Different delayed consequences of attaining a plateau phase in practicing a simple (finger-tapping sequence learning) and a complex (Tower of Hanoi puzzle) task.

In practicing a new task, the initial performance gains, across consecutive trials, decrease; in the following phase, performance tends to plateau. However, after a long delay additional performance improvements may emerge (delayed/ "offline" gains). It has been suggested that the attainment of the plateau phase is a necessary condition for the triggering of skill consolidation processes that lead to the expression of delayed gains. Here we compared the effect of a long-delay (24-48 h) interval following each of the two within-session phases, on performance in a simple motor task, the finger-tapping sequence learning (FTSL), and in a conceptually complex task, the Tower of Hanoi puzzle (TOHP). In Experiment 1 we determined the amount of practice leading to the plateau phase within a single practice session (long practice), in each task. Experiment 2 consisted of three consecutive sessions with long-delay intervals in between; in the first session, participants underwent a short practice without attaining the plateau phase, but in the next two sessions, participants received long practice, attaining the plateau phase. In the FTSL, short practice resulted in no delayed gains after the long delay, but after 24-48 h following long practice, task performance was further improved. In contrast, no delayed gains evolved in the TOHP during the 24- to 48-h delay following long practice. We propose that the attainment of a plateau phase can indicate either the attainment of a comprehensive task solution routine (achievable for simple tasks) or a preservation of work-in-progress task solution routine (complex tasks); performance after a long post-practice interval can differentiate these two states.

Towards safer tower crane operations: An innovative knowledge-based decision support system for automated safety risk assessment.

INTRODUCTION: Tower cranes are commonly employed in construction projects, despite presenting significant hazards to the workforce involved. METHOD: To address these safety concerns, a Knowledge-Based Decision-Support System for Safety Risk Assessment (KBDSS-SRA) has been developed. The system's capacity to thoroughly evaluate associated risks is illustrated through its utilization in various construction endeavors. RESULTS: The system accomplishes the following goals: (1) compiles essential risk factors specific to tower crane operations, (2) identifies critical safety risks that jeopardize worker well-being, (3) examines and assesses the identified safety risks, and (4) automates the labor-intensive and error-prone processes of safety risk assessment. The KBDSS-SRA assists safety management personnel in formulating well-grounded decisions and implementing effective measures to enhance the safety of tower crane operations. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This is facilitated by an advanced computerized tool that underscores the paramount significance of safety risks and suggests strategies for their future mitigation.

A Fast and Accurate Mapping Method for an OPGW Tower Based on Hybrid Distributed Optical Fiber Sensing.

The combination of the dark fiber in existing Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire (OPGW) with Distributed Optical Fiber Sensing (DOFS) technology can be used to enable online monitoring and provide early warnings of anomalies in high-voltage transmission lines. Accurate mapping of the optical cable length to the geographic coordinates of actual towers is a key factor in achieving this goal. This paper discusses the principle of using a DOFS system for transmission line tower positioning and presents four available positioning features. To overcome the limitations of single physical parameter positioning, this paper presents a self-developed hybrid DOFS that simultaneously captures Rayleigh backscattering and Brillouin scattering signals. Several physical parameters, including temperature, strain, and vibration, are acquired synchronously. Through hybrid multi-parameter analysis, the rapid and accurate positioning of OPGW line towers is achieved. Experimental results have shown that the proposed method, based on the hybrid DOFS system, can locate up to 82 towers, while the traditional method could only identify 12. The hybrid system was able to complete 80% of the tension towers in 40 h. This paper presents a novel multi-parameter localization method that has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and reliability of grid operation and maintenance.

Calculation method of temporary cable force in incremental launching construction of large span steel box girder without auxiliary pier.

The Fenshui River Bridge is a steel-concrete composite girder bridge with a main span of 90 m. Due to the topographical constraints, the steel box girder was constructed without the use of auxiliary piers, employing incremental launching techniques. This article focuses on the construction technology used for the steel box girder of the Fenshui River Bridge. Firstly, using the influence matrix method, the cable force is determined based on the maximum cantilever state of the structure, with the vertical deformation of the front end of the guide beam and the horizontal deformation of the top of the tower as the control objectives. The unstressed cable length is then calculated based on the mechanical relationship between cable deformation and cable force. A calculation method for adaptive cable force is proposed, which is based on the variation of the stress-free cable length within the adaptive structural system. Next, the finite element analysis method was employed to determine the optimal layout position for the tower. The results indicate that during the incremental launching construction of the steel box girder, the calculated cable forces using the method proposed in this paper are in close agreement with the measured cable forces. At the maximum cantilever state of the structure, the calculated and measured values of the cable force resulted in a percentage difference of 3.96%. The calculated values of deformation and stress in key sections showed a percentage difference of 6.4% for deformation and 6.6% for stress. To maximize the effectiveness of the tower and cable, the tower should be positioned above the bridge pier when the guide beam crosses the maximum span. The findings of this paper can serve as a reference for the construction of similar types of bridges.

Controlling wind turbine tower vibration under external force by applying control systems combination.

The global focus has recently shifted away from fuel-based power sources, and one of the most important projects for energy production is wind energy. To maintain low costs, the current research examines the problem of vibrations affecting wind turbine towers' performance (WTTs). In particular, the tower, resulting from excessive vibrations, can negatively affect a structure's power output and service life, as it can cause fatigue. Therefore, we conducted numerical tests on various types of controlled systems. Our tests revealed that combining a new technique cubic negative velocity control (CNVC) and linear negative acceleration control (LNAC) was the most effective and cost-efficient option for vibration damping. This solution was derived by using an approximation method for the averaging technique. The external force is an important component of a nonlinear dynamic system and can be characterized by two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) differential coupled equations. After implementing the control measures, we conducted a numerical analysis of the vibration values before and after the operation. Stability is studied numerically. The numerical and approximate solutions were confirmed through the frequency response equation and time history with fourth-order Runge-Kutta (RK-4). Finally, we investigated the effect of parameters and compared our results with those of previously published studies.

Emergent constraints on historical and future global gross primary productivity.

Terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) is the largest carbon flux in the global carbon cycle and plays a crucial role in terrestrial carbon sequestration. However, historical and future global GPP estimates still vary markedly. In this study, we reduced uncertainties in global GPP estimates by employing an innovative emergent constraint method on remote sensing-based GPP datasets (RS-GPP), using ground-based estimates of GPP from flux towers as the observational constraint. Using this approach, the global GPP in 2001-2014 was estimated to be 126.8 ± 6.4 PgC year-1, compared to the original RS-GPP ensemble mean of 120.9 ± 10.6 PgC year-1, which reduced the uncertainty range by 39.6%. Independent space- and time-based (different latitudinal zones, different vegetation types, and individual year) constraints further confirmed the robustness of the global GPP estimate. Building on these insights, we extended our constraints to project global GPP estimates in 2081-2100 under various Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios: SSP126 (140.6 ± 9.3 PgC year-1), SSP245 (153.5 ± 13.4 PgC year-1), SSP370 (170.7 ± 16.9 PgC year-1), and SSP585 (194.1 ± 23.2 PgC year-1). These findings have important implications for understanding and projecting climate change, helping to develop more effective climate policies and carbon reduction strategies.

Two sub-annual timescales and coupling modes for terrestrial water and carbon cycles.

To bridge the knowledge gap between (a) our (instantaneous-to-seasonal-scale) process understanding of plants and water and (b) our projections of long-term coupled feedbacks between the terrestrial water and carbon cycles, we must uncover what the dominant dynamics are linking fluxes of water and carbon. This study uses the simplest empirical dynamical systems models-two-dimensional linear models-and observation-based data from satellites, eddy covariance towers, weather stations, and machine-learning-derived products to determine the dominant sub-annual timescales coupling carbon uptake and (normalized) evaporation fluxes. We find two dominant modes across the Contiguous United States: (1) a negative correlation timescale on the order of a few days during which landscapes dry after precipitation and plants increase their carbon uptake through photosynthetic upregulation. (2) A slow, seasonal-scale positive covariation through which landscape drying leads to decreased growth and carbon uptake. The slow (positively correlated) process dominates the joint distribution of local water and carbon variables, leading to similar behaviors across space, biomes, and climate regions. We propose that vegetation cover/leaf area variables link this behavior across space, leading to strong emergent spatial patterns of water/carbon coupling in the mean. The spatial pattern of local temporal dynamics-positively sloped tangent lines to a convex long-term mean-state curve-is surprisingly strong, and can serve as a benchmark for coupled Earth System Models. We show that many such models do not represent this emergent mean-state pattern, and hypothesize that this may be due to lack of water-carbon feedbacks at daily scales.

Parental and healthcare provider attitudes towards the Healthy Child Programme in England: a qualitative analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) in England, delivered by Health Visitors (HV) and Nursery Nurses (NN), aims to assess growth and development in pre-school age children. This qualitative analysis aimed to evaluate the perceptions and experiences of HCP providers and parents located in a London borough. METHODS: This qualitative analysis is part of a larger study piloting an automated growth screening algorithm in a London borough. We conducted three focus group discussions; two with parents of pre-school children participating in the pilot study, one in English (n = 6) and one in Sylheti (n = 5), and one with HVs and NNs (n = 11). Sampling was purposeful, and written informed consent was obtained. Groups were facilitated by the same bilingual researcher using semi-structured topic guides. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis and assessed for intercoder reliability. RESULTS: Three broad themes were identified in the data: (1) lack of clarity around the role of the HV and NN; (2) a lack of resources; and (3) a desire for a preventative service. Underlying these themes was a sense of disempowerment shown by HVs/NNs and parents, as well as systemic issues in terms of the accessibility and practicality of the service. Nevertheless, parents and HVs/NNs all stressed the importance of the service in providing information, reassurance and advice. CONCLUSIONS: Various challenges prevent the HCP from providing equitable and effective care to every child. However, the service was recognised as very valuable by users and providers despite systemic difficulties.

Assessment of monitoring approaches to control Legionella pneumophila within a complex cooling tower system.

Precise and rapid methods are needed to improve monitoring approaches of L. pneumophila (Lp) in cooling towers (CTs) to allow timely operational adjustments and prevent outbreaks. The performance of liquid culture (ASTM D8429-21) and an online qPCR device were first compared to conventional filter plate culture (ISO 11731-2017), qPCR and semi-automated qPCR at three spiked concentrations of Lp (serogroup 1) validated by flow cytometry (total/viable cell count). The most accurate was qPCR, followed by liquid culture, online and semi-automated qPCR, and lastly, by a significant margin, filter plate culture. An industrial CT system was monitored using liquid and direct plate culture by the facility, qPCR and online qPCR. Direct plate and liquid culture results agreed at regulatory sampling point, supporting the use of the faster liquid culture for monitoring culturable Lp. During initial operation, qPCR and online qPCR results were within one log of culture at the primary pump before deviating after first cleaning. Other points revealed high spatial variability of Lp. The secondary pumps and chiller had the most positivity and highest concentrations by both qPCR and liquid culture compared to the basin and infeed tank. Altogether, this suggests that results from monthly compliance sampling at a single location with plate culture are not representative of Lp risks in this CT due to the high temporal and spatial variability. The primary pump, rather than the CT basin, should be designated for sampling, as it is representative of the health risk. An annual multi point survey of the system should be conducted to identify and target Lp hot spots. Generally, a combination of liquid culture for compliance and frequent qPCR for process control provides a more agile and robust monitoring scheme than plate culture alone, enabling early treatment adjustments, due to lower limit of detection (LOD) and turnover time.

Exploring the 3E, hydrogen, and ammonia creation potentials of a concentrated solar power (CSP) plant using an air-cooled condenser.

The need to move to more sustainable energy generation has become a major concern among world leaders due to the debilitating effect of greenhouse gases on the environment. Africa has the greatest potential to transition to more sustainable energy sources due to its enormous renewable energy resource potential, particularly solar. This study thus assessed the potential of generating power using a concentrated solar tower power plant (CSTP) at three different locations in Algeria. The study evaluated the system's technical, environmental, economic, and employment creation potential and analyzed the hydrogen and ammonia creation potential using the electricity produced by the CSTP system. Naama, Laghouat, and Ghardaia recorded annual energies of 507 GWh, 502 GWh, and 547 GWh, with capacity factors of 57.6%, 57.6%, and 62%, respectively. A real levelized cost of energy ranging between 7.72 and 8.47 cent$/kWh was obtained. A total of 8530 tons of nitrogen and 1844 tons of hydrogen will be theoretically needed to produce ammonia (fertilizer) for 500,000 hectares of arable land for agricultural activities. In addition, using hydrogen from the CSTP system to produce the estimated ammonia will save 6124.56 tons of CO2 emissions from polluting the environment annually. The creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs will significantly benefit Algerians. The study concluded with some policy recommendations based on its findings.

Comparison of cooling tower blowdown and enhanced make up water treatment to minimize cooling water footprint.

When water supply restrictions increasingly escalate to water supply risks, developing strategies to minimize the water footprint of wet cooling systems becomes crucial. This study compares two water engineering approaches to minimize the water footprint of a recirculating evaporative cooling tower (CT): (1) reusing cooling tower blowdown and (2) producing demineralized water to increase the cycles of concentration (CoC) of the CT. Our techno-economic analysis across various scenarios and CT settings reveals that reusing blowdown (option 1) is the most feasible approach for an industrial cooling system currently operating at CoCs of > 3, discharging blowdown with a conductivity of 2 mS/cm and a total organic carbon (TOC) concentration of approximately 20 mg/L. Compared to enhanced make up treatment, blowdown reuse allows higher water savings (13 %) and involves lower implementation and operation costs. Pilot scale trials validated the feasibility of both approaches. Blowdown and enhanced make up treatment included biologically activated carbon filtration, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis, producing high-quality permeate, suitable for (re)use as CT make up or within other processes. The blowdown treatment reached a product quality of 80 µS/cm conductivity and 70 µg/L TOC, make up treatment 20 µS/cm in conductivity and 60 µg/L TOC, respectively. The study's findings underscore the viability of blowdown reuse as a cost-effective and efficient strategy to minimize the water footprint of cooling systems under increasing water scarcity conditions.

The Tower of London task in children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric disorders.

The Tower of London, Drexel Version, Second Edition (TOL-DX) is purported to measure multiple aspects of executive functions, although it also possesses inherent non-executive demands. Such complexity makes it useful in detecting impairment but difficult in interpreting the neurocognitive cause of impairment, particularly in children. This study investigated the developmental, neurocognitive, and symptom correlates of the TOL-DX in children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric disorders. Two-hundred and thirty-three children and adolescents (7-21 years old) completed the TOL-DX during a neuropsychological evaluation as part of clinical care within a children's psychiatric hospital. Pearson correlation, regression models, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analyses examined the association among variables. Visuospatial and executive functions (EF) were most consistently related to total moves, execution time, and violations. TOL-DX variables were associated with attention in younger participants and EF in older participants. No TOL-DX scores were related to parent-reported symptoms. The TOL-DX possesses inherent visuospatial and attention/executive demands in children and adolescents which are difficult to differentiate, differ by age group, and not associated to clinical symptoms. Taken together, the TOL-DX is complex to interpret, but psychometrically sound and sensitive to neurocognitive impairment in children and adolescents with transdiagnostic neuropsychiatric disorders.

Experimental Study on Aerodynamic Characteristics of Downwind Bionic Tower Wind Turbine.

The vibrissae of harbor seals exhibit a distinct three-dimensional structure compared to circular cylinders, resulting in a wave-shaped configuration that effectively reduces drag and suppresses vortex shedding in the wake. However, this unique cylinder design has not yet been applied to wind power technologies. Therefore, this study applies this concept to the design of downwind wind turbines and employs wind tunnel testing to compare the wake flow characteristics of a single-cylinder model while also investigating the output power and wake performance of the model wind turbine. Herein, we demonstrate that in the single-cylinder test, the bionic case shows reduced turbulence intensity in its wake compared to that observed with the circular cylinder case. The difference in the energy distribution in the frequency domain behind the cylinder was mainly manifested in the near-wake region. Moreover, our findings indicate that differences in power coefficient are predominantly noticeable with high tip speed ratios. Furthermore, as output power increases, this bionic cylindrical structure induces greater velocity deficit and higher turbulence intensity behind the rotor. These results provide valuable insights for optimizing aerodynamic designs of wind turbines towards achieving enhanced efficiency for converting wind energy.

Virtual/augmented reality-based human-machine interface and interaction modes in airport control towers.

The concept of an innovative human-machine interface and interaction modes based on virtual and augmented reality technologies for airport control towers has been developed with the aim of increasing the human performances and situational awareness of air traffic control operators. By presenting digital information through see-through head-mounted displays superimposed over the out-of-the-tower view, the proposed interface should stimulate controllers to operate in a head-up position and, therefore, reduce the number of switches between a head-up and a head-down position even in low visibility conditions. This paper introduces the developed interface and describes the exercises conducted to validate the technical solutions developed, focusing on the simulation platform and exploited technologies, to demonstrate how virtual and augmented reality, along with additional features such as adaptive human-machine interface, multimodal interaction and attention guidance, enable a more natural and effective interaction in the control tower. The results of the human-in-the-loop real-time validation exercises show that the prototype concept is feasible from both an operational and technical perspective, the solution proves to support the air traffic controllers in working in a head-up position more than head-down even with low-visibility operational scenarios, and to lower the time to react in critical or alerting situations with a positive impact on the human performances of the user. While showcasing promising results, this study also identifies certain limitations and opportunities for refinement, aimed at further optimising the efficacy and usability of the proposed interface.

Understanding the Asian water tower requires a redesigned precipitation observation strategy.

The Asian water tower (AWT) serves as the source of 10 major Asian river systems and supports the lives of ~2 billion people. Obtaining reliable precipitation data over the AWT is a prerequisite for understanding the water cycle within this pivotal region. Here, we quantitatively reveal that the "observed" precipitation over the AWT is considerably underestimated in view of observational evidence from three water cycle components, namely, evapotranspiration, runoff, and accumulated snow. We found that three paradoxes appear if the so-called observed precipitation is corrected, namely, actual evapotranspiration exceeding precipitation, unrealistically high runoff coefficients, and accumulated snow water equivalent exceeding contemporaneous precipitation. We then explain the cause of precipitation underestimation from instrumental error caused by wind-induced gauge undercatch and the representativeness error caused by sparse-uneven gauge density and the complexity of local surface conditions. These findings require us to rethink previous results concerning the water cycle, prompting the study to discuss potential solutions.

Research on safety condition assessment methodology for single tower steel box girder suspension bridges over the sea based on improved AHP-fuzzy comprehensive evaluation.

In order to propose a reliable method for assessing the safety condition for single-tower steel box girder Suspension bridges over the sea, a condition monitoring system is established by installing sensors on the bridge structure. The system is capable of gathering monitoring data that influence the safety status of the bridge. These include cable tension, load on the main tower and pylon, bearing displacement, wind direction, wind speed, and ambient temperature and humidity. Furthermore, an improved Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) algorithm is developed by integrating a hybrid triangular fuzzy number logic structure. This improvement, coupled with comprehensive fuzzy evaluation methods, improves the consistency, weight determination, and security evaluation capabilities of the AHP algorithm. Finally, taking the No.2 Channel Bridge as an example and based on the data collected by the health monitoring system, the application of the safety assessment method proposed in this paper provides favorable results in evaluating the overall safety status of the bridge in practical engineering applications. This provides a basis for management decisions by bridge maintenance departments. This project confirms that the research results can provide a reliable method for assessing the security status of relevant areas.

An improved non-singular fast terminal sliding mode control scheme for 5-DOF tower cranes with the unknown payload masses, frictions and wind disturbances.

The accurate positioning and swing suppression of tower cranes remain open problems, especially when considering unknown payload masses, frictions and wind disturbances, making the controller design more challenging. Therefore, considering the factors, without linearization to 5-DOF tower crane dynamics, an improved non-singular fast terminal sliding mode control (INFTSMC) scheme is proposed, which can drive the trolley, jib and cable to the desired positions accurately within finite time while suppressing payload swings effectively under the unknown payload masses, frictions and wind disturbances. Specifically, an improved sliding mode surface is designed to suppress payload swings; a chattering problem is attenuated by constructing an enhanced convergence law; a payload mass estimation strategy is designed to eliminate the vertical positioning error; adaptive schemes are proposed to counteract the effects of unknown frictions and wind disturbances. The stability of the closed-loop system is proven rigorously by using the Lyapunov principle and LaSalle's invariance theorem. Comparative simulations are implemented to validate the superior control performances and robustness of the proposed method.

A Beginner's Guide to Eddy Covariance: Methodology and Its Applications to Photosynthesis.

The eddy covariance technique, commonly applied using flux towers, enables the investigation of greenhouse gas (e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) and energy (latent and sensible heat) fluxes between the biosphere and the atmosphere. Through measuring carbon fluxes in particular, eddy covariance flux towers can give insight into how ecosystem scale photosynthesis (i.e., gross primary productivity) changes over time in response to climate and management. This chapter is designed to be a beginner's guide to understanding the eddy covariance method and how it can be applied in photosynthesis research. It introduces key concepts and assumptions that apply to the method, what materials are required to set up a flux tower, as well as practical advice for site installation, maintenance, data management, and postprocessing considerations. This chapter also includes examples of what can go wrong, with advice on how to correct these errors if they arise. This chapter has been crafted to help new users design, install, and manage the best towers to suit their research needs and includes additional resources throughout to further guide successful eddy covariance research activities.

Comparative executive function analysis: Cochlear implants and normal hearing in 7- to 11-year-old children from Iran.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares executive functioning in deaf children with cochlear implants and those with normal hearing. Individuals who lacked auditory stimulation during their early years might experience cognitive challenges that extend beyond just speech and language abilities. METHODS: The executive functioning abilities of a group of 32 children who were born deaf and received cochlear implants before the age of 7 were contrasted with those of 30 children with normal hearing. Both sets of children underwent assessments using the Tower of London, BRIEF, and Stroop tests. RESULTS: The average score on the Tower of London task reveals that children who received cochlear implants (4.03 ± 2.53) achieved lower scores than typically hearing children (8.37 ± 2.79). This group also exhibited higher errors in the Stroop test and slightly longer response times Additionally, in terms of emotional control assessed by the BRIEF, a higher score was recorded. Notably, significant differences between the two groups were identified for organizing materials (t(62) = -4.204, p = 0.00). The tests measuring phonemic fluency, categorical fluency, and working memory also revealed significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The significant differences in data between both groups suggest the influence of cochlear implantation on cognitive functions. This emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to supporting the overall development of these children.

Sustainable Power Generation Through Solar-Driven Integration of Brayton and Transcritical CO2 Cycles: A Comprehensive 3E (Energy, Exergy, and Exergoenvironmental) Evaluation.

Solar power tower technology has strong potential among the other concentration solar power techniques for large power generation. Therefore, it is necessary to make a new and efficient power conversion system for utilizing the solar power tower system. In present research, a novel combined cycle is proposed to generate power for the application of the solar power tower. The pre-compression configuration of the Brayton cycle is used as a topping cycle in which helium is taken as the working fluid. The transcritical CO2 cycle is used as bottoming cycle for using the waste heat. The proposed system is investigated based on exergy, energy, and exergoenvironmental point of view using computational technique engineering equation solver. Also, the parametric analysis is carried out to check the impact of the different variables on the system performance. It is concluded that the overall plant's optimized thermal and exergy efficiencies are obtained as 31.59% and 33.12%, respectively, at 800 °C optimum temperature of combined cycle and 850 W m-2 of direct normal irradiation and 2.278 of compressor pressure ratio. However, exergetic stability factor and exergoenvironmental impact index are observed as 0.5952 and 0.6801 respectively. The present proposed system performs better than the previous studies with fewer components.