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Exploring tourist’s socio-cultural aversions, self-congruity bias, attitudes and willingness to participate in indigenous tourism
No full textEmpirical studies of tourist socio-cultural aversions and their influence on tourist consumption are limited. A socio-cultural aversion describes the avoidance associated with an ingrained dislike for, and distancing from something representative of a specific social or cultural group's identity, and can be implicit or explicit, aggressive or passive. This study explores socio-cultural aversions in the context of Indigenous tourism. The study reveals that while xenophobia and racism can predict the attitudes of both domestic and international tourists towards Indigenous tourism, this does not necessarily result in a non-willingness to participate. However, regarding self-congruity bias, the less participants relate to or identify with Indigenous tourism, the less likely they are willing to participate. This has implications for the appeal and marketing of tourism products, especially those underpinned by socio-cultural components such as Indigenous tourism. The study proposes marketing and product development solutions for destination marketers and tourism operators seeking to enhance appeal for Indigenous tourism experiences
Exploring pillars of supply chain competitiveness: insights from leading global supply chains
No full textThis paper aims to explore key pillars of supply chain competitiveness (SCC) and understand how top supply chains remain competitive in the long term. The research design is divided into two phases. First, an extensive review of the scholarly SCC literature is conducted to identify the core pillars that help achieve SCC. Second, the literature published in practitioner outlets on the five selected companies of Gartner’s Supply Chain Top 25 is scrutinized to understand how top supply chains apply the core pillars of SCC in practice. A total of 193 scientific and practitioner articles were analyzed to develop the key pillars of SCC. This study identified six key pillars of SCC in the literature: innovation, sustainability, collaboration, information technology, agility, and flexibility. It has been found that a combination of these pillars, if not all, will be required to remain competitive in the post-COVID-19 era
The use of alternative building technologies as a sustainable affordable housing solution: perspectives from South Africa
Get PDFPurposeThis study aims to evaluate the perception of the local experts and end users on the drivers, barriers and strategies to the use of alternative building technologies (ABTs), with a focus on sandbag building technologies (SBTs) in the provision of sustainable housing in South Africa towards improving the public's understanding of SBTs.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopted a qualitative approach that used focus group meetings as the primary data collection method for this study. This study's focus group participants comprised ABT experts and end users of ABT houses in South Africa who were selected using a convenient sampling technique. The data were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using NVivo 11 software.FindingsThis study found that the perceived drivers to using ABTs such as SBT comprise sustainability, affordability, job creation potentials, fire-resistant and earthquake resistance. This study revealed strategies for the SBTs, including awareness, building sandbag prototypes across cities and training.Practical implicationsThis study's findings have practical implications for the practice and praxis of ABT implementation and uptake in South Africa. This study provides a framework for broadening the worldwide understanding of use and uptake of SBTs to provide sustainable and affordable housing.Originality/valueThis study adds significantly to the limited body of knowledge on ABTs, focusing on sandbag houses. Consequently, the findings provide policymakers with information on the expert and end-user perspectives on the barriers and strategies to using ABTs
Pruning Deep Neural Networks for Green Energy-Efficient Models: A Survey
Get PDFOver the past few years, larger and deeper neural network models, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have consistently advanced state-of-the-art performance across various disciplines. Yet, the computational demands of these models have escalated exponentially. Intensive computations hinder not only research inclusiveness and deployment on resource-constrained devices, such as Edge Internet of Things (IoT) devices, but also result in a substantial carbon footprint. Green deep learning has emerged as a research field that emphasizes energy consumption and carbon emissions during model training and inference, aiming to innovate with light and energy-efficient neural networks. Various techniques are available to achieve this goal. Studies show that conventional deep models often contain redundant parameters that do not alter outcomes significantly, underpinning the theoretical basis for model pruning. Consequently, this timely review paper seeks to systematically summarize recent breakthroughs in CNN pruning methods, offering necessary background knowledge for researchers in this interdisciplinary domain. Secondly, we spotlight the challenges of current model pruning methods to inform future avenues of research. Additionally, the survey highlights the pressing need for the development of innovative metrics to effectively balance diverse pruning objectives. Lastly, it investigates pruning techniques oriented towards sophisticated deep learning models, including hybrid feedforward CNNs and long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural networks, a field ripe for exploration within green deep learning research
Immobilised artificial membrane liquid chromatography vs liposome electrokinetic capillary chromatography: Suitability in drug/bio membrane partitioning studies and effectiveness in the assessment of the passage of drugs through the respiratory mucosa
Get PDFThis study pioneers a comparison of the application of biomimetic techniques, immobilised artificial membrane liquid chromatography (IAM LC) and liposome electrokinetic capillary chromatography (LEKC), for the prediction of pulmonary drug permeability. The pulmonary absorption profiles of 26 structurally unrelated drug-like molecules were evaluated using their IAM hydrophobicity index (CHI IAM) measured in IAM LC, and the logarithm of distribution constants (log KLEKC) derived from the LEKC experiments. Lipophilicity (phospholipids) parameters obtained from IAM LC and most LEKC analyses were linearly related to the n-octanol/water partitioning coefficients of the neutral forms (i.e., log Po/w values) to a moderate extent. However, the relationship with distribution coefficients at the experimental pH (7.40) (i.e., log D7.4) were weaker overall for IAM LC data and sigmoidal for some liposome compositions (phosphatidyl choline (PC): phosphatidyl inositol (PI) 85:15 mol% and 90:10 mol%) and concentrations (4 mM) in LEKC. This suggests that phospholipid partitioning supports both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions occurring between ionised drugs and charged phospholipid moieties. The latter interactions are original when compared to those taking place in the more established n-octanol/water partitioning systems.A stronger correlation (R2 > 0.65) was identified between the LEKC retention parameters, and the experimental apparent lung permeability (i.e., log Papp values) as opposed to the values obtained by IAM LC. Therefore, LEKC offers unprecedented advantages over IAM LC in simulating cell membrane partitioning processes in the pulmonary delivery of drugs. Although LEKC has the advantage of more effectively simulating the electrostatic and hydrophobic forces in drug/pulmonary membrane interactions in vitro, the technique is unsuitable for analysing highly hydrophilic neutral or anionic compounds at the experimental pH. Conversely, IAM LC is useful for analysing compounds spanning a wider range of lipophilicity. Its simpler and more robust implementation, and propensity for high-throughput automation make it a favourable choice for researchers in drug development and pharmacological studies
Digital Deviance/Digital Compliance: Criminology, Social Interaction and the Videogame
No full textThis project sought to begin a process of scoping out and developing criminological perspectives on videogames and the social worlds of videogames and gamers through two interactive workshops. Its starting orientation was social interactionism and the understanding of videogames as meaningful and affective places and spaces of interaction, presence, and ‘being’. This orientation sees videogames as potential spaces of cultural expression, symbolic representation, meaning-making, and identification; as interactive spaces of (real and imagined) participation and collaboration; and as ‘social worlds’ which participants inhabit and in which they exercise (some) agency in negotiating their deviance and compliance.These digital social worlds are part of the fabric of everyday experience for many people who alreadydrift continuously between presence across different facets of the digital technoscape (including internet, social media and gaming) and the analogue world, potentially finding meaning, connection and identification across them all. This project was thus, from the outset, situated in the study of videogames and videogaming within traditions of social interactionism and the sociology of deviance, but it also sought to contribute directly to more recent developments in the field exploring the importance and effects (and affects) of representational forms, symbols, and cultural narratives, such as within visual, cultural and narrative criminologies.In relation to videogames themselves, the project aimed to be open minded and not restrictive about what could be included. For example, although ‘crime’ features within many videogames as a dimension of the narrative, action, or game world, many games do not feature ‘crime’ but feature, or can be played in ways, that signify deviance or compliance. Therefore, the project did not restrict itself to the study of ‘crime games’, or any particular category of games, but remained open to the diverse forms that videogames take (in terms of subject matter, genre, platform etc.)
Health professionals implicit bias of patients with low socioeconomic status (SES) and its effects on clinical decision-making: a scoping review
Get PDFObjectives: Research indicates that people with lower socioeconomic status (SES) receive inferior healthcare and experience poorer health outcomes compared with those with higher SES, in part due to health professional (HP) bias. We conducted a scoping review of the impact of HP bias about SES on clinical decision-making and its effect on the care of adults with lower SES. Design: JBI scoping review methods were used to perform a systematic comprehensive search for literature. The scoping review protocol has been published in BMJ Open. Data sources: Medline, Embase, ASSIA, Scopus and CINAHL were searched, from the first available start date of the individual database to March 2023. Two independent reviewers filtered and screened papers. Eligibility criteria: Studies of all designs were included in this review to provide a comprehensive map of the existing evidence of the impact of HP bias of SES on clinical decision-making and its effect on the care for people with lower SES. Data extraction and synthesis: Data were gathered using an adapted JBI data extraction tool for systematic scoping reviews. Results: Sixty-seven papers were included from 1975 to 2023. 35 (73%) of the included primary research studies reported an association between HP SES bias and decision-making. Thirteen (27%) of the included primary research studies did not find an association between HP SES bias and decision-making. Stereotyping and bias can adversely affect decision-making when the HP is fatigued or has a high cognitive load. There is evidence of intersectionality which can have a powerful cumulative effect on HP assessment and subsequent decision-making. HP implicit bias may be mitigated through the assertiveness of the patient with low SES. Conclusion: HP decision-making is at times influenced by non-medical factors for people of low SES, and assumptions are made based on implicit bias and stereotyping, which compound or exacerbate health inequalities. Research that focuses on decision-making when the HP has a high cognitive load, would help the health community to better understand this potential influence
Mechanisms of end-of-life communication contributing to optimal care at the end of life: a review of reviews
Get PDFBackground End-of-life communication is an essential component of high-quality care, but its potential mechanisms for improving care are not well understood.Objectives To summarise the potential mechanisms by which end-of-life communication may contribute to enhanced end-of-life care in any setting.Design An overview of systematic reviews, with a narrative synthesis of results. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. Study quality was assessed using the AMSTAR (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Reviews) tool.Data sources CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane, SSCI and PsycINFO databases, were searched from inception to January 2024. Manual searches were also conducted.Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Systematic reviews (published in English) related to end-of-life communication, where the target population was adult patients in their last year of life, relatives, caregivers and/or healthcare professionals involved in communicating with dying patients.Results We reviewed 35 eligible studies. The reviews suggest potential mechanisms of effective end-of-life communication including collaborative decision-making, tailoring communication to individuals, using effective communication strategies and incorporating communication skills into practice. The reviews also highlighted barriers related to patients, professionals and organisations.Conclusion This review highlights a nuanced understanding of potential mechanisms of end-of-life communication, emphasising the need for tailored training, policy enhancements and interprofessional collaboration. It calls on healthcare professionals to reflect on their practices, advocating for co-designing a person-centred communication model that addresses patient preferences at the end of life. Importantly, in culturally diverse contexts, there is a need for a communication paradigm that embraces diversity to provide truly empathetic and effective end-of-life care. This concise roadmap may foster compassionate, dignified and effective end-of-life communication.Trial registration number Protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022271433, 29 March 2022)
Characterising how a single bout of exercise in people with myeloma affects clonal plasma cell and immune effector cell frequency in blood, and daratumumab efficacy in vitro
Get PDFMultiple myeloma is a haematological cancer characterised by the accumulation of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow and is commonly treated with daratumumab, an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody immunotherapy. Daratumumab often fails to induce stringent complete responses, due in part to resistance to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) exerted by natural killer (NK)-cells and monocytes. Exercise bouts undertaken by healthy people induce lymphocytosis in blood, including to NK-cells and B-cells, but the effects of exercise are unknown in myeloma patients. In addition, whether exercise mobilises plasma cells has not been adequately investigated, and as such the potential impact of exercise on daratumumab treatment is unclear. In this exploratory pilot study, n = 16 smouldering multiple myeloma participants enrolled and n = 9 completed the study which comprised a bout of cycling 15% above anaerobic threshold for ∼30-minutes, with blood samples collected pre-, immediately post-, and 30-minutes post-exercise. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from blood samples and incubated with the RPMI-8226 plasmacytoma cell line, with or without the presence of daratumumab to determine specific lysis using a calcein-release assay. Daratumumab-mediated cell lysis increased from 18.8% to 23.2% pre- to post-exercise, respectively (p < 0.001), owing to an increased frequency of CD3−CD56+CD16+ NK-cells (+348%), HLA-DR+CD14dimCD16+ monocytes (+125%), and HLA-DR+CD14+CD32+ monocytes (+41%) in blood (p < 0.01). However, overall, total plasma cells (CD38+CD138+) nor clonal plasma cells (CD38brightCD138+CD45−/dimCD19− with light-chain restriction) increased in blood (p > 0.05). Notably, we observed a 305% increase in NK-cells expressing CD38, the daratumumab target antigen, which might render NK-cells more susceptible to daratumumab-mediated fratricide – whereby NK-cells initiate ADCC against daratumumab-bound NK-cells. In conclusion, exercise modestly improved the efficacy of daratumumab-mediated ADCC in vitro. However, plasma cells were largely unchanged, and NK-cells expressing CD38 – the daratumumab target antigen – increased in blood. Future research should consider the optimal timings of exercise during daratumumab treatment in myeloma to avert exacerbation of daratumumab-mediated NK-cell lysis
Unlocking Funding Success for Generative AI Startups: The Crucial Role of Investor Influence
Get PDFGenerative AI (GAI) is transforming industries by enabling autonomous content creation. This study explores the impact of investor and technological influences on the funding of 556 GAI startups from 2010 to July 2024. Using principal component analysis, we find that investor influence significantly boosts funding across all levels, while technological influence is insignificant. The results highlight the crucial role of investor networks in securing financial resources for GAI startups. The study's implications suggest that entrepreneurs and policymakers should focus on building strong investor relationships to support the growth of GAI ventures
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