Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IRON SULPHIDE AND COKE FOULING FROM SOUR OILS : REVIEW AND INITIAL EXPERIMENTS

In sour oils at elevated temperature, iron sulphide and coke deposition are among the most important causes of fouling. Deposits are generally found to contain both carbonaceous material (coke), and inorganic material. A review of relevant literature is presented, to attempt to identify underlying fouling mechanisms. The fouling process is considered to involve two reactions: coke formation and FeS formation. Sources of iron and sulphur are discussed, along with temperature effects on the reactions. The interactions between corrosion and fouling are considered. One view of the fouling process is that deposits are initiated via formation of FeS particles in suspension by reaction of H2S or organic sulphides with iron oxides from upstream corrosion processes, leading to particulate fouling. An alternate view is that a film of iron sulphide forms first on the surface, the carbonaceous mesophase then wets the iron sulphide surface, leading to a strongly adherent carbonaceous layer. The interactive processes of chemical reactions leading to formation of precursors and the physico-chemical process of deposition and further reaction in the deposit layer have not been fully understood. The links between corrosion and fouling have not been clearly demonstrated. In this paper, the evidence for, and the implications of these various process-side fouling mechanisms are discussed. An experimental program has been devised to distinguish among the proposed mechanisms, and initial results are presented. INTRODUCTION In oil refinery crude oil pre-heat trains down-stream of the de-salter, and on the tube-side of furnaces which treat heavy fractions, two types of fouling predominate. These are: inorganic fouling, in which deposits mainly consist of FeS and salts, and organic fouling due to asphaltenes which ultimately result in coke deposits. These two types of fouling may occur together, or separately, depending on circumstances. Figure 1 shows results of a survey on probabilities of fouling of each type for crude unit pre-heat trains and furnaces (Lemke, 1999 ). In the former, at low temperatures fouling is likely to be due to inorganics, and as the temperature rises along the train exiting the crude furnace at about 350°C, fouling appears more likely to be caused by organics. Similar trends in results are shown for hydro-desulphurizer units (Lemke, 1999). Figure 1. Probability of different types of fouling in crude units [0= Unlikely, 20 = Very Likely] from Lemke (1999). Considerable evidence of mixed organic and inorganic deposits exists in the literature, some examples of which are found in Table 1. For the crude oils CO-1 to CO-4, results were obtained in re-circulation flow or stirred batch laboratory units, and temperatures are taken to reflect those in crude oil pre-heaters. For heavy fractions HF-1 and HF2, results are from the tube-side of an industrial bitumen Table 1 Crude oil and heavy fraction fluid and deposit compositions * Fluid CO-1 CO-2 CO-3 CO-4 HF-1 HF-2
A Five-Year Review of Female Genital Tract Malignancies at The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital , Maiduguri , Nigeria

A Five-Year Review of Female Genital Tract Malignancies at The University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria 1 1 1 2 1 Hadiza A. Usman , Bala M. Audu , Mohammed Bukar , Ahmed Mayun , Ibrahim M. Sanusi
A novel joint optimization of downlink transmission using physical layer security in cooperative 5G wireless networks

Privacy and perspective are attracting more and more attention from worldwide users, so security in wireless communication system has become popular in recent researches, especially the physical layer security in 5G systems. In this article, we discuss the physical layer security in 5G downlink transmission systems; we propose the joint optimization of subcarrier, power, and artificial noise to achieve the higher security rate, our proposed method could approach to the upper bound of the security rate rather than the other methods, respectively. Then, in the simulation part, we present the theoretical and system-level simulation, and the results indicate that our proposed method could effectively increase the security rate without losing the system transmission speed.
Statistical assessment of turbulence homogeneity for the head of gravity currents

We show that meaningful turbulence statistics can be obtained for gravity currents, in particular turbidity currents, by applying streamwise and spanwise spatial averaging over a carefullychosen region of the current’s head. The current structure is generally depicted as having a compact head, followed by a decaying body and an almost non-turbulent tail. Due to the transient nature of turbidity currents, it is difficult to quantify the turbulence of the inner current, since the inability to calculate temporally averaged statistics prevents the quantification of the mass and momentum flux exchanges in this region. For a Reb = 60,000 lock-exchange current, we demonstrate that spatial averaged statistics from a single run are consistent with those from an ensemble average of 200 runs. Slight discrepancies are observed, showing the limits of the hypothesis of spatial homogeneity considered.
What is the impact of a bilingual environment on the language development of children with SLI?*

This critical review investigates the impact of bilingualism on the language development of children with SLI. Six articles that examined the relationship between bilingualism and SLI were reviewed and evaluated. Study designs included RCT, non-randomized controls, and case-controls. Overall, the majority of the studies reviewed suggested that bilingual environment had no negative impact on the language development of bilingual children with SLI.
1 LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY AND DUCTILITY OF RC COLUMNS CONFINED BY CARBON FIBER REINFORCED POLYMERS

External confinement of concrete can significantly enhance its strength and ductility, resulting in large energy dissipation capacity. Therefore, confined RC columns have larger bending moment capacity and ductility, as well as larger axial load carrying capacity. A new strengthening technique using Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) was introduced instead of the conventional methods such as steel plate jackets and reinforced concrete jackets. The objectives of this research are to investigate the behavior of eccentrically loaded RC columns confined by Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) jackets and to analyze the enhanced load carrying capacity and ductility. To evaluate the performance, especially for the axial force-bending moment interaction relationship of the RC columns confined by CFRP, a series of eccentric loading tests (4 unconfined columns and 5 confined columns) have been conducted. Furthermore analytical studies using stress-strain models of confined concrete have been performed. The stress-strain model of confined concrete, based on the passive confinement mechanism by Madas, P. and Elnashai, A. S. (1992), was used as the compressive zone in the analysis. For comparison, Mander, J. B. et al.’s stressstrain model (1988) was also used. The analytical results compared with the experimental results show that the analysis using the proposed model can evaluate load carrying capacity properly. Since the CFRP’s linearly elastic characteristic is considered in the proposed model, the suggested analytical method can theoretically support the enhancement of ductility of confined RC columns.
Circulating RIPK 3 levels are associated with mortality and organ failure during critical illness

BACKGROUND. Necroptosis is a form of programmed necrotic cell death that is rapidly emerging as an important pathophysiological pathway in numerous disease states. Necroptosis is dependent on receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3), a protein shown to play an important role in experimental models of critical illness. However, there is limited clinical evidence regarding the role of extracellular RIPK3 in human critical illness.
SDMT-based deep excavation design

This communication presents some results from a case history in Barcelona involving a large cut-and-cover railway tunnel requiring a deep excavation (depth >20 m). Prediction of excavation-induced movements was necessary to assess third-party risk. A numerical model was set-up for the prediction and extrapolation of monitoring results obtained at a trial instrumented section. Monitoring results are here compared with model predictions relying mostly on results from seismic dilatometer tests (SDMT). Parameters deduced from dilatometric measures are employed to characterise the different soil layers using the Hardening soil model implemented in PLAXIS. Then, the extra information provided by the seismic data is fed into a nonlinear elastic-plastic model, using a well known stiffness-strain degradation curve. Results from both simulations are here compared with the monitoring data.
Bird phylogeny : false positives detected in a gene sequencing study

Traditionally a matrix of taxa and physical traits provides data for phylogenetic analysis. In recent years gene sequencing has taken on a dominant role. Ideally both methods should recover identical family trees that model evolutionary events. Too often they do not. While DNA analysis has proven its validity within genera (e.g. criminal identification), here a competing morphological analysis (the only method that can include fossils) finds several false positives in the results of a recent gene sequencing study of crown clade birds. Unfortunately gene studies have to rely on the hope that they will recover a series of taxa with a gradual accumulation of physical traits that model evolutionary events—without using those physical traits. Based on this benchmark and the present results, it is inappropriate to circumvent direct observation with gene sequencing in bird studies, at least until gene sequencing study results mirror those based on morphology.
Earthquake Ground Motion in the Mygdonian Basin , Greece : Latest Lessons from the E 2 VP Verification and Validation Project

The Euroseistest Verification and Validation Proje ct (E2VP) aimed at a quantitative analysis of accuracy of the current, most-advanced numerical me thods applied to realistic 3D models of sedimentary basins (verification), and a quantitati ve comparison of the recorded and numericallysimulated ground motions (validation). The target s ite, located within the Mygdonian basin near Thessaloniki, Greece, has been thoroughly investiga ted for two decades and a detailed, realistic 3D model has been derived from geological, geophysi cal and geotechnical investigations, while a dedicated instrumentation provided a significant nu mber of surface and borehole recordings. Verification and validation tests up to a frequency of 4 Hz, much beyond the 0.7 Hz fundamental frequency, have been performed for a set of local, small to moderate magnitude events. For careful and accurate enough computations, the model-to-mode l diff rences are smaller than the model-toobservations differences, controlled by uncertainti es primarily in the crustal propagation model and source properties, and secondarily in the shall ow structure.
Fetal Lipid Requirements : Implications in Fetal Growth Retardation

The importance of lipid metabolism in intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) has not been extensively studied. Although little is known of the effect of marginal dietary intakes of essential fatty acids on fetal lipid metabolism, there is evidence that placental lipids of infants that are small for gestational age (SGA) are low in 20:4 n-6 and 22:6 n-3. There also is evidence that the placenta transports longchain polyunsaturated essential fatty acids from the maternal to the fetal circulation. The degree to which the placenta may modify the essential fatty acid precursors, 18:2 n-6 and 18:3 n-3, to longer-chain homologues utilized in fetal tissue synthesis is unknown and is central to understanding whether or not reduced placental transfer of 20:4 n-6 and 22:6 n-3 limits fetal growth. It is also not clear whether limited transfer of 20:4 n-6 and 22:6 n-3 by the placenta may arise from limitations inherent in the metabolic capability of the placenta, or whether it is caused by marginal or low maternal intake of essential fatty acid precursors. Nutritional status of the mother during gestation has been related to fetal growth. In general, reduced nutritional status with respect to n-6 and n-3 essential fatty acids has been correlated with reduced neonatal growth and head circumference. These observations also associate lower nutritional status with lower scores for some behavioral assessments in infants. During the last trimester of gestation, large amounts of essential and nonessential fatty acids are utilized in the synthesis of fetal tissues. The degree to which reduced accretion of lipid is caused by reduced placental transfer of lipid is not clear, nor are the mechanisms that limit fat accretion in the SGA infant apparent.
Comparison of Air and Water Chilling Effects on the Microbiological Quality of Broiler Carcasses *

The objective of this study is to compare the effects of air and water chilling on the microbiological quality of carcasses in a commercial broiler slaughterhouse in Bolu Province. For this purpose, a total of 320 carcasses were sampled for 20 weeks (16 broiler carcasses/week). Swab samples were obtained from wing, breast, and dorsal subsections of broiler carcasses before and after air and water chilling procedures, and also water samples were taken from the chilling tank. Samples were analyzed for total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, and numbers of Enterobacteriaceae, coliform bacteria, staphylococci and micrococci, coagulase-positive staphylococci, psychrophilic bacteria, yeast and mold. Statistically significant differences in the number of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, coliform bacteria, staphylococci and micrococci and psychrophilic bacteria were observed between the two chilling methods investigated. In conclusion, chilling methods were found to be effective on the microbial count of broiler carcasses. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and psychrophilic bacteria counts were found to be lower in air-chilled carcasses.
Social Movements and the Dynamics of Institutions and Organizations

Calls for reintroducing agency, politics and contestation into institutional analysis are now legion, spanning more than two decades since DiMaggio’s (1988) classic piece, and gaining new urgency as scholars struggle to explain institutional emergence and change. Institutionalists face persistent difficulties in these tasks. Working from arguments about isomorphism, diffusion, or path dependence, they often invoke ad hoc explanations like exogenous shocks in order to reconcile change and path creation with theories that stress the contextual sources of stability, con­ tinuity and conformity (Greenwood and Hinings 1996; Clemens and Cook 1999; Campbell 2004; Schneiberg 2005; Streeck and Thelen 2005). To address these difficul­ ties, institutionalists have begun to revise both their conceptions of fields and their views of action. From a more structural approach to agency, some scholars increasingly view fields as comprised of multiple logics, or by indeterminacy, ambiguities or contradictions, opening theoretical spaces for action (Stryker 2000; Seo and Creed 2002; Lounsbury 2007; Schneiberg 2007; Fligstein and McAdam 2012; Padgett and Powell 2012; Thornton et al. 2012; Ocasio, Thornton and Lounsbury, Chapter 19 this volume;). Focusing more on interests, other scholars have brought new attention to actors and what they do, produc­ ing studies of ‘institutional entrepreneurs’ (Beckert 1999; Hwang and Powell 2005; Hardy and McGuire 2008) and institutional work (Lawrence et al. 2013). Within this milieu, scholars have also sought to overcome ‘excessive institutional determinism’ by turn­ ing to social movement theory and the study of collective mobilization. Spanning sociology and political science, social movement theory has produced a wealth of concepts and research on change, including studies of students organizing to register black voters in the 1960s (McAdam 1988), the mobilization of farmers, workers and women to make claims on the state (Clemens 1997), shareholder activism to contest managerial control over corporations 11
Integrating surrogate modeling to improve DIRECT, DE and BA global optimization algorithms for computationally intensive problems

Rapid advances of computer modeling and simulation tools and computing hardware have turned Model Based Design (MBD) a more viable technology. However, using a computationally intensive, “black-box” form MBD software tool to carry out design optimization leads to a number of key challenges. The non-unimodal objective function and/or non-convex feasible search region of the implicit numerical simulations in the optimization problems are beyond the capability of conventional optimization algorithms. In addition, the computationally intensive simulations used to evaluate the objective and/or constraint functions during the MBD process also make conventional stochastic global optimization algorithms unusable due to their requirement of a huge number of objective and constraint function evaluations. Surrogate model, or metamodel, -based global optimization techniques have been introduced to address these issues. Various surrogate models, including kriging, radial basis functions (RBF), multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS), and polynomial regression (PR), are built using limited samplings on the original objective/constraint functions to reduce needed computation in the search of global optimum. In this work, improvements have been made to three widely used global optimization algorithms, Divided Rectangles (DIRECT), Differential Evolution (DE), and Bat Algorithm (BA) by integrating appropriate surrogate modeling methods to increase the computation efficiency of these algorithms to support MBD. The superior performance of these new algorithms in comparison with their original counterparts are shown using commonly used optimization algorithm testing benchmark problems. Integration of the surrogate modeling methods have considerably improved the search efficiency of the DIRECT, DE, and BA algorithms with significant reduction on the Number of Function Evaluations (NFEs). The newly introduced algorithms are then applied to a complex engineering design optimization problem, the design optimization of floating wind turbine platform, to test its effectiveness in real-world applications. These newly improved algorithms were able to identify better design solutions using considerably lower NFEs on the computationally expensive performance simulation model of the design. The methods of integrating surrogate modeling to improve DIRECT, DE and BA global optimization searches and the resulting algorithms proved to be effective for solving complex and computationally intensive global optimization problems, and formed a foundation for future research in this area.
Mechanisms , markets , and monitors : A theory of endogenous choice of governance mechanisms in market equilibrium

We model a world where managerial opportunism can be countered by several governance mechanisms: activist investors, the threat of asset redeployment, incentive compensation, or formal board monitoring. Firms choose combinations of these mechanisms to develop their governance structures, and their choices affect the equilibrium premium earned by activist capital. At the individual firm level, opacity of the firm, the level of managerial diversion costs, and the premia required to compensate activist investors are among the factors that drive the choice of governance structure. These factors can have opposite effects on governance choices at the individual firm and aggregate levels, e.g., a reduction in the opacity of a single firm increases the likelihood of that firm adopting strong board governance, while a reduction in opacity throughout the economy can decrease aggregate adoption of strong board governance. JEL Classification Codes : G20, G34;
Artificial voicing of whispered speech

Whispering is an important form of communication commonly used as an alternative to the socalled voiced speech. Unfortunately, sometimes it is not an alternative, but rather the only means of conveying information. Such is the case, for instance, of laryngectomised patients, patients suffering from bilateral paralysis of the glottal folds or patients suffering from spasmodic dysphonia. Consequently, the differences between the characteristics of the two speech modes, both at physiological and acoustic levels, have drawn attention among the scientific community and thus, have been researched over the years. However, an effective whisper-to-speech conversion has not yet been fully accomplished, since the proposed solutions have some shortcomings, such as their inappropriate nature for real-time operation or the lack of naturalness in the synthesized speech. This dissertation proposal aims for the research and implementation of an algorithm for realtime whisper-to-speech conversion, by implanting artificial voicing on selected regions of the whispered speech. To that end, it is necessary to perform an automatic identification of the regions that are candidates to artificial voicing. Additionally, a natural sounding synthesized voice should be ensured as well as the incorporation of as much vocal signature elements as possible. This document starts by presenting the fundamental concepts as well as proposed solutions for whisper-to-speech conversion so as to provide an insight on the state of the art in this field. Afterwards, a system for whisper-to-speech conversion is proposed, along with the description of all its implementation steps. This consists of two parts: the algorithm for the automatic identification of the candidate regions to artificial voicing in the whispered speech and the algorithm to implant artificial voicing. All the analysis performed during the development of the solutions were based on an annotated speech database containing samples provided by a patient suffering from spasmodic dysphonia. Finally, the results of the automatic whisper-to-speech conversion are presented. Additionally, subjective tests are conducted in order to assess the perceptual impact of the adopted artificial voicing technique by using three parameters intelligibility, naturalness and speaker’s identity. The document concludes with considerations on future refinements of the described work.
Seismic piezocone and seismic flat dilatometer tests at Treporti

Seismic piezocone tests (SCPTu) and seismic flat plate dilatometer tests (SDMT) were conducted prior to the construction of the Treporti embankment near Venice in order to characterize the geostratigraphy, soil strength, and small-strain stiffness profiles in these highly-layered soils. A low cost system was developed which adds seismic capabilities to a standard flat plate dilatometer system. Three SCPTu soundings were conducted in routine downhole manner using a pseudo-interval procedure, whereas three SDMTs were performed using a true-interval setup. For one SDMT, frequent-interval shear wave velocities were obtained at each 20-cm test depth, thus providing exceptional detailing of the Vs profile.