Search

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the anticipation of a mechanical perturbation applied to the arm during a reach-to-grasp movement elicits anticipatory adjustments in the reach and grasp components. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate whether anticipatory adjustments in the upper limb might be global or specific to the direction of the perturbation. Methods: Thirteen healthy participants performed reach-to-grasp with perturbations randomly applied to their dominant limb. Participants were presented with three types of trials: unperturbed (control), trials perturbed in a predictable manner (either Up or Down), or perturbed in a partially predictable manner (knowledge about the perturbation but not its specific direction). EMG activity of 16 muscles, as well as the kinematics of wrist, thumb, and index finger, were acquired and analyzed. Results and discussion: When the perturbation was expected, EMG activity of the triceps and pectoralis major muscles significantly increased about 50 – 200 ms before the perturbation onset. Peak acceleration of the reach was significantly higher and occurred earlier relative to control trials. Similar adjustments were observed in the grasp kinematics, reflected as significantly shorter time to peak aperture velocity and acceleration, as well as in increased activity of flexor and extensor digitorum 100–200 ms before perturbation onset. In summary, our data demonstrate that knowledge of an upcoming perturbation of reach during reach-to-grasp action triggers anticipatory adjustments not only in the muscles controlling the reach component, but also in those controlling grasp. Furthermore, our data revealed that the preparatory activations were generalized, rather than direction specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The ability to respond effectively to external perturbations is crucial for avoiding falls. The Stepping Threshold Test (STT) has been developed to assess this reactive balance, but its ability to discriminate between fallers and non-fallers is still unsubstantiated. This study aimed to evaluate the discriminant validity of the STT in distinguishing fallers and nonfallers and its convergent validity. Methods: Thirty-six older adults (age = 80 ± 5 years), with 13 (36%) of them reporting a fall history in the past year, completed the STT on a perturbation treadmill. They received surface perturbations of progressively increasing magnitude while standing. Single- and multiple-step thresholds were assessed using an all-step count evaluation (STT-ACE), and a direction-sensitive evaluation strategy (STT-DSE). Receiver operating characteristics and area under the curves (AUC) were analyzed to evaluate the discriminative accuracy. Convergent validity was explored by 13 hypothesized associations with other mobility, psychological, and cognitive assessments. Results: Fallers and non-fallers significantly differed in the STT-DSE (p = 0.033), but not in the STT-ACE or other commonly used mobility assessments. Acceptable discriminative accuracy was obtained for the STT-DSE (AUC = 0.72), but not for the STT-ACE and other mobility assessments (AUC = 0.53-0.68). Twelve (92%) associations were consistent with our hypotheses for the STT-DSE, and ten (77%) for the STT-ACE. Conclusion: Our findings provide preliminary evidence that the STT, when using the STT-DSE, may discriminate between older adult fallers and non-fallers. The STT appears to be a valid tool for assessing reactive balance, with its STT-DSE being recommended due to its better discriminant and convergent validity compared to the STT-ACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although significant progress has been made in understanding the cortical correlates underlying balance control, these studies focused on a single task, limiting the ability to generalize the findings. Different balance tasks may elicit cortical activations in the same regions but show different levels of activation because of distinct underlying mechanisms. In this study, twenty young, neurotypical adults were instructed to maintain standing balance while the standing support surface was either translated or rotated. The differences in cortical activations in the frontocentral region between these two widely used tasks were examined using electroencephalography (EEG). Additionally, the study investigated whether transcranial magnetic stimulation could modulate these cortical activations during the platform translation task. Higher delta and lower alpha relative power were found over the frontocentral region during the platform translation task when compared to the platform rotation task, suggesting greater engagement of attentional and sensory integration resources for the former. Continuous theta burst stimulation over the supplementary motor area significantly reduced delta activity in the frontocentral region but did not alter alpha activity during the platform translation task. The results provide a direct comparison of neural activations between two commonly used balance tasks and are expected to lay a strong foundation for designing neurointerventions for balance improvements with effects generalizable across multiple balance scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, we examine the perturbation of continuous frames and Riesz-type frames in Hilbert C * -modules. We extend the Casazza–Christensen general perturbation theorem for Hilbert space frames to continuous frames in Hilbert C * -modules. We obtain a necessary condition under which the perturbation of a Riesz-type frame of Hilbert C * -modules remains to be a Riesz-type frame. Also, we examine the effect of duality on the perturbation of continuous frames in Hilbert C * -modules, and we prove that if the operator frame of a continuous frame F is near to the combination of the synthesis operator of a continuous Bessel mapping G and the analysis operator of F, then G is a continuous frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-axisymmetric frictionless JKR-type adhesive contact between a rigid body and a thin incompressible elastic layer bonded to a rigid base is considered in the framework of the leading-order asymptotic model, which has the form of an overdetermined boundary value problem. Based on the first-order perturbation of the Neumann operator in the Dirichlet problem for Poisson's equation, the decohesion initiation problem is formulated in the form of a variational inequality. The asymptotic model assumes that the contact zone and its boundary contour during the detachment process are unknown. The absence of the solvability theorem is illustrated by an example of the instability of an axisymmetric flat circular contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We establish the existence of three solutions for singular semilinear elliptic system, two of which are of opposite constant sign. Under a strong singularity effect, the third solution is nodal with synchronous sign components. The approach combines sub-supersolutions method and Leray–Schauder topological degree involving perturbation argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of non-integrability of the circular restricted three-body problem is very classical and important in the theory of dynamical systems. It was partially solved by Poincaré in the nineteenth century: he showed that there exists no real-analytic first integral which depends analytically on the mass ratio of the second body to the total and is functionally independent of the Hamiltonian. When the mass of the second body becomes zero, the restricted three-body problem reduces to the two-body Kepler problem. We prove the non-integrability of the restricted three-body problem both in the planar and spatial cases for any non-zero mass of the second body. Our basic tool of the proofs is a technique developed here for determining whether perturbations of integrable systems which may be non-Hamiltonian are not meromorphically integrable near resonant periodic orbits such that the first integrals and commutative vector fields also depend meromorphically on the perturbation parameter. The technique is based on generalized versions due to Ayoul and Zung of the Morales–Ramis and Morales–Ramis–Simó theories. We emphasize that our results are not just applications of the theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work deals with a cosmological model consisting of cold dark matter and dark energy without any interaction. The study has been done both at the background level and at the perturbative level for the homogeneous and isotropic FLRW spacetime. By suitable transformation of the variables, the cosmic evolution equations are converted into an autonomous system. A discrete dynamical system analysis has been employed for cosmic inferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep neural networks (DNNs) are popular in image processing but are vulnerable to adversarial attacks, which makes their deployment in security-sensitive systems risky. Adversarial attacks reduce the performance of DNNs by generating adversarial examples (AEs). In this paper, we propose a novel method called Trans-IFFT-FGSM (Transformer Inverse Finite Fourier Transform Fast Gradient Sign Method) to generate adversarial examples. Unlike others, we apply multiple steps, adding imperceptible perturbation and saving input noise information to create strong AEs, while emphasizing simplicity, efficiency, robustness through iterations, and analytical precision on specific models. We evaluate and compare perturbation generated by Trans-IFFT-FGSM and other attack methods, including FGSM, PGD, DeepFool, and C &W on ImageNet and MNIST, and evaluation results suggest that Trans-IFFT-FGSM achieves a high attack success rate (ASR) and attack accuracy. In addition, we compare Trans-IFFT-FGSM and other attack methods under the existence of a defense method, which denoises the AEs generated by these methods, and the evaluation results also suggest Trans-IFFT-FGSM outperforms other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Gait analysis, an expanding research area, employs non-invasive sensors andmachine learning techniques for a range of applications. In this study, we investigate the impact of cognitive decline conditions on gait performance, drawing connections between gait deterioration in Parkinson's Disease (PD) and healthy individuals dual tasking. Methods: We employ Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) specifically Layer-Wise Relevance Propagation (LRP), in conjunction with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to interpret the intricate patterns in gait dynamics influenced by cognitive loads. Results: We achieved classification accuracies of 98% F1 scores for PD dataset and 95.5% F1 scores for the combined PD dataset. Furthermore, we explore the significance of cognitive load in healthy gait analysis, resulting in robust classification accuracies of 90% ± 10% F1 scores for subject cognitive load verification. Our findings reveal significant alterations in gait parameters under cognitive decline conditions, highlighting the distinctive patterns associated with PD-related gait impairment and those induced by multitasking in healthy subjects. Through advanced XAI techniques (LRP), we decipher the underlying features contributing to gait changes, providing insights into specific aspects affected by cognitive decline. Discussion: Our study establishes a novel perspective on gait analysis, demonstrating the applicability of XAI in elucidating the shared characteristics of gait disturbances in PD and dual-task scenarios in healthy individuals. The interpretability offered by XAI enhances our ability to discern subtle variations in gait patterns, contributing to a more nuanced comprehension of the factors influencing gait dynamics in PD and dual-task conditions, emphasizing the role of XAI in unraveling the intricacies of gait control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied simultaneous EMG and midline EEG responses, including over the cerebellum, in 10 standing subjects (35 ± 15 yr; 5 females, 5 males). Recordings were made following repeated taps to the sternum, stimuli known to evoke short-latency EMG responses in leg muscles, consistent with postural reflexes. EEG power had relatively more high-frequency components (>30 Hz) when recorded from electrodes over the cerebellum (Iz and SIz) compared with other midline electrodes. We confirmed a previous report using a similar stimulus that evoked short-latency potentials over the cerebellum. We showed clear midline-evoked EEG potentials occurring at short latency over the cerebellum (P23, N31, N42, and P54) and frontally (N28 and N57) before the previously described perturbation-evoked potential (P1/N1/P2). The P23 response correlated with the subsequent EMG response in the tibialis anterior muscles (r = 0.72, P = 0.018), confirming and extending previous observations. We did not find a correlation with the N1 amplitude. We conclude that early activity occurs from electrodes over the inion in response to a brief tap to the sternum. This is likely to represent cerebellar activity and it appears to modulate short-latency postural EMG responses. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: We studied the effects of a brief tap to the sternum in human subjects, known to evoke short-latency postural responses. Using an extended EEG recording system, we showed early evoked responses over the midline cerebellum, including the P23 potential, which correlated with the EMG responses in tibialis anterior, consistent with a cerebellar role in postural reflexes. The stimulus also evoked later EEG responses, including the perturbation potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balance control is an important indicator of mobility and independence in activities of daily living. How the functional coupling between the cortex and the muscle for balance control is affected following stroke remains to be known. We investigated the changes in coupling between the cortex and leg muscles during a challenging balance task over multiple frequency bands in chronic stroke survivors. Fourteen participants with stroke and ten healthy controls performed a challenging balance task. They stood on a computerized support surface that was either fixed (low difficulty condition) or sway-referenced with varying gain (medium and high difficulty conditions). We computed corticomuscular coherence between electrodes placed over the sensorimotor area (electroencephalography) and leg muscles (electromyography) and assessed balance performance using clinical and laboratory-based tests. We found significantly lower delta frequency band coherence in stroke participants when compared with healthy controls under medium difficulty condition, but not during low and high difficulty conditions. These differences were found for most of the distal but not for proximal leg muscle groups. No differences were found at other frequency bands. Participants with stroke showed poor balance clinical scores when compared with healthy controls, but no differences were found for laboratory-based tests. The observation of effects at distal but not at proximal muscle groups suggests differences in the (re)organization of the descending connections across two muscle groups for balance control. We argue that the observed group difference in delta band coherence indicates balance context-dependent alteration in mechanisms for the detection of somatosensory modulation resulting from sway-referencing of the support surface for balance maintenance following stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Milk yield dynamics and production performance reflect how dairy cows cope with their environment. To optimize farm management, time series of individual cow milk yield have been studied in the context of precision livestock farming, and many mathematical models have been proposed to translate raw data into useful information for the stakeholders of the dairy chain. To gain better insights on the topic, this study aimed at comparing 3 recent methods that allow one to estimate individual cow potential lactation performance, using daily data recorded by the automatic milking systems of 14 dairy farms (7 Holstein, 7 Italian Simmental) from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy. An iterative Wood model (IW), a perturbed lactation model (PLM), and a quantile regression (QR) were compared in terms of estimated total unperturbed (i.e., expected) milk production and estimated total milk loss (relative to unperturbed yield). The IW and PLM can also be used to identify perturbations of the lactation curve and were thus compared in this regard. The outcome of this study may help a given end-user in choosing the most appropriate method according to their specific requirements. If there is a specific interest in the post–peak lactation phase, IW can be the best option. If one wants to accurately describe the perturbations of the lactation curve, PLM can be the most suitable method. If there is need for a fast and easy approach on a very large dataset, QR can be the choice. Finally, as an example of application, PLM was used to analyze the effect of cow parity, calving season, and breed on their estimated lactation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a free boundary problem relevant in several applications, such as tumor growth models. Our problem is expressed as an elliptic equation involving discontinuous nonlinearities in a specified domain with a moving boundary. We establish the existence and uniqueness of solutions and provide a qualitative analysis of the free boundaries generated by the nonlinear term (inner boundaries). Furthermore, we analyze the dynamics of the outer region boundary. The final result demonstrates that under certain conditions, our problem is solvable in the neighborhood of a radial solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present time-dependent perturbations of second-order non-autonomous abstract Cauchy problems associated to a family of operators with constant domain. We make use of the equivalence to a first-order non-autonomous abstract Cauchy problem in a product space, which we elaborate in full detail. As an application we provide a perturbed non-autonomous wave equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep neural networks (DNNs) are vulnerable to adversarial examples (AEs), which are well-designed input samples with imperceptible perturbations. Existing methods generate AEs to evaluate the robustness of DNN-based natural language processing models. However, the AE attack performance significantly degrades in some verticals, such as law, due to overlooking essential domain knowledge. To generate explainable Chinese legal adversarial texts, we introduce legal knowledge and propose a novel black-box approach, knowledge-aware law tricker (KALT), in the framework of adversarial text generation based on word importance. Firstly, we invent a legal knowledge extraction method based on KeyBERT. The knowledge contains unique features from each category and shared features among different categories. Additionally, we design two perturbation strategies, Strengthen Similar Label and Weaken Original Label, to selectively perturb the two types of features, which can significantly reduce the classification accuracy of the target model. These two perturbation strategies can be regarded as components, which can be conveniently integrated into any perturbation method to enhance attack performance. Furthermore, we propose a strong hybrid perturbation method to introduce perturbation into the original texts. The perturbation method combines seven representative perturbation methods for Chinese. Finally, we design a formula to calculate interpretability scores, quantifying the interpretability of adversarial text generation methods. Experimental results demonstrate that KALT can effectively generate explainable Chinese legal adversarial texts that can be misclassified with high confidence and achieve excellent attack performance against the powerful Chinese BERT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traveling wave solutions are a class of invariant solutions which are critical for shallow water wave equations. In this paper, traveling wave solutions for two perturbed KP-MEW equations with a local delay convolution kernel are examined. The model equation is reduced to a planar near-Hamiltonian system via geometric singular perturbation theorem, and the qualitative properties of the corresponding unperturbed system are analyzed by using dynamical system approach. The persistence of the bounded traveling wave solutions for the perturbed KP-MEW equations with delay is investigated. By using a criterion for the monotonicity of ratio of two Abelian integrals and Melnikov’s method, the existence of kink (anti-kink) wave solutions and periodic wave solutions of the model equation are established. The result shows that the delayed KP-MEW equations with positive perturbation and the one with negative perturbation exhibit completely diverse dynamical properties. These new findings greatly enrich the understanding of dynamical properties of the traveling wave solutions of perturbed nonlinear wave equations with local delay convolution kernel. Numerical experiments further confirm and illustrate the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

K-frames are more generalized than ordinary frames, particularly in terms of their weaving properties. The study of weaving K-frames in Hilbert space has already been explored. Given the significance of n-Hilbert spaces in functional analysis, it is essential to study weaving K-frames in n-Hilbert spaces. In this paper, we introduced the notion of weaving K-frames in n-Hilbert spaces and obtained some new properties for these frames using operator theory methods. First, the concept of weaving K-frames in n-Hilbert spaces is developed, and examples are given. By virtue of auxiliary operators, such as the preframe operator, analysis operator, and frame operator, some new properties and characterizations of these frames are presented, and several new methods for their construction are given. Stability and perturbation results are discussed and new inequalities are established as applications [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the dual-Hilbert space and study the basic properties of a dual operator and its generalized inverse on this space. We provide upper bounds on the perturbation of the dual Moore–Penrose inverse of the dual operator if the dual operator is injective or surjective. If the null space or range space of the perturbed dual operator is invariant, stable perturbations are used to give the perturbation bounds for the dual Moore–Penrose inverse. Additionally, given the aforementioned conditions, perturbation bounds for the least squares solution are provided. The upper bounds on the distance between the solution of a perturbed least squares problem and the set of all of its unperturbed solutions under the dual operator norm are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Milk yield dynamics and production performance reflect how dairy cows cope with their environment. To optimize farm management, time series of individual cow milk yield have been studied in the context of precision livestock farming, and many mathematical models have been proposed to translate raw data into useful information for the stakeholders of the dairy chain. To gain better insights on the topic, this study aimed at comparing 3 recent methods that allow one to estimate individual cow potential lactation performance, using daily data recorded by the automatic milking systems of 14 dairy farms (7 Holstein, 7 Italian Simmental) from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy. An iterative Wood model (IW), a perturbed lactation model (PLM), and a quantile regression (QR) were compared in terms of estimated total unperturbed (i.e., expected) milk production and estimated total milk loss (relative to unperturbed yield). The IW and PLM can also be used to identify perturbations of the lactation curve and were thus compared in this regard. The outcome of this study may help a given end-user in choosing the most appropriate method according to their specific requirements. If there is a specific interest in the post–peak lactation phase, IW can be the best option. If one wants to accurately describe the perturbations of the lactation curve, PLM can be the most suitable method. If there is need for a fast and easy approach on a very large dataset, QR can be the choice. Finally, as an example of application, PLM was used to analyze the effect of cow parity, calving season, and breed on their estimated lactation performance.

Recent advances in single-cell omics technology have transformed the landscape of cellular and molecular research, enriching the scope and intricacy of cellular characterisation. Perturbation modelling seeks to comprehensively grasp the effects of external influences like disease onset or molecular knock-outs or external stimulants on cellular physiology, specifically on transcription factors, signal transducers, biological pathways, and dynamic cell states. Machine and deep learning tools transform complex perturbational phenomena in algorithmically tractable tasks to formulate predictions based on various types of single-cell datasets. However, the recent surge in tools and datasets makes it challenging for experimental biologists and computational scientists to keep track of the recent advances in this rapidly expanding filed of single-cell modelling. Here, we recapitulate the main objectives of perturbation modelling and summarise novel single-cell perturbation technologies based on genetic manipulation like CRISPR or compounds, spanning across omic modalities. We then concisely review a burgeoning group of computational methods extending from classical statistical inference methodologies to various machine and deep learning architectures like shallow models or autoencoders, to biologically informed approaches based on gene regulatory networks, and to combinatorial efforts reminiscent of ensemble learning. We also discuss the rising trend of large foundational models in single-cell perturbation modelling inspired by large language models. Lastly, we critically assess the challenges that underline single-cell perturbation modelling while pointing towards relevant future perspectives like perturbation atlases, multi-omics and spatial datasets, causal machine learning for interpretability, multi-task learning for performance and explainability as well as prospects for solving interoperability and benchmarking pitfalls.

Aims: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the efficacy of perturbation-based balance training in the older adults to reduce risk and number of falls. Methods: Multiple databases were searched for articles published between 2012-2021. The inclusion criteria were 1) patients ≥65 years of age, 2) land-based perturbation training, 3) randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 4) PBT intervention group, 5) controlled intervention group, 5) written in English, and 6) articles scoring 6/10 ("good") or higher on the PEDro scale. Results: Six articles met the inclusion criteria with a PEDro scale range of 6-8/10. A total of 793 subjects were included across the studies. Conclusions: PBT can be effective in improving various deficits predictive of falls. The effect was most pronounced in reactive balance control, balance confidence, and gait kinematics of recovery steps with mild effect in overall fall risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wave packet systems are generated by the combined action of translation, dilation and modulation on a single function while frames are basis-like systems that span a vector space with linearly dependency. The main goal of the study is to intervene the advantages of both the frames and wave packets in the linear canonical domains. Besides, the construction of linear canonical wave packet system we present a necessary and sufficient condition for the linear canonical wave packet system to be a frame in the Hilbert space. Moreover, we study perturbation analysis of these canonical wave packet frame inequalities when the dilation and translation parameters are perturbed. The introduced frame inequalities are in terms of the linear canonical transform of the wave packet system’s, inheriting all the classical frame inequalities such as Gabor, wavelet, wave packet, and fractional wave packet inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a free boundary problem relevant in several applications, such as tumor growth models. Our problem is expressed as an elliptic equation involving discontinuous nonlinearities in a specified domain with a moving boundary. We establish the existence and uniqueness of solutions and provide a qualitative analysis of the free boundaries generated by the nonlinear term (inner boundaries). Furthermore, we analyze the dynamics of the outer region boundary. The final result demonstrates that under certain conditions, our problem is solvable in the neighborhood of a radial solution.

This study introduces an analytical solution for the unsteady MHD free convection and mass transfer flow past a vertical plate embedded in porous medium, taking into account the Soret and Dufour effects. Initially, the perturbation method is employed to decouple the equations resulting from the coupling of the Soret and Dufour effects. Subsequently, the Laplace Transform Technique is applied to solve the governing equations. The expressions for velocity, temperature, concentration, skin-friction, Nusselt, and Sherwood numbers are derived. The effects of the main parameters are discussed, revealing that an increase in the Soret number leads to a decrease in temperature while increasing velocity and concentration. Similarly, the Dufour parameter causes an increase in temperature and velocity, while concentration decreases. However, the effect of the Dufour and Soret parameters on velocity does not show a significant difference.

This paper reviews the latest findings on instability and subcritical transition to turbulence in wall-bounded flows (i.e., pipe Poiseuille flow, plane channel flow, and plane Couette flow). The main focus was on the early stage of transitional flow and the appearance of coherent structures. The scaling of threshold disturbance amplitude for the onset of natural transition was discussed. Generally, the scaling proved to be in the form of Ac = O(Reg) for Newtonian fluids where Re is the Reynolds number, g ≤ -1, and Ac is the critical perturbation amplitude. It was noted that exploration of perturbations like vortices, streaks, and traveling waves together with their amplitudes could clarify the instability and transition process. Hence, this paper focused on physical behavior and realizations of the transitional flow. Finally, a summary of consequential implications and some open issues for future works were presented and discussed.

This paper studies the steady states to a diffusive Lotka–Volterra cooperative model with population flux by attractive transition. The first result gives many bifurcation points on the branch of the positive constant solution under the weak cooperative condition. The second result shows every steady state approaches a solution of the scalar field equation as the coefficients of the flux tend to infinity. Indeed, the numerical simulation using pde2path exhibits the global bifurcation branch of the cooperative model with large population flux is near that of the scalar field equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way the topological structure transforms from a decoupled to a coupled state in multiplex networks has been extensively studied through both analytical and numerical approaches, often utilizing models of artificial networks. These studies typically assume uniform interconnections between layers to simplify the analytical treatment of structural properties in multiplex networks. However, this assumption is not applicable for real networks, where the heterogeneity of link weights is an intrinsic characteristic. Therefore, in this paper, link weights are calculated considering the node's reputation and the impact of the inter-layer link weights are assessed on the overall network's structural characteristics. These characteristics include synchronization time, stability of synchronization, and the second-smallest eigenvalue of the Laplacian matrix (algebraic connectivity). Our findings reveal that the perturbation in link weights (intra-layer) causes a transition in the algebraic connectivity whereas variation in inter-layer link weights has a significant impact on the synchronization stability and synchronization time in the multiplex networks. This analysis is different from the predictions made under the assumption of equal inter-layer link weights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vulnerability of modern neural networks to random noise and deliberate attacks has raised concerns about their robustness, particularly as they are increasingly utilized in safety- and security-critical applications. Although recent research efforts were made to enhance robustness through retraining with adversarial examples or employing data augmentation techniques, a comprehensive investigation into the effects of training data perturbations on model robustness remains lacking. This paper presents the first extensive empirical study investigating the influence of data perturbations during model retraining. The experimental analysis focuses on both random and adversarial robustness, following established practices in the field of robustness analysis. Various types of perturbations in different aspects of the dataset are explored, including input, label, and sampling distribution. Single-factor and multi-factor experiments are conducted to assess individual perturbations and their combinations. The findings provide insights into constructing high-quality training datasets for optimizing robustness and recommend the appropriate degree of training set perturbations that balance robustness and correctness, and contribute to understanding model robustness in deep learning and offer practical guidance for enhancing model performance through perturbed retraining, promoting the development of more reliable and trustworthy deep learning systems for safety-critical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze a Crank–Nicolson finite difference discretization for the perturbed (2+1)D nonlinear Schrödinger equation with saturable nonlinearity and a perturbation of cubic loss. We show the boundedness, the existence and uniqueness of a numerical solution. We establish the error bound to prove the convergence of the numerical solution. Moreover, we find that the convergence rate is at the second order in both time step and spatial mesh size only under a mild and simple assumption. The numerical scheme is validated by the extensive simulations of the (2+1)D saturable nonlinear Schrödinger equation with cubic loss. The simulations for traveling 2D solitons are implemented by using an accelerated imaginary-time evolution scheme and the Crank–Nicolson finite difference method. • The (2+1)D NLS saturable equations can stabilize 2D solitons. • The rigorous analysis for the perturbed (2+1)D saturable NLS equation is demonstrated for the first time. • By appropriate settings, the existence and the uniqueness of a solution are proved. • An error analysis is established and validated by the simulations for traveling 2D solitons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract argumentation has become one of the important fields of artificial intelligence. This paper proposes a dual-neighborhood tabu search (DNTS) method specifically designed to find a single stable extension in abstract argumentation frameworks. The proposed algorithm implements an improved dual-neighborhood strategy incorporating a fast neighborhood evaluation method. In addition, by introducing techniques such as tabu and perturbation, this algorithm is able to jump out of the local optimum, which significantly improves the performance of the algorithm. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the method, the performance of the algorithm on more than 300 randomly generated benchmark datasets was studied and compared with the algorithm in the literature. In the experiment, DNTS outperforms the other method regarding time consumption in more than 50 instances and surpasses the other meta-heuristic method in the number of solved cases. Further analysis shows that the initialization method, the tabu strategy, and the perturbation technique help guarantee the efficiency of the proposed DNTS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we discuss the bioinspired peristaltic pumping mechanism of an elastic non-Newtonian fluid whose rheology is characterized by the Phan-Thien-Tanner model in a microfluidic configuration. We consider the effect of an electroosmotic body force originating from electrical double layer phenomena formed in the wall of the fluidic channel of finite length. The considered configuration is consistent with the natural contraction of the oesophagus wall that does not involve expansion beyond the stationary boundary. Employing lubrication theory and assuming the underlying flow to be in the creeping flow regime, we outline the transport equations pertaining to the chosen peristaltic set up. The transport equations are then solved using a well-established method consistent with perturbation technique. By depicting the pressure variation and wall shear stress graphically for a continuous wave train, we aptly discuss the time-averaged net throughput and flow developed at channel inlet of the chosen pathway and demonstrate the eventual consequences of these flow patterns for a window of viscoelastic and electrokinetic parameters. The outcomes obtained from this model establishes that the underlying flow owing to the peristaltic pumping mechanism strongly relies on the rheological parameter ε W e 2 . These inferences are expected to be of extensive importance in designing peristalsis pump, mimicking features of the physiological system, for achieving unidirectional flow of complex fluids with improved efficiency, frequently used in biochemical/biomicrofluidic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of n-Hilbert space is very important in Functional analysis. Based on wavelet theory, the Frame theory is developed, and the classical results of frame theory are established in Hilbert space. There are several new extensions and generalizations on frames in Hilbert space such as weaving frames in Hilbert space. In this paper, the concept of weaving frames in n-Hilbert space is introduced. We obtain some new properties of weaving frames in n-Hilbert space. First, we give some characterizations of weaving frames in n-Hilbert space. Then, we give some stability and perturbation results on weaving frames in n-Hilbert space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper is dedicated to the investigation of the optical soliton solutions with the power law of self-phase modulation (SPM) and the third-order dispersion (TOD), completely neglecting the chromatic dispersion (CD). The aim is focused on two main points. First, obtaining the straddled soliton solution which permits us to have bright and singular soliton by applying the new Kudryashov (nKM) scheme which was recently introduced as a simple, effective, and reliable method. Second, to observe the influences of the TOD, SPM, and inter-modal dispersion (IMD) on pure-cubic optical soliton dynamics in the absence of the CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry-based omics technologies are increasingly used in perturbation studies to map drug effects to biological pathways by identifying significant molecular events. Significance is influenced by fold change and variation of each molecular parameter, but also by multiple testing corrections. While the fold change is largely determined by the biological system, the variation is determined by experimental workflows. Here, it is shown that memory effects of prior subculture can influence the variation of perturbation profiles using the two colon carcinoma cell lines SW480 and HCT116. These memory effects are largely driven by differences in growth states that persist into the perturbation experiment. In SW480 cells, memory effects combined with moderate treatment effects amplify the variation in multiple omics levels, including eicosadomics, proteomics, and phosphoproteomics. With stronger treatment effects, the memory effect was less pronounced, as demonstrated in HCT116 cells. Subculture homogeneity was controlled by real-time monitoring of cell growth. Controlled homogeneous subculture resulted in a perturbation network of 321 causal conjectures based on combined proteomic and phosphoproteomic data, compared to only 58 causal conjectures without controlling subculture homogeneity in SW480 cells. Some cellular responses and regulatory events were identified that extend the mode of action of arsenic trioxide (ATO) only when accounting for these memory effects. Controlled prior subculture led to the finding of a synergistic combination treatment of ATO with the thioredoxin reductase 1 inhibitor auranofin, which may prove useful in the management of NRF2-mediated resistance mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the dust acoustic wave is studied in conditions where the dust temperature is not constant. This model includes negatively charged dust particles and thermal ions. The reductive perturbation technique is used and the new point in this study is the nonuniformity of the plasma temperature. The nonconstancy of the temperature is entered as a first-order perturbation in the calculations, and finally the modified Korteweg–de Vries (mKdV) equation is derived. The solution of the modified KdV equation clarifies the change in soliton shape of the wave when it moves in the perturbation plasma. We show how the soliton wave undergoes deformation and amplitude reduction during propagation when it encounters a region with a different temperature. The output of this research can be effective to better understand the wave behavior in a real plasma with nonuniform temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the stability analysis for steady-states perturbed by the full cross-diffusion limit of the SKT model with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Our previous result showed that positive steady-states consist of the branch of small coexistence type bifurcating from the trivial solution and the branches of segregation type bifurcating from points on the branch of small coexistence type. This paper shows the Morse index of steady-states on the branches and constructs the local unstable manifold around each steady-state of which the dimension is equal to the Morse index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inferring cell type proportions from bulk transcriptome data is crucial in immunology and oncology. Here, we introduce guided LDA deconvolution (GLDADec), a bulk deconvolution method that guides topics using cell type-specific marker gene names to estimate topic distributions for each sample. Through benchmarking using blood-derived datasets, we demonstrate its high estimation performance and robustness. Moreover, we apply GLDADec to heterogeneous tissue bulk data and perform comprehensive cell type analysis in a data-driven manner. We show that GLDADec outperforms existing methods in estimation performance and evaluate its biological interpretability by examining enrichment of biological processes for topics. Finally, we apply GLDADec to The Cancer Genome Atlas tumor samples, enabling subtype stratification and survival analysis based on estimated cell type proportions, thus proving its practical utility in clinical settings. This approach, utilizing marker gene names as partial prior information, can be applied to various scenarios for bulk data deconvolution. GLDADec is available as an open-source Python package at https://github.com/mizuno-group/GLDADec. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modal analysis is a widely applied method to study the vibration phenomenon of continuum structures, but there is no clear method to solve the modal truncation problem at present. To determine the contribution of different modes to the whole system, a new mode truncation method based on perturbation theory is proposed in this paper. The modes are subjected to perturbation parameters during discretization, and using norm error analysis on the stiffness matrix in different degrees of freedom (DOFs) systems confirms the model number of the continuum structure system. The results show that the DOF identified by the modal perturbation method is related to the perturbation parameter, and the smaller the perturbation parameter is, the fewer modes need to be considered. When the perturbation parameter is large enough, the response of the system can only be accurately explained by truncation to higher-order modes. Finally, the perturbation parameter is fixed to 1, and the traditional Galerkin method is connected to the modal perturbation, making traditional discretization a unique case for the modal perturbation method. This method can significantly reduce the modal truncation error, which is of great significance to the dynamic analysis of engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe concentration of radiation-induced point defects in general materials under irradiation is commonly described by the point defect kinetics equations based on rate theory. However, the parametric uncertainty in describing the rate constants of competing physical processes, such as recombination and loss to sinks, can lead to a large uncertainty in predicting the time-evolving point defect concentrations. Here, based on perturbation theory, we derive up to the third-order correction to the solution of point defect kinetics equations. This new set of equations enables a full description of continuously changing rate constants and can accurately predict the solution up to 50% deviation in these rate constants. These analyses can also be applied to reveal the sensitivity of the solution to input parameters and aggregated uncertainty from multiple rate constants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we give another definition of Ruston elements and almost Ruston elements, which is equivalent to the definitions given by Mouton and Raubenheimer in the case that the homomorphism has a closed range and Riesz property. For two homomorphisms, we consider the preserver problems of Fredholm theory and Fredholm spectrum theory. In addition, we study the spectral mapping theorems of Fredholm (Weyl, Browder, Ruston, and almost Ruston) elements relative to a homomorphism. Last but not least, the dependence of Fredholm theory on three homomorphisms is considered, and meanwhile, the transitivity of Fredholm theory relative to three homomorphisms is illustrated. Furthermore, we consider the Fredholm theory relative to more homomorphisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roll coating method is of considerable significance in several industries, as it is applied practically in the production of paint, the manufacturing of PVC-coated cloth, and the plastic industry. The current study theoretically and computationally analyses the Powell–Eyring fluids with variable viscosity during the non-isothermal roll-over web phenomenon. Based on the lubrication approximation theory (LAT), the problem was formulated. The system of partial differential equations (PDEs) obtained from the mathematical modeling was further simplified to a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using suitable transformations. A regular perturbation method was implemented to obtain the solution in terms of velocity, pressure gradient, pressure, and flow rate per unit width. This study also captures important engineering characteristics such as coating thickness, Nusselt number, shear stress, roll/sheet separating force, and roll-transmitted power to the fluid. Along with a comparison between the present work and published work, both graphical and tabular representations wer made to study the effects of various factors. It was observed that the velocity profile is the decreasing function of non-Newtonian and Reynold viscosity parameters. In addition, the response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to investigate the sensitivity of the shear stress and the Nusselt number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of different surface conditions on postural stability in response to unexpected perturbations. Thirty healthy adults underwent balance assessments on flat, incline ramp, balance pad, and balance pad on incline ramp surfaces. The center of pressure (COP) displacement in the mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) directions, the velocity, and the area were measured. We found that the flat and ramp conditions resulted in significantly lower COP ML (F(3, 87) = 38.272, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.569) and AP displacements (F(3, 87) = 89.177, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.755), velocity (F(3, 87) = 89.177, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.755), and area (F(3, 87) = 52.659, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.645) compared to the balance pad and balance pad on ramp conditions (p < 0.05). The use of a balance pad, particularly on a ramp, significantly increased all the COP measurements, suggesting greater challenges to postural control. Through these findings, we demonstrate the adaptability and limitations of the human postural control system in response to varying surface conditions and perturbations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) model is used by ACRR reactor operators and experiment designers at Sandia National Laboratories for a variety of computational calculations ranging from reactor kinetics parameter estimates and safety analyses to experimental planning. To understand the dominant source of uncertainty within the MCNP model, perturbations in temperature were applied to individual ACRR MCNP fuel rods. Fuel rod temperatures were randomly sampled from a uniform distribution from operational temperatures to quantify temperature-related uncertainty effects. Stochastic mixing was used to blend the cross sections of the desired temperatures using the MCNP continuous and Thermal Neutron Scattering Treatment [S(α,β)] libraries in ENDF/B-VII.1. This uncertainty analysis produced a 640 row × 640 column correlation and covariance matrix of the neutron energy spectra. Positive covariance was produced around the 1-MeV region and the 0.2-eV region. Correlation was found in the thermal and fast energy regions, but no correlation was observed in the slowing-down energy region because interactions in this region are not dominated by fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motion properties of the infinitesimal body is studied under the forces due to kerr-like oblate heterogeneous primary, continuation fractional potential for secondary, solar sail, three-body interactions, Coriolis and centrifugal forces in the circular restricted three-body problem. The equations of motion of infinitesimal body are evaluated under the above-said perturbations. Using these equations of motion, we illustrate the locations of equilibrium points, their stability, the periodic orbits and Poincaré surfaces of section. This study will applicable on the motion of the artificial satellite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curriculum material use is an agentive, reciprocal and innovative practice, involving multiple stakeholders such as teacher, students and assessments that mutually shape one another. While it is generally acknowledged that teachers' knowledge and skills deeply shape the way they use materials, little is known about how material use can possibly perturb or afford teacher learning. This, however, is deemed important considering the close relationships among material use, teacher learning and instruction. This study adopts a qualitative case study method to examine three EFL teachers' experiences with new curriculum materials under a new round of national curriculum reform. Findings reveal that (1) new curriculum materials can perturb classroom ecology, prompting teachers to re-examine, reflect and innovate their beliefs and practices; (2) despite teachers' general consensus on features of curriculum materials, the way they enact them in practice along with emerging learning opportunities are rather different; (3) opportunities for teacher learning through material use can be subjected to teachers' existing knowledge, beliefs and experiences; (4) sometimes, lack of clear instructional guidance in the textbook renders teachers more agency and freedom to explore their ideas, which can be ultimately developmental. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries often occur when an athlete experiences an unexpected disruption, or perturbation, during sports. ACL injury rates may also be influenced by the menstrual cycle. Purpose: To determine whether training adaptations to knee control and muscle activity during a perturbed single-leg squatting (SLS) task depend on menstrual cycle phase in female athletes. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 21 healthy female collegiate athletes (current or former [<3 years]) who competed in 9 different sports performed an SLS task in which they attempted to match their knee position (user signal) to a target signal. The protocol consisted of a 9-condition pretest, 5 sets of 3 training trials, and a 9-condition posttest. One perturbation was delivered in each condition by altering the resistance of the device. Sagittal knee control (absolute error between the target signal and user signal) was assessed using a potentiometer. Muscle activity during perturbed squat cycles was normalized to maximal activation and to corresponding muscle activity during unperturbed squat cycles (%unperturbed) within the same test condition. Athletes performed the protocol during a distinct menstrual cycle phase (early follicular [EF], late follicular [LF], midluteal [ML]). Two-way mixed analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of the menstrual cycle and training on knee control and muscle activity during task performance. Venous blood was collected for hormonal analysis, and a series of health questionnaires and anthropometric measures were also assessed to determine differences among the menstrual cycle groups. Results: After training, athletes demonstrated better knee control during the perturbed squat cycles (lower absolute error, P <.001) and greater soleus feedback responses to the perturbation (%unperturbed, P =.035). Better knee control was demonstrated in the ML phase versus the EF phase during unperturbed and perturbed squat cycles (P <.039 for both). Quadriceps activation was greater in the ML phase compared with the EF and LF phases, both immediately before and after the perturbation (P <.001 for all). Conclusion: Athletes learned to improve knee control during the perturbed performance regardless of menstrual cycle phase. The best knee control and greatest quadriceps activation during the perturbed squatting task was found in the ML phase. Clinical Relevance: These findings may correspond to a lower incidence of ACL injury in the luteal phase and alterations in exercise performance across the menstrual cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]