Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Linear Stability-Based Smooth RANS Transition Model for Aerodynamic Flows

The inclusion of transition to turbulence effects in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations makes it possible to design laminar flow airframes. It also increases the level of physical representations for simulations of standard airframes because laminar flow regions may be present in parts of the aircraft in multiple flight conditions. Modified Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models that consider transition effects became popular in the last decade and indicated favorable agreement with experimental data. However, these models present more difficult convergence behavior when compared to fully turbulent RANS approaches. To address this issue, we leverage an approximate Newton–Krylov solver to solve the transitional flow over aeronautical configurations using a flow stability-based, smooth RANS transition model. The amplification factor transport (AFT) model is modified to create a smooth variant, referred to as AFT-S. We developed strategies to obtain representative physical solutions that exhibit good agreement with experimental data. We also address the convergence behavior for the transition RANS model and assess its impact on the numerical results. These results constitute the first in-depth investigation on the numerical behavior of an AFT-type transition model.
Effect of Modulating fMRI Time-Series on Fluid Ability and Fluid Intelligence for Healthy Humans

This paper investigates the effect of filtering (or modulating) the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) time-series on intelligence metrics predicted using dynamic functional connectivity (dFC). Thirteen brain regions that have highest correlation with intelligence are selected and their corresponding time-series are filtered. Using filtered time-series, the modified intelligence metrics are predicted. This experiment investigates whether modulating the time-series of one or two regions of the brain will increase or decrease the fluid ability and fluid intelligence among healthy humans. Two sets of experiments are performed. In the first case, each of the thirteen regions is separately filtered using four different digital filters with passbands: i) 0 - 0. 25π, ii) 0. 25π - 0. 5π, iii) 0. 5π - 0. 75π, and iv) 0. 75π – π, respectively. In the second case, two of the thirteen regions are filtered simultaneously using a low-pass filter of passband 0 - 0. 25π. In both cases, the predicted intelligence declined for 45-65% of the subjects after filtering in comparison with the ground truths. In the first case, the low-pass filtering process had the highest predicted intelligence among the four filters. In the second case, it was noticed that the filtering of two regions simultaneously resulted in a higher prediction of intelligence for over 80% of the subjects compared to low-pass filtering of a single region.
EEG Electrode Selection for a Two-Class Motor Imagery Task in a BCI Using fNIRS Prior Data

This study investigated the possibility of using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during right- and left-hand motor imagery tasks to select an optimum set of electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes for a brain computer interface. fNIRS has better spatial resolution allowing areas of brain activity to more readily be identified. The ReliefF algorithm was used to identify the most reliable fNIRS channels. Then, EEG electrodes adjacent to those channels were selected for classification. This study used three different classifiers of linear and quadratic discriminant analyses, and support vector machine to examine the proposed method.Clinical Relevance— Reducing the number of sensors in a BCI makes the system more usable for patients with severe disabilities.
Wireless Power Transmission with Uniform Power Delivery in the 3D Space of the Human Body using Resonators in Parallel

This paper presents a novel resonance-based multi-coil wireless power transmission (WPT) system for powering implantable devices inside the 3D space of the human body. This design consists of a power amplifier, a transmitter coil, a cluster of resonators in parallel configuration, and a receiver unit, working at 13.56 MHz (the FCC-approved ISM-band). The proposed cluster configuration of the resonators in parallel configuration guarantees homogenous electromagnetic fields and uniform wireless power distribution in the 3D space of the body. It localizes the transmitted power at the receiver location naturally by activating the resonators near the receiver. We have modeled the proposed inductive link and the human body with HFSS software to optimize the design and study the body’s safety by evaluating the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) level. The proposed WPT system is implemented, and the measured results show that the inductive link with multiple resonators in parallel configuration can continuously deliver power, >120 mW, wirelessly inside the 3D space of the human-torso with a power transfer efficiency (PTE) of 15%, uniformly. We have also extended the coverage area to the human forearm by paralleling resonators with the resonators in the central body. The power delivered to the load and PTE between the resonators on the forearm area are measured >90 mW and ~14%, respectively.
THE IMPACT OF TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DIARY ON THEIR REFLECTIVE, COMMUNICATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

Teacher professional diaries are teacher reflections on their own and their colleagues’ observed practice. They are effective tools of increasing teacher qualification. Few research studies worldwide, while no such research studies in Georgia have been conducted on the impact of the application of reflective diaries on teachers’ reflective, communicative, and professional skills. Therefore, the aim of the research was to find out whether teachers’ reflective, communicative, and professional skills developed as a result of the application of reflective diaries, and if so, to what degree they increased. Quantitative research (an experiment with participation of 62 teachers) was held, with an experimental group whose participants wrote reflective diaries for 9 weeks and a control group which did not undergo any special treatment. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was developed, and its reliability and validity were assessed. Preexperimental and post-experimental self-assessment questionnaire was held, the results were assessed and compared through descriptive statistics and a T-test. The results revealed that there was a positive average relationship between the application of diaries and reflective thinking, communicative and professional skills. According to the study results, the application of teacher reflective diary can be recommended as an effective tool for the development of reflective thinking, communication, and professional qualification.
Decision Support for Estuarine Water Quality Management

Management of water quality in estuarine systems is a multistepped process, ranging from characterization of the hydrological and hydromechanical properties that govern water quality changes through identification of waste loads, regulatory constraints, and water quality attributes to identification of alternative candidate plans and selection by so-called decision makers of the best plan to be implemented. The ultimate step in this complex process is to operate the physical system within the stipulated performance goals. Recently, with the advent of ever-increasing computer power, geographic information systems (GIS) and interactive graphics, supporting integrated user-friendly data management and processing have been added to the body of tools intended to support the decision process through its many steps. This paper focuses on implementation of a new generation microcomputer as the sole host of the decision support system, and seeks to demonstrate how it may be used at each step of the decision process. Special attention is given to features like: (1) Object-oriented data and control handling; (2) the integration of simulation models into the decision support system; and (3) the water quality management process. The case of a small estuary in Southern California is presented as a demonstration of the approach.
‘Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast’: Use and Abuse of Culture in International Strategy Research

International strategy, as a subfield of strategic management, has too often settled for simplistic and rote approaches to bringing the international setting into the analysis of cross-border strategies and their consequences. We examine the application of national culture in international strategy research as perhaps the most common expression of locational awareness. We begin by considering the many critical assessments of current theoretical and empirical research on the culture-strategy interaction. We summarize multiple meta-analytic studies and examine a sample of empirical articles from the past 40 years more closely to offer our own criticism of the theories, settings, data, models, and variables used and the conclusions drawn by these scholars. We then go beyond critique to offer an extensive set of recommendations for future work that we believe can both correct the ever-clearer problems with extant research and offer innovative and more considered insights on the role of national culture in international strategy scholarship and practice.
Distribution state estimation considering nonlinear characteristics of practical equipment using hybrid particle swarm optimization

This paper proposes a distribution state estimation method using a hybrid particle swarm optimization (HPSO). The proposed method considers practical measurements in distribution systems and assumes that absolute values of voltage and current can be measured at the secondary side buses of substations (S/Ss) and RTUs (remote terminal units) in distribution systems. The method can estimate load and distributed generation output values at each node considering nonlinear characteristics of the practical equipment in distribution systems. The feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated and compared with the original PSO on practical distribution system models. The results indicate the applicability of the proposed state estimation method to the practical distribution systems.
Maximum Power Point Tracking Techniques for Photovoltaic Panel: A Review and Experimental Applications

This article contains a review of essential control techniques for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) to be applied in photovoltaic (PV) panel systems. These devices are distinguished by their capability to transform solar energy into electricity without emissions. Nevertheless, the efficiency can be enhanced provided that a suitable MPPT algorithm is well designed to obtain the maximum performance. From the analyzed MPPT algorithms, four different types were chosen for an experimental evaluation over a commercial PV system linked to a boost converter. As the reference that corresponds to the maximum power is depended on the irradiation and temperature, an artificial neural network (ANN) was used as a reference generator where a high accuracy was achieved based on real data. This was used as a tool for the implementation of sliding mode controller (SMC), fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and model predictive control (MPC). The outcomes allowed different conclusions where each controller has different advantages and disadvantages depending on the various factors related to hardware and software.
Evaluation of a challenge-derived social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) framework

ABSTRACT Sustainability assessments provide methodologies to assess the environmental, economic, and social impacts of products along their life cycle. The purpose of this research is to develop a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) framework derived from a set of challenges identified in the S-LCA field. The S-LCA framework presented in this study is developed by i) performing a systematic mapping of the S-LCA field; ii) gathering of LCA and SIA expert feedback; iii) evaluation through a novice user study; iv) and a case study application. The systematic mapping procedure is explained in detail (Bonilla-Alicea and Fu 2019), while the expert feedback and novice user study are the focus of this article. The case study application of the framework is the subject of a separate publication. The expert feedback is used to verify the relevance of the challenges through electronic survey data. Based on the expert feedback, the number of challenges is reduced from twelve to ten, as two of the challenges are considered part of the study design rather than challenges to performing social assessments. The novice user study implemented a simplified version of the S-LCA framework, and users were able to identify potential social impacts of their capstone design.
Enhancement-mode Pseudomorphic In0.22Ga0.78As-channel MOSFETs with InAlP Native Oxide Gate Dielectric

As an alternative to conventional III-V HEMTs and MESFETs for high-speed and wireless applications, enhancement-mode pseudomorphic In0.22Ga0. 78As-channel MOSFETs with an ultra-thin InAlP native oxide gate dielectric are reported. The gate dielectric is formed by wet thermal oxidation of a 2 nm InAlP epitaxial layer, resulting in a 3.5 nm thick InAlP oxide gate dielectric. The gate oxide reduces the gate leakage below that of HFETs based on the same epitaxial structure by more than 10 5 times. A typical 0.5 μm gate length device exhibits a threshold voltage of 1.05 V, a peak extrinsic transconductance of 146 mS/mm, and a saturation drain current density of 95 mA/mm. A cutoff frequency, fT, of 34 GHz, and a maximum frequency of oscillation, fmax, of 49 GHz have also been achieved. These results suggest that RF applications could benefit from III-V MOSFETs with native oxide gate dielectric.
A novel animal model for vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque: dehydrated ethanol lavage in the carotid artery of rabbits fed a Western diet.

Background The study of unstable atherosclerotic plaques is limited by the absence of ideal animal models to reproduce the plaque instability observed in humans. In this study, we attempted to develop a novel animal model for vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques using dehydrated ethanol lavage in rabbits fed a Western diet (WD). Methods A total of 30 New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were randomized to 5 groups, including a control group with or without WD, a balloon injury with WD group, and an ethanol injury with or without WD group. Operations were conducted using the right common carotid artery as the target vessel. All animals were followed up for 3 months unless a vascular event occurred. Blood samples and carotid artery specimens were ultimately collected for analysis of atherogenesis. Results Compared to rabbits in which lesions were induced by balloon injury, those subjected to an ethanol lavage with high cholesterol diet showed progressive atherosclerotic lesions in all carotid artery segments, which were characterized by greater plaque burden, smaller minimum lumen area (MLA), and increased vulnerability as indicated by abundant macrophages, scattered smooth muscle cell (SMC) composition, higher matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression in plaques, thinner fibrous cap thickness, and higher possibility of stroke event (50% vs. 0%). Meanwhile, the serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in the ethanol injury group with a high-cholesterol diet were significantly higher than those in the balloon injury group after 3 months (all P<0.01). Conclusions We successfully established a novel animal model for vulnerable atherosclerosis by ethanol exposure of the carotid segment that has a higher predictive value for the probability of ischemic events than the balloon injury model. Therefore, it may represent a promising animal model for investigating new therapeutic approaches, novel imaging modalities, and underlying mechanisms for vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque.
Experimental Evaluation of the AIRWOLF Weather Advisory Tool for En Route Air Traffic Controllers

The objective of this study was to examine the potential benefits for air traffic controllers from the use of automated weather advisories. In a part-task simulation, we used a weather support tool called Automatic Identification of Risky Weather Objects in Line of Flight (AIRWOLF) that (a) detects conflicts between aircraft and hazardous weather, (b) alerts the controller, and (c) generates automatic weather advisories. During the simulation, air traffic control (ATC) subject matter experts responded to AIRWOLF alerts and either provided weather advisories to pilots via radio in two main conditions or provided data link communication in a third control condition. Automated advisories (a) eliminate the need for a manual production of weather advisories; (b) reduce the production time, voice duration, and overall advisory duration; and (c) reduce the cognitive workload associated with the dissemination of weather advisories. The results showed that the AIRWOLF tool could support air traffic controller weat.
Digital State Feedback Current Control using the Pole Placement Technique

A digital state feedback control method for the current mode control of DC-DC converters is proposed in this paper. This approach can precisely achieve interleaved current sharing among the converter modules. As the controller design and system analysis are performed in the time domain, the proposed method can easily satisfy the required converter specification by using the pole placement technique. The digital state feedback controller in the continuous and discrete time domain is derived for the robust tracking control. For the verification of the proposed control scheme, a parallel module bi-directional converter in a prototype 42V/14V hybrid automotive power system, which is a design example in the continuous time domain, and a parallel module buck converter, which is a design example in the discrete time domain, are implemented using a TMS320F2812 digital signal processor (DSP).
Automatic Roadblock Identification Algorithm for Unmanned Vehicles Based on Binocular Vision

In order to improve the accuracy of automatic obstacle recognition algorithm for driverless vehicles, an automatic obstacle recognition algorithm for driverless vehicles based on binocular vision is constructed. Firstly, the relevant parameters of the camera are calibrated around the new car coordinate system to determine the corresponding obstacle position of the vehicle. At the same time, the three-dimensional coordinates of obstacle points are obtained by binocular matching method. Then, the left and right cameras are used to capture the feature points of obstacles in the image to realize the recognition of obstacles. Finally, the experimental results show that for obstacle 1, the recognition error of the algorithm is 0.03 m; for obstacle 2, the recognition error is 0.02 m; for obstacle 3, the recognition error is 0.01 m. The algorithm has small recognition error. The vehicle coordinate system is added in the camera calibration process, which can accurately measure the relative position information between the vehicle and the obstacle.
Spatial configuration and technology strategy of China’s green coal-electricity system

Although China is doing much on developing alternative energies, coal will still be the main energy resource for China in the near to medium term. Developing a green coal-electricity system in China is very important for reduction of carbon emissions and local air pollutants, while satisfying China’s rapidly growing electricity demand. This paper first reviews the advancement in optimization models with endogenous technological change and spatial energy systems modeling. Then, present situation and technology strategy of coal-electricity industry in China are analyzed. Three interweaved issues are identified for the development of China’s green coal-electricity system. It can be concluded that the future integration of spatial data with MESSAGE model is vital for the analysis of China’s coal-electricity system. It will be helpful to study optimal spatial configuration and technology development strategies for the development of a green coal-electricity system in China.
Printed pH Sensors for Textile‐Based Wearables: A Conceptual and Experimental Study on Materials, Deposition Technology, and Sensing Principles

In this article, organic and polymeric materials, printing technology, and sensing principles are investigated toward a reliable printed wearable pH sensor realized on textiles. A literature study and experimental work of three different organic and polymeric material‐based pH sensors and their corresponding measurement methods are systematically made. Initially, the three different sensors, a conductometric PEDOT:PSS sensor, a voltametric carbon‐alizarin sensor, and a potentiometric graphene/polyaniline (PANI) sensor are selected based on specific established criteria and are reproduced on foils for a feasibility study. Mass production and feasibility for fabrication on textile substrates are also the objectives of this work, and lead to the deployment of printing and coating techniques for the sensor fabrication. These three sensors are printed on flexible foils and tested and verified for sensor performances. Based on the experimental results and literature study, a conclusive comparison between the sensing principles regarding device fabrication, functionality, and wearability is performed. As per this analysis, a potentiometric PANI sensor is printed on a textile substrate and tested for a buffer solution of pH ranging from 4 to 9.5. The potentiometric PANI sensor shows a sensitivity of 45 mV pH−1 with linear sensor responses and repeatable characteristics.
Chinese immigrant entrepreneurship in the United States: temporal and spatial dimensions

ABSTRACT Focusing on transnational entrepreneurship and immigrant businesses in new destinations, this paper studies entrepreneurship of Chinese immigrants in the U.S. using data from three surveys. In the analysis of transnational connections, we focus on the temporal dimension that links pre-migration and post-migration business activities. Results from logistic models reveal that the prospect of being self-employed among Chinese immigrants is significantly enhanced if they are from households in China with business backgrounds. This finding highlights the fact that transnational entrepreneurship is embedded in the multi-stranded connections between the immigrant sending and receiving societies. In the second part of the paper, sequence analysis is used to describe and classify business trajectories in traditional and new immigrant destinations. The results establish that while it may take a longer time for immigrants to achieve business ownership in new destinations than in traditional destinations, new immigrant destinations increase the chance of business expansion from one business to multiple businesses. These findings indicate a transition in immigrant entrepreneurs’ business models. Businesses in traditional destinations mainly follow a survival strategy, while those in new destinations are adopting models that are akin to mainstream business operations, which gives rise to more opportunities for socioeconomic mobility.