Robot Chef Adoption: The New Industry Strategy To Combat Labor

Through interviews, the authors investigated how robot chefs can be implemented in order to strengthen the business flow of a restaurant and what value the adoption would bring to the market. Results showed that the ability of the robot chef lacking human error, maintaining food quality, being reliable labor, and generating costs savings make it a desired asset to have in any restaurant. Despite its adoption initially being feared by consumers, once the labor cost savings are transferred over to menu prices and quality maintenance is observed, consumer acceptance of the adoption is predicted to surge. The findings suggest that social media advertising of the robot chef and its services are likely to further entice higher levels of business volume from the growing Generation Z and Generation Alpha consumers in the market. Restaurant companies should understand the values that robot chefs can offer to help strengthen their market and service quality

Gestational diabetes in women living with HIV in the UK and Ireland: insights from population-based surveillance data

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of gestational diabetes (GD) is increasing globally. While universal risk factors for GD are reasonably well understood, questions remain regarding risks for women living with HIV (WLWH). We aimed to describe GD prevalence, evaluate associated maternal risk factors and assess specific birth outcomes in WLWH in the UK and Ireland. METHODS: We analysed all pregnancies (≥24 weeks' gestation) in women diagnosed with HIV before delivery, reported to the UK-based Integrated Screening Outcomes Surveillance Service between 2010 and 2020. Every report of GD was considered as a case. A multivariable logistic regression model, adjusted for women with more than one pregnancy fitted with generalized estimating equations (GEE) assessed the effect of independent risk factors. RESULTS: There were 10,553 pregnancies in 7916 women, of which 460 (4.72%) pregnancies had reported GD. Overall, the median maternal age was 33 years (Q1:29-Q3:37), and 73% of pregnancies were in Black African women. WLWH with GD (WLWH-GD) were older (61% vs. 41% aged ≥35 years, p 350 cells/μl (GEE-aOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.50-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: GD prevalence increased over time among WLWH but was not significantly different from the general population. Maternal age, ethnicity and CD4 count were risk factors based on available data. Stillbirth and preterm delivery were more common in WLWH-GD than other WLWH over the study period. Further studies are required to build upon these results

Gestational diabetes in women living with HIV in the UK and Ireland: insights from population-based surveillance data

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of gestational diabetes (GD) is increasing globally. While universal risk factors for GD are reasonably well understood, questions remain regarding risks for women living with HIV (WLWH). We aimed to describe GD prevalence, evaluate associated maternal risk factors and assess specific birth outcomes in WLWH in the UK and Ireland. METHODS: We analysed all pregnancies (≥24 weeks' gestation) in women diagnosed with HIV before delivery, reported to the UK-based Integrated Screening Outcomes Surveillance Service between 2010 and 2020. Every report of GD was considered as a case. A multivariable logistic regression model, adjusted for women with more than one pregnancy fitted with generalized estimating equations (GEE) assessed the effect of independent risk factors. RESULTS: There were 10,553 pregnancies in 7916 women, of which 460 (4.72%) pregnancies had reported GD. Overall, the median maternal age was 33 years (Q1:29-Q3:37), and 73% of pregnancies were in Black African women. WLWH with GD (WLWH-GD) were older (61% vs. 41% aged ≥35 years, p 350 cells/μl (GEE-aOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.50-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: GD prevalence increased over time among WLWH but was not significantly different from the general population. Maternal age, ethnicity and CD4 count were risk factors based on available data. Stillbirth and preterm delivery were more common in WLWH-GD than other WLWH over the study period. Further studies are required to build upon these results

Gravity-driven instability in a spherical Hele-Shaw cell

A pair of concentric spheres separated by a small gap form a spherical Hele-Shaw cell. In this cell an interfacial instability arises when two immiscible fluids flow. We derive the equation of motion for the interface perturbation amplitudes, including both pressure and gravity drivings, using a mode coupling approach. Linear stability analysis shows that mode growth rates depend upon interface perimeter and gravitational force. Mode coupling analysis reveals the formation of fingering structures presenting a tendency toward finger tip-sharpening.Comment: 13 pages, 4 ps figures, RevTex, to appear in Physical Review

Seasonal change in the daily timing of behaviour of the common vole, Microtus arvalis

1. Seasonal effects on daily activity patterns in the common vole were established by periodic trapping in the field and continuous year round recording of running wheel and freeding activity in cages exposed to natural meteorological conditions. 2. Trapping revealed decreased nocturnality in winter as compared to summer. This was paralelled by a winter reduction in both nocturnal wheel running and feeding time in cages. 3. Frequent trap checks revealed a 2 h rhythm in daytime catches in winter, not in summer. Cage feeding activity in daytime was always organized in c. 2 h intervals, but day-to-day variations in phase blurred the rhythm in summer in a summation of individual daily records. Thus both seasonal and short-term temporal patterns are consistent between field trappings and cage feeding records. 4. Variables associated with the seasonal change in daily pattern were: reproductive state (sexually active voles more nocturnal), age (juveniles more nocturnal), temperature (cold days: less nocturnal), food (indicated by feeding experiments), habitat structure (more nocturnal in habitat with underground tunnels). 5. Minor discrepancies between field trappings and cage feeding activity can be explained by assuming increased trappability of voles in winter. Cage wheel running is not predictive of field trapping patterns and is thought to reflect behavioral motivations not associated with feeding but with other activities (e.g., exploratory, escape, interactive behaviour) undetected by current methods, including radiotelemetry and passage-counting. 6. Winter decrease in nocturnality appears to involve a reduction in nocturnal non-feeding and feeding behaviour and is interpreted primarily as an adaptation to reduce energy expenditure in adverse but socially stable winter conditions.

Entangled Quantum Clocks for Measuring Proper-Time Difference

We report that entangled pairs of quantum clocks (non-degenerate quantum bits) can be used as a specialized detector for precisely measuring difference of proper-times that each constituent quantum clock experiences. We describe why the proposed scheme would be more precise in the measurement of proper-time difference than a scheme of two-separate-quantum-clocks. We consider possibilities that the proposed scheme can be used in precision test of the relativity theory.Comment: no correction, 4 pages, RevTe

Operational Challenges to Accommodate High Penetration of Electric Vehicles: A Comparison between UK and China

EPSRC DTE Network+; Brunel University London BRIEF Funding; Department of Finance and Education of Guangdong Province 2016 [202]: Key Discipline Construction Program, China; the Education Department of Guangdong Province: New and Integrated Energy System Theory and Technology Research Group [Project Number 2016KCXTD022]

Extracellular Hsp72 concentration relates to a minimum endogenous criteria during acute exercise-heat exposure

Extracellular heat-shock protein 72 (eHsp72) concentration increases during exercise-heat stress when conditions elicit physiological strain. Differences in severity of environmental and exercise stimuli have elicited varied response to stress. The present study aimed to quantify the extent of increased eHsp72 with increased exogenous heat stress, and determine related endogenous markers of strain in an exercise-heat model. Ten males cycled for 90 min at 50% O2peak in three conditions (TEMP, 20°C/63% RH; HOT, 30.2°C/51%RH; VHOT, 40.0°C/37%RH). Plasma was analysed for eHsp72 pre, immediately post and 24-h post each trial utilising a commercially available ELISA. Increased eHsp72 concentration was observed post VHOT trial (+172.4%) (P<0.05), but not TEMP (-1.9%) or HOT (+25.7%) conditions. eHsp72 returned to baseline values within 24hrs in all conditions. Changes were observed in rectal temperature (Trec), rate of Trec increase, area under the curve for Trec of 38.5°C and 39.0°C, duration Trec ≥ 38.5°C and ≥ 39.0°C, and change in muscle temperature, between VHOT, and TEMP and HOT, but not between TEMP and HOT. Each condition also elicited significantly increasing physiological strain, described by sweat rate, heart rate, physiological strain index, rating of perceived exertion and thermal sensation. Stepwise multiple regression reported rate of Trec increase and change in Trec to be predictors of increased eHsp72 concentration. Data suggests eHsp72 concentration increases once systemic temperature and sympathetic activity exceeds a minimum endogenous criteria elicited during VHOT conditions and is likely to be modulated by large, rapid changes in core temperature