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Cornachione Kula, Maria, Priniti Panday, and Brandon Parrish. "A wellbeing index based on an enabling environment." International Journal of Social Economics 35, no. 3 (February 15, 2008): 174–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/03068290810847851.
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Fioramonti, Lorenzo, and Olga Kononykhina. "Measuring the Enabling Environment of Civil Society: A Global Capability Index." VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations 26, no. 2 (February 25, 2014): 466–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11266-014-9444-3.
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Buccini, Gabriela, Marcos Ennes Barreto, Alberto Sironi, Juracy Bertoldo, Joao Godim, Jessica Silva, Stefanie Coelho, and Muriel Gubert. "Early Childhood Development Friendly Index (IMAPI): Assessing the Enabling Environment for Nurturing Care in Brazilian Municipalities." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 817. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa053_022.
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Abstract Objectives Early inequities in Early Childhood Development (ECD) are linked to inequalities across the five regions and within the 5570 municipalities in Brazil. We aimed to operationalize an index (IMAPI) to assess and monitor the enabling environment for nurturing care at the regional and municipal level in Brazil using existing national databases. Methods We followed three steps to operationalize IMAPI. I) Selection of indicators. The literature review guided the identification of existing indicators to translate each domain of the Nurturing Care Framework (Good Health, Adequate Nutrition, Opportunities for Early Learning, Responsive Caregiving, and Safety and Protection). Subsequently, meetings with experts and key Brazilian stakeholders informed the identification and selection of existing data in the national databases. II) Consultation with experts. Weights for the selected indicators were defined through a process based on the SMART approach. III) Analyzing IMAPI. Statistical and machine learning methods were used to compute an overall IMAPI as well as an index for each nurturing care domain that ranges from 0 (lowest score) to 100 (highest score). Means were calculated for each region of Brazil-based on municipalities indexes. Results IMAPI summarizes a set of 29 indicators: good health (14 indicators), adequate nutrition (4), early learning (7), responsive caregiving (0), and security and safety (4). Adequate nutrition domain presented the lowest median indexes (ranging from 32 to 22) and it was one of the most challenging to get reliable indicators due to the low coverage of national nutritional databases. The biggest difference means (DM) between regions with the best and worst indexes were found for early learning (DM = 17, ranging), good health (DM = 15) and security and safety (DM = 11), respectively. Responsive caregiving indicators were not identified at the municipal level within the existing national databases. A final version of IMAPI for each of the 5570 Brazilian municipalities incorporating sensitive analysis is being tested. Conclusions IMAPI discriminates regional and municipal enabling and constraining environments to promote ECD in Brazil which can facilitate informed policy decisions to address early inequities. Funding Sources Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CNPq, FAPDF.
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Kolaib, Anmar Ghalib, and Mufeed D. Y. Almula-Dhanoon. "Impact of Enabling Environment Drivers on Public-Private Partnership investment in the Transport Sector." Tikrit Journal of Administrative and Economic Sciences 18, no. 58, 1 (June 30, 2022): 406–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.25130/tjaes.18.58.1.22.
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The research aims to analyze the impact of some drivers of the enabling environment, represented by the macroeconomic stability index (GDP, inflation, foreign exchange reserves and the ratio of debt reserves to short-term foreign exchange). And the financial market stability index (the amount of credit provided to private sectors, value of shares traded) on public-private partnerships in financing infrastructure in the transport sector for selected countries. The drivers of the enabling environment in general are considered one of the main pillars in the process of partnership between the public and private sectors. And the tangible results of the partnership between the public and private sectors that affect the daily lives of individuals have a clear impact on the economic construction of countries that seek advancement and development in all directions. On the other hand, there is an urgent need to increase the volume of financing infrastructure projects, as a result of the widening gap between the demand for infrastructure and the shortfall in the volume of supply that corresponds to it. Which requires the public sector to move towards partnership with the private sector, which has capabilities and efficiency in implementation and management. The research adopted the ARDL model to perform the regression, using longitudinal data for a group of selected countries (Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, China) for the period (2000-2020). It was found that the flexibility of participatory investment in relation to changes in the gross domestic product, the inflation rate, the percentage of credit granted to the private sector, and the value of traded shares was high, while there was no significant effect of foreign exchange reserves and the ratio of short-term debt-to-foreign exchange reserves on investment. Participatory. On the other hand, it was found that the impact of GDP, the percentage of credit granted to the private sector and the value of traded shares were positive, while the effect of inflation was negative.
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Safon, Cara, Gabriela Buccini, Isabel Ferré, Teresita González de Cosío, and Rafael Pérez-Escamilla. "Can “Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly” Impact Breastfeeding Protection, Promotion, and Support in Mexico? A Qualitative Study." Food and Nutrition Bulletin 39, no. 3 (August 15, 2018): 393–405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0379572118789772.
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Background: The Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF) initiative includes a guide that helps countries worldwide assess their readiness to scale up national breastfeeding programs. Country committees of breastfeeding experts across government, academia, and civil society engage with BBF by applying the BBF toolbox that includes (1) the BBF Index (BBFI) to measure and score a country’s breastfeeding environment, (2) case studies that illustrate how countries have created enabling environments for breastfeeding, and (3) a 5-meeting process, during which country committees develop policy recommendations intended to improve breastfeeding outcomes based on the BBFI scores. Objective: This study seeks to understand how the application of the BBF toolbox impacted plans to improve the enabling environment for breastfeeding in Mexico. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Mexico’s 11 BBF country committee members about the 5-meeting process between May and June 2017. Audio recordings were transcribed and were coded and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Results: Three major themes emerged: (1) the unique enabling environment for breastfeeding consisted of obstacles and opportunities for improvement, (2) favorable country committee member dynamics positively affected the utility of the BBF toolbox, and (3) BBF revealed and shaped country committee members’ shared vision of change that laid the foundation for a shared public policy agenda. Conclusions: Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly can generate multisectoral breastfeeding champions who can advance the public policy agenda to improve breastfeeding outcomes at the national level both in Mexico and elsewhere.
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ADAM, K. I., and R. T. OLORUNGBEBE. "INTERNATIONAL TAX ISSUES UNDER THE NIGERIAN TAX LEGISLATION." Agora International Journal of Juridical Sciences 12, no. 1 (November 26, 2018): 35–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.15837/aijjs.v12i1.3414.
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The drive for global economic integration has necessitated the development and adoption of certain international standards to guarantee increased certainty in business environment across nations and reduce levels of risks in the market. Considering the prominence of tax legislation as a major index or infrastructural component of an enabling environment necessary for optimum investments and business growth, this paper attempts to give an overview of issues relevant to international taxation and examines their level of conformity to global standards.
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Hughes, Rami, and David Thorpe. "A review of enabling factors in construction industry productivity in an Australian environment." Construction Innovation 14, no. 2 (April 1, 2014): 210–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ci-03-2013-0016.
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Purpose – The purpose of the research discussed in this paper is to ascertain the perception, from the project manager's viewpoint, of factors affecting construction productivity in the State of Queensland, Australia. Design/methodology/approach – The research was conducted by a structured questionnaire that was sent to 89 randomly selected construction project managers in Queensland, Australia. This questionnaire requested background information about the respondents and then sought a score, using a 0-4 Likert scale, from each of them with respect to the importance of 47 factors identified from the literature that were considered likely to affect construction productivity. The factors were stratified into primary factors and secondary factors contributing to three of the primary factors. There were 36 responses. These factors were rated by the respondents and then ranked using a relative importance index approach. Findings – The research evaluated the relative importance of the primary factors with respect to their effect on construction productivity. The 15 highest ranking factors are discussed. Three factors – rework, poor supervisor competency, and incomplete drawings – were ranked as having a strong effect on construction productivity. There was also an analysis of the secondary factors in relation to three of the primary factors. Research limitations/implications – The research focused on the State of Queensland in Australia. It had a response rate of 40 per cent. It provides insight into the factors affecting productivity on construction projects in Australia. Further research to investigate the identified factors in depth, using targeted interviews of expert project management professionals, is currently being undertaken. Practical implications – The construction industry can use the findings in this paper as a basis for improving the productivity of construction projects. Originality/value – This research is original research, which has highlighted a number of key areas of which construction productivity can be improved.
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Ibrahim, Ali. "Issues in Higher Education: Analysis of 2017 Global Knowledge Index Data and Lessons Learned." Higher Education Studies 10, no. 1 (January 2, 2020): 91. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/hes.v10n1p91.
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Despite considerable efforts to increase the quality of Higher Education (HE) in many countries, the absence of a methodology to guide scholars and policymakers to assess its quality has been a barrier. In 2017, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Mohamad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) launched the Global Knowledge Index (GKI), a tool by which data from 131 countries were collected for seven sectors—one of which was HE. In this paper, an analysis of the HE index data is introduced. Then, three key issues which emerged from data are discussed. The first issue is HE efficiency, which is measured by comparing the indexes of HE inputs and outputs. The second issue is the enabling environment factors that might support or limit the growth of HE. The third issue is the intricate relationship between HE, economy, and Research and Development (R&D). The study found that HE efficiency is declining globally except in a few areas. A strong positive relationship was found between the enabling environment and variables of political stability and government effectiveness and HE’s ability of knowledge production. Furthermore, strong relationships were found between HE outputs, economy, and R&D respectively. The study concludes with future directions for increasing the quality of HE.
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Rand, D. T., and A. C. Nicol. "An Instrumented Glove for Monitoring MCP Joint Motion." Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine 207, no. 4 (December 1993): 207–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1243/pime_proc_1993_207_298_02.
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A lycra glove has been instrumented with novel low-profile electrogoniometers to measure index and middle finger metacarpophalangeal (MCP) flexion/extension motion. It is lightweight and comfortable to wear, enabling portable, unobtrusive measurement of joint usage about the home or work environment. Preliminary results have shown it to be of comparable accuracy to existing clinical measurements. Many applications are envisaged in the fields of ergonomics, orthopaedics and rehabilitation.
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GOMRI, Zina, and Sana DJEGTA. "Measuring the Quality of Oil Sector Governance in Algeria Based on the Results of Resources Governance Index (RGI)." Journal of Finance & Corporate Governance 3, no. 2 (December 31, 2019): 93–107. http://dx.doi.org/10.54960/jfcg.v3i2.47.
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The importance of oil and gas, as main materials using in most industrial products, in the development process makes the governance of hydrocarbons sector very important where the strength and weakness points in this sector should be precisely identified and an index for the quality of the use of such resources should be developed.
In this side, this study aims to measure the quality of governance practices related with oil industry in Algeria based on the three Resources Governance Principles, namely: value realization, revenue management and country’s enabling environment, contained in RGI adopted by the International Institute of Natural Resources Governance.
The research is a descriptive and an analytical research where the results of NRGI report have been analyzed. The main research’s findings are as follows: the lack of creating value due to the weakness of procedures which concerned as the basis for governance practices, the poor revenue management index due to the lack of governance framework that ensures the benefit of citizens from the wealth of extractive resources, the poor quality of the enabling environment due to the low level of accountability and transparency. Based on those results, the recommendations are: the necessity of providing information about extractive activities and implementing laws related to this sector, the need to join the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative by Algerian Government
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Dutse, A. Y., Muhammed M. Bayero, Kabiru I. Musa, and Mohammed Jibrin. "University–industry linkages, enabling policies and innovative behaviours of universities in Nigeria." International Journal of Technology Management & Sustainable Development 20, no. 3 (October 1, 2021): 305–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1386/tmsd_00047_1.
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Nigeria has long recognized the significance of university–industry linkage (UIL) not only as a critical driver in promoting the country’s science, technology and innovation agenda (STI) but also as a determinant of its global competitiveness in terms of economic development. Experts have reasoned that universities in Nigeria can serve as catalysts by performing their primary function of teaching and carrying out basic and applied research as well as conducting community services. This goal can be effectively achieved if the partnership is being facilitated by a robust enabling policy environment (EPE). It is in light of this that this study was conducted to assess the effect of UIL on innovative behaviour of universities, mediated by EPE within the context of national STI system of Nigeria. The study was built on the theoretical basis of the Triple Helix framework. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on Nigerian universities’ senior academics and officers, spreading across six geopolitical zones, serving as clusters for data collection. Composite index approach was used to determine the level of association and causality while Andrew F. Hayes’s process was used to measure the mediation effects among the study variables. The results show the existence of a positive correlation among the variables as well as that of causality and mediation. Policy-makers should encourage collaborations among players from both streams by providing an enabling environment that would foster innovation, transfer and the commercialization of knowledge.
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de Freitas, Rodrigo Rodrigues, Joyce Azevedo Caetano, Cintia Machado de Oliveira, Felipe do Carmo Amorim, and Marcio Antelio Neves da Silva. "Transport Sustainability Index: An Application Multicriteria Analysis." Energies 15, no. 20 (October 19, 2022): 7741. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en15207741.
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The unrestricted consumption of fossil fuels negatively impacts the economic, social and environmental aspects, observed from a sustainable perspective. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and adopt skills that enable the monitoring and mitigation of risks to the environment. In view of this, we propose a method with multiple approaches emphasizing a three-dimensional perspective of energy consumption by diesel engines, which represent one of the main pollutants emitters in transport. As a methodology, fuzzy logic was adopted, together with a recognition system, in order to mitigate the uncertainties inherent to the applied data. The procedure was applied to the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with information collected from seven toll plazas and a radar with volumetric counting. The results indicate a good adherence of the sustainability index to real cases, allowing a better observation of changes in environmental criteria and a more efficient inspection in the application of good practices, in addition to enabling greater participation of society in the inspection and adoption of environmental criteria in transport.
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Borysenko, Olha, Olena Vasyl’yeva, Olga Katerna, Iuliia Masiuk, and Oleg Panakhi. "Modeling the Risks of the Global Customs Space." Journal of Risk and Financial Management 15, no. 12 (December 12, 2022): 598. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jrfm15120598.
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The influence of globalization processes, the customs space of the country, requires the development and implementation of a transparent state customs policy to ensure security and integration into the space of the higher hierarchical order. The purpose of the study is to form scientific-applied recommendations regarding the development vectors of the customs space of a country in the global environment to improve its risk management system. The main method of study is econometric modeling, namely, canonical analysis in determining the interdependence of sustainable development and customs space. The purpose of the study is to suggest directions for development vectors for a country’s customs space that will mitigate various risks. Originally, 174 countries were selected for analysis, but the final sample was formed by 98 countries. According to the results of econometric modeling, it was determined that the following variables have the greatest impact on the customs space: human development index; GDP per capita; corruption perception index; global enabling trade index; environmental performance index; social progress index; global competitiveness index. The findings can be used by public authorities in developing a strategy for reforming the customs system of developing countries, taking into account the risks and challenges of the global environment.
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Moss, Vuyisani. "Creating a Development Bank to Finance Affordable Housing in South Africa is a Timely Catalyst to Address Demand and Supply Challenges." International Journal of Systems and Society 6, no. 1 (January 2019): 52–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijss.2019010104.
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The twin problems of affordability and accessibility that hamper the progress of housing in our country need to be addressed on a sustainable basis and the state needs to take on the role as a facilitator to create the enabling environment to encourage greater private sector participation. As a consequence, it is quite opportune to establish the Human Settlements Development Bank (HSDB). The mortgage finance affordability challenge is also attributable to key essential drivers, namely; house price index, disposable income, and the mortgage interest rates.
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Kolaib, Anmar Ghalib, and Mufeed Almula-Dhanoon. "The impact of enabling environment drivers on participatory investment between the public and private sectors in the energy sector." Tikrit Journal of Administrative and Economic Sciences 18, no. 58, 1 (June 30, 2022): 74–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.25130/tjaes.18.58.1.5.
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The research aims to analyze the impact of the drivers of the enabling environment, represented by the macroeconomic stability index (GDP, inflation, foreign exchange reserves and the ratio of debt reserves to short-term foreign exchange). And the financial market stability index (the volume of credit provided to private sectors, value of shares traded) on public-private partnerships PPP in financing infrastructure in the energy sector for selected countries. The drivers of the enabling environment in general are considered one of the main pillars in the process of partnership between the public and private sectors, and the tangible results of the PPP have a clear impact on the economic construction of countries that seek advancement and development in all directions. on the other hand, there is an urgent need to expand the scope of infrastructure projects, as a result of the widening gap between the demand for infrastructure and the its supply, and then increasing the volume of its financing. This requires the public sector to move towards PPP, which has capabilities and efficiency in implementation and management. The research adopted the ARDL model to perform the regression, using longitudinal data for a group of selected countries (Brazil, Colombia, India, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, China, Bangladesh, Russia, Thailand) for the period (2000-2020). It was found that the effect of GDP and foreign cash reserves was positive, while the effect of inflation, the ratio of the ratio of short-term debt-to-foreign exchange reserves and the credit granted to the private sector ratio was negative, while it was proven that there is no significant effect of the value of traded shares on PPP investment. On the other hand, it was found that the flexibility of participatory investment in relation to changes in the GDP, foreign monetary reserve, the ratio of the ratio of short-term debt-to-foreign exchange reserves, and credit granted to the private sector ratio was low. While it was found that PPP investment is highly flexible to the change in the rate of inflation. Which emphasizes the importance of securing a stable macroeconomic environment for the purpose of stimulating PPP investment in the energy sector.
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ABDU, Maryam, and Sunday Moses IBRAHIM. "EFFECT OF STOCK EXCHANGE OPERATIONS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA." LASU Journal of Employment Relations & Human Resource Management 1, no. 1 (December 1, 2018): 258–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.36108/ljerhrm/8102.01.0182.
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This study examined the effect of Nigerian Stock Exchange operations on the Economic Growth in Nigeria. Data was collected from secondary sources, through the central bank of Nigeria database. To achieve the objective of the study, Nigerian Stock Exchange operations was proxy by All Share Index while Economic Growth was proxy by Gross Domestic Product. The study covered a seventeen year period. Ordinary least square regression technique was employed in examining the effect of all share index on economic growth. The findings revealed that all share index and gross domestic product are positively and significantly correlated. Based on the findings of this study, it is therefore recommended that an enabling environment should be created in order to enhance the participation of both private and public sector in the security market so as to stimulate economic growth
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Re Cecconi, Fulvio, Nicola Moretti, and Mario Claudio Dejaco. "MEASURING THE PERFORMANCE OF ASSETS: A REVIEW OF THE FACILITY CONDITION INDEX." International Journal of Strategic Property Management 23, no. 3 (February 18, 2019): 187–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.3846/ijspm.2019.7955.
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Measurement of performances in asset management is an enabling factor to define an effective strategy. The scope of this research concerns the investigation on the Facility Condition Index (FCI): one of the most common metrics related to the built environment. The research aims at providing a critical review concerning the FCI and its use. The research methodology has been developed according to three steps: bibliographic research, bibliometric analysis and critical review. Most of the sources agree that FCI provides a reliable economic measurement of maintenance needs, though it must be tied to a strong condition assessment methodology. Moreover, different methodologies for computation of the deferred maintenance and the current replacement value can be found in literature and many researchers emphasised the limits of FCI when dealing with components characterised by a considerable difference in replacement costs. In conclusion, FCI is included in the wider framework of asset management business process.
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Sakti, Arif Barata, and Mohamad Zaenal Arifin. "MENAKAR DAYA SAING DAERAH KOTA MAGELANG TAHUN 2020." Jurnal Jendela Inovasi Daerah 4, no. 1 (February 11, 2021): 16–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.56354/jendelainovasi.v4i1.94.
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The higher the level of competitiveness of an area, the higher the level of community welfare. Each region has a different response in mitigating the impact of globalization at this time. The readiness of regions in responding to global challenges will greatly determine the bargaining position of each region in the arena of increasingly fierce global competition. Therefore, writing this article aims to analyze the Regional Competitiveness Index (IDSD) of Magelang Municipality in 2020 as a form of mitigating the impact of globalization. The method developed in writing this article is a descriptive qualitative index value that has been measured by the Ministry of Research and Technology / National Agency for Research and Technology. The findings of this study indicate that the enabling environment is the strongest aspect and the market aspect is the weakest. Furthermore, the results of the mapping of the regional competitiveness index and analysis of its results can be used as a reference in making regional development policies.
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Nobre Santos, Ellen Caroline, Polinar Bandeira Rufino, Taynara Lopes de Araújo, Andson Amorim Lima, Marcos Antônio De Oliveira Souza, Genilda De Andrade Barbosa, Janis Lunier de Souza, Leonardo Augusto Kohana Melchior, Ricardo da Costa Rocha Da Costa Rocha, and Emmerson Corrêa Brasil Da Costa. "Aedes Aegypti (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) INFESTATION RATES IN A WESTERN AMAZONIAN CITY." Revista Gestão e Conhecimento 16, no. 3 (November 21, 2022): 1056–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.55908/rgcv16n3-003.
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Introduction: Aedes aegypti is a vector of several arboviruses that cause great concern for public health. In the state of Acre (Brazil), there are few studies related to A. aegypti, and none on the proliferation of the species in the state. The objective of this study was to estimate the rates of A. aegypti infestation in neighborhoods of the municipality of Rio Branco, Acre. Methods: ovitramps were installed in peridomestic environments, and the material found was sent to the laboratory for identification, counting and analysis of infestation rates. Results: 17,820 eggs of A. aegypti were captured, with a positivity index of 63.5% (POI); the neighborhoods Loteamento Joafra (92.8%), Laélia Alcantara (85.7%) and Morada do Sol (83.7%) had POIs greater than 80%. It was also observed that the mean egg density index (EDI) was 79.2 and that in the dry season there was greater oviposition with an EDI of 105.4, thus enabling the maintenance of the species in the environment. Conclusion: our data reveals that greater efforts are needed to control mosquitoes in the municipality of Rio Branco and thus prevent the spread of arboviruses of public health importance.
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Alfantookh, Abdulkader, and Saad Haj Bakry. "The State of People and Knowledge in the GCC Countries per a New Index and the Future Ahead." International Journal of Knowledge Society Research 8, no. 4 (October 2017): 34–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijksr.2017100103.
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The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with their rich oil resources, are facing the problem of fallen oil prices on the one hand, and reduced oil reserves on the other. As a result, they are moving toward less dependence on oil, and increasing dependence on people and knowledge. This paper develops a wide scope “people and knowledge index (PKI)” using relevant international indicators made available by various international organizations. The index includes “ten building blocks.” Four of these blocks are concerned with the “core issues” of people and knowledge; while the other six blocks are related to the “environment issues” according to which people and knowledge interact. The paper assesses the GCC countries according to the index revealing their strengths and weaknesses, and enabling the derivation of guidelines for their future development. The resulting guidelines consider how the GCC countries can direct their future development toward a high and growing standard of living, while reducing dependence on oil. Finally, the future use of the new index is highlighted.
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Bhasin, Niti, and Shilpa Garg. "Impact of Institutional Environment on Inward FDI: A Case of Select Emerging Market Economies." Global Business Review 21, no. 5 (August 1, 2019): 1279–301. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0972150919856989.
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The tremendous amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) flowing into emerging nations has attracted worldwide attention. These economies are at a same stage of development with similar social, economic and other conditions, but their institutional environment can act as a differentiator in affecting FDI location within these emerging economies. So, this article examines the role of institutional mechanisms in influencing their inward FDI by employing broad-based indicators of institutional environment. The article employs panel data regression (fixed effects) to test the impact of institutional indicators and other variables on FDI inflows and stock of 23 emerging economies from 2006 to 2015. Three indices have been constructed for this purpose, using the methodology of principal component analysis and composite index, from 24 institutional variables. All the three indices, representing three institutional pillars turned significant: ‘Rule of law’ (negative coefficient), ‘Regulatory efficiency’ (positive coefficient) and ‘normative institutional environment’ (negative coefficient). This implies that one of the main motivations for foreign investors to make investment in emerging economies is to take advantage of their weak laws, norms and values. But they also seek a basic enabling environment with minimum burdens as far as the efficiency of regulations is concerned.
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Punyakaew, Autchariya, Hsiu-Yun Hsu, Suchitporn Lersilp, and Supawadee Putthinoi. "Development and psychometric properties of a questionnaire to measure the active aging index for older people." Journal of Associated Medical Sciences 56, no. 1 (January 3, 2023): 150–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.12982/jams.2023.018.
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Background: The world's aging is a global phenomenon. The active aging framework responds to this phenomenon by emphasizing on the connections between good health, participation, and security in the lives of older people. Objectives: This study developed a novel measurement of active aging for older people by integrating the international concept with specific features of Thailand. Materials and methods: Active aging measurement components were generated through relevant literature reviews, with content validity examined by experts. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were used for examining measurement reliability. Two hundred older people living in Chiang Mai Province participated in a pilot survey. Results: The active aging measurement was composed of four components including health, social participation, security, and enabling an environment for active aging. Good internal consistency was represented overall by Cronbach’s alpha=0.77, while the test-retest reliability value was 0.89. Conclusion: The active aging measurement was developed for older people. It is a valid and reliable measure of an active aging index.
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Hoshino, Kiyoshi, Takuya Kasahara, Motomasa Tomida, and Takanobu Tanimoto. "Gesture-World Environment Technology for Mobile Manipulation – Remote Control System of a Robot with Hand Pose Estimation –." Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics 24, no. 1 (February 20, 2012): 180–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2012.p0180.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose a remotecontrolled robot system capable of accurate highspeed performance of the same operation strictly conforming to human operator movement without sensors or special control means. We specifically intend to implement high-precision high-speed 3D hand pose estimation enabling a remote-controlled robot to be operated using two cameras installed loosely orthogonally using one ordinary PC. The two cameras have their own database. Once sequential hand images are shot at high speed, the system starts selecting one database with bigger size of hand region in each recorded image. Coarse screening then proceeds based on proportional hand image information roughly corresponding to wrist rotation or thumb or finger extension. Finally, a detailed search is done for similarity among selected candidates. Experiments show that mean and standard deviation scores of errors in estimated angles at the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) index are 0.45 ± 14.57 and at the carpometacarpal (CM) thumb 4.7 ± 10.82, respectively, indicating it as a high-precision 3D hand pose estimation. Remote control of a robot with the proposed vision system shows high performance as well.
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Aghaulor, Kosy Cletus. "Growth Impact of Insecurity on the Nigerian Economy." UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities 21, no. 3 (May 19, 2021): 147–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ujah.v21i3.9.
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This research work investigated restructuring national security for economic growth in Nigeria for the period 1981 to 2017. In a bid to actualize the main objective of this study, a good number of literature materials were reviewed and data were collected from secondary sources such as the various editions of CBN Statistical Bulletin. The data were analyzed using Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) Unit Root test, Johansen co-integration test, Error Correction Model. The selected variables (i.e. Gross Domestic product, Life expectancy at birth, terrorism risk index, discomfort index, adult literacy rate, corruption perception index and unemployment rate) had a cointegrating relationship indicating long-run relationship among the variables. The result of the Error Correction Mechanism (ECM) had the expected negative sign and statistically significant at the 0.05 level, an indication that any disequilibrium in the system will be adjusted. Based on the conclusion made, it is recommended that government should restructure and decentralize security architecture, increase capital expenditure on security and provide the enabling environment for people to work especially in the area of security of lives and property. This is against the back-drop that no meaningful economic activity can thrive in the face of insecurity
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Gallotti Rodrigues, Paulo, Alberto Barbosa Raposo, and Luciano Pereira Soares. "A Virtual Touch Interaction Device for Immersive Applications." International Journal of Virtual Reality 10, no. 4 (January 1, 2011): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.20870/ijvr.2011.10.4.2824.
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Traditional interaction devices such as computer mice and keyboards do not adapt very well to immersive envi-ronments, since they were not necessarily designed for users who may be standing or in movement. Moreover, in the current inte-raction model for immersive environments, based on wands and 3D mice, a change of context is necessary in order to execute non-immersive tasks. These constant context changes from im-mersive to 2D desktops introduce a rupture in user interaction with the application. The objective of this work is to study how to adapt interaction techniques from touch surface based systems to 3D virtual environments to reduce this physical rupture from the fully immersive mode to the desktop paradigm. In order to do this, a wireless glove (v-Glove) that maps to a touch interface in a vir-tual reality immersive environment was developed, enabling it to interact in 3D applications. The glove has two main functionalities: tracking the position of the user's index finger and vibrating the fingertip when it reaches an area mapped in the interaction space to simulate a touch feeling. Quantitative and qualitative analysis were performed with users to evaluate the v-Glove, comparing it with a gyroscopic 3D mouse.
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Razvi, Saleema, and Debashis Chakraborty. "Does Economic Freedom Influence Major Health Indicators in India? Cross-state Panel Estimation Results." Journal of Development Policy and Practice 1, no. 2 (June 16, 2016): 203–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2455133316648052.
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It is widely acknowledged that inadequacies in public sector health systems can only be overcome by substantial structural and institutional reforms. In India, the need for reforms in the health sector has been highlighted and stressed upon in recent period. While there is a growing belief that public and private sectors in health can potentially gain from one another, there is also recognition that, given their respective strengths and weaknesses, neither the public sector nor the private sector alone can operate in the best interest of the health system. The current study attempts to analyse the impact of enabling environments measured by the economic freedom index in 20 Indian states on select healthcare outcomes, through a panel data model. The empirical results confirm that rise in economic freedom lowers maternal mortality and infant mortality, as the resulting conducive environment enables greater private sector participation. However, the crucial role to be played by the public sector is also underlined in no uncertain terms. The obtained results strongly indicate that the health scenario in India can improve only through closer co-ordination between the public and the private sectors.
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Trevisan, Diego Peruchi, Mayara Herrmann Ruggiero, Polyanna da Conceição Bispo, Dayana Almeida, Maryam Imani, Heiko Balzter, and Luiz Eduardo Moschini. "Evaluation of Environmental Naturalness: A Case Study in the Tietê-Jacaré Hydrographic Basin, São Paulo, Brazil." Sustainability 13, no. 6 (March 10, 2021): 3021. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13063021.
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The connection between humanity and nature has an organizational impact on land use/land, often changing landscapes’ patterns. In this context, our study aims to analyze the changes in the landscape structure of the Tietê-Jacaré watershed, São Paulo state, Brazil, in 2007 and 2017, through the urbanity index. The landscape analysis described the temporal landscape patterns resulting from the influence of anthropogenic processes. This approach assumes that the environmental impacts are associated with the vulnerability of land use components. The urbanity index was utilized to analyze the landscape sustainability conditions in response to anthropogenic influence. We observed a reduction in vegetation areas (2.72%), representing 32,149 ha, followed by an expansion of crops (2.05%, 24,507.53 ha) and, as a result, a reduction of the landscape environmental quality with a growth of the areas with anthropic intervention. The development of anthropic activities, land use, and land cover changes could compromise the region’s ecosystems negatively, e.g., through effects on soils that provide sustenance vegetation and afford energy for terrestrial life. The urbanity index expressed the conservation and natural state of the landscape studied. It is presented as an essential tool for diagnosing the environment and for the conservation of the ecosystem, allowing precise analysis of landscape elements and enabling accurate analysis of each fragment of the landscape.
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Bello, Camilla, Stefano Desando, Veruska Orio, Paolo Giudici, and Barbara Tarantino. "Pandemic risk: operational aspects." Risk Management Magazine 3, no. 2020 (December 2020): 29–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.47473/2020rmm0073.
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At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Intesa Sanpaolo has developed a contagion model aimed at calibrating the measures to be taken to safeguard its employees and the provision of banking services, according to the risk deriving from the external environment. The model is based on both external and internal views: the combination of such elements provides a holistic picture of the overall contagion risk level, enabling the opportunity to take informed decisions for each geographical area. One of the most useful external indicators to feed the model is the reproduction index (Rt) provided by the University of Pavia which is calculated using the Poisson autoregressive (PAR) model. Though more research and development are needed, the proposed model represents a useful tool for supporting the Top Managers in the decision process to continue business as usual safely.
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Türk, Umut, John Östh, Marina Toger, and Karima Kourtit. "Using Individualised HDI Measures for Predicting Educational Performance of Young Students—A Swedish Case Study." Sustainability 13, no. 11 (May 28, 2021): 6087. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13116087.
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HDI is a frequently used quantitative index of human potential and welfare, developed as a comprehensive measure for the cross-sectional and temporal comparison of socioeconomic performance. The HDI is a standardised quantitative estimation of welfare comprising indicators of health, knowledge and standard of living, enabling assessment over countries, regions or time periods, in case of limited data access. The index highlights critical conditions for equity and socioeconomic development outside the group of stakeholders and researchers. The HDI provides a learning potential that may be harnessed to enhance insights into the magnitude of human potential at super-local levels. In this paper we design, implement and test the validity of a super-local variant of HDI in the context of pedagogical performance of young pupils. We compare whether HDI is a good predictor for school grades among all ninth-grade students in Sweden during the year 2014. Our results show that a super-local HDI index is performing equal to or better than the one related to standard measures of human potential, while the index can be generated on individual levels using k-nearest neighbour approaches during the index creation process.
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Giuseppi, Alessandro, Roberto Germanà, Federico Fiorini, Francesco Delli Priscoli, and Antonio Pietrabissa. "UAV Patrolling for Wildfire Monitoring by a Dynamic Voronoi Tessellation on Satellite Data." Drones 5, no. 4 (November 3, 2021): 130. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/drones5040130.
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Fire monitoring and early detection are critical tasks in which Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are commonly employed. This paper presents a system to plan the drone patrolling schedule according to a real-time estimation of a fire propagation index that is derived from satellite data, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) measurement and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of the surveilled area. The proposed system employs a waypoint scheduling logic, derived from a dynamic Voronoi Tessellation of the area, that combines characteristics of the territory (e.g., vegetation density) with real-time measurements (e.g., wind speed and direction). The system is validated on a case study in Italy, in the municipality of the city of L’Aquila, on three different fire scenarios. In normal situations, the designed waypoint-based navigation system provided an effective monitoring of the area, enabling the early detection of starting fires. The developed solution also demonstrated good performance in tracking and anticipating the fire front advance, potentially providing a better situational awareness to emergency operators and support their response policies. Both the test environment and the simulator have been made open-source.
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Voskoglou, Michael. "Methods for Assessing Human–Machine Performance under Fuzzy Conditions." Mathematics 7, no. 3 (March 1, 2019): 230. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/math7030230.
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The assessment of a system’s performance is a very important task, enabling its designer/user to correct its weaknesses and make it more effective. Frequently, in practice, a system’s assessment is performed under fuzzy conditions, e.g., using qualitative instead of numerical grades, incomplete information about its function, etc. The present review summarizes the author’s research on building assessment models for use in a fuzzy environment. Those models include the measurement of a fuzzy system’s uncertainty, the application of the center of gravity defuzzification technique, the use of triangular fuzzy or grey numbers as assessment tools, and the application of the fuzzy relation equations. Examples are provided of assessing human (students and athletes) and machine (case-based reasoning systems in computers) capacities, illustrating our results. The outcomes of those examples are compared to the outcomes of the traditional methods of calculating the mean value of scores assigned to the system’s components (system’s mean performance) and of the grade point average index (quality performance) and useful conclusions are obtained concerning their advantages and disadvantages. The present review forms a new basis for further research on systems’ assessment in a fuzzy environment.
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Skaržauskienė, Aelita, and Monika Mačiulienė. "Assessment of Digital Co-Creation for Public Open Spaces: Methodological Guidelines." Informatics 6, no. 3 (September 4, 2019): 39. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/informatics6030039.
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The accessibility and quality of public open spaces (e.g., parks, gardens, squares and plazas) are critical for cultural identity development as they provide important gathering points in the urban fabric and offer a place for social activities, enabling interaction among people of different generations and ethnicities. Public open spaces enhance the urban environment by providing important ecological processes and ecosystem services. The current research generates knowledge about co-creation approach to be used to merge the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) with these essential functions of the public spaces. It explores new dynamics of open spaces as a trusted service for the community and expands our understanding of how meditated public open spaces function, paying attention to stakeholders, local context and different social groups. The paper presents the design of Digital Co-Creation Index and methodological guidelines for applying Digital Co-creation monitoring technique for evaluation of co-creation processes in designing attractive, inclusive and responsive public open spaces.
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Sousa, Jocy A. P., Jomil C. A. Sales, Darllan C. C. Silva, Rita C. F. Silva, and Roberto W. Lourenço. "Developing Of An Urban Environmental Quality Indicator." GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY 14, no. 2 (July 4, 2021): 30–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.24057/2071-9388-2020-210.
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Human intervention on vegetation cover has always had a negative impact on the environment, directly affecting the quality of life in urban areas. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a methodology for the construction of an urban environmental quality indicator (UEQI) that could reflect the environmental quality of urban areas considering the vegetation conditions to which the resident population is exposed. For this, the method sought to integrate data on demographic density (Dd), leaf area index (LAI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and surface temperature (St). The Mamdani fuzzy inference system was used to generate a rule base containing 108 variations and a defuzzed output with five condition classes, ranging from very bad to excellent. The results showed that the studied area is characterized by a very bad to good UEQI, with most neighbourhoods having poor conditions (64.51%) and only two with good conditions. It was found that in general the studied area has unsatisfactory environmental quality, showing the need for initiatives aimed at urban afforestation in order to improve the quality of life for the studied population. It can be concluded that UEQI proved to be an efficient tool to identify priority areas for the planning and management of vegetation cover in urbanized areas, enabling the improvement of people's living conditions.
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Rastvortseva, Svetlana, and Alexandra Korbankova. "Measuring the Creative Capital and its Development in the Regions of France." Contemporary Europe 101, no. 1 (February 28, 2021): 74–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.15211/soveurope120217485.
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Since the publication of the highly cited book of Richard Florida (“The Rise of the Creative Class. And How it's Transforming Work, Leisure and Everyday Life”), creativity has been considered as a new paradigm for economic development of cities and regions. In this context, evaluating the creative class and the creative capital has become an increasingly important concern. At the same time, measuring creative capital, in European countries in particular, remains underinvestigated. This paper is aimed at redressing this gap by evaluating the creative capital index for several regions of France. A multi-method research design was based on the Creative Capital Index project by PwC Russia. It was used to analyze both primary and secondary data on five main variables – “Regional development”, “Population”, “Business environment”, “Government” and “Brands” – from several French regions (Île-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bretagne, Occitanie and Pays de la Loire) obtained from European, national and regional open databases, official websites of governmental and non-governmental organizations and other online resources. The analysis of the results of creative capital index estimation and the investigation of creative projects, strategies and programs that were implemented in the regions under study has shown that each region has its competitive advantage in terms of specific aspects of creative capital. The results of the study may be of use to economists and policymakers by enabling them to recognize the key factors of creativity in their regions.
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Klinger, Liliana, and James R. Griffith. "Fluoropolymer barriers to stress corrosion in optical fibers." Journal of Materials Research 2, no. 6 (December 1987): 876–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/jmr.1987.0876.
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Some recent studies on fluoropolymers that exhibit substantially increased barrier properties against the migration of moisture when compared to conventional fiber coating materials, and as a result may offer unique advantages for use in optical fiber applications, are reported. Moisture vapor permeability studies of cis-trans fluoropolyol polyacrylate indicate that it can offer up to an order of magnitude reduction in H2O permeability relative to commercially available UV curable acrylate coatings. Experimentally determined permeability coefficients were of the order of 10−12 g cm−2 s−1 cm/mm Hg and diffusion coefficients were of the order of 10−10 cm2 s−1. In addition to improved barrier properties, incorporation of fluorine into the polymer structure lowers the index of refraction of the polymer enabling a material to be tailored for use as a cladding in conjunction with silica glass. The index of refraction of cis-trans fluoropolyol polyacrylate was determined, using index matching oils, to be 1.437 (lower than the silica core) permitting its use as a cladding. Other material parameters relevant to fiber coatings have also been measured. The elastic modulus E of the material was determined to be 1010 dyn/cm2 with a slow drop to 108 dyn/cm2 at the glass transition temperature ∼45°C. In addition, an improved formulation of cis-trans fluoropolyol polyacrylate is presented that allowed in-line coating of the optical fiber in an oxygen environment.
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Kumakoshi, Yusuke, Sau Yee Chan, Hideki Koizumi, Xiaojiang Li, and Yuji Yoshimura. "Standardized Green View Index and Quantification of Different Metrics of Urban Green Vegetation." Sustainability 12, no. 18 (September 10, 2020): 7434. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12187434.
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Urban greenery is considered an important factor in sustainable development and people’s quality of life in the city. To account for urban green vegetation, Green View Index (GVI), which captures the visibility of greenery at street level, has been used. However, as GVI is point-based estimation, when aggregated at an area-level by mean or median, it is sensitive to the location of sampled sites, overweighing the values of densely located sites. To make estimation at area-level more robust, this study aims to (1) propose an improved indicator of greenery visibility (standardized GVI; sGVI), and (2) quantify the relation between sGVI and other green metrics. Experiment on an hypothetical setting confirmed that bias from site location can be mitigated by sGVI. Furthermore, comparing sGVI and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at the city block level in Yokohama city, Japan, we found that sGVI captures the presence of vegetation better in the city center, whereas NDVI is better at capturing vegetation in parks and forests, principally due to the different viewpoints (eye-level perception and top-down eyesight). These tools provide a foundation for accessing the effect of vegetation in urban landscapes in a more robust matter, enabling comparison on any arbitrary geographical scale.
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Stanzl, Nicola, and Janet Scammell. "Nurses' perceptions of supporting a ‘good death’ in intensive care units." International Journal of Palliative Nursing 28, no. 8 (August 2, 2022): 357–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/ijpn.2022.28.8.357.
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Background: Death in the intensive care unit (ICU) is an unavoidable aspect of nursing practice. Nurses are the primary front-line healthcare professionals (HCPs) which care for dying patients in this setting. Facilitating ‘good deaths’ in the ICU has become increasingly debated due to the challenges involved, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: To explore how nurses perceive a ‘good death’ for patients in the ICU. Method: Literature published in English between 2005 and 2020 was rigorously searched and recorded using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Data sources were: CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE complete, APA PsycInfo, ScienceDirect, SocINDEX, SwePub, SciELO, Complementary Index, Academic Search Ultimate, Supplemental Index, Education Source and Directory of Open Access Journals. Search terms included: nurses' perceptions, ICUs, ‘good deaths’, quality of death and dignified deaths. Findings: Seven articles met the search criteria, five used qualitative methods, one used a quantitative method and one used a mixed method design. Each of these were critically analysed. A process of thematic analysis identified three prevalent themes: ensuring physical comfort, providing an appropriate physical environment and the importance of relatives. Conclusion: The review revealed that creating a less technical environment within the ICU can influence a ‘good death’, but further research is needed to establish how this can be enacted. More effective management of physical symptoms such as pain and dyspnoea are also recommended. Including care of relatives in care plans was also found to contribute toward a ‘good death’ and that this could be facilitated through improved staff education. Providing a private area for grieving relatives within the ICU has also had an impact in enabling a ‘good death’.
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Chen, Dechao, Xinliang Xu, Huailong Jiang, Zongyao Sun, Luo Liu, and Zhi Qiao. "Contribution of Spatial Heterogeneity and Temporal-Spatial Change of Ecosystems to the Thermal Environment of Tourist Destinations: A Case Study of Sichuan-Chongqing Region, China." Advances in Meteorology 2020 (June 23, 2020): 1–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/6798958.
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Tourism development activities affect the structure and functions of ecosystems directly triggering changes in the thermal environment of tourism destinations and raising a need for sustainable development of the tourism industry. Using the 2005–2015 moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) data on the land surface temperature combined with the land use data, the urban thermal environment contribution index (CI) of prefecture-level cities and ecosystem types corresponding to the study area in Sichuan-Chongqing region were quantitatively calculated under various seasonal and diurnal conditions in terms of the scales of administrative divisions and ecosystem types. The characteristics of the roles played by different cities and ecosystem types to contribute to the thermal environment of the metropolitan region were summarized, and the differences and changes in the corresponding contribution intensity of various ecosystem types were measured. The results indicate the following: (1) Different cities play different roles as the sources and sinks with respect to the thermal environment in the daytime and nighttime. Based on the diurnal differences of the contribution indices, cities can be divided into three types: the day-night heat source type, the day-sink and night-source type, and the day-night heat sink type. (2) The farmland and the grassland ecosystems are the most important source and sink landscapes in the thermal environment of the Sichuan-Chongqing Region, respectively. (3) The region is affected by the spatial arrangement of the internal ecosystems and its own development conditions, and, consequently, there are significant temporal-spatial variations and role transitions between heat source and heat sink regarding the contribution of different ecosystem types to the thermal environment of individual cities. It is important to scientifically regulate the thermal environment effect on tourism destinations and maintain the comfort and sustainable development through identifying the source and sink ecosystems of the thermal environment, controlling the quantity and spatial arrangement of the heat source ecosystems, and fully enabling the cooling effect of the heat sink ecosystems.
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AlKhereibi, Aya Hasan, Nuri Onat, Raffaello Furlan, Michael Grosvald, and Reem Youssef Awwaad. "Underlying Mechanisms of Transit-Oriented Development: A Conceptual System Dynamics Model in Qatar." Designs 6, no. 5 (August 25, 2022): 71. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/designs6050071.
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Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is an urban planning approach that facilitates the achievement of sustainable development goals from an urban planning and transportation perspective. Developed countries are moving rapidly to integrate TOD principles into the urban fabric. On the other hand, developing countries face challenges in attempting to implement TOD and introduce new transportation modes. The present research study analyzes the concept of TOD from a systematic perspective, providing an in-depth analysis of the interrelation of the three subsystems of TOD: sustainable transportation, built environment, and socio-economic development. The authors posit that the appropriate application of TOD requires not only that one evaluate the existing conditions of the urban fabric, but also that one assess the typical causality characteristics of the TOD index, as well as investigate the dynamicity of these interacting factors as they change over time. This approach should allow policymakers to better understand the interrelations among the built environment, transportation, and socio-economic aspects of TOD, ultimately enabling them to provide appropriate and focused policies. In this research study, a conceptual system dynamics model for TOD is developed, taking into consideration the needs of a sustainable built environment, a sustainable transportation system, and a sustainable economy. The main findings therefore relate causality effects among multiple variables, including transportation, urban and socio-economic subsystems. The model developed in this study was developed in the State of Qatar, a small country in the Arabian Gulf, but has broader implications as it could be implemented in other countries with conditions similar to those prevailing in Qatar.
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Kumar, Vishal, and Aude Vuilliomenet. "Urban Nature: Does Green Infrastructure Relate to the Cultural and Creative Vitality of European Cities?" Sustainability 13, no. 14 (July 19, 2021): 8052. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su13148052.
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The COVID-19 pandemic severely upended cultural and creative production, consumption, and interactions in cities. Open green spaces, parks, forests, and gardens—green infrastructure—were instead utilized by citizens as a substitute for stimulating social interactions, sustainable tourism, and green growth. (1) The purpose of this research is to understand whether the availability of green infrastructure relates to the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor (CCCM) benchmarking project developed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission performance. Does new evidence suggest revising the CCCM conceptual framework and related urban policies, especially in relation to the EU Green Deal? (2) Data from OpenStreetMap was used to count the amount of green infrastructure in 184 European Cities covered by the CCM and was then correlated with the sub-indices of the CCCM. (3) We found a moderately positive correlation of green infrastructure with the cultural vibrancy of a city and a weak positive correlation with the enabling environment of a city. (4) In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU Green Deal and several other policy initiatives aimed at urban greening, we recommend that the CCCM include an Urban Nature sub-index as one of the performance indicators of the CCCM. An Urban Nature sub-index will broaden the goal of the CCCM by providing policymakers with a better understanding of actions and strategies to allow culture to contribute to social inclusion and green growth strategies in cities.
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Seo, Eun-Young, Yeon-Suk Kim, Yu-Jin Lee, and Myung-Haeng Hur. "Virtual Reality Exercise Program Effects on Body Mass Index, Depression, Exercise Fun and Exercise Immersion in Overweight Middle-Aged Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 2 (January 4, 2023): 900. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020900.
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Background: This study explored the effects of a virtual reality exercise program on overweight middle-aged women. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included women 40–65 years of age with a body mass index (BMI) of 23 kg/m2 or more living in Daejeon City. The virtual reality environment was set up by attaching an IoT sensor to an indoor bicycle and linking it with a smartphone, enabling exercise in an immersive virtual reality through a head-mounted display. Results: In the virtual reality exercise group, the BMI was significantly decreased after the 8-week intervention compared with the baseline value (F = 59.491, p < 0.001). The depression scores were significantly different among the three groups, with the intervention effect being more significant in the virtual reality exercise group than in the indoor bicycle exercise and control groups (F = 3.462, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the levels of exercise fun (F = 12.373, p < 0.001) and exercise immersion (F = 14.629, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the virtual reality exercise group than in the indoor bicycle exercise and control groups. Conclusions: The virtual reality exercise program positively affected the BMI and the levels of depression, exercise fun, and exercise immersion in overweight middle-aged women. It is an effective home exercise program for obesity management in this population.
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Liu, Zhenchao, Jinlong He, and Sailing He. "Characterization and Sensing of Inert Gases with a High-Resolution SPR Sensor." Sensors 20, no. 11 (June 10, 2020): 3295. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s20113295.
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It is generally difficult to characterize inert gases through chemical reactions due to their inert chemical properties. The phase interference-sensing system based on high-resolution surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has an excellent refractive index detection limit. Based on this, this paper presents a simple and workable method for the characterization and detection of inert gases. The phase of light for the present SPR sensor is more sensitive to the change in the external dielectric environment than an amplitude SPR sensor. The limit of detection (LOD) is usually in the order of 10−6 to 10−7 RIU, which is superior to LSPR (Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance) sensors and traditional SPR sensors. The sensor parameters are simulated and optimized. Our simulation shows that a 36 nm-thick gold film is more suitable for the SPR sensing of inert gases. By periodically switching between the two inert gases, helium and argon, the resolution of the system is tested. The SPR sensing system can achieve distinguishable difference signals, enabling a clear distinction and characterization of helium and argon. The doping of argon in helium has a detection limit of 1098 ppm.
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Holtzclaw, J. David, Arri Eisen, Erika M. Whitney, Meera Penumetcha, J. Joseph Hoey, and K. Sean Kimbro. "Incorporating a New Bioinformatics Component into Genetics at a Historically Black College: Outcomes and Lessons." CBE—Life Sciences Education 5, no. 1 (March 2006): 52–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1187/cbe.05-04-0071.
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Many students at minority-serving institutions are underexposed to Internet resources such as the human genome project, PubMed, NCBI databases, and other Web-based technologies because of a lack of financial resources. To change this, we designed and implemented a new bioinformatics component to supplement the undergraduate Genetics course at Clark Atlanta University. The outcomes of the Bioinformatics course were assessed. During the first week of the semester, students were assigned the Felder-Soloman's Index of Learning Styles Inventory. The overwhelming majority of students were visual (82.1%) and sequential (75.0%) learners. Furthermore, pre- and postcourse surveys were administered during the first and the last week of the course to assess learning, confidence level, and mental activity. These indicated students increased the number of hours spent using computers and doing homework. Students reported confidence in using computers to study genetics increased, enabling them to better visualize and understand genetics. Furthermore, students were more mentally engaged in a more social learning environment. Although the students appreciated the value of the bioinformatics component, they reported the additional work load was substantial enough to receive additional course credit.
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Oribu, William Sagini. "Developing the Index of Governance as a Guide in Reducing Poverty and Inequality for the Achievement of Sustainable Development in the Respective County Governments in Kenya." Archives of Business Research 10, no. 6 (July 6, 2022): 208–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/abr.106.12583.
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Governance encompasses all aspects through which power is exercised through the formal and informal institutions in the management of the available resources in a community. In order to determine the quality of governance there is need to look at the impact that the exercise of power will have on the quality of life that citizens enjoy. In pursued of good governance, supervisory bodies must assess whether the policies and institutions put in place by the state are appropriate in impacting on the sustainable development of the citizens. Although there has not been a quantifiable definition of what good governance, debates on the appropriate role of the state together with appropriate policies and institutions are carried out by relying on information that is not based on facts or careful study. The purpose of this conceptual paper is therefore to look at the available literature on quality governance in conjunction with the legal and institutional frameworks in Kenya to determine what may need to be done to improve public service delivery. The identified key observable aspects of the governance dimensions will then be recommended for consideration in order to provide an enabling environment for the achievement of community sustainability. Further this paper suggests the types of research that will need to be conducted in order to obtain data for use in constructing the index of governance quality for specific county governments in Kenya.
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Wang, Yaxu, Juan Lv, Jamie Hannaford, Yicheng Wang, Hongquan Sun, Lucy J. Barker, Miaomiao Ma, Zhicheng Su, and Michael Eastman. "Linking drought indices to impacts to support drought risk assessment in Liaoning province, China." Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 20, no. 3 (March 30, 2020): 889–906. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/nhess-20-889-2020.
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Abstract. Drought is a ubiquitous and recurring hazard that has wide-ranging impacts on society, agriculture and the environment. Drought indices are vital for characterising the nature and severity of drought hazards, and there have been extensive efforts to identify the most suitable drought indices for drought monitoring and risk assessment. However, to date, little effort has been made to explore which index (or indices) best represents drought impacts for various sectors in China. This is a critical knowledge gap, as impacts provide important ground truth information for indices used in monitoring activities. The aim of this study is to explore the link between drought indices and drought impacts, using Liaoning province (northeast China) as a case study due to its history of drought occurrence. To achieve this we use independent, but complementary, methods (correlation and random forest analysis) to identify which indices link best to drought impacts for prefectural-level cities in Liaoning province, using a comprehensive database of reported drought impacts in which impacts are classified into a range of categories. The results show that the standardised precipitation evapotranspiration index with a 6-month accumulation (SPEI6) had a strong correlation with all categories of drought impacts, while the standardised precipitation index with a 12-month accumulation (SPI12) had a weak correlation with drought impacts. Of the impact datasets, “drought-suffering area” and “drought impact area” had a strong relationship with all drought indices in Liaoning province, while “population and number of livestock with difficulty in accessing drinking water” had weak correlations with the indices. The results of this study can support drought planning efforts in the region and provide context for the indices used in drought-monitoring applications, so enabling improved preparedness for drought impacts. The study also demonstrates the potential benefits of routine collection of drought impact information on a local scale.
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Trompf, J. P., and P. W. G. Sale. "Adult learning principles embodied in the paired-paddock model." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 41, no. 2 (2001): 195. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea00130.
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A checklist was developed to determine the extent to which different adult learning principles were embodied in the paired-paddock model used in the Triple P Program. A total of 181 producers that were involved in the Triple P Program between 1997 and 1999 completed the checklist at the end of the program. This enabled the relative strengths and weaknesses of the paired-paddock model from an adult learning perspective to be identified. The 15 adult learning principles assessed in the checklist were all operating in the paired-paddock model to varying degrees. The adult learning principles relating to the learning environment and learning process received the highest ratings from producers. In addition, the ratings given for these adult learning experiences were significantly correlated with the change index, a measure of the degree of on-farm adoption of productive pastures by the program participants. The principles relating to the learning environment were the existence of a comfortable learning environment, which allowed effective 2-way communication enabling participants to learn from each other. Principles relating to the learning process were the active participation of producers in activities, the use of knowledge and experience within the group, and the provision of opportunity for reinforcement of information and practice of skills. The relative weaknesses identified in the paired-paddock model from an adult learning perspective were the degree of self-directed learning done by participants, the limited involvement of participants in planning their learning experience, and the limited extent to which the program related to problem issues among the group. Despite these relative weaknesses it was concluded that the paired-paddock model embodies sound adult learning principles that assist in the delivery of quality learning outcomes for participants.
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Emmanuel, Umoh Alphonsus, Anochie Uzoma C, and Biradawa Kayadi. "Public Expenditure and Economic Development in Nigeria." Middle East Research Journal of Economics and Management 1, no. 1 (December 25, 2021): 18–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.36348/merjem.2021.v01i01.003.
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The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of public expenditure on economic development in Nigeria. The design adopted for this study was ex-post-facto; data used for analysis were elicited from Central Bank Statistical Bulletin and Federal Ministry of Finance. To achieve this broad objective, a model was formulated based on empirical and theoretical reviews. The model used Human Development Index (HDI) as the dependent variable while public capital expenditure, public recurrent expenditure and external borrowing were the independent variables in the model. This study employed the Fully Modified Least Squares (FMOLS) Model to analyze data. The findings elicited from this study revealed that public capital expenditure, public recurrent expenditure and external borrowing all had positive and significant impact on human development index within the scope of this study. Inferential result deduced that public expenditure had positive and significant impact on economic development in Nigeria. The study recommended that urgent need to instill fiscal discipline in government expenditures by initiating far reaching effective internal control measures and more proactive economic management coordination and implementation as well as discouraging all non-productive activities and expenditures in all tiers of government forthwith. Government recurrent expenditure should be channeled to have effects on the economy, enhancing and promoting growth and development in the process. All non- productive activities and expenditure need to be reviewed forthwith while the role of government should be reappraised with more emphasis on providing the enabling policy environment for private sector initiatives.
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Odey, Ferdinand Ite, Innocent Odey Oko, and Lovina N. Onwuneme. "Diversification and Economic Development in Emerging Economies: The Nigerian Experience." INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 7, no. 3 (October 6, 2022): 48–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.56201/ijefm.v7.no3.2022.pg48.62.
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This study seeks to investigate the relationship between diversification and economic development in emerging market economies, using the Nigerian scenario. The study employed annual time series data sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria and World Development Indicators. Economic diversification was represented by diversification index while economic development was proxy by per capita GDP. Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) and granger causality estimation techniques were used for the analysis. It was revealed that long run relationship exists among the variables in the estimated model. The granger causality results showed that no bidirectional causality was found between diversification index and per capita GDP. The bound test results showed that a long run relationship exists among the variables in the estimated equation. This signifies the relevance of these variables in promoting economic development in Nigeria. The study recommends that; the government should diversify the economy from crude oil to overcome export instability or the negative impact of terms of trade; and there should be prudent government spending and conducive and enabling environment for both the growth of other important sectors and improved domestic investment, and exports from sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, textile as well as minerals and steel should be encouraged; monetary authorities should enhance the formulation of appropriate monetary policies that will help to control inflation and exchange rate for sustainable economic development; and exchange rate should be stabilized through the use of appropriate monetary policy tools as well as support export diversification programmes in order to diversify into the core sectors of the economy and stem the tide of the mono-product syndrome
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Marczak, Łukasz. "The concept and example of assistance aid as a form of support in the social reintegration of prisoners in the context of the activity of the Roman Catholic parish." Praca Socjalna 35, no. 6 (January 31, 2021): 117–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0014.5741.
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The aim of the article is to present the assistance aid and forms of support for prisoners undergoing the process of social reintegration in a religious community. A special area of values is the inclusion of the sustainable development principle in the scope of activities aimed at the reintegration process, organized mainly based on the applied subsidiarity principle. The article uses sociological qualitative methods, mainly the case study method based on the sociological observation of the convict and the person supervising him/her, which is included in the category of assistance support. The employment contract of the convicted person in charity work in the parish and spontaneous interviews conducted in the context of the activities of the supervisors were analysed. The result of the conducted observations and analyses is the determination of the purposefulness of the sustainable development principle in the reintegration process. This detailed social principium in the perspective of moderate anthropocentrism strengthens the reintegration process the most by optimizing the working time that a convict in the parish can perform for the environment. The working time saving index, which is the conclusion of the analyses, allows to expand the functionality of the parish as a social institution and improves the chain of goals pursued by the convict. The value of the natural environment does not play a significant role in these activities, because in the perspective of moderate anthropocentrism, the most important value is the person and activities aimed at reintegration in social life. The main form of support for an assistant is accompanying and enabling responsible use of parish resources.
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IPIÑAZAR EPALZA, ASIER, ENARA ZARRABEITIA BILBAO, ROSA MARIA RIO BELVER, and ERNESTO CILLERUELO CARRASCO. "ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE TRANSFORMATION MODEL IN A MANUFACTURING PLANT: IMPACT ANALYSIS OF A FOUR YEAR JOURNEY TOWARDS HIGH PERFORMING ORGANIZATION." DYNA 97, no. 3 (May 1, 2022): 244–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.6036/10407.
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The current market environment, characterized by its volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA), means a paradigm shift for any organization. Consequently being innovative via new perspectives such as the management of the Organizational Culture becomes a key factor as a potentially strong competitive advantage. In this framework, the main objective of this research is to analyse the impact of an Organizational Culture Transformation Model for an automotive sector’s manufacturing plant, with over 750 employees and 105,000 m2 in size, to facilitate its journey towards a High Performing Organization as way of survival. After four years of rigorous and systematic implementation of the model, the impact has been measured through the improvement obtained in the main business Key Performance Indicators and the Organizational Culture survey. In all of them, improvement exceeds expectations. Thus, Net Structural Cost Savings have been 1.4% versus 1% expected, Plant Overall Equipment Efficiency 69.8% vs 68%, for the Safety and Quality Index, Line Driven Management has been implemented as expected, and finally the Organizational Culture Survey (% of questions answered 4 or 5) has reached 58.1% vs 55%, demonstrating that the model positively impacts the organizational culture, enabling the viability of the plant. Keywords: Organizational Culture, High Performance Organization, Manufacturing Performance Improvement, Key Performance Indicators