Survival Skills Research Articles

Visualising truth-telling through Indigenous community-specific vernacular photography in Canada and Australia

The emphasis in Indigenous photographic scholarship has largely been on Indigenous subjects viewed through a colonial lens. It is often assumed that impoverished communities did not have cameras or photographic archives, given the vulnerability and mobility of their lives. However, cameras, although scarce, were present. This is demonstrated in the photographic legacies of Ngarrindjeri families in south-eastern Australia and Qu’Appelle Valley Métis families in Saskatchewan, Canada, investigated in this article. Both groups share similar histories in marginalised settings – ‘one mile camps’ in Australia and ‘Road Allowance’ communities in Canada. The archives created by generations of Indigenous photographers are both familiar and unique. They depict smiling groups posed in front of cars and homes, although the backdrops are very different to the middle-class and suburban settings typical of vernacular photography more widely. Photographic archives in these communities are comparatively sparse, and thus more precious. Importantly, we see the matriarchs who anchored large, extended families, and evidence of their Indegenous knowledges and the survival skills that provided for them. Working with these photographs in deep engagement with communities and their long-held knowledge reanimates these images in contemporary contexts to facilitate the reclaiming of land, connection and family. We argue that such images represent unparalleled forms of truth-telling, offering a nuanced visual history unavailable from other sources.

What is this thing called critical thinking? Perspectives from business school academics

ABSTRACT In our ever-changing and complex world, we encounter difficult problems that demand sophisticated solutions. Critical thinking, a vital skill for modern survival, lies at the heart of higher education. It is what we should develop in students, arguably a concept that defines higher education. Critical thinking, however, is subject to wide interpretation and definition. This paper explores how business school academics conceptualise critical thinking in relation to final-year undergraduate students. Thematic analysis identified three core themes that combine to form critical thinking as concepts in the business school context, namely critical thinking as skills (predominantly of argumentation), critical thinking as dispositions (scepticism, open-mindedness and flexibility), and critical thinking as originality (creativity, contribution). Whilst the inclusion of skills and dispositions is confirmatory in line with broader conceptualisations of critical thinking in higher education, originality forms an additional, if contested, nuanced component.

Exploring Coping Strategies of Homeless Former Prisoners in Chow Kit Road, Kuala Lumpur

Subsisting on the streets requires homeless former prisoners to execute coping strategies, which were suggested in three major categories, namely, problemsolving-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidance. A lack of understanding exists regarding the coping strategies that homeless former prisoners utilise in navigating extremely challenging life conditions on the streets. Three strategies were selected and scrutinised in the current study to explore the key coping mechanism frequently employed by homeless former prisoners in tackling subsistence problems or challenges on the streets. A qualitative approach was administered by interviewing 30 homeless former prisoners to identify personal preferences for coping strategies. The findings revealed that the coping mechanisms were regularly employed simultaneously depending on the circumstances. Particularly, a higher tendency was demonstrated in applying avoidance coping operations, including drug abuse, solitude, pleasure-seeking activities, and worship, amongst homeless former prisoners. Nevertheless, homeless former prisoners also applied problem-solving focused coping strategies by searching for potential methods of higher income generation to improve their survival prospects. Summarily, formerly incarcerated individuals implemented coping strategies either collectively or interchangeably, subject to their current situations with varying suitabilities when subsisting on the streets. The implementation of these enhancements, along with greater integration of collective coping, will contribute to the advancement of significant intervention research. Research into coping strategies among homeless former prisoners can shed light on how these individuals adapt to life outside the prison system, how they develop survival skills, and how these skills may influence their behaviour and attitudes after release. Studying coping mechanisms post-release can offer insights into the challenges these individuals face when transitioning back into society

Attitudes towards Climate Change among Wilderness Seekers

The aim of the study was to explore attitudes towards climate change among wilderness seekers. The subjects were 273 (M = 23.15, SD = 7.72) adults. These included: 189 women, 80 men and 4 people who identified as non-binary. The respondents completed four questionnaires: Wilderness Novelty Seeking Scale, Wilderness Self-Efficacy Sale, Wilderness Courage Scale, and Attitude Towards Climate Changes Scale. There were three distinct profiles of the respondents: Curious, who are interested in the wilderness but lack the skills and courage to explore dangerous wilderness places; Adventurous, who actively seek experiences in dangerous wilderness places and have survival skills; and Indifferent, who have little interest in the wilderness. The participants in these profiles differed in terms of attitude toward climate change. The Curious and Adventurous groups were significantly more concerned about climate change. In addition, they were more likely to believe that climate change is already having a negative impact on the lives of people in the places where they live. Furthermore, The Curious group felt less positive about climate change than the Adventurous group. They also felt more negative about it. Finally, wilderness seekers (Curious and Adventurous) were statistically more likely to engage in pro-environmental behaviors in the context of climate change compared to the Indifferent group.

Effects of pecha kucha presentation pedagogy on nursing students’ presentation skills: a quasi-experimental study in Tanzania

IntroductionIneffective and non-interactive learning among nursing students limits opportunities for students’ classroom presentation skills, creativity, and innovation upon completion of their classroom learning activities. Pecha Kucha presentation is the new promising pedagogy that engages students in learning and improves students’ speaking skills and other survival skills. It involves the use of 20 slides, each covering 20 seconds of its presentation. The current study examined the effect of Pecha Kucha’s presentation pedagogy on presentation skills among nursing students in Tanzania.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to establish comparative nursing student’s presentation skills between exposure to the traditional PowerPoint presentations and Pecha Kucha presentations.MethodsThe study employed an uncontrolled quasi-experimental design (pre-post) using a quantitative research approach among 230 randomly selected nursing students at the respective training institution. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire adopted from previous studies to measure presentation skills between June and July 2023 was used. The study involved the training of research assistants, pre-assessment of presentation skills, training of participants, assigning topics to participants, classroom presentations, and post-intervention assessment. A linear regression analysis model was used to determine the effect of the intervention on nursing students’ presentation skills using Statistical Package for Social Solution (SPSS) version 26, set at a 95% confidence interval and 5% significance level.ResultsFindings revealed that 63 (70.87%) participants were aged ≤ 23 years, of which 151 (65.65%) and 189 (82.17%) of them were males and undergraduate students, respectively. Post-test findings showed a significant mean score change in participants’ presentation skills between baseline (M = 4.07 ± SD = 0.56) and end-line (M = 4.54 ± SD = 0.59) that accounted for 0.4717 ± 0.7793; p < .0001(95%CI) presentation skills mean score change with a medium effect size of 0.78. An increase in participants’ knowledge of Pecha Kucha presentation was associated with a 0.0239 (p < .0001) increase in presentation skills.ConclusionPecha Kucha presentations have a significant effect on nursing students’ presentation skills as they enhance inquiry and mastery of their learning content before classroom presentations. The pedagogical approach appeared to enhance nursing students’ confidence during the classroom presentation. Therefore, there is a need to incorporate Pecha Kucha presentation pedagogy into nursing curricula and nursing education at large to promote student-centered teaching and learning activities and the development of survival skills.Trial registrationIt was not applicable as it was a quasi-experimental study.

The Development of Daily Activities Schedule for Depressive Patients

The purpose of this test development was to check the effects of daily activities schedule of depressive patients. The hospitalized psychological patients mostly remained undisciplined and disturbed all the day. These patients should be engaged in different tasks on daily basis in which they can put their efforts to complete the tasks. In this way, these patients may improve their survival skills. 500 patients were asked to complete all the tasks mentioned in the worksheet on given time and day accordingly. Majority of the patients showed positive response to all tasks such as about 88% patients got higher score where they fulfilled their all tasks and 12% patients were appeared with lesser score than other patients. Although the patients with lower score were also had not very low scores. The study showed significant result for this work schedule. Psychological patient can manage their routine accordingly in an effective way.

Optimization of swimming mode for elongated undulating fin using multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient

Optimizing speed and propulsive efficiency are the most crucial survival skills for biomimetic robots. This paper investigates a swimming mode controller inspired by the black Knifefish to govern the fast-swimming gait with high propulsive efficiency for an elongated undulating fin robot. The proposed swimming mode controller is composed of a couple of Hopf oscillator-based central pattern generators (CPG) to generate the moving gait of robotic fish and a novel variant of Reinforcement Learning (RL) known as Multi-Agent Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (MA-DDPG) for optimizing the propulsive efficiency. The proposed swimming controller facilitates the autonomous optimization of the oscillatory amplitude of the robotic fish to improve its propulsive efficiency. The proposed MA-DDPG demonstrates an aptitude for functioning within mixed cooperative-competitive environments. Furthermore, it effectively mitigates the drawback of zero amplitude in the updating process of conventional reinforcement learning (RL) methodologies. These findings highlight the potential utility of the MA-DDPG in optimizing the performance of multi-agent systems in dynamic, real-world scenarios. The simulation results show that the undulating fin robot reaches a maximum thrust of 0.9 N with a propulsive efficiency of 12.48 %, which is higher than that of traditional reinforcement learning methods.

Performing artists’ career trajectory from a career construction perspective

ABSTRACT The field of performing arts presents an often unpredictable area for career development. Yet many people are drawn to this field as their chosen career trajectory. This study examines the life-career experiences that shape performing artists' trajectories within the framework of career construction theory. Using a qualitative multiple case study design, data was generated by Career Interest Profiles (CIP), career construction interviews (CCI), life-design counseling, and publicly available information. Thematic analysis uncovered two primary themes: the unique journey of performing artists in constructing their careers and the trajectory of career development, which highlights the factors influencing perceived success or failure and the essential 'survival skill set. The research offers theoretical insights and practical understanding of protean careers in demanding industries.

Determining cut-off scores for simulated tasks in Brazilian Air Force military personnel

IntroductionCombat readiness assessments through simulated tasks (STs) have been developed for the Brazilian Air Force (BAF) to establish physical employment standards. Previous research has established BAF critical combat tasks with...

Entrepreneurial Skills and Performance of Pharmaceutical Firms in Anambra State Nigeria

This study is an eye-opener for pharmaceutical students to learn from the experience of older pharmaceutical retail businesses on survival skills required in Nigeria's health sector. The study examined how registered pharmaceutical retail enterprises in Nigeria's Anambra State performed with their entrepreneurial qualities. The research used a descriptive survey methodology. Using Taro Yamane’s statistical technique from 1961, a sample of 180 community pharmacy practitioners in the Nigerian state of Anambra with 328 registered licenses was selected. Regression and correlation analyses were the utilized statistical methods. The study results show that entrepreneurial mentoring and innovative capability significantly favours the success of pharmaceutical retail firms in the Nigerian state of Anambra. The study concludes that developing entrepreneurial abilities is essential for improved performance, regardless of how skilled community pharmacy practitioners may be. There were some recommendations in keeping with the study's findings.

The Effect of Urban Experience on the Settlement Intention of Rural Migrants: Evidence from China

Urban experience can increase the ability of rural migrants to integrate into cities, thereby enhancing their settlement intentions. This paper empirically supports these findings using data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS). The mechanism analysis finds that urban experience promotes economic survival skills and adaptive capacity among rural migrants and enhances their willingness to settle in cities. It has significantly increased the labor market income, social activity, and interpersonal interaction of rural migrants. Compared with other cities, the urban experience of rural migrants who move to first-tier cities in their first migration significantly impacts their willingness to settle in cities. Finally, further discussion finds that the impact of urban experience on rural migrants’ settlement intention is nonlinear, with an inverted U-shaped curve. These findings can help local governments in China improve the integration ability and willingness of rural migrants to settle in cities through measures such as optimizing household registration and improving the social security system. They can also provide lessons for urbanization development in other countries.

Personal-Level Disposition as Predictors of Infant-Survival Skills among Nursing Mothers in Selected Primary Health Care Facilities in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Background information: Infant mortality is a major public health concern worldwide, especially in developing countries. It was reported that 5.2 million children die before the age of 5 years annually, and 47% of these deaths occur in sub- Saharan Africa alone. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially Goal 3, aim to reduce under-five mortality to as low as 25 per 1000 live births by 2030. To achieve this goal, interventions that address the underlying factors contributing to infant mortality are necessary. Maternal health, including maternal knowledge, attitudes, and practices, is a crucial factor influencing infant survival, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the Personal-level Disposition Factors Influencing survival skills among Nursing Mothers in Selected PHCs in Nigeria.  Methodology: The study design adopted for this research project was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 120 respondents who were conveniently selected from two primary health care facilities in Sokoto state with a semi- structured questionnaire (83% reliability). Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tools.  Result: The results show that all female participants had similar characteristics at a full glance at some areas. The mean age of respondents was 28.32±6.49 years with an age range of 19 to 41 years of age. The Knowledge responses were grouped on a scale and the results showed that most of the respondents had a high level of knowledge regarding infant survival skills. The overall motivation score was moderate. There were significant correlations (at p &lt; 0.05) between knowledge level (R = -0.201), Motivation (R = - 0.170), and Behavioural skills.  Conclusion: The report suggested that there should be an aggressive use of peer educators to expand rural health workers in areas with poor adoption of good health interventions, and low immunization coverage in Northwest of Nigeria.

Synaptic correlates of the corticocortical circuit in motor learning.

Rodents actively learn new motor skills for survival in reaction to changing environments. Despite the classic view of the primary motor cortex (M1) as a simple muscle relay region, it is now known to play a significant role in motor skill acquisition. The secondary motor cortex (M2) is reported to be a crucial region for motor learning as well as for its role in motor execution and planning. Although these two regions are known for the part they play in motor learning, the role of direct connection and synaptic correlates between these two regions remains elusive. Here, we confirm M2 to M1 connectivity with a series of tracing experiments. We also show that the accelerating rotarod task successfully induces motor skill acquisition in mice. For mice that underwent rotarod training, learner mice showed increased synaptic density and spine head size for synapses between activated cell populations of M2 and M1. Non-learner mice did not show these synaptic changes. Collectively, these data suggest the potential importance of synaptic plasticity between activated cell populations as a potential mechanism of motor learning. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Long-term potentiation: 50 years on'.

Education of Hospitalized Diabetic Patients: Analysis of Training Needs among Nurses in a Lebanese Hospital – A Secondary Publication

The design of diabetes inpatient educational preparation should be based on the needs of the nurses involved in terms of skills in this area. The objective of this qualitative study is to identify the preparatory needs of nurses working in the medical and surgical units of a Lebanese hospital in terms of Survival Skills Education for Hospitalized Diabetic Patients (SSEHDP). Method: The focus group method is used for data collection using a semi-structured interview guide. The needs expressed by the thirty-two participating nurses were classified into categories of the competency framework for providing self-management education to diabetic patients proposed by the American Diabetes Association. Results: By focusing on the themes of an SSEHDP, a list of preparatory needs was drawn up. The needs identified and analyzed are then translated into general and specific learning objectives for educational preparation. Conclusion: The needs analysis is only the first step in a work that will ideally continue into the implementation and eventual evaluation of an educational program developed to help nurses acquire skills in the education of diabetic patients.

Fisetin and/or capecitabine causes changes in apoptosis pathways in capecitabine-resistant colorectal cancer cell lines

Capecitabine is recommended as one of the first-line chemotherapy treatments for advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. Researches have been conducted on capecitabine’s impact on the viability of human colon cancer cells and its potential to induce apoptosis. However, even in cases initially responsive to treatment, the development of acquired resistance significantly limits its efficacy. Challenges still exist in effectively treating patients with chemotherapy, and developing new cytotoxic drugs is hindered by drug resistance. Fisetin alters the cell cycle, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, and enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs. This work aims to create a plan for reversing capecitabine resistance. For this purpose, the role of capecitabine and/or fisetin combinations in cell proliferation and apoptosis has been determined in both wild-type and capecitabine-resistant HT29 cells (CR/HT29). We developed capecitabine-resistant cell line from wild-type HT29 cells. This study demonstrated the effects of capecitabine, fisetin, and their combinations on both resistant and wild-type cells through experiments including cell survival skills, cell proliferation, wound healing, colony formation, hoechst staining, and western blot analysis. We established capecitabine-resistant cell lines. P-gp expression increased in CR/HT29 cells. Capecitabine effects on a CR/HT29 cells less than wild-type HT29 cells. The combination of fisetin and capecitabine in cell proliferation caused greater reductions in wild-type HT29 cells than in capecitabine-resistant cells. Fisetin has also additive effects on the apoptotic pathway in CR/HT29 cells. This study provides new perspectives on the combination of capecitabine and/or flavonoid treatment in resistant cells.Graphical abstract

The concept of disaster preparedness ini disaster-prone areas at Harapan Bahagia Yogyakarta school

This archipelago country cannot be separated from disasters which cause many victims, especially children. This affects their future lives as a generation of the nation. Children's future regarding disaster preparedness can be improved by knowing the signs and causes of disasters, what to do before and during a disaster, and survival skills. The purpose of this article is to explain the reasons why disaster preparedness education is important for young children. The method used is a qualitative descriptive method directed at field research. The results obtained are that with disaster preparedness education it is hoped that children will be far from being perceived as having limitations in dealing with disasters because proper education will bring excellence and quality of mind and clarity in thinking. Apart from that, you can also understand the nature of existing truths, and will be accustomed to carrying out good habits and actions, always behaving well, always inviting students to think carefully and deeply, always encouraging creativity and thinking about nature and living things. All forms of education will have an effective effect if given from childhood or an early age.

Taking High-Fidelity Simulation to the Next Level: Nursing in Nontraditional Environments.

Nurse educators must prepare nursing students to be competent first responders and providers in nontraditional situations. We developed a course that provides in-depth experiential instruction in disaster nursing, remote/austere nursing, and global health. The Nursing in Nontraditional Environments course provides nursing students with the knowledge and skills to provide quality care to patients in environments outside traditional hospitals and clinics. The course merges survival skills with austere care using evidence-based practice derived from the US Military and the Wilderness Medical Society.

Walking and Survival AI Using Reinforcement Learning - Simulation

This research paper presents a novel approach to training an AI agent for walking and survival tasks using reinforcement learning (RL) techniques. The primary research question addressed in this study is how to develop an AI system capable of autonomously navigating diverse terrains and environments while ensuring survival through adaptive decision-making. To investigate this question, we employ RL algorithms, specifically deep Q-networks (DQN) and proximal policy optimization (PPO), to train an AI agent in simulated environments that mimic real-world challenges. Our methodology involves designing a virtual environment where the AI agent learns to walk and make survival-related decisions through trial and error. The agent receives rewards or penalties based on its actions, encouraging the development of strategies that optimize both locomotion and survival skills. We evaluate the performance of our approach through extensive experimentation, testing the AI agent's adaptability to various terrains, obstacles, and survival scenarios.

Inside/Outdoor Sign Savvy in Morrison’s “Recitatif” and Paradise

Abstract: In her 1993 Nobel Lecture in Literature , Toni Morrison asserts: “We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives” (22). The Dancing Mind (1996), her extended meditation on the art of reading and writing, laments language proficiency as an imperiled survival skill. A Mercy ’s (2008) Florens confirms, however, that locating “[w] hich is the true reading” matters less than the reading itself since language itself is “a way” (139). If we adopt a neo-domestic/eco-critical approach, we not only address Morrison’s disparagement toward a state of modern criticism that talks about itself as though it were the work of art (LeClair, 376–77), but adhere to her directive that the critic should trail the writer. Tracking her use of ordinary inside/outdoor imagery allows us to solve the respective riddles of “Recitatif” (1983) and Paradise (1998): which girl is what race and who is the shot white girl.

The influence of indigenous knowledge on chemistry metacognition.

Chemistry is viewed as a difficult and challenging subject by many learners and teachers which leads to poor academic performance in the subject. The majority of the pre-service science teachers in Zimbabwean teachers' colleges also find Chemistry to be a challenging subject. The focus of this study was to simplify and contextualize the teaching and learning of Chemistry concepts for life-long survival and problem-solving skills through exploring the influence of indigenous Chemistry knowledge on Chemistry metacognition. An embedded mixed methods case study was underpinned by the social constructivist theory, which is used to collect and analyse the data. Twenty-nine respondents were purposively sampled. Their metacognition awareness was determined through focus group interviews which are triangulated with a paper and pen test. The indigenous Chemistry knowledge possessed by the pre-service science teachers was collected using focus group interviews, which was then used in the intervention stage for Chemistry metacognition. The findings suggest that indigenous knowledge influences chemistry metacognition in a positive way. Further research is required on the relationship between indigenous Chemistry knowledge and Chemistry metacognition. It is recommended that Chemistry educators should be capacitated with skills for identifying and applying indigenous Chemistry knowledge that is relevant to Chemistry metacognition.