Effective Design Research Articles

Design and Application of Real‐Time and High‐Precision Seismic Acquisition Station in Antarctic Region

ABSTRACTIn this study, a polar seismic acquisition station based on the FPGA + ARM architecture was successfully developed. This system can achieve real‐time multifunctional acquisition and transmission of seismic signals and environmental information in the extreme low‐temperature environment of Antarctica at −40°C. The system adopts a modular design, with high‐precision data acquisition encoded by the main controller and uploaded to the host computer in real‐time. Integrated display controls enable real‐time data display and acquisition station location mapping for user interaction. We propose improving data transmission in traditional seismic acquisition stations by adopting a distributed computing model with data segment return. Integrating the first arrival picking algorithm as an IP core will reduce computational demands on the data processing center. This acquisition system features high precision (24‐bit), a wide dynamic range (> 130dB), low noise (0.5 V rms@40dB), and high‐precision timing control (200 ns). It supports real‐time wireless data transmission over 120 channels up to 1 km. The system also implements a self‐storage plus wired and wireless networking solution, allowing flexible networking based on actual needs. Test results indicate that the ice sheet thickness at the acquisition site is approximately 526.49 m, validating the experimental design's effectiveness and providing technical support for subsequent drilling and seismic exploration.

A Building Designed as a Catalyst for Project-Based Learning: A Case Study in America

Higher education must adapt to a rapidly changing landscape of industries and knowledge. A university developing a new campus aims to transform education by designing its first academic building to promote active collaboration, project-based learning (PBL), and industry-relevant experiences, focusing on a student-centric approach. A well-designed facility is seen as crucial for success. The Active Learning Classroom has shown to positively impact students' perceptions of an inspiring environment, enhancing participation and idea generation (Park & Choi, 2014). PBL effectively connects academic knowledge with workplace experience (Guo et al., 2020). A case study assessed the building's design for PBL during its first operational year. Findings evaluated the design's effectiveness and identified necessary changes. Both qualitative and quantitative data revealed limited use of collaborative spaces and technologies, as well as insufficient PBL integration in the curriculum. Recommendations include aligning faculty practices with program goals and engaging students more with available educational technologies in the learning spaces, both inside and outside the classroom.

DESAIN BALIHO KAMPANYE MAHYELDI - AUDY DI PILGUB SUMBAR 2020 SEKARANG

This study analyzes the design of Mahyeldi - Audy's campaign billboard in the 2020 West Sumatra Gubernatorial Election using a qualitative approach with a literature study method. The analysis focuses on visual elements, typography, symbolism, and visual narratives used in the billboard design. The results show that the billboard design successfully combines traditional Minangkabau elements with a vision of modernity, creating a strong visual narrative about leadership rooted in local values yet oriented towards progress. The use of color, typography, and local symbolism demonstrates a deep understanding of the socio-cultural context of West Sumatra. The design's effectiveness lies in its ability to convey complex campaign messages through an easily digestible visual medium while building an emotional connection with voters. However, this design also raises critical questions about gender representation, identity politicization, and the ethics of visual political communication. This study contributes to the understanding of the role of visual communication in shaping political discourse and influencing voter behavior in an increasingly mature era of local democracy.

Mini Washing Machine

Abstract: Day to day the demand of washing clothes is increased. In order to meet the demand, we are finding so many ways along with, it is very necessary to provide compact washing machines due to due rise in prices in the market. As there are many problems with space, this system plays an important role by offering a round plastic container as the main washing machine. Bond Tithe and Metal Sheet together provide improved structural stability and durability. During the spin cycle, the Spinner mechanism effectively drains water by using a High-Speed 12V DC Motor enclosed within a Rectangular Plastic Tub. Notably, an I.V. Infusion Set is repurposed, illustrating a resourceful approach to component sourcing. The prototype's complete success and its ability to spin and wash clothes efficiently prove the design's effectiveness. Space limits in urban areas are met by the small size, which is made possible by careful choice of components and materials. In general, the developed Mini Washing Machine presents an effective solution to little laundry requirements, showing an effortless combination of inexpensive components and innovative design.

Methodological issues of retrospective surveys for measuring mortality of highly clustered diseases: case study of the 2014–16 Ebola outbreak in Bo District, Sierra Leone

ABSTRACT Background There is a lack of empirical data on design effects (DEFF) for mortality rate for highly clustered data such as with Ebola virus disease (EVD), along with a lack of documentation of methodological limitations and operational utility of mortality estimated from cluster-sampled studies when the DEFF is high. Objectives The objectives of this paper are to report EVD mortality rate and DEFF estimates, and discuss the methodological limitations of cluster surveys when data are highly clustered such as during an EVD outbreak. Methods We analysed the outputs of two independent population-based surveys conducted at the end of the 2014–2016 EVD outbreak in Bo District, Sierra Leone, in urban and rural areas. In each area, 35 clusters of 14 households were selected with probability proportional to population size. We collected information on morbidity, mortality and changes in household composition during the recall period (May 2014 to April 2015). Rates were calculated for all-cause, all-age, under-5 and EVD-specific mortality, respectively, by areas and overall. Crude and adjusted mortality rates were estimated using Poisson regression, accounting for the surveys sample weights and the clustered design. Results Overall 980 households and 6,522 individuals participated in both surveys. A total of 64 deaths were reported, of which 20 were attributed to EVD. The crude and EVD-specific mortality rates were 0.35/10,000 person-days (95%CI: 0.23–0.52) and 0.12/10,000 person-days (95%CI: 0.05–0.32), respectively. The DEFF for EVD mortality was 5.53, and for non-EVD mortality, it was 1.53. DEFF for EVD-specific mortality was 6.18 in the rural area and 0.58 in the urban area. DEFF for non-EVD-specific mortality was 1.87 in the rural area and 0.44 in the urban area. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate a high degree of clustering; this contributed to imprecise mortality estimates, which have limited utility when assessing the impact of disease. We provide DEFF estimates that can inform future cluster surveys and discuss design improvements to mitigate the limitations of surveys for highly clustered data.

Tuneable double negative (DNG) Tri-Hexagonal split ring resonator metamaterial for 5G application

This paper introduces a compact tuneable metamaterial (MTM) unit cell featuring a tri-hexagon and tri-square split ring resonator (THTSSSR) structure designed for 5G communication applications. Metamaterials are employed to achieve unique electromagnetic properties not found in natural materials. The design process involves the arrangement of three square rings and three hexagon rings as metallic patches on a Rogers substrate (RT 5880), measuring 7 x 7 mm2 with a thickness of 1.575 mm. The proposed design exhibits double negative (DNG) properties, with resonances in the transmission coefficient (S21) at 3.493 GHz and a bandwidth of −10 dB covering frequencies between 3.057 and 3.711 GHz. Numerical simulations conducted using finite-integration techniques (FIT) in CST Microwave Studio validate the design's effectiveness, with confirmation through the Advanced Design System (ADS). The MTM unit cell demonstrates tuneable attributes, including negative permittivity ranging from 3.39 to 5 GHz and negative permeability from 3.39 to 3.86 GHz. These findings highlight the compactness and tunability of the proposed design, making it promising for 5G communication applications.

Blockchain and crypto forensics: Investigating crypto frauds

AbstractIn the past few years, cryptocurrency has gained widespread acceptance because of its decentralized nature, quick and secure transactions, and potential for investment and speculation. But the increased popularity has also led to increased cryptocurrency fraud, including scams, phishing attacks, Ponzi schemes, and other criminal activities. Although there is little documentation of cryptocurrency fraud, an in‐depth study is essential to recognize various scams in different cryptocurrencies. To fill this gap, a study investigated cryptocurrency‐related fraud in various cryptocurrencies and provided a taxonomy of crypto‐forensics and forensic blockchain. In addition, we have introduced an architecture that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technologies to investigate and protect against instances of cryptocurrency fraud. The suggested design's effectiveness was evaluated using several machine learning (ML) classification algorithms. The conclusion of the evaluation confirmed that the random forest (RF) classifier performed the best, delivering the highest level of accuracy, that is, 97.5%. Once the ML classifiers detect cryptocurrency fraud, the information is securely stored in the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS); the document's hash is also stored in the blockchain using smart contracts. Law enforcement can leverage blockchain technology to secure access to fraudulent cryptographic transactions. The proposed architecture was tested for bandwidth utilization. Despite the potential benefits of blockchain and crypto‐forensics, several issues and challenges remain, including privacy concerns, standardization, and difficulty identifying fraud between crypto‐currencies. Finally, the paper discusses various problems and challenges in blockchain and crypto forensics to investigate cryptocurrency fraud.

Innovative Redesign of Mianzhu New Year Picture Products: A Path to Integrate Culture and Tourism

This research focuses on fostering the evolution of intangible cultural heritage, taking the case study of the Mianzhu New Year image, a respected element of Chinese cultural heritage. It investigates the potential for innovatively redesigning these image products to boost tourism appeal. The methodology is tripartite. In the initial phase, we probe the demand for a product redesign and seek methods to enhance it via the KANO-AHP model, offering design modification recommendations based on potential consumers' expectations. The second phase incorporates an examination of the cultural and artistic elements of the Mianzhu New Year image. Following a premeditated needs evaluation, the graphic design, form, content, and shape of the image are cultivated for innovation. The final stage encompasses a critique of the refined design. Here, the process is meticulously documented, and experts from product design, tourism, and cultural studies sectors measure the design's effectiveness. To derive valid data, we utilize intentional samples at each stage, applying qualitative or quantitative analyses corresponding to different stage characteristics. Thus, this project not only advances the innovative and transformative development of intangible cultural heritage but also offers insight into effectively merging culture and tourism. This research can provide a blueprint for similar cultural conservation initiatives globally, promoting heritage preservation through attention to local economic and tourism contexts.

Dual-Band Dielectric Resonator Antenna with Filtering Features for Microwave and Mm-Wave Applications.

This paper presents a new design for a dual-band double-cylinder dielectric resonator antenna (CDRA) capable of efficient operation in microwave and mm-wave frequencies for 5G applications. The novelty of this design lies in the antenna's capability to suppress harmonics and higher-order modes, resulting in a significant improvement in antenna performance. Additionally, both resonators are made of dielectric materials with different relative permittivities. The design procedure involves the utilization of a larger cylinder-shaped dielectric resonator (D1), which is fed by a vertically mounted copper microstrip securely attached to its outer surface. An air gap is created at the bottom of (D1), and a smaller CDRA (D2) is inserted inside this gap, with its exit facilitated by a coupling aperture slot etched on the ground plane. Furthermore, a low-pass filter (LPF) is added to the feeding line of D1 to eliminate undesirable harmonics in the mm-wave band. The larger CDRA (D1) with a relative permittivity of 6 resonates at 2.4 GHz, achieving a realized gain of 6.7 dBi. On the other hand, the smaller CDRA (D2) with a relative permittivity of 12 resonates at a frequency of 28 GHz, reaching a realized gain of 15.2 dBi. The dimensions of each dielectric resonator can be independently manipulated to control the two frequency bands. The antenna exhibits excellent isolation between its ports, with scattering parameters (S12) and (S21) falling below -72/-46 dBi at the microwave and mm-wave frequencies, respectively, and not exceeding -35 dBi for the entire frequency band. The experimental results of the proposed antenna's prototype closely align with the simulated results, validating the design's effectiveness. Overall, this antenna design is well-suited for 5G applications, offering the advantages of dual-band operation, harmonic suppression, frequency band versatility, and high isolation between ports.

Resilient time‐varying output formation tracking of heterogeneous linear multiagent systems under malicious false data injection attacks and denial‐of‐service attacks over digraphs

AbstractA distributed control fashion of cooperative formation tracking may be vulnerable to malicious attacks on sensors and communications that deteriorate the formation tracking performance or even destabilize the entire multiagent system. This article addresses a resilient time‐varying output formation tracking problem of linear heterogeneous multiagent systems, where an attacker can adversely inject false data injection (FDI) attacks on sensors and Denial‐of‐Service (DoS) attacks on communications. Both characteristics will not only enhance the practical relevance of the studied issue, but also bring nontrivial design challenges of distributed control algorithms and convergence analysis. A novel resilient distributed control architecture is developed to guarantee a global exponential time‐varying output formation tracking. In particular, the design includes features: (1) a resilient distributed leader estimator is developed to estimate the leader's state for each follower under DoS attacks over digraphs; (2) a distributed output feedback controller integrated with an observer‐based resilient mechanism is developed to achieve the time‐varying output formation tracking under attacks; (3) unlike existing related works to handle attacks as bounded disturbances or faults, the proposed design is resilient to enable exponential convergence, whereas many related works obtain uniformly ultimately boundedness (UUB) convergence. Simulation results are presented to validate the design's effectiveness.

Folic acid supplementation and malaria susceptibility and severity among people taking antifolate antimalarial drugs in endemic areas.

Folic acid supplementation and malaria susceptibility and severity among people taking antifolate antimalarial drugs in endemic areas.

The Use of Multimode Data Collection in Random Digit Dialing Cell Phone Surveys for Young Adults: Feasibility Study.

BackgroundYoung adults’ early adoption of new cell phone technologies have created challenges to survey recruitment but offer opportunities to combine random digit dialing (RDD) sampling with web mode data collection. The National Young Adult Health Survey was designed to test the feasibility of this methodology.ObjectiveIn this study, we compared response rates across the telephone mode and web mode, assessed sample representativeness, examined design effects (DEFFs), and compared cigarette smoking prevalence to a gold standard national survey.MethodsWe conducted a survey experiment where the sampling frame was randomized to single-mode telephone interviews, telephone-to-web sequential mixed mode, and single-mode web survey. A total of 831 respondents aged 18 to 34 years were recruited via RDD at baseline. A soft launch was conducted prior to main launch. We compared the web mode to the telephone modes (ie, single-mode and mixed mode) at wave 1 based on the American Association for Public Opinion Research response rate 3 for screening and extended surveys. Base-weighted demographic distributions were compared to the American Community Survey. The sample was calibrated to the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey to calculate DEFFs and to compare cigarette smoking prevalence to the National Health Interview Survey. Prevalence estimates are estimated with sampling weights and are presented with unweighted sample sizes. Consistency of estimates was judged by 95% CI.ResultsThe American Association for Public Opinion Research response rate 3 was higher in the telephone mode than in the web mode (24% and 30% vs 6.1% and 12.5%, for soft launch and main launch, respectively), which was reflected in response rate 3 for screening and extended surveys. During the soft launch, the extended survey and eligibility rate were low for respondents pushed to the web mode. To boost productivity and survey completes for the web condition, the main launch used cell phone numbers from the sampling frame where the sample vendor matched the number to auxiliary data, which suggested that the number likely belonged to an adult in the target age range. This increased the eligibility rate, but the screener response rate was lower. Compared to population distribution from the US Census Bureau, the telephone mode overrepresented men (57.1% [unweighted n=412] vs 50.9%) and those enrolled in college (40.3% [unweighted n=269] vs 23.8%); it also underrepresented those with a Bachelor of Arts or Science (34.4% [unweighted n=239] vs 55%). The web mode overrepresented White, non-Latinos (70.7% [unweighted n=90] vs 54.4%) and those with some college education (30.4% [unweighted n=40] vs 7.6%); it also underrepresented Latinos (13.6% [unweighted n=20] vs 20.7%) and those with a high school or General Education Development diploma (15.3% [unweighted n=20] vs 29.3%). The DEFF measure was 1.28 (subpopulation range 0.96-1.93). The National Young Adult Health Survey cigarette smoking prevalence was consistent with the National Health Interview Survey overall (15%, CI 12.4%-18% [unweighted 149/831] vs 13.5%, CI 12.3%-14.7% [unweighted 823/5552]), with notable deviation among 18- to 24-year-olds (15.6%, CI 11.3%-22.2% [unweighted 51/337] vs 8.7%, CI 7.1%-10.6% [unweighted 167/1647]), and those with education levels lower than Bachelor of Arts or Science (24%, CI 19.3%-29.4% [unweighted 123/524] vs 17.1%, CI 15.6%-18.7% [unweighted 690/3493]).ConclusionsRDD sampling for a web survey is not feasible for young adults due to its low response rate. However, combining this methodology with RDD telephone surveys may have a great potential for including media and collecting autophotographic data in population surveys.

163. Unconstrained cervical disc replacements: is segmental hypermobility a concern?

BACKGROUND CONTEXT Unconstrained cervical disc replacements prostheses (UCDR) have become more commonly used among surgeons performing cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA). CDR have favorable outcomes in treating cervical radiculopathy and restoring normative motion in the spine. More recently, UCDR have become popular due to their ease of insertion, however the unconstrained design's effect on segmental range of motion (ROM) has not been evaluated. PURPOSE To evaluate the unconstrained design's effect on segmental ROM. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING Single-center retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE A total of 148 patients (58 single-level, 90 two-level). OUTCOME MEASURES Patient demographics, implant characteristics, baseline (BL) ROM, and follow-up ROM. Methods Patients diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy who underwent a primary 1- or 2- level UCDA from 2015-2019 with pre- and postoperative flexion-extension radiographs. Segmental sagittal measurements were taken to determine baseline (BL) and follow-up segmental ROM from the flex-extension views. Hypermobility was classified as ≥11.0° in ROM from BL to follow-up &/or >3mm translation. Mean BL and follow-up ROM were compared at each level using t-test analyses (α=0.05). Relationships between patient and implant demographics and hypermobility were determined using multivariate logistic regressions. Results A total of 148 (58 single-level, 90 two-level) patients met the criteria. Age, gender and BMI were similar between normal (Age: 42.7±8.7, gender [% female]: 41%, BMI: 28.1±5.5) and hypermobile groups (Age: 44.4±9.4, p=0.272; gender [% female]: 41%, p=0.98; BMI: 29.6±12.6, p=0.309); however, hypermobile patients (0.9±1.0) had a significantly higher CCI than the normal groups (0.4±0.8, p=0.003). Single-level patients: 23 (40%) developed hypermobility at follow-up. Follow-up ROM (12.2±6.8°, p=0.003) was significantly higher compared to the average BL ROM (9.2±4.9°). C5-C6 had significantly higher follow-up ROM (C5-C6: 13.7±6.9°, p=0.003) than BL ROM (C5-C6: 9.2±4.9°). Two-level patients: Although there was no significant difference between follow-up ROM (6.12±6.95°, p=0.749) and BL ROM (7.87±10.54°), 21(23.3%) cephalad and 20 (22.2%) caudal implants developed hypermobility postoperatively. Multivariate regression analysis of implant factors, patient demographics and disc level demonstrated no risk factors for hypermobility except a slightly shorter implant depth (13.6±0.9 mm vs 14.3±1.2 mm, p=0.004; OR:0.565, p=0.005). Conclusions UCDR on average increased segmental ROM with more than forty-percent of these implants being hypermobile at follow-up. Furthermore, shorter implant depth (AP) was indicated to be a risk factor for hypermobility. Patients and surgeons should be aware of the prevalence of hypermobility of UCDR and consider the long-term outcomes of the procedure. FDA DEVICE/DRUG STATUS This abstract does not discuss or include any applicable devices or drugs. Unconstrained cervical disc replacements prostheses (UCDR) have become more commonly used among surgeons performing cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA). CDR have favorable outcomes in treating cervical radiculopathy and restoring normative motion in the spine. More recently, UCDR have become popular due to their ease of insertion, however the unconstrained design's effect on segmental range of motion (ROM) has not been evaluated. To evaluate the unconstrained design's effect on segmental ROM. Single-center retrospective cohort study. A total of 148 patients (58 single-level, 90 two-level). Patient demographics, implant characteristics, baseline (BL) ROM, and follow-up ROM. Patients diagnosed with cervical radiculopathy who underwent a primary 1- or 2- level UCDA from 2015-2019 with pre- and postoperative flexion-extension radiographs. Segmental sagittal measurements were taken to determine baseline (BL) and follow-up segmental ROM from the flex-extension views. Hypermobility was classified as ≥11.0° in ROM from BL to follow-up &/or >3mm translation. Mean BL and follow-up ROM were compared at each level using t-test analyses (α=0.05). Relationships between patient and implant demographics and hypermobility were determined using multivariate logistic regressions. A total of 148 (58 single-level, 90 two-level) patients met the criteria. Age, gender and BMI were similar between normal (Age: 42.7±8.7, gender [% female]: 41%, BMI: 28.1±5.5) and hypermobile groups (Age: 44.4±9.4, p=0.272; gender [% female]: 41%, p=0.98; BMI: 29.6±12.6, p=0.309); however, hypermobile patients (0.9±1.0) had a significantly higher CCI than the normal groups (0.4±0.8, p=0.003). Single-level patients: 23 (40%) developed hypermobility at follow-up. Follow-up ROM (12.2±6.8°, p=0.003) was significantly higher compared to the average BL ROM (9.2±4.9°). C5-C6 had significantly higher follow-up ROM (C5-C6: 13.7±6.9°, p=0.003) than BL ROM (C5-C6: 9.2±4.9°). Two-level patients: Although there was no significant difference between follow-up ROM (6.12±6.95°, p=0.749) and BL ROM (7.87±10.54°), 21(23.3%) cephalad and 20 (22.2%) caudal implants developed hypermobility postoperatively. Multivariate regression analysis of implant factors, patient demographics and disc level demonstrated no risk factors for hypermobility except a slightly shorter implant depth (13.6±0.9 mm vs 14.3±1.2 mm, p=0.004; OR:0.565, p=0.005). UCDR on average increased segmental ROM with more than forty-percent of these implants being hypermobile at follow-up. Furthermore, shorter implant depth (AP) was indicated to be a risk factor for hypermobility. Patients and surgeons should be aware of the prevalence of hypermobility of UCDR and consider the long-term outcomes of the procedure.

Anemia design effects in cluster surveys of women and young children in refugee settings.

BackgroundNutrition surveys in many refugee settings routinely estimate anemia prevalence in high-risk population groups. Given the lack of information on anemia design effects (DEFF) observed in surveys in these settings, the goal of this paper is to better understand the magnitude and distribution of DEFFs and intracluster correlation coefficients (ICCs) in order to inform future survey design.MethodsTwo-stage cluster surveys conducted during 2013–2016 were included if they measured hemoglobin in refugee children aged 6–59 months and/or non-pregnant women aged 15–49 years. Prevalence of anemia, anemia DEFFs and ICCs, mean cluster size, number of clusters, and total sample size were calculated per-survey for non-pregnant women and children. Non-parametric tests were used to assess differences and correlations of ICC and DEFF between women and children and inter-regional differences.ResultsEighty-seven unique cluster surveys from nine countries were included in this analysis. More than 90% of all surveys had ICC values for anemia below 0.10. Median ICC for children was 0.032 (IQR: 0.015–0.048), not significantly different from that observed for non-pregnant women for whom the median was 0.024 (IQR: -0.002–0.055). DEFFs were significantly higher for children [1.54 (IQR: 1.21–1.82)] versus women [1.20 (IQR: 0.99–1.46)]. Regional differences in DEFFs and ICCs were observed.ConclusionsBoth ICCs and DEFF were relatively small for both non-pregnant women and preschool children and fall in a narrow range. Differences in ICCs between women and children were non-significant, suggesting similar inter-cluster distributions of anemia; significant differences in DEFF were likely attributable to differing cluster sizes. Given regional differences in both ICCs and DEFFs, location-specific values are preferred. However, in the absence of other context-specific information, we suggest using DEFFs of 1.4–1.8 if mean cluster size is around 20, and DEFFs of 1.2–1.4 if mean cluster size is around 10.

An Adaptive Sliding Mode Control for Single Machine Infinite Bus System under Unknown Uncertainties

The inherent uncertainties in a Single Machine Infinite Bus System (SMIBS) are governed by unmodeled dynamics or large disturbances such as the system's faults. The existence of these uncertainties demands robust controllers to guarantee the system's asymptotic stability under such exacting conditions. In this work, we propose an Adaptive Sliding Mode Control (ASMC) design implemented on a fifth-order nonlinear SMIBS to handle those uncertainties without prior knowledge about its upper bounds. We develop the ASMC with gains of two nested adaptive layers to asymptotically stabilize the system's internal states, the machine's terminal voltage, and power angle within a region of unknown bounded uncertainties while mitigating the chattering phenomena associated with conventional Sliding Mode Control (SMC). To verify the design's effectiveness and prove the conducted Lyapunov theoretical stability analysis, we simulate the occurrence of a large disturbance represented by a 3-phase fault at the system's universal bus. The results show that the ASMC can successfully achieve asymptotic stable output errors and stabilizing the SMIBS internal states after the clearance of the fault. Moreover, the ASMC noticeably outperforms the SMC in chattering mitigation, where the ASMC's signal is significantly smoother than that of the SMC.

Clustering effects of oral conditions based on clinical and radiographic examinations

The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) is a measure of intra-subject clustering effects. A priori estimates of the ICC and the associated design effect (DE) are required for sample size estimation in clustered studies, and should be considered during their analysis, too. We aimed to determine the clustering effects of carious lesions, apical lesions, periodontal bone loss, and periodontal pocketing, assessed in clinical or radiographic examinations. A subsample of patients (n = 175) enrolled in the fifth German Oral Health Study provided data on clinically determined carious teeth (i.e., with untreated carious lesions, WHO method) as well as teeth with periodontal pocketing (i.e., with maximum probing-pocket-depths ≥ 4mm). A sample of panoramic radiographs (n = 85) from randomly chosen patients, examined from 2010 to 2017 at the Charité dental hospital, provided data on radiographically determined carious teeth (i.e., with lesions extending into dentine or enamel), teeth with apical lesions (determined by dentists via majority vote), and teeth with periodontal bone loss (≥ 20% of root-length). The ICC and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were determined. There were 3839 and 1961 teeth assessed in clinical and radiographic evaluations, respectively. For clinically or radiographically determined carious lesions, the ICC (95% CI) was 0.20 (0.16-0.24) or 0.19 (0.14-0.25), respectively. For clinical pocketing or radiographic bone loss, the ICC was 0.40 (0.35-0.46) or 0.30 (0.24-0.38), respectively. The lowest ICC was found for apical lesions at 0.08 (0.06-0.13). The ICC varied between assessment methods and conditions. Clustered trials should account for this during study planning and data analysis. Within the limitations of this study, and considering the risk of selection bias and the limited sample sizes of both datasets, clustering effects were substantial but varied between dental conditions. Studies not accounting for this during planning and analysis may yield misleading estimates if clustering is present.

PARC: A Novel Design Methodology for Power Analysis Resilient Circuits Using Spintronics

A prevalent class of side-channel attacks relies on Differential Power Analysis (DPA) methods, which monitor power traces during cryptographic processing to discover secret keys. Reconfigurability via Polymorphic Gate Modules (PGMs) offers an approach to obscure DPA information by dynamically rearranging the operation of constituent sub-circuits, albeit at the cost of increased area and power consumption. Thus, we develop the Power Analysis-Resilient Circuit (PARC) design methodology to instantiate the use of spin-based devices as an extension to conventional Register Transfer Language (RTL) specifications. PARC replaces a specific portion of the circuit to maximize a new Effectiveness of Design (EoD) metric, which quantifies DPA impact versus its performance overhead. To validate functionality, PARC is applied to various benchmark circuits including ISCAS-89, MCNC, and ITC-99. EoD results indicate that PARC significantly increases the number of power traces that an adversary would need to use in order to extract power information but incurs a low cost to the functional circuit itself.

Fully Adaptive Designs for Clinical Trials: Simultaneous Learning from Multiple Patients

Clinical trials have traditionally followed a fixed design, in which randomization probabilities of patients to various treatments remains fixed throughout the trial and specified in the protocol. The primary goal of this static design is to learn about the efficacy of treatments. Response-adaptive designs, on the other hand, allow clinicians to use the learning about treatment effectiveness to dynamically adjust randomization probabilities of patients to various treatments as the trial progresses. An ideal adaptive design is one where patients are treated as effectively as possible without sacrificing the potential learning or compromising the integrity of the trial. We propose such a design, termed Jointly Adaptive, that uses forward-looking algorithms to fully exploit learning from multiple patients simultaneously. Compared to the best existing implementable adaptive design that employs a multiarmed bandit framework in a setting where multiple patients arrive sequentially, we show that our proposed design improves health outcomes of patients in the trial by up to 8.6%, in expectation, under a set of considered scenarios. Further, we demonstrate our design's effectiveness using data from a recently conducted stent trial. This paper also adds to the general understanding of such models by showing the value and nature of improvements over heuristic solutions for problems with short delays in observing patient outcomes. We do this by showing the relative performance of these schemes for maximum expected patient health and maximum expected learning objectives, and by demonstrating the value of a restricted-optimal-policy approximation in a practical example.

Effects of blade design on ice accretion for horizontal axis wind turbines

This paper presents a numerical study to predict ice loads on a wind turbine blade section at 80% of blade span. Air flow, droplet impingement and ice accretion simulations are conducted in FENSAP ICE. The effect of low and high liquid water content (LWC) conditions on blade thickness is presented. All NREL airfoil families used for HAWTs are examined to study blade design's effect on ice accretion. Ice shapes are numerically predicted at different atmospheric temperatures and LWC conditions. The degradation in aerodynamic characteristics due to ice formation is predicted. The numerical predictions suggest a 10%–65% reduction in lift coefficient due to ice accretion, which is highly dependent on the accreted ice shape.

Evaluating Variance Estimators for Respondent-Driven Sampling.

Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) is a network-based method for sampling hard-to-reach populations that is widely used by public health agencies and researchers worldwide. Estimation of population characteristics from RDS data is challenging due to the unobserved population network, and multiple point and variance estimators have been proposed. Research evaluating these estimators has been limited and largely focused on point estimation; this analysis is the first evaluation of multiple variance estimators currently in use. We evaluated the performance of RDS variance estimators via simulations of RDS on synthetic networked populations constructed from 40 RDS surveys of injection drug users in the United States. In these simulations, average design effects (DEs) were lower and average 95% confidence interval (CI) coverage percentages were higher than suggested in previous work: typical DE range = 1–3; average 95% CI coverage = 93%. However, DE and CI coverage vary across the 40 sets of simulations, suggesting that the characteristics of a given study should be evaluated to assess estimator performance. We also found that simulation results are sensitive to whether sampling is conducted with replacement and the approach used to create CIs. We conclude that CI coverage rates and DEs are often acceptable but not perfect and that RDS estimates are usually reliable in scenarios where RDS assumptions are met. While RDS estimation performed reasonably well, we found strong evidence that the simple random sample variance estimator and corresponding CIs significantly underestimate variance and should not be used to analyze RDS data.