Non-smooth dynamics of a cantilever beam subjected to a transverse harmonic force and impacting onto a soft obstacle is studied. Upon formulating the equations of motion of the beam, proper attention is paid to identifying the mechanical properties of an equivalent single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) piecewise linear impacting model. A multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) model of the impacting beam is a...

A jet of a Newtonian liquid impacting on a wall at right angle spreads as a thin liquid sheet which preserves the radial symmetry of the jet. We report that for a viscoelastic jet (solution of polyethylene glycol in water) this symmetry can break; close to the wall, the jet cross section becomes faceted and radial steady liquid films (wings) form, which connect the cross-section vertices to the...

AI techniques, massive parallel computing, and specialized processors have evolved to the point where AI usage is now practical and beneficial for a wide variety of applications. As its capabilities continue to expand, widespread usage in the near future is inevitable. AI has the potential to significantly increase the quality of health care while decreasing overall costs. Advanced diagnostic a...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Some people have difficulty tolerating upper endoscopy. The cause of and risk factors for this are not well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors involved in poor cooperation during screening upper endoscopy. METHODS A total of 4,422 subjects who underwent a health inspection with upper endoscopy carried out by a single experienced endoscopist were includ...

Spam is a source of serious concern for both e-mail users and Internet Service Providers (ISP). While prior research has focused on spam content and spam filtering techniques, this study focuses on country-level, macro-environmental conditions that facilitate spamming activity. Adopting a criminological perspective, this study draws upon the deviance-based theories of rational choice and routin...