Substitution Model Research Articles

Trajectory optimization of wall-building robots using response surface and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm III

Traditional wall-building robots regard brick masonry as a simple assembly process, ignoring the viscoelastic effect of cement mortar, which leads to poor masonry quality. Therefore, this paper proposes a many-objective trajectory optimization method based on response surface methodology (RSM) and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm III (NSGA-III). Firstly, a substitution model between the objective functions and the design variables is established using RSM, which solves the problem of difficult construction of cement mortar viscoelastic model. Then, a trajectory optimization model is constructed based on seven times non-uniform B-spline, and it is solved using NSGA-III. Finally, the optimal solution is obtained from the Pareto solution set, and it is compared and analyzed with the standard gate-type masonry solution. The results show that after the trajectory optimization, the masonry error is reduced from 2.62 mm to 0.11 mm, which significantly improves the masonry quality, and other performance indicators are also improved. These results contribute to the construction of walls and promote the development of the smart construction industry.

Associations of sugar-sweetened, artificially sweetened, and naturally sweet juices with Alzheimer's disease: a prospective cohort study.

Epidemiological studies of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have provided controversial findings. Furthermore, little is known about the association between pure fruit/vegetable juices and AD. The present study aims to estimate the associations of SSBs, ASBs, and pure fruit/vegetable juices with AD, and to evaluate the theoretical effects of replacing SSBs and ASBs with the different consumption of pure fruit/vegetable juices on the risk of AD. This prospective cohort study of the UK Biobank included 206,606 participants aged 39-72years free of dementia at baseline between 2006 and 2010. Dietary intake of SSBs, ASBs, and pure fruit/vegetable juices (naturally sweet juices) were collected using a 24-h dietary recall questionnaire completed between 2009 and 2012. Incident AD was identified by medical and mortality records. Cox proportional hazard models and substitution models were conducted to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 699 cases of AD were identified over a median follow-up of 9.5years. The consumption of SSBs and ASBs (> 2 units/d) were associated with a higher risk of AD. However, participants who drank > 1-2 units/d of pure fruit/vegetable juices were associated with a lower risk of AD. In substitution models, replacing SSBs with an equivalent consumption of pure fruit/vegetable juices could be associated with a risk reduction of AD.

Molecular and morphometric differentiation of secondary filariasis vector Coquillettidia mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Thailand.

Coquillettidia mosquitoes are important nuisance-biting pests and a vector of brugian filariasis in Thailand. However, comprehensive information about these mosquitoes remains unavailable such as molecular and morphometric differences among species. The lack of vector knowledge on Coquillettidia species could affect future disease control. This study aims to investigate differences in molecular variations based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and wing geometric traits of three Coquillettidia species, namely Cq. crassipes, Cq. nigrosignata, and Cq. ochracea in Thailand. The results of molecular analyses revealed the differences among three Coquillettidia species. The genetic difference measure based on the Kimura two-parameter model among three Coquillettidia species showed low intraspecific distances (0%-3.05%) and large interspecific distances (10.10%-12.41%). The values of intra- and inter-genetic differences of three Coquillettidia species did not overlap which showed the existence of a barcoding gap indicating the efficiency of the identification based on the COI gene. As with molecular analysis, the landmark-based geometric morphometrics approach based on wing shape analysis indicated three distinct species groups which were supported by the high total performance score of cross-validated classification (97.16%). These results provide the first evidence of taxonomic signal based on molecular and wing geometric differences to support species identification and biological variations of Coquillettidia mosquitoes in Thailand for understanding these rare vector mosquitoes in depth and leading to effective further mosquito control.

Measurement of mixing enthalpies for Bi-Zn lead-free solder system

Integral mixing enthalpy, partial mixing enthalpy & interaction parameters of the Bi-Zn alloys system has been calculated at 823 K and 923 K by using the drop calorimetric technique. This will help to predict the thermodynamic properties of multi-component systems by using values of interaction parameters of the Bi-Zn binary system. It is widely recognized that high concentrations of any elements can lead to toxicity; however, Sn and Zn are relatively less hazardous due to their essential roles in the human diet. Bi is low-risk metal with a history of medical use. So it may be a good replacement for lead-based solder alloys as lead is a very toxic element. Argon gas is used as a carrier and auxiliary gas to provide an inert atmosphere in the furnace. It is also visible that the enthalpy of mixing is asymmetrical with a composition of Zn. The integral enthalpy of mixing of the Bi-Zn system at 823 K and 923 K is endothermic in nature all through the composition, and its most value at xZn = 0.79 is 3717.035349 Jmol−1 and 3780.695484 Jmol−1 respectively. The theoretical Redlich-Kister polynomial substitutional solution model was applied to the data from these measurements in order to find the binary interaction parameter by least-square fitting. When the estimated and measured values are compared, it is found that there is a good agreement between them.

Multiobjective trajectory optimization of the wall‐building robot based on RBF–NSGA‐II in an uncertain viscoelastic contact environment

AbstractTo solve the problem of poor masonry quality of traditional wall‐building robots in an uncertain viscoelastic contact environment while reducing energy consumption, reducing contact forces with the environment, and improving work efficiency and smoothness, a segmented multiobjective trajectory optimization method is proposed based on radial basis function (RBF) and nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA‐II). The method divides the motion trajectory into the free motion segment and the masonry segment. In the masonry segment, the compensation variable is introduced at the brick‐stopping position, and the values of design variables are obtained by Latin hypercube sampling. The relationship between the objective functions and the design variables is established by using an RBF substitution model. The optimal design is carried out by the NSGA‐II, and the compromise solution is obtained by using the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution algorithm. On this basis, a multiobjective trajectory optimization method based on seven times nonuniform B‐spline curves is proposed for the free motion segment. According to the performance indicators, such as operation efficiency, trajectory smoothness, and energy consumption, the compromise solution is again sought and obtained. Finally, the proposed trajectory optimization method is compared with the standard gate‐shaped trajectory planning method. The results show that after trajectory optimization, the masonry efficiency of the wall‐building robot is improved by 28.36%, and the energy consumption and trajectory smoothness are reduced by 28.68% and 93.81%, respectively. At the same time, the contact force with the environment is reduced by 12.26%, and the masonry error is reduced from 2.67 to 0.13 mm. These results can contribute to the construction of walls and improve the masonry quality of bricks while considering other performance indicators.

Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition (SAMR) Model to Improve Student's Critical Thinking Ability

<p><span lang="EN-US">The use of technology in learning creates the need for applications and learning media that can improve students' critical thinking skills. The SAMR model (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition), which offers teaching methods by integrating technology, can affect the learning process by improving students' critical thinking skills. This quantitative study used an experimental approach with a Posttest Only Control Design by dividing the sample into two groups (control and experimental classes) with cluster random sampling technique sampling on 54 students. The results of the post-test cognitive ability of the control class obtained an average value of 16.52, and in the experimental class, 19.63. Furthermore, the results of the post-test effective ability of the control class obtained an average value of 74.76 and in the experimental class of 84.07. This shows differences in students' critical thinking skills between students who use the SAMR model and those who do not use the SAMR model. In the results of the N-Gain analysis that has been carried out on the posttest value of the cognitive ability of the control class and the experimental class, the gain value of 0.33 is included in the medium criteria. While the N-Gain on the posttest value of the cognitive ability of the control class and the experimental class obtained a gain value of 0.19 which is included in the Low criteria. This study proves that the use of the SAMR model influences students' critical thinking skills, and the SAMR model has proven effective in improving students' critical thinking skills.</span></p>

Analysis of electrification and its greenhouse gas reduction potential in the industrial sector of Korea using mixed methods

Carbon neutrality has heightened the necessity for deep decarbonization in the industrial sector, emphasizing the significance of ambitious mitigation measures, including system-level energy and material efficiency, carbon capture and utilization, electrification, and green hydrogen utilization. Electrification, particularly in the hard-to-abate industrial sector, emerges as a critical tool assuming the power sector's decarbonization. This study aims to evaluate Korea's industrial sector electrification potential and its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential by 2050. To achieve this, we employ a mixed-method approach, integrating quantitative methods, such as the Iterative Proportional Fitting Procedure (IPFP) for data consistency, energy forecast, and elasticity of substitution models, along with a qualitative method involving energy experts through the Delphi technique. The results indicate an estimated 41% electrification potential for Korea's industrial sector by 2050, with a potential GHG reduction of approximately 26.3% compared to the Business-as-Usual emissions.

Nucleotide Substitution Model Selection Is Not Necessary for Bayesian Inference of Phylogeny With Well-Behaved Priors.

Model selection aims to choose the most adequate model for the statistical analysis at hand. The model must be complex enough to capture the complexity of the data but should be simple enough not to overfit. In phylogenetics, the most common model selection scenario concerns selecting an adequate substitution and partition model for sequence evolution to infer a phylogenetic tree. Previously, several studies showed that substitution model under-parameterization can bias phylogenetic studies. Here, we explored the impact of substitution model over-parameterization in a Bayesian statistical framework. We performed simulations under the simplest substitution model, the Jukes-Cantor model, and compare posterior estimates of phylogenetic tree topologies and tree length under the true model to the most complex model, the $\text{GTR}+\Gamma+\text{I}$ substitution model, including over-splitting the data into additional subsets (i.e., applying partitioned models). We explored 4 choices of prior distributions: the default substitution model priors of MrBayes, BEAST2, and RevBayes and a newly devised prior choice (Tame). Our results show that Bayesian inference of phylogeny is robust to substitution model over-parameterization and over-partitioning but only under our new prior settings. All 3 current default priors introduced biases for the estimated tree length. We conclude that substitution and partition model selection are superfluous steps in Bayesian phylogenetic inference pipelines if well-behaved prior distributions are applied and more effort should focus on more complex and biologically realistic substitution models.

Reform of Life Imprisonment in Lithuania

This article discusses the 2019 reform of criminal laws, providing for the possibility of releasing persons sentenced to life imprisonment. The legislator, establishing the model of punishment substitution instead of parole, chose a sufficiently strict regulation, and although he declared otherwise, he did not really dare to go beyond punishment as a retribution for extremely serious crimes. In addition to the historical development of life imprisonment and aspects of the theory of punishment, the work also focuses on individual release criteria; at the end, possible directions of reform are briefly defined.

Development of pyrolo[2,3-c]pyrazole, pyrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine and their bioisosteres as novel CDK2 inhibitors with potent in vitro apoptotic anti-proliferative activity: Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular dynamics investigations

Inhibiting the CDK2/cyclin A2 enzyme has been validated in multiple clinical manifestations related to multiple types of cancer. Herein, novel series of pyrolo[2,3-c]pyrazole, pyrolo[2,3-c]isoaxazole and pyrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine, pyrolo[3,2-c]pyridine & indole based analogs were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activity where the obtained results revealed that most of the newly synthesized compounds showed significant cytotoxic activity towards MCF-7 (breast cancer cell lines) and HepG-2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) with IC50 ranging from 3.20 µM to 10.05 µM & from 2.18 µM to 13.49 µM, respectively, compared to that of Sorafenib (IC50 9.76 & 13.19 µM, respectively). The in vitro inhibitory profile of the most promising compounds (9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 20) towards CDK2/CyclinA2 was evaluated. Compounds 14 &15 exhibited potent inhibitory profile against CDK2 with (IC50 0.11 and 0.262 µM, respectively comparable to Sorafenib IC50 0.184 µM. Western blotting of 14 &15 at MCF-7 cell line confirmed the diminishing activity on CDK2. Furthermore, both compounds exserted a significant cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, the normal cell line cytotoxicity for both compounds revealed low cytotoxic results in normal cells rather than cancer cells. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation validated the potentiality of the newly synthesized compounds to have high binding affinity within CDK2 binding pocket. 3DQSAR pharmacophore, in-silico ADME/TOPKAT studies and drug-likeness showed proper pharmacokinetic properties and helped in structure requirements prediction. The obtained model and pattern of substitution could be used for further development of CDK2 inhibitors.

First report of Bipolaris sorokiniana leaf spot disease on watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in Florida.

Watermelon is an important crop in Florida, representing $88.2 million in cash receipts in 2015 (USDA/NASS 2017). In April and May 2021, the UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center in Gainesville, Florida received eight diseased watermelon leaf samples from Alachua, Gilcrest, Levy, and Suwannee counties in Florida. Lesions were round to oblong, light gray to tan with reddish brown margins and white to light gray center, and some were coalescing resulting in about 15% disease severity. Symptomatic leaf tissue (0.5 cm2) was surface sterilized in 0.6% sodium hypochlorite for one minute, rinsed with sterile tap water, plated onto water agar media plates, and incubated at 27°C under 12-h light/dark cycle for 7 days. Characteristic Bipolaris conidia with gray to black brownish cottony mycelial growth were consistently found growing from plated lesions. The pathogen was isolated from two of the eight samples using a 0.5 mm diameter sterile metal needle to transfer a single conidium onto DifcoTM Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates. Three isolates were designated G21-562 from Levy and G21-599a and G21-599b from Alachua County. All three isolates produced curved or straight, cylindrical, obclavate, distoseptate brownish gray conidia with 3 to 8 septa, mostly tapering towards ends with dark brownish to black hilum, that ranged from averaged 62um x 25um (n=30, SD=8 for length and 3 for width). Conidiophores were brownish, septate, smooth, and straight, single or in small groups, simple or branched, and swollen at the upper tip. Internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and partial glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) gene sequences were amplified using primers ITS1/ITS4 and GPD-1/GPD-2 (Berbee et al. 1999). Reference sequences (Adhikari et al. 2020 and Manamgoda et al. 2014) were aligned using MUSCLE and trimmed to consistent length. Using concatenated sequence alignments of both loci, a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed based on K2+G substitution model selected by BIC using Mega X (Kumar et al. 2018) with 1,000 bootstrap. The ITS and GPDG sequences of G21_599b, G21_599a and G21_562 (GenBank accessions OK614094 to 96, OP297398 to 400) showed 100% identity across 888 nucleotides across both loci to B. sorokiniana isolates CBS_110.14 and CBS_ 120.24 and were distinct from other reference isolates. To fulfill Koch's postulates, all three isolates were grown on PDA at 27°C and 12-h light/dark cycle. After a week, conidia were harvested in sterile water, and the conidial suspensions were adjusted to 105 conidia/ml using a hemocytometer. Each conidial suspension and Tween 20 water control was sprayed onto three seedlings of 'Sugar Baby' watermelon until runoff, and inoculated seedlings were sealed in a plastic bag for 24 hrs. The experiment was done in a greenhouse (20- 25°C) and repeated once. After a week of incubation, the same leaf lesion symptoms described above were observed on seedlings inoculated with conidia, whereas seedlings sprayed with the control were asymptomatic. Isolations from symptomatic tissue produced gray to black mycelia with conidia that were the same as described from field samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of leaf spot on watermelon caused by B. sorokiniana. B. sorokiniana is a common pathogen of grasses and agronomic crops (Farr and Rossman 2020). The extent to which this emerging disease of Florida watermelon may negatively impact production is unknown and should be the subject of future observation and research.

Replacing of sedentary behavior with physical activity and the risk of mortality in people with prediabetes and diabetes: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundSedentary behavior is prevalent among people with diabetes and is associated with unfavorable cardiometabolic health. However, there is limited evidence regarding the impact of replacing sedentary time (ST) with physical activity on mortality in people with prediabetes and diabetes. We prospectively examined the association between accelerometer-measured ST and mortality among people with prediabetes and diabetes after adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA). We further determined the effect of replacing ST with equal time of different types of physical activities on all-cause mortality.MethodsWe included 1242 adults with prediabetes and 1037 with diabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Restricted cubic splines were fitted to determine the dose–response association between ST and overall mortality. Isotemporal substitution modeling was used to explore the hazard ratio (HR) effects of ST replacement.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 14.1 years, 424 adults with prediabetes and 493 with diabetes died. Compared with the lowest tertile of ST, the multivariable-adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality in the highest tertile were 1.76 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.19, 2.60) for participants with prediabetes and 1.76 (1.17, 2.65) for those with diabetes. Additionally, a linear association between ST and all-cause mortality was observed in adults with prediabetes and diabetes, with HRs for each 60 min/day increment in ST of 1.19 (1.10, 1.30) and 1.25 (1.12, 1.40), respectively. Isotemporal substitution results indicated that individuals with prediabetes whose ST was replaced by 30 min of light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and MVPA had 9% and 40% lower all-cause mortality, respectively. In people with diabetes, replacing sedentary behavior with an equivalent time of LPA and MVPA was also associated with mortality risk reduction (HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.84, 0.95 for LPA; HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.49, 1.11 for MVPA).ConclusionsHigher ST was associated in a dose–response manner with an increased risk of premature mortality among adults with prediabetes and diabetes. Statistically replacing ST with LPA was potentially beneficial for health in this high-risk population.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Polynomial cryptographic optical steganography substitution model for the telehealth system with multimedia data

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Polynomial cryptographic optical steganography substitution model for the telehealth system with multimedia data

Sugar and low/no-calorie-sweetened beverage consumption and associations with body weight and waist circumference changes in five European cohort studies: the SWEET project

PurposeResults of prospective studies investigating associations between low/no-calorie sweeteners (LNCS) and body weight-related outcomes are inconclusive. We conducted dose–response and theoretical replacement individual patient data meta-analyses using harmonised prospective data to evaluate associations between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, low/no-calorie sweetened beverage (LNCB) consumption, and changes in body weight and waist circumference.MethodsIndividual participant data were obtained from five European studies, i.e., Lifelines Cohort Study, NQplus study, Alpha Omega Cohort, Predimed-Plus study, and Feel4diabetes study, including 82,719 adults aged 18–89 with follow-up between 1 and 9 years. Consumption of SSB and LNCB was assessed using food-frequency questionnaires. Multiple regression analyses adjusting for major confounders and including substitution models were conducted to quantify associations in individual cohorts; random-effects meta-analyses were performed to pool individual estimates.ResultsOverall, pooled results showed weak adverse associations between SSB consumption and changes in body weight (+ 0.02 kg/y, 95%CI 0.00; 0.04) and waist circumference (+ 0.03 cm/y, 95%CI 0.01; 0.05). LNCB consumption was associated with higher weight gain (+ 0.06 kg/y, 95%CI 0.04; 0.08) but not with waist circumference. No clear associations were observed for any theoretical replacements, i.e., LNCB or water for SSB or water for LNCB.ConclusionIn conclusion, this analysis of five European studies found a weak positive association between SSB consumption and weight and waist change, whilst LNCB consumption was associated with weight change only. Theoretical substitutions did not show any clear association. Thus, the benefit of LNCBs as an alternative to SSBs remains unclear.

Arterial stiffness and the reallocation of time between device-measured 24-hour movement behaviours: A compositional data analysis

Background and aimsArterial stiffness predicts cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We aimed to quantify the differences in arterial stiffness associated with reallocating time between 24-h movement behaviours. MethodsThis observational cross-sectional study included Luxembourg residents aged 25-79y who each provided ≥4 valid days of triaxial accelerometry (n = 1001). Covariable adjusted compositional isotemporal substitution models were used to examine if theoretical reallocations of time between device-measured sedentariness, the sleep period, light physical activity (PA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were associated with the percentage difference in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). We further investigated if replacing sedentary time accumulated in prolonged (≥30 min) with non-prolonged (<30 min) bouts was associated with arterial stiffness. The results are presented as 30 min time exchanges (β (95% confidence interval)). ResultsBeneficial associations with lower cfPWV were observed when reallocating time to MVPA from the sleep period (−1.38 (−2.63 to −0.12) %), sedentary time (−1.70 (−2.76 to −0.62) %), and light PA (−2.51 (−4.55 to −0.43) %), respectively. Larger associations in the opposite direction were observed when reallocating MVPA to the same behaviours (for example, replacing MVPA with sedentary time: 2.50 (0.85–4.18) %). Replacing prolonged with non-prolonged sedentary time was not associated with cfPWV (−0.27 (−0.86 to 0.32) %). In short sleepers, reallocating sedentary time to the sleep period was favourable (−1.96 (−3.74 to −0.15) %). ConclusionsIncreasing or at least maintaining MVPA appears to be important for arterial health in adults. Extending sleep in habitually short sleepers, specifically by redistributing sedentary time, may also be important.

Experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculation of the Cu–Cr–Ti ternary system

The phase equilibria of the Cu–Cr–Ti ternary system were investigated based on key experiments coupled with thermodynamic modeling. Eighteen ternary alloys were prepared to determine the isothermal sections of the Cu–Cr–Ti system at 600 and 800 °C by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). Seven three-phase regions have been determined. A ternary compound τ1 was confirmed. The solubilities of Cr in the Cu–Ti binary compounds and Cu in the Cr–Ti binary compounds were measured. The substitutional and sublattice models were used to describe the solution phases and intermediate phases, respectively. Based on the thermodynamic descriptions of three binary systems as well as the experimental phase equilibria data available from the literature and the present work, thermodynamic assessment of the Cu–Cr–Ti system was carried out using the CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) approach. A set of thermodynamic parameters was obtained and the isothermal sections and the liquidus projection of the Cu–Cr–Ti system were calculated. The calculated results agree well with the experimental data.

Embedding Sustainable Mathematics Higher Education in the Fourth Industrial Revolution Era Post-COVID-19: Exploring Technology-Based Teaching Methods

Higher Education Institutions have adopted technology-based teaching methods to prevent the spreading of the contagious coronavirus (COVID-19). In the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) era, technology-based teaching methods are indispensable for scaffolding teaching, learning and assessment. Mathematics is an important discipline in education, and provides a basis for problem solving, critical thinking and analytical skills, which is important to consider when focusing on sustainability. Thus, to add knowledge to the field about integrating technology-based teaching methods in mathematics, Higher Education environments during and post-COVID-19 need to be interrogated. This added knowledge is be valuable in the 4IR era post-COVID-19 for sustaining mathematics in Higher Education. This study explored participants’ experiences, views, implications and suggestions for technology-based teaching methods for mathematics. These participants (N = 45) were postgraduate students and mathematics school teachers at the research site in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The research location for this qualitative study was a South African Higher Education Institution, and the study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Community of Inquiry theoretical framework and the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition (SAMR) theoretical model guided this study. Participants were invited to two interactive online workshops. At these workshops, participants were introduced to different technology-based teaching methods. Then, they were invited to individual online interviews. The findings of this study suggest important experiences, views and suggestions for using technology-based teaching methods in Higher Education mathematics contexts in the 4IR era. These findings provide important implications and further research possibilities for embedding sustainable mathematics in Higher Education in the 4IR era, post-COVID-19.

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior are independently associated with renal function: a cross-sectional study.

Little is known about whether insufficient moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and longer sedentary behavior (SB) are independently associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and CKD, whether they interact with known risk factors for CKD, and the effect of replacing sedentary time with an equivalent duration of physical activity on kidney function. We examined the cross-sectional association of MVPA and SB with eGFR and CKD in 66,603 Japanese cohort study in 14 areas from 2004 to 2013. MVPA and SB were estimated using a self-reported questionnaire, and CKD was defined as eGFR<60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Multiple linear regression analyses, logistic regression analyses, and an isotemporal substitution model were applied. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher MVPA and longer SB were independently associated with higher eGFR (Pfor trend MVPA<0.0001) and lower eGFR (Pfor trend SB<0.0001), and a lower odds ratio (OR) of CKD (adjusted OR of MVPA≥20 MET·h/day: 0.76 [95%CI: 0.68-0.85] compared to MVPA<5 MET·h/day) and a higher OR of CKD (adjusted OR of SB≥16 h/day: 1.81 [95%CI: 1.52-2.15] compared to SB<7 h/day), respectively. The negative association between MVPA and CKD was stronger in men, and significant interactions between sex and MVPA were detected. Replacing 1 hour of SB with 1 hour of physical activity was associated with about 3 to 4% lower OR of CKD. These findings indicate that replacing SB with physical activity may benefit kidney function, especially in men, adding to the possible evidence on CKD prevention.

Substitutive models of press deflections for efficient numerical die cambering

Cost and time for stamping die tryouts are significant within the car industry. A major contributing factor is that elastic deflections of stamping dies and presses are usually not considered during the virtual die design and forming simulation phase. Active surfaces of stamping dies are only cambered based on previous experiences of tool types and stamping presses. However, almost all stamping dies and presses are unique, and available experiences are not valid for new sheet materials. This leads to component deviations and often several loops of tool adjustments are needed. Previously partners within the SMART Advanced Manufacturing research project CAMBER have developed advanced deflection measuring devices to quantify the elastic deformations of stamping presses. Using these measurements, cambering methodologies can be utilized in sheet metal forming simulations. In this paper numerical substitutive stamping press models are described which are capable of compensating for measured stamping press dynamics. The result show that a numerical compensated tool can improve the contact by over 80% compared to the corresponding contact without compensation.

Exchanging screen for non-screen sitting time or physical activity might attenuate depression and anxiety: A cross-sectional isotemporal analysis during early pandemics in South America.

To examine the theoretical substitutions of screen exposure, non-screen sitting time, moderate and vigorous physical activity with depressive and anxiety symptoms in South American adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic with data from 1981 adults from Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Participants also reported physical activity, sitting time, screen exposure, sociodemographic, and tobacco use data. Isotemporal substitution models were created using multivariable linear regression methods. Vigorous physical activity, moderate physical activity, and screen exposure were independently associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. In adjusted isotemporal substitution models, replacing 10 min/day of either screen exposure or non-screen sitting time with any intensity of physical activity was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Improvements in anxiety symptoms were found when reallocating either screen exposure or non-screen sitting time to moderate physical activity. Furthermore, replacing 10 min/day of screen exposure with non-screen sitting time was beneficially associated with anxiety (B = -0.033; 95 % CI = -0.059, -0.006) and depression (B = -0.026; 95 % CI = -0.050, -0.002). Replacement of screen exposure with any intensity of physical activity or non-screen sitting time could improve mental health symptoms. Strategies aiming to reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms highlight physical activity promotion. However, future interventions should explore specific sedentary behaviors as some will relate positively while others negatively.