Limited Influence Research Articles

How do Alexandrians and Najdis Apologize? A Variational Pragmatic Study of Arabic

There is a paucity of variational pragmatic research that compares the realization of the speech act of apology across dialects of one and the same language. The current study aimed at comparing the realization of the speech act of apology between two Arabic dialects, namely Alexandrian Arabic in Egypt and Najdi Arabic in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from 120 participants using role-play. The participants were undergraduate students, equally divided into males and females. Half the participants were Najdis, while the other half were Alexandrians. The apology strategies were coded using Olshtain and Cohen’s (1983) model. Additionally, initiators and internal/external modifications were analyzed. The results showed that the two groups of participants adopted a similar apology behavior, a finding which was explained in terms of the unifying influence of religion. The results also showed a strong influence for social dominance on the participants’ apology behavior. This influence was larger than the moderate influence for social distance and the limited influence for gender. Based on the findings, we recommend conducting further variational pragmatic research on the Arabic language.

Limited influence of air temperature and precipitation on six-year survival and growth of non-native tree species in a Central European multi-site field trial

The biggest challenge for forest management in the near future will be the silvicultural adaptation of forests on sites where climate change will increase the risk for drought induced tree mortality and for a decrease of the growth performance. One management option is the diversification by promoting climate change adapted non-native tree species. Currently, we have in depth experience with only a few non-native tree species in Central Europe. Other tree species that may complement the species pool in Central Europe need to be carefully selected by a range of criteria. Before establishing larger silvicultural experiments at stand-level, the suitability of species to grow well with a low risk of failure under expected future climatic conditions as well as a good performance already today should be tested, amongst other aspects. We present results of a multi-site common garden experiment where growth and survival of five non-native tree species (Abies bornmuelleriana, Cedrus libani, Fagus orientalis, Tilia tomentosa, and Tsuga heterophylla) and one climate adapted local native species per site are tested in five field trials in Austria, Germany and Switzerland along a temperature (7.9–10.4 °C mean annual Temperature) and precipitation (490–1147 mm annual precipitation) gradient. Each species was replicated on three plots per site using a block-wise design. Lower survival and growth of the non-native species as the native reference on most sites indicate that the studied non-native species are today not as well adapted to current climatic conditions as native species. However, the performance of the non-native species was sufficiently high to justify further trials. Survival and growth rates were mostly equally high on the two sites at the opposing ends of the temperature and humidity gradient and lower on all other sites. Height growth and survival were only marginally affected by the strong summer drought in 2018 in all except one site, presumably due to the low water storage capacity of the sandy soils on this site. This indicates that the tested non-native tree species grow well in the wide range of climatically changing weather conditions from our transnational study sites across Central Europe. So far, the tested tree species did not reach their climatic growth limitation. However, edaphic site conditions may have influenced the performance of the tested non-native species as well and must be considered when discussing the suitability of these tree species.

Numerical research for the influence of cylindrical ribs and inclined mainstream on double wall cooling configurations

Gas turbine operates in high temperature environment, cooling technologies are applied for reducing the temperature of turbine blade, double wall cooling configuration is an effective cooling method. This paper proposed an investigation on double wall cooling configurations by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Different cylindrical ribs were arranged on the different plates. Their cooling performances and flow field were analyzed, what's more, new rib arrangement, hole arrangement and spacing arrangement were proposed in the base of original arrangement, their cooling performances were compared. Finally, inclined mainstream is added for simulating gas impacting the inclined blade surface in real engine condition, the inclined angles were 30°, 45°, 60°. According to the results, ribs brought limit influence on the cooling effectiveness. More holes consumed extra 54 % coolant but only increase cooling effectiveness by 15 % under high blowing ratio. The inclined mainstream decreases cooling effectiveness by 67 % maximally. Under low coolant flow rate, cubic polynomial describes the correlation between cooling effectiveness and inclined angle, and under high coolant flow rate, linear polynomial is more suitable. Besides, offset arrangement shows better cooling performance under the inclined mainstream.

The Role of Transcription Factors in the Loss of Inter-Chromosomal Co-Expression for Breast Cancer Subtypes.

Breast cancer encompasses a diverse array of subtypes, each exhibiting distinct clinical characteristics and treatment responses. Unraveling the underlying regulatory mechanisms that govern gene expression patterns in these subtypes is essential for advancing our understanding of breast cancer biology. Gene co-expression networks (GCNs) help us identify groups of genes that work in coordination. Previous research has revealed a marked reduction in the interaction of genes located on different chromosomes within GCNs for breast cancer, as well as for lung, kidney, and hematopoietic cancers. However, the reasons behind why genes on the same chromosome often co-express remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the role of transcription factors in shaping gene co-expression networks within the four main breast cancer subtypes: Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2+, and Basal, along with normal breast tissue. We identify communities within each GCN and calculate the transcription factors that may regulate these communities, comparing the results across different phenotypes. Our findings indicate that, in general, regulatory behavior is to a large extent similar among breast cancer molecular subtypes and even in healthy networks. This suggests that transcription factor motif usage does not fully determine long-range co-expression patterns. Specific transcription factor motifs, such as CCGGAAG, appear frequently across all phenotypes, even involving multiple highly connected transcription factors. Additionally, certain transcription factors exhibit unique actions in specific subtypes but with limited influence. Our research demonstrates that the loss of inter-chromosomal co-expression is not solely attributable to transcription factor regulation. Although the exact mechanism responsible for this phenomenon remains elusive, this work contributes to a better understanding of gene expression regulatory programs in breast cancer.

Commonly used anesthetics modify alcohol and (-)-trans-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol in vivo effects on rat cerebral arterioles

BackgroundEthyl alcohol and cannabis are widely used recreational substances with distinct effects on the brain. These drugs increase accidental injuries requiring treatment under anesthesia. Moreover, alcohol and cannabis are often used in anesthetized rodents for biomedical research. Here, we compared the influence of commonly used forms of anesthesia, injectable ketamine/xylazine (KX) versus inhalant isoflurane, on alcohol- and (-)-trans-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) effects on cerebral arteriole diameter evaluated in vivo.MethodsStudies were performed on male and female Sprague–Dawley rats subjected to intracarotid catheter placement for drug infusion, and cranial window surgery for monitoring pial arteriole diameter. Depth of anesthesia was monitored every 10–15 min by toe-pinch. Under KX, the number of toe-pinch responders was maximal after the first dose of anesthesia and diminished over time in both males and females. In contrast, the number of toe-pinch responders under isoflurane slowly raised over time, leading to increase in isoflurane percentage until deep anesthesia was re-established. Rectal temperature under KX remained stable in males while dropping in females. As expected for gaseous anesthesia, both males and females exhibited rectal temperature drops under isoflurane.ResultsInfusion of 50 mM alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) into the cerebral circulation rendered robust constriction in males under KX anesthesia, this alcohol action being significantly smaller, but still present under isoflurane anesthesia. In females, EtOH did not cause measurable changes in pial arteriole diameter regardless of the anesthetic. These findings indicate a strong sex bias with regards to EtOH induced vasoconstriction.Infusion of 42 nM THC in males and females under isoflurane tended to constrict cerebral arterioles in both males and females when compared to isovolumic infusion of THC vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide in saline). Moreover, THC-driven changes in arteriole diameter significantly differed in magnitude depending on the anesthetic used.Simultaneous administration of 50 mM alcohol and 42 nM THC to males constricted cerebral arterioles regardless of the anesthetic used. In females, constriction by the combined drugs was also observed, with limited influence by anesthetic presence.ConclusionsWe demonstrate that two commonly used anesthetic formulations differentially influence the level of vasoconstriction caused by alcohol and THC actions in cerebral arterioles.

Slip Backflow of Polymers in Elastic Fractures for Subsurface Heat Recovery

This research delves into the complexities of backflow phenomena in finite-length and flat-walled fractures with elastic walls, specifically focusing on power-law fluids, whose shear-thinning behavior distinguishes them from Newtonian fluids. We model the backflow process under the lubrication approximation and by incorporating the linear Navier slip law. We numerically examine the influence of parameters such as slip length, fluid rheology, and external pressure on the backflow propagation of the carrier fluid. Our findings underscore the significant role played by the rheological index in determining the fracture closure rate. Additionally, our investigations highlight the marked effect of external pressure variations on pressure distribution within the fracture. Notably, the friction coefficient at the fracture walls, as denoted by a dimensionless slip number, exhibits limited influence on the fundamental dynamics of the problem. These insights advance our understanding of power-law fluid backflow and have wide-ranging applications across various engineering disciplines.

Multi-Objective Assessment and Optimization of a High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell: Steady-State Analysis

The design and operational conditions of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) substantially impact their performance. This model aims to investigate the influence of various parameters on the performance of HT-PEMFC. A comprehensive examination revealed that the performance of HT-PEMFC experienced a significant enhancement through modifications to the operating temperature, doping levels, and membrane thickness. Significantly, it can be observed that operating pressure showed a limited influence on performance. The HT-PEMFC was optimized using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II), specifically emphasizing three primary performance indicators: equivalent power density, energy efficiency, and exergy efficiency. The findings demonstrate promising outcomes, as they reveal a noteworthy enhancement in power density by 17.72% and improvements in energy efficiency and exergy efficiency by 21.11% and 10.37%, respectively, compared to the baseline case.

Public attitudes and sentiments toward ChatGPT in China: A text mining analysis based on social media

ChatGPT, an innovative artificial intelligence language model, is attracted significant attention around the world, sparking both enthusiasm and controversy, but identifying its societal impact and addressing its potential concerns necessitate an understanding of the prevailing public's attitudes toward the tool. In this study, we leverage text mining techniques to analyze the sentiments and themes prevalent among Chinese social media discussions of ChatGPT. In total, 96,435 comment data and 55,186 repost data were used, and the results show that public discussions mainly focused on ChatGPT's technical support, AI-related effectiveness, impact on human work, and effects on education and technology. Concerns were related to disinformation risks, technological unemployment, and the human–computer relationship. In addition, we found that social media played a prominent role in information dissemination, while official media and government units demonstrated a limited influence. The insights obtained through this study can inform policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the public of the public's prevailing attitude toward AI technologies, and they can facilitate informed decision-making.

New design of La(Fe, Co, Si)13 magnetocaloric composites using Gd as a binder

We propose a new type of magnetocaloric composite that excludes the conventional use of non-magnetocaloric materials as the binder. Spark plasma sintering was adopted to make a fully dense La(Fe, Co, Si)13/Gd composite at low temperatures (450–600 °C), which shows relatively high thermal conductivity and compressive strength compared with the counterparts of other bonded magnetic refrigeration composites. The mechanism of high thermal conductivity and compressive strength were discussed. The diffusion processes between La(Fe, Co, Si)13 and Gd were also analyzed, though it has a limited influence on the magnetocaloric effect of the composite. The results suggest that using Gd as the metal binder is promising for improving the performance of present magnetic refrigeration composites. It also provides an important approach for the design of new magnetocaloric materials.

THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DESIGN RATIOS ON THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE: A PARAMETRIC STUDY USING THE TAGUCHI METHOD

This paper presents the influence of numerous limits on compressive strength of fly ash-based geopolymer concrete mixtures optimized by Taguchi method using Minitab program. The major goal is to find the optimal ratios that may give the greatest compressive strength of geopolymer concrete. A total of twenty fife mixtures of geopolymer concrete with fife mixtures of normal concrete were assessed considering the effect of inclusion of Alkali-Activator to binder ratio (AA/B), NaOH concentration (M), Influence of Na2SiO3 to NaOH ratio (SS/SH) and effect of binder content (B). Different molarities was used in this study: 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16. Flay ash by way of waste material is used in ratios of (15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, and 25) % and substituted via 90 % of ordinary Portland cement to output the geopolymer concrete. Also, sodium silicate to sodium hydroxide are utilized in ratios of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3. The alkali activator was made using sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, and water in ratios of (0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, and 0.5). One type of locally crushed coarse aggregate was used instead of normal coarse aggregate that has sizes of 19 mm, as well as, fine aggregate. The examined mechanical property is characterized by compressive strength. The outcomes specify that the geopolymer concrete exhibits The highest compressive strength has been reached when the alkali-activator to binder ratio equal to 0.45, NaOH concentrations equal to 16, Na2SiO3 to NaOH ratio equal to 1 and binder content reached to 25 %. Also, the result showed that the compressive increases as the curing age increases. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy was evaluated to show the geopolymer concrete microstructure.

Deciphering RCEP: a deep dive into financial services treaty language in the Asia-Pacific

ABSTRACT The recently signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement is likely to have a profound impact on the dissemination and integration of new regulatory standards for financial services in the Asia-Pacific region. By employing a text-as-data approach, this article measures the design of RCEP financial services rules in the regional trade agreements universe. This article finds that, first, RCEP has significantly deviated from the GATS financial services rules. Second, the textual source analysis of the RCEP financial services rules treaty language does not show that they are influenced by any single national text with overwhelming force, but by multiple textual sources in the Asia-Pacific region. China and the ASEAN have a more limited influence than expected, but the existing treaty languages of other major developed countries in this region, namely South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Singapore, has been primarily incorporated into RCEPs financial services rule. Besides, even if the United States is not the contracting party, considerable traces of its indirect influence can be found.

Global diagnosis of land–atmosphere coupling based on water isotopes

Land–atmosphere coupling (LAC) plays a significant role in weather and climate and is related to droughts and heatwaves. We propose a simple and efficient LAC diagnosis method based on the analysis of water isotopes in atmospheric water vapour and precipitation. Using the method, we identify the primary LAC hotspot regions of the globe and reveal the seasonality of LAC strength. We find that LAC strength exhibits a relationship with latitude. Low latitudes present stronger LAC strength and contribute more significantly to the overall LAC area compared to boreal middle and high latitudes. It's important to note that LAC primarily manifests in the troposphere and is detected in the lower stratosphere of low latitudes, with limited influence observed in the stratosphere. However, the impact of LAC is noticeable in the upper stratosphere in boreal middle and high latitudes. Moreover, the seasonality of LAC strength is pronounced. On a global scale, the season with the strongest LAC is boreal autumn in the Northern Hemisphere but boreal summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Notably, this pattern does not exhibit a seesaw effect between the two hemispheres. Our isotope-based LAC diagnosis method captures the major LAC hotspots found in previous work and validates the seasonality of LAC within these hotspots. This substantiates the reliability and effectiveness of our isotope-based approach.

Patterns of self-care decision-making and associated factors: A cross-sectional observational study

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify for the first time patterns of self-care decision-making (i.e. the extent to which participants viewed contextual factors influencing decisions about symptoms) and associated factors among community-dwelling adults with chronic illness. MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of data collected during the development and psychometric evaluation of the 27-item Self-Care Decisions Inventory that is based on Naturalistic Decision-Making (n = 430, average age = 54.9 ± 16.2 years, 70.2 % female, 87.0 % Caucasian, average number of chronic conditions = 3.6 ± 2.8). Latent class mixture modeling was used to identify patterns among contextual factors that influence self-care decision-making under the domains of external, urgency, uncertainty, cognitive/affective, waiting/cue competition, and concealment. Multivariate multinomial regression was used to identify additional socio-demographic, clinical, and self-care behavior factors that were different across the patterns of self-care decision-making. ResultsThree patterns of self-care decision-making were identified in a cohort of 430 adults. A ‘maintainers’ pattern (48.1 %) consisted of adults with limited contextual influences on self-care decision-making except for urgency. A ‘highly uncertain’ pattern (23.0 %) consisted of adults whose self-care decision-making was largely driven by uncertainty about the cause or meaning of the symptom. A ‘distressed concealers’ pattern (28.8 %) consisted of adults whose self-care decision-making was highly influenced by external factors, cognitive/affective factors and concealment. Age, education, financial security and specific symptoms were significantly different across the three patterns in multivariate models. ConclusionAdults living with chronic illness vary in the extent to which contextual factors influence decisions they make about symptoms, and would therefore benefit from different interventions.

A Flexible Saturation Limiter for DC-Link Voltage Control of Grid-Forming Inverters With Enhanced Transient Stability

This paper analyzes the influence of the saturation limiter used with dc-link voltage control (DVC) on the transient stability of grid-forming (GFM) inverters and proposes a flexible saturation limiter to alleviate its adverse impact. First, it is found that the conventional saturation limiter (CSL) can enhance transient stability. Yet, it would boost the dc-link voltage or even trigger overvoltage protection, especially when the threshold value of CSL is small. To tackle the adverse impact of CSL on dc-link voltage, a flexible saturation limiter is proposed, which only begins to limit the active power reference when the derivative of dc-link voltage turns from positive to negative (the dc-link voltage reaches its peak value at this instant). Finally, experimental tests confirm the effectiveness of the scheme.

Impact of the metabolic syndrome on cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality in individuals with lung function impairment: a prospective cohort study of the Danish general population.

Whether the metabolic syndrome plays a role for the prognosis of individuals with lung function impairment (preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) or airflow limitation) is unclear. We hypothesised that the metabolic syndrome in individuals with lung function impairment is associated with increased cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality. The Copenhagen General Population Study was initiated in 2003 based on a random sample of white men and women aged 20-100 years drawn from the Danish general population. The risk of ischemic heart disease/heart failure, respiratory disease, and all-cause mortality was analysed with Cox models adjusted for age, sex, current smoking, and asthma during 15 years of follow-up. Among 106,845 adults, 86,159 had normal lung function, 6126 had PRISm, and 14,560 had airflow limitation. We observed 10,448 hospital admissions for ischemic heart disease/heart failure, 21,140 for respiratory disease, and 11,125 deaths. Individuals with versus individuals without the metabolic syndrome generally had higher 5-year absolute risk of all outcomes, including within those with normal lung function, mild-moderate-severe PRISm, and very mild-mild-moderate-severe airflow limitation alike. Compared to individuals without the metabolic syndrome and with normal lung function, those with both the metabolic syndrome and severe PRISm had hazard ratios of 3.74 (95% CI: 2.53-5.55; p<0.0001) for ischemic heart disease/heart failure, 5.02 (3.85-6.55; p<0.0001) for respiratory disease, and 5.32 (3.76-7.54; p<0.0001) for all-cause mortality. Corresponding hazard ratios in those with both the metabolic syndrome and severe airflow limitation were 2.89 (2.34-3.58; p<0.0001) for ischemic heart disease/heart failure, 5.98 (5.28-6.78; p<0.0001) for respiratory disease, and 4.16 (3.50-4.95; p<0.0001) for all-cause mortality, respectively. The metabolic syndrome explained 13% and 27% of the influence of PRISm or airflow limitation on ischemic heart disease/heart failure and all-cause mortality. The metabolic syndrome conferred increased risk of cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality at all levels of lung function impairment. Danish Lung Foundation, Danish Heart Foundation, Capital Region of Copenhagen, and Boehringer Ingelheim. JV is supported by the NIHR Manchester BRC.

Atividade física durante a gestação e sua relação com o ganho de peso gestacional

Objective: to describe the physical activity patterns of a cohort comprised by pregnant women from our environment and to explore its association with weight gain in each of the trimesters of pregnancy. Methods: a descriptive and longitudinal study conducted with a sample of 151 women. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity during pregnancy based on volume, intensity and setting where it is performed. Different multiple linear regression models were performed to analyze the association between physical activity and gestational weight gain Results: physical activity decreased during pregnancy, both in terms of time and intensity. Pre-gestational Body Mass Index was the main factor associated with lower weight gain throughout pregnancy. The influence of physical activity on gestational weight gain was limited to the third trimester of pregnancy, where an inverse association was observed between both variables. Conclusion: the results of this study show an important reduction in physical activity during pregnancy and suggest that it exerts a limited influence on gestational weight gain

Physical activity during pregnancy and its relationship with gestational weight gain.

to describe the physical activity patterns of a cohort comprised by pregnant women from our environment and to explore its association with weight gain in each of the trimesters of pregnancy. a descriptive and longitudinal study conducted with a sample of 151 women. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess physical activity during pregnancy based on volume, intensity and setting where it is performed. Different multiple linear regression models were performed to analyze the association between physical activity and gestational weight gain. physical activity decreased during pregnancy, both in terms of time and intensity. Pre-gestational Body Mass Index was the main factor associated with lower weight gain throughout pregnancy. The influence of physical activity on gestational weight gain was limited to the third trimester of pregnancy, where an inverse association was observed between both variables. the results of this study show an important reduction in physical activity during pregnancy and suggest that it exerts a limited influence on gestational weight gain.

Immigrant-critical alternative media in online conversations.

In this work, we explore the role of immigrant-critical alternative media in shaping collective emotions and users' evaluations of the immigration issue, using a conversational approach and an empirical case of Flashback, a prominent Swedish online platform where many immigration-related discussions take place. Our text and network-based analysis of more than 9,000 conversations during the last election period reveals that the platform users consume and distribute diverging types of media content across a wide ideological spectrum which, however, has a limited influence on the evolution of conversations and users' stances in the immigration debate. Nevertheless, we find that the conversation networks with alternative media content tend to include more negative evaluations of the immigration issue, attracting fewer participants and lasting less than other conversations. We contextualise our findings using Collins' Interaction Ritual Chains (IRC) theory and discuss the conditions under which such online conversations can produce high user involvement and, potentially, participants' radicalisation.

Legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories: problems of ecological improvement

The paper deals with the problems of the legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories. Particular attention is paid to the implementation of constitutional priorities, which provide for the need to ensure environmental safety and maintain ecological balance on the territory of Ukraine, overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster. Moreover, the paper emphasizes the mandatory content of the legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories due to the need to overcome the consequences of the accident. Accordingly, restoration and ecological rehabilitation are identified among the priority tasks of the legal regime of radioactively contaminated territories. The issue of insufficient legal provision of measures for the ecological improvement of such territories is raised in the Law of Ukraine "On the Legal Regime of the Territory Exposed to Radioactive Pollution as a Result of the Chernobyl Disaster". The majority of its norms are aimed precisely at the conservation of the ecological situation in the relevant territory, in particular the division of the territory into relevant zones, and the definition of restrictions both in access to such territories and types of economic activity within the limits of the relevant zones, which requires supplementing the provisions of the Law aimed at the restoration of radioactively contaminated territories. Taking into account the state's duty to ensure environmental safety, the priority nature and proper financing of measures for environmental improvement and restoration of radioactively contaminated territories in the state budget are considered. Based on the results of the conducted research, a complex approach to the legal provision of ecological rehabilitation of radioactively contaminated territories is substantiated, which will include the need to localize such territories by introducing a nature protection regime with limited anthropogenic influence. Determination of a set of measures aimed at the removal or neutralization of radioactively irradiating components within the framework of separate programs for the restoration of such territories. Provision of priority budget financing of measures for ecological rehabilitation of radioactively contaminated territories and objects is analysed as a component of national security.

An Analysis of Bülent Ecevit’s Policies, Decisions, and Attitudes Towards the European Union Membership Process of Türkiye

This study focuses on the analysis of the EU membership policy of Bülent Ecevit and scrutinized his attitudes through the lens of continuity and change, seeking to trace the imprints of influential factors and dynamics in the decision-making process. In this way, this study contributes to the scholarly literature by not only revealing the limited influence of leaders on Türkiye's EU accession process but also explaining the effects of Ecevit's ideological orientations on the course of Türkiye-EU relations. As a result, it is understood that Ecevit's stance on the EU was shaped by various internal and external factors, such as economic crises in the country, the attitudes of EU leaders, and individual factors such as ideological inclinations. Nevertheless, it is claimed that Ecevit's decisions regarding the EU generally followed the fundamental principles of Turkish foreign policy.