Reasonable Limits Research Articles

Defining Biliary Hyperkinesia and the Role of Cholecystectomy.

Functional gallbladder disorder is most commonly defined by biliary colic and low ejection fraction (EF) on cholescintigraphy. Biliary hyperkinesia is a controversial type of functional gallbladder disorder, and its definition and the role of cholecystectomy in treating functional gallbladder disorder remains unclear. We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent cholecystokinin-stimulated cholescintigraphy and cholecystectomy at 3 Mayo Clinic sites between 2007 and 2020. Eligible patients were 18 years or older, presented with symptoms of biliary disease, had an EF greater than 50%, underwent cholecystectomy, and had no evidence of acute cholecystitis or cholelithiasis on imaging. We used receiver operating characteristics curve analysis to identify the optimal cutoff value that predicted symptom resolution within 30 days of cholecystectomy. A total of 2,929 cholecystokinin-stimulated cholescintigraphy scans were performed during the study period; the average EF was 67.5% and the median EF was 77%. Analyzing those with EFs greater than or equal to 50% yielded 1,596 patients with 141 (8.8%) going on to have cholecystectomy. No significant differences were found in age, sex, BMI, final pathology between patients with and without pain resolution. Using a cutoff EF of 81% was significantly associated with pain resolution after cholecystectomy (78.2% for EF greater than or equal to 81% vs 60.0% for EF less than 81%, p = 0.03). Chronic cholecystitis was found in 61.7% of the patients on final pathology. We determined that an EF cutoff of 81% is a reasonable upper limit of normal gallbladder EF. Patients with biliary symptoms and an EF greater than 81% but no evidence of biliary disease on ultrasound or scintigraphy can be classified as having biliary hyperkinesia. Based on our findings, we recommend cholecystectomy for this patient population.

Evaluation of Submission Limits and Regression Penalties to Improve Student Behavior with Automatic Assessment Systems

Objectives . Automatic assessment systems are widely used to provide rapid feedback for students and reduce grading time. Despite the benefits of increased efficiency and improved pedagogical outcomes, an ongoing challenge is mitigating poor student behaviors when interacting with automatic assessment systems including numerous submissions, trial-and-error, and relying on marking feedback for problem solving. These behaviors negatively affect student learning as well as have significant impact on system resources. This research quantitatively examines how utilizing submission policies such as limiting the number of submissions and applying regression penalties can reduce negative student behaviors. The hypothesis is that both submission policies will have a significant impact on student behavior and reduce both the number of submissions and regressions in student performance. The research questions evaluate the impact on student behavior, determine which submission policy is the most effective, and what submission policy is preferred by students. Participants . The study involved two course sections in two different semesters consisting of a total of 224 students at the University of British Columbia, a research-intensive university. The students were evaluated using an automated assessment system in a large third year database course. Study Methods . The two course sections used an automated assessment system for constructing database design diagrams for assignments and exams. The first section had no limits on the number of submissions for both assignments and exams. The second section had limits for the exams but no limits on assignments. On the midterm, participants were randomly assigned to have either a restriction on the total number of submissions or unlimited submissions but with regression penalties if a graded answer was lower than a previous submission. On the final exam, students were given the option of selecting their submission policy. Student academic performance and submission profiles were compared between the course sections and the different submission policies. Findings. Unrestricted use of automatic grading systems results in high occurrence of undesirable student behavior including trial-and-error guessing and reduced time between submissions without sufficient independent thought. Both submission policies of limiting maximum submissions and utilizing regression penalties significantly reduce these behaviors by up to 85%. Overall, students prefer maximum submission limits, and demonstrate improved behavior and educational outcomes. Conclusions . Automated assessment systems when used for larger problems related to design and programming have benefits when deployed with submission restrictions (maximum attempts or regression penalty) for both improved student learning behaviors and to reduce the computational costs for the system. This is especially important for summative assessment but reasonable limits for formative assessments are also valuable.

Frequency Fluctuation Mitigation in a Single-Area Power System Using LQR-Based Proportional Damping Compensator

To maintain the stability of the power system, frequency fluctuations must be reduced in the shortest possible timeframe. Load frequency control (LFC) plays a critical role in achieving this objective by regulating the system frequency and the desired demand or output power in an interconnected network, thereby enabling the system to adapt the load disturbances. In order to effectively mitigate the frequency fluctuation caused by load variation in a single-area power system, a new control strategy integrating a linear quadratic regulator (LQR), a proportional controller, and a damping compensator is proposed in this paper. The proposed controller is named as the LQR-based proportional damping compensator which mitigates the frequency fluctuation of a single-area power system. MATLAB/Simulink simulation is conducted on a single-area power system to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed control technique. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method successfully reduces frequency variations, maintains system frequency within reasonable limits, and substantially reduces the settling time as compared to other existing control techniques. Apart from the simulation analysis, to experimentally validate the performance of the proposed controller, a hybrid multiprocessor-based processor-in-loop (PIL) technique is also introduced in the paper. Both the simulation and experimental results prove the promising performance of the proposed controller for mitigating the frequency fluctuation of a single-area power system.

The wrong of mercenarism: a promissory account

The wrong of mercenarism: a promissory account

Surgical results of orbital decompression: Comparing the removal of the inferomedial and superolateral orbital walls

ObjectiveOrbital decompression aims to control ocular proptosis, the most commonly associated sign in Graves’ disease, and enable ocular rehabilitation. While various surgical approaches have been studied separately, no studies have compared them. This study compared the functional results of two surgical approaches for the treatment of ocular proptosis secondary to Graves’ disease, namely orbital decompression achieved by inferomedial versus superolateral wall removal. MethodsThis study included 39 patients who underwent orbital decompression due to Graves’ disease. Twenty-four decompressions were performed by removing the inferomedial orbital walls using an endoscopic endonasal approach. Fifteen decompressions were completed by removing the superolateral orbital walls using a frontolateral approach. T-tests were used to compare means, whereas Fisher’s exact test and the chi-square test were used to compare proportions. ResultsPatients who underwent inferomedial orbital decompression presented a higher risk of new-onset strabismus/diplopia (16.7%) than those who underwent decompression via the frontolateral approach (0%). Although no cases of preoperative strabismus worsened after superolateral decompression, all cases of preoperative strabismus worsened after inferomedial decompression. ConclusionsBoth approaches achieve a reasonable decompression limit. Superolateral orbital decompression tended to offer better outcomes for diplopia and strabismus than inferomedial decompression. Due to the high risk of worsening strabismus and diplopia in patients presenting with these symptoms preoperatively, they should be treated with the transcranial approach whenever possible.

Shakespeare’s Metaphysical Poem: Allegory, Metaphysics, and Aesthetics in ‘The Phoenix and Turtle’

Abstract Long treated as a poetic curio or a biographical riddle, Shakespeare’s poetic contribution to the 1601 Loves Martyr—usually known as ‘The Phoenix and Turtle’—has recently been reclaimed as an experiment in metaphysical poetry. This essay sets out to ask what that means: for the poem, for metaphysical poetry, and for metaphysics itself. It argues that Shakespeare draws on the language of metaphysics, and its canonical problems, to test the relationship between poetic and philosophical thinking. It follows the poem as it charts the efforts, and failures, of both allegory and metaphysics to apprehend the thought-defying love between phoenix and turtle. It shows how that love engages the dilemma of the particular and the universal, a dilemma native to metaphysics since Aristotle, but felt most acutely in the realm of aesthetic experience. And it suggests that, in sounding out the limits of metaphysical reason, Shakespeare’s poem allows for poetry to think in a way that metaphysics cannot. ‘The Phoenix and Turtle’ ends in mourning: for the death of phoenix and turtle, and for the demise of the metaphysical transcendentals they seemed in hindsight to uphold. That mourning might nonetheless offer poetry its vocation, as the space where reason might remember and reflect on the object of its loss.

A new solution approach for the twin yard crane scheduling problem in automated container terminals

The Twin-Automated Stacking Crane (Twin-ASC) system is a special configuration of Yard Crane (YC) that is common in most of the Automated Container Terminals (ACTs) used for stacking and retrieving containers on the yard side of a Container Terminal (CT). The usual objective when scheduling the Twin-ASC to perform a given set of transport jobs is the minimization of the schedule length (makespan). The problem is NP-hard, which means that problem of realistic size cannot be solved within a reasonable time limit by default solvers or conventional methods, necessitating the use of an efficient algorithm. Thus, this work proposes a novel algorithm based on the modified Johnson Algorithm (JA) to a formulated Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) model for solving the Twin-ASC scheduling problem to minimize the makespan of the schedule. Differ from the existing heuristics, the proposed algorithm has the flexibility of varying the handshake area, and the system utilization can be investigated. The handshake area is a temporary storage location in the Twin-ASC system where an ASC can leave a job for the other to complete since the crossing of the cranes is not possible, and it greatly affects the makespan of completing the given set of jobs. An extensive computational study was carried out and results were compared with (two) existing heuristics to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solution approach.

PANDANGAN HINDU MENYIKAPI PENYIMPANGAN PERILAKU REMAJA DITENGAH GEMPURAN SOSIALITA

Teenagers are the foundation for the nation in continuing the norms of state and religion which cover all members of society. Religion is one of the many choices in guiding and changing the negative behavior of these teenagers. The concept of Hinduism itself has many rules/teachings to be able to introduce where the life of the teenager will take him. To produce valid and reliable data, this research uses qualitative research methods. To produce data that is logical, this study carried out several stages of data sorting in the form of: 1). Reducing data, 2). Display data, 3). Verifying data and, 4). Interpreting research data. Related references greatly support the validity of a scientific work, therefore library techniques are also used through a literature survey on Google Scholar. The deviant behavior of these adolescents is beyond the limits of reason in this global era, there are many cases that make parents sad to see developments and behavior that are beyond the limits of their age. Hindu teachings contain a lot of ethics to fix all the negative characters caused by people with deviant characters. Parents, educators, and government participation must be active in promoting what is conceptualized in the teachings of Hinduism so that they can anticipate unwanted events and the golden generation is saved from influences that tend to damage youth. Keywords: Hindu view, deviance, adolescent behavior, socialite

Effects of Coarse Aggregate Rap Content on the Mechanical and Shear Performance of HMA by the UPT Method

Abstract In recent years, the use of materials derived from recycled asphalt has attracted the attention of airfield and highway construction researchers. Since the making of these products is economically cost-effective, one idea about how to use them is to use coarse-grained crumbs from recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP), which are agglomerates that can be found in coarse RAP, as a replacement for virgin asphalt.The goal of the current study is to investigate the performance of hot mix asphalt created with various percents of RAP. The punching shear strength of cylindrical specimens versus the penetration of steel rods with fixed and determined diameters into an asphalt specimen is one of the tests used to study the shear strength of asphalt. Other typical tests include a test of the structural strength and resilient modulus with two rectangular and sinusoidal loading shapes, respectively, as well as the specimen's strength against different temperatures of asphalt mixtures containing 10, 20, and 30% coarse-grained RAP. The results show that the resilient strength of the samples with a maximum 30% coarse-grained RAP is within reasonable limits. Furthermore, the semi-sinusoidal loading has a higher resilience modulus than rectangular loading. It is also observed during uniaxial penetration testing (UPT) that increasing the RAP increases the penetration of the steel rod, thereby implying that the shear strength of the asphalt has decreased.

Phenomenology Analysis of the Meaning of Healthy Living on Alternative Medicine Practices

A healthy life is a sense of well-being due to fulfilling all needs within reasonable limits so that physical and mental health can be realized from various life stages. People still interpret healthy life according to their thoughts and understanding, which cannot be separated from beliefs, family values, and culture; they still choose to use alternative medicine instead of modern medicine. This research aims to understand the community's actions in interpreting a healthy life that prefers alternative medical practices compared to modern medical practices. The research method used is a qualitative approach with a phenomenological research type. This study used a purposive technique with four people as subjects who used alternative medicine facilities. Data collection techniques using observation, interviews, and documents. The data analysis method used is proprietary data analysis to analyze field data, while the data validation method uses triangulation. The results of this study are based on the dimensions of awareness, experience, suggestions, believed; the meaning of a healthy life with alternative medicine is not only physical (physical) health but non-physical (spiritual) health as well. Alternative medicine is a unique and holistic treatment. The process of creating a healthy life begins with the human element itself, which starts with the seeds, weight, and calves in the process of the human life cycle from birth to death in behaviour and science.

Research on loss reduction strategy of distribution network based on distributed generation site selection and capacity

The location and capacity of a distributed power plant largely affects the power flow of the entire grid, which also affects whether the losses in the grid are within reasonable limits. The distribution problem of distributed generation is an optimization problem. In this paper, we first determine the line loss by the improved power flow algorithm, and then determine the location and capacity of distributed generation by the improved gray wolf optimization algorithm for the purpose of minimizing the loss and voltage deviation of the distribution network. The improved gray wolf optimization algorithm has the advantages of fast convergence and strong globalization. We conducted experiments using the IEEE33 bus standard radial distribution network. From the tested results, it can be concluded that the proposed method can significantly reduce the active power losses in the distribution network.

Low Overpotential Amperometric Sensor Using Yb2O3.CuO@rGO Nanocomposite for Sensitive Detection of Ascorbic Acid in Real Samples.

The ultimate objective of this research work is to design a sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor for the efficient detection of ascorbic acid (AA), a vital antioxidant found in blood serum that may serve as a biomarker for oxidative stress. To achieve this, we utilized a novel Yb2O3.CuO@rGO nanocomposite (NC) as the active material to modify the glassy carbon working electrode (GCE). The structural properties and morphological characteristics of the Yb2O3.CuO@rGO NC were investigated using various techniques to ensure their suitability for the sensor. The resulting sensor electrode was able to detect a broad range of AA concentrations (0.5-1571 µM) in neutral phosphate buffer solution, with a high sensitivity of 0.4341 µAµM-1cm-2 and a reasonable detection limit of 0.062 µM. The sensor's great sensitivity and selectivity allowed it to accurately determine the levels of AA in human blood serum and commercial vitamin C tablets. It demonstrated high levels of reproducibility, repeatability, and stability, making it a reliable and robust sensor for the measurement of AA at low overpotential. Overall, the Yb2O3.CuO@rGO/GCE sensor showed great potential in detecting AA from real samples.

Stimulative monetary policy of Russia and its instruments in the context of the sanctions war

Aim. To develop guidelines and instruments of the stimulating monetary policy of the Russian Federation (RF), contributing in the conditions of the sanctions imposed to increase the rate of economic growth and its efficiency.Tasks. Analysis of the state of the Russian economy, the main directions of its further de­velopment and regulation mechanisms; study of the financial potential of the Russian econ­omy (savings and investments) in conditions of closing access to financial markets and to in­ternational payment and settlement systems of developed countries; study of the ongoing monetary policy of Russia, its main components — monetary and fiscal policy, their impact on economic growth; analysis of modern monetary theory, existing views of Russian and for­eign economistsMethods. The authors applied the method of analysis in the process of studying the practice of monetary and fiscal regulation in Russia and abroad, carried out economic analysis. The ar­ticle reflects the research data of Russian and foreign specialists. A systematic approach, which provides for the interdependence of monetary, fiscal policy and macroeconomic regulation of the economy, investment and innovation development, was used.Results. The need to combine the ongoing restraining anti-inflationary monetary policy with a soft budget policy, providing incentives for modernization of enterprises, domestic demand and supply at the expense of targeted budget financing within the adopted state programs of socio-economic, structural and innovative development with reasonable limits of budget deficit and public debt has been established.Conclusions. In a stagflationary environment, it seems appropriate to pursue a strict anti- inflationary monetary policy of the Bank of Russia, restraining credit issuance and stimulat­ing the growth of savings. Closed access of RF residents to financial markets of developed countries with excessive monetary resources, limited opportunities for growth of domestic savings and savings, insufficient inflow of foreign investments due to high risks of Russian residents to foreign markets increases the importance of targeted budget financing in the context of state programs to expand and modernize production, structural reforms and in­novation development. To justify the limits of the deficit of state and municipal budgets and debts, it is necessary to apply the indicators of fiscal gaps. As the key rate of the Bank of Russia decreases, the financial market stabilizes, and the targets of targeted programs are met, budget financing is replaced by private investment, bank and commercial lending.

An efficient electrochemical sensor based on transition metal sulfides for the detection of flufenamic acid

Transition metal sulfides (TMS) have been receiving specific attention due to their excellent physiochemical properties and electrochemical activity. In this article, we demonstrate the synthesis of sea-urchin-like Bi2S3 combined with MoS2 hierarchical nanoflowers via a hydrothermal route for electrochemical sensing of Flufenamic acid (FMA). FMA is one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which endangers human health. The Bi2S3/MoS2 composite's formation was confirmed by various characterizations via microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The synergistic effect between the two metal sulfides improves electron transport and enables more active sites. Under optimal conditions, the resultant nanocomposite exhibits a high sensitivity value (0.44 ​μA ​μM−1 ​cm−2), a reasonable limit of detection (0.009 ​μM), and a broad linear range (0.01 – 453 ​μM). Furthermore, the electrochemical detection of FMA in biological samples was achieved with good reliability and decent recovery.

Synthesis of multiperiod heat exchanger networks: n-best networks with variable approach temperature

In industrial processes, the stream parameters of the heat exchanger network (HEN) synthesis problem can vary during different periods. As a result of the change in inlet and outlet temperatures and the flow rates of the streams, the optimal HEN and the optimal heat transfer areas of the heat exchangers can be different in each period. In our previous work, the standard HEN synthesis for minimum utility consumption was extended to consider varying stream parameters, where bypasses at the heat exchangers are used to ensure the exit streams meet the expected outlet temperatures. This requires optimization of the total annualized cost based on the maximal heat transfer areas of the heat exchangers for each period. Minimum approach temperature is applied to ensure that the areas of the heat exchangers stay within reasonable limits in the solution network. Since minimum approach temperature affects both the structure of the HEN and the total annualized cost, its value needs to be determined during the optimization procedure. The current work proposes a procedure for HEN synthesis which determines the best, n-best, or all feasible HENs for all periods considering variable approach temperature. The proposed method extends the P-graph-based HEN synthesis method for determining all feasible networks in all periods. Three case studies are used to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. The case studies show that while the commonly applied minimum approach temperature of 10 °C does indeed gives near-optimal results, some problems need different values, such as 25 °C or 30 °C.

Caught in the Act: Karl Rahner, Brian Flanagan, and the Problem of Liturgical Failure

This article explores the limitations of theological reasoning that have attempted to reconcile the claim of faith that the church is holy with the experience of a broken and sinful church. A recent case study from an Easter Vigil celebration shows how attention to liturgical practice can challenge assumptions that scholars have made about the church's liturgies and reframe the fundamental theological question at stake in this conversation in such a way that the declaration that the church is sinful does not necessarily negate or preclude the declaration that the church is also holy.

Direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry: Observations of helium, nitrogen and argon as ionisation gas for the detection of small molecules using a single quadrupole instrument.

Direct analysis in real time is typically performed using helium as the ionisation gas for the detection of analytes by mass spectrometry (MS). Nitrogen and argon are found with abundance in the air and provide a cheaper and greener alternative to the use of helium as ionisation gas. This study explores the use of helium, nitrogen and argon as ionisation gas for the detection of organic compounds. Four illicit drugs, two amino acids and five explosives were chosen as target analytes to understand selectivity, sensitivity and linearity when helium, nitrogen or argon was used as the ionisation gas with the direct analysis in real time (DART) source. Analysis was carried out on a Waters Acquity QDa single quadrupole mass spectrometer. Calibration curves over the range of 5-100 ng were produced for each analyte using the different ionisation gases to assess the instrument response. Nitrogen gave a higher response to concentration than helium or argon; however, the lowest limits of detection were observed when helium was used. All the target analytes were detected using DART-MS with helium, nitrogen or argon as the ionisation gas. Whereas helium provided the highest sensitivity, nitrogen produced reasonable limits of detection and had good linearity across the concentration range explored, suggesting it provides a greener and cheaper alternative to helium.

Systematic Characterization of the Chemical Components of Canna edulis Ker-Gawl Based on UHPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS Technology

Canna edulis Ker-Gawl is a versatile crop that integrates food, energy, and feed in China. The rhizome is a traditional Chinese medicine with a long history. However, there are few studies on chemical components. Crude plant extracts are a complex mixture of several biologically active secondary metabolites. Therefore, rapid and accurate identification and quantification are critical in phytochemical analysis. An efficient approach based on ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Q-Exactive Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS) was used to analyze the chemical components systematically. We used retention time, accurate molecular weight, parent peaks, fragment peaks, fragmentation characteristics, comparative analysis with the literature, reference standards, and standard databases, including ChemSpider, mzVault, MassBank, and mzCloud. A total of 54 chemical constituents were identified from the methanol extract of the rhizome, including 36 organic acids (with six phenolic acids), three phenols, one sugar (and its derivatives), one coumarin, one triterpenoid, ten N-containing organic compounds (including seven amino acids), and two other compounds. Moreover, three compounds were quantitatively analyzed and a methodological study of the three components was carried out. The established method provided satisfactory precision and accuracy, acceptable recovery, good linearity, and a reasonable detection limit. The UHPLC Q-Exactive Orbitrap MS method was used for the first time to accurately, quickly, and systematically characterize the compounds of the rhizome, revealing the pharmacodynamic substances and providing a theoretical basis for its quality control, in-depth research, and development.

Generative Design of Outdoor Green Spaces Based on Generative Adversarial Networks

Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) possess a significant ability to generate novel images that adhere to specific guidelines across multiple domains. GAN-assisted generative design is a design method that can automatically generate design schemes without the constraints of human conditions. However, more research on complex objects with weak regularity, such as parks, is required. In this study, parks were selected as the research object, and we conducted our experiment as follows: (1) data preparation and collection; (2) pre-train the two neural network, then create the design layout generation system and the design plan generation system; (3) realize the data augmentation and enhanced hundred level dataset to thousand level dataset; (4) optimized training; (5) test the optimized training model. Experimental results show that (1) the machine learning model can acquire specific park layout patterns, quickly generate well-laid-out plan layout plans, and create innovative designs that differ from the human designer’s style within reasonable limits; (2) GAN-driven data augmentation methods can significantly improve the generative ability of algorithms, reduce generative pressure, and achieve better generative results; (3) pix2pix is prone to mode collapse, and CycleGAN has fixed rule errors in expressing certain design elements; and (4) GAN has the ability to mine design rules in the same way as humans.

Holistic Optimal Design of Face-Milled Hypoid Gearsets

Abstract The aim of this paper is to present a holistic framework to design optimized spiral bevel and hypoid gearsets with accurate finite element simulations in the loop. Starting from the basic transmission data, we first size gear and pinion blanks, and then we synthesize the basic machine-tool settings required to generate the two toothed members. This first step represents the macro-geometry design phase and its outcome is a conjugate spiral bevel or hypoid gearset. The second design phase is represented by the definition of the optimal pinion micro-geometry. This is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem (MOOP) where the obtained optimal ease-off is guaranteed to be manufacturable. To this end, an original strategy is proposed where the search for the pinion optimal tooth surface happens in the space of the coefficients of a polynomial representation of its micro-topography. However, thanks to a fast identification algorithm that can handle all the higher-order motions, the ideal ease-off is projected onto set of machine-tool settings, thus ensuring manufacturability from the outset. It is worth remarking that the objective functions in the MOOP are evaluated by calling as a back-end solver one of the most accurate loaded tooth contact analysis software available on the market. A dedicated parallel implementation of such MOOP allows to maintain computation times within very reasonable limits. A fully worked out numerical test case clearly demonstrates that the whole procedure far surpasses the current state of the art.