Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC FLOW AT COMPLEX CONGESTED ARTERIALS

A dynamic macroscopic methodology for analyzing traffic flow at congested intersections and arterial streets is presented in this paper. This includes complexities frequently encountered in practice such as turning and optional lanes, sinks and sources, and spillback effects. The dynamics of interrupted flow under both sign and signal control are treated in an integrated fashion by considering the coupling effects of the main and side street flows. Compressibility is inherently included in the state equations employed; therefore, dispersion and compression characteristics are built into the analysis. The proposed methodology is particularly applicable to severely congested networks where spillbacks must be taken into account. Implementation of the state equations is performed numerically; this allows inclusion of stochastic and heuristic aspects for treating phenomena difficult to deal with macroscopically. The modelling and numerical treatment employed is easily implementable to microcomputers.
Genetic structure and vector competence for DENV-2 of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) populations in China

Background: As a vector of over 20 arboviruses, Aedes albopictus has spread throughout the world mostly since the second half of the twentieth century, and it is now found on every continent except Antarctica. Approximately 50-100 million people are infected with dengue virus (DENV) transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes each year, leading to a heavy economic burden on both governments and individuals. Understanding the population genetics and vector competence of vector species is critical to effectively preventing and controlling vector-borne diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the genetic structure and vector competence for dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) of Ae. albopictus populations across China and their relationship.Methods: From July to September in 2019, Ae. albopictus eggs were collected by using ovitraps in 8 localities across China and reared to adults in laboratory. The mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) were used to examine the patterns of genetic diversity and population structure among native Ae. albopictus populations. The vector competence was detected by quantitative analysis of DENV-2 virus titer in mosquito tissues (midguts, heads and salivary glands) through qRT-PCR. The correlation between population genetic indices and DENV-2 loads in the mosquitoes’ tissues was also examined.Results: A total of 20 haplotypes of mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) were identified in the 120 specimens from the eight tested populations. The dominate haplotype H01 was detected in seven geographic populations of mainland China. Genetic parameters such as haplotype diversity (Hd), nucleotide diversity (π), and fixation index (FST) revealed the population diversity decreasing from south to north, and low population genetic differentiation. STRUCTURE analysis indicated that Ae. albopictus populations in southern China were clustered. In addition, The Mantel test indicated a positive correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance (R2 = 0.364, P = 0.003). We observed no correlation between population genetic indices of cox1 in Ae. albopictus populations and DENV-2 virus loads. However, the southern populations had the low DENV-2 virus loads generally.Conclusion: Conventional genetic markers such as cox1 may not reflect genetic differences in mosquitoes’ vector competence in different regions. The fact of lower DENV-2 loads in southern populations may be associated with the stable immunity system established in mosquitoes due to the long-term prevalence of dengue disease in these areas. The genetic structure and vector competence of Ae. albopictus populations in this study may have implications for understanding the epidemiology, prevention and control of vector-borne diseases.
Effectiveness of IASTM (Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) in the Treatment of Chronic Calf Pain: A Case Study

Pain in the calf region is a very common complaint experienced by women. There are a multitude of factors that contribute to calf pain in women. One of the commonest causes is prolonged standing. The purpose of this case study was to demonstrate the use of instrument assisted soft tissue mobilisation in the treatment of chronic calf pain in a 27 year old female dancer. All other causes of calf pain such as venous thrombosis, skeletal abnormalities, limb length discrepancy, etc were ruled out. The Egde tool was used for the treatment and brushing strokes were performed. The patient showed significant improvement after 10 sessions
Examining the Necessity of Proctoring Online Exams

This study investigated the differences between non-proctored and proctored online exam scores. Exam scores of the same class from two consecutive semesters were compared. Exam averages were compared to assess if there were significant differences between the two sections, controlling for student GPA. Results support the necessity for proctored exams.
Desired Smile and Effect of Facial Esthetics on the Confidence Level of Saudi Public: A Survey-based Study

Aim: To assess the perception of the general public towards an ideal smile, to determine an association of good facial esthetics with the high confidence level, to compare the findings based on age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Materials and methods: This study was targeted towards the Saudi general public in Riyadh city; therefore, all males and females more than 18 years of age were recruited to fill up the questionnaire. A total of 10000 Saudi general public were targeted in this study. The survey was sent using online links via social media and other sources. Results: A total of 8437 Saudis male and females filled up the online survey, which comprised of 39% (n=3307) males and 61% (n=5130) females. The participants were grouped based on their education level, which demonstrated that 3% (n=230) are primary level, 34% (n=2861) are high school level, 63%(n=5320) are university graduates. The participants were also grouped based on their socio-economic status, which demonstrated that 5% (n=428) are low status, 89% (n=7539) are moderate status and 6%(n=460) are high status. The participants were also grouped based on their dental visits, which demonstrated that 68% (n=5671) visit 0-2 times, 22% (n=1823) visit 3-5 times and10%(n=911) visit 6 times or more. Conclusion: Females were found to be more concerned about their smile, Educational levels did not affect the decision making, Higher socioeconomic status groups had more concern about their aesthetic smile, Patients with an increased number of dental visits had greater concern about their smile.
Characterization and Mitigation of Hyper-Rayleigh Fading

Due to the unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution they offer, wireless sensor networks are considered an enabling technology for the distributed monitoring of industrial, military, and natural environments. As these systems migrate into vastly different and novel applications, new constraints are discovered that affect network reliability and utility. For example, wireless sensors are typically statically deployed and, unlike mobile systems, cannot move to a new location for better radio reception. As a result, the signal fades caused by non-optimal environmental conditions can increase the outage probability of the system, potentially rendering the network unreliable and ineffectual. Stochastic models that quantify link reliability and the effectiveness of diversity methods are often employed to understand the impact of such fading. However, the performance of these models applied to wireless sensor networks is entirely dependent on the appropriateness of the model with respect to the environment. This work first presents an empirical study of the propagation environment for a wingless, rotary aircraft, showing that the wireless environment within exhibits frequency-selective fading much more severe than predicted by current worst-case models (i.e., Rayleigh). An analysis is then given of the effectiveness of several diversity methods operating within such environments (referred to as hyper-Rayleigh). These fade mitigation techniques are simple enough to be employed for use with low-complexity wireless sensor hardware, and include spatial diversity, polar diversity, two-element passive combining, and two-element phased combining. Two-element phased combining is further developed by examining the effect that smaller element spacing has on diversity gain. A demonstration of a wireless sensor utilizing such a two-element phased combining antenna is described in detail.
Assembly of Size Selective Multicellular Spheroids of Adipose-Derived Stem/Stromal Cells for Use in Regenerative Tissue Engineering: A Methods and Morphologic Study

for Abstract As regenerative scaffolds exhibit varying pore sizes, producing adipose-derived stem/stromal cell (ASC) spheroids of selective sizes to populate these pores may be helpful in autologous tissue engineering. Herein we present two protocols for the initial magnetic sorting of ASCs and the subsequent size selective assembly of ASC spheroids; as the critical quality attribute of ASC identity has been shown previously, only spheroid morphology will be studied. Paramagnetic microbeads (Pro-tein G ligand Dynabeads®, Thermo Fisher Scientific) were used to create single-core paramagnetic immunobeads (scPIBs) and dual core paramagnetic immunobeads (dcPIBs). The scPIBs were created by conjugating the paramagnetic microbeads to ASC-selective primary antibodies (mouse antihuman CD 44, CD73, CD90, CD105, BD Biosciences). The dcPIBs were created by initially conjugating the paramagnetic microbeads to secondary antibodies (mouse IgG) and then conjugating the secondary antibodies to the same ASC-selective primary antibodies. The scPIBs and dcPIBs were then admixed within 15 ml of fresh lipoaspirate respectively. The ASC-scPIBs and ASC-dcPIBs were then magnetically precipitated and subsequently cultured in low adherent conditions for five days. Within twenty minutes, scPIBs isolated an average of 1.2 million putative ASCs (8 x 104 cells per ml of lipoaspirate processed) and dcPIBs isolated an average of 1.3 million putative ASCs (8.7 x 104 cells per ml of lipoaspirate processed). Spheroids comprised of ASC-scPIBs were 19.3 µm (average, +/- 5 µm) and spheroids of the ASC-dcPIBs were 216.7 µm (average, +/- 25 µm). ASCs were magnetically precipitated from fresh lipoaspirate in twenty minutes and subsequently underwent self-assembly of small (approximately 20 µm) or large (approximately 220 µm) ASC spheroids over five days. These protocols may be useful in the rapid development of size-selectable ASC spheroids, which may be particularly useful for autologous toxicology, pharmacology, disease modeling, and tissue regeneration.
Characterizing the Preturbulence Environment for Sensor Development, New Hazard Algorithms and NASA Experimental Flight Planning

During the grant period, several tasks were performed in support of the NASA Turbulence Prediction and Warning Systems (TPAWS) program. The primary focus of the research was on characterizing the preturbulence environment by developing predictive tools and simulating atmospheric conditions that preceded severe turbulence. The goal of the research being to provide both dynamical understanding of conditions that preceded turbulence as well as providing predictive tools in support of operational NASA B-757 turbulence research flights. The advancements in characterizing the preturbulence environment will be applied by NASA to sensor development for predicting turbulence onboard commercial aircraft. Numerical simulations with atmospheric models as well as multi-scale observational analyses provided insights into the environment organizing turbulence in a total of forty-eight specific case studies of severe accident producing turbulence on commercial aircraft. These accidents exclusively affected commercial aircraft. A paradigm was developed which diagnosed specific atmospheric circulation systems from the synoptic scale down to the meso-y scale that preceded turbulence in both clear air and in proximity to convection. The emphasis was primarily on convective turbulence as that is what the TPAWS program is most focused on in terms of developing improved sensors for turbulence warning and avoidance. However, the dynamical paradigm also has applicability to clear air and mountain turbulence. This dynamical sequence of events was then employed to formulate and test new hazard prediction indices that were first tested in research simulation studies and then ultimately were further tested in support of the NASA B-757 turbulence research flights. The new hazard characterization algorithms were utilized in a Real Time Turbulence Model (RTTM) that was operationally employed to support the NASA B-757 turbulence research flights. Improvements in the RTTM were implemented in an effort to increase the accuracy of the operational characterization of the preturbulence environment. Additionally, the initial research necessary to create a statistical evaluation scheme for the characterization indices utilized in the RTTM was undertaken. Results of all components of this research were then published in NASA contractor reports and scientific journal papers.
The e-Portfolio for understanding the city

Intervention on urban environments and the city in general terms requires, in addition to having a specific ability to read and understand it, the ability to find the proper answer that necessarily implies a subjective interpretation and a personal contribution of the architect in urban design. This paper, a work in progress, aims to show a new adaptation of an effective teaching strategy, the e-Portfolio, in order to ensure that studentsacquire specific and transversal competences needed to be able to address an urban project with a sufficient cognitive and instrumental background to undertake the urban complexity.
Is the United States a Counterexample to the Secularization Thesis?1

Virtually every discussion of secularization asserts that high levels of religiosity in the United States make it a decisive counterexample to the claim that modern societies are prone to secularization. Focusing on trends rather than levels, the authors maintain that, for two straightforward empirical reasons, the United States should no longer be considered a counterexample. First, it has recently become clear that American religiosity has been declining for decades. Second, this decline has been produced by the generational patterns underlying religious decline elsewhere in the West: each successive cohort is less religious than the preceding one. America is not an exception. These findings change the theoretical import of the United States for debates about secularization.
Fast and furious [Electric dreams]

This article examines two topologies of switching DC-DC converters for electric vehicle applications - the Esser and Split-pi circuits. These are ideal for use in electric vehicle drive controllers, giving natural regenerative braking and power efficiencies exceeding 99%. MOSFET implementation also allows high frequency, multiphase drive designs, reducing mass and volume. Without the presence of a clearly superior topology, Split-pi is poised to become the de-facto standard for electric vehicle drives and will meet the cost and size needs of the OEM for today's 100 kHz technologies and beyond.
Equalization of Loudspeakers and Enclosed Sound Fields

Equalization of Loudspeakers and Enclosed Sound Fields Xi Chen Department of Physics and Astronomy Doctor of Philosophy Equalization of loudspeakers and enclosed sound fields has been a topic of considerable interest for decades. Confusion has often arisen among audio professionals regarding the feasibility of simultaneously equalizing a loudspeaker and the enclosed field (i.e., the “room”) it excites. Because of frustrations encountered in such efforts, some have advocated abandoning simultaneous equalization altogether. This dissertation discusses the drawbacks of this approach as well as traditional in situ equalization methods. It demonstrates that many problems with traditional equalization stem from the use of measured acoustic pressure at a discrete point in a sound field as the system output. The dissertation presents analytical models and experiments involving the equalization of loudspeakers and both one-dimensional and three-dimensional sound fields. Equalization using total energy density at a point in either a one-dimensional or three-dimensional field produces better global equalization of the pressure field. In the onedimensional case, it allows simultaneous correction of spectral loudspeaker and global soundfield response anomalies in a nearly optimal sense.
Model for Predicting the Performance of Planetary Suit Hip Bearing Designs

Designing a space suit is very complex and often requires difficult trade-offs between performance, cost, mass, and system complexity. During the development period of the suit numerous design iterations need to occur before the hardware meets human performance requirements. Using computer models early in the design phase of hardware development is advantageous, by allowing virtual prototyping to take place. A virtual design environment allows designers to think creatively, exhaust design possibilities, and study design impacts on suit and human performance. A model of the rigid components of the Mark III Technology Demonstrator Suit (planetary-type space suit) and a human manikin were created and tested in a virtual environment. The performance of the Mark III hip bearing model was first developed and evaluated virtually by comparing the differences in mobility performance between the nominal bearing configurations and modified bearing configurations. Suited human performance was then simulated with the model and compared to actual suited human performance data using the same bearing configurations. The Mark III hip bearing model was able to visually represent complex bearing rotations and the theoretical volumetric ranges of motion in three dimensions. The model was also able to predict suited human hip flexion and abduction maximums to within 10% of the actual suited human subject data, except for one modified bearing condition in hip flexion which was off by 24%. Differences between the model predictions and the human subject performance data were attributed to the lack of joint moment limits in the model, human subject fitting issues, and the limited suit experience of some of the subjects. The results demonstrate that modeling space suit rigid segments is a feasible design tool for evaluating and optimizing suited human performance. Keywords: space suit, design, modeling, performance
Helicopter Flight Dynamics

G. D. Padfield John Wiley and Sons, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ. 2018. xlii; 810pp. Illustrated £96.95. ISBN 978-1-119-40105-6. This is the Third edition of the book from a world-renowned expert in the field of rotorcraft flight dynamics. The book is aimed at practicing engineers in the field as well as students at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level. It includes both descriptive material and the necessary mathematics required to develop detailed simulation models. Several chapters have been enhanced from previous editions, and it includes two new chapters. The book is organised into three main primary sections with useful introductory material for those new to the field of rotorcraft flight dynamics. These sections are: 1. Modelling 2. Flying qualities (including flight in degraded environments) 3. Tiltrotors
Proceedings of the NASA Workshop on Flight Deck Centered Parallel Runway Approaches in Instrument Meteorological Conditions

A Government and Industry workshop on Flight-Deck-Centered Parallel Runway Approaches in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) was conducted October 29, 1996 at the NASA Langley Research Center. This document contains the slides and records of the proceedings of the workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to disclose to the National airspace community the status of ongoing NASA R&D to address the closely spaced parallel runway problem in IMC and to seek advice and input on direction of future work to assure an optimized research approach. The workshop also included a description of a Paired Approach Concept which is being studied at United Airlines for application at the San Francisco International Airport.
Analysis and Design of Surface Micromachined Micromanipulators for Out-of-Plane Micropositioning

ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF SURFACE MICROMACHINED MICROMANIPULATORS FOR OUT-OF-PLANE MICROPOSITIONING Kimberly A. Jensen Department of Mechanical Engineering Master of Science This thesis introduces two ortho-planar MEMS devices that can be used to position microcomponents: the XZ Micropositioning Mechanism and the XYZ Micromanipulator. The displacement and force relationships are presented. The devices were fabricated using surface micromachining processes and the resulting mechanisms were tested. A compliant XYZ Micromanipulator was also designed to reduce backlash and binding. In addition, several other MEMS positioners were fabricated and tested: the Micropositioning Platform Mechanism (MPM), the Ortho-planar Twisting Micromechanism (OTM), and the Ortho-planar Spring Micromechanism (OSM).
Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies

The human brain has some capabilities that the brains of other animals lack. It is to these distinctive capabilities that our species owes its dominant position. Other animals have stronger muscles or sharper claws, but we have cleverer brains. If machine brains one day come to surpass human brains in general intelligence, then this new superintelligence could become very powerful. As the fate of the gorillas now depends more on us humans than on the gorillas themselves, so the fate of our species then would come to depend on the actions of the machine superintelligence. But we have one advantage: we get to make the first move. Will it be possible to construct a seed AI or otherwise to engineer initial conditions so as to make an intelligence explosion survivable? How could one achieve a controlled detonation? To get closer to an answer to this question, we must make our way through a fascinating landscape of topics and considerations. Read the book and learn about oracles, genies, singletons; about boxing methods, tripwires, and mind crime; about humanity's cosmic endowment and differential technological development; indirect normativity, instrumental convergence, whole brain emulation and technology couplings; Malthusian economics and dystopian evolution; artificial intelligence, and biological cognitive enhancement, and collective intelligence. This profoundly ambitious and original book picks its way carefully through a vast tract of forbiddingly difficult intellectual terrain. Yet the writing is so lucid that it somehow makes it all seem easy. After an utterly engrossing journey that takes us to the frontiers of thinking about the human condition and the future of intelligent life, we find in Nick Bostrom's work nothing less than a reconceptualization of the essential task of our time.