Narrowing the Gap Between Imaginary and Real Artifacts: A Process for Making and Filming Diegetic Prototypes

Critical Design uses designed artifacts as a critique of consumer culture. However, the complex nature of these artifacts prompted designers to focus on the artifact and present it in an informative, but relatively isolated fashion.The theoretical framework for this thesis is drawn from a similar, yet more recent, design criterion called Design Fiction. The artifacts of Design Fiction are called Diegetic Prototypes: fictional prototypes that function in the social sphere of a film’s structure. This research develops a method for analyzing and creating artifacts, in reference to psychoanalysis theories on the human psyche and perception of objects. It then explores scenarios for presenting these artifacts as diegetic prototypes by exploring and integrating the disciplines of systems/parametric design, digital fabrication, music, animation and film. The scenarios function as micro-narratives. These micro-narratives created through the prototypes will inform the larger narrative structure of the film

Studying some approaches to estimate the smoothing parameter for the nonparametric regression model

Several previous studies have addressed various topics in regression analysis and estimation of the appropriate regression equation. It assumes that there is a known and pre-defined function relationship between variables. The studied variables are known for distribution using some known methods of estimation, such as the ordinary least squares method (OLS) and the maximum likelihood method (MLE). The parameter model can be estimated due to problems arising from the application of the parameter model, because the theoretical assumptions of the model application are not met. Here, we adopted another method of estimating the regression equation using non-parametric methods. It proved its efficiency and ability to analyze data without the need for prior assumptions on the model. Based on the adopted data, it determines the functional shape of the studied population. Therefore, the aim of this research is to use non-parametric smoothing methods to approximate the non-parametric regression function to the real regression function. This is done by using some non-parametric smoothing methods such as Kernel methods by Nadaraya-Watson and the method of the nearest neighbor (K-Nearest-Neighbor) depending on the bandwidth (h).The study uses the experimental method of simulation on two test functions. Three sizes of sample data (n = 15, n = 50, n = 75) and three values for random error variance (σ^2=0.5),(σ^2=1),(σ^2=2) are assumed. Kernel methods based on Nadaraya-Watson Smoothed Cross Validation are the best choice for the bandwidth of the first test function. On the other hand, Least Squared Cross Validation method for the forensic crossing is the best choice for the bandwidth of the second test function. The second one was better than the neighbor method closest to the first test function

Coefficient Bounds and Fekete-Szeg¨o inequality for a Certain Families of Bi-Prestarlike Functions Defined by (M,N)-Lucas Polynomials

In the current work, we use the (M,N)-Lucas Polynomials to introduce a new families of holomorphic and bi-Prestarlike functions defined in the unit disk O and establish upper bounds for the second and third coefficients of the Taylor-Maclaurin series expansions of functions belonging to these families. Also, we debate Fekete-Szeg¨o problem for thesefamilies. Further, we point out several certain special cases for our results

Evaluation of shear behavior of prepared recycled concrete aggregate concrete deep beam

In this article, the shear behavior of a deep beam made of Recycled Aggregate Concrete (RAC) was analyzed. Rapid urbanization has presented a massive new activity that is necessary to meet the needs of the influx of people. Developments of all types, from housing to infrastructure, necessitate considerable input from both natural and monetary resources. The purpose of this study is to compare the strength and loading capacity of RAC to that of Naturally Aggregate Concrete (NAC). The samples were evaluated at a controlled deformation rate of 2mm/minute in the "Material Testing Laboratory of the Department of Civil Engineering," where this investigation was conducted. The researcher has chosen two different sizes of coarse totals to use throughout this study: those measuring 5mm to 15mm (60.2%) and those measuring 15mm to 25mm (40.3%). In support of her claims, the researcher presents a variety of charts and datasets in the following research. There is an overall drop in strength in the recycled aggregate concrete samples. The load-deflection curves and the techniques are depicted by which the specimens failed. Shear required beams' experimental data and predicted values. This study reveals that compared to natural aggregate concrete, recycled aggregate concrete has weaker compressive, flexural, and breaking tensile strengths. The maximum load-bearing strength of longitudinally supported beams built of "recycled and natural aggregate concrete" is also not significantly different

Demographics and clinical characteristics of alcohol-related admissions in a tertiary care hospital in Qatar: Does age matter?

Background: Alcohol consumption is a major cause of acute and chronic health conditions associated with comorbidities and traumatic injuries, despite its partial prohibition in some countries. Moreover, alcohol-related hospital admissions increase the burden on the healthcare system. More than 80% of the population in Qatar comprises expatriates. This study aimed to analyze the demographics and clinical characteristics of subjects with alcohol-related emergency department (ED) visits/hospitalization with respect to different age groups in a single tertiary hospital in Qatar. Methods: It is a retrospective observational study of adult patients who visited the ED at Hamad General Hospital between January 2013 and March 2015 and were screened positive for alcohol use. Collected data included sociodemographic characteristics, blood alcohol concentration (BAC), pattern of admission, previous medical history, laboratory investigations, treatment, hospital course, and mortality. Data were compared with respect to the distribution of age groups such as 55 years. Results: In total, 1506 consecutively admitted patients screened positive for alcohol use were included in the study; the majority of them were males (95.6%), non-Qatari nationals (71.1%), and aged 35-44 years (30.9%). The age groups 35-44 years and 45-54 years showed the highest median BAC ([0.24 interquartile range (IQR: 0.14-0.33)] and [0.24 (IQR: 0.13-0.33)], respectively) as compared to the other age groups (P = 0.001). The pattern of hospital admission, sociodemographic status, presence of comorbidities, laboratory investigations, and mortality showed specific age-related distribution. Particularly, young adults were more likely to have a previous ED visit due to trauma, whereas older patients' previous hospital admissions were mostly related to various underlying comorbidities. Conclusion: This study highlighted the patterns of age and clinico-epidemiological status of patients with alcohol-attributable hospital admissions. Our study showed that alcohol consumption was higher among the working-age group. Further studies are needed to investigate changes in the alcohol consumption patterns that may help plan for allocation of health resources and prevention of alcohol-related problems.qscienc

Efficiency in Arabian banking

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DXN054784 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

How Do Bank Features and Global Crises Affect Scale Economies? Evidence from the Banking Sectors of Oil-Rich GCC Emerging Markets

This study investigates the types of scale economies (SE) for the exchange-listed banks of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries over the 2000-2016 period, using the stochastic frontier for modeling banking technology that explicitly incorporates managerial preferences for the bank risk taking. It explores how the levels of economies of scale (ES) are associated with banks' features that include the business model, risk, profitability, and capital strength. The results underscore that ES are exhausted over the subperiod 2000-2008, while substantial ES are available over the subsequent 2009-2016 subperiod that followed the global financial crisis. The ES are substantial especially for the small- and middle-sized banks. Based on the geographical location, banks operating in Bahrain and UAE have shown the highest levels of ES, while those in Saudi Arabia and Oman have shown the least. Regarding bank specialization, the investment banks have shown the highest levels of ES, while commercial banks have indicated the least ES. Concerning the bank features, we find that the levels of ES are not strongly correlated with the ratio of securities-to-total assets, the profitability from lending activities and the equity-to-capital ratio. These outcomes underscore that many banks in the GCC countries, mainly in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, have failed to alter their scales of operations to land on the most efficient scale that minimizes the average cost. Thus, the financial reforms that aim to restrict the motives of banks to expand their scale of business to benefit from the too-big-to-fail (TBTF) status, especially during financial crises, are not justifiable as a valued goal. , Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.Scopu