Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Capturing asymmetrical spectral regrowth in RF systems using a multislice behavioral model and enhanced envelop transient analysis

Nonlinear distortion in RF and microwave systems results in spectral regrowth of digitally modulated signals. The distortion above and below the main channel can be at different levels and this is attributed to baseband effects. This article presents a new multislice behavioral‐model architecture that captures this asymmetry and can be implemented in a variety of circuit simulators, including SPICE, harmonic balance (HB), envelope transient (ET), and system simulators. The work is experimentally validated using an HBT power amplifier at 2.5 GHz driven by a WCDMA signal. The model is used with envelope transient circuit simulation which is enhanced to accommodate an arbitrary baseband transfer function. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2006.
Efficacy of longevity interventions in C. elegans is determined by early life activity of RNA splicing factors

Geroscience aims to target the aging process to extend healthspan. However, even isogenic individuals show heterogeneity in natural aging rate and responsiveness to pro-longevity interventions, limiting translational potential. Using in vivo mini gene reporters in isogenic C. elegans, we show that alternative splicing of mRNAs related to lipid metabolism in young animals is coupled to subsequent life expectancy. Further, activity of RNA splicing factors REPO-1 and SFA-1 early in life modulates effectiveness of specific longevity interventions via POD-2/ACC1 and regulation of lipid utilization. In addition, early inhibition of REPO-1 renders animals refractory to late onset suppression of the TORC1 pathway. Together these data suggest that activity of RNA splicing factors and the metabolic landscape early in life can modulate responsiveness to longevity interventions and may explain variance in efficacy between individuals. One Sentence Summary Efficacy of pro-longevity interventions in C. elegans is determined by the activity of splicing factors and the lipid metabolic landscape early in the life of the individual.
The Analysis of Slice-Induced Factors in Golf Swing Using a 3D Motion Capture System

In golf, it is crucial that unintended shots, such as slices, be minimized. However, it has proven rather difficult to improve golf performance via investigations of the causes of slicing, as this particular phenomenon is induced by a cooperative effect by each segment of the body, rather than by a single postural anomaly. Thus, the objective of this study was to isolate and characterize the factors causing slicing, and to present possibilities for the improvement of golf performance via the minimization of the number of slices executed, using a three dimensional motion capture system, combined with multiple regression analysis, artificial neural network, and fuzzy logic techniques. This study obtained some interesting results, such as the following: (1) We isolated 9 slice-inducing factors, using a stepwise method. (2) Our artificial neural network (ANN) accurately separated 'slice' from 'normal' shots (classification rate: 100%). (3)We could present the possibility of reducing the number of slice using the fuzzy logic. We expect that our data might be eventually used to improve golf performance.
Assessment of Choking Flow Models in RELAP5 for Flashing Flow Through Small Cracks

The estimation of leak rates through steam generator tube crack is an important safety parameter. An assessment of the choking flow models in thermal-hydraulics code RELAP5 is performed and its applicability to predict choking flow rates through steam generator tube cracks is addressed. A RELAP5 nodalization was created to model experimental data from literature. It is found that both the Henry-Fauske and Ransom-Trapp models better predict choking mass flux for longer channels. As the length of a channel decreases the both models’ predictions diverge from each other. While RELAP5 has been shown to predict choking flow in large scale geometries, it is not suited well for small channel lengths. In the case of a more conservative approach, where over prediction of mass flux through short channels is best, the Henry-Fauske model would be most appropriate.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
A locally conformal FDTD analysis of a thin printed antenna for wideband wireless applications

A compact wideband planar‐printed antenna for wireless communications is presented. A suitable shape of the antenna arms and a proper tapering of the feeding line are employed to achieve an impedance bandwidth of more than 10 GHz useful to meet the requirements of several wireless communication standards. An enhanced locally conformal finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) numerical procedure, based on a suitable normalization of the electromagnetic field‐related quantities together with a near‐to‐far‐field transformation, is developed to perform the full‐wave analysis of the radiating structure. The proposed numerical procedure allows the accurate evaluation of the electromagnetic field distribution from the FDTD domain up to the far‐field region, achieving a reduced computational burden compared with conventional FDTD formulations. Using the proposed technique, the electromagnetic and circuital behaviour of the antenna is then derived and analyzed in detail. Numerical results concerning the antenna parameters are in good agreement with experimental measurements. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Monitoring Results of an Instrumented, Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall: Comparison with Current Practice

A field instrumentation and monitoring study on a 52-ft (15.8-m) high mechanically stabilized earth wall was undertaken. The field monitoring program was carried out on different sections along the wall, representing three different wall heights and two geometries. Monitoring results pertaining to reinforcement working forces, earth pressures at the base of the reinforced soils, and wall deformations are presented. The magnitudes and locations of maximum axial forces measured in the reinforcement are discussed and compared with the predictions by the method adopted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the load and resistance factor design (LRFD) method. Comparisons between the field measurements and the design methods for the tallest section with straight backfill (simple geometry) indicated that the LRFD method predicted the reinforcement forces more closely than the FHWA-adopted method. However, both methods failed to predict the locations and magnitudes of the maximum axial forces that developed in the reinforcement at the wing-wall section (sections with three-dimensional sloping backfill). The geometry of the wall and backfill, the type of wall-facing panels, and the interpanel connections appear to influence the deformation and settlement response of the reinforced earth wall. From the measured reinforcement wall connection forces, it was determined that the connection forces depended on the depth of embedment and the shape of the line of limiting equilibrium. The vertical pressure measurements deviated from those predictions by the three methods: Meyerhof, trapezoidal, and uniform distribution. These discrepancies are attributed to the lack of knowledge of the influences of the wall-facing element and the frictional stresses that may have developed along the interface between the retained soil and the reinforced soil
The Validity of Tourism-led Growth Hypothesis for The Top Ten Tourism Revenue Generating Countries

This study aims to test the validity of the tourism-led growth hypothesis. For this purpose, ten countries with the highest tourism income (USA, China, Australia, France, Italy, England, Spain, Germany, Japan, Thailand) are included in the analysis covering the period 1995-2018. Pedroni cointegration, panel Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) and panel Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) methods are utilized by using economic growth, tourism revenues and exchange rate series. According to panel DOLS and panel FMOLS test results, tourism revenues and exchange rate have a positive effect on economic growth. Furthermore, Granger causality analysis findings indicate a uni-directional causal relation from tourism revenues to economic growth and from exchange rate to tourism. The overall results of the empirical analysis verify the tourism-led growth hypothesis for the ten countries with the highest tourism income.
Zinc oxide nanowire gas sensors: fabrication, functionalisation and devices

With the progress in the synthesis of high quality ZnO nanowires, their implementation as gas sensors has gained popularity. Relying on the surface ionosorption, these devices have demonstrated exquisite sensitivity with further improvement achieved through various functionalisation methods. Both resistive and transistor based methodologies are employed for gas sensing while integration of micro-heaters has also been attempted for portability of the devices. In order to achieve successful inclusion amongst semiconductor fabrication processes, top-down approaches are being explored along with conventional bottom-up synthesis routes. Major challenge of low selectivity can be overcome by Electronic Nose systems. This article reviews the progress in synthesis, functionalisation, and device implementation of ZnO nanowire gas sensors, concluding with remarks on associated challenges and future prospects.
Can the Current State Support Mechanisms Help the Growth of Renewable Energies in Wind Markets?

The aim of this paper is to provide evidence on the effectiveness of the current state support mechanism incentive adopted by the Italian government in the wind market. In particular, this paper intends to investigate the effectiveness of the auction mechanism as an incentive tool for renewable sources as required by the transposition of Directive 2009/28/EC. In order to demonstrate the economic and financial feasibility of a typical wind-sector investment, we performed a scenario analysis (Monte Carlo simulation) determining a 52,500 Net Present Value (NPV) by varying the key underlying variables of the investment. The results show that with the mechanism currently in place the percentage of positive leveraged NPV is approximately equal to 70%. Despite the state contribution provided through the “Feed-in tariff” mechanism, the profitability of wind projects is not always successful, and this problem could be amplified by the slowness of the authorization procedures. The article offers prime reflections for scholars and policy makers who have long been committed to promoting sustainable development and important considerations on the introduction of further incentive models.
Tumor Marker B7-H6 Bound to the Coiled Coil Peptide-Polymer Conjugate Enables Targeted Therapy by Activating Human Natural Killer Cells

Targeted cancer immunotherapy is a promising tool for restoring immune surveillance and eradicating cancer cells. Hydrophilic polymers modified with coiled coil peptide tags can be used as universal carriers designed for cell-specific delivery of such biologically active proteins. Here, we describe the preparation of pHPMA-based copolymer conjugated with immunologically active protein B7-H6 via complementary coiled coil VAALEKE (peptide E) and VAALKEK (peptide K) sequences. Receptor B7-H6 was described as a binding partner of NKp30, and its expression has been proven for various tumor cell lines. The binding of B7-H6 to NKp30 activates NK cells and results in Fas ligand or granzyme-mediated apoptosis of target tumor cells. In this work, we optimized the expression of coiled coil tagged B7-H6, its ability to bind activating receptor NKp30 has been confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry, and the binding stoichiometry of prepared chimeric biopolymer has been characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation. Furthermore, this coiled coil B7-H6-loaded polymer conjugate activates NK cells in vitro and, in combination with coiled coil scFv, enables their targeting towards a model tumor cell line. Prepared chimeric biopolymer represents a promising precursor for targeted cancer immunotherapy by activating the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells.
Prenatal Diagnosis Nomograms: A Novel Tool to Predict Fetal Chromosomal Abnormalities in High-Risk Patients

Background Amniocentesis is an invasive prenatal diagnostic technique that can provide genetic information of fetus for pregnant women and give them a choice. A straightforward predictive tool can show pregnant women the need for amniocentesis prior to the procedure. Methods The information of patients who underwent amniocentesis from 2014 to 2019 at the Obstetrics Clinic, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University was extracted, and important independent prognostic factors were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to construct nomograms with total abnormalities (TA) and chromosome number abnormalities (CNA). Results A total of 19,683 patients undergoing amniocentesis were included in this study. Among 1761 patients with abnormal results, 917 had abnormal chromosome numbers, 439 had abnormal chromosome structures, and 405 had polymorphic results. Nomograms of TA and CNA were created using data such as age, nuchal translucency value, ultrasound results, Oscar’s testing and/or non-invasive prenatal testing abnormalities, parental chromosomes, and information whether they were twins. The nomogram has good predictive power and clinical practicality through the analysis of area under curve and decision curve analysis. Internal verification was performed for nomograms of TA and CNA, suggesting that the nomogram’s predicted probability and actual probability of the two are consistent. Conclusion The nomogram constructed is a good predictor of TA and CNA, which can be used in clinical practice to screen high-risk patients of chromosomal abnormalities.
Using Dynamic Modulus Test to Evaluate Moisture Susceptibility of Asphalt Mixtures

The stripping in of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) is assessed by AASHTO T283 by means of the indirect tensile strength test. The tensile strength ratio (TSR) is used as the criterion for strength retention after sample conditioning. In recent years, the dynamic modulus (E*) test, conducted according to AASHTO TP62-03, has gained wider use in the pavement community for two reasons: it is a major input into the Guide for Mechanistic–Empirical Design of New and Rehabilitated Pavement Structures and is being used as a simple performance test indicator. The objective of this study was to assess whether the E* laboratory test can be used as a replacement test property for indirect tensile strength in AASHTO T283. Because the E* test is nondestructive, unlike the indirect tensile strength test, the advantage would be that the same specimens could be used before and after moisture conditioning. The scope of work in this research included conducting a laboratory testing program on several types of asphalt mixtures by means of both test procedures. All mixtures were obtained from construction projects in the field. A unique aspect of this study was that some of the mixtures failed in the field after stripping. The E* tests were used to determine the percent of retained stiffness, a term referred to as E* stiffness ratio (ESR). Results of both TSR and ESR conducted on the same mixtures were compared and statistically analyzed. The analysis indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the measured TSR and ESR values for the same mixture. The correlation obtained between the two ratios had good measures of accuracy. It was concluded that the ESR can potentially replace TSR testing to assess field moisture damage for asphalt mixtures. The recommendation was to continue the testing program and expand the database for future analysis.
The thermoregulatory role of relative bill and leg surface areas in a Mediterranean population of Great tit (Parus major)

Abstract There is growing evidence on the role of legs and bill as ‘thermal windows’ in birds coping with heat stress. However, there is a lack of empirical work examining the relationship between the relative bill and/or leg surface areas and key thermoregulatory traits such as the limits of the thermoneutral zone (TNZ) or the cooling efficiency at high temperatures. Here, we explored this relationship in a Mediterranean population of Great tit (Parus major) facing increasing thermal stress in its environment. The lower and upper critical limits of the TNZ were found to be 17.7 ± 1. 6ºC and 34.5 ± 0.7°C, respectively, and the basal metabolic rate was 0.96 ± 0.12 ml O2 min−1 on average. The evaporative water loss (EWL) inflection point was established at 31.85 ± 0.27°C and was not significantly different from the value of the upper critical limit. No significant relationship was observed between the relative bill or tarsi size and TNZ critical limits, breadth, mass‐independent VO2, or mass‐independent EWL at any environmental temperature (from 10 to 40°C). However, Great tit males (but not females) with larger tarsi areas (a proxy of leg surface area) showed higher cooling efficiencies at 40°C. We found no support for the hypothesis that the bill surface area plays a significant role as a thermal window in Great tits, but the leg surface areas may play a role in males’ physiological responses to high temperatures. On the one hand, we argue that the studied population occupies habitats with available microclimates and fresh water for drinking during summer, so active heat dissipation by EWL might be favored instead of dry heat loss through the bill surface. Conversely, male dominance behaviors could imply a greater dependence on cutaneous EWL through the upper leg surfaces as a consequence of higher exposure to harsh environmental conditions than faced by females.
FARNN: FPGA-GPU Hybrid Acceleration Platform for Recurrent Neural Networks

GPU-based platforms provide high computation throughput for large mini-batch deep neural network computations. However, a large batch size may not be ideal for some situations, such as aiming at low latency, training on edge/mobile devices, partial retraining for personalization, and having irregular input sequence lengths. GPU performance suffers from low utilization especially for small-batch recurrent neural network (RNN) applications where sequential computations are required. In this paper, we propose a hybrid architecture, called FARNN, which combines a GPU and an FPGA to accelerate RNN computation for small batch sizes. After separating RNN computations into GPU-efficient and GPU-inefficient tasks, we design special FPGA computation units that accelerate the GPU-inefficient RNN tasks. FARNN off-loads the GPU-inefficient tasks to the FPGA. We evaluate FARNN with synthetic RNN layers of various configurations on the Xilinx UltraScale+ FPGA and the NVIDIA P100 GPU in addition to evaluating it with real RNN applications. The evaluation result indicates that FARNN outperforms the P100 GPU platform for RNN training by up to 4.2 with small batch sizes, long input sequences, and many RNN cells per layer.
Selectively grown vertical Si-p MOS transistor with short channel lengths

Vertical p-MOS transistors with channel lengths of ~130 nm have been fabricated using selective LPCVD epitaxy for the definition of the channel region, instead of fine line lithography. Owing to self-aligned facet growth the channel region and the volume diode which limited the parasitic bipolar transistor can be designed more independently. Thus a short-channel p-MOS transistor with a high breakthrough voltage, an ideal subthreshold behaviour and a high transconductance was fabricated.
The ESD threat

Materials and plant-including people-acquire and accumulate electrostatic charge during normal activity. The electric field produced at the surface of such a charged body or layer can exceed the normal electric strength of the ambient medium, about 3 MV/m for normal air, and so produce an electrical discharge (ESD). Injection of the suddenly released electrical energy into an electronic device can lead to catastrophic failure while the generation of such sparks in a flammable atmosphere can cause fire or explosion. Simplistically, therefore, the ESD threat can be modelled by the discharge of a capacitor charged to an appropriate potential. In many circumstances this is valid and is in fact used to assess vulnerability of electronic devices and sensitivity of flammable atmospheres. Difficulties arise, however, owing to variability in the sensitivity of the vulnerable system, which is not only dependent on the total energy of the discharge (as defined by the discharging capacitance and its voltage) but also the rise time, magnitude and duration of the discharge current. When the discharges arise directly from the surface of a charged insulator, all these factors are indeterminable and even the total energy in the discharge becomes unpredictable. Determination of the features of the ESD which define the actual threat in each particular circumstance is, therefore, required to establish unambiguous ESD test models. This is an important matter because critical decisions on safety and product quality protection are based on the data obtained in ESD model tests.
Using Online Water Quality Data to Detect Events in a Distribution System

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, sent a compelling call to the water utility community to better understand the water quality in the distribution system. In response to the Bioterrorism Act of 2002, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) conducted research into detection of chemical and biological contaminants, algorithms for interpreting water quality time‐series data, and other aspects of an event‐detection system (EDS). This research has set the stage for EDS development.
Scanned pulsed eddy current instrument for nondestructive inspection of aging aircraft

The aging of commercial and military aircraft fleets in the US has led to increased emphasis on detecting accumulated damage such as corrosion and wide-spread fatigue damage in multi-layer airframe structures. Eddy currents are the method of choice for this task, since they can penetrate multiple layers whether or not the layers are mechanically bonded. We have developed a new pulsed eddy-current instrument that is fast, rugged, portable, and relatively inexpensive to build. It has the ability to acquire wide- bandwidth information that can quantitatively characterize the thickness of multi-layered airframe structures. The instrument can also detect cracks growing from fastener holes in the second or third layers of a lap-joint structure. The probe is mounted in a rugged scanner that easily attaches to an aircraft. Data from the instrument are presented to the user in two formats: an instantaneous A- scan of the time-domain pulsed eddy-current signal and a C- scan image of the scanned area. The C-scan image can be time-gated to provide images representing signals form various depths and to discriminate against signals from fasteners or other interfering features. We describe the instrument in detail and provide examples of its use to detect both corrosion and second-layer cracks.