bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolic and film antitranspirants both reduce drought damage to wheat yield despite having contrasting effects on leaf ABA
Authors: Mphande Wiza , Farrell Aidan D. , Grove Ivan G. , Vickers Laura H. , Kettlewell Peter S.
Published: November 2021

Film antitranspirants (e.g. di‐1‐p‐menthene) and metabolic antitranspirants (e.g. exogenous ABA) can be used to protect grain crops from drought, particularly during reproductive development. Here, we compared effects of di‐1‐p‐menthene (1.0 L/ha) and exogenous ABA (100 µM) on well‐watered and droughted spring wheat in two glasshouse experiments. Progressive drought was imposed in the first experiment, controlled drought in the second, both from flag leaf emergence. Antitranspirants were applied at flag leaf emergence, except in the controlled drought experiment where additional ABA applications were made at four further stages up to anthesis‐complete. Measurements were taken for endogenous ABA, stomatal conductance and photosynthesis during reproductive development, and yield components at maturity. Both progressive and controlled drought elevated leaf ABA, less so in di‐1‐p‐menthene‐treated plants, whereas in exogenous ABA‐treated plants leaf ABA was elevated further. Overall, both antitranspirants improved yield under reproductive‐stage drought, more so for controlled drought. Grain yield was negatively associated with reproductive‐stage leaf ABA concentration except that raising leaf ABA concentration with multiple exogenous ABA applications was associated with high yield. In conclusion, both antitranspirants generally reduced effects of reproductive‐stage drought on yield despite having contrary effects on leaf ABA.
Growth asymmetry precedes differential auxin response during apical hook initiation in Arabidopsis
Authors: Peng Yang , Zhang Dan , Qiu Yuping , Xiao Zhina , Ji Yusi , Li Wenyang , Xia Yiji , Wang Yichuan , Guo Hongwei
Published: November 2021

The development of a hook‐like structure at the apical part of the soil‐emerging organs has fascinated botanists for centuries, but how it is initiated remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate with high‐throughput infrared imaging and 2‐D clinostat treatment that, when gravity‐induced root bending is absent, apical hook formation still takes place. In such scenarios, hook formation begins with a de novo growth asymmetry at the apical part of a straightly elongating hypocotyl. Remarkably, such de novo asymmetric growth, but not the following hook enlargement, precedes the establishment of a detectable auxin response asymmetry, and is largely independent of auxin biosynthesis, transport and signaling. Moreover, we found that functional cortical microtubule array is essential for the following enlargement of hook curvature. When microtubule array was disrupted by oryzalin, the polar localization of PIN proteins and the formation of an auxin maximum became impaired at the to‐be‐hook region. Taken together, we propose a more comprehensive model for apical hook initiation, in which the microtubule‐dependent polar localization of PINs may mediate the instruction of growth asymmetry that is either stochastically taking place, induced by gravitropic response, or both, to generate a significant auxin gradient that drives the full development of the apical hook.
Fissure adjacent partial lobe atelectasis in primary ciliary dyskinesia
Authors: Fabri Loraine , Shanthikumar Shivanthan , Tadd Katelyn , Morgan Lucy , Schultz André , Robinson Philip
Published: November 2021

Aim

Establishing the underlying cause in a child with chronic suppurative lung disease (CSLD) allows for targeted treatment and screening for associated complications. One cause of CSLD is primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). Testing for PCD requires specialist expertise which is not widely available. Computed tomography (CT) scans are commonly performed when assessing CSLD. Identifying PCD‐specific signs on CT would help clinicians in deciding when to refer for specialist testing. One potential PCD‐specific sign we have observed is fissure adjacent partial lobe atelectasis (FAPLA). We aimed to assess if FAPLA is commonly found in CT of PCD patients.

Methods

Fifty‐eight CT scans from 42 adult and child PCD patients were analysed. The presence and distribution of FAPLA were noted, and its association to sputum culture and other signs commonly seen in CSLD (bronchiectasis, bronchial wall thickening, air trapping and mucus plugging).

Results

FAPLA was found in 13 of 40 participants in their earliest CT scan. The prevalence of FAPLA was similar in children and adults. FAPLA involved the right middle lobe in all 13 cases and was systematically associated with ≥1 other structural change. There was no association between FAPLA and bacterial isolation from sputum.

Conclusion

FAPLA was found in 32.5% PCD scans, without difference between children and adults in terms of frequency. Future work will determine if it is a PCD‐specific sign by assessing whether it is also found in other CSLD processes and analysing more scans from children with PCD to determine how early this sign develops.
The mediating role of perceived social support in the relationship between morningness–eveningness and subjective well‐being
Authors: Gorgol Joanna , Stolarski Maciej , Bullock Ben
Published: November 2021

Studies show that morningness preference and subjective well‐being are positively related. However, little is known about potential factors that may underpin this association. In the present study, we explored the mediational role of general social support and its facets (family, friends, and significant other) in the relationship between morningness–eveningness and subjective well‐being. The present study was conducted with a sample of 1,067 adults (51% women), with a mean (SD, range) age of 36.41 (9.95, 18–55) years. Our results corroborated earlier findings that morningness was positively associated with both subjective well‐being and social support. Controlling for age and gender, we obtained significant mediation effects, showing that the association between morningness–eveningness and subjective well‐being might stem, at least in part, from the higher levels of social support received by morning‐oriented individuals. This may lead to the conclusion that social support is an important antecedent of the greater well‐being reported by morning‐oriented individuals.
Testing the volatility jumps based on the high frequency data
Authors: Liu Guangying , Liu Meiyao , Lin Jinguan
Published: November 2021

This article tests volatility jumps based on the high frequency data. Under the null hypothesis that the volatility process is a continuous semimartingale, our test statistic converges to a normal distribution, and under the alternative hypothesis where the volatility has jumps, the statistic diverges to infinity. Compared to the test statistic of Bibinger et al. (Bibinger et al. (2017). Annals of Statistics 45, 1542–1578), our proposed statistic diverges to infinity at a faster rate, and has a better power. Simulation studies confirm the theoretical results, and an empirical analysis shows that some real financial data possess volatility jumps.
Role of psychological questionnaires in clinical practice and research within functional gastrointestinal disorders
Authors: Luo Yuying , Keefer Laurie
Published: November 2021

Functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, also known as disorders of gut‐brain interaction (DGBI), affect 40% of the global population. Up to two‐thirds of patients with FGIDs experience a major psychological disorder making a thorough psychosocial assessment a critical part of patient care as it can impact treatment approach.

Many psychological questionnaires exist in the clinical realm serving different purposes including screening for anxiety and depression, somatization symptoms, health‐related anxiety, illness impact, and health‐related quality of life. Given the abundance of questionnaires used to screen for similar psychiatric comorbidities, correlation between different instruments is needed to allow for pooling of data. In this issue of Neurogastroenterology & Motility, Snijkers et al. conducted the first comparative study to assess the correlation between the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 (GAD‐7) to determine optimal cutoffs for diagnosis of depressive and anxiety disorders in a cohort of irritable bowel syndrome patients.

The biopsychosocial framework as it applies to FGID has led to the inclusion of both psychosocial assessments in clinical management and research protocols. Future directions include the development of symptom‐specific questionnaires for groups of FGIDs, culturally specific psychosocial questionnaires, and inclusion of psychosocial well‐being as primary or secondary outcomes in clinical research trials. In this review, we aim to explore the role of psychological questionnaires in clinical care and research trials and share practical tips on incorporating a biopsychosocial framework in the care of patients with FGIDs.
Stress granule‐associated TaMBF1c confers thermotolerance through regulating specific mRNA translation in wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Authors: Tian Xuejun , Qin Zhen , Zhao Yue , Wen Jingjing , Lan Tianyu , Zhang Liyuan , Wang Fei , Qin Dandan , Yu Kuohai , Zhao Aiju , Hu Zhaorong , Yao Yingyin , Ni Zhongfu , Sun Qixin , De Smet Ive , Peng Huiru , Xin Mingming
Published: November 2021

Heat stress is a major limiting factor for global wheat production and causes dramatic yield loss worldwide. The TaMBF1c gene is upregulated in response to heat stress in wheat. Understanding the molecular mechanisms associated with heat stress responses will pave the way to improve wheat thermotolerance.

Through CRISPR/Cas9‐based gene editing, polysome profiling coupled with RNA‐sequencing analysis, and protein–protein interactions, we show that TaMBF1c conferred heat response via regulating a specific gene translation in wheat.

The results showed that TaMBF1c is evolutionarily conserved in diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid wheat species, and its knockdown and knockout lines show increased heat sensitivity. TaMBF1c is colocalized with the stress granule complex and interacts with TaG3BP. TaMBF1c affects the translation efficiency of a subset of heat responsive genes, which are significantly enriched in the ‘sequence‐specific DNA binding’ term. Moreover, gene expression network analysis demonstrated that TaMBF1c is closely associated with the translation of heat shock proteins.

Our findings reveal a contribution of TaMBF1c in regulating the heat stress response via the translation process, and provide a new target for improving heat tolerance in wheat breeding programs.
Comparing the measurement properties of visual analogue and verbal rating scales
Authors: Khadka Jyoti , Schoneveld Paul G , Pesudovs Konrad
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Utilising Rasch analysis on the Keratoconus Outcome Research Questionnaire (KORQ) data, we explored the hypothesis that the KORQ with discrete verbal rating scale (VRS) would demonstrate better psychometric properties and provide less noise in measurement than with a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Methods

The KORQ is a keratoconus‐specific patient‐reported outcome measure; it has activity limitation and symptoms scales. The KORQ scales with two different rating scales (VAS and a discrete 4‐response VRS) were completed by self‐administration by people with keratoconus. For each KORQ scale, Rasch analysis‐based psychometric properties were compared between the two versions. Rasch analysis was also used to optimise rating scale functioning when disordered thresholds were observed.

Results

118 (mean age ± SD, 46.4 ± 0.4 years) and 169 (45.4 ± 14.7 years) people completed the KORQ with VAS and VRS, respectively. Both scales demonstrated high measurement precision. However, the VAS rating scale was disordered (6 out of 11 categories dysfunctional) and had two misfitting items. Conversely, the VRS had ordered categories and no misfitting items. For the disordered VAS, ordering was achieved only after collapsing 11 categories into four categories. In comparison to the KORQ with VRS, the repaired VAS had lower measurement precision, test information, variance explained by the measure, poor targeting, and reduced measurement range.

Conclusions

The KORQ demonstrated superior psychometric properties when measured using a VRS than with a VAS. This illustrates the advantages of verbal rating scales for a patient‐reported outcome measurement over a visual analogue scale.
Healthcare practices and interventions in Europe towards families of older patients with cardiovascular disease: A scoping review
Authors: Mahrer‐Imhof Romy , Østergaard Birte , Brødsgaard Anne , Konradsen Hanne , Svavarsdóttir Erla Kolbrun , Dieperink Karin B. , Imhof Lorenz , García‐Vivar Cristina , Luttik Marie‐Louise
Published: November 2021

Background

In Europe, cardiovascular disease is one of the predominant causes of mortality and morbidity among older people over 65 years. The occurrence of cardiovascular disease can have a negative impact on the quality of life of older patients and their families and family health overall. Assuming that illness is a family affair shaped by culture and health care systems, we explored European health care practices and interventions toward families of older patients with cardiovascular disease and heart failure.

Aims

This paper aimed to determine the extent, range, and variety of practices and interventions in Europe directed to families of older patients and to identify knowledge gaps.

Materials & Methods

A scoping review was conducted including studies published in Medline, CINHAL, or Cochrane library between 2009 and mid‐2020.

Results

A total of 22 articles from 17 studies were included, showing diverse practices and interventions. The interventions targeted the family as a unit (six studies), dyads (five studies), patients alone, but assessed family members’ reactions (five studies) or the family member primarily, but assessed the reaction of the patient (one study). Target outcomes were family caregiver burden; health‐related QoL; and perceived control in patients; and family functioning and changes in health behavior or knowledge in both, family members and patients. Most studies did not include an integral view of the family as the unit of care but rather had a disease‐centered approach.

Discussion

This scoping review provides insight into a variety of healthcare practices towards families of older patients with cardiovascular disease in Europe. Clarifying underlying assumptions to involve families is needed. More studies with family‐focused approaches as integral models could lead to practices that improve families’ well‐being. Exploring integral models for their acceptance in health care and family systems appears pertinent to develop European policy to support and add to family health.
Multi-Attribute Assessment of Waste-to-Energy Technologies for Medical, Industrial, and Electronic Residual Wastes
Authors: Manegdeg Reynald Ferdinand , Rollon Analiza , Ballesteros Florencio , Magdaluyo Eduardo , De Sales-Papa Louernie , Clemente Eligia , Macapinlac Emma , Ibañez Roderaid , Cervera Rinlee Butch
Published: November 2021

There is a global need for residual waste management to prevent environmental and health hazards from waste and reduce its volume for disposal to sanitary landfills. A waste-to-energy (WtE) facility can provide solutions by converting energy from waste to generate electricity. In this study, a method of selecting the most appropriate WtE technology for residual wastes from medical, industrial, and electronic sectors was formulated and implemented through multi-attribute decision analysis. The preference of the investigators with technical knowledge from different fields of expertise was considered in ranking the most important parameters in the study. From the comparison of seven waste conversion technologies and four power generation technologies, the pyrolysis-Brayton plant was found to be the most suitable WtE technology for residual waste. Using empirical, literature, and industry data, a pyrolysis-Brayton WtE power plant was simulated at capacities of 1, 3, and 10 tons per day (tpd) for the three waste sectors. The results of the study showed that a WtE plant can reduce the volume of residual wastes by up to 90% and generated electricity up to 1.2 MW for 10 tpd plant simulations. The flexibility and small footprint of the pyrolysis-Brayton setup is suitable for installation in clustered locations. A pilot demonstration is recommended for future studies.
Prediction Method for Condensation Heat Transfer in the Presence of Noncondensable Gas for Computational Fluid Dynamics Applications
Authors: Murase Michio , Utanohara Yoichi , Tomiyama Akio
Published: November 2021

The objective of this study was to present a prediction method for condensation heat transfer in the presence of noncondensable gas (air or nitrogen) for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses, where physical quantities in the computational cells in contact with the structural wall are generally used. First, using existing temperature distributions T(y) in the turbulent boundary layer along a flat plate as functions of the distance y from the condensation surface, we evaluated the distribution of condensation heat flux qc,pre(y) from the gradient of steam concentration, we derived a modification factor η(y+) as a function of the dimensionless distance y+ to obtain a good agreement with qc,cal calculated by the qc correlation defined by using the bulk quantities; and we obtained qc,mod(y)/qc,cal = 0.90–1.10 for the region of y+ > 17. Second, we modified the local Sherwood number Sh(x) for flat plates for the boundary layer thickness δ and obtained the function Sh(δ). An existing qc correlation for flat plates as a function of Sh(δ) was applied to predict the distribution of the local value qc,pre(y), and qc,pre(y)/qc,cal = 0.95–1.15 in the best case was obtained for the region of y+ > 30. Finally, a correlation of the local Sherwood number Sh(y) was derived from the temperature distributions T(y) as a function of the local Reynolds number Re(y).
Validating Perceived Sustainable Design Features Using a Novel Collage Approach
Authors: El-Dehaibi Nasreddine , Liao Ting , MacDonald Erin F.
Published: November 2021

Fierce e-commerce competition challenges designers to differentiate their products on platforms such as Amazon. To achieve this differentiation, designers must first understand how customers perceive product features. This paper builds on our previous work where we extracted features perceived as sustainable for French Press coffee carafes using annotations of Amazon reviews and natural language processing (NLP). We identified a gap between customer perceptions of sustainability and engineered sustainability. We now test our findings with a relatively new design method of collage placement and investigate how designers can use perceived features to set their products apart. We created collage activities for participants to evaluate French Press products on the three aspects of sustainability: social, environmental, and economic, and on how much they like the products. During the activity participants placed products along the two axes of the collage, sustainability and likeability, and labeled products with descriptive features that we provided. We found that participants more often selected features perceived as sustainable when placing products higher on the sustainability axis, demonstrating that these features resonated with customers. We also measured a low correlation between the two-axes of the collage activity, indicating that perceived sustainability and likeability can be measured separately. In addition, we found that product perceptions across sustainability aspects may differ between demographics. Based on these results, we confirm that features perceived as sustainable that are extracted from online reviews resonate with customers when thinking of various sustainability aspects and that the collage is an effective tool for assessing sustainability perceptions.
Utilizing 3D Printing Pens for Maintenance and Repair of Additively Manufactured Components
Authors: Koren Kyle , Olajoyegbe Toluwalase , Morkos Beshoy , Gutierrez Hector
Published: November 2021

The adoption of additive manufacturing methods is becoming prevalent in industry. Socio-economic trends seek more customization and sustainability in production. An increase in unique service components will warrant the need for more flexible repair methods. This is particularly important for components that are difficult to access or disassemble — thus requiring an on-site repair. This paper introduces the use of 3D printing pens as a means to perform repair to additively manufacturing components. A study was conducted to assess the feasibility of using a 3D printing pen in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) applications on polymer-based service products. A series of tensile tests were conducted on printed specimens, pre- and post-repair, to examine the tensile retention of the mended region. Results indicate significant retention in tensile strength in the mended specimens, supporting the notion of the pens relevance in repair and overhaul applications. Specimens that fractured within the repair region were seen to have retained (81 ± 10) % of their original tensile strength while specimens that fractured outside the region retained (86 ± 4) %. Considering the limited control of the study, results acquired encourage further analysis of the underlying mechanisms in the process, with the intent to more efficiently exploit this approach for practical structure-based repair applications.
Non-Synchronous Vibration and Lock-in Regimes in Coupled Structures Using Reduced Models
Authors: Byrtus Miroslav , Dyk Štěpán , Hajžman Michal
Published: November 2021

The contribution is aimed at phenomenological modelling and analysis of fundamental properties of non-synchronous vibrations in chosen coupled structures. A van der Pol reduced-order model is employed to simulate the aero-elastic interaction between flexible bodies and fluid. Non-synchronous vibration and frequency lock-in, along with hysteresis, are captured in the main resonance area. Moreover, the model reveals subharmonic resonances accompanied by the existence of unstable solutions and frequency lock-in. The study is further extended to investigate the dynamical behaviour of a coupled cyclic structure, where different modes of vibration due to the aero-elastic interaction are analysed.
Reduced Isogeometric Analysis Models for Impact Simulations
Authors: Rückwald Tobias , Held Alexander , Seifried Robert
Published: November 2021

Detailed impact simulations in flexible multibody systems are usually based on isoparametric finite element models. For modeling the dynamics of an impact, a precise representation of the geometry is essential. However, isoparametric finite elements involve the discretization of the geometry.

This work tests the isogeometric analysis (IGA) as an alternative approach in flexible multibody systems. The IGA enables the exact representation of the geometry by using non-uniform rational basis splines (NURBS) as element shape functions. In the context of an efficient impact simulation a model reduction and a possible inclusion of the floating frame of reference formulation is beneficial. The degrees of freedom of the flexible bodies are reduced using component mode synthesis to save computation time in the multibody simulation. For the precise description of deformations and stresses in the contact area as well as elastodynamic effects, a large number of global shape functions is required.

As testing examples, the impact of two elastic spheres and a multibody multicontact problem including wave propagation in a long elastic rod are simulated and compared to reference solutions.
Shared Autonomous Vehicle System Design for Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV)
Authors: Lee Ungki , Jeon Sunghyun , Lee Ikjin
Published: November 2021

Shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) encompassing autonomous driving technology and car-sharing service are expected to become an essential part of transportation system in the near future. Although many studies related to SAV system design and optimization have been conducted, most of them are focused on shared autonomous battery electric vehicle (SABEV) systems, which employ battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as SAVs. As fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) emerge as alternative fuel vehicles along with BEVs, the need for research on shared autonomous fuel cell electric vehicle (SAFCEV) systems employing FCEVs as SAVs is increasing. Therefore, this study newly presents a design framework of SAFCEV system by developing an SAFCEV design model based on a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) model. The test bed for SAV system design is Seoul, and optimization is conducted for SABEV and SAFCEV systems to minimize the total cost while satisfying the customer wait time constraint, and the optimization results of both systems are compared. From the results, it is verified that the SAFCEV system is feasible and the total cost of the SAFCEV system is even lower compared to the SABEV system. In addition, several observations on various operating environments of SABEV and SAFCEV systems are obtained from parametric studies.
A Bayesian Approach to Recovering Missing Component Dependence for System Reliability Prediction via Synergy Between Physics and Data
Authors: Li Huiru , Du Xiaoping
Published: November 2021

Predicting system reliability is often a core task in systems design. System reliability depends on component reliability and dependence of components. Component reliability can be predicted with a physics-based approach if the associated physical models are available. If the models do not exist, component reliability may be estimated from data. When both types of components coexist, their dependence is often unknown, and the component states are therefore assumed independent by the traditional method, which can result in a large error. This work proposes a new system reliability method to recover the missing component dependence, thereby leading to a more accurate estimate of the joint probability density (PDF) of all the component states. The method works for series systems whose load is shared by its components that may fail due to excessive loading. For components without physical models available, the load data are recorded upon failure, and equivalent physical models are created; the model parameters are estimated by the proposed Bayesian approach. Then models of all component states become available, and the dependence of component states, as well as their joint PDF, can be estimated. Four examples are used to evaluate the proposed method, and the results indicate that the proposed method can produce more accurate predictions of system reliability than the traditional method that assumes independent component states.
Recent Field Implementation of Contemporary and Smart Farming Technologies at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Authors: Nagchaudhuri Abhijit , Hartman Christopher , Ford Travis , Pandya Jesuraj
Published: November 2021

Smart farming experiential learning and research endeavors have been ongoing at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) for the past several years. Recent field implementation of contemporary technologies for variable rate fertilizer application based on multispectral drone imagery; deployment of wireless solar powered soil moisture sensor network on a field with subsurface drip and fertigation capability; and development of a sustainable platform integrated with a Cartesian robotic device powered by solar and wind energy that can seed, weed, irrigate, and capture time-lapse photography while servicing a small raised bed for specialty crops and vegetables will be described in this paper. Results from the initial phase of implementation efforts and future goals will also be highlighted.
Short-Term Vehicle Velocity Forecasting via Cycle Segmentation Model Selection
Authors: Liu Yuanzhi , Zhang Jie
Published: November 2021

Vehicle velocity forecasting plays a critical role in scheduling the operations of varying systems and devices in a passenger vehicle. This paper first generates a repeated urban driving cycle dataset at a fixed route in the Dallas area, aiming to contribute to the improvement of vehicle energy efficiency for commuting routes. The generated driving cycles are divided into cycle segments based on intersection/stop identification, deceleration and reacceleration identification, and waiting time estimation, which could be used for better evaluating the effectiveness of model localization. Then, a segment-based vehicle velocity forecasting model is developed, where a machine learning model is trained/developed at each segment, using the hidden Markov chain (HMM) model and long short-term memory network (LSTM). To further improve the forecasting accuracy, a localized model selection framework is developed, which can dynamically choose a forecasting model (i.e., HMM or LSTM) for each segment. Results show that (i) the segment-based forecast could improve the forecasting accuracy by up to 24%, compared the whole cycle-based forecast; and (ii) the localized model selection framework could further improve the forecasting accuracy by 6.8%, compared to the segment-based LSTM model. Moreover, the potential of leveraging the stopping location at an intersection to estimate the waiting time is also evaluated in this study.
Transformation Design Principles as Enablers for Designing Reconfigurable Robots
Authors: Kalimuthu M. , Hayat A. A. , Elara M. R. , Wood K. L.
Published: November 2021

The design of cleaning and maintenance (CaM) robots are generally limited by their fixed morphologies. Contrary to the fixed robotic systems, design for reconfiguration in robots presents unique challenges. Reconfigurable robots pose the challenge of designing their subsystems and functionalities such that a robot meets its system, performance, and other fixed requirements, while providing reconfiguration capabilities to increase functionality and to provide innovative operational scenarios. Established transformation or reconfiguration principles, namely, expand/collapse, expose/cover, and fuse/divide, observed in several products-services-systems, can be adopted to design subsystems and system for reconfiguration in robots. Essentially these principles in many robots may be governed and implemented. The heuristic approach to design the reconfigurable robotic systems using three layers namely input, formulation and output layer is proposed. This paper used the design principles and associated facilitators and abstracts them to build a reconfigurable pavement cleaning robot named Panthera. Moreover, need, challenges, and design strategies for system and subsystem levels are presented. The system-level reconfiguration is to expand/collapse, whereas the subsystems, namely, i) Varying footprint, ii) Transmission, iii) Storage bin, iv) Cleaning brushes, v) Vacuum/Suction and blowing, and vi) Outer skin or cover are explained. The step-by-step illustration for reconfiguring the system and subsystem of Panthera is done by referring to the transformation principles, precedence, and mechanism adopted to achieve reconfiguration requirements.
Fuzzy Evaluation of Kansei Attributes Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Jiang Wei , Zhang Kai , Zhao Wu , Guo Xin
Published: November 2021

The emotional needs for products have increased significantly with the recent improvements in living standards. Attribute evaluation forms the core of Kansei engineering in emotion-oriented products, and is practically quite subjective in nature. Essentially, attribute evaluation is a fuzzy classification task, whose quantitative results change slightly with statistical time and statistical objects, making it difficult to accurately describe using standard mathematical models. In this paper, we propose a novel deep-learning-assisted fuzzy attribute-evaluation (DLFAE) method, which could generate quantitative evaluation results. In comparison to existing methods, the proposed method combines subjective evaluation with convolutional neural networks, which facilitates the generation of quantitative evaluation results. Additionally, this strategy has better transferability for different situations, increasing its versatility and applicability. This, in turn, reduces the computational burden of evaluation and improves operational efficiency.
Using Machine Learning for the Classification of the Remaining Useful Cycles in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Coutts Harry , Wang Qing
Published: November 2021

In order to keep up with the increasing focus on renewable energy, the demand for new battery technology and peripherals has likewise increased greatly. Given the relatively slow rate of change of new battery chemistry and technology, it is the peripherals to the batteries that are often relied upon to provide this necessary increase in performance. The 18650 battery with Lithium-Ion internal chemistry is one of the most widely used batteries and is depended upon in many industries to provide power portability and storage. Using an extensive freely available dataset compromising of the charge cycles of 121 18650 batteries, this paper evaluates multiple algorithms’ effectiveness at predicting the remaining useful cycles of a battery from a single discharge curve. Upon evaluation of the algorithms, ‘Weighted K Nearest Neighbours’ was shown to be the most accurate model and was further improved to ensure that the maximum accuracy was acquired. Finally, a user interface was created to allow for the demonstration of a potential use case for the model. This model and user interface show the potential for easy testing of batteries to determine the number of remaining useful cycles. This makes the possibility of re-purposing or extending the initial purpose of these batteries much greater, which is preferable from both an economic standpoint and an ecological one.
Modular Foldable Airship Concept for Subterranean Exploration
Authors: Salas Gordoniz Jorge Esteban , Reeves Nicolas , St-Onge David
Published: November 2021

The exploration of new lands has always been a source of motivation for mankind. Despite the common idea that our planet is fully known, a huge number of inaccessible places still remains unvisited today, especially below the surface. Recent advances in robotics allow some of these locations to be explored by unmanned vehicles. This paper presents the design of a 3-modules lighter-than-air vehicle specifically conceived to autonomously explore inaccessible caves and underground environments. The design is inspired from an arthropod, scutigera coleoptrata, a long-legged centipede commonly found in our houses. Instead of crawling on walls like its biological counterpart, the robotic scutigera hovers and flies in cave tunnels. The aim is to develop a flexible semi-rigid, segmented airship that can withstand long, smooth explorations of caves while transmitting in real-time the images and sounds that it captures. To develop the model of the system, the kinematics of the modules are obtained in the inertial frame, and the dynamic derivation of the vehicle is obtained using Kane’s equations, which can also be extended for an n-bodies system. Its motion is illustrated with a couple of simplified scenarios in the horizontal plane and only having actuation in the front, or first module, of the airship. A structural design of the modules is presented and supported with a proof-of-concept prototype.
Predicting Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Lattice Structures
Authors: Ma Shuai , Tang Qian , Liu Ying , Feng Qixiang
Published: November 2021

Lattice structures (LS) manufactured by 3D printing are widely applied in many areas, such as aerospace and tissue engineering, due to their lightweight and adjustable mechanical properties. It is necessary to reduce costs by predicting the mechanical properties of LS at the design stage since 3D printing is exorbitant at present. However, predicting mechanical properties quickly and accurately poses a challenge. To address this problem, this study proposes a novel method that is applied to different LS and materials to predict their mechanical properties through machine learning. First, this study voxelised 3D models of the LS units and then calculated the entropy vector of each model as the geometric feature of the LS units. Next, the porosity, material density, elastic modulus, and unit length of the lattice unit are combined with entropy as the inputs of the machine learning model. The sample set includes 57 samples collected from previous studies. Support vector regression was used in this study to predict the mechanical properties. The results indicate that the proposed method can predict the mechanical properties of LS effectively and is suitable for different LS and materials. The significance of this work is that it provides a method with great potential to promote the design process of lattice structures by predicting their mechanical properties quickly and effectively.
Structures With Multiple Rigid Configurations Due to Prestress and Unilateral Contacts
Authors: Dorn Charles , Li Yang , Pellegrino Sergio
Published: November 2021

This paper presents structures with multiple equilibrium configurations arising from the combination of a state of prestress and unilateral contacts. A design problem is posed where preloaded elastic springs and unilateral constraints are embedded throughout a mechanism. The spring parameters are designed such that multiple target configurations are immobilized due to contact. In each of these configurations, the spring forces maintain compressive reaction forces, immobilizing the structure. Each immobilized configuration can rigidly resist perturbation forces up to some finite magnitude where contact is lost. Hence, this case of multiple configurations in equilibrium due to the combination of prestress and contact is referred to as multi-configuration rigidity. Two examples of structures exhibiting multi-configuration rigidity are presented. First, a four bar linkage with a single kinematic degree of freedom is used to introduce the concept. In the context of the linkage, multi-configuration rigidity is compared to multi-stability, exhibiting the key differences between the two concepts. Then, a 24-degree-of-freedom kirigami surface is presented that can morph between flat and spherical configurations, motivated by RF antenna applications. By embedding torsional springs and fold angle stops throughout the structure, flat and spherical configurations are made rigid. Actuation between the configurations can easily be achieved by snapping the structure between the rigid configurations.
A Survey of Important Factors in Human - Artificial Intelligence Trust for Engineering System Design
Authors: Lotfalian Saremi Mostaan , Bayrak Alparslan Emrah
Published: November 2021

Incorporating user trust in the development of intelligent systems is one of the new challenges in engineering design field. Trust in human-intelligent system interaction determines how much user relies on the system and directly influences the benefits that an intelligent system provides to human decision-making. This paper reviews the existing literature on trust in human-AI interaction to highlight key areas for engineering system design research to address the overarching issue of user trust in system development. We present how trust influences the use of an intelligent system, describe multiple contexts that users interact with intelligent systems and categorize ways in which trust is formed based on the literature. We classify the key factors that are critical in the formation of user trust in three categories of human user attributes, design of the intelligent system, and task characteristics. We also present the analytical models that exist in the literature used to evaluate and predict trust. This paper is not intended to be a thorough literature review but rather a position paper that provides a structure to the existing literature as a reference for engineering design research. We propose future directions for engineering system design community based on the gaps and open questions identified in the literature.
FMEA-Inspired Analysis for Social Impact of Engineered Products
Authors: Armstrong Andrew G. , Mattson Christopher A. , Salmon John L. , Dahlin Eric C.
Published: November 2021

Social Impact has been widely discussed by the engineering community, but studies show that there is currently little systematic consideration of the social impact of products in both academia and in industry beyond social impacts on health and safety. This paper illustrates how Failure Mode and Effect Analaysis (FMEA) style analysis can be applied to evaluating the social impact of products. The authors propose a new method titled Social Impact Effects Analysis (SIEA), describe how it is performed, and explain the benefits of performing SIEA.
Digital Twin Behavior Matching of Gas Plumes Using a Fixed Sensor Mesh and Dynamic Mode Decomposition
Authors: Hollenbeck Derek , Chen YangQuan
Published: November 2021

Digital twins (DT) have become a useful tool in smart manufacturing, engineering and controls. Behavior matching of DTs to their physical twin counterparts is essential for capturing the evolution of key system parameters. Given that environmental gas emissions are governed by partial differential equations, the behavior matching optimization can often be ill posed and computationally expensive. Stochastic models have shown good agreement to deterministic models while having a significant computational cost reduction. This work presents a method for solving the source localization problem using a DT implementation of a stochastic point source emission with a fixed-mesh of gas sensors. The DT source localization is determined through behavior matching process with low frequency modes after dynamic mode decomposition using spatial interpolation on measured time series data. That is, the minimization of the mismatch between the DT and the unknown physical model can given an estimate of the source location.
A Fractional Order Control and Correction Strategy for EtherCAT Communication Clock Drift
Authors: Sun Jihao , Chen Pengchong , Luo Ying
Published: November 2021

Ethernet Control Automation Technology (EtherCAT) applies distributed clock (DC) to realize synchronization among different slaves. Due to the influence of the crystal oscillator manufacturing process and environment, there is still synchronization error between reference clock and non-reference clock. To solve the clock synchronization problem, this paper proposes a clock drift compensation algorithm based on the idea of closed-loop control. By designing integer-order proportional integral (IOPI) and fractional-order proportional integral (FOPI) controllers, the synchronization error between slaves can be minimized. The IOPI and FOPI controllers designed in this paper are used to eliminate the drift error. This method improves the synchronization accuracy without bringing too much computational load. The results show that the proposed FOPI controller can effectively reduce the synchronization error with even better performance over the IOPI controller.
A Computational Framework for Social Entrepreneurs to Determine Policies for Sustainable Development
Authors: Karkaria Vispi , Das Ashok K. , Yadav Abhishek , Sharma Ayushi , Allen Janet K. , Mistree Farrokh
Published: November 2021

Many villagers in India suffer from multiple socio-economic challenges, such as, low-income, unemployment, and lack of access to clean water and energy that hinder their overall development. Social entrepreneurs can assist with the design and implementation of policies that help villagers achieve overall sustainability. Previously, a framework to support social entrepreneurs and stakeholders in identifying potential challenges and evaluating the impact of solutions concerning sustainable development was proposed. The framework was anchored in a single perspective (thematic area) Dilemma Triangle Method for identification of challenges and System Dynamics Models for evaluation of impacts. Policies for sustainable development, however, require an understanding of the interactions among multiple possibilities and their associated challenges to be viable, feasible, and equitable. Additionally, one key missing feature in the past framework is the evaluation of the economic impact of the solutions or policies.

In this paper, we add new value to the past framework using the Dilemma Triangle Method to integrate more than one perspective, and the System Dynamics Model integrating the economic indicator to get a holistic view of sustainable development. By the addition of more than one thematic area in the Dilemma Triangle Method, the inter-dependency among thematic areas and their associated parameters is understood, which is necessary for identifying problems in complex systems. We include Gross Value Added (GVA) as an economic indicator for evaluating the economic feasibility of the policies identified by using the framework. To illustrate the efficacy of the framework, we implement it for the Kantashol village (panchayat), Jharkhand, India. Based on the Dilemma Triangle Method, multiple policies are proposed, out of which four policies are evaluated in the Systems Dynamic Model for the sustainable development of the village. The policies are currently being applied in the village and the outcome of this framework will be validated in real-time over the years.
A Semi-Autonomous Quadruped Robot for Performing Disinfection in Cluttered Environments
Authors: Chen Yiyu , Pandey Abhinav , Deng Zhiwei , Nguyen Anthony , Wang Ruiqi , Thonapalin Pornrawee , Nguyen Quan , Gupta Satyandra K.
Published: November 2021

The global COVID-19 pandemic has inevitably made disinfection a daily routine to ensure the safety of public and private spaces. However, the existing disinfection procedures are time-consuming and require intensive human labor to apply chemical-based disinfectant onto contaminated surfaces. In this paper, a robot disinfection system is presented to increase the automation of the disinfection task to assist humans in performing routine disinfection safely and efficiently. This paper presents a semi-autonomous quadruped robot called LASER-D for performing disinfection in cluttered environments. The robot is equipped with a spray-based disinfection system and leverages the body motion to control the spray action without an extra stabilization mechanism. The spraying unit is mounted on the robot’s back and controlled by the robot computer. The control architecture is designed based on force control, resulting in navigating rough terrains and the flexibility in controlling the body motion during standing and walking for the disinfection task. The robot also uses the vision system to improve localization and maintain desired distance to the disinfection surface. The system incorporates image processing capability to evaluate disinfected regions with high accuracy. This feedback is then used to adjust the disinfection plan to guarantee that all assigned areas are disinfected properly. The system is also equipped with highly integrated simulation software to design, simulate and evaluate disinfection plans effectively. This work has allowed the robot to successfully carry out effective disinfection experiments while safely traversing through cluttered environments, climb stairs/slopes, and navigate on slippery surfaces.