Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SU-8: a low-cost negative resist for MEMS

This paper describes the characterization of a home-made negative photoresist developed by IBM. This resist, called SU-8, can be produced with commercially available materials. Three blends were prepared for this article and some of its optical and mechanical properties are presented. One of its numerous advantages is the broad range of thicknesses which can be obtained in one spin: from 750 nm to with a conventional spin coater. The resist is exposed with a standard UV aligner and has an outstanding aspect ratio near 15 for lines and 10 for trenches. These ratios combined with the electroplating of copper allow the fabrication of highly integrated electromagnetic coils.
Theoretical studies on distribution of resistances in multilevel bipolar oxide resistive memory by Monte Carlo method

We simulate resistance distributions of multilevel oxide bipolar resistive random access memories (ReRAMs) through a physical model with Monte Carlo method. The model is used to explain frequently noticed proportionality relationship between distributions of resistances and multi-levels program voltages. By comparing with the experimental results obtained with TaOx/Ta2O5 bipolar ReRAM, the model is verified to have a good consistency with experiments not only qualitatively but also quantitatively. We demonstrate that the resistance distributions responses are basically determined by the ion migration barrier in the resistance varying thin oxide layer which means that it is a nearly intrinsic material property.
Time-domain synthesis using multilayer RC distributed networks

Transient synthesis using multilayer RC distributed networks is presented in this paper. It is shown that any transient response belonging to the LI (0, c) class may be approximated in the sense of least mean-square error, by the voltage impulse response of a multilayer RC distributed network. The mean-square deviation of such an approximation can be made as small as desired by increasing the number of dielectric and resistive layers of the network. Experimental results are given.
CAPACITANCE STUDY OF FERROELECTRIC P-N JUNCTION

Capacitance study of ferroelectric pn junction having uneven interface was theoretically carried out in case of two dimensional (2D) spontaneous polarization by means of Phenomenological Theory of Ferroelectricity and electrostatics. From the Gauss Law we calculated capacitance via calculation of polarization and electric potential in the depletion region of junction in ferroelectric and paralectric phases. We evaluate dimensionless junction capacitance upon change of temperature and voltage by designation of dimensionless parameters. This model especially deals with semiconductor ferroelectrics.
Towards Dynamic Task Scheduling and Reconfiguration using an Aspect Oriented Approach applied on Real-time concerns of Industrial Systems

Abstract High performance computational platforms are required by industries that make use of automatic methods to manage modern machines, which are mostly controlled by high-performance specific hardware with processing capabilities. It usually works together with CPUs, forming a powerful execution platform. On an industrial production line, distinct tasks can be assigned to be processed by different machines depending on certain conditions and production parameters. However, these conditions can change at run-time influenced mainly by machine failure and maintenance, priorities changes, and possible new better task distribution. Therefore, self-adaptive computing is a potential paradigm as it can provide flexibility to explore the machine resources and improve performance on different execution scenarios of the production line. One approach is to explore scheduling and run-time task migration among machines’ hardware towards a balancing of tasks, aiming performance and production gain. This way, the monitoring of time requirements and its crosscutting behaviour play an important role for task (re)allocation decisions. This paper introduces the use of software aspect-oriented paradigms to perform machines’ monitoring and a self-rescheduling strategy of tasks to address non-functional timing constraints. As case study, tasks for a production line of aluminium ingots are designed.
Submillimeter‐wave InP HBT power amplifier using impedance‐transforming two‐way balun

In this letter, a submillimeter‐wave power amplifier (PA) is presented using a 250 nm InP HBT technology. To obtain high output power, a two‐way power combiner with differential outputs is proposed using multimetal layers. This two‐way balun has an embedded impedance‐transformation function, which enables to design broadband and low‐loss impedance matching networks of a PA. The back‐to‐back connected balun shows a measured insertion loss of 1.2 dB at 296 GHz, including the losses of RF pads. The balanced PA using cascode power cells and the baluns exhibits a measured small‐signal gain of 9.0 dB with broad bandwidth, and the measured output power of 10.0 dBm with a gain of 6.0 dB and drain efficiency of 5.4% at 296 GHz. The chip size is as small as 0.49 mm × 0.41 mm including DC and RF pads. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1831–1834, 2015
Evaluating software for safety systems in nuclear power plants

This paper presents the results of work performed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to assist the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in understanding the state of the art in software reliability for computer-based reactor protection systems. The activities reported upon summarize advice from technical experts in software reliability and safety, and identify the best current software development practices used in industry for safety-critical software. The research reported here has identified a number of positive and negative design factors that can serve as the basis for a safety assessment. The results of the interviews and discussions were combined into a set of principles which were termed "design factors". Although the areas of emphasis among the three sources of information (standards, experts and organizations) tend to be quite different, no substantial areas of disagreement were found. Many of the factors contributing to the success or failure of software may be attributed to the knowledge, understanding, intelligence, and care of the individuals and companies involved in the development of safety-critical software. By combining the best from theory and practice it is possible to isolate a number of factors that distinguish the good from the bad. <<ETX>>
Disturbance Attenuating Control for Cellular Neural Networks with Time-Varying Delays

The problem of disturbance attenuating controller design for delayed cellular neural networks (DCNNs) is considered. Via combining four different states cases in DCNNs and applying Razumikhin function analysis, a feedback control law in the form of linear matrix inequality (LMI) is derived for guaranteeing disturbance attenuation of the closed systems. Finally, a numerical example of DCNNs is given to indicate the effectiveness of the proposed disturbance attenuating control.
Dietary vitamin D: growth, physiological and health consequences in broiler production

Abstract Vitamins are needed in trace amounts in dietary formulations for poultry; however, they are critical for the health, maintenance, and performance of important body organs. Broilers have a lot of leg issues because of their rapid development and lack of exercise. Because of commercial broilers have limited access to direct sunlight, vitamin D supplementation in the feed is critical to reducing the risk of bone deformation and maximizing development. Vitamin D deficiency causes skeletal abnormalities, which may lead also to financial problems. The latest scientific findings on the source, metabolism, mechanisms of action, and functions of vitamin D in broilers are the subject of this review paper.
A rigorous analysis of novel microstrip circular patch antennas

Planar antennas are widely used as radiating elements in large arrays. The commonly used microstrip shapes are rectangular and circular patches. The microstrip circular patch (MCP) requires less area compared to the rectangular one. However, the edge-fed circular patch antenna presents a high return loss which restricts the use of a 50/spl Omega/ microstrip transmission line as a feed. In the present work, an inserted coplanar feed line for matching the MCP antenna to 50/spl Omega/ impedance is developed. The analysis is based on the resolution of the electric field integral equations (EFIE) by the method of moments (MoM) where triangular subdomain discretization is used to handle the arbitrary shape of the radiating elements. Two new MCP antennas which improve the matching performances at the resonance frequencies of the TM/sub 11/ and TM/sub 12/ modes are discussed. <<ETX>>
Learning Environment Quality for Medical Students at Umm Al-Qura University: A Comprehensive Study on Stressors, Sources, and Solutions After Introduction of a New Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Curriculum

Objective Due to introduction of a new curriculum and the related stressors that medical students might encounter, we aimed to assess the quality of the students’ learning environment across academic years at Umm Al-Qura University (UQU), by evaluating stress levels, their sources, and impacts on students, to help improve the quality of learning environment and protect students from personal and academic burnout. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in August and September of 2020 on 572 students enrolled in the new Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum at UQU. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software and two-tailed tests. Results In total, 46.5% of participants encountered severe stress levels during their studies at UQU. In term of stressor sources, the highest prevalence of severe stress was found among students who lacked learning resources (68.8%), followed by those who complained of ambiguity in teaching, learning, and assessment strategies (64.1%). Self-study strategy issues (58.4%) and difficulty in reading textbooks (58.2%) also ranked high. Anxiety was often reported by the students as an impact of stress (62.9%), followed by mood swings (60%). Severe stress levels showed a statistically significant relationship to gender, being highest among females (P = 0.001). For a solution to manage the stress, 79% of the students suggested a supportive learning environment and identification of students’ struggles at early stages. Conclusion Almost half the medical students were severely stressed after the new curriculum was introduced. Therefore, professors and universities should look out for potential stressors and help students overcome them. Universities can also help by offering counseling services to students, improving the student tutoring system, providing appropriate learning environment and resources, and including stress management courses as a part of the overall curriculum.
Non surgical retreatment of central incisor in endodontics: A case report

Introduction: Preservation of tooth has continuously been of maximum problem to dental practitioners on the grounds that ages. Also on this growing technology sufferers are greater aware of to be had remedy plan and its outcome. Long time period fulfillment of endodontic remedy is predicated on thorough debridement of the foundation canal gadget accompanied with the aid of using 3 dimensional obturation. Endodontic disasters aren't exception and consequently want retreatment. Case report: A 23 yr antique male affected person turned into noted the endodontist with a first-rate grievance of ache in higher the front teeth. Clinical exam found out a discoloured maxillary central incisor. The affected person directly supplied a records of root canal treatment attributed to the discoloured enamel which turned into accomplished one and a 1/2 of month in the past through a widespread practitioner. A prognosis primarily based totally on medical symptoms and symptoms i.e. lack of coronal seal with insufficient obturation turned into hooked up and affected person turned into satisfied for a nonsurgical endodontic retreatment. Conclusion: At only a graduate degree the information concerning remedy like root canal treatment is minimum and basic. This case file is a easy endodontic retreatment case, finished via way of means of the conventional technique of eliminating the gutta-percha. Every dentist ought to have a complete information of the basis canal anatomy and its feasible versions earlier than taking off root canal treatment.
Electronic Equalization of FBG Phase Ripple Distortions in 43 Gb/s WDM Systems

Within this paper we investigate in a first step the transmission performance for a 43-Gb/s wavelength division multiplex (WDM) system with channelized and broadband fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for dispersion compensation by statistical simulations. The results demonstrate the feasibility and limitations of replacing dispersion compensating fiber (DCF) in 43 Gb/s systems by FBGs and of upgrading a 10.7 Gb/s system with FBG dispersion compensation to 43 Gb/s. Phase ripple distortions and the narrow band filtering of the channelized FBG extend the OSNR requirements or lead to reduced possible transmission lengths. To overcome these limitations, linear feed-forward-equalizers (FFE), combinations of feed-forward and decision-feedback (FFE-DFE) equalizers, and nonlinear FFE-DFEs are introduced. We show that the OSNR penalty due to filtering and ripples can be significantly reduced by using nonlinear equalizers. Investigated modulation formats are NRZ-ASK (amplitude shift keying with non-return-to-zero pulse shape) and optical duobinary (ODB).
Direction finding with compensation for a near field scatterer

The effect of a near field scatterer on direction finding and its reduction is considered. The effects of a scatterer in the near field of an antenna array are modeled. It is shown that the scatterer degrades the ability of the MUSIC algorithm to resolve two plane waves with a small angular separation. A technique is presented to suppress the effects of the near field scatterer. With this technique, it is shown that the MUSIC algorithm can be applied in the usual manner after applying the Mahalanobis transformation and altering the search vector. It is shown that the effects of an uncoupled scatterer in the near field of the antenna array can be virtually eliminated.
Increasing the total tonnage of human happiness through digital positive psychological interventions: The legacies of MEPS in digital health

ABSTRACT The impact of the positive psychology movement on digital health has been an underemphasized contribution on the field. Marty Seligman was an early figure in developing and evaluating interventions using the Internet and some of the earliest studies of positive psychological interventions used online recruitment and dissemination. We discuss some aspects of Seligman’s legacy through his contribution in the digital health space and borrow from lessons in Seligman’s teaching to provide guidance to the field. Both authors were graduate students of Seligman in the mid-2000s and provide these lessons through the lens of working in the Seligman lab during this period. These lessons include the importance of collaborative and interdisciplinary work, focusing on the future rather than looking to the past, communicating simply and clearly, and opening the doors for others whenever possible. Through widespread dissemination, digital health is one tool to help increase the total tonnage of human happiness.
Effects of Personality Characteristics of Different Genders and Quality of Life Analysis on Risk Factors for Suicide in Depressive Patients

Objective The study was to explore the roles of personality characteristics of different genders and analyze the risk factors of quality of life (QOL) analysis in suicide among depressive patients. Methods One hundred and eighty-six depressive patients from January 2018 to March 2019 in the Department of Psychiatry of our hospital were enrolled and divided into Groups A and B considering whether they had a suicidal tendency or not. Among them, 90 in Group A had a suicidal tendency and consisted of 42 males and 48 females, while 96 in Group B had no suicidal tendency and consisted of 44 males and 52 females. Forward and backward selection and then backward selection were performed on all the variables of gender characteristic factors and QOL factors that may cause suicide, on which stepwise regression was finally conducted. Next, univariate logistic regression analysis was first performed to select important variables from the related risk factors that may cause suicide, and then, the multivariate logistic regression model was used to select important independent risk factors. Results and Conclusion. The age of onset, degree of anxiety, moral support, positive mental attitude, and family independence were the independent risk factors that may cause a suicidal tendency for male depressive patients. The age of onset, degree of anxiety, negative life events, moral support, positive mental attitude, family intimacy, psychoticism, and neuroticism were the independent risk factors for female depressive patients. Physiological function, role physical, bodily pain, social function, and emotional role in QOL may be the independent risk factors for a suicidal tendency.
Wide band injection-locked quadrature frequency divider based on cmos ring oscillators

The design of an injection-locked frequency divider based on CMOS ring oscillators in a 0.25 μm CMOS technology is described. Analytical expressions for the noise performance and the locking band of the divider are derived. The divider, which has a division factor of four, can be used as a quadrature generator in a phase switching prescaler considerably lowering the prescaler total power consumption. The post-layout simulation results show that the divider can operate properly up to a maximum input frequency of 3 GHz, at 1.5 V power supply voltage, and with 0.53 mW power consumption, while its input locking range for −4 dBm injection signal level is more than 1 GHz.
Recent Progress in Neural Probes Using Silicon MEMS Technology

Extracellular recordings from the brain are the basis for the fundamental understanding of the complex interaction of electrical signals in neural information transfer. Going beyond wire electrodes and bundles of electrode wires such as tetrodes, multielectrode arrays based on silicon technologies are receiving growing attention, since they enable a pronounced increase in the number of recording sites per probe shaft. In this paper, recent innovations contributed by the authors to the development of probe arrays based on microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technologies within the EU‐funded research project NeuroProbes are described. The resulting structures include passive electrode arrays based on single‐shaft and four‐shaft probes comprising nine planar electrodes per shaft with lengths of up to 8 mm. Further, active probe arrays with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry integrated on the probe shaft, enabling the arrangement of 188 electrodes in two columns along a 4‐mm‐long probe shaft with an electrode pitch of only 40 µm, are described. These active probes were developed for an electronic depth control. Further, the paper reports assembly technologies for combining the probe arrays with highly flexible ribbon cables. Applications of the probes in in vivo experiments are summarized. © 2010 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Technology's four roles in understanding individuals' conservation of natural resources

An overview is presented of four ways in which human beings and technology interact with respect to the conservation of natural resources. The four roles technology plays are: (1) as intermediary, (2) as amplifier, (3) as determinant, and (4) as promoter of environmentally significant behavior. A review of pertinent literature supports the conclusion that behavioral scientists can contribute considerably to reducing overall environmental impact by analyzing human behavior and technology in concert. Problems and opportunities for interventions aimed to enhance resource conservation are discussed, such as rebound effects, allocation of control, and communication with users through technological-environmental and sensory inputs. A major conclusion is that well-designed technical environments, systems, and products have a great potential for supporting environmentally sustainable behavior.
A super-polynomial separation between resolution and cut-free sequent calculus

We show a quadratic separation between resolution and cut-free sequent calculus width. We use this gap to get, for the first time, first, a super-polynomial separation between resolution and cut-free sequent calculus for refuting CNF formulas, and secondly, a quadratic separation between resolution width and monomial space in polynomial calculus with resolution. Our super-polynomial separation between resolution and cut-free sequent calculus only applies when clauses are seen as disjunctions of unbounded arity; our examples have linear size cut-free sequent calculus proofs writing, in a particular way, their clauses using binary disjunctions. Interestingly, this shows that the complexity of sequent calculus depends on how disjunctions are represented.
Efficacy of Spironolactone as an Adjunctive Therapy to Risperidone to Improve Symptoms of Schizophrenia: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial

Objective: Spironolactone (C24H32O4S), a potent mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) inhibitor, is a potassium-sparing diuretic that is traditionally used to treat fluid build-up in the body or for its anti-androgenic properties. This study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial assessing the beneficial effects of spironolactone in addition to risperidone in improving negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Method: 40 patients with chronic schizophrenia, aged 18–60 years, were assigned to two groups: risperidone + spironolactone or risperidone + placebo. Risperidone was administered to both the spironolactone and placebo groups with a dose up to 6 mg/day throughout the trial. Spironolactone (C24H32O4S) was ordered 100 mg/day for the full 8-week course of the study. Patients were rated on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at four time points: baseline, weeks two, four, and eight. The PANSS negative subscale score was the main objective. Results: PANSS negative, positive, and total scores showed significantly greater improvements in the spironolactone relative to the placebo group from baseline to the trial endpoint (P (Cohen’s d): 0.004 (0.96), 0.007 (0.90), and 0.042 (0.66), respectively). Similarly, ANOVA also presented significant time × treatment interaction effect for spironolactone on PANSS negative (F = 9.04; ηp2 = 0.19; df = 1.38; P = 0.002), positive (F = 3.43; ηp2 = 0.08; df = 2.72; P = 0.023), and total (F = 3.94; ηp2 = 0.09; df = 2.05; P = 0.022) scores. However, spironolactone did not cause significant decrease in the general psychiatric pathology score of PANSS. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the efficacy and safety of spironolactone as an adjunctive therapy to risperidone in improving the symptoms of schizophrenia.