User Groups Research Articles

Exploring the potential of 5G uplink communication: Synergistic integration of joint power control, user grouping, and multi-learning Grey Wolf Optimizer

Non-orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) techniques offer potential enhancements in spectral efficiency for 5G and 6G wireless networks, facilitating broader network access. Central to realizing optimal system performance are factors like joint power control, user grouping, and decoding order. This study investigates power control and user grouping to optimize spectral efficiency in NOMA uplink systems, aiming to reduce computational difficulty. While previous research on this integrated optimization has identified several near-optimal solutions, they often come with considerable system and computational overheads. To address this, this study employed an improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), a nature-inspired metaheuristic optimization method. Although GWO is effective, it can sometimes converge prematurely and might lack diversity. To enhance its performance, this study introduces a new version of GWO, integrating Competitive Learning, Q-learning, and Greedy Selection. Competitive learning adopts agent competition, balancing exploration and exploitation and preserving diversity. Q-learning guides the search based on past experiences, enhancing adaptability and preventing redundant exploration of sub-optimal regions. Greedy selection ensures the retention of the best solutions after each iteration. The synergistic integration of these three components substantially enhances the performance of the standard GWO. This algorithm was used to manage power and user-grouping in NOMA systems, aiming to strengthen system performance while restricting computational demands. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm was validated through numerical evaluations. Simulated outcomes revealed that when applied to the joint challenge in NOMA uplink systems, it surpasses the spectral efficiency of conventional orthogonal multiple access. Moreover, the proposed approach demonstrated superior performance compared to the standard GWO and other state-of-the-art algorithms, achieving reduced system complexity under identical constraints.

Developing a Design Guideline for a User-Friendly Home Energy-Saving Application That Aligns with User-Centered Design (UCD) Principles

Regarding issues with the majority of home energy-saving applications, the information is often too difficult for users to understand, and they struggle to comprehend communication via graphics or images displayed on the application’s screen. Furthermore, little is known about how users of home energy-saving applications behave. Therefore, this research aims to develop and evaluate a user-friendly design guideline for a home energy-saving application that applies four stages of User-Centered Design (UCD) processes. To identify significant issues and preliminary solutions, this research employed two rounds of co-creation activities involving nine experts and nine non-experts. Subsequently, an application prototype encompassing settings, about, home data, home assessment, and assessment summary was developed. The prototype underwent evaluation through an online questionnaire with 160 participants from four user groups, spanning expert and non-expert age groups. As a results from all four factors, the application received a mean score = 4.35 (good) from both non-experts and experts. This demonstrates that the prototype adopted with the guideline performed well in terms of User Experience, User Interface and User-Centered Design. This research provides developers and stakeholders with valuable guidelines to create applications or programs that are more efficient and user-friendly. This guideline is applicable to a wide range of sectors (eg, residential homes, workplaces, and educational institutions) and various domains (eg, Internet of Things (IoT), Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS), mobile applications, AI-Assisted in IoT-based Smart Microgrids). This would lead to the creation of applications that are easy for users to navigate and presentations that are impactful, ultimately helping to decrease energy usage and promote a more sustainable environment.

Needs led research: ensuring relevant research in two PhD projects within maternity care

BackgroundThere has been a growing concern regarding research waste and the mismatch between conducted research and the research needs of knowledge users. The Needs Led Research (NLR) approach is proposed as an effective method to ensure that research address actual evidence gaps that are relevant to the users of the knowledge. By search and reviewing literature and involving knowledge users, NLR aims to identify, verify, and prioritize research needs. This paper describes and compares the implementation of the NLR approach in two separate PhD projects within maternity care, and addresses the challenges encountered throughout the processes, aiming to offer valuable insights for future NLR initiatives.MethodsThe NLR processes consisted of four phases: (1) defining the scope (2) identifying and verifying research needs (3) prioritizing research needs and (4) designing the PhD projects. Literature searches were conducted during Phase 2, while knowledge user involvement took place in Phases 2 and 3. The knowledge user involvement, at a co-thinker and advocatory level, included knowledge user groups and surveys. Project groups, who were responsible for all decision-making, conducted Phases 1 and 4. The scopes of the PhD projects were labor induction (NLR-LINO) and fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries (NLR-LISTEN).ResultsIn NLR-LINO, 17 research needs were identified and verified as actual evidence gaps relevant for the knowledge users. Among these, ten were rated as “very important” by a majority of the 322 survey respondents. The aim of the PhD LINO project was defined as “To investigate whether outpatient induction of labor is beneficial in a Norwegian setting.” In NLR-LISTEN, seven research needs were identified and verified as actual evidence gaps relevant for the knowledge users. These were prioritized by 466 survey respondents, and the aim of the PhD LISTEN project was defined as “To investigate the methods used for fetal monitoring in low-risk deliveries in Norway and evaluate adherence to evidence-based practice while also exploring potential reasons for any deviations.”ConclusionsThis paper shows that the NLR is a viable approach for prioritizing research. The findings highlight the impact of the initial scope on subsequent phases and emphasize the importance of pragmatic decision-making throughout the process. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that NLR requires dedicated resources, and if integrated into PhD projects, additional time and training should be allocated accordingly.

Music Perception and Music-Related Quality of Life in Adult Cochlear Implant Users: Exploring the Need for Music Rehabilitation.

Cochlear implant (CI) users face difficulties in accurately perceiving basic musical elements such as pitch, melody, and timbre. Music significantly affects the quality of life (QoL) of CI users. Individually and culturally influenced music perception exceeds psychophysical measures in capturing the subjective music enjoyment of CI users. Understanding the music perception, enjoyment, and habits of CI users is crucial for approaches to improve music-related QoL (MuRQoL). Therefore, this study aims to investigate music perception skills, experiences, and participation in music activities in a large group of adult CI users, and to understand the importance of these factors and their impact on QoL of CI users. This study included 214 CI recipients with diverse auditory experiences who were aged between 18 and 65 years and were unilateral, bimodal, or bilateral users for at least 1 year and 193 normal hearing (NH) controls. All participants completed the information forms and the MuRQoL questionnaire. To assess the impact of music on QoL and identify personalized rehabilitation needs, the scores for each question in both parts of the questionnaire were intersected on a matrix. Data were presented in detail for the CI group and compared between CI and NH groups. A statistically significant difference was found between the matched CI and NH groups in favor of the NH group in terms of music perception and music engagement. Participants who received music education at any point in their lives had significantly higher MuRQoL questionnaire scores. There was no significant relationship found between the duration of auditory rehabilitation, pre-CI hearing aid usage, music listening modality, and MuRQoL questionnaire scores. Unilateral CI users had significantly lower scores in music perception and music engagement subsections compared with bimodal and bilateral CI users. Also, it was found that music had a strong negative impact on QoL in 67/214 of the CI users. Although CI users scored significantly lower than NH individuals on the first part of the questionnaire, which asked about musical skills, enjoyment, and participation in musical activities, findings suggest that CI users value music and music enjoyment just as much. The study reveals the influence of factors such as education level, age, music education, type of hearing loss and auditory rehabilitation on music perception, music enjoyment, and participation in music activities through self-report. The results indicate that for many CI users, music has a strong negative impact on QoL, highlighting the need for personalized music interventions, the inclusion of self-report questionnaires, and music perception tests in clinical evaluations.

Barriers and enablers to secondary use of multi-regional linked administrative health data for three distinct user groups: academic researchers, health-system knowledge users, and private sector researchers

Objective and ApproachWe analyzed barriers and enablers to accessing pan-Canadian health sector data and data analytic services for three distinct user groups: 1) academic researchers, 2) health-system knowledge users (KUs), and 3) private sector researchers. Specifically, we a) conducted a legislative and policy scan regarding use of health administrative data for research, quality improvement, and health system management and b) systematically consulted with data centre directors and staff, privacy and legal experts, knowledge users (KUs), private sector entities, and university and government officials. ResultsKUs and private sector organizations face unique barriers because structures and regulations related to data access and use are set at multiple university and government institutions and are primarily designed for academic research. Additionally, data repositories often have specific policy/legislative barriers to working with KUs and/or private sector researchers. However, all groups face common issues including variations in regional regulations and policies making harmonized and streamlined processes challenging; lengthy data access and ethics review processes; and regional variations in data availability. Enablers included diverse expertise and initiatives across Canada such as: initiatives to streamline ethics reviews for multi-regional research, expand data holdings, increase standardization and harmonization, and implement systems for federated analyses. ConclusionsAccess to health system data and analytics in Canada varies by user group and across regions. Although each user group faces unique challenges, they also all have many barriers and enablers in common. ImplicationsImproving health system data access for one use group has the potential to benefit the others.

Hybrid attribute-based recommender system for personalized e-learning with emphasis on cold start problem

This article introduces a recommendation system that merges a knowledge-based (attribute-based) approach with collaborative filtering, specifically addressing the challenges of the pure-cold start scenario in personalized e-learning. The system generates learning recommendations by assessing item similarities, utilizing the Rogers-Tanimoto similarity measure for materials and users, and Jaccard's similarity for user comparisons. Unlike traditional collaborative methods relying on prior ratings, this approach depends on attributes. Additionally, user and learning material profiling structures were created to serve as fundamental inputs for the recommendation algorithm. These profiles represent student and material knowledge in a two-dimensional space to facilitate matching. Our processes incorporate user learning styles, preferences, and prior knowledge as metrics for achieving the desired level of personalization. The system produces a list of top recommendations based on predicted ratings. To validate its efficacy, a website resembling our learning platform was developed and tested by users. The primary results demonstrate the system's ability to identify similar users even in a pure cold start condition without existing ratings. Consequently, the system proves its capability in recommending suitable materials, modeling students, and identifying similar user groups. The evaluation results of the proposed system showed a good level of satisfaction by the testimonials, quantified by a score of 82% for the recommended materials (16% higher than exiting cold-start systems), and an average score of 90% in terms of satisfaction about the generated student profiles. As they proved the capability of the framework in recommending suitable materials, and its capability in modeling students, finding similar groups of users.

Efficacy of the mHealth-Based Exercise Intervention re.flex for Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Exercise therapy is recommended by international guidelines as a core treatment for patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, there is a significant gap between recommendations and practice in health care. Digital exercise apps are promising to help solve this undersupply. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a 12-week fully automated app-based exercise intervention with and without a supporting knee brace on health-related outcomes, performance measures, and adherence in patients with knee osteoarthritis. This closed user group trial included participants with moderate to severe unicondylar painful knee osteoarthritis. Randomization was 1:1:2 into an intervention group (IG) with 2 subgroups (app-based training [IG A] and app-based training and a supportive knee brace [IG AB]) and a control group (CG). The intervention included a 12-week home exercise program with 3 sessions per week. Instructions for the exercises were given via the app and monitored using 2 accelerometers placed below and above the affected knee joint. Participants in the CG did not receive any study intervention but were allowed to make use of usual care. Osteoarthritis-specific pain (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) was defined as the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes included all other Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscales, general health-related quality of life (Veterans RAND 12-item Health Survey), psychological measures (eg, exercise self-efficacy), performance measures (strength and postural control), and the monitoring of adherence and safety. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Intervention effects were calculated using baseline-adjusted analysis of covariance for the joint comparison of IG A and IG AB versus the CG using a per-protocol approach. Subgroup analyses were conducted for each IG separately. A total of 61 participants were included (IG: n=30, 49%; CG: n=31, 51%; male: n=31, 51%; female: n=30, 49%; mean age 62.9, SD 8.5 years; mean BMI 27.7, SD 4.5 kg/m2). Analysis revealed statistically significant effects in favor of the IG for pain reduction (P<.001; effect size [ES]=0.76), improvements in physical function (P<.001; ES=0.64), improvements in symptoms (P=.01; ES=0.53), improvements in sport and recreation activities (P=.02; ES=0.47), improvements in knee-related quality of life (P<.001; ES=0.76), and improvements in the physical component of general health-related quality of life (P<.001; ES=0.74). Mean differences ranged from 6.0 to 13.2 points (scale range 0-100). ESs indicated small to medium effects. No effects were found for psychological and performance measures. Participants adhered to 92.5% (899/972) of all scheduled exercise sessions. Individuals with knee osteoarthritis undergoing a 12-week sensor-assisted app-based exercise intervention with or without an additional knee brace experienced clinically meaningful treatment effects regarding pain relief and improvements in physical function as well as other osteoarthritis-specific concerns compared to controls. German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00023269; https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00023269.

Factors related to the intention of choosing shared E-scooters for metro transfer: A survey study integrating weather perception into satisfaction evaluation from Changsha.

Shared E-scooter (SE) travel is a low-carbon transportation method that can be further enhanced by integrating with metro systems. This study aims to quantify the impact of the built environment, attitude preferences, weather perception, and other factors on the evaluation and intention to use the "SE-metro transfer" travel mode, as well as how to efficiently and concisely measure and model these effects. Empirical analysis was conducted using questionnaire data from Changsha, China, with 683 participants surveyed. Three satisfaction models were established and compared based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and an optimal M2 model was expanded to incorporate users' subjective perceptions of weather, proposing a method to simplify questionnaire length. The study found that well-designed vehicles and infrastructure, along with necessary supporting facilities, play important roles in enhancing SE usage. However, there are still many areas for optimization in Changsha's SE policies. Despite the advantages of SE in terrain and physical fitness, which have significantly expanded and changed their user base compared to traditional shared bicycles, there is still much potential to adapt to the middle-aged and older user groups. The results of this study can provide valuable insights for professionals and government officials in designing systems, constructing infrastructure, and formulating policies.

User experience with HIV molecular epidemiology in research, surveillance, and cluster detection and response: a needs assessment

Objective HIV molecular epidemiology (HIV ME) is a tool that aims to improve HIV research, surveillance, and cluster detection and response. HIV ME is a core pillar of the U.S. initiative to End the HIV Epidemic but faces some challenges and criticisms from stakeholders. We sought to assess user experience to identify the current needs for HIV ME. Methods Users of HIV ME, including researchers and public health practitioners, were engaged via a structured survey. Needs were assessed via open-ended questions about HIV ME. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis; the concordance of results was assessed semi-quantitatively. Results Of 90 possible HIV-ME end-users, 57 completed the survey (response rate = 63%), which included users engaged in research (n = 29) and public health (n = 28). Respondents identified current imperatives, challenges, and strategies to improve HIV ME. Imperatives included characterization of the virus, identification of HIV hotspots, and tailoring of HIV interventions. Challenges encompassed technological issues, ethical concerns, and implementation difficulties. Strategies to improve HIV ME involved improving data access and analysis, enhancing implementation guidance and resources, and fostering community engagement and support. Researchers and public health practitioners prioritized different imperatives, but similarly emphasized the ethical concerns with HIV ME. Conclusion The imperatives identified by users underscore the necessity of HIV ME, while the challenges highlight the hurdles to be overcome, including ethical concerns which emerged as a shared emphasis across user groups. The strategies outlined offer a roadmap for overcoming these challenges. These insights, drawn from user experience, present a valuable opportunity to inform the development of guidelines for the ethical application of HIV ME in research, surveillance, and cluster detection and response.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Shallow and L2 Learner-Suitable Textual Features for Supervised and Unsupervised Sentence-Based Readability Assessment

Simplicity in information found online is in demand from diverse user groups seeking better text comprehension and consumption of information in an easy and timely manner. Readability assessment, particularly at the sentence level, plays a vital role in aiding specific demographics, such as language learners. In this paper, we research model evaluation metrics, strategies for model creation, and the predictive capacity of features and feature sets in assessing readability based on sentence complexity. Our primary objective is to classify sentences as either simple or complex, shifting the focus from entire paragraphs or texts to individual sentences. We approach this challenge as both a classification and clustering task. Additionally, we emphasize our tests on shallow features that, despite their simplistic nature and ease of use, seem to yield decent results. Leveraging the TextStat Python library and the WEKA toolkit, we employ a wide variety of shallow features and classifiers. By comparing the outcomes across different models, algorithms, and feature sets, we aim to offer valuable insights into optimizing the setup. We draw our data from sentences sourced from Wikipedia’s corpus, a widely accessed online encyclopedia catering to a broad audience. We strive to take a deeper look at what leads to greater readability classification in datasets that appeal to audiences such as Wikipedia’s, assisting in the development of improved models and new features for future applications with low feature extraction/processing times.

Microfinance in Nepal: An Overview

This paper aims to explore the current challenges and opportunities of the microfinance sector in Nepal. The secondary data and descriptive research with a critical approach are adopted to explain the study. The data were mainly collected from Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) annual Reports, and other available literature. The result shows that the center numbers (numbers of microfinance user group) change ratio was reduced from 17.11% to 1.30%, the total group numbers were 13% to 2.88%, the borrower 7.51% to (-9.66%), staff progress 9.75% to (-3.48%), loan outstanding 41.18% to (-5.06), profit 150.53% to (-7238), active loan 40.26 to (-7.94), and saving 22.87 to 3.91 between 2020/2021 to 2022/2023. Similarly, the Overdue member change ratio increased upto 53.66%, the passive loan from 79.47% to 104.3%, and the NPL increased continuously from 2.56% to 5.52%. So, all microfinance institutions are in a critical situation in Nepal. However, microfinance is an important concept to reduce poverty and unemployment. Further, it enhances easy access to financial institutions in rural where large banking institutions are merely available. However, microfinance in Nepal is facing critical challenges as many fraud cases are emerging. The policy implication is crucial as policymakers should formulate both long-term and short-term policies and implement those policies immediately in microfinance to revive the critical current situation.

Linking boundary organizations to co-produce actionable knowledge: A case study of ice forecasting for Great Lakes navigation

Abstract Navigating the Great Lakes during icy conditions poses significant safety challenges for the shipping sector. Available ice information is uncertain and fragmented, and navigators must seek out multiple sources for information at the spatial and temporal scales they require, if the information is available at all. Navigators have expressed that they require more highly localized and easily usable information for current and predicted ice conditions to support decision-making. In this study, we seek to meet this information need by applying a boundary organizations chain (BOC) approach to facilitate the co-production of an actionable short-term Great Lakes ice forecast. We focus on two main aspects of this research: 1) producing an actionable decision-support product that meets the needs of Great Lakes ice navigators, and 2) contributing to the knowledge co-production scholarship on BOCs by providing a detailed account of our methods to create a BOC and co-produce an actionable ice forecast. Our results support incorporating existing communities of practice (COPs) into BOCs to enhance the co-production of actionable knowledge, specifically through increasing their complementarity and embeddedness. COPs are informal networks of users that meet voluntarily to share knowledge and develop professional skills, which we found naturally builds the co-production capacities of participants (e.g. embeddedness and complementarity). We also find that COP members are well positioned to disseminate co-produced knowledge across wider user groups.

Influence of Carnatic Vocal Training on Voice Measures in Males

Introduction: Training is an integral part of learning any skill. The vocal training helps singers attain proficiency as they are the most demanding vocal group of all professional voice users. Hence, it is necessary to evaluate the influence of training on the singer’s voice. The current study objective was to investigate the influence of vocal training on voice measures (acoustic and aerodynamic) between male Carnatic singers with lower (6 months–5 years) and higher (6–10 years) training using novel task “mkaram” along with lyrical task. Methods: Group 1 consisted of 30 trained male Carnatic singers with lower vocal training, and group 2, thirty trained male singers with higher training in the age of 18–45 years. The acoustic (frequency-related parameter, cepstral, spectral, perturbation, and noise) and aerodynamic measures (maximum phonation time and s/z ratio) of voice were obtained. The test-retest reliability was conducted on a sample of 10% of the population from each group, with a 2-week interval between the tests. Cross-sectional study design was applied. Results: The statistical analysis revealed significantly decreased frequency-related parameters (semitones) such as the mean fundamental frequency, lowest fundamental frequency, highest fundamental frequency at the low register and the highest fundamental frequency at the middle register in group 2 during “mkaram” task (p ≤ 0.05). Similarly, one of the spectral-related measures 1st harmonic-2nd harmonic (dB) during lyrical task and one of the noise-related measure harmonic-to-noise ratio (dB) at the middle register during “mkaram” task showed a significant decrease in group 2 compared to group 1 (p ≤ 0.05). Test-retest reliability revealed that most of the parameters had “acceptable to excellent” internal consistency (Cronbach’s α >0.7 to 1). Conclusion: Few frequency and noise measures during “mkaram” task and a spectral measure during lyrical task showed to be sensitive in distinguishing the impact of vocal training on the voices of male Carnatic singers. The higher vocal training was found to help the singers to perform more efficiently with enhanced vocal range particularly in the low register and to some extent in the middle register. Indeed, the study highlighted the positive effects of vocal training on male Carnatic singers.

Fenofibrate to prevent amputation and reduce vascular complications in patients with diabetes: FENO-PREVENT

BackgroundThe potential preventive effect of fenofibrate on lower extremity amputation (LEA) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is not fully elucidated.MethodsWe selected adult patients ≥ 20 years of age with T2D from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Database (2009–2012). The fenofibrate users were matched in a 1:4 ratio with non-users using propensity scores (PS). The outcome variables were a composite of LEA and PAD and the individual components. The risks of outcomes were implemented as hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). For safety issues, the risks of acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis and resulting hospitalization were analyzed.ResultsA total of 114,920 patients was included in the analysis with a median follow-up duration of 7.6 years (22,984 and 91,936 patients for the fenofibrate user and non-user groups, respectively). After PS matching, both groups were well balanced. The fenofibrate group was associated with significantly lower risks of composite outcome of LEA and PAD (HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.70–0.94), LEA (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.60–0.96), and PAD (HR 0.81; 95% CI 0.68–0.96). The risk of acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis, or hospitalization for these events showed no significant difference between the two groups. Subgroup analyses revealed consistent benefits across age groups, genders, and baseline lipid profiles.ConclusionsThis nationwide population-based retrospective observational study suggests that fenofibrate can prevent LEA and PAD in patients with T2D who are on statin therapy.

Gender Differences in Usage of Pathao’s Two-Wheeler Services

The study tests the significant difference in usage patterns of Pathao Services between two different groups: male and female. In this context, the Independent Samples t-Test has been used to test equality in the mean usage of Pathao Services for both groups with and without the assumption of equal and unequal variances. We tested the sample of 397 participants, and the variance between these groups was found to be unequal by the Levene's Test showing the significant difference. The results reveal a statistically significant mean difference in the use of Pathao Services between the two groups. Precisely, the average of difference for 0.199, at 95% confidence interval, falls within a range of 0.087 to 0.310 when variances are considered to be equal and within a range of 0.073 to 0.325 when variances are taken to be unequal. As a matter of fact, the p-values for both tests were below the conventional alpha level of 0.05, meaning the differences observed are significant. The results derived from unequal variances tests were considered more reliable because of the significant F-value obtained from Levene's Test. These results therefore indicate that one group is using Pathao Services more than the other. The significant differences of usage would require further examination of demographic, socio-economic, or even behavioral reasons responsible for these differences and might be useful in service provision and intervention. This thus calls for more research to find the root causes of such and perhaps inform strategies to help improve service engagement across diverse user groups.

Peer power: how drug user groups navigate harm reduction in Surrey, British Columbia and resist the carceral state

Abstract The article discusses the Surrey Union of Drug Users (SUDU) in British Columbia, emphasizing harm reduction, safe supply, and destigmatization for drug users. As a peer-led group, SUDU actively resists carceral state policies. The analysis explores challenges faced by peer-led groups, including formation, sustainability, and mobilization efforts. It highlights the need for supportive frameworks to enhance peer-led harm reduction initiatives and argues that such advocacy enables alternative knowledge and institutional innovations that are conducive to building a real world abolitionist future.

Satellite Onboard Transmitter Design With Spread Spectrum MIMO Antenna for 5G Wireless Networks

AbstractThe 5G new era implements standalone satellite communications that support wireless networking systems for future mobile communications by locating multiple satellites in low Earth orbit to provide global coverage of the entire Earth's surface. In this research, a newly found model of a satellite onboard transmitter using a uniform circular array multiple‐input multiple‐output antenna was designed to operate at a carrier frequency of 12 GHz and derived theoretical equations compared to the real‐time scenario. The integration of spread spectrum with multiple‐input multiple‐output antenna provides an advantage for higher capacity. It has a higher percentage of gain amplification on improving the transmission of electromagnetic power to meet the bandwidth requirement of center operating frequency, and this can transmit over a bandwidth of 1.28 GHz. The proposed satellite onboard transmitter model design aims to minimize the components, increase the speed of operations for higher bandwidth, and transmit large amounts of information to a large group of users. The transmitter can operate for the speed of 1.28 Gbps using pseudo‐random code, direct‐sequence spread spectrum, quadrature phase shift keying modulation, bandwidth separated in bands for 64 symbols using 128 Chebyshev‐type bandpass filter for transmission using 128‐element uniform circular array multiple‐input multiple‐output antenna. The satellite transmitter antenna produces a maximum gain of 14.526 dBi, and a maximum directivity of 17.986 dBi, and the efficiency at 12 GHz is 45.1% for the radiated power at 0.93 mW. This satellite transmitter will interconnect 5G wireless networks for the application of mobile communications complement terrestrial‐dependent networks.

Public space and everyday heritage: An inquiry into children's and adults' perception

This paper examines how the spatial environment and the activities within these spaces contribute to their social value in turn informing the concept of everyday heritage within urban public spaces. We develop a novel methodological framework that combines visual representation and narrative analysis to provide insights into how the physical, emotional and perceptual dimensions of a public open space translate into associative social values. By including both adults and children in our study, we capture a comprehensive range of perceptions, highlighting the diverse ways in which different user groups give meaning to everyday heritage. Children and their guardians showed agreement on natural elements and personal representations, but differed on the garden's spatial layout and activities. While they shared values like childhood memories and family time, children prioritized play, forming new friendships, and connecting with nature, whereas parents emphasized children's happiness and personal space. Notably, both groups indicate that childhood – both lived and remembered – is that which gives this public urban space its everyday heritage status. The findings advocate for an expanded understanding of urban public spaces, recognizing the significance of everyday heritage in shaping collective cultural identity.

Injury risks for different road users in Nepal: a secondary analysis of routinely collected crash data

Background Road traffic injuries are the 12th leading cause of mortality globally. Nepal, one of the least developed countries in the world, has a rapidly rising rate of road traffic-related morbidity and mortality. There is incomplete reporting of traffic crashes in Nepal in the last three World Health Organization global status reports on road safety. Together with poor-quality coding of crashes, essential information to inform prevention interventions or make international comparisons is lacking. Objectives The study aimed to critically analyse routinely collected traffic police data in Makwanpur district, Nepal, to identify the road user groups most likely to be involved and injured in traffic crashes in this part of the country. Design Secondary data analysis. Setting Makwanpur district, Nepal. Data sources Road traffic crash records from the District Traffic Police Office, Makwanpur, over 2 years (April 2017–March 2018 and May 2019–April 2020). Data were extracted from paper-based records onto an electronic database, and the data were analysed descriptively using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 24.0 (IBM Corporation, USA). Results There were 291 crashes recorded in 2017–8 and 435 crashes in 2019–20. Two-wheeled vehicles (motorcycles/scooters) were the most frequently involved in police-reported crashes (35.5%). For most crashes (419/726, 58%), no cause was documented in the police record. Road users involved in crashes were mostly riders or passengers of motorised two-/three-wheelers (33.4%), four-wheeled vehicles (19.9%) or buses (16.7%). Of fatal injuries, 31.2% were riders or passengers of motorised two-/three-wheelers, and 24.8% were pedestrians. Limitations The data used represent crashes reported to the traffic police and therefore underestimate the true number of crashes and injuries. At the end of the second period of study, local movement restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown limited the traffic on the roads, resulting in fewer crashes in March and April 2020. In most crash records, there were missing data, limiting the ability to determine contributory factors with confidence. Conclusion This study contributes to the evidence gap by describing crashes and mortality data by vehicle type and road user category. The findings suggest that the number and rates of crashes may be increasing over time. Action to improve the quality and completeness of data routinely collected by the traffic police is needed; a piloted web-based Road Accident Information Management System has the potential to support improved routine data collection. Future work The data indicate crashes occurring in one district over 2 years. To better understand the apparent increase in crashes, an analysis over a longer period, and over multiple districts, would be necessary. Funding This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Global Health Research programme as award number 16/137/49.

Lens Factor Choice in IOL Power Calculation after Laser Refractive Surgery: The Right Constant for Advanced Lens Measurement Approach (ALMA).

Background/Objectives: To evaluate the advanced lens measurement approach (ALMA) formula accuracy using different lens constants available on the user group for laser interference biometry (ULIB) and IOL Con platforms. Methods: In this retrospective, comparative, case-series study, 150 eyes of 160 patients with previous myopic Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), who underwent uneventful cataract surgery and IOL implantation, were examined. The ALMA formula was evaluated to calculate the refractive prediction error (PE), analysing four different categories of lens constants: both nominal and optimized A-Constant for SRKT, which are available on the ULIB and IOL Con platforms. An additional analysis was carried out in this study, evaluating if a decreased ULIB optimized constant (DUOC) with different fixed factors (-1.2 -1.3 -1.4 -1.5) could improve refractive outcomes. Median absolute error (MedAE) and percentage of eyes within ±0.50 and ±1.00 diopters (D) of prediction error were measured as the main outcomes. Results: Comparing the lens factors available on ULIB and IOL Con platforms, the ALMA formula reported a lower MedAE and higher percentages of eyes with a refractive PE within 1.0 D using ULIB nominal constants (all p < 0.05). Using DUOC (-1.3), and there was a statistically significant improvement of both MedAE and of the percentages of eyes with PE within ±0.50 D with the ALMA method compared to nominal ULIB constants (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: The impact of different lens factors in the IOL power calculation after myopic LRS should be carefully evaluated. The ALMA formula, in the absence of optimized constants by zeroing the mean error, should be used by subtracting 1.3 from the optimized ULIB constants available on the IOL Con website. This finding suggests further studies to test which of these constants could work better with the other post-refractive surgery formulas.