Individual Effects Research Articles

Spatiotemporal analysis of determinants of trends in consumption of paid services by the population (the Federal Districts of the Russian Federation case)

Subject. The article deals with identification and quantification of the impact of economic and social factors on the consumption of charged services by the population at the meso-level. Objectives. The purpose is to unveil and analyze the differentiation of the influence of macroeconomic factors on the index of physical volume of consumption of paid services by the population. Methods. The study employs econometric approach to analyze official statistics data. Using panel data models, we analyze individual effects and the nature of relationships between factors by federal district. Results. The COVID-19 epidemic seriously reduced the real volume of consumption of fee-based services in 2020, however, next year, the per capita consumption of the said services returned to the pre-COVID trend. For econometric calculations, we selected the industrial production index, unemployment rate, real monetary incomes, and consumer price index as factors influencing the index of actual volume of paid services. Based on the models of fixed, random effects and the pool model, we investigated differences in the consumption of paid services by the population by federal district. Conclusions. The analysis of specifications of panel data models enabled to conclude that the factors selected for the study have a similar effect in all federal districts. With the industrial production index and the consumer price index growth, the index of physical volume of paid services increases. The rising unemployment has the opposite effect on the consumption of paid services.

Pemodelan Data Panel dengan Pendekatan Least Square Dummy Variable terhadap Faktor-Faktor yang Memengaruhi Kasus Kriminalitas di Sulawesi Selatan

Crime is one of the challenges that often arises in the community environment. In the years 2020-2022, South Sulawesi ranked fourth with the highest reported crime cases in Indonesia. To avoid an increase in the crime rate, an understanding of the factors impacting these cases is necessary. This research aims to determine the fixed effect model with the Least Square Dummy Variable approach to examine the percentage of the poor population, income inequality, population density, and the total population's influence on crime cases in South Sulawesi during the years 2020-2022. The most suitable model is the Least Square Dummy Variable using an individual effect with an analysis result of of 99.9%. The variables of the percentage of the poor population, population density, and the total population are proven to significantly influence crime cases in South Sulawesi.

Effects of kappa-opioid agonist U-50488 and p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 on the spike activity of pyramidal neurons in the basolateral amygdala

Introduction: Kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) signaling in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) underlies KOR agonist-induced aversion. In this study, we aimed to understand the individual and combined effects of KOR agonist U-50488 and p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 on the spiking activity of pyramidal neurons in the BLA to shed light on the complex interplay between KORs, the p38 MAPK, and neuronal excitability. Materials and Methods: Electrophysiological experiments were performed using the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell configuration. Rat brain slices containing the amygdala were prepared, and pyramidal neurons within the BLA were visually patched and recorded in the current clamp mode. The neurons were identified by their accommodation properties and neural activity signals were amplified and analyzed. Using local perfusion, we obtained three dose-response curves for: (a) U-50488 (0.001–10 μM); (b) U-50488 (0.001–10 μM) in the presence of SB203580 (1 μM); and (c) U-50488 (0.01–10 μM) in the presence of SB203580 (5 μM). Results: After the application of U-50488, pyramidal neurons had a higher action potential firing rate in response to a current injection than control neurons (p<0.001). The dose-dependent curves we obtained indicate that the combination of U-50488 and SB203580 results in non-competitive antagonism. This conclusion is supported by the observed change in the curve’s slope with reduction in the maximum effect of U-50488. Thus, it can be assumed that the increase in spike activity of pyramidal neurons of the amygdala is mediated through the beta-arrestin pathway. When this pathway is blocked, the spike activity reverts to its baseline level. Conclusion: Our study found that the KOR agonist-induced spiking activity of the BLA pyramidal neurons is mediated by the beta-arrestin pathway and can be suppressed by the application of the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580.

Descriptive temporal sensory properties and volatile composition of Pinot noir wines produced with contrasting alcoholic fermentation temperatures and cap management regimes

Pinot noir is rapidly becoming a winemaking staple in the Central Coast of California. Therefore, it is important to understand how factors such as fermentation temperature and cap management affect the chemical and sensory impact of such wines. Herein, Pinot noir wines were made with three contrasting alcoholic fermentation temperature regimes (Cold, Cold/Hot, Hot) and combined factorially with two cap management regimes (with or without punch downs). The impact of these factors on colour, aroma, and the temporal retronasal aroma and mouthfeel profile was assessed by a trained sensory panel (n = 13) using descriptive analysis (DA) and time-intensity (TI), respectively. Combining a hot fermentation temperature and no punch downs led to wines with higher colour saturation and purple hue. In contrast, wines fermented at cold fermentation temperatures with no punch downs showed reduction aromas. In terms of individual main effects, wines fermented at cold temperatures had more orthonasal aroma, while wines fermented at hot temperatures had higher astringency. To understand the relationship between selected volatile aromas and perceived sensory results, a partial least square regression (PLSR) was conducted. PLSR indicated that cold fermentation temperature wines with punch downs were associated with esters, including ethyl hexanoate and ethyl heptanoate, as well as β-damascenone, which aligned with sensory results. The effect of salivary flow rate on the temporal sensory profile post-expectoration was also analysed. Low salivary flow rate panellists perceived both astringency and length significantly later and more intensely than high salivary flow rate panellists. However, the time of maximum intensity was perceived significantly later for high salivary flow rate panellists. Overall, fermentation temperature had a more significant impact on the sensory and volatile composition of Pinot noir wines than the cap management regime. However, cap management still appeared to affect sensory and volatile chemistry results through significant interactions. Therefore, the relationship between fermentation temperature and cap management was not straightforward from avolatile chemistry or sensory perspective. The importance of accounting for salivary flow rate in panellists when using time-based sensory analysis was also highlighted.

The Role of Brand Experience in the Effect of Individuals' Utilitarian Consumption Tendency on Impulse Buying Behavior

Bu çalışmada, faydacı tüketimin plansız satın alma davranışı üzerindeki etkisi ve bu etkide marka deneyiminin aracı rolünün tespit edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmada, Türkiye’deki iki özel üniversiteden kolayda örneklem metoduyla seçilen 421 öğrenciden anket verisi elde edilmiştir. Bu verilerle tanımlayıcı istatistiksel analizler gerçekleştirilmiş ve araştırmada kullanılan ölçeklerin geçerlilik ve güvenirlikleri test edilmiştir. Değişkenler arasındaki ilişkinin tespitine yönelik korelasyon analizi yapılmıştır. Araştırma hipotezlerinin testi için “process macro” kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada elde edilen bulgulara göre; faydacı tüketimin plansız satın alma davranışını anlamlı ve pozitif yönde etkilediği ve marka deneyiminin bu ilişkide aracı rolü olduğu belirlenmiştir. Çalışmada elde edilen bulguların plansız satın almaya ilişkin literatüre katkı sağlayacağı, müşteri/tüketici odaklı faaliyet gösteren işletmelerin ilgisini çekeceği değerlendirilmektedir.

Hubungan Gaya Manajemen Konflik Dengan Kinerja Pengurus Hmj Pgmi Uin Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung

Organizations consist of individuals who have different characters so that they can trigger a conflict that will interfere with the effectiveness of individuals in doing their jobs, therefore it is necessary to have a conflict management style that is used in dealing with conflict. This study aims to determine the correlation of conflict management styles (integration, willingness to help, dominating, avoiding, compromising) to the performance of the management of the department's student association. This research uses a quantitative approach with a descriptive-correlational design. The population of this study were all administrators of the student association majoring in PGMI UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung with overall sampling of 48 people. Data collection techniques using a questionnaire. Research data analysis using descriptive analysis techniques Pearson Product Moment correlation. The results showed that there was a positive and significant correlation in the conflict management style of integration and willingness to help on the performance of the management board of the PGMI student association (HMJ) PGMI UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, for the conflict management style dominating and avoiding showed that there was no positive correlation to the performance of the management board of the student association, while the compromise conflict management style showed a positive but insignificant correlation.

Combination of vitamin D and photodynamic therapy enhances immune responses in murine models of squamous cell skin cancer

Improved treatment outcomes for non-melanoma skin cancers can be achieved if Vitamin D (Vit D) is used as a neoadjuvant prior to photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the mechanisms for this effect are unclear. Vit D elevates protoporphyrin (PpIX) levels within tumor cells, but also exerts immune-modulatory effects. Here, two murine models, UVB-induced actinic keratoses (AK) and human squamous cell carcinoma (A431) xenografts, were used to analyze the time course of local and systemic immune responses after PDT ± Vit D. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry of tissues and flow analysis (FACS) of blood were employed. In tissue, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) were increased, and infiltration of neutrophils (Ly6G+), macrophages (F4/80+), and dendritic cells (CD11c+) were observed. In most cases, Vit D alone or PDT alone increased cell recruitment, but Vit D + PDT showed even greater recruitment effects. Similarly for T cells, increased infiltration of total (CD3+), cytotoxic (CD8+) and regulatory (FoxP3+) T-cells was observed after Vit D or PDT, but the increase was even greater with the combination. FACS analysis revealed a variety of interesting changes in circulating immune cell levels. In particular, neutrophils decreased in the blood after Vit D, consistent with migration of neutrophils into AK lesions. Levels of cells expressing the PD-1+ checkpoint receptor were reduced in AKs following Vit D, potentially counteracting PD-1+ elevations seen after PDT alone. In summary, Vit D and ALA-PDT, two treatments with individual immunogenic effects, may be advantageous in combination to improve treatment efficacy and management of AK in the dermatology clinic.

Discerning the influence of climate variability modes, regional weather features and time series persistence on streamflow using Bayesian networks and multiple linear regression

AbstractA large literature on the sensitivity of streamflow response to climate variations has emerged over the past several decades, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The usual approaches to this problem have been simple and do not fully address its complexity, which involves the individual and joint effects of large‐scale climate modes and smaller‐scale weather features on streamflow volumes, the presence of persistence in these time series and their effects on antecedent conditions. Ongoing improvements in observational and reanalysis datasets and online access allow for better quantification of the connections between streamflow response, climate variability modes and regional weather features. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether Bayesian networks can be used to better identify key factors and their associated pathways leading to streamflow generation. A Markov blanket approach is described and illustrated using monthly streamflow series recorded at eight gauging stations within or immediately adjacent to the coastal region of eastern mainland Australia. The method is compared and contrasted with conventional multiple linear regression with discussion around this type of approach as part of a growing interest in machine learning applications. One example is used to illustrate the application of both approaches to a streamflow series exhibiting strong non‐stationarity. Results for the other streamflow series are included in a concise synthesis. Overall, the results suggest that Bayesian networks have several desirable features in terms of transparency, interpretability and explanatory insight. The findings from this study lend support to the use of Bayesian networks for modelling connections between streamflow volume and the variability of climate and regional weather. This improved understanding of the key controls of streamflow variability is intended to help address growing needs around informing social, cultural, economic and ecological aspects of water planning and management.

Real-World Effectiveness of Lung Cancer Screening Using Deep Learning-Based Counterfactual Prediction.

The benefits and harms of lung cancer screening (LCS) for patients in the real-world clinical setting have been argued. Recently, discriminative prediction modeling of lung cancer with stratified risk factors has been developed to investigate the real-world effectiveness of LCS from observational data. However, most of these studies were conducted at the population level that only measured the difference in the average outcome between groups. In this study, we built counterfactual prediction models for lung cancer risk and mortality and examined for individual patients whether LCS as a hypothetical intervention reduces lung cancer risk and subsequent mortality. We investigated traditional and deep learning (DL)-based causal methods that provide individualized treatment effect (ITE) at the patient level and evaluated them with a cohort from the OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Consortium. We further discussed and demonstrated that the ITE estimation model can be used to personalize clinical decision support for a broader population.

PROTECTIVE ROLE OF SAFFRON TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION AND IMPROVE CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS IN ULCERATIVE COLITIS PATIENTS

Abstract BACKGROUND We studied saffron as an additional intervention to improve clinical manifestations of Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. METHODS This is a study at Yazd university where 30 UC patients were randomly assigned to placebo (n=9), low (n=9, 25 mg), or high dose saffron (n=12, 50mg), two times a day for 8 weeks. Hemoglobin, platelet levels, CRP, ESR, and fecal calprotectin along with clinical data Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI), Partial Mayo Score, and Hamilton Depression Anxiety Score (HDRS) were recorded at baseline and completion of treatment. For validation, we recruited 3 UC patients at Howard University who received 50mg of Saffron twice daily for 8 weeks, two underwent a wash-out period and received saffron for a second cycle. Inflammatory markers, CRP, stool calprotectin, and the cytokines from PMA/ionomycin stimulated PBMCs, at baseline and 8 weeks Saffron treatment were compared. 16S rDNA analysis was performed on stool DNA for gut microbiome. RESULTS In Yazd study of 30 patients, all participants completed the study successfully. The high dose group showed significant improvement in HDRS score (p=0.001), SCCAI (p=0.04), Partial Mayo score (p=0.01), fecal calprotectin (p=0.009), and CRP (p=0.001) compared to baseline. The low dose group also improved in HDRS score (p=0.01; Table 1, Fig 1). No adverse events were reported. In HU data, saffron improved Partial Mayo Score, health related quality of life and HDRS. Pro-inflammatory cytokines TNFα, INFγ, IL-6, IL-2, IL-17a decreased while anti-inflammatory IL-10, TGF-β increased. Fecal calprotectin levels of 228 μg/g and 169 μg/g decreased to 63 μg/g and 16 μg/g in two individual patients, respectively. After the wash-out period, fecal calprotectin increased. A second saffron treatment cycle reduced it again further validating the causal relationship. Saffron led to a decrease in gamma Proteobacteria, and enrichment in Ruminococcaceae. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that saffron led to improvements in clinical response including reduction in partial Mayo scores, HDRS scores, and inflammatory markers such as fecal calprotectin and CRP. These findings suggest that the use of saffron supplements alongside standard treatment protocols may yield beneficial effects for individuals with UC. Table 1. Basic characteristics, clinical variables, and laboratory variables among the study participants in three arms of the clinical trial. Figure 1 Effect of Saffron on quality of life and Inflammatory markers.

The combined effect of systemic antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors on Clostridioides difficile infection and recurrence.

Antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are recognized risk factors for acquisition and recurrence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), yet combined effects remain unclear. To assess the short- and long-term effects of antibiotics and PPIs on CDI risk and recurrence. Population-based study including all 43 152 patients diagnosed with CDI in Sweden (2006-2019), and 355 172 matched population controls without CDI. The impact of antibiotics and PPIs on CDI risk and recurrence was explored for recent (0-30 days) and preceding (31-180 days) use prior to their first CDI diagnosis, using multivariable conditional logistic regression presented as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval, adjusted for demographics, comorbidities and other drugs. Compared to controls, the combined effect of recent PPIs and antibiotics [ORAB+PPI = 17.51 (17.48-17.53)] on CDI risk was stronger than the individual effects [ORAB = 15.37 (14.83-15.93); ORPPI = 2.65 (2.54-2.76)]. Results were less pronounced for exposure during the preceding months. Dose-response analyses showed increasing exposure correlated with CDI risk [recent use: ORAB = 6.32 (6.15-6.49); ORPPI = 1.65 (1.62-1.68) per prescription increase].Compared to individuals without recurrence (rCDI), recent [ORAB = 1.30 (1.23-1.38)] and preceding [ORAB = 1.23 (1.16-1.31); ORPPI = 1.12 (1.03-1.21)] use also affected the risk of recurrence yet without significant interaction between both. Recent macrolides/lincosamides/streptogramins; other antibacterials including nitroimidazole derivates; non-penicillin beta lactams and quinolones showed the strongest association with CDI risk and recurrence, particularly for recent use. PPI use, both recent and preceding, further increased the CDI risk associated with almost all antibiotic classes. Recent and less recent use of PPIs and systemic antibiotics was associated with an increased risk of CDI, particularly in combination.

Private efforts, public test policy and insurance against pandemic health risks

Private efforts, public test policy and insurance against pandemic health risks

Short- and long-term toxicity of nano-sized polyhydroxybutyrate to the freshwater cnidarian Hydra viridissima

The accumulation of increasingly smaller plastic particles in aquatic ecosystems is a prominent environmental issue and is causing a significant impact on aquatic biota. In response to this challenge, biodegradable plastics have emerged as a potential ecological alternative. Nevertheless, despite recent progress in polymer toxicology, there is still limited understanding of the ecological implications of biodegradable plastics in freshwater ecosystems. This study evaluated the toxicity of polyhydroxybutyrate nano-sized particles (PHB-NPLs) on the freshwater cnidarian Hydra viridissima assessing individual and population-level effects. Data revealed low toxicity of PHB-NPLs to H. viridissima in the short-term, as evidenced by the absence of significant malformations and mortality after the 96-h assays. In addition, hydras exhibited rapid and complete regeneration after 96 h of exposure to PHB-NPLs. Feeding assays revealed no significant alterations in prey consumption behavior in the 96-h mortality and malformations assay and the regeneration assay. However, significantly increased feeding rates were observed after long-term exposure, across all tested concentrations of PHB-NPLs. This increase may be attributed to the organisms' heightened energetic demand, stemming from prolonged activation of detoxification mechanisms. These changes may have a cascading effect within the food web, influencing community dynamics and ecosystem stability. Furthermore, a dose-dependent response on the hydras' populational growth was found, with an estimated 20 % effect concentration (EC20,8d) on this endpoint of 10.9 mg PHB-NPLs/L that suggests potential long-term impacts on the population's reproductive output and potential depression and local extinction upon long-term exposure to PHB-NPLs on H. viridissima. The obtained data emphasizes the importance of evaluating sublethal effects and supports the adoption of long-term assays when assessing the toxicity of novel polymers, providing crucial data for informed regulation to safeguard freshwater ecosystems. Future research should aim to unravel the underlying mechanisms behind these sublethal effects, as well as the impact of the generated degradation products.

Fracture characteristic and support effect around deep lined tunnels using CGP-FDEM simulation and field investigation analysis

The lining is one of the main methods of support and is chosen as the primary support for composite and reinforced roadways during mining excavation. Systematic investigations into the supportive effect of lined roadways in deep weak rock masses are highly desirable to improve support design and enhance roadway stability. The fracture characteristics and deformation are more prominent in the lining failure and damage to the surrounding rock. For investigations into the fracture mode and failure characteristics of the lining support, this study proposed a lining element support model in the graphics processing units (GPU) parallel combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) program using compute unified device architecture (CUDA), referred to as CGP-FDEM. The lining element model and excavation simulation method are implemented in the CGP-FDEM aim of simulation large-scale rock fractures in underground excavations. On this basis, the simulation of deep roadway excavation is performed under various support conditions, including low-strength and high-strength shotcrete, steel arch, and U-profile yieldable steel. Further, a comparative analysis is conducted between the field investigation and simulation results, focusing on fracture-fragmentation and large deformation of the surrounding rock, as well as the failure and fracture mode of the lining elements. Results of individual support effects indicate that the reinforcement conditions mainly affect the excavation damaged zone (EDZ) and the deformation of the surrounding rock. Rock fragmentation and buckling intensify the large deformation and instability of the roadway. Fracture evolution and instability of the surrounding rock can easily occur in weak areas due to severe stress concentration and the accumulation and release of energy. Based on the analysis, the principle of "uniform reinforcement of reactive force throughout the entire section" is proposed to alleviate stress concentrations and maintain the overall stability of the excavation space.

The Improvement of Trunk Muscle Endurance in Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis Treated with ScoliBrace® and the ScoliBalance® Exercise Approach

The impact of scoliosis bracing combined with physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE) on trunk muscle endurance in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis is unknown. ScoliBrace®, a rigid, three-dimensional, over-corrective thoraco-lumbar-sacral orthosis (TLSO), and ScoliBalance®, a PSSE program, were used to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. A retrospective study of the trunk muscle endurance of 33 AIS patients who received ScoliBrace® and ScoliBalance® was conducted. The patients were treated with ScoliBrace® and an individualized ScoliBalance® program. Trunk extensor muscle endurance (TE) and abdominal muscle endurance (AE) tests were performed at initial assessment and then at averages of 6.6 and 24.4 weeks of treatment. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Stata version 15.1. The participants were aged 13.24 years (SD = 1.64) with a mean Cobb angle of 38.97° (SD = 9.49°). TE improved significantly (p < 0.001) at both short- and medium-term intervals using ScoliBalance® and ScoliBrace® in the AIS patients. AE also showed significant improvement between baseline and short-term follow-up, with non-significant improvement at medium-term follow-up. Overall, trunk muscle endurance showed improvement in the AIS patients using ScoliBrace® and ScoliBalance®. Future research is required to determine the individual and combined effects of each treatment. However, it seems likely that trunk muscle endurance will not deteriorate in AIS patients with this combined treatment.

Repurposing of atorvastatin and metformin denotes their individual and combined antiproliferative effects in non-small cell lung cancer.

Due to the limited success in the treatment of lung adenocarcinomas, new treatment protocols are urgently needed to increase the curability rate and the survival of lung cancer patients. Although statins, like atorvastatin (Ator), and metformin (Met) are widely accepted as hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic drugs, respectively, there are many predictions about their enhancing antitumor effect when they are combined with traditional chemotherapeutics. The individual and combined antiproliferative potential of Ator and Met was tested by MTT-assay in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cell line, compared to the corresponding effect of Gemcitabine (Gem) with implication on the mechanisms of action. Initially, both drugs demonstrated concentration-dependent cytotoxicity in A549 cells. Also, their combination index (CI) indicated their synergistic effect at equi-IC50 concentration (CI =0.00984). Moreover, Ator and/or Met-treated cells revealed disrupted patterns of SOD, CAT, GSH, MDA, and TAC, developed apoptosis, and larger fractions of the cell population were arrested in G0/G1 phase, particularly in cells dually-treated both Ator and Met. These observations were accompanied by downregulation in the expression of iNOS, HO-1, and the angiogenic marker VEGF, meanwhile, an altered expression of MAPK and AMPK was observed. Conclusively, these data suggest that repurposing of Ator and Met demonstrates their individual and combined antiproliferative effect in non-small cell lung cancer and they may adopt a similar mechanism of action.

Combination Effect of Extracts and Pure Compounds of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Sungkai (Peronema canescens) Leaves on Antioxidant Activity

Endophytic fungi extracts have various biological and pharmacological activities as natural antioxidants which have the potential to be developed in the pharmaceutical. Drugs made from natural substances frequently work best when they are present in large quantities. This may result in unfavorable side effects from using more of one substance at a time. This limitation can be overcome by using a combination of the extracts/pure compounds that allow synergistic interactions with strong antioxidant properties at fairly low concentrations. The purpose of this research was to determine the combined effect of endophytic fungi extracts and its pure compounds on their antioxidant activity. This research was initiated by rejuvenating eight selected endophytic fungal isolates from Sungkai leaves and morphological characterization was carried out. Each fungus was cultivated in PDB medium for 4 weeks under statistical conditions. Ethyl acetate was used to extract the endophytic fungi’s liquid culture, which was then evaporated. Each endophytic fungal extract (PD1-PD8) and their five pure compounds were tested for antioxidant activity by the DPPH method. Then a combination of two and three extracts was carried out with a ratio of 1:1. The results show that the interaction of the mixture of endophytic fungi extracts and their pure compounds can be classified as synergistic (combined effect of the extracts > individual effects), additive (combined effect of the extracts = individual effect), and nothing is antagonistic (combined effect of the extracts < individual effects). The best combination in this study was PD4+PD5+PD6 (1:1:1) which could be used as a formula for further research into in vivo immunostimulant tests. Another conclusion from this research is that the pure compounds contained in the extracts have lower antioxidant activity than the extracts and do not have a synergistic effect on the combination.

Predicting Individual Treatment Effects: Challenges and Opportunities for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

AbstractPersonalized medicine seeks to identify the right treatment for the right patient at the right time. Predicting the treatment effect for an individual patient has the potential to transform treatment of patients and drastically improve patients outcomes. In this work, we illustrate the potential for ML and AI methods to yield useful predictions of individual treatment effects. Using the predicted individual treatment effects (PITE) framework which uses baseline covariates (features) to predict whether a treatment is expected to yield benefit for a given patient compared to an alternative intervention we provide an illustration of the potential of such approaches and provide a detailed discussion of opportunities for further research and open challenges when seeking to predict individual treatment effects.

Effects of temperature and pre-bending on the flexural properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites

This study investigates the combined influence of temperature and pre-bending (PB) on the flexural properties of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy (CF/Epoxy) composites. The study demonstrated the influence of temperature on CF/Epoxy’s flexural characteristics, noting a marginal reduction in stiffness at higher temperatures ([Formula: see text]C) compared to room temperature ([Formula: see text]C). Notably, even under HT, the composite exhibited a commendable load-bearing capacity, with a 29% reduction in strength. Additionally, the investigation focused on the impact of PB on CF/Epoxy’s flexural properties. The PB resulted in very small reductions in flexural strength (10%). It was observed that when subjected to both PB and HT, the material exhibited a collective response, with temperature exerting a more dominant influence than PB. Significantly reduced the flexural properties, resulting in a substantial 35% decrease in strength, surpassing the individual effects of temperature or PB. The findings emphasize the significant impact of the combined influence of temperature and PB on CF/Epoxy, shedding light on the material’s behavior under varying environmental conditions.

Main Nuclear Responses of the DEMO Tokamak with Different In-Vessel Component Configurations

Research and development of the DEMOnstration power plant (DEMO) breeder blanket (BB) has been performed in recent years based on a predefined DEMO tritium breeding ratio (TBR) requirement, which determines a loss of wall surface due to non-breeding in-vessel components (IVCs) which consume plasma-facing wall surface and do not contribute to the breeding of tritium. The integration of different IVCs, such as plasma limiters, neutral beam injectors, electron cyclotron launchers and diagnostic systems, requires cut-outs in the BB, resulting in a loss of the breeder blanket volume, TBR and power generation, respectively. The neutronic analyses presented here have the goal of providing an assessment of the TBR losses associated with each IVC. Previously performed studies on this topic were carried out with simplified, homogenized BB geometry models. To address the effect of the detailed heterogeneous structure of the BBs on the TBR losses due to the inclusion of the IVCs in the tokamak, a series of blanket geometry models were developed for integration in the latest DEMO base model. The assessment was performed for both types of BBs currently developed within the EUROfusion project, the helium-cooled pebble bed (HCPB) and water-cooled lead–lithium (WCLL) concepts, and for the water-cooled lead and ceramic breeder (WLCB) hybrid BB concept. The neutronic simulations were performed using the MCNP6.2 Monte Carlo code with the Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion File (JEFF) 3.3 data library. For each BB concept, a 22.5° toroidal sector of the DEMO tokamak was developed to assess the TBR and nuclear power generation in the breeder blankets. For the geometry models with the breeder blanket space filled only with blankets without considering IVCs, the results of the TBR calculations were 1.173, 1.150 and 1.140 for the HCPB, WCLL and WLCB BB concepts, respectively. The TBR impact of all IVCs and the losses of the power generation were estimated as a superposition of the individual effects.