Cluster Groups Research Articles

Investigating in-class and after-class boredom among advanced learners of English: intensity, interrelationships and learner profiles

Abstract Although the number of studies into boredom in second and/or foreign language (L2) learning is evidently on the rise and our understanding of this negative emotion has been considerably extended, surprisingly, empirical evidence is still scant with respect to boredom experienced in out-of-school situations. This study addresses this gap by: (1) examining the relative contribution of factors underlying in-class and after-class boredom, (2) investigating relationships among these factors, (3) identifying distinct learner profiles connected with these factors, and (4) exploring the role of group-related variables in this respect. The data were collected from 107 Polish university students majoring in English through two tools designed for this purpose. The results demonstrated that in-class and after-class boredom are distinct yet multidimensional constructs and factors underpinning them cannot be easily separated. Four in-class and after-class boredom-specific cluster groups were identified and the impact of gender and attainment measures for some of these factors was found. Future research directions are discussed as well.

Molecular and clinical epidemiology of carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii ST2 in Oceania: a multicountry cohort study

Carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAb) is categorised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pathogen of critical concern. However, little is known about CRAb transmission within the Oceania region. This study addresses this knowledge gap by using molecular epidemiology to characterise the phylogenetic relationships of CRAb isolated in hospitals in Fiji, Samoa, and other countries within the Oceania region including Australia and New Zealand, and India from South Asia. In this multicountry cohort study, we analysed clinical isolates of CRAb collected from the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in Fiji from January through December 2019 (n=64) and Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole Hospital (TTMH) in Samoa from November 2017 through June 2021 (n=32). All isolates were characterised using mass spectrometry, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and whole-genome sequencing. For CWMH, data were collected on clinical and demographic characteristics of patients with CRAb, duration of hospital stay, mortality and assessing the appropriateness of meropenem use from the treated patients who had CRAb infections. To provide a broader geographical context, CRAb strains from Fiji and Samoa were compared with CRAb sequences from Australia collected in 2016-2018 (n=22), New Zealand in 2018-2021 (n=13), and India in 2019 (n=58), a country which has close medical links with Fiji. Phylogenetic relationships of all these CRAb isolates were determined using differences in core genome SNPs. Of CRAb isolates, 49 (77%) of 64 from Fiji and all 32 (100%) from Samoa belonged to CRAb sequence type 2 (ST2). All ST2 isolates from both countries harboured blaOXA-23, blaOXA-66 and ampC-2 genes, mediating resistance to β-lactam antimicrobials, including cephalosporins and carbapenems. The blaOXA-23 gene was associated with two copies of ISAba1 insertion element, forming the composite transposon Tn2006, on the chromosome. Two distinct clusters (group 1 and group 2) of CRAb ST2 were detected in Fiji. The first group shared common ancestral linkage to all CRAb ST2 collected from Fiji's historic outbreak in 2016/2017, Samoa, Australia and 54% of total New Zealand isolates; they formed a single cluster with a median (range) SNP difference of 13 (0-102). The second group shared common ancestral linkage to 3% of the total CRAb ST2 isolated from India. Fifty eight of the 64 patients with CRAb infections at the CWMH had their first positive CRAb sample collected 72h or more following admission. Meropenem use was deemed inappropriate in 15 (48%) of the 31 patients that received treatment with meropenem in Fiji. Other strains of CRAb ST1, ST25, ST107, and ST1112 were also detected in Fiji. We identified unrecognised outbreaks of CRAb ST2 in Fiji and Samoa that linked to strains in other parts of Oceania and South Asia. The existence of Tn2006, containing the blaOXA-23 and ISAba1 insertion element, within CRAb ST2 from Fiji and Samoa indicates the potential for high mobility and dissemination. This raises concerns about unmitigated prolonged outbreaks of CRAb ST2 in the two major hospitals in Fiji and Samoa. Given the magnitude of this problem, there is a need to re-evaluate the current strategies used for infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship, and public health measures locally and internationally. Moreover, a collaborative approach to AMR surveillance within the Oceania region with technical, management and budgetary support systems is required to prevent introduction and control transmission of these highly problematic strains within the island nation health systems. This project was funded by an Otago Global Health Institute seed grant and Maurice Wilkins Centre of Research Excellence (CoREs) grant (SC0000169653, RO0000002300).

Assessing the Potential of Old and Modern Serbian Wheat Genotypes: Yield Components and Nutritional Profiles in a Comprehensive Study

Creating wheat genotypes characterized by high grain yield, high protein content, and favorable amino acid composition is the main goal of breeders, especially in developing countries where wheat is a staple food. An experiment with 20 wheat genotypes, released through breeding activities in the Serbian region at different periods and adapted to its pedoclimatic conditions, was conducted with the aim of determining the genetic potential of the analyzed genotypes for grain yield and quality. Due to the divergence of the examined wheat germplasm, the factor of genotype had the largest share in the variation of all yield parameters (>66%). The genotypes Zadruga and Agrounija exhibited superior abilities for overall grain yield. Also, genotype Zadruga stood out in a distinct cluster group due to high values of both thousand grain weight and grain yield per plant. A continuous improvement in protein content was found, with newer genotypes having 17.13% higher protein content compared with older genotypes. Genotype Sloga stood out with the highest protein content (13.93%). On the other hand, the old genotype Balkan was distinguished by the highest content of nonessential amino acids (61.5 g 100 g−1 protein), which makes it a good genetic resource. Genotypes Agrounija (32.62 g 100 g−1 protein) and Tanjugovka (32.47 g 100 g−1 protein) had the highest content of essential amino acids. The highest AAS value was established for tryptophan (1.81) and the lowest for lysine (0.61). Genotypes Tanjugovka and Zadruga had the highest AAS, i.e., protein completeness. The genotypes Zadruga, Tanjugovka, Agrounija, and Sloga have demonstrated high-yield capacity and possess a favorable amino acid profile, making them promising candidates for enhancing the nutritional quality of wheat and potentially benefiting human health.

Cardiomyocyte ryanodine receptor clusters expand and coalesce after application of isoproterenol.

Earlier work has shown that ventricular ryanodine receptors (RyR2) within a cluster rearrange on phosphorylation as well as with a number of other stimuli. Using dSTORM, we investigated the effects of 300 nmol/liter isoproterenol on RyR2 clusters. In rat ventricular cardiomyocytes, there was a symmetrical enlargement of RyR2 cluster areas, a decrease in the edge-to-edge nearest neighbor distance, and distribution changes that suggested movement to increase the cluster areas by coalescence. The surface area covered by the phosphorylated clusters was significantly greater than in the control cells, as was the cluster density. This latter change was accompanied by a decreased cluster fragmentation, implying that new tetramers were brought into the sarcoplasmic reticulum. We propose a possible mechanism to explain these changes. We also visualized individual RyR2 tetramers and confirmed our earlier electron-tomographic finding that the tetramers are in a disorganized but non-random array occupying about half of the cluster area. Multiclusters, cluster groups defined by the maximum distance between their members, were analyzed for various distances. At 100 nm, the areas occupied by the multiclusters just exceeded those of the single clusters, and more than half of the multiclusters had only a single subcluster that could initiate a spark. Phosphorylation increased the size of the multiclusters, markedly so for distances >100 nm. There was no relationship between the number of subclusters in a group and the area covered by it. We conclude that isoproterenol induces rapid, significant, changes in the molecular architecture of excitation-contraction coupling.

Exploring the Role of Educational Digitalization in Advancing Inclusivity within Universities

This research examines how the integration of digital tools in higher education can play a role in advancing social inclusion. The study employs quantitative methodologies. To establish connections among participants, descriptive analysis and cluster grouping techniques were utilized. The survey collected data from 516 undergraduate students across diverse universities in Peru, encompassing information about age, educational level, and gender. The outcomes reveal distinct clusters: Cluster 1 (chi-sqr = 29.78; p .001, max = 5.1), Cluster 2 (chi-sqr = 99.6; p .001), and Cluster 3 (chi-sqr = 13.1; p = .001). The results suggest that integrating digital tools into education can significantly contribute to enhancing social inclusion within higher education environments. Nevertheless, the degree to which digitalization fosters inclusivity is impacted by factors such as the quality of digital infrastructure, the digital proficiency of students and educators, and the chosen educational approach

Prognostic value of European LeukemiaNet 2022 criteria and genomic clusters using machine learning in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia.

This study aimed to validate the new European Leukemia Net (ELN) 2022 criteria for genetic risk stratification in older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to determine the most likely set of clusters of similar cytogenetic and mutation properties correlated with survival outcomes in three treatment groups: intensive chemotherapy (IC), hypomethylating agents (HMA) alone, and HMA plus venetoclax (HMA/VEN). The study included 279 patients (aged ≥60 years) who received IC (N=131), HMA (N=76), and HMA/VEN (N=72) between July 2017 and October 2021. No significant differences were observed in survival among the groups according to ELN 2022 risk stratification. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis identified nine genomic clusters (C1-9) with varying survival outcomes depending on treatment type. For example, C4 (predominant for core binding factor-AML) displayed a favorable prognosis in the IC group, but not in the HMA or HMA/VEN groups. The HMA/VEN group had better outcomes than the HMA group in many clusters (C1, 2, 3, and 5); however, the addition of VEN to HMA or IC did not improve the survival outcomes compared with those of HMA alone in C7 and C9 (predominant for -5, del(5q), -7, -17/abn(17p), complex karyotypes, and mutated TP53). The study highlights the limitations of ELN genetic risk stratification in older adults with AML. It emphasizes the need for a more comprehensive approach that considers co-occurring somatic mutations to guide treatment selection in older adults with AML.

Single User-Item Profile Matrix in Recommendations System

Recommendation systems play a vital role in assisting users across various domains, including movies, music, books, and products, by providing personalized and relevant item suggestions. One popular approach employed in recommendation systems is the utilization of a utility matrix. This.0 matrix captures user-item interactions, with each cell representing a user's rating or preference for a particular item. By analyzing the utility matrix, recommendation systems can uncover patterns and resemblance between items and users, enabling accurate predictions and personalized recommendations. Collaborative filtering techniques, such as user-based and item-based approaches, are commonly applied to leverage the utility matrix. These techniques exploit collective user preferences similarities to suggest relevant items to users. Furthermore, the incorporation of additional data, such as item attributes or contextual information, and the adoption of hybrid approaches can further enhance recommendation system performance and effectiveness. By harnessing utility matrices and collaborative filtering, recommendation systems deliver tailored recommendations that enrich users' experiences and facilitate the discovery of items aligned with their individual preferences.
 Single User-Item Profile Matrix (SUIPM) is an algorithm which predicts missing feature value like ratings, scores, rankings etc. It uses linear process to predict the missing feature value (like, ratings, scores etc.) of each user within a user cluster or a group of user clusters according to the user’s activity and the preferences. Single User-Item Profile Matrix (SUIPM) algorithm predicts much faster than the Utility Matrix due to its low time complexity. The SUIPM algorithm mainly focuses on the improvement and the optimization of the prediction quality of the Utility Matrix in the recommendations system.

Methylome and proteome integration in human skeletal muscle uncover group and individual responses to high-intensity interval training.

Exercise is a major beneficial contributor to muscle metabolism, and health benefits acquired by exercise are a result of molecular shifts occurring across multiple molecular layers (i.e., epigenome, transcriptome, and proteome). Identifying robust, across-molecular level targets associated with exercise response, at both group and individual levels, is paramount to develop health guidelines and targeted health interventions. Sixteen, apparently healthy, moderately trained (VO2 max = 51.0 ± 10.6 mL min-1 kg-1 ) males (age range = 18-45 years) from the Gene SMART (Skeletal Muscle Adaptive Responses to Training) study completed a longitudinal study composed of 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) intervention. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were collected at baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of HIIT. DNA methylation (~850 CpG sites) and proteomic (~3000 proteins) analyses were conducted at all time points. Mixed models were applied to estimate group and individual changes, and methylome and proteome integration was conducted using a holistic multilevel approach with the mixOmics package. A total of 461 proteins significantly changed over time (at 4, 8, and 12 weeks), whilst methylome overall shifted with training only one differentially methylated position (DMP) was significant (adj.p-value < .05). K-means analysis revealed cumulative protein changes by clusters of proteins that presented similar changes over time. Individual responses to training were observed in 101 proteins. Seven proteins had large effect-sizes >0.5, among them are two novel exercise-related proteins, LYRM7 and EPN1. Integration analysis showed bidirectional relationships between the methylome and proteome. We showed a significant influence of HIIT on the epigenome and more so on the proteome in human muscle, and uncovered groups of proteins clustering according to similar patterns across the exercise intervention. Individual responses to exercise were observed in the proteome with novel mitochondrial and metabolic proteins consistently changed across individuals. Future work is required to elucidate the role of these proteins in response to exercise.

The Efficacy of Anthropometric Indicators in Predicting Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Using FibroScan® CAP Values among the Taiwanese Population.

The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) measurement obtained from FibroScan® is a low-risk method of assessing fatty liver. This study investigated the association between the FibroScan® CAP values and nine anthropometric indicators, including the abdominal volume index (AVI), body fat percentage (BFP), body mass index (BMI), conicity index (CI), ponderal index (PI), relative fat mass (RFM), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (fatty liver). We analyzed the medical records of adult patients who had FibroScan® CAP results. CAP values <238 dB/m were coded as 0 (non- fatty liver) and ≥238 dB/m as 1 (fatty liver). An individual is considered to have class 1 obesity when their body mass index (BMI) ranges from 30 kg/m2 to 34.9 kg/m2. Class 2 obesity is defined by a BMI ranging from 35 kg/m2 to 39.9 kg/m2, while class 3 obesity is designated by a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or higher. Out of 1763 subjects, 908 (51.5%) had fatty liver. The BMI, WHtR, and PI were found to be more strongly correlated with the CAP by the cluster dendrogram with correlation coefficients of 0.58, 0.54, and 0.54, respectively (all p < 0.0001). We found that 28.3% of the individuals without obesity had fatty liver, and 28.2% of the individuals with obesity did not have fatty liver. The BMI, CI, and PI were significant predictors of fatty liver. The BMI, PI, and WHtR demonstrated better predictive ability, indicated by AUC values of 0.72, 0.68, and 0.68, respectively, a finding that was echoed in our cluster group analysis that showed interconnected clustering with the CAP. Therefore, of the nine anthropometric indicators we studied, the BMI, CI, PI, and WHtR were found to be more effective in predicting the CAP score, i.e., fatty liver.

Power-oriented resistance training combined with high-intensity interval training in pre-frail and frail older people: comparison between traditional and cluster training set configurations on the force–velocity relationship, physical function and frailty

ObjectivesTo analyse the force–velocity relationship changes in response to two different training programmes differing in the set configuration (cluster vs. traditional), and their impact on physical function and frailty in pre-frail and frail older adults.Methods43 pre-frail and frail (Frailty Phenotype ≥ 1 criteria) older adults (81.4 ± 5.1 years) participated in this study. Participants were assigned to cluster (CT; n = 10; 10-s intra-set rest), traditional (TT; n = 13; no intra-set rest) or control (CON; n = 20) groups. Force–velocity relationship (F0, V0 and Pmax), physical function (Short Physical Performance Battery, SPPB) and frailty (Frailty Phenotype, FP) were assessed at baseline and after the training programme.ResultsBoth CT and TT groups showed similar improvements in Pmax after training (CT = + 36.7 ± 34.2 W; TT = + 33.8 ± 44.6 W; both p < 0.01). V0 was improved by both CT (+ 0.08 ± 0.06 m s−1; p < 0.01), and TT (+ 0.07 ± 0.15 m s−1, p > 0.05). F0 remained unchanged in CT (+ 68.6 ± 224.2 N, p > 0.05) but increased in TT (+ 125.4 ± 226.8 N, p < 0.05). Finally, SPPB improved in both training conditions (CT = + 2.3 ± 1.3 points; TT = + 3.0 ± 1.2 points; both p < 0.05) and in the CON group (+ 0.9 ± 1.4 points, p < 0.05). CT and TT reduced their FP (CT = − 1.1 criteria; TT = − 1.6 criteria; both p < 0.01), while no changes were observed in the CON group (− 0.2 criteria, p = 0.38).ConclusionsBoth training methods were equally effective for improving Pmax, physical function and reducing frailty in pre-frail and frail older people. TT may be effective for improving both force and velocity parameters, while CT may be effective for improving velocity parameters alone, although further research is required to confirm these findings.

Review of the Formulation of the Professional Certification Scheme

Certification schemes in Indonesia have become an essential issue in this decade. This research describes how to formulate a Professional Certification Scheme in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative method. The research approach was carried out in a descriptive and literature study. Data comes from regulations and reference journal articles. The data were analyzed descriptively to explain how the Certification Scheme was formulated. The results of this study found that the formulation of the Certification scheme in Indonesia refers to the Regulation of the National Professional Certification Agency Number: 2/BNSP/VIII/2017. A Professional Certification Scheme can be formulated based on the KKNI (Qualification Level), Occupation/Occupation, and Cluster (group). The preparation of the Professional Certification Scheme document refers to Format A as stated in the National Professional Certification Agency Regulation Number: 2/BNSP/VIII/2017. The government must allocate resources to produce various formulations of Professional Certification Schemes required by Indonesian employment stakeholders.

Assessment of Bangladeshi rice landraces for drought tolerance under controlled environment

Drought is one of the major challenging abiotic stresses for rice production in Bangladesh. This study investigated 48 rice landraces obtained from different Eco-zones of Bangladesh for their drought tolerance characteristics. Significant variation was observed in morpho-physiological traits such as length of root and shoot, dry weight of root and shoot, leaf stomatal resistance and stomata number. Stomatal conductance, root length, root dry weight showed significant correlation with visual drought score. A cluster analysis based on morpho-physiological characteristics identified six cluster groups and most of the promising drought tolerance landraces were found in cluster VI. Five landraces - Dhapa, Dud Kalam, Dular, Hogla Pata and Keora showed key desired characteristics for dry weight, stomatal conductance, evapotranspiration, water use efficiency and root parameters for drought tolerance. These landraces could be potential sources in breeding program for the development of drought tolerant rice varieties. Bangladesh Rice J. 26 (1): 1-16, 2022

Features of social development and emotional well-being among preschool children conceived with assisted reproductive technologies

Introduction. An important aspect of modern preschool education is the social development and emotional well-being of children. Regarding children born as a result of ART, there is a lack and inconsistency of data on psychosocial development and well-being. The research objective is to identify the features of social development and emotional well-being in children conceived with ART, in comparison with children born from natural pregnancy (during preschool childhood). Materials and methods. The data of a Prospective Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Study (PLIS) of Child Development after the child reaches the age of 4 years were used. The sample consisted of 90 children born with ART, and 130 children born from natural pregnancy (NP). The scale "Prosocial behavior" from test "Behavior of your child" (BEH), the scale "Communicative problems" from the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers methodology; the scales "Positive attitude to others", "Problems of behavior in society" and "Emotional well-being" from the test "Your child is at home" were used. Methods of data analysis: U-Mann-Whitney test; correlation analysis (r-Spearman), etc. Results. The majority of ART and NP children are characterized by pronounced prosocial behavior, positive attitude towards others, absence of demonstrated behavior problems in society and problems in communication with other people, emotional well-being. Nevertheless, problems of behavior in society prevail (U=4153.5; p=0.05) in ART children. There were no differences between boys and girls (p&gt;0.05). Regardless of the type of conception, two significantly different (p≤0.05) cluster groups were identified: (1) with more pronounced prosocial behavior, positive attitude to others and emotional well-being, less pronounced behavior problems in society, (2) with less pronounced prosocial behavior and positive attitude to others, with emotional distress, more pronounced problems of behavior in society. In children with ART, cluster groups differed (p≤0.05) in the severity of communication problems. In both groups, indicators of prosocial behavior, positive attitude to others, problems of behavior in society and emotional well-being are interrelated (p≤0.05). In the NP group (unlike ART), communication problems are associated with all indicators, except for a positive attitude towards others. Conclusion. The features of social development and emotional well-being of children conceived with ART in comparison with children with NP (during preschool childhood) are revealed, individual variants and possible trajectories of children's development are shown, which will allow to more accurately determine the targets of psychological and pedagogical impact and make assistance to children and families who have used ART more effective, differentiated and purposeful.

Multiusers parallel competitive channel protocol based on unsaturated service

In order to enhance the area throughput of next generation wireless local area network (WLAN) in high density scenarios, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) has been adopted as one of the key technologies in the next generation WLAN communication standards. However, the performance of the existing media access control (MAC) degrades significantly under unsaturated services. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi-user parallel contention channel MAC (MU-MAC) based on unsaturated services, which can effectively reduce the channel access conflict and improve the OFDMA access efficiency of cluster member nodes. On this basis, MU-MAC is enhanced for the spatial clustering group (SCG) formation protocol and support for the unsaturated service characteristics. Further, the optimal access radius when the service is in a non-saturated state is analyzed to make the relevant theoretical analysis more generally, and the expressions for the throughput and area throughput of the proposed protocol are modeled and derived. The simulation results verify the correctness of the theoretical analysis and the efficiency of the protocol performance. The results show that MU-MAC outperforms IEEE 802.11ax and OMAX protocol in area throughput by 40.72% and 104.15%, respectively.

Variability and association among tuber yield and yield related traits of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes in Debre markos district, north west Ethiopia

Twenty five potato genotypes were tested 5*5 simple lattice design in Debremarkos, north western Ethiopia, during the main rainy season of 2019. The objectives of the study were to assess the nature and magnitude of variability, to estimate the genotypic and phenotypic association among characters and to cluster genotypes based on their genetic similarity and divergence. The analysis of variance showed the presence of significant (P < 0.05) differences among genotypes for all trait. The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) ranged from 8.8 to 58.70% and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) from 5.62 to 35.17%. The values for heritability in broad sense and genetic advance as percent of mean ranged from 22.98 to 91.25% and 5.55–69.17% respectively. Tuber yield per hectare showed a positive and highly significant (P < 0.01) correlation with marketable tuber yield both at the genotypic and phenotypic levels. Tuber yield showed positive, negative and significant (P < 0.05) correlation with plant height, average number of tuber, average tuber weight and small tuber size at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Cluster analysis had revealed that the 25 genotypes were grouped in 5 distinct clusters. Maximum and minimum average intra cluster D2 was obtained in cluster III (D2 = 5.69) and cluster IV (D2 = 2.63) respectively. This shows that there is a maximum genetic recombination is expected from the hybridization of the parents selected from divergent cluster groups. Principal component analysis showed that the first seven principal components accounted for 84.65% for the observed variations among potato genotypes.

E-Commerce Product Recommendation System Using Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) and K-Means Clustering

This research proposes and implements an e-commerce product recommendation system that combines Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) and K-Means Clustering algorithms. The main aim of this research is to provide more personalized and relevant product recommendations to e-commerce users. The CBR approach leverages users' transaction history to provide customized recommendations, whereas K-Means Clustering groups users with similar preferences increase the relevance of recommendations. This study assesses the effectiveness of the system by conducting a comprehensive evaluation by comparing system recommendations with actual user preferences. The results of this study reveal that the combined approach of CBR and K-Means Clustering can improve the performance of e-commerce product recommendations, ensure the accuracy of recommendations, and produce a more satisfying shopping experience for users. Although there are limitations in terms of the dataset used and the choice of algorithm parameters, this research makes an important contribution in developing a more adaptive and personalized recommendation system for e-commerce platforms.

A data-driven analytic approach for investigation of electricity demand variability for energy conservation programs

Targeting and designing effective demand response and energy efficiency strategies is a challenging task owing to the variations in electricity usage patterns. To address this problem, we attempt to propose a clustering and Kullback-Leibler (KL) Divergence-based solution to understand the variability across the different consumption patterns. The proposed unsupervised approach utilized hierarchical clustering technique for segmenting the customers based on the similarity in their consumption behaviour, followed by the incorporation of the KL divergence to quantify the variability for different features of customer's load profiles. These features aid in understanding the diversity in load shapes. Depending on the different features, the results reveal that a few of the consumers having certain distinctive consumption can be easily considered as potential for demand flexibility, while others require careful consideration for program offerings. The result also shows significantly higher day-to-day variations in the clustered groups and can be managed by designing suitable behavioural modification strategies. The variability assessment of individual customer profiles helps better comprehend the diversity in usage behaviour. It leads to informed decision-making in planning demand response and energy efficiency initiatives, which was not taken into consideration in the previous studies.

Tracking longitudinal biomarkers in burn patients with sepsis and acute kidney injury: an unsupervised clustering approach

BackgroundSepsis is a grave medical disorder characterized by a systemic inflammatory response to infection. Furthermore, it is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in hospitalized patients. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of sepsis and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Patients with burns are particularly vulnerable to developing sepsis and AKI due to the extensive tissue damage and immune suppression resulting from burn injury. In this study, unsupervised clustering algorithms were used to track longitudinal biomarkers in patients with burns and assess their impact on mortality.MethodsThis retrospective study included adult patients with burns aged ≥ 18 years, who were admitted to the burn intensive care unit of Hallym University and Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital between July 2010 and December 2021. The patients were divided into two subgroups: those with sepsis (538 patients) and those without sepsis (826 patients). The longitudinal biomarkers were grouped into three clusters using the k-means clustering algorithm. Each cluster was assigned a letter from A to C according to its mortality rate.ResultsThe odds ratio (OR) of pH was 9.992 in the positive group and 31.745 in the negative group in cluster C. The OR for lactate dehydrogenase (LD) was 3.704 in the positive group and 6.631 in the negative group in cluster C. The OR for creatinine was 2.784 in the positive group and 8.796 in the negative group in cluster C. The OR for blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in the negative group was 0.348, indicating a negative predictor of mortality. Regarding the application of Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) and ventilation, ventilation was significant in both groups. In contrast, CRRT application was not significant in the sepsis-positive group. Furthermore, it was not selected as a variable in the negative group.ConclusionsThe pH, LD, and creatinine were significant in both groups, while lactate and platelets were significant in the sepsis-positive group. In addition, albumin, glucose, and BUN were significant in the sepsis-negative group. Continuous renal replacement therapy was not significant in either group. However, the use of a ventilator was associated with poor prognosis.

Multivariate Analysis for Post Harvest Quality and Yield Attributes in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Aim: To study the multivariate analysis, genetic parameters and correlation for post harvest quality and yield traits in tomato.&#x0D; Study Design: The variability in the twenty genotypes of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was evaluated for 18 yield attributes and post harvest quality traits using randomized block design and analyzed with multivariate methods.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Twenty genotypes of tomato augmented from Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi were sown during rainy season at Horticulture Research Farm of Banaras Hindu University.&#x0D; Methodology: The unweighted pair group method of the average linkage (UPGMA) cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the data. Canonical discriminant analysis showed the contribution of each trait to the classification of the tomato accessions into different cluster groups.&#x0D; Results: The first seven principal components (PC) explained 87.83% of total variation and has eigen values &gt;1. The traits that mainly contributed for this variation in PC1 and PC2 are fruit yield, plant height, number of flower clusters per plant, number of fruits per plant, days to first fruit set, number of fruits per cluster. High (&gt;20%) genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was observed for number of fruits/cluster, fruit shape index, number of fruits/plant, fruit yield and shelf life. The correlation coefficients of number of primary branches/plant, days to first fruit set, number of flower clusters/plant, number of fruits/cluster, fruit width (cm), number of fruits/plant, fruit weight (g) and lycopene (mg/100 g) were positively and significantly correlated to fruit yield/plant.&#x0D; Conclusion: Number of flower clusters/plant, fruit weight and number of fruits per plant had contributed for maximum variation. These traits also had high heritability, high genetic gain and significant correlation with fruit yield.

Managing With Atrial Fibrillation: An Exploratory Model-Based Cluster Analysis of Clinical and Personal Patient Characteristics

BackgroundExamining characteristics of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has the potential to help in identifying groups of patients who might benefit from different management approaches. MethodsSecondary analysis of online survey data was combined with clinic referral data abstraction from 196 patients with AF attending an AF specialty clinic. Cluster analyses were performed to identify distinct, homogeneous clusters of AF patients defined by 11 relevant variables: CHA2DS2-VASc score, age, AF symptoms, overall health, mental health, AF knowledge, perceived stress, household and recreation activity, overall AF quality of life, and AF symptom treatment satisfaction. Follow-up analyses examined differences between the cluster groups in additional clinical variables. ResultsEvidence emerged for both 2- and 4-cluster solutions. The 2-cluster solution involved a contrast between patients who were doing well on all variables (n = 129; 66%) vs those doing less well (n = 67; 34%). The 4-cluster solution provided a closer-up view of the data, showing that the group doing less well was split into 3 meaningfully different subgroups of patients who were managing in different ways. The final 4 clusters produced were as follows: (i) doing well; (ii) stressed and discontented; (iii) struggling and dissatisfied; and (iv) satisfied and complacent. ConclusionsPatients with AF can be accurately classified into distinct, natural groupings that vary in clinically important ways. Among the patients who were not managing well with AF, we found 3 distinct subgroups of patients who may benefit from tailored approaches to AF management and support. The tailoring of treatment approaches to specific personal and/or behavioural patterns, alongside clinical patterns, holds potential to improve patient outcomes (eg, treatment satisfaction).