Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predictive Analysis of Installation and Operational Qualification Issues vs . Process Severity Events

As the retail industry grows more popular, ABCD, a world-class electronic commerce (ecommerce) business, is increasingly building new Fulfillment Centers (FCs) to support this rapid demand growth. It is integral for ABCD to validate the installation quality and functionality of Material Handling Equipment (MHE) in these newly built FCs so operations can avoid errors. To achieve this objective, ABCD introduced the Installation and Operational Qualification (IOQ) process in late 2014. While the IOQ process reduces early operational failures, it does not completely eliminate them. Inadequate IOQ and tighter installation timelines are leading to degraded installation quality, resulting in operational issues and costs for ABCD. As the FC network continues to grow, there is a need to improve installation quality to reduce early operational issues and enhance the FC start-up experience. This project is a part of the ABCD Operation Engineering teams’ effort to improve the existing IOQ process and the FC start-up experience. This initiative consists of three main phases. The first phase – the research phase – is dedicated to understanding the current processes and problem statement. It also includes a study of available data sources to discover failure patterns across different FCs. The second phase involves developing analytical frameworks and machine-learning models to uncover the most problematic equipment in the FC. The third phase focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of the current IOQ process based on Phase 1 and 2 findings, and identifying opportunities to better the process. The thesis summarizes the outcomes from all of these phases. The project focuses on improving IOQ coverage, efficiently reprioritizing the testing schedule, introducing threshold metric for installation quality, and exploring predictive and preventative maintenance opportunities. This thesis also includes recommendations for refining the data-gathering process to improve future model outcomes. The ultimate goal is to improve FC installation quality and enhance the IOQ process to eliminate start-up issues. The approach taken and the recommendations proposed seek to approximate the ideal state as closely as possible. Incremental adoption of these recommendations will help deliver better-installed FCs, reduce early operational issues, improve start-up experiences, and strengthen ABCD’s infrastructure. Thesis Supervisor: Duane S. Boning Title: Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Thesis Supervisor: Negin (Nicki) Golrezaei Title: Assistant Professor of Operation Management, MIT Sloan School of Management 3 | P a g e This page has been intentionally left blank.
Advances in the Understanding of Two-Pore Domain TASK Potassium Channels and Their Potential as Therapeutic Targets

TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ (TASK) channels, including TASK-1, TASK-3, and TASK-5, are important members of the two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channel family. TASK-5 is not functionally expressed in the recombinant system. TASK channels are very sensitive to changes in extracellular pH and are active during all membrane potential periods. They are similar to other K2P channels in that they can create and use background-leaked potassium currents to stabilize resting membrane conductance and repolarize the action potential of excitable cells. TASK channels are expressed in both the nervous system and peripheral tissues, including excitable and non-excitable cells, and are widely engaged in pathophysiological phenomena, such as respiratory stimulation, pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmia, aldosterone secretion, cancers, anesthesia, neurological disorders, glucose homeostasis, and visual sensitivity. Therefore, they are important targets for innovative drug development. In this review, we emphasized the recent advances in our understanding of the biophysical properties, gating profiles, and biological roles of TASK channels. Given the different localization ranges and biologically relevant functions of TASK-1 and TASK-3 channels, the development of compounds that selectively target TASK-1 and TASK-3 channels is also summarized based on data reported in the literature.
Inhibition of GSK3β Promotes Proliferation and Suppresses Apoptosis of Porcine Muscle Satellite Cells

Simple Summary This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the inhibitor and activator of the Wnt signaling pathway on the proliferation and maintenance of satellite cells in vitro. In this study, we isolated porcine muscle satellite cells (PMSCs) from a 1-day-old piglet and cultured PMSCs by treating the inhibitor (XAV939, Tankyrase inhibitor) and activator (CHIR99021, GSK3β inhibitor) of Wnt signaling. The results revealed that CHIR99021 promoted the proliferation of PMSCs by inhibiting MyoD expression while maintaining the expression of Pax7. CHIR99021 also suppressed apoptosis of PMSCs by regulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and genes. In essence, our findings indicate that the inhibition of GSK3β could promote the self-renewal of PMSCs and inhibit apoptosis. Abstract As the global population increases, interest in cultured meat (a new research field) is gradually increasing. The main raw material for the production of cultured meat is muscle stem cells called satellite cells isolated from livestock. However, how to mass proliferate and maintain satellite cells in vitro without genetic manipulation remains unclear. In the present study, we isolated and purified porcine muscle satellite cells (PMSCs) from the femur of a 1-day-old piglet and cultured PMSCs by treating them with an inhibitor (XAV939, Tankyrase (TNKS) inhibitor) or an activator (CHIR99021, glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) inhibitor) of Wnt signaling. The CHIR group treated with 3 μM CHIR99021 showed a significantly increased proliferation rate of PMSCs compared to the SC group (control), whereas the XAV group treated with 1 μM XAV939 showed a significantly decreased proliferation rate of PMSCs. CHIR99021 also inhibited the differentiation of PMSCs by reducing the expression of MyoD while maintaining the expression of Pax7 and suppressed apoptosis by regulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and genes. RNA sequencing was performed to obtain gene expression profiles following inhibition or activation of the Wnt signaling pathway and various signaling mechanisms related to the maintenance of satellite cells were identified. Our results suggest that inhibition of GSK3β could dramatically improve the maintenance and mass proliferation ability of PMSCs in vitro by regulating the expression of myogenic markers and the cell cycle.
Design of a MEMS-based retina scanning system for biometric authentication

There is an increasing need for reliable authentication for a number of applications such as e commerce. Common authentication methods based on ownership (ID card) or knowledge factors (password, PIN) are often prone to manipulations and may therefore be not safe enough. Various inherence factor based methods like fingerprint, retinal pattern or voice identifications are considered more secure. Retina scanning in particular offers both low false rejection rate (FRR) and low false acceptance rate (FAR) with about one in a million. Images of the retina with its characteristic pattern of blood vessels can be made with either a fundus camera or laser scanning methods. The present work describes the optical design of a new compact retina laser scanner which is based on MEMS (Micro Electric Mechanical System) technology. The use of a dual axis micro scanning mirror for laser beam deflection enables a more compact and robust design compared to classical systems. The scanner exhibits a full field of view of 10° which corresponds to an area of 4 mm2 on the retinal surface surrounding the optical disc. The system works in the near infrared and is designed for use under ambient light conditions, which implies a pupil diameter of 1.5 mm. Furthermore it features a long eye relief of 30 mm so that it can be conveniently used by persons wearing glasses. The optical design requirements and the optical performance are discussed in terms of spot diagrams and ray fan plots.
Methods Employed in Optical Emission Spectroscopy Analysis: a Review

In this work, diﬀerent methods employed for the analysis of emission spectra are presented. The proposal is to calculate the excitation temperature (Texc), electronic temperature (Te) and electron density (ne) for several plasma techniques used in the growth of thin ﬁlms. Some of these techniques include magnetron sputtering and arc discharges. Initially, some fundamental physical principles that support the Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) technique are described; then, some rules to consider during the spectral analysis to avoid ambiguities are listed. Finally, some of the more frequently used spectroscopic methods for determining the physical properties of plasma are described.
Resolving the Source of X-Rays in the Local Group Dwarf IC 1613: X-Ray, Radio, and Optical Observations of a Luminous Supernova Remnant

A high-resolution X-ray image of the Local Group dwarf IC 1613 reveals that the principal source of X-ray emission in this direction arises in a background cluster of galaxies, as first suggested by Eskridge. In addition, however, we find a bright X-ray source coincident with the only known supernova remnant in this galaxy, S8. Extensive ground-based follow-up observations in the radio and optical regimes are reported. We confirm the nonthermal radio spectral index of the source and measure its extent to be ∼3″ at 20 cm. Imaging spectrophotometric observations taken with the multipupil spectrograph of the Special Astrophysical Observatory allow us to determine the density and velocity distribution of the gas in the remnant. The simultaneous presence of luminous X-ray and optical emission suggests a relatively young remnant in which the outward-moving shock has recently encountered dense material. We note that many of this object's properties are similar to those of the brightest optical remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, N49.
Nonlinear dynamics and polarization bistability in optically injected VCSELs

We investigate experimentally and theoretically nonlinear dynamics and polarization bistability in a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) submitted to an external optical injection with orthogonal polarization, i.e., the injected light from a master laser (ML) is linearly polarized and orthogonal to the polarization direction of the free-running VCSEL (slave laser, SL). Depending on the injection power level and the frequency detuning between ML and SL, our experimental results show that the injected VCSEL may undergo complex dynamics including subharmonic resonances and period-doubling route to chaos that are associated to polarization switching (PS). Using continuation method, we carry out a detailed bifurcation analysis and report on qualitatively different dynamics as we change the injection strength and/or the detuning. We show that PS may be strongly influenced by the presence of those dynamics. Our numerical results reveal period doubling dynamics that emerge from a Hopf bifurcation associated to an elliptical polarized injection locking state. Pure frequency-induced polarization bistability, i.e., when the detuning is changed for fixed injection power, is studied theoretically. Our results show that, depending on the level of the fixed injection strength, frequency induced PS may be achieved with or without hysteresis.
Resonant excitation of plasma oscillations in a partially gated two-dimensional electron layer

We have solved the problem of diffraction of terahertz radiation on a perfectly conductive gate strip that partially screens a two-dimensional (2D) electron layer located at some distance from the gate. Scattering and absorption spectra of such a structure reveal the fundamental plasma resonance excited under the gate. We have shown that the absorption enhancement factor at plasma resonance may reach very high values (up to 60). However, for narrow gate strips (with the width less than 100nm) the resonant scattering length of such a scatterer is shorter than its resonant absorption length by four orders of magnitude, which means that the gated plasmons in this case weakly couple to the terahertz radiation. We discuss the effects of interaction between plasma oscillations in gated and ungated regions of 2D electron layer and provide a qualitative explanation of the rather intensive terahertz emission from unstable gated plasmons in a 60-nm gate field-effect transistor observed recently.
High-resolution profilometry by using phase calculation algorithms for spectroscopic analysis of white-light interferograms

The proposed profilometer is based on an optical spectral analysis of white-light interferograms. Phase calculation algorithms are applied within the spectral domain for high-resolution profilometry. Absolute one-way optical path differences are measured without any axial scanning of the interferometer. This method is well adapted for the analysis of rough or binary surfaces with a 1 nm resolution.
Profiling science and innovation policy by object-based computing

Named entities, such as key initiatives, research programmes, scientific strategies and policies, are research objects or objects that are embedded in many web pages of science and innovation institutes. These objects provide important information that can be extracted intelligently from those pages. This paper brings forward an object-based computing method by using objects and their semantic information for profiling science and innovation policies. After extracting the objects and the relationships between them, we proposed an object grid to represent web pages. Objects were transferred into machine-readable knowledge units with rich semantic information. By using computational objects, we judged the intelligence value of web resources and classified policies into more detailed categories, such as strategic plan, research and development, and budget. To test the effectiveness of profiling science and innovation policies by using the object-based computing method, this paper conducted a research profiling experiment system.
G11.2–0.3, an evolved Cassiopeia A

G11.2-0,3 est une source radio non thermique dans le plan galactique; elle a ete proposee comme un reste de supernova de l'annee 386. On presente les observations radio de ce reste effectuees par VLA et on montre que sa structure est une version evoluee de Cassiope A
Difference frequency generation laser based spectrometers

Tunable mid‐infrared laser sources are the key to precision optical trace gas detection. Difference‐frequency generation (DFG) based laser sources are among a few practical laser sources that have demonstrated ultra‐high detection sensitivities during real‐world applications when combined with appropriate signal enhancing and noise reduction spectroscopic techniques. This article will discuss the technical approaches, illustrate application examples of DFG sources, and offer perspectives to competing technologies.
An unsplit convolutional perfectly matched layer improved at grazing incidence for the seismic wave equation

The perfectly matched layer (PML) absorbing boundary condition has proven to be very efficient from a numerical point of view for the elastic wave equation to absorb both body waves with nongrazing incidence and surface waves. However, at grazing incidence the classical discrete PML method suffers from large spurious reflections that make it less efficient for instance in the case of very thin mesh slices, in the case of sources located close to the edge of the mesh, and/or in the case of receivers located at very large offset. We demonstrate how to improve the PML at grazing incidence for the differential seismic wave equation based on an unsplit convolution technique. The improved PML has a cost that is similar in terms of memory storage to that of the classical PML. We illustrate the efficiency of this improved convolutional PML based on numerical benchmarks using a finite-difference method on a thin mesh slice for an isotropic material and show that results are significantly improved compared with the classical PML technique. We also show that, as the classical PML, the convolutional technique is intrinsically unstable in the case of some anisotropic materials.
Dynamics of a toroidal magnetic cloud in the solar wind

Knowledge about the behavior of compact toroidal magnetic force-free objects in ambient magnetic field may help to better understand dynamical processes in association with coronal mass ejections and their interplanetary counterparts. The problem to find the diamagnetic force acting on a toroidal object in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is solved analytically. At first the drapery of the inhomogeneous magnetic field caused by an insertion of a toroid was found, and then the force acting on the toroid by this disturbed magnetic field was obtained. The problem is considered in purely toroidal coordinates. The obtained solution can be used for calculations of the repulsing diamagnetic force acting on isolated objects in the solar corona such as magnetic clouds of a toroidal shape and for the determination of their velocity profiles. Deformations of toroidal transients due to this melon seed force are not investigated here. Only the force acting on the toroid as a whole is taken in consideration.
Precision measurement of the W boson mass using the full CDF Run II data set

The mass of the W boson, a mediator of the weak force between elementary particles, is tightly constrained by the symmetries of the standard model of particle physics. After the observation of the Higgs boson, the last missing component of the model, the measurement of the W boson mass provides a stringent test of the model. A measurement of the W boson mass is presented, which used data corresponding to 8.8 fb−1 of integrated luminosity, collected in proton-antiproton collisions at a 1.96 TeV center-of-mass energy with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. A sample of approximately 4 million W boson candidates was used to obtain a Wboson mass of 80433.5±6.4stat ±6.9syst = 80433.5±9.4 MeV, the precision of which exceeds that of all previous measurements combined. This measurement is in significant tension with the standard model expectation.
Wearable ultraviolet sensing fibers embedded with carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanowires

Owing to the increasing interest in personal health, the real-time measurement of the exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays during outdoor activities is a key technology that could be widely applied in the field of smart healthcare. Although wearable sensors that respond to UV intensity are being investigated, the development of sensors with stable durability and excellent sensing characteristics, despite movements, such as bending and exposure to external factors, including sweat and rain, is insufficient. In this study, we fabricated a wearable UV fiber sensor by embedding conductive carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and UV-sensitive zinc oxide nanowires (ZnO NWs) into highly elastic spandex fiber via a simple dipping-drying procedure. The ZnO NWs and CNTs coated in the form of a network inside the strands that constitute the spandex fiber enhanced the stability of the UV sensing measurements despite external changes, such as bending. In addition, by coating hydrophobic (3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,10-heptadecafluorodecyl)phosphonic acid onto the ZnO NWs, the current distortion of the UV sensing channel due to contact with liquid could be prevented. It was confirmed that the fiber-based UV sensor, in which ZnO NWs and CNTs are networked, responds sensitively to UV in an environment with exposure to water or sweat.
Safe by Design of nanomaterials in industrial production processes: nanomaterials in the cosmetic field

Cosmetic pleasantness of products containing inorganic UV filters depends on an unwanted whitening effect which is inversely correlated to their size. To overcome this effect, diameter has been reduced to nanosized but thus increasing the surface area and biological reactivity and carrying questions about the safety of humans and environment. Following a “safe and sustainability by design” approach, we designed a new class of optimized sunscreen UV filters by chemical functionalization of ZnO and TiO2 with Oxisol. If compared with the simple physical mixture, the new coated filters show different properties and benefits: a higher SPF (ISO 24443:2012), a better cytotoxic profile (MTT and NRU assay), a radical scavenging action (PCL assay) and an improved safety profile with a strong reduction of photocatalytic activity (Acid blue 9 test). In conclusion, our Safe by Design (acronym SbD) approach presents a new generation of UV filters bonded with booster molecules (by means of synergistic antioxidant effects) as the best compromise in the conscientious UV protection.
Numerical analysis of a cylindrical dielectric waveguide with a periodically varying circular cross section

A cylindrical dielectric waveguide with a periodically varying circular cross section is analyzed by using the mode-matching method. Accurate numerical results of the complex propagation constant of the axially symmetric TE mode of lowest order are presented for the sinusoidal variation, and the dependences of the stop-band characteristics on the amplitude of undulation and the difference of refractive indices between the core and clad regions are brought out. The accuracy and convergence of the numerical solutions are discussed.
Accuracy criterion for ultrashort pulse characterization techniques: application to spectral phase interferometry for direct electric field reconstruction

We propose a procedure for the comparison of two ultrashort optical pulses based on the root-mean-square field error. This procedure supplies a practical criterion that allows one to test the accuracy of pulse characterization techniques. We apply this procedure to spectral phase interferometry for direct electric field reconstruction (SPIDER), a method that uses shearing interferometry in the frequency domain to measure ultrashort light pulses. Two novel reconstruction algorithms are described in detail, one based on the reconstruction of the spectral phase by concatenation, the other by integration. The range of validity of these algorithms and the influence of noise on the accuracy of the reconstruction are studied using the proposed criterion.