A Current Mode Universal Filter and a Single Resistance Controlled Oscillator Employing only Grounded Passive Elements: Applications of VDCC

This research article explores the possible applications of voltage differencing current conveyor (VDCC), as a current mode universal filter and a sinusoidal oscillator. Without the need for an additional active/passive element, a very simple hardware modification makes it a dual-mode quadrature oscillator from the filter configuration. Both the proposed circuit requires only two VDCC and all grounded passive elements, hence a preferable choice for integration. The filter has some desirable features such as availability of all five explicit outputs, independent tunability of filter parameters. Availability of explicit quadrature current outputs, independence in start and frequency of oscillations, makes it a better oscillator design. Apart from prevalent CMOS simulation results, VDCC is also realized and experimentally tested using the off-the-shelf integrated circuit. All the pen and paper analysis such as non-ideal, sensitivity and parasitic analysis supports the design.

Experimental and numerical investigation on sound absorption characteristics of 3D printed coupled-cavity integrated passive element systems

In aerospace applications, most of the components are made of composite materials due to the high strength-to-weight ratio. However, those composite structures are poor in sound absorption; for instance, payload fairing used in the launch vehicle system experiences broadband noise. Tuned Helmholtz resonator (HR) is being used to control few dominant low frequencies, and other frequency is left untreated. In this study, the acoustic mode of the rectangular cavity has been suppressed by a novel design of integrated passive elements (IPEs), which comprises a Helmholtz resonator, micro-perforated panel, and polyurethane foam. The proposed design reduces the noise level in Low-Mid-High frequencies, which is more efficient than passive elements used to control a single target frequency. The integrated passive components fabricated using the 3D printing technique are tested experimentally in an impedance tube to quantify the sound absorption coefficient, and the results are compared with the theoretical result. Further, the study presents a simplified approach for numerical simulation of fabricated samples coupled to a rectangular cavity system, which is validated experimentally. The overall sound pressure level (OSPL) results of the proposed design achieve 4–6 dB noise level reduction in [Formula: see text] octave frequency band.

Geotourism Destinations Online Branding Co-Creation

The application of brand theory to destinations has grown in the last few decades, with the destination brand personality being a viable metaphor for creating and positioning destination brands. An often-overlooked tourism typology is geotourism; more specifically, volcanic tourism, since it can be a passive element of any tourism form or active nature tourism. However, its potential is relatively unexplored in terms of online branding. For this reason, the present study analyzes online brand image co-creation, using 300 websites related to three unique volcanic tourism destinations—Iceland, the Azores, and the Canary Islands. Three different types of sources (destination marketing organizations, commercial, and editorial websites) created these contents. The results demonstrate significant differences between the communication of the three destinations, with Iceland, where there is less aligned communication, most valuing geo elements in their communication, and the Azores, where all stakeholders communicate similar brand personality traits, displaying more aligned communication regarding brand personality. In the Canary Islands geotourism is less explored as a destination offer and is consequently less communicated. Acknowledging the different brand positioning and the parity and differentiation points among destinations with the same baseline offer—volcanic tourism—can be helpful for destination brand managers to reignite tourism and promote a unique tourism experience.

A DVCC-Based Current-Mode First-Order Universal Filter

A current-mode first-order filter configuration simultaneously providing noninverting and inverting low-pass (LP) and high-pass (HP) responses depending on passive element choice is proposed. In addition, all-pass filter (APF) responses can be easily obtained with interconnection of LP and HP output currents. The proposed filter employs only two differential voltage current conveyors, a grounded resistor and a grounded capacitor, so it is suitable for integrated circuit realization. It provides the feature of high output impedance. It does not need any passive element matching constraints. A voltage-mode oscillator based on the inverting APF is presented as a typical application. The performance of the proposed configuration is verified through many SPICE simulation and experimental test results.

DVCC+ Based Immittance Function Simulators Including Grounded Passive Elements Only

Eight new immittance function simulators (IFSs) with only grounded passive elements are proposed in this paper. All of the IFSs consist of only two DVCC+s and a minimum number of passive components without needing any passive element matching constraints. Each of the proposed IFSs can provide one of [Formula: see text]L with series [Formula: see text]R and [Formula: see text]L with parallel [Formula: see text]R. As an application example, a second-order mixed-mode (MM) multifunction filter is developed from the proposed +L with series +R and +L with parallel +R. Furthermore, a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is derived from the proposed +L with series +R. Many simulation results through the SPICE program and several experimental ones are included to verify the theory.

A quasi-2D finite element formulation of active constrained-layer functionally graded beam

A functionally graded (FG) beam with an active constrained-layer damping (ACLD) treatment is modeled and analyzed. ACLD consists of a passive element, in the form of a viscoelastic layer bonded to the host structure, and an active constraining element which is represented by a piezoelectric fiber-reinforced composite (PFRC) laminate. It is assumed in the current formulation that the field variables are expressible as polynomials through the thickness of the beam and are cubically interpolated across the span. Hamilton's principle is used in the derivation of the equations of motion, which are solved using the Newmark time-integration method. The versatility of the formulation is demonstrated using different support mechanisms in the form of analysis of cantilevered, fixed-end partially-constrained and simply-supported beam cases. The effects of ply orientation in PFRC laminate and varying elastic modulus in the FG beam are also examined.

A quasi-2D finite element formulation of active constrained-layer functionally graded beam

A functionally graded (FG) beam with an active constrained-layer damping (ACLD) treatment is modeled and analyzed. ACLD consists of a passive element, in the form of a viscoelastic layer bonded to the host structure, and an active constraining element which is represented by a piezoelectric fiber-reinforced composite (PFRC) laminate. It is assumed in the current formulation that the field variables are expressible as polynomials through the thickness of the beam and are cubically interpolated across the span. Hamilton's principle is used in the derivation of the equations of motion, which are solved using the Newmark time-integration method. The versatility of the formulation is demonstrated using different support mechanisms in the form of analysis of cantilevered, fixed-end partially-constrained and simply-supported beam cases. The effects of ply orientation in PFRC laminate and varying elastic modulus in the FG beam are also examined.

CMOS Realization of Fully Electronically Tunable Single Resistance Control Mixed Mode Biquad Filter Employing Single VDTA at ± 0.6V

This paper presents a single resistance control single VDTA based Mixed Mode type Biquad filter. The proposed Transadmittance Mode (TAM) type Biquad filter configuration employed single voltage differencing transconductance amplifier (VDTA) as an active building block, three passive element namely one grounded resistor, one grounded capacitor and one floating capacitor. The proposed transadmittance Mode multifunction Biquad filter configuration is presenting transadmittance mode type four basic standard filter functions low pass, high pass, band pass, band reject or band stop or band eliminate filter responses. These four type filter responses are realizing simultaneously with the selection of single input voltage signal. The proposed Transadmittance Mode multifunction Biquad filter configuration has more advantageous features such as low active and passive sensitivities, low power supply voltage, low power consumption, low quality factor, very low power consumption, more electronic tunability, higher linearity and required small area of the chip. The performance of the proposed configuration has been verified through PSPICE simulation using 0.18μm CMOS Technology process parameters.

Tau in the Pathophysiology of Parkinson’s Disease

The pathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD) are the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and the formation of Lewy bodies (LBs) in remaining neurons. LBs primarily consist of aggregated α-Synuclein (α-Syn). However, accumulating evidence suggests that Tau, which is associated with tauopathies such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and argyrophilic grain disease, is also involved in the pathophysiology of PD. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified MAPT, the gene encoding the Tau protein, as a risk gene for PD. Autopsy of PD patients also revealed the colocalization of Tau and α-Syn in LBs. Experimental evidence has shown that Tau interacts with α-Syn and influences the pathology of α-Syn in PD. In this review, we discuss the structure and function of Tau and provide a summary of the current evidence supporting Tau’s involvement as either an active or passive element in the pathophysiology of PD, which may provide novel targets for the early diagnosis and treatment of PD.