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On the limit: Estimating round baler torque for grass harvesting scenarios
No full textThis paper introduces a novel, cost-effective approach to measure loading torque on an agricultural baler implement. Round balers gather grass fodder and form cylindrical bales, which are subsequently used for feeding livestock. As fodder accumulates within the bale chamber, the torque on the drive shaft increases, necessitating an increase in input power. The operator must manage the loading levels to prevent excessive strain on implement components and avoid a breakdown. State-of-the-art torque measurement techniques are difficult to integrate into harvesting implements due to their significant cost and mechanical footprint. Consequently, baling implements lack loading measurement capabilities, forcing operators to gauge power draw without quantitative feedback.
This paper proposes a sensor solution to approximate torque on a round baler, significantly reducing costs when compared to existing methods. The approach correlates chain stress throughout bale formation by monitoring deformation of the chamber drive chains. Measurements were acquired from a fixed-chamber baler-wrapper with ground-truth torque benchmark recordings. Experiments were carried out using artificial loading on a static machine and then within the field, with a mobile implement forming grass silage bales. A prototype sensor was installed on a grass harvesting contractor’s baler-wrapper to examine performance across a single season, across 180 sites in the West of Ireland. Results from each scenario highlight a linear relationship between sensor and ground-truth torque measurements. The method achieved a 7% mean peak torque estimation error, allowing operators to monitor mechanical loading limits during bale formation and to increase efficiency in grassland agriculturalThis work was supported by Lero and McHale Engineering Unltd. with financial support of Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland under Grant number 13/RC/2094_2 and by the Enterprise Ireland Marie Skłodowska-Curie Career-FIT Fellowship (Grant number MF-2018-0202).peer-reviewe
Enhancing cyclist safety through driver gaze analysis at intersections with cycle lanes
No full textIn urban areas, roads with dedicated cycle lanes play a vital role in cyclist safety. However, accidents can still occur when vehicles cross the cycle lane at intersections. Accidents mostly occur due to failure of the driver to see a cyclist on the cycle lane, particularly when the cyclist is going straight through the intersection, and the vehicle is turning. For safe driving, it is critical that the drivers visually scan the area in the vicinity of the junction and the car, particularly using the wing-mirror, prior to making turns. This paper describes results from a set of test drives using in-vehicle non-invasive eye-tracking and in-vehicle CAN bus sensors to determine driver behaviour. In total, 20 drivers were monitored through 5 different intersections with cycle lanes. The study found that approximately 83% of drivers did not check their wing mirror prior to, or during their turning manoeuvre, potentially putting pedestrian, cyclists, scooter and hoverboard users in danger. An algorithm was developed to analyse driver gaze during the turning manoeuvre to identify cases where they failed to look at the wing mirror. The gaze pattern and gaze concentration on the mirror helps to identify safe and unsafe driving behaviour. This information can then be used to improve Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) to create a safer environment for all road users.Science Foundation Ireland (Grant Number: 13/RC/2094), European Regional Development Fund through the Southern and Eastern Regional Operational Program to Lero-the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Softwarepeer-reviewe
Nietzsche on natural causality: translating the human back into nature
No full textIn this article I examine the character of Nietzsche's naturalism by highlighting the role of natural causality in his efforts to translate the human being back into nature. Although it has been claimed that an emphasis on natural causality commits him to a scientistic naturalism that excludes the human being (Schacht Citation2012. ‘Nietzsche’s Naturalism.’ Journal of Nietzsche Studies 43 (2): 185–212. https://doi.org/10.5325/jnietstud.43.2.0185), I argue that Nietzsche critically engages with the natural sciences to offer a distinct metaphysical naturalism that is not opposed to but includes the human. I show that Nietzsche accuses the dominant scientific-mechanistic account of causality of eliminativism regarding the causal to which he responds by proposing a dispositional account that avoids the eliminativist threat. Nietzsche's naturalism is metaphysical because dispositional powers that are instantiated in nature are also metaphysically real by virtue of being causally potent. His metaphysical naturalism, I contend, incorporates the human by understanding normativity, in the guise of the causality of human willing, in the same dispositional sense as the rest of nature. The argument is defended from the potential objection that Nietzsche's explanation of normativity in terms of organic purposiveness presupposes a superfluous teleology that compromises his efforts to understand normativity naturalistically.peer-reviewe
Albumin-based delivery systems: Recent advances, challenges, and opportunities
No full textAlbumin and albumin-based biomaterials have been explored for various applications, including therapeutic delivery, as therapeutic agents, as components of tissue adhesives, and in tissue engineering applications. Albumin has been approved as a nanoparticle containing paclitaxel (Abraxane®), as an albumin-binding peptide (Victoza®), and as a glutaraldehyde-crosslinked tissue adhesive (BioGlue®). Albumin is also approved as a supportive therapy for various conditions, including hypoalbuminemia, sepsis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, no other new albumin-based systems in a hydrogel format have been used in the clinic. A review of publicly available clinical trials indicates that no new albumin drug delivery formats are currently in the clinical development pipeline. Although albumin has shown promise as a carrier of therapeutics for various diseases, including diabetes, cancers, and infectious diseases, its potential for treating blood-borne diseases such as HIV and leukemia has not been translated. This review offers a perspective on the use of albumin-based drug delivery systems for a broader range of disease applications, considering the protein properties and a review of the currently approved albumin-based technologies. This review supports ongoing efforts to advance biomedical research and clinical interventions through albumin-based delivery systems.This publication has emanated from research conducted with the support of Research Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund (Grant Number 13/RC/2073_P2). This publication has also received funding from Viatris Inc., Galway, Ireland. The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Raghvendra Bohara for contributing to the manuscript's editorial assessment and proofreading and Maciek Doczyk for contributing to the graphic design of the manuscript figures.peer-reviewe
Experimental investigation and welding modelling of improved fatigue TMCP steels for Offshore Wind Turbine (OWT) support structures
No full textWith offshore wind deployment accelerating, thick-section steel structures must be reliable, weldable, and economically manufactured. Thermo-mechanically controlled processed (TMCP) steels, such as S355ML, are widely adopted for offshore wind turbine (OWT) support structures (e.g., monopiles and transition pieces) because they combine high strength, good low-temperature toughness, lean alloying, and excellent weldability. However, through-thickness variations introduced during a TMCP process and subsequent welding thermal cycles can localise strain, modify residual stresses, and degrade fatigue performance.
This thesis investigates the through-thickness microstructural and mechanical variability of a 20 mm thick TMCP S355ML plate (manufactured by Dillinger Group), and the thermo-metallurgical response to butt welding. A computational-experimental workflow is developed, coupling Thermo-Calc (educational version) for phase equilibria, JMatPro for temperature-dependent thermophysical properties, the Materials Algorithms Project (MAP) code for transformation kinetics, and ABAQUS for transient thermal finite-element simulations of single- and multi-pass welds. The experimental program comprises tensile testing, metallography, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fractography on specimens extracted at multiple depths across the plate thickness. Preparation for Gleeble thermal-mechanical simulations, nanoindentation, and welding trials is also described.
Tensile tests show ~5% higher ultimate tensile strength at mid-thickness relative to the near-surface of a 20 mm thick TMCP S355ML steel plate, consistent with metallography revealing thicker pearlite bands and slightly finer ferrite grains at the centre of the plate. Welding process simulations predict peak temperatures exceeding the austenite start temperature ~2 mm from the groove edge and indicate that heat accumulation in multi-pass sequences elevates transformation risk above ~0.7t (measured from the bottom surface). SEM fractography confirms ductile failure by micro-void coalescence in both regions; the centre exhibits coarser dimples, consistent with higher strength and locally reduced ductility.
Overall, the study emphasises the importance of incorporating through-thickness property gradients and transformation kinetics into the design and qualification of welded TMCP S355ML components for OWT structures, particularly as the sector adopts high-heat-input, high-productivity processes. Recommendations are provided for targeted welding trials and Gleeble-based calibration of phase transformation and transformation plasticity sub-models for TMCP S355ML steel plates
Higher-order singular-value derivatives of real rectangular matrices
Get PDFHigher-order derivatives of singular values in real rectangular matrices arise naturally in both numerical simulation and theoretical analysis, with applications in areas such as statistical physics and optimization in deep learning. Deriving closed-form expressions beyond first order has remained a difficult problem within classical matrix analysis, and no general framework has been available. To address this gap, we present an operator-theoretic framework that extends Kato's analytic perturbation theory from self-adjoint operators to real rectangular matrices, thereby yielding general -th order Fr\'echet derivatives of singular values. As a special case, we obtain a closed-form Kronecker-product representation of the singular-value Hessian, not previously found in the literature. This framework bridges abstract perturbation theory with matrix analysis and provides a systematic tool for higher-order spectral analysis.This publication has emanated from research conducted with the financial support of Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland under Grant number 18/CRT/6223
Recommendations for the development and use of technology to support people living with dementia and caregivers: A Delphi study
No full textINTRODUCTION
This Delphi study, conducted by the INTERDEM Assistive Technology (AT) taskforce, explores existing and future challenges in the development, usability, cost-effectiveness, implementation, and ethics of AT for people living with dementia and caregivers. The study aims to identify key priorities and actions to address these challenges.
METHODS
A two-round modified electronic Delphi study was conducted with experts from health and social care, dementia research, technology development, people living with dementia, and caregivers.
RESULTS
Consensus was reached on 23 key statements highlighting the need for a user-centered approach to AT development. Priorities included integrating AT into care plans, enhancing accessibility, and ensuring collaboration between stakeholders. Ethical considerations, digital literacy, and equitable access were also emphasized.
DISCUSSION
Our findings refine and update previous recommendations on AT development and use. This Delphi study contributes to guiding future research, policy, and practice to ensure AT effectively supports people living with dementia and caregivers
Defected ground structure antenna array with metasurface inspired interlinked CSRR for 5G millimeter wave applications
No full textThis paper introduces a high-performance antenna array optimized for 5G millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) applications, efficiently operating within the 25–30 GHz frequency range. Three integrated techniques enhance performance without increasing physical size: First, a Defected Ground Structure (DGS) with a 25 × 25 mm2 square slot and embedded interlinked complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs) inspired by metasurface (MTS) principles broaden bandwidth and improve impedance matching. Second, four oblique slots (4.5 × 0.4 mm2) placed at the ground plane’s corners enhance impedance matching, isolation, and extend the upper frequency to 30 GHz. Third, slotted radiation patches optimize radiation gain and efficiency. Initially, the design operated at 26.0–26.5 GHz and 27.5–28.0 GHz with a radiation gain of 2.8 dBi and efficiency of 56%. Incorporating DGS with CSRRs expanded bandwidth to 25–30 GHz, increased average radiation gain to 7.75 dBi, and improved efficiency to 68.75%. Introducing oblique slots further elevated the average gain to 9.15 dBi and efficiency to 79.5%. Finally, integrating open-loop slots into radiating patches raised the average gain to 12.4 dBi and efficiency to 86.25%. The final optimized antenna array, measuring 32 × 32 × 0.8 mm3, demonstrates significant improvements in radiation gain and efficiency, making it a compact, lightweight, cost-effective, and practical solution for 5G and other mm-Wave applications.Co-funded by the European Union. ...Besides that, this publication has emanated from research jointly funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland under Grant number 13/
RC/2094_2, the European Union’s Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions under grant number 101126578 and was supported in part by University of Galway. Additionally the authors appreciate the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2025R828), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The quality and reliability of short videos about melasma on TikTok and Bilibili: A cross-sectional study
No full textBackground
Melasma is a common chronic hyperpigmentation disorder that substantially impairs patients' quality of life. With the rapid growth of short-video platforms such as TikTok and Bilibili, an increasing number of patients are turning to these media for health-related information. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and reliability of melasma-related videos available on TikTok and Bilibili.
Methods
Between August 17 and 19, 2025, we searched Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) and Bilibili using the Chinese keyword “黄褐斑” (“melasma”), and included the top 150 videos under each platform's default comprehensive ranking. The search and analysis were conducted in Chinese, reflecting the linguistic and geographical context of mainland China. Video characteristics and engagement metrics were recorded. The quality and reliability of the videos were independently evaluated by two researchers using the Global Quality Score (GQS) and the modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) instrument.
Results
A total of 237 videos were included in this study. Content was dominated by clinical manifestations (46.8%), etiology (44.3%), and diagnosis (40.1%), whereas treatment-related content was markedly underrepresented (9.7%). The median video length was 127.00 s (70.75–270.50) on Bilibili and 47.00 s (35.00–96.00) on TikTok. TikTok videos achieved significantly higher engagement than Bilibili (p < 0.05). Overall video quality was moderate, with both GQS and mDISCERN showing a median score of 3.00 (IQR: 2.00–4.00). The mDISCERN score of Bilibili videos was 3.00 (3.00–4.00), significantly higher than TikTok (p < 0.05). Videos uploaded by healthcare professionals scored 3.00 (3.00–4.00) on GQS and 3.00 (2.00–4.00) on mDISCERN, both significantly higher than those uploaded by non-healthcare professionals (p < 0.05).
Conclusions
This study found that melasma-related short videos presented an incomplete content structure, with treatment-related information being markedly underrepresented. The overall quality of the videos was moderate, whereas those produced by healthcare professionals demonstrated higher quality and reliability. Future efforts should encourage greater participation from healthcare professionals and the implementation of refined content strategies, with the aim of improving both the quality and educational value of dermatology-related short video resources.This study was supported by the National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program (grant number 202310343061X) and the Zhejiang Province College Student Science and Technology Innovation Activity Plan (grant number 2024R413B080)
Real-time optimisation of Intermittently Aerated Sequencing Batch Reactor (IASBR) technology: A novel approach for efficient wastewater treatment
No full textSequencing batch reactors (SBRs) are one of the most globally recognised configurations of activated sludge treatment processes. These systems are effective and efficient in the removal of organic carbon and nitrogen from wastewater. The intermittently aerated sequencing batch reactor (IASBR) technology is a modification of the conventional SBR process, which has potential benefits, including a reduced oxygen requirement of 25%, a reduced carbon requirement of 40% and the capacity to remove phosphorus biologically. IASBR technology was well-characterised in laboratory investigations but had not yet been tested at a significant scale under real-world conditions, and efficiency gains that might be gleaned via real-time control have not been studied at scale.
This research investigated IASBR technology and its efficacy for two treatment applications: dairy processing wastewater and high-strength municipal wastewater treatment. In addition to scaling up the technology, one of the key aims of this research was to investigate real-time control (RTC) measures and how they impact the technology's effectiveness, reliability, and efficiency. The study focuses on how these systems apply to biological nutrient removal (BNR) specifically and how they can be optimised to remove these nutrients efficiently.
The research started at a laboratory scale of 8 litres. It incrementally increased in size, first to a 3 m3 IASBR system at a dairy processing facility, followed by a 20 m3 reactor at a full-scale municipal treatment plant. There were varying levels of control implemented. First, rudimentary time-based control was employed at the pilot facility, basic RTC at the full-scale facility, and more sophisticated RTC measures at the same site to provide the IASBR system (as far as the author is aware) with the most advanced control system deployed with this technology at scale to date.
The laboratory scale systems verified the performance of the IASBR technology when applied to the treatment of dairy processing wastewater, achieving average removal rates of 91.5% and 97.7% for ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N) and orthophosphate phosphorus (PO4-P), respectively. The technology was then scaled for deployment at a pilot-scale facility to test dairy processing wastewater at a factory. The pilot IASBR exhibited high removal efficiencies of 89.5% and 93.0% for NH4-N and PO4-P, respectively. The research validated that the technology worked well under real-world conditions and at scale. An optimisation regime was conducted at the site, showing that 36-86% reductions were achievable in carbon emissions.
The IASBR technology was deployed at a full-scale wastewater treatment testing facility in Tuam, Galway, Ireland. A completely mixed activated sludge reactor was operated to test a new aeration technology. The performance of this process was then compared to the IASBR operation at the facility to evaluate energy efficiency.
During the investigation, the IASBR was tested with three stages of control. In the third stage, a novel control methodology for intermittently aerated systems was developed in this work. For the first time, dissolved oxygen (DO) aerator power and derivatives of (oxidation-reduction potential) ORP were utilised to assess and optimise the cycle times in real-time. Leveraging these parameters together allowed for a control approach that terminated cycles as loading to the reactor was reduced while also providing resilience to process changes influenced by mechanical elements in the treatment system.
Throughout the investigation, the IASBR reactor achieved average removal rates of >90% for NH4-N and PO4-P. Results showed that energy efficiency savings of over 50% were achievable by implementing advanced RTC.
The results show that the IASBR technology offers a practical, energy-efficient alternative for removing nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. The solution has advanced RTC capabilities that can improve resilience and reliability and reduce the energy intensity of treatment processes. The benefits highlighted in this work contribute directly to UN SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), ensuring resources are used efficiently, and SDG 13 (Climate Action), which has a direct link to reducing energy consumption and emissions, demonstrating the importance of sustainable water management practices