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The paper is a review of bibliographical publications relating to transparent papers during the period 1960 to 1999. Emphasis is placed on conservation treatments. An introductory chapter covering the history and technology of these papers is followed by a description of types of degradation frequently encountered and a short paragraph dedicated to analysis. Subsequent chapters discuss conservation treatments, including dry cleaning, humidification and flattening, washing and deacidification, lining, local repairs, resizing, facing, solvent use and bleaching. A discussion of housing and storage methods completes the review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Sphenopalatine Ganglion (SPG) is known to play an integral role in the pathophysiology of a wide variety of orofacial pains involving the jaws, sinuses, eyes and the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. It supplies direct parasympathetic innervation to the trigeminal and facial nerves. Sympathetic innervation from the superior sympathetic chain passes thru the SPG to the trigeminal and facial nerves.This paper reviews relevant and significant literature on SPG Blocks and Neuromodulation published in peer reviewed medical and dental journals. Neuromuscular Dentistry employs ULF-TENS to relax musculature and simultaneously provide neuromodulation to the ganglion.Conclusion: The effects of ULF-TENS on the autonomic nervous system acts on the Limbic System and Hypothalamus (H-P-A) to address Axis II issues during neuromuscular dental procedures. It also directly affects the autonomic component of the trigeminal nerve involved in almost all headaches and migraines as well as the Myofascial and Joint disorders of TMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper describes the findings of a technical study of the materials and techniques used by Honore Daumier for works on canvas, panel and paper, with special regard to the similarity between techniques used by the artist for all three supports. Thirteen paintings (five on canvas and eight on panel) and seven works on paper were examined using a range of techniques to characterize materials and methods used by the artist to create these works. Our findings suggest that materials and methods of application traditionally associated with works on paper were used by Daumier also for his works on canvas and panel supports. Materials include those usually associated with drawings, such as charcoal, lithographic crayon, and thin washes of water- and oil-based paint and ink, applied with quill and reed pens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to test subjective interpretation accuracy via digital polling of a large group of dentists to determine whether dentists can reliably interpret occlusal forces by visually assessing articulating paper markings.Methods: One hundred fifty-two dentists selected the most forceful occlusal contact in five occlusal-view photographs of articulating paper marks that were compared against T-Scan® relative occlusal levels of the same tooth contacts.Results: The mean correct response was a mere 13.13% correct (86.87% incorrect). Random chance was calculated at 16.7% correct. The cuspid contacts were the least often chosen as the most forceful contact. The Mann-Whitney U test found a significant difference between choosing the anterior teeth vs. posterior teeth. onclusions: Subjective interpretation is an inaccurate method for determining high force occlusal contacts. The reported low correct percentage fell below random chance, suggesting that dentists are unable to detect high occlusal force from looking at articulating paper marks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether Subjective Interpretation of paper markings is a reliable method for identifying the relative occlusal force content of tooth contacts. Methodology: 295 clinicians selected the "Most Forceful" and "Least Forceful" occlusal contacts in six occlusal-view photographs of articulating paper marks that were later compared against computerized occlusal analysis relative occlusal force measurements of the same tooth contacts. Means and standard deviations were calculated by years in clinical practice and by number of occlusion courses taken. A Chi-square analysis was also performed. Results: The mean correct for 295 participant dentists was 1.53 (±1.234). There were no significant differences found for years in practice (P>0.16) or number of occlusion courses taken (P>0.75). The Chi-square analysis showed a sensitivity of 12.6%, a specificity of 12.4%, a positive predictive value of 12.58%, and a negative predictive value of 12.42%. Chance was calculated at 12.5% correct. Conclusions: Subjective Interpretation is an ineffective clinical method for determining the relative occlusal force content of tooth contacts. The reported low scores obtained from a large group of participant dentists suggest clinicians are unable to reliably differentiate high and low occlusal force from looking at articulating paper marks. This longstanding method of visually observing articulating paper marks for occlusal contact force content should be replaced with a measurement-based, objective method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study concerning the "parts" of cut-paper art products in an attempt to know the influence of teacher motivation and non-motivation on its overall aesthetic quality in art education. In relation, the definition of terms, population, and the experiment's procedure are presented. The study shows that the amount of overall aesthetic quality judged in the "parts" had much influence on the overall aesthetic quality in the final art product. It suggests that all complex relationships should be carefully defined and explored to understand the relation among the creator, the creative process, and the final art product.

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Two principal schools of thought regarding the etiology and optimal treatment of temporomandibular disorders exist; one physical/functional, the other biopsychosocial. This position paper establishes the scientific basis for the physical/functional. The ICCMO Position: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) comprise a group of musculoskeletal disorders, affecting alterations in the structure and/or function of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ), masticatory muscles, dentition and supporting structures. The initial TMD diagnosis is based on history, clinical examination and imaging, if indicated. Diagnosis is greatly enhanced with physiologic measurement devices, providing objective measurements of the functional status of the masticatory system: TMJs, muscles and dental occlusion. The American Alliance of TMD organizations represent thousands of clinicians involved in the treatment of TMD. The ten basic principles of the Alliance include the following statement: Dental occlusion may have a significant role in TMD; as a cause, precipitant and/or perpetuating factor. Therefore, it can be stated that the overwhelming majority of dentists treating TMD believe dental occlusion plays a major role in predisposition, precipitation and perpetuation. While our membership believes that occlusal treatments most frequently resolve TMD, it is recognized that TMD can be multi faceted and may exist with co-morbid physical or emotional factors that may require therapy by appropriate providers. The International College of Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics (ICCMO), composed of academic and clinical dentists, believes that TMD has a primary physical functional basis. Initial conservative and reversible TMD treatment employing a therapeutic neuromuscular orthosis that incorporates relaxed, healthy masticatory muscle function and a stable occlusion is most often successful. This is accomplished using objective measurement technologies and ultra low frequency transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS). Conclusion: Extensive literature substantiates the scientific validity of the physical/functional basis of TMD, efficacy of measurement devices and TENS and their use as aids in diagnosis and in establishing a therapeutic neuromuscular dental occlusion. Clinical Implications: A scientifically valid basis for TMD diagnosis and treatment is presented aiding in therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Growing use of mediation and other alternative means of dispute resolution has led many courts and ADR programs to develop "mediator credentialing" and other approaches that seek to ensure quality mediation. A variety of practical and political difficulties have led these entities to take very diverse, and sometimes debatable, paths to quality assurance (QA). Recently, Maryland's judiciary sponsored a three-year project that led to an innovative QA system for Maryland mediators. The new Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence deemphasizes "pass-fail" barriers, as well as paper-based certification based on legal expertise and other substitute credentials; instead, this system seeks to promote and reward mediators who wish to develop their practice skills. This article offers an overview of Maryland's new QA system; compares it to approaches that have been taken elsewhere; and commends it to courts and other mediation users as a vehicle for improving mediation practice and for serving as a trustworthy indicator of skilled performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines issues related to achieving meaningful participation in class activities as an element of social inclusion of learners with cognitive disabilities aged 14–19 years that are enrolled in educational institutions (schools/centres) during COVID-19 in United Arab Emirates. The paper relied on a qualitative approach with 5 sessions of virtual observation and 18 semi-structured virtual interviews with learners themselves and their care givers/parents as the main methodological tool given lack of access to physical means at the time of data collection during the global pandemic (2021–22). The analysis was thematic, focusing on explored and extracted main issues that impact one important aspect of the social inclusion of such learners, which is their active participation during a difficult time. The results showed that learners with cognitive disabilities faced additional several issues in addition to what members of the surrounding community dealt with during the disaster. Data revealed that they were immensely affected by the pandemic, with another layer of social isolation, lack of peer interaction as well as family restriction that is directed at them with additional measures than everyone in the household. It also showed that despite the efforts and programmes designed by schools/institutes that were in place to support their engagement in academic and social activities, participation as an important social aspect of their school lives was badly impacted. Despite calls for prioritizing such learners, the study revealed that learners with cognitive disability were constructed as 'last on the list' among class community members in terms of their participation and active engagement in different class activities. The data were purposefully collected at a time that is unlikely to be replicated for many years to come (a global pandemic), the purpose was to give a reflection on the status allocated to such individuals during hard, unusual and/or difficult times for any future practice. The paper forwards recommendations to support educational institutions to promote active participation of learners with cognitive disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on a briefing paper which explains why professional teachers of the arts disciplines in the U.S. have continued to deal with problems of justification for rigorous, sequential arts instruction. The paper was presented by eight groups including Music Educators National Conference, National Art Education Association, National Dance Association, American Theatre Association, National Association of Schools of Music, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, National Association of Schools of Theatre and National Association of Schools of Dance.

The studio model of art instruction remains dominant in art education despite perceived needs for change and numerous proposed alternatives. The failure of other instructional models to be adopted, the theory-practice schism in art education, and the character of art teacher recruitment may be related to the economics of art studio materials. The investment of art supply companies in a range of highly visible promotional activities appears to reinforce the status quo. An informal, mutually supportive edifice has been constructed between pedagogy and economics, with the studio model of instruction providing psychic security to the art teacher and monetary rewards to the art supplier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studies in Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

AIMS: The aim of this study was to determine whether Subjective Interpretation of paper markings is a reliable method for identifying the relative occlusal force content of tooth contacts. METHODOLOGY: 295 clinicians selected the 'Most Forceful' and 'Least Forceful' occlusal contacts in six occlusal-view photographs of articulating paper marks that were later compared against computerized occlusal analysis relative occlusal force measurements of the same tooth contacts. Means and standard deviations were calculated by years in clinical practice and by number of occlusion courses taken. A Chi-square analysis was also performed. RESULTS: The mean correct for 295 participant dentists was 1.53 (+/- 1.234). There were no significant differences found for years in practice (P>0.16) or number of occlusion courses taken (P>0.75). The Chi-square analysis showed a sensitivity of 12.6%, a specificity of 12.4%, a positive predictive value of 12.58%, and a negative predictive value of 12.42%. Chance was calculated at 12.5% correct. CONCLUSIONS: Subjective Interpretation is an ineffective clinical method for determining the relative occlusal force content of tooth contacts. The reported low scores obtained from a large group of participant dentists suggest clinicians are unable to reliably differentiate high and low occlusal force from looking at articulating paper marks. This longstanding method of visually observing articulating paper marks for occlusal contact force content should be replaced with a measurement-based, objective method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on the result of the analysis of the painting materials found in the studio of artist J. M. W. Turner at his death in 1851, which was conducted by N. W. Hanson, head of the Analytical Section in the Paints Division of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI). The author is of the opinion that Hanson had to modify his use of emission spectrography, and if he is alive today, should consider the combination of reliable, reproducible, analysis of samples of complex, aged and often contaminated materials with concomitant research into out-of-print and rare historical sources. The author also believes that the claim of Hanson that he could distinguish aged mastic from aged dammar is unjustified.

PURPOSE: Two principal schools of thought regarding the etiology and optimal treatment of temporomandibular disorders exist; one physical/functional, the other biopsychosocial. This position paper establishes the scientific basis for the physical/functional. THE ICCMO POSITION: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) comprise a group of musculoskeletal disorders, affecting alterations in the structure and/or function of the temporomandibular joints (TMJ), masticatory muscles, dentition and supporting structures. The initial TMD diagnosis is based on history, clinical examination and imaging, if indicated. Diagnosis is greatly enhanced with physiologic measurement devices, providing objective measurements of the functional status of the masticatory system: TMJs, muscles and dental occlusion. The American Alliance of TMD organizations represent thousands of clinicians involved in the treatment of TMD. The ten basic principles of the Alliance include the following statement: Dental occlusion may have a significant role in TMD; as a cause, precipitant and/or perpetuating factor. Therefore, it can be stated that the overwhelming majority of dentists treating TMD believe dental occlusion plays a major role in predisposition, precipitation and perpetuation. While our membership believes that occlusal treatments most frequently resolve TMD, it is recognized that TMD can be multi faceted and may exist with co-morbid physical or emotional factors that may require therapy by appropriate providers. The International College of Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics (ICCMO), composed of academic and clinical dentists, believes that TMD has a primary physical/functional basis. Initial conservative and reversible TMD treatment employing a therapeutic neuromuscular orthosis that incorporates relaxed, healthy masticatory muscle function and a stable occlusion is most often successful. This is accomplished using objective measurement technologies and ultra low frequency transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS). CONCLUSION: Extensive literature substantiates the scientific validity of the physical/functional basis of TMD, efficacy of measurement devices and TENS and their use as aids in diagnosis and in establishing a therapeutic neuromuscular dental occlusion. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A scientifically valid basis for TMD diagnosis and treatment is presented aiding in therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing Internet of Things (IoT) landscape requires robust security; traditional rule-based systems are insufficient, driving the integration of machine learning (ML) for effective intrusion detection. This paper provides an inclusive overview of research efforts focused on harnessing ML methodologies to fortify intrusion detection within IoT. Tailored feature extraction techniques are pivotal for achieving high detection accuracy while minimizing false positives. The study employs the IoT23 dataset from Kaggle and incorporates four optimization algorithms – Particle Swarm Optimizer, Whale-Pearson optimization algorithm, Harris-Hawks Optimizer, and Support Vector Machine with Particle Swarm optimization algorithm (SVM-PSO) – for feature extraction and selection. A comparison with ML algorithms such as logistic regression, decision tree and naïve Bayes classifier highlights Harris-Hawks Optimizer as the most effective. Furthermore, ensemble methods, particularly the fusion of random forest with HHO optimization, yield an impressive accuracy of 99.97%, surpassing AdaBoost and XGBoost approaches. This paper underscores the application of diverse ensemble learning techniques to enhance intrusion detection precision and efficiency within the intricate IoT landscape, effectively tackling the challenges posed by its complex and ever-changing nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explored the transition of a disability inclusive employment programme in a private landscaping company into a standalone social enterprise ENABLE, offering horticultural training and sustainable jobs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The research question that guided this study is: How did ENABLE evolve from a sheltered employment programme into a social enterprise that provides sustainable employment for persons with IDD? And what is the prevailing influence on the employees and the society at large? Through qualitative descriptive analysis, we explored ENABLE's development, operations, and community influence. Multiple data collection methods were utilized including semi-structured interviews with key employers, observation of employees with IDD during their working hours, and analysis of related documents. By critically analysing this journey, this study contributes to the literature on entrepreneurial inclusive employment for individuals with IDD, addressing challenges faced by organisations that support disability employment in the UAE and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience symptoms of various mental disorders along with the characteristics that define ASD. High rates of several psychiatric disorders have been reported in people with ASD such as anxiety, depression, cognitive problems, emotional regulation difficulties and related behavioral problems can occur in children of all ages with ASD. There are many treatment programs that can help autistic persons cope with these symptoms. Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and more are treatment programs that can help people with autism recognize and manage their symptoms. Aim: This paper examines through bibliographic sources of the last 15 years the possible mental disorders that a child or adolescent with ASD may experience, as well as the therapeutic interventions that can help to manage them. Methodology: For the present bibliographic research, 15 scientific articles from English journals were used. The databases from which the scientific articles were found were PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar. Results: According to the results of various studies, children and adolescents with autism show various symptoms of psychological disorders such as Anxiety Disorders, Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The combination of CBT and ICT can help people with autism recognize and manage their symptoms. Discussion: The various symptoms of disorders that children and adolescents with autism experience can have a major impact on their family, their daily life, their schooling, and their future work. It is of the utmost importance that these children enter into a treatment program in order to better manage and treat their symptoms. The support of the school is also very important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pragmatics can be defined as the appropriate use of language in social interactions. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) exhibit difficulties in pragmatic language (PL), but the nature and sources of these difficulties have not been fully investigated yet. The purpose of this paper is to critically review empirical literature on the PL of children with ASD as compared to that of children with DLD. Thirteen studies that met established inclusion criteria were identified and reviewed. Children with ASD and children with DLD demonstrated several similarities in PL. However, a lot of differences were observed and mainly children with ASD faced more profound difficulties than children with DLD, while PL may be a distinct marker between the two groups. The differences observed in the language profiles of ASD and DLD show that even if there is an overlap in some domains, the PL abilities of children of both clinical populations are likely to be controlled by different mechanisms and therefore these differences in PL may be considered as a distinguishable feature between the two populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inherent randomness in economic factors causes complex and irregular behaviour that affects financial system stability and economic growth. Such chaotic behaviour can make it difficult to synchronize financial systems. The chaotic finance system synchronization precision maintains financial stability and economic growth. In this paper, the controller design procedure assumes that the financial system is exposed to unknown bounded exogenous disturbances and model uncertainties. This research proposes a novel direct adaptive control strategy that achieves robust synchronization of two identical four-dimensional finance chaotic (FDFC) systems. The proposed controller establishes a faster, smoother synchronization error vector convergence to zero. The controller design procedure does not eliminate the closed-loop's nonlinear terms and is independent of the financial system parameters. These controller's attributes accomplish the closed-loop robust performance. Further, this controller uses real-time estimates of unknown model uncertainties and bounds to compensate for unknown exogenous disturbances. Computer simulation results and proofs of theoretical analysis based on the Lyapunov stability theory confirm that the proposed control technique compels the error vector trajectories to the origin in a short transient time with less active oscillations for all signals. The paper includes comparative computer simulations for verifying the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many plant diseases and pests cannot be controlled on-farm as they spread from one field or region to another. This opens up a series of interconnected social, political, and economic questions besides the common technical questions about the spread, impact and management of the disease or pest. A new genotype of the soil-born fungus Fusarium, called Tropical Race 4, is extremely virulent, widely destroying banana crops destined for domestic and international markets, and spreading rapidly in Southeast Asia and recently to other countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. It threatens both staple food production and the export of bananas. The international research and policy-making communities on bananas have been alarmed and are calling for concerted action to control this disease. This paper supports the idea that Fusarium wilt control has to be regarded as a public good but also finds that the public good is being conceptualized in divergent ways. It raises the question as to what gaps exist in the current understanding of providing that public good. The paper identifies a set of key problems, including the problem of anticipation by governments, a neglect of histories of political economic oppositions in the banana sector, the strictures of sovereignty-thinking in multilateral responses, and the aversion that neo-liberal models of governance develop to the public good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the views of art teachers on the article "Participant Observation As a Research Methodology," by Paul Pohland, which has been published within the issue. Professor of education and creative arts, Hilda P. Lewis, points out the limitations of Pohland's participant observation method in art education. Pohland comments on Lewis' remarks that flexibility and reliability are not compatible. Another response is by professor of art education, June K. Mcfee.

This paper introduces Knowledge Distillation of Vision Transformer (KDViT), a novel approach for medical image classification. The Vision Transformer architecture incorporates a self-attention mechanism to autonomously learn image structure. The input medical image is segmented into patches and transformed into low-dimensional linear embeddings. Position information is integrated into each patch, and a learnable classification token is appended for classification, thereby preserving spatial relationships within the image. The output vectors are then fed into a Transformer encoder to extract both local and global features, leveraging the inherent attention mechanism for robust feature extraction across diverse medical imaging scenarios. Furthermore, knowledge distillation is employed to enhance performance by transferring insights from a large teacher model to a small student model. This approach reduces the computational requirements of the larger model and improves overall effectiveness. Integrating knowledge distillation with two Vision Transformer models not only showcases the novelty of the proposed solution for medical image classification but also enhances model interpretability, reduces computational complexity, and improves generalization capabilities. The proposed KDViT model achieved high accuracy rates of 98.39%, 88.57%, and 99.15% on the SARS-CoV-2-CT, COVID-CT, and iCTCF datasets respectively, surpassing the performance of other state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing importance of accurate battery state estimations in advanced Battery Management Systems (BMS) underscores the need for precise modelling of battery behaviour and characteristics. While equivalent circuit models are widely utilized for their low computational demands, they face challenges in maintaining precision and adaptability during dynamic conditions, posing a persistent concern for future advancements. This study focuses specifically on the battery hysteresis effect, a complicating factor in the modelling and estimation processes. Open circuit voltage (OCV) measurements and parameter identification for equivalent circuit models were conducted on prevalent Li-ion battery technologies, namely nickel-manganese–cobalt (NMC) and lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP). The experimental results indicate the hysteresis effect becomes more significant with lower temperatures. In this paper, a battery model covering the temperature influence on the hysteresis effect is proposed. The proposed model exhibits an average root mean square error of less than 13 mV. The model holds promise for application in modern battery management systems, offering an enhancement to state-of-charge estimation methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETS are increasingly favoured in power electronics for their improved properties compared to silicon-based counterparts, such as IGBTs. Their ability to operate at higher switching frequencies and execute faster switching transients is notable. However, these features also raise significant concerns with electromagnetic interference (EMI). To exploit the full capabilities of SiC-based technology, meticulous design strategies encompassing the power stage, commutation loop, and gate drive are essential. This paper conducts a comprehensive review of existing gate drive techniques aimed at enhancing the performance of SiC devices. Moreover, this study introduces an innovative approach for optimizing switching processes through the use of active gate drivers (AGD). By pre-mapping the gate-source voltage profiles for different conditions (such as load current, temperature, and DC-link voltage), it is possible to achieve a significantly improved switching trajectory. This optimization process can be applied on a cycle-by-cycle basis in practical scenarios. Herein, pre-mapping and optimization have been experimentally confirmed in a half-bridge configuration. Through simulation, it is demonstrated that optimizing the switching trajectory can lead to a balanced compromise between EMI and switching losses, showcasing the potential for significant performance enhancements in SiC device operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new approach to control stall and surge instabilities in the compressor system by using of finite time backstepping-based adaptive sliding mode method. The most important innovation of this study is to provide a finite time adaptive control method to simultaneously prevent the stall and surge instabilities in a compressor system in the presence of disturbance and uncertainty in the compressor characteristic curve as well as the throttle valve. The disturbance and uncertainty issues are covered by a robust sliding mode control and the gain coefficients of this controller as well as the estimation of uncertain terms are obtained by using the adaptive method. The Lyapunov stability criterion is used to evaluate the finite-time stability of the closed-loop system. The performance of the proposed method is compared with other literature methods through simulation in Matlab. The simulation results show that the proposed controller is better than the existing methods in terms of surge preventing and robustness against uncertainty and disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the controllable parameters of micro turbojet engines in engineering applications are mainly speed-fuel flow (hereinafter referred to as flow) control, in which closed-loop proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control is mostly used to achieve a stable control of engine speed under slow engine conditions. For the optimal adjustment of PID parameters, this paper designs an improved evolutionary strategy for the self-tuning of control parameters in the engine speed and flow control system and formulates an improved PI controller based on a neural network. The simulation experimental results show that the method can realistically achieve stable and fast control of the engine under above slow conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, with the development of an intelligent power system idea, sustainable energy sources were increasingly deployed, including transmission and distribution systems networks. As a result, optimal use of cascaded H-bridge inverter topologies (MLIs) and power distribution operations is critical for long-term power generation. Traditionally, selective harmonics reduction models must be performed to achieve the optimal switching frequency of multilevel inverters. This research aims to determine the switching frequency for wind-incorporated multilevel inverters to reduce overall harmonic components used in grid applications. This research adds towards the best possible solution by employing multiple newly established adaptive optimization techniques: MNSGA-II and salp swarm. The well-known genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization are used for the wind-tied multilevel inverters optimization issue. Sevenlevel, eleven-level, and fifteen-level MLIs were employed to reduce overall harmonic distortion. The reliability and convergence rate of simulated data with various modulation indices for seven-, eleven-, and fifteen-level MLIs are obtained and compared. Models are developed based on MATLAB Simulink and are used to validate quantitative measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the conventional LTE homogeneous network, sufficient transmit power of user equipment (UE) is determined by open-loop power control (OL-PC) and closed-loop power control (CL-PC) schemes. However, in a Het-Net environment, setting the UE’s transmit power requires delicate responsiveness to handle the severe and complicated uplink interference. In this paper, an interference-aware uplink power control mechanism based on Heuristic game theory approach is proposed for devices coexisting in a heterogeneous wireless network. Various wireless constraints like channel response, path loss, fading, shadowing, interference and metrics like SNR, SINR, throughput and bit rates are considered. Uplink power is controlled by suitably selecting the penalization factor (β) based on a simple Heuristic game theory approach considering the possible wireless constraints of each user depending on its location in the cell under consideration. The algorithm is framed in such a way to reduce inter-cell interference, limit transmit power, enhance bit rates and throughput of users. A significant improvement of 5.2% in the user coverage/ distribution is achieved as a result of interference management compared to conventional power control scheme and power control with convex pricing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, novel position sensorless state estimators with improved robustness to permanent magnet (PM) flux linkage variations in permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) are presented. Unlike state estimators using conventional infinite inertia or electromechanical models, the estimators presented here can also estimate the PM flux linkage, so they are not sensitive to its uncertainty. For each models used for state estimation, a detailed observability study is presented. Due to the nonlinear models, extended and unscented Kalman filter algorithms are used for the implementation. To compare the sensitivity of conventional and proposed state estimators to uncertainty in electrical parameters, numerical simulations are carried out. In addition, the computational burden of the estimators is compared by real-time execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the design issue of the computer simulation models of the traction inverter reflecting request on the rapid investigation of the efficiency performance under various operational conditions. According to this, a piece-wised linearized simulation tool PLECS is selected for model development, which considers the relevant loss behaviour of the main power circuit semiconductor components. The topologies, for which the simulation models are created, are topologies, one of which is commonly used across the automotive industry as the heart of the traction drive (VSI – Voltage Source Inverter), and its perspective alternative three-level traction inverter topology T-NPC – T-type Neutral Point Clamped. The simulation models created in the given simulation tool are thus subjected to the analysis of power parameters, which also include the calculated power losses of the entire system of semiconductor devices for both topologies of the traction inverter. Based on the obtained power parameters, the efficiency performance under various operational conditions of both topologies is evaluated. The presented methodology enables rapid investigation of operational performance enabling fast optimization methods. Any design of linearized simulation models in the PLECS simulation tool, whose core consists of semiconductor elements, can be analyzed by the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper intends to model an AGC regulator for a restructured environment using Bare Bone Particle Swarm Optimization (BBPSO). The gain-controlled Proportional–Integral (PI) Controller is designed here to enhance the performance of the BBPSO algorithm along with Gaussian distribution. The practical difficulty in handling the area control error to zero is the sudden variations in load. In practice, the tremendous contribution of deregulation in the power sector causes volatility in frequency and tie-line power deviations. To ensure the robustness of the proposed controller, three different cases of power system transactions have been considered. The performance has been validated by comparing it with Real Coded Genetic Algorithm-tuned PI controller (RCGA-PI) and Differential Evolutionary Algorithm-tuned PI controller (DE-PI) for the five area Thermal-Thermal generation test system. Moreover, the dynamic performance of an extensive range of demands and disturbances of all areas like settling time and overshoot against parametric precariousness has been done on the proposed test system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]