Asymmetric errors

We present a procedure for handling asymmetric errors. Many results in particle physics are presented as values with different positive and negative errors, and there is no consistent procedure for handling them. We consider the difference between errors quoted, using pdfs and using likelihoods, and the difference between the rms spread of a measurement and the 68% central confidence region. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the possibilities, and software tools to enable their use

A review on model-based design of experiments for parameter precision – Open challenges, trends and future perspectives

In the last decades, the systematic use of mathematical models has become pervasive within the chemical process engineering context. Experiment design plays a critical role for the rapid calibration and validation of mathematical models – whether mechanistic, data-driven or semiempirical models – with the ultimate goal of driving process development and optimisation. Since data is often limited, and running additional experiments to gather more information for model calibration might be expensive or impractical, model-based design of experiments (MBDoE) techniques have become increasingly relevant to support the model calibration task on a broad range of process engineering applications. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the advances in the field that have occurred since the previous work presented by Franceschini and Macchietto (2008), Chemical Engineering Science, 63, 4846–4872. We first provide the theoretical foundations behind the standard MBDoE problem formulation and highlight recent advances; we then thoroughly analyse limitations, open challenges, and current trends by discussing about 250 contributions in the field. Finally, we highlight future research directions that may enlarge and further enhance the robustness and reliability of MBDoE implementation in real industrial scenarios

A geometrical approach to the sharp Hardy inequality in Sobolev–Slobodeckiĭ spaces

We give a partial negative answer to a question left open in a previous work by Brasco and the first and third-named authors concerning the sharp constant in the fractional Hardy inequality on convex sets. Our approach has a geometrical flavor and equivalently reformulates the sharp constant in the limit case p=1 as the Cheeger constant for the fractional perimeter and the Lebesgue measure with a suitable weight. As a by-product, we obtain new lower bounds on the sharp constant in the 1-dimensional case, even for non-convex sets, some of which optimal in the case p=1

Database-driven analysis of energy geostructures using a global dataset: Diffusion, efficiency, and environmental performance

Energy Geostructures (EGs) are multifunctional systems that combine structural support with thermal energy exchange using low-enthalpy geothermal energy. This study presents a comprehensive analysis based on a global database of 972 case studies from 27 countries, primarily in Europe, including real-world installations, test sites, and simulations. It focuses on the development and performance of various EG types – particularly energy piles (789 cases), energy walls (79), and energy tunnels (27) – making it the most extensive EG database to date. Geographically, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and the UK lead in EG adoption, with Italy and France also contributing significantly. The analysis highlights both established technologies and emerging types, such as energy quay walls and barrettes, which show promising potential despite limited representation. The study reveals consistent geometric and design features: energy piles are used in small to medium-scale projects, energy walls offer large, activated surfaces, and tunnels are installed at intermediate depths. Thermal performance is linked to pipe configuration, diameter, spacing, materials, and environmental conditions – most systems are in stratified, moist soils in cool-temperate climates. EGs also offer environmental benefits, notably CO2 emissions reduction, reinforcing their value in sustainable infrastructure and heating and cooling network development

Qualitative and Quantitative Use-Wear Analysis of Percussive Stone Tools from Nyayanga (Homa Peninsula, Kenya)

This study presents a comprehensive examination of the function of 26 percussive stone tools (PSTs) from Nyayanga, an Oldowan site located on the Homa Peninsula in southwestern Kenya. These artifacts, dating between 3.032 to 2.581 million years ago, were found together with hominin remains and animal fossils with stone tool butchery damage. To determine the function of the PSTs, we adopted a multiscale approach that combines qualitative use-wear analysis using microscopic techniques at low and high power approaches with quantitative analysis, employing 3D surface models generated with profilometry. These analyses indicate that Nyayanga hominins used PSTs to access both plant (e.g., USOs) and animal (bone marrow) nutrients. The inferred multifunctionality of these tools hints at diverse dietary strategies and contributes to our understanding of human technological evolution

New insights into morpho-functional features of haemocytes from the blue crab Callinectes sapidus

In this study, we provided a comprehensive morpho-functional characterization of haemocytes in the blue crab Callinectes sapidus. Three haemocyte types were identified in the haemolymph: hyalinocytes (50 ± 4.7 %), lacking evident cytoplasmic granules; semigranulocytes (22.8 ± 2.02 %), containing a variable number of refractile granules; and granulocytes (27.2 ± 2 %), distinguished by their abundance of refractile granules. Haemocytes were predominantly oval or round. No significant size differences were observed among cell types, with granulocytes and semigranulocytes ranging from 7 to 22 μm, and hyalinocytes from 8 to 20 μm. Additionally, haemocytes were categorized into three cytochemical subpopulations: acidophils (38 %), basophils (36 %), and neutrophils (26 %). Notably, Neutral Red staining failed to reveal lysosomes in vivo, suggesting low membrane permeability under these conditions. Transmission electron microscopy corroborated the presence of the three haemocyte types. Both granulocytes and hyalinocytes exhibited phagocytic activity against yeast cells, although the phagocytic index remained low (∼4 %), implying that phagocytosis may not be the primary immune mechanism in C. sapidus. All haemocyte types generated superoxide anion and tested positive for several hydrolytic enzymes and phenoloxidase activity. Overall, these findings confirm the presence of three distinct haemocyte types in C. sapidus haemolymph and suggest that alternative immune pathways, beyond phagocytosis, may play a central role. Further research is needed to investigate additional immune functions, such as degranulation and inflammatory responses in C. sapidus

Design and characterization of MASI On-Orbit Servicing gripper trigger system based on pose measurement logic

This paper presents the development and testing of a contactless pose measurement system for space docking and berthing operations. The system is part of the Modular Androgynous Standard Interface (MASI) and is compatible with the Mechanical Interface for Capture at End-of-Life (MICE). The goal is to create a device that provides ultra-close proximity pose estimations to automatically trigger the MASI capture mechanism during the On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) capturing phase. The system uses nine infrared (IR) reflective proximity sensors to measure five degrees of freedom: three distances and two angles. One main advantage is that the target interface does not require sensors or markers. Moreover, by providing continuous measurements at 50 Hz, it enables real-time adjustments of the relative pose between the servicer and the target, reducing potential failures during docking or berthing operations. A mathematical model describing the relative pose between the sensorized and target interfaces was identified and validated through calibration. The testing was carried out on a hexapod platform to simulate different positions and orientations. The results show a strong and accurate performance throughout the measurement range. The system has reached Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4. Future work will aim to improve the performance of the system and make the test environment more realistic to increase the TRL

Probabilistic characterization of joint roughness coefficient through a novel Bayesian sequential updating framework

The probabilistic characteristics of joint roughness coefficient (JRC) are critical for risk assessment and reliability-based design in rock engineering involving jointed rock masses. Direct measurements are often laborious and limited, while empirical models using various topographic metrics typically yield inconsistent JRC estimates, posing challenges for reliable result selection. Thus, effectively combining multi-metric evaluations for reasonable probabilistic JRC characterization remains an urgent task. For this purpose, this paper proposes a novel Bayesian sequential updating (BSU) framework that considers the inherent uncertainties in various JRC estimation models and innovatively incorporates correlations among multi-source metrics using multivariate normal, Gaussian copula, and Vine copula models, respectively. Furthermore, the Bayesian model averaging (BMA) technique is employed for the first time to address the selection uncertainty in Vine copula-based dependence structures. Three real-life datasets of root mean square of the average local slope (Z2), ultimate slope of the profile (Rmax), and standard deviation of undulation angle (SDi) are sequentially integrated into the proposed BSU framework to generate massive equivalent JRC sample sets, through which the statistics and probability distribution of JRC are analyzed. The results show that the proposed BSU framework significantly outperforms the conventional BSU with independence assumptions. As more multi-source information is integrated, it achieves better BSU results with comparable or superior accuracy to individual empirical models, circumventing the model selection challenge. The proposed approach demonstrates enhanced adaptability to limited datasets and broad generality for probabilistic characterization of data-constrained geotechnical parameters with correlated multi-source indirect information

On the computation of the infinity Wasserstein distance and the Wasserstein Projection Problem

Computing the infinity Wasserstein distance and retrieving projections of a probability measure onto a closed subset of probability measures are critical sub-problems in various applied fields. However, the practical applicability of these objects is limited by two factors: either the associated quantities are computationally prohibitive or there is a lack of available algorithms capable of calculating them. In this paper, we propose a novel class of Linear Programming problems and a routine that allows us to compute the infinity Wasserstein distance and to compute a projection of a probability measure over a generic subset of probability measures with respect to any p-Wasserstein distance with p∈[1,∞]