Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast Model Predictive Image-Based Visual Servoing for Quadrotors*

This paper studies the problem of Image-Based Visual Servo Control (IBVS) for quadrotors. Although the control of quadrotors has been extensively studied in the last decades, combining the IBVS module with the quadrotor’s dynamics is still hard, mainly due to the under-actuation issues related to the quadrotor control as opposed to the 6 DoF control outputs generated by the IBVS modules. We propose an alternative formulation to solve this problem, by particularly using linear Model Predictive Control (MPC), that allows us to relax the UAVs under-actuation issues. Stability guarantees of the proposed scheme are presented. The proposed model is validated with synthetic data and tested in a real UAV’s setup.
Depolymerization of Lignin at Low Pressure Using Lewis Acid Catalysts and under High Pressure Using Hydrogen Donor Solvents

Adding phenol or guaiacol to the reaction raixture increased liquefaction of lignin from steam-exploded wood in tetralin at about 140 kg/cm pressure and 300°C. Phenol increased yields of filterable products from about 40 to 63%, guaiacol from about 30% to 50%. At one atmosphere and 110 to 200°C only about 25% of the lignin could be converted to liquid regardless of whether phenol, tetralin or Lewis acid catalysts were employed. Of a variety of catalysts investigated at higher pressures NiO-MoO3 supported on alumina gave the best results. Raising the temperature from 300 to 400°C increased filtrate yields from the 30% to the 90% ränge at about 140 kg/cm in H2. The lower molecular weight lignin from steamexploded wood (lotech) gave somewhat larger conversions than Indulin, a Kraft lignin from Westvaco. The reaction products detected include methoxyphenols, cresols, alkyl cresols, guaiacol, toluenes, anisole, cinnamaldehyde and cumene.
An advanced Monte Carlo method for the equilibration of model long-chain branched polymers with a well-defined molecular architecture: Detailed atomistic simulation of an H-shaped polyethylene melt

With few exceptions, atomistic simulation work on polymers has been limited to linear chain systems. The main reason for this is the inability of existing Monte Carlo (MC) methods to equilibrate the short- and long-length scale characteristics of nonlinear polymers without destroying their complex molecular architecture. We report here the first MC simulation of a well-defined model long-chain branched polymer, the H-shaped polyethylene melt, in full atomistic detail. The simulation has been executed with an advanced set of chain connectivity-altering moves based on the end-bridging [Pant and Theodorou, Macromolecules 28, 7224 (1995); Mavrantzas et al., Macromolecules 32, 5072 (1999)] and double-bridging [Karayiannis et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 105503 (2002); Karayiannis et al., J. Chem. Phys. 117, 5465 (2002)] algorithms. The new scheme provides excellent system equilibration at all length scales. The new method opens up the way toward the simulation of other nonlinear polymer systems where chain branch.
Effect of Political Connections on Stock Price Behavior of Brazilian Companies

The article used the event study method to determine the effects of the appointment of board members with political experience on stock prices and on the companies during the 2008 financial crisis. The results show that connections can bring significant abnormal positive returns, although with short-term effects. In this article, the positive effect of appointment proved consistent for one day. Furthermore, during the 2008 crisis, the companies without political connections showed a greater and statistically significant deterioration in returns for the 10-week evaluation period before the event (crisis).
Comparison of Thermal Battery Management of a Formula Electric Car Using Passive Cooling with and without a Phase Change Material

As charging and discharging state of a battery pack causes electrochemical reaction which give rise to excessive heat resulting in thermal runaway. The performance of an electric vehicle on a great extends depends on the temperature of the battery pack and a nominal temperature reduces the chance of accident and increases the efficiency of the car. In this paper a modelling and simulation of a cylindrical Lithium-ion battery pack, PCM, passive cooling is performed. The objective of the study is to control the temperature of the battery pack by forced convection and phase change material, and a comparison study of both methods. The battery pack is simulated using simulation software and the different temperature of the pack while charging and discharging was presented. The method used for the cell model is lumped battery interface and the thermal model used is modeled using electrochemical heating multiphysics coupling mode the software used is Comsol Multiphysics. Computational fluid dynamics analysis was carried out to investigate the performance of passive cooling with and without PCM. The temperature of the battery pack for both case is within the limit. The passive cooling without PCM method is more efficient. On the other hand, the passive cooling is cheap and it also gives a favorable result. The result was computed using numerical computation method but in the real life experiment there might be a slight change in the parameters but the result is satisfactory.
SALT TOLERANCE AND SALT ACCUMULATION OF LANDSCAPE PLANTS IRRIGATED BY SPRINKLER AND DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Field trials were conducted to evaluate salt tolerance of landscape plants for recycled-water irrigation. Ten selected landscape plant species exhibited substantial differences in salt tolerance. Plants with more tolerance to salt tend to accumulate less salt than less salt tolerant plants. Plants were more susceptible to salt stress under sprinkler irrigation than under drip irrigation, because leaf direct contact with salt. No apparent salt stress symptom was detected when plants were irrigated by drip irrigation either with 500 mg L−1 or 1500 mg L−1 salt (NaCl). Therefore, drip irrigation using recycled water may be accept-able for many landscape plants in California landscape. There was a positive relationship between the salt tolerance revealed by sprinkler irrigation and the salt tolerance revealed by drip irrigation. This positive relationship is a potentially useful character to screen for salt tolerant landscape plants. Selection for salt tolerant landscape plants for recycled water irrigation is a viable approach for landscape management.
Highly efficient and straightforward functionalization of cellulose films with thiol-ene click chemistry

Three efficient and straightforward chemical pathways have been studied to functionalize solid cellulose substrates, involving for the first time alkoxysilane chemistry coupled with the photochemical version of the thiol-ene reaction. The success of the reactions was confirmed using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and XPS analysis, but different grafting efficiencies were observed depending on the combination used. In a first route, ene-functionalized cellulose films were synthesized using vinyltrimethoxysilane as coupling agent, and were photochemically coupled with methylthioglycolate (MeGlySH). A very fast reaction rate was observed for this reaction during the first 5 min. In a second route, the opposite reaction was envisaged by clicking allylbutyrate on a thiol-functionalized cellulose surface, previously synthesized using 3-mercaptopryltrimethoxysilane as coupling agent. The success of the reaction was highlighted, but lower modification rates were observed. In a third route, a novel approach was successfully proposed for the grafting of thiol molecules on cellulose, based on the click derivatization of the molecule with alkoxysilane functions. Through this study, we expand the modular and versatile character of click chemistry to natural cellulosic substrates. But most importantly, these modification routes can be envisaged for the functionalization of other surfaces (i.e., metal alkoxides for instance) where alkoxysilane chemistry can be employed.
ORTHO–PARA SELECTION RULES IN THE GAS-PHASE CHEMISTRY OF INTERSTELLAR AMMONIA

The ortho–para chemistry of ammonia in the cold interstellar medium is investigated using a gas-phase chemical network. Branching ratios for the primary reaction chain involved in the formation and destruction of ortho- and para-NH3 were derived using angular momentum rules based on the conservation of the nuclear spin. We show that the “anomalous” ortho-to-para ratio of ammonia (∼0.7) observed in various interstellar regions is in fact consistent with nuclear spin selection rules in a para-enriched H2 gas. This ratio is found to be independent of temperature in the range 5–30 K. We also predict an ortho-to-para ratio of ∼2.3 for NH2. We conclude that a low ortho-to-para ratio of H2 naturally drives the ortho-to-para ratios of nitrogen hydrides below the statistical values.
Separation of dimethyl carbonate and methanol mixture by pervaporation using HybSi ceramic membrane

In the current context of high biodiesel production, some by-products are created particularly glycerol. Glycerol has a wide range of applications however its market is supersaturated as its production is very high. A solution found is the production of a value added component from glycerol. This value added component is the glycerol carbonate (GC) produced by transesterification reaction of glycerol with dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The reaction includes four components: glycerol, DMC, GC and methanol. As methanol and DMC make up an azeotropic mixture, it is not possible to separate them by distillation. Pervaporation is a solution for this separation as it can break the azeotrope mixture and have other advantages especially energy saving. The pervaporation using polymeric membrane presents disadvantages as the low thermally and chemically resistance. Therefore another kind of membrane is needed. As ceramic membrane resistance is higher, the commercial HybSi ceramic is selected for this thesis experiments. This study aim to analyse the separation of DMC and methanol by pervaporation. The separation performance of HybSi membrane is evaluated at 40-50-60◦C with binary mixture of different concentrations. The permeation through the membrane is analysed by the solution-diffusion model. The results showed low permeate flux between 0 and 0.86 [ kg hm2 ] . The separation factor is approximately equal to 1 demonstrating low separation efficiency. Temperature and feed concentration influence the performance results. The major drawback of this membrane is the performance results instability. This work shows that HybSi membrane is not suitable for separation of DMC and methanol by pervaporation.
Organizational commitment, talent management and performance in hospitality industry

This paper's primary rationale is to investigate the impact of talent management practices (TMP) on organisational performance (OP) in the hospitality industry. Further, the study also tends to approach the mediating role of organisational commitment (OC) between TMP and OP within the hospitality Industry. The questionnaire method has been administered to gather the data from 440 managers and employees of selected two and three-star hotels. Statistical tools, i.e. EFA, CFA and SEM, were utilised to analyse the data. The study finds that TMP significantly and positively influences OP. Further, the study also verified that OC acts as a mediator between TMP and OC. The study has been restricted to North India, which includes two and three stars properties only; it should be extended in other sectors in the future. This study has significant value because it identifies that good exercise of TMP in hotels will lead to high performance. The present research indicates the practice for a more thorough TMP as it creates more committed employees, which enhances their performance by escalating their skills, capabilities, and knowledge and builds up self-confidence among them, which is an advantage today's competitive market.
Pulse radiolytic investigation of perfluorinated surfactants in aqueous solutions

Pulse radiolysis studies were performed for aqueous solutions of ammonium perfluorooctanoate, tetraethylammonium perfluorooctyl sulfonate, and an ammonium salt of a carboxylic perfluoropolyether derivative. The protiated system of sodium octanoate was also examined for comparison. The rate constants of hydrated electron (e−aq) and ·OH radical reactions with these amphiphiles, and absorption spectra of the intermediate products are reported for the first time. It is demonstrated that the critical micellar concentrations (CMC) can be determined from the kinetic data. The observed differences in e−aq reactivity towards fluorinated amphiphiles above CMC are rationalized in terms of different charge density at the micellar interface.
ON SOME SPECIES OF THE FAMILIES NIPHARGIDAE AND GAMMARIDAE FROM CROATIA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (Contribution to the knowledge of the Amphipoda 283)

New data of the genus Niphargus Schiödte, 1849 (Amphipoda, Niphargidae) from Croatia are presented. Niphargus radzai G. Kar. , 2014, known from Ravno Vrdovo on Dinara Mt., is discovered in Mareljina Jama Cave near Golubinka Cave, Biteljić Donji (Croatia), and some new data of this species are presented. The new subspecies Niphargus zagorae sterilis, ssp. n. from four caves in Vrdovo region (Croatia) is described and figured, and its relation to the nominal subspecies, N. zagorae zagorae Švara et al., 2015 is discussed. New data of the Gammarus balcanicus Schäferna, 1922 and Echinogammarus veneris (Heller, 1865) (Amphipoda, Gammaridae) from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are given.
ARRAYS OF VORTICES FOR PARTICLE TRAPPING AND PATTERNING USING SINGLE-BEAM ACOUSTIC HOLOGRAMS

Acoustic tweezers are of great interest to biomedical applications as they allow contactless particle manipulation for a broad range of sizes using low-power devices, becoming versatile and powerful tools for purposes such as cell manipulation or drug delivery. We report a novel method to generate acoustic tweezers through arrays of acoustic-vortex traps using holographic lenses for multiple particle patterning and manipulation. Likewise, this highly tunable approach allows to change the distance between acoustic traps varying the emitter frequency. First, we present the design of the holographic lens based on the desired configuration of acoustic traps based on theory and simulations. Second, we evaluate the trapping performance by exciting the hologram with a plane wave from a single-beam ultrasonic transducer. The results show that acoustic holograms allow generating acoustic-vortex traps with arbitrary lattice-pattern to control arrays of particles using a low-cost and low-power device. We advance applications in ultrasound bioengineering for cell-manipulation or drug-delivery carrier patterning.
Mastering AchtungDieKurve with Deep Q-Learning using OpenAI Gym

—Achtung Die Kurve is a simple multi-player game played on a shared screen where the goal is to win over your competitors by surviving as long as possible. The goal of this project was to use reinforcement learning to train a bot to be able to play, and master, the game in both single and multiplayer mode. Some simpliﬁcations of the game were done to ﬁt the scope of the project. The bot was trained with the Deep Q-Learning (DQN) algorithm from Open AI’s Baselines using the OpenAi Gym. Only a multilayer perceptron (MLP) network in the DQN was evaluated. The bot was able to achieve superhuman performance skill-wise, but lacked any kind of tactical notion, making it an average opponent at best.
Mediating effect of waist circumference on the relationship between physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents

Background: Physical activity (PA) and waist circumference (WC) are bothrelated to cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). However, the extent to which PA relates to CRF through WC is not known. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating effects of WC on the PA and CRF relationship in U.S. adolescents. Methods: Data from youths 12 to 15 years of age participating in the 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey (NNYFS) were used. Variables included self-reported moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA, min/day), WC (cm), and CRF (ml/kg/min). Linear regression was used to examine the sex-specific influencethatMVPA and WChave on CRFwhile controlling for confounding variables. The multivariate delta method was used to estimate standard errors for the indirect effects. Results: Findings from the fully adjusted sex-specific models showed MVPA and WC independently and significantly (all p < .05) related to CRF.Mediation analysis for boys indicated a significant indirect effect (ab = 0.0009, 95% CI: 0.00040.0015, 29% mediation) of MVPA on CRF through WC. Conversely, MVPA had no significant (p = .277) indirect effect on CRF through WC in girls. Conclusion: This study shows that WC partially mediates the relationship between PA and CRF in adolescent boys but not girls. These findings highlight that PA can be promoted to improve WC which can then improveCRF in adolescent boys.
The Effect of Off-bottom Clearance on Macro Instabilities in a Stirred Vessel

The Effects of off-bottom clearance on Macro instabilities (low frequency fluctuations of flow) generated by a Rushton turbine in a fully baffled cylindrical flat-bottomed vessel was investigated by laser Doppler velocimetry and a laser sheet flow visualization. The frequency of Macro instabilities depended on off-bottom clearance C, that is, the volume between the impeller and the bottom or the surface. Two frequencies of Macro instabilities above and below the impeller in the range of 0.3D ≤ C ≤ 0.8D showed linear correlation to the off-bottom clearance C, where D is the vessel diameter. However, for C 0.8D, the frequencies did not follow the linear correlation to the off-bottom clearance C.
Gas chromatographic and GC‐MS evidence for the occurrence of 3‐indolylpropionic acid and 3‐indolylacetic acid in seedlings of Cucurbita pepo

Gas chromatographic and GC-MS evidence is presented for the occurrence of two auxin substances, 3-indolylacetic acid and 3-indolylpropionic acid, in hypocotyls of Cucurbita pepo cv. Golden Hubbard seedlings grown in darkness or under blue-light illumination. The data provide the first unequivocal evidence for the presence of 3-indolylpropionic acid in a higher plant.
Facile shape-controlled synthesis of luminescent europium benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate architectures at room temperature

The large-scale synthesis of the metal–organic framework Eu(1,3,5–BTC)·6H2O nanocrystallites with delicate morphologies such as sheaflike, butterflylike, and flowerlike superstructures composed of nanowires have been realized via a simple solution phase method at room temperature. Time-dependent experiments indicate that these superstructures were constructed by the splitting crystal growth mechanism, as has been noted in some minerals in nature. The synthetic parameters such as reaction time, concentration and molar ratio of reactants, surfactant, and reaction temperature all affected the morphology of the Eu(1,3,5–BTC)·6H2O architectures. These well-arranged architectures exhibit red emission corresponding to the 5D0 → 7F2 transition of the Eu3+ ions under UV light excitation, and the lifetime is determined to be about 0.22 ms.
Tunneling dynamics of the NH chromophore in NHD2 during and after coherent infrared excitation

The time dependent quantum dynamics of the large amplitude motion of the NH stretching chromophore in NHD2 is investigated during and after coherent multiphoton excitation by calculation of the wave packet evolution using global analytical potential energy and electric dipole hypersurfaces of ammonia derived from ab initio calculations. Intramolecular vibrational redistribution between the NH stretching and bending motion and coupling to the radiation field induces a diffusion of probability density into the NH chromophore space, which includes the inversion coordinate. However, inversion remains essentially dominated by a tunneling process, even at average energies well above the inversion barrier.
Development of Smart Materials for Invasive Medical Applications Using Shape Memory Polymers

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) represent an intelligent polymeric material which can fix deformed temporary shape and recover their permanent shapes upon an external stimulus such that temperature, light, electricity, water, pH, magnetism and specific ions. This property is called shape memory effect (SME). The SME has underpinned its usefulness of SMPs in delicate minimally invasive surgeries (MIS’s) such as vascular stents, clot removals etc. The invasive biodegradable SMP devices can avoid second surgery and have a great potential over any conventional metallic biomedical device. The ability to change triggering temperature to use in a broader range of temperatures while keeping SME is another superior capability of SMPs. Additionally, SMPs have shown a good prospective due to their special characteristics such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, low rejection by host and low density. However, intrinsic low stiffness, strength and recovery stress possess a significant limitation in the applications of SMPs. In-depth literature survey has revealed that many existing concepts were terminated without further continuation. This may be mainly due to strict, lengthier Vitro and Vivo certification process. Therefore, to date, a limited number of invasive products have been realized and commercially available. This paper provides a brief overview of current SMP based invasive medical applications, status and limitations. This review will be more beneficial to identify current research gaps, for those who are emerging into SMP based invasive biomedical applications.
Development of a nano‐electrospray mass spectrometry source for nanoscale liquid chromatography and sheathless capillary electrophoresis

A Fisons Quattro I electrospray ionization (ESI) source has been modified to produce stable electrospray ion currents at flow rates as low as 50 nL/min. The original counter electrode and skimmer cone lens of the Fisons ESI source have been replaced with a spherical cone lens. This improved source provides a greater range of x,y,z positioning of a stainless steel tip resulting in a stable ion signal for flow rates of 50 nL/min to 2 μL/min. A tapered stainless steel electrospray tip (50 μm i.d.) was evaluated for mass spectrometry using nano-liquid chromatography (50 μm i.d., flow rate = 120 nL/min) and sheathless capillary electrophoresis. The analysis of a nonionic surfactant, octylphenol ethoxylate, was accomplished with both nanoscale separation techniques. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.