Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Demonstration and Performance of Colorless ONU for Coexistence-Type WDM-PON Using a Wavelength-Tunable -Band

An advanced dense wavelength division multiplexing small form factor pluggable (DWDM-SFP) transceiver for the -band, which features a wavelength tunability of 3 nm, is pro- posed and developed. By using the developed wavelength-tunable DWDM-SFP transceiver, a colorless optical network unit (ONU) prototype for coexistence-type wavelength division multiplexing passive optical networks (WDM-PONs) that enable coexistence with existing PONs is achieved. Both wavelength and temperature dependencies of the colorless ONU prototype are evaluated and the applicability to the existing Class B+ optical distribution network that has a 28 dB loss is discussed.
Robust Feedback Linearization Approach to Pitch Autopilot Design

This paper presents a robust Feedback Linearization (FL) based pitch plane autopilot design for a highly maneuvering, skid-to-turn, tail controlled tactical missile. Owing to the highly nonlinear missile dynamics, ﬁrstly a feedback linearization based controller is proposed. As the resulting design lacks robustness, the issue is addressed by robustifyng the FL based controller using Extended State Observer (ESO). The system uncertainties are estimated by the ESO and the estimate is used in the FL control to nullify it’s effect. A novel feature of this technique is that it does not require any knowledge of the system uncertainty. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Design and development of a dextrous manipulator

This paper describes a novel method of actuation for robotic hands. The solution employs a Bowden cable routed to each joint. The use of a Bowden cable is shown to be feasible for this purpose, even with the changing frictional forces associated with it. This method greatly simplifies the control of the hand by removing the coupling between joints, and provides for direct and accurate translation between the joints and the servo motors driving the cables. The design also allows for two degrees of freedom with the same centre of rotation to be realized in the largest knuckle of each finger; thus biological finger kinematics are more closely emulated.
The effect of mass properties on road accident reconstruction

The paper investigates the influence of vehicle mass properties (mass, centre of gravity location, inertia tensor) on accident reconstruction. Considering the case of two colliding vehicles, the paper aims at defining which is the uncertainty of each mass property that should be prescribed to obtain an accurate accident reconstruction. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part presents a mathematical model, and its validation, able to perform a proper computation of the motion of vehicles before and after crash with the data that are usually collected by operators after the accident. In the second part, a theoretical analysis shows that an accurate accident reconstruction does need accurate measurements of both the centre of gravity location and the moment of inertia of crashed automobiles. Even a small error of 10% on the estimated value of the moment of inertia of one car or of an error of 100 mm in the location of its centre of gravity can lead to errors of close to 20% on the reconstructed velocities of the two cars before the accident. An existing test rig for measuring the centre of gravity location and the inertia tensor of crashed vehicles (pre- and post-impact), meeting the measurement accuracy determined on the basis of the sensitivity analysis, is presented.
Shexiang Baoxin Pill for Acute Myocardial Infarction: Clinical Evidence and Molecular Mechanism of Antioxidative Stress

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been a preclinical and clinical concern due to high hospitalization rate and mortality. This study was aimed at evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Shexiang Baoxin Pill (SBP) for AMI and exploring the possible mechanism of oxidative stress. Six databases were searched on March 26, 2021. Twenty-four studies were included and accessed by the RoB 2.0 or SYRCLE tool. Compared with routine treatment (RT), SBP showed the effectiveness in the clinical efficacy (RR = 1.15, 95% CI [1.06, 1.25]), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (SMD = 0.73, 95% CI [0.62, 0.95]), glutathione (GSH) (SMD = 2.07, 95% CI [1.51, 2.64]), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (SMD = 0.92, 95% CI [0.58, 1.26]), malondialdehyde (MDA) (SMD = −4.23, 95% CI [-5.80, -2.66]), creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) (SMD = −4.98, 95% CI [-5.64, -4.33]), cardiac troponin I (cTnI) (SMD = −2.17, 95% CI [-2.57, -1.76]), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) (SMD = −1.34, 95% CI [-1.56, -1.12]), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (SMD = −0.99, 95% CI [-1.26, -0.71]), triglycerides (TG) (SMD = −0.52, 95% CI [-0.83, -0.22]), flow-mediated dilation (FMD) (SMD = 1.39, 95% CI [1.06, 1.72]), von Willebrand Factor (vWF) (SMD = −1.77, 95% CI [-2.39, -1.15]), nitric oxide (NO) (SMD = 0.89, 95% CI [0.65, 1.13]), and recurrent rate (RR = 0.30, 95% CI [0.15, 0.59]). But SBP adjunctive to RT plus PCI had no improvements in almost pooled outcomes except for the Hs-CRP (SMD = −1.19, 95% CI [-1.44, -0.94]) and TG (SMD = −0.25, 95% CI [-0.48, -0.02]). Laboratory findings showed that SBP enhanced the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and regulated laboratory indexes especially for homocysteine. In conclusion, SBP has adjunctive effects on AMI via the mechanism of antioxidative stress. The current evidence supports the use of SBP for mild and moderate AMI patients.
Overvoltage protection for distribution and low-voltage equipment experiencing sustained overvoltages

The increased occurrence of temporary overvoltages caused by commingling in over-built systems is a growing concern to electric utilities and end-users. These events are usually caused by transmission or sub-transmission lines dropping and contacting distribution lines during storms and traffic accidents that damage power poles. This paper discusses the effects of, and solutions to, these overvoltages. Protection solutions analyzed include primary arresters, secondary arresters and transformer core saturation.
All‐optical coherence‐free microwave filter based on remodulation scheme utilizing different intensity modulators

A simple all‐optical coherence‐free microwave notch filter is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The filter is based on remodulation scheme using a narrow‐linewidth laser, an intensity electro‐optic modulator, and a Sagnac fiber loop reflector to eliminate the coherent limitation and phase‐induced intensity noise. Both Mach‐Zehnder modulator and electroabsorption modulator are used in the microwave photonic filtering system, and different frequency responses are observed, respectively, in the experiment. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 54:993–995, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26687
Multibeam Antenna Array with Butler Matrix for WLAN Applications

In this paper, four beam patterns generated by four identical planar antennas connected to a 4×4 Butler Matrix are presented. Each of the planar antennas consists of a 4×2 radiating array patch antenna which has the capability to produce a directional beam pattern. Butler Matrix 4 × 4 is chosen as a beamforming network and was designed to produce four independent beams in four different directions. The measurement patterns result achieved by this project is then compared with the theoretical calculation. (5 pages)
Design and Performance of Septic Tanks

More than forty million people in the United States currently use onsite wastewater disposal or decentralized sewerage collection and treatment that rely on septic tanks for primary treatment. There is a good reason why, in this age of advanced technology, the septic tank is still in use. It works. More than 45% of ultimate treatment can be accomplished in the septic tank. Advanced onsite and effluent sewer technologies have established their environmental importance by bringing highly reliable, affordable and permanent wastewater treatment to users worldwide. In short, passive—energy free—septic tanks provide the most cost efficient form of primary treatment available for nonindustrial sewage. Decentralized sewers and onsite alternatives have advanced us to a new era of wastewater treatment and management where designers must be able to rely on the many essential components of the system. System components must be designed and constructed with the same permanency and quality expected of any long-term option. Because the septic tank is an essential ingredient to the success of these systems, a new generation of structurally-sound, watertight septic tanks is evolving.
Whole Body Center of Mass Feedback in a Reflex-Based Neuromuscular Model Predicts Ankle Strategy During Perturbed Walking

Active prosthetic and orthotic devices have the potential to increase quality of life for individuals with impaired mobility. However, more research into human-like control methods is needed to create seamless interaction between device and user. In forward simulations the reflex-based neuromuscular model (RNM) by Song and Geyer shows promising similarities with real human gait in unperturbed conditions. The goal of this work was to validate and, if needed, extend the RNM to reproduce human kinematics and kinetics during walking in unperturbed and perturbed conditions. The RNM was optimized to reproduce joint torque, calculated with inverse dynamics, from kinematic and force data of unperturbed and perturbed treadmill walking of able-bodied human subjects. Torques generated by the RNM matched closely with torques found from inverse dynamics analysis on human data for unperturbed walking. However, for perturbed walking the modulation of the ankle torque in the RNM was opposite to the modulation observed in humans. Therefore, the RNM was extended with a control module that activates and inhibits muscles around the ankle of the stance leg, based on changes in whole body center of mass velocity. The added module improves the ability of the RNM to replicate human ankle torque response in response to perturbations. This reflex-based neuromuscular model with whole body center of mass velocity feedback can reproduce gait kinetics of unperturbed and perturbed gait, and as such holds promise as a basis for advanced controllers of prosthetic and orthotic devices.
Venture capital backing: financial policies and persistence over time

The present article seeks to analyze the financial policies of companies backed by Private Equity and Venture Capital funds (PE/VC). Our sample consists of firms completing an initial public offering between January 1991 and December 2000. Our hypotheses relate to the difference between VC and non-VC-backed firms in terms of financial policies and their persistence. We use four measures to evaluate the firms' financial policies: i) Cash holdings; ii) Leverage; iii) dividends out of their earnings; and iv) interest coverage. To test the four hypotheses, we run Pooled OLS regressions. The results suggest that VC-backing firms keep a higher level of cash holdings than non-VC-backed firms. This effect lasts for at least 8 years after the IPO. We show that VC-backed firms are associated with a lower level of leverage over the first 8 years after the IPO. Differently, while interest coverage is lower in the first years after the IPO, results are not persistent, even reverting in later years. Finally, we do not find statistically significant evidence of a difference between VC- and non-VC-backed firms on dividend to earnings ratio. Our results are robust across statistical methods and different methodologies.
The sociolinguistics of /l/ in Manchester

Abstract This paper presents a study of sociophonetic variation in the lateral approximant /l/ in Manchester, UK. We know little about how English laterals pattern sociolinguistically, despite them having been subject to extensive investigation in the phonetic literature. We present acoustic measures taken from interviews with 96 speakers from the city, stratified across five socioeconomic classes, spanning 99 years of birthdates (1907–2006). We demonstrate that word-initial /l/ is becoming darker in apparent time: younger speakers have darker /l/s. There is, however, no evidence that the allophonic status of /l/ is changing, with /l/ in all positions becoming darker. There is a monotonic relationship with social class: the higher the social class, the lighter the /l/, with some middle-class speakers showing potential of an allophonic distribution. We find an effect of ethnicity, with white speakers having darker /l/s in comparison to Black and Pakistani Mancunians. Overall, our findings are a novel contribution to the understanding of the sociophonetics of English laterals and provide new evidence of social patterning and the allophonic status of /l/ in this variety.
Members of the Trichoderma harzianum Species Complex with Mushroom Pathogenic Potential

Previously, severe green mould infections could be attributed mainly to Trichoderma aggressivum Samuels & W. Gams, as well as T. pleuroti S.H. Yu & M.S. Park and T. pleuroticola S.H. Yu & M.S. Park in the case of Agaricus bisporus (J.E. Lange) Imbach (button mushroom) and Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. (oyster mushroom), respectively. The purpose of our study was the examination of green mould agents deriving from the growing facilities of button mushroom, oyster mushroom and shiitake (Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler) located in various countries of Europe, and initially classified into the Trichoderma harzianum Rifai species complex (THSC). Species identification was carried out using the multilocus sequence typing analysis of the internal transcribed spacer regions, as well as translation elongation factor 1-alpha, calmodulin and RNA polymerase B subunit II gene sequences. In vitro confrontation assays were applied to test the aggressiveness of the isolates towards mushrooms, while the effect of commercial fungicides on the growth of the strains was examined by the macrodilution method. Six Trichoderma species, namely T. afroharzianum P. Chaverri, F.B. Rocha, Degenkolb & Druzhin. , T. atrobrunneum F.B. Rocha, P. Chaverri & Jaklitsch, T. guizhouense Q.R. Li, McKenzie & Yong Wang, T. harzianum sensu stricto, T. pollinicola F. Liu & L. Cai and T. simmonsii P. Chaverri, F.B. Rocha, Samuels, Degenkolb & Jaklitsch were detected in the different samples, with T. harzianum, T. pollinicola and T. simmonsii being the most aggressive. Prochloraz was found to have strong in vitro inhibitory effect on mycelial growth on most strains, however, T. simmonsii isolates showed remarkable tolerance to it. Our data suggest that T. harzianum and T. simmonsii may also be considered as potential causal agents of mushroom green mould.
A High-Light-Load-Efficiency Low-Ripple-Voltage PFM Buck Converter for IoT Applications

A very high light-load efficiency low-ripple-voltage pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) buck converter for Internet of Things applications is presented in this article. The PFM buck converter is widely used because of its higher light-load efficiency. However, it has a higher ripple voltage than its pulsewidth modulation counterpart. Although the ripple voltage of a PFM buck converter can be reduced by increasing the output capacitance, we find that this leads to a decrease in the light-load efficiency due to increased controller loss. This problem is analyzed and verified by IC measurements in this article. The proposed PFM buck converter remarkably reduces the controller loss even at low ripple voltages by replacing the static comparator with a dynamic comparator, which provides a high voltage gain, fast evaluation speed, and low power consumption. In addition, to further reduce the controller loss, a dynamic shutdown control method, which selectively turns off control circuits, is used. The proposed PFM buck converter was fabricated with 0.35-μm CMOS technology. The magnitude and variation of the output ripple voltage are 3 and 2 mV, respectively, and the light-load and peak efficiencies are 81.1% and 94.8%, respectively.
Separation of faults of electromechanical drive chain using artificial intelligence methods

Abstract In this paper a complex drive chain is modelled with Local Linear Neuro-Fuzzy Model (LLNF). The developed models were used for detecting different faults that may occur in the system. The models were developed based on measurements carried out on the real system. Using feed-forward neural networks with perceptron neuron structure, model-based fault diagnosis of the analysed system was developed to separate the different faults. The performance and efficiency of the developed different types of artificial neural network's structures were compared using gradient based edge detection method.
Light coupling by a vortex lens into graded index fiber

This paper reports a novel launch scheme for coupling light into the skew rays of a graded index fiber. This is accomplished by utilizing a diffractive optical element in conjunction with a single mode fiber to mode match a graded index fiber. Results are used to confirm the fact that the element does improve the coupling into the skew rays of graded index fiber. This approach offers an alternative to existing methods based on tilting and angular offsets for the conditioned launch problem.
Comprehensive evaluation factor of optoelectronic properties for transparent conductive metallic mesh films

Finding the optimal optoelectronic properties (zero-order optical transmittance, shielding effectiveness, and stray light uniformity) of metallic mesh is significant for its application in electromagnetic interference shielding areas. However, there are few relevant studies at present. Based on optoelectronic properties, we propose a comprehensive evaluation factor Q, which is simple in form and can be used to evaluate the mesh with different parameters in a simple and efficient way. The effectivity of Q is verified by comparing the trend of Q values with the evaluation results of the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The evaluation factor Q can also be extended to evaluate the optoelectronic properties of different kinds of metallic meshes, which makes it extremely favorable for metallic mesh design and application.
MOSFET's negative transconductance at room temperature

Negative transconductance is reported for the first time at T=300 K for NMOS transistors fabricated with different technologies and oxide thickness in the 3-20 nm range. The effects of drain bias, channel length, oxide thickness as well as substrate doping and bias on the phenomenon are investigated. The results are interpreted in terms of surface-roughness limited mobility, and parameters for mobility modeling at high effective fields are extracted.
Class-E DC/DC converters with a capacitive impedance inverter

Analysis and design rules are presented for three class-E switching-mode DC/DC power converters, each with a capacitive impedance inverter. Experimental results are given for one of the converters. A zero-voltage switching technique is achieved for both class-E inverters and rectifiers. Therefore, the efficiency of the converters is very high at switching frequencies in the megahertz range. By applying a capacitive impedance inverter, lossless operation of the class-E inverter can be obtained for a wide range of converter load resistance, from full load to infinity. Experimental results are in excellent agreement with the theoretical calculations. Only a 12% relative bandwidth of the switching frequency is required to maintain a constant DC output voltage for the load resistance from full load to infinity at about 1 MHz with 15-W output. >
Experimental Study and Modeling of a TiNi Shape Memory Alloy Wire Actuator

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are often used as actuators in miniature articulated devices. In this paper, a single TiNi SMA wire loaded by a mass is studied as a basic actuator controlled by Joule's effect. First, we describe an experimental study of the wire (150,m in diameter) under coupled stress and temperature actions for different thermal input velocities in order to analyze its dynamical behavior. In the case of static loadings, modeling is performed with a macroscopic description of the thermomechanical behavior preformed by Leclercq and Lexcellent (1996). Then, the heat equation integration is sufficient to take into account the thermal input velocities. Comparison between experiment and modeling is fairly correct.
The design of missile's dome that fits both optical and aerodynamic needs

Optical guidance missiles requires a dome which fits both optical and aerodynamic needs when they attack at 3 Ma. In this study, ellipse is the figure chosen to be the dome's shape. The ellipticity ε is the main variable should to be decided. The optimized function was built by optical and aerodynamic performance function multiply by their weights. The optical and aerodynamic functions were all obtained by computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation's results after normalization. In this study, the optical and aerodynamic performances have equal weights, after optimzing the ellipticity εis 2 for the missile.
Combating the Effects of Sedentary Work: Postural Variability Reduces Musculoskeletal Discomfort

Long periods of intense data entry office work have been linked to increased pain and musculoskeletal disorders. The current study investigated how postural changes mediated by workstation intervention influences the discomfort, postures, and productivity of call center professionals. Thirty-five call center employees were evaluated over two-weeks while performing their job in four different workstation conditions: 1) conventional, 2) sit-stand, 3) conventional with reminder software, and 4) sit-stand with reminder software. The reminder software resulted in reductions in discomfort in the shoulder, hand/wrist, upper back, and lower back. Small increase in the productivity of the workers was also seen for the software reminders. The sit-stand workstation was also effective in reducing discomfort with out decreasing productivity. Periodic breaks that encourage postural changes may be effective in reducing the adverse effects of prolonged static postures commonly found in office work without adversely impact productivity.
A Mechanism on Liquid-Phase Turbulence Modulation by Microbubbles

Although bubbly flows have been extensively applied to many industrial fields, efficiency improvements of bubbly equipments are greatly limited due to the absence of accurate understandings of liquid turbulence modulation by bubbles. In order to obtain an accurate mechanism explanation, an Euler-Lagrange two-way method was used to investigate and analyze deeply the liquid turbulence modulation by microbubbles in this paper. The present investigation shows that for the bubbly flow laden with microbubbles the liquid turbulence modulation is mainly caused by the drag force, and the turbulence modulation level is related to the microbubble diameter. A detailed mechanism explanation on the physical phenomenon was presented here.