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This article evinces that policies and plans at the national level in South Africa recognise the importance of postgraduate education within the broader national education and training system, and that they place particular emphasis on promoting access to, and success in postgraduate education as one of the priorities on the country's development agenda. It identifies and discusses ten issues that have a bearing on the national policies, plans, programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting access to, and success in postgraduate education. These issues emerge from the analysis, triangulation, and interpretation of sets of information and data obtained from multiple projects focusing on postgraduate education, that the Council on Higher Education has implemented since 2018. They are therefore referred to as "emerging issues". They include the relatively small size of the postgraduate component of higher education, the pyramidal structure of the distribution of students across the different levels of postgraduate education, and the offsetting of the increase in the numbers of graduates produced at all levels of postgraduate education, by a corresponding increase in the numbers of students taking longer to complete their studies than the periods stipulated by the institutions, and by relatively high dropout rates. Other issues are about transformation, student funding, inadequate supervisory capacity, underpreparedness of students, and lack of adequate support services for postgraduate students. The article sets the scene for, and context of the other articles contained in this special issue of the South African Journal of Higher Education, and prepares the readers to understand and appreciate the contents of those articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of immigration is a complex phenomenon that goes far beyond mere relocation and refers to the transition from one social environment to another or from one culture to another. Immigration and its effects on children are regarded as global and interdisciplinary problems. This study aims to reveal the opinions of nurses working in the pediatric emergency department about the mental health of immigrant children. In this qualitative research, a phenomenological research design was used (N = 19).Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview form. Colaizzi's method was used to analyze the data manually. Four categories, eleven themes, and thirty-eight sub-themes emerged from the analysis of the data. The difficulties nurses experience with immigrant children and their relatives in providing care include communication problems, cultural problems, and economic problems. The causes of mental health problems in immigrant children include war, exposure to immigration traumas, cultural assimilation problems, loss/absence of parents, economic reasons/excessive role overload, and exposure to neglect and/or abuse. Education, economic aid, communication, non-stigmatization, and social support were identified as significant sub-themes for practices to protect/promote children's mental health. The study showed that immigrant children experience physical and mental problems. Nurses struggle to treat immigrant children effectively but have difficulties due to insufficient facilities. It may be suggested to include cultural care models in patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ABHATH is the property of ABHATH 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.)

Marketing managers and academics are recognizing a widening gap between contemporary demands of markets and the capabilities of the marketing function, calling for greater attention to identifying, developing, and retaining 'talent' in the marketing organization. However, the marketing literature provides limited and fragmented guidance on what talent management in marketing entails, how to cultivate it, and how to leverage it to positively impact marketers and key marketing outcomes. Drawing on a review of 71 articles published in top marketing and human resource management journals since 2000, we introduce the concept of Talent Management in Marketing Systems (TALMARKS). We identify six core elements of TALMARKS: attracting, recruiting and selecting, training and developing, evaluating and compensating, recognizing and rewarding, succession planning and promoting, and measuring and reporting. We further develop a comprehensive conceptual framework of TALMARKS, outlining its key antecedents, outcomes and boundary conditions. Finally, we propose a future research agenda of avenues that might provide guidance on expanding this fundamental and underdeveloped topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical tourism as a money-making industry in the world has led to the increasing competition of countries to attract the maximum number of tourists. Considering the growing international competition in this field, in order to properly utilize the capabilities of Golestan province, this research was conducted with the aim of analysis and explaining the dimensions and components that promote and hinder the implementation of medical tourism policies in Golestan province. Methods: This research was conducted using the qualitative method based on the Grounded theory in 2020. Data collection was conducted through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The research population included experts such as managers and faculty members of the university of medical sciences and public and private hospitals, managers and officials of the General Office of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, and travel agencies, doctors and nurses with at least 5 years of relevant work experience and expertise in the field of medical tourism. Purposive sampling was done and continued until data saturation. Finally, 13 people were interviewed. Data analysis was done simultaneously with data collection through Open, Axial and Selective coding and MaxQDA 2020 software. Results: The findings of the present study showed that the promoting and hindering factors for the implementation of medical tourism policies in Golestan province were categorized in the form of 263 codes, 65 concepts, 9 subcategories and 5 main categories. They consisted of climatic and environmental attractions, organizational architecture, policymaking system, capacity development and service quality and strategic management. Conclusion: Using the results of this study, the policymakers of medical tourism in Golestan province can predict the appropriate implementation instrument regarding the policy-making process to develop medical tourism, income and business in Golestan province.

Inclusive education strives to provide all students with equal opportunities irrespective of their capacities or learning requirements. However, the success of inclusive education relies on understanding teacher perspectives, as they play a central role in this new approach. The objective of the current quantitative research study was to assess the hurdles that primary teachers encounter when trying to foster an inclusive culture in mainstream government primary schools in the district of Multan. To ensure a representative sample, a multistage sampling technique was employed to select participants for the study. The findings of the study revealed a range of hurdles and issues faced by teachers in promoting inclusive practices within the classroom, including insufficient training, limited availability of resources, and a lack of support services. This research might contribute valuable insights to policymakers, administrators, and educational stakeholders, enabling them to design targeted interventions and support mechanisms that effectively address these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Health literacy has gained increasing importance worldwide. As a result of several studies indicating low health literacy levels in large parts of the population, strategies and action plans promoting health literacy were developed in many countries. The article analyses the origin, development and structure of the German Health Literacy Action Plan. Subject and methods: In 2016, a civil society initiative was formed, aiming at developing a national action plan in an expert-based and collaborative manner. A group of 15 experts elaborated the core elements of the action plan, based on a literature review on existing health literacy approaches, action plans and empirical evidence. These core elements were further developed collaboratively in workshops with key stakeholders, self-help and patient organizations and individual consultation meetings. Afterwards, the National Action Plan was reviewed and previously formulated recommendations were refined before being published. Results and conclusion: The National Action Plan Health Literacy in Germany presents 15 recommendations in four areas of action for promoting health literacy in Germany. This bottom-up strategy and the expert-based yet at the same time collaborative approach have proved to be successful when developing a national action plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are electronic reference books visible in academic libraries? A survey administered to librarians at colleges and universities in the southern United States is used to ascertain the presence and promotion of electronic reference books in academic libraries. Findings reveal that electronic reference books are not as visible in academic libraries (both online and in library buildings) as traditional print reference is. Librarians surveyed indicate they promote electronic reference books more than print reference books. To gain an understanding of what needs more marketing, librarians should examine usage statistics. Librarians should employ a variety of ways to market and promote electronic reference books, and assess which methods work best to reach patrons. In addition, librarians and classroom faculty should work together in collection development and in endorsing the usage of electronic reference books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research paper intended to study the role of general joint courses in promoting citizenship values among university students from the perspectives of students at King Khalid University. Also, the study targeted to scrutinize the degree to which general joint courses curricula promote citizenship values among university students. The descriptive-analytical approach was adopted by the two researchers Moreover, the two researchers developed a questionnaire of thirteen items based on a five-point Likert Scale that was analyzed quantitatively by applying descriptive data. The two researchers chose a random stratified sample from different campuses and Colleges of King Khalid University in Abha, Algraa, Alomhalah, female students campus in Dhahran Aljanoub, and to mention a few). The purposive sample of the study consists of 1000 female and male undergraduates .The findings showed that the general average of the role played by general joint courses in promoting citizenship values among male and female students at King Khalid university came to a high degree with an arithmetic average of (4.48 and3.89 receptively in favor of male undergraduates. Also, the results have revealed that there are statistically significant differences between the mean responses of male and female university students regarding the role played by general joint courses in promoting citizenship values among King Khalid university students in favor of the sample of male students. The study recommends the necessary to carry out further exploration and closer examination of citizenship values among students and their effect on other variables such as the promotion of national values, and patriotism among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundOptimal breastfeeding (BF) practices are essential for child survival and proper growth and development. The purpose of this overview is to evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions for promoting and optimizing breastfeeding.MethodsWe included systematic reviews (SRs) [including trials from Low-Income (LICs) and Low Middle-Income countries (LMICs)] that have evaluated the effect of various interventions for promoting and optimizing breastfeeding and excluded non-systematic reviews, and SRs based on observational studies. We searched various electronic databases. We followed the standard methodology as suggested by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Two sets of reviewers undertook screening followed by data extraction and assessment of the methodological quality of included SRs.ResultWe identified and screened 1,002 Cochrane SRs and included six SRs in this overview. Included SRs reported only two of the primary outcomes, early initiation of breastfeeding (EIBF) and/or exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). None of the included SR reported continued BF up to 2 years of age. The results were evaluated using two major comparisons groups: BF intervention against routine care and one type of BF intervention vs. other types of BF intervention. Overall results from included SRs showed that there were improvements in the rates of EIBF and EBF among women who received BF intervention such as BF education sessions and support compared to those women who received only standard care. However, BF intervention via mobile devices showed no improvements. In Target Client Communication (TCC) via mobile devices intervention group, no significant improvements were reported in BF practices, and also the reported evidence was of very low certainty.ConclusionCommunity Based Intervention Packages (CBIP) delivered to pregnant and reproductive-age women during their Antenatal care (ANC) and/or Postnatal care (PNC) periods by Ancillary Nurse-Midwives reported the highest improvement in EIBF compared to women who received standard care. However, insufficient evidence was reported to suggest that BF intervention showed improvements in EBF in both the comparison groups. This overview highlighted the gaps in primary research regarding the uncertainty about the settings such as LICs or LMICs, lack of evidence from LMICs, and also identified gaps in the availability of reliable up-to-date SRs on the effects of several BF interventions to promote and optimize practices.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020174998, PROSPERO [CRD42020174998].

Exercise programs for young people after cancer are not part of regular oncological care. This study describes and evaluates a regional outdoor exercise program and presents data with regard to the promoting and inhibiting factors for participation among pediatric cancer survivors. Exercise options, number of participants, and the cohort were evaluated descriptively for one year. A self-developed questionnaire was used to evaluate satisfaction, mood, motivations, and barriers to exercise. Overall N = 26 survivors (14.6 ± 5.5 years) participated in at least one activity in 2019 including try-out days (N = 10) and active weekend camps (N = 2). No adverse events occurred in 302 physical activity hours. Twenty-one survivors participated in the survey. The largest motivational aspect to participate was "to try out a new sport" (83.9%). Survivors reported "good mood", and 'being happy' after exercising. The largest barrier was concern about 'not being able to keep up with others' (38.1%). Around one-third (try-out day) and 50% (active weekend camp) of survivors did not feel confident to continue exercising outside the supervised exercise oncology program. This survey shows high enthusiasm for this exercise program with different outdoor activities and suggests that similar interventions may be accepted by this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Museologica Brunensia is the property of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts 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 prediction of the motion of traffic participants is a crucial aspect for the research and development of Automated Driving Systems (ADSs). Recent approaches are based on multi-modal motion prediction, which requires the assignment of a probability score to each of the multiple predicted motion hypotheses. However, there is a lack of ground truth for this probability score in the existing datasets. This implies that current Machine Learning (ML) models evaluate the multiple predictions by comparing them with the single real trajectory labeled in the dataset. In this work, a novel data-based method named Probabilistic Traffic Motion Labeling (PROMOTING) is introduced in order to (a) generate probable future routes and (b) estimate their probabilities. PROMOTING is presented with the focus on urban intersections. The generation of probable future routes is (a) based on a real traffic dataset and consists of two steps: first, a clustering of intersections with similar road topology, and second, a clustering of similar routes that are driven in each cluster from the first step. The estimation of the route probabilities is (b) based on a frequentist approach that considers how traffic participants will move in the future given their motion history. PROMOTING is evaluated with the publicly available Lyft database. The results show that PROMOTING is an appropriate approach to estimate the probabilities of the future motion of traffic participants in urban intersections. In this regard, PROMOTING can be used as a labeling approach for the generation of a labeled dataset that provides a probability score for probable future routes. Such a labeled dataset currently does not exist and would be highly valuable for ML approaches with the task of multi-modal motion prediction. The code is made open source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authentic materials are considered to be an essential component in language learning at all levels. At present, it is an important and well discussed notion. It reviews the history of using authentic materials, identifies the most suitable authentic materials for the learning purposes since it brings many advantages. This study adopts the descriptive research methodology which is appropriately convenient to describe the topic of research. The use of authentic materials creates a lot of interest and motivation in the learners because of that they do not feel bored and tired. Authentic materials reduce the dullness of contrived text material. It makes significant contributions towards meeting the learning objectives of a programme. The results of this study also expected to illustrate that the implication of authentic materials and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) have a positive impact on enhancing learners’ oral communicative competence. The objective of the study is implementing authentic materials with HOTS concept in promoting oral communicative competence e.g., newspaper articles, weather reports, pictures, posters, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine and analyse the stakes and challenges facing the promotion of Algerian exports within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Zone. In order to achieve that, this study uses the historical research method to trace the emergence and paths of the African Continental Free Trade Zone and Algeria's accession to it. It also uses the analytical research method to analyse the stakes and challenges facing the Algerian exports. The study concluded that the most important stakes and challenges are: the existence of economic blocs in Africa, which preceded the African Free Trade Area; the weakness of logistical capabilities and trade-related infrastructure in Algeria; the weakness and absence of trade-related infrastructure in other African countries; the subordination of many African economies to Western countries; the large number of disputes and political instability in the African countries; the weakness of competitiveness of Algerian products as a result of their dependence on imported inputs; in addition to many issues related to the African Free Trade Zone, which has not yet been completed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Psychological status is one of the affected aspects among disaster survivors. • The paradigm shifts of disaster management should also change the orientation of psychological support to prevention. • Nurturing post-traumatic growth (PTG) is necessary to prevent or minimise psychological issues following a disaster. • Various internal and external factors influencing PTG. • Several interventions can potentially nurture the PTG of disaster survivors yet the exploration is still limited. The psychological aspect is one of the important aspects of the affected disaster survivors. The change in the disaster management paradigm is one reason for the need to change interventions that previously only focused on handling posttraumatic distress syndrome into interventions to increase post-traumatic growth to prevent post-disaster psychological disorders. This review aims to synthesise recent research to develop further explanations regarding potential strategies to improve the post-traumatic growth of disaster survivors. This is an integrative review of previous studies. Articles were identified via SCOPUS, EMBASE, JSTOR, PROQUEST, MEDLINE and grey literature (Google Scholar). All subject-relevant literature from 2000 to 2022 was identified. This review included quantitative and qualitative studies and literature reviews, with criteria: all types of interventions used to improve the post-traumatic growth of disaster survivors and potential influencing factors that may affect the implementation as well as other relevant outcomes. From 400 initial search studies, 27 studies (24 quantitative. one qualitative, and two mixed methods) were eligible to be included in the review. Some factors promoting post-traumatic growth included religious coping, culture, social support, the severity of the trauma, coping strategies, education level and work satisfaction. By systematically exploring the factors that foster post-traumatic growth of disaster survival, this integrative review will give fundamental information to develop an intervention that prevents or minimises the psychological impacts of a disaster towards survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studii de Ştiintă şi Cultură is the property of Studii de Stiinta si Cultura 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.)

لقد دعت ظروف عصر النورسي لإعادة النظر في أسلوب منهج علم الکلام في صورته التقليدية وضرورة إيجاد أُسس جديدة بغرض النهوض به، وعصرنة هذه الآليات بما يجعلها تستجيب لظروف الواقع مؤکدا على أن الخلل الذي أصاب منهج المُتکلمين القدامى هو الاستناد على أساس واحد فقط وهو العقل المُجرد عن الوحي في البحث في القضايا الکلامية، ولقد ارتکز النورسي على مجموعة من الأسس في محاولته للنهوض بعلم الکلام تقوم على شمولية الإسلام وصلاحيته السرمدية وقدرته على استيعاب مُستجدات کل عصر من العصور ولقد اعتمد النورسي على القرآن الکريم کأساس أولي في محاولته للنهوض بعلم الکلام. The conditions of Al-Nursi’s time called for a reconsideration of the methodology adopted in theology in its traditional form and the need to find new foundations for the purpose of promoting it, and modernizing these mechanisms in a way that makes them respond to the conditions of reality, stressing that the defect that afflicted the methodology of the old theologists was the reliance on only one basis, which is reason that is separated from revelation in researching theological issues. In his attempt to promote and advance the science of theology, Al-Nursi relied on a set of foundations that were based on the universality of Islam, its eternal validity, and its ability to absorb the developments of each era. Al-Nursi relied on the Holy Quran as a primary foundation in his attempt to advance the science of theology.

This study examined the extent to which the use of the library has contributed to the promotion of the packaging of African Salad through vocational education strategies in Enugu State. Two research questions guided the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design with a population of 505 producers of African Salad. The sample size of the study was 152, drawn using the purposive sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was the researchers' structured questionnaire, titled 'Promoting the Packaging of African Salad and Vocational Education Strategies (PPASVE), which three experts validated. The mean and standard deviation were statistical tools employed for the analysis. The findings of the study revealed that the extent to which the use of the library has contributed to the promotion of the packaging of African Salad using innovative strategies of vocational education was great. More so, the extent to which it has aided in promoting packaging through marketing strategies was great. Based on these findings, some recommendations were made that producers of African salad be exposed to other marketing strategies of vocational education for enhanced patronage and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media platforms act as a source of knowledge and influence in decision-making. Travel experiences, images, videos, and other information published on social media may affect the travelers' destination choices for future travel. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the use of social media in promoting the tourist destination of Doña Remedios Trinidad in terms of Environmental Awareness, Increase in tourists, and Employment. This study includes the social media influence on travelers' destination choices, the problem they encountered using social media as a guide, and significant differences were also identified according to the profile of the respondents. Furthermore, this quantitative research design was utilized to determine the information of the respondents; how respondents perceived social media as an effective tool in relation to promoting a tourist destination. Data have been collected from One hundred (100) respondents using the non-probability convenience sampling technique. This was accomplished through an online survey questionnaire, particularly Google form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies in Iran show that despite the country's appropriate ranking in knowledge production, this capacity is not used in the national interest. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of explaining and scrutinizing the current situation of the effectiveness of social work research and strategies to improve this effectiveness.This research was conducted qualitatively and the required data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with experts. A total of 10 individual interviews and one group interview were analyzed. The sampling method of the interviewees was targeted. The findings of the present study, according to experts, show that despite some valuable examples, the effectiveness of research is far from the expected level. Research effectiveness has been low. Therefore, it is appropriate for policy makers, also managers, and other responsibles in both sectors to take action to eliminate or reduce obstacles. Relevant policy recommendations have been provided in this regard.

Abstract For the last one decade, research in self-regulated learning (SRL) and educational psychology has proliferated. Researchers and educators have focused on how to support leaners grow their SRL skills on both face-to-face and e-learning environments. In addition, recent studies and meta-analysis have greatly contributed to the domain knowledge on the use of SRL strategies and how they contribute and boost academic performance for learners. However, there is little systematic review on the literature on the techniques and tools used to measure SRL on e-learning platforms. This review sought to outline recent advances and the trends in this area to make it more efficient for researchers to establish the empirical studies and research patterns among different studies in the field of SRL. The findings from this study are concurrent with existing empirical evidence that traditional methods designed for classroom supports are being used for measuring SRL on e-learning environments. Few studies have used learner analytics and educational data mining (EDM) techniques to measure and promote SRL strategies for learners. The paper finally points out the existing gaps with the tools presently used to measure and support SRL on learning management systems and recommends further studies on the areas of EDM which can support SRL.

Moral intelligence is one of the most influential structures in enhancing toleration and Development in difficult situations. There is a widespread evidence of a significant decline in the quality of interpersonal ethics in student social relationships. In this research that stage, with the aim of using the great potential of the action research method in promoting moral intelligence of the first high school students, it was attempted to , Studentschr('39') ethical intelligence will be promoted through an action-oriented approach and in the form of three independent and related actions. Data were collected using Lennick, Kiel & Jordan chr('39')s moral intelligence Inventory (2011). For data analysis, collected data two levels of primary status of students and three applied were used by the Wilcoxon test. Findings indicate that the interventions of researchers have changed the moral beliefs of students and improved the studentschr('39') moral relationships through three steps (p

Background: Salutogenesis focuses on understanding the factors that contribute to positive health outcomes. At the core of the model lies the sense of coherence (SOC), which plays a crucial role in promoting well-being and resilience., Objective: Using the validscale Stata command, we aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the French version of the 3-dimension 13-item SOC questionnaire (SOC-13), encompassing the comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness dimensions. We also aimed to determine if a refined scale, assessed through this method, exhibits superior psychometric properties compared to the SOC-13., Methods: A sample of 880 consecutive primary care patients recruited from 35 French practices were asked to complete the SOC-13. We tested for internal consistency and scalability using the Cronbach α and Loevinger H coefficients, respectively, and we tested for construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis and goodness-of-fit indices (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] and comparative fit index [CFI])., Results: Of the 880 eligible patients, 804 (91.4%) agreed to participate (n=527, 65.6% women; median age 51 years). Cronbach α and Loevinger H coefficients for the SOC-13 were all <0.70 and <0.30, respectively, indicating poor internal consistency and poor scalability (0.64 and 0.29 for comprehensibility, 0.56 and 0.26 for manageability, and 0.46 and 0.17 for meaningfulness, respectively). The RMSEA and CFI were >0.06 (0.09) and <0.90 (0.83), respectively, indicating a poor fit. By contrast, the psychometric properties of a unidimensional 8-item version of the SOC questionnaire (SOC-8) were excellent (Cronbach α=0.82, Loevinger H=0.38, RMSEA=0.05, and CFI=0.97)., Conclusions: The psychometric properties of the 3-dimension SOC-13 were poor, unlike the unidimensional SOC-8. A questionnaire built only with these 8 items could be a good candidate to measure the SOC. However, further validation studies are needed before recommending its use in research., (©Paul Sebo, Benoit Tudrej, Augustin Bernard, Bruno Delaunay, Alexandra Dupuy, Claire Malavergne, Hubert Maisonneuve. Originally published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research (https://www.i-jmr.org/), 16.07.2024.)

Background: The geographical environments within which individuals conduct their daily activities may influence health behaviors, yet little is known about individual-level geographic mobility and specific, linked behaviors in rural low- and middle-income settings., Objective: Nested in a 3-month ecological momentary assessment intervention pilot trial, this study aims to leverage mobile health app user GPS data to examine activity space through individual spatial mobility and locations of reported health behaviors in relation to their homes., Methods: Pilot trial participants were recruited from the Rakai Community Cohort Study-an ongoing population-based cohort study in rural south-central Uganda. Participants used a smartphone app that logged their GPS coordinates every 1-2 hours for approximately 90 days. They also reported specific health behaviors (alcohol use, cigarette smoking, and having condomless sex with a non-long-term partner) via the app that were both location and time stamped. In this substudy, we characterized participant mobility using 3 measures: average distance (kilometers) traveled per week, number of unique locations visited (deduplicated points within 25 m of one another), and the percentage of GPS points recorded away from home. The latter measure was calculated using home buffer regions of 100 m, 400 m, and 800 m. We also evaluated the number of unique locations visited for each specific health behavior, and whether those locations were within or outside the home buffer regions. Sociodemographic information, mobility measures, and locations of health behaviors were summarized across the sample using descriptive statistics., Results: Of the 46 participants with complete GPS data, 24 (52%) participants were men, 30 (65%) participants were younger than 35 years, and 33 (72%) participants were in the top 2 socioeconomic status quartiles. On median, participants traveled 303 (IQR 152-585) km per week. Over the study period, participants on median recorded 1292 (IQR 963-2137) GPS points-76% (IQR 58%-86%) of which were outside their 400-m home buffer regions. Of the participants reporting drinking alcohol, cigarette smoking, and engaging in condomless sex, respectively, 19 (83%), 8 (89%), and 12 (86%) reported that behavior at least once outside their 400-m home neighborhood and across a median of 3.0 (IQR 1.5-5.5), 3.0 (IQR 1.0-3.0), and 3.5 (IQR 1.0-7.0) unique locations, respectively., Conclusions: Among residents in rural Uganda, an ecological momentary assessment app successfully captured high mobility and health-related behaviors across multiple locations. Our findings suggest that future mobile health interventions in similar settings can benefit from integrating spatial data collection using the GPS technology in mobile phones. Leveraging such individual-level GPS data can inform place-based strategies within these interventions for promoting healthy behavior change., (©Aleya Khalifa, Laura K Beres, Aggrey Anok, Ismail Mbabali, Charles Katabalwa, Jeremiah Mulamba, Alvin G Thomas, Eva Bugos, Gertrude Nakigozi, Larry W Chang, M Kate Grabowski. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 10.06.2024.)

Facebook is now being used by library staff to publicise their services. This is due to the fact that Facebook is now part of our daily lives especially students and teaching staff users. This paper explores the views and reaction of library staff of Cape Coast Technical University towards Facebook as a tool; and explores the way library staff use Facebook to portray the duty of library experts and their services to users. The researcher emphasises on the traditional duties of library staff and discusses possibilities for performing this role through Facebook. Current research suggest that Facebook enable library staff to publicise their collections and services to the general public as well as introduce new collections and educate users on the libraries responsibilities and support towards users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that algeria has attractive mountains along the Tell and the Saharan Atlas series, and the economic benefits of tourism at both macro and micro levels, one generally can see how mountain tourism is missed in tourism programs and projects in Algeria. This study attempts to analyze mountain tourism in Algeria through an electronic questionnaire addressed to the main important tourist agencies in Algeria; we evaluated the activities of these agencies in promoting mountain tourism, as they are a key player in revitalizing this very sector. The analysis of the data indicated the poor performance of these agencies in promoting mountain tourism in Algeria since they are more interested in promoting foreign destinations. In brief, they ignored the national tourism products. They attributed that to the absence of basic infrastructure and lack of security in mountainous regions, in addition to the high costs of hotel accommodation and the lack of government incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the role of school management team in promoting teaching and learning. The study was conducted in 3 secondary schools of Warmbad circuit. These schools experience a challenge of lack of curriculum coverage, which lead to poor learner attainment. The study followed a qualitative research approach with a case study research design. Population in this study consisted of 70 SMT members. Purposive sampling was utilised to select 3 most experienced SMT from each school. Data was collected through individual semi-structured interviews. Henderson's Ethically Based Model of Inquiry was used which explained what characterises a reflective teacher. Thematic approach was used to analyse data. The study revealed SMTs were aware of their roles to manage curriculum, however, challenges they experienced from teachers hindered fulfilment of their duties and responsibilities, hence lack of curriculum coverage. The study concluded that there is a lack of policy on curriculum coverage; and that teachers need to employ new strategies to improve teaching and learning. The study recommended that SMT should design a policy on curriculum coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first section of the article is an analytical description of the handbook on education published by UNESCO in 2019. A special emphasis is placed on the legal specifics of this fundamental human right, reflected by numerous international law instruments and embedded in the 2030 Agenda, which summarises the sustainable development goals set by the UN. Fulfilling the right to education is one of the most important goals of this policy document, and UNESCO has an active role in transposing this right. The second part of the article is a summary of Romania`s initiative introduced at the UN in 1979-1981, when, along with many other developing countries, it submitted a resolution on the right to education. The resolution was a point of interest for UNESCO, the organisation that presents to the UN specialised reports on implementing this right and on methods to universally apply this right in member states.

Exercise programs for young people after cancer are not part of regular oncological care. This study describes and evaluates a regional outdoor exercise program and presents data with regard to the promoting and inhibiting factors for participation among pediatric cancer survivors. Exercise options, number of participants, and the cohort were evaluated descriptively for one year. A self-developed questionnaire was used to evaluate satisfaction, mood, motivations, and barriers to exercise. Overall N = 26 survivors (14.6 ± 5.5 years) participated in at least one activity in 2019 including try-out days (N = 10) and active weekend camps (N = 2). No adverse events occurred in 302 physical activity hours. Twenty-one survivors participated in the survey. The largest motivational aspect to participate was “to try out a new sport” (83.9%). Survivors reported “good mood”, and ‘being happy’ after exercising. The largest barrier was concern about ‘not being able to keep up with others’ (38.1%). Around one-third (try-out day) and 50% (active weekend camp) of survivors did not feel confident to continue exercising outside the supervised exercise oncology program. This survey shows high enthusiasm for this exercise program with different outdoor activities and suggests that similar interventions may be accepted by this population.

The prediction of the motion of traffic participants is a crucial aspect for the research and development of Automated Driving Systems (ADSs). Recent approaches are based on multi-modal motion prediction, which requires the assignment of a probability score to each of the multiple predicted motion hypotheses. However, there is a lack of ground truth for this probability score in the existing datasets. This implies that current Machine Learning (ML) models evaluate the multiple predictions by comparing them with the single real trajectory labeled in the dataset. In this work, a novel data-based method named Probabilistic Traffic Motion Labeling (PROMOTING) is introduced in order to (a) generate probable future routes and (b) estimate their probabilities. PROMOTING is presented with the focus on urban intersections. The generation of probable future routes is (a) based on a real traffic dataset and consists of two steps: first, a clustering of intersections with similar road topology, and second, a clustering of similar routes that are driven in each cluster from the first step. The estimation of the route probabilities is (b) based on a frequentist approach that considers how traffic participants will move in the future given their motion history. PROMOTING is evaluated with the publicly available Lyft database. The results show that PROMOTING is an appropriate approach to estimate the probabilities of the future motion of traffic participants in urban intersections. In this regard, PROMOTING can be used as a labeling approach for the generation of a labeled dataset that provides a probability score for probable future routes. Such a labeled dataset currently does not exist and would be highly valuable for ML approaches with the task of multi-modal motion prediction. The code is made open source.

Abstract:[Objectives]The objective of this study was to illustrate the plant growth-promoting mechanisms in terms of the response of plants to rhizosphere beneficial microbes, based on the transcriptional profiling of cucumber root genes responsive to the inoculation of plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens SQR9. [Methods]The transcriptional response of cucumber root genes to B,, amyloliquefaciens SQR9 was analyzed by Illumina high, throughput transcriptome sequencing, the significant differentially expressed genes were further examined by gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) analysis. [Results]As compared with the non, inoculated control, 484 genes were detected to be significantly differentially expressed after the inoculation of strain SQR9, including 300 up, regulated genes and 184 down, regulated genes. Real, time PCR validation showed that the expression patterns of the selected genes were in accordance with the results of transcriptional profiling analysis, suggesting that the transcriptome data were reliable. The differentially expressed genes in response to strain SQR9 were mainly involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, and signal transduction. With regards to the genes related to plant growth, promotion, ASP1 that encodes for an aspartate transaminase was activated by strain SQR9 and was up, regulated by approximately 4 times, the expression of PDC encoding for pyruvate decarboxylase in glycolysis(EMP pathway), as well as FBA6 encoding for fructose, bisphosphate aldolase in Calvin cycle, were both up, regulated by 3- 5 times in the inoculated treatment as compared with the control, in the IAA, responsive pathway, IAA8 that encodes for a repressor, was down, regulated by strain SQR9, while SAUR77 and SAUR21 encoding the responsive proteins, were up, regulated by approximately 3 times, suggesting that the exogenous indole, 3, acetic acid(IAA)stimulated the endogenesis IAA, pathway in plants. In regard to plant immunity, the inoculation of strain SQR9 increased the expression of WRKY29 and ERF1B encoding for transcription factors involved in immune signaling pathway, which could induce the host systemic resistance and enhance the disease resistance, moreover, genes encodes for stress resistance factor C4 H and ADH1, were significantly activated by inoculation. [Conclusions] PGPR strain SQR9 promotes cucumber plants growth and enhances disease resistance through activation of genes involved in metabolism and immune pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online learning has increasingly been adopted by most institutions of higher learning to facilitate teaching and learning as a continuum to the traditional face-to-face approach. Most of these institutions utilize Learning Management Systems which contain features that are intended to make students active participants not only by delivering learning resources to learners but also providing the environment for effective interaction in the learning process. Our examination of the literature reveals that there is limited empirical evidence that addresses how these features are being utilized by students in promoting Self-Regulated learning. To realize the usefulness of the features of Learning Management Systems in promoting Self-Regulated Learning, a structured survey was carried out among University students in Kenya. The findings reveal that the features of Learning Management Systems are underutilized by students. The qualitative results of the study illustrate that students face several challenges that obstruct them from being actively involved in online learning. There is lack of individualized feedback on students' learning habits, lack of instructor guidance, lack of interaction with course instructors, lack of peer interaction and lack of automation tools. This study provides insights for educators and researchers on the areas of focus that can be prioritized towards offering support to students in improving their Self-Regulated learning in online learning environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Japanese government is promoting vaccination, which many people are willing to accept; however, some are reluctant to receive vaccinations. The purpose of this study was to analyze the intentions of women aged 15–49 years regarding the COVID-19 vaccination and to identify methods of promoting vaccination. We used secondary data from a web research company of approximately 1020 participants. The data contained the following variables: vaccination status, reasons for not getting vaccinated, and the intentions and reasons related to the third vaccination. We categorized the reasons using text data and evaluated the age-related differences. The proportion of women aged 15–49 years who refused COVID-19 vaccination in Japan was 17.0%, and the rate was not significantly different by age group. The most common reasons were safety and side effect concerns. Of those who received the second vaccination, 32.7% hesitated or refused the third vaccination, and the rate was not significantly different by age group. The reasons were side-effect concerns, a lack of information, and the influence of their surroundings. Addressing the side effects and providing adequate information may help promote vaccination among women aged 15–49 years.

The interaction between the components of a Ru–Rb/Sibunit catalyst for the decomposition of ammonia is studied via XAFS spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The porous structure of the samples is examined at the stages of preparation. A set of measures reveals the presence of ruthenium in the catalyst (mainly in the metallic state) and the absence of joint phases of ruthenium and rubidium. It is found that rubidium is in an oxidized state in the catalyst in the form of compounds in direct contact with particles of active component and comparable in size to the latter, and as small clusters found mainly in the structure of carbon support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] The effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on tobacco seedling and seedling growth were investigated by screening high efficiency and multifunctional PGPR,which provided reliable materials for the development of tobacco microbial fertilizer.[Methods] 25 strains bacteria from tobacco rhizosphere in the early stage were used as tested strains bacteria,and the abilities of producing hydrogen cyanide (HCN),biological nitrogen fixation,phosphate solubilization,potassium solution and to secrete indole-3-aceticacid were determined. The different functional characteristics of strains were obtained,and the promoting effects of the strains on tobacco were investigated by measuring the data of various indexes of tobacco. In order to solve the problems of strong subjectivity,single evaluation standard and non-intuitive results in the evaluation method of tobacco growth state,entropy weight method was used to objectively evaluate the multiple traits of tobacco growth state.[Results] The biological nitrogen fixation,phosphorus solubilization,potassium solution and IAA production ability of 25 PGPR strains were different. Except strain L2,the tested PGPR could promote the growth of tobacco seedling roots and shoots. The effects of strain PS-S and F2 were the best,strain L25 and VC48 were the second,followed by strain W1. They were obtained by entropy weight method,and the weight of root activity of 0.034 was larger than those of other traits,which had a greater influence on the evaluation results.[Conclusions] After comprehensive evaluation,four high-efficiency PGPR strains W1,F2,VC48 and LX5,had multiple functional characteristics and could significantly promote tobacco growth. They were expected to be further developed into microbial fertilizer production strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marketing is the process by which products and services are transferred. In this respect promotional tools are employed in order to introduce, activate, and motivate present and potential customers. Promotion is recognized as one of the basic elements of marketing which plays a key role in creating consumer awareness of the quality of various products and services available in the Market. Promotional tools of marketing such as personal selling, advertising sales promotion, public relations and others play a key role in creating consumer awareness about the qualities of various products and services available on the market and can go a long way to contribute to economic progress and social development. The tools can be tailored to achieve healthy competition in the market, freedom for consumers to select product which suit functional and social needs, improvement in the quality of the products and above all enhancement of Islamic moral conduct. If the promotional means and their objectives are not contrary to the principles of Islam, one may proceed with them. Over zealous marketing, anxiety to maximize profits through the promotional activities is not acceptable under Islamic marketing system. Promotional tools play a significant role in our society because they somehow reflect the value of the society. The promotional measures, applied in Islamic societies should project Islamic values and in accordance with the Shari'ah framework. Therefore special attention should be paid to designing promotions that would help projecting Islamic values, building customer's character and propagating truth in societies. Since the ultimate aim of all promotional activities is to enhance trading activities like advertising, public relations, sales promotion and contests are Islamic if they follow Islamic principles. Promotional activities leading to healthy competition among firms are acceptable and should be encouraged; however unhealthy cut throat competition for the purpose of accumulating more and more wealth is condemned. Through promotional means people are lured to buy different models and brands of consumer goods, mostly for showing off and boasting. Muslim marketers have to be conscious of their position and role in managing marketing activities and should try their level best to uphold the Shari'ah framework of Islamic marketing and advertising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last one decade, research in self-regulated learning (SRL) and educational psychology has proliferated. Researchers and educators have focused on how to support leaners grow their SRL skills on both face-to-face and e-learning environments. In addition, recent studies and meta-analysis have greatly contributed to the domain knowledge on the use of SRL strategies and how they contribute and boost academic performance for learners. However, there is little systematic review on the literature on the techniques and tools used to measure SRL on e-learning platforms. This review sought to outline recent advances and the trends in this area to make it more efficient for researchers to establish the empirical studies and research patterns among different studies in the field of SRL. The findings from this study are concurrent with existing empirical evidence that traditional methods designed for classroom supports are being used for measuring SRL on e-learning environments. Few studies have used learner analytics and educational data mining (EDM) techniques to measure and promote SRL strategies for learners. The paper finally points out the existing gaps with the tools presently used to measure and support SRL on learning management systems and recommends further studies on the areas of EDM which can support SRL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-directed learning is arguably one of the most pressing concerns and key themes in our epochs in the field of foreign language teaching in both pre-University and University levels. However, as a part in the teaching-learning process, the Algerian Secondary School and University actors lack a well-structured model to overcome the different challenges towards enhancing self-directed learning. In this respect, the following hypothesis: a clear deficit remains in self-directed learning unless clear techniques, methods and approaches are academically applied to enhance self-directed learning. Through using an exploratory method, content analysis and research synthesis approaches and scheduling interviews with experts in the field (at the Higher College for Teachers Training in Constantine) as tools of research, the present paper, furthermore, assumes that the Competency-Based Approach is proved not to be suitably applied in our pre-University institutions. This study will shed the light on the major challenges that face University teachers in enhancing well-based approaches towards self-directed learning. It will also spot the light on the status quo of both the Algerian teacher/learner torn between the anvil of traditional teacher-based approaches and the hammer of rote and ill-applied learner-centered approaches to learning mainly limited by institutional and individual constraints. Initial findings highlighted that teachers also caught between their positive theoretical insights and their less optimistic visions to feasibility in promoting autonomous learning. The latter, accordingly, might also be fostered via rote conditioning rather than critical thinking. Thus, the pertinent recommendation from this study is to bridge the academic and pedagogical gaps between the university teachers and their students towards long-lasting insights affecting positively the enhancement of well-applied autonomous learning at the Algerian University. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed at promoting religious tourism in Pakistan by finding out the prevalent weaknesses in the marketing mix of Religious Tourism in Pakistan. The research was quantitative in nature. Data was collected from a sample of 357 Sikh Pilgrims on a five-point Likert scaled questionnaire. Exploratory and Confirmatory factor analysis were conducted to measure the hypothesized relationship b/w dependent and independent variables and validity of the construct. Multiple Linear Regression analysis was used to check the hypothesized influence of marketing mix on religious tourist satisfaction. Findings of the study revealed that product and price have significant positive effect; promotion has significant negative effect whereas placement has insignificant negative effect on pilgrims' satisfaction. Strategies were recommended for enhancement of Marketing Mix of religious tourism in Pakistan that might help promote tourism in the country thereby making it a main source of revenue for it. The study is an addition to the existing knowledge as it comprehensively discusses religious tourism especially Sikhism in the context of Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology offers opportunities for teachers to interact with students in a very authentic and compelling way. This review aims at answering the review question: Can technology promote online instructional scaffolding in teaching and learning? To answer this question, the researchers review different studies that investigate the implementation of applications and software in English language teaching and learning. The study highlights methods of using technology to overcome problems of time limitations and other barriers and create more meaningful teaching and learning. Technology makes learning more student-centered through instructional scaffolding, which promotes teaching and learning and enhances student’s interaction skills. Moreover, using technology helps to teach as it has an emotional influence that encourages students to develop their personality and learning skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]