Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time-domain Transformer-based Audiovisual Speaker Separation

In this study, we propose a transformer-based architecture for talker-independent audiovisual speaker separation in the time-domain. Inputs to the proposed architecture are the noisy mixtures of multiple talkers and their corresponding cropped faces. Using a cross-attention mechanism, these two streams are fused together. The fusion layer is followed by a masking net that estimates one mask per talker and multiplies the mixed feature matrix by these masks to separate speaker features. Finally, the separated features are converted to the time domain at the decoder layer. Moreover, we propose a novel training strategy to increase the role of the video stream which starts with a relatively noisy condition and gradually increases audio stream quality during training. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms existing techniques according to multiple metrics on several commonly used audiovisual datasets.
Enhancing Strength and Sustainability: Evaluating Glass and Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Biopolyamide as Alternatives for Petroleum-Based Polyamide Composite

This study aims to analyze strength properties and low-cycle dynamic tests of composite materials modified with glass and basalt fibers. Biopolyamide 4.10 was used as the matrix, and the fiber contents were 15, 30, and 50% by weight. Static tensile tests, impact tests, and determination of mechanical hysteresis loops were carried out as strength tests. The length of the fibers in the produced composites and their processing properties were determined. The composite materials were compared with commercially available glass fiber-reinforced composites with 30 and 50% fiber contents. The results showed that such composites can successfully replace composite materials based on petroleum-based polymeric materials, providing high strength properties and reducing the negative environmental impact by using renewable sources. Composites with 30% basalt fiber composition were characterized by higher tensile strength by about 60% compared to commercially available composites with 30% glass fiber composition and an almost doubly increased Young’s modulus. Increasing the content of basalt fibers to 50% results in a further increase in strength properties. Despite the lower tensile strength compared to polyamide 6 with 50% glass fiber content, basalt fibers provided an approximately 10% higher modulus of elasticity.
Study on Treatment Performance of Desulfurization Wastewater by Zero-Valent Iron Fenton-like Process

In this study, the zero-valent iron Fenton reagent (ZVI Fenton-like) system was combined with the chemical precipitation method for the deep treatment of desulfurization wastewater from coal-fired power plants, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) was used as the evaluation criterion for organic matter in the desulfurization wastewater. The effects of reaction time, H2O2 dosage, zero-valent iron dosage, pH, and reaction temperature were also investigated. The results showed that the COD concentration of the effluent was the lowest when the running time of the ZVI Fenton-like reagent system was 1 h, the dosage of H2O2 was 33.3 mg·L−1, the dosage of iron was 0.075 g·L−1, the pH was 4.5~6.5, the reaction temperature was 35 °C, the COD concentration of the wastewater was the lowest and its operating conditions were the best, and the internal reaction mechanism was finally deduced. In summary, the zero-valent iron Fenton reagent system provides a new idea for the treatment of desulfurization wastewater from coal-fired power plants.
Chasing Interannual Marine Paleovariability

Several modes of tropical sea‐surface temperature (SST) variability operate on year‐to‐year (interannual) timescales and profoundly shape seasonal precipitation patterns across adjacent landmasses. Substantial uncertainty remains in addressing how SST variability will become altered under sustained greenhouse warming. Paleoceanographic estimates of changes in variability under past climatic states have emerged as a powerful method to clarify the sensitivity of interannual variability to climate forcing. Several approaches have been developed to investigate interannual SST variability within and beyond the observational period, primarily using marine calcifiers that afford subannual‐resolution sampling plans. Amongst these approaches, geochemical variations in coral skeletons are particularly attractive for their near‐monthly, continuous sampling resolution, and capacity to focus on SST anomalies after removing an annual cycle calculated over many years (represented as geochemical oscillations). Here we briefly review the paleoceanographic pursuit of interannual variability. We additionally highlight recent research documented by Ong et al., (2022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022PA004483) who demonstrate the utility of Sr/Ca variations in capturing SST variability using a difficult‐to‐sample meandroid coral species, Colpophyllia natans, which is widespread across the Caribbean region and can be used to generate records spanning multiple centuries.
Fault Diagnosis of Planetary Gearbox Based on Dynamic Simulation and Partial Transfer Learning

To address the problem of insufficient real-world data on planetary gearboxes, which makes it difficult to diagnose faults using deep learning methods, it is possible to obtain sufficient simulation fault data through dynamic simulation models and then reduce the difference between simulation data and real data using transfer learning methods, thereby applying diagnostic knowledge from simulation data to real planetary gearboxes. However, the label space of real data may be a subset of the label space of simulation data. In this case, existing transfer learning methods are susceptible to interference from outlier label spaces in simulation data, resulting in mismatching. To address this issue, this paper introduces multiple domain classifiers and a weighted learning scheme on the basis of existing domain adversarial transfer learning methods to evaluate the transferability of simulation data and adaptively measure their contribution to label predictor and domain classifiers, filter the interference of unrelated categories of simulation data, and achieve accurate matching of real data. Finally, partial transfer experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, and the experimental results show that the diagnostic accuracy of this method is higher than existing transfer learning methods.
Time-frequency Domain Filter-and-sum Network for Multi-channel Speech Separation

Learning-based methods have made impressive strides in speech separation, and the implicit filter-and-sum network (iFaSNet) stands out as a reliable multi-channel solution. Mean-while, the TF-GridNet has achieved state-of-the-art performance on the WSJ0-2mix dataset, indicating the underlying capability of time-frequency (T-F) domain speech separation methods. This paper investigates the possibility of constructing a T-F domain filter-and-sum network that improves upon the iFaSNet. In addition to optimizing the separation module, we develop a narrow-band spatial feature as a cross-channel feature and a convolution module for context decoding. With these enhancements, we redesign each module under the iFaSNet architecture, which entirely operates in the T-F domain. Thus, the proposed method is referred to as the TF-FaSNet. Experimental results on fixed microphone array geometries show that the TF-FaSNet outperforms the standard iFaSNet under all conditions with similar model complexity.
Terahertz Radiation Generated from Graphene Hyperbolic Metamaterial

We demonstrate an on-chip terahertz emitter based on Cherenkov radiation in terahertz band generated in graphene-based hyperbolic metamaterials. Terahertz radiation with power of 60-100nW at 8THz is observed experimentally, which is valuable in terahertz technology.
Competitive Growth of Ge Quantum Dots on a Si Micropillar with Pits for a Precisely Site-Controlled QDs/Microdisk System

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs)/microdisks promise a unique system for comprehensive studies on cavity quantum electrodynamics and great potential for on-chip integrated light sources. Here, we report on a strategy for precisely site-controlled Ge QDs in SiGe microdisks via self-assembly growth of QDs on a micropillar with deterministic pits and subsequent etching. The competitive growth of QDs in pits and at the periphery of the micropillar is disclosed. By adjusting the growth temperature and Ge deposition, as well as the pit profiles, QDs can exclusively grow in pits that are exactly located at the field antinodes of the corresponding cavity mode of the microdisk. The inherent mechanism of the mandatory addressability of QDs is revealed in terms of growth kinetics based on the non-uniform surface chemical potential around the top of the micropillar with pits. Our results demonstrate a promising approach to scalable and deterministic QDs/microdisks with strong light–matter interaction desired for fundamental research and technological applications.
Impact Mechanisms of Commutation Failure Caused by a Sending-End AC Fault and Its Recovery Speed on Transient Stability

A sending-end AC fault may lead to commutation failure (CF) in a line-commutated converter high-voltage direct current (LCC-HVDC) system. In this paper, a theoretical analysis of the impact mechanisms of a CF and its recovery speed on the transient stability of a sending-end power system (TSSPS) is performed. Firstly, the models of the sending-end power system and DC power of CF are established; the ramp function is utilized to characterize the DC power recovery process. Secondly, the swing direction of the relative rotor angle caused by a sending-end AC fault is discussed, and the DC power flow method is employed to theoretically analyze the impacts of CF and its recovery speed on TSSPS. Next, the mathematic relations between parameters of the voltage-dependent current order limiter (VDCOL) and DC power recovery speed are further derived. It is concluded that the impacts of CF and its recovery speed on transient stability are related to the swing direction caused by a sending-end AC fault, the inertia of generators, and the location of the rectifier station. Finally, the theoretical analysis is validated by Kundur’s two-area system and IEEE 68-bus-based AC/DC asynchronous interconnection test power systems, respectively.
Sustainability reporting in pandemics: Theoretical development of guidelines for improved reporting

Abstract Given the pervasive effects that COVID-19 and previous pandemics had on companies, the purpose of this study was to develop pandemic-related sustainability reporting guidelines to improve corporate reporting. Pandemic-related reporting was found to be a necessary part of companies’ sustainability disclosure. However, this is not required by any South African or international sustainability framework scrutinised by the researchers. Literature proves the wide-ranging effects of pandemics on companies’ sustainability, though current reporting practices are lacking. The researchers consequently developed corporate reporting guidelines that specifically require and formalise pandemic-related disclosure, through applying grounded theory. With the lack of pandemic-related reporting requirements in existing corporate sustainability frameworks, this study is the first, according to the researchers’ knowledge, to propose corporate reporting guidelines to inform stakeholders of companies’ sustainability regarding pandemics. Framework setters could use these guidelines by incorporating it into existing reporting requirements. The guidelines serve to encourage pandemic-related disclosure by companies with a genuine interest in sustainability. Such disclosure would provide important information for stakeholders, especially given the recurring yet unprecedented nature of pandemics.
Design of fuzzy logic controller for solar powered electric vehicle

In this paper, an EV battery-based energy storage microgrid is controlled by the fuzzy logic controller, which we use as the backbone of an intelligent energy management system (EMS). Plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) can join the microgrid via a DC rapid charging station. Fuzzy logic controllers are used for each EV's estimated departure time, battery charge level, and rated capacity to calculate how much power of each EV can provide toV2G (vehicle-to-grid) and G2V (grid-to-vehicle) services. An array of solar panels and a battery attached to the Microgridthrough a bidirectional dime converter and a boost converter are the core components of the PVDCM. Both positive and negative currents can move from the power source tothe load whether the PV panels are set up for Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) or maximum voltage operation. To maximize efficiency in the faceof high input current and low input voltage, a new design for a solar the DC/DC converter is givenin this paper. However, thehigh DC/DC converter output power means that a big value of the input current is to be expected, which will possess adetrimental impact on the circuit design and the system's stability. In addition to being able to accept a wide variety of input voltage while maintaining a constant output voltage, the DC/DC converter is protecting the battery from being exposed to an output current, and improves the battery's useful life. Inverter current must be tracked and converted from abc to dq0 for this method to work (Clarke and Park transformation). Here the, two orthogonal phase variables for a Fuzzy controller are carried out by the Park transformation (DQ) on a single-phase inverter.
Probing the Effect of Acidosis on Tether-Mode Mechanotransduction of Proprioceptors

Proprioceptors are low-threshold mechanoreceptors involved in perceiving body position and strain bearing. However, the physiological response of proprioceptors to fatigue- and muscle-acidosis-related disturbances remains unknown. Here, we employed whole-cell patch-clamp recordings to probe the effect of mild acidosis on the mechanosensitivity of the proprioceptive neurons of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in mice. We cultured neurite-bearing parvalbumin-positive (Pv+) DRG neurons on a laminin-coated elastic substrate and examined mechanically activated currents induced through substrate deformation-driven neurite stretch (SDNS). The SDNS-induced inward currents (ISDNS) were indentation depth-dependent and significantly inhibited by mild acidification (pH 7.2~6.8). The acid-inhibiting effect occurred in neurons with an ISDNS sensitive to APETx2 (an ASIC3-selective antagonist) inhibition, but not in those with an ISNDS resistant to APETx2. Detailed subgroup analyses revealed ISDNS was expressed in 59% (25/42) of Parvalbumin-positive (Pv+) DRG neurons, 90% of which were inhibited by APETx2. In contrast, an acid (pH 6.8)-induced current (IAcid) was expressed in 76% (32/42) of Pv+ DRG neurons, 59% (21/32) of which were inhibited by APETx2. Together, ASIC3-containing channels are highly heterogenous and differentially contribute to the ISNDS and IAcid among Pv+ proprioceptors. In conclusion, our findings highlight the importance of ASIC3-containing ion channels in the physiological response of proprioceptors to acidic environments.
Physical Layer Authentication With Simultaneous Reflecting and Sensing RIS

Hybrid reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (H-RISs) are panels of metamaterial elements that can be electrically reconfigured to reflect radio signals in the desired direction. At the same time, they can also act as receiving antennas. We propose to use an H-RIS to authenticate radio signals, i.e., to enable a receiver Bob to authenticate signals received by a legitimate transmitter Alice rather than an impersonating attacker Eve. Such a decision is made on the basis of the channel response estimated from the received signal, which operates as a signature in this physical-layer authentication (PLA) mechanism. We consider two attacks, where Eve can transmit signals either through the H-RIS to Bob (as she is close to Alice) or directly to Bob (as she is close to Bob). As the H-RIS can receive signals, the authentication test is performed jointly at Bob and at the H-RIS, significantly improving the distinguishability of the legitimate and attack scenarios. In particular, the optimal attack strategy and a generalized likelihood ratio test for authentication are derived.
Continuous-Flow Microwave Heating Inactivation Kinetics of α-Amylase from Bacillus subtilis and a Comparison with Conventional Heating Conditions

The inactivation kinetics of an α-amylase enzymatic time-temperature integrator (TTI) from Bacillus subtilis (BAA) under continuous-flow microwave (MW) and conventional heating conditions were evaluated and compared in this study. The TTI dispersed in a buffer solution (pH 5.0 to 6.9) at 20 °C initially, and it was continuously circulated through two helical coils connected in a series for heating. The two coils were positioned in two domestic microwave ovens (2450 MHz and 1000 W nominal capacity each) and connected by a short tube. The sample flow rates were adjusted to result in a specific exit temperature in the range of 65 to 80 °C. A short fully insulated helical coil at the exit of the second oven was used as a holding tube. Test samples were drawn either at the exit of the second MW oven or immediately after the holding tube. The decimal reduction times obtained under conventional batch heating conditions decreased from 66 to 24 s as the temperature changed from 70 to 75 °C at pH 5.0 while they decreased from 8 to 5 s under MW in the same temperature range, but at pH 6.0, they increased both under conventional and microwave heating conditions (138 to 120 s and 89 to 61 s, respectively). The D-values under conventional thermal holding were four–eight times higher than under a continuous-flow MW heating condition. By varying the pH, the D-values could be modified to suit the validation of appropriate processing conditions.
Small valence band offset of h-BN/Al0.7Ga0.3N heterojunction measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Because of its large bandgap of ∼6.0 eV and suitability for high p-type doping, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has become a candidate material that can serve as a p-layer by forming a heterostructure with AlGaN materials with a high Al fraction in deep-ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. The band offsets at the heterojunction are crucial to the device design because they determine the hole and electron transport properties across the heterojunction. In this study, we give the band alignment between h-BN and Al0.7Ga0. 3N using the valence and conduction band offsets. The valence band offset of the h-BN/Al0.7Ga0. 3N heterojunction is determined via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to be as small as −0.01 ± 0.09 eV. The small valence band discontinuity that occurs at the h-BN/Al0.7Ga0. 3N interface is further confirmed using angle-resolved valence band spectra from the XPS measurements. By combining the bandgap values of Al0.7Ga0. 3N and h-BN which were estimated using absorption spectra measurements, the conduction band offset is found to be approximately 0.89 ± 0.09 eV. These results indicate that h-BN is an excellent material for hole injection into Al0.7Ga0. 3N. Meanwhile, the electrons can be effectively blocked away from h-BN. These results will be helpful in the design of group-III-nitride-based optoelectronic devices, particularly deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes and lasers.Because of its large bandgap of ∼6.0 eV and suitability for high p-type doping, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has become a candidate material that can serve as a p-layer by forming a heterostructure with AlGaN materials with a high Al fraction in deep-ultraviolet optoelectronic devices. The band offsets at the heterojunction are crucial to the device design because they determine the hole and electron transport properties across the heterojunction. In this study, we give the band alignment between h-BN and Al0.7Ga0. 3N using the valence and conduction band offsets. The valence band offset of the h-BN/Al0.7Ga0. 3N heterojunction is determined via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to be as small as −0.01 ± 0.09 eV. The small valence band discontinuity that occurs at the h-BN/Al0.7Ga0. 3N interface is further confirmed using angle-resolved valence band spectra from the XPS measurements. By combining the bandgap values of Al0.7Ga0. 3N and h-BN which were estimated using absorption spectra measurements, the .
An Advanced Lightweight Dual-Band Digital Array SAR System: Earth Observation Imaging and Moving Target Detection

High-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging has great application potential in terrain mapping, oceanographic observation, air-to-ground reconnaissance, and regional surveillance. Low cost, lightweight, and multiple modes are important trends in the future development of SAR systems. The Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), developed a state-of-the-art ${X}/{P}$ dual-band lightweight digital array SAR system (X/P-DASAR) with a compact unit weighing less than 20 kg, which can be easily installed in a wide range of aircraft. This system adopted the integrated design of the ${X}/{P}$ dual-band to realize the common aperture of the dual-band antenna, and employed digital beamforming (DBF) technique to enable multiple radar modes such as large-swath scanning imaging, SAR high-resolution imaging, and detection of slow and small ground moving targets. Furthermore, it implements on-board real-time processing of currently multimode received data. X/P-DASAR serves as a test bed for the development, implementation, and testing of advanced radar technique applicable to Earth observation imaging and moving target detection. In 2021, airborne test flights of the X/P-DASAR system were conducted in Meishan, Sichuan, China. The data processing results verified the system’s excellent capabilities of 0.1 m high-resolution imaging and 4 km/h ground slow moving target detection.
Engineer bacteria for superior Chromate bioremediation

Chromate [(Cr(VI)] is a major heavy metal contaminant at the DOE waste sites (1). Being soluble, it can leach into drinking water supplies and being a carcinogen thereby poses a serious health hazard. Its reduction to Cr(III) by bacteria represents a promising avenue for its bioremediation because Cr(III) is insoluble and nontoxic. Most bacteria possess the capacity to reduce chromate; however, their effectiveness is compromised by the fact that chromate is toxic to them as well (Fig. 1) (2), and thus an important way to improve bacterial chromate bioremediation efficiency is to reduce Cr(VI) toxicity to them. Presented by A.C Matin (NABIR P.I), D. Ackerley, C. Gonzalez and Y. Barak Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Revealing Spectrum Allocation Scheme and Temporal Transmission Behavior of IoT Devices using Passive Packet Sniffing

The growing prevalence of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in many outdoor applications has led to an increase in the deployment of popular LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) networks. As a result, there is increasing interest in tracking end nodes and detecting device transmission behavior. In this paper, a passive packet sniffer is demonstrated to receive LoRa (Long Range) packets in the Campus Beaulieu area of Rennes, France, over a period of two months. After processing the acquired packets, the inter-arrival times between packets of each identified device are estimated properly using a proposed technique, i.e., based on Kernel Density Estimation (KDE). Another algorithm is also employed to detect any pattern in the inter-arrival times. The study is then extended to reveal the spectrum allocation technique of a device and detect any periodic structure in the sequence of the used frequencies. Over and above, the spectrum allocation scheme is modelled as a Markov chain, allowing for the prediction of the next selected frequency using the estimated trajectory. The proposed algorithms are validated through statistical analysis of the inter-arrival times, temporal patterns, and spectrum allocation schemes’ characteristics from the actual acquired data.