Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE ABDUS SALAM INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS A SCENARIO-BASED PROCEDURE FOR SEISMIC RISK ANALYSIS

A new methodology for seismic risk analysis based on probabilistic interpretation of deterministic or scenario-based hazard analysis, in full compliance with the likelihood principle and therefore meeting the requirements of modern risk analysis, has been developed. The proposed methodology can easily be adjusted to deliver its output in a format required for safety analysts and civil engineers. The scenario-based approach allows the incorporation of all available information collected in a geological, seismotectonic and geotechnical database of the site of interest as well as advanced physical modelling techniques to provide a reliable and robust deterministic design basis for civil infrastructures. The robustness of this approach is of special importance for critical infrastructures. At the same time a scenario-based seismic hazard analysis allows the development of the required input for probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) as required by safety analysts and insurance companies. The scenario-based approach removes the ambiguity in the results of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) which relies on the projections of Gutenberg–Richter (G–R) equation. The problems in the validity of G–R projections, because of incomplete to total absence of data for making the projections, are still unresolved. Consequently, the information from G–R must not be used in decisions for design of critical structures or critical elements in a structure. The scenario-based methodology is strictly based on observable facts and data and complemented by physical modelling techniques, which can be submitted to a formalised validation process. By means of sensitivity analysis, knowledge gaps related to lack of data can be dealt with easily, due to the limited amount of scenarios to be investigated. The proposed seismic risk analysis can be used with confidence for planning, insurance and engineering applications. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A family of compound active-clamping DC-DC converters

A family of compound active-clamping (CAC) DC-DC power converters is proposed. Both main switches and auxiliary switches in the converters can achieve zero-voltage-switching (ZVS), and their voltage stresses are low. There is no parasitic voltage ringing across the diodes of the converters. Operation principle and analysis of the CAC boost converter are explained. A CAC boost converter rated at 1 kW is built to verify the operation and the analysis.
Shielded coplanar striplines for RF integrated applications

In this article, shielded coplanar striplines (S‐CPS) are studied to achieve slow‐wave transmission lines in a CMOS process. The slow‐wave propagation is achieved by placing floating strips below the CPS transmission line. The propagation parameters of such transmission lines are derived by simulations by means of a “full wave” 3D EM software. Quality factors as high as 35 at 10 GHz together with effective dielectric constants of 78 are reported. If these simulation results are confirmed by measurements, this would open the door to the possible realization of integrated transmission line‐based RF circuits such as power dividers, phase‐shifters, or filters of medium bandwidth below 10 GHz. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 352–358, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24054
Simulation of transient sheath overvoltages in the presence of proximity effects

The series impedance needed in the simulation of power cable transients is commonly calculated using formulae that neglect the presence of proximity effects. Further, when applying these formulae, sheaths constructed as wire screens must be treated as tubular conductors. This paper investigates how these simplifications affect the occurrence of transient sheath voltages. The analysis involves calculations by the finite element method and comparison of calculated results with field measurements. It is shown that the sheath voltages are dependent on the proximity effect and the helical winding of the sheath wires. >
Effect of deadtime in imaging detectors

The first and second order statistics in a deadtime affected photo counting distribution are analysed. The reduced mean count rate is modeled for paralyzable and nonparalyzable deadtime in a two-dimensional imaging array. In certain limits the derived expressions are shown to agree with previously published results for single element detectors. A simulation is used to demonstrate the effect deadtime has on the speckle contrast and the speckle peak in the autocorrelation function of static laser speckle. The theoretical approach necessary to describe this behavior is also presented.
Energy harvesting from ambient vibrations: Electromagnetic device and synchronous extraction circuit

This article presents the design and experimental test of a new electromagnetic generator optimized for vibration energy harvesting with a nonlinear energy extraction circuit (synchronized magnetic flux extraction circuit). Previous results showed that the synchronized magnetic flux extraction circuit allows the rectification and the amplification of the voltages produced by an electromagnetic transducer, as well as the optimization of the energy transfer independently of the load impedance. A new geometry of electromagnetic harvester is proposed and optimized to harvest the maximum energy with the synchronized magnetic flux extraction circuit. The studied structure, whose total volume is 10 cm3, is based on a closed ferromagnetic back iron in order to obtain a high reactance in comparison with its resistance. Experimental measurements show that with the synchronized magnetic flux extraction technique, a rectified power of 1.6 mW is harvested at 1 g, 100 Hz over a 10 Hz bandwidth.
Experimental 10 Gbit/s transmission systems and its IC technology

High-speed IC technology is essential to construct high-speed optical transmission systems. A family of regenerative repeater circuits was designed and fabricated using GaAs IC which were also equipped with erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. These experimental 10 Gb/s repeaters were tested under field environment conditions for half a year in the Tokai area of Japan and it was confirmed that all devices and equipment operated stably. The authors propose and demonstrate a new configuration for an ultra-high-speed transmitter and receiver utilizing optical amplifiers at 20 Gb/s. <<ETX>>
Laser speckle pattern - a narrowband noise model

We represent by an electrical model the imaging of a one-dimensional coherently illuminated and diffusely reflecting surface by an optical system with a rectangular aperture. We then obtain the statistical properties of the image intensity from the statistical properties of the square of the envelope of a narrowband noise signal in the electrical model. The analysis is simple because use can be made of results known in communication theory. The results agree with those obtained in a direct way.
Structural health monitoring of bolted joints using linear and nonlinear acoustic/ultrasound methods

The structural health monitoring (SHM) of structures is acquiring a key role in the present time. An in situ system able to assess the health state of bolted joints would save money and maintenance time, by allowing quick assessment of residual life and degradation state of structures. In the last decades, SHM systems based on linear acoustic/ultrasound methods have been investigated extensively. The scope of this study was to develop a reliable index able to assess the loosening/tightening health state of a bolted structure based on linear and nonlinear acoustic/ultrasound parameters. In particular, for the linear acoustic/ultrasound method, a tightening/loosening state index based on the first-order acoustic moment was developed. This method is based on the assumption that a change of signal energy would be recorded for different loosening/tightening states. As for the nonlinear methods, under single- and multi-frequency excitation, high-harmonics generation and sidebands modulation indices were developed. The developed tightening/loosening state index trend was very well reproduced by an analytical expression where they are expressed as function of the torque applied. In particular, the fully loosened (kissing bond) and tight state of bolted structures can be clearly identified by the measured plateau region. The proposed analytical trend approximates the experimental results with excellent correlation. By knowing this trend and measuring the proposed indices, it would be possible to know the torque applied on the bolt and therefore assess the health state of a bolted structure.
Fatigue life evaluation in composite rotor blade of multipurpose helicopter

The prediction of fatigue life and strength of the composite rotor blade for multipurpose helicopter was studied using a residual strength degradation concept. A flight-by-flight load spectrum was introduced on the basis of FELIX standard data. The composite structure analysis was performed to obtain the local stress near blade root in laminate skin and glass roving spar where fatigue damage was most severely anticipated. The fatigue test in the structural specimen of the rotor blade was also carried and compared with predicted results.
Evolving Policy Sets for Multi-Policy Decision Making

—Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) is a planning framework in which an agent dynamically switches be-tween a set of policies by predicting the performance of those policies using forward simulation. But in virtually all MPDM approaches, the set of policies are created by domain experts. In this paper, we learn these policy sets off-line. We use an evolutionary algorithm approach, which allows us to directly optimize the performance of the policy set, rather than some proxy objective. We also propose the use of Terminal, an online strategy game, as an evaluation domain for planning algorithms. Like many real-world robotics problems, Terminal requires multi-agent planning, coping with uncertainty, and practical limits on computational complexity. We describe how we used our approach to generate an agent which is ranked in the top 10 in a global online competition.
Deep Fading Effect On an Individual Link of 4 × 4 Mimo Communication Systems

The hottest issue of next generation communication systems is data throughput improvement for any wireless channel conditions. Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) systems are the key technology for the next generation communication systems. Bill Lab Layered Space Time (BLAST) system achieves high data rates with acceptable BER performance over a good channels state. However, when the wireless channel has a considerable fading then the performance will be decreased and at a deep-fading state the system may fail to transmit any signal. This paper studies and compares the conventional 4 × 4 Vertical BLAST system capacity and bit error rate (BER) performance at Maximum Likelihood (ML) receiver through a simulation. It also studies the effect of a transmit-link deep-fading on the effective signal to noise ratio, system BER and system capacity in 4 × 4 VBLAST system in a comparative way with the conventional 4× 4, 3× 4, 2× 4 and 1× 4 VBLAST system. Considering that every possible case of transmit link deep fade lower than -20dB fading gain is equivalent to switching off this transmit link and mostly all of its power will be wasted. MATLAB software has been used as the main platform for system simulation. تسعى هذه الدراسة للكشف عن اهمية تحسين معدل نقل البيانات في انظمة الاتصالات بغض النظر عن ظروف القناة اللاسلكية، لان انظمة الاتصالات ذات المداخل والمخارج المتعددة تعتبر التكنولوجيا الاساسية في انظمة الاتصال في الاجيال القادمة من هذه التكنولوجيا، ولما كان نظام بيل المتعدد الطبقات الزمكاني (البلاست) يحقق معدل بيانات عالياً – مع نسبة خطأ مقبولة – حال كون القناة اللاسلكية في حالة جيدة، فإن هذا لا يمنع تراجع الاداء إذا عانت القناة اللاسلكية من تخميد وإن كان التخميد عميقاً قد يتعرض النظام للفشل في ارسال البيانات بصورة صحيحة. ومن هنا فإن الدراسة تسعى لفحص ومقارنة سعة ومعدل الخطأ في نظام 4 × 4بلاست العمودي حال استخدام نظام الأفضلية المثلى في عملية الاستقبال. كما تسعى ايضا لدراسة تأثير وجود تخميد عميق في أحد قنوات الارسال الاربعة على معامل نسبة الاشارة الي الضوضاء، وكذلك معدل الخطأ ومتوسط سعة القناة، اخذةً بعين الاعتبار أن معامل التخميد إذا قل عن -20 ديسبل فانه يكافئ حالة قطع الارسال عبر القناة، وأن طاقة الارسال المستخدمة في هذه الحالة ستضيع هباءاً. وقد استخدم الباحث برنامج الماتلاب كاساس للمحاكاة في هذه الدراسة.
Social semantics: the organization and grounding of abstract concepts

Abstract concepts, like justice and friendship, are central features of our daily lives. Traditionally, abstract concepts are distinguished from other concepts in that they cannot be directly experienced through the senses. As such, they pose a challenge for strongly embodied models of semantic representation that assume a central role for sensorimotor information. There is growing recognition, however, that it is possible for meaning to be ‘grounded’ via cognitive systems, including those involved in processing language and emotion. In this article, we focus on the specific proposal that social significance is a key feature in the representation of some concepts. We begin by reviewing recent evidence in favour of this proposal from the fields of psycholinguistics and neuroimaging. We then discuss the limited extent to which there is consensus about the definition of ‘socialness’ and propose essential next steps for research in this domain. Taking one such step, we describe preliminary data from an unprecedented large-scale rating study that can help determine how socialness is distinct from other facets of word meaning. We provide a backdrop of contemporary theories regarding semantic representation and social cognition and highlight important predictions for both brain and behaviour. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Concepts in interaction: social engagement and inner experiences’.
A new 800 V lateral MOSFET with dual conduction paths

A novel 800 V lateral MOSFET is presented. The key feature of this new device is a buried P-type layer that divides the N-type drift region into two parallel conduction paths. The dual conduction paths provide an on-state resistance reduction of 33% as compared with a state-of-the-art double RESURF MOSFET. Charge balance is maintained among the layers to ensure high blocking voltage capability. The manufacturing process is relatively simple and provides excellent control of the charge in each layer by using ion implantation steps rather than epitaxial layers. A new BiCMOS Power IC process, featuring this novel device, is used to manufacture cost-effective integrated power supply chips.
Sustainable Agriculture as a Means of Future Food Production

Several studies have reported sustainable Agriculture as a means of future food production. The purpose of this study is to understand sustainable agriculture as a remedy to conventional method of farming. The study is completely based on secondary data. This research will provide us with the advantages of sustainable agriculture it has over traditional agriculture. It will explain us about the yield difference between the two, and weather sustainable agriculture can be a replacement to conventional agriculture in feeding the world population. The study also explains the reasons for low adoption of sustainable agriculture. Conventional farming is the most common method of cultivation practiced all over the world, but it is accompanied with a number of negative consequences. Sustainable agriculture is sustainable way of producing crops, which is based on conserving the environmental resources as well as producing surplus food to feed the people. Moreover, sustainable agriculture plays a pivotal role in minimizing the input requirement along with producing yield. It has the capacity to produce enough food in terms of Kcal/person/day, for the entire planet. Good governmental support along national policies will help sustainable farming achieve its ultimate goal of feeding the world population.
Sparse unmixing for active molecular imaging

Context This Ph.D. position focuses on a central problem in spectral imaging, known as spectral unmixing , which consists in jointly decomposing a set of N acquired F -valued spectra into K common spectral signatures associated with “pure sources” (e.g., materials or chemical components) weighted by pixel-specific coefficients describing the local mixture of these sources in the N pixels. Mathematically, under a linear mixture assumption, this amounts to recovering two nonnegative matrix factors W ∈ R F × K + and H ∈ R K × N + such that the observation matrix Y ∈ R F × N + for a suitable notion of distance depending on the noise model (e.g., ℓ 2 for white Gaussian noise). In (1), the matrix W contains the (discretized) spectra of the K sources in its columns, whereas H is composed of coefficients h k,n ∈ [0 , 1] describing the relative proportion of the k th source in the n th pixel. In other words, each column of H lies on the ( K − 1) -dimensional simplex. Under these constraints this problem has a natural geometric interpretation: it amounts to finding the convex hull enclosing a set of N points (the columns of Y ) on the nonnegative orthant of R F . Often, the number K of elementary components is much smaller than the number of pixels N and the observation dimension F , meaning that there is a high level of redundancy in the information conveyed by the whole set of pixels. The nonnegative factorization (1) thus leads to a low-rank approximation of Y .
Quasi-ideal multilayer two- and three-strip directional couplers for monolithic and hybrid MICs

In this paper, the properties of multilayer two- and three-strip asymmetric coupled lines are described using their coupled-mode parameters. Examples of quasi-ideal, microstrip, and coplanar directional couplers designed in monolithic and hybrid microwave integrated-circuit technology, consisting of various layered structures of bilevel and trilevel coupled lines, are presented together with experimental results for two 3-dB couplers on ceramic-filled polytetrafluoroethylene and polyimide laminates.
Detection of Counterfeit Coins and Assessment of Coin Qualities.

Due to the proliferation of fake money these days, detection of counterfeit coins with high accuracy is in strong demand, yet not much research has been conducted in this field. The objective of this thesis is to introduce modern computer vision techniques and machine intelligence to differentiate real coins and fake ones with high precision, based on visual aspects. To that end, a high-resolution scanning device – IBIX Trax is deployed to sample the coin images. On top of that, three visual aspects are thoroughly inspected, namely lettering, images and texture. Six features are extracted from letterings, i.e. stroke width, contour smoothness, lettering height, lettering width, relative angle, and relative distance. As for classification, a hierarchical clustering – max spacing K-clustering—is adopted. Our experimental results show that the fake coins and real ones are totally separable based on these features. As for images, we propose a novel shape feature— angle-distance. After images are segmented, a vector of size 360*1 is deployed to represent each shape. For classification, a dissimilarity measurement is used to quantize the difference between two shapes. The results show it can recognize the fake coins successfully. As for texture, a cutting-edge feature maximum stable extremal region is adopted to automatically detect the holes and indents on the coin surface. Parameters associated with this feature are adjusted in the experiments. The detection results show this feature can be used as an indicator for assessing the qualities of coins.
Life Cycle Perspective for Improving Sustainable Supply Chain Management

This paper presents the supply chain management with life cycle approach and direction of improving sustainable supply chain management. The main aim of this paper is to implicate of life cycle perspective across the supply chain, to show importance of this concept. This paper provides an overview of the current status of sustainability assessment methodology and its applicability for extended supply chain. Life cycle approaches to supply chain and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for improving sustainable supply chain were developed in this paper.
Controlador em modo dual adaptativo robusto para plantas com grau relativo unitário: prova de estabilidade

In this paper the stability proof to the Dual Mode Adaptive Robust Control (DMARC) applied to plants with relative degree one is presented. The DMARC is a control strategy which interpolates the Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) and the Variable Structure Model Reference Adaptive Control (VS-MRAC). The main idea is to develop a robust controller to parametric uncertainties and external disturbances with good transient characteristics (fast response and small oscillations) as in a VS-MRAC and good steady-state characteristic (smooth control signal) as in a conventional MRAC.
Electronic Warfare in the Information Age

From the Publisher: Here's an advanced practitioner's guide to the latest concepts and threats associated with modern electronic warfare (EW). This new book identifies and explains the newest radar and communications threats, and provides EW and radar engineers, managers, and technical professionals with practical, "how-to" information on designing and implementing ECM and ECCM systems. Written by a world-renowned expert in radar and electronic warfare, the book helps you develop state-of-the-art ESM systems designed specifically to exploit the vulnerabilities of modern radar. It also identifies and evaluates the latest ESM receiving equipment, and outlines advanced ECM methods, including monopulse deception, coherent radar jamming, and high-ERP generation. Other well-structured sections cover modern ECCM countermeasure techniques, the impact of new stealth technology on ESM and ECM requirements, jammer upgrading procedures, and much more.
The Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing and Its Impact

Abstract The 2009 Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing is a 92-page research agenda looking ahead 10–15 years. It was the result of a two-day meeting on March 30–31, 2009, in Washington, D.C., funded by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. The objective was to develop and articulate a roadmap for research in the area of additive manufacturing for the next 10–12 years. The report addressed the needs and opportunities for technological advance in five areas: design; process modeling and control; materials, processes, and machines; biomedical applications; and energy and sustainability. There have been over 9,000 downloads of the roadmap report. The purpose of this article is to list the main findings of the report and to describe some of the significant impacts the report has had on the advancement of additive manufacturing technology.