Precise Comparison Research Articles

Vessel Velocity Estimation and Docking Analysis: A Computer Vision Approach

The opportunities for leveraging technology to enhance the efficiency of vessel port activities are vast. Applying video analytics to model and optimize certain processes offers a remarkable way to improve overall operations. Within the realm of vessel port activities, two crucial processes are vessel approximation and the docking process. This work specifically focuses on developing a vessel velocity estimation model and a docking mooring analytical system using a computer vision approach. The study introduces algorithms for speed estimation and mooring bitt detection, leveraging techniques such as the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) for precise image comparison. The obtained results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms, demonstrating satisfactory speed estimation capabilities and successful identification of tied cables on the mooring bitts. These advancements pave the way for enhanced safety and efficiency in vessel docking procedures. However, further research and improvements are necessary to address challenges related to occlusions and illumination variations and explore additional techniques to enhance the models’ performance and applicability in real-world scenarios.

Algorithms Research and Precision Comparison of Different Frequency Combinations of BDS-3\GPS\Galileo for Precise Point Positioning in Asia-Pacific Region.

With the continuous construction and development of the BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS), its positioning performance is constantly being improved. In this study, the positioning performance of different frequency combinations of BDS-3/GPS/Galileo in the Asia-Pacific region was investigated. The precision products of Wuhan University and the observation data of nine MGEX stations were selected to compare and analyze the B1I\B1C\B2a\B3I and L1\E1 pseudo-range Standard Point Positioning (SPP) and B1IB2a\B1IB3I\B1CB2a\B1CB3I\B2aB3I\L1L2\E1E5a precise point positioning (PPP) performance, while B1I\B3I\L1 SPP and B1IB3I PPP were investigated using BDS-2 with QZSS supplemented with BDS-3 and GPS. The experimental results showed that the positioning precision of BDS-3/GPS/Galileo SPP was in the order of B1C > E1 > L1 > B1I > B3I > B2a, and it was not significantly improved after BDS-2 and QZSS were added. Moreover, for the PPP of different frequency combinations, the convergence speed was in the order of L1L2 > B1IB3I > E1E5a > B1CB3I > B1CB2a > B1IB2a > B2aB3I. After adding BDS-2, B1IB3I improved by about 11% in static mode and 27% in kinematic mode, which was similar to the L1L2 frequency combination. The positioning precision of different frequency combinations of BDS-3/GPS/Galileo was B1IB3I > B1CB3I > L1L2 > E1E5a > B1B2a > B1CB2a > B2aB3I. In static mode, after adding BDS-2, B1IB3I did not show significant improvement in the plane direction, and showed ~61% improvement in the elevation direction, and ~67% in the three-dimensional (3D) direction. In kinematic mode, after adding BDS-2, B1IB3I was improved by about 16% in the E direction, the N direction did not show significant change, it improved by ~38% in the U direction and by ~70% in the 3D direction. In general, the positioning performance of BDS-3 was slightly better than those of GPS and Galileo in the Asia-Pacific region, and it is believed that with the continuous development of BDS, its positioning performance will surely be improved further.

BETWEEN SPATIAL AND ARCHIVAL DATA: DIGITAL HUMANITIES FOR THE HISTORY OF A STAIRCASE OF PITTI PALACE

Abstract. In the last decades, surveys produced with geomatic techniques are increasingly used for the study and conservation of the built heritage because they automatically collect large amounts of data with an accuracy and objectivity that could not be achieved with traditional techniques. As in other fields of digital and spatial humanities, the combination of spatial data with archival and secondary sources provides new tools for reconstructing the history, construction, and transformation of a historic architecture.The new digital survey of Pitti Palace, which was carried out between 2019 and 2021, has revealed aspects neglected by previous surveys and historical studies. Pitti Palace is the largest historical civil building in Florence. In the 16th century, Bartolomeo Ammannati carried out important extensions, including the so-called "spiral staircase", one of the most important staircases in the palace. This staircase, of which there is little documentation, although it is considered a masterpiece, was demolished at the beginning of the 19th century by Pasquale Poccianti to make way for the "New Secondary Staircase", on which previous studies have focused mainly on stylistic and decorative aspects.Using digital spatial data as a primary source, the research aimed to explain the construction history of the new staircase built by Poccianti, allowing a precise comparison between the archive documents and the actual geometry of the building elements.It also highlights previously undocumented features, including the evidence for the Ammannati staircase and the important changes made during the construction of the new staircase. The article shows how the insertion of the new staircase profoundly altered the design, structure and layout of a wing of the Pitti Palace. It also suggests how a more transdisciplinary and holistic approach helps the study of historical architecture.

Curcuma longa-Based Optical Sensor for Hydrochloric Acid and Ammonia Vapor Detection.

In this research, we present a prototype optical system that offers significant advances in detecting hydrochloric acid (HCl) and ammonia (NH3) vapors. The system utilizes a natural pigment sensor based on Curcuma longa that is securely attached to a glass surface support. Through extensive development and testing with HCl (37% aqueous solution) and NH3 (29% aqueous solution) solutions, we have successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of our sensor. To facilitate the detection process, we have developed an injection system that exposes C. longa pigment films to the targeted vapors. The interaction between the vapors and the pigment films triggers a distinct color change, which is then analyzed by the detection system. By capturing the transmission spectra of the pigment film, our system allows a precise comparison of these spectra at different concentrations of the vapors. Our proposed sensor exhibits remarkable sensitivity, allowing the detection of HCl at a concentration of 0.009 ppm using only 100 µL (2.3 mg) of pigment film. In addition, it can detect NH3 at a concentration of 0.03 ppm with a 400 µL (9.2 mg) pigment film. Integrating C. longa as a natural pigment sensor in an optical system opens up new possibilities for detecting hazardous gases. The simplicity and efficiency of our system, combined with its sensitivity, make it an attractive tool in environmental monitoring and industrial safety applications.

Precision comparison for Different GNSS PPP solution using online services and open-source software processing

In order to properly post-process data from the Global Navigation Satellite System, it is crucial to evaluate the dependability by means of online free processing tools because the development of GNSS offers satellite navigation consumers around the globe promising benefits. The purpose of the study is to assess the precision of several online processing tools, including GSIPOST, AUSPOS, IBGE, Magic GNSS, CSRS-PPP, and open-source software. Three stations' worth of RINEX 2 data were subjected to field observations utilising GNSS observations from IGS, with an observation time of 30 seconds. After that, both online and open-source software was used to analyze the collected data, using GPS and GPS and GLONASS. The relative differences and accuracy of the coordinates generated by each software were then assessed by comparison with those acquired from reference stations. coordinates in the ITRF14 standard for the X, Y, and Z directions. Online GNSS processing services don't require GNSS data processing skills and are easy to use, and provide more accurate results for engineering and geodetic uses. RINEX 3 data must be checked for better resolution.

Impact of DFIG impedance model precision on stability analysis

Impedance-based stability analysis (IBSA) is an effective method to analyze the interaction problem between the doubly-fed induction generator-based wind park (DFIG-WP) and series compensated or weakly tied AC grids. The analytical impedance model of DFIG has evolved over the years for better precision. This paper presents a precision comparison of those analytical models where the reference is obtained through EMT-level frequency scanning simulations. Moreover, representative IBSA is also performed with those models on typical test systems in which the DFIG adversely interacts with the series compensated grid and weakly tied AC grid in sub- and super-synchronous frequency ranges, respectively. The common modeling approach, which disregards the coupling between the rotor side converter (RSC) and grid side converter (GSC) at the DC-side, reduces the accuracy of IBSA and may lead to incorrect stability analysis results.

Front Cover: Synthesis and Crystallographic Characterization of Helical Hairpin Oligourea Foldamers (Chem. Eur. J. 39/2023)

Foldamer hairpin-like motifs have been prepared by connecting oligourea helices with various alkyl and aralkyl linkers, and their structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. Some specific geometrical parameters like interhelical dihedral angles and helical twists were measured, thus allowing precise comparison between the different supersecondary structures. More information can be found in the Research Article by C. Dolain, G. Guichard and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/chem.202300087). Artwork by Christel Dolain.

The First Study of White Rust Disease Recognition by Using Deep Neural Networks and Raspberry Pi Module Application in Chrysanthemum

Growth factors affect farm owners, environmental conditions, nutrient adaptation, and resistance to chrysanthemum diseases. Healthy chrysanthemum plants can overcome all these factors and provide farms owners with a lot of income. Chrysanthemum white rust disease is a common disease that occurs worldwide; if not treated promptly, the disease spreads to the entire leaf surface, causing the plant’s leaves to burn, turn yellow, and fall prematurely, reducing the photosynthetic performance of the plant and the appearance of the flower branches. In Korea, chrysanthemum white rust disease most often occurs during the spring and autumn seasons, when temperature varies during the summer monsoon, and when ventilation is poor in the winter. Deep neural networks were used to determine healthy and unhealthy plants. We applied the Raspberry Pi 3 module to recognize white rust and test four neural network models. The five main deep neural network processes utilized for a dataset of non-diseased and white rust leaves include: (1) data collection; (2) data partitioning; (3) feature extraction; (4) feature engineering; and (5) prediction modeling based on the train–test loss of 35 epochs within 20 min using Linux. White rust recognition is performed for comparison using four models, namely, DenseNet121, ResNet50, VGG-19, and MobileNet v2. The qualitative white rust detection system is achieved using a Raspberry Pi 3 module. All models accomplished an accuracy of over 94%, and MobileNet v2 achieved the highest accuracy, precision, and recall at over 98%. In the precision comparison, DenseNet121 obtained the second highest recognition accuracy of 97%, whereas ResNet50 and VGG-19 achieved slightly lower accuracies at 95% and 94%, respectively. Qualitative results were obtained using the Raspberry Pi 3 module to assess the performance of the four models. All models had accuracies of over 91%, with ResNet50 obtaining a value of 91%, VGG19 reaching a value of 93%, and DenseNet121 reaching 95%. The highest accuracy rate was 97% (MobileNet v2). MobileNet v2 was validated as the most effective model to recognize white rust in chrysanthemums using the Raspberry Pi 3 system. Raspberry Pi 3 module was considered, in conjunction with the MobileNet v2 model, to be the best application system. MobileNet v2 and Raspberry Pi require a low cost for the recognition of chrysanthemum white rust and the diagnosis of chrysanthemum plant health conditions, reducing the risk of white rust disease and minimizing costs and efforts while improving floral production. Chrysanthemum farmers should consider applying the Raspberry Pi module for detecting white rust, protecting healthy plant growth, and increasing yields with low-cost.

Impact of fin width on nano scale tri-gate FinFET including the quantum mechanical effect

An inversion charge-based threshold voltage model is proposed for 10 nm channel length Tri-gate (TG) FinFET. The variation threshold voltage has been studied with respect to fin width for different fin height and channel length The effect of width quantization has been explained with the help of the quantum mechanical effect (QME). A precise comparison of threshold voltage in terms of classical mechanics and quantum mechanics depicts the presence of width quantization in short channel device. The improvement of the short channel effects (SCEs), like subthreshold swing (SS), drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) and threshold voltage roll off have been studied. The impact of channel length to fin width ratio on DIBL and has been examined. The improvement of the SCEs at the same oxide thickness has been observed for high-k dielectric material. The potential and effect of hafnium oxide (HfO2) have been discussed and validated using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation.

Examining the performance of three ballast water compliance monitoring devices for quantifying live organisms in both regulated size classes (≥50μm and ≥10-

A number of ballast water compliance monitoring devices (CMDs) have been made commercially available to verify the efficacy of ballast water management systems by quantifying the living organisms for both plankton size classes (≥50μm and ≥10-<50μm). This study aimed to examine whether new CMDs can provide a reliable indication of compliance regarding Regulation D-2 and to evaluate their performance for indicative analysis of organisms by assessing their accuracy (comparison to microscopy) and precision (comparison within measurement). Challenge fresh water samples were collected in four locations of Lake Ontario, Canada, whereas marine challenge water samples were collected around the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. Ballast water samples were collected from ships visiting several ports across Canada. Overall, accuracy was higher (>80%) in estimating organisms from prepared-challenge water (Ballast Eye and BallastWISE) than from ballast water samples (>70%) (B-QUA only). The sensitivity ranged from 50 to 100% for the ≥50μm organism size class, whereas for the ≥10-<50μm organism size class, it was higher for freshwater samples (>75%) than for marine samples (>50%). The performance of CMDs should be assessed under real-world conditions for a better understanding and to improve their use.

Modulation Configurations of Phase Locked Loops for High-Speed and High-Precision Wired and Wireless Applications

This paper summarizes the modulation configurations of phase locked loops (PLLs) and their integration in semiconductor circuits, e.g., the input modulation for cellular phones, direct-modulation for low power wireless sensor networks, feedback-loop modulation for high-speed transmission, and two-point modulation for short-range radio transceivers. In this survey, basic configuration examples of integrated circuits for wired and wireless applications which are using the PLL modulation configurations are explained. It is important to select the method for simply and effectively determining the characteristics corresponding to the specific application. The paper also surveys technologies for future PLL design for digitizing of an entire PLL to reduce the phase noise due to a modulation by using a feedback loop with a precise digital phase comparison and a numerically controlled oscillator with high linearity.

Pediatric reference interval verification for 16 biochemical markers on the Alinity ci system in the CALIPER cohort of healthy children and adolescents.

Special chemistry parameters are useful in the diagnosis and management of inherited disorders, liver disease, and immunopathology. Evidence-based pediatric reference intervals (RIs) are required for appropriate clinical decision-making and need to be verified as new assays are developed. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of pediatric RIs established for biochemical markers on the ARCHITECT for use on newer Alinity assays. An initial method validation was completed for 16 assays, including precision, linearity, and method comparison. Sera collected from approximately 100 healthy children and adolescents as part of the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals (CALIPER) were also analyzed on the Alinity c system. Percentage of results within established ARCHITECT RIs were calculated and considered verified if≥90 % fell within established limits. New RIs were established for three electrolytes, glucose, and lactate wherein no data were previously reported. Of the 11 assays for which CALIPER pediatric RIs were previously established on ARCHITECT assays, 10 met the verification criteria. Alpha-1-antitrypsin did not meet verification criterion and a new RI was established. For the other 5 assays, de novo RIs were derived following analysis of 139-168 samples from healthy children and adolescents. None required age- and sex-partitioning. Herein, pediatric RIs were verified or established for 16 chemistry markers in the CALIPER cohort on Alinity assays. Findings support excellent concordance between ARCHITECT and Alinity assays with one exception (alpha-1-antitrypsin) as well as robustness of age- and sex-specific patterns originally reported by CALIPER in healthy Canadian children and adolescents.

Highly sensitive tandem mass spectrometric measurement of serum estradiol without derivatization and pediatric reference intervals in children and adolescents.

Monitoring estradiol (E2) is important for determining the onset of pubertal development as well as in the evaluation of girls with precocious puberty. However, E2 measurement remains an analytical challenge in children, who have lower circulating levels. We developed and evaluated a simple and sensitive LC-MS/MS procedure for serum E2 quantification in pediatric populations and established age- and sex-specific pediatric reference intervals. Residual patient serum samples were used to evaluate the analytical performance of our in-house LC-MS/MS E2 assay. The evaluation included accuracy, precision, linearity, functional sensitivity (LLoQ), and method comparison. Age- and sex-specific pediatric E2 reference intervals were also established from a cohort of 405 healthy children (birth to 18 years) recruited with informed consent. Age- and sex-specific differences were assessed, and outliers were removed. Reference intervals were established using the robust method. The assay imprecision was<5.3 %. Assay linearity ranged from 13.7 to 1923.3 pmol/L. The LLoQ corresponding to a CV of 20 % was determined to be 8.9 pmol/L. Bland-Altman analysis revealed a mean bias of 29.3 pmol/L or 9.1 % between our LC-MS/MS E2 assay and an external reference laboratory measuring E2 by LC-MS/MS. Our LC-MS/MS E2 assay shows acceptable accuracy, precision, functional sensitivity (LLoQ), and linearity for E2 quantification. Our LC-MS/MS E2 assay also showed good agreement with an external reference laboratory measuring E2 by LC-MS/MS. In addition, using CALIPER samples, we established robust age- and sex-specific pediatric E2 reference intervals to improve accuracy of test result interpretation and clinical decision making.

Investigations of Type 3 non-uniqueness in standard platinum resistance thermometers between 83 K and 353 K

A key feature of the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) is Type 3 non-uniqueness which arises from differences between individual Standard Platinum Resistance Thermometers (SPRTs) over a given subrange. This can be significant in the context of the best reported uncertainties of SPRT calibrations, but it is extremely difficult to determine because it is easily obscured by the measurement uncertainties. Hence, there is little good information available, particularly over much of the temperature range commonly encountered by long-stem SPRTs, and the estimates of its magnitude are potentially overstated. This paper presents high precision comparisons at NPL and CEM of two cohorts of 8 and 6 long-stem SPRTs, by measuring the ratio of each SPRT against a common SPRT in stirred liquid baths at temperatures from 178 K to 303 K, and 274 K to 353 K, respectively. Measurements of a third cohort of 8 SPRTs were made at INTiBS in a stirred liquid bath from 198 K to 303 K and in a temperature-controlled cryostat from 84 K to 185 K. The measurements were augmented by calibrations of each SPRT at the triple points of argon and mercury, the melting point of gallium and the freezing point of indium, so extending the overall temperature range down to 84 K and up to 429 K. The three cohorts were linked by two SPRTs which were common to all of them. The comparison differences, which ideally should represent the Type3 non-uniqueness, are presented for the specified ITS-90 interpolations, and for some alternative interpolation schemes. Specifically, it is assessed for interpolations in which the mercury triple point is replaced with the triple point of Xe, CO2 or SF6, which are widely considered to be potential candidates for replacing mercury in a future amendment of the ITS-90. The further alternative of using the melting point of gallium is also investigated.

Analytical method validation of pooled TSH reagent in clinical biochemistry laboratory

Introduction and Aim: In today's world, laboratories are a crucial aspect of health-care services, and the biochemistry section contributes the most testing parameters. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to verify and validate a pooled TSH reagent kit. The present study is aimed to pool and validate the pooled TSH reagent kit for testing and compare its performance with the intact manufactured supplied reagent kit. Materials and Methods: Performed in a medium-sized biochemistry laboratory with a daily sample load of 1000-1200. Before disposal, the TSH reagent with the available dead-volume was pooled in a new kit. We gathered three used TSH reagent kits from the same lot series and pooled the dead-volume to generate one functioning reagent. Before assessing the analytical performance of pooled TSH reagent, this was placed onto the instrument, calibrated, and Quality control ran. The CLIA procedure for testing method specification was used to evaluate the reagent's performance, which included accuracy, precision, measurement range, reference range, recovery, interference, and method comparison. Results: With a high degree of analytical precision, the obtained reference range was within the manufacturer's range (r2=0.99). Precision was comparable with the manufacturer claim; inter-assay variation (1.90% CV), Intra-assay variation (1.50% CV) and overall (1.33% CV). AMR found to be as true as established by the manufacturer - 0.005-100 µIU/mL. Internal quality control performance; level 2 &amp; level 3 variations of 1.58% and 1.20% respectively. Conclusion: A pooled TSH reagent was precise, accurate as compared to the manufacturer Reagent kit. This will reduce the number of the reagent procurement by the laboratory with documented high kit utility rate (Kit efficiency Index) ranging between 90-100%.

Comprehensive Pediatric Reference Limits for High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I and NT-proBNP in the CALIPER Cohort.

Cardiac biomarkers have increasing application in pediatric populations, including congenital heart disease, myocarditis, and heart failure. Clinical practice is limited by evidence gaps in pediatric reference limits to inform clinical decision-making. The current study aimed to establish comprehensive pediatric reference limits for N-terminal (NT)-pro hormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) in the CALIPER cohort of healthy children and adolescents. Analytical immunoassay performance was assessed through precision, linearity, and method comparison (Abbott Alinity ci system). Subsequently, approximately 200 serum samples collected from apparently healthy children (birth to 18 years) were analyzed for hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP. Reference limits (2.5th, 97.5th, and 99th percentiles) were established as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute EP-28A3c guidelines with associated 90% confidence intervals. Of all pediatric serum samples analyzed, 46% had detectable hs-cTnI concentrations (limit of detection: 1.3 ng/L). Both hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP demonstrated markedly elevated neonatal concentrations with 99th percentiles of 55.8 and 1785 ng/L, respectively. No statistically significant age-specific differences were observed beyond 1 year of age across all cardiac biomarkers examined. No sex-specific association was observed between hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP concentration and adolescence. We report age-specific reference limits for hs-cTnI and NT-proBNP in a healthy Canadian cohort of children and adolescents measured using Alinity immunoassays for the first time. These data support the need for pediatric-specific interpretation to reduce misinformed clinical decision-making and calls to action larger cohort studies such that reference limits can be more robustly defined.

Precise dosimetric comparison between GAMOS and the collapsed cone convolution algorithm of 4D DOSE accumulated in lung SBRT treatments

BackgroundIt is widely accepted that Monte Carlo dose calculations offers a higher precision that the commercially available dose calculation algorithms. This advantage may be especially relevant for lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), as this is a precise technique applied to an area of big inhomogeneity. PurposeWe conducted a comparative study to reveal the differences between the doses calculated using the Collapsed Cone Convolution algorithm and the GAMOS/Geant4 Monte Carlo calculation for lung cancer patients treated with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy on an Elekta Versa HD linac. MethodsFor this study a set of ten patient treatments carried out at the Clínica Universidad de Navarra was selected. Theanalysis is based on the comparison of several dosimetric quantities for the Gross Tumor Volume (GTV) and several OrgansAt Risk (OARs), and also a gamma index calculation with distance-to-agreement set to 2 mm and dose difference to 3%, as recommended by ICRU to assess clinical impact. In order to guarantee a small uncertainty in the Monte Carlo calculation of the dosimetric quantities, we studied in detail the validity of different methods that may be used to determine this uncertainty.To compensate for lung movements, a 4D-Cone-beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) was acquired before treatment, whichallowed us to identify eight respiratory phases using a temporal binning. Using commercial MIM software®, we performed a deformable image registration between the eight CT respiration phases to construct the 4D doses. The same procedure was applied for the Treatment Planning System (TPS) dose files and for the Monte Carlo dose files. ResultsThe differences between the two algorithms reveal the known weaknesses of the Collapsed Cone Convolution (CCC) algorithm for the calculation of lateral doses and in regions of large density change. The comparison between the two algorithms for individual phase doses shows differences up to 5% of the GTV D95 or 3–4 Gy in some OARs, which may have a clinical impact. Nevertheless these differences are reduced for the 4D dose in most quantities under study. ConclusionsComparing the dose calculated with a Collapsed Cone Convolution algorithm with GAMOS/Geant4 for ten patients and eight respiratory phases, we found some differences that could have a clinical impact. When combining the eight temporal phases into a 4D dose using the MIM Deformable Image Registration software, the differences diminished substantially.Our statistical analysis concludes that dose uncertainty in the voxels with a maximum dose below a given percentage guarantees uncertainty in the dosimetric quantities below that figure.

Spectral-weight sum rules for the hadronic vacuum polarization

We develop a number of sum rules comparing spectral integrals involving judiciously chosen weights to integrals over the corresponding Euclidean two-point function. The applications we have in mind are to the hadronic vacuum polarization that determines the most important hadronic correction ${a}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\mathrm{HVP}}$ to the muon anomalous magnetic moment. First, we point out how spectral weights may be chosen that emphasize narrow regions in $\sqrt{s}$, providing a tool to investigate emerging discrepancies between data-driven and lattice determinations of ${a}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\mathrm{HVP}}$. Alternatively, for a narrow region around the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ mass, they may allow for a comparison of the dispersive determination of ${a}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\mathrm{HVP}}$ with lattice determinations zooming in on the region of the well-known BABAR-KLOE discrepancy. Second, we show how such sum rules can in principle be used for carrying out precision comparisons of hadronic-$\ensuremath{\tau}$-decay-based data and ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\text{hadrons}(\ensuremath{\gamma})$-based data, where lattice computations can provide the necessary isospin-breaking corrections.

Influence of the number of layers on the strength of beech laminated elements in the three-point flexural test,

A chair is a piece of furniture whose elements are loaded with relatively high forces. The strength of these elements is vital for the safety of using this type of furniture. The research aims to test the chair material system made of beech wood. The authors analyzed laminated elements with 9, 11, and 13 layers of veneers. The veneers were 1.23 mm thick, with perpendicular fiber directions in adjacent layers, and bonded with 220 g/m2 of PVAc adhesive. The moisture content of the elements was 6 ± 1%. A three-point bending flexural test was performed to determine the stress-strain response of the tested three variants. A complementary numerical analysis allowed a more precise comparison of the three analyzed laminated elements variants. It was confirmed that all variants exceed the desired minimal values in chair support design. Moreover, the average strength values for tested laminated elements, differing in the number of veneers, were sufficient even with a reduced number of veneer layers. The experiments and numerical analysis results confirmed the usability of the three tested types of beech laminated elements to be used as highly loaded chair elements.

The canonical amoebot model: algorithms and concurrency control

The amoebot model abstracts active programmable matter as a collection of simple computational elements called amoebots that interact locally to collectively achieve tasks of coordination and movement. Since its introduction at SPAA 2014, a growing body of literature has adapted its assumptions for a variety of problems; however, without a standardized hierarchy of assumptions, precise systematic comparison of results under the amoebot model is difficult. We propose the canonical amoebot model, an updated formalization that distinguishes between core model features and families of assumption variants. A key improvement addressed by the canonical amoebot model is concurrency. Much of the existing literature implicitly assumes amoebot actions are isolated and reliable, reducing analysis to the sequential setting where at most one amoebot is active at a time. However, real programmable matter systems are concurrent. The canonical amoebot model formalizes all amoebot communication as message passing, leveraging adversarial activation models of concurrent executions. Under this granular treatment of time, we take two complementary approaches to concurrent algorithm design. We first establish a set of sufficient conditions for algorithm correctness under any concurrent execution, embedding concurrency control directly in algorithm design. We then present a concurrency control framework that uses locks to convert amoebot algorithms that terminate in the sequential setting and satisfy certain conventions into algorithms that exhibit equivalent behavior in the concurrent setting. As a case study, we demonstrate both approaches using a simple algorithm for hexagon formation. Together, the canonical amoebot model and these complementary approaches to concurrent algorithm design open new directions for distributed computing research on programmable matter.