Incipient meandering and self-formed floodplains in experiments

River morphodynamics and sediment transportRiver morphology and morphodynamic

Effects of riparian vegetation on experimental channel dynamics

River morphodynamics and sediment transportBank erosion and protectio

From nature to lab: scaling self-formed meandering and braided rivers

River morphodynamics and sediment transportRiver morphology and morphodynamic

The effect of human autonomy and robot work pace on perceived workload in human-robot collaborative assembly work

Collaborative robots (in short: cobots) have the potential to assist workers with physically or cognitive demanding tasks. However, it is crucial to recognize that such assistance can have both positive and negative effects on job quality. A key aspect of human-robot collaboration is the interdependence between human and robotic tasks. This interdependence influences the autonomy of the operator and can impact the work pace, potentially leading to a situation where the human’s work pace becomes reliant on that of the robot. Given that autonomy and work pace are essential determinants of job quality, design decisions concerning these factors can greatly influence the overall success of a robot implementation. The impact of autonomy and work pace was systematically examined through an experimental study conducted in an industrial assembly task. 20 participants engaged in collaborative work with a robot under three conditions: human lead (HL), fast-paced robot lead (FRL), and slow-paced robot lead (SRL). Perceived workload was used as a proxy for job quality. To assess the perceived workload associated with each condition was assessed with the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). Specifically, the study aimed to evaluate the role of human autonomy by comparing the perceived workload between HL and FRL conditions, as well as the influence of robot pace by comparing SRL and FRL conditions. The findings revealed a significant correlation between a higher level of human autonomy and a lower perceived workload. Furthermore, a decrease in robot pace was observed to result in a reduction of two specific factors measuring perceived workload, namely cognitive and temporal demand. These results suggest that interventions aimed at increasing human autonomy and appropriately adjusting the robot’s work pace can serve as effective measures for optimizing the perceived workload in collaborative scenarios

Динамика уровня лептина, модулятора роста TGF-β1 и провоспалительного цитокина IL-1β в системном кровотоке у больных псориазом с избыточной массой тела под влиянием системной терапии ожирения

У хворих шкірними формами псоріазу з ожирінням і гіперлептинемією вивчена динаміка рівня цитокінів TGF-β1 і IL-1β під впливом системної терапії ожиріння з використанням акарбози (Глюкобай). Встановлено, що включення в комплексну терапію псоріазу акарбози (Глюкобай) дозволяє статистично значимо знизити гіперлептинемію і рівень прозапального цитокіну IL-1β. Достовірного впливу лікування акарбозою (Глюкобай) на рівень активної форми TGF-β1 у хворих на псоріаз не виявивлено.In patients with cutaneous forms of psoriasis with obesity and hyperleptinemia the dynamics of cytokines TGF-β1 and IL-1β under the influence of systemic treatment of obesity with the use of acarbose (Glyukobay) were studied. It is established that added of acarbose (glyukobay) to complex treatment of psoriasis can significantly reduce hyperleptinemia and the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. There were no significant effect of acarbose treatment (Glyukobay) at the level of the active form of TGF-β1 in patients with psoriasis

Observed and modelled tidal bar sedimentology reveals preservation bias against mud in estuarine stratigraphy

Mud plays a pivotal role in estuarine ecology and morphology. However, field data on the lateral and vertical depositional record of mud are rare. Furthermore, numerical morphodynamic models often ignore mud due to long computational times and simplifications of mixed depositional processes. This study aims to understand the spatial distribution, formative conditions and preservation of mud deposits in the intertidal zone of bars in high-energy sand-dominated estuaries, and to elucidate the effects of mud on morphology, ecology and stratigraphic architecture. To meet these objectives, field data (historic bathymetry, bio-morphological maps and sediment cores of the shoal of Walsoorden, Western Scheldt estuary, the Netherlands) were combined with complementary hydro-morphodynamic numerical modelling (Delft3D). Based on the field observations, two types of mud deposits were distinguished: (1) mudflat deposits, which are thick (>10 cm) mud beds at the surface associated with high elevations and low accumulation rates; and (2) mud drapes, which are thin (millimetre to centimetre) buried laminae that form and preserve at a wide range of elevations and energy conditions. Model results show that deposition on mudflats occurs just after high-tide slack water in areas shielded from high flood velocities, suggesting that mud accumulation is mostly controlled by elevation, flow velocity and flow direction. Mud accumulation increases shoal elevation, sometimes to supratidal levels. This reduces flow over the shoal, which in turn reduces chute channel formation, stabilises bar morphology and decreases local tidal prism. These effects further promote mud deposition and vegetation settling. Although observations show that mud cover at the surface is relatively high (20%–40% of the intertidal area), mud constitutes only a small percentage of the total estuary volume (ca 5%) revealing that only a small fraction is preserved in the stratigraphy. Due to this mismatch between surface and subsurface expression of mud, interpretations of estuarine stratigraphy risk underestimating the influence of mud at the surface on morphodynamics and habitats