Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resist: Robust Network Training for Memristive Crossbar-Based Neuromorphic Computing Systems

In recent years, memristive crossbar-based neuromorphic computing systems (NCS) have provided a promising solution for neural network acceleration. However, stuck-at faults(SAFs) and process variations in memristor devices significantly degrade the computing accuracy of NCS. In this brief, we propose a unified robust network training framework for a memristive crossbar-based NCS, simultaneously taking the impacts of SAFs and variations into account. In order to incorporate SAFs and variations into the training process, an effective sampling strategy for SAF and an efficient variation injection technique based on the local reparameterization method are developed. Experimental results clearly demonstrate that the proposed training framework can boost the computation accuracy of NCS.
Uncertainty analysis using corrected first‐order approximation method

Application of uncertainty and reliability analysis is an essential part of many problems related to modeling and decision making in the area of environmental and water resources engineering. Computational efficiency, understandability, and easier application have made the first‐order approximation (FOA) method a favored tool for uncertainty analysis. In many instances, situations may arise where the accuracy of FOA estimates becomes questionable. Often the FOA application is considered acceptable if the coefficient of variation of the uncertain parameter(s) is <0.2, but this criterion is not correct in all the situations. Analytical as well as graphical relations for relative error are developed and presented for a generic power function that can be used as a guide for judging the suitability of the FOA for a specified acceptable error of estimation. Further, these analytical and graphical relations enable FOA estimates for means and variances of model components to be corrected to their true values. Using these corrected values of means and variances for model components, one can determine the exact values of the mean and variance of an output random variable. This technique is applicable when an output variable is a function of several independent random variables in multiplicative, additive, or in combined (multiplicative and additive) forms. Two examples are given to demonstrate the application of the technique.
Estimating the yield and characteristics of random network carbon nanotube transistors

The device characteristics of field-effect transistors featuring a random network of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a channel material were investigated by means of a numerical simulation. The simulations of the conductivity of CNTs, contact resistances, and metallic to semiconducting ratio indicated that, even with a random network composed of one-third metallic CNTs, the maximum yield rate can be dramatically increased by shortening the CNTs. The error rate can be reduced to 0.0014% when the length of CNTs is one-tenth of the source-to-drain distance. The conductance of the devices, on/off ratio, and methods to improve these characteristics are also discussed.
Positions for the Outer Planets and Many of their Satellites. IV. FASTT Observations Taken in 1999-2000

This paper presents 1201 new equatorial positions taken in 1999–2000 for the outer planets Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, as well as for 17 satellites of Jupiter–Neptune. Additional positions for Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune can be derived from the planetocentric orbits of their satellites given in this paper. All the positions were determined in the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF) from CCD observations taken with the Flagstaff Astrometric Scanning Transit Telescope (FASTT) using differential reductions. Accuracies of ±0. ″08 to ±0. ″28 were achieved, depending on the signal-to-noise ratio observed for each object. When new and older FASTT positions are compared with modern Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) ephemerides, there is usually good agreement (±0.″1 and often much better) between theory and observation. In particular, the agreement with DE405 for the planets Jupiter–Pluto is always better than ±0. ″05, when results are averaged over several years. Exceptions include the outer satellites of Jupiter (Elara and Pasiphae) and two satellites of Uranus (Titania and Oberon), whose ephemerides probably need improvement.
Numerical computation of the domain of operation of an electrospray of a very viscous liquid

A numerical study is carried out of the injection of a very viscous liquid of small electrical conductivity at a constant flow rate through an orifice in a metallic plate under the action of an electric field. The conditions under which the injected liquid can form an elongated meniscus with a thin jet emanating from its tip are investigated by computing the flow, the electric field and the transport of electric charge in the meniscus and a leading region of the jet. A stationary solution is found only for values of the flow rate above a certain minimum. At moderate values of the applied field, this minimum flow rate decreases when the applied field or the conductivity of the liquid increase. The electric shear stress acting on the surface of the liquid is not able to drive the liquid into the jet at flow rates smaller than the minimum while, for any flow rate higher than the minimum, the transfer of electric current to the surface may occur in a slender region of the jet where charge relaxation effects are small and the field induced by the electric charge of the jet is important. At high values of the applied field, the flow rate must be higher than another minimum, which increases with the applied field, in order for the viscous stress to balance the strong electric stress acting on the meniscus. The two conditions taken together determine lower and upper bounds for the applied field at a given flow rate, but the value of the applied field at which a stationary jet is first established when this parameter is gradually increased is higher than the lower bound, leading to hysteresis. When the liquid is electrosprayed in a surrounding dielectric fluid, the viscous shear stress that this fluid exerts on the surface of the jet eventually balances the electric shear stress and stops the continuous stretching of the jet. A fraction of the conduction current is left in the jet when the effect of the outer liquid comes into play in the region where this current is transferred to the surface, and no stationary solution is found above a maximum flow rate that decreases when the viscosity of the outer liquid increases or the applied field decreases. Order of magnitude estimates of the electric current and the conditions in the current transfer region are worked out.
Fact or Fiction? The Development and Evaluation of a Tobacco Virtual Health Tool

The virtual setting is an important setting for health promotion as individuals increasingly go online for health information and support. Yet, users can have difficulty finding valid, trustworthy, and user-friendly health information online. In 2022, we launched an interactive Fact or Fiction Tobacco virtual health tool. The virtual health tool uses evidence-informed tailored content to engage users and refer them to local tobacco cessation resources. The present paper describes the development, user testing, and evaluation of this tool. The Fact or Fiction virtual health tool was designed by tobacco cessation and health marketing experts and informed by health behaviour theories of change. The tool captures data on who is seeking health information, the user’s stage of readiness to quit tobacco products, and whether they act by accessing referred resources. In 2021, we conducted two phases of user testing prior to marketing the tool publicly. After 7 weeks of marketing, we collected data on user interactions with the tool and evaluated the reach of the tool. Results from user testing found the tool to be engaging, easy to use, and quick to complete. Adaptations were made to simplify and condense text and include additional animations. During the first seven weeks of the tool being live, it reached 2306 users, and 38.7% of those users were current or occasional tobacco users. Users were classified based on their intention to quit. Bivariate analysis found that the tool was successful in driving tobacco users towards action as 21.2% tobacco users who were looking to quit and 8.8% of tobacco users who were not looking to quit clicked on local tobacco cessation resources. This virtual health tool is reaching the targeted population and providing tailored information needed at each stage of the continuum of health behaviour change. Among tobacco users looking to quit, this virtual health tool acts as a quick referral to local tobacco cessation resources.
Biogeographic origins and drivers of alien plant invasions in the Canary Islands

Understanding the historical and contemporaneous drivers of invasion success in island systems can decisively contribute to identifying sources and pathways that are more likely to give rise to new invaders. Based on a floristic‐driven approach, we aimed at determining the origins of the invasive alien flora of the Canary Islands and shedding light in the mechanisms shaping their distribution within the archipelago.
Self-phase modulation and spectral broadening of optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers

Amplification of ultrashort optical pulses in semiconductor laser amplifiers is shown to result in considerable spectral broadening and distortion as a result of the nonlinear phenomenon of self-phase modulation (SPM). The physical mechanism behind SPM is gain saturation, which leads to intensity-dependent changes in the refractive index in response to variations in the carrier density. The effect of the shape and the initial frequency chirp of input pulses on the shape and the spectrum of amplified pulses is discussed in detail. Particular attention is paid to the case in which the input pulsewidth is comparable to the carrier lifetime so that the saturated gain has time to recover partially before the trailing edge of the pulse arrives. The experimental results, performed by using picosecond input pulses from a 1.52- mu m mode-locked semiconductor laser, are in agreement with the theory. When the amplified pulse is passed through a fiber, it is initially compressed because of the frequency chirp imposed on it by the amplifier. This feature can be used to compensate for fiber dispersion in optical communication systems. >
Structure of sheared turbulent fields

Small scale turbulent temperature and velocity measurements were made in a variety of turbulent shear flows in the atmosphere and laboratory, in air and in water. Nonzero skewness values of the streamwise temperature gradient were observed in every case, with a sign equal to that of the gradient dotted with the cross product of the mean temperature gradient and mean shear vectors. Large temperature jumps were found across sharp shear zones at the outer boundaries of large scale eddies rotating with the mean vorticity of the shear flow, giving a distinctive ramp‐like structure to the temperature signals which seems to be a characteristic feature of scalar fields mixed by sheared turbulence. The streamwise gradient of the vertical velocity in the atmospheric boundary layer over the ocean was found to have positive skewness. Thus, both velocity and temperature fields are locally anisotropic in the same sense as the anisotropic mean quantities.
A Case Series of Surgical Resection of Anterior and Posterior Butterfly Glioma Grade 4 via a Minimally Invasive Keyhole Approach

Surgical resection of infiltrating glial neoplasms has proven to improve quality of life and confer a significant survival benefit. As accumulating evidence cements the role of surgery in grade 4 gliomas, there is a general trend to transition away from traditional large craniotomies to smaller ‘keyhole’ approaches, which aim to reduce the trauma and complication profiles associated with large exposures. A keyhole approach uses a small craniotomy positioned perfectly to reach at least all the target structures that a conventional approach would reach. We present a case series of operated butterfly gliomas grade 4 patients through keyhole approaches. All three operated patients have better survival than the literature biopsy groups. The resection of butterfly gliomas should be considered in selected cases. For some patients, it is feasible with the technology used nowadays, with improved quality of life and better survival prognosis.
ENTREPRENEUR PREPAREDNESS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROBABLE SUCCESSORS IN ENTREPRENEURIAL ORGANIZATION: SCALE DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION

Preparedness of an entrepreneur with regards to development of his probable successors especially for key roles is not only critical and important keeping in view the long-term business success but also to remain competitive. This research paper presents the creation and verification of the entrepreneur preparedness to the development of probable successors in Entrepreneurial Organization engagement scale, as tested on a sample of 150. The respondents included Leadership Team, Heads of Human Resources and senior management team members of the organizations belonging to 48 organizations due to the involvement of senior management of these organizations and homogeneous nature of the population. The basis of selection was their entrepreneurial orientation. The organizations are more than a year old to maximum of 90 years old. Organizations which were selected belonged to across industries irrespective of national geography as the meaning of entrepreneurial orientation remains same in any industry. Sampling of participants focused primarily on role of respondents in succession planning for probable successors in their organizations. The scale is a 19 item self-reporting questionnaire (1 was dropped as it was irrelevant) that measures four facets of development of probable successors with regards to Statements that represent preparedness of Entrepreneur with regards to the development of probable successors in entrepreneurial Organization. The test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the subscales were both quite good. All the dimensions of development of probable successors were positively and significantly related. The results of EFA rendered 3 distinct factors namely; Leadership Commitment to Planned succession, Communication of Planned succession to probable successors, Succession decisions directed by Family concerns, values and norms. These factors were then checked for construct validity and discriminant validity followed by structural model fit assessment.
Advances in Characterizing the Transport Systems of and Resistance to EntDD14, A Leaderless Two-Peptide Bacteriocin with Potent Inhibitory Activity

Enterocin DD14 (EntDD14) is a two-peptide leaderless bacteriocin produced by the Enterococcus faecalis 14 strain previously isolated from meconium. This bacteriocin is mainly active against Gram-positive bacteria. Leaderless bacteriocins do not undergo post-translational modifications and are therefore immediately active after their synthesis. As a result, the cells that produce such bacteriocins have developed means of protection against them which often involve transport systems. In this and our previous work, we constructed different mutants deleted in the genes involved in the transport functions, thus covering all the supposed components of this transport system, using Listeria innocua ATCC 33090 as the indicator strain to assess the activity of externalized EntDD14. We also assessed the self-resistance of the WT and all its engineered derivative mutants against EntDD14, provided extracellularly, in order to evaluate their self-resistance. The results obtained highlight that the ABC transporter constituted by the DdG, H, I, and J proteins contributes to EntDD14 export as well as resistance to an external supply of EntDD14. Our results also have established the essential role of the DdE and DdF proteins as primary transporters dedicated to the externalization of EntDD14. Moreover, the in silico data showed that DdE and DdF appear to assemble in a formation that forms an essential channel for the exit of EntDD14. This channel DdEF may interact with the ABC transporter DdGHIJ in order to control the flow of bacteriocin across the membrane, although the nature of this interaction remains to be elucidated.
Surface instability of an encapsulated bubble induced by an ultrasonic pressure wave

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the shape stability of a nearly spherical bubble encapsulated by a viscoelastic membrane in an ultrasound field. To describe the dynamic balance on the bubble surface, the in-plane stress and the bending moment are incorporated into the governing equations for the perturbed radial flow of viscous incompressible fluid (Prosperetti, Q. Appl. Math., vol. 34, 1977, p. 339). The radial motion of the bubble is obtained by solving the Rayleigh–Plesset equation with elastic stress. The deflection therefrom is linearized and expanded with respect to the Legendre polynomial of order $k\geq 2$. Two amplitudes for each shape mode are introduced because the membrane moves not only in the radial direction but also in the tangential direction. The system with a boundary layer approximation is reduced to Mathieu’s equation. A simple expression for the natural frequency of the shape mode is derived, which is validated by direct numerical simulation. Stability diagrams for the higher-order shape mode are mapped out in the phase space of driving amplitude and frequency over a range of values of the elastic modulus of the membrane. The most unstable driving frequency is found to satisfy an integer multiple relationship of the form $2{\omega }_{k} / {\omega }_{d} = n$, due to the structure of Mathieu’s equation in the system. In addition to the resonance interaction, liquid viscosity plays an important role in the stability of the encapsulated bubble.
Small signal analysis of frequency chirping in injection-locked semiconductor lasers

A theoretical and experimental investigation of frequency chirping in injection-locked semiconductor lasers under a condition of small signal modulation is presented. It shows that a substantial reduction of frequency chirping can be obtained which, however, is effective only up to modulation frequencies of the order of the locking bandwidth and is strongly dependent on the frequency detuning between master and slave.
Failure Characterization of Silicone Rubber in Corrosive Environments Based on Leakage Current Characteristics

Due to the growing usage of composite insulators in transmission and distribution networks, the development of composite insulators has reached the stage of systematic reliability study. This article discusses the failure properties of HTV silicone rubber (SIR) in different energized corrosive environments and explores the characteristics that can characterize insulation failure. The findings demonstrate that the leakage current (LC) characteristics (the maximum values, the number of characteristic pulses, and cumulative charge) can effectively characterize the surface state of SIR in corrosive environments. The flashover tests during the withstand voltage experiment accelerated the electrical performance degradation of SIR and increased the LC. The three LC characteristics increase with experimental time, applied voltage, and fog conductivity. The occurrence of flashover is related to the fluctuation range of LC. The three LC characteristics in the alkali fog with the same conductivity and applied voltage are significantly higher than those in salt and acid fog. A failure characterization method of SIR based on the proportion of pulse number and cumulative discharge is proposed in this article. The findings are helpful in forecasting pollution flashovers and insulation failure in heavy fog, coastal, and industrial pollution areas.
Timeline of Developmental Defects Generated upon Genetic Inhibition of the Retinoic Acid Receptor Signaling Pathway

It has been established for almost 30 years that the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) signalling pathway plays essential roles in the morphogenesis of a large variety of organs and systems. Here, we used a temporally controlled genetic ablation procedure to precisely determine the time windows requiring RAR functions. Our results indicate that from E8.5 to E9.5, RAR functions are critical for the axial rotation of the embryo, the appearance of the sinus venosus, the modelling of blood vessels, and the formation of forelimb buds, lung buds, dorsal pancreatic bud, lens, and otocyst. They also reveal that E9.5 to E10.5 spans a critical developmental period during which the RARs are required for trachea formation, lung branching morphogenesis, patterning of great arteries derived from aortic arches, closure of the optic fissure, and growth of inner ear structures and of facial processes. Comparing the phenotypes of mutants lacking the 3 RARs with that of mutants deprived of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) synthesising enzymes establishes that cardiac looping is the earliest known morphogenetic event requiring a functional ATRA-activated RAR signalling pathway.
Is the Galactic Halo Planetary Nebula PN G243−37.1 an “O vi Sequence” Variable Object?

Archival IUE spectra of the Galactic halo planetary nebula PN G243−37.1 have been reprocessed by the NEWSIPS routine. The new results show a much richer emission‐line spectrum than has previously been reported. Several C iii, C iv, O v, and possibly O vi features were detected. P Cygni line profiles could not be identified with certainty. The He ii λ1640 emission, which is the strongest line in the IUE spectrum and is likely a mixture of stellar and nebular origin, increased in intensity as did the stellar continuum level between observational epochs of 1988 and 1990, which suggests that the object is a variable planetary nebula. A very recent optical spectrum confirms the UV results and suggests that the object underwent a dramatic change, possibly as a result of an episodic mass‐loss event.
Modified Nonlinear 3D Euler Bernoulli Beam Theory

Using the fully-enhanced variation of elastic potential energy the secondary extra elastic terms have been revealed in the dynamic model of a nonlinear 3D Euler-Bernoulli beam undergoing negligible elastic orientation. They have been sensed neither in the nonlinear 3D Euler-Bernoulli beam nor in the enhanced nonlinear 3D Euler-Bernoulli beam. They complete the issue of the new elastic terms of the enhanced nonlinear 3D Euler-Bernoulli beam. The whole of the extra elastic terms have been shown in the motion equations and the boundary conditions of a fully-enhanced nonlinear 3D Euler-Bernoulli beam undergoing negligible elastic orientation.
An Overview of Flexible Sensors: Development, Application, and Challenges

The emergence and advancement of flexible electronics have great potential to lead development trends in many fields, such as “smart electronic skin” and wearable electronics. By acting as intermediates to detect a variety of external stimuli or physiological parameters, flexible sensors are regarded as a core component of flexible electronic systems and have been extensively studied. Unlike conventional rigid sensors requiring costly instruments and complicated fabrication processes, flexible sensors can be manufactured by simple procedures with excellent production efficiency, reliable output performance, and superior adaptability to the irregular surface of the surroundings where they are applied. Here, recent studies on flexible sensors for sensing humidity and strain/pressure are outlined, emphasizing their sensory materials, working mechanisms, structures, fabrication methods, and particular applications. Furthermore, a conclusion, including future perspectives and a short overview of the market share in this field, is given for further advancing this field of research.