Crisis Foreign Policy Making in Venezuela: The Case of Nicolás Maduro’s Left-Wing Militaristic Cabinet in Venezuela’s Blockade Policy towards Brazilian Aids

Venezuela has experienced a turmoil of economic crisis since 2014 under the administration of President Nicolás Maduro. This crisis has been spilling towards social and political issues, with one being the emergence of opposition group led by Juan Guaidó. This crisis, at first, has invited sympathy from various international actors, both states and non-states, one of them being Brazil. However, in February 2019, President Maduro decided to fully-blockade Venezuela-Brazil borders for any human or goods movement. This paper aims to analyze the presence of President Maduro’s cabinet towards Brazil borders blockade in Venezuelan Crisis in 2019. This paper utilizes qualitative social science methodology by analyzing primary and secondary data. By using the groupthink paradigm in foreign policy analysis, this paper argues that there is a position convergence between the members of the cabinet with the background of: (1) the dominance of nationalist military group loyal to President Maduro; (2) the same ideology of left-wing political spectrum. This paper also argues that beside the two internal factors above, the external factors of regional and global tension towards Venezuela also create an isolation as an element of stress towards this government. This paper concludes that the combination of the three factors above become the main factors that formulated the blockade policy.

Dynamic changes in semantic memory structure support successful problem-solving

While problem-solving is central in our daily life, its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Restructuration (i.e., reinterpretation and reorganization of problem-related representations) is theoretically considered as one such mechanism, yet empirical evidence supporting it is scarce. We investigated restructuration as a mechanism underlying problem-solving, using network science methodology. We estimated the structure of participant’s individual semantic memory network before and after they attempted to solve a riddle. These networks represent the organization of solution-relevant and irrelevant terms as nodes, with edges representing the strength of relationship between them based on participants’ relatedness judgments. The difference in semantic network metrics between pre- and post-solving phases was used to quantify restructuration and predict successful problem-solving. Problem-solving was predicted by local restructuration of semantic network, only in edges and nodes that had been assessed as helpful to solve the problem. These results shed new light on the mental restructuring associated with problem-solving and provide a new method to quantify this restructuring.

Interpretation and reporting of predictive or diagnostic machine-learning research in Trauma & Orthopaedics

There is increasing popularity in the use of artificial intelligence and machine-learning techniques to provide diagnostic and prognostic models for various aspects of Trauma & Orthopaedic surgery. However, correct interpretation of these models is difficult for those without specific knowledge of computing or health data science methodology. Lack of current reporting standards leads to the potential for significant heterogeneity in the design and quality of published studies. We provide an overview of machine-learning techniques for the lay individual, including key terminology and best practice reporting guidelines. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(12):1754–1758.

Problems of small hotel business development in Ukraine

Purpose of the research.The research purpose is to analyze the problems of small hotel business development in Ukraine. The reasons of problems in the development of small accommodation establishments and optimal ways of their solution are studied. Methodology. Research methodology is based on the use of laws and regularities of economic science; methodology of system approach implying the complex study of specifics of small hotels activity in conditions of stiff competition. The domestic and foreign theoretical, methodological and practical studies on the hospitality industry are used in the research. Results. The theoretical approach to the development of small hotel business as a structural element of the hospitality industry was substantiated, which allowed to reveal the main problems of its development at all levels. It is proved that the hotel services market in recent years has become the subject of interest of medium and small businesses. In turn, it is becoming increasingly popular among tourists. The main ways to solve the problems of small business in Ukraine should be based on the introduction of new standards for hotel customer service and improving the system of consumer protection, as well as stricter requirements to the safety of guests. It is determined that under conditions of constantly growing competition from international hotel companies it is important to reduce the probability of market development under the influence of chain hotels at the national level and to ensure the national preservation of income. Practical meaning. Practical significance of the obtained results is in their usage in solving urgent problems of small hotel enterprises development in Ukraine. Prospects for further research. The prospects for further research are to justify the directions of improving the quality of hotel services in small accommodation establishments.

Solar Signage Business Model Design Using the EPSS Framework

The purpose of this study is to design a business model that generates profits by developing eco-friendly convergent products. This study proposes a new concept of solar signage in the digital signage system that helps carbon emission reduction. This study developed a solar signage business model using the eco-science methodology specialized in manufacturing servitization. Following the ecosystem platform service strategy (EPSS) framework of eco-science optimized for convergent industry service design, this study implemented service derivation, convergent ecosystem definition, and business model development. The developed business model was evaluated by 10 experts in the field. The business model obtained 43 points, which exceeded the standard commercialization decision cutoff of 35 points. This study’s results imply that the business model is developed from an integrative perspective and defines the convergent industry ecosystem, a convergent knowledge service methodology, in digital signage. Moreover, through the business model, the perspectives on technological development can be expanded and the model can play an important role in carrying out new industry commercialization based on convergent technologies.

Comprehensive Examination of Network Intrusion Detection Models on Data Science

The increased requirement of data science in recent times has given rise to the concept of data security, which has become a major issue; thus, the amalgamation of data science methodology with intrusion detection systems as a field of research has acquired a lot of prominence. The level of access to the information system and its visibility to user pursuit was required to operate securely. Intrusion detection has been gaining popularity in the area of data science to incorporate the overall information security infrastructure, where regular operations depend upon shared use of information. The problems are to build an intrusion detection system efficient enough for detecting attacks and to reduce the false positives with a high detection rate. In this paper, the authors analyse various techniques of intrusion detection combined with data science, which will help in understanding the best fit technique under different circumstances.

Learning management emphasizing desirable characteristics of students in Buddhist university

This paper aims to study the learning management emphasizing desirable characteristics (LMDC) of students in Buddhist university in Thailand based on documentary research methodology. The finding reveals that LMDC in Buddhist University is carried out according to the qualifications-framework including 1) ethical and moral development, 2) knowledge, 3) cognitive skills, 4) interpersonal skills and responsibility, 5) numerical analysis skills, communication and information technology skills, and 6) learning management science methodology (added in teaching profession curriculum) by integrating with digital competency and 9 characteristics.

Scientific information literacy, attitude and persuasiveness in decision making among Nigerian university students

Acceptance and and use of scientific findings have been reported to face challenges that are attributable to inadequacies of science and/or society’s inadequate scientific literacy and attitude. In view of the dearth of studies on these issues in Nigeria, this study explored the levels and variations in the scientific literacy, attitude to science, and persuasiveness of scientific compared to cultural knowledge in some personal decision making contexts of postgraduate students in a Nigerian university. The study collected data through a designed and validated questionnaire administered on 315 postgraduate students in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Findings among others are that attitude to science was very highly positive, religious information had slightly stronger persuasiveness in decision making for the students than scientific information, and much more than cultural information. Knowledge of scientific methodology, and critical thinking behavior have positive influence on students’ persuasiveness of science while cultural belief has negative predictive influence on their persuasiveness of science. The study concludes, amongst others, that students’ attitude to science and their persuasiveness of science can be influenced by their levels of knowledge of science methodology and cultural belief, though in an opposing manner. This implies that publics’ understandanding of the persuasiveness of science could be improved by variations in their levels of knowledge of science methodology and cultural belief, amongst other variables. The study therefore, recommends that scientists should begin to communicate science methods to the public through public-friendly and informal means while also subjecting some of the cultural beliefs to scientific tests and communicating their outcomes to the public.

A Study of the Business Model Development of Human Centric Lighting: Based on Eco-Science Methodology

Human centric lighting (HLC) is a promising market for innovations in the lighting market, but there is a lack of research on sustainable business models. Therefore, this study proposes a service, ecosystem, business model, and platform to innovate the HLC industry using eco-science methodologies suitable for manufacturing servitization. The study’s findings show that the introduction of a platform-based B2B smart space service can have an impact on the spread of HCL. Accordingly, this study derives a business model and billing strategy that industry stakeholders involved in the smart space can cooperate with. Further, the study proposes a platform design to realize the proposed business model and verifies a service prototype to analyze the completeness of the research results and their economic ripple effects. As for the implications, this study presents an integrated perspective business model to revitalize the HCL market based on a systematic methodology from the convergence studies perspective. Additionally, there are academic implications that, instead of just proposing the research results, objectively evaluate and verify the completeness of the results. The results of this study suggest a future-oriented direction for the field of HCL.