Major Variables Research Articles

Exploring the Significance of the Project Scope in the Successful Implementation of Infrastructure Projects – A Case Study of Level Two Health Projects

Projects addressing Healthcare stand out to be a critical pillar for sustainable development. According to the Abuja declarations in the year 2000 during the formulation of Millenium Development Goals, the parties agreed to increase their healthcare budget to a whopping 15%. By the end of the Millennium Development Goals, partly no country had reached such a target. It is therefore imperative for Countries to make sure their healthcare budget can address the prevailing needs of their citizens. To make sure the set goals are achieved, it is thus incumbent upon the government to set achievable targets. The focus of this research was to ascertain how project planning plays a nexus role in supporting the healthcare system at level two. The major variable was to assess how the project scope affects such an endeavor and how the existing government policy intervenes in such achievements a case of Kenya Health Policy established in 2014 and running till 2030. The research will be guided by an exploratory research design since it will expedite both Quantitative and Qualitative data from a sample size of 100 respondents. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 25 while Qualitative data was analyzed using the content analysis method. The study findings postulated that most projects were completed within budget while others were not. Delay of disbursement of Funds by the Government to the health facilities was picked as another cause of failure to meet the goal, politics was also noted to play a role in such endeavors. With such findings, the study thus recommended the establishment of a framework that supports better collaboration between the primary parties in the government and the health facilities. The study also acknowledges budget, cost, and planning attributes are crucial to the successful implementation of level-two health projects. This study focused on adding value to the existing body of knowledge and practice as enshrined in the Kenya Vision 2030 blueprint and Kenya Health Policy 2014-2030 blueprint.

Unknotting typologies in smallholder farmers investing in seed potato production in South-Western Uganda

ABSTRACTSmallholder farmer participation in seed production ensures seed security among farming communities. Interventions that promote farmer investment in seed production, however, enroll any willing farmer, yet smallholder farmers can be heterogeneously composed of receptive and new intervention-shy individuals. This study sought to identify homogenous typologies of seed potato producers investing in seed potato production in South-Western Uganda. Data collected from 213 farmers and 16 focus group discussions were analyzed using principal component and cluster analysis methods to construct farming typologies. Psychological capital and investment level were major variables in typology distilation. The results revealed 4 seed potato producer typologies including, typology 1 of ‘middle-aged female seed multipliers of moderate psychological capital and low investment level', typology 2 of ‘old-aged seed recyclers of high psychological capital but with the lowest investment level', typology 3 of for ‘young male seed recyclers of moderate psychological capital but with high investment level' and typology 4 of ‘young male seed multipliers of high psychological capital and the highest investment level’. Investing in seed potato production across the typologies was constrained by identical factors, including land shortage, limited access to markets, credit facilities and seed storage facilities. Seed interventionists are recommended to focus on typology 4, 3 and 1 producers. Future typology studies should include psychological factors to introduce practical variability nested in individual interpretations of seemly constant contexts.

Atlas of Intracorporeal Orthotopic Neobladder Techniques After Robot-assisted Radical Cystectomy and Systematic Review of Clinical Outcomes

BackgroundMultiple and heterogeneous techniques have been described for orthotopic neobladder (ONB) reconstruction after robot-assisted radical cystectomy. Nonetheless, a systematic assessment of all the available options is lacking. ObjectiveTo provide the first comprehensive step-by-step description of all the available techniques for robotic intracorporeal ONB together with individual intraoperative, perioperative and functional outcomes based on a systematic review of the literature. Design, setting, and participantsWe performed a systematic review of the literature, and MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify original articles describing different robotic intracorporeal ONB techniques and reporting intra- and perioperative outcomes. Studies were categorized according to ONB type, providing a synthesis of the current evidence. Video material was provided by experts in the field to illustrate the surgical technique of each intracorporeal ONB. Surgical procedureNine different ONB types were identified: Studer, Hautmann, Y shape, U shape, Bordeaux, Pyramid, Shell, Florence Robotic Intracorporeal Neobladder, and Padua Ileal Neobladder. MeasurementsContinuous and categorical variables are presented as mean ± standard deviation and as frequencies and proportions, respectively. Results and limitationsOf 2587 studies identified, 19 met our inclusion criteria. No cohort studies or randomized control trials comparing different neobladder types are available. Available techniques for intracorporeal robotic ONB reconstruction have similar operative time, estimated blood loss, intraoperative complications, and length of stay. Major variability exists concerning postoperative complications and functional outcomes, likely related to reporting bias. ConclusionsSeveral techniques are described for intracorporeal ONB during robot-assisted radical cystectomy with comparable perioperative outcomes. We provide the first step-by-step surgical atlas for robot-assisted ONB reconstruction. Further comparative studies are needed to assess any advantage of one technique over others. Patient summaryPatients elected for radical cystectomy should be aware that multiple techniques for robotic orthotopic neobladder are available, but that current evidence does not favor one type over the others.

Quantitative Amyloid‐PET in Real‐World Practice: Lessons from the Imaging Dementia—Evidence for Amyloid Scanning (IDEAS) study

AbstractBackgroundAmyloid‐PET quantification was developed in research settings using highly selected samples, harmonized acquisition protocols, and MRI‐based preprocessing. We aimed to analyze scans from IDEAS, a large‐scale, real‐world study of amyloid‐PET. Major challenges lie in scans being acquired on various PET/PET‐CT/PET‐MR scanners without standardization of acquisition or reconstruction protocols, and without MRI to preprocess data.Method18,295 Medicare beneficiaries with MCI or dementia underwent PET with [18F]florbetapir, [18F]florbetaben, or [18F]flutemetamol at 343 facilities. Sites shared 10,700 raw scans with their visual interpretation (positive or negative) by local radiologists/nuclear medicine physicians. Scans were processed using a PET‐only pipeline, which derives Centiloid based on a cortex‐to‐cerebellum tissue ratio in template space. Processed scans underwent standard visual quality control by 2 raters (Fig 1a‐b), and flagged scans were reviewed in a consensus meeting to discuss troubleshooting options. Injected dose and time between tracer injection and PET acquisition start were obtained from DICOM file header.Result9,963 scans (93%) were successfully pre‐processed with default parameters (Fig 1a) and 403 additional scans (4%) were included after manual intervention (Fig 1c). 339 scans (3%) were excluded because of technical artifacts or major bilateral lesions (Fig 1c). The final sample (n = 10,361) is described in Table 1, with example scans in Fig 1d. Centiloids showed the expected bimodal distribution (Fig 2a) and differentiated visually positive from negative scans (median = ‐2 versus 74 CL; area under the curve = 0.913, Fig 2b). PET acquisition generally followed tracer‐specific FDA recommendations for injected dose and acquisition time, but major variability was observed (Fig 2c). Centiloid values were independent from injected dose but were higher in patients scanned at later time windows for [18F]flutemetamol, resulting from known slow tracer kinetics (Fig 2c).ConclusionMRI‐free, amyloid‐PET quantification in a real‐world setting was feasible, with results conforming to expected distribution of Centiloid values and concordant with visual reads. However, greater standardization of PET acquisition than is currently required by FDA labels will be needed to reliably quantify amyloid PET in clinical practice (e.g., to monitor response to amyloid lowering therapy). The IDEAS dataset will be made available via the Global Alzheimer’s Association Interactive Network in 2023.

Spatial variation and determinants of solid fuel use in Ethiopia; Mixed effect and spatial analysis using 2019 Ethiopia Mini Demographic and Health Survey dataset.

According to UNSD, World Bank, and WHO, a 2020 joint report, 3 billion people who used solid fuel were found in low and middle-income countries. The burning of such type of fuel emits a variety of pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, CO, NO2, organic compounds, and other substances which a had wide range of public health problems The evidence from the WHO report, indoor air pollution was attributed to around 3.2 million deaths each year in 2020, and more than 237 000 deaths of children under the age of five. This study aims to investigate solid fuel prevalence, predictors, and spatial variation in Ethiopia. This study was conducted in Ethiopia based on the fifth Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys 2019 dataset. 8,663 households were successfully interviewed at a response rate of 99%. Weighted by sampling weight was done to do a reliable statistical analysis. Fuel type was used as the outcome variable whereas sex of household head (male or female), wealth index (poor, middle, and rich), educational status (no education, primary, secondary, higher), having television and radio, a separate room used as a kitchen, were individual predictor variables and community level education(lower/higher), residence(urban/rural), community level media exposure (exposed/unexposed), region (pastoralist, semi-pastoralist, Agrarian, and City administration) were community level variables. All the above analyses were conducted using Excel Microsoft 2016, STATA 14, ArcGIS 10.7, and SaTScan 10.1 software. The majority (72.62%) of household heads were males. The overall national level of solid fuel use was 87.13% (95% CI (86.4%-87.82%)). From this 87.13% of solid fuel use, 18.60% accounts for urban and 68.53% for rural parts of the country. Educational status, having television, accessing electricity, and wealth index were individual-level variables community-level education, type of residence, and region were community-level variables significantly associated factors towards solid fuel use in our study. Global (z-score = 33.109144, P-value <0.0001), local (hot spot, cluster, and outlier), and Spatial Scan statistical analyses revealed that there was a major geographical variation in solid fuel use across Ethiopia. Based on this finding, the prevalence of solid fuel use was higher in Ethiopia. Educational status, having television, accessing electricity, and wealth index were individual-level variables and community-level education, type of residence, and region were community-level variables statistically significant factors in determining fuel choice for cooking. There was significant spatial variation in the prevalence of solid-fuel use across the country. In order to addressing such heavily dependent on solid fuel use, responsible bodies like health policy makers, national and international organizations, and public health researchers should work on showing health problems of solid fuel use and the means of increasing clean fuel use. Substantial policy modifications are desirable to reach access to clean fuels and technologies (SDG 7.1.2) by 2030 to address health inequities.

PERSPECTIVE AND COMMENTARY: Dairy calf feeding and nutrition major variables and subsequent performance

PERSPECTIVE AND COMMENTARY: Dairy calf feeding and nutrition major variables and subsequent performance

A novel generalized multi input boosting multi-level inverter (MIB-MLI) for high-frequency AC (HFAC) power distribution

The simplified topology for the high-frequency ac (HFAC) power distribution method with a multi-level inverter (MLI) hybrid switched capacitor (SC) is introduced. Capacitors, switches, diodes, and DC sources are among the components that are reduced in the designed MIB-MLI (Multi Input Boosting Multi-level Inverter). Where asymmetric dc voltage sources are available, such as in renewable energy farm-based ac microgrids and current electric vehicle, this architecture is advantageous. The proposed inverter has the feature of self-balancing the capacitor voltages and voltage boosting by using the series-parallel conversion scheme. The quality of output power is increased when a dc source array is connected with the unidirectional switched converter. Moreover, if a major phase variation betwixt the output current along with the voltage is no more mandatory, multiple alive switches may be recouped with diodes. In the switched capacitor group ripple volatge is reciprocal to the output frequency, so the MIB-MLI is favorable for HFAC implementations. Also, this paper clarifies the operating theory of the complete network and switching condition covered by the sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) technique. Mathematical equation related to power loss and capacitor voltages are provided. The modeling and simulation results of the proposed seventeen-level (17-L) inverter are depicted in this paper. The findings have shown that the proposed inverter is superior at HFAC along with the power efficiency of the inverter is adequate with SPWM technique.

Nest traits for the world's birds

AbstractMotivationA well‐constructed nest is a key element of successful reproduction in most species of birds, and nest morphology varies widely across the class. Macroecological and macroevolutionary studies tend to group nest design into a small number of discrete categories, often based on taxonomic inference. In reality, however, many species display considerable intraspecific variation in their nest‐building behaviour, and broad‐level categories may include several functionally distinct nest types. To address this imprecision in the literature and facilitate future studies of broad‐scale variation in avian parental care, we here introduce a detailed, global comparative database of nest building in birds, together with preliminary correlations between these traits and species‐level environmental variables.Main types of variables containedWe present species‐level data for nest structure, location, height, material composition, sex of builder, building time and nest dimensions.Spatial location and grainGlobal. Maps are presented at the 10 × 10 level.Time period and grainIncluded species are generally extant, although we present some data for recently extinct taxa. The data were collected in 2017–2021 and was drawn from secondary sources published in 1992–2021.Major taxa and level of measurementPartial or complete trait data is presented for 8601 species of birds, representing 36 of 36 orders and 239 of 243 families.Software formatData have been uploaded as Supplementary Material in .csv format and are separated by species and source for all traits (Dataset , and Metadata) as well as summarized at the species level for the major structure and location variables (Dataset , and Metadata).

Projections of the costs of medium- and heavy-duty battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles (2020-2040) and related economic issues

This study investigates the economic viability of various medium- and heavy-duty battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles compared to their diesel equivalents from 2020 to 2040. Using the ADVISOR simulation program, performance and energy consumption were evaluated under unique road, load, and design parameters, adjusted for projected technological advancements. The initial cost, total cost of ownership (TCO), and payback periods were calculated for each vehicle class over 5-year and 15-year periods. Notably, due to technology cost reductions, both battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles witness significant cost decreases between 2020 and 2030 and a slower reduction from 2030 to 2040. Given stable electricity prices, declining hydrogen prices, and slightly rising diesel prices, the TCO of electrified trucks typically undercuts diesel trucks before their purchase costs align. By 2025, most battery-electric trucks achieve TCO competitiveness, with payback periods reducing to <4 years by 2030. However, fuel cell vehicles face longer payback periods due to high hydrogen fuel costs. By 2030, if hydrogen cost falls below $7/kg, fuel cell trucks can achieve 3–5-year payback periods, and fuel cell buses can recoup costs within a year. By 2030, both battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell trucks are expected to be competitively priced against diesel vehicles, assuming a continued decrease in battery and fuel cell costs coupled with moderate electricity and hydrogen prices. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these conclusions despite reasonable fluctuations in major cost variables.

Continuous vs. discontinuous garnet growth in mylonitic micaschists from northeastern Sardinia, Italy: Evidence from LA-ICPMS trace element mapping

Garnet with complex, discontinuous zoning is a common occurrence in metamorphic terrains, and the relationship between major and trace element zoning can provide insight into the metamorphic evolution of the host rock. Mylonitic micaschists along the Posada-Asinara Shear Zone in the Axial Zone of the Sardinia Variscan chain contain garnet porphyroblasts, enveloped by the S2 schistosity, with distinct core and rim domains. A large garnet porphyroblasts was investigated by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) mapping. The major element compositional variation follows a bell-shaped zoning, with Ca and Mn contents progressively decreasing, and Fe and Mg increasing, from the core to the outer rim. LA-ICPMS mapping revealed a thin and sharp annular enrichment zone in Y, Sc, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm at the mantle-rim boundary. The trace element (TE) compositional profiles show a central enrichment area for HREE (Tm, Yb, Lu). This enrichment decreases progressively, as a function of atomic number, for Er, Ho and Dy. Elements with even lower atomic number (Tb, Gd, Eu and Sm), are depleted in this central domain, but their content increases in broad shoulders towards the garnet rim. The position of these lateral shoulders migrates progressively rimwards with decreasing atomic number. The REE distribution, trend and behavior in the growth zones of the garnet is an example of TE control during a continuous growth ruled by diffusion-limited REE uptake. The Y + HREE annular enrichment zone, interpreted as resulting from a decrease in the garnet growth rate, reflects a short-lived episode in the garnet growth history.

Practices of Organic Medium Enclosed Trough and Amaranth Species Variation Enhanced Growth, Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Compounds

Organic Medium Enclosed Trough (OMET) system is a new non-drainable growing technique. The study set out to investigate the interactive effects of OMET and Amaranth species variation on some growth attributes, yield, bioactive compounds, and nutrients. Three Amaranth species, A. caudatus, A. cruentus, and A. tricolor, were grown in OMET and non-OMET growing conditions. Growth attributes, irrigation water, bioactive compounds, and nutrients were determined. Non-OMET growing conditions and A. cruentus showed the highest total phenolics and flavonols followed by A. caudatus and A. tricolor, whilst tannins were predominant in A. caudatus followed by A. cruentus and A. tricolor. The use of unsupervised PCA showed major metabolic variation based on Amaranth species and the use of supervised OPLS-DA showed clear metabolic variation based on OMET and non-OMET. OMET and A. cruentus showed the highest plant height, stem diameter, biomass, and some nutrients (%protein, Ca, P, Cu, Se, Zn), followed by A. caudatus based only on growth and biomass, and A. tricolor based only on some nutrients (Mg, K, Mn, and Fe). The use of the OMET system on A. cruentus and A. tricolor can be recommended to mitigate climate change effects on nutritional composition using relatively low levels of irrigation water.

Inferring mitochondrial and cytosolic metabolism by coupling isotope tracing and deconvolution

The inability to inspect metabolic activities within distinct subcellular compartments has been a major barrier to our understanding of eukaryotic cell metabolism. Previous work addressed this challenge by analyzing metabolism in isolated organelles, which grossly bias metabolic activity. Here, we describe a method for inferring physiological metabolic fluxes and metabolite concentrations in mitochondria and cytosol based on isotope tracing experiments performed with intact cells. This is made possible by computational deconvolution of metabolite isotopic labeling patterns and concentrations into cytosolic and mitochondrial counterparts, coupled with metabolic and thermodynamic modelling. Our approach lowers the uncertainty regarding compartmentalized fluxes and concentrations by one and three orders of magnitude compared to existing modelling approaches, respectively. We derive a quantitative view of mitochondrial and cytosolic metabolic activities in central carbon metabolism across cultured cell lines without performing cell fractionation, finding major variability in compartmentalized malate-aspartate shuttle fluxes. We expect our approach for inferring metabolism at a subcellular resolution to be instrumental for a variety of studies of metabolic dysfunction in human disease and for bioengineering.

Soil aminopeptidase activities under 145-year crop rotation and fertility practices in the North Central US

Aminopeptidases catalyze the hydrolysis of peptides into constituent amino acids and are therefore a key step in nitrogen (N) depolymerization and downstream mineralization. Differences in carbon (C):N as well as sulfur (S) content of amino acids present the possibility of amino acid-specific aminopeptidase activities revealing distinct information on N and non-N processes in soils. However, chromogenic assays of soil aminopeptidases using para-nitroaniline (pNA) substrates are underutilized and have largely focused on just two aminopeptidases to-date. We evaluated activities of eight amino acid-specific aminopeptidases using pNA substrates for arginine (ARG), glycine (GLY), alanine (ALA), lysine (LYS), glutamic acid (GLU), methionine (MET), proline (PRO) and leucine (LEU) aminopeptidases in a high-resolution sampling (30 samples per 0.01 ha−1 treatment plot) of nine 145-year treatment plots resulting from a factorial combination of three crop rotations and three fertility treatments on a Argiudoll in North Central United States. Across treatments, we identified non-detectable activities of ARG and PRO, and detectable activities of GLY, ALA, LYS, GLU, MET, and LEU ranging 0.2 to 400 nmol pNA h−1 g−1. Except for LYS and GLU activities, aminopeptidase activities were homogeneously distributed within treatments (n=30 locations per plot), and exhibited a mean coefficient of variation (CV) of 9 to 30 % and spatial range of 4.1 to 9.0 m. Activities of ALA and MET had the lowest CV and greatest contribution in explaining overall variability of aminopeptidase activities and were more sensitive to treatments compared to GLY and LEU activity. Multivariate analysis revealed a positive correlation among aminopeptidase activities, with major variation explained by β-glucosidase activity followed by pH and total N (TN). Absolute aminopeptidase activities generally reflected soil organic C (SOC) and TN concentrations, with greater activities under diverse rotation with organic fertilization (manure) and lower activities under continuous maize without fertilization. However, aminopeptidase activities normalized to SOC concentration were greater in soils without fertilization relative to organic fertilization. This study provides benchmark values of soil aminopeptidase activities assayed by pNA substrates using the world’s second oldest continuous agricultural experiment, including six aminopeptidases that have not been previously assayed with these substrates. Given their low magnitude of variability, high spatial correlation, and sensitivity to management, assays of aminopeptidase activities – particularly MET and ALA activities – could be fruitful tools for better understanding soil N cycling. Future work should evaluate assay optimization and expand to additional amino acid-specific substrates using pNA-based substrates.

Harmonization of multi-site diffusion tensor imaging data for cervical and thoracic spinal cord at 1.5T and 3T using longitudinal ComBat.

MRI scanner hardware, field strengths, and sequence parameters are major variables in diffusion studies of the spinal cord. Reliability between scanners is not well known, particularly for the thoracic cord. DTI data was collected for the entire cervical and thoracic spinal cord in thirty healthy adult subjects with different MR vendors and field strengths. DTI metrics were extracted and averaged for all slices within each vertebral level. Metrics were examined for variability and then harmonized using longitudinal ComBat (longComBat). Four scanners were used: Siemens 3T Prisma, Siemens 1.5T Avanto, Philips 3T Ingenia, Philips 1.5T Achieva. Average full cord diffusion values/standard deviation for all subjects and scanners were FA: 0.63, σ = 0.10, MD: 1.11, σ = 0.12 × 10-3 mm2/s, AD: 1.98, σ = 0.55 × 10-3 mm2/s, RD: 0.67, σ = 0.31 × 10-3 mm2/s. FA metrics averaged for all subjects by level were relatively consistent across scanners, but large variability was found in diffusivity measures. Coefficients of variation were lowest in the cervical region, and relatively lower for FA than diffusivity measures. Harmonized metrics showed greatly improved agreement between scanners. Variability in DTI of the spinal cord arises from scanner hardware differences, pulse sequence differences, physiological motion, and subject compliance. The use of longComBat resulted in large improvement in agreement of all DTI metrics between scanners. This study shows the importance of harmonization of diffusion data in the spinal cord and potential for longitudinal and multisite clinical research and clinical trials.

Anthropogenic disturbances influence mineral and elemental constituents of freshwater lake sediments.

Lake sediments can provide valuable insights into anthropogenic disturbances such as intensive aquaculture and land use changes. These disturbances often manifest as elevated levels of nutrients and elements within the sediments. This paper uses several analytical techniques, i.e., FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction), EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), and SEM (scanning electron microscopy), to examine the elemental constituents of lake sediments, along with their relative mineral abundances and surface morphology. The selected freshwater lakes are from the Central Gangetic Plain. The analysis provides a "fingerprint" of geogenic and biogenic mineral constituents of the sediments. Physicochemical, mineralogical, and elemental analysis shows that intensive aquaculture activities in lake alter the sediment chemistry as evidenced by the increase in pH, organic carbon, organic matter, and total phosphorus which is not observed in the lake where aquaculture is prohibited. Freshwater lake sediment is characterized by a high content of biogenic silica and carbonate minerals. The variations in sediment nutrients and mineral fluxes of the selected lakes are mainly attributed to diverse anthropogenic pressures, differences in lake productivity, and the overall ecological condition of the lakes. In the selected three lakes, major variation was reported in the autochthonous sediments in comparison to the allochthonous sediments. The study concludes that catchment and biotic deposit variations in the lakes cannot be evened out by in-lake mixing mechanisms due to variations in the terrigenous and pelagic deposits of the lake. The results highlight the importance of studying annual fluctuations and spatial variations in geogenic and biogenic mineral particle fluxes in lakes. Such investigations provide valuable insights into the annual dynamics of minerals within lakes, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of their behavior and distribution.

Discussion on the Effectiveness of JGJ 26-2018 "Energy Efficiency Design Standard for Residential Buildings in Severe Cold and Cold Areas"

Building energy consumption is a substantial part of total energy consumption and is rising in the context of energy crises and environmental issues. To maximize energy savings and limit carbon emissions, the government recommends updating construction requirements. The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China proposed JGJ 26-2018 "Energy Saving Design Standard for Residential Structures in Extreme Cold and Cold Regions" in accordance to national policy. Several reports noted that some Chinese design requirements just stack energy-saving materials and technology without actually reducing energy consumption. This study proves the JGJ 26-2018's legitimacy. This essay first selects three major variables that have the largest impact on the energy consumption of buildings in extreme cold and cold areasexterior walls, roofs, doors, and windowsand then gathers four cases of housing restoration of these three essential components according to JGJ 26-2018. The partial success of the strategy is proven by comparing energy consumption before and after building renovations, which provides a reference for energy-saving residential building design in severe cold and cold regions.

Atmospheric Climatologies Over Isfjorden, Svalbard

AbstractThe Isfjorden region at the west coast of Spitsbergen is the most easily accessible area in the Svalbard Archipelago, making it a perfect outdoor laboratory for Arctic research. Due to its location in the high Arctic together with its complex terrain, the climatic conditions vary substantially both in time and space. Based on a new high‐resolution reanalysis, we present climatologies of five major atmospheric variables over the Isfjorden region during 2011–2021 with special focus on local effects. For example, we find that topographic channeling effects often lead to differences in near‐surface wind speeds of several m s−1 over small horizontal distances. During winter, the fjord acts as a heat and moisture island, ultimately impacting the adjacent low‐elevation land areas. These land–sea gradients reverse during summer. High mountain areas surrounding the fjord experience substantially different climatic conditions, with for example, seasonal precipitation doubling from sea level to approximately 700 m. The spatial variability over the Isfjorden region is in general found to be smaller than its temporal counterpart but larger than the diurnal cycle. Besides these findings, this study furthermore demonstrates the importance of high‐resolution regional atmospheric reanalyses compared to global products for the characterization of the local micro‐climate over Arctic fjords and the interaction with surrounding land areas.

Yttrium speciation variability in bauxite residues of various origins, ages and storage conditions

Bauxite residues (BRs) are highly alkaline wastes generated during alumina production from bauxite ore. Billions of tons have been accumulating worldwide for more than 100 years, they are stored in various forms, and pose environmental and societal issues. At the same time, BRs are promising secondary sources for the production of critical metals including rare earth elements (REEs). However, knowledge on REE speciation is lacking, and is consequently an obstacle to the development of large-scale extraction process. This study analyses the influence of origin of the bauxite ore (lateritic or karstic), the storage conditions and storage time on the properties of ten BR samples, with a particular focus on the speciation of yttrium, which is used as a proxy to identify the behaviour of heavy REE. A multi-scale approach linked yttrium speciation and the origin of the bauxite ore whereas no major variation was observed as a function of storage conditions or ageing of the BRs. Yttrium is mainly found in the form of xenotime phosphate particles in BRs of lateritic origin, while in karstic BRs, the majority of yttrium is probably adsorbed or incorporated into other minerals including iron oxyhydroxide and hydroxyapatite minerals.

A casemix classification for those receiving specialist palliative care during their last year of life across England: the C-CHANGE research programme

A casemix classification for those receiving specialist palliative care during their last year of life across England: the C-CHANGE research programme

설명 가능한 인공지능을 활용한 청소년의 학업열의 관련 주요 변수 탐색

Recently, the importance of academic engagement, an important key to overcoming under-achievement and academic-related stress, has been highlighted. The purpose of this study was to explore key variables related to adolescents’ academic engagement. For this purpose, data from the 1st year (7th graders) and 4th year (10th graders) of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey 2018 were used. A comparison was made of the predictive performance of random forest, gradient boosting, and XGBoost to select the best machine learning technique for predicting academic engagement. Additionally, the SHAP index, which is an explainable artificial intelligence technique, was used to identify the relationship between key variables and academic engagement. The main research results are as follows. It was found that gradient boosting had the best prediction performance among the three machine learning techniques compared. The key variables commonly derived from middle and high schools are self-study time (weekends, weekdays), grade level for all subjects the previous semester, life satisfaction, grit, creative personality (cleverness), and teacher-student relationship, which had a positive relationship with academic engagement. However, academic helplessness (lack of learning motivation, lack of positive emotions) was found to have a negative relationship with academic engagement. The commonly derived key variables were in the areas of daily living time, intellectual development, social/emotional, and school. In addition, major variables were derived in the activity area for middle school and in physical development, media, career, and family areas for high school. Based on these results, educational implications regarding adolescents’ academic engagement are discussed.