Adaptive-parameter memetic algorithm for privacy-preserving trajectory data publishing: A multi-objective optimization approach

Trajectory data has grown pervasive, benefiting practical applications, including transportation administration and location-based operations. Nevertheless, trajectories may reveal extremely sensitive information about an individual, including movement patterns, personal profiles, geographical locations, and social contacts, necessitating privacy protection while disseminating trajectory data. Therefore, prioritizing privacy protection is crucial while analyzing trajectory data. Current methods of protecting privacy concentrate on single objective optimizing techniques such as maximizing data utility but often disregard various privacy constraints. To overcome this challenge, this study aims to improve both data privacy and usability by balancing competing goals-maximizing privacy while maintaining useful information-through a Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) approach in trajectory data publishing. We provide a unique algorithm named Adaptive-Parameter Memetic Algorithm (APMA) that employs a non-dominated sorting multi-objective technique and a Memetic Algorithm (MA). This algorithm utilizes adaptive memory-based mutation and crossover strategies to dynamically adjust the mutation and crossover parameters and improve the solution’s quality. The proposed innovative local search strategy helps to achieve better population diversity and solution quality. Comprehensive studies illustrate the efficacy of the proposed method regarding solution quality and convergence outcomes

Regime Change in Top of the Atmosphere Radiation Fluxes: Implications for Understanding Earth’s Energy Imbalance

Earth’s energy imbalance (EEI) is a major indicator of climate change. Its metrics are top of the atmosphere radiation imbalance (EEI TOA) and net internal heat uptake. Both EEI and temperature are expected to respond gradually to forcing on annual timescales. This expectation was tested by analyzing regime changes in the inputs to EEI TOA along with increasing ocean heat content (OHC). Outward longwave radiation (OLR) displayed rapid shifts in three observational and two reanalysis records. The reanalysis records also contained shifts in surface fluxes and temperature. OLR, outward shortwave radiation (OSR) and TOA net radiation (Net) from the CERES Energy Balanced and Filled Ed-4.2.1 (2001–2023) record and from 27 CMIP5 historical and RCP4.5 forced simulations 1861–2100, were also analyzed. All variables from CERES contained shifts but the record was too short to confirm regime changes. Contributions of OLR and OSR to net showed high complementarity over space and time. EEI TOA was −0.47 ± 0.11 W m−2 in 2001–2011 and −1.09 ± 0.11 W m−2 in 2012–2023. Reduced OSR due to cloud feedback was a major contributor, coinciding with rapid increases in sea surface temperatures in 2014. Despite widely varying OLR and OSR, 26/27 climate models produced stable regimes for net radiation. EEI TOA was neutral from 1861, shifting downward in the 26 reliable records between 1963 and 1995, with 25 records showing it stabilizing by 2039. To investigate heat uptake, temperature and OHC 1955/57–2023 was analyzed for regime change in the 100 m, 700 m and 2000 m layers. The 100 m layer, about one third of total heat content, was dominated by regimes. Increases became more gradual with depth. Annual changes between the 700 m layer and 1300 m beneath were negatively correlated (−0.67), with delayed oscillations during lag years 2–9. Heat uptake at depth is dynamic. These changes reveal a complex thermodynamic response to gradual forcing. We outline a complex arrangement of naturally evolved heat engines, dominated by a dissipative heat engine nested within a radiative engine. EEI is a property of the dissipative heat engine. This far-from-equilibrium natural engine has evolved to take the path of least resistance while being constrained by its maximum power limit (~2 W m−2). It is open to the radiative engine, receiving solar radiation and emitting scattered shortwave and longwave radiation. Steady states maximize entropy within the dissipative engine by regulating spatial patterns in surface variables that influence outgoing OLR and OSR. Regime shifts to warmer climates balance the cost of greater irreversibility with increased energy rate density. The result is the regulation of EEI TOA through a form of thermodynamic metabolis

Associations between neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage and psychological distress among Australian adults: Longitudinal analysis of the HILDA survey (2007-2021)

Background: Mental disorders contribute substantially to the global burden of disease. The neighbourhood socioeconomic environment is a key determinant of mental health, even after accounting for individual-level socioeconomic factors. However, few longitudinal studies have examined this relationship. This study examined longitudinal associations between neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage and psychological distress from three perspectives: overall associations, trends over time and changing neighbourhood exposures. Methods: Data were from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey wave 7 (2007) to wave 21 (2021), a nationally representative household-based cohort study, including 109 604 observations. Mental health was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), analysed as a continuous variable, score range 10-50. Neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage was measured using derived spatially and temporally consistent census-based data, analysed in quintiles. Multilevel and fixed effects linear regression models were used. Results: Psychological distress increased with neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage, with K10 scores 1.35 points higher (95% CI 1.14 to 1.55) in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods compared with the least. However, the rate of change in distress over time did not vary by neighbourhood disadvantage. An association was observed between changes in disadvantage and changes in psychological distress for the most socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Conclusion: The findings from nationally representative longitudinal data show that individuals living in more disadvantaged neighbourhoods consistently experienced higher psychological distress compared with those in less disadvantaged neighbourhoods. These inequalities remained stable over time, and limited evidence of change suggests that the association may reflect persistent differences between individuals living in different neighbourhoods

An Evidence-Informed Theory of Change for Facilitating Disengagement from Violent Extremism: Insights from the Community Integration Support Program

This paper addresses a persistent issue in the literature on countering violent extremism (CVE): the lack of robust program theory and an accepted analytical framework for understanding change mechanisms and measuring outcomes. The absence of a comprehensive theory of change in CVE programming can hinder conceptual clarity and practical understanding of the intervention philosophy, weakening the basis for intended outcomes and underlying mechanisms of change. The authors present an evidence-informed theory of change for the Community Integration Support Program (CISP), the longest-running CVE program in Australia. This mixed methods research, which combines quantitative analysis of detailed client assessments and 52 semi-structured interviews with clients and other key stakeholders, examines the main program ingredients that enable the CISP to achieve its intended outcome of client disengagement from terrorism and violent extremism. The results provide novel insights into the change mechanisms of CVE interventions that aim to support disengagement from terrorism and violent extremism, highlighting the need for programs to be holistic, tailored to individual needs, and delivered in a culturally appropriate way by trusted and skilled staff. The findings also indicate that most clients do not show substantive positive change until three or more years in the program. The authors encourage CVE interventions to move beyond ill-defined or generic theories of change to ones that are evidence-based and context-specific