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Aim To compare the degree of fibre shedding by six brands of endodontic paper point when used for the paper point technique ( PPT) of working length confirmation. Methodology An in vitro model simulating the clinical use of paper points in PPT was used to assess the degree of fibre shedding of six brands of size 20, .02 taper paper point. Whilst observing the artificial terminal foramen with polarized light microscopy, the number of fibres shed directly (point inserted 1 mm beyond the terminal foramen) and indirectly (point inserted to length then a gutta-percha point inserted) was assessed. The degree of direct fibre shedding as a function of brand was analysed with Fisher's exact test and multiple pairwise comparisons. Indirect fibre shedding was analysed with Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Results All brands shed fibres both directly and indirectly, with a significant influence of brand on the proportion of fibres shed directly ( P < 0.0306) and on the mean number of fibres shed indirectly ( P < 0.0001). Post hoc analysis demonstrated a similar hierarchy of point integrity for both tests with Classic (UnoDent, Witham, UK) shedding significantly more than other brands and SS White (Gloucester, UK) and Antæos® ( VDW, Munich, Germany) shedding the least. Conclusion All brands of paper point may shed cellulose fibres both directly and indirectly with a significant influence of brand on the degree of fibre shedding. Further work should be undertaken to develop biocompatible absorbent dental points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Transcerebellar diameter (TCD) has been utilized prenatally as a tool to estimate gestational age (GA) when fetal growth aberrations are suspected. Traditionally, first trimester ultrasound (1TUS) has been the gold standard of dating a pregnancy in spontaneous pregnancies. We sought to determine if neonatal TCD measurement was as accurate as 1TUS in the estimation of postconceptual gestational age (PCGA). Methods: A retrospective cohort from a registry of high‐quality transmastoid views of consecutive patients from July 2019 to November 2020, delivered from 24 to 34 weeks GA, and with a 1TUS were included. The reference PCGA was the sum of the GA at delivery by 1TUS and day of life. The PCGA by TCD was calculated from Chang et al for GA by TCD. Reference and experimental values were compared by correlation, agreement within 7 days, and Bland–Altman analysis. Results: Of the 154 individual patients in the registry of high‐quality transmastoid views during the study period, 62 met inclusion and exclusion criteria. PCGA by 1TUS and TCD were highly correlated (r = 0.86, P <.001; κ = 47% agreement within 7 days of PCGA). The bias of PCGA by TCD was 4.6 days earlier than the PCGA by 1TUS (95% confidence interval of agreement: −29.2, 20). Conclusions: PCGA estimation by neonatal transmastoid TCD was highly correlated with that of 1TUS. It generally underestimates GA by 4.6 days. This relationship warrants further investigation to determine if this method of estimating PCGA in undated gestations is generalizable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new robust Kalman filter (KF) based on mixing distribution is presented to address the filtering issue for a linear system with measurement loss (ML) and heavy-tailed measurement noise (HTMN) in this paper. A new Student's t -inverse-Wishart-Gamma mixing distribution is derived to more rationally model the HTMN. By employing a discrete Bernoulli random variable (DBRV), the form of measurement likelihood function of double mixing distributions is converted from a weighted sum to an exponential product, and a hierarchical Gaussian state-space model (HGSSM) is therefore established. Finally, the system state, the intermediate random variables (IRVs) of the new STIWG distribution, and the DBRV are simultaneously estimated by utilizing the variational Bayesian (VB) method. Numerical example simulation experiment indicates that the proposed filter in this paper has superior performance than current algorithms in processing ML and HTMN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel technique to evaluate OSNR using asynchronous histograms. The technique is based on a comparison between a numerically estimated asynchronous histogram of the signal to be measured and the monitored signal. Experimental validation of proposed technique is presented. Measurement errors below 1 dB are achieved for OSNR values below 32 dB. The proposed technique is also validated for cases where the monitored signal presents significant dispersion-induced distortion, without presenting significant loss of accuracy. The principal limitations of the proposed technique are also investigated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1369–1372, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21648 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the short working distance and small measurement range of an all-fibre interferometer, we proposed a Mach–Zehnder Fabry–Perot hybrid fibre-optic interferometry system based on sinusoidal phase modulation. In this paper, a low-finesse fibre interferometer with a larger linear operating range for displacement measurement is realised using a self-collimating probe and incorporating a Kalman filter-based phase demodulation algorithm. Through experimental comparisons, it is demonstrated that the interferometer proposed in this paper can effectively reduce the phase delay, compensate for the depth of modulation drift, and correct the error due to parasitic interference introduced by the optical path structure through the algorithm. A linear large measurement working range of 20 cm is realised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear servo-motor (LSM) plays a vital role in industrial automatic machines. This paper proposed a digital image grating (DIG) method to measure the LSM mover position easily, robustly, and accurately over a wide range. The DIG method uses a narrow camera view for obtaining better accuracy and uses calibrated code marks as references to realize a wide measuring range. Furthermore, a 2P-ICGN algorithm was used for fast, robust, and precise image matching, and a fast interpolation method was used for interpolating image pixels efficiently. Firstly, a pattern with code marks and random speckle was set in the measuring range. Secondly, the code mark positions were determined with the help of image stitching. Thirdly, the rough position of the mover was estimated promptly via code mark recognition. Finally, the accurate mover position was calculated by matching the real-time image with the reference image containing the identified code mark. Experimental results confirm that the DIG method can measure LSM mover positions with an accuracy of 0.0031 mm (MAE) in a range of 450 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant challenge in modern Jewish history research is the precise knowledge of the Talmudic measurement units of length, capacity, weight, and currency. Such knowledge is indispensable for the faithful to fulfil their religious, social, and economic obligations and to govern the Jewish society in the case of a lawsuit about agreed quantities. This problem was raised recurrently throughout history for two reasons. First, the same denomination is used in neighboring countries with different values, and second, the standard used in each country is unstable. It evolves frequently for political and military and economic reasons (debasement, change of the weight of currency). In a former paper (B.D.D. 19, January 2008) we showed that the Talmudic standards of length measurement units were presumably not based on natural values of breadth of thumb or of cubit but were based on the Roman mile equal to the Talmudic mile of 1481.5 m corresponding to 2000 military steps (or 2000*√2 cubits) and meeting the definition of the furthest distance one may walk on the Sabbath (tehum shabbat). In the present paper we examine the standard of Talmudical measurement units of volume and capacity. We find in the Talmud Bavli a rule defining the relation between the units of length and the units of capacity. Therefore, the Talmudic standard of length measurement units plus this relation allows defining the standard of capacity measurement units considered in the Talmud Bavli. However, we find in the Talmud Yerushalmi two different and contradictory rules which, added to the standard of length measurement units, allow defining two other standards of capacity measurements units. We are now faced with the existence of three independent standards of capacity measurement units, which seem genuine and existed already around 200 C.E., at the time of the completion of the Mishna and the Tossefta. We can define them as respectively a standard of tall, average, and small units of volume. This would prove that the capacity denominations had a different value in different areas in Palestine. Apparently, the standard of the small units of volume of the Talmud Yerushalmi was still, in the eighth century, the only standard known by R. Eleazar Kalir, but later in the twelfth century, it was misunderstood by Tossafot, neglected, and practically completely forgotten. Similarly, the standard of the large units of volume was misunderstood, exaggerated, and probably therefore neglected and forgotten. Only the standard of the average units survived in Babylonia but the notion of the Roman mile and therefore the standard of the length measurement units was quickly forgotten in Babylonia. Finally, the only thing that remained was the relation between the Talmudic units of length and capacity. All the rabbinic standards of measurement units, generally based on the emulation of the natural sizes of the breadth of thumb or the hen's egg volume, respect this rule, known as the rule of Rav Hisda (see below note 10). We analyze four rabbinic standards of rabbinic measurement units, the standards of Rambam and Rashi and the standards defined recently in the former generation, by R. Naé and R. Avraham Isaiah Karelitz (Hazon Ish). The last one is a standard of tall units of length and volume. It corresponds to a late tendency expanding from the eighteenth century onwards and which experienced a lashing acceleration in the twentieth century, to privilege the natural value of the breadth of thumb. The two last standards are considered today as the authoritative halakhic standards. This is quite surprising because it appears that they were constructed on very imprecise and even incorrect assumptions and their authority can only be understood because the former standards were still insufficiently known. Their only merit is to put the faithful on the side of the security but at the price of significative exaggerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Physics Essays is the property of Physics Essays Publication and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, the outflow process of a linear width contraction device for a free-flow condition is modeled using the dimensional analysis and the incomplete self-similarity condition. The proposed theoretical stage-discharge relationship is tested using measurements available in the literature. The proposed power stage-discharge equation is characterized by a value of the exponent close to 2 and a coefficient depending on the angle of the device sides with the channel bank. The proposed flume is characterized by simple construction, easy installation, low cost, and a good accuracy of the measured discharge (errors in the estimate ranging from − 3.84 to 1.9%). The deduced stage-discharge equation is characterized by errors in the estimate of discharge lower than or equal to ± 3% for 93.7% of the investigated cases. The main result of this paper is a stage-discharge relationship giving an accurate estimate of discharge but, at the same time, having the advantage of working regardless of the discharge coefficient estimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog, was selected from a natural population breed of Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The aim of this study was to analyze the existence and size of sexual dimorphism in a population of 26 males and 23 females of the Mioritic Shepherd Dog breed, for 6 body measurements: ear length, ear width, distance between the ears, distance between the eyes, length hair at withers and metacarpal perimeter. Following the study on the significance of statistical differences between body measurements recorded in 26 males and 23 females, it was concluded that sexual dimorphism is not evident in the population of the Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog studied in this paper, except the distance between the ears character. Among the other characters, the differences between the individuals of the two sexes are insignificant (p>0.05). We recommend to the dog breeders to take into account the genetic improvement programs, and also the results presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate the membranous urethral length (MUL) measurement and its interobserver agreement, and propose literature-based recommendations to standardize MUL measurement for increasing interobserver agreement. MUL measurements based on prostate MRI scans, for urinary incontinence risk assessment before radical prostatectomy (RP), may influence treatment decision-making in men with localised prostate cancer. Before implementation in clinical practise, MRI-based MUL measurements need standardization to improve observer agreement. Methods: Online libraries were searched up to August 5, 2022, on MUL measurements. Two reviewers performed article selection and critical appraisal. Papers reporting on preoperative MUL measurements and urinary continence correlation were selected. Extracted information included measuring procedures, MRI sequences, population mean/median values, and observer agreement. Results: Fifty papers were included. Studies that specified the MRI sequence used T2-weighted images and used either coronal images (n = 13), sagittal images (n = 18), or both (n = 12) for MUL measurements. 'Prostatic apex' was the most common description of the proximal membranous urethra landmark and 'level/entry of the urethra into the penile bulb' was the most common description of the distal landmark. Population mean (median) MUL value range was 10.4–17.1 mm (7.3–17.3 mm), suggesting either population or measurement differences. Detailed measurement technique descriptions for reproducibility were lacking. Recommendations on MRI-based MUL measurement were formulated by using anatomical landmarks and detailed descriptions and illustrations. Conclusions: In order to improve on measurement variability, a literature-based measuring method of the MUL was proposed, supported by several illustrative case studies, in an attempt to standardize MRI-based MUL measurements for appropriate urinary incontinence risk preoperatively. Clinical relevance statement: Implementation of MUL measurements into clinical practise for personalized post-prostatectomy continence prediction is hampered by lack of standardization and suboptimal interobserver agreement. Our proposed standardized MUL measurement aims to facilitate standardization and to improve the interobserver agreement. Key Points: • Variable approaches for membranous urethral length measurement are being used, without detailed description and with substantial differences in length of the membranous urethra, hampering standardization. • Limited interobserver agreement for membranous urethral length measurement was observed in several studies, while preoperative incontinence risk assessment necessitates high interobserver agreement. • Literature-based recommendations are proposed to standardize MRI-based membranous urethral length measurement for increasing interobserver agreement and improving preoperative incontinence risk assessment, using anatomical landmarks on sagittal T2-weighted images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The autonomous displacement and displacement measurement functions of the maglev ruler are performed by the mover core. The magnetic levitation ruler can serve as a viable alternative to the linear measurement system of a coordinate measuring machine. The stability of the four magnetic fields in air gaps and the levitation position of the maglev ruler is one of the key factors for the stability of the thrust force on the power core, and it is also one of the key factors for ensuring the precision of the maglev ruler. There is cross-coupling between the two ends of the mover core of the maglev ruler, resulting in a strongly coupled, nonlinear, multi-input and multi-output system for the levitating system of the maglev ruler. This paper establishes a mathematical model for the levitating system of the maglev ruler and designs a levitating control system for the maglev ruler based on an active disturbance rejection control algorithm to achieve decoupling and disturbance suppression. Through simulation analysis and experimental testing of the levitating system with starting and disturbance, it is proved that the levitating control system of the maglev ruler has good dynamic characteristics, static characteristics, and robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regularized regression methods have attracted much attention in the literature, mainly due to its application in high-dimensional variable selection problems. Most existing regularization methods assume that the predictors are directly observed and precisely measured. It is well known that in a low-dimensional regression model if some covariates are measured with error, then the naive estimators that ignore the measurement error are biased and inconsistent. However, the impact of measurement error in regularized estimation procedures is not clear. For example, it is known that the ordinary least squares estimate of the regression coefficient in a linear model is attenuated towards zero and, on the other hand, the variance of the observed surrogate predictor is inflated. Therefore, it is unclear how the interaction of these two factors affects the selection outcome. To correct for the measurement error effects, some researchers assume that the measurement error covariance matrix is known or can be estimated using external data. In this paper, we propose the regularized instrumental variable method for generalized linear measurement error models. We show that the proposed approach yields a consistent variable selection procedure and root-n consistent parameter estimators. Extensive finite sample simulation studies show that the proposed method performs satisfactorily in both linear and generalized linear models. A real data example is provided to further demonstrate the usage of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The great cormorant has become a model taxon in the study of the ecology and ecotoxicology of fish-eating species. In this study, we used 157 adult and 222 juvenile dead individuals sexed by dissection to provide a method of sexing this species using external measurements. Males were larger than females in all linear body measurements, but there were no significant differences between adults and juveniles. Thus, in further analyses data on juveniles and adults within a sex was combined. The discriminant equations provided, with wing length and bill length, provided high accuracy, with 6.2% of individuals misclassified. The method presented here makes it possible to account for sex-specific patterns in ecological studies of the great cormorant and may be applied to data collected in the past. The possibility of sex identification of birds has substantial importance for studies on different aspects of bird ecology and behaviour. Using discriminant functions is becoming increasingly popular in studies of bird species that are monomorphic in plumage characteristics because they are cheap, hardly invasive and may be applied to data collected in the past. In this paper, we provide a discriminant function to sex great cormorants using external measurements. Males were larger than females in all linear body measurements, but there were no significant differences between adults and juveniles. Thus, data on juveniles and adults within a sex was combined. Discriminant equations with the most commonly used linear measurements, wing length and bill length, were provided. If identifying birds with discriminant function values D2 < −1.256 as females and those with D2 > 0.916 as males, 99% of birds will be correctly sexed. The method presented here makes it possible to account for sex-specific patterns in ecological studies of the great cormorant and may be applied to data collected in the past. The cross-application of discriminant functions developed for other populations of the great cormorant produces a 5.4% and 7.5% misclassification rate for birds from northern Poland using discriminant equations developed for populations in Greece and the Netherlands, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concentrates on the recovery of block-sparse signals, which are not only sparse but also nonzero elements are arrayed into some blocks (clusters) rather than being arbitrary distributed all over the vector, from linear measurements. We establish high-order sufficient conditions based on block RIP, which could ensure the exact recovery of every block s-sparse signal in the noiseless case via mixed l 2 / l p minimization method, and the stable and robust recovery in the case that signals are not accurately block-sparse in the presence of noise. Additionally, a lower bound on necessary number of random Gaussian measurements is gained for the condition to be true with overwhelming probability. Furthermore, a series of numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the mixed l 2 / l p minimization. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the recovery guarantees established in this paper are superior to those currently available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate fish size measurement in breeding areas is crucial for the fishing industry. Unlike acoustic methods with high equipment cost and low measurement accuracy, current image‐based methods offer a promising alternative. However, these image‐based methods still face challenges in selecting measurement points. To address this issue and achieve precise measurements of individual fish, this paper introduces an automatic fish size measurement method based on key point detection. We established a Fish‐Keypoints dataset and utilized deep learning techniques for the detection of fish and their key points. Using a binocular camera system, we reconstruct a three‐dimensional coordinate system to measure key points at the fish's head and tail, facilitating fish length calculation. The detection model achieves an accuracy of 85.1% in key point detection. The proposed method is tested in both land and underwater environments, demonstrating a relative measurement error of approximately 7% for fish in pools. This confirms the proposed method's ability to accurately detect measurement points, offering superior accuracy compared to other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the challenge of the inability to accurately calibrate the static measurement of a laser tracker across the full scale. To address this issue, this paper proposes to add a hollow corner cube prism on a 50 m high-precision composite guide rail to achieve a double-range measurement of the laser tracker. Data analysis indicated that, in the 77 m identical-directional double-range measurement experiment, the maximum indication error of a single-beam laser interferometer was −29.5 μm, and that of a triple-beam laser interferometer was 14.6 μm, and the measurement indication error was obviously small when the Abbe error was eliminated. The single-point repeatability of the tracker was 0.9 μm. In the 50 m identical-directional verification experiment, the results of the direct measurement outperformed those of the double-range measurement, and the indication errors under standard conditions were −4.0 μm and −8.9 μm, respectively. Overall, the method used in the experiment satisfies the requirements of the laser tracker. In terms of the identical-directional measurement, the measurement uncertainty of the tracker indication error is U ≈ 1.0 μm + 0.2L (k = 2) L = (0~77 m). The proposed method also provides insights for length measurements using other high-precision measuring instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The image is a particularly valuable data carrier in medical forensic and forensic analyses. One of the analyses, as mentioned above, is to assess whether a graphically captured object is the same object examined in reality. This is a complicated process due to perspective foreshortening, making it difficult to determine the scale and proportion of objects in the frame, as well as the subsequent correct reading of their actual measurements. This paper presented a method for the 3D reconstruction of silhouettes of people recorded in a photo or video, with the aim of identifying these people through subsequent comparative studies. The authors presented an algorithm for dealing with graphic evidence, using the example of the analysis of spatial correlation of the silhouette of the perpetrator of the actual event (recorded via CCTV footage) with the silhouette of the suspect (scanned in 3D in custody). In this paper, the authors posed the thesis that the isometric (devoid of perspective foreshortening) display mode that 3D platforms offer, and the animation of the figure to the desired identical poses, provides the possibility of not only obtaining linear measurements of the person but also of orthophotographic visualization of body proportions, allowing their comparison with another silhouette, which is difficult to achieve in perspective view of the studied image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous efforts were made in detecting cracks in images. Varied CNN models were developed and tested for detecting or segmenting crack regions. However, most datasets used in previous works contained clearly distinctive crack images. No previous methods were validated on blurry cracks captured in low definitions. Therefore, this paper presented a framework of detecting the regions of blurred, indistinct concrete cracks. The framework divides an image into small square patches which are classified into crack or non-crack. Well-known CNN models were employed for the classification and compared with each other with experimental tests. This paper also elaborated on critical factors—the patch size and the way of labeling patches—which had considerable influences on the training performance. Furthermore, a series of post-processes for measuring crack lengths were introduced. The proposed framework was tested on the images of bridge decks containing blurred thin cracks and showed reliable performance comparable to practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study an unconstrained l2,p minimization and its associated iteratively reweighted least squares algorithm (UBIRLS) for recovering block sparse signals. Wang et al. [Y. Wang, J. Wang and Z. Xu, On recovery of block-sparse signals via mixed l2/lq (0 < q ≤ 1) norm minimization, EURASIP J. Adv. Signal Process. 2013(76) (2013) 76] have used numerical experiments to show the remarkable performance of UBIRLS algorithm for recovering a block sparse signal, but no theoretical analysis such as convergence and convergence rate analysis of UBIRLS algorithm was given. We focus on providing convergence and convergence rate analysis of UBIRLS algorithm for block sparse recovery problem. First, the convergence of UBIRLS is proved strictly. Second, based on the block restricted isometry property (block RIP) of linear measurement matrix A, we give the error bound analysis of the UBIRLS algorithm. Lastly, we also characterize the local convergence behavior of the UBIRLS algorithm. The simplicity of UBIRLS algorithm, along with the theoretical guarantees provided in this paper, will make a compelling case for its adoption as a standard tool for block sparse recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Partially linear mixed effects model relating a response Y to predictors $ (X,Z,T) $ (X , Z , T) with the mean function $ X^{T}\beta +Zb+g(T) $ X T β + Zb + g (T) is considered in this paper. When the parametric parts' variable X are measured with additive error and there is ill-conditioned data suffering from multicollinearity, a new kernel two-parameter prediction method using the kernel ridge and Liu regression approach is suggested. The kernel two parameter estimator of β and the predictor of b are derived by modifying the likelihood and Henderson methods. Matrix mean square error comparisons are calculated. We also demonstrate that under suitable conditions, the resulting estimator of β is asymptotically normal. The situation with an unknown measurement error covariance matrix is handled. A Monte Carlo simulation study, together with an earthquake data example, is compiled to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach at the end of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slug flow processes draw much attention in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing thanks to their ability to eliminate downtime costs and batch‐to‐batch variation. Using in‐line video can monitor the current process status and improve the stability of the slug flow. However, there are no effective image processing methods aiming at such videos from chemical experiments due to limited training sample size and the variety of experimental settings. The paper proposes a training‐free method to automatically detect and measure the slugs from in‐line videos. Multiple image features are fused to identify the slug shapes under various lighting conditions, a six‐point model is fitted to achieve better volume estimation, and a consistency score is estimated to quantify the detection uncertainty. The proposed algorithm achieves similar results to manual labeling for various types of slug flow processes, improving the accuracy of slug column estimation by a large margin compared to the existing automatic methods. Finally, using it to monitor the slug flow process's stability and the change of the slug volume in an injection point are demonstrated. The method not only shows that handcrafted image features have the capability for detection and segmentation from chemical experiment images but also paves the road for a training‐based algorithm for the task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advancements have expanded the range of methods for capturing human body motion, including solutions involving inertial sensors (IMUs) and optical alternatives. However, the rising complexity and costs associated with commercial solutions have prompted the exploration of more cost-effective alternatives. This paper presents a markerless optical motion capture system using a RealSense depth camera and intelligent computer vision algorithms. It facilitates precise posture assessment, the real-time calculation of joint angles, and acquisition of subject-specific anthropometric data for gait analysis. The proposed system stands out for its simplicity and affordability in comparison to complex commercial solutions. The gathered data are stored in comma-separated value (CSV) files, simplifying subsequent analysis and data mining. Preliminary tests, conducted in controlled laboratory environments and employing a commercial MEMS-IMU system as a reference, revealed a maximum relative error of 7.6% in anthropometric measurements, with a maximum absolute error of 4.67 cm at average height. Stride length measurements showed a maximum relative error of 11.2%. Static joint angle tests had a maximum average error of 10.2%, while dynamic joint angle tests showed a maximum average error of 9.06%. The proposed optical system offers sufficient accuracy for potential application in areas such as rehabilitation, sports analysis, and entertainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the multi-target scenarios, we consider the problem of constant false alarm rate (CFAR) target detection. For the conventional CFAR algorithms, the multi-target detection performance is mainly limited by the interference target tolerance within the reference window. In this paper, we propose a local ordered statistic CFAR (OS-CFAR) target detector based on compressed sensing (CS) radar system to address the degradation of detection performance in multi-target scenarios. With the analog-information-converter (AIC), the radar intermediate frequency (IF) signal is compressively sampled into discrete linear measurements. At each detection stage, multiple signal components are generated by correlation tests between the sensing matrix and linear measurements. By support set merge and proxy pruning, the signal components with the largest energy are retained. These components are the echoes reflected from the targets. Since target components are output in decreasing order of correlation, the proposed detector only requires a local OS-CFAR decision in the interval where the least correlated target is located, rather than traversing the entire interval. By continuously updating the detection stage, all targets that satisfy the false alarm rate requirement can be screened out. Finally, the performance of the proposed detector in the multi-target scenarios is confirmed by simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Züchtungskunde is the property of Verlag Eugen Ulmer and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, human step length is estimated based on the wireless channel properties and the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) method. The path loss between two ankles, called the on-ankle path loss, is converted from the RSSI, which is measured by our developed wearable hardware in indoor and outdoor ambulation scenarios. The human walking step length is estimated by a reliable range of RSSI values. The upper threshold and the lower threshold of this range are determined experimentally. This paper advances our previous step length measurement technique by proposing a novel exponential weighted moving average (EWMA) algorithm to update the upper and lower thresholds, and thus the step length estimation, recursively. The EWMA algorithm allows our measurement technique to process each shorter subset of the dataset, called a time window, and estimate the step length, rather than having to process the whole dataset at a time. The step length is periodically updated on the fly when the time window is "sliding" forwards. Thus, the EWMA algorithm facilitates the step length estimation in real-time. The impact of the EWMA parameter is analysed, and the optimal parameter is discovered for different experimental scenarios. Our experiments show that the EWMA algorithm could achieve comparable accuracy as our previously proposed technique with errors as small as 3.02% and 0.30% for the indoor and outdoor scenarios, respectively, while the processing time required to output an estimation of the step length could be significantly shortened by 53.96% and 60% for the indoor walking and outdoor walking, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Random traffic flow load (TFL) simulation is an important analysis method for bridge design and safety assessment, and accurate TFL modelling is a prerequisite for high-quality simulation. The existing TFL modelling methods almost all rely on the load data monitored by the weigh-in-motion system (WIM system). However, the WIM system has natural defects such as unsatisfactory measurement accuracy at low speed and the inability to measure vehicle lengths and transverse positions in the lane, limiting the improvement of TFL simulation accuracy. Regarding this, a TFL monitoring system that integrates the functions of machine vision and WIM system is developed in this paper. In this system, a deep learning method is applied, for the accurate detection of vehicles and wheels in the video, and the extraction of key parameters for TFL modelling based on detection results. According to the long-term monitoring value, statistical distributions of key parameters are determined, and then an intelligent TFL model is derived from the Intelligent Driver Model (IDM), considering the car-following behavior of vehicles. Correspondingly, this paper further suggests a TFL simulation method and achieves an accurate TFL simulation. A cable-stayed bridge is taken as an example to verify the feasibility of the method. The results show that, compared to the modelling and simulation methods that only rely on the WIM system, the proposed method not only reduces the measurement error of vehicle dimensions by nearly 4 times, but also performs higher resolution in time measurement. The proposed method effectively overcomes the shortcomings of existing schemes and has good application potential in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is an urgent problem to know how to quickly and accurately measure the length of irregular curves in complex background images. To solve the problem, we first proposed a quasi-bimodal threshold segmentation (QBTS) algorithm, which transforms the multimodal histogram into a quasi-bimodal histogram to achieve a faster and more accurate segmentation of the target curve. Then, we proposed a single-pixel skeleton length measurement (SPSLM) algorithm based on the 8-neighborhood model, which used the 8-neighborhood feature to measure the length for the first time, and achieved a more accurate measurement of the curve length. Finally, the two algorithms were tested and analyzed in terms of accuracy and speed on the two original datasets of this paper. The experimental results show that the algorithms proposed in this paper can quickly and accurately segment the target curve from the neon design rendering with complex background interference and measure its length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop an efficient stochastic variance reduced gradient descent algorithm to solve the affine rank minimization problem consisting of finding a matrix of minimum rank from linear measurements. The proposed algorithm as a stochastic gradient descent strategy enjoys a more favorable complexity than that using full gradients. It also reduces the variance of the stochastic gradient at each iteration and accelerates the rate of convergence. We prove that the proposed algorithm converges linearly in expectation to the solution under a restricted isometry condition. Numerical experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has a clear advantageous balance of efficiency, adaptivity, and accuracy compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key errors of machine tools have a significant impact on their accuracy, however accurately and quickly measuring the geometric errors of machine tools is essential for key error identification. Fortunately, a quick and direct laser measurement method and system for 21 geometric errors of three linear axes of machine tools were proposed previously, which enables the measurement of all 21 geometric errors via a one-step installation and a three-step automated measurement process. Based on this, to efficiently identify the key error factors, this paper first utilizes the 21 geometric errors obtained from the proposed measurement system to evaluate the contribution of each error to the volumetric errors of machine tools, leading to the building of a 21-geometric-error sensitivity analysis model. Then, experiments are carried out on the vertical machining tool TH5656, and all 21 geometric errors are obtained in 5 min. After this, the volumetric error distribution in the machining workspace is mapped according to the relationship between the geometric errors and the machining errors, and the key error factors affecting the manufacturing and machining accuracy of the TH5656 are ultimately determined. Thus, this new method provides a way to quickly identify key errors of the three linear axes of machine tools, and offers guidance for the machine tool configuration design, machining technology determination, and geometric error compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to develop a stable gel-type lubricant emulating commercial conditions. This encompassed rheological and tribological assessments, alongside field trials on the Medellín tram system. Design/methodology/approach: The gel-type lubricant with graphite and aluminum powder is synthesized. Rheological tests, viscosity measurements and linear viscoelastic regime assessments are conducted. Subsequently, tribological analyses encompassing four-ball and twin disc methods are executed. Finally, real-world testing is performed on the Medellín tram system. Findings: An achieved lubricant met the stipulated criteria, yielding innovative insights into the interaction of graphite and aluminum powder additives under varying tests. Originality/value: Novel findings are unveiled regarding the interaction of graphite and aluminum powder additives in tribological, rheological and real-world trials. In addition, the wear behavior of polymers is observed, along with the potential utilization of such additives in tramway systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design, operation and test results of a simple microprocessor-based device for measuring slow liquid flows. The device uses a module of 30 digital optical sensors to track the movement of a single air bubble inserted into a tube of flowing liquid. During a measurement session, the air bubble remains within the sensor module at all times, allowing the instrument to take measurements for any length of time. The liquid whose flow rate is being measured moves only in the closed tube system, without contact with other components of the device. The test of the device itself was carried out using a tube with an inner diameter of less than 1 mm, where the device is capable of measuring flow rates on the order of microliters per minute. Tests of the device showed good agreement between the measured volumetric flow rate and the reference flow rates of the infusion pump over the entire measurement range. The advantages and limitations of the device are discussed, as well as the prospects for developing the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the trajectory tracking control problem of a quadrotor under uncertain model parameters, external disturbances, and unmeasurable linear velocity. The main contribution of this paper is to present a geometric control strategy with a simple structure and easily adjustable parameters, which combines the differentiator and uncertainty and disturbance estimator techniques to achieve global trajectory tracking control. First, a cascade control framework is introduced to solve the strong coupling and under actuated problems of quadrotors. Furthermore, an anti disturbance outer-loop differentiator-based position controller is designed based on the uncertainty and disturbance estimators (UDE) to achieve accurate quadrotor tracking of the desired trajectory. The higher order control inputs of the translational dynamics are estimated using a differentiator to determine the desired angular velocity and its derivative. Then, a robust inner-loop geometric controller is derived in Lie algebraic space using the rotation matrix. After that, the stability analysis of the closed-loop system is executed using the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, the numerical simulation verifies that the method enables the quadrotor to have strong robustness and excellent tracking capability in the presence of large initial angles, time-varying disturbances, and unmeasured linear velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper establishes a new estimator for simple linear measurement error models with correlated errors. Under a small-noise asymptotic regime and using perturbation theory, an unbiased estimator has been developed. The consistency and the asymptotic normality of the new estimator have been established and then validated by using synthetic data. Moreover, the confidence intervals of the slope have been revisited. Simulation results show that our estimator is certainly the most stable of existing methods and its performance exceeds that of other existing methods in terms of coverage and interval length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an ultracompact combined sensor for displacement and angle-synchronous measurement is proposed based on the self-imaging effect of optical microgratings. Using a two-grating structure, linear and angular displacement can be measured by detecting the change of phase and amplitude of the optical transmission, respectively, within one single structure in the meantime. The optically transmitted properties of the two-grating structure are investigated in both theory and simulation. Simulated results indicate that optical transmission changes in a sinusoidal relationship to the input linear displacement. Meanwhile, the amplitude of the curve decreases with an input pitch angle, indicating the ability for synchronous measurement within one single compact structure. The synchronous measurement of the linear displacement and the angle is also demonstrated experimentally. The results show a resolution down to 4 nm for linear displacement measurement and a maximum sensitivity of 0.26 mV/arcsec within a range of ±1° for angle measurement. Benefiting from a simple common-path structure without using optical components, including reflectors and polarizers, the sensor shows ultra-high compactness for multiple-degrees-of-freedom measuring, indicating the great potential for this sensor in fields such as integrated mechanical positioning and semiconductor fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The popularization of electricity-gas systems leads to increasing demand for state management of systems. However, the existence of neglected measurement correlations brings uncertainties to the electricity-gas systems state estimation. In this paper, an interval state estimation method that considers measurement correlations existing in the electricity-gas systems is presented. We derive the linear measurement model for the electricity-gas systems through Taylor series expansion and estimate the measurement variance-covariance matrix with measurement correlations. The system parameter matrix and the measurement variance-covariance matrix containing measurement correlations are combined into an interval, and the interval state matrix considering measurement correlations is constructed. Then, the linear equations for the state estimation interval considering measurement correlations are established based on the measurement containing correlations and interval state matrix; as a result, the electricity-gas system state estimation model containing measurement correlations is established. In addition, a method for determining the range of state estimation intervals is proposed. Numerical tests on an integrated electricity-gas system comprising a 10-node natural gas network and IEEE 30-bus system indicate that the proposed approach has more advantages over the UT+KO approach in computation accuracy and computation efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Use of telomere length (TL) as a biomarker for various environmental exposures and diseases has increased in recent years. Various methods have been developed to measure telomere length. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods remain wide-spread for population-based studies due to the high-throughput capability. While several studies have evaluated the repeatability and reproducibility of different TL measurement methods, the results have been variable. We conducted a literature review of TL measurement cross-method comparison studies that included a PCR-based method published between January 1, 2002 and May 25, 2020. A total of 25 articles were found that matched the inclusion criteria. Papers were reviewed for quality of methodologic reporting of sample and DNA quality, PCR assay characteristics, sample blinding, and analytic approaches to determine final TL. Overall, methodologic reporting was low as assessed by two different reporting guidelines for qPCR-based TL measurement. There was a wide range in the reported correlation between methods (as assessed by Pearson's r) and few studies utilized the recommended intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for assessment of assay repeatability and methodologic comparisons. The sample size for nearly all studies was less than 100, raising concerns about statistical power. Overall, this review found that the current literature on the relation between TL measurement methods is lacking in validity and scientific rigor. In light of these findings, we present reporting guidelines for PCR-based TL measurement methods and results of analyses of the effect of assay repeatability (ICC) on statistical power of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Additional cross-laboratory studies with rigorous methodologic and statistical reporting, adequate sample size, and blinding are essential to accurately determine assay repeatability and replicability as well as the relation between TL measurement methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Camera calibration is a key process in optical deformation measurement techniques, like close-range photogrammetry and digital image correlation (DIC). Traditionally, an expensive calibration board with precisely machined feature points is employed in camera calibration. Low-precision calibration boards will lead to unstable camera parameters and worse length measurement accuracy (the relative measurement accuracy high than 0.1%). Objective: To introduce camera calibration methods capable of achieving high measurement accuracy even with low-precision calibration boards, and give practices guide on selecting suitable calibration methods and judging calibration results. Methods: Three calibration methods are introduced and discussed. In the iterative board-points method, all the feature points on the calibration board are flexible. The coordinates of all the feature points and camera parameters are iteratively updated and solved simultaneously. In the fixing 3-points method, three feature points on the calibration boards are selected and the distances between them are measured precisely; the locations of these points are fixed in the optimization process. Both the simulation experiments and the real experiments were carried out to study the performance of the three calibration methods. Results: Experimental results showed that both the iterative board-points method and the fixing 3-points method can effectively improve the accuracy of calculated camera parameters. Compared with the iterative board-points method, the fixing 3-points method restores the calibration board more precisely, as well as showing improved reproducibility and higher measurement accuracy. The relative accuracy of 3D distance measurement is also increased from 0.1% to 0.01 %, even using a low-precision paper calibration board. Conclusions: High measurement accuracy can be obtained using the fixing 3-points calibration method, even with a low-precision calibration board. This will decrease the cost and expand the application of optical measurement, especially in large structure deformation measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is an emblematic species with several recognized subspecies. Two reindeer subspecies are present in Norway: the wild and semi-domestic European tundra reindeer (R. tarandus tarandus) in continental Norway, and Svalbard reindeer (R. tarandus platyrhynchus) endemic to this archipelago. The main aim of this paper is to give a descriptive and quantified analysis of the modern wild reindeer morphological diversity. The morphometric variation was quantified, based on 262 adult specimens of both sexes, by both linear measurements, analysed through log shape ratio computed from post-cranial bones and teeth measurements, and landmarks and sliding semi-landmarks based geometric morphometrics (GMM) to quantify molars size and shape. All anatomical parts (teeth, metatarsals, metacarpals) highlighted differences between the continental and insular subspecies. Our main results pointed out morphometrics characteristics of nowadays reindeer subspecies, like differences in proportions between the size of metapodials or lower cheek teeth with the body size, that could be of great interest for archaeozoological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]