Bar Width Research Articles

How Bar Chart Display Features can Skew Perception

This study empirically examines three display design features that can hinder or promote viewers’ perceptual bias of bar charts. Bar charts are commonly used in various landscapes, including business contexts, yet, research on their impact on bias is limited. In an experiment, 266 undergraduates viewed vertical bar charts with two styles of scaling (fine vs coarse), two formats of bar ordering (in a certain order vs in random order) and two patterns of bar width (same vs different). A 7-item quiz measured the level of perceptual bias. Results showed that the main effects of all three display features. The results revealed that the interaction of bar ordering formats and (1) the scaling styles and (2) the bar thickness patterns on viewers’ perceptual bias were significant. The other effects were not. In addition to extending the theoretical insight into visual deception in the contexts of bar charts, the findings provide practical guidelines for visual makers on bar chart designs that could lead to readers’ perceptual bias, and for visual viewers on how to properly decode the meaning embedded in bar charts.

The Variation in Boulder Bars Triggered by the 2018 Sedongpu Natural Dam Failure in the Yarlung Tsangpo River

Natural dams are formed most often in narrow, steep valleys in high mountains. The outburst floods triggered by natural dam failures result in the topography and landforms successively being altered. Boulder bars are common natural structures that are selected here to quantitatively evaluate the impact of outburst floods on the topographical and landform variations in downstream channels. In this study, we selected the Sedongpu natural dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River formed as a result of a landslide in 2018 as an example, and studied the geomorphological changes in a river reach located 173 km downstream of the Sedongpu natural dam. The sizes and shapes of the boulder bars in this area were statistically analyzed. The results show that there are three shape types of boulder bars in this area, i.e., sickle, bamboo leaf and oval. Furthermore, it found that the relationship between the lengths and widths of boulder bars is similar before and after outburst floods, as is the relationship between perimeters and lengths of boulder bars, which means these relationships are not affected by outburst floods. And the perimeters of boulder bars are almost twice their lengths. In addition, the relationship between the areas and lengths of boulder bars follows a power function. The most important finding is that the riverine morphological features conserved self-similarity due the influence of the outburst flood erosion triggered by a natural dam failure. This finding adds to the previous observations since dam failures introduce sudden and dominating impacts on river systems.

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen pre-exposure on the motor learning acquisition phase

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) exposure has recently been reported to be effective in spatial learning and memory. Additionally, HBO exposure considerably improves performance on motor tasks. These findings suggest that HBO exposure may facilitate motor learning. However, the specific effects of HBO exposure on motor learning remain largely unexplored. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of HBO exposure on motor learning tasks. In the experimental animal models (control n = 8, HBO n = 8), the HBO environment was exposed to 100 % oxygen with the chamber at 2.0 atmosphere absolute (ATA) for 90 min/day for 20 days. The motor learning task was an accelerated rotating bar task (bar width, 3 and 6 cm; rotation speed, 4–40 rpm; acceleration, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 rpm/s). The learning task was performed for 3 consecutive days. The HBO group showed a main effect of the day factor on the bar with a width of 6 cm, and significant differences were observed for each day comparison. However, no main effect of the day factor was observed in the control group. Additionally, significant differences were found in the bar with a width of 3 cm for both groups between days 1 and 2 and between days 1 and 3. In conclusion, these findings suggest that HBO exposure has a positive effect on more challenging motor learning tasks.

A new restricted-range Melanorivulus (Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae) from the upper rio Guaporé, Chapada dos Parecis, Brazil

A new species of Melanorivulus, belonging to the Melanorivulus zygonectes species group, is described from the rio Galera, a tributary of the right bank of the upper rio Guaporé, Amazon basin, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. It is diagnosed from congeners by the following combination of characters: absence of pelvic fins; presence of a black band along the entire caudal-fin margin in males, typically more conspicuous on dorsal and ventral portions; presence of a wide oblique bars anteriorly and wide chevron-like marks posteriorly to middle of flank. This is the first record of the genus Melanorivulus for the rio Madeira basin.

Family resemblance in color-patch size is not affected by stress experience in a cichlid fish.

Animal body coloration is often linked to social dominance and mating success. This is because it can carry information on an animal's body condition and competitive ability by reflecting the genetic quality of individuals or by responding to their current or past living conditions. The present study investigates genetic and environmental effects on a conspicuous color pattern of the cichlid fish Tropheus sp. black "Ikola," in which the size of a carotenoid-based yellow area on the body co-varies with social dominance. To examine environmental plasticity of the color pattern, we tested for effects of early-life stress, induced by reduced feeding of juveniles prior to color pattern formation, as well as effects of a stress treatment administered to fully colored adult fish. None of the stress treatments affected the color pattern as quantified by the width of the yellow bar. However, offspring bar width was correlated to parental values in mid-parent-mid-offspring regression analyses, and animal models estimated significant additive genetic effects on bar width, indicating heritability of the trait. Depending on the random effects structure of the animal models (i.e., whether including or excluding maternal and brood effects), narrow-sense heritability estimates for bar width ranged between 0.2 and 0.8, with the strongest statistical support for the highest estimate. In each of the alternative models, a large proportion of the total variance in bar width was explained by the included random effects, suggesting that bar width is strongly determined by genetic factors or shared maternal and brood environments, with limited scope for environmental influences later in life.

Large-deformation elastic hardening of a structured graphene kirigami nano-spring with re-entrant honeycombs

The programmable nature of graphene kirigami enables it highly applicable in the development of stretchable nanodevices. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the large deformation behavior of a structured graphene kirigami nano-spring (GKNS) with re-entrant honeycombs. During a uniaxial test, the elastic deformation can be categorized into two stages based on the applied load level. Stage I exhibits a maximal strain (εYstart) exceeding 50 % under low loading conditions, while stage II demonstrates a strain (εYend) surpassing 70 % at a high hardening rate. Both εYstart and εYend are greater than those observed in GKNS with transversal periodic boundary conditions. Furthermore, increasing the length or decreasing the width of bars within GKNS with cells of identical shape leads to an increase in both εYstart and εYend values. Ambient temperature has minimal impact on εYstart and εYend however, higher temperatures result in lower hardening rates due to weakened carbon–carbon bonds within GKNS structures. Additionally, variations in cell/void arrangement within structured GKNS affect both εYstart and εYend values, whereas widening the GKNS structure leads to reduced hardening rates. The findings presented herein provide valuable insights for designing nanodevices that necessitate significant deformations.

Experimental investigation of characteristics of turbulence induced by multiple oscillating grids

Experiments were conducted to systematically investigate the nearly homogeneous turbulence generated by multiple oscillating grids. Altogether 54 runs were completed by employing five different grids. For each run, four to nine layers of grids were installed, which were operated with different frequencies, strokes and grid spacings. The particle image velocimetry was used to obtain flow velocity characteristics. Instantaneous flow measurements reveal that the flow structure varies depending on the grid configuration. For regular grids, turbulent wakes of nearly uniform size were generally observed. In comparison, for double-scale grids, the size of wakes varied with the bar width. In the near-grid region, the horizontal distributions of Reynolds stresses are strongly influenced by the grid geometry, showing obvious inhomogeneity especially for wide bars. The inhomogeneity reduces as the distance from the grid increases. At the midplane between two neighboring grids, the flow characteristics appear similar for all grid configurations. The size of the region where the turbulence appears nearly homogeneous is affected by the grid spacing and stroke. Generally, the double-scale grid can produce a greater homogeneous region than the regular grid. This study shows that the decay law of turbulence intensity developed for a single oscillating grid can be successfully extended to multiple oscillating grids. In addition, a theoretical interpretation of the decay law is presented by considering the variation in the velocity and size of wakes when evolving away from the grid.

Modeling investigation of wave-induced longshore current distribution patterns on barred beaches

A three-dimensional coupled wave-current model was employed to investigate the wave-induced longshore currents on barred beaches. The modeling system was developed by coupling the finite-volume community ocean model (FVCOM) and the simulating waves nearshore (SWAN) model to fully describe wave-current interactions in the nearshore region. The three-dimensional radiation stress, surface rollers and wave-enhanced turbulent mixing were incorporated as the major wave effects on currents. The model was first evaluated against data collected from multiple sets of laboratory experiments. Diagnostic simulations demonstrated that the contributions of the wave rollers and wave-induced mixing, in addition to the radiation stress, were important for ensuring accurate calculations. Then, the longshore current patterns on barred beaches were investigated through simulations of a series of test cases under controlled conditions. The cross-shore distribution of wave-induced longshore currents, which predominantly occurred within the barred beach surf zone, usually exhibited bimodal characteristics. The maximum peak longshore current velocity was positively correlated with the incident wave height and period. As the bar height and width increased, the first velocity peak of the longshore current strengthened, while the second peak weakened. In most cases, the maximum longshore current velocity on a barred beach coincided with the first peak, which could occur anywhere from the bar-trough region to the bar-crest region, depending on the wave and bar heights. This finding could be used to clarify the cross-shore location discrepancies in the maximum peak longshore current velocity reported in previously published studies.

Analysis of Coil Systems with Non-Symmetrical Fe Backings for Electrical Vehicle Wireless Charging Applications

Wireless power transfer is a widely applied technology whose market and application areas are growing rapidly. It is considered to be a promising supplement to the conductive charging of electrical vehicles (EVs). Wireless charging provides safety, convenience, and reliability in terms of mitigating issues related to wiring, risk of tearing, trip hazards, and contact wear inherent to the conductive charging. A variety of coil structures have been researched for EV charging applications; however, most of them were of the symmetrical type. This work analyzes systems of coils possessing ferromagnetic backing with non-symmetrical geometries and compares them with the conventional symmetrical ones. Numerical FEM simulation was applied in the research. The numerical models were verified analytically and experimentally. The impact of air-gap length, longitudinal displacement, number of turns, and width of the ferrite bars on coupling factor was investigated. The results suggest that coil systems with non-symmetrical structures of ferromagnetic backings are a good alternative to the conventional symmetrical structures for wireless electrical vehicle charging applications.

Fish stranding in relation to river bar morphology and baseflow magnitude: Combining field surveys and hydrodynamic–numerical modelling

AbstractHydropeaking mitigation based on down‐ramping thresholds is crucial to avoid stranding of fish and ensure sustainable hydropower production. However, the risk of stranding is influenced by several biotic and abiotic factors that interact with the ramping rate, including river morphology and baseflow magnitude. Also, at the river bar scale, the lateral or horizontal down‐ramping velocity may be of even greater importance than the vertical one as the prior integrates bar morphology. This study investigates the connection between ecologically relevant hydraulic parameters (vertical and lateral ramping velocity, dewatered river bar width) and the stranding of young‐of‐the‐year European grayling (Thymallus thymallus) due to down‐ramping, based on field observations of stranded fish at the hydropeaked Drava River in Austria combined with hydrodynamic–numerical modelling. We also examine the interplay between baseflow conditions and river topography in the dewatered areas. Stranding observations in spring and summer found a median rate of 90 individuals per 100 m, ranging from 50 to 500 fish per 100 m shoreline. Stranding rates were three times higher at night than during the day. Our data revealed a positive relationship between stranded fish and down‐ramping hydraulics, with higher intensity resulting in more stranded fish. This association was stronger for the lateral than the vertical ramping velocity, presumably because the former accounts for bar morphology, suggesting that the lateral dewatering velocity is a better indicator to assess fish stranding at the bar scale than the vertical velocity. We also found a negative relationship between the extent of the dewatered area and baseflow magnitude, indicating that the stranding risk is higher during down‐ramping at low flow conditions.

Bragg reflection of linear shallow-water waves by an array of widely spaced trapezoidal bars on a fringing reef flat

A closed-form solution to the linear shallow-water wave equation for wave reflection by a finite periodic array of widely spaced trapezoidal bars on a fringing reef flat is presented. It is shown that, when the total number, height, or top width of the trapezoidal bars increases, the strength of the Bragg resonance increases but the downward shift of the resonance phase becomes more pronounced. When the width of the reef face increases or when the reef face changes from a concave profile to a convex profile, the strength of the Bragg resonance decreases and the downward shift of the resonance phase also becomes more pronounced. Especially, it is found that the location of trapezoidal bars plays an important role in the strength and occurrence condition of the Bragg resonant reflection. Finally, the optimal collocation of the location and width of trapezoidal bars is investigated. Considering both construction cost and reflecting capacity, the relative width is recommended to be within 0.4≤wb/d≤0.6 and the distance from the reef edge to trapezoidal bars is suggested to be equal to the spacing of trapezoidal bars.

Timoshenko & Lekhnitskii's puzzle ‒ Rule of swapping for the torsional rigidity of a rectangular bar

Timoshenko presented the torsional rigidity of an isotropic rectangular bar, and Lekhnitskii presented that of an orthotropic rectangular bar. The solutions of Timoshenko and Lekhnitskii (T&L) are functions of the bar's length, width, thickness and shear modulus or moduli. However, the functions of T&L solutions become different from their original ones when the width and thickness are swapped. Swapping the width and thickness definitions does not alter the bar's physical properties, named the “rule of swapping” by the authors. In the last century, no research has shown the T&L solutions to satisfy the rule of swapping, an observation hereinafter referred to as the “Timoshenko & Lekhnitskii Puzzle”. Roughly 90 years later, Tsai et al. re-solved T&L cases using the TSAI technique. The derived solutions are nearly if not completely identical to T&L's numerically and satisfy the rule of swapping automatically. The rule of swapping is a novel issue and has never been mentioned before. Based on the Weierstrass factorization theorem, this study mathematically proves that they are identical for isotropic and orthotropic bars and satisfy the rule of swapping. The result of a torsional pendulum test is analyzed to support the rule.

Avian nutritional condition increases with forest structural complexity

Sylvicultural practices are increasingly directed at forest conservation, restoration and sustainable management. Forests with higher structural complexity are expected to be more resilient against climate change impacts and to have a higher diversity of ecological niches. The impact of forest structural complexity on individual organisms, however, is less well known. To bridge this knowledge gap, we here test if structurally more complex forests provide a more favourable nutritional environment for forests birds, using ptilochronology as an indicator for individual condition. We therefore measured the width of growth bars in tail feathers of great tits (Parus major) captured in 19 forest plots along a gradient of increasing structural complexity. After validating our assumption that series of growth bars reflect the outcome of an energetic income vs. expenditure balance with possible consequences for health and fitness, we show that birds in structurally more complex forests maintain a better nutritional status, probably due to a higher and more stable availability of food resources and more sheltered habitat. Dominant tree species, architecture and associated ecology also play an important role, as some of the observed relationships appear to be tree species-specific. Overall, we demonstrate the importance of a complex forest structure and herb layer, and argue for the need for individual research on the condition, performance and health of forest species to inform managers and policymakers on the impact of changing forestry practices on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

THE T-SHAPED DESIGN ENGINEER – USING COHORTS TO EXPLORE HOW SKILLS PROFILES DIFFER THROUGH CAREER STAGES

AbstractThe T-Shaped designer has previously been identified as a design engineer with the desirable set of skills for a successful career. Twelve design engineers ranging from novice to expert, were interviewed to gain an understanding of their skill set, how it has evolved and how it needs to evolve in order to be futureproofed. With the use of qualitative, quantitative data and the development of a novel engineering skills profiling method, this paper found that 75% of design engineers did not exhibit a T-shaped skill profile, but a skill shape that has been termed ‘M-shaped’ or ‘Comb-shaped’. The majority of participants exhibited a great depth of specialist skills in multiple disciplines, not limited to their immediate field of work. All participants exhibited a wide knowledge of skills that allowed them to work across different disciplines, which included electronics, management or manufacturing, and so the wide vertical bar of the T-Shape design predicted by previous literature has been supported.

Garbage in may not equal garbage out: sex mediates effects of ‘junk food’ in a synanthropic species

AbstractHuman influence on ecosystems is rapidly expanding, and one consequence is the increased availability of human food subsidies to wildlife. Human food subsidies like refuse and food scraps are widely hypothesized to be ‘junk food’ that is nutritionally incomplete; however, the impacts of ‘junk foods’ on the health and fitness of individual organisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to understand how human food consumption affects the body condition and fecundity of a generalist predator, the Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri). We used stable isotope analysis to quantify individual human food consumption (using δ13C as a proxy), estimated individual body condition based on body mass and feather growth bar width and assessed jay fecundity. Adults consumed more human food than juveniles on average, and we observed sex-specific responses to human food use where male body condition tended to increase, whereas female body condition tended to decline with human food consumption. However, fecundity was not strongly related. Thus, we found some evidence for the ‘junk food’ hypothesis in this system, which suggests that human foods may not be an equal replacement for natural foods from a nutritional perspective, especially for females. Human foods tend to be carbohydrate rich, but protein poor, which may benefit males because they are larger and limited overall by calorie intake. Females, particularly reproducing females, are more nutritionally limited and thus may experience fewer benefits from ‘junk food’. Our study advances knowledge of human–wildlife interactions by increasing the resolution of our understanding of the fitness benefits, or detriments, experienced by individuals that consume human foods.

Effects of Mud Supply and Hydrodynamic Conditions on the Sedimentary Distribution of Estuaries: Insights from Sediment Dynamic Numerical Simulation

Estuaries are important sediment facies in the fluvial-to-marine transition zone, are strongly controlled by dynamic interactions of tides, waves, and fluvial flows, and show various changes in depositional processes and sediment distribution. Deep investigations on the sediment dynamic processes of the sand component of estuaries have been conducted; however, the understanding of how mud supply affects estuaries’ sedimentary characteristics and morphology is still in vague. Herein, the effects of mud concentration, mud transport properties, fluvial discharge, and tidal amplitude on the sedimentary characteristics of an estuary were systematically analyzed using sedimentary dynamic numerical simulation. The results show that the mud concentration has significant effects on the morphology of tidal channels in estuaries, which become more braided with a lower mud concentration, and straighter, with reduced channel migration, with a higher mud concentration. The mud transport properties, namely, setting velocity, critical bed shear stress for sedimentation, and erosion, mostly affect the ratio between the length and width (RLW) of the sand bar; a sheet-like sand bar with a lower RLW value develops in the lower settling velocity, while there are obvious strip shaped bars with a high RLW value in the higher settling velocity case. Moreover, the effects of hydrodynamic conditions on sedimentary distribution were analyzed by changing the tidal amplitudes and fluvial discharges. The results show that a higher tidal amplitude is often accompanied by a stronger tidal energy, which induces a more obvious seaward progradation, while a higher fluvial discharge usually yields a higher deposition rate and yields a greater deposition thickness. From the above numerical simulations, the statistical characteristics of tidal bars and mud interlayers were further obtained, which show good agreement with modern sedimentary characteristics. This study suggests that sedimentary dynamic numerical simulation can provide insights into an efficient quantitative method for analyzing the effects of mud components on the sediment processes of estuaries.

Analysis of fine grained sand and shale sedimentary characteristics in estuary based on sediment dynamics

Due to the dual effects of fluvial and tides, the tidal sand bars in estuaries have complex sedimentary characteristics and complex internal structures, making them difficult to predict and describe. In this paper, the sedimentary dynamics numerical simulation method is used to establish a tidal-controlled estuary model. The effects of tidal range and sediment grain size on tidal sand bars are simulated. The length, width, and thickness of tidal sand bars, as well as the length and thickness of the internal shale layer, are also analyzed. The results show that in the environment of a tide-controlled estuary, the tidal range has a more significant effect on tidal sand bars compared to the sediment grain size under the specific conditions used in this study. The main effect of tidal range on tidal sand bars is that the greater the tidal range, the greater the length-to-width ratio of the sandbank, and the higher the degree of sandbank development. In a tidal-controlled estuary environment, the formation and distribution of shale layer structures are also affected by tides: the length of the shale layer increases as the tidal energy increases, but the changes in the thickness are not obvious. Numerical simulations of the development and distribution of the tidal sand bars and shale layers in estuaries based on sedimentary dynamics will provide a basis for the sedimentary evolution of tide-controlled estuaries and will provide guidance for the exploration and development of tidal estuaries.

An introspect of neotectonic response on channel bars morphodynamic of the rivers in Darjeeling Himalayan piedmont zone, India

ABSTRACT The present research focuses on the recent tectonic activities and their effect on quaternary deposition such as channel bars in the 80 km × 50 km river corridor of the Darjeeling Himalayan Foothill Region (DHFR). The active orogeny belt has direct control over the fluvial deposition in the master river systems of Tista, Jaldhaka, and Torsa and their sub-systems of Neora, Murti, Kurti, Lish, Gish, Chel, and Mal. The present research has used some indices like the stream-length gradient index , mountain front sinuosity , valley-floor width to valley height ratio , and especially longitudinal profiles of the river. Channel bar area, longest length, width of channel bar, elongation ratio, relative relief, and relief ratio were calculated to get the introspect of neotectonic response on channel bars morphodynamic. The results on selected 10 channel bars of the upper DHFR depict that they are highly affected by neotectonic deformation. The channel bars of the middle part of the DHFR also have significant morphological signatures of tectonic movements. The reflection of these active tectonics is visible in the channel bars of the lower DHFR. These channel bars show a high rate of aggradation responsible for continuously changing the morphology and morphometry of these bars.

An approximate law of Class I Bragg resonance of linear shallow-water waves excited by five types of artificial bars

Based on the band theory of Bloch waves, an approximate law is established for locating the phase of Class I Bragg resonance when linear shallow-water waves are reflected by a finite periodic array of widely spaced artificial bars, including rectangular, parabolic, rectified cosinoidal, isosceles trapezoidal, and isosceles triangular bars. The approximate law is described by a function of several parameters such as the bar shape, dimensionless bar height with respect to the global water depth, and dimensionless bar width with respect to the incident wavelength. It is found that Bragg’s law that accurately describes Bragg resonances in X-ray crystallography cannot be simply applied to Bragg resonances of linear shallow-water waves excited by any finite periodic array of widely spaced bars, because the height and width of any bar is nonzero. Based on the approximate law, the phenomenon of phase downshifting can be well explained and accurately predicted. It is revealed that the phase downshifting becomes more significant with increasing the cross-sectional area of artificial bars.

FilDReaMS

Context.Filamentary structures appear to be ubiquitous in the interstellar medium. Being able to detect and characterize them is the first step toward understanding their origin, their evolution, and their role in the Galactic cycle of matter.Aims.We present a new method, calledFilDReaMS, to detect and analyze filaments in a given image. This method is meant to be fast, user-friendly, multi-scale, and suited for statistical studies.Methods.The input image is scanned with a rectangular model bar, which makes it possible to uncover structures that can be locally approximated by this bar and to derive their orientations. The bar width can be varied over a broad range of values to probe filaments of different widths.Results.We performed several series of tests to validate the method and to assess its sensitivity to the level of noise, the filament aspect ratios, and the dynamic range of filament intensities. We found that the method exhibits very good performance at recovering the orientation of the filamentary structures, with an accuracy of 0.5° in nominal conditions, and up to 3° in the worst-case scenario with high levels of noise. The width of the filament is recovered with uncertainties of better than 0.5 px (pixels) in most cases, which could extend up to 3px in the case of low signal-to-noise ratios. Some attempt to build a correspondence between Plummer-type filament profiles and the outcomes of the method is proposed, but remains sensitive to the local environment.Conclusions.We find ourFilDReaMSto be robust and adapted to the identification and reconstruction of filamentary structures in various environments, from diffuse to dense medium. It allows us to explore the hierarchical scales of these filamentary structures with a high reliability, especially when dealing with their orientation.