bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison between incremental conductance and perturb and observe algorithms in photovoltaic system under low temperature and irradiation levels
Authors: Abssane Sara , Outzourhit Abdelkader , Amatoul Fatima Zahra
Published: August 2024

This paper compares two mostly used maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods, perturb and observe (P&O), and incremental conductance (INC), for a photovoltaic (PV) system integrated with a step-up converter and resistive load. The evaluation was conducted using MATLAB/Simulink under two specific environmental conditions: low irradiation and temperature levels. The results indicate that under irradiation levels below 200 W/m², the INC algorithm outperforms P&O by exhibiting minimal fluctuations and achieving higher efficiency. Conversely, under low temperature (below 25 °C) the P&O method reaches the highest efficiency, exceeding 99%. These findings highlight the importance of selecting the appropriate MPPT algorithm based on specific environmental conditions to optimize the energy output of PV systems.
Satellite image encryption using 2D standard map and advanced encryption standard with scrambling
Authors: Benchikh Omar , Bentoutou Youcef , Taleb Nasreddine
Published: August 2024

In today’s world, the need for higher levels of security in storing and transferring data has become a key concern. It is essential to safeguard data from any potential information leaks to prevent threats that may compromise data confidentiality. Therefore, to protect critical and confidential satellite imagery, this paper proposes a novel encryption method based on the combination of image bands scrambling with chaos and the advanced encryption standard (AES). The proposed approach aims to enhance the security of satellite imagery while maintaining efficiency and robustness against various attacks. It possesses several appealing technical characteristics, notably a high level of security, a large key space, and resilience to single event upsets (SEUs) and transmission errors. To evaluate the performance of the proposed encryption technique, extensive experiments have been conducted by considering factors such as security level, resistance to SEUs, and computational efficiency. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a high level of security and a large key space, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of satellite imagery data. Furthermore, the method exhibits resilience against SEUs and transmission errors, and offers efficient processing, making it suitable for real-world applications.
Blood glucose prediction using non-invasive optical system based on photoplethysmography
Authors: Reguig Mohammed Anes Bereksi , Labdelli Nassima
Published: August 2024

Several people must frequently evaluate their blood glucose since it is an important indicator of health problems mainly diabetes. Different medical systems are commercialized to measure blood glucose levels; some are invasive others are noninvasive. The main purpose of this article is to develop a non-invasive device for measuring blood glucose levels based on the detection and analysis of the photoplethysmogram signal. The developed systems include an optical sensor to detect the photoplethysmography (PPG) signal, digitalizing and acquiring boards to a computer and a software program to process and analyze the digitalized PPG signal regarding some features extracted from its waveform. These features are the systolic amplitude Sa and the b/a amplitude ratio in the second derivative PPG (SDPPG) waveform. An invasive glucometer is also used along with the Sa and b/a ratio determined from the developed system to generate a calibration model which is used to deduce blood glucose level (BGL) values. The result showed that the calibration model using the b/a ratio is more accurate for non-invasive blood level measurement then that of Sa with a difference in glucose estimation around 2 mg/dl and with the correlation coefficient (R2) of the glucose level prediction between 0.8904 and 0.9775.
A novel YOLOv8 architecture for human activity recognition of occluded pedestrians
Authors: Rajakumar Shaamili , Azad Ruhan Bevi
Published: August 2024

Perception is difficult in video surveillance applications because of the presence of dynamic objects and constant environmental changes. This problem worsens when bad weather, including snow, rain, fog, dark nights, and bright daylight, interferes with the quality of perception. The proposed work aims to enhance the accuracy of camera-based perception for human activity detection in video surveillance during adverse weather conditions. To identify primary human activities, including walking on the road during severe weather, transfer learning from many adverse conditions using real-time images or videos has been proposed as an improvement for you look only once v8 (YOLOv8)-based human activity recognition in poor weather conditions. We collected and sorted training rates into frames from videos depicting human walking activity, their combined forms, and other subgroups, such as running and standing, based on their characteristics. The assessment of the detection efficiency of the previously described images and subgroups led to a comparison of the training weights. The use of real-time activity images for training greatly enhanced the detection performance when comparing the proposed test results to the existing YOLO base weights. Furthermore, a notable improvement in human activity efficiency was obtained by utilizing extra images and feature-related combinations of data techniques.
Optimizing heart disease prediction through ensemble and hybrid machine learning techniques
Authors: Reddy Nomula Nagarjuna , Nipun Lingadally , Baba MD Uzair , Rishindra Nyalakanti , Shilpa Thoutireddy
Published: August 2024

In this modern era, heart diseases have surfaced as the leading factor of fatalities, accounting for around 17.9 million lives annually. Global deaths from heart diseases have surged by 60% over the last 30 years, primarily because of limited human and logistical resources. Early detection is crucial for effective management through counseling and medication. Earlier studies have identified key elements for heart disease diagnosis, including genetic predispositions and lifestyle factors such as age, gender, smoking habits, stress, diastolic blood pressure, troponin levels, and electrocardiogram (ECG). This project aims to develop a model that can identify the best machine learning (ML) algorithm for predicting heart diseases with high accuracy, precision, and the least misclassification. Various ML techniques were evaluated using selected features from the heart disease dataset. Among these techniques, a combination of random forest (RF), multi-layer perceptron (MLP), XGBoost, and LightGBM employing an ensemble method with a stacking classifier, along with logistic regression (LR) as a metamodel, achieved the highest accuracy rate of 95.8%. This surpasses the efficiency of other techniques. The suggested method provides an encouraging framework for early prediction, with the overarching goal of reducing global mortality rates associated with these conditions.
Performance analysis of breast cancer histopathology image classification using transfer learning models
Authors: Ramasamy Meena Prakash , Subburaj Thayammal , Krishnasamy Valarmathi , Mannarsamy Vimala
Published: August 2024

Convolutional neural networks (CNN) which are deep learning-based methods are being currently successfully deployed and have gained much popularity in medical image analysis. CNN can handle enormous amounts of medical data which makes it possible for accurate detection and classification of breast cancer from histopathological images. In the proposed method, we have implemented transfer learning-based classification of breast cancer histopathological images using DenseNet121, DenseNet201, VGG16, VGG19, InceptionV3, and MobileNetV2 and made a performance analysis of the different models on the publicly available dataset of BreakHis. These networks were pre-trained on the ImageNet database and initialized with weights which are fine-tuned by training with input histopathological images. These models are trained with images of the BreakHis dataset with multiple image magnifications. From the comparative study of these pre-trained models on histopathology images, it is inferred that DenseNet121 achieves the highest breast cancer classification accuracy of 0.965 compared to other models and contemporary methods.
"Alguns dirão que os índios são vagabundos". Classificações sociais e expectativas de ordem na Nova Espanha da década de 1540
Authors: Reis Anderson Roberti dos
Published: August 2024

In light of the promulgation of the New Laws (1542-1543) in New Spain, debates surrounding encomiendas intensified, intertwined with controversies regarding the alleged idleness of the indigenous population. Conquistadors, settlers, and churchmen expressed their opinions, positioning themselves in response to the changes sought by the crown. This paper scrutinizes these debates and argues that the judgments vocalized therein brought forth categories (vagabonds, lazy, idle) that sought to qualify and classify the indigenous people. These judgments were linked to certain expectations of order, chaining time (past, present, and future) according to the interests of their proponents. Consequently, this paper elucidates the conditions in the 1540s that facilitated the categorical assertion that all indigenous individuals were vagabonds.
Racial disparities and maternal mortality in Brazil: findings from a national database
Authors: Silva Amanda Dantas , Guida José Paulo Siqueira , Santos Debora de Souza , Santiago Silvia Maria , Surita Fernanda Garanhani
Published: August 2024

OBJECTIVE: To assess maternal mortality (MM) in Brazilian Black, Pardo, and White women. METHODS: We evaluated the maternal mortality rate (MMR) using data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health public databases from 2017 to 2022. We compared MMR among Black, Pardo, and White women according to the region of the country, age, and cause. For statistical analysis, the Q2 test prevalence ratio (PR) and confidence interval (CI) were calculated. RESULTS: From 2017 to 2022, the general MMR was 68.0/100,000 live births (LB). The MMR was almost twice as high among Black women compared to White (125.81 vs 64.15, PR = 1.96, 95%CI:1.84–2.08) and Pardo women (125.8 vs 64.0, PR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.85–2.09). MMR was higher among Black women in all geographical regions, and the Southeast region reached the highest difference among Black and White women (115.5 versus 60.8, PR = 2.48, 95%CI: 2.03–3.03). During the covid-19 pandemic, MMR increased in all groups of women (Black 144.1, Pardo 74.8 and White 80.5/100.000 LB), and the differences between Black and White (PR = 1.79, 95%CI: 1.64–1.95) and Black and Pardo (PR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.77–2.09) remained. MMR was significantly higher among Black women than among White or Pardo women in all age ranges and for all causes. CONCLUSION: Black women presented higher MMR in all years, in all geographic regions, age groups, and causes. In Brazil, Black skin color is a key MM determinant. Reducing MM requires reducing racial disparities.
Association Between Serial B‐Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels, Vasoactive Drug Weaning, and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Pediatric Heart Failure
Authors: Loss Karla L. , Su Jennifer , Menteer JonDavid , Weisert Molly A. , Shaddy Robert E. , Kantor Paul F.
Published: August 2024

Background

Children hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) frequently require intravenous vasoactive (IVV) support drugs and are at risk for adverse cardiovascular (ACV) outcomes. We wished to assess whether serial changes in B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels are associated with successful weaning off IVV support and/or prespecified ACV outcomes in children hospitalized with ADHF.

Methods and Results

Children hospitalized with ADHF from 2005 to 2021 at our institution were assessed for serial changes in BNP, weaning off of IVV support, and ACV outcomes. Changes in BNP level were evaluated using linear mixed‐effects modeling. Bonferroni correction was used to adjust for multiple hypothesis testing. In 131 hospitalizations of children with ADHF, the median age was 4.8 years, with 74% receiving IVV support. ACV outcomes occurred in 62 children. IVV support was associated with lower admission left ventricular ejection fraction (26.7% versus 32%,
P
=0.002), more severe left ventricular dilation (left ventricular internal diastolic dimension
Z
score 5.9 versus 3.1,
P
=0.021) moderate or more mitral regurgitation (41.3% versus 20.6%,
P
=0.038), and qualitative right ventricular systolic dysfunction (in 45.4% versus 11.8%,
P
<0.001). Decline in BNP levels was more rapid in patients who were successfully weaned from IVV support (−0.20 versus –0.03 2log pg/mL per day,
P
<0.001) and in the non‐ACV group (−0.17 versus –0.03 2log pg/mL per day,
P
<0.001). Right ventricular systolic dysfunction was an independent risk factor for ACV (odds ratio, 2.49;
P
=0.045).

Conclusions

The declining rate of serial BNP levels was associated with weaning from IVV support and no ACV outcomes in children hospitalized with ADHF. Right ventricular systolic dysfunction was associated with ACV outcomes.
Systematic Druggable Genome‐Wide Mendelian Randomization Identifies Therapeutic Targets for Functional Outcome After Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zhang Lu‐Yang , Chu Yun‐Hui , You Yun‐Fan , Dong Ming‐Hao , Pang Xiao‐Wei , Chen Lian , Zhu Li‐Fang , Yang Sheng , Zhou Luo‐Qi , Shang Ke , Deng Gang , Xiao Jun , Wang Wei , Qin Chuan , Tian Dai‐Shi
Published: August 2024

Background

Stroke is a leading cause of death worldwide, with a lack of effective treatments for improving the prognosis. The aim of the present study was to identify novel therapeutic targets for functional outcome after ischemic stroke .

Methods and Results

Cis‐expression quantitative trait loci data for druggable genes were used as instrumental variables. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale score at 3 months after ischemic stroke, evaluated as a dichotomous variable (3–6 versus 0–2) and also as an ordinal variable. Drug target Mendelian randomization, Steiger filtering analysis, and colocalization analysis were performed. Additionally, phenome‐wide Mendelian randomization analysis was performed to identify the safety of the drug target genes at the genetic level. Among >2600 druggable genes, genetically predicted expression of 16 genes (
ABCC2
,
ATRAID
,
BLK
,
CD93
,
CHST13
,
NR1H3
,
NRBP1
,
PI3
,
RIPK4
,
SEMG1
,
SLC22A4
,
SLC22A5
,
SLCO3A1
,
TEK
,
TLR4
, and
WNT10B
) demonstrated the causal associations with ordinal modified Rankin Scale (
P
<1.892×10
−5
) or poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 3–6 versus 0–2,
P
<1.893×10
−5
). Steiger filtering analysis suggested potential directional stability (
P
<0.05). Colocalization analysis provided further support for the associations between genetically predicted expression of
ABCC2
,
NRBP1
,
PI3
, and
SEMG1
with functional outcome after ischemic stroke. Furthermore, phenome‐wide Mendelian randomization revealed additional beneficial indications and few potential safety concerns of therapeutics targeting
ABCC2
,
NRBP1
,
PI3
, and
SEMG1
, but the robustness of these results was limited by low power.

Conclusions

The present study revealed 4 candidate therapeutic targets for improving functional outcome after ischemic stroke, while the underlying mechanisms need further investigation.
Left Atrial Appendage Closure Compared With Oral Anticoagulants for Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Network Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Oliva Angelo , Ioppolo Anna Maria , Chiarito Mauro , Cremonesi Alberto , Azzano Alessia , Miccichè Eligio , Mangiameli Andrea , Ariano Francesco , Ferrante Giuseppe , Reimers Bernhard , Garot Philippe , Amabile Nicolas , Mehran Roxana , Condorelli Gianluigi , Stefanini Giulio , Cao Davide
Published: August 2024

Background

Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has been suggested as an alternative to long‐term oral anticoagulation for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, but comparative data remain scarce. We aimed to assess ischemic and bleeding outcomes of LAAC compared with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for the prevention of cardioembolic events in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Methods and Results

Embase and MEDLINE were searched for randomized trials comparing LAAC, VKAs, and DOACs. The primary efficacy end point was any stroke or systemic embolism. Treatment effects were calculated from a network meta‐analysis and ranked according to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve. Seven trials and 73 199 patients were included. The risk of the primary end point was not statistically different between LAAC versus VKAs (odds ratio [OR], 0.92 [95% CI, 0.62–1.50]) and LAAC versus DOACs (OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.71–1.73]). LAAC and DOACs resulted in similar risk of major or minor (OR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.61–1.42]) and major bleeding (OR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.58–1.46]); however, after exclusion of procedural bleeding, bleeding risk was significantly lower in those undergoing LAAC. Both LAAC and DOACs reduced the risk of all‐cause death  compared with VKAs (LAAC versus VKAs: OR, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.53–0.91]; DOACs versus VKAs: OR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.85–0.95], respectively). DOACs ranked as the best treatment for stroke or systemic embolism prevention (66.9%) and LAAC for reducing major bleeding (63.9%) and death (96.4%).

Conclusions

As a nonpharmacological alternative to oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation, LAAC showed similar efficacy and safety compared with VKAs or DOACs. Prospective confirmation from larger studies is warranted.
Delivering Democracy? Comparing Catholic Bishops’ Advocacy for Democracy in Malawi and Zambia, 1987–2022
Authors: Sperber Elizabeth , Wietzel Paige
Published: August 2024

As national leaders of the Catholic Church, bishops were widely recognized as ‘midwives’ of democratic transitions in many African states in the 1990s. This paper expands understanding of bishops’ subsequent political engagement by systematically analyzing their attempts to ‘deliver’ democracy during the difficult decades following transition. Focusing on Malawi and Zambia between 1987 and 2022, we situate and analyse bishops’ most influential public communications: pastoral letters. The article first illuminates the bishops’ public conceptualisations of political participation as a Christian duty, and the roles they prescribed for politicians, citizens, and Christian leaders at the outset of democratisation. We then document the bishops’ consistent commitment to civic education and voter mobilisation across countries, alongside context-specific efforts to defend or advance democracy, which led to some variation in priorities and rhetorical appeals across countries. These findings challenge influential models of religion-state relations, raise new interdisciplinary research questions, and offer insights for democratic advocates.
Reconstruction of Historical Site-Scale Dust Optical Depth (DOD) Time Series from Surface Dust Records and Satellite Retrievals in Northern China: Application to the Evaluation of DOD in CMIP6 Historical Simulations
Authors: Yao Wenrui , Gui Ke , Zhao Hengheng , An Linchang , Shang Nanxuan , Zhang Xutao , Li Lei , Zheng Yu , Wang Hong , Wang Zhili , Sun Junying , Ren Hong-Li , Li Jian , Che Huizheng , Zhang Xiaoye
Published: August 2024

The biases generated by state-of-the-art climate models in simulating dust optical depth (DOD) remain to be detailed. Here, a site-scale DOD dataset in March–August over northern China (NC) during 1980–2001 was reconstructed using the empirical relationship between MODIS-retrieved DOD and dust-event frequencies during 2001–21. Then, through the combined use of MODIS-based and reconstructed DOD, we evaluated the reproducibility of DOD from 10 models participating in phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) for the historical period (1980–2001 and 2002–14) and under different Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) during 2015–21. The results demonstrate that CMIP6 models and multimodel ensemble mean (MEM) are capable of capturing the spatial pattern of DOD, but with considerable uncertainty and intermodel variability in magnitude. Regionally averaged DOD is underestimated by 56.09% during 1980–2001 and overestimated by 30.97% during 2002–14 in MEM over NC. Simultaneously, the intermodel standard deviations are greater than MEM during 2002–14, suggesting large discrepancies among individual models. Very few models accurately capture the trends in DOD, which can mainly be attributed to the different trends in simulated wind speed (WS), soil moisture, and vegetation cover, and their contributions to dust evolution. Under four SSPs, despite the best correlation between SSP1-2.6-modeled and MODIS DOD over Gobi Desert (GD), overestimation of DOD is still observed. More models under SSP1-2.6 capture the positive DOD trend, mainly attributable to positive changes in simulated WS over GD.
Did the Murder of George Floyd Damage Public Perceptions of Police and Law in the United States?
Authors: Fine Adam D. , Oliveira Thiago R. , Jackson Jonathan , Bradford Ben , Trinkner Rick , Pósch Krisztián
Published: August 2024

Objectives: The police killing of George Floyd energized the Black Lives Matter (BLM) social movement across the United States in the summer of 2020. We test the impact on public perceptions of the fairness and legitimacy of the police and law. Methods: A four-state, three-wave, short-term longitudinal study ( N = 1048; Arizona, Michigan, New York, and Texas) used a novel design focused on differences in change over time to test whether public perceptions changed after the killing of Floyd. Results: Fielding multiple outcome markers, as well as multiple pseudo-placebo comparison variables, we found that perceptions of police procedural justice, distributive justice, and bounded authority, as well as perceptions of the legitimacy of the police and law, declined following Floyd's murder. Levels of trust in science, identification with healthcare workers, and collective efficacy perceptions did not change. As discussed in the paper, the effects varied by participants’ political views. Conclusions: The police killing of George Floyd and subsequent protests seemed to have damaged attitudes towards police and the law.
Photoprotection-related properties of a raw extract from Gordonia hongkongensis EUFUS-Z928: A culturable rare actinomycete associated with the Caribbean octocoral Eunicea fusca
Authors: Sánchez-Suárez Jeysson , Villamil Luisa , Coy-Barrera Ericsson , Díaz Luis
Published: August 2024

UV filters in current sunscreen formulations can have negative effects on human health, such as endocrine disruption and allergic reactions, as well as on the environment, including bioaccumulation and coral health toxicity. As a result, there is a need to find alternative compounds that serve as safer and more ecofriendly active ingredients. This study successfully isolated actinomycetes from the octocoral Eunicea fusca and assessed their potential as producers of photoprotective compounds. The use of bio-based chemical agents, particularly natural products, has been a highly effective strategy for discovering bioactive compounds, especially in marine invertebrates and their associated microbiota. Eighteen bacterial isolates were obtained and subsequently employed to prepare raw methanolic extracts from seven-day submerged cultures in Zobell marine broth. The resulting extracts were screened for 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity and characterized by total phenolic and flavonoid content measurements. After screening, the Gordonia hongkongensis EUFUS-Z928-derived raw extract exhibited the best antioxidant profile, i.e. DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging of 4.93 and 6.00 µmol Trolox per gram of extract, respectively, and selected for further photoprotection-related analysis. Thus, this extract demonstrated a UV-absorbing capacity of 46.33% of the in vitro sun protection factor calculated for 30 µg/mL oxybenzone but did not exhibit any cytotoxicity on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa cell line) at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry chemical characterization of this extract showed compounds with structural features associated with free radical scavenging and UV absorption (i.e. photoprotection-related activities). These findings highlighted the potential of the microbiota associated with E. fusca and confirmed the feasibility of exploiting its metabolites for photoprotection-related purposes.
Effects of a Brief Safe Drinking Intervention on Depressive and Anxiety Symptomatology: Examining Potential Side Effects of Deviance Regulation Theory Interventions
Authors: Leary Angelina V. , Dvorak Robert D. , Burr Emily K. , De Leon Ardhys N. , Klaver Samantha J. , Lynch Gabrielle , Toth Ethan , Diaz Michelle J. , Martin Sebastian
Published: August 2024

College students are at a heightened risk of experiencing depression and anxiety symptomatology and engaging in maladaptive alcohol use. Understanding how alcohol interventions impact emotional functioning is essential. One such intervention uses Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT), which posits that behavior can be modified using targeted messaging as a function of perceived norms. DRT has been shown to be effective at increasing responsible drinking behaviors and decreasing alcohol-related consequences. However, it is unclear if this intervention influences emotional functioning. The current examines the impact of a DRT intervention on emotional functioning. Participants ( n = 147) were recruited from a large Southeastern university. The study included a screening phase, intervention, and six-week follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a positive message condition about people who drink responsibly, a negative message condition about people who do not drink responsibly, and an active control condition. During the study, all participants reported on depression/anxiety symptoms, alcohol use, responsible drinking, and alcohol-related consequences. Mixed-effects regression was used to analyze the data. Results suggest an overall reduction of depressive and anxiety symptomatology in the intervention conditions but not in the control condition. In the positive condition, there was a decrease in depressive and anxiety symptomatology. The messaging was not moderated by normative beliefs. The negative condition also led to decreases in depression and anxiety symptomatology over time. In addition, perceived norms moderated the negative message in the first week after the intervention, an effect consistent with DRT. Prior research indicates this intervention is efficacious for the reduction of adverse alcohol outcomes; these data show that the intervention may also have positive effects on downstream mental health outcomes.
Handle with Care: A Sociologist’s Guide to Causal Inference with Instrumental Variables
Authors: Felton Chris , Stewart Brandon M.
Published: August 2024

Instrumental variables (IV) analysis is a powerful, but fragile, tool for drawing causal inferences from observational data. Sociologists increasingly turn to this strategy in settings where unmeasured confounding between the treatment and outcome is likely. This paper reviews the assumptions required for IV and the consequences of violating them, focusing on sociological applications. We highlight three methodological problems IV faces: (i) identification bias, an asymptotic bias from assumption violations; (ii) estimation bias, a finite-sample bias that persists even when assumptions hold; and (iii) type-M error, the exaggeration of effect size given statistical significance. In each case, we emphasize how weak instruments exacerbate these problems and make results sensitive to minor violations of assumptions. We survey IV papers from top sociology journals, finding that assumptions often go unstated and robust uncertainty measures are rarely used. We provide a practical checklist to show how IV, despite its fragility, can still be useful when handled with care.
Stable constrained model predictive control based on IOFL technique for boiler-turbine system
Authors: Abdelbaky Mohamed Abdelkarim , Liu Xiangjie , Kong Xiaobing
Published: August 2024

Due to the strong nonlinearities of the boiler-turbine system, feasibility and high response capability are hard to realize using traditional linear controllers. Advanced controllers that can ensure stability and feasibility without violating system constraints, and enhance the system’s dynamic output performance, are needed. Therefore, this paper proposes a stable input/output feedback linearization (IOFL) model predictive controller (MPC) technique for the boiler-turbine system. This nonlinear system is decoupled using the IOFL method into a novel linearized model, which is then used for constituting the proposed stable IOFL MPC problem. The proposed scheme uses a constraint mapping method that converts actual input limits into limits on the basis of the control output variable to ensure a feasible solution over the whole prediction horizon. Moreover, a min-max MPC technique in the form of linear matrix inequality with the realization of the input rate-of-change constraints is utilized to ensure the boiler-turbine unit’s stability. The process model and proposed control scheme are executed using MATLAB and the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed controller has an enhanced dynamic output performance compared with an advanced control scheme under various load variations.
Tensile deformation behavior of a thermally exposed carbide free bainitic steel
Authors: Sakthivel Kishore , Mishra Sumeet , Das Sourav
Published: August 2024

The article primarily concentrates on the extent of degeneration of microstructure of a carbide free bainitic steel while being exposed at high temperature vis-à-vis its effect on the mechanical properties. The as-received (AR) materials were exposed at different temperatures for a fixed duration and subsequently thoroughly characterized by employing several techniques suitable for microstructural and mechanical property evaluations. It was interesting to notice that both the amount of retained austenite as well as its C concentration were decreasing with higher temperature making it more unstable which could be reflected from the decreasing trend in the value of true strain that indicates the point of instability. It was observed that the dislocation annihilation coefficient ( k2) was increased while the corresponding storage coefficient ( k1) did not change much with the increase in exposure temperature compared to the AR sample.
On the role of upset pressure during friction welding of IN713LC and AISI 4140
Authors: Gaikwad Vijay T. , Mishra M. K. , Tripathi Abhishek , Singh R. K. P.
Published: August 2024

Effect of upset pressure on evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties for rotary friction welding of IN713LC superalloy and AISI 4140 steel have been investigated. Microstructure observation shows that with increasing upset pressure, grain refining effect of plastic deformation overrides grain growth effect of heat input, leading to finer prior austenite grains on AISI 4140 side. Dendritic structure of IN713LC transformed into fine equiaxed grains. Weld joints fabricated using low upset pressure showed unbonded regions with curved shape profile. However, weld joints made using high upset pressure showed nearly straight-line joint profile and was found to be favourable for adequate plastic deformation and achieving better bonding. Improvement in mechanical properties of weld joint was observed with increasing upset pressure.
Lack of Gender Representation in Academia: The Experiences of Female STEM Students
Authors: Davidovitz Maayan , Cinamon Rachel Gali
Published: August 2024

Studies of representative bureaucracy emphasize that minorities’ representation in public organizations helps promote their interests. Some areas, however, suffer from a distinct lack of minority representation. Although studies in the field focus on the actions of minority public servants in representing citizens like them, we examine the behavior of majority group street-level bureaucrats toward minorities. Using interviews with female STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students from five Israeli academic institutions, we investigate whether male faculty members’ interactions with female students reflect their perceptions of the latter's lack of representation. We find that one direct outcome is that male faculty members’ unequal and discriminatory behavior offends female students. Through this behavior, these faculty members also signal to the majority group students that this behavior toward women is legitimate, which is an indirect outcome. Finally, female students behave insecurely in this environment. Public managers should be aware that not only is passive representation required in public organizations, but also that in areas with distinct male representation, majority group street-level bureaucrats play an important role in creating an environment that is fair and equitable for minorities.
The Life-Space Mobility of Community-Dwelling Older Adults is Associated With Personality Traits
Authors: Shinohara Tomoyuki , Yamauchi Rina , Yabana Yuta , Maruyama Ayumi , Saito Shota
Published: August 2024

Life-space mobility (LSM) in older adults is influenced by physical, cognitive, and psychological states. However, the relationship between LSM and personality traits remains unclear. Thus, our cross-sectional study investigated this correlation, which included 144 participants aged ≥60 years. LSM was assessed using the life-space assessment (LSA), and personality traits were evaluated using the Japanese version of the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI-J). Physical data were also collected. Univariate analyses revealed that among young-older adults, extroversion in the TIPI-J showed a significant association with LSA scores in addition to handgrip strength. Among old-older adults, openness to experience in the TIPI-J demonstrated a significant association with LSA scores in addition to quadriceps strength. This study revealed correlations between personality traits (extroversion and openness to experience) and LSM, in addition to physical function. Considering older adults’ personality traits is crucial for designing support and interventions to maintain and expand LSM.
Evaluating the Appropriateness, Consistency, and Readability of ChatGPT in Critical Care Recommendations
Authors: Balta Kaan Y. , Javidan Arshia P. , Walser Eric , Arntfield Robert , Prager Ross
Published: August 2024

Background: We assessed 2 versions of the large language model (LLM) ChatGPT—versions 3.5 and 4.0—in generating appropriate, consistent, and readable recommendations on core critical care topics. Research Question: How do successive large language models compare in terms of generating appropriate, consistent, and readable recommendations on core critical care topics? Design and Methods: A set of 50 LLM-generated responses to clinical questions were evaluated by 2 independent intensivists based on a 5-point Likert scale for appropriateness, consistency, and readability. Results: ChatGPT 4.0 showed significantly higher median appropriateness scores compared to ChatGPT 3.5 (4.0 vs 3.0, P < .001). However, there was no significant difference in consistency between the 2 versions (40% vs 28%, P = 0.291). Readability, assessed by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, was also not significantly different between the 2 models (14.3 vs 14.4, P = 0.93). Interpretation: Both models produced “hallucinations”—misinformation delivered with high confidence—which highlights the risk of relying on these tools without domain expertise. Despite potential for clinical application, both models lacked consistency producing different results when asked the same question multiple times. The study underscores the need for clinicians to understand the strengths and limitations of LLMs for safe and effective implementation in critical care settings. Registration: https://osf.io/8chj7/
Comparison of Tenecteplase Versus Alteplase for the Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism and Cardiac Arrest with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Daniell Jessica M. , Mccormick Jack , Nasreen Iram , Conner Todd M. , Rouse Ginger , Gritsenko Diana , Khosla Akhil
Published: August 2024

High-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disease state with current guidelines recommending reperfusion therapy with systemic thrombolytics in addition to anticoagulation. This was a prospective observational cohort study with a historical control group comparing tenecteplase to alteplase for the treatment of PE or cardiac arrest with suspected PE. The primary outcome was the incidence of institutional protocol deviations defined as incorrect thrombolytic dose administered or the incorrect product compounded. Secondary outcomes included any bleeding event, major bleeding event, all-cause mortality, and for patients with a cardiac arrest, successful return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Fifty-four patients were included in the study. Protocol deviations occurred in one patient receiving tenecteplase and one patient receiving alteplase (4.0% vs 3.4%; P = 1.0). There was no difference in all-cause mortality (80% vs 86.2%; P = .72), any bleed (12% vs 13.8%; P = 1.0), major bleed (8.0% vs 6.9%; P = 1.0), or ROSC achievement (22.2% vs 28.6%; P = .73) when comparing tenecteplase to alteplase. Our study demonstrates that tenecteplase may be an alternative thrombolytic to alteplase for treatment of PE or cardiac arrest with suspected PE. Further studies comparing the different systemic thrombolytic agents for PE or cardiac arrest with suspected PE are needed.
Punishing “Privilege”: Antisemitic Hate Crime in Canada
Authors: Stein Matthew , Perry Barbara , Levit Irina
Published: August 2024

Both federal government and civil society organization data point to consistently rising incidents of antisemitic narratives and acts across Canada. In spite of this, antisemitic hate crime has not been the focus of any academic research here, some would argue because Jews are not typically thought to be an at-risk community. Rather, the Jewish community is thought to occupy a relatively privileged place in society which shields them from bias motivated attacks. Countering this narrative, our study, based in Ontario and Quebec, reveals that Jewish individuals and institutions are highly vulnerable to discursive, physical, and property violations. Many of those we spoke with felt embattled by the narrative attacks that rendered the community vulnerable to corollary physical attacks. Of particular significance are the enabling images of Jews that equate “Jewish privilege” with excessive power and control. We explore these themes, concluding with calls for strategies intended to counter hateful narratives.
School Funding and Equity in Australia: Critical Moments in the Context of Text Production Phase of the Education Policy Cycle
Authors: Sinclair Matthew P. , Brooks Jeffrey S.
Published: August 2024

Education policy has long been analyzed as a cycle where various actors influence different stages. However, few such studies have focused on identifying and interrogating the specific moments that shape an education policy’s overall equity trajectory. This article uses Bowe, Ball, and Gold’s policy cycle as an exploratory theoretical framework, focusing on the historic Review of Funding for Schooling (2011) in Australia, which evaluated the nation’s school funding policy. The authors concentrate on the Context of Text Production phase of its policymaking process, and consider the implications for equity. From this work, the authors highlight two “critical moments” that they argue significantly influenced how the appointed panel approached equity. Their theorizing of a “critical moment” offers valuable insights for researchers and stakeholders seeking to understand or influence education policy.
The Decline of Volunteering in the United States: Is it the Economy?
Authors: Nesbit Rebecca , Paarlberg Laurie E. , Jo Suyeon
Published: August 2024

This article investigates the complex interactions between local and national economic contexts and volunteering behavior. We examine three dimensions of local economic context—economic disadvantage (e.g., the percentage of families living in poverty), income inequality, and economic growth (e.g., the change in median household income)—and the impact of a national/global economic jolt—the Great Recession. Analysis of data from the Current Population Survey’s (CPS) Volunteering Supplement (2002–2015) reveals that individuals who live in places characterized by economic disadvantage and economic inequality are less likely to volunteer than individuals in more advantaged, equitable communities. The recession had a dampening effect on volunteering overall, but it had the largest dampening effect on individual volunteering in communities with above-average rates of income equality and higher rates of economic growth. While individuals living in rural communities were more likely to volunteer than their urban counterparts before the recession, rural/urban differences disappeared after the recession.
Why Twitter Sometimes Rewards What Most People Disapprove of: The Case of Cross-Party Political Relations
Authors: Heltzel Gordon , Laurin Kristin
Published: August 2024

Recent evidence has shown that social-media platforms like Twitter (now X) reward politically divisive content, even though most people disapprove of interparty conflict and negativity. We document this discrepancy and provide the first evidence explaining it, using tweets by U.S. Senators and American adults’ responses to them. Studies 1a and 1b examined 6,135 such tweets, finding that dismissing tweets received more Likes and Retweets than tweets that engaged constructively with opponents. In contrast, Studies 2a and 2b ( N = 856; 1,968 observations) revealed that the broader public, if anything, prefers politicians’ engaging tweets. Studies 3 ( N = 323; 4,571 observations) and 4 ( N = 261; 2,610 observations) supported two distinct explanations for this disconnect. First, users who frequently react to politicians’ tweets are an influential yet unrepresentative minority, rewarding dismissing posts because, unlike most people, they prefer them. Second, the silent majority admit that they too would reward dismissing posts more, despite disapproving of them. These findings help explain why popular online content sometimes distorts true public opinion.
Constructions of diversity, hierarchies, and identity intersections in LGBTQ+ activists’ interview talk
Authors: Michos Ioannis , Figgou Lia
Published: August 2024

LGBTQ+ movements face significant challenges regarding tensions and dilemmas around membership, objectives, and relations within or between groups. This paper aims to explore the argumentative resources mobilized to construct LGBTQ+ activist claims and objectives in activists’ interview talk in Greece. For the purposes of the study, individual semistructured interviews with nine LGBTQ+ activists based in Thessaloniki and Athens were held. Analysis, drawing on critical discursive social psychology, indicated three central arguments. The first prioritizes a homogenizing liberal equality, and approaches differences in activist groups’ objectives as expected and beneficial diversity. The second problematizes (intra- and intergroup) difference-as-diversity as a potential obstacle to group collaboration, drawing attention to power imbalances. The third invokes broader “universal” and “apolitical” rights in order to construct the expansion of LGBTQ+ activist objectives as a necessary condition for inclusive activist action. In the discussion, we consider ways in which different argumentative resources are related to each other and to the ideological dilemmas that constitute the broader social fabric of participants’ argumentation. We also reflect on the rhetorical and social functions and implications of contradictory argumentative patterns, on the challenges they pose to LGBTQ+ movements, as well as on their potential to (dis)empower collaborations and intersectional politics.
Execution Failures in Retail Supply Chains—A Virtual Reality Experiment
Authors: DeHoratius Nicole , Gürerk Özgür , Honhon Dorothée , Hyndman Kyle
Published: August 2024

Retail store employees are increasingly being asked to pick orders from inventory. These tasks are performed under intense conditions and are often made more difficult because of high product variety and high degrees of product similarity. We conduct a real-effort task in a virtual environment where subjects must sort cubes into bins. We study task complexity by varying the degree of similarity between the cubes and task intensity by varying the arrival rate of the cube. We focus on four performance metrics: Throughput (number of cubes sorted per minute), Accuracy (percentage of correctly sorted cubes), Productivity (number of correctly sorted cubes per minute), and Error Rate (number of incorrectly sorted cubes per minute). Reducing task complexity increases productivity by as much as 38.2%, and the error rate falls by as much as 93.6%. It also leads to more efficient movements, according to a detailed analysis of our subjects' motion. Increasing task intensity improves throughput but decreases accuracy slightly while varying task intensity improves performance via faster learning. We also observe that subjects tend to cut corners when the task is more complex or more intense.
A New Genetic Signature of Lactate Metabolism-Associated Genes Predicting Clinically Distinctive Features and Tumor Microenvironment in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Wang Kaiwen , Lou Yu , Tao Zhihui
Published: August 2024

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by its high malignancy and challenging prognosis. A significant aspect of cancer is metabolic reprogramming, where lactate serves as a crucial metabolite that contributes to the development of cancer and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Current studies have indicated that lactate plays a significant role in the progression of CRC. However, the relationship between lactate and the tumor microenvironment remains understudied, underscoring the potential of lactate as a novel biomarker.

Methods

We sourced transcriptomic data for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) portals, along with the corresponding clinical information. Utilizing univariate Cox regression in conjunction with LASSO regression analysis, we identified genes involved in lactate metabolism that are associated with CRC prognosis. Subsequently, we developed models based on multi-factor Cox regression. To evaluate the correlation between tumor mutational burden (TMB), tumor microenvironment (TME), and lactate scores with patient survival, we conducted gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and immunogenic signature analyses.

Results

3 lactate metabolism-related genes (LMRGs) (SLC16A8, GATA1, and PYGL) were used to construct models that categorized patients into 2 subgroups based on their lactate scores. The function of the differential genes between the 2 subgroups was mainly enriched in cell cycle and mRNA division, and the prognosis of patients in the high score subgroup was poor. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was observed between TMB and LMRGs scores in the high-scoring group ( P = 0.003, r 2 = 0.12). Lastly, LMRGs also reflected the characteristics of TME, with differences in immune cells and immune checkpoints between the 2 subgroups.

Conclusions

LMRGs may serve as a promising biomarker for predicting prognostic survival in CRC patients and to assess the TME.