Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel model for layer jamming-based continuum robots

Continuum robots with variable stiffness have gained wide popularity in the last decade. Layer jamming (LJ) has emerged as a simple and efficient technique to achieve tunable stiffness for continuum robots. Despite its merits, the development of a control-oriented dynamical model tailored for this specific class of robots remains an open problem in the literature. This paper aims to present the first solution, to the best of our knowledge, to close the gap. We propose an energy-based model that is integrated with the LuGre frictional model for LJ-based continuum robots. Then, we take a comprehensive theoretical analysis for this model, focusing on two fundamental characteristics of LJ-based continuum robots: shape locking and adjustable stiffness. To validate the modeling approach and theoretical results, a series of experiments using our \textit{OctRobot-I} continuum robotic platform was conducted. The results show that the proposed model is capable of interpreting and predicting the dynamical behaviors in LJ-based continuum robots.
New Consistency Relations between Averages and Variances of Weakly Lensed Signals of Gravitational Waves

The lensing of gravitational waves (GWs) occurs when GWs experience local gravitational potential. In the weak lensing regime, it has been reported that a simple consistency relation holds between the variances of the magnification and phase modulation. In this paper, we present two additional consistency relations between the averages and variances of the weakly lensed GW signals in wave optics. We demonstrate that these consistency relations are derived as the weak lensing limit of the full-order relations for the averages of the amplification factor and its absolute square. These full-order relations appear to originate from energy conservation and the Shapiro time delay, and they are demonstrated to hold irrespective of the matter distribution.
A Framework for Computational Design and Adaptation of Extended Reality User Interfaces

To facilitate high quality interaction during the regular use of computing systems, it is essential that the user interface (UI) deliver content and components in an appropriate manner. Although extended reality (XR) is emerging as a new computing platform, we still have a limited understanding of how best to design and present interactive content to users in such immersive environments. Adaptive UIs offer a promising approach for optimal presentation in XR as the user's environment, tasks, capabilities, and preferences vary under changing context. In this position paper, we present a design framework for adapting various characteristics of content presented in XR. We frame these as five considerations that need to be taken into account for adaptive XR UIs: What? , How Much? , Where? , How? , and When? With this framework, we review literature on UI design and adaptation to reflect on approaches that have been adopted or developed in the past towards identifying current gaps and challenges, and opportunities for applying such approaches in XR. Using our framework, future work could identify and develop novel computational approaches for achieving successful adaptive user interfaces in such immersive environments.
Scale-Score: Investigation of a Meta yet Multi-level Label to Support Nutritious and Sustainable Food Choices When Online Grocery Shopping

Food consumption is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. However, online grocery shoppers often lack the time, motivation, or knowledge to contemplate a food's environmental impact. At the same time, they are concerned with their own well-being. To empower grocery shoppers in making nutritionally and environmentally informed decisions, we investigate the efficacy of the Scale-Score, a label combining nutritional and environmental information to highlight a product's benefit to both the consumer's and the planet's health, without obscuring either information. We conducted an online survey to understand user needs and requirements regarding a joint food label, we developed an open-source mock online grocery environment, and assessed label efficacy. We find that the Scale-Score supports nutritious purchases, yet needs improving regarding sustainability support. Our research shows first insights into design considerations and performance of a combined yet disjoint food label, potentially altering the label design space.
Proprioceptive External Torque Learning for Floating Base Robot and its Applications to Humanoid Locomotion

The estimation of external joint torque and contact wrench is essential for achieving stable locomotion of humanoids and safety-oriented robots. Although the contact wrench on the foot of humanoids can be measured using a force-torque sensor (FTS), FTS increases the cost, inertia, complexity, and failure possibility of the system. This paper introduces a method for learning external joint torque solely using proprioceptive sensors (encoders and IMUs) for a floating base robot. For learning, the GRU network is used and random walking data is collected. Real robot experiments demonstrate that the network can estimate the external torque and contact wrench with significantly smaller errors compared to the model-based method, momentum observer (MOB) with friction modeling. The study also validates that the estimated contact wrench can be utilized for zero moment point (ZMP) feedback control, enabling stable walking. Moreover, even when the robot's feet and the inertia of the upper body are changed, the trained network shows consistent performance with a model-based calibration. This result demonstrates the possibility of removing FTS on the robot, which reduces the disadvantages of hardware sensors.
Hardness of Approximating Bounded-Degree Max 2-CSP and Independent Set on k-Claw-Free Graphs

We consider the question of approximating Max 2-CSP where each variable appears in at most $d$ constraints (but with possibly arbitrarily large alphabet). There is a simple $(\frac{d+1}{2})$-approximation algorithm for the problem. We prove the following results for any sufficiently large $d$: - Assuming the Unique Games Conjecture (UGC), it is NP-hard (under randomized reduction) to approximate this problem to within a factor of $\left(\frac{d}{2} - o(d)\right)$. - It is NP-hard (under randomized reduction) to approximate the problem to within a factor of $\left(\frac{d}{3} - o(d)\right)$. Thanks to a known connection [Dvorak et al., Algorithmica 2023], we establish the following hardness results for approximating Maximum Independent Set on $k$-claw-free graphs: - Assuming the Unique Games Conjecture (UGC), it is NP-hard (under randomized reduction) to approximate this problem to within a factor of $\left(\frac{k}{4} - o(k)\right)$. - It is NP-hard (under randomized reduction) to approximate the problem to within a factor of $\left(\frac{k}{3 + 2\sqrt{2}} - o(k)\right) \geq \left(\frac{k}{5.829} - o(k)\right)$. In comparison, known approximation algorithms achieve $\left(\frac{k}{2} - o(k)\right)$-approximation in polynomial time [Neuwohner, STACS 2021; Thiery and Ward, SODA 2023] and $(\frac{k}{3} + o(k))$-approximation in quasi-polynomial time [Cygan et al., SODA 2013].
Can Artificial Intelligence Make Art?: Folk Intuitions as to whether AI-driven Robots Can Be Viewed as Artists and Produce Art

In two experiments (total N = 693), we explored whether people are willing to consider paintings made by AI-driven robots as art, and robots as artists. Across the two experiments, we manipulated three factors: (i) agent type (AI-driven robot vs. human agent), (ii) behavior type (intentional creation of a painting vs. accidental creation), and (iii) object type (abstract vs. representational painting). We found that people judge robot paintings and human paintings as art to roughly the same extent. However, people are much less willing to consider robots as artists than humans, which is partially explained by the fact that they are less disposed to attribute artistic intentions to robots.
The Relationship of Red and Photographic Infrared Spectral Data to Grain Yield Variation Within a Winter Wheat Field

Two band hand-held radiometer data from a winter wheat field, collected on 21 dates during the spring growing season, were correlated within field final grain yield. Significant linear relationships were found between various combinations of the red and photographic infrared radiance data collected and the grain yield. The spectral data explained approximately 64 percent of the within field grain yield variation. This variation in grain yield could not be explained using meteorological data as these were similar for all areas of the wheat field. Most importantly, data collected early in the spring were highly correlated with grain yield, a five week time window existed from stem elongation through antheses in which the spectral data were most highly correlated with grain yield, and manifestations of wheat canopy water stress were readily apparent in the spectral data.
Transthyretin promotes the invasion of combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma by tumor‐associated macrophages

Patients with combined hepatocellular‐cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC‐CCA) have limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are the most abundant infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and promote tumor stemness, proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Evidence suggested that transthyretin (TTR) influenced the prolifetation and invasion functions of different tumors and play an essential role in the tumor microenvironment.
Utility of routine pulmonary function test after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in lymphoma

Abstract This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of routine pulmonary function testing (PFT) at the 12-month mark post-autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT) in identifying clinically significant lung disease in lymphoma survivors. In 247 patients, 173 (70%) received BEAM (carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, melphalan), and 49 (20%) received TBC (thiotepa, busulfan, cyclophosphamide) conditioning regimens. Abnormal baseline PFT was noted in 149 patients (60%). Thirty-four patients had a significant decline (reduction of >/= 20% in DLCO or FEV1 or FVC) in post-AHCT PFT, with the highest incidence in the CNS lymphoma group (39%). The incidence of clinically significant lung disease post-transplant was low at 2% and there was no association between abnormal pre- and 1-year post-transplant PFTs with the development of clinical lung disease. While this study illustrates the impact of treatment regimens on PFT changes, it did not demonstrate a predictive value of scheduled PFTs in identifying clinically significant post-AHCT lung disease.
The INSAR Community Collaborator Request: Using community–academic partnerships to enhance outcomes of participatory autism research

Participatory approaches, in which researchers work together with members of the autism community (e.g., autistic people, family members, caregivers, or other stakeholders) to design, conduct, and disseminate research, have become increasingly prominent within the field of autism research over the past decade. Despite growing academic and community interest in conducting participatory studies, stakeholder collaboration remains infrequent in autism research, at least partially due to systemic barriers. To help reduce barriers to engaging in participatory autism research, the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) Autistic Researchers Committee has launched the INSAR Community Collaborator Request (ICCR; https://www.autism-insar.org/page/iccr), a platform on the INSAR website that allows autism researchers conducting participatory research to seek out stakeholder collaborators from the autism community (including both autistic people and their family members/caregivers, as relevant to a given research project). Interested stakeholders also have the opportunity to subscribe to ICCR posts, allowing them to be alerted of new opportunities for collaboration and potentially increasing their involvement in autism research. Overall, the ICCR provides a venue to connect autism researchers with potential community collaborators, reducing barriers to participatory autism research and increasing the frequency of successful community–academic partnerships within the field. We are hopeful that in the long term, such changes will lead to greater alignment between research outputs and the goals of the greater autism community, and consequently an increase in the overall quality and relevance of autism research.
The impact of annuloplasty ring or band implantation on post-repair mitral valve haemodynamic performance

Abstract OBJECTIVES The clinical importance of optimal post-repair mitral valve diastolic performance is increasingly being recognized. The haemodynamic effect of a partial annuloplasty band implantation, in comparison to a full ring, remains insufficiently explored. METHODS Patients undergoing mitral valve repair for pure degenerative disease between 2011 and 2019 at 2 experienced heart valve centres were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria were concomitant procedures other than tricuspid valve repair and ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation. Pre-discharge and follow-up echocardiograms (1–4 years after surgery) were analysed to assess haemodynamic mitral valve performance. RESULTS Of 535 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, 364 (68.0%) patients underwent full annuloplasty ring and 171 (31.0%) partial band implantation. On predischarge echocardiogram, post-repair mitral valve gradient and area did not differ between groups [2.89 mmHg (IQR 2.26–3.72) vs 2.60 mmHg (IQR 1.91–3.55), P = 0.19 and 1.98 cm2 (IQR 1.66–2.46) vs 2.03 cm2 (IQR 1.55–3.06), P = 0.15]. However, multivariable linear regression analysis demonstrated band annuloplasty as a determinant of larger valve area (coefficient 0.467 cm2, standard error 0.105, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, no significant impact on post-repair gradient was observed (–0.370 mmHg, standard error 0.167, P = 0.36). At follow-up, the differences between groups disappeared and multivariable regression analysis failed to demonstrate a significant impact of annuloplasty device type on mitral valve gradient (coefficient –0.095 mmHg, standard error 0.171, P = 1.00) or area (coefficient –0.085 cm2, standard error 0.120, P = 1.00). These results were confirmed with a linear mixed model analysis. CONCLUSIONS Partial band annuloplasty was related to an improved haemodynamic profile directly after valve repair for degenerative disease but the effect was short-lived. Our results suggest that the type of annuloplasty device has no durable impact on diastolic valve performance.
Controlling root zone temperature improves plant growth and pigments in hydroponic lettuce

Abstract Background and Aims Air and root zone temperatures are important environmental factors affecting plant growth and yield. Numerous studies have demonstrated that air temperature strongly affects plant growth and development. Despite the extensive literature on air temperature, comprehensive studies on the effects of root zone temperature (RZT) on plant growth, elemental composition, and pigments are limited. In this study, we carefully observed the effects of RZT in red leaf lettuce to understand its effect on lettuce growth and pigment content. Methods Lettuce (Lactuca sativa, red leaf cultivar ‘Red Fire’) was grown hydroponically in a plant factory with artificial light under three RZT treatments (15, 25, or 35 °C) for 13 days. We investigated the comprehensive effects of RZT on the production of red leaf lettuce by metabolome and ionome analyses. Key Results The 25 °C RZT treatment achieved maximum shoot and root dry weight. The 35 °C RZT decreased plant growth but significantly increased pigment contents (e.g. anthocyanins, carotenoids). In addition, a RZT heating treatment during plant cultivation that changed from 25 to 35 °C RZT for 8 days before harvest significantly increased shoot dry weight compared with the 35 °C RZT and significantly increased pigments compared with the 25 °C RZT. The 15 °C RZT resulted in significantly less pigment content relative to the 35 °C RZT. The 15 °C RZT also resulted in shoot and root dry weights greater than the 35 °C RZT but less than the 25 °C RZT. Conclusions This study demonstrated that plant growth and pigments can be enhanced by adjusting RZT during different stages of plant growth to attain enhanced pigment contents while minimizing yield loss. This suggests that controlling RZT could be a viable method to improve lettuce quality via enhancement of pigment content quality while maintaining acceptable yields.
Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

Hyperspectral remote sensing is an emerging, multidisciplinary field with diverse applications that builds on the principles of material spectroscopy, radiative transfer, imaging spectrometry, and hyperspectral data processing. While there are many resources that suitably cover these areas individually and focus on specific aspects of the hyperspectral remote sensing field, this book provides a holistic treatment that thoroughly captures its multidisciplinary nature. The content is oriented toward the physical principles of hyperspectral remote sensing as opposed to applications of hyperspectral technology. Readers can expect to finish the book armed with the required knowledge to understand the immense literature available in this technology area and apply their knowledge to the understanding of material spectral properties, the design of hyperspectral systems, the analysis of hyperspectral imagery, and the application of the technology to specific problems.
Nanomechanical properties of SSTSAA microcrystals are dominated by the inter-sheet packing

Amyloid fibrils have been associated with human disease for many decades, but it has also become apparent that they play a functional, non-disease-related role in e.g. bacteria and mammals. Moreover, they have been shown to possess interesting mechanical properties that can be harnessed for future man-made applications. Here, the mechanical behaviour of SSTSAA microcrystals has been investigated. The SSTSAA peptide organization in these microcrystals has been related to that in the corresponding amyloid fibrils. Using high-pressure X-ray diffraction experiments, the bulk modulus K, which is the reciprocal of the compressibility β, has been calculated to be 2.48 GPa. This indicates that the fibrils are tightly packed, although the packing of most native globular proteins is even better. It is shown that the value of the bulk modulus is mainly determined by the compression along the c-axis, that relates to the inter-sheet distance in the fibrils. These findings corroborate earlier data obtained by AFM and molecular dynamics simulations that showed that mechanical resistance varies according to the direction of the applied strain, which can be related to packing and hydrogen bond contributions. Pressure experiments provide complementary information to these techniques and help to acquire a full mechanical characterization of biomolecular assemblies. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Exploring the length scales, timescales and chemistry of challenging materials (Part 2)’.
What do women in IT want?: Women in IT Networking and their experience working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The IT sector has traditionally shown gender gaps in the labor market, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted this issue. As more people have been forced to adopt remote work arrangements, there is potential for this disruption to have a positive impact on future work arrangements. Drawing on existing research on remote work environments, we discuss the effects of the pandemic on IT jobs and how women experienced these changes. This new era of telework may present an opportunity to recruit more women into the sector and address the gender disparities that have long existed.
Investigating the Impact of On-Demand Code Examples on Novices' Open-Ended Programming Experience

Background and Context: Open-ended programming projects encourage novice students to choose and pursue projects based on their own ideas and interests, and are widely used in many introductory programming courses. However, novice programmers encounter challenges exploring and discovering new ideas, implementing their ideas, and applying unfamiliar programming concepts and APIs. Code examples are one of the primary resources students use to apply code usage patterns and learn API knowledge, but little work has investigated the effect of having access to examples on students’ open-ended programming experience. Objectives: In this work, we evaluate the impact of code examples on open-ended programming, through a study with 46 local high school students in a full-day coding workshop. Method: We conducted a controlled study, where half of the students had full access to 37 code examples using an example browser system called Example Helper and the other half had 5 standard, tutorial examples. Findings: We found that students who had access to all 37 code examples used a significantly larger variety of code APIs, perceived the programming as relatively more creative, but also experienced a higher task load. We also found suggestive evidence of a better post-assignment performance from the example group, showing that some students were able to learn and apply the knowledge they learned from examples to a new programming task.
Pyro-Catalytic Activates of Cement-Based BaTiO3 Composites

Abstract BaTiO3/cement pyroelectric composite was fabricated and it was also explored for pyrocatalysis dye degradation at room temperature. The BaTiO3/cement was electrically poled and piezoelectric coefficient was found to be ±20 pC/N. Poled BaTiO3/cement composite can effectively decompose Rhodanmine B dye with a degradation efficiency of 60% by harvesting 6–40 °C cold–hot alternation energy. These results along with the high stability displayed by the composites indicate a new approach for development of functional cements for environmental remediation.
How are Elementary Students Demonstrating Understanding of Decomposition within Elementary Mathematics?

Decomposition is a foundational computational thinking construct that is often introduced early as students are learning computer science in the elementary grades. Although decomposition is often described in early computational activities, little research exists about how to teach and assess students’ understanding of decomposition. In this mixed-methods research study, 173 third-grade students from eight elementary school classrooms in the Midwest were taught eight lessons that integrated decomposition as well as other computational thinking practices into their mathematics instruction. They completed a computational thinking assessment after the first four lessons and again after the second four lessons. Analyses included the distribution of correct decomposition item responses, confirmatory factor analysis, and item-level error analysis. Results indicate wide variability in students’ performance on the decomposition assessment items as well as in performance on items contextualized within mathematics. This study highlights the need for additional considerations about assessing computational understanding, implications for assessment within integrated contexts, and the use of paper-and-pencil tests compared to embedded assessments.
Effect of Annealing on Gas Detecting Property of BFO Thin Films

Abstract The thin films of pure BFO have been developed using spray pyrolysis technique. The characterization of thin films is carried out before and after annealing. The outcomes obtained from XRD showed the polycrystalline rhombohedral crystal structure and an improvement in the crystallinity with annealing. The results from FESEM showed reduction of particle size with annealing. The results of AFM reveal the enhancement in the surface roughness with annealing. The gas sensing studies carried out for the developed thin films showed a good sensitivity to ethanol and it was found that the operating temperature reduced from 250 °C to 150 °C with annealing.