Current Environment Research Articles

New reinforcement learning based on representation transfer for portfolio management

Portfolio management is an important financial task, which helps to activate the capital market and boost investor confidence by finding a long-term profitable policy. Reinforcement learning is one of the most prospective method for this task. However, the policy learnt by reinforcement learning lacks robustness, because current studies cannot overcome the distribution shift between the dynamics of the current environment and the future environment. To better tackle this issue, we proposed a method that can align the distributions of different environment dynamics in a pre-trained representation space, thereby enhancing the robustness of the optimal policy in future environments. The key insight of this method is to only extract shared representation between the current and the future, which is the high-level latent information that spans across sequences. This information exists everywhere in the historical sequence, so it can be assumed that it will not disappear in the near future, thus align the distribution of different environment dynamics in this representation space. Such representations are learnt by encoding the current and the future into representations and maximizing their mutual information using probabilistic contrastive loss. Experiments demonstrates the superior performance and universality of our method.

Statistical Analysis of Inflationary Processes’ Impact on Economic Development: Trends, Mechanisms and Models

"In the current environment of global economic instability and growing competition, statistical analysis plays a key role in forecasting complex economic phenomena. The inflationary process is one of the crucial aspects that determine the economic situation in a country. Inflation, as a complex phenomenon, has a significant impact on pricing and financial stability. The analysis of the scientific literature shows a growing interest in studying the impact of inflationary processes on economic development. The research in this area reveals various aspects of the interaction between inflation and key economic indicators such as production, employment, and investments. The research findings systematize information on the mechanisms and models underlying the interaction between inflation and economic growth. They contribute to the formulation of strategies for managing financial stability. While writing this article, the authors analyzed the dynamics of the inflation rate in Ukraine over the past ten years. The analysis aims to reveal various factors that affect inflationary processes and their impact on multiple aspects of the economic system. The dynamics of inflation, as well as models that help to forecast economic changes, were determined through the prism of statistical analysis. The study of inflation statistical indicators in the context of economic development aims to broaden the understanding of this phenomenon. It also helps to provide grounds for further research and effective management of the country’s economy. The authors analyze the impact of inflation on economic development, reveal the factors that lead to price fluctuations and unemployment, and discuss the importance of statistical analysis for understanding and managing economic phenomena."

Vulnerability and adaptation of maize smallholder farmers to climate change: a Sub-Saharan African context

This study analyzed smallholder maize farmers' perceptions of climate change vulnerability and adaptation strategies in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The study used a cross-sectional quantitative approach, with smallholder farmers selected based on farm size (less than 10 hectares). Using simple random sampling techniques, 210 smallholder farmers in South Kivu Province was selected from October and November 2021. The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-tests, Tobit regression model and structural equations modeling, which demonstrated that demographic and socioeconomic factors influenced smallholder farmers' perceptions and adaptation strategies to climate change. The findings revealed that the level of education, size of the field, and activities of smallholder farmers had significant effects on climate change perception and adaptation strategies. Smallholder farmers' perceptions had a negative (p < 1%) influence on maize smallholder farmers' adaptation to climate change. Common efforts should be made to encourage smallholder farmers to feel committed enough to implement climate change adaptation measures that are effective in mitigating or preventing climate change risk. The results of this study would have implications for policies to support maize smallholder farmers in their efforts to mitigate and resilient to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa. Firstly, the promotion of climate literacy must be sufficient to provide farmers with information on climate and forecasting. Secondly, to empower smallholder farmers with means and resources to prevent and reduce the effects of climate change. Lastly, enhancing the current environment for the agriculture sector will advance community inclusivity and food security.

Exploring the influence of content attributes and emotional factors on user engagement in social media: A comprehensive review

In the current digital environment, it is essential to do research to comprehend the dynamics of user involvement on social media platforms. The purpose of this study is to examine how user engagement is shaped by the interaction between emotional aspects like sentiment analysis and emotional valence and content features like multimedia elements, language styles, and thematic relevance. We determine a wide range of studies about many aspects of the material that influence engagement, their efforts yield no results. Consequently, we highlight potential confounding variables that could account for these inconsistent results about the relationship between features and content engagement. We note that there is insufficient research to determine emotional reactions influence the association between content engagement and engagement. To ensure comprehensive study, future research should employ a wider communications plan created for the social media environment.

Правові аспекти забезпечення кібербезпеки в Україні: сучасні виклики та роль національного законодавства

The article identifies the peculiarities of the current state of cybersecurity in Ukraine and emphasizes the importance of applying effective legislation aimed at protecting the cyber structure, as well as choosing the best tools and mechanisms to combat cyber threats. For the purpose of this study, the author has selected the national legislation aimed at regulating the cybersecurity sector. The key aspects of legislation affecting cybersecurity and protection of information resources of Ukraine, in particular in the context of current challenges and threats of modern cyberspace, are quite effective today, as evidenced by the results of statistics on solving problems related to hacker attacks on Ukraine during the military conflict in 2022–2024. However, despite the fact that the current legislative acts create a solid basis for the development of Ukraine’s cybersecurity system, the article discusses issues that remain unresolved. In particular, the role of artificial intelligence in the field of data protection against cyberattacks in the current environment. The role of international cooperation in ensuring cybersecurity is also considered as one of the necessary conditions for ensuring the national security protection system of Ukraine.

Abstract 993: Comprehensive immunophenotypic strategies to enable equity in remote settings for improved cancer prognosis

Abstract Improved cancer prognosis begins with insights obtained from high quality data during clinical trials. Execution of longitudinal clinical trials in flow cytometry is complex, primarily due to logistical challenges in high quality sample collection. For instance, highly remote indigenous population centers are both disadvantaged in access to healthcare and often underrepresented in clinical trials. This paradox is highlighted in the case of Australian First Nations communities, for which lung cancer prevalence peaks in males at twice the magnitude of the general population. Our group has developed a novel blood “immune signature” that robustly predicts failure to make a clinical response to checkpoint therapies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Encouraged by these groundbreaking findings, which were achieved through applying a comprehensive 38-plex immunophenotyping CyTOF panel to biobanked cancer samples, recent advances in CyTOF technology now give us the opportunity to expand our clinical implementation to remote settings, with a further expanded panel to 50+ markers. CyTOF is the only technology that allows easily implemented remote asynchronous sample collection and the largest immunophenotyping panel that yields reproducible results. Asynchronous collection is uniquely enabled using a stable lyophilized large-scale staining panel and achieving comprehensive marker coverage in one panel minimizes blood sample required. Furthermore, the new technology enables a highly simplified workflow including blood collection and processing in remote locations to enable the simplest clinical trial infrastructure complexity and cost, easily implemented in current hospital lab environments. As such, this study is designed to ultimately demonstrate both clinical impact of the large panel and utility of CyTOF technology for highly simplified and robust workflow for multi-site clinical trials. This project has 3 phases; i) implementation and evaluation of the collection, analysis technique and data management of this new approach across multiple sites, ii) collection of samples for analysis both pre- and post- initiation of therapy to establish efficacy and optimize as necessary, and iii) blinded clinical trial. We will report on the first phase of this project which is implementing new workflow across clinical collection site, data integration and analysis. This workflow would enable highly simplified collection to access indigenous and under-served populations spread across remote sites in Australia. Citation Format: Natalie J. Smith, Michael Cohen, Julie Alipaz, Christina Loh, David King, Barbara Fazekas de St Groth, Helen M. McGuire. Comprehensive immunophenotypic strategies to enable equity in remote settings for improved cancer prognosis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 993.

Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning to path planning in uncertain ocean currents for Underwater Gliders

This paper studies the application of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) in the field of underwater glider (UG) formation path planning and solves the path planning of glider formation in uncertain ocean currents. Facing the uncertain ocean current environment, based on the observation and collection of ocean current data by the overall ocean observation system, the glider formation needs to have the ability of path planning. The original DRL algorithm network architecture is simple, and the feature extraction ability is limited. According to the characteristics of ocean current and path planning, a Deep Convolutional Neural Network for uncertain ocean current environment (Duo-CNN) network architecture with a dual-branch structure is proposed. Based on the DRL, the glider model and the interaction between the glider and the environment are used to guide the path planning through the implicit prediction of the known ocean current data. A solution for formation construction, obstacle avoidance, and path planning of glider formation in a dynamic uncertain ocean current environment is provided. The simulation verifies the effectiveness of the path planning of the glider formation using the DRL of the dual-branch Duo-CNN architecture. Compared with other architectures with feature extraction ability, Duo-CNN has advantages.

Race to the poles: the thermal response of the transcriptome of two range-expanding pelagic amphipod species

IntroductionHyperiid amphipods of the genus Themisto are a key polar zooplankton group in terms of biomass and play an important role as prey for higher trophic levels. They are prone to undergo changes in abundance and distribution in the course of the ongoing environmental changes. In the Southern Ocean, Themisto gaudichaudii is predicted to expand its distribution poleward. In the Arctic, the boreal-Atlantic T. abyssorum increases in abundance, resulting in an increased competition with a genuine polar congener. It is not known, however, whether T. gaudichaudii and T. abyssorum have the potential to efficiently adapt to changing water temperatures at their current distribution range or whether they will be shifting their ranges poleward.MethodsWe exposed the two Themisto species from different geographic populations to temperature-change experiments, a cold treatment and a heat-shock treatment. After that, we carried out transcriptome sequencing to compare gene expression patterns in the different treatments and species.ResultsWe show that under similar heat conditions, T. gaudichaudii differentially expressed more genes (26-fold change) than T. abyssorum. Furthermore, we observed qualitative differences between genetic clusters in T. gaudichaudii.DiscussionThe differences observed between genetic clusters in T. gaudichaudii suggest that evolutionary divergence can be linked to changes in the regulatory pathways involved in temperature stress. These could influence the capacity of each genetic cluster to cope differently with temperature changes. In contrast to its congeneric species, T. abyssorum showed a pronounced adaptive flexibility to thermal stress; it appears to have the ability to continue its poleward expansion but may also cope with increasing temperatures in its current environments. Our findings contribute to understand the response of two range-shifting Themisto species to thermal stress in view of the environmental gradients they encounter throughout their current or future distribution ranges.

Glacial geomorphology of the Vanch River basin, the western Pamirs, Tajikistan

ABSTRACT Geomorphological mapping of glaciers and glacial landforms helps describe the current environment and investigate past glacial changes. Here we present the first detailed 1:80,000 glacial geomorphological map of the Vanch River basin (about 2100 km2), the western Pamirs, Tajikistan [38.6667°N, 72.0000°E]. Mapping was performed using DEM (30 m), Landsat 8 imagery (15 m), and Google Earth images (∼1 m). The resultant map provides the spatial distribution of glaciers and associated erosional and depositional landforms such as cirques, glacial valleys, rock glaciers, and moraines. Morphology of the lower section of the main valley outlines the limits of Vanch Glacier in the Middle Pleistocene. Comparison with former glacier inventories indicates that the glaciers have generally been stable, but the proportion of debris-covered areas has increased since 2007. The identified 184 intact rock glaciers represent hidden water storage, providing a new basis for estimating water resources in the basin.

Optimized data management and secured federated learning in the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) with blockchain technology

The increasing need for improved medical and healthcare monitoring systems is paramount in the current healthcare environment. This need is propelled by the continuously growing quantity of patient data, the imperative for instantaneous information, and the crucial significance of data security. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has been recognized as an essential technology for addressing healthcare requirements via the seamless integration of medical devices, sensors, and healthcare systems. Nevertheless, the effective administration and safeguarding of the extensive and delicate data produced by the IoMT present significant obstacles. The current methodologies often need to be revised to deliver holistic resolutions to these difficulties. To tackle these concerns comprehensively, the research proposed Optimized Data Management and Secured Federated Learning (ODMSM-FL), incorporating blockchain provenance. ODMSM-FL has been specifically developed to address the unique requirements of the IoMT via several capabilities, including decentralized data administration, federated learning, and solid security mechanisms based on blockchain technology. The system enhances data management capabilities, facilitating the adequate storage, retrieval, and exchange of medical data while safeguarding data privacy and maintaining data integrity. This study reports a set of numerical findings about essential performance metrics: transaction throughput (102.75 Kbps), block processing time (42.28 ms), data retrieval latency (64.02 ms), convergence rate (77.53 %), security (88.97 %), and accuracy (86.32 %). The findings prove that ODMSM-FL surpasses current methodologies, showcasing its exceptional capacity to improve data management, security, and overall performance within IoMT applications. The findings underscore the considerable potential of ODMSM-FL in effectively tackling the urgent data management and security issues in the IoMT, eventually making valuable contributions to the progress of healthcare systems and the enhanced welfare of patients.

Exploring Public Space Satisfaction in Old Residential Areas Based on Impact-Asymmetry Analysis

The renovation of public space environments in old residential areas has become the focal point in Chinese urban renewal and promotion of urban sustainable development; thus, an urgent need for research expansion is attached to identifying the environmental factors of public space and their impacts from the perspective of residents’ needs and satisfaction. Taking Hefei, China, as an example, and based on a satisfaction survey of the public space environment in old residential areas, this study discerned critical factors affecting public space satisfaction through gradient-boosting decision trees and impact-asymmetry analysis methods, after which the asymmetric relationship between public space environment factors and resident satisfaction was tested and the priority and goal of public space environment renovation were obtained. The results indicate that the following: (1) Compared with physical environment factors, current social environment factors, including uncivilized behavior, space occupation, and hygiene and cleanliness, exert a greater impact on the overall satisfaction. (2) The hypothesis that there exists a general nonlinear relationship between environmental factors and satisfaction is verified, with all social environment factors proving to be nonlinear and physical environment factors being highly related to social environment creation, such as nursing space for the old and young, reading and learning space, and display and communication space. (3) A priority hierarchy for the improvement of environmental factors should be established, which basically conforms to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. The role of social environment renovation should be highlighted, along with the necessity to bolster community governance and public space management. At the level of the physical environment, more space should be available for the activities of residents, display and communication, and reading and learning. This study can provide a corresponding theoretical basis and planning inspiration for meeting the multiple needs of residents for public space, improving life happiness, and promoting the sustainable development of cities in the renovation of public space environments in old residential areas.

Mathematics and Language: A One-to-One Correspondence in Bilingual Environments

Previous research has shown that language is an essential part of the development of mathematical skills and, specifically, in solving verbal problems. We know that using a different language from one’s mother tongue is highly beneficial for students, and that language plurality and bilingualism is more and more habitual and present in current educational environments. However, what is still not clear is how it influences certain tasks, especially the most naturalistic ones, such as the formation of the concept of numbers and in tasks with a greater verbal component, such as solving problems in the early ages. The present research examined the problem-solving performance of first- and second-grade elementary education students in bilingual environments, comparing the problem solving of students whose language of instruction (LI) is the same as their mother tongue (MT) and those whose MT differs from the LI. Through an analysis of variance, the results showed that there exist differences in change and combination problems. Discrepancies in performance were also found, depending on the evolutionary moment. These results suggest that it is necessary to study how the LI can shape mathematical skills in the early years.

Context Matters: How Experimental Language and Language Environment Affect Mental Representations in Multilingualism

The Revised Hierarchical Model (RHM) proposed by Kroll and Stewart has been one of the most influential models of late multilingual language processing. While the model has provided valuable insights into language processing mechanisms, the role of contextual factors for the RHM has not been investigated to date. Such contextual effects could be manifold, including individual speakers’ language profiles (such as age of acquisition, proficiency, and immersion experiences), experimental factors (such as different instruction languages), and environmental factors (such as societal language(s)). Additionally, it also appears promising to investigate the applicability of the RHM to non-native multilingual speakers from diverse backgrounds. To investigate whether some of the mentioned contextual factors affect non-native language processing, we designed three online experiments requiring answers in German and English, but tested speakers whose first language was neither German nor English. They performed a series of translation, picture-naming, and recall tasks based on Kroll and Stewart, as well as providing detailed information on their proficiencies, profiles of language use, and exposure. Experiment 1, conducted with speakers living in Germany, established the paradigm and investigated the role of individual differences in linguistic background. While Experiment 2 focused on the short-term effects of the experimental context by varying whether instructions were provided in German or in English, Experiment 3 examined the longer-term role of the current language environment by comparing individuals living in German-speaking countries with speakers living in societies where neither experimental language is spoken regularly. As in Kroll and Stewart, both the response language and the list type constituted key variables affecting response times and accuracy, known as language asymmetry and category interference. Importantly, the strength of this asymmetry was affected by participants’ immersion experiences, suggesting a certain dynamic development in multilingual language processing. In addition, context also seemed to play a role for experimental performance, especially the language environment examined in Experiment 3. Hence, speakers’ individual linguistic backgrounds and experience with the experimental languages, as well as additional contextual factors, need to be considered when conducting multilingual experiments and drawing conclusions about multilinguistic processing.

Self-assessment of the characteristics of nurses' work environment and psychometric analysis of the Slovene-language version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI)

Introduction: Measures to improve nurses' work environments include ensuring adequate staffing levels, recognising the importance of nursing work, involving nurses in decision-making processes, and improving interprofessional communication. The aim of this study was to analyse the job characteristics reported by nurses and their association with the dimensions of clinical practice environments in hospitals.Methods: A cross-sectional explorative research design was employed. The Slovene-language version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI(SI)) and data on nurses' job characteristics were used. A total of 1,010 nurses (403 general care nurses and 605 healthcare assistants) from ten Slovenian general hospitals participated in the study. Permission to conduct the research was granted by the Commission of the Republic of Slovenia for Medical Ethics.Results: The mean score of the PES-NWI(SI) was low (2.64), and the scale reliability was 0.937. The original theoretical five-factor structure was confirmed. The regression model explained the five factors in 26–47% of cases. The explanatory variables included opportunities for advancement, educational opportunities, professional status, satisfaction with current job and work environment, independence at work, and study leave.Discussion and conclusion: The study revealed managers' inadequate ability to ensure sufficient staffing, insufficient involvement of both respondents and managers in hospital affairs, and the lack of promotion opportunities. Creating an optimal work environment for nurses is an important task for managers and leaders. National healthcare policy must consider nurses as equal healthcare professionals and nursing as both a professional and scientific discipline.

Tracing back the birth environments of Type Ia supernova progenitor stars: a pilot study based on 44 early-type host galaxies

ABSTRACT The environmental dependence of Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) luminosities is well established, and efforts are being made to find its origin. Previous studies typically use the currently observed status of the host galaxy. However, given the delay time between the birth of the progenitor star and the SN Ia explosion, the currently observed status may differ from the birth environment of the SN Ia progenitor star. In this paper, employing the chemical evolution and accurately determined stellar population properties of 44 early-type host galaxies, we, for the first time, estimate the SN Ia progenitor star birth environment, specifically [Fe/H]Birth and [α/Fe]Birth. We show that [α/Fe]Birth has a $30.4^{\text{+10.6}}_{-10.1}{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ wider range than the currently observed [α/Fe]Current, while the range of [Fe/H]Birth is not statistically different ($17.9^{\text{+26.0}}_{-27.1}{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$) to that of [Fe/H]Current. The birth and current environments of [Fe/H] and [α/Fe] are sampled from different populations (p-values of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test &amp;lt;0.01). We find that light-curve fit parameters are insensitive to [Fe/H]Birth (&amp;lt;0.9σ for the non-zero slope), while a linear trend is observed with Hubble residuals (HRs) at the 2.4σ significance level. With [α/Fe]Birth, no linear trends (&amp;lt;1.1σ) are observed. Interestingly, we find that [α/Fe]Birth clearly splits the SN Ia sample into two groups: SN Ia exploded in [α/Fe]Birth-rich or [α/Fe]Birth-poor environments. SNe Ia exploded in different [α/Fe]Birth groups have different weighted-means of light-curve shape parameters: 0.81 ± 0.33 (2.5σ). They are thought to be drawn from different populations (p-value = 0.01). Regarding SN Ia colour and HRs, there is no difference (&amp;lt;1.0σ) in the weighted-means and distribution (p-value &amp;gt; 0.27) of each [α/Fe]Birth group.

Mediating Effect of Gender Based Violence on the Fit of Public Health Consequences and Societal Impact of Refugees in Uganda

Purpose: The current study was undertaken to establish the mediating effect of gender based violence on the fit of public health consequences and societal impact of refugees in Uganda so as to come up with a unified model for improvements in Uganda. The main objective was to investigate the mediating effect of gender based violence on the fit of public health consequences and societal impact of refugees in Uganda.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: In an effort to address the set objective, a cross-sectional survey design which followed both quantitative and qualitative research approaches was adopted. Data was collected from a total quantitative sample of 311 refugees. A qualitative sample of 68 of refugee stakeholders’ and officials from office of the Prime Minister in Uganda was determined by saturation point approach. The data was analysed at descriptive and inferential level, and later a Path Equation Model was fitted through Structural Equation Modelling in Stata Version 14.0.&#x0D; Findings: The key references in the study are (Moretti, S.,2021) who aver that in accordance with Division of International Protection, Gender based violence is preventable and UNHCR is committed to promoting gender equality and human rights and to protecting refugees and other persons of concern from GBV as well as (Heise,2018) who had earlier found Gender based violence brings negative public health consequences thus impacting society negatively. The overall result in regard to Gender Based Violence among refugees in Bidibidi camp indicate that it is highly practiced (M = 5.32, SD = 0.88). The results also indicated exists there exists a positive significant influence of Gender Based violence on public health consequences of the refugees (r = 0.379). The study results on the overall shows average level of social impact amongst the refugees (Mean = 3.26) but with a very high level of discrepancy (SD = 1.07&gt; 0.5) with some refugees and stakeholders reporting good levels of society impact. This relationship is statistically significant since the associated p – value of 0.000 is less than 0.05 (p &lt; 0.001). The study concluded that that sufficient evidence substantiates significant relationship exists between gender based violence and societal impact.&#x0D; Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Finally, the gender based violence and the other strategies had a total causal effect of 11.57% on societal impact. However, the society impact referred to only applied to the current environment which did not promise continued Survival into the future. Given that fact the study has proposed the Protracted Gender based Violence Diminution Model (PROGBVD MODEL) which guarantees not only societal impact but also tremendous reduction in gender based violence to an additional 21.2% to make it 32.77% sustained reduction. This, therefore, means that if the new Model is adopted, the refugees will not only be provided reduced Gender based Violence for a short period of time but will get it for many years to come. The Protracted Gender based Violence Diminution Model (PROGBVD MODEL) is, henceforth, the current study contribution to knowledge.

Numerical study on hydrodynamic characteristics of deep sea microfluidic eel energy capture device

Ocean current energy is a stable, reliable, and highly predictable renewable energy source. The effective development of ocean current energy conversion technology is beneficial in addressing the issue of power shortage. However, the majority of current velocities worldwide are below 1.5 m/s, limiting the feasibility of using conventional current energy capture devices. This paper presents a vortex induced vibration based deep sea microfluidic eel energy capture device (VIV-EEL) designed to efficiently harness energy in low-speed current environments. The system employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to develop a series of computational models that couple underwater multibody fluid-solid interactions. These models are subsequently validated through experiments. The study analyzed the flow field of VIV-EEL under different working conditions and discussed the impact of several dimensional parameters of the elastically supported cylinders, structural parameters of raft plates, and flow velocity on the hydrodynamic performance. The results demonstrate that the energy capture efficiency of VIV-EEL is enhanced by the vorticity vibration effect. It is evident that there exists an optimal radius size for the elastic support column to achieve the most favorable resonance effect in the flow field of VIV-EEL. The energy capture characteristics of the raft plate show a linear relationship with its structural parameters, enabling quantitative design according to the requirements of the power take-off system (PTO). Moreover, VIV-EEL exhibits a lower start-up flow velocity compared to traditional current energy capture devices, enabling it to initiate and capture energy at a flow rate of 0.3 m/s. This innovative solution offers technical support for efficient low-speed current energy capture.

Needs analysis for an undergraduate dental curriculum in KPK, Pakistan: Gap identification and general needs assessment.

Dental institutes continue to face challenges in making the transition from a discipline-based to an integrated curriculum. The need analysis is often the first step in the development and implementation of any curriculum. This study intends to carry out a needs analysis for a contemporary dental curriculum in private and public sector dental colleges of Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan. The mixed method study was carried out at public and private dental institutes in Peshawar from April to July 2022. To guarantee triangulation, data were gathered from three sources. The first source was an analysis of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council's dental curriculum accreditation standards. The second source was gathering the experts' perspectives, and the final source was a systematic literature search to explore the necessity for an integrated undergraduate dental curriculum from the experiences and expertise of contemporary curricula. Thematic analysis identified the need for the dental curriculum to be a five-year BDS program, involvement of students, and inclusion of digital dentistry and environmental sustainability in the dental curriculum. PMDC accreditation standards focus on alignment in mission, vision, curricular outcomes, an integrated curriculum, and a quality assurance system for assessment. Experts identified the need for a patient-centered curriculum focusing on integrated patient care. They also identified that the current educational environment should be improved to sustain a contemporary dental curriculum in Pakistan. For the literature review, nine articles were included in the final review. The current dental curriculum is not accommodating to the needs of the students in Peshawar. The current dental education environment lacks the infrastructure, logistics, and teacher training to sustain the standards set by PMDC.

The Economic Benefits of North Warning System Modernization

ABSTRACT This study examines the economic impacts of the North Warning System (NWS) modernization. It begins by first providing a summary of the creation and evolution of the North American Aerospace and Defense Command (NORAD) and the NWS with a specific intention of setting the stage for the discussion on subsequent areas. Understanding how NORAD and the NWS developed to where it is today is important to understand the choices available to the Canadian government moving forward. Next, the current security environment in Canada’s North will be reviewed. The impact of climate change and global warming, new technology, and new threats changes the strategic environment in the North and Canada needs to revisit how it approaches these challenges. Based on this review of the security environment, the literature on socioeconomic studies, electoral districts and defence spending in the North can be presented along with the empirical data that exists from past studies. The study looks at five scenarios taking a rough order of magnitude look at possible economic benefits to Canada’s three northern territories and Labrador based on the requirement for modernizing the NWS, a critical issue for the future defence of Canada and North America.

Modeling and Optimization of Turning Hastelloy C-276 under Sustainable Machining Environments

Due to their numerous applications in the aerospace, chemical, and nuclear power industries, environmentally responsible superalloy machining is a major problem in the current production environment. Additionally, Ni-based superalloys are regarded as difficult to manufacture because of their great strength under hot and chemically reactive settings. Therefore, it is necessary to machine these materials using adequate cooling and lubricating solutions. Current study has been based on the optimisation and modelling of turning Hastelloy C-276 under dry, flood, and least lubrication system. A Taguchi L-9 arrangement was used as plan of experiment and modeling was enabled through ANOVA, regression analysis and Taguchi optimization. The results depicted optimal parameters for surface roughness and temperature at v2-f1-d1-CE3 and v1-f2-d1-CE3. Likewise, for CRC and shear angle the best combination was observed at v3-f3-d2-CE2. From ANOVA analysis, the benefaction of C.E, depth of cut and feed rate on S.R been listed as 46.70%, 40.44% and 10.66%. Likewise, for temperature cutting speed has benefaction of (53.09%), cooling environment (23.94%), depth of cut (6.10%) and feed rate 5.49% . In similar fashion, CRC and Shear angle were influenced by feed rate and cutting speed having contribution of 62.89% and 5.15% respectively. Furthermore, minimum standard error between the fitted and observed values for S.R., temperature, CRC, and shear angle were calculated as 0.0149, 7.66, 0.267, and 1.80 units. Finally, the marginal reduction of cutting temperature and surface roughness through utilization of MQL implies the sustainable machining conditions.