Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of opaque sales channels in addition to traditional channels by service providers

Motivated by the recent opaque selling trend promoted by Priceline and Hotwire, this study examines a game in which two collaborative service providers may use an opaque selling channel to satisfy demand from both leisure and business customers. Further, the service providers must make a strategic decision as to which opaque selling channel is more profitable: posted price (PP) or name your own price (NYOP). By comparing the profits from the three cases (traditional single channel, traditional and PP dual channel, and traditional and NYOP dual channel), we find some interesting results driven by the strategic interaction between two service providers and by the heterogeneity of customers. Firstly, a dual channel offers advantages over the single traditional channel, as opaque selling allows service providers to utilise customers’ heterogeneity, and thus facilitates price discrimination and customer segmentation. Secondly, choosing the traditional and NYOP mechanism enables service providers to optimise profits when the proportion and valuation of business customers, the opacity of the service, and the leisure customers’ degree of pessimism are all relatively high. Lastly, the traditional and NYOP combination outperforms the traditional and PP mechanism as a result of the relatively large pessimistic state of leisure customers.
Paul’s letters as a guide to online worship: reflections on a denominational survey of worship during lockdown

ABSTRACT A nationwide denominational survey in Australia revealed that most Salvation Army congregations moved to online worship during the COVID pandemic and that their leaders planned to continue online worship after lockdowns and restrictions had lifted. Therefore, it is timely to reflect on the creation and delivery of online worship. This comparative study seeks to draw parallels between online worship and the apostle Paul’s letters to distant and dispersed congregations and so address the question: can the creation and narration of Paul’s letters to Rome and Philippi offer insights into the shaping and effectiveness of online worship?
Supersonic flow calculation using a Reynolds-stress and an eddy thermal diffusivity turbulence model

A second-order model for the velocity field and a two-equation model for the temperature field are used to calculate supersonic boundary layers assuming negligible real gas effects. The modeled equations are formulated on the basis of an incompressible assumption and then extended to supersonic flows by invoking Morkovin's hypothesis, which proposes that compressibility effects are completely accounted for by mean density variations alone. In order to calculate the near-wall flow accurately, correction functions are proposed to render the modeled equations asymptotically consistent with the behavior of the exact equations near a wall and, at the same time, display the proper dependence on the molecular Prandtl number. Thus formulated, the near-wall second order turbulence model for heat transfer is applicable to supersonic flows with different Prandtl numbers. The model is validated against flows with different Prandtl numbers and supersonic flows with free-stream Mach numbers as high as 10 and wall temperature ratios as low as 0.3. Among the flow cases considered, the momentum thickness Reynolds number varies from approximately 4,000 to approximately 21,000. Good correlation with measurements of mean velocity, temperature, and its variance is obtained. Discernible improvements in the law-of-the-wall are observed, especially in the range where the big-law applies.
Development and Application of Interferometric On-Machine Surface Measurement for Ultraprecision Turning Process

The continuing evolution of ultraprecision machining places an increasing need to perform surface measurement in the manufacturing environment. Development of on-machine surface measurement (OMSM) tools for ultraprecision machining processes will enable the reduction of measurement cycle time as well as the potential improvement of machining accuracy. In the present study, an in-house designed interferometer probe is integrated onto an ultraprecision diamond turning machine. System configuration, calibration scheme and various scanning strategies are first presented. The benefit of OMSM preserves the consistency between the machining and measurement coordinate system. Two applications of OMSM for ultraprecision turning process are further investigated. To further improve the surface accuracy, corrective machining is carried out based on the on-machine measured data. The profile accuracy of a cosine curve sample was improved after corrective machining with OMSM. Moreover, process investigation with OMSM was employed to model the effect of process parameters on the form error in ultraprecision cylindrical turning process. OMSM enables the consistent measurement of part coordinates for each experimental run, which is critical for acquiring a deterministic response for empirical modeling. A reduced quadratic model was built by means of response surface methodology and verified by the test for significance of the regression model. The confirmation tests show that the model predicted value conformed to the experimental value with a difference less than 4%.
Grid Effect on Spherical Shallow Water Jets Using Continuous and Discontinuous Galerkin Methods

Abstract : Element-based Galerkin methods are not constrained by the logical structure of the computational grid. In this paper, the behavior of the continuous and discontinuous Galerkin solutions of the shallow water equations on the sphere is analyzed for three different grids of ubiquitous use in atmospheric modeling: (A) hexahedron (or cubed sphere), (B) reduced latitude-longitude, and (C) icosahedron. Conforming and nonconforming mesh configurations are adopted. The nonconforming grids are based on a quad-tree structure. The analysis is performed on the mid-latitude zonal flow problem suggested by Galewsky et al. [An initial-value problem for testing numerical models of the global shallow-water equation, Tellus 2004; 56A:429-440]. This test is sufficiently simple in its implementation, yet sufficiently complex to capture some important modes that arise on the global scales of real atmospheric dynamics. Because the inviscid solution on certain grids shows a high sensitivity to the resolution, the viscous counterpart of the governing equations are also solved and the results are compared. The study shows that not only the resolution, but the grid alignment with respect to the flow is important in order to obtain an accurate solution. This is especially true if the governing equations are not regularized by the addition of a sufficiently large, fully artificial, diffusion mechanism; we give a brief (not exhaustive) analysis of the effect of viscosity on the solution quality. The flexibility and accuracy of element-based Galerkin methods on general spherical geometries is illustrated; we particularly emphasize the excellent properties of the reduced Lat-Lon configuration in comparison with the cubed-sphere on the one hand, and with the more regular and uniform icosahedral grid on the other.
Sticking of cohesive particles in elasto-plastic collisions

The pairwise interaction between dry, elasto-plastic, adhesive particles is the subject of this study – where particles are different from the well understood case of perfect, homogeneous spheres. We propose a simplified (piece-wise linear) model that combines a short-ranged (van der Waals type) attractive force with an advanced, flexible, normal contact force law. This mesoscopic model is applicable in dynamic, collisional as well as quasi-static, dense and confined situations. Using simple energy considerations, an analytical solution for the coefficient of restitution en is derived, as function of the initial relative velocity – and validated by the numerical solutions of pairwise collisions. The relative influence of different sources of dissipation induces two sticking regimes, one at very low and one at high impact velocities. Very energetic collisions could avoid the sticking, either due to the elastic particle-core in the model, or due the change of phenomenology, e.g. due to fragmentation (not discussed, since this regime is beyond the reach of the model). The limits of the sticking regimes and the finite contact-overlaps, which sticking particles end up with, are reported and the influence of additional viscous dissipation on the pair collision dynamics is discussed.
Metallic Aluminum Suboxides with Ultrahigh Electrical Conductivity at High Pressure

Aluminum, as the most abundant metallic elemental content in the Earth's crust, usually exists in the form of alumina (Al2O3). However, the oxidation state of aluminum and the crystal structures of aluminum oxides in the pressure range of planetary interiors are not well established. Here, we predicted two aluminum suboxides (Al2O, AlO) and two superoxides (Al4O7, AlO3) with uncommon stoichiometries at high pressures using first-principle calculations and crystal structure prediction methods. We find that the P4/nmm Al2O becomes stable above ~765 GPa and may survive in the deep mantles or cores of giant planets such as Neptune. Interestingly, the Al2O and AlO are metallic and have electride features, in which some electrons are localized in the interstitials between atoms. We find that Al2O has an electrical conductivity one order of magnitude higher than that of iron under the same pressure-temperature conditions, which may influence the total conductivity of giant planets. Our findings enrich the high-pressure phase diagram of aluminum oxides and improve our understanding of the interior structure of giant planets.
A Novel Single-Inductor Injection-Locked Frequency Divider by Three With Dual-Injection Secondary Locking

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of signal intermixing taking place across the injectors of frequency-divide-by-three circuits with divide-by-two secondary locking. The analytical results confirmed by circuit simulations provide an insightful understanding of the circuit operation, and inspire the design of a novel single-inductor injection-locked frequency divider (ILFD) by three, where injection is reinforced by a dual-injection scheme with no penalty in power dissipation. The novel circuit, when benchmarked against existing ILFD topologies, optimized in a 65-nm LP CMOS process, shows about a three-time larger locking range with respect to the single-inductor divider by three with a floating-source injector, and about a 40% improvement with respect to the single-inductor divider by three with divide-by-two locking, for the same power dissipation. The novel topology has been adopted in a 15-GHz divider by three for a 5G radio-frequency synthesizer, reaching a 23.6% locking range at 1.56-mW dc power, featuring one of the best performances among divide-by-three ILFDs and a compact size of only 0.09 mm2.
A Theory of Reliance on Individuating Information and Stereotypes in Implicit Judgments of Individuals and Social Groups

We propose a theory of (a) reliance on stereotypes and individuating information in implicit person perception and (b) the relationship between individuation in implicit person perception and shifts in implicit group stereotypes. The present research preliminarily tested this theory by assessing whether individuating information or stereotypes take primacy in implicit judgments of individuals under circumstances specified by our model and then testing the malleability of implicit group stereotypes in the presence of the same (or additional) counterstereotypic individuating information. Studies 1 and 2 conceptually replicated previous research by examining the effects of stereotype-inconsistent and stereotype-consistent individuating information on implicit stereotype-relevant judgments of individuals. Both studies showed that stereotypic implicit judgments of individuals made in the absence of individuating information were reversed when the individuals were portrayed as stereotype-inconsistent and were strengthened when targets were portrayed as stereotype-consistent (though in Study 2 this strengthening was descriptive rather than inferential). Studies 3 and 4 examined whether the strong effects of individuating information found in studies 1 and 2 extended to the social groups to which the individuals belonged. Even in the presence of up to eight counterstereotypic exemplars, there was no evidence of significant shifts in group stereotypes. Thus, the data showed that the shifts in implicit judgments that were caused by individuating information did not generalize to stereotypes of the social groups to which the individuals belong. Finally, we propose modifications to our theory that include potential reasons for this lack of generalization that we invite future research to explore.
ANTIMICROBIAL SCREENING OF CRUDE EXTRACT OF PLUCHEA ARABICA: CHEMICAL COMPONENTS, DRUG LIKENESS, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTY AND MOLECULAR DOCKING ASSESSMENT

Objective: To explore the antimicrobial efficacy of the crude extract of Pluchea Arabica, drug likeness, physicochemical and molecular studies of its components. Methods: The crude extract was obtained applying soxhelt extraction assembly and the antimicrobial screening was performed using disc diffusion method. The drug likeness and physicochemical were investigated by employing the available software on the web (www. molinspiration.com) and molecular docking studies was carried out by Auto Dock Tools-4.2. Results: The methanol extract possess significant activity in comparison to the n-hexane extract. All the components following the Lipinski rule, out of all three components showed good bioactivity score in which two (1 & 3) mainly belongs to methanol extract and hydrogen bonding to the receptor also observed with these two component on molecular docking assessment. Conclusion: The crude extract of Pluchea Arabica was screened for antimicrobial evaluation and its components were subjected for calculation of computational parameters and molecular docking studies. Methanol extract of this is found to possess better antimicrobial potential than the n-hexane and the computational studies strongly supported the experimental results.
Program Outcomes and Health Care Utilization of People Experiencing Homelessness and Substance Use Disorder after Transitional Care Program Engagement

Abstract:People experiencing homelessness (PEH) have a high prevalence of mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD) and substantial acute and chronic disease burden. Transitional care and medical respite programs facilitate a safe transfer for PEH from the acute care to community setting. Many medical respite programs practice harm reduction strategies that can increase the opportunity for positive program outcomes for PEH with SUD. This transitional care and medical respite program evaluation explored program outcomes, health care utilization patterns, and comorbid conditions of persons with and without SUD. People experiencing homelessness with SUD had similar program outcomes and both groups had decreased acute care utilization after program engagement. A high prevalence of trimorbidity, which is associated with early mortality, was noted. Opportunities for harm reduction strategies to promote both social and clinical outcomes are offered.
SOCS3 Attenuates Dexamethasone-Induced M2 Polarization by Down-Regulation of GILZ via ROS- and p38 MAPK-Dependent Pathways

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) have emerged as potential regulators of macrophage function. We have investigated mechanisms of SOCS3 action on type 2 macrophage (M2) differentiation induced by glucocorticoid using human monocytic cell lines and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages. Treatment of THP1 monocytic cells with dexamethasone (Dex) induced ROS generation and M2 polarization promoting IL-10 and TGF-β production, while suppressing IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 production. SOCS3 over-expression reduced, whereas SOCS3 ablation enhanced IL-10 and TGF-β induction with concomitant regulation of ROS. As a mediator of M2 differentiation, glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) was down-regulated by SOCS3 and up-regulated by shSOCS3. The induction of GILZ and IL-10 by Dex was dependent on ROS and p38 MAPK activity. Importantly, GILZ ablation led to the inhibition of ROS generation and anti-inflammatory cytokine induction by Dex. Moreover, GILZ knock-down negated the up-regulation of IL-10 production induced by shSOCS3 transduction. Our data suggest that SOCS3 targets ROS- and p38-dependent GILZ expression to suppress Dex-induced M2 polarization.
Design and performance analysis of energy harvesting communications systems

The continuous growth of high data rates with huge increase in the number of mobile devices and communication infrastructure have led to greenhouse gas emission, higher pollution and higher energy costs. After the deployment of 4G and immense data rate and QoS requirements for 5G, there is an urgent need to design future wireless systems that aim to improve energy efficiency (EE) and spectral efficiency (SE). One of the possible solutions is to use energy harvesting (EH), which promises to reduce energy consumption issues in information and communication technology sector. In order to tackle these challenges, this thesis is focused on the design and performance analysis of EH systems. EH has emerged as a potential candidate for green wireless communication which not only provides solution to the energy limitation problem but also prolongs the lifetime of batteries. First, the performance evaluation of an EH-equipped dual-hop relaying system is proposed to improve the system throughput and the end-to-end signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We derive novel closed-form expressions for cumulative distribution function of individual link's SNR and of the end-to-end SNR. In addition, the proposed model analyses the ergodic capacity which is an important performance metric for delay-sensitive services. Further, these closed-form expressions reduce the computational complexity of the receiver architecture for practical systems. An insight through system parameters provide significant improvement in end-to-end SNR especially when both transmitter and relay nodes are equipped with harvesting sources. Second, performance analysis and optimal transmission power allocation techniques for EH-equipped system are studied. Our proposed model investigates and provides the conditions under which the harvesting can improve the system performance. In this work, novel closed-form expressions are calculated for the maximum achievable EE, SE and EH beneficialness condition. We studied two cases such as power is adapted to variations in the channel and when transmit power is fixed. We proved that EE-optimum input power decreases with EH power level. Also, system parameters demonstrate the conditions under which EH improves overall system performance. Finally, a multi-objective optimization problem is formulated that jointly maximizes EE and SE for point-to-point EH-equipped system. We introduce new importance weight which set the priority levels of EE versus SE of the system. The formulated problem is solved by using convex optimization method to achieve optimal solution. The proposed system model provides freedom to choose any value for importance weight to satisfy quality of service (QoS) requirements and the flexibility of balancing between EE and SE performance metrics.
Analysis of the electric wheel vibration reduction system of a wheel-hub motor-driven vehicle

Based on the principle of multi-stage vibration isolation and active vibration absorption, a multi-stage passive vibration-isolating system and active motor vibration-absorbing system are designed for the electric wheel system of wheel-hub motor-driven electric vehicle, and the 1/4 suspension structural diagrams of the two vibration-isolating systems are drawn. Secondly, the corresponding multi-degrees-of-freedom vertical vibration model is established according to the different structural diagrams, and the dynamic differential equation of the multi-degrees-of-freedom vibration system is deduced. Then, by programming the MATLAB software is used to solve the acceleration of the vehicle body, the dynamic deflection of the suspension spring, and the amplitude, and the frequency characteristic curve of the relative dynamic load of the wheel of the 1/4 suspension system are drawn and the results are compared and analyzed. Finally, the ADAMS software is used for remodeling; the simulation experiment of ADAMS multi-body dynamics verified the correctness of the theoretical results of MATLAB software. The results show that the ADAMS simulation experiment results are consistent with the MATLAB theoretical results, and their correctness is verified. The vibration isolation effect of the active vibration-absorbing system is better and can improve the riding comfort and safety of the vehicle; hence it is worth popularizing and drawing.
Electric double layer of spherical pH-responsive polyelectrolyte brushes in an electrolyte solution: a strong stretching theory accounting for excluded volume interaction and mass action law

In this paper, we study the electrostatics of pH-responsive polyelectrolyte-grafted spherical particles by using a strong stretching theory that takes into account the excluded volume interaction and the density of chargeable sites on the polyelectrolyte molecules. Based on the free energy formalism, we obtain self-consistent field equations for determining the structure and electrostatics of spherical polyelectrolyte brushes. First, we find that the smaller the radius of the inner core, the longer the height of the polyelectrolyte brush. Then, we also prove that an increase in excluded volume interaction yields an swelling of the polyelectrolyte brush height. In addition, we demonstrate how the effect of pH, bulk ionic concentration, and lateral separation between adjacent polyelectrolyte chains on the electrostatic properties of a spherical polyelectrolyte brush is affected by the radius of inner core, the excluded volume interaction and the chargeable site density.
The Long Journey of Extracellular Vesicles towards Global Scientific Acclamation

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous class of cell-derived vesicles that are responsible for eliciting a wide array of biological processes. After decades of intense investigation, the therapeutic potential of EVs will be finally explored in a series of upcoming clinical trials. EVs are rapidly changing the understanding of human physiology and will undoubtedly transform the field of medicine. The applicability of EVs as diagnostic biomarkers and treatment vectors has captured the attention of the scientific community and investors, facilitating the rapid progression of numerous EVs-based platforms. This mini-review provides an outline of the pioneering discoveries, and their respective significances, on progressing EVs toward clinical use. We focus the attention of the readers on several promising classes of EVs that hold major opportunities to translate in clinical practice. Market analysis and future challenges facing EVs-based therapies are also discussed.