Formal Stage Research Articles

MMAE: A universal image fusion method via mask attention mechanism

As an important carrier of data, images contain a huge amount of information. The purpose of image fusion is to integrate the information from source images into a single image. Since the source images are from the same scene, there is much redundant information between them. Common fusion methods do not filter this information and the fusion process is often disturbed. This leads to degradation in the quality of the reconstructed fused image. To solve this problem, this paper explores the strategies of information filtering and fusion control, and proposes a universal image fusion method based on the mask attention mechanism. It can be divided into pre-training stage and formal fusion stage. In the pre-training stage, coarse-grained mask maps are generated which are employed to improve the mask autoencoder and the mask attention mechanism. In the image formal fusion stage, with the help of coarse-grained mask maps, the mask autoencoder changes the process of random masking and discards redundant features between source images. Meanwhile the mask attention mechanism focuses on the distinctions between various source images and retains effective complementary information. Qualitative and quantitative extension experiments on different modal datasets validate the applicability of the model in multi-focus image fusion, infrared and visible image fusion, and medical image fusion. Our method achieves excellent performance in all these tasks and performs better than existing fusion methods. Our code is publicly available at https://github.com/xiangxiang-wang/MMAE.

Resolving labour disputes within african international organizations

The article describes the internal mechanisms for resolving labour disputes between staff and administration within african international intergovernmental organisations, such as: African Union, Southern African Development Community, Economic Community of West African States. It is indicated that within the African Union there are informal and formal stages of dispute resolution – an appeal for review to the chairperson or competent authority of any other body and an appeal to the Administrative Tribunal. It is noted that the Administrative Tribunal is competent to consider applications for violations of the Staff Rules and Regulations; non-observance of contracts of employment and any other acts of employment; and, in certain cases, complaints about disciplinary sanctions. It is emphasised that the feature of protection of labour rights of the African Union staff is the provision enshrined in the Staff Rules and Regulations, according to which a staff member may, under certain circumstances, appeal to the African Court of Justice and Human Rights. It is stated that the Southern African Development Community Administrative Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear and resolve labour disputes between the Community Secretariat and any of its institutions. The Tribunal has two levels: First Instance and Appeal Board. It is noted that the system of internal labour dispute resolution of the Economic Community of West African States provides for the submission of an application for review, hierarchical recourse, and referral of the case to the Committee for Conciliation of Staff and Dispute Resolution. An Inter-Institutional Appeals Committee is established to deal with disciplinary appeals in relation to the application of the Staff Regulations, to which employees or their next of kin can apply. It is stated that the staff of any institution may apply to the Court of Justice of the Community after the staff member has exhausted all appeal procedures available to the official under the ECOWAS Staff Rules and Regulations.

Model-free aperiodic tracking for discrete-time systems using hierarchical reinforcement learning

In the operation of practical systems, it is often a challenging task to deal with limited knowledge of the system dynamics, therefore, it is needed to obtain a framework for the simultaneous learning and control of dynamic systems, able to cope with uncertain dynamics. This paper proposes a model-free aperiodic tracking control method based on MAXQ hierarchical reinforcement learning for unknown dynamics in discrete-time systems. Firstly, a MAXQ hierarchical framework is developed for aperiodic tracking control that decomposes the task into pre-control and accurate control subtasks. The former achieves sub-optimal tracking which prompts the implementation of accurate control. The latter implements aperiodic tracking based on the pre-control result to reduce resource occupation. The structure of the MAXQ framework simplifies the complexity of the tracking task, and the incorporation of pre-control accelerates the learning process in the formal control stage. Secondly, considering the disparities between the control inputs and the control update instants, pre-control is decomposed to learn the triggering strategy and control policy, respectively. Meanwhile, the control policy learns optimal control inputs by minimizing the cost function. Similarly, the triggering strategy and control policy are also separately learned in accurate control. In contrast to traditional aperiodic triggering mechanisms, in accurate control stage, the triggering strategy is developed based on the cumulative error of the pre-control result, thus avoiding the influence of accidental factors and the cumulative effects of errors, enhancing system robustness. Thirdly, the proposed tracking control is derived by using only the input, output, and reference signal data from the system, without relying on system dynamics. It is applicable to both linear and nonlinear systems, demonstrating strong generalizability. Finally, simulation examples are provided to validate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.

Mask-Shift-Inference: A novel paradigm for domain generalization

Domain Generalization (DG) focuses on the Out-Of-Distribution (OOD) generalization, which is able to learn a robust model that generalizes the knowledge acquired from the source domain to the unseen target domain. However, due to the existence of the domain shift, domain-invariant representation learning is challenging. Guided by fine-grained knowledge, we propose a novel paradigm Mask-Shift-Inference (MSI) for DG based on the architecture of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). Different from relying on a series of constraints and assumptions for model optimization, this paradigm novelly shifts the focus to feature channels in the latent space for domain-invariant representation learning. We put forward a two-branch working mode of a main module and multiple domain-specific sub-modules. The latter can only achieve good prediction performance in its own specific domain but poor predictions in other source domains, which provides the main module with the fine-grained knowledge guidance and contributes to the improvement of the cognitive ability of MSI. Firstly, during the forward propagation of the main module, the proposed MSI accurately discards unstable channels based on spurious classifications varying across domains, which have domain-specific prediction limitations and are not conducive to generalization. In this process, a progressive scheme is adopted to adaptively increase the masking ratio according to the training progress to further reduce the risk of overfitting. Subsequently, our paradigm enters the compatible shifting stage before the formal prediction. Based on maximizing semantic retention, we implement the domain style matching and shifting through the simple transformation through Fourier transform, which can explicitly and safely shift the target domain back to the source domain whose style is closest to it, requiring no additional model updates and reducing the domain gap. Eventually, the paradigm MSI enters the formal inference stage. The updated target domain is predicted in the main module trained in the previous stage with the benefit of familiar knowledge from the nearest source domain masking scheme. Our paradigm is logically progressive, which can intuitively exclude the confounding influence of domain-specific spurious information along with mitigating domain shifts and implicitly perform semantically invariant representation learning, achieving robust OOD generalization. Extensive experimental results on PACS, VLCS, Office-Home and DomainNet datasets verify the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Piagetian Theory and the Psychogenetic Development of Humankind Throughout History. Towards a General Theory of the Human Being.

J. Piaget wanted to study children to find a key to understanding history of mind, culture, science, and philosophy. The new theory program, called the structural-genetic theory program, developed by the author of this article, is an off-spring of Piagetian theory and follows Piaget's main idea concerning the study of parallels between ontogenetic and historical developments. It maintains the full identity of the child's psyche and that of the adult archaic human being concerning traits and features of the preoperational stage and partially the concrete operational stage, thereby evidencing the total sally of the formal operational stage in the minds of archaic people. The identity of the stage structures is not partially given but rather entirely and implies even the smallest details. The article exemplifies this identity concerning several central issues, such as logic, physical understanding, categories such as causality and chance, animism, personification of plants and animals, belief in magic, metamorphosis, ghosts, and understanding of dreams and myths. Accordingly, there is no difference between ontogenetic stages and the psychogenetic development of humankind throughout history. Historically, humankind has gone through the same stages as children do. The new theory program presents the fundamental theory of the human being as he or she existed in history and peopled archaic, ancient, and medieval societies. Consequently, the world history of culture, mind, worldview, politics, law, science, philosophy, morals, religion, and arts must be reconstructed in terms of stages, a task already accomplished by the new program, at least to a certain extent.

On the question of the periodization of the history of Western art criticism

The subject of the study is the Western historiography of the history of art from the middle of the XIX century to the present, the patterns that determined the nature of its development, general cultural and general scientific factors that determined the paradigm shift in art criticism. The time frame of the study is determined, on the one hand, by the emergence of scientific art studies, on the other hand, by the assertion of a postmodern worldview that denies the possibility of scientific study of any texts, including artistic ones. The paper examines the characteristics of each of the highlighted stages, as well as their relationship with the general trends in the development of humanitarian knowledge at each stage. Thus, the history of art is placed in a broad context of general scientific and general cultural processes, which makes it possible to identify and study the driving forces that determine the course of its development. The main method of research is the method of periodization, the criterion for which is the predominance of a particular methodology at a particular historical stage of the development of art studies. The paper proposes the following periodization of the history of art studies: 1. Pre-scientific art criticism (before XIX century). 2. The cultural and historical stage (XIX century). 3. Formal and stylistic stage (XX century). 4. The iconological stage (XX century). 5. Post-scientific art criticism (beginning of the XXI century). This classification allows us to present the history of scientific art studies as a natural and consistent process of changing dominant methodologies, starting with the formation of a scientific approach to the study of art and up to the present time, when the very possibility of its application was questioned by the postmodern worldview. The main factor determining the change of stages in the development of art criticism is a change in the general cultural situation, as well as a change in the prevailing paradigms in art knowledge.

Leah Sidi. Sarah Kane’s Theatre of Psychic Life: Theatre, Thought, and Mental Suffering

Leah Sidi presents a career-spanning reading of the plays of Sarah Kane, arguing that Kane built a sustained project of representing mental illness through formal stage experimentation. This volume is essential for those interested in Kane but will be of use to anyone exploring the stage as a site for representing mental illness.

Self or Non-Self? Self-Essentialism and Well-Being in Tibetan Buddhist Monks

In monastic Tibetan Buddhists, we explored the psychological construct of self-essentialism, looking at links to satisfaction with life and meaning in life. We selected this population due to their deep commitment to teachings that emphasize the notion of “non-self.” We further explored the role of self-construal in the association between self-essentialism and psychological well-being. Finally, we explored how differences between the formal learning stages in Tibetan Buddhism affected our outcome variables. Replicating findings with other samples, there was small positive endorsement of self-essentialism, and a positive association between psychological essentialism and psychological well-being in this Tibetan Buddhist sample. Those on the highest learning stage in Tibetan Buddhism indicated greater self-essentialism, satisfaction with life, and search for life-meaning compared with the other stages. Interdependent self-construal moderated the association of self-essentialism with satisfaction with life. Contextualizing these findings within Tibetan Buddhist doctrine, it appears that Tibetan Buddhist monks utilize self-essentialism to clearly identify their path from the self toward “non-self.”

Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) Approach to Material on the Characteristics of Two-Dimentional Figures Using the Reog Ponorogo Performance in Elementary Schools

: It is critical to approach mathematical education correctly. This is because many students believe math is a tough subject to learn. This problem arises because many teachers teach mathematics in abstract terms. This is a qualitative descriptive study using Graveimeiijeir's design research method. The research was designed to prove the truth of the allegations made in the learning trajectory or HLT (Hypothetical Learning Trajectory) and their impact on students' understanding by applying the RME (Realistic Mathematics Education) approach to the material on the characteristics of two-dimensional figures, with Reog Ponorogo performance media and worksheet serving as a guide for student activities. This study was conducted on class 3B students at MI Ma'arif Darul Ulum Pondok. The research topic is a 6-student group in a classroom. The research stages included preparation, execution in the classroom, and data analysis. Based on this research, it can be seen that the stages of learning activities using the RME approach are based on the stages contained in the iceberg theory, namely, stages of real-world situations (situations), models that describe problem situations (model of), models for solving problems (model for), and formal mathematics stages using Reog Ponorogo performance media can make it easier for students to understand material regarding the characteristics of two-dimensional figures.

Models, simulations, and applications of small satellite thermal analysis

Progress in satellite technology places higher expectations on the design period and reliability of thermal control systems, especially for small satellites with high intensification. Here, a thermal analysis is conducted throughout the satellite development process, with thermal modeling serving as the foundation for thermal analysis in the early and formal design and test verification stages. As a result, designers are required to appreciate, penetrate, and properly apply thermal models for the development of satellite thermal systems. Thus, in this article, we reviewed the research and development of thermal model techniques, as well as the preparation of crucial parameters and means of simplification for accurate and fast solutions. In addition, a summary of the relevant application and state-of-the-art technologies such as uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, intelligent optimization design, and parameter correlation, was dedicated to promoting the comprehensive development and innovation of thermal analysis of satellites.

Understanding the Determinants of ICC Involvement: Legal Mandate and Power Politics

Abstract What explains the initiation and escalation of International Criminal Court (ICC) involvement in a situation? In light of growing charges of bias against the court, understanding the determinants of ICC involvement is critically important. Building upon research on bounded discretion at international courts, we argue that two potentially competing forces influence the court. While prioritizing impartiality should lead the court to target perpetrators of the gravest violations of human rights in states with domestic impunity, prioritizing powerful states’ interests suggests that the court may avoid involvement in powerful states and those with close ties to powerful countries. We test these arguments using original data on ICC involvement and a novel estimator that accounts for the sequential nature of ICC activity. We find that the court acts more in accordance with the legal mandate when initiating preliminary examinations, but power politics play a more dominant role at the formal investigation stage. These findings have several implications for academic and policy work on both the ICC and international courts more generally.

Need Assessment for Developing Learning Modules Based on Discovery Learning Ecosystem Materials

The scientific approach is a form of character education integrated into learning activities. The success of implementing character values internalization learning is largely determined by the teacher's skills in selecting and implementing appropriate learning models. However, in reality, school teachers still do not apply learning models that suit the students' character, and the teaching materials used also do not support character internalization learning. So, this research aims to determine the characteristics of students and the type of materials and modules to be developed based on conditions in the field. This research uses qualitative research with a descriptive approach based on ongoing problems in class X SMA Bina Ilmi, Palembang City—techniques for obtaining data in the field, namely interview techniques, observation, and documentation. The research results showed that students were of an age that had entered the formal operational stage, understood abstract concepts, had high curiosity, and tended to like discovering new things. Meanwhile, the material analysis results showed three ecosystem materials that can stimulate students' curiosity: interactions between species, ecosystem components, and ecological pyramids. This material will be made into a teaching module based on discovery learning. This model-based module can make students build their knowledge through independent observation to increase students' reasoning power in developing environmental concepts following ecosystem material and learning resources that can provide interesting discovery concepts to explore curiosity to observe and process information in the learning process and understand ecosystem material.

Pathological Asymmetry-Guided Progressive Learning for Acute Ischemic Stroke Infarct Segmentation.

Quantitative infarct estimation is crucial for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. As the early changes of ischemic tissue are subtle and easily confounded by normal brain tissue, it remains a very challenging task. However, existing methods often ignore or confuse the contribution of different types of anatomical asymmetry caused by intrinsic and pathological changes to segmentation. Further, inefficient domain knowledge utilization leads to mis-segmentation for AIS infarcts. Inspired by this idea, we propose a pathological asymmetry-guided progressive learning (PAPL) method for AIS infarct segmentation. PAPL mimics the step-by-step learning patterns observed in humans, including three progressive stages: knowledge preparation stage, formal learning stage, and examination improvement stage. First, knowledge preparation stage accumulates the preparatory domain knowledge of the infarct segmentation task, helping to learn domain-specific knowledge representations to enhance the discriminative ability for pathological asymmetries by constructed contrastive learning task. Then, formal learning stage efficiently performs end-to-end training guided by learned knowledge representations, in which the designed feature compensation module (FCM) can leverage the anatomy similarity between adjacent slices from the volumetric medical image to help aggregate rich anatomical context information. Finally, examination improvement stage encourages improving the infarct prediction from the previous stage, where the proposed perception refinement strategy (RPRS) further exploits the bilateral difference comparison to correct the mis-segmentation infarct regions by adaptively regional shrink and expansion. Extensive experiments on public and in-house NCCT datasets demonstrated the superiority of the proposed PAPL, which is promising to help better stroke evaluation and treatment.

Unveiling the Impact of Value Propositions on Value Creation in Chinese Health Service Enterprises: A Customer Participation Perspective

This research investigates the impact of value propositions in Chinese health service enterprises on value creation, with a focus on customer participation as a mediating variable. Employing a dual dimension framework, the study identifies three formal stages in the value creation process: labor production, circulation and exchange, and consumption experience. Through empirical analysis involving 303 valid questionnaire responses, it was found that value propositions exert direct or indirect influence on value creation, mediated by customer participation. Furthermore, customer perceived value was found to positively moderate the relationship between customer participation and value creation. Practical implications suggest the importance of prioritizing use value creation, establishing mechanisms to address contract violations, and reshaping societal expectations towards value. However, limitations include potential oversight of implicit value propositions and challenges in quantitatively measuring usage value. Future research may explore alternative data sources and refine measurement techniques for a deeper understanding of value creation in service industries.

RELIABILITY EVALUATION OF THE TRIPLED WIRED CHANNEL WITH DOUBLED PROTECTIVE REINFORCEMENT

Modern computer systems rely heavily on the exchange of information through various physical communication channels. The failure of a communication channel, particularly in systems responsible for critical facilities, can result in significant material and human losses. Therefore, ensuring the reliability of communication channels is a pressing issue. This paper is part of a series of publications dedicated to evaluating the reliability of communication channels. The purpose is to develop methods and models for assessing the reliability of a communication channel with tripled wired redundancy and doubled protective reinforcement. Block diagrams and dynamic fault trees were used to create mathematical models during the formalization stage. These models were used to develop both static and dynamic models based on state and transition diagrams. The static models are expressed using logical-probabilistic expressions, while the dynamic models are represented as systems of differential equations using Markov analysis. The channel’s structure can form six different schemes due to the presence of three cores and a double protective reinforcement. Three of these schemes are symmetrical, and the other three are asymmetrical. The most reliable structure is the one with separate outer and inner protective reinforcements for each of the three cores. The least reliable structure is when the three cores share common outer and inner reinforcements. Reliability indicators for structures with various combinations of cable reinforcements take intermediate values between the extreme cases. The reliability of such structures increases with an increase in the number of separate reinforcements. It is important to note that reliability indicators obtained using static models are underestimated and less accurate compared to indicators calculated using dynamic models. However, it is recommended to use static models for the initial assessment of the reliability indicators of communication channels due to their simpler construction. Models have been developed to improve the reliability assessment of communication channels with multiple redundancies of cores and an arbitrary number of protective reinforcements. Specifically, models have been created for a communication channel with triple redundancy of cores and double protective reinforcement. The proposed approach will be useful for assessing reliability in the design of modern technical systems, particularly computer systems responsible for critical facility operations. Failure of these systems can result in material damage and endanger service personnel. Further research will involve establishing regularities in the obtained models. These regularities will form the basis of specialised software for automated reliability assessment of communication channels with any number of cores and protective reinforcements.

Histological predictors of outcome for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in renal transplant patients: A case-control study

BackgroundCutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a significant cause of morbidity for immunosuppressed patients such as organ transplant recipients, however histological parameters which predict the likelihood of tumor progression are typically based on general population studies in which immunosuppressed patients represent only a small fraction of cases. ObjectivesTo determine the histological parameters which have independent prognostic value for cSCC arising in renal transplant recipients. MethodsCase-control study incorporating a retrospective blinded histological review of 70 archived specimens of cSCC diagnosed in renal transplant recipients, comprising 10 cases where the tumor had progressed and 60 controls. ResultsProgression was significantly associated with head and neck location, size, depth, poor histological grade, perineural invasion (including small calibre perineural invasion), lymphovascular invasion and a desmoplastic growth pattern. LimitationsThe retrospective nature and the low number of cases compared to controls. ConclusionIn immunosuppressed patients both small calibre perineural invasion and a desmoplastic growth pattern may also have prognostic significance in addition to other histological parameters already recognised in formal staging schemes.

Recent metrological approaches relevant to the characterisation of hardmetals

Metrology provides the underpinning science that supports the practical use of testing standards; ensuring that different users, be it academia, government or industry, develop a common language regarding the capabilities of many materials sectors. For the hardmetal community, after a century of fundamental and effective applications, it isn't surprising that there are already a considerable number of formal International Standards. For example, ISO and ASTM are well known [1], and over time these have evolved, with international consensus, from metrological studies. Currently important properties of hardmetals such as Stiffness, Density, Hardness, Toughness, Abrasion Resistance, Macroscopic Strength and Phase and Magnetic properties are comprehensively supported by these international standards. However, there are other testing strategies where improved knowledge could contribute to enhanced carbide functionality. These might include high resolution microscopy, indentation strength measurements, micro-tribology, thermal fatigue testing and modelling in all its diverse approaches which are not yet addressed through standards, though they often feature strongly in published academic papers. The hardmetal research community is international, diverse and productive in addressing these many facets and frequently embed metrological studies that are relevant to the practical characterisation of hardmetals.In the UK the Materials Group at the National Physical Laboratory, NPL, has a prime remit to focus on metrology and our contribution to the WC-Co 100 year anniversary publication provides some specifics of typical metrological issues that need further attention before addressing the formal stage of standardisation. In this celebratory paper we have chosen examples of recent metrological activities that fall under this remit and which have only partly been contributed to the scientific published domain. These five examples are High Hardness measurements, Dislocation Analysis, Micro-Tribology, Nanoindentation and Structural Characterisation.

The Influence of Nonformal Education on Students' Cognitive Formation

In the world of education, it is categorized into two, namely education in schools and education outside of school. Out-of-school education or it can be said that non-formal education is education for the community, in this case, students who need educational services to complement the deficiencies of formal education. This research was conducted at Tridaya Tutoring with a quantitative research approach. This research method uses survey methods and correlation analysis to see the interrelationships of students' creative thinking and critical thinking variables based on cognitive stages, namely formal, transitional, and concrete thinking stages. The population of this study were class XII students at Bimbel Tridaya with a sample of 53 students. The research instrument used tests and questionnaires. Obtained pretest data showed that there was a difference in the average initial ability of students in the experimental class and control class in creative and critical thinking and the average posttest final ability of creative and critical thinking of experimental class students was better than the average control class. The improvement of students' creative and critical thinking skills in the experimental class was obtained better than that of the control class students. Learning outcomes with students' cognitive levels at the formal, transitional, and concrete stages have differences and do not have a significant influence on the development of student learning outcomes, but there is an association between students' creative and critical thinking abilities.

Developing pop-up book teaching materials on polyhedron to improve junior high school students' mathematical literacy

This research was motivated by the problems found at SMP N 1 Bantul, a junior high school in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta, which were obtained by conducting interviews with mathematics teachers. We found that there were still many students who had not received good stimulation in cognitive development at the concrete stages so that when entering the formal stages students have difficulty to make reasoning into more complex problems where this reasoning will affect students' mathematical literacy skills. Besides, they also lack of teaching materials especially in grade 7 due to using the new curriculum. One of which are the material of polyhedron which only explains concepts in general and does not explain further than the elements, content, and spatial components as well as the visualization of geometric shapes. This study aims to develop pop-up book teaching materials on polyhedron to improve the students' mathematical literacy skills. This development research used the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model involving students of class VII-A in the testing. Before conducting testing in the classroom, the teaching materials, pretest, and posttest were validated by experts. The results are: (1) scores of material experts and media experts gave a valid result; (2) the students and teachers responses to teaching materials gave practical testimonies; and (3) there was an average increase from pretest to posttest results at 25.49 points.

Behavior Change of Darul Falah Senior High School Students After Attending Tabligh Akbar

Tabligh Akbar has become a tradition that is inherent and ingrained in Indonesian society, in which there are strings of holy verses of the Qur'an and chanting blessings accompanied by melodious Islamic tones, which add to the specialness. This study used a qualitative method with a descriptive approach and ethnographic research. The data sources were taken from respondents in the form of several Darul Falah SMA students in grades X, XI, and XII, in which they are teenagers who often participate in Tabligh Akbar activities in various places, using data analysis techniques including data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawings or verification. In this study, it was found that Darul Falah High School students were in their teens and took part in the Tabligh Akbar to find identity and experience during the transition period, so that there was a comparison between the experience of academics in schools and religious experience in society, because there were still students who had not fully entered the formal operational stage, but still in the transitional stage from the concrete to the formal operational stage, the doctrines that were assimilated in the Tabligh Akbar activities and accepted by students can be realigned or classified as good and bad indicators with true religious lessons.