Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can gold hedge against inflation in the UAE? A nonlinear ARDL analysis in the presence of structural breaks

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the role of gold as a hedge against inflation in the case of the United Arab Emirates.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes monthly data on the local sharia-compliant spot gold contract traded on the Dubai Gold and Commodity Exchange (DGCX) and the corresponding consumer price index series over the period December 2015 to January 2021. The econometric approach employed by the study involves a unit root testing procedure that allows the timing of significant breaks to be estimated. A cointegration analysis is then conducted using a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model, taking into consideration the presence of structural breaks in addition to short- and long-run asymmetries.FindingsThe results reveal that consumer and gold prices are cointegrated, which implies that investing in gold can hedge against inflation in the long run. No sufficient evidence, nonetheless, is found in support of the ability of gold to serve as a hedge against inflation in the short run.Originality/valueThe findings have several important policy implications for policymakers and investors that are further discussed in the study.
A low cost multichip packaging technology for monolithic microwave integrated circuits

This paper describes a multichip module technology based on highly impermeable liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) to interconnect and package monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). Because of the low moisture permeability of the LCPs, the packages can be made hermetic without heavy expensive housings can be two to four times lighter and one-fifth the cost of conventional ceramic based transmit/receive (T/R) modules. The LCP material has a low dielectric constant (2.65) and low-loss tangent and is manufacturable using high volume, large-area processing methods that provide very reliable high-performance circuits at low cost. Using flip-chip bonded MMICs attached to a high thermal conductivity, low coefficient of thermal expansion substrate, this innovative technology can meet a variety of commercial, military, and NASA requirements. >
Study on Virtual Material Method for Dynamic Features Analysis of Crank Connecting Rod Mechanism

A method is put forward that is to use anisotropic virtual material to simulate the characteristic of combined parts to analyze the dynamic features of crank connecting rod mechanism, that is when entering material parameters, different directions have different value, so it can simulate combined stiffness of every directions, and it will also simulate the relative movement relationship of components effectively. Through the analysis of three group of different value of anisotropic virtual material, drawing the conclusion that it is feasible that use anisotropic virtual material to simulate the characteristic of combined structures. The method is a breakthrough in analysis of dynamic characteristic of combined structure. The virtual material method is different from traditional virtual material method in this paper.
Evaluation of Aerobic Power Using PWC_(60%HRreserve)

Twenty-five untrained healthy subjects performed two incremental exercise tests on a cycle ergometer in order to examine whether physical working capacity at 60% heart rate reserve (PWC60%HRreserve) would be useful as the index of evaluating aerobic power in middle-aged men. On the first day, the subjects performed maximal exercise until exhaustion to determine aerobic power assessed by maximal oxygen uptake (V02ma.) and ventilatory threshold (Thy). Another day, they also performed submaximal exercise consisted of four stages with increase every 3 min and PWC6o9oiRreserve was extrapolated from the regression equation between heart rates and mechanical power outputs. As a result, heart rate reserve (i.e. maximal heart rate minus resting heart rate) correlated significantly (p< 0.01) with both V02.x (r=0.67) and V02 at Thv (VO2Thv) (r=0.71) respectively. The mean value of heart rate at Thv (HRrhv) was corresponding to approximately 60% heart rate reserve and the values of HRThv and 60% heart rate reserve were well coincided each other with a highly correlation coefficient (r=0.78, p<0.00l). A sufficient highly relationship was observed between PWC609SEIRreserve and VO2Thv (r=0.87, p<0.001) as well as VO2max (r=0.83, p<0.001). These results demonstrate that heart rate reserve reflects cardiorespiratory fitness and is adequate to express physical exercise stress, and thus PWC6096FIRreserve provides practical evaluation of aerobic power in middle-aged men.
A Piezoresistive Array-Based Force Sensing Technique for Sleeping Posture and Respiratory Rate Detection for SAS Patients

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is a high incidence respiratory disorder disease with potential mortality risk. Thus, researchers continuously present diverse techniques to monitor sleeping posture and respiratory rate (RR) which are closely correlated to the occurrence of SAS. Current techniques can implement high detection accuracy in both sleeping posture and RR, nevertheless, some undesired attributes still remain, such as high device cost, personal privacy leakage, and heavy burden on hardware. To satisfy the expectations, in this paper, we develop an integrated sleep monitoring system, based on flexible piezoresistive architectures and machine learning algorithms, in a low-cost and privacy protection manner. The experimental results successfully demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technique, by showing a high sleeping posture classification accuracy of 98.1% and RR estimation accuracy of 97.5%, indicating a strong potential in practical utilization for SAS patients.
Dual frequency planar antenna at S and X bands

A new configuration of patch antenna is introduced, which provides a dual-band operation. This structure consists of an S-band cross patch with four square patches printed in the empty spaces among the arms of the cross. These patches provide a subarray working at X-band. This structure is simple to design and offers the advantage that it can be printed on a single-layer. An array geometry designed by using the above structure, is suggested. This can be suitable for satisfying the requirements of a typical dual-frequency SAR antenna.
Uncertainty and Information Acquisition: Evidence from Firms and Households

We leverage the small open economy Switzerland as a testing ground for basic premises of macroeconomic models of endogenous information acquisition, using tailored surveys of firms and households. Firms and households perceiving a greater exposure to exchange rate fluctuations acquire more information about the exchange rate. Moreover, higher perceived costs of acquiring or processing information are associated with lower levels of information acquisition. Finally, an exogenous increase in the perceived uncertainty of the exchange rate increases firms’ demand for a report about exchange rate developments, but not households’. Our findings inform the modeling of information frictions in macroeconomics. (JEL D12, D22, D81, D83, D84, E71, F31)
A fast on-line neural-network training algorithm for a rectifier regulator

This paper addresses the problem of deadbeat control in fully controlled high-power factor rectifiers. Improved deadbeat control can be achieved through the use of neural network-based predictors for the input current reference to the rectifier. In this application, online training is absolutely required. In order to achieve sufficiently fast online training, a new random search algorithm is presented and evaluated. Simulation results show that this type of network training yields equivalent performance to standard backpropagation training. Unlike backpropagation, however, the random weight change method can be implemented in mixed digital/analog hardware for this application. The paper proposes a very large-scale integration implementation which achieves a training epoch as low as 8 /spl mu/s.
Impact of dry intrusion events on the composition and mixing state of particles during the winter Aerosol and Cloud Experiment in the Eastern North Atlantic (ACE-ENA)

Abstract. Long-range transport of continental emissions has a far-reaching influence over remote regions, resulting in substantial change in the size, morphology, and composition of the local aerosol population and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) budget. Here, we investigate the physicochemical properties of atmospheric particles collected on board a research aircraft flown over the Azores during the winter 2018 Aerosol and Cloud Experiment in the Eastern North Atlantic (ACE-ENA) campaign. Particles were collected within the marine boundary layer (MBL) and free troposphere (FT) after long-range atmospheric transport episodes facilitated by dry intrusion (DI) events. Chemical and physical properties of individual particles were investigated using complementary capabilities of computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy and X-ray spectromicroscopy to probe particle external and internal mixing state characteristics. Furthermore, real-time measurements of aerosol size distribution, cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentration, and back-trajectory calculations were utilized to help bring into context the findings from offline spectromicroscopy analysis. While carbonaceous particles were found to be the dominant particle type in the region, changes in the percent contribution of organics across the particle population (i.e., external mixing) shifted from 68 % to 43 % in the MBL and from 92 % to 46 % in FT samples during DI events. This change in carbonaceous contribution is counterbalanced by the increase in inorganics from 32 % to 57 % in the MBL and 8 % to 55 % in FT. The quantification of the organic volume fraction (OVF) of individual particles derived from X-ray spectromicroscopy, which relates to the multi-component internal composition of individual particles, showed a factor of 2.06 ± 0.16 and 1.11 ± 0.04 increase in the MBL and FT, respectively, among DI samples. We show that supplying particle OVF into the κ-Köhler equation can be used as a good approximation of field-measured in situ CCN concentrations. We also report changes in the κ values in the MBL from κMBL, non-DI=0.48 to κMBL, DI=0.41, while changes in the FT result in κFT, non-DI=0.36 to κFT, DI=0.33, which is consistent with enhancements in OVF followed by the DI episodes. Our observations suggest that entrainment of particles from long-range continental sources alters the mixing state population and CCN properties of aerosol in the region. The work presented here provides field observation data that can inform atmospheric models that simulate sources and particle composition in the eastern North Atlantic.
Evaluation of mango seed kernel and pineapple peels as carbon sources for microbial protease production

Proteolytic enzymes are ubiquitous in occurrence and find multiple applications in various industrial sectors. Although there are many microbial sources available for producing proteases, only a few are recognized as commercial producers. Utilization and recycling of renewable resources that pose threat to the environment can be systematically carried out to bring about resource productivity needed to make human activity sustainable. In the present study, we evaluated the phytochemical, antimicrobial, and protease production ability of mango seed kernel and pineapple peels. The proximate compositions and antimicrobial analysis of Mango seed kernel and pineapple peels were evaluated using standard protocols. We evaluated the protease production of Bacillus megaterium using the mango seed kernel and pineapple peels as the carbon sources. Our results revealed that mango seed kernel has low moisture, ash and crude fibre content but has high oil and crude protein content while pineapple peels have high moisture and fibre content but low in ash, crude protein and oil content. Mango seed extract also demonstrated antimicrobial activities against B. subtilis, less sensitive to B. megaterium and no activity against A. niger. However, the pineapple peel extracted is highly sensitive to B. subtilis and S aureus but demonstrated no activity against P. aeroginosa and A niger. The B. megaterium exhibited higher protease production ability when mango seed kernel was used as a carbon source at all tested concentrations. In conclusion, the information obtained from proximate and antimicrobial analysis of mango seed kernel and pineapple peels serves as a guide for the possible utilization as carbon sources for microbial enzyme production. Thus, both pineapple peel and mango seed kernel can be bio-remediated when used as carbon sources for protease production.
Potential impacts of policies to reduce purchasing of ultra-processed foods in Mexico at different stages of the social transition: an agent-based modelling approach

Abstract Objectives: To develop a simulation framework for assessing how combinations of taxes, nutrition warning labels and advertising levels could affect purchasing of ultra-processed foods (UPF) in Latin American countries and to understand whether policies reinforce or reduce pre-existing social disparities in UPF consumption. Design: We developed an agent-based simulation model using international evidence regarding the effect of price, nutrition warning labels and advertising on UPF purchasing. Setting: We estimated policy effects in scenarios representing two stages of the ‘social transition’ in UPF purchasing: (1) a pre-transition scenario, where UPF purchasing is higher among high-income households, similar to patterns in Mexico; and (2) a post-transition scenario where UPF purchasing is highest among low-income households, similar to patterns in Chile. Participants: A population of 1000 individual agents with levels of age, income, educational attainment and UPF purchasing similar to adult women in Mexico. Results: A 20 % tax would decrease purchasing by 24 % relative to baseline in both the pre- and post-transition scenarios, an effect that is similar in magnitude to that of a nutrition warning label policy. A 50 % advertising increase or decrease had a comparatively small effect. Nutrition warning labels were most effective among those with higher levels of educational attainment. Labelling reduced inequities in the pre-transition scenario (i.e. highest UPF purchasing among the highest socio-economic group) but widened inequities in the post-transition scenario. Conclusions: Effective policy levers are available to reduce UPF purchasing, but policymakers should anticipate that equity impacts will differ depending on existing social patterns in UPF purchasing.
Serum uric acid is an independent risk factor of worse mid- and long-term outcomes in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes

Background The data on the association between serum uric acid (sUA) concentration and outcomes in patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are inconsistent and do not focus on patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS). The aim of this study was to analyze an association of sUA concentration on admission and outcomes in those patients. Methods Data from the prospective, single-center registry of patients hospitalized due to NSTE-ACS from January 2006 to December 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. The population was divided into quartiles according to the baseline sUA. The primary outcome was the incidence of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke and ACS-driven revascularization at 36 months. Results Total of 2,824 patients with sUA measured on admission were included in this analysis with a median sUA of 352 μmol/L (5.92 mg/dL). Patients with higher sUA were older and more burdened with cardiovascular risk factors and history of coronary events. The prevalence of multivessel coronary artery disease and left main stenosis was significantly higher in patients with higher sUA. Elevated sUA concentration was associated with significantly worse short-, mid- and long-term outcomes. All-cause mortality was significantly higher in each analyzed period. In the multivariable analysis, sUA elevation was identified as an independent predictor of all-cause mortality at 12-month and 36-month follow-up. Conclusions Elevated baseline sUA concentration was independently associated with worse mid- and long-term outcomes in patients with NSTE-ACS. Baseline sUA concentration could identify patients with NSTE-ACS at higher risk of more dismal prognosis.
Sugarcane Chopper Harvester Extractor Fan and Ground Speed Effects on Yield and Quality

Operational settings on chopper harvesters are extremely important in green-cane harvesting since one is relying solely on the harvester to remove extraneous matter instead of the traditional pre-harvest burn method. The objective of this research was to determine the combined effect of selected ground and fan speeds on sugar yield, cane quality, and field losses using a commercial chopper harvester. In both 2003 and 2004, a split-plot experiment was performed at harvest with the main plots having ground speeds of 4.0, 4.8, and 5.6 km h-1 and subplots having primary extractor fan speeds of 650, 850, and 1050 rpm of the 1.5-m diameter fan. Under the optimal conditions (low leaf and soil moisture), the 1050 rpm fan speed increased theoretical recoverable sugar (TRS) by 10% but decreased cane yield by 15% compared to the two lower fan speeds resulting in similar sugar yields for all fan settings. Under poor conditions (high leaf and soil moisture), the 1050-rpm fan speed decreased cane yield by 13% without an increase in TRS, resulting in lower sugar yields than the low or medium fan settings. Ground speed, under both conditions, did not affect cane yield or quality. The chopper harvester performed well under ideal conditions with a primary fan speed of 1050 rpm but had decreasing performance under poor conditions regardless of fan speed.
Cooperative Multi-Vehicle Search and Coverage Problem in an Uncertain Environment

A distributed approach is proposed in this paper to address a cooperative multi-vehicle search and coverage problem in an uncertain environment such as forest fires monitoring and detection. Two different types of vehicles are used for search and coverage tasks: search and service vehicles. The search vehicles have a priori probability maps of targets in the environment. These vehicles update the probability maps based on their sensors measurements during the search mission. The search vehicles use a limited look-ahead dynamic programming algorithm to find their own path individually while their objective is to maximize the amount of information gathered by the whole team. The task of the service vehicles is to optimally spread out over the environment to cover the interested area for a mission. A Voronoi-based coverage control strategy is proposed to modify the configuration of service vehicles in such a way that a prescribed coverage cost function is minimized using the updated probability maps which are provided by the search vehicles. The improved performance of the proposed approach compared to conventional coverage methods is demonstrated by numerical simulation and experimental results. Language: en
TOWARDS THE AUTOTUNING OF FORCE-FEEDBACK TELEOPERATORS

Abstract Force feedback teleoperation has undoubtly potential applications in the field of medical robotics. However, the lack of force feedback of most existing systems does not allow the physicians to teleoperate their surgical tools as accurately as they can. To obtain stable and transparent force feedback, most existing techniques are based on strong assumptions on the passivity of the system. They generally lead to stable but conservative laws that decrease the quality of force rendering, specially in the case of nonlinear interactions. In this paper we present an autotuning PID method to give adapted force feedback to any operator. Results are given in the context of percutaneous needle insertion.
Analog– Digital and Digital– Analog Converters Using Single-Electron and MOS Transistors

This paper proposes two kinds of novel single-electron analog-digital conversion (ADC) and digital-analog conversion (DAC) circuits that consist of single-electron transistors (SETs) and metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistors. The SET/MOS hybrid ADC and DAC circuits possess the merits of the SET circuit and the MOS circuit. We obtain the SPICE macro-modeling code of the SET transistor by studying and fitting the characteristics of the SET with SPICE simulation and Monte Carlo simulation methods. The SPICE macro-modeling code is used for the simulation of the SET/MOS hybrid ADC and DAC circuits. We simulate the performances of the SET/MOS hybrid 3-b ADC and 2-b DAC circuits by using the H-SPICE simulator. The simulation results demonstrate that the hybrid circuits can perform analog-digital and digital-analog data conversion well at room temperature. The hybrid ADC and DAC circuits have advantages as follows: 1) compared with conventional circuits, the architectures of the circuits are simpler; 2) compared with single electron transistor circuits, the circuits have much larger load capability; 3) the power dissipation of the circuits are lower than /spl omega/W; 4) the data conversion rate of the circuits can exceed 100 MHz; and 5) the resolution of the ADC and DAC circuits can be increased by the pipeline architectures.
Research and development on performance models of thermal imaging systems

Traditional ACQUIRE models perform the discrimination tasks of detection (target orientation, recognition and identification) for military target based upon minimum resolvable temperature difference (MRTD) and Johnson criteria for thermal imaging systems (TIS). Johnson criteria is generally pessimistic for performance predict of sampled imager with the development of focal plane array (FPA) detectors and digital image process technology. Triangle orientation discrimination threshold (TOD) model, minimum temperature difference perceived (MTDP)/ thermal range model (TRM3) Model and target task performance (TTP) metric have been developed to predict the performance of sampled imager, especially TTP metric can provides better accuracy than the Johnson criteria. In this paper, the performance models above are described; channel width metrics have been presented to describe the synthesis performance including modulate translate function (MTF) channel width for high signal noise to ration (SNR) optoelectronic imaging systems and MRTD channel width for low SNR TIS; the under resolvable questions for performance assessment of TIS are indicated; last, the development direction of performance models for TIS are discussed.
Performance Evaluation of a 5 kN Gas Turbine Based on Specially Designed Components

The design of a small gas turbine in the range of 5 kN thrust / 1.2 MW shaft power is being made in association with industry, aiming at distributed power generation and cogeneration. The gas turbine was constructed and its gas generator is being prepared for development tests. The results will be used for the final specification of the power section. The gas turbine design has been carried out using indigenous software, developed specially to fulfill the requirements of the engines design, as well as the support for validation of research work. The work reported in this paper deals with the design methodology of a 5:1 pressure ratio, 5-stage axial flow compressor with VIGV and a single stage axial flow turbine. These components were designed and their maps synthesized and fed to the gas turbine performance simulation program. The engine performance results were analyzed and verified. The calculated behavior compares with similar engines’, indicating they are qualitatively correct.Copyright © 2012 by ASME