Static Element Research Articles

A Highly Digital Second-Order Oversampling TDC

A second-order, single loop ΔΣ time-to-digital converter (TDC) is presented in this letter. The proposed TDC uses two differential current-controlled oscillators as phase domain integrators. The proposed architecture does not require excess loop delay compensation or nonlinearity calibration. Digital differentiation using XOR implements an intrinsic first-order high-pass shaping of static element mismatch in the current steering digital-to-analog converter. A prototype TDC in 65-nm CMOS process has linearity of 8.1 bits, integrated noise of 3.8 ps and energy efficiency of 0.45 pJ/code over a bandwidth of 2.5 MHz.

TEACHING INNOVATION AND THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS IN ARCHITECTURE: LEARNING BUILDING SERVICES DESIGN FOR SMART AND ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS

Today’s buildings are evolving from structures comprising unchanging, static elements scantly able to interact with their surroundings, towards complex systemic compounds with an impact on the environs that entails more than mere anthropic alteration. In pursuit of energy efficiency and true sustainability, buildings must acquire the ability to interact as well as to generate synergies. The most prominent features of this approach are energy management and information flows which, intelligently designed, not only enhance buildings’ capabilities, but also introduce a significant change in their relationship with the surrounds (‘smart cities’) and its inhabitants. This new paradigm calls for revisiting undergraduate architectural instruction, adopting a more complex overview of energy use and management in the design process, regarding buildings as dynamic rather than static entities. The methodology focuses on creating learning environments that favour students’ participation in problem solving and assessment, encouraging teamwork based on case studies and stressing the connection between this new architecture, ICTs included, and social networks as participatory design tools. These ideas were implemented in a pilot learning experience conducted at the University of Seville for undergraduate students. The use of ICTs and the collaboration of non-academic experts were observed to further student promotion and projection beyond the academic environment and introduce them to the professional community.

Indoor Parking Localization Based on Dual Weighted Particle Filter

For successful autonomous valet parking, accurate knowledge of vehicle location in the global map is crucial. Using sensors and maps can be an alternative method for the indoor parking localization to compensate for lack of GPS coverage. However, maps only have static elements such as walls and pillars and semi-static elements such as parked vehicles are not included. Thus, sensor data rarely match with the map data due to the semi-static elements. We developed a robust localization algorithm using a laser scanner, a static map and a feature extraction algorithm. Overall map features consisted of the center positions of parking slots and pillars. Parking slot measurements were extracted from parked vehicles. Position estimation errors occur when matching the vehicle center positions to the parking slot center positions. This error can be reduced by detecting pillars and giving more weight to the observation of these static elements. The contribution of this approach is that we can use not only static objects but also semi-static objects and that position estimation error is reduced. The algorithm was evaluated in the scaled down indoor parking model. The average position errors of this algorithm are compared with errors of odometry data and SIS particle filter.

The Constitutional Law Concept of Interaction Between the State and an Individual

The article is devoted to the analysis of disputable issues of the development of a synthesized constitutional and legal concept of interaction between the State and an individual. It is noted that the purpose in question can be reached using different scientific fields and allows the application of multidisciplinary methodology. The author analyzes the change in reflection of the problem of interaction between the State and an individual within the framework of the subject matter of domestic constitutional law. It is concluded that similar to the subject matter of constitutional law that is not static and cannot be outlined once and forever, in the emerging constitutional-legal concept of relations between the State and an individual a static and a dynamic elements can be determined. The first static element can involve invariable participants of interaction, namely, the State and an individual (person). The second dynamic element concerns the principles, methods and forms of both direct and reverse interaction between the named actors. A key element requires an understanding of typology and nature of the relationship between the State and the individual. The paper outlines the stages of the process of formation of the modern Russian constitutional and legal concept of relations between the individual and the State: formation and modernization. The stage of formation of the concept mentioned above fully corresponds to the transitional (inter-system) state of the Russian State and constitutional law. With this regard, it can be described as intertypic. The article deals with the problems of combining the idea of "a service State" and "a strong State" as well as the correlation of the system-centrism, person-centrism and solidarity in the Russian Constitution. The objectives, constitutional principles, forms of interaction between the State and the individual are also considered. The proposal is made to include into the concept constitutionally legitimate conduct of interacting actors as an independent element. The paper determines the criteria of such conduct and draws conclusions about its importance and value in the context of interaction between the State and the person.

Model-Based Hysteresis Loss Assessment in PMSMs With Ferrite Magnets

Hysteresis losses in ferrite permanent magnets (PMs) of a rotor-surface-magnet (RSM) PM synchronous machine (PMSM) were studied by means of vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements, updated static history dependent hysteresis model (HDHM) and finite element analysis (FEA). Open magnetic circuit VSM measurement results were applied to determine the magnet intrinsic properties. The HDHM developed originally for electrical steel hysteresis modeling is adopted for ferrite PM material. FEA-based results for magnetic field strength in PMs of a tooth coil winding RSM PMSM under ideal sinusoidal and frequency converter supplies were used as input data for the HDHM and the hysteresis losses were calculated in the machine's magnets. Differently from NdFeB and SmCo PMs ferrite PMs do not seem to demonstrate significant hysteresis behavior. It was found that the hysteresis loss could be neglected in ferrite PMs in most PMSM designs if the magnet is fully polarized.

Introducing Objective Benchmark-Based Attribution in Private Equity

Private equity asset owners (“LP”s) seeking to reduce downside risk and increase upside probability would logically benefit from indexing prospective asset managers (“GP”s) by their skill. However, theoretical deficiencies and a lack of rigorous market calibration prevent the metrics and techniques commonly used in private equity from isolating GP skill. In this paper we introduce a new conceptual framework for a repeatable decomposition of private equity returns that disambiguates the quantification of GP skill. Modern proxy benchmarks are a key component of the framework for their definition of systemic returns specific to the target asset. They satisfy Andrew Lo’s (2016) fundamental properties of an index (systematic, transparent, and investable), and the CFA Institute’s “SAMURAI” criteria for a valid benchmark. However, we propose that the integrity of the decomposition requires the benchmark’s similarity (to target) and its stability be systematically derived, measured quantities. We discuss these two new properties in conjunction with the technology that enables the construction of modern proxy benchmarks and their active management over time. With systemic returns thus defined, excess returns against the modern proxy benchmark are attributed to dynamic elements under the control of the GP, which we define as manager alpha. Systemic returns in excess of a broad/policy benchmark are deemed static elements. Static elements measure the portion of returns attributable to size and sector selection, which a GP tends to ‘specialize’ in and which are known to the LP prior to investment. While both static and dynamic elements contribute active returns to the investment, it is the dynamic elements – alpha – that should merit attention (and high fees) from LPs.

Ion-Scale Excitations in a Strongly Coupled Astrophysical Plasma with Nuclei of Heavy Elements

The linear and nonlinear propagation of ultrarelativistic and nonrelativistic analysis on modified ion-acoustic (MIA) waves in a strongly coupled unmagnetized collisionless relativistic space plasma system is carried out. Plasma system is assumed to contain strongly coupled nonrelativistic ion fluids, both nonrelativistic and ultrarelativistic degenerate electron and positron fluids, and positively charged static heavy elements. The restoring force is provided by the degenerate pressure of the electron and positron fluids, whereas the inertia is provided by the mass of ions. The positively charged static heavy elements participate only in maintaining the quasineutrality condition at equilibrium. The well-known reductive perturbation method is used to derive the Burgers and Korteweg–de Vries equations. Their shock and solitary wave solutions are numerically analyzed to understand the localized electrostatic disturbances. The basic characteristics of MIA shock and solitary waves are found to be significantly modified by the effects of degenerate pressures of electron, positron, and ion fluids, their number densities, and various charge state of heavy elements. The implications of our results to dense plasmas in compact astrophysical objects (e.g., nonrotating white dwarfs, neutron stars, etc.) are briefly discussed.

MARO: matrix rank optimization for the detection of small-size moving objects from aerial camera platforms

Moving objects detection from aerial camera platforms is a very challenging problem due to the small-size of the moving objects and the false motion of the static background elements. Although many methods have been proposed in this domain, they always have a trade-off between true detections and false detections. This paper proposes a novel solution called matrix rank optimization method (MARO) to achieve high true detections with low false detections. In MARO, the detection problem is formulated as a principal component pursuit with a transformation domain. The novelty of MARO is that it solves this problem by using the inexact Newton method and a backtracking behaviour in inexact augmented Lagrange multiplier. MARO has been extensively evaluated using DARPA VIVID, UCF aerial action, and VIRAT aerial datasets. The results show that MARO outperforms current-state-of-the-art methods, as well as lowers the execution time without sacrificing the accuracy.

Multiphysics model investigating performance of a micromachined floating element shear stress sensor

A MEMS floating element shear stress sensor has been developed for flow testing applications, targeted primarily at ground and flight testing of aerospace vehicles and components. A comprehensive numerical model of this sensor is described in this paper, quantifying the behavior of the mechanical components, fluid interaction, and electrostatics in three, non-coupled, 3-D numerical simulations: 1) A finite element model of the static element. 2) A steady state, incompressible, viscous, laminar, Newtonian computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, for both flat and textured versions of the floating shuttle. 3) A finite element model of the capacitive sensing combs. The distribution of aerodynamic forces over the floating element was studied to determine which features contributed most to the total applied force and sensitivity. Shear stress forces account for 74% of the sensitivity of the flat sensor, with the remainder coming primarily from pressure gradient effects. For a textured sensing element, while the total sensor sensitivity increases between 17% and 27%, only 34% of the output is due to shear forces, and the response is more nonlinear. Thus, a flat sensor with as little surface topology as possible is preferable to reduce pressure gradient sensitivity and nonlinearity, even though it may exhibit lower overall sensitivity to flow forces. In addition, the sensor is shown to not only deflect in the direction of flow due to shear forces, but also to lift away from the substrate and pitch its downstream edge away from the surface. Pitch rotation contributes as much as 37% of the output of the sensor for a textured element, but less than 1% for the flat element. For a perfectly symmetric device, differential measurement completely eliminates the contribution from lift. Overall, the model gives a more complete picture of the sensing mechanisms present in a floating element shear stress sensor, and demonstrates the aerodynamic complexities which motivate careful design and calibration of these types of sensors.

‘Producing’ institutions of climate change adaptation and food security in north eastern Ethiopia

The paper presents institutional diagnostics, which is sensitive to dynamic social and political processes ‘producing’ institutions underlying practices in resource management, climate change adaptation, and food security. The paper is based on a qualitative case study on watershed development interventions conducted in two villages in Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The research showed that resource management, adaptation, and food security institutions in Ethiopia are a result of struggles between containment strategies of the Ethiopian state and counter containment strategies of local communities. While the state’s containment institutions allowed it to mobilize a large number of rural residents for its resource management interventions, the counter containment strategies from local communities limited the potential contribution of the interventions for adaptation and food security endeavors of the state. From an institutional diagnostic perspective two conclusions are made, one empirical and another theoretical. The empirical part of the paper concludes that the Ethiopian state is using institutions to contain its population towards state-driven development pathways, which is essential to understand watershed development and state-led natural resource management interventions. The theoretical portion concludes that although institutions are often portrayed as static elements of social life, in fact they are also dynamic, socially produced, and could be coopted by powerful actors.

Effect of isotropic stress on dislocation bias factor in bcc iron: an atomistic study

The effect of externally applied stress on the dislocation bias factor (BF) in bcc iron has been studied using a combination of atomistic static calculations and finite element integration. Three kinds of dislocations were considered, namely, a0/2〈1 1 1〉{1 1 0} screw, a0/2〈1 1 1〉{1 1 0} edge and a0〈1 0 0〉{0 0 1} edge dislocations. The computations reveal that the isotropic crystal expansion leads to an increasing or constant dislocation bias, depending on the Burgers vector and type of dislocation. On the other hand, compressive stress reduces the dislocation bias for all the dislocations studied. Variation of the dislocation BF depending on dislocation type and Burgers vector is discussed by analysing the modification of the interaction energy landscape and the capture efficiency values for the vacancy and self-interstitial atom.

Reliability based rehabilitation of water distribution networks by means of Bayesian networks

AbstractWater plays an essential role in the everyday lives of the people. To supply subscribers with good quality of water and to ensure continuity of service, the operators use water distribution networks (WDN). The main elements of water distribution network (WDN) are: pipes and valves. The work developed in this paper focuses on a water distribution network rehabilitation in the short and long term. Priorities for rehabilitation actions were defined and the information system consolidated, as well as decision-making. The reliability data were conjugated in decision making tools on water distribution network rehabilitation in a forecasting context. As the pipes are static elements and the valves are dynamic elements, a Bayesian network (static-dynamic) has been developed, which can help to predict the failure scenario regarding water distribution. A relationship between reliability and prioritization of rehabilitation actions has been investigated. Modelling based on a Static Bayesian Network (SBN) is implemented to analyse qualitatively and quantitatively the availability of water in the different segments of the network. Dynamic Bayesian networks (DBN) are then used to assess the valves reliability as function of time, which allows management of water distribution based on water availability assessment in different segments. Before finishing the paper by giving some conclusions, a case study of a network supplying a city was presented. The results show the importance and effectiveness of the proposed Bayesian approach in the anticipatory management and for prioritizing rehabilitation of water distribution networks.

Analysis of Olympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, 2016) participants’ individual competition compositions in calisthenics

Purpose: to show structural elements of individual competition compositions of female gymnasts - Olympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, 2016) finalists. Material: video-computer analysis of Olympic Games participants’ exercises; analysis of competition records. Results: it was found that female gymnasts’ individual fitness is characterized by the following: correlation of time for Body Difficulty elements’ fulfillment and Apparatus Difficulty elements. It is expressed in quickness of preparation to element’s fulfillment; in logical and technically accurate transition from element to element. Accent on static elements permitted for sportswomen to reduce movements’ area. With dynamic style of elements’ fulfillment movements’ area was larger. Conclusions: Most female gymnasts demonstrated natural elements’ distribution in compositions. Space movements opened the best views of static and dynamic elements’ fulfillment that was an evidence of female gymnasts’ high sportsmanship.

Large Mine Hoist Drum Topology Optimization Design

According to the 2JK type large mine hoist drum manhole, surrounding the shell cracks problems from time to time, based on the conceptual design principle of variable density topology optimization, integrated use of OptiStruct, HyperMesh software functional modules to build a 3D mesh model of the drum. Analyze its finite static element, confirm its weaknesses, then adjust the structure through topology optimization design. Ensure safe operation under normal operating conditions. The optimization design results show that, Static analysis results roughly keep fit with the hoist drum troubleshooting, the maximum stress of surroundings decreased by nearly 38.46% after structural topology optimization, distribution is more uniform, quality dropped by 5.7%, reaching the purpose of lightweight. In this paper, research methods and conclusions provide a viable reference for corporate design departments to solve the problem of drum cracking.

EFESTS: Educational finite element software for truss structure – Part 3: Geometrically nonlinear static analysis

This article covers the modeling, formulation, solution, and software development of the geometrically nonlinear static finite element method of truss structure. Firstly, we summarize the total Lagrange bar elment formulation, which includes the tangent stiffness matrix and the internal force vector. Secondly, static class diagrams and dynamic sequence diagrams assist students in designing software architecture. Thirdly, the analytical example of the 2-bar truss structure and the numerical example of the 10-bar truss structure are presented to promote students’ understanding of geometrically nonlinear finite element theory and application. Finally, the developed software is free for educational research and can be downloaded from the website: http://mach.jlu.edu.cn/hb_images/xygk/xssz_sz_js.php?id=395 .

Translating the Dynamics of Fictional Space: Estonian Translation of Marcel Proust’s Le Temps retrouvé

The article discusses the way that Proust’s text constructs dynamic and static elements of fictional space, and the further dynamisation or fixation of these elements by the process of translation. The focus of the study is on how movements of fictional space and characters can change in strength, direction and manner, when translated. In other words, rather than looking for that which is “lost in translation”, we are dealing with a comparison of two fictional worlds and the processes in them and between them.

Dynamics effects on a wooden footbridge

The timber is the current trend for the construction of many footbridges because of many reasons as price, aesthetics and ecology. Most of these structures are designed using simple static models and massive elements. However, there are implemented more complicated constructions including suspended footbridge in Přibor in Czech Republic. This construction with efficient use of material is more susceptible to dynamic effect. The article describes monitoring of dynamics effects at the construction with result of installation dynamics dampers.

Исследование перспективной ветроэнергетической установки с типом компоновки «ротор в раструбе»

Introduction. There is a performance improvement problem of the existing wind-driven power plants (WPP). It is worthwhile investigating nonclassical types of the WPP to solve it. The most promising are the WPP which use special guide static elements to create vortex structures. The latter contributes to the increased aerodynamic efficiency of the WPP. Materials and Methods . Ansys Workbench and Ansys Fluent software packages are used to calculate the design aerodynamics of the wind turbines. Research Results. On the analysis of the particular publications, the viability of the vortex-type WPP studies in which the additional stator structures are used to increase their energy efficiency, is proved. The aerodynamics analysis of the WPP with “rotor-in-socket” assembly type is carried out using the continuum dynamics computational methods. An advanced WPP design is obtained by the aerodynamic optimization technique. Discussion and Conclusions. The obtained results show that the construction of the vortex-type turbine on the basis of the favourable interference concept of rotor and stator is promising. The specific form of WPP with a vertical axis of rotation, axisymmetric stator and socket of special forms is analyzed. The methods of the aerodynamic optimization of the described WPP design are considered. On the basis of this methodology, an advanced socket form and its assembly with the rotor which allows reaching an average calculated value of the favourable air moment that exceeds more than twofold the corresponding value for the initial geometry of the WPP, are obtained.

Особенности реализации категории медийности в китайских микроблогах

Li Feixiang (Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation) The article is devoted to the research of the phenomenon of microblogging, which is an essential part of Chinese culture media. Microblog is considered as an innovative genre of Internet-journalism and as a kind of media text, since in many cases it is also the fact of mass communication and multimedia products, which involves different ways of transmitting information: verbal, visual and audiovisual. Specific examples demonstrate specificity of realization of media categories in the texts of the Chinese microblogging, it is analyzed the characteristics of the combination of diverse components of the text: the actual verbal, visual static and dynamic visual. The classification of the nature of microblogging used in multimedia is given. It is differentiated the following types of microblogging: monocomponent polycoded microblogging, two-component polycoded microblogging with static iconic element, two-component polycoded microblogging with dynamic visual component, multi-component monocoded and polycoded microblogging, including a hyperlink. The role of hyperlinks and the actual verbal component in microblogging is considered. Hyperlink promotes expansion of the boundaries of the text and implies to overcome technical limitations, reduce the amount of information transmitted. Actually verbal text conveys the author’s emotions, but also acts as a metatext in relation to the static or dynamic images. Key words : media, media text, multimedia, microblogging, polycode text, media convergence . DOI: 10.18522/1995-0640-2016-4-170-178

Climate affects the structure of mixed rain forest in southern sector of Atlantic domain in Brazil

This study aimed to analyze the influence of environmental factors in determining the variation in forest structure. We obtained the data through sampling units placed regularly in a grid of 10 km × 10 km in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. The axes of Detendred Correspondence Analysis summarized the vegetation structure and we used these as response variables in ordinary least square models, and environmental variables as predictors. Moran Eigenvector Maps were used as spatial predictors, enabling the variance partitioning. The results revealed influence of climatic factors, especially thermal and rainfall in determining the vegetation structure. The physical geography (high plateaus) and positioning below the Tropic of Capricorn line are the main static elements influencing the climate and therefore the vegetation.