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Evoking simplicity in marketing communications has become popular among marketing practitioners, but little is known about its effects on consumers and firms. The current work focuses on consumers' perceptions of the simplicity or complexity of brands and a previously overlooked consequence of those perceptions. Results from six experiments and analysis of a proprietary customer satisfaction dataset from Consumer Reports (N = 147,600) show that when consumers think brands are simple, they judge them to be less likely to experience product or service failures. Although these lower risk judgments could be positive for brands, they can also lead consumers to punish simpler brands more in the event of failures. Results also suggest that consumers' simplicity/complexity perceptions reflect the dimensionality of their mental representations of brands, and the relationship between simplicity and lower risk is attenuated when additional brand dimensionality is framed in terms of redundancy. The findings cast doubt on the degree to which evoking simplicity is a uniformly positive marketing strategy and encourage practitioners to more thoughtfully consider simplicity's implications for consumer and firm welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking advantage of the gradual change characteristic of the curvature of the conventional conic ellipse, this paper proposes a method of fitting a non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curve with an elliptical arc and, thereafter, performing speed planning and interpolation of the elliptical arc itself. First, the method of elliptical arc fitting is introduced and then proven by simulation with comparative previous linear and arc fittings to obtain better fitting accuracy with fewer segments. Subsequently, the tangent vector of any point of an ellipse is used to complete the speed planning and interpolation of that ellipse. In terms of speed planning, the maximum acceleration of any point in the elliptical arc can be obtained by using a tangent vector, and the time speed curve in this work is completed based on this phenomenon. In the interpolation stage, the longest axis of the current point is determined by using the tangent vector of any point of the elliptical arc, according to which the pulse is sent, thereby completing the interpolation operation via this iterative cycle. This method unifies the processing model of the interpolation algorithm, the simplicity and efficiency of which is verified by subsequent simulation data. This method can also be universally applied to processing most other types of curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the chattering problem generated in the machining process of thin-walled parts with complex curved surfaces, a process optimization strategy based on the non-uniform allowance of ɛ influence factor is proposed from the finishing margin with the goal of simplicity and practicality. Firstly, the machining allowance is planned using the ɛ influence factor, and then the theoretical evaluation of the chattering stability of milling operations for uniform allowance blades and non-uniform allowance blades based on the ɛ influence factor by semi-discrete time-domain analysis is carried out and compared, and the results show that the stabilizing region of the optional spindle speed and depth of cut is increased by about 50%, thus effectively improving the productivity. Finally, through the test machining of the whole impeller and the surface contour inspection of the whole impeller, it is verified that the process optimization strategy based on the non-uniform allowance of ɛ influence factor has an obvious effect on the suppression of chattering, which is instructive for the machining and manufacturing of thin-walled parts with complex curved surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we construct a new class of simple smooth modules over the affine algebra A 1 (1). Specifically, we present a family of sl (2) ˆ -modules W φ for functions φ which are not Whittaker functions, and provide a simplicity criterion as well as an isomorphism theorem for such modules. For each simple sl (2) ˆ -module W φ , a class of simple sl (2) ˜ -module W φ , γ is also constructed for any constant γ. The sl (2) ˆ -modules W φ are weight modules, while the sl (2) ˜ -modules W φ , γ are not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this work is to explore the nonlinear static bending analysis of functionally graded porous sandwich plates with a ceramic core (FSCC) subjected to a transverse uniform load resting on Kerr foundation (KF) using the mixed interpolation of tensorial components for the four-node rectangular element (called MITC4). Porosity appearing in two skin layers is assumed according to the uneven porosity distribution with a porosity factor Ω. The advantage of this element is fast convergence, high accuracy and cancels the shear-locking phenomenon. The present study considers the geometrical nonlinearity resulting from mid-plane stretching based on the von Kármán geometrical nonlinearity. The first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is employed to approximate the displacement field of the plate due to its simplicity and efficiency. The current formulation's authenticity is evaluated by comparing it with previously published works. For the first time, the nonlinear bending of FSCC subjected to a transverse uniform load resting on the Kerr foundation is investigated. Furthermore, the influence of input parameters on the nonlinear bending behavior of FSCC is fully provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: For the sensor network, greedy forwarding is thought to be the best energy‐efficient routing method. There are two restrictions on greedy forwarding: a minimum local scenario and an intersection problem in which it is unable to locate an existing route. The proposed independent gradient forward (IGF) proves that the Euclidean equation used by greedy forwarding is less capable of dealing with the problems mentioned above. IGF considers each dimension independently to enhance the efficiency of greedy forwarding, sustaining its simplicity. It contributes to strengthening the suggested IGF's ability to manage holes and get around obstructions in the wireless sensor network. We have demonstrated that it travels a shorter potential path and avoids stuck nodes well in advance. It is more energy‐efficient since it can predict the void node and never visits a stalled node. We evaluated the suggested IGF's performance against other traditional boundary traversal‐based methods on both rare and dense networks. In comparison with other boundary traversal‐based algorithms, the simulation results indicate that it generates a 10% smaller route to bypass. The IGF average energy consumption increases slowly, rising by just 7% and 12.5% for dense and rare networks, respectively, with a fivefold increase in void size (from 100 to 500 m). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CARLO (cold ablation robot-guided laser osteotome) is a compact device with integrated multiple sensory, steering and safety checking elements. A multi-center study was performed to evaluate the CARLO device for the linear part of midface osteotomy in 28 patients. Feasibility, success rate, safety, performance and experience of the surgeons were assessed and evaluated. All 28 procedures were completed with CARLO without falling back to the conventional methods, giving a technical success rate of 100%. For 27 (96%) cases, procedural success was achieved with cutting lines deviation less than 2 mm. For 25 procedures, the CARLO-cutting was conducted smoothly. In the other 3 cases, some minor difficulties related to the reference markers were reported. For 18 procedures, no change for the cutting path was necessary. For the other 10 cases, cut path was adapted. Intraoperative re-planning was possible, easy and quick without significant delay of the procedures. No CARLO-related adverse events were recorded. Especially, there was no unexpected and unusual bleeding during the CARLO-conducted osteotomy. The time needed for the registration ranged from 1 to 12 min (median = 4). The CARLO-cutting lasted for 5 to 21 min (median = 7). The present study demonstrated feasibility, simplicity, safety, reliability and accuracy of CARLO for the linear part of midface osteotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-linear and non-stationary signals are analyzed and processed in the time-frequency (TF) domain due to interpretation simplicity. Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) delivers a very sharp resolution of non-stationary signals in the TF domain. However, cross-terms occur between true frequency modes due to their bilinear nature. Masked WVD reduces cross-terms by multiplying the time-frequency representation (TFR) obtained from the WVD with the TFR of the same signal obtained from another method, while S-transform (ST) is a linear signal analysis method that combines the advantages of short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and wavelet transform (WT). This paper investigated WVD masking with both original and modified STs to compare their cross-term reduction results. Moreover, additional parameters are integrated into the ST to deliver the better resolution of the ST and, consequently, more satisfactory cross-term reduction. However, these parameters must be carefully optimized by expert users in their respective application fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous particles co-focusing to a single stream is a vital prerequisite for cell counting and enumeration, playing an essential role in flow cytometry and single-cell analysis. Microfluidics-based inertial focusing holds great research prospects due to its simplicity of devices, ease of operation, high throughput, and freedom from external fields. Combining microfluidic channels with two or more different geometries has become a powerful tool for high-efficiency particle focusing. Here, we explored hybrid microfluidic channels for heterogeneous particle co-focusing. Four different annular channels with obstacles distributed on the inner wall were constructed and simulated, obtaining constantly variable secondary flows. Then we used four different fluorescent particles with the size of 10 μm, 12 μm 15 μm, and 20 μm as well as their mixture to perform the inertial focusing experiments of multi-sized particles. Theoretical simulation and experimental results demonstrated a focusing efficiency of >99%. Finally, we further utilized human white blood cells to estimate the co-focusing performance of our hybrid microfluidic channel, resulting in a high focusing efficiency of >92% and a high throughput of ≈8000 cell s−1. The hybrid microfluidic channels, capable of high-precision heterogeneous particle co-focusing, could pave a broad avenue for microfluidic flow cytometry and single-cell analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to introduce a new class of rings — the inner generalized Weyl algebras (IGWA) — and to give simplicity criteria for them. For each IGWA A a derivative series of IGWAs, A → A ′ → A ″ → ⋯ → A (α) → ⋯ , is attached where α is an arbitrary ordinal. In general, all rings A (α) are distinct. A new construction of rings, the inner (σ , τ , a) -extension of a ring, is introduced (where σ and τ are endomorphisms of a ring D and a ∈ D). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Hyphenated chromatographic techniques are widely used to analyze and characterize complex samples. Chemometric methods are generally needed to extract the qualitative and quantitative information of the target analytes from complex hyphenated chromatographic data. However, neither two‐way nor three‐way chemometric methods are efficient enough in analyzing hyphenated chromatographic data with both severe peak overlapping and retention time shift across samples. To address this issue, a practical framework was proposed herein. It consists of three chemometric algorithms, that is, (1) “fix‐sized moving window evolving target spectral projection” for locating the possible peak positions of the target analytes, (2) “target identification based on singular value comparison” for determining whether the identified peaks are indeed the chromatographic peaks of the target analytes, and (3) “fix‐sized moving window evolving trilinear decomposition” for obtaining the quantitative results of the target analytes. Experimental results on the GC‐MS data sets of mixture samples of 10 compounds verified that the proposed framework could deal with the problems of both severe peak overlapping and retention time shift across samples. The proposed framework has the advantages of simplicity in concept, easy implementation, and good performance and hence is expected to be a competitive alternative to existing methods for the analysis of hyphenated chromatographic data of complex samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brønsted acid catalyzed intramolecular allylic substitution reaction of secondary and tertiary allylic alcohols has been developed. A variety of 2-vinylchromans were efficiently prepared in moderate to excellent yields. The given method features wide substrate scope, operational simplicity, and mild, metal-free reaction conditions. The practicability of the method was demonstrated by a gram-scale reaction and further derivations of the product. Preliminarily studies on a catalytic asymmetric reaction were also undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kramers–Kronig relations link the real and imaginary parts of the Fourier transform of a well-behaved causal transfer function describing a linear, time-invariant system. From the physical point of view, according to the Kramers–Kronig relations, absorption and dispersion become two sides of the same coin. Due to the simplicity of the assumptions underlying them, the relations are a cornerstone of physics. The rigorous mathematical proof was carried out by Titchmarsh in 1937 and just requires the transfer function to be square-integrable (L2), or equivalently that the impulse response of the system at hand has a finite energy. Titchmarsh's proof is definitely not easy, thus leading to crucial steps that are often overlooked by instructors and, occasionally, prompting some authors to attempt shaky shortcuts. Here, we share a rigorous mathematical proof that relies on the Laplace formalism and requires a slightly stronger assumption on the transfer function, namely it being Lebesgue-integrable (L1). While the result is not as general as Titchmarsh's proof, its enhanced simplicity makes a deeper knowledge of the mathematical aspects of the Kramers–Kronig relations more accessible to the audience of physicists. Editor's Note The Kramers–Kronig relations are fundamental to optics, linking dispersion to absorption. While incomplete proofs are found in many textbooks, the rigorous mathematical proof that requires the minimal assumption (that the transfer function is square-integrable) is quite challenging and, therefore, rarely taught. In this paper, the authors show that requiring a slightly stricter criterion for the transfer function (L1 = Lebesgue-integrable) allows the proof to be much more accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a robust likelihood approach to inference for paired multiple binary endpoints data. One can easily implement the methodology without dealing with the model that incorporates a large number of joint probabilities of no direct relevance to the inference of interest. We present the robust score test statistic for testing the equality of two treatment effects to exemplify the utility and simplicity of the method. Our novel technique is applicable when patients have different numbers of endpoints and for unpaired endpoints. The extension of our robust approach to multiple endpoints data with more categories is straightforward. We use simulations and real data analysis to highlight the efficacy of our robust procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We prove that the curl operator on closed oriented 3-manifolds, i.e., the square root of the Hodge Laplacian on its coexact spectrum, generically has 1-dimensional eigenspaces, even along 1-parameter families of \mathcal {C}^k Riemannian metrics, where k\geq 2. We show further that the Hodge Laplacian in dimension 3 has two possible sources for nonsimple eigenspaces along generic 1-parameter families of Riemannian metrics: either eigenvalues coming from positive and from negative eigenvalues of the curl operator cross, or an exact and a coexact eigenvalue cross. We provide examples for both of these phenomena. In order to prove our results, we generalize a method of Teytel [Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 52 (1999), pp. 917–934], allowing us to compute the meagre codimension of the set of Riemannian metrics for which the curl operator and the Hodge Laplacian have certain eigenvalue multiplicities. A consequence of our results is that while the simplicity of the spectrum of the Hodge Laplacian in dimension 3 is a meagre codimension 1 property with respect to the \mathcal {C}^k topology as proven by Enciso and Peralta-Salas in [Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 364 (2012), pp. 4207–4224], it is not a meagre codimension 2 property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graph convolutional networks are capable of handling non-Euclidean data with sparse features, and some research has begun to apply them to the field of recommendation systems. Graph convolutional network's aggregation and propagation mechanism can learn features well and improve the embedding quality. However, simply applying GCN to the recommendation domain can only show some of its advantages, and the complex structure makes it difficult for the model to handle the massive amount of data in the industrial domain. Some work has been done to integrate GCN with recommendation systems better. However, most related work pursues the model's simplicity and ignores the large amount of hidden auxiliary information. In this paper, we propose a GCN-SA model, which adds a multi-head self-attention mechanism to the aggregation and propagation process to learn the weights of neighboring nodes and analyze the importance of the relationships between nodes; we also design a new embedding splicing layer for the graph convolutional network, which dynamically adjusts the embedding of different layers to achieve adaptive layer smoothing and mitigate the over-smoothing phenomenon. After experimental results on five benchmark datasets, we show that the GCN-SA model outperforms previous related work, captures a large amount of auxiliary information, and enhances the expressive ability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lensless imaging, as a novel computational imaging technique, has attracted great attention due to its simplicity, compactness, and flexibility. This technique analyzes and processes the diffraction of an object to obtain complex amplitude information. However, traditional algorithms such as Gerchberg‐Saxton (G–S) algorithm tend to exhibit significant errors in complex amplitude retrieval, particularly for edge information. Additional constraints have to be incorporated on top of amplitude constraints to enhance the accuracy. Recently, deep learning has shown promising results in optical imaging. However, it requires a large amount of training data. To address these issues, a novel approach called dual‐input physics‐driven network (DPNN) is proposed for lensless imaging. DPNN utilizes two diffractions recorded at different distances as inputs and uses an unsupervised approach that combines physical imaging model to reconstruct object information. DPNN adopts a U‐Net 3+ architecture with a loss function of mean absolute error (MAE) to better capture diffraction features. DPNN achieves highly accurate reconstruction without requiring extensive data and being immune to background noise. Based on different diffraction intervals, noise levels, and imaging models, DPNN exhibits superior capabilities in peak signal‐to‐noise ratio and structural similarity compared with conventional methods, effectively achieving accurate phase or amplitude information reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article considers the Monte Carlo method as one of the possible techniques for calculating the error of a measuring system, which consists of several elements, each of which measures some quantity with its own independent error. Due to its features, the method can be extended to modeling any process affected by random variables. The simplicity of application and the calculation algorithm makes it possible to easily calculate the total error of the system and the probability of its occurrence, while avoiding inflated and unlikely values. The article substantiates the application of the Monte Carlo method for calculating the error of the measuring system, reveals the nature of the distribution of errors, and calculates the value of the error depending on the probability of its occurrence. It is shown that with probability of 0.95 the total error of the system can be taken to be 3 times smaller than the maximum possible error. References 8, figures 2, table 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of contractions of multivectors, and star duality, was reorganized in a previous article, and here we present some applications. First, we study inner and outer spaces associated to a general multivector M via the equations v ∧ M = 0 and v ⌟ M = 0 . They are then used to analyze special decompositions, factorizations and ‘carvings’ of M, to define generalized grades, and to obtain new simplicity criteria, including a reduced set of Plücker-like relations. We also discuss how contractions are related to supersymmetry, and give formulas for supercommutators of multi-fermion creation and annihilation operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: HyperArc (HA) auto‐planning offers simplicity for the end user and consistently high‐quality SRS plans. The "Ask For It" (AFI) optimization strategy offers a manual planning technique that, when coupled with R50%Analytic, can be guided to deliver a plan with an intermediate dose spill "as low as reasonably achievable" and high target dose conformity. A direct comparison of SRS plan quality obtained using the manual planning AFI strategy and HA has been performed. Methods: Using a CT data set available from the Radiosurgery Society, 54 PTVs were created and used to generate 19 individual SRS/SRT cases. Case complexity ranged from single PTV plans to multiple PTV plans with a single isocenter. PTV locations ranged from relative isolation from critical structures to lesions within 1.5 mm of the optic apparatus and abutting the brainstem. All cases were planned using both the AFI and HA optimization strategies as implemented in the Varian Medical Systems Eclipse Treatment Planning System. A range of treatment plan quality metrics were obtained including Intermediate Dose Spill (R50%), Conformity Indices CIRTOG and CIPaddick, PTV Dose Coverage (Dn%), PTV Mean Dose, and Modulation Factor. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Sum non‐parametric statistical method was utilized to compare the obtained plan quality metrics. Results: Statistically significant improvements were found for the AFI strategy for metrics R50%, CIRTOG, CIPaddick, and PTV Mean Dose (p < 0.001). HA achieved superior coverage for Dn% (p = 0.018), while the Modulation Factors were not significantly different for AFI compared to HA optimization (p = 0.13). Conclusion: This study provides evidence that the AFI manual planning strategy can produce high‐quality planning metrics similar to the HA auto‐planning method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, we prove that the derivation D = y∂x + (a2(x)y2 + a 1(x)y + a0(x))∂y of K[x,y] with a2(x),a1(x),a0(x) ∈ K[x] is simple iff the following conditions hold: (1) a0(x) ∈ K∗, (2) deg a1(x) ≥ 1 or deg a2(x) ≥ 1, (3) there exist no l ∈ K∗ such that a2(x) = la1(x) − l2a 0(x). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and sustainable propylphosphonic anhydride (T3P)-assisted methodology for the synthesis of N-acyl tryptamines, an interesting class of gut microbiota-derived endocannabinoid-like lipid mediators, was proposed. This protocol is characterized by great operational simplicity, and all products were obtained at room temperature, without the use of an inert atmosphere and by using limited amounts of non-halogenated solvents. Finally, the possibility to realize the reaction under mechanochemical conditions was explored with interesting results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex interaction of photons between materials, linear hyperspectral unmixing (HU) is limited in real scenarios, making nonlinear unmixing a promising alternative. With the advancement of deep learning (DL), nonlinear unmixing methods based on the convolutional autoencoder (CAE) have gained considerable traction in HU. However, these unmixing methods struggle to integrate spectral and spatial information while reducing the loss of material details during the unmixing process. Therefore, we propose a cascaded hybrid CAE nonlinear unmixing network, called CHCANet, which effectively leverages convolutional combinations to deeply explore the spectral-spatial information from hyperspectral data and preserve the material details through self-perception. Specifically, each CAE in CHCANet combines 1-D and 2-D convolutions, fully utilizing the flexibility and simplicity of 1-D convolutions to capture spectral features and the spatial correlation handling capability of the 2-D convolution. Moreover, we apply the self-perception mechanism to the nonlinear HU task, which can establish the cycle consistency of the network, strengthen mutual connections between encoders, and effectively preserve high-level semantic information. Following this, the optimized self-perception loss further enhances CHCANet’s perception capability of nonlinear components and strengthens the connection between the decoder directly associated with image reconstruction. Extensive experiments on synthetic and real datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of CHCANet and show excellent competitiveness compared to state-of-the-art unmixing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans are curious to understand the causes of traits that distinguish us from other animals and that distinguish vastly different species from one another. We also have a proclivity for simple stories and sometimes tend toward seeking and accepting simple genetic explanations for large evolutionary shifts, even to a single gene. Here, I reveal how a biased expectation of mechanistic simplicity threads through the long history of evolutionary and developmental genetics. I argue, however, that expecting a simple mechanism threatens a deeper understanding of evolution, and I define the limitations for interpreting experimental evidence in evolutionary developmental genetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a 13-level switched capacitor inverter with a novel modulation method designed to minimize the number of switches and significantly reduce switching losses. The inverter stands out for its simplicity, requiring only ten semiconductor switches to generate 13 levels. A key feature is the inherent self-voltage balancing of the capacitors, which eliminates the need for additional control mechanisms. The inverter's unique architecture, comprising high-voltage and low-voltage modules, enables modulation using a hybrid PWM approach that combines step waveform modulation with level-shifted PWM (LS-PWM). This innovative technique dramatically lowers the switching frequency of the high-voltage module's switches, independent of the carrier frequency, thereby limiting the number of switches in high-frequency operation and achieving substantial reductions in switching losses. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the inverter's operating modes, voltage-balancing mechanisms, and parameter calculations. The advantages of the topology presented in this paper are demonstrated by comparison. Finally, the simulation and experimental results confirm the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed inverter and its modulation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of continuous first-order logic, special attention is often given to theories that are somehow continuous in an ‘essential’ way. A common feature of such theories is that they do not interpret any infinite discrete structures. We investigate a stronger condition that is easier to establish and use it to give an example of a strictly simple continuous theory that does not interpret any infinite discrete structures: the theory of richly branching ℝ-forests with generic binary predicates. We also give an example of a superstable theory that fails to satisfy this stronger condition but nevertheless does not interpret any infinite discrete structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrodynamic models (HMs) are tools for simulating flow behavior through the solution of conservation equations. These equations can have different degrees of simplification, which influence the model structure. One-dimensional (1D) HMs are still popular due to their simplicity. A crucial parameter for obtaining accurate 1D HM outputs is the effective Manning roughness factor (EMRF). The EMRF reflects additional numerical and dissipative aspects beyond boundary roughness. Although generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE) is an important method for uncertainty analysis, it requires the selection of a likelihood function and a cutoff threshold. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of the likelihood function on the EMRF characteristics for mountain river morphologies, considering a certain cutoff threshold. The results show that the error model and the treatment of the residual in the objective function affect the EMRF range and limits in the studied reaches with a cascade or step pool. Furthermore, the analysis shows that these morphologies deviate from the model structure, which may affect the likelihood curve shape. Notably, the EMRF and measured roughness did not intersect in the studied reach with a plane bed, which is attributed to the presence of vegetation on the banks of that reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multifunctional responsive interfaces of liquid crystal (LC) and water are employed in fundamental research (colloidal assembly) and promising applications (sensing, release, and material synthesis). The stagnant LC systems, however, limit their use in continuous, automated applications. A microfluidic platform is reported where stable LC flow is maintained between aqueous interfaces. The LC‐water soft interface is defined by the preferential wetting of the two phases at the chemically heterogeneous microchannel interfaces. It is shown that the LC‐water interfaces are stable up to significant pressure differences across the interfaces and maintain responsive characteristics. The stability is in a range to cover the perpendicular and flow‐aligned regimes at low and high flow velocities, respectively, in co‐current or counter‐current flow configurations. The LC configuration at the vicinity of the aqueous interfaces is influenced by the shear induced by the bulk LC flow and by the contacting aqueous phases allowing modulation of the LC strain at the responsive interfaces. The simplicity of the construction and operation of the soft‐interface LC flow platform shows promise and meets the fundamental requirements for their integration into next‐generation autonomous platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We investigate the effects of inclusion of charged tachyonic open-string scalars in the perturbative and the non-perturbative Kähler moduli stabilizations in a geometry of three intersecting magnetized D7-brane stacks in type-IIB/F theory and also study the overall influence of this process on the inflaton potential, in a hybrid inflation scenario. We find that a tachyon lowers the minimum of the inflaton potential and assists to end the inflation. For simplicity, we have included one tachyon at a time in the present work and observe that this procedure preserves the features of slow-roll plateau of the potential. An interesting observation here is that the tachyonic part of the potential can be fine-tuned to get an almost zero minimum of the potential, thereby conforming to the small experimental value of the cosmological constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern age, many people live a life centered around home, work and consumption. This situation has many negative effects on people. As a way of escape from the negative effects, people have turned to different ways of thinking and living. One of these lifestyles is minimalism. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between minimalism and spirituality. Qualitative research method was adopted in the study. In this direction, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants in November-December 2022 in order to learn the practices, emotional and spiritual changes experienced by people who have adopted a minimalist lifestyle. The participants were asked about their ideas about the concept of minimalism, the changes they have experienced and its effects on their lives. In addition, questions were asked about the participants' definitions of spirituality, their spiritual experiences and the relationship between minimalism and spirituality. Purposive sampling and snowball technique were used to reach the sample group. Descriptive and content analysis methods were used to evaluate the data obtained. Many emotions and changes experienced by the participants who adopted a minimalist life were identified, along with their thoughts on the concept of minimalism and the organization of their relationships with matter. Peace, cooperation, search for a meaningful life, love for animals, environmental sensitivity are among the emotions and changes experienced by the participants. In addition, the participants' views on the concept of spirituality and the relationship between minimalism and spirituality were also identified. Participants also explained the concept of spirituality by associating it with religion. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the participants' spirituality was strengthened through the changes and emotions they experienced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, a new stacked bidirectional non‐isolated DC‐DC converter for uninterruptible power supply applications is presented. It is a stacked adaptation of the classical bidirectional boost/buck converter and presents improvements such as low number of components; low voltage and current stress on components; high efficiency; and simplicity of operation. In addition, in this paper, the modeling and control of the proposed converter are done, and a comparative evaluation among proposed converter with similar topologies is evaluated. A prototype of 1 kW, 144 to 400 V, is developed in laboratory to validate the theoretical evaluations of proposed converter. Besides that, the proposed converter is also evaluated under different dynamic condition, which illustrates the effectiveness of the converter. Finally, the maximum efficiency obtained is 96.38% in step‐up mode and 95.7% in step‐down mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metaheuristic algorithms are widely used in engineering problems due to their high efficiency and simplicity. However, engineering challenges often involve multiple control variables, which present significant obstacles for metaheuristic algorithms. The Crested Porcupine Optimizer (CPO) is a metaheuristic algorithm designed to address engineering problems, but it faces issues such as falling into a local optimum. To address these limitations, this article proposes three new strategies: composite Cauchy mutation strategy, adaptive dynamic adjustment strategy, and population mutation strategy. The three proposed strategies are then introduced into CPO to enhance its optimization capabilities. On three well-known test suites, the improved CPO (CAPCPO) outperforms 11 metaheuristic algorithms. Finally, comparative experiments on seven real-world engineering optimization problems demonstrate the advantages and potential of CAPCPO in solving complex problems. The multifaceted experimental results indicate that CAPCPO consistently achieves superior solutions in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avicenna holds that since God has existed from all eternity and is immutable and impassible, he cannot come to have an attribute or feature that he has not had from all eternity. He also claims for the simultaneous causation. A puzzle arises when we consider God's creating this world. If God is immutable and impassible, then his attributes associated with his creating this world are unchanging. So, God must have been creating the world from all eternity. But then God's creative act, one might object, seems to be no different from a matter of natural necessity. This is a threat to divine freedom, for God would then have no choice concerning his creative action. Anthony Ruffus and Jon McGinnis argue that this puzzle can be solved in such a way that Avicenna can consistently affirm divine freedom along with divine simplicity. They suggest that Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī's interpretation might help to show that it is false that Avicenna's God cannot choose absolutely. For it is still open to him to choose either to create eternally or to refrain from creating anything at all. Ruffus and McGinnis argue that since creating or not creating anything at all do not correspond to two distinct concepts, Avicenna's account of divine simplicity, which denies any multiplicity in divine mind, is safeguarded along with divine freedom. I claim that God's omnirationality requiring that he always acts for reasons is a serious threat to such an interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New hybrid compounds were successfully prepared from highly substituted imidazoles and 1,2,3-triazoles using copper-catalyzed click reactions. Also, an efficient method described for the synthesis of tri- and tetrasubstituted imidazoles in the presence of ZnCl2/urea as an efficient catalyst by multi-component reaction under solvent-free conditions. The advantages of this one-pot methodology are experimental simplicity, easy work-up, and afford desired products with high to excellent yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substantial value held by smart contracts (SCs) makes them an enticing target for malicious attacks. The process of fixing vulnerabilities in SCs is intricate, primarily due to the immutability of blockchain technology. This research paper introduces a systematic literature review (SLR) that evaluates rectification systems designed to patch vulnerabilities in SCs. Following the guidelines set forth by the PRISMA statement, this SLR meticulously reviews a total of 31 papers. In this context, we classify recently published SC automated repair frameworks based on their methodologies for automatic program repair (APR), rewriting strategies, and tools for vulnerability detection. We argue that automated patching enhances the reliability and adoption of SCs, thereby allowing developers to promptly address identified vulnerabilities. Furthermore, existing automated repair tools are capable of addressing only a restricted range of vulnerabilities, and in some cases, patches may not be effective in preventing the targeted vulnerabilities. Another key point that should be taken into account is the simplicity of the patch and the gas consumption of the modified program. Alternatively, large language models (LLMs) have opened new avenues for automatic patch generation, and their performance can be improved by innovative methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this short note, we reevaluate the run-length performance of the EWMA and exponentiated EWMA (Exp-EWMA) charts using the conditional expected delay metric. It is found that the enhancements offered by the Exp-EWMA chart over the EWMA chart in the zero-state setup are marginal. Given its simplicity in implementation and its ability to encompass the functionality of the Exp-EWMA chart in detecting delayed shifts in the process mean, the EWMA chart remains the preferred choice over the Exp-EWMA chart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the simplicity, low cost and benefit of avoiding long-term joint immobilization, extension block pinning could be a suitable option for treating the volar base fractures of the middle phalanges. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the outcomes of using extension block pinning in chronic volar base fractures of the middle phalanges. In total, 26 patients with chronic closed volar base fractures of the middle phalanges were included our study. The mean age was 37 years (SD 11.59), and the mean follow-up time was 35 months (SD 19.41). The mean active range of motion (ROM) after surgery was 93° (SD 12.9). There was a negative correlation between the age and the ROM of the injured proximal interphalangeal joint after surgery. ROM did not correlate with the articular surface involvement or the interval between injury and surgery. We obtained a satisfactory result from extension block pinning for volar base fractures of the proximal interphalangeal joint in patients with chronic injuries. Level of evidence: IV [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly efficient cascade aza‐MIRC (Michael Induced Ring Closure) reaction between trifluoromethylpyrazole (TFPZ)‐derived oxadienes and a‐bromohydroxamates has been developed for the construction of 1,4‐oxazepinone derivatives. The reaction proceeds smoothly under mild conditions via a cascade Aza‐Michael addition/intramolecular SN2 sequence, and features broad substrate scope, transition‐metal free, operational simplicity etc. The utility of the versatile protocol was also demonstrated by gram‐scale reaction and valuable synthetic transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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AbstractOn one hand, determining the exact number of explanatory variables in uncertain regression analysis is often challenging, as real-world scenarios are interconnected. On the other hand, it’s worth noting that even when the number of variables is determined, some variables may have minimal impact on the response variable, and retaining them would only increase the complexity of the model. Therefore, variable selection methods can help eliminate variables with minimal impact to enhance the simplicity and interpretability of the model. In light of this, this paper first introduces a novel variable selection strategy based on the elastic net method to address the variable selection problem in uncertain regression models. This method not only offers the flexibility to simplify uncertain regression analysis into Lasso estimation or Ridge estimation but also exhibits extremely high efficiency in variable selection. Secondly, to address the issue of determining tuning parameters, we introduce the cross-validation method to ensure optimal model performance. Furthermore, we propose an uncertain hypothesis testing method based on imprecise observational data, which can help us assess the suitability of estimated parameters. Finally, through a series of numerical examples, we validate the feasibility and effectiveness of this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acoelomorpha is a broadly accepted clade of bilaterian animals made up of the fast-evolving, morphologically simple, mainly marine flatworm lineages Acoela and Nemertodermatida. Phylogenomic studies support Acoelomorpha's close relationship with the slowly evolving and similarly simplistic Xenoturbella, together forming the phylum Xenacoelomorpha. The phylogenetic placement of Xenacoelomorpha amongst bilaterians is controversial, with some studies supporting Xenacoelomorpha as the sister group to all other bilaterians, implying that their simplicity may be representative of early bilaterians. Others propose that this placement is an error resulting from the fast-evolving Acoelomorpha, and instead suggest that they are the degenerate sister group to Ambulacraria. Perhaps as a result of this debate, internal xenacoelomorph relationships have been somewhat overlooked at a phylogenomic scale. Here, I employ a highly targeted approach to detect and overcome possible phylogenomic error in the relationship between Xenoturbella and the fast-evolving acoelomorph flatworms. The results indicate that the subphylum Acoelomorpha is a long-branch attraction artefact obscuring a previously undiscovered clade comprising Xenoturbella and Acoela, which I name Xenacoela. The findings also suggest that Xenacoelomorpha is not the sister group to all other bilaterians. This study provides a template for future efforts aimed at discovering and correcting unrecognized long-branch attraction artefacts throughout the tree of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decade, there has been much interest in operating quadrotors in uncertain and cluttered environments due to their simplicity. Executing precise agile quadrotor flight maneuvers is an important open research problem for navigating in such environment. Collisions can occur if actuator constraints are not considered in the trajectory tracker design. This paper presents a cascade nonlinear constrained control approach (CNCCA) for trajectory tracking with explicit consideration of actuator constraints, where the output signal of the position controller is converted into the desired command of the attitude controller. The proposed position control loop is shown to be stable and bounded, satisfying the total thrust limits. The proposed attitude tracking control loop is designed as a saturated control law based on a modified geometric controller in SO(3) space. A proof of its stability is provided. The simulation results also show good tracking performance of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an effective method to improve the power efficiency of the flyback converter in the continuous conduction mode (CCM). The proposed converter uses a simple passive circuit to reduce the switching power losses. The current through the output diode can be shifted to a new branch where one diode, one inductor, and one auxiliary winding of the transformer are included. The output diode current can be reduced to zero for the zero-current switching of the output diode. The additional inductor is used to control the changing rate of the additional diode current to reduce the reverse-recovery current. Keeping the simplicity of the passive method, the proposed converter improves the power efficiency compared to the conventional converter. The circuit configuration and the operation principle are described. The design considerations are presented, including the simulation verification. The experimental results for a 45 W prototype are discussed to evaluate the performance of the proposed converter. The proposed converter has achieved a power efficiency of 93.5% for the rated load condition, improving the power efficiency. The applications of the proposed converter are also discussed for the future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the physical propagation environment of radio waves by describing it in terms of distant scattering clusters. Each cluster consists of numerous scattering objects that may exhibit certain statistical properties. By utilizing geometry-based methods, we can study the channel second-order statistics (CSOS), where each distant scattering cluster corresponds to a CSOS, contributes a portion to the Doppler spectrum, and is associated with a state-space multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) radio channel model. Consequently, the physical propagation environment of radio waves can be modeled by summing multiple state-space MIMO radio channel models. This approach offers three key advantages: simplicity, the ability to construct the entire Doppler power spectrum from multiple uncorrelated distant scattering clusters, and the capability to obtain the channels contributed by these clusters by summing the individual channels. This methodology enables the reconstruction of the radio wave propagation environment in a simulated manner and is crucial for developing massive MIMO channel models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metal-free and sustainable visible-light-mediated method for the preparation of organic nitrate esters has been developed through the aerobic nitrooxylation reaction of α-diazoesters and cyclic ethers with t-BuONO in the presence of dioxygen. This protocol provides an efficient approach to access nitrate esters with the advantages of clean energy, broad substrate scope, green oxidants, operational simplicity, and mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review Holst formalism and dynamical equivalence with standard GR (in dimension 4). Holst formalism is written for a spin coframe field e μ I and a Spin (3 , 1) -connection ω μ I J on spacetime M and it depends on the Holst parameter γ ∈ ℝ − { 0 }. We show the model is dynamically equivalent to standard GR, in the sense that up to a pointwise Spin (3 , 1) -gauge transformation acting on (uppercase Latin) frame indices, solutions of the two models are in one-to-one correspondence. Hence, the two models are classically equivalent. One can also introduce new variables by splitting the spin connection into a pair of a Spin (3) -connection A μ i and a Spin (3) -valued 1-form k μ i . The construction of these new variables relies on a particular algebraic structure, called a reductive splitting. A weaker structure than requiring that the gauge group splits as the products of two sub-groups, as it happens in Euclidean signature in the selfdual formulation originally introduced in this context by Ashtekar, and it still allows to deal with the Lorentzian signature without resorting to complexifications. The reductive splitting of SL (2 , ℂ) is not unique and it is parameterized by a real parameter β which is called the Immirzi parameter. The splitting is here done on spacetime, not on space as it is usually done in the literature, to obtain a Spin (3) -connection A μ i , which is called the Barbero–Immirzi connection on spacetime. One obtains a covariant model depending on the fields (e μ I , A μ i , k μ i) which is again dynamically equivalent to standard GR. Usually in the literature one sets β = γ for the sake of simplicity. Here, we keep the Holst and Immirzi parameters distinct to show that eventually only β will survive in boundary field equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, deep-learning-based low-light image enhancement (LLIE) methods have made great progress. Benefiting from elaborately designed model architectures, these methods enjoy considerable performance gains. However, the generalizability of these methods may be weak, and they may suffer from the overfitting risk in the case of insufficient data as a result. At the same time, their complex model design brings serious computational burdens. To further improve performance, we exploit dual information, including spatial and channel (contextual) information, in the high-dimensional feature space. Specifically, we introduce customized spatial and channel blocks according to the feature difference of different layers. In shallow layers, the feature resolution is close to that of the original input image, and the spatial information is well preserved. Therefore, the spatial restoration block is designed for leveraging such precise spatial information to achieve better spatial restoration, e.g., revealing the textures and suppressing the noise in the dark. In deep layers, the features contain abundant contextual information, which is distributed in various channels. Hence, the channel interaction block is incorporated for better feature interaction, resulting in stronger model representation capability. Combining the U-Net-like model with the customized spatial and channel blocks makes up our method, which effectively utilizes dual information for image enhancement. Through extensive experiments, we demonstrate that our method, despite its simplicity of design, can provide advanced or competitive performance compared to some state-of-the-art deep learning- based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This paper presents a fully working, easily usable algorithm for planning the placement of the trackside balise groups for ETCS level 1 applications to transmit infill information to the passing trains by minimizing the operational impact. This paper presents a method to determine the optimal positions of infill balise groups for applications of European Train Control System (ETCS) level 1. ETCS will be the only train protection system in the European Union of the future. Level 1 specifically enables a less complex system while retaining full compatibility to and interoperability of ETCS level 2. In level 1, the Movement Authority (MA), which contains information on how far and at what speed the train is authorized to run, is transmitted at fixed locations where switchable radio beacons—infill balise groups—are placed. Due to technical and economical constraints, their locations need to be optimized so that they provide the maximum operational benefit. Such a method with universal adaptability has not been available to date, so we developed an algorithm that determines the optimal locations of infill balise groups. The algorithm uses the basic laws of motion combined with domain knowledge about railways in general and specifically ETCS. All important parameters are considered while retaining simplicity in the application, making it convenient to use for planning new ETCS deployments and as a foundation for future research on ETCS level 1. The algorithm was implemented using Python and tested with real-world train characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]