Open Science Journal (OSJ)
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Swarm intelligence in project management decision sciences: Enhancing resource, allocation, decision making and team collaboration
Get PDFSwarm intelligence (SI) is a paradigm in computing and decision-making processes based on the collective behavior of decentralized agents, including insects, birds, and fish. This study examines the extensive application and development of SI in decision sciences and project management, highlighting its significance in improving future decision-making and collaborative efficiency across multiple sectors, such as logistics, healthcare, urban planning, and project-oriented contexts.This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining theoretical and empirical research to gain a comprehensive understanding of SI and its role in modern decision-making scenarios. The methodology is separated into three sections: an appraisal of the literature, a case study, and a comparative analysis. These approaches were used to showcase SI's adaptability and efficacy in addressing complex, dynamic challenges through collective behavior, decentralization, and self-organization principles.The research emphasizes the effectiveness of SI algorithms, particularly Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), in practical applications, enhancing processes and outcomes across various sectors and project environments. The study also examines the real-world applications and theoretical implications of SI, addressing challenges and future prospects for deeper integration into decision-making frameworks, especially in areas such as resource allocation and team collaborations within project management.The findings reveal that SI not only improves decision-making efficiency but also offers resilient solutions adaptable to evolving conditions. This makes SI a pivotal methodology in advancing decision sciences and elevating project management outcomes. By fostering collaboration and optimizing resource allocation, SI emerges as a transformative tool in contemporary project management, enhancing the discipline's ability to navigate uncertainty and complexity in the future of work and project management domains
A review on deep-learning based egocentric action anticipation
Get PDFAs autonomous systems become more embedded into our environments, the ability of these systems to anticipate the future actions of humans will become invaluable for providing assistance and safety measures. Egocentric action anticipation is a task in which a future activity must be predicted using first-person footage. This project is a survey that aims to provide an updated view of advancements within this task, to guide architecture design for future implementations. This survey has chosen a range of publicly available egocentric action anticipation models
Passive design strategies in traditional Japanese architecture: A case study of the Chochikukyo house
Get PDFThe Chochikukyo house showcases the fusion of traditional Japanese architectural principles and contemporary ecological design methodologies. This study assesses the impact of various design elements on the energy efficiency, comfort, and environmental compatibility of a house. These elements include building orientation, layout and dimensions, size and height, eaves and shade from plants, height from nearby ground, material selection, proper air circulation, cooling in the summer, and positioning of underground pipes for cool air. Through the optimization of building orientation and layout, the house effectively utilizes passive solar heating and cooling, resulting in a substantial reduction in energy requirements. Strategic material selection and the integration of natural cooling and ventilation techniques improve thermal comfort and indoor air quality while reducing dependence on mechanical systems. The combined impact of these measures has the potential to decrease total energy usage by 40-50%, showcasing the effectiveness of incorporating conventional design features into modern sustainable building. This study emphasizes the significance of comprehensive design strategies that harmonize with natural environmental conditions in order to attain energy-efficient, comfortable, and sustainable living spaces
Maize crop price prediction in Ghana using time series models
Get PDFABSTRACTThe agribusiness has become very complex in recent years, and hence the importance of agricultural planning has increased. Crop producers can often base their decisions for crop production and selling on yield and price forecasts. Prediction of future crop selling prices is another important aspect in decision planning. (Wen, n.d.). In this research, the price of maize in Ghana was carefully studied. Single Exponential Smoothing (SES), Double Exponential Smoothing (DES), Triple Exponential Smoothing (TES), Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving-Average (SARIMA) modeling were done to find the best fit model to future predict the price of the maize crop in Ghana. The results of this study indicate that the DES model is the best fit model over other time series models considered in this paper
Risk factors for patient-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding: A protocol and statistical analysis plan for a secondary analysis of the REVISE (Re-Evaluating the Inhibition of Stress Erosions) trial
Get PDFBackground: While studies have reported risk factors for clinically-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding among critically ill patients, the risk factors for patient-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding, as defined by ICU survivors and family members, are unknown. Further, although trials show that stress ulcer prophylaxis with pantoprazole decreases the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, some research suggests that mortality may be increased among patients with high illness severity who are exposed to pantoprazole. The risk of death during critical illness is greater than the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Objective: To identify risk factors for patient-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding among invasively ventilated critically ill adults, taking into account illness severity and the competing risk of death.Materials and Methods: This pre-planned secondary analysis of the REVISE trial database will be guided by this protocol. We will use Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to assess the effect of candidate risk factors on the hazard rate of the primary outcome of time to patient-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding, considering the competing risk of death. We propose 2 sensitivity analyses. Secondary analyses will evaluate risk factors for clinically-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and another model will evaluate whether enteral nutrition attenuates the effect of pantoprazole on bleeding prevention compared to placebo by including an interaction term between pantoprazole vs. placebo and amount of enteral nutrition received.Results: This study will identify conditions of critical illness which confer an increased risk of patient-important upper gastrointestinal bleeding in critically ill patients, and factors that decrease the risk.Conclusions: The findings may inform bedside care, practice guidelines, and the design of future studies
Post mortem comparison of cardiac anatomy between an electrocuted sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and five other individuals
Get PDFKnowledge about cardiovascular physiology in Xenarthra species is limited, despite thorough investigation in other mammals. In particular, there is no published literature on the detailed cardiology of either sloth genera found on Costa Rica (Bradypus or Choloepus). This discontinuity in available knowledge makes the clinical cardiac evaluation of Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) particularly difficult. In this report, we describe the case of a wild electrocuted sloth during rehabilitation. In which no cardiac problems were discovered even though electrocution could be severe enough to internally affect organs thus provoking death in severe cases. We discuss the ante- and post-mortem presentation of the study subject and describe sloth cardiac anatomy in relation to our findings. This information may be used to provide an improved understanding of sloth cardiology for clinical management of patient
Assessment of tolerance of cotton genotypes to jassids
No full textTolerance of cotton genotypes to jassids attacks should be one of the on-going research programmes that Cotton Research Institute (CRI) should continue to carry on. This is because pests have a tendency of developing resistance to the use of insecticides which has become the most common and relied upon form of pest control in Zimbabwe’s farmers. This can be done by fusion of tolerant traits which can be both genetic and morphological. Among the morphological traits are the openness, hairiness and small leaves. Openness reduces the density of leaf foliage thereby making difficult the moving of jassids, especially the nymphs that cannot fly, from one leaf to the next. Hairiness makes the jassid uncomfortable getting into contact with the hairy cotton due to their soft body tissue. Other traits like nectariless, gossypol content, reduced pubescence, tannins and trichome densities are genetic traits that increases varietal resistance to jassids attack on cotton. Fourteen medium staple genotypes namely 562-00-9, 564-00-6, 566-99-23, 651-01-1, 665-01-3, 666-01-2, 668-01-2, 816-01-1, 833-01-3, 931-05-9, 937-05-4, 97-05-1, LV96-05-8, SO-99-9 and two released varieties CRI MS1(check) and Delmac (check) were evaluated for their tolerance to jassids population and damage for three seasons from 2018-19 up to 2020-21 at Chibuwe, CRI, Muzarabani, Shamva and Umguza. The experimental design used was a Square lattice (partially balanced and randomized blocks) replicated three times. Treatments 97-05-1, 937-05-4, 562-00-9 and 666-01-2 were the best performing genotypes in terms of jassid resistance in most sites and seasons
Effects of the eurozone crisis on the spanish healthcare system and economic sectors
Get PDFThe current research focused on the effects of the eurozone crisis on the Spanish healthcare and economy sectors, what caused the crisis, and how Europe managed this crisis, especial. The importance of the eurozone crisis is apparent in businesses and economics segments; in fact, it has directed a defeat of confidence in European companies and economies. The crisis was ultimately maintained by the financial guarantees of European countries, who feared the euro's collapse and financial contagion, and by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). By knowing these essential points, the present study aimed to evaluate and find the primary and critical point about the crisis and the role of healthcare that is vital and significant nowadays and will help make a better healthcare system and offer services to high-quality individuals in Spain. Therefore, the researcher focused on different studies, such as articles, books, websites, etc., that are related to this area and based on this research, obtained 44 related and curated references that help conduct this paper and will be beneficial for future investigations in this area
Validating scales for measuring the influence of social responsibility behavior and organizational culture on employee performance in the Ghanaian context
Get PDFAims: The study sought to validate scales for measuring the influence of social responsibility behavior and organizational culture on the employee performance in the Ghanaian context.Methods: The study utilised a cross-sectional design and relied on previously developed instruments related to the variables of interest. The study collected data from 250 employees in Ghana. The analysis was performed using inferential statistics such as ANOVA, Pearson correlation and ordinal logistic regression (OLR).Findings: The study established standard scales for measuring social responsibility behavior and organizational culture on employee performance in Ghanaian context. Based on the tested hypotheses, it was found that one-unit increase in conscientiousness had a significant influence on the probability of observing a higher category of employee performance (B = 0.691, x2=15.299, p=0.002). Altruism had no significant influence on the probability of observing a higher category of employee performance (B= 0.036, x2 = 0.63, p=0.802). Conscientiousness had a significant influence on the probability of observing a higher category of employee performance (B= 0.683, x2 = 15.847, p=0.000). Furthermore, organisational culture had a significant influence on the probability of observing a higher category of employee performance (B= 0.683, x2 = 15.847, p=0.000).Recommendations: It was recommended that in every organization, management and human resource personnel should take into account organizational social responsibility behavior and culture when designing frameworks that aimed at enhancing employee performance within the organization.
Simulating schizophrenia through virtual reality and artificial intelligence
Get PDFThis research project presents the use of Artificial Intelligence in a Virtual Reality simulation to immerse the player in a virtual world and experience the symptoms that a person with Schizophrenia would experience. The simulation features a number of simple tasks which the player needs to attempt, whilst at the same time facing challenges due to the effects of Schizophrenia, taking place in the form of both visual and auditory hallucinations. Artificial Intelligence is applied to the interactive narrative to allow the storyline and characters to adapt to the user’s actions, thus increasing the immersiveness of the experience. A pilot study with 58 mental health nursing students was carried out at the Department of Mental Health, University of Malta. Participant feedback from the evaluation sessions give indications that the project was well accepted and achieved the desired outcomes of increasing awareness and fostering empathy for people living with Schizophrenia. 91.4% of users who evaluated the system stated that the simulation has helped increase their understanding of Schizophrenia