Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Reduction of Deterministic Test Pattern Sets

Test compaction and the associated test data compression are two key components of the post-production test as they reduce test pattern counts, the resultant test data volume, test application time, and hence the cost of testing. The paper describes a method that strives to reduce the number of ATPG-produced deterministic test patterns to deliver compact test sets. In principle, it is based on a dimensionality reduction paradigm by working with a meaningful representation of test patterns using external and internal necessary assignments to determine small groups of potentially compatible faults. These faults are subsequently retargeted by the robust SAT-based ATPG and its solvers producing a single test pattern for the entire group, thus making the resultant test set smaller in size. Experimental results obtained for several industrial designs and stuck-at faults confirm superiority of the proposed scheme over state-of-the-art test set compaction techniques and are reported herein.
Reconstruction of Lines in a Ship Hull with B-Splines

AbstractA method for reconstructing lines from a point cloud with the use of B-splines is described in this paper. The method operates directly on the point cloud without any explicit or implicit surface reconstruction procedure, and works with unordered points. The presented technique is based on a Least Squared approximation, an iterative method for the parameterization and the use of fairing conditions. The method is designed to work with scattered data points from a 3D scanner and applied in ship reconstruction, where some specific lines contained in the ship hull are required and the full reconstruction of the ship hull surface is unnecessary.
A low-cost W-band MIC mixer using flip-chip technology

The authors describe a novel mixer fabricated using a unique low-cost approach to achieve effective conversion performance. By utilizing flip-chip GaAs Schottky diodes mounted on a duroid substrate, this radio frequency (RF) probable mixer achieves 11.3-dB conversion loss at 77 GHz with an IF frequency of 500 MHz. This new technology demonstrates an affordable alternative to standard millimeter-wave circuit fabrication while offering the capability to integrate a variety of device technologies in the same circuit.
Solute Transport During Chemigation of a Level Basin

Chemigation can be an efficient means of applying agricultural chemicals, however little research has been done to assess leaching of chemicals applied with chemigation. This study compared the leaching behavior of two conservative mobile tracers, one (Br) applied in the irrigation water and a second (o-TFMBA) sprayed onto the soil surface immediately before irrigation. Sixteen days after irrigation, sixty-six, 42-mm diameter soil cores were taken to a depth of 2 m from within the sprayed plots. The soil cores were sectioned into eight 0.25-m long cores from which Br and o-TFMBA were extracted. Tracer distributions exhibited considerable variability across the basin, with the o-TFMBA tracer generally exhibiting less erratic behavior than the Br. Only Br, which was applied with the irrigation water, showed significant trends between mass recovered and position within the basin. The o-TFMBA exhibited less leaching with the mean depth of tracer penetration being 0.42 m. Bromide showed significantly (P = 0.05) deeper penetration of the soil profile with a mean depth of leaching for the recovered Br being 0.69-m, or about 60% deeper than the o-TFMBA. Results indicate that chemigation may actually increase rather than decrease deep leaching of agricultural chemicals.
Large signal stability criteria for distributed systems with constant power loads

Design oriented criteria are developed for distributed power systems with constant power loads to guarantee stability during large disturbances. The criteria place design constraints on the input filter parameters, such as the Q factor, and constraints on the amount of "ideal" constant power load that a system can support. The criteria are based on Lyapunov stability theory, mixed potential functions, and the existence of equilibrium points. The analytical criteria are validated by means of computer simulations. <<ETX>>
Adaptive Sliding Mode Controller Design for a Nonlinear Inverted Pendulum with Unknown Physical Parameters and its Experiment

In this paper, an adaptive sliding mode control (ASMC) method for a single inverted pendulum (IP) is proposed. The physical parameters are transformed into the model information, thus adaptive law for the IP can be designed with unknown physical parameters. By simulation and experiments, we found that the ASMC method can keep the IP in the upright position, with quick parameters adjustment and high degree of system robustness.
Structured requirements elicitation for product-service system

For modern manufacturing companies the concept of product-service (PS) is representing a novel way to create new business opportunities, improve sustainability, support continuous innovation, and increase the product value. In this context, high-quality requirements elicitation is crucial for successful PS ideation and the following design. However, traditional product-centred approaches are not able to fully support manufacturing companies moving from product to services. This paper proposes a new methodology to support ideation and preliminary design of sustainable product-service systems (PSSs) within industrial chains. The method is based on quality functional deployment (QFD) approach and allows defining a set of robust requirements for creating new PSSs in respect with the specific customer needs and the sustainability principles of the industrial network. The research demonstrates the method validity on three case studies involving different industrial chains distributed all over Europe (i.e., white goods, machine tools, and textile industry). The case studies demonstrate how the method allows an easy definition of three distinctive PSS concepts starting for the specific market needs, and the robust requirements elicitation concerning both functional and ecosystem aspects.
A novel wideband microstrip‐fed elliptical slot array antenna for Ku‐band applications

This study presents a broadband microstrip slot array structure with a novel feeding technique, which offers enhanced bandwidth and very low cross‐polarization levels, targeting the satellite reception application market in the Ku‐Band. The single element module and the antenna array formulations of two, four, and eight elements are examined, fabricated, and experimentally characterized. Details of the design procedure and experimental results are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1824–1828, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21791
Measurement and modeling of self-heating in SOI nMOSFET's

Self-heating in SOI nMOSFET's is measured and modeled. Temperature rises in excess of 100 K are observed for SOI devices under static operating conditions. The measured temperature rise agrees well with the predictions of an analytical model and is a function of the silicon thickness, buried oxide thickness, and channel-metal contact separation. Under dynamic circuit conditions, the channel temperatures are much lower than predicted from the static power dissipation. This work provides the foundation for the extraction of device modeling parameters for dynamic operation (at constant temperature) from static device characterization data (where temperature varies widely). Self-heating does not greatly reduce the electromigration reliability of SOI circuits, but might influence SOI device design, e.g., requiring a thinner buried oxide layer for particular applications and scaled geometries. >
A Hybridized SVM-kNN-pdAPSO Approach to Intrusion Detection System

Several cases of service attacks on major Internet sites have shown us, no open computer network is immune from intrusions. The wireless ad-hoc network is particularly vulnerable due to its features of open medium, dynamic changing topology, cooperative algorithms, lack of centralized monitoring and management point, and lack of a clear line of defense. The traditional way of protecting networks with firewalls and encryption software is no longer sufficient and effective. The field of machine learning has proved that the hybridization of classifiers usually has a better performance than individual ones. This paper proposes a new approach that hybridizes different classifiers for better accuracy in detection of intrusion attacks. The result of experiments conducted shows that the fusion of Support Vector Machine, k-Nearest Neighbor, and Primal-Dual Particle Swarm Optimization produced better classification accuracy than each of the singular classifiers on the KDD99 dataset.
Family Planning and Child Health Care: Effect of the Peruvian Programa de Salud Reproductiva y Planificación Familiar, 1996-20001

Our study estimates the effects of exposure to a family planning program which promoted surgical contraception for the first time in Peru on women’s use of birth-control methods and their children’s health. While a broad program, the PNSRPF forced many indigenous women to undergo sterilization. We compare provinces affected by the program earlier with provinces affected later, before and after the policy. Overall, the results indicate that women in treated areas were more likely to use both temporary and permanent contraceptive methods and their children were less likely to die within their first year of life, partly due to longer breastfeeding. However, we observe heterogeneity by ethnicity. In treated provinces, nonindigenous children benefited from the policy regardless of their mothers’ choice of contraceptive method, while there were few positive impacts for indigenous children whose mothers underwent sterilization. This suggests that coercive or aggressively implemented family planning programs may not confer health benefits on children.
Multiparameter reliability model for SiC power MOSFET subjected to repetitive thermomechanical load

© 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Abstract. The main drawback of any Design for Reliability methodology is lack of easy accessible reliability models, prepared individually for each critical component. In this paper, a reliability model for SiC power MOSFET in SOT – 227B housing, subjected to power cycling, is presented. Discussion covers preparation of accelerated lifetime test required to develop such reliability model, analysis of semiconductor degradation progress, samples post-failure analysis and identification of reliability model parameters. Such model may be further used for failure prognostics or useful lifetime estimation of high performance power supplies.
Evaluation of Nonlinear Wave Separation Method to Assess Reflection Transit Time: A Virtual Patient Study

Conventional methods to calculate reflection transit time (RTT) is based on pulse counter analysis. An alternative to this approach is separating forward and backward components from a pulse waveform to calculate the RTT. State-of-the-art in wave separation requires simultaneously measured pressure and flow velocity waveforms. Practically, getting a simultaneous measurement from a single arterial site has its limitations, and this has made the translation of wave separation methods to clinical practice difficult. We propose a new method of wave separation analysis that requires only a single pulse waveform measurement using a multi-Gaussian decomposition approach. The novelty of the method is that it does not require any measured or modelled flow velocity waveform. In this method, the pulse waveform is decomposed into the sum of Gaussians and reconstructed based on model criteria. RTT is calculated as the time difference between normalized forward and backward waveform. The method’s feasibility in using RTT as a potential surrogate is demonstrated on 105 diverse selections of virtual subjects. The results were statistically significant and had a strong correlation (r>79, p<0.0001) against clinically approved artery stiffness markers such as Peterson’s elastic modulus (Ep), pulse wave velocity (PWV), specific stiffness index (β), and arterial compliance (AC). Out of all the elasticity markers, a better correlation was found against AC.Clinical Relevance—This simulation study supplements the evidence for the dependence of pulse wave reflections on arterial stiffness. It provides a new method to study wave reflections using only a single pulse waveform.
Discrete-Blade, Navier-Stokes Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Ducted-Fan Flow

The application of overset grid methods to studying the flowfield of the FANTAIL antitorque system of the RAH-66 rotorcraft is described. The FANTAIL itself and the experimental program used to design it are described first. Then, OVERFLOW-D, an overset grid-based, Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics code is reviewed, and its adaptation to the ducted fan geometry of the FANTAIL is explained. The modeling of the FANTAIL using OVERFLOW-D, including grids and boundary conditions, is explained in detail. The results of numerical studies of the hovering FANTAIL are presented and are shown to compare well with experiment. Flowfield visualizations are presented and are used to explain how the blade tip vortices combine with the adverse pressure gradient beneath the rotor disk to impact flow along the duct wall beneath the disk.
Rapid Visualization Tool for Intraoperative Dorsal Column Mapping Triggered by Spinal Cord Stimulation in Chronic Pain Patients

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a widely accepted effective treatment for managing chronic pain. SCS outcomes depend highly on accurate placement of SCS electrodes at the appropriate spine level for a desired pain relief. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) under general anesthesia provides an objective real-time mapping of the dorsal columns, and has been shown to be a safe and effective tool. IONM applies stimulation to multiple electrode contacts at various intensities and monitors the triggered electromyography (EMG) responses in several muscle groups simultaneously. Therefore, it requires dynamic communication between neurosurgeon and neurophysiologist and continuous real-time annotations of the responses, which makes the procedure complex and experience-based. Here, we describe an automated data visualization tool that generates patient specific activity maps using intraoperatively collected signals. Responses were collected using a High-resolution (HR)-SCS lead with 8 columns of electrodes spanning the dorsal columns. Our JavaScript/Python based graphical user interface (GUI) provides a fast and robust visualization of EMG activity via denoising, feature extraction, normalization, and overlaying of the activity maps on body images in selected colormaps. In contrast to reviewing series of EMG signals, our user-friendly tool provides a rapid and robust analysis of stimulation effects on various muscle groups and direct comparison across subjects and/or stimulation settings. Future work includes expanding analytics capabilities and operating room implementation as a real-time processing tool that can be used in conjunction with the current IONM techniques.
Natural Family Planning No Increased Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Was Observed among Women Who Experienced an Unplanned Pregnancy While Using Natural Family Planning

s . 10 Under the Microscope . 14 Fertility Monitors Resources . 18 Current Medical Research is a publication of the Natural Family Planning Program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. © Washington, DC: USCCB, 2011. The managing editor is Theresa Notare, PhD, Assistant Director. Permission is granted to reproduce in whole or in part, in print and/or electronically, with the following statement: Current Medical Research, NFPP/US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC, volume # (year): page#. Used with permission.
Impacts of Quality Improvement Strategies on the Performance of Primary Healthcare Organisations; a Case Study of the Accreditation Program in Lebanon

In its 2008 report, the World Health Organisation called for a reform in Primary Healthcare, especially in leadership which will enforce the delivery of quality services, as per the seven elements of quality in healthcare: accessibility, appropriateness, safety, continuity of care, efficiency and effectiveness, and client-centeredness. In Lebanon, the approach of quality improvement in healthcare is still new, starting in 2000 in the hospitals and in 2009 with the first formal award for accredited centres in 2016 in the primary healthcare sector, leaded by the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with Accreditation Canada International. This thesis aims to build a “Best Practices” Model to be applied by the leaders of primary healthcare organisations and customised to their centres in order to comply with the quality standards and integrate them sustainably in their systems. The qualitative approach has been applied, with 15 semi-structured interviews with key-informants in addition to documentation analysis and observation, with a validation of some other methods such as questionnaires with healthcare providers and focus groups with National Surveyors and patients to overcome the author’s bias. The “Wimpole Street Principles” has been followed as a conceptual framework for this dissertation, due to its suitability to the studied model of care through its four domains: Policy, Organisation, Methods and Resources. Results have shown that the Accreditation process, despite the many challenges to be implemented in a country with complex political and socio-economic situation like Lebanon, has increased the overall performance of the primary healthcare system. Indeed, Primary Healthcare Organisations
MICROBIAL DECHLORINATION OF POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organic xenobiotics contaminating environment for at least 50 years. They could be eventually eliminated by various organisms under different conditions. The degree of chlorine substitution per biphenyl molecule influences biodegradability which decreases with increasing chlorination. Our work is focused on the PCBs biodegradation under anaerobic conditions. The suitable high chlorinated biphenyls are converted via reductive dechlorination to the chlorinated biphenyls with lower extent of chlorine, which could be eventually fully mineralized by aerobic bacteria. Microbial consortium was isolated from sediment of Strážský Creek (located near by plant producing PCBs in the past). This consortium was able to dechlorinate polychlorinated biphenyls under anoxic conditions. The effectiveness of this process was tested under different cultivation condition – different energetic sources (Aroclor 1248 or Aroclor 1260 or Delor 103 or Delor 106), addition of potential electron donors (pyruvate, lactate or acetate with hydrogen) and further if there is necessary to add yeast extract into fresh low sulphur cultivation media. Our microbial consortia so far do not need supplementation by non-contaminated sediment to maintain dechlorination activity. Addition of yeast extract is non essential, but needs to be further proved in serial transfers. In all cases (except acetate without yeast extract) dechlorination proceeds at metaand flanked paraposition.
MEMS-SINS/GPS/Magnetometer Integrated Navigation System for Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The constraints of weight, volume and power for Small unmanned air vehicle (UAV) restrict the application of sensors with heavy and good performance and powerful processors. This paper presents a real-time solution of autonomous flight navigation and its results for small UAV by applying small, cheap, low precision and low-power integrated navigation system, which includes Strap-down Inertial Navigation System (SINS) based on Micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) inertial sensors, Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and magnetometer. The Square-Root Unscented Kalman filter (SR-UKF) for data fusion using in this MEMS-SINS/GPS/ magnetometer integrated navigation system provides continuous and reliable navigation results for the loops of guidance and control for the small UAV with autonomous flight. The whole integrated navigation system algorithm is implemented within low-power embedded microprocessors. The real-time flight test results show that the MEMS-SINS/GPS/magnetometer integrated navigation system is effective and accurate.
Radiogenomics of Alzheimer’s disease: exploring gene related metabolic imaging markers

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder and considerably determined by genetic factors. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) can reflect the functional state of glucose metabolism in the brain, and radiomic features of FDG-PET were considered as important imaging markers in AD. However, radiomic features are not highly interpretable, especially lack of explanation of underlying biological and molecular mechanisms. Therefore, this study used radiogenomics analysis to explore prognostic metabolic imaging markers by associating radiomics features and genetic data. In the study, we used the FDG-PET images and genotype data of 389 subjects (Cohort B) enrolled in the ADNI, including 109 AD, 134 healthy controls (HCs), 72 MCI non-converters (MCI-nc) and 74 MCI converters (MCI-c). Firstly, we performed a Genome-wide association study (GWAS) on the genotype data of 998 subjects (Cohort A), including 632 AD and 366 HCs after quality control (QC) steps to identify susceptibility loci as the gene features. Secondly, radiomics features were extracted from the preprocessed PET images. Thirdly, two-sample t-test, rank sum test and F-score were regarded as the feature selection step to select effective radiomic features. Fourthly, a support vector machine (SVM) was used to test the ability of the radiomic features to classify HCs, MCI and AD patients. Finally, we performed the Spearman correlation analysis on the genetic data and radiomic features. As a result, we identified rs429358 and rs2075650 as genome-wide significant signals. The radiomic approach achieved good classification abilities. Two prognostic FDG-PET radiomic features in the amygdala were proven to be correlated with the genetic data.
The Current World of Nanomaterial Characterization: Discussion of Analytical Instruments for Nanomaterial Characterization

Abstract Nanotechnology and its characterization can be overwhelming when viewed through its multitude of applications. Product designers are bringing new high-value nanotechnology products to market that address many different nanoapplications. These nanoapplications span most science and engineering disciplines, thus creating a complex market that instrument manufacturers are beginning to understand. This article addresses the nine most common nanomaterial characteristics and nearly 35 different analytical techniques commercially available to measure these nine characteristics. Current commercial instrumentation used in nanobased research and development (R&D) is currently used to mitigate the manufacturing risks. Simple nanocharacterization instruments with high throughput are still lagging new nanoproduct production. This void is being filled by the R&D bench-type laboratory instruments that require high-level operational skills. Instrument manufacturers are hesitant to rush into the uncertainty of na.