Sudden Switch Research Articles

Critical fluctuations at a finite-time dynamical phase transition.

We explore the critical properties of the recently discovered finite-time dynamical phase transition in the nonequilibrium relaxation of Ising magnets after a temperature quench. The transition is characterized by a sudden switch in the relaxation dynamics and it occurs at a sharp critical time. While previous works have focused either on mean-field interactions or on investigating the critical time, we analyze the critical fluctuations at the phase transition in the nearest-neighbor Ising model on a square lattice using Monte Carlo simulations. By means of a finite-size scaling analysis, we extract the critical exponents for the transition. In two spatial dimensions, we find that the exponents are consistent with those of the two-dimensional Ising universality class when the system is initially in the vicinity of the critical point. For initial temperatures below the critical one, however, the critical exponents differ from the Ising-exponents, indicating a distinct dynamical critical phenomenon.

Systemic therapists’ experience of the enforced transition to online therapy due to the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychotherapists who were used to seeing their patients in face-to-face settings adapted to providing online therapy via videoconferencing, regardless of their previous knowledge or attitudes toward remote psychotherapy. Given the sudden switch to a digital therapeutic modality, this study was designed with the aim of exploring systemic therapists’ experience of the enforced transition to online therapy due to the pandemic. Twelve certified systemic therapists (60% women, 40% men; Mage = 38.75 years old; Myears in practice = 11.58) participated in semi-structured interviews that were organized around past, present, and future dimensions of their overall experience of using online video technology professionally. Thematic analysis of the transcripts revealed five main themes depicting participants’ struggles, adjustments, and expectations from practicing remotely. Therapists reported that prior familiarity with online individual therapy was a facilitating factor in this rapid change. Difficulties included establishing therapeutic boundaries in online practice as well as relational challenges with clients and co-therapists. However, participants perceived online systemic therapy to emerge as a new systemic milieu that may provide further therapeutic possibilities, and they expressed positive expectations about its effectiveness. Based on the findings of this study, problems with maintaining therapeutic alliance and cohesion as well as new potential client’s resistances, especially in group, family, and couple online systemic therapy, warrant further research. As online technology has eventually become an alternative mode of therapy in clinical practice, the insights from systemic therapy may prove beneficial in the field of online psychotherapy.

Job Satisfaction and Performance of College Teachers in the Online Teaching Mode

The sudden switch to blended and online learning environment due to the global pandemic changes higher education and consequently influence college teachers’ job satisfaction and performance. Challenges that the teachers teaching in colleges experienced while working under virtual learning environment are shown to have caused impacts on their job satisfaction and performance. This article aims to review the major designs or determinants affecting the satisfaction and effectiveness of the college teachers in online classes and potential consequences for the future. The online teaching mode seems to have its advantages and limitations to college educators. Flexibility is a strength of the school but there is a lack of enough technological support and student engagement as key factors to enhancing the teacher’s job satisfaction. This can be achieved in the mentioned areas to support educators as well as improve the quality of online learning. Some of the recommendations include developing new, improved approaches to training that include teachers in online classrooms; upgrading the means of communicating with teachers working in online classrooms; and the creation of recognition and incentive systems designed to help teachers working in online classrooms. The study concluded that above mentioned initiatives can help to foster satisfaction and performance enhancing the long-term model of online teaching that help teachers and students.

Early childhood educators’ change of strategies to recognize and assess the child via distance education

Aim of this study was to identify the recognition and assessment techniques used by early childhood educators both before and after the pandemic using a fundamental qualitative research approach. 17 preschool teachers participated in the study using a semi-structured interview form. The study's conclusions are arranged according to several themes. The methods preschool teachers employ to recognize and assess the child during in-person instruction is the first of these themes. Teachers utilize a variety of techniques to recognize and assess children during in-person instruction, including observation, developmental observation forms, developmental reports, warm-up games, drawing, working with families, anecdotes, sociometry, and portfolio work. The sudden switch to online instruction-assessment techniques in remote learning has resulted in unanticipated challenges and unexpected situations for the preschool teachers as they attempt to implement the teaching process. In such unanticipated circumstances, it is important to look at how early childhood educators recognize and assess children.

Abrupt and spontaneous strategy switches emerge in simple regularised neural networks.

Humans sometimes have an insight that leads to a sudden and drastic performance improvement on the task they are working on. Sudden strategy adaptations are often linked to insights, considered to be a unique aspect of human cognition tied to complex processes such as creativity or meta-cognitive reasoning. Here, we take a learning perspective and ask whether insight-like behaviour can occur in simple artificial neural networks, even when the models only learn to form input-output associations through gradual gradient descent. We compared learning dynamics in humans and regularised neural networks in a perceptual decision task that included a hidden regularity to solve the task more efficiently. Our results show that only some humans discover this regularity, and that behaviour is marked by a sudden and abrupt strategy switch that reflects an aha-moment. Notably, we find that simple neural networks with a gradual learning rule and a constant learning rate closely mimicked behavioural characteristics of human insight-like switches, exhibiting delay of insight, suddenness and selective occurrence in only some networks. Analyses of network architectures and learning dynamics revealed that insight-like behaviour crucially depended on a regularised gating mechanism and noise added to gradient updates, which allowed the networks to accumulate "silent knowledge" that is initially suppressed by regularised gating. This suggests that insight-like behaviour can arise from gradual learning in simple neural networks, where it reflects the combined influences of noise, gating and regularisation. These results have potential implications for more complex systems, such as the brain, and guide the way for future insight research.

Effects of growth feedback on adaptive gene circuits: A dynamical understanding.

The successful integration of engineered gene circuits into host cells remains a significant challenge in synthetic biology due to circuit-host interactions, such as growth feedback, where the circuit influences cell growth and vice versa. Understanding the dynamics of circuit failures and identifying topologies resilient to growth feedback are crucial for both fundamental and applied research. Utilizing transcriptional regulation circuits with adaptation as a paradigm, we systematically study more than four hundred topological structures and uncover various categories of failures. Three dynamical mechanisms of circuit failures are identified: continuous deformation of the response curve, strengthened or induced oscillations, and sudden switching to coexisting attractors. Our extensive computations also uncover a scaling law between a circuit robustness measure and the strength of growth feedback. Despite the negative effects of growth feedback on the majority of circuit topologies, we identify several circuits that maintain optimal performance as designed, a feature important for applications.

Assessing Covi-19’s Effects on Mental Health in Nursing Students During E-Learning in Pandemic

Introduction: Covid-19 declared by WHO as a pandemic, from the time of experiencing it for the first time until now has caused many deaths all over the world. As a consequence of this pandemic, all public and private institutions tried to adapt life and work. Academic institutions in this period choose to continue with online platforms. This sudden switch from face to face to online learning has caused not only problems during lessons but also in mental and physical health of the students. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the level of anxiety among nursing students who study at public nursing faculty in Tirana, Albania. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was performed in April- May 2023 at Faculty of Technical Medical Science Tirana, Albania. The study involved nursing students in their third year of Bachelor and first year of Professional Master and Master of Science because only these students have taken online lessons. They were 278 in total. Results: The students responded (n = 278) to a questionnaire following GAD7 and HAM-A with some other basic information. Our findings showed that the level of moderate, severe and very severe anxiety range 30.53%, 3.38% and 1. 53% respectively. A significant relationship was found between gender, age and psychological impact (p=.057; p=.001). The most dominant symptoms were headache (192, 69.10%) and eye irritation (191, 68.70%). 137,49.30% of the respondents think that the lockdown had moderate impact on study. Conclusions: By applying different methods of assessing the level of anxiety, we found that our nursing students experienced anxiety caused on by the COVID-19 pandemic and isolation just like other nursing students around the world. Designing and consolidating strategies (mental health services or psychological counseling) by faculty members to face similar pandemic situations in the future, would help reduce anxiety among students because they will be professionals tomorrow, thus it is important to take care for their mental health.

Innovations and Evolution of Large-Enrollment Calculus in Response to the Pandemic

We discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on mathematics instruction at a large, public university with a focus on the impact of first-year calculus courses. At this university, many first-year courses are taught in large lectures with accompanying recitations. Due to previous educational initiatives, we were positioned to leverage the transformation required by the sudden switch to online and hybrid teaching. We made substantial and valuable changes, especially around assessment. We also discuss recent innovations to provide additional pathways and support to students identified as at-risk, including the construction of new course sequences for students intending to take calculus.

Marginalization, Technology Access and Study Approaches of Undergraduate Distance Learners during Covid-19 Pandemic in India

The Covid-19 pandemic, for the past years, had led to disruption of classroom activities and adoption of online teaching-learning in almost all parts of the globe, including India. Sudden switch over from the classroom blackboard to the laptop screen may have influenced study approaches of students especially when there were challenges for access to technology and non-readiness for online learning among the Indian students. Since different social and economic factors bring differences in students’ learning, an online survey was conducted with 296 randomly selected undergraduate distance learning (DL) students of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to examine how technology access during the pandemic has influenced study approach of Indian DL students belonging to different marginalized and non-marginalized groups. The research results showed that marginalized students had lower access to technology than their non-marginalized counterparts, although no gender differences were found in access to technology in both the groups. Lower access to technology was found associated with more surface approach to study in the DL students in general and the marginalized students in particular. The marginalized females were found at risk in terms of both, access to technology and approaches to study. The findings, as discussed, are intended to further enrich our understanding of the role of technology vis-à-vis study approach of distance learning students during the pandemic, and formulate appropriate teaching-learning strategies for the future.

Delivery problems and switch of the manufacturer of antiseizure medications – An update of an online survey of patient’s experiences in Germany and other German-speaking countries

In the last decade there is an increasing frequency of sudden generic switches of antiseizure medications (ASMs) due to delivery problems. We here explored the patient’s views toward generic substitution of ASMs and their experiences with delivery problems and switches of the manufacturer. A questionnaire already used in 2011 was updateded and published on the website of a patient’s organisation from March 2022 until November 2022. 54.4 % of the responders reported delivery problems. Delivery problems were reported from Germany by a higher number of responders than from Switzerland. To 83.7 % of the responders the delivery problems were communicated by the pharmacists. In 41.9 % of these the delivery problems were coped by generic substitution. In 33 % of the latter breakthrough seizures occurred. 26 % of the respondents with experience of a change of the manufacturer not due to a delivery problem reported breakthrough seizures after being substituted. The majority of patients denied having been well informed about the possible consequences of a switch of the manufacturer. A thorough counselling on the low risks caused by change of the manufacturer and the need for good adherence to further reduce the risks should be part of the general information about their treatment with ASMs for people with epilepsy.

Investigating low data consistency in work planning processes – causes, measures, and opportunities

AbstractDigital transformation increases the need for interdisciplinary collaboration along the product lifecycle. It is currently hindered by a low data consistency resulting from the use of heterogeneous systems and data models. Especially in work planning, where several data models are combined, this decreases efficiency. Systems Lifecycle management (SysLM) offers a solution to this remedy. However, a sudden switch to SysLM is not possible in brownfields. Thus, it is necessary to examine the challenges and opportunities to derive case-specific measures that enable its adoption in work planning.

From 3D to 2D-4K laparoscopic sacral colpopexy: are we addicted to technology?

Objective A study analyzing perioperative outcomes related to a sudden switch from 3D to 2D-4K technology for laparoscopic sacral colpopexy by expert pelvic surgeons: are we addicted to technology? Material and methods After a sudden transition from 3D to 2D-4K laparoscopic technology, a total of 115 consecutive pelvic prolapse patients who underwent sacral colpopexy from June 2020 to September 2021 were retrospectively assessed from our database. Perioperative parameters, operative times (OT), and intraoperative difficulty scales were assessed. One-year follow-ups were analyzed for the study. Primary endpoints were OT; secondary endpoint was the evaluation of complications linked to this procedure. Results We found statistical differences in OT and intraoperative difficulty scales between medians of the last 3D procedures and the first ten 2D-4K surgeries, without differences between operators. Only after more than 20 surgeries, we observed no significant differences between 3D and 2D-4K sacral colpopexy. We observed no statistical differences in terms of anatomic failure, PGI-I, and intra-postoperative complications. Conclusion The transition of urogynecology from an exclusive vaginal approach to 2D-3D-4K laparoscopy significantly increased the level of technology necessary for surgical treatment of prolapse. This could, as a result, lead to pelvic surgeons becoming increasingly dependent on technology.

Market Liquidity in a Natural Experiment: Evidence from CDS Standard Coupons

Abstract The credit default swap (CDS) Big Bang introduced 2 standard coupons for CDS trading. We exploit the setting of the 2 standard coupons as a natural experiment to quantify the components of the bid–ask spreads in over-the-counter markets. We find that a significant portion of the difference in the bid–ask spread between the 2 coupons is explained by the difference in funding costs. Furthermore, search intensity also explains the variation in the difference in bid–ask spread. The liquidity typically concentrates on one of the standard coupons and can suddenly switch to the other coupon. Using the sudden switch of the primary coupon, we provide further evidence to support the predictions of search-based liquidity models.

Impact of Sudden Sit-Stand Postural Switch on Electroencephalogram

Postural changes are inevitable motor behavior and physiological phenomenon. The study recorded electroencephalographic findings characterizing sudden switch from sitting to standing posture. 15 young adult males who satisfied inclusion criteria were recruited for the study. Baseline electroencephalographic tracings were obtained using Powerlab 26T at sitting position using scalp electrodes and during sudden switch from sitting to standing. The results of the study revealed sudden switch from sitting had no significant effect on alpha wave amplitude, beta wave amplitude and beta wave frequency. However, both alpha wave frequency and alpha/beta ratio decreased with sudden switch from sitting to standing position. The findings of the study indicated that sudden sitting to standing posture caused reductions in alpha wave and alpha/beta ratio.

Data-Driven Switch Fault Diagnosis for DC/DC Boost Converters in Photovoltaic Applications

Switch semiconductors are essential components in power electronics stages for photovoltaic (PV) systems, which are prone to failures caused mainly by thermal stress, thereby affecting PV energy production. Specifically, dc/dc boost power converters are commonly used as maximum power point tracking (MPPT) systems. Several works have been reported so far in the literature for switch fault detection and isolation (FDI) purposes in boost power converters. However, most of them require additional sensors and circuitry to those included in any PV system, which generate extra costs on the overall system. Hence, this work presents an efficient and low-cost switch fault diagnosis proposal, which requires only the most common measurements in PV systems, namely, PV current and voltage. This work departs from a data-driven FDI methodology for diagnosing switch open- and short-circuit faults in dc/dc boost converters. The experimental results have been evaluated against sudden irradiance changes and switch faults in a test bench of 350 <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\rm {W}$</tex-math></inline-formula> operating under a closed-loop nonlinear control action for MPPT purposes by using the dSpace 1104 board.

Research on the Failure Mechanism and Solution Strategy for Friction Braking of Electric Hoists

The electromagnetic braking motor, which combines cylindrical motors with electromagnetic brakes, has gradually been widely used in the lifting mechanism of electric hoists. This configuration of electric hoists usually has a large difference in lifting speed between fast and slow, and the highest speed can reach the lowest speed Liu Bei. During the process of rapid sudden braking and sudden switching between fast and slow speeds, it is easy to generate a large amount of braking slip, posing a huge challenge to friction braking. In response to the issue of excessive brake slip of a wire rope electric hoist, the mechanism causing the excessive brake slip was analysed, and a solution was provided. This paper analyses the methods of shortening braking time and reducing braking slip from mechanical, electrical, and control aspects, with a focus on the impact of rectifier and brake response delay on braking deceleration time and braking slip amount.

The Science, Law and Policy Dynamics of Climate Change: an Appraisal

Objectives: The objective of this article is to investigate the dynamic relationship between Climate Science, Policy and Law. It aims to analyse how climate change policy requires accurate information for decision- making, and climate change science needs a ccurate information on economic development. Since neither of these can be achieved, climate change policy has to learn decision-making under uncertainty, and climate change science has to base its projections on possible scenarios and storylines. Methods: The article argues that the link between climate change science and climate change policy are projections of future climate change and impact. Results: The article highlights how initially, concern about the nature of the problems associated with climate change did not invite universal agreement among scientists howsoever; the line of thinking became very much clearer throughout the 1990s. The second assessment report of the IPCC contains general thrust of the scientific arguments. Conclusion: The article concludes that, among policymakers a consensus began to emerge that indeed a problem did exist. The increasingly apocalyptic predictions of the IPCC seem to have won over the policy makers. The apocalyptic prediction entertains the idea that instead of being a gradual process, global warming, may involve a sudden switch to a new climate system

Adapting to Change: Investigating the Influence of Distance Learning on Performance in Italian Conservatories

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the sudden switch from face-to-face learning to distance learning generated many critical issues in music institutes. Specifically, conservatories found themselves using a didactic methodology that had never been considered before to ensure the continuation of students’ education. In particular, the adoption of distance learning has had a greater impact on those classes characterized by a significant practical–experiential component. This study aims to investigate the phenomenon of distance learning in Italian conservatories to explore how this experience affects students’ performance through their satisfaction with distance learning. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 328 students of 41 Italian conservatories, using an online self-report questionnaire to investigate conservatory students’ experience of distance learning and its impact on performance. To test the hypotheses, a mediation model was tested using SPSS version 26. The results show that the positive experience of distance learning has a positive impact on perceived performance and that satisfaction with distance learning, as a mediator role, further reinforces this relationship. This study is the first known one to explore the relationship between the experience of distance learning and student performance in the context of conservatories and music teaching.

Voltage unbalance and inertia based frequency control framework considering intelligent load management for stand-alone operation of microgrid

The less inertial microgrid with high penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) faces several issues including voltage and frequency unbalance. The intermittent nature of RES-based Distributed Generations (DGs) makes the system unstable in the absence of a control mechanism in a stand-alone microgrid. The integration of single-phase loads and sudden load switching on the distribution side make the system prone to several malicious events. The unbalance in voltage among the phases and the high Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF) are the major concern for degrading the system’s performance during peak and off-peak hours. The paper addresses a hierarchical dual loop voltage and frequency control mechanism where the primary control is equipped with droop strategy and Positive-Negative Sequence Control (PNSC) to maintain Voltage Unbalance Factor (VUF) and adhere to IEC-61000-3-13. Further, the inertial loop is also implemented to mitigate frequency deviation and reduce transient overshoot. The secondary control mechanism enables intelligent load management by scheduling Thermostatic Control Loads (TCLs) during peak hours. The utmost care is taken for the Customer’s Thermal Comfort (CTC) while scheduling the loads. The rigorous simulation is done in MATLAB Simulink and Digsilent Power Factory with a modified IEEE 13 bus system considering system dynamics. Further, the real-time simulation is also performed with OPAL-RT to validate the efficacy of the above methodology.

Self-Regulated e-Learning in Pre-Service Teacher Training for Realities of 21st Century Classrooms

Educators and students were unprepared for the suspension of face-to-face (f2f) educational activities due to Covid-19, specifically those less experienced in online teaching and learning. Students and educators were traumatised by the sudden switch to online teaching and learning. As such the transition from f2f to exclusive online learning prompted adjusted pedagogical methods and assumed measures of self-regulated e-learning (SRL). During this period researchers embarked on a longitudinal project in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) called the 21st Century Project (21CP). The purpose of the study was to explore the SRL behaviours of pre-service teachers in online learning and to understand the extent to which a curriculum for technology integration alongside contextual factors influences SRL. As such our conceptualisation of the SRL framework adds two moderating constructs, these are, context and intervention to the core constructs of SRL. The sample of sixty six (66) students were drawn from a volunteer cohort of 166, 4th year pre-service students. Data were collected through interviews, surveys and online journal entries. The data was analysed qualitatively using narrative methods in which themes were identified and reported. The findings revealed that: the ICT integration curriculum represented a cornerstone for SRL development and shaped students’ SRL behaviours; there were differences in the SRL practices that could be attributed to students’ learning habits and attitudes to the ICT-based interventions. The findings of this study provide an understanding of interrelationships among SRL, context, and the design of an online curriculum. The study made three contributions to policy and practice. Firstly, SRL can be improved by providing activities that include clear guidelines for engagement through guided instructional methodologies. Secondly, the faculty curriculum developers should formulate guidelines to ensure that curricular iterations are developed as blended f2f/online modes to enable a quick and seamless transition for exclusive online use. Finally, course creators can improve student engagement by aligning learning outcomes and related activities with learning events.