Constriction band syndrome (CBS) is a rare condition where fibrous bands constrict one or more parts of the fetus with varying manifestations such as autoamputation, acrosyndactyly, and neuropathy. However, isolated extremity fractures in the setting of constriction band syndrome are even more rare, with only two reported cases in the literature. There are few guidelines on the management of CBS due to small case numbers, the variability of presentation between patients, and the lack of consensus on etiology and pathogenesis. In this small case series, we describe the presentation and management of three patients at our institution with extremity fractures at the site of severe constriction bands with neurologic injuries or vascular compromise. We also review the literature on this topic to provide further context. Intramedullary stabilization of the fracture with a k-wire allowed for soft tissue healing in two of our patients. Constriction band syndrome (CBS) is a rare condition in which fibrous amniotic bands entangle one or more parts of the fetus leading to various congenital anomalies. It has an estimated incidence of one in 1200 to one in 15,000 live births . In contAmniotic bands most commonly affect the extremities, with a predilection for distal digits . ManifesFractures in the setting of constriction band syndrome are exceedingly rare. Small case series and case reports of pseudoarthrosis have been reported in the literature ,15,16,17Patient 1 was born at 38 weeks gestational age with a left distal humeral shaft fracture at the site of a CCB. On initial examination by the plastic surgery team, there was severe banding with a tight sac encompassing the hand and band extending to the upper arm. A sterile bedside procedure was performed to remove the sac from the hand. The hand was completely flaccid with no noted function of the radial, median, or ulnar nerves that could be elicited. However, there did appear to be good perfusion of the hand, and ultrasound of the extremity confirmed appropriate flow of the brachial artery distal to the fracture. The humerus fracture was initially angulated 90 degrees, which was grossly realigned and immobilized . After tPatient 2 was born at 36 weeks gestational age with CCBs affecting her right lower and bilateral upper extremities. The left upper extremity CCB was severe, causing an open wound 270 degrees around the arm and a resultant humeral shaft fracture. She also had congenital amputations of the left index and ring fingers. Her arm was flaccid distal to the band and operative exploration demonstrated transection of the radial, median, and ulnar nerves and of the triceps and short head of the biceps. She underwent band release and repair of the median, ulnar, radial, and medial antebrachial cutaneous nerves by plastic surgery at 2 days of age. In order to facilitate the nerve exploration and repair and provide a stable environment to protect the repair, intramedullary k-wire fixation of the humerus fracture was performed by orthopedic surgery prior to the soft tissue procedures . At 2-wePatient 3 was born premature at 28 weeks with CCBs involving the bilateral distal legs. On the left side, he was noted to have a deep circumferential supramalleolar band causing severe venous congestion and edema distal to the band with purple discoloration, sluggish capillary refill, and decreased pulses. Plastic surgery was initially consulted and took the patient to the OR for urgent constriction band release due to concern for limb ischemia. Orthopedics was also consulted due to distal third tibia and fibula shaft fractures at the site of the left CCB. After band release by plastic surgery, he was placed in a long leg splint on the left side. However, venous congestion began to worsen again over the following days and the plastic surgery team requested further stabilization of the fracture to protect the soft tissue repair. The patient returned to the OR on day of life 2 and the orthopedics team performed percutaneous retrograde intramedullary fixation of the tibia fracture with a 1.6 mm k-wire . The k-wConstriction band syndrome is a highly variable spectrum of congenital abnormalities that occur in the presence of an amniotic band. Due to its widely heterogenetic clinical presentation, there is no set of consistent findings required for diagnosis. Rather, CBS is associated with the presence of constrictive rings, limb defects, neural defects, and craniofacial abnormalities ,7,20. ThThis variability in clinical presentations thus requires management to be individualized in each case. Shallow bands that do not present with vascular or neurological compromise may not require any surgical intervention aside from cosmetic repair. On the other hand, deep rings associated with neurovascular compromise may require emergency limb-sparing band release ,23. TherIn our review of the literature, pseudoarthrosis of the tibia and fibula was the most common osseous defect in CBS ,14,15,17Masmoudi et al. published a case report of an amniotic band causing fracture of the tibia and fibula. Their patient had no signs of vascular compromise, with no skin breaches and normal capillary pulses and refill time. Non-operative treatment was reported to be successful .A fracture of the forearm in an infant due to an amniotic band was reported by Angelis et al. Severe swelling, neural damage, and vascular compromise were noted. Band release was performed on day 4 and the fracture was reduced and immobilized. Circulation improved but the patient deceased on day 16 due to vascular distress .Ho et al. report a similar course of management in a rare case of pseudoarthrosis of the forearm. In contrast to Angelis et al., initial presentation of the limb was viable without any evidence of vascular compromise. Severe edema, cyanosis, and diminished pulses were present only after fluid resuscitation. Band release was performed on day 2 and the forearm was immobilized and healed with no further surgical intervention .The management of patients with CBS has evolved over time and fractures in the setting of a congenital constriction band are rare. These patients often require a multidisciplinary approach between plastic surgery and orthopedic surgery. Future studies could improve upon the limitations of our small sample size and limited follow-up. However, this can be difficult in the setting of a rare condition such as CBS. To the best of our knowledge, there are only two previous case reports of fractures caused by an amniotic band in the literature. Here, we present a series of three patients with extremity fractures at the site of severe constriction bands with neurologic injuries or vascular compromise. As seen in two of these patients, intramedullary stabilization of the fracture with a k-wire may be indicated in some cases to provide bony stability, reduce tension on the soft tissue repair and allow for soft tissue healing.


The first International Summer School on Bone Marrow Adiposity was organized by members of Bone Marrow Adiposity Society and held virtually on September 6-8 2021. The goal of this meeting was to bring together young scientists interested in learning about bone marrow adipose tissue biology and pathology. Fifty-two researchers from different backgrounds and fields, ranging from bone physiopathology to adipose tissue biology and hematology, participated in the summer school. The meeting featured three keynote lectures on the fundamentals of bone marrow adiposity, three scientific workshops on technical considerations in studying bone marrow adiposity, and six motivational and career development lectures, spanning from scientific writing to academic career progression. Moreover, twenty-one participants presented their work in the form of posters. In this report we highlight key moments and lessons learned from the event. The growing interest in bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) is evident from the increase in articles published yearly by researchers all over the world Figure 1http://bma-society.org/) with Dr. Pierre Hardouin as the founding president. The aims of the newly established society were to advance the knowledge of BMA by facilitating interdisciplinary exchanges, developing research strategies, and standardizing nomenclature and methods to study BMAT. Thus far, the society has produced and published three consensus articles  have been organized with the aim to bring together scientists working on or interested in BMAT –8. Laterarticles –11.One of BMAS’s key goals is to promote BMAT research by training and supporting young scientists interested in this field. Therefore, a group of young scientists from Europe and the United States envisioned the first BMAS Summer School, which was held as a virtual meeting on September 6-8, 2021. The goal of the event was to foster general knowledge of BMAT research to young researchers from all fields in order to provide fundamentals about how BMAT originates, develops, and interacts with other organs, as well as how to study BMA and what methods to use in both clinical and basic research. Moreover, the event program contained career development workshops with the aim to provide tips on how to face difficulties and overcome obstacles in the academic life, which alternative paths exist outside academia, and how to write a good manuscript and how to understand where to publish. Fifty-two participants from all over the world Figure 2The three-day event consisted of a daily keynote lecture on BMA, followed by a scientific workshop on how to study BMA and two motivational and career development workshops with a total of twelve presentations from invited speakers. Moreover, twenty-one abstracts were selected and presented as posters with a live discussion; these abstracts have been published and are available elsewhere .Dr. Moustapha Kassem (University of Southern Denmark) opened the three-day event with a lecture entitled “BMAT: origin, multicellularity, regulation of lineage commitment, and functional implications”. In his talk, Dr. Kassem described a historical roadmap from the first correlations with bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, to the most recent studies on the regulation of bone marrow stromal cell differentiation potential towards osteoblasts or bone marrow adipocytes. This session was moderated by Dr. Gustavo Duque (University of Melbourne). Dr. Kassem gave an overview of the major findings and discoveries on BMA in relation to bone health and homeostasis and its relevance to clinical outcomes. His talk pointed out the concept of cellular heterogeneity of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and presence of committed adipogenic and osteogenic progenitors besides multipotent BMSCs, which contribute to the interaction between bone and fat mass and cellular changes in the bone marrow microenvironment . In ordeEx vivo transplantation studies have revealed a common progenitor for both BMAds and osteogenic cells that resides in the bone marrow stromal compartment (The second keynote lecture was given by Dr. Mara Riminucci (Sapienza University of Rome) and moderated by Dr. Ling Qin (University of Pennsylvania). The main focus of this talk was the role played by BMAT in bone and disease. She started by defining bone marrow adipocytes (BMAds), referring to Tavassoli’s definition, as recognized large cells with a single lipid droplet  and posipartment –24. The partment , supportpartment , and modpartment . Moreovepartment .The second part of the lecture focused on the role of BMAT in the context of human pathology. BMAT is, in fact, involved in different pathologies of the bone and bone marrow, including osteoporosis, bone fragility, hematological tumors, bone cancer metastasis, and some genetic disorders involving the skeleton , 30. On The third keynote lecture was provided by Dr. William Cawthorn (University of Edinburgh) and moderated by Dr. William Ferris (Stellenbosch University). The presentation focused mainly on BMAT’s impact on metabolic and skeletal homeostasis within bone marrow. Dr. Cawthorn began his lecture by introducing subtypes of adipose tissue, their location, and structure. As extensive research has been done to characterize white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT), the talk focused on their metabolic functions, covering the processes of energy storage and energy release within WAT, as well as thermogenesis in BAT. In contrast with WAT and BAT, little is known about BMAT metabolic characteristics and its systemic function. As a leading expert in the study of BMAT, Dr Cawthorn, presented a detailed description of lipid content properties and metabolism  in BMAT from different skeletal sites. Furthermore, his research group conducted transcriptional characterization comparing BMAT and WAT using microarray analysis. The results demonstrated that BMAT is less responsive to insulin compared to WAT . These fThe first workshop entitled “Standard nomenclature, abbreviations and units for the analysis of bone marrow adipose tissue” was given by Dr. Nathalie Bravenboer  and moderated by Dr. Stefanie Lucas . Dr. Bravenboer started with some historical data of the discovery of the bone marrow space and role in red blood cell development . The fira priori. While the necessary considerations vary across specific histologic techniques, some factors of notable importance were generally applicable. Consistency in region of interest (ROI), analysis of a large and representative ROI, sufficient sample size , and the use of controls are critical to successful and reproducible histology. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue is ideal for investigating cell number and size  covering histology of BMAT and was moderated by Dr. Michaela Tencerova (Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences). Dr. Scheller began the session outlining the potential uses of histology to study BMAds, including cell number, size, localization, molecular analyses, and lineage tracing, with a focus on the importance of technical considerations decided and size , 37, 38.and size , 40. Antand size . Moleculand size . Despitein vivo measurement of BMAT.Dr. Dimitrios Karampinos  delivered the third BMAT workshop: “Standard imaging methods in the assessment of bone marrow adipose tissue” that was moderated by Dr. Greet Kerckhofs (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven). Dr. Karampinos provided an extensive overview of the imaging techniques in use to assess both BMAT and bone properties, outlining the difficulties to explore both with the same imaging technique. He explained the concept of Magnetic Resonance (MR) contrast mechanisms to study fat, the T1-weighted imaging and chemical shift encoding resulting in a proton density fat fraction (PDFF). The PDFF has been used to demonstrate the fat fraction increases with aging , 44 and The first Career Development Workshop was given by Dr. Jonathan Tobias (University of Bristol) and moderated by Dr. Claire Edwards (University of Oxford). As a Specialty Chief Editor of the Bone Research Section in Frontiers in Endocrinology, Dr. Tobias focused on aspects of writing a scientific paper and going through the publication process. This talk covered the basic paper and journal types, reviewed the paper preparation process , and the process of choosing appropriate journals for submission. Moreover, Dr. Tobias discussed the peer review process, covered the types of peer review and emphasized the importance of this process to improve the quality of publication. He also provided guidelines for responding to reviewers and tips on “Surviving the Peer Review” process, which was highly useful and informative for young researchers who are currently undergoing these processes with their first publications.The academic career progression talk was given by Dr. Michaela Reagan . During the Academic Career Progression workshop, Dr. Reagan first took us with her on her academic journey and highlighted the importance of giving talks and meeting people during conferences to obtain new positions and advance your career. She shared her motivation to pursue an academic career and her keys to success, including diversification, finding a good mentor, considering work life balance, and personal traits like resiliency, open-mindedness, and most importantly, enjoying your work! Common mistakes were also discussed, such as being too optimistic, perfectionism, never saying no, and imposter syndrome. She explained the different academic career paths  and highlighted useful grant options in the USA . All in all, this workshop helped to gain more insight into the academic career progression and get some very useful advice.The career development workshop titled “How I write a grant” was given by Dr. Christopher Hernandez (Cornell University) and moderated by Dr. Julien Paccou . Dr. Hernandez began the session detailing the importance of writing clarity in not only increasing the chances of being awarded the grant, but also in receiving feedback that will make the next grant better in the event it is not awarded. To this end, providing a strong framework, directly stating answers to review criteria, and using definitive verbiage  in your specific aims can improve the likelihood of receiving funding. Another key aspect of writing a grant is striking a balance between the big picture and technical details. Consideration of varying backgrounds of potential reviewers and the circumstances the grant will be read in , as well as developing skills in science communication can be extremely helpful. Numerous resources are available for additional help, including seminars, workshops, and published workbooks .This career development workshop continued with an invited talk by Dr. Stavroula Kousteni  on how to start a collaboration and was moderated by Dr. Bram van der Eerden (Erasmus University Rotterdam). This workshop was led in a very interactive format. Dr. Kousteni began by directly asking the participants what are the main aspects/points that you look for in a new collaborator  as it can help to refine your search for the best collaborator. She also mentioned it is important to set up the rules of the collaboration at the beginning in order to avoid any miscommunication and delay progress of the project. Another trick to establishing successful collaborations is to find a collaborator with a similar personality. In addition, this workshop summarized several positive and negative aspects of starting new collaborations and left us with several tips on what is crucial in this important part of our scientific work.The career development talk entitled “A path to the science of the HeART” was given by Dr. Ana Silva and was moderated by Dr. Rossella Labella (Columbia University). Dr. Silva shared her personal transition from postdoc in academia to a freelancer position as a scientific illustrator. Like the majority of early-stage investigators in academia, she was considering becoming a Principal Investigator as her first choice. She was excluding other career options for three main reasons: ego, expectation, and fear. With the help of the MIND (Making Informed Career Decisions) program at the Gladstone Institute she decided to mix her two passions, science and illustration, and to pursue an alternative career path as a scientific illustrator. This led to the opening of her own business in Portugal. She concluded the workshop with several pros and cons of being a freelancer worker.The last talk of the BMAS Summer School 2021, was given by Dr. Jennifer Heemstra (Emory University) and moderated by Dr. Erica Scheller (Washington University in St. Louis). The main goal of this talk was to share the tremendous lessons that Dr. Heemstra has learned from her scientific and life experiences. She first invited the audience to reflect on their own challenges and lessons in their career path. She began with a first lesson: your success is determined by what you do when everything is going wrong; and added that our life is the most interesting experiment that we get to run. She reminded the audience that there will be times in research and in life where things do not go as planned. It is true that these challenges and failures are frustrating, but they can also be an opportunity for us to learn and grow. She shared the many challenges she has faced in her career, including being advised not to pursue a scientific career by one of her high school academic advisors, her participation in Science Olympiad, challenging herself with the organic course chemistry where she discovered her passion for chemistry, losing her father and one of her best friends, becoming pregnant during her first week of postdoctoral training, and not passing the tenure votes. Dr. Heemstra reflected on not receiving tenure as one of the worst times of her life because she felt that she disappointed both her family and lab members. Through all of these challenges she discovered that she is stronger than she thought.Finally, we should learn to enjoy what we are doing and do it with passion. Discovering the passion is essential and fulfilling. However, we should develop our passion rather than follow it. Dr. Heemstra ended the talk by encouraging the audience to take a step out of their comfort zone every day to challenge our capabilities. One lesson we learned from this talk: what might be your biggest failure can empower you to the most life-changing experience in your whole life.Poster sessions consisted of a combination of pre-recorded 3-minute video presentations and a live discussion over Zoom in individual rooms. Abstracts covered a wide range of topics Figure 3Glucocorticoid receptor in bone marrow adipocytes is not required for expansion during calorie restriction and presented by Dr. Rebecca L. Schill from University of Michigan, USA.All the abstracts were evaluated from the scientific board of the BMAS in a blinded mode, each abstract was evaluated by three scientific board members and the final score was the sum of the three different evaluations. For abstract evaluation, the following criteria were considered: effectiveness of background and hypothesis, novelty of the data, clearness of communication, and overall quality of writing. The abstract that got the highest score was entitled In addition, the organizing committee of the summer school gave awards for the best poster presentation and for the most active participant. The former was assigned to Laura Trainor from Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia and the latter to Husam Bensreti from Augusta University, Georgia, USA.Our understanding of BMA’s role and function in health and disease has grown considerably in the last years. Since 2015, an annual meeting on BMA has been organized with the aim to help collaborative research in the field and promote knowledge, which was accomplished with growing number of BMAS members and experts. In 2021, BMAS launched the first edition of the BMAS Summer School, an event organized by young scientists and addressed to trainees and junior investigators interested in the BMA field. Many biological questions remain to be addressed about the origin, development, and physiopathology of BMA, supporting the need to raise a young generation of scientists to the study of BMA. For instance, do BMAds share a common progenitor with osteoblasts? Why does BMAT develop? Do BMAds have only a filling function in bone marrow? Why do BMAds increase in conditions such as osteoporosis? Why do BMAds decrease with metastatic invasion of the bone marrow? Are there transcription factors and/or cell surface markers that are specific to BMAds and not other adipocytes? Will we be able to routinely measure BMAT in patients? Will it be possible in future to use BMAT assessment as diagnostic or prognostic tool?BMAS Summer School 2021 was a success not only for the productive discussion coming from the insightful lectures of the speakers and the vibrant community of attendees, but also for bringing in scientists from fields other than BMA, and for the creation of a young investigator working group, the Next Generation BMAS. The main aim of the group will be to organize the biannual summer school, and other events like virtual happy hours, data discussion series, and “meet the professor” events, that will be included in the BMA meetings.RL and BP served as co-chairs of the BMAS SS 2021 meeting, and S-LL, VA, RS, MT, and AV as members of the organizing committee. BP collected and analyzed metadata. RL, S-LL, VA, RS, MT, AV, and BP wrote and revised the manuscript. All authors approved the submitted version.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.


The identification of forest pests is of great significance to the prevention and control of the forest pests' scale. However, existing datasets mainly focus on common objects, which limits the application of deep learning techniques in specific fields (such as agriculture). In this paper, we collected images of forestry pests and constructed a dataset for forestry pest identification, called Forestry Pest Dataset. The Forestry Pest Dataset contains 31 categories of pests and their different forms. We conduct several mainstream object detection experiments on this dataset. The experimental results show that the dataset achieves good performance on various models. We hope that our Forestry Pest Dataset will help researchers in the field of pest control and pest detection in the future. It is well known that the untimely control of pests will cause serious damage and loss of commercial crops  hand-made feature extractors based on GIST  We construct a new forestry pest dataset for the target detection task.2) We tested our dataset on several popular object detection models. The results indicate that the dataset is challenging and creates new research opportunities. We hope this work will help advance future research on related fundamental issues as well as forestry pests identification tasks.In this section, we introduce the related work of agricultural pest identification and review the existing data sets.Pest identification helps researchers improve the quality and yield of agricultural products. Earlier pest identification models are mainly based on machine learning techniques. For example, Le-Qing and Zhen  utilizesetc.Convolutional neural network (CNN) has strong image feature learning capability, such as ResNet  taxonomic system establishment, 2) image collection, 3) preliminary data filtering, 4) Data Augmentation, and 5) professional data annotation.Sericinus montela and Sericinus montela(larvae) according to our The standards are divided into two categories. There are 31 classes finally obtained and they present a hierarchical structure as shown in We have established hierarchical classification criteria for the Forestry Pest Dataset. We asked three forestry experts to help us discuss common forest pest species. In addition, to better meet the needs of forest pest control, we use the larvae, eggs, and nymphs of each pest as subclasses, specifically, We utilize the Internet and forestry pest databases as the main sources of dataset images. We use the Chinese and scientific names of pests to search and save on common image search engines and also search for their corresponding eggs, larvae, and other images. Afterward, we searched for corresponding images from specialized agricultural and forestry pest websites.From candidate images obtained from various websites and databases, we organized four volunteers to manually screen images. With the assistance of forestry experts, volunteers removed invalid and duplicate images that did not contain pests and repaired damaged images. And establish the initial category information. Specifically, in the initial pest collection work, we collected according to 15 categories, the purpose of this is to enhance the balance of data in the next step. Finally, we obtained 2,278 original images.To ensure the effectiveness of the model and improve the generalization ability of the dataset, we use 7 image enhancement techniques such as rotation, noise, and brightness transformation to expand our dataset. For the species with less data, we adopt 7 methods for augmentation, and our purpose is to balance the number of pest images for each category. For object detection tasks, annotation information is very important, which is related to the recognition accuracy of the model. The first is to classify the collected pests. In the image collection stage, we already have the initial classification information. On this basis, our three experts first need to independently determine whether the image conforms to the category. Uncertain images are eliminated by three experts. The location information of pests is also very important, which can help forestry protection workers better find the specific location of pests. On the premise of understanding the types of pests, we use the LabelImg tool to label the images, mainly labeling the types and locations of pests.We recruited three volunteers to assist us in the annotation of the data. First, each volunteer will receive guidance and training from three forestry professionals to understand the basic characteristics of each type of pest. After that, we will train the three volunteers to use the LabelImg tool. Volunteers need to master the basic usage of LabelImg, including importing files and adding, modifying, and deleting annotation information. Experts will assist volunteers to annotate some images in the early stage, and then volunteers will independently complete subsequent image annotations. In the process of annotation, images that are difficult to identify or annotate will be resolved through consultation by three experts. After all image annotations are completed, volunteers use the annotation visualization to check whether there is any wrong or defective annotation information and submit it to experts for the final ruling.Our Forestry Pest Dataset contains 7,163 images and 31 pest species. To ensure the training results, we randomly divide according to the following ratio: : Test=9: 1. Specifically, the Forestry Pest Dataset is split into 5,801 training, 645 validation, and 717 testing images for the object detection task.In Pests with different life cycles have different degrees of damage to forestry, so we retained images of these different morphological pests during data collection and annotation. However, due to the small differences between classes (similar features) and large differences within classes (there are many stages in the life cycle) of pests, accurate classification of their features is a difficult task in detection tasks. In addition, the imbalanced data distribution brings challenges to the feature learning of the model, and the imbalanced data will cause the learning results of the model to be biased toward a relatively large number of classes.To explore the application value of our proposed dataset, we evaluate several popular object detection algorithms on this dataset. Based on the two-stage approach of Faster RCNN , proposal extraction, bounding box regression (rect refine), and classification into one network in structure, which greatly improves the comprehensive performance., especially in terms of detection speed. SSD is a single-stage target detection algorithm, which uses convolutional neural network for feature extraction, and takes different feature layers for detection output. SSD is a multi-scale detection method. Based on the original YOLO target detection architecture, the YOLOV4 algorithm adopts the best optimization strategy in the CNN field in recent years, and has different degrees of optimization in terms of data processing, backbone network, network training, activation function, loss function, etc., achieving the perfect balance of speed and precision. Based on DETR, Deformable DETR improves the calculation method of the attention mechanism through sparse sampling, reduces the amount of calculation, and greatly reduces the training time of the model while ensuring accuracy.SSD, Faster RCNN, YOLOV4, and Deformable DETR initial model parameter settings are shown in mAP and Recall as evalution metrics which are two widely used metrics in target detection. mAP and Recall are calculated as follows:We use TP is a positive sample predicted by the model as a positive class, FP is a negative sample predicted as a positive class by the model, FN is a negative class predicted by the model positive sample. Each class can calculate its Precision and Recall, and each class can get a PR curve, and the area under the curve is AP. mAPα and mAPmulti−scale are the average of all classes AP at different confidence levels α and different scales value.Where, In the MS COCO dataset, objects with an area less than 32*32 are considered small objects, while objects with an area greater than 32*32 and less than 96*96 are considered medium objects.Average precision performance of object detection methods under different IoU thresholds. The results are shown in From the experimental results in From the above results, Deformable DETR based on Transformer architecture does not perform as well as YOLOV4 or even Faster RCNN in some cases. Based on our analysis, there are the following reasons.1) Deformable DETR has no prior information. Whether it is YOLOV4 or Faster RCNN, they all have a part of prior information input, such as the clustering results of the coordinate information of the dataset, which can help the model find the target faster.2) Although the attention mechanism calculation of Deformable DETR has been improved, its essence is still based on pixel calculation, which leads to a huge amount of calculation for high-resolution images. Deformable DETR does not have a feature fusion module similar to YOLOV4, which is detrimental to the detection of small objects.3) Deformable DETR uses the Hungarian matching algorithm to match the prediction and ground truth, which cannot guarantee the convergence and accuracy of the model to a certain extent.The confusion matrix in target detection is very similar to that in classification, but the difference is that the object of the classification task is a picture, while the detection task is different. It includes two tasks of positioning and classification, and the object is each target in the picture. Therefore, to be able to draw positive and negative examples in the confusion matrix, it is necessary to distinguish which results are correct and which are wrong in the detection results. At the same time, the detection of errors also needs to be classified into different error categories. How to judge whether a detection result is correct, the most common way at present is to calculate the IOU of the detection frame and the real frame, and then judge whether the two frames match according to the IOU. For some targets below the threshold or not detected, they will be considered as the background class. The confusion matrix results of the model on the test set are shown in Small targets have always been a difficult task in target detection due to their small size and lack of feature information. In the field of forest pest detection, the detection of small targets is also a difficult task due to the real complexity. Our dataset contains small objects such as larvae and eggs. We also consider the model's ability to detect small objects in our dataset. The results are shown in As can be seen from the above table, YOLOV4 significantly leads the rest of the models in the detection of small targets, thanks to its powerful network structure and feature fusion, Deformable DETR is based on the attention mechanism of pixel-level computing, and the detection of small targets is not very friendly.In this work, we collect a dataset, for forest insect pest recognition, including over 7,100 images of 31 classes. Compared with previous datasets, our dataset focuses on a variety of forestry pests, meets the detection needs of both real and experimental environments, and also includes pest forms in different periods, which some previous forestry pest datasets neglected. Meanwhile, we also evaluate some state-of-the-art recognition methods on our dataset. Exceptionally, this dataset has received good feedback on some mainstream object detection algorithms. However, in the detection of small objects, the existing deep learning methods cannot achieve the desired accuracy. Inspired by the success of the application in computer vision of the Transformer model, we also introduced the Transformer model to solve the forestry pest identification problem. We hope this work will help advance future research on related fundamental issues as well as forestry pests identification tasks.To better promote the development of forestry pest identification, we will continue to collect forestry pest data and expand the dataset to 99 categories. For pests that have occurred or diseases caused by pests, there is a lack of relevant data sets and research support. In response, we will collect images of diseases caused by insect pests.Although the existing deep learning models have achieved good results in forest pest identification, small target recognition is still a challenge. We will optimize and improve the model in the follow-up to further improve the model's ability to detect small targets.https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WnNDLEZCNpXKwJzjnJsQKSAYKljIIRCH?usp=sharing.The datasets for this study can be found in the GW designed research and revised the manuscript. LL and BL conducted experiments, data analysis, and wrote the manuscript. RZ collected pest data. WC and RD revised the paper. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.The research is supported by the Educational Department of Jilin Province of China (Grant No. JJKH20210752KJ). The research is also supported by the project of research on independent experimental teaching mode of program design foundation based on competition to promote learning which is the Higher Education Research of Jilin Province of China (Grant No. JGJX2021D191).The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.


Herein, we propose that there should be discussion about the function and effects of stereotypies in relation to the time during which they are shown. In the first stages, stereotypies may help animals deal with challenges. However, behavior can potentially alter the brain, impairing its function due the absence of a diverse repertory, and change brain connections, neurophysiology and later neuroanatomy. The neuroanatomical changes in individuals showing stereotypies could be an effect rather than a cause of the stereotypy. As a consequence, studies showing different outcomes for animal welfare from stereotypy expression could be due to variation in a timeline of expression. Stereotypies are widely used as an animal welfare indicator, and their expression can tell us about psychological states. However, there are questions about the longer-term consequences if animals express stereotypies: do the stereotypies help in coping? During the prenatal period, stereotypic behavior expressed by the mother can change the phenotype of the offspring, especially regarding emotionality, one mechanism acting via methylation in the limbic system in the brain. Are individuals that show stereotypies for shorter or longer periods all better adjusted, and hence have better welfare, or is the later welfare of some worse than that of individuals that do not show the behavior?Stereotypies comprise a wide range of repeated and apparently functionless behaviors that develop in individuals whose neural condition or environment results in poor welfare. While stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare at the time of occurrence, they may have various consequences. Environmental enrichment modifies causal factors and reduces the occurrence of stereotypies, providing evidence that stereotypies are an indicator of poor welfare. However, stereotypy occurrence and consequences change over time. Furthermore, there are complex direct and epigenetic effects when mother mammals that are kept in negative conditions do or do not show stereotypies. It is proposed that, when trying to deal with challenging situations, stereotypies might initially help animals to cope. After further time in the conditions, the performance of the stereotypy may impair brain function and change brain connections, neurophysiology and eventually neuroanatomy. It is possible that reported neuroanatomical changes are an effect of the stereotypy rather than a cause. Sus scrofa domesticus) kept in stalls, crates or tethers [Stereotypies constitute a range of repeated and apparently functionless behaviors that are expressed by individuals whose neural condition or environment results in compromised welfare ,2,3 and  tethers ,7,8 sugg tethers . HoweverEnvironmental enrichment can be an efficient strategy to reduce the expression of stereotypies ,10,11, sGallus gallus) is an example of a stereotypy that probably helps to regulate attentional mechanisms [One of the hypotheses for the causation of stereotypies assumes that their performance helps the individual to cope with its environment and reduces distress in the animal ,13. It ichanisms  but is achanisms .A stereotypy in a mother animal could be either positive or negative in relation to attempts to cope but could also affect the offspring. The prenatal environment can change the characteristics of a fetus in ways that persist after birth. In mammals, pregnancy has a potential role in shaping the ontogenetic development of the organism, once the environment of the mother may have consequences on the offspring ,15,16.Neurodevelopmental programming can induce alterations that will impact how the animal will cope with challenges in the postnatal environment . EpigeneStereotypies develop in animals kept in environments where they have little control, sometimes with few stimuli, physical restraint or exposure to contingencies that cause fear or frustration . StereotThe expression of stereotypies is considered to be an indicator of poor welfare ,5,18,19.Mus musculus) in barren housing conditions showed an alternative to stereotypic behavior, a motionless behavior considered to be a depression-like state [Among the neurophysiological markers implicated in these behaviors are endorphins, and the opioid antagonist naloxone interrupts stereotypies in sows ,27. Endoke state , similarke state ,30. Theske state ,22,27. Hke state ,31, but The frustration triggered by food restriction can initiate oral stereotypic behaviors in sows . The expStereotypies were considered to be a pathological outcome related to the dysfunctional activity of the dopaminergic system, resulting from an overproduction of dopamine or a hypersensitivity in the receptors of this neurotransmitter . StereotClethrionomys glareolus) showing stereotypies change their preferences, manifesting a bias for poor environments [Interestingly, voles (ronments . Correspronments . One posronments .Neovison vison) that showed a longer duration of stereotypies had lower success in copulation [Information about stereotypies comes mainly from animals in captivity and from individuals with neurological disorders. What are the consequences of stereotypies in the long-term? Male mink  expression in the pre-frontal cortex . In pigsThe benefits of sensory stimulation as enrichment ,85 raiseCould there be transgenerational effects of stereotypies with changes in offspring phenotype? Pregnancy plays an important role in shaping the organism in mammals, since the maternal environment may affect offspring development. The “thrifty phenotype Hhypothesis” concerns the neurodevelopmental reprogramming that induces alterations in the fetus to help cope with early life and additionally anticipate the postnatal environment . This meContingencies in the early life can shape their phenotype and promote changes in their biological functioning. Prenatal environments are critical for fetal development, including the organization of the central nervous system. When mothers are stressed, there can be a wide range of effects on offspring physiology and behavior, since the systemic physiological stress response of the mother has connection to the offspring that is in development in the uterus. The environment of the mother can provide important signals to the fetus, enabling some later adjustments to the environment that will be encountered ,94,95,96On the other hand, prenatal stress may generate changes that are not necessarily pathological. However, an excess of glucocorticoids can negatively affect brain structures and generate disruptive effects in the offspring ,15,88. TOne of the key protectors of the fetus during gestation is the placenta, once it can modulate the consequences of stressful events experienced by the mother and ultimately act as a buffer . In the The effects of prenatal stress may generate changes in offspring emotionality, since they impact negatively some brain structures such as the hippocampus and amygdala ,105. In Rattus norvegicus), maternal enrichment increased exploratory behavior in both male and female offspring [In rats . Stereotypies expressed by the mother during the prenatal period changes methylation patterns in several genes that are involved in neuroplasticity and psychiatric disorders, specifically in the limbic system of the offspring. The pathways are involved in basic cell functions, increasing the effects on neurophysiological mechanisms and disease risk . There are already some data elucidating the transgenerational effect of environmental enrichment on gene expression in the brain of the offspring , so it wStereotypies are widely used as animal welfare indicators, especially because the expression of the behavior can signal psychological states. However, there are questions about the longer-term consequences if animals express stereotypies: do the stereotypies help in coping? Can these individuals be better adjusted or is their later welfare worse than that of individuals who do not show the behavior? Some of the answers to those questions relate to studies showing that environmental enrichment reduces stereotypic behavior, providing for some needs and improving the welfare of the offspring. Going further in the timeline of stereotypy expression, during the prenatal period, stereotypies expressed by the mother can change the phenotype of the offspring, especially regarding emotionality. We propose that one of the mechanisms changing the phenotype of the offspring in response to enrichment and stereotypies is epigenetic changes in the limbic system of the brain. Responses, such as stereotypy, change over time. In the first stages of the response, stereotypies may be helping animals cope with challenges. However, it could have detrimental effects in a long-term. The neuroanatomical changes in individuals showing stereotypies could be an effect rather than a cause of the stereotypy. In this context, it would be interesting to design studies aiming to understand the stereotypies effects on the epigenome, across time. Additionally, it would be beneficial to combine stereotypy behaviors with other welfare indicators in a timeline to elucidate if the impact, as well as the capacity to help deal with challenges, changes depending on the time of expression.


Background and Objectives: the comorbidity of personality disorders in patients who use psychoactive substances is common in psychiatric practice. The epidemiology of disharmonious personality traits in patients with ADHD and addictions in adulthood is still insufficiently researched. The study investigated the typology of personality traits in a group of adult patients consuming psychoactive substances, in whom symptoms of ADHD were identified. Materials and Methods: the study evaluates a group of 104 patients with chronic psychoactive substances abuse, in whom symptoms of ADHD were identified in early adulthood, in terms of comorbid personality traits. Results: statistically significant data have been obtained regarding the presence of clinical traits characteristic for cluster B personality disorders, the patients presenting lower levels of self-control, self-image instability, difficulties in the areas of social relationships and own identity integration. Conclusions: ADHD symptomatology precedes the clinical traits of personality disorders in patients with addictions, negatively influencing chronic evolution and quality of life. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a psychiatric condition, which involves a modification of cerebral physiology through epigenetic mechanisms, during the transition from occasional, recreational consumption to repetitive, addictive behaviours of psychoactive substances . MultiplDuring the past few years, numerous studies on the comorbidity of substance abuse and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) have been published, however, research on the relationship between substance use, ADHD and personality disorders continues to be poorly developed.Studies that have investigated the co-occurrence of these disorders, report comorbidity rates ranging from 25% to 55% in adults with ADHD who had a history of psychostimulant abuse/dependence . If we cAddiction negatively affects the evolution of ADHD with age, through complications such as cognitive deterioration and memory problems. On the other hand, substance abuse can mimic the symptoms of ADHD and in this way lead to overdiagnosis. The objective is to establish a set of ADHD symptoms, in addition to the symptoms related to the onset, nature, and severity of substance abuse, so that patients with comorbidities can receive adequate treatment. Addiction in patients with ADHD has a more severe and chronic course compared to those who have addictions but do not associate this disorder as well .The presence of ADHD and personality disorder comorbidity, in patients with psychoactive substances abuse can be explained by the common impulsivity factor . The oveDue to the fact that the diagnosis of ADHD in adults is a relatively new one, the overlapping impulsivity, mood instability, and aggressivity symptoms can easily lead to the diagnosis of personality disorder without the suspicion of ADHD being taken into account . The invCertain personality traits based on impulsivity have been reported in multiple studies that have investigated patients with ADHD and SUD, such as the deficient self-control abilities , repeatePersonality disorders have a prevalence reported in the literature between 10 and 15% in the general population , the diaThe main objective of this study is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between personality disorders and drug use/ADHD. The secondary objective was to establish the most common type of personality disorder involved in this relationship.Our current research is a continuation of a previously published study, where we highlighted that in a group of 104 patients with SUDs, that 46% of them met the criteria for adult ADHD .The same group of 104 patients was included in this study. The patients, aged between 18–28 years, were selected from an addiction psychiatry unit at “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia” Clinical Psychiatry Hospital in Bucharest, Romania. The age of the adult patients included in the study is between 18–25 years. 75% of the subjects were between 18 and 22 years old, with 21 years old being the age with most representatives. This age range was selected as the ward within which we conducted our research is dedicated to younger adults. Moreover, the majority of those who struggle with these disorders and who are referred to the aforementioned addictions clinic are aged 18–25 and they were generally more inclined to cooperate and consent to the inclusion in the study. The selection protocol of the subjects included in the study and research methodology were applied with the agreement of the Ethics Committee within “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy and “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia” Clinical Psychiatry Hospital. In this cross-sectional, observational study we wanted to evaluate the pathological personality processes that were associated with the symptomatic picture of ADHD, and substance abuse rates.-Control group: patients with SUD and no ADHD symptoms, consisting of 60 participants.-Study group: patients with SUD and ADHD symptoms, consisting of 44 participants.Thus, the subjects were divided into two groups:All the participants underwent a comprehensive psychiatric assessment performed by a psychiatrist, consisting of the medical and developmental history, the educational history, the mental status examination, a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnosis and the treatment history.All patients from this study used drugs chronically.The evaluation of ADHD symptoms was carried out with DIVA 2.0, a structured interview approved in Romania, that investigates ADHD symptoms in adults, conceptualized in 2010 by J.J.S. Kooij .The evaluation of maladaptive personality traits was performed applying Severity Indices of Personality Problems (SIPP-SF), developed in 2008 by Verheul and Collaborators . This set-test for independent samples. For comparison of proportions, we used the z test, with a p < 0.05 significance level.Statistical analysis: compiling the variables database was carried out with Microsoft Office Excel 2007. Statistical data were obtained using IBM SPSS Statistics 20, by performing descriptive and inferential statistical methods. We used histograms for graphical representation of the discrete quantitative variables. Descriptive analysis of the quantitative variables was performed, and the relationship between 2 quantitative variables was detailed using Pearson correlation coefficient and the relationship between a quantitative and a qualitative variable was tested with t-test for independent samples showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the average of the scores for the self-control field in those without ADHD and those with ADHD   .There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding the scores obtained for Identity integrity and Responsibility sections.t-test for independent samples showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the 2 averages   .t-test for independent samples showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 averages   .p-value are represented. There was a linear, positive, moderate, statistically significant correlation between the values obtained by the subjects for the Self-control section and those for the Identity Integration and Relational Skills domains. There was also a linear, positive, strong, statistically significant correlation between the values obtained by the subjects for the field of Self-control and the areas of Responsibility and Social Adequacy. There was a linear, positive, moderate, statistically significant correlation between the values for the Identity Integration section and those for the Responsibility domain. There was also a linear, positive, strong, statistically significant correlation between the values of the Identity Integration domain and those of the Relational Skills and Social Adequacy domains.In The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of ADHD specific symptoms in a group of patients diagnosed with SUDs, hospitalized in an addiction ward within a clinical psychiatry hospital. Subsequently, after identifying the patients who met the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, the group was divided into two subgroups in order to compare the profile of substance use and comorbidities according to the presence or absence of ADHD symptoms. The secondary objective of the study was to characterize and compare the two subgroups in terms of personality traits and underlying personality disorders.The lower level of self-control reported by adults with ADHD compared to those without ADHD is explained by the clinical picture and the specific symptomatology of this disorder. Thus, the impulsiveness characteristic of ADHD in the adult is manifested by low tolerance to frustration, irritability, hurried responses, difficulties in waiting for their turn, easily entering into conflicts, impulsive expenses . PreviouThis self-regulating deficit is reflected in the scores obtained in the personality traits questionnaire, Self-control section.The lower scores obtained by the subjects in the group with ADHD for the Relationship skills items compared to the group without ADHD, is explained by the difficulties of people with this disorder to establish and maintain relationships with the people around them. So, both in the case of children with ADHD and in adults, patients have difficulties maintaining relationships because of impulsivity and inadequate reactions, and because they lose interest and become bored easily. Moreover, these people tend to change environments, jobs, relationships out of impulsivity .Previous research investigating the relationship between identity development and substance abuse, suggested that individuals with a non-integrated identity status are more likely to experiment drugs or alcohol at a younger age, to stay abstinent for a shorter time period, and to register a low compliance to the therapeutic process ,30. In oEven though one of the characteristics of addictions is the inability to take responsibility, in our study there was no significant statistical difference between the two groups regarding the scores obtained for Responsibility sections. These findings may suggest that in our group the pathological personality traits can be integrated in a Cluster B Personality Disorder, more specific in a narcissist or antisocial type. The clinical characteristics suggestive for Borderline Personality Disorder  were not statistically significant in our group. Considering this results in comparison with previous studies, we concluded that there is still controversy over the hypothesis that ADHD is a precursor to the development of Borderline Personality Disorder, as there are authors who consider that these two disorders are so frequently associated because they overlap with the same genetic and environmental aetiology .One studOur findings are consistent with other previous results, which highlight the presence of Antisocial Personality Disorder in patients with ADHD in young adulthood ,35. We cSevere personality disorders frequently associate comorbid ADHD, and the presence of this pathology predisposes to the development of accentuated disruptive behaviours, and an increased degree of impulsivity. According to data from precedent studies, the development of disharmonious personality characteristics in children overlapped with a history of oppositional defiant and/or aggressive behaviour. Moreover, an overlap with the three criteria  of antisocial personality was identified in 90% of patients with ADHD. The combined type or the hyperactivity/impulsivity type increases the risk of developing Antisocial Personality Disorder .Most studies reported in the literature on the association of substance use with ADHD pathology in adults, were performed on groups of patients diagnosed with ADHD to investigate the presence of behavioural disorders secondary to psychostimulant use. The present research brings as a novelty the retrospective investigation of ADHD symptoms in adulthood in a group of patients admitted to a psychiatric service with an addiction profile, underlining the importance of raising awareness regarding the identification and accurate diagnosis of ADHD in adult psychiatric services. However, thorough analysis of each case is needed, with investigation o the presence of ADHD symptomatology during childhood, as symptoms declared by adult patients, which can be superimposed over the ADHD criteria, may be part of the clinical picture of another psychiatric disorder, such as bipolar affective disorder or personality disorder, which have late onset, adolescence or adulthood. The diagnosis of ADHD has criteria applicable to adults only with DSM-5 and is still an underdiagnosed and untreated disorder, which further increases the risk of chronicity. All of the above results may increase awareness of the use of the diagnosis of ADHD in adult psychiatric services. Early diagnosis of ADHD and comorbidities could better guide the intervention  in these patients in order to improve their quality of life.The clinical picture in the adult with ADHD and Substance Abuse Disorder is very complex and of great symptomatic diversity. The more psychiatric comorbidities there are, the harder they are to treat and more difficult it is to achieve remission despite proper interventions. In the case of patients with antisocial personality traits that are difficult to treat it is important to consider them during evaluation, as symptoms of an undiagnosed ADHD, because it can provide more perspectives on intervention.The hypothesis that ADHD is a precursor to the development of Antisocial Personality Disorder is becoming increasingly valid. The developmental trajectory and the factors that modulate the course of this comorbidity throughout life are very little understood and require further study.


The industry increasingly insists on academic cooperation to solve the identified problems such as workers' performance, wellbeing, job satisfaction, and injuries. It causes an unsafe and unpleasant working environment that directly impacts the quality of the product, workers' productivity, and effectiveness. This study aimed to give a specialized solution for tests and explore possible solutions to the given problem in neuroergonomics and human–robot interaction. The designed modular and adaptive laboratory model of the industrial assembly workstation represents the laboratory infrastructure for conducting advanced research in the field of ergonomics, neuroergonomics, and human–robot interaction. It meets the operator's anatomical, anthropometric, physiological, and biomechanical characteristics. Comparing standard, ergonomic, guided, and collaborative work will be possible based on workstation construction and integrated elements. These possibilities allow the industry to try, analyze, and get answers for an identified problem, the condition, habits, and behavior of operators in the workplace. The set-up includes a workstation with an industry work chair, a Poka–Yoke system, adequate lighting, an audio 5.0 system, containers with parts and tools, EEG devices (a cap and smartfones), an EMG device, touchscreen PC screen, and collaborative robot. The first phase of the neuroergonomic study was performed according to the most common industry tasks defined as manual, monotonous, and repetitive activities. Participants have a task to assemble the developed prototype model of an industrial product using prepared parts and elements, and instructed by the installed touchscreen PC. In the beginning, the participant gets all the necessary information about the experiment and gets 15 min of practice. After the introductory part, the EEG device is mounted and prepared for recording. The experiment starts with relaxing music for 5 min. The whole experiment lasts two sessions per 60 min each, with a 15 min break between the sessions. Based on the first experiments, it is possible to develop, construct, and conduct complex experiments for industrial purposes to improve the physical, cognitive, and organizational aspects and increase workers' productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness. It has highlighted the possibility of applying modular and adaptive ergonomic research laboratory experimental set-up to transform standard workplaces into the workplaces of the future. Numerous studies and research articles show that integrating innovative advanced technologies of Industry 4.0 utilizing lean and ergonomic helps to enhance the health and safety of the workers performing monotonous, manual, repetitive, physical demanding assembly activities at the workstations in contemporary organizations Schwab,  and to iWith the increasing customer demand for unique, customized, personalized, low-cost products in small batches in the shortest possible time, organizations are being pressurized to proactively answer and to improve the flexibility and effectiveness of the production systems to maintain a competitive advantage in the market  are one of the leading health problems of workers . This workstation model enables the realistic replication of assembly work activities in the industry, from simple ones to the complex interaction of workers and collaborative robots. During the design and construction of the laboratory model of the industrial assembly workstation, special attention was paid to the workspace for handling materials, parts, and components, considering that the operators should predominantly perform tasks within the golden zone. This zone is an ideal working area, where movements, reaching materials, stretching, and bending are minimized, and workers achieve the highest efficiency and productivity. The golden zone rules improve workplace organization and reduce muscle efforts and the occurrence of occupational diseases (MSDs). The workstations' construction is made of aluminum profiles (frames 40 × 40 mm and 40 × 80 mm), primarily used in the industry. The aluminum profiles are tightened with associated tensioning elements to stiffen the whole structure to give stability. The working surface is made of gray particleboard core covered with a silicone tablecloth protecting the piece from slipping during assembly.Prolonged work in the same position causes strain on the operator's muscles, developing in the long-term occurrence of MSDs. Therefore, whenever working activities allow, operators should move from a sitting position to a standing position. Numerous studies have shown that back pain occurs in the workers who perform activities in a standing position  station that enables the design of the work tasks where the operator and the robot will perform activities together. Unlike classic robots, cobots have built-in sensors that allow them to recognize and analyze workers' intentions and adapt their activities to the abilities of workers  with 10–20 electrode placements (the Ag/AgCl electrodes) . The EEGvia LAN network using LSL , as a powerful tool that allows multiple continuous data streams and discrete marker timestamps to be acquired in an eXtensible Data Format (.XDF). The inputs from multiple devices, connected to one measurement set-up, are collected and synchronized sing LSL .The study of behavior and reactions during collaborative interaction between workers and cobot represents a particular challenge, where positive characteristics of the workers  are combined with technical characteristics of cobots   during the initial research phase. The participants' working tasks were manual, monotonous, and repetitive. Operator assembled parts and components into the final product following the order of assembly and pre-defined provisions concerning positioning the parts and components, and so on. The experiment was conducted in conditions that were, generally, in conformity with the natural industrial environment. The selected work activities met several prerequisites similar to actual industrial tasks, repeatable, and feasible in laboratory conditions. Activities and tasks that were identified as characteristic during the visits to the companies and interviews with persons responsible for production and safety were selected. This approach is called participatory ergonomics intervention . Adjustable legs and electrical connectors of various sizes are placed on the stand. Wiring and connection of electrical connectors can be reported in several ways (different job variation options). The product can be completely disassembled, an essential factor for performing multiple experiments. The very fact that such research can be conducted in replicated work environments, where the work process is simulated, is an excellent progress, and it can bring necessary knowledge about worker cognition, which can later be used in designing specific jobs  are shown in Task no. 1: Take the steel plate base from the lot ① and place it in the appropriate place, in an upside-down position.Task no. 2: Take supports (four pieces) from the container ② and tighten them to the end, manually, in their positions.Task no. 3: Turn the object to the upper side. Take the white acrylic with prepared glued connection elements from the lot ③. Take four round hex screws (M4x16) from container ④ and tighten them with an adequate hex key wrench.Task no. 4: Take seven, one-by-one, wires from a container ⑤ (wires are 150 mm in length and prepared for connection) and connect them. The connections (number and task definition) are carried out according to the information showed on the installed touchscreen PC ⑥. There were two types of prepared wiring schemes. The first type was schemes assumed to be easy to connect. The second type was assumed to be challenging to connect. The participant did not know which order scheme would appear on the monitor. The participant randomly gets a picture or pair of the symbols that have to be connected , and tighten them with the adjustable torque screwdriver ⑧ hung on the balancer.Task no. 6: Take one transparent acrylic from plot ⑨, two countersunk screws (M6x12), and two cap nuts to fasten a hinge and the acrylic.Task no. 7: Take one cylindrical plastic roller from container ⑩ and one threaded spindle rod from container ⑪ to tighten the transparent acrylic to the steel plate base.Finished prototype model of an industrial product is stored in the predefined place while the participant starts with task no. 1 again.https://sccn.ucsd.edu/eeglab/index.php). The EEG signals were first band-pass filtered in the range 1−40 Hz, using an FIR filter generated by the EEGLAB. The amplitude of the signal is in the range from 1 to 100 μV  and EEGLAB . The statistical data are shown in The statistics prove that MWL is lower during the first 5 min of the session while subjects are taking rest. In addition to that, note that EEG signal has different strengths (amplitudes) for different participants, as the result of significantly different MWL indexes for participant no. 1 and participant no. 2 under the same task difficulty level. This is why EEG is usually normalized when processing signals of different participants together. One of the purposes of this experiment was to distinguish periods of low and high complexity schemes and estimate task difficulty with regard to time by looking at the MWL index in real time. However, we would need to test and record more subjects to conduct that analysis. That way, we could make an average over their normalized MWL index vs. time graphs and resolve the problem of individual differences between subjects. The result would be an objective (not participant-dependent) task difficulty with regard to time. We plan to carry out this research soon and on a larger sample. This research explains that it is possible to conduct neuroergonomic research on a new, modular, and adaptive laboratory workstation model.We also noted some technical difficulties during the experiment. One of the issues was switches stiffness. Participants experienced problems if they made a wrong connection with a wire and had to unlock the switch and lock it again. We plan to solve the same making more ergonomic schemes. Another problem was that the chair was inappropriate for the experiment this long, as both subjects confirmed that they felt mild pain in their backs after some time of being in that position. Furthermore, the main participants' remark was losing focus during the 3-h experiment. They concluded that it is possible to lose focus very easily, which could be the new research hypothesis for future research work.In the future, during our research activities, we will continue to collect data corresponding to the remaining three different scenarios . This should enable a comparative analysis of participants' behavior and monitor the operators' psychological reactions during the implementation of the same or similar work tasks under different scenarios. The most important part of the planned research activities is related to assessing the neuroergonomics parameters and examining operators' reactions during the performance of the working activities in cooperation with the collaborative robot.Workplaces with high repetitiveness of tasks, high noise levels, and poor ergonomics can cause both mental and physical stress and reduce the operator's attention. Over time, products with many or similar components can cause an increase in the number of errors. The increasing variety of products was also identified as the leading cause of the complexity perceived by an operator in carrying out his tasks . This study was partially funded by the European Commission, HORIZON 2020 Marie Curie Training Network Collaborative Intelligence for Safety Critical systems (Grant agreement ID: 955901).MP is employed by mBrainTrain d.o.o., Belgrade, Serbia. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.


Peer learning is not fully developed or researched in online and hybrid higher education. This research analyses a peer learning experience in the asynchronous part of hybrid teaching, in one of the largest blended universities in Europe, promoting students to act as teachers of their peers, by preparing digital content (videos) for the course. This article studies whether there are behaviour patterns and different perceptions associated between students who act as teachers, and those who only act as students. The results indicate, among other findings, that students demand this type of activities, and value them very positively. Specifically, the “teachers” consider that this activity increases their motivation for the subject and their performance; they also consider that it significantly improves their creativity and communication skills, and they would definitely participate in the project again. The assessment of the students who merely view the materials is also very positive, and they prefer a learning method through classmate videos than the traditional learning method with printed materials. The research is also a boost to finding ways to promote learning among equals in non-classroom teaching in digital environments. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a huge expansion in hybrid  and online learning, arousing considerable interest in better understanding its peculiarities and possibilities, lending particular momentum to research in this regard Aretio, . AlongsiIt becomes particularly important to guarantee learner participation Kaur,  and to pRasheed et al. , in theiThis research contributes to an attempt to mitigate such shortcomings, proposing a peer learning experience in the asynchronous  part of hybrid teaching. The proposed learning method encourages university students to act as the teachers of their fellow learners, preparing digital material (videos in this case) to explain content and resolve new problems and examples of the subject. This serves to generate a stock of problems solved, which helps their fellow students in their learning, fosters the creation of a learning community, and serves to drive the motivation and engagement of the students themselves, as they “teach” their peers. Furthermore, as this involves the creation of videos from which the other students learn, they must be fully familiar with the contents of the subject to be delivered, and, as they are dealing with other students, this mitigates the isolation that they may feel in such educational settings.The specific research question raised in this paper is whether there are behavioural patterns and different associated perceptions among students who act as teachers, and those who act only as students. The research thus helps to establish a better understanding of peer learning mechanisms, and the creation of digital content by learners in remote settings. It furthermore constitutes an invitation to disseminate and promote this approach.The article is structured as follows: after this introduction, Section In this section, we will explore in greater depth the underlying principles of peer learning, and, in particular, research into this phenomenon in hybrid and online teaching environments, as well as student-generated content, above all in the digital world.Over the years, many researchers have studied the concept of peer learning Gamlath, . One of Peer instruction is an active learning strategy which underpins learning, promotes a deeper engagement and also fosters conceptual understanding through instruction outside the classroom Mazur, . Peer leIn hybrid and online settings, where interactions between students and the teaching staff and content may be made more difficult by the involvement of technology, one of the major challenges is to maintain the benefits of interaction and learning among students , where such digital content developed by the students demonstrates their learning  and Student-Learner (those who simply used their fellow students’ videos in their studies). The teaching team distributed topics with problems for application in the field of economics. Then, the students proposed examples of resolved problems, explaining their approach and solution through videos. The videos were first supervised by the teaching team, and then made available to the students as a bank of problems solved, while the students who produce them cleared up queries in the forums.Once the project had ended, the participants completed a survey to ascertain their sociological and professional profile, as well as their opinion on the functioning of the activity. The opinion responses were structured by means of a Likert scale from 1 to 5, with 1 indicating that the respondent did not agree at all, and 5 that they completely agreed with the proposition.In accordance with the purpose of the analysis and the nature of the data, univariate descriptive techniques were first used to ascertain the sociological and professional characteristics of the students involved in the project, as well as the overall evaluation of the activity. Bivariate inferential statistical techniques are then used to identify possible differences between the participants in the learning communities, in terms of their evaluation of and satisfaction with the activity.The data analysis employs the Kruskal-Wallis or H test .Table Figure In this section, we present the results of the bivariate analysis using the H statistic of the Kruskal-Wallis test to detect possible statistically significant differences among the different student profiles and the mean evaluation of the items presented.Table p-value = 0.02). Therefore, creating videos has a greater effect in helping to fix content in the learning process within the group of individuals belonging to Generations Z and Y, considered to be digital natives. Furthermore, recording the videos facilitates active learning among the students (item 3d), particularly among the younger age groups .Subject-matter creation enables the students to improve their capacity to fix content in the learning process (item 2a) and to summarise the fundamental concepts of the exercise (item 2b). Regarding this first aspect, the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests detect significant differences between students aged 18 to 30 and those over 45 , which fosters active learning through the creation of virtual learning forums developed by the students themselves. It also drives collective cooperation in subsequent academic years. However, the content creators prove more averse to the videos recorded being distributed beyond this virtual learning forum, in particular on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Presentation on YouTube obtained a more favourable response.p-value = 0.0043), who reveal greater limitations on their study time.With regard to the stage involving the greatest effort for the participants in performing the activities, we would highlight the stages corresponding to the preparation of content, such as structuring and summarisation (item 10b) and content generation (item 10c). In this latter regard, significantly greater effort was seen in the case of students working full time, compared with students who are not in work . It also demonstrates that the creation of collaborative digital environments in a hybrid university strengthens skills and the learning process of the students playing an active part in the peer teaching communities.Table p-value = 0.0207). Meanwhile, there was an improvement in the performance in the subject within this same group of students, who represent the majority in hybrid university teaching .The participants specifically emphasised that the videos recorded by their peers help them to better understand the concepts of the subject (item 12a), and to supplement the teaching materials of the subject, particularly among women. Significant differences are furthermore found in favour of students not only using the videos, but also producing them, thereby facilitating a mutual context of cooperation, benefiting the creation of teaching materials for the learning community. The proposed activity was viewed favourably by the participants, in giving them greater flexibility in their study and the self-regulation of their learning, an essential characteristic in hybrid university teaching. This characteristic was significantly better rated by students in the age range 30 to 45 . Similarly, the high mean rating given to item 15 clearly confirms that the students prefer a learning method using videos with content created by their peers, rather than the traditional learning method using printed materials.p-value = 0.058). Lastly, one of the most relevant results of this study is the high value placed by students on facilitating collaborative learning environments, where information circulates horizontally, generating user networks among their peers. This demonstrates the potential demand for the implementation of this learning method on the part of students themselves.Meanwhile, the benefits derived from the use of digital learning resources include better retention of information (item 16a), particularly those also playing the role of teacher. Furthermore, students who work part time reveal a significant improvement in their capacity to retain information, compared with students who do not have a job (Dunn Digital content production on the part of students, and strategies to facilitate peer learning, are aspects that still have to be developed, and have seen little research in hybrid and online university teaching. This study represents a genuine contribution in establishing the theoretical framework and better understanding the perceptions and profiles of the students who generate such content with the aim of teaching their peers, as well as those students who learn through such digital content.The students show a demand for this type of activity, which they rate very highly. Specifically, the students acting as “teachers” believe that this activity increases their motivation for the subject and their performance, while likewise feeling that it makes a significant improvement to their creativity and communication skills. They would definitely repeat the project, indicating their high degree of satisfaction. Those students who merely view the materials likewise have a very positive perspective of this type of initiative with their peers, and prefer a learning method using content videos created by their fellow students, to traditional learning with printed materials.Another original finding is that recording the videos facilitates active learning among the students, in particular in the younger age groups. Furthermore, in terms of preparing the subject, it was found that the students that generated the digital material managed to fix and retain the content better and summarise the fundamental concepts of the exercise, representing a key additional benefit for the student-teachers. As for the distribution of the material, it would seem preferable to confine this to the educational context, although some creators suggested the use of YouTube as a social media platform, perhaps because it is more aligned with tutorials and support videos for a wide range of learning.This type of educational experiment could have a notable role to play in improving hybrid and online teaching, if used properly. It could serve as a way of facilitating student motivation towards novel media, giving them greater responsibility and facilitating their involvement, or developing a problem-based focus, as indicated by Campbell et al. . We furtThe pedagogical design of this experiment highlights a constructivist approach from the perception of the student, who takes on a more active role, even acting as teacher. And also in terms of interaction with other students, where we recognise the social nature of learning, as social constructivism theorises, postulating that learners build their understanding by interacting with a teacher and more advanced fellow students. This ties in with Vygotsky’s theory of the Zone of Proximal Development, in which “the level of potential development is determined through problem-solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, Size could constitute the main limitation of the research, although the sample does not differ from that used in other similar student-recorded video experiments (Dart et al.,