Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An ensemble of daily simulated runoff data (1981–2099) under climate change conditions for 93 catchments in Switzerland (Hydro‐CH2018‐Runoff ensemble)

We present a new ensemble of daily runoff simulations for meso‐scale catchments in Switzerland for the period 1981–2099: The Hydro‐CH2018‐Runoff ensemble. The ensemble contains runoff simulations for 93 catchments in Switzerland covering a wide range of different catchment characteristics governed by pluvial, nival and glacial runoff regimes. The hydrological modelling system PREVAH was thoroughly calibrated and validated for each catchment. The simulations show satisfactory performance with a median Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.82 in the calibration and validation period. The calibrated parameters were then used to simulate runoff under climate change for each of the 93 catchments. These simulations were driven by the high‐resolution new Swiss climate change scenarios (CH2018) consisting of 68 GCM‐RCM combinations covering 3 different emission scenarios: RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The simulations show good agreement between simulated and observed runoff regimes in the reference period. The Hydro‐CH2018‐Runoff ensemble is publicly available under http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3937485 (Muelchi, R., Rössler, O., Schwanbeck, J., Weingartner, R., and Martius, O. (2020) Hydro‐CH2018‐Runoff ensemble (version v1). Zenodo) and can be used for further impact studies.
Mathematical modeling of humidification process by means of hollow fiber membrane contactor

Modeling and simulation of air humidification by hollow fiber membrane contactors are investigated in the current study. A computational fluid dynamic model was developed by solving the k-epsilon turbulence 2D Navier-Stokes equations as well as mass conservation equations for steady-state conditions in membrane contactors. Finite element method is used for the study of the air humidification under different operating conditions, with a focus on the humidity density, total mass transfer flux and velocity field. There has been good agreement between simulation results and experimental data obtained from literature. It is found that the enhancement of air stream decreases the outlet humidity from 0.392 to 0.340 (module 1) and from 0.467 to 0.337 (module 2). The results also indicated that there has been an increase in air velocity in the narrow space of shell side compared with air velocity wide space of shell side. Also, irregular arrangement has lower dead zones than regular arrangement which leads to higher water flux.
Core–shell and concentration-gradient cathodes prepared via co-precipitation reaction for advanced lithium-ion batteries

The core–shell structure has been extensively utilized to develop new functional materials and become a research focus in materials science recently. Over the past decades, the requirements of high-capacity, high-rate, long cycle-life and superior safety have been the main driving force for the advance of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Correspondingly, the concept of the core–shell structure is introduced to prepare the above desired cathodes. After that, the concentration-gradient structure is further exploited to overcome the drawbacks of the core–shell structure. The co-precipitation route is more suitable for synthesizing core–shell and concentration-gradient structures compared with other methods, such as sol–gel and spray-drying. More importantly, it is capable of producing large-scale cathodes in the domain of LIBs. In this review, we first illustrate the design principles and formation mechanism of core–shell and concentration-gradient cathode materials; then the recent advances in co-precipitation preparation core–shell and concentration-gradient cathodes for high-energy, high-power, long-life and safe LIBs are summarized. Moreover the structural evolution during cycles to uncover the origin of these improved performances is also analysed. Based on these achievements thus gained, we propose a new strategy to enhance the performances of cathodes. Finally, the remaining challenges including fundamental investigation, commercialized application and present possible solutions are also discussed.
The Association of Visual Impairments of Elite Soccer Players with Concussion and Sports Injuries: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Visual skills play a pivotal role in athletic performance. However, in a professional setting, visual assessment is limited to a brief examination of visual acuity by the Snellen chart. This is while visual skills in sport comprise several other components. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the potential relationship between visual skills and sports injuries in professional soccer players. Methods: Through a prospective cohort study between September 2017 and October 2018, professional soccer league players were recruited for a complete eye examination including visual acuity, field of vision, and color discrimination as pre-competition examination. Any possible relationship between an abnormal eye finding and sports injury during the upcoming season was investigated. Results: A total of 386 male soccer players in 4 different playing positions were recruited from 16 league teams. Myopia, visual field defects, and green/blue/red color blindness were the most common visual impairments. Overall, there was no significant relationship between abnormal visual skills and the incidence of low back and upper extremity injuries among soccer players. However, a logistic regression model showed that the odds of quadriceps injury is 1.92 times higher (P-value: 0.005) for one diopter increase in both eyes' sum of refractive error. There is also an increased risk of concussion in players who have visual field defects (P-value < 0.005). Conclusions: Visual field defects can put soccer players at a higher risk for concussion. Moreover, uncorrected refractive eye errors will increase the incidence of lower limb injuries, mostly quadriceps injuries.
Recent Advances in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Forest Remote Sensing—A Systematic Review. Part II: Research Applications

Forest sustainable management aims to maintain the income of woody goods for companies, together with preserving non-productive functions as a benefit for the community. Due to the progress in platforms and sensors and the opening of the dedicated market, unmanned aerial vehicle–remote sensing (UAV–RS) is improving its key role in the forestry sector as a tool for sustainable management. The use of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in precision forestry has exponentially increased in recent years, as demonstrated by more than 600 references published from 2018 until mid-2020 that were found in the Web of Science database by searching for “UAV” + “forest”. This result is even more surprising when compared with similar research for “UAV” + “agriculture”, from which emerge about 470 references. This shows how UAV–RS research forestry is gaining increasing popularity. In Part II of this review, analyzing the main findings of the reviewed papers (227), numerous strengths emerge concerning research technical issues. UAV–RS is fully applicated for obtaining accurate information from practical parameters (height, diameter at breast height (DBH), and biomass). Research effectiveness and soundness demonstrate that UAV–RS is now ready to be applied in a real management context. Some critical issues and barriers in transferring research products are also evident, namely, (1) hyperspectral sensors are poorly used, and their novel applications should be based on the capability of acquiring tree spectral signature especially for pest and diseases detection, (2) automatic processes for image analysis are poorly flexible or based on proprietary software at the expense of flexible and open-source tools that can foster researcher activities and support technology transfer among all forestry stakeholders, and (3) a clear lack exist in sensors and platforms interoperability for large-scale applications and for enabling data interoperability.
Strain Sensitivity Enhancement of Broadband Ultrasonic Signals in Plates Using Spectral Phase Filtering

The focused signal obtained by the time-reversal or the cross-correlation techniques of ultrasonic guided waves in plates changes when the medium is subject to strain, which can be used to monitor the medium strain level. In this paper, the sensitivity to strain of cross-correlated signals is enhanced by a post-processing filtering procedure aiming to preserve only strain-sensitive spectrum components. Two different strategies were adopted, based on the phase of either the Fourier transform or the short-time Fourier transform. Both use prior knowledge of the system impulse response at some strain level. The technique was evaluated in an aluminum plate, effectively providing up to twice higher sensitivity to strain. The sensitivity increase depends on a phase threshold parameter used in the filtering process. Its performance was assessed based on the sensitivity gain, the loss of energy concentration capability, and the value of the foreknown strain. Signals synthesized with the time–frequency representation, through the short-time Fourier transform, provided a better tradeoff between sensitivity gain and loss of energy concentration.
Recombinant Protein rP21 from Trypanosoma cruzi has Effect on Inflammation, Angiogenesis and Fibrogenesis in Skin Wound Model C57BL/6 Mouse

Aims: Recombinant proteins rP2 has demonstrated biological activity in inflammation by acting on the recruitment of leukocytes and by inducing phagocytosis, also modulating the processes of angiogenesis and fibrogenesis in different experimental models. In this study we evaluated the effects of the recombinant protein rP21 from Trypanosama cruzi in cutaneous wounds. Study Design: The wounds were induced on the back of mice and treated with rP21 at 1 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL concentration, for 3 and 7 days. Study Location and Duration: Institute of Biomedical Sciences and Animal Breeding Network and Original Research Article Barbosa et al.; AIR, 22(1): 28-37, 2021; Article no.AIR. 65805 29 Rodents of the Federal University of Uberlândia, between February 2015 and February 2016. Methodology: The contraction time of wound, inflammatory cell activities (neutrophils and macrophages), angiogenesis and local collagen density were evaluated. Sample: Wound induction was performed on 64 male BALB / c mice approximately 9 weeks old. Results: Wounds treated with rP21 showed less closure time, in addition to exhibiting greater neutrophil activity in the initial phasis, which was reduced simultaneously with the increased macrophage activity. The rP21 also performed pro-angiogenic and pro-fibrogenic activity in this study model. Conclusion: These results demonstrate for the first time the biological potential of rP21 in accelerating skin tissue repair.
Tracking the influence of cloud condensation nuclei on summer
diurnal precipitating systems over complex topography in Taiwan

Abstract. This study focuses on how aerosols, serving as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), affect the properties of the summertime diurnal precipitation under the weak synoptic weather regime over complex topography in Taiwan. Semi-realistic large-eddy simulations (LESs) were carried out using the vector vorticity equation model with high-resolution Taiwan topography (TaiwanVVM) and driven by idealized observational soundings. Since the aerosol effects on convection could be specific during different stages of the life cycle, we perform object-based tracking analyses, which diagnose both the spatial and temporal connectivity of convective systems, to highlight the convective clouds that are locked by topography and reduce the stochastic features of convection. The statistical analyses on the tracked extreme convective systems highlight the differences in structural characteristics of convection between the experiments with clean and normal CCN scenarios. For the orographic-locking regime, the effects of CCN on the diurnal precipitating systems are more significant. The precipitation initiation is postponed significantly, which prolongs the development of local circulation and convection. The occurrence of the cloud objects with extreme maximum rain rates doubles. Also, the P99 of the maximum rain rate and the maximum cloud size during the lifetime of the diurnal precipitating systems increase by 16.9 % and 6.7 %, respectively. This study demonstrates that the object-based tracking analyses of extreme precipitating systems are useful to investigate the responses of orographic-driven diurnal convection to CCN.
Design of a Fluidic Actuator with Independent Frequency and Amplitude Modulation for Control of Swirl Flame Dynamics

Fluidic actuators are designed to control the oscillatory helical mode, called a precessing vortex core (PVC), which is often observed in gas turbine combustors. The PVC induces large-scale hydrodynamic coherent structures, which can considerably affect flow and flame dynamics. Therefore, appropriate control of this structure can lead to a more stable and efficient combustion process. Currently available flow control systems are designed to control the PVC in laboratory-scale setups. To further develop these systems and find an approach applicable to the industrial scale, a new actuator design based on fluidic oscillators is presented and studied in this paper. This actuator allows for independently adjusting forcing frequency and amplitude, which is necessary to effectively target the dynamics of the PVC. The functionality and flow control of this actuator design are studied based on numerical simulations and experimental measurements. To verify the flow control authority, the actuator is built into a prototype combustor test rig, which allows for investigating the impact of the actuator’s forcing on the PVC at isothermal conditions. The studies conducted in this work prove the desired functionality and flow control authority of the 3D-printed actuator. Accordingly, a two-part stainless steel design is derived for future test conditions with flame.
High power ultrashort pulse laser processing using a flexible multibeam approach

Laser ablation is used as a machining process for several industrial applications. Especially ultrashort pulse laser sources with pulse durations below 10 ps have gained increasing interest as they enable processing of almost any material with very high precision and negligible thermal load for the processed workpiece. However, these precise processes are comparable slow and the limited productivity is the major drawback of this processing technology. Although ultrafast lasers with more and more average output power are developed, such powers cannot be directly transferred into productive high quality processing results, because thermal load increases and cancels out the advantages of ultrafast laser processing. Approaches like fast scanning technologies or beam splitting allow for the use of high average power in principle but decrease flexibility or process efficiency on the other hand. We report on a approach where a matrix of multiple beams is generated out of one beam and all of these beamlets can be switched on and off individually. This scalable approach enables the processing of arbitrary surface structures with high process quality and efficiency. The system in development will be able to use 1 kW average output power with fs pulse duration to significantly decrease processing times for industrial structuring applications. In this report, the approach is presented and the challenges with respect to the design of the corresponding processing optics are described and discussed. Preliminary results about the solutions for the faced issues are presented.
MODIFICATION OF THE ADHESIVE FORCE BY CHANGING THE RADIAL REACTION ON VEHICLE WHEELS

Petr JILEK University of Pardubice, Faculty of Transport Engineering Studentská 95, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic Jan KRMELA* Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín, Faculty of Industrial Technologies Ivana Krasku 491/30, 020 01 Púchov, Slovak Republic Jan BERG University of Pardubice, Faculty of Transport Engineering Studentská 95, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic *Corresponding author. E-mail: jan.krmela@tnuni.sk
Structural Equation Model-Based Selection and Strength Co-Relation of Variables for Work Performance Efficiency Under Traffic Noise Exposure

In this work, we integrated exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by structural equation modelling (SEM) to assess the work performance efficiency under the traffic noise environment for open shutter shopkeepers in the Indian urban context. 706 valid questionnaire responses by personal interviews in local language were collected from open shutter shopkeepers exposed to noise level (Leq) of 77 dBA for 12 to 14 hours daily. The questionnaire was prepared based on demographics, environmental conditions, and primary effects of noise pollution. Among which four common latent factors which summaries 17 questionnaire response items were obtained by exploratory factor analysis, which are “Impacts of noise” (IM), “Environmental conditions” (EC), “Personal characteristics” (PC) and “Work efficiency” (WE). The associations between the individual latent factors were studied by the structural equation model method in AMOS software. Validation of the constructed model was carried out by testing the proposed hypothesis as well as goodness-of-fit indices like Absolute fit, Incremental fit, and Parsimonious fit indices. The effect of specific latent factors derived on the work efficiency of shopkeepers in the noisy area was characterized by the path coefficients estimated in the SEM model. It was found that work performance efficiency (WE) was greatly influenced by the primary impacts of noise pollution like annoyance, stress, interference in spoken communication, which was associated with the latent factor “Impacts of noise” (IM) with a path coefficient of 0.931. The second latent factor “Environmental conditions” (EC), which was associated with parameters like ambient temperature and humidity, showed less path coefficient of 0.153. And lastly, a latent factor called “Personal characteristics” (PC) associated with age, experience, education, showed the least path coefficient of 0.05. The work efficiency of open shutter shopkeepers working in a highly noisy commercial area is profoundly affected by the prominent effects of noise pollution and least affected by ambient environmental conditions as well as their personal characteristics. The developed model clarified some casual relationships among complex systems in the study of noise exposure on individuals n tier 2 cities in the Indian context and may help other researchers to study of tier I and tier III cities.
Design Topologies of a CMOS Charge Pump Circuit for Low Power Applications

Applications such as non-volatile memories (NVM), radio frequency identification (RFID), high voltage generators, switched capacitor circuits, operational amplifiers, voltage regulators, and DC–DC converters employ charge pump (CP) circuits as they can generate a higher output voltage from the very low supply voltage. Besides, continuous power supply reduction, low implementation cost, and high efficiency can be managed using CP circuits in low-power applications in the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process. This study aims to figure out the most widely used CP design topologies for embedded systems on the chip (SoC). Design methods have evolved from diode-connected structures to dynamic clock voltage scaling charge pumps have been discussed in this research. Based on the different architecture, operating principles and optimization techniques with their advantages and disadvantages have compared with the final output. Researchers mainly focused on designing the charge pump topologies based on input/output voltage, pumping efficiency, power dissipation, charge transfer capability, design complexity, pumping capacitor, clock frequencies with a minimum load balance, etc. Finally, this review study summarizes with the discussion on the outline of appropriate schemes and recommendations to future researchers in selecting the most suitable CP design methods for low power applications.
Smart Start: a feasible intervention for young children with disabilities and trauma

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to contribute information to service delivery gaps within the intervention literature related to the expense and inaccessibility of evidence-informed interventions for children with disabilities who have experienced maltreatment. A non-concurrent multiple baseline method was used to determine a relationship between the intervention and children’s challenging behaviors for five caregiver-child dyads. Results from visual analysis, masked visual analysis, and hierarchical linear modeling supported a statistically and clinically significant relationship between Smart Start and improved caregiver ratings of children’s challenging behaviors. The intervention was implemented with good fidelity, and all caregivers found Smart Start acceptable.
An Easily Accessible Microfluidic Chip for High-Throughput Microalgae Screening for Biofuel Production

Microalgae are important green energy resources. With high efficiency in fixing carbon dioxide, microalgae are broadly applied for biofuel production. Integrating various cultivation parameters, we applied ultraviolet (UV) mutagenesis, one of the most common approaches, to induce genomic mutation in microalgae and thus enhance the production of lipid content, but the screening process is convoluted and labor-intensive. In this study, we aimed to develop an accessible microfluidic platform to optimize the biofuel production of microalgae. Instead of traditional lithography, we designed hanging-drop microfluidic chips that were fabricated using a cheap computer numerical control (CNC) micro-milling technique. On each chip, we cultured in parallel Botryococcus braunii, one of the most common freshwater microalgae for biofuel production, in sets of ten separated hanging drops (~30 µL each); we monitored their growth in each individual drop for more than 14 days. To optimize the culturing conditions, using drops of varied diameter, we first identified the influence of cell density on algae growth and lipid production. After introducing UV-induced random mutations, we quantified the lipid content of the microalgae in situ; the optimized UV-C dosage was determined accordingly. In comparison with wild-type B. braunii, the results showed increased biomass growth (137%) and lipid content (149%) of the microalgae mutated with the desired UV process. Moreover, we showed a capacity to modulate the illumination on an addressed chip area. In summary, without using an external pump system, we developed a hanging-drop microfluidic system for long-term microalgae culturing, which can be easily operated using laboratory pipettes. This microfluidic system is expected to facilitate microalgae mutation breeding, and to be applied for algae cultivation optimization.