Objective job difficulty, behavioural response, and sector characteristics in air route traffic control centres.

With the advent of digital avionic techniques, it has become possible to plan the integration of computer systems for performing on-line optimization tasks during flight operation. These computers can be used for computing attitude and control strategies by minimizing different cost functions. Digital systems will play an even bigger part on tomorrow's flight deck because of the improved control capabilities. This paper presents the results for a simulation study in which a minicomputer was used for computing four-dimensional flight trajectories in an air traffic control environment. Special interest was given to helical approach for a transport aircraft, in this case a DC-10/30.

Active air traffic controllers and remotely piloted aircraft pilots were studied in a real time simulation providing results on actual and desired behaviour of the studied concept of a mid-air collision avoidance system in an air traffic control environment. The workload for the studied system seems to be acceptable at this state, and no major concerns regarding workload were found during the simulations. However, areas where the studied concept may be improved were identified concerning for instance suggested manoeuvre. A general conclusion from the simulations was that it is important that the D&A-system is correctly designed in regard to sensitivity.

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Many problems exist in meeting the future surveillance and communication needs of air traffic control. Many functions and services are now being developed for eventual implementation beginning after 1977. The operation, role, and impact of the Discrete Address Beacon System in meeting these needs and functions are discussed in this paper.</div>

Chapter 17 - An introduction to air traffic control and the application of human factors

Early-life experiences and neuromodulatory mechanisms shape discontinuous behavioral plasticity across developmental stages and modify the spectrum of long-term individuality patterns within isogenic populations.

Background: Intravenous (IV) cannulation is a common and painful procedure for hospitalized children. Non-pharmacological techniques like distraction can reduce pain and anxiety. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a kaleidoscope as a distraction tool in managing pain and behavioral responses during IV cannulization. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a kaleidoscope on pain and behavioral responses during IV cannulization in the experimental group. To compare pain and behavioral responses in experimental and control groups. To assess the association between pain and behavioral responses with selected demographic variables. Methods: A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design was adopted. A total of 30 children aged 4-10 years undergoing IV cannulization at the SDM Hospital Paediatric Ward were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. The experimental group (n=15) was exposed to a kaleidoscope, while the control group (n=15) received standard care. Pain levels were measured using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale, and behavioural responses were assessed using a Modified Behavioural Pain Scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean post-test pain score for the experimental group (M=0.73) was significantly lower than the control group (M=4.2) (t=15.22, p<0.05). Similarly, the mean behavioural response score for the experimental group (M=1.47) was significantly lower than the control group (M=8.33) (t=17.27, p<0.05). A significant association was found between post-test pain scores and demographic variables like family type in the experimental group and gender in the control group. In the experimental group, 33% of children reported no pain (score 0), and 60% reported only a little pain (score 1). Meanwhile, in the control group, 53.3% reported a whole lot of pain (score 4), and 33.3% reported the worst pain (score 5). For behavioural responses, 73% of children in the experimental group displayed mild responses, whereas 67% in the control group exhibited severe behavioural responses such as crying and avoidance. The statistical analysis further highlighted significant differences in pain and behavioural responses between the groups, reinforcing the effectiveness of the kaleidoscope as a distraction tool. Notably, variables like type of family and gender influenced outcomes, emphasizing the importance of considering demographic factors in pain management strategies. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the kaleidoscope is an effective distraction tool for reducing pain and behavioural responses among children undergoing IV cannulization. Incorporating such non-pharmacological interventions in Paediatric nursing practice can improve the quality of care and patient experience.

This study investigates the disaggregated behavioral responses of mobile money users' willingness to pay for electronic levy payments in Ghana. We use cross‐sectional survey primary data and a probit regression estimation technique with its associated average marginal effects and check robustness with a linear probability model. The evidence from the study indicates that the disaggregated behavioral factors that drive willingness to pay for the e‐levy include individuals maintaining their current levels of electronic fund transfers, the intention to increase their electronic fund transactions, and intention to stop using electronic fund transfers that attract the e‐levy. Beyond the disaggregated behavioral responses, psychological (e.g., trust in government) and socioeconomic factors (individual income and gender) are identified as important drivers of willingness to pay for the e‐levy. We suggest that policies around e‐levies must not only focus on individual behavioral responses alone, as the drivers include behavioral, psychological, and socioeconomic factors.Related ArticlesAdegboye, Alex, Kofo Adegboye, Uwalomwa Uwuigbe, Stephen Ojeka, and Eyitemi Fasanu. 2023. “Taxation, Democracy, and Inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Relevant Linkages for Sustainable Development Goals.” Politics & Policy 51(4): 696–722. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12547.Lachapelle, Erick, Thomas Bergeron, Richard Nadeau, Jean‐François Daoust, Ruth Dassonneville, and Éric Bélanger. 2021. “Citizens' Willingness to Support New Taxes for COVID‐19 Measures and the Role of Trust.” Politics & Policy 49(3): 534–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12404.Shock, David R. 2013. “The Significance of Opposition Entrepreneurs on Local Sales Tax Referendum Outcomes.” Politics & Policy 41(4): 588–614. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12028.

A behavior-centered framework for real-time control and load-shedding using aggregated residential energy resources in distribution microgrids

We examine the heterogeneous and dynamic impact of China's New Rural Pension Scheme on intergenerational wealth dependence using a nationally representative longitudinal household survey covering the period 2011-13.We adopt an instrumental quantile regressiondiscontinuity design to address the endogeneity of partial compliance of the pension scheme and the observed individual heterogeneity.Overall, we find that the pension scheme smooths wealth dependence between generations in the short term, but strengthens the persistence of assets among the wealthiest households in the medium term.The mechanisms underlying these distributional effects are intergenerational transfers, time reallocation, and filial adjustments of the wealth portfolio.Complementary policy interventions, particularly for the poor across generations, would be needed to neutralize the distributional impact of the pension in terms of intergenerational wealth persistence.

Traffic problems often occur due to the traffic demands by the outnumbered vehicles on road. Maximizing traffic flow and minimizing the average waiting time are the goals of intelligent traffic control. Each junction wants to get larger traffic flow. During the course, junctions form a policy of coordination as well as constraints for adjacent junctions to maximize their own interests. A good traffic signal timing policy is helpful to solve the problem. However, as there are so many factors that can affect the traffic control model, it is difficult to find the optimal solution. The disability of traffic light controllers to learn from past experiences caused them to be unable to adaptively fit dynamic changes of traffic flow. Considering dynamic characteristics of the actual traffic environment, reinforcement learning algorithm based traffic control approach can be applied to get optimal scheduling policy. The proposed Sarsa(λ)-based real-time traffic control optimization model can maintain the traffic signal timing policy more effectively. The Sarsa(λ)-based model gains traffic cost of the vehicle, which considers delay time, the number of waiting vehicles, and the integrated saturation from its experiences to learn and determine the optimal actions. The experiment results show an inspiring improvement in traffic control, indicating the proposed model is capable of facilitating real-time dynamic traffic control.

This study proposes a new multi-input multi-output optimal bilinear signal control method in which a bilinear dynamic model approximation is used to capture the nonlinear dynamics of the urban traffic networks. With signal green time splits as the control input and traffic delay changes as the output for each intersections in the network, a bilinear system model was developed, which, on the basis of linear system modeling, takes interactions among traffic delays and signal timing splits into consideration. Based on the bilinear system modeling framework, we conducted two steps in each time interval to derive traffic control strategies: (1) we used the normalized least-squared algorithm to estimate system parameters; and (2) we solved an online optimization problem to obtain the updated traffic control inputs for the signal timing that minimizes future traffic delays. We evaluated the proposed method in a microscopic traffic simulation environment (VISSIM) with a 35-intersection network of Bellevue city in Washington. Two different traffic demand patterns: (1) normal traffic demands; and (2) time-varying traffic demands were simulated to compare the performance of different control strategies. Experimental results show that (1) the proposed bilinear system model can better describe traffic system dynamics than linear-model based methods, such as our previously developed linear-quadratic regulator control; and (2) the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art signal control strategies, namely the max-pressure and the self-organizing traffic light control methods. We have also shown that the proposed method is applicable to all other possible network layouts and signal controller phasing structures. IEEE

In this paper, we focus on the design of energy self-sustainable mobile networks by enabling intelligent energy management that allows the base stations to mostly operate off-grid by using renewable energies. Many papers are available in the literature on this problem, and however, we are approaching this issue from a different angle. In fact, we advocate for future mobile networks with a hierarchical cell structure and powered by energy harvesting hardware. Base stations within the same geographical area are grouped in a micro-grid and operate almost autonomously from the power grid. To achieve this goal, we target the design of the optimal traffic and computational load control method with energy sharing within the micro-grid. We solve the optimization problem using a graph-based method, and we demonstrate, via software simulations, that a combination of load control plus energy sharing represents a viable and economically convenient solution for enabling energy self-sustainability of mobile networks grouped in micro-grids.

ObjectivesIndications for cochlear implantation have expanded to include very young children and those with syndromes or multiple handicaps. In such cases programming the implant based on behavioral responses may be tedious, wherein matching effective and appropriate measurable auditory percepts (maps) and becomes the key issue in the rehabilitation program. In ‘difficult to map’ scenarios, objective measures become paramount for predicting optimal current levels to be set in the map. We aimed (a) to study the trends in multi-modal electrophysiological tests and behavioral responses sequentially over the first year of implant use, (b) to generate normative data from the above, (c) to correlate the multi-modal electrophysiological thresholds levels with behavioral comfort levels, and (d) to create predictive formulas for deriving optimal comfort levels (if unknown), using linear and multiple regression analysis.Materials and MethodsThis prospective study included 10 profoundly hearing impaired children aged 2 to 7 years with normal inner ear anatomy and no additional handicaps. They received the Advanced Bionics HiRes 90K implant with Harmony speech processor and used the HiRes-P with Fidelity 120 strategy. They underwent impedance telemetry, neural response imaging, electrically evoked stapedial response telemetry, and electrically evoked auditory brainstem response tests at 1, 4, 8, and 12 months of implant use, in conjunction with behavioral mapping. Trends in electrophysiological and behavioral responses were analysed using paired t-tests. Using Pearson’s correlation method, electrode-wise correlations were derived for NRI thresholds versus M-levels, and offset-based (apical, mid-array, and basal array) correlations for EABR and ESRT thresholds versus M-Levels were calculated over time. These were used to derive predictive formulae by linear and multiple regression analysis. Such statistically predicted M-levels were compared with the behaviorally recorded M-levels among the cohort, using Cronbach’s alpha reliability test method for confirming the efficacy of this method.ResultsNRI, ESRT, and EABR thresholds showed statistically significant positive correlations with behavioral M-levels, which improved with implant use over time. These correlations were used to derive predicted M-levels using regression analysis. Such predicted M-levels were found to be close to the actual behavioral M-levels recorded among this cohort and proved to be statistically reliable.ConclusionsThe study has explored the trends and correlations between electrophysiological tests and behavioral responses, recorded over time among a cohort of cochlear implantees. It provides a statistical method which may be used as a guideline to predict optimal behavioral levels in difficult situations among future implantees. In ‘difficult to map’ scenarios, the best outcomes will come from following a protocol of sequential behavioral programming in conjunction with electrophysiological correlates.

Introduction. The article explores the characteristics of adolescent deviant behavior in online communities. This study is the first to examine the specific role dispositions of adolescents prone to online deviance. We analyzed the mechanisms through which real-world personalities transform in the digital environment, leading to the development of both normative and deviant digital identities. Our research focus was on teenagers, as they represent the most vulnerable group, with their value systems undergoing reformation in the real world while their new social experiences are shaped online. Methods. In the study, which involved a survey of 158 adolescents in both real and virtual spaces, the following methodologies were used: "Propensity for bullying in the Internet space" (Luchinkina, 2019); individual personality orientation diagnostic methodology (modified by N.P. Fetiskin); locus of role conflict diagnostic methodology by P. P. Gornostai. Results. Adolescents with an egoistic orientation are more prone to engage in online deviant behaviors such as harassment. Conversely, adolescents with a cooperative orientation are less likely to exhibit deviant behaviors, including verbal insults, harassment, disclosure of personal information, threats of physical violence, and social isolation. The desire for new online experiences, combined with a reduced interest in real-life interactions, contributes to both socially acceptable and deviant online roles. In contrast, adolescents with a marginalized orientation are more likely to engage in deviant behaviors such as harassment, insults, using fake names and profiles, social isolation, disclosing personal information, and making threats of violence. Furthermore, a correlation has been established between the locus of role conflict and specific forms of online deviant behavior. Discussion. Cultural factors play a significant role in shaping individual online behavior patterns, influencing attitudes, values, and behavioral responses. Online activity can range from normative to deviant, with each influencing cognitive processes and online behavior.

Early life events are potent determinants of vulnerability and resistance to stressors. In many species, including rodents, the mother is the primary mediator of behavioral and physiological responses to stress in offspring during development. Emerging evidence indicates that epigenetic modifications in the brain of developing offspring are associated with the effects of maternal stress as well as individual neural, physiological, and behavioral responses to adversity. I will discuss research in my lab focused on identifying the relevant genomic targets (in the brain and periphery) of maternal stressors that exert long‐term ‘programming’ effects on stress responses. We have approached this question in several ways. First, we have studied ecologically important stressors applied during gestation. Second, we have investigated factors that co‐occur or interact with maternal care, including variations in ambient temperature and offspring genotype, that influence neurodevelopment and later‐life behavior. Third, we have explored direct exposure to maternal dietary stressors across the developmental period on offspring phenotype and genome‐wide epigenetic modifications in offspring brain. Through these investigations we will explore the significance of the maternal environment in neurodevelopment and the role of epigenetic mechanisms in important signaling pathways involved in susceptibility to stress‐related illness.