130 research outputs found
Working within Historic Layering in the Urban Regeneration of “SNIA” Industrial Heritage Site. An Italian Case Study.
No full textsj-pdf-1-imr-10.1177_03000605231206257 - Supplemental material for Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene rs671 G>A polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of digestive tract cancer
No full textSupplemental material, sj-pdf-1-imr-10.1177_03000605231206257 for Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene rs671 G>A polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of digestive tract cancer by Yang Yang, Qun Liang, Yijin Chen, Yu Cao, Qingqing Zhuo, Boying Liu and Shengbing Wang in Journal of International Medical Research</p
State switching in multi-stable systems: control and optimisation.
No full textThis thesis studies state-switching in multistable systems, so that they can switch from inefficient operating states to a more efficient one, in order to achieve performance enhancement in real-life engineering systems. Multistable systems have more than one stable state under a set of parameters and the process of switching from an undesired state to a desired state is achieved by the proposed PD-like controller. It exploits the difference of the displacement and velocity between the undesired and the desired stable conditions for feedback in state switching. Three test systems are used for investigating the performance of this PD-like controller, namely: the Duffing oscillator, which is a typical smooth multistable system; the non-smooth soft-impact oscillator; and the soft-impact oscillator with a drift. A randomised triangular subdivision algorithm is proposed to reconstruct the basins of attraction of the target multistable systems, in order to identify the desired state for switching. Due to the limited capacity of physical actuators, behaviours of the constrained PD-like controller are investigated using extensive simulation on the test systems. Moreover, optimisation of the controller (based on multiple performance objectives) can further improve system performance. Two performance objectives - maximum peak of control input and switching duration - are adopted in optimising the proposed PD-like controller. The first objective is minimised in order to avoid output limit and reduce energy consumption in the actuator, while the second objective is minimised in order to shorten the time required for state switching. These two performance objectives are considered independently in performance optimisation, using particle swarm optimisation (PSO). Since these two objectives are in conflict with each other, both objectives are minimised simultaneously in multiobjective optimisation of the performance of the PD-like controller using Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms-II (NSGA-II). A trade-off in performance enhancement is achieved through selecting control parameters from the Pareto optimal set
B-Boying and Battling in a Global Context: The Discursive Life of Difference in Hip Hop Dance / ﺍﻟﺮﻗﺺ ﺑﻮﺻﻔﻪ ﺻﺮﺍﻋﺎً ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺎﻕ ﺍﻟﻌﻮﻟﻤﻲ: ﺍﻟﺤﻴﺎﺓ ﺍﻟﺨﻄﺎﺑﻴﺔ ﻟﻼﺧﺘﻼﻑ ﻓﻲ ﺭﻗﺺ ﺍﻟﻬﻴﺐ ﻫﻮﺏ
No full text[This article explores the discursive dimensions of dance through a battle between the Mighty Zulu Kings (US) and Gamblerz (South Korea) at a two-day international b-boying (popularly known as break-dancing) competition in Los Angeles in 2007. The author explores how past debates about style give way to concerns about the impact of b-boying\u27s global context on the culture\u27s longevity, manifested in a discourse that emphasizes ethno-racial and national differences. Through a close analysis of an excerpted interview with b-girl Rokafella, the author analyzes the complicated and layered play of racial, national, and gender differences in b-boying, and the cultural stakes that often go unarticulated. Returning to dance reminds us that movement plays a role in how differences are negotiated and how common ground can be found. ﺗﺘﻨﺎﻭﻝ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﻤﻘﺎﻟﺔ ﺍﻷﺑﻌﺎﺩ ﺍﻟﺨﻄﺎﺑﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺮﻗﺺ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼﻝ ﺗﺤﻠﻴﻞ ﻣﻌﺮﻛﺔ ﺭﻗﺺ ﺑﻴﻦ ﻓﺮﻳﻘﻴﻦ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪﺓ ﻭﻛﻮﺭﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﺠﻨﻮﺑﻴﺔ ﺗﻤﺖ ﻓﻲ ﻣﺴﺎﺑﻘﺔ ﺭﻗﺺ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺪﺍﺭ ﻳﻮﻣﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ ﻟﻮﺱ ﺃﻧﺠﻠﻮﺱ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎﻡ ٢٠٠٧. ﻭﺗﺴﺘﻜﺸﻒ ﺍﻟﻜﺎﺗﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻼﻗﺔ ﺑﻴﻦ ﺍﻟﺠﺪﻝ ﻓﻴﻤﺎ ﺑﻴﻦ ﺃﺳﺎﻟﻴﺐ ﺍﻟﺮﻗﺺ ﻭﺗﺄﺛﻴﺮ ﺳﻴﺎﻗﻪ ﺍﻟﻌﻮﻟﻤﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺨﻄﺎﺏ ﺍﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻌﻠﻖ ﺑﺎﻻﺧﺘﻼﻑ ﺍﻹﺛﻨﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻮﻣﻲ. ﻭﻣﻦ ﺧﻼﻝ ﻣﻘﺎﺑﻠﺔ ﻣﻊ ﺇﺣﺪﻯ ﺍﻟﺮﺍﻗﺼﺎﺕ، ﺗﺤﻠﻞ ﺍﻟﻜﺎﺗﺒﺔ ﻃﺒﻘﺎﺕ ﺍﻻﺧﺘﻼﻑ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﻘﺪﺓ ﻓﻴﻤﺎ ﻳﺨﺺ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﻕ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻮﻣﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺠﻨﻮﺳﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺳﻴﺎﻕ ﺍﻟﺮﻗﺺ ﻭﺍﻹﺷﻜﺎﻟﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺜﻘﺎﻓﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻜﻮﺕ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ. ﻓﺎﻟﻌﻮﺩﺓ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﺮﻗﺺ ﺗﺸﻴﺮ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺩﻭﺭ ﺍﻟﺤﺮﻛﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻣﻮﺍﺀﻣﺔ ﺍﻻﺧﺘﻼﻓﺎﺕ ﻭﺇﻳﺠﺎﺩ ﺃﺭﺿﻴﺎﺕ ﻣﺸﺘﺮﻛﺔ ﻟﻠﺤﻮﺍﺭ .
Reconfigurable neural probe for chronic recording
No full textThesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2018.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 73-75).To facilitate the usage of neural prosthesis, a sustainable recording method of cleaner neural signals is desired. While invasive neural electrodes can record neural activities with less noise than non-invasive methods and provide the ideal spatial-temporal resolution of the recorded signal, one major challenge of this invasive method is the potential tissue responses. The scar tissue that forms around the penetrating tip of the electrode may significantly degrade the signal quality in time, which causes the reading to be unreliable in the long-term. Solving this problem is key to enabling chronic usage of neural prosthetic systems. To tackle this challenge, previously Aalap Dighe has designed a reconfigurable neural probe using flexible polyimide material. The design used a spring-like structure to allow the electrode probe tip to move further inside the brain weeks after the initial implantation surgery. The latest generation of the devices, Gen 3, was tested both in vitro and in vivo using rodent models. In this thesis, the author continued the characterization of Gen 3 devices based on problems and observations occurred during the in vivo tests by Dighe, and proposed and tested an improved version of the device design, Gen 4. In particular, this thesis focused on solving the mechanical failure of some devices post-implantation and on reducing the instability of electrical properties of the electrodes. An improved structural mechanics simulation model of the design was used to characterize the mechanical properties of the devices. The simulation results were partially validated using benchtop load force tests, and were used to revise device design parameters for Gen 4. Experiments with Gen 4 devices showed that the new design met the design target well. Long-term in vitro impedance analysis of the electrodes was also performed using Gen 3 devices, which confirmed the observation of decreasing impedance over time in the previous in vivo tests. The results suggested delamination occurring between the polyimide layers, and the fabrication process was modified based on this hypothesis. Benchtop impedance tests of the new generation of devices confirmed that the delamination issue has been significantly improved.by Boying Meng.S.M
by partial Fourier–Legendre and Fourier–Chebyshev sums
No full textIn this paper, we study the approximation of fα(x)=|x|α,α>0 in L∞[−1,1] by its Fourier–Legendre partial sum Sn(α)(x). We derive the upper and lower bounds of the approximation error in the L∞-norm that are valid uniformly for all n≥n0 for some n0≥1. Such an optimal L∞-estimate requires a judicious summation rule that can recover the lost half order if one uses a naive summation. Consequently, we can obtain the explicit Bernstein-type constant [Formula presented] Interestingly, using a similar argument, we can show that the Fourier–Chebyshev sum has the same Bernstein-type constant B∞(α) as the Legendre case.Ministry of Education (MOE)The research of the first author was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12271128). The research of the second author is partially supported by Singapore MOE AcRF Tier 1 Grant: RG15/21. The research of the third author was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (11971131, 61873071, 51476047) and Natural Sciences Foundation of Heilongjiang Province (ZD2022A001)
Optimal error estimates for Legendre expansions of singular functions with fractional derivatives of bounded variation
No full textWe present a new fractional Taylor formula for singular functions whose Caputo fractional derivatives are of bounded variation. It bridges and “interpolates” the usual Taylor formulas with two consecutive integer orders. This enables us to obtain an analogous formula for the Legendre expansion coefficient of this type of singular functions, and further derive the optimal (weighted) L∞-estimates and L2-estimates of the Legendre polynomial approximations. This set of results can enrich the existing theory for p and hp methods for singular problems, and answer some open questions posed in some recent literature.Ministry of Education (MOE)The research of the first author was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11801120 and 11771107), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. HIT.NSRIF.2020081), the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province (Nos. LH2020A004 and LH2021A011), and the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (No.2020B1515310006). The research of the second author is partially supported by Singapore MOE AcRF Tier 2 Grant: MOE2018-T2-1-059 and Tier 1 Grant: RG15/21. The research of the third author was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11971131, U1637208, 61873071, 51476047)
Environmental Policy, Greenhouse Gas Polluting Inputs, and Lifecycle Analysis
No full textThesis (Ph.D.), School of Economic Sciences, Washington State UniversiyThis dissertation consists of three studies that investigate impact of environmental taxes on firms' technology and entry behaviors, substitution between greenhouse gas (GHG) polluting and nonpolluting inputs in agricultural production, and lifecycle emissions with incorporation of input substitution in production and transportation sectors of biofuel. The first study examines under which conditions an environmental tax can be used to induce firms to adopt a clean technology and, also, to deter entry. We find that despite facing a polluting incumbent, an entrant might enter the market and acquire a clean technology when the tax is stringent enough and the clean technology is effective in eliminating pollution. A duopoly with two clean firms is socially optimal if the technology cost is low and the environmental damage is sufficiently high. However, if the environmental damage is low, a partially clean duopoly, in which only one firm adopts the green technology, could be socially optimal. The second study reports meta-regressions of Morishima substitution elasticities between GHG polluting and each of three nonpolluting inputs (labor, land, and capital) in agricultural production. We treat energy, fertilizer, and manure collectively as the "polluting input". Our results show that each estimated long-run elasticity for the reference case, which is most relevant for assessing GHG emissions through lifecycle analysis, is greater than 1.0 and significantly different from zero. Predicted long-run elasticities generally remain significantly different from zero at the data means for alternative plausible cases. These findings imply that lifecycle analysis based on fixed proportions production functions could provide grossly inaccurate measures of GHG of biofuel. The third study develops a lifecycle economic analysis (LCEA) model that integrates input substitution, technology switching, and substitution of biodiesel for diesel into the standard lifecycle analysis (LCA) of biofuel that assumes fixed-proportions production. We use the LCEA model to examine the impacts of a pure carbon tax and a revenue-neutral tax-subsidy policy on lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from cellulosic ethanol using forest residues as feedstock in Washington State. Our findings document that a standard LCA that assumes fixed input proportions substantially underestimates emission reduction from carbon tax policies.School of Economic Sciences, Washington State Universi
Data for: Substitution elasticities between GHG-polluting and nonpolluting inputs in agricultural production: A meta-regression
No full textAbstract of associated article: This paper reports meta-regressions of substitution elasticities between greenhouse gas (GHG) polluting and nonpolluting inputs in agricultural production, which is the main feedstock source for biofuel in the U.S. We treat energy, fertilizer, and manure collectively as the “polluting input” and labor, land, and capital as nonpolluting inputs. We estimate meta-regressions for samples of Morishima substitution elasticities for labor, land, and capital vs. the polluting input. Much of the heterogeneity of Morishima elasticities can be explained by type of primal or dual function, functional form, type and observational level of data, input categories, number of outputs, type of output, time period, and country categories. Each estimated long-run elasticity for the reference case, which is most relevant for assessing GHG emissions through life-cycle analysis, is greater than 1.0 and significantly different from zero. Most predicted long-run elasticities remain significantly different from zero at the data means. These findings imply that life-cycle analysis based on fixed proportion production functions could provide grossly inaccurate measures of GHG of biofuel
High-order implicit Galerkin–Legendre spectral method for the two-dimensional Schrödinger equation
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