Distinct Sets Research Articles

Noise Differentiation and Atom Number Measurement in Optical Lattice Clocks by Analyzing Clock Stabilities with Various Parameters

We propose a method that enables the precise determination of the number of atoms in a Dick-noise-free optical lattice clock, by effectively addressing quantum projection noise. Our approach relies on conducting stability measurements at three distinct parameter sets, allowing us to differentiate between quantum projection noise, photon shot noise, and technical noise. Importantly, it enables accurate extraction of the atom number, even in the presence of photon shot noise and technical noise. We utilize numerical simulations to validate our approach, optimize the modulation parameters for minimal uncertainty, and investigate the impact of atom number fluctuations on the determinacy of our results. The numerical results show the validity of our method and demonstrate an estimated uncertainty in the atom number that is below 4% with 6.7 h measurement, provided that the standard deviation of atom number fluctuation is kept below 0.14 times the average atom number.

Educational competencies for telehealth physical therapy: Results of a modified Delphi process.

Telehealth is becoming more prevalent in physical therapy, involving a whole host of clinical services. These services are often provided without structured training in telehealth, and no formal curricula currently exist for this purpose. To develop a set of educational competencies (ECs) to guide instruction of telehealth-related skills in entry-level programs (i.e., Doctor of Physical Therapy), existing programs (i.e., residencies and fellowships), and potential future post-graduate programs specific to telehealth physical therapy. Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants from diverse geographic locations and practice areas were invited to participate on an expert panel. A modified Delphi process was then used to evaluate the acceptability of draft ECs gathered from the extant literature by a steering group. Draft ECs were presented to the expert panel on a questionnaire, which asked expert participants to rate each draft EC according to applicability and clarity. Draft ECs were accepted if they met a priori established criteria for acceptability and clarity. Unendorsed ECs were revised by the steering group according to open-ended comments from respondents and presented during a subsequent round. Three rounds of surveys were undertaken. Thirty-eight participants formed the expert panel; 38 participants completed the Round 1 survey, 28 participants completed the Round 2 survey, and 24 participants completed the Round 3 survey. Delphi group members approved 48 ECs in the first round, 23 ECs in the second round, and 2 ECs in the third round. There were 4 ECs that remained unendorsed after the modified Delphi process. Endorsed ECs spanned 7 conceptual areas. Distinct sets of ECs characterized expected end points of first professional degree, existing residency and fellowship, and potential future telehealth physical therapy post-graduate program. Consensus-based ECs identified in this study may guide instruction in knowledge and skills relevant to physical therapy telehealth.

Assessing the effects of geometry and non-geometry related factors in work-zone crashes

Objective Work zones are unique in geometry and traffic management, utilizing special traffic signs, standard channelizing devices, appropriate barriers, and pavement markings. These configurations can introduce unexpected driving conditions, potentially posing risks to drivers. This analysis aims to explore potential differences in contributing factors between work-zone crashes where geometry was identified as a factor and those where it was non-geometry factor. To gain insights into driver injury severities in single-vehicle work-zone crashes, this study analyzed work zone crash data from Florida. Method This study employed random parameters logit models, accommodating potential variations in parameter estimates’ means and variances. The dataset encompassed a wide array of factors known to influence driver injury severity, encompassing crash characteristics, vehicle attributes, roadway features, prevailing traffic volume, driver profiles, and spatial and temporal considerations. Results This analysis yielded significantly distinct parameters for work-zone crashes, distinguishing between geometry-related and non-geometry-related factors (primarily the human factors). This distinction suggests a complex interplay between these factors. Notably, the marginal effects of individual parameter estimates exhibited marked differences between these two categories – geometry and non-geometry factors. Conclusion These findings contribute to the growing body of research indicating that geometric restrictions within work zones introduce a distinct set of risk factors compared to non-geometry-related factors. Recognizing the significance of geometric restrictions, beyond typical driving conditions, holds the implications for enhancing safety within various work zone configurations and offers valuable insights for crash scene investigators to pinpoint contributing factors accurately.

Comparative transcriptomics reveals common and strain-specific responses of human macrophages to infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) are closely related pathogenic mycobacteria known to cause chronic pulmonary infections in both humans and animals. Despite sharing nearly identical genomes and virulence factors, these two bacteria display variations in host tropism, epidemiology, and clinical presentations. M. bovis Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is an attenuated strain of M. bovis commonly utilized as a vaccine for tuberculosis (TB). Nevertheless, the molecular underpinnings of these distinctions and the intricacies of host-pathogen interactions remain areas of ongoing research. In this study, a comparative transcriptomic analysis was conducted on human leukemia macrophages (THP-1) infected with either MTB H37Rv or M. bovis BCG (Tokyo strain) to elucidate common and strain-specific responses at the transcriptional level. RNA sequencing was utilized to characterize the transcriptomes of human primary macrophages infected with MTB or BCG at 6 and 24 h post-infection. The findings indicate that both MTB and BCG induce substantial and dynamic alterations in the transcriptomes of THP-1, with a notable overlap in the quantity and extent of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Moreover, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis unveiled shared pathways related to immune response, cytokine signaling, and apoptosis. The immune response of macrophages to bacterial infections at 6 h exhibited significantly greater intensity compared to that at 24 h. Furthermore, distinct gene sets displaying notable variances between MTB and BCG infections were identified. The profound impact of MTB infection on macrophage gene expression, particularly within the initial 6 h, was evident. Additionally, downregulation of pathways such as Focal adhesion, Rap1 signaling pathway, and Regulation of actin cytoskeleton was observed. The pathways associated with inflammation reactions and cell apoptosis exhibited significant differences, with BCG triggering macrophage apoptosis and MTB enhancing the survival of intracellular bacteria. Our findings reveal that MTB and BCG provoke similar yet distinct transcriptional responses in human macrophages, indicating variations in their pathogenesis and ability to adapt to host environments. These results offer novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing host-pathogen interactions and may contribute to a deeper understanding of TB pathogenesis.

Proteome allocation and the evolution of metabolic cross-feeding.

In a common instance of metabolic cross-feeding (MCF), an organism incompletely metabolizes nutrients and releases metabolites that are used by another to produce energy or building blocks. Why would the former waste edible food, and why does this preferentially occur at specific locations in a metabolic pathway have challenged evolutionary theory for decades. To address these questions, we combine adaptive dynamics with an explicit model of cell metabolism, including enzyme-driven catalysis of metabolic reactions and the cellular constraints acting on the proteome that may incur a cost to expressing all enzymes along a pathway. After pointing out that cells should in principle prioritize upstream reactions when metabolites are restrained inside the cell, we show that the occurrence of permeability-driven MCF is rare and requires that an intermediate metabolite be extremely diffusive. Indeed, only at very high levels of membrane permeability (consistent with those of acetate and glycerol, for instance) and under distinctive sets of parameters should the population diversify and MCF evolve. These results help understand the origins of simple microbial communities, such as those that readily evolve in short-term evolutionary experiments, and may later be extended to investigate how evolution has progressively built up today's extremely diverse ecosystems.

A low-cost vision-based weld-line detection and measurement technique for robotic welding

ABSTRACT To make robotic welding more flexible and intelligent, artificial intelligence-based systems are one of the most important developments. This paper introduces a computer vision-based algorithm for weld path detection, gap measurement, and weld length calculation. The proposed innovative approach employs various image processing techniques and mathematical operations, accurately determining weld attributes at seam points. Using the YOLO-based object detection algorithm, the model attains a remarkable average precision of 99.5% in identifying atypical weld regions. The study also introduces an efficient boundary line elimination method based on the Probabilistic Hough transform and mathematical logic. Methodology for classifying weld lines with or without significant gaps has been proposed, followed by adapting distinct set of algorithms for weld line identification and gap measurement. Rigorous testing on butt joints of diverse shapes (e.g., straight, zig-zag, and curve) and sizes verifies the robustness of the algorithm, with errors well within ±1 mm for length measurements. In testing conducted at three different points along the individual weld profile, the maximum error in estimating the weld gap was observed to be 0.11 mm. Weld seam information can be extracted effectively with the proposed algorithm, which proves its viability for industrial applications.

Exploring the configuration of international HRM strategies for global integration and local responsiveness in MNEs

This study examines the configuration of international HRM strategies to understand how an MNE pursues global integration and local responsiveness simultaneously in HRM. Drawing upon cases of eight South Korean and Japanese MNEs, we identify different patterns of configuration of five international HRM strategies that shape distinct sets of activities. We show that the firms pursue global integration and local responsiveness simultaneously, but in distinct ways, by configuring international HRM strategies for both integration and responsiveness rather than solely just relying on either one. Our findings offer insight into how MNEs actually manage the duality of global integration and local responsiveness at the strategy level beyond the hybridization of global standardization and localization of practices.

PAF1c links S-phase progression to immune evasion and MYC function in pancreatic carcinoma

In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), endogenous MYC is required for S-phase progression and escape from immune surveillance. Here we show that MYC in PDAC cells is needed for the recruitment of the PAF1c transcription elongation complex to RNA polymerase and that depletion of CTR9, a PAF1c subunit, enables long-term survival of PDAC-bearing mice. PAF1c is largely dispensable for normal proliferation and regulation of MYC target genes. Instead, PAF1c limits DNA damage associated with S-phase progression by being essential for the expression of long genes involved in replication and DNA repair. Surprisingly, the survival benefit conferred by CTR9 depletion is not due to DNA damage, but to T-cell activation and restoration of immune surveillance. This is because CTR9 depletion releases RNA polymerase and elongation factors from the body of long genes and promotes the transcription of short genes, including MHC class I genes. The data argue that functionally distinct gene sets compete for elongation factors and directly link MYC-driven S-phase progression to tumor immune evasion.

Media framing xylazine as a “zombie drug” is amplifying stigma onto people who use drugs

Amid increasing efforts to understand xylazine-associated harms, examining the potentially catastrophic role of stigma resulting from media outlets framing xylazine as the “zombie drug” is imperative. Zombies are cinematically depicted as soulless, dangerous, and required to be killed off entirely for public safety, making the “zombie” analogy especially grave amid the fatal overdose crisis. Xylazine is called the “zombie drug” due to its heavy sedative effect and associated-severely infected skin ulcers. We surmise that wide-scale media framing of xylazine as the “zombie drug” has increased stigmas onto people who use drugs as their likening to zombies reifies subhuman status. The present commentary highlights many media headlines and quotes that use “zombie” terminology when writing about xylazine, and examine how this expansive media framing amplifies stigmas. Xylazine's proliferation in the illicit drug market will likely increase infected ulcers needing medical attention. People who use drugs are often reluctant to seek medical care due to experiences of medically-institutionalized stigma. Based on the media's extensive depiction of xylazine as the “zombie drug,” it is plausible that medical practitioners have been exposed to this stigmatizing framing, which could unknowingly detrimentally impact provision of medical care. Strategies to offset harms of xylazine-associated stigmas are proposed, including that medical practitioners undergo evidence-based training to reduce stigmatizing responses to severe xylazine-associated ulcers as any indication of enacted stigma can be internalized by the person seeking treatment, which in turn can perpetuate harms like sepsis or overdose. Author ethnographic observations of xylazine presence are included, which encompass three distinct urban settings that span North America. Finally, we suggest approaches media outlets could adopt to reflect on how referring to xylazine as the “zombie” drug amplifies stigmas onto people already surviving under structural conditions heightening physical and mental trauma, and use language instead that could aid in lessening these harms.

Dietary macronutrient composition impacts gene regulation in adipose tissue

Diet is a key lifestyle component that influences metabolic health through several factors, including total energy intake and macronutrient composition. While the impact of caloric intake on gene expression and physiological phenomena in various tissues is well described, the influence of dietary macronutrient composition on these parameters is less well studied. Here, we use the Nutritional Geometry framework to investigate the role of macronutrient composition on metabolic function and gene regulation in adipose tissue. Using ten isocaloric diets that vary systematically in their proportion of energy from fat, protein, and carbohydrates, we find that gene expression and splicing are highly responsive to macronutrient composition, with distinct sets of genes regulated by different macronutrient interactions. Specifically, the expression of many genes associated with Bardet-Biedl syndrome is responsive to dietary fat content. Splicing and expression changes occur in largely separate gene sets, highlighting distinct mechanisms by which dietary composition influences the transcriptome and emphasizing the importance of considering splicing changes to more fully capture the gene regulation response to environmental changes such as diet. Our study provides insight into the gene regulation plasticity of adipose tissue in response to macronutrient composition, beyond the already well-characterized response to caloric intake.

Psychographic Profiling of Prospective Organic Skin Care Product Users

Global organic skin care market is expected to be valued at ₹159 billion by 2027. Asian countries are the most sought after by organic skin care brands due to increasing preference among women to buy products with safer and greener ingredients. Owing to the potential of organic skin care products in the near future, in the current study we have carried out a psychographic segmentation of women who intend to use organic skin care products. At prima facie, the current study is the first that segments young women who are prospects for the organic skin care industry. This is a pioneering approach to understand the lifestyle of women who use skin care products and are interested in using organic skin care brands. The deductive approach of questionnaire survey method has been adapted to collect the responses from purposive sampling of young Indian women using skin care brands. The data was analysed by applying exploratory factor analysis and K-means cluster analysis. The results revealed that three distinctive psychographic sets of young women namely ‘The Pococurante’, ‘The Trailblazers’ and ‘The Moderates’ are based on nine lifestyle factors. Further, the study also highlights the differences between the psychographic profiles from a marketing point of view. It promises to be beneficial to marketers to incorporate lifestyle as a key factor in the marketing mix of organic skin care brands. Depending on the dominant lifestyle factors in each cluster, unique marketing messages can be curated to attract each cluster towards organic skin care products.

Paleozoic evolution of the Yukon-Tanana terrane of the North American Cordillera, NW British Columbia

Abstract The origins and primary relationships between tectono-stratigraphic units are fundamental to the terrane concept in accretionary orogens, but they are challenging to assess in metamorphic terranes. In NW British Columbia, three tectonically bounded metamorphic suites of the Yukon-Tanana terrane formed in distinct tectonic settings, based on high-spatial-resolution geochronology and immobile trace-element geochemistry. The Florence Range suite comprises late Neoproterozoic or younger to pre–latest Devonian metasedimentary rocks derived from continental crust, 360 ± 4 Ma calc-alkaline intermediate orthogneiss, and 357 ± 4 Ma amphibolite with oceanic-island basalt composition, consistent with rifting of a continental margin. The detrital signature is dominated by late Mesoproterozoic zircon, which indicates different sources than other parts of the Yukon-Tanana terrane. The Boundary Ranges suite comprises pre–Late Devonian metasedimentary rocks derived in part from a mafic source, amphibolite derived from subduction-zone metasomatized mantle, and 369 ± 4 Ma to 367 ± 7 Ma calc-alkaline felsic to intermediate orthogneiss. The Whitewater suite comprises meta-chert, graphite-rich metapelite, and amphibolite with back-arc basin basalt composition consistent with an anoxic basin near a volcanic source. Our data indicate that the Florence Range and Boundary Ranges suites were separate until at least the Early Mississippian and may have formed a composite terrane since the Permian, whereas the relationship with the Whitewater suite is uncertain. We compare the Paleozoic evolution of the Yukon-Tanana terrane in NW British Columbia with several modern analogues in the west and southwest Pacific Ocean.

Exploring nurses' clinical judgment concerning the relative importance of fall risk factors: A mixed method approach using the Q Methodology

BackgroundNurses are pivotal in averting patient falls through their assessment of cues presented by patients and their environments, rendering clinical judgments regarding the risk of falling, and implementing tailored interventions. Despite the intricate cognitive processes entailed in nurses' judgment, no prior studies have explored their approach to assessing the risk of falling. ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine how nurses judge the risk of falling among patients with different conditions, whether there are differences in the importance of risk factors as judged by nurses, how they justify their judgments, and what attributes of the nurses influence their judgments. DesignA mixed method approach using the Q Methodology was employed. Setting(s)Three public and private hospitals in Japan. ParticipantsEighteen nurses participated in the study. MethodsParticipants were tasked with ranking 36 patient scenarios, each featuring a distinct set of fall risk factors. Subsequently, post-sorting interviews were conducted to gather insights into their typical approach to assessing fall risk and the rationale behind their ranking decisions. A by-person principal component factor extraction was employed to examine differences in the rankings of the scenarios. The interview data were analyzed descriptively to elucidate the reasons behind these discrepancies. ResultsNurses engage in complex cognitive manipulations when evaluating the risk of patient falls, drawing extensively from their wealth of experience while utilizing assessment tools to support their judgments. In essence, nurses identify patients' tendency to act alone without calling a nurse, impaired gait and cognition, sedative use, drains, and limited information sharing among healthcare professionals as key fall risks. In addition, nurses vary in the importance they attribute to certain risk factors, leading to the discrimination of three distinct judgment profiles. One group of nurses judges patients with cognitive impairment and acting alone as high risk. Another group of nurses considers patients with unstable gait and acting alone as high risk. The last group of nurses sees patients wearing slippers as high risk. The post-sorting interviews revealed that their judgments are closely related to the healthcare context and patient population. ConclusionsNurses operate within diverse contexts, wherein they interact with patients of varying characteristics, collaborate with professionals from diverse disciplines, and have access to varying levels of human and physical resources. This nuanced understanding empowers the formulation of judgments that are finely attuned to the specific context at hand. Study registrationNot registered.

Fast building detection using new feature sets derived from a very high-resolution image, digital elevation and surface model

ABSTRACT Detecting building rooftops with very high-resolution (VHR) images is an important issue in many fields, including disaster management, urban planning, and climate change research. Buildings with varying geometrical features are challenging to detect accurately from VHR image due to complicated image scenes containing spectrally similar objects, illumination, occlusions, viewing angles, and shadows. This study aims to detect building rooftops with high accuracy using a new framework that includes VHR image, visible band difference vegetation index, digital surface and elevation models, the terrain ruggedness and the topographic position index. Five distinct feature sets were generated in order of importance by exposing the ten related stacking features to a feature selection procedure using the maximum relevance minimum redundancy method. Then, Auto-Encoder, k-NN, decision tree, RUSBoost, and random forest machine learning algorithms were utilized for binary classification. Random forest yielded the highest accuracy (97.2% F-score, 98.72% accuracy) when all features (F10) were used, while decision tree was the least successful (59.16% F-score, 83.56% accuracy) for RGB feature set (FRGB). It was revealed that classification of F10 with random forest increased F-score by about 23% compared to classification with FRGB. Additionally, McNemar’s tests showed no statistically significant difference between random forest vs k-NN and decision tree vs RUSBoost.

Economics of Information Search and Financial Misreporting

ABSTRACTI examine how investors’ search for different types of information affects managers’ reporting decisions. I distinguish investors’ search for information about firm fundamentals (“fundamental search”) from their search for information about managers’ incentives (“incentive search”). Based on a parsimonious model of misreporting, I predict that fundamental search reduces the earnings response coefficient, which reduces managers’ benefits from misreporting, resulting in less misreporting. In contrast, incentive search increases the earnings response coefficient, which increases the benefits from misreporting, resulting in more misreporting. I test these predictions using an empirical technique that classifies EDGAR downloads as fundamental search or incentive search. Consistent with my theoretical predictions, I find that fundamental (incentive) search is negatively (positively) related to the earnings response coefficients and intentional restatements. I confirm my findings in two distinct empirical settings where the costs of information search exogenously changed: the adoption of XBRL and the electronic filing mandate of Form 4s. Collectively, the results show that investors’ information demand can shape managers’ reporting decisions, and its effects can vary depending on the type of information investors search for.

A shift in redox conditions near the Ediacaran/Cambrian transition and its possible influence on early animal evolution, Corumbá Group, Brazil

The Ediacaran–Cambrian transition witnessed some of the most important biological, tectonic, climatic and geochemical changes in Earth’s history. Of utmost importance for early animal evolution is the likely shift in redox conditions of bottom waters, which might have taken place in distinct pulses during the late Ediacaran and early Paleozoic. To track redox changes during this transition, we present new trace element, total organic carbon and both inorganic and organic carbon isotopes, and the first iron speciation data on the Tamengo and Guaicurus formations of the Corumbá Group in western Brazil, which record important paleobiological changes between 555 Ma to < 541 Ma. The stratigraphically older Tamengo Formation is composed mainly of limestone with interbedded marls and mudrocks, and bears fragments of upper Ediacaran biomineralized fossils such as Cloudina lucianoi and Corumbella werneri. The younger Guaicurus Formation represents a regional transgression of the shallow carbonate platform and is composed of a homogeneous fine-grained siliciclastic succession, bearing meiofaunal bilateral burrows. The new iron speciation data reveal predominantly anoxic and ferruginous (non-sulfidic) bottom water conditions during deposition of the Tamengo Formation, with FeHR/FeT around 0.8 and FePy/FeHR below 0.7. The transition from the Tamengo to the Guaicurus Formation is marked by a stratigraphically rapid drop in FeHR/FeT to below 0.2, recording a shift to likely oxic bottom waters, which persist upsection. Redox-sensitive element (RSE) concentrations are muted in both formations, but consistent with non-sulfidic bottom water conditions throughout. We interpret the collected data to reflect a transition between two distinct paleoenvironmental settings. The Tamengo Formation represents an environment with anoxic bottom waters, with fragments of biomineralized organisms that lived on shallower, probably mildly oxygenated surficial waters, and that were then transported down-slope. Similar to coeval successions (e.g., the Nama Group in Namibia), our data support the hypothesis that late Ediacaran biomineralized organisms lived in a thin oxygenated surface layer above a relatively shallow chemocline. The Guaicurus Formation, on the other hand, records the expansion of oxic conditions to deeper waters during a sea level rise. Although the relationship between global biogeochemical changes and the activities of early bioturbators remains complex, these results demonstrate an unequivocal synchronous relationship between oxygenation of the Corumbá basin and the local appearance of meiofaunal bioturbators.

Geochemistry and petrology of Early Permian lacustrine shales in the Lodève Basin, Southern France: Depositional history, organic matter accumulation and thermal maturity

The lacustrine shales in the Lodève Basin, southern France, serve as excellent archives of paleo-lake development as well as climatic evolution during the Early Permian. In this study, an extensive dataset is presented encompassing organic petrographic data, major and trace element quantification, bulk and molecular organic geochemical proxies, as well as compound-specific stable carbon isotope data derived from the analysis of 36 black shale outcrop samples originating from the Usclas-St. Privat Formation (USPF), Tuilières-Loiras Formation (TLF), and Viala Formation (VF). All sample are thermally oil-mature, as evident from a vitrinite reflectance (VRr) of around 0.8%. The lower section of the USPF, characterized by notably higher total sulfur (TS) concentrations, displays total organic carbon (TOC) and TS contents spanning from 2.69 to 7.83 (avg. 4.28) wt% and 0.42–1.55 (avg. 1.09) wt%, respectively. In contrast, the upper section of the USPF (average TOC of 2.59 wt%), TLF (average TOC of 2.66 wt%), and VF (average TOC of 3.17 wt%) exhibit considerably lower TS contents of 0.26 wt%, 0.22 wt%, and 0.17 wt%, respectively. The lower section of the USPF, characterized by the lowest pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratio and the highest TS/TOC ratios and chemical index of alteration (CIA) values, was deposited in oxygen-depleted and saline lacustrine environments. These conditions prevailed under more humid climatic conditions and were probably related to marine incursions. In contrast, the upper section of the USPF, the TLF, and the VF display elevated Pr/Ph ratios but reduced TS/TOC and CIA values, signifying deposition within oxic-dysoxic and freshwater-brackish bottom water conditions with a significant change towards arid conditions. All samples are characterized by low vitrinite and inertinite contents together with consistently similar average values of Al2O3 and TiO2. The biomarker analysis suggests that the organic matter (OM) in most samples mainly originates from planktonic/algal biomass with additional microbial OM. Only the lower section of the USPF displays a slightly enhanced contribution of terrestrial OM input and also more detrital elements. It is concluded that the structural evolution of the basin from narrow deep towards wider and shallower settings as well as the postulated marine transgressive events during early stages played a crucial role in shaping the deposition environments of the two distinct sets of lacustrine shales, thereby influencing the OM accumulation mechanisms. In contrast, the substantial climatic aridification seems to have a relatively minor impact on the sources of OM and the conditions prevailing within the water column.

Modeling of electromagnetic propagation inside jet engine environment using statistical electromagnetic approach

In this paper, the distribution of the electromagnetic field inside a complex jet engine environment is analyzed using statistical electromagnetics. The jet engine environment is an extremely complex geometry and exhibits random behavior due to the presence of moving metallic parts. This renders traditional analytical and simulation modeling techniques highly inefficient. To address this issue, two different approaches are proposed to model the propagation characteristics of the jet engine environment. The first is an innovative dynamic system approach based on dynamic system simulation which is inspired by the analysis of mechanically stirred reverberation chambers. In the dynamic system simulation the dynamic system, which is characterized by the rotation of a distinct set of blades, is primarily studied through the simulation program. A dimension scaling method is also introduced along with the dynamic system simulation to solve the complex jet engine environment. In the second approach, a novel statistical excitation method is applied to develop an equivalent model for the dynamic jet engine system. The studied jet engine is considered as a static jet engine system without blade rotation (static blades), but with a random excitation.A small signal analysis method is used to integrate the static and dynamic system parameters to generate random excitation characteristics of the static system. The extracted electric field values from the dynamic jet engine simulation environment and the static system field values from the small signal analysis have been analyzed statistically to prove the statistical equality between the two systems. The numerical results of the static system model are presented and verified through comparison with finite element method simulation packages.

Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Tectonic Tremors in the Collisional Orogen of Taiwan

AbstractTaiwan offers a distinctive tectonic setting as a collisional orogen, ideal for studying tectonic tremors and the slow deformation process in the mountain‐building process. Using continuous seismic data at many stations, which have become available recently, and employing the envelope correlation method, we detected ∼7,000 tremor events from 2012 to 2022, with waveform characteristics similar to tectonic tremors worldwide. Beyond the previously known tremor zone beneath the southern Central Range, where newly detected tremors align along a low‐angle thrust plane, we identified several new tremor “hotspots” spanning 200 km along the mountain belt. These hotspots are situated at the termination of the subducting slabs and around the deep (25–50 km) extension of the Central Range fault, where repeating earthquakes occur at a depth of 10–25 km. Our findings suggest a strong linkage between the tremor generation mechanism and the mountain‐building process, potentially influenced by underground fluid and temperature anomalies.

Differences in corporate social responsibility implementation between Slovak and Czech companies

In recent years, corporate social responsibility has emerged as a pivotal factor for corporations in cultivating a favorable public perception. Despite this, many companies remain uncertain about the integration and rationale behind incorporating it into their core business strategies. This study aims to discern dissimilarities in implementing corporate social responsibility initiatives between Slovak and Czech companies, addressing the triple bottom line framework. This approach is a metric for evaluating a company’s achievement across three dimensions: social, environmental, and economic. The study is predicated on a questionnaire survey conducted among a sample of 180 Slovak and 180 Czech companies operating as subsidiaries of multinational corporations as typical implementers of corporate social responsibility activities in emerging economies. Following the triple bottom line framework, three distinct sets of variables were formulated to account for social, environmental, and economic activities using the Mann-Whitney U Test to ascertain statistically significant disparities between Slovak and Czech companies. The findings indicate that the surveyed companies from monitored countries exhibited no notable distinctions in environmental endeavors. However, discrepancies were discerned in economic activities, specifically relating to post-sales or post-warranty customer services, which was significant with a small effect size (0.19). In social activities, significant differences were observed concerning adherence to the principle of equal opportunities in the workplace. Based on these outcomes, it is recommended that future investigations delve more extensively into the monitored parameters within the Visegrad countries. AcknowledgmentThe paper was prepared within the project “Etika v podnikaní na Slovensku” no. 01/2022/GA FEM SPU supported by Grant Agency – Faculty of Economics and Management – Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra and internal grand of AMBIS college.