Size and structure of hexanuclear plutonium oxo-hydroxo clusters in aqueous solution from synchrotron analysis

The size and shape of a water-soluble hexanuclear plutonium cluster were probed by combining synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). A specific setup coupling both techniques and dedicated to radioactive samples on the MARS beamline endstation at Synchrotron SOLEIL is described. The plutonium hexanuclear cores are well stabilized by the 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid ligands and this allows a good evaluation of the setup to probe the very small plutonium core. The results show that, in spite of the constrained conditions required to avoid any risk of sample dispersion, the flux and the sample environment are optimized to obtain a very good signal-to-noise ratio, allowing the detection of small plutonium aggregates in an aqueous phase. The structure of the well defined hexanuclear cluster has been confirmed by EXAFS measurements in solution and correlated with SAXS data processing and modelling. An iterative comparison of classical fit models (Guinier or sphere form factor) with the experimental results allowed a better interpretation of the SAXS signal that will be relevant for future work under environmentally relevant conditions.

Effectiveness of different requirements checklists for novice designers

Working under constrained conditions can boost or kill creativity, depending on the nature of the constraints (organizational, personal or task-related). However, a design process without clearly identified constraints, which set the project objectives, could lead to inefficiencies and unfruitful iterations. Some of the most acknowledged procedures to support requirement definition are focused on the use of specific checklists. However, notwithstanding the importance of the task, little attention was dedicated to the verification of the effectiveness of these tools. In such a context, the paper presents an investigation aimed at assessing the performance of three checklists that exploit different strategies to elicit requirements. To that purpose, a sample of fifty engineering students was asked to use the checklists to define the requirements for a specific design case. The outcomes of the experiment were assessed according to well-acknowledged effectiveness metrics, i.e. quantity, operationality, validity, non-redundancy, and completeness. The result of the assessment highlights that checklists based on more general questions or abstract stimuli can better support novice designers in making explicit internally felt design constraints that can potentially lead to more innovative design.

Multimedia Digital Signal Processing of Infrared Chemical Remote Sensing Based on Piecewise Linear Discriminant Algorithm

According to the basic principle of piecewise linear classifier and its application in the field of infrared chemical remote sensing monitoring, the characteristics of unilateral piecewise linear classifier applied to the infrared spectrum identification of chemical agents are studied. With the characteristic of separate transmission, the characteristic recovery with the total observed deviation is used for the model. The relaxation factors are used to replace the constrained conditions that cannot be optimized into constrained separate line segment calculation conditions. Experiments show that the result of signal recovery is better than traditional Wiener filtering and Richardson–Lucy methods.

Rama Co-RADS: Cutting-edge tool for improved communication in management and treatment of COVID-19 patients in Thailand

In Thailand, the rapid and constant rise in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, together with the increasing number of patients requiring respiratory and other medical life support during the third wave of COVID-19, has drastically overwhelmed the existing country’s healthcare facilities, physicians, and other healthcare workers. Hence, early identification of vulnerable patients at risk and early COVID-19 pneumonia is crucial for timely management and treatment by antivirals or corticosteroids to prevent them from developing severe COVID-19 pneumonia. A prompt chest X-ray report with clear and concise information at baseline screening in alternative healthcare facilities, especially in resource-constrained conditions, is essential. The article presents the incorporation of Rama Co-RADS (a categorical assessment scheme for chest X-ray findings for diagnosing pneumonia in patients with confirmed COVID-19). Its use facilitates a rapid, clear, and concise X-ray report despite the various levels of radiologists’ experience. Comprehensibleand consistent chest X-ray information successfully reduces the time lapse and communication gap among medical staff and assists on-duty, frontline physicians to make prompt and more accurate decisions regarding the management and treatment of COVID-19 patients in accordance with the current national guideline.

Dance to the Music: The Effects of Moving on Emotional Responsiveness

In the current study I examined whether interpretive movement to music enhances emotional experience of the music, in dancers and non-dancers. Participants interacted with a series of musical excerpts, varying in valence and arousal, by either sitting still (still condition), moving arms up and down to the beat of the music (constrained condition), or gesturing their arms freely to the music (free condition), allowing for creative interpretation. Physiological and self-reported emotional responses to these songs were compared post-interaction. I found that after free gesturing, experienced dancers had polarized valence and arousal ratings towards happy vs. sad excerpts as opposed to after still and constrained conditions. Similar results were obtained of skin conductance (sweat) and zygomaticus major (smiling) responses. Non-dancers showed no difference in ratings or physiological responses between interaction conditions. This suggests that the effects of movement on emotional responsiveness to music are mediated by dance training.

Dance to the Music: The Effects of Moving on Emotional Responsiveness

In the current study I examined whether interpretive movement to music enhances emotional experience of the music, in dancers and non-dancers. Participants interacted with a series of musical excerpts, varying in valence and arousal, by either sitting still (still condition), moving arms up and down to the beat of the music (constrained condition), or gesturing their arms freely to the music (free condition), allowing for creative interpretation. Physiological and self-reported emotional responses to these songs were compared post-interaction. I found that after free gesturing, experienced dancers had polarized valence and arousal ratings towards happy vs. sad excerpts as opposed to after still and constrained conditions. Similar results were obtained of skin conductance (sweat) and zygomaticus major (smiling) responses. Non-dancers showed no difference in ratings or physiological responses between interaction conditions. This suggests that the effects of movement on emotional responsiveness to music are mediated by dance training.