Refine
Year of publication
Institute
- Fachbereich Medizintechnik und Technomathematik (1925) (remove)
Has Fulltext
- no (1925) (remove)
Document Type
- Article (1542)
- Conference Proceeding (150)
- Book (96)
- Part of a Book (62)
- Doctoral Thesis (27)
- Patent (17)
- Report (13)
- Other (8)
- Habilitation (4)
- Preprint (3)
Keywords
- LAPS (4)
- Natural language processing (4)
- CellDrum (3)
- Field-effect sensor (3)
- Light-addressable potentiometric sensor (3)
- Paired sample (3)
- hydrogen peroxide (3)
- impedance spectroscopy (3)
- Bacillus atrophaeus (2)
- Biocomposites (2)
- Boundary integral equations (2)
- Clustering (2)
- Conductive boundary condition (2)
- Empirical process (2)
- Force (2)
- Goodness-of-fit test (2)
- Incomplete data (2)
- Independence test (2)
- Information extraction (2)
- Iterative learning control (2)
- Limit analysis (2)
- Machine learning (2)
- Natural fibres (2)
- Parametric bootstrap (2)
- Polymer-matrix composites (2)
- Raman spectroscopy (2)
- Shakedown analysis (2)
- Stiffness (2)
- Stress concentrations (2)
- Transmission eigenvalues (2)
- biopotential electrodes (2)
- constructive alignment (2)
- damage (2)
- examination (2)
- field-effect sensor (2)
- frequency mixing magnetic detection (2)
- likelihood ratio test (2)
- locomotion (2)
- long-term retention (2)
- multimodal (2)
- muscle fascicle behavior (2)
- not identically distributed (2)
- practical learning (2)
- tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) (2)
- ultrasound (2)
- ultrasound imaging (2)
- (Bio)degradation (1)
- Acceleration (1)
- Achilles tendon (1)
- Active learning (1)
- Adaptive control (1)
- Afterload (1)
- Ageing (1)
- Agent-based simulation (1)
- AlterG (1)
- Alzheimer's disease (1)
- Anastomotic leakage (1)
- Anatomy (1)
- Annulus Fibrosus (1)
- Architectural gear ratio (1)
- Assistive technology (1)
- Asymptotic efficiency (1)
- Asymptotic relative efficiency (1)
- Autolysis (1)
- Automatic control (1)
- Bacillus atrophaeus spores (1)
- Bacillus sp (1)
- Balance (1)
- Bein (1)
- Biomechanical simulation (1)
- Biomolecular logic gate (1)
- Biosolubilization (1)
- Bladder (1)
- Bone sawing (1)
- Booster Station (1)
- Bootstrap (1)
- Bootstrapping (1)
- Boundary integral equations, (1)
- Brennkraftmaschine (1)
- Brennstoffeinspritzsystem (1)
- Brownian Pillow (1)
- CNOT (1)
- Calorimetric gas sensor (1)
- Capacitive field-effect (1)
- Capacitive model (1)
- Cardiac myocytes (1)
- Cardiac tissue (1)
- Categorial variable (1)
- Cell permeability (1)
- Cellular force (1)
- Cementoblast (1)
- Censored data (1)
- Chance constrained programming (1)
- Chemical images (1)
- Chemical imaging (1)
- Chemical imaging sensor (1)
- Chemical sensor (1)
- Choleratoxin B (1)
- Circular Dichroism (1)
- Cloud Computing (1)
- Cloud Service Broker (1)
- Co-managed care (1)
- Coat protein (1)
- Coefficient of ocular rigidity (1)
- Collective risk model (1)
- Competitiveness (1)
- Complex System (1)
- Complex-valued eigenvalues (1)
- Compliance (1)
- Compression (1)
- Computational biomechanics (1)
- Concomitant (1)
- Conductive Boundary Condition (1)
- Conservation laws (1)
- Constitutive model (1)
- Contractile tension (1)
- Contractility (1)
- Corneo-scleral shell (1)
- Coverage probability (1)
- Cramér-von-Mises statistic (1)
- Cramér-von-Mises test (1)
- Cross border adjustment mechanism (1)
- Crámer–von-Mises distance (1)
- C–V method (1)
- DNA (1)
- DNA biosensor (1)
- DNA hybridization (1)
- DPA (dipicolinic acid) (1)
- Damage mechanics theory (1)
- Decomposition (1)
- Deep Learning (1)
- Deep learning (1)
- Dehydrogenase (1)
- Diaphorase (1)
- Differential tonometry (1)
- Dimensional splitting (1)
- Disc Degeneration (1)
- Discontinuous fractures (1)
- Discrete Optimization (1)
- Distorsion des oberen Sprunggelenks (1)
- Drug simulation (1)
- Dry surfaces (1)
- E-Mobility (1)
- EEG (1)
- EIS capacitive sensor (1)
- ES-FEM (1)
- Effizienz (1)
- Eigenvalue trajectories (1)
- Elderly (1)
- Electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (1)
- Electromagnetism (1)
- Electromechanical modeling (1)
- Elektroenzephalographie (1)
- Elektromyographie (1)
- Elektrostimulation (1)
- Elemental (1)
- End-to-end colorectal anastomosis (1)
- Endothelial cells (1)
- Endothelial dysfunction (1)
- Energy market design (1)
- Energy-intensive industry (1)
- Entropy solution (1)
- Enzymatic biosensor (1)
- Enzyme biosensor (1)
- Enzyme coverage (1)
- Enzyme logic gate (1)
- Enzyme nanocarrier (1)
- Equivalence test (1)
- Esophageal Doppler monitor (1)
- Evolution of damage (1)
- Exponential Euler scheme, (1)
- Exponential time differencing (1)
- Extension fracture (1)
- Extension strain criterion (1)
- Extensor (1)
- External knee adduction moments (1)
- Eyeball (1)
- FGF23 (1)
- FS-FEM (1)
- Fall prevention (1)
- Field effect (1)
- Field-effect biosensor (1)
- Field-effect device (1)
- Finite difference methods (1)
- Finite element analysis (1)
- Finite element analysis (FEA) (1)
- Finite element modelling (1)
- Floor prices (1)
- Forces (1)
- Fracture configuration (1)
- Fracture simulation (1)
- Freeze–thaw process (1)
- Frequency adaption (1)
- Frequency mixing magnetic detection (1)
- Functional Delta Method (1)
- Gamma distribution (1)
- Glaucoma (1)
- Glucose biosensor (1)
- Glucose oxidase (1)
- Gold nanoparticle (1)
- Goodness-of-fit tests for uniformity (1)
- Grid Computing (1)
- Ground-level falls (1)
- Growth modelling (1)
- Hadamard differentiability (1)
- Haemodialysis (1)
- Handbike (1)
- Heart tissue culture (1)
- Helmholtz equation (1)
- Heterostructure (1)
- Higher-order codes (1)
- Hodgkin–Huxley models (1)
- Hoeffding-Blum-Kiefer-Rosenblatt independence test (1)
- Homogenization (1)
- Hotelling’s T² test (1)
- Human-Computer interaction (1)
- Hydrogen peroxide (1)
- Hypothesentests (1)
- Image Reconstruction (1)
- Impedance Spectroscopy (1)
- Impedance spectroscopy (1)
- Implicit methods (1)
- Induced pluripotent stem cells (1)
- Information Extraction (1)
- Inotropic compounds (1)
- Integrated empirical distribution (survival) function (1)
- Interior Neumann eigenvalues (1)
- Interior transmission eigenvalues (1)
- Interior transmission problem (1)
- Intervertebral Disc (1)
- Intradiscal Pressure (1)
- Inverse Scattering (1)
- Inverse dynamic problem (1)
- Inverse kinematic problem (1)
- Inverse scattering (1)
- Inverse spectral problem (1)
- Ion channels (1)
- Kinetic energy (1)
- Klotho (1)
- Knee (1)
- Krypton (1)
- Krypton-85 (1)
- LPS (1)
- Lab-on-Chip (1)
- Label-free detection (1)
- Langevin theory (1)
- Layer-by-layer adsorption (1)
- LbL films (1)
- Light-addressable Potentiometric Sensor (1)
- Lipopolysaccharide (1)
- Liver (1)
- Load modeling (1)
- Long COVID (1)
- MOS (1)
- Magnetic nanoparticles (1)
- Manipulated variables (1)
- Marginal homogeneity (1)
- Marginal homogeneity test (1)
- Market modeling (1)
- Matrix exponential (1)
- Mechanical simulation (1)
- Mechanotransduction (1)
- Metascintillator (1)
- Microbial adhesion (1)
- Microcirculation (1)
- Micromagnetic simulation (1)
- Mild cognitive impairment (1)
- Mobility (1)
- Mobility tests (1)
- Mobility transition (1)
- Mohr–Coulomb criterion (1)
- Monotone methods (1)
- Multi-criteria decision analysis (1)
- Multi-dimensional partial differential equations (1)
- Multi-sample problem (1)
- Multianalyte detection (1)
- Multimode failure (1)
- Multiple TOF kernels (1)
- Muscle (1)
- Muscle Fascicle (1)
- Muscle Force (1)
- Muscle fibers (1)
- Musculoskeletal model (1)
- Musculoskeletal system (1)
- Myocardial infarction and cardiac death (1)
- NONOate (1)
- Natural Language Processing (1)
- Natural language understanding (1)
- Negative impedance convertor (1)
- Neural Network (1)
- Neuromuskuläres System (1)
- Niacin (1)
- Nitric Oxide (1)
- Nitric Oxide Donor (1)
- Non-linear optimization (1)
- Non-parallel fissures (1)
- Nonequilibrium dynamics (1)
- Nonlinear Dynamics (1)
- Nonlinear PDEs (1)
- Nonlinear eigenvalue problems (1)
- Nucleus Pulposus (1)
- Numerical inversion of Laplace transforms (1)
- Numerical linear algebra (1)
- Numerics (1)
- O2 plasma (1)
- Ocular blood flow (1)
- Organic light-emitting diode display (1)
- PTH (1)
- Parabolic SPDEs (1)
- Paralympic sport (1)
- Passive stretching (1)
- Pelvic floor dysfunction (1)
- Pelvic muscle (1)
- Penicillin (1)
- Pharmacology (1)
- Phosphate (1)
- Physiology (1)
- Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (1)
- Poly(d,l-lacticacid) (1)
- Polyimide (1)
- Post-COVID-19 syndrome (1)
- Potential theory (1)
- Potentiometry (1)
- Preference assessment (1)
- Pressure-volume relationship (1)
- Process model (1)
- Product-integration (1)
- Profile Extraction (1)
- Profile extraction (1)
- Proximal humerus fracture (1)
- Psychiatrische Biomarker (1)
- Pulsations (1)
- Pump System (1)
- Query learning (1)
- RVA (1)
- Raumfahrt (1)
- Reaction-diffusion systems (1)
- Real distinct pole (1)
- Real-time monitoring (1)
- Recombinant activated protein C (1)
- Reconstruction (1)
- Regionalization (1)
- Rehabilitation Technology and Prosthetics (1)
- Rehabilitation engineering (1)
- Rehabilitationsmedizin (1)
- Rehabilitatives Training (1)
- Relation classification (1)
- Reliability analysis (1)
- Reliability of structures (1)
- Reproducible research (1)
- Resampling test (1)
- Resolvent Operator (1)
- Resonance-mode measurement (1)
- Retinal vessel analysis (1)
- Retinal vessels (1)
- Riboflavin (1)
- Robotic rehabilitation (1)
- Robotik (1)
- Rotator cuff (1)
- Running (1)
- S-FEM (1)
- Sampling methods (1)
- ScaLAPACK (1)
- Schlafspindeldetektion (1)
- Semi-parametric random censorship model (1)
- Septic cardiomyopathy (1)
- Simulation (1)
- Simultaneous determination (1)
- Sleep EEG (1)
- Sn₃O₄ (1)
- Source term (1)
- Spleen (1)
- Sprunggelenkorthesen (1)
- Steel industry (1)
- Sterilisation process (1)
- Stochastic programming (1)
- SunRav BookEditor (1)
- Surface microorganisms (1)
- Surgical Navigation and Robotics (1)
- Surgical staplers (1)
- Survival analysis (1)
- Swabbing (1)
- TMV adsorption (1)
- TOF PET (1)
- Ta₂O₅ gate (1)
- Technical Operations Research (TOR) (1)
- Tendon Rupture (1)
- Tendon properties (1)
- Tension (1)
- Text Mining (1)
- Text mining (1)
- Thiamine (1)
- Tinetti test (1)
- Tobacco mosaic virus (1)
- Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) (1)
- Training (1)
- Trainingsgerät (1)
- Transmission Eigenvalues (1)
- Trinkwassersicherheit (1)
- Trustworthy artificial intelligence (1)
- Uniaxial compression test (1)
- Ureter (1)
- Vapnik–Čhervonenkis class (1)
- Variable height stapler design (1)
- Vascular response (1)
- Vasomotions (1)
- Velocity (1)
- Vergleich von Experimenten (1)
- Visual field asymmetry (1)
- Vitamin A (1)
- Vitamin B (1)
- Vitamin D (1)
- Volterra integral equation (1)
- Volume of confidence regions (1)
- Volume status (1)
- Volumes of confidence regions (1)
- Workflow (1)
- Workflow Orchestration (1)
- XOR (1)
- Xenon (1)
- acetoin (1)
- achilles tendon (1)
- actin cytoskeleton (1)
- adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) (1)
- adsorption (1)
- agility (1)
- allocation (1)
- anaesthetic complications (1)
- anisotropy (1)
- ankle braces (1)
- ankle sprain (1)
- annealing (1)
- aortic perfusion (1)
- aquaculture (1)
- artificial olfactory image (1)
- asymptotic relative efficiency (1)
- barium strontium titanate (1)
- biaxial tensile experiment (1)
- biomechanics (1)
- biosensor (1)
- biosensors (1)
- bootstrap (1)
- calorimetric gas sensor (1)
- calorimetric gas sensor;hydrogen peroxide;wireless sensor system (1)
- capacitive field-effect biosensor (1)
- capacitive field-effect sensor (1)
- carbonized rice husk (1)
- cardiomyocyte biomechanics (1)
- catalytic metal (1)
- cell aerosolization (1)
- cell atomization (1)
- central symmetry test (1)
- cerebral small vessel disease (1)
- chance constrained programming (1)
- chemical sensor (1)
- chip-based sensor setup (1)
- cholera toxin B (1)
- cognitive impairment (1)
- community dwelling (1)
- complete block symmetry (1)
- computational fluid dynamics analysis (1)
- conditional excess distribution (1)
- conditional expectation principle (1)
- confidence interval (1)
- connective tissue (1)
- constitutive modeling (1)
- contactless conductivity sensor (1)
- correlation (1)
- coupled Néel–Brownian relaxation dynamics (1)
- covariance principle (1)
- dental trauma (1)
- dialysis (1)
- difficult airway (1)
- distance learning (1)
- distorted element (1)
- double-lumen tube intubation (1)
- drinking water safety (1)
- drop jump (1)
- e-books (1)
- e-issues (1)
- efficiency (1)
- eigensolvers (1)
- elastic scattering (1)
- electrical conductivity of liquids (1)
- electrolyte-insulator semiconductor sensor (EIS) (1)
- electromyography (1)
- electronic nose (1)
- endoluminal (1)
- endospores (1)
- energy absorption (1)
- energy dissipation (1)
- enzymatic (bio)degradation (1)
- enzyme cascade (1)
- enzyme immobilization (1)
- exchangeability test (1)
- extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (1)
- fibulare Bandruptur (1)
- field-effect structure (1)
- force generation (1)
- forecast (1)
- forehead EEG (1)
- frequency mixing (1)
- functional data (1)
- gait (1)
- gas sensor (1)
- glucose oxidase (GOx) (1)
- goodness-of-fit test (1)
- healthy aging (1)
- heavy metals (1)
- hiPS cardiomyocytes (1)
- high-intensity exercise (1)
- high-k material (1)
- horseradish peroxidase (HRP) (1)
- huge dimensional data (1)
- humic acid (1)
- hydroxylation (1)
- hyper-gravity (1)
- hyperelastic (1)
- hypo-gravity (1)
- immobilization (1)
- in-ear EEG (1)
- in-situ monitoring (1)
- independence test (1)
- intraclass correlation coefficient (1)
- key performance indicators (1)
- krypton xenon hydrate (1)
- lable-free detection (1)
- light-addressable potentiometric sensor (1)
- light-addressing technologies (1)
- lignite (1)
- limit analysis (1)
- lipopolysaccharide (1)
- magnetic actuation (1)
- magnetic beads (1)
- magnetic biosensing (1)
- magnetic frequency mixing technique (1)
- magnetic nanoparticles (1)
- magnetic relaxation (1)
- magnetic sandwich immunoassay (1)
- magnetic sensing (1)
- magnetic separation (1)
- magnetic tweezers (1)
- magnetophoretic velocity (1)
- mechanical buffer (1)
- metal-oxide-semiconductor structure (1)
- method of fundamental solutions (1)
- microfluidics (1)
- micromagnetic simulation (1)
- multi-functional material (1)
- multinomial distribution (1)
- multiparametric immunoassays (1)
- multivariate normal distribution (1)
- muscle mechanics (1)
- nanobelts (1)
- non-simplex S-FEM elements (1)
- novel photoexcitation method (1)
- optical sensor setup (1)
- optical spore trapping (1)
- optical trapping (1)
- organosilanes (1)
- overload (1)
- parabolic flight (1)
- performance analysis (1)
- performance testing (1)
- physiology (1)
- plant virus detection (1)
- plug-based microfluidic device (1)
- poly(d, l-lactic acid) (1)
- portfolio risk (1)
- prevention (1)
- psychosocial (1)
- random effects (1)
- random effects meta-regression model (1)
- rehabilitation (1)
- reliability of structures (1)
- retinal microvasculature (1)
- retinal vessels (1)
- running (1)
- rupture of the fibular ligament (1)
- sEMG (1)
- sarcomere operating length (1)
- scanned light pulse technique (1)
- sensors (1)
- separable Hilbert space (1)
- series elastic element behavior (1)
- shakedown analysis (1)
- shoulder (1)
- silanization (1)
- simulation (1)
- smooth muscle contraction (1)
- softs (1)
- spatial resolution (1)
- sprint start (1)
- standard error of measurement (1)
- sterilisation (1)
- sterilization (1)
- sterilization conditions (1)
- stiffness (1)
- stochastic programming (1)
- strain energy function (1)
- stretch reflex (1)
- stretch-shortening cycle (1)
- superparamagnetic bead (1)
- superparamagnetic nanoparticles (1)
- surface functionalization (1)
- surface modification (1)
- survival (1)
- temperature (1)
- tendon rupture (1)
- test-retest reliability (1)
- testing hypotheses (1)
- thermometry (1)
- tilted constant illumination (1)
- training simulator (1)
- tri-lineage differentiation (1)
- turnip vein clearing virus (TVCV) (1)
- twin-fluid atomizer (1)
- ultrasonography (1)
- uniformly most powerful invariant test (1)
- unloading (1)
- videolaryngoscopy (1)
- virgin passive (1)
- virtual reality (1)
- viscoelasticity (1)
- visualization (1)
- walking (1)
- walking gait (1)
- · Psychiatrische Erkrankungen/Diagnostik (1)
Magnetic nanoparticle relaxation in biomedical application: focus on simulating nanoparticle heating
(2021)
Conventional EEG devices cannot be used in everyday life and hence, past decade research has been focused on Ear-EEG for mobile, at-home monitoring for various applications ranging from emotion detection to sleep monitoring. As the area available for electrode contact in the ear is limited, the electrode size and location play a vital role for an Ear-EEG system. In this investigation, we present a quantitative study of ear-electrodes with two electrode sizes at different locations in a wet and dry configuration. Electrode impedance scales inversely with size and ranges from 450 kΩ to 1.29 MΩ for dry and from 22 kΩ to 42 kΩ for wet contact at 10 Hz. For any size, the location in the ear canal with the lowest impedance is ELE (Left Ear Superior), presumably due to increased contact pressure caused by the outer-ear anatomy. The results can be used to optimize signal pickup and SNR for specific applications. We demonstrate this by recording sleep spindles during sleep onset with high quality (5.27 μVrms).
Test-retest reliability of the internal shoulder rotator muscles' stretch reflex in healthy men
(2021)
Until now the reproducibility of the short latency stretch reflex of the internal rotator muscles of the glenohumeral joint has not been identified. Twenty-three healthy male participants performed three sets of external shoulder rotation stretches with various pre-activation levels on two different dates of measurement to assess test-retest reliability. All stretches were applied with a dynamometer acceleration of 104°/s2 and a velocity of 150°/s. Electromyographical response was measured via surface EMG. Reflex latencies showed a pre-activation effect (ƞ2 = 0,355). ICC ranged from 0,735 to 0,909 indicating an overall “good” relative reliability. SRD 95% lay between ±7,0 to ±12,3 ms.. The reflex gain showed overall poor test-retest reproducibility. The chosen methodological approach presented a suitable test protocol for shoulder muscles stretch reflex latency evaluation. A proof-of-concept study to validate the presented methodical approach in shoulder involvement including subjects with clinically relevant conditions is recommended.
This book provides a compact introduction to the bootstrap method. In addition to classical results on point estimation and test theory, multivariate linear regression models and generalized linear models are covered in detail. Special attention is given to the use of bootstrap procedures to perform goodness-of-fit tests to validate model or distributional assumptions. In some cases, new methods are presented here for the first time.
The text is motivated by practical examples and the implementations of the corresponding algorithms are always given directly in R in a comprehensible form. Overall, R is given great importance throughout. Each chapter includes a section of exercises and, for the more mathematically inclined readers, concludes with rigorous proofs. The intended audience is graduate students who already have a prior knowledge of probability theory and mathematical statistics.
Multi-attribute relation extraction (MARE): simplifying the application of relation extraction
(2021)
Natural language understanding’s relation extraction makes innovative and encouraging novel business concepts possible and facilitates new digitilized decision-making processes. Current approaches allow the extraction of relations with a fixed number of entities as attributes. Extracting relations with an arbitrary amount of attributes requires complex systems and costly relation-trigger annotations to assist these systems. We introduce multi-attribute relation extraction (MARE) as an assumption-less problem formulation with two approaches, facilitating an explicit mapping from business use cases to the data annotations. Avoiding elaborated annotation constraints simplifies the application of relation extraction approaches. The evaluation compares our models to current state-of-the-art event extraction and binary relation extraction methods. Our approaches show improvement compared to these on the extraction of general multi-attribute relations.
The progress in natural language processing (NLP) research over the last years, offers novel business opportunities for companies, as automated user interaction or improved data analysis. Building sophisticated NLP applications requires dealing with modern machine learning (ML) technologies, which impedes enterprises from establishing successful NLP projects. Our experience in applied NLP research projects shows that the continuous integration of research prototypes in production-like environments with quality assurance builds trust in the software and shows convenience and usefulness regarding the business goal. We introduce STAMP 4 NLP as an iterative and incremental process model for developing NLP applications. With STAMP 4 NLP, we merge software engineering principles with best practices from data science. Instantiating our process model allows efficiently creating prototypes by utilizing templates, conventions, and implementations, enabling developers and data scientists to focus on the business goals. Due to our iterative-incremental approach, businesses can deploy an enhanced version of the prototype to their software environment after every iteration, maximizing potential business value and trust early and avoiding the cost of successful yet never deployed experiments.
The integration of frequently changing, volatile product data from different manufacturers into a single catalog is a significant challenge for small and medium-sized e-commerce companies. They rely on timely integrating product data to present them aggregated in an online shop without knowing format specifications, concept understanding of manufacturers, and data quality. Furthermore, format, concepts, and data quality may change at any time. Consequently, integrating product catalogs into a single standardized catalog is often a laborious manual task. Current strategies to streamline or automate catalog integration use techniques based on machine learning, word vectorization, or semantic similarity. However, most approaches struggle with low-quality or real-world data. We propose Attribute Label Ranking (ALR) as a recommendation engine to simplify the integration process of previously unknown, proprietary tabular format into a standardized catalog for practitioners. We evaluate ALR by focusing on the impact of different neural network architectures, language features, and semantic similarity. Additionally, we consider metrics for industrial application and present the impact of ALR in production and its limitations.
Glucose oxidase (GOx) is an enzyme frequently used in glucose biosensors. As increased temperatures can enhance the performance of electrochemical sensors, we investigated the impact of temperature pulses on GOx that was drop-coated on flattened Pt microwires. The wires were heated by an alternating current. The sensitivity towards glucose and the temperature stability of GOx was investigated by amperometry. An up to 22-fold increase of sensitivity was observed. Spatially resolved enzyme activity changes were investigated via scanning electrochemical microscopy. The application of short (<100 ms) heat pulses was associated with less thermal inactivation of the immobilized GOx than long-term heating.
Stretch-shortening type actions are characterized by lengthening of the pre-activated muscle-tendon unit (MTU) in the eccentric phase immediately followed by muscle shortening. Under 1 g, pre-activity before and muscle activity after ground contact, scale muscle stiffness, which is crucial for the recoil properties of the MTU in the subsequent push-off. This study aimed to examine the neuro-mechanical coupling of the stretch-shortening cycle in response to gravity levels ranging from 0.1 to 2 g. During parabolic flights, 17 subjects performed drop jumps while electromyography (EMG) of the lower limb muscles was combined with ultrasound images of the gastrocnemius medialis, 2D kinematics and kinetics to depict changes in energy management and performance. Neuro-mechanical coupling in 1 g was characterized by high magnitudes of pre-activity and eccentric muscle activity allowing an isometric muscle behavior during ground contact. EMG during pre-activity and the concentric phase systematically increased from 0.1 to 1 g. Below 1 g the EMG in the eccentric phase was diminished, leading to muscle lengthening and reduced MTU stretches. Kinetic energy at take-off and performance were decreased compared to 1 g. Above 1 g, reduced EMG in the eccentric phase was accompanied by large MTU and muscle stretch, increased joint flexion amplitudes, energy loss and reduced performance. The energy outcome function established by linear mixed model reveals that the central nervous system regulates the extensor muscles phase- and load-specifically. In conclusion, neuro-mechanical coupling appears to be optimized in 1 g. Below 1 g, the energy outcome is compromised by reduced muscle stiffness. Above 1 g, loading progressively induces muscle lengthening, thus facilitating energy dissipation.
Plant virus-like particles, and in particular, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) particles, are increasingly being used in nano- and biotechnology as well as for biochemical sensing purposes as nanoscaffolds for the high-density immobilization of receptor molecules. The sensitive parameters of TMV-assisted biosensors depend, among others, on the density of adsorbed TMV particles on the sensor surface, which is affected by both the adsorption conditions and surface properties of the sensor. In this work, Ta₂O₅-gate field-effect capacitive sensors have been applied for the label-free electrical detection of TMV adsorption. The impact of the TMV concentration on both the sensor signal and the density of TMV particles adsorbed onto the Ta₂O₅-gate surface has been studied systematically by means of field-effect and scanning electron microscopy methods. In addition, the surface density of TMV particles loaded under different incubation times has been investigated. Finally, the field-effect sensor also demonstrates the label-free detection of penicillinase immobilization as model bioreceptor on TMV particles.
In the context of the Solvency II directive, the operation of an internal risk model is a possible way for risk assessment and for the determination of the solvency capital requirement of an insurance company in the European Union. A Monte Carlo procedure is customary to generate a model output. To be compliant with the directive, validation of the internal risk model is conducted on the basis of the model output. For this purpose, we suggest a new test for checking whether there is a significant change in the modeled solvency capital requirement. Asymptotic properties of the test statistic are investigated and a bootstrap approximation is justified. A simulation study investigates the performance of the test in the finite sample case and confirms the theoretical results. The internal risk model and the application of the test is illustrated in a simplified example. The method has more general usage for inference of a broad class of law-invariant and coherent risk measures on the basis of a paired sample.
Rehabilitative body weight supported gait training aims at restoring walking function as a key element in activities of daily living. Studies demonstrated reductions in muscle and joint forces, while kinematic gait patterns appear to be preserved with up to 30% weight support. However, the influence of body weight support on muscle architecture, with respect to fascicle and series elastic element behavior is unknown, despite this having potential clinical implications for gait retraining. Eight males (31.9 ± 4.7 years) walked at 75% of the speed at which they typically transition to running, with 0% and 30% body weight support on a lower-body positive pressure treadmill. Gastrocnemius medialis fascicle lengths and pennation angles were measured via ultrasonography. Additionally, joint kinematics were analyzed to determine gastrocnemius medialis muscle–tendon unit lengths, consisting of the muscle's contractile and series elastic elements. Series elastic element length was assessed using a muscle–tendon unit model. Depending on whether data were normally distributed, a paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed rank test was performed to determine if body weight supported walking had any effects on joint kinematics and fascicle–series elastic element behavior. Walking with 30% body weight support had no statistically significant effect on joint kinematics and peak series elastic element length. Furthermore, at the time when peak series elastic element length was achieved, and on average across the entire stance phase, muscle–tendon unit length, fascicle length, pennation angle, and fascicle velocity were unchanged with respect to body weight support. In accordance with unchanged gait kinematics, preservation of fascicle–series elastic element behavior was observed during walking with 30% body weight support, which suggests transferability of gait patterns to subsequent unsupported walking.
The compliant nature of distal limb muscle-tendon units is traditionally considered suboptimal in explosive movements when positive joint work is required. However, during accelerative running, ankle joint net mechanical work is positive. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how plantar flexor muscle-tendon behavior is modulated during fast accelerations. Eleven female sprinters performed maximum sprint accelerations from starting blocks, while gastrocnemius muscle fascicle lengths were estimated using ultrasonography. We combined motion analysis and ground reaction force measurements to assess lower limb joint kinematics and kinetics, and to estimate gastrocnemius muscle-tendon unit length during the first two acceleration steps. Outcome variables were resampled to the stance phase and averaged across three to five trials. Relevant scalars were extracted and analyzed using one-sample and two-sample t-tests, and vector trajectories were compared using statistical parametric mapping. We found that an uncoupling of muscle fascicle behavior from muscle-tendon unit behavior is effectively used to produce net positive mechanical work at the joint during maximum sprint acceleration. Muscle fascicles shortened throughout the first and second steps, while shortening occurred earlier during the first step, where negative joint work was lower compared with the second step. Elastic strain energy may be stored during dorsiflexion after touchdown since fascicles did not lengthen at the same time to dissipate energy. Thus, net positive work generation is accommodated by the reuse of elastic strain energy along with positive gastrocnemius fascicle work. Our results show a mechanism of how muscles with high in-series compliance can contribute to net positive joint work.
Performing tasks, such as running and jumping, requires activation of the agonist and antagonist muscles before (motor unit pre-activation) and during movement performance (Santello and Mcdonagh, 1998). A well-timed and regulated muscle activation elicits a stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) response, naturally occurring in bouncing movements (Ishikawa and Komi, 2004; Taube et al., 2012). By definition, the SSC describes the stretching of a pre-activated muscle-tendon complex immediately followed by a muscle shortening in the concentric push-off phase (Komi, 1984).
Given the importance of SSC actions for human movement, it is not surprising that many studies investigated the biomechanics of this phenomenon; in particular, drop jumps (DJs) represent a good paradigm to study muscle fascicle and tendon behavior in ballistic movements involving the SSC.
Within a DJ, three main phases [pre-activation, braking, and push-off (PO; Komi, 2000)] have been recognized and extensively studied in common and challenging conditions, such as changes in load, falling height, or simulated hypo-gravity (Avela et al., 1994; Arampatzis et al., 2001; Fukashiro et al., 2005; Ishikawa et al., 2005; Sousa et al., 2007; Ritzmann et al., 2016; Helm et al., 2020).
These studies show that the timing and amount of triceps-surae muscle-tendon unit pre-activation in DJs are differentially regulated based on the load applied to the muscle, being optimal in normal “Earth” gravity conditions (Avela et al., 1994), but decreased in simulated hypo-gravity, hyper-gravity (Avela et al., 1994; Ritzmann et al., 2016), or unknown conditions (i.e., unknown falling heights; Helm et al., 2020). Some authors indicated that, when falling from heights different from the optimal one [defined as the drop height giving a maximum DJ performance indicated as peak ground reaction force (GRF) or jump high], electromyographic (EMG) activity of the plantar flexors increases from lower than optimal to higher than optimal heights (Ishikawa and Komi, 2004; Sousa et al., 2007).
These findings highlight the ability of the central nervous system to regulate the timing and amount of pre-activation according to different jumping conditions, thus regulating muscle fascicle length, tendon and joint stiffness as well as position, in order to safely land on the ground and quickly re-bounce.
Similarly, to pre-activation, also in the braking phase, the plantar flexors are differentially regulated. In optimal height (i.e., load) jumping conditions, gastrocnemius medialis (GM) fascicles shorten at early ground contact (possibly due to the intervention of the stretch reflex; Gollhofer et al., 1992) and behave quasi-isometrically in the late braking phase, enabling tendon elongation, and storage of elastic energy (Gollhofer et al., 1992; Fukashiro et al., 2005; Sousa et al., 2007). When increasing the falling height (augmenting the impact GRF), the quasi-isometric behavior of fascicles disappears, and fast fascicle lengthening occurs (Ishikawa et al., 2005; Sousa et al., 2007).
In the third and last PO phase, fascicles shorten and the tendon releases the elastic energy previously stored. Bobbert et al. (1987) reported no influence of jumping height on the work done and on the net vertical impulse assessed during PO; this observation suggests that, despite an optimal DJ performance might be achieved only in specific conditions (falling heights, loads), the central nervous system seems to be able to regulate muscle behavior in order to effectively perform the required task also in challenging situations.
Although the regulation of triceps-surae muscle-tendon unit in DJs has been extensively investigated, very few studies focused on sarcomeres behavior during the performance of this SSC movement (Kurokawa et al., 2003; Fukashiro et al., 2005, 2006). Sarcomeres represent muscle contractile units and are known to express different amounts of force depending on their length (Gordon et al., 1966; Walker and Schrodt, 1974); thus, understanding the time course of their responses during DJs is fundamental to gain further insights into muscle force-generating capacity. In vivo measurement of sarcomere length in humans has been so far been performed only in static positions and under highly controlled experimental conditions (Llewellyn et al., 2008; Sanchez et al., 2015). Instead, human sarcomere length estimation (achieved by dividing GM measured fascicle length for a fixed sarcomere number) in dynamic contractions provided an indirect measure of sarcomere operating range during squat jump, countermovement jump, and DJ (Fukashiro et al., 2005, 2006; Kurokawa et al., 2003). The results of these studies showed that sarcomeres operate in the ascending limb of their length-tension (L-T) relationship in all types of jumps, and particularly so in DJ.
However, most of the available observations on sarcomere and muscle fascicle behavior were made in condition of constant gravity. Thus, in order to understand how sarcomere and muscle fascicle length are regulated in variable gravity conditions, we performed experiments in a parabolic flight, involving variable gravity levels, ranging from about zero-g to about double the Earth’s gravity (1 g; Waldvogel et al., 2021).
Specifically, the aims of the present study were as follows:
1. To investigate the ability of the neuromuscular system in regulating fascicle length in response to conditions of variable gravity.
2. To estimate sarcomere operative length in the different DJ phases, in order to calculate its theoretical force production and its possible modulation in conditions of variable gravity.
We hypothesized that muscle fascicles would be differentially regulated in different gravity conditions compared to 1 g, particularly in anticipation of landing and re-bouncing in unknown gravity levels. In addition, we hypothesized that sarcomeres would operate in the upper part of the ascending limb of their L-T relationship, possibly lengthening during the braking phase (especially in hyper-gravity) while operating quasi-isometrically in 1 g.
Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) patients have persistent functional deficits in the triceps surae muscle–tendon unit (MTU). The complex remodeling of the MTU accompanying these deficits remains poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to associate in vivo and in silico data to investigate the relations between changes inMTU properties and strength deficits inATR patients. Methods: Elevenmale subjects who had undergone surgical repair of complete unilateral ATR were examined 4.6 ± 2.0 (mean ± SD) yr after rupture. Gastrocnemius medialis (GM) tendon stiffness, morphology, and muscle architecture were determined using ultrasonography. The force–length relation of the plantar flexor muscles was assessed at five ankle joint angles. In addition, simulations (OpenSim) of the GM MTU force–length properties were performed with various iterations of MTU properties found between the unaffected and the affected side. Results: The affected side of the patients displayed a longer, larger, and stiffer GM tendon (13% ± 10%, 105% ± 28%, and 54% ± 24%, respectively) compared with the unaffected side. The GM muscle fascicles of the affected side were shorter (32% ± 12%) and with greater pennation angles (31% ± 26%). A mean deficit in plantarflexion moment of 31% ± 10% was measured. Simulations indicate that pairing an intact muscle with a longer tendon shifts the optimal angular range of peak force outside physiological angular ranges, whereas the shorter muscle fascicles and tendon stiffening seen in the affected side decrease this shift, albeit incompletely. Conclusions: These results suggest that the substantial changes in MTU properties found in ATR patients may partly result from compensatory remodeling, although this process appears insufficient to fully restore muscle function.
Motile cilia are hair-like cell extensions present in multiple organs of the body. How cilia coordinate their regular beat in multiciliated epithelia to move fluids remains insufficiently understood, particularly due to lack of rigorous quantification. We combine here experiments, novel analysis tools, and theory to address this knowledge gap. We investigate collective dynamics of cilia in the zebrafish nose, due to its conserved properties with other ciliated tissues and its superior accessibility for non-invasive imaging. We revealed that cilia are synchronized only locally and that the size of local synchronization domains increases with the viscosity of the surrounding medium. Despite the fact that synchronization is local only, we observed global patterns of traveling metachronal waves across the multiciliated epithelium. Intriguingly, these global wave direction patterns are conserved across individual fish, but different for left and right nose, unveiling a chiral asymmetry of metachronal coordination. To understand the implications of synchronization for fluid pumping, we used a computational model of a regular array of cilia. We found that local metachronal synchronization prevents steric collisions and improves fluid pumping in dense cilia carpets, but hardly affects the direction of fluid flow. In conclusion, we show that local synchronization together with tissue-scale cilia alignment are sufficient to generate metachronal wave patterns in multiciliated epithelia, which enhance their physiological function of fluid pumping.
The hot spots conjecture is only known to be true for special geometries. This paper shows numerically that the hot spots conjecture can fail to be true for easy to construct bounded domains with one hole. The underlying eigenvalue problem for the Laplace equation with Neumann boundary condition is solved with boundary integral equations yielding a non-linear eigenvalue problem. Its discretization via the boundary element collocation method in combination with the algorithm by Beyn yields highly accurate results both for the first non-zero eigenvalue and its corresponding eigenfunction which is due to superconvergence. Additionally, it can be shown numerically that the ratio between the maximal/minimal value inside the domain and its maximal/minimal value on the boundary can be larger than 1 + 10− 3. Finally, numerical examples for easy to construct domains with up to five holes are provided which fail the hot spots conjecture as well.
The recent advances in microbiology have shed light on understanding the role of vitamins beyond the nutritional range. Vitamins are critical in contributing to healthy biodiversity and maintaining the proper function of gut microbiota. The sharing of vitamins among bacterial populations promotes stability in community composition and diversity; however, this balance becomes disturbed in various pathologies. Here, we overview and analyze the ability of different vitamins to selectively and specifically induce changes in the intestinal microbial community. Some schemes and regularities become visible, which may provide new insights and avenues for therapeutic management and functional optimization of the gut microbiota.
Dynamic retinal vessel analysis (DVA) provides a non-invasive way to assess microvascular function in patients and potentially to improve predictions of individual cardiovascular (CV) risk. The aim of our study was to use untargeted machine learning on DVA in order to improve CV mortality prediction and identify corresponding response alterations.
Biocompatibility, flexibility and durability make polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes top candidates in biomedical applications. CellDrum technology uses large area, <10 µm thin membranes as mechanical stress sensors of thin cell layers. For this to be successful, the properties (thickness, temperature, dust, wrinkles, etc.) must be precisely controlled. The following parameters of membrane fabrication by means of the Floating-on-Water (FoW) method were investigated: (1) PDMS volume, (2) ambient temperature, (3) membrane deflection and (4) membrane mechanical compliance. Significant differences were found between all PDMS volumes and thicknesses tested (p < 0.01). They also differed from the calculated values. At room temperatures between 22 and 26 °C, significant differences in average thickness values were found, as well as a continuous decrease in thicknesses within a 4 °C temperature elevation. No correlation was found between the membrane thickness groups (between 3–4 µm) in terms of deflection and compliance. We successfully present a fabrication method for thin bio-functionalized membranes in conjunction with a four-step quality management system. The results highlight the importance of tight regulation of production parameters through quality control. The use of membranes described here could also become the basis for material testing on thin, viscous layers such as polymers, dyes and adhesives, which goes far beyond biological applications.
Messenger apps like WhatsApp or Telegram are an integral part of daily communication. Besides the various positive effects, those services extend the operating range of criminals. Open trading groups with many thousand participants emerged on Telegram. Law enforcement agencies monitor suspicious users in such chat rooms. This research shows that text analysis, based on natural language processing, facilitates this through a meaningful domain overview and detailed investigations. We crawled a corpus from such self-proclaimed black markets and annotated five attribute types products, money, payment methods, user names, and locations. Based on each message a user sends, we extract and group these attributes to build profiles. Then, we build features to cluster the profiles. Pretrained word vectors yield better unsupervised clustering results than current
state-of-the-art transformer models. The result is a semantically meaningful high-level overview of the user landscape of black market chatrooms. Additionally, the extracted structured information serves as a foundation for further data exploration, for example, the most active users or preferred payment methods.
Schlafspindeln – Funktion, Detektion und Nutzung als Biomarker für die psychiatrische Diagnostik
(2022)
Hintergrund:
Die Schlafspindel ist ein Graphoelement des Elektroenzephalogramms
(EEG), das im Leicht- und Tiefschlaf beobachtet werden kann. Veränderungen der
Spindelaktivität wurden für verschiedene psychiatrische Erkrankungen beschrieben. Schlafspindeln zeigen aufgrund ihrer relativ konstanten Eigenschaften Potenzial als Biomarker in der psychiatrischen Diagnostik.
Methode:
Dieser Beitrag liefert einen Überblick über den Stand der Wissenschaft
zu Eigenschaften und Funktionen der Schlafspindeln sowie über beschriebene
Veränderungen der Spindelaktivität bei psychiatrischen Erkrankungen. Verschiedene methodische Ansätze und Ausblicke zur Spindeldetektion werden hinsichtlich deren Anwendungspotenzial in der psychiatrischen Diagnostik erläutert.
Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerung:
Während Veränderungen der Spindelaktivität
bei psychiatrischen Erkrankungen beschrieben wurden, ist deren exaktes Potenzial für die psychiatrische Diagnostik noch nicht ausreichend erforscht. Diesbezüglicher Erkenntnisgewinn wird in der Forschung gegenwärtig durch ressourcenintensive und fehleranfällige Methoden zur manuellen oder automatisierten Spindeldetektion ausgebremst. Neuere Detektionsansätze, die auf Deep-Learning-Verfahren basieren, könnten die Schwierigkeiten bisheriger Detektionsmethoden überwinden und damit neue Möglichkeiten für die praktisch
A generalized shear-lag theory for fibres with variable radius is developed to analyse elastic fibre/matrix stress transfer. The theory accounts for the reinforcement of biological composites, such as soft tissue and bone tissue, as well as for the reinforcement of technical composite materials, such as fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP). The original shear-lag theory proposed by Cox in 1952 is generalized for fibres with variable radius and with symmetric and asymmetric ends. Analytical solutions are derived for the distribution of axial and interfacial shear stress in cylindrical and elliptical fibres, as well as conical and paraboloidal fibres with asymmetric ends. Additionally, the distribution of axial and interfacial shear stress for conical and paraboloidal fibres with symmetric ends are numerically predicted. The results are compared with solutions from axisymmetric finite element models. A parameter study is performed, to investigate the suitability of alternative fibre geometries for use in FRP.
Zielführend moderieren
(2022)
In der Teamarbeit wird Moderation zum Erfolgsfaktor, der jedoch häufig unterschätzt wird. Ausgehend vom persönlichen Kompetenzniveau verknüpft dieses Buch Grundlagen und Methoden zu Wegen, um Ihre persönliche Entwicklung individuell zu begleiten: Neulinge finden hilfreiche Checklisten und Basistechniken für ihre ersten Moderationen, Fortgeschrittene wertvolle Praxistipps und Methoden für den Ausbau ihrer Moderationskompetenz. Profis schließlich genießen eine raffinierte Aussicht auf weniger bekannte Techniken und neue Anwendungen. Weiterführende Exkurse zum Meeting-Management und zur Online-Moderation runden den Anwendungshorizont ab.
Ob in Beruf, Studium oder Ehrenamt – derart ausgestattet gelingen Ihre eigene sowie die Entwicklung Ihres Teams durch zielführende Moderationen.
Wearable EEG has gained popularity in recent years driven by promising uses outside of clinics and research. The ubiquitous application of continuous EEG requires unobtrusive form-factors that are easily acceptable by the end-users. In this progression, wearable EEG systems have been moving from full scalp to forehead and recently to the ear. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that emerging ear-EEG provides similar impedance and signal properties as established forehead EEG. EEG data using eyes-open and closed alpha paradigm were acquired from ten healthy subjects using generic earpieces fitted with three custom-made electrodes and a forehead electrode (at Fpx) after impedance analysis. Inter-subject variability in in-ear electrode impedance ranged from 20 kΩ to 25 kΩ at 10 Hz. Signal quality was comparable with an SNR of 6 for in-ear and 8 for forehead electrodes. Alpha attenuation was significant during the eyes-open condition in all in-ear electrodes, and it followed the structure of power spectral density plots of forehead electrodes, with the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.92 between in-ear locations ELE (Left Ear Superior) and ERE (Right Ear Superior) and forehead locations, Fp1 and Fp2, respectively. The results indicate that in-ear EEG is an unobtrusive alternative in terms of impedance, signal properties and information content to established forehead EEG.
Reliable methods for automatic readability assessment have the potential to impact a variety of fields, ranging from machine translation to self-informed learning. Recently, large language models for the German language (such as GBERT and GPT-2-Wechsel) have become available, allowing to develop Deep Learning based approaches that promise to further improve automatic readability assessment. In this contribution, we studied the ability of ensembles of fine-tuned GBERT and GPT-2-Wechsel models to reliably predict the readability of German sentences. We combined these models with linguistic features and investigated the dependence of prediction performance on ensemble size and composition. Mixed ensembles of GBERT and GPT-2-Wechsel performed better than ensembles of the same size consisting of only GBERT or GPT-2-Wechsel models. Our models were evaluated in the GermEval 2022 Shared Task on Text Complexity Assessment on data of German sentences. On out-of-sample data, our best ensemble achieved a root mean squared error of 0:435.
The mechanical behavior of the large intestine beyond the ultimate stress has never been investigated. Stretching beyond the ultimate stress may drastically impair the tissue microstructure, which consequently weakens its healthy state functions of absorption, temporary storage, and transportation for defecation. Due to closely similar microstructure and function with humans, biaxial tensile experiments on the porcine large intestine have been performed in this study. In this paper, we report hyperelastic characterization of the large intestine based on experiments in 102 specimens. We also report the theoretical analysis of the experimental results, including an exponential damage evolution function. The fracture energies and the threshold stresses are set as damage material parameters for the longitudinal muscular, the circumferential muscular and the submucosal collagenous layers. A biaxial tensile simulation of a linear brick element has been performed to validate the applicability of the estimated material parameters. The model successfully simulates the biomechanical response of the large intestine under physiological and non-physiological loads.
Edge-based and face-based smoothed finite element methods (ES-FEM and FS-FEM, respectively) are modified versions of the finite element method allowing to achieve more accurate results and to reduce sensitivity to mesh distortion, at least for linear elements. These properties make the two methods very attractive. However, their implementation in a standard finite element code is nontrivial because it requires heavy and extensive modifications to the code architecture. In this article, we present an element-based formulation of ES-FEM and FS-FEM methods allowing to implement the two methods in a standard finite element code with no modifications to its architecture. Moreover, the element-based formulation permits to easily manage any type of element, especially in 3D models where, to the best of the authors' knowledge, only tetrahedral elements are used in FS-FEM applications found in the literature. Shape functions for non-simplex 3D elements are proposed in order to apply FS-FEM to any standard finite element.
Retinal vessels are similar to cerebral vessels in their structure and function. Moderately low oscillation frequencies of around 0.1 Hz have been reported as the driving force for paravascular drainage in gray matter in mice and are known as the frequencies of lymphatic vessels in humans. We aimed to elucidate whether retinal vessel oscillations are altered in Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the stage of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Seventeen patients with mild-to-moderate dementia due to AD (ADD); 23 patients with MCI due to AD, and 18 cognitively healthy controls (HC) were examined using Dynamic Retinal Vessel Analyzer. Oscillatory temporal changes of retinal vessel diameters were evaluated using mathematical signal analysis. Especially at moderately low frequencies around 0.1 Hz, arterial oscillations in ADD and MCI significantly prevailed over HC oscillations and correlated with disease severity. The pronounced retinal arterial vasomotion at moderately low frequencies in the ADD and MCI groups would be compatible with the view of a compensatory upregulation of paravascular drainage in AD and strengthen the amyloid clearance hypothesis.
Image reconstruction analysis for positron emission tomography with heterostructured scintillators
(2022)
The concept of structure engineering has been proposed for exploring the next generation of radiation detectors with improved performance. A TOF-PET geometry with heterostructured scintillators with a pixel size of 3.0×3.1×15 mm3 was simulated using Monte Carlo. The heterostructures consisted of alternating layers of BGO as a dense material with high stopping power and plastic (EJ232) as a fast light emitter. The detector time resolution was calculated as a function of the deposited and shared energy in both materials on an event-by-event basis. While sensitivity was reduced to 32% for 100 μm thick plastic layers and 52% for 50 μm, the CTR distribution improved to 204±49 ps and 220±41 ps respectively, compared to 276 ps that we considered for bulk BGO. The complex distribution of timing resolutions was accounted for in the reconstruction. We divided the events into three groups based on their CTR and modeled them with different Gaussian TOF kernels. On a NEMA IQ phantom, the heterostructures had better contrast recovery in early iterations. On the other hand, BGO achieved a better contrast to noise ratio (CNR) after the 15th iteration due to the higher sensitivity. The developed simulation and reconstruction methods constitute new tools for evaluating different detector designs with complex time responses.
Frequency mixing magnetic detection (FMMD) has been widely utilized as a measurement technique in magnetic immunoassays. It can also be used for the characterization and distinction (also known as “colourization”) of different types of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) based on their core sizes. In a previous work, it was shown that the large particles contribute most of the FMMD signal. This leads to ambiguities in core size determination from fitting since the contribution of the small-sized particles is almost undetectable among the strong responses from the large ones. In this work, we report on how this ambiguity can be overcome by modelling the signal intensity using the Langevin model in thermodynamic equilibrium including a lognormal core size distribution fL(dc,d0,σ) fitted to experimentally measured FMMD data of immobilized MNPs. For each given median diameter d0, an ambiguous amount of best-fitting pairs of parameters distribution width σ and number of particles Np with R2 > 0.99 are extracted. By determining the samples’ total iron mass, mFe, with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), we are then able to identify the one specific best-fitting pair (σ, Np) one uniquely. With this additional externally measured parameter, we resolved the ambiguity in core size distribution and determined the parameters (d0, σ, Np) directly from FMMD measurements, allowing precise MNPs sample characterization.
Biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) fundamentally rely on the particles’ magnetic relaxation as a response to an alternating magnetic field. The magnetic relaxation complexly depends on the interplay of MNP magnetic and physical properties with the applied field parameters. It is commonly accepted that particle core size is a major contributor to signal generation in all the above applications, however, most MNP samples comprise broad distribution spanning nm and more. Therefore, precise knowledge of the exact contribution of individual core sizes to signal generation is desired for optimal MNP design generally for each application. Specifically, we present a magnetic relaxation simulation-driven analysis of experimental frequency mixing magnetic detection (FMMD) for biosensing to quantify the contributions of individual core size fractions towards signal generation. Applying our method to two different experimental MNP systems, we found the most dominant contributions from approx. 20 nm sized particles in the two independent MNP systems. Additional comparison between freely suspended and immobilized MNP also reveals insight in the MNP microstructure, allowing to use FMMD for MNP characterization, as well as to further fine-tune its applicability in biosensing.
When confining pressure is low or absent, extensional fractures are typical, with fractures occurring on unloaded planes in rock. These “paradox” fractures can be explained by a phenomenological extension strain failure criterion. In the past, a simple empirical criterion for fracture initiation in brittle rock has been developed. But this criterion makes unrealistic strength predictions in biaxial compression and tension. A new extension strain criterion overcomes this limitation by adding a weighted principal shear component. The weight is chosen, such that the enriched extension strain criterion represents the same failure surface as the Mohr–Coulomb (MC) criterion. Thus, the MC criterion has been derived as an extension strain criterion predicting failure modes, which are unexpected in the understanding of the failure of cohesive-frictional materials. In progressive damage of rock, the most likely fracture direction is orthogonal to the maximum extension strain. The enriched extension strain criterion is proposed as a threshold surface for crack initiation CI and crack damage CD and as a failure surface at peak P. Examples show that the enriched extension strain criterion predicts much lower volumes of damaged rock mass compared to the simple extension strain criterion.
The European Union's aim to become climate neutral by 2050 necessitates ambitious efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Large reductions can be attained particularly in energy intensive sectors like iron and steel. In order to prevent the relocation of such industries outside the EU in the course of tightening environmental regulations, the establishment of a climate club jointly with other large emitters and alternatively the unilateral implementation of an international cross-border carbon tax mechanism are proposed. This article focuses on the latter option choosing the steel sector as an example. In particular, we investigate the financial conditions under which a European cross border mechanism is capable to protect hydrogen-based steel production routes employed in Europe against more polluting competition from abroad. By using a floor price model, we assess the competitiveness of different steel production routes in selected countries. We evaluate the climate friendliness of steel production on the basis of specific GHG emissions. In addition, we utilize an input-output price model. It enables us to assess impacts of rising cost of steel production on commodities using steel as intermediates. Our results raise concerns that a cross-border tax mechanism will not suffice to bring about competitiveness of hydrogen-based steel production in Europe because the cost tends to remain higher than the cost of steel production in e.g. China. Steel is a classic example for a good used mainly as intermediate for other products. Therefore, a cross-border tax mechanism for steel will increase the price of products produced in the EU that require steel as an input. This can in turn adversely affect competitiveness of these sectors. Hence, the effects of higher steel costs on European exports should be borne in mind and could require the cross-border adjustment mechanism to also subsidize exports.
FEM shakedown analysis of structures under random strength with chance constrained programming
(2022)
Direct methods, comprising limit and shakedown analysis, are a branch of computational mechanics. They play a significant role in mechanical and civil engineering design. The concept of direct methods aims to determine the ultimate load carrying capacity of structures beyond the elastic range. In practical problems, the direct methods lead to nonlinear convex optimization problems with a large number of variables and constraints. If strength and loading are random quantities, the shakedown analysis can be formulated as stochastic programming problem. In this paper, a method called chance constrained programming is presented, which is an effective method of stochastic programming to solve shakedown analysis problems under random conditions of strength. In this study, the loading is deterministic, and the strength is a normally or lognormally distributed variable.
On the basis of bivariate data, assumed to be observations of independent copies of a random vector (S,N), we consider testing the hypothesis that the distribution of (S,N) belongs to the parametric class of distributions that arise with the compound Poisson exponential model. Typically, this model is used in stochastic hydrology, with N as the number of raindays, and S as total rainfall amount during a certain time period, or in actuarial science, with N as the number of losses, and S as total loss expenditure during a certain time period. The compound Poisson exponential model is characterized in the way that a specific transform associated with the distribution of (S,N) satisfies a certain differential equation. Mimicking the function part of this equation by substituting the empirical counterparts of the transform we obtain an expression the weighted integral of the square of which is used as test statistic. We deal with two variants of the latter, one of which being invariant under scale transformations of the S-part by fixed positive constants. Critical values are obtained by using a parametric bootstrap procedure. The asymptotic behavior of the tests is discussed. A simulation study demonstrates the performance of the tests in the finite sample case. The procedure is applied to rainfall data and to an actuarial dataset. A multivariate extension is also discussed.
Vitamin D plays an essential role in calcium and inorganic phosphate (Pi) homeostasis, maintaining their optimal levels to assure adequate bone mineralization. Vitamin D, as calcitriol (1,25(OH)2D), not only increases intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption but also facilitates their renal reabsorption, leading to elevated serum calcium and phosphate levels. The interaction of 1,25(OH)2D with its receptor (VDR) increases the efficiency of intestinal absorption of calcium to 30–40% and phosphate to nearly 80%. Serum phosphate levels can also influence 1,25 (OH)2D and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels, i.e., higher phosphate concentrations suppress vitamin D activation and stimulate parathyroid hormone (PTH) release, while a high FGF23 serum level leads to reduced vitamin D synthesis. In the vitamin D-deficient state, the intestinal calcium absorption decreases and the secretion of PTH increases, which in turn causes the stimulation of 1,25(OH)2D production, resulting in excessive urinary phosphate loss. Maintenance of phosphate homeostasis is essential as hyperphosphatemia is a risk factor of cardiovascular calcification, chronic kidney diseases (CKD), and premature aging, while hypophosphatemia is usually associated with rickets and osteomalacia. This chapter elaborates on the possible interactions between vitamin D and phosphate in health and disease.