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According to UK consumer group Which?, some eco-friendly toilet paper brands that claim to be made from bamboo actually contain very little bamboo. Which? assessed the grass fiber composition of loo rolls from five popular UK brands and found that samples from Bumboo contained just 2.7% grass fibers, Naked Sprout paper had 4% grass fibers, and Bazoo had 26.1%. Instead of bamboo, the toilet paper was mainly made from virgin hardwoods. Only two of the brands tested, Who Gives a Crap and The Cheeky Panda, contained 100% grass fibers. Bumboo, Naked Sprout, and Bazoo claim to use bamboo certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), but Bumboo and Bazoo acknowledged issues in their supply chain and are implementing stricter controls. Naked Sprout emphasized that its entire supply chain is FSC certified. [Extracted from the article]

The article present conversations of library professionals & authors Nancy Shore, Kristina Clement and Katherine Rose Adams. Topics include the "paper ceiling" in academic libraries; the motivations behind pursuing doctorates; and the potential benefits and challenges of advanced degrees for academic library professionals. The conversation reflects their experiences with educational advancement and its impact on their career paths within higher education and academic libraries.

The article presents the position paper issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding malaria vaccines that was reviewed by the WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG). Also cited are the method used by WHO in assessing the vaccines' efficacy, how malaria is transmitted as a vector-borne disease, and the number of deaths caused by malaria around the world.

The article focuses on the second licensed dengue vaccine, TAK-003, along with the position of the World Health Organization (WHO) for its use, and provides an update on the first licensed dengue vaccine, CYD-TDV. Topics discussed include epidemiology and transmission of dengue, classifications made by the WHO on dengue illness, and diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

This article argues against the use of euphemisms when referring to menstrual products, such as "sanitary towels" or "feminine hygiene products." The author asserts that these terms perpetuate the false belief that menstruation is dirty or polluting, which has historically been used to oppress women. The author also highlights that the use of feminine descriptors excludes trans men and non-binary individuals who menstruate. The article suggests using the term "menstrual products" instead, as it accurately reflects their purpose and avoids reinforcing shame or stigma. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents an addendum to the position paper on the use of meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MMCV) in the African meningitis belt issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization at its meeting in September 2023. Topics include the WHO off-label recommendations for meningococcal vaccines and vaccination that apply to countries in the African meningitis belt and research priorities on the impact of Men5CV vaccine.

A recent article in New Scientist discusses a robot called PaperBot that can design and test objects made from folded paper, such as planes, more effectively than a human. The robot, developed by researchers at Columbia University, uses a machine learning algorithm to adjust the design of the paper plane based on how far it flies. After 100 trials, PaperBot's best design flew further than the best design created by a human. This research demonstrates the potential for robots to excel in tasks that are difficult and computationally expensive to simulate. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Berceuse" describes the author's experiences in a hotel in Tangier and reflects on themes of decay, displacement, and cultural differences. The author recounts a night where someone tried to enter their room, and they barricaded themselves inside. They also mention the crumbling state of the hotel and the surrounding area, as well as the presence of meth heads and the aftermath of hurricanes. The article also touches on the beauty of nature, with descriptions of birds and the beach. Additionally, the author mentions a culinary garden in a Scottish cemetery and reflects on the names on the gravestones and the language barrier. Overall, the article provides a glimpse into the author's observations and reflections on their surroundings. [Extracted from the article]

The article announces that the Institute of Management Accountant (IMA) Committee on Ethics and Strategic Finance is inviting submissions for the 2025 Curt Verschoor Ethics Feature of the Year.

According to an article in New Scientist, researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found that writing by hand may improve memory retention compared to typing. The study involved 36 students who were asked to write down half of a list of 30 words by hand, while typing the other half. The researchers found that writing by hand increased connectivity between central parts of the brain and the parietal lobe, which is important for memory. The lead researcher, Audrey van der Meer, suggests that handwriting engages more senses and activates more areas of the brain. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides a brief overview of various current events happening around the world. In California, fast-food workers will now be paid a minimum wage of $20 per hour, aimed at providing greater financial security for workers supporting families. In South Africa, a building collapse resulted in the death of nine construction workers and left many others injured and trapped. Hong Kong residents are now banned from singing a protest anthem due to national security laws. Indigenous Australians expressed outrage after ancestral remains were returned in brown paper bags, calling for an inquiry into the handling of First Nations ancestral remains. The United States and Saudi Arabia are finalizing a mega-deal that includes a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel, with potential geopolitical implications. Diplomatic tensions between India and Canada rose due to the arrest of three Indian nationals suspected of involvement in the murder of a Canadian Sikh activist. The Rwandan rebel group M23 was blamed for twin bomb blasts at displacement camps in the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in the death of at least 12 people. [Extracted from the article]

Zhang Xiaodong, a Chinese artist, has revived the ancient technique of dragon-scale bookbinding, which was popular during the Tang Dynasty. This technique involves creating books that resemble Chinese dragons, with each page appearing like a scale. Zhang has dedicated himself to mastering this art form and has completed eight dragon-scale bookbinding works. He has also integrated this technique with accordion binding and created a version of the classic Chinese novel A Dream of Red Mansions. Zhang's innovative approach has gained recognition, and he has also explored other paper-based art forms, such as qianye. He believes that ancient bookbinding techniques provide new possibilities for the future of print publishing. [Extracted from the article]

This article takes insight from the aviation industry to present a proposal for the future of human-artificial intelligence (AI) interaction. The article discusses human factors engineering in aviation and Lisanne Bainbridge’s 1983 paper “Ironies of Automation” with an emphasis on human monitoring of artificial intelligence systems and de-skilling as a result of automation. The article concludes with a discussion on the future of human-AI interaction including human agency and critical thinking skills.

This article from Mother Earth News provides information on how to start seeds at home to cultivate strong plants for your garden. It suggests using alternative seed-starting methods such as coconut coir pellets or homemade compost and soil blockers. The article also explains how to make paper pots from newspapers or paper bags, which are free and biodegradable. Additionally, it offers a recipe for a homemade seed-starting mix using potting soil and perlite. The article discusses the importance of providing the right conditions for germination and growth, including temperature, humidity, water, and sunlight. It also provides tips on transplanting seedlings into larger pots and eventually into the garden. The article concludes with advice on storing leftover seeds for future use. [Extracted from the article]

This article from Mother Earth News provides several seed-starting suggestions. One suggestion is to fold newspaper into small pockets to give away excess seedlings. Another suggestion is to plant seeds inside eggshells and then break the eggshell and spread it around the plant when it's ready to be planted outdoors. Additionally, the article suggests using a shallow tray and a folded brown paper towel to start tomato seedlings, and then transferring the sprouted seedlings to small pots containing soil. These methods are useful for starting seeds and can be especially helpful with old seeds. [Extracted from the article]

This article from Woman's Day provides a step-by-step guide on how to create a lily pad wreath for your door. The wreath is made using green craft paper and features green flowers and lotus flowers in various shades of pink. The article also includes a joke about frogs and suggests visiting their website for more DIY wreath ideas. [Extracted from the article]

The ranking of decision makers (DMs)' preferences for feasible states in the graph model for conflict resolution (GMCR) is crucial for accurately determining stability results. This paper addresses the issue of subjective ranking methods lacking theoretical foundation and causing ambiguity when the number of feasible states is high by proposing the implementation of the multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) method in the GMCR. The paper utilizes the average level to choose evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS) method for determining the DM's preference ranking, which can effectively reduce the impact of anomalous evaluations. Further, the PUL-EDAS method based on probabilistic uncertainty linguistics (PUL) is developed, which overcomes the shortcomings of the traditional EDAS method, which only applies to the simple evaluation of information. The PUL aligns with DMs' daily evaluation practice by providing an interval for the quality of qualitative linguistic evaluations. Furthermore, it utilizes an objective aggregation method to calculate comprehensive evaluation information from all DMs. In addition, the four fundamental stability definitions, applicable solely under crisp preferences, are extended to the PUL context, providing related extended definitions. Finally, to ensure the scientific validity and practicality of the proposed theory, this paper selects digital rural governance as the research context for conflict calculus analysis, comparing it with other MADM methods in the preference ranking section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calista Flockhart, a 59-year-old actress, discusses various aspects of her life in an interview. She mentions injuring her finger while cutting an avocado and seeking medical care during the Christmas season. Flockhart also talks about her obsession with finding the perfect pour-over coffee and her nightly routine of snuggling and kissing her three dogs. She reveals that she was starstruck when meeting Martin Short and reminisces about building and decorating a gingerbread house. [Extracted from the article]

The Urban Redevelopment Authority and National Library Board are hosting an exhibition called "To Draw an Idea" at the URA Centre. The exhibition explores the designs of Singapore architectural firms, William Lim Associates and W Architects, and their impact on local buildings over the past four decades. The exhibition features projects such as the renovation of the Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall in 2010 and the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum. A book accompanying the exhibition has also been published, showcasing the firms' work through sketches, drawings, and historical artifacts. Additionally, a satellite exhibition called "Dare to Design: Singapore Architecture 1960s-2000s" will be held at the National Library Building, and a roving exhibition will travel to various public libraries. [Extracted from the article]

An Algebraic Circuit for a multivariate polynomial P is a computational model for constructing the polynomial P using only additions and multiplications. It is a syntactic model of computation, as opposed to the Boolean Circuit model, and hence lower bounds for this model are widely expected to be easier to prove than lower bounds for Boolean circuits. Despite this, we do not have superpolynomial lower bounds against general algebraic circuits of depth 3 (except over constant-sized finite fields) and depth 4 (over any field other than F2), while constant-depth Boolean circuit lower bounds have been known since the early 1980s. In this paper, we prove the first superpolynomial lower bounds against algebraic circuits of all constant depths over all fields of characteristic 0. We also observe that our super-polynomial lower bound for constant-depth circuits implies the first deterministic sub-exponential time algorithm for solving the Polynomial Identity Testing (PIT) problem for all small-depth circuits using the known connection between algebraic hardness and randomness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses algorithmic priority inversion in mission-critical machine inference pipelines used in modern neural-network-based perception subsystems and describes a solution to mitigate its effect. In general, priority inversion occurs in computing systems when computations that are "less important" are performed together with or ahead of those that are "more important." Significant priority inversion occurs in existing machine inference pipelines when they do not differentiate between critical and less critical data. We describe a framework to resolve this problem and demonstrate that it improves a perception system's ability to react to critical inputs, while at the same time reducing platform cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the growing demand for statisticians and data scientists in the biopharmaceutical field, with projected growth rates of 35% and 30% respectively over the next 10 years. The author highlights the increasing number of graduate degrees and programs in statistics and data science, indicating a growing interest in these fields among students. The article also emphasizes the importance of networking and making connections in order to secure employment in the biopharmaceutical field, suggesting that participating in student paper and poster competitions can provide valuable exposure to professional statisticians. The author concludes that while these competitions may not have the expected immediate rewards, they offer long-term benefits such as introducing oneself to professionals and showcasing one's work. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses data quality and considers the building and scaling of data through open-source models. It mentions information duplication, degraded model quality, and data filtering in large language models (LLMs). Several research papers are cited including one titled "Textbooks are all you need" which focuses on Phi1, a transformer-based model which synthetically generates high-quality textbooks using output from sources such as GPT-3.5.

A study has found that over a quarter of digitally published research papers are at risk of being lost forever because they are not properly archived. Out of more than seven million publications, 28% (over two million articles) do not appear in a major digital archive, despite having a unique identifier. This lack of archiving poses a threat to the integrity of scientific research and the ability to verify information. The costs of preserving digital content are believed to be a barrier for smaller organizations. It is important to consider the long-term sustainability of the research ecosystem and ensure access to valuable work even after the author's lifetime. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents the discussion on papers of Mary Oliver, one of America's most acclaimed poets, are now part of the Library through the generosity of Bill and Amalie Reichblum.

The article presents the discussion on major portion of the papers of Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the court, recently opened for research use in the Library's Manuscript Division.

The article offers suggestions for writing a rebuttal when one has submitted a paper to an academic conference and has received a response indicating that revisions are required for the possible acceptance of the paper.

Hackers and digital activists have fully entered the wars waged with digital propaganda, electronic sabotage, cyber espionage and software hacking tools. DDoS attacks, malware, ransomware, but also algorithms, deepfakes, trolls and bots are their weapons. This is how they participate in the hybrid war fought among States. In this scenario, it is alleged that the techniques for manipulating perceptions that exploit digital tools are fully included among the weapons of hybrid warfare, as they are capable of influencing the reactivity of the adversary. In this regard we speak of Cognitive War. This also means that information campaigns are no longer based only on traditional media, but also on digital media, social platforms and direct messaging channels. Among the tools of these campaigns, those of computational propaganda, used to change the mindset of the target, to generate fear, uncertainty, and doubt, are increasingly arousing the concerns of States. The reason is easy to understand: where public opinion is able to influence the choices of the warring parties, manipulation can change the phases of the conflict. In this paper we will try to describe the techniques of computational propaganda and how hacker activists and State hackers can use them. Indeed, in the global election year ahead of us, 2024, computational propaganda could represent a risk for the democratic process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a smooth finite element method (S-FEM) for efficient and accurate analysis of motor magnetic fields. The edge-based smooth finite element (ES-FEM) formulations are derived for two-dimensional triangular element meshes suitable for multi-material motor structures, and then a magnetic flux density calculation method appropriate for S-FEM to calculate nonlinear electromagnetic fields is introduced. In the calculation of motor magnetic field, ES-FEM has a proper softening effect on the stiffness matrix of the finite elements, which makes the calculation more accurate and more efficient than FEM. The magnetic flux intensity calculation method introduced in this paper is not only appropriate for ES-FEM to calculate the nonlinear electromagnetic field of motor, but also can improve the calculation accuracy of magnetic flux density. In the calculation of nonlinear magnetic field of motor, ES-FEM can also improve the calculation accuracy of magnetic field analysis compared with FEM. Several numerical examples demonstrate the improving effect of the ES-FEM discussed above on the motor's magnetic field calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an inverse design method for auxetic metamaterials is proposed. The conjugate gradient method is employed to minimize the errors of the required parameters of the designed shape. The interior point penalty method is used to convert constrained inverse problems into unconstrained ones. Using the Taylor expansion, the optimizing step size is derived as well. The boundary element method and the representative volume element are used to compute the effective stiffness matrix. Due to the advantages of the boundary element method, we only need the boundary elements and can easily re-mesh the optimized geometry during the inverse search. The validation test demonstrates that using the computed effective stiffness matrix yields nearly identical results to those obtained from direct finite element analysis. Then, using the proposed method, the authors successfully achieved all three design targets, which proved the effectiveness. Furthermore, the choice of penalty factor has been discussed in this paper as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on Sigmund Freud returned again and again to the problem of memory as he formulated his theories of psychoanalysis during the 1890s.

The article presents the discussion on Washington National Monument Society chose architect Robert Mills to design the memorial to the first president, George Washington.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is retracting six research papers and correcting 31 others due to allegations of data manipulation. British molecular biologist Sholto David flagged nearly 60 papers published between 1997 and 2017 that contained image manipulation and other errors. The papers were authored by Dana-Farber's CEO and COO and covered topics such as multiple myeloma and immune cells. The investigation comes after similar investigations into the published work of former presidents of Harvard University and Stanford University. [Extracted from the article]

Green's functions of stress and displacement due to wave propagation in a sandwich panel consisting of transversely isotropic face-sheets and aluminum foam core are developed in the present paper. Dynamic partial differential equations of equilibrium for the considered face-sheets and core are expressed in cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, z), and converted into two separate equations using two unknown potential functions. Then, by writing the potential functions as Fourier series in the circumferential direction and using Hankel transform in the radial direction, an analytical solution to the potential functions in Hankel transformed space is developed. Using the boundary conditions and continuity of the problem as well as the place of application of harmonic forces, Green's functions for displacements and stresses in the frequency domain are derived using Hankel's inverse integral transform. These functions are expressed as complex integrals and calculated numerically. To verify the methodology and results, a comparison study is performed for particular cases showing a high level of the accuracy. Green's functions obtained from this paper will give information about the loading models or materials causing the maximum normal stress, shear stress, vertical and radial displacements. In addition, based on the results, with an increase in the core thickness compared to that of face-sheets in a Sandwich panel, an increment in Green's functions of stress and displacement is observed in both real and imaginary parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the advantages of the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method (SPH) in interface tracking and the finite volume method (FVM) in computational conservation, the SPH-FVM coupling method for interface flow simulation has been developed in recent years. The existing SPH-FVM coupling methods are based on the structured mesh which are difficult for the simulation of interfacial flows in irregular flow regions. In order to improve the applicability of SPH-FVM coupling method in the simulation of two-phase interfacial flow in irregular flow regions, a SPH-FVM coupling method based on triangular mesh is developed in this paper. The bidirectional transfer of information between the particles and the triangular grids is implemented in this study. A self-programming of SPH-FVM coupling method based on triangular mesh is realized. Some typical two-phase interfacial flows in regular and irregular flow regions are applied to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the developed SPH-FVM coupling method. Results indicate that the SPH-FVM coupling method based on triangular mesh developed in this paper has good performance for the simulation of two-phase interfacial flow. Therefore, the SPH-FVM coupling method based on triangular mesh can be used as an optional method for the simulation of two-phase interfacial flow in irregular flow regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper represents Part 2 of the parallel paper Part 1, where the strong form hybrid RBF-FD method was developed for solving thermo-elasto-plastic problems. It addresses the industrial application of this novel meshless method to steel bars cooling on a cooling bed (CB) where the formation of residual stress is of primary interest. The study investigates the impact of the distance between the bars and the distance to the heat shield above the CB on radiative heat fluxes and, consequently, on thermo-mechanical response. The thermal model is solved on bars cross-section with a RBF-FD method where augmented polyharmonic splines are used for the local approximation. View factors, computed with a Monte-Carlo method, are included in radiative heat fluxes. The thermal solution is incrementally applied on a mechanical model that assumes a generalised plane strain state and captures bars bending. The study employs a hybrid RBF-FD method to resolve a nonlinear discontinuous mechanical problem successfully. The simulation of the process shows how different process parameters influence the thermo-mechanical response of the bars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World War II may be over, but its wounds are far from healed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with Mike Lindell, the chief executive officer of MyPillow, is presented. When asked about the Election Crime Bureau and efforts to secure elections, he mentioned the transition to paper ballots, cooperation with states, and concerns about election irregularities, especially in Georgia. He reports endeavors to transition counties to paper ballots and discusses the potential impact of legal rulings on election processes.

A forthcoming conference will address the topic of "Companion canine nutrient contributions to peri-urban environments," exploring the tangible benefits that dogs can offer to cities. However, tensions may arise during the conference due to restrictions on dogs being allowed on the beach in the host city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In another story, a biologist named Kees Moeliker rediscovered a preserved corpse of a Danish black-headed gull that had become trapped in a freshwater mussel in 1952. The gull had not been killed by the mussel but had been shot, and the specimen was found in a museum collection in Denmark. Lastly, several research papers published in Iran discuss the "rule of negation of the mustache" in international relations, which is a mistranslation of the Arabic word for "a way" being confused with the Persian word for "mustache." The influence of these papers on diplomatic relations remains to be seen. [Extracted from the article]

This article from People magazine features a collection of quotes from various celebrities. John Legend discusses how he and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, take regular staycations to have some time away from their children. Sabrina Carpenter shares her advice on not getting pregnant in an interview with Cosmopolitan. Whoopi Goldberg mentions that Sister Act 3 is still in the works. Sally Field talks about the possibility of getting married again. Sheryl Crow reveals that her sons find it cringey when she is on TikTok. David Beckham mentions the chickens his wife bought him for Christmas. [Extracted from the article]

Mickalene Thomas is an artist who has been exploring Black femininity through various mediums for over two decades. Her collages, made with rhinestones, acrylic, paper, and enamel, feature figures cut out from her own studio photographs, vintage Jet magazine calendars, and other archival images. Thomas uses glitter, vibrant patterns, and surprising textures to place Black women at the center of her work. Her exhibition, "Mickalene Thomas: All About Love," is currently on display at The Broad in Los Angeles and will later travel to Philadelphia, London, and Toulouse. [Extracted from the article]

This article showcases a variety of fabric and wallcovering designs from different designers and brands. It features the expansion of Backdrop into wallcoverings, as well as notable designs from Seema Krish, Flavor Paper, La Perle, and Wolf-Gordon. The article also highlights collaborations between Lori Weitzner and Samuel & Sons, as well as the popularity of Biobased Xorel and metallic finishes. Additionally, it mentions the influence of Florence Broadhurst and the range of products available, including sheers, fabrics, tiles, wallcoverings, and acoustic materials. The text aims to provide library patrons with an overview of the different design options available and their unique features. [Extracted from the article]

Nonnative, invasive ants, and especially the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, are a widespread threat to ground‐nesting wildlife. In this paper I describe a method of controlling fire ants using hot water. The hot water approach was applied to reduce fire ant impacts on sea turtles and ground‐nesting songbirds and to demonstrate its utility in protection of different ground‐nesting species in different habitats. Fire ant controls using hot water provided 90% or greater control, significantly improving survival of both turtle and bird hatchlings, without the use of pesticides. The success of the method and the availability of necessary equipment shows that hot water control of fire ant populations should be considered as a tool for wildlife affected by fire ants and is useful for a wide variety of scenarios where fire ant controls are desirable or necessary. The method does require that 1) wildlife nest locations are known and that 2) nearby fire ant colonies can be found and treated with hot water. The method can be used as a complement to broadcast or bait‐station baiting strategies or as a stand‐alone method for managing fire ants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A mechanical invariance based on the interaction consistency between the FEM and the PD is derived. • An arbitrary switching FEM - PD coupling at the particle level was developed. • The surface effect of PD boundary and FEM - PD coupling interface is eliminated. • The mechanical behavior of the composite materials at the interface can be captured accurately. The issue of coupling the finite element method (FEM) and peridynamics (PD) is a critical concern of widespread attention in PD. In this paper, some essential insights into particle interfaces are presented to address the challenges of coupling PD with FEM and to mitigate surface effects. The interaction consistency between FEM and PD is demonstrated, and then a mechanical invariance of interactions is derived. This mechanical invariance serves as the foundation for an arbitrary switching FEM - PD coupling (ASC), which allows for arbitrary switching between the two methods without introducing artificial deviations. Moreover, a strain - based surface effect correction (SB - SEC) is developed to rectify surface effects by leveraging the symmetry of the strain tensor. This correction allows for the direct application of FEM boundary conditions onto PD boundary, thereby enhancing the precision of simulation results. The reliability of ASC is validated through quantitative deformation and fracture examples, while the excellent mitigation effect of SB - SEC is illustrated. Furthermore, the examples related to composite materials highlight the promising potential of the proposed method for simulating composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the application of the Galerkin Finite Block Method (GFBM) to address cracked solids associated with Functionally Graded Materials (FGMs), leveraging the foundational principles of the Galerkin method. The equilibrium equations pertinent to FGMs are articulated in their weak form. Employing Chebyshev polynomials as shape functions, the GFBM integrates mapping techniques to accommodate irregular finite or semi-infinite physical domains. Boundary and continuity conditions are enforced through the Lagrange Multiplier Method. The domain integrals are calculated through either analytical or numerical integration. The proposed method can easily solve the edge crack or diagonal crack problem by using the crack opening displacement method. The accuracy and convergence of the proposed method are illustrated through a selection of numerical examples. The obtained numerical solutions are verified with analytical solutions and the results from the Finite Element Method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The proposed method solves a series of 3D problems with sufficient complex interfaces such as banana-like and multi-interfaces. • The proposed method deals with different interfaces by only changing the level set function of the interface in the process. • An adequate comparison with the classical finite element-finite difference method [6,9] shows our meshless method is more accurate for the given examples in [6,9]. In this paper, a meshless method based on the generalized finite difference method is proposed for the 2D and 3D anisotropic elliptic interface problem. The method is convenient to deal with the mixed derivatives brought by the anisotropy, as well as the 2D and 3D complex geometries of the interfaces. Moreover, the treatment of different interfaces only needs to change their level set functions. Several 2D and 3D numerical experiments are provided and compared with the finite element-finite difference method to illustrate the features of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While topology optimization is promising for additive manufacturing structures, challenges arise in designing multi-material assemblies. The size often surpasses additive manufacturing build volumes, hindering successful manufacturing. Additionally, intricate topology-optimized structures complicate the assembly and decomposition of multiple material components. Addressing the aforementioned issues can be achieved by incorporating dimensional and assembly constraints into the optimization process. So far, these constraints have only been studied and implemented separately, leading to suboptimal solutions. Simply applying these two constraints together can also lead to excessive computational complexity. This paper introduces a multi-material topology optimization framework that considers both dimensional and assembly constraints. We propose an assembly direction-aligned method for dimensional constraints to reduce computational costs and an adaptive weighting factor for assembly constraints to enhance numerical stability. Validation through numerical examples and successful fabrication and assembly of a 3D-printed prototype underscore the framework's efficacy in ensuring the manufacturability and assemblability of structures designed via topology optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]