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In this paper, we study the existence and regularity results for nonlinear singular parabolic problems with a natural growth gradient term \[\begin{cases}\frac{\partial u}{\partial t}-\operatorname{div}((a(x,t)+u^{q})|\nabla u|^{p-2}\nabla u)+d(x,t)\frac{|\nabla u|^{p}}{u^{\gamma}}=f & \text{ in } Q,\\ u(x,t)=0 & \text{ on } \Gamma, \\ u(x,t=0)=u_{0}(x) & \text{ in } \Omega, \end{cases}\] where \(\Omega\) is a bounded open subset of \(\mathbb{R}^{N}\), \(N\gt 2\), \(Q\) is the cylinder \(\Omega \times (0,T)\), \(T\gt 0\), \(\Gamma\) the lateral surface \(\partial \Omega \times (0,T)\), \(2\leq p\lt N\), \(a(x,t)\) and \(b(x,t)\) are positive measurable bounded functions, \(q\geq 0\), \(0\leq\gamma\lt 1\), and \(f\) non-negative function belongs to the Lebesgue space \(L^{m}(Q)\) with \(m\gt 1\), and \(u_{0}\in L^{\infty}(\Omega)\) such that \[\forall\omega\subset\subset\Omega\, \exists D_{\omega}\gt 0:\, u_{0}\geq D_{\omega}\text{ in }\omega.\] More precisely, we study the interaction between the term \(u^{q}\) (\(q>0\)) and the singular lower order term \(d(x,t)|\nabla u|^{p}u^{-\gamma}\) (\(0\lt\gamma\lt 1\)) in order to get a solution to the above problem. The regularizing effect of the term \(u^q\) on the regularity of the solution and its gradient is also analyzed.

This paper is related to the classic but still being examined issue of approximation of functions by polynomials with integer coefficients. Let \(r\), \(n\) be positive integers with \(n \ge 6r\). Let \(\boldsymbol{P}_n \cap \boldsymbol{M}_r\) be the space of polynomials of degree at most \(n\) on \([0,1]\) with integer coefficients such that \(P^{(k)}(0)/k!\) and \(P^{(k)}(1)/k!\) are integers for \(k=0,\dots,r-1\) and let \(\boldsymbol{P}_n^\mathbb{Z} \cap \boldsymbol{M}_r\) be the additive group of polynomials with integer coefficients. We explore the problem of estimating the minimal distance of elements of \(\boldsymbol{P}_n^\mathbb{Z} \cap \boldsymbol{M}_r\) from \(\boldsymbol{P}_n \cap \boldsymbol{M}_r\) in \(L_2(0,1)\). We give rather precise quantitative estimations for successive minima of \(\boldsymbol{P}_n^\mathbb{Z}\) in certain specific cases. At the end, we study properties of the shortest polynomials in some hyperplane in \(\boldsymbol{P}_n \cap \boldsymbol{M}_r\).

We study an integrable connection with irregular singularities along a normally crossing divisor. The connection is obtained from an integrable connection of regular singular type by a confluence, and has irregular singularities along \(x=\infty\) and \(y=\infty\). Solutions are expressed by a double integral of Euler type with resonances among the exponents in the integrand. We specify twisted cycles that give main asymptotic behaviors in sectorial domains around \((\infty,\infty)\). Then we obtain linear relations among the twisted cycles, and get an explicit expression of the Stokes multiplier. The methods to derive the asymptotic behaviors for double integrals and to get linear relations among twisted cycles in resonant case, which we developed in this paper, seem to be new.

Let \(s\in (0,1)\) and \(N\gt 2s\). In this paper, we consider the following class of nonlocal semipositone problems: \[(-\Delta)^s u= g(x)f_a(u)\text{ in }\mathbb{R}^N,\quad u \gt 0\text{ in }\mathbb{R}^N,\] where the weight \(g \in L^1(\mathbb{R}^N) \cap L^{\infty}(\mathbb{R}^N)\) is positive, \(a\gt 0\) is a parameter, and \(f_a \in \mathcal{C}(\mathbb{R})\) is strictly negative on \((-\infty,0]\). For \(f_a\) having subcritical growth and weaker Ambrosetti-Rabinowitz type nonlinearity, we prove that the above problem admits a mountain pass solution \(u_a\), provided \(a\) is near zero. To obtain the positivity of \(u_a\), we establish a Brezis-Kato type uniform estimate of \((u_a)\) in \(L^r(\mathbb{R}^N)\) for every \(r \in [\frac{2N}{N-2s}, \infty]\).

A graph \(G\) whose vertex set can be partitioned into a total dominating set and an independent dominating set is called a TI-graph. We give constructions that yield infinite families of graphs that are TI-graphs, as well as constructions that yield infinite families of graphs that are not TI-graphs. We study regular graphs that are TI-graphs. Among other results, we prove that all toroidal graphs are TI-graphs.

We analyze the existence of solutions for a class of quasilinear parabolic equations with critical growth nonlinearities, nonlinear boundary conditions, and \(L^1\) data. We formulate our problems in an abstract form, then using some techniques of functional analysis, such as Leray-Schauder's topological degree associated with the truncation method and very interesting compactness results, we establish the existence of weak solutions to the proposed models.

Abstract In this paper, we extended the technique of measuring similarity between topological spaces using bottle neck distance between persistence diagrams to hypergraph networks. Finding a relationship between the bottleneck distance of the Cartesian product of topological spaces and the bottleneck distance of individual spaces, we are trying to ease the comparative study of the Cartesian product of topological spaces. The Cartesian product and the strong product of weighted hypergraphs are defined, and the relationship between the bottleneck distance between hypergraph products and the bottleneck distance between individual hypergraphs is determined. For this, clique complex filtration and the Vietoris–Rips filtration in unweighted and weighted hypergraphs are defined and used.

Abstract The analysis of network data has become an increasingly prominent and demanding field across multiple research fields including data science, health, and social sciences, requiring the development of robust models and efficient computational methods. One well-established and widely employed modeling approach for network data is the Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM). Despite its popularity, there is a recognized necessity for further advancements to enhance its flexibility and variable selection capabilities. To address this need, we propose a novel hierarchical Bayesian adaptive lasso model (BALERGM), which builds upon the foundations of the ERGM. The BALERGM leverages the strengths of the ERGM and incorporates the flexible adaptive lasso technique, thereby facilitating effective variable selection and tackling the inherent challenges posed by high-dimensional network data. The model improvements have been assessed through the analysis of simulated data, as well as two authentic datasets. These datasets encompassed friendship networks and a respondent-driven sampling dataset on active and healthy lifestyle awareness programs.

Abstract In this study, we manifest a new class of mappings that satisfy Geraghty–Ćirić-type contractive conditions in the context of b-metric spaces and prove a theorem on the existence and uniqueness of fixed points. Our results unify and generalize the results of Geraghty; Ćirić; Dukic, Kadelburg, and Radenović; and Shu-fang Li, Fei Hi, and Ning Lu in the setting of b-metric spaces. Furthermore, we provide examples to verify the correctness and applicability of our results. We also utilize our findings to show the existence of a unique solution for a nonlinear integral equation.

This paper introduces a new study that examines the unique and analytical nature of the fractional solution to a fractional electromagnetic boundary value problem (BVP). This specific BVP is characterized by defining the tangential electromagnetic components. It has been proven that the analytical expressions for the fractional electromagnetic fields $ E^{\alpha} $, $ E^{*\alpha} $, $ H^{\alpha} $, and $ H^{*\alpha} $ do not vanish in any subregions $ \Omega_o^\alpha $ or $ \Omega^\alpha-\Omega_o^\alpha $. Furthermore, the unique solution makes $ E^{\alpha} = E^{*\alpha} $ and $ H^{\alpha} = H^{*\alpha} $ without singular fields at same region of the space. Analyticity of the fractional time-harmonic electromagnetic field within lossy or lossless dielectric regions is proven.

The focus of this paper was to explore the stability issues associated with delayed neural networks (DNNs). We introduced a novel approach that departs from the existing methods of using quadratic functions to determine the negative definite of the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional's (LKFs) derivative $ \dot{V}(t) $. Instead, we proposed a new method that utilizes the conditions of positive definite quadratic function to establish the positive definiteness of LKFs. Based on this approach, we constructed a novel the relaxed LKF that contains delay information. In addition, some combinations of inequalities were extended and used to reduce the conservatism of the results obtained. The criteria for achieving delay-dependent asymptotic stability were subsequently presented in the framework of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Finally, a numerical example confirmed the effectiveness of the theoretical result.

In this paper, we studied the dynamical behavior of various phases of breast cancer using the Caputo Fabrizio (CF) fractional order derivative operator. The Picard-Lindelof (PL) method was used to investigate the existence and uniqueness of the proposed system. Moreover, we investigated the stability of the system in the sense of Ulam Hyers (UH) criteria. In addition, the two-step Adams-Bashforth (AB) technique was employed to simulate our methodology. The fractional model was then simulated using real data, which includes reported breast cancer incidences among females of Saudi Arabia from 2004 to 2016. The real data was used to determine the values of the parameters that were fitted using the least squares method. Also, residuals were computed for the integer as well as fractional-order models. Based on the results obtained, the CF model's efficacy rates were greater than those of the existing classical model. Graphical representations were used to illustrate numerical results by examining different choices of fractional order parameters, then the dynamical behavior of several phases of breast cancer was quantified to show how fractional order affects breast cancer behavior and how chemotherapy rate affects breast cancer behavior. We provided graphical results for a breast cancer model with effective parameters, resulting in fewer future incidences in the population of phases Ⅲ and Ⅳ as well as the disease-free state. Chemotherapy often raises the risk of cardiotoxicity, and our proposed model output reflected this. The goal of this study was to reduce the incidence of cardiotoxicity in chemotherapy patients while also increasing the pace of patient recovery. This research has the potential to significantly improve outcomes of patients and provide information of treatment strategies for breast cancer patients.

We established positivity of $ \nabla{f} $ obtained from a systematic computation of a composition of sequential fractional differences of the function $ {f} $ that satisfy certain conditions in a negative lower bound setup. First, we considered the different order sequential fractional differences in which we need a complicated condition. Next, we equalled the order of fractional differences and we saw that a simpler condition will be needed. We illustrated our positivity results for an increasing function of the rising type.

In this paper, we establish a quadratic integral inequality involving the second order derivative of functions in the following form: for all $ f\in D $, $ \begin{eqnarray} \int_{a}^{b}{r|f''|^{2}+p|f'|^{2}+q|f|^{2}}\geq\mu_{0}\int_{a}^{b}|f|^{2}. \end{eqnarray} $ Here $ r, p, q $ are real- valued coefficient functions on the compact interval $ [a, b] $ with $ r(x) > 0 $. $ D $ is a linear manifold in the Hilbert function space $ L^{2}(a, b) $ such that all integrals of the above inequality are finite and $ \mu_{0} $ is a real number that can be determined in terms of the spectrum of a uniquely determined self adjoint differential operator in $ L^{2}(a, b) $. The inequality is the best possible, i.e., the number $ \mu_{0} $ cannot be increased. $ f $ is a complex-valued function in $ D. $

Abstract In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) shows a spectacular ability of insertion inside a variety of disciplines which use it for scientific advancements and which sometimes improve it for their conceptual and methodological needs. According to the transverse science framework originally conceived by Shinn and Joerges, AI can be seen as an instrument which is progressively acquiring a universal character through its diffusion across science. In this paper we address empirically one aspect of this diffusion, namely the penetration of AI into a specific field of research. Taking neuroscience as a case study, we conduct a scientometric analysis of the development of AI in this field. We especially study the temporal egocentric citation network around the articles included in this literature, their represented journals and their authors linked together by a temporal collaboration network. We find that AI is driving the constitution of a particular disciplinary ecosystem in neuroscience which is distinct from other subfields, and which is gathering atypical scientific profiles who are coming from neuroscience or outside it. Moreover we observe that this AI community in neuroscience is socially confined in a specific subspace of the neuroscience collaboration network, which also publishes in a small set of dedicated journals that are mostly active in AI research. According to these results, the diffusion of AI in a discipline such as neuroscience didn’t really challenge its disciplinary orientations but rather induced the constitution of a dedicated socio-cognitive environment inside this field.

Abstract In this article, we prove new common fixed-point theorems on a C ∗ $\mathscr{C}^{*}$ -algebra-valued R $\mathcal{R}$ -metric space. An example is given based on our obtained results. To enhance our results, a strong application based on the fractional-order initial value problem is provided.

This paper is concerned with the spreading properties for a reaction-diffusion equation with free boundary condition. We obtained a complete description of the long-time dynamical behavior of this problem. By introducing a parameter $ \sigma $ in the initial data, we revealed a threshold value $ \sigma^* $ such that spreading happens when $ \sigma > \sigma^* $ and vanishing happens when $ \sigma\leq \sigma^* $. There exists a unique $ L^* > 0 $ independent of the initial data such that $ \sigma^* = 0 $ if and only if the length of initial occupying interval is no smaller than $ 2L^* $. These theoretical results may have important implications for prediction and prevention of biological invasions.

From geometric point of view, we introduced the Sombor-Wiener index of a graph and studied the basic properties of the new index. It was shown that the Sombor-Wiener index was useful in predicting the acentric factor of octane isomers. In addition, we proposed a degree-weighted Wiener index to generalize the Schultz index, the Gutman index, and the Sombor-Wiener index. Meanwhile, we gave the calculation formula of degree-weighted Wiener index for generalized Bethe trees.

This paper discussed the synchronization of impulsive fuzzy neural networks (FNNs) with uncertainty of information exchange. Since the data of neural networks (NNs) cannot be completely measured in reality, we designed an observer-based impulsive controller on the basis of the partial measurement results and achieved the purpose of reducing the communication load and the controller load of FNNs. In terms of the Lyapunov stability theory, an impulsive augmented error system (IAES) was established and two sufficient criteria to guarantee the synchronization of our FNNs system were obtained. Finally, we demonstrated the validity of the results by a numerical example.

We proposed in this article a new three-parameter distribution, which is referred as the Topp-Leone exponentiated exponential model is proposed. It is used in modeling claim and risk data applied in actuarial and insurance studies. The probability density function of the suggested distribution can be unimodel and positively skewed. Different distributional and mathematical properties of the TL-EE model were provided. Furthermore, we established a maximum likelihood estimation method for estimating the unknown parameters involved in the model, and some actuarial measures were calculated. Also, the potential of these actuarial statistics were provided via numerical simulation experiments. Finally, two real datasets of insurance losses were analyzed to prove the performance and superiority of the suggested model among all its competitors distributions.

Traditional compartmental models describe the evolution of a virus over a population of nodes; one common model separates the population into compartments of susceptible, infected, and removed nodes. More complex bi-virus models describe this evolution for two competing viruses in the same population, having an additional parameter known as the virus interaction factor, which defines the effect one virus has on the rate of infection of another. Although these models are generally used in the context of infectious diseases, they could also describe the spread of ideas, or competing products in a market of consumers. In this paper, a new model was proposed that added separate interaction factors for each virus, differentiating the effects of viruses on one another. Adding this additional parameter will allow for more accurate interactions to be modeled and analyzed. A focus was placed on the limiting behavior of this model, an eventual end-state equilibrium where the number of nodes in each compartment remains constant. Relationships between the virus interaction factors and the strengths of the viruses on the limiting behavior were identified. Finally, a complete numerical solution to the model and a condition for real-valued limiting behaviors was calculated and tested against the simulation data.

This paper mainly considered the finite-time lag synchronization for two-layer complex networks with impulsive effects. Different types of controllers were designed to achieve the lag synchronization of two-layer complex networks. Several sufficient conditions on lag synchronization in the sense of finite time were derived. The time for synchronization was also estimated. It is important to note that synchronization time was influenced by the initial value, as well as the impulses and impulse sequence. This implied that different impulse effects result in varying synchronization times. Additionally, desynchronizing impulses can extend the synchronization time, whereas synchronizing impulses have the opposite effect. Finally, a numerical example was presented to showcase the practicality and validity of the proposed theoretical criteria.

In this study, we present two meshless schemes, namely the radial basis function (RBF) method and the polynomial method, for the numerical investigation of the time-fractional Harry Dym equation and the Drinfeld-Sokolov-Wilson system. In both methods, the temporal derivatives are estimated using the Caputo operator, while the spatial derivatives are approximated either through radial basis functions or polynomials. Additionally, a collocation approach is employed to convert the system of equations into a system of linear equations that is easier to solve. The accuracy of the methods is assessed by calculating the $ L_{\infty} $ error norm, and the outcomes are displayed through tables and figures. The simulation results indicate that both methods exhibit strong performance in handling the fractional partial differential equations (PDEs) under investigation.

From the connections between permutations and labeled simple graphs, we generalized the super-shuffle product and the cut-box coproduct on permutations to labeled simple graphs. We then proved that the vector space spanned by labeled simple graphs is a Hopf algebra with these two operations.

In this article we consider the application of Euler's homogeneous function theorem together with Stokes' theorem to exactly integrate families of polynomial spaces over general polygonal and polyhedral (polytopic) domains in two and three dimensions, respectively. This approach allows for the integrals to be evaluated based on only computing the values of the integrand and its derivatives at the vertices of the polytopic domain, without the need to construct a sub-tessellation of the underlying domain of interest. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the computational complexity of the proposed algorithm and show that this depends on three key factors: the ambient dimension of the underlying polytopic domain; the size of the requested polynomial space to be integrated; and the size of a directed graph related to the polytopic domain. This general approach is then employed to compute the volume integrals arising within the discontinuous Galerkin finite element approximation of the linear transport equation. Numerical experiments are presented which highlight the efficiency of the proposed algorithm when compared to standard quadrature approaches defined on a sub-tessellation of the polytopic elements.

We numerically investigate the possibility of defining Stabilization-Free Virtual Element discretizations–i.e., Virtual Element Method discretizations without an additional non-polynomial non-operator-preserving stabilization term–of advection-diffusion problems in the advection-dominated regime, considering a Streamline Upwind Petrov-Galerkin stabilized formulation of the scheme. We present numerical tests that assess the robustness of the proposed scheme and compare it with a standard Virtual Element Method.

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) are being researched in academia and piloted by central banks around the world. Initial research highlights the importance of privacy concerns on adoption intention in CBDC. We took one step further and investigated the link between privacy concerns and adoption using the Chinese CBDC and digitalized version of the Yuan, the e-CNY. We integrated and applied the established Antecedent Privacy Concerns and Outcomes (APCO) model with the Task-Technology Fit model in a quantitative online-questionnaire with 682 Chinese participants to study the influence of privacy concerns on CBDC usage. The data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to identify significant path coefficients and effects in the developed model. The findings demonstrated that several antecedents significantly influenced privacy concerns, which in turn influenced e-CNY usage. In particular, perceived vulnerabilities impacted privacy concerns, while soft and hart trust factors were found to neither impact concerns or usage. When compared to prior research, the distinction between intention to use and usage of CBDC, under consideration of privacy concerns, seemed to be negligible. The often discussed 'privacy-paradox' could not be observed for CBDC. Observed differences in antecedents and other factors may have been due to cultural, political, and demographic factors, as well as different CBDC design choices. For practitioners, the results further emphasized the need for a privacy-friendly implementation of retail CBDC, which efficiently communicated user benefits while rebutting perceived vulnerabilities.

The blockchain ecosystem has seen a huge growth since 2009, with the introduction of Bitcoin, driven by conceptual and algorithmic innovations, along with the emergence of numerous new cryptocurrencies. While significant attention has been devoted to established cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, the continuous introduction of new tokens requires a nuanced examination. In this article, we contribute a comparative analysis encompassing deep learning and quantum methods within neural networks and genetic algorithms, incorporating the innovative integration of EGARCH (Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity) into these methodologies. In this study, we evaluated how well Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms predict "buy" or "sell" decisions for different cryptocurrencies, using F1 score, Precision, and Recall as key metrics. Our findings underscored the Adaptive Genetic Algorithm with Fuzzy Logic as the most accurate and precise within genetic algorithms. Furthermore, neural network methods, particularly the Quantum Neural Network, demonstrated noteworthy accuracy. Importantly, the X2Y2 cryptocurrency consistently attained the highest accuracy levels in both methodologies, emphasizing its predictive strength. Beyond aiding in the selection of optimal trading methodologies, we introduced the potential of EGARCH integration to enhance predictive capabilities, offering valuable insights for reducing risks associated with investing in nascent cryptocurrencies amidst limited historical market data. This research provides insights for investors, regulators, and developers in the cryptocurrency market. Investors can utilize accurate predictions to optimize investment decisions, regulators may consider implementing guidelines to ensure fairness, and developers play a pivotal role in refining neural network models for enhanced analysis.

A calibration system was designed to evaluate the accuracy of linear optical encoders at the micron level in a fast and economical manner. The system uses a commercial interferometer and motor stage as the calibrator and moving platform. Error analysis is necessary to prove the effectiveness and identify areas for optimization. A fixture was designed for the scale and interferometer target to meet the Abbe principle. A five-degree-of-freedom manual stage was utilized to adjust the reading head in optimal or suboptimal working conditions, such as working distance, offset, and angular misalignment. The results indicate that the calibration system has an accuracy of ±2.2 μm. The geometric errors of the calibration system, including mounting errors and non-ideal motions, are analyzed in detail. The system could be an inexpensive solution for encoder manufacturers and customers to calibrate a linear optical encoder or test its performance.

Voltage standards are widely used to transfer volts from Josephson voltage standards (JVSs) at national metrology institutes (NMIs) into calibration labs to maintain the volts and to transfer them to test equipment at production lines. Therefore, commercial voltage standards based on Zener diodes are used. Analog Devices Inc. (San Jose, CA, USA), namely, Eric Modica, introduced the ADR1000KHZ, a successor to the legendary LTZ1000, at the Metrology Meeting 2021. The first production samples were already available prior to this event. In this article, this new temperature-stabilized Zener diode is compared to several others as per datasheet specifications. Motivated by the superior parameters, a 10 V transfer standard prototype for laboratory use with commercial off-the-shelf components such as resistor networks and chopper amplifiers was built. How much effort it takes to reach the given parameters was investigated. This paper describes how the reference was set up to operate it at its zero-temperature coefficient (z.t.c.) temperature and to lower the requirements for the oven stability. Furthermore, it is shown how the overall temperature coefficient (t.c.) of the circuit was reduced. For the buffered Zener voltage, a t.c. of almost zero, and with amplification to 10 V, a t.c. of

Frequency estimation is often the basis of various measurement techniques, among which optical distance measurement stands out. One of the most used techniques is interpolated fast Fourier transform due to its simplicity, combined with good performance. In this work, we study the limits of this technique in the case of real signals, with reference to a particular interferometric technique known as self-mixing interferometry. The aim of this research is the better understanding of frequency estimation performances in real applications, together with guidance on how to improve them in specific optical measurement techniques. An optical rangefinder, based on self-mixing interferometry, has been realized and characterized. The simulation results allow us to explain the limits of the interpolated fast Fourier transform applied to the realized instrument. Finally, a method for overcoming them is proposed by decorrelating the errors between the measurements, which can provide a guideline for the design of frequency-modulated interferometric distance meters.

In gasoline engines, the combustion process involves a flame’s propagation from the spark plug to the cylinder walls, resulting in the localized heating and pressurization of the cylinder content ahead of the flame, which can lead to the autoignition of the gasoline and air. The energy release from the autoignition event causes the engine cylinder to resonate, causing an unpleasant noise and eventual engine damage. This process is termed as knock. Avoiding knock has resulted in limiting the maximum engine pressures, and hence limiting the maximum efficiencies of the engine. Modern engines employ knock sensors to detect resonances, adjusting the spark plug timing to reduce pressures and temperatures, albeit at the expense of engine performance. This paper sets out to review the different signals that can be measured from an engine to detect the start of knock. These signals traditionally consist of the in-cylinder pressure, the vibrations of the engine block, and acoustic noise. This paper reviews each of these techniques, with a focus on recent advances. A number of novel methods are also presented, including identifying perturbations in the engine speed or exhaust temperature; measuring the ion charge across the spark plug leads; and using artificial intelligence to build models based on engine conditions. Each of these approaches is also reviewed and compared to the more traditional approaches. This review finds that in-cylinder pressure measurements remain as the most accurate for detecting knock in modern engines; however, their usage is limited to research settings. Meanwhile, new sensors and processing techniques for vibration measurements will more accurately detect knock in modern vehicles in the short term. Acoustic measurements and other novel approaches are showing promise in the long term.

The ApeTI dataset was built with the aim of retrieving physiological signals such as heart rate, breath rate, and cognitive load from thermal images of great apes. We want to develop computer vision tools that psychologists and animal behavior researchers can use to retrieve physiological signals noninvasively. Our goal is to increase the use of a thermal imaging modality in the community and avoid using more invasive recording methods to answer research questions. The first step to retrieving physiological signals from thermal imaging is their spatial segmentation to then analyze the time series of the regions of interest. For this purpose, we present a thermal imaging dataset based on recordings of chimpanzees with their face and nose annotated using a bounding box and nine landmarks. The face and landmarks’ locations can then be used to extract physiological signals. The dataset was acquired using a thermal camera at the Leipzig Zoo. Juice was provided in the vicinity of the camera to encourage the chimpanzee to approach and have a good view of the face. Several computer vision methods are presented and evaluated on this dataset. We reach mAPs of 0.74 for face detection and 0.98 for landmark estimation using our proposed combination of the Tifa and Tina models inspired by the HRNet models. A proof of concept of the model is presented for physiological signal retrieval but requires further investigation to be evaluated. The dataset and the implementation of the Tina and Tifa models are available to the scientific community for performance comparison or further applications.

Infant electrocardiograms (ECGs) and heart rates (HRs) are very useful biosignals for psychological research and clinical work, but can be hard to analyse properly, particularly longform (≥5 min) recordings taken in naturalistic environments. Infant HRs are typically much faster than adult HRs, and so some of the underlying frequency assumptions made about adult ECGs may not hold for infants. However, the bulk of publicly available ECG approaches focus on adult data. Here, existing open source ECG approaches are tested on infant datasets. The best-performing open source method is then modified to maximise its performance on infant data (e.g., including a 15 Hz high-pass filter, adding local peak correction). The HR signal is then subsequently analysed, developing an approach for cleaning data with separate sets of parameters for the analysis of cleaner and noisier HRs. A Signal Quality Index (SQI) for HR is also developed, providing insights into where a signal is recoverable and where it is not, allowing for more confidence in the analysis performed on naturalistic recordings. The tools developed and reported in this paper provide a base for the future analysis of infant ECGs and related biophysical characteristics. Of particular importance, the proposed solutions outlined here can be efficiently applied to real-world, large datasets.

The presence of chemical contaminants in food is often unavoidable and associated with many adverse health effects. Exposure assessment is the essential element of an overall risk assessment process. While the specific purpose of the exposure assessment process can vary, the main goal is to provide a foundation for health-protective decisions. In recent years, there have been significant advances in exposure assessment methodologies and procedures, subsequently contributing to an increased complexity of the process. This paper aims to provide a generalized, simplified, and practical road map for exposure assessment, pointing to the pros and cons of different methods and challenges that occur while performing this type of study.

Abstract Inferring relations from correlational data allows researchers across the sciences to uncover complex connections between variables for insights into the underlying mechanisms. The researchers often represent inferred relations using Gaussian graphical models, requiring regularization to sparsify the models. Acknowledging that the modular structure of these inferred networks is often studied, we suggest module-based regularization to balance under- and overfitting. Compared with the graphical lasso, a standard approach using the Gaussian log-likelihood for estimating the regularization strength, this approach better recovers and infers modular structure in noisy synthetic and real data. The module-based regularization technique improves the usefulness of Gaussian graphical models in the many applications where they are employed.

Abstract Trust seems to become established even in scenarios where the prerequisites for trust are complicated by conditions that evoke scepticism. Nonetheless, trust emerges, a phenomenon that is to be comprehended and examined in the present experimental inquiry. In order to comprehensively capture the process, a competitive online game environment was used to document the development of trust networks, directionality, and strength using network analysis. Despite the conditions conducive to distrust in this game setting, acts of trust were exhibited.Robust trust bonds persisting over the course of gameplay appear to manifest mostly dyadic or triadic, with participant embeddedness within the network and homophily in terms of general trustfulness towards strangers being conducive factors for trust bonding and game survivability. This study hence contributes to the overall understanding of online trust development and offers several further research opportunities in a mostly unexplored field.

Abstract This manuscript aims to present new results about the generalized F-contraction of Hardy–Rogers-type mappings in a complete vector-valued metric space, and to demonstrate the fixed-point theorems for single and pairs of generalized F-contractions of Hardy–Rogers-type mappings. The established results represent a significant development of numerous previously published findings and results in the existing body of literature. Furthermore, to ensure the practicality and effectiveness of our findings across other fields, we provide an application that demonstrates a unique solution for the semilinear operator system within the Banach space.

Abstract We introduce and study the concept of φ-metric modular space and, then define φ-α-Meir-Keeler contraction on it and explore its fixed point. Further, we define the Hausdorff distance between two non-empty compact subsets of the considered space. Some topological properties of φ-metric modular space are also explored. Additionally, we prove the existence of the attractor (fractal) of the IFS consisting of φ-α-Meir-Keeler contractions.

In machine learning, models are derived from labeled training data where labels signify classes and features define sample attributes. However, noise from data collection can impair the algorithm’s performance. Blanco, Japón, and Puerto proposed mixed-integer programming (MIP) models within support vector machines (SVM) to handle label noise in training datasets. Nonetheless, it is imperative to underscore that their models demonstrate an observable escalation in the number of variables as sample size increases. The nonparallel support vector machine (NPSVM) is a bi-nary classification method that merges the strengths of both SVM and twin SVM. It accomplishes this by determining two nonparallel hyperplanes by solving two optimization problems. Each hyperplane is strategically po-sitioned to be closer to one of the classes while maximizing its distance from the other class. In this paper, to take advantage of NPSVM’s fea-tures, NPSVM-based relabeling (RENPSVM) MIP models are developed to deal with the label noises in the dataset. The proposed model adjusts observation labels and seeks optimal solutions while minimizing compu-tational costs by selectively focusing on class-relevant observations within an ϵ-intensive tube. Instances exhibiting similarities to the other class are excluded from this ϵ-intensive tube. Experiments on 10 UCI datasets show that the proposed NPSVM-based MIP models outperform their counter-parts in accuracy and learning time on the majority of datasets.