Local Tendency Research Articles

On the Nonlinearity of Winter Northern Hemisphere Atmospheric Variability

Abstract Nonlinearity in the Northern Hemisphere’s wintertime atmospheric flow is investigated from both an intermediate-complexity model of the extratropics and reanalyses. A long simulation is obtained using a three-level quasigeostrophic model on the sphere. Kernel empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs), which help delineate complex structures, are used along with the local flow tendencies. Two fixed points are obtained, which are associated with strong bimodality in two-dimensional kernel principal component (PC) space, consistent with conceptual low-order dynamics. The regimes reflect zonal and blocked flows. The analysis is then extended to ERA-40 and JRA-55 using daily sea level pressure (SLP) and geopotential heights in the stratosphere (20 hPa) and troposphere (500 hPa). In the stratosphere, trimodality is obtained, representing disturbed, displaced, and undisturbed states of the winter polar vortex. In the troposphere, the probability density functions (PDFs), for both fields, within the two-dimensional (2D) kernel EOF space are strongly bimodal. The modes correspond broadly to opposite phases of the Arctic Oscillation with a signature of the negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Over the North Atlantic–European sector, a trimodal PDF is also obtained with two strong and one weak modes. The strong modes are associated, respectively, with the north (or +NAO) and south (or −NAO) positions of the eddy-driven jet stream. The third weak mode is interpreted as a transition path between the two positions. A climate change signal is also observed in the troposphere of the winter hemisphere, resulting in an increase (a decrease) in the frequency of the polar high (low), consistent with an increase of zonal flow frequency.

Hydrostatic Pressure Effect on Metallic Glasses: Finite Deformation Theory

Metallic glass does not have well-defined atomic planes and the related dislocation motion during plastic deformation. The atomic displacement during deformation instead contains a large degree of randomness, which necessarily leads to volume change. However, how the volume change contributes to the mechanisms of mechanical deformation, especially the pressure sensitivity of yielding and fracture strength remains unclear. Although volume dilatation has been observed in various mechanical deformation, experimental investigation so far shows negligible pressure effect on yield and fracture strength. Here using finite deformation theory, we give a theoretical analysis of the pressure effect on metallic glasses subject to pure shear in the presence of a large range of applied hydrostatic pressure. We found that shear deformation does couple to applied pressure as manifested through the dependence of shear strength on applied hydrostatic pressure. We argue that the strong tendency of deformation localization and the omnipresent sample imperfections unique for amorphous solids may cause the discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental results.

Local Creative Culture and Dividend Policy

This paper examines the role of local risk-taking propensity on dividend demand and corporate payout by using a novel measure. We empirically investigate geographically varying dividend demand and corporate dividend policies by using local creative culture as a measure of local risk-taking tendency. We find that firms located in areas with a strong creative culture are less likely to pay and initiate dividends. These firms also have lower levels of dividend yield. The empirical findings also remain robust after addressing endogeneity and a series of robustness checks.. In addition, our paper highlights the local component of corporate dividend policies and supports the notion that firms cater to investors’ dividend preferences determined by investors’ risk-taking characteristics through dividend policies. Our results underscore the importance of cultural determinants of investors’ risk-taking for the financial industry participants.

On the rapid intensification of Hurricane Wilma (2005). Part IV: Inner‐core dynamics during the steady radius of maximum wind stage

Recent studies show that some hurricanes may undergo rapid intensification (RI) without contracting the radius of maximum wind (RMW). A cloud‐resolving mesoscale model prediction of Hurricane Wilma (2005) is used herein to examine what controls the RMW contraction and how a hurricane could undergo RI without contraction. Results show that the processes controlling the RMW contraction are different within and above the planetary boundary layer (PBL). In the PBL, radial inflow contributes to contraction, whereas frictional dissipation acts as an inhibiting factor. Above the PBL, radial outflow and vertical motion are the two main factors governing the RMW contraction, with the former inhibiting it. A budget analysis of absolute angular momentum (AAM) shows that the radial AAM flux convergence is the major process accounting for the spin‐up of the maximum rotation in the PBL as the RMW contracts, while the vertical flux divergence of AAM and the friction oppose the spin‐up. During the RI stage with no RMW contraction, the local AAM tendencies in the eyewall are however smaller in magnitude and narrower in width than those during the contracting RI stage. In addition, the AAM following the time‐dependent RMW decreases with time in the PBL and remains nearly constant aloft during the contracting stage, whereas it increases during the non‐contracting stage. These results reveal different constraints for the RMW contraction and RI, and help explain why a hurricane vortex can still intensify after the RMW ceases contraction.

Undrained Behavior of Sand–Structure Interfaces Subjected to Cyclic Torsional Shearing

This paper presents results from an experimental study on the undrained behavior of sand–structure interfaces subjected to cyclic undrained torsional shearing. The goals of the study are to develop understanding of the response of sand subjected to cyclic torsional loading and to develop a theoretically sound and scale-sensitive framework for interpretation of results. The results characterize the effects of initial void ratio, confining stress, surface roughness, particle angularity, and imposed loading conditions (i.e., torsional versus axial shearing). The responses of all specimens subjected to torsional shear, including those prepared at high relative density, were dominated by contractive tendencies characterized by significant excess pore-water pressure generation. Mechanisms for excess pore-water pressure generation based on experimental evidence of local volume-change tendencies at various locations within the specimens are presented. Torsional interface shearing consistently generated pore-water pressures at faster rates than axial shearing, making the former more efficient for studying cyclic soil behavior. Implications of the results of this study on the deployment of a proposed soil characterization tool are discussed.

How pride influences product evaluation through construal level

PurposeThis research aims to investigate how consumers’ authentic pride versus hubristic pride affects different construal levels of mind-sets and subsequent product evaluation by activating local versus global cognitive appraisal tendencies. Furthermore, this research also examines how lay theories impact the effects of pride on construal levels and how power moderates the effect of hubristic versus authentic pride on product preferences varying in construal levels.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on cognitive appraisal and construal level theories, this research conducts eight experimental studies to test the hypotheses with an ANOVA, bootstrap analysis and binary logistic regression analysis. The details of the experiments are presented in the paper.FindingsThe results show that people feeling authentic (hubristic) pride dominantly adopt a lower (higher) level of construal, and consequently put more weight on feasibility over desirability (desirability over feasibility) attributes. Authentic pride’s inclination to appeal behavior-specific appraisals triggers local appraisal tendencies and bestows lower construal levels, whereas hubristic pride’s inclination to connect the entire self triggers global appraisal tendencies and confers higher construal levels. Incremental (vs entity) theorists are likely to attribute the pride experience to their efforts (traits), and thus feel authentic (hubristic) pride. Furthermore, the product preferences of people experiencing authentic vs hubristic pride depend on their power state.Research limitations/implicationsNotwithstanding the importance of this research, it is worthwhile to note some of its limitations to encourage future research. First, eight studies in the lab were conducted, but no real behavior study was conducted. Although there is a high correlation between the results of lab studies and those of real behavior studies, the authors encourage future researches to elicit the consumers’ pride in the actual consumption situation using a real behavior study. Furthermore, this research mainly focuses on pride, and does not examine other positive emotions, e.g. happiness. Therefore, the authors encourage future research to examine other positive emotions.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that it is appropriate to use construal levels to match consumers’ pride types. In fact, marketers can induce hubristic pride or authentic pride in ads by simply using words or sentences (“feeling proud because of your hard work” or “feeling proud, you are so superior and remarkably unique”), and present either higher- or lower-level construal of desired behaviors to improve advertising effects.Originality/valueThe research contributes to literature by documenting how hubristic/authentic pride can affect distinct construal levels via activating global/local appraisal tendencies. And this research thoroughly illustrates the mechanism by which hubristic/authentic pride activates global versus local appraisal tendencies. More importantly, this research finds how lay theories affect construal level given a pride experience and it also corroborates the moderating effects of power in the proposed relationship, which establish the boundary conditions of the effects of prides on construal levels.

LO83: Relevance of international opioid prescribing guidelines for emergency department practice

Introduction: The opioid crisis in North America has led to more rigorous prescribing guidelines in various practice settings. Recent studies suggest that the Emergency Department is an environment with increased opioid prescribing, leading to increased rates of long-term use and dependence in opioid naive patients. Prior reviews of international opioid prescribing guidelines have demonstrated overall congruence of practice recommendations, although these are focused on primary care prescribers. The goal of this study was to review international opioid prescribing guidelines for recommendations relevant to emergency department practitioners. Methods: The search strategies of prior congruence studies were reproduced, updated and supplemented by electronic database and specialty organization searches. Only the most recent iteration of a published guideline was included, unless it was a limited update of a prior more comprehensive guideline, in which case both were assessed. Prescribing guidelines were included if they represented national practice statements, national or international specialty organizations generating guidelines. Sub-national or regional guidelines were excluded due to local practice bias tendency. Included guidelines were independently reviewed for evidence evaluation and recommendation formulation frameworks, relevance of recommendations for emergency medicine (EM) practice (and supporting levels of evidence), inclusion of EM authors (and corresponding conflict of interest statements), and involvement of EM-relevant stakeholders in reviewing guideline publications. Results: Sixteen international and specialty organization guidelines were included in the review. Evidence evaluation and recommendation formulation frameworks were incompletely reported (12/16), and used a multitude of evaluation processes when reported. Two guidelines included EM-relevant recommendations based on weak evidence. Three guidelines included EM authors, one of which reported a conflict of interest. None of the included guidelines were reviewed by EM-relevant stakeholder organizations prior to publication. Conclusion: International and specialty organization opioid prescribing guidelines virtually ignore relevant recommendations for EM practice, and any supporting evidence is weak. Emergency practitioners are nearly absent from authorship groups, and are excluded from external review of draft documents prior to final publication. This study reinforces the urgent need for EM organizations to create guidance documents around opioid prescribing for their own practitioners, and involving appropriate EM stakeholders.

Activity statistics in a colloidal glass former: Experimental evidence for a dynamical transition.

In a dense colloidal suspension at a volume fraction below the glass transition, we follow the trajectories of an assembly of tracers over a large time window. We define a local activity, which quantifies the local tendency of the system to rearrange. We determine the statistics of the time integrated activity, and we argue that it develops a low activity tail that comes together with the onset of glassy-like behavior and heterogeneous dynamics. These rare events may be interpreted as the reflection of an underlying dynamic phase transition.

Detection of Mmp-8 expression in nanosilver-treated and tetracycline-treated periodontitis induced in albino rats

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the histopathological expression of Mmp-8 in the experimentally-induced periodontitis treated with tetracycline, and nanosilver in albino rats.Material and Methods: fifty five male albino rats were included in this study. On the first day, 5 rats were euthanized as healthy group for histological characteristics of interdental alveolar bone between the maxillary incisors. Fifty rats were anesthetized; elastic rings were placed around the cervix of the right maxillary incisors for 7 days to induce periodontitis. On the eighth day, the ligatures were removed, five rats were euthanized before any treatment (day zero) and served as positive control group. The remaining 45 rats were randomly assigned to three groups as following: Group I; 15 rats did not receive any treatment. Group II; 15 rats treated locally with tetracycline hydrochloride (50 mg /mL) daily. Group III; 15 rats treated locally with nanosilver (12.5μg /mL) daily. Five animals from each group (I, II and III) were euthanized at day 7, 15 and 30 of day zero. The area of the maxillary incisors was decalcified and processed for hematoxylin and eosin stain and immunohistochemical stain for Mmp-8. Results: Local application of nanosilver in experimentally-induced periodontitis in rats exhibited tendency for bone formation from day 7 with externalization of the inflammation compared to local application of tetracycline. The tetracycline treatment demonstrated tendency for localization of inflammation detected as abscess formation. The tendency for new bone formation was detected after 15 days of treatment. Mmp-8 expression was strongly expressed after the induction of periodontitis. In nanosilver treated group, Mmp-8 started to fade within the connective tissue from day 15 and was detected only on the surface epithelium. In tetracycline group, Mmp-8 was detected at day 15 surrounding the abscesses then it completely disappeared at day 30.Conclusion: Mmp-8 is intensely expressed in inflamed periodontal tissue. This expression fades earlier with the nanosilver treatment compared to the tetracycline treatment. The non-inflamed periodontal tissues did not express Mmp-8.

Barbarisierte Römer – Romanisierte Barbaren? Interpretationsmöglichkeiten der fremden Komponente am Beispiel des Gräberfeldes von Somogyszil

The Somogyszil cemetery became known in 1964, when a local resident reported the finds. The site was excavated by Balázs Draveczky, who uncovered 148 late Roman burials until 1968. The cemetery was fully published by Alice Sz. Burger in 1979. We began the critical re-assessment of the cemetery and its finds in 2015 as part of a research project “Power and culture in the Carpathian Basin in the early Middle Ages” involving in part a fresh look at the late Roman cemeteries in southern Pannonia. Our research agenda focuses on the spatial organisation of the burial grounds used by the province’s rural population as well as on burial customs (funerary rites, grave and burial types), chronology and the mapping of local and non-local tendencies. During the critical re-assessment of the cemetery, we found that the establishment and use of this late Roman burial ground could be linked to a heterogeneous community.

Molybdenum disulfide/graphene oxide nanocomposites show favorable lung targeting and enhanced drug loading/tumor-killing efficacy with improved biocompatibility

Selective targeting plus optimal biocompatibility is still a big challenge in nanomedicine. Although many nanomaterials including graphene oxide (GO) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) have been tested for this purpose, these materials possess both favorable features and drawbacks, which hampers their further development. Herein, we prepared MoS2/GO nanocomposites that manifested excellent dispersity in aqueous solutions and revealed acceptable biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, MoS2/GO displayed a novel feature to selectively target the lung. In other words, MoS2/GO manifested a pronounced tendency of localization towards the lung comparable to GO, offering a ‘guided missile’ effect in targeting the lung. Furthermore, MoS2/GO composites possessed enhanced drug loading capacity together with reinforced tumor-killing efficacy against cancer cells that have the propensity to metastasize to the lung. Importantly, MoS2/GO composites remarkably repressed metastatic tumor growth of B16 murine melanoma cancer cells in lungs of mice. Mechanistically, MoS2/GO was demonstrated to reveal compromised reactions towards macrophages at the nano-bio interface relative to GO, which is accountable for the interaction and the uptake of nanosheets by macrophages associated with phagocytosis and macrophagic activation. Considered together, our findings established new MoS2/GO nanocomposites with multi-functionalities including selective lung targeting, favorable drug loading capacity, elevated tumor killing efficacy and improved biocompatibility. Our study opens an avenue for MoS2/GO nanocomposites in cancer nanotheranostics.

Hot-worked microstructure and hot workability of cold-work tool steels

The hot workability of two cold-work tool steels were evaluated and compared. A D2 and an advanced alloy based on 8% Cr steels (TDx) were deformed at high temperatures between 900 and 1100°C with strain rates 0.001–10s−1 via hot compression test. From the flow curves, processing maps were constructed based on the dynamic material model. The deformed microstructures were observed and compared in various scales with respect to the deformation conditions. Although the two alloys exhibited a large similarity in the flow instability consideration of the processing map, their behavior in microstructure evolution was different. While both alloys exhibited a tendency of strain localization in the conditions of instability, the efficiency of power dissipation in the processing maps showed an intricate correlation with the progress of dynamic recrystallization and carbide precipitation. TDx showed a distinctive behavior of carbide precipitation and a larger resistance to dynamic recrystallization, which implied a requirement on more delicate control of hot working conditions.

A CASE STUDY: EXPLORING INDUSTRIAL AGGLOMERATION OF MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN SHANGHAI USING DURANTON AND OVERMAN’S K-DENSITY FUNCTION

Abstract. There has wide academic and policy attention on the issue of scale economy and industrial agglomeration, with most of the attention paid to industrial geography concentration. This paper adopted a scale-independent and distance-based measurement method, K-density function or known as Duranton and Overman (DO) index, to study the manufacturing industries localization in Shanghai, which is the most representative economic development zone in China and East Asia. The result indicates the industry has a growing tendency of localization, and various spatial distribution patterns in different distances. Furthermore, the class of industry also show significant influence on the concentration pattern. Besides, the method has been coded and published on GeoCommerce, a visualization and analysis portal for industrial big data, to provide geoprocessing and spatial decision support.

Mobility can promote the evolution of cooperation via emergent self-assortment dynamics.

The evolution of costly cooperation, where cooperators pay a personal cost to benefit others, requires that cooperators interact more frequently with other cooperators. This condition, called positive assortment, is known to occur in spatially-structured viscous populations, where individuals typically have low mobility and limited dispersal. However many social organisms across taxa, from cells and bacteria, to birds, fish and ungulates, are mobile, and live in populations with considerable inter-group mixing. In the absence of information regarding others’ traits or conditional strategies, such mixing may inhibit assortment and limit the potential for cooperation to evolve. Here we employ spatially-explicit individual-based evolutionary simulations to incorporate costs and benefits of two coevolving costly traits: cooperative and local cohesive tendencies. We demonstrate that, despite possessing no information about others’ traits or payoffs, mobility (via self-propulsion or environmental forcing) facilitates assortment of cooperators via a dynamically evolving difference in the cohesive tendencies of cooperators and defectors. We show analytically that this assortment can also be viewed in a multilevel selection framework, where selection for cooperation among emergent groups can overcome selection against cooperators within the groups. As a result of these dynamics, we find an oscillatory pattern of cooperation and defection that maintains cooperation even in the absence of well known mechanisms such as kin interactions, reciprocity, local dispersal or conditional strategies that require information on others’ strategies or payoffs. Our results offer insights into differential adhesion based mechanisms for positive assortment and reveal the possibility of cooperative aggregations in dynamic fission-fusion populations.

Real-parameter unconstrained optimization based on enhanced fitness-adaptive differential evolution algorithm with novel mutation

This paper presents enhanced fitness-adaptive differential evolution algorithm with novel mutation (EFADE) for solving global numerical optimization problems over continuous space. A new triangular mutation operator is introduced. It is based on the convex combination vector of the triplet defined by the three randomly chosen vectors and the difference vectors between the best, better and the worst individuals among the three randomly selected vectors. Triangular mutation operator helps the search for better balance between the global exploration ability and the local exploitation tendency as well as enhancing the convergence rate of the algorithm through the optimization process. Besides, two novel, effective adaptation schemes are used to update the control parameters to appropriate values without either extra parameters or prior knowledge of the characteristics of the optimization problem. In order to verify and analyze the performance of EFADE, numerical experiments on a set of 28 test problems from the CEC2013 benchmark for 10, 30 and 50 dimensions, including a comparison with 12 recent DE-based algorithms and six recent evolutionary algorithms, are executed. Experimental results indicate that in terms of robustness, stability and quality of the solution obtained, EFADE is significantly better than, or at least comparable to state-of-the-art approaches with outstanding performance.

The Issues of Healthcare-Associated Infections — The Economic and Social Perspective

Abstract The aim of the paper was to diagnose and analyse the rates of infections in Polish voivodships, and possible consequences from both economic and social perspectives of the changes in the levels of cases reported. For the analyses, data banks of Central Statistical Office in Warsaw were used, in particular, information on the incidence of infectious diseases and poisonings. The rates of changes and spatial concentration of the phenomena were investigated in the period between 2005 and 2015. For estimates of regional trends, the Shift-Share Analysis was adopted, and the pattern of spatial distribution was defined on the basis of location quotients. Extreme values of location quotients were observed in Warmińsko-Mazurskie for shigellosis, in Lubuskie for trichinellosis, and for AIDS in Dolnośląskie. Location quotient values allowed identifying regions with a higher spatial concentration of infectious diseases incidences, which in turn could indicate areas and cases where preventive actions should be improved or modified. The Shift-Share Analysis resulted in pointing out regions that recorded a positive change in infection rates. The obtained results also demonstrated that in some cases, the impact of structural changes influences the net rates of infections more than the local components. The obtained results directly indicated objects (regions) where attention should be paid to prevention. Especially, the results of spatial distribution and concentration allowed a reliable analysis of the state of population incidence rates, as well as answered questions concerning the origin of rates whether the change derived from structural, local or overall tendencies. Results could be adopted, for instance, in preventive strategies of local governments. The estimates might be beneficial from the perspective of the healthcare system, due to easier predictive scenarios of future infection and possible centres with the increase in incidence.

Dynamic response of aluminum corrugated sandwich subjected to underwater impulsive loading: Experiment and numerical modeling

The aluminum sandwich structures with the trapezoidal corrugated core subjected to underwater impulsive loadings are studied experimentally and numerically in the present study. The blast resistance in terms of dynamic deformation, failure modes and associated mechanisms is evaluated in relation to the load intensity, and the core height under air-backed and water-backed conditions. 3D digital imaging correlation and postmortem analysis are employed to investigate the deformation and failure of individual components, focusing on the effects of loading intensities, core height and loaded condition. The discrepancy in bending stiffness along the x-direction and y-direction results in the asymmetrical propagation of plastic hinges and the crack initiates and propagates along the x-direction. Although the core height affects the response rate and the local tendency of deformation greatly as the impulses increase, the core height has a limited influence on the deflection resistance when the corrugated sandwich panels have the same areal mass. The critical impulse for tearing failure of sandwich with higher core height is much smaller than that of panels with lower core height. Due to the resistance and reaction in backwater column, the transverse deflection does not increase monotonously to the increasing core heights and impulses under water-backed condition. The corrugated sandwich panels suffer significantly smaller inner face deflections than the solid plates of identical mass per area under air-backed condition, while all plates involved show approximate blast-resistance performance under water-backed condition.

Structure and evolution of subtropical cyclone Anita as evaluated by heat and vorticity budgets

This article explores the evolution of subtropical cyclone Anita, which occurred near the east coast of Brazil (∼19°S–37°W) in March 2010. Thermodynamic and dynamic processes during Anita's life cycle are investigated using the heat and vorticity budget equations. The cyclone developed with hybrid characteristics and moved anomalously to the southwest, where it coupled with an upper‐level cut‐off low during the mature phase. This coupling was the main dynamical mechanism for further cyclone deepening. Anita then remained quasi‐stationary at about 30°S–47°W for 2 days, due to an upper‐level dipole pattern, which prevented earlier displacement of the upper‐level low counterpart. When the dipole pattern dissipated, the cyclone moved southeast and underwent extratropical transition whilst merging with a midlatitude frontal cyclone. Diabatic heating and horizontal temperature advection are found to be essential for subtropical development. During extratropical transition, instead it is diabatic cooling together with adiabatic cooling and warm‐air advection that act as the main mechanisms to influence the local temperature tendencies at low levels. Low‐level cyclonic tendencies were mostly due to convergent flow and the residual vorticity partially destroyed the vorticity tendencies produced by the divergence term. Moreover, in regions and levels where convection could explain some of the vorticity tendencies, it is found that apparent sinks of cyclonic vorticity were related to negative vorticity due to divergence (i.e. convergent flow), whilst apparent sources were related to positive vorticity due to divergence (i.e. divergent flow).

Role of master transcriptional factor Prox-1 in lymphatic endothelial differentiation of Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma

Objective: To analyze the clinical and pathological features of Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE), and to investigate the role of master transcriptional factor Prox-1 in the regulation of lymphatic differentiation. Methods: Nine cases of KHE (during the period from October 2009 to June 2016) were collected with clinical and pathological data. H&E stained section review and immunohistochemietry using the Dako EnVision method were performed. Results: There were 6 female and 3 male patients with age ranging from 2 months to 8 years (median 3 years and 4 months). The patients presented with either single subcutaneous soft tissue mass, or bone tumors, with the duration of disease onset ranging from 1 month to 1 year. The sites of involvement included the skins of neck (2 cases), nose root (1 case), inguinal (1 case), thigh root (1 case), humerus (2 cases), lumbar vertebrae(1 case), and mesentery (1 case). These tumors were histologically composed of nodules of densely packed spindle or ovoid cells and deformed small blood vessels in an invasive growth pattern. The tumor cells were immunohistochemically positive for both blood vessels and lymphatic endothelial markers, including Prox-1, the master transcriptional factor, and VEGFR-3. With followed-up from 1 to 60 months (median 26 months), two patients died of the disease, while the remaining patients were alive without recurrence. Conclusions: KHE is a rare vascular tumor with at least partial lymphatic endothelial differentiation, in which Prox-1 may act as a master regulator for such differentiation. KHE is an aggressive tumor of intermediate malignant potential, with local invasion and recurrence tendency, and long term follow-up is required.

A novel differential evolution algorithm for solving constrained engineering optimization problems

This paper introduces a novel differential evolution (DE) algorithm for solving constrained engineering optimization problems called (NDE). The key idea of the proposed NDE is the use of new triangular mutation rule. It is based on the convex combination vector of the triplet defined by the three randomly chosen vectors and the difference vectors between the best, better and the worst individuals among the three randomly selected vectors. The main purpose of the new approach to triangular mutation operator is the search for better balance between the global exploration ability and the local exploitation tendency as well as enhancing the convergence rate of the algorithm through the optimization process. In order to evaluate and analyze the performance of NDE, numerical experiments on three sets of test problems with different features, including a comparison with thirty state-of-the-art evolutionary algorithms, are executed where 24 well-known benchmark test functions presented in CEC’2006, five widely used constrained engineering design problems and five constrained mechanical design problems from the literature are utilized. The results show that the proposed algorithm is competitive with, and in some cases superior to, the compared ones in terms of the quality, efficiency and robustness of the obtained final solutions.