Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The logistic cycle of the supply chain of the motor vehicle industry: critical issues and pathways of regional development

The functioning of the supply chains represents a highly investigated field. This is can be accounted for by the fact that in some productive sectors, such as the automotive one, most of the product is concretely produced by a wide and diverse range of companies supplying both intermediate goods and services to production (Calabrese and Erbetta, 2005; Volpato, 2008). Among the latter, much attention has been given to the engineering services and design, less to the providers of transport and logistics services. Nevertheless, the latter result to have central importance for the correct functioning of the supply chains. The present contribution seeks to fill this gap, through the construction of a self-assessment method of the company performances in the field of transport and logistics, as well as thanks to the results of a thorough analysis of the logistic-productive cycle of the automotive supply chain of an important Italian industrial region.
Challenges Facing Future Micro-Air-Vehicle Development

Nomenclature Ar = rotor disk area CD = sectional drag coefficient CD0 = zero-lift drag coefficient Clα = lift-curve slope CP = power coefficient CPi = induced power coefficient CP0 = profile power coefficient CT = thrust coefficient c = chord length D = drag force D.L . = disk loading L = lift force m = mass P.L . = power loading SF = separated flow T = rotor thrust V = local wind velocity perceived by flap W = weight W f = final weight Wo = gross takeoff weight α = blade section angle of attack η = efficiency μ = dynamic viscosity ρ = air density σ = rotor solidity = flapping amplitude (peak to peak)
The Creation of Internet Communities: A Brief History of On-Line Distribution of Working Papers Through NEP, 1998-2010

This paper adds to the growing literature on the formation of online communities from an historical perspective by telling of the emergence and development of a service for speedy, online distribution of recent additions to the broad literatures on economics and related areas called NEP: New Economics Papers as well as the online community that grew around it. We provide details of the social and technological challenges for its construction as well as the evolution of its governance. The development of NEP provides an illustrative example for the kind of new business models that have emerged as the Internet has been used by creative minds to provide existing services in a new way.
An Exploratory Study of Environmental Stress in Four High Violent Crime Cities: What Sets Them Apart?

Understanding the social contexts of violent crime remains controversial in the literature. In the current study, we examine common social contexts in four cities (Houston, TX, Baltimore, MD, Jackson, MS, Wilmington, DE). Data were examined in two studies. In the first, each city was compared to national county-level data on health outcomes. In the second, communities within the four cities were examined for correlates of crime. Results suggest that some common social contexts emerge: high STD rates, air pollution, single-parent homes, insufficient food resources and sleep, residential segregation, housing cost burdens, comparatively few older adults and comparatively more females, were common among the four high-violence cities. By contrast, all four cities unexpectedly had uncommonly low suicide rates compared to the national average. At the community level, unemployment, community stress, median household income, and population density all correlated with criminal outcomes. High-violence cities tended to have higher proportions of Black residents, however community level evaluations suggested that class-related issues, not race per se, was correlated with violent crime.
Dynamic Classification of Plasmodium vivax Malaria Recurrence: An Application of Classifying Unknown Cause of Failure in Competing Risks

A standard competing risks set-up requires both time to event and cause of failure to be fully observable for all subjects. However, in application, the cause of failure may not always be observable, thus impeding the risk assessment. In some extreme cases, none of the causes of failure is observable. In the case of a recurrent episode of Plasmodium vivax malaria following treatment, the patient may have suffered a relapse from a previous infection or acquired a new infection from a mosquito bite. In this case, the time to relapse cannot be modeled when a competing risk, a new infection, is present. The efficacy of a treatment for preventing relapse from a previous infection may be underestimated when the true cause of infection cannot be classified. In this paper, we developed a novel method for classifying the latent cause of failure under a competing risks set-up, which uses not only time to event information but also transition likelihoods between covariates at the baseline and at the time of event occurrence. Our classifier shows superior performance under various scenarios in simulation experiments. The method was applied to Plasmodium vivax infection data to classify recurrent infections of malaria.
From Seaweeds to Cosmeceutics: A Multidisciplinar Approach

Macroalgae are widespread on the coasts of all the globe and lead to a negative ecological impact, requiring expensive remediations. Therefore, the valorization of invasive seaweed as a renewable source of bioactive products could represent a valid solution. In this context, three algal biomasses, belonging to brown, green, and red families (Sargassum muticum, Ulva lactuca, Solieria filiformis), collected in the venetian Laguna, were investigated as a source of active compounds for the formulation of cosmeceutics. Microwave (MW) and ultrasound (US) were applied to enhance the algae extraction by means of a hydroalcoholic solution. According to total phenolic content (TPC) evaluation, MW demonstrated the best performing outcomes, resulting in 19.77, 22.02, and 16.94 mgGAE/gExtr (30 min at 90 °C) for brown, green, and red algae, respectively. Antioxidant activity was tested as well, showing comparable trends (49.19, 26.24, and 3.02 mmolTrolox eq./gExtr for brown, green, and red algae, respectively). Due to natural algae predisposition to absorb contaminants, the metal content analysis helped to screen the applicability of these extracts, identifying Ulva lactuca as the most suitable source of antioxidants for cosmetic formulations. This MW extract was then adopted to formulate two different preparations, namely a gel and an emulsion. Thermal and mechanical tests confirmed the stability of each formulation, together with neutral organoleptic characteristics. Finally, the actives release was investigated by means of a tape stripping essay, showing an efficient controlled release for gel formulation, even after 7 h of test. The produced cosmeceutics merged non-conventional extraction technologies with formulation expertise, offering a valuable alternative to solve the macroalgae disposal issue.
A SECURE COMMUNICATION IN SMART PHONES USING TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATIONS

Most secure systems face security attacks mainly at the client side. Two Factor Authentication (TFA) provides improved protection to the system at the client side by prompting to provide something they know and something they have. This system uses a one time password(OTP) generation method which doesn’t require client-server communication, which frees the system from cost of sending a dynamic password each time the client wants to login. The OTP generation uses the factors that are unique to the user and is installed on a smart phone in Android platform owned by the user. An OTP is valid for a minutes time, after which, is useless. The system thus provides better client level security – a simple low cost method which protects system from hacking techniques like key logging, phishing, shoulder surfing, etc.
Sensor Fault Detection, Diagnosis and Validation - A Survey

This paper provides an overview and analysis of data-driven sensor fault detection, diagnosis and validation from the application viewpoint. The typical sensor fault detection indices in the literature and the fundamental issues of necessary and sufficient conditions for detectability, reconstructability, identifiability and isolatability are analyzed. The main objective is to study the essential and important algorithms and techniques for single or multiple sensor fault diagnosis and validation. The issues of optimal principal components, sensor validity index, maximized sensitivity, as well as robust sensor fault diagnosis, etc. are discussed. Additional focuses are summarized at the end of the paper for future investigation.
Two-phase optimal path planning of autonomous ground vehicles using pseudo-spectral method

In this paper, an optimal path-planning method is proposed for autonomous ground vehicles in case of overtaking a moving obstacle by the application of a two-phase optimal-control problem. When the autonomous vehicle detects a moving vehicle in a proper speed and distance ahead, it decides to overtake the obstacle by executing a double-lane change manoeuvre. The path for the overtaking manoeuvre is generated by a two-phase optimal path-planning problem. The cost function of the first phase is defined in such a way that the vehicle approaches the obstacle as close as possible. In the second phase, the cost function is defined as sum of the vehicle lateral deviation from the reference path and the rate of steering angle. At the same time, the lateral acceleration of the vehicle must not exceed a specified limit. The radio pseudo-spectral method, which is a method for direct trajectory optimization using global collocation at Legendre–Gauss–Radau points, is applied for solving the two-phase nonlinear optimal-control problem. A full nonlinear vehicle model in CarSim software is used for path-tracking simulation by importing path data from a MATLAB code. The simulation results show that the generated path for the autonomous vehicle satisfies all vehicle-dynamics constraints and hence is applicable for a real autonomous vehicle.
Low-cost printed antenna array built with hybrid feed for urban microwave links

This study presents a new millimetre-wave printed antenna array fed by a rectangular waveguide. This compact, light and low-cost antenna, composed of a large number of linear subarrays of patches fed by a waveguide drilled in the ground support, is well suited to urban microwave links for cellular base stations. Measurements show a peak gain of 30 dBi with an efficiency of 69%.
Operation of digital optical transmission system with minimal degradation due to polarisation mode dispersion

The probability of BER degradation above 10/sup -9/ is evaluated theoretically as the quality parameter for examining the robustness of an optical transmission system incorporating an EDFA to fibre polarisation mode distortion (PMD). Provided that there is an existing power margin, a significantly reduced sensitivity to PMD is achieved by detuning the decision level of the optical receiver from the optimum for zero PMD. >
Propagation characteristics of infinitely-long single-conductor lines by the complete field solution method

A complete field method of solution of the transmission-line problem has been used to obtain numerical values for the propagation parameters of an infinitely-long single-conductor line over lossy ground, and to establish from these results the order of errors which may occur when simpler methods of analysis are used. It is seen that Carson's corrections are perfectly valid for medium or low ground resistivities and for operating frequencies in the power and power line carrier ranges. Deviations were found to arise when high ground resistivities were involved and under these conditions the differences extend to frequencies down to 1 kHz. The deviations arise from an apparently cyclic peaking of propagation losses occurring in the region of 106 and 1012 Hz. A near lossless propagation region exists between these two peaks. The results also provide new, clearer, physical reasons for the various changes in the propagation characteristics with operating frequency and ground parameters.
Correlation Analysis of Experimental Data Applied in the Study of the Extraction Process

The article examines the application of correlation analysis of experimental data in research into the process of extracting bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in plant extracts from berries and grape pomace. The correlation analysis of the experimental data allowed the establishment of the second order statistical characteristics (autocorrelation function, intercorrelation function and correlation coefficient). Based on the correlation analysis of the experimental data, it was shown that the influencing factor and the measured parameters have zero correlation coefficients for all types of researched extracts. This indicates that they are not independent. Therefore, related mathematical models can be deduced.
Higher order interior-point method for minimising load-shedding in a competitive electric power market

A method for computing minimum load shedding in a competitive electric power market is proposed. The minimum load-shedding problem is formulated as an optimal power flow (OPF), including equality and inequality nonlinear constraints which take into account the system's security conditions. A multiple predictor-corrector (MPC) higher order interior-point method was implemented and tested. The utilisation of an MPC method leads to both a smaller number of iterations for convergence and smaller computational times. The idea is to determine individual load-shedding percentages for each busbar to assure predefined security conditions. Several test power systems were used in the simulations, namely the IEEE 30, 57, 118 and 300 busbar systems. Also, two realistic power systems were used, a 464 busbar, corresponding to the interconnected Peruvian system, and a 2256 busbar corresponding to part (South-Southeast) of the interconnected Brazilian system. An analysis of the dual variables related to the optimisation problem is also carried out.
LIL and LMJ laser facility status

The French Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) began the construction of the Laser Megajoule (LMJ), a 240-beam laser facility, at the CEA laboratory CESTA near Bordeaux. The LMJ will be a cornerstone of the CEA "Programme Simulation", the French analog to the US Stockpile Stewardship Program. The LMJ is designed to deliver 2MJ of 0.35 μm light to targets for high energy density physics experiments and to ultimately obtain ignition and propagating burn with DT targets in the laboratory. The Scientific conception and system design was completed in 1999 and was followed by the Demonstration of an Engineering Prototype which was achieved in early 2003 with operation of one beam of the Ligne d'Integration Laser (LIL) at CESTA, with 9.5 kJ of UV light (0.35 μm) in less than 9 ns from a single laser beam. The Ralization phase of the LMJ facility was initiated in March of 2003 with the construction start of teh building and the target chamber. This paper will present results from the commissioning phase of the LIL program in 2003 and 2004. The activation and commissioning of the full 8 beamlines of LIL over the next 2 years will be part of determining the final specifications and integration and commissioning plans for the LMJ which is expected to demonstrate first light performance through 240 beams by 2010.
Agricultural Bio-Stimulant Activity of Fish Protein Hydrolysate from Common Silver Belly (Gerres subfasciatus)

Taking into account of using the fish industry wastes and for expanding the incentive to a few under used fish species, protein hydrolysates from fish proteins are being set up by a few specialists everywhere throughout the world. Fish Protein Hydrolysates (FPH) are breakdown results of enzymatic transformation of fish proteins into smaller units like peptides, which typically contain 2-20 amino acids. Their worth has been expanded by utilizing them as fluid bio compost, feed supplement and bioorganic fertilizer. From the research carried out at our laboratory, Dry fish silver belly with both microbe and enzyme acquired from cultural broth of lactobacillus species, catalyst papain demonstrated positive upgrade of development and advancement of plants tested. In view of the yield of FPH concentrates from both microbial and enzymatic hydrolysis, the pace of seedling life list in Urad dhal, green gram and okra got higher in 0.1-0.5% convergence of dry fish hydrolysate from lactobacillus treated than in the control variation. With respect to the seeds of urad dhal, green gram and okra, the germination rate and seedling energy list from treated seeds surpassed control by 19.11-128.71%. The positive effect of dry fish protein hydrolysate by microbial procedure on germination rate, seedling life record rate in 3 kinds of seeds is the reason for the improvement of protein hydrolysate item for application in crop creation utilizing dry fish squanders. The Seedling grown in 0.5% concentration of fish hydrolysates showed significant increase in seedling vigour index of Urad dhal (13.29 ± 0.12 %), Green gram (14.1 ± 0.17%) and Okra (5.39 ± 0.43 %) was recorded through one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). By HPLC determination amino acid results determined that protein hydrolysates process can be stopped on 7th day (643.56ppm) whereas @ 10th day amino acid decreased (326.24ppm). Results suggest that probiotic assumes a superior job in dry fish protein hydrolysates than compounds when contrasted and yield and prudent astute.
Drought Allocations Using the Systems Impact Assessment Model: Klamath River

Water supply and allocation scenarios for the Klamath River, Ore. and Calif. , were evaluated using the Systems Impact Assessment Model (SIAM), a decision support system developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. SIAM is a set of models with a graphical user interface that simulates water supply and delivery in a managed river system, water quality, and fish production. Simulation results are presented for drought conditions, one aspect of Klamath River water operations. The Klamath River Basin has experienced critically dry conditions in 1992, 1994, and 2001. Drought simulations are useful to estimate the impacts of specific legal or institutional flow constraints. In addition, simulations help to identify potential adverse water quality consequences including evaluating the potential for reducing adverse temperature impacts on anadromous fish. In all drought simulations, water supply was insufficient to fully meet upstream and downstream targets for endangered species.
Learning to Expect the Predictable: The Role of Expectation in the Cognitive Control of Attention

Some of the visual world is relevant to our goals and needs. Much more is not. A problem we face frequently in day-to-day living is that we are distracted by what is not relevant to our goals at the cost of attention towards what is. Emotional stimuli in particular have been shown to be very effective distractors, out-competing task-relevant stimuli for our attentional resources (Carretié, 2014; Pessoa, 2005; Pourtois et al., 2013). How often emotional distractors occur can alter our ability to ignore them and remain task focussed (Grimshaw et al., 2018; Schmidts et al., 2020). The Dual Mechanisms of Control framework (Braver et al., 2007; Braver, 2012) suggests that, because we can expect upcoming distractors when they occur frequently, we can effectively avoid distraction through proactive control; the use of effortful preparatory cognitive control strategies. That said, when distractors are frequent, we also become more experienced with them, and resolving the attentional conflict they create. The present investigation spanned two experiments assessing whether expectation of upcoming distractors would elicit proactive control while holding the experience of previous distractors constant. In Experiment 1 participants performed a simple perceptual task at fixation while neutral or negative task irrelevant images appeared peripherally on 25% of trials, either predictably in sequence (every fourth trial) or randomly. Expectation of distraction did not improve participants’ ability to avoid emotional distraction. A paradoxical expectation effect was also found wherein distraction was increased rather than decreased when distractors occurred predictably. In Experiment 2 distractors appeared either predictably (every fourth trial), on a random 25% of trials, or on a random 75% of trials. However, neutral and emotional images were now presented at fixation with the perceptual task presented above and below. Greater distractor frequency led to lower distraction and expectation of upcoming distractors again did not improve control, although a paradoxical increase in distraction was not replicated. Findings indicate that expectation of upcoming distractors alone is not sufficient to drive individuals to implement proactive control. Rather, distractor frequency is suggested to drive proactive control through implicit changes in top-down control settings based on experience. While the processes behind experience-driven proactive control are unclear, conflict adaptation and selection history are discussed as possible mechanisms of experience driven proactive control. Critically, present findings also indicate that emotional stimuli may present a unique challenge to our ability to control our attention.
Multiuser-Class Urban Transit Network Design

In transit network design it is common to use characteristics of the average traveler to describe travel behavior, while in reality different traveler groups can be distinguished that react differently with respect to transport service quality. A study is conducted of the possible consequences of basing the design of urban transit networks on the preferences of specific traveler groups. To that end, an analytical network optimization model is developed that considers a mix of different traveler groups simultaneously. Results from the analyses show that focusing on specific traveler groups leads to clearly different network design characteristics. However, the optimal network design developed for the average traveler proved to be the best network for all traveler groups. Furthermore, it was found that focusing on traveler groups having good transport alternatives led to very low values of consumer surplus and social welfare. Optimizing transit networks while considering different traveler groups simultaneously results in networks that are similar to those using the traditional single-user-class approach based on the average traveler. Differences in preferences for traveler groups are balanced by the size of the resulting transit patronage. Apparently, a more realistic description of the demand side is not essential for urban transit network design.