Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design, Fabrication and Evaluation of MR Damper

— T his paper presents the design, fabrication and evaluation of magneto-rheological damper. Semi-active control devices have received significant attention in recent years because they offer the adaptability of active control devices without requiring the associated large power sources. Magneto-Rheological (MR) dampers are semi- active control devices that use MR fluids to produce controllable dampers. They potentially offer highly reliable operation and can be viewed as fail-safe in that they become passive dampers if the control hardware malfunction. The advantage of MR dampers over conventional dampers are that they are simple in construction, compromise between high frequency isolation and natural frequency isolation, they offer semi-active control, use very little power, have very quick response, has few moving parts, have a relax tolerances and direct interfacing with electronics. Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluids are Controllable fluids belonging to the class of active materials that have the unique ability to change dynamic yield stress when acted upon by an electric or magnetic field, while maintaining viscosity relatively constant. This property can be utilized in MR damper where the damping force is changed by changing the rheological properties of the fluid magnetically. MR fluids have a dynamic yield stress over Electro-Rheological fluids (ER) and a broader operational temperature range. The objective of this papert was to study the application of an MR damper to vibration control, design the vibration damper using MR fluids, test and evaluate its performance. In this paper the Rheology and the theory behind MR fluids and their use on vibration control were studied. Then a MR vibration damper suitable for vehicle suspension was designed and fabricated using the MR fluid. The MR damper was tested using a dynamic test rig and the results were obtained in the form of force vs velocity and the force vs displacement plots. The results were encouraging and greatly inspire further research on the topic.
Continuous Human Motion Recognition With a Dynamic Range-Doppler Trajectory Method Based on FMCW Radar

Radar-based human motion recognition is crucial for many applications, such as surveillance, search and rescue operations, smart homes, and assisted living. Continuous human motion recognition in real-living environment is necessary for practical deployment, i.e., classification of a sequence of activities transitioning one into another, rather than individual activities. In this paper, a novel dynamic range-Doppler trajectory (DRDT) method based on the frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar system is proposed to recognize continuous human motions with various conditions emulating real-living environment. This method can separate continuous motions and process them as single events. First, range-Doppler frames consisting of a series of range-Doppler maps are obtained from the backscattered signals. Next, the DRDT is extracted from these frames to monitor human motions in time, range, and Doppler domains in real time. Then, a peak search method is applied to locate and separate each human motion from the DRDT map. Finally, range, Doppler, radar cross section (RCS), and dispersion features are extracted and combined in a multidomain fusion approach as inputs to a machine learning classifier. This achieves accurate and robust recognition even in various conditions of distance, view angle, direction, and individual diversity. Extensive experiments have been conducted to show its feasibility and superiority by obtaining an average accuracy of 91.9% on continuous classification.
Improving CSMA for WLANs via Piggybacking and Scheduled Backoff Mechanisms

In this work, we propose a novel medium access scheme named Smart-CSMA with piggybacking that can effectively solve the collision problem and enhance the throughput and access delay performance as well as the quality-of-service support for a high-speed WLAN in the infrastructure topology. Smart-CSMA with piggybacking combines the advantages of the standard PCF and DCF modes. It can efficiently supports the quality-of-service requirements like in the PCF access mode while relying on the simple on- demand CSMA channel access mechanism like in the DCF mode. In the proposed scheme, every station employs the standard CSMA mechanism with a slightly modified backoff procedure. A master station is responsible for scheduling backoff timers for all client stations. It shall send the backoff timer information together with the frames destined to each client station. The client station then uses the received backoff timer value to start the backoff procedure associated with the current transmission in the queue. If the client station has not obtained the backoff schedule from the master station due to any reason, it then uses a random backoff value to start the backoff procedure. A generic algorithm is provided for the master station to allocate arbitrary slots for each client station. Furthermore, a piggybacking frame exchange mechanism is proposed to enhance capacity of the system. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms the standard IEEE 802.11 DCF and PCF schemes, and the superior performance is not sensitive to the number of active and inactive client stations in the network.
Reproducing the entropy structure in galaxy groups

We carry out a comparison between observations and hydrodynamic simulations of entropy profiles of groups and clusters of galaxies. We use the Tree+SPH GADGET code to simulate four halos of sizes in the $M_{500}=1.0{-}16\times10^{13}~h^{-1}\,M_{\odot}$ range, corresponding to poor groups up to Virgo-like clusters. We concentrate on the effect of introducing radiative cooling, star formation, and a variety of non-gravitational heating schemes on the entropy structure and the stellar fraction. We show that all the simulations result in a correct entropy profile for the Virgo-like cluster. With the heating energy budget of ~0.7 keV/particle injected at $z_{\rm h}=3$, we are also able to reproduce the entropy profiles of groups. We obtain the flat entropy cores as a combined effect of preheating and cooling, while we achieve the high entropy at outskirts by preheating. The resulting baryon fraction locked into stars is in the 25–30% range, compared to 35–40% in the case of no preheating. Heating at higher redshift, $z_{\rm h}=9$, strongly delays the star-formation, but fails to produce a sufficiently high specific entropy.
Establishment of Tools for Neurogenetic Analysis of Sexual Behavior in the Silkmoth, Bombyx mori

Background Silkmoth, Bombyx mori, is an ideal model insect for investigating the neural mechanisms underlying sex pheromone-induced innate behavior. Although transgenic techniques and the GAL4/UAS system are well established in the silkmoth, genetic tools useful for investigating brain function at the neural circuit level have been lacking. Results In the present study, we established silkmoth strains in which we could visualize neural projections (UAS-mCD8GFP) and cell nucleus positions (UAS-GFP.nls), and manipulate neural excitability by thermal stimulation (UAS-dTrpA1). In these strains, neural projections and nucleus position were reliably labeled with green fluorescent protein in a GAL4-dependent manner. Further, the behavior of silkworm larvae and adults could be controlled by GAL4-dependent misexpression of dTrpA1. Ubiquitous dTrpA1 misexpression led both silkmoth larvae and adults to exhibit seizure-like phenotypes in a heat stimulation-dependent manner. Furthermore, dTrpA1 misexpression in the sex pheromone receptor neurons of male silkmoths allowed us to control male sexual behavior by changing the temperature. Thermally stimulated male silkmoths exhibited full sexual behavior, including wing-flapping, orientation, and attempted copulation, and precisely approached a thermal source in a manner similar to male silkmoths stimulated with the sex pheromone. Conclusion These findings indicate that a thermogenetic approach using dTrpA1 is feasible in Lepidopteran insects and thermogenetic analysis of innate behavior is applicable in the silkmoth. These tools are essential for elucidating the relationships between neural circuits and function using neurogenetic methods.
O-Loading , Prevention , and Preparation : Planning Behavioursin Complex Systems

There is a growing need for understanding the cognitive processes involved in the management of complex systems. Yet observations made in a recent eld study in anaesthesiology and related studies have revealed some interesting phenomena that existing schools of thought have avoided, or are unable to account for satisfactorily. These phenomena are: it is often required for actors to prepare physically and mentally for future responses; prevention of a problem has priority over solving the problem; and it requires cognitive eeort to maintain an action. A new paradigm is needed to account for the richness of human behaviours in the interaction with complex systems. A review of studies in action theory and motor skill development has provided a good basis for creating such a new paradigm, referred to as the planning theory of human behaviour in this paper. The new paradigm requires a shift of emphasis in the study of human behaviour in complex domains, and has potential impact on research in human error, mental workload, decision making, and human planning.
Design and evaluation of a wearable remote social touch device

Psychological and sociological studies have established the essential role that touch plays in interpersonal communication. However this channel is largely ignored in current telecommunication technologies. We design and implement a remote touch armband with an electric motor actuator. This is paired with a touch input device in the form of a force-sensor-embedded smart phone case. When the smart phone is squeezed, the paired armband will be activated to simulate a squeeze on the user's upper arm. A usability study is conducted with 22 participants to evaluate the device in terms of perceptibility. The results show that users can easily perceive touch at different force levels.
ANTI-PHASE TO IN-PHASE TRANSITION IN COUPLED CHUA ' S OSCILL ATORS

Experimental observations on the effect of coupling on synchronization of two mutuall y coupled nonidentical Chua’s oscill ators are presented. We observe that as the coupling strength is graduall y increased from the very weak coupling, the oscill ators move from nonsynchrony to out-ofphase and then to antiphase synchronization. With fur ther increase of the coupling strength, coexisting antiphase and inphase states are found in the intermediate range. For very strong coupling, in-phase synchronization is observed.
Digital Music Interaction Concepts: A User Study

The popularity of digital music has recently rapidly increased. The widespread use on computers and portable players and its availability through the Internet have modified the interaction issues from availability towards choice. The user is confronted daily with an enormous amount of music. This situation shapes the need for the development of new user interfaces to access and retrieve music that takes full advantage of the music being digital. This paper reports the results of various user tests aimed at investigating how music listeners organize and access their digital music collection. The aim of the study is to investigate novel interaction concepts to access and retrieve music from large personal collections. The outcome of these studies was an interaction concept based on the notion of similarity of music items (artists and songs). This concept was further refined and developed into a demonstrator eventually tested with users.
A Framework for Analyzing the Potential Benefits of Internet Marketing

The Internet has provided a rare opportunity especially for small to medium sized enterprises. It moves organizations beyond the physical constraints of their traditional distribution channels and creates a world wide virtual community in which small and medium sized companies can compete with large enterprises. In this research, we focus on the use of the Internet as a virtual storefront where products are offered directly to customers. Our contention is that product characteristics play a major role in the successfulness of its marketing on the Internet. We reviewed benefits of online marketing along three channel functions and identified factors that impact the use of online marketing approach. A framework is proposed to help evaluate the chance for a company to succeed in ecommerce. Data of failed e-tailers in the last two years were collected and analyzed using the proposed framework.
The influence of soil moisture on threshold runoff generation processes in an alpine headwater catchment

Abstract. This study investigates the role of soil moisture on the threshold runoff response in a small headwater catchment in the Italian Alps that is characterised by steep hillslopes and a distinct riparian zone. This study focuses on: (i) the threshold soil moisture-runoff relationship and the influence of catchment topography on this relation; (ii) the temporal dynamics of soil moisture, streamflow and groundwater that characterize the catchment's response to rainfall during dry and wet periods; and (iii) the combined effect of antecedent wetness conditions and rainfall amount on hillslope and riparian runoff. Our results highlight the strong control exerted by soil moisture on runoff in this catchment: a sharp threshold exists in the relationship between soil water content and runoff coefficient, streamflow, and hillslope-averaged depth to water table. Low runoff ratios were likely related to the response of the riparian zone, which was almost always close to saturation. High runoff ratios occurred during wet antecedent conditions, when the soil moisture threshold was exceeded. In these cases, subsurface flow was activated on hillslopes, which became a major contributor to runoff. Antecedent wetness conditions also controlled the catchment's response time: during dry periods, streamflow reacted and peaked prior to hillslope soil moisture whereas during wet conditions the opposite occurred. This difference resulted in a hysteretic behaviour in the soil moisture-streamflow relationship. Finally, the influence of antecedent moisture conditions on runoff was also evident in the relation between cumulative rainfall and total stormflow. Small storms during dry conditions produced low stormflow amounts, likely mainly from overland flow from the near saturated riparian zone. Conversely, for rainfall events during wet conditions, higher stormflow values were observed and hillslopes must have contributed to streamflow.
Effects of proinflammatory cytokines on anterior pituitary 5'-deiodinase type I and type II.

Cytokines are locally produced in the anterior pituitary and act through para-/autocrine mechanisms to modulate cell growth and hormone production. 5'-Deiodinases type I (D1) and type II (D2) are also expressed in the anterior pituitary and play an integrative role in the regulation of hormone production and pituitary feedback. D1 activity is known to be regulated by proinflammatory cytokines in liver and thyroid. Therefore, we examined the effects of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and TNF alpha on 5'-deiodinase activities in reaggregates of rat anterior pituitaries and rat somatomammotroph GH3 cells cultured alone, or in a bicameral culture system together with the murine folliculo-stellate (FS) cell line TtT/Gf. In reaggregate cultures of rat anterior pituitaries IL-1 beta stimulated D1 and D2 dose-dependently and D2 activity was increased by TNF alpha. When GH3 cells were cocultured with TtT/Gf cells, D2 activities were 2.3-fold lower than in GH3 cells cultured alone. TNF alpha (50 ng/ml) and IL-6 (100 U/ml) stimulated D2 in GH3 cells when the cells were cultured alone and treated with these cytokines for 24 h. When TtT/Gf cells in the coculture model were treated with IL-1 beta, TNF alpha and IL-6, no effect on D1 or D2 activities in GH3 cells was observed. In male, adult rats a single LPS injection (i.p.) stimulated D2 and D1 activities in the anterior pituitary, and decreased liver D1 activities and serum TSH levels. In vitro, LPS stimulation of the coculture model of GH3 and FS cells also increased D1 activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed that IL-1 beta and TNF alpha activate the transcription factor NF kappa B in reaggregates of rat anterior pituitaries and in TtT/Gf cells cultured alone or cocultured with GH3 cells. Taken together, these findings imply that in anterior pituitary cells 5'-deiodinase activities are stimulated by locally produced cytokines in a para-/autocrine manner but cell types other than FS cells seem to mediate some of the effects.
Racial Socialization Messages and the Quality of Mother/Child Interactions in African American Families

Racial socialization messages were examined within a particular ecological niche: two-parent, African American families with a child in early adolescence. The linkage between mothers’provision of racial socialization messages and family process components (e.g., communication, warmth, negativity, child monitoring, and involvement) of the mother/child relationship was examined. Sixty-six African American mothers and their early adolescent sons and daughters participated in videotaped mother/child interactions and completed questionnaires regarding family demographics and parenting. Based on the frequency of their provision of proactive responses to discrimination items, mothers were categorized into three groups (high, moderate, and low). Results indicated that mothers in the moderate socialization group exhibited the most positivity, were the most involved, and monitored their child’s activities the most. Mothers in that group also displayed the lowest levels of dyadic negativity. Mothers in the moderate socialization group had children who exhibited the most positivity and displayed the lowest levels of negativity.
Transfer of Herb-Resistance Plasmid From Escherichia coli to Staphylococcus aureus Residing in the Human Urinary Tract

Background: Plasmid transfer among bacteria provides a means for dissemination of resistance. Plasmid Analysis has made it possible to track plasmids that induce resistance in bacterial population. Objectives: To screen the presence of herb-resistance plasmid in Escherichia coli strains and determine the transferability of this resistance plasmid directly from E. coli to the Gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus. Materials and Methods: The donor strain E. coli CP9 and recipient strain S. aureus RN450RF were isolated from UTI patients. E. coli CP9 was highly resistant to herbal concoction. Isolates of S. aureus RN450RF were fully susceptible. Total plasmid DNA was prepared and transferred into E. coli DH5α. Transconjugants were selected on agar plates containing serial dilutions of herbal concoction. Resistance plasmid was transferred to susceptible S. aureus RN450RFin triple replicas. The mating experiments were repeated twice. Results: The identified 45 kb herb-resistance plasmid could be transferred from E. coli CP9 isolates to E. coli DH5α. As a consequence E. coli DH5α transconjugant MIC increased from 0.0125 g/mL to 0.25 g/mL. The plasmid was easily transferred from E. coli CP9 strain to S. aureus RN450RF with a mean transfer rate of 1×10-2 transconjugants/recipient. The E. coli donor and the S. aureus RN450RF transconjugant contained a plasmid of the same size, which was absent in the recipient before mating. Susceptibility testing showed that the S. aureus RN450RF transconjugant was resistant to herbal concoction. Conclusions: E. coli herb-resistance plasmid can replicate and be expressed in S. aureus.
Asynchronous state machine synthesis using data driven clocks

The author presents a systematic approach to the design of asynchronous state machines with minimum state variables and arbitrary state encoding. Multiple input changes are allowed. Simple latches in master-slave configuration are used as memory elements rendering the method suitable for implementation in SSI or VLSI. This approach avoids the extra delay elements often necessary in self-clocked circuits. The method is illustrated by its application to the design of a VMEbus requester. >
h-cobordism and s-cobordism Theorems: Transfer over Semialgebraic and Nash categories, Uniform bound and Effectiveeness

The h-cobordism theorem is a noted theorem in differential and PL topology. A generalization of the h-cobordism theorem for possibly non simply connected manifolds is the so called s-cobordism theorem. In this paper, we prove semialgebraic and Nash versions of these theorems. That is, starting with semialgebraic or Nash cobordism data, we get a semialgebraic homeomorphism (respectively a Nash diffeomorphism). The main tools used are semialgebraic triangulation and Nash approximation. One aspect of the algebraic nature of semialgebraic or Nash objects is that one can measure their complexities. We show h and s-cobordism theorems with a uniform bound on the complexity of the semialgebraic homeomorphism (or Nash diffeomorphism) obtained in terms of the complexity of the cobordism data. The uniform bound of semialgebraic h-cobordism cannot be recursive, which gives another example of non effectiveness in real algebraic geometry see [ABB]. Finally we deduce the validity of the semialgebraic and Nash versions of these theorems over any real closed field.
Geographical and genetic distances among zooplankton populations in a set of interconnected ponds: a plea for using GIS modelling of the effective geographical distance

In systems of interconnected ponds or lakes, the dispersal of zooplankton may be mediated by the active population component, with rivulets and overflows functioning as dispersal pathways. Using a landscape‐based approach, we modelled the effective geographical distance among a set of interconnected ponds (De Maten, Genk, Belgium) in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment. The first model (the Landscape Model; LM) corrects for the presence of direct connections among ponds and was based on the existing landscape structure (i.e. network of connecting elements among ponds, travelling distance and direction of the current). A second model (the Flow Rate Model; FRM) also incorporated field data on flow rates in the connecting elements as the driving force for the passive dispersal of the active zooplankton population component. Finally, the third model (the Dispersal Rate Model; DRM) incorporated field data on zooplankton dispersal rates. An analysis of the pattern of genetic differentiation among Daphnia ambigua populations inhabiting 10 ponds in the pond complex reveals that the effective geographical distance as modelled by the flow rate and the dispersal rate model provide a better approximation of the true rates of genetic exchange among populations than mere Euclidean geographical distances or the landscape model that takes into account solely the presence of physical connections.