Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermal behavior and electrical conductivity of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer/expanded graphite nanocomposites: Effects of nanofiller size and loading

Nanocomposites based on ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer and expanded graphite (EG) were prepared using direct and two‐step melt‐mixing processes. The effect of elongational flow on the dispersion of EG nanoparticles in the polymeric matrix was investigated by thermal analysis and electrical conductivity measurements. Two types of EG having different aspect ratio were applied to prepare the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites containing higher aspect ratio nanofiller have shown higher values of transition temperature (Tg) and a stronger reinforcing effect of EG. The evaluation of EVA crystallization behavior has clarified that both the EG loading and particle size have noticeably influenced the crystallization characteristics of EVA. The restrictions imposed by nanoparticles on molecular motion and, correspondingly, the crystal growth stage have been the most notable effect of EG nanopartciles on the EVA crystallization behavior. Moreover, the presence of EG nanofiller has intensified the formation of a second‐type of EVA crystals during long annealing time. Furthermore, chemically crosslinking of EVA chains has led to the formation of smaller crystals with more uniform size. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL. , 22:51–60, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Using Dynamic Rheology to Measure Cement-Admixture Interactions

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of water-reducing admixtures on the flow behavior of cement pastes using small-amplitude oscillatory rheology. In this technique, a small shear force is applied to the specimen, the strain response is measured, and rheological parameters are calculated. Gelled suspensions exhibit high elastic modulus and yield stress values and dispersed suspensions exhibit low values. The high-range water-reducing admixture based on carboxylic acrylate ester (CAE) fully dispersed the four portland cements used in this study, while the admixture based on sulfonated naphthalene formaldehyde (SNF) dispersed only one of the cements and caused the other three to gel. Such gelation indicates cement-admixture incompatibility. At the same dosage, the CAE gave greater dispersion and more retardation of stiffening than the SNF when mixed with the same cement, but stiffening behaviors were more similar when the admixture dosages were adjusted to provide a similar initial elastic modulus. The incompatible cement-admixture combinations were dispersed when the admixture addition was delayed by a few minutes. Dispersion was also enhanced by increasing the shearing when mixing the paste.
A Framework for Specifying and Analyzing Temporal Properties of UML Class Models

Software designers widely use UML Class Models to specify the static structure of object-oriented systems. Temporal properties of class models can be expressed using the TOCL, an extension of OCL with elements of a linear temporal logic. Specification and verification of temporal properties expressed in TOCL is non-trivial and no automated tools exist that aid such verification. Existing approaches rely on transforming the UML models to other languages that have automated analysis support. Such transformation is complex and can introduce errors. Towards this end, this paper proposes a framework for specifying and directly analyzing temporal properties expressed in TOCL. The framework was validated using two demonstration case studies and in both cases, the approach uncovered design faults.
Fault tolerant tracking control for quad-rotor helicopter via robust adaptive technique

This paper presents a robust adaptive ℋ∞ strategy to solve the attitude of the quad-rotor helicopter control problems with actuator failures and external disturbances. The dynamic motion equations are obtained by the Euler formalism. Based on the linear time-invariant state-space equations of the quad-rotor, a state feedback robust adaptive ℋ∞ tracking controller is proposed to track the given attitude angles with actuator faults. The controller gain consists of two parts: one part is the fixed gain which is obtained based on LMIs (linear Matrix inequalities), the other one is the time-varying gain which is adjusted on-line by the designed adaptive laws. Simulations based on a 3D Hover System of Quanser, are presented to verify the control strategy in the SIMULINK/MATLAB environment.
Degradation of the Phosphonate Herbicide Glyphosate by Arthrobacter atrocyaneus ATCC 13752

Of nine authentic Arthrobacter strains tested, only A. atrocyaneus ATCC 13752 was capable of using the herbicide glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] as its sole source of phosphorus. Contrary to the previously isolated Arthrobacter sp. strain GLP-1, which degrades glyphosate via sarcosine, A. atrocyaneus metabolized glyphosate to aminomethylphosphonic acid. The carbon of aminomethylphosphonic acid was entirely converted to CO2. This is the first report on glyphosate degradation by a bacterial strain without previous selection for glyphosate utilization as a source of phosphorus.
Optical Properties of Type III-V Semiconductor Spherical Quantum Dot Heterostructures

Author Nathan Haluska Title Optical Properties of Type III-V Semiconductor Spherical Quantum Dot Heterostructures Institution Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Degree Master of Science m Engineering Physics Year 2010 In recent years quantum dots (QD) have attracted increasing interest because of their wide variety of revolutionary applications Such applications include high speed optical communication lasers, infrared photodetectors, and single photon emitters One promising immediate application is QD solar cells Proper analysis of the optical absorption characteristics in these solar cells requires a rigorous modeling of the electronic structure and optical properties of semiconductor heterostructures Our emphasis will be on type III-V semiconductors Such structures, have a great potential for increasing efficiencies, but they also possess highly degenerate and complex valence band structures Therefore, we seek to develop a model of spherical QD band structure for type III-V Semiconductor materials, and with such results we obtain the absorption properties of the simulated QDs We assume stress and strain effects are negligible We also assume the conduction and spm-orbit bands are treated as distant We utilize the spherically symmetric, single and multiple band effective mass equations along with previously developed analytical methods to simplify the problem, then we obtain the eigenfunctions and eigenenergies of the QD, and use them to model optical transitions We assume a quasi-equilibrium Fermi-Dirac distribution for electrons and holes and obtain the microscopic transition rates and absorption coefficients Furthermore, we implement this in Matlab with a robust graphical user interface which allows for arbitrary configurations of materials and QD sizes With this tool, the eigenenergies, eigenfunctions, and absorption coefficients may be calculated
Big graph mining: algorithms and discoveries

How do we find patterns and anomalies in very large graphs with billions of nodes and edges? How to mine such big graphs efficiently? Big graphs are everywhere, ranging from social networks and mobile call networks to biological networks and the World Wide Web. Mining big graphs leads to many interesting applications including cyber security, fraud detection, Web search, recommendation, and many more. In this paper we describe Pegasus, a big graph mining system built on top of MapReduce, a modern distributed data processing platform. We introduce GIM-V, an important primitive that Pegasus uses for its algorithms to analyze structures of large graphs. We also introduce HEigen, a large scale eigensolver which is also a part of Pegasus. Both GIM-V and HEigen are highly optimized, achieving linear scale up on the number of machines and edges, and providing 9.2x and 76x faster performance than their naive counterparts, respectively. Using Pegasus, we analyze very large, real world graphs with billions of nodes and edges. Our findings include anomalous spikes in the connected component size distribution, the 7 degrees of separation in a Web graph, and anomalous adult advertisers in the who-follows-whom Twitter social network.
Directed Forgetting: Differential Effects on Typical and Distinctive Faces

ABSTRACT Directed forgetting (DF) occurs when stimuli presented during the study phase are followed by “forget” and “remember” cues. On a subsequent memory test, poor memory is observed for stimuli followed by the forget cues, compared to stimuli followed by the remember cues. Although DF is most commonly observed with verbal tasks, the present study extended intentional forgetting research for nonverbal stimuli and examined whether faces were susceptible to DF. Results confirmed that the presentation of a forget cue significantly reduced recognition for faces, as compared to faces followed by a remember cue. Additionally, a well-established finding in face recognition is that distinctive faces are better remembered than typical faces, and Experiment 2 assessed whether face appearance influenced the degree of DF. Results indicate that the DF effect observed in Experiment 1 was replicated in Experiment 2 and that the effect was more pronounced for those faces that were typical in appearance.
Gain Factors Calibration in 3D Sound Reproduction Using VBAP

Vector-based amplitude panning in three dimensional sound reproduction aims to preserve both sound image direction and distance perception. While in the estimation process, the loudspeakers are supposed to place on a sphere. It is possible that this requirement cannot be met in home environment. An alternative method to estimate gain factors in vector-based amplitude panning is proposed to preserve distance perception in this study. The experiments confirm that listeners do not perceive obvious distance differences when panning and confirm the validation of the proposed method. Keywords-panning; distance; factor; reproduction;
Leakage and coupling of square and double D magnetic couplers

Commercial high power Electric Vehicle (EV) Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) systems need to comply with leakage regulations while transferring the required power. The choice and design of the magnetic coupler (pad) topology heavily influences the power, efficiency and leakage of these systems. This paper seeks to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of two pad topologies, the Square Pad and the Double D Pad (DDP). A metric that combines coupling and leakage to provide a fair comparison between pads is introduced. Variations on the pads are investigated, including adding a ferrite core, changing the aspect ratio and reducing the coil dimensions while keeping the ferrite dimensions constant. Simulation results show that, in general, the DDP has advantages when misaligned in one direction, whereas the Square Pad's advantages arise when misaligned in the other direction.
Crowd Science: Measurements, Models, and Methods

The increasing practice of engaging crowds, where organizations use IT to connect with dispersed individuals for explicit resource creation purposes, has precipitated the need to measure the precise processes and benefits of these activities over myriad different implementations. In this work, we seek to address these salient and non-trivial considerations by laying a foundation of theory, measures, and research methods that allow us to test crowd-engagement efficacy across organizations, industries, technologies, and geographies. To do so, we anchor ourselves in the Theory of Crowd Capital, a generalizable framework for studying IT-mediated crowd-engagement phenomena, and put forth an empirical apparatus of testable measures and generalizable methods to begin to unify the field of crowd science.
An Evidence-Based Review of Insomnia Treatment in Early Recovery

Accruing evidence indicates that insomnia is prevalent and persistent in early recovery from substance use disorders and may predict relapse. As such, insomnia treatment after abstinence represents an important area for intervention. This article reviews the literature on insomnia predicting new-onset alcohol and substance use disorders, along with evidence for insomnia predicting relapse in recovering populations. Pharmacological and psychological treatment options are presented, and cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia applied to recovering populations is described in detail.
Cancer-Related Fatigue in Post-Treatment Cancer Survivors: Theory-Based Development of a Web-Based Intervention

Background Cancer-related fatigue (CrF) is the most common and disruptive symptom experienced by cancer survivors. We aimed to develop a theory-based, interactive Web-based intervention designed to facilitate self-management and enhance coping with CrF following cancer treatment. Objective The aim of our study was to outline the rationale, decision-making processes, methods, and findings which led to the development of a Web-based intervention to be tested in a feasibility trial. This paper outlines the process and method of development of the intervention. Methods An extensive review of the literature and qualitative research was conducted to establish a therapeutic approach for this intervention, based on theory. The psychological principles used in the development process are outlined, and we also clarify hypothesized causal mechanisms. We describe decision-making processes involved in the development of the content of the intervention, input from the target patient group and stakeholders, the design of the website features, and the initial user testing of the website. Results The cocreation of the intervention with the experts and service users allowed the design team to ensure that an acceptable intervention was developed. This evidence-based Web-based program is the ﬁrst intervention of its kind based on self-regulation model theory, with the primary aim of targeting the representations of fatigue and enhancing self-management of CrF, speciﬁcally. Conclusions This research sought to integrate psychological theory, existing evidence of effective interventions, empirically derived principles of Web design, and the views of potential users into the systematic planning and design of the intervention of an easy-to-use website for cancer survivors.
On-chip creation and elimination of microbubbles for a micro-object manipulator

This paper describes on-chip microbubble creation and elimination using an electrolytic process integrated with electrowetting on dielectrics (EWOD) actuations. These bubble operation units are developed for the microbubble-based micro-object manipulator in which EWOD-actuated microbubbles can be used not only as micro-object carriers but also as flow amplifiers using ultrasonic excitations. By applying voltages between the anode and cathode, microbubbles of oxygen, hydrogen and their mixture ranging from several microns to several hundred microns in diameter are on-chip created electrolytically. EWOD actuation is used to detach and transport the bubbles from the creation site. On-chip bubble elimination is accomplished by using the reverse electrolytic reaction. A platinum electrode, which acts as a catalyst in the reverse electrolytic reaction, substantially increases the elimination rate of microbubbles, by an order of magnitude, as compared to a Teflon-covered Si surface. The catalytic reaction is effective in eliminating hydrogen, oxygen and mixture bubbles. Interestingly, the Teflon-coated Pt electrodes show a higher elimination rate than the bare Pt electrode. This is attributed to a larger contact area with the Teflon-covered electrode (hydrophobic surface) than with the bare Pt electrode (hydrophilic surface). For the Teflon-covered electrodes, the bubble elimination rate increases with thinner Teflon coating. Integrated bubble operations—creation, transportation and elimination—are realized on a single chip in which coating of the Pt electrode with a Teflon layer allows transporting of bubbles into the elimination site. Finally, as a proof of concept for the micro-object manipulator, it is demonstrated that EWOD-actuated bubbles can push micron- and millimeter-sized objects and release them at a different place.
Protease-Activated Receptor-2 Stimulates Angiogenesis and Accelerates Hemodynamic Recovery in a Mouse Model of Hindlimb Ischemia

Abstract— Proteinase-activated receptors (PAR-2) are expressed by the cardiovascular system and mediate vasodilation, plasma protein extravasation, and endothelial cell proliferation, all regarded as essential steps for neovascularization. We investigated the angiogenic action of PAR-2 signaling in vivo. The effect of the PAR-2 activating peptide (PAR-2AP, SLIGRL-NH2) was assessed in the absence of ischemia, and the therapeutic potential of PAR-2AP and the PAR-2 agonist trypsin (at 300 and 1.5 nmol IM daily for 21 days, respectively) was also tested in mice subjected to unilateral limb ischemia. PAR-2AP increased capillarity in normoperfused adductor skeletal muscles, whereas neither the vehicle of the PAR2-AP nor the PAR-2 reverse peptide (PAR-2RP, LRGILS-NH2) did produce any effect. In addition, both PAR-2AP and trypsin enhanced reparative angiogenic response to limb ischemia, an effect that was not produced by PAR-2RP or the vehicle of PAR-2 agonists. Potentiation of reparative angiogenesis by PAR-2AP or trypsin resulted in an accelerated hemodynamic recovery and enhanced limb salvage. In conclusions, our study is the first to demonstrate the angiogenic potential of PAR-2 stimulation in vivo. If similar effects occur in humans, PAR-2AP agonists could have some therapeutic potential for the treatment of tissue ischemia.
Non pre-emptive scheduling of messages on SMTV token-passing networks

Fieldbus communication networks aim to interconnect sensors, actuators and controllers within distributed computer-controlled systems. Therefore, they constitute the foundation upon which real-time applications are to be implemented. A specific class of fieldbus communication networks is based on a simplified version of token-passing protocols, where each station may transfer, at most, a single message per token visit (SMTV). In this paper, we establish an analogy between non-preemptive task scheduling in single processors and the scheduling of messages on SMTV token-passing networks. Moreover, we clearly show that concepts such as blocking and interference in non-preemptive task scheduling have their counterparts in the scheduling of messages on SMTV token-passing networks. Based on this task/message scheduling analogy, we provide pre-run-time schedulability conditions for supporting real-time messages with SMTV token-passing networks. We provide both utilisation-based and response time tests to perform the pre-run-time schedulability analysis of real-time messages on SMTV token-passing networks, considering RM/DM (rate monotonic/deadline monotonic) and EDF (earliest deadline first) priority assignment schemes.
Semantic Slam: A New Paradigm for Object Recognition and Scene Reconstruction

Simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) is a technique studied in computer vision and robotics that, given measurements obtained from one or more sensors, allows incremental building of a map of the environment and simultaneous estimation of the position and orientation of the very same sensor used to acquire the input data. Visual SLAM systems typically allow the generation of accurate reconstructions of the explored environment but, until very recently, did not provide high level informations on the contents of the reconstructed scenes, useful to foster high level reasoning by subsequent algorithms. In this thesis we focus on the topic of Semantic SLAM, proposing techniques to obtain semantically accurate reconstructions of the explored environment by combining efficient SLAM systems with state-of-the-art semantic image segmentation algorithms. We show how, by relying on such semantic reconstructions, the accuracy of the localisation phase of a SLAM pipeline can improve, by accounting for the presence of semantic informations during the camera pose estimation step. We thus realise a "semantic loop", where the availability of high level clues betters the mapping process, in turn helping the subsequent localisation phase. A full system, drawing inspiration from the presented research, allowing a real-time and automatic semantic mapping of large-scale environments is then presented. An ancillary, but nevertheless important, component of simultaneous localisation and mapping systems is a technique to allow the estimation of sensor position separately from the main SLAM loop, to recover from failures in the localisation algorithm. We present a technique that, by exploiting the appearance of image patches, can reliably localise the likely position of the sensor used to acquire such images. Such relocalisation system can be easily included in a Semantic SLAM system to allow a more robust mapping process wherein camera tracking failures can be reliably recovered from.
A Modular and High-Precision Motion Control System With an Integrated Motor

This paper describes the design and control of an integrated direct-drive joint suitable for applications that require a high-precision motion control system. The joint integrates a direct-drive synchronous motor with axial air gap, a torque sensor, and a high-resolution position sensor. The key design aspects of the integrated joint, like the motor's armature, cooling system, motor housing, bearing arrangement, sensors, and power electronics are detailed. We also present a number of advanced implementations in motor torque control, optimal joint torque sensory feedback, and motion control using positive joint torque feedback. Experimental results illustrate an outstanding performance regarding thermal response, torque ripple, reference trajectory tracking, torque disturbance rejection, and joint stiffness.
Data exchange in interorganizational relationships: review through multiple conceptual lenses

This paper explores the theoretical underpinning of data exchange research, specifically Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), over the period from 1993 to 2002. It identifies the underlying research paradigms applied to examination of data exchange, and determines conceptual and theoretical gaps in previous research on data exchange in interorganizational relationships (IORs). Sixty-eight articles are analyzed. Results suggest a predominant concern with the outcomes realized with EDI adoption and use. There appears to be a shift in emphasis from dyadic relationships to networks. As a majority of the studies are of the survey nature using single cross-sectional snapshots, the emphasis appears to be on short-term outcomes of EDI-enabled relationships. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Varying inertial parameters model based robust control for an aerial manipulator

The aerial manipulator is a new kind of UAV system composed of an aerial robot and a multi-link manipulator. It enables the traditional aerial robots to perform fine manipulation, and thus has great potential for many real applications. However, one of the most challenging problems of the aerial manipulator system is the high performance steady control. Its difficulties mainly come from the heavy dynamics couplings between the aerial robot and the manipulator, especially when quick relative motion is required. Thus in this paper, the modeling and motion control problem of the aerial manipulator is studied. Firstly, a new modeling scheme is proposed by using the concept of Varying Inertial Parameters (VIP), the main idea of which is to take the influence of coupling on the aerial robot as a group of state dependent inertial parameters, i.e., the Center of Mass (CoM) and inertia matrix of the aerial robot is varying with the relative state variance. Subsequently, based on the VIP model, a feedforward compensation H∞ controller is designed to implement the steady flight of the whole system with relative movement. Finally, simulations are conducted and the feasibility and validity of the new proposed scheme is shown.