On the seismic analysis and design of offshore wind turbines

Offshore wind farms are a collection of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) and are currently being installed in seismically active regions. An OWT consists of a long slender tower with a top-heavy fixed mass (Nacelle) together with a heavy rotating mass (Hub and blades) and is always exposed to variable environmental wind and wave loads. For dynamic analysis, an OWT can also be seen as an inverted pendulum (with over 25%–50% of the total mass concentrated in the upper 3rd of the tower), yet it is not granted that their seismic response is dominated by the first mode. Guidelines for the design of such special structures are not explicitly mentioned in current codes of practice. The aim of this technical note is to identify the design issues and provide a rational background for the seismic analysis. Where feasible, further research work that is needed is also identified and discussed.•Considerations for seismic design.•Design return period.•Types of seismic analysis.•Selection of input motion

Speck: A Smart event-based Vision Sensor with a low latency 327K Neuron Convolutional Neuronal Network Processing Pipeline

Edge computing solutions that enable the extraction of high level information from a variety of sensors is in increasingly high demand. This is due to the increasing number of smart devices that require sensory processing for their application on the edge. To tackle this problem, we present a smart vision sensor System on Chip (Soc), featuring an event-based camera and a low power asynchronous spiking Convolutional Neuronal Network (sCNN) computing architecture embedded on a single chip. By combining both sensor and processing on a single die, we can lower unit production costs significantly. Moreover, the simple end-to-end nature of the SoC facilitates small stand-alone applications as well as functioning as an edge node in a larger systems. The event-driven nature of the vision sensor delivers high-speed signals in a sparse data stream. This is reflected in the processing pipeline, focuses on optimising highly sparse computation and minimising latency for 9 sCNN layers to $3.36\mu s$. Overall, this results in an extremely low-latency visual processing pipeline deployed on a small form factor with a low energy budget and sensor cost. We present the asynchronous architecture, the individual blocks, the sCNN processing principle and benchmark against other sCNN capable processors

Self-reported dependence on mobile phones in young adults: a European cross-cultural empirical survey

Background and aims: Despite many positive benefits, mobile phone use can be associated with harmful and detrimental behaviors. The aim of this study was twofold: to examine (a) cross-cultural patterns of perceived dependence on mobile phones in ten European countries, first, grouped in four different regions (North: Finland and UK; South: Spain and Italy; East: Hungary and Poland; West: France, Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland), and second by country, and (b) how socio-demographics, geographic differences, mobile phone usage patterns, and associated activities predicted this perceived dependence. Methods: A sample of 2,775 young adults (aged 18–29 years) were recruited in different European Universities who participated in an online survey. Measures included socio-demographic variables, patterns of mobile phone use, and the dependence subscale of a short version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ; Billieux, Van der Linden, & Rochat, 2008). Results: The young adults from the Northern and Southern regions reported the heaviest use of mobile phones, whereas perceived dependence was less prevalent in the Eastern region. However, the proportion of highly dependent mobile phone users was more elevated in Belgium, UK, and France. Regression analysis identified several risk factors for increased scores on the PMPUQ dependence subscale, namely using mobile phones daily, being female, engaging in social networking, playing video games, shopping and viewing TV shows through the Internet, chatting and messaging, and using mobile phones for downloading-related activities. Discussion and conclusions: Self-reported dependence on mobile phone use is influenced by frequency and specific application usage

Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms predict problematic mobile phone use

Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorder characterised by inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or both. Some of the key traits of ADHD have previously been linked to addictive and problematic behaviours. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between problematic mobile phone use, smartphone addiction risk and ADHD symptoms in an adult population. A sample of 273 healthy adult volunteers completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Mobile Phone Problem Usage Scale (MPPUS), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). A significant positive correlation was found between the ASRS and both scales. More specifically, inattention symptoms and age predicted smartphone addiction risk and problematic mobile phone use. Our results suggest that there is a positive relationship between ADHD traits and problematic mobile phone use. In particular, younger adults with higher level of inattention symptoms could be at higher risk of developing smartphone addiction. The implication of our findings for theoretical frameworks of problematic mobile phone use and clinical practice are discussed

Neurocutaneous Melanosis Presenting as Chronic Partial Epilepsy

BACKGROUND: Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is a rare neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by the presence of multiple congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) and the proliferation of melanocytes in the central nervous system, usually involving the leptomeninges. Chronic partial epilepsy as a sole manifestation is rare in NCM. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old man suffering from chronic partial epilepsy presented with multiple CMN on his trunk and scalp. Brain MRI demonstrated a focal lesion in the right amygdala that was consistent with interictal epileptiform discharges in the right temporal region on electroencephalography (EEG). An anterior temporal lobectomy was performed, and the pathology investigation revealed numerous melanophages in the amygdala. The patient was seizure-free after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a patient with NCM presenting as chronic partial epilepsy who was successfully treated by anterior temporal lobectomy.ope

Heterogeneous integration of ReRAM crossbars in a CMOS foundry chip

In this paper, we present a heterogeneous integration of ReRAMs with standard CMOS technology by post-processing the Back-End-of-the-Line (BEOL) of fully finished CMOS chips

Concurrent Assay for Four Bacterial Species Including Alloiococcus Otitidis in Middle Ear, Nasopharynx and Tonsils of Children with Otitis Media with Effusion: A Preliminary Report

ObjectivesTo detect the prevalences of Alloiococcus otitidis, as well as Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis in children with chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) and to simultaneously investigate the colonization of these bacteria in the nasopharynx and palatine tonsils of these patients.MethodsThe study included 34 pediatric patients with OME, and 15 controls without OME. In the study group, A. otitidis, H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, and M. catarrhalis were investigated in the samples obtained from middle ear effusions (MEE), nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) and tonsillar swabs (TS), using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and conventional culture methods. Only the samples obtained from NPS and TS were studied with the same techniques in the control group.ResultsA. otitidis was isolated only in MEE and only with multiplex PCR method. A. otitidis, S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis, H. influenzae were identified in 35%, 8.8%, 8.8%, and 2.9%, respectively, in 34 MEE. A. otitidis was not isolated in NPS or TS of the study and the control groups.ConclusionThe prevalence of A.otitidis is high in children with OME and A.otitidis doesn't colonize in the nasopharynx or tonsil