Tracing Method Research Articles

Programming knowledge tracing based on heterogeneous graph representation

Existing programming knowledge tracing methods have not deeply explored the relationships between knowledge concepts and programming questions or students’ codes, which leads to insufficient representation of programming questions and students’ codes and insufficient tracing of students’ knowledge states. To address these problems, this study proposes a programming knowledge tracing method based on a heterogeneous graph representation. We constructed a heterogeneous graph, where nodes represent the knowledge concept, programming question, and student code, and edges represent the relationships among knowledge concepts, programming questions, and student code. Subsequently, we leverage a graph structure learning algorithm to exploit the potential connections among them, aiming to enhance the graph structure information. Based on the graph, we further fully integrated the knowledge concept information into the representations of programming questions and student codes through the graph convolutional representation learning algorithm. Moreover, an attention mechanism is utilized to compute the effect of programming questions and student codes on the knowledge state and update the student's knowledge state in conjunction with the corresponding answer results. Furthermore, the proposed method provides an assessment of the mastery level for each knowledge concept rather than only assessing each question using traditional methods. Experiments on two datasets, CodeWorkout and CodeNet, show that the proposed method achieves an average improvement of 4.28% in ACC and 6.48% in AUC compared with the baseline models, validating the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Critical review on source tracing method based on heavy metals in soil: key parameters, data processing and environmental geochemical information extraction

<p>Heavy metals have significant environmental impacts on human health and ecosystems. Appropriate remediation measures can be developed based on the source characteristics of heavy metals. So tracking the source of heavy metal pollution has become a prerequisite for assessing its potential pollution pathways and environmental risks. The stable isotope ratio method is currently widely used for tracing heavy metals. This article focuses on the application of Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn, and Sr stable isotope techniques in environmental heavy metal tracing. The key parameters, data processing and environmental geochemical information extraction methods of heavy metals in soil are also discussed. Finally, based on the current research status and progress, the source identification of heavy metals in soil is prospected.</p>

Efficiency and feasibility of semi-automated software for measuring left atrial volume in routine echocardiography in a pediatric population.

The traditional method for measuring left atrial volume (LAV) involves manual tracing. Recently, semi-automated techniques for measuring LAV, based on 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) and 3D echocardiography (3DE), have become commercially available. This study aimed to investigate the efficiency and feasibility of these semi-automated software methods for LAV measurement in pediatric patients. We analyzed 207 pediatric patients with 2D and 3D echocardiographic images of the left atrium. The maximum LAV was measured using three techniques: (1) manual tracing, (2) STE-based semi-automated measurement, and (3) 3DE-based semi-automated measurement. We compared both LAV and the time required for LAV measurement among these three techniques. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility of the LAV measurements was assessed using the intraclass correlation (ICC). There was no difference in the LAV between the manual tracing and the STE-based method, but the LAV measured by 3DE-based method was slightly smaller than manual tracing. The measurement time was 32.6 ± 3.5, 53.8 ± 10.8, and 33.8 ± 13.0s for manual tracing, STE-based, and 3DE-based techniques, respectively. There was no difference the time for LAV measurement between the manual tracing and the 3D-based technique. The agreement and ICC for intra-observer reproducibility was similar across all three techniques, but inter-observer reproducibility was superior with the 3DE-based technique. Although the maximum LAV obtained through the 3DE-based techniques was slightly smaller compared with the traditional manual tracing method, the 3DE-based technique is anticipated to be integrated into routine examinations owing to its short measurement time and superior reproducibility.

Enhancing optical and thermohydraulic performance of linear Fresnel collectors with receiver tube enhancers: A numerical study

Linear Fresnel collector system is a type of solar thermal utilization installation. It is mainly used to focus solar radiation on the receiver tube to generate high temperature thermal energy which can be applied in many aspects. This study investigates five different types of receiver tube models using water as the flowing medium, which leads to improving heat transfer performance by means of being equipped with enhancers. The optical results and thermohydraulic performance of the Linear Fresnel collector system are evaluated through Monte Carlo Ray Tracing and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation methods. The obtained optical results reveal that the distribution of energy flux density concentrating on the receiver tube surpasses that of the parabolic trough collector system. In order to maintain an energy reception rate of 90.0% or higher, the installation height range of the receiver tube should be between 1468–1532 mm. When the sun-tracking error increases from 0.0° to 1.0°, the overall optical efficiency of the Linear Fresnel collector system decreases from 98.9% to 79.7%. The thermohydraulic performance shows that the enhancers can generate a swirling flow as its main feature, which effectively promotes the homogenization of the temperature field and destroys the boundary layer near the receiver tube wall, thus greatly improving the convective heat transfer in the receiver tube. However, the introduction of the enhancers also means that the pressure drop loss of the receiver tube increases. Furthermore, the impact of the Kenics mixer's enhancer on heat transfer and flow characteristics is further amplified as the rotation rate decreases, owing to its alternating and complex structure. Through a comparative analysis of the influence of different receiver tube models on Nusselt number (Nu), Frictional resistance coefficient (f) and comprehensive evaluation criterion (PEC) under four rotation rate conditions (y = 6.3, 8.1, 11.34, 18.9), the conclusions present that the receiver tube with an enhancer at a low rotation rate has a larger Nu than that at a high rotation rate, while the Frictional resistance coefficient changes little at different rotation rates. Therefore, the PEC is higher when the receiver tube is equipped with a low-rotation-rate enhancer. Moreover, the receiver tube equipped with a Kenics mixer at a rotation rate of 6.3 was found to be the overall optimum case, with the PEC value varying from 1.47 to 1.73.

Exploring Release, Isomerization, and Absorption of Cypermethrin in Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas) with Different Processing Methods during In Vivo Digestion: Insights from a Gastrointestinal Tract Quantitative Tracing Method.

Cypermethrin (CP) is a neurotoxic insecticide found accumulated in oysters, one of the most commonly consumed seafoods, posing potential health risks to the human body. We designed a gastrointestinal tracing method allowing for accurate quantification of the propulsion of chyme and further established the mouse in vivo digestion model to explore the behavior of CP in the digestion of raw, steamed, and roasted oysters. The results showed that bioaccumulation of CP in oysters may be accompanied by the biotransformation of CP. Thermal processing decreased both the CP content in oysters and its bioaccessibility. The small intestine is the main site for CP digestion and absorption. The cis-isomers of CP might finally accumulate in the body at a higher ratio and further become the predominant configuration for toxic effects. Taken together, the study contributes to the risk assessment of the dietary exposure of CP from aquatic products.

Radiant fluence from ray tracing in optical multipass systems

Optical multipass cells are used in photochemical reactors and laser excitation of weak transitions. In these applications, estimation of the radiation dose in a volume of interest allows us to assess the performance and optimize the design of the cell. We adopt radiant fluence as the figure of merit and employ the radiative transfer equation to derive analytical expressions for average radiant fluence in a given volume of interest. These expressions involve quantities that are either obtained with Monte Carlo ray tracing methods or approximated on the grounds of geometry arguments. Furthermore, we compute the spatial distribution of fluence by applying either of the two methods to individual volume elements in a rectangular voxel grid. Ray tracing is performed with Zemax OpticsStudio 18.9.

Particle-based modelling of laser powder bed fusion of metals with emphasis on the melting mode transition

The laser-beam powder bed fusion process for metals, commonly abbreviated as PBF-LB/M, is a widely used process for the additive manufacturing of parts. Numerical simulations are useful to identify optimal process parameters for different materials and to obtain detailed insights into process dynamics. The present work uses a single-phase incompressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) scheme to model PBF-LB/M which was found to reduce the required computational time and significantly stabilize the partially violent flow in the melt pool in comparison to a weakly compressible SPH approach. The laser-material interaction is realistically modelled by means of a ray tracing method. An approach to model the effective thermal coductivity of the powder bed is proposed. Excellent agreement between the simulation results and experimental X-ray analyses of the transition from conduction melting mode to keyhole mode including geometric properties of the vapor depression zone was found. These results prove the usability of SPH as a high precision simulation tool for PBF-LB/M.Graphic abstract

Integrating Ray Tracing with Single-Objective Optimization in Heliostat Field Design

Tower solar thermal power generation is a new type of low-carbon and environmentally friendly clean energy technology. Through continuous optimization of the optical efficiency of mirror field and other key technologies, the energy utilization efficiency and economic benefits of solar thermal power stations can be improved, and contribute to the sustainable development of clean energy. This paper establishes a geometric model based on the light tracing method to solve the daily average, average annual optical efficiency, thermal output power, and average optical efficiency of the heliostatic field. The cosine efficiency is the cosine of the incident light and the normal angle, which is the cosine of the incidence angle; the atmospheric transmission is only related to the distance between the mirror center and the collector center; the mirror reflection constant is 0.92. The shadow occlusion efficiency and the truncation efficiency of the collector are the difficulties in the process of calculating the optical efficiency: for the calculation of the shadow occlusion efficiency, the Monte Carlo light tracing method is adopted. Based on the energy density of the helioscope, the occlusion efficiency of the shadow can be expressed as the ratio between the amount of the outgoing light to the total generated amount; for the calculation of the collector truncation efficiency, it links the reflected light with the surface equation of the collector. According to the joint results, if there is a solution, it means that the reflected light can be reflected in the collector, and the collector truncation efficiency can represent the ratio of the number of lights reflected in the collector to the number of unblocked lights in all the reflected lines. Finally, the average annual optical efficiency and output power parameters are respectively: 0.6093, 0.7431, 0.9283, 0.9828, 35. 4430MW, 0.5642kW/m². Results for the remaining months are shown in the main text.

Enhancement of ionospheric heating effect by chemical release

The ionosphere can be artificially modified by employing ground-based high-power high-frequency electromagnetic waves to irradiate the ionosphere. This modification is achieved through the nonlinear interaction between the electromagnetic waves and the ionospheric plasma, leading to changes in the physical properties and structure of the ionosphere. The degree of artificial modification of the ionosphere is closely related to the heating energy density of high-frequency pump waves. Due to the high density of neutral constituents in the lower ionosphere and the high frequency of electron-neutral collisions, the energy of heating pump waves will be absorbed and attenuated during the penetration of the low ionosphere, seriously affecting the heating effect. This paper proposes a method to reduce the absorption of ionospheric heating pump waves by releasing electron attachment chemicals into low ionosphere to form a large-scale electron density hole. A model for mitigating pump waves absorption based on SF6 release is established, and the absorption at different frequencies is quantitatively calculated. The propagation characteristics of high-frequency signals in ionospheric holes are studied using a three-dimensional ray tracing method, and the results demonstrate that the chemical release method not only reduces the absorption attenuation of heating pump waves but also forms spherical electron density holes, which exhibit a focusing effect on the heating beam and enhance the heating effect. The results are of great significance for understanding the nonlinear interaction between electromagnetic wave and ionospheric plasma and improving the ionospheric heating efficiency.

Using a combination of δ13CDIC-DOC-difference in dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, δ2H, and δ18O to localize leachate leaks at landfill sites in China

The investigation of leachate leakage at numerous landfill sites is urgently needed. This study presents an exploration of environmental tracing methods using δ2H and δ13C-difference in dissolved carbon (δ13CDIC-DOC) to localize leachate leak points at landfill sites. δ2H, δ13CDIC, δ13CDOC, δ18O, and an array of physicochemical indices (e.g., total dissolved solids, temperature, and oxidation reduction potential) were monitored in both leachate and groundwater from different zones of a landfill site in China during the year of 2021–2023. Moreover, data for these parameters (i.e., the isotopic composition and physicochemical indices) from twelve published landfill cases were also collected, and these groundwater/leachate data points were located within 1 km away from the landfill boundary. Then statistical analyses, such as Pearson correlation analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA), were performed using both the detected and collected parameters at landfill sites. Consequently, the intensity of interaction between leachate and background groundwater was found to significantly control the isotopic fractionation features of hydrogen and carbon, and both the content of major contamination indicators (total dissolved solids, chemical oxygen demand, and ammoniacal nitrogen) and the oxidation reduction potential were the key impact factors. Accordingly, the water type used to indicate leachate leakage points was determined to be leachate that significantly interacted with the background groundwater or precipitation (LBGP). δ2H showed a perfect linear correlation (0.81 ≤ r2 < 1.0) with δ13CDIC-DOC in leachate under highly anaerobic landfill conditions, and the δ2H &δ13CDIC-DOC combinations in the LBGP were significantly different from those in the other water types. For groundwater with total dissolved solids lower than 1400 mg/L at landfill sites, a strong positive linear correlation (r = 0.83) was revealed between δ13CDIC and δ13CDOC. Based on these insights, δ2H versus δ13CDIC-DOC plots and RDA using δ2H and δ13CDIC-DOC as response variables were proposed to localize leak points at both lined landfills and leachate facilities. These findings further understanding of the isotopic fractionation features of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen and provide novel environmental tracer methods for investigating leachate leak points at MSW landfill sites.

Ray Tracing for Jupiter's Icy Moon Ionospheric Occultation of Jovian Auroral Radio Sources

AbstractThe ionospheres of Jupiter's icy moons have been observed by in situ plasma measurements and radio science. However, their spatial structures have not yet been fully characterized. To address this, we developed a new ray tracing method for modeling the radio occultation of the ionospheres using Jovian auroral radio sources. Applying our method to Jovian auroral radio observations with the Galileo spacecraft, we derived the electron density of the ionosphere of Ganymede and Callisto. For Ganymede's ionosphere, we found that the maximum electron density on the surface was 76.5–288.5 cm−3 in the open magnetic field line regions and 5.0–20.5 cm−3 in the closed magnetic field line region during the Galileo Ganymede 01 flyby. The difference in the electron density distribution was correlated with the accessibility of Jovian magnetospheric plasma to the atmosphere and surface of the moons. These results indicated that electron‐impact ionization of the Ganymede exosphere and sputtering of the surface water ice were effective for the producing Ganymede's ionosphere. For Callisto's ionosphere, we found that the densities were approximately 350 and 12.5 cm−3 on the night side hemisphere during Callisto 09 and 30 flybys, respectively. These results combined with previous observations indicated that atmospheric production through sublimation controlled the ionospheric density of Callisto. This method is also applicable to upcoming Jovian radio observation data from the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer, JUICE.

Integrated electronic system for FET biosensor assessment based on current-voltage curve tracing

Field-effect transistor (FET) biosensors are pivotal in diverse applications, from environmental monitoring to healthcare diagnostics. Current-voltage (I-V) curve tracing is a powerful method for evaluating FET biosensor behavior, enabling comprehensive analysis of their FET biosensor characteristics. Traditional I-V curve tracing methods often require complex and expensive equipment, limiting their accessibility and practicality for routine sensor assessment. This study aims to develop and demonstrate an integrated electronic system for assessing FET biosensors using I-V curve tracing. The integrated electronic system uses readily available components, including microcontrollers, analog circuitry, and user-friendly software. We developed a compact, low-cost device that generates I-V curves for the FET biosensor. The integrated electronic system successfully generated I-V curves for various FET biosensors. The system demonstrated consistent, reliable performance, portability, and ease of use, making it a practical solution for routine sensor assessment. The average error in measurements using bipolar junction transistors (BJT) and metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) results in 2.62%, and measurements at different pH levels have a sensitivity of 21.6 mV/pH and a linearity of 0.9892. This innovation contributes to the advancement of FET biosensor technology. In the future, the developments should focus on ensuring their accuracy and reliability in various sensor fields.

18‐1: A Super‐fast and Precise Moiré Pattern Simulation Algorithm for Improving Antenna‐on‐Display Moiré Effect

This study introduces a super‐fast and precise simulation algorithm capable of generating human‐visible moiré patterns, taking into account real structures with diverse patterns. The simulation of entire area of a mobile phone screen can be completed in less than 10 minutes, demonstrating a remarkable efficiency improvement of approximately 1200‐fold compared to traditional ray tracing method. The improvement comes from that we use a simplified method of calculating geometric areas instead of the first‐principles approach used in ray tracing. Based on the proposed algorithm, the moiré patterns ofAoD are optimized and the display quality is guaranteed.

Laser-plasma accelerated proton beam transport system using high-field pulsed solenoid magnet

An energetic proton beam with a high divergence cone angle of ∼10°, generated by the interaction of a 25 fs, 800 nm Ti: Sapphire laser pulse with a thin metal foil target, was transported and focused at a specified distance from the source. A pulsed high-voltage solenoid, which generates a magnetic field of 5.7 T at a current of 8 kA, was developed in-house for this purpose. The profile of the proton beam was monitored online at various positions using a combination of a fast thin plastic scintillator and a CCD camera. The effect of solenoid misalignment on the focused proton beam was also investigated experimentally. In addition, the proton beam was transported out of the vacuum chamber into the ambient air for radiography application. A proton flux of ∼2 × 108 protons (energy >4 MeV) was transported and focused at a distance of 1.27 m from the target with a transmission efficiency of 30 % in a single shot. Detailed simulations incorporating particle tracing and transfer matrix method were performed to highlight the role of beam chromaticity and the impact of spherical harmonics on the focusing characteristics of the solenoid. The simulation results qualitatively reproduce the experimental observations. The solenoid provides energy-selective proton focusing for a broad energy proton beam. The proton beam was used for the radiography of reference meshes and has the potential to be used for radiobiological irradiation studies.

Reliability of Ultrasound Measurements of the Median Nerve in Asymptomatic Subjects Using a Handheld Device.

This study investigated the reliability of measuring the median nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) at the carpal tunnel inlet using a handheld ultrasound device (HUD) compared to a standard ultrasound system, focusing on intra- and inter-operator reproducibility among novice and expert operators. Employing a prospective cross-sectional design, 37 asymptomatic adults were assessed using both devices, with measurements taken by an expert with over five years of experience and a novice with less than six months. The CSA was determined using manual tracing and ellipse methods, with reproducibility evaluated through intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and agreement assessed via Bland-Altman plots. Results showed a high degree of agreement between the devices, with excellent intra-operator reproducibility (ICC > 0.80) for the expert, and moderate reproducibility for the novice (ICCs ranging from 0.539 to 0.841). Inter-operator reliability was generally moderate, indicating acceptable consistency across different experience levels. The study concludes that HUDs are comparable to standard ultrasound systems for assessing median nerve CSA in asymptomatic subjects, with both devices providing reliable measurements. This supports the use of HUDs in diverse clinical environments, particularly where access to traditional ultrasound is limited. Further research with a larger sample and symptomatic patients is recommended to validate these findings.

Generalized transport characterizations for short oceanic internal waves in a sea of long waves

Wave turbulence provides a conceptual framework for weakly nonlinear interactions in dispersive media. Dating from five decades ago, applications of wave turbulence theory to oceanic internal waves assigned a leading-order role to interactions characterized by a near equivalence between the group velocity of high-frequency internal waves with the phase velocity of near-inertial waves. This scale-separated interaction leads to a Fokker–Planck (generalized diffusion) equation. More recently, starting four decades ago, this scale-separated paradigm has been investigated using ray tracing methods. These ray methods characterize spectral transport of energy by counting the amplitude and net velocity of wave packets in phase space past a high-wavenumber gate prior to ‘breaking’. This explicitly advective characterization is based on an intuitive assignment and lacks theoretical underpinning. When one takes an estimate of the net spectral drift from the wave turbulence derivation and makes the corresponding assessment, one obtains a prediction of spectral transport that is an order of magnitude larger than either observations or reported ray tracing estimates. Motivated by this contradiction, we report two parallel derivations for transport equations describing the refraction of high-frequency internal waves in a sea of random inertial waves. The first uses standard wave turbulence techniques and the second is an ensemble-averaged packet transport equation characterized by the dispersion of wave packets about a mean drift in the spectral domain. The ensemble-averaged transport equation for ray tracing differs in that it contains the intuitively motivated advective term. We conclude that the aforementioned contradiction between theory, numerics and observations needs to be taken at face value and present a pathway for resolving this contradiction.

Comparative Evaluation of Digital Cephalometric Tracing Applications on Mobile Devices and Manual Tracing.

BACKGROUND Cephalometric radiography evaluates facial skeleton development and aids in diagnosis and treatment phases (pre and post) in orthodontics. This study aimed to compare digital cephalometric tracing using a smartphone application (App), a tablet-based platform, and manual tracing in 30 orthodontic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty orthodontic pretreatment, criteria based, lateral cephalometric radiographs were analyzed/grouped for Steiner analysis parameters (5 skeletal, 3 dentals, 1 soft tissue) by 3 tracing methods [manual - group (Gp M), smartphone (Android - OS9) - Gp S, tablet (Apple - IOS13) - Gp T) after mandatory standardization/calibration. Measurements include 5 angular (SNA, SNB, ANB, SNMPA, SNOP), 3 linear U1NA, L1NB, U1L1, and 1 soft tissue (S line) (millimeters and degrees). Inter-examiner rating was determined using Dahlberg's test. After normality distribution testing (Shapiro-Wilk), data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for group differences. Homogeneity of variance was verified using the Levene test. Differences were determined on probability value of (p≤0.05). RESULTS The results showed that Steiner's analysis parameters were similar in all groups with homogenous variances. Highest differences in mean values were found for L1NB, U1L1, and S line measurement, with higher values being observed in Gp S tracings. However, these differences were not statistically significant (p≤0.05). All parameters, irrespective of being measured in either degrees or millimeters, had means comparable to each other. CONCLUSIONS Smartphone and tablet-based applications produced tracings that were comparable and reliable when compared to conventional manual tracings. Standardization of images, processing, printing, and calibration of devices is important to achieve good results.

Stress in autism (STREAM): A study protocol on the role of circadian activity, sleep quality and sensory reactivity.

Mental health issues are markedly increased in individuals with autism, making it the number one research priority by stakeholders. There is a crucial need to use personalized approaches to understand the underpinnings of mental illness in autism and consequently, to address individual needs. Based on the risk factors identified in typical mental research, we propose the following themes central to mental health issues in autism: sleep difficulties and stress. Indeed, the prevalence of manifold circadian disruptions and sleep difficulties in autism, alongside stress related to sensory overload, forms an integral part of autistic symptomatology. This proof-of-concept study protocol outlines an innovative, individualised approach towards investigating the interrelationships between stress indices, sleep and circadian activation patterns, and sensory sensitivity in autism. Embracing an individualized methodology, we aim to collect 14 days of data per participant from 20 individuals with autism diagnoses and 20 without. Participants' sleep will be monitored using wearable EEG headbands and a sleep diary. Diurnal tracking of heart rate and electrodermal activity through wearables will serve as proxies of stress. Those objective data will be synchronized with subjective experience traces collected throughout the day using the Temporal Experience Tracing (TET) method. TET facilitates the quantification of relevant aspects of individual experience states, such as stress or sensory sensitivities, by providing a continuous multidimensional description of subjective experiences. Capturing the dynamics of subjective experiences phase-locked to neural and physiological proxies both between and within individuals, this approach has the potential to contribute to our understanding of critical issues in autism, including sleep problems, sensory reactivity and stress. The planned strives to provide a pathway towards developing a more nuanced and individualized approach to addressing mental health in autism.

A new pH-based tracing method for flow mixing studies in closed-loop experimental flumes: evaluation in an open-channel confluence

A new pH-based tracing method for flow mixing studies in closed-loop experimental flumes: evaluation in an open-channel confluence

Validation of a ray-tracing-based guided Lamb wave propagation methodology in aerostructures

Validation of a ray-tracing-based guided Lamb wave propagation methodology in aerostructures