Search Results (44)

High-resolution phylogenetics using both morphology and molecular data reveal surfactant-like trait buffering of peripatric descendant species that facilitate resilience for supra-specific entities across geologic time. Regular polygons inscribed in circles model balanced areas of survival of various numbers of new species in one genus. This model maximizes the peripatric survival of descendant species, with populations partly in allopatric habitats and in sympatric areas. It extends the theory advanced with Willis’s Age and Area hypothesis. Hollow curves of the areas bounded between a series of inscribed regular polygons and their containing circles show a ranked progression governed by similar power laws of other phenomena, including Zipf’s law and a universal meta-law in physics. This model matches best the physics meta-law (law of laws) but is only one of several somewhat different curves generated by somewhat different processes. A rule of four can explain why most genera in vascular plants exhibit a hollow curve of optimally one to five species per genus. It implies a constraint on variation that enhances survival and provides a physics explanation for the monophyletic skeleton of macrogenera. A high-resolution form of ancestor–descendant analysis is compared to traditional phylogenetic analysis to best modeling of the demonstrable results of evolutionary processes. Arguments are advanced for the preservation of scientific concepts of taxa over cladistic clades. Full article

In architectural engineering, triangular tessellation using polygon mesh topology is one of the commonly used computational geometric approaches to simplify a free curved building façade into flat triangular facets and their subsequent straight edges. In such a façade system, exterior panels are supported by a network of profiles that correspond to their edges hidden behind the panels at an offset distance. A group of profiles, derived from the edges common to a node point of tessellated panels (i.e., the outermost panels enveloping the building), may dislocate from each other when offset from their original locations due to non-coplanar alignment and unique offset directions and distances. This dislocation problem gives rise to geometric complications in nodal connector design in addition to varying in the connected profile count and orientations. Design considerations regarding the effects of ’offset vertex dislocation’ (i.e., the dislocation of the edges when it offsets from the original topology due to incoherent normal direction) should incorporate proper variables in the correct sequence based on a fundamental understanding that causes the dislocation problem. However, it is very often these topological problems pertaining to offset that are neglected, leading to subsequent design flaws. Such oversights diminish the inherent strengths of DfMA (design for manufacture and assembly) and design automation. This study develops a computational mathematical approach aimed at addressing the geometric complexities in nodal connector design. It focuses on two main areas: the precise positioning of substructure profiles essential for the design and a design automation approach that minimizes the length of the nodal connector arms to enhance 3D printing productivity. A life-scale proof-of-concept structure based on an automated parametric design process that implements the research findings demonstrates the application, incorporating 3D-printed PA12 (Polyamide-12) nodal connectors. Full article

This review aimed to identify newly discovered bacteria from individuals with periodontal/peri-implant diseases and organize them into new clusters (GF-MoR complexes) to update Socransky’s complexes (1998). For methodological development, the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) strategy was used for the focus question construction: “In patients with periodontal and/or peri-implant disease, what bacteria (microorganisms) were detected through laboratory assays?” The search strategy was applied to PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and Embase. The search key terms, combined with Boolean markers, were (1) bacteria, (2) microbiome, (3) microorganisms, (4) biofilm, (5) niche, (6) native bacteria, (7) gingivitis), (8) periodontitis, (9) peri-implant mucositis, and (10) peri-implantitis. The search was restricted to the period 1998–2024 and the English language. The bacteria groups in the oral cavity obtained/found were retrieved and included in the GF-MoR complexes, which were based on the disease/condition, presenting six groups: (1) health, (2) gingivitis, (3) peri-implant mucositis, (4) periodontitis, (5) peri-implantitis, and (6) necrotizing and molar–incisor (M-O) pattern periodontitis. The percentual found per group refers to the number of times a specific bacterium was found to be associated with a particular disease. A total of 381 articles were found: 162 articles were eligible for full-text reading (k = 0.92). Of these articles, nine were excluded with justification, and 153 were included in this review (k = 0.98). Most of the studies reported results for the health condition, periodontitis, and peri-implantitis (3 out of 6 GF-MoR clusters), limiting the number of bacteria found in the other groups. Therefore, it became essential to understand that bacterial colonization is a dynamic process, and the bacteria present in one group could also be present in others, such as those observed with the bacteria found in all groups (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannarela forsythia, Treponema denticola, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans) (GF-MoR’s red triangle). The second most observed bacteria were grouped in GF-MoR’s blue triangle: Porphyromonas spp., Prevotela spp., and Treponema spp., which were present in five of the six groups. The third most detected bacteria were clustered in the grey polygon (GF-MoR’s grey polygon): Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, Campylobacter rectus, and Eikenella corrodens. These three geometric shapes had the most relevant bacteria to periodontal and peri-implant diseases. Specifically, per group, GF-MoR’s health group had 58 species; GF-MoR’s gingivitis group presented 16 bacteria; GF-MoR’s peri-implant mucositis included 17 bacteria; GF-MoR’s periodontitis group had 101 different bacteria; GF-MoR’s peri-implantitis presented 61 bacteria; and the last group was a combination of necrotizing diseases and molar–incisor (M-I) pattern periodontitis, with seven bacteria. After observing the top seven bacteria of all groups, all of them were found to be gram-negative. Groups 4 and 5 (periodontitis and peri-implantitis) presented the same top seven bacteria. For the first time in the literature, GF-MoR’s complexes were presented, gathering bacteria data according to the condition found and including more bacteria than in Socransky’s complexes. Based on this understanding, this study could drive future research into treatment options for periodontal and peri-implant diseases, guiding future studies and collaborations to prevent and worsen systemic conditions. Moreover, it permits the debate about the evolution of bacterial clusters. Full article

This study explores the integration of blockchain technology in wearable health devices through the design and development of a Smart Fidget Toy. We aimed to investigate design challenges and opportunities of blockchain-based health devices, examine the impact of blockchain integration user experience, and assess its potential to improve data control and user trust. Using an iterative user-centered design approach, we developed a mid-fidelity prototype of a physical fidget device with a blockchain-based web application. Our key contributions include the design of a fidget toy using blockchain for secure health data management, an iterative development process balancing user needs with blockchain integration challenges, and insights into user perceptions of blockchain wearables for health. We conducted user studies, including a survey (n = 28), focus group (n = 6), interactive wireframe testing (n = 7), and prototype testing (n = 10). Our study revealed high user interest (70%) in blockchain-based data control and sharing features and improved perceived security of data (90% of users) with blockchain integration. However, we also identified challenges in user understanding of blockchain concepts, necessitating additional support. Our smart contract, deployed on the Polygon zkEVM testnet, efficiently manages data storage and retrieval while maintaining user privacy. This research advances the understanding of blockchain applications in health wearables, offering valuable insights for the future development of this field. Full article

The study of complex networks with topological indices has flourished in recent years. The aim of this paper is to study the limiting behaviors of Gutman and Schultz indices in random polygonal chains, whose graph-theoretic mathematical properties and their future applications have attracted the interest of scientists. By applying the concepts of symmetry and asymptotics as well as the knowledge of probability theory, we obtain explicit analytic expressions for the Gutman and Schultz indices of n random 2k-vertex chains and prove that they converge to a normal distribution, which contributes to a deeper understanding of the structural features of random polygonal chains and plays a crucial role in the study of the limiting behavior of topological indices and their applications. Full article

To improve the search efficiency of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm in disaster areas, the target distribution probability graph in the prior information is introduced, and a drone cluster search trajectory planning method based on probability of containment (POC) is proposed. Firstly, based on the concept of probability of containment in search theory, a task area division method for polygonal and circular areas is constructed, and the corresponding search trajectory is constructed. Then, the influence of factors, including probability of containment, probability of detection, and probability of success on search efficiency, is sorted out, and the objective function of search trajectory optimization is constructed. Subsequently, an adaptive mutation operator is used to improve the differential evolution algorithm, thus constructing a trajectory optimization process based on the improved adaptive differential evolution algorithm. Through simulation verification, the proposed method can achieve a full coverage search of the task area and a rapid search within a limited time, and can prioritize the coverage of areas with a high target existence probability as much as possible to achieve a higher cumulative success probability. Moreover, the time efficiency and accuracy of the solution are high. Full article

Based on the concept of component assembly, a novel star polygon-coupled honeycomb metamaterial, which achieves a collaborative improvement in load-bearing capacity and vibration suppression performance, is proposed based on a common polygonal structure. The compression simulation and experiment results show that the load-bearing capacity of the proposed metamaterial is three times more than that of the initial metamaterial. Additionally, metal pins are attached and particle damping is applied to the metamaterial to regulate its bandgap properties; the influence of configuration parameters, including the size, number, position, and material of the metal pins, on bandgaps is also investigated. The results show that the bandgap of the proposed metamaterial can be conveniently and effectively regulated by adjusting the parameters and can effectively suppress vibrations in the corresponding frequency band. Particle damping can be used to continuously adjust the frequency of the bandgap and further enhance the vibration suppression capacity of the metamaterial in other frequency bands. This paper provides a reference for the design and optimization of metamaterials. Full article

Metaverse is an upcoming transformative technology that will impact our future society with immersive experiences. The recent surge in the adoption of new technologies and innovations in connectivity, interaction technology, and artificial realities can fundamentally change the digital world. The Metaverse concept is the most recent trend to encapsulate and define the potential new digital landscape. However, with the introduction of 5G with high speed and low latency advancements in the hardware and software with the graphics power to display millions of polygons in 3D and blockchain technology, this concept is no longer fiction. This transition from today’s Internet to a spatially embodied Internet is, at its core, a transition from 2D to 3D interactions taking place in multiple virtual universes. In recent years, augmented virtual reality has created possibilities in the private and professional spheres. The new Virtual Reality (VR) headsets and Augmented Reality (AR) glasses can provide immersion in the physical sense. Technology must offer realistic experiences for users to turn this concept into reality. This paper focuses on the potential use cases and benefits of the Metaverse as a tech for good. The research paper outlines the potential areas where a positive impact could occur, highlights recent progress, and discusses the issues around trust, ethics, and cognitive load. Full article

Following the discovery of an artificial protein cage with a paradoxical geometry, we extend the concept of homogeneous symmetric congruent equivalent near-miss polyhedral cages, for which all the faces are equivalent, and define bi-homogeneous symmetric polyhedral cages made of two different types of faces, where all the faces of a given type are equivalent. We parametrise the possible connectivity configurations for such cages, analytically derive p-cages that are regular, and numerically compute near-symmetric p-cages made of polygons with 6 to 18 edges and with deformation not exceeding 10%. Full article

This paper investigates one way to reduce the computational burden of continuous-time model predictive control (MPC) laws by representing the input/output signals and related models using B-spline functions. Such an approximation allows to implement the resulting feedback control law more efficiently, requiring less online computational effort. As a result, the proposed controller formulates the control signals as continuous polynomial spline functions. All constraints assumed over the prediction horizon are then expressed as constraints acting on the B-splines control polygon vertices. The performance of the proposed theoretical framework has been demonstrated with several real-time experiments using the well-known 2-DOF laboratory helicopter setup. The aim of the presented experiments was to track given step-like reference trajectories for pitch and yaw angles under notable parameter uncertainties. In order to suppress the influence of uncertainties, the control algorithm is implemented in an adaptive mode, equipped with the recursive least squares (RLS) estimation of model parameters and with the adaptation of stabilizing terminal set and terminal cost calculations. Thanks to the presented framework, it is possible to significantly reduce the computational burden, measured by the number of decision variables and input constrains, indicating the potential of the proposed concept for real-time applications, even when using embedded control hardware. Full article

The concept of sustainability is nowadays employed to compare manufacturing processes or to define the correct path for material selection. Sometimes, this concept is only partially defined, including just low costs, profit maximization and/or CO₂ emission reduction. Actually, a process or material can be defined as sustainable only if an objective function related to the economic, environmental and social impacts is simultaneously maximized. To this aim, it is necessary to define appropriate and specific sustainability indicators (i.e., values related to the economic, social and environmental aspects of a process or material under analysis). These indicators come about from simple calculations, and they are defined in terms of percentages and represented and compared using radar diagrams. Then, a process or specific material is identified by an objective function (i.e., the area included by the polygon that links the scores reported on the diagram). The scope of this representation of data is to individuate the major weaknesses of the process/material, proposing methods of optimization and trying to maximize the objective function in the retrieved diagram. This work aims to propose a general and simple method to calculate sustainability indicators on the basis of specific definitions related to a given process/material. To highlight the potential of this calculation and comparison instrument, two case studies are proposed: the first aims at comparing processes for the production of energy, while the second aims at driving the choice of manufacturing material. The selected indicators and adopted algorithm allowed for the identification of hydroelectric and eolic as the most sustainable processes for energy production; for materials, the results strictly depended on the assumptions made regarding favorable mechanical properties. Full article

In the context of the current energy crisis and climate change, the importance of discussions on how to incorporate monument protection into sustainable strategies that mitigate the human impact on the environment and implement renewable sources while preserving cultural values is raised. Through the case study of the Monument Reserve in Bratislava, Slovakia, this article presents the potentials and limits of the integration of photovoltaic systems in historic urban structures that directly affect their feasible participation in smart city and positive energy district concepts by means of energy cooperativeness. This study highlights the most current recommendations and basic principles on how to assess their visual impact and select the most appropriate solutions. Using the datafication process, it analyzes the irradiance of pitched and flat roof polygons of the set area based on their characteristics such as the normal vector azimuth and slope of the rooftops. For this purpose, a 3D morphological model in LOD3 detail and the open-source solar irradiation model r.sun implemented in GRASS GIS / QGIS were used. The data obtained provided an estimate of the output potential to endow the city’s power grid and were compared to the electricity consumption of the particular city district. Furthermore, these data are suitable for designing a customized technical and aesthetic solution for the integration of photovoltaics with respect to cultural sustainability, as well as for decision- and policy makers. Full article

In this study, we aimed to further the international discussion on the methodology of applying GIS technology to the editing of large-scale cadastral maps, taking the experience of editing the cadastral map of Toruń from 1910–1915 as an example. We present the concept of building a georeferential spatial database of topographic–historical objects (GSDoT-HO), which includes the stages involved in creating the database, its exemplary structure, and a proposal of good practices in this process, which were developed in the course of previous projects using a geographic information system for Historical Atlases of Polish Towns. Our works included the scanning, calibration, and rectification of a total of 178 sheets of cadastral maps (including 154 sheets of the map of Toruń and 24 sheets of the cadastral map of the then-village of Mokre) at differentiated scales of 1:250, 1:500, 1:1000, and 1:2000. Finally, in the process of vectorization, vector and attribute data were acquired, which made up the final result in the form of GSDoT-HOs. This database was created out of seven information layers with linear or polygon geometries, including the two most important layers, i.e., plots and buildings, which for the then-area of the city of Toruń, contained approximately 5800 and 10,800 vectorised polygon objects, respectively. This article shifts the focus of the discussion of standards in the use of GIS technology to edit Historic Towns Atlases from the development of interactive maps to the construction of a database that should enable comparative studies of urban spaces. Full article

Broadband wavelength-swept lasers (WSLs) are widely used as light sources in biophotonics and optical fiber sensors. Herein, we present a polygonal mirror scanning wavelength filter (PMSWF)-based broadband WSL using two semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) with different center wavelengths as the gain medium. The 10-dB bandwidth of the wavelength scanning range with 3.6 kHz scanning frequency was approximately 223 nm, from 1129 nm to 1352 nm. When the scanning frequency of the WSL was increased, the intensity and bandwidth decreased. The main reason for this is that the laser oscillation time becomes insufficient as the scanning frequency increases. We analyzed the intensity and bandwidth decrease according to the increase in the scanning frequency in the WSL through the concept of saturation limit frequency. In addition, optical alignment is important for realizing broadband WSLs. The optimal condition can be determined by analyzing the beam alignment according to the position of the diffraction grating and the lenses in the PMSWF. This broadband WSL is specially expected to be used as a light source in broadband distributed dynamic FBG fiber-optic sensors. Full article

This paper introduces an efficient and robust sliding algorithm for the creation of no-fit polygons. The improved algorithm can cope with complex cases and is given an implementation in detail. The proposed concept of a touching group can simplify the judging process when recognizing the potential translation vector for an orbital polygon. In addition, the generation of the no-fit polygon only involves three main steps based on the proposed concept. The proposed algorithm has a mechanism that searches other start positions to generate a complete no-fit polygon for handling complex cases. To improve the efficiency, many acceleration strategies have been proposed, such as point exclusion strategy and point inclusion test. The robust and efficient performance of the algorithm is tested by well-known benchmark instances and degenerate and complex cases, such as holes, interlocking concavities and jigsaw-type pieces. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can produce complete no-fit polygons for complex cases, and acceleration strategies can reduce the creation time of no-fit polygon on benchmark instances by more than sixteen percent on average. Full article