scholarly journals A cellular automata modelling approach in household water use

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-480
Author(s):  
Salsabil M. Abdalbaki

Abstract This paper explores the strength of simulation techniques in water conservation by employing a cellular automata (CA) modelling framework. The CA-based model allows the examination of various scenarios with different hypotheses in the context of water resources management in Egypt. Moreover, sensitivity analysis is applied to test the robustness of the model's results. The empirical results show that both social media posts as well as the fear of building the Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia play a motivational role to encourage the individuals to conserve water in Egypt. This is supported by the effort of the most effective and influential categories (family, friends, and relatives, according to the results of the current study) because they are identified as the major influencers on the surrounding people in their social networks. For the results of sensitivity analysis, there is no significant difference between the results of implementing the model and the results of sensitivity analysis.

Water Policy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 964-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hung Wang ◽  
Mei-Chen Chang ◽  
Jia-Ru Liou

Abstract This study aims to measure the changes in the water literacy of the subjects (N = 620) aged over 18 before and after participating in the water-saving activities. The results showed that there is a significant improvement in the water literacy of the subjects after the water-saving activities but with a medium-small effect size; there is no significant correlation between water knowledge and water attitude before or after the activities. In addition, there is a significant difference in water literacy regarding subjects' background variables, such as age, income, and household water expenses. In other words, the attitude and behavior related to the use of water could be easily influenced by different background variables. Due to the limitation of the museum being the study field, the post-tests were given immediately following the activities, therefore the improvements of the subjects' knowledge and attitudes may not be retained over time. The findings can serve as a reference for the Water Resources Department to promote water conservation education in the future.


2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 910-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gloria Copeland Smith ◽  
Troy Keith Knudson

Background: This study is the result of findings from a previous dissertation conducted by this author on Student Nurses’ Unethical Behavior, Boundaries, and Social Media. The use of social media can be detrimental to the nurse–patient relationship if used in an unethical manner. Method: A mixed method, using a quantitative approach based on research questions that explored differences in student nurses’ unethical behavior by age (millennial vs nonmillennial) and clinical cohort, the relationship of unethical behavior to the utilization of social media, and analysis on year of birth and unethical behavior. A qualitative approach was used based on a guided faculty interview and common themes of student nurses’ unethical behavior. Participants and Research Context: In total, 55 Associate Degree nursing students participated in the study; the research was conducted at Central Texas College. There were eight faculty-guided interviews. Ethical considerations: The main research instrument was an anonymous survey. All participants were assured of their right to an informed consent. All participants were informed of the right to withdraw from the study at any time. Findings: Findings indicate a significant correlation between student nurses’ unethical behavior and use of social media (p = 0.036) and a significant difference between student unethical conduct by generation (millennials vs nonmillennials (p = 0.033)) and by clinical cohort (p = 0.045). Further findings from the follow-up study on year of birth and student unethical behavior reveal a correlation coefficient of 0.384 with a significance level of 0.003. Discussion: Surprisingly, the study found that second-semester students had less unethical behavior than first-, third-, and fourth-semester students. The follow-up study found that this is because second-semester students were the oldest cohort. Conclusion: Implications for positive social change for nursing students include improved ethics education that may motivate ethical conduct throughout students’ careers nationally and globally for better understanding and promotion of ethics and behavior.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Tianshi Pan ◽  
Lijun Zuo ◽  
Zengxiang Zhang ◽  
Xiaoli Zhao ◽  
Feifei Sun ◽  
...  

The implementation of ecological projects can largely change regional land use patterns, in turn altering the local hydrological process. Articulating these changes and their effects on ecosystem services, such as water conservation, is critical to understanding the impacts of land use activities and in directing future land planning toward regional sustainable development. Taking Zhangjiakou City of the Yongding River as the study area—a region with implementation of various ecological projects—the impact of land use changes on various hydrological components and water conservation capacity from 2000 to 2015 was simulated based on a soil and water assessment tool model (SWAT). An empirical regression model based on partial least squares was established to explore the contribution of different land use changes on water conservation. With special focus on the forest having the most complex effects on the hydrological process, the impacts of forest type and age on the water conservation capacity are discussed on different scales. Results show that between 2000 and 2015, the area of forest, grassland and cultivated land decreased by 0.05%, 0.98% and 1.64%, respectively, which reduces the regional evapotranspiration (0.48%) and soil water content (0.72%). The increase in settlement area (42.23%) is the main reason for the increase in water yield (14.52%). Most land use covered by vegetation has strong water conservation capacity, and the water conservation capacity of the forest is particularly outstanding. Farmland and settlements tend to have a negative effect on water conservation. The water conservation capacity of forest at all scales decreased significantly with the growth of forest (p < 0.05), while the water conservation capacity of different tree species had no significant difference. For the study area, increasing the forest area will be an effective way to improve the water conservation function, planting evergreen conifers can rapidly improve the regional water conservation capacity, while planting deciduous conifers is of great benefit to long-term sustainable development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Wang ◽  
Lanting Wu

Abstract Background In the light of “Internet plus”, hospitals are following the trend of using mobile internet and adopting a strategy of spreading public health knowledge through mobile terminals. WeChat is a social media with the largest number of users in China. Its public account has become the most popular service among the public. Methods We examine the health communication of medical institutions on social media platforms. The WeChat public accounts of Zhejiang Provincial Chinese Traditional Medicine Hospital and Jiangxi Provincial Chinese Traditional Medicine Hospital were taken as cases to measure the communication effect from the following dimensions: update interval, content positioning and design, numbers of clicks and likes as well as topic types. Results The update interval of WeChat public account of Jiangxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine was regular, compared with that of the other hospital. The accounts of the two hospitals both set up special sections to facilitate patients to obtain medical services online. There is an extremely significant difference between the two hospitals’ mean numbers of clicks (p < 0. 001), compared with no significant difference between their mean numbers of likes. One-way analysis of variance suggests the type of topic on posts is significantly correlated with the number of clicks. Moreover, there is an extremely significant difference between public health knowledge and news propaganda. Conclusion The development of hospitals’ WeChat public accounts can promote people’s health and equity in accessing medical information and service, and also boost “Internet plus health care” service. The topic type of hospital’s news publicity is paid a relatively lower attention by users. Therefore, hospitals’ WeChat public accounts need to adjust their strategy from propaganda-oriented to users-centered, with topic planning and posts designed to fulfill users’ needs.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamima Yesmin ◽  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate Library and Information Science (LIS) students’ understanding of infodemic and related terminologies and their ability to categorize COVID-19-related problematic information types using examples from social media platforms. Design/methodology/approach The participants of this study were LIS students from a public-funded university located at the south coast of Bangladesh. An online survey was conducted which, in addition to demographic and study information, asked students to identify the correct definition of infodemic and related terminologies and to categorize the COVID-related problematic social media posts based on their inherent problem characteristics. The correct answer for each definition and task question was assigned a score of “1”, whereas the wrong answer was coded as “0”. The percentages of correctness score for total and each category of definition and task-specific questions were computed. The independent sample t-test and ANOVA were run to examine the differences in total and category-specific scores between student groups. Findings The findings revealed that students’ knowledge concerning the definition of infodemic and related terminologies and the categorization of COVID-19-related problematic social media posts was poor. There was no significant difference in correctness scores between student groups in terms of gender, age and study levels. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time an effort was made to understand LIS students’ recognition and classification of problematic information. The findings can assist LIS departments in revising and improving the existing information literacy curriculum for students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-210
Author(s):  
Zuzana Hajduova ◽  
Nikoleta Hutmanova ◽  
Lubor Jusko ◽  
Ludovít Molitoris

Advertising is an essential tool in influencing the customer's buying behavior. However, customers tend to have various levels of understanding and decoding advertising messages. Even though children do not have purchasing power themselves, they still create a key customer segment that can influence the purchase decision of the whole family. The paper focuses on how media usage by children and their attitudes towards advertisements determines their buying behavior. The main purpose of the research is to present and describe how children's advertising literacy develops and its connection with the concept of the theory of mind. The relevance of the decision of this scientific problem is that according to several types of research, children are increasingly targeted through various advertising media. Even though their advertising literacy is not fully developed yet. However, nowadays, there is a growing importance of media in our lives and a need to socialize children as consumers because they represent a huge market for advertisers. An empirical study was carried out by designing a questionnaire filled by Slovak children between the ages of 11 and 15. The advertising impact and the degree of impact of the selected types of advertising media on children's consumer behavior were evaluated. The study involved the online method of computer-assisted web interviewing to investigate the influence of advertising media. The authors assessed the degree of the disruptive effect of the selected advertising media on children and the perception of a chosen medium within gender. The most and the least influential type of media were identified. The findings showed no significant difference within gender in the case of advertising media perception by children. The research empirically confirmed and theoretically proved commercial messages aimed at children through different kinds of traditional and electronic media. According to the results, children's buying behavior is mostly influenced by advertising on social media platforms. This type of media mostly integrates sponsored content which has a huge influence on decision making and forming future preferences. The research results can be helpful for further research of commercial messages of social media aimed at children and how those messages affect the whole family and children's future preferences.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiva Bozorgpanah ◽  
Ghobad Moradi ◽  
Pourya Bahrami ◽  
Elham Noori ◽  
Mohammad Pourya Ezati ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and Aim: the present study was conducted to investigate social media statistics of usage and its determinant factors in students of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences in 2018.Materials and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional-analytical study. The total of 380 students of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences were randomly selected by Probability Proportional to Size Sampling method, from the lists of the students in each faculty. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire, organized in four sections. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics by SPSS software version 21.Results: Based on the results of this study 373 (98.2%) of the sample students were on social media, which the most popular ones among them were Telegram (94.1%), Instagram (78.8%) and Whatsapp (61.9%), respectively. The average time spent on social media among students was reported to be 2.78 hours per day and is a significant difference between age groups in terms of attitudes toward using social media (P = 0.031).Conclusion: the results of this study suggested that the majority of students use social media. Since improper use of social media can exert unfortunate effects on different aspects of life of students, and negatively influence their education.


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