Building Digital Competence:Personal and Contextual Factors in Teachers' Professional Learning

Teachers are working within an ever-changing environment where digital transformation requires continuous updating of their digital competence. To support them in developing their digital competence, SELFIEforTEACHERS (SfT) proposes a self-reflection process guiding them to self-assess their digital competence and engage in professional learning practices. The present study comprised 13 case studies from six European countries and explored various use cases of SfT through qualitative analysis. This paper discusses findings in relation to the conditions that can support or hinder teachers in engaging in a self-reflection process using SfT for identifying their learning needs, based on which they design their professional learning paths to further develop their digital competence. These findings can contribute to a better understanding of the opportunities and limitations of the SfT self-reflection process, as a meaningful professional learning process for teachers that can support their agency to further develop their digital competence.</p

Exploring the complexation behaviour of NpO2+ with diglycolamide in ionic liquid vs. aqueous solution

The complexation of NpO2+ with tetramethyl diglycolamide (TMDGA) was investigated in an ionic liquid (IL: 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide, Bumim.Tf2N), with the objective of understanding its complexation behaviour and optical properties in both IL and aqueous media. We successfully prepared the NpO2(Tf2N) salt, and its complexation with TMDGA was studied using absorption spectroscopy. Similar to the aqueous medium, TMDGA formed a perfectly centrosymmetric [NpO2L2]+ complex, as evidenced by the disappearance of the 980 nm absorption band of the neptunyl cation. The formation constants (log β) were determined to be 3.82 ± 0.11 and 7.13 ± 0.24 for the [NpO2L]+ and [NpO2L2]+ complexes, respectively. The log β values for these complexes were several times higher in the IL medium than in the aqueous medium (1.37 ± 0.05 and 2.47 ± 0.71). Our results indicated that although the NpO2+ cation formed a stronger complex with TMDGA in the IL medium than in the aqueous medium, the nature of the bonding and the structural conformations in both media were identical

Spectroscopic characterization of laser-induced luminescence for remote environmental thermometry

Lanthanide-doped upconversion microparticles (UCMP) enable composites for luminescence thermometry with long luminescence lifetime and narrowband absorption and emission spectra. Being non-toxic, easily synthesizable, and having a bright, stable emission makes them an attractive candidate for in-vivo monitoring of key environmental parameters such as temperature. We use them to create soft, biodegradable, miniaturized seed-like robots endowed with fluorescence tags for the sustainable environmental monitoring of topsoil and air above soil environments. Our aim is an airborne platform with a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio to identify the concentration of targeted soil parameters. Here, we study the photoluminescence of Er, Yb: NaYF4 UCMPs embedded in polylactic acid (PLA) polymeric matrix to assess their suitability for remote read-out. We assessed the signal-to-noise ratio in terms of excitation intensity, UCMP concentration, working distance, and sample orientation. We evaluated the signal stability over long exposure time as well as for amplitude-modulated excitation. Finally, we carried out ratiometric and lifetime measurements of luminescence emission in order to demonstrate the feasibility of such sensors in measuring the variation of temperature. Overall, the rare-earth doped UCMPs embedded in biodegradable polymer can be used for remote thermometry, displaying a significant signal-to-noise ratio for luminescence emission detection and subsequent derivation of temperature.</p

A ferrofluid-based haptic guidance system for robot-assisted endovascular procedures

In the context of endovascular intervention, robot assistance provides improved instrument navigation, safety, and ergonomics compared to traditional surgical approaches. However, a significant challenge with these interventions is the lack of tactile feedback for surgeons, which is crucial for precise instrument manipulation. This paper introduces a novel concept for a ferrofluid-based haptic feedback system designed to potentially address this gap in robot-assisted endovascular surgeries. Leveraging the unique properties of ferrofluids, which alter their viscosity under magnetic fields, this system aims to mimic the tactile sensations that are otherwise lost in robotic surgeries. The study presents the development and validation of a ferrofluid-based system integrated within the CathBot, a robotic platform for endovascular procedures. The system utilizes ferrofluids in a teleoperated setup to provide real-time, intuitive feedback about instrument positioning, potentially enhancing surgical accuracy and safety. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the properties of the ferrofluids and their interaction with magnetic fields to create a responsive feedback mechanism. Results from structural experiments, force evaluations, and user studies indicate that ferrofluids have the potential to effectively providing tactile feedback through controlled magnetic fields, improving the surgeon’s ability to detect and respond to contact points within the vasculature. Despite some challenges with fluid control and system integration, the preliminary outcomes are promising. The potential improvements include refining the feedback mechanism to better mimic natural tactile sensations and further integrating this technology with existing robotic systems to enhance operational efficiency and patient safety.</p

A press forming benchmark to isolate deformation mechanisms for simulation validation

Predictive simulations of the press forming process for thermoplastic composites are invaluable tools for designing tool geometry and determining processing parameters. Ensuring the reliability of these simulations requires thorough validation, which can be challenging due to the wide range of possible geometries and the time and costs associated with obtaining validation data. This study presents and interprets press forming results for thermoplastic composites, with a specific focus on their application to simulation model validation. Experiments were conducted by forming blanks made from two unidirectional fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite materials over a dome-shaped geometry. By varying the blank width and layup, the deformations and wrinkling behavior were systematically influenced. It is demonstrated that a careful selection of the forming conditions enables targeted analysis and validation of individual deformation mechanisms, including in-plane shear, bending and interply friction. Finally, a structured strategy is proposed for using these experimental results to validate forming simulations, offering an approach to evaluate the used constitutive models.</p

Assessing prolonged grief symptoms using experience sampling methodology:The development of the prolonged grief symptoms - short ecological assessment (PGS-SEA) scale

Early grief reactions have been hypothesized to fluctuate within persons and to be one of the strongest predictors of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM) offers an opportunity to examine (early) PGD dynamics in daily contexts. For this, however, a brief and valid ESM scale is needed to accurately assess PGD symptoms in everyday life. We investigated the psychometric properties of ESM items developed to assess momentary prolonged grief symptoms in daily life (ESM-PGD). Additionally, we aimed to create a valid brief scale for future ESM studies. Bereaved adults (N = 169) whose loved ones died 3–6 months earlier completed 11 ESM-PGD items based on 10 PGD symptoms, as defined in DSM-5-TR, five times a day for 14 consecutive days at semi-random intervals. We performed multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MCFA), calculated root-mean-square of successive differences (RMSSD) and intraclass correlations (ICC), and conducted correlational analyses of ESM-PGD items with related mental health symptoms (e.g., depression) to identify the best-performing items. MCFA confirmed that the hypothesized one-factor model fits the data well with good composite reliability at the between- and within-person levels. All ESM-PGD items were able to distinguish between people with and without early PGD. Examination of within-person level factor loadings, ICCs and RMSSDs revealed that not all ESM-PGD items were able to capture fluctuations of momentary PGD symptoms. The best-performing items were selected, resulting in a valid 2-item Prolonged Grief Symptoms – Short Ecological Assessment (PGS-SEA) scale for assessing PGD in daily life to facilitate ESM-research on PGD.</p

Avoiding Distractions in Parity Games

We consider algorithms for parity games that use attractor decomposition, such as Zielonka’s recursive algorithm, priority promotion, and tangle learning. In earlier work, we identified the Two Counters parity game family that requires exponential time for many algorithms, including attractor decomposition algorithms, and we identified the main mechanism that slows down parity game algorithms as so-called distractions. We observe a fundamentally different approach in avoiding distractions between algorithms that use attractor decomposition and algorithms that compute progress measures. We now propose an alternative attractor-based method to avoid distractions by applying the attractor decomposition recursively. We demonstrate that this algorithm solves the Two Counters games efficiently, but that a modification of the Two Counters method can also delay the recursive algorithm exponentially.</p

Correction to:Navigated intraoperative ultrasound in pediatric brain tumors (Child's Nervous System, (2024), 40, 9, (2697-2705), 10.1007/s00381-024-06492-8)

In this article, three sentences require correction. “Thirteen patients showed no residual tumor on iMRI and were therefore not included for further quantitative analysis.” should be “Fourteen patients showed no residual tumor on iMRI and were therefore not included for further quantitative analysis.” “A total of seven patients were included for quantitative analysis of intraoperative imaging."should be “A total of nine patients were included for quantitative analysis of intraoperative imaging.” "Tumor segmentations were created in both the iUS1 and preoperative T1-weighted contrast enhanced MRI data in 24 patients."should be “Tumor segmentations were created in both the iUS1 and preoperative T1-weighted contrast enhanced MRI data in 23 patients.” “Thirteen patients showed no residual tumor on iMRI and were therefore not included for further quantitative analysis.” should be “Fourteen patients showed no residual tumor on iMRI and were therefore not included for further quantitative analysis.” “A total of seven patients were included for quantitative analysis of intraoperative imaging."should be “A total of nine patients were included for quantitative analysis of intraoperative imaging.” "Tumor segmentations were created in both the iUS1 and preoperative T1-weighted contrast enhanced MRI data in 24 patients."should be “Tumor segmentations were created in both the iUS1 and preoperative T1-weighted contrast enhanced MRI data in 23 patients.” The original article has been corrected.</p

Challenges and approaches to design serial production of hydrogen electrolyzers

The evolution from fossil fuels to hydrogen energy plays a vital role in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for a sustainable future. The increasing use of hydrogen will require scaling up the production of large electrolyzer. However, significant challenges in serial production of large electrolyzers exist that are capable of generating power in the megawatt range. This is due to factors such as, large size of components, constraints in weight and uncertain manufacturing and assembly processes. Moreover, lack of established production concepts affects the development of future manufacturing systems and limits potential automation possibilities for serial production based on the challenges in the current scenario. Thus, a strategic approach must be explored to design a production configuration for manufacturing electrolyzer components, cell and stack assembly with automation strategies aimed to scale-up the electrolyzer production. This paper proposes a generic methodology for Digital Factory Planning and Automation Strategies applicable across various manufacturing domains. This investigates viable methodologies utilizing tools like Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to map production flows for electrolyzer components, taking into account feasible manufacturing processes, technologies involved, key performance indicators (KPIs), which influence the cycle times. It also explores potential automation approaches, considering assembly processes, part-handling solutions, and tooling options. Finally, future steps are proposed, including virtual factory simulations and automated assembly solutions for a specific use case.</p