Diverse Criteria Research Articles

Developing a 15-minute city: Evaluating urban quality using configurational analysis. The case study of Terni and Matera, Italy

the pandemic and the post-pandemic scenarios pose the question of a radical transformation of cities based on criteria of diversity, density, and proximity to foster inclusion, sustainability, participation, and quality of life. The 15-minute city emerges as a robust concept to inform the adaptation of the urban environment to the post-pandemic scenario. The 15-minute city concept combines the components of density, proximity, diversity, and digitalization to increase residents' access to basic services, favour sustainable modes of transportation, and transform public urban spaces into multifunctional places. The proposed study focuses on the dimensions of density, proximity, and diversity. It develops a set of indicators derived from the configurational analysis to evaluate urban quality in terms of the potential to actualize the 15-minute city concept. The selected areas of study are the cities of Terni and Matera in Italy. The study addresses three issues: i) defining a set of relevant, reproducible, and comparable indicators for measuring density, proximity, diversity, and imageability at the district scale; ii) investigating the influence of distinct urban planning concepts, manifested and reproduced by the configuration of public spaces, on density, proximity, diversity, and imageability; and iii) defining urban scale metrics to measure levels of spatial injustice in terms of unequal conditions of access to basic services. The analysis underlines the gap in terms of access to basic services and imageability among central compact districts and dispersed outer areas. As a result, the case study underlines that the proposed set of indicators is instrumental to understanding the urban environment's potential to meet the needs of urban populations. Moreover, by enabling the identification of inequalities in the distribution of spatial capital, the proposed set of indicators facilitates informed decisions in the context of urban planning.

The Treatment of Municipal Solid Waste in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam: An Environmental and Technological Analysis of Current and Future Scenarios

The population growth of South-Asian countries is contributing significantly to the escalating volume of municipal solid waste (MSW). Presently, waste management in this region predominantly relies on landfilling, necessitating a shift towards a more sustainable paradigm. To address this imperative, this study explores the feasibility of extending the European-based waste management system for treating MSW in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Assuming as current scenario the direct disposal in landfill, the environmental and technical performances of five other proposed scenarios based on the following technologies were assessed: mechanical–biological treatment; incineration; their combination; mechanical recycling; composting and anaerobic digestion. As expected, all alternative technologies showed potential for improving the current scenario. However, from an environmental point of view, incineration of mixed MSW emerged as the sole option that yielded a discernible environmental benefit for all the countries involved in the study (achieving a carbon footprint of about −0.111 t-CO2-Eq./FU). Recycling-based scenarios achieved higher benefits for Thailand and Vietnam (−0.145 and −0.186 t-CO2-Eq./FU, respectively), but not Cambodia (0.072 t-CO2-Eq./FU) due to the lack of valuable materials to recycle. Technical findings showed how separate collection remains the system generating the least amount of waste for disposal (about 0.185 t), having a synergic effect on the combined approach of mechanical–biological treatment and incineration, which boasts the highest specific energy yield (about 0.339 and 1.183 kW/t, for electric and thermal energy, respectively). These results underscore the imperative to extend the analysis to the economic domain, combining diverse criteria to identify the most sustainable solution.

Student Ranking Based on Learning Assessment Using the Simplified PIPRECIA Method and CoCoSo Method

The problems that occur in determining the best students based on the learning process of the assessment process are still based on the academic scores of students and have not considered the learning process carried out by students. This study aims to apply the Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) method in ranking students based on learning assessment using criteria of academic progress, problem-solving ability, mastery of skills, independence, motivation and positive attitude, adaptability, and for weighting the criteria used to apply the Simplified PIPRECIA (Pivot Pairwise Relative Criteria Importance Assessment) weighting method. The Simplified PIPRECIA method is particularly useful in situations where there are diverse criteria to be considered and complex decisions must be made taking into account the preferences and interests of various stakeholders. The Combined Compromise Solution Method is useful when there are conflicts in various criteria that need to be considered in the decision-making process. With this approach, each criterion is weighted and carefully calculated, so that the resulting decisions reflect comprehensive considerations that can meet various requirements and constraints. Based on the results of student rankings based on assessments in learning in the table above, rank 1 was obtained by students with Student ID 1211313 with a final grade of 6.487, rank 2 was obtained by students with Student ID 1211316 with a final grade of 6.402, and rank 3 was obtained by students with Student ID 1211314 with a final grade of 5.814.

Computational Segmentation of Timber Slabs with Free Column Placement

Modular floor slabs must be subdivided into prefabricable, transportable segments. This slab segmentation process conventionally uses a rectangular pattern, particularly for timber buildings. Regular segmentation patterns and strict column grids are ideal for rectangular building shapes, but restrict timber buildings to only some architectural uses, and are unideal for urban infill. Unfortunately, planning and constructing multi-storey wood buildings without a strict grid is still challenging. There is therefore a conflict between the desired column placement and the constraints imposed by building systems. This article investigates novel methods for segmenting timber floors supported by irregular column layouts. It proposes six different segmentation methods that are informed through Co-Design by structural, material waste, and transportation requirements. Co-Design allows for the direct integration and automated feedback of such diverse criteria into the early building design phase. These methods are based on three well-known computational approaches: Single-Objective Optimisation, Parametric Modelling, and Agent-Based Modelling. They could also be applied to other non-timber prefabricated floor systems. The segmentation methods are demonstrated on two example floor slabs with irregular column layouts, one with a rectilinear and the other with an irregular outline. The methods are compared using quantitative proxies for cost, fabrication time, architectural adaptability, and assembly complexity. More benchmark testing is needed, but initial results showed that the most efficient segmentations cannot adapt to irregular layouts, emphasising the need for a more adaptable approach to modular timber construction.

Exploring the impact of partner match on business model innovation: the mediating role of interfirm dynamic capabilities-based on ecosystem orchestration perspective

PurposeWithin the context of an open innovation business environment, the frequent interaction and coordination activities among heterogeneous partners have a significant impact on enterprises' business model. Nevertheless, fewer empirical research has been made to explore how to match external partners and update organizational dynamic capabilities at an ecosystem level. Therefore, this paper attempts not only to investigate the direct impact of partner match on different business model innovation (BMI) themes (efficiency-centered BMI and novelty-centered BMI) but only to shed light on the pivotal mediating role of interfirm dynamic capabilities.Design/methodology/approachThis paper utilized the methodology of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to investigate the impact of diverse partner selection criteria and interfirm dynamic capabilities on two distinctive themes of BMI. More than 20 industry clusters with multiple industries were selected as representatives of the creative ecosystem, predominantly from the Yangtze River Delta region. Valid data were collected from 254 managers by both online questionnaires and offline interviews.FindingsThe findings of the study show that different partner match criteria have distinct direct impacts on BMI themes. Partner complementary and partner synergy, deriving from the “task-related criteria”, are significantly correlated with both EBMI and NBMI. Conversely, partner compatibility, deriving from “Partnering-related Criteria”, shows a positive correlation with EBMI but not NBMI. Furthermore, compare the indirect effect on EBMI, the paper’ results demonstrate interfirm dynamic capabilities as mediator can more maximize external benefits to promote NBMI.Practical implicationsThe study findings effectively help enterprises implement different BMI themes. From a management perspective, whether pursuing EBMI or NBMI, enterprises should consciously seek partners who can provide complementary support or share mutual goals across diverse industries. This strategic approach can significantly enhance the opportunities for sustainable and innovative business development. Furthermore, to successfully accomplish NBMI, enterprises must cultivate interfirm dynamic capabilities encompassing a comprehensive range of cross-organizational innovation capacities, such as bolstering organizational learning capability, establishing interactive network platforms to enhance coordination capabilities and engaging in integrative activities to foster a collective mindset.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the match theory by introducing three critical matching criteria, enabling enterprises to discern partners based on diverse organizational characteristics. Additionally, this paper broadens the scope of the dynamic capability literature by adopting a network perspective to strengthen interaction and relationship mechanisms. The authors primarily elucidate the concept of interfirm dynamic capabilities as a formative higher-order model formed by three sub-capabilities (absorptive capacity, coordination capability and collective mind). Finally, this paper combines matching theory with dynamic capacity theory to the field of BMI, which adds depth and complexity to the existing ecosystem innovation research.

Active learning sample selection based on multicriteria

In multivariate calibration problems, model performance is affected significantly by the calibration samples used during model building. In recent years, active learning methods have become one of the best methods for sample selection. However, most active learning methods only select instances from prediction uncertainty or sample space distance, and these single-criteria methods tend to select undesired samples. In addition, sample density characterizes the spatial information carried by the sample, but few studies in quantitative analysis utilize sample density alone to select calibration samples. Considering these issues, based on the k-means clustering algorithm, this paper proposes an active learning sample selection method (Diversity Informativeness Density Active Learning, DIDAL), which combines the three criteria of diversity, informativeness and sample density. The most representative sample is iteratively selected for - addition to the calibration set for modeling and estimating the chemical concentration of analytes. Soybean meal and soy sauce samples were analyzed by DIDAL and compared with existing sample selection methods. The prediction results show that the DIDAL algorithm significantly outperforms several existing algorithms and is close to the performance of full-sample modeling. A model with high prediction accuracy can be constructed by selecting only a few samples using the DIDAL method.

Molecular evidence to support the transfer of Enteromorpha ovata to genus Ulva and evaluate its divergence using multi‐locus time‐calibrated phylogeny

Ulva has received considerable attention since its merger with tubular Enteromorpha (Linnaeus) Nees based on molecular evidence. Nevertheless, several nomenclatural and taxonomic proposals concerning tropical and subtropical species are still pending in want of investigations based on the altered circumscription and criteria of genetic diversity. Enteromorpha ovata Thivy et Visalakshmi ex H. Joshi et V. Krishnamurthy has a restricted geographical distribution only at Gopnath, India. In the present study, we for the first time provide a polyphasic approach to ascertain its taxonomic position, using morpho‐anatomy, ecology and molecular taxonomy with multigene markers (rbcL, tufA and ITS rDNA). Phylogenetic analysis based on rbcL, tufA and ITS rDNA gene sequences supported the recognition of this species within the genus Ulva. The recent revision by Kumar and Palanisamy proposed the new nomenclatural combinaton Ulva ovata (Thivy et Visalakshmi ex Joshi et Krishnamurthy) Aron Santhosh Kumar and Palanisamy, but they did not give molecular evidence while doing so, which we accomplished. Our time‐calibrated phylogeny suggested that U. ovata diverged from its respective sister lineages ~ 4.46 Mya in the Neogene period of the Cenozoic Era.

Cluster ensemble selection and consensus clustering: A multi-objective optimization approach

Cluster ensembles have emerged as a powerful tool to obtain clusters of data points by combining a library of clustering solutions into a consensus solution. In this paper, we address the cluster ensemble selection problem and design a multi-objective optimization-based solution framework to produce consensus solutions. Given a library of clustering solutions, we first design a preprocessing procedure that measures the agreement of each clustering solution with the other solutions and eliminates the ones that may mislead the process. We then develop a multi-objective optimization algorithm that selects representative clustering solutions from the preprocessed library with respect to size, coverage, and diversity criteria and combines them into a single consensus solution, for which the true number of clusters is assumed to be unknown. We conduct experiments on different benchmark data sets. The results show that our approach yields more accurate consensus solutions compared to full-ensemble and the existing approaches for most data sets. We also present an application on the customer segmentation problem, where our approach is used to segment customers and to find a consensus solution for each segment, simultaneously.

Perbandingan Metode TOPSIS dan WASPAS Dalam Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Pengangkatan Jabatan Manager

Performance appraisal and appointment of managerial positions are crucial aspects of modern organizational management. In dealing with the complexity of the factors that influence this decision, a decision support system (DSS) is an important tool to help make the right decision. In this study, the authors made a comparison between two popular methods in SPK, namely the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS), to support the process of appointing a manager's position. The TOPSIS method relies on the concept of geometric distances to rank alternatives based on proximity to positive and negative ideal solutions. On the other hand, the WASPAS method assigns weight to each criterion and calculates the aggregate results for each alternative, resulting in a ranking based on the highest score. This study involved a dataset containing diverse and complex performance evaluation criteria for prospective managers. The experimental results show that both methods have their own strengths and weaknesses in generating alternative rankings. The TOPSIS method provides a more stable and consistent solution in dealing with variations in sensitivity to changes in criteria weights, while the WASPAS method tends to be more adaptive to scenarios where the relative preferences between criteria differ. In the context of appointing a manager, choosing the DSS method that is appropriate to the characteristics of the organization and the preferences of decision makers is a determining factor. Both of these methods can provide valuable guidance to decision makers in selecting the most suitable candidates for managerial positions. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the differences and practical implications of the TOPSIS and WASPAS methods is essential in the context of intelligent and efficient decision making. The results of the comparison between the TOPSIS and WASPAS methods show that the results of both have the same highest rank, namely in alternative 9 in the name of Muhammad Faisal.

Bluegrass Biodesign: Why an Integrated Biomedical Engineering Curriculum is Crucial for Medical Education.

Background Medical education often overlooks the significance of design and innovation literacy, resulting in a knowledge gap in undergraduate medical education (UME) regarding formal training in these areas. Incorporating innovation into UME's core curriculum is crucial as future physicians will encounter evolving technologies, and fostering a transdisciplinary approach can enable collaborative problem-solving and improve patient health outcomes. Methodology We developed a comprehensive medical biodesign curriculum focused on innovation, including problem identification, prototype testing, and product commercialization. Participants were selected based on applications, interviews, and diverse criteria. A survey was conducted before and after the program to assess students' biodesign experiences and knowledge, with data analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. Results Of the 41 participants, 24 (58.5%) completed both pre- and post-program surveys. These five-point Likert surveys showed a significant shift frompre-program to responses demonstrating increased "comfort levels in explaining and applying biodesign principles" (p < 0.0001). Specifically, the "comfort level in taking a product to market" increased from 33% to 67% (p = 0.01), while the "comfort level in applying the biodesign process" increased from 29% to 92% (p < 0.0001). Moreover, 58.3% of participants expressed interest in continuing their current projects, and 70.8% of students stated feeling confident in generating ideas and solutions with their team members. Conclusions The medical biodesign curriculum demonstrated success in exposing undergraduate medical and engineering students to the concepts of medical innovation and biodesign. The program has led to a significant improvement in students' knowledge and comfort levels in applying the biodesign process and taking a product to market. The high level of interest and participation in the program highlight the need for incorporating innovative training in UME to foster creativity and prepare future physicians to contribute to the advancements in healthcare.

FCPN: Pruning redundant part-whole relations for more streamlined pattern parsing

Most cropping-and-segmenting pattern parsers typically establish a single metric/scheme to reason diverse inner correlations, resulting in over-general and redundant representations. To make pattern parsing more streamlined and efficient, a fragile correlation pruner network (FCPN) with correlation-steered attention shifters (CSASs) and graph attention expectation-maximum routing agreement (GAEMRA) is proposed. CSASs prune fragile (weak and substitutable) part-to-whole correlations. They stipulate that only those primary entities (representing components) fulfilling the criteria of inter-part diversity and intra-object cohesiveness can update senior entities (representing the whole/intermediate composites). To further boost effects, GAEMRA is defined to shield the redundant voting signals of conventional routing agreement. With CSASs and GAEMRA, FCPN gradually parses objective semantic patterns by clustering highly associated secondary entities in a bottom-up "part backtracking" manner. Quantitative and ablation experiments surrounding face and human parsing demonstrate the superiority of FCPN over the state-of-the-arts, especially for the definition of fine-grained semantic boundaries.

Assessing the reliability of innovative criteria to certify that cattle are non-Persistently Infected (non-PI) with the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV)

Persistently Infected (PI) animals play a central role in the transmission of BVDV infection between cattle herds. Thus, promoting the certification of non-PI animals is a relevant approach for improving control, as it contributes to securing the trade. The objectives of this study were: i) to assess the reliability of diverse certification criteria, and ii) to identify risk factors for erroneous certification. To do so, the proportion of animals wrongly certified as non-PI on the basis of tests performed after the certification date, was calculated for each criterion. The data used were collected in herds located in Brittany, involved in either a clearance process for those that were infected, or in a surveillance process for herds that were BVDV-free. A total of 23 criteria were defined by combining the technical characteristics of the tests (individual vs. pool; single vs. repeated; direct vs. indirect tests), and some pathogenic characteristics of BVDV infection. Overall, the rates of wrongly-certified animals were low (mean: 1.3 10−4). Direct and indirect criteria had equivalent performances. Heifers from birth, and even foetuses in the last third of gestation, are certified, provided that the herd to which they belong has been free of BVDV for more than 2.5 years. The risk for wrong certification increased in the case of PIs present in the herd or its surroundings. The simplicity of the output-based approach described here, and the excellent performance of indirect criteria relying on serological monitoring of BTM, make it particularly interesting, as its use could facilitate trade between countries.

From Rejection to Reconciliation: Protestantism and the Image in Early Modern England

AbstractThe idea that Protestantism in post-Reformation England was inherently hostile to the visual arts has a long history and has become embedded across an interdisciplinary scholarship and within popular consciousness. While more recent historiography addresses numerous exceptions to this prevailing trend, this article provides a new assessment of how English Protestantism in a more positive mood not only came to terms with the image but actively embraced it. In identifying patterns of thinking within a wide body of contemporary comment, we offer a chart in the mode of early modern figurative diagrams to emphasize the diverse criteria that Protestants weighed when considering whether an image was suitable for its intended purpose, from the circumstances of its making and using through audience response to location, medium, subject matter, and patron. In doing so, we stress the importance of historicizing the sense of the terms civil and religious use, which do not map neatly onto a modern reading of secular and sacred spaces. We further illustrate how the criteria of the model operated in practice, through detailed analysis of two extant artworks commissioned by committed Protestants, highlighting keen engagement with pictorial art in theory and in practice. The shift in emphasis from rejection to reconciliation captures the spirit of English Protestantism's negotiation and rapprochement with the image over the period ca. 1560–ca. 1640.

Curiosity Creates Diversity in Policy Search

When searching for policies, reward-sparse environments often lack sufficient information about which behaviors to improve upon or avoid. In such environments, the policy search process is bound to blindly search for reward-yielding transitions and no early reward can bias this search in one direction or another. A way to overcome this is to use intrinsic motivation in order to explore new transitions until a reward is found. In this work, we use a recently proposed definition of intrinsic motivation, Curiosity, in an evolutionary policy search method. We propose Curiosity-ES, 1 an evolutionary strategy adapted to use Curiosity as a fitness metric. We compare Curiosity-ES with other evolutionary algorithms intended for exploration, as well as with Curiosity-based reinforcement learning, and find that Curiosity-ES can generate higher diversity without the need for an explicit diversity criterion and leads to more policies which find reward.

‘Odds Are: They Win’: a disruptive messaging innovation for challenging harmful products and practices of the gambling industry

ObjectiveThis paper presents an evidence informed rationale for focussing on harmful gambling products and industry practices in public health messaging through the example of a recent innovation called ‘Odds Are: They Win’. Methods‘Odds Are: They Win’ was initially developed through coproduction involving public health professionals and people with lived experience of gambling harms and implemented across a city-region area. A review of relevant evidence was undertaken, upon which the research team reflected to draw out the implications of ‘Odds Are: They Win’ for gambling harms messaging. ResultsEvidence is mounting that safer gambling campaigns framed in terms of individual responsibility are ineffective and can generate stigma. ‘Odds Are: They Win’ presents an alternative focus that is not anti-gambling but raises awareness of industry manipulation of the situational and structural context of gambling. This is in-keeping with historical lessons from the stop smoking field and emerging research in critical health literacy. The latter highlights the potential of education on the social and commercial determinants of health to stimulate behaviour change and collective action. Conclusion‘Odds Are: They Win’ is a potentially disruptive innovation for the gambling harms field. Research is required to robustly evaluate this intervention across diverse criteria, target audiences, and delivery settings.

Dynamic small-series fashion order allocation and supplier selection: a ga-topsis-based model

The fashion industry is currently confronted with significant economic and environmental challenges, necessitating the exploration of novel business models. Among the promising approaches is small series production on demand, though this poses considerable complexities in the highly competitive sector. Traditional supplier selection and production planning processes, known for their lengthy and intricate nature, must be replaced with more dynamic and effective decision-making procedures. To tackle this problem, GA-TOPSIS hybrid model is proposed as the methodology. The model integrates Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) evaluation into the fitness function of Genetic Algorithm (GA) to comprehensively consider both qualitative and quantitative criteria for supplier selection. Simultaneously, GA efficiently optimizes the order sequence for production planning. The model's efficacy is demonstrated through implementation on real orders, showcasing its ability to handle diverse evaluation criteria and support supplier selection in different scenarios. Moreover, the proposed model is employed to compute the Pareto front, which provides optimal sets of solutions for the given objective criteria. This allows for an effective demand-driven strategy, particularly relevant for fashion retailers to select supplier and order planning optimization decisions in dynamic and multi-criteria context. Overall, GA-TOPSIS hybrid model offers an innovative and efficient decision support system for fashion retailers to adapt to changing demands and achieve effective supplier selection and production planning optimization. The model's incorporation of both qualitative and quantitative criteria in a dynamic environment contributes to its originality and potential for addressing the complexities of the fashion industry's supply chain challenges

The Interaction of Fiqh and Science in the Dynamics of Determining the Beginning of the Hijri Month in Indonesia

The determination of the onset of the Hijri month in Indonesia has frequently sparked controversy, especially among prominent Islamic organizations such as Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, as well as governmental entities like the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This contention arises from the diverse methods and criteria they adopt for the sighting of the hilāl (new crescent Moon) to mark the beginning of the Hijri month. This article delves into the interplay between fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and astronomy in determining the start of the Hijri month within the Indonesian context. Employing literature research with a scientific-cum-doctrinal approach, the article highlights three interactions between fiqh and science. Firstly, astronomy serves as a translator of jurisprudential concepts into empirical criteria for determining the beginning of the Hijri month. It underscores the interdependence of these two domains in decision-making rooted in religious beliefs and empirical knowledge. Secondly, the dynamic process of determining the start of the Hijri month in Indonesia reveals a complex interplay between fiqh and science, with varying viewpoints among religious scholars and scientific researchers regarding the criteria for moon sighting. Lastly, fiqh plays a role in legitimizing astronomy in the rukyah al-hilāl (crescent moon sightings) process through testimonies, wherein scholars of Islamic jurisprudence establish criteria for witnesses and use oaths to validate empirical scientific evidence supporting lunar visibility. This article offers valuable insights into the intricate relationship between fiqh and science in determining the start of the Hijri month in Indonesia.

Integration of AHP method in best employee selection: a multi-criteria decision analysis approach for decision making

In an era of increasingly complex business competition, selecting the best employees has become crucial to ensure organizational productivity and success. In this endeavor, the integration of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Method with emphasis on Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) has emerged as an objective and scientific approach. This research discusses how the AHP method can be applied in the context of best employee selection by analyzing relevant criteria and pairwise comparisons that are calculated to generate relative weights. Through this process, best employee selection decisions can be made on a stronger and more transparent basis. However, the success of this method depends on the quality of the data and the assumptions used in the calculations. Although complex, AHP can provide valuable insights for decision makers in finding a balance between diverse criteria in the process of selecting the best employee.

Predictors of the Need for Cerebrospinal Fluid Diversion in Patients with Myelomeningocele

Background There is no consensus about the optimal timing and the criteria for cerebrospinal fluid diversion in children with myelomeningocele (MM). The aim of this work is to assess the predictors of the need for cerebrospinal fluid diversion in patients with myelomeningocele to avoid the unnecessary shunting with its complications. Patients and Methods This prospective study included fifty infants with myelomeningocele that were managed in the Neurosurgical department in Ain shams University hospital and October health insurance hospital from August 2016 till December 2018. Results In this study, 22 (44%) patients needed a shunt surgery after repair of the myelomeningocele. The age at presentation was highly significant (HS) for the need for shunt (P-value 0.006), with median age of 4.25 months. There were 22 cases (44%) that crossed the head circumference percentile for age while 28 cases (56%) matched; This was statistically highly significant (P-value 0.000). All patients with lax anterior fontanel (AF) or with mild bulge didn’t need a shunt, while all patients with tense AF needed a shunt (P-value 0.000). It was noticed that persistent vomiting was a sensitive indicator of the increased intracranial pressure since it occurred in all the cases who required shunt, this was statistically highly significant (P-vale 0.000). Four cases (8% of the cases) suffered from cerebrospinal fluid leak from the myelomeningocele wound within the first week post MM repair. Conclusion AF status &amp; HC percentile for age represent the most reliable clinical signs to identify those who will need &amp; benefit from a CSF diversion. The VP shunt should be preserved for cases exhibiting progressive signs of increased ICP (moderate to severe AF bulge- HC crossing percentile for age), while cases showing ventriculomegaly on imaging without signs of increased ICP should be followed up.

Environmental flow assessment for benthic macroinvertebrate communities using pseudo‐2D hydraulic habitat modelling at a green small hydropower plant

AbstractThe determination of minimum flow requirements for green small hydropower plants (GSHP) in China primarily relies on hydrological methods such as the Tennant method with no seasonal variation. However, the direct application of hydrological methods without local ecological data for calibration lacks ecological validity, potentially resulting in unsuitable minimum flow recommendations for local aquatic biota. Hydraulic‐habitat modelling (HHM) is assumed to provide more ecologically relevant and reliable environmental flow recommendations (EFRs), but benthic macroinvertebrates (BMs), crucial in the aquatic food web, have rarely been the focus in HHM studies. Moreover, the strong subjectivity in HHM processes hinders the comparison of EFRs across different biota and geographical regions. This study aims to investigate the ecological validity of using the Tennant method to set minimum flow requirements for local BM communities and the impacts of various methods used in HHM on derived EFRs. To achieve this, a pseudo‐2D HHM approach is employed, integrating the 1D hydraulic models HEC‐RAS and CASiMiR with the habitat model HABFUZZ. The EFRs downstream of Jiufeng reservoir, one of China's first GSHPs, are derived for wet (April–June) and dry seasons (July–September). Our findings highlight that setting minimum flow alone is inadequate for preserving BM community integrity downstream of GSHPs. It is crucial to incorporate more diverse environmental flow criteria, including minimum flows and peak flows, into GSHP assessment standards, with recommended flow levels varying across different seasons. Additionally, the development of a standardized HHM methodology is essential to mitigate the inherent subjectivity in HHM and facilitate the comparison of EFRs generated from different studies. This study's innovative modelling framework and findings will enhance the optimization of minimum flow assessment criteria for GSHP in China, deepen understanding of seasonal e‐flow requirements of BM communities, and refine the methodology used in BM HHM for e‐flow recommendation.