Deep generative tread pattern design framework for efficient conceptual design

Tire tread patterns have played an important role in the automotive industry because they directly affect automobile performances. The conventional tread pattern development process has successfully produced and manufactured many tire tread patterns. However, a conceptual design process, which is a major part of the whole process, is still time-consuming due to repetitive manual interaction works between designers and engineers. In the worst case, the whole design process must be performed again from the beginning to obtain the required results. In this study, a deep generative tread pattern design framework is proposed to automatically generate various tread patterns satisfying the target tire performances in the conceptual design process. The main concept of the proposed method is that desired tread patterns are obtained through optimization based on integrated functions, which combine generative models and tire performance evaluation functions. To strengthen the effectiveness of the proposed framework, suitable image pre-processing, generative adversarial networks (GANs), 2D image-based tire performance evaluation functions, design generation, design exploration, and image post-processing methods are proposed with the help of domain knowledge of the tread pattern. The numerical results show that the proposed automatic design framework successfully creates various tread patterns satisfying the target tire performances such as summer, winter, or all-season patterns.

Development of a Combined Bulging-Piercing Technique to Reduce Forming Load for a Long Semi-Hollow Stepped Part

This paper aims to develop a new forming technique to manufacture a long semi-hollow stepped part. Traditionally, hot backward extrusion is used. This technique is not suitable, because it requires a very high forming load acting on the die and punch especially at the contact between punch and workpiece. As a result, the service life of the punch is very low. Therefore, a new technique to overcome this problem is needed. A combined bulging-piercing technique was proposed and developed in this research. The main concept of this technique is to bulge the part by upsetting the workpiece between the punch and the counter-punch to generate high frictional contact pressure which will help to restrain the material sliding down to the die cavity during the piercing step. In other words, this technique utilizes frictional force at the die-workpiece interface to reduce the forming load of the punch. Finite element modeling was employed to investigate and determine the suitable level of the bulging which can reduce the forming load without generating any significantly high force to the counter-punch. Only experiments with the minimum forming load were selected and implemented to validate this concept, because other conditions with high load will risk to damage the punch and the machine press of the product line. The results show that this technique can reduce the forming load by almost 40%, and also control a good concentricity of the part and reduce the wall thickness variation.

Elite–mass agreement in British foreign policy

Thirty years ago, William Wallace likened British foreign policy to a musical tug-of-war between the ‘Anglo-Saxons’ and ‘Europeans’, attributing ‘all the best tunes’ to the former. This article revisits Wallace's thesis and its main concept: national identity. It finds that Wallace was right to draw attention to the power of the ruling elite to shape Englishness and Britishness. However, the article also finds that ‘global’ foreign policy ideas were never the exclusive province of a segment of the British elite. Rather, they circulated in English and more broadly British society writ large, reflecting and reinforcing deep-seated, even unselfconscious, agreements between both ‘Anglo-Saxon’ and ‘European’ elites on the one hand, and much of the mass consumer public on the other. It follows that the constraints posed on possibilities of foreign policy change were always greater than Wallace had suggested; that a ‘lesser’ British foreign policy that was, and still is, so hard to imagine for the British is significant for analysis of dynamics of ‘western’ knowledge production that come under critique in this special issue. But rather than focusing exclusively on elites, critical analyses of knowledge exchange should be attuned to popular common sense, too.

ANTROPOLOGIE SOCIÁLNÍCH VZTAHŮ V SOUDOBÉM VIETNAMU

This review article presents a publication on ethnographic, linguistic, and social relations in the families that remained in Vietnam after the wars. Some family members still face post-war pressures and war trauma. Others face the social imperatives of caring for their elderly or sick relatives. Limitations in personal life are the main concept of the book reviewed which focuses on the role of the personal sacrifice. This is complemented by the social relations of love and care, the cult of ancestors and the demand for filial devotion. In Vietnamese families, these rules are fixed and are reflected in the linguistic means of communication (e.g., mother—child), which the author analyses from the linguistic point of view and documents it with the use of photographs of communication situations. The review points to alternative interpretations and cultural specifics of living traditions of magical thinking and polygamy.

Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies: State-of-the-Art Review

The purpose of this paper is to explore what is known about equine-assisted activities and therapies based on Roy’s adaptation model. Quality of life for vulnerable populations who engage with equine-assisted activities and therapies is considered the main concept here. This state-of-the-art review was conducted from four databases ranging from January 2019 to February 2020. Limited studies examined the effect of equine-assisted activities and therapies on cancer survivors, although preliminary data were promising. The rural context was not extensively examined. Thus, equine-assisted activities and therapies may enhance the quality of life through four adaptation modes.

Analysis of technologies for preparing herbal flour

В рамках данной работы проанализированы общие принципы реализации процесса приготовления травяной витаминизированной муки. Объектом данного исследования является технологический процесс приготовления данного концентрированного сухого корма, в частности такие операции, как измельчение, сушка и помол растительного сырья. Предметом данного исследования является снижение затрат энергии на выполнение перечисленных операций. Регулярный спрос на данный продукт и недефицитность сырья, делает актуальной задачу по снижению общей себестоимости продукции путем снижения затрачиваемых мощностей. Цель проводимого исследования заключается в поиске способа снижения затрат энергии для приготовления травяной муки. Исследование проводилось путем анализа принципов работы существующей аппаратуры и перспективных разработок, выявлялись преимущества и недостатки технических решений, а также основные противоречия, препятствующие увеличению эффективности при изменении параметров работы. По итогам анализа сформулирована основная концепция развития технологического процесса, описаны противоречия, препятствующие ее реализации. Результаты работы применимы в дальнейших прикладных научно-исследовательских работах и опытно-конструкторских разработках по созданию аппаратуры для приготовления травяной муки и аналогичных сухих кормов, перевооружению и реорганизации данных производств. В результате проведенной работы выяснено, что только изменение принципа работы аппаратуры позволит добиться увеличения эффективности технологического процесса производства. Изменение режимов работы существующей аппаратуры не позволяет поднять эффективность процесса в целом, так как возрастает потребность в энергии у процессов, сопутствующих основному. This work is aimed at analyzing the general principles of the implementation of the process of preparing herbal vitaminized flour. The object of this study is the technological process of preparing this concentrated dry feed, in particular, such operations as grinding, drying and milling plant materials. The subject of this study is the reduction of energy consumption for the performance of the listed operations. The demand for this product and the abundance of raw materials makes the task of reducing the cost of production and energy costs actual. The aim of this research is to find a way to reduce energy costs for making herbal flour. The study was carried out by analyzing the principles of operation of the existing equipment and promising developments; the advantages and disadvantages of technical solutions, as well as the main contradictions that hinder the increase in efficiency when changing the operating parameters, were revealed. Based on the analysis results, the main concept of the technological process development was formulated, the contradictions that hinder its implementation were described. The results of the work are applicable in further applied research and development work on the creation of equipment for the preparation of grass meal and similar dry fodder, re-equipment and reorganization of these industries. As a result of the work carried out, it was found that only a change in the principle of operation of the equipment will increase the efficiency of the production process. Changing the operating modes of the existing equipment does not allow to increase the efficiency of the process as a whole, since the demand for energy in the processes accompanying the main one increases.

Challenges and perspectives of brain science in Mongolia and Central Asian countries

"What is the origin of the mind?", "What is the organ of intelligence?" The first answers to these questions trace to the scripts of ancient Sumeria and Egypt. It took almost 4000 years to understand that the brain is the main organ that controls other organs. The dawn of modern neuroscience lay in the 1890s when the pioneering works of Camillo Golgi and Ramon Cajal invented the structure of the nervous system using microscope techniques. Cajal's neuron doctrine, which hypothesizes that the functional unit of the brain is the neuron, has become the main concept that explains the mind and body interactions.

Potential Usage of Hybrid Polymers Binders Based on Fly Ash with the Addition of PVA with Satisfying Mechanical and Radiological Properties

Since recycled technologies usage is mandatory for environmental safety, and in this regard, it is important to examine new materials that can be used in construction and are primarily produced from fly ash. In addition to characteristics such as hardness and compressive strength, the given materials must also be radiologically and environmentally safe. The main concept of engineered geopolymer gel composites based on fly ash residues is focused on developing binder materials via gel formation processes that can replace ordinary cement materials. This study is unique in researching the potential use of fly ash from the Nikola Tesla thermal power plant in Serbia, where the hybrid geopolymeric materials synthesized from fly ash are experimentally examined with the addition 1 wt% and 2 wt% of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This paper aims to investigate the structural, morphological, mechanical, and radiological properties of hybrid materials with the addition of PVA and without additive in the period of ageing for 28 days at room temperature. The phase composition was investigated using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analysis, while morphological characteristics of these materials were examined using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDS). Vibrational spectra of obtained samples are investigated using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. The hardness and compressive strength are also examined, indicating that the 1 wt% addition in geopolymeric matrix results in the best mechanical properties. Radiological measurements of investigated all geopolymer samples show decreasing activity concentrations of radionuclides for 50% compared to fly ash.

Engine Downsizing; Global Approach to Reduce Emissions: A World-Wide Review

Engine downsizing is a promising method to reduce emissions and fuel consumption of internal combustion engines. The main concept is reducing engine displacement volume keeping needed output characteristics unchanged. The issue became one of the most filed of interest in recent years after the International Energy Agency defined a target of 50 % reduction in global average emissions by the year 2030. In this review paper, different aspects of researchers’ efforts on engine downsizing are configured and due to overlaps, categorized into five main areas. Each category is discussed thoroughly and recent works are pointed. The global attention into these categories, countries involved and the trend changed in recent four years are presented in details. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2021-02-04-010 Full Text: PDF

THE CONSTRUCT OF MORAL TRAUMA AND ITS CONCEPTUAL CONTENT

Purpose is to explore the concept of moral trauma, as well as to carry out a comparative analysis with relevant concepts of collective trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic stress.Methods. The study applies theoretical analysis of the literature and systematization of recent studies aligned with the concept of moral trauma, including of methods of analysis, synthesis, and generalization.Results. A review of the literature identifies key approaches to the interpretation of moral trauma concept in the context of military trauma research and research in the terms of morality and moral experiences.Conclusions. The main concept definitions, key characteristics, common and distinct conceptual features of the moral trauma, traumatic stress, PTSD and collective trauma concepts have been analyzed. The study reveals that moral trauma is often aligned with individual and collective context, while PTSD is always connected with individual trauma. Collective trauma often relates to historic trauma, trauma of identity and cultural trauma. The key difference of moral trauma in comparison with PTSD, collective trauma md and continuous traumatic stress is aligned with negative moral emotions, particularly feelings of guilt, shame, disgust, fear and anxiety. The traumatic stress concept covers physiological and psychological reactions of the body arising from security breaches and threats feelings, while moral trauma refers to damage of moral conscience and human values caused by subjective perception and experience in the individual backgrounds of the situation as traumatic.The results of theoretical analysis also indicate that moral trauma should be studied in the wider context of morality, namely moral standards, moral judgements, moral behaviour and moral emotions. Prospects for further research are the construct of moral trauma study in the context of the Psychology of Genocide as a collective and historical trauma, developing methodological basis for empirical research of moral trauma as a consequence of genocide.Key words: morality, moral trauma, PTSD, traumatic stress, collective trauma. Мета – дослідити поняття моральної травми, а також провести порівняльний аналіз із відповідними поняттями колективної травми, посттравматичного стресового розладу (ПТСР) та травматичного стресу.Методи. У дослідженні застосовується теоретичний аналіз літератури та систематизація досліджень останніх років, узгоджених із концепцією моральної травми, включно з методами аналізу, синтезу та узагальнення.Результати. Огляд літератури визначає ключові підходи до трактування концепції моральної травми в контексті досліджень військової травми з точки зору моралі та морального досвіду.Висновки. Проаналізовано визначення основних понять, ключові характеристики, загальні та чіткі концептуальні ознаки моральної травми, травматичного стресу, посттравматичного стресового розладу та концепції колективної травми. Дослідження показує, що моральна травма часто узгоджується з індивідуальним та колективним контекстом, тоді як посттравматичний стресовий розлад завжди пов’язаний з індивідуальною травмою. Колективна травма часто пов’язана з історичною травмою, травмою ідентичності та культурною травмою. Ключова відмінність моральної травми порівняно з посттравматичним стресовим розладом, колективною травмою та постійним травматичним стресом узгоджується з негативними моральними емоціями, зокрема почуттям провини, сорому, огиди, страху та тривоги.Поняття травматичного стресу охоплює фізіологічні та психологічні реакції організму, що виникають через відчуття порушення безпеки та загрози, тоді як моральна травма стосується ушкоджень моральної совісті та цінностей людини, спричинених суб’єктивним сприйняттям та переживанням в індивідуальному досвіді ситуації як травматичної.Результати теоретичного аналізу також указують на те, що моральну травму слід вивчати у ширшому контексті моралі, а саме через моральні стандарти, моральні судження, моральну поведінку та моральні емоції. Перспективами подальших досліджень є вивчення конструкту моральної травми в контексті психології геноциду як колективної та історичної травми, що становить методологічну основу емпіричного дослідження моральної травми як наслідку геноциду.Ключові слова: мораль, моральна травма, ПТСР, травматичний стрес, колективна травма.