Transformation Approach Research Articles

A Knowledge-Based Planning model for IMRT in breast and lung cancer

The advent of Knowledge-Based Planning (KBP) models has introduced a transformative approach to Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) treatment planning in breast cancer and lung cancer cases. This paper explores the application of KBP models to these specific cancer types, highlighting their potential to enhance treatment accuracy, efficiency, and patient outcomes. By leveraging historical treatment data and machine learning techniques, KBP-IMRT offers a data-driven framework for optimizing dose distributions, minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissues, and improving overall treatment plan quality. Through a comprehensive review of the literature and clinical case studies, this paper underscores the advantages of KBP-IMRT, such as streamlined planning processes and improved plan consistency, while acknowledging the challenges associated with model development and implementation. As the field of radiotherapy continues to evolve, KBP models hold the promise of shaping the future of personalized and precise cancer treatment strategies.

The Role of Heads of Departments (HODs) in University Management: Leadership and Accountability in Academic Success

The important role that heads of departments (HODs) play in university administration is examined in this article, with particular attention paid to their responsibility and leadership duties in promoting academic achievement. HODs now have a major role in determining the operational results and strategic direction of their departments as well as the evolution of academic institutions and the conventional administrative roles that they once held. Successful HODs strike a balance between administrative and academic responsibilities, fostering a climate that supports academic performance via transformative and collaborative leadership approaches. But along with this leadership comes a big accountability burden: HODs must make sure that faculty performance, research, and teaching meet high standards. The tactics that HODs may use to improve their leadership skills and maintain accountability are discussed in this article. These tactics include professional development, delegating, and fostering a transparent culture. The article also discusses the difficulties HODs encounter, including those related to institutional politics and resource limitations, which can make it difficult for them to carry out their duties in an efficient manner. This article provides a thorough understanding of the function of HODs in university administration and their vital role in ensuring the academic success of their institutions through a combination of theoretical ideas and real-world experiences.

Advancing immunisation information systems: a proposal for the “unvaccinated registry”

Abstract Through a systematic review of 253 studies, we identified significant advancements in IIS functionalities including real-time data access, interoperability, and life-course vaccination records, crucial for robust public health responses. Our review reveals that vaccinations are vital for public health and societal welfare; however, vaccine hesitancy is a significant barrier, driven by complex factors. Most IIS implementations predominantly utilise web-based platforms focused on children’s vaccinations with features that enhance data interoperability and public health surveillance. Despite these advancements, gaps in vaccine coverage and hesitancy mapping persist due to suboptimal data integration and system interoperability. Parallelly, we propose a comprehensive registry that includes unvaccinated individuals, aiming to address vaccine hesitancy by integrating demographic and socio-economic data. This initiative promises to enhance health equity by providing actionable insights into vaccination gaps and facilitating targeted interventions. Ethical considerations, particularly data privacy, are paramount, as well as adhering to regulations such as GDPR to ensure the protection of personal health information. The integration of IIS with a registry that includes unvaccinated populations represents a transformative approach to public health, potentially increasing vaccine coverage and effectively informing policy decisions. This dual strategy leverages not only technological advancements but also incorporates essential behavioural insights, offering a path forward in the ongoing battle against vaccine-preventable diseases. This model aligns with the Italian National Vaccination Prevention Plan and underscores proactive, evidence-based strategies to enhance vaccination uptake, serving as a cornerstone for broader application in other national contexts.

AI-Powered Post-Discharge Monitoring to Prevent Patients Readmissions and Reduce Workforce Burden

Abstract Background Patient readmission poses a significant burden on healthcare systems, straining resources, negatively impacting patient treatment, and it is often a Public Health problem. Traditional post-discharge follow-up methods, such as phone calls, often lack efficiency and personalization. Artificial intelligence (e.g., Machine Learning (ML)) offers a transformative approach that can potentially improve post-discharge care. Methods This scoping review aimed to map existing research on AI-powered solutions for post-discharge monitoring, focusing on their application in risk stratification and their potential for reducing hospital readmissions within a public health framework. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a search was conducted across four databases using keywords related to AI, post-discharge, and risk stratification. Results Studies published between 2018 and January 2024 were included if they described the development and application of an ML model in a post-discharge setting for risk stratification. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Tree-based algorithms, particularly XGBoost, were the predominant ML approach, with promising performance metrics for readmission risk prediction. Conclusions However, limitations were identified, including restricted generalizability due to data source limitations and a lack of real-time implementation in many studies. This review highlights the potential of AI in post-discharge monitoring, particularly the use of ML for risk stratification, as a promising tool for public health contact tracing. While challenges remain regarding generalizability and real-world implementation, the findings suggest AI holds immense promise for improving post-discharge care, potentially reducing readmissions, and optimizing resource allocation. Future research with broader datasets and real-time applications can further solidify the role of AI in revolutionizing post-discharge care within public health systems. Key messages • This study shows the potential of AI and risk stratification in post-discharge monitoring, improving public health outcomes by reducing hospital readmissions and optimizing the healthcare workforce. • This review highlights the value of AI in public health, particularly for improving post-discharge care through effective prediction of high-risk readmissions.

Reflections on the Health System Impact Fellowship and the Future of Embedded Research Comment on "Early Career Outcomes of Embedded Research Fellows: An Analysis of the Health System Impact Fellowship Program".

The Health System Impact (HSI) Fellowship program in Canada offers a transformative approach to health services and policy research (HSPR) training, preparing PhD graduates for diverse career pathways and leadership roles within learning health systems. This commentary builds on Kasaai and colleagues' evaluation of the HSI Fellowship to discuss the diverse career paths of alumni and highlight the multifaceted benefits of the program. Further, we emphasize the need for future research and knowledge mobilization to better understand and evaluate embedded research roles. Developing a robust evaluation framework is essential to capture the unique impacts of embedded research, fostering a culture that prioritizes and integrates it, thereby driving the transformation towards learning health systems.

PRAYER AND VIGILANCE: A BIBLICAL AND PHILOKALIAN APPROACH TO THE RENEWAL AND PROTECTION OF THE NOUS

This article examines the biblical and Philokalian approach to renewing and protecting the nous or intellect (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:17), proposing that prayer and nepsis (vigilance) are essential strategies for mitigating the influence of logismoi and passions. Analysis reveals that these practices are vital in cultivating authentic Christian spirituality. The Philokalia invites a reevaluation of spiritual perspectives, offering a novel framework that integrates an investigative tool, therapeutic technique, and theoretical insights into the human mind. This study highlights how these ancient practices can be adapted to modern psychotherapeutic interventions, providing a transformative approach to revitalizing our nous faculties. The findings underscore the relevance of the Philokalia in contemporary spiritual and psychological contexts, introducing innovative methods for addressing spiritual and emotional challenges in today's world. This article aims to bridge ancient spiritual wisdom with contemporary therapeutic practices, offering new insights and practical applications for enhancing mental and spiritual well-being.

Indigenous Peoples and Social Protection: The Case of the Peruvian Amazon

The persistence of indigenous poverty and exclusion is one of the main challenges for social policy in Latin America. Social protection programmes, in particular conditional cash transfers, have been among the main instruments used by governments over the past two decades to respond to the high incidence of poverty in indigenous contexts. The inclusion of indigenous peoples as social protection beneficiaries remains a largely unexplored topic, despite its relevance to understand social policy trajectories in the global South. This article discusses the expansion of poverty alleviation social programmes in the Peruvian Amazon. Although the expansion of these programmes increased the state’s capacity to deliver welfare services in historically excluded areas, it also revealed the limitations of existing social protection instruments to effectively respond to indigenous poverty and vulnerability. Addressing this challenge constitutes a key opportunity to promote transformative approaches in social protection systems in Latin America.

Solving Ambiguity in EBSD Indexing of Long-Period Stacking Ordered (LPSO) Phase in Mg with Template Matching Approach

Magnesium (Mg) alloys with long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases are receiving increasing interest because of their excellent mechanical performance. The close similarity in atomic stacking sequences between different LPSO polytypes and Mg lattice often leads to ambiguous indexing in electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), a commonly used material characterization technique. Instead of the Hough transformation approach used in commercial software, an alternative indexing approach, which can catch subtle differences by matching experimental patterns with simulated ones, is explored in this study. Our results, showing ~94% of mapping data being correctly indexed as the target phase, 14H LPSO, demonstrate the capability of not only resolving the LPSO phases but also distinguishing different LPSO polytypes. This approach offers a valuable, if not unique, solution for the microscale characterization of LPSO phases, enabling precise microstructure tuning to further promote the mechanical properties of Mg alloys.

Smart Cities and Education in the Digital Economy New Research Agenda for Operations Management in the Digital Economy

Smart Cities represent a transformative approach to urbanization, leveraging technology to enhance sustainability, efficiency, and quality of life for inhabitants. By integrating advanced data analytics, Io T (Internet of Things) devices, and interconnected infrastructure, Smart Cities aim to enhance urban living through integrated technology, promoting economic growth, sustainability, and community engagement to optimize resource utilization and enhance urban mobility, foster economic growth, and promote citizen engagement. This abstract captures the essence of how technology can revolutionize urban living, enhancing the responsiveness of cities, resilient, and adaptable to the needs of their residents.

Shrinkage estimation of gene interaction networks in single-cell RNA sequencing data

BackgroundGene interaction networks are graphs in which nodes represent genes and edges represent functional interactions between them. These interactions can be at multiple levels, for instance, gene regulation, protein-protein interaction, or metabolic pathways. To analyse gene interaction networks at a large scale, gene co-expression network analysis is often applied on high-throughput gene expression data such as RNA sequencing data. With the advance in sequencing technology, expression of genes can be measured in individual cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) provides insights of cellular development, differentiation and characteristics at the transcriptomic level. High sparsity and high-dimensional data structures pose challenges in scRNAseq data analysis.ResultsIn this study, a sparse inverse covariance matrix estimation framework for scRNAseq data is developed to capture direct functional interactions between genes. Comparative analyses highlight high performance and fast computation of Stein-type shrinkage in high-dimensional data using simulated scRNAseq data. Data transformation approaches also show improvement in performance of shrinkage methods in non-Gaussian distributed data. Zero-inflated modelling of scRNAseq data based on a negative binomial distribution enhances shrinkage performance in zero-inflated data without interference on non zero-inflated count data.ConclusionThe proposed framework broadens application of graphical model in scRNAseq analysis with flexibility in sparsity of count data resulting from dropout events, high performance, and fast computational time. Implementation of the framework is in a reproducible Snakemake workflow https://github.com/calathea24/ZINBGraphicalModel and R package ZINBStein https://github.com/calathea24/ZINBStein.

Introducing listening as a weak method for advancing sustainability and interdisciplinary scholarship

AbstractThere is now widespread recognition of the need for inter/transdisciplinary (I/TD) approaches to solving global problems like climate change and biodiversity. Yet methods for successfully integrating knowledge across disciplines, and between research and practice, are in need of further development, particularly approaches that can ameliorate epistemological and ontological divides. Here we propose a framework for good listening as a ‘weak method’ that can provide guidance and structure to I/TD collaborations, but does not assume the form and goals a given collaboration will take. Synthesising the results of a scoping, interdisciplinary literature review, we highlight four key components of listening—receiving, processing, interpretation, and feedback/response—and provide a set of normative values regarding ‘good listening’ for each. Our goal is to provide a framework that is grounded in detailed scholarly discussions of listening politics and practice, but that is specifically formulated in response to the needs and concerns of I/TD researchers. We then apply our framework to four commonly encountered challenges in sustainability science, drawing on our collective experience in the field to explore how good listening can aid I/TD collaboration in regards to inclusion, group dynamics, format and pace. In doing so, we hope to inspire those working in sustainability science to approach I/TD collaboration in a new way and provide a tool for facilitating caring and transformational approaches to solving the world’s most pressing sustainability crises.

Importance of Eco-Entrepreneurship as a Tool for Climate Action and LowCarbon Transition in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Nigeria

Climate change poses socio-economic, legal and environmental vulnerabilities such as land degradation, biodiversity loss, loss of property and livelihood, increase poverty rate and a threat to public health. These impacts are said to only intensify with projected increase in population and global economic growth. Hence, global consensus advocate for decarbonisation and low carbon transition in all economic sectors as an effective mitigation strategy for climate change. In an attempt to lower carbon emissions, leading cooperation’s and organizations have focused on mitigation projects that regulate activities of cooperate actors and big CO2 emitters such as the oil and gas conglomerates. However, the United Nation Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) promotes a transformative bottom-up approach to address climate change via localism and citizen participation to educate and train eco-entrepreneurs or ecopreneurs who participate and engage in strategic entrepreneurship projects designed to actively decarbonize economies. These ecopreneurs generate home-grown sustainabilityfocused small and medium scale eco-enterprises (SMEEs), also called energy citizens, ecological citizens, energy communities and co-operatives that can develop sustainable business model innovations, nature-based services and solutions, sustainable business management strategies, technologies and green jobs needed to drive the low carbon transition in key CO2 -emitting economic sectors such as the energy, agriculture, transportation, waste management, food, tourism, building and architecture and fashion industries. This article examines the characteristics, nature and benefits of eco-entrepreneurship as a tool for advancing climate action and low carbon energy transition. Using Nigeria as a case study, a profile of the barriers slowing the growth of eco-entrepreneurship is identified within the PESTEL framework. Furthermore, drawing examples from the U.K. governance landscape and portfolio, recommendations on a transformative yet contextual strategy captured in the five transformative features (diversity, connectivity, polycentricity, redundancy and directionality) are made to interrogate and overcome entrepreneurial ecosystem barriers towards successfully supporting the rapid growth of eco-entrepreneurship.

An Efficient System for Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of Elite Cultivars in Brassica juncea

Efficient genetic transformation approaches play pivotal roles in both gene function research and crop breeding. However, stable transformation in mustard, particularly for different horticultural types, has not been systematically studied and well-established so far. In this study, we optimized the key factors in the genetic transformation of mustard, including the optical density value of Agrobacterium suspension, the age of explants, and the combination of phytohormones at different concentrations. As a result, the optimal conditions for the genetic transformation of leaf and stem mustard included hypocotyl explants derived from 4-day-old seedlings, infection by 0.8 OD600nm Agrobacterium suspension, and then re-differentiation on a medium containing 4 mg/L trans-zeatin (tZ) and 0.1 mg/L indoleacetic acid (IAA) for leaf mustard, and for stem mustard, re-differentiation on a medium containing 2 mg/L tZ and 0.4 mg/L IAA, with positive rates of 4.74% and 5.26%, respectively. Those for root mustard were hypocotyl explants derived from 8-day-old seedlings, infection by 0.2 OD600nmAgrobacterium suspension, and a medium containing 2 mg/L tZ and 0.1 mg/L IAA, with a positive rate of 4.42%. Overall, this work provides an effective tool for both the theoretical study and genetic improvement of Brassica juncea.

Evolution of Copolymers of Epoxides and CO2: Catalysts, Monomers, Architectures, and Applications.

The copolymerization of CO2 and epoxides presents a transformative approach to converting greenhouse gases into aliphatic polycarbonates (CO2-PCs), thereby reducing the polymer industry's dependence on fossil resources. Over the past 50 years, a wide array of metallic catalysts, both heterogeneous and homogeneous, have been developed to achieve precise control over polymer selectivity, sequence, regio-, and stereoselectivity. This review details the evolution of metal-based catalysts, with a particular focus on the emergence of organoborane catalysts, and explores how these catalysts effectively address kinetic and thermodynamic challenges in CO2/epoxides copoly2merization. Advances in the synthesis of CO2-PCs with varied sequence and chain architectures through diverse polymerization protocols are examined, alongside the applications of functional CO2-PCs produced by incorporating different epoxides. The review also underscores the contributions of computational techniques to our understanding of copolymerization mechanisms and highlights recent advances in the closed-loop chemical recycling of CO2-sourced polycarbonates. Finally, the industrialization efforts of CO2-PCs are discussed, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and future potential of epoxide copolymerization with CO2.

Paper‐Based Electronics: Toward Sustainable Electronics

AbstractThe emergence of paper‐based electronic devices marks a significant leap forward in the design of flexible, lightweight, and eco‐friendly electronics. Paper‐based electronic sensors represent a transformative approach to creating flexible, lightweight, and environmentally friendly electronics. This review will discuss recent applications of paper‐based electronics, mainly in exploring emergent technologies employed in developing innovative sensors for chemical analysis. Furthermore, the role of paper‐based electronics in electrochemical, and physical sensing, specifically addressing relative humidity, temperature, pressure, and strain sensors will be commented. In addition, the integration of paper electronics in energy harvesting and storage is discussed, covering solar cells, tribogenerators, antennas, and supercapacitors. These advancements underscore the versatility and potential of paper‐based electronics in diverse applications, from wearable health monitors to sustainable energy solutions, paving the way for the future of recyclable and biodegradable electronic devices.

Towards a transformation approach from SecureUML to ‎Alloy

In critical information systems, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) has been frequently used. The specification of access control policies is an essential step in securing information systems. This article presents a transformative approach for addressing design challenges within these specifications using Model-Driven Architecture (MDA). A method is introduced for specifying and verifying model-based access control (RBAC) rules by combining SecureUML and Alloy, referred to as SecureUML2Alloy. This approach leverages transformation techniques based on metamodels to express the SecureUML source model in the Alloy target model. The SecureUML2Alloy framework allows for the generation of an initial Alloy code that can be extended with facts, functions, and predicates depending on the case. The transformative framework offers a reliable, automated mechanism for verifying security specifications in critical systems, promoting both theoretical and practical advancements in model transformation and formal verification. This method provides a pathway for future automation tools in secure system design and analysis, contributing to the reliability and security of software systems across multiple fields.

Restorative justice and social justice: an international perspective

ABSTRACT This article examines the relationships between restorative justice and social justice from a global viewpoint. Restorative justice, traditionally viewed as a transformative approach within criminal justice systems, is constructed as a catalyst for broader social justice reforms. Drawing on data from a series of online workshops, including participants from North America, Europe, and Africa, reflexive thematic analysis was used to generate perspectives on how restorative practices address social injustices. Findings highlight varied interpretations across different socio-political contexts, suggesting that although restorative justice may inherently hold transformative potential, its efficacy in fostering social justice is contingent on conscious integration of social justice considerations. This article contributes to the ongoing debate on the role of restorative justice in societal change, arguing that a nuanced application, which acknowledges the complexities of social injustices, can enhance impact beyond individual cases, and contribute meaningfully to the pursuit of social justice on a broader scale.

The Business Model Canvas (BMC) Approach for Community-Based Ecotourism (CBET) Strategy and Business Transformation in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), Tamil Nadu, India

Alexander Osterwalder’s Business Model Canvas (BMC) is one of trusted and used business frameworks among entrepreneurs, strategists, start-ups, large corporations, and innovators. The BMC in fact, has created ample opportunities to usher in business transformation and help leverage organizations of all hues to greater heights. The framework has used in the manufacturing, services and even the social sector which has ensured its applicability and acceptability. In the current research the BMC is being applied on the tourism sector, with specific reference to Community-based Ecotourism (CBET), wherein a community, in a heavily forested tribal area, have adopted a business model under the guidance of the Forest Department (FD) of the state of Tamil Nadu and have made the best of efforts to i) create livelihood options, ii) capacity building for tourism and hospitality activities, iii) preservation, protection, conservation of the forest area which is part of a UNESCO designated Biodiversity site (Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve (NBR), iv) promote Ecotourism, which has its impacts on the Environment, Society (Social) and Economy (Economic); thereby creating ample opportunities for business transformation. The CBET model has in fact, created benchmarks through the Ecodevelopment Committees (EDC) and Ecotourism Management Committees (ETMC), which are managed at the grassroot level. Every business no doubt requires and plan and strategy, the EDC and ETMC business models have transformed and showcased to the world, what can be done by a community who are not exposed to the world of business, but are affluent about their existence and contribution to protection, preservation, and conservation. The authors have worked with the community over a period, are juxtaposing the thoughts as propounded in the BMC, which will further support in helping in the business transformation of the Community and its tryst with Ecotourism.

Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) into Indigenous Education for Sustainability: The Development and Implementation of a Curriculum Based on Disaster Prevention for Young Children

There are differences between Western mainstream culture and traditional Indigenous culture in the way they address sustainable development. The spirit of sustainability has been emphasized and practiced by Indigenous cultures for hundreds or even thousands of years, but it is increasingly disappearing over time due to the threat of natural disasters. It is necessary to recover this practice of sustainable development from its roots in traditional Indigenous knowledge. This study considers the possibility and utility of incorporating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into Indigenous education for sustainability, a topic that has not been addressed by other studies. Based on a literature review, the proposed framework and content for this study focus on Indigenous disaster prevention. The specific topic was chosen to be most relevant to young Indigenous children. STEM indicators from the US next-generation science standards (NGSS) were referenced to create the proposed STEM teaching objectives, which were designed to be specifically appropriate for Indigenous curricula and teaching activities. Additionally, the cultural curriculum model was adopted to reform the Indigenous curriculum and teaching model by utilizing the transformation and social action approaches. Finally, the five-stage learning cycle was used as the framework to implement the curriculum, intertwined with the principles of the spiral curriculum, to co-construct an instructional example of Indigenous education for sustainability for future reference.

Integration of Renewable Energy Solutions in Agricultural Operations

The integration of renewable energy solutions in agricultural operations presents a transformative approach to enhancing sustainability, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving the economic viability of farming practices and explores the various renewable energy technologies applicable to agriculture, including solar, wind, biomass, and biogas energy solutions. Each technology is examined for its specific applications within the agricultural sector, highlighting its potential benefits and the challenges faced in implementation. Solar energy, through photovoltaic and thermal systems, offers significant potential for powering irrigation, greenhouse operations, and processing facilities, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels and grid electricity. Wind energy, with its ability to generate electricity through turbines, is particularly valuable in regions with consistent wind patterns, contributing to both onfarm energy needs and grid supply. Biomass energy, utilizing agricultural residues and dedicated bioenergy crops, provides a sustainable solution for heating and energy generation, while also addressing waste management challenges. Biogas production, through anaerobic digestion of organic waste, presents a dual benefit of generating renewable energy and improving nutrient recycling in farming systems. Government subsidies, feedin tariffs, research funding, and technical support play pivotal roles in encouraging farmers to transition to renewable energy sources. Case studies from various regions illustrate the practical implementation of these technologies, demonstrating their impact on enhancing agricultural productivity, reducing environmental footprints, and fostering energy independence, including policymakers, researchers, and farmers, about the opportunities and challenges in adopting sustainable energy practices. The findings underscore the importance of continued innovation, supportive policies, and collaborative efforts to achieve a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.