Trade-offs In Use Research Articles

Cost-benefit analysis of 3D-printed vascular models in abdominal free flap breast reconstruction

3D-printed vascular models can enhance flap harvesting efficiency in abdominal free flap breast reconstruction, reducing the use of operating room time. However, no economic analyses with respect to model usein this context have been conducted to date. As such, this study examines model cost-benefit tradeoffs for use in abdominal free flap breast reconstruction.

Tillage practices and mulching affect system productivity, profitability and energy use in Sesbania alley based food - fodder systems under rainfed agro-ecosystems of semi-arid tropics

Context or problemThe low soil moisture availability in post rainy season is a major constraint for double cropping in rainfed agro-ecosystems. There are also trade-offs for use of crop residue as fodder and mulching material. Objective or research questionThe objective of the study to assess the crop productivity, profitability, forage quality and energy use in Sesbania alley based food-fodder systems. We hypothesized that soil tillage practices with Sesbania mulching would increase the system productivity, profitability and forage quality in rainfed agro-ecosystems. MethodsA four-years field experiment was conducted with Sesbania alley based food-fodder systems and three tillage practices with and without mulch. ResultsThe study revealed that Sesbania + (sorghum-mustard) and Sesbania + (sorghum-barley) cropping systems being at par, recorded significantly higher system productivity (59.4 t ha–1 and 58.7 t ha–1 respectively) and economic returns (US$ 504 ha–1) compared to Sesbania + (sorghum-chickpea) system (52.3 t ha–1). All the tillage practices, viz., conventional tillage in both the season (64.1 t ha−1); minimum tillage in rainy followed by zero tillage in winter season (63.5 t ha−1); and conventional tillage in rainy followed by zero tillage in winter season (60.1 t ha−1) with Sesbania mulching (SM), being at par, recorded significantly higher system productivity than their respective treatments without mulching. Sesbania mulching with all the above three tillage systems recorded 14.5%, 12.6% and 5.9% more net returns over their respective tillage practices without mulch, respectively. Among cropping systems, Sesbania + (sorghum-barley) was found most energy efficient which is at par with Sesbania + (sorghum-barley) but 28.2% higher over Sesbania + (sorghum-chickpea). The crude protein content of sorghum was 5–8% higher in Sesbania + (sorghum – chickpea) in comparison to other two cropping systems. ConclusionsOverall, innovative Sesbania alley based rainfed food-fodder system under reduced tillage and mulching improved system productivity, profitability, forage quality and energy use. Implications or significanceThe double cropping can be possible without compromising fodder needs if farmers used proper tillage and mulching practice in Sesbania alley based cropping systems.

Managing the New Wave of Migration With Biometric Identification

Due to the geopolitical situation, the scarcity of raw materials, the foreign policy actions of the major powers, the excessive use of resources worldwide and the struggle for them, as well as the inequalities caused by the demographic explosion of developing countries, europe and thus Hungary from the wider Middle East region have been under considerable migratory pressure for a long time, and this has increased further in 2021 on the basis of statistical data. (Frontex). Europe is trying to provide more answers to the problem. It is trying to keep refugees as far away as possible by developing and improving living conditions in the countries where migration flows originate, as well as by establishing migration zones beyond the EU’s borders and financing them, because these problems need to start to be addressed and solved at local level. Despite all this, refugees are constantly reaching Europe, and unfortunately among them are not only those who fear for their lives and lose everything, fleeing war, but also economic migrants who join the wave of migration and are probably members of organisations that pose a threat to European values and public security. (Kotzur, Moya, Sözen, Romano 2020). By building physical border closures, several EU countries have closed certain migration routes, but this has not eliminated the problem, only the routes have been reorthled. The registration and clear identification of immigrants in the attempt to cross the border and their identification within the EU pose a number of unresolved problems for the authorities. (Beňuška, T., Nečas, 2021). We are reviewing and comparing the methods of identification used in border policing with modern biometric identification methods in order to draw attention to the fact that technology has long been ready to be used to protect our security in the service of European values and security. But at the same time, a significant deterrent is the difficult transition from entrenched solutions to the fear of misuse of biometric data. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to consider trade-offs in use and technology and to think more effectively together at EU level as a common solution on the regulatory side. (EU Regulation 399/2016).

Ecology and behavior predict an evolutionary trade‐off between song complexity and elaborate plumages in antwrens (Aves, Thamnophilidae)

The environment can impose constraints on signal transmission properties such that signals should evolve in predictable directions (Sensory Drive Hypothesis). However, behavioral and ecological factors can limit investment in more than one sensory modality leading to a trade-off in use of different signals (Transfer Hypothesis). In birds, there is mixed evidence for both sensory drive and transfer hypothesis. Few studies have tested sensory drive while also evaluating the transfer hypothesis, limiting understanding of the relative roles of these processes in signal evolution. Here, we assessed both hypotheses using acoustic and visual signals in male and female antwrens (Thamnophilidae), a species-rich group that inhabits diverse environments and exhibits behaviors, such as mixed-species flocking, that could limit investment in different signal modalities. We uncovered significant effects of habitat (sensory drive) and mixed-species flocking behavior on both sensory modalities, and we revealed evolutionary trade-offs between song and plumage complexity, consistent with the transfer hypothesis. We also showed sex- and trait-specific responses in visual signals that suggest both natural and social selection play an important role in the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Altogether, these results support the idea that environmental (sensory drive) and behavioral pressures (social selection) shape signal evolution in antwrens.

The 11th workshop on active internet measurements (AIMS-11) workshop report

On 16-17 April 2018, CAIDA hosted its eleventh Workshop on Active Internet Measurements (AIMS-11). This workshop series provides a forum for stakeholders in Internet active measurement projects to communicate their interests and concerns, and explore cooperative approaches to maximizing the collective benefit of deployed infrastructure and gathered data. An overarching theme this year was scaling the storage, indexing, annotation, and usage of Internet measurements. We discussed tradeoffs in use of commercial cloud services to to make measurement results more accessible and informative to researchers in various disciplines. Other agenda topics included status updates on recent measurement infrastructures and community feedback; measurement of poorly configured infrastructure; and recent successes and approaches to evolving challenges in geolocation, topology, route hijacking, and performance measurement. We review highlights of discussions of the talks. This report does not cover each topic discussed; for more details examine workshop presentations linked from the workshop web page: http://www.caida.org/workshops/aims/1904/.

An investigation of a dynamic model of privacy trade-off in use of mobile social network applications: A longitudinal perspective

This study examines the dynamic relationship between perceived privacy concerns and use behaviors of a new social networking application (SNA) over time. By integrating the theory of belief updating and an extended privacy trade-off model from a longitudinal perspective as the basis for theoretical underpinning, this study proposes a privacy trade-off model showing the role of initial use and initial self-disclosure on updating users' pre-perceptions of using a new SNA to initial perceptions of using it. The trade-off between pre-privacy concern and pre-perceived benefit determines the initial SNA usage and self-disclosure behaviors. Then, initial privacy trade-off determines the continued use behavior and continued self-disclosure. Using an empirical data collected three phases from actual mobile app users, this study validates the proposed model and hypotheses. Including the proposed dynamic model of privacy trade-off, this study provides important contributions to theory and practice in the privacy literature.

Lessons From Globally Coordinated Cessation of Serotype 2 Oral Poliovirus Vaccine for the Remaining Serotypes.

Background.Comparing model expectations with the experience of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) containing serotype 2 (OPV2) cessation can inform risk management for the expected cessation of OPV containing serotypes 1 and 3 (OPV13). Methods.We compare the expected post-OPV2-cessation OPV2-related viruses from models with the evidence available approximately 6 months after OPV2 cessation. We also model the trade-offs of use vs nonuse of monovalent OPV (mOPV) for outbreak response considering all 3 serotypes.Results.Although too early to tell definitively, the observed die-out of OPV2-related viruses in populations that attained sufficiently intense trivalent OPV (tOPV) use prior to OPV2 cessation appears consistent with model expectations. As expected, populations that did not intensify tOPV use prior to OPV2 cessation show continued circulation of serotype 2 vaccine-derived polioviruses (VDPVs). Failure to aggressively use mOPV to respond to circulating VDPVs results in a high risk of uncontrolled outbreaks that would require restarting OPV.Conclusions.Ensuring a successful endgame requires more aggressive OPV cessation risk management than has occurred to date for OPV2 cessation. This includes maintaining high population immunity to transmission up until OPV13 cessation, meeting all prerequisites for OPV cessation, and ensuring sufficient vaccine supply to prevent and respond to outbreaks.

Cloud-Based Software Platform for Big Data Analytics in Smart Grids

This article focuses on a scalable software platform for the Smart Grid cyber-physical system using cloud technologies. Dynamic Demand Response (D2R) is a challenge-application to perform intelligent demand-side management and relieve peak load in Smart Power Grids. The platform offers an adaptive information integration pipeline for ingesting dynamic data; a secure repository for researchers to share knowledge; scalable machine-learning models trained over massive datasets for agile demand forecasting; and a portal for visualizing consumption patterns, and validated at the University of Southern California's campus microgrid. The article examines the role of clouds and their tradeoffs for use in the Smart Grid Cyber-Physical Sagileystem.

Incubation routine, duration of foraging trips and regulation of body mass in Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris)

The energy demands of incubation can present important costs in avian reproduction. In species where incubation is shared, the time that individuals have for foraging may be influenced by their own foraging success and their partner's ability to fast while incubating. To investigate the costs of incubation, 60 pairs of Short-tailed Shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) were studied on Great Dog Island, Tasmania, to determine ifbody mass influences incubation routines, duration of foraging trips and neglect of eggs. Body mass throughout the incubation period varied considerably, with birds losing an average of 20% of their original body mass as a result of complete fasting while on land. Initial body mass of males was positively correlated with time spent incubating, and heavier birds had the ability to extend their incubation shift if their partner was delayed or failed to return from sea. The body mass when birds left the nest to return to sea was associated with days spent foraging, and was inversely related to the mass gained at sea. Temporary egg neglect was observed in both successful and unsuccessful breeding attempts, but increased the risk of breeding failure. No specific mass threshold at which birds left the nest if not relieved by their partner could be determined. Avian reproduction represents a trade-off in use of resources between current survival and reproductive investment. The results suggest that body mass during incubation plays an important role in the reproductive behaviour of Short-tailed Shearwaters, enabling adults to regulate the trade-off between risks of adult mortality and breeding failure.

Effectiveness of treatment for class II malocclusion with the herbst or twin-block appliances: a randomized, controlled trial

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Herbst and Twin-block appliances for established Class II Division I malocclusion. The study was a multicenter, randomized clinical trial carried out in orthodontic departments in the United Kingdom. A total of 215 patients (aged 11-14 years) were randomized to receive treatment with either the Herbst or the Twin-block appliance. Treatment with the Herbst appliance resulted in a lower failure-to-complete rate for the functional appliance phase of treatment (12.9%) than did treatment with Twin-block (33.6%). There were no differences in treatment time between appliances, but significantly more appointments (3) were needed for repair of the Herbst appliance than for the Twin-block. There were no differences in skeletal and dental changes between the appliances; however, the final occlusal result and skeletal discrepancy were better for girls than for boys. Because of the high cooperation rates of patients using it, the Herbst appliance could be the appliance of choice for treating adolescents with Class II Division 1 malocclusion. The trade-off for use of the Herbst is more appointments for appliance repair.

Scientists, growers assess trade-offs in use of tillage, cover crops and compost

Use of cover crops and compost increased soil quality in irrigated, intensive production of lettuce and broccoli in the Salinas Valley. These methods had the beneficial impacts of increasing soil microbial biomass, increasing total soil carbon and nitrogen, reducing surface bulk density and decreasing the potential for groundwater pollution as a result of nitrate leaching below the root zone. These soil benefits did not lead to lower yields and occasionally resulted in fewer weeds and lower lettuce corky root disease. Although surface minimum tillage reduced yields, it led to reduced potential for nitrate leaching below the root zone. Use of conventional tillage, cover crops, and compost produced high vegetable yields and acceptable net economic returns over a 2-year period, but broccoli was more profitable than lettuce under this regime. Understanding the trade-offs of various costs and benefits will help growers choose management practices that optimize economic and environmental benefits.

Exploitation Competition in Mobile Grazers: Trade‐offs in Use of a Limited Resource

Mechanisms underlying competitive effects between two species of marine snails (Tegula aureotincta and Tegula eiseni) were examined; results indicated that the interaction involved exploitation of microalgae and not interference. A behavioral experiment demonstrated that an individual of either species was less likely to feed on a recently grazed patch when the prior forager was T. aureotincta. Both snails responded only to the amount of food available on a patch, and, except at very low food levels, the likelihood that a snail would remain to feed was identical for the two species across microalgal densities. Where food was scarce, T. eiseni was more likely than T. aureotincta to feed in that patch. Density—dependent effects on microalgal standing stock differed between the snails; at low grazer densities, T. aureotincta depressed food levels to a comparatively greater degree, whereas at high grazer densities, T. eiseni had a relatively greater effect. The relative growth performance of the snails differed as a function of available food: T. aureotincta had superior body growth at high resource densities, while T. eiseni grew comparatively better at low microalgal densities. Differences in effects on and growth responses to microalgae arose from dissimilar foraging characteristics of the snails. Compared with T. eiseni, T. aureotincta moved more rapidly while feeding, harvested twice as great an area per unit time, but was unable to crop microalgae as close to rock surfaces. While T. eiseni grazed a smaller area per unit time, it removed relatively more microalgae per area grazed. These differing suites of foraging attributes may represent a trade—off to harvest food at different densities: cropping closer to the substratum (area intensive grazing) yields more food when microalgae are scarce, but precludes grazing a larger area per unit time (area extensive grazing) through fast movement, which provides a greater food intake when microalgae are abundant. If an area extensive (moves faster)—intensive (digs deeper) trade—off is a common feature of benthic grazer systems, knowledge of this aspect could provide great predictive insight into the patterns and causes of density dependence arising from exploitation.