Marginal Impact Research Articles

The Impact of Weather Conditions on Mode Choice in Different Spatial Areas

This article investigates if the impact of weather conditions on mode choice (walking, riding a bike, driving a car, and using public transport) differs across spatial areas. For this purpose, a survey-based data set with more than 500,000 trips in Germany was enriched with weather conditions prevailing at the closest weather station to the point of departure at the moment of the start of the trip. In addition, the points of departure of each trip were classified into seven different spatial areas. The analysis relied on separate multinomial logit models carried out for each spatial area with mode choice as the dependent variable. The independent variables consisted of non-weather-related factors such as sex, age, car availability, level of education, etc., and various weather-related variables such as air temperature, amount of precipitation, and wind speed. The results show that weather conditions have a rather marginal impact on mode choice, with the exception of riding a bike, which constitutes the mode of transport that is most affected by weather conditions in all spatial areas. However, the impacts tend to be smaller in densely populated urban metropolises than in peripheral, rural areas. In particular, precipitation and wind speed do not appear to affect cyclists in metropolitan areas as much as in peripheral, rural regions.

Towards a low-carbon economy: how does green credit affect carbon productivity?

As a financial instrument and a crucial component of the environmental governance system, the comprehensive impacts of green credit on both the economy and the environment remain unclear. This study examines Chinese provincial data from 2001 to 2018 and employs multiple models to assess the dynamic effects of green credit on carbon productivity. The findings indicate a significant positive influence of green credit on carbon productivity within local and surrounding areas. Furthermore, the promotion effect of green credit on carbon productivity is mainly through energy structure transformation, upgrading of industrial structure and green technology innovation. Interestingly, when considering the spatiotemporal aspect, we observe an initial marginal negative impact of green credit on carbon productivity, which subsequently transitions to a positive effect. The regions demonstrating the highest positive impacts of green credit are primarily concentrated in the southwestern region rich in renewable energy and the economically developed eastern coastal region.

Filtration and respiration responses of mussels (Mytilus edulis) to trematode parasite infections (Renicola roscovita) and transient heat exposure.

The mussel Mytilus edulis, a host to various trematode species, experiences performance decrements due to these infections. Yet, the impact magnitude and potential interactions with environmental stressors remain largely unexplored. This study scrutinizes the effect of Renicola roscovita infections on mussel filtration and respiration. We first assessed performance in both uninfected and lab-infected mussels at a mild temperature (16°C), following an acute heat ramp to 30.5°C and subsequent cooling. The experiment revealed neither a significant direct impact of the infection on the mussels' performance, nor any significant interplay between the infection and temperature variations. To account for possible infection effects obscured by low sample sizes or mussel size disparities, we conducted a reassessment at 16°C using both small and large mussels. Infection notably hampered filtration in large mussels, with a marginal impact on smaller ones. A positive correlation was found between infection intensity and mussel filtration capacity, though the infection had no discernible impact on respiration. Our consistent finding of an 11-12 % infection effect size across all experiments indicates a slight reduction in mussel filtration due to trematode infections. While the exacerbating effect of transient heat stress on the infection's impact on filtration was not statistically significant, future investigations should explore potential interactions with prolonged heat stress. Our findings underscore the nuanced ways in which parasitic infections can influence marine bivalve physiology, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive studies that incorporate environmental stressors, such as heat stress, to fully elucidate the impact of parasitism on marine ecosystem health and resilience.

The marginal impact of predicted climate risk scenarios on portfolio credit risk stress testing

This paper adapts the methodology developed by de Oliveira Campino et al. (June 2021) to account for predicted climate risk shocks' impact on a sovereign portfolio's credit quality on a forward-looking basis and in probabilistic terms. In particular, the portfolio stress testing capability is enhanced by adjusting the severity of the credit shocks to account for climate risk-related events on an additive basis. The benefit to risk managers is that it allows understanding of the impact of climate risk in marginal terms in relation to the original credit shock. The recently created NGFS (the Network for Greening the Financial System) database makes this exercise possible. Moreover, the described approach translates the marginal impact of climate risk scenarios on the portfolio's credit risk stress testing into capital adequacy metrics dislocations, which facilitates communicating the marginal impact of climate risk scenarios as capital consumption amounts. The paper presents an overview of the underlying model, and the methodological approach developed to adapt the credit risk stress-testing capabilities to account for climate risk using the NGFS database. Moreover, it applies the methodology to a hypothetical sovereign loan portfolio and discusses the results. Over the period considered, the study finds that the transition aspect of climate risk has a more pronounced marginal impact on a sovereign portfolio's credit risk than the chronic physical aspect of climate risk. Moreover, the results indicate that as the world takes action to transition away from carbon, the credit risk of sovereign portfolios may be exacerbated, especially if there are delays and a lack of coordination across countries and sectors.

Prognostic analysis of postoperative pathological microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma and the effect of surgical margin on prognosis.

52 Background: To analyze the impact of different MVI grades and surgical margins on patient survival through analyzing the presence of microvascular invasion (MVI) after liver resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The clinical and follow-up data of 513 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy in our department from January 2016 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients signed the informed consent form, complying with the medical ethics regulations. Risk factors of MVI in patients with HCC were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis, and effect of different MVI grades on postoperative complications was explored. The effects of different MVI grades and different surgical margins on tumor-free survival and overall survival were also analyzed. Results: There were 332 cases in M0 group, 123 cases in M1 group and 58 cases in M2 group. Univariate analysis showed that tumor diameter, tumor number, CNCL stage and alpha-fetoprotein were risk factors for MVI in patients with HCC, and multivariate analysis showed that tumor maximum diameter, tumor number and CNLC stage were independent influencing factors for MVI. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications among different groups. The 1-year, 2-year, 3-year disease-free survival rate of M0 group was 79.6%, 71.0%, 63.4%, which was significantly higher than that in M1 group (59.6%, 48.0%，43.3%) and M2 group (31.0%, 27.5%, 25.2%). The 1-year, 2-year, 3-year overall survival rate of M0 group was 97.3%, 88.2%, 84.6%, which was significantly higher than that in M1 group (87.0%, 71.5%, 66.1%), and M2 group (79.3%, 61.9%, 52.6%),respectively. In the aspect of surgical margin, in MVI negative group, the disease-free survival rate of wide margin resection for 1-year, 2-year, 3-year was 82.6%, 70.7%, 65.4%, while that of narrow margin resection was 79.4%, 64.7% and 60.5% (p=0.322).The 1-year, 2-year, 3-year overall survival rate of patients who received wide margin resection was 97.5%, 89.6%, 85.2%, while that of patients who received narrow margin resection was 97.1%, 86.0%，82.8%. (p= 0.822). In the MVI positive group, the 1-year, 2-year and 3-year disease-free survival rate was 58.1%, 45.4%, 40.3% in the wide margin group and 42.9%, 37.3%, 36.1% in the narrow margin group (p=0. 044). The 1-year, 2-year, 3-year overall survival rate of the wide margin group was 88.8%, 71.9%, 64.3%, which was higher than that of the narrow margin group, 82.6%, 64.8%, 61.0% (p = 0.032). Conclusions: Tumor size, number and stage are independent risk factors for MVI positive patients.The higher the MVI grade, the worse the prognosis.In patients with MVI, the long-term prognosis of patients with wide margin is better than that of patients with narrow margin. Therefore, for patients with high risk of MVI before operation, wide margin should be selected as far as possible.

The Sensitivity of Large Eddy Simulations to Grid Resolution in Tropical Cyclone High Wind Area Applications

The question of at what resolution the large eddy simulations (LESs) of a tropical cyclone (TC) high wind area may converge largely remains unanswered. To address this issue, LESs with five resolutions of 300 m, 100 m, 60 m, 33 m, and 20 m are performed in this study to simulate a high wind area near the radius of maximum wind of Typhoon Chanthu (2021) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The results show that, for a limited area LES, model grid resolution may alter the local turbulence structure to generate significantly different extreme values of temperature, moisture, and winds, but it only has a marginal impact on the median values of these variables throughout the vertical column. All simulations are able to capture the turbulent roll vortices in the TC boundary layer, but the structure and intensity of the rolls vary substantially in different resolution simulations. Local hectometer-scale eddies with vertical velocities exceeding 10 m s−1 are only observed in the 20 m resolution simulation but not in the coarser resolution simulations. The ratio of the resolved turbulent momentum fluxes and turbulent kinetic energies (TKEs) to the total momentum fluxes and TKEs appears to show some convergence of LESs when the grid resolution reaches 100 m or finer, suggesting that it is an acceptable grid resolution for LES applications in TC simulations.

COVID-19 infection and mortality among non-pregnant indigenous adults in Mexico 2020-2022: Impact of marginalisation.

Indigenous individuals have higher rates of mortality and poverty in Mexico and more than half are marginalised, and COVID-19 pandemic aggravated the existing burden of health disparities. We aimed to analyse the effects of being indigenous and marginalised on coronavirus (COVID-19) infection fatality in Mexico. We identified 3 424 690 non-pregnant, COVID-19 positive adults ≥19 years in the Mexico national COVID-19 database with known date of symptom. We used demographic information, indigenous status, marginalisation status, and co-morbidities in binary logistic regression to predict mortality, adjusting for covariates, including hospitalisation, admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and mechanical ventilation use. We also assessed the interaction between indigenous status and marginalisation. Marginalisation was much higher among indigenous (53.7%) compared to non-indigenous individuals (4.8%). COVID-19 fatalities were approximately 20 years older (64.4 and 63.0 years) than survivors (44.7 and 41.2 years) among indigenous vs non-indigenous individuals, respectively. The unadjusted risk of COVID-19 fatality among indigenous individuals was nearly two-fold (odds ratio (OR) = 1.92)) compared to non-indigenous individuals (OR = 1.05). COVID-19 fatality was higher among highly marginalised individuals (upper quartile) (OR = 1.51; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.49-1.54). Marginalised indigenous individuals had a significantly lower likelihood of ICU admission compared to non-indigenous non-marginalised individuals. The likelihood of mechanical ventilation for indigenous individuals was 4% higher compared to non-indigenous individuals. Indigenous marginalised individuals had a significantly lower probability of mechanical ventilation compared to non-indigenous non-marginalised individuals. COVID-19 comorbidity risks of fatality significantly differed between the two groups in the Cox survival analysis. In the fully adjusted model, indigenous individuals were 4% more likely to die from COVID-19 compared to non-indigenous. Indigenous, marginalised individuals with COVID-19 had higher risk of hospitalisation and ICU admission than non-indigenous patients. Marginalised, indigenous individuals were less likely to receive mechanical ventilation compared to non-indigenous, but had a higher risk of COVID-19. Indigenous individuals had a 4% higher COVID-19 mortality risk COVID-19 compared to non-indigenous individuals. Improved community medical care and augmented health services in rural hospitals could mitigate barriers to health care access in indigenous, marginalised populations.

Interaction of ZnO Nanoparticles with Metribuzin in a Soil–Plant System: Ecotoxicological Effects and Changes in the Distribution Pattern of Zn and Metribuzin

The use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), applied as a possible micronutrient source, in conjunction with organic pesticides in agricultural soils has the potential to alter the environmental behavior and toxicity of these chemicals to soil biota. This research examines the joint effects of ZnO NPs and the herbicide metribuzin (MTZ) on phytotoxicity to plants, toxicity to soil microorganisms, and the accumulation of Zn and MTZ in plants. After 23 days, effects on growth, photosynthetic pigment content, and oxidative stress biomarkers in bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris) and soil enzymatic activities were evaluated. Additionally, the amounts of Zn and MTZ (and the latter’s main metabolites) in soil and plant tissues were quantified. ZnO NPs reduced ammonium oxidase activity and growth among MTZ-stressed plants while reducing photosynthetic pigment levels and enhancing antioxidant enzymatic activities. MTZ had a marginal impact on the availability and accumulation of Zn in plant tissues, although significant effects were observed in some specific cases. In turn, ZnO NPs drastically affected MTZ degradation in soil and influenced MTZ accumulation/metabolization in the bean plants. Our findings indicate that the indirect effects of ZnO NPs, through their interaction with commonly used organic pesticides, may be relevant and should be taken into account in agricultural soils.

Evidence that Feedback Appraisal is Implemented to Improve Teacher Performance in Public Primary Schools in Iganga District

This study ascertained implementation of feedback appraisal to improve teacher performance in public primary schools in Iganga District. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used on a sample of 396 including 317 teachers and 79 head teachers obtained using stratified, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used to collect data. Qualitative data was coded, analyzed, and arranged verbatim. Items for each of the aspects of appraisal by feedback were presented using means and standard deviation. Later, the relationship between appraisal by feedback and teacher performance was performed using the Pearson Correlation Model. A regression analysis was performed to respond to each of the hypotheses using a p-value of 0.05. Differentiated supervision positively predicts teacher performance (B = 0.040; p =.405>0.05). Based on the results, there are no statistical indicators for the implementation of appraisal by feedback to improve teacher performance in public primary schools, was thus refuted. Conclusively, performance appraisal is used in public primary schools in Iganga District but have a marginal impact on teacher performance. The district reports, which indicate that performance appraisal informs excellence in teacher performance, were not the case in public primary schools given the weak coefficients. It was recommended that teachers need to develop a love for the profession, the head teacher's presence in schools should be increased, and the ministry of education should invest more money in school inspections.

Signs that Differentiated Supervision is Implemented to Improve Teacher Performance in Public Primary Schools in Iganga District

The current study ascertained signs that differentiated supervision is implemented to improve teacher performance in public primary schools in Iganga District. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used on a sample of 481 respondents selected using stratified, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques. A questionnaire and interview guide were used to collect data. Mean and standard deviations were used to rate the items while the relationship between differentiated supervision appraisal and teacher performance was tested using correlation and regression analyses. A regression analysis was performed to respond to each of the hypotheses using a p-value of 0.05. According to findings, differentiated supervision positively predicts teacher performance (B = 0.040; p =.405>0.05). Based on these results, therefore, there is no statistically significant evidence of differentiated supervision is implemented to improve teacher performance in public primary schools. Conclusively, performance appraisal is used in public primary schools in Iganga District but have a marginal impact on teacher performance. The district reports, which indicate that performance appraisal informs excellence in teacher performance, were not the case in public primary schools given the weak coefficients. It was recommended that teachers need to develop a love for the profession, the head teacher's presence in schools should be increased, and the ministry of education should invest more money in school inspections.

Impact of labor and energy allocation imbalance on carbon emission efficiency in China's industrial sectors

Greenhouse gas emission is the focus of global climate change concerns. The change in industrial structure can impact carbon emission efficiency (CEE) by affecting labor and energy input. However, there is an obvious imbalance of labor and energy allocation within China's industrial sectors. Here, we use the super-slacks-based model data envelopment analysis (Super-SBM-DEA) to calculate the CEE of 32 industrial sectors and adopt the Tobit model to analyze the impact of industrial allocation imbalance on CEE. The results show that the overall industry and manufacturing CEE is still at a low level, with an average CEE of 0.53. The industrial sectors with higher CEE are these sectors with advanced innovative technology and low energy consumption. The results of the Tobit model show that the imbalance of labor and energy allocation is the key factor limiting carbon emission efficiency improvement. Furthermore, the imbalance of labor allocation hurts the CEE of labor-intensive sectors. The coefficient of labor allocation imbalance (distL) is −2.483, and the inflow of labor can improve the CEE of non-labor-intensive sectors. The CEE of energy-intensive sectors is sensitive to the imbalance of energy allocation, the marginal impact of energy allocation imbalance (distE) is −2.296. Improving energy efficiency is a key task to reduce carbon emissions in sectors relying on energy input. But for non-energy-intensive sectors, optimizing energy allocation has a limited effect on reducing carbon emissions. This research can provide insights for emerging economies to coordinate carbon reduction and industrial transformation.

Effect of Non-Modified as Well as Surface-Modified SiO2 Nanoparticles on Red Blood Cells, Biological and Model Membranes.

Nanoparticles are extremely promising components that are used in diagnostics and medical therapies. Among them, silica nanoparticles are ultrafine materials that, due to their unique physicochemical properties, have already been used in biomedicine, for instance, in cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity of three types of nanoparticles (SiO2, SiO2-SH, and SiO2-COOH) in relation to red blood cells, as well as the impact of silicon dioxide nanoparticles on biological membranes and liposome models of membranes. The results obtained prove that hemolytic toxicity depends on the concentration of nanoparticles and the incubation period. Silica nanoparticles have a marginal impact on the changes in the osmotic resistance of erythrocytes, except for SiO2-COOH, which, similarly to SiO2 and SiO2-SH, changes the shape of erythrocytes from discocytes mainly towards echinocytes. What is more, nanosilica has an impact on the change in fluidity of biological and model membranes. The research gives a new view of the practical possibilities for the use of large-grain nanoparticles in biomedicine.

The impact of surgical resection margins on outcomes for adults with head and neck osteosarcomas: A Canadian sarcoma research and Clinical Collaboration (CanSaRCC) study

ObjectiveThe aim of the study is to describe the factors that influence outcome in adults with head and neck osteosarcoma (HNO) with a specific focus on the margin status. MethodsPatients with a diagnosis of HNO between the years 1996–2021 were reviewed from the Canadian Sarcoma Research and Clinical Collaboration (CanSaRCC) Database. Baseline characteristics, pathology, treatment, and outcomes were analyzed. Univariable (UVA) and multivariable (MVA) Cox regression models were performed. 5-year locoregional control rate and overall survival (OS) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier method and Log-Rank test. ResultsOf 50 patients with a median age of 40 years (range 16–80), 27 (54%) were male. HNO commonly involved the mandible (n = 21, 42%) followed by maxilla (n = 15, 30%). Thirteen (33.3%) had low-intermediate grade and 26 (66.6%) had high grade tumors. Three patients (6%) had negative resection margins (>5 mm), 24 (48%) had close margins (1–5 mm), 15 (30%) had positive margins (<1mm) and 7 (16%) had unknown margin status. In total, 39 (78%) received chemotherapy – 22 (44%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy while 17 (34%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 12 (24%) patients received radiotherapy, of whom 8 (16%) had adjuvant and 3 (6%) had neo-adjuvant. Median follow-up time was 6.3 years (range 0.26–24.9). Disease recurred in 21 patients (42%), of whom 15 (30%) had local recurrence only, 4 (8%) had distant metastasis, and 2 (4%) had both local and distant recurrence. 5-year locoregional control rate and OS was 62% and 79.2% respectively. Resection margins <3 mm was associated with lower 5 years OS and locoregional control rate (Log-Rank p = 0.02, p = 0.01 respectively). ConclusionOsteosarcomas of the head and neck are rare and local recurrence remains a concern. Surgical resection with negative resection margins may improve survival, and a 3 mm resection margin threshold may optimize survival. Radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy should be considered in a multidisciplinary setting based on risk-features.

Climate risk and renewable energy technological innovation: An institutional environment perspective.

To explore whether climate risk (CR) affects renewable energy technological innovation (RETI) and its boundary conditions, this study examines the relationship between CR and RETI as moderated by institutional environment. Based on panel data of 60 countries for the period 2000-2019, we show that CR is not conducive to RETI, and that its negative marginal impact shows an inverted U-shaped trend with the improvement of RETI. Heterogeneity analysis shows that floods and storms have the greatest negative impacts on RETI, and that innovations in solar and wind energy technologies are more vulnerable to the adverse shocks of CR. Furthermore, CR has a greater adverse effect on RETI in developing countries than in developed countries. However, the institutional environment, especially the economic institutional environment, can work to mitigate the negative effect of CR on RETI. Our findings not only enrich the research on the economic consequences of CR but also provide effective ways to mitigate the adverse impact of CR on RETI from the perspective of institutional environment.

Digital wealth management and consumption: Micro evidence from individual investments

With the rapid advancement of digital finance in China, accessing wealth management services through digital platforms has become considerably convenient. However, the potential impact of digital platform investments on residents' consumption remains a relatively unexplored question. This study addresses this gap by leveraging a unique dataset obtained from one of China's largest fintech companies, encompassing individual-level data on consumption and investment. Our findings indicate that engaging in digital platform investments can indeed stimulate residents' consumption. Importantly, participation in digital platform investment has an inclusive effect, with a more pronounced marginal impact on consumption among low-income residents and individuals residing in finance-underdeveloped cities. Additionally, the positive influence of digital platform investment on consumption primarily stems from two channels, the wealth effect resulting from investment returns and from investment diversification in a diverse range of wealth management products. The wealth effect is more pronounced among low-risk investments when risk diversification is limited, while more pronounced among high-risk investments when the portfolio is diversified.

Are digitalization and human development discarding the resource curse in emerging economies?

The resource curse challenges economic development, mainly for developing and emerging countries; however, digital transformation may intervene in this nexus. Therefore, this study analyses the influence of natural resources rent, human development, and digitalization on economic development of emerging seven nations, i.e., China, Brazil, India, Turkey, Russia, Mexico, and Indonesia from 1990 to 2021. It applies Cross-sectional Augmented Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to capture the slope heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence issues in panel data. The long run rejects the preposition of the resource-curse hypothesis and confirms a positive and significant association between natural resource rent and economic growth. Moreover, digitalization and human development substantially derive long-term growth and strengthen the positive association between natural resources and economic growth. It implies that digital transformation and human development can avoid the resource curse. Similar outcomes are observed in the short-run; however, their marginal impact is relatively lower. Comparable results are also found using alternative estimators, offering relevant policy suggestions and future implications.

Silicon photonic acoustic detector (SPADE) using a silicon nitride microring resonator

Silicon photonics is an emerging platform for acoustic sensing, offering exceptional miniaturization and sensitivity. While efforts have focused on silicon-based resonators, silicon nitride resonators can potentially achieve higher Q-factors, further enhancing sensitivity. In this work, a 30 µm silicon nitride microring resonator was fabricated and coated with an elastomer to optimize acoustic sensitivity and signal fidelity. The resonator was characterized acoustically, and its capability for optoacoustic tomography was demonstrated. An acoustic bandwidth of 120 MHz and a noise-equivalent pressure of ∼ 7 mPa/Hz1/2 were demonstrated. The spatially dependent impulse response agreed with theoretical predictions, and spurious acoustic signals, such as reverberations and surface acoustic waves, had a marginal impact. High image fidelity optoacoustic tomography of a 20 µm knot was achieved, confirming the detector’s imaging capabilities. The results show that silicon nitride offers low signal distortion and high-resolution optoacoustic imaging, proving its versatility for acoustic imaging applications.

The Effect of Third Party Funds and Murabahah Margin Income through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as Intervening Variables on Bank North Sumatra Syariah's Profit in 2019-2022

One of the indicators of the viability of a bank is its profit. Profitability is an important indicator for the long-term survival of the operation of Islamic institutions. The formulation of this research problem is whether DPK and murabahah margin have a partial and simultaneous effect on CSR. Is there a simultaneous and partial influence of deposits, murabahah margins, and CSR on Bank Sumut Syariah's profits? Can CSR mitigate the impact of deposits and murabahah margins on Bank Sumut Syariah's profits? The research method used is the quantitative research method with a purposive sampling technique. Secondary data in the form of quarterly financial statements of Bank Sumut Syariah is used for the 2019-2022 period. Classical assumption tests, multiple linear regression analysis, t-tests, F tests, coefficients of determination, and path analysis are used for data analysis. The results of this study show that: (1) Deposit margin and murabahah affect CSR, as shown by the findings of this study (2) Deposit and murabahah margin affect Bank Sumut Syariah's profit (3) CSR does not have an impact on Bank Sumut Syariah's income. The effect of deposits and murabahah margins on Bank Sumut Syariah's profit cannot be mediated by CSR as an intervening variable. Islamic banking is expected to increase profit generation so as to maintain bank operational stability by increasing fund collection and optimizing incoming revenue, based on research results.

Design and optimization of thermoelectric generators

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are gaining significant traction as they are capable of converting waste heat into electrical energy without requiring any moving mechanical parts. Although TEGs are less efficient than other power-generating equipment, they find wide applications in diverse industries such as biomedical, aerospace, automotive, and power generation. To enhance the efficiency, figure of merit, and power output of thermoelectric generators (TEGs), certain aspects need to be addressed. The present work mainly focuses on the impact of design factors, including cross-sectional area and height of the semiconductor, and semiconductor materials, namely SiGe, PbTe, and Bi2Te3, on the TEG's performance. Parametric studies are conducted using the COMSOL Multiphysics program to optimize the TEG's efficiency and power output. The results show that employing Bi2Te3 at an operating temperature of the hot side at 410 °C and the cold side at 20 °C increases TEG efficiency by nearly 10% compared to the SiGe semiconductor whereas the design factors have a marginal impact on the TEG's efficiency. However, the power output maximum is achieved by increasing the TEG cross-sectional area and decreasing the semiconductor height.

The Politics of Marginalization: Assessing the Influence of Inter-Party Marginalization on Women’s Political Empowerment in Balochistan, Pakistan

This research paper delves into the dynamics of marginalization in politics by examining the impact of inter-party marginalization on the political empowerment of women in Balochistan, Pakistan. Given that women make up half of the population, their involvement in various spheres, particularly political development, holds significant importance. The study specifically focuses on women who are active in the political arena, representing eight political parties in Balochistan: ANP, BNP-Mengal, NP, HDP, PkMAP, PML-N, PPPP, and PTI. A sample of 400 respondents was carefully selected from these parties to gather insights into the political participation and empowerment of women in the region. The findings demonstrate a relationship between women's political affiliation with political parties in Balochistan and their marginalization within the realm of party politics. Furthermore, the study highlights the necessity for political parties to provide equal opportunities for women to participate in party politics and emphasizes the importance of fair and unrestricted political engagement. This research sheds light on the level of women's involvement in politics in Balochistan and underscores the potential for further advancements in empowering women through equal representation.