Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of a 2D plate adaptable metamaterial unit cell using finite elements

Acoustic metamaterials are composite materials exhibiting effective properties and acoustic behavior not found in traditional materials. Through periodic subwavelength resonant inclusions, acoustic metamaterials enable steering, cloaking, lensing, and frequency band control of acoustic waves. A common drawback of acoustic metamaterials is that the properties are limited to narrow frequency bands. Investigation of practical active and adaptable acoustic metamaterials is valuable in achieving wider operation frequency bands. In this work, we explore different geometric configurations for a cutaway plate metamaterial unit cell with the purpose of vibration suppression. Resonators cut directly in a thin uniform plate function as local resonators. We examine the wavenumber band structure seeking wide and low frequency band gaps in the vicinity of the resonant frequencies of the local resonators. Variations in the geometry of the unit cell are examined to obtain band gaps for broadband vibration suppression. Wave shapes of the unit cell associated with the band gaps are also examined to aid in the parametric design of the unit cell. Additionally, as a means of tuning stiffness of the local resonators we attach piezoelectric actuators to the cutaway resonators with the goal of increasing the bandwidth of the vibration suppression and enabling frequency tunability of the system.
Parameterization and Application of the General Amber Force Field to Model Fluoro Substituted Furanose Moieties and Nucleosides

Molecular mechanics force field calculations have historically shown significant limitations in modeling the energetic and conformational interconversions of highly substituted furanose rings. This is primarily due to the gauche effect that is not easily captured using pairwise energy potentials. In this study, we present a refinement to the set of torsional parameters in the General Amber Force Field (gaff) used to calculate the potential energy of mono, di-, and gem-fluorinated nucleosides. The parameters were optimized to reproduce the pseudorotation phase angle and relative energies of a diverse set of mono- and difluoro substituted furanose ring systems using quantum mechanics umbrella sampling techniques available in the IpolQ engine in the Amber suite of programs. The parameters were developed to be internally consistent with the gaff force field and the TIP3P water model. The new set of angle and dihedral parameters and partial charges were validated by comparing the calculated phase angle probability to those obtained from experimental nuclear magnetic resonance experiments.
The Role of Self-Efficacy, Work-Related Autonomy and Work-Family Conflict on Employee’s Stress Level during Home-Based Remote Work in Germany

Home-based remote work becomes increasingly popular. The facets of remote work, especially working from home, are multifaceted and can become stressors that affect a person’s health. At the same time, self-efficacy is an important personal resource to deal with health-related stressors. The objective of this study is therefore to explore the relationship between self-efficacy (SE), work-related stress (WRS), health outcomes (health and anxiety), contributing factors (autonomy and experience) and work-family conflict (WFC) in a remote work setting. Using a PLS-model (partial least square) with a sample of n = 5163 responses, we found that SE significantly reduces WRS (β = −0.164; p < 0.001). Moreover, WFC increases WRS and anxiety, while SE reduces WFC and mediates health outcomes (anxiety: β = −0.065; p < 0.001; health: β = −0.048; p < 0.001). At the same time, autonomy (β = 0.260; p < 0.001) and experience (β = 0.215; p < 0.001) increase SE. Our results have high practical implications for employers and employees, underlining the importance of self-efficacy as a personal resource to buffer WRS and WFC while promoting overall health at the same time.
A Power Management Scheme Using A Time-Shared Inductor for Energy Harvester Applications with Low Cold-Start Voltage

A Power Management Scheme Using A Time-Shared Inductor for Energy Harvester Applications with Low Cold-Start Voltage David King Wai Li Master of Applied Science Graduate Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Toronto 2017 Performance of energy harvesters is investigated for Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. Analysis reveals the inductor can be time-shared between energy harvesting and load regulation in an energy-efficient manner by leveraging IoT systems’ low activity factor. However, such implementations can impair the harvester’s capability during coldstart. Subsequently, the system has to compromise its input/output voltage range and/or increase the inductance. Two novel architectures Zero Reference, Self-Starving Ring Oscillator and DicksonLinked Voltage Doubler are developed to enhance the converter’s cold-start. Post-layout simulations demonstrate the proposed solution can cold-start from 225mV input using 4. 7μH inductor, translating to 25% improvement over existing solutions. Besides time-sharing the inductor, the periodic nature of IoT applications is exploited to enhance dynamic response of load regulation. A Preemptive Concurrent Control (PCC) scheme is established and presented. Experimental results show the PCC surpasses existing solutions in dynamic response and achieves same specifications using 10x less capacitance.
A Global Assessment: Can Renewable Energy Replace Fossil Fuels by 2050?

Our study evaluated the effectiveness of using eight pathways in combination for a complete to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy by 2050. These pathways included renewable energy development; improving energy efficiency; increasing energy conservation; carbon taxes; more equitable balancing of human wellbeing and per capita energy use; cap and trade systems; carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and nuclear power development. We used the annual ‘British Petroleum statistical review of world energy 2021’ report as our primary database. Globally, fossil fuels, renewable (primarily hydro, wind and solar), nuclear energy accounted for 83%, 12.6%, and 6.3% of the total energy consumption in 2020. To achieve zero fossil fuel use by 2050, we found that renewable energy production will need to be increased by up to 6-fold or 8-fold if energy demand is held constant at, or increased 50% from, the 2020 energy demand level. Constraining 2050 world energy demand to a 25% increase over the 2020 level, improves the probability of achieving independence from fossil fuels. Improvements in energy efficiency need to accelerate beyond the current rate of ~1.5% per year. Aggressive application of energy conservation policies involving land use and taxation could potentially reduce world energy use by 10% or more by 2050. Our meta-analysis shows that the minimum level of per capita energy consumption that would allow 8 billion people to have a ‘Decent Living Standard’ is on average ~70 GJ per capita per year, which is 93% of the 2020 global average. Developed countries in temperate climates with high vehicle-dependency needed ~120 GJ per capita year−1, whereas equatorial countries with low vehicle-dependency needed 30 GJ per capita year−1. Our meta-analyses indicated replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy by 2050 may be possible but will require aggressive application of all eight pathways, major lifestyle changes in developed countries, and close cooperation among all countries.
Work hardening under shear and tensile deformation modes

The flow and work hardening behaviour of pure copper (FCC), interstitial-free steel (BCC) and AZ31 magnesium (HCP) sheets were investigated under tensile and shear deformation modes. The sheets were deformed via tensile and shear punch testing (SPT) at room and 0.4Tm temperatures. The work hardening rate of sheet metals quantified by the Kocks–Mecking modelling approach was found to be significantly lower in the shear mode than in tension. Taylor factor values for the deformed samples were computed from the measured textures after tensile and shear tests to reveal the role of textural evolution on the work hardening rate. The difference in the work hardening under two strain paths was proposed to be associated with the lower Taylor factor values.
Multistage Curvature-Guided Network for Progressive Single Image Reflection Removal

Thanks to the powerful learning capability, deep neural networks (DNNs) have acquired broad applications in single image reflection removal. The DNN-based algorithms relax the constraints of specific priors and learn to generate visually pleasant background layers from massive training data. However, most of them employ a single network structure to recover both the semantic information and local details of the background, which may lead to obvious reflection residue or even failure. To mitigate this deficiency, in this work, we propose a Multi-stage Curvature-guided De-Reflection Network (MCDRNet), which combines multiple network architectures in a unified framework to progressively reconstruct the background layer and refine the fine-grained details. Our framework consists of three stages, where the encoder-decoders are exploited in the first two stages to recover the semantic components of background layers with lower scales and a variant ResNet is applied in the last stage to refine the background details with the original input resolution. In the first two stages, to introduce the structural guidance for the reflection removal, we cascade another decoder branch to restore the curvature map of the background. In addition, at the end of the first two stages, instead of directly passing the intermediate estimates to the next stage, we propose a Non-local Attention Module (NAM) to augment and transmit the features from decoders. Extensive experimental results on several public datasets demonstrate that the proposed MCDRNet outperforms the state-of-the-art methods quantitatively and generates visually better reflection removal results. The source code and pre-trained models are available at https://github.com/NamecantbeNULL/MCDRNet.
Keeping Schools for Blind Students Vital in an Era of Inclusion: Key Elements for Success

Introduction: This research aims to learn what schools for blind students in the United States are currently doing to teach students with visual impairments and further explore the services these schools provide in their states. Methods: This research used qualitative interviews with school administrators, staff members, and teachers at four schools for blind students in the United States. A constant comparison model was used to analyze common themes and trends within the data collected, allowing us to capture the voiced experiences of the interviewees. Results: All schools included in this research have built the capacity to serve a wide range of students with visual impairments through both on-campus programs and outreach services. To provide high-quality services, the on-campus programs and the outreach services embraced symbiosis with one another. In parallel to this effort, schools focused on building partnerships with districts and helped build capacity through indirect services. Discussion: Underlying ideologies within schools for blind students were the value of inclusion, belief in every student receiving a quality education, and aspiration towards schools for blind students to stay relevant in an era of inclusion. Schools were led by individuals who possessed inspirational and strategic thinking. Implications for Practitioners: This research documents the effective ways specialized schools for blind students are relevant in an era of inclusion, documenting the importance of creating new paths within traditional programs. This research outlines successful practices and ideologies that can be implemented by specialized schools, while acknowledging traditional on-campus programming combined with inclusive outreach models to create sustainable programming for all students with visual impairments throughout a state.
Development of Compact Millimeter-Wave Antenna by Stacking of Five Glass Wafers With Through Glass Vias

This letter proposes a high bandwidth compact linear polarization antenna for the automotive radar millimeter-wave band of 77 GHz using five stacked glass layers scheme with high precision metal layers and through glass vias (TGVs). The radiation part of antenna is composed of four microstrip patches, wherein a single patch is only <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.55\times0.55$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm<sup>2</sup>, and the overall size of the package is 10 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times 9\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> 1 mm<sup>3</sup>. 6-inch glass wafers with the thickness of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$230~\mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula> m or <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$100~\mu $ </tex-math></inline-formula> m are employed to achieve high-density interconnects and precise manufacture. The interconnects formed by the TGVs and redistribution layer (RDL) realize direct transmission and signal coupling between layers to improve transmission efficiency. The gain is more than 7 dB at frequency of 77 GHz. This proposed glass Antenna shows the superior advantages of process accuracy to realize miniaturization and System in Package (SiP) compared with that of Low-Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC) and Printed Circuit Board (PCB).
Experimental and Numerical Study on Uniaxial Compression Failure of Concrete Confined by Nylon Ties

The developments in the cisvil engineering fields have led to an increased demand for structural reinforcements. Therefore, designing an effective, green, convenient, and low-cost reinforcement method is considerably important. Nylon ties have high strength and good heat resistance, and they can retain good tensile properties after high-temperature cooling. Further, they are inexpensive and can be recycled. Thus, they are considered suitable for structural reinforcement engineering. In this study, the core concrete was reinforced by the active confinement of prestressed nylon ties. A uniaxial compression test was performed to evaluate the reinforcement effect of the preload generated by the high-temperature cooling of the tie rod on the core concrete. The results show that nylon ties can effectively improve the mechanical properties of the core concrete. Combined with numerical simulation technology, a damage model of a confined concrete column (CC) was established, and the damage evolution law of CC under uniaxial axial compression was analyzed. Combined with numerical simulation and experimental research, the effectiveness of nylon tie reinforced concrete and the reliability of the damage model were verified, providing a reference for research on engineering reinforcement.
Sense of Place, Biocultural Heritage, and Sustainable Knowledge and Practices in Three Italian Rural Regeneration Processes

This paper addresses sustainable development processes based on biocultural heritage, sense of place, and socio-cultural innovation and inclusiveness in the rural context, particularly focusing different scales of endogenous/neo-endogenous rural regeneration processes. Ethnographic and grounded case studies allow a critical analysis of different forms of rural development from a multidisciplinary perspective based on old and new rurality, rural and local communities’ participation, resilience and regeneration processes, sense of place, belongingness, and “restanza”. The three cases are situated in three areas of Italy: the ecomuseum of pastoralism in Pontebernardo in the northern region of Piedmont as a driver of local shared development pathways; the municipality of Castel del Giudice, in the Central-Southern region of Molise, enabling different and integrated local regeneration actions; and the Association “Casa delle AgriCulture”/Green Night Festival in Castiglione d’Otranto in the Southern region of Puglia as a performative opportunity to define innovative and transversal as well as community-oriented activities. In these contexts, different local regeneration programs were applied in order to provide a critical evaluation of the knowledge and practices of sustainability in terms of their entanglements with biocultural heritage and socio-cultural innovation. The present analysis insists on the impact of biocultural heritage in regeneration processes in rural regions and endogenous/neo-endogenous factors in rural sustainable development.
Testing active rotor control applications using DLR’s multiple swashplate control system in the LLF of DNW

In the context of the joint research project advanced swashplate concepts within the nationally funded aeronautical research programm LuFo V-1, DLR’s multiple swashplate control system has successfully completed its first wind tunnel tests in DNW’s large low-speed facility. The main goal of the wind tunnel tests was to examine the effectiveness of several individual blade control strategies regarding noise, vibration and power reduction at different wind speeds and flight attitudes using highly instrumented Bo105-type model rotor blades as well as a newly manufactured set of model rotor blades with a more modern blade planform and profiles. The results of these tests, which for the first time included 2/rev higher harmonic control and tip path plane splitting without using actuators in the rotating frame, are a valuable addition to the data gathered from the HART- and HART II campaigns and additionally provide the opportunity to directly compare the performance of two different generations of rotor blades under otherwise identical test conditions. This paper provides an initial overview over the test setup of the rotor test rig including the multiple swashplate control system, the different measurement systems used in the wind tunnel tests, the test procedures as well as the specific blade control strategies to reach the goals. Selected first results are presented to provide an initial overview over the measurements taken and an outlook on broader, more in-depth analyses available after further data evaluation.
On the Indispensability of Isogeometric Analysis in Topology Optimization for Smooth or Binary Designs

Recently, isogeometric analysis (IGA), which unifies the computer-aided design (CAD) model and the computer-aided engineering (CAE) model, has been adopted to develop the isogeometric topology optimization (ITO) framework. However, a critical study on the indispensability of IGA in topology optimization to take the place of the conventional finite element method (FEM) is still lacking. In the current work, two important problems are extensively discussed: (1) The lower numerical precision of the FEM resulting from the disunification between the CAD and CAE models damages the effectiveness of the topology optimization, which suggests the indispensability of IGA in the replacement of the FEM in optimization; (2) a material penalization model is required to ensure the generation of a full loading-transmission path during optimization in classic density-based methods, which causes a greater overestimation of structural stiffness and also suggests the necessity of an ersatz material model. The current paper describes a promising ITO method with point-wise design to gain smooth or binary symmetrical topologies, for which an extended density distribution function (DDF) was constructed to describe the structural topology. Two benchmarks of the stiffness-maximization problem and compliant mechanism are studied in the context of the above issues. Finally, several topologically optimized designs with symmetry are obtained using the ITO method.
The Benefits of UVB Exposure to Covid-19: A Literature Review Study

COVID-19 is a disease caused by SARS CoV-2, which has infected almost all countries globally and designated by WHO as a pandemic until now. COVID-19 has caused multiple mortalities and affected many material and non-material losses. Many public authorities and researchers have contributed to dealing with this pandemic. The theory application regarding the benefits of exposure to UVB rays in COVID-19 is essential to study further. This literature review assessed the benefits of exposure to UVB rays in COVID-19. This research was a literature review. The keywords used were (“Ultraviolet-B” OR UVB) AND (“COVID-19” OR “SARS-coV-2” OR “2019-nCoV disease” OR “Coronavirus disease-19” OR “2019 novel coronavirus disease”). The databases used were Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct. The inclusion test eligibility criteria included articles in English, articles having a direct or indirect relationship between exposure to UVB rays and COVID-19, all countries, all ethnicities and races, and articles from 2019 to 2021. The exclusion criteria were e-books and journals with pre-proof, pre-print, article in press, and systematic review status. Journals that were relevant to the topic were synthesized using narrative analysis techniques. A search with the related keywords resulted in 999 articles from Google Scholar, 33 articles from PubMed, and 189 articles from Science Direct. In general, the results showed that the benefits of exposure to UVB rays in COVID-19 are UVB synthesis of vitamin D into 25-OH vitamin D3, which functions as an immunomodulator, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, lowers CFR COVID-19 and cumulative mortality of COVID-19 19, enhances immunity to viral and bacterial infections, inactivates the SARS CoV-2 virus, reduces airborne virus transmission, and increases venous oxygen.
Potential Applications of Halloysite Nanotubes as Drug Carriers: A Review

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are naturally occurring tubular clay nanomaterials that are made from multiple-rolled aluminosilicate kaolin panels. The aluminol and siloxane groups on the surface of HNT facilitate the formation of hydrogen bonds with biomaterials on its surface. It is a cost-effective nanomaterial that found applications in a variety of fields of science and technology. The biocompatible properties of HNT resulted in various applications such as in nanomedicine, biomedicine, tissue engineering, drug delivery, sequence delivery, cancer, stem cells isolation, bioimaging, and sensors. Due to its tubular form, it has played a vital role as drug delivery carriers, superior nanocarrier for numerous medicines, and biological agents with larger loading capacity and longer releasing kinetics. HNT has also been investigated and used extensively in targeted drug transfer applications with a variety of medicines. These studies provided positive outcomes which have led to versatile medicinal applications. Herein, we have highlighted the latest developments on HNT-based drug carriers.
LoRaWAN Physical Layer-Based Attacks and Countermeasures, A Review

As LoRaWAN is one of the most popular long-range wireless protocols among low-power IoT applications, more and more focus is shifting towards security. In particular, physical layer topics become relevant to improve the security of LoRaWAN nodes, which are often limited in terms of computational power and communication resources. To this end, e.g., detection methods for wireless attacks improve the integrity and robustness of LoRaWAN access. Further, wireless physical layer techniques have potential to enhance key refreshment and device authentication. In this work, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of various vulnerabilities, countermeasures and security enhancing features concerning the LoRaWAN physical layer. Afterwards, we discuss the impact of the reviewed topics on LoRaWAN security and, subsequently, we identify research gaps as well as promising future research directions.