bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi‐vital on‐skin optoelectronic biosensor for assessing regional tissue hemodynamics
Authors: Xin Ming , Yu Tong , Jiang Yongchang , Tao Ruowen , Li Jiean , Ran Feng , Zhu Tangsong , Huang Jinrong , Zhang Jing , Zhang Jia‐Han , Hu Nan , Wang Wei , Zhang Qiuhong , Liu Zhao , Wang Xinran , Shi Yi , Pan Lijia
Published: November 2022

Evaluation of the oxygen‐mediated effects of clinical and daily activities demands an on‐skin device that can track multi‐vital regional tissue hemodynamics simultaneously. For example, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the third most prevalent cardiovascular disease, but the means of diagnosing and monitoring this disease are limited because the affected area is usually in the non‐pulsatile area away from the heart. Herein, we report on an ultrathin and ultralight multi‐vital near‐infrared optoelectronic biosensor for the diagnosis and rehabilitation monitoring of regional tissue hemodynamics, which is suitable for mounting on the skin for long‐term measurement. The device can simultaneously detect tissue oxygen saturation, heart rate, arterial blood oxygen, and tissue perfusion and shows potential for various hypoxia monitoring applications. Moreover, the tissue hemodynamics detected by this device showed a highly accordance with the ankle‐brachial index and CT angiography obtained by traditional clinical methods. Therefore, our design was able to accurately diagnose and effectively evaluate PAD patients before and after surgery. The on‐skin optoelectronic biosensor shows potential in biological oxygen‐mediated behavior evaluation, injury‐state monitoring, PAD clinical diagnosis optimization, and after surgery care.
Generation of Bilayer Asymmetry and Membrane Curvature by the Sugar‐Cleaving Enzyme Invertase
Authors: Nowbagh Abhimanyu , Deshwal Akshi , Kadu Mayur , Chaudhuri Abhishek , Maiti Subhabrata , Lipowsky Reinhard , Bhatia Tripta
Published: November 2022

The catalytic action of invertase generates bilayer asymmetry that stabilises membrane curvature. The driving mechanism for the generation of membrane curvature by invertase is investigated using giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The invertase cleaves the sucrose in the exterior compartment, thereby creating a sugar asymmetry across the bilayer membrane that is measured for GUV membranes consisting of the lipid Dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC). Finally, the advantage of this method to control membrane curvature and to stabilize multi‐sphere morphologies is demonstrated. The GUV system in the presence of invertase is beneficial as a tool to generate multiple on‐demand compartments with more extended stability after the enzymatic activity has established the asymmetry.
Farm animal careers and perception of ‘fit’ in undergraduate veterinary students: A mixed methods study
Authors: Payne Emily , Morton Emily , Lally Christopher , Remnant John
Published: November 2022

Background

Recruitment and retention of farm veterinarians have been the focus of recent research. Previous work suggests that a feeling of ‘fit’ is important for students to consider a farm career. The aim of this study was to identify whether students feel that they ‘fit’ in farm practice and reasons for their answer.

Methods

An online survey was distributed to students at all British and Irish veterinary schools. A mixed methods approach was considered, with thematic analysis on free text answers and regression analysis on demographic variables.

Results

Thematic analysis identified six themes: career opportunities, nature of farm veterinary work, relationships and interactions, individual experiences, expectations and perceptions, and no perceived barriers. Females, marginalised ethnic groups and those from an urban/suburban background were all identified as having significantly (p < 0.05) less agreement with the statement ‘I feel able to pursue a career in farm practice’.

Limitations

Survey limitations include those with a clear bias being likely to respond. However, alignment of the qualitative and quantitative results increased confidence in the findings of this mixed methods approach.

Conclusion

This study confirms that biases that exist within wider society do have an influence on veterinary undergraduates' intentions to pursue a farm animal career. This is vital to consider both at a university level and when considering students' experiences on placements. Urgent action is required to improve inclusivity in the farm animal veterinary sector.
Assessing the variation of river channel reach inflows on transmission losses
Authors: Mujere Never , Masocha Mhosisi , Makurira Hodson , Mazvimavi Dominic
Published: November 2022

Arid and semi‐arid regions are characterized by limited water availability throughout the year and highly variable streamflows. River channel transmission losses add another uncertainty to the complex flow regimes. However, the contribution of different factors influencing to transmission losses is poorly understood. In this work we determined whether variations in river channel transmission losses along five reaches of varying lengths could be related to reach inflows in Runde River catchment in Zimbabwe. We directly estimated transmission losses as the difference between reach inflow and outflow discharges. Using simple bivariate regression equations, channel transmission losses were modeled as response variables while reach inflows were the predictor variables. Our results indicate statistically significant positive relationships (p = .000, R2 > 0.05) between inflows and transmission losses for all minor, moderate, and major flow events. This simple approach can be applied in similar settings to understand the variations in transmission losses.
A Digital Application for Strategic Development of Health Tourism Destinations
Authors: Mahroo Atieh , Spoladore Daniele , Ferrandi Paolo , Lovato Ilenia
Published: November 2022

This work describes the challenges, techniques, and methodologies to develop a digital tool that aims to improve framework conditions and tools for better utilization of Alpine natural resources in health tourism. Starting from the literature analysis and an online survey, the system implemented a comprehensive knowledge base adopted for an ontology-based Decision Support System leveraging on identified Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Relying on this knowledge, the digital tool provides a list of tailored and customized recommendations for each destination within the Alpine area. This result helps the stakeholders capitalize on the nature-based health tourism potentials of their region in relation to the existence of the natural resources and different target users’ health conditions. This strategic digital tool is developed as a web-based application for destinations’ policy-makers and managers to fill the online survey and receive customized suggestions, recommendations, and insights on how to further exploit their natural resources in order to enhance nature-based health tourism.
Stability of sample extracts of vitamin D3 metabolites after chemical derivatization for LC–MS/MS analysis
Authors: Alexandridou Anastasia , Volmer Dietrich A.
Published: November 2022

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) is widely used to determine vitamin D3 metabolites in biological samples. The ionization efficiencies of these metabolites, however, are poor under electrospray ionization conditions. Moreover, the chromatographic separation of multiple vitamin D metabolites and their epimers can be challenging. For these reasons, chemical derivatization reagents are often used to improve sensitivity and selectivity of analysis. While the derivatization schemes have been proven to be very effective, one missing aspect is the investigation of the stability of the chemical derivatization products in stored sample extracts. In this study, we investigated the long-term stability of several vitamin D3 metabolites after 1 and 3 months of storage at − 20 °C. Five vitamin D3 metabolites were examined after derivatization with seven different derivatization reagents. Generally, Amplifex products were the most stable in the long term in our study with 11–20% degraded after 1 month of storage and 14–35% after 3 months. The stabilities for some of the metabolites′ 4-[2-(6,7-dimethoxy-4-methyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxalyl)ethyl]-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (DMEQ-TAD), 2-fluoro-1-methylpyridinium p-toluenesulfonate (FMP-TS), isonicotinoyl chloride (INC) and 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione acetylated (PTAD-Ac) products were also acceptable after 1 month of storage. Other derivatized metabolites, however, degraded extensively already after 1 month of storage, such as 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) (54–72% degradation) and 2-nitrosopyridine (PyrNO) (32–100% degradation). Importantly, for every metabolite, there was an optimum derivatization reagent that met the criteria of stability proposed by international regulatory bodies after 1 month of storage. Some derivatives were stable for even up to 3 months of storage, with degradation of less than 15%.

Graphical abstract
Different approaches to test orientation of self in space: comparison of a 2D pen-and-paper test and a 3D real-world pointing task
Authors: Gerb J. , Brandt T. , Dieterich M.
Published: November 2022

Spatial orientation is based on a complex cortical network with input from multiple sensory systems. It is affected by training, sex and age as well as cultural and psychological factors, resulting in different individual skill levels in healthy subjects. Various neurological disorders can lead to different patterns or specific deficits of spatial orientation and navigation. Accordingly, numerous tests have been proposed to assess these abilities. Here, we compare the results of (1) a validated questionnaire-based self-estimate of orientation/navigation ability (Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale, SBSODS) and (2) a validated pen-and-paper two-dimensional perspective test (Perspective Taking Spatial Orientation Test, SOT) with (3) a newly developed test of finger-arm pointing performance in a 3D real-world (3D-RWPT) paradigm using a recently established pointing device. A heterogeneous group of 121 participants (mean age 56.5 ± 17.7 years, 52 females), including 16 healthy volunteers and 105 patients with different vestibular, ocular motor and degenerative brain disorders, was included in this study. A high correlation was found between 2D perspective task and 3D pointing along the horizontal (azimuth) but not along the vertical (polar) plane. Self-estimated navigation ability (SBSODS) could not reliably predict actual performance in either 2D- or 3D-tests. Clinical assessment of spatial orientation and memory should therefore include measurements of actual performance, based on a 2D pen-and-paper test or a 3D pointing task, rather than memory-based questionnaires, since solely relying on the patient’s history of self-estimated navigation ability results in misjudgments. The 3D finger-arm pointing test (3D-RWPT) reveals additional information on vertical (polar) spatial performance which goes undetected in conventional 2D pen-and-paper tests. Diseases or age-specific changes of spatial orientation in the vertical plane should not be clinically neglected. The major aim of this pilot study was to compare the practicability and capability of the three tests but not yet to prove their use for differential diagnosis. The next step will be to establish a suitable clinical bedside test for spatial memory and orientation.
Abundance and distribution of antennal sensilla on males and females of three sympatric species of alpine grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Catantopinae) in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Nakano Mari , Morgan-Richards Mary , Clavijo-McCormick Andrea , Trewick Steven
Published: November 2022

Brachaspis nivalis, Sigaus australis and Paprides nitidus are grasshopper species endemic to Aotearoa, New Zealand where they are sympatric in several regions of South Island. On mountains of Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (Southern Alps), B. nivalis is more abundant on scree/rock habitat, whereas S. australis and P. nitidus are prevalent in alpine tussock and herbfields. It is expected, therefore, that these species have different sensory needs that are likely to be apparent in the type, abundance, and distribution of chemo-sensilla on their antennae. It is also likely that natural selection has resulted in sexual differences in sensilla. To test these hypotheses, abundance and distribution of the chemo-sensilla on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of their antennae were characterized in adult males and females of the three species. Five types of chemo-sensilla were identified on the distal portion of their antenna: chaetica, basiconica, trichoidea, coeloconica, and cavity. All species had significantly more chemo-sensilla on the ventral than the dorsal surface of antennae and a similar distribution pattern of chemo-sensilla. Despite having relatively short antenna, B. nivalis had the largest number of olfactory sensilla, but the fewest chaetica of the three species studied. A plausible explanation is that B. nivalis is abundant on  less vegetated habitats compared to the other species, and therefore may rely more on olfaction (distance) than gustatory (contact) reception for finding food. No significant differences were observed between the sexes of B. nivalis and P. nitidus, however, S. australis males had significantly more basiconica sensilla than females.
Using the snow-day fraction to measure climatic change in southern Ontario (Canada): historical trends in winter season precipitation phase
Authors: Hewer Micah J. , Gough William A.
Published: November 2022

Global temperatures are increasing, and regional precipitation patterns are changing. Snow is an excellent indicator of regional climate change; 50 years of temperature and precipitation data were analysed from weather stations located within the five most populated cities of Ontario (Canada). Recorded measurements for temperature and precipitation were converted into binary values to indicate the frequency of rain days, snow days, wet days (when total precipitation is greater than 0.2 mm) and freezing days (when the average temperature is less than 0 °C); then, these values were summed over each winter season from 1970/71 to 2019/20. The snow-day fraction was calculated from the seasonal totals by dividing the total number of snow days by the total number of wet days. Historical trends were detected using Pearson’sR, Kendall’s Tau and Spearman’s Rho. Differences in mean values between the first decade (1971–1980) and the last decade (2011–2020) within the time series for the snow-day fraction and total freezing days were determined using Student’st-tests. During the winter season in southern Ontario (December 1 to March 31), total snow days, total wet days, the snow-day fraction and freezing days were all decreasing at statistically significant rates (90 to 99% confidence levels) across four of the five cities studied (Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and London). Mississauga was the exception, being the only city where rain days were increasing, but no trends were detected for snow days or wet days. The snow-day fraction was decreasing in Mississauga but not at a statistically significant rate, despite freezing days decreasing at the greatest rate compared to the other four cities. Total freezing days were highly correlated with the snow-day fraction during the winter season, being able to explain 61 to 76 percent of the observed variability, where Mississauga recorded the weakest correlation and London recorded the strongest correlation.
Getting real in interprofessional clinical placements: patient-centeredness in student teams’ collaborative learning
Authors: Jensen Catrine Buck , Norbye Bente , Dahlgren Madeleine Abrandt , Iversen Anita
Published: November 2022

Collaboration between healthcare providers helps tackle the increasing complexity of healthcare. When learning teamwork, interprofessional students are expected to work patient-centered; recognizing the patient’s expertise and partnering with them. Research on interprofessional education (IPE) for undergraduates has illuminated learning outcomes, organization of learning activities, change in attitudes, etc. But, we know little about the interaction between patients and interprofessional student teams. This study aimed to explore how interprofessional student teams and patients interact in interprofessional clinical placements. With a focused ethnographic approach, participant observation and qualitative interviews were conducted in two contexts; a physical and an online arrangement. Central ideas in Goffman’s dramaturgy constituted a theoretical lens. A reflexive thematic analysis generated three themes: (1) Preparing safe and comfortable encounters with patients, (2) Including and excluding the patient in the encounter, and (3) Adjusting to the patient's situation. We identified students’ intentions of patient-centeredness when preparing encounters, but patients did not always feel included and listened to in encounters. After encountering patients, student teams adjusted their teamwork, by changing the team composition or the planned clinical interventions to better meet the patients’ needs. Notably, team-based patient encounters led to a different view of the patient, their health issues, and how to collaborate. Our findings can inform educators of the importance of addressing patient-centered care in interprofessional learning arrangements. Today, clinical interprofessional placements may not exploit the potential for learning about patient-centeredness. A thematization of this, e.g., in supervision in future clinical placements can ensure an enhanced focus on this in interprofessional teamwork.
Exploring member trust in German community-supported agriculture: a multiple regression analysis
Authors: Zoll Felix , Kirby Caitlin K. , Specht Kathrin , Siebert Rosemarie
Published: November 2022

Opaque value chains as well as environmental, ethical and health issues and food scandals are decreasing consumer trust in conventional agriculture and the dominant food system. As a result, critical consumers are increasingly turning to community-supported agriculture (CSA) to reconnect with producers and food. CSA is often perceived as a more sustainable, localized mode of food production, providing transparent production or social interaction between consumers and producers. This enables consumers to observe where their food is coming from, which means CSA is considered suitable for building trust in food (production). However, it remains unclear how exactly members’ trust in ‘their’ farmers is built. To determine the factors that predict members’ trust in CSA and its farmers, and the importance of these factors when compared to each other, we conducted a quantitative study among CSA members in Germany and applied a multiple regression model (n = 790). The analysis revealed that trust in CSA and its farmers is influenced by “reputation”, “supply of information”, “direct social interaction” and the “duration of CSA membership”. Other factors such as the “certification status of the CSA farm” and “attitudes toward organic certification” did not significantly predict trust. We conclude that producers’ willingness to be transparent already signals trustworthiness to CSA members and is more important to members than formal signals. Other actors within the food system could learn from CSA principles and foster a transition toward a more regionalized value-based food system to help restore agriculture’s integrity.
Algorithmic trading with directional changes
Authors: Adegboye Adesola , Kampouridis Michael , Otero Fernando
Published: November 2022

Directional changes (DC) is a recent technique that summarises physical time data (e.g. daily closing prices, hourly data) into events, offering traders a unique perspective of the market to create novel trading strategies. This paper proposes the use of a genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize the recommendations of multiple DC-based trading strategies. Each trading strategy uses a novel framework that combines classification and regression techniques to predict when a trend will reverse. We evaluate the performance of the proposed multiple DC-strategy GA algorithm against nine benchmarks: five single DC-based trading strategies, three technical analysis indicators, as well as buy-and-hold, which is a popular financial benchmark. We perform experiments using 200 monthly physical time datasets from 20 foreign exchange markets—these datasets were created from snapshots of 10 min intervals. Experimental results show that our proposed algorithm is able to statistically significantly outperform all DC and non-DC benchmarks in terms of both return and risk, and establish multi-threshold DCs as an effective algorithmic trading technique.
BCL-2 protein family: attractive targets for cancer therapy
Authors: Kaloni Deeksha , Diepstraten Sarah T , Strasser Andreas , Kelly Gemma L
Published: November 2022

Acquired resistance to cell death is a hallmark of cancer. The BCL-2 protein family members play important roles in controlling apoptotic cell death. Abnormal over-expression of pro-survival BCL-2 family members or abnormal reduction of pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins, both resulting in the inhibition of apoptosis, are frequently detected in diverse malignancies. The critical role of the pro-survival and pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins in the regulation of apoptosis makes them attractive targets for the development of agents for the treatment of cancer. This review describes the roles of the various pro-survival and pro-apoptotic members of the BCL-2 protein family in normal development and organismal function and how defects in the control of apoptosis promote the development and therapy resistance of cancer. Finally, we discuss the development of inhibitors of pro-survival BCL-2 proteins, termed BH3-mimetic drugs, as novel agents for cancer therapy.
The Impact of First UK-Wide Lockdown (March–June 2020) on Sexual Behaviors in Men and Gender Diverse People Who Have Sex with Men During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Nadarzynski Tom , Nutland Will , Samba Phil , Bayley Jake , Witzel T. Charles
Published: November 2022

The global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in strict social distancing measures restricting close physical contact. Men (cis and trans) and other gender diverse people who have sex with men (MGDSM) are at higher risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and may have experienced changes in sexual behavior during government restrictions on social and sexual contact. We aimed to examine self-reported sexual behavior of MGDSM during the first UK-wide lockdown to identify the characteristics of the individuals who might most require sexual health promotion and clinical support. In April–May 2020, we conducted an online survey of MGDSM, promoted on social media and Grindr. Our exploratory approach used descriptive analysis to identify self-reported changes in sexual behavior and performed regression analyses to identify correlates of casual sex during the lockdown. A total of 1429 respondents completed the survey: mean age 36 years, 84% White, 97% male or trans male, 98% assigned male sex at birth, 2% female or non-binary, 65% degree educated or higher. During the lockdown, 76% reported not having any casual sex partners. While the majority reported reduced casual sex, 3% reported an increase in casual sex with one person and 2% with three or more people (group sex). About 12% of the sample engaged in casual sex with only one person and 5% with four or more sexual partners during the lockdown. Reporting casual sex during lockdown was associated with: lower level of education OR = 2.37 [95% CI 1.40–4.01]; identifying as a member of an ethnic minority OR = 2.27[1.40–3.53]; daily usage of sexual networking apps OR = 2.24[1.54–3.25]; being less anxious about contracting SARS-CoV-2 through sex OR = 1.66[1.12–2.44]; using PrEP before lockdown OR = 1.75[1.20–2.56]; continuing to use PrEP OR = 2.79[1.76–4.57]; and testing for STIs during lockdown OR = 2.65[1.76–3.99]. A quarter of respondents remained sexually active with casual partners, indicating a need to provide STI screening services and health promotion targeted to groups most likely to have need over this period. Future research is required to better understand how to support sexual and gender minorities to manage sexual risk in the context of pandemic public health initiatives.
Few-shot re-identification of the speaker by social robots
Authors: Foggia Pasquale , Greco Antonio , Roberto Antonio , Saggese Alessia , Vento Mario
Published: November 2022

Nowadays advanced machine learning, computer vision, audio analysis and natural language understanding systems can be widely used for improving the perceptive and reasoning capabilities of the social robots. In particular, artificial intelligence algorithms for speaker re-identification make the robot aware of its interlocutor and able to personalize the conversation according to the information gathered in real-time and in the past interactions with the speaker. Anyway, this kind of application requires to train neural networks having available only a few samples for each speaker. Within this context, in this paper we propose a social robot equipped with a microphone sensor and a smart deep learning algorithm for few-shot speaker re-identification, able to run in real time over an embedded platform mounted on board of the robot. The proposed system has been experimentally evaluated over the VoxCeleb1 dataset, demonstrating a remarkable re-identification accuracy by varying the number of samples per speaker, the number of known speakers and the duration of the samples, and over the SpReW dataset, showing its robustness in real noisy environments. Finally, a quantitative evaluation of the processing time over the embedded platform proves that the processing pipeline is almost immediate, resulting in a pleasant user experience.
Racial Identity Development on the Margins: The Narratives of Black Women College Students with Experiences in the Foster Care System
Authors: Devost Audrey
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this qualitative research study is to explore ways Black women college students with experiences in the foster care system construct meaning of their foster care experiences, and how these experiences have influenced their higher education experiences, and the current status of their racial identity development. Using semi-structured interviews, the participant’s narratives are constructed to span across defining moments in their childhood to their current selves in higher education. Guided by Black feminist thought and intersectionality, the questions that this research study asks are (a) how does being a Black woman with experiences in the foster care system impact a student’s experience in higher education? and (b) what kinds of knowledge do these Black women perceive as lessons, that they acquired during their time in the foster care system? In centering the experience of being in foster care, this research highlights intragroup differences among Black women college students to demonstrate the complexity of racial identity development that transcends the boundaries of traditional racial identity models of measurement. The findings of this research illustrate the complexity of racial identity development for Black women college student with experiences in the foster care system.
An Examination of Thermal Coupling of an Ir/Au TES for TORIO-229 Experiment
Authors: Fedkevych M. , Biasotti M. , De Gerone M. , Ferrari Barusso L. , Gallucci G. , Gatti F. , Giovannini M. , Osipenko M. , Ripani M. , Siri B. , Taiuti M.
Published: November 2022

The TORIO-229 experiment aims for a direct model-independent determination of the transition energy of $$^\mathrm {229m}$$

229
m

Th produced in $$^\mathrm {233}$$

233

U alpha decay. This knowledge will be of interest for the development of a scientific clock exploiting the thorium isomeric state, which would be able to significantly surpass the precision of the presently best clocks. As a detector for the isomeric transition, it is planned to use an array of fast transition-edge sensors (TESs) which demonstrated to be feasible in our previous work where the Ir/Au TES prototype demonstrated $$4.6\pm 1.7$$

4.6
±
1.7

 µs rise time, $$5.8\pm 2.1$$

5.8
±
2.1

 µs fall time and $$0.789\pm 0.023$$

0.789
±
0.023

 eV energy resolution and signal-to-noise ratio of $$\sim$$
∼
10 with one-photon (2.824 eV) signal, satisfying the experimental requirements. Such a microcalorimeter will allow to register the transition in every possible channel in the energy range from 3 to 50 eV and with a lifetime of > 5 µs. To have a full characterization of a single TES for the final detector array design, its thermal conductance has to be measured. In this contribution, we report on a test measurement of thermal coupling of a TORIO-229 prototype-like iridium-gold TES.
Ground-motion prediction models for induced earthquakes in the Groningen gas field, the Netherlands
Authors: Bommer Julian J. , Stafford Peter J. , Ruigrok Elmer , Rodriguez-Marek Adrian , Ntinalexis Michail , Kruiver Pauline P. , Edwards Benjamin , Dost Bernard , van Elk Jan
Published: November 2022

Small-magnitude earthquakes induced by gas production in the Groningen field in the Netherlands have prompted the development of seismic risk models that serve both to estimate the impact of these events and to explore the efficacy of different risk mitigation strategies. A core element of the risk modelling is ground-motion prediction models (GMPM) derived from an extensive database of recordings obtained from a dense network of accelerographs installed in the field. For the verification of damage claims, an empirical GMPM for peak ground velocity (PGV) has been developed, which predicts horizontal PGV as a function of local magnitude,ML; hypocentral distance,Rhyp; and the time-averaged shear-wave velocity over the upper 30 m,VS30. For modelling the risk due to potential induced and triggered earthquakes of larger magnitude, a GMPM for response spectral accelerations has been developed from regressions on the outputs from finite-rupture simulations of motions at a deeply buried rock horizon. The GMPM for rock motions is coupled with a zonation map defining frequency-dependent non-linear amplification factors to obtain estimates of surface motions in the region of thick deposits of soft soils. The GMPM for spectral accelerations is formulated within a logic-tree framework to capture the epistemic uncertainty associated with extrapolation from recordings of events ofML ≤ 3.6 to much larger magnitudes.
Computational modeling and simulation of closed chain arm-robot multibody dynamic systems in OpenSim
Authors: Green Matthew , Hong Yoon No Gregory , Roh Jinsook , Fregly Benjamin J.
Published: November 2022

Rehabilitation robot efficacy for restoring upper extremity function post-stroke could potentially be improved if robot control algorithms accounted for patient-specific neural control deficiencies. As a first step toward the development of such control algorithms using model-based methods, this study provides general guidelines for creating and simulating closed chain arm-robot models in the OpenSim environment, along with a specific example involving a three-dimensional arm moving within a two degree-of-freedom upper extremity rehabilitation robot. The closed chain arm-robot model developed in OpenSim was evaluated using experimental robot motion and torque data collected from a single healthy subject under four conditions: 1) active robot alone, 2) active robot with passive arm, 3) passive robot with active arm, and 4) active robot with active arm. Computational verification of the combined model was performed for all four conditions, whereas experimental validation was performed for only the first two conditions since torque measurements were not available for the arm. For the four verification problems, forward dynamic simulations reproduced experimentally measured robot joint angles with average root-mean-square (RMS) errors of less than 0.3 degrees and correlation coefficients of 1.00. For the two validation problems, inverse dynamic simulations reproduced experimentally measured robot motor torques with average RMS errors less than or equal to 0.5 Nm and correlation coefficients between 0.92 and 0.99. If patient-specific muscle–tendon and neural control models can be successfully added in the future, the coupled arm-robot OpenSim model may provide a useful testbed for designing patient-specific robot control algorithms that facilitate recovery of upper extremity function post-stroke.
A multinode superelement in the generalized strain formulation
Authors: Dwarshuis Koen , Ellenbroek Marcel , Aarts Ronald , Brouwer Dannis
Published: November 2022

Design and optimization of flexure mechanisms and real time high bandwidth control of flexure based mechanisms require efficient but accurate models. The flexures can be modeled using sophisticated beam elements that are implemented in the generalized strain formulation. However, complex shaped frame parts of the flexure mechanisms could not be modeled in this formulation. The generalized strain formulation for flexible multibody analysis defines the configuration of elements using a combination of absolute nodal coordinates and deformation modes.

This paper defines a multinode superelement in this formulation, i.e., an element having its properties derived from a reduced linear finite element model. This is accomplished by defining a local element frame with the coordinates depending on the absolute nodal coordinates. The linear elastic deformation is defined with respect to this frame, where rotational displacements are defined using the off-diagonal terms of local rotation matrices. The element frame can be defined in multiple ways; the most accurate results are obtained if the resulting elastic rotations are as small as possible. The inertia is defined in two different ways: the so-called “full approach” gives more accurate results than the so-called “corotational approach” but requires a special term that is not available from standard finite element models. Simulations show that (flexure based) mechanisms can be modeled accurately using smart combinations of superelements and beam elements.
Joint–coordinate adjoint method for optimal control of multibody systems
Authors: Maciąg Paweł , Malczyk Paweł , Frączek Janusz
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a joint–coordinate adjoint method for optimal control of multi-rigid-body systems. Initially formulated as a set of differential-algebraic equations, the adjoint system is brought into a minimal form by projecting the original expressions into the joint’s motion and constraint force subspaces. Consequently, cumbersome partial derivatives corresponding to joint-space equations of motion are avoided, and the approach is algorithmically more straightforward. The analogies between the formulation of Hamilton’s equations of motion in a mixed redundant-joint set of coordinates and the necessary conditions arising from the minimization of the cost functional are demonstrated in the text. The observed parallels directly lead to the definition of a joint set of adjoint variables. Through numerical studies, the performance of the proposed approach is investigated for optimal control of a double pendulum on a cart. The results demonstrate a successful application of the joint-coordinate adjoint method. The outcome can be easily generalized to optimal control of more complex systems.
Three-dimensional location methods for the vision system of strawberry-harvesting robots: development and comparison
Authors: Ge Yuanyue , Xiong Ya , From Pål Johan
Published: November 2022

For most fruit-harvesting robots, an essential task of the machine vision system is to provide the manipulator with an accurate three-dimensional location of the target. However, the accuracy of this location can be affected by various factors. This study aimed to develop seven location methods, to investigate their effectiveness, as well as the influences of different camera modes and camera types, and, ultimately, to ascertain which was the optimal method. These methods utilized the pixels of the detected targets in each image, the corresponding depth values, as well as the locations of the 2D bounding boxes extracted from the detection results. These location methods differed in the way that they obtained the position of the 3D bounding box, and in their use of point clustering or colour thresholding. The images were collected via two types of 3D camera, patterned structured light and time-of-flight. Comparative analysis showed that methods using the 2D bounding box and the selected depth value to calculate the 3D bounding box were faster (0.2–8.4 ms compared to 151.9–325.2 ms) and performed better than the 3D clustering methods. In addition, four modes of the structured light camera were tested and compared. The results showed that the high-accuracy mode had fewer noise points but a lower location rate (89.2–89.9%), while the high-density mode created more noise points but a higher location rate (98.9%). Evaluations also indicated that the data from the time-of-flight camera better represented the 3D shape (26.3% more accurate along the camera’s depth direction). Therefore, time-of-flight camera was considered better for the applications that required more accurate 3D shape. This paper, thus, provided references in the selection of location methods, cameras and corresponding modes for related work.
High-performance and balanced parallel graph coloring on multicore platforms
Authors: Giannoula Christina , Peppas Athanasios , Goumas Georgios , Koziris Nectarios
Published: November 2022

Graph coloring is widely used to parallelize scientific applications by identifying subsets of independent tasks that can be executed simultaneously. Graph coloring assigns colors the vertices of a graph, such that no adjacent vertices have the same color. The number of colors used corresponds to the number of parallel steps in a real-world end-application. Therefore, the total runtime of the graph coloring kernel adds to the overall parallel overhead of the real-world end-application, whereas the number of the vertices of each color class determines the number of the independent concurrent tasks of each parallel step, thus affecting the amount of parallelism and hardware resource utilization in the execution of the real-world end-application. In this work, we propose a high-performance graph coloring algorithm, named ColorTM, that leverages Hardware Transactional Memory (HTM) to detect coloring inconsistencies between adjacent vertices. ColorTM detects and resolves coloring inconsistencies between adjacent vertices with an eager approach to minimize data access costs, and implements a speculative synchronization scheme to minimize synchronization costs and increase parallelism. We extend our proposed algorithmic design to propose a balanced graph coloring algorithm, named BalColorTM, with which all color classes include almost the same number of vertices to achieve high parallelism and resource utilization in the execution of the real-world end-applications. We evaluate ColorTM and BalColorTM using a wide variety of large real-world graphs with diverse characteristics. ColorTM and BalColorTM improve performance by 12.98$$\times$$
×
and 1.78$$\times$$
×
on average using 56 parallel threads compared to prior state-of-the-art approaches. Moreover, we study the impact of our proposed graph coloring algorithmic designs on a popular end-application, i.e., Community Detection, and demonstrate the ColorTM and BalColorTM can provide high-performance improvements in real-world end-applications across various input data given.
CH4 and CH2O Oxidation in Lean Gas Engine Exhaust Using Fe2O3 Catalysts
Authors: Mehne M. , Kureti S.
Published: November 2022

A systematic series of commercial α-Fe2O3 catalysts was investigated with respect to the after-treatment of the lean exhaust emissions of gas engines. The samples were physico-chemically characterized by X-ray diffraction, Laser Raman spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, temperature-programmed reduction with CO and the temperature-programmed desorption of CO2, whereas the catalytic efficiency was evaluated using a model exhaust gas. Structure–activity correlations showed that for the oxidation of CH4 the number of active Fe sites and the availability of surface and subsurface oxygen are crucial properties of the catalysts. By contrast, the conversion of CH2O is driven by the CO2 adsorption capacity and the amount of OH surface species, in line with the mechanistic understanding gained by step function experiments and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The in-situ DRIFTS studies suggested that the CH2O oxidation follows a Cannizzaro-type mechanism including the reaction of two CH2O molecules with a surface OH site to form CH3OH and formate species. The subsequent conversion of the formate moieties with H2O results in the reconstruction of the OH groups and the release of formic acid. The latter is assumed to decompose into CO2 and H2 which finally oxidizes to H2O. The best iron oxide catalyst was upscaled to the level of a real catalytic converter, which was tested in the lean exhaust gas of a 600 kW biomethane engine. As a result, the catalyst demonstrated high activity with regard to CH2O and CO removal above 300 and 500 °C, respectively, while only negligible conversion of CH4 occurred.
The Timing of Pregnancies After Bariatric Surgery has No Impact on Children’s Health—a Nationwide Population-based Registry Analysis
Authors: Beiglböck Hannes , Mörth Eric , Reichardt Berthold , Stamm Tanja , Itariu Bianca , Harreiter Jürgen , Eichelter Jakob , Prager Gerhard , Kautzky-Willer Alexandra , Wolf Peter , Krebs Michael
Published: November 2022

Purpose

Bariatric surgery has a favorable effect on fertility in women. However, due to a lack of data regarding children’s outcomes, the ideal time for conception following bariatric surgery is unknown. Current guidelines advise avoiding pregnancy during the initial weight loss phase (12–24 months after surgery) as there may be potential risks to offspring. Thus, we aimed to analyze health outcomes in children born to mothers who had undergone bariatric surgery. The surgery-to-delivery interval was studied.

Materials and Methods

A nationwide registry belonging to the Austrian health insurance funds and containing health-related data claims was searched. Data for all women who had bariatric surgery in Austria between 01/2010 and 12/2018 were analyzed. A total of 1057 women gave birth to 1369 children. The offspring’s data were analyzed for medical health claims based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and number of days hospitalized. Three different surgery-to-delivery intervals were assessed: 12, 18, and 24 months.

Results

Overall, 421 deliveries (31%) were observed in the first 2 years after surgery. Of these, 70 births (5%) occurred within 12 months after surgery. The median time from surgery to delivery was 34 months. Overall, there were no differences noted in frequency of hospitalization and diagnoses leading to hospitalization in the first year of life, regardless of the surgery-to-delivery interval.

Conclusion

Pregnancies in the first 24 months after bariatric surgery were common. Importantly, the surgery-to-delivery interval had no significant impact on the health outcome of the children.

Graphical Abstract
Generating Explanations for Conceptual Validation of Graph Neural Networks: An Investigation of Symbolic Predicates Learned on Relevance-Ranked Sub-Graphs
Authors: Finzel Bettina , Saranti Anna , Angerschmid Alessa , Tafler David , Pfeifer Bastian , Holzinger Andreas
Published: November 2022

Graph Neural Networks (GNN) show good performance in relational data classification. However, their contribution to concept learning and the validation of their output from an application domain’s and user’s perspective have not been thoroughly studied. We argue that combining symbolic learning methods, such as Inductive Logic Programming (ILP), with statistical machine learning methods, especially GNNs, is an essential forward-looking step to perform powerful and validatable relational concept learning. In this contribution, we introduce a benchmark for the conceptual validation of GNN classification outputs. It consists of the symbolic representations of symmetric and non-symmetric figures that are taken from a well-known Kandinsky Pattern data set. We further provide a novel validation framework that can be used to generate comprehensible explanations with ILP on top of the relevance output of GNN explainers and human-expected relevance for concepts learned by GNNs. Our experiments conducted on our benchmark data set demonstrate that it is possible to extract symbolic concepts from the most relevant explanations that are representative of what a GNN has learned. Our findings open up a variety of avenues for future research on validatable explanations for GNNs.
Composting date palm residues promotes circular agriculture in oases
Authors: El Janati Mustapha , Robin Paul , Akkal-Corfini Nouraya , Bouaziz Ahmed , Sabri Ahmed , Chikhaoui Mohammed , Thomas Zahra , Oukarroum Abdallah
Published: November 2022

Dry leaves of date palms (DPs) are by-products of date cultivation that are often mismanaged in oasis agroecosystems. Ideally, they should be upcycled in a circular agriculture model before producing and exporting high-value products. Compost inputs enhance soil organic matter and conserve soil. This study investigated composting of four mixtures based on farming system requirements and the availability of organic resources. The DPs were used alone or combined with sheep manure and rock phosphate. We experimented with farm-scale windrow composting to improve understanding and support decision-making. The results showed that temperature increased rapidly to 70 °C at the beginning of composting in the mixtures with manure. Organic matter content decreased by 40% in all windrows during composting, which indicated organic matter mineralisation and loss of volatile solids. Composting DP with or without sheep manure for 136 days with two turnings conserved nitrogen and increased the nitrogen content of compost. Mixing DP with sheep manure and rock phosphate increased the final total phosphorus content of compost to 0.52% (dry matter basis). Our results highlight that composting DP is a feasible alternative to improve circularity in oasis agroecosystems, by increasing organic matter content and fertiliser value, thus paving the way for sustainable production of high-value products from DP.