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Purpose: In Japan, two types of tests for diagnosing olfactory disorders, T and T (T&T) olfactometry and intravenous olfactory tests, are covered by insurance and performed on patients with olfactory disorders. This study examined the validity of these olfactory tests and whether psychophysical or morphological tests are more helpful in evaluating olfactory disorders. Methods: We evaluated patients who visited our department and underwent two types of olfaction tests and sinus computed tomography (CT). Data regarding the age, sex, peripheral blood eosinophil percentage, presence of bronchial asthma, diagnoses, olfactory symptom score, results of the two olfactory tests, and CT findings in eligible patients were extracted from medical records and retrospectively reviewed. Results: One hundred and sixty-three patients underwent all tests during the study period. The results of the T&T olfactometry and intravenous olfactory tests were significantly correlated. However, only the results of T&T olfactometry and olfactory cleft opacification on CT were statistically significant predictors of the olfactory symptom scores. Conclusion: T&T olfactometry and CT evaluations of olfactory cleft opacification helped evaluate olfactory dysfunction. It is important to note that intravenous olfactory tests are best performed with careful control and not blindly to assess olfactory disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of paediatric tuberculosis remains a challenge due to the non-specificity of symptoms and the paucibacillary nature of tuberculosis in children. However, in the development of new tuberculosis diagnostics, the unique needs of children and adolescents are rarely considered in the design process, with delays in evaluation and approval. No clear guidance is available on when and how to include children and adolescents in tuberculosis diagnostic development and evaluation. To address this gap, we conducted a Delphi consensus process with 42 stakeholders, including one qualitative and two quantitative rounds. Consensus was achieved on 20 statements, with agreement that the needs and perspectives of children, adolescents, and their caregivers should be incorporated throughout diagnostic design and evaluation. Opportunities exist for the early use of well characterised samples and prospective enrolment of children and adolescents in tuberculosis diagnostic evaluation, with consideration of the type of test, expected benefit, and potential risks. Pathogen-based tests might be initially optimised and assessed in adults and adolescents, but parallel evaluation in children is needed for host-based tests. Late-stage evaluation and implementation studies should examine combination testing and integration into clinical algorithms. The statements support collaboration between developers, researchers, regulators, and users to widen and accelerate the diagnostic pipeline for paediatric tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-EDM drilling is extensively utilized in various industrial sectors due to its capability to machine all types of conductive materials, irrespective of their mechanical properties. This technology is particularly advantageous for drilling applications requiring high aspect ratios and precision. However, electrode wear, both frontal and radial, poses significant challenges, especially in blind hole drilling. This study proposes a mechanical method to measure electrode geometry through touch operations on a sharp target, varying the spindle rotation angle and Z depth. The method's effectiveness was validated through extensive experiments on Ti6Al4V plates using cylindrical and tubular electrodes of different diameters. The study varied energy types and tested new and steady-state electrodes. Results demonstrated the method's ability to detect changes in electrode tip shape under different conditions, revealing phenomena such as the correlation between electrode runout and wear, and the impact of internal washing on tip shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the growing problem of antibiotic resistance has highlighted the need for antibacterial materials to prevent the development of infections. Different types of tests exist to certify the antibacterial properties of materials. Variations in results can occur due to the unique requirements of each test technique. The antibacterial test result may be influenced, in particular, by the distinct modes of action of leaching and non‐leaching compounds. Using antibacterial materials prepared by the dispersion of an amphiphilic cationic synthetic copolymer in a polyurethane matrix, the influence of the reaction medium and the contact time on the results obtained by two well‐established tests: ISO 22196 and CERTIKA is investigated. This shows that the kinetics of killing is bacteria dependent and depending on the test conditions (concentration of salt, time of contact, or media), contradictory results could be obtained. Moreover, the influence of the ionic strength (called salt effect) in both free solution and antibacterial surface is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New estimators for the scale parameter of the one‐sided Lévy distribution are proposed, which are used for constructing new classes of goodness‐of‐fit (gof) tests, based on the ratio of two estimators of the scale parameter. A Monte Carlo study examines the performance of the new gof tests in controlling type I error rate and evaluates their power performance. The performance of the new classes of gof test is also compared with existing tests. Finally, the applicability of the new gof tests is illustrated using three real data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Which mammals show vocal learning abilities, e.g., can learn new sounds, or learn to use sounds in new contexts? Vocal usage and comprehension learning are submodules of vocal learning. Specifically, vocal usage learning is the ability to learn to use a vocalization in a new context; vocal comprehension learning is the ability to comprehend a vocalization in a new context. Among mammals, harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are good candidates to investigate vocal learning. Here, we test whether harbor seals are capable of vocal usage and comprehension learning. Results: We trained two harbor seals to (i) switch contexts from a visual to an auditory cue. In particular, the seals first produced two vocalization types in response to two hand signs; they then transitioned to producing these two vocalization types upon the presentation of two distinct sets of playbacks of their own vocalizations. We then (ii) exposed the seals to a combination of trained and novel vocalization stimuli. In a final experiment, (iii) we broadcasted only novel vocalizations of the two vocalization types to test whether seals could generalize from the trained set of stimuli to only novel items of a given vocal category. Both seals learned all tasks and took ≤ 16 sessions to succeed across all experiments. In particular, the seals showed contextual learning through switching the context from former visual to novel auditory cues, vocal matching and generalization. Finally, by responding to the played-back vocalizations with distinct vocalizations, the animals showed vocal comprehension learning. Conclusions: It has been suggested that harbor seals are vocal learners; however, to date, these observations had not been confirmed in controlled experiments. Here, through three experiments, we could show that harbor seals are capable of both vocal usage and comprehension learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to examine whether a wheelchair cushion placed directly atop a sling seat or deflection of the sling seat compensated by a pad along with the placement of a wheelchair cushion changed sitting pressure. Additionally, we examined whether these additions changed sitting comfort. For twenty healthy adults who consented to participate, measurements were taken for three types of cushions, each with and without padding, under six conditions. The cushion types tested included air (cushion A), urethane foam (cushion U), and three-dimensional thermoplastic elastomer (cushion T). A pressure distribution measurement equipment was used for the measurements. Following the measurement, the comfort of the wheelchair cushion was measured. The ischial area pressure of the cushion A pad was significantly lower than that without the pad. Cushions U and T were for ischial area pressure with a pad, resulting in a decreasing trend in ischial area pressure with a pad compared to that without a pad; however, the difference was insignificant. For all cushions, sitting comfort was significantly better in all groups with padding than in those without. In conclusion, ischial pressure can be dispersed by placing a pad on the seat surface of a wheelchair cushion, and pads were suggested to improve sitting comfort for all cushions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Randomization procedures that enforce balance in prognostic factors, most commonly stratified randomization, are often employed in clinical trials. When the number of factors or factor levels is large, dynamic allocation procedures, such as the Pocock and Simon's covariate-adaptive randomization (minimization) are preferred. In their ground-breaking work Ye and Shao identified two classes of covariate-adaptive randomization procedures. They have demonstrated theoretically that for these classes, when the model is misspecified, the robust score test (Lin and Wei) as well as the unstratified log-rank test used for analysis of time-to-event endpoints, are valid or conservative (Ye and Shao). This fact, however, was not established for minimization other than through simulations of survival endpoints. In this article, we point out that the results of Ye and Shao can be expanded to a more general class of randomization procedures. We show, in part theoretically, in part through simulations of the within-strata imbalances, that minimization belongs to this class. Along the way we describe the asymptotic correlation matrix of the normalized within-stratum imbalances following minimization with equal prevalence of all strata. We expand the robust tests proposed by Ye and Shao for stratified randomization to minimization and examine their performance through simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two methods for determining the fracture energy (Gf) of hot mix asphalt (HMA) composites at intermediate temperatures: (i) load–crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) and (ii) load–load line displacement (LLD) curves. The effects of these two methods on the Gf values of different HMA mixtures are investigated at different loading rates and temperatures. A large number of semicircular bend (SCB) specimens were tested under mode I at different temperatures of 5°C, 15°C, and 25°C and loading rates of 1, 5, 10, and 50 mm/min. The three‐dimensional (3D) fracture energy surface plots obtained from the tests revealed that both temperature and loading rate have noticeable effects on the fracture energy, such that Gf values generally increased by increasing the loading rate and reducing the temperature. Also, the Gf values measured by the LLD method were higher than those by the CMOD method for lower temperatures and lower loading rates (i.e., below 10 mm/min). For the higher loading rates, the Gf values determined by the CMOD method were higher than those by the LLD method. Furthermore, the HMA type had meaningful influences on the variations of Gf at different temperatures and loading rates. Highlights: Fracture energy (Gf) dependency of HMA mixtures to the force–CMOD or force–LLD methods was demonstrated.The Gf value increases by increasing the loading rate and decreasing the temperature.At higher loading rates, the CMOD method provided a higher Gf value.Gf was the function of mixture types and environmental and testing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypothesis testing for the exponential distribution family consistently gains significant attentions from the statistical community, especially in situations characterized by small sample sizes. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for constructing a Kolmogorov-Smirnov type test based on representative points. This testing statistic is derived through a comparison between two empirical functions: one from the observed data and another from chosen representative points. A distribution-free quantile estimator is used for sample standardization. We also discuss how to select an optimal number of representative points based on the loss function, which is recommended for constructing the empirical function from the exponential distribution family. To evaluate the efficiency of this new test, a comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to compare this new test with tailor-made tests. Simulation results show that our test statistic will be more powerful especially for small sample sizes, and it is competitive in the comparison with tailor-made tests. Some datasets are analyzed to further illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the rapid advancement of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology has led to resource-efficient processes and reduced gaps between design and product/prototypes. Particularly, sectors like medicine and dentistry stand to gain from these advancements if materials with suitable mechanical characteristics for clinical use are available. One such evolving AM process is VAT photopolymerization through LCD 3D Printer technology, characterized by the curing of photosensitive polymeric resins. This study aims to assess the impact of the angle of layer photopolymerization of UV resin in three positions (horizontal, vertical, and inclined at 45°) using a cost-effective LCD 3D Printer. Additionally, specimens, distributed across five positions on the printing platform, underwent testing with three types of UV light-curing resin. Mechanical properties, including tensile stress, elasticity modulus, and hardness, were evaluated and analyzed statistically. Results indicate that both the chosen manufacturing platform position and the inclined layer angle significantly influence the final characteristics of the workpiece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In comparing the accuracy of any two competing forecasts, under the assumption that the loss differentials are covariance stationary, Diebold and Mariano (DM) proposed a test statistic that is asymptotically normal. This test is further studied by Giacomini and White (GW). However, under the DM-GW framework, the estimator of the variance of the DM test can be inaccurate in small samples, which yields size distortions; see, for example, Coroneo and Iacone (CI). To alleviate this challenge, we propose a maximum-subsampling (MS) test that does not require estimating the long-run variance induced by a number of autocovariances. Accordingly, the MS test is applicable for comparing the predictive ability between two competing forecasts even when the loss differentials are serially correlated with arbitrary autocovariance structures. We demonstrate that the MS test converges to the type I extreme value distribution under the DM-GW null hypothesis with proper conditions. In addition, under a set of alternative hypotheses, we show the MS test is consistent. We further compare the MS test with the DM test and two CI tests via five simulation settings, which are either modified or adapted from McCracken and Coroneo and Iacone. Simulation results show that the MS test performs satisfactorily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Social network‐based testing approaches (SNAs) encourage individuals ("test promoters") to motivate sexual partners and/or those in their social networks to test for HIV. We conducted a systematic review to examine the effectiveness, acceptability and cost‐effectiveness of SNA. Methods: We searched five databases from January 2010 to May 2023, and included studies that compared SNA with non‐SNA. We used random‐effects meta‐analysis to combine effect estimates. Certainty was assessed using the GRADE approach. Results: We identified 47 studies. SNA may increase uptake of HIV testing compared to non‐SNA (RR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.06–3.95, Low certainty). The proportion of first‐time testers was probably higher among partners or social contacts of test promoters using SNA compared to non‐SNA (RR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.22–1.81, Moderate certainty). The proportion of people who tested positive for HIV may be higher among partners or social contacts of test promoters using SNA compared to non‐SNA (RR 1.84, 95% CI: 1.01–3.35, Low certainty). There were no reports of any adverse events or harms associated with SNA. Based on six cost‐effectiveness studies, SNA was generally cheaper per person tested and per person diagnosed compared to non‐SNA. Based on 23 qualitative studies, SNA is likely to be acceptable to a variety of populations. Discussion: Our review collated evidence for SNA to HIV testing covering the key populations and the general population who may benefit from HIV testing. We summarized evidence for the effectiveness, acceptability and cost‐effectiveness of different models of SNA. While we did not identify an ideal model of SNA that could be immediately scaled up, for each setting and population targeted, we recommend various implementation considerations as our meta‐analysis showed the effectiveness might differ due to factors which include the testing modality (i.e. use of HIV self‐testing), type of test promoters, long or short duration of recruitment and use of financial incentives. Conclusions: Social network‐based approaches may enhance HIV testing uptake, increase the proportion of first‐time testers and those testing positive for HIV. Heterogeneity among studies highlights the need for context‐specific adaptations, but the overall positive impact of SNA on HIV testing outcomes could support its integration into existing HIV testing services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in single-cell technologies enable the rapid growth of multi-omics data. Cell type annotation is one common task in analyzing single-cell data. It is a challenge that some cell types in the testing set are not present in the training set (i.e. unknown cell types). Most scATAC-seq cell type annotation methods generally assign each cell in the testing set to one known type in the training set but neglect unknown cell types. Here, we present OVAAnno, an automatic cell types annotation method which utilizes open-set domain adaptation to detect unknown cell types in scATAC-seq data. Comprehensive experiments show that OVAAnno successfully identifies known and unknown cell types. Further experiments demonstrate that OVAAnno also performs well on scRNA-seq data. Our codes are available online at https://github.com/lisaber/OVAAnno/tree/master. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Category learning is often tested with similar images that have no significance outside of the experiment for the subjects. By contrast, in nature animals often need to generalize a behavioral response like "eat" across visually distinct stimuli, such as spiders and seeds. Forming functional categories like "food" and "predator" may require conceptual rather than purely perceptual generalization. We trained free-range chickens to classify images assigned to one of four categories based on putative functional significance: inanimate objects, predators, food, and non-competing vertebrates. Images were visually diverse within each category, discouraging classification by perceptual similarity alone. In Experiment 1, chickens classified 80 images into four categories. Chickens then generalized to 80 new exemplars in each of three successive generalization tests. In Experiment 2, chickens saw new types of images to test whether their generalization was perceptual or functional. For example, chickens saw images of skunks for the predator category after training with images of hawks and snakes. Chickens used the "predator" response with these new images for both predators and non-threatening vertebrates, but not for objects or food, and did not successfully generalize any category other than predator. In Experiment 3, chickens categorized fractals as "food," and three of four chickens categorized a range of vertebrates they had not previously encountered as "predators," suggesting that chickens did not see the images as representing real world objects and animals. These results highlight constraints on the use of computer-generated images to assess categorization of natural stimuli in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The midsession reversal task involves a simultaneous discrimination between stimuli S1 and S2. Choice of S1 but not S2 is reinforced during the first 40 trials, and choice of S2 but not S1 is reinforced during the last 40 trials. Trials are separated by a constant intertrial interval (ITI). Pigeons learn the task seemingly by timing the moment of the reversal trial. Hence, most of their errors occur around trial 40 (S2 choices before trial 41 and S1 choices after trial 40). It has been found that when the ITI is doubled on a test session, the reversal trial is halved, a result consistent with timing. However, inconsistent with timing, halving the ITI on a test session did not double the reversal trial. The asymmetry of ITI effects could be due to the intrusion of novel cues during testing, cues that preempt the timing cue. To test this hypothesis, we ran two types of tests after the regular training in the midsession reversal task, one with S1 and S2 choices always reinforced, and another with S1 always reinforced but S2 reinforced only after 20 trials when the ITI doubled or 40 trials when the ITI halved. For most pigeons, performance was consistent with timing both when the ITI doubled and when it was halved, but some pigeons appeared to follow strategies based on counting or on reinforcement contingencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a multiple step-stress accelerated life test using type II censoring. Assuming that the lifetimes of the test item follow the gamma distribution, the maximum likelihood estimation and Bayesian approaches are used to estimate the distribution parameters. In the Bayesian approach, new parametrizations can lead to new prior distributions and can be a useful technique to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Bayesian modeling, particularly when dealing with complex or high-dimensional models. Therefore, in this paper, we present two sets of prior distributions for the parameters of the accelerated test where one of them is based on the reparametrization of the other. The performance of the proposed prior distributions and maximum likelihood approach are investigated and compared by examining the summaries and frequentist coverage probabilities of intervals. We introduce the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms to generate samples from the posterior distributions in order to evaluate the estimators and intervals. Numerical simulations are conducted to examine the approach's performance and one-sample lifetime data are presented to illustrate the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the factors controlling the sensitivity of fine-grained soils to seismic stresses and revise the criteria previously proposed by the authors to diagnose liquefaction. To this end, dynamic tests have been performed on artificial mixes as well as natural soils from a wide area of an earthquake devastated city (Adapazari) using two types of dynamic testing. Studies have led to findings suggesting that the gray area between susceptible and non-susceptible soils proposed by several investigators in the past can now be dispensed with. Although physical properties of fine-grained soil supply sufficient information for diagnosis, the dynamic simple shear test is found to be a convenient and rapid way to confirm the judgement. However, it has been seen that dynamic testing alone may not be the last word in the determination of liquefaction, and physical properties should also be addressed. Anomalies observed in test results are also discussed. Conclusions show significant differences from existing proposed criteria in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Microneedling is used to enhance transcutaneous drug delivery. However, the extent to which microneedling devices impact filler delivery and whether this varies by filler type, microneedling device type, and treatment sequence is not known. OBJECTIVE To histologically assess and quantify the delivery of commonly used fillers through microneedling, using both a microneedling pen and a microneedling roller. In addition, the authors investigated whether there is a variation in filler delivery based on the sequence of microneedling in relation to topical filler application. METHODS Ex vivo human abdominal skin samples were subjected to microneedling pen or microneedling roller treatment. Black tissue marking ink, hyaluronic acid, poly-L-lactic acid, or undiluted calcium hydroxyapatite was topically applied before or immediately after microneedling treatment. RESULTS Histological evaluation revealed a notable presence of black ink within channels formed by both microneedling treatments (15.5%--98.1%), whereas there was limited presence of the various filler types tested (0%--6.6%) in all settings. Topical application before microneedling treatment led to relatively higher filler/ink deposition within the channels formed by the microneedling treatments compared with topical application after microneedling. CONCLUSION Transcutaneous delivery of fillers was not significantly helped by microneedling treatment, whereas the microneedling devices demonstrated effective delivery of an aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the development of a digital valve, modularization, miniaturization, and low-temperature rise are crucial factors that need to be balanced against each other. A digital valve with integrated multiple coils based on a rectangular section magnetic sleeve is proposed to improve performance. To predicate the thermal performance of the proposed digital valve accurately and rapidly, a nonlinear thermal equivalent circuit (NTEC) model was developed. The most significant distinction of this model is its consideration of the changes in convective thermal resistance based on the operating temperature and installation state. This model has been derived and evaluated by simulation and experiments. The experiment results show that the temperature responses of four key test types obtained from the NTEC model have fairly good correspondence with to those from the experiment and the maximum temperature rise deviation is below 17 %. Finally, a comparison study with a C-type sleeve is demonstrated, indicating that the maximum temperature decline of the coil is 26.1 °C under a vertical state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the localized corrosion susceptibility of AA2050‐T84, AA2198‐T851, and AA2024‐T3 alloys was compared by immersion in three test solutions, specifically sodium chloride solution (3.5% NaCl), EXCO solution, according to ASTM G34‐18, and a solution for intergranular corrosion (IGC) test recommended by ASTM G110‐15 and via scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET). The results showed higher susceptibility of AA2050‐T84 alloy to all types of corrosion tested compared to the other studied 2XXX series alloys. Corrosion penetration was deeper in the AA2050‐T84 due to its microstructural characteristics as a difference in the micrometric Cu‐Rich intermetallic particle distribution on the surface and related to the distribution of the T1 (Al2CuLi) phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To accurately evaluate the fatigue performance of a full‐scale deep‐water steel catenary riser (SCR) using small‐size specimens, six fatigue testing strategies were explored, considering the effect of welding residual stress. Through a comparison with the full‐scale resonant bending fatigue testing results, the most equivalent strategy using small‐scale specimens was identified. The results indicate that the test strategies applying constant stress underestimated the fatigue life, compared with that of a full‐scale specimen; meanwhile, fatigue life values obtained from the low‐stress ratio testing strategy were higher, particularly in the low‐stress range region. Comparatively, the fatigue lives obtained for the 100 mm‐wide specimens without cutting were higher in the high‐stress range region. The variable‐applied mean stress strategy using the 25 mm‐wide welded joint specimen was the most suitable for equivalence with the full‐scale fatigue testing, with only a 9.7% difference in the fatigue life testing results. The difference between the applied mean stress and the actual transverse welding residual stress under various fatigue testing strategies is the key factor affecting the equivalence of the fatigue testing results. Highlights: Fatigue testing results between the full‐scale and small‐scale pipeline welded joint specimens were compared.Six types of fatigue testing strategies were systematically explored using small‐scale welded joints properly.The variable mean stress fatigue testing strategy was proposed, and its equivalency with the full‐scale pipeline joint was confirmed.Mechanisms on the difference of fatigue testing results between full‐scale and small‐scale pipeline joints were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation is to assess the effect of fiber bridging on fatigue delamination propagation. Fiber bridging occurs when testing beam type laminates specimens consisting of unidirectional plies. Unidirectional double cantilever beam specimens composed of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer prepreg AS4/8552 were tested by means of fatigue cycling. A Paris relation was determined based on these tests. Fiber bridging in beam specimens composed of unidirectional plies causes the apparent fatigue delamination curves to exhibit slower growth predicting overly conservative results. In Part I of this study, the effect of fiber bridging was eliminated experimentally from the results. In Part II of this study, a cohesive zone model is developed and used to carry out finite element analyses to simulate the experiments, as well as to eliminate the influence of fiber bridging. Highlights: Fatigue delamination propagation tests were carried out on UD DCB laminate specimens.Fiber bridging was observed.Measurements were made of the fiber bridging (FB) zone.In Part II, a cohesive zone model is used to quantify the effect of FB and eliminate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of testing a null hypothesis defined by equality and inequality constraints on a statistical parameter. Testing such hypotheses can be challenging because the number of relevant constraints may be on the same order or even larger than the number of observed samples. Moreover, standard distributional approximations may be invalid due to irregularities in the null hypothesis. We propose a general testing methodology that aims to circumvent these difficulties. The constraints are estimated by incomplete U -statistics, and we derive critical values by Gaussian multiplier bootstrap. We show that the bootstrap approximation of incomplete U -statistics is valid for kernels that we call mixed degenerate when the number of combinations used to compute the incomplete U -statistic is of the same order as the sample size. It follows that our test controls type I error even in irregular settings. Furthermore, the bootstrap approximation covers high-dimensional settings making our testing strategy applicable for problems with many constraints. The methodology is applicable, in particular, when the constraints to be tested are polynomials in U-estimable parameters. As an application, we consider goodness-of-fit tests of latent-tree models for multivariate data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern web services widely provide RESTful APIs for clients to access their functionality programmatically. Fuzzing is an emerging technique for ensuring the reliability of RESTful APIs. However, the existing RESTful API fuzzers repeatedly generate invalid requests due to unawareness of errors in the invalid tested requests and lack of effective strategy to generate legal value for the incorrect parameters. Such limitations severely hinder the fuzzing performance. In this paper, we propose DynER, a new test case generation method guided by dynamic error responses during fuzzing. DynER designs two strategies of parameter value generation for purposefully revising the incorrect parameters of invalid tested requests to generate new test requests. The strategies are, respectively, based on prompting Large Language Model (LLM) to understand the semantics information in error responses and actively accessing API-related resources. We apply DynER to the state-of-the-art fuzzer RESTler and implement DynER-RESTler. DynER-RESTler outperforms foREST on two real-world RESTful services, WordPress and GitLab with a 41.21% and 26.33% higher average pass rate for test requests and a 12.50% and 22.80% higher average number of unique request types successfully tested, respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that DynER significantly improves the effectiveness of test cases and fuzzing performance. Additionally, DynER-RESTler finds three new bugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A transportation system stress test is a set of one or more hypothetical scenarios designed to help determine if a transport system can continue to provide an acceptable level of service when subjected to one or more potentially disruptive events. Stress tests, if done well, enable policy makers, regulators, and network operators to assess the ability of transport systems to withstand and recover from potentially disruptive events, and modify the systems if necessary. Although work has been conducted on how to conduct high-level preliminary transportation stress tests, there has not yet been work conducted on how to conduct detailed quantitative simulation-based stress tests on transportation systems. This paper fills this gap by presenting both an approach to conduct simulation-based stress tests and example simulation-based stress tests for a transportation system subject to potentially disruptive hydrometeorological events. Three types of stress tests are conducted for the transportation system in the region of Chur, Switzerland, which is subject to heavy rainfalls that may result in floods and landslides. These include the stress caused by climate change leading to increasing the intensity of extreme rainfall events in the future, stress caused by uncertain future mobility behavior of people leading to excessive travel demand on the network, and stress caused by poor planning of the required resources for restoration interventions leading to having less resources for restoration than planned. It is argued that conducting such stress tests makes it clear to decision makers whether or not a transportation system is sufficiently resilient against various stressors, and if not, gives clear indications as to how it could be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractHypothesis testing for the Weibull distribution always raises attention in the literature. It is challenging especially in small-sample scenarios. In this paper, we propose a new Kolmogorov-Smirnov type test based on the distance between two empirical functions, one from the data and another from the representative points of the underlying distribution. A bias correction technique is used to estimate unknown parameters in the Weibull distribution. We also discuss how to choose a suitable number of representative points based on the proposed loss function, which is recommended for constructing the empirical function from the Weibull distribution. To compare with tailor-made tests in the literature, a simulation study of the empirical type I error and testing power is conducted. It shows that our proposed test statistic is more powerful in most alternative scenarios, and it significantly improves the power of testing in small-sample scenarios. Finally, two real-world datasets are conducted to further demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The filament-wound (FW) cylinders possess numerous benefits as a high-pressure storage device but are susceptible to impact loads. The presence of post-impact residual strength in an operating FW cylinder has the potential to accelerate the onset of failure. Ensuring the structural integrity and safety of the equipment requires thorough impact testing, which can be expensive and time-consuming, resulting in limited use. This article presents an innovative and cost-effective approach for conducting low-velocity impact testing on a hybrid Al/CFRP filament-wound cylinder by utilizing a simple hybrid Al/CFRP plate specimen. The main focus is to conduct low-velocity impact testing on both types of specimens, followed by post-damage testing that includes tensile tests on the hybrid plate specimen and burst tests on the FW cylinder. The results of laboratory experiments were compared to explicit and implicit numerical models conducted in a broad spectrum of impact energy range and found to be consistent. Using a parameter known as the post-impact residual strength ratio, it is possible to determine the expected impact loading conditions on the hybrid plate specimen that are equivalent to those experienced by the FW-cylinder. This low-cost impact testing method offers a practical and feasible solution to ensure the dependability and safety of FW cylinders throughout their operational lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rheological parameters of oil testing fluids play a crucial role in safely conducting oil testing operations, protecting reservoirs, and maintaining wellbore integrity, which are greatly influenced by temperature and pressure. This article conducted rheological experiments on commonly used potassium salt polymer systems and organic salt systems for oil testing fluids in the Bohai Bay Oilfield under 4–200 °C and 30–150 MPa. The experiments revealed the variation of rheological parameters with temperature and pressure. Nine commonly used rheological models were evaluated for their applicability to the two types of oil testing fluids. It was found that the Ross model was suitable for the potassium salt polymer system, while the power-law model was suitable for organic salt oil testing fluids. A new rheological parameter prediction model suitable for wide range of temperature and pressure and different testing fluid systems was proposed based on the optimized results. The average error for the potassium salt polymer system for oil testing fluids was 0.101%, and the error for the organic salt system for oil testing fluids was 0.113%. Both were superior to known rheological models and can meet the requirements of oil testing operations within the wide temperature and pressure range in the Bohai Bay Oilfield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical machines for transportation applications are subjected to harsh environmental conditions during their operations. Partial discharge (PD), which is one of the main reasons for insulation failure, is greatly affected by ambient conditions (i.e., temperature, pressure, and humidity). Countless efforts are made for a comprehensive understanding of the physics of PD under variable environmental factors. This paper aims to review recent works addressing temperature, pressure, and humidity impact on PD activity. The main content of the paper is organized into three sections dealing with each environmental factor. In every section, relevant publications are reviewed considering the type of samples tested, voltage waveform applied, mutual effects, and the most common PD modeling strategies used. The applicability of the PD measurements for PD risk assessment is also discussed. Based on the review, the current progress in understanding the environmental effects on the PD inception mechanism and PD characteristics is presented and discussed in detail, and future research trends in this field are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct-to-consumer testing (DTCT) refers to commercial laboratory tests initiated by laypersons without the involvement of healthcare professionals. As this market grows in size and variety of products, a clear definition of DTCT to ground the conceptualization of their harms and benefits is needed. We describe how three different modalities of DTCT (home self-testing, self-sampled tests, and direct access tests) present caveats to the traditional testing process (‘brain-to-brain loop’), and how this might differ between medical vs. non-medical laboratories. We make recommendations for ways to improve quality and reduce errors with respect to DTCT. The potential benefits and harms of DTCT will invariably depend on the context and situation of individual consumers and the types of tests involved. Importantly, implications for both consumers and the healthcare system should be considered, such as the effects on improving health outcomes and reducing unnecessary testing and use of clinical resources. ‘Consumer initiation’ must be a central defining characteristic of DTCT, to clearly demarcate the key drawbacks as well as opportunities of this type of testing from a laboratory specialists’ perspective. The concept of ‘consumer initiated testing’ should also help define DTCT regulation, and provide a locus of efforts to support consumers as the main decision-makers in the purchasing and conducting of these tests in the absence of clinician gatekeeping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymers are omnipresent in our daily life thanks to their low production cost and their ease of implementation, which makes thermoplastics more usable in supplying drinking water, distributing cold and hot water, and transporting hot corrosive fluids and industrial chemicals, including inorganic acids. The material of our study is chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC); it has better thermal insulation and a wide operating temperature range. This paper deals with the impact of thermal aging over time on the behavior of CPVC by performing two types of tests according to ISO 15877 (EN ISO 15877) two types of tests; the first is thermal aging (Fig. 1) at a temperature of 95 °C and a pressure of 10 bars for periods of up to 2000 h and the second test exposure of the pipeline to pressure until bursting. On the basis of the test results, we can predict the rupture of the pipeline and thus avoid the dangerous accidents due to the bursting under the effect of the pressure and the high temperature; by using the results of this study, the inspectors change CPVC structures at the right time, neither too early when the part is still in good condition nor too late after failure; this will be very useful to save water and money and of course save the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Background Materials and Methods Results Discussion To develop an automated verification workflow for transfusion compatibility testing (TCT) based on the AUTO10‐A guidelines and blood group serology characteristics and to conduct a simulated validation of the test and subtest results by assessing the appropriateness of the autoverification rules.The accuracy of TCT results is a fundamental prerequisite for ensuring the safety of blood transfusions. However, the verification of these results still requires manual intervention.Five autoverification rules and their standards were determined: agglutination intensity, normal results, logical relationships, delta checks and interlaboratory test comparisons. The established categories and standards for the five rules were retrospectively validated using 13 506 samples (requests) that had been manually verified in our laboratory from January 2020 to June 2023.A total of 66 638 test items were involved in the autoverification, with 3844 items violating the verification rules, resulting in a pass rate of 96.10%. Considering individual test items, four tests had a pass rate of more than 90% in both the test item result table and the test subitem result table. However, there were significant differences in the pass rates between different tests. The same conclusion can be drawn when the unit is requests. The different standards set for the agglutination intensity and the delta check in the ABO typing testing subitems showed significant differences in pass rates.The incorporation of manually verified results into the automated verification simulation indicated that the five rules established in this study have good applicability, and appropriate standards can lead to reasonable pass rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new dyslexia screening test for Italian, Tiltan-IT, is presented. The test was developed based on an integrated dual-route model of reading, which describes in detail specific mechanisms underpinning early visual processes as well as the lexical and the sublexical routes. The principle according to which the test was developed is that each dyslexia type is manifested in different kinds of errors and in different kinds of stimuli, and we therefore included stimuli sensitive to each dyslexia type in the test. Tiltan-IT is a reading aloud test that includes word, nonword, and word pair lists. The test was administered to 618 Italian-speaking children (2nd–8th grade). Each error produced by the children was classified through the coding scheme developed to detect the different types of dyslexias described by the reading model. The Tiltan-IT was able to identify 110 children with dyslexia. The identified dyslexia types included letter position dyslexia, attentional dyslexia, letter identity dyslexia, surface dyslexia, vowel dyslexia, consonant conversion dyslexia, multi-letter phonological dyslexia, voicing dyslexia. The results confirm that the selection of items in the Tiltan-IT enabled the detection of the wide variety of dyslexias in Italian, some of them for the first time, adding evidence for the cross-linguistic validity of multiple types of developmental dyslexias and for the dual-route model of reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying intraspecific variation in animal behavior is one of the key trends in recent biology. Comparative behavioral studies of different species require developing an adequate methodology for every new species. We performed three types of behavioral tests with juveniles of the yellow ground squirrel, a large hibernating rodent. Docility tests with an estimation of the time and intensity of the animal locomotor activity in a bag showed low repeatability and appeared to be inappropriate for this species since most of the pups demonstrated freezing behavior. Boldness tests with an action camera installed near the squirrel's burrow were more promising, but the juveniles still did not emerge aboveground for a long time after they escaped to their burrows, remained vigilant, and did not explore the new object. Test results indicate that yellow ground squirrels are very shy and cautious, which may be a persistent behavioral trait of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of Type B radioactive transport package should be able to withstand the fire accident scenario in transportation accident conditions. For the simulation of the fire scenario, there are mainly three methods: pool fire test, furnace test and thermal radiation test. This paper tried to carry out the fire test with the furnace method that the conditions in the furnace can be more carefully controlled. The paper described the requirements of fire test, test conditions and measurement test methods and analysed the temperature change of fire site and the heat flux data of the surface of the package during the fire test. The test results seemed that the fire test method could provide satisfactory thermal environment for fire test of Type B radioactive transport package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inferences from tests for non-stationarity depend critically on whether and how breaks and/or non-linearities are specified. Recent work has shown that wavelet transformations that separate a variable's high and low frequency components can enhance the performance of unit root and stationarity tests. This note provides response surface estimates of finite sample, lag-adjusted critical values and approximate probability values for an Augmented Dickey–Fuller type wavelet test that includes a Fourier term allowing for smooth breaks in the series. Applications highlight the practical benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) progressively impair cognitive function, prompting the need for early detection to mitigate its impact. Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) may signal an early cognitive decline due to ADRD. Thus, developing an accessible, non-invasive method for detecting MCI is vital for initiating early interventions to prevent severe cognitive deterioration. Methods: This study explores the utility of analyzing gait patterns, a fundamental aspect of human motor behavior, on straight and oval paths for diagnosing MCI. Using a Kinect v.2 camera, we recorded the movements of 25 body joints from 25 individuals with MCI and 30 healthy older adults (HC). Signal processing, descriptive statistical analysis, and machine learning techniques were employed to analyze the skeletal gait data in both walking conditions. Results and discussion: The study demonstrated that both straight and oval walking patterns provide valuable insights for MCI detection, with a notable increase in identifiable gait features in the more complex oval walking test. The Random Forest model excelled among various algorithms, achieving an 85.50% accuracy and an 83.9% F-score in detecting MCI during oval walking tests. This research introduces a cost-effective, Kinect-based method that integrates gait analysis—a key behavioral pattern—with machine learning, offering a practical tool for MCI screening in both clinical and home environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study proposes a fiducial marker for location systems that uses computer vision. The marker employs a set of tape-shaped markers that facilitate their positioning in the environment, allowing continuous reading to cover the entire perimeter of the environment and making it possible to minimize interruptions in the location service. Because the marker is present throughout the perimeter of the environment, it presents hierarchical coding patterns that allow it to be robust against multiple detection scales. We implemented an application to help the user generate the markers with a floor plan image. We conducted two types of tests, one in a 3D simulation environment and one in a real-life environment with a smartphone. The tests made it possible to measure the performance of the tape-shaped marker with readings at multiple distances compared to ArUco, QRCode, and STag with detections at distances of 10 to 0.5 m. The localization tests in the 3D environment analyzed the time of marker detection during the journey from one room to another in positioning conditions (A) with the markers positioned at the baseboard of the wall, (B) with the markers positioned at camera height, and (C) with the marker positioned on the floor. The localization tests in real conditions allowed us to measure the time of detections in favorable conditions of detections, demonstrating that the tape-shaped-marker-detection algorithm is not yet robust against blurring but is robust against lighting variations, difficult angle displays, and partial occlusions. In both test environments, the marker allowed for detection at multiple scales, confirming its functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although studies on student experiences of translation are widespread in the field of translation studies, they still remain limited in the field of English language teaching. To fill a gap in this field of research, the present study focuses on the pre-service English language teachers' experiences of translation as a practice and translation studies as a discipline at a state university. To this aim, an open-ended pre-test and an open-ended post-test questionnaire were designed to explore 40 senior ELT students' individual views on translation studies before and after a compulsory translation course and thus offer theoretical solutions to their common translation problems. Firstly, all students were taught basic translation theories, test types, strategies, and approaches throughout the course. Later, their responses to both questionnaires which involved elements related to these theoretical and practical aspects were analyzed through thematic coding in a qualitative manner. These responses produced several thematic categories for each question in each questionnaire. According to the results of the analysis, pre-service English language teachers developed a positive experience of translation and translation studies after being introduced to the above-mentioned theoretical and practical points throughout the course. This can be associated with the fact that they largely benefited from these theories for translation tasks given in the course, which improved their overall translation competence. The present study also provided useful ideas for decision-makers in bachelor's degree ELT programs and indicated the need for multidisciplinary cooperation between ELT and translation studies to increase the students' academic level in both departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A signature event in the history of psychology occurred in 1919 when Jean Piaget was asked to standardize Cyril Burt's tests of intelligence on Parisian children. Impressed by the errors students made, Piaget studied the underlying reasoning process of these children. This led to Piaget 's new méthode clinique for studying the intelligence of children and its development. But why was there a need for such standardization? How did Burt's intelligence test differ from Binet's version? How did Burt's version pave the way for Piaget's very different kind of intelligence test – from IQ tests to tests of operatory intelligence? I examine the history of this series of events pointing out the difference between Binet's version and Burt's version, how they differed from Piaget's similar questions and how the standardization of Burt's intelligence tests paved the way for Piaget's different type of intelligence test, a test of operatory intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various industries, including IT project management. The object of research is the principle of augmented competence, which is a new approach that uses AI to strengthen and expand the capabilities of IT project teams. The essence of this principle lies in the complementary interaction of AI and the competence of project teams. Instead of replacing project managers, AI complements their competencies (knowledge, skills and experience). One of the hot spots is the application of AI in the process of automating routine tasks, analyzing large volumes of data and providing recommendations and predictions, freeing up time for team members to focus on more complex and creative tasks. The possibility of automating tasks and providing new knowledge, which will significantly improve the efficiency and productivity of the team, has been obtained through the use of the principle of augmented competence. As a result, data-driven recommendations and predictions enable teams to make more informed and effective decisions. Access to new knowledge and insights stimulates innovation and leads to new ideas and solutions, helps identify and mitigate potential risks, which can lead to more successful projects. Applying this principle to IT project management audits will automate software testing with AI, which replaces testers so they can focus on more complex types of testing such as exploratory testing, performs customer data analysis with AI, and enables companies to better understand your customers and their needs, which can lead to better marketing campaigns and products. It is important to note that this principle does not involve replacing project managers with AI. Instead, AI is used as a tool to empower human teams and help them achieve better results. As AI technologies continue to evolve, the principle of augmented competence is likely to play an even more important role in IT project management. AI can help teams overcome complex challenges, make better decisions, and succeed in a more dynamic and competitive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tokyo Type 1 open-ended evolution (OEE) is a category of OEE that includes systems exhibiting the ongoing generation of adaptive novelty and ongoing growth in complexity. It can be considered as a necessary foundation for Tokyo Type 2 OEE (ongoing evolution of evolvability) and Tokyo Type 3 OEE (ongoing generation of major transitions). This article brings together five methods of analysis to form a procedure for testing for Tokyo Type 1 OEE. The procedure is presented as simply as possible, isolated from the complexities of any particular evolutionary system, and with a clear rationale for each step. In developing these steps, we also identify five key challenges in OEE. The last of these (achieving a higher order of complexity growth within a system exhibiting indefinitely scalable complexity) can be considered a grand challenge for Tokyo Type 1 OEE. Promising approaches to this grand challenge include also achieving one or both of Tokyo Types 2 and 3 OEE; this can be seen as one answer to why these other types of OEE are important, providing a unified view of OEE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer adaptive testing (CAT) is an increasingly common mode of test administration offering improved test security, better measurement precision, and the potential for shorter testing experiences. This article presents a new item selection algorithm based on a generalized objective function to support multiple types of testing conditions and principled assessment design. The generalized nature of the algorithm permits a wide array of test requirements allowing experts to define what to measure and how to measure it and the algorithm is simply a means to an end to support better construct representation. This work also emphasizes the computational algorithm and its ability to scale to support faster computing and better cost‐containment in real‐world applications than other CAT algorithms. We make a significant effort to consolidate all information needed to build and scale the algorithm so that expert psychometricians and software developers can use this document as a self‐contained resource and specification document to build and deploy an operational CAT platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pervasive nature of plastic and the longevity of plastics leaves a legacy of microplastics (MPs) that contaminate our environment, including drinking water sources. Although MPs have been documented in every environmental setting, a paucity of research has focused on the transport and fate of MPs in groundwater. Previous field and laboratory studies have shown that MPs can migrate through aquifer material and are influenced by environmental factors. This study used controlled column experiments to investigate the influence of polymer type (polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyester) and particle shape (fragment, fiber, and sphere) on MP retardation and retention. The results showed that all individual MP types investigated were retarded compared to the NaCl tracer, with a retardation factor ranging from 1.53 to 1.75. While hypothesized that presence of multiple types and shapes could change mobility, the results indicate that this hypothesis is not correct for the conditions tested. This study provides new insights into MP transport in groundwater systems based on the characteristics of MP particles. In addition, this study demonstrates the need for further research on types of MPs and under more conditions, especially in the presence of a mixture of types and shapes of MPs to gauge what is occurring in natural systems where many MPs are present together. Article impact statement: Microplastics are retarded approximately the same amount regardless of type or shape tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug testing is a common practice for community supervision in the U.S., despite limited research on its effectiveness at deterring future drug use. The present study explores the purpose of drug testing by examining the relationship between drug test frequency and positive test results. The impact of the type of drug tested (any vs. serious) and the risk and need level of the individuals tested are also examined. Results indicate that after controlling for risk and substance abuse need, more frequent testing schedules are associated with an increased rate of positive drug tests, suggesting more frequent testing detects rather than deters drug use. Policy implications for community corrections' purpose and use of drug testing are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress is state of worry or tension caused by a difficult situation. Sometimes stress may be positive or negative. The stress changes the behavior of person. Stress is an action in which body reacts to any kind of threat. Stress automatically effects on a person's life, family life, and social life. Stress is detected using various factors. Various supervised, and unsupervised machine-learning algorithm are being used to detect stress efficiently and effectively among a huge population. Supervised learning algorithms are used for mental stress detection, however the accuracy of the algorithm depends upon the training data. This paper reports, the various tests required for detecting stress level like Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale/SRRS, Daily Hassles Scale/Hassles and uplift scales(HUPS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), Perceived Stress Reactivity Scale (PSRS) test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]