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A novel continuous control set model predictive control for lc-filtered three-phase four-wire three-level voltage-source inverter

- Yang, Yong, Xiao, Yang, Fan, Mingdi, Wang, Kaixin, Zhang, Xinan, Hu, Jiefeng, Fang, Gang, Zeng, Weibo, Vazquez, Sergio, Rodriguez, Jose

  • Authors: Yang, Yong , Xiao, Yang , Fan, Mingdi , Wang, Kaixin , Zhang, Xinan , Hu, Jiefeng , Fang, Gang , Zeng, Weibo , Vazquez, Sergio , Rodriguez, Jose
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Vol. 38, no. 4 (2023), p. 4572-4584
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  • Description: In this article, a novel continuous control set model predictive control (CCS-MPC) is proposed for an LC-filtered three-phase three-level four-wire voltage-source inverter (3P-4W-3L-VSI). The proposed MPC algorithm provides independent control of each phase of the 3P-4W-3L-VSI under various unbalanced load conditions, which shows superior performance under unbalanced loads. Furthermore, different from conventional MPC methods, the CCS-MPC achieves fixed switching frequency, hence simplifying the design of LC filters. In addition, dc offsets are introduced to the proposed modulation to effectively balance the neutral-point voltage of the 3P-4W-3L-VSI. Experimental results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed MPC algorithm. © 1986-2012 IEEE.

A novel dynamic software-defined networking approach to neutralize traffic burst

- Sharma, Aakanksha, Balasubramanian, Venki, Kamruzzaman, Joarder

  • Authors: Sharma, Aakanksha , Balasubramanian, Venki , Kamruzzaman, Joarder
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Computers Vol. 12, no. 7 (2023), p.
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  • Description: Software-defined networks (SDN) has a holistic view of the network. It is highly suitable for handling dynamic loads in the traditional network with a minimal update in the network infrastructure. However, the standard SDN architecture control plane has been designed for single or multiple distributed SDN controllers facing severe bottleneck issues. Our initial research created a reference model for the traditional network, using the standard SDN (referred to as SDN hereafter) in a network simulator called NetSim. Based on the network traffic, the reference models consisted of light, modest and heavy networks depending on the number of connected IoT devices. Furthermore, a priority scheduling and congestion control algorithm is proposed in the standard SDN, named extended SDN (eSDN), which minimises congestion and performs better than the standard SDN. However, the enhancement was suitable only for the small-scale network because, in a large-scale network, the eSDN does not support dynamic SDN controller mapping. Often, the same SDN controller gets overloaded, leading to a single point of failure. Our literature review shows that most proposed solutions are based on static SDN controller deployment without considering flow fluctuations and traffic bursts that lead to a lack of load balancing among the SDN controllers in real-time, eventually increasing the network latency. Therefore, to maintain the Quality of Service (QoS) in the network, it becomes imperative for the static SDN controller to neutralise the on-the-fly traffic burst. Thus, our novel dynamic controller mapping algorithm with multiple-controller placement in the SDN is critical to solving the identified issues. In dSDN, the SDN controllers are mapped dynamically with the load fluctuation. If any SDN controller reaches its maximum threshold, the rest of the traffic will be diverted to another controller, significantly reducing delay and enhancing the overall performance. Our technique considers the latency and load fluctuation in the network and manages the situations where static mapping is ineffective in dealing with the dynamic flow variation. © 2023 by the authors.

A novel optimization approach towards improving separability of clusters

- Bagirov, Adil, Hoseini-Monjezi, Najmeh, Taheri, Sona

  • Authors: Bagirov, Adil , Hoseini-Monjezi, Najmeh , Taheri, Sona
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Computers and Operations Research Vol. 152, no. (2023), p.
  • Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190100580
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  • Description: The objective functions in optimization models of the sum-of-squares clustering problem reflect intra-cluster similarity and inter-cluster dissimilarities and in general, optimal values of these functions can be considered as appropriate measures for compactness of clusters. However, the use of the objective function alone may not lead to the finding of separable clusters. To address this shortcoming in existing models for clustering, we develop a new optimization model where the objective function is represented as a sum of two terms reflecting the compactness and separability of clusters. Based on this model we develop a two-phase incremental clustering algorithm. In the first phase, the clustering function is minimized to find compact clusters and in the second phase, a new model is applied to improve the separability of clusters. The Davies–Bouldin cluster validity index is applied as an additional measure to compare the compactness of clusters and silhouette coefficients are used to estimate the separability of clusters. The performance of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated and compared with that of four other algorithms using synthetic and real-world data sets. Numerical results clearly show that in comparison with other algorithms the new algorithm is able to find clusters with better separability and similar compactness. © 2022

A pilot comparison of fixatives for hookworm real-time polymerase chain reaction

- Bradbury, Richard, Inagaki, Kengo, Singh, Gurbaksh, Agana, Urita, Patterson, Kayla, Malloch, Lacy, Rodriguez, Eduardo, Qvarnstrom, Yvonne, Hobbs, Charlotte

  • Authors: Bradbury, Richard , Inagaki, Kengo , Singh, Gurbaksh , Agana, Urita , Patterson, Kayla , Malloch, Lacy , Rodriguez, Eduardo , Qvarnstrom, Yvonne , Hobbs, Charlotte
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol. 108, no. 2 (2023), p. 335-339
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  • Description: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is increasingly used in the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminth infections. Despite this, few studies have evaluated the impact of different fecal fixatives on the outcome of fecal helminth qPCR analysis, and none have evaluated the effect of commercial parasitology fixatives commonly used in diagnostic laboratories. We fixed dog feces containing Ancylostoma spp. hookworm eggs in zinc polyvinyl alcohol (Zn-PVA) and Total-Fix, and with 70% ethanol (EtOH) as a control. DNA was extracted at timepoints 11, 33, 64, and 94 days and subjected to Ancylostoma spp. quantitative PCR (qPCR). A linear regression model was created to assess the effect of preservative types on the temporal change of qPCR quantification cycle number (Cq) values, accounting for variances among individual animals. Fixation in 70% EtOH least affected Cq values over 94 days. Total-Fix preservation yielded a higher Cq overall, but there was no significant difference compared with 70% EtOH fixation. Fixation in Zn-PVA resulted in significantly (P < 0.001) higher Cq values than 70% EtOH after only 33 days and loss of amplification at 64 days. Consistent with other helminth fixation studies, 70% EtOH performed well in preserving hookworm DNA over 94 days. Total-Fix provided a comparable alternative for qPCR analysis for hookworm. Fixation in Zn-PVA resulted in loss of detectable hookworm DNA at 64 days, as determined by qPCR. Copyright © 2023 The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A qualitative study on undergraduate student nurses’ experience of mental health simulation preclinical placement

- Olasoji, Michael, Garvey, Loretta, Sadoughi, Navideh, Willetts, Georgina

  • Authors: Olasoji, Michael , Garvey, Loretta , Sadoughi, Navideh , Willetts, Georgina
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Clinical Simulation in Nursing Vol. 84, no. (2023), p.
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  • Description: Background: Simulations allow students to be challenged and supported while gaining both technical and non-technical skills within a clinical learning environment. Working in a mental health setting can be quite challenging and confronting at times for undergraduate nursing students in clinical placement. The study aims to explore nursing students’ perceptions of a mental health simulation workshop's impact before clinical placement, which provides a supportive environment to gain technical and non-technical skills while being challenged and supported. Sample: Participants were a second-year cohort (n = 89) of undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a mental health unit. Methods: Descriptive survey design. The researchers thematically analysed narrative responses of a pre- and post-simulation survey from an immersive simulation using a descriptive survey design. Results: The researchers identified six key themes: two from the pre-simulation survey – communication with and assessment of mental health patients, and the opportunity for placement preparation; and four from the post-simulation survey – the opportunity for debriefing, the realism of the simulation, increased confidence levels, and the perception of a safe learning environment. Conclusion: Effective skill acquisition is essential to advance recruitment and retention into mental health environments. The use of mental health simulation that comprises of realism and immersion working with simulated patients provided opportunity to advance this. © 2023

A realist evaluation of post-implementation modifications : a context-initiative-mechanism-outcome perspective

- Oseni, Taiwo, Rahim, Mahbubur, Foster, Susan

  • Authors: Oseni, Taiwo , Rahim, Mahbubur , Foster, Susan
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Critical Realism Vol. 22, no. 4 (2023), p. 645-669
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  • Description: This paper exemplifies a theoretical and methodological evaluation of IT Initiatives. It discusses post-implementation modifications (ERP-PIM) to enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for the purpose of business process optimization (BPO) from a Context-Initiative-Mechanism-Outcome (CIMO) perspective. CIMO suggests that context and mechanisms are factors triggering causal effects responsible for outcomes derived from technology initiatives. Through conceptualization, data collection/analysis, and retroduction, the paper proposes a middle-range theory to facilitate the explanation of outcomes from diverse post-implementation initiatives. Data from multiple case study identifies situational and action-formation mechanisms, and actions as essential to realizing the desired outcomes. The proposed ERP-PIM-CIMO theory encapsulates: (i) Business Process Optimization (BPO) as context, (ii) ERP-PIM as structure, (iii) Business Process Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Flexibility as observable events, (iv) ERP capability as causal mechanism, (v) actions as necessary for the actualization of mechanism, and finally (vi) effort and cost, knowledge, and training as factors influencing actualization. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

A reconfigurable rectifier-based power improving method of free-standing two-coil magnetic field energy harvesters over a wide load range

- Li, Yong, Yan, Yihua, Yang, Huanyu, Hu, Jiefeng, He, Zhengyou

  • Authors: Li, Yong , Yan, Yihua , Yang, Huanyu , Hu, Jiefeng , He, Zhengyou
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Vol. 38, no. 5 (2023), p. 5638-5643
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  • Description: Free-standing magnetic field energy harvesters (FSMFEHs) have promising potential in charging sensors used in electrical power grids. The output power of the FSMFEH is highly dependent on the load resistance. However, the load resistance of the sensors varies over a wide range during the operation process. Therefore, a crucial challenge for an FSMFEH system is to maintain high output power over a wide load range. In this letter, an innovative reconfigurable rectifier-based FSMFEH system with two coils connected in parallel is proposed. First, a new structure of two identical coils in parallel is proposed in magnetic energy harvesting applications. Then, a reconfigurable rectifier with two operation modes is developed to incorporate the new coil structure. By switching between the full-bridge mode and the half-bridge mode according to the actual load demand, the proposed FSMFEH can maintain high output power over a wide load range. In addition, the mode transition can be easily achieved by shorting one of the diodes, leading to a simple and low-loss control. The effectiveness of the proposed FSMFEH system is verified based on a laboratory prototype. It is provided that the experimental result is consistent with the theoretical analysis. The output power can be maintained above 8.19 mW within the 50-1500

A reevaluation of the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the spiritual well-being questionnaire (SWBQ)

- Gomez, Rapson, Watson, Shaun

  • Authors: Gomez, Rapson , Watson, Shaun
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Religion and Health Vol. 62, no. 3 (2023), p. 2112-2130
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  • Description: The 20-item Gomez and Fisher (Personal Individ Differ 35:1975–1991, 2003) Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire (SWBQ) is a widely used measure of spiritual well-being. Its theoretical model is a higher-order model with primary factors for personal, communal, environmental, and transcendental well-being, and a secondary global spiritual well-being factor. The current study, conducted in Australia, reevaluated the factor structure of the SWBQ. Unlike previous studies, the current study also used exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the factor structure of the SWBQ and selected the preferred model using not only global model fit values, but also the clarity, reliabilities, and validities of the factors in the models. A total of 227 adults (males = 63; females = 164; M age = 26.1 years; SD = 5.2 years) completed the SWBQ. Based on the model selection criteria applied in the study, the ESEM model with four group factors was selected as the preferred model. However, there was also adequate support for the proposed theoretical higher-order model and the first-order oblique model with the four well-being factors. Concerning our preferred model, its factors showed reasonable clarity for factor loadings and (omega) reliabilities. However, only the communal domain scale was supported empirically for external validity. The implications of the findings for the theoretical model, the use of the SWBQ, and future studies are discussed. In this respect, there are three potential models (theorized higher-order model, 4-factor first-order oblique model, and the ESEM model proposed in this study) that warrant further detailed investigation with a larger, more representative population and additional validation measures. © 2022, The Author(s).

A roadmap for change : charting the course of gifted educational provision in Lebanon

- Antoun, Maya, Plunkett, Margaret

  • Authors: Antoun, Maya , Plunkett, Margaret
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Educational Reform Vol. 32, no. 3 (2023), p. 279-293
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  • Description: This article reviews and further develops understandings gleaned from an investigation of public and private school teachers’ perceptions of talent development and their ability to implement specialized approaches for gifted students in a country without specific educational policies for this population. Through a discussion of findings from a previous study investigating the perceptions and practices of more than 280 Lebanese teachers, new insights to inform future policy are provided into how talent development is perceived and responded to within the Lebanese educational context. These understandings helped inform the development of a culturally appropriate conceptual framework, derived from Gagné's Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent (2008). The resultant framework addresses how the broader socio-economic cultural context within Lebanon appears to have influenced teachers’ perceptions and practices and the choices made in terms of gifted provision in classrooms. This framework could assist educational leaders in Lebanon to implement changes that would not only benefit gifted learners but also have potential flow on benefits for the country as a whole. © The Author(s) 2023.

A robust ensemble regression model for reconstructing genetic networks

- Gamage, Hasini, Chetty, Madhu, Lim, Suryani, Hallinan, Jennifer, Nguyen, H.

  • Authors: Gamage, Hasini , Chetty, Madhu , Lim, Suryani , Hallinan, Jennifer , Nguyen, H.
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: 2023 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, IJCNN 2023 Vol. 2023-June
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  • Description: Genetic networks contain important information about biological processes, including regulatory relationships and gene-gene interactions. Numerous methods, using high-dimensional gene expression data have been developed to capture these interactions. These gene expression data, generated using high-throughput technologies, are prone to noise. However, most existing network inference methods are unable to cope with noisy data, making genetic network reconstruction challenging. In this paper, we propose a novel ensemble regression model combining quantile regression and cross-validated Ridge regression, RidgeCV, to infer interactions from noisy gene expression data. The application of quantile regression to GRN inference is novel, and its design makes it appropriate for noisy data. RidgeCV also addresses other important issues, such as data overfitting and multicollinearity. First, each regression method is independently applied to gene expression data and the output of these methods, in the form of ranked gene lists, is aggregated using a novel gene score-based method by considering the gene rank and model importance. The model importance score is evaluated based on an adjusted coefficient of determination. This method implicitly includes majority voting by averaging each gene score value across all models. The proposed model was tested on the DREAM4 datasets and publicly available small-scale real-world network datasets. Experiments with noisy datasets showed that the proposed ensemble model is more accurate and efficient than other state-of-the-art methods. © 2023 IEEE.

A robust local texture descriptor in the parametric space of the weibull distribution

- Tania, Sheikh, Karmakar, Gour, Teng, Shyh, Murshed, Manzur

  • Authors: Tania, Sheikh , Karmakar, Gour , Teng, Shyh , Murshed, Manzur
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: IEEE Transactions on Multimedia Vol. 25, no. (2023), p. 6053-6066
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  • Description: Research in texture feature approximation is still in the embryonic stage because of difficulties in developing a sound theoretical model to express the unique pattern in the intensity-variation of pixels in the neighbourhood of the pixel-of-interest so that it can sufficiently discriminate different textures. Local texture descriptors are widely used in image segmentation as they comprise pixel-wise features. The Weber local descriptor (WLD) with differential excitation and gradient orientation components, inspired by Weber's Law, has been leveraged in the state-of-the-art iterative contraction and merging (ICM) image segmentation technique. However, WLD has inherent drawbacks in the formulation of the components that limit its discriminatory capability. This paper introduces a novel texture descriptor by directly modelling the distribution of intensity-variation in the parametric space of the Weibull distribution using its shape and scale parameters. A unified 'joint scale' texture property is introduced, which can discriminate textures better than the individual parameters while keeping the length of the descriptor shorter. Additionally, the accuracy of WLD's gradient orientation component is improved by using an extended Sobel operator and expressing gradients in -

A Scoping review of autism and the way it changes the presentation of suicidal thoughts and behavior compared to the general population

- Cleary, Michelle, West, Sancia, McLean, Loyola, Hunt, Glenn, Hungerford, Catherine, Kornhaber, Rachel

  • Authors: Cleary, Michelle , West, Sancia , McLean, Loyola , Hunt, Glenn , Hungerford, Catherine , Kornhaber, Rachel
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Issues Mental Health Nursing Vol. 44, no. 4 (2023), p. 282-301
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  • Description: Autism spectrum conditions are a group of neurodevelopmental conditions that carries an array of co-occurring diagnoses, including a heightened risk of suicide attempts and suicide. This scoping review examined primary research focusing on autism and suicidality, to understand what is currently known on the topic, including how autism changes the presentation of suicidal thoughts and behavior and to assess the suicide awareness and prevention education programs currently available for autistic people, their families, and health professionals and support workers. A comprehensive search (November 2021) across Scopus, PubMed and CINAHL identified 39 articles from 38 studies. Three themes emerged, with five subthemes. 1. The prevalence of suicidality in autistic people 2. The presentation of suicidality in autistic people, including (a) risk of suicidality (b) gender, age, employment and education (c) co-occurring psychiatric conditions (d) autism traits and social communication (e) intellectual disability and 3. Autism-specific approaches to suicidal thoughts, behavior and prevention. Findings were mixed, including conflicting evidence on the risk of autism and suicidality, and limited evidence of resources related to autism-specific suicide awareness or information, and education or prevention programs.

A simultaneous power and data transmission technology based on coil multiplexing in domino-resonator WPT systems

- Li, Yong, Yang, Xiao, Sun, Wenjun, Hu, Jiefeng, He, Zhengyou

  • Authors: Li, Yong , Yang, Xiao , Sun, Wenjun , Hu, Jiefeng , He, Zhengyou
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Vol. 38, no. 3 (2023), p. 2878-2883
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  • Description: To achieve parallel power and data transmission in domino-resonator wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, a novel simultaneous power, and data transfer (SPDT) technology based on coil multiplexing is proposed in this letter. Benefiting from the magnetic field characteristics of the bipolar coil structure, the power and data can be injected into multiplexed coils with different flow directions, leading to opposite induced voltage polarities in each coupling coil. Subsequently, a corresponding resonator circuit is developed to form independent power and data resonance loops. In addition, an injected data transmission scheme is developed for domino-resonator WPT systems. Compared with traditional SPDT methods, additional wave trappers and coupling structures are avoided by this proposed technology, and the interference between power and data transfer is significantly eliminated. A 23.6 W laboratory prototype with five domino resonators is built to validate the feasibility of this proposed technology. The experimental results show that the power transfer efficiency reaches 70% at 50 kb/s data transfer rate. © 1986-2012 IEEE.

A smart healthcare framework for detection and monitoring of COVID-19 using IoT and cloud computing

- Nasser, Nidal, Emad-ul-Haq, Qazi, Imran, Muhammad, Ali, Asmaa, Razzak, Imran, Al-Helali, Abdulaziz

  • Authors: Nasser, Nidal , Emad-ul-Haq, Qazi , Imran, Muhammad , Ali, Asmaa , Razzak, Imran , Al-Helali, Abdulaziz
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Neural Computing and Applications Vol. 35, no. 19 (2023), p. 13775-13789
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  • Description: Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a very contagious infection that has drawn the world’s attention. Modeling such diseases can be extremely valuable in predicting their effects. Although classic statistical modeling may provide adequate models, it may also fail to understand the data’s intricacy. An automatic COVID-19 detection system based on computed tomography (CT) scan or X-ray images is effective, but a robust system design is challenging. In this study, we propose an intelligent healthcare system that integrates IoT-cloud technologies. This architecture uses smart connectivity sensors and deep learning (DL) for intelligent decision-making from the perspective of the smart city. The intelligent system tracks the status of patients in real time and delivers reliable, timely, and high-quality healthcare facilities at a low cost. COVID-19 detection experiments are performed using DL to test the viability of the proposed system. We use a sensor for recording, transferring, and tracking healthcare data. CT scan images from patients are sent to the cloud by IoT sensors, where the cognitive module is stored. The system decides the patient status by examining the images of the CT scan. The DL cognitive module makes the real-time decision on the possible course of action. When information is conveyed to a cognitive module, we use a state-of-the-art classification algorithm based on DL, i.e., ResNet50, to detect and classify whether the patients are normal or infected by COVID-19. We validate the proposed system’s robustness and effectiveness using two benchmark publicly available datasets (Covid-Chestxray dataset and Chex-Pert dataset). At first, a dataset of 6000 images is prepared from the above two datasets. The proposed system was trained on the collection of images from 80% of the datasets and tested with 20% of the data. Cross-validation is performed using a tenfold cross-validation technique for performance evaluation. The results indicate that the proposed system gives an accuracy of 98.6%, a sensitivity of 97.3%, a specificity of 98.2%, and an F1-score of 97.87%. Results clearly show that the accuracy, specificity, sensitivity, and F1-score of our proposed method are high. The comparison shows that the proposed system performs better than the existing state-of-the-art systems. The proposed system will be helpful in medical diagnosis research and healthcare systems. It will also support the medical experts for COVID-19 screening and lead to a precious second opinion. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.

A step toward restoring hand functions in patients with multiple sclerosis—a study protocol

- Zoghi, Maryam, Jaberzadeh, Shapour

  • Authors: Zoghi, Maryam , Jaberzadeh, Shapour
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences Vol. 4, no. (2023), p.
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  • Description: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation, demyelination of axons, and oligodendrocyte loss in the central nervous system. This leads to neurological dysfunction, including hand impairment, which is prevalent among patients with MS. However, hand impairment is the least targeted area for neurorehabilitation studies. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach to improve hand functions compared to current strategies. Studies have shown that learning new skills in the motor cortex (M1) can trigger the production of oligodendrocytes and myelin, which is a critical mechanism for neuroplasticity. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used to enhance motor learning and function in human subjects. However, tDCS induces non-specific effects, and concurrent behavioral training has been found to optimize its benefits. Recent research indicates that applying tDCS during motor learning can have priming effects on the long-term potentiation mechanism and prolong the effects of motor training in health and disease. Therefore, this study aims to assess whether applying repeated tDCS during the learning of a new motor skill in M1 can be more effective in improving hand functions in patients with MS than current neurorehabilitation strategies. If this approach proves successful in improving hand functions in patients with MS, it could be adopted as a new approach to restore hand functions. Additionally, if the application of tDCS demonstrates an accumulative effect in improving hand functions in patients with MS, it could provide an adjunct intervention during rehabilitation for these patients. This study will contribute to the growing body of literature on the use of tDCS in neurorehabilitation and could have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients with MS. 2023 Zoghi and Jaberzadeh.

A study into the impact of data breaches of electronic health records

- Pilla, Ravi, Oseni, Taiwo, Stranieri, Andrew

A study of teacher educators’ work : complexity and confrontation

- McDonough, Sharon, Brandenburg, Robyn, Moran, Wendy

  • Authors: McDonough, Sharon , Brandenburg, Robyn , Moran, Wendy
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Educational Forum Vol. 87, no. 4 (2023), p. 334-346
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  • Description: Using pedagogical confrontations as a lens for a study of teacher educator work, we identify the way that teacher educator practice is mediated by teacher educator values and beliefs. We highlight the ways that an examination of these confrontations provides greater understanding of the pedagogy, practice, and decision-making of teacher educators and contend that analysis of practice is vital to revealing the complexity of teacher educator work. © 2023 Kappa Delta Pi.

A study on critical failure factors of Design for Six Sigma in Indian companies : results from a pilot survey

- Bhat, Shreeranga, Antony, Jiju, Gijo, E., Koul, Rajesh, Cudney, Elizabeth, Chakraborty, Ayon

  • Authors: Bhat, Shreeranga , Antony, Jiju , Gijo, E. , Koul, Rajesh , Cudney, Elizabeth , Chakraborty, Ayon
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: TQM Journal Vol. 35, no. 4 (2023), p. 1072-1093
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  • Description: Purpose: While Six Sigma (SS) has been deployed effectively in Indian manufacturing and service sectors as a process improvement methodology, the implementation of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) for robust product and service development has not shown noticeable results. Therefore, this article aims to determine the critical failure factors (CFFs) of DFSS in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the results of a pilot survey on the CFFs of DFSS in Indian companies. The survey participants were specialists in DFSS who have been involved in DFSS projects in their past and present companies. Moreover, the pilot study participants were DFSS Champions, Master Black Belts, Black Belts and Green Belts from the manufacturing and service sectors. Findings: Company-wide applications of DFSS are very limited in India. Most of the DFSS project failures are reported in the Analyse phase of the project. The results indicated that all 18 CFFs used in the survey have a significant impact on project failures. Also, it was determined that all CFFs are positively correlated with each other. Further, a strong correlation was observed between the voice of the customer (VOC) and project selection and prioritisation. In addition, effective training showed a strong correlation with the right selection of tools. Research limitations/implications: The pilot survey was based on a limited sample size. Moreover, the study is confined to only the Indian context and data were collected through the authors' networks. However, respondents were proficient, certified and involved in DFSS project deployment in the manufacturing and service sectors. Therefore, the study's findings are useful and meaningful to draw robust inferences. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study conducted in the Indian context to identify the reasons for DFSS project failures. The study's findings can aid academicians and practitioners in comprehending and critically examining the CFFs of DFSS before executing a project. Moreover, the research outcome motivates policymakers to create an ecosystem to effectively adopt DFSS for start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) to ensure a circular economy and support the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

A survey on image classification of lightweight convolutional neural network

- Liu, Ying, Xiao, Peng, Fang, Jie, Zhang, Dengsheng

  • Authors: Liu, Ying , Xiao, Peng , Fang, Jie , Zhang, Dengsheng
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: 19th International Conference on Natural Computation, Fuzzy Systems and Knowledge Discovery, ICNC-FSKD 2023, Harbin, China, 29-31 July 2023, 2023 19th International Conference on Natural Computation, Fuzzy Systems and Knowledge Discovery (ICNC-FSKD)
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  • Description: In recent years, deep neural networks have achieved tremendous success in image classification in both academic and industrial settings. However, the high hardware requirements imposed by their intensive and complex computations pose a challenge for deployment on low-storage devices. To address this challenge, lightweight networks provide a viable solution. This paper provides a detailed review of recent lightweight image classification algorithms, which can be categorized into low-redundancy network model design and neural network compression algorithms. The former reduces network computations by replacing traditional convolution with efficient lightweight convolution, while the latter reduces redundancy in the network by employing methods such as network pruning, knowledge distillation, and parameter quantization. We summarize the experimental results of some classical models and algorithms on ImageNet2012 and CIFAR-10 datasets, and analyze the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of these models respectively. Finally, future research directions for lightweight algorithms in the field of image classification are identified. © 2023 IEEE.

A systematic literature review of workplace physical activity programs : an exploration of barriers and enabling factors

- Dabkowski, Elissa, Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael, Prokopiv, Val, Snell, Christopher, Missen, Karen

  • Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Prokopiv, Val , Snell, Christopher , Missen, Karen
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Cogent Psychology Vol. 10, no. 1 (2023), p.
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  • Description: Physical inactivity continues to be a global issue with many adolescents and adults failing to meet the recommendations for daily exercise. Efforts to reduce physical inactivity in adults include the incorporation of strategies such as workplace physical activity programs, especially for sedentary workers. In this systematic literature review we examined current literature about the efficacy of workplace physical activity programs, as well as the barriers and enablers to these programs. Six EBSCO databases were searched (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles and SPORTDiscus with full text) between a ten year period (2011 to 2021). The search terms used were “physical activity”, “workplace” and “program” along with their variations. Following a systematic process, eighteen papers met the eligibility criteria. The authors analysed the findings using a narrative synthesis, in which four themes emerged from the data. These include Benefits to physical health, Benefits to mental health, Barriers to workplace physical activity and Workplace activity enablers. These findings provided several recommendations for organizations that endeavour to improve the health of workplace employees. Generalised workplace physical activity programs were viewed favourably by both employees and employers. Incorporating these practices into daily work structures may provide favourable outcomes such as increased work productivity and reduced physical inactivity. © 2023 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.