Abstract:Campus microgrids with rooftop PV and variable occupancy create volatile short-term load profiles. We compare hybrid ensembles that combine seasonal decomposition with gradient boosting and recurrent neural nets against classical baselines. Models that incorporate classroom schedules and weather covariates cut mean absolute percentage error enough to improve day-ahead procurement decisions.
Abstract:Restoration campaigns compete with agricultural and housing narratives that cast wetlands as unused land. We run a survey experiment contrasting biodiversity, flood-risk, and livelihood frames among urban and peri-urban residents. Flood-risk frames increase willingness to fund restoration most among flood-experienced respondents, while livelihood frames reduce opposition among farming households.
Abstract:Visual inspection alone often misses subsurface delamination until spalling appears. We fuse ground-penetrating radar, infrared thermography, and acoustic sounding on instrumented deck sections and train ensemble detectors against core samples. Fusion reduces false negatives relative to single-sensor workflows and shortens prioritized maintenance lists for municipal asset managers.
Abstract:Group liability is intended to substitute for collateral, but joint pressure can discourage risk-taking after local demand collapses. Using panel surveys of microenterprise borrowers, we examine inventory and equipment investment around exogenous demand dips. Flexible repayment windows outperform strict joint guarantees in preserving productive investment during downturns.
Abstract:Standardized science tests written only in the language of instruction can understate competence among bilingual learners. We co-design dual-language item banks with teachers and compare achievement patterns against monolingual baselines. Allowing limited mother-tongue supports reduces construct-irrelevant variance while preserving discrimination of core science concepts.
Abstract:Informal workshops often lack cooling infrastructure, making outdoor and semi-outdoor work sensitive to heat waves. Combining wearable temperature logs with daily output records, we estimate productivity losses across summer heat events. Adaptive shifts in start times mitigate short peaks, but multi-day heat spells produce persistent output declines that informal credit cannot fully buffer.
Abstract:Performance-linked stipends are widely used to stabilize community health workforces, yet evidence on burnout and attrition remains mixed. We track retention, caseload quality, and self-reported workload across clinics that adopted tiered incentives. Moderate incentives tied to mentoring contacts improve twelve-month retention, while aggressive volume targets increase turnover among mid-career workers.
Abstract:Introductory programming cohorts often stall when feedback arrives too late relative to weekly labs. We instrument a blended course with weekly analytics dashboards that surface concept mastery gaps and trigger adaptive scaffold prompts for teaching assistants. Controlled comparisons show faster recovery from stuck states and higher completion of formative exercises without reducing final exam rigor.
Abstract:The sustainability of vocational and technical education and training (TVET) ecosystems is deeply dependent on the leadership practices of school principals. This qualitative phenomenological study aims to deconstruct the fragility-sustainability paradox in vocational educational leadership through the lens of the Full Range Leadership Model (FRLM), within the context of an isolated, developing island economy. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 36 teachers purposefully selected from 12 distinct vocational high schools using maximum variation sampling. Transcripts were subjected to systematic thematic analysis using NVivo 15 software. The findings reveal that principals frequently use rigid procedural adherence as a defensive shield against resource scarcity, a phenomenon conceptualized in this study as bureaucratic entropy. Furthermore, while transformational leadership acts as a catalyst for institutional synergy, laissez-faire (passive) leadership actively accelerates systemic collapse within complex, workshop-dependent environments. The data also emphasize a critical contextual requirement: to successfully navigate these isolated systems, principals must possess a professional background as vocational teachers. Ultimately, this study introduces the concept of bureaucratic entropy to the educational management literature, demonstrating how administrative passivity destroys institutional sustainability. Consequently, policymakers are urged to revise principal appointment criteria to mandate vocational expertise and to increase decentralized administrative autonomy.
Abstract:Background: It is well established in literature that non-native English-speaking medical students face linguistic and affective challenges which may limit clinical communication, patient outcomes, and international career opportunities. Herein, we evaluated the impact of a twelve-week English for Medical Purposes (EMP) program on language proficiency, communicative confidence, and career readiness.\nMethods: Students from two Brazilian medical schools (UniMAX and UniFAJ) completed a structured EMP curriculum including speaking practice, clinical vocabulary activities, cultural competency seminars, and confidence-building exercises. After the program, participants completed an anonymous questionnaire assessing self-reported communication gains, reduction of affective barriers, career readiness, and overall satisfaction.\nResults: Data shows that 75.5% of respondents reported improvement in at least one communication skill. Gains were observed in active listening (40.7%), interactive conversation (38.9%), conversational interchange (38.9%), and presentation skills (28.7%). The program also proved to help students overcome lack of practice (47.3%) and lack of confidence (33.5%), with smaller improvements in nervousness (13.8%) and anxiety (12.6%). Regarding career readiness, 28.7% of the students reported high agreement and 26.3% selected a neutral response. Overall satisfaction with the program reached 79%.\nConclusions: From the students’ perspective, a brief EMP intervention can enhance linguistic competence and communicative confidence, supporting clinical practice and international professional engagement.