Successful Strategies Research Articles

Destination design: identifying three key co-design strategies

ABSTRACT Collaborative approaches to destination design require conscious and reflexive stakeholder involvement in activities and decision making. Design science studies such participatory processes by observing design teams in practice. From these observations, scientists have identified design strategies and processes that design teams use to support their work in identifying problems and developing solutions. Observing design processes in tourism destinations provides an opportunity to identify successful co-design strategies for destination design. This study presents three key co-design strategies based on data collected from five living labs in five destinations. Each co-design strategy is presented with a recommended use, suggestions for stakeholder involvement, and activities to develop solutions efficiently and effectively with the available resources. Together, the strategies provide a framework to optimise decision-making in relation to shaping destination design processes, and to validate processes and outcomes.

Age‐related changes in sweetness perception: Exploring the role of cross‐modal interactions

AbstractCrossmodal strategies have been proven to be useful to enhance sweetness perception, although, in general, the segmentation of consumers is not an essential part of this kind of research. The aim of the present study was to determine if a set of crossmodal strategies could be useful to modify sweetness perception in three different age groups: young, middle‐aged, and senior adults. A butter cookie and a milkshake sample were reformulated (appearance and aroma of both samples, and the mouthfeel of the milkshake) to assess liking and perception of overall flavor and sweetness intensities. Results suggested that adding a sweet‐related aroma enhanced sweet taste/flavor intensity, without affecting liking ratings, for all the studied age groups. Liking and the ratings for flavor and sweetness intensity were significantly different among age groups, but no interactions “sample x age” were identified, suggesting that crossmodal interactions were similar for all age groups.Practical ApplicationsThe growing demand for low‐sugar foods has led food companies to reformulate their products, requiring research into the best ways to develop successful low‐sugar alternatives. Research on potential crossmodal interactions is useful to guide companies to attend consumers' demands, but there is a lack of information on how to adapt the most successful strategies to each consumer segment (beyond cross‐cultural studies). Results of the present research include interesting data on three different consumers' segments and their perception of two kinds of products in which cross‐modal strategies were used to reformulate a control sample: a solid food ‐exemplified using a butter cookie‐ and a beverage ‐exemplified using a milkshake‐.

Achieving mainstream partial nitritation with aerobic granular sludge treating high-rate activated sludge effluent

New configurations for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are under development to increase their self-sufficiency and sustainability. One is the A-B process, in which the A-stage is designed to maximize the redirection of influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) to the production of biogas. A promising A-stage alternative is the high-rate activated sludge (HRAS). B-stage, on the other hand, can consist of the combined partial nitritation (PN)-anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). In this study, PN with aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was attempted under mainstream conditions at pilot scale. The effluent of a HRAS system – ideally operating at 2 g/L of total suspended solids, 0.5 mg/L of dissolved oxygen and 1 h of hydraulic retention time (52 ± 13 % COD removal) – was fed to the PN-AGS reactor initially inoculated with floccular sludge. Granulation and PN were studied with daily/seasonal fluctuations and without adding external reagents. Selective wasting from the top of the settled sludge bed was found a successful strategy to trigger granular sludge formation. The maintenance of a low sludge volume index (SVI < 100 mL/g) was helpful enough for improved operation of the system (i.e., COD removal and PN). Stable PN was achieved due to the suppression of the nitrite oxidizing bacteria activity by inhibitory levels of free nitrous acid. Finally, working with fast settling biomass at long settling times reduced the influent-biomass-nitrite contact and, thus, denitritation.

On-Surface Fabrication toward Polar 2D Macromolecular Crystals.

Polar 2D macromolecular structures have attracted significant attention because of their ferroelectricity and ferro-magnetism. However, it is challenging to synthesize them experimentally because dipoles or spins of these macromolecules tend to cancel each other. So far, there has been no successful strategy for assembling macromolecules in a unidirectional manner, achieving stereoregular polymerization on metal surfaces, and creating polar 2D polymer crystals. Recent progress in molecular assembly, on-surface polymer synthesis, and direct control of molecules using electric field applications provides an opportunity to develop such strategies. In this regard, we first review past studies on chiral and achiral molecular assembly, on-surface polymer synthesis, and orientation control of polar molecules. Then, we discuss our newly developed approach called "vectorial on-surface synthesis", which is based on "dynamic chirality" of compass precursors, stereoselective polymerization, and favorable interchain interactions originating from CH-π interactions. Finally, we conclude with a prospective outlook.

Multichannel bridges and NSC synergize to enhance axon regeneration, myelination, synaptic reconnection, and recovery after SCI

Regeneration in the injured spinal cord is limited by physical and chemical barriers. Acute implantation of a multichannel poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) bridge mechanically stabilizes the injury, modulates inflammation, and provides a permissive environment for rapid cellularization and robust axonal regrowth through this otherwise inhibitory milieu. However, without additional intervention, regenerated axons remain largely unmyelinated (<10%), limiting functional repair. While transplanted human neural stem cells (hNSC) myelinate axons after spinal cord injury (SCI), hNSC fate is highly influenced by the SCI inflammatory microenvironment, also limiting functional repair. Accordingly, we investigated the combination of PLG scaffold bridges with hNSC to improve histological and functional outcome after SCI. In vitro, hNSC culture on a PLG scaffold increased oligodendroglial lineage selection after inflammatory challenge. In vivo, acute PLG bridge implantation followed by chronic hNSC transplantation demonstrated a robust capacity of donor human cells to migrate into PLG bridge channels along regenerating axons and integrate into the host spinal cord as myelinating oligodendrocytes and synaptically integrated neurons. Axons that regenerated through the PLG bridge formed synaptic circuits that connected the ipsilateral forelimb muscle to contralateral motor cortex. hNSC transplantation significantly enhanced the total number of regenerating and myelinated axons identified within the PLG bridge. Finally, the combination of acute bridge implantation and hNSC transplantation exhibited robust improvement in locomotor recovery. These data identify a successful strategy to enhance neurorepair through a temporally layered approach using acute bridge implantation and chronic cell transplantation to spare tissue, promote regeneration, and maximize the function of new axonal connections.

Personalized strategies for academic success in learning anatomy: Exploring metacognitive and technological adaptation in medical students.

Personalization of learning is an educational strategy rooted in metacognition and is significant in academic training. This is especially true in medical contexts. This study explored the relationship between the metacognitive profile of students of human anatomy, the classification of questions according to their difficulty, and the anatomical domain. It also covered the integration of educational technologies to create personalized learning environments. The identification of metacognitive profiles ("Active", "Pragmatic", "Theoretical", and "Reflective") has been highlighted as a critical influence on students' responses to different pedagogical approaches. Personalized adaptation based on these profiles has shown potential for improving grades and increasing student satisfaction and engagement with learning. The results revealed variations in student performance in relation to different pedagogical approaches, learning units, and evaluation modalities. The "Experience" evaluation modality, personalized according to metacognitive profiles, level of competence, and learning objectives, resulted in higher average scores. However, there was significant variability in the results. Those findings confirm the effectiveness of metacognitive adaptation in improving academic performance. Furthermore, they provide a solid basis for formulating personalized and effective pedagogical strategies in medical education. They recognize the influence of metacognitive profiles on student performance and contribute to advancing medical pedagogy.

Telehealth Use during COVID-19: An Exploratory Study on Adaptations and Experiences of Providers.

The current exploratory study examines the impact of the rapid acceleration of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of healthcare providers. Understanding provider perspectives, particularly in terms of adaptations made during this critical time, is a useful lens into service innovation in times of crisis and can help elucidate successful strategies for continuing the use of telehealth during the postpandemic period. Fourteen providers from 11 different service agencies in a southeastern state were interviewed. Findings identified three themes: (1) dynamic adaptations enacted by healthcare providers at the onset of the pandemic, such as hybrid services, rapid innovations in workflow, collective decision making among providers, and outreach to educate patients; (2) the relaxation of policies by regulators/insurers, focused most often on reimbursement of services; and (3) how patient engagement was impacted via telehealth, including openness to telehealth, more family-level accessibility, and reduced no-show rates. Implications for social workers include heightened professional training on telehealth as well as increasing the critical role that social workers serve in educating providers and patients on telehealth.

Healthcare Branding and Reputation Management Strategies for Organizational Success

This study searches into the critical aspect of branding and reputation management within the dynamic view of the healthcare industry. This research aims to provide actionable insights for healthcare organizations to navigate the complexities of building and maintaining a strong brand identity by comprehensively analyzing the multifaceted aspects of healthcare branding, including its foundational principles, strategies, challenges, and opportunities. The research problem centers on identifying gaps and challenges in current healthcare branding and reputation management practices, recognizing the pressing need for systematic examination within evolving patient expectations, competitive pressures, and regulatory environments. This study offers a nuanced understanding of these critical areas through a structured exploration of healthcare branding’s fundamental significance, strategies employed for reputation management, and identifying existing challenges and opportunities. Drawing upon Brand Equity Theory, which underscores the value of a brand beyond solid assets, the study explains the role of brand equity in shaping patient perceptions, organizational success, and overall health outcomes within the healthcare context. Furthermore, the research outlines future avenues for investigation, including the impact of emerging technologies, longitudinal assessments of branding initiatives, data-driven insights, ethical considerations, and collaborative co-creation strategies. This study aims to advance knowledge and practice in healthcare branding and reputation management by addressing these areas and empowering healthcare organizations to enhance patient experiences, organizational performance, and public health outcomes in an ever-evolving healthcare view.

Breaking the Risk of Conflict Trap: Way forward for Limiting Child Soldiers’ Phenomenon

The recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts or child soldier phenomenon has inflicted much pain and suffering to thousands of children in many countries during recent decades. This article examines the pathway to protect children from predatory recruitment as well as the prevention of those who are already recruited from becoming trapped into further violence, generically termed as &amp;lsquo;conflict trap.&amp;rdquo; In pursuance, the current law shall be applied as an instrument of social engineering to bring about the desired change towards the protection of child soldiers alongside the use of art and science of persuasion in promoting the ideas. Therefore, to accomplish the above desired social change, this article proposes three objectives: firstly, to explain the law in plain terms and present it as a valuable instrument designed to protect children in armed conflict situations; secondly, to enumerate the serious psycho-social impact to the mental health of the child, and the ensuing disruption of the cognitive and affective development of the child, that are often irreversible; thirdly, to present reintegration program that has transformed former child soldiers into international figures like Ishmael Beah. It is premised that these three objectives, if implemented in society, would be successful strategies in imputing the desired social change, which is to rally support for the elimination of child soldiering, thus diminishing some incentives for conflict perpetuation. Therefore, these strategies would help to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts and in the long term will aid in the breaking away from conflict trap. As child soldiers in previous conflicts will be ready to resume fighting, limiting the impact of conflict traps becomes imperative to preserve a conflict free society.

Sensory Attributes and Phytochemical Composition in Microgreens: Implications for Acceptability Among School Students in Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract. Microgreens, the young seedlings of edible plants, have gained attention for their potential health benefits and culinary applications. This newly emerging functional food crop has the potential to sustainably diversify global food systems, facilitate urbanization and climate change responses, and advance human health. However, their reception among school students remains an understudied area, particularly in the Malaysian context. In this study, five microgreens species including ulam raja, red amaranth, red radish, daikon, and corn were evaluated for their sensory perception and acceptability among secondary school students in Selangor, and their phytochemical compositions. Among the evaluated species, corn exhibited the highest intensity of sweetness, ulam raja demonstrated a strong aroma and bitterness, while red radish was notable for its astringency and heat. Red amaranth had the highest intensity of grassy taste, and all five microgreens had a low score for sourness. Corn had the highest rating on acceptability of flavor and overall eating quality, signifying its favorable impression among students. Conversely, red radish and ulam raja received the lowest acceptability scores in both categories. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant activity was exhibited in ulam raja. These findings suggest the potential to leverage corn’s favorable acceptability to introduce microgreens into student diets. In general, this study highlights the correlation between sensory attributes and phytochemical composition, both influencing the Malaysian students’ perceptions of microgreens. By understanding their preferences, educators, policymakers, and entrepreneurs can formulate effective strategies for healthier eating habits among the youth and develop successful commercialization strategies.&#x0D; Keywords: flavor, food systems, healthy diet, microgreens, student acceptance

GENDER EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE: A COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF USA AND AFRICAN PRACTICES

This Review presents a comparative review of gender equality practices in the workplace, focusing on both the United States (USA) and various African countries. Gender equality is a pivotal aspect of societal progress, economic development, and fostering inclusive workplaces. The analysis delves into the differing approaches, challenges, and advancements in promoting gender equality within organizational settings, offering insights into the nuanced landscape of gender dynamics. In the United States, considerable progress has been made toward gender equality, driven by legislative measures, advocacy efforts, and cultural shifts. The Review explores initiatives such as affirmative action, diversity and inclusion programs, and policies addressing pay disparities. It examines the impact of landmark legislation like the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, highlighting advancements and persisting challenges in the pursuit of gender parity. Conversely, the review extends its focus to diverse African practices, recognizing the continent's rich tapestry of cultures, economies, and regulatory frameworks. The Review illuminates regional variations in approaches to gender equality, considering factors such as cultural norms, legal frameworks, and socioeconomic conditions. It sheds light on innovative practices emerging in African workplaces, emphasizing the role of grassroots movements, government interventions, and the empowerment of women in various sectors. The Review also underscores shared challenges faced by both the USA and African nations, including gender-based discrimination, underrepresentation in leadership roles, and the impact of intersectionality on women's experiences in the workplace. By comparing these practices, the review seeks to draw attention to successful strategies, lessons learned, and areas for improvement in advancing gender equality globally. This comparative analysis aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on gender equality, offering a nuanced understanding of how workplace practices vary between the USA and Africa. By recognizing the unique contexts and leveraging shared experiences, the review seeks to inform policymakers, businesses, and advocates in fostering workplaces that prioritize diversity, inclusivity, and gender equity.&#x0D; Keywords: Gender Equality, Workplace, African Practice, USA, Review.

The Role of Business English in International Marketing

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role and significance of Business English in the field of international marketing, and how to improve the role of Business English in international marketing and countermeasures, investigating how effective communication in Business English can contribute to a successful international marketing strategy. This paper examines the importance, role, language proficiency, cultural sensitivity and effective communication of Business English in building strong relationships with international customers and stakeholders. By analyzing the current research on business English, this paper reveals the importance of business English in international marketing efforts.

Using birth-death processes to infer tumor subpopulation structure from live-cell imaging drug screening data.

Tumor heterogeneity is a complex and widely recognized trait that poses significant challenges in developing effective cancer therapies. In particular, many tumors harbor a variety of subpopulations with distinct therapeutic response characteristics. Characterizing this heterogeneity by determining the subpopulation structure within a tumor enables more precise and successful treatment strategies. In our prior work, we developed PhenoPop, a computational framework for unravelling the drug-response subpopulation structure within a tumor from bulk high-throughput drug screening data. However, the deterministic nature of the underlying models driving PhenoPop restricts the model fit and the information it can extract from the data. As an advancement, we propose a stochastic model based on the linear birth-death process to address this limitation. Our model can formulate a dynamic variance along the horizon of the experiment so that the model uses more information from the data to provide a more robust estimation. In addition, the newly proposed model can be readily adapted to situations where the experimental data exhibits a positive time correlation. We test our model on simulated data (in silico) and experimental data (in vitro), which supports our argument about its advantages.

Eighteen Years of Joint Master of Health Professions Education Between Geographically Distanced Partners Lessons from a Matured Partnership

Many educational partnerships between institutes never reach the stage of maturity, with students often bearing the costs of such discontinued partnerships. Reasons can be multifold, including a loss of ambitions, finances, or changing personal aspirations of stakeholders. In 2022 a joint curriculum in health professions education between two geographically and culturally distanced institutes reached its 18th anniversary. What can be learned from this particular partnership in terms of deliberate strategic choices, if any, to overcome the challenges identified in the literature? This article applies an instrumental, in-depth case analysis using a theoretical framework of factors that impact the sustainability of educational curriculum partnerships. By doing so, this paper intends to reveal successful strategies and managerial decisions that might be beneficial to those aiming for a sustainable partnership in higher education.

Practical Applications of Is Alternative Investment a Successful Strategy?

Practical Applications of Is Alternative Investment a Successful Strategy?

Leader in the Digital Entertainment Market: Netflix's Continued Success in a Fiercely Competitive Environment

Leader in the Digital Entertainment Market: Netflix's Continued Success in a Fiercely Competitive Environment

Effortful foraging activity for uncertain food in pigeons

When well-known food resources are running out, animals extinguish their foraging behavior in that food patch and increasingly work for reward-related information to decrease outcome uncertainty. In the absence of such information, a potentially successful strategy consists of spending more time and effort searching for profitable locations—a phenomenon known from extinction learning experiments conducted in conventional conditioning chambers. Here, we tested this hypothesis by means of a semi-natural “foraging board” allowing pigeons to move and look for food items inside perforated holes. The holes could be covered with a slit plastic tape, hiding the food items they contained while making them accessible to pigeons. Our goal was to determine how pigeons forage on hidden food items in an area associated with uncertainty (one in three holes baited, on average) when visible or hidden food items were available in an adjacent area associated with certainty (each hole baited). The number of food items was equivalent in both areas. We expected longer time spent and more pecks given in the uncertain vs. certain area with the food items visible in the certain area, as well as longer time spent and more pecks given per visit in the uncertain vs. certain area with the food items either visible or hidden in the certain area. Our results confirm these predictions.

Coupling of a Major Allergen to the Surface of Immune Cells for Use in Prophylactic Cell Therapy for the Prevention of IgE-Mediated Allergy.

Up to a third of the world's population suffers from allergies, yet the effectiveness of available preventative measures remains, at large, poor. Consequently, the development of successful prophylactic strategies for the induction of tolerance against allergens is crucial. In proof-of-concept studies, our laboratory has previously shown that the transfer of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) or autologous B cells expressing a major grass pollen allergen, Phl p 5, induces robust tolerance in mice. However, eventual clinical translation would require safe allergen expression without the need for retroviral transduction. Therefore, we aimed to chemically couple Phl p 5 to the surface of leukocytes and tested their ability to induce tolerance. Phl p 5 was coupled by two separate techniques, either by 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) or by linkage via a lipophilic anchor, 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-poly(ethylene glycol)-maleimide (DSPE-PEG-Mal). The effectiveness was assessed in fresh and cultured Phl p 5-coupled cells by flow cytometry, image cytometry, and immunofluorescence microscopy. Chemical coupling of Phl p 5 using EDC was robust but was followed by rapid apoptosis. DSPE-PEG-Mal-mediated linkage was also strong, but antigen levels declined due to antigen internalization. Cells coupled with Phl p 5 by either method were transferred into autologous mice. While administration of EDC-coupled splenocytes together with short course immunosuppression initially reduced Phl p 5-specific antibody levels to a moderate degree, both methods did not induce sustained tolerance towards Phl p 5 upon several subcutaneous immunizations with the allergen. Overall, our results demonstrate the successful chemical linkage of an allergen to leukocytes using two separate techniques, eliminating the risks of genetic modifications. More durable surface expression still needs to be achieved for use in prophylactic cell therapy protocols.

Digital transformation in e-commerce logistics

Highlights: This article addresses the diagnosis of digital maturity in e-commerce logistics, specifically the final delivery stage, known as the last-mile. The last-mile has greater digitization demand than traditional logistics due to the extreme speed of the virtual world during shopping, where customers transfer these same expectations to delivery services. Goal: The main objective of this work is to evaluate the digital maturity of the last-mile area of operation of an e-commerce logistics company. Methodology: This study evaluates the maturity model in a case study with the company E-commerceCo. Interviews were conducted with key employees for data gathering. Results: The proposed method allows defining and analyzing the digital maturity of the last-mile area of the company in question, understanding strengths, such as a culture open to innovation and digitally mature, and weaknesses, such as technical limitations imposed by the main system used and lack of cybersecurity barriers. Limitations of the investigation: Since it is a single case study, it does not allow a broad generalization to industries in other branches. Another limitation is that this study is focused on Brazilian logistics operations, which may differ from other countries. Practical implications: This research is relevant to serve as a reference for other companies in the e-commerce logistics sector to assess their digital maturity from the proposed model and compare common challenges and opportunities. In addition, it will help the studied company to create a successful digital transformation strategy. Originality / Value: We propose a new approach on how to evaluate the digital maturity of the last-mile area of operation of an e-commerce logistics company.

Analysis of visual impairment score in a series of 48 tuberculum sellae meningiomas operated on via the endoscopic endonasal approach.

Tuberculum sellae meningioma (TSM) represents a complex skull base tumor. The primary goals of surgical treatment are represented by maximal safe resection and visual recovery; therefore, appropriate patient selection is critical to optimize results. In the last 2 decades, the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has appeared as a successful and viable strategy for the management of these tumors. The authors identified preoperative factors associated with extent of resection and visual outcome after EEA for TSM. In this retrospective cohort study, the authors analyzed patients who underwent extended endoscopic endonasal surgery for TSM between January 2005 and April 2022 at the Division of Neurosurgery, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy. Tumor size, vessel encasement, and optic canal involvement were classified according to University of California, San Francisco, score. Visual acuity and visual fields were analyzed according to the visual impairment score (VIS), defined as a four-level classification: grade 1 (VIS 0-25), grade 2 (VIS 26-50), grade 3 (VIS 51-75), and grade 4 (VIS 76-100). Ophthalmological functions were tested preoperatively and during the early postoperative period (within 6 months after surgery) and late postoperative period. A total of 48 patients were enrolled. Forty-one (85.4%) patients experienced blurred vision or visual field defect as a presenting sign. Gross-total resection was achieved in 40 (83.3%), near-total resection in 2 (4.2%), and subtotal resection in 6 (12.5%). Visual defect improved in 82.9% (34/41) of cases, 12.2% (5/41) had no significant changes, and 2.4% (1/41) had worsened visual defect. The mean change in VIS was 42% (95% CI 58.77-31.23). Visual outcome was poorer when preoperative VIS (VIS-pre) was greater than 25 (p = 0.02). Six postoperative CSF leaks occurred (12.5%), and 1 patient (2.1%) required revision surgery. The EEA is a safe and effective approach for TSM removal, with the advantage of preserving optic apparatus vascularization, and can promote gross-total resection and visual improvement. The authors have defined four categories based on VIS that relate to postoperative outcome: the lower the VIS-pre, the higher the rate of postoperative VIS improvement. This finding may be useful for predicting a patient's visual outcome at the preoperative stage.