The Development of Positive Attributes of Character: On the Embodiment of Specificity, Holism, and Self-System Processes

Positive character involves a system of mutually beneficial relations between individual and context that coherently vary across ontogenetic time and enable individuals to engage the social world as moral agents. We present ideas about the development of positive character attributes using three constructs associated with relational developmental systems (RDS) metatheory: the specificity of mutually beneficial individual<-->context dynamics across time and place; holistic integration of dynamic processes of an individual with both context and all cognitive, affective, and behavioral processes; and integration of the character-system with other facets of the self-system. These features of RDS-based ideas coalesce on the embodiment of positive character development. We discuss the need for more robust interrogation of embodied features of the character development system by suggesting that coaction of morphological/physiological processes with cultural processes become part of a program of the integrated individual<-->contextual processes involved in the description, explanation, and optimization of positive character attribute development. We discuss moments of programmatic research that should be involved in this interrogation and point to the potential contribution of theory-predicated research about the embodied development of positive character attributes of to enhancing the presence of moral agency and social justice in the world.

Inclusive Resettlement? Integration Pathways of Resettled Refugees With Disabilities in Germany and Canada

The purpose of this article is to explore the existing intersectional knowledge on integration and resettlement of refugees with disabilities in two of the top five resettlement countries in the world, Germany and Canada. There is limited research on the intersection of migration and disability, especially in the context of refugee resettlement. Reflecting the dominant pathways of migration in each country, what little research there is focuses on asylum seekers in Germany, and immigrants in Canada. The review describes settlement programs in each country. We draw from the global literature around forced migration and disability, as well as disability and migration more broadly in each country, to enhance the limited existing research and conduct an intersectional analysis at the level of systems, discourses and subjective narratives. Findings highlight three dominant themes that weave across all three levels: being a “burden” on society, being invisible, and agency and resistance. Finally, drawing from the theoretical stance of Disability Studies, critical, and holistic integration theories we discuss how this intersectional analysis highlights the importance of reshaping the policies, discourse and definition of integration, and the consequences this can have on research, service delivery, and evaluation of integration and resettlement.

The Methodological and Didactic Aspects of Comprehensive Greening of Educational Process Towards Sustainable University

The process of greening education is aimed to educate new generation with the holistic vision of the real world challenges, attitudes of responsibility and active social behavior as an agent of sustainability transformations. The methodological and didactic aspects of comprehensive greening of educational process discussed. It’s based on integration the competence and the whole school approaches, sustainable life style and green campus practices into sustainable university model. The preconditions for systemic and holistic integration of the sustainability principles into all fields of the university life are identified. Especial attention is paid to the recent experiences of the Ukrainian National Forestry University as the leading university in Ukraine in implementing the concept of greening higher education in Ukraine and member of new networking project “V4 Green Universities” supported by the Visegrad Fund.

Olfactory Perception in Relation to the Physicochemical Odor Space

A growing body of research aims at solving what is often referred to as the stimulus-percept problem in olfactory perception. Although computational efforts have made it possible to predict perceptual impressions from the physicochemical space of odors, studies with large psychophysical datasets from non-experts remain scarce. Following previous approaches, we developed a physicochemical odor space using 4094 molecular descriptors of 1389 odor molecules. For 20 of these odors, we examined associations with perceived pleasantness, intensity, odor quality and detection threshold, obtained from a dataset of 2000 naïve participants. Our results show significant differences in perceptual ratings, and we were able to replicate previous findings on the association between perceptual ratings and the first dimensions of the physicochemical odor space. However, the present analyses also revealed striking interindividual variations in perceived pleasantness and intensity. Additionally, interactions between pleasantness, intensity, and olfactory and trigeminal qualitative dimensions were found. To conclude, our results support previous findings on the relation between structure and perception on the group level in our sample of non-expert raters. In the challenging task to relate olfactory stimulus and percept, the physicochemical odor space can serve as a reliable and helpful tool to structure the high-dimensional space of olfactory stimuli. Nevertheless, human olfactory perception in the individual is not an analytic process of molecule detection alone, but is part of a holistic integration of multisensory inputs, context and experience.

Project Risk Mitigation and Project Execution in the Nigeria Oil And Gas Industry

The focus of this study is to examine the relationship between project risk mitigation and project execution in the Nigeria oil and gas industry. Specifically, the study examines the extent of contribution of project risk mitigation in realising project budget, quality, schedule and scope during execution. In pursuant of these objectives, survey research design was used. 102 questionnaires were administered to the Managing Directors or Chief Operating Officers and project or operations managers of the selected companies. Eighty two questionnaires were validly retrieved and used for data analysis. Data obtained were analysed mean and Spearman’s rank order correlation analysis. The study found that projects risk mitigation was significantly and positively related to project execution in terms of budget, quality, schedule and scope. The study therefore recommends that there should be a holistic integration and constant improvement of project risk mitigation strategies which will help improve the quality of projects executed in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

A Scenario-based Approach to Teaching Professionalism to Medical Students (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Doctors play a key role in individuals’ lives undergoing a holistic integration into local communities. To maintain public trust, it is essential that professional values are upheld by both doctors and medical students. OBJECTIVE We aimed to ensure that students appreciated these professional obligations during the 3-year science-based, preclinical course with limited patient contact. METHODS An interactive professionalism course entitled ‘Entry to the Profession’ was designed for pre-clinical first year medical students. Two scenario-based sessions were created and evaluated utilizing established professionalism guidance and expert consensus. Quantitative and qualitative feedback on course implementation and development of professionalism was gathered through Likert-type five-point scales and debrief following course completion. RESULTS 70 students completed the Entry to the Profession course over a two-year period. Feedback regarding session materials and logistics ranged between (mean ± standard deviation) 4.16±0.93 (appropriateness of scenarios) to 4.66±0.61 (environment of sessions). Feedback pertaining to professionalism knowledge and behaviours ranged between 3.11±0.99 (need for professionalism) to 4.78±0.42 (relevance of professionalism). Qualitative feedback revealed that a small group format in a relaxed, open environment facilitated discussion of the major concepts of professionalism. CONCLUSIONS Entry to the Profession employed an innovative approach to introducing first-year medical students to complex professionalism concepts. Future longitudinal investigations should aim to explore its impact at various stages of preclinical, clinical and postgraduate training. CLINICALTRIAL NA

Implementation and Transfer of Predictive Analytics for Smart Maintenance: A Case Study

Smart maintenance offers a promising potential to increase efficiency of the maintenance process, leading to a reduction of machine downtime and thus an overall productivity increase in industrial manufacturing. By applying fault detection and prediction algorithms to machine and sensor data, maintenance measures (i.e., planning of human resources, materials and spare parts) can be better planned and thus machine stoppage can be prevented. While many examples of Predictive Maintenance (PdM) have been proven successful and commercial solutions are offered by machine and part manufacturers, wide-spread implementation of Smart Maintenance solutions and processes in industrial production is still not observed. In this work, we present a case study motivated by a typical maintenance activity in an industrial plant. The paper focuses on the crucial aspects of each phase of the PdM implementation and deployment process, toward the holistic integration of the solution within a company. A concept is derived for the model transfer to a different factory. This is illustrated by practical examples from a lighthouse factory within the BOOST 4.0 project. The quantitative impact of the deployed solutions is described. Based on empirical results, best practices are derived in the domain and data understanding, the implementation, integration and model transfer phases.

Lean 4.0: A New Holistic Approach for the Integration of Lean Manufacturing Tools and Digital Technologies

Due to the highly dynamic and competitive environment, organizations are led to rethink their processes and strategies. In the industrial field, Lean Manufacturing (LM) is widely recognized as a traditional approach to eliminate waste in the value stream and ensure the efficiency of production processes. On the other hand, Industry 4.0 has recently emerged, incurring disruptive changes in manufacturing processes based on a technology-driven approach. The integration of these two philosophies to achieve organizational goals is interesting in order to guarantee competitiveness, especially for manu-facturing companies. This paper proposed an integration of LM tools and technologies 4.0, considering the perspectives of the industrial field in the digital era. Based on a three-step methodology, which included technological and industrial mapping, it was identified 25 synergy points. From interactions of LM tools mainly with Big Data Analytics, The Cloud, Virtual Simulation and Augmented Reality, multi-level circular diagrams pointed out the main contributions of Just in Time 4.0 (JIT 4.0), Kaizen 4.0, Kanban 4.0, Poka-Yoke 4.0, Value Stream Mapping 4.0 (VSM 4.0) and Total Productive Maintenance 4.0 (TPM 4.0). Also, five attributes of Lean 4.0 were identified, highlighting the integration between pro-cesses, devices and stakeholders; waste minimization; and autonomous, pointing to gains for the organization from this holistic integration approach.

Training Skills with Common-Interest Building

This fourth Synthesis of the Science Diplomacy Action series involves that pedagogy of common-interest building among allies and adversaries alike as a negotiation skill to apply, train and refine. This serial edition also represents a journey with science diplomacy and its engine of informed decisionmaking among friends who facilitated the first formal dialogue between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia regarding security in the Arctic, which we co-directed at the University of Cambridge in 2010. The starting point for that NATO-Russia dialogue was science diplomacy, as an holistic (international, interdisciplinary and inclusive) process to balance national interests and common interests for the benefit of all on Earth across generations. Operation of this holistic process became clear in 2016 during the 1st International Dialogue on Science and Technology Advice in Foreign Ministries, when the ‘continuum of urgencies’ was identified from security time scales (mitigating risks of political, economic, cultural and environmental instabilities that are immediate) to sustainability time scales (balancing economic prosperity, environmental protection and societal well-being across generations). The following year, the theoretical framework of informed decisionmaking – operating across a ‘continuum of urgencies’ short-term to long-term – emerged with the case study published in Science about the 2017 Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation, which has entered into force among the eight Arctic states. With continuing acceleration, in 2020, Springer published the first volume in the new book series on INFORMED DECISIONMAKING FOR SUSTAINABILITY. The graduate course on “Science Diplomacy: Environmental Security and Law in the Arctic Ocean” was introduced in 2016 with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, involving a Mock Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting as the culminating synthesis with the Student Ambassadors. Framed around their working papers for the Mock Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting, the Student Ambassadors negotiated a declaration, which they adopted by consensus and signed at end of that first semester. In subsequent years, additional holistic integration exercises were introduced into the course, including the Common-Interest Building – Training Game with the pedagogy of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, each of which has international, interdisciplinary and inclusive relevance at local-global levels (APPENDIX 1: Syllabus – Spring 2020). From 2017 through 2020, the graduate course was expanded to Science Diplomacy: Environmental Security and Law in the Arctic Ocean, involving The Fletcher School in Medford (Massachusetts, United States) and the International Law Programme at MGIMO University in Moscow (Russian Federation). Building on a Memorandum of Understanding between our institutions, this joint video-conferencing course was approved by the Russian Ministry of Education and involved Carnegie Corporation of New York funding that was directed by Prof. Paul Arthur Berkman, contributing to the soon-to-be Russia and Eurasia Program at The Fletcher School. Each year, Student Ambassadors from the United States and Russian Federation adopted and signed joint declarations by consensus, as an exercise in common-interest building. Results of training skills with common-interest building are reflected herein with the compilation of consensus declarations crafted by the Student Ambassadors in their Mock Arctic Council Ministerial Meetings from 2016 to 2020. The essence of common-interest building is to make inormed decisions that operate across time in view of urgencies, short-term to long-term, tactical and strategic. Urgencies are embedded across diverse time scales with local-global relevance, as demonstrated by accelerating impacts through: month-years with our global pandemic; years-decades with high technologies; and decades-centuries with global human population size and atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentration in our Earth system. The underlying process of informed decisionmaking involves holistic integration with science as the ‘study of change’, revealed with the natural sciences and social sciences as well as Indigenous knowledge, all of which characterize patterns, trends and processes (albeit with different methods) that become the bases for decisions. Contributing with research and action, the institutions involved with decisionmaking produce: governance mechanisms (laws, agreements and policies as well as regulatory strategies, including insurance, at diverse jurisdictional levels); and built infrastructure (fixed, mobile and other assets, including communication, observing, information and other systems that require technology plus investment). Coupling of governance mechanisms and built infrastructure contributes to progress with sustainability, which were weaved throughout the course with the Arctic Ocean as a case study. Outcomes of the joint-video conferencing course between The Fletcher School and MGIMO University have accelerated globally into the training initiatives with diplomatic schools among foreign ministries as well as with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). Our hope is science diplomacy and its engine of informed decisionmaking will lead to lifelong learning across the jurisdictional spectrum with its subnational-national-international legal levels for the benefit of all on Earth across generations.