Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Overview of OTFS for Internet of Things: Concepts, Benefits, and Challenges

The Internet of Things (IoT) is envisioned to connect everything, spanning from terrestrial to nonterrestrial terminals, where reliable communication is expected to be allowed in both time-invariant and time-variant wireless channels. Since classic orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation, which has been widely used in both the fourth-generation (4G) and the fifth-generation (5G) cellular systems, is sensitive to high Doppler effect, it is challenging to satisfy the ever-growing demands of future IoT. To circumvent this issue, the orthogonal time–frequency space (OTFS) scheme is proposed, which modulates the information bits in both the delay and the Doppler domains, and exhibits beneficial advantages in both static and high-mobility wireless channel scenarios. In this article, we present a comprehensive overview of OTFS for IoT, including the current transceiver design, the potential benefits, the challenge issues, as well as future design guidelines.
Assessment of human exposure to electromagnetic fields from wireless power transfer system in the 1.8 MHz

In this study, we discuss human exposure to electromagnetic fields from magnetically coupled resonance wireless power transfer system operating at 1.8 MHz. A two‐step method that is composed of the finite element method (FEM) and finite‐difference time domain method are proposed. The applicability of the proposed two‐step method for a localized exposure within this frequency band is discussed by comparing the specific absorption rate (SAR) in a homogenous human‐body model computed using the FEM. From the computational results, the difference between the peaks 10‐g averaged SAR is below 10 %. These suggest results that the proposed method is applicable for evaluating compliance in realistic anatomical human body models from a wireless power transfer system. With proposed two‐step methods, the SAR in the anatomical human body model is computed for the different exposure scenarios under isolated and grounded conditions. The peak 10‐g averaged SAR in grounded human is larger than that in an isolated human. In the worst case, the peak 10‐g averaged SAR for isolated and grounded condition are 50.6 and 60.7 mW/kg, respectively. The peak 10‐g averaged SAR limits are generally reached when the input powers are 33 W for the worst‐exposure condition. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1125–1129, 2015
A wide band TEM horn array radiator with a novel microstrip feed

We describe a TEM horn phased array radiator with a novel microstrip feed. Because the field profile in the TEM horn is uniform in amplitude and phase, multiple microstrip feeds can be inserted into a single radiator and their signals combined uniformly by the TEM horn; this particularly attractive feature makes possible low loss, wideband transmit power combining in the radiator rather than in the microwave module. Unlike Vivaldi notch and tapered slot antennas, the TEM horn radiator field configuration resembles that of a rectangular waveguide radiator and should have high cross-polarization rejection. Using a commercially available finite element analysis tool, we have designed in detail a dual-polarized array aperture operating from 1 to 5 GHz using this radiator. The element spacing supports full quadrant scan over the entire band of operation with a predicted scan VSWR less than 3:1 up to 52 degrees in elevation. Our simulation predicts better than 25 dB cross-polarisation rejection in the principal planes.
Modeling implanted metals in electrical stimulation applications

Objective. Metal implants impact the dosimetry assessment in electrical stimulation techniques. Therefore, they need to be included in numerical models. While currents in the body are ionic, metals only allow electron transport. In fact, charge transfer between tissues and metals requires electric fields to drive electrochemical reactions at the interface. Thus, metal implants may act as insulators or as conductors depending on the scenario. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical argument that guides the choice of the correct representation of metal implants in electrical models while considering the electrochemical nature of the problem Approach. We built a simple model of a metal implant exposed to a homogeneous electric field of various magnitudes. The same geometry was solved using two different models: a purely electric one (with different conductivities for the implant), and an electrochemical one. As an example of application, we also modeled a transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) treatment in a realistic head model with a skull plate using a high and low conductivity value for the plate. Main results. Metal implants generally act as electric insulators when exposed to electric fields up to around 100 V m−1 and they only resemble a perfect conductor for fields in the order of 1000 V m−1 and above. The results are independent of the implant’s metal, but they depend on its geometry. tES modeling with implants incorrectly treated as conductors can lead to errors of 50% or more in the estimation of the induced fields Significance. Metal implants can be accurately represented by a simple electrical model of constant conductivity, but an incorrect model choice can lead to large errors in the dosimetry assessment. Our results can be used to guide the selection of the most appropriate model in each scenario.
Does the Progression of the COVID-19 Pandemic Have an Influence on the Mental Health and Well-Being of Young People? A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to have impaired the mental health and well-being of young people. This study, for the first time, explores these aspects in young people with and without a migratory background during the extended course of the pandemic and restrictive measures, comparing two countries with a high COVID-19 prevalence: Austria and Turkey. Methods: The authors used the “Psychological General Well-being” index as part of an anonymous online survey with 3665 participants (ages 15–25), recruited from both countries during the first and the second waves of the pandemic, collecting data on individual experiences and problems encountered during the pandemic. Results: Mental health (b = 0.06, p < 0.023) and general psychological well-being worsened with the progression of the pandemic. Participants with financial problems had the most severe negative effect on mental health (b = 0.12, p < 0.001). Furthermore, females living in Turkey, both natives (b = −0.21, p < 0.001) and migrants (b = 0.25, p < 0.001), reported a more deteriorated mental health status over time. Conclusions: The extended pandemic duration and resultant “lockdown” restrictions have negatively affected the mental health of young people to varying degrees, depending on country of residence and migration background. A strong “recovery plan” that considers group-specific needs and vulnerabilities is urgently needed.
DCSST Multi-Modular Equalization Scheme Based on Distributed Control

As an important part of the DC micro-grid, DC solid-state transformers (DCSST) usually use a dual-loop control that combines the input equalization and output voltage loop. This strategy fails to ensure output equalization when the parameters of each dual active bridge (DAB) converter module are inconsistent, thus reducing the operational efficiency of the DCSST. To solve the above problems, a DCSST-balancing control strategy based on loop current suppression is presented. By fixing the phase-shifting angle within the bridge and adjusting the phase-shifting angle between bridges, the circulation current of each DAB converter module is reduced. Based on the double-loop control of the DAB, five controllers are nested outside each DAB submodule to achieve distributed control of the DCSST. The proposed control strategy can reduce the system circulation current with different circuit parameters of the submodules, ensure the balance of input voltage and output current of each submodule, and increase the robustness of the system. The simulation results verify the validity of the proposed method.
Portrait of an ‘outsider’ as permanent secretary in Whitehall: the life and times of Michael Bichard – an un-mandarin like mandarin1?

ABSTRACT This paper reports a study of permanent secretaries who served at the Department for Education (DfE) from 1975 to 2011. Located within a context of theories that explain how government bureaucracies operate, it focuses on Michael Bichard. Appointed in July 1995 when attempts were being made to open Whitehall to non-career civil servants, he retired in May 2001 having served 21 months with a Conservative and 48 months with a Labour Secretary of State. He was an unusual permanent secretary. An outsider, state school and red-brick university educated whose father had been a docker, his prior service was in local government. Inter alia, the paper traces his background and career; his role in the merger of the Departments for Education and Employment (DfEE); his relationship with his Secretaries of State; his contribution to education policy; and his estimation of his style and achievements. Consideration is also given to the value of external appointments and to the merits of a descriptive based approach to the study of public sector administration.
A Smarter Grid for Renewable Energy: Different States of Action

Smart grid has strong potential to advance and encourage renewable energy deployment, but given the multiple motivations for smart grid, renewables are not always central in smart grid policy discussions. The term “smart grid” represents a set of technologies, including advanced meters, sensors and energy storage that are crucial for the integration of more renewable and low carbon electricity into the electric power grid. However, developing and building a smart grid is jurisdictionally complex, path dependent and context specific; states and regions are approaching grid modernization in different ways. This paper reports on a comparative analysis of smart grid development in seven U.S. states. We use state-level policy documents to learn what motivates smart grid development and how smart grid is framed in relation to renewable energy. In some states, renewable technologies are presented as an integral part of the smart grid policy discussion, while in others they are largely absent.
Combined effect of polarization-mode dispersion and chromatic dispersion on strongly filtered /spl pi//2-DPSK and conventional DPSK

We show that strongly filtered /spl pi//2 differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) is better immuned against polarization-mode dispersion (PMD), whereas, DPSK has better tolerance toward chromatic dispersion. This provides the basis for tradeoff between PMD and group velocity dispersion tolerance through careful selection of a suitable modulation format from conventional DPSK and /spl pi//2-DPSK to suit different network topologies.
Spent fuel transportation risk assessment: overview

Abstract The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is responsible for issuing regulations for the packaging of spent fuel (and other large quantities of radioactive material) for transport that provide for public health and safety during transport [Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 71, ‘Packaging and transportation of radioactive waste’, dated 26 January 2004]. In September 1977, the NRC published NUREG 0170, ‘Final environmental statement on the transportation of radioactive material by air and other modes’, which assessed the adequacy of those regulations to provide safety assurance. In that assessment, the measure of safety was the risk of radiation doses to the public under routine and accident transport conditions, and the risk was found to be acceptable. Since that time, there have been two affirmations of this conclusion for spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transportation, each using improved tools and information that supported the earlier studies. This report presents the results of a fourth investigation into the safety of SNF transportation. The risks associated with SNF transportation come from the radiation that the spent fuel gives off, which is attenuated, but not eliminate, by the transportation casks shielding, and the possibility of the release of some quantity of radioactive material during a severe accident. This investigation shows that the risk from the radiation emitted from the casks is a small fraction of naturally occurring background radiation and the risk from accidental release of radioactive material is several orders of magnitude less. Because there have been only minor changes to the radioactive material transportation regulations between NUREG 0170 and this risk assessment, the calculated dose due to the external radiation from the cask under routine transport conditions is similar to what was found in earlier studies. The improved analysis tools and techniques, improved data availability, and a reduction in the number of conservative assumptions has made the estimate of accident risk from the release of radioactive material in this study approximately five orders of magnitude less than what was estimated in NUREG 0170. The results demonstrate that NRC regulations continue to provide adequate protection of public health and safety during the transportation of SNF.
The Posterior Part Influences the Anterior Part of the Mouse Cranial Base Development

The cranial base is a critical structure in the head, which is composed of endoskeletal and dermal skeletal. The braincase floor, part of the cranial base, is a midline structure of the head. Because it is a midline structure connecting the posterior skull with the facial region, braincase floor is critical for the orientation of the facial structure. Shortened braincase floor leads to mid‐facial hypoplasia and malocclusions. During embryonic development, elongation of the braincase floor occurs through endochondral ossification in the parachordal cartilage, hypophyseal cartilage, and trabecular cartilage, which leads to formation of basioccipital (BO), basisphenoid (BS), and presphenoid (PS) bones, respectively. Currently, little is known about whether maturation of parachordal cartilage, hypophyseal cartilage, and trabecular cartilage occurs in a simultaneous or sequential manner and if the formation of one impacts the others. Our previous studies demonstrated that loss of function of ciliary protein Evc2 leads to premature fusion in the intersphenoid synchondrosis (ISS). In this study, we take advantage of Evc2 mutant mice to delineate the mechanism governing synchondrosis formation. Our analysis supports a cascade mechanism on the spatiotemporal regulation of the braincase floor development that the hypertrophy of parachordal cartilage (posterior side) impacts the hypertrophy of hypophyseal cartilage (middle) and trabecular cartilage (anterior side) in a sequential manner. The cascade mechanism well explains the premature fusion of the ISS in Evc2 mutant mice and is instructive to understand the specifically shortened anterior end of the braincase floor in various types of genetic syndromes. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Command and Telemetry Latency Effects on Operator Performance during International Space Station Robotic Operations

International Space Station operations require onboard crewmembers to perform numerous robotic assembly, maintenance, and inspection activities. Ground-based control of the Mobile Servicing System (MSS), in particular the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), has been identified as one potential solution to alleviate disproportionate robotic maintenance and inspection timelines that potentially exceed crew availability and duty times. Challenges to operator performance and safety of ground-based control of these manipulators include significant data and telemetry latency. Recent trends of transmissions between the International Space Station and NASA's Mission Control Center have determined the round-trip time delay can range from 6-8 seconds. The purpose of this study was to examine operator performance when subjects performed representative dexterous robotic tasks with anticipated command and telemetry time delays. Results from this study may determine whether augmentations to existing operator tools and procedures are required in order to manually control the SPDM from ground-based workstations.
Factors Associated to Performance in Mexican Water Utilities

The aim of this paper is, first, to investigate the factors associated to performance in Mexican water utilities by analyzing the correlation structure of the most important indicators of a sample of 106 water utilities. Second, to classify these utilities according to these factors to identify patterns of efficiency related to contextual variables, such as GDP per capita, precipitation and population. A classification using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA) was carried out. The PCA was used to investigate the essential factors (components) that are inherent to the main performance indicators of utilities. The HCA was used to generate clusters of utilities based on the factor scores obtained through PCA. Utilities were clustered in five groups; afterwards, the groups were compared in terms of variables that were thought to affect their performance. Results indicate that non revenue water is higher in utilities with a high number of staff per thousand connections. Non revenue water is also correlated to low production costs (low opportunity cost of water) and high precipitation rates, used as a proxy for water availability. Water and sewerage coverage is positively correlated to GDP per capita and number of connections, which indicates that larger and more developed cities have better access to water; however, high population growth rates seem to be associated to lower coverage ratios. Collection ratio and average revenue per cubic meter are greater in localities with higher metering level and these utilities have also the larger operating cost coverage (revenue/cost ratio). Privately managed utilities have lower staff per connection and higher revenue/cost ratio. Utilities with the overall best performance are located in the north of Mexico, where water is scarce, while the worst performing utilities are usually located in the south of the country, where water is more abundant. In general, this study provides an understanding of the correlations of performance indicators, and the classification of utilities provides policy makers with an overview of the variety of water utility profiles in order to formulate policies that are consistent with the problems faced by each group. See above See above
Facile Polyolefin Plastics Hydrogenolysis Catalyzed by a Surface Electrophilic d0 Hydride

Polyolefins comprise a major fraction of single-use plastics and yet their catalytic deconstruction/recycling has proven challenging due to their inert hydrocarbon connectivities. Here an electrophilic earth-abundant single-site organozirconium catalyst chemisorbed on a highly Brønsted acidic support and characterized by a broad array of experimental and theoretical techniques, is shown to mediate the rapid hydrogenolytic cleavage of molecular and macromolecular saturated hydrocarbons under mild conditions. For n-hexadecane, hydrogenolysis to light hydrocarbons proceeds with an activity of 690 mol n-hexadecane · mol Zr-1 · h-1 at 150°C/2.5 atm H2 pressure. Under similar solventless conditions, polyethylene, polyethylene-co- 1-octene, isotactic polypropylene, and a post-consumer sandwich bag are rapidly hydrogenolyzed to low molecular mass hydrocarbons via a turnover-limiting C-C scission pathway involving ßalkyl transfer rather than more common σ-bond metathesis.
Fine-scale Landscape Variability of Cotonou City, Benin: Insights From Three Contrasted Urban Neighborhoods

Urbanization consist in a complex and deep human-driven environmental change that strongly impacts the ecology and evolution of living organisms, including pathogens, reservoir and vector species hence human health. Quantitative proxies of urban landscapes may be very useful to sum-up such a complexity and to guide fundamental and applied research as well as urban planning programs. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide landscape and uses metrics which can be investigated through multivariate analyses, thus providing pertinent synthetic landscape descriptors. As such, our study describes the fine-scale modelling of three urban neighborhoods of Cotonou city, Benin, using GIS, landscape metrics and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Spatial variability between and within neighborhoods revealed different levels of variability, with elements differentiating the three areas from each other, while local neighbourhood-specific variations were also evidenced. We found that Cotonou landscapes are strongly influenced by their history, the natural environment in which they develop as well as the urban planning trajectories. This case study shows that PCA-analyzed of GIS-based metrics may be very relevant to describe and understand the variability of urban landscapes at different scales, thus constituting a valuable tool for urban management of African cities.
Dynamics of Poverty and Drug Addiction in Sylhet, Bangladesh

In this article, we introduce a compartmental mathematical model, which is attempted to understand the dynamics of poverty and drug addiction. In the model, we have an addicted compartment, which allows for an approach of government and non-government interventions. The stability analysis in this model holds for an addiction free equilibrium. We instated that, the equilibrium is locally asymptotically stable when the reproduction number is less than 1 and unstable when it is greater than 1. Numerical simulations of the systems have been presented to show the variations of the population in different situations. We also find out that, the high rate of interventions will reduce poverty and drug addiction and snatching faster. Our aim is to reduce poverty and addiction to their barest minimum. Data that have been used for simulations are based on the addiction happens in the district of Sylhet in Bangladesh. Some of the data we used are actually based on estimations from the results of our personal survey and secondary source (since primary data are not always available because of government restrictions and strictness in law and order). But we found that, our approximations are actually correct enough to present the model appropriately. Keywords— ODE; epiedmiology; stability Analysis; compartmental model; reproduction number; poverty; drug addiction; intervention