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ObjectiveIdentify infants with abnormal suckling behavior from simple non-nutritive suckling devices.BackgroundWhile it is well known breastfeeding is beneficial to the health of both mothers and infants, breastfeeding ceases in 75 percent of mother-child dyads by 6 months. The current standard of care lacks objective measurements to screen infant suckling abnormalities within the first few days of life, a critical time to establish milk supply and successful breastfeeding practices.Materials and methodsA non-nutritive suckling vacuum measurement system, previously developed by the authors, is used to gather data from 91 healthy full-term infants under thirty days old. Non-nutritive suckling was recorded for a duration of sixty seconds. We establish normative data for the mean suck vacuum, maximum suck vacuum, suckling frequency, burst duration, sucks per burst, and vacuum signal shape. We then apply computational methods (Mahalanobis distance, KNN) to detect anomalies in the data to identify infants with abnormal suckling. We finally provide case studies of healthy newborn infants and infants diagnosed with ankyloglossia.ResultsIn a series of case evaluations, we demonstrate the ability to detect abnormal suckling behavior using statistical analysis and machine learning. We evaluate cases of ankyloglossia to determine how oral dysfunction and surgical interventions affect non-nutritive suckling measurements.ConclusionsStatistical analysis (Mahalanobis Distance) and machine learning [K nearest neighbor (KNN)] can be viable approaches to rapidly interpret infant suckling measurements. Particularly in practices using the digital suck assessment with a gloved finger, it can provide a more objective, early stage screening method to identify abnormal infant suckling vacuum. This approach for identifying those at risk for breastfeeding complications is crucial to complement complex emerging clinical evaluation technology.Clinical impactBy analyzing non-nutritive suckling using computational methods, we demonstrate the ability to detect abnormal and normal behavior in infant suckling that can inform breastfeeding intervention pathways in clinic.Clinical and Translational Impact Statement: The work serves to shed light on the lack of consensus for determining appropriate intervention pathways for infant oral dysfunction. We demonstrate using statistical analysis and machine learning that normal and abnormal infant suckling can be identified and used in determining if surgical intervention is a necessary solution to resolve infant feeding difficulties.

The major goal of this research is to develop a Deep Learning (DL) based automatic identification and classification of white blood cells (WBCs) with high accuracy and efficiency. The first phase of research is pre-processing and is accomplished by the Improved Median Wiener Filter (IMWF), which effectively eliminates the noises. The image is resized into a standard image size before filtering. The segmentation process takes place using Color Balancing Binary Threshold (CBBT) algorithm to divide the WBCs and another non-relevant background to improve the classification performance. The features like shape, texture and color of the WBCs are extracted from the segmented images. Finally, the classification takes place, and this is processed by a fine optimal deep convolution residual network (Fine Optimal DCRNet). In addition, the bionic model is introduced to improve classification accuracy. The dataset used in this research is BCCD and LISC datasets. The performance of the proposed model is validated using existing methods of Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), VGG-16, VGG-19, ResNet-50, DensetNet-121, DensetNet-169, Inception-V3, InceptionResNet-V2, Xception, MobileNet-224, Mobile NasNet, Tree, Naive Bayes, Ensemble active contour model, k-means clustering and handcraft and deep learned features-scale-invariant feature transform (HCDL-SIFT) in terms of Accuracy, Precision, Recall, Specificity, F-score, Relative Distance Error (RDE), Over-Segmentation Rate (OSR), Under-Segmentation Rate (USR) and Overall Error Rate (OER). For the LISC dataset, the detection model attains an outcome of 99%, 98%, 98%, 99%, 98%, 1.143, 0.0125, 0.056 and 0.125, respectively. For the BCCD dataset, apart from RDE, OSR, USR and OER metrics, the performance is evaluated as 98%, 96%, 98%, 99% and 97%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Facial nerve paralysis is a severe dysfunction after vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery. Methods: This monocentric study analyzed 61 patients who underwent sporadic VS surgery in a standardized manner. The primary endpoint was the facial nerve outcome (FNO) at 3 months after VS surgery. FNO was dichotomized into "good" (House–Brackmann (HB) score ≤ 2) and "poor" (HB > 2). Results: Poor FNO was observed in 11 patients (18.0%) at 3 months after VS surgery. Radiomic tumor shape features were analyzed, and the AUC of elongation in the prediction of a poor HB at 3 months was 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56–0.85, p = 0.03) and the optimum threshold value (≤/>0.35) yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 64.0% and 75.4%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analyses considering the extent of resection (0.35) revealed that more elongated VSs (≤0.35; OR: 5.8; 95%CI: 1.2–28.2; p = 0.03) and those with an increased EoR (≥93.4%; OR: 6.5; 95%CI: 1.0–42.5; p = 0.05) are independently associated with poorer FNO at 3 months after surgery. Conclusions: Highly elongated VS shape seems to be a risk factor for worsened facial nerve outcome at 3 months after surgery for Koos grade 3 and 4 tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants, and they can absorb and transfer chemicals, which may cause significant effects on biota and risks to human health. State parks are natural areas highly influenced by seasonal tourist activities. This study investigated the distribution and characterization of MPs, including abundance, size, shape, and color, in seven Virginia State Parks within the James River Watershed (Douthat, Natural Bridge, Holliday Lake, James River, Powhatan, Pocahontas, and Chippokes Plantation State Parks). The MP concentration among the seven locations in the watershed had a significant difference (p < 0.05) and ranged from 0–26.5 particles/L with a mean of 8.33 ± 1.39 particles/L. The mountain region water bodies (Douthat and Natural Bridge) had the lowest MP concentration (< 4 particles/L), while the mainstream water bodies had a significantly higher MP concentration than other water bodies (10–20 particles/L) (p < 0.01). The size, shape, and color of MPs were also significantly different among all locations (p < 0.05). Faded and aged fragments with sizes below 1 mm were the most abundant, suggesting that terrestrial MPs were the most influencing source at most of the State Parks, and weathering effects have played a significant role in the fragmentation of plastics. In addition, a significantly positive relationship between MP concentration and the fraction of overnight guests was found (p < 0.0001). Our study indicated that State Parks and protected areas are polluted by MPs, which may pose potential harm to the surrounding environment, including both wildlife and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Abatus is a genus of sea urchin that inhabits the Southern Ocean. Among the 11 described species, three shared morphological traits and live in intertidal zones in Patagonia (A. cavernosus), Kerguelen (A. cordatus), Antarctica, and Tierra del Fuego (A. agassizii). The relationships between Abatus species are complicated and have not been clarified yet. This study analyzed shape variation among these species. The shape of 72 individuals from four locations in the South Shetlands, Kerguelen, Patagonia, and Falklands/Malvinas, were evaluated. Differences in shape were found in all four locations. Especially, the Falklands/Malvinas group showed a marked difference in shape compared to other localities. The possibility that the Falklands/Malvinas group shows phenotypic plasticity or represents a distinct evolutionary unit is discussed. Finally, the methodology used in this study proved to be a powerful tool to differentiate these species, highlighting its utility in systematic studies. Abatus is a genus of irregular brooding sea urchins to the Southern Ocean. Among the 11 described species, three shared morphological traits and present an infaunal lifestyle in the infralittoral from the Subantarctic province; A. cavernosus in Patagonia, A. cordatus in Kerguelen, and A. agassizii in Tierra del Fuego and South Shetlands. The systematic of Abatus, based on morphological characters and incomplete phylogenies, is complex and largely unresolved. This study evaluates the shape variation among these species using geometric morphometrics analysis (GM). For this, 72 individuals from four locations; South Shetlands, Kerguelen, Patagonia, and Falklands/Malvinas were photographed, and 37 landmarks were digitized. To evaluate the shape differences among species, a principal component analysis and a Procrustes ANOVA were performed. Our results showed a marked difference between the Falklands/Malvinas and the other localities, characterized by a narrower and more elongated shape and a significant influence of location in shape but not sex. Additionally, the effect of allometry was evaluated using a permutation test and a regression between shape and size, showing significant shape changes during growth in all groups. The possibility that the Falklands/Malvinas group shows phenotypic plasticity or represents a distinct evolutionary unit is discussed. Finally, GM proved to be a powerful tool to differentiate these species, highlighting its utility in systematic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will introduce a novel argument (the “Region Argument”) that objects do not have frame‐independent shapes in special relativity. The Region Argument lacks vulnerabilities present in David Chalmers' argument for that conclusion based on length contraction. We then examine how views on persistence interact with the Region Argument. We argue that this argument and standard four‐dimensionalist assumptions entail that nothing in a relativistic world has any shape, not even stages or the regions occupied by them. We also argue that endurantists have viable ways of preserving shape despite the Region Argument. The upshot of these arguments is that contrary to conventional wisdom, considerations about shape in relativity support endurantism rather than four‐dimensionalism. We conclude by examining the implications of our discussion for the debate over Edenic shapes, noting that endurantists have a satisfying response to skeptical arguments about Edenic shapes similar to the one they have against the Region Argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The branched architecture of neuronal dendrites is a key factor in how neurons form ordered networks and discoveries continue to be made identifying proteins and protein–protein interactions that direct or execute the branching and extension of dendrites. Our prior work showed that the molecular scaffold Pdlim5 and delta-catenin, in conjunction, are two proteins that help regulate the branching and elongation of dendrites in cultured hippocampal neurons and do so through a phosphorylation-dependent mechanism triggered by upstream glutamate signaling. In this report we have focused on Pdlim5's multiple scaffolding domains and how each contributes to dendrite branching. The three identified regions within Pdlim5 are the PDZ, DUF, and a trio of LIM domains; however, unresolved is the intra-molecular conformation of Pdlim5 as well as which domains are essential to regulate dendritic branching. We address Pdlim5's structure and function by examining the role of each of the domains individually and using deletion mutants in the context of the full-length protein. Results using primary hippocampal neurons reveal that the Pdlim5 DUF domain plays a dominant role in increasing dendritic branching. Neither the PDZ domain nor the LIM domains alone support increased branching. The central role of the DUF domain was confirmed using deletion mutants in the context of full-length Pdlim5. Guided by molecular modeling, additional domain mapping studies showed that the C-terminal LIM domain forms a stable interaction with the N-terminal PDZ domain, and we identified key amino acid residues at the interface of each domain that are needed for this interaction. We posit that the central DUF domain of Pdlim5 may be subject to modulation in the context of the full-length protein by the intra-molecular interaction between the N-terminal PDZ and C-terminal LIM domains. Overall, our studies reveal a novel mechanism for the regulation of Pdlim5's function in the regulation of neuronal branching and highlight the critical role of the DUF domain in mediating these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsating airflow-driven gas-solid fluidization is an effective method to segregate particles of different densities. The current article presents an elaborate computational study on the development of simulation methodology, and parametric trend identification of pulsating airflow-driven granular segregation for the first time using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), discrete element modeling (DEM) coupled analysis. The rigorous validation of the computational prediction has been produced against the experimental result reported by Li et al. (2021) and an excellent agreement has been observed. Segregation behavior for different density ratios of particles, different patterns of pulsation, and different particle shapes is presented in the current article. The segregation index improves with the density ratio of the binary mixture of particles, but the rate of increment of the segregation index is highly dependent on the airflow rate. Near the optimal value of airflow rate, the rate of increment of the segregation index reduces with the density ratio. Keeping the bed height and material property constant, different patterns of pulsation namely—sinusoidal, triangular, and exponential have been adopted. The segregation index is higher for sinusoidal patterns, whereas it reduces when the pattern is changed to triangular and exponential. Particles of constant volume with different shapes are also considered to understand the effect of particle shape on segregation. The segregation index deteriorates with the increasing surface area of the particle at constant volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary and tertiary RNA structures play key roles in genome replication of single‐stranded positive sense RNA viruses. Complex, functional structures are particularly abundant in the untranslated regions of picornaviruses, where they are involved in initiation of translation, priming of new strand synthesis and genome circularization. The 5′ UTR of foot‐and‐mouth disease virus (FMDV) is predicted to include a c. 360 nucleotide‐long stem‐loop, termed the short (S) fragment. This structure is highly conserved and essential for viral replication, but the precise function(s) are unclear. Here, we used selective 2′ hydroxyl acetylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) to experimentally determine aspects of the structure, alongside comparative genomic analyses to confirm structure conservation from a wide range of field isolates. To examine its role in virus replication in cell culture, we introduced a series of deletions to the distal and proximal regions of the stem‐loop. These truncations affected genome replication in a size‐dependent and, in some cases, host cell‐dependent manner. Furthermore, during the passage of viruses incorporating the largest tolerated deletion from the proximal region of the S fragment stem‐loop, an additional mutation was selected in the viral RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase, 3Dpol. These data suggest that the S fragment and 3Dpol interact in the formation of the FMDV replication complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical processes to change the hair shape can lead to damaged hair fibre. Here, we propose benign formulations based on different types of cellulose using imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) and a commercial serum as solvents. Formulations with concentrations at 3% and 0.5% of HEC (Hydroxyethyl cellulose) and CMC (Carboxymethylcellulose) showed the best results after washing, around 10% of curling effect. Images from fluorescence microscopy enable to observe the coating layer formed on the surface of the hair fiber. ATR-FTIR corroborate the presence of functional groups of cellulose on the coated hair fiber. SEM images revealed that the treated hair fiber preserved it structural integrity, especially for the 3% CMC formulation. Those formulations also presented good mechanical wear determined by mass loss percentage. The novelty of this work is the methodology established associated with the cellulose formulation for hair modelling up to three washes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bifidobacterium bifidum SAM-VI riboswitch undergoes dynamic conformational changes that modulate downstream gene expression. Traditional structural methods such as crystallography capture the bound conformation at high resolution, and additional efforts would reveal details from the dynamic transition. Here, we revealed a transcription-dependent conformation model for Bifidobacterium bifidum SAM-VI riboswitch. In this study, we combine small-angle X-ray scattering, chemical probing, and isothermal titration calorimetry to unveil the ligand-binding properties and conformational changes of the Bifidobacterium bifidum SAM-VI riboswitch and its variants. Our results suggest that the SAM-VI riboswitch contains a pre-organized ligand-binding pocket and stabilizes into the bound conformation upon binding to SAM. Whether the P1 stem formed and variations in length critically influence the conformational dynamics of the SAM-VI riboswitch. Our study provides the basis for artificially engineering the riboswitch by manipulating its peripheral sequences without modifying the SAM-binding core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zhuang ethnic minority the most populous ethnic minority in China boasts a long history and splendid national culture. The evolution of Zhuang traditional costumes is an important part of the Zhuang costume culture and has become a special carrier of Zhuang culture reflecting the lifestyle of the Zhuang and containing rich information about Zhuang culture. Using a combination of historical documentary information and field research and investigation methods the article finds through the field investigation of the traditional costumes of the Zhuang women in the Qing Dynasty and the contemporary Longsheng Zhuang costumes collected by the Longji Zhuang Eco-museum of Longsheng Guangxi Province that the form structure and decoration of the contemporary Longsheng Zhuang costumes have changed significantly from those of Longsheng Zhuang costumes of the Qing Dynasty which is a typical example of the development and evolution of the traditional costumes of the Zhuang people. The article focuses on the comparative analysis of the genealogical matrix characteristics of the Longsheng Zhuang traditional costumes in Guangxi and the contemporary costumes in an attempt to analyze the characteristics of the development and evolution of the Zhuang traditional costumes and to summarize the evolutionary factors. With focus on the comparative analysis of the shape structure decoration and other clothing genealogical matrix characteristics of the traditional and contemporary costumes of Longsheng Zhuang people in Guangxi the article explores the "changing and "unchanging costume genealogical matrix factors in the process of costume evolution and discusses the coupling perspectives of social change and cultural integration life style and environmental change and common ethnic consciousness of the Zhuang people. The article initially clarifies that the motivation of the evolution of the traditional costumes of the Zhuang people is often the result of the simultaneous action of a variety of factors and it provides certain theoretical reference for in-depth research on the genealogy of the Zhuang people's traditional costumes and it is of historical and practical significance for the excavation of cultural connotations behind the Zhuang people's traditional costumes as well as for the protection inheritance development and modern evolution of the national costumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yi horn pattern an indispensable part of the Yi pattern has a strong attribute of "pattern symbol" and is widely used in the form of embroidery patterns in the Yi costumes. It is a heavy historical precipitation of the Yi sheep culture. Nowadays there are few studies on Yi horn patterns in the academic circles and they are incorporated in the comprehensive field of Yi culture research and Yi dress research. There is a lack of systematic combing and summarization and a dearth of in-depth excavation of the level of cultural connotation. From the perspective of Saussure's semiotics this paper adopted the method of corroboration between relevant literature and physical objects and then explored the causes and cultural context of the development of Yi sheep's horn patterns by examining the historical evolution of the shape of the Yi sheep's horn pattern summarizing its organizational structure features and the rules of color application. Two major conclusions are drawn. Firstly at the signifier level the Yi sheep' s horn pattern presents abstract and geometric symbolic features and balanced and unified formal characteristics and the basic shape composition is the interdependent and opposite whirlwind image composed of two whirlwind images. After the evolution on the basis of maintaining the basic features many combinations of deformations appeared which were mostly used in combination with ferns and other botanical motifs reflecting the Yi people' s inheritance and innovation of this cultural symbol. In the layout and placement of its independent pattern the pattern form and the Yi costume structure fit each other its continuous patterns are mostly organized in a two-way organization to highlight the sense of order and solemnity the use of color and the whole show the characteristics of unity of opposition. Secondly at the level of the signified of the Yi horn pattern the Yi people live in the context of the sheep-based animal husbandry mode of production and the Yi horn pattern is regarded as a symbol of a carefree peaceful and well-being life and carries the Yi people' s pursuit of wealth and good fortune. At the same time the Yi horn pattern plays an important role in the Yi rituals and rules and system culture confirming the original totem worship of the Yi people and that the sheep also plays a fair and just symbol in the legal system of the Yi ethnic group. Finally the shape and structure of the Yi horn pattern contain the traditional concept of creation of the Yi ethnic group and its symmetrical structure and double helix shape are symbolic expression of the male and female concept of the Yi ethnic group. This paper analyzes the Yi ethnic group 's horn patterns through Saussure 's semiotics and summarizes the development evolution and characteristics of its shape structure so as to study the deep cultural connotation provide practical examples for the study of Yi ethnic group' s horn patterns and contribute to promoting Yi culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When representing high-level stimuli, such as faces and animals, we tend to emphasize salient features—such as a face's prominent cheekbones or a bird's pointed beak. Such mental caricaturing leaves traces in memory, which exaggerates these distinctive qualities. How broadly does this phenomenon extend? Here, in six experiments (N = 700 adults), we explored how memory automatically caricatures basic units of visual processing—simple geometric shapes—even without task-related demands to do so. Participants saw a novel shape and then immediately adjusted a copy of that shape to match what they had seen. Surprisingly, participants reconstructed shapes in exaggerated form, amplifying curvature, enlarging salient parts, and so on. Follow-up experiments generalized this bias to new parameters, ruled out strategic responding, and amplified the effects in serial transmission. Thus, even the most basic stimuli we encounter are remembered as caricatures of themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Orofacial clefts are complex congenital anomalies that call for comprehensive treatment based on a thorough assessment of the anatomy. This study aims to examine the effect of cleft type on craniofacial morphology using geometric morphometrics. Materials and methods: We evaluated lateral cephalograms of 75 patients with bilateral cleft lip and palate, 63 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate, and 76 patients with isolated cleft palate. Generalized Procrustes analysis was performed on 16 hard tissue landmark coordinates. Shape variability was studied with principal component analysis. In a risk model approach, the first nine principal components (PC) were used to examine the effect of cleft type. Results: We found statistically significant differences in the mean shape between cleft types. The difference is greatest between bilateral cleft lip and palate and isolated cleft palate (distance of means 0.026, P = 0.0011). Differences between cleft types are most pronounced for PC4 and PC5 (P = 0.0001), which together account for 10% of the total shape variation. PC4 and PC5 show shape differences in the ratio of the upper to the lower face, the posterior mandibular height, and the mandibular angle. Conclusions: Cleft type has a statistically significant but weak effect on craniofacial morphological variability in patients with non-syndromic orofacial clefts, mainly in the vertical dimension. Clinical relevance: Understanding the effects of clefts on craniofacial morphology is essential to providing patients with treatment tailored to their specific needs. This study contributes to the literature particularly due to our risk model approach in lieu of a prediction model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Color and shape are important quality attributes in baked goods, particularly cookies. Composition and processing conditions determine and influence color development and morphological changes in these baked goods. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the evolution of color and shape during baking to determine useful correlations that can be implemented during the assessment and modeling of the baking process. Cookies (AACC‐I standard protocol 10‐53.01) were baked at 185, 205, and 225°C. Moisture content, water activity, surface temperature, characteristic dimensions (radius and thickness), and color indexes (lightness, redness, blueness, and browning index [BI]) were monitored at different locations on the cookie surface and baking times. Relationships among the tested conditions were explored using correlation analysis. The cookies' dimensions and color indexes were strongly correlated with changes in moisture content over time, and those relationships were characterized using empirical models. The temperature dependence of the kinetic parameters of the changes in lightness and BI was also described and deemed independent of the location on the cookie surface. This study provides insights into the influence of heat and mass transfer on the physical and physicochemical changes of cookies during baking. The kinetic and secondary models developed in this study can serve as important components for establishing a comprehensive approach for coupling heat transfer, mass transfer, and reaction kinetics to estimate and optimize cookie‐baking processes. Practical Application: The findings from this study provide valuable information for better understanding the morphological changes and color developments during the cookie‐baking process. The quantitative data and models generated in this study will allow identifying baking conditions for better quality development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author has formulated a qualitative method to determine the effective thermal conductivity variation in nanomaterials with respect to their dimension and size. The model includes the impact of shape, size, dimension and increased phonon scattering in nanomaterial due to the thermal resistance. In the present work, Guisbier’s top-down approach is used to obtain the thermal conductivity expression in terms of size and shape factor. The effective thermal conductivity of the nanomaterial is deduced using the effective medium approach that help to find the thermal conductivity in nanomaterial based on Kapitza thermal resistance effect. The model approach predicts the increment in the thermal conductivity of nanomaterial with size increment. The Kapitza thermal resistance in nanosolids results in increase in Phonon scattering in nanosolids with size reduction to nanoregime. The effective thermal conductivity is determined in AlN, GaN, GaAs, InAs and ZnO semiconducting compounds with respect to size in spherical and tetrahedral nanoparticles; cylindrical and parallelopiped nanowires and nanofilms. The model results obtained are compared with available experimental and simulated data. Good consistency between the compared results is observed in graphical representations. The model shows a drastic drop in effective thermal conductivity in nanosolids with their size reduction that increases the figure of merit in nanomaterials for using them in thermoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have become an important part of advanced human-computer interactions. Its essence is to infer people's ideas or purposes through brain signals to realize human-computer communication. BCI systems based on steady-state visual-evoked potentials (SSVEP) are widely used in the field of BCI because of their high information transfer rate (ITR), low training requirements, and simple system structure. To explore a reasonable design method of visual stimulation in an SSVEP-BCI interactive interface, this study completed two experiments based on the shape and presentation of visual stimulation. Experiment 1 explored the optimal shapes of different visual stimuli. The results indicated that there were significant differences in task completion times for different stimulus shapes. Combined with ergonomics experiment and subjective evaluation results, the circular was the optimal stimulus shape. Experiment 2 used different numbers of auxiliary stimuli under the condition of circular stimulus. The results showed significant differences in task completion time for various auxiliary stimuli, and the number of auxiliary stimuli negatively correlated with task completion time. Through subjective evaluation, it was found that all the median scores of the usability index increased when there were more auxiliary stimuli. The recommended number of auxiliary stimuli was eight. This research provides significant evidence for the design of visual stimulation for SSVEP-BCI systems. The experimental conclusions are of great value for improving the interaction efficiency of SSVEP-BCI systems, enhancing user experience, and expanding application fields. They will also provide new directions and ideas for the interface design of BCI systems, visual stimulation design, and application of advanced interaction technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments revealed similar neural representations across different types of two-dimensional (2-D) visual stimuli; however, real three-dimensional (3-D) objects affording action differentially affect neural activation and behavioral results relative to 2-D objects. Recruitment of multiple sensory regions during unisensory (visual, haptic, and auditory) object shape tasks suggests that shape representation may be modality invariant. This mini-review explores the overlapping neural regions involved in object shape representation, across 2-D, 3-D, visual, and haptic experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional continuous emotion prediction systems are typically trained to predict the ‘average’ of affect ratings obtained from multiple human annotators. These systems, however, ignore the ambiguity inherent in the perceived emotions, which is not captured by the ‘average rating’. This paper presents a novel ambiguity-aware continuous emotion prediction system that predicts the time-varying emotion state as a series of beta distributions. Our recent work has shown beta distributions to be an effective parametric model of a collection of affect ratings. This work develops an appropriate cost function that enables neural networks to be trained to predict beta distributions. It also investigates the choice of parameterization of the beta distribution, the choice of activation functions of the output layer, and the tractability of gradient definitions in combination with the loss function. The proposed framework is implemented using a Bag-of-Audio-Words front-end and an LSTM-based back-end and evaluated on the RECOLA dataset. In addition to comparison with baseline systems that only predict the ‘average rating’, the effectiveness with which the predictions represent ambiguity in perceived emotions is also evaluated. Experimental results reveal that the proposed approach outperforms other ambiguity-aware systems, especially when predicting valence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently audio-driven talking face video generation has attracted considerable attention. However, very few researches address the issue of emotional editing of these talking face videos with continuously controllable expressions, which is a strong demand in the industry. The challenge is that speech-related expressions and emotion-related expressions are often highly coupled. Meanwhile, traditional image-to-image translation methods cannot work well in our application due to the coupling of expressions with other attributes such as poses, i.e., translating the expression of the character in each frame may simultaneously change the head pose due to the bias of the training data distribution. In this paper, we propose a high-quality facial expression editing method for talking face videos, allowing the user to control the target emotion in the edited video continuously. We present a new perspective for this task as a special case of motion information editing, where we use a 3DMM to capture major facial movements and an associated texture map modeled by a StyleGAN to capture appearance details. Both representations (3DMM and texture map) contain emotional information and can be continuously modified by neural networks and easily smoothed by averaging in coefficient/latent spaces, making our method simple yet effective. We also introduce a mouth shape preservation loss to control the trade-off between lip synchronization and the degree of exaggeration of the edited expression. Extensive experiments and a user study show that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance across various evaluation criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generative design is a technique which enables the research person or design engineer to study and apply various parameters of mechanical design to design software. This process allows the application of the information used as an input to design software, and producing various outputs in a form of CAD models with optimized results in terms of volume and mass, shape without varying the strength and other such aspects of the safe design. It is a fast process compared to traditional method, which gives us the modified design defining high strength of the structure obtained. On using a Generative Design technique the various alternatives of the target component can be achieved in an optimized form. In this article the analysis is carried on software ANSYS 18.1. On applying various constraints of design to this Generative model it has produced different unique geometries to the research person or design engineer in the form of three dimensional models. On performing various case studies one case was found most suitable and perfect alternative of the basic standard design. Which gave the best alternative result with reduction in mass of tool geometry by 57.39%.The purpose of this research is to lower the material costing, for manufacturing of the husk extracting tool of coconuts used in hydraulically operated coconut de-husking machine. On basis of thorough study and analysis of the basic design of de-husking tool we had obtained some newly modified results by applying the Generative Design and Topology optimization technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Websites commonly use visual formats to display numerical product ratings. Highlighting the overlooked notion of the "aesthetics" of product ratings, the current research examines how the shape of basic visual rating units (rectangular vs. non-rectangular) influences product preference. Seven experiments (and 23 supplementary experiments; N  =   17,994) demonstrate a visual rounding effect. Specifically, compared to the rectangular rating format (e.g. bar ratings), the non-rectangular rating format (e.g. star ratings) increases product preference when product ratings (e.g. 3.7, 3.8, 3.9) are below the nearest integer. In contrast, the non-rectangular rating format decreases product preference when product ratings (e.g. 4.1, 4.2, 4.3) are above the nearest integer. Occurring for both the overall rating and by-attribute ratings of a product, the visual rounding effect results from a visual completeness restoration process, wherein consumers perceive non-rectangular rating units to be incomplete after vertical cutting. This research contributes to the product rating and visual marketing literatures and provides actionable implications by demonstrating what visual rating format should be adopted based on rating distribution, how the visual rounding effect can be prevented if needed, and who are even more susceptible to the visual rounding effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Downstream pebble variability in river systems is assessed through various methods, with recent emphasis on efficient, time-saving semi-automatic processes involving photography and digital analysis. The Inaouène Valley, however, lacked a comprehensive survey of its main channel using either manual or image-based methods. This study bridges this gap by combining both approaches to analyze the downstream evolution of surface pebbles' morphometric parameters along approximately 60 km of the Inaouène's middle reach. Our research focuses on two key aspects: grain size and particle shape. Results reveal a general downstream trend of size fining, increasing circularity and decreasing elongation, primarily attributed to abrasion and travel distance. Notably, this pattern is interrupted by localized variations associated with tributary inputs and sediment recycling processes. This study significantly contributes to the understanding of fluvial sediment dynamics in the Inaouène Valley. Its findings have broad implications, supporting ecological assessment and restoration efforts, while also informing decision-making in river engineering and management. By providing a comprehensive analysis of pebble characteristics and their downstream evolution, this research establishes a foundation for future geomorphological studies and practical applications in river system management.

This study aimed to evaluate the shape of the retromalleolar groove of the tibialis posterior tendon (TPT) using computed tomography (CT). CT images of patients with foot or ankle pathologies were retrospectively reviewed. The morphology of the retromalleolar groove of the TPT was assessed at two different levels: the ankle joint and 10 mm above the ankle joint. The groove shape was classified into three types; concave, flat, or irregular. In cases with concave grooves, the width and depth of the grooves were measured. Of the 116 ankles from 116 subjects included in this study, 80.2 % showed a shallow concave shape (mean depth, 1.6 mm) at the two scan levels. The shape and width of the groove differed significantly by gender, although there was no significant difference in the groove depth. Approximately 80% showed a shallow concave groove of the TPT. The groove characteristics differed by gender, although there was no significant difference in the groove depth. Cross-sectional cohort study; Level of evidence, Ⅳ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three honey bee phenotypes - queens, workers, and drones differ in the size and shape of body parts. We used a large dataset to describe how the three phenotypes differed with regard to fore wings and applied the methodology of geometric morphometrics to measure the wings using the coordinates of nineteen landmarks. On average, queens had wings larger than workers, but the two castes had a broad overlap. Drones, on the other hand, had distinctly larger wings. Wing shape differed markedly among queens, workers and drones and can be used to reliably differentiate them from one other. Surprisingly, the fore wing shape of workers was more similar to that of drones than to that of queens. Small queens were not more similar to workers than large queens, and large workers were not more similar to queens than small workers. Because wing size, unlike body mass, does not change over the life of the queen, it can be used to evaluate the quality of a queen throughout its life and not only during a short period after emergence. We provide a large number of wing images of queens and drones, which can be used as a reference in future studies.

Due to the rising number of incidents of bridge failure, scouring around bridges has received a lot of attention. Accurate scour depth prediction is a challenge for researchers and experts, despite massive global research efforts. Estimation the scour depth is crucial for both a safety and economy. Numerous factors affect the scour depth. In this work, the scour depth of three distinct pier geometries – circular, oblong, and rectangular – is thoroughly investigated, and the effect of water depth and discharge on the scour depth of a given geometry is evaluated. Three pier shapes were the subject of a total of 27 trials, nine of which combined three discharges with varying flume water depth. Experimental observation of scour depth shows good agreement with analytical and numerical scour depth values. A comparative examination of analytical, experimental, and numerical findings indicates that numerical models can effectively estimate scour depth, offering a cost-effective and time-saving methodology. Results showed that circular and oblong pier geometry shows lesser scour depth than rectangular pier geometry for a specific combination of flow depth and discharge. Scour depth decreased with increasing flume water depth for the same discharge. For the constant flume water depth, higher discharge results in greater scour depth.

Simple Summary: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children and has a dismal prognosis. A challenge with MB is identifying patients who could be candidates for reduced doses of radiation therapy, but are still treated effectively, as well as those that need intensified doses. Recently, MB was classified into four molecular subgroups with distinct clinical outcomes (WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4). Though two of these subgroups (SHH and Group 4) are known for their intermediate prognosis, wide disparities of outcomes have been reported within each of these subgroups. This work aims to develop a prognostic signature using radiomics (computationally derived tumor measurements), acquired on MRI scans, to risk-stratify patients within the SHH and Group 4 subgroups. Our signature includes two key attributes that capture aspects of the disease microenvironment. We believe that our signature will provide a better understanding of the disease's heterogeneity and, hence, develop better personalized treatment plans. Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most frequent malignant brain tumor in children with extensive heterogeneity that results in varied clinical outcomes. Recently, MB was categorized into four molecular subgroups, WNT, SHH, Group 3, and Group 4. While SHH and Group 4 are known for their intermediate prognosis, studies have reported wide disparities in patient outcomes within these subgroups. This study aims to create a radiomic prognostic signature, medulloblastoma radiomics risk (mRRisk), to identify the risk levels within the SHH and Group 4 subgroups, individually, for reliable risk stratification. Our hypothesis is that this signature can comprehensively capture tumor characteristics that enable the accurate identification of the risk level. In total, 70 MB studies (48 Group 4, and 22 SHH) were retrospectively curated from three institutions. For each subgroup, 232 hand-crafted features that capture the entropy, surface changes, and contour characteristics of the tumor were extracted. Features were concatenated and fed into regression models for risk stratification. Contrasted with Chang stratification that did not yield any significant differences within subgroups, significant differences were observed between two risk groups in Group 4 (p = 0.04, Concordance Index (CI) = 0.82) on the cystic core and non-enhancing tumor, and SHH (p = 0.03, CI = 0.74) on the enhancing tumor. Our results indicate that radiomics may serve as a prognostic tool for refining MB risk stratification, towards improved patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten carbide was manufactured by picosecond laser in this study. Shapes of the ablated craters evolved from parabolic‐like (less than 10 pulses) to Gaussian‐like (more than 500 pulses) as the pulse number increased. The shape changes were closely associated with the discontinuous diameter expansion of ablated crater. To explain these phenomena, two thresholds were identified: an upper threshold of 0.129 J/cm2 and a lower threshold of 0.099 J/cm2. When the laser energy exceeded the upper threshold, ablation occurred under the laser‐energy‐dominated mode. When the laser energy fell between the upper and lower thresholds, ablation occurred under the cumulative‐effect‐dominated mode. The transition of ablation mode contributed to the diameter expansion and shape change. In addition, elemental composition varied significantly at the ablated crater and heat‐affected zone (HAZ), which were related to the degrees of reactions that occurred at different distances from the laser. Finally, surface hardness decreased from base material (32.52 GPa) to edge of crater (11.59 GPa) due to the escape of unpaired interstitial C atoms from the grain boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of the body shape of spur gears has an effect on the deformation and thus also the stiffness of the gearing. The stiffness of the gearing is a parameter that significantly affects the noise level of transmission mechanisms. Determining the gear stiffness is difficult due to the shape of the gear teeth. The paper examines the influence of the shape and size of individual gear body parameters on gear deformation. Deformation is solved by finite element method. On the basis of the deformation of the gearing, the stiffness of the gearing is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kocatepe Veterinary Journal / Kocatepe Veteriner Dergisi is the property of Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Perception involves the processing of content or information about the world. In what form is this content represented? I argue that perception is widely compositional. The perceptual system represents many stimulus features (including shape, orientation, and motion) in terms of combinations of other features (such as shape parts, slant and tilt, common and residual motion vectors). But compositionality can take a variety of forms. The ways in which perceptual representations compose are markedly different from the ways in which sentences or thoughts are thought to be composed. I suggest that the thesis that perception is compositional is not itself a concrete hypothesis with specific predictions; rather it affords a productive framework for developing and evaluating specific empirical hypotheses about the form and content of perceptual representations. The question is not just whether perception is compositional, but how. Answering this latter question can provide fundamental insights into perception.This article is categorized under: Philosophy > Representation Philosophy > Foundations of Cognitive Science Psychology > Perception and Psychophysics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid marbles (LMs) are liquid droplets in gaseous phase, which are generally millimeter size, coated by solid particles. In this study, how wide and high LMs can be fabricated is investigated. Polyhedral LMs are fabricated using polymer plates with millimeter to meter sizes as a stabilizer and water as an inner liquid. Rectangular LMs with widths exceeding 1 m, the largest width ever reported, can be successfully fabricated. The height of the LMs is found to be subject to restriction by the hydrostatic pressure and cubic LMs with heights of up to 5 mm, which is the maximum height limit for LMs stabilized with nano/micrometer‐sized particles, are fabricated. Reduction of the hydrostatic pressure by changing the LM shape from cube to pyramid and introduction of particle‐stabilized bubble into the LM enabled the increase of height of the LM up to 9.8 mm, the highest height ever reported. Investigation using non‐aqueous liquids as an inner liquid confirmed that the longer the capillary length, the higher the maximum possible height of LMs. Finally, the polyhedral LMs are demonstrated to function as a microreactor for silver mirror reaction and chemical oxidative polymerization, resulting in the formation of Janus polymer plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curvilinear design was applied to standard cell layout to improve electrical characteristics and reduce manufacturing costs. Its implementation was intelligently co-optimized with 1-D Manhattan shapes and photolithography process to preserve the standard cell area equivalent to that of 1-D Manhattan-only designs. B-spline curve representation was employed to realize the curvilinear design. Curvilinear pathfinding was carried out through the Voronoi diagram to find the optimum routing path, and the A* routing algorithm to determine the shortest path. In the curvilinear-designed standard cells, the majority of standard cells exhibited reduced total metal length, decreased number of vias, and eliminated the need for an extra metal layer when compared to 1-D Manhattan-only standard cell designs. Manufacturability of curvilinear designs was evaluated, and potential solutions are proposed in the context of design rule, design rules check (DRC) and optical proximity correction (OPC). DRC and OPC were carried out within the currently employed electronic design automation (EDA) tools to verify the curvilinear designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rib fractures remain the most frequent thoracic injury in motor vehicle crashes. Computational human body models (HBMs) can be used to simulate these injuries and design mitigation strategies, but they require adequately detailed geometry to replicate such fractures. Due to a lack of rib cross‐sectional shape data availability, most commercial HBMs use highly simplified rib sections extracted from a single individual during original HBM development. This study provides human rib shape data collected from chest CT scans of 240 females and males across the full adult age range. A cortical bone mapping algorithm extracted cross‐sectional geometry from scans in terms of local periosteal position with respect to the central rib axis and local cortex thickness. Principal component analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of these cross‐sectional shape data. Linear regression found significant associations between principal component scores and subject demographics (sex, age, height, and weight) at all rib levels, and predicted scores were used to explore the expected rib cross‐sectional shapes across a wide range of subject demographics. The resulting detailed rib cross‐sectional shapes were quantified in terms of their total cross‐sectional area and their cortical bone cross‐sectional area. Average‐sized female ribs were smaller in total cross‐sectional area than average‐sized male ribs by between 20% and 36% across the rib cage, with the greatest differences seen in the central portions of rib 6. This trend persisted although to smaller differences of 14%–29% when comparing females and males of equal intermediate weight and stature. Cortical bone cross‐sectional areas were up to 18% smaller in females than males of equivalent height and weight but also reached parity in certain regions of the rib cage. Increased age from 25 to 80 years was associated with reductions in cortical bone cross‐sectional area (up to 37% in females and 26% in males at mid‐rib levels). Total cross‐sectional area was also seen to reduce with age in females but to a lesser degree (of up to 17% in mid‐rib regions). Similar regions saw marginal increases in total cross‐sectional area for male ribs, indicating age affects rib cortex thickness moreso than overall rib cross‐sectional size. Increased subject height was associated with increased rib total and cortical bone cross‐sectional areas by approximately 25% and 15% increases, respectively, in mid‐rib sections for a given 30 cm increase in height, although the magnitudes of these associations varied by sex and rib location. Increased weight was associated with approximately equal changes in both cortical bone and total cross‐sectional areas in males. These effects were most prominent (around 25% increases for an addition of 50 kg) toward lower ribs in the rib cage and had only modest effects (less than 12% change) in ribs 2–4. Females saw greater increases with weight in total rib area compared to cortical bone area, of up to 21% at the eighth rib level. Results from this study show the expected shapes of rib cross‐sections across the adult rib cage and across a broad range of demographics. This detailed geometry can be used to produce accurate rib models representing widely varying populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of New Building Materials / Xinxing Jianzhu Cailiao is the property of New Building Materials Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nowadays, the most predominant cancer disease is Breast Cancer that has a higher death rate and women gender is the most affected by this disease. But detecting Breast Cancer in early stage is challenging as the malignance growth at this stage occurs in the duct that are undetected as symptoms are less. This paper addresses the challenge of early detection of Breast Cancer cells by proposing the fusion scheme of morphological and texture features of the cells for analysis. Morphological features such as the shape and marginal characteristics of the mass are considered as per the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) standard. Texture features of the mass were also extracted to understand the characteristics of pixel variation in the masses. These features are combined and its dimension is normalized using Exhaustive Feature Selection (EFS). The accuracy of the proposed feature on the INbreast dataset is 94.75% on an average. The accuracy for the Curated Breast Imaging Subset of Digital Database for Screening Mammography (CBIS-DDSM) Calc RoI dataset is 95% and for CBIS-DDSM Mass RoI dataset it is 94.5%. The result is further compared with contemporary methods and found that the fused feature is performing well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim is to analyze the function of reinforcement elements (dowel bars) in cement concrete pavement to highlight the influence of these elements on the service life of the pavement as a whole and to find possible alternatives to existing products that are freely available on the Czech market. That is, how these elements in the form of dowel bars should work properly so that the function meets the design assumptions of a rigid pavement. We describe the procedure for inserting dowel bars during paving, which is directly related to the possibilities of using different dowel bars. Finally, we summarize the possibilities of using alternative materials, shapes, or sizes of dowel bars and the possibilities of their use in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability of the median nerve (MN) to adapt in response to altered carpal tunnel conditions is important to mitigate compressive stress on the nerve. We assessed changes in MN deformation and position throughout the entire time course of hand force exertions. Fourteen right‐handed participants ramped up force from 0% to 50% of maximal voluntary force (MVF) before ramping force back down in three different hand force exertion tasks (pulp pinch, chuck pinch, power grip). Pinch and grip forces were measured with a digital dynamometer, which were time synchronized with transverse carpal tunnel images obtained via ultrasound. Ultrasound images were extracted in 10% increments between 0% and 50% MVF while ramping force up (loading phase) and down (unloading phase). MN deformation and position relative to the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon of the long finger were assessed in concert. During loading, the nerve became more circular while displacing dorsally and ulnarly. These changes primarily occurred at the beginning of the hand force exertions while ramping force up from 0% to 20%, with very little change between 20% and 50% MVF. Interestingly, deformation and position changes during loading were not completely reversed during unloading while ramping force down. These findings indicate an initial reorganization of carpal tunnel structures. Mirrored changes in nerve deformation and position may also reflect strain‐related characteristics of adjoining subsynovial connective tissue. Regardless, time‐varying changes in nerve deformation and position appear to be an important accommodative mechanism in the healthy carpal tunnel in response to gripping and pinching tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing product diversity, rising performance and reliability demands, and industry competitiveness are some of the many reasons that increase the need of more complex product designs in almost all sectors. The complexity of parts increases with their geometrical features to be designed and manufactured. Researchers agreed that it can be qualitatively evaluated and expressed with terms like low, medium, high, and very high. However, it might be evaluated differently, depending on the designer's considerations, domain and experience. Quantitative evaluation of a design complexity is, therefore, indispensable and expedites the decision-making about the selection of the manufacturing process. However, having a well-defined and unambiguous metric for quantitative evaluation is challenging. Most of existing metrics are not objective and are only valid for their specific applications. This paper presents a novel, unambiguous, and generalized approach for shape complexity evaluation. The developed metric enables determining if the selected part should be produced by conventional methods such as machining, or by non-conventional methods such as additive manufacturing. In order to ensure its objectivity, only geometrical features have been considered. The metric was tested through 25 different part designs of varying complexity. The investigations showed an accordance between the qualitatively evaluated shape and the calculated complexity factor. Also, the comparison of the results with other metrics showed the weakness of the latter and the efficiency and reliability of our metric. The results have been also validated by 50 experts from 23 countries. Based on these results, a threshold between machining and additive manufacturing is fixed allowing an easier decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]