Theoretical Underpinnings Research Articles

A Fuzzy Logic Approach to Performance Evaluation of Genomics-Driven Crop Improvement

Genomics-driven crop improvement has emerged as a revolutionary approach to enhance yield, resilience, and nutritional value in agriculture. However, traditional performance evaluation methods often must catch up with agricultural systems' complex, multifaceted nature. This study proposes a fuzzy logic-based framework to assess the performance of genomics-driven crop improvement initiatives. By integrating fuzzy logic, we can effectively manage uncertainty and ambiguity inherent in agricultural data, allowing for a more nuanced evaluation of crop traits, environmental factors, and management practices. The paper begins by elucidating the fundamental principles of genomics-based agriculture and its impact on crop development. It then delves into the theoretical underpinnings of fuzzy logic and its applicability in modeling the multifaceted aspects of crop growth, encompassing genetic, environmental, and physiological factors. Through a synthesis of existing research and empirical data, the paper illustrates the effectiveness of fuzzy logic in capturing the nuances of crop development processes, including germination, flowering, and yield formation. This paper underscores the pivotal role of fuzzy logic analysis in advancing genomics-based agriculture, offering insights into the dynamic interactions shaping crop development and facilitating informed decision-making for sustainable and resilient food production systems in the face of evolving environmental challenges. Results indicate that the fuzzy logic approach enhances the accuracy of performance assessments and facilitates better decision-making in crop management.

Measurement-Induced Transmon Ionization

Despite the high measurement fidelity that can now be reached, the dispersive qubit readout of circuit quantum electrodynamics is plagued by a loss of its quantum nondemolition character and a decrease in fidelity with increased measurement strength. In this work, we elucidate the nature of this dynamical process, which we refer to as transmon ionization. We develop a comprehensive framework which provides a physical picture of the origin of transmon ionization. This framework consists of three complementary levels of descriptions: a fully quantized transmon-resonator model, a semiclassical model where the resonator is treated as a classical drive on the transmon, and a fully classical model. Crucially, all three approaches preserve the full cosine potential of the transmon and lead to similar predictions. This framework identifies the multiphoton resonances responsible for transmon ionization. It also allows one to efficiently compute numerical estimates of the photon number threshold for ionization, which are in remarkable agreement with recent experimental results. The tools developed within this work are both conceptually and computationally simple, and we expect them to become an integral part of the theoretical underpinning of all circuit QED experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

The Design and Performance Analysis of a 15 g/mol Helium–Xenon Mixture Centrifugal Compressor

One of the primary parts of a closed Brayton cycle that uses a helium–xenon mixture as the working medium is a centrifugal compressor. Nowadays, there has been minimal research on the theoretical underpinnings and design procedures of a helium–xenon mixture centrifugal compressors, and the internal flow mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we present a redesign of the 15 g/mol helium–xenon centrifugal compressor originally developed by Bruno M, utilizing a helium–xenon mixture as the working fluid to enhance compressor performance and facilitate an in-depth analysis of the internal flow dynamics. The findings indicate a significant expansion of the stable operating range of the redesigned compressor under identical outlet conditions, with a 33.27% increase in flow margin and substantial improvements in the pressure ratio. Furthermore, under consistent inlet conditions, at an operational flow rate of 0.8657 kg/s, the redesigned compressor exhibits a pressure ratio that is 2.11% greater than that of the original design, along with a variable efficiency increase of 1.1%.

Immune Response of Silver Pomfret (Pampus argenteus) CC Chemokine Ligand Gene Family to Photobacterium damselae Subsp. Damselae and Nocardia seriolae Infections.

Chemokines play a crucial role in immune responses by facilitating the migration of cells expressing corresponding chemokine receptors along concentration gradients. Photobacterium damselae subsp. Damselae (PDD) and Nocardia seriolae (NS) are known to induce substantial mortality in silver pomfret populations, yet there exists a dearth of research regarding the immune response of CCLs in PDD- or NS-infected silver pomfret. In our investigation, we identified 10 PaCCLs, which include one fish-specific CCL (PaCCL44). Phylogenetic analysis revealed considerable diversity in CCL types and copy numbers among various teleost fishes. Notably, silver pomfret lacks specific CCL genes, with most PaCCLs exhibiting heightened expression levels in immune-related organs such as the spleen and kidney, and some being expressed in mucosal immune-related organs like the skin and gills. Transcriptome analysis conducted on silver pomfret infected with NS and PDD elucidated that the expression changes of PaCCLs primarily manifested in the spleen during the initial stages of NS infection, shifting to the kidney in later stages. Conversely, the expression changes of PaCCLs following PDD infection predominantly occurred in the kidney. Invitro studies using silver pomfret spleen cell lines demonstrated an early peak in PaCCLs expression during infection, followed by gradual decline with NS treatment and rapid diminishment with PDD treatment. These findings suggest that PaCCLs primarily support the innate immunity of silver pomfret, potentially exhibiting chemotactic effects in the early infection stages, such as the synergistic action of PaCCL4 and PaCCL25, and later serving as direct antibacterial agents. NS invasion is characterised by a chronic infection affecting multiple organs, whereas PDD primarily inflicts severe damage to the kidney. PaCCL19a and PaCCL19b are specific to PDD, and their expression levels may decrease in the later stages of infection due to PDD immune escape. These data offer initial insights into understanding the mechanism underlying the innate immune response of the CCL gene family in silver pomfret and provide theoretical underpinnings for fish culture practices.

Gamifying Sustainability: Leveraging Game-Based Learning to Champion Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – A Case Study

This paper examines how sustainability education can be effectively integrated into game-based learning (GBL) to enhance environmental consciousness. As global ecological challenges intensify, instilling sustainable practices in future generations becomes crucial. GBL offers an engaging platform to embed sustainability concepts through immersive and interactive virtual environments. The study explores the theoretical underpinnings of sustainability education and GBL, highlighting their synergy in raising awareness and fostering sustainable behaviours. By reviewing existing literature, it evaluates the impact of incorporating sustainability principles into GBL platforms. The discussion includes the integration of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), real-world scenarios, simulations, and collaborative elements to deepen players' understanding and stimulate critical thinking about complex sustainability issues. The paper also examines the role of feedback mechanisms, assessment tools, and adaptive learning approaches in maintaining engagement and knowledge retention. It concludes by advocating for the inclusion of sustainability in GBL as a means to develop environmentally conscious citizens. Leveraging the immersive nature of games, educators can cultivate a generation equipped to understand and address sustainability challenges, contributing to innovative educational approaches for promoting sustainable practices.

Politico-Administrative Culture and Public Service Reform in Post-Independence Kazakhstan

Classical organizational management literature draws clear parallels between organizational culture and climate and effective use of power and influence as key to successful policy implementation of reforms in public sector organizations. On the other hand, the public policy literature, in particular, policy transfer as a strand within policy studies, emphasizes the role of the national context, more specifically, ‘facilitators’ and ‘constraints’ of ‘‘politico-administrative culture” within the national context, as crucial to understanding processes of transfer, convergence, and diffusion of public policy. There is a plethora of studies by Western scholars of public management who have successfully utilized these theoretical underpinnings to study the effectiveness of public service reforms in mature policy environments such as the UK, the US, Australia, New Zealand, and others. However, the public policy and comparative public management literature only offers a limited number of case studies from developing, middle-/upper-middle countries, which rely on concepts of organizational management in addition to narratives on the impact of policy learning from global doctrines, such as Weberianism, New Public Management (NPM), and New Public Governance (NPG), and national politics, on the implementation of administrative reforms in those contexts. Kazakhstan, as a resource-affluent post-Soviet country and a bastion of modernization and ‘open government’ in Central Asia or the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in the post-Soviet era is a case in point. Based on ethnographic research consisting of interviews with elite academics, civil servants, and think-tank activists, as well as reviews of OECD and government strategy reports in Astana, the findings point to a potential abatement of the impact of context constraints such as large power distance and collectivist behavior by context facilitators such as those surrounding the use of ‘trilingualism’ and public diplomacy towards reforms in Kazakhstan particularly in recent years.

Globalisation and competitive strategies of firms in traditional manufacturing sectors of the West Midlands

In the context of globalisation, the sustainability of traditional manufacturing sectors depends on the ability of firms to modernise and diversify. To remain competitive against emerging economies in high-volume and low-technology areas, firms must engage in high-value manufacturing. This paper uses theoretical underpinnings from strategic management and place-based approaches to provide a historical account of competitive strategies of traditional manufacturing firms in the West Midlands region of the UK between 2010 and 2012 where the automotive, ceramics, glass and clothing sectors are examined. The research methodology is based on critical realist philosophy, which emphasizes an in-depth understanding of firm behaviour and acknowledges sensitivity to differences in decision-making. The paper highlights the complexity of competitive behaviour, which is influenced by enabling and constraining factors. While the evidence presented in the paper is from 2010 to 2012, it emphasizes the need for a participatory, farsighted, and proactive policy approach to retain the historic industrial character of the region.

Unveiling the lifeblood of cities: Identifying urban ecological networks from the perspective of biodiversity conservation

Urban biodiversity faces threats from habitat loss, landscape fragmentation, and human disturbances. Ecological networks (ENs) can enhance habitat connectivity and bolster population resilience to disruptions. To safeguard the biodiversity of Nanjing's urban area, this study selected understory insectivorous birds as indicator species for biodiversity, employing a comprehensive approach integrating the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model and the area threshold method to delineate ecological source areas. Key indicators directly linked to the species distribution were extracted based on the habitat suitability assessment results, and an ecological resistance surface was crafted using spatial principal component analysis. Subsequently, the circuit theory model was applied to pinpoint ecological corridors, pinch points, and barrier points. The findings unveiled the following: (1) The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), human activities (HA), and canopy height (CH) were critical indicators influencing biodiversity. The response curves of the NDVI and CH were positively correlated with the probability distribution of indicator species, while the response curve of the HA showed an overall negative correlation with the same distribution. (2) The spatial distribution characteristics of the ecological network revealed a ‘one axis, two cores, intersecting’ pattern. Ecological sources were supported by mountainous forests and riverside green spaces, symmetrically distributed on both sides of the Yangtze River. Ecological corridors were forming continuous tree belts along highways and riverways, predominantly concentrated on the eastern side of the Yangtze River. Ecological pinch points and barriers were primarily located at the intersections of fragmented green spaces and developed areas in the northeastern and southeastern regions of the study area. (3) This study finally identified 30 ecological source areas, 65 ecological corridors, 8 pinch points, and 8 barrier points. This study presents a construction paradigm for urban ENs from the vantage point of biodiversity conservation, including both regional specificity and universal applicability, providing vital theoretical underpinnings and pragmatic insights for urban sustainability.

An Evidence-Based Nurse-Led Intervention to Reduce Diabetes Distress Among Adults With Type 1 Diabetes and Diabetes Distress (REDUCE): Development of a Complex Intervention Using Qualitative Methods Informed by the Medical Research Council Framework.

Diabetes distress refers to the negative emotional reaction to living with the demands of diabetes; it occurs in >40% of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, no interventions to reduce diabetes distress are specifically designed to be an integral part of diabetes care. This study aims to modify and adapt existing evidence-based methods into a nurse-led group intervention to reduce diabetes distress among adults with T1D and moderate to severe diabetes distress. The overall framework of this study was informed by the initial phase of the Medical Research Council's complex intervention framework that focused on undertaking intervention identification and development to guide the adaptation of the intervention. This study took place at 2 specialized diabetes centers in Denmark from November 2019 to June 2021. A total of 36 adults with T1D participated in 10 parallel workshops. A total of 12 diabetes-specialized nurses were interviewed and participated in 1 cocreation workshop; 12 multidisciplinary specialists, including psychologists, educational specialists, and researchers, participated in 4 cocreation workshops and 14 feedback meetings. Data were analyzed by applying a deductive analytic approach. The intervention included 5 biweekly 2.5-hour small group sessions involving adults with T1D and diabetes distress. Guided by a detailed step-by-step manual, the intervention was delivered by 2 trained diabetes specialist nurses. The intervention material included visual conversation tools covering seven diabetes-specific sources derived from the 28-item Type 1 Diabetes Distress Scale for measuring diabetes distress: (1) powerlessness, (2) self-management, (3) fear of hypoglycemia, (4) food and eating, (5) friends and family, (6) negative social perception, and (7) physician distress. The tools are designed to kick-start awareness and sharing of diabetes-specific challenges and strengths, individual reflections, as well as plenary and peer-to-peer discussions about strategies to manage diabetes distress, providing new perspectives on diabetes worries and strategies to overcome negative emotions. Diabetes specialist nurses expressed a need for a manual with descriptions of methods and detailed guidelines for using the tools. To deliver the intervention, nurses need increased knowledge about diabetes distress, how to support diabetes distress reduction, and training and supervision to improve skills. This co-design study describes the adaptation of a complex intervention with a strong evidence base, including detailed reporting of the theoretical underpinnings and core mechanisms.

Integrating lean production and agile project management: a planning and control model for multi-project environments in construction

The Last Planner System (LPS) and Scrum are established planning and control methods that have produced positive results in managing complex projects. They are based on two different but overlapping theoretical frameworks: Lean Production and Agile Project Management. However, there is a lack of academic studies on how to combine those methods and whether their theoretical underpinnings are compatible. Furthermore, previous studies about those methods have not addressed the context of multiple projects developed simultaneously, and the connections between project management from the perspective of client organisations and production management from the perspective of suppliers. This research work proposes a planning and control model for this context. Using Design Science Research (DSR), an empirical study was carried out at a department store company in Brazil. The practical contributions of this study are related to adapting and combining LPS and Scrum elements to the context investigated. The model includes innovative practices, such as integrated look-ahead planning meetings between the project and the production management levels and using Scrum practices to remove certain constraints. This study also sheds light on the commonalities and differences between LPS and Scrum based on how they support the application of important production principles in construction.

Multiphase field model of cells on a substrate: From three dimensional to two dimensional

Multiphase field models have emerged as an important computational tool for understanding biological tissue while resolving single-cell properties. While they have successfully reproduced many experimentally observed behaviors of living tissue, the theoretical underpinnings have not been fully explored. We show that a two-dimensional version of the model, which is commonly employed to study tissue monolayers, can be derived from a three-dimensional version in the presence of a substrate. We also show how viscous forces, which arise from friction between different cells, can be included in the model. Finally, we numerically simulate a tissue monolayer and find that intercellular friction tends to solidify the tissue. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

An integrative conceptual framework for analysing professional learning processes in reading groups for teachers (RGfTs)

ABSTRACT It has been proposed that reading groups for teachers (RGfTs), sometimes called teacher book clubs or professional book study programmes, can be a low-cost yet effective approach to teacher professional development. Yet research on this approach has been relatively fragmented, particularly in its conceptual and theoretical underpinnings, thereby limiting future progress in the field. This conceptual paper addresses this gap by critically appraising and synthesising the theoretical foundations and empirical findings of this nascent field. Adding to our synthesis, we then propose four theoretical resources which we argue are integral to teacher learning, resulting in an integrative conceptual framework that allows researchers to ‘zoom in or out’ on two salient principles and four learning processes that pertain to RGfTs.

Law, Commodification, and the Distribution of Resources

Abstract By exploring the historical and theoretical underpinnings of law as a source of distributional inequities and resource depletion, in tandem with its influence on investment in tangible and intangible assets in contemporary capitalism, this special issue paves the way for new understandings that might better promote shared community interests in sustainability and social equality.

Mapping the Landscape of Trauma-Informed Care in Social Work: A Critical Scoping Review.

Trauma-informed care (TIC) has gained significant traction in social work over the last decade, becoming a key organizing principle despite a dearth of empirical evidence attesting to its effectiveness. Addressing this paradox, our scoping review examines TIC's conceptualization and application in the field, exploring its theoretical underpinnings and empirical support. We analyzed 131 peer-reviewed articles from 2012 to 2022, following Arksey and O'Malley's framework, with inclusion criteria focused on English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles on TIC within U.S. social work. The identification of articles involved a systematic search across three online databases-Social Service Abstracts, Social Science Citation Index, and Social Work Abstracts-using the search terms "trauma informed*" and "social work" to capture relevant articles through keywords, subject headings, and titles. Our analysis revealed a broad understanding of trauma and a tendency toward emphasizing individual-level experiences, with infrequent acknowledgment of institutional or structural trauma. While TIC is applied across diverse domains, particularly in education and child welfare, its practical application lacks clarity and specificity. Critically, we found a reliance on the perceived prevalence of trauma rather than robust research to justify TIC's adoption. The inconsistent use of theory, primarily at the micro-level, and the wide range of practices resembling established social work methods raise questions about TIC's distinctiveness and unique contribution. Considering these findings, we urge a critical reassessment of TIC, focusing on its implications for practice and research.

Anticausativization in Gyalrongic languages

Abstract This article presents a comprehensive survey of anticausativization within Gyalrongic languages, a group of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in Sichuan, China, contributing significantly to our understanding of this phenomenon’s theoretical and diachronic underpinnings. The research affirms that anticausative alternation is predominantly associated with verbs that exhibit a change of state semantics. This categorization includes decausative and autocausative verbs, further subdivided in Gyalrongic languages into specific semantic groups such as Separation, Removal, Physical Transformation, etc. Certain verbs with agent-oriented meanings also undergo anticausative alternation, calling for a revision of previous claims. Gyalrongic languages demonstrate a unique trend in their use of anticausative marking, deviating from global patterns by avoiding the polyfunctional employment of these markers. The article traces the origins of anticausative marking to a spontaneous / non-volitional action prefix and identifies the emergence of a new non-volitional prefix that has overtones of anticausative marking, descending from an orientational / TAME prefix.

The current research status of Kansei engineering in the field of emotional clothing design

PurposeThis study provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape of Kansei engineering (KE) within the domain of emotional clothing design. It explores the pivotal technologies, challenges and potential future directions of KE, offering application methodologies and theoretical underpinnings to support emotional clothing design.Design/methodology/approachThis study briefly introduces KE, outlining its overarching research methodologies and processes. This framework lays the groundwork for advancing research in clothing Kansei. Subsequently, by reviewing literature from both domestic and international sources, this research initially explores the application of KE in the design and evaluation of clothing products as well as the development of intelligent clothing design systems from the vantage point of designers. Second, it investigates the role of KE in the customization of online clothing recommendation systems and the optimization of retail environments, as perceived by consumers. Finally, with the research methodologies of KE as a focal point, this paper discusses the principal challenges and opportunities currently confronting the field of clothing Kansei research.FindingsAt present, studies in the domain of clothing KE have achieved partial progress, but there are still some challenges to be solved in the concept, technical methods and area of application. In the future, multimodal and multisensory user Kansei acquisition, multidimensional product deconstruction, artificial intelligence (AI) enabling KE research and clothing sales environment Kansei design will become new development trends.Originality/valueThis study provides significant directions and concepts in the technology, methods and application types of KE, which is helpful to better apply KE to emotional clothing design.

A Polyphonic Debate on Social Equity Budgeting

ABSTRACTThis paper is polyphonic (i.e., a debate involving multiple perspectives) and highlights emerging interdisciplinary thoughts on past, current, and future social equity budgeting (SEB). We present a vision for the field and emphasize the potential impact of this paper. We hope to enliven debates regarding context, underpinning philosophies, and methods, thus fostering a greater theoretical and practical reconsideration of SEB. The impact of this paper is significant, as it leads to a fundamental rethinking of SEB and related research, profoundly influencing the field. To do so, this paper has brought together 10 international scholars to foster an interdisciplinary approach regarding views and strategies. The richness of looking at a plurality of perspectives enables exploring developments that open the potential for a much greater theoretical and practical reconsideration of SEB and related research. The paper shows that while there is much convergence on the importance of ongoing research on gender, race, and class, there can also be more research on areas such as SEB's philosophical, theoretical, and empirical underpinnings that need further development.

The Dependence of Growth on the Profitability of Capital in the Kaleckian Literature: A Critical Evaluation

ABSTRACT Kaleckian models can be considered as the most relevant set of theoretical works which study growth as a demand-led phenomenon. In these models, the pace of accumulation depends on demand expansion and on different measures of capital profitability. The relevance of the latter is generally assumed without any in-depth scrutiny of theoretical principles. This article identifies the theoretical underpinnings of this alleged dependence and reconsiders and develops the criticisms of them which can be found in the literature. This analysis leads to argue that this fundamental assumption of the Kaleckian models is not sufficiently argued as much as its cruciality would require. In particular, we will critically review the following assumptions: (i) the identification between the expected rate of profit and the realized rate of profit, (ii) the role of the normal (and therefore expected) rate of profit as a quantitative regulator of the amount of investment, (iii) the automatic identification between the possibilities for financing investments, due to realized profits, and the realization of a corresponding level of actual investments.

Intelligent Swarm: Concept, Design and Validation of Self-Organized UAVs Based on Leader–Followers Paradigm for Autonomous Mission Planning

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, are omnipresent and have grown in popularity due to their wide potential use in many civilian sectors. Equipped with sophisticated sensors and communication devices, drones can potentially form a multi-UAV system, also called an autonomous swarm, in which UAVs work together with little or no operator control. According to the complexity of the mission and coverage area, swarm operations require important considerations regarding the intelligence and self-organization of the UAVs. Factors including the types of drones, the communication protocol and architecture, task planning, consensus control, and many other swarm mobility considerations must be investigated. While several papers highlight the use cases for UAV swarms, there is a lack of research that addresses in depth the challenges posed by deploying an intelligent UAV swarm. Against this backdrop, we propose a computation framework of a self-organized swarm for autonomous and collaborative missions. The proposed approach is based on the Leader–Followers paradigm, which involves the distribution of ROS nodes among follower UAVs, while leaders perform supervision. Additionally, we have integrated background services that autonomously manage the complexities relating to task coordination, control policy, and failure management. In comparison with several research efforts, the proposed multi-UAV system is more autonomous and resilient since it can recover swiftly from system failure. It is also reliable and has been deployed on real UAVs for outdoor survey missions. This validates the applicability of the theoretical underpinnings of the proposed swarming concept. Experimental tests carried out as part of an area coverage mission with 6 quadcopters (2 leaders and 4 followers) reveal that the proposed swarming concept is very promising and inspiring for aerial vehicle technology. Compared with the conventional planning approach, the results are highly satisfactory, highlighting a significant gain in terms of flight time, and enabling missions to be achieved rapidly while optimizing energy consumption. This gives the advantage of exploring large areas without having to make frequent downtime to recharge and/or charge the batteries. This manuscript has the potential to be extremely useful for future research into the application of unmanned swarms for autonomous missions.

Theoretical Underpinnings of the Political Priorities of Municipal Healthcare Services in Norway

Theoretical Underpinnings of the Political Priorities of Municipal Healthcare Services in Norway