Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Interleaved-Stage AC–DC Modular Cascaded Multilevel Converter as a Solution for MV Railway Applications

This paper proposes an interleaved-stage ac–dc bidirectional power converter topology feasible to medium-voltage railway systems. It is based on an arrangement that uses input-series-output-parallel configuration with identical power modules. Each module consists of two interleaved legs employing coupled windings so that it is possible to connect a medium-frequency transformer. The topology conception is presented, followed by the adopted control and modulation technique. An estimation of semiconductor losses is also discussed, while a comparative analysis by means of simulation results validates the improved performance of the introduced approach if compared with similar solutions. The topology results are obtainedt through a medium-voltage high-power railway application, demonstrating the converter functionalities and performance under both steady-state and dynamic conditions. It is then possible to state that good performance in terms of efficiency is achieved even though the power stage presents higher component count if compared with the topology that presents the best result, thus making it suitable to high-power ac–dc machine drive applications.
Evidence-Based Reform in Education: What Will it Take?

During the twentieth century, medicine, agriculture, technology, and other fields embraced a simple but powerful idea: Use what works. They began to require that innovative medicines, seeds, and machines be put to the test before being widely adopted. The result was revolutionary progress in each of these fields, which continues today. Evidence-based reform in any area does not just protect the public from ineffective innovations; it also creates a dynamic of progressive improvement, in which many researchers and developers are working to replace today’s best solutions with something even more effective, confident that the market will enthusiastically adopt proven innovations. Before evidence became important in medicine, agriculture, and technology, products and treatments in each area were disseminated by slick marketing, misleading demonstrations, word of mouth, and tradition. In the nineteenth century, for example, there was already plenty of knowledge in medicine, but neither physicians nor the general public paid consistent attention to it. In the early 1900s, William Halsted, a medical researcher at Johns Hopkins University, spent 30 years trying with limited success to convince physicians to wash their hands before operations and use sterile procedures that had been validated in research going back to the 1860s. The practice of education today is at much the same pre-scientific point as medicine was a hundred years ago. We have much knowledge in education, and educators do occasionally pay attention to it, as physicians did in 1908. However, there is limited research evaluating specific programs, practices, or materials, and that which does exist is rarely consequential in educators’ decisions. As a result important decisions about educational programs are likely to be made based on slick marketing, misleading demonstrations, word of mouth, tradition, and politics. This not only fails to provide the best educational programs to vulnerable children, but it also removes any incentive for developers to create programs and technology that actually work better than current practices. The result is the famous pendulum of educational reform, in which new ideas appear, become widely used, and only then are evaluated. By the time the evaluation evidence is in, the market has already given up on the new idea, and has rushed off to the latest new idea (see Slavin, 1989). A pendulum swing describes innovation in all fields, such as art and fashion, in which taste rather than evidence drives consumer choices. Unfortunately, education is one such field.
Activity patterns of Community Residential Unit residents in Victoria, Australia

This study investigated the activity patterns of four individuals living in a Community Residential Unit (CRU). They were systematically observed from Monday to Friday for eight weeks for a total time of 215 hours. Time of observation on Weekdays was from 4pm, and on Saturdays from 11am, until the residents retired for the night. Personal/domestic activities engaged between 35 per cent (Saturdays) and 47 per cent (Weekdays) of residents’ time. Sedentary activities (such as snoozing and doing nothing) were the next most time consuming (18–25%). Social interaction and indoor recreation were low time consumers, occupying less than 9 per cent of non-work time. Antisocial activity was frequent with one resident (23%) but relatively infrequent with the others (2–9%). Outdoor and social activities both accounted for approximately 7 per cent of non-work time. The data suggest that social interaction and indoor recreational pursuits should be encouraged and steps taken to reduce sedentary activities in this settin.
Language policy and identity politics in the United States

Acknowledgments Introduction: A Politics of Language in the United States? Part I: The Issues and the Context 1. Language Policies in Conflict: An Overview 2. Making Sense of Language Policy Conflict 3. The Social Foundations of U.S. Language Politics Part II: The Arguments 4. Historical Perspectives on U.S. Identity Politics and Ethnolinguistic Inequality 5. Language Policy and Equality: The Search for Justice 6. Language Policy and National Unity: The Search for the Common Good Part III: Critique and Reform 7. Flaws at Every Turn: A Critique of Assimilationist, Pluralist, and Confederationist Alternatives 8. Pluralistic Integration: Toward Greater Justice and a More Common Good Notes References Index
Electronic Health Record Portal Adoption by Health Care Consumers - Proposal of a New Adoption Model

The aim of this study is to identify a set of determinants of adoption of electronic health records (EHR) portals by health care consumers. Based on extensive literature review we suggest a new research model based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology in a consumer context (UTAUT2) by integrating a second order construct, Concern for Information Privacy (CFIP) framework and a moderator, chronic disability. A set of propositions is also included to test the new conceptual model. We also present a plan to validate the proposed model through empirical testing. The EHR portals are a part of the egovernment strategy currently unfolding in Portugal. Understanding the acceptance and use of EHR portals by health care consumers should benefit the future sustainability of the Heath Care System, which will gain a more efficient use of resources.
Constraints facing working women in Lebanon: an insider view

– The ascendancy of women to top management positions is a perennial problem plaguing organizations worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to present some insights relating to this pervasive phenomenon from a Middle Eastern context by exploring the constraints reported by Lebanese women managers throughout their careers. , – Literature review and qualitative research methodology consisting of interviews with 62 Lebanese women managers in different fields of occupation. , – The findings suggest that the constraints reported by Lebanese women managers are similar to those reported worldwide. The main differences revolve around the strongly felt salience of cultural values and expectations constraining women to traditional roles and a more accentuated sense of patriarchy. , – The value added of this research is to present an insider view and fresh perspective into career constraints facing women from a non‐traditional context, namely Lebanon. In view of the Western‐centric nature of academic publication on the topic, there is a real need and added value in empirical research stemming from an Arab‐Middle Eastern context.
An Investigation of Students’ Personality Traits and Attitudes toward Science

The purposes of this study were to validate an instrument of attitudes toward science and to investigate grade level, type of school, and gender differences in Taiwan’s students’ personality traits and attitudes toward science as well as predictors of attitudes toward science. Nine hundred and twenty‐two elementary students and 1,954 secondary students completed the School Student Questionnaire in 2008. Factor analyses, correlation analyses, ANOVAs, and regressions were used to compare the similarities and differences among male and female students in different grade levels. The findings were as follows: female students had higher interest in science and made more contributions in teams than their male counterparts across all grade levels. As students advanced through school, student scores on the personality trait scales of Conscientiousness and Openness sharply declined; students’ scores on Neuroticism dramatically increased. Elementary school and academic high school students had significantly higher total scores on interest in science than those of vocational high and junior high school students. Scores on the scales measuring the traits of Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness were the most significant predictors of students’ attitudes toward science. Implications of these findings for classroom instruction are discussed.
A Rule-Based Analysis of Cultural Differences in Social Behaviour: Indonesia and Australia

Abstract It is suggested that any two cultures may be described and compared in terms of a coherent system of rules and their underlying value themes that operate within each culture. The usefulness of the rule model is tested with respect to a representative Eastern (Indonesian) culture and a representative Western (Australian) culture. Three questionnaires were administered to a wide variety of respondents within the Jakarta and Sydney areas. The questionnaires tapped first, the respondents choice of action in a hypothetical situation, second, the respondents affective reaction to each alternative action choice, and third, the respondents relative endorsement of conflicting value statements. The results indicated very clear patterns. Each cultural sample presented an internally consistent pattern of responses to the series of hypothetical situations. However, the patterns of responses of the two cultural samples were markedly different. The pattern of responses and their differences are explicable in te.
Impact of conflict on medical education: a cross-sectional survey of students and institutions in Iraq

Objective This study surveyed all Iraqi medical schools and a cross-section of Iraqi medical students regarding their institutional and student experiences of medical education amidst ongoing conflict. The objective was to better understand the current resources and challenges facing medical schools, and the impacts of conflict on the training landscape and student experience, to provide evidence for further research and policy development. Setting Deans of all Iraqi medical schools registered in the World Directory of Medical Schools were invited to participate in a survey electronically. Medical students from three Iraqi medical schools were invited to participate in a survey electronically. Outcomes Primary: Student enrolment and graduation statistics; human resources of medical schools; dean perspectives on impact of conflict. Secondary: Medical student perspectives on quality of teaching, welfare and future career intentions. Findings Of 24 medical schools listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, 15 replied to an initial email sent to confirm their contact details, and 8 medical schools responded to our survey, giving a response rate from contactable medical schools of 53% and overall of 33%. Five (63%) medical schools reported medical student educational attainment being impaired or significantly impaired; 4 (50%) felt the quality of training medical schools could offer had been impaired or significantly impaired due to conflict. A total of 197 medical students responded, 62% of whom felt their safety had been threatened due to violent insecurity. The majority (56%) of medical students intended to leave Iraq after graduating. Conclusions Medical schools are facing challenges in staff recruitment and adequate resource provision; the majority believe quality of training has suffered as a result. Medical students are experiencing added psychological stress and lower quality of teaching; the majority intend to leave Iraq after graduation.
The Prevalence of Human T-Cell lymphotropic Virus Type 1 in Pregnant Women and Their Newborns

The prevalence of HTLV1 virus antibodies was determined in pregnant women and their neonates in Mashhad, northeast of Iran, as shown in this prospective cross-sectional study. 407 women who were hospitalized for delivery participated in this study. Venous blood sampling of pregnant women and umbilical cord of their neonates was done. The first samples of all women were tested for HTLV1 seropositivity by ELISA test and confirmed by PCR method. Then, the presence of HTLV1 in samples of umbilical cords blood in neonates who were delivered to an HTLV1-positive mother was determined by PCR method. All HTLV1-positive infants were called again at the age of 9–12 months, and PCR test was done using HTLV1-specific primers for them. Of all the participating women, 6 persons were HTLV1 seropositive by ELIZA test which was confirmed by PCR test. HTLV1 antibodies were found in cord blood samples by PCR test in 6 newborns who were born to HTLV1-seropositive women. All the six infants at the age of 9–12 months showed positive PCR results by HTLV1 LTR-specific primers; however, only one of them was PCR positive using HTLV1 TAX-specific primers. The prevalence of HTLV1 antibodies in pregnant women was 1.5%, and the vertical transmission rate to their neonates was 16.6%.
Mobile Manipulation and Mobility as Manipulation—Design and Algorithms of RoboSimian

This article presents the hardware design and software algorithms of RoboSimian, a statically stable quadrupedal robot capable of both dexterous manipulation and versatile mobility in difficult terrain. The robot has generalized limbs and hands capable of mobility and manipulation, along with almost fully hemispherical three‐dimensional sensing with passive stereo cameras. The system is semiautonomous, enabling low‐bandwidth, high latency control operated from a standard laptop. Because limbs are used for mobility and manipulation, a single unified mobile manipulation planner is used to generate autonomous behaviors, including walking, sitting, climbing, grasping, and manipulating. The remote operator interface is optimized to designate, parametrize, sequence, and preview behaviors, which are then executed by the robot. RoboSimian placed fifth in the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials, demonstrating its ability to perform disaster recovery tasks in degraded human environments.
Microbial methane turnover at Marmara Sea cold seeps: a combined 16S rRNA and lipid biomarker investigation

Lipid biomarkers and their stable carbon isotopic composition, as well as 16S rRNA gene sequences, were investigated in sediment cores from active seepage zones in the Sea of Marmara (Turkey) located on the active North Anatolian Fault, to assess processes associated with methane turnover by indigenous microbial communities. Diagnostic 13C‐depleted archaeal lipids of anaerobic methane oxidizers were only found in one core from the South of Çinarcik Basin and consist mainly of archaeol, sn‐2 hydroxyarchaeol and various unsaturated pentamethylicosenes. Concurrently, abundant fatty acids (FAs) and a substantial amount of monoalkylglycerolethers (MAGEs), assigned to sulphate‐reducing bacteria, were detected with strong 13C‐depletions. Both microbial lipids and their δ13C values suggest that anaerobic oxidation of methane with sulphate reduction (AOM/SR) occurs, specially in the 10‐ to 12‐cm depth interval. Lipid biomarker results accompanied by 16S rRNA‐based microbial diversity analyses showed that ANME‐2 (ANME‐2a and ‐2c) archaea and Desulfosarcina/Desulfococcus and Desulfobulbus deltaproteobacterial clades are the major AOM assemblages, which indicate a shallow AOM community at high methane flux. Apart from the typical AOM lipid biomarker pattern, a 13C‐depleted diunsaturated hydrocarbon, identified as 7,14‐tricosadiene, occurred in the inferred maximum AOM interval at 10–12 cm depth. Its isotopic fingerprint implies that its microbial precursor occurs in close association with the AOM communities. Interestingly, the presence of 7,14‐tricosadiene coincides with the presence of the so‐far uncultured bacterial Candidate Division JS1, often detected in AOM areas. We propose the hypothesis that the JS1 bacterial group could be the potential source of 13C‐depleted tricosadiene. Future testing of this hypothesis is essential to fully determine the role of this bacterial group in AOM.
School science culture: A case study of barriers to developing professional knowledge

A detailed case study of classroom observations and interviews with Bess, a grade 9 science teacher, is used to explore how school science constrains the development of Bess's professional knowledge. The themes characterizing Bess's teaching, such as “science is fun and activity-oriented” and “science is fact,” appear more related to the ethos of school science than to demonstrating to students something of the practice of science. This study argues that the version of experiment and inquiry seemingly prescribed by the institutional science of school is antithetical to the sort of exploratory inquiry she uses when planning and changing her own teaching. Accordingly, Bess's authentic inquiries into her own teaching are quite different from the “scientific” inquiries she has her students undertake. Building on earlier cases, the article concludes that the nature of school science influences how teachers assess their own teaching and sets boundaries to the social-scientific inquiries teachers make of their teaching. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed84:193–211, 2000.
A Mixed Methods Study of the Relationship between Student Perceptions of Teacher-Student Interactions and Motivation in Middle Level Science

Abstract This mixed-methods study examined the relationship between middle level science students’ perceptions of teacher-student interactions and students’ science motivation, particulary their efficacy, value, and goal orientation for learning science. In this sequential explanatory design, quantitative and qualitative data were collected in two phases, with quantitative data in the first phase informing the selection of participants for the qualitative phase that followed. Results from phase one indicated that students’ perceptions of teacher interpersonal behaviors were positively correlated with their efficacy for learning science, value for learning science, and mastery orientation. Results from phase two revealed themes related to students’ construction of their perceptions of teacher interpersonal behavior and dimensions of their efficacy and task value for science. Theoretical implications, implications for educational practice, and future research directions are also discussed.
Design of Fuzzy Subtractive Clustering Model using Particle Swarm Optimization for the Permeability Prediction of the Reservoir

Permeability is the key parameter of the reservoir and has a significant impact on petroleum fields operations and reservoir management. In most reservoirs, permeability measurements are rare and therefore permeability must be measured in the laboratory from reservoir core samples or evaluated from well test data. However, core analysis and well test data are usually only available from a few wells in a field. Unfortunately, coring every well in large fields is very expensive and uneconomical. This paper proposes an intelligent technique using a TakagiSugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy modeling approach based on subtractive clustering and particle swarm optimization (PSO) to predict reservoir permeability from well logs data. Subtractive clustering technique (SCT) is employed to identify fuzzy inference system. The radius of influence of cluster center ( a r ) in the SCT is selected by PSO. This intelligent technique is applied to predict permeability of Mansuri Bangestan reservoir located in Ahwaz, Iran utilizing available geophysical well log data. The performance of the technique is recorded in terms of MSE and 2 R value. The results showed that the proposed technique was well performed in predicting the reservoir permeability.
The Case of This War of Mine: A Production Studies Perspective on Moral Game Design

This article reports on a study with 11 bit studios and their game, This War of Mine. Rather than a formal analysis of the game, our objective was to situate the research in game production studies by documenting the design context (gamework) and designer perceptions about the game that inform morally complex gameplay. The research was conducted with four team members of 11 bit studios: a senior game designer, a writer, a senior writer (with stakes in marketing), and a quality assurance lead. We employed reflective interviewing techniques and visual methods to better understand how moral gameplay was designed. Our analysis illustrates the roles underlying narratives in the design process and balancing everyday work negotiations play in the design of moral gameplay, how a designer’s research informs the vision to create emotional realism in the game, and the importance of a player-centered iterative design process to produce morally engaging gameplay.
Précis of Elements of episodic memory

Abstract Elements of episodic memory (Tulving 1983b) consists of three parts. Part I argues for the distinction between episodic and semantic memory as functionally separate albeit closely interacting systems. It begins with a review of the 1972 essay on the topic (Tulving 1972) and its shortcomings, presents a somewhat more complete characterization of the two forms of memory than the one that was possible in 1972, and proceeds to discuss empirical and theoretical reasons for a tentative acceptance of the functional distinction between the two systems and its possible extensions. Part II describes a framework for the study of episodic memory, dubbed General Abstract Processing System (GAPS). The basic unit in such study is an act of remembering. It begins with the witnessing of an event and ends with recollective experience of the event, with related memory performance, or both. The framework specifies a number of components (elements) of the act of remembering and their interrelations, classified under two broad categories of encoding and retrieval. Part III discusses experimental research under the label of “synergistic ecphory. ” Ecphory is one of the central elements of retrieval; “synergistic” refers to the joint influence that the stored episodic information and the cognitively present retrieval information exert on the construction of the product of ecphory, the so-called ecphoric information. The concept of encoding specificity and the phenomenon of recognition failure of recallable words figure prominently in Part III. The final chapter of the book describes a model, named the synergistic ecphory model of retrieval, that relates qualitative characteristics of recollective experience and quantitative measures of memory performance in recall and recognition to the conjunction of episodic-memory traces and semantic-memory retrieval cues.