Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Model-Based Control of An Active Fixture for Advanced Aerospace Components

In this paper the dynamical behaviour of a flexible part and an actively controlled fixture system is studied. Four active clamps are used for the control of the part-fixture system. Advanced finite element (FE) analyses have been carried out to model the part and the adaptive clamps. An accurate small-sized model of the part is established using the Craig—Bampton reduction method. A second-order model has been established for the adaptive clamps on the basis of the FE model. The supports and part-fixture contacts are modelled as spring-dashpot elements. Piezoelectric actuators are utilized to provide the forces required for the adaptive clamping scheme. A model-based control architecture has been incorporated and proportional—integral (PI) controllers are established for the individual clamps. After investigating the performance of the controllers for dynamic compensation, analysis shows that PI control can be used effectively to minimize the reaction forces on the supports, induced by deflection caused by machining forces.
Required to work from home: examining transitions to digital communication channels during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT This study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic and related work-from-home (WFH) mandates impacted the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) channels in the workplace and how the use of CMC channels influenced the perceived quality of supervisory relationships. A survey was administered during spring 2020 to a sample of U.S. employees required to work remotely due to COVID-19. The findings indicated a significant relationship between the use of text messaging and rapport, a signal that the building or maintaining of interpersonal rapport in today’s workplace may require more personal (and less formal/traditional) channels of communication. The results also revealed that employees with higher levels of CMC apprehension had lower rapport with their supervisors. The findings have implications for organizations that may have moved (or will move) to more remote work settings, and suggestions are offered for mitigating the impact of CMC-only interactions on supervisory relationships.
Integrated Decision Support Model For Construction Project Tendering

Tendering is an important issue that requires Decision Support System (DSS) attention as a decision to award tenders to certain competing applications could influence successful completion of a project. This paper presents a framework of DSS for a tendering process based on a combination of single criteria statistical model, weighted model and an extended AHP model known as Guided AHP (GAHP). This hybrid model allows single criteria tender prices which are considered abnormal to be excluded from further detail multi-criteria GAHP evaluation. GAHP is proposed to minimize the possibility of inconsistent data entry and to improve evaluation accuracy and flexibility. The use of model integration takes the advantage of their strengths and complements each other’s weaknesses. However, this paper focuses more on the statistical model. Finally, a real organizational government tendering application is applied to demonstrate the potential of the proposed framework.
Potential of Demand Response for Power Reallocation, a Literature Review

The power demand on the electric grid varies according to the time of the day following users’ needs and so does the cost of electricity supply because the electricity mix is formed using different generators of varying capacities. Demand response (DR) is the modification of the consumption load curve following a signal from the electricity provider; it is mostly used for peak clipping. By reducing the short-term mismatch between generation and consumption, it helps to integrate intermittent renewables and new low-carbon technologies such as energy storage, electric vehicles, and power-to-gas. The present work is a literature survey based on the following keywords: demand response, demand technology, potential, power, and power dispatch, which aims to provide a summary of the state of the art regarding the potential for demand response implementation. Literature is either related to potential assessment or to implementation; less focus is given on non-dispatchable DR than on dispatchable DR. There is a great untapped potential for power demand reallocation in all sectors. Incentivizing users to participate in demand response programs is crucial, as well as education campaigns and smart meters penetration. The barriers to demand response are mostly the investment costs in the absence of an adequate pricing scheme.
Ubiquitous Occurrence of a Biogenic Sulfonate in Marine Environment

The biogenic sulfonate 2,3-dihydroxypropane-1-sulfonate (DHPS) is a vital metabolic currency between phytoplankton and bacteria in marine environments. However, the occurrence and quantification of DHPS in the marine environment has not been well-characterized. In this study, we used targeted metabolomics to determine the concentration of DHPS in the Pearl River Estuary, an in situ costal mesocosm ecosystem and a hydrothermal system off Kueishantao Island. The results suggested that DHPS occurred ubiquitously in the marine environment, even in shallow-sea hydrothermal systems, at a level comparable to that of dimethylsulfoniopropionate. The concentration of DHPS was closely related to phytoplankton community composition and was especially associated with the abundance of diatoms. Epsilonproteobacteria were considered as the most likely producers of DHPS in shallow-sea hydrothermal systems. This work expands current knowledge on sulfonates and presents a new viewpoint on the sulfur cycle in hydrothermal systems.
High-Resolution 3D versus Standard-Resolution 2D T2-Weighted Turbo Spin Echo MRI for the Assessment of Lumbar Nerve Root Compromise

Radiculopathy can be caused by nerve root irritation and nerve root compression at the level of the lateral recess or at the level of the intervertebral foramen. T2-weighted (T2w) MRI is considered essential to evaluate the nerve root and its course, starting at the lateral recess through the intervertebral foramen to the extraforaminal space. With the introduction of novel MRI acceleration techniques such as compressed SENSE, standard-resolution 2D T2w turbo spin echo (TSE) sequences with a slice-thickness of 3–4 mm can be replaced with high-resolution isotropic 3D T2w TSE sequences with sub-millimeter resolution without prolonging scan time. With high-resolution 3D MRI, the course of the nerve root can be visualized more precisely due to a detailed depiction of the anatomical situation and less partial volume effects, potentially allowing for a better detection of nerve root compromise. In this intra-individual comparison study, 55 patients with symptomatic unilateral singular nerve root radiculopathy underwent MRI with both 2D standard- and 3D high-resolution T2w TSE MRI sequences. Two readers graded the degree of lumbar lateral recess stenosis and lumbar foraminal stenosis twice on both image sets using previously validated grading systems in an effort to quantify the inter-readout and inter-sequence agreement of scores. Inter-readout agreement was high for both grading systems and for 2D and 3D imaging (Kappa = 0.823–0.945). Inter-sequence agreement was moderate for both lumbar lateral recess stenosis (Kappa = 0.55–0.577) and lumbar foraminal stenosis (Kappa = 0.543–0.572). The percentage of high degree stenosis with nerve root deformity increased from 16.4%/9.8% to 41.8–43.6%/34.1% from 2D to 3D images for lateral recess stenosis/foraminal stenosis, respectively. Therefore, we show that while inter-readout agreement of grading systems is high for both standard- and high-resolution imaging, the latter outperforms standard-resolution imaging for the visualization of lumbar nerve root compromise.
Machine Learning Models to Predict Critical Episodes of Environmental Pollution for PM2.5 and PM10 in Talca, Chile

One of the main environmental problems that affects people’s health and quality of life is air pollution by particulate matter. Chile has nine of the ten most polluted cities in South America according to a report presented in 2019 by Greenpeace and AirVisual that measured the air quality index based on the levels of fine particles. Most Chilean cities are highly contaminated by particulate matter, especially during the months of April to August (the critical episode management period). The objective of this study is to predict particulate matter levels based on meteorological and climatic features, such as temperature, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation and relative air humidity in Talca, Chile, during the critical episode management periods between 2014 and 2018. Predictive models based on machine learning techniques were used, considering training datasets with meteorological and climatic data, and particulate matter levels from the three air quality monitoring stations in Talca, Chile. We carried out the training of 24 models to predict particulate matter levels considering the 24-h average and average between 05:00 to 11:00 p.m. For the model testing, data from the year 2018 during the critical episode management period were used. The obtained results indicate that our models are able to effectively predict levels of particulate matter, enabling correct management of critical episodes, especially for alert, pre-emergency and emergency conditions. We used the cross-platform and open-source programming language Python for the development and implementation of the proposed models and R-project for some visualizations.
Comparative Assessment of Grassland Dynamic and Its Response to Drought Based on Multi-Index in the Mongolian Plateau

This study applied grassland related multi-index and assessed the effects of climate change by investigating grassland responses to drought. This process was performed to study grassland vegetation dynamic accurately and evaluate the effect of drought in the Mongolian Plateau (MP). The spatial–temporal characteristics of grassland dynamic in terms of coverage (Fv), surface bareness (Fb), and net primary production (NPP) from 2000 to 2013 were explored. We implemented the maximum Pearson correlation to analyze the grassland vegetation in response to drought by using self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI). Results show that Fv and NPP present an increasing trend (0.18 vs. 0.43). Fb showed a decreasing trend with a value of −0.16. The grassland Fv and NPP positively correlated with scPDSI, with a value of 0.12 and 0.85, respectively, and Fb was −0.08. The positive correlation between Fv and NPP accounted for 84.08%, and the positive correlation between Fv and scPDSI accounted for 93.88%. On the contrary, the area with a negative correlation between Fb and scPDSI was 57.43%. The grassland in the MP showed a recovery tendency. The increase in grassland caused by positive reaction was mainly distributed in the middle of Mongolia (MG), whereas that caused by counter response was mainly distributed in the east and west MG and northeast Inner Mongolia autonomous region of China (IM). The relevant results may provide useful information for policymakers about mitigation strategies against the inverse effects of drought on grassland and help to ease the losses caused by drought.
Effective Label-Free Sorting of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Clinical Bone Marrow Samples

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) make up less than 1% of the bone marrow (BM). Several methods are used for their isolation such as gradient separation or centrifugation, but these methodologies are not direct and, thus, plastic adherence outgrowth or magnetic/fluorescent-activated sorting is required. To overcome this limitation, we investigated the use of a new separative technology to isolate MSCs from BM; it label-free separates cells based solely on their physical characteristics, preserving their native physical properties, and allows real-time visualization of cells. BM obtained from patients operated for osteochondral defects was directly concentrated in the operatory room and then analyzed using the new technology. Based on cell live-imaging and the sample profile, it was possible to highlight three fractions (F1, F2, F3), and the collected cells were evaluated in terms of their morphology, phenotype, CFU-F, and differentiation potential. Multipotent MSCs were found in F1: higher CFU-F activity and differentiation potential towards mesenchymal lineages compared to the other fractions. In addition, the technology depletes dead cells, removing unwanted red blood cells and non-progenitor stromal cells from the biological sample. This new technology provides an effective method to separate MSCs from fresh BM, maintaining their native characteristics and avoiding cell manipulation. This allows selective cell identification with a potential impact on regenerative medicine approaches in the orthopedic field and clinical applications.
Physical Activity, Sunshine Duration, and Osteoporotic Fractures: A Nested Case-Control Study

This study examined the associations between the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures in detailed sites and combined physical activity (PA) and sunshine duration (SD). Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service—National Health Screening Cohort for 7-year periods and from the Korea Meteorological Administration were used. Osteoporotic fractures (n = 12,103), including vertebral fractures, hip fractures, and distal radius fractures, and matched controls (n = 24,206) were selected in 1:2 ratios by age, sex, income, and region of residence. PA was classified as moderate- to high-intensity PA (High PA) and low-intensity PA (Low PA). SD was classified as Short SD (<6.1 h) and Long SD (≥6.1 h). Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) with 95%-confidence intervals (CIs) of the combined PA and SD groups for the occurrence of each osteoporotic fracture. Compared to ‘Low PA + Short SD’, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for vertebral fracture in ‘High PA + Short SD’ and ‘High PA + Long SD’ were 0.83 (0.76–0.91) and 0.84 (0.77–0.92), respectively. Hip/distal radius fractures were not associated with the combined PA and SD group. We suggest that a higher intensity of PA is inversely associated with the risk of vertebral fracture.
The Ethylene Biosynthesis Gene CpACO1A: A New Player in the Regulation of Sex Determination and Female Flower Development in Cucurbita pepo

A methanesulfonate-generated mutant has been identified in Cucurbita pepo that alters sex determination. The mutation converts female into hermaphrodite flowers and disrupts the growth rate and maturation of petals and carpels, delaying female flower opening, and promoting the growth rate of ovaries and the parthenocarpic development of the fruit. Whole-genome resequencing allowed identification of the causal mutation of the phenotypes as a missense mutation in the coding region of CpACO1A, which encodes for a type I ACO enzyme that shares a high identity with Cucumis sativus CsACO3 and Cucumis melo CmACO1. The so-called aco1a reduced ACO1 activity and ethylene production in the different organs where the gene is expressed, and reduced ethylene sensitivity in flowers. Other sex-determining genes, such as CpACO2B, CpACS11A, and CpACS27A, were differentially expressed in the mutant, indicating that ethylene provided by CpACO1A but also the transcriptional regulation of CpACO1A, CpACO2B, CpACS11A, and CpACS27A are responsible for determining the fate of the floral meristem toward a female flower, promoting the development of carpels and arresting the development of stamens. The positive regulation of ethylene on petal maturation and flower opening can be mediated by inducing the biosynthesis of JA, while its negative control on ovary growth and fruit set could be mediated by its repressive effect on IAA biosynthesis.
A study of clinical profile of patients undergoing endonasal endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy without stenting in a teaching hospital of Western Gujarat

Background: Chronic dacryocystitis is commonly treated with dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR). The aim of the study was to analyzed the clinical profile of patients suffering from distal Nasolacrimal duct (NLD) blockage and outcomes of EnDCR without stenting in patients with chronic dacryocystitis. Methods: This prospective observational study consisted of 50 patients who underwent EnDCR without stenting at ENT department of Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Sciences during the period of October 2019 to September 2021, after taking IEC consent. All patients with distal NLD blockage were included in study. Pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative details were recorded as per pre-validated proforma and data was analyzed using Microsoft excel sheets.Results: Watery discharge from eye was most common chief complaint (76%) during presentation followed by watery discharge and swelling over medial end of eye both (20%) and swelling over medial end of one eye (4%). Most common duration of chief complaint was between 3 to 12 months. In our study, out of 50 patients, 31 cases were operated under local anesthesia and 19 were operated under general anesthesia. Out of 50 operated cases, only 3 patients had stenosis of ostium at 3-month follow-up. Overall success rate of endoscopic endonasal DCR without stenting was 94%. Conclusions: The success rate of endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy without stenting is as high as that of external dacryocystorhinostomy and endonasal DCR with stenting without the disadvantages of either one.
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RISK MANAGEMENT IN CENTRALIZED AND DISTRIBUTED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

Risk management is used to increase the chance of success of any future project by exploring its uncertainties. It will meet all the remedies to make the software development project successful by keeping in view all the future problems that may occur during the project process. It includes the identification of risk and their assessment in the project course and tries to make improvement to make project constructive. Risk management goals are to overcome project task risks those are identified before starting of the project and during the implementation. This paper describes the phases in the risk management process and provided methods to analysis and safety of management. The paper focuses on a study risk management in centralized and distributed software development projects. This study recognizes valuable, constant and free communication as the basics for victorious risk management. Therefore, it registers all incoming information memorize much in the same pattern as the "black box" device during an aircraft flight. The description and evaluation tools are also included, may used during the risk management study in the software development environment. KEYWORD: Risk Management, Software Development, Centralized and Distributed Environment, Risk Management, Software Risk, Risk Model
Damping in Compliant Actuation: A Review

Compliant actuator technology aims at building robots capable of physically interacting with humans and the environment, matching the versatility and capacity of biological systems. Recently, it underwent a significant evolution with the introduction of damping to improve performance. Such development reflects several aspects, including energy saving and oscillation mitigation. However, large damping values tend to increase the system impedance, worsening robot resilience and human safety during impacts. That suggests the importance of a correct tradeoff.
Transforming physical education: an analysis of context and resources that support curriculum transformation and enactment

ABSTRACT Background: This paper presents a counter-narrative to the long-held belief that Physical Education (PE) is impermeable to change. Transforming and enacting curriculum is incredibly challenging and sometimes impossible but if teachers have particular resources available to them over time, this makes ‘radical reform more, rather than less likely’ [Kirk, D. 2009. Physical Education Futures. London: Routledge]. Purpose: This paper addresses the on-going and pervasive issue of sustainable curriculum transformation and enactment in PE. More specifically, the purpose of this research is to examine the source, nature and purpose of resources that made curriculum transformation and enactment possible in one school. Data collection and analysis: As part of an exemplary case study, 7 Secondary PE teachers and one Principal from an Australian Secondary school engaged in the process of curriculum transformation and enactment. Data consisted of semi-structured individuals (3) and paired interviews (6) and field notes. We drew upon the notion of ‘contextual dimensions’ and ‘activity layers’ to support the analysis. Findings suggest that the teachers were supported by resources that spanned different contextual dimensions (situated, material, external contexts and professional culture) and layers of activity. The most valued resources identified by the teachers were (i) structural and networked support; (ii) sustained leadership; (iii) a clear vision for PE in their school; (iv) professional learning; (v) time. Conclusion: The findings suggest that while changes in policy do not necessarily prompt change in practice, particular kinds of policy are necessary if the change is to be viewed as possible and worthwhile by teachers. In this study, a layered policy landscape acted as a catalyst for the teachers to reimagine what PE could look like in their school. Moving from vision to action, it was the interplay of resources across the contextual dimensions and activity layers that the teachers drew on to support curriculum transformation and enactment.
Electrogastrography in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia, Joint Hypermobility, and Diabetic Gastroparesis.

BACKGROUND Transcutaneous electrogastrography is a novel modality to assess the human stomach's gastric myoelectrical activity. The purpose of this study was to compare functional dyspepsia, joint hypermobility, and diabetic gastroparesis patients with healthy control subjects in terms of gastric motility abnormalities through electrogastrography evaluations, and to then evaluate the correlation among variations in their blood parameters. METHODS This study analyzed 120 subjects with functional dyspepsia (n = 30), joint hypermobility (n = 30), diabetic gastroparesis (n = 30), and control subjects (n = 30). The electrogastrography parameters included the dominant frequency, dominant power, power ratio, and instability coefficient, which were analyzed preprandially and postprandially. Although there are similar studies in the literature, there is no other study in which all groups have been studied together, as in our study. RESULTS The electrogastrography results showed that preprandial dominant frequency (P = .031*), dominant power (P = .047*), and instability coefficient (P = .043*), and postprandial dominant frequency (P = .041*) and dominant power (P = .035*) results were statistically significant among the functional dyspepsia, joint hypermobility, diabetic gastroparesis, and control groups. There was no significant difference found in terms of power ratio (P = .114) values. However, only glucose (P = .04*) and calcium (P = .04*) levels showed statistical significance. Several blood tests including hemoglobin (P = .032*), creatinine (P= .045*), calcium (P = .037*), potassium (P= .041*), white blood cells (P = .038*), and alanine aminotransferase (P = .031*) also showed correlation with the dominant frequency, power ratio, and instability coefficient parameters. CONCLUSIONS This joint methodology demonstrated that it is possible to differentiate between functional dyspepsia, joint hypermobility, and diabetic gastroparesis patients from healthy subjects by using electrogastrography. Moreover, the majority of patients showed adequate gastric motility in response to food.