Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Security-Aware Reinforcement Learning under Linear Temporal Logic Specifications

In this paper, we investigate the problem of reinforcement learning under linear temporal logic (LTL) specifications for Markov decision processes (MDPs) with security constraints. We consider an outside passive intruder (observer) that can observe the external output behavior of the system through an output projection. We assume that the secret of the system is a subset of the initial states. The security constraint requires that the observer can never infer for sure that the agent was initiated from a secret state. Our objective is to learn a control policy that achieves the LTL task while ensuring security. To solve the problem of shaping the reward for reinforcement learning, we propose an approach based on the initial-state estimator and the limit deterministic Büchi automata. We illustrate the proposed approach by a case study of mobile robot example.
Surface Preparation of FeS2 via Electrochemical Etching and Interface Formation with Metals

The effect of passing cathodic currents at potentials of hydrogen evolution through differently pretreated n-type pyrite (FeS2) electrodes is studied by XPS. It is shown that hydrogen evolution results in an etching of the crystal via dissolution of FeS2. Surfaces that are destroyed through sputtering or polishing are restored through this etching procedure. (100) and (111) surfaces behave similar to each other. When depositing gold onto the electrochemically etched surface in ultrahigh vacuum no change of the band bending of the clean surface (650 meV) is observed. An abrupt interface with FeS-like defects in the pyrite is formed. Deposition of platinum yields a ternary PtFeS interlayer between pyrite and metallic Pt. The band bending is reduced by 200 meV during contact formation. Concerning the chemical composition and the electronic structure the etched surfaces behave nearly identical to clean (100) cleavage planes of pyrite. Die Wirkung kathodischer Strome bei Potentialen der Wasserstoffentwicklung auf unterschiedlich vorbehandelte n-Pyritoberflachen (FeS2) wird mit XPS untersucht. Es kann gezeigt werden, das die Wasserstoffentwicklung ein Atzen des Kristalls mittels Auflosung von FeS2 bewirkt. Oberflachen, die durch Ionenatzen oder Polieren zerstort wurden, werden durch das elektrochemische Atzen wiederhergestellt. (100)- und (111)-Oberflachen verhalten sich dabei nahezu identisch. Bei der Bedampfung der elektrochemisch behandelten Oberflachen mit Gold im Ultrahochvakuum bleibt die ursprungliche Bandverbiegung von 650 meV erhalten. Es wird eine scharfe Grenzflache gebildet, auf der Pyritseite entstehen dabei FeS-artige Defekte. Die Bedampfung mit Platin resultiert in einer ternaren PtFeS-Zwischenschicht zwischen Pyrit und metallischem Pt. Die Bandverbiegung wird um 200 meV reduziert. In Bezug auf die chemische Zusammensetzung und die elektronische Struktur verhalten sich die geatzten Oberflachen wie saubere (100)-Spaltflachen von Pyrit.
UAVs-Based Smart Agriculture IoT Systems: An Application-Oriented Design

Smart agriculture is the inevitable way for the development of modern agriculture. The current smart agricultural system has many problems such as multiple links, a huge amount of data information, low transmission efficiency, and poor system integrity. To solve the issues above, in this paper, we build a smart agriculture Internet of Things (IoT) System based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), which attempts to complete the selection of agricultural plant protection UAVs and mapping UAVs. Meanwhile, the intelligent sensing layer, transmission layer, application layer and execution layer are designed to achieve the acquisition, processing, and analysis of soil moisture data, meteorological data, photosynthetically active radiation data, total solar radiation data, and insect data. The construction of the UAVs-based smart agricultural IoT system is thus completed. Finally, the experimental data results illustrate that the data accuracy error of this system is quite small and can fulfill the usage requirements.
Herstellung und Evaluierung eines Modellsystems zur in vivo Untersuchung der humanen DNA Fehlpaarungsreparatur (mismatch repair - MMR)

Die Fehlpaarungsreparatur (mismatch repair - MMR) ist der einzige DNA Reparaturweg, der auf die Korrektur von Replikationsfehlern spezialisiert ist. Daruber hinaus ist die MMR an der Antwort auf diverse DNA Schaden beteiligt, insbesondere an der Induktion von Zellzyklus¬arrest und Apoptose. Die Erkennung von wahrend der Replikation oder der Reparatursynthese entstehenden DNA Fehlern erfolgt uber die Heterodimere MutSalpha und MutSbeta, die von den Proteinen MSH2 und MSH6 bzw. MSH2 und MSH3 gebildet werden. Um die MSH Proteine in vivo untersuchen zu konnen, wurden die entsprechenden cDNAs in bi- und tricistronische Vektoren kloniert. Deren stabile Transfektion in die zwei humanen Zelllinien 293 und HT-1080 vermittelt die Expression der mit spezifischen Fluorochromen fusionierten MSH Proteine. Durch den Nachweis der Bindung endogener Partner und der Beteiligung an der Zellantwort auf UVA induzierte DNA Schaden wurde die Funktionalitat der rekombinanten Wildtypproteine gezeigt. Sie akkumulieren alle zusammen mit PCNA am Ort der induzierten DNA Schaden nach UVA Bestrahlung. Dabei erreicht ihre Akkumulation wie die von PCNA ihr Maximum nach 5 Minuten. In dieser Arbeit wurden die Transkriptvarianten MSH2-V1, MSH3-V3, MSH3-V4, MSH3-V5 und MSH6-V3 nachgewiesen, von denen alle bis auf MSH2-V1 erstmals beschrieben werden. Unter den entsprechenden Proteinvarianten weist MSH2-V1 besondere Eigenschaften auf, da sie als einzige vom Zellkern ausgeschlossen ist. Nur die Proteinvariante MSH6-V3 ist zur Heterodimerbildung befahigt, akkumuliert aber ebenso wenig an UVA induzierten DNA Schaden wie die ubrigen Proteinvarianten. Die Wildtypproteine MSH2, MSH3 und MSH6 sind am starksten in der S-Phase exprimiert. Das Modellsystem zur Durchfuhrung von in vivo Untersuchungen an den humanen MMR Komponenten MSH2, MSH3 und MSH6 wurde erfolgreich etabliert und steht weiteren Studien zur MMR Aktivitat im Zusammenhang mit verschiedenen Mutagenen zur Verfugung.
Touch Classification on Robotic Skin using Multimodal Tactile Sensing Modules

Human employs different touch patterns to convey diverse social messages; for example, a stroke is an encouragement, whereas a hit is an offense. Various tactile sensors have been developed to grant an intuitive physical interaction with a robotic system, yet many encountered limitations in achieving broad sensibility or fabricating into a large skin. This paper presents a robotic skin with multimodal tactile sensing modules to achieve broad spatiotemporal sensibility with a few sensing elements. The multimodal module is composed of a microphone and a vented screw installed on a conductive sensory domain. A multilayered fabric with a textured surface covers the sensory domain and forms a piezoresistive structure. High and low temporal components of touch elicit a micro-vibration and a conductivity change on the skin, where both are measured with multimodal modules. The measurements are each processed with short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and electrical resistance tomography (ERT) to encode two spatiotemporal feature maps, which are classified into ten touch classes using a convolutional neural network. Due to a sensibility to both high and low temporal components of touch, the skin classifies touches with an accuracy of 97.0 %, whereas only 84.7 % and 90.6 % are achieved when one type of feature map is used. Also, the skin is robust and beneficial in power consumption and fabrication since the multimodal modules are not exposed to an external stimulus and are sparsely distributed.
One-electron reduction of some indole derivatives: Effect of 5-hydroxy substitution

The reactions of eaq− with 3-substituted indole derivatives and their 5-hydroxy analogues viz., tryptamine, and 5-hydroxy tryptamine (serotonin); tryptophan and 5-hydroxy tryptophan; tryptophol and 5-hydroxy tryptophol; and also tryptophanol were studied using the pulse radiolysis technique. The transient spectra in all these cases showed maximum absorption at 345–350 nm, attributed to the indolyl radicals. The indolyl radical spectra of tryptamine, tryptophan, tryptophol and tryptophanol did not change significantly with pH, whereas the absorption maximum of the radical spectra of 5-hydroxy tryptamine, 5-hydroxy tryptophan and 5-hydroxy tryptophol changed into a broad red-shifted absorption at 375–380 nm in the alkaline region. By following these absorption changes as a function of pH, the radical pKa of 9.3, 9.6 and 9.0 respectively, were estimated for 5-hydroxy tryptamine, 5-hydroxy tryptophan and 5-hydroxy tryptophol. The indolyl radicals at pH 7 decayed by second order radical–radical reactions with 2k values of 0.6–2.0 × 109 dm3 mol−1 s−1 and the radicals were found to be reducing in nature. They reduce methyl viologen (MV2+) with rate constants of 1.5 to 6.4 × 109 dm3 mol−1 s−1. The indolyl radicals react with oxygen with rate constants of 0.6–3.3 × 109 dm3 mol−1 s−1. While the radicals from tryptamine, tryptophan, tryptophol and tryptophanol on reaction with oxygen did not produce any new absorption, the 5-hydroxy substituted compounds produced a new absorption in the 300 to 500 nm region with an absorption maximum at 400–410 nm, similar to indoloxyl radicals. The rate of formation of these newly absorbing radicals matched well with the decay of the indolyl radicals in the presence of oxygen and was independent of the pH and parent indole concentration. The oxygen radical adducts/indoloxyl radicals of all these indolyl radicals oxidise TMPD with rate constants of 1.5–8.7 × 107 dm3 mol−1 s−1.
Non-Contact Measurement Dry Transformers Using an Acoustic Camera with a Modular System

The article describes the non-contact measurement of 1 MVA dry power transformers with epoxy resin insulation using an acoustic camera with a modular system. In this way, it is possible to analyze the frequency spectrum with the possibility of 3D monitoring of the transformer with the identification of the place with the greatest noise. The acoustic emission of two distribution dry transformers with the same type and power is compared, and then the condition of the structural parts of the "noisier" transformer is evaluated. Noise measurement in dB alone is sometimes not enough to detect a fault. It is necessary to perform an acoustic emission analysis through noise visualization and frequency analysis of the individual components of the transformer noise at idle and under load.
Controlled etching and regrowth of tunnel oxide for antenna-coupled metal-oxide-metal diodes

The authors have designed a new procedure for fabrication of infrared (IR) sensors. These sensors consist of a dipole antenna coupled with a metal-oxide-metal (MOM) (Al–AlOx–Pt) diode. The surface of electron beam evaporated Al, serving as one of the electrodes, is cleaned using an Ar plasma, followed by in situ controlled growth of the tunneling oxide, AlOx. The antenna, its leads, and the overlap of the Al and Pt electrodes that defines the MOM overlap area are all defined using electron beam lithography. The MOM overlap area of these devices is as small as 50×80 nm2. Features of our process include the use of dissimilar metals for the formation of the MOM diode, small MOM diode size, and controlled etching and regrowth of the tunneling oxide. A CO2 laser at 10.6 μm was used for the IR characterization of these sensors. Current-voltage and IR measurements are presented. The normalized detectivity (D∗) for these devices was found to be 2.13×106 cm Hz1/2 W−1.
Biotransformation of arsenite in freshwater food‐chain models

Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenite by freshwater organisms consisting Daphnia magna, Neocaridina denticulata and Tilapia mossambica has been studied. When organisms were exposed to a medium containing arsenite, the total arsenic concentration accumulated by the organisms increased with an increase in the arsenic concentration in the medium. The order of total arsenic accumulation by freshwater organisms was D. magna > N. denticulata > T. mossambica. Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of arsenite in three-step laboratory food-chain models was investigated by feeding a diet of arsenite-dosed alga (Chlorella vulgaris) to herbivorous grazers (D. magna and N. denticulata) and then the herbivores were fed to carnivorous fish (T. mossambica and Zacco platypus). Total arsenic concentrations in the organisms decreased by an order of magnitude for each step in the food chain. Arsenite and arsenate were accumulated as the predominant arsenic species in organisms. Little methylation of arsenic in organisms occurred at each step in the food chain.
A Driver-Friendly Cooperative Control Method for Connected and Automated Vehicles at An Unsignalized Intersection

New technologies about connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) and the rapid development of wireless communication technologies promote research on unsignalized intersection coordination. Through vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, CAVs can cooperatively pass through the signal-free intersection safely and efficiently. But previous studies focus more on avoiding collisions and improving intersection throughput, ignoring the experience of drivers. In this paper, we consider from the driver’s point of view, and give priority to the following three evaluation indices: driving comfort, fuel economy and travel time, which are calculated quantificationally in the simulation part. In addition, to ensure safety and passing through synchronously, we divide the collision-free constraints into two parts: rear-end collision avoidance and lateral collision avoidance, which are satisfied by using this plain way. On this basis, we propose a new driver-friendly cooperative control method to handle the signal-free intersection coordination problem. Finally, we conduct comprehensive experiments, and the simulation results demonstrate the effect and the superiority of the proposed method.
Soil sorption–desorption of phosphorus from piggery effluent compared with inorganic sources

The leaching of phosphorus (P) within soils can be a limiting consideration for the sustainable operation of intensive livestock enterprises. Sorption curves are widely used to assist estimation of P retention, though the effect of effluent constituents on their accuracy is not well understood. We conducted a series of P‐sorption–desorption batch experiments with an Oxic Haplustalf (soil 1), Haplusterts (soils 2 and 3), and a Natrustalf (soil 4). Phosphorus sources included effluent, orthophosphate‐P in a matrix replicating the effluent's salt constituents (the reference solution), and an orthophosphate‐P solution. Treated soils were incubated for up to 193 days before sequential desorption extraction. Effluent constituents, probably the organic or particulate components, temporarily increased the vulnerability of sorbed‐P to desorption. The increase in vulnerability was removed by 2–113 days of incubation (25°C). Despite vigorous extraction for 20 consecutive days, some P sorbed as part of the treatments of soils 1 and 2 was not desorbed. The increased vulnerability due to effluent constituents lasted a maximum of about one cropping season and, for all other treatments, adsorption curves overestimated vulnerability to desorption. Therefore, adsorption curves provide a conservative estimate of vulnerability to desorption where effluent is used in continued crop production in these soils.
An environmental soil test to estimate the intrinsic risk of sediment and phosphorus mobilization from European soils

Methodologies are required to help identify soils that are vulnerable to both suspended sediment (SS) and phosphorus (P) transfer in land run‐off to combat the adverse impacts of agriculture on water quality. A laboratory test that quantifies dispersed particles and associated P in the same suspension was developed to estimate the potential mobilization of SS and P due to rainfall impact from 26 European soils with varied soil physical and chemical properties and P inputs. The test recovers an aliquot of the clay and fine silt (<20 μm) fraction of soils after gently shaking in distilled water for 1 min at a 1:50 soil‐to‐solution ratio and measures the dry residue, total P and dissolved (<0.45 μm) P content. The results of the test correlated well (r2 = 0.7–0.8) with the amounts of SS, total P and dissolved P in overland flow generated by indoor simulated rainfall (intensity 60 mm h−1 for 30 min and a 5° slope). Variation in SS and particulate P mobilization was linked to soil pH, organic matter (or clay) and sesquioxide content, although a multiple regression analysis showed these factors accounted for no more than 55% of this variation. Ranking showed that the soils generating the most sediment did not necessarily generate the most P loss due to variable degrees of P enrichment of the particulate fraction and variable contributions of dissolved P. Particulate P enrichment was related weakly (r2 = 0.5) to soil total P, while dissolved P fractions were predicted well (r2 = 0.8–0.9) by conventional soil P tests (water and Olsen). The environmental soil test has a potential role in identifying the comparative risk of sediment and P mobilization from critical source areas connected via both surface and subsurface pathways, and in providing data for incorporation into models predicting sediment and P transfer at the field and catchment scale.
Design and Control of a Tunable-Stiffness Coiled-Spring Actuator

We propose a novel design for a lightweight and compact tunable stiffness actuator capable of stiffness changes up to 20x. The design is based on the concept of a coiled spring, where changes in the number of layers in the spring change the bulk stiffness in a near linear fashion. We present an elastica nested rings model for the deformation of the proposed actuator and empirically verify that the designed stiffness-changing spring abides by this model. Using the resulting model, we design a physical prototype of the tunable-stiffness coiled-spring actuator and discuss the effect of design choices on the resulting achievable stiffness range and resolution. In the future, this actuator design could be useful in a wide variety of soft robotics applications, where fast, controllable, and local stiffness change is required over a large range of stiffnesses.
Ultrasensitive Differential Measurement of Cortisol and Cortisone in Biological Samples using Fluorescent Ester Derivatives in Normal Phase HPLC

Abstract We report a method for differentially measuring the steroid hormones cortisol (F) and cortisone (E) in biological samples containing small quantities of either compound (50 pg F, 70 pg E). the method involves the formation of fluorescent ester derivatives of the anylates by reaction at the 21-hydroxy position with 9-anthroyl nitrile. Reversed-phase chromatography is used as a pre-derivatization sample cleanup, and solid-phase extraction on microcolumns of beta-cyclodextrin is used as a cleanup step before final separation and quantitation of the esters by normal phase chromatography with fluorescence detection. the synthetic steroid prednisolone is used as an internal standard. the derivatization consistently proceeds to a reproducible endpoint, and linearity, sensitivity, and specificity of the analysis are excellent.
Chain morphology, swelling exponent, persistence length, like-charge attraction, and charge distribution around a chain in polyelectrolyte solutions : Effects of salt concentration and ion size studied by molecular dynamics simulations

Properties of polyelectrolytes in tetravalent salt solutions are intensively investigated by a coarse-grained model. The concentration of salt and the size of tetravalent counterions are found playing a decisive role on chain properties. If the size of tetravalent counterions is compatible with the one of monomers, the chains show extended structures at low and at high salt concentrations, whereas at intermediate salt concentrations, they acquire compact and prolate structures. The swelling exponent of a chain against salt concentration behaves in an analogous way as the morphological quantities. Under certain condition, the electrostatics gives a negative contribution to the persistence length, in companion with a salt-induced mechanical instability of polyelectrolytes. Nearly at the same moment, it appears like-charge attraction between chains. The equal size of the tetravalent ions and the monomers is the optimal condition to attain the strongest attraction between chains and the most compact chain str.
SKIN AGING. EFFECT ON TRANSEPIDERMAL WATER LOSS, STRATUM CORNEUM HYDRATION, SKIN SURFACE PH, AND CASUAL SEBUM CONTENT

• This study investigates the effect of cutaneous aging on transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum hydration (capacitance), skin surface pH, and casual sebum content. Because the physiologic condition of skin varies considerably with anatomic region and skin aging might demonstrate regional variability, all factors were studied on 11 anatomic locations in 14 young adult (seven female and seven male subjects; 26.7 ± 2.8 years [mean ± SD]) and 15 aged human volunteers (seven female and seven male subjects; 70.5 ± 13.8 years). Significant anatomic variability was noted for all factors in both age groups. However, no significant differences between the two groups were noted for sebum, capacitance, and pH on most anatomic regions. Transepidermal water loss, however, was significantly lower in the aged population on all anatomic regions tested, except for the postauricular region and the palm. Comparing male and female volunteers, none of the four factors showed significant differences. Of all measured factors, only transepidermal water loss showed significant age-related differences on most anatomic regions studied. The additionally observed differences between the age groups on the ankle for pH and sebum might be related to the stasis frequently observed on the lower limbs in aged individuals.
MOISTURE EFFECTS ON VISIBLE SPECTRAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LATERITIC SOILS

Samples from ferralitic soils of similar texture were immersed in water, placed in a pressure chamber and subjected to different soil suction pressures (pF: 2.0, 2.5, 2.8, 3.0, and 4.2). The Cie color values (intensity, hue and saturation) were taken as the spectral signatures of these soils and calculated from the diffuse reflectance spectra. The dominant wavelength Λd (hue) increases with moisture content; as the soil becomes more “colored” by iron oxi-hydroxides, this increase becomes more pronounced. The purity Pe (saturation) decreases systematically with increasing moisture content. When the moisture content increases, i.e., from oven-dried to airdried and then to moist samples, there is a change of the refractive index, N, of the immersion medium from N = 1 (air) to N = 1.33 (water). This change causes an increase in the volumetric reflectance, especially in the weak absorption regions, and a decrease in the specular reflectance. Contrary to the generally accepted assumption, diffuse reflectance spectra of soils at different moisture contents undergo nonlinear changes leading to displacements in the spectral extrema of the absorption bands. Therefore, spectral signatures of moist soils cannot be derived simply from those of their dry equivalents.
Studies on the Phase Transition near the Melting Point in Acetylferrocene

The entitled compound shows an anomalous temperature dependence of the mean-square amplitude of iron atoms derived from the Lamb-Mossbauer factor near the melting point. To clarify the anomaly, the crystal structure of this compound was determined at room temperature by X-ray diffraction. The crystal is monoclinic with space group P21/c, a=20.595(2), b=5.7909(4), c=18.840(2) A, β=116.870(7)°, U=2004.4(3) A3, and Z=8. Weissenberg and oscillation photographs taken at a high temperature lead us to propose a model in which the acetylferrocene molecules rotate around the central iron atoms.