Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cost Engineering Techniques and Their Applicability for Cost Estimation of Organic Rankine Cycle Systems

The potential of organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems is acknowledged by both considerable research and development efforts and an increasing number of applications. Most research aims at improving ORC systems through technical performance optimization of various cycle architectures and working fluids. The assessment and optimization of technical feasibility is at the core of ORC development. Nonetheless, economic feasibility is often decisive when it comes down to considering practical instalments, and therefore an increasing number of publications include an estimate of the costs of the designed ORC system. Various methods are used to estimate ORC costs but the resulting values are rarely discussed with respect to accuracy and validity. The aim of this paper is to provide insight into the methods used to estimate these costs and open the discussion about the interpretation of these results. A review of cost engineering practices shows there has been a long tradition of industrial cost estimation. Several techniques have been developed, but the expected accuracy range of the best techniques used in research varies between 10% and 30%. The quality of the estimates could be improved by establishing up-to-date correlations for the ORC industry in particular. Secondly, the rapidly growing ORC cost literature is briefly reviewed. A graph summarizing the estimated ORC investment costs displays a pattern of decreasing costs for increasing power output. Knowledge on the actual costs of real ORC modules and projects remains scarce. Finally, the investment costs of a known heat recovery ORC system are discussed and the methodologies and accuracies of several approaches are demonstrated using this case as benchmark. The best results are obtained with factorial estimation techniques such as the module costing technique, but the accuracies may diverge by up to +30%. Development of correlations and multiplication factors for ORC technology in particular is likely to improve the quality of the estimates.
Evaluation of portal vein velocity in non alcoholic fatty liver disease by Doppler ultrasound

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is being increasingly recognized as one of the major causes of chronic liver disease. It is associated with various metabolic condition including obesity and diabetes. As the incidence of diabetes and obesity is increasing every day due to change in lifestyle, the incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is also increasing and so does its related chronic liver disease. Doppler ultrasound is easily available, noninvasive modality to see the hemodynamics of portal vein in various diffuse liver diseases. Our objective in our study is to show the correlation between the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and Doppler findings of portal vein. The study was conducted in Department of Radiology of College of medical sciences, Bharatpur. Total 70 participants with in group of 30-60 years were included in our study (50 patients with fatty liver disease and 20 with normal liver parenchyma). All ultrasound examination performed with the Toshiba Aplio 500 with convex array deep probe of frequency 3.5MHZ. Prospective cross-sectional study was conducted over the period of one year between September 2020 to August 2021. The mean age of our patients with fatty liver was 42.1 ± 8.4 years, mean BMI was 30.6 ± 3.6 similarly mean V_min and V_max of portal vein is 20.0 ± 7.7cm/s and 24.6 ± 7.4cm/s respectively. Same way the control group without fatty liver had 40.6 ± 9.7 years mean age, 23.55 ± 4.8cm/s mean BMI, 30.05 ± 5.1cm/s mean V_min and 34 ± 5.0cm/s mean V_max. There is statistically significant difference of mean BMI (p<0.001), Minimum Portal Vein Velocity (p<0.001) and Maximum Portal Vein Velocity (p<0.001) among the patients having fatty liver disease and not having fatty liver. Our findings suggest that patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver have lower portal venous velocities than normal healthy study participants.
Effects of Freeze–Thaw Cycles on Strength and Wave Velocity of Lime-Stabilized Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Loess

Basalt fiber is a new environmentally-friendly material with excellent potential for soil reinforcement in geotechnical engineering construction. This study explores the effects of freeze–thaw cycles on the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and P-wave velocity (Vp) of lime-stabilized basalt fiber-reinforced loess. Reinforced loess samples with different proportions of basalt fiber and lime were subjected to 0, 1, 5, and 10 freeze–thaw cycles, and their UCS and Vp were subsequently measured. The test results showed that the addition of basalt fiber and lime to loess could enhance strength and improve resistance against freeze–thaw damage, and the freeze–thaw damage of reinforced loess decreases with the increase of basalt fiber content and length. A relationship between UCS and Vp of the reinforced samples was obtained for the same number of freeze–thaw cycles, and this relationship exhibited linear characteristics. The fitting results indicate that the Vp can be used to estimate the UCS after freeze–thaw damage. The research results not only have important practical significance in the application of basalt fiber in geotechnical engineering but also provide a reference for the non-destructive testing of the strength of loess after freeze–thaw cycles.
Characteristics of a large bandwidth rectangular microstrip-fed inserted triangular patch in a circular slot antenna

The characteristics of a rectangular microstrip-fed triangular patch in a circular slot antenna have been analyzed using the finite-difference time domain (FDTD) method. The impedance and bandwidth of the proposed antenna greatly depend on the design parameters. The normalized radiation resistance values of a triangular patch in a circular slot antenna varies less in the usable frequency band than for a square, or a circular patch. It means that the antenna shows a wider bandwidth than the other types, and although the use of a high relative permittivity (e r = 4.3) substrate usually restricts the operating bandwidth, the radiation resistance also has a low value. The measured bandwidth is approximately 96.3 percent for a SWR ≤ 2.0.
Stages in testing in the wild

In design and innovation processes, a difficulty is often to envision how new products and prototypes might be received when they are first “encountered” in real contexts of use. This paper reports on a case of prototype testing of a new dining tool, where people are asked to use a modified fork without any explanation about how to use it or the rationale for its design. Through detailed sequential analysis of video recordings, we will describe how participants explore the prototype together; testing the prototype in use; exploring the prototype’s different possible uses, and assessing the prototype. These results show how participants systematically and collaboratively explore new objects, in relation to existing activities and other objects in context, often in speculative and possibly (from a designer’s perspective) “disrespectful” ways.
Utilizing the Neuronal Behavior of Spiking Neurons to Recognize Music Signals Based on Time Coding Features

This paper presents a Spiking Neural Network(SNN) architecture to distinguish two musical instruments: piano and violin. The acoustic characteristics of music such as frequency and time convey a lot of information that help humans in distinguishing music instruments within few seconds. SNNs are neural networks that work effectively with temporal data. In this study, 2-layer SNN temporal based architecture is implemented for instrument (piano and violin) recognition. Further, this research investigates the behaviour of spiking neurons for piano and violin samples through different spike based statistics. Additionally, a Gamma metric that utilises spike time information and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) from the membrane potential are used for classification and recognition. SNN achieved an overall classification accuracy of 92.38% and 93.19%, indicating the potential of SNNs in this inherently temporal recognition and classification domain. On the other hand, we implemented rate-coding techniques using machine learning (ML) techniques. Through this research, we demonstrated that SNN are more effective than conventional ML methods for capturing important the acoustic characteristics of music such as frequency and time. Overall, this research showed the potential capability of temporal coding over rate coding techniques while processing spatial and temporal data.
Designing Creative Destruction

This research aims to make a contribution in the context of design thinking at a global cultural scale and specifically how design methods are a feature of the homogenising and heterogenising forces of globalisation via creative destruction. Since Schumpeter’s description of economic innovation destroying the old and creating the new, a number of other interpretations of creative destruction have developed including those driving cultural evolution. However a design model showing the impact of different types of design method on cultural evolution can develop an understanding on a more systemic level from the medium to longer term impact of new designs that homogenise or increase the differences between various cultures. This research explores the theoretical terrain between creative destruction, design thinking and cybernetics in the context of exchanging cultural influences for collaborative creativity and concludes with an experiment that proposes a feedback loop between ubiquitising and differentiating design methods mediating cultural variety in creative ecosystems.
Super powerful LED luminaires with a high color rendering index for lighting systems with combined electric power supply

Considered in this paper are development and creation of high-power LED luminaires with high light efficiency and color rendering index (CRI). As light sources, there used are 6 powerful LED СОВ (Chip-on-Board) modules CreeCXA 2550, the radiation of which contains quasi-chromatic peaks in the spectral range 600…650 nm. It allows to provide CRI values higher than 92. Features of the improved compact construction of the luminaire with indicated COB modules have been presented. To ensure normal thermal regimes of LED COB modules, a small cooling system based on heat pipes has been created, the optimal dimensions of the structural elements of which have been determined by computer simulation. The results of modeling and experimental studies have shown that the developed and manufactured passive cooling system of LED COB modules provides operation temperature modes (up to 85 °C) of light-emitting crystals at the total electric power of COB modules up to 290 W and allows using the luminaires of this type in the systems of continuous artificial illumination with combined power supply. The efficiency of the developed cooling system at some angles to the horizon expands the scope of applying the illumination device.
An Up-to-Date Article Regarding Particularities of Drug Treatment in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Since the prevalence of heart failure (HF) increases with age, HF is now one of the most common reasons for the hospitalization of elderly people. Although the treatment strategies and overall outcomes of HF patients have improved over time, hospitalization and mortality rates remain elevated, especially in developed countries where populations are aging. Therefore, this paper is intended to be a valuable multidisciplinary source of information for both doctors (cardiologists and general physicians) and pharmacists in order to decrease the morbidity and mortality of heart failure patients. We address several aspects regarding pharmacological treatment (including new approaches in HF treatment strategies [sacubitril/valsartan combination and sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors]), as well as the particularities of patients (age-induced changes and sex differences) and treatment (pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes in drugs; cardiorenal syndrome). The article also highlights several drugs and food supplements that may worsen the prognosis of HF patients and discusses some potential drug–drug interactions, their consequences and recommendations for health care providers, as well as the risks of adverse drug reactions and treatment discontinuation, as an interdisciplinary approach to treatment is essential for HF patients.
Multi-camera operating room activity analysis for workflow analysis

Recognizing workflow in the operating room (OR) is essential for developing context-aware systems to provide rich information to enhance patient outcomes by providing performance feedback to the staff post operation or by managing OR scheduling and utilization in real-time. However, manual event reporting can be unreliable and time-consuming. Therefore, our work aims to develop an automatic OR activity analysis framework for recognizing OR workflow for efficiency understanding, analysis and optimization. Such tasks are challenging due to the OR staff wearing similar scrubs and face masks in this setting. The presence of large machinery and equipment also occlude much camera views. By utilizing multiple pre-calibrated cameras mounted in the OR, our system localizes, tracks and recognizes the activity of each staff in OR. First, multi-person localization is done in 2D by using a top-down neural network. Next, an efficient and novel 3D reconstruction by tracking scheme is employed by matching 2D poses across different camera views with back-projected 2D poses from previous frame. Lastly, actions, such as standing, walking, sitting, crouching and lying, are recognized via prior pose knowledge and a pose graph convolution network. We evaluated pose estimation accuracy using percentage of correct key points (PCK) metric and achieved 78.0% accuracy on MVOR dataset, which outperformed state-of-art performance (76.2%). Based on these poses, the actions recognized are 96% accurate. Given the results, our proposed framework for automatic OR activity analysis demonstrates its potential to facilitate further online or offline workflow analysis.
Separate modeling technique for deformation monitoring of concrete dams

Deformation monitoring is an important aspect of safety control for concrete dams. Deformation monitoring models (such as statistical models and hybrid models) are extensively applied to predict concrete dam deformation and derive confidence interval of normal deformation for anomaly detection. Deformation monitoring models for concrete dams mainly consist of hydrostatic component, temperature component, and aging component. The optimum parameters of individual components are simultaneously determined by least square method for monitoring data fitting. Thus, significant over-fitting of deformation monitoring models may be induced by mutual compensation among the parameters of model components. In this paper, the Separate Modeling Technique (SMT) is proposed for mitigating the over-fitting problem of deformation monitoring models for concrete dams. Firstly, the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) is adopted to extract and visualize the aging component of displacement sequence. Proper mathematical formulation of the aging component can be established, and the problem of improperly presupposing the mathematical form of aging component in the process of constructing traditional deformation monitoring models is well addressed. In this study, the hydrostatic component is represented by the Hybrid Response Surface (HRS), which is formulated using numerical simulation with varying water levels and material parameters. The displacement variation caused by water level fluctuation is identified in terms of isothermal conditions and is used to calibrate the material parameters in the HRS. The temperature component is separated through subtracting the hydrostatic and aging components from displacement time series and then is expressed with proper mathematical formulations. Finally, hybrid models for displacement monitoring of concrete dams are established by combining the separately formulated components. The Separate modeling technique is applied to formulate crest displacement of the YL concrete gravity dam. The false alarm rate of displacement monitoring and a new model selection criterion (namely over-fitting coefficient) are adopted to compare various deformation monitoring models. It is shown that the over-fitting levels of deformation monitoring models can be effectively reduced using the SMT. The deformation monitoring models constructed with the SMT are of better accuracy in displacement prediction and present no false alarm of displacement monitoring for the tested period.
A Review of the Recent Developments of Molecular Hybrids Targeting Tubulin Polymerization

Microtubules are cylindrical protein polymers formed from αβ-tubulin heterodimers in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. Microtubule disturbance may cause cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and anomalous mitotic spindles will form. Microtubules are an important target for cancer drug action because of their critical role in mitosis. Several microtubule-targeting agents with vast therapeutic advantages have been developed, but they often lead to multidrug resistance and adverse side effects. Thus, single-target therapy has drawbacks in the effective control of tubulin polymerization. Molecular hybridization, based on the amalgamation of two or more pharmacophores of bioactive conjugates to engender a single molecular structure with enhanced pharmacokinetics and biological activity, compared to their parent molecules, has recently become a promising approach in drug development. The practical application of combined active scaffolds targeting tubulin polymerization inhibitors has been corroborated in the past few years. Meanwhile, different designs and syntheses of novel anti-tubulin hybrids have been broadly studied, illustrated, and detailed in the literature. This review describes various molecular hybrids with their reported structural–activity relationships (SARs) where it is possible in an effort to generate efficacious tubulin polymerization inhibitors. The aim is to create a platform on which new active scaffolds can be modeled for improved tubulin polymerization inhibitory potency and hence, the development of new therapeutic agents against cancer.
Modelling intermittent time series and forecasting COVID-19 spread in the USA

Abstract Forecasting intermittent time series represents a challenging task whose importance increases together with the number of series sporadically observed. However, given the difficulties in modelling the presence of zeros, few methods are available. This article introduces a novel state-space approach defined as Intermittent Local Level (ILL). Our approach allows integrating the intermittent nature of time series and forecasting efficiently. Indeed, the proposed state-space model assumes a Bernoulli dynamics that allows switching between zeros and positive values. Moreover, we derive the unobserved dynamics of the time series and provide a simple method for estimating and forecasting. In addition, our approach allows deriving prediction intervals for intermittent observations. Finally, we compare our method’s performance with those of standard intermittent models as well as other benchmarks, using the daily number of new cases of COVID-19 observed in nearly 3000 American counties. Predicting the number of newly infected people is important, not only for hospitals but also for policy makers in general. Empirical results show that the suggested approach clearly outperforms the Croston model and its variants when forecasting the number of new Coronavirus cases over a two-week period. In addition, it compares well with non-intermittent benchmarks both in point forecast and prediction intervals.
A Novel Micromachined Frequency Reconfigurable Microstrip Patch Antenna Using Thermal Actuators

in this paper, a new kind of frequency reconfigurable microstrip patch antenna based on MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) technology is proposed. In fabrication of this antenna, a combination of bulk and surface micromachining is used. Thermal actuation is utilized as driving mechanism. The antenna patch is discretized to facilitate vertical displacement of the patch and as a result decreasing power consumption of actuation mechanism. Downward relocation of discretized patch, toward fixed ground plane, reduces the air gap height, and subsequently operating frequency of the antenna. Operating frequency of the antenna can be shifted continuously from 17.387 GHz to 16.812 GHz in the bandwidth of 680 MHz and 645 MHz respectively. The tuning range of 575 MHz is realized by a 2 V CMOS compatible voltage and acceptable power consumption. Finite-element analyses show a good microwave performance and mechanical behavior over the tuning range.
The Effect of Salespeople Skills on Selling Behaviors: The Moderating Role of Social Media

Abstract Social selling is a prominent marketing strategy in this digitalization era. Thus, this research aims to inspect the moderating role of social media use in the relationship between selling skills (salesmanship, technical, active empathetic listening (AEL), and emotional intelligence (EI) skills) and selling behaviors (cross/up and adaptive selling behaviors). A sample of 185 respondents was collected from salespeople in Lebanon using a questionnaire, and data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS graphics 24. The outcomes revealed that salesmanship, technical, AEL, and EI skills drive adaptive and cross/up-selling behaviors. In addition, social media use enhances the relationship between salespeople selling skills and behaviors. Finally, this research suggests key insights into the social selling context and offers guidelines to marketing managers on how to execute an effective social selling strategy.
Atomistic Study on the Sintering Process and the Strengthening Mechanism of Al-Graphene System

The powder metallurgy process of the Al–graphene system is conducted by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the role of graphene. During the sintering process, graphene is considered to reduce the pore size and metal grain size based on the volume change and atomic configuration of the Al parts in the composite. Compared with the pure Al system, the space occupied by the same number of Al atoms in the sintered composite is 15–20 nm3 smaller, and the sintered composite has about 5000 fewer arranged atoms. Because these models are carefully designed to avoid a serious deformation of graphene in the tension of sandwich-like composite models, the strengthening mechanism close to the experimental theory where graphene just serves to transfer a load can be studied dynamically. The boundary comprising of two phases is confirmed to hinder the motion of dislocations, while the crack grows along the interface beside graphene, forming a fracture surface of orderly arranged Al atoms. The results indicate that single-layer graphene (SLG) gives rise to an increase of 1.2 or 0.4 GPa in tensile strength when stretched in in-plane or normal direction, while bilayer graphene (BLG) brings a clear rise of 1.2–1.3 GPa in both directions. In both in-plane and normal stretching directions, the mechanical properties of the composite can be improved clearly by graphene giving rise to a strong boundary, new crack path, and more dense structure.