How latecomers catch up to leaders in high-energy physics as Big Science: transition from national system to international collaboration

Scientometrics - This study describes the increase of research productivity of latecomer countries (latecomers) in the high-energy physics (HEP) community by research strategies based on a national...     

Correction to: A comprehensive evaluation of availability and operational cost for a virtualized server system using stochastic reward nets

The Journal of Supercomputing - The section “Acknowledgement” was incorrect in the original article. The correct section “Acknowledgement” is given below.     

Reinforcement Q-learning based on Multirate Generalized Policy Iteration and Its Application to a 2-DOF Helicopter

International Journal of Control, Automation and Systems - In this paper, we propose a novel Q-learning method based on multirate generalized policy iteration (MGPI) for unknown discrete-time (DT)...     

Fabrication and evaluation of a drag-force type dual flow sensor with an embedded temperature sensor

Microsystem Technologies - We designed and fabricated a drag-force type dual flow sensor with an embedded temperature sensor. For the wide range detection, two devices in varying length (300 and...     

Effects of amplitude modulation on perception of wind turbine noise

Wind turbine noise is considered to be easily detectable and highly annoying at relatively lower sound levels than other noise sources. Many previous studies attributed this characteristic to amplitude modulation. However, it is unclear whether amplitude modulation is the main cause of these properties of wind turbine noise. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to identify the relationship between amplitude modulation and these two properties of wind turbine noise. For this investigation, two experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, 12 participants determined the detection thresholds of six target sounds in the presence of background noise. In the second experiment, 12 participants matched the loudness of modified sounds without amplitude modulation to that of target sounds with amplitude modulation. The results showed that the detection threshold was lowered as the modulation depth increased; additionally, sounds with amplitude modulation had higher subjective loudness than those without amplitude modulation.     

Three-dimensional complex construct fabrication of illite by digital light processing-based additive manufacturing technology

Illite is a group of clay minerals that are expected to be widely used in catalyst fabrication, radioactive element adsorption, and so forth, due to its excellent adsorption properties. However, the shape control limitation of the illite product should be overcome to maximize its utilization and properties. We herein propose additive manufacturing (AM) as one of the best solutions to solve this structural drawback. Digital light processing (DLP) technology with the film-type of the material supplying system was adapted instead of the general vat-type DLP system to increase illite printability. The photo-curability and printability of illite-contained photocurable suspension were optimized. The color effect due to different ferric oxide content in yellow- and white-illite which influence the photopolymerization process also adjusted thoroughly. White illite showed better photo-curability and could be increased solid loading than yellow illite. The defect-free illite products with three-dimensional complex structures, which cannot be produced by typical ceramic processes, were obtained by DLP technology for both yellow- and white-illite after sintering at 1100°C. The overcoming of shape control limitation of illites by ceramic AM proved in this study has excellent potential for expanding illite utilities in various applications.     

Responsive supply in fashion mass customisation systems with consumer returns

Mass customisation systems have been well-established in the fashion industry. Some fashion brands offer the mass customisation system for their selected seasonal products, and allow unconditional returns and full refund for any unsatisfied customers. Motivated by the above mentioned observed industrial practice and based on the growing importance of responsive supply, we explore in this paper the value of quick response supply in fashion mass customisation systems with consumer returns. We focus on investigating how the consumer returns rate affects (i) the optimal inventory decision of the fashion brand, (ii) the achievability of Pareto improvement in implementing quick response supply, (iii) the respective values of quick response for the fashion brand, the fashion supplier and also the fashion supply chain, and (iv) the impact of quick response supply on the environment. We interestingly find that consumer returns enhance the value of quick response supply to the fashion supplier. Quick response supply is also found to be helpful in reducing the environmental cost under the fashion mass customisation system with consumer returns.     

A 360-Degree Panoramic Image Inpainting Network Using a Cube Map

Inpainting has been continuously studied in the field of computer vision. As artificial intelligence technology developed, deep learning technology was introduced in inpainting research, helping to improve performance. Currently, the input target of an inpainting algorithm using deep learning has been studied from a single image to a video. However, deep learning-based inpainting technology for panoramic images has not been actively studied. We propose a 360-degree panoramic image inpainting method using generative adversarial networks (GANs). The proposed network inputs a 360-degree equirectangular format panoramic image converts it into a cube map format, which has relatively little distortion and uses it as a training network. Since the cube map format is used, the correlation of the six sides of the cube map should be considered. Therefore, all faces of the cube map are used as input for the whole discriminative network, and each face of the cube map is used as input for the slice discriminative network to determine the authenticity of the generated image. The proposed network performed qualitatively better than existing single-image inpainting algorithms and baseline algorithms.     

Spark plasma sintering of B4C and B4C-TiB2 composites: Deformation and failure mechanisms under quasistatic and dynamic loading

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) was employed to consolidate powder specimens consisting of B₄C and various B₄C-TiB₂ compositions. SPS allowed for consolidation of pure B₄C, B₄C-13 vol.%TiB₂, and B₄C-23 vol.%TiB₂ composites achieving ≥99 % theoretical density without sintering additives, residual phases (e.g., graphite), and excessive grain growth due to long sintering times. Electron and x-ray microscopies determined homogeneous microstructures along with excellent distribution of TiB₂ phase in both small and larger-scaled composites. An optimized B₄C-23 vol.%TiB₂ composite with a targeted low density of ～3.0 g/cm³ exhibited 30–35 % increased hardness, fracture toughness, and flexural bend strength compared to several commercial armor-grade ceramics, with the flexural strength being strain rate insensitive under quasistatic and dynamic loading. Mechanistic studies determined that the improvements are a result of a) no residual graphitic carbon in the composites, b) interfacial microcrack toughening due to thermal expansion coefficient differences placing the B₄C matrix in compression and TiB₂ phase in tension, and c) TiB₂ phase aids in crack deflection thereby increasing the amount of intergranular fracture. Collectively, the addition of TiB₂ serves as a toughening and strengthening phase, and scaling of SPS samples show promise for the manufacture of ceramic composites for body armor.     

Microstructure and dielectric properties of compositionally graded Ba1-xSrxTiO3 multilayer tunable capacitors

Li₂O/B₂O₃-added Ba_1-xSr_xTiO₃ (B_1-xS_xT) ceramics, where 0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.35, were well densified at 920 °C with pure perovskite structure. The dielectric constant, tunability, and figure of merit (FOM) of B_1-xS_xT ceramics increased with x because of the decreasing Curie temperature (T_C). The specimen with x = 0.35, whose T_C was close to room temperature, exhibited a large tunability of 27.4 % and FOM of 110 at 10 kV/cm. A compositionally graded multilayer (CGML), which was sintered at 920 °C, was fabricated using B_1-xS_xT thick films to produce a temperature-stable tunable capacitor, and it evinced a dense microstructure and a continuous interface between the B_1-xS_xT thick film and the Ag electrode. This CGML capacitor showed a large tunability (51 %) and FOM (150) at 20 kV/cm. It also exhibited stable tunability (17–28 % at 10 kV/cm) at temperatures between 30–90 °C. Therefore, the B_1-xS_xT CGML capacitor is a suitable candidate for temperature-stable tunable capacitors.