Diverse Effects Research Articles

Application of deep learning models with spectral data augmentation and Denoising for predicting total phosphorus concentration in water pollution

BackgroundWith the increasing severity of global water pollution, accurate prediction models of water pollution content are critical for effective environmental management. However, traditional methods often exhibit low prediction accuracy for pollutant concentrations when data samples are limited and do not adequately address data noise. This study focuses on predicting total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the Yangtze River Basin by integrating data augmentation and denoising methods with spectral technology and deep learning, using water samples collected from Wuhan to Anhui, China. MethodThe study utilized an improved Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (CGAN) for data augmentation, increasing dataset diversity and training effectiveness. Adaptive threshold wavelet denoising is applied to reduce noise and improve data quality. A Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) with a coordinate attention (CA) mechanism is used to extract key spectral features linked to TP concentration prediction. Significant FindingsThis study introduces an innovative approach that combines advanced CGAN-based data augmentation, adaptive threshold wavelet denoising, and a CNN model incorporating a CA mechanism, achieving high accuracy in TP concentration prediction. The proposed model outperforms traditional methods, achieving R² = 0.9805, RMSE = 0.0019, and MAE = 0.0009. This novel method significantly enhances prediction performance, providing an effective solution particularly in scenarios with limited data samples.

Analysis of Cultural Diversity and Employee Effectiveness in India

Objectives: The expansive target of the review is to distinguish the different perspectives and issues of overseeing social variety in projects. The present study is an exploratory investigation to examine the impact of Age, Gender and Income as a determinant of Cultural Diversity as independent variables on Employee Effectiveness as dependent variables in a Cross-Cultural Environment. Methods: Suitable factual devices like Microsoft Succeed and SPSS are utilized to determine the unwavering quality and legitimacy of the poll and to approve the Appraisals for degree of social variety and undertaking execution, Social variety and venture execution and Connection between factors impacting social variety and task execution. The techniques like Descriptive Statistics Chi-square, t-test, and ANOVA (one way/two way) have been used for the data analysis. Results: To figure out the critical drivers of social variety the executives and explore the significance of different issues associated with labor force social variety arrangements and activities. Conclusions: Many people encounter ‘Culture’ in numerous ways. Some defined it as tool for survival; some identified it as a full range of learned human behavior. Researchers defined it as “patterned way of thinking, feeling and reacting.

India’s Deep Integration with South Korea and Japan: A Trade Analysis

India has negotiated comprehensive economic partnership agreements (CEPAs) with highly industrialized giants, Japan and South Korea, aiming to unlock significant trade potential. However, a crucial question remains: How significantly have these regional trade agreements advanced after a decade of enforcement, and what impact are they having on global economies? To address this, we conducted a detailed analysis at the aggregate and sectoral levels, comparing the India–Japan and India–Korea deep integrations by evaluating the trade creation and diversion effects. Our research uses a structural gravity model for a panel of 205 exporting countries between 1988 and 2021. At the aggregate level, the findings reveal a modestly greater increase in intra-regional trade due to the India–Japan CEPA and greater export diversion effects of the India–Korea CEPA. However, the effects of import diversion on the India–Japan CEPA remain indeterminate. At the sectoral level, India’s trade with Japan has an advantage in more sectors than Korea, though the extent varies. The findings emphasize that sector-specific measures will notably nudge the strategies of competing trade partners.

The effect of urinary diversion on kidney function in posterior urethral valves and ureterovesical obstruction.

Posterior urethral valves (PUV) and ureterovesical junction obstruction (UVJO) are common etiologies of lower urinary tract obstruction. The primary objective of therapy is to alleviate the obstruction in the urinary system. Temporary urinary diversion may be necessary in certain situations, such as Urinary tract infection (UTI), sepsis, and unchanging hydronephrosis. This study, aims to assess kidney parameters after urinary diversion (either pyelostomy or ureterostomy) in patients with PUV and UVJO. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with PUV or UVJO and treated with urinary diversion following urinary undiversion at our facility between 2015 and 2020. The following variables were collected: demographic details, surgical interventions (type of diversion), serum creatinine throughout follow-up, anterior-posterior diameter of the pelvis (APP), anterior-posterior diameter of the ureter (APU), and sonographic findings of renal parenchymal thickness (PT) as documented by a pediatric radiologist. Additionally, before and after urinary diversion, a Dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA) nuclear renal scan was conducted to assess renal function. We analyzed 67 patients, with a mean follow-up of 38.3months, undergoing either ureterostomy (42 patients) or pyelostomy (25 patients). This included 38 patients with PUV and 29 with UVJO. In PUV patients, significant improvements were observed in APP (MD = 5.56 ± 11.6, p = 0.0194), APU (MD = 5.57 ± 7.28, p < 0.001), and PT (MD = 3.66 ± 2.75, p < 0.001). Similarly, UVJO patients experienced significant improvements in APP (MD = 12.18 ± 18.63, p = 0.005), APU (MD = 7.82 ± 8.98, p = 0.001), and PT (MD = 2.79 ± 3.33, p = 0.001). DMSA scores did not significantly change in either group (p > 0.05). Notably, APP improved more in UVJO patients compared to PUV patients (p = 0.047). Our study suggests that urinary diversion could improve APP, APU, and renal parenchymal thickness in PUV and UVJO patients. The improvement of APP in UVJO patients was greater than in the PUV group. We propose further multi-center studies with longer durations of follow-up and more detailed additional data to support and confirm our results.

Insights into Population Genetics and Phylogeography of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The review summarizes the current understanding of population genetics and genetic classification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Articles accumulated in Elibrary and PubMed were used as a source of information. Using keywords, more than 100 publications were found and analyzed for the period from 2009 to 2023, 35 of which were included in the review. According to the current concept, M. tuberculosis is represented by nine lineages (superfamilies L1-L9), each of which has different characteristics of evolutionary status, genetic diversity, transmissibility, drug resistance, latency, and vaccine effectiveness.

Diverse Pharmacological Potential of different Substituted Pyrazole Derivatives.

The chemistry of heterocyclic compounds has been a topic of research interest. Some five-membered heterocyclic compounds have been the subject of extensive research due to their different types of pharmacological effects. The five-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds pyrazole, pyrazoline, and pyrazolone derivatives have a lot of interest in the fields of medical and agricultural chemistry due to their diverse spectrum of therapeutic activities. Various substituted pyrazole, pyrazoline, and pyrazolone compounds exhibited diverse pharmacological effects like Anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tubercular, anti-fungal, anti-malarial, anti-diabetic, diuretic, anti-depressant, anticonvulsant, antioxidant, anti-leishmanial, antidiabetic, and antiviral, etc. In recent decades, the synthesis of numerous pyrazole, pyrazoline, and pyrazolone derivatives by different synthetic methods as well as research into their chemical and biological behavior have become more important. This review focuses on synthetic methods of the pyrazole, pyrazoline, and pyrazolone derivatives, which have significant biological properties and a variety of applications.

Potential new treatment for inferior vena cava injury using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation applying flow diversion effect

BackgroundRetrohepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) injuries remain among the most lethal and serious liver injuries. Gauze packing is currently the first choice for IVC injuries; however, laparotomy itself poses the risk of circulatory collapse. Thus, less invasive treatment strategies are needed.MethodsIn this study, we conducted an animal experiment to replicate and validate successful treatments for an actual case of retrohepatic IVC injury that we had encountered.ResultsA woman in her 80s presented to our hospital due to cardiac arrest caused by a pulmonary artery embolism. Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) was introduced, and the patient was resuscitated. After resuscitation, contrast-enhanced CT revealed liver and retrohepatic IVC injuries, possibly caused by chest compressions. Liver injury was treated using transarterial embolization of the left hepatic artery. To treat the retrohepatic IVC injury, ECMO flow was increased to enhance the negative drainage pressure. The extravasation of the contrast medium had resolved in IVC angiography, and we opted for nonoperative management. The patient’s hemodynamic status gradually stabilized, and ECMO was withdrawn on day 6. We confirmed these findings in a dog model of retrohepatic IVC injury.ConclusionsOur findings from the patient and the animal model suggest that the flow diversion effect of ECMO can effectively manage active bleeding from the IVC by inserting a drainage cannula across the injured lesion. We think this procedure represents a novel treatment option for retrohepatic IVC injuries.

National Trends in the Creation of Diverting Ileostomy at the Time of Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis in Adults With Ulcerative Colitis.

The impact of diverting ileostomy in adults with ulcerative colitis (UC) undergoing ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is unclear. This study uses a novel approach with population-level data to identify patients with diverting ileostomy at the time of IPAA and determine the impact of diverting ileostomy on postoperative outcomes. Using the International Business Machines (IBM) MarketScan® database, adults (18-64years old) with a diagnosis of UC who underwent IPAA between 2000 and 2019 were examined. Patients were assigned to the diverting ileostomy (DI) cohort or no-DI cohort based on the presence of an ostomy closure code in the 1-year following their IPAA. Rates of ileostomy formation and readmissions were quantified and outcomes between cohorts compared. There were 540 patients in the no-DI and 2494 in the DI cohort. There were regional differences in the rate of ostomy creation, but the overall rate of ostomy creation remained stable across years. Patients with no-DI vs DI had a longer index length of stay (LOS) (7 vs 6days, P = .001). Adverse postoperative outcomes did not differ between cohorts. Diversion did not independently affect the likelihood of a 30-day readmission, and since 2000, readmission rates have declined for all IPAA patients. This is the first study to capture population-level data on the effect of diversion at the time of IPAA for adult UC patients. This study demonstrates that the rate of fecal diversion at the time of IPAA has remained stable over time, but readmission rates have declined.

Linguistic Diversity and Inclusion: Exploring International Students Attitudes Towards Their Own Accents and Those of Native English Speakers

International students studying in English-speaking countries represent a diverse linguistic background and may exhibit varying degrees of accent, which can influence their self-perception and their perception of others. Accordingly, the paper examines the attitudes of international students toward their own accents and those of native English speakers, with particular emphasis on their adaptation processes in academic and social contexts. In this paper, semi-structured interviews were conducted with undergraduate and postgraduate students from China, with varying levels of English proficiency and length of residence in the UK, which aims to elucidate the nuanced attitudes of international students towards accents and their adaptation strategies. The results show that while many students initially perceived British and American accents as prestigious and attempted to imitate them, as they progressed through the language environment they were more inclined to prioritize effective communication and intelligibility over achieving a perfect native accent. This shift is consistent with existing literature, which emphasizes the importance of prioritizing clarity and mutual understanding. Inclusive language policies that prioritize linguistic diversity and communicative effectiveness, thereby fostering learning environments that are conducive to language acquisition.

DeepKernel: 2D-kernels clustering based mutant reduction for cost-effective deep learning model testing

Mutation testing is a practical approach for evaluating the quality of deep learning (DL) testing datasets. However, the enormous mutants during testing lead to significant testing overhead. Feature clustering is a conventional method that reduces the number of mutants while preserving the mutants’ distribution diversity. This distribution diversity is considered crucial for maintaining the effectiveness of testing assessment ability. DL model relies on convolutional kernels to extract data features and construct logic. Thus, using kernels to measure the differences among DL mutants is a feasible approach. This paper proposes DeepKernel, a convolutional kernel features clustering based reduction method. Specifically, it considers 2D-Kernel sparsity and 2D-Kernel entropy as kernel features. The features are clustered to construct a subset with equivalent testing assessment capability to the original set. Empirical studies on four classical DL models demonstrate that: (1) there is a significant correlation between the distribution diversity of the mutants and their testing assessment ability, as indicated by a Spearman Correlation Coefficient of 0.9689. (2) the reduced set maintains a similar distribution diversity and testing effectiveness as the original set. (3) when preserving the effectiveness of the mutation testing, our method reduces 63.47% of mutants and outperforms random selection.Editor’s note: Open Science material was validated by the Journal of Systems and Software Open Science Board.

The relative effects of diversity on collective learning in local collaborative networks in Belgium

Collaborative networks are horizontal settings of public governance that enhance interactions between a diversity of actors (for example, civil servants, companies or citizens). They can help cross-cutting public policies (for example, climate policies) to gain coherence and become more innovative. To do so, collective learning, defined as the broadened and mutual understanding of public issues arising out of repeated social interactions, is critical but not spontaneous. In particular, the diversity of participants creates learning opportunities that do not necessarily transform into concrete learning. So, how does diversity lead to collective learning in collaborative networks? To address this research question, this article researched two collaborative networks within the city administration of Schaerbeek (Belgium). Based on semistructured interviews, mental models were used to assess collective learning, and social network analysis was performed to understand the structure of interactions between diverse members. The findings show that the influence of diversity on collective learning was contingent on the collaborative network, but fostered by social interactions, with noticeable links between formal and informal interactions. From these findings, the article makes three scholarly contributions. First, it deepens our understanding of collective learning, with a focus on the development of shared understandings as a condition of consensus formation. Second, it builds on psychology and resource management research to assess collective learning through mental models, and provides a new approach to the measurement of policy learning. Third, it contributes to the debate on the implications of different inclusion levels and conditions for the results of collaborative governance and their transformation in policy innovations.

Impact of Economic Integration on Trade: A Case Study of Pakistan

Purpose: This paper tends to examine the impact of economic integration on trade for Pakistan. It studied all trade agreements of Pakistan with partner and non-partner nations. We test whether the trade creation (TC) and trade diversion (TD) effects on trade flows are same across for the members and non-member countries. Also, we have measured comparative advantage and comparative disadvantage. Design/Methodology/Approach: We have used correctly specified gravity model on the data of imports and exports of Pakistan starting from 1988 till 2020. We have also used Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) index in this research work. Findings: The results revealed from the RCA index shows that Pakistan recorded comparative advantage in most of the commodity group and less comparative disadvantage. Similarly, Pakistan is enhancing trade with partner and non-partner nations in majority of the commodity groups respectively. Implications/Originality/Value: We may conclude that Pakistan is having trade creation with its partner countries and non-partner countries in most of the agreements.

Impact of Workforce Diversity on Organizational Effectiveness: Evidence from Nepalese Commercial Banks

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between workforce diversity and overall effectiveness of Nepalese commercial banks, focusing on how diverse employee backgrounds contribute to organizational performance and operational success.Method: The descriptive and casual comparative research designs were used. The data were collected from 210 managerial level employeesof Nepalese commercial banks through structured questionnaires. The study applied purposive sampling technique to collect the data. Both descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used for data analysis. Data analysis was performed using Smart PLS 4.Results: The study reveals that ethnic diversity does not significantly influence organizational effectiveness. Conversely, gender and age diversity are significant predictors of organizational effectiveness. These results underscore the relevance of gender and age diversity in enhancing organizational performance in the Nepalese commercial banks.Conclusion: The research highlights the importance of fostering gender-balanced and age-diverse workforces for improving organizational effectiveness. By focusing on gender and age diversity, banks can better harness diverse perspectives and experiences, leading to improved outcomes. These findings suggest that workforce diversity is a major organizational strategy to enhance organizational effectiveness by fostering innovation, improving decision-making, increasing employee satisfaction, and enhancing customer services.

디지털 리터러시 중재가 노인에게 미치는 영향에 대한 체계적 고찰

Objective: This study aimed to identify the types, methods, and effects of interventions, dependent variables, and assessment tools used in studies of digital literacy interventions among older adults. Methods: Studies were identified from the PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, Medline, and Embase databases, without restriction of study period, by using search terms (“Digital literacy” OR “Digital capability” OR “Media literacy” OR “Digital competencies” OR “Information and Communication Technology”) AND (‘Elderly’ OR “Older adult” OR ‘Geriatric’ OR ‘Senior’ OR ‘Aged’) AND (‘Intervention’ OR ‘Practice’ OR ‘Training’ OR ‘Education’ OR ‘Program’ OR ‘Learning’). Results: Of the eight studies, six were two-group non-randomized studies with an evidence level of two. Digital literacy is the most frequently measured dependent variable. Interventions were provided to both groups and individuals, significantly improving digital literacy, depression, self-efficacy, and life satisfaction. Conclusion: This systematic review suggests future directions for research and interventions on digital literacy among older adults, wherein high-level evidence, obtained using systematic research designs, could verify the diverse effectiveness of digital literacy interventions for older adults.

Economic sanctions and domestic diversion

The existing sanctions-impact literature has documented diversion effects favouring third countries for both merchandise trade and investment, but it has not considered sanctions diverting trade towards the domestic economy in sender and target countries. We contribute by using the Global Sanctions Database (Felbermayr et al. 2020a,b) in a structural gravity framework to provide evidence for domestic trade diversion. Our results show that the adverse effects of different sanction-types on senders’ bilateral manufacturing imports get accentuated (and any positive effects get neutralized) when the underlying data include internal trade flows, providing evidence for diversion towards domestic producers in sanctioning countries. A similar finding is observed on the bilateral export side suggesting that sanctions also divert trade towards domestic consumption. Moreover, we find sanctions to reduce senders’ cross-border imports when domestic suppliers in the sanctioning country are more competitive, thereby supporting the political economy of sanctions-imposition.

Consequences of Local Conspecific Density Effects for Plant Diversity and Community Dynamics.

Conspecific density dependence (CDD) in plant populations is widespread, most likely caused by local-scale biotic interactions, and has potentially important implications for biodiversity, community composition, and ecosystem processes. However, progress in this important area of ecology has been hindered by differing viewpoints on CDD across subfields in ecology, lack of synthesis across CDD-related frameworks, and misunderstandings about how empirical measurements of local CDD fit within the context of broader ecological theories on community assembly and diversity maintenance. Here, we propose a conceptual synthesis of local-scale CDD and its causes, including species-specific antagonistic and mutualistic interactions. First, we compare and clarify different uses of CDD and related concepts across subfields within ecology. We suggest the use of local stabilizing/destabilizing CDD to refer to the scenario where local conspecific density effects are more negative/positive than heterospecific effects. Second, we discuss different mechanisms for local stabilizing and destabilizing CDD, how those mechanisms are interrelated, and how they cut across several fields of study within ecology. Third, we place local stabilizing/destabilizing CDD within the context of broader ecological theories and discuss implications and challenges related to scaling up the effects of local CDD on populations, communities, and metacommunities. The ultimate goal of this synthesis is to provide a conceptual roadmap for researchers studying local CDD and its implications for population and community dynamics.

Study on the Control of Steam Front Mobility in High-Temperature and High-Salinity Conditions Using Polymer-Enhanced Foam.

This study investigated the enhancing effects of the temperature-resistant polymer Poly(ethylene-co-N-methylbutenoyl carboxylate-co-styrenesulfonate-co-pyrrolidone) (hereinafter referred to as Z364) on the performance of cocamidopropyl hydroxy sulfobetaine (CHSB) foam under high-temperature and high-salinity conditions. The potential of this enhanced foam system for mobility control during heavy oil thermal recovery processes was also evaluated. Through a series of experiments, including foam stability tests, surface tension measurements, rheological assessments, and parallel core flooding experiments, we systematically analyzed the interaction between the Z364 polymer and CHSB surfactant on foam performance. The results indicated that the addition of Z364 significantly improved the strength, thermal resistance, and salt tolerance of CHSB foam. Furthermore, the adsorption of CHSB on the polymer chains enhanced the salt resistance of the polymer itself, particularly demonstrating stronger blocking effects in high-permeability cores. The experimental findings showed that Z364 increased the viscosity of the liquid film, slowed down liquid drainage, and reduced gas diffusion, effectively extending the half-life of CHSB foam and improving its stability under high-temperature conditions. Additionally, in parallel core flooding experiments, the polymer-enhanced foam exhibited significant flow diversion effects in both high-permeability and low-permeability cores, effectively directing more fluid into low-permeability channels and improving fluid distribution in heterogeneous reservoirs. Overall, Z364 polymer-enhanced CHSB foam demonstrated superior mobility control during heavy oil thermal recovery, offering new technical insights for improving the development efficiency of high-temperature, high-salinity reservoirs.

Application of Low-Temperature Temporary Plugging Agents in Coalbed Methane Volume Fracturing

Currently, unconventional oil and gas fields employ volume fracturing technology, and temporary plugging and diversion techniques have become one of the main methods for increasing production. The Mixi coalbed methane block in Yibing has a formation vertical depth of 800-1000 meters and a relatively low average formation temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. The temporary plugging agents currently in use face challenges during reservoir stimulation, including difficulty in withstanding pressure differentials, poor degradability, and significant reservoir damage, resulting in unsatisfactory implementation effects. Therefore, the water-soluble temporary plugging agent RD-1 was selected as the preferred option. Laboratory performance evaluation experiments have demonstrated that this temporary plugging agent exhibits good sealing and degradation properties. Field trials have shown good temporary plugging and diversion effects, with noticeable pressure increase during plugging and significantly improved stimulation volume. It has demonstrated good applicability in coalbed methane volume fracturing, accumulating valuable experience for efficient development of this block.

Research on the Inhibitory Effect of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on Carbon Leakage

Associated with more ambitious targets for reducing emissions, the European Union (EU) plans to implement the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) fully in 2026, aiming to reduce carbon leakage and competitiveness concerns by imposing tariffs on carbon-intensive imports, which is expected to significantly impact its trade partners. Existing research has focused on CBAM’s impact on macroeconomic indicators but has insufficiently addressed its effects on global and regional carbon leakage, especially in non-EU countries like China. This research offers a detailed analysis of industry-specific leakage rates and integrates both global and regional impacts by employing the dynamic recursive GTAP-E general equilibrium model to numerically simulate CBAM’s inhibitory effect on carbon leakage under different carbon tariff scenarios, while also exploring the synergistic effects of anti-leakage policies in non-EU countries. Our simulations indicate the following: (1) CBAM effectively inhibits carbon leakage, with greater inhibition observed at higher tax rates and with the expansion of covered industries. (2) Establishing China’s domestic carbon market pricing can further reduce regional carbon leakage rates. Implementing global export carbon tax policies will significantly diminish the risk of global carbon leakage. (3) The implementation of CBAM is projected to reduce China’s total exports to the EU, though this loss will be partly offset by trade diversion effects. Carbon-intensive industries are more adversely affected in the short term, while all industries except fossil fuels face inevitable long-term negative impacts.

Personalized air curtain optimized to reduce fine particle exposure in industrial environments with different indoor airflow conditions

Recently, personalized air curtains combined with safety helmets have shown great potential in reducing particle inhalation exposure of workers in industrial settings. In this study, the helmet of the basic air curtain (BA) was optimized. One optimization method was to add a mask to the helmet of the basic air curtain (BAF), and the other optimization method was to add a face shield and sealing cloth to the helmet of the basic air curtain (BAFS). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method was used to compare the protective effect (PE) of the air curtain helmets with BA, BAF, and BAFS configurations. The impacts of the air supply velocity (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 m/s) of the air curtain in a static wind environment, and the direction and speed of the indoor airflow (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1 m/s) on the PE of the helmets were also investigated. Results showed that the BAFS helmet had the best respiratory protection, followed by the BAF and the BA helmet, regardless of indoor airflow conditions. The directional diversion effect of the face shield and the bidirectional blocking effect of the sealing cloth strengthened the PE. In the static indoor airflow environment, air supply velocity and helmet configurations had a remarkable impact on the PE. With the increase of the air supply velocity, the PE of the BA and optimized helmets showed S-shape and C-shape trends. When the air supply velocity reached 0.5 m/s, the PE of the BA, BAF, and BAFS helmets were close to 0.844, 0.985, and 1, respectively. In the uniform indoor airflow environments, the PE of the BAFS helmet was close to 1 and was almost undisturbed by the indoor airflow. This work may help inspire the development of respiratory protective equipment to reduce particulate exposure in industrial settings.