Realistic Strategy Research Articles

A multimodal approach for improving market price estimation in online advertising

Learning the distribution of market prices is an important and challenging issue for demand-side platforms (DSPs) that serve as advertisers’ agents to compete for online advertising placements in real-time bidding (RTB) systems. Many existing approaches make an assumption that the market prices follow an unimodal distribution. However, based on analytical insights from real-world datasets, we found the distinct multimodal characteristics underlying the distribution of market prices. Moreover, the impression-level features for each ad are also ignored by these approaches in prediction, reducing the accuracy further. To address these problems, a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) is proposed in this paper to describe and discriminate the multimodal distribution of market price by utilizing the impression-level features. To further improve its robustness, GMM is extended into a censored version (CGMM) to handle the right-censored challenge in RTB systems (i.e., the market price is only visible to the winner of the ad auction. Thus, the dataset is always biased). Extensive experiments on two real-world public datasets demonstrate that GMM and CGMM significantly outperform 10 state-of-the-art baselines in terms of Wasserstein distance, KL-divergence, ANLP and MSE. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first work to simultaneously deal with the multimodal nature of market price distribution and the right-censored challenge in existing RTB systems. It will enable future RTB systems to develop more realistic bidding strategies to enhance the efficiency of online advertising placement auctioning.

Semiconductor SERS on Colourful Substrates with Fabry-Pérot Cavities.

Non-metallic materials have emerged as a new family of active substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), with unique advantages over their metal counterparts. However, owing to their inefficient interaction with the incident wavelength, the Raman enhancement achieved with non-metallic materials is considerably lower with respect to the metallic ones. Herein, we propose colourful semiconductor-based SERS substrates for the first time by utilizing a Fabry-Pérot cavity, which realize a large freedom in manipulating light. Owing to the delicate adjustment of the absorption in terms of both frequency and intensity, resonant absorption can be achieved with a variety of non-metal SERS substrates, with the sensitivity further enhanced by ≈100 times. As a typical example, by introducing a Fabry-Pérot-type substrate fabricated with SiO2 /Si, a rather low detection limit of 10-16 M for the SARS-CoV-2S protein is achieved on SnS2 . This study provides a realistic strategy for increasing SERS sensitivity when semiconductors are employed as SERS substrates.

Semiconductor SERS on Colourful Substrates with Fabry‐Pérot Cavities

AbstractNon‐metallic materials have emerged as a new family of active substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), with unique advantages over their metal counterparts. However, owing to their inefficient interaction with the incident wavelength, the Raman enhancement achieved with non‐metallic materials is considerably lower with respect to the metallic ones. Herein, we propose colourful semiconductor‐based SERS substrates for the first time by utilizing a Fabry‐Pérot cavity, which realize a large freedom in manipulating light. Owing to the delicate adjustment of the absorption in terms of both frequency and intensity, resonant absorption can be achieved with a variety of non‐metal SERS substrates, with the sensitivity further enhanced by ≈100 times. As a typical example, by introducing a Fabry‐Pérot‐type substrate fabricated with SiO2/Si, a rather low detection limit of 10−16 M for the SARS‐CoV‐2S protein is achieved on SnS2. This study provides a realistic strategy for increasing SERS sensitivity when semiconductors are employed as SERS substrates.

The Catalytic Role of Mobile Banking to Improve Financial Inclusion in Developing Countries

Financial inclusion is challenged by numerous factors that include country regulations and policies, poor infrastructure, lack of financial education and literacy, low income levels, political instability, geographical barriers, reluctance by banks to change from traditional banking models of branch networks, and expensive technology. These challenges could be addressed by leveraging technological innovations like mBanking; however, literature indicates that there is limited understanding of integrating mobile technology into banking to enhance financial inclusion. The study collected data from Vhembe District Municipality in South Africa. Results indicated that of the 17 factors tested, 14 were significant for using mBanking to improve financial inclusion. The study recommends that for financial inclusion improvement, developing countries should design realistic policies and strategies that could enable the use of mBanking, especially mobile money and agent banking, that can reach a wider population at low cost.

Law Education in Japan and China: Comparative Analysis Focusing on Law-Related Materials

Purpose This study examines law-related education in Japan and China to reveal the current state of research and identify the roles, possibilities, and challenges facing such teaching at the elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels. This study conducts a comparative review of research on perspectives toward law education in both countries, as well as the characteristics of and issues facing law education in Japan. Design/Approach/Methods This study examines trends in research and educational reform related to law education in Japan. In doing so, it evaluates how the characteristics of and issues facing law education in Japan are related to law education in China. Findings Results show no evidence of a systematic study of law in Japan. Reforming subjects to engage in collaborative learning is a more realistic strategy than attempting to design wholly new subjects. Accordingly, exploring what kind of learning activities are linked to law-abiding education in China offers insights and references for Japan. Adapting these strategies to the Japanese context and law material can help create a more systematic form of learning. Originality/Value Through joint research by researchers and educators from East Asian countries, we intend to conduct further research on the development of curricula, textbooks, and class models suited to specific subjects. Employing the joint research learning approach discussed in this study in Japan and China may result in further learning possibilities.

Coupling Fracture Mechanics Experiments and Electrochemical Modeling to Mitigate Environment-Assisted Cracking in Engineering Components

Environment-assisted cracking (EAC) is a pertinent failure mode for many applications and industries, but the design of robust EAC mitigation strategies can be challenging due to the number of material and environmental factors that affect EAC behavior. In this study, a coupled experimental-modeling approach for designing EAC mitigation strategies in a standard panel-and-fastener geometry is presented. Fracture mechanics-based testing is executed on a high-performance steel (Pyrowear 675) immersed in 0.6 M NaCl to assess the effect of electrode potential and loading rate on EAC susceptibility. Finite element modeling (FEM) is then used to calculate the electrode potential distribution across the panel for four realistic EAC mitigation strategies (anodized fastener, fully coated panel, selectively coated panel, and bare panel/fastener). The FEM and EAC susceptibility data are synthesized to inform the efficacy of each proposed mitigation strategy. Results demonstrate that the anodized fastener and fully coated panel approaches are likely to promote EAC, while the selectively coated panel and all-bare strategies mitigate EAC. The benefits and limitations of this coupled approach for mitigating EAC are then discussed.

Deindustrialisation and the politics of subordinate degrowth: The case of Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina

Cities in low- and middle-income countries have experienced deindustrialisation as localised agglomerations that historically served domestic and regional markets have become exposed to highly productive global value chains as capital has been (re)allocated to primary sectors. State, corporate and social actors have responded to economic decline by embracing a range of coping and adaptation strategies, some of which are consistent with degrowth, but they are often combined with business-as-usual initiatives in pursuit of economic growth. We refer to this as subordinate degrowth because localised responses are conditioned by the subordinate position of countries and cities in the global economy. While we acknowledge its divergence from ‘pure’ ideal-type degrowth, we do not dismiss the transformative potential of incremental change. Indeed, we argue that any realistic strategy to spatialise degrowth within cities must recognise the indeterminacy and messiness of urban politics. We employ subordinate degrowth as an analytic to interpret responses to deindustrialisation and economic decline in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our analysis attends to three meso-level blind spots that characterise much degrowth scholarship, between (1) particular and universal, (2) advanced-industrial and agrarian ideal-types and (3) past/current socio-technical regimes and ‘pure’ degrowth.

Investigating medical tourism development indicators in Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute: A cross-sectional study.

Payingspecial attention to the development indicators of medical tourism (MT) can lead to the further development of this industry and tourists' satisfaction. This study aimed to investigate MT development indicators in Yazd Reproductive Sciences Research Institute, Yazd, Iran in 2021. In this cross-sectional study, 430 medical tourists referred to the Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Yazd, Iran in 2021 were studied. A researcher-made questionnaire with 46 questions and 10 dimensions was used in both internal and external environments to collect data. The Spearman correlation coefficient was also used to assess the correlation between the quantitative factors. The reliability and validity of the scale were confirmed. The mean SD of the advertising and marketing index scored was lower than the other internal environmental indices (15.05 2.16). Also, the economic factors and tourism infrastructure were lower than the other external environmental factors (9.8 1.99, 8.53 2.11, respectively). Given the importance of MT, top managers and relevant authorities should pay close attention to the criteria of advertising, marketing, and tourism infrastructure. MT demand can be improved by increasing the importance of advertising, implementing realistic advertising strategies, and developing adequate urban infrastructure and services.

Comparing the Utility of Landmark-Palpation Guided to Ultrasound-Guided Teaching Methodologies for Subclavian Central Venous Access Using a Formalin-Embalmed Cadaver Model.

Low-risk and realistic simulation strategies are needed to train clinical learners to perform hands-on invasive procedures. This follow-up study compares the utility of landmark-guided palpation-based to ultrasound-guided teaching techniques for subclavian central venous access using formalin-embalmed cadavers. The subclavian veins of 3 cadavers were imaged with ultrasound to evaluate vein patency before palpation-based venous access was attempted. Twenty-three first-year medical students were trained to access the subclavian vein using palpation-based techniques. Training involved ten minutes of didactic orientation and ten minutes of hands-on practical instruction using cadavers. Participant confidence was measured using a 10-point Likert scale on pre- and post-training questionnaires. Objective skills testing for each participant included quantifying the number of skin punctures and recording the time elapsed from first skin puncture to fluid flashback into the syringe. Data was analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM) approach. Participant confidence significantly increased following training in both ultrasound and palpation training groups across all questionnaire items (P<0.001). The ultrasound group had fewer skin punctures (P<0.001) and fewer failures (1) than the palpation group (6). Participants in the ultrasound group were more confident than those in the palpation group in their ability to locate the vein and select the optimal site for needle access (P<0.05). Formalin-embalmed cadavers provide a safe, stress-free, and effective means by which to train students in subclavian vein access using both palpation and ultrasound-based techniques. Repeated practice accessing and aspirating fluid from a cadaveric subclavian vein significantly increases trainee confidence, an essential factor in physician performance that may lead to fewer complications. Introducing this type of low-risk and hands-on practice may be beneficial for trainees before they attempt subclavian vein access on live patients.

Shift from a Zero-COVID strategy to a New-normal strategy for controlling SARS-COV-2 infections in Vietnam.

The aim of this study is to analyse the changing patterns in the transmission of COVID-19 in relation to changes in Vietnamese governmental policies, based on epidemiological data and policy actions in a large Vietnamese province, Bac Ninh, in 2021. Data on confirmed cases from January to December 2021 were collected, together with policy documents. There were three distinct periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bac Ninh province during 2021. During the first period, referred to as the 'Zero-COVID' period (01/04-07/04/2021), there was a low population vaccination rate, with less than 25% of the population receiving its first vaccine dose. Measures implemented during this period focused on domestic movement restrictions, mask mandates, and screening efforts to control the spread of the virus. The subsequent period, referred to as the 'Transition' period (07/05-10/22/2021), witnessed a significant increase in population vaccination coverage, with 80% of the population receiving their first vaccine dose. During this period, several days passed without any reported COVID-19 cases in the community. The local government implemented measures to manage domestic actions and reduce the time spent in quarantine, and encouraged home quarantining for the close contacts of cases with COVID-19. Finally, the 'New-normal' stage (10/23-12/31/2021), during which the population vaccination coverage with a second vaccine dose increased to 70%, and most of the mandates for the prevention and control of COVID-19 were reduced. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of governmental policies in managing and controlling the transmission of COVID-19 and provides insights for developing realistic and context-specific strategies in similar settings.

Realistic dilemmas and strategies to promote the transformation of SMEs driven by digital economy

Digital economy is the core element to drive the transformation of SMEs. From the three dimensions of technology-organization-environment, we analyze the dilemmas and obstacles of digital transformation of SMEs, which is conducive to the subsequent promotion of modernized and high-quality development of SMEs. The digital transformation of SMEs in China suffers from insufficient intention and motivation, lack of talents, insufficient capital, and backward technology. Further, this paper starts from the policy demands of enterprises, and proposes several promotion strategies in the process of promoting the digital transformation of SMEs, such as strengthening publicity and guidance, improving policy design, and cultivating talents, so as to provide reference for supporting and promoting the digital transformation of SMEs and consolidating the micro-foundation of digital economy development.

Modelling of microstructures development in laser powder bed fusion process – Application to IN718 superalloy

In laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) process, a deposited powder layer is melted by a laser and solidifies when the laser moves away. During solidification, the microstructure of the part is formed due to both epitaxial grain growth and nucleation. This structure has a strong influence on the final mechanical properties of parts and is influenced by the choice of process parameters such as the laser power and velocity or the scanning strategy. As a consequence, the prediction and characterization of this microstructure is of prime interest considering size, crystallographic orientations and shapes of grains. Among the approaches reported in the literature to model microstructure development, the Cellular Automaton (CA) method is a relevant choice to describe grain structure evolution. This model has been adapted to investigate microstructure formation during L-PBF process applied on an IN718 nickel-base superalloy. The steady state thermal behaviour at the scale of the melt pool is analysed and used to compute the development of the structure. This structure is computed at the scale of the part also considering realistic scanning strategies.

Neutrosophic MABAC Method for Solutions of Ecotourism Centers (EC) in COVID-19

The Covid-19 epidemic has had devastating effects on the economy and generated many issues for enterprises worldwide. As a result, it is imperative that during periods of pandemic, options be made available to help impacted companies recover and enhance their operations. One industry that has encountered this issue and has had to overcome substantial obstacles is ecotourism centres. In the first part of this study, we offer several valuable and realistic action strategies for ecotourism centres. Tourism professionals, faculty members, executives, proprietors, and some staff from eco-tourism centres got together for brainstorming meetings to come up with implementation plans. The stated action plans are prioritised based on four factors. One MCDM approach, known as Multi-Attributive Border Approximation area Comparison (MABAC), uses distance and area-based computing algorithms to systematically represent a complicated choice. In this study, we suggest a bipolar neutrosophic MABAC that incorporates the three possible memberships truth, indeterminate, and false into a single set. Using a bipolar neutrosophic language scale, a panel of specialists was asked to rate the outcome values of requirements and options. The major output of the suggested approach is the distances of options from the Border Approximation Area of bipolar neutrosophic MABAC.

Switched NMPC for epidemiological and social-economic control objectives in SIR-type systems

Several optimal control strategies have recently been developed to minimize the infected peak prevalence or the epidemic final size. Although these two indexes are critical to assess any control policy tending to mitigate an epidemic by means of non-pharmaceutical measures, they are usually considered separately and, in general, no consensus has been reached about how to simultaneously handle them in a simple and realistic way (i.e., accounting for the limitations in the control actions, avoiding new cycles of infections or reboundings, considering side effects, etc.) Here, based on a theoretical dynamical analysis of SIR-type models, a realistic nonlinear model predictive control strategy is proposed. Apart from minimizing the epidemic final size and keeping the infected peak prevalence under an established value, the controller accounts for feedback uncertainty and different actuator constraints, such as a limited number of social distancing policies, which may remain active for a minimal and a maximal time interval. Several simulations considering different SIR-type models illustrate the benefits of the proposal.

A Supplemental Lighting Control Approach in Controlled Environment Agriculture to Reduce Peak Power Consumption

Global population growth requires efficient food production, especially with food security concerns due to natural resources limitation and climate constraints. Supplemental lighting is an effective means of increasing productivity in greenhouses. However, supplemental lighting electricity cost can be high, and systematic lighting strategies are required to reduce lighting electricity cost. Prior research has focused on minimizing electricity use or cost, while maintaining adequate crop growth. However, in addition to being charged for electricity consumption, US greenhouse growers also pay a demand charge that is based on the peak electricity use during a 15-min period within each billing cycle. This demand charge is in the same order of magnitude as the charge for the used electricity, but has been ignored in prior lighting optimization research. This paper presents a lighting strategy for controlled environments (like greenhouses) equipped with dimmable light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to minimize supplemental lighting electricity cost and peak power consumption of supplemental lighting. Markov-based sunlight prediction is employed to develop a realistic control strategy and improve its efficiency. Moreover, the impact of shifting the time of day during which supplemental lighting is used on peak power consumption is investigated. Compared to a heuristic method, the proposed method illustrates an up to 51% mean peak reduction.

Российско-вьетнамское экономическое сотрудничество в новых условиях

The article considers the prospects for Russian-Vietnamese economic cooperation in the new geopolitical conditions, forcing Russia to intensify the "turn to the East" policy. It is shown that as a result of the reforms, Vietnam has managed to turn into one of the fastest growing economies in the world, deeply integrated into global production chains and economic ties, pursuing a multi-vector foreign economic policy, balancing between the largest players in the Asia-Pacific region. Despite the historically high level of diplomatic relations between Russia and Vietnam, economic ties between two countries are comparatively poor. It is concluded that the sanctions imposed against Russia by unfriendly countries will negatively affect the prospects for the development of economic relations with Vietnam due to the rise of transaction costs and the risks of secondary sanctions on Vietnamese counterparties. However, an adequate and realistic strategy of reorientation towards interaction with the countries of East and South-East Asia will help Russia to increase economic cooperation with Vietnam, as well as strengthen the development of its own eastern regions.

Barriers to Client Engagement and Strategies to Improve Participation in Mental Health and Supported Employment Services.

A few clients in every mental health center present challenging behaviors, have difficulty engaging in services, and create stress within the treatment team. The authors provided consultations on clients with these characteristics over 4 years in the Social Security Administration's Supported Employment Demonstration (SED). Four experienced community mental health leaders provided consultations on 105 of nearly 2,000 clients receiving team-based behavioral health and employment services in the SED. Using document analysis, consultants coded their notes and identified themes that described barriers to client engagement and strategies teams used to overcome them. Clients who were difficult to engage experienced complex and interacting behavioral health, medical, and social conditions, which made it hard for therapists to develop therapeutic relationships and help clients find employment. Faced with engagement barriers, staff were often discouraged and felt hopeless about achieving success. To address these barriers, consultants and teams developed several strategies: using supervisors and teammates for support, providing persistent outreach, pursuing referrals and consultations to help with complex conditions, and developing realistic goals. Supervisors, team leaders, and consultants in community mental health settings should help staff develop realistic strategies to manage the small number of clients whose behaviors present the greatest challenges. Effective strategies involve providing team-based outreach and support, fostering staff morale, obtaining specialist consultations regarding complex conditions, and calibrating realistic goals.

The Repercussions of the Russian Strategy upon the Russian Discourse towards the Middle East, "Content Analysis”

This study analyzes quantitatively and qualitatively the Russian strategy, and implications on the Russian-Putin discourse towards the Middle East, because of its geostrategic and geopolitical importance for all international powers, trying to verify two hypotheses, namely; the attempt to revive the Russian foreign policy and restore Russia to its international position is due to President Putin's strong personality. Also, the greater the size of the powers available to the leader in the political system, the greater the influence of the ideological pattern, accordingly the interpretation of Russian foreign policy in the light of the theories of international relations, linking this to analyzing Russian discourse and the impact of personal, internal and external determinants on the Russian discourse, with an analytical reference to the correlation between Putin’s ideology analyzing the aspects of stability and change in Russian policy. The study concluded a number of results, including transformation of the Russian strategy from being a security strategy to a comprehensive one, a realistic strategy that raises the value of the national interest , it is based on the substitution of geopolitics for the ideology, but at the same time it is a pragmatic based on stability and prediction with mutual benefits, a dynamic strategy in its means to achieve its interests within a framework of flexibility , this makes it a scientific strategy, especially by keeping pace with cyber progress and information war. This was accompanied by a change in the language of President Putin’s Russian discourse to ward off threats to the global order.

TITLE WALIYUL AMRI ADH-DHARURI BI SYAUKAH AS NU’S SUPPORT TO SOEKARNO IN GUIDED DEMOCRACY 1959-1965

The Nahdlatul Ulama Party is one of the Islamic parties that became a loyalist party to President Soekarno during the implementation of guided democracy. This is because the political strategy used by the NU Party is a realistic political strategy and tends to be accommodating and cooperative in dealing with President Soekarno’s new political situation, namely guided democracy. So that after the NU Party decided to accept guided democracy, the return of the 1945 Constitution, and the Nasakom and Manipol-Usdek, the NU party supported the leadership of President Soekarno, one of its supports was the awarding of a charter with the title waliyul amri adh-dharuri bi syaukah from Nahdlatul Ulama to President Soekarno. This paper aims to reveal the waliyul amri adh-dharuri bi syaukah title charter as moral support from the Nahdlatul Ulama Party to the leadership of President Soekarno during the guided democracy. The method used in this study is the historical method, while the approach used is the hermeneutic theory of Paul Ricoeur. The results of the study show that the waliyul amri adh-dharuri bi syaukah charter is a form of moral support from the Nahdlatul Ulama Party for the leadership of President Soekarno, so it has legitimized that the government led by President Soekarno himself is a legitimate government according to the eyes of fiqh law. This charter is also the basis for acceptance and support from the NU Party for President Soekarno and his guided democracy.

In Vitro Bioaccessibility and Health Risk Assessment of Arsenic and Zinc Contaminated Soil Stabilized by Ferrous Sulfate: Effect of Different Dietary Components.

Iron-based materials have good stability in reducing the mobility and toxicity of heavy metals, but the behavior and human health risks of heavy metals could be affected by dietary components. This study investigated the effect of typical diets (lettuce, cooked rice and apples) on the bioaccessibility and morphological changes of arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn) in contaminated site after stabilization by ferrous sulfate (FeSO4). The results showed that the bioaccessibility of As and Zn were increased in a co-digestion system of food. The augmented effect on As bioaccessibility mainly occurred in the gastric phase: apple > lettuce > cooked rice (p < 0.05), while the augmented effect on Zn bioaccessibility mainly occurred in the intestinal phase: lettuce > apple > cooked rice (p < 0.05). FeSO4 weakened the dissolution effect of dietary components on As bioaccessibility, and reduced As bioaccessibility in the gastric and intestinal phases by 34.0% and 37.9% (p < 0.05), respectively. Dietary components and Fe fractions influenced the speciation and distribution of As and Zn. FeSO4 reduced the hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) values of the contaminated soil by 33.97% and 33.59%, respectively. This study provides a reference for a better understanding of more realistic strategies to modulate exposure risks of heavy metal-contaminated sites.