Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Energy Performance Database of Building Heritage in the Region of Umbria, Central Italy

Household energy consumption has been increasing in the last decades; the residential sector is responsible for about 40% of the total final energy use in Europe. Energy efficiency measures can both reduce energy needs of buildings and energy-related CO 2 emissions. For this reason, in recent years, the European Union has been making efforts to enhance energy saving in buildings by introducing various policies and strategies; in this context, a common methodology was developed to assess and to certify energy performance of buildings. The positive effects obtained by energy efficiency measures need to be verified, but measuring and monitoring building energy performance is time consuming and financially demanding. Alternatively, energy efficiency can also be evaluated by specific indicators based on energy consumption. In this work, a methodology to investigate the level of energy efficiency reached in the Umbria Region (Central Italy) is described, based on data collected by energy certificates. In fact, energy certificates, which are the outcomes of simulation models, represent a useful and available tool to collect data related to the energy use of dwellings. A database of building energy performance was developed, in which about 6500 energy certificates of residential buildings supplied by Umbria region were inserted. On the basis of this data collection, average energy and CO 2 indicators related to the building heritage in Umbria were estimated and compared to national and international indicators derived from official sources. Results showed that the adopted methodology in this work can be an alternative method for the evaluation of energy indicators; in fact, the ones calculated considering simulation data were similar to the ones reported in national and international sources. This allowed to validate the adopted methodology and the efficiency of European policies.
Frustration elevates arousal in individuals high on the psychopathy scale: The role of approach, not avoidance motivation

Psychopaths tend to react with aggression when mistreated. The literature offers two contradicting explanations of this subject. The aim of this study is to determine whether approach or (the lack of) avoidance motivation underlie emotional reactions of individuals with elevated psychopathic tendencies in frustrative situations. The sample of sixty participants (43.3% male) participated in the experiment in which the Ultimatum Game was used to induce the feeling of injustice. The participants received four fair offers in the first phase of the game and six unfair offers in the second phase of the experiment. Their electrodermal activity (EDA) was recorded during both parts of the experiment. Along with the EDA recording, the participants fulfilled Short Dark Triad (SD3) questionnaire and Questionnaire of Approach and Avoidance Motivation (QAAM). Generally, the unfair offers significantly elevated EDA in comparison to the levels of EDA during the fair part of the experiment. The mediational analysis conducted by hierarchical regression analysis revealed that psychopathy is associated with a higher EDA in frustrative conditions, which is entirely explained by QAAM wanting, i.e. approach-related scale. Neither of avoidance-related scales predicted the EDA. This result indicates that individuals with elevated psychopathic tendencies experience stronger emotional reactions when facing the potential loss of rewards, which is driven by their stronger approach motivation, and not by the lack of avoidance motivation. Hence, the study contributes to the understanding of the underlying reason for emotional reactions of individuals with elevated psychopathic tendencies in unfair conditions within the approach-avoidance framework. Implications for the methodological setting of future studies on this subject are discussed.
Dunking into the Lipid Bilayer: How Direct Membrane Binding of Nucleoporins Can Contribute to Nuclear Pore Complex Structure and Assembly

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) mediate the selective and highly efficient transport between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. They are embedded in the two membrane structure of the nuclear envelope at sites where these two membranes are fused to pores. A few transmembrane proteins are an integral part of NPCs and thought to anchor these complexes in the nuclear envelope. In addition, a number of nucleoporins without membrane spanning domains interact with the pore membrane. Here we review our current knowledge of how these proteins interact with the membrane and how this interaction can contribute to NPC assembly, stability and function as well as shaping of the pore membrane.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THREE EXTREMITY ARMOR SYSTEMS: DETERMINATION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL, BIOMECHANICAL, AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE EFFECTS AND QUANTIFICATION OF BODY AREA COVERAGE

Abstract : This report documents an evaluation of three personal protective systems designed to be worn with armor vests for the ballistic protection of the arms and legs. The systems were similar in weight (6 kg), but differed in the extent of the body surface area they covered. Eleven Army enlisted men participated in the assessment of the relative effects of the extremity armor and of an armor vest worn alone on physiological, biomechanical, and maximal performance measures. It was found that times to complete 30-m rushes and an obstacle course run were fastest with the armor vest alone and slowest when the extremity armor with the greatest body area coverage was used. Rate of oxygen uptake, a measure of energy consumption, was recorded during treadmill walking and running and scaled to body mass for analysis. These data yielded lower energy consumption with the armor vest alone than with the extremity armor. Gait kinematics and kinetics were also recorded during the walking and running, and spatio-temporal gait variables and ground reaction force variables were computed. Analyses of these data revealed differences between the armor vest worn alone and with the extremity armor systems, but there were few differences among the extremity armor systems. Of the three systems, 10 of the 11 study participants preferred to wear the system with the least body area coverage.
Microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar friction stir welds of AA2014 and AA7075

This work investigates the effect of process parameters on microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of friction stir welded high-strength aluminum alloys AA2014-T6 and AA7075-T6. Optical micrograph, tensile property, and hardness profile of each weld were determined for analysis, and the tensile fracture surfaces were studied by scanning electron microscope. Welds microstructure were heterogeneous and displayed structures comprising of both base metals and the onion rings were seen in all welds except for the lowest heat input weld. Grains in the weld nugget zone were more refined on the retreating side than the other side. Asymmetric hardness profile had a distinct softened zone on each side whose location and softening extent varied with the processing parameters. Welding speed had a more significant effect on tensile strength than rotary speed and, drastically decreased the same. Faster welding speed formed microscopic defects and changed the appearance of fractured surfaces from flat to zigzag. The welds underwent ductile and mixed-mode tensile failure on the advancing side. Attainment of optimum combination of process parameters is imperative to yield defect-free stronger dissimilar welds
Comparative Evaluation of Altered Taste Perception among Oral Submucous Fibrosis Patients

Background: Taste perception is an important factor in sustaining human life. Impairment of taste is one of the important features of oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), and it has not received much attention, owing to limited research work in the field. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine taste alteration in OSMF patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 participants, both males and females with the age range of 20 years to 55 years, were included in the study. Four basic tastants (i.e., sweet, salt, sour, and bitter) were prepared as follows: sucrose for sweet (0.1–1.0 mol/l), sodium chloride for salty (0.01–1.0 mol/l), citric acid for sour (0.320–0.032 mol/l), and quinine sulfate for bitter (0.01–1.0 mol/l) and full mouth rinse test was performed for a complete taste response examination, after which punch biopsy was taken from buccal mucosa to determine histopathological staging. The data obtained were tabulated and analyzed by the Pearson Chi-square test; P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The overall results suggested that there was a significant alteration of taste. The sweet taste was altered followed by salty and bitter was least affected. Conclusion: The study points out at the significance of alteration in taste perception is OSMF patients related to sweet, salt, sour, and bitter taste by using physiological stimuli tastants.
Measuring the Impact of Engine Oils and Fuels on Low-Speed Pre-Ignition in Downsized Engines

© 2014 SAE International. One of the limits on the maximum fuel efficiency benefit to be gained from turbocharged, downsized gasoline engines is the occurrence of low speed pre-ignition (LSPI). LSPI may lead to high pressures and extreme knock (megaknock or superknock) which can cause severe engine damage. Though the mechanism leading to megaknock is not completely resolved, LSPI is thought to arise from local auto-ignition of areas in the cylinder which are rich in low ignition delay “contaminants” such as engine oil and/or heavy ends of gasoline. These contaminants are introduced to the combustion chamber at various points in the engine cycle (e.g. entering from the top land crevice during blow-down or washed from the cylinder walls during DI wall impingement). This paper describes a method for testing the propensity of different contaminants to cause a local pre-ignition in a gasoline engine. During one cycle, a small amount of contaminant is injected into one cylinder of a 4 cylinder engine. The spark is suppressed during this or the following cycle to allow detection of local pre-ignition events after spark timing. If the contaminant is injected on the cycle before, it is the cycle following the injection that has the missed spark. By detecting auto-ignition events before and after spark timing, it is possible to compare contaminants over a broad range of ignition tendencies. Sensitivities of pre-ignition tendencies to intake pressures and temperatures, the amount of contaminant introduced, and fuelling ratios are discussed. Additionally, the importance of contaminant stratification is shown, and pre-ignition is demonstrated to result from the introduction of contaminant as early as the beginning of blow-down of the preceding cycle.
Harvesting ultrasonic energy using 1–3 piezoelectric composites

Harvesting longitudinal ultrasonic energy from the surroundings has been highlighted as an alternative to conventional batteries. The energy can be used to power portable electronics and wireless sensors operating at remote locations. In this paper, an ultrasonic energy harvester made of a 1–3 piezoelectric composite is proposed. This harvester could convert longitudinal-mode ultrasonic vibrations into electrical energy. A theoretical analysis of a 1–3 piezoelectric composite harvester operating with thickness-stretch modes is performed. The results show that maximum output power dissipated in the load can be achieved when the load resistor is equal to the impedance of the harvester. Under such conditions, two peaks of maximum output power occur at the antiresonance frequency and resonance frequency. An experimental study following the theoretical model confirms the feasibility of extracting certain amounts of ultrasonic vibration energy using a 1–3 piezoelectric composite harvester. Both the experimental and theoretical studies show that the output voltages for different pure resistive loads peak at different operating frequencies. As the pure resistive load increases, the operating frequency varies from the resonance frequency to the antiresonance frequency.
Recent Advances in Mupirocin Delivery Strategies for the Treatment of Bacterial Skin and Soft Tissue Infection

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) have increased problematically in hospital and ambulatory settings due to the poor immunity of hosts and multidrug-resistant pathogens. Mupirocin (MUP), a global topical antibiotic, is used for the treatment of SSTIs caused by various pathogens due to its unique mechanism of action. However, the therapeutic efficiency of MUP is hampered due to the protein binding and drug resistance caused by frequent use. A combined report covering the various aspects of MUP, such as the synthesis of the novel formulation, loading of the drug, and application against various skin infections, is missing. This comprehensive review focuses on various novel drug delivery strategies such as composite biomaterials/scaffold, hydrogel dressings, liposomes, liposomal hydrogel, microparticles/microspheres, microsponges, nanocapsules, nanofibers, silicone-based adhesive patches, and topical sprays. The therapeutic effect of the MUP can be synergized by combining with other agents and using novel strategies. The objective is to enhance patient compliance, decrease the resistance, magnify the delivery of MUP, and overcome the limitations of conventional formulations. Moreover, the carriers/dressing materials are biocompatible, biodegradable, stimulate wound healing, protect the wound from external environmental contamination, adsorb the wound exudates, and are permeable to oxygen and moisture. This review will help researchers to explore further the treatment of various bacterial skin infections by using MUP-loaded novel formulations with better efficacy, utilizing the novel nanostructures or combinatorial methods.
The complementarities of digitalisation and productivity: redefining boundaries for financial sector

ABSTRACT Digitalisation is portrayed as a transformative force, remodelling the way we live and businesses operate. In today's unprecedented business environment, the survival of organisations is in technological advancement and online presence. When masses rely on digital financial payments, there is a pressing need for the financial sector to offer innovative products and services to meet customers’ needs and achieve sustainable performance. This paper aims to investigate the impact of data analytics on the productivity of banks in Pakistan and employed two-step system generalised methods of moments for estimation. The findings suggest that 5.9% productivity is increased for banks that invested in data analytics on average. It was also found that productivity increase is associated with an investment in data analytics compared to a mere investment in any software. However, the moderating role of dynamic capabilities on the relationship between data analytics and banks’ productivity is insignificant, which raises a question on the relevance of research and development expense with human capital development. It is recommended that banks should invest in those analytics that have predictive, visualising and analytical capabilities. The use of these innovative technologies should be combined with training and human capital development to ensure sustainable firm performance.
Fault arc propagation on cables for space applications in vacuum, oxygen-enriched air and air

Investigations of fault are propagation on spacecraft cables under specific conditions, e.g. vacuum, normal and oxygen enriched atmospheres have been performed. Typical patterns of fault arc extinction have been identified and their consequences with respect to causes of damages are discussed. The results indicate that for a given test current and test voltage the behavior of the arc and the damages caused in a cable bundle depend strongly on the kind of insulation material, cable size and design, as well as on the environmental conditions. For some cables the arc propagation effects are increased at higher oxygen partial pressure and significantly increased under vacuum. In many cases vacuum has turned out to be an important worst-case parameter. It was found that the amount of damage assessed by post-test measurements increases substantially, if the value of the test current grows. More than 250 tests have been performed for test currents in the range of 6 to 30 A at the test voltage of 125 V dc. >
Causes of Time Buffer and Duration Variation in Construction Project Tasks: Comparison of Perception to Reality

AbstractDue to the inherent nature of the construction industry, all construction projects have some amount and type of uncertainty. This uncertainty can lead to variation in project task durations from what was originally planned. As a result, construction personnel compensate for the uncertainty by adding a time buffer to absorb variations in the work plan. For the purpose of this research, a time buffer is defined as the amount of time included in task durations to compensate for uncertainty and to protect against variation. Variation is defined as the difference between the planned and actual task duration. Although previous research acknowledges time buffer additions, the root causes for adding a buffer have not been thoroughly researched. A nationwide survey was administered to project managers, superintendents, and foremen to identify the most severe reasons for adding time buffers to construction task durations. The root causes of variation have been previously identified and are used as the compa.
Effect of Extraction Methods on Polyphenols, Flavonoids, Mineral Elements, and Biological Activities of Essential Oil and Extracts of Mentha pulegium L.

Our study evaluated the in vitro antioxidant properties, antibacterial and antifungal activities, anti-inflammatory properties, and chemical composition of the essential oils (EOs), total phenol, and total flavonoid of wild Mentha pulegium L. This study also determined the mineral (nutritional and toxic) elements in the plant. The EOs were extracted using three techniques—hydro distillation (HD), steam distillation (SD), and microwave-assisted distillation (MAD)—and were analyzed using chromatography coupled with flame ionization (GC-FID) and gas chromatography attached with mass spectrometry detector (GC-MS). The antioxidant effects of the EOs were tested with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ABTS (2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), while the antibacterial and antifungal activities of the EO and methanolic extract were tested using Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. Twenty-six compounds were identified in the essential oil, representing 97.73% of the total oil, with 0.202% yield. The major components were pulegone (74.81%), menthone (13.01%) and piperitone (3.82%). Twenty-one elements, including macro- and micro-elements (Ba, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sr, Th, U and Zn), were detected using neutron activation analysis (INAA) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), with the concentration of mineral element close to the FAO recommendation. The results show that the EOs and extracts from Mentha pulegium L. had significant antimicrobial activities against the microorganisms, including five human pathogenic bacteria, one yeast (Candida albicans), and one phytopathogenic fungi. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activities of the leaf extracts were confirmed. The results indicate that the EOs and extracts from Mentha pulegium L. have promising applications in the pharmaceutical industries, clinical applications, and in medical research.
Post-arc current in low voltage vacuum circuit breaker: measurements and physical peculiarities

Continuing the investigation of the post-arc (p.a.) current within low voltage switching process in vacuum, the high modulation frequency of the p.a. current was also taken into account. The constants fitted for the adopted mathematical simplified p.a. model were deduced from the experimental data, considering an equivalent scheme of the quenching chamber in vacuum formed from a capacitance and the electric discharge in a nonlinear environment.
Root length density (RLD) of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) in a haplic Luvisol in Chiapas, Mexico

The tight relationship between root architecture and uptake capacity of soil water and minerals, is well established. Support roots, generally long-lived, perform support functions such as transportation and food storage. Absorbing roots, thin and short-lived, absorb nutrients and regulate plant metabolism. Roots distribution in the soil profile is crucial for plant development. It optimizes resource usage and ensures a prompt response to seasonal changes. This work aimed to study the vertical distribution of the root system of nine-year-old oil palms in a haplic Luvisol, low fertility, moderately acidic, with Nitrogen (N) and Potassium (K) deficiency, average content of Phosphorous (P), and medium to low Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). Using the cylinder method, soil samples were collected every 10 cm and down to 150 cm of soil depth, from each cardinal side of three soil profiles. The results showed that oil palms had good root development. Most roots (73%) were found in the first 30 cm of soil, with a predominance of fine roots (78%). At 50 cm in depth, fine roots represented 88%, thin roots, 67% and medium roots, 94%. Further study should assess root length density at 15, 20, 25, and 30 years. Highlights - Haplic luvisols are optimal soils for oil palm cultivation due to their depth (> 150cm), over 50% base saturation, and pH of 5.5-6.6. - Root length density (RLD) decreased as soil depth increased. Although most oil palm roots are found in surface horizons, roots can still be found at depths of up to 1.5-5 m. - The highest number of oil palm roots (73%) was found in the first 30 cm, with 78% of fine roots. - Fine roots were distributed throughout the entire soil profile, evidencing high nutrient-absorption and metabolic activities.
AUTOMATIC GUIDED VEHICLE SIMULATION: USING PARTICIPATORY LEARNING AND GENETIC ALGORITHMS

DOI: 10.14684/intertech.13. 2014.84-88 This paper discusses a framework that uses computational simulation to improve the performance of unmanned aerial vehicles through the creation and the selection of better navigation rules. For such task, the approaches known as Participatory Learning System and as Genetic Algorithm will be combined. The intent is to provide the mathematical and computational structure to enable unmanned aerial vehicle learning from simulation experiences. Index Terms - Genetic Algorithm, Matlab, Participatory Learning System, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
A heat and mass transfer analysis of the subfloor cavity of a residential building

As roof and wall insulation have become a standard inclusion in a residential building’s design, the conditions in the subfloor cavity have gained relative importance to the building’s thermal performance. However, the modelling of heat and mass transfer between a building and the ground is considered a weak point in many building simulation programs. As very little measured data on Australian subfloor conditions exists, this research seeks to investigate the subfloor conditions experimentally. This paper examines measured subfloor climate data and compares it to acceptable limits and prior field studies. Heat and mass transfer relationships connecting subfloor ventilation, ground evaporation and the subfloor and outdoor climate conditions are developed theoretically and investigated using measured data. Ground evaporation is found to have a significant effect on the energy balance in the subfloor. Thus a recommendation is made to include an evaporation model in Australia’s AccuRate building thermal performance simulation program.