From the Publisher: Based on a curriculum module originally written for the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, this text provides students with an introduction to the role of design in software engineering. The book surveys a wide range of design methods and evaluates their strengths and weaknesses in various applications. The author adopts a neutral approach, concentrating on the role of design in software development creating a more effective tutorial text for students. Features Provides a balanced introduction to software design, reviewing the leading design methods, both formal and informal, from a neutral viewpoint. Describes and evaluates a wide range of different design methods, including JSP, SSA/SD, JSD, object-oriented and object- based design Focuses on design principles and strategies, which can be directly applied in practice.
Xiaoping Wang, Liqiang Liang, Qingsong Song
et al.
Traditional fluid network theory often underestimates pressure losses in complex pipe-bundle systems operating under vortex-dominated flow conditions, with deviations exceeding 20% in many cases. To address this limitation, this study proposes a vortex-based correction method. Three-dimensional simulations were performed on a multidirectional parallel pipe bundle to analyze vortex formation and to quantify the effects of fluid properties (viscosity and inlet velocity) and structural parameters (branch diameter, manifold cross-sectional ratio, and manifold arrangement) on pressure loss. To account for vortex-induced energy dissipation that is overlooked by conventional one-dimensional network models, an additional vortex-induced loss coefficient, α, is introduced to modify the pressure-loss formulation. Results indicate that higher viscosity, larger branch diameter, a higher manifold cross-sectional ratio, and a co-flow arrangement improve flow uniformity and prediction accuracy. Conversely, higher inlet velocities and counter-flow arrangements intensify vortex effects and increase prediction deviations. Least-squares fitting indicates that α ranges from 1.15 to 1.37. Implementation of the proposed correction reduces pressure-loss prediction errors to within 5%, demonstrating the method’s effectiveness and extending the applicability of fluid network theory to vortex-dominated flows.
Thermodynamics, Descriptive and experimental mechanics
Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA), a biomaterial widely used in tissue engineering, exhibits excellent biocompatibility and cell adhesion properties. However, its poor mechanical strength and functional monotony restrict broader clinical applications of this material. In this study, we introduced sodium acrylate (SA) and tannic acid (TA) into the GelMA system via a two-step crosslinking strategy, successfully fabricating a GelMA/SA–TA (GST) composite hydrogel that achieved dual enhancement of mechanical and antioxidant properties. The incorporation of SA and TA significantly improved the mechanical performance of the hydrogel, which exhibited a maximum tensile modulus of 31.83 ± 2.84 kPa. At the same time, TA endowed the hydrogel with exceptional antioxidant ability, resulting in a free radical scavenging rate of 89.93% ± 0.9% in vitro. Biological tests revealed that the GST hydrogel effectively alleviated oxidative stress damage in rat Schwann cells (RSC96) by suppressing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and promoting the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This work presents the first report of an antioxidant hydrogel capable of protecting Schwann cells without compromising their mechanical integrity, highlighting its transformative potential for peripheral nerve injury repair. The synergistic SA–TA modification strategy provides new insights into the design of multifunctional biomaterials for neural regeneration applications.
Weston Baxter, Peter Mandeno, Robert Aunger
et al.
This paper introduces Setting-Driven Design (SDD) and supporting tool – the Behaviour Setting Canvas (BSC) – which together address a critical gap in behavioural design by shifting the focus from individual behaviour to the broader context in which behaviour occurs. Rooted in behaviour setting theory, SDD is a powerful approach to behavioural design that offers an end-to-end structure for understanding and intervening in a behavioural design challenge. The process comprises three iterative phases: scoping the behavioural challenge, understanding the setting and intervention development. The process structure revolves around the BSC, a tool for mapping key contextual elements such as roles, motives, norms and routines. While SDD is particularly effective for behaviour change interventions, its utility extends to other design challenges, including introducing new products, shifting social norms and enhancing existing systems where behaviour remains constant. The approach integrates a theory of change to guide intervention development, prototyping and evaluation, ensuring alignment with behavioural objectives and contextual realities. A case study on handwashing in low-income Tanzanian households illustrates the method’s utility, culminating in the creation of Tab Soap, a single-use, biodegradable soap designed to improve hygiene behaviours. The study demonstrates how SDD facilitates insight generation and iterative refinement and complements user-centred design. SDD advances behavioural design by combining theoretical rigour with practical application, offering a scalable and adaptable framework for addressing complex design challenges across diverse fields.
Kasper A. Hettinga, Chris H. P. van den Akker, Nils Billecke
et al.
This Review Article summarizes outcomes from the ILSI Europe expert workshop on plant-based proteins in infant formula, held in November 2024. Experts from academia, clinical nutrition, and food science evaluated the current use and future potential of plant-based protein sources in infant formula, considering nutritional adequacy, allergenicity, sustainability, processing technologies, and regulatory constraints. While soy and hydrolyzed rice proteins are already approved and in use, emerging sources such as pea, lentil, and faba beans show promise but require further validation of their amino acid profiles, digestibility, safety, and suitability for infants. Key research priorities identified include the development of improved protein extraction methods, in vitro digestion and allergy modeling, and targeted clinical studies. This review synthesizes current evidence and expert perspectives to support the development of sustainable, nutritionally adequate plant-based infant formulas.
Highway spoil features a wide range of particle sizes and poor gradation, and their strength characteristics serve as key factors affecting the stability of spoil slopes. To explore the relationship between fractal characteristics of particle size and strength, this study examined 21 spoil sites along the Guizhou section of the Duyun‒Shangri-La Expressway. Based on the field investigation, particle size analysis tests, and laboratory shear tests, the particle composition and shear strength parameters of spoil were obtained. Based on fractal theory, the fractal characteristics of particle size under different gradation scaling methods were analyzed, and the relationship between shear strength parameters and the fractal dimensions of particle size was discussed. A formula for estimating the shear strength parameters of spoil was established. The results show that the particle composition of spoil varies significantly depending on their source and degree of weathering. Spoil from roadbeds and strongly weathered spoil generally exhibit unimodal distributions, while spoil from tunnels and with moderate weathering tend to exhibit bimodal distributions. The fractal dimension shows a strong correlation with both the internal friction angle and the fine particle content (mass percentage of particles smaller than 5 mm). When the fine particle content is ≤20%, the fractal dimension increases with the increasing of fine particle content, while the internal friction angle decreases with increasing fractal dimension. When the fine particle content exceeds 20%, the fractal dimension decreases with increasing fine particle content, and the internal friction angle increases with increasing fractal dimension. The proposed estimation formula for shear strength parameters was validated through case studies, and the strength parameters can be estimated based on particle composition, providing a reference for the stability assessment of spoil sites.
To respond to the endurance bottleneck faced by unmanned undersea vehicles(UUVs) in missions such as ocean observation and resource exploration, this paper studied the hydrodynamic performance optimization of a novel foldable solar wing. To balance computational efficiency and optimization accuracy, a parametric model of the wing was established in CAESES software with variables including wing point coordinates, rounding factors of wing edges, wing gaps, and gaps between the wing and the hull. Innovatively, a hybrid optimization framework combining Sobol global sampling and the non-dominatedsorting genetic algorithm II(NSGA-II) optimization algorithm was constructed. Firstly, the Sobol algorithm was used to generate 80 sample points within the threshold space of each variable to fully explore the design space, followed by multi-generation optimization through NSGA-II. To avoid the accuracy degradation of traditional surrogate models, a coupled computational process integrating high-precision hydrodynamic solutions and optimization algorithms was established, enabling automatic co-simulation between CAESES and STAR-CCM + software. Hydrodynamic analyses were conducted on UUVs equipped with wings of different shapes to explore the impact of different parameter combinations on total drag. The optimization results indicate that a certain height difference between the two wing sections protruding from the hull is beneficial for reducing total drag. Flow field analysis shows that the optimized shape effectively suppresses energy dissipation caused by turbulence. The proposed technical route of parametric modeling, intelligent optimization, and high-precision verification not only reduces the straight-line drag of the UUV with a new configuration but also provides a methodological reference for the optimization of complex appendages, possessing significant engineering value for improving the energy utilization efficiency of underwater equipment.
Egg quality and nutritional value are becoming increasingly important to consumers, offering a new direction for the development of high-quality eggs. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of egg quality and nutrient profiles in native breeds at different ages, integrating pedigree data. Our results reveal dynamic changes in egg qualities, stronger associations among eggshell-related traits, and the effect of onset production and body weight on egg qualities. The heritability of different traits was estimated, ranging from 0.05 to 0.62. Subsequently, we elucidated that the moisture and nutritional content in the egg yolk were not influenced by the percentage of yolk but were indeed subject to age regulation. There was a notable decrease in moisture, an elevation in crude fat, and an increase in the diversity of fatty acids of yolk with advancing age. In summary, investigating the trends and interrelationships in egg quality, nutrient content, and heritability across the whole laying cycle offers valuable insights for breeders to optimize feeding management strategies and aids consumers in meeting their expectations of egg quality.
Bastian Greisner, Dieter Mauer, Frank Rögener
et al.
This study investigated the predictability of forward osmosis (FO) performance with an unknown feed solution composition, which is important in industrial applications where process solutions are concentrated but their composition is unknown. A fit function of the unknown solution’s osmotic pressure was created, correlating it with the recovery rate, limited by solubility. The osmotic concentration was derived and used in the subsequent simulation of the permeate flux in the considered FO membrane. For comparison, magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate solutions were used since these show a particularly strong deviation from the ideal osmotic pressure according to Van’t Hoff and are, thus, characterized by an osmotic coefficient unequal to 1. The simulation is based on the solution–diffusion model with consideration of external and internal concentration polarization phenomena. Here, a membrane module was subdivided into 25 segments of equal membrane area, and the module performance was solved by a numerical differential. Experiments in a laboratory scale for validation confirmed that the simulation gave satisfactory results. The recovery rate in the experimental run could be described for both solutions with a relative error of less than 5%, while the calculated water flux as a mathematical derivative of the recovery rate showed a bigger deviation.
Selda Yildiz, John Grinstead, Andrea Hildebrand
et al.
Abstract Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear fluid bathing the central nervous system (CNS), undergoes pulsatile movements. Together with interstitial fluid, CSF plays a critical role for the removal of waste products from the brain, and maintenance of the CNS health. As such, understanding the mechanisms driving CSF movement is of high scientific and clinical impact. Since pulsatile CSF dynamics is sensitive and synchronous to respiratory movements, we are interested in identifying potential integrative therapies such as yogic breathing to regulate CSF dynamics, which has not been reported before. Here, we investigated the pre-intervention baseline data from our ongoing randomized controlled trial, and examined the impact of four yogic breathing patterns: (i) slow, (ii) deep abdominal, (iii) deep diaphragmatic, and (iv) deep chest breathing with the last three together forming a yogic breathing called three-part breath. We utilized our previously established non-invasive real-time phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging approach using a 3T MRI instrument, computed and tested differences in single voxel CSF velocities (instantaneous, respiratory, cardiac 1st and 2nd harmonics) at the level of foramen magnum during spontaneous versus yogic breathing. In examinations of 18 healthy participants (eight females, ten males; mean age 34.9 ± 14 (SD) years; age range: 18–61 years), we observed immediate increase in cranially-directed velocities of instantaneous-CSF 16–28% and respiratory-CSF 60–118% during four breathing patterns compared to spontaneous breathing, with the greatest changes during deep abdominal breathing (28%, p = 0.0008, and 118%, p = 0.0001, respectively). Cardiac pulsation was the primary source of pulsatile CSF motion except during deep abdominal breathing, when there was a comparable contribution of respiratory and cardiac 1st harmonic power [0.59 ± 0.78], suggesting respiration can be the primary regulator of CSF depending on the individual differences in breathing techniques. Further work is needed to investigate the impact of sustained training yogic breathing on pulsatile CSF dynamics for CNS health.
Ports offer an effective way to facilitate the global economy. However, massive carbon emission during port operating aggravates the atmospheric pollution in port cities. Capturing characteristics of port carbon emission is vital to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) in the maritime realm as well as to achieve China’s carbon neutral objective. In this work, an integrated framework is proposed for exploring the driving factors of China ports’ emissions combined with stochastic effects on population, affluence and technology regression (STIRPAT), Global Malmquist-Luenberger (<i>GML</i>) and multiple linear regression (MLR). The port efficiency is estimated for each port and the potential driving factors of carbon emission are explored. The results indicate that port carbon emissions have a strong connection with port throughput, productivity, containerization and intermodal transshipment. It is worth noting that the containerization ratio and port physical facility with fossil-free energy improvement have positively correlated with carbon emissions. However, the specific value of waterborne transshipment shows a complex impact on carbon dioxide emission as the ratio increases. The findings reveal that China port authorities need to improve containerization ratio and develop intermodal transportation; meanwhile, it is responsible for port authorities to update energy use and improve energy efficiency in ways to minimize the proportion of non-green energy consumption in accordance with optimizing port operation management including peak shaving and intelligent management systems under a new horizon of clean energy and automatic equipment.