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Plantar shear stress may have an important role in the formation of a Diabetic Foot Ulcer, but its measurement is regarded as challenging and has limited research. This paper highlights the importance of anatomical specific shear sensor calibration and presents a feasibility study of a novel shear sensing system which has measured in-shoe shear stress from gait activity on both healthy and diabetic subjects. The sensing insole was based on a strain gauge array embedded in a silicone insole backed with a commercial normal pressure sensor. Sensor calibration factors were investigated using a custom mechanical test rig with indenter to exert both normal and shear forces. Indenter size and location were varied to investigate the importance of both loading area and position on measurement accuracy. The sensing insole, coupled with the calibration procedure, was tested one participant with diabetes and one healthy participant during two sessions of 15 minutes of treadmill walking. Calibration with different indenter areas (from 78.5 mm2 to 707 mm2) and different positions (up to 40 mm from sensor centre) showed variation in measurements of up to 80% and 90% respectively. Shear sensing results demonstrated high repeatability (>97%) and good accuracy (mean absolute error < ±18 kPa) in bench top mechanical tests and less than 21% variability within walking of 15-minutes duration. The results indicate the importance of mechanical coupling between embedded shear sensors and insole materials. It also highlights the importance of using an appropriate calibration method to ensure accurate shear stress measurement. The novel shear stress measurement system presented in this paper, demonstrates a viable method to measure accurate and repeatable in-shoe shear stress using the calibration procedure described. The validation and calibration methods outlined in this paper could be utilised as a standardised approach for the research community to develop and validate similar measurement technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The demand for electric power has consistently been on the rise, owing to urbanisation and technological improvements. On the generation side, renewable sources have been favoured over their polluting, exhaustible, non‐renewable counterparts. These changes in the power system have necessitated a system for maintaining the supply‐demand balance, to maintain system stability. A complex power system is also more prone to blackouts and grid failure. Islanding helps in provision of supply to consumers in a microgrid, reducing the possibility of a blackout. Depending on the power demand and generation, loads need to be shed or restored to mitigate power imbalances. A wide area distribution management system (WADMS) is proposed to dynamically shed and restore loads in the islanded mode, with the aid of micro phasor measurement units (µPMUs). A priority and consumer‐based load shedding and restoration (PCLS) algorithm is proposed in the WADMS that preferentially sheds or restores loads based on their assigned load priority indices and number of consumers. The algorithm has been tested on a modified IEEE 13 bus system, incorporated with a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, diesel generators (DGs) and an energy storage system (ESS) in MATLAB Simulink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Area detectors have been widely used in X-ray diffraction (XRD) to improve the acquisition speed and data quality. Here, an accurate, high efficiency, low distortion approach with a large angle range for collecting powder X-ray diffraction data is developed which is carried out by rotating a small area detector on the detector arm of the diffractometer. A series of collected images are spliced and converted into one 1D XRD pattern. The calculation of the 2θ value and intensity corresponding to every pixel are shown in detail. The calibration of the detector and experimental geometry was carried out. Finally, the reliability of this method has been demonstrated by the X-ray diffraction measurements of a standard LaB6 powder and Rietveld refinement results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop an algorithm for the automated localization and measurement of levator hiatus (LH) dimensions (AI-LH) using 3-D pelvic floor ultrasound. The AI-LH included a 3-D plane regression model and a 2-D segmentation model, which first achieved automated localization of the minimal LH dimension plane (C-plane) and measurement of the hiatal area (HA) on maximum Valsalva on the rendered LH images, but not on the C-plane. The dataset included 600 volumetric data. We compared AI-LH with sonographer difference (ASD) as well as the inter-sonographer differences (IESD) in the testing dataset (n = 240). The assessment encompassed the mean absolute error (MAE) for the angle and center point distance of the C-plane, along with the Dice coefficient, MAE, and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for HA, and included the time consumption. The MAE of the C-plane of ASD was 4.81 ± 2.47° with 1.92 ± 1.54 mm. AI-LH achieved a mean Dice coefficient of 0.93 for LH segmentation. The MAE on HA of ASD (1.44 ± 1.12 mm²) was lower than that of IESD (1.63 ± 1.58 mm²). The ICC on HA of ASD (0.964) was higher than that of IESD (0.949). The average time costs of AI-LH and manual measurement were 2.00 ± 0.22 s and 59.60 ± 2.63 s (t = 18.87, p < 0.01), respectively. AI-LH is accurate, reliable, and robust in the localization and measurement of LH dimensions, which can shorten the time cost, simplify the operation process, and have good value in clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Levator avulsion is a major etiological factor of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and is primarily diagnosed on tomographic axial plane imaging. Two‐dimensional imaging can also image the levator. The objective was to test reproducibility and validity of coronal plane assessment for diagnosis of levator trauma by assessing the coronal plane obtained on tomographic ultrasound imaging. Methods: A retrospective study of women who had undergone an interview, POPQ and four‐dimensional translabial ultrasound at a tertiary urogynecological unit. Post‐processing of archived volume data was performed for assessment; and levator muscle area and estimate of remnant muscle mass in the coronal plane. Interobserver reproducibility of the latter two measures and associations between various measures of levator trauma and POP were tested. Results: Interobserver agreement was good for percentage estimates (ICC 0.743), but fair for area measurements (ICC 0.482). Six hundred and twenty four women were seen, 468 (75%) had significant clinical prolapse. Full levator avulsions were diagnosed in 137 (22%). Mean TTS was 2.7 (range 0–12). On coronal plane assessment average muscle area was 1.47 (SD 0.76) cm2 and 1.55 (SD 0.74) cm2 on the right and left, respectively (P =.005). It was 76% and 79% for average estimates of muscle mass (P =.021). Both measures were strongly associated with POP; however, they were not superior to TTS in predicting POP. Conclusion: Coronal plane assessment in volume data is reproducible and valid for evaluation of levator trauma. Muscle mass estimate may be a better measure than muscle area. Access the CME test here and search by article title. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate if ImageJ could be used to quantify the severity of external auditory exostoses (EAEs) in archaeological human skeletal remains. Thirty‐seven external auditory canals (EACs) with EAEs present (22 right, 15 left) of 100% completeness derived from individuals from archaeological sites on Cyprus dating from the Neolithic to the Roman period were available for analyses. EAC area and EAE area were measured three times as an intra‐observer error test using ImageJ in a two‐dimensional plane. The level of agreement between measurements was assessed using a paired T‐test, Bland–Altman plot, technical error of measurement, and coefficient of reliability. No statistically significant differences were found between measurements of EAC area and EAE area and a high technical measurement of error and coefficient of reliability resulted. ImageJ can be used with a high level of reliability for quantifying the severity of EAEs. This approach enables detailed quantification of EAEs in two‐dimensions, as well as specific measurement of EAE severity to evaluate differences between individuals and assemblages. The percentage of occlusion of the EAC by EAEs may contribute data to interpretations of the potential secondary clinical symptoms encountered by the individual, such as conductive hearing loss. This technique can only be applied to EACs that are of 100% preservation and in EACs where the EAEs are located laterally. Future studies should aim to incorporate the use of ImageJ for quantifying EAE severity in order to develop more detailed comparisons between individuals and assemblages in relation to their duration of exposure to wet and/or wet and windy environments and to evaluate the potential secondary symptoms that individuals with severe EAEs may have encountered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A coverage prediction model helps network operators find coverage gaps, plan base station locations, evaluate quality of service, and build radio maps for spectrum sharing, interference management, localization, etc. Existing coverage prediction models rely on the height and transmission power of the base station, or the assistance of a path loss model. All of these increase the complexity of large-scale coverage predictions. In this paper, we propose a multi-modal model, DNN-SS, which combines a DNN (deep neural network) and SS (semantic segmentation) to perform coverage prediction for mobile networks. Firstly, DNN-SS filters the samples with a geospatial-temporal moving average filter algorithm, and then uses a DNN to extract numerical features. Secondly, a pre-trained model is used to perform semantic segmentation of satellite images of the measurement area. Thirdly, a DNN is used to extract features from the results after semantic segmentation to form environmental features. Finally, the prediction model is trained on the dataset consisting of numerical features and environmental features. The experimental results on campus show that for random location prediction, the model achieves a RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) of 1.97 dB and a MAE (Mean Absolute Error) of 1.41 dB, which is an improvement of 10.86% and 10.2%, respectively, compared with existing models. For the prediction of a test area, the RMSE and MAE of the model are 4.32 dB and 3.45 dB, respectively, and the RMSE is only 0.22 dB lower than that of existing models. However, the DNN-SS model does not need the height, transmission power, and antenna gain of the base station, or a path loss model, which makes it more suitable for large-scale coverage prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe and validate an optical-coherence-tomography (OCT)-based method to easily calculate specific volumes, addressing the limitations of current OCT software in automating volumetric analysis for specific entities in retinal pathologies. Methods: After manually drawing the specific entity on linear OCT scans using the calliper function and automated measurement of its area, the following formula was used for volumetric calculation: Volume [mm3] = ∑area [mm2] × OCT-scan distance [mm]. Retinal volume (RV) was measured by two independent observers in eyes with a normal foveal profile (NFP) and was compared with the automated measurements performed by the OCT software (Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany); the same process was repeated for the volume of the foveal cavity (FC) or foveoschisis (FS) in eyes with lamellar macular holes (LMHs). Power calculations were conducted to ensure adequate sample size. The measurements were re-acquired after six weeks. Intra- and inter-observer variability as well as comparison to automated RV calculations were analysed. Results: This study included a total of 62 eyes divided into two groups: the NFP (30 eyes) and LMH (32 eyes) groups. The Bland–Altman plots showed a high degree of agreement in both groups for inter-observer and intra-observer agreement. In addition, in the NFP group, a high degree of agreement was demonstrated between human observers and the OCT software (Spectralis). Conclusions: An easy, reliable, and widely applicable method to calculate volumes is described and validated in this paper, showing excellent inter- and intra-observer agreement, which can be applied to any entity requiring a specific study in the context of retinal pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of magnification error and axial length (AL) on circumpapillary capillary density (cpCD) and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (cpRNFLT) in healthy eyes. Seventy-two healthy eyes of 72 subjects with AL 24.7 ± 1.5 mm (range: 20.9–28.0 mm) were enrolled in this retrospective cross-sectional study and underwent optical coherence tomography angiography scanning. Magnification corrected measurement areas were obtained using AL upon which corrected cpCD, cpRNFLT values were determined. Relationships between AL and the percentage difference between corrected and uncorrected values (ΔcpCD, ΔcpRNFLT) as well as the effect of AL on magnification corrected cpCD, cpRNFLT were evaluated. ΔcpCD significantly increased with AL in the global, inferior nasal and superior nasal sectors (all p < 0.001). ΔcpRNFLT significantly increased with AL in global and all sectors (all p < 0.001) and the correlations were significantly stronger than that of ΔcpCD-AL in all sectors (all p < 0.001). Corrected cpCD did not associate with AL while corrected cpRNFLT demonstrated a significant positive association with AL in the global (p = 0.005) and temporal sector (p < 0.001). Magnification error led to a significant underestimation of cpCD in eyes with longer AL although its underestimation and the effect of AL was smaller in comparison to that of cpRNFLT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a cost-effective and efficient closed-loop calibration method to enhance the absolute positioning accuracy of industrial robots. The method utilizes an economical and highly accurate set of simple measurement devices, including a device mounted on the robot's end effector and a spherical constraint device positioned within the robot's workspace. A novel local area measurement method is employed for the spherical constraint device, effectively converting position errors into the errors in the sphere center position of the constraint device. Furthermore, the error model considers both kinematic parameter deviations of the robot itself as well as those of the measurement device, along with non-kinematic errors caused by link self-weight. The closed-loop calibration model relies on position constraints, enabling identification and compensation of all error parameters using Levenberg Marquardt method after substituting measured data. The effectiveness of this proposed method is demonstrated through simulation and experimentation. In simulations, average position error reduces from 8.249 mm to 0.8384 mm, while absolute mean difference in sphere center positions obtained using our measurement equipment decreases from 1.206 mm to 0.1027 mm. Significant reductions in both position error and difference in sphere center position are indicated after calibration. This proves that the absolute mean value of the sphere center position difference can be used as the basis for judging the size of the robot's end position error. Experimental results show that absolute mean difference in sphere center position decreases from 0.4319 mm to 0.02869 mm, leading to substantial improvement in overall positioning accuracy. • Calibration model incorporates both kinematic and non-kinematic deviation. • Local area measurement data effectively reflects the robot's end position error. • Closed-loop calibration method exhibits robustness in the presence of noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A particle swarm algorithm-based identification method for the optimal measurement area of large coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) is proposed in this study to realize the intelligent identification of measurement objects and optimize the measurement position and measurement space using laser tracer multi-station technology. The volumetric error distribution of the planned measurement points in the CMM measurement space is obtained using laser tracer multi-station measurement technology. The volumetric error of the specified step distance measurement points is obtained using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) interpolation algorithm. The quasi-rigid body model of the CMM is solved using the LASSO algorithm to obtain the geometric error of the measurement points in a specified step. A model of individual geometric errors is fitted with least squares. An error optimization model for the measurement points in the CMM space is established. The particle swarm optimization algorithm is employed to optimize the model, and the optimal measurement area of the CMM airspace is determined. The experimental results indicate that, when the measurement space is optimized based on the volume of the object being measured, with dimensions of (35 × 35 × 35) mm3, the optimal measurement area for the CMM, as identified by the particle swarm algorithm, lies within the range of 150 mm < X < 500 mm, 350 mm < Y < 700 mm, and −430 mm < Z < −220 mm. In particular, the optimal measurement area is defined as 280 mm < X < 315 mm, 540 mm < Y < 575 mm, and −400 mm < Z < −365 mm. Comparative experiments utilizing a high-precision standard sphere with a diameter of 19.0049 mm and a sphericity of 50 nm demonstrate that the identified optimal measurement area is consistent with the results obtained through the particle swarm algorithm, thereby validating the correctness of the method proposed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare geographic atrophy (GA) area semi-automatic measurement using fundus autofluorescence (FAF) versus optical coherence tomography (OCT) annotation with the cRORA (complete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy) criteria. Methods: GA findings on FAF and OCT were semi-automatically annotated at a single time point in 36 pairs of FAF and OCT scans obtained from 36 eyes in 24 patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The GA area, focality, perimeter, circularity, minimum and maximum Feret diameter, and minimum distance from the center were compared between FAF and OCT annotations. Results: The total GA area measured on OCT was 4.74 ± 3.80 mm2. In contrast, the total GA measured on FAF was 13.47 ± 8.64 mm2 (p < 0.0001), with a mean difference of 8.72 ± 6.35 mm2. Multivariate regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between the difference in area between OCT and FAF and the total baseline lesion perimeter and maximal lesion diameter measured on OCT (adjusted r2: 0.52; p < 0.0001) and the total baseline lesion area measured on FAF (adjusted r2: 0.83; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: We report that the GA area measured on FAF differs significantly from the GA area measured on OCT. Further research is warranted in order to determine the clinical relevance of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M) is the most used additive manufacturing (AM) technology for metal parts. Nevertheless, challenges persist in effectively managing metal powder, particularly in blending methodologies in the choice of blenders as well as in the verification of blend results. In this study, a bespoke laboratory-scale AM blender is developed, tailored to address these challenges, prioritizing low-impact blending to mitigate powder degradation. As a blending type, a V-shape tumbling geometry meeting the requirements for laboratory AM usage is chosen based on a literature assessment. The implementation of thermal oxidation as a powder marking technique enables particle tracing. Blending validation is achieved using light microscopy for area measurement based on binary image processing. The powder size and shape remain unaffected after marking and blending. Only a small narrowing of the particle size distribution is detected after 180 min of blending. The V-shape tumbling blender efficiently yields a completely random state in under 10 min for rotational speeds of 20, 40, and 60 rounds per minute. In conclusion, this research underscores the critical role of blender selection in AM and advocates for continued exploration to refine powder blending practices, with the aim of advancing the capabilities and competitiveness of AM technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hemodynamic forces (HDF) analysis has been proposed as a method to quantify intraventricular pressure gradients, however data on its reliability are still scanty. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the reliability of HDF parameters derived from cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Methods: CMR studies of 25 athletes were analysed by two independent observers and then re-analysed by the same observer one week apart. Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC [95% CI]) and Bland-Altman plots were used to assess association, agreement, and bias of the longitudinal (A-B) HDF, transverse (L-S) HDF, and Impulse Angle. The sample size required to detect a relative change in the HDF parameters was also calculated. Results: In terms of inter-observer variability, there was a good correlation for the A-B and L-S (ICC 0.85 [0.67–0.93] and 0.86 [0.69–0.94]; p<0.001 for both, respectively) and a moderate correlation for the Impulse Angle (ICC 0.73 [0.39–0.87]; p = 0.001). For intra-observer variability, A-B and L-S showed excellent correlation (ICC 0.91 [0.78–0.93] and 0.93 [0.83–0.97]; p<0.001 for both, respectively). Impulse Angle presented good correlation (ICC 0.80 [0.56–0.90]; p<0.001). Frame selection and aortic valve area measurements were the most vulnerable step in terms of reliability of the method. Sample size calculation to detect relative changes ranged from n = 1 to detect a 15% relative change in Impulse Angle to n = 171 for the detection of 10% relative change in A-B HDF. Conclusions: The results of this study showed a low inter- and intra-observer variability of HDF parameters derived from feature-tracking CMR. This provides the fundamental basis for their use both in research and clinical practice, which could eventually lead to the detection of significant changes at follow-up studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seawater refractive index is an essential parameter in ocean observation, making its high-precision measurement necessary. This can be effectively achieved using a position-sensitive detector-based measurement system. However, in the actual measurement process, the impact of the jitter signal measurement error on the results cannot be ignored. In this study, we theoretically analysed the causes of long jitter signals during seawater refractive index measurements and quantified the influencing factors. Through this analysis, it can be seen that the angle between the two windows in the seawater refractive index measurement area caused a large error in the results, which could be effectively reduced by controlling the angle to within 2.06°. At the same time, the factors affecting the position-sensitive detector's measurement accuracy were analysed, with changes to the background light, the photosensitive surface's size, and the working environment's temperature leading to its reduction. To address the above factors, we first added a 0.9 nm bandwidth, narrow-band filter in front of the detector's photosensitive surface during system construction to filter out any light other than that from the signal light source. To ensure the seawater refractive index's measuring range, a position-sensitive detector with a photosensitive surface size of 4 mm × 4 mm was selected; whereas, to reduce the working environment's temperature variation, we partitioned the measurement system. To validate the testing error range of the optimised test system, standard seawater samples were measured under the same conditions, showing a reduction in the measurement system's jitter signal from 0.0022 mm to 0.0011 mm, before and after optimisation, respectively, as well as a reduction in the refractive index's deviation. The experimental results show that the refractive index of seawater was effectively reduced by adjusting the measurement system's optical path and structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Koksu River valley is located in the Pamir‐Alay mountain range and contains 25 glaciers larger than 1 km2 and numerous smaller glaciers. The largest glacier in the catchment is Abramov Glacier with a current surface area of 22.55 km2 (in 2022), which was extensively monitored between 1965 and 1999, and resumed in 2011. The long and detailed mass balance time series provide, among other information, benchmark climate variables for the Pamir‐Alay range. We report 10 new cosmogenic 10Be exposure dates of glacial moraines directly deposited by Abramov Glacier to extend the glacial history of the valley. Six boulders indicate that the Local Last Glacial Maximum occurred at 17.1±1.0 ka. Four boulders suggest a Little Ice Age (LIA) glacial advance around AD 1750. Secular glacier mass balance reconstructions suggest a progressively negative mass balance since the LIA advance. The decrease in mass balance accelerated in the last quarter of the 20th century. Results from repeated ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements suggest that Abramov Glacier lost about 403 million m3 of ice volume between 1986 and 2018. Based on the reconstruction of the glacier surface, the corresponding equilibrium line altitude, which is closely correlated with the mass balance, increased by about 70 to 80 m during this period. Our results also suggest that Abramov Glacier has become increasingly out of equilibrium with the climate over the last two decades. This is supported by repeated GPR measurements of the tongue area, which indicate a dramatic decrease in glacier area and ice volume over the period 1986–2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unidimensional measurements for estimating bill size, like length and width, are commonly used in ecology and evolution, but can be criticised due to issues with repeatability and accuracy. Furthermore, formula‐based estimates of bill surface area tend to assume uniform bill shapes across species, which is rarely the case. 3D surface scanning can potentially help overcome some such issues by collecting detailed external morphology and direct measurements of surface area, rather than composite estimates of size. Here, we evaluate the use of 3D surface scanners on avian museum specimens to test the repeatability of 3D‐based measurements and compare these to traditional formula‐based methods of estimating bill size from unidimensional measurements. Using 28 Australian bird species, we investigate inter‐observer repeatability of surface area measurements from 3D surface scans. We then compare 3D‐based size estimates to formula‐based size estimates to infer the accuracy and precision of formula‐based measurements of bill surface area. We find that morphometric measurements from 3D surface scans are highly repeatable between observers, without the need for extensive training, demonstrating an advantage over unidimensional measuring methods, like callipers. When comparing 3D‐based measurements to formula‐based estimates of bill surface area, most formulae for estimating size consistently underestimate surface area, and with considerable variation between species. Where 3D scanning is not possible, we find that a commonly used cone formula for estimating bill size is most precise across diverse bill shapes, therefore supporting its use in interspecific contexts. However, we find that incorporating an additional unidimensional measure of bill curvature into formulae improves the accuracy of the calculated area. Our results reveal the high potential for 3D surface scanners in avian morphometric research, especially for studies necessitating large sample sizes collected by multiple observers, and gives suggestions for formula‐based approaches to estimate bill size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed at examining the effect of the number of grains (representing the total measurement area) on the statistical variation of the area average of the kernel average orientation (KAM), denoted as KAMA, ave, as determined through electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Moreover, the number of triple junctions required to obtain statistically valid results was investigated. The results indicated that at least 80-100 grains should be evaluated to reduce the statistical dispersion in plastic-strain evaluation using KAMA, ave. The average triple junction KAM (KAMTJ, ave) values near the random boundary tend to be higher than those near coincident site lattice (CSL) boundaries. There was a correlation between plastic strain and average triple-junction KAM (KAMTJ, ave). This study highlights that KAMTJ is useful parameters for evaluating plastic strain around the triple junctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentrations of fine-grained clay minerals in tailings water are highly detrimental to environmental protection and water recycling. Using kaolinite as the study subject, this research investigates the effects of various cationic surfactants (DDA, DTAB, TTAB, CTAB) and flocculants (APAM, NPAM, CPAM) on the sedimentation of kaolinite particles. The study explores the impact of single agents, combined agents, and the sequence of their addition on kaolinite particle sedimentation. The results indicate that when using individual agents at low concentrations, CTAB outperforms TTAB, DTAB, and DDA, while APAM is more effective than NPAM and CPAM. The optimal performance is achieved with a CTAB concentration of 2x10-4 mol/L and an APAM dosage of 20 mg/L. When combining agents, the best results are observed when CTAB is added before APAM. By fixing the APAM dosage at 20 mg/L and varying the CTAB concentration, the highest sedimentation rate and lowest turbidity are obtained at a CTAB concentration of 1.5x10-4 mol/L. Mechanistic insights were obtained through aggregate imaging, area measurement, zeta potential testing, and contact angle testing. Cationic surfactants alter the surface properties of particles, reducing surface electronegativity and increasing hydrophobicity, which diminishes inter-particle repulsion and promotes aggregation, thereby reducing turbidity. Flocculants form larger flocs through adsorption and bridging, accelerating the sedimentation process. When flocculants and cationic surfactants are used together, the resulting flocs are more stable and larger, with an average floc area reaching 5017.6079 µm², indicating a significant reduction in fine particles within the solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Railway track bed defects affect the normal operation of trains and pose great safety risks. In order to detect such issues early, we developed a railway track bed defect detection method which uses optical fibre sensors and an improved HMM (hidden Markov model) to detect the signals collected by a DAS (distributed acoustic sensing) system. First, by analysing the physical process of train operation and determining the number of hidden states, a waveform segmentation method based on average amplitude was used to solve the problem of unequal signal lengths. Second, an adaptive power spectrum energy ratio calculation method was employed to extract track fault features, a set of which was constructed by combining various quantity features. Then, normal and abnormal models were trained according to the sensor measurement area. Finally, the probability of detecting the signal with each model was compared to determine whether the signal was abnormal. Experiments were conducted to compare the applicability of the waveform segmentation method and the feature extraction method. The results show that the HMM based on both waveform segmentation and track bed defect feature sets had the highest recognition rate, the lowest number of false detection areas, and a greater impact on the signal in the early development stage of track bed defects. The proposed method, therefore, has strong recognition ability, which makes it suitable for track bed defect detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous scanning laser Doppler vibrometry (CSLDV) enables fast and full-field vibration measurement in an intact area of a structure. This paper further proposes a novel adaptive CSLDV method that can obtain the operational deflection shapes (ODS) and mode shape of structures with holes. Firstly, an adaptive path planning method is applied to the surface of the tested structure, which can automatically adapt to the size and position of round and square holes, as well as the resolution requirements for the measurement. Secondly, based on the symmetry and other characteristics of the planned path, the time domain signal is processed by delay optimization and demodulation to obtain the ODS of each vibration mode. Finally, a modal test is conducted on a flat structure with a square and circular holes as an example. A validation experiment is also performed using SLDV. The results show that the mode shapes obtained from both methods are consistent and the modal assurance criterion between them are all above 0.96. The method can realize CSLDV of flat plate structures with arbitrary square and round holes, and has the advantages of high efficiency and dense measurement points, which enhances its engineering applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research created a tool to measure ultrasound images of the rib eye area in sheep. One hundred twenty-one ultrasound images of sheep were captured, with regions of interest segmented using the U-Net algorithm. The metrics adopted to evaluate automatic segmentations were Dicescore and intersection over union. Finally, a regression analysis was performed using the AdaBoost Regressor and Random Forest Regressor algorithms and the fit of the models was evaluated using the Mean Square Residuals, mean absolute error and coefficient of determination. The values obtained for the Dice metric were 0.94, and for Intersection over Union it was 0.89, demonstrating a high similarity between the actual and predicted values, ranging from 0 to 1. The values of Mean Quadratic Residuals, mean absolute error and coefficient The determination of the regressor models indicated the best fit for the Random Forest Regressor. The U-Net algorithm efficiently segmented ultrasound images of the Longissimus Dorsi muscle, with greater precision than the measurements performed by the specialist. This efficient segmentation allowed the standardization of rib eye area measurements and, consequently, the phenotyping of beef sheep on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To use Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to measure scleral thickness (ST) and subfoveal choroid thickness (SFCT) in patients with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO) and to conduct a correlation analysis. A cross-sectional study was conducted. From May 2022 to December 2022, a total of 34 cases (68 eyes) of untreated unilateral Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO) patients were recruited at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanchang University. Among these cases, 31 were temporal branch vein occlusions, 2 were nasal branch occlusions, and 1 was a superior branch occlusion. Additionally, 39 cases (39 eyes) of gender- and age-matched control eyes were included in the study. Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography (AS-OCT) was used to measure ST at 6 mm superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal to the limbus, while Enhanced Depth Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography (EDI-OCT) was used to measure SFCT. The differences in ST and SFCT between the affected eye, contralateral eye, and control eye of BRVO patients were compared and analyzed for correlation. The axial lengths of the BRVO-affected eye, contralateral eye, and control group were (22.92 ± 0.30) mm, (22.89 ± 0.32) mm and (22.90 ± 0.28) mm respectively, with no significant difference in axial length between the affected eye and contralateral eye (P > 0.05). The SFCT and ST measurements in different areas showed significant differences between the BRVO-affected eye, contralateral eye in BRVO patients (P < 0.05). The CRT of BRVO-affected eyes was significantly higher than that of the contralateral eyes and the control eyes (P < 0.001). In comparison between BRVO-affected eyes and control eyes, there were no statistically significant differences in age and axial length between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, significant differences were observed in SFCT and temporal, nasal, superior, and inferior ST between the two groups (P < 0.05). The difference in temporal ST between the contralateral eyes and the control eyes was not statistically significant (t = − 0.35, P = 0.73). However, the contralateral group showed statistically significant increases in SFCT, nasal, superior and inferior ST compared to control eyes (t = − 3.153, 3.27, 4.21, 4.79, P = 0.002, 0.002, < 0.001, < 0.001). However, the difference between the CRT of the contralateral and control eyes was not statistically significant (P = 0.421). When comparing SFCT and ST between BRVO-affected eyes with and without macular edema, no statistically significant differences were found (t = − 1.10, 0.45, − 1.30, − 0.30, 1.00; P = 0.28, 0.66, 0.21, 0.77, 0.33). The thickness of SFCT and temporal ST in major BRVO group is higher than the macular BRVO group and the difference was statistically significant (t = 6.39, 7.17, P < 0.001 for all). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that in BRVO patients, there was a significant positive correlation between SFCT/CRT and temporal ST (r = 0.288, 0.355, P = 0.049, 0.04). However, there was no correlation between SFCT/CRT and nasal ST, superior ST, and inferior ST (P > 0.05). In BRVO patients, both SFCT/CRT and ST increase, and there is a significant correlation between SFCT/CRT and the ST at the site of vascular occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seat pressure measurements in wheelchair users have been available for some time; however, repeated measurements from a commercially available pressure mat over 90 min did not differ in the pressure-loaded measurement area or the coordinates of the center of pressure, even in participants who were able to reposition themselves in the wheelchair. The question therefore arises: to what extent are there other parameters that reflect the activity of wheelchair users with the pressure mat? To investigate this, a commercial pressure mat (BodiTrak®) was used to perform the measurements of pressure of 33 adult wheelchair-dependent people with spinal cord injury after 30 and 90 min sitting on the cushion. In addition to the standard output of the pressure mat, graph-based surface analyses (calculation of the area of maximum pressure, calculation of the pressure-loaded measurement area, and pressure–area ratio) was performed retrospectively using Python 3.7. The analysis of the measurements after 30 and 90 min was performed by distinguishing the participants between those who could actively change their position (N = 24) and those who could not (N = 9). The parameters of the pressure mat and the graph-based analyses remained unchanged for active participants. In participants who were unable to actively change their position, the area of maximum pressure and the pressure–area ratio (ratio of maximum pressure area and total pressure-loaded area) increased. Significant differences between minutes 30 and 90 are only found for the pressure–area ratio. Thus, when measuring the seat pressure of wheelchair users, the pressure–area ratio should be taken into account as it reflects the daily relief activities of wheelchair users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The designed MYRRHA reactor, in its subcritical version, will be equipped with a set of detectors monitoring its condition by measuring the current value of negative reactivity, which is a crucial parameter for its safe operation. In subcritical systems, accurate and precise measurement of negative reactivity is disturbed by the so-called spatial effect, i.e., the response of detectors depends on their placement in the reactor core. This paper focuses on the Monte Carlo simulations of reactivity measurements using the area method for natU, 238U, 241Am, 239Pu, and 232Th detectors. The simulations were performed in six positions with increasing distance from the center of the core and at three axial levels. The obtained results allow for selecting optimum locations for detectors and detector nuclides in terms of the accuracy of reactivity measurement and illustrate the dependence of the reactivity on the distance. Additionally, the possibility of using 103Rh in self-powered neutron detectors was investigated. The influence of spatial effect in calculations using the area method was directly indicated in the MYRRHA reactor core for chosen isotopes and in-core positions. The results closest to true values were obtained for the second fuel assembly for 239Pu, and the third fuel assembly for natU, 238U, 232Th, and 241Am; thus, these nuclides and positions should be preferred when selecting detectors for MYRRHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to accurately measure the flight trajectory of the projectile in a long-distance target range, it is important to establish a vertical target measurement system with a two-line array camera at several positions along the range. In the present work, a calibration system using dual theodolites is proposed to calibrate the vertical target measurement system of a dual linear array camera at different positions along a long target range. The present study investigates the principle of intersection measurement in the vertical target measurement system with a double linear array camera and presents the projectile's target coordinate measurement formula. The calibration method of the measurement system is developed based on an analysis of the parameters in the projectile coordinate measurement formula. The calibration method only requires calibration of the camera's distortion coefficient, the optical axis angle, and the principal point, ensuring a simplified and expedited calibration process. After calibration, the vertical target measurement system with a 3 m × 3 m measurement area is simulated and analyzed, yielding an error distribution diagram and identifying the factors that influence the measurement accuracy of the projectile's target coordinates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface area of the leaves of trees that perform photosynthesis is expressed by the leaf area index (LAI) for pine trees with different densities, using direct methods by collecting field data in 2022 from (30) samples, and measurements were taken of the diameter at breast height for each sample and the total height, crown center height, crown width, and number of trees. Through field data and laboratory analysis of the relationships between the structure of tree elements, it was found that the leaf area index showed an inverse relationship with the distances between trees and that increasing the distance between trees reduces the crown coverage of trees and thus is reflected in the leaf area index of the tree. At low densities, it decreases and increases with increasing tree density. This also applies to the relationship between the dry weight of leaves and the distances between trees, as an inverse relationship showed, and this was also clear for the relationship between the dry weight of leaves and the average diameter and height of the trees in that tree. A set of equations was reached that was tested using multiple statistical standards, and it was the equation of the dry weight of pine tree leaves per unit area, the equation of the surface area of pine tree leaves per unit area, as well as the leaf area index of pine trees (LAI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most common causes of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in childhood is mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS). While ultrasonography (US) can aid in the diagnosis of CTS in adult patients, there is limited experience of this in the pediatric group. We aimed to investigate the results of wrist ultrasonography, which may be a candidate alternative to electrophysiological examination. The participants were evaluated for symptoms, physical examination findings, electrophysiological tests and grayscale US. CTS was diagnosed in accordance with the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline. Included in the study were 27 MPS patients aged 4.5–32 years and 30 healthy control subjects aged 4.3–26 years. Of the 54 wrists in the MPS group, 30 were diagnosed with CTS. The median cross-sectional area (CSA) at the proximal carpal tunnel, the CSA at the forearm, and the wrist-forearm ratio (WFR) were higher in the wrists of the MPS with CTS group than in those without CTS and the healthy control subjects. The WFR cutoff of ≥1.35, 56.6% (95% CI: 437.4–74.5) sensitivity, and 89.8% (95% CI: 81.0–95.5) specificity were consistent with a diagnosis of CTS (receiver operating characteristics analysis, area under the curve = 0.775, 95% CI: 0.673–0.877). Although the US provides results with unsatisfactory specificity and sensitivity, it is a candidate for further investigation for the diagnosis of CTS because it is an innovative, noninvasive, and more accessible method. WFR value may produce more meaningful results than wrist or forearm nerve area measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Pulmonary aspiration of gastric content is a serious perioperative complication. The objective of this prospective study was to assess the relationship between the gastric volumes suctioned endoscopically and quantitative (antral cross‐section area) and qualitative (empty vs. nonempty) examination of the gastric antrum. Furthermore, the study aimed to determine the best antral cross‐section area cutoff value for a truly empty antrum in infants. Methods: This study was performed in a pediatric gastrointestinal endoscopy unit. Antral sonography was performed in supine and right lateral decubitus positions in 46 fasted infants prior to upper gastrointestinal endoscopic evaluation. Antral cross‐sectional area measurements in both positions and qualitative evaluation of the antrum (according to a three‐point grading system) were recorded. Gastric contents were endoscopically suctioned and measured. Results: Forty‐six patients (aged under 24 months) were included. According to the three‐point qualitative grading system, 76.1% of patients were classified as grade 0. The best cutoff value for the antral cross‐section area in the right lateral decubitus position, indicating an empty antrum, was determined to be 2.40 cm2. At this specific cutoff value, the sensitivity was 100%, the specificity was 68.6%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. Conclusions: Gastric ultrasonography can confirm an empty or nearly empty stomach in healthy infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stomata are specialized pores that play a vital role in gas exchange and photosynthesis. Microscopic images are often used to assess stomatal characteristics in plants; however, this can be a challenging task. By utilizing Matterport's Mask R-CNN implementation as the foundational model, fine-tuning was conducted on a dataset of 810 microscopic images of Hedyotis corymbosa leaves' surfaces for automated stomatal pores detection. The outcomes were promising, with the model achieving a convergence of 98% mean average precision (mAP) for both detection and segmentation. The training loss and validation loss values converged around 0.18 and 0.37, respectively. Regression analyses demonstrated the statistical significance (p values ≤ 0.05) of predictor parameters. Notably, the tightest cluster of data points was observed in stomata pore area measurements, followed by width and length. This highlights the precision of the stomatal pore area in characterizing stomatal traits. Despite challenges posed by the original dataset's low-resolution images and artifacts like dust, bubbles, and blurriness, our innovative utilization of the Mask R-CNN algorithm yielded commendable outcomes. This research introduces a robust approach for stomatal phenotyping with broad applications in plant biology and environmental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to assess cardiac shear wave imaging implemented in a new MACH 30 ultrasound machine (SuperSonic Imaging, Aix-en-Provence, France) and interfaced with a linear probe and a phased array probe, in comparison with a previously validated Aixplorer system connected to a linear probe (SuperSonic Imaging) using Elasticity QA phantoms (Models 039 and 049, CIRS Inc., Norfolk, VA, USA). Quantile–quantile plots were used for distribution agreement. The accuracy of stiffness measurement was assessed by the percentage error and the mean percentage error (MPE), and its homogeneity, by the standard deviation of the MPE. A p value <0.01 was considered to indicate statistical significance. The accuracy of dedicated cardiac sequences for linear probes was similar for the two systems with an MPE of 8 ± 14% versus 20 ± 21% (p = not significant) with the SuperSonic MACH 30 and Aixplorer, respectively, and was influenced by target stiffness and location of the measurement in the field of view, but without drift over time. The optimal transthoracic cardiac probe workspace was located between 4 and 10 cm, with an MPE of 29.5 ± 25% compared with 93.3 ± 130% outside this area (p < 0.0001). In this area, stiffness below 20 kPa was significantly different from the reference (p < 0.0001). The sectorial probe revealed no MPE difference in any of the measurement areas, with no significant lateral or axial gradient. The new Supersonic MACH 30 system upgraded with a sectorial probe and specific cardiac settings provided homogenous stiffness measurements, especially when operating at depths between 4 and 10 cm. These phantom results may be useful in designing future in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Imaging parameters of Chiari malformation type I (CMI) development are not well established. This study aimed to collect evidence of general or specific imaging measurements in patients with CMI, analyze indicators that may assist in determining the severity of CMI, and guide its diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across various databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase, covering the period from January 2002 to October 2023, following predefined inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed using RevMan (ver. 5.4). We performed a quantitative summary and systematic analysis of the included studies. This study was registered in the PROSPERO (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews) prior to initiation (CRD42023415454). Results: Thirty-three studies met our inclusion criteria. The findings indicated that out of the 14 parameters examined, 6 (clivus length, basal angle, Boogard's angle, supraocciput lengths, posterior cranial fossa [PCF] height, and volume) exhibited significant differences between the CMI group and the control group. Furthermore, apart from certain anatomical parameters that hold prognostic value for CMI, functional parameters like tonsillar movement, obex displacement, and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics serve as valuable indicators for guiding the clinical management of the disease. Conclusion: We collated and established a set of linear, angular, and area measurements deemed essential for diagnosing CMI. However, more indicators can only be analyzed descriptively for various reasons, particularly in prognostic prediction. We posit that the systematic assessment of patients' PCF morphology, volume, and other parameters at a 3-dimensional level holds promising clinical application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the challenges in accurately measuring the far-field performance of array antennas, which have become more complex and larger due to recent trends in increasing the number of elements and the antenna size. The far-field measurement method, which is a general method for measuring a radiation pattern in a far-field, is difficult to be utilized at a high frequency due to limitations in physical chamber size and difficulty in diagnosing an antenna. In order to improve these problems, a near-field measurement method is used as an alternative. Even though using a near-field measurement, the accuracy of the derived far-field pattern is reduced at low elevation angles due to zero-padding of data outside the measurement area. The integration of the near-field measurement with the source reconstruction is a promising approach to enhance the measurement limits of the far-field pattern analysis. This paper aims to extend the previous work to accurately predict the far-field radiation pattern, especially in the low elevation angles. The verification of the proposed method is performed for a standard gain horn and 4 by 4 patch array antennas, with and without beam steering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-purpose mobile robots are used as models in the development of autonomous systems. They can also be used in multiple tasks, such as carrying materials to various environments, making measurements in hazardous areas, and performing specific operations such as reconnaissance and surveillance. Different control techniques are used in the speed and trajectory control of mobile robots. In this study, the trajectory and speed control of a tracked mobile robot (TMR) was carried out using an interval Type2 Takagi Sugeno Kang fuzzy logic controller (IT2TSKFLC). Simulation studies of the proposed control system were carried out in the Matlab/Simulink environment. The performance of the proposed IT2TSKFLC in speed and trajectory control of the mobile robot was compared with those of the classical PI controller and Type1 fuzzy logic controller (T1FLC). It has been demonstrated, through simulation studies, that IT2TSKFLC increases system performance and provides a more stable structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural industrialisation in China, which has historically been restricted by urban–rural dual development policies, has been largely encouraged since the Rural Revitalisation Strategy released in 2018. Industrialisation has deeply influenced socio-spatial evolution by providing job opportunities and promoting the construction of infrastructure and public services, accelerating the two-way flow of urban–rural factors in rural areas. However, this may lead to social and spatial issues, such as social inequalities and unsuitable living conditions, to some extent. This research aims to investigate how the socio-spatial evolution of rural areas was influenced by rural industrialisation and the two-way flow of urban–rural factors. The cherry planting industry and an active "industrial centre", Yuezhuang Village, in Linqu County, Shandong Province, China, were selected for the empirical study. This research analysed the evolution of the cherry planting industry, the formulation of rural social networks, and the spatial adaptation of the two using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, followed by a discussion on the current rural planning policies in China. The results show that the cherry industrial chain largely extended the planting areas, and the categories of land use generally increased in Yuezhuang Village over the 30 years studied. The average output value per mu (mu is unit of area measurement used in China, where it is officially standardised. It corresponds to 1/15 of a hectare, or about 666.67 m2). In 2021 was 25 times larger than that in 1996. The population involved in industrial activities increased to over 5000 people countrywide from the initial 17 households. The results also show that urban–rural factors, such as capital, population, techniques, and information, rapidly accelerated in the annual peak season of the cherry industry. This research indicates that small-scale, characteristic, and traditional agriculture could become one of the main driving forces in urban–rural integration and may contribute to sustainable and inclusive rural communities and urban–rural partnerships. This provides the theoretical mechanism of socio-spatial interaction in rural industrialisation in China based on the empirical case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of temperature, salinity, and currents in the Amazon River plume over a section in the open ocean of the western tropical North Atlantic (38°48′ W) are considered. The measurements were carried out using an AML Base X CTD probe in the upper layer and a flow-through system that measures salinity, turbidity, and chlorophyll-a content in seawater while a vessel is on the way. The measurements were supplemented by velocity profiling using shipborne SADCP. Additionally, archived oceanographic data from the World Ocean Database (WOD18), data on satellite altimetry measurements (AVISO), and satellite salinity data from Aquarius and SMOS were used. It is shown that the width of the Amazon River plume is about 170–400 km and the depth of desalination is from 50 to 100 m. Surface salinity decreases compared to the background (36.1) by 0.25 in February and by more than 3.0 in September during the period of maximum development of the plume, which was determined from satellite measurements of surface salinity. Lagrangian modeling of the back-in-time advection of passive markers simulating freshwater particles was carried out. It was shown that the source of freshwater in the measurement area is discharge from the Amazon River. Amazon River freshwater covered a distance of 3300 km in 60–80 days. The estimate of freshwater transport in the plume was 0.02 Sv, which is one order of magnitude smaller than the mean river discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban site analysis includes tangible factors such as the physical site features and intangible factors as the sensory site features like odors affect the inhabited area in the site. Environmental and chemical studies have much greater attention and studies to the odor effects in urban areas than urban designers. This paper aims to provide a validated and applicable method for urban designers in odor measurement. The objective of this research is to present the various methods of measuring odors adopted in chemical and environmental studies to achieve an applicable odor measurement method in the urban design field. The odor measurement tools are usually dedicated to measuring odor concentration at the odor source or at the receptor location that are used in chemical and environmental studies. However, in urban design studies the odor measurement could be performed using a method called citizen science considering the FIDOL factor to evaluate the odor nuisance including odor frequency, intensity, duration, offensiveness, location, and hedonic tone. This research conducts a case study in Tripoli city and determines Tripoli landfill as a significant odor source that affects people in their inhabited areas. A questionnaire was distributed in the affected area by the odor source, and the respondents of the inhabitants ensured that the summer season is the most season that they can feel the odor in their places associated with the wind direction. The results ensure that the citizen science method in measuring odors is validated, applicable, and available for urban designers to detect and estimate the affected area by odor source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pressurised pyrolysis is performed on real mattress waste. • Consistent char yields with high energy content. • Yields of C 3 species similar to those of H 2 and C 2 compounds. • High-pressure conditions yield low heating value gas due to N 2 dilution. • Main compounds identified in the liquid fraction are benzonitrile and BTEX. Mattresses are a difficult waste to manage in landfills due to their large volume and low density. Pyrolysis treatment could reduce its volume while producing fuel or products valuable for the chemical industry. Pressurized pyrolysis at 400, 450, and 500 °C is carried out in a lab-scale autoclave at initial pressures 4.2, 8.4, and 16.8 bar. Product gas yield increases slightly along with elevated pressure as well as temperature. However, beyond 8.4 bar the initial pressure makes no discernible differences. CO and CO 2 are the major gas species followed by CH 4. CO contributes the most to the product gas energy content followed by C 3 species, C 2 H 6 , and H 2. Calculated energy content (heating value) is between 2 and 15 MJ·Nm−3. In terms of product gas energy content, low pressure pyrolysis is favorable over high pressure pyrolysis. According to integration areas of chromatographic measurements the liquid phase contains up to 25 % of N-compounds, with benzonitrile being the most abundant, followed by toluene, o-xylene, and ethylbenzene. The solid char maintains constant properties across operating conditions, with carbon and energy contents of approximately 75 wt% and 30 MJ·kg−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The segmentation of abnormal regions is vital in smart manufacturing. The blurring sauce-packet leakage segmentation task (BSLST) is designed to distinguish the sauce packet and the leakage's foreground and background at the pixel level. However, the existing segmentation system for detecting sauce-packet leakage on intelligent sensors encounters an issue of imaging blurring caused by uneven illumination. This issue adversely affects segmentation performance, thereby hindering the measurements of leakage area and impeding the automated sauce-packet production. To alleviate this issue, we propose the two-stage illumination-aware sauce-packet leakage segmentation (ISLS) method for intelligent sensors. The ISLS comprises two main stages: illumination-aware region enhancement and leakage region segmentation. In the first stage, YOLO-Fastestv2 is employed to capture the Region of Interest (ROI), which reduces redundancy computations. Additionally, we propose image enhancement to relieve the impact of uneven illumination, enhancing the texture details of the ROI. In the second stage, we propose a novel feature extraction network. Specifically, we propose the multi-scale feature fusion module (MFFM) and the Sequential Self-Attention Mechanism (SSAM) to capture discriminative representations of leakage. The multi-level features are fused by the MFFM with a small number of parameters, which capture leakage semantics at different scales. The SSAM realizes the enhancement of valid features and the suppression of invalid features by the adaptive weighting of spatial and channel dimensions. Furthermore, we generate a self-built dataset of sauce packets, including 606 images with various leakage areas. Comprehensive experiments demonstrate that our ISLS method shows better results than several state-of-the-art methods, with additional performance analyses deployed on intelligent sensors to affirm the effectiveness of our proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To perform quality assessments of both metal alloys and many other engineering materials, measurements of the volume fractions of phases or microstructure components are utilized. For this purpose, quantitative analysis of the evaluated components' distribution on metallographic specimens is often employed. Phases or components of the microstructure are identified based on the variation in signal received in the band of light seen. Problems with the correct identification of measurement results in this spectral band can be caused by the inhomogeneity of the etching when the alloy components are segregated. Additional uncertainty arises when the analyzed image pixel contains a boundary between grains of different phases. This article attempts to use the results of local chemical composition measurements as a source signal for quantitative evaluation of phase composition. For this purpose, quantitative maps of elemental concentration distributions, obtained with a Tescan Mira GMU high-resolution scanning electron microscope in QuantMap mode, were used as input data for the phase composition evaluation of an EN AC 46000 alloy sample. The X-ray microanalysis signal generation area may contain grains of more than one phase. Therefore, evaluation of the phase fractions in areas of individual measurements were calculated by looking for the minimum of the objective function, calculated as the sum of the squares of the deviations of the results of measurements of the concentration of individual elements from the weighted average values of solubilities of these elements in the phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a clear need to develop new approach methodologies (NAMs) that combine in vitro and in silico testing to reduce and replace animal use in chemical risk assessment. Physiologically based kinetic (PBK) models are gaining popularity as NAMs in toxico/pharmacokinetics, but their coverage of complex metabolic pathways occurring in the gut are incomplete. Chemical modification of xenobiotics by the gut microbiome plays a critical role in the host response, for example, by prolonging exposure to harmful metabolites, but there is not a comprehensive approach to quantify this impact on human health. There are examples of PBK models that have implemented gut microbial biotransformation of xenobiotics with the gut as a dedicated metabolic compartment. However, the integration of microbial metabolism and parameterization of PBK models is not standardized and has only been applied to a few chemical transformations. A challenge in this area is the measurement of microbial metabolic kinetics, for which different fermentation approaches are used. Without a standardized method to measure gut microbial metabolism ex vivo/in vitro , the kinetic constants obtained will lead to conflicting conclusions drawn from model predictions. Nevertheless, there are specific cases where PBK models accurately predict systemic concentrations of gut microbial metabolites, offering potential solutions to the challenges outlined above. This review focuses on models that integrate gut microbial bioconversions and use ex vivo/in vitro methods to quantify metabolic constants that accurately represent in vivo conditions. [Display omitted] • Gut microbial metabolism becomes increasingly important for chemical safety assessment. • PBK models predict systemic levels of microbial metabolites. • Different ex vivo/in vitro methods influence the measurement of microbial metabolism rates. • Standardizing microbial metabolism measurements is vital to assess the impact on the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multimodal and dispersive character of ultrasonic guided waves (UGW) offers the potential for non-destructive evaluation of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials. In this study, a methodology for in situ stiffness assessment of FRCs using UGWs is introduced. The proposed methodology involves a comparison between measured wave speeds of the fundamental symmetric and antisymmetric guided wave modes with a pre-established dataset of UGW speeds and translation of them to corresponding stiffness properties, i.e., A B D -components, in an inverse manner. The dispersion relations of guided waves have been calculated using the semi-analytical finite element method. First, the performance of the proposed methodology has been assessed numerically. It has been demonstrated that each of the independent A B D -components of the considered laminate can be approximated with an error lower than 10.4% compared to its actual value. The extensional and bending stiffness properties can be approximated within an average error of 3.6% and 9.0%, respectively. Secondly, the performance of the proposed methodology has been assessed experimentally. This experimental assessment has been performed on a glass fiber-reinforced composite plate and the results were compared to mechanical tensile and four-point bending tests on coupons cut from the plate. Larger differences between the estimated A B D -components according to UGW and mechanical testing were observed. These differences were partly attributed to the variation in material properties across the test plate and the averaging of properties over the measurement area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work tests and analyzes the engine noise distribution in a car with and without active control, where the car's built-in loudspeakers are used as secondary sources to attenuate the engine noise inside the whole cabin. To analyze the sound field in detail, the noise level at 52 microphones on the passenger ears' plane is measured and presented. The distributions of the primary overall noise, first four order noise of the engine, and the sound field generated by the subwoofer at engine orders' frequencies are reported, and the noise reductions corresponding to overall engine noise and each order's noise are analyzed. Besides, jury test is presented and compared with the calculated loudness of residual noise to evaluate the acoustic comfort improvement of the system. The experiment results show that the overall noise reduction is achieved inside the whole cabin by controlling the first four orders' engine noise. The average noise reduction of the measurement area inside the cabin is 6.2 dB and 2.9 dBA. Besides, 93% of the participants feel the acoustic comfort is improved with the active noise control system on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the ISO 5436 profile analysis presents the axial measurements of the step height/depth standards and does not present a direct method for the lateral measurements, a new method based on the Hamming area model for the lateral measurements of step height/depth standards is presented. The basic idea of the method is to mimic the experimental profile of the step height/depth by a combination of the Hamming window pass-band filter and the RMS model. The lateral position of the 50 % height/depth value of the mimicked Hamming height/depth is assigned. The areas up and down the assigned value are then computed and compared for the lateral measurements of the step height/depth standard. The method is applied for the lateral measurements of a groove structure of a transparent step depth standard. The results show that the total area included in the right line edge of the groove structure is greater than the total area included in the left line edge by 151.66 nm. The error in area measurement is computed to be 1.7 %. The proposed method can be applied to any step height/depth regardless of its height/depth, width, and sharpness of the line edges. • The article provides a new method for lateral measurements of step heights. • It is based on Hamming area model. • The method improves the axial measurements of the line/groove structures by around 2.3 %. • It is used to address the creep problem of a piezo electrical scanning system in AFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dose area product in water (DAPw) in small fields relies on the use of detectors with a sensitive area larger than the irradiation field. This quantity has recently been used to establish primary standards down to 5 mm field size, with an uncertainty smaller than 0.7%. It has the potential to decrease the uncertainty related to field output factors, but is not currently integrated into treatment planning systems. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of converting DAPw into a point dose in small fields by determining the volume averaging correction factor. By determining the field output factors, a comparison between the so‐called "DAPw to point dose" approach and the IAEA TRS483 methodology was performed. Method: Diodes, microdiamonds, and a micro ionization chamber were used to measure field output factors following the IAEA TRS483 methodology on two similar linacs equipped with circular cones down to 6 mm diameter. For the "DAPw to point dose" approach, measurements were performed with a dedicated and built‐in‐house 3 cm diameter plane‐parallel ionization chamber calibrated in terms of DAPw in the French Primary Dosimetry Standards Laboratory LNE‐LNHB. Beam profile measurements were performed to generate volume averaging correction factors enabling the conversion of an integral DAPw measurement into a point dose and the determination of the field output factors. Both sets of field output factors were compared. Results: According to the IAEA TRS483 methodology, field output factors were within ±3% for all detectors on both linacs. Large variations were observed for the volume averaging correction factors with a maximum spread between the detectors of 26% for the smallest field size. Consequently, deviations of up to 15% between the "IAEA TRS483" and the "DAPw to point dose" methodologies were found for the field output factor of the smallest field size. This was attributed to the difficulty in accurately determining beam profiles in small fields. Conclusion: Although primary standards associated with small uncertainties can be established in terms of DAPw in a primary laboratory, the "DAPw to point dose" methodology requires volume averaging correction to derive a field output factor from DAPw measurements. None of the point detectors studied provided satisfactory results, and additional work using other detectors, such as film, is still required to allow the transfer of a DAP primary standard to users in terms of absorbed point dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient compaction of the subgrade can result in nonuniform deformation, leading to severe subgrade distress. To address this issue and find a new method for rapid detection and evaluation of subgrade compaction, we used the lightweight deflectometer (LWD) to analyze the dynamic deformation modulus (Evd) of subgrades filled with four types of soils—silt (ML), well-graded gravel (GW), lean clay (CL), and poorly graded sand (SP)—in different regions of Gansu province, China. Concurrently, we measured the degree of compaction (Doc) using the sand replacement method (SRM) to establish its correlation with dynamic deformation modulus (Evd). A strong correlation between the degree of compaction and dynamic deformation modulus was established for soils ML, GW, CL, and SP, and suitable formulas were selected based on curve variations. The developed formulas enabled back-calculation of the dynamic deformation modulus requirements corresponding to different degrees of compaction ranging from 90 to 100, facilitating direct queries and quick field checks. Results demonstrated that the LWD, as a reliable rapid detection method, effectively controlled subgrade compaction quality in field construction. Moreover, it extended the testing area and increased measurement frequency, thus providing a practical means for quickly evaluating the qualification rate and uniformity of subgrade compaction. When we build roads, most subgrade underneath the roads needs to be filled with soil. If we don't pack the soil properly in the filling process, the subgrade can crack and become uneven over time. It's hard to fix this problem once the road is open, so it's important to make sure the soil is packed tightly enough before the road is finished. There are two ways to check if the soil is packed properly: one is a traditional method called the sand replacement method, and the other is a machine called the lightweight deflectometer. These methods help identify insufficient compaction of the subgrade and prevent uneven deformation problems during the filling process. What's more, the lightweight deflectometer is a fast, convenient, and reliable tool that can assist or serve as an alternative to the traditional sand replacement method for controlling subgrade construction quality. This study is important because it helps us understand how to evaluate compaction of the filled subgrade in a different way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sarcopenia is associated with a decreased kinetic growth rate (KGR) of the future liver remnant (FLR) after portal vein embolization (PVE). However, little is known on the increase in FLR function (FLRF) after PVE. This study evaluated the effect of sarcopenia on the functional growth rate (FGR) after PVE measured with hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS). Methods: All patients who underwent PVE at the Amsterdam UMC between January 2005 and August 2017 were analyzed. Functional imaging by HBS was used to determine FGR. Liver volumetry was performed using multiphase contrast computed tomography (CT). Muscle area measurement to determine sarcopenia was taken at the third lumbar level (L3). Results: Out of the 95 included patients, 9 were excluded due to unavailable data. 70/86 (81%) patients were sarcopenic. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, sarcopenia (p = 0.009) and FLR volume (FRLV) before PVE (p = 0.021) were the only factors correlated with KGR, while no correlation was found with FGR. 90-day mortality was similar across the sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic group (4/53 [8%] versus 1/11 [9%]; p = 1.000). The resection rates were also comparable (53/70 [75%] versus 11/16 [69%]; p = 0.542). Conclusion: FGR after PVE as measured by HBS appears to be preserved in sarcopenic patients. This is in contrast to KGR after PVE as measured by liver volumetry which is decreased in sarcopenic patients. Level of Evidence: Level 3b, cohort and case control studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slope has an important effect on the runoff production process. Slope correction of runoff curve number in the SCS-CN runoff production model is important to improve the model prediction accuracy, In order to conduct an investigation of the effect of average watershed slope in the runoff production process, in this paper, based on Huang's slope modification formula, the first 40 out of 70 rainfall runoff measurements in the study area from 1955 to 1981 were used as the validation data, and a1 and a2 parameters in Huang's slope modification formula were re-determined, so as to propose the slope modification formula of the CN value for the study area under three different antecedent moisture conditions, and then the SCS-WJG method, which is of good applicability to the region, was established and compared to the SCS-CN look-up table method, and the SCS-Huang method, which is a direct transfer of the Huang's slope modification formula. The conclusion is as follows: the λ-value of the initial rainfall loss rate determined using the ergodic method is 0.09, so the standard value of 0.2 is not applicable to the study area. After comparing the size of the CN values obtained by the three methods, it is found that the CN value obtained by the SCS-Huang method is the largest, followed by the SCS-CN look-up table method, and the smallest is obtained by the SCS-WJG method, so the CN value obtained by the SCS-WJG method is more suitable for the study area as shown in the simulation results. Comparison of the SCS-CN lookup table method and the SCS-Huang method reveals that the NSE of the SCS-Huang method is lower and the RMSE is higher; therefore, it is necessary to propose a slope correction formula for the CN value applicable to the study area and establish the SCS-WJG method. When λ = 0.09, the NSE of the SCS-CN lookup table method, and the SCS-Huang method are -2.85 and -3.25, respectively, while the NSE of the SCS-WJG method is increased to 0.86, and the RMSE of the SCS-WJG method is reduced by 77%, and 78%, respectively, compared with the first two methods. The simulation accuracy of the SCS-WJG method is significantly better than that of the remaining two methods, indicating that the SCS-WJG method has good regional applicability and can provide a reference for the simulation of runoff production in small watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantification of green space green plot ratio (GPR) is mostly based on estimation formulas, and the leaf area index (LAI) estimation values in these estimation formulas have not been well verified by measured LAI values, resulting in errors and uncertainties in GPR quantification results. This study aims to address this gap by measuring the LAI of 113 regional plants in Chongqing, China, following a standardized measurement path for digital hemispherical photography (DHP). The results indicate that the optimal relative exposure value (REV) was − 1 under overcast conditions and − 2 under sunny and cloudy conditions. Among the threshold algorithms for hemispherical images, the Intermodes algorithm in ImageJ was the best. The LAI of regional plants is highest in summer, followed by spring and autumn, and lowest in winter. Tree height (h) and crown width (w) are key factors affecting LAI, but the LAI also varies with plant species. Overall, the LAI of evergreen trees is higher than that of deciduous trees. The LAI of evergreen trees and shrubs with a height shorter than 5 m is the largest, and that of deciduous trees and shrubs with a crown width larger than 8 m is the largest. The study further verified that the existing GPR estimation formula exhibited large errors in Chongqing, while there was a strong correlation (R2 = 0.973) between the GPR estimation value and the measured value. A conversion formula was developed to reduce estimation biases, and the corrected formula is capable of estimating GPR values more accurately when actual LAI measurements are insufficient. Overall, this study verifies the significance of measuring localized LAI values, promotes the understanding of LAI suitability for GPR calculations, and provides an empirical formula for GPR estimation in Chongqing, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]