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The complex geometric layout of partial cloverleaf (parclo) interchanges elevates the chances of drivers inadvertently choosing the incorrect ramp or direction. Previous research on wrong-way driving (WWD) has emphasized the frequent incidents at the off-ramp terminals of parclo interchanges. Many WWD incidents that did not result in a collision haven't received enough attention from researchers. Geometric features such as ramp design, signage placement, and interchange layout significantly influence driver behavior and decision-making. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted to explore the correlation between geometric design elements and their impact on WWD incidents at parclo interchange terminals. Over 5000 h of video footage were meticulously reviewed to document instances of WWD at 75 parclo interchange terminals across 13 states. Multiple correspondence analysis was applied to explore the characteristics of the locations with recurring WWD incidents. The results revealed numerous associations among design elements that contributed to the increased risk of WWD incidents, including uncontrolled ramp terminal intersections without street lighting on a two-lane crossroad, poor pavement marking on a wide median between the on- and off-ramps, and so on. The outcomes of this study can be helpful in identifying and improving the critical geometric design criteria in parclo interchanges to minimize WWD incidents. • WWD incidents that did not result in a crash haven't received enough attention from researchers. • Multiple correspondence analysis was applied to reveal the cumulative effect of design elements influencing WWD movements. • Over 5000 h of video footage at 75 parclo interchanges across 13 states were meticulously reviewed. • Large signalized and stop-controlled intersections are less likely to have WWD incidents. • Uncontrolled ramp terminals with two-lane crossroads and poor lighting conditions are strongly associated with WWD incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pearson's X 2 statistic and the likelihood ratio statistic G 2 are most frequently used for testing independence or homogeneity, in two-way contingency table. These indexes are members of a continuous family of Power Divergence (PD) statistics, but they perform badly in studying the association between ordinal categorical variables. Taguchi's and Nair's statistics have been introduced in the literature as simple alternatives to Pearson's index for contingency tables with ordered categorical variables. It's possible to show, using a parameter, how to link Taguchi's and Nair's statistics obtaining a new class called Weighted Cumulative Chi-Squared (WCCS-type tests). Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to introduce a new divergence family based on cumulative frequencies called Weighted Cumulative Power Divergence. Moreover, an extension of Cumulative Correspondence Analysis based on WCCS and further properties are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Jiang‐flavor baijiu (JFB) is a prominent type of Chinese baijiu, known for its unique flavor attributes, sensory experience, and high tasting value. Previous research has mainly focused on the detection and identification of its flavor substances, but in‐depth studies on the precise sensory description and differentiation of its flavor qualities are still lacking. In this study, a rapid sensory analysis method, Pivot Profile (PP), was applied to 30 mainstream JFBs in the Chinese market, generating 91 sensory attributes with independent definitions, from which 29 main sensory attributes were established that were easy to perceive and descriptive, as well as convenient for transmitting their sensory qualities and distinguishing differences in price and production region, including color (one descriptor), aroma (21 descriptors), taste, and mouthfeel (seven descriptors). The nine key sensory attributes that distinguish JFB quality are as follows: Jiang, Grain, Chen, Qu, Rancid, Acid, Sweet, Fullness, and Harmony. It was found that price was positively correlated with sensory quality, with greater variation in the quality of samples within the medium price range (RMB 500–1000). All samples from MTCQ1 (the core production area of Maotai Town) performed better in sensory quality. In addition, salted vegetable showed a high degree of regional characteristics, concentrated in most of the production regions of Guizhou Province. Aroma attributes were more suitable than taste and mouthfeel as sensory indicators for distinguishing production regions. This study has opened the direction of systematic construction of sensory description of JFB and provided a successful case for the evaluation of Chinese baijiu using novel sensory analysis techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce and implement a novel dimension-reduction method for high-dimensional time-varying contingency-tables: the Evolutionary Correspondence Analysis (ECA). ECA enables a comparative analysis of high-dimensional, diachronic processes by identifying a small number of shared latent variables that shape co-evolving data patterns. ECA offers new opportunities for the study of complex social phenomena, such as co-evolving public debates: Its capacity to inductively extract time-varying latent variables from observed contents of evolving debates permits an analysis of meanings shared by linked sub-discourses, such as linked national public spheres or the discourses led by distinct political camps within a shared public sphere. We illustrate the utility of our approach by studying how the Greek and German right-, centre-, and left-leaning news coverage of the European financial crisis evolved between its outbreak in 2009 until its institutional containment in 2012. Comparing the use of 525 unique concepts in six German and Greek outlets with different political leaning over an extended period of time, we identify two common factors accounting for those evolving meanings and analyse how the different sub-discourses influenced one another over time. We allow the factor loadings to be time-varying, and fit to the latent factors a time-varying vector-auto-regressive model with time-varying mean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex geometric layout of partial cloverleaf (parclo) interchanges elevates the chances of drivers inadvertently choosing the incorrect ramp or direction. Previous research on wrong-way driving (WWD) has emphasized the frequent incidents at the off-ramp terminals of parclo interchanges. Many WWD incidents that did not result in a collision haven't received enough attention from researchers. Geometric features such as ramp design, signage placement, and interchange layout significantly influence driver behavior and decision-making. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted to explore the correlation between geometric design elements and their impact on WWD incidents at parclo interchange terminals. Over 5000 h of video footage were meticulously reviewed to document instances of WWD at 75 parclo interchange terminals across 13 states. Multiple correspondence analysis was applied to explore the characteristics of the locations with recurring WWD incidents. The results revealed numerous associations among design elements that contributed to the increased risk of WWD incidents, including uncontrolled ramp terminal intersections without street lighting on a two-lane crossroad, poor pavement marking on a wide median between the on- and off-ramps, and so on. The outcomes of this study can be helpful in identifying and improving the critical geometric design criteria in parclo interchanges to minimize WWD incidents.

Strategic thinking is a complex construct that refers to the cognitive activities of individual strategists. A literature review has identified five dimensions of strategic thinking, each exhibiting a dual nature: attitude towards the environment (confrontational vs. cooperative); level of participation (individual vs. collective); approach to change (exploitation vs. exploration); information processing style (intuitive vs. analytical); and level of flexibility (planned vs. emergent). This article aims to identify how these individual characteristics of strategic thinking cluster and whether recurring patterns can be observed, leading to a typology of strategic thinkers. The study adopts an exploratory approach, with quantitative research conducted on a sample of strategic thinkers in Poland (n=184) using an original validated scale. To identify relationships between the characteristics of strategic thinking, statistical methods for dependency analysis of categorical traits were applied, including multidimensional correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. The research identified three types of strategic thinkers, with correspondence analysis most clearly indicating a type embodied by a confrontational, intuitive, exploring, and planning individualist leader. The quality of the mappings obtained through multidimensional correspondence analysis demonstrates the utility of this method for profiling strategic thinking styles, while hierarchical cluster analysis effectively supports the interpretation of the correspondence analysis results.

We analyze optimal low-rank approximations and correspondence analysis of the dependence structure given by arbitrary bivariate checkerboard copulas. Methodologically, we make use of the truncation of singular value decompositions of doubly stochastic matrices representing the copulas. The resulting (truncated) representations of the dependence structures are sparse, in particular, compared to the number of squares on the checkerboard. The additive structure of the decomposition carries through to statistical functionals of the copula, such as Kendall’s τ\tau or Spearman’s ρ\rho , and also motivates similarity measures for checkerboard copulas. We link our analysis to continuous decompositions of copula densities and copula-generating algorithms and discuss further general properties of the decomposition and its truncation. For example, truncated series might lack nonnegativity, and approximation errors increase for monotonicity-like copulas. We provide algorithms and extensions that account for and counteract these properties. The low-rank representation is illustrated for various copula examples, and some analytical results are derived. The resulting correspondence analysis profile plots are analyzed, providing graphical insights into the dependence structure implied by the copula. An illustration is provided with an empirical data set on fuel injector spray characteristics in jet engines.

Abstract Background Multi-morbidity is a pervasive and growing issue worldwide. The prevalence of multi-morbidity varies across different populations and settings, but it is particularly common among older adults. It poses substantial physical, psychological, and socio-economic burdens on individuals, caregivers and healthcare systems. In this context, the present study aims to provide an insight on the prevalence and degree of multi-morbidity; and also, on the relationship between level of multi-morbidity and morbid conditions among a group of slum-dwelling older women. Methods This community based cross-sectional study was conducted in the slum areas of urban Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It includes total 500 older women, aged 60 years or above. Pre-tested schedules on so-demographic and morbidity profile have canvassed to obtain the information by door-to-door survey. To determine the relationship between the level of multi-morbidity and morbid conditions, correspondence analysis has performed. Results The study revealed three most prevalent morbid conditions- back and/or joint pain, dental caries/cavity and hypertension. The overall prevalence of multi-morbidity was 95.8% in this group of older women. It was highly over-represented by the oldest-old age group (80 years and above). Majority were found to suffer from five simultaneous morbid conditions that accounted for 15.2% of the total respondents. All of the oldest-old women of this study reported to suffer from more than two medical conditions simultaneously. Three distinct groups were formed based on the inter-relationship between level of multi-morbidity and morbid conditions. The group 1 and 2 represents only 27.8% and 18% of the total sample. Whereas, group 3 comprises the highest level of morbidities (≥ 6) and 52.8% of total sample, and strongly related with general debilities, cardiac problems, asthma/COPD, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal problems, neurological disorders, hypothyroidism and oral health issues. Conclusion The findings confirmed the assertion that multi-morbidity in slum living older adults is a problem with high prevalence and complexity. This study proposes an easily replicable approach of understanding complex interaction of morbidities that can help further in identifying the healthcare needs of older adults to provide them with healthy and more productive life expectancy.

Research on workplace bullying from the perpetrators' perspective is limited, leading to few interventions tailored to them. This gap stems from insufficient understanding of how organisational conditions and individual dispositions trigger or amplify perpetrator behaviour. To develop effective interventions in preventing bullying, perceived organisational factors were examined. This study, guided by the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) model and the three-way model of workplace bullying (WB), aims to explore the effects of perceived (im)balances in the task or employee focus, social atmosphere (positive or negative), and hierarchical structure (high or low) in organisations on the incidence of WB, both in terms of perpetrator and target experiences. The research involved 1044 employees from multiple Spanish organisations and sectors: 51.7% in services, 24.6% in education, 14.5% in wholesale and retail trade, and 9.2% in manufacturing. The average age of participants was 35.43 years (SD = 10.9), with a female majority of 61.3%. Using a cross-sectional study design, the experiences of being a target and perpetrator were quantitatively assessed through validated WB target and perpetrator scales. Additionally, the study qualitatively examined employees' perceptions of their organisational context through free descriptions, using adjectives to depict their views. Correspondence analysis was employed to test the hypotheses, and the results affirmed them. The study found that perceived imbalances in organisational focus, social atmosphere, and hierarchy correlate with higher WB target and perpetrator reports, whereas balanced atmospheres correlate with no WB. This research underscores the significance of balanced organisational contexts in mitigating WB. It highlights a gap in the current literature regarding the broader organisational factors that influence bullying and advocates for a more in-depth understanding of these dynamics. Furthermore, it contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a comprehensive and harmonised approach to preventing WB, transcending isolated interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of large rail traffic databases presents formidable challenges for transport system specialists, more particularly while keeping both space and time factors together with the possibility of showing influencing factors related to the users and the transport network environment. To perform such a study, a bibliographic analysis in both statistics and transport revealed that geometrical methods for feature extraction and dimension reduction can be seen as suitable. Since there are several methods/options with, in principle, required input data, this article aims at comparing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Correspondence Analysis (CA) for traffic frequency data, both methods being actually used with such data. The procedure stands as follows. First a grand matrix is built where the rows correspond to time windows and the columns to all the possible origin-destination links. Then this large frequency matrix is studied using PCA and CA. The next part of the procedure consists in studying the effects of influencing factors with the possibility of keeping the quantitative scales with PCA or using fuzzy segmentation with CA, the corresponding data being considered as supplementary column points. The procedure is applied on a rail transport network including 10 stations (one corresponding to the airport) and one-hour time windows for 4 months, the available influencing factors being the temperature, rain level and gas price. The comparative analysis shows that CA graphical outputs are more complicated than PCA ones, but reveal more specific results, e.g. the network user behavior related to the airport, while PCA mainly opposes link clusters with low vs. high frequencies. Fuzzy windowing performed using actual and simulated data reduces the loss of information when averaging, e.g. over time, and can show non-linear relational phenomena. The possibility of displaying new traffic data in real time is also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Recently, the concept of participatory democracy developed in the early 1970s has come back into fashion to revitalize the public involvement in political decision-making processes. Public participation in forest policy has been fully conceptualized by the scientific community in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but in many contexts, the practical application remains unfulfilled. The aim of this study is to identify and analyse the participatory techniques used in the literature to increase knowledge and facilitate its transferability into forest policies and strategies. A literature review was carried out to offer an overview of the participatory techniques adopted in the decision-making process. At the end of the literature review, 24 participatory techniques were identified based on over 2000 publications. Afterwards, the participatory techniques were assessed using seven indicators (degree of participation, type and number of participants, type of selection, time scale, cost, and potential influence on policy). The results showed that the type of actors involved in the participatory technique is a key variable for the complexity and usefulness of the process, while the number of participants influences how information is disseminated. The Correspondence Analysis highlighted that the participatory techniques can be divided into four groups: the first group includes those techniques with a high degree of participation (i.e., collaborate) and a contextual high potential influence on policies (e.g., citizens' juries and wisdom council); the second one includes techniques with a low degree of participation (inform) and influence on policies (e.g., social media, adverting, surveys, and polls); while the third and fourth groups consist of those with a medium–high degree of participation (consult or involve), but a variable type of selection and number of participants, and consequently of time and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores consumer evaluations of Pacific and Southern Bluefin Tuna parts in Japan, using text mining on Rakuten Ichiba reviews from January 2015 to December 2019. Our analysis identified distinct preferences and concerns regarding texture, fat content, and culinary applications, emphasizing species differences. Texture issues, notably sinews in Southern Bluefin Tuna's Akami and unexpected bone in its Chu-toro, highlight the need for improved product descriptions and customer education. Findings imply implications for seafood industry strategies, emphasizing accurate product information for enhanced customer satisfaction. Future research should gather demographic data for tailored strategies. This study demonstrates text mining's role in guiding targeted marketing and refining product in the seafood sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multi-morbidity is a pervasive and growing issue worldwide. The prevalence of multi-morbidity varies across different populations and settings, but it is particularly common among older adults. It poses substantial physical, psychological, and socio-economic burdens on individuals, caregivers and healthcare systems. In this context, the present study aims to provide an insight on the prevalence and degree of multi-morbidity; and also, on the relationship between level of multi-morbidity and morbid conditions among a group of slum-dwelling older women. Methods: This community based cross-sectional study was conducted in the slum areas of urban Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It includes total 500 older women, aged 60 years or above. Pre-tested schedules on so-demographic and morbidity profile have canvassed to obtain the information by door-to-door survey. To determine the relationship between the level of multi-morbidity and morbid conditions, correspondence analysis has performed. Results: The study revealed three most prevalent morbid conditions- back and/or joint pain, dental caries/cavity and hypertension. The overall prevalence of multi-morbidity was 95.8% in this group of older women. It was highly over-represented by the oldest-old age group (80 years and above). Majority were found to suffer from five simultaneous morbid conditions that accounted for 15.2% of the total respondents. All of the oldest-old women of this study reported to suffer from more than two medical conditions simultaneously. Three distinct groups were formed based on the inter-relationship between level of multi-morbidity and morbid conditions. The group 1 and 2 represents only 27.8% and 18% of the total sample. Whereas, group 3 comprises the highest level of morbidities (≥ 6) and 52.8% of total sample, and strongly related with general debilities, cardiac problems, asthma/COPD, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal problems, neurological disorders, hypothyroidism and oral health issues. Conclusion: The findings confirmed the assertion that multi-morbidity in slum living older adults is a problem with high prevalence and complexity. This study proposes an easily replicable approach of understanding complex interaction of morbidities that can help further in identifying the healthcare needs of older adults to provide them with healthy and more productive life expectancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stainless steel is the primary material of the lowerside superheater (LSSH) convection pipe support for petroleum or natural gas. Stainless steel corrosion is a severe challenge in equipment maintenance and operation. Corrosion may cause structural defects, leaks, and even failures in superheater convection pipes that could disrupt production and lead to reduced product quality. The Sigma phase occurrence is an indicator of the existence of stainless-steel corrosion. This corrosion occurs due to the exposure of steel to extremely high temperatures over a long period. The experiment was conducted on ASTM A297 after 24 years of operation. The testing sample was acquired from an Indonesian petrochemical company as part of the LSSH convection pipe support. Specimens of the material were heated at a high temperature over 500 °C. The corrosion process was observed based on the corrosion location and color. To analyze and understand this corrosion problem, correspondence analysis was performed. One statistical technique for examining the relationship between two sets of categorical variables is correspondence analysis. In the context of stainless-steel corrosion, the first variable is corrosion location categorized into three locations: A, B, and C, while the second variable is corrosion color divided into light brown (LBr), dark brown(DBr), bluish blue(BBr), light blue(LBl) and dark blue(DBl). Furthermore, elliptic confidence regions were used to estimate the extent to which points in a two-dimensional space represent different corrosion levels in line with the observed variables. The location and corrosion color of stainless steel are found to be statistically significantly correlated in the results; location A tends to be blue, location B tends to be brown, and location C is uncertain because it depends on whether it is light blue or dark brown. It suggests distribution patterns and identifies areas that are more susceptible to corrosion. These findings assist engineers in making decisions regarding the preservation and maintenance of stainless steel to reduce the corrosion rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Beh and Lombardo (2022, Symmetry, 14, 1103) showed how to perform a correspondence analysis on a two-way contingency table where Bowker's statistic lies at the numerical heart of this analysis. Thus, we showed how this statistic could be used to visually identify departures from perfect symmetry. Interestingly, Bowker's statistic is a special case of the symmetry version of the Cressie–Read family of divergence statistics. Therefore, this paper presents a new framework for visually assessing departures from perfect symmetry using a second-order Taylor series approximation of the Cressie–Read family of divergence statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Journal of Economics / Gospodarka Narodowa is the property of SGH Warsaw School of Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To meet a Brazilian guideline for engineering courses, which advocates the use of active learning in applied disciplines, this research studies new students entering an Engineering course at an important university in Brazil. It was applied to them a traditional MTBI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) questionary with the aim of finding out if there is recurrence of psychological profiles and to understand the characteristics of the freshmen to learning. This information was subjected to statistical analysis to observe the recurrence of the psychological characteristics of freshmen over the years (2017 to 2021). The data was also subjected to the Self Organizing Maps (SOM) machine learning technique, to delineate and group the psychological profiles observed in the students, enabling the analysis of the psychological characteristics and the comparison with the results obtained via statistics. After that, the results from the MBTI Traditional and the SOM clustering were submitted to comparison methods through multivariate statistics and Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). It was found that there is recurrence of psychological characteristics between the years of collection, what were the psychological profiles of these freshmen as to how they learned. It was found that the freshmen surveyed mostly belong to Generation Z (or iGen) and characteristics pertinent to this group were observed. A scenario is obtained to point out the best active learning techniques for these students with the verification of recurrence of profiles and other correlated psychological characteristics, aiming to provide the most effective teaching in the engineering course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern handball, one of the important performance indicators is the effectiveness of the attack, especially the running-in of wingers as line players which has not been explored adequately. The purpose of the study was to analyze the movements of wingers in the organized attack when they run in. Fifty-eight matches were analyzed from the 2022 EHF European Men’s Handball Championship. A total of 491 attacks were recorded and 45 variables were analyzed in which wingers ran in as second pivots and the outcome was a throw. For the statistical analysis, descriptive and inductive statistics were used. The results showed that the average time of the running-in was 12.11 ± 9.28 s, the left wing ran in more often (60.1%) and wingers tended to move outside the defense formation (72.5%). Wingers ran in without the ball in possession (81.1%), moved toward defenders 2 and 5 and stood next to defenders, and occasionally blocked, slid or left their position. The defense’s central zone was preferred by players to make a throw. Correspondence analysis showed that wingers finally returned to their initial position regardless of the evolution of the attack. Their role was to block a specific defender or disorganize the defense, for one defender to be isolated so that one attacking player could execute a shot from the central area. Conclusively, wingers play an important role, especially in run-in actions, at the completion of an attack, and in the final throw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Conulariids are extinct scyphozoans, have benthic and sessile life modes, and inhabited shallow marine platforms. Taphonomic studies of these animals from the Parnaíba Basin are scarce, distinctly from the Paraná Basin. The present work seeks to analyze the taphonomic characteristics of Conularia quichua from the Pimenteira Formation, Parnaíba Basin, and infer deposition events that influenced this fossiliferous concentration. The material is housed at Laboratório de Paleontologia de Macroinvertebrados (LAPALMA) and consists of 43 specimens. The taphonomic signatures used in the analyses were orientation in relation to the bedding plane, concentration, degree of preservation, and theca filling. The cluster and correspondence analyses evidenced two taphonomic classes for single-unit, fragile skeletons of conulariids from Pimenteira Formation: the taphonomic class 1 comprehends obliquely, filled, and complete skeletons; the taphonomic class 2 comprehends concordantly, fragmented, flattened, grouped, and isolated skeletons. A high-stand system tract, after the maximum transgressive surface of the Pimenteira Formation, is interpreted to be the depositional environment of this concentration, where an episodic high-energy event was responsible for the fossiliferous lens. In addition, the lack of preserved calcium carbonate shells suggests acidic conditions, assuming that diagenetic control occurred in this accumulation.

In correspondence analysis (CA), the rows and columns of a contingency table are optimally represented in a k -dimensional approximation, where it is common to set k = 3 (which includes a so-called trivial dimension). Since CA is a dimension reduction technique, we might expect that the k -dimensional approximation is not unique, i.e. there exist several contingency tables with the same k -dimensional approximation. Interestingly, Van de Velden et al. [17] find in their computational experiments that 3-dimensional CA solutions are unique up to rotation, which leads to the question whether this is always the case. We show that k -dimensional CA solutions are not necessarily unique. That is, two distinct contingency tables may have the same k -dimensional approximation. We present necessary and sufficient conditions for the non-uniqueness of CA solutions, which hold for any value of k. Based on our sufficient conditions, we present a procedure to generate contingency tables with the same k -dimensional solution. Finally, we note that it is difficult to satisfy the necessary conditions, which suggests that CA solutions are most likely unique in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporal trends in species' descriptions of new amphibian species in the period 1758–2017 were studied to understand whether the increase in the number of active taxonomists could have influenced the increase in the number of species discovered over the years, and whether there was any differential attention during the various periods towards especially one of three main orders of amphibians (Anura, Caudata or Gymnophiona). These aspects were studied using a suite of statistical methods. We highlighted that the temporal effect was not statistically homogeneous among the amphibian taxa, with a very strong effect of the years (1758–2017) on the species description numbers for only the order Anura. We also showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the number of active taxonomists (that increased remarkably in recent decades) and the yearly number of discovered amphibian species. Moreover, we showed that the rise of new descriptions by year was significantly quicker in the Neotropical region. In future years, it would be interesting to place the observed patterns within the specific history of the countries situated within the various biogeographic regions, including such aspects as the legacy of the 'colonial time', the post-colonization effect, the 'cold war', and the modern times. Further suggestions on possible research about correlation to biogeographic variables, type of rarity, threat category, and eco-behavioral traits of the species have been added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural extension system of India has various kinds of service providers like state agriculture departments, universities, research institutes, Farm Science Centers and private players. This study was conducted in 2020 and attempted to explore the association between average annual net income earned from citrus cultivation and the source of availing citrus extension services through Correspondence Analysis (CA) method of 300 citrus farmers selected from three districts in Maharashtra, India. The farmers with high income (1808.31 to 2,411.09 USD ha-1) received advisory services of the public research institute ICAR-Central Citrus Research Institute (CCRI) through either personal contact or electronic platforms. Awareness about CCRI services, source of seeking citrus cultivation related information, source of purchasing citrus planting material, using CCRI mobile app and website for citrus advisories, and contacting CCRI scientists for solving citrus farming related issues was found to have significant (P< 0.05) positive relationship with net income from citrus farming through Pearsons' correlation coefficient, while cost of cultivation and orchard age had negative significant relationship. The multi-linear regression analysis, depicted cost of cultivation, awareness about CCRI services, source of seeking citrus advisories, and source of purchasing planting material had significant association with net income. The findings of correlation and regression thus emphasized the positive significant association of CCRI's extension services to income from citrus farming. Identifying homogenous target groups of citrus farmers through Classification and Regression Tree (CART) method can serve as policy implication for extension service providers to deliver customized need-based advisories to target clientele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fashion industry is an integral part of people's lives with different purchasing behaviors depending on age and education. In this paper, we focused on the perception of online shopping for second-hand clothes and shoes among Generation Z. This group has a lot of experience in using technology, so online shopping is a suitable way to buy second-hand clothes. The article aims to analyze the online shopping behavior of Gen Z, focusing on benefits, obstacles, environmental awareness, and preferred shopping platforms. We studied consumer preferences in shopping for second-hand clothes based on a sample consisting of 340 respondents representing Generation Z through an online Google Forms questionnaire published from November to January. The results show that price is the biggest advantage of shopping for second-hand clothes. Moreover, we found that the environmental aspect plays a significant role for all consumers, regardless of the online experience of shopping for second-hand clothes and shoes. The correspondence maps demonstrate that consumers with shopping experience planning a future purchase of second-hand clothing are aware of the environmental impact of purchasing clothing together with potential buyers of second-hand clothing, unlike consumers without any interest in purchasing second-hand clothing. These consumers and potential buyers of second-hand clothing consider environmental protection and high-quality, diverse (unique) clothing to be key benefits, in contrast to a smaller selection and used clothing. These conclusions provide a theoretical basis for understanding the sustainability and shopping requirements of the selected group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Española de Sociología is the property of Federacion Espanola de Sociologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study is to describe the emotions that dominated the political vocabulary used on Twitter during the Covid-19 epidemic by the leaders of the major Italian political parties, including Forza Italia, Movimento 5 Stelle, Fratelli d'Italia, Italia Viva, Lega, and Partito Democratico. We developed a 4-step analysis model based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) that combines: (1) Exploratory Textual Data Analysis; (2) Emotion Recognition (ER) for Italian language; (3) cross-tabulation coding between leaders and emotions; (4) the multivariate approach of Correspondence Analysis in order to determine the associations between politicians and four categories of emotions: anger, fear, sadness, and joy. Specifically, we contrasted the language utilized by Covid-19 leaders throughout the first and second waves. The results reveal an intriguing shift in the emotions communicated through political discourse between the first and second waves. Giorgia Meloni's position as head of Fratelli d'Italia shifted significantly from fury to fear and grief, aligning her more with centrists and foreshadowing a serious rift in the right-wing and the balance of coalitions in the political arena. Giorgia Meloni became Italy's Prime Minister in September 2022. This political success shows that the sentiment analysis done in this paper could be a good way to predict the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordinary independent component analysis cannot suitably handle the spherically symmetrical distributed subspaces that reflect the hue relations. Therefore, a method based on independent subspace analysis or multidimensional independent component analysis is presented for rotating a configuration in which color symbolism is visualized. Assuming two-dimensional spherically symmetric distributions for some pairs of dimensions, the proposed method aligns the axes into mutually independent spherically symmetrical spaces and sparse dimensions. The L2-norm of the data points in the spherically symmetric subspace is assumed to follow a Weibull distribution, and the distributions in the sparse dimensions are assumed to follow a generalized normal distribution. To process the heterogeneous dimensions/dimension pairs and to rotate an unwhitened configuration, the scaling parameters of dimensions/dimension pairs are estimated in addition to the orthonormal matrix by fully maximizing the likelihood function to rotate the space representing color symbolism. Two applications for this method are presented, whereby the configurations of color-emotion associations and color-shape associations obtained by correspondence analysis are rotated by the proposed method. The characteristics of these associations are clearly shown in the obtained configurations. The proposed method provides potentially advantageous options for rotating a configuration for the visualization of color symbolism.

Over time, several relationships have been defined between electricity consumption and a region's social and economic variables, with income as the main factor. This paper uses multiple correspondence analysis to identify the categories of dwellings and, from a graphical point of view (positioning maps), the effects of the different characteristics that influence the electricity consumption of households in rural areas of Cundinamarca, Colombia. In this analysis, the consumption of residential users responded mainly to what they can afford or acquire based on their income, consumption habits, and the characteristics of the technology. Furthermore, this study highlights the implications of these findings for policymakers and energy providers, providing valuable insights for developing targeted strategies to promote energy efficiency and sustainability in rural areas. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of electricity consumption and highlights the importance of tailoring energy-related interventions to the specific socio-economic context of rural communities, in this case in Cundinamarca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA new approach for constructing elliptical bootstrap confidence regions for Multiple Correspondence Analysis is proposed, where the difference in method follows directly from the adoption of a different objective criterion to previous approaches. This includes a new correction for the well-known problems caused by the diagonal of the Burt matrix. Simulation experiments show that the method performs reasonably well in many cases, with exceptions being noted. Simulated data sets with known structure are also used to illustrate cases where the proposed method produces results in line with what would be expected, but some alternatives do not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrenophora teres f. teres (Ptt), the causal agent of net form net blotch (NFNB) disease, is an important and widespread pathogen of barley. This study aimed to quantify and characterize the virulence of Ptt isolates collected from experimental fields of barley in Hungary. Infection responses across 20 barley differentials were obtained from seedling assays of 34 Ptt isolates collected from three Hungarian breeding stations between 2008 and 2018. Twenty-eight Ptt pathotypes were identified. Correspondence analysis followed by hierarchical clustering on the principal components and host-by-pathogen GGE biplots suggested a continuous range of virulence and an absence of specific isolate × barley differential interactions. The isolates were classified into four isolate groups (IG) using agglomerative hierarchical clustering. One IG could be distinguished from other IGs based on avirulence/virulence on one to five barley differentials. Several barley differentials expressed strong resistance against multiple Ptt isolates and may be useful in the development of NFNB-resistant barley cultivars in Hungary. Our results emphasize that the previously developed international barley differential set needs to be improved and adapted to the Hungarian Ptt population. This is the first report on the pathogenic variations of Ptt in Hungary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beliefs play a prominent role in consumer attitudes toward technology. Hence, the interplay between affective and cognitive perceptions results in approach or avoidance behaviours. This study examines how phygital interactive in‐store technologies are perceived in the specific context of luxury retail by providing a holistic picture of the characteristics consumers link to technological applications. Employing correspondence analysis, we highlight the contribution of the affective and cognitive dimensions of beliefs to technology evaluation, both in positive and negative terms. By differentiating between respondents who had already tried the technology and those who had not, the findings reveal how negative bias, derived from a lack of experience, results in negative evaluations; while previous usage of the technology positively impacts technology assessment. The results provide an outline of a valuable customer in‐store experience enriched by phygital devices, showing how technology's distinct features attract consumers, and how these perceptions can be leveraged by the retailer to enhance the retail experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is an agricultural nation and the most populous country in the world, which puts constant pressure on its natural resources to meet the demands. Despite this, the growing population further emphasises the need to increase food production. To increase the productivity of food crops, synthetic inputs like fertilisers and pesticides were introduced into modern agriculture. However, their excessive and indiscriminate use has resulted in severe environmental degradation and greatly threatens humans and non-human biota. In the present study, we tried to document the pesticide usage pattern of rice farmers and their sources of information for pesticide application through social network analysis (SNA). The results indicated excessive and inappropriate pesticide use by the farmers. When we probed into their communication source for pesticide usage, we found that local input dealers were regarded as the most crucial source of communication by 479 farmers. It is also worth mentioning that 133 farmers trust the advice of spray men for their pesticide usage. From the findings, it is evident that it is high time for the diffusion of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs), and for the diffusion process, informal sources like input dealers and spray men should also be included in the communication channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidents in process industry occur frequently with serious casualties and property losses. This paper builds an accident causation model of process industry based on system thinking by dividing the accident causation system into 4 subsystems and 22 factors. A combination of grey relational analysis and correspondence analysis is conducted to carry out a structured analysis of the collected data. The research contains three main parts: (1) Grey relational analysis is used to obtain the significance ranking of 22 cause factors in process industry, and three critical cause factors are identified as "Security inspection," "Risk identification," and "Security awareness." (2) Through correspondence analysis, the correlations between three sets of variables are analyzed and the cause factors requiring focused attention are identified as "Electric spark," "Temperature," "Raw material control," "Punching phenomenon," "Equipment clogging," and "Combustible gases." (3) An intelligent monitoring scheme is developed for the critical factors of each subsystem, which aims to achieve real‐time monitoring and early warning by means of video surveillance and sensor placement for the human, equipment, and environment subsystems. The conclusions obtained from this study can be used to enhance the efficiency of safety management and reduce the probability of accident occurrence in the process industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to deepen our understanding of the evolving landscape of public procurement (PP) and emerging technologies (ET). It addresses the critical gap in scholarly production analysis, author collaborations, and thematic trends in PP and ET, providing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. Employing a methodology inspired by prior research, this study leveraged advanced bibliometric tools, including Studio R and the Biblioshiny app, for data retrieval, processing, and visualization. This approach facilitated co-citation, source coupling, and network collaboration analyses. Thematic maps and correspondence analysis were used to explore research themes in depth. The findings highlight a significant surge in research interest in the integration of ET in PP since 2018, underlining the growing importance of technology-driven advancements in the field. These insights are vital for shaping policy decisions, spurring innovation, and enhancing PP processes' efficiency, transparency, and sustainability, which are crucial for effective governance and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the types of work that jurists have historically undertaken and maps how opportunities for legal practice have been shaped by social origins across three centuries: after constitutional independence in the mid‐1800s, during industrial capitalism in the mid‐1900s, and at present‐day advanced capitalism. I analyze historical archive data on law graduates from the 19th and 20th centuries in combination with administrative registry data from the 1990s onwards and employ correspondence analysis to explore how social backgrounds shape careers, considering transformations in class structures and the changing significance of juridical expertise over time. Within each period, jurists have served in very different roles including those that craft and cater to the institutional make‐up of the state and the markets. My analysis shows that the impact of social origin on occupational outcomes has undergone significant changes, mirroring shifts in the broader social structure; from the importance of legal and political capital (within regional jurisdictions) in the 19th century to the significance of economic capital as the main structuring principle, but also a greater significance of cultural capital, in contemporary times. The ability to reach the most powerful positions among law graduates—within the polity in the 19th century, and the economy in the 21st century—has been differently structured by origins. I argue that expansion of the student body, the declining standing of the university, and heightened differentiation of the social structure and the juridical field have made intimate familiarity with the business world pivotal for forging mutually beneficial alliances between jurists and the increasingly dominant capitalist class. Today, a select group of jurists have managed to connect with and contribute to the rising power of private capital. Thus, the historical tale of jurists cannot be accurately captured by notions of uniform descent from national power structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates consumer reviews of eco-friendly products on Amazon to uncover valuable sustainability insights that can inform design optimization. Using natural language processing (NLP) techniques, including sentiment analysis, key terms extraction, and topic modeling, this research reveals diverse perspectives related to sustainability aspects in eco-friendly products. Innovatively, we integrate the NLP approach with correspondence analysis (CA) to understand consumer sentiments and preferences related to sustainability aspects. Leveraging CA, we visualize the interplay between eco-friendly product features and consumer sentiments, revealing underlying relationships and patterns. The CA biplot showcases the alignment of specific sustainability attributes with consumer satisfaction, highlighting which sustainability aspects hold greater influence over overall product ratings. As sustainability becomes an increasingly crucial aspect of consumer choices, our paper emphasizes the significance of a multidimensional approach that embraces both qualitative and quantitative insights. By blending CA with consumer reviews, we equip designers and stakeholders with an innovative and comprehensive toolkit to enhance sustainable design practices, paving the way for more informed and effective product development strategies in the realm of eco-friendliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural sector is undergoing a shift from subsistence-based practices to a businessoriented approach. Recognizing the importance of promoting agripreneurs, numerous organizations are actively engaged in fostering agri-entrepreneurship. An in-depth institutional profile analysis was conducted on sixteen agri-entrepreneurship promoting institutions in the states of Rajasthan and Telangana during 2022-23. Data were gathered from professionals within these organizations. The analysis focused on 12 key parameters, employing an exploratory research design, and utilizing empirical evidence for data collection. Correspondence Analysis was carried out to assess 15 strategic areas based on their significance. The strategic areas receiving the highest focus included branding and PR, help during pitching, certification, providing co-working spaces, and training. Conversely, intellectual property management and funding received comparatively less emphasis. These findings provide valuable insights into the key areas of support prioritized by agri-entrepreneurship promoting institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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