19683 research outputs found
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Novel integration of FEM, Physics-Informed Neural Networks, and explainable Metaheuristics for retaining wall analysis
No full textThis study presents an integrated approach for predicting the Factor of Safety (FOS) of cantilever retaining walls by combining Finite Element Method (FEM)-based simulations with a hybrid Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) and Explainable Metaheuristic-Optimized Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model. A comprehensive dataset comprising 108 simulation scenarios was generated using GeoStudio software, considering variations in soil cohesion (10–80 kPa), internal friction angle (10°–40°), and unit weight (16–20 kN/m3). The PINN architecture employed three hidden dense layers with ReLU activation, optimized over 50 epochs, while XGBoost utilized metaheuristic algorithms to fine-tune hyperparameters and provide feature importance analysis. Model performance was evaluated using Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Coefficient of Determination (R2). The proposed hybrid PINN-XGBoost model achieved an MAE of 0.039, RMSE of 0.060, and an R2 of 0.998 on testing data, outperforming standalone PINN (MAE = 0.116, R2 = 0.990) and traditional Multiple Linear Regression (R2 = 0.773). Feature importance analysis revealed that topsoil cohesion and unit weight were the most influential parameters, contributing 42% and 35% to model predictions, respectively. Unlike prior studies where PINN and XGBoost are applied independently, this research introduces a coupled framework that embeds physical constraints into the AI learning process while ensuring model transparency through explainable feature ranking. The integration of physics-based numerical modelling and data-driven AI significantly enhances prediction reliability, providing a practical tool for the design and safety assessment of cantilever retaining walls.</p
Theories Underpinning Leadership and Management Preparation for Nursing Students: A Scoping Review
No full textBackground: A nursing leader must be holistic, addressing both patient care and the well-being of the nursing team. Such skills require diligent awareness and understanding. Theories exist to guide and define different approaches to leadership, ensuring work efficiency and quality patient care in clinical settings. Understanding existing leadership and management theories can help nursing students adapt and grasp how leadership can be flexible and dynamic in clinical settings. This paper aims to review existing theories on leadership and management, assessing their applicability to student nurses in clinical wards to better prepare them for leadership and managerial roles.
Methods: This scoping review delves into classical and modern leadership and management theories using various research databases. The research team would examine their relevance, effectiveness, and challenges in real-world implementation, particularly in nursing practice for students and professionals.
Results: Transactional and transformational styles of leadership have shown a positive influence on nurses, job performances, however, the effectiveness of every theory is dependent on many factors, such as culture, work environment, and resources available.
Conclusion: Different intrinsic and external factors may influence the effectiveness of the existing leadership and management theory. It is however important and relevant to nursing students to be aware to better prepare themselves for leadership and management roles before their transition into becoming registered nurses or leaders.</p
ConEm: A Novel Framework for Integrating External Factors with Inner and Outer Correlations in Time Series Forecasting
No full textTime series forecasting is pivotal in both academic research and practical applications across diverse industries. However, effectively leveraging external factors to enhance forecasting performance remains a significant challenge, necessitating further investigation. Current frameworks exhibit notable limitations in modeling the impact of external factors on both intrinsic and extrinsic correlations within time series data. To address these challenges, we propose a novel mechanism that systematically integrates contextual information from external factors with temporal dependencies, while maintaining compatibility with various encoder-decoder algorithms. This approach enables backbone models to embed dependent patterns from external factors across multiple correlated time series, effectively capturing their influence on both prior and adjacent timesteps. Our study centered on the application of time series forecasting for demand prediction, as sales forecasting poses unique challenges stemming from the complexity and variability of market conditions influenced by numerous external factors. We conducted extensive experiments on three real-world retail datasets, showcasing the substantial performance enhancement of backbone models when integrated with our proposed contextual embedding mechanism. Specifically, our approach achieves improvements of up to 26 % in Mean Squared Error (MSE) and 15 % in Mean Absolute Error (MAE) compared to both the original backbone models and other state-of-the-art (SOTA) baseline methods. The proposed mechanism is also evaluated on Weather and Energy datasets to further verify its generalization capability. We will release the source codes and experimental datasets at our GitHub1.</p
Technology-facilitated violence: A conceptual review
No full textThis article provides a conceptual review of the term ‘technology-facilitated violence’. In the last decade, discussion of technology-facilitated violence has become commonplace in criminological and social scientific discourses. Yet, scholars have not settled on what this term means or the kind of relationship between technology and violence it infers. Addressing this ambiguity, we review how scholars have conceptualised technology-facilitated violence, evaluate the adequacy of those conceptualisations, and develop strategies to improve them. To do so, we bring the philosophy of technology into conversation with the scholarship on technology-facilitated violence to identify the latent theories of technology that underpin existing definitions of technology-facilitated violence. Then, synthesising insights from these two fields of scholarship, we generate a new definition of technology-facilitated violence that builds on the strengths of existing definitions while avoiding their key limitations. This new definition and the conceptual review that informs it should improve scholarly understandings of technology-facilitated violence and help design better strategies to address its harms. Hence, we conclude by emphasising the importance of this kind of conceptual and synthetic work and the value it offers scholars concerned with improving both theory and practice.</p
Stock Returns and Volatility Spillover Dynamics between National Stock Exchange’s Overall Index and Small and Medium Enterprises’ Index
No full textThis study conducts an in-depth analysis of the dynamic interrelationship between the National Stock Exchange’s (NSE) primary index, NIFTY 50, and the stock index for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), EMERGE, in India. Utilizing the Granger causality test, the research aims to determine the directional causality between the two time series. Furthermore, the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARCH) model is employed to scrutinize the volatility spillover effects between the two indices using daily stock data from December 2019 to November 2023. The empirical results reveal statistically significant autoregressive volatility spillovers within both NIFTY 50 and EMERGE indices. Additionally, the study uncovers substantial cross-volatility spillover effects between the indices, indicating a bidirectional volatility transmission. Specifically, there is a statistically significant volatility spillover from NIFTY 50 to EMERGE, and conversely, from EMERGE to NIFTY 50. These findings bear critical implications for the diversification strategies within investment portfolios. They offer essential insights for investors, portfolio managers, and policymakers, especially in light of the Indian government’s recent initiatives and the surge in foreign investments targeting the SME sector. The bidirectional volatility spillovers suggest that shocks in one market can significantly affect the other, thereby informing risk management and hedging strategies. Consequently, understanding these dynamic relationships is crucial for optimizing asset allocation and enhancing portfolio resilience against market fluctuations.</p
Informal Knowledge Sharing Among Secondary Teachers In The Fifth Industrial Revolution
No full textNo description supplied</p
The Intersection of HIV and Migration: Conceptualising Quality of Life Among Asian-Born Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With HIV in Australia
No full textThis qualitative study aimed to understand how migration experiences shape wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) for Asian-born men who have sex with men (MSM) who are living with HIV in Australia, and to identify relevant support needs. Drawing from intersectionality theory, this paper reports findings from semi-structured interviews with Asian-born MSM (n = 9), as well as key informants working in the HIV sector (n = 9, total n = 18). Data were analysed using an inductive thematic technique focused on the intersections of structural racism/migration, homophobia/sexuality and HIV/HIV-related stigma. Participants described a multiplicity of ways in which QoL was diminished from their intersecting experiences, including key themes of (i) ‘living in limbo’ and (ii) ‘fear of rejection and disclosure’. However, participants also described positive experiences, such as (iii) the ability to more openly express their sexuality, and a cultivation of self-confidence to advocate for themselves and others (‘navigating the politics of belonging’). The findings highlight unique structural and social challenges to QoL that migration and living with HIV can generate. These findings signal a need to redouble efforts within the HIV response to advance QoL for people living with HIV in a manner that is affirming, comprehensive and draws on cultural strengths.</p
Strategic Approaches to Islamic Mutual Funds in Saudi Arabia: A Survey on Trends, Ethical Investments, and Technological Innovations
No full textNo description supplied</p
A Frank Assessment of SHANK: Impacts of Pathogenic Variations in SHANK3 on Preclinical Models of Phelan McDermid Syndrome
No full textAlthough there are as many as 40 preclinical models of the neurodevelopmental disorder Phelan McDermid syndrome (PMS, or 22q13.3 deletion syndrome), detailed phenotypic analyses to compare the effects of different pathogenic variants and inform treatment design are lacking. Here, we clarify behavioral traits (social, vocalization, repetitive and anxiety-like behavior), developmental trajectories, and motor activity in addition to changes in brain structure and function in 10 widely available Shank3 transgenic mouse models. Although behavioral deficits in Shank3B−/− and Shank3∆C/∆C mice were most extensively reported, each model reviewed here displayed autism-relevant behavioral traits. Most studies focused on assessing social, anxiety-like, and repetitive behavior, whereas few studies examined changes in vocalization, developmental milestones, motor function, or aggressive behavior. We did not identify any studies of gut function in the ten selected Shank3 models. Alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiome of Shank3-deficient mice are associated with changes in bacterial abundance and composition, which may impact social behavior and gastrointestinal function. Studying preclinical models can provide critical insights into molecular pathways contributing to PMS. Further research is needed to determine how various genetic variations in Shank3 impact the brain, behavior, and potentially the gastrointestinal system.</p