Set Of Strategies Research Articles

Skin-interfaced microfluidic systems with spatially engineered 3D fluidics for sweat capture and analysis.

Skin-interfaced wearable systems with integrated microfluidic structures and sensing capabilities offer powerful platforms for monitoring the signals arising from natural physiological processes. This paper introduces a set of strategies, processing approaches, and microfluidic designs that harness recent advances in additive manufacturing [three-dimensional (3D) printing] to establish a unique class of epidermal microfluidic ("epifluidic") devices. A 3D printed epifluidic platform, called a "sweatainer," demonstrates the potential of a true 3D design space for microfluidics through the fabrication of fluidic components with previously inaccessible complex architectures. These concepts support integration of colorimetric assays to facilitate in situ biomarker analysis operating in a mode analogous to traditional epifluidic systems. The sweatainer system enables a new mode of sweat collection, termed multidraw, which facilitates the collection of multiple, independent sweat samples for either on-body or external analysis. Field studies of the sweatainer system demonstrate the practical potential of these concepts.

The spiritual journey to becoming a history-keeper of South African liberation movements

ABSTRACTThe editors of this collection reflect on the ways that studying the anti-apartheid liberation movement is a consciousness raising process. We consider the cosmological, spiritual, and affective impact of tarrying with liberation histories. From Vincent Harding’s (1981) conceptualisation of a ‘deep river’ and Cedric J. Robinson’s (1983) notion of a ‘Black Radical Tradition’ to the ‘endarkened feminist storytelling’ offered by Cynthia Dillard in 2000 and 2012 and elaborated upon by Venus Evans-Winters and Bettina Love (2015) and S.R. Toliver (2021), there are a set of devotional and spiritual practices associated with being hailed by and becoming a carrier of the historical memory of the anti-apartheid liberation movement. Contributing authors reflect on the pivotal personal life experiences, and definitive exile journeys, that shaped their families and communities. These early, formative, and mostly non-organisation-based consciousness-raising experiences have been understudied in the historiography of the anti-apartheid liberation movement. Nevertheless, these are vital pathways to internationalism, as a set of contemporary research practices, movement and organisation strategies, and political identities. Our goal has been to make sacred ways of being salient in the historical research on the anti-apartheid liberation movement.

Cavity Characterization in Supramolecular Cages.

Confining molecular guests within artificial hosts has provided a major driving force in the rational design of supramolecular cages with tailored properties. Over the last 30 years, a set of design strategies have been developed that enabled the controlled synthesis of a myriad of cages. Recently, there has been a growing interest in involving in silico methods in this toolbox. Cavity shape and size are important parameters that can be easily accessed by inexpensive geometric algorithms. Although these algorithms are well developed for the detection of nonartificial cavities (e.g., enzymes), they are not routinely used for the rational design of supramolecular cages. In order to test the capabilities of this tool, we have evaluated the performance and characteristics of seven different cavity characterization software in the context of 22 analogues of well-known supramolecular cages. Among the tested software, KVFinder project and Fpocket proved to be the most software to characterize supramolecular cavities. With the results of this work, we aim to popularize this underused technique within the supramolecular community.

A Mini-Review on Potentials Proteins/Peptides Applied for Serodiagnosis of Human Monkeypox Infection and Future Trends.

In this mini-review, a search was conducted in the main databases for peptide and protein options that could be used in the development of serological diagnostic tests. Nine viable registres were found, and seven were selected (two patents and five studies). The main studies used the B21R peptide sequence as it is a high immunogenic epitope. In addition, studies on the improvement of these sequences were also found to avoid cross-reactions against other viruses of the same family, proposing a rational approach using multiepitope recombinant proteins. These approaches demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity values and are seen as viable options for developing new tests. New effective serological testing options, when combined with awareness, disease surveillance, early diagnosis, and rapid communication, form a set of key strategies used by health systems to control the spread of the monkeypox virus.

Investigation of heat stress on urban roadways for commuting children and mitigation strategies from the perspective of urban design

Rapid urbanization and global warming have triggered frequent heat waves that pose a threat to human survival, with a marked increase in childhood morbidity. While previous studies have explored the thermal environment of children's public activity places, only limited studies have focused on the commute of school children, which is a regular activity causing potential risk of heat stress. From an urban design perspective, this study systematically investigated the influence of building shade, road orientation and tree species on the thermal environment of commuting roads. The simulation results indicated that, regarding the reduction of road heat stress, the building shade has a greater impact that can reduce the mean radiant temperature by 3.22 °C to 21.25 °C, compared to the effect of tree shade (0.02–6.04 °C). Furthermore, planting street trees in a flexible manner to add building shade areas can enhance thermal safety. For road orientations, increasing shade areas of north-south road generates more benefits in heat stress mitigation (in the northern hemisphere). Finally, from the perspective of urban design/management and school children, a set of heat stress mitigation strategies are proposed to promote the thermal safety of school children and stimulate the development of a sustainable and healthy urban environment.

A BRIEF DISCUSSION ON MOTIVATION OF CHINESE LANGUAGE LEARNING FOR STUDENTS MAJORING IN TRANSLATION STUDIES AT CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE OF SOUTH UKRAINIAN NATIONAL PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY NAMED AFTER K. D. USHYNSKY

As the object and subject of teaching activities, the learners’ subjective motivation in learning has a crucial influence on the final learning effect. Therefore, the exploration of learners’ motivation and its influencing factors is of great practical significance to the development of teaching activities and the final achievement of teaching results. In this paper, we take the second-year translation class 2 of Confucius Institute as the object of teaching observation and motivation of Chinese language learning. By finding and analysing the relationship between students’ problems in Chinese learning and their motivation in the new Chinese learning cycle, we try to select a targeted method from the perspective of maintaining and further stimulating students’ Chinese learning motivation and make adjustments according to the actual application effect of the method. The aim is to find out a set of strategies for motivating students’ Chinese language learning in three different stages: before, during and after classes, so that students can gradually move from being able to learn to learning well and enjoying learning.

Technology Interventions of Daylight for Deep Plan Building

Abstract: Daylight is important for buildings because it provides numerous benefits to the occupants and the building. Firstly, natural light is essential for visual comfort and productivity. Secondly, daylight is a source of energy and reduces the reliance on artificial lighting, which can lower energy costs and carbon emissions. Moreover, daylighting has been shown to positively impact human health and wellbeing by reducing stress and improving mood. However, deep plan buildings fail to receive natural light which hinders the productivity as well as the aesthetics of the building. This paper explores the importance of daylight in deep plan buildings, where spaces are located further from the perimeter walls and rely heavily on artificial lighting. Daylight has a significant impact on the quality of indoor environments, including visual comfort, energy efficiency, and occupant health and wellbeing. However, designing for daylight in deep plan buildings requires a specific set of considerations and strategies. The paper discusses these strategies, including the use of different technologies for introducing daylight in such buildings and presents case studies of successful daylighting in the same. The paper concludes that incorporating daylighting strategies in deep plan buildings is crucial to creating healthy and sustainable indoor environments.

Contextual Factors in Ethnic-Racial Socialization in White Families in the United States

Recent demographic shifts and sociopolitical events in the United States have led to a racial reckoning in which white people are engaging with issues of race and racism in new ways. This study addressed the need for research to better understand contextual factors in ethnic-racial socialization (ERS)—strategies in white families to teach children about their own and other people’s ethnicity or race. It examined the relation of neighborhood, school, and social network ethnic-racial composition and U.S. region of residence to participants’ perceptions of ethnic-racial socialization by parents. It employed a large, national survey sample of white young adults reporting on their ERS while growing up and a comprehensive set of ERS strategies. We found that the ethnic-racial composition of the family’s social network, but not the neighborhood or school, was related to exposure to ERS: the whiter the network, the less frequent the socialization, particularly antiracism socialization and exposure to diversity. We also found that Southern residents were more likely than residents in the West and Midwest to be exposed to the strategies of preparation for bias, mainstream socialization, and silent racial socialization. The findings show that these two contextual factors relate to both the frequency and content of the ERS a white child receives.

Prospects of using CRM systems in Ukraine under modern conditions

CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, is a set of tools and strategies that businesses use to manage their relationships with existing and potential customers. It has become an integral part of business operations for many organizations since its introduction in the early 1990s. With recent technological advancements, CRM systems have seen a significant transformation over time. This article has explored how these changes have occurred, explored the features offered by today's CRM systems, and identified some of the key challenges along the way. The growth of competition, the development of the goods and services market has led to changes in approaches to customer service, as well as to the need to involve the latest IT solutions in the customer service process. In addition, after the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the issue of changing the vector to domestic providers of CRM systems became relevant. Today, CRM systems have also begun to change as a result of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The increasing availability of data, the need to automate repetitive operations, and the need to offer personalized experiences at scale are the trends driving this movement. Personalization and predictive analytics help identify potential growth opportunities, improve the efficiency of tasks such as sales forecasting or lead scoring through automation that reduces human error, and provide valuable insights into customer behavior and preferences that can be used to personalize the customer experience, which leads to increased customer loyalty. Customer relationship management systems are necessary for Ukrainian enterprises to be competitive. CRM solutions simplify sales processes, facilitate better teamwork and offer a deep understanding of customer behavior.

Precarity and Struggles of Employment: A Case Study of Undergraduates in Hong Kong

Despite having acquired an education that should prepare them for the workforce, many fresh graduates are facing difficulties in securing gainful employment in Hong Kong. Drawing on the concept of “employment precarity”, this study examines the predicaments that fresh university graduates encounter in Hong Kong in relation to social identity transition and job-seeking barriers. Using Critical Discourse Analysis, the researchers adopt a qualitative methodology to examine the written reflections of eight undergraduate students at a university in Hong Kong. (1) The findings reveal that students experience frustration, anxiety and uncertainty during the transition, indicating a need for improvement in the current pedagogical policies. (2) Recommendations are offered for higher education policymakers and universities to help alleviate these hardships. New sets of pedagogical strategies are developed to mitigate graduates’ exposure to employment precarity and to enhance their employability.

THEORETICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE FORMATION OF THE ECONOMIC STRATEGY OF THE ENTERPRISE IN THE CONTEXT OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

The article examines scientific developments in the field of strategic management. Conscious strategic management allows the management of the enterprise to respond constructively to changes in its economic activity, to identify new opportunities and negative trends; evaluate alternative prospects for development in the future. The classification of scientific schools of strategy formation, which are based on different ideas about the determinants of strategic management, is presented. Each enterprise has its own configuration of initial strategic processes. Scientists have developed a wide range of enterprise management strategies. Enterprise management strategies are characterized by a constant focus on development, the desire to predict the future, and the direction to increase the efficiency of the enterprise. The article justifies the necessity of using a system of strategies. Theoretical approaches to development methodology, formation of a system of strategies for achieving enterprise goals are considered. It has been established that the economic strategy plays the most important role in combining individual elements of the general strategy of the enterprise. It is the main prerequisite for maintaining a high level of efficiency of the enterprise and its competitiveness. The process of forming an economic strategy includes interrelated stages: assessment of the current financial state of the enterprise and existing economic strategy; formation of a set of possible economic strategies; direct selection of an economic strategy using a comparative analysis based on certain principles and criteria. When forming an economic strategy, it is necessary to take into account the organizational and production features of the enterprise, in particular, the industry, goals, potential and resource opportunities, etc. The strategy must be adjusted taking into account the influence of external and internal environmental factors.

Positioning by Multicell Fingerprinting in Urban NB-IoT Networks.

Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) has quickly become a leading technology in the deployment of IoT systems and services, owing to its appealing features in terms of coverage and energy efficiency, as well as compatibility with existing mobile networks. Increasingly, IoT services and applications require location information to be paired with data collected by devices; NB-IoT still lacks, however, reliable positioning methods. Time-based techniques inherited from long-term evolution (LTE) are not yet widely available in existing networks and are expected to perform poorly on NB-IoT signals due to their narrow bandwidth. This investigation proposes a set of strategies for NB-IoT positioning based on fingerprinting that use coverage and radio information from multiple cells. The proposed strategies were evaluated on two large-scale datasets made available under an open-source license that include experimental data from multiple NB-IoT operators in two large cities: Oslo, Norway, and Rome, Italy. Results showed that the proposed strategies, using a combination of coverage and radio information from multiple cells, outperform current state-of-the-art approaches based on single cell fingerprinting, with a minimum average positioning error of about 20 m when using data for a single operator that was consistent across the two datasets vs. about 70 m for the current state-of-the-art approaches. The combination of data from multiple operators and data smoothing further improved positioning accuracy, leading to a minimum average positioning error below 15 m in both urban environments.

Structure of REDEE and EJMBE research: a bibliometric analysis

PurposeEvaluating existing literature can lead to a better understanding of a scientific journal's state of the art. In this sense, this study aims to analyze the global research evolution of the Revista Europea de Dirección y Economia de la Empresa (REDEE) and the European Journal of Management and Business Economics (EJMBE).Design/methodology/approachA bibliometric analysis was conducted to acknowledge the most contributing authors, impactful articles, publication trends, keyword analysis, co-occurrence networks and collaboration networks. A total of 454 articles published between 2006 and 2022 were analyzed.FindingsThe results suggest that the international strategy set in 2014 has resulted in a steadily growing number of publications and a significant increment in citations. Relationship marketing and the connections between innovation, performance and entrepreneurship are topics of interest for the EJMBE.Originality/valueMapping existing EJMBE research through identifying the contributing authors, most impactful articles, publication trends, keyword analysis, co-occurrence networks and collaboration networks is missing to encourage new research projects.

Epidemic population games and evolutionary dynamics

We propose a system theoretic approach to select and stabilize the endemic equilibrium of an SIRS epidemic model in which the decisions of a population of strategically interacting agents determine the transmission rate. Specifically, the population’s agents recurrently revise their choices out of a set of strategies that impact to varying levels the transmission rate. A payoff vector quantifying the incentives provided by a planner for each strategy, after deducting the strategies’ intrinsic costs, influences the revision process. An evolutionary dynamics model captures the population’s preferences in the revision process by specifying as a function of the payoff vector the rates at which the agents’ choices flow toward strategies with higher payoffs. Our main result is a dynamic payoff mechanism that is guaranteed to steer the epidemic variables (via incentives to the population) to the endemic equilibrium with the smallest infectious fraction, subject to cost constraints. We use a Lyapunov function not only to establish convergence but also to obtain an (anytime) upper bound for the peak size of the population’s infectious portion.

Targeted therapy for lung cancer: Beyond EGFR and ALK.

Precision oncology comprises the set of strategies that aim to design the best cancer treatment based on tumor biology. A recognized subset of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbor actionable genomic aberrations that can benefit from targeted therapy. In lung cancer, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements are well characterized oncogenic drivers for which the therapeutic use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors has demonstrated improved outcomes compared with chemotherapy. Other druggable targets are also well characterized, and effective inhibitors have been developed and commercialized, leading to a paradigm shift in NSCLC treatment. Here, the authors provide a review of the oncogenic role of the most relevant molecular alterations in NSCLC and emerging treatments in this setting beyond EGFR-driven and ALK-driven diseases.

Requesting a commitment in school teachers to teach in unprecedented ways: The mediating role of teacher agency

AbstractThe necessity for the development and enhancement of teacher commitment to satisfying students' learning needs in response to the COVID crisis is increasingly highlighted. It is not known, however, how to increase commitment in schoolteachers to boost online teaching in light of the fact that they, too, are struggling to cope with the rapid, unexpected change. A total of 601 teachers from primary and secondary schools across China participated in this study, with an average teaching experience of 15.9 years. Structural equation modelling was used to verify the significance of contextual, cognitive, affective and behavioural factors in boosting teachers' commitment to online teaching. The findings demonstrated that teacher agency played a complete mediating role in the predicting power of other factors to teacher commitment. Therefore, it was recommended that attention be paid to the practice and opportunities for teacher agentic actions, which necessitates real encounters with online teaching, allowing teachers to act meaningfully and initiate a new set of teaching strategies. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic The large‐scale transition to emergency online teaching serves as the catalyst for creating a blended or hybrid model of education provision in the long term. How hard teachers work to perform at their best and overcome obstacles to support students' learning needs in new environment relies on the intensity of teacher commitment to change. Online and blended learning requires teachers to not only be prepared for a diverse learning environment but also to build and rebuild their own identity as future teachers. What this paper adds This study adds to our knowledge of how traditional F2F classroom teachers reinvented their roles and responsibilities in response to the pandemic‐driven challenges based on real‐world experiences. As a result of the COVID‐19 lockdown school closures, schoolteachers' commitment to enhancing online teaching efforts has increased. The study highlights the complete mediating role of teacher agency in the predicting power of cognitive and affective factors to teacher commitment. Implications for practice and/or policy To learn more about how to be a good online teacher, future teachers need greater deliberate effort in diverse online teaching activities. Future teachers should be equipped with not only new technological and remote instructional strategies and skills, but also with confidence in, value for, and actual experiences with online teaching in a technology‐rich environment. For teachers to obtain hands‐on experience in integrating technology with distance teaching pedagogy at a time of rapid change, schools should have some days online and offer blended learning opportunities wherever possible.

NAVIGATING TRADE PROTECTIONISM: ITS IMPLICATIONS ON GLOBAL PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES AND THE NIGERIA AND U.S. ECONOMY

This paper examines the implications of trade protectionism on Nigeria’s economy, with a particular focus on the sectors that heavily rely on exporting oil and gas products to the United States (U.S). Conversely, the U.S. occasionally resorts to restrictive measures to defend domestic industries against competitive Nigerian imports, primarily to conserve domestic employment and promote indigenous innovation The reliance on oil exports also poses challenges for Nigeria’s diversification efforts and its ability to develop other sectors of the economy. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of protectionist measures implemented by countries around the world, which has the potential to disrupt global supply chains and affect international trade. As a major oil exporter, Nigeria is vulnerable to global oil price changes, and any increase in trade barriers, such as tariffs or quotas, could have significant implications for the country’s overall economic growth. Historically, nations have adopted protectionist strategies to shield domestic industries, ensure economic stability, and protect employment. However, the rise in such measures in recent years has disrupted global supply chains, inflating procurement costs and imposing challenges to businesses that rely heavily on international sourcing. In navigating this convoluted trade milieu, the paper proposes a set of adaptive strategies. Emphasis is placed on the endorsement of regional trading blocs, advocating the benefits of memberships like ECOWAS for Nigeria and NAFTA/USMCA for the U.S. Such affiliations can serve as buffers against global protectionist winds. Furthermore, harnessing technology in procurement operations is underscored as a critical tool for businesses, aiding in the mitigation of potential disruptions and costs instigated by protectionism. In conclusion, while trade protectionism addresses certain immediate national concerns, its cascading effects on global procurement and specific bilateral relations mandate an informed, strategic response to ensure sustained economic growth and stability.

Modeling technology changes in air transport in the presence of a market shock: A passenger-based analysis

This paper proposes a formal model to assess the introduction of hydrogen technology in the air transport sector when the initial market is uncovered, a situation relevant to the current COVID-19 crisis. The “flight shame” movement causes some passengers to leave the market while allowing for some willingness-to-pay for cleaner technologies. Starting from a horizontally differentiated duopoly between airlines with old technology and an uncovered market, the introduction of hydrogen technology provides the opportunity for vertical differentiation in line with the increased environmental consciousness of passengers. The principal methodological novelties start from an uncovered market and combine horizontal and vertical differentiation. The main results are the airlines’ optimal strategy sets and the adoption strategy dynamics with an increased valuation of quality by passengers. We justify a regulator’s intervention and draw several potential policy implications from this dynamic, such as a minimum subsidy level and educational advertising.

The social contribution of the circular economy

The social value of the circular economy (CE) has only been recently explored in the literature. To understand the social implications of the implementation of the CE, a semi-systematic literature review was completed evaluating the variables of equity, diversity, collaboration, quality of life, maturity, and governance as derived from a capabilities approach. At a societal level, this article explores the main demands and contributions of the CE to society and identifies the inconsistencies in the literature in assessing the CE as a strategy for development, counterposing views of the CE's contribution to the socioeconomic system. Furthermore, the analysis proposes a set of socioeconomic strategies that can aid a CE implementation. We expand the ‘rethink’ tactic of the 9Rs (Refuse, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Recycle and Recover) to also rethinking: the economic model, discourse, management strategies, ownership, business models, care work and value chains as well as remembering, reorganizing, and revitalizing. Furthermore, we include nuances to the 9Rs, adding regeneration. The qualitative assessment combined with a topic model offered specific areas where the social dimensions can be prioritized; these include food systems, the built environment with localized urban sharing, value chains, bioeconomy and mitigating the environmental impact of industries such as fashion and construction.

Control Light Pollution by Genetic Algorithms

Based on Light pollution, the team first investigated the important factors that may lead to light pollution, and is divided into three factors, respectively, they are cultural factors, geographical factors and development factors, each and there are several secondary factors, they are GDP, air pollution, river coverage, vegetation coverage, residential coverage, industrial coverage, population quality and other factors. After obtaining these key factors affecting light pollution, our group conducted quantitative modeling based on the two-level AHP hierarchical analysis and derived the weights of these key factors. Noted that because the AHP model largely depends on expert opinion, has a lot of subjectivity, so our group further introduced the grey correlation analysis to more accurately and our assessment results and actual situation is very well, such as protection areas, rural areas for almost no light pollution or light pollution, and urban areas or urban areas are severe or moderate light pollution. Based on the above work, our group adopted the multi-target gene optimization method to obtain the optimal set of strategies, and greatly reduced the light pollution level under the premise that it did not affect the development.