Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neoclassical toroidal viscosity torque prediction via deep learning

GPECnet is a densely connected neural network that has been trained on GPEC data, to predict the plasma stability, neoclassical toroidal viscosity (NTV) torque, and optimized 3D coil current distributions for desired NTV torque profiles. Using NTV torque, driven by non-axisymmetric field perturbations in a tokamak, can be vital in optimizing pedestal performance by controlling the rotation profile in both the core, to ensure tearing stability, and the edge, to avoid edge localized modes (ELMs). The generalized perturbed equilibrium code (GPEC) software package can be used to calculate the plasma stability to 3D perturbations and the NTV torque profile generated by applied 3D magnetic fields. These calculations, however, involve complex integrations over space and energy distributions, which takes time to compute. Initially, GPECnet has been trained solely on data representative of the quiescent H-mode (QH) scenario, in which neutral beams are often balanced and toroidal rotation is low across the plasma profile. This work provides the foundation for active control of the rotation shear using a combination of beams and 3D fields for robust and high performance QH mode operation.
Adaptive Optimal Control of Nonlinear Active Suspension Systems with Completely Unknown Dynamics

Ride comfort, tire deflection and suspension stroke are generally conflicting in the active suspension control. To achieve a compromise among the three requirements, a novel online adaptive optimal control method is developed for the nonlinear active suspension systems subject to completely unknown dynamics. Based on the adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) algorithm, this paper proposes an identifier-critic structure with a dual neural network (NN) to realize the active suspension optimal control. To this end, a cost function concerning ride comfort, suspension stroke and control input is constructed. Then, an identifier NN with a novel adaptive law based on the parameter estimation error is used to approximate the unknown nonlinear dynamics. To obtain the optimal solution, a critic NN with the proposed adaptive law is suggested to design the optimal controller. Simulation results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Students Attitudes Surrounding STEM: A Social Cognitive Career Theory Instrument for High School

To broaden participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), we must understand the factors that shape perspectives and beliefs around career selection. Good measurement of these factors is crucial to quantify how effectively educational interventions impact student attitudes towards STEM. Adolescents are particularly suited for quantifying intervention efficacy because students build their identities during these formative years and make important career choices. To better quantify intervention efficacy at the high school level, we developed an instrument entitled Student Attitudes Surrounding STEM (SASS), which builds upon the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) framework for understanding career selection. Questionnaire responses were collected from 932 high school students and split into samples of 400 for exploratory factor analysis and 532 for confirmatory factor analysis. The 37 questions clustered into six factors: Self-Efficacy-Experience, Self-Efficacy-Academic, Outcome Expectations, Interests, Negative Perceptions of Scientists, and Career Awareness. Adequate construct validity for the factors indicated in the SASS model was suggested by the fit indices and theoretical considerations. Furthermore, the analyses supported criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. This tool represents a novel integration of three latent variables into SCCT: Negative Perceptions of Scientists, Career Awareness, and an experience factor for Self-Efficacy.
Autonomous Driving approaches Downtown

Most computer vision systems for vehicle guidance developed in the past were designed for the comparatively simple highway scenario. Autonomous driving in the much more complex scenario of urban traffic or driver assistance systems like Intelligent Stop&Go are new challenges not only from the algorithmic but also from the system architecture point of view. This contribution describes our current work on these topics. It includes the appropriate algorithms as well as approaches to control the various vision modules.
Simultaneous Analysis of Insurance Participation and Acreage Response from Subsidized Crop Insurance for Cotton

US crop insurance is subsidized to encourage producers to participate and reduce their risk exposure. However, what has been the impact of these subsidies on insurance demand and crop acres planted? Using a simultaneous system of two equations, we quantify both insurance participation and acreage response to subsidized crop insurance for cotton-producing counties across the US at the national and regional levels. We also quantify the impact of both the realized rate of return and the expected subsidy per pound, plus the combined effects of expected yield and price while accounting for the adoption of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) technology and other factors. Results show that both the rate of return and the expected subsidy per unit of production have a statistically significant and positive effect on the percentage of arable acres planted. Furthermore, the marginal effect of expected price on insurance participation is much more significant for low- than high-yield counties. Results indicate that not all regions respond the same to subsidized crop insurance and that subsidies should be based on dollars per expected unit of production rather than expected production to be less distorting. Overall, US cotton acreage response is estimated to be inelastic (0.58) to insurance participation.
Enhancing The Thermal Properties of Textiles With Phase Change Materials

Phase change materials have been a main topic in research for the last 20 years. They have also been used in many engineering applications, especially in the fields of thermal storage and insulation. They are used for ice storage, building applications, in the field of solar energy storage, heat pumps, heat distribution systems, air conditioning, green houses, solar collectors and cookers, for improving thermal comfort in vehicles, and for the conservation and transport of temperature-sensitive materials such as electronic materials, food, the transport of medical tissue, and engines or hydraulic machines. Recently, PCMs (Phase Change Materials) have entered the textile market for use in increasing the thermal comfort of garments. In such extreme applications of textiles as diving suits, ski wear, and underwear, PCMs can impart outstanding properties to garments. Their insulating properties may prevent the wearer from fatal consequences. In this paper, the use of PCMs, methods of evaluation, and methods a.
Differences in Batted Ball Speed With Wood and Aluminum Baseball Bats: A Batting Cage Study

Differences in the performance of wood and metal baseball bats, measured as a function of batted ball speed, were quantified in a batting cage study. Two wood and five metal baseball bat models were studied with 19 players of various levels of experience ranging from high school to professional. Batted ball speeds from 538 hits were computed from high-speed 3-D ball position data collected with a commercially available system. In general, metal bats had significantly higher batted ball speeds than wood bats. Of the five metal bat models studied, one outperformed all other models and one bat was most similar to wood bats. The average difference in batted ball speed between wood bats and the highest performing metal bat was approximately 9 mph. Maximum batted ball speeds of 101 and 106 mph were measured for wood and metal bats, respectively. Increased skill level significantly increased the maximum batted ball speeds generated independent of bat model. Players of all experience levels were able to generate .
Strippable Polymeric Nanocomposites Comprising “Green” Chelates, for the Removal of Heavy Metals and Radionuclides

The issue of heavy metal and radionuclide contamination is still causing a great deal of concern worldwide for environmental protection and industrial sites remediation. Various techniques have been developed for surface decontamination aiming for high decontamination factors (DF) and minimal environmental impact, but strippable polymeric nanocomposite coatings are some of the best candidates in this area. In this study, novel strippable coatings for heavy metal and radionuclides decontamination were developed based on the film-forming ability of polyvinyl alcohol, with the remarkable metal retention capacity of bentonite nanoclay, together with the chelating ability of sodium alginate and with “new-generation” “green” complexing agents: iminodisuccinic acid (IDS) and 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid (PBTC). These environmentally friendly water-based decontamination solutions are capable of generating strippable polymeric films with optimized mechanical and thermal properties while exhibiting high decontamination efficiency (DF ≈ 95–98% for heavy metals tested on glass surface and DF ≈ 91–97% for radionuclides 241Am, 90Sr-Y and 137Cs on metal, painted metal, plastic, and glass surfaces).
Design of miniature hybrid target recognition system with combination of FPGA+DSP

With advantages of flexibility, high bandwidth, high spatial resolution and high-speed parallel operation, the opto-electronic hybrid target recognition system can be applied in many civil and military areas, such as video surveillance, intelligent navigation and robot vision. A miniature opto-electronic hybrid target recognition system based on FPGA+DSP is designed, which only employs single Fourier lens and with a focal length. With the precise timing control of the FPGA and images pretreatment of the DSP, the system performs both Fourier transform and inverse Fourier transform with all optical process, which can improve recognition speed and reduce the system volume remarkably. We analyzed the system performance, and a method to achieve scale invariant pattern recognition was proposed on the basis of lots of experiments.
Gate-Induced Superconductivity in Layered-Material-Based Electric Double Layer Transistors

High carrier density part of many materials could be accessed by a variation of the field effect transistor technique: electric double layer transistor. Carrier density regime of n∼1014 cm−2 can be easily accessed electrostatically realizing effective doping without chemical modification. In this study, we utilized micro-cleavage on a number of interesting layered materials. And realized high carrier density state and high performance transport on atomically flat surfaces.
Flood Hazard Mapping Using Fuzzy Logic, Analytical Hierarchy Process, and Multi-Source Geospatial Datasets

Iran is among the driest countries in the world, where many natural hazards, such as floods, frequently occur. This study introduces a straightforward flood hazard assessment approach using remote sensing datasets and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment in an area located in the western part of Iran. Multiple GIS and remote sensing datasets, including Digital Elevation Model (DEM), slope, rainfall, distance from the main rivers, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) maps, soil type map, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and erosion rate were initially produced. Then, all datasets were converted into fuzzy values using a linear fuzzy membership function. Subsequently, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique was applied to determine the weight of each dataset, and the relevant weight values were then multiplied to fuzzy values. Finally, all the processed parameters were integrated using a fuzzy analysis to produce the flood hazard map with five classes of susceptible zones. The bi-temporal Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, acquired before and on the day of the flood event, were used to evaluate the accuracy of the produced flood hazard map. The results indicated that 95.16% of the actual flooded areas were classified as very high and high flood hazard classes, demonstrating the high potential of this approach for flood hazard mapping.
Theoretical Analysis of Principal Components in an Umbrella Model of Intraspecific Evolution

Principal component analysis (PCA) is one of the most frequently-used approach to describe population structure from multilocus genotype data. Regarding geographic range expansions of modern humans, interpretations of PCA have, however, been questioned, as there is uncertainty about the wave-like patterns that have been observed in principal components. It has indeed been argued that wave-like patterns are mathematical artifacts that arise generally when PCA is applied to data in which genetic differentiation increases with geographic distance. Here, we present an alternative theory for the observation of wave-like patterns in PCA. We study a coalescent model – the umbrella model – for the diffusion of genetic variants. The model is based on genetic drift without any particular geographical structure. In the umbrella model, splits from an ancestral population occur almost continuously in time, giving birth to small daughter populations at a regular pace. Our results provide detailed mathematical descriptions of eigenvalues and eigenvectors for the PCA of sampled genomic sequences under the model. Removing variants uniquely represented in the sample, the PCA eigenvectors are defined as cosine functions of increasing periodicity, reproducing wave-like patterns observed in equilibrium isolation-by-distance models. Including rare variants in the analysis, the eigenvectors corresponding to the largest eigenvalues exhibit complex wave shapes. The accuracy of our predictions is further investigated with coalescent simulations. Our analysis supports the hypothesis that highly structured wave-like patterns could arise from genetic drift only, and may not always be artificial outcomes of spatially structured data. Genomic data related to the peopling of the Americas are reanalyzed in the light of our new theory.
Predictors of Mortality and Long-Term Outcome in Patients with Anterior STEMI: Results from a Single Center Study

Anterior ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (A-STEMI) has the worst prognosis among all infarct sites due to larger infarct size and the higher cardiac enzyme release. We retrospectively analyzed 584 A-STEMI undergoing urgent coronary angiography from October 2008 to April 2019. The median follow-up time was 1774 days with a minimum of a 1-year follow-up for 498 patients. In-hospital mortality was 8.6%, while long-term, all-cause mortality and 1-year mortality were 18.8% and 6.8%, respectively. The main predictors for in-hospital mortality were ejection fraction (LV-EF), baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), female gender and cardiogenic shock (CS) at admission, while long-term predictors of mortality were age, coronary artery disease (CAD) extension and LV-EF. Patients presenting with CS (6.5%) showed a higher mortality rate (in-hospital 68.4%, long term 41.7%). Among 245 patients (42%) with multivessel disease (MVD), complete revascularization (CR) during the index procedure was performed in 42.8% of patients and more often in patients with CS at admission (19.1% vs. 6.1%, p = 0.008). Short- and long-term mortality were not significantly influenced by the revascularization strategy (CR/culprit only). Our study confirmed the extreme fragility of A-STEMI patients, especially in case of CS at admission. LV-EF is a powerful predictor of a poor outcome. In MVD, CR during p-PCI did not show any advantage for either long- or short-term mortality compared to the culprit-only strategy.
Going Hands-Free: MagnetoSuture™ for Untethered Guided Needle Penetration of Human Tissue Ex Vivo

The application of force in surgical settings is typically accomplished via physical tethers to the surgical tool. While physical tethers are common and critical, some internal surgical procedures may benefit from a tetherless operation of needles, possibly reducing the number of ports in the patient or the amount of tissue damage caused by tools used to manipulate needles. Magnetic field gradients can dynamically apply kinetic forces to magnetizable objects free of such tethers, possibly enabling ultra-minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures. We demonstrate the untethered manipulation of a suture needle in vitro, exemplified by steering through narrow holes, as well as needle penetration through excised rat and human tissues. We present proof of principle manipulations for the fully untethered control of a minimally modified, standard stainless steel surgical suture needle.
Psychological Effects of Motivational Aquatic Resistance Interval Training and Nutritional Education in Older Women

Several studies have demonstrated the positive effects of physical exercise programs on physical and mental health throughout life. It is necessary to know the factors that contribute to the well-being of older adults in order to achieve healthy aging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between well-being perception and the use of autonomy supportive coaching behaviours across a motivational aquatic resistance interval training program. Thirty-four women over 65 years of age from the province of Alicante, Spain, participated, and were randomly assigned to: motivational aquatic resistance interval training group (MART; age: 69.6 ± 5.01 years, height: 1.62 ± 7.88 m, weight: 75.3 ± 12.8 kg) and control group (CG; age: 67.7 ± 3.60 years, height: 1.54 ± 5.47 m, weight: 66.9 ± 10.2 kg). The MART program was conducted for 14 weeks, with three training sessions/week. The CG did not perform any physical activity during the study. Perception of autonomy support was assessed through the Autonomy-Supportive Coaching Questionnaire (ASCQ), Psychological needs by the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale (BPNES), Intrinsic motivation to exercise was assessed through Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and Perception of Physical Activity by the International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ). In MART, compared to CG, significant differences were observed in BPNS, IMI and IPAQ questionnaires used, except in the ASCQ. The differences were significant in all three cases in BPNS (p < 0.05 in autonomy and competence and p = 0.001 in relationship with others), obtaining better scores after intervention than previously. As for the IMI scale, significant differences were also obtained in both subscales. The level of physical activity also improved significantly, with higher scores on the IPAQ after the intervention than before (p < 0.001). In conclusion, when practitioners perceive greater well-being, satisfaction of their basic psychological needs, greater self-selection, volition, and autonomy instead of pressure, demand and control, the result is better behaviour with greater psychological well-being, adherence and consequent health benefits.
Purification Effects on β-HCH Removal and Bacterial Community Differences of Vertical-Flow Constructed Wetlands with Different Vegetation Plantations

This study aimed to investigate the removal of β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) at realistic concentration levels (10 µg/L) in different plant species in constructed wetlands (Acorus calamus, Canna indica, Thalia dealbata, and Pontederia cordata) and the structure of the rhizosphere microbial community response of each group during summer and winter. Results showed that all groups of constructed wetlands had very good decontamination efficiency against β-HCH in water (90.86–98.17%). The species that most efficiently purified β-HCH in water was A. calamus in summer (98.17%) and C. indica in winter (96.64%). Substrate sorption was found to be the major pathway for β-HCH removal from water in the constructed wetlands. The ability of the wetland plants to absorb and purify β-HCH was limited, and C. indica had the strongest absorptive capacity among the four plant species. The mean β-HCH removal from the matrix of the planted plants increased by 5.8% compared with that of the control treatment (unplanted plants). The average β-HCH content in the plant rhizosphere substrate was 4.15 µg/kg lower than that in the non-rhizosphere substrate. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) in the Chao1 and ACE indices of microbes in the substrate of four wetlands during summer and winter. At the genus level, the constructed wetlands with vegetation plantations showed higher microbial abundance than the constructed wetlands without vegetation plantations. In winter, the bacterial community structure of each constructed wetland was quite different, but no dominant flora in the bacterial community structure obviously changed. In summer, the bacterial community structure at the same stage was relatively small. The abundance of Actinobacteria and Sphingomonas remarkably increased over time in summer.
Multicomponent Materials to Improve Solubility: Eutectics of Drug Aminoglutethimide

Here, we report the synthesis and experimental characterization of three drug-drug eutectic mixtures of drug aminoglutethimide (AMG) with caffeine (CAF), nicotinamide (NIC) and ethenzamide (ZMD). The eutectic mixtures (AMG-CAF, AMG-NIC and AMG-ZMD) demonstrate significant melting point depressions ranging from 99.2 to 127.2 °C compared to the melting point of the drug AMG (151°C) and also show significantly higher aqueous solubilities than that of the AMG. The results presented include the determination of the binary melt phase diagrams and accompanying analytical characterization via X-ray powder diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy and Scanning electron microscopy.
Modelling and simulation of a catalytic reforming process

Simulation of the catalytic reforming process is carried out using the Smith's kinetic scheme. The model results were tested on an existing plant (Brazi Refinery, 1981) and the results were reviewed to improve the processing conditions. The need for looking into the simple model was due to the complexity of other models which accompany multicomponent reactions and the component data for specific rate constant, pressure exponent and equilibrium constant for several of these reforming reactions is not easily available in literature. Keeping other process variables namely ratio of hydrogen to hydrocarbons, quantity of catalyst, temperature and feed rate constant, the influence of pressure on the production of aromatics has also been determined. The simple kinetic scheme as compared to the other complex models described in literature provides a short cut approach for estimating the product yield of catalytic reforming process.
Harmonic-suppression LTCC filter with the step-impedance quarter-wavelength open stub

An effective method to design a low-temperature co-fired ceramic RF bandpass filter with suppression of the harmonic frequency is demonstrated in this paper. The second harmonic, which appears in the frequency band of 4.8-5.0 GHz, is very significant and should be reduced in the 2.4-GHz wireless local area network and Bluetooth application. This feature of harmonic frequency suppression is very important in a communication system to improve linearity, output power, intermodulation performance, etc. The harmonic-suppression filter can be easily obtained by adopting the characteristic of equivalent quarter-wavelength resonators. The detailed three-dimensional layout of each layer is disclosed. By analyzing the influences of the dielectric constant and layer thickness of a ceramic sheet by electromagnetic simulation, the optimal condition for the filter design can be obtained. The measured results agree well with the simulation.