Initial Phase Research Articles

A Novel CNN-BiLSTM Ensemble Model With Attention Mechanism for Sit-to-Stand Phase Identification Using Wearable Inertial Sensors.

Sit-to-stand transition phase identification is vital in the control of a wearable exoskeleton robot for assisting patients to stand stably. In this study, we aim to propose a method for segmenting and identifying the sit-to-stand phase using two inertial sensors. First, we defined the sit-to-stand transition into five phases, namely, the initial sitting phase, the flexion momentum phase, the momentum transfer phase, the extension phase, and the stable standing phase based on the preprocessed acceleration and angular velocity data. We then employed a threshold method to recognize the initial sitting and the stable standing phases. Finally, we designed a novel CNN-BiLSTM-Attention algorithm to identify the three transition phases, namely, the flexion momentum phase, the momentum transfer phase, and the extension phase. Fifteen subjects were recruited to perform sit-to-stand transition experiments under a specific paradigm. A combination of the acceleration and angular velocity data features for the sit-to-stand transition phase identification were validated for the model performance improvements. The integration of the CNN, Bi-LSTM, and Attention modules demonstrated the reasonableness of the proposed algorithms. The experimental results showed that the proposed CNN-BiLSTM-Attention algorithm achieved the highest average classification accuracy of 99.5% for all five phases when compared to both traditional machine learning algorithms and deep learning algorithms on our customized dataset (STS-PD). The proposed sit-to-stand phase recognition algorithm could serve as a foundation for the control of wearable exoskeletons and is important for the further development of intelligent wearable exoskeleton rehabilitation robots.

Health and comfort oriented automatic generative design and optimization of residence space layout: An integrated data-driven and knowledge-based approach

During the initial design phase, space layout design plays a critical role in ensuring the ultimate performance of a residence. However, physical performance like energy consumption is usually prioritized, while health and comfort performance of residence is less explored. This study proposes an integrated data-driven and knowledge-based approach for automatic generative design of residence space layout focusing on health and comfort performance. First, explicit knowledge about key parameters of the layout design is obtained through quantitative analysis of large-scale health data. Second, with health and comfort as performance oriented, adjacency preference and noise score are introduced as objective functions and automatic generative design is carried out to obtain multiple layout alternatives. Finally, multi-objective deviation analysis is conducted to determine the optimal layout scheme. This study offers a practical and efficient tool through the whole design process, including pre-parameters analysis, during-process generation, and post-scheme evaluation, which contributes to improve decision-making.

From algae to advancements: laminarin in biomedicine.

Laminarin, a complicated polysaccharide originating from brown algae, has emerged as a compelling candidate in the domain of biomedical research. This enigmatic molecule, composed of glucose units associated with both β-1,3 and β-1,6 glycosidic bonds, possesses an array of remarkable characteristics that render it auspicious for multifaceted biomedical applications. This review investigates the comprehensive potential of laminarin in the biomedical domain, emphasizing its remarkable biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and cell proliferation support. Laminarin's immunomodulatory attributes position it as an encouraging contender in immunotherapy and the development of vaccines. Moreover, its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics provide a promising avenue for combatting conditions associated with oxidative stress. In particular, laminarin excels as a drug delivery vehicle owing to its exceptional encapsulation capabilities emerging from its porous framework. Integrating pH and redox responsiveness in laminarin-based drug delivery systems is poised to redefine targeted therapies. Laminarin substantially contributes to tissue engineering by improving adhesion, migration of cells, and deposition of extracellular matrix. This augmentation magnifies the regenerative capability of tissue-engineered constructs, substantiated by the advancement of laminarin-based wound dressings and tissue scaffolds, marking considerable progress in the domain of wound healing and tissue regeneration. While laminarin exhibits substantial potential in biomedical applications, it remains in the initial phases of exploration. Comprehensive preclinical and clinical research is warranted to verify its effectiveness and safety across various applications. In essence, laminarin, a marine marvel, has the capability to remodel biomedical research, offering inventive solutions to complex difficulties.

Elevated SLC40A1 impairs cardiac function and exacerbates mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in ischemic myocardia.

Iron homeostasis is crucial for optimal cardiac function. Iron deficiency and overload have been linked to the development of cardiomyopathy and heart failure (HF) via intricate mechanisms. Although the crucial role of SLC40A1 in iron metabolism by facilitating the efflux of cellular iron has been confirmed, its specific molecular functions in cardiovascular diseases remain poorly understood. In this study, we generated mice with inducible cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of SLC40A1 for the first time. The overexpression of SLC40A1 in the cardiomyocytes of adult mice resulted in significant iron deficiency, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, subsequently resulting in the development of fatal HF. Notably, SLC40A1 upregulation was observed in the ischemic region during the initial phase of myocardial infarction (MI), contributing to iron loss in the cardiomyocytes. Conversely, the cardiomyocyte-specific knockdown of SLC40A1 improved cardiac dysfunction after MI by enhancing mitochondrial function, suppressing oxidative stress, and reducing cardiomyocytes apoptosis. Mechanistically, Steap4 interacted with SLC40A1, facilitating SLC40A1-mediated iron efflux from cardiomyocytes. In short, our study presents evidence for the involvement of SLC40A1 in the regulation of myocardial iron levels and the therapeutic benefits of cardiomyocyte-specific knockdown of SLC40A1 in MI in mice.

Interpretation of Regional Geophysical Data Acquired at the Bathurst Mining Camp, Canada

The Bathurst Mining Camp is a major base-metal mining district in New Brunswick, Canada that was a focus area for the Geological Survey of Canada Targeted Geoscience Initiative Phase 3 project. As part of this project, more than 3500 gravimetric observations were acquired in the Bathurst Mining Camp, with an average spacing of 1-2 km, in 2006. The gravimetric data was reduced for an average crustal density value of 2.77 g/cm3 to obtain the Bouguer anomaly, which was analyzed and used to obtain 2.5D gravity models along five transects crossing the Bathurst Mining Camp. As a result of gravity modeling, a model of the general geometry of the main geological groups of the Bathurst Mining Camp (Fournier, California Lake, Tetagouche, and Miramichi) was obtained, which suggests that the Nine Mile Syncline is an open fold, and the Tetagouche Anticline is a gentle fold. Both folds are non-cylindrical and inclined, with their axial planes dipping in the 293° N direction: the angle of vergence of the folds increases towards the northeast of their axes. The structures under the Tetagouche Anticline axis gradually get deeper towards the Northeast reaching a maximum depth of 4 km. The depth of the structures modeled under the axis of the Nine Mile Syncline varies between 2 and 9 km, the deepest part being towards the center of the Bathurst Mining Camp; towards the northeast of its axis, the structures reach an intermediate depth of 4 km while towards the southwest they are 2 km deep on average.

Nanoscale Examination of Artistic Surfaces Utilizing 3D Non-Contact Optical Scanning Technology

The assessment of painting surfaces at the microscale has been historically impeded by challenges related to limited resolution and accuracy in traditional methodologies. This study pioneers the utilization of non-contact 3D optical scanning technology, meticulously calibrated for nanoscale precision, to unravel the intricate features residing on painting surfaces. The initial phase employs the Point Diffraction Interferometer (PDI) for 3D optical scanning, incorporating meticulously optimized parameters tailored to nanoscale analysis. Subsequent phases involve the application of Phase Shifting Interferometry (PSI) and Holographic Interferometry (HI). PSI is employed to discern morphological alterations, while HI captures the nuanced color and optical characteristics embedded in the painting surfaces. To enhance the continuity of phase information, the Goldstein algorithm is introduced during phase stitching, fortifying the method’s robustness against discontinuities. Further refinement is achieved through the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm, orchestrating precise 3D data reconstruction. This process encompasses multi-view stereo matching and surface fitting, ensuring a meticulous representation of the painting surface geometry. The study meticulously presents detailed 3D optical scanning results, probing into the painting surface’s performance concerning nanoscale resolution, measurement accuracy, and color consistency. The unveiled findings showcase a remarkable minimum feature capture capability of 1.8 at nanoscale resolution. The quantitative assessment, encapsulated by a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) ranging from 0.001 to 0.012 for 100 scanned data points, and a Standard Deviation (STD) oscillating between 0.0008 to 0.0018, attests to the method’s efficacy. This effectiveness is underscored by its capacity to deliver a thorough and intricate analysis of painting surface performance at the nanoscale.

Existential constructions in the Yakut language: a model of causation of the beginning of existence

The article is devoted to the study of models of existential constructions in the Yakut language. It examines the causation model of the beginning of existence in accordance with the principles of functional and semantic analysis. The relevance of this article is due to modern approaches in the study of the Yakut language as a system represented by multi-level means of its expression. The sentence as the main syntactic unit is displayed in a model that "combines the invariants of the minimal structural schemes that ensure the completeness of the sentence, and the generalized propositions associated with them." The structural scheme of the causation model of the beginning of existence in the Yakut language consists of a subject, an object and a predicate of an existential type expressed by verbs of the initial phase of being, existence. The typical meaning of the model is "to give the beginning to any event, phenomenon, contribute to the appearance, emergence of someone or something." The basis of this study is a functional-semantic approach to the study of language phenomena, which assumes a holistic organization of universal semantic categories. The study uses the continuous sampling method in the formation of material from lexicographic sources, the modeling method, and the glossing method to represent illustrative material. The presentation of the causation model of the beginning of existence as a component of the functional and semantic field of being in the Yakut language is new. It is revealed that the subject and object of the considered model can be stated by a noun, a pronoun, denoting an animate or inanimate person. In accordance with the forms of the subject and object included in the structural composition of the specified model, variants of its structural type are determined. It is established that in this model, such verbs of being as tөrүtte ‛to found, create something; to start something, olohtoo ‛ to inhabit, settle, infuse; can be used as a predicate, to establish; justify’, saҕalaa‛to start any action; to begin’, tөrөt‛to give birth.

Novel ways to analyse and cope alert-fatigue phenomenon in intensive care units

In Intensive Care Units (ICUs), patient monitoring relies on many devices configured to trigger alarms when specific physiological parameters surpass pre-established thresholds, including metrics like heart rate and oxygen saturation. Nevertheless, these alerts are susceptible to fallibility and frequently contribute to a common issue called “alert fatigue,” wherein healthcare practitioners become desensitized to the alarms due to their frequent occurrence, often with questionable accuracy. This research introduces an innovative model to mitigate the alert fatigue phenomenon in ICUs by diminishing the overall requirement for medical interventions. The model is developed following the system dynamics (SD) methodology framework. The initial phase of the study encompasses the development of a current-state model, which, when implemented, was validated by medical and nursing professionals in the ICU. The subsequent phase involves a simulated implementation of our novel model, resulting in a reduction in the total number of interventions, thereby, based on the common assumption, reducing the alert fatigue phenomenon. This simulated SD model lays the groundwork for the prospective design of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) systems, which are poised to contribute significantly to mitigate alert fatigue and enhance patient safety.

A study on dynamics of shock-accelerated forward-facing triangular bubbles at different Atwood numbers

The complexity of flow physics and the associated hydrodynamic instability arising out of interactions of a shock wave with forward and backward-facing triangular interfaces drew the attention of researchers around the globe. In earlier studies, many researchers focused on the formation of different wave patterns, the development of instabilities at the interface, and the flow morphology during the initial phase of shock wave interacting with light and heavier bubbles. However, limited studies are available in the literature on the interaction of shock with a polygonal interface. Furthermore, it is difficult to capture the complex flow physics of a polygonal interface accelerated by shock waves at later time instants. In the present study, the dynamics of shock-accelerated forward-facing triangular interface containing various gases, namely, sulfur hexafluoride, refrigerant-22, argon, neon, and helium, are examined numerically for a longer time duration for a shock Mach number of 1.21. The simulations were performed by solving two-dimensional Euler equations using a low-dissipative advection upstream splitting method algorithm coupled with a derived ninth-order upwind scheme and a four-stage third-order Runge–Kutta scheme. The numerical results demonstrated the influence of the Atwood number on vorticity generation, bubble deformation, mixing, and the development of Kelvin Helmholtz instabilities on the bubble interface up to long instants, which are not available in the literature. The Fourier spectra of the streamwise kinetic energy showed the distribution of energy in the larger and smaller scale vortical structures.

Um Lótus ou um Dragão? - a orientalização e fetichização dos corpos das mulheres Asiáticas

Abstract This article stems from interviews conducted with Chinese women residing in Lisbon, aged 18-34, during the initial phase of fieldwork (2021/2022). As an outcome of my Anthropology Ph.D. project, the focus here is on comprehending the perception of Asian women within the realm of everyday life as fetishized entities and how they persist in (re)shaping their identities. By primarily examining visual “yellow fever” depictions (in Hollywood cinema through films like “The World of Suzie Wong”, “Madame Butterfly”, “Miss Saigon”, and the “Year of the Dragon”, along with interracial Pornography), I endeavor to delve into the impact of “race”, “sexual fetishization”, and the ubiquitous propagation of stereotypical imagery on the lives of the individuals I engage with.

A Noninvasive Measurement Technique of Grid and Converter Wideband Impedance

A novel technique has been proposed to simultaneously estimate the wideband Thevenin's impedance of the grid as well as the power electronic converter from measurements sampled at the point of common coupling. The proposed algorithm is non-invasive, thus it can estimate both the impedance of the utility grid as well as the grid-tied inverter from the voltage and current measurements at the point of common coupling. It works by utilizing the harmonic information obtained from the existing voltage and current waveforms. Therefore it can circumvent the requirement of any injecting device to estimate the wideband impedance. The algorithm works on an initial <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Predictor Generation</i> phase, which is an initialization phase based on the design parameters, and a <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Realtime Estimation</i> phase which runs after the inverter is commissioned. The Realtime Estimation phase uses the Singular Value Decomposition technique to efficiently utilize the existing harmonic information for the prediction. The efficacy of the technique has been tested in EMTDC/PSCAD simulations of a grid-tied inverter system. Furthermore, a Power Hardware in Loop experimental set-up has been built to validate the simulation results and thus, prove the efficacy of the proposed algorithm. The results show a mean square error of 0.05 <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Omega$</tex-math></inline-formula> and 0.5 <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Omega$</tex-math></inline-formula> for the grid and inverter side respectively.

A Lotus or a Dragon? - The orientalization and fetishization of Asian women's bodies.

This article stems from interviews conducted with Chinese women residing in Lisbon, aged 18-34, during the initial phase of fieldwork (2021/2022). As an outcome of my Anthropology Ph.D. project, the focus here is on comprehending the perception of Asian women within the realm of everyday life as fetishized entities and how they persist in (re)shaping their identities. By primarily examining visual "yellow fever" depictions (in Hollywood cinema through films like "The World of Suzie Wong", "Madame Butterfly", "Miss Saigon", and the "Year of the Dragon", along with interracial Pornography), I endeavor to delve into the impact of "race", "sexual fetishization", and the ubiquitous propagation of stereotypical imagery on the lives of the individuals I engage with.

A study of the effect of antitubercular drugs on liver functions in newly diagnosed cases of tuberculosis during intensive phase of therapy in tertiary care hospital

Background: Antitubercular drugs are commonly associated with drug-induced liver injury (DILI), which can present as asymptomatic alterations in liver function test (LFT) to symptomatic hepatic injury and failure. Regular and frequent monitoring of LFT during intensive phase of therapy helps to identify early DILI and its complication. Aims and Objectives: The main objective was to evaluate the effects of antitubercular drugs on liver functions by early monitoring. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted for 1 year among 97 newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients in tertiary care hospital. LFT was performed during baseline, at the end of 2nd week, and at end of intensive phase of treatment. Diagnosis of liver injury was based on DILI criteria and assessment of the clinical pattern of liver damage was done using “R value”. Results: Among 97 patients, 16 had experienced DILI and incidence was higher during the first visit. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase were significantly altered during the first visit while AST and total bilirubin during the second visit. The number of parameters deranged was higher at the end of intensive phase than during the end of 2nd week. Cholestatic pattern (81.25 %) of liver injury was the most common type as per “R value”. According to DILI network severity index, the majority were categorized as “moderately-severe” and “moderate” during the first and second follow-up, respectively. Conclusion: The incidence of antitubercular drugs-induced liver injury was higher during the initial 2 weeks of treatment, but the derangement was more evident at the end of the intensive phase. Frequent and regular monitoring during the initial phase of treatment helps to detect early DILI which prevents the impending liver failure.

Relationship of copper-molybdenum and gold minering with magmatism

In the investigated deposits, a combination of skarn and hydrothermal mineralization has been identified. Specific facies within intrusive complexes align with distinct postmagmatic formations. Skarn-magnetite formations are intricately linked with the granitoid complex of the initial phase, while hydrothermal mineralization has a genetic connection to the subsequent phase of magmatism, characterized by minor intrusions of granodiorite porphyry. A distinctive zonal structure of individual facies, such as quartz-sericite-chlorite metasomatites, is observed around these granodiorite porphyry intrusions. The manifestation of rock wall metasomatism, as well as copper-molybdenum and gold ore mineralization, closely corresponds to the extent of the granodiorite-porphyry occurrences. This correlation highlights the intimate relationship between the scale of mineralization and the manifestation of granodiorite-porphyry, emphasizing the role of specific magmatic phases in the formation of skarn and hydrothermal deposits. The findings contribute to our understanding of the geological processes governing the development of diverse mineralization types within these deposits.

Ivermectin as a possible treatment for COVID-19: a review of the 2022 protocols.

Ivermectin is a safe and effective drug in humans and has been approved for use in numerous parasitic infections for over 50 years. In addition, many studies have already shown its antiviral activity. Ivermectin is generally well tolerated, with no indication of central nervous system-associated toxicity at doses up to 10 times the highest FDA-approved dose of 200 µg/kg. The in vitro results of ivermectin for reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral load are promising and show that Ivermectin kills SARS-CoV-2 within 48 hours. A hypothesized mechanism of action for this drug is a likely inhibition of IMPα/β1-mediated nuclear import of viral proteins as demonstrated for other RNA viruses. However, controlled and randomized studies are needed to prove its effectiveness in COVID-19 in humans. In a single in vivo study with published results, patients confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 received at least one dose of ivermectin at any time during hospitalization. The use of ivermectin was associated with lower mortality during treatment with COVID-19, especially in patients who required increased inspired oxygen or ventilatory support. Additionally, 81 studies with the clinical use of ivermectin in humans are being carried out worldwide according to ClinicalTrials.gov. However, none of these data has been published so far. However, private and public entities in Brazil have been adopting this drug in their protocols as prophylaxis and in the initial phase of the disease. In addition, ivermectin has been used in mass treatment to prevent onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis in sub-Saharan Africa for many years. Surprisingly, this region has the lowest proportional mortality rate among the continents, despite the increasing numbers of infected people released by the World Health Organization.

Modeling and diagnosis Parkinson disease by using hand drawing: deep learning model

&lt;abstract&gt; &lt;p&gt;Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) often manifest motor dysfunction symptoms, including tremors and stiffness. The presence of these symptoms may significantly impact the handwriting and sketching abilities of individuals during the initial phases of the condition. Currently, the diagnosis of PD depends on several clinical investigations conducted inside a hospital setting. One potential approach for facilitating the early identification of PD within home settings involves the use of hand-written drawings inside an automated PD detection system for recognition purposes. In this study, the PD Spiral Drawings public dataset was used for the investigation and diagnosis of PD. The experiments were conducted alongside a comparative analysis using 204 spiral and wave PD drawings. This study contributes by conducting deep learning models, namely DenseNet201 and VGG16, to detect PD. The empirical findings indicate that the DenseNet201 model attained a classification accuracy of 94% when trained on spiral drawing images. Moreover, the model exhibited a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) value of 99%. When comparing the performance of the VGG16 model, it was observed that it attained a better accuracy of 90% and exhibited a ROC value of 98% when trained on wave images. The comparative findings indicate that the outcomes of the proposed PD system are superior to existing PD systems using the same dataset. The proposed system is a very promising technological approach that has the potential to aid physicians in delivering objective and dependable diagnoses of diseases. This is achieved by leveraging important and distinctive characteristics extracted from spiral and wave drawings associated with PD.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/abstract&gt;

Short-term urban resilience estimation after a hypothetical nuclear event

&lt;abstract&gt; &lt;p&gt;In the event of a hypothetical tactical nuclear device being detonated in a densely populated urban area, the first responders must be well-prepared to make immediate decisions with limited information. To aid in this preparation, a computer simulation using the HotSpot Health Physics code was conducted to model the detonation of a tactical nuclear device in an international airport and its surroundings, considering different yields ranging from 1 to 10 kilotons. The simulation was conservative and applied to a time window of 4 days in the initial phase of the response to the event. The simulation findings allow for assessing the immediate effects of the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and the radioactive contamination plumes on an inhabited area. This assessment includes data on the size of impacted zones, compromise of critical local infrastructure, radiological risk to potentially affected populations, and estimation of urban resilience and its temporal dynamics. This information helps raise levels of protection and optimize available resources.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/abstract&gt;

Internal Short-Circuit Fault Location of Rail Transit Auxiliary Inverter Based on Voltage Deviation

In order to improve the ability of locating and detecting the internal short-circuit fault of rail transit auxiliary inverter, a method of locating the internal short-circuit fault of rail transit auxiliary inverter based on voltage deviation is proposed. The fault sensing information acquisition module of rail transit auxiliary inverter is constructed by using the detection method of fundamental frequency characteristics of differential mode current of excitation winding, and the voltage deviation analysis of rail transit auxiliary inverter under internal short-circuit fault state is realized by using the methods of MVCR excitation winding control and output reactive power adjustment. Combined with the dynamic distribution characteristics of output harmonics and initial phase of rail transit auxiliary inverter, the equivalent compensation and capacity expansion methods of excitation winding circuit are adopted. The signal test model of fault location is established, and the spectral characteristics of the internal short-circuit fault signal of rail transit auxiliary inverter are extracted. A fault joint feature location and monitoring model is established by using the data clustering analysis method of fusion difference, and the internal short-circuit fault location detection of inverter is realized according to the voltage deviation distribution characteristics of inverter in short-circuit state. The test results show that the accuracy of short-circuit fault location in rail transit auxiliary inverter is high, and the dynamic estimation ability of inverter output voltage deviation is strong.

Two-Step Hyperparameter Optimization Method: Accelerating Hyperparameter Search by Using a Fraction of a Training Dataset

Abstract Hyperparameter optimization (HPO) is an important step in machine learning (ML) model development, but common practices are archaic—primarily relying on manual or grid searches. This is partly because adopting advanced HPO algorithms introduces added complexity to the workflow, leading to longer computation times. This poses a notable challenge to ML applications, as suboptimal hyperparameter selections curtail the potential of ML model performance, ultimately obstructing the full exploitation of ML techniques. In this article, we present a two-step HPO method as a strategic solution to curbing computational demands and wait times, gleaned from practical experiences in applied ML parameterization work. The initial phase involves a preliminary evaluation of hyperparameters on a small subset of the training dataset, followed by a reevaluation of the top-performing candidate models postretraining with the entire training dataset. This two-step HPO method is universally applicable across HPO search algorithms, and we argue it has attractive efficiency gains. As a case study, we present our recent application of the two-step HPO method to the development of neural network emulators for aerosol activation. Although our primary use case is a data-rich limit with many millions of samples, we also find that using up to 0.0025% of the data—a few thousand samples—in the initial step is sufficient to find optimal hyperparameter configurations from much more extensive sampling, achieving up to 135× speedup. The benefits of this method materialize through an assessment of hyperparameters and model performance, revealing the minimal model complexity required to achieve the best performance. The assortment of top-performing models harvested from the HPO process allows us to choose a high-performing model with a low inference cost for efficient use in global climate models (GCMs).

Pola Komunikasi Pondok Pesantren Al-Mukhlisin dalam Membangun Citra Positif di Kabupaten Batu Bara

This research aims to analyze the communication patterns used by the Al-Mukhlisin Islamic Boarding School in an effort to build a positive image in Batu Bara Regency. This research method uses a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. In this approach, the author directly deals with respondents to collect the required information data, both from the location, head of the foundation, administrators or teachers and activities that occurred while conducting research. The research results show that the communication pattern applied in building a positive image of the Al-Mukhlisin Islamic Boarding School in Batu Bara Regency is a direct interpersonal communication pattern. This Islamic boarding school builds a positive image individually. In the initial phase of its establishment, Al-Mukhlisin Islamic Boarding School introduced itself by using banners, distributing brochures, and sending children to give lectures in prayer rooms or mosques every month of Ramadan. This is one of the attractions for the local community to be interested in this Islamic Boarding School. The obstacle lies in the fact that this Islamic boarding school does not have selling rights, in the sense that they introduced this Islamic boarding school when other schools were already established, making it difficult to compete because they had not seen Al-Mukhlisin's educational process.