal Forest Plants in Ifo, Ogun State, Nigeria, and Factors Shaping Usage Patterns

The utilization of medicinal plants in Nigeria is not solely associated with availability and accessibility but also reflects cultural heritage and local knowledge regarding natural resources. This research addresses the pressing issue of the medicinal utilization of selected forest plants in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Commencing with a succinct presentation of the identified problem, the study aims to explore solutions to formulated research questions and test hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05 alpha. Employing a descriptive survey research design, the study involves one hundred respondents randomly selected from Ifo Local Government Area, including forest and herbal operators, civil servants, and farmers. Five communities, i.e., Alagbole, Lambe, Ibogun, Onihale, and Igbusi, were purposively sampled, with 20 randomly chosen respondents. Data collection utilized a self-structured questionnaire to gather pertinent responses on the variables central to the study. Analysis methods included simple percentages, tables, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC), and independent Student's T-test statistics, applied to test hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. The research findings highlight, among other insights, the frequent use of forest plant-derived herbs for treating or preventing various health issues in the study area. As a recommendation, the study suggests the need for effective legislation to regulate the harvesting and trade of medicinal plants.

Exploring the Dynamics of Innovation Antecedents and Outcomes in Business Performance

The current research critically addresses a significant gap in understanding the intricate dynamics between the drivers and outcomes of innovation within various organizational contexts. While innovation is widely recognized as a crucial driver for growth and competitiveness in the rapidly evolving business landscape, the specific mechanisms through which these drivers influence outcomes remain underexplored. This lack of detailed insight is a substantial barrier to effective strategy development and implementation, underscoring the importance of this study. The research aims to thoroughly explore key antecedents such as organizational culture, leadership, financial strategies, and external environmental conditions that promote an innovative environment. It also evaluates the extensive impact of these innovations on business performance, focusing particularly on market competitiveness, operational efficiency, and customer loyalty. By examining the connections between these factors, the study seeks to outline the pathways through which innovation enhances business performance across various industries and market conditions. The formulated research questions are designed to identify the principal antecedents of innovation, assess their broad impacts on business metrics, and ascertain under which circumstances these effects are maximized. This comprehensive analysis intends to bridge the theoretical and empirical gaps, providing insights that could guide both academic research and practical business strategy development in the realm of innovation management.

Toward Next Generation Quantum-Safe eIDs and eMRTDs: A Survey

Security mechanisms of Electronic Personal Documents (eCards) depend on (asymmetric) cryptography that is and always has been subject to the threat of compromise, be it from conventional attacks or quantum computers. With Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), we now have alternative building blocks at hand that can be leveraged to protect against both kind of attacks. Thus, PQC should be incorporated into eCard ecosystems, yet it is not clear how this is done best. In the work at hand, we review the state of currently used crypto-systems for eCard security, as well as their possible quantum-secure replacements. Further, we identify and categorize respective challenges that need to be addressed, present and assess existing approaches for their solution, and formulate research questions for open issues. By providing an overview of the situation, we help unraveling the issue and pave the way toward quantum-safe electronic Identity Documents and electronic Machine-Readable Travel Documents.

Exploring the Role of Wi-Fi Direct's Service Discovery Protocol in Forming Wireless Collaboration Networks: A Scoping Review

The increasing ubiquity of mobile devices and the Internet has become a hallmark of modern society, yet challenges persist in ensuring reliable communication networks during unforeseen disruptions, such as pandemics, war, or natural disasters. Despite the advancement of Wi-Fi technology, the development of a comprehensive model for temporary communication networks based on Wi-Fi interfaces during these disruptions remains inconclusive. The temporary and infrastructure-less wireless network created by mobile devices is referred to as a Wireless Collaboration Network (WCN). To assess the extent to which wireless protocols have been leveraged in forming Wireless WCN, a scoping review was conducted. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature, specifically focusing on the Service Discovery (SD) protocol of Wi-Fi Direct within the Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) domain. Our investigation delved into solutions developed by researchers in this domain and the various metrics employed to evaluate the performance of these solutions. The scoping review protocol encompassed nine distinct steps, ranging from formulating research questions to synthesizing results. The review process involved examining three major databases: IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and Scopus, with the assistance of Mendeley for data organization and filtering. In total, our search identified 186 records across these databases. After rigorous screening, which included removing duplicates, irrelevant articles, and inaccessible content, we selected 35 articles for comprehensive review. These reviewed articles were then summarized and presented in a table, offering valuable insights into article titles, objectives, measurement parameters, techniques employed, and the noteworthy contributions of each work. The table serves as an invaluable resource for researchers in the field, facilitating a deeper understanding of the research landscape and enabling easier access to the collective knowledge within this domain.

A Scoping Review of Food Systems Governance Frameworks and Models to Develop a Typology for Social Change Movements to Transform Food Systems for People and Planetary Health

Effective governance is essential to transform food systems and achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Different political ideologies and paradigms inhibit or drive social change movements. This study examined how food systems governance has been described. Thereafter, we reviewed graphic frameworks and models to develop a typology for civil society actors to catalyze social change movements to transform food systems for people and the planet. The scoping review involved (1) formulating research questions; (2) developing a search strategy to identify evidence from four English-language electronic databases and reports, 2010–2023; and (3–4) selecting, analyzing, and synthesizing evidence into a narrative review. Results yielded 5715 records, and 36 sources were selected that described and depicted graphic frameworks and models examined for purpose, scale, political ideology, paradigm, discourse, principles, governance, and democracy. Evidence was used to develop a graphic food systems governance typology with distinct political ideologies (i.e., neoliberal, reformist, progressive, radical); paradigms (i.e., maintain, reform, transition, transform); discourses (i.e., food enterprise, food security, food justice, food sovereignty); types of governance (i.e., multistakeholder, shared, self); and democracy (i.e., representative, participatory, deliberative). This proof-of-concept typology could be applied to examine how change agents use advocacy and activism to strengthen governance for sustainable diets, regenerative food systems, and planetary health.

One hundred priority questions for advancing seagrass conservation in Europe

Societal Impact StatementSeagrass ecosystems are of fundamental importance to our planet and wellbeing. Seagrasses are marine flowering plants, which engineer ecosystems that provide a multitude of ecosystem services, for example, blue foods and carbon sequestration. Seagrass ecosystems have largely been degraded across much of their global range. There is now increasing interest in the conservation and restoration of these systems, particularly in the context of the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis. The collation of 100 questions from experts across Europe could, if answered, improve our ability to conserve and restore these systems by facilitating a fundamental shift in the success of such work.SummarySeagrass meadows provide numerous ecosystem services including biodiversity, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. In Europe, seagrasses can be found in shallow sheltered waters along coastlines, in estuaries & lagoons, and around islands, but their distribution has declined. Factors such as poor water quality, coastal modification, mechanical damage, overfishing, land‐sea interactions, climate change and disease have reduced the coverage of Europe’s seagrasses necessitating their recovery. Research, monitoring and conservation efforts on seagrass ecosystems in Europe are mostly uncoordinated and biased towards certain species and regions, resulting in inadequate delivery of critical information for their management. Here, we aim to identify the 100 priority questions, that if addressed would strongly advance seagrass monitoring, research and conservation in Europe. Using a Delphi method, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with seagrass experience from across Europe and with diverse seagrass expertise participated in the process that involved the formulation of research questions, a voting process and an online workshop to identify the final list of the 100 questions. The final list of questions covers areas across nine themes: Biodiversity & Ecology; Ecosystem services; Blue carbon; Fishery support; Drivers, Threats, Resilience & Response; Monitoring & Assessment; Conservation & Restoration; Governance, Policy & Management; and Communication. Answering these questions will fill current knowledge gaps and place European seagrass onto a positive trajectory of recovery.

Modelling Possible Household Uses of Grey Water in Poland using Property Fitting Analysis

One of the most important methods of optimising water consumption is grey water recycling. From a technological point of view, the treatment of grey water guarantees that it can be reused for domestic or corporate purposes, but it raises the issue of the social acceptance of the use of such water. This study aimed to assess the possibility of using grey water in households in Poland. The originality of this research study lies in the application of the PROFIT method for the separate construction of models of the benefits of grey water according to user groups. Four groups were identified, differentiated by gender and age; age and possession of an irretrievable water meter; gender and place of residence; place of residence and possession of an irretrievable water meter. To answer the formulated research questions, a diagnostic survey method was used, in which 807 randomly selected respondents from all over Poland were surveyed. The results of the survey indicate that homeowners perceive the potential use of grey water as beneficial, pointing most often to the following factors: rebuilding groundwater levels, reduced extraction of drinking water from rivers and other water bodies, and increased vegetation growth. On the other hand, they are concerned about the need to reconstruct the existing water and sewerage systems in order to produce drinking water from grey water as well as about the high cost and parameter stability of drinking water produced from grey water. Furthermore, men and older people attribute less importance to measures related to the introduction of good practices based on the reuse of recycled water in water management. Women, on the other hand, appreciate almost all opportunities to use grey water to a greater extent than men.

Feedback loops drive ecological succession: towards a unified conceptual framework.

The core principle shared by most theories and models of succession is that, following a major disturbance, plant-environment feedback dynamics drive a directional change in the plant community. The most commonly studied feedback loops are those in which the regrowth of the plant community causes changes to the abiotic (e.g. soil nutrients) or biotic (e.g. dispersers) environment, which differentially affect species availability or performance. This, in turn, leads to shifts in the species composition of the plant community. However, there are many other PE feedback loops that potentially drive succession, each of which can be considered a model of succession. While plant-environment feedback loops in principle generate predictable successional trajectories, succession is generally observed to be highly variable. Factors contributing to this variability are the stochastic processes involved in feedback dynamics, such as individual mortality and seed dispersal, and extrinsic causes of succession, which are not affected by changes in the plant community but do affect species performance or availability. Both can lead to variation in the identity of dominant species within communities. This, in turn, leads to further contingencies if these species differ in their effect on their environment (priority effects). Predictability and variability are thus intrinsically linked features of ecological succession. We present a new conceptual framework of ecological succession that integrates the propositions discussed above. This framework defines seven general causes: landscape context, disturbance and land-use, biotic factors, abiotic factors, species availability, species performance, and the plant community. When involved in a feedback loop, these general causes drive succession and when not, they are extrinsic causes that create variability in successional trajectories and dynamics. The proposed framework provides a guide for linking these general causes into causal pathways that represent specific models of succession. Our framework represents a systematic approach to identifying the main feedback processes and causes of variation at different successional stages. It can be used for systematic comparisons among study sites and along environmental gradients, to conceptualise studies, and to guide the formulation of research questions and design of field studies. Mapping an extensive field study onto our conceptual framework revealed that the pathways representing the study's empirical outcomes and conceptual model had important differences, underlining the need to move beyond the conceptual models that currently dominate in specific fields and to find ways to examine the importance of and interactions among alternative causal pathways of succession. To further this aim, we argue for integrating long-term studies across environmental and anthropogenic gradients, combined with controlled experiments and dynamic modelling.

Deep Learning in Computational Design Synthesis: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract A paradigm shift in the computational design synthesis (CDS) domain is being witnessed by the onset of the innovative usage of machine learning techniques. The rapidly evolving paradigmatic shift calls for systematic and comprehensive assimilation of extant knowledge at the intersection of machine learning and computational design synthesis. Understanding nuances, identifying research gaps, and outlining the future direction for cutting-edge research is imperative. This article outlines a hybrid literature review consisting of a thematic and framework synthesis survey to enable conceptual synthesis of information at the convergence of computational design, machine learning, and big data models. The thematic literature survey aims at conducting an in-depth descriptive survey along the lines of a broader theme of machine learning in computational design. The framework synthesis-based survey tries to encapsulate the research findings in a conceptual framework to understand the domain better. The framework is based on the CDS process, which consists of four submodules: representation, generation, evaluation, and guidance. Each submodule has undergone an analysis to identify potential research gaps and formulate research questions. In addition, we consider the limitations of our study and pinpoint the realms where the research can be extended in the future.