Thermal imaging reveals massive heat accumulation in flowers across a broad spectrum of alpine taxa

By their small size, alpine plants escape free atmospheric convection and operate in a warm canopy climate depending on exposure and solar radiation. Inflorescences commonly protrude from that aerodynamically sheltered microenvironment and, thus, can be expected to experience a comparatively cooler climate. Using a high-resolution thermal camera, we performed a mid-summer field survey in the Swiss Alps at 300m above the climatic treeline to examine floral temperatures as related to solar radiation and flower diameter, height, brightness of flowering units and their area density across a sample of 43 alpine species. We show that flowers of alpine species are actually warmer (mostly 3K) rather than cooler than canopy foliage on bright days. The degree of heating largely depends on solar radiation, with flowering unit diameter and their area density as significant co-factors. Only in cushion plants, we found flowers to be slightly cooler than the compact leaf canopy. Abrupt shading of flowers revealed the dynamics of heat loss, with two-thirds of the extra heat lost in about 2-3min. The study evidences that the size and shape of alpine flowers overcompensate the expected negative effects of greater wind exposure on experienced temperature as long as the sun is out. The thermal conditions for floral processes are, thus, not much different from lower elevation conditions during good weather. The remaining reproductive constraints are related to the duration of such favourable periods and season length in general

X-ray computed tomography of additively manufactured metal parts: the effect of magnification and reconstruction sampling on surface topography measurement

X-ray computed tomography (XCT) has recently become recognised as a viable method of surface topography measurement for additively manufactured (AM) metal parts [1–5]. AM is capable of producing internal features that are inaccessible to other surface topography measurement instruments [6,7], which makes XCT topography measurement particularly interesting to the AM community. A rigorous assessment of the ability of XCT systems to measure surface topography is, however, yet to be performed, and represents a complex challenge that must account for the large number of control variables involved in XCT measurement (e.g. voltage, current, magnification, computational corrections, filtering and surface determination). The aim of this study is to investigate the sensitivity of XCT topography measurement to some such control variables. More specifically, the effects of varying magnification (i.e. the ratio between source-to-detector distance and source-to-object distance [8]) and reconstruction sampling (i.e. the resolution of the volumetric grid filled during reconstruction [9]) are investigated. These variables have been chosen for their influence on the voxel size of the volumetric dataset, which in turn affects the extracted topography, and any subsequent texture assessment. In this work, the internal top surface of a hollow Ti6Al4V cubic artefact with an external size of (10 × 10 × 10) mm, fabricated via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is considered (see figure 1). Measurements are performed with geometric magnification (the first control variable) set at 5×, 10×, 20× and 50×, aligned with typical magnifications used during optical surface topography measurement. The effects of super- and sub-sampling in the volume reconstruction phase (the second control variable) are investigated using Nikon software (CT Pro). Texture parameters and reconstructed topography profiles obtained as a result of XCT measurements are investigated and compared to measurements by coherence scanning interferometry (CSI) and focus variation (FV). Datasets are bandwidth-matched [10] between instruments for the quantitative comparison of texture parameters. For profile comparison, CSI, FV and XCT areal topographies are relocated with geometric registration methods. Initial results indicate that, for selected combinations of magnification and sampling reconstruction, XCT surface topography is in agreement with topography obtained by CSI, FV and stylus measurements. The authors expect this study to provide information about how these control variables can be optimised, (with the purpose of decreasing measurement complexity and time) without significantly altering the quality of the topographic result

Measurement of internal surfaces of additively manufactured parts by X-ray computed tomography

Recent advances in X-ray computed tomography (XCT) have allowed for measurement resolutions approaching the point where XCT can be used for measuring surface topography. These advances make XCT appealing for measuring hard-to-reach or internal surfaces, such as those often present in additively manufactured parts. To demonstrate the feasibility and potential of XCT for topography measurement, topography datasets obtained using two XCT systems are compared to those from more conventional non-contact optical surface measurement instruments. A hollow Ti6Al4V part produced by direct metal laser sintering is used as a measurement artefact. The artefact comprises two component halves that can be separated to expose the internal surfaces. Measured surface datasets are compared by various qualitative and quantitative means, including the computation of ISO 25178-2 areal surface texture parameters. Preliminary results show that XCT can provide surface information comparable with more conventional surface measurement technologies, thus representing a viable alternative to more conventional measurement, particularly appealing for hard-to-reach and internal surfaces

Review of the influence of noise in X-ray computed tomography measurement uncertainty

Different aspects of noise in X-ray computed tomography (XCT) for industrial purposes are examined. An overview of the most common noise metrics is given, together with a description of XCT noise influence quantities. We address the current state of the art in understanding the contribution of noise to XCT measurement uncertainty, giving a chronological view of the different attempts that have been made to account for the contribution from noise to XCT measurement uncertainty. We conclude that approaches to estimating the contribution of noise to XCT measurement uncertainty that account for not only noise, but also other factors that affect image quality (e.g., scattering, beam hardening and blurring) are preferable to approaches that only account for noise

Increasing throughput in X-ray computed tomography measurement of surface topography using sinogram interpolation

X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is a non-destructive imaging technique that has recently gained interest as a tool to measure surface topography. Large acquisition times are a major shortcoming of XCT. One contributing factor to the acquisition time is that a measurement can require the acquisition of thousands of radiographic projections. This paper explores the combined effects of undersampling, i.e. taking fewer radiographic projections and sinogram interpolation, i.e. estimating the missing radiographic projections by interpolation. Different degrees of sinogram interpolation are investigated through the measurement of the surfaces of a metal, additively manufactured part. The quality of the measurement result is assessed via the analysis of the reconstructed volumes, through the computation of quantitative indicators of spatial resolution and noise, and via the analysis of surface topographies extracted from the reconstructed volumes. The quality of the surfaces is assessed through the use of statistical models designed to estimate repeatability errors in the reconstruction, and through the computation of surface texture parameters. Results obtained with no undersampling and no sinogram interpolation are taken as reference. It is shown that noise in the volumetric reconstruction increases with respect to the reference with larger degrees of undersampling, but the increment can be partly compensated by sinogram interpolation with the effects on spatial resolution more difficult to interpret. The computation of surface texture parameters results in similar values for all but one case, the largest undersampling. The topography of the reconstructions indicate that the repeatability error remains similar in all experimental conditions, excluding the case of largest undersampling. Overall, the results indicate that a reduction of the acquisition time of XCT topography measurement is feasible. However, the obtained surface topographies suffer, and large undersampling creates unrecoverable negative effects on the spatial resolution, the noise characteristics and the obtained topographies, even when sinogram interpolation is used

Past attachment experiences, the potential link of mentalization and the transmission of behavior to the child by mothers with mental health problems: cross-sectional analysis of a clinical sample.

Maternal capacity to mentalize (= reflective functioning, RF), secure attachment and emotionally available parenting has an impact on the child's development. The transmission of mothers' past attachment experiences gained with both her caregivers in her own childhood and the impact on current mother-child interaction is part of the 'transmission gap.' This study explores the transgenerational transmission mechanisms and the potential moderating effect of RF in a clinical sample of 113 mother-child dyads suffering from mental health problems. In a cross-sectional study, the associations between maternal attachment experiences, RF (coded based on Adult Attachment Interviews) and current mother-child interaction (Emotional Availability Scales) were examined with univariate correlation, moderator analyses, and structural equation models. We found relationships between attachment experiences and mother-child interaction, but RF had no moderating effect. Past loving experiences and perceived neglection, particularly with the own father in childhood, were predictors for the present mother-child interaction. There seems to be an intergenerational transmission of attachment experiences to the ongoing generation. Particularly past adverse childhood experiences with the own father seem to explain currently disruptive interactions with the child.Trial registration: DRKS00017008 and DRKS00016353

Utilization and costs of health care and early support services in Germany and the influence of mental health burden during the postnatal period

Limited evidence is available about health care utilization and its determinants in the vulnerable postnatal period for mothers and their children. Thus, the aim of our analyses was to assess determinants of health care and early support services utilization regarding mothers and their children and associated costs in the postnatal period in Germany. Moreover, we aimed to investigate the impact of noticeable mental health and psychosocial burdens on health care and early support services utilization and costs. Using a two-step assessment process of parents from a randomly selected sample of 30,000 recently born children in the multicenter observational population-based cohort study of the SKKIPPI project, we firstly identified mothers who were potentially at risk of mental health and psychosocial burden. These mothers were then invited to participate in an in-depth assessment, including a detailed self-developed questionnaire focusing on early support and health care services utilization. A follow-up after 6 months was conducted. Potential determinants of early support services utilization were analyzed using logistic regression. General linear models with gamma distribution and log link functions were applied to analyze potential determinants of health care costs and to estimate mean adjusted costs. Mothers with a noticeable mental health or psychosocial burden and their children caused mean early support services costs of €1073 and caused total costs of €10,849 in the postnatal period from a payer’s perspective compared to €349 (early support services) and €9136 (total costs) for mothers without a noticeable mental health or psychosocial burden and their children. The main determinants of total costs were facing a chronic disease (child), preterm delivery, bad experiences with doctors and midwives, and single parenthood. The majority of participants (69 %) utilized some kind of early support services. The most important determinants of early support service utilization in the postnatal period with respect to the children were facing a chronic disease, being the first child, and being born as a twin. Our findings highlight the importance of sufficient appreciation and treatment of mental health problems in the postnatal period from both a societal and payer’s perspective. Future research should investigate whether these and more specific interventions could be a costeffective way to support mothers with mental health or psychosocial burden and their children