bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Lyapunov based posture controller for a differential drive mobile robot
Authors: Kazed Boualem , Guessoum Abderrezak
Published: February 2024

Driving a vehicle to a desired position and orientation is one of the most important problems that should be solved in most navigation systems. This paper describes a new complete design and hardware implementation of a two-level controller that will enable a differential drive mobile robot to reach any desired posture starting from any initial position. The first or low-level controller consists of a set of two proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controllers, running on an embedded system on board of the robot. These controllers provide the required voltages to the motors to make the left and right wheels of the robot rotate with the angular speeds computed by the second or high-level controller, running on a stationary PC system. This second controller is based on the Lyapunov stability theorem to derive two control laws for the kinematic model, used to transform the linear and angular speeds of the unicycle model in terms of left and right rotational speeds, required by the motors. As will be shown later, this architecture provides a very flexible way not only to tune the main controller parameters but also to get access and record all the system states.
A 2D path-planning performance comparison of RRT and RRT* for unmanned ground vehicle
Authors: Davarzani Shokufeh , Ejaz Muhammad Talha
Published: February 2024

In recent years, path-planning has gained significant attention as mobile robots are used in various applications. Several factors determine the optimal path for a mobile robot, including accuracy, length of path, execution time, and turns. Among all planners, sampling-based planners such as rapidly exploring random trees (RRT) and rapidly exploring random trees-star (RRT*) are extensively used for mobile robots. The aim of this paper is the review and performance of these planners in terms of step size, execution time, and path length. All planners are implemented on the Jackal robot in a static environment cluttered with obstacles. Performance comparisons have shown that the reduction of step size results in exploring a greater number of nodes in both algorithms, increasing the probability of each extension succeeding. However, this causes the tree to become denser in both algorithms due to the more explored nodes. The RRT planner requires less execution time when the step size and iteration count are equal to RRT* planners. Moreover, performance plots of both algorithms show that RRT* provides an optimal and smooth path than RRT.
Parametric study of soft pneumatic robot grippers through finite element analysis
Authors: Jo Riady S. , Ngu Evans
Published: February 2024

This paper investigates the gripping stress and deformation of pneumatically-actuated fluidic elastomer actuation (FEA)-based soft robotic gripper through ansys finite element analysis software. By varying gripper parameters, i.e. Input pressures and clearance to the object, simulations on the deformation of the soft fingers are performed to achieve gripping of the object. The motivation of this parametric study is to facilitate the design optimization of soft robotic grippers. Results demonstrate that grippers with lesser clearance to the object require lesser input pressure to achieve similar gripping stress on the object although it is evident that grippers with higher clearance are able to cater for wider range of object sizes.
A small payload desktop industry robot design without conventional reducers
Authors: Han Xiaolei , Liu Peng , Zhang Jiaqi
Published: February 2024

Designing a compact desktop industrial robot with a small payload capacity, eliminating the use of traditional reducers, poses an intriguing challenge. This innovative approach aims to enhance the robot's cost-efficiency and reduce its overall size. The design focuses on optimizing the mechanical structure and exploring alternative mechanisms to achieve precise control without relying on conventional reducers. This article delves into the design aspects of a 1 kg payload robot. Initially, the paper presents an overview of the robot's mechanism and its kinematic analysis. Subsequently, synchronous belts are proposed as replacements for traditional reducers, accompanied by an introduction to the mechanical structure. Simulation is carried out to calculate the drive forces on the belts. According to the result, a suitable belt scheme has been designed. Ultimately, a prototype of the robot is constructed, and experiments demonstrate that this design achieves a repeatable accuracy comparable to robots employing conventional reducers, all while considerably reducing the overall cost of the robot.
Autonomous navigation system for hexa-legged search and rescue robot using LiDAR
Authors: Budiyarto Aris , Abadi Sarosa Castrena , Naufaldo Naufaldo
Published: February 2024

This study proposes an autonomous navigation system for hexapod robots, promising in complex rescue scenarios. The system is tested in simulations under three environments: rocky, cracked flooring, and inclined surfaces. utilizing light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), the robot recognizes positions and constructs environmental maps. Implemented via robot operating system, the research successfully applies navigation and mapping using hector_slam. LiDAR mapping yields satisfactory accuracy, with average errors of 0.21% for general mapping and 5.34% for circular paths. Within a 2-meter range, navigation achieves good accuracy, averaging 1.2% error on the x-axis and 0.011% on the y-axis during linear motion. Navigational repeatability improves, with reliable results showing an average error of 4.33 cm on the x-axis and 0.5 cm on the y-axis when returning to starting points. Arena testing with varied obstacles demonstrates successful obstacle traversal. However, in the second test, limitations in hardware, notably the Raspberry Pi 4 CPU usage reaching 97% during navigation, hindered reaching the third target.
A novel structure of magnetic geared generator in dual-rotor wind turbine
Authors: Yousefnejad Soheil , Heidary Hossein , Cirimele Vincenzo , Ro Jong Suk
Published: February 2024

Variable-speed constant-frequency generating systems are commonly employed in wind turbines to enhance efficiency and minimize losses. Additionally, the utilization of dual-rotor wind turbines enables the capture of a greater amount of wind energy, leading to a significant increase in efficiency. Traditionally, dual-rotor wind turbines are managed by a full-scale power converter, and the rotor current is transmitted through brushes, which substantially raises the system's cost. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel configuration that enables power control with a smaller power converter. In contrast to conventional dual-rotor wind turbines that generate power using both rotors, the proposed structure designates one rotor as a system controller. Apart from these benefits, the proposed structure greatly enhances conversion performance by notably improving the power factor. A comparison with existing configurations described in literature is conducted to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed structure.
Guia didático “caminho sensorial”
Authors:   Universidade de São Paulo. Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, Silva Vânia Aparecida Oliveira , Palmieri Maria Luísa Bonazzi ,   Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais
Published: February 2024

A obra se apresenta como material pedagógico de apoio, um guia didático de visitação “caminho sensorial” de orientação aos educadores, com práticas pedagógicas em educação ambiental. Esse material poderá ser utilizado durante a visita ao Parque Ecológico “Octávio Camarotti”, situado no município de Tambaú, SP, para inspirar experiências em outros espaços semelhantes e ser adaptado para diferentes públicos. A ideia é propiciar uma experiência de contato com a natureza agradável e educadora, por meio de práticas sensoriais como o tato, paladar, olfato, a visão e audição, em um espaço que promova a busca pelo equilíbrio físico, mental e emocional. Também buscou-se incentivar essa vivência como parte de um processo de educação ambiental que traga uma reflexão crítica e colabore para o engajamento dos participantes na construção de sociedades sustentáveis. Muitas vezes há dificuldade das pessoas com deficiências e mobilidade reduzida terem acesso às áreas naturais, sendo que ações e materiais educacionais voltados para a inclusão podem colaborar para a igualdade de oportunidades e aproximar a sociedade de uma reflexão coletiva, igualitária, que abranja a diversidade. Assim, nesse material, buscou-se construir atividades que podem auxiliar que todos os estudantes tenham acesso ao mesmo conteúdo e oportunidades de aprendizagem.
Milestone Papers on Signal Transduction Mechanisms of Hypertension and Its Complications
Authors: Eguchi Satoru , Torimoto Keiichi , Adebiyi Adebowale , Kanthakumar Praghalathan , Bomfim Gisele F. , Wenceslau Camilla Ferreira , Dahlen Shelby A. , Osei-Owusu Patrick
Published: February 2024

To celebrate 100 years of American Heart Association-supported cardiovascular disease research, this review article highlights milestone papers that have significantly contributed to the current understanding of the signaling mechanisms driving hypertension and associated cardiovascular disorders. This article also includes a few of the future research directions arising from these critical findings. To accomplish this important mission, 4 principal investigators gathered their efforts to cover distinct yet intricately related areas of signaling mechanisms pertaining to the pathogenesis of hypertension. The renin-angiotensin system, canonical and novel contractile and vasodilatory pathways in the resistance vasculature, vascular smooth muscle regulation by membrane channels, and noncanonical regulation of blood pressure and vascular function will be described and discussed as major subjects.
A new genus and four new species of Darnini (Hemiptera: Membracidae) from South America
Authors: GONZÁLEZ-MOZO LAURA , MCKAMEY STUART H.
Published: February 2024

The new genus Polyodontotrochus is described and illustrated with four new species: P. auriculatus from French Guiana, P. elevatus (type species) from Ecuador, P. extentapalaestrus from French Guiana, and P. inpa from Brazil, the genus differs from all other membracids in having the inner sides of their metathoracic trochanters developed into apposed, sclerotized studlike, flattened plates distributed throughout. Their metathoracic tibiae have cucullate setal rows II and III incomplete, row I missing. A key to all species is provided.
1. Introducción a la filosofía del limitarismo
Authors: Robeyns Ingrid
Published: February 2024

Este capítulo comienza con una descripción de la intuición básica del limitarismo: que puede haber situaciones en las que una persona ha acumulado demasiados recursos materiales. A continuación, hace algunos breves comentarios sobre el reciente surgimiento de esta literatura, así como de su desarrollo. Después, pasa a describir los tres objetivos del volumen: proveer un panorama de la literatura, proponer argumentos novedosos y poner en conversación más directa los debates sobre el limitarismo económico y el limitarismo ecológico. El capítulo concluye discutiendo algunas áreas para investigaciones futuras.
2. Tener demasiado
Authors: Robeyns Ingrid
Published: February 2024

Este capítulo es una reimpresión de lo que se ha convertido en el artículo germinal sobre el limitarismo. Tras exponer la distinción entre el limitarismo intrínseco y el instrumental, la primera parte desarrolla dos argumentos a favor del limitarismo: el argumento democrático y el argumento de las necesidades básicas insatisfechas. La segunda parte desarrolla una concepción teórica del “poder de los recursos materiales”, que es la métrica en la que deberíamos poner la línea de riqueza. Después, se discute la distinción entre el limitarismo como una doctrina moral y como una doctrina política. El capítulo concluye respondiendo a dos objeciones contra el limitarismo.
14. Limitarismo y generaciones futuras
Authors: Meijers Tim
Published: February 2024

Este capítulo plantea la pregunta de qué papel puede desempeñar el limitarismo en la teorización de la justicia entre generaciones. ¿Los retos intergeneracionales nos dan razones adicionales para adoptar el limitarismo? Tomando el limitarismo económico como punto de partida, argumento que tanto el argumento democrático como el argumento de las necesidades básicas tienen bastante fuerza intergeneracional, pero el segundo da pie a preguntas difíciles para los limitaristas. También argumento que el limitarismo económico no puede ofrecer una concepción completa de la justicia intergeneracional dado su enfoque en las posesiones individuales y monetarias. Podríamos diseñar un limitarismo más comprensivo en respuesta a estas preocupaciones, pero sólo a expensas del atractivo y las características distintivas del limitarismo. La última sección desarrolla, de manera un tanto especulativa, una concepción inspirada en Rawls del limitarismo intergeneracional que permanece fiel al enfoque en la riqueza monetaria, pero con implicaciones medioambientales claras.
Energy Partition between Submesoscale Internal Waves and Quasigeostrophic Vortical Motion in the Pycnocline
Authors: Vladoiu Anda , Lien Ren-Chieh , Kunze Eric
Published: February 2024

Shipboard ADCP velocity and towed CTD chain density measurements from the eastern North Pacific pycnocline are used to segregate energy between linear internal waves (IW) and linear vortical motion [quasigeostrophy (QG)] in 2D wavenumber space spanning submesoscale horizontal wavelengths λx ∼ 1–50 km and finescale vertical wavelengths λz ∼ 7–100 m. Helmholtz decomposition and a new Burger number (Bu) decomposition yield similar results despite different methodologies. While these wavelengths are conventionally attributed to internal waves, both QG and IW contribute significantly at all measured scales. Partition between IW and QG total energies depends on Bu. For Bu < 0.01, available potential energy EP exceeds horizontal kinetic energy EK and is contributed mostly by QG. In contrast, energy is nearly equipartitioned between QG and IW for Bu ≫ 1. For Bu < 2, EK is contributed mainly by IW, and EP by QG, while, for Bu > 2, contributions are reversed. Finescale near-inertial IW dominate vertical shear variance, implying negligible QG contribution to vertical shear instability. In contrast, both QG and IW at the smallest λx ∼ 1 km contribute large horizontal shear variance, so that both may lead to horizontal shear instability, while QG, with its longer time scales, likely dominates isopycnal stirring. Both QG and IW contribute to vortex stretching at small vertical scales. For QG, the relative vorticity contribution to linear potential vorticity anomaly increases with decreasing horizontal and increasing vertical scales.
Real-Time Tissue Classification Using a Novel Optical Needle Probe for Biopsy
Authors: Surazynski Lukasz , Hassinen Ville , Nieminen Miika T. , Seppänen Tapio , Myllylä Teemu
Published: February 2024

Core needle biopsy is a part of the histopathological process, which is required for cancerous tissue examination. The most common method to guide the needle inside of the body is ultrasound screening, which in greater part is also the only guidance method. Ultrasound screening requires user experience. Furthermore, patient involuntary movements such as breathing might introduce artifacts and blur the screen. Optically enhanced core needle biopsy probe could potentially aid interventional radiologists during this procedure, providing real-time information on tissue properties close to the needle tip, while it is advancing inside of the body. In this study, we used diffuse optical spectroscopy in a custom-made core needle probe for real-time tissue classification. Our aim was to provide initial characteristics of the smart needle probe in the differentiation of tissues and validate the basic purpose of the probe of informing about breaking into a desired organ. We collected optical spectra from rat blood, fat, heart, kidney, liver, lungs, and muscle tissues. Gathered data were analyzed for feature extraction and evaluation of two machine learning-based classifiers: support vector machine and k-nearest neighbors. Their performances on training data were compared using subject-independent k-fold cross-validation. The best classifier model was chosen and its feasibility for real-time automated tissue recognition and classification was then evaluated. The final model reached nearly 80% of correct real-time classification of rat organs when using the needle probe during real-time classification.
Co-administration of Four-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate With Andexanet alfa for Reversal of Nontraumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage
Authors: Pathan Sophia
Published: February 2024

Objective: Andexanet alfa is approved for the reversal of life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding due to factor-Xa inhibitors. Data are limited on outcomes for patients who receive both andexanet alfa and 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC). The aim of this case series is to evaluate the safety and efficacy outcomes in patients receiving the two agents in combination. Methods: Electronic medical records of patients who received both 4F-PCC and andexanet alfa for nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage from January 2019 to March 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Hemostatic efficacy and complications related to concurrent use of 4F-PCC with andexanet alfa were documented. Results: Nine patients received 4F-PCC and andexanet alfa for reversal of factor Xa inhibitor-associated intracranial bleeding, eight of whom required reversal of apixaban. Of these nine patients, five patients died within 28 days for a 56% incidence of mortality. The average time from 4F-PCC administration to andexanet alfa administration was 3 hours and 9 minutes. Most doses of andexanet alfa were given for concern for bleed expansion after 4F-PCC administration. Hemostatic efficacy based on stability of repeat computed tomography scans post-administration of both agents was found in six patients (66.67%), with a 55.56% n incidence of thromboembolism, including two pulmonary embolisms, two deep vein thromboses, and one renal artery thrombosis. Conclusion: Risks and benefits should be weighed to determine if there is benefit to adding andexanet alfa to 4F-PCC in patients with incomplete hemostasis and life-threatening hemorrhage. The combination of andexanet alfa and 4F-PCC may increase the risk of thrombotic complications without improving mortality.
Research on path planning of tea picking robot based on ant colony algorithm
Authors: Wu Minghui , Gao Bo , Hu Heping , Hong Konglin
Published: February 2024

Robot tea picking is an inevitable trend to solve the problem of tea picking, and the picking path planning is directly related to the robot picking efficiency. An Improved Ant Colony Algorithm (IACA) is proposed, which firstly introduces the adaptive adjustment mechanism into the pheromone volatilization factor of the ant colony algorithm, and then sets the pheromone volatilization factor with a high initial value to improve the searching speed, and then adjusts the size of its value within a certain range in real time according to the iterative results, and finally solves the problem that the searching of the ant colony algorithm is prone to fall into the local optimal solution. On the basis of visual recognition of tea leaves and obtaining coordinate information, the improved ant colony algorithm is used to enter the path planning simulation experiments, and the planning results of the other six algorithms are compared with the similar algorithms and dissimilar algorithms, and the experimental results indicate that the IACA method has improved the shortest path index by 5% compared to the basic ant colony algorithm, and by an average of 4% compared to similar improved ant colony algorithms. In comparison to different optimization algorithms, the enhancement has an average increase of 6%; Furthermore, the convergence speed has been improved by 60% compared to six other methods. The standard deviation of repeated experimental results is 50% lower than the other six methods. The gap between the results of multiple repeated experiments is small, the degree of fluctuation is low, and the calculation results are more stable, which verifies the superiority of IACA method. Therefore, the improvement of the ant colony algorithm makes the pheromone concentration value with adaptive adjustment ability, which reflects good effects in path optimization, convergence speed improvement, stability of results, etc., and has good application value for the path planning problems such as tea picking, which has complex paths and large computational volume.
Manipulative and Recruitment Strategies in Boko Haram Terrorist Statements
Authors: Osisanwo Ayo
Published: February 2024

This paper investigates the discursive strategies deployed by Boko Haram terrorists (BHTs) to manipulate targets to accept their ideologies. Drawing insights from the discursive strategies by Reisigl and Wodak in critical discourse analysis, 10 BH statements released between 2009 and 2021 were qualitatively and quantitatively analysed. This paper examines the discursive tools BHTs typically deploy to authenticate their activities and manipulate their target to win and invite them to their side. Examining BHT accounts using this approach is capable of building opposing accounts capable of reducing terrorism in Nigeria, and by implication, in Africa and the world over.
Islamic Faith as an Ethnic Identity Marker: Overview of Sri Lanka Muslim Identity Formation, Politicization, and Violence
Authors: Imtiyaz A.R.M. , Mohamed-Saleem Amjad
Published: February 2024

Since the late-19th century, for political expediency, the Sri Lankan Muslims have used Islam as a marker of identity difference which has suffered due to the tensions of religious and ethnic identity markers. Unlike Tamils and Sinhalese ethnic groups, Sri Lanka Muslim elites did not choose language as their primary identity marker but sought to differentiate themselves based on the practices and traditions of Islamic faith. These tensions have manifested in several ways, however, following the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, there has been a great strain placed on Muslim representation as questions have been asked as to whether the religious identity has laid the foundations for the radicalization of the Muslims, especially in the wake of global Islamophobia and concerns about security. Therefore, it is important to answer questions related to Islamic identity manifestation in Sri Lanka: What is the role of an Islamic religious identity in radicalizing Sri Lankan Muslims? Why did Sri Lanka become a convenient place for IS’ activities? Did religious identity alone cause the radicalization of some Muslims? This article would attempt to answer these questions by (1) revisiting the Muslim community’s identity formation before the independence, (2) explaining Islamic identity in the post-independence Sri Lanka and the political representation to win votes and mobilize support during the ethnic civil war between Tamils and Sinhalese, and (3) analyzing factors that contributed to the radicalization of Muslims, and Islam. Drawing mostly on secondary sources, the article attempts to situate Sri Lanka Muslims’ identity formation in Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict and reconciliation. Using answers from interviews conducted through Zoom, WeChat, and WhatsApp, the article assesses the behavior of Sri Lanka Muslims in the face of the 2019 terrorist attack by some Muslims. The article finds that religious identity alone is not sufficient to trigger violence, as evidence suggests that underlying socio-economic as well as political grievances produce polarization and radical actions. We argue that long-standing arguments tying radical actions solely to religion may require substantial revision and need to be situated within a wider frame of national reconciliation especially if it does not consider existing contexts.
Politicization of Hate and Weaponization of Twitter/X in a Polarized Digital Space in Nigeria
Authors: Ridwanullah Abdulhameed Olaitan , Sule Sulaiman Ya’u , Usman Bashiru , Abdulsalam Lauratu Umar
Published: February 2024

Hate speech on social media platforms during electioneering campaign has been institutionalized. The campaign hate-filled rhetoric continues unabated. Some have attributed this phenomenon to access to social media. This study therefore investigates the prevalence of hate speech on Twitter in Nigeria. Twitter API was used to generate data that was later content analyzed. Anchored on the technological determinism theory, the study revealed political periods saw the prevalence of hate speech and political, ethnic, religion and regional-based hate speech are the dominant themes on hate discourse on Twitter. Some regions in Nigeria weaponized Twitter to denigrate others while others used it to promote their agitation but in the process also resort to hate speech. The study argued that Twitter is just a technology in the hand of hate-filled people who used it to promote their bigotry and bile. This study recommends the development of a legal framework for the regulation of hate speech on social media. Also, the utterance of politicians must be guarded, and the electoral acts must be fully implemented.
Human–wildlife conflicts in the aerial habitat: Wind farms are just the beginning
Authors: Werber Yuval
Published: February 2024

The aerial habitat occupies an enormous three-dimensional space around Earth and is inhabited by trillions of animals. Humans have been encroaching on the aerial habitat since the time of the pyramids, but the last century ushered in unprecedented threats to aerial wildlife. Skyscrapers, jet-age transportation and recently huge wind turbines kill millions of flying animals annually and despite substantial efforts, our detection and mitigation capabilities are lagging far behind. Given the situation, our readiness to handle the impact of millions of drones buzzing through the sky carrying batteries, payloads and soon also people, is questionable at best. In radar aero-ecology, radars are used to document and analyse animal movement high above the ground, opening a hatch to ecological processes in the aerial habitat. Differentiating bats from birds, a simple task at ground level, was impossible aloft, which limited our ability to study and characterise high-altitude bat behaviour. Many high-altitude infrastructure developments around the world were thus planned and executed with no regard to possible impacts on bats and caused millions of bat fatalities. BATScan, the first automatic bat identifier for radar, demonstrates how artificial intelligence can be implemented together with ecological insight to solve basic scientific questions and minimise negative human impact on natural habitats. We demonstrate a facet of the complexity of bat aero-ecology using the Israeli BATScan database and substantiate the claim that activities taken by the wind energy industry to minimise bat mortality may prove limited and leave bats unprotected. We further discuss upcoming challenges in the face of a forthcoming transportation revolution that will change the human–aerial wildlife conflict from a conservation concern to a major human safety issue.
A network-based simulation framework for robustness assessment of accessibility in healthcare systems with the consideration of cascade failures
Authors: Xing Jiduo , Lu Shuai
Published: February 2024

The accessibility of healthcare system is vulnerable to various types of hazards, where the failure of one system component may lead to a diffusion of the pressure and result in cascading failures. This study proposes a network-based simulation framework for robustness assessment of access to healthcare through integrating cascading failure mechanism. Weighted complex networks are constructed to model the accessible patient transfer under both general and elderly healthcare scenarios. The cascade failure mechanism is incorporated into the constructed networks, and several attack strategies (including random, initial degree (ID), initial betweenness (IB), recalculated degree (RD), and recalculated betweenness (RB) attack) are adopted to simulate the process of system robustness assessment. Results indicate that the proposed framework enables to discover the vulnerable nodes in the constructed healthcare accessibility networks, where the robustness metric combining network efficiency and relative size of the largest component acts as a benchmark; all the intentional attack strategies outperform the random attack strategy, which indicates the effectiveness of the detection of vulnerable healthcare facilities by the developed model; and the metrics of node degree and betweenness centrality make progress on identifying the vulnerable healthcare facility nodes, which should be taken heed of to optimize the management and operation of healthcare systems.
Environment-independent textile fiber identification using Wi-Fi channel state information
Authors: Zhang Huihui , Gu Lin
Published: February 2024

Textile fiber identification is a technique that can help identify the type of target textile fiber. Existing methods usually rely on expensive detection instruments, specialized researchers, and complex processing techniques. The large number of textile fibers makes it difficult for researchers to use a stable and fast method for identification. This paper introduces a textile fiber identification method based on Wi-Fi signals, and at the same time, in the actual measurement, the signal characteristics of Wi-Fi are usually interfered with by the hardware noise and multipath propagation of channel state information (CSI) measurement equipment. To eliminate the inherent noise of CSI, we designed a denoising method based on the CSI data acquisition of textile fiber samples in independent environments. Then, the features of Wi-Fi signal wavelet packet decomposition could be extracted more stably, and the principal component analysis (PCA) method was used to reduce the data dimension. Finally, the convolutional neural network (CNN) was used to classify the data features. We conducted extensive experiments to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method can identify all 14 kinds of common textile fibers used in the experiment, and the average accuracy is 93.25%.
Isometric fiber distribution in the roller drafting zone
Authors: Qian Lily , Zhou Yuyang , Yu Chongwen
Published: February 2024

Roller drafting, a key mechanical operation for attenuating slivers to a desired thickness, holds critical significance in the spinning processes of the textile industry. Within the drafting stage of spinning, the motion state of fibers is influenced by their intrinsic characteristics, the force applied, and the distribution of both fast-moving and slow-moving fibers. This research focused on man-made fibers, which are isometric, and studied their distributions in the roller drafting zone. In addition, the cut-off weighting method was incorporated to measure the fiber distributions in the drafting zone, the impact of drafting parameters on fiber distribution was discussed, and the associated fiber distribution curves were generated. Findings reveal that fiber distributions are highly affected by factors such as the fiber length, roller-setting, and draft ratio. Conversely, the input sliver linear density and doubling number exhibited negligible influence on the fiber distribution. The total fiber distribution curve appeared as a dichotomy, including a horizontal line and an oblique line. This study also presented a second-order regression model and a deduction model to predict the distribution of isometric fibers in the roller drafting zone.
Artificial neural network and multiple linear regression modeling for predicting thermal transmittance of plain-woven cotton fabric
Authors: Akter Mahmuda , Khalil Elias , Uddin Md. Haris , Chowdhury Md. Kamrul Hassan , Hasan Shah Md. Maruf
Published: February 2024

The present research compares a machine learning model with a statistical model, with specific emphasis on artificial neural networks and multiple linear regression models. The aim of this study is to forecast the thermal transmittance of a plain-woven cotton fabric using input data such as thread density measured in ends per inch, picks per inch, and fabric thickness. The artificial neural network is built using a network with feed-forward backpropagation, and the MATLAB software’s training function trainlm is used to modify its weight and basic values based on Levenberg–Marquardt optimization techniques. The sigmoid transfer function is used to set the layer output and measure network performance in terms of the root mean squared error, mean absolute error percentage, and coefficient of determination which were determined. For the artificial neural network prediction model, the root mean squared error and mean absolute error percentage were 1.05 and 3.132%, respectively, while the coefficient of determination was 0.9307. In contrast, the multiple linear regression prediction model had root mean squared error and mean absolute error percentage values of 2.98 and 8.97%, respectively, along with a coefficient of determination of 0.4727. The results reveal that the artificial neural network model outperforms the multiple linear regression model, showing superior accuracy and robustness in capturing the intricate interactions between important fabric parameters (ends per inch, picks per inch, and thickness) and thermal transmittance values. This research emphasizes the efficiency of artificial neural network modeling as a superior tool for forecasting thermal transmittance in textile applications rather than employing the time-consuming trial-and-error process for delivering significant insights for material engineering and energy-efficient design.
Deep reinforcement learning-assisted extended state observer for run-to-run control in the semiconductor manufacturing process
Authors: Ma Zhu , Pan Tianhong
Published: February 2024

In the semiconductor manufacturing process, extended state observer (ESO)-based run-to-run (RtR) control is an intriguing solution. Although an ESO-RtR control strategy can effectively compensate for the lumped disturbance, appropriate gains are required. In this article, a cutting-edge deep reinforcement learning (DRL) technique is integrated into ESO-RtR, and a composite control framework of DRL-ESO-RtR is developed. In particular, the well-trained DRL agent serves as an assisted controller, which produces appropriate gains of ESO. The optimized ESO then presents a preferable control recipe for the manufacturing process. Under the RtR framework, the gain adjustment problem of ESO is formulated as a Markov decision process. An efficient state space and reward function are wisely designed using the system’s observable information. Correspondingly, the gain of the ESO is adaptively adjusted to cope with changing environmental disturbances. Finally, a twin-delayed deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm is employed to implement the suggested scheme. The feasibility and superiority of the developed method are validated in a deep reactive ion etching process. Comparative results demonstrate that the presented scheme outperforms the ordinary ESO-RtR controller in terms of disturbance rejection.
Can Leadership Improve Interorganizational Collaboration? Field-Experimental Evidence From a Team-Based Leadership Training Intervention
Authors: Grøn Anders Barslund , Hvilsted Line , Ingerslev Karen , Jacobsen Christian Bøtcher , Bech Mickael , Holm-Petersen Christina
Published: February 2024

The delivery of coherent public services often depends on collaboration across organizations and organizational units, which is challenging and necessitates effective leadership. This article advances our knowledge about the value of leadership training for interorganizational collaboration. In a field experiment, 122 public healthcare managers from 68 organizational units were randomly assigned to a treatment or a control group. The treatment included a 10-month interorganizational team-based leadership training program, which focuses on establishing and sustaining shared direction, alignment, and commitment across organizational boundaries. The results from our analytic approach—including survey responses from the participating managers and more than 3,000 of their subordinates (frontline managers and employees) and 32 interviews before and after training—show that training has positive effects on relational coordination, structural coordination mechanisms, and overall collaborative quality as assessed by the participating managers and their frontline managers. We do not find significant effects among the frontline employees. We discuss our findings in relation to the literature on leadership training, nuances to existing theory, and implications for practice.
How many Italian cancer patients are eligible for, and may respond to, Italian Medicines Agency-approved immune checkpoint inhibitors?
Authors: Crocetti Emanuele , Ravaioli Alessandra , Falcini Fabio , Vattiato Rosa , Mancini Silvia , Baldacchini Flavia , Zamagni Federica , Vitali Benedetta , Balducci Chiara , Bucchi Lauro , Giuliani Orietta
Published: February 2024

Introduction:

This cross-sectional study was aimed at estimating the number of Italian incident cancer patients in 2020 eligible for, and respondent to, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI).

Methods:

The study is based on publicly available data: the ICI approved until August 2022 by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) with their specific indications and overall observed responses, rther details can be found in the Online Supplementary Materi cancer incidence estimates at 2020 and observed cancer deaths, and published papers with estimates on the frequency of different cancer stage/histology/markers etc. corresponding to AIFA authorizations.

Results:

In the analyzed period, a total of seven ICI were authorized in Italy for 20 cancer types. The estimated number of ICI-eligible patients in 2020 was 48,400, 14.3% of those tumors (including skin epitheliomas) that may fit AIFA-indications, and 10.5% of all the incident malignant tumors, including skin epitheliomas. The number of patients who may benefit from ICI therapy was 24,052, 49.7% of the ICI-eligible ones, or 5.2% of the overall estimated incident cancers in 2020.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, although the number of ICI-eligible patients is a relatively small proportion of the yearly burden of cancers, about half of them may respond to ICI-treatment.
From black Welsh miner to Marcus Garvey’s nemesis: Lionel Francis and the Black Atlantic
Authors: Collins Tony
Published: February 2024

This article uncovers the life of Lionel Francis, one of the people who ousted Marcus Garvey from the leadership of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and who would eventually lead the UNIA. Although described by Garvey’s biographers as a medical doctor from Trinidad, this article reveals that Francis was never a doctor but began his working life as a miner and a preacher in the South Wales coalfields, enduring racism and personal struggles before emigrating to the United States following the 1919 racist riots in Wales. There he became a major leader of the interwar Pan-African movement in the United States and was centrally involved in the ousting of Garvey and the fragmentation of the UNIA. During the second world war, Francis moved to Belize and became a populist yet anti-independence politician. His life straddled Trinidad, Wales, the United States, and Belize, reflecting the shifting politics and migratory patterns of the African diaspora, making him an exemplar of the lived reality of the Black Atlantic in the first half of the twentieth century.
Speeding up, slowing down, losing grip: On digital media metronomes and timespace friction in the platformised temporalities of fashion design
Authors: Repenning Alica
Published: February 2024

The body of literature addressing platform capitalism, platform labour and platform urbanism paints a compelling picture of how digital platforms shape the dynamics of both leisure and labour within the framework of the platform’s model for extracting value. However, this literature rarely captures how the global timespaces of digital platforms are translated in platform-mediated fields of work and which frictions occur in this process. Therefore, the contrasts between the rhythms of the platform prompting users towards instantaneous data production and the production capabilities of the humans, whose daily (work) life has become dependent on such platforms, remain largely unexplored. In this article, I develop the lens of timespace friction, by integrating the existing research on platform labour with a timespace perspective. The aim is to present a framework that reveals the contrasting relationship between the conflating rhythms of platform capitalism and platform-mediated labour. The mechanisms are explored utilising an ethnographic case study of the digital labour of independent fashion designers on Instagram. The proposed perspective on timespace friction demonstrates that mobile apps function as metronomes, nudging the timespaces of daily (work) life. Timespaces are thus negotiated in the polyrhythmic encounters of daily life, where designers challenge the rhythms of the platform or accelerate their practices to follow the imposed pace. A timespace friction perspective therefore sees beyond the smooth operating mechanisms of the platform economy that promise real-time data, flexibility and efficiency, revealing the hidden struggles of synchronisation (speeding up), de-synchronisation (slowing down) and losing grip (going viral).
Bioequivalence of rimegepant, a small molecule CGRP receptor antagonist, administered as an oral tablet, a sublingual orally disintegrating tablet, and a supralingual orally disintegrating tablet: two phase 1 randomized studies in healthy adults
Authors: Croop Robert , Bhardwaj Rajinder , Anderson Matt S. , Matschke Kyle T. , Hould Jennifer , Bertz Richard , Liu Jing , Lipton Richard B.
Published: February 2024

Background

Rimegepant is an orally administered small molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonist indicated for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine.

Methods

Two single-center, phase 1, open-label, randomized bioequivalence studies were conducted in healthy adult non-smokers, aged 18–55 years. One study compared the rate and extent of absorption of the marketed formulation of rimegepant 75 mg orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) administered sublingually with rimegepant 75 mg oral tablet, an earlier development formulation; the second compared the rate and extent of absorption of 75 mg rimegepant ODT administered supralingually with rimegepant oral tablet.

Results

The ln-transformed geometric mean ratios for the area under the curve (AUC) from time 0 to the last available concentration time point (time t) (AUC0-t), AUC from time 0 to infinity (AUC0-inf), and maximum observed concentration ( Cmax) of sublingual rimegepant ODT vs. rimegepant tablet were 97, 97, and 105%, respectively, and the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were all within the predefined range (80–125%) for bioequivalence. The ln-transformed geometric mean ratios for the AUC0-t and AUC0-inf of supralingual rimegepant ODT vs. rimegepant tablet were 98%, the 90% CIs were within the predefined range (80–125%), and the geometric mean ratio for Cmax was 103% with the 95% upper confidence bound for the scaled average bioequivalence criterion of –0.0575 (within-participant coefficient of variation for the reference for Cmax > 30%) for bioequivalence.

Conclusions

Rimegepant 75 mg ODT, administered sublingually or supralingually, and rimegepant 75 mg oral tablet were bioequivalent.
A Widow and a Questionable Autoethnographer
Authors: Tsolidis Georgina
Published: February 2024

There are two aims in writing this paper. Firstly, I reflect on several incidents that highlighted for me what it meant to be a widow in the eyes of others. The intention is to bring to light how becoming a widow reinforces how people define you relative to a man, more poignant because that man is absent. Providing personal insights sifted through theory is a form of feminist autoethnography that functions here as an intervention into more common views of widowhood. The second aim is to consider my experience of having the original version of this paper rejected by a journal. The reviewers’ comments made me understand that my execution of feminist autoethnography was seen as problematic. This experience has spurned me to explore the need for methodological risk-taking, particularly when the topic being discussed, in this case widowhood, requires personal resilience to bring out of the shadows. Discussing issues that are “heartfelt” can contribute to debates about the construction of knowledge because they invite consideration of what is taken to be rational and what is taken to be emotional.
The impact of mechanical properties on the cutting performance of Al2O3-based ceramic cutting tools for green turning of hardened steel
Authors: Ni Xiuying , Zhao Jun , Gong Feng
Published: February 2024

The utilization of green turning as an alternative to grinding has the potential to enhance the processing efficiency of hardened steel while also preserving the environment. However, the intermittent turning of hardened steel necessitates the tool to possess exceptional comprehensive mechanical properties. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the impact of mechanical properties on the cutting performance of three Al2O3-based ceramic cutting tools, namely SG4, CC650, and CC670 by conducting interrupted turning experiments on hardened steel at both low and high speeds. The findings revealed that for different ceramic tool, it was not the smaller the speed, the smaller the cutting force when intermittently cutting hardened steels. In general, an optimal cutting speed existed where the workpiece material softened at a faster rate than the tool material due to cutting heat, resulting in minimized main cutting forces. Consequently, during the initial cutting stage, the cutting force of CC670 measured at 110 m/min was slightly higher than that at 230 m/min. The primary failure mechanism of CC670 at high speeds was mechanical fatigue. In high-speed cutting scenarios where tool failure was not primarily caused by thermal shock, the tool CC670, possessing superior mechanical properties, demonstrated a longer lifespan. When the multiple mechanical performance indices do not consistently reach their maximum values simultaneously under the current process conditions, an ideal cutting tool structure would feature a tool nose characterized by exceptional hardness and chemical stability, while the remaining section of the cutting tool should demonstrate high fracture toughness and flexural strength.
Development of a steady-state computational fluid dynamics solver for transonic rotorcraft flows
Authors: Abuhanieh Saleh
Published: February 2024

The capability for solving compressible fluid flows in the rotating frame of reference is added to an existed open-source CFD solver, namely, HiSA solver. The new implementation is explained and validated using the experimental data of the Sikorsky S-76 rotor. A comparison is presented between the moving mesh results obtained from the original HiSA code and the single rotating frame results achieved through the new implementation. The comparison includes an analysis of torque and thrust values, as well as computational costs. The results imply that, for evaluating the performance of an isolated rotor or for shape optimization purposes at the transonic regime, the single rotating frame method, like the one introduced in the current work, can provide accurate results within an acceptable computational budget. Furthermore, the results show that, at least 25 revolutions are required for the transient analysis to reach an acceptable steady-state converged solution like the one obtained by the single rotating frame method.