Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental Dynamic Forced Performance of a Centrally Grooved, End Sealed Squeeze Film Damper

Experimental Dynamic Forced Performance of a Centrally Grooved, End Sealed Squeeze Film Damper. (August 2011) Lady Paola Mahecha Mojica, B.En. ; B.En. , Universidad de los Andes at Bogotá, Colombia Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Luis San Andrés Squeeze film dampers (SFDs) provide viscous damping to attenuate excessive vibrations and enhance system stability in turbomachinery. SFDs are of special importance in aircraft engines which use rolling element support bearings that, by themselves, do not provide enough damping to ensure safe operation. A modular test rig capable of simulating actual operating conditions in aircraft jet engines is used to test two centrally grooved, end sealed, SFDs. Both SFDs have diameter D and nominal radial clearance c and consist of two parallel squeeze film lands separated by a deep circumferential groove of length LG and depth dG. A short length damper with film land lengths L and a long damper with land lengths 2L are tested. Piston rings seal the damper lands. An ISO VG2 lubricant is supplied to the SFD via three radial holes that discharge lubricant into the central groove. The lubricant passes through the damper lands and across the piston ring seals to finally exit the damper at ambient pressure. Circular orbit tests of amplitude ~0.5c and for static eccentricities varying from 0 to ~0.36c are conducted on the two sealed dampers. The instrumental variable filter method (IVFM) serves to identify the SFD dynamic force coefficients. The parameter identification range is 50Hz to 210Hz for the short damper and 110Hz to 250Hz for the long damper.
Effect of an Intraorifice Barrier on Endodontically Treated Teeth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of In Vitro Studies

The main cause of unsuccess in endodontically treated teeth (ETT) is due to bacterial recontamination. The placement of an intraorifice barrier (IOB) has been proposed for preventing this event in cases that the restoration is in an inadequate condition, enhancing the possibilities for predictable long-term success in endodontic therapy. Objectives. To evaluate through a systematic review and meta-analysis if it would be necessary to place an IOB in ETT. Materials and Methods. The present review is in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 Statement and is registered in the Open Science Framework. Two blinded reviewers carried out a comprehensive search in four databases up to July 10th, 2021: MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science. Eligible studies were the ones which evaluated the use of an IOB in ETT in reducing microleakage with any material of choice and with any methods employed. Only in vitro studies published in English were included. Results. A total of thirty in vitro studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and seven of those were included in the quantitative analyses evaluating the following materials: bioceramic cement, glass-ionomer cement (GIC), and resin-based composite (RBC). Most of the included studies placed an IOB at a 3 mm depth. Reduction in microleakage was observed when an IOB was placed, regardless of the material employed (p ≤ 0.01). Among the materials, GIC and RBC performed similarly (p > 0.05), with the bioceramic subgroup being statistically superior to the GIC subgroup (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions. Although well-designed randomized clinical trials are required, the placement of an intraorifice barrier can significantly reduce microleakage in endodontically treated teeth, and the use of bioceramics as IOB seems to be the best available material for this purpose.
Myopia in India

Abstract India is a culturally and geographically diverse nation. Its vast demographic nature does not allow a single definition for any of the given medical conditions in its territory. One important clinical condition which has created an uproar in the rest of the world is myopia. Its cause, prevalence, etiopathogenesis and other factors are being explored constantly; however, data with respect to Indian subcontinent are genuinely missing. Hence, in this review, we enumerate the country’s myopia journey from last 4 decades. The epidemiology, genetics, ocular/systemic association, quality of life, imaging, and management in myopia with necessary future directives are discussed to augment the overall management in future.
GEANT4 simulation of the characteristic gamma-ray spectrum of TNT under soil induced by DT neutrons

The characteristic gamma-ray spectrum of TNT in the soil induced by DT neutrons is measured by the PFTNA demining system. The GEANT4 toolkit is used to simulate the whole experimental procedure. The simulated spectra are compared with the experimental spectra, and they are mainly consistent. The share of the background sources such as neutrons and gamma is obtained and the contribution that the experimental apparatus to the background, such as shielding, detector sleeve and moderator, is analyzed. The effective gamma signal(from soil and TNT) is 29% of the full spectrum signal, and the background signal, more than 68%, this is mainly produced by shielding and the detector sleeve. By gradually optimizing the shielding and the cadmium sheet of the detector sleeve, the share of the effective gamma signal increases to 47%, and the background signal reduces to 18%.
A COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING TRANSITION STEPS IN THE ACCELERATION PHASE OF SPRINT RUNNING

Transition steps have previously been identified in the acceleration phase of sprinting. To compare transition steps detected using different measures, three sprinters performed maximal 50 m accelerations from blocks. Sagittal plane kinematics were collected using five 50 Hz cameras while touch-down and toe-off events were identified using a 200 Hz panning camera. Centre of mass height, shin angle and trunk angle at touch-down as well as the step where flight time exceeds contact time were used to detect transitions. Comparable transitions were identified based either on centre of mass height or shin and trunk angles at touch-down. These results provide further knowledge to the way in which the acceleration phase is structured and allows athlete specific biomechanical analysis to aid in the coaching of different sections of the acceleration phase in sprinting.
In Vivo and In Vitro Assessment and Proteomic Analysis of the Effectiveness of Physical Treatments in Reducing Allergenicity of Hazelnut Proteins

Hazelnut is a widespread nut species, especially present in Europe, that can be consumed raw or roasted thanks to its pleasant taste and nutritional properties. In addition to renowned beneficial properties hazelnuts contain several proteins capable of inducing food allergy in sensitized individuals, including Cor a 2 (a profilin), Cor a 8 (a lipid transfer protein), Cor a 9 (an 11S seed storage globulin, legumin-like), and Cor a 11 (a 7S seed storage globulin, vicilin-like). In the present paper we investigated the effectiveness of autoclave-based treatments in decreasing the allergic potential of hazelnut as assessed by submitting the treated material to an in vivo skin prick test and an in vitro immunoblot analysis, with sera of allergic individuals exposed to the treated food material. This preliminary analysis showed that autoclave treatment preceded by hydration and/or followed by drying seems to be a promising approach and appears to be effective in reducing the allergenicity of hazelnuts in most patients, probably due to the denaturation of most major and minor allergenic proteins. This work opens up the opportunity to produce hypoallergenic hazelnut derivatives that can be tolerated by allergic subjects.
Design of hybrid wind and photovoltaic power system using opposition-based genetic algorithm with Cauchy mutation

In recent decades, depletion of fossil fuels and its demand emerge as renewable energy in the field of power generation. Amid eco-friendly based renewable energy, wind and photovoltaic play a vital role in power generation. Nonetheless, this form of power generation needs more advancement to retrieve optimal power flow under economical conditions. This paper aims to predict optimal sizing for hybrid wind and photovoltaic (PV) power generation under minimized cost. This optimal sizing of hybrid Wind-PV is accomplished by satisfying the average annual load demand. This process happens via opposition based genetic algorithm with Cauchy mutation (OGA-CM) and the proposed OGA-CM performance measure is compared with Opposition based Genetic Algorithm and Genetic Algorithm. The result shows that our proposed OGA-GA produces superior result than those of the other two. The overall computation process is done in the working platform of MATLAB R2013.
Sclerostin Inhibition: A Novel Target for the Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, a widespread skeletal disorder with a substantial economic load, is characterized by increased porosity of the bones resulting in vulnerability to fractures. When activated, the canonical Wnt signaling pathway results in osteoblastogenesis and bone formation. A Wnt ligand forms a complex with low-density lipoprotein receptor-related proteins 5 and 6 (Lrp5/6) and stimulates intracellular signaling cascades, leading to nuclear translocation of β-catenin and transcription of downstream molecules involved in osteoblast differentiation, maturation, and survival. Sclerostin (SOST), a glycoprotein produced by osteocytes, is an extracellular Wnt antagonist that blocks the binding of Wnt ligands to Lrp5/6, preventing the activation of the pathway and osteoblast-mediated bone formation subsequently. Inhibition of SOST represents a new therapeutic paradigm for the treatment of osteoporosis. Monoclonal antibodies to SOST include romosozumab, blosozumab, and setrusumab. With its unique dual effect of increasing bone formation (anabolic action) and decreasing bone resorption, the Food and Drug Administration approved romosozumab as a promising new treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Its efficacy and safety have been established in trials. However, patients at high risk of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events should not be prescribed romosozumab.
Coagulation Profile In COVID-19

Objective: To evaluate the coagulation profile in COVID-19 patients and to correlate disease severity with the coagulation parameters. Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted at Pathology and medicine departments, FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry. It included 101 confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease of both genders between 17 and 75-year age. Coagulation profile was compared between survivor and non-survivor groups. Results: Out of 101 patients, 93 (92.1%) patients were in the survivor group and eight (7.8%) in the non-survivor group. Mean APTT (p = 0.02) in non-survivor group showed relatively higher values than survivor group. Mean D-Dimers (p = 0.007) in non-survivors showed a significantly raised values. However other parameters of coagulation like Platelets, MPV, PT and INR showed no significant association statistically. Conclusion: High D-dimers and prolonged APTT were associated with mortality in COVID-19 Patients.
Large-Signal Investigation of Cold and Hot Matched Coupled-Cavity Traveling-Wave Tubes

Abstract The implications of different matching conditions for coupled-cavity traveling-wave tubes are considered. Using a small-signal approach the characteristic impedance for the coupled (hot) beam-wave system is derived. It is taken as reference impedance to model ideal transformers and severs. This matching condition is compared to the standard cold match and both cases are analyzed using a large-signal interaction tool. The implications on input reflection and output gain are discussed.
High‐efficiency scheme and optimisation technique for design of fragment‐type isolation structure between multiple‐input and multiple‐output antennas

Fragment-type structure has found its application in designing high isolation structure for multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) system. In this study, a novel design scheme and a high-efficiency optimisation searching technique for fragment-type isolation structure are proposed based on multiobjective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition combined with enhanced genetic operators (MOEA/D-GO). Both considering non-uniform fragment cells in design space and combining two-dimensional median filtering operator in the original MOEA/D-GO can improve speed of optimisation searching while obtaining higher isolation and better envelope correlation coefficient at expense of capacity loss. With the high-efficiency optimisation search, more design objectives including the beam direction can be handled as well. The proposed design scheme and high-efficiency searching technique are demonstrated through design examples with two MIMO planar inverted-F antennas operating at 2.345–2.36 GHz and having a centre-to-centre interval of 15 mm. Comparison results among three designs verify the high effectiveness of the proposed scheme and optimisation searching technique.
Designing user innovation toolkits: exploring the interrelation between solution space and module library

The importance of involving users in the development of products and services is widely noted. Utilizing physical models and representations collaboratively as a means for transferring the “sticky” knowledge from user to developer is a direction many have chosen. Many of these methods, such as design games, probes, and tangible business modeling, share common elements, but the interrelations of these elements are not well understood. The aim of this paper was to explore the interrelation of the module library and the solution space by using a user innovation toolkit in the context of shopping center design. Three different versions of a user innovation toolkit, where the solution space and the content of the module library vary, are created in the form of a “puzzle” containing physical building blocks. This preliminary exploration suggests that in order to ensure that users communicate their own individual needs, both the solution space and the module library should be opened up. Looking into the relationship of the module library and the solution space benefits not only the development of user innovation toolkits but also other methods and techniques commonly used by designers.
Uso racional de antimicrobianos e impacto no perfil de resistência microbiológica em tempos de pandemia pela Covid-19

O uso racional de antimicrobianos tem sido uma das principais medidas para evitar o aumento de resistência antimicrobiana no mundo. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a utilização de antimicrobianos em um hospital privado de Fortaleza/Brasil e correlacionar com a crescente resistência antimicrobiana. Foram determinados dados quantitativos sobre infecções bacterianas, perfil microbiológico e uso de antimicrobianos obtidos de pacientes atendidos nos setores, entre janeiro de 2016 e agosto de 2021. Foram emitidos 2.733 pareceres para avaliação de uso de antibióticos em 2020 e em 2021 foram 2.044. Durante o ano de 2020 a utilização de antimicrobianos foi mais frequente entre maio e junho, e em 2021 nos meses de março e abril, sendo estes referidos meses os que refletem os pacientes com internação prolongada pós-Covid-19 e múltiplas infecções bacterianas secundárias. Observa-se também nesse período maior prescrição de Polimixina B e glicopeptídeos. Ao avaliar o perfil de sensibilidade dos Gram negativos, para P. aeruginosa observa-se uma redução drástica no último ano da sensibilidade a Piperacilina/tazobactam e Carbapenens, bem como a Polimixina B (91,7% de sensibilidade). Para K. pneumoniae os resultados foram ainda piores, evidenciando alta resistência aos Carbapenens e Polimixina B, cuja sensibilidade do último foi de apenas 76,2%, dificultando a escolha de opções terapêuticas. Detectou-se redução da sensibilidade a Cefatzidima/avibactam para P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae e Serratia sp. Concluiu-se que o aumento na prescrição de antimicrobianos de amplo espectro durante a pandemia por Covid-19 podem ter impactado no aumento da resistência bacteriana principalmente para Gram negativos.
Predictions of the Pressure Losses in 2D and 3D Model Pump Diffusers

Two methods of evaluating the loss of mechanical energy in CFD predictions are described. It is shown that the difference between the two methods is a good measure of grid dependence for the prediction of the flows in 2D plane and annular model dump diffusers. The additional loss of mechanical energy due to sector end walls is investigated for 3D plane and annular model dump diffusers over a range of sector widths. The results show a strong dependence on the size of the boundary layer on the sector end walls at the inlet to the pre–diffuser. With no boundary layer on the sector end walls, the measured loss on the central symmetry plane is within 15% of the of the underlying 2D loss for pre–diffuser inlet width to height ratios of greater than 10:1. The deviation from the underlying 2D loss increases with the size of the boundary layer on the sector end walls.Copyright © 1993 by ASME
Modelling Suctions in a Cutting with a Bimodal Soil Water Characteristic Curve and Hydraulic Conductivity Function

With future summers in the United Kingdom forecast to be warmer and drier the extent of desiccation cracking is expected to increase, with reciprocal effects on the hydraulic conductivity of the soil. This paper proposes a new method of implementing the effects of desiccation cracking into a hydrological slope model. The technique uses a bimodal soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) and hydraulic conductivity function (HCF) that reflect the new water retention properties and increase in hydraulic conductivity that occurs when desiccation cracks form in the soil. An infrastructure slope model is created in the finite element software VADOSE/W. The modelled slope is the A34 Newbury bypass cutting, constructed in London Clay in south England. The cutting has been extensively monitored since January 2003 by researchers at Southampton University. This paper details the comparability of the calculated pore water pressures from the simulation with observed data from the cutting. The results from this initial analysis show that the proposed SWCC and HCF can predict winter suctions in the VADOSE zone better than the traditional unimodal functions.
The Effect on the Dry Sliding Wear Behavior of Gravity Cast A357 Reinforced with Dual Size Silicon Carbide Particles

In the present study, the composites of A357 (Al-7%Si) alloy reinforced with the bimodal sizes (~250µm (L) and ~38 µm (S)) of 6wt% SiCp and the A357 alloy were prepared by permanent mould die casting. Three different combinations of bimodal distributions were considered: (3% L + 3% S, 4% L + 2% S, and 2% L + 4% S). The wear behavior of the alloy and the composites was studied for the speed of 1 m/s and load conditions of 10-30 N with an interval of 5 N in a pin on disc apparatus. The hardness and microstructure of the composites were also characteristised. The results suggest that the addition of bimodal size of particles significantly improves the hardness and wear resistance of the alloy. Among the different combinations, the 4% L + 2% S bimodal distribution combination provides the highest wear resistance and the hardness. This result indicates that the higher amount of large size particles are more important than that of small size particles to improve the wear resistance, which implies that the particle decohesion is the rate controlling step in the present investigation. The wear rate increases with an increase of load and sliding distance. The critical load to enter into the severe wear regime for the alloy and composites is 25 N. The rapid wear loss begins above 1500 m sliding distance in the composites and the as cast alloy. The wear rate curve with respect to the sliding distance shows three regimes (1) transition period (2) steady state (3) severe wear state. The wear morphology studies show that the abrasive wear is the main wear mechanism in the bimodal size composites whereas the delamination wear is predominant in the alloy.
POST SECONDARY PROJECT-BASED LEARNING IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS

Project-based learning (PjBL - to distinguish from problem-based learning - PBL) has become a recurrent practice in K-12 classroom environments. As PjBL has become prominent in K-12 classrooms, it has also surfaced in post-secondary institutions. The purpose of this paper is to examine the research that has studied a variety of science, technology, engineering and mathematic subjects using PjBL in post-secondary classrooms. Eleven articles (including qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods) were included. The format includes: an introduction and background (which defines PjBL and STEM), research methods, quality appraisal used, results, and a discussion, future research and a conclusion. Two tables and two figures are included. In this paper, theoretical backgrounds and key terms were identified, followed by a literature review discussing four themes: content knowledge, interdisciplinary skills, collaboration and skill development for future education and careers. Results suggested that there is a positive connection between content knowledge learning and PjBL in collaborative settings. Additionally, some negative perceptions arose regarding teamwork situations. Interdisciplinary skills were achieved, but quite limited in post-secondary classrooms. PjBL and STEM were perceived to be important for future education and careers. Future research needs to be completed and institutional curriculum changes informed by the results of this research need to occur to further explore interdisciplinary courses and the use of PjBL.
Optimization of process parameters of friction stir welding using desirability function analysis

Abstract The latest generation of Aluminum–Lithium alloy (Al–Li) is majorly used in aerospace industries due to its low density and high strength. Friction stir welding is a preferred joining method for the joining of Al–Li alloy due to its low heat input. The quality of the weld is majorly influenced by the process parameters. In the present work, FSW is conducted on Al-Li based alloy AA2099 T8 and studied the effect of process parameters. The objective of this article is to optimize the process parameters for maximizing the tensile strength at a minimum tool wear rate. The process parameters are optimized by the composite desirability analysis coupled with Taguchi L16 orthogonal array. The rotational speed, welding speed, tool profile, and welding condition are considered as the input process parameters. Mathematical models are developed for tensile strength, tool wear rate, and composite desirability, and the accuracy of the model is found at 95.94, 91.04, and 98.23%, respectively. Furthermore, it is observed that the improvement in composite desirability is 11.01% at optimum parameters. Moreover, the improvement in tensile strength and wear rate of the tool at optimum parameter (rotational speed 1500 rpm, welding speed 90 mm/min, tool profile cylindrical, and welding condition 80 preheated) was observed at 5.32 and 1.65%, respectively.