Virtual Reality Games for Motor Rehabilitation

This paper presents a fuzzy logic based method to track user satisfaction without the need for devices to monitor users physiological conditions. User satisfaction is the key to any product’s acceptance; computer applications and video games provide a unique opportunity to provide a tailored environment for each user to better suit their needs. We have implemented a non-adaptive fuzzy logic model of emotion, based on the emotional component of the Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Model of Emotion (FLAME) proposed by El-Nasr, to estimate player emotion in UnrealTournament 2004. In this paper we describe the implementation of this system and present the results of one of several play tests. Our research contradicts the current literature that suggests physiological measurements are needed. We show that it is possible to use a software only method to estimate user emotion

A shared frailty semi-parametric markov renewal model for travel and activity time-use pattern analysis

This study investigates the influence of observed explanatory factors and unobserved random effect (heterogeneity) on episode durations of travel-activity chain. A shared frailty semiparametric proportional hazard model is proposed to estimate the transition hazard of travel/activity states. The proposed model is applied on the travel and activity episode duration analysis during evening work-to-home commute using the household travel survey data collected in the city of Lyon in France in 2005-2006. The empirical results provide useful insights for the determinants of travel and activity episode durations for evening work-to-home commute.time-use; activity duration; Markov renewal model; shared frailty; heterogeneity

Variability versus stability in daily travel and activity behaviour. The case of a one week travel diary

Temporal rhythms in travel and activity patterns are analysed thanks to a seven-day travel diary collected on 707 individuals in the city of Ghent (Belgium) in 2008. Our analysis confirms the large level of intrapersonal variability whether for daily trips, home-based tours, time use and activity sequence. However our analysis goes further by studying this variability along various time periods within the week. Moreover, we show that the systematic day-to-day variability has an extremely low share in intrapersonal variability. The influence of socio-demographic characteristics on intrapersonal variability is weak, whether for daily trips, tours, time use and activity sequence. Repetitive activity-travel behaviour is then detected, through attributes of activity at trip destination, travel mode, trip arrival time and destination location. The picture is at the same time one of diversity and of specificity in activity-travel across the week. People tend to concentrate their weekly activity-travel patterns on few combinations of attributes, despite a large dispersion. Our results on core stops are somewhat encouraging by showing some kind of concentration of activity patterns on a few "anchor" points.travel behaviour ; daily travel ; activity behaviour

multi-state non-homogeneous semi-markov model of daily activity type, timing and duration sequence

Understanding travelers' daily travel-activity pattern formation is an important issue for activity-based travel demand analysis. The activity pattern formation concerns not only complex interrelations between household members and individual's socio-demographic characteristics but also urban form and transport system settings. To investigate the effects of these attributes and the interrelationship between conducted activities, a multistate semi-Markov model is applied. The underlying assumption of the proposed model states that the state transition probability depends on its adjoining states. Based on the statistical tests of significance, it is affirmed that the duration of activity depends not only on its beginning time-of-day but also on the duration of travel/activity previously conducted. The empirical study based on Belgian Mobility survey is conducted to estimate individual's daily activity durations of different episodes and provides useful insight for the effects of socio-demographic characteristics, urban and transportation system settings on the activity pattern formation.travel-activity pattern, semi-Markov process, Cox regression model

Reactivity of Acyclic (pentadienyl)iron(1+) Cations with Phosphonate Stabilized Nucleophiles: Application to the Synthesis of Oxygenated Metabolites of Carvone

The addition of phosphonate stabilized carbon nucleophiles to acyclic (pentadienyl)iron(1+) cations proceeds predominantly at an internal carbon to afford (pentenediyl)iron complexes. Those complexes bearing an electron withdrawing group at the σ-bound carbon (i.e., 13/14) are stable and isolable, while complexes which do not contain an electron withdrawing group at the σ-bound carbon undergo CO insertion, reductive elimination and conjugation of the double bond to afford cyclohexenone products (21/22). Deprotonation of the phosphonate 13/14 or 21 and reaction with paraformaldehyde affords the olefinated products. This methodology was utilized to prepare oxygenated carvone metabolites (±)-25 and (±)-26

Detachable Cushions for Heavy Server/Storage Enclosures

A cushion design that allows service representatives, end users, and manufacturing partners to move the server/storage enclosure, fully populated, out of the packaging without manually lifting the server/storage enclosure. The new design will allow manufacturing partners to leave all assemblies installed, reducing the manufacturing processing time/costs and reducing risks of shipping errors. In addition the new design will save the need for additional packaging and shipping costs. In prior designs, assemblies needed to be removed and shipped in separate packaging. A proof of concept was completed with field installation and manufacturing contacts. The results were very positive. The product could be removed from the packaging easily. Key benefits of the design are: 1) Reduce packaging cost 2) Reduce manufacturing processing time 3) Simpler solution for installers to remove the enclosure from the packagin

Travel and activity time allocation: An empirical comparison between eight cities in Europe

A study of daily time allocation to travel and out-of-home activity is conducted across eight European cities over three countries: France (Lyon, Grenoble, Strasbourg and Rennes), Switzerland (Geneva, Bern and Zurich) and Belgium (Brussels), based on individual travel survey data collected between 1997 and 2006. The effects of socio-demographic, spatial context, transport availability and city-specific variables are investigated thanks to the Cox proportional hazard model. The results indicate that socio-demographic characteristics and city (or country) specific effect play a major role while residential density and proximity to high level road or public transport networks have a very limited impact on time budgets for travel and out-of-home activities.Travel ; Activity ; Time allocation ; Cities ; Europe ; Duration model

Strong intracellular signal inactivation produces sharper and more robust signaling from cell membrane to nucleus

For a chemical signal to propagate across a cell, it must navigate a tortuous environment involving a variety of organelle barriers. In this work we study mathematical models for a basic chemical signal, the arrival times at the nuclear membrane of proteins that are activated at the cell membrane and diffuse throughout the cytosol. Organelle surfaces within human B cells are reconstructed from soft X-ray tomographic images, and modeled as reflecting barriers to the molecules’ diffusion. We show that signal inactivation sharpens signals, reducing variability in the arrival time at the nuclear membrane. Inactivation can also compensate for an observed slowdown in signal propagation induced by the presence of organelle barriers, leading to arrival times at the nuclear membrane that are comparable to models in which the cytosol is treated as an open, empty region. In the limit of strong signal inactivation this is achieved by filtering out molecules that traverse non-geodesic paths.https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.01.16.909333v1First author draf

Ore processing by PGM concentration process and assessment of CO2 equivalent emissions and environmental damage directly involved

Abstract: Platinum group metals are more and more pointed out as key players to contribute to addressing the making headway issues of environmental damage impacts through technological innovations. Of immediate past, interest in hydrogen has grown rapidly resulting to the development of the concept of hydrogen economy to address two growingly noticed challenges namely climate change impacts due to GHG emissions and the need for clean energy, security and sustainability supply. The recognitions to PGM are of without a doubt, but goings-on around PGM recovery process are reported with environmental concerns; the best known are identified as land transformation, livestock and wildlife affected by use of chemicals and other non-renewable resources. Life cycle assessment analysis of ore-concentration was developed and equivalent carbon dioxide emissions quantified. One tonne of Ore-based PGM Concentrates, a total amount of equivalent carbon dioxide of about 1.574,96 kg CO2-eq was associated with this process. In an annual initiative, the concentrator can process up to 36,547 million metric tons of ore milled accounting for 57.5 million kg CO2-eq. Important emissions in this phase are waterborne and emissions to soil