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Analyzing Strategies for Ensuring Robust Information Security Management in a Smart City
No full textThis paper examines the critical role of information security management in smart cities. A smart city enhances the quality of life for its citizens through advanced technologies and smart infrastructures, such as Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing. However, these innovations also expose the city to vulnerabilities such as data breaches, privacy issues, and other cyber threats. It is imperative for e-government leaders to develop and implement robust strategies to mitigate these risks. This includes the deployment of sophisticated network management systems, regular updates to software and technologies, the strategic use of big data and cloud solutions, and comprehensive training programs for users and stakeholders. Additionally, gathering feedback and establishing rigorous safety policies are crucial. While smart cities offer significant conveniences and improved urban living, the potential risks and threats must also be addressed through proactive and preemptive security strategies
Cybersecurity threats detection in intelligent networks using predictive analytics approaches
No full textThe modern scenario of network vulnerabilities necessitates the adoption of sophisticated detection and mitigation strategies. Predictive analytics is surfaced to be a powerful tool in the fight against cybercrime, offering unparalleled capabilities for automating tasks, analyzing vast amounts of data, and identifying complex patterns that might elude human analysts. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of how AI is transforming the field of cybersecurity.Machine intelligence can bring revolution to cybersecurity by providing advanced defense capabilities. Addressing ethical concerns, ensuring model explainability, and fostering collaboration between researchers and developers are crucial for maximizing the positive impact of AI in this critical domain
Can acutely ill patients predict their outcomes? A scoping review
No full textThe full impact of an acute illness on subsequent health is seldom explicitly discussed with patients. Patients' estimates of their likely prognosis have been explored in chronic care settings and can contribute to the improvement of clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. This scoping review aimed to identify studies of acutely ill patients' estimates of their outcomes and potential benefits for their care. A search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Google Scholar, using terms related to prognostication and acute care. After removal of duplicates, all articles were assessed for relevance by six investigator pairs; disagreements were resolved by a third investigator. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Our search identified 3265 articles, of which 10 were included. The methods of assessing self-prognostication were very heterogeneous. Patients seem to be able to predict their need for hospital admission in certain settings, but not their length of stay. The severity of their symptoms and the burden of their disease are often overestimated or underestimated by patients. Patients with severe health conditions and their relatives tend to be overoptimistic about the likely outcome. The understanding of acutely ill patients of their likely outcomes and benefits of treatment has not been adequately studied and is a major knowledge gap. Limited published literature suggests patients may be able to predict their need for hospital admission. Illness perception may influence help-seeking behaviour, speed of recovery and subsequent quality of life. Knowledge of patients' self-prognosis may enhance communication between patients and their physicians, which improves patient-centred care
Ensemble approach and enhanced features for precise Bank Churn prediction analysis
No full textNumerous studies and research work has been undertaken in the area of creating predictive models for studying Bank Churn. In these studies, the end goal was to create a high accuracy predictive model; while this is commendable, this research focuses on creating an architecture for a predictive model by aggregating the power of various predictive models. The architecture and model proposed in this paper achieved an accuracy of 91% in the test data (35% of the original data set), and an AUC of 96% - confirming the generalized nature of the model. Also, various feature extrapolation techniques were introduced which provide valuable insights to the banking sector
Non-Alcoholic fatty liver disease prediction with feature optimized XGBoost model
No full textNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an expanding health threat, posing significant risks for long-term complications. Early detection and intervention are crucial, but traditional diagnostic methods can be expensive and invasive. This study investigates the utilization of machine learning models for predicting liver diseases from various out-sourced datasets. .We employed Decision Trees, Random Forests, and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) to predict NAFLD based on various clinical and demographic features. Model performance was evaluated by calculating accuracy, precision, deviation and accuracy-score. All these models achieved promising accuracy levels, ranging from 80% to 90%, showcasing their potential for NAFLD prediction. Among them, XGBoost demonstrated the highest performance, with an accuracy of 90% and more. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of machine learning models in predicting NAFLD with high accuracy using readily available data.Further research with larger sized and more varied datasets will vindicate these models for real-world application in clinical settings
Mechanical properties of epoxy composites filled with multi-walled carbon nanotube, Nanoaluminum particles and glass fibers at elevated temperatures
No full textThe present work investigates the mechanical properties of a composite material composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), nano-aluminum powder (NAP), and glass fibers (GF) for five different compositions. The study further investigated how MWCNTs contribute to maintaining the mechanical properties of nanocomposites when exposed to elevated temperatures, up to 180 °C. The evaluation of impact strength revealed that the nanocomposite, composed of 2 % MWCNTs, 15 % NAP, and 10 % GF, demonstrated the greatest impact strength. At room temperature, the composite containing 2 % MWCNTs, 5 % NAP, and 20 % GF exhibited the highest ultimate tensile strength (UTS). Conversely, at elevated temperatures reaching up to 180 °C, the highest UTS was observed in the composition with 2 % MWCNTs, 10 % NAP, and 15 % GF. The hardness of the nanocomposite was influenced by its composition; at room temperature, the maximum hardness was observed in the mixture containing 2 % MWCNTs, 20 % NAP, and 5 % GF. In contrast, at elevated temperatures, the composition with 2 % MWCNTs, 5 % NAP, and 20 % GF exhibited the highest hardness. Overall, the study found that incorporating GF and NAP improved the mechanical properties of the composite. These results indicate that the composite's performance could be further optimized for specific applications through the addition of filler materials
The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Employees’ Motivation in the Bahrain Oil and Gas Sector
No full textThe success or failure of an organisation is significantly affected by its leadership and isfrequently misunderstood. A transformational leader who reacts to followers’ needs andmotivates them to greater heights is more likely to be successful than a leader whoresponds to followers’ needs in a passive way. Transformational leadership engages theleaders with their followers in a process that drives performance beyond the expectationsthrough four factors. These are idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectualstimulation, and individualised consideration. Factors of transformational leadership aremagnified through the investigation of employees’ motivation based on the psychologicalneeds of the theory of self-determination. Dealing with employees’ motivation throughtransformational leadership proves to be an area that requires more research due to itslimited amount of information, especially in the Middle East.Transformational leadership is particularly suitable in situations with a high level ofchallenge and pertinent change, especially in dynamic environments. Bahrainorganisations are dealing with fundamental changes, new trends, and new discoveries,particularly in the energy sector. Such changes have impacted on other industries andhave had an unfavourable impact on businesses. Considering these ongoing changes,transformational leadership is seen as an effective approach for raising employeemotivation across all nations and cultures.The emphasis of this study is to acquire a better and deeper insight into the fundamentalmechanism of transformational leadership and its effect on employee motivation. Theprimary study issues are “What factors of transformational leadership are exhibited inBahrain’s oil and gas industries?” and “What relationship exists between transformationalleadership and employees’ motivation in Bahrain’s oil and gas sector?”. To respond tothese research questions, an investigation through three companies in Bahrain werechosen as one case study. A convenience sampling technique was used to identify asuitable research sample, which was composed of a survey of 316 employees and 15leaders. Data was collected using a concurrent mixed method design, where aquantitative method (questionnaires) was followed by a qualitative method (semistructured interviews), to allow and confirm different perspectives.The findings revealed that there is a relationship between the practices oftransformational leadership and employee motivation in the Bahrain oil and gas sector. Itis also noted that the impact of transformational leadership factors on intrinsic motivationare far greater than the extrinsic motivation.The research offers substantial theoretical contributions by providing a better awarenessof the challenges of relationships faced inside organisations, especially within Bahrain'soil and gas sector. It also offers a deeper understanding of how transformationalleadership can help to motivate employees. Furthermore, the new perspectives onleadership contribute to the existing body of knowledge while also making a theoreticalcontribution. The study's practical contribution is reflected in the suggested framework, inthe form of recommendations and significant suggestions for improvements that can bemade in Bahrain's oil and gas sector
Evaluating the impact of resilience training on retention, attendance, and graduate success in post-compulsory initial teacher education A mixed methods study
No full textThis study evaluates the implementation of a resilience training programme within a Post-GraduateCertificate in Education (Post-Compulsory Education and Training). The aim is to address theprevalent issue of low retention rates in both the academic programme and subsequent academicroles aimed at equipping student teachers for progression.Existing literature highlights the barriers faced by both student teachers and practicing educators,such as mental health struggles stemming from high workloads and burnout risks. Other challenges,including performativity measures and austerity impacts, underscore the necessity of better preparingstudent teachers to manage personal and professional challenges.Adopting a pragmatic evaluative convergent mixed method design, this study utilises quantitative datafrom Duckworth’s (2016) grit questionnaire to identify students requiring additional support andassess their grit development during the intervention. The participants selected for the interventionthen engaged in eight monthly training sessions, utilising hermeneutic dialogue circles initiated bypersonal reflective writings on a series of topics relating to improving self-awareness and personalself-development. Following the intervention, qualitative feedback from student teachers wascollected via semi-structured interviews and post-programme questionnaires offering insights into thesuitability of the intervention's application during the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme and insubsequent teaching roles.Despite the intervention training being acknowledged by the 13 participants as beneficial for theiracademic success and job applications, post-ITE realities often hindered the utilisation of interventionmethods. Challenges such as time constraints and limited access to collaborative groups that employsimilar methods were common.Recommendations emphasise the need for collaboration between ITE providers and educationalsettings to ensure the continued implementation of intervention programs post-qualification. Bysupporting resilience-building strategies during ITE and in professional roles, educators can bettermanage job demands, enhancing retention rates and job satisfaction
Developing philosophical autoethnography resisting cultural narrative entrapment
No full textResistance to cultural narrative entrapment has been my sustained and increasingly philosophically informed critical cultural standpoint position since I started writing autoethnography in the mid-1990s. This position has three components: At the philosophical level, I reflexively engage with who I want myself to be and what I know about myself in relation to the world. I do this in terms of my enduring dispositional tendency to react against centripetal forces pulling me into conformist identities. At the sociological level, this tendency is played out in my scholarly work, in celebrating, justifying, and reflexively representing outsider, as opposed to mainstream conformist, choices and ways of living. Finally, at the level of advancing social justice, I write in resistance to cultural narrative entrapment. This is because such entrapment can force people into stories they don’t want to be part of – often experienced as narrative violence, or an assault on narrative identity. On this basis, my doctoral study aims to address an incompleteness in the narrative autoethnographic literature by articulating: what constitutes resistance to cultural narrative entrapment in philosophical autoethnography; why it is important to resist this; the philosophical and related conceptual, theoretical, and social scientific issues emerging from the ways I address resistance to cultural narrative entrapment across the portfolio of my work; and, finally, the implications arising for the development of philosophical autoethnography. Having thus remedied the incompleteness in the literature, I go on to claim that my study makes an original contribution to knowledge in several ways, the main one being advancing the social justice agenda of narrative autoethnography through raising the importance of the cultural narrative entrapment concept for autoethnographic communities. I end my study with my responses to an extensive autocritique of the arguments and standpoint positions I have raised throughout my critical commentary
Impact of gamification on student learning: an empirical evidence
No full textLearner diversity is a matter for universities enrolling international students. Learner engagement then becomes a major concern for instructors. This study uses gamification techniques to determine its impact on engagement and learning when it comes to diverse cohort of learners. A survey questionnaire method was used to identify the effect of gamification on engagement, motivation, performance, and learning. This empirical study revealed that quizzes supported by gamification enhanced engagement, performance and learning but did not motivate learners to study outside the lecture theater. This paper also summarizes the issues while using gamified quizzes in the classroom settings and provides potential solutions