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Global existence of solutions to a nonlocal equation with degenerate anisotropic diffusion
No full textGlobal existence of very weak solutions to a non-local diffusion-advection-reaction equation is established under no-flux boundary conditions in higher dimensions. The equation features degenerate myopic diffusion and nonlocal adhesion and is an extension of a mass-conserving model recently derived in arXiv:2308.05676. The admissible degeneracy of the diffusion tensor is characterised in terms of the upper box fractal dimension.<br/
Gately values of cooperative games
No full textWe investigate Gately’s solution concept for cooperative games with transferable utilities. Gately’s conception introduced a bargaining solution that minimises the maximal quantified “propensity to disrupt” the negotiation process of the players over the allocation of the generated collective payoffs. We show that Gately’s solution concept is well-defined for a broad class of games and that it can be interpreted as a compromise solution. We also consider a generalisation based on a parameter-based quantification of the propensity to disrupt. We provide an axiomatic characterisation of the original Gately value as well as these generalised Gately values. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship of these Gately values with the Core and the Nucleolus and show that Gately’s solution is in the Core for all regular 3-player games, but is fundamentally different from the Nucleolus. We identify exact conditions under which these Gately values are Core imputations for arbitrary regular cooperative games. Finally, we investigate the relationship of the Gately value with the Shapley value.<br/
Understanding and managing student stress
No full textAn understanding of stress and coping is important for all educators. Understanding the stress experienced by students, for example, in relation to teaching, assessment, and coping, is important if education is to be optimized, and it helps educators understand their own stress experience and potentially cope better, making them more effective in their relations with students. This chapter opens by outlining what is meant by stress and how it has been studied from a historical perspective. Stress has tended to be conceived as synonymous with distress, and most empirical studies use measures that construe it in this way. An overview will be offered of some of the key research that has explored the adverse consequences of stress, along with the research efforts that have explored stress as a necessary ingredient to achieve. Stress is both the physiological and psychological response to demands, and stress also refers to those demands that trigger that response. Sections will be offered on those stimuli demands or sources of stress and on their effect on students
A 3D-printing metasurface-augmented half-circle Maxwell fisheye lens for millimetre-wave analogue beamforming
No full textThis article presents a 2D metasurface-augmented half-circle Maxwell fisheye lens (HMFL) designed to move its focal axis to a targeted direction with a maximum elevation angle of 45◦, suitable for switchers and power division networks in the millimetre wave (mmWave) band. This metasurface-augmented beamformer enables consistent analogue performance across a bandwidth of 22 - 32 GHz. The proposed beamformer features a reflective metasurface consisting of 2 × 40 Phoenix unit cells and is integrated with a 10- dielectric zone HMFL in the diameter segment opposite the antenna source. A horn antenna feed is used for excitation in normal and oblique incidences of ϕi = −15◦ and ϕi = −30◦. The designed lens prototype was fabricated with 3D-printing technology and printed metasurfaces for several particular cases of focal displacement. The measurements of the proposed HMFL beamformer are presented, demonstrating a close correlation between simulated and experimental results.<br/
The biomechanics of a physically impaired individual from early medieval Ranelagh, Ireland
No full textThis research describes the methods used to re-create the biomechanics of a physically impaired middle-aged male, SK67, dated 893–1023 C.E., from the early medieval cemetery at Ranelagh, Co. Roscommon, Ireland, who experienced an antemortem femoral head fracture. A gap in research exists between the osteological evidence and the nature of the true biomechanical gait. Computer simulation of musculoskeletal models is an emerging engineering approach to estimate true gait patterns from geometric measurements of skeletal anatomy. This study paves the way for bridging the gap between osteological evidence and true biomechanics by obtaining information from SK67 and using it to build a three-dimensional musculoskeletal model of SK67 using OpenSim. Gait was then simulated using SCONE software (a musculoskeletal simulation optimization system to predict task-specificmotion), thereby revealing SK67’s likely limb function post-impairment. The patterns of habitual biomechanical stress are reflected in the quantity and distribution of cortical bone; based on this approach, the individual’s limbs were compared for signs of weight-bearing by analyzing cortical bone thickness from radiographs. The upper limbs were also examined for entheseal changes that might indicate the use of walking aids. The results of these interdisciplinary methods enabled the biomechanics of SK67 to be revealed and assessed how SK67 would have used walking aids to regain mobility and independence in the wake of their major trauma. The lack of arms on the musculoskeletal models may provide a limitation to this study, as well as the errors/learning curve in altering inputfiles to simulate the gait. This method opens new avenues for future research into reconstructing the biomechanics of individuals with physical impairments within archaeological contexts, across both time and location
Implementation of clinical breast examination screening programme as part of primary care in Vietnam: An analysis of contextual factors
No full textClinical breast examination (CBE) screening for breast cancer in Vietnam was proved to be cost-effective and acceptable to women. However, the outcomes of the implementation of such proposed programme are unknown. To inform the design and implementation planning of the proposed screening programme, this study investigated and analysed the contextual factors of implementing a CBE programme as part of primary care in Vietnam. Regarding methods, the Breast Health Global Initiative Framework and its seven contextual domains for breast cancer health care (including i. epidemiological, ii. policy/legal, iii. geographical/environmental, iv. service and organisational, v. financial, vi. social and economic, vii. cultural and psychosocial) guided the programme implementation analysis. Literature review, documentary analysis of polices, and key informant interviews (with representatives of health authorities at all four levels of Vietnam health system) were used to gather data for each domain. The results show that Vietnam's policy context pointed to the focus on cancer early detection through screening. According to key informants, district level was the most appropriate level for organising and delivering a CBE programme, and only doctors should perform a CBE. Knowledge about breast cancer and perceived susceptibility to receiving a breast cancer diagnosis was positively associated with CBE uptake. In conclusions, the current policy framework supports the implementation of a CBE screening programme in Vietnam. CBE should be performed by doctors, at the district level, and alongside health promotion.<br/
Comparative configurational process analysis: a new set-theoretic technique for longitudinal case analysis
No full textIn the past 20 years, researchers have significantly advanced various management fields by examining organizational phenomena through a configurational lens, including competitive strategies, corporate governance mechanisms, and innovation systems. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) has emerged as a primary method for empirically investigating organizational configurations. However, QCA has traditionally struggled to capture the temporal aspects of configurational phenomena. In this paper, we present configurational comparative process analysis (C2PA), which merges QCA with sequence analysis. We introduce the concept of configurational themes—recognizable temporal patterns of recurring combinations of explanatory conditions—to identify and track the temporal dynamics among these phenomena. We also outline configurational matching—a method for empirically identifying these themes by distinguishing theme-defining from theme-supporting conditions. C2PA allows researchers to explore the temporal dynamics of configurational phenomena, such as their stability, emergence, and decline at critical junctures. We illustrate the application of C2PA through a study of shareholder value orientation and discuss its potential for addressing key questions in management research.<br/
Linguistic insecurities and authorities: 19th- and 21st-century language commentary on French
No full textThis book offers two new perspectives on language attitudes and ideologies. First, it compares language commentary from two thus far relatively neglected time periods: the 19th and 21st centuries. Second, it draws on non-traditional, dialogic sources to explore not only the well-studied “expert” views on language but also the perspectives of the “audience” engaging with these texts. Using France and the French language as its case study, the book explores the areas of stability and change in questions of linguistic authority, insecurity, and correctness. It sheds new light on the evolution of the long-established genre of language commentary and deepens our understanding of the language attitudes and ideologies that shape how language is viewed, discussed and judged. This book will appeal to linguists interested in language attitudes and ideologies in both historical and contemporary contexts
The application of flipped classroom strategies in medical education: a review and recommendations
No full textThe role of a flipped classroom (FC) instructional method has been expanding in medical education. Despite recent interest in FC pedagogy, little is known about optimal FC implementation strategies in medical education and their impact on learning outcomes. This article aimed to outline the educational theories that guide the design of the flipped instruction method and review the relevant literature to provide evidence-based recommendations for planning, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating FC instruction in medical education. The review incorporates evidence-based literature that highlights students’ performance outcomes and perceptions of the FC instruction method in medical education.<br/
Ensemble learning-based fuzzy aggregation functions and their application in TSK neural networks
No full textTakagi–Sugeno–Kang fuzzy neural networks (TSKFNN) are powerful tools to model vague or imprecise information. Regression is one of the most important tasks commonly tackled by supervised learning techniques. TSKFNNs are considered suitable models to deal with regression problems on account of their simplicity and flexibility. Aggregation methods play an important role in combining various fuzzy rules from a TSKFNN rule base to obtain a model prediction. However, many current aggregation methods rely on expert experience and human knowledge, which may be hard to acquire and could bring human bias. This paper proposes data-driven aggregation functions for rules aggregation based on ensemble learning, namely AdaBoost and bagging, which can achieve superior generalizability in testing compared with the existing rule aggregation methods. Furthermore, they can also provide insights into the importance of each rule in the model’s decision making, thus, helping to improve the interpretability of the model. Extensive experiments on 11 commonly used benchmark datasets with various sizes and dimensionalities validated the superiority of the proposed ensemble learning-based fuzzy aggregation functions compared with existing state-of-the-art TSKFNNs.<br/