Search

Avian nest design varies depending on environmental factors but may also be influenced by between‐species interactions. In the brood parasitism context, hosts may evolve nest architectures that may limit parasite access to the nest cup, reduce parasite laying success or hinder parasite chick success. Therefore, nest characteristics may reduce the likelihood or minimise the costs of being parasitised. The common redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus is a regular host of the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, for which cuckoo eggs are often laid outside the nest cup, resulting in low effective parasitism rates. This allowed us to evaluate variation in host nest design and test whether nest design characteristics correlate with brood parasitism likelihood and cuckoo laying success (i.e. cuckoo egg laid in the nest cup versus outside the nest cup). While recording brood parasitism events in two distant redstart populations, we documented nest cup characteristics, such as internal dimensions, materials used and nest cup position, along with the nest‐box dimensions. Cuckoo parasitism likelihood was lower for redstart nests in cavities with smaller entrances, for redstart nests with smaller nest cups and with nest cups that were built level to the rim material. For parasitised nests, cuckoo laying success was lower at redstart nests with nest cups placed further from the cavity entrance. Our results suggest a conditional process, where the cavity entrance size first prevents brood parasites access, then the cup size and the cup level in reference to the rim material affect the cuckoo choice, and finally, the nest cup position hinders cuckoo's laying success. The use of multiple nest design strategies may explain the current low effective parasitism rates in this system. Host nest design may serve as a frontline defence that could shape parasite's preferences, and consequently host nest characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the familywise error rate (FWER) for time‐to‐event endpoints evaluated using a group sequential design with a hierarchical testing procedure for secondary endpoints. We show that, in this setup, the correlation between the log‐rank test statistics at interim and at end of study is not congruent with the canonical correlation derived for normal‐distributed endpoints. We show, both theoretically and by simulation, that the correlation also depends on the level of censoring, the hazard rates of the endpoints, and the hazard ratio. To optimize operating characteristics in this complex scenario, we propose a simulation‐based method to assess the FWER which, better than the alpha‐spending approach, can inform the choice of critical values for testing secondary endpoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) is a computerized flight simulator for aviation-related tasks, suitable for non-pilots and available in many versions, including open source. MATB requires the individual or simultaneous execution of 4 sub-tasks: systemmonitoring (SYSMON), tracking (TRACK), communications (COMM), and resourcemanagement (RESMAN). Fully customizable, the design of test duration, number of sub-tasks used, event rates, response times and overlap, create different levels of mental load. MATB can be combined with an additional auditory attention (Oddball) task, or with physiological constraints (i.e., sleep loss, exercise, hypoxia). We aimed to assess the main characteristics of MATB design for assessing the response to different workload levels. We identified and reviewed 19 articles for which the effects of low and high workload were analyzed. Although MATB has shown promise in detecting performance degradation due to increase workload, studies have yielded conflicting or unclear results regarding MATB configurations. Increased event rates, number of sub-tasks (multitasking), and overlap are associated with increased perceived workload score (ex. NASA-TLX), decreased performance (especially tracking), and neurophysiological responses, while no effect of time-on-task is observed. The median duration used for the test is 20 min (range 12--60) with a level duration of 10 min (range 4--15). To assess mental workload, the median number of stimuli is respectively 3 events/min (range 0.6--17.2) for low, and 23.5 events/min (range 9--65) for high workload level. In this review, we give some recommendations for standardization of MATB design, configuration, description and training, in order to improve reproducibility and comparison between studies, a challenge for the future researches, as human-machine interaction and digital influx increase for pilots. We also open the discussion on the possible use of MATB in the context of aeronautical/operational constraints in order to assess the effects combined with changes in mental workload levels. Thus, with appropriate levels of difficulty, MATB can be used as a suitable simulation tool to study the effects of changes on the mental workload of aircraft pilots, during different operational and physiological constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the ill-conditioning of the Jacobian matrix in the geometric error calibration of parallel mechanisms, a Newton method with characteristic value correction (NMCVC) is proposed. This method integrates and enhances the principles of the characteristic value correction iteration method (CVCIM), and Newton method, offering targeted improvements for more effective calibration. First, the damping coefficient is introduced into the CVCIM, and an adaptive strategy for determining the damping coefficient is developed with rigorous proof steps according to the relationship between the condition number and the singular value, which enhances computing efficiency while avoiding the ill-conditioning of the Jacobian matrix. Second, a dynamic adjustment strategy for the CVCIM's termination condition is designed. This strategy initially estimates the descending direction roughly to approximate the actual descending direction, enhancing computing speed, and then estimates it more accurately at the end of the training stage to obtain precise geometric error values. Finally, by taking a 3RPS parallel mechanism as the instance, three sets of simulation experiments have been designed to test and verify the effectiveness of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's college entrance examination reforms necessitate a new view of adolescent career development along with suitable assessment instruments for career intervention with secondary school students. We conducted two studies to address this need. The first study examined the evidence for the validity and reliability of the Student Career Construction Inventory (SCCI). The results of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported the four-factor structure of the SCCI. The findings suggest that the SCCI is an effective measure of career-construction behaviors among Chinese secondary school students. The second study evaluated the applicability of the career construction model of adaptation (CCMA). The model was empirically tested using the validated SCCI. The results of the serial mediation analysis confirmed that adaptive readiness indirectly influences adaptability resources, adapting responses, and adaptation results in the CCMA model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early readers who have learned letter–sound correspondences do not always learn to read words through best practice reading instruction. This suggests a missing stimulus control for textual responses and the literature lacks an intervention to address this problem. Five kindergarten students who did not learn textual responses from reading instruction participated in this study. We used a combined pre- and posttest and multiple probe design to test the effects of a composite-to-component vocal phoneme segmentation (CtCVPS) intervention on the number of correct untaught (a) textual responses, (b) dictated written spelling responses, (c) vocal phoneme blends, (d) abstracted vocal phoneme segmentations, as well as (e) cumulative correct textual responses during reading instruction before and after the intervention. During the CtCVPS intervention participants were taught to listen to a set of composite words and vocalize the component phonemes. Correct responses emerged across all variables for all participants as a function of the intervention and all participants learned new textual responses from reading instruction after the CtCVPS intervention. These findings demonstrated that acquiring a generalized vocal phoneme segmentation repertoire through the CtCVPS intervention established necessary stimulus control for textual responding. Implications on the role of acquiring composite-to-component responses through the vocal phoneme segmentation intervention in learning to read and write are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of cayenne pepper varieties can be optimized by multiple crossings, transgressive segregant selection based on the selection index, and identification of potential anthocyanins. The study objectives were (1) to develop a transgressive segregation index, and (2) to select transgressive segregation cayenne peppers with high productivity and anthocyanins from F3 multiple cross-generation. The study conducted two experiments at the experimental field, Hasanuddin University, from November 2022 to November 2023. The first experiment implemented an augmented design with a randomized complete block design (RCBD) as an environmental design. The genotypes as treatment consisted of two types: 110 lines of cayenne pepper were not repeated, and the 4 older chili varieties as controls were repeated in each block. All genotypes were categorized and divided into five blocks. The second experiment was the validation of the first trial. There were 13 genotypes tested with RCBD design one factor and repeated three times. Based on the study, developing a semiobjective-based selection index with canopy width, fruit weight, and yield was an innovative and effective approach to selecting F3 transgressive segregants of cayenne pepper. High-yielding transgressive lines were identified as G3-2-7-3, G2.6.9-10, G5-12-1-8, and G4.5.2-12. The G3-2-7-3 line was suggested due to its high yield potential and anthocyanin content. However, the anthocyanin content must be examined more deeply, such as using an omics approach. Nevertheless, these lines are still recommended to be continued in yield testing or crossing to produce hybrid lines that have high yield potential and anthocyanin content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency of the pump device is an important parameter to judge the overall dynamic performance of the pumping station. The commonly used method at home and abroad is to carry out model tests of the pump device. The performance parameters of the prototype pump and pump device are obtained by the similarity conversion formula. However, at present, there are not many device model tests for large vertical submersible pumps. Taking a large vertical submersible mixed-flow pumping station in China as an example, research predicted the performance of the pump device through a model test and a submersible pump prototype test. The results show that the model test of the large vertical submersible mixed-flow pump device has a maximum efficiency of approximately 77.8%, and the prototype test conversion device has a maximum efficiency of approximately 80.33%. The device model test and the pump factory prototype test results are compared. It is found that the performance parameters of the pump measured by the prototype test are in good agreement with the device model test under the design conditions, and there is a certain error when the deviation from the design conditions is significant. The device model test and the factory test of the pump are indispensable in the large-scale road of submersible pumps, and a large number of tests are needed to sum up the experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress in satellite technology places higher expectations on the design period and reliability of thermal control systems, especially for small satellites with high intensification. Here, a thermal analysis is conducted throughout the satellite development process, with thermal modeling serving as the foundation for thermal analysis in the early and formal design and test verification stages. As a result, designers are required to appreciate, penetrate, and properly apply thermal models for the development of satellite thermal systems. Thus, in this article, we reviewed the research and development of thermal model techniques, as well as the preparation of crucial parameters and means of simplification for accurate and fast solutions. In addition, a summary of the relevant application and state-of-the-art technologies such as uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, intelligent optimization design, and parameter correlation, was dedicated to promoting the comprehensive development and innovation of thermal analysis of satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Machine Tool & Hydraulics is the property of Guangzhou Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (GMERI) 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.)

Summary The design of two overlapping genes in a microbial genome is an emerging technique for adding more reliable control mechanisms in engineered organisms for increased stability. The design of functional overlapping gene pairs is a challenging procedure, and computational design tools are used to improve the efficiency to deploy successful designs in genetically engineered systems. GENTANGLE (Gene Tuples ArraNGed in overLapping Elements) is a high-performance containerized pipeline for the computational design of two overlapping genes translated in different reading frames of the genome. This new software package can be used to design and test gene entanglements for microbial engineering projects using arbitrary sets of user-specified gene pairs. Availability and implementation The GENTANGLE source code and its submodules are freely available on GitHub at https://github.com/BiosecSFA/gentangle. The DATANGLE (DATA for genTANGLE) repository contains related data and results and is freely available on GitHub at https://github.com/BiosecSFA/datangle. The GENTANGLE container is freely available on Singularity Cloud Library at https://cloud.sylabs.io/library/khyox/gentangle/gentangle.sif. The GENTANGLE repository wiki (https://github.com/BiosecSFA/gentangle/wiki), website (https://biosecsfa.github.io/gentangle/), and user manual contain detailed instructions on how to use the different components of software and data, including examples and reproducing the results. The code is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3 (https://www.gnu.org/licenses/agpl.html). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a conceptual replication of Ellis' 'Measuring implicit and explicit knowledge of a second language: A psychometric study', published in Studies in Second Language Acquisition (2005), aiming to establish the importance of including belief statements (hypothesized to increase processing demands) in the design of Elicited Imitation (EI) tests. In a between-groups comparison, 103 participants completed one of two versions of Erlam's EI test (2006), one which required participants to make a 'belief' judgement, and one which did not. Both contained ungrammatical stimuli. Participants were scored for repetition of grammatical stimuli and correction of ungrammatical stimuli. An Exit questionnaire aimed to establish how aware they were of ungrammatical stimuli. Participants also completed a timed grammaticality judgement test (TGJT), an untimed grammaticality judgement test (UGJT), a metalinguistic knowledge test (MKT), and another Elicited Imitation (EI) test designed as a measure of global proficiency. Performance on each EI version was examined in relationship to performance on these measures. There was no variation between performance on either EI test version. The article underscores the need for ongoing research investigating design features of EI tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple is easily damaged in the process of the mechanical harvesting, which reduces the fruit's quality. It is of great significance to study the damage principle of apple in the transport process of picking platform. In this study, the apple compression test was carried out. The compression and drop process of the fruit was analyzed by the finite element analysis (FEA). The experimental platform of apple harvesting was designed, the conveying process of apple was analyzed. The results of compression finite element analysis showed that when the compression force is greater than 15.0 N, both radial compression and axial compression will be damaged. The results of drop finite element analysis showed that when the drop direction is axial, the maximum contact stress of the peel and kernel decreases with the increase of drop angle, the maximum contact stress of the pulp increases first and then decreases. When the drop direction is radial, the maximum contact stress between pulp and kernel decreases with the increase of drop angle, the maximum contact stress of the peel first decreases and then increases. The simulation results of the harvesting platform transportation showed that the damage rate of apples is less than 10 % when the sub-conveyor belt speed is 0.02 m–0.04 m/s. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the design of the harvesting test platform and the reduction of the damage of apples during transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multivariate analysis is becoming central in studies investigating high-throughput molecular data, yet, some important features of these data are seldom explored. Here, we present MANOCCA (Multivariate Analysis of Conditional CovAriance), a powerful method to test for the effect of a predictor on the covariance matrix of a multivariate outcome. The proposed test is by construction orthogonal to tests based on the mean and variance and is able to capture effects that are missed by both approaches. We first compare the performances of MANOCCA with existing correlation-based methods and show that MANOCCA is the only test correctly calibrated in simulation mimicking omics data. We then investigate the impact of reducing the dimensionality of the data using principal component analysis when the sample size is smaller than the number of pairwise covariance terms analysed. We show that, in many realistic scenarios, the maximum power can be achieved with a limited number of components. Finally, we apply MANOCCA to 1000 healthy individuals from the Milieu Interieur cohort, to assess the effect of health, lifestyle and genetic factors on the covariance of two sets of phenotypes, blood biomarkers and flow cytometry–based immune phenotypes. Our analyses identify significant associations between multiple factors and the covariance of both omics data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the detailed design, construction and tests of a protype iron-free MRI-compatible electromagnetic actuator. The originality of this proposal lies in the use of the homogeneous static magnetic field B0, present in the MRI bore, to ensure the electromechanical energy conversion. The armature is composed of three rectangular coils in a three-phase arrangement, which makes the actuator very light-weight and compact. The operating principle is that of an AC synchronous motor with a rotating armature. In order to design the actuator, a 3D analytical electromagnetic model is developed to predict the magnetic field produced by the armature winding. Then, a 3D finite element (FE) computation is performed to validate the analytically calculated magnetic field. The developed analytical model is then inserted into an optimization routine based on Genetic Algorithms (GAs) to obtain the prototype dimensions to be realized. Finally, the prototype is constructed and tested inside an MRI research scanner. The results indicate that the reduction in the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and the geometrical distortion are less than 5% when the actuator is powered with a current of 10 times the rated one and when it is located very close to the subject to be imaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the dense-medium coal preparation process magnetite powder is used, however, due to poor recovery of the magnetite, the consumption of magnetite increases which ultimately reflects in the economics. In order to continuously and efficiently recover the magnetite, a novel three-phase conical magnetic separator based on the principle of an alternating magnetic field generated by a three-phase linear motor, was developed. The distribution law of the magnetic field in the separation chamber was studied, and the magnetic separator's basic structure and parameters were determined. By varying the feed rate, coil current, coil turns, and particle size, magnetic separation experiments were conducted and compared with traditional magnetic separators. The results confirmed the excellent sorting performance of the conical AC magnetic separator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testability design is an important cutting-edge technology to improve system reliability, safety, maintainability and supportability, which determines the failure detection and isolation rates and directly affects system maintenance (testing) cost. The testability design of the system has gone through a variety of design strategies, such as structural design, modeling design, and data driven design. Among them, data-driven based design is a rising strategic emerging strategy. They model the relationship between system tests and faults, and infer faults from test results to form diagnostic strategies. This paper firstly reviews the development process of system testability design and then focuses on the latest progress of testability scheme design including structure-based, model-based and data-driven-based schemes. After that, research status of each approach are sorted out and summarized. Then, the construction of the test diagnostic strategy is introduced, and the construction technology of the diagnostic strategy is determined according to the modeling method of the testability scheme, and the research on each type of technology is summarized. Finally, the current challenging problems and possible future research directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing that the conventional temperature drift error (TDE) estimation method for capacitive micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) accelerometers (CMA) has demerits of inaccurate TDE traceability and tedious model establishing process, low accuracy and high complexity are introduced inevitably. A precise TDE estimation method of CMA based on micro-deformation analysis is proposed. Firstly, TDE is traced accurately with micro-deformation analysis, and a modified TDE estimation model is established with radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). Secondly, an accurate model identification method is proposed under Expert-Fuzzy assisted decision-making based on expert experience and fuzzy theory, which offers effective structural configuration guidance to the modified model. Then, temperature experiment is designed to test CMA, and the conventional and modified models are evaluated in performance by comparing their bias stability. Experimental results show that the establishing process for the modified model is greatly simplified, and its bias stability is improved by 35%. It ensures that TDE of CMA can be estimated much more precisely, which decouples temperature dependency of Si-based material and improves the environmental adaptability of CMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Académica Internacional de Educación Física is the property of Asociacion Cientifica Internacional de Educacion Fisica 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.)

The existing bearing capacity model for grouting sleeves is synthesized in this study. Utilizing the principles of thick-walled cylinders in elastic mechanics, a comprehensive ultimate bearing capacity model for grouting sleeves is developed using conventional material parameters. To validate the efficacy of the model, 18 steel bar grouting sleeves of varying anchor lengths, steel bar diameters, and designs were tested. The outcomes indicate minimal errors in the computational results and demonstrate superior applicability when juxtaposed with established grouting sleeve bearing capacity formulas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanically connected precast piles are a type of precast piles that utilise snap-type mechanical connectors to restrain the pile ends of two identical or different precast piles at the top and bottom so as to quickly realise the purpose of the connection. However, the gap problem in the connectors of mechanically connected piles can lead to uneven and uniform deformation of the piles under horizontal loading, resulting in additional displacements and rotation angles of the piles at the connection. Solving the problem of calculating the internal force response of discontinuous deformed piles is a prerequisite for promoting and applying mechanically connected precast piles. Firstly, the theoretical derivation of mechanically connected piles with fixed constraints at the pile bottom is carried out. Secondly, the pile response equations of mechanically connected piles are established, and the theoretical solutions of pile displacement and internal force response of mechanically connected piles under horizontal loading are derived. Thirdly, the pile-soil model of the test pile is established using ABAQUS software (ABAQUS 2016) in combination with the design data of the test pile. The numerical simulation displacements and angles of rotation are compared with the test results. Finally, the theoretical and numerical simulation displacements and internal forces of the ordinary pile and the mechanically connected pile are compared. The relative errors of the displacements and angles of rotation of the established pile-soil model are less than 10%, indicating that the established model has good accuracy. The relative errors of the theoretical and numerical simulation displacements and internal forces of the mechanically connected pile are less than 10%, proving the correctness of the theoretical calculation by the m-method. This study can provide effective theoretical support and methodological guidance for the displacement and internal force response of discontinuous piles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's small-arched shed-building machinery mostly adopts manual pole casting and mechanical planting, which have low building efficiency and mechanization. Therefore, we designed an automatic feeding device for shed poles to realize automatic single separation, orderly conveyance and timely dropping of poles. Considering shed pole-pitching pass rate as the evaluation index for the regression model, we adopted a three-factor, three-level experimental design and established the speed of the reclaiming ring, height of the falling shed poles and reclaiming ring spacing as the main influencing factors, obtaining 23.94 r/min, 408.799 mm and 1350 mm, respectively in experiments with a trellis qualification rate of 95.36%. Design-Expert 13 was used to perform analysis of variance and determine the optimal parameter combinations. The average measured trellis qualification rate in tests with the bench adjusted and the optimal parameter combination was 94.23%, with 1.13% relative error between test and theoretical optimization values. This confirmed the optimal parameter combination's dependability. In field verification test results, pick-up card ring speed was 24 r/min; height of trellis pole drop, 410 mm; pick-up card ring spacing, 1350 mm; and pitching rate, 95.37%, obtaining 0.01% error compared with theoretically optimized values. The prototype operational performance was stable and satisfied design requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problems of bottom pod leakage and soil removal by header, a soybean header profiling system was designed in this paper. The cutter height off-ground detection device was installed on both sides of the header, and the cutter distance from the ground was represented by the angle sensor turning when the profiling wheel met the rolling ground. The hydraulic electromagnetic reversing valve was installed so that the profiling system could automatically control the lifting of the header, the unilateral power of the solenoid valve was 0.15 s, and the height of the cutter from the ground was changed by 10 mm. The height of the cutter off the ground was set to 80 mm, and the adjustment range of the soybean header profiling system was 45–125 mm. The test results showed that the maximum absolute error of the cutter off the ground height detection device was 5.98 mm, the minimum absolute error was 1.00 mm, and the relative error was 0.038. The cutter height adjustment device was powered for 0.15 s, and the average adjustment distance was 11.158 mm. The soybean header profiling system did not shovel soil during field harvest, and the stubble height of 85% of soybean plants was less than 10 mm from the set height after harvest. The results showed that the soybean header profiling system could effectively adjust the cutter height from the ground so that the cutter height from the ground was kept at 80 mm. This study could provide a reference for the intelligent design of soybean harvesters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problems of low bright rates and high rates of potato injuries, a left and right-hand rotation combination of potato–soil separation devices was developed. Its overall structure and working principle were introduced. A Texture Analyzer and pressure sensor were used to measure the force threshold of different varieties of potatoes. A discrete element model of separation rollers and potatoes was established. The collision characteristics of potatoes were analyzed using the device inclination angle, rotational speed, and the center distance of the separation rollers as test factors. A field trial was carried out to optimize the best combination of factors by taking the rate of injured potatoes, bright potatoes, and skin-breaking rate as the test indexes. The force threshold for skin-breaking injury in potatoes was found to be 190–195 N. When the inclination angle of the device was 6°, the rotation speed of the separation roller was 100 r/min, and the distance between the centers of the separation rollers was 79 mm. The rate of injury was 1.25%, the rate of bright potatoes was 99.01%, and the rate of skin-breaking was 1.58%. When the inclination angle of the device was 8°, the rotational speed of the separating roller was 80 r/min, and the center distance of the separating roller was 79 mm, the rate of injured potato was 1.43%, the rate of bright potato was 98.64%, and the rate of broken skin was 1.77%. This paper offers an optimized reference for the effectual removal of sticky soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Virtual Archaeology Review is the property of Virtual Archaeology Review 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.)

This study examines the tests auditors design to assess a client's 'tone at the top'. By exploiting conceptual differences in the constructs of ethicality and competence, the study investigates auditor knowledge structures by disentangling auditor hypothesis testing strategies. The results of an experiment document that auditors design tests to yield evidence of unethical and competent, rather than ethical and incompetent, client management behaviour. This overall pattern of results, and in particular auditors' focus on seeking evidence of client management competence, is consistent with a diagnostic hypothesis testing strategy and is not consistent with a conservative testing strategy. Collectively, these results provide insights into how auditors' 'tone at the top' knowledge is organized and used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In deep-sea mixed transmission mining systems, the mixed transmission hard pipe plays an important role in mineral transport. To speed up the process of connecting the hard pipe, a quick disassembly and assembly system was designed. By model analysis, the key focus of the rapid disassembly and assembly system was the clamp connector. On the basis of vibration theory and finite-element simulations, the connector underwent static and vibration analysis, and the fatigue life was predicted. Finally, laboratory and sea test tests were conducted on the rapid disassembly and assembly system. The quick disassembly and assembly system can realise quick disassembly and assembly under the target working conditions and maintained smooth operation during two 24-h cycle tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language experiments have a long tradition in the field of dialectology to investigate phonological, lexical and syntactic variation. Methodologically, the repertoire ranges from written test procedures to standardized language production tests and interviews whereby different types of tasks (e. g. translation, picture-naming, evaluation tasks) are used. In order to investigate the variation and perception of morpho(phono)logical phenomena (e. g. the variation of the superlative dat schéinst/dat schéinsten/dat schéinstent Meedchen ‘the most beautiful girl’) in Luxembourgish, I developed a new test procedure, which is based on test procedures and tasks already used in other dialectological and variationist projects (e. g. Syntax Hessischer Dialekte (SyHD), cf. Fleischer/Lenz/Weiß 2015, Sprachvariation in Norddeutschland (SiN); cf. Elmentaler et al. 2015)). The development of a new method was indispensable, since firstly, it must be adapted to the analysis of morpho(phono)logical phenomena that are not linked to regional variation and secondly this test aims to analyse salience and pertinence, two relevant concepts within the scope of language perception and evaluation (cf. Purschke 2011), separately. This paper thus presents an experiment that aims to investigate the perception of morpho(phono)logical variation and its variants in Luxembourgish. The individual test procedures, a salience test, a specific form of scale-based test, a translation task and a supplementary questionnaire are described, contextualized and discussed in detail. The focus also lies on the special design of the test, which is able to ascertain the salience and pertinence of certain variants and to correlate them directly with the production of the variants and the self-evaluation of the individual participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tourism Review is the property of Emerald Publishing Limited 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.)

Ionic liquids (ILs) are increasingly used, e.g. as solvents, electrolytes, active pharmaceutical ingredients and herbicides. If ILs enter the environment due to their use or accidental spills at industry sites, they can pollute the environment. To avoid adverse side effects of persistent ILs in the environment, they should be designed to fully mineralise in the environment after they fulfilled their function during application. (Quantitative) structure–biodegradability relationship models ((Q)SBRs) have been successfully applied in the design of benign chemicals. However, (Q)SBR models have not been widely applied to design mineralising ILs. Therefore, in this study we developed five quantitative structure–biodegradability relationship (QSBR) models based on OECD 301D data from the literature and our own in-house biodegradation experiments. These models can potentially be part of a test battery for designing fully mineralising ILs to increase the overall reliability of the biodegradability assessment and reduce uncertainties. Two datasets were formed and randomly divided into a training set with 233 and 321 compounds and a test set with 26 and 36 compounds, respectively. Both classification and regression models were built using molecular fragments with the aim to predict the classification and continuous biodegradation rate, respectively. The internal and external validations produced a R2 of 0.620–0.854 for the regression models and accuracy, true positive rate, and true negative rate were between 62 and 100% for the classification models indicating an adequate performance but also a need for improvement. For the models and the test battery presented in this study, further research is needed to demonstrate their applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High throughput screening (HTS) methods of enzyme variants are essential for the development of robust biocatalysts suited for low impact, industrial scale, biobased synthesis of a myriad of compounds. However, for the majority of enzyme classes, current screening methods have limited throughput, or need expensive substrates in combination with sophisticated setups. Here, we present a straightforward, high throughput selection system that couples sucrose synthase activity to growth. Enabling high throughput screening of this enzyme class holds the potential to facilitate the creation of robust variants, which in turn can significantly impact the future of cost effective industrial glycosylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on early evidence, risk communication scholars have come to believe that longer (360‐character maximum) mobile public warning messages generate more compliance than shorter (90‐character maximum) messages. This study used an experimental design to test that premise. The study measured participants' (N = 481) likelihood of compliance in response to a mock Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) message, as well as alternatives to immediate compliance: seeking additional information, taking non‐recommended action, or ignoring the message. The study found that both longer and shorter messages generated relatively high levels of compliance, but longer messages did not generate higher levels of compliance. Rather than message length, risk personalization and hazard experience were stronger differentiators of WEA message response outcomes. Results included a moderation effect: Shorter messages produced slightly greater compliance than longer messages among people who reported lower levels of risk personalization. The study concluded that 90‐character messages may be more effective than previously believed. Consequently, the authors recommend renewed focus on public safety communication related to risk personalization and hazard experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The block design test (BDT) has been used for over a century in research and clinical contexts as a measure of spatial cognition, both as a singular ability and as part of more comprehensive intelligence assessment. Traditionally, the BDT has been scored using methods that do not reflect the full potential of individual differences that could be measured by the test. Recent advancements in technology, including eye-tracking, embedded sensor systems, and artificial intelligence, have provided new opportunities to measure and analyze data from the BDT. In this methodological review, we outline the information that BDT can assess, review several recent advancements in measurement and analytic methods, discuss potential future uses of these methods, and advocate for further research using these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A broadband single‐layer reflectarray comprising three‐layer concentric split ring elements is proposed. The reflection phase is achieved by changing the flare angle of the inner and outer split rings. The resonance of the element is easily controlled by varying the relative relationships between the homomorphic patches. And the length of the split ring changes in the azimuth direction, which improves the utilization rate of unit space. The middle split ring acts as a parasitic structure with constant size, making the surface current distribution of the element more uniform to improve the element bandwidth. A reflectarray containing 256 elements is designed and tested. The measured results indicate that the peak gain is 25.3 dBi corresponding to the aperture efficiency of 42%. And the 1‐dB gain bandwidth of the reflectarray of 21.7% is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Create a prediction model based on anti-angiogenesis for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. • The level of benefit of targeted therapy could be predicted before treatment, and the model validation was good. This study aimed to develop and evaluate an anti-angiogenesis-based model for predicting the survival and the potential benefits of targeted therapy for patients with localized advanced cervical cancer. We collected clinical data from 163 patients with cervical cancer who received paclitaxel and cisplatin (TP) or TP plus bevacizumab during or after radiotherapy from June 2017 to February 2023. We analyzed the clinical measures of recent efficacy and overall survival (OS) using univariate and logistic multivariate and Cox regression methods, respectively. We constructed a nomogram model and evaluated its efficacy using the c-index, the area under the curve (AUC), a calibration curve, and the clinical decision curve (DCA). We found that targeted agents and hemoglobin were independent determinants of near-term efficacy (P < 0.05), while targeted agents and stage were independent factors of OS (P < 0.05). We developed a predictive model for an OS prognostic nomogram and performed internal validation 1000 times using the Bootstrap re-sampling method. The c-index was 0.81, and the AUC was 0.84 (P < 0.01).The calibration curves showed a good agreement between the projected and actual values. The DCA curve indicated that the model had a high positive predictive accuracy. We developed a novel anti-angiogenesis-based survival prediction model for patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. This model could estimate the benefit of targeted therapy before treatment, and it had good validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) vibration isolators are widely used for vibration isolation due to their high performance, but their low load-carrying capacity limits their applications. In this paper, a heavy-load-bearing QZS vibration isolator consisting of three compression springs is investigated for isolating ultra-low frequency vibrations. From the theoretical aspect, parameter optimization considering both load mass and isolation performance metric (IPM) is implemented, and a parameter guidance diagram is proposed for parameter design. From the practical point of view, two innovative springs are designed and fabricated by wire-electrical discharge machining (W-EDM), referring to the idea of compliant mechanism. These creative designs are endowed with precise stiffness, large compression and buckling avoidance, which further improve the system properties. Finally, a prototype is made and experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the design. Compared with linear isolators, the experimental results of QZS isolator show better isolation performances in a wider frequency range. • A quasi-zero stiffness isolator is proposed to isolate ultralow frequency vibrations. • Guidance graphs considering isolation and load-bearing performances are developed. • Machinable springs are designed to avoid buckling and thus achieve large compression. • Machinable springs avoid introducing damping and thus enhance system properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in multicancer detection tests, which identify molecular signals in the blood that indicate a potential preclinical cancer. A key stage in evaluating these tests is a prediagnostic performance study, in which investigators store specimens from asymptomatic individuals and later test stored specimens from patients with cancer and a random sample of controls to determine predictive performance. Performance metrics include rates of cancer-specific true-positive and false-positive findings and a cancer-specific positive predictive value, with the latter compared with a decision-analytic threshold. The sample size trade-off method, which trades imprecise targeting of the true-positive rate for precise targeting of a zero-false-positive rate can substantially reduce sample size while increasing the lower bound of the positive predictive value. For a 1-year follow-up, with ovarian cancer as the rarest cancer considered, the sample size trade-off method yields a sample size of 163 000 compared with a sample size of 720 000, based on standard calculations. These design and analysis recommendations should be considered in planning a specimen repository and in the prediagnostic evaluation of multicancer detection tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well documented that survey overreporting of voter turnout due to social desirability bias threatens inference about political behavior. This paper reports four studies that contained question wording experiments to test questions designed to minimize that bias using a "pipeline" approach. The "pipeline" informs survey participants that researchers can perform vote validation to verify turnout self-reports. This approach reduced self-reported turnout by 5.7 points in the 2020 American National Election Study, which represents a majority of the estimated overreporting bias. It reduced reported turnout by 4 points in two nonprobability samples. No effect was found in a third nonprobability study with Amazon Mechanical Turk workers. Validated vote data also confirm that the pipeline approach reduced overreporting. We tested heterogeneous effects for sophistication and several other variables, but results were inconclusive. The pipeline approach reduces overreporting of voter turnout and produces more accurate estimates of voters' characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of inserts into sandwich panel constructions is a complex multi-step process with significant human intervention that also limits the geometrical freedom of the insert design. In a standard sandwich construction, the panel core is made up of multiple materials across its main components: insert, potting and core. This multi-material assembly is not only difficult to manufacture, but it also promotes stress jumps at the insert-core interface, leading to a sub-optimal load distribution from the bolt to the panel core. Additive manufacturing (AM) can lead to a single-part core and insert assembly with more optimised insert geometries that can better transmit the loads applied to the panel. Previous work by the authors has explored the manufacturing limits and the failure modes of AM inserts integrated in cores printed out of sintered AlSi10Mg. The conclusions were that the core walls and insert elements should have a minimum design thickness of 0.5 mm to survive the tapping process without facesheets attached and it was found that the main failure mode of the geometries tested in pull-out was buckling of the insert walls. Based on these results, the paper proposes a novel insert design philosophy that can delay the buckling of 3D printed inserts and move the failure point of the insert away from the bolt. A set of inserts that follow this design direction is manufactured and tested under normal pull-out loads and the optimised designs outperform standard printed insert geometries by a factor of three. The design philosophy can be further developed to offer a suitable alternative to the current insert standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A practical test that measures the information and communication technology (ICT) skills students need for effectively using ICT in primary education has yet to be developed (Oh et al., 2021). This paper reports on the development, validation, and reliability of a test measuring primary school students' ICT skills required for effectively using ICT (the ECC‐ICT test). Objectives: Based on existing literature, three ICT use domains were identified for effectively using ICT: Effective, collaborative, and creativeuse of ICT. For these three domains, 24 corresponding teaching objectives were identified from a widely used digital literacy framework. Thirty‐four test items cover these teaching objectives in an online test. Methods: A mixed‐method approach was used for the ECC‐ICT test. Four pilot rounds (n=25) implemented qualitative interviews for cognitive validity and refining the test items, followed by a qualitative usability study(n=6). Confirmatory factor analysis and ANOVA provided quantitative insight into the large‐scale test administration(n=575). Results and Conclusions: Composite reliability of our conceptual 3‐factor confirmatory model showed that the test reliably measured primary school effective use of ICT (ω = 0.82), collaborative use of ICT (ω = 0.80) and creative use of ICT (ω = 0.64). Convergent validity (ranging from 0.41 to 0.46) was acceptable. Internal consistency (ranging from 0.84 to 0.91) and discriminant validity (HTMT values below 0.90) are good. ANOVA results show that mean test scores are higher for students in higher grade levels (p < 0.001). The post hoc Bonferroni results show that most grade‐by‐grade comparisons are significant (p < 0.001). Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Information and communication technology (ICT) skills are finding their way into national curriculums as teachers implement more digital learning environments.Teachers currently do not have a measurement instrument for the ICT skills primary education students need to learn in a personalised way. What this paper adds: This paper gives teachers a test that reliably measures the effective, collaborative, and creative ICT skills required for primary school students to learn using ICT.To our knowledge, this test is the first of its kind.Al materials to reproduce the test are available digitally for teachers. The implications of study findings for practitioners: For policy, this test can be used to check if a student is ready to use ICT in a self‐regulated setting.With this test, teachers can assess and support students' growth on the effective, collaborative, and creative ICT skills required for primary school students using ICT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sex differences in mental rotation performance are one of the largest in cognitive psychology. Men outperform women by up to 1 SD in psychometric mental rotation tests, but it is often neglected that there are no or only small sex differences for chronometric tests. As both tests are supposed to measure the same ability, we suspect some features of the tests themselves to affect sex differences in performance. Following a theoretical review of the test features, we evaluate the effects of the number of possible answer alternatives, whether they are presented as pairwise mirrored, and their interaction on sex differences in mental rotation performance. In an online experiment, 838 German-speaking participants, 421 women, 417 men, M age = 42.58 (SD = 12.54) years, solved four blocks of mental rotation trials with two or eight alternatives, which were either pairwise mirrored or not. The results show that that the overall performance was lower for more alternatives and for mixed alternatives but not for their interaction. We could not determine explanations for sex differences as we did not observe meaningful sex differences at all. Possible reasons include the differences between men and women in age and education. This study suggests that the differences between tests affect performance. Sex differences, however, need more investigation, including possible effects and interactions of the test design, education, and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel decision-making framework for accelerated degradation tests and predictive maintenance that exploits prior knowledge and experimental data on the system's state. As a framework for sequential decision making in these areas, dynamic programming and reinforcement learning are considered, along with data-driven degradation learning when necessary. Furthermore, we illustrate both stochastic and machine learning degradation models, which are integrated in the framework, using data-driven methods. These methods are presented as a valuable tool for designing life-testing experiments and for maintaining lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel inductance simulation circuit employing only two dual‐output voltage‐differencing buffered amplifiers (DO‐VDBAs) and a single capacitance (grounded) is proposed in this paper. The reported configuration is a purely resistor‐less realization that provides electronically controllable realized inductance through biasing quantities of DO‐VDBAs and does not rely on any constraints related to matched values of parameters. This structure exhibits excellent behavior under the influence of tracking errors in DO‐VDBAs and does not exhibit instability at high frequencies. The simple and compact metal‐oxide semiconductor (MOS) implementation of the DO‐VDBAs (eight MOS per DO‐VDBA) and adoption of grounded capacitance make the proposed circuit suitable for on‐chip realization from the perspective of chip area consumption. The function of the pure grounded inductance is validated through high pass/bandpass filtering applications. To test the proposed design, simulations were performed in the PSPICE environment. Experimental validation was also conducted using the integrated circuit CA3080 and operational amplifier LF‐356. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the conceptual understanding of numbers and operations among 372 fifth-grade students, based on their responses to an online three-tier test designed to assess their number sense, declarative knowledge, explanatory knowledge, and confidence. The results showed that most students had low performance and low number sense, with only approximately 18% demonstrating profound conceptual understanding of numbers and operations based on their high performance in five number sense components and high confidence in their solutions. In addition, the majority of students struggled with judging the reasonableness of computational results and solving context-based problems. Furthermore, approximately 78% of participants had misconceptions, with many expressing high confidence in their answers and reasoning. The findings of this study can serve as critical references when designing teaching content and materials for elementary students by carefully considering their performance, number sense, misconceptions, and confidence. The report concludes with a discussion of the implications of the results and suggestions for future research to address critical concerns in mathematics teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of monitoring intensity on individuals' motivation to exert effort. Using an experimental approach, we designed a test comprising six problems, with varied levels of monitoring and success criteria, to evaluate performance as an indicator of effort. The results reveal a nonlinear relationship between the stringency of monitoring criteria and worker performance. Interestingly, we found that optimal performance is attained when participants are required to answer correctly only one of the six problems. This study enhances our understanding of performance monitoring strategies and their effects in modern work settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid frequentist-Bayesian approach to sample size determination is based on the expectation of the power function of a test with respect to a design prior for the unknown parameter value. In clinical trials this quantity is often called probability of success (PoS). Determination of the limiting value of PoS as the number of observations tends to infinity, that is crucial for well defined sample size criteria, has been considered in previous articles. Here, we focus on the asymptotic behavior of the whole distribution of the power function induced by the design prior. Under mild conditions, we provide asymptotic results for the three most common classes of hypotheses on a scalar parameter. The impact of the design parameters choice on the distribution of the power function and on its limit is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bloodstream infections (BSI) caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, pose a major threat for patients, especially for those who are immunosuppressed. Rapid pathogen detection and characterization from positive blood cultures are crucial in the management of patients with BSI to enable an adequate and timely antimicrobial therapy. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of the Molecular Mouse system, a new CE IVD molecular test designed to rapidly detect the causative agents of bacteremia and their resistance determinants, in the management of the therapy in critically ill patients. Agreement between the results of the Molecular Mouse and the conventional routine method was also considered. Overall, 100 positive blood cultures were collected from septic critically ill patients from May 2023 to January 2024 and analyzed with Molecular Mouse and routine protocols. The new instrument consistently agreed with the routine protocols in the case of monomicrobial blood cultures, while some discrepancies were obtained in the polymicrobial samples. Antimicrobial resistance genes were detected in 35 samples, with vanA and CTX-M-1/9 groups being the most frequently detected targets. Therapy was adjusted in 42 critically ill patients confirming the importance of new rapid molecular tests in the management of positive blood cultures, to adjust empirical therapy and use new antibiotics accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper concerns the technology of the design, realization, and testing of a flexible smart wing in a wind tunnel equipped with a turbulence generator. The system of smart wing, described in detail, consists mainly of: a physical model of the wing with an aileron; an electric servomotor of broadband with a connecting rod-crank mechanism for converting the rectilinear motion of the servoactuator into the aileron deflection; two transducers: an encoder for measuring the deflection of the control aileron and an accelerometer mounted on the wing to measure its bending and torsional vibrations; a procedure for determining the mathematical model of the wing by experimental identification; a turbulence generator in the wind tunnel; implemented ℋ ∞ and LQG algorithms for active control of vibrations. The attenuation experimentally obtained for the aeroelastic vibrations of the wing, but also for those accentuated by the turbulence, reaches values of up to 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This article provides nursing educators practical tips and evidence-based strategies for effective construction of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Well-designed MCQs that align with the intended learning objectives are critical for implementing sound assessment practices. Method: This article offers a step-by-step approach to test construction, starting with the assessment blueprint and followed by important considerations when writing the specific components of the MCQ. Results: Appropriate inclusion of clinical context in the MCQ and a description of common flaws to avoid, with suggested remedies, are also addressed. Conclusion: Ultimately, the goal of this article is to equip nurse educators with the foundational tools to create high-quality MCQs that effectively assess knowledge acquisition by learners. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2024;55(6):289–296.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]