Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of directional elements on the directional response of circular antenna arrays

The paper analyses the effect of directional elements on circular antenna arrays fed by phase-mode excitations. These phase modes represent a convenient pattern-synthesis technique for circular arrays as they correspond to Fourier terms of the far-field pattern. A serious limitation on circular arrays, when employing omnidirectional elements, relates to rapid variations in the amplitude of the modes due to changes in array diameter or frequency. The analysis shows how the phase-mode synthesis technique may be extended to take account of directional elements. It also reveals that the use of directional elements can overcome the above limitations and can enable circular arrays to synthesise wide-bandwidth directional patterns. The choice of element patterns of the form 1 + cos o seems particularly suitable. The analysis also shows that the directional elements can prevent the deterioration of pattern shape with elevation angle (angles away from the plane of the circle).
Evaluation of Seismic Damage to Memphis Bridges and Highway Systems

This paper presents a procedure for the evaluation of the expected seismic damage to bridges and highway systems in Memphis and Shelby County, Tenn. Data pertinent to 452 bridges and major arterial routes were collected and implemented as a geographic information system database. The bridges were classified into several bridge types using a bridge classification system modified from the NBIS/Federal Highway Administration coding guidelines. The bridge damage states considered are no/minor damage, repairable damage, and significant damage. The fragility curves corresponding to these damage states were established for various bridge types. Given an earthquake with a moment magnitude of 7.0 occurring at Marked Tree, Ark. , the intensity of ground shaking and liquefaction-induced permanent ground deformation in Memphis and Shelby County were estimated, and then the expected damage to bridges and highway systems was determined. The results can be used to prioritize bridges for retrofitting, to prepare a pre-earthquake preparedness plan, to develop a postearthquake emergency response plan, and to assess the regional economic impact from the damage to highway transportation systems.
Assessing the Susceptibility Status of Cypermethrin resistance in German Cockroaches (Blattella germanica: Blattellidae) to Hydramethylnon Gel Bait

Background: The German cockroach (Blatella germanica) is one of the most important vectors of public health interest due to its involvement in the transmission of infectious diseases. Different insecticides are used to control cockroaches; however, resistance developed against most of insecticides has made them ineffective. Attempts should always be made to find proper alternatives to control this insect. Methods: In the present study, B. germanica was collected from a hospital in Tehran. Insecticide susceptibility of the cockroaches to cypermethrin was determined using the WHO glass jar method and discriminating doses.Mortality was assessed at 14 h intervals after exposure to bait. Results: The results showed a resistance ratio of about 3.4 to cypermethrin and a complete susceptibility of the field strain to Hydramethylnon gel bait insecticide when they were compared with the susceptible strain. Therefore, there was no cross resistance pattern between these insecticides. This report is the first study on the susceptibility status of resistantB. germanica to Hydramethylnon bait in Iran. Conclusions:We suggest that the use of Hydramethylnon gel bait could be used as an effective control method especially when other insecticides fail to control the cockroach populations0.0.
An Efficient Method for Modeling an Individual’s Perception of Postural Stress

Various Posture Analysis Tools (PAT), for example, OWAS and RULA, are currently used to evaluate and control work-related postural stresses. These tools do not consider substantial individual differences in the perception of postural stresses. Consequently, they do not provide an insight into the population stress distributions of different working postures. The limitations make it difficult to provide protections in individual-specific manners and accurately estimate the effects of job design at the population level. An alternative to the existing PAT is to develop individual-specific PAT and use them for protecting individuals. With a large database of such individual-specific PAT, population level analyses also become possible. As an initial effort towards individual-specific and population-level posture analyses, our goal is to develop a procedure for creating individual-specific PAT. Our hypothesis is that individuals’ specific PAT can be represented as simple mathematical functions, referred to as posture-stress mapping (PSM) functions. To test the feasibility of the PSM function concept, a pilot study was conducted. As for the common basic function form, a weight sum of body joint moments was tested. Six subjects participated. Each subject performed a 20-second static posture holding trial for a set of 180 working postures and conducted a subjective rating of postural stress using the Borg CR10 scale. The six subjects differed from one another significantly in the distribution of the measured postural stresses justifying the needs for the individual-specific modeling approach. For each subject, the posture-stress dataset was divided to form a model test dataset and differently-sized model building datasets. Each of the model building dataset was fitted into the base function form. The resulting PSM function was used to predict the postural stress responses for the postures included in the model test dataset. Its prediction accuracy was evaluated by comparing the actual and predicted postural stresses. For two of the six subjects, their PSM functions were found to be able to accurately predict postural stresses of working postures. Overall, the current results suggest that individual-specific modeling of postural stresses seems feasible; however, different base function forms will need to be evaluated in the future.
The Development of Web-Based Ventilator Management Education Program

Abstract This research is to develop the Web-Based Ventilator Management Education Program that reflects the needs of nursing site nursing which is intended to help nursing duties. ISD model-building process has been developed for the analysis, design, development, operation, and evaluation of methods. The education program was developed from April to July 2011, and SPSS 18.0 was used for data analysis. The analysis stage, document review and requirement analysis, content analysis, learner analysis, technology and environment analysis have been executed. Through the processes, higher education requirements for the practical ventilator, a large number of subjects under the age of 30, and the career of less than 3 years of ICU were searched. At the design stage, the education content that was presented by the content expert group was executed in information design, mutual interaction design, synchronization design through discussion with program experts. At the development stage, author made the story flow and gathered data and integrated it through the review of related document and data. At the operation and evaluation stage, author executed the developed program and revised and supplemented it on the basis of the evaluation results through the experts and subjects evaluation. The Web-Based Ventilator Management Education Program could contribute to the improvement of nursing because the program has been developed to reflect the diverse needs of nursing practice in the process of building program.
Exogenous Foliar Melatonin Improves Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum L.) Physio-Biochemical Characteristics Under the Synergetic Effects of Low Temperature and Salinity Stress

Low temperature and soil salinization during cotton sowing and seedling have adverse effects on cotton productivity. Finding an alternative for reducing the low temperature and salt induced damages during the seedling stage of cotton is a challenge for agricultural researchers nowadays. The physiological mechanism of exogenously applied melatonin (MT) on cotton seedlings under low temperature and salt stress is still unclear. The experiment in a phytotron was comprised with two temperature levels of 15°C and 25°C, and 5 MT treatments of 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 µM, and two salinity levels of 0 and 150 mM NaCl stress. Compared with the control treatments (non-salinity stress under 15°C and 25°C), the coupled stress of salt and low temperature reduced cotton seedlings’ biomass and net photosynthetic rate (Pn), aggravated the membrane damage, reduced the potassium (K+) content and increased the sodium (Na+) accumulation in the leaves and roots. Compared with the NaCl-stressed treatment alone, the exogenous foliar applications of 50-150µM MT significantly increased the biomass and gas exchange parameters of cotton seedlings under the coupled salt and low temperature stress conditions. The exogenously applied MT at 50-150µM under the coupled effect of salt and low temperature stress conditions decreased the degree of membrane damage and regulated the activities of the protective enzymes, ion homeostasis, ion transport and absorption of cotton seedlings. The pairwise correlation analysis of each parameter by MT shows that the parameters with higher correlation with MT at 15°C are mainly malondialdehyde (MDA), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). The most relevant parameters at 25℃ are K+ concentration in leaves (K+-L), K+ concentration in root (K+-R), Na+ concentration in leaves (Na+-L), Na+ concentration in root (Na+-R), Na+ uptake in-root surface (Na+-uptake), K+ ion translocation (K+-translocation). Stepwise linear regression of the above parameters found that MT is more related to MDA at 15°C, and MT is more related to Na+-L at 25°C.
Computationally Efficient Long Binary Sequence Designs With Low Autocorrelation Sidelobes

The design of binary sequences with low autocorrelation sidelobes is critically important to diverse applications, including radar and sonar as well as communications. Many computational methods have been proposed recently to design binary sequences through optimizing the integrated sidelobe level (ISL), which is a commonly used optimization metric. However, due to the high computational complexities, few of them can be used for long binary sequence designs, which are needed in, for example, low-cost commercial automotive radar systems. To improve the performance of the recently introduced fast Fourier transform (FFT) based CANARY algorithm for long aperiodic binary sequence designs, we introduce a new penalty function into the ISL metric and also propose a new framework of double-loop iterations. These new ideas are also extended to design long periodic binary sequences with low autocorrelation sidelobes and long aperiodic and periodic binary sequences with low correlation zones. The associated cost functions are still optimized efficiently via FFT-based iterations, making the proposed algorithms computationally efficient and, hence, suitable for long binary sequence designs. Moreover, the convergence properties and the computational complexities of these algorithms are analyzed. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Matched filter bound for OFDM on Rayleigh fading channels

A matched filter bound (MFB) analysis is presented, in which the normalised Doppler rate is unrestricted, and thus applicable to OFDM signalling. In contrast to the static channel case, the optimal matched filter receiver is shown to be time varying and the probability of error is shown to depend on the transmitted pulse shape.
MOS Capacitor-Driven Silicon Modulators: A Mini Review and Comparative Analysis of Modulation Efficiency and Optical Loss

Metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor-driven silicon modulators have demonstrated exceeding performance in driving voltage, energy efficiency, and bandwidth through heterogeneous integration with other active materials, including III-V compound semiconductors, transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), and graphene. However, a proper quantitative comparison is lacking among various device structures due to the difference in material properties and device designs. In this article, we first briefly reviewed state-of-the-art MOS capacitor-driven silicon modulators. Following that, we modeled the modulation efficiency and optical loss of two most representative device structures by incorporating the optical properties such as plasma dispersion, band-filling, and bandgap shrinkage effects for several heterogeneously integrated materials. The comparative analysis based on simulated results shows that Ge, III-Vs, and TCOs all offer larger index modulation than Si, whereas graphene has the largest index modulation. At the end of this article, we discussed the strategy of heterogeneous integration based on device design and scalable fabrication.
Estimating the rates of crossover and gene conversion from individual genomes

Recombination can occur either as a result of crossover or gene conversion events. Population genetic methods for inferring the rate of recombination from patterns of linkage disequilibrium generally assume a simple model of recombination that only involves crossover events and ignore gene conversion. However, distinguishing the two processes is not only necessary for a complete description of recombination, but also essential for understanding the evolutionary consequences of inversions and other genomic partitions in which crossover (but not gene conversion) is reduced. We present heRho, a simple composite likelihood scheme for co-estimating the rate of crossover and gene conversion from individual diploid genomes. The method is based on analytic results for the distance-dependent probability of heterozygous and homozygous states at two loci. We apply heRho to simulations and data from the house mouse Mus musculus castaneus, a well studied model. Our analyses show i) that the rates of crossover and gene conversion can be accurately co-estimated at the level of individual chromosomes and ii) that previous estimates of the population scaled rate of recombination under a pure crossover model are likely biased.
A Production and Maintenance Planning Model with Restoration Cost Dependent on Detection Delay

In this paper, the joint problem of production planning and maintenance schedule is studied under the realistic assumption that the cost of process restoration is a function of the detection delay and the existence of shortages in the system. The detection delay is defined as the elapsed time since the production process has deteriorated until it is identified by some inspection procedure and repaired. Since production planning and maintenance problems have usually been studied as separate problems, this paper is an attempt to develop a formal framework for the joint problem. We have developed sufficient conditions for the optimality of the commonly used equal-interval maintenance schedule. The conditions are found to be a function of parameters such as the cost of defective items, the mean time for system deterioration, and the form of the restoration cost function. For specific restoration cost functions such as linear and exponential, an efficient solution procedure is presented for the simultaneous de.
Perceived impact of COVID-19 on sexual health and access to sexual health services among university students in Canada

We examined the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexual health, sexual behaviour, well-being, and access to sexual health services among university students in Canada. Between December 2020 and January 2021, 1504 university students across Canada completed an online survey focused on overall sexual health, well-being, solitary sexual behaviours, partnered sexual interactions, and access to sexual health services. The survey was designed by the Sex Information & Education Council of Canada and administered by the Leger polling company. Reported levels of overall sexual health were high. Cisgender women reported significantly greater scores of COVID-19—related stress compared to cisgender men; LGBQ+ students had higher levels of stress compared to heterosexual participants. Overall, solitary sexual behaviours (i.e., masturbation, porn use, vibrator use) remained unchanged or were perceived to increase compared to the time before the pandemic. Cisgender men reported higher scores (i.e., greater perceived increases) on masturbation and porn use than cisgender women. Frequency of sex with casual partners was perceived as similar or lower than what was usual before the pandemic, and most participants did not engage in sex where the close personal contact put them or their partner at risk for COVID-19. Declines in access were reported for all sexual health care services surveyed, with cisgender women and students of colour more likely to report decreased access to services. Results highlight the need for targeted public health messaging regarding sexual behaviour, investment in sexual health services, and supports tailored to the needs of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of colour.
A theoretical framework for multi-species range expansion in spatially heterogeneous landscapes

Range expansion is the spatial spread of a population into previously unoccupied regions. Understanding range expansion is important for the study and successful manipulation and management of ecosystems, with applications ranging from controlling bacterial biofilm formation in industrial and medical environments to large scale conservation programmes for species undergoing climate-change induced habitat disruption. During range expansion, species typically encounter competitors. Moreover, the environment into which expansion takes place is almost always heterogeneous when considered at the scale of the individual. Despite the ubiquitous nature of these features, the impact of competition and spatial landscape heterogeneities on range expansion remains understudied. In this paper we present a theoretical framework comprising two competing generic species undergoing range expansion and use it to investigate the impact of spatial landscape heterogeneities on range expansion with a particular focus on its effect on competition dynamics. We reveal that the area covered by range expansion during a fixed time interval is highly variable due to the fixed landscape heterogeneities. Moreover, we report significant variability in competitive outcome (relative abundance of a focal species) but determine that this is induced by low initial population densities, independent of landscape heterogeneities. We further show that both area covered by range expansion and competitive outcome can be accurately predicted by a Voronoi tessellation with respect to an appropriate metric, which only requires information on the spatial landscape and the response of each species to that landscape. Finally, we reveal that if species interact antagonistically during range expansion, the dominant mode of competition depends on the initial population density. Antagonistic actions determine competitive outcome if the initial population density is high, but competition for space is the dominant mode of competition if the initial population density is low.
Elastohydrodynamic Film Collapse During Rapid Deceleration. Part II—Theoretical Analysis and Comparison of Theory and Experiment

This paper presents a theoretical model for the behavior of elastohydrodynamic films subjected to transient speed conditions, based on Grubin's analytical solution for elastohydrodynamic lubrication. This model is applied to predict film thickness in high deceleration conditions. The model's predictions are compared with the experimental results presented in an accompanying paper entitled Elastohydrodynamic Film Collapse During Rapid Deceleration.
Two-dimensional field analysis for CAD of Rotman-type beam-forming lenses

A general procedure for design and analysis of a Rotman-type beam-forming lens using 2-dimensional field analysis is proposed. Evaluation of reflection coefficients, coupling between ports, main beam direction, 3-dB beam width and side lobe level are described. The results for a sample case are in agreement with the experimental results. The procedure developed is suitable for CAD implementation leading to optimization of Rotman lens layout configuration.
Pneumotransport of Grains Through a Pipeline

Determination of pressure drop correlation using experimental techniques has been a central topic of research in the area of pneumotransport. However, the objective of the present investigation is to apply the mathematical model (SK model) developed by the author [1,2] along with other correlations [3–5] to estimate pressure drops for conveying varieties of grains through horizontal pipe and compare the values with the experimental results of Siegel [6]. The SK model has also been utilized to calculate pressure drops for conveying mustard seeds pneumatically through horizontal, inclined and vertical pipes and compare the values with the experimental results of Rose and Barnacle [7]. It is evident from various comparisons shown in this paper that the SK model predicts the values of pressure drop accurately as compared to the experimental results in all the cases of grains transport through horizontal, inclined, and vertical pipes, whereas, other correlations do not predict accurate results consistently in all cases.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Method for Identifying Factors Contributing to Driver-Injury Severity in Traffic Crashes

Numerous driver, vehicle, roadway, and environmental factors contribute to crash-injury severity. In addition to main effects, interactions between factors are very likely to be significant. The large number of potentially important factors, combined with the complex nature of crash etiology and injury outcome, present significant challenges to the safety analyst, who must select from a large number of factors and specify a comprehensive but feasible set of main factors and interactions for testing in statistical models. In addition, some factors contain a relatively large number of categories (e.g., weather conditions), and the selection of cut-off points for categorization of continuous factors may not be readily obvious (e.g., driver age). It is also important that statistical tests underlying these analyses accurately address the frequent problem of data sparseness. The development and testing of a variable-selection procedure to address each of these problems is the stated objective. Bus-involved crash data for Freeway 1 in Taiwan from 1985 through 1993 were used to screen a set of 39 possible influential factors, along with interactions. The final log-linear model shows that late-night or early-morning driving increases the risk for bus drivers of being severely injured, particularly when the drivers caused the accident or when the drivers were involved in rear-end accidents. Bus accidents involving large trucks or tractor-trailers also increase the risk. An assessment of the importance of considering interactions in crash models is presented as a conclusion.