Response Of System Research Articles

Avoiding future surprises after acute shocks: long-term flood risk lessons catalysed by the 2021 summer flood in the Netherlands

In summer 2021, the Dutch Province of Limburg faced an acute high-water event caused by two days of heavy rainfall, resulting in €383 million worth of damage. Afterwards, various policy actors organised a number of evaluations. This study analyses these evaluations and the long-term lessons drawn from this flood event. Dealing with climate change requires insights into how lessons from acute shocks such as floods can stimulate the anticipation of climate change and solutions that can cope with future extremes. This study therefore applies policy learning theory—single, double and triple loop learning—to different layers of flood safety to analyse the extent to which governments prepare for future events and how.The results show that pre-2021 water and flood risk management policies—our point of comparison to derive what lessons emerge after the 2021 flood—focused mostly on flood prevention (layer 1) and from 1996 onwards with the start of the Room for the River programme also on spatial planning (layer 2), without paying much attention to crisis management (layer 3). Based on the 2021 flood, the official evaluation committee recommends adding two more layers to the multilayer flood safety approach: increasing water awareness (layer 0 as a base layer for the other layers) and focusing on climate-robust recovery after floods (layer 4) to improve long-term robustness. Based on our research, triple-loop learning as the deepest type of learning appeared in the form of applying the Room for the River approach to the tributary brooks systems. To prepare for the future, policy evaluations recommend improving stress tests to better deal with climate change. Futures scenarios and visions for the future are also recommended. Creating future visions can help to steer changes in existing land use and re-think areas to build or to use for water retention, for example. Governments are advised to strengthen their anticipatory capacities as part of their crisis management response and recovery systems. Furthermore, governments will need to apply the different layers for multilayer safety in an integrated way to ensure that regions are able to prepare for future floods.

Legal issues in the implementation of maternal death surveillance and response (MDSR): a scoping review.

The Maternal Death Surveillance and Response (MDSR) system is designed to continuously identify and review all maternal deaths. It aims to assist countries in understanding the scale and distribution of maternal deaths, identifying their causes, and informing corrective measures to address the challenge. Despite the growing adoption of the MDSR by numerous low- or middle-income countries, its implementation faces various challenges, including legal ones. This scoping review was conducted to map legal issues and challenges that arise during the implementation of the MDSR. It adapted the Bain and Kongnyuy framework, categorising legal issues into data, people, use of findings, and legal regulation. Literature was retrieved from seven databases, complemented by additional online searches. We included studies published in English between 2010 and November 2022 that report on legal issues arising during the implementation of MDSR. Out of 1,174 studies screened, 31 were selected for review. The review highlighted the limited attention given to the legal dimension of the MDSR by the research community. It also documented the lack of adequate legal framework essential for the system's effective implementation. Inadequate safeguards for informational privacy and the lack of confidentiality reinforce a prevalent sense of being blamed, mainly among health workers. Consequently, widespread underreporting and intentional misattribution of causes of maternal death, defensive referrals, and disengagement from the MDSR process were reported. We recommend that implementing countries regulate the gathering and use of MDSR data through suitable laws and legally ensure that the MDSR data are only used for the intended purpose. Appropriate complaint-handling mechanisms are needed in health systems to prevent the misuse of the MDSR. Future studies on MDSR implementation would benefit from involving legal experts, considering the multifaceted legal dimensions of the MDSR.

Maternal psychophysiology profiles: associations with prenatal opioid use, maternal emotion dysregulation, and newborn neurobehavior.

Opioid use among pregnant women has more than quadrupled over the past 20 years; however, comorbid risk factors such as emotion dysregulation confound the developmental consequences of prenatal opioid use. Maternal respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) may help to disentangle the comorbid risk factors of prenatal emotion dysregulation and substance use and isolate their consequences on newborn neurobehavior. We examined maternal RSA in response to a mild, infant-related stress task in pregnant people (N = 192; 30 on medications for opioid use disorder) recruited from hospitals and a specialty prenatal clinic for substance use disorder. Three latent profiles emerged based on maternal RSA reactivity. Mothers with RSA increasing (Profile 3; more nervous system dysregulation) had higher levels of emotion dysregulation than mothers with RSA decreasing (Profile 1; well-regulated nervous system responses) but were not more likely to use opioids. Additionally, RSA profiles were associated with newborn neurobehavior, including attention, regulation, handling,and arousal. Given the variability in opioid use across RSA profiles and profile associations with newborn neurodevelopment, future studies should examine protective factors in pregnant individuals using opioids who show more flexible RSA responses. Our study examined maternal psychophysiology and newborn outcomes in a unique population with high levels of emotion dysregulation and opioid use. Three profiles of maternal respiratory sinus arrythmia (RSA) reactivity were identified during pregnancy: decreasing, blunted, and increasing. The RSA increasing and blunted profiles were associated with higher emotion dysregulation than the decreasing profile. Most pregnant people on medications for opioid use disorder (65%) were grouped into the blunted profile, suggesting they might be more at risk for dysregulated RSA reactivity. Differences in RSA profiles were associated with newborn outcomes, with increasing and blunted RSA predicting more newborn neurobehavioral dysregulation.

Atezolizumab and chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (AtTEnd): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial

At the time of AtTEnd trial design, standard treatment for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer included carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. This trial assessed whether combining atezolizumab with chemotherapy might improve outcomes in this population. AtTEnd was a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial done in 89 hospitals in 11 countries across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Enrolled patients were aged 18 years or older, and had advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma or carcinosarcoma, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2, and received no previous systemic chemotherapy for recurrence. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) using an interactive web response system (block size of six) to either atezolizumab 1200 mg or placebo given intravenously with chemotherapy (carboplatin at area under the curve of 5 or 6 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 intravenously on day 1 every 21 days) for 6-8 cycles, then continued until progression. Stratification factors were country, histological subtype, advanced or recurrent status, and mismatch repair (MMR) status. Participants and treating clinicians were masked to group allocation. The hierarchically tested co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival (in patients with MMR-deficient [dMMR] tumours, and in the overall population) and overall survival (in the overall population). Primary analyses were done in the intention-to-treat population, defined as all randomly assigned patients who gave their full consent to participation in the study and data processing. Safety was assessed in all patients included in the intention-to-treat population who received at least one dose of study treatment. Here, we report the primary progression-free survival and the interim overall survival results. This study is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03603184. Between Oct 3, 2018, and Jan 7, 2022, 551 patients were randomly assigned to atezolizumab (n=362) or placebo (n=189). Two patients in the atezolizumab group were excluded from all analyses due to lack of consent. Median follow-up was 28·3 months (IQR 21·2-37·6). 81 (23%) patients in the atezolizumab group and 44 (23%) patients in the placebo group had dMMR disease by central assessment. In the dMMR population, median progression-free survival was not estimable (95% CI 12·4 months-not estimable [NE]) in the atezolizumab group and 6·9 months (6·3-10·1) in the placebo group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·36, 95% CI 0·23-0·57; p=0·0005). In the overall population, median progression-free survival was 10·1 months (95% CI 9·5-12·3) in the atezolizumab group and 8·9 months (8·1-9·6) in the placebo group (HR 0·74, 95% CI 0·61-0·91; p=0·022). Median overall survival was 38·7 months (95% CI 30·6-NE) in the atezolizumab group and 30·2 months (25·0-37·2) in the placebo group (HR 0·82, 95% CI 0·63-1·07; log-rank p=0·048). The p value for the interim analysis of overall survival did not cross the stopping boundary; therefore, the trial will continue until the required number of events are recorded. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were neutropenia (97 [27%] of 356 patients in the atezolizumab group vs 51 [28%] of 185 in the placebo group) and anaemia (49 [14%] vs 24 [13%]). Treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in 46 (13%) patients in the atezolizumab group and six (3%) patients in the placebo group. Treatment-related deaths occurred in two patients (pneumonia in one patient in each group). Atezolizumab plus chemotherapy increased progression-free survival in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma, particularly in those with dMMR carcinomas, suggesting the addition of atezolizumab to standard chemotherapy as first-line treatment in this specific subgroup. F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Dining in danger: Resolving adaptive fish behavior increases realism of modeled ecosystem dynamics.

Animals occupying higher trophic levels can have disproportionately large influence on ecosystem structure and functioning, owning to intricate behavioral responses to their environment, but the effects of behavioral adaptations on aquatic ecosystem dynamics are underrepresented, especially in model studies. Here, we explore how adaptive behavior of fish can affect the dynamics of aquatics ecosystems. We frame fish behavior in the context of the central trade-off between feeding and predation, calculating the optimal level of feeding determined by ambient food availability and predation risk. To explore whole-ecosystem consequences of fish behavior, we embed our behavioral model within the Water Ecosystems Tool (WET), a contemporary end-to-end aquatic ecosystem model. The principle of optimality provides a robust and mechanistic framework for representing animal behavior that is relevant for complex models, and can provide a stabilizing effect on model dynamics. The model predicts an emergent functional response similar to Holling type III, but with richer dynamics and a more rigorous theoretical foundation. We show how adaptive fish behavior works to stabilize food web dynamics compared to a control model with no optimal behavior, and how changing the strength of the underlying trade-off has profound effects on trophic control and food web structure. Furthermore, we demonstrate how including fish behavior allows for an overall more realistic response of the model system to environmental perturbation in the form of nutrient enhancement. We discuss the structuring effects of behavioral adaptations in real ecosystems, and how approaches like this one may benefit aquatic ecological modeling. Our study further highlights how a mechanistic approach based on concepts from theoretical ecology can be successfully implemented in complex operational models resulting in improved dynamics and descriptive power.

Effects of Dietary Melatonin on Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Defense, and Intestinal Microbiota in Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii).

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin (MT) feed supplementation on the antioxidant capacity, immune defense, and intestinal flora in Procambarus clarkii (P. clarkii). Six groups of P. clarkii were fed test feeds containing different levels of MT: 0mg/kg (control), 22.5, 41.2, 82.7, 165.1, and 329.2mg/kg for a duration of 2months. The specific growth rate, hepatosomatic index, and condition factor were recorded highest in the test group of shrimp fed an MT concentration of 165.1mg/kg. Compared to the control group, the rate of apoptosis was lower in hepatopancreas cells of P. clarkii supplemented with high concentrations of MT. Analyses of antioxidant capacity and immune-response-related enzymes in the hepatopancreas indicated that dietary supplementation of MT significantly augmented both the antioxidant system and immune responses. Dietary MT supplementation significantly increased the expression levels of antioxidant-immunity-related genes and decreased the expression levels of genes linked to apoptosis. Dietary MT was associated with an elevation in the abundance of the Firmicutes and a reduction in the abundance of the Proteobacteria in the intestines; besides, resulting in an increase in the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacilli. The broken-line model indicated that the suitable MT concentration was 154.09-157.09mg/kg. MT supplementation enhanced the growth performance of P. clarkii, exerting a positive influence on the intestinal microbiota, and bolstered both immune response and disease resistance. Thus, this study offered novel perspectives regarding the application of dietary MT supplementation within the aquaculture field.

Review of Development and Characteristics Research on Electro-hydraulic Servo System

Background: The nonlinear problem of the electro-hydraulic servo system directly affects the system accuracy, response speed and other indicators, and the resulting problems of control inaccuracy and response delay urgently need to be solved. Method: This article provides an overview of the working principle of electro-hydraulic servo systems, reviews the development history of electro-hydraulic servo systems, and summarizes the current research difficulties and latest patents of electro-hydraulic servo systems from the characteristics of active and passive loading systems,electro-hydraulic servo system multi flexibility characteristics, gap nonlinearity,parameter time-varying characteristics,mathematical modeling,force tracking accuracy control strategy, etc. Result: A large number of scholars have proposed the latest optimization strategies to address the nonlinear problems in various aspects of the electro-hydraulic servo system, effectively improving the control accuracy and static and dynamic characteristics of the electro-hydraulic servo system. Conclusion: By summarizing the latest progress in the study of nonlinear problems in various links of electro-hydraulic servo systems, it has played a guiding role in their future improvement and optimization strategies.

Responses of oscar (Astronotus ocellatus) to different temperatures and its interaction with early mild stress

Non-optimum temperature results in stress in fish through different biological and physiological processes. This study investigated how early mild stress (EMS) and temperature can influence growth, hematology, blood biochemistry, immunological response, antioxidant system, liver enzymes, and stress response of juvenile oscar (Astronotus ocellatus; 8.02 ± 0.81 g) before and after acute confinement stress (AC stress). Eight experimental treatments were 17D (farmed at 17 °C), 22D (farmed at 22 °C), 27D (farmed at 27 °C), 32D (farmed at 32 °C), 17DES (farmed at 17 °C and EMS), 22DES (farmed at 22 °C and EMS), 27DES (farmed at 27 °C and EMS), and 32DES (farmed at 32 °C and EMS). At the end of the experiment (nine weeks), there was no significant difference in survival rate, feed conversion ratio, body composition, and survival rate after the AC stress (ten weeks). The growth rates in the 17 and 32 °C groups were lower than others, showing the negative effect of temperature being too high or too low. After nine weeks, fish farmed at 32 °C had the highest hematological parameters (hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cells, and blood performance) and liver enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase). This group also has the lowest lysozyme, alternative complement pathway (ACH50), immunoglobulin, complement C3, complement C4, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase. The EMS did not positively or negatively affect fish physiology in this study. In conclusion, the optimum temperature for oscar to achieve the best growth performance, immune response, and health status is 22–27 °C.

Exosomal MicroRNAs modulate the cognitive function in fasudil treated APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic (APP/PS1) mice model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive decline stemming from the accumulation of beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and the propagation of tau pathology through synapses. Exosomes, crucial mediators in neuronal development, maintenance, and intercellular communication, have gained attention in AD research. Yet, the molecular mechanisms involving exosomal miRNAs in AD remain elusive. In this study, we treated APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic (APP/PS1) mice, a model for AD, with either vehicle (ADNS) or fasudil (ADF), while C57BL/6 (control) mice received vehicle (WT). Cognitive function was evaluated using the Y-maze test, and AD pathology was confirmed through immunostaining and western blot analysis of Aβ plaques and phosphorylated tau. Exosomal RNAs were extracted, sequenced, and analyzed from each mouse group. Our findings revealed that fasudil treatment improved cognitive function in AD mice, as evidenced by increased spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze test and reduced Aβ plaque load and phosphorylated tau protein expression in the hippocampus. Analysis of exosomal miRNAs identified three miRNAs (mmu-let-7i-5p, mmu-miR-19a-3p, mmu-miR-451a) common to both ADNS vs ADF and WT vs ADNS groups. Utilizing miRTarBase software, we predicted and analyzed target genes associated with these miRNAs. Gene ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of miRNA target genes indicated that mmu-miR-19a-3p and mmu-miR-451a are implicated in signal transduction, immune response, cellular communication, and nervous system pathways. Specifically, mmu-miR-19a-3p targeted genes involved in the sphingolipid signaling pathway, such as Pten and Tnf, while mmu-miR-451a targeted Nsmaf, Gnai3, and Akt3. Moreover, mmu-miR-451a targeted Myc in signaling pathways regulating the pluripotency of stem cells. In conclusion, fasudil treatment enhanced cognitive function by modulating exosomal MicroRNAs, particularly mmu-miR-451a and mmu-miR-19a-3p. These miRNAs hold promise as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for novel AD treatments.

Could the Propionic Acid Treatment in Combination with Metformin be Safe for the Small Intestine of Diabetic Rats?

Effects of propionic acid (PA) on the cellular and molecular processes in the small intestine under type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress remain incompletely studied. The aim of the study was to assess the state of unfolded protein response (UPR) system in the small intestine of diabetic rats and to explore PA's influence on metformin treatment. Male Wistar rats were divided into 1) control and 2) T2DM groups, and groups receiving (14 days, orally) 3) metformin (60 mg/kg), 4) PA (60 mg/kg), and 5) PA+metformin. Western blotting, RT-PCR, and transmission electron microscopy were performed. We found that T2DM induced elevation of ER intermembrane space and UPR overactivation based on increased GRP78, ATF6 and PERK levels in small intestine. Metformin treatment led to a further UPR activation. PA supplementation partially restored enterocytes functioning via normalization of ATF6 and PERK content, while IRE1 level reached the maximum value, compared to all groups. The most pronounced effect of adaptation to the T2DMinduced ER stress was observed after combined metformin and PA action. In particular, decreased ER intermembrane space in enterocytes was detected compared to separate metformin and PA administration, which was accompanied by restored GRP78, PERK and IRE1 levels. Our study proves the safety of additional therapy with propionic acid in combination with metformin for the functional state of small intestine. Due to its ability to modulate UPR signaling, PA may be considered a safe and perspective candidate for supportive therapy in T2DM, especially for neuroprotection.

Computational modeling of the synergistic role of GCN2 and the HPA axis in regulating the integrated stress response in the central circadian timing system.

The circadian timing system and integrated stress response (ISR) systems are fundamental regulatory mechanisms that maintain body homeostasis. The central circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) governs daily rhythms through interactions with peripheral oscillators via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. On the other hand, ISR signaling is pivotal for preserving cellular homeostasis in response to physiological changes. Notably, disrupted circadian rhythms are observed in cases of impaired ISR signaling. In this work, we examine the potential interplay between the central circadian system and the ISR, mainly through the SCN and HPA axis. We introduce a semimechanistic mathematical model to delineate SCN's capacity for indirectly perceiving physiological stress through glucocorticoid-mediated feedback from the HPA axis and orchestrating a cellular response via the ISR mechanism. Key components of our investigation include evaluating general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2) expression in the SCN, the effect of physiological stress stimuli on the HPA axis, and the interconnected feedback between the HPA and SCN. Simulation revealed a critical role for GCN2 in linking ISR with circadian rhythms. Experimental findings have demonstrated that a Gcn2 deletion in mice leads to rapid re-entrainment of the circadian clock following jetlag as well as to an elongation of the circadian period. These phenomena are well replicated by our model, which suggests that both the swift re-entrainment and prolonged period can be ascribed to a reduced robustness in neuronal oscillators. Our model also offers insights into phase shifts induced by acute physiological stress and the alignment/misalignment of physiological stress with external light-dark cues. Such understanding aids in strategizing responses to stressful events, such as nutritional status changes and jetlag.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first theoretical work to investigate the complex interaction between integrated stress response (ISR) sensing and central circadian rhythm regulation, encompassing the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The findings carry implications for the development of dietary or pharmacological interventions aimed at facilitating recovery from stressful events, such as jetlag. Moreover, they provide promising prospects for potential therapeutic interventions that target circadian rhythm disruption and various stress-related disorders.

Predictors of Response to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Patients With Tinnitus

Clinical guidelines recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a treatment for tinnitus. However, patient response to CBT is variable, and currently, there are no known predictors of response to CBT treatment for tinnitus. To identify the clinical predictors of patient response to CBT for treatment of tinnitus. This was a secondary cohort analysis of a single-arm clinical study including adults with chronic bothersome tinnitus recruited from Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis (Missouri) from September 2019 to February 2023. Participants completed an 8-week group CBT program with a licensed clinical psychologist. Each week consisted of 2.5 hours of CBT, amounting to 20 hours of total CBT participation, primarily delivered through a virtual platform. Conjunctive consolidation was used to create a predictive classification system for response to CBT based on tinnitus bother and anxiety levels. Response to CBT was predefined as a 13-point or greater decrease in the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) survey score. The study sample included 88 adult patients (median [IQR] age, 59 [49-66] years; 47 [53%] females and 41 [47%] males) with chronic bothersome tinnitus, of whom 53 (60%) had at least 13-point decrease in TFI and were considered to be responders. In univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses, high to moderate anxiety level and severe tinnitus bother were associated with treatment response (adjusted odds ratio: anxiety, 3.33; 95% CI, 0.90-12.30; tinnitus bother, 12.08; 95% CI, 1.48-98.35). The clinical stratification system showed good predictive and discriminative ability (χ2 for linear trend = 20.0; C statistic = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.65-0.85). The findings of this study show that assessment of bother and anxiety levels in patients with tinnitus may be useful for identifying those who are more likely to respond to CBT. Before incorporation into clinical practice, future research should externally validate this finding in a separate population.

Supply Chain System Optimization Model for Logistics Enterprises in the Internet of Things Era Based on Improved ECC Algorithm

In this article, a new method to optimize the supply chain system (SCS) of logistics companies in the era of Internet of Things (IoT) using an improved elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) algorithm was put forward.The focus of this research was to address the challenges faced by logistics organizations in adapting to the complexity of modern supply chains and meeting the growing demands of customers. The research aimed to improve the efficiency, security and reliability of supply chain management systems by utilizing advances in ECC algorithms.By conducting comprehensive performance tests of the proposed system, including interface testing, joggle testing, and system response time analysis, the study demonstrated the superiority of the system over traditional systems. The research findings indicated that the system based on the improved ECC algorithm outperformed traditional systems in terms of interface effectiveness, usability, and system response time. The improved ECC algorithm enhanced the security of the encryption process, making it more resistant to unauthorized access, and improved the system’s overall data processing load capacity. Additionally, the system demonstrated superior performance in managing logistics data and information, facilitating better decision-making and efficiency in logistics operations. Overall, this research contributes to the advancement of supply chain management in the IoT era by providing a practical and efficient solution for logistics enterprises to optimize their supply chain systems. The innovative application of the improved ECC algorithm offers a secure, reliable, and efficient approach to managing logistics operations, addressing the challenges posed by the complexities of modern supply chains.

Gene expression patterns associated with PFOA exposure in Czech Young men and women

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a member of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), has been widely used in manufacturing for decades. Currently, PFOA is strictly regulated, but due to its high stability and persistence, it is detected in both environmental as well as in human matrices. To elucidate mechanisms of PFOA toxicity in humans, we determined the genome-wide transcriptomic changes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) responding to PFOA exposure in a sex-stratified analysis. This work employed samples from 145 female and 143 male participants of the CELSPAC: YA study to characterize PFOA-associated transcripts in a broader context using computational analysis. PFOA-associated gene expression differed significantly between men and women, as only 2% of mapped genes were expressed in both sexes. Disease-specific enrichment analysis revealed cancer and immune-related disease terms as those most enriched in male and female populations. Patterns of enriched terms within the gene set enrichment analysis indicated three main targets of PFOA toxicity: i) lipid metabolism for women; ii) cell cycle regulation for men; and iii) immune system response for both sexes. In summary, our genome-wide transcriptomics analysis described sex-specific differences in PFOA-associated gene expression and provided evidence about biological pathways underlying PFOA toxicity in humans.

Disrupted coherence between autonomic activation and emotional expression in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis.

Landmark studies have shown decreased coherence between different emotion response systems (e.g., physiology and facial expressions) in people with psychosis. However, while there is good evidence to suggest broad signs of affective dysfunction (e.g., blunting of facial expression) in the critical clinical high-risk (CHR) state, it is not clear whether these signs fit into a broader pattern of decoupling. This is in part due to there being no studies to date with this population that include a dyadic interaction. The current laboratory-based dyadic interaction study examined whether there is decreased coherence in CHR between autonomic physiology, as indexed by heart rate, and facial expressions of emotion, assessed by automated facial expressions analysis. The study included 145 individuals consisting of 34 CHR-partner and 41 control-partner pairs who completed clinical interviews and engaged in three naturalistic 10-min conversations while their physiology and expressions were continuously monitored. Compared to controls, CHR youth showed decreased coherence between heart rate and positive (t = 4.09) and negative (t = -7.90) facial expressions. Across CHR and control youth, greater severity of psychosis risk symptoms was related to lower coherence between heart rate and positive (t = 3.97-11.69) and neutral expressions (t = 0.06-4.98), and a change in the direction of the relationship between heart rate and negative expression intensity (t = 7.88-10.60). These findings provide the first evidence for changes in coherence between physiology and facial expressions of emotion in CHR individuals, with larger changes in coherence relating to greater general psychotic-like symptom severity. This evidence may be leveraged to identify targets for early diagnosis and intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Building a Responsive Legal System Through Reforming the Indonesian Constitution

Legal politics or what is known as policy direction is important in order to provide direction on the form and material of law. However, in a study that examines the problems of law enforcement, in Indonesia, which was studied from a legal sociology perspective, it was stated that developments in the world today often give rise to various problems, whether in the form of violations of norms that exist in social life or rules that have a tendency to create a phenomenon that is contrary to moral and ethical rules as well as legal rules. This paper aims to find out the facts and legal political realities that occur on post-reform legislation in forming responsive laws. Using a normative writing method. The direction of legal politics in post-reform Indonesia is the desire to form a responsive legal system, this can be implicitly seen in several changes to the constitution. Change towards responsive law is not something instant and easy, there must be a commitment from the state and the people together to realize the ideal of this system. Although the current implementation of law still experiences many errors here and there, at least the existing legal products have led to laws that responsive, what is needed now are leadership figures who are able to bring Indonesia to the implementation of responsive laws that are in accordance with what was previously expected in order to achieve prosperity for the people.

Fluid-structure coupling analysis in liquid-filled containers using scaled boundary finite element method

In this study, a semi-analytical model is developed to investigate the fluid-structure coupling characteristics of liquid sloshing in an elastic rectangular container subjected to horizontal external excitation based on the scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) for the first time. The fluid inside the container is assumed to be incompressible, inviscid and irrotational, with the hydrodynamic pressure chosen as independent nodal variable in the governing equations. The container walls are considered as cantilever beams. The coupled fluid-structure system is initially divided into the structural domain and fluid domain, after which the SBFEM is employed to obtain the governing equations for each sub-domain. In the framework of the SBFEM, only the boundary of each sub-domain, rather than the entire computational domain, needs to be meshed and discretized. This method reduces the spatial dimension of the problem by one and offers an efficient approach to model the computational domain, while allowing for analytical formulations to be derived for the internal of the domain, resulting in an accurate description of the field variables. The fundamental equation of the entire coupled fluid-structure system is then assembled by performing the equilibrium condition and compatibility condition to ensure the balance of interaction forces at the interface between container walls and the liquid. The free vibrations analysis of the fluid-structure coupling system is solved by utilizing the generalized eigenvalue problem, and the transient dynamic response is determined using the synchronous solution algorithm in conjunction with the implicit-implicit scheme of the Newmark method. To validate the excellent accuracy and stability of the proposed formulation, several numerical examples are presented to investigate the free vibration and transient dynamic characteristics for the fluid-structure coupling problem. The obtained results show good agreement with reference solutions available in the literature. Additionally, the effects of geometrical and material parameters on the system responses are examined and discussed.

Design of intelligent cruise control system using fuzzy-PID control on autonomous electric vehicles prototypes

Electric vehicles provide a solution for using alternative fuels, namely, electricity. Electric vehicles are used for short distances and intercity travel over long distances, increasing the risk of accidents. Cruise Control is a technology embedded in vehicles to maintain stable speeds; this system will automatically adjust the vehicle's speed when motion changes cause changes in vehicle speed. This study aims to apply lidar sensors to detect distance in the Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) system using the Fuzzy-PID control method. Testing results were obtained at safe distance inputs of 5, 6, and 7 meters with various object distances. All the tests were carried out; the response systems were obtained with an average settling time of 5 seconds and an average overshoot of 1.53%. Therefore, the proposed Fuzzy-PID method works well for controlling Intelligent Cruise Control systems in autonomous electric vehicle prototypes.

Probabilistic neural transfer function estimation with Bayesian system identification.

Neural population responses in sensory systems are driven by external physical stimuli. This stimulus-response relationship is typically characterized by receptive fields, which have been estimated by neural system identification approaches. Such models usually require a large amount of training data, yet, the recording time for animal experiments is limited, giving rise to epistemic uncertainty for the learned neural transfer functions. While deep neural network models have demonstrated excellent power on neural prediction, they usually do not provide the uncertainty of the resulting neural representations and derived statistics, such as most exciting inputs (MEIs), from in silico experiments. Here, we present a Bayesian system identification approach to predict neural responses to visual stimuli, and explore whether explicitly modeling network weight variability can be beneficial for identifying neural response properties. To this end, we use variational inference to estimate the posterior distribution of each model weight given the training data. Tests with different neural datasets demonstrate that this method can achieve higher or comparable performance on neural prediction, with a much higher data efficiency compared to Monte Carlo dropout methods and traditional models using point estimates of the model parameters. At the same time, our variational method provides us with an effectively infinite ensemble, avoiding the idiosyncrasy of any single model, to generate MEIs. It allows to estimate the uncertainty of stimulus-response function, which we have found to be negatively correlated with the predictive performance at model level and may serve to evaluate models. Furthermore, our approach enables us to identify response properties with credible intervals and to determine whether the inferred features are meaningful by performing statistical tests on MEIs. Finally, in silico experiments show that our model generates stimuli driving neuronal activity significantly better than traditional models in the limited-data regime.

Breach diameter prediction of reinforced concrete wall under contact/near-contact explosives using deep neural network

In recent years, the use of Machine Learning (ML) has been expanded to several engineering fields with applications in structural engineering. Deep Neural Network (DNN) models have been widely implemented to predict the response of structural systems under conventional loading. The accuracy of these DNN models relies on the size of the dataset used, which can vary from hundreds to thousands of data points, typically formed by images, test data, and/or finite element models built for a specific environment. Such dependency becomes a limitation when DNN models are intended to be used in blast analysis and/or design, as data are typically scarce or restricted. This paper introduces the implementation of an ML/DNN model for the prediction of breach diameter of a reinforced concrete target subjected to contact and near-contact explosions. The DNN model predicts the breach diameter using experimentally collected concrete breach data. The DNN model considers several parameters related to the charge (e.g., type, geometry, orientation, casement properties) and wall target (e.g., material properties, geometry, reinforcement, fiber content), as well as proximity between the target and explosive. It was found that charge geometry, charge placement type, target thickness, scaled distance, and fiber content in the mix were important features affecting the breach diameter prediction.