Critical Criteria Research Articles

Identifying and Assessing the Critical Criteria for Material Selection in Storm Drainage Networks: A Stationary Analysis Approach

Recent years have seen a rise in the frequency and severity of extreme rainstorm events, which have caused widespread damage and death in numerous cities. The manufacture and use of storm drainage materials result in numerous environmental concerns in the construction industry. Green materials for storm drainage networks are environmentally friendly compared to their traditional counterparts. Identifying and assessing sustainability criteria for green materials for storm drain networks has been challenging. This study aims to determine the critical criteria for selecting green materials for storm drainage networks using a stationary analysis approach. To this end, a questionnaire survey was administered to Egyptian storm engineers to assess their importance based on a selection criteria 29 green materials. From the results obtained, “Operation and maintenance cost” and “Use of local material” were seen to be the “stationary materials”. The obtained findings in this research pave the way for the Egyptian storm industry towards becoming environmentally friendly, which will in turn improve the functioning mechanism of sewer networks.

A hybrid approach to explore the critical criteria of online supply chain finance to improve supply chain performance

With the rapid development of information and internet technologies, online supply chain finance is becoming increasingly important in improving supply chain performance from many perspectives, including capital and information. To fully understand the role of online supply chain finance, it is necessary to comprehensively assess the criteria of online supply chain finance that affect supply chain performance. Meanwhile, given the lack of relevant theoretical research and methodologies, this study proposes a hybrid approach that integrates fuzzy set theory, interpretive structural modelling and a Bayesian network to assess and identify the critical criteria. The results show that criteria such as the development of the supply chain industry, incentive mechanisms, e-commerce platforms and the quality of small and medium-sized enterprises are predominant in improving supply chain performance. Finally, some new findings and corresponding suggestions are also provided.

Using quantum spherical fuzzy decision support system as a novel sustainability index approach for analyzing industries listed in the stock exchange

This study aims to identify critical factors of the sustainability index (SI) and evaluate the industries listed in the stock exchange based on the performance of this index. For this purpose, a new fuzzy decision-making model has been created. Firstly, 12 different criteria for the SI are weighted by decision using trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology based on quantum spherical fuzzy sets (QFS) with golden cut. Secondly, SI performances of the 10 industry alternatives are ranked by extended technique for order of preference: according to similarity through an ideal solution (TOPSIS) with QFS. The main novelty of this study is to identify significant sustainability criteria for the companies to join this index with an original fuzzy decision-making methodology. For this purpose, the analysis results help the companies to act without incurring extreme costs. It is determined that the usage of renewable energy has a significant impact on all other criteria, and while using clean energy, the companies get a chance to improve other criteria of SI. Additionally, based on the weighting results, the use of renewable energy is the most critical criterion to be included in SI. Similarly, recovery of the resources also has a significant contribution. Finally, the ranking results indicate that communication and IT is the most successful industry for SI. Hence, it would be appropriate for businesses to attach importance to the use of renewable energy. In this way, the carbon emission problem would be minimized, and the image of businesses will rise in the eyes of both consumers and investors. In this framework, companies can join microgrid energy management systems to handle high-cost problems of renewable energy investment projects. Owing to microgrid energy applications, the costs of using renewable energy can be shared with other companies, and since this situation can reduce the cost per unit, it will be possible to increase the use of renewable energy.

Performance Analysis of an Optimized Asymmetric Multilevel Inverter on Grid Connected SPV System

The purpose of this research is to develop an efficient single-phase grid-connected PV system using a better performing asymmetrical multilevel inverter (AMI). Circuit component reduction, harmonic reduction, and grid integration are critical criteria for better inverter efficiency. The proposed inverter’s optimized topology requires seven unidirectional switches, three symmetric dc sources, and three diodes to produce an asymmetric fifteen level output; whereas, the same configuration will generate 7, 11, and 15-level output with an appropriate choice of dc source magnitudes. It is possible to reduce inverter losses and boost efficiency by decreasing the number of switches used. The integration of an asymmetric 15-level inverter with a grid-connected solar photovoltaic system is discussed in this article. A grid-connected solar photovoltaic (GCSPV) system is modelled and simulated using an asymmetric 15-level inverter. The dc sources of the 15-level inverter are replaced with PV sources. The results were analyzed with different operating temperatures and solar irradiance conditions. The GCSPV system is controlled by a closed-loop control system using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Harris Hawk Optimization (HHO), and Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization-Genetic Algorithm (PSOGA) based Proportional plus Integral (PI) controllers. Grid voltage, grid current, grid power, and total harmonic distortion (THD) of grid currents were analyzed. The performance of the 15-level asymmetric inverter was evaluated by comparing the THD of the grid current and the efficiency of the grid-connected photovoltaic system.

Acyl Glucuronide and Coenzyme A Thioester Metabolites of Carboxylic Acid-Containing Drug Molecules: Layering Chemistry with Reactive Metabolism and Toxicology.

Glucuronidation and CoA (coenzyme A) conjugation are common pathways for the elimination of carboxylic acid-containing drug molecules. In some instances, these biotransformations have been associated with toxicity (such as idiosyncratic hepatic injury, renal impairment, hemolytic anemia, gastrointestinal inflammation, and bladder cancer) attributed to, in part, the propensity of acyl glucuronides and acyl CoA thioesters to covalently modify biological macromolecules such as proteins and DNA. It is to be noted that, while acyl glucuronidation and CoA conjugation are indeed implicated in adverse effects, there are many safe drugs in the market that are cleared by these reactive pathways. It is therefore important that new molecular entities with carboxylic acid groups are evaluated for toxicity in a manner that is not unreasonably risk-averse. In the absence of truly predictable methods, therefore, the general approach is to apply a set of end points to generate a weight-of-evidence evaluation. In practice, the focus is to identify structural liabilities and provide structure-activity recommendations early in the program, at a stage where an attempt to improve reactive metabolism does not deoptimize other critical drug-quality criteria. This review will present a high-level overview of the chemistry of glucuronidation and CoA conjugation and provide a discussion of the possible mechanisms of adverse effects that have been associated with these pathways, as well as how such potential hazards are addressed while delivering a new chemical entity for clinical evaluation.

Critical element prediction of tracheal intubation difficulty: Automatic Mallampati classification by jointly using handcrafted and attention-based deep features

Preoperative assessment of the difficulty of tracheal intubation is of great importance in anesthesia practice because failed intubation can lead to severe complications and even death. The Mallampati score is widely used as a critical assessment criterion in combination with other measures to assess the difficulty of tracheal intubation. The performance of existing methods for Mallampati classification with artificial intelligence (AI) is unreliable to the extent that the current clinical judgment of the Mallampati score relies entirely on doctors' experience. In this paper, we propose a new method for automatic Mallampati classification. Our method extracts deep features that are more favorable for the Mallampati classification task by introducing an attention mechanism into the basic deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) and then further improves the classification performance by jointly using attention-based deep features with handcrafted features. We conducted experiments on a dataset consisting of 321 oral images collected online. The proposed method has a classification accuracy of 97.50%, a sensitivity of 96.52%, a specificity of 98.05%, and an F1 score of 96.52% after five-fold cross-validation. The experimental results show that our proposed method is superior to other methods, can assist doctors in determining Mallampati class objectively and accurately, and provide an essential reference element for assessing the difficulty of tracheal intubation.

Assessing Critical Criteria for Historical Archeological Buildings in Iraq

-This research was conducted to identify and evaluate the relative importance of the criteria in an archaeological building. Open and closed questionnaires were used and interviews with experts and specialists from many ministries and governorates were conducted to identify the most important criteria. The aim determines what factors influence historic archaeological building success, and which criteria should be used to determine the best response. The data were analyzed with the SPSS V25 program using the Relative Importance Index (RII) method to determine the relative importance of the considered 15 variables. RII allows the identification of the most important criteria based on responses from participants, and it is a useful tool for prioritizing indicators rated on Likert-type scales. The data were analyzed using a formula from a previous study's relative index analysis method. Providing information or a database of historic old buildings ranked first with RII = 92%, and providing information on the changes taking place in old buildings ranked second with RII = 88%.

Guidelines and workflow for virtual simulation.

49 Background: An important component of radiation treatment planning is the CT simulation which involves several steps including patient positioning, imaging in the treatment position, and placement of an isocenter, a point through which the central rays of the radiation beams pass. As radiation therapy is an important component of palliative treatment for metastatic cancer, some patients require multiple courses which may be temporally proximate. This creates a burden for patients who may be challenged with regard to mobility, distance, and logistics coordinating travel to the department. We sought a clinical workflow that maintains the integrity of the simulation process but allows the potential use of previously obtained treatment planning imaging to create a new treatment plan (i.e. virtual CT simulation). We present our workflow and experience here. Methods: A multidisciplinary group developed a virtual simulation workflow and identified critical criteria to safely and reliably proceed with virtual simulation. These included: time from initial CT simulation (< 14 days), adequacy of patient positioning and immobilization, as well as appropriate inclusion of the entire “virtual” planning treatment volume (PTV) and organs at risk (OARs) in the original scan. Specific virtual simulation care paths were created in treatment planning software (Aria®, Varian Medical Systems) for case tracking. A pilot was initiated to monitor the workflow for the first 10 patients and corrections to the workflow were made. Thereafter the program was randomly audited and the QA reporting system monitored for reported error events. Results: The virtual simulation workflow pilot was initiated in June 2020. Of the first 50 virtual simulation requests, 48 were approved (96%). Two cases were denied due to inadequate immobilization. There was only one event reported pertaining to set up uncertainty requiring clarification from physics. Conclusions: Given the success of the virtual simulation criteria and workflow we will continue this practice and will monitor the cases as well as RISQ events closely. Based on feedback we have received we will expand the window of time to request a virtual simulation from 14 days to 21 days after original simulation and will also allow for up to 3 virtual isocenters to be placed.

Impact of Climate Change on Crop-Pathogen Interaction: A Review

Crop response to climatic variation is critical criterion not only in yield and productivity but also, its interaction with pathogens. Disease triangle happens under a favourable weather, virulent pathogen and a susceptible host. Climate change influences both host plant and pathogens leading to altered interaction and disease cycle. Carbon dioxide is a major contributor in the green house gas phenomenon. The consequent influence of GHG effect on temperature due to warming and erratic seasonal weather has an impact on both plant and pathogen development. Physiological changes in plants impact pathogenicity and disease development. Altered crop physiology under climate change is more susceptible to biotic stress. Hence, it is essential to understand impact of climate change on host plants to know the disease dynamics.

254 Does Video Pre-Briefing Reduce Cognitive Load During a Simulated ACLS Scenario?

254 Does Video Pre-Briefing Reduce Cognitive Load During a Simulated ACLS Scenario?

Assessing the sustainability of community-based tourism: a case study in rural areas of Hoi An, Vietnam

Community-based tourism (CBT) has become a popular segment of sustainable tourism development worldwide to provide community welfare and empowerment. CBT has been pushed as one of the strategies for poverty alleviation, particularly in marginalized regions and communities. Thus, tourism has also experienced negative impacts creating a developmental conflict. This study proposes an integrated methodological approach that provides solutions for assessing tourism sustainability and advancing CBT development approaches and operations towards sustainability in rural communities in Hoi An, a heritage destination in Vietnam. The assessment is a combination of resident interviews, the fuzzy AHP approach, and the sustainability value of the Barometer of Sustainability. Retrieved from literature review, surveys and expert judgments, twenty-one indicators were selected to assess and evaluate the level of economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and management sustainability at a local scale. The final sustainability index reveals that CBT in Hoi An has overall potential sustainability. Economy, identified as the most critical criterion, ranked third in the sustainability level, while Culture-Society exceeded the potential sustainability score. Critical factors are community development policies, capacity building, full community participation and support, and environmental sustainability. The study contributes to the fragmented knowledge of assessing CBT sustainability and concludes that this is a reliable and feasible approach suggesting critical implications for sustainable development. It will appeal to policymakers, planners, and practitioners seeking more effective tools for planning and developing CBT.

The Challenges for Indonesia to Integrate Dual Vocational Education and Training System

The quality of Indonesian graduates from Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs is low and does not fulfil industry requirements and competencies. This is occurring since the talents or skills required by the sector differ from those accessible on the demand Hence, developing nations require practical VET systems and dual systems. Indonesia has recently attempted to examine the Dual Vocational Education and Training system in greater detail. This study investigates the challenges encountered by Indonesia throughout the implementation of its dual VET system and how they overcame them to ensure effective delivery. Notably, the primary goal of this literature study was to provide theoretically announced and policy-relevant understandings of the obstacles or challenges that every nation would encounter while establishing a dual system. This study combines empirical survey results from Germany and Switzerland to identify significant challenges and critical success criteria for the transfer. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were used to guide the conduct of a systematic review. The results show that the direct transfer or implementing present multiple challenges and difficulties that comprise Challenges for The Public Sector and The Public-Private. On the other hand, for a successful transfer of VET tight cooperation between all stakeholders and a shared awareness and deeper knowledge of the contextual conditions in the target nation are paramount. Therefore, the question of whether the dual VET system in German or Switzerland can be directly implemented in another country, without first examining specific challenges and difficulties of each context, must be clearly and systematically considered.

Analysis of pseudo-shakedown of rectangular plates under repeated impacts

The pseudo-shakedown behaviour of elastoplastic rectangular plates, made from mild steel or aluminium alloy, subjected to repeated impacts is studied using a numerical simulation method. In a previous study a simple critical displacement-based criterion was proposed to predict pseudo-shakedown and the concepts of two critical displacements, namely ‘necking displacement’ and ‘failure displacement’ have been proposed. The wide applicability of this critical displacement criterion is re-examined in this study. To quickly and precisely estimate the magnitudes of these two critical displacements, it is shown that to predict them it is possible to perform either a single impact or quasi-static punching. The mechanics behind predicting the critical displacements under repeated impacts by conducting either single impact or quasi-static punching is discussed and clarified.

Analysis of separation characteristics of multi-layer filter device for oil de-solidification treatment

Lubricating oil is easily polluted by solid particles, leading to lubricating failure which needs to be de-solidified. Mesh filters cannot simultaneously meet the requirements of filtration accuracy and service life. Thus, this study proposes to use a multi-layer filter device for de-solidification treatment. By introducing the critical deposition velocity criterion of particle-wall collision, coupling flow field governing equation and discrete-phase tracking equation, a numerical model for multi-layer filtration of solid particles in oil is established. The effects of the inlet flow rate and number of screen layers on the flow-field characteristics and filtration characteristics were studied, the de-solidification performance of the multi-layer filtration device was explored, and the rationality of the numerical model employed at present work was verified experimentally. Results show that the greater the deposition rate is, the higher the filtration efficiency is, and the more the deposition distribution is inclined to the upstream filter screen. The ratio of pore diameter to particle diameter (kd) that can be effectively handled by the multi-layer filter device is higher than 15.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticle-based hydroxyl and superoxide radical production for oxidative stress biological simulations

The present study introduces a TiO2 nanoparticle-based (TiO2-NP) system for the generation of •OΗ and O2•− upon visible photo-excitation, in order to be used for high oxidative stress biological simulations in vitro. The main novelties of TiO2-NP system are: It is set to produce •OΗ and O2•− alone or both (in contrast to •OΗ-based common use of TiO2), as these options cover all possible generation means of these radicals in biological systems in vivo. Moreover, the known non-specific electrostatic interactions of TiO2-NP with H2O and various biological systems (e.g., cells, membrane proteins, even drugs) simulate direct/distant interactions of any in vivo•OΗ, O2•− source with extra/intracellular biological targets taking place in a densely packed biomolecular environment. The TiO2-NP system can use any commercially available TiO2-NP source (dispersion, nanopowder, crystal type), as long as TiO2-NPs’ concentrations in use meet the critical criterion to produce •OΗ levels linearly proportional to irradiation time, set for a given simulation study. The TiO2-NP system is calibrated by a standardized protocol developed to be applicable to most biological systems, offering the option of TiO2-NP removal via coagulation when needed. The production rates of •OΗ and O2•− by the TiO2-NP system are specifically calibrated with the respective specific probes terephthalic acid (TPA) and hydroethidine (HE), and tested in comparison to the •OΗ-producing Fenton system. The reaction kinetics of •OΗ and O2•− with TPA and HE is found to be in competition with their generating source, the TiO2-NP system. Similar ROS source competition phenomena with biological targets (simulated by TPA/HE) are very common in biological systems. In contrast, the Fenton system is shown not to exhibit such competition kinetics. The TiO2-NP system can be used to study •OΗ/O2•− dose–response-depended oxidative modifications in biological simulations. This stems from the fact that •OΗ and O2•− linear production rates (60 min and up to 8 min, respectively) can be controlled by varying (i) TiO2 concentration, (ii) light-source photon emission energy (decreasing from 370 to 410 nm), and (iii) light intensity (as a function of the inverse of squared distance from the irradiated sample). In contrast, •OΗ production by the Fenton system reaches steady state in ∼5 s regardless of varying Fe-II concentration, rendering it inappropriate for •OΗ simulation studies on biological systems. The biological simulating potential of the TiO2-NP system, as producer of both •OΗ and O2•−, is also experimentally verified on indicative biological examples selected to structurally represent most biological systems: BSA, a model hydrophilic protein; LDL, structurally resembling most of the biological systems (cells, membranes, organelles, lipoproteins, proteins, lipids). The TiO2-NP system causes a linear increase of all the tested oxidative modifications on both BSA and LDL for irradiation exposure 20 to 40 min, which strongly suggests that they are mainly •OΗ dose-proportional. In contrast, the Fenton system does not display •OΗ dose-associated oxidative modifications on BSA.

Címereslevelek a Jagelló-kori Magyarországon •

The introductory part of the study reviews the historiography of research into jagiellonian letters patent of nobility and the art historical problems of the illuminations. a similar survey was compiled sixty years earlier by dénes radocsay. since then several deeds of granting armorial bearings have cropped up, and lots of new data have been found in historical sources about once existing, now lost or latent, letters patent. the introduction is not meant to thoroughly revise dénes radocsay’s groups compiled by style critical criteria, but it touches on several questions solved or seen more clearly now. For example, the mark of an early 16th century buda illuminator’s hand is preserved not only by letters with armorial bearings, but also by three fragmentary liturgical manuscripts, and the oeuvre of the so-called bakócz monogrammist – who painted the coats of arms in the most representative letters patent in greatest numbers during louis ii’s reign – has been considerably extended.A few words about the arrangement of the data in the list. the letters patent follow in chronological order, the years of granting emphasized for better orientation.Vladislav ii’s letters patent arranged by years are followed by a few items that cannot be dated accurately. line one traditionally contains the names of the grantees, modernized – if possible – but not in phonetic transcription gaining ground lately. (i attach the original form of the name in parentheses.) then come dating, measurements, place of preservation and (when known) provenance. the most important data are followed by the list of works in which the given diploma is mentioned. it includes hand-written – 18th and 19th century – mentions, copied texts, as well as items of the modern special literature.

Practical optimal design method for multi-outrigger building structures under inter-story drift constraints

This study proposes a practical optimal design method (PODM) for high-rise multi-outrigger structures subjected to inter-story drift constraints based on the optimality criteria method. The problem is solved through two-step calculations, which avoids time-consuming iterations owing to internal-force redistribution caused by member-section modifications, multiple inter-story drift constraints and multiple outriggers. Three parameters, namely the target virtual strain energy density (VSED), section-correction factor, and structural magnification factor, are established to relate the member-section sizes to the structural inter-story drift. The influence of internal-force redistribution is considered by adjusting the target VSED and section-correction factor based on the first trial calculation results to ensure precision. The multiple local inter-story drift constraints are converted to the unforced inter-story drift constraint, whereas the optimal design problem of the structures with multiple outriggers is solved by transforming it into the optimal design problem of the key module with the strictest demand by introducing the most critical constraint criteria. Finally, the effectiveness and accuracy of the PODM are validated using a 56-story structure and 50-story seven-bay framework.

Addressing skepticism of the critical brain hypothesis.

The hypothesis that living neural networks operate near a critical phase transition point has received substantial discussion. This “criticality hypothesis” is potentially important because experiments and theory show that optimal information processing and health are associated with operating near the critical point. Despite the promise of this idea, there have been several objections to it. While earlier objections have been addressed already, the more recent critiques of Touboul and Destexhe have not yet been fully met. The purpose of this paper is to describe their objections and offer responses. Their first objection is that the well-known Brunel model for cortical networks does not display a peak in mutual information near its phase transition, in apparent contradiction to the criticality hypothesis. In response I show that it does have such a peak near the phase transition point, provided it is not strongly driven by random inputs. Their second objection is that even simple models like a coin flip can satisfy multiple criteria of criticality. This suggests that the emergent criticality claimed to exist in cortical networks is just the consequence of a random walk put through a threshold. In response I show that while such processes can produce many signatures criticality, these signatures (1) do not emerge from collective interactions, (2) do not support information processing, and (3) do not have long-range temporal correlations. Because experiments show these three features are consistently present in living neural networks, such random walk models are inadequate. Nevertheless, I conclude that these objections have been valuable for refining research questions and should always be welcomed as a part of the scientific process.

12-Bit Clock Gated SAR-ADC for Bio-Medical Applications

Background/Objectives: Power optimization is a critical design criterion in modern integrated circuits. The unwanted clock signals are neutralized and the reduction in power consumption is made presumable by using the clock gating technique. Methods: Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are important components in these systems. A widely used successive approximation register A/D converter includes an internal clock, reference, and high resolution. The number of redundant cycles is increased with improved resolutions but enhances the consumption of power. Thus, the clock gating strategy is used to substantially lower the circuit’s dynamic power consumption. The clock gating technique is implemented with a reduced number of transistors to minimize the overhead with high switching activity. Also, demonstrate no imperfection on the clock duty cycle. Findings: A 12-bit clock gated SAR register using a D-flip flop with 1.8 V supply voltage is proposed in this study for efficient biomedical applications. SAR without a clock gating technique consumes 54 mW of power and SAR with a clock gating technique consumes a power of 22.68 mW. Novelty: The clock gating technique is stipulated to minimize power consumption of clock gated SAR-ADC and improves the battery life of the portable device. Keywords: Clock gated technique; power consumption; resolution; SARADC; successive approximation register

Biomaterial-targeted precision nanoparticle delivery to the injured spinal cord

Drug delivery requires precision in timing, location, and dosage to achieve therapeutic benefits. Challenges in addressing all three of these critical criteria result in poor temporal dexterity, widespread accumulation and off-target effects, and high doses with the potential for toxicity. To address these challenges, we have developed the BiomatErial Accumulating Carriers for On-demand Nanotherapy (BEACON) platform that utilizes an implantable biomaterial to serve as a target for systemically delivered nanoparticles (NPs). With the BEACON system, administered NPs are conjugated with a ligand that has high affinity for a receptor in the implanted biomaterial. To test BEACON, an in vivo spinal cord injury (SCI) model was used as it provides an injury model where the three identified criteria can be tested as it is a dynamic and complicated injury model with no currently approved therapies. Through our work, we have demonstrated temporal dexterity in NP administration by injecting 6 days post-SCI, decreased off-target accumulation with a significant drop in liver accumulation, and retention of our NPs in the target biomaterial. The BEACON system can be applied broadly, beyond the nervous system, to improve systemically delivered NP accumulation at an implanted biomaterial target. Statement of significanceTargeted drug delivery approaches have the potential to improve therapeutic regimens for patients on a case-by-case basis. Improved localization of a therapeutic to site of interest can result in increased efficacy and limit the need for repeat dosing. Unfortunately, targeted strategies can fall short when receptors on cells or tissues are too widespread or change over the course of disease or injury progression. The BEACON system developed herein eliminates the need to target a cell or tissue receptor by targeting an implantable biomaterial with location-controllable accumulation and sustained presentation over time. The targeting paradigm presented by BEACON is widely applicable throughout tissue engineering and regenerative medicine without the need to retool for each new application.