Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal centralized and decentralized velocity feedback control on a beam

This paper considers the optimization of a velocity feedback controller with a collocated force actuator, to minimize the kinetic energy of a simply supported beam. If the beam is excited at a single location, the optimum feedback gain varies with the position of the control system. It is shown that this variation depends partly on the location of the control force relative to the exciting force. If a distributed excitation is assumed, that is random in both time and space, a unique optimum value of the feedback gain can be found for a given control location. The effect of the control location on performance and the optimal feedback gain can then be examined and is found to be limited provided the control locations are not close to the ends of the beam. The optimization can also be performed for a multichannel velocity feedback system. Both a centralized and a decentralized controller are considered. It is shown that the difference in performance between a centralized and a decentralized controller is small, unless the control locations are closely spaced. In this case the centralized controller effectively feeds back a moment proportional to angular velocity as well as a force proportional to a velocity. It is also shown that the optimal feedback gain can be approximated on the basis of a limited model and that similar results can be achieved.
Immobilization and Characterization of Pectinase onto the Cationic Polystyrene Resin

In the present study, the immobilization of free pectinase onto polystyrene resin beads via crosslinking with glutaraldehyde was investigated. The immobilized pectinase was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. After optimizing the immobilization conditions, the optimum pH of immobilized pectinase shifted from 8.0 to 8.5 and the optimum temperature shifted from 45 to 60 °C, showing its improved stability to temperature and pH compared with the free pectinase. The Michaelis–Menten constant Km value of free and immobilized pectinase was determined to be 1.95 and 5.36 mM, respectively. The storage stability of immobilized pectinase was demonstrated with 36.8% of the initial activity preserved after 30 days at 25 °C. The reusability of the immobilized pectinase activity was 54.6% of its initial activity after being recycled six times. Therefore, based on the findings mentioned above, it can be inferred that this simple immobilization technique for pectinase appears to be promising for industrial applications.
Temporal and frequential analysis of the tools wear evolution

The machining process monitoring plays a very significant role in the prevention of non-desired phenome-na, such as excessive wear and the tool rupture. In this article, we use effective techniques based on the analysis of cutting force and vibratory signals measured for various cutting conditions. The proposed methodology uses some signal processing techniques, such as temporal, frequential approaches and the wavelet analysis. The objective of this work is to show, on one hand, the sensitivity of the scalar indicators to the flank wear variation, and on the other hand the determination of the influence of flank wear on the signals produced during a machining process. In this context the wear evolution results allow determining the abrupt changes that can detect the cutting tool damage. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.mech. 20.2. 6933
Review of low force transfer artefact technologies.

Traceable low force measurement at the micro- to nanonewton level is becoming critical to advances in nanoscale research and manufacturing. Previous attempts at low force traceability and other candidate technologies are reviewed in this report. Technologies determined to be unsuitable for immediate or further exploitation include protein manipulation and those based on quantum intermolecular forces, capillary forces and radiation pressure. Technologies highlighted for further development contain an elastic element with active displacement metrology based on the piezoelectric effect, capacitance gauges, volt balances and resonant frequency shifts. All would benefit from onboard signal processing. This report will inform the design of a complete low force calibration transfer system from the NPL Low Force Balance to most typical and many atypical force producers requiring calibration.
Ultrasonic health monitoring in structural engineering: buildings and bridges

Ultrasonic monitoring is one of the most important tools in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM). The main goal of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the recent advances and achievements in ultrasonic wave SHM of buildings and bridges built with concrete and steel materials and the types of sensors used in these structures. In this paper, the parameters affecting the monitoring process, including the type of damage, the type of ultrasonic wave, and the type of sensor, are reviewed. The sensor devices used to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, like lead zirconate titanate, electromagnetic acoustic transducer, and others and their applications in building and bridges, are discussed. The limitations of each type of theses sensors are highlighted. Finally, conclusions are drawn and recommendations for an improved sensor overcoming the shortcomings of the current sensors are given. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A framework for computing workers' compensation insurance premiums in construction

Singapore's general insurers have been recording detrimental loss ratios in workers' compensation insurance business for construction projects. This is due to the ineffectiveness in the risk assessment for premium‐rating and the failure of contractors to provide adequate safety measures with an increased reliance on the workers' compensation insurance. Based on the findings of an extensive literature review and an interview questionnaire survey in the general insurance industry of Singapore, a new premium‐rating framework is proposed. The proposed new premium‐rating framework facilitates structured assessments of risks in construction projects and market conditions to derive optimal premiums. It also establishes an effective risk control strategy via a well‐structured incentive system for contractors and clients. The implementation of the framework in the general insurance industry can facilitate accident control in the construction industry and thereby minimize insurers' financial risks.
Conical annular patch antenna for dual band operation on airborne vehicles

An annular patch antenna operating in both TM04 and TM05 modes and conformed to a conical surface is proposed for airborne applications. Dual‐slot loading is done to obtain a high gain linearly polarized broadside radiation pattern in both the modes of operation by introduction of additional equivalent magnetic currents. Cavity model analysis of a conical annular patch antenna is carried out and is further extended to obtain the multiport network modeling (MNM) of the dual‐slot loaded conical annular patch antenna. Additional control over directivity and side lobe level can be achieved by variation in ratio of slot lengths. The effect of curvature on the antenna performance is studied using MNM. The antenna produces a gain of 9.26 and 8.83 dBi in X‐band frequencies of 9.838 and 10.323 GHz respectively.
Substructure program for analysis of helicopter vibrations

A substructure vibration analysis which was developed as a design tool for predicting helicopter vibrations is described. The substructure assembly method and the composition of the transformation matrix are analyzed. The procedure for obtaining solutions to the equations of motion is illustrated for the steady-state forced response solution mode, and rotor hub load excitation and impedance are analyzed. Calculation of the mass, damping, and stiffness matrices, as well as the forcing function vectors of physical components resident in the base program code, are discussed in detail. Refinement of the model is achieved by exercising modules which interface with the external program to represent rotor induced variable inflow and fuselage induced variable inflow at the rotor. The calculation of various flow fields is discussed, and base program applications are detailed.
Automated image processing technique for detecting and analysing concrete surface cracks

In the present work, an image processing technique that automatically detects and analyses cracks in the digital image of concrete surfaces is proposed. The image processing technique automates the measurement of crack characteristics including the width, length, orientation and crack pattern. In the proposed technique, a morphological technique was applied to correct the non-uniform brightness of the background, and enhanced binarisation and shape analysis were used to improve the detection performance; furthermore, detailed algorithms to calculate the crack width, length, orientation and an artificial neural network to recognise crack patterns including horizontal, vertical, diagonal (−45°), diagonal (+45°), and random cracks are proposed. An image processing program was developed for the proposed algorithm and a series of experimental and analytical investigations were performed to assess the validity of the algorithm. Then, the crack characteristics measured using the proposed technique were compared with those obtained using a conventional technique. The test results showed that the crack characteristics can be accurately measured and analysed using the proposed technique.
Dynamics Of Polysilicon Parallel-plate Electrostatic Actuators

The response of a polysilicon parallel-plate electrostatic actuator to a.c. signals at different bias voltages has been measured with a laser interferometer. Using microhinges, large plates (with areas from 100 "am 2 to = 0.1 mm 2) with long thin support beams (such as 600 ~m X 3 ,am × 1.5 ,am) are rotated off the surface of the substrate to form a parallel-plate capacitor. Fabricated structures having 100 #m gaps can be closed electrostatically with voltages as low as 50 V. This new actuator is estimated to output a force of up to 50 "aN. With the exception of the resonant Q-value, the experimental results are in good agreement with simulations based on a simple nonlinear model for the actuator.
Perceived Roughness of Material Surfaces

Roughness is an important perceptual characteristic of material surfaces. This work investigated a derived model for evaluating surface roughness in accordance with human visual perception. This was accomplished with the help of extensive psychophysical experiments. Surface textures resembling natural materials were generated with different roughness. Subjects rated the surface textures on 5-point Likert scales based on visual perception of surface roughness. We trained a general model for mapping features of surface images to perceptual scales of roughness. It can be observed that the roughness obtained in this way is in good agreement with that perceived by human. Thus, given a material surface, roughness can be estimated accurately.
Optimization of Process Layout of Robotic Systems in the MSEVR System

There exist various systems for optimization of project work including process layout. Mostly they are of commercial nature and it is necessary to follow the procedure designed by the author for their efficient utilization. This article gets closer to interesting abilities of MSEVR system in the process of optimization of process layout of a robotic system. It is a matter of the abilities which are not utilized commonly. Thus the following lines offer innovative ideas discovered in the process of free experimenting in MSEVR as inspiration for the general public of designers.
Sales and Self: The Noneconomic Value of Selling the Fruits of One's Labor

A core assumption across many disciplines is that producers enter market exchange relationships for economic reasons. This research examines an overlooked factor; namely, the socioemotional benefits of selling the fruits of one's labor. Specifically, the authors find that individuals selling their products interpret sales as a signal from the market that serves as a source of self-validation, thus increasing their happiness above and beyond any monetary rewards from those sales. This effect highlights an information asymmetry that is opposite to what is found in traditional signaling theory. That is, the authors find that customers have information about product quality that they signal to the producer, validating the producer's skill level. Furthermore, the sales-as-signal effect is moderated by characteristics of the purchase transaction that determine the signal strength of sales: The effect is attenuated when product choice does not reflect a deliberate decision and is amplified when buyers incur higher monetary costs. In addition, sales have a stronger effect on happiness than alternative, nonmonetary forms of market signals such as likes. Finally, the sales-as-signal effect is more pronounced when individuals sell their self-made (vs. other-made) products and affects individuals’ happiness beyond the happiness gained from producing.
A Collision Avoidance Strategy For Multirrotor UAVs Based On Artificial Potential Fields

Since some years, research on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been very popular, and because of that a wide range of commercial and military applications already exists. Nowadays, the trend towards autonomous flying is growing steadily. Autonomous flying requires UAVs to have the ability to navigate in urban or other challenging environments without causing collisions or endangering humans. To achieve this objective, a safe and reliable collision avoidance system (CAS) needs to be used. In particular, a CAS needs to successfully sense and detect a possible collision with an object to efficiently avoid the obstacle. Multiple different techniques exist to implement a CAS. In this paper, we propose a collision avoidance protocol which is based on magnetic attraction and repulsion forces. The results show that, with the use of our protocol, collisions are safely avoided in various scenarios, while maintaining the overhead time to a minimum.
Characterization and optimization of the LAC4 upstream region for low‐leakage expression in Kluyveromyces marxianus

Kluyveromyces marxianus is a promising host for the production of heterologous proteins, chemicals, and bioethanol. One superior feature of this species is its capacity to assimilate lactose, which is rendered by the LAC12–LAC4 gene pair encoding a lactose permease and a β‐galactosidase enzyme. Little is known about the regulation of LAC4 in K. marxianus. In this study, we showed the presence of weak glucose repression in the regulation of LAC4 and that might contribute to the leaky expression of LAC4 in the glucose medium. In a mutagenesis screen of 1000‐bp LAC4 upstream region, one mutant region, named H1, drove low‐leakage expression of a URA3 reporter gene in glucose medium. Two mutations inside a polyadenosine stretch (poly(A)) of 5′ UTR were major contributors to the low‐leakage phenotype of H1. H1 directed low‐leakage expression of GFP on a plasmid and that of LAC4 in situ in the glucose medium, which was not due to the reduction of mRNA levels. Meanwhile, H1 did not affect the induction of GFP or LAC4 by lactose. Cre recombinase expressed by H1 caused lower toxicity in the repressive condition and achieved higher yield after induction, compared with that expressed by a wild‐type LAC4 upstream region or a strong INU1 promoter. Our study suggested that poly(A) inside 5′ UTR played a role in regulating the expression of LAC4 in the repressive condition. Meanwhile, H1 provided a base for the development of a strict inducible system for expressing industrial proteins, especially toxic proteins.
Stock pledges by controlling shareholders and the disclosure of critical audit matters: evidence from China

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of stock pledges by controlling shareholders on critical audit matters (CAMs) disclosure. We show that there is a positive association between stock pledges by controlling shareholders and the disclosure of CAMs. We also find that the positive effect is more pronounced when auditors are Big Four audit firms. Further analysis reveals that increases in accrual earnings management and controlling shareholders’ entrenchment are possible channels through which stock pledges by controlling shareholders affect the disclosure of CAMs. Auditors disclose more CAMs associated with asset impairment and related-party transactions for firms with controlling shareholders pledging their stocks.
Siebel Open UI Service Planning and Execution

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a model for managing a company’s interactions with current and future customers. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support. Oracle's Siebel CRM is market-leading Customer Relationship Management software. Siebel Open UI is used to display Siebel CRM data. Designing and implementing modules that records information and details of user’s Service request, classifies the user’s Service request, determine the supportability of user’s Service request, performing collaborative troubleshooting, initiating a chat/video chat with remote team members, contextual order creation from capture, confirms the resolution and ensuring the good Service and also service analytics in different graphical representation in Siebel Open UI.
A strategic methodology for IR&D project selection

A strategy is presented for systematically allocating resources to competing independent research and development (IR&D) projects in a company building systems for the US Department of Defense. The approach is less mathematically complex than many techniques. It is argued that the key to selecting a successful IR&D program lies in stimulating the organization to generate a set of proposals that concentrates on high-leverage technologies applicable to a broad range of business pursuits. This approach relies on the judgement of key business and technical personnel in the organization. After giving a taxonomy characterizing various approaches the authors briefly review R&D selection methods reported in recent literature. Then an interactive process is described for proposing and selecting IR&D projects. Procedures are included for idea submittal and evaluation. Experiences are discussed from the application of the process to a corporation with multiple business units. <<ETX>>
Froude Similitude and Scale Effects Affecting Air Entrainment in Hydraulic Jumps

A hydraulic jump is the rapid transition from a high-velocity to a low-velocity open channel flow. It is characterized by strong turbulence and air bubble entrainment. Detailed air-water flow properties were measured in hydraulic jumps with partially-developed inflow conditions. The present data set together with the earlier data of Chanson (2006) yielded similar experiments conducted with identical inflow Froude numbers but Reynolds numbers between 24,000 and 98,000. The comparative results showed some drastic scale effects in the smaller hydraulic jumps in terms of void fraction and bubble count rate distributions. The present comparative analysis demonstrated quantitatively that dynamic similarity of two- phase flows in hydraulic jumps cannot be achieved with a Froude similitude. In experimental facilities with Reynolds numbers up to 10 5 , some viscous scale effects were observed in
Scoping study of driver distraction

This report was commissioned to understand the state of knowledge on driver distraction and to lay some groundwork for future research on distraction, with the strategic aim of improving safety through policy interventions. The main objectives were to prepare a definition of driver distraction and secure at least UK agreement on its adoption; to summarise and review research on driver distraction from sources within and outside the vehicle; to identify gaps in knowledge; to provide recommendations on ways to monitor changes in the impact of driver distraction on road traffic accidents; and to propose a programme of future research. Appearing within the report are a summary of methods used to achieve the aims; a high-level background to distraction-related concepts; a summary of research in the area of driver distraction; conclusions of an expert workshop and the agreed definition of driver distraction; research gaps in this field and outcomes of a further workshop which aimed to prioritise these research gaps.
Malicious Mining Behavior Detection System of Encrypted Digital Currency Based on Machine Learning

With the gradual increase of malicious mining, a large amount of computing resources are wasted, and precious power resources are consumed maliciously. Many detection methods to detect malicious mining behavior have been proposed by scholars, but most of which have pure defects and need to collect sensitive data (such as memory and register data) from the detected host. In order to solve these problems, a malicious mining detection system based on network timing signals is proposed. When capturing network traffic, the system does not need to know the contents of data packets but only collects network flow timing signals, which greatly protects the privacy of users. Besides, we use the campus network to carry out experiments, collect a large amount of network traffic data generated by mining behavior, and carry out feature extraction and data cleaning. We also collect traffic data of normal network behavior and combine them after labeling. Then, we use four machine learning algorithms for classification. The final results show that our detection system can effectively distinguish the normal network traffic and the network traffic generated by mining behavior.
A Semantic Data Model for a FAIR Digital Repository of Heterogeneous Agricultural Digital Objects. The Case of the EUREKA FarmBook

During the past few years a significant number of agriculture-related research and development projects have been implemented by receiving funding from the European Commission. All these projects have aimed to address specific problems and have produced solutions documented in the digital objects created in their context. However, the uptake of the existing information and knowledge by the concerned stakeholders is not yet adequate. On the other hand, the divergence of the available digital objects in terms of their types and formats poses significant challenges in homogeneously describing them with metadata. The Horizon 2020 EUREKA project aims to make a contribution towards this direction by developing a FAIR digital repository based on a semantic data model. The present document focusses on the design decisions related to it, as well as the rationale for the need to develop FAIR digital repositories based on formal data models.