Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a corrugated horn at 2-THz band for a hot electron bolometer mixer

We are developing a waveguide-type hot electron bolometer mixer (HEBM) at 2-THz band for high-speed wireless communications (Beyond 5G) or atmospheric/astronomical observations. We are developing an HEBM with a diagonal horn and are also developing an HEBM with a corrugated horn at 2- THz band to improve the beam pattern performance. A corrugated horn has a good axisymmetric beam and polarization characteristics over wide band, although machining of a small corrugation structure is difficult. The width of the teeth was designed to be 15 μm凹/20 μm凸 with a depth of 37.5 μm. The corrugated horn consists of a 120 number of the teeth, 20 number of tapered teeth with a deepest depth of 75 μm, and a circular to rectangular transition. The total length of the horn is 6.1 mm. A simulation result of the horn shows low reflection loss and low-side lobe level. We have fabricated a sample horn and confirmed the teeth structure were well machined by measuring with a nondestructive inspection using X-ray. The size of the teeth was measured using X-ray and a laser microscope.
Young stars in epsilon Chamaleontis and their disks: disk evolution in sparse associations

Context. The nearby young stellar associationǫ Cha has an estimated age of 3‐5 Myr, making it an ideal laboratory to study the disk dissipation process and provide empirical constraints on t he timescale of planet formation. Aims. We wish to complement existing optical and near-infrared data of theǫ Cha association, which provide the stellar properties of its members, with mid-infrared data that probe the presence, geometry, and mineralogical composition of protoplanetary disks around individual stars. Methods. We combine the available literature data with our Spitzer IRS spectroscopy and VLT/VISIR imaging data. We use proper motions to refine the membership of ǫ Cha. Masses and ages of individual stars are estimated by fitt ing model atmospheres to the optical and near-infrared photometry, followed by placement in the HR-diagram. The Spitzer IRS spectra are analyzed using the two-layer temperature distribution spectral decompositi on method. Results. Two stars previously identified as members, CXOU J120152.8 a nd 2MASS J12074597, have proper motions that are very different from those of the other stars. But other observations s uggest that the two stars are still young and thus might still be related toǫ Cha. HD 104237C is the lowest mass member ofǫ Cha with an estimated mass of∼13‐15 Jupiter masses. The very low mass stars USNO-B120144.7 and 2MASS J12005517 show globally depleted spectral energy distributions, pointing at stro ng dust settling. 2MASS J12014343 may have a disk with a very specific inclination, where the central star is effectively screened by the cold outer parts of a flared disk, but the 10 µm radiation of the warm inner disk can still reach us. We find th at the disks in sparse stellar associations are dissipated more slowly than those in denser (cluster) environments. We detect C2H2 rovibrational band around 13. 7µm on the IRS spectrum of USNO-B120144.7. We find strong signatures of grain growth and crystallization in allǫ Cha members with 10µm features detected in their IRS spectra. We combine the dust properties derived in theǫ Cha sample with those found using identical or similar methods in the MBM 12, Coronet,η Cha associations, and in the cores-to-disks legacy program. We find that disks around low-mass young stars show a negative radial gradient in the mass-averaged grain size and mass fraction of crystalline silicates. A positive correlation exists between the mass-averaged grain sizes of amorphous silicates and the accretion rates if t he latter is above ∼10 −9 M⊙ yr −1 , possibly indicating that those disks are suffi ciently turbulent to prevent grains of several microns in si ze to sink into the disk interior.
Wind farm array cable layout optimisation for complex offshore sites—A decomposition based heuristic approach

As the number of turbines in offshore wind farms increases, so does the complexity of cable routing optimisation problems. Optimising the collector network is a crucial task for developers contributing between 15% and 30% of initial investment costs. For some algorithms, increasing the number of turbines leads to unfavourable scaling of the computational time and memory required to reach optimal solutions. Heuristics offer an alternative but are likely to incur increases in total costs relative to the optimal solution since heuristic searching cannot guarantee optimality. This study proposes a novel optimisation algorithm based on the ant-colony heuristic by introducing decomposition techniques informed by the problem formulation to improve the computational performance. The new algorithm can reach near-optimal solutions and requires little computational resource. Three algorithms are compared on a set of six case studies, including mixed-integer linear programming (MILP), classical ant-colony optimisation (ACO) algorithm, and the proposed ACO with decomposition, ACOsp. Optimal solutions were found using the MILP algorithm. ACO algorithm solutions cost 0.4–7.6% more than optimal solutions, whereas ACOsp solutions cost only 0.0–1.4% more than optimal solutions. The proposed ACOsp algorithm has shown to be a robust approach for large-scale cable layout optimisation problems ( > 100 turbines) without requiring high-performance computing facilities.
Toward Simultaneous Coordinate Calibrations of AX=YB Problem by the LMI-SDP Optimization

Accurate calibration of the robot hand-eye (X) and robot-world (Y) relationships is extremely important for visually-guided robotic systems, and is usually symbolized by the AX=YB equation. The existing methodologies always calibrate the X and Y matrices using the separation of the rotational and translational components, causing the error propagation and accumulation. While the simultaneous calibration solves the derived linear matrix equation by the SVD (Singular Value Decomposition) based approach, which produces unreliable results depending on the smallest singular value of the regression matrix. To this end, the work contained herein proposes a novel and generic calibration methodology for solving the AX=YB problem using the LMI-SDP (Linear Matrix Inequality and Semi-definite Programming) optimization. In this approach, the linear form of the calibration equation is retrieved by means of the Kronecker product, and formulated as an optimization problem involving the unknown variable matrices X and Y with convex constraints, in which the simultaneous solution is obtained via the LMI-SDP techniques. The results procured via the simulation analysis, accounting for the presence of noise levels and different data pairs, as well as the calibration experiments, are compared to those produced using the classical iterative method and DQ (Dual Quaternion)-based approach, thereby verifying the accuracy and efficacy of the proposed method. Note to Practitioners—The motivation behind this work stems from the simultaneous calibration issues pertaining to robot-eye and robot-workpiece coordinate relationships, that are present in vision-guided robotic systems. Considering the inaccuracy and robustness deficiencies of the existing methodologies, due to the separated calibration of the rotational and translational components, this paper proposes a generic and efficient calibration methodology to deal with the AX=YB problem, using the Kronecker product and the LMI-SDP optimization. Simulation analysis reveals that the proposed algorithms exhibit robustness under different noise levels and data pairs. Moreover, the practicability of the algorithm has also been verified via practical experiments. The average errors with 16 sets of calibration data can reach 0.0056rad in the rotational component, and 0.2529mm in the translational component. The proposed methodology can be extended to the practical applications of the coordinate calibration involving the multi-robot systems with visual sensors.
The Effects of Postmaterialist Values on Average Life Satisfaction at the Country Level: What Generates Differences in Subjective Well-Being among European Countries?

The aim of this study is to clarify the social mechanisms that generate differences in the average life satisfaction among European countries by specifying the latent structures of life satisfaction. For this purpose, data from the European Values Study conducted from 2017 to 2020 (EVS 2017) were analyzed using finite mixtures of regression models. The results revealed that the respondents to the EVS 2017 could be categorized into two latent groups: a group dominated by materialist values and a group characterized by postmaterialist values. The results also imply that postmaterialist values increase average life satisfaction at the country level and are positively associated with economic prosperity and political stability at the country level. Consequently, the effect of postmaterialist values on life satisfaction is related to social inequalities among European countries. Finally, the sociological implications of these findings are discussed.
Identification of a combined lncRNA prognostic signature and knockdown of lncRNA MANCR to inhibit progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by bioinformatics analysis

Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have become potential therapeutic targets or promising prognostic biomarkers in cancers. However, individual gene does not show sufficient prognostic value for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Therefore, this study aims to develop a combined prognostic lncRNA signature to the prognosis of ccRCC. Methods The transcriptome profiling data for confirmed ccRCC cases were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA; https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/). The prognostic significance, survival time and diagnostic effectiveness of the lncRNAs in ccRCC was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier method, the log-rank test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the 4 lncRNAs was also performed. The expression of mitotically-associated lncRNA (MANCR) was measured in ccRCC cells or tissues by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Both Colony formation assays and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was conducted to detect the proliferation of both 786-O and SN12C cells. For apoptosis detection, flow cytometry in both 786-O and SN12C cells was performed. For migration of 786-O and SN12C cells detection, wound healing and transwell assays were performed. Results A total of 1,567 differentially expressed lncRNAs in ccRCC were discerned with 1,340 upregulation and 227 downregulation. Furthermore, a 4-lncRNA signature (FIRRE, MANCR, AC103706.1, and AC018648.1) model was obtained that showed good performance in the prognosis of ccRCC. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that these protein-coding genes (PCGs) were mainly enriched in ATPase activity, catalytic activity, and acting on RNA protein serine/threonine kinase activity. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that PCGs were mainly involved in endocytosis, oocyte meiosis and spliceosome. In addition, we revealed that MANCR was highly expressed in ccRCC cells and tissues and downregulation of MANCR inhibited cell proliferation and migration. In contrast, apoptosis of 786-O and SN12C cells was promoted with MANCR suppression. Conclusions A 4-lncRNA prognostic model that presented good performance for prognosis of ccRCC patients was established. Knockdown of MANCR inhibited cell proliferation and migration, and promoted apoptosis of 786-O and SN12C cells, suggesting that a 4-lncRNA signature model might be an essential for ccRCC prognosis.
Related party transactions and earnings management in family firms: the moderating role of board characteristics

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of family control on the association between related party transactions (RPTs) and different forms of accrual-based earnings management (AEM) and real earnings management (REM), analyzing the effect of board characteristics on the possible association.Design/methodology/approachThis paper studies a sample of Italian non-financial listed firms over the 2014–2019 period, by GLS regression models, controlling for the fixed effects of the company's sector of operation and the year.FindingsResults indicate a different association between RPTs and earnings management (EM) in family and non-family firms. They point out that family firms use RPTs in association with downward AEM and REM perpetrated by abnormal discretionary expenses as well as a substitute of REM via abnormal production costs. For non-family firms, findings indicate only a substitution effect between RPTs and AEM. Furthermore, CEO duality, board gender diversity and the presence of the family on the board positively moderate the association between RPTs and, respectively, REM implemented through sales manipulations, downward AEM and upward AEM.Originality/valueThis study suggests that the socioemotional wealth (SEW) differently affects the relationship between RPTs and EM, according to the form of the latter. It also points out family firms' heterogeneity in earnings manipulations, by providing evidence of the moderating role of board characteristics on the association between RPTs and the various forms of EM.
$Q$-Mapping: Learning User-Preferred Operation Mappings With Operation-Action Value Function

User interfaces have been designed to fit typical users and their usage styles as assumed by designers. However, it is impossible to cover all the possible use cases. To address this problem, we propose <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math></inline-formula>-Mapping, which is a method for user interfaces to acquire the operation mapping, or mapping from user operations to their effects. <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math></inline-formula>-Mapping has an advantage over previous techniques in that it can acquire operation mapping interactively. The core idea of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math></inline-formula>-Mapping is that what a user selects as an ideal action has a tendency to be the same as the action that has the highest <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math></inline-formula>-value. On the basis of this concept, we defined the operation-action value function, which can be calculated from the value that a user expects to gain when a particular mapping is given in that state and is updated each time an operation occurs. We conducted a simulation experiment and a user study to investigate the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math></inline-formula>-Mapping performance and the effects of the acquisition of interactive operation mapping. The simulation results showed that the changeability of operation mapping could be controlled by a coefficient called the balancing parameter. As for the user study, we found that <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$Q$</tex-math></inline-formula>-Mapping with a balancing parameter that decays with time was able to acquire operation mapping that was easy for users to understand. These results demonstrate the importance of balancing consistency and adaptability in the interactive acquisition of operation mapping.
İçsel pazarlamanın çalışanların yaşam doyum düzeylerine etkisinin ve bu etkide işe adanmışlığın aracı rolünün belirlenmesi

Rekabette üstünlük sağlamayı amaçlayan günümüz firmaları, nitelikli insan kaynağı yapısı oluşturmaya odaklanmakta ve bunun için çeşitli uygulamalar geliştirmektedirler. Firmaların hedef pazarlarda avantaj elde etmelerini sağlayan uygulamalardan edinmiş oldukları deneyim ve bilgi birikimini, firma içindeki çalışanların tutum ve davranışlarını düzenlemede kullanmayı ifade eden içsel pazarlama bu uygulamalardan biridir. Bu araştırmanın amacı; içsel pazarlamanın, çalışanların yaşam doyumları üzerindeki etkisini ve bu etkide işe adanmışlığın aracı etkisini incelemektir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda ısıtma ve soğutma sistemleri alanında faaliyet gösteren ve Kafkasya ve Orta Asya ile ticaret yapan bir mühendislik firmasında çalışmakta olan 147 kişiden çevrimiçi anket formu aracılığıyla veriler toplanmıştır. Bulgulara göre içsel pazarlamanın, yaşam doyumu üzerinde etkili olduğu ve söz konusu etkide işe adanmışlığın aracı bir role sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgular ile içsel pazarlama yaklaşımı aracılığıyla hem işletme amaçlarına hem de çalışanların iş haricindeki yaşamlarına olumlu katkıların sağlanabileceği değerlendirilmektedir.
Monte Carlo simulations of star clusters – VII. The globular cluster 47 Tuc

We describe Monte Carlo models for the dynamical evolution of the massive globular cluster 47 Tuc (NGC 104). The code includes treatments of two-body relaxation, most kinds of threeand four-body interactions involving primordial binaries and those formed dynamically, the Galactic tide, and the internal evolution of both single and binary stars. We arrive at a set of initial parameters for the cluster which, after 12Gyr of evo lution, gives a model with a fairly satisfactory match to surface brightness and density profil es, the velocity dispersion profile, the luminosity function in two fields, and the acceleration o f pulsars. Our models appear to require a relatively steep initial mass function for stars a bove about turnoff, with an index of about 2.8 (where the Salpeter mass function has an index of 2.35), and a relatively flat initial mass function (index about 0.4) for the lower main sequence. According to the model, the current mass is estimated at 0.9 million solar masses, of which about 34% consists of remnants. We find that primordial binaries are gradually tak ing over from mass loss by stellar evolution as the main dynamical driver of the core. Despite the high concentration of the cluster, core collapse will take at least another 20Gyr.
Electrostatic confinement of electrons in graphene nanoribbons

Coulomb blockade is observed in a graphene nanoribbon device with a top gate. When two pn junctions are formed via the back gate and the local top gate, electrons are confined between the pn junctions which act as the barriers. When no pn junctions are induced by the gate voltages, electrons are still confined, as a result of strong disorder, but in a larger area. Measurements on five other devices with different dimensions yield consistent results.
Handheld Differential Magnetometry With a Split Coil Geometry

Differential magnetometry allows for fast, accurate measurement of small amounts of SPIO nanoparticles in biological tissue. For handheld applications, i.e. for use in intra-operative settings, spatial and temporal resolution need to be high, using simple, robust hardware. This poses a challenge for conventional magnetometer design, as sensing depth and accuracy are ultimately limited by the excitation and detection coil diameter. In this paper, we describe a split coil geometry, in which we separate the (large) excitation coil from the small detection coil. This allows for significantly increased depth sensitivity, due to the larger excitation coil diameter, which is placed under the subject of interest. This is especially relevant for intra-operative procedures, for example during magnetic sentinel lymph node mapping[1].
Effect of Temperature on Analog Memristor in Neuromorphic Computing

In this article, the influence of the temperature instability of resistive memory switching on potential neuromorphic computing applications is extensively studied using an Intel TaOx-based analog-type memristor as a synaptic weight modulator in a neural network. Evaluation results show that the effect of ambient temperature during training and interference can degrade the neural network’s accuracy due to inefficient weight updates and inevitable resistance or conductance drifting. Our results provide additional insights into device-level physical models and simple circuit-level design guidance for potential hardware-based neuromorphic computing applications.
Investigating the mechanism of action of Danhong injection and its components against myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury

Objective: The surgical treatment of myocardial infarction often causes myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MI/RI). Danhong injection (DHI) has curative effects on coronary heart disease and angina pectoris. However, its therapeutic effects on MI/RI still require further validation. This study aims to investigate the components involved and mechanism of action of DHI against MI/RI. Methods: Primary metabolites (PM) and secondary metabolites (SM) were isolated from DHI. We established a rat model of MI/RI by administering PM, SM, and DHI. Cardiac morphology and functional parameters were evaluated using cardiac ultrasound. The metabolic effects of PM, SM, and DHI in the serum and myocardial tissue on MI/RI were investigated using 1hydrogen-nuclear magnetic resonance. Results: Our study showed that DHI, PM, and SM could improve cardiac function by correcting the dilated cardiac structure, alleviating inflammation by downregulating complement C2 expression, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by upregulating cyclooxygenase expression, and restoring normal energy supply by inhibiting fatty acid metabolism and stimulating glycometabolism. In addition, DHI and SM could attenuate the calcium overload and trigger an inflammatory response and oxidative stress by downregulating Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II expression. Conclusions: This study suggests that DHI and its components exerts resistance against MI/RI by ameliorating cardiac dysfunction, energy metabolism, and oxidative stress.
Nanowire Sensors Facilitate Polarization Sensitive Terahertz Spectroscopy

Polarization sensitive terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is an extension to standard THz-TDS, where the main variables used in data analysis not only include the amplitude and phase but also the polarization state of the THz wave. This offers a deep insight into the anisotropy of many materials, and leads to the development of new THz techniques such as THz polarimetry and ellipsometry. Here we present a nanowire sensor technology that allows for practical realization of polarization sensitive THz-TDS systems.
Optimized Chemical Extraction Methods of Antimicrobial Peptides from Roots and Leaves of Extremophilic Plants: Anthyllis sericea and Astragalus armatus Collected from the Tunisian Desert

Extraction methods depend mainly on the chemical nature of the extracted molecule. For these reasons, the selection of the extraction medium is a vital part of obtaining these molecules. The extraction of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) from extremophile plants is important because of its potential pharmaceutical applications. This work focused on the evaluation of several solvents for the extraction of AMPs from the following two extremophile plants: Astragalus armatus and Anthyllis sericea from southern Tunisia. In order to identify the most efficient solvents and extraction solutions, we used sulfuric acid, dichloromethane, phosphate buffer, acetic acid and sodium acetate, and we tested them on leaves and roots of both the studied plants. The extracts obtained using sulfuric acid, dichloromethane and phosphate buffer extraction did not show any antimicrobial activity, whereas the acetic acid and sodium acetate extracts led to growth inhibition of some of the tested bacterial strains. The extracts of leaves and roots of An. sericea and As. armatus obtained by acetic acid and sodium acetate were proven to be active against Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, the most appropriate solvents to use for antimicrobial peptide extraction from both plants are acetic acid and sodium acetate.