Potential Technique Research Articles

Integrated approach for groundwater potential exploration in Abbay River Basin, East Africa

This paper presents and examines groundwater potential zones with the help of remote sensing and GIS methods for controlling and investigating the geospatial data of each parameter. Groundwater is a very important source for water supply and others, considering its availability, quality, cost, and time-effectiveness to develop. It is virtually everywhere and yet variable in quantity. Because of several conditions, such as rapid population growth, urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural development, groundwater sources are under severe threat. Climate change plays an important role in the quality and quantity of groundwater potential. In addition, climate change severely affects parameters that influence groundwater recharge. Unreliable exploitation and poor quality of surface water resources tend to increase the decline in groundwater levels. Hence, it is necessary to identify groundwater potential zones that can be used to optimize and monitor groundwater resources. This study was conducted in the Abbay River Basin and identifies the location of groundwater potential for developing new supplies that could be used for a range of purposes in the study area, where groundwater serves as the main source for agricultural purposes rather than surface water. Seven selected parameters—lineament density, precipitation, geology, drainage density, land use, slope, and soil data—were collected, processed, resampled, projected, and reclassified for hydrological analysis. For the generation of groundwater zones, weightage was calculated using an analytical hierarchy method, reclassified, ranked, and overlaid with GIS. The obtained results of weightage were lineament density (37%), precipitation (30%), geology (14%), drainage density (7%), land use land cover (5%), slope (4%), and soil (3%). The consistency ratio estimated for this study was 0.089, which was acceptable for further analysis. Based on the integration of all thematic layers and the generated groundwater potential zones, the map was reclassified into five different classes, namely very good, good, moderate, poor, and very poor. The results of this study reveal that 1295.33 km2 of the study area can be considered very poor, 58,913.1 km2 is poor, 131,323 km2 is moderate, 18,557 km2 is good, and 311.5 km2 is very good. Any groundwater management project performed in the better regions would offer the greatest value. A similar study would be valuable before planning any water resource development activity, as this would save the expense of comprehensive field investigations. This study also demonstrates the importance of remote sensing and GIS techniques in mapping groundwater potential at the basin scale and suggests that similar methods could be applied across other river basins.

Operational encoding enhances action knowledge integration: insights from event-related potential analysis.

In this study, we conducted an examination of knowledge integration concerning action information and assessed the impact of operational on this process. Additionally, we delved into the underlying mechanisms of how operational encoding influences the processing of knowledge integration of action information, utilizing the event-related potential technique. The results of our investigation revealed that operational encoding, encompassing the observed operational encoding and the imagined operational encoding, exhibited superior performance in the integration of action knowledge compared to verbal encoding. This distinction may be attributed to the greater efficiency of operant encoding in activating motor cortical areas, thereby inducing more robust brain activity. These findings suggest the potential advantages of operational encoding in facilitating the integration of knowledge related to movement information at both cognitive and neural levels, underscoring its significant role in the processing of such information. Future studies can further explore the applications of operational encoding in domains, such as motor learning, skill training, and rehabilitation therapy. Such investigations may offer novel insights into enhancing human behavior and motor control.

Measuring CSF shunt flow with MRI using flow enhancement of signal intensity (FENSI).

To develop and validate a noninvasive imaging technique for accurately assessing very slow CSF flow within shunt tubes in pediatric patients with hydrocephalus, aiming to identify obstructions that might impede CSF drainage. A simulation of shunt flow enhancement of signal intensity (shunt-FENSI) signal is used to establish the relationship between signal change and flow rate. The quantification of flow enhancement of signal intensity data involves normalization, curve fitting, and calibration to match simulated data. Additionally, a phase sweep method is introduced to accommodate the impact of magnetic field inhomogeneity on the flow measurement. The method is tested in flow phantoms, healthy adults, intensive care unit patients with external ventricular drains (EVD), and shunt patients. EVDs enable shunt-flow measurements to be acquired with a ground truth measure of CSF drainage. The flow-rate-to-signal simulation establishes signal-flow relationships and takes into account the T1 of draining fluid. The phase sweep method accurately accounts for phase accumulation due to frequency offsets at the shunt. Results in phantom and healthy human participants reveal reliable quantification of flow rates using controlled flows and agreement with the flow simulation. EVD patients display reliable measures of flow rates. Shunt patient results demonstrate feasibility of the method and consistent flow rates for functional shunts. The results demonstrate the technique's applicability, accuracy, and potential for diagnosing and noninvasively monitoring hydrocephalus. Limitations of the current approach include a high sensitivity to motion and strict requirement of imaging slice prescription.

HOW DOES VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION CHANGE THE OUTCOME FOR MOTHER AND CHILD?

Introduction: Pregnancy represents a period in which rapid bodily changes occur, which include a wide range of physiological interactions occurring in both the mother and the developing foetus. The role of vitamin D3 metabolism within pregnancy is an over-shadowed but very important aspect for the normal and healthy muscoskeletal development of the foetus and for the various alternative functions associated with vitamin D3 for the pregnant female. The purpose: To provide a detailed understanding ofhe current status of vitamin D3 and the role it has within pregnancy and to identify the efficacy and the wide range of effects that vitamin D3 has for both the mother and foetus. Materials and methods: We conducted a review of the available literature at PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct, which included observational studies, prospective and controlled trials, reports and guidelines for appropriate dosages of vitamin D3 to be used within pregnant females. Results and Discussion: Our review of the scientific literature showed evidence of the benefits of vitamin D3 within pregnant women and the effect, if any, on the numerous physiological processes taking place within both the mother and the foetus. We found data indicating that vitamin D3 can prove to be very important in preventingreeclampsia, gestational diabetes and congenital malformations of the foetus. Conclusion: The administration of vitamin D3 may be a potential technique to prevent complications to the mother and the developing foetus both during and after pregnancy, either solely or as a combined therapy.

A potential novel technique for measurement of pulp volume on periapical radiography: A pilot study.

Pulp volume can be assessed during dental treatment. Three-dimensional imaging techniques are not routinely used for this purpose because of high radiation doses. This study aimed to develop a novel method to measure pulp volume using periapical radiography. In this study, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was used as a reference method. Periapical radiography and CBCTs obtained from the same patients (n = 32) were recorded. Pulp volume was determined by observing the density differences between the pulp and peripheral structures using ImageJ. A method of graph and volume calculation was developed for each tooth. The Shapiro-Wilk test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to show normality and non-normal distributions. The Bland-Altman plot was used to show the scattering of the mean versus difference values of the measurements of the two methods used to calculate the pulp volume. Normality was evaluated using the Shapiro-Wilk test. CBCT measurements are normally distributed (p = 0.307), while ImageJ is not normally distributed (p = 0.027). Therefore, the mean difference between the two groups was analyzed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. There was a statistically significant difference between the CBCT and ImageJ measurements (p = 0.01). According to Spearman's correlation analysis, the results obtained from the novel method were moderately correlated with those obtained from the reference method (r = 0.444). The results of this study indicated that a novel method-based Java software can be used to calculate pulp volume using low-dose radiation containing periapical radiography.

Context Modulates Perceived Fairness in Altruistic Punishment: Neural Signatures from ERPs and EEG Oscillations.

Social norms and altruistic punitive behaviours are both based on the integration of information from multiple contexts. Individual behavioural performance can be altered by loss and gain contexts, which produce different mental states and subjective perceptions. In this study, we used event-related potential and time-frequency techniques to examine performance on a third-party punishment task and to explore the neural mechanisms underlying context-dependent differences in punishment decisions. The results indicated that individuals were more likely to reject unfairness in the context of loss (vs. gain) and to increase punishment as unfairness increased. In contrast, fairness appeared to cause an early increase in cognitive control signal enhancement, as indicated by the P2 amplitude and theta oscillations, and a later increase in emotional and motivational salience during decision-making in gain vs. loss contexts, as indicated by the medial frontal negativity and beta oscillations. In summary, individuals were more willing to sanction violations of social norms in the loss context than in the gain context and rejecting unfair losses induced more equity-related cognitive conflict than accepting unfair gains, highlighting the importance of context (i.e., gain vs. loss) in equity-related social decision-making processes.

Complicating the debate: Evaluating the potential of gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry for differentiating prehistoric aceramic tar production techniques

Birch bark tar was used extensively throughout human history. While later ceramic-based production technologies are known, prehistoric aceramic techniques leave little to no archaeological evidence. Experimental tar production attempts to fill this gap and suggest potential techniques. However, their archaeological relevance is unclear. Through an in-depth biomolecular analysis using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, this study attempts to differentiate tars produced using four experimental aceramic techniques: condensation, ash mound, pit roll, and raised structure. In doing so we publish the largest collection of GC-MS results of aceramic birch tars. The results show that pentacyclic triterpenoids, characteristic of birch bark, vary between the production techniques in relation to heating exposure and perhaps the tar collection method. This allows for a tentative identification of tars produced through the condensation and ash mound techniques, which were formed consistently using short periods of heating and collected systematically by scraping. In contrast, tars produced using the pit roll and raised structure techniques do not have consistent molecular signatures. Despite the partial success of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, the archaeological relevance is questioned because this technique is only applicable to samples from optimum lipid preservation conditions when a high number of pentacyclic triterpenoids are preserved. Therefore, using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry to determine the transformation methods of organics, like birch bark, may not be an appropriate standalone technique to fairly discuss the technological capabilities of past populations.

Deep neural networks optimization for resource-constrained environments: techniques and models

This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of advanced techniques and models with a specific focus on deep neural network (DNN) for resource-constrained environments (RCE). The paper contributes by highlighting the RCE devices, analyzing challenges, reviewing a broad range of optimization techniques and DNN models, and offering a comparative assessment. The findings provide potential optimization techniques and recommend a baseline model for future development. It encompasses a broad range of DNN optimization techniques, including network pruning, weight quantization, knowledge distillation, depthwise separable convolution, residual connections, factorization, dense connections, and compound scaling. Moreover, the review analyzes the established optimization models which utilizes the above optimization techniques. A comprehensive analysis is conducted for each technique and model, considering its specific attributes, usability, strengths, and limitations in the context of effective deployment in RCEs. The review also presents a comparative assessment of advanced DNN models’ deployment for image classification, employing key evaluation metrics such as accuracy and efficiency factors like memory and inference time. The article concludes with the finding that combining depthwise separable convolution, weight quantization, and pruning represents potential optimization techniques, while also recommending EfficientNetB1 as a baseline model for the future development of optimization models in RCE image classification.<p> </p>

Development of a Potential-Modulated Electrochemiluminescence Measurement System for Selective and Sensitive Determination of the Controlled Drug Codeine.

Codeine is a common analgesic drug that is a pro-drug of morphine. It also has a high risk of abuse as a recreational drug because of its extensive distribution as an OTC drug. Therefore, sensitive and selective screening methods for codeine are crucial in forensic analytical chemistry. To date, a commercial analytical kit has not been developed for dedicated codeine determination, and there is a need for an analytical method to quantify codeine in the field. In the present work, potential modulation was combined with electrochemiluminescence (ECL) for sensitive determination of codeine. The potential modulated technique involved applying a signal to electrodes by superimposing an AC potential on the DC potential. When tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) ([Ru(bpy)3]2+) was used as an ECL emitter, ECL activity was confirmed for codeine. A detailed investigation of the electrochemical reaction mechanism suggested a characteristic ECL reaction mechanism involving electrochemical oxidation of the opioid framework. Besides the usual ECL reaction derived from the amine framework, selective detection of codeine was possible under the measurement conditions, with clear luminescence observed in an acidic solution. The sensitivity of codeine detection by potential modulated-ECL was one order of magnitude higher than that obtained with the conventional potential sweep method. The proposed method was applied to codeine determination in actual prescription medications and OTC drug samples. Codeine was selectively determined from other compounds in medications and showed good linearity with a low detection limit (150 ng mL-1).

An Overview of Various Rifampicin Analogs against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and their Drug Interactions.

The success of the TB control program is hampered by the major issue of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). The situation has undoubtedly been made more difficult by the widespread and multidrug-resistant (XDR) strains of TB. The modification of existing anti-TB medications to produce derivatives that can function on resistant TB bacilli is one of the potential techniques to overcome drug resistance affordably and straightforwardly. In comparison to novel pharmaceuticals for drug research and progress, these may have a better half-life and greater bioavailability, be more efficient, and serve as inexpensive alternatives. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is drugsusceptible or drug-resistant, is effectively treated by several already prescribed medications and their derivatives. Due to this, the current review attempts to give a brief overview of the rifampicin derivatives that can overcome the parent drug's resistance and could, hence, act as useful substitutes. It has been found that one-third of the global population is affected by M. tuberculosis. The most common cause of infection-related death can range from latent TB to TB illness. Antibiotics in the rifamycin class, including rifampicin or rifampin (RIF), rifapentine (RPT), and others, have a special sterilizing effect on M. tuberculosis. We examine research focused on evaluating the safety, effectiveness, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, risk of medication interactions, and other characteristics of RIF analogs. Drug interactions are especially difficult with RIF because it must be taken every day for four months to treat latent TB infection. RIF continues to be the gold standard of treatment for drug-sensitive TB illness. RIF's safety profile is well known, and the two medicines' adverse reactions have varying degrees of frequency. The authorized once-weekly RPT regimen is insufficient, but greater dosages of either medication may reduce the amount of time needed to treat TB effectively.

An ERP investigation of electrocortical responses in pain empathy from childhood through adolescence into adulthood.

Only a few studies investigated the neurodevelopment of pain empathy. Here, the temporal dynamics of electrocortical processes in pain empathy during individual neurodevelopment from childhood through adolescence into adulthood, along with the moderation effect of top-down attention, were investigated using the event-related potential (ERP) technique. To investigate the role of top-down attention in empathy development, both A-P task and A-N task were conducted. In the A-P and A-N task, participants are instructed to judge whether the models in pictures were painful or non-painful and count the number of limbs in pictures, respectively. We found that compared to the adolescent and adult groups, the children group responded significantly worse, along with stronger neural responses in both tasks. Compared to the adolescent and adult groups, the differential amplitudes between painful and non-painful conditions of P2, N2 and P3 were significantly larger in the children group. Moreover, this P3 differential amplitude could only be modulated by age in the A-P task. These results suggest that the capacity to empathize has not yet attained complete development in these children. Significantly more attention resources were involuntarily attracted by the nociceptive cues in these children, which could also reflect the immaturity of empathy ability in these children.

Recent Advances on Scaffolds: A Comprehensive Review of Materials, Fabrication Techniques, and Applications

Scaffolds offer a three-dimensional framework supporting cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation of cells which are used to repair and regenerate tissues. Recent advancements in scaffold technology have significantly exploited the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This comprehensive review provides in-depth exploration of scaffold materials, fabrication techniques, and their recent progress in applications. Composite scaffolds have promising applications in bone and dental tissue regeneration due to their greater mechanical properties and ability to promote cell growth. The inherent crosslinking present in hydrogels allows them to maintain their integrity and three-dimensional structure without dissolving. However, there is a growing interest in smart hydrogels which can respond to changes in their external surroundings like pH, ionic strength, temperature, or specific molecules. dECM scaffold is an alternative potential technique for reconstructing the functional organs/tissues by excluding the cell-associated antigens while maintaining the native ECM compositions like growth factors, basement membrane structural proteins, and GAG’s. The degree of porosity in scaffolds can be increased by various fabrication techniques such as TIPS, SCPL, gas foaming, and freeze drying. GelMA hydrogels have shown promising potential in cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. In addition, graphene and its derivatives have been instrumental in the fabrication of bioactive scaffolds for cartilage regeneration. The introduction of additive manufacturing technologies, specifically 3D bioprinting, has significantly improved the precision and control of scaffold fabrication.

Effect of pin‐to‐plate atmospheric cold plasma on technological and nutritional functionality of horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) flour

AbstractAtmospheric cold plasma (CP), an acclaimed nonthermal technology, has gained popularity for its effective microbial inactivation in food materials, concurrently improving functional and nutritional aspects. Despite the nutraceutical benefits, horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) is underutilized in baking and confectionery due to presence of major antinutrients. Our aim is to leverage CP to enhance horse gram's properties, promoting its viability in these sectors. The present study investigates the effect of CP treatment with varying output voltage (10–30 kV) and exposure time (5–25 min) on horse gram flour's nutritional, functional, and antinutritional properties. Moreover, the molecular interactions, crystallinity, thermal stability, and morphological characteristics were analyzed. CP treatment doubled the nutritional properties of horse gram flour and amplified the functional attributes by 1.5 times as compared to untreated flour, but excessively higher voltage (30 kV) and time (15 and 25 min) declined them. Whereas the antinutritional components—tannin, saponin, and phytic acid—were reduced to 1.43 ± 0.01 μg TAE/g, 0.72 ± 0.01 mg diosgenin/g, and 5.26 ± 0.03 mg phytate/g, respectively, after CP treatment, enhancing digestibility of the flour up to 75%. Principal component analysis illuminated the intricate relationship between CP treatment and flour attributes. Both low voltage (10 kV) with moderate exposure (15 and 25 min) and high voltage (30 kV) with shorter duration (5 min) exhibited favorable correlations with physiochemical, bioactive, and functional properties. Conversely, high voltage with prolonged exposure displayed a notable negative correlation with antinutritional properties, structural, and thermal characteristics, revealing the nuanced impact of treatment conditions on the quality of flour. Overall, CP can be recognized as a potential novel technique for the techno‐functional reformation of underutilized food materials.Practical applicationsThe horse gram is one of the underutilized crops rather than being a huge source of health and nutritional benefits. On the other hand, cold plasma is a novel technique in food processing which can be used for improvement of structural and functional properties of food products. That is why the purpose of the study not only was to enlighten the nutritional composition of the horse gram flour but also to improvise its techno functional qualities using cold plasma. However, the presence of the antinutrients in the horse gram flour acts as constraints for digestibility. The application of cold plasma on horse gram flour reduced the antinutrients present in it as well as improved the physiochemical and nutritional characteristics significantly. Moreover, the structural characteristics of the flour were affected by cold plasma which increased its stability for longer shelf life. Furthermore, the functionality of the flour was enhanced which showed an opportunity the better dough characteristic, emulsifying properties. These findings would help the usage of the horse gram flour as food ingredients in various bakery and confectionary food applications.

An EPR study of the cognitive processes underlying the impact of self-relevant information on emotional word processing

Using the event-related potentials (ERPs) technique, this study successively presented names (in either a supra- or subthreshold manner) and emotional words to examine how self-relevant cue (self-name) affects emotional word processing in word class judgment task (to determine whether an emotional word is a noun or adjective) and valence judgment task (to determine whether an emotional word is positive or negative). At the suprathreshold condition, self-relevant positive words elicited a more significant Early posterior negativity (EPN) than negative words only in the valence judgment task. In contrast, at the subthreshold condition, self-relevant negative words elicited an enhanced Late positive potential (LPP) than positive words only in the word class judgment task. These results indicate that self-relevant cue affects emotional word processing at both suprathreshold and subthreshold conditions; nevertheless, the effect manifests as self-positive bias at the suprathreshold condition and self-negative bias at the subthreshold condition. The experimental task modulates these dynamics.

Stereomicroscopy – A Potential Technique for Forensic Dental Profiling

Abstract “Forensic odontology” is concerned with the proper handling, inspection, and assessment of dental evidence as well as the correct analysis and representation of dental findings. An odontologist is regularly called upon to help identify unknown human remains and dental evidence recovered from crime scenes and disasters. Dental profiling is the study of teeth and their surrounding structures with the goal of determining a victim’s identity. One can estimate an individual’s age, gender, and ethnicity using dental profiling. It can also be used to determine dental anthropological features such as personal habits, diet, nutritional deficiencies, oral health, and social class. Dental profiling can be done in a number of ways by either invasive or noninvasive methods. By studying and examining solid samples with complicated surface topography for macro features, stereomicroscopy is one of the ways that might be useful in it. Such a technique could be useful for both invasive and noninvasive dental profiling approaches. Stereomicroscopy refers to a microscopic technique that can be used for stereoscopic viewing or three-dimensional imaging with depth and contrast perception; it is essential for interpreting specimen structure. A stereomicroscope or dissecting microscope is a device used to observe a sample at a low magnification utilizing light reflected off the object’s surface rather than transmitted through it. This paper provides an overview of the stereomicroscope’s usage, applications, and benefits in microscopic forensic dental profiling.

Bubbling triggered crystallization of xylitol phase change material for controllable heat retrieval: The subcooling effect

Towards long-term seasonal latent heat storage, the PCMs with strong supercooling are recommended as the heat storage medium. Nevertheless, the suitable techniques activating latent heat release is also of significance in the period of heat supply. The present work investigated the N2 bubbling triggered crystallization of supercooled xylitol. Special attention was paid to the subcooling effect. The N2 bubbling was identified to be a potential technique to trigger crystallization of xylitol at moderate degrees of subcooling. It was found that efficient crystallization issues were obtained with degrees of subcooling from 40 °C to 60 °C, while uncrystallization was obtained with both lower and higher subcooling. The recorded temperature history curves show that subcooling effect has strong influence on the crystallization behavior. The crystallization points tend to decline from 51.9 °C to 42.3 °C with degree of subcooling rising from 40 °C to 50 °C. The crystallization durations extend with subcooling effect enhancing. Fortunately, bubbling technique has slight influence on the properties of formed xylitol crystals. Moreover, the subcooling significantly influences the transportation behavior of bubbles. Particularly, The specific growth rates of bubbles are determined to be as low as 0.005 mm/min with the lowest degree of subcooling 10 °C, and continue to rise over 20 times when the subcooling reaches to 60 °C. The interfaces of bubbles as potential nucleation sites were deemed to be one of the important issues to activate heterogeneous nucleation, thus trigger crystallization. The present investigation is helpful to understand the fundamentals of bubbling effect on crystallization with broad range of subcooling.

Gender differences in pedestrian hazard perception: evidence from an event-related potential study.

Gender differences in pedestrian hazard perception were investigated using the event-related potential technique. The study utilized images of two types of real traffic situations as test materials: hazard situations and nonhazard situations. The presence of hazards in the displayed situations was determined by 30 adult subjects (including 17 females), who indicated their observations by pressing a button. The results revealed that females exhibited a shorter N1 latency in hazard situations, while males exhibited a larger P3 amplitude compared to females. These results indicate that females are more sensitive to hazard situations during the early visual processing stage, while males give more attention to traffic situations during the late attention allocation stage.

Perceived Obstacles in Land Use Change for Hybrid Sweetgum Plantations: Landowner Opinions from the South Central United States

Abstract Hybrid sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua × L. formosana) has received considerable attention as a potential feedstock for traditional and nontraditional forest-based enterprises due to its fast growth and large specific gravity. However, the perceptions of landowners are important to understand the degree of acceptance concerning land use change to consider this opportunity in the United States. We administered a survey instrument to three thousand landowners representing the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas where hybrid sweetgum plantations would be feasible. A seemingly unrelated regression analysis was used to explore the attributes that may influence the environmental and economic obstacles in land use change for hybrid sweetgum plantations. Study results suggest that landowners who perceived higher importance of marketing aspects of hybrid sweetgum expressed greater economic concerns for land use change. In contrast, those having higher planted pine acres had higher environmental concerns about land use change. Female landowners were more concerned than their male counterparts. Landowners need access to accurate information from their trusted sources to make informed management decisions, especially when making decisions to adopt new opportunities such as hybrid sweetgum. Study Implications: Study results reveal the need for outreach to landowners in the south central United States, as many were not aware of fast-growing hardwood species such as hybrid sweetgum. Information on growth potential, economics, and management techniques can help facilitate the adoption of hybrid sweetgum. Field visits and peer-to-peer learning facilitated by early adopters can be effective strategies for outreach.

Revisiting classical concepts of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics - Part II: Stretching finite strips weakened by single edge parabolically-shaped notches

This is the second part of a short three-paper series, aiming to revisit some classical concepts of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics. Being the intermediate step of the analysis between infinite domains (discussed in Part-I) and finite bodies (that will be discussed analytically in the third part of the series), the present part offers an alternative theoretical approach for the confrontation of problems dealing with both infinite and finite bodies with geometrical discontinuities. The method is here applied to a stretched, single-edge notched strip. Assuming that the strip is made of a linearly elastic and isotropic material, the complex potentials technique is used. The solution is achieved by extending Mushkelishvili’s procedure, for the confrontation of the prob­lem of an infinite perforated plane. Closed form, full-field formulae are obtained for the stresses all over the notched strip. Using these formulae, the stress concentration factor at the base (tip) of the notch is quantified and studied in terms of the geometrical features of the notch and its dimensions relatively to the respective ones of the strip. The stress distributions plotted along characteristic loci, resemble closely, from a qualitative point of view, the respective ones provided by well-established analytical solutions. Preliminary numerical analyses in progress provide results in very good agreement with those of the present analysis.

Effects of anthropomorphic design on comprehension of self-monitoring test results: Integrating evidence of eye-tracking and event-related potential

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of anthropomorphism design on individuals’ comprehension of self-monitoring test results. In addition, we employed eye-tracking and event-related potential techniques to explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and MethodsA within-group design was employed with presentation format (black-and-white neutral design, black-and-white anthropomorphic design, and colored anthropomorphic design) as independent variable. A total of 30 graduate students participated in an experiment in which they were instructed to perform a series of health data interpretation tasks. ResultsColored anthropomorphism yielded significantly shorter task completion time, shorter fixation duration, fewer fixations, and smaller pupil size than the other two presentation formats. Moreover, black-and-white anthropomorphism design elicited increased N1 amplitudes in frontal area compared with the other two designs; colored anthropomorphic design evoked larger amplitude of P3 than the other two designs. ConclusionsColored anthropomorphic design is found to be an effective approach in facilitating consumers’ understanding of quantitative health information. Moreover, the present study demonstrated the feasibility of using eye-tracking and neuroergonomics tools in evaluating interface design in a healthcare setting.