This work makes a first attempt to conduct a geometrically non-linear analysis of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composites (FG-CNTRC) structures, with surface-bonded active layers, ...based on Kirchhoff shell theory. Uniform and three different distribution types of functionally graded nanocomposites are presented. These distributions are assumed to be uniaxially aligned in the axial direction and functionally graded in the shell thickness direction, while the electric potential through the thickness of the active layers is assumed to be linear. A comparison study is carried out in order to show the applicability of the current formulation applied to various shapes of shell structures. The effects of various parameters as volume fraction, distribution of nanotubes, geometrical characteristics as well as load boundary on non-linear behavior of the smart FG-CNTRC structures are investigated.
Policymakers in many developing countries are facing pressures between the needs of environmental sustainability. In this context, the present article aims to examine the determinants of ...environmental sustainability in Saudi Arabia by addressing the following two questions: Is there an EKC in Saudi Arabia? Does financial development, human development, FDI, and trade openness lead to environmental improvement in Saudi Arabia? The empirical findings show that (i) per capita income, financial development, FDI and foreign trade positively contributes to environmental degradation; (ii) EKC hypothesis is validated in the case of Saudi Arabia; (iii) environmental degradation is very sensitive to the levels of financial development, FDI, and foreign trade; and corresponding thresholds were calculated. Policy makers in Saudi Arabia are invited to augment these variables at the level of the calculated thresholds (turning point) to attain the desired impact on environmental improvement.
Display omitted
•Our finding shows that financial development, GDP, FDI and trade contribute negatively to environmental quality.•We also confirm the validity of EKC hypothesis in Saudi Arabia.•Inverted U-shape relationships are found between emissions and the variables FDI, financial development, and trade.•Corresponding thresholds are calculated and discussed.
A software package is presented for performing reduction and analysis of small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS) and ultra‐small‐angle neutron scattering (USANS) data. A graphical interface has been ...developed to visualize and quickly reduce raw SANS and USANS data into one‐ or two‐dimensional formats for interpretation. The resulting reduced data can then be analyzed using model‐independent methods or non‐linear fitting to one of a large and growing catalog of included structural models. The different instrumental smearing effects for slit‐smeared USANS and pinhole‐smeared SANS data are handled automatically during analysis. In addition, any number of SANS and USANS data sets can be analyzed simultaneously. The reduction operations and analysis models are written in a modular format for extensibility, allowing users to contribute code and models for distribution to all users. The software package is based on Igor Pro, providing freely distributable and modifiable code that runs on Macintosh and Windows operating systems.
Information and communication technology (ICT) has played an important role in the socio-economic development of human societies but, this development has come with some potential hazards to the ...environment. However, the experts are divided over this issue, some consider that ICT has exerted a favorable impact on environmental quality whereas; others think that ICT has posed serious threats to the environment. Hence, this study is another effort in exploring the impacts of ICT on CO2 emissions in 9 selected Asian economies which are the top contributors in polluting the environment in the Asian continent for the period of 1990–2018. All previous studies have one thing in common that the impact of ICT on CO2 emissions is symmetric. Whereas, in this study, we have not only relied on the symmetry assumption but also tested the asymmetric impact of ICT on CO2 emissions. The number of countries in which ICT significantly affects the CO2 releases has not changed much in our linear and non-linear models. However, the short-run impact asymmetry in the effects of increased and decreased use of ICT is approved in almost half of the countries, and in long run, these asymmetric impacts further strengthened and observed in more than half of the countries.
•We examine the impacts of ICT on CO2 emissions in 9 selected Asian economies.•We tested the asymmetric impact of ICT on CO2 emissions.•The countries in which ICT significantly affects the CO2 releases has not changed much in our linear and non-linear models.•Asymmetric impacts further strengthened and observed in more than half of the countries.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive marker of autonomic nervous system function that is based on the analysis of length differences between subsequent RR intervals of the ...electrocardiogram. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the current knowledge gap in the utility of HRV parameters and their value as predictors of the acute stroke course.
A systematic review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Relevant articles published between 1 January 2016 and 1 November 2022 available in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were obtained using a systematic search strategy. The following keywords were used to screen the publications: "heart rate variability" AND/OR "HRV" AND "stroke." The eligibility criteria that clearly identified and described outcomes and outlined restrictions on HRV measurement were pre-established by the authors. Articles assessing the relationship between HRV measured in the acute phase of stroke and at least one stroke outcome were considered. The observation period did not exceed 12 months. Studies that included patients with medical conditions influencing HRV with no established stroke etiology and non-human subjects were excluded from the analysis. To minimize the risk of bias, disagreements throughout the search and analysis were resolved by two independent supervisors.
Of the 1,305 records obtained from the systematic search based on keywords, 36 were included in the final review. These publications provided insight into the usability of linear and non-linear HRV analysis in predicting the course, complications, and mortality of stroke. Furthermore, some modern techniques, such as HRV biofeedback, for the improvement of cognition performance after a stroke are discussed.
The present study showed that HRV could be considered a promising biomarker of a stroke outcome and its complications. However, further research is needed to establish a methodology for appropriate quantification and interpretation of HRV-derived parameters.
Irresponsabilité et résipiscence El Mawla, Batoul; El Akremi, Assâad; Igalens, Jacques
Revue française de gestion,
03/2022, Letnik:
48, Številka:
303
Journal Article, Magazine Article
Recenzirano
L’objectif de cet article est de montrer que les allégations d’irresponsabilité sociale des entreprises entraînent deux types de réactions : la résipiscence individuelle – des entreprises ...individuelles apportant des améliorations locales « ponctuelles » ou mettant en œuvre des améliorations plus larges liées au domaine particulier de la controverse – et la disciplinarisation du secteur – des mesures compensatoires prises par d’autres entreprises du secteur qui ne sont pas directement visées par l’allégation. Les auteurs testent leurs prédictions théoriques à l’aide d’une modélisation linéaire hiérarchique et d’un échantillon de 1 803 entreprises de 2002 à 2014 provenant du Thomson Reuters Responsibility Ratings.
The objective of this paper is to show that claims of corporate social irresponsibility lead to two types of responses: individual resipiscence—individual firms making local “one-off” improvements or implementing broader improvements related to the particular area of controversy—and industry disciplining—compensatory actions by other firms in the industry that are not directly targeted by the claim. The authors test their theoretical predictions using hierarchical linear modeling and a sample of 1,803 firms from 2002 to 2014 from Thomson Reuters Responsibility Ratings.
Machine Learning for Sociology Molina, Mario; Garip, Filiz
Annual review of sociology,
07/2019, Letnik:
45, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Machine learning is a field at the intersection of statistics and computer science that uses algorithms to extract information and knowledge from data. Its applications increasingly find their way ...into economics, political science, and sociology. We offer a brief introduction to this vast toolbox and illustrate its current uses in the social sciences, including distilling measures from new data sources, such as text and images; characterizing population heterogeneity; improving causal inference; and offering predictions to aid policy decisions and theory development. We argue that, in addition to serving similar purposes in sociology, machine learning tools can speak to long-standing questions on the limitations of the linear modeling framework, the criteria for evaluating empirical findings, transparency around the context of discovery, and the epistemological core of the discipline.
PDF
