Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mildly decreased preoperative bilirubin levels are considered as risk factors for periprosthetic joint infection after total hip and knee arthroplasty

Background and Purpose Many blood biomarkers are routinely assessed before joint arthroplasty, but only few are commonly used to guide surgeons in determining patients most at risk of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between preoperative bilirubin level and PJI after hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on patients undergoing revision hip and knee arthroplasty at our hospital from January 2016 to December 2019. Laboratory biomarkers were collected before the primary arthroplasty, as well as general patient information. The correlation between the above blood biomarkers and postoperative PJI was analyzed. Results A total of 72 patients (30 hips/42 knees) were analyzed, including 39 patients with PJI and 33 patients without PJI. Except for total bilirubin (TB) and direct bilirubin (DB), there was no significant difference between the remaining laboratory biomarkers. The preoperative TB and DB in the PJI group were 10.84 ± 0.61 µmol/L and 3.07 ± 0.19 µmol/L, respectively, which were lower than those in the non-PJI group (14.68 ± 0.75 µmol/L and 4.70 ± 0.39 µmol/L, p = 0.0001 and 0.0002). The AUC of preoperative TB to predict PJI was 0.7552 (p = 0.0002, cutoff = 11.55 µmol/L, sensitivity = 66.67%, specificity = 75.76%, PPV = 76.47%, NPV = 65.79%). Meanwhile, the AUC of preoperative DB was 0.7603 (p = 0.0001, cutoff = 4.00 µmol/L, sensitivity = 84.62%, specificity = 54.45%, PPV = 68.75%, NPV = 75%). Conclusions The serum levels of TB and DB before the primary arthroplasty of PJI patients were lower than those non-PJI patients, and the preoperative values lower than 11.55 µmol/L and 4.00 µmol/L could be considered as risk factors for postoperative PJI.
User-friendly Handbook For Project Evaluation

Program evaluation can serve many purposes: supporting program User-friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation, National Science Foundation:. Evaluation is an important tool to help determine whether programs are (W.K. Kellogg Foundation), User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation · Link. The National Park Service transmitted the following evaluations to Congress User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation, National Science Foundation.
Evaluation of UV-PCO Technology and By-Products Generation in Full-Scale Open Test Rig

The quantity of the outdoor air for building ventilation has a direct negative effect on the building energy cost and the environment. Also, there are plenty of pollutants in an indoor environment which affect building occupants’ health and comfort. This is one of the concerns in design of sustainable buildings which leads to a balancing act between indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy cost. Ultraviolet photocatalytic oxidation (UV-PCO) is regarded as one of the salient technologies for decomposition of pollutants, especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and a viable alternative to activated carbon filters. Majority of the previous research on UV-PCO was performed in an ideal bench top reactor and in ppm range of VOCs. Also, limited research has been devoted to investigate the generation of UV-PCO toxic by-products while this issue is one of the main drawbacks in design of sustainable buildings. The objectives of this study were to: (1) Develop a methodology for determining the performance of UV-PCO technology using full scale experimental set-up; (2) Qualification and quantification of generated by-products; (3) Comparing UV-PCO performance either in presence or absence of ozone, and (4) Investigating the impact of operational parameters. Results showed UV-PCO method has better performance in presence of ozone using VUV lamps, although some by-products generated only in presence of ozone. It was found that among tested VOCs, ethanol and 1-butanol generated more by-products, especially acetaldehyde. Some toxic compounds including formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were generated in all cases. Increment of flow rate and relative humidity, decreased the UV-PCO performance for ethanol oxidation. System performance was significantly improved by increasing the number of reactors.
Zakat as a Tax Credit for Raising Indonesian Tax Revenue

This study aims to select the most appropriate treatment of zakat and tax to maximize Indonesia taxation of the given three alternatives. The first alternative is zakat and taxes are not correlated. Second, zakat is used as deductions of taxable income. Third, zakat is used as a tax credit. The basic considerations for determining the rank of these three models are from the aspects of benefits, the costs, and the risks. The analytical tool used is ANP (Analytic Network Process). The research respondents are some experts and stakeholder of zakat and tax in Indonesia. Based on the result of this research, the first rank is zakat as a tax credit with a weight of 0,469. The second alternative is zakat as the deduction of Taxable Income with a weight of 0,385. The third or last alternative is zakat and tax has no direct relationship with the weight of 0,146. Based on this research, to increase tax revenue in Indonesia, zakat as a tax credit is advisable. Keywords: Zakat, tax, credit, ANP, Indonesia
Current-Induced Vessel Forces and Yaw Moments from Full-Scale Measurements

Abstract : Full-scale measurements of the current-induced forces and yaw moments on a T-2 tanker and Spruance class destroyer are presented. The T-2 data set is made up of 23 tests, including water depth-to-draft ratios between 2.5 and 6, incident current angles between 0 and 95 degrees, current speeds up to 4 ft/sec, and horizontal and vertical current shears. Results are presented from 14 tests of head-on and beam-on loads on a Spruance class destroyer. The deep water lateral force coefficient is shown to be independent of hull shape but with a magnitude that varies 50% depending on the vertical current shear. Analysis of the deep water longitudinal force, the shallow water lateral force, and the yaw moments shows that these coefficients do not follow 'accepted' patterns. These data provide a unique and reliable data set for validating current load methodologies and for validating similitude relationships for small-scale mooring and maneuvering studies. Keywords: Water flow; Mooring; Current; Ships; Drag forces; Maneuvering; Berthing; and Tanker Ships.
An investigation into the strategic competence of Arab learners of English at Jordanian universities

This thesis is a qualitative study of the strategic competence of Arab English majors at Yarmouk University in Jordan. Its aim is to fill the gap found in communication strategy (CS) research, which has at present little relevance to the Jordanian situation. Its main aim is to determine which communication strategies (CSs) are used by English majors while communicating in Ll Arabic and L2 English. Furthermore, since meaning is very important in language teaching, it aims to examine whether the messages transmitted by the learners are successful and comprehensible or not. This will increase our knowledge of how and by means of which strategies Arab English majors overcome their communication problems, and which strategies they use in communicating in their native language. The subjects of the study are 30 English majors at Yarmouk University, a typical Jordanian university, put into three proficiency levels according to an adapted TOEFL test. The sample represents a full range of English majors' ability at the English Department of the same university. Their ages range from 19-23. The data collected are based on their performance in three communicative tasks especially designed for the study. They represent typical CLT classroom tasks. The subjects' communication strategies were identified from features of their performance such as hesitation, pauses and repeats, and classified according to the adopted taxonomy which is based on previous CS taxonomies and the pilot study. For the sake of reliability, three independent judges were asked to check the researcher's taxonomy of CSs and his classification of the CSs used by the subjects into the different categories. The researcher and two English colleagues assessed message transmission success on the basis of whether the transmitted messages were comprehensible or not. Then the CSs found in the data were analysed and discussed.
The Influence of Mobile Technology Adoption among Secondary School Teachers using the UTAUT2 Model

Mobile technology (MT) is a mobile device that has become a fixture of gadget enthusiasts, and its use has proliferated around the world in recent years. The situation is becoming more and more popular in the field of education. As a teacher, they are also directly involved in the benefits of MT. Most teachers use MT for personal purposes such as accessing email, communicating through social media and browsing web pages. However, it is difficult to determine the driving force behind the use of MT to improve teaching. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify factors influencing teachers' behavioral intention to use MT (TBIMT) based on the UTAUT2 Model. A total of 422 secondary school teachers in the state of Kedah, Malaysia, were selected as respondents of the study. The findings show that only three components of UTAUT2 influence TBIMT in teaching, namely EE, HM and HT. In conclusion, teachers can manipulate the advantages of MT to create more effective teaching strategies.
The acid test : does upper secondary EFL instruction effectively prepare Norwegian students for the reading of English textbooks at colleges and universities?

The present quantitative, descriptive and exploratory study investigates whether, and to what extent, Norwegian upper secondary EFL instruction prepares for the reading of English texts and textbooks in higher education. It uses questionnaires, and a combination of self-assessment items and an academic English reading test (IELTS) to measure English reading proficiency. The samples comprise student respondents from the university and college level as well as senior upper secondary level students from the General Studies branch. Test scores of the senior upper secondary school respondents from the General Studies branch revealed that two thirds would not manage the level required for admission to universities in English speaking countries. Likewise, test and selfassessment scores of university level respondents indicated that reading problems persisted in higher education, with between 30 and 40 percent of the respondents experiencing difficulties. A closer analysis revealed that the difficulties experienced by many respondents were due to poor language proficiency, exacerbated by a counterproductive tendency towards careful reading with excessive focus on ascertaining the meaning of unknown words. The respondents who indulged in the extracurricular reading of English or had had Content and Language Integrated Learning courses were among those with the highest scores. Rather unexpectedly, completing the upper secondary level Advanced English Course did not give an advantage. Nor did study experience. Though the findings in this descriptive and exploratory study need to be confirmed in follow-up studies, they clearly indicate the urgent need for changes in the syllabi and teaching of Norwegian EFL instruction.
The developmental history of athletes questionnaire :towards a comprehensive understanding of the development of sport expertise

Knowledge of the training requirements and environmental factors associated with expert sports performance is essential for the design of effective sport programs and the creation of nurturing practice environments. However, several limitations in the sport expertise development literature restrict the application of current knowledge to practical settings. Results and recommendations from existing studies are inconsistent, with discrepancies likely related to a combination of small, homogenous sample sizes and differences in measurement tools. Furthermore, the questionnaires and interview guides utilized are generally poorly validated. To begin to address these limitations, the Developmental History of Athletes Questionnaire (DHAQ) was constructed and rigorously validated. Results highlighted a number of issues related to reliability of retrospective recall and sub-optimal questionnaire design. In an attempt to resolve these issues, modifications were made to the DHAQ, and it was converted to an online format to allow large scale distribution. Following modification and conversion, the DHAQ was subjected to further reliability analyses. While several reliability issues were still apparent and several further revisions were required, the amendments markedly strengthened the measurement tool and the DHAQ can now start to be utilised in investigations of sport expertise development. Continued assessments of validity of the updated, online DHAQ are recommended; however, it is proposed that the DHAQ be considered the emergent standard tool for the collection of athlete developmental history information, providing a major contribution towards a comprehensive understanding of the development of sport expertise.
Adaptive military behaviour in a collaborative simulation

Development of innovative and effective technologies to support complex collaborative human activities depends both on observation and analysis of these activities and on iterative development and evaluation of the technologies in the deployment context. Applying these principles to military mission planning and execution is challenging. As a low cost approach to investigating these issues, we advocate the exploitation of commercial gaming environments. In the research reported here, we have developed a simulation environment based on the commercial warfare game Battlefield 2, and we use this environment to observe and analyse military behaviour and to evaluate how it is affected by technological interventions such as software agents. In this paper we describe the environment and illustrate how it can enhance our understanding of military activities and support our investigations of adaptive mission planning as a means of achieving rapid adaptation to changing circumstances in a battlefield. Our research explores methods for interpreting the collaborative behaviour of simulation participants and constructing dynamic models of the mission context. We investigate how a planning agent can actively support participants by comparing the current context to the mission plans and objectives and suggesting actions that will facilitate participants' progress. We also describe how the environment can be extended to simulate the effects of both sensor and communication networks in military operations. Finally, the use of computer-based games and community-based development of additions to this environment provides a sharp contrast to more traditional methods used by military organizations for developing systems, sensors and agents to aid their war fighters. We compare the two approaches and indicate where the new methods have a place in military thinking.
Design and control of a variable geometry turbofan with and independently modulated third stream

Emerging 21st century military missions task engines to deliver the fuel efficiency of a high bypass turbofan while retaining the ability to produce the high specific thrust of a low bypass turbofan. This study explores the possibility of satisfying such competing demands by adding a second independently modulated bypass stream to the basic turbofan architecture. This third stream can be used for a variety of purposes including: providing a cool heat sink for dissipating aircraft heat loads, cooling turbine cooling air, and providing a readily available stream of constant pressure ratio air for lift augmentation. Furthermore, by modulating airflow to the second and third streams, it is possible to continuously match the engine’s airflow demand to the inlet’s airflow supply thereby reducing spillage and increasing propulsive efficiency. This research begins with a historical perspective of variable cycle engines and shows a logical progression to proposed architectures. Then a novel method for investigating optimal performance is presented which determines most favorable on design variable geometry settings, most beneficial moment to terminate flow holding, and an optimal scheduling of variable features for fuel efficient off design operation. Mission analysis conducted across the three candidate missions verifies that these three stream variable cycles can deliver fuel savings in excess of 30% relative to a year 2000 reference turbofan. This research concludes by evaluating the relative impact of each variable technology on the performance of adaptive engine architectures. The most promising technologies include modulated turbine cooling air, variable high pressure turbine inlet area and variable third stream nozzle throat area. With just these few features it is possible to obtain nearly optimal performance, including 90% or more of the potential fuel savings, with far fewer variable features than are available in the study engine. It is abundantly clear that three stream variable architectures can significantly outperform existing two stream turbofans in both fuel efficiency and at the vehicle system level with only a modest increase in complexity and weight. Such engine architectures should be strongly considered for future military applications.
Going Boldly-Where? Aerospace Integration, the Space Commission, and the Air Force's Vision for Space

Abstract : AS WITH MOST other new technologies and frontiers, our perceptions of outer space and space technology have been fundamentally shaped by competition and warfare. World War II was the rationale for Nazi Germany's equivalent of the "Manhattan Project," led by Wernher von Braun, which first brushed the edge of space in 1942 with the revolutionary V-2 (A-4) ballistic missile.1 Likewise, the superpower competition during the cold war was the most influential factor in shaping both the Soviets1 opening of the space age with the launch of Sputnik I on 4 October 1957 and the eventual American response of initiating a race to the Moon.2
The digital education revolution: New South Wales science teachers' response to laptop ubiquity

Since the introduction of laptop computers across Australia for all Year 9 students, teachers have sought to make meaningful use of the learning potential represented by the introduction. This study uses a lens of cultural historical activity theory to explore how teachers have responded to the ubiquitous presence of student laptop computers during the initial implementation. This paper reports a one-year case study of two highly qualified and experienced high school science teachers that considers their efforts to implement laptop computers in Year 9 and Year 10 science classes. The study shows that these teachers are committed to developing and delivering technology-rich lessons and furthering the learning potential represented by the computers in terms of engaging “21st century learners. ” There are, however, several tensions and contradictions that represent significant barriers to developing the learning potential and teachers’ continued engagement with this activity system. These include: 1) classroom and school connectivity along with computer durability and availability for classroom activity; 2) student reluctance to engage with the computers as a learning tool amid generally low levels of cognitive engagement; and, 3) unanticipated changes to classroom management due to the laptop introduction. Now, more than two years into the introduction of laptop computers, teachers are still very much in a transition period from “before laptops” to “after laptops. ”
Ultrasonic Guided Waves in Solid Media

Preface Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Dispersion principles 3. Unbounded isotropic and anisotropic media 4. Reflection and refraction 5. Oblique incidence 6. Waves in plates 7. Surface and subsurface waves 8. Finite element method for guided wave mechanics 9. The semi-analytical finite element method (SAFE) 10. Guided waves in hollow cylinders 11. Circumferential guided waves 12. Guided waves in layered structures 13. Source influence on guided wave excitation 14. Horizontal shear 15. Guided waves in anisotropic media 16. Guided wave phased arrays in piping 17. Guided waves in viscoelastic media 18. Ultrasonic vibrations 19. Guided wave array transducers 20. Introduction to guided wave nonlinear methods 21. Guided wave imaging methods Appendix A: ultrasonic nondestructive testing principles, analysis and display technology Appendix B: basic formulas and concepts in the theory of elasticity Appendix C: physically based signal processing concepts for guided waves Appendix D: guided wave mode and frequency selection tips.
Physiochemical properties and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles green synthesized by Camellia sinensis and Prunus africana extracts

Antibiotics have been the nucleus of chemotherapy since their discovery and introduction into the healthcare system in the 1940s. They are used routinely not only to treat bacterial infections but also to prevent infections in patients with compromised immune systems and enhancing growth in livestock. However, resistance to last-resort antibiotics used in the treatment of MDR infections has been reported worldwide. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate green synthesized nanomaterials such as AgNPs as alternatives to antibiotics. UV Vis Spectroscopy surface plasmon resonance peaks for AgNPs were obtained between 417 to 475nm. XRD analysis generated 4 peaks for both PAE and CSE biosynthesized AgNPs positioned at 2θ angles of 38.2˚, 44.4˚, 64.5˚, and 77.4˚ corresponding to crystal planes (111), (200), (220) and (311) respectively. DLS registered mean zeta potential of + 6.3mV and + 0.9mV for PAE and CSE biosynthesized nanoparticles respectively. FTIR spectra exhibited bands corresponding to different organic functional groups confirming capping of AgNPs by PAE and CSE phytochemicals. FESEM imaging showed that AgNPs were spherical with average size distribution ranging from 10 to 19nm. Biosynthesized AgNPs exhibited maximum growth inhibitory zones of 21mm with MIC and MBC of 125µg/ml and 250µg/ml respectively against carbapenem resistant bacteria.