Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
XRTPS – EXTENSIBLE REAL-TIME PUBLISH-SUBSCRIBE: MIDDLEWARE MULTICAST PARA TROCA DE DADOS BASEADO EM XML PARA REDES DE TEMPO REAL

Um fator recorrente das redes de escritorio e a busca por maior desempenho, ou seja, redes que executem suas tarefas no menor tempo possivel. Porem, para redes industriais o desempenho medio nao e o fator mais relevante, isso porque o desempenho de um sistema de tempo real esta diretamente relacionado com a previsibilidade imposta pelo ambiente. Enquanto as redes de escritorio sao orientadas a obter o melhor desempenho medio possivel, as redes industriais sao orientadas a requisitos temporais, dado que o fator de cumprimento das metas temporais e imperativo em muitas aplicacoes de tempo real, ou seja, o determinismo. O padrao Ethernet e a principal tecnologia de interconexao de redes locais, porem ainda nao foi estabelecido como padrao para redes industriais porque o seu metodo de acesso ao meio, o CSMA/CD, nao atende aos requisitos temporais exigidos por esse tipo de rede. Esse trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver um middleware em Java para troca de dados em redes industriais, denominado Extensible Real-Time Publish Subscribe. Java foi escolhida como a tecnologia de desenvolvimento a fim de garantir a independencia de plataforma provida pela Maquina Virtual Java. Essa independencia tambem e provida pelo proprio middleware, uma vez que suas mensagens sao formatadas em XML, que por se tratar de um padrao mundial estabelecido pela W3C, pode ser manipulado por diferentes tecnologias.
X4-MaG: A Low-Cost Open-Source Micro-Quadrotor and its Linux-Based Controller

The new open-source quadrotor platform called X4-MaG presented here was developed for academic and research applications. X4-MaG is a small, low-cost open quadrotor of only 307–grammes which offers two levels of controllers providing a manual mode and an automatic mode thanks to powerful Linux-based controller embedded onboard. The experiments presented here show the reliability of the open hardware and software embedded onboard the quadrotor. To estimate the robot s attitude, a quaternion-based complementary filter requiring very few computational resources was developed and implemented on an 8-bit Arduino board. It was also established that the stabilization feedback system based on quaternions tracks the attitude setpoints with precision up to twice greater than a classical cascaded PI controller. The controllers and estimators were designed in the Matlab/Simulink environment and directly implemented onboard the tiny Linux-based autopilot board using a custom made toolbox (RT-MaG toolbox). The autopilot was tested in the brand-new Marseilles Flying Arena with various 3-D flight trajectories and found to be highly accurate with errors of only 0.7cm in hover and less than 3.2cm at 1.2m.s−1. The X4-MaG quadrotor was able to reach speeds greater than 2m.s−1 and reject attitude disturbances of 20′ within 0.8s.
A hybridization design of an air motor and an electric motor based on field programmable gate array controller

Among the elements of developing electric vehicles, the battery is usually the weakest point, as well as the most expensive component. If the battery life is too short, the frequently replacement of the battery is necessary, which will increase the overall cost. This article presents a novel hybridization design and implementation of an air motor and an electric motor which utilizes magnetic powder brake to integrate these two motors together. In this research, by the use of batteries, operation in the large discharge region can be avoided and more electric energy can be saved using an air motor as the auxiliary power. The testing results obtained using the proposed experimental platform indicate that the output current of the battery is 126 A with no air motor-assisted power, and the output current is 64 A when the pre-set switching point is 1400 r/m. These results clearly show that the current reduction is about 49%, and thus the service life of the batteries can be greatly increased. Furthermore, a prototype is built with a proportional–integral speed controller based on a field programmable gate array in order to facilitate the entire analysis of the velocity switch experiment. Through the modular methodology of field programmable gate array, the electric motor can successfully operate at the desired velocity with the proportional–integral speed controller.
Experimental Study of Size Effects on the Deformation Strength and Failure Characteristics of Hard Rocks under True Triaxial Compression

Size effect has always been the focus of rock mechanics as a bridge between laboratory test and engineering site. Previously, the research conditions and objects of the rock size effect have mostly focused on cylindrical rock samples with different height-to-diameter ratios (H/Ds) under uniaxial or conventional triaxial compression, while there has been little research on the rock size effect under true triaxial compression (TTC), especially rectangular rock samples with different sizes and the same length-to-width-to-height ratio. Based on this, the deformation, strength, and failure characteristics of Beishan (BS) granite and Baihetan (BHT) basalt with different sample sizes under TTC were studied by a comparative analysis method. The size effect of deformation and failure characteristics under TTC are not obvious, including stress-strain curves, Young’s modulus, peak strains, failure angles, and macrofailure mode. However, the damage stress (σcd) and peak strength (σp) have obvious size effect; that is, the smaller the sample size is, the higher the strength is. Additionally, the relationship among the peak strength, sample size, and intermediate principal stress (σ2) is power function. In addition, by comparing the peak strength increment caused by the sample size of the two types of rocks, the σp of the fine-grained BHT basalt is more sensitive to sample size than that of the coarse-grained BS granite. Finally, by analyzing the relationship between the size of the mineral grains or clusters in the two types of hard rocks and the complexity of crack propagation in the fracture surface under TTC, it is suggested that the minimum side length of rock samples should not be less than 10 times the maximum mineral clusters (such as feldspar phenocrysts in BHT basalt). In addition, the method of estimating elastic strain is established by analyzing the relationship between the size of the rock sample σ2 and the elastic strain under TTC.
Innovating from the Front: A Methodology for Developing Effective Disruptive Innovations

Clayton M. Christensen first coined the term “disruptive technologies” to describe why great companies fail. In The Innovator’s Dilemma, he argues that well-managed companies fail because the structure, procedures, and strategies that enabled them to become industry leaders are actually counterproductive to the development of and response to disruptive innovations. These disruptions tend to have several common attributes including improved simplicity, reliability, and convenience for the consumer. Christensen contends that listening to customer feedback and expert opinions causes companies to focus on sustaining technologies, improvements to existing technologies within the established value proposition. Using the example of Intuit and their Quicken software, Christensen demonstrates that observing how customers use a product rather than customer feedback is a more effective method of developing disruptive innovations. While Christensen’s work focuses on for-profit commercial firms, Montgomery C. Meigs observed a similar methodology in his analysis of subsurface warfare in World War II. In Slide Rules and Submarines Meigs details the scientific efforts in overcoming the threat posed by German U-boats during the first half of the Second World War. Meigs showed the effectiveness in embedding scientists and engineers forward to observe first-hand, the environment and challenges resulting from this threat. It was these embedded scientists and engineers that designed the modifications to existing technologies and created the innovations that ultimately enabled the allies to overcome the German’s tactics. Applying lessons from Christensen’s theory of developing effective disruptive innovations and Meigs’ insights on the benefits of embedding technical experts in the operational environment allows us to develop a framework for more effectively developing disruptive innovations for military challenges in the rapidly evolving battlefields of the 21st Century.
Design of a Special-Purpose Airfoil for Smaller-Capacity Straight-Bladed VAWT

Selection of airfoil is one of the most critical factors in achieving better aerodynamic performance and in determining the optimum dimensions of a fixed-pitch straight-bladed Darrieus type vertical axis wind turbine (SB-VAWT), along with solidity, radial arm parasitic drag, aspect ratio etc. Airfoil related design changes also have the potential for increasing the cost effectiveness of SB-VAWTs which is one of the simplest types of wind turbine and they are prospective candidate for diversified urban and rural applications. After identifying the main aerodynamic challenges of this type of wind turbine, the authors short listed the salient aerodynamic and geometric characteristics of a desirable airfoil for a self-starting and better performing SB-VAWT. Based on these findings, detailed performance analyses were done with several prospective airfoils. Finally a special-purpose airfoil has been designed for smaller capacity SB-VAWT.
GaN high electron mobility transistors for sub-millimeter wave applications

This paper reviews different technologies recently developed to push the performance of GaN-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) into sub-mm wave frequencies. To understand the impact and need of each technology, a device delay model based on small-signal equivalent circuit parameters is introduced, which divides the total device delay into intrinsic, extrinsic, and parasitic components. Then, several technologies to improve the speed of GaN HEMTs are discussed according to their contribution on each delay component. Finally, the key limiting factors for the high speed operation of these transistors under high drain or gate bias range are studied and novel approaches to solve these problems are presented.
CONTROLLING AS A TOOL FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT OF AN ENTERPRISE

The article considers controlling as a tool of crisis management of an enterprise, the main task of which is to provide crisis response (management) with an up-to-date information and analytical base. It is defined that anti-crisis management of an enterprise is a complex of measures to analyse and assess potential crises, develop anti-crisis action plans, identify signs of crises, implement action plans to prevent and overcome crises, eliminate their consequences and prevent crises in the future. The goals and objectives of crisis management of an enterprise are defined as follows: foreseeing the crisis and adequate preparation for it; hindering dangerous factors of crisis; managing the dynamics of crisis development; ensuring the vitality of the enterprise in crisis state; mitigating the negative consequences of crisis; using factors and consequences of crisis for the enterprise development. The main elements of controlling (object, purpose, objectives and tools) in the short and long term are described. The general and special functions of controlling are given. It is proposed to distinguish such function of controlling as crisis response. As a controlling functionality, a list of procedures performed by the controlling system was formulated and justified, which made up the crisis response complex: communication, coordination, cooperation, completing, converting, complementing and cogeneration. It has been substantiated that according to the crisis response complex the main role is assigned to communication. It is determined that the crisis response complex should act according to the types of crises that exist and may arise in the activities of the enterprise. A list of classic controlling principles has been provided and supplemented by such ones as the business responsibility and the anti-crisis principle. The principle of business responsibility provides for that the controlling service, while collecting, processing, analysing data and providing the basis for making certain management decisions, must be responsible for the reliability and relevance of the information provided. The second proposed principle (anti-crisis) provides for the prediction and anticipation of turning points in the activities of the enterprise and crisis response.
Monitoring Changes to Arctic Vegetation and Glaciers at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Based on Time Series Remote Sensing

Climate change has profoundly affected global ecological security. The most vulnerable region on Earth is the high-latitude Arctic. Identifying the changes in vegetation coverage and glaciers in high-latitude Arctic coastal regions is important for understanding the process and impact of global climate change. Ny-Ålesund, the northern-most human settlement, is typical of these coastal regions and was used as a study site. Vegetation and glacier changes over the past 35 years were studied using time series remote sensing data from Landsat 5/7/8 acquired in 1985, 1989, 2000, 2011, 2015 and 2019. Site survey data in 2019, a digital elevation model from 2009 and meteorological data observed from 1985 to 2019 were also used. The vegetation in the Ny-Ålesund coastal zone showed a trend of declining and then increasing, with a breaking point in 2000. However, the area of vegetation with coverage greater than 30% increased over the whole study period, and the wetland moss area also increased, which may be caused by the accelerated melting of glaciers. Human activities were responsible for the decline in vegetation cover around Ny-Ålesund owing to the construction of the town and airport. Even in areas with vegetation coverage of only 13%, there were at least five species of high-latitude plants. The melting rate of five major glaciers in the study area accelerated, and approximately 82% of the reduction in glacier area occurred after 2000. The elevation of the lowest boundary of the five glaciers increased by 50–70 m. The increase in precipitation and the average annual temperature after 2000 explains the changes in both vegetation coverage and glaciers in the study period.
A Framework for Multimodal Localization and Recognition of ADL in Assistive Environments Using WSNs and RFID

In this paper we present the framework for localization and recognition of ADL in an assistive environment. We consider a variety of diverse sensors, namely RFID, WSNs and wired low-cost sensor motes. Furthermore we formulate the theoretical background for activity recognition based on episodes consisting of detected events. Finally, we present an operation scenario accounting for multiple users and sensors that compensates for the location estimation uncertainty.
Barriers to GIS Use in Planning

Problem: Despite the widespread availability of geographic information systems (GIS) in local government, there is some evidence that the potential of GIS as a planning tool is not being fully exploited. While obstacles to GIS implementation in local government have been investigated, most of these investigations are either dated or do not focus on planning applications. Purpose: We aim to add to the limited literature on the current barriers hindering GIS use in public planning agencies. We also offer some insights into how to mitigate these barriers and help planning agencies move beyond using GIS simply for routine tasks of data access and mapmaking. Methods: We analyzed responses to a 2007 web-based survey of 265 practitioners in Wisconsin's public planning agencies and follow-up interviews with 20 practitioners we conducted in 2008. Results and conclusions: Planning departments still face a range of technological, organizational, and institutional barriers in using GIS. Training, funding, and data issues appear to be the most significant barriers preventing greater use of GIS for planning purposes, suggesting that organizational and institutional issues are more pertinent than technological barriers. Our literature review indicates that the barriers to GIS use in local government are similar to those of the past, but not identical. Furthermore, our observations indicate that, in general, practitioners are not aware of the full potential of GIS and planning support systems (PSS). Takeaway for practice: Increased funding alone is not likely to move a planning agency beyond routine applications of GIS. Improved access to training that is geared toward the planning process and planning applications may help alleviate many barriers planners face in using GIS in general and in incorporating more sophisticated GIS functions in their work. Research support: This work was supported in part by the Consortium for Rural Geospatial Innovations, funded by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in part by the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the University of Wisconsin–Extension.
Randomized comparison of three high-flux dialyzers during high-volume online hemodiafiltration—the comPERFORM study

ABSTRACT Background Dialyzers should be designed to efficiently eliminate uraemic toxins during dialysis treatment, given that the accumulation of small and middle molecular weight uraemic solutes is associated with increased mortality risk of patients with end-stage renal disease. In the present study we investigated the novel FX CorAL dialyzer with a modified membrane surface for performance during online hemodiafiltration (HDF) in a clinical setting. Methods comPERFORM was a prospective, open, controlled, multicentric, interventional, crossover study with randomized treatment sequences. It randomized stable patients receiving regular post-dilution online HDF to FX CorAL 600 (Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland), xevonta Hi 15 (B. Braun) and ELISIO 150H (Nipro) each for 1 week. The primary outcome was β2-m removal rate (β2-m RR) during online HDF. Secondary endpoints were RR and/or clearance of β2-m and other molecules. Albumin removal over time was an exploratory endpoint. Non-inferiority and superiority of FX CorAL 600 versus comparators were tested. Results Fifty-two patients were included and analysed. FX CorAL 600 showed the highest β2-m RR (75.47%), followed by xevonta Hi 15 (74.01%) and ELISIO 150H (72.70%). Superiority to its comparators was statistically significant (P = 0.0216 and P < 0.0001, respectively). Secondary endpoints related to middle molecules affirmed these results. FX CorAL 600 demonstrated the lowest albumin removal up to 60 minutes and its sieving properties changed less over time than with comparators. Conclusions FX CorAL 600 efficiently removed middle and small molecules and was superior to the two comparators in β2-m RR. Albumin sieving kinetics point to reduced formation of a secondary membrane.
Texas Manufacturers of Sewn Products: A Typology of Strategic Posture by Risk Level

The study was conducted to determine how strategic posture of sewn-products manufacturers influences their use of newer technologies important to company competitiveness. The objectives were to develop a typology of Texas sewn-products manufacturers according to strategic posture by risk level, and to develop group profiles by company demographics and production characteristics. Questionnaires were mailed to Texas manufacturers of sewn products resulting in 123 usable surveys. Cluster analysis was used to segment the manufacturers according to their level of risk. MANOVA and discriminant analysis were used to distinguish among the groups. Profiles of groups were developed using company demographics and production characteristics (production system, plant layout, sewing machine technology, computer usage, and employee training and compensation). The High Risk group accepted and integrated more technology than the other three groups, indicating the need for proactiveness to compete in business.
Socioeconomic Impact Assessment of Water Resources Conservation and Management to Protect Groundwater in Punjab, Pakistan

Water is the most important resource; it is utilized largely in agricultural production and is fundamental to ensuring global food security. This study aims to assess sustainable water management interventions and their impact on the farm economy. To increase water productivity, the most important adaptations that have been proposed are high-efficiency irrigation systems, drought-resistant varieties, the substitution of water-intensive crops with less water-demanding crops, the mulching of soil, zero tillage, and all on-farm operations that can save water, especially ground water. The recent analysis utilized farm survey data from 469 representative farmers along with secondary statistics. The data were collected via a multi-stage sampling technique to ensure the availability of representative farm populations based on a comprehensive site selection criterion. The TOA-MD model estimates the adoption rate of a proposed adaptation based on net farm returns. The impact of high-efficiency irrigation systems and the substitution of high delta crops for low delta crops had a positive impact on net farm returns and per capita income, and a negative impact on farm poverty in the study area. It is recommended that policymakers consult farmer representatives about agricultural and water-related issues so that all the policies can be implemented properly.
Electrical test of multichip substrates

For complex substrates, electrical test is a fundamental element of cost control and quality assurance. Test technologies for multi-chip substrate applications must handle densely wired products with small, tightly spaced contact features. Detection of latent defects or near defects is crucial in meeting reliability objectives. Cluster probe resistance. Capacitance, and electron beam approaches have all been applied to substrate electrical test. IBM's latent opens test is used to screen opens and near opens in thick and thin films and to characterize the interface of bonded metals in interconnection technologies. Key substrate test technology elements include: buckling beam top surface and spring probe bottom surface contact schemes, optical mapping and alignment techniques, automated product and data logistics, and the "full cluster" tester which contacts over 23000 test points at a single time. >
Identification of lactic acid bacteria and rhizobacteria by ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy and multivariate classification

The biological processes of interest to agro-industry involve numerous bacterial species. Lactic acid bacteria produce metabolites capable of fermenting food products and modifying their organoleptic properties, and plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria can act as biofertilizers, biostimulants, or biocontrol agents in agriculture. The protocol of conventional techniques for bacterial identification, currently based on genotyping and phenotyping, require specific sample preparation and destruction. The work presented herein details a method for rapid identification of lactic acid bacteria and rhizobacteria at the genus and species level. To develop the method, bacteria were inoculated on an agar medium and analyzed by near infrared (NIR) and ultraviolet-visible-NIR (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy. Artificial neural network models applied to the UV-Vis-NIR spectra correctly identified the genus (species) of 70% (63%) of the lactic acid bacteria and 67% of the rhizobacteria on an independent prediction set of unknown bacterial strains. These results demonstrate the potential of UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy to identify bacteria directly on agar plates.