bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decentralize power sharing control strategy in islanded microgridsDecentralize power sharing control strategy in islanded microgrids
Authors: Hayat Khan Mubashir , Aizam Zulkifli Shamsul , Pathan Erum , Garba Elhassan , Jackson Ronald , Arshad Haider
Published: August 2020

Droop control technique is one of the renowned techniques which does not need any communication connection between Distibuted Generations (DG), hence the cost, as well as the reliability of the microgrid (MG) system can be reduced. MG is operated in two modes as their functionality and structure is concern. These are the grid connected or islanded (stand-alone) mode. DGs operating values may have different ratings of voltage, power and line impedance. The power sharing in these operatng conditions is not shared equally by all DGs connected in the system and also during load changes conditions power sharing accuracy is difficult to achieve. In this paper, a droop power control is used to balance the power sharing in islanded mode. As from the results, the active power sharing is equally shared from all DGs connected in the microgrid system. However, reactive power sharing accuracy always disturbed when there is impedance mismatch among the different DG feeders. The accuracy is done by monitoring the effects when load changes for low load to high load or vice versa. The Proportional Integral (PI) controller has been used to minimize the reactive power errors. At the end, the power droop is capable to share power accurately and results prove the stability and reliability of the proposed technique.
Terminal sliding mode control on autonomous underwater vehicle in diving motion control
Authors: Mawangi Sarif Nira , Ngadengon Rafidah , Abdul Kadir Herdawatie , A. Jalil Mohd Hafiz
Published: August 2020

In this study, mechanism for reducing chattering in discrete conventional Sliding Mode Controller (DSMC) for Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) was designed in discrete time domain. The combination of reaching law approach and discrete Terminal Sliding Mode Control (DTSMC) scheme was employed to alleviate chattering effect caused by Quasi Sliding Mode (QSM). First, 6 DOF NPS AUV II equation of motion is linearized to diving mode subsystem. Second, linear sliding surface in discrete time domain is designed and Reaching Law Based (RLB) is employed to the control law. Thirdly, discrete nonlinear sliding surface, specifically DTSMC is designed to reduce chattering phenomena and improved precision control simultaneously. Finally, comparative experimental results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness and advantages of the nonlinear sliding surface. (9 pt).
IoT for health-based system: analog network coding with energy harvesting
Authors: Abdulmohsin Hammood Dalal , Shuker Mahmoud Mahmoud , Alkhayyat Ahmed
Published: August 2020

In the recent health-care field, the Interent of health thigs (IoHT) technologies provide appropriateness between doctors and people receiving medical treatment, because they are useful to several curative domains. The wireless body sensors networks which can be abbrivated as every technology of a WBSN is an important one from IoT growing’s of the health-care model, as all sick people are observed utilizing some set of nodes of sensors that are light as well as with no high power. In this paper, we proposed Energy Harvesting-based Inter-WBSN cooperation Network Coding (EH-IWCNC) for Internet of Medical Things.
Constraint length inflation in fixed high rate convolutional codes and their impact on performance of O-IDMA
Authors: Prakash Ravi , Kumar Maurya Ajay , Kumar Maurya Rakesh , B. Tiwari B.
Published: August 2020

To cope up with the higher data rate existing in modern communication systems multiple access technologies has been investigated OIDMA (Optical Interleave Division Multiple Access Technology) is one of the prominent technology use to fulfill this demand. Convolutional codes used in OIDMA systems enhance the performances and reduces the bit error rate of the system. In the present paper, the convolutional codes with increasing number of memory elements are used, the constraint length which depends on number of memory elements are increased with a systematic manner and their combined effect on response of OIDMA system has been observed. Tree inter-leavers in taken into account for analysis purpose and BER with increasing number of users is plotted in graphical and tabular manner.
Exploring mobile learning development lifecycle with cultural context
Authors: Wan Mohd Isa Wan Abdul Rahim , Hakim Suhaimi Ahmad Iqbal , Noordin Nurulhuda , Adawiyah Hashim Rabiatul
Published: August 2020

Based on the preliminary study, there are two problems that the development team faces; lack of development model or guideline with culture context for mobile learning developments and lack of cultural context in user interface and user experience of mobile learning development and practices. The main objectives are; (i) to propose Mobile Learning Development Lifecycle Cultural Model and to (ii) assess the proposed Mobile Learning Development Lifecycle Cultural Model. An IT scholar and five IT staff involved in mobile learning development based on the public and private sector at Klang Valley, Malaysia had been chosen for the interview session. The collected data has been analyzed by applying the thematic analysis approach. The first objective was achieved based on IT scholar reviewed on the model proposed. The IT scholar reviewed, (i) challenges on mobile learning development, (ii) theory of Hofstede on the design phase, (iii) user persona on the requirements phase, (iv) advantages of using the proposed model and (v) challenges on Mobile Learning Development Lifecycle Cultural Model. Then, the second objective was achieved by analyzing the qualitative information from the IT staff on the model proposed. The assessment was done by the IT staff for the Mobile Learning Development Lifecycle Cultural Model. There were four primary categories highlighted by the IT staffs which were (i) challenges on mobile learning development, (ii) overcome the challenges, (iii) important elements in mobile learning development and (iv) advantages of Mobile Learning Development Lifecycle Cultural Model. For future work, this study can include more IT scholar and IT staff from diverse positions from multiple organizations.
Human face recognition methods based on principle component analysis (PCA), wavelet and support vector machine (SVM) : a comparative study
Authors: A. Gheni Eman , M. Algelal Zahraa
Published: August 2020

Human face Recognition systems are increasingly gaining more importance and can be utilized throughout many applications like video surveillance, Security, human-computer intelligent interaction, etc. this paper presents performance comparison between three feature extraction techniques for an automatic face recognition system. In the first step, we benefit from wavelet Transforms, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and combining Wavelet with PCA as feature extracting methods. After feature vectors generation, linear and nonlinear Support Vector Machines (SVM) are usually used for implementing the classification or recognition step. These methods are compared on accuracy in an ORL database for face recognition applications including 400 images of 40 people.
Prácticas docentes y cultura inclusiva para colectivos vulnerables de primarias en Sonora, México
Authors: Campa-Álvarez Reyna de los Ángeles , Valenzuela Blanca Aurelia , Guillén-Lúgigo Manuela
Published: August 2020

El objetivo de la investigación fue analizar las prácticas y cultura inclusiva de docentes en educación primaria para la atención de colectivos vulnerables en Hermosillo, Sonora, México. La metodología fue de corte cuantitativa no experimental y se aplicó el cuestionario Índice de inclusión a 124 profesores y profesoras. Los resultados obtenidos reportan que los tipos de vulnerabilidad más comunes en el aula corresponden a una situación económica baja, familia disfuncional y discapacidad. Se muestra una relación significativa bidireccional entre práctica y cultura inclusiva (.741) por lo que se requiere crear una comunidad colaborativa, implementar metodologías inclusivas y recursos de apoyo. El modelo estructural predice un 36 % la educación inclusiva de los colectivos vulnerables.
Reforma da previdência: uma avaliação dos impactos distributivos da Proposta de Emenda Constitucional 287/2016 sobre os benefícios programáveis de aposentadoria do RGPS
Authors: Afonso Luís Eduardo , Zylberstajn Hélio
Published: August 2020

Este artigo quantifica os aspectos distributivos da versão inicial da proposta de reforma da previdência apresentada no governo Temer. São calculadas a Taxa de Reposição, Taxa Interna de Retorno e Alíquota Necessária para os benefícios de Aposentadoria Por Tempo de Contribuição e Aposentadoria Por Idade do RGPS, para diferentes perfis de trabalhadores. Deixarão de existir diferenças por gênero, renda e benefício. Mulheres, aqueles(as) que se aposentam por idade e trabalhadores(as) de baixa renda serão mais afetados. A reforma não é neutra, nem mesmo durante o período de transição.
Evolução e determinantes na escolha de trabalho entre os setores público e privado no Brasil
Authors: Vaz Daniela Verzola
Published: August 2020

Este trabalho analisa os fatores que influenciam a decisão dos empregados em serviços no Brasil, ante a possibilidade de trabalhar no setor privado, no setor público federal, na esfera estadual ou na municipal. Além de testar o papel de um conjunto de atributos pessoais e socioeconômicos na determinação do setor de emprego, examina-se o efeito de variáveis relativas ao background familiar na alocação setorial. Os resultados mostram um efeito intergeracional, com maior probabilidade de emprego no setor público caso o pai tenha sido servidor. Esse efeito, no entanto, tem maior expressão nas esferas estadual e municipal de governo e perdeu importância, ao se compararem os dados de 1996 e de 2014.
Heterogeneidade das expectativas de inflação mensal no Brasil: evidências a partir de dados agregados da pesquisa Focus
Authors: Meurer Roberto , Lima Gilberto Tadeu
Published: August 2020

Neste artigo é analisada a heterogeneidade das expectativas de inflação coletadas pelo Banco Central do Brasil, por meio de estatísticas descritivas e estimações econométricas para o comportamento da mediana, dispersão, amplitude e recorrência da presença de instituições no grupo Top 5, de maior acerto das previsões. São utilizadas expectativas agregadas do IPCA de janeiro de 2003 a agosto de 2016. Os resultados mostram correlação quase perfeita entre as previsões do conjunto de respondentes e os Top 5, ajuste gradual das expectativas, importância da data de referência para apuração do Top 5 e relação positiva entre variações da mediana e sua dispersão. O sistema de premiação das instituições Top 5 parece induzir uma parcela relevante dos respondentes a manter atualizadas as suas expectativas.
Labor market impacts of employment quotas for the disabled in Brazil
Authors: Gori Maia Alexandre , Gaspar Garcia Vinicius
Published: August 2020

The occupational achievements of people with disabilities and those with less severe functional limitations are analyzed before and after the implementation of employment quotas. The differentials are decomposed into (i) productive or socioeconomic factors; and (ii) unobservable factors such as discrimination and other social constraints. The unobservable difficulties, which play an important role in determining differences in employment rates, reduced substantially, especially for people with more severe limitations. However, while these workers continue to obtain low paid jobs, those most qualified with less severe limitations attained better occupational positions, and hence, higher wages.
The wage penalty of smoking in Brazil: evidence from the Special Survey on Tobacco Addiction
Authors: Justus Marcelo , Sant'Anna Elder , Davanzo Eloá Sales , Moreira Gustavo Carvalho
Published: August 2020

The aim of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that smoking reduces earnings. We use data from the Special Survey on Tobacco Addiction, which was jointly carried out with the 2008 Brazilian National Household Sample Survey. Our results support the hypothesis that smoking reduces wages. Furthermore, we found that about two-thirds of wage differential between male smokers and non-smokers is due to observable characteristics.
Avaliando o efeito da expansão da banda larga sobre o PIB
Authors: Ywata de Carvalho Alexandre Xavier , Mendonça Mário Jorge Cardoso de , Lavagnole Marcus Gerardus , Jaime da Silva José
Published: August 2020

Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar o efeito da banda larga no Brasil por meio de um modelo de dados em painel de 5.564 municípios no período de 2007 a 2014. Usamos a análise de agrupamento para controlar as diferenças regionais. Pode-se constatar que o efeito da banda larga sobre o PIB municipal é regionalmente diferenciado. O maior impacto incide nos municípios de maior renda per capita e alta concentração urbana. Testa-se ainda a hipótese de que o efeito da banda larga é do tipo “U invertido”. Os resultados não evidenciam que essa hipótese pode ser negada.
Concorrência e demanda por trabalho no Brasil: o caso da competição externa
Authors: Moreira Borges Loos Essinger Cecília , Ribeiro Eduardo Pontual
Published: August 2020

Mudanças no poder de mercado de empresas alteram o emprego pela mudança no nível de atividade, mas também pela alteração da sensibilidade do emprego ante a mudanças na receita. Este estudo considera o efeito do grau de competição sobre a demanda por emprego, utilizando mudanças de exposição à competição externa via variações do câmbio e da penetração das importações no Brasil. Os resultados confirmam que maior competição torna o emprego em firmais industriais mais sensível a choques de demanda. O efeito se verifica com variações em preços relativos (taxa de câmbio), mas não na penetração das importações.
Crescimento econômico e emissões de CO2 no BRICS: uma análise de cointegração em painel
Authors: Silva de Castro Alisson , Da Silva Alves Janaina , Caixeta Andrade Daniel
Published: August 2020

Este trabalho pretende investigar a relação entre crescimento econômico e emissões de poluentes no grupo de países do BRICS a partir da base teórica da Curva de Kuznets Ambiental (CKA). Utilizou-se a metodologia econométrica de cointegração para dados em painel e os resultados do modelo empírico apontaram para evidências de uma curva no formato de “U” invertido, com pontos de inflexão de US$ 2.033,89 e US$ 2.057,61, respectivamente, nos estimadores DOLS e FMOLS. Além disso, os resultados indicaram que o consumo per capita de energia e o comércio internacional têm impacto, respectivamente, positivo e negativo sobre as emissões de CO2.
Artificial Intelligence-Enabled ECG Algorithm to Identify Patients With Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction Presenting to the Emergency Department With Dyspnea
Authors: Adedinsewo Demilade , Carter Rickey E. , Attia Zachi , Johnson Patrick , Kashou Anthony H. , Dugan Jennifer L. , Albus Michael , Sheele Johnathan M. , Bellolio Fernanda , Friedman Paul A. , Lopez-Jimenez Francisco , Noseworthy Peter A.
Published: August 2020

Background:

Identification of systolic heart failure among patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute dyspnea is challenging. The reasons for dyspnea are often multifactorial. A focused physical evaluation and diagnostic testing can lack sensitivity and specificity. The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of an artificial intelligence-enabled ECG to identify patients presenting with dyspnea who have left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD).

Methods:

We retrospectively applied a validated artificial intelligence-enabled ECG algorithm for the identification of LVSD (defined as LV ejection fraction ≤35%) to a cohort of patients aged ≥18 years who were evaluated in the ED at a Mayo Clinic site with dyspnea. Patients were included if they had at least one standard 12-lead ECG acquired on the date of the ED visit and an echocardiogram performed within 30 days of presentation. Patients with prior LVSD were excluded. We assessed the model performance using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity.

Results:

A total of 1606 patients were included. Median time from ECG to echocardiogram was 1 day (Q1: 1, Q3: 2). The artificial intelligence-enabled ECG algorithm identified LVSD with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.86–0.91) and accuracy of 85.9%. Sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were 74%, 87%, 97%, and 40%, respectively. To identify an ejection fraction <50%, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.85 (95% CI, 0.83–0.88), 86%, 63%, and 91%, respectively. NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) alone at a cutoff of >800 identified LVSD with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.80 (95% CI, 0.76–0.84).

Conclusions:

The ECG is an inexpensive, ubiquitous, painless test which can be quickly obtained in the ED. It effectively identifies LVSD in selected patients presenting to the ED with dyspnea when analyzed with artificial intelligence and outperforms NT-proBNP.

Graphic Abstract:

A
graphic abstract
is available for this article.
Associations of Vascular Risk Factors and
APOE
Genotype With Perivascular Spaces Among Community‐Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Laveskog Anna , Wang Rui , Vetrano Davide L. , Bronge Lena , Wahlund Lars‐Olof , Qiu Chengxuan
Published: August 2020

Background

Evidence suggests that enlarged perivascular spaces (PVSs) may represent a marker for cerebral small‐vessel disease. We investigated whether vascular risk factors are correlated with visible PVS in older adults.

Methods and Results

This population‐based study included 530 participants (age ≥60 years) who were free from dementia and functional dependence, derived from the Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (2001–2003). We collected data on demographics, vascular risk factors, and health conditions through interviews, clinical examinations, laboratory tests, and patient registers. Cerebral PVSs and white matter hyperintensities on magnetic resonance images were visually assessed with semiquantitative visual rating scales. Data were analyzed using the general linear regression models. After controlling for demographics and cardiovascular disease, very high blood pressure (≥160/100 mm Hg) was significantly associated with global PVS score (β‐coefficient, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.06–2.53) and orthostatic hypotension was associated with PVS score in the basal ganglia (β‐coefficient 0.37; 0.03–0.70), but the associations became non‐significant when adjusting for white matter hyperintensity load. Orthostatic hypotension was significantly associated with global and lobar PVS scores in carriers but not in noncarriers of the
APOE
ε4 allele. Global or regional PVS score was not significantly associated with other traditional vascular risk factors such as smoking, diabetes mellitus, physical inactivity, and overweight or obesity.

Conclusions

This study provides limited evidence supporting a correlation of magnetic resonance imaging–visible PVS with traditional vascular risk factors in older adults. The association of orthostatic hypotension with lobar PVS among
APOE
ε4 carriers suggests that lobar PVS may be a marker for amyloid‐associated small‐vessel disease.
A comprehensive checklist of the Colombian Campylocentrum sect. Campylocentrum (Orchidaceae, Vandeae, Angraecinae) with a new species

Authors: PESSOA EDLLEY M.
Published: August 2020

This study provides a comprehensive checklist of the Colombian species of Campylocentrum sect. Campylocentrum based on an analysis of 20 herbaria around the world that house specimens from the country. Complete type citations, synonymy list, list of representative specimens, distribution maps, identification key, and taxonomic notes on species similarities are provided. Neglected in these herbaria, a new species, C. alvesii, is described and illustrated. Ten species of the section are confirmed to Colombia, here C. carlos-parrae, C. escobariae, C. chocoense, and C. queremalense are synonymized, and C. polystachyum is confirmed for the country.
Quasi-Biweekly Oscillation of the Bay of Bengal–East Asia–Pacific Teleconnection in Boreal Summer
Authors: Gui Shu , Yang Ruowen
Published: August 2020

The study reported in this paper used ERA-Interim reanalysis data to investigate the intraseasonal variability of the Bay of Bengal (BOB)–East Asia–Pacific teleconnection (BEAP) during the summer between 1979 and 2016. Over this period, the intraseasonal oscillation of the BEAP fell mainly within the quasi-biweekly oscillation (QBWO) band. Variations in atmospheric circulation and precipitation, which may contribute to extreme weather events, showed a significant correlation with the phase transition of the BEAP from the BOB to East Asia and the Pacific. The evolution of the BEAP–QBWO is closely associated with the westward propagation of convective anomalies to the southwestern BOB. Dynamical analysis revealed that anomalous vertical motion coupled with anomalous convective activity over the southern BOB plays an important role in leading the phase propagation of the BEAP–QBWO, and that the horizontal advection anomalies can strengthen the BEAP–QBWO. Linear baroclinic model experiments confirmed that variations in convection over the southern BOB play a leading role in the BEAP–QBWO phase changes. Further research suggests that the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation can trigger the BEAP–QBWO through downstream propagation of convective disturbances to the southern BOB. This study provides insights into the cause and effect of the BEAP–QBWO, which will help to improve understanding of flood and drought patterns in the Asia–Pacific region.
The Integration Paradox: Asian Immigrants in Australia and the United States
Authors: Tran Van C. , Guo Fei , Huang Tiffany J.
Published: August 2020

Whereas Australia has pursued a skills-based migration policy, the United States has privileged family-based migration. The key contrast between these migration regimes provides a rare test of how national immigration policy shapes immigrant selection and integration. Does a skills-based immigration regime result in a more select group of Asian immigrants in Australia compared to their counterparts in the United States? Are Asian immigrants more integrated into their host society in Australia compared to the United States? Focusing on four groups of Asian immigrants in both countries (Chinese, Indians, Filipinos, and Vietnamese), this article addresses these questions using a transpacific comparison. Despite Australia’s skills-based immigration policy, we find that Asian immigrants in Australia are less hyper-selected than their counterparts in the United States. Asian immigrants in Australia also report worse labor market outcomes than those in the United States, with the exception of Vietnamese—a refugee group. Altogether, these findings challenge the conventional wisdom that skills-based immigration policy not only results in more selected immigrants, but also positively influences their integration into the host society.
Complementary Pathways to Protection: Promoting the Integration and Inclusion of Refugees in Europe?
Authors: van Selm Joanne
Published: August 2020

Traditional solutions for refugee protection and integration—repatriation, local integration, and resettlement—have become difficult, and countries in Europe are exploring other means of providing protection through what are known as complementary pathways. Complementary pathways are relatively small in scope and cover a range of programs and refugee populations. Broadly speaking, they include humanitarian admission programs, community or private sponsorship, some labor mobility and student scholarship programs, (extended) family admissions, and humanitarian visas that allow legal arrival for asylum seekers. I trace the development of these pathways and how they have emerged in different countries; I also consider key questions that they raise about refugee integration and the future of refugee protection.
Making Sense of Public Policy on Refugee Integration
Authors: Ferris Elizabeth
Published: August 2020

While immigrant integration is increasingly important for policy-makers, governments of countries approach the challenge of integration differently. In this article, I frame the issue of migrant/refugee integration in the larger context of political debates and policies about the entry of refugees and migrants. I then go on to analytic comparison of refugee integration policies in eleven developed countries, focusing on the interrelated domains of citizenship, language acquisition, and employment. These three domains are interrelated: acquiring language skills facilitates employment and (for most countries) is required for citizenship. I find considerable variation across these countries, which reflects their different historical contexts, but also the different policy choices that have been made in the countries. Even within the European Union, there is considerable variation between Member States in the emphasis they place, for example, on employment of refugees. While the study focuses primarily on policies developed at the national level, I conclude by stressing the importance of local initiatives to support refugee integration.
Migrant Deities: Dislocations, Divine Agency, and Mediated Manifestations
Authors: Arumugam Indira
Published: August 2020

What happens to deities when their devotees migrate? Village deities are wrought of a particular landscapes and a specific people. Refusing to remain rooted to icons, shrines, or sites, they wander; albeit only within their own jurisdictions. Examining the resonance of Periyachi—the mother and midwife goddess—originally from rural Tamil Nadu and now in urban Singapore, I document the effects of dislocation from their homelands on intensely local deities. In Singapore, Periyachi acquired more regular veneration and a spectacular ritual complex. But what has she also lost? While the goddess remains potent, her nature has subtly shifted. She who had crossed the seas no longer even crosses her own temple’s threshold. Migration has immobilized a once vital agentic force. From being immanent in her autochthonous landscape, manifesting herself directly and insistent on her own will, Periyachi has become marooned in icons, confined to temples and reliant on humans to represent her. Despite a century-old presence, Singapore is not her home over which she can freely roam. Minimizing divine agency, migration has reinforced human mediation. It has rendered not just a subject but a sovereign into an object; stationary, reactive, and dependent on human realization.
Rapid and Quantitative Detection of Aflatoxin B1 in Grain by Portable Raman Spectrometer
Authors: Liu Sheng-Hong , Wen Bao-Ying , Lin Jia-Sheng , Yang Zhen-Wei , Luo Shi-Yi , Li Jian-Feng
Published: August 2020

Many foodstuffs are extremely susceptible to contamination with aflatoxins, in which aflatoxin B1 is highly toxic and carcinogenic. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a rapid and effective analytical method for detecting and monitoring aflatoxin B1 in food. Herein, a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) method combined with QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap-effective, rugged, safe) sample pretreatment technique was used to detect aflatoxin B1. Sample preparation was optimized into a one-step extraction method using an Au nanoparticle-based solution (Au sol) as the SERS detection substrate. An affordable portable Raman spectrometer was then used for rapid, label-free, quantitative detection of aflatoxin B1 levels in foodstuffs. This method showed a good linear log relationship between the Raman signal intensity of aflatoxin B1 in the 1–1000 µg L–1 concentration range with a limit of detection of 0.85 µg kg–1 and a correlation coefficient of 0.9836. Rapid aflatoxin B1 detection times of ∼10 min for wheat, corn, and protein feed powder samples were also achieved. This method has high sensitivity, strong specificity, excellent stability, is simple to use, economical, and is suitable for on-site detection, with good prospects for practical application in the field of food safety.
‘Unshrunk Cloth and New Wineskins: Origins in the Experience of Jesus’
Authors: O’Collins Gerald Glynn
Published: August 2020

The brief parables about the new and old cloth and new and old wine figure among the first parables found in Mark’s Gospel (2:21–22). Here Jesus did not adopt language and imagery that others had used before him. He drew on his own experience of life in ancient Galilee—specifically methods for mending torn clothes and storing new wine—to encourage an appropriate reaction to something radically new, the coming of the divine kingdom in and through his own person and activity.
Thromboembolic Complications After Receipt of Prothrombin Complex Concentrate
Authors: Owen Emily J. , Gibson Gabrielle A. , Human Theresa , Wolfe Rachel
Published: August 2020

Purpose: Patients presenting with life-threatening bleeding associated with oral anticoagulants (OACs) are challenging with few available treatments. Prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) is an option for OAC reversal in the setting of life-threatening bleeding with a relatively benign safety profile. Little is known about the risk of developing thromboembolic complications (TEC) in patients receiving PCC who were previously anticoagulated. The aim of this study is to characterize the rate of TEC after receipt of PCC. Methods: All adult patients who received 4-Factor PCC for life-threatening bleeding were retrospectively evaluated over a 2-year time period. Data collected included anticoagulant and indication, bleeding source, PCC dose, INR, and TEC within 14 days of PCC dose, including venous thromboembolism (VTE), acute myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke. Results: Three hundred thirty-three patients received 383 PCC doses. Of these, 55 (16.5%) patients developed TEC, including VTE, ischemic stroke, and acute myocardial infarction. There was increased rivaroxaban use in patients who developed TEC (25.4% vs 12.2%; P = .011). Additionally, there were more patients who had anticoagulation for a previous TEC in those who developed a new TEC (38.2% vs 23.4%; P = .022). Lastly, there was a higher rate of TEC in those who received >1 dose of PCC (21.8% vs 7.9%; P = .002). Conclusion: PCC administration in the setting of life-threatening bleeding is not benign. Risk of TEC increases in patients who have rivaroxaban reversal, receive a repeat dose of PCC, and have a TEC indication for their anticoagulation and these factors should be further investigated.
A Broader Application of the Detection Response Task to Cognitive Tasks and Online Environments
Authors: Innes Reilly J. , Evans Nathan J. , Howard Zachary L. , Eidels Ami , Brown Scott D.
Published: August 2020

Objective

The present research applied a well-established measure of cognitive workload in driving literature to an in-lab paradigm. We then extended this by comparing the in-lab version of the task to an online version.

Background

The accurate and objective measurement of cognitive workload is important in many aspects of psychological research. The detection response task (DRT) is a well-validated method for measuring cognitive workload that has been used extensively in applied tasks, for example, to investigate the effects of phone usage or passenger conversation on driving, but has been used sparingly outside of this field.

Method

The study investigated whether the DRT could be used to measure cognitive workload in tasks more commonly used in experimental cognitive psychology and whether this application could be extended to online environments. We had participants perform a multiple object tracking (MOT) task while simultaneously performing a DRT. We manipulated the cognitive load of the MOT task by changing the number of dots to be tracked.

Results

Measurements from the DRT were sensitive to changes in the cognitive load, establishing the efficacy of the DRT for experimental cognitive tasks in lab-based situations. This sensitivity continued when applied to an online environment (our code for the online DRT implementation is freely available at https://osf.io/dc39s/ ), though to a reduced extent compared to the in-lab situation.

Conclusion

The MOT task provides an effective manipulation of cognitive workload. The DRT is sensitive to changes in workload across a range of settings and is suitable to use outside of driving scenarios, as well as via online delivery.

Application

Methodology shows how the DRT could be used to measure sources of cognitive workload in a range of human factors contexts.
Judging One’s Own or Another Person’s Responsibility in Interactions With Automation
Authors: Douer Nir , Meyer Joachim
Published: August 2020

Objective

We explore users’ and observers’ subjective assessments of human and automation capabilities and human causal responsibility for outcomes.

Background

In intelligent systems and advanced automation, human responsibility for outcomes becomes equivocal, as do subjective perceptions of responsibility. In particular, actors who actively work with a system may perceive responsibility differently from observers.

Method

In a laboratory experiment with pairs of participants, one participant (the “actor”) performed a decision task, aided by an automated system, and the other (the “observer”) passively observed the actor. We compared the perceptions of responsibility between the two roles when interacting with two systems with different capabilities.

Results

Actors’ behavior matched the theoretical predictions, and actors and observers assessed the system and human capabilities and the comparative human responsibility similarly. However, actors tended to relate adverse outcomes more to system characteristics than to their own limitations, whereas the observers insufficiently considered system capabilities when evaluating the actors’ comparative responsibility.

Conclusion

When intelligent systems greatly exceed human capabilities, users may correctly feel they contribute little to system performance. They may interfere more than necessary, impairing the overall performance. Outside observers, such as managers, may overweigh users’ contribution to outcomes, holding users responsible for adverse outcomes when they rightly trusted the system.

Application

Presenting users of intelligent systems and others with performance measures and the comparative human responsibility may help them calibrate subjective assessments of performance, reducing users’ and outside observers’ biases and attribution errors.
An energy-optimized game algorithm for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Wang Mei-Qi , Chen En-Li , Hou Shuang , Liu Peng-Fei , Hang Wan-Jie
Published: August 2020

The ongoing development of wireless sensor networks has been greatly restricted because of scarce spectrum resources, limited battery power, and ineffective topologic structures. Thus, how to construct a suitable topological structure and allocate the appropriate node channels has become an urgent problem. In this study, we built a game model that took into account the influence of channel allocation and topology structure on network performance. The game model considered the nodes in wireless sensor networks to be players and took transmitting power, node channels, and node rest energy into account to establish the income function. Then, the model certified that it has Nash equilibrium. Next, we propose an energy-optimized game algorithm joint topology and channel for wireless sensor network (CETGA) in accordance with the game model. The CETGA algorithm improved each node’s income by changing the transmitting power and node channel gradually, assuming that the network retained connectivity. Then, we demonstrated that the algorithm could converge to a Pareto optimal. Finally, we used MATLAB software to verify the simulation. The results show that the topology created by CETGA is with low interference and long lifetime. In addition, the nodes’ average residual energy is more balanced and the network robustness and real time are improved.
Fuzzy cerebellar model articulation controller-based adaptive tracking control for load-carrying exoskeleton
Authors: Wu Han , Lang Lin , An Honglei , Wei Qing , Ma Hongxu
Published: August 2020

Load-carrying exoskeletons need to cope with load variations, outside disturbances, and other uncertainties. This paper proposes an adaptive trajectory tracking control scheme for the load-carrying exoskeleton. The method is mainly composed of a computed torque controller and a fuzzy cerebellar model articulation controller. The fuzzy cerebellar model articulation controller is used to approximate model inaccuracies and load variations, and the computed torque controller deals with tracking errors. Simulations of an exoskeleton in squatting movements with model parameter changes and load variations are carried out, respectively. The results show a precise tracking response and high uncertainties toleration of the proposed method.
Confronting the Upstream Causes of COVID-19 and Other Epidemics to Follow
Authors: Waitzkin Howard
Published: August 2020

The upstream causes of the COVID-19 pandemic have received little attention so far in public health and clinical medicine, as opposed to the downstream effects of mass morbidity and mortality. To resolve this pandemic and to prevent even more severe future pandemics, a focus on upstream causation is essential. Convincing evidence shows that this and every other important viral epidemic emerging in the recent past and predictably into the future comes from the same upstream causes: capitalist agriculture, its destruction of natural habitat, and the industrial production of meat. International and national health organizations have obscured the upstream causes of emerging viral epidemics. These organizations have suffered cutbacks in public funding but have received increased support from international financial institutions and private philanthropies that emphasize the downstream effects rather than upstream causes of infectious diseases. Conflicts of interest also have impacted public health policies. A worldwide shift has begun toward peasant agricultural practices: Research so far has shown that peasant agriculture is safer and more efficient than capitalist industrial agricultural practices. Without such a transformation of agriculture, even more devastating pandemics will result from the same upstream causes.
Equal pay for work of equal value, wage-setting and the gender pay gap
Authors: Whitehouse Gillian , Smith Meg
Published: August 2020

The principle of equal pay for work of equal value has radical potential but uneven application and impact. As one strand within the multiplicity of measures required to impede the reproduction of gender pay gaps, its strengths lie in an expanded notion of equality and capacity to challenge gendered norms embedded in wage-setting practices. Almost 70 years after the principle was given expression in the International Labour Organisation’s Equal Remuneration Convention of 1951, these strengths remain difficult to capture. This collection includes studies of advances and retreats in Australia and New Zealand, shaped by political and economic trends, changing wage-setting arrangements and varying interpretations of formal provisions. These are elaborated with examples of collective action that have redefined the problem of gender pay inequality and found pathways to redress gender-based undervaluation in the absence of a supportive regulatory framework. Studies of three East Asian countries extend understanding through stark illustrations of recurring barriers, highlighting limitations in legal expression, incompatibility of equal value measures with wage-setting norms, and the impact of highly segmented labour markets. Together the articles underline the need for interrelated reforms to formal provisions, wage-setting institutions and labour markets, and the importance of ongoing mobilisation to drive change.
A perspective on God’s view of human diversity: A missiological application of joy in diversity
Authors: Ramírez-Johnson Johnny
Published: August 2020

This article considers a missiological perspective that emphasizes God’s creation of and joy in human diversity. Beginning with a concrete experience of personal challenge, four questions are explored: (1) Did diversity of human biology and racial phenotype come as a result of God’s original (before sin) creation design? If not then; (2) Is uniformity of race and biological phenotype the best understanding of God’s original (before sin) creation design? (3) Shall we read the Genesis 1:28; 9:1 “cultural mandate” to fill and subdue the earth as instructions to spread and ethnically/racially diversify across the face of the earth? And, finally, (4) How shall we read the diversity of languages in Genesis 11:1–9 brought up by God: as a curse from God to punish Babel’s pride, or as a remedy from God against Babel’s attempt at uniformity?
Higher-order cluster consensus of a multi-agent network with continuous-time dynamics
Authors: Develer Ümit , Akar Mehmet
Published: August 2020

This paper studies the higher-order cluster agreement problem for continuous-time networks evolving over any given directed graph. Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived to reach clusters that are not pre-determined as opposed to existing literature. The analysis shows that appropriate stabilizing choices of coupling strengths do not affect the number of clusters and the final values of the clusters. The results are verified by numerical examples.
Fixed-order data-driven H∞ controller synthesis for flexible mechanical systems: Two-stage approach
Authors: Araz Ayhan Arda , Başlamışlı S Çağlar , Özmarangoz Uğur Mertcan
Published: August 2020

In this paper, a two-stage method is introduced to design fixed-order data-driven [Formula: see text] controller for flexible mechanical systems. In the first stage of the proposed method, unknown parameters of anti-resonance filter that is added to the forward path of the control loop of the system to minimize resonant peaks, are calculated using frequency domain data obtained from open-loop system identification tests. In the second stage, a fixed-order data-driven [Formula: see text] controller is calculated by solving an optimization problem under convex [Formula: see text] constraints obtained based on the Nyquist diagram. With the proposed method, lower order controllers that meets the performance constraints of classical model-based [Formula: see text] problems can be synthesized without need of a parametric plant model. The method developed in this study is tested experimentally on a military stabilized platform and its performance is compared with a model-based [Formula: see text] controller design method.
ICRP recommendations on radon
Authors: Harrison J.D. , Marsh J.W.
Published: August 2020

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publishes guidance on protection from radon in homes and workplaces, and dose coefficients for use in assessments of exposure for protection purposes. ICRP Publication 126 recommends an upper reference level for exposures in homes and workplaces of 300 Bq m−3. In general, protection can be optimised using measurements of air concentrations directly, without considering radiation doses. However, dose estimates are required for workers when radon is considered as an occupational exposure (e.g. in mines), and for higher exposures in other workplaces (e.g. offices) when the reference level is exceeded persistently. ICRP Publication 137 recommends a dose coefficient of 3 mSv per mJ h m−3 (approximately 10 mSv per working level month) for most circumstances of exposure in workplaces, equivalent to 6.7 nSv per Bq h m−3 using an equilibrium factor of 0.4. Using this dose coefficient, annual exposure of workers to 300 Bq m−3 corresponds to 4 mSv. For comparison, using the same coefficient for exposures in homes, 300 Bq m−3 corresponds to 14 mSv. If circumstances of occupational exposure warrant more detailed consideration and reliable alternative data are available, site-specific doses can be assessed using methodology provided in ICRP Publication 137.
A content-based technique for linking dual language news articles in an archive
Authors: Khan Muzammil , Rahman Arif Ur , Ahmad Arshad , Khan Sarwar Shah
Published: August 2020

To retrieve a specific news article from a vast archive containing multilingual news articles against a user query or based on similarity among news articles is a challenging task. The task becomes even further complicated when the archive contains articles from a low resourced and morphologically complex language like Urdu, along with English new articles. The article proposes a content-based (lexical) similarity measure, that is, Common Ratio Measure for Dual Language (CRMDL), for linking digital news articles published in various online news sources. The similarity measure links Urdu-to-English news articles during the preservation process using an Urdu-to-English lexicon. A literature review showed that an Urdu-to-English lexicon did not exist, and therefore, the first task was to build a lexicon from multiple sources. The proposed similarity measure, that is, CRMDL, is evaluated rigorously on different data sets, of varying sizes, to assess the effectiveness. The experimental results show that the proposed measure is feasible and effective for similarity computation between Urdu and English news articles, which can obtain, on average, 50% precision and 67% recall. The performance can be improved sufficiently by managing the limitations summarised in the study.
The distinctiveness of author interdisciplinarity: A long-neglected issue in research on interdisciplinarity
Authors: Zhang Wenyu , Shi Shunshun , Huang Xiaoling , Zhang Shuai , Yao Peijia , Qiu Yilei
Published: August 2020

In the research on interdisciplinarity (RID), measures for evaluating the interdisciplinarity of scientific entities (e.g., papers, authors, journals or research areas) have been proposed for a long time. The author interdisciplinarity is very different from the other types of interdisciplinarity because of the complex interpersonal relationships between the connected authors. However, previous work has failed to uncover the distinctiveness of author interdisciplinarity and has regarded it as equivalent to other types of interdisciplinarity. In this work, an extended Rao–Stirling diversity measure is proposed, which incorporates the co-author network and a network similarity measure to specifically evaluate the author interdisciplinarity. Moreover, betweenness centrality is used for improving network similarity measure, because of its intrinsic advantage of expressing how an entity loads on different factors in a network, which is highly in line with the characteristic of interdisciplinarity. An experiment on the papers about Public Administration in the Web of Science is conducted; based on the final results, a deeper investigation is performed into by typical authors. The work proposes a novel idea for measuring author interdisciplinarity, which can promote the study of interdisicplinarity measuring in RID.