Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time Series Analysis of Monte Carlo Fission Sources—I: Dominance Ratio Computation

Abstract In the nuclear engineering community, the error propagation of the Monte Carlo fission source distribution through cycles is known to be a linear Markov process when the number of histories per cycle is sufficiently large. In the statistics community, linear Markov processes with linear observation functions are known to have an autoregressive moving average (ARMA) representation of orders p and p — 1. Therefore, one can perform ARMA fitting of the binned Monte Carlo fission source in order to compute physical and statistical quantities relevant to nuclear criticality analysis. In this work, the ARMA fitting of a binary Monte Carlo fission source has been successfully developed as a method to compute the dominance ratio, i.e., the ratio of the second-largest to the largest eigenvalues. The method is free of binning mesh refinement and does not require the alteration of the basic source iteration cycle algorithm. Numerical results are presented for problems with one-group isotropic, two-group linearly anisotropic, and continuous-energy cross sections. Also, a strategy for the analysis of eigenmodes higher than the second-largest eigenvalue is demonstrated numerically.
THE EFFECT OF WORK ETHICS ON JOB SATISFACTION AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA

It has been shown that the bad degradation of ethical conduct in the organization, continuous investigation of the asymmetry between productivity and worker commitment about employment have been satisfied. Results shown in practice could not improve employee performance in different work ethics. The effect of work ethics on employee performance has been explained when employee satisfaction is perceived as a mediator variable. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of unethical behavior on employee commitment and productivity in Nigeria. For the study, a descriptive survey research method was used, with fifty valid questionnaires distributed to employees from five cluster government establishments in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Secondary data and documentation were also reviewed and used in the study. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0857/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>
Impact of the learning rate and batch size on NOMA system using LSTM-based deep neural network

In this work, the deep learning (DL)-based fifth-generation (5G) non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) detector is investigated over the independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) Nakagami-m fading channel conditions. The end-to-end system performance comparisons are given between the DL NOMA detector with the existing conventional successive interference cancelation (SIC)-based NOMA detector and from results, it has been proved that the DL NOMA detector performance is better than the convention SIC NOMA detector. In our analysis, the long-short term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network (RNN) is employed, and the results are compared with the minimum mean square estimation (MMSE) and least square estimation (LS) detector’s performance considering all practical conditions such as multipath fading and nonlinear clipping distortion. It has been shown that with the increase in the relay to destination (RD) channel gain, the bit error rate (BER) improves. Also, with the increase in fading parameter m, the BER performance improves. The simulation curves demonstrate that when the clipping ratio (CR) is unity, the performance of the DL-based detector significantly improves as compared to the MMSE and LS detector for the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values greater than 15 dB and it proves that the DL technique is more robust to the nonlinear clipping distortion.
Materials for Dry Electrodes for the Electroencephalography: Advances, Challenges, Perspectives

Electroencephalography (EEG) is extensively applied in brain cognition, clinical diagnosis, and artificial intelligence through detecting and analyzing the human brain biopotential. The Ag/AgCl combined with a conductive gel is the most widely used electrode in EEG. However, pre‐preparation before testing is time‐consuming and complicated. The dried gel has to be cleaned from hair after testing, otherwise discomforting the subjects. Therefore, it is strongly desired to develop a dry electrode to ease the test process and comfort the subjects. However, the high electrode–skin contact impedance weakens the intensity of biopotential signals. The materials with the features of high conductivity, good biocompatibility, and ease to obtain are more favorable for the dry EEG electrodes. This review provides state‐of‐the‐art materials for the dry electrode for the EEG with respect to the material preparation, and their electrical and electroencephalographical properties. Challenges and perspectives related to the material preparation, cost, and applications are also discussed.
The study of virtual reality adaptive learning method based on learning style model

Learning style is the endogenous cause of students' unique behaviors when they are performing learning tasks. The adaptive learning system that considers learning style can provide a personalized experience to stimulate students' enthusiasm, which had been widely studied in recent years. However, most of such existing systems are constructed based on a desktop environment, which leads to the less‐than‐ideal effect of personalized learning due to the limitation of interaction means and environmental dimension. Therefore, an adaptive virtual reality learning method based on the learning style model was proposed in this study. This method continuously iterated the identification of learning style based on students' subjective and objective data. Then, the content of virtual learning environment was sustainedly adjusted according to the identification results, thus enabling the environment to dynamically adapt to students' learning styles. To evaluate the feasibility of this proposed method, a controlled experiment on 152 participants was conducted. Results show that this method obtained relatively stable and accurate results of learning style identification, with an accuracy range of 74.38%–80.30%. Moreover, learning in the virtual environment constructed based on this method had a positive impact on students' learning motivation and outcomes.
Factored Nonlinear Displacement Demand Estimation Methods for Probability-based Safety Assessment

This digest presents a selection of methods for assessing nonlinear dynamic seismic demands inthe context of probability-based safety checking formats. These formats, such as that usedrecently in the FEMA/SAC SMRF Guidelines (FEMA 351-353; Cornell et al., 2002), requireestimation both of the median demand (e.g., maximum interstory drift angle) associated with agiven level of ground motion intensity (e.g., spectral acceleration at the first-mode period), and ofa “demand” factor which depends on certain additional parameters, such as the “dispersion” orrecord-to-record variability of these demands. Here it is assumed that these parameters will beestimated by nonlinear dynamic analysis. The objective may be to assess the safety of a specificstructure or to develop generic results for use by code drafting committees (e.g., Foutch et al.,2002).
Steel fibres as minimum shear reinforcement in reinforced concrete beams

The results of an experimental appraisal of the ACI Building Code provisions allowing the use of deformed steel fibres as minimum shear reinforcement in reinforced concrete beams are presented. Two types of hooked-end steel fibres of lengths 35 mm and 60 mm were used in the fibrous concretes at volume fractions in the range of 0·75 to 1·5% and 0·5 to 1%, respectively. The performance of the fibrous concrete beams was compared to that of beams detailed with code-specified minimum web reinforcement. The results indicate that the use of hooked-end steel fibres even at a volume fraction (0·5%) lower than the ACI Code-specified minimum of 0·75% led to multiple diagonal cracking with crack widths significantly smaller than permissible values. The measured shear strengths across all fibre aspect ratios and volume fractions were higher than a lower bound limit for fibrous concrete beams reported in the literature as well as predicted values of the beams with code-specified conventional minimum web reinforcement.
Measurement of radon concentration and exhalation rate in some mud houses of district Lahore, Pakistan

Some low-income people of Pakistan live in traditional windowless one- to two-room houses made of mud. The data on radon concentration in such houses of Pakistan was scarce in the literature. Therefore, 60 mud houses in the vicinity of the city of Lahore (the capital of the Punjab province of Pakistan) were selected for survey of radon in these houses. The passive integrating technique with CN-85 track detectors was employed for the measurement of radon. Indoor and outdoor radon concentrations were determined to be 114.88 ± 66.79 (18.37 − 269.58) and 10.78 ± 2.70 (8.08 − 13.57) Bq m−3, respectively. Radon concentration was higher in the mud-made houses than that in the dwellings constructed of bricks and Portland cement. Radon exhalation rate from the walls and floors of the mud houses was measured to find the correlation with indoor radon concentration. A weak positive correlation was observed between these two quantities. From the measured concentration of radon, annual effective dose and excess lifetime cancer risk were derived to be 2.54 ± 1.47 (0.41 − 5.95) mSv and (15.34 ± 8.92) × 10−3 (1.53 ± 0.89 %), respectively. Relatively higher radon concentration in the mud houses was due to the little exchange of air in these houses. Ventilation is recommended for the mitigation of radon from these houses.
Anomalous thermophysical properties and electride transition in fcc potassium

Alkali metals undergo an electride transition with excess electrons localized in interstices and acting as anionic interstitial quasi-atoms (ISQs). Less is known about the role of electride transition in changing their thermophysical properties. Here, taking potassium as an example, we investigated the thermodynamic and dynamic properties in the face-centered cubic (fcc) phase region where an electride transition occurs when increasing pressure. With the help of machine-learning-enhanced molecular dynamic simulations and density functional theory calculations, we show property anomalies over a wide pressure range of 10--20 GPa but no accompanying structural transformations. Furthermore, we find that these anomalies in solid potassium are stronger at lower temperatures due to the more electron-localized nature of ISQs. Our findings unveil the rich phenomena in electrides and could deepen our understanding on electride phase transition.
The welfare effects of financial inclusion in Ghana: An exploration based on a multidimensional measure of financial inclusion

Using a nationally representative household survey data set from Ghana, this paper provides empirical evidence regarding the role of financial inclusion or financial exclusion in household welfare. We first compute a multidimensional index of financial inclusion, and then we examine the effect of financial inclusion on household welfare. The study finds that households suffering financial deprivation have lower welfare compared with their financially included counterparts.
Promotion of In Vitro Hair Cell-like Cell Differentiation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells through the Regulation of Notch Signaling

The Notch signaling pathway plays an important role in otic neurogenesis by regulating the differentiation of inner ear hair cells and supporting cells. Notch-regulated differentiation is required for the regeneration of hair cells in the inner ear. The temporal expression pattern of Notch ligands and receptors during in vitro hair cell-like cell differentiation from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Subsequently, pAJ-U6-shRNA-CMV-Puro/GFP recombinant lentiviral vectors encoding short hairpin RNAs were used to silence JAG-1, JAG-2, and DLL-1, according to the temporal expression pattern of Notch ligands. Then, the effect of each ligand on the in vitro differentiation of hair cells was examined by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the individual deletion of JAG-2 or DLL-1 had no significant effect on the differentiation of hair cell-like cells. However, the simultaneous inhibition of both DLL-1 and JAG-2 increased the number of hair cell-like cells and decreased the number of supporting cells. JAG-2 and DLL-1 may have a synergistic role in in vitro hair cell differentiation.
Gender Variation in the Writings of Ghanaian Colleges of Education Students: A Study of Syntactic Complexity

This study explored the differences in the writings produced by both male and female students in colleges of education in Ghana with respect to syntactic complexity. The study was based on a corpus of two hundred examination essays which were collected from two hundred students in Assin Fosu, Wesley and Presbyterian colleges of education who took the English language Studies course (FDC 211) in 2018/2019 academic year. The study adopted a descriptive design, involving qualitative and quantitative methods. The analysis showed that the male students were more syntactically complex than the female students in their writings. The study established clear variations in the areas of length of production unit, sentence complexity, amount of subordination and coordination and particular structures. It has therefore upheld the difference version of gender and language theory as compared to the discursive theory. Implications and areas for further research are also discussed.
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FEATURE SELECTION FOR HIDDEN MARKOV MODEL-BASED MICRO-MILLING TOOL WEAR MONITORING

This paper presents a discriminant feature selection approach for hidden Markov model (HMM) modeling of micro-milling tool conditions. The approach is compared with other popular feature selection methods such as principal component analysis (PCA) and automatic relevance determination (ARD) according to their HMM classification rate. In tool condition monitoring (TCM), there are a lot of features that contain redundant information or less sensitive to tool state discrimination. These features are expected to be deleted for less computation and more robust modeling of tool conditions. Fisher's linear discriminant analysis (FDA) is modified for this purpose. The FDA is generally used for classification, and the features are mapped to another space and lose their physical meanings. In the modified discriminant feature selection, the features are selected in the original feature space by maximizing tool state separation and ranked by their separation ability between different tool states. Experimental results from both micro-milling of copper and steel under different working conditions indicate that the FDA is superior to both PCA and ARD for feature selection in HMM's classification. The reasons behind these differences are also discussed.
Satisfaction Levels of Sport Sciences University Students in Online Workshops for Substituting Practice-Oriented Activities during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Laboratory teaching in sport and exercise sciences universities is of fundamental importance as it provides students with the necessary hands-on skills that are indispensable to future kinesiologists. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students in lockdown missed the opportunity to acquire laboratory skills. Here we report the solutions adopted by a blended exercise science Master’s degree program of an online Italian university to ensure didactic continuity in the practice-oriented activities during the period of the COVID-19 lockdown. In order to mitigate this issue, laboratory sessions were replaced with online workshops and students’ satisfaction levels in this regard were investigated in the present study using an online survey conducted on 101 students during lockdown. The survey consisted of 7-point Likert scale items focusing on computer usage (CU), learning satisfaction (LS), social interaction (SI), and perceived value (PV). The analysis of the results revealed a good level of learning satisfaction of the students. Conversely, students perceived a moderate level of social interaction and had a moderate perception that online workshops can enhance their learning abilities. In conclusion, the results of the present study seem to indicate that online workshops can be considered a good and acceptable compromise during an emergency, although face-to-face activities remain the preferable learning delivery modality when dealing with the acquisition of hands-on skills.
Modelling of a tuned liquid damper with inclined damping screens

This paper investigates the concept of using inclined slat screens to adjust the damping ratio of tuned liquid dampers (TLDs). A method to calculate the pressure‐loss coefficient for inclined screens is introduced, permitting the energy dissipated by the screens to be estimated. An amplitude‐dependent mechanical model is developed to calculate the steady‐state response of the fluid when the tank is subjected to base excitation. The energy dissipation predicted by this model is compared to results obtained from shake‐table experiments. The model and experimental results are in good agreement, and indicate that increasing the screen angle decreases the TLD damping ratio. It is shown that a TLD with adjustable inclined damping screens could maintain a constant damping ratio over a range of excitation amplitudes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive Targeting: Engaging Farmers to Improve Targeting and Adoption of Agricultural Conservation Practices

Targeting of agricultural conservation practices to cost‐effective locations has long been of interest to watershed managers, yet its implementation cannot succeed without meaningful engagement of agricultural producers who are decision makers on the lands they farm. In this study, we engaged 14 west‐central Indiana producers and landowners in an adaptive targeting experiment. Interviews carried out prior to targeting provided rich spatial information on existing conservation practices as well as producers' preferences for future conservation projects. We targeted six of the most accepted conservation practices using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool and spatial optimization using a genetic algorithm approach. Fairly optimal conservation scenarios were possible with even the most limiting constraints of farmer‐accepted practices. We presented in follow‐up interviews a total of 176 conservation practice recommendations on 103 farm fields to 10 farmers whose lands were targeted for conservation. Primary findings indicated producers were interested in the project, were open to hearing recommendations about their lands, and expressed a high likelihood of adopting 35% of targeted recommendations. Farmers generally viewed the interview process and presentation of results quite favorably, and the interviews were found to build trust and make the targeting process more acceptable to them.
Influence of poultry manure on the yield and quality of spring maize

Article history: Received: 2 July, 2010 Accepted: 5 Dec.,2010 Poultry manure has been recognized the most desirable organic fertilizer. It improves soil fertility by adding essential nutrients as well as soil organic matter which improve moisture and nutrient retention. The present study investigates the effectiveness of different levels of poultry manure (PM) on the yield and quality of spring maize (Zea mays L.). The study was carried out at the Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during spring season 2007. Experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications having six treatments: T1 (Recommended NPK), T2 (4 t ha -1 PM), T3 (6 t ha -1 PM), T4 (8 t ha -1 PM), T5 (10 t ha -1 PM) and T6 (12 t ha -1 PM). All the recorded parameters including grain yield, biological yield, harvest index, seed protein content and seed oil content were significantly affected by application of poultry manure. Maximum grain yield (7.33 t ha -1 ), biomass (20.22 t ha -1 ), harvest index (36.25%) and seed protein (8.52%) were examined with the application of recommended NPK while application of PM 6 at t ha -1 gave maximum seed oil content (4.80%) however this dose of PM gave minimum yields and seed protein content. Recommended NPK treatment gave maximum net benefit (Rs.83505 ha -1 ), however marginal analysis showed that application of 12 t PM ha -1 gave highest marginal rate of return (4707%) against the minimum (109%) with
Contribution to the current list of Nitzschia species (Bacillariophyceae) in Malaysia

Current occurrence of Nitzschia Hassall from marine and freshwater environment in Malaysia is compiled from current and previously published materials. Phytoplankton was collected using a 20 µm plankton net from waterfronts of Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo. Some Nitzschia cells were successfully isolated and established into clonal cultures. For morphology observation, organic matters of the net samples and cultures were oxidized and removed through acid treatment. Cleaned specimens were observed using light and electron microscopes. The morphology of the Nitzschia cells was described and micrographs are included. In addition to current field sampling, Nitzschia spp. records and distributions in Malaysia had also been compiled from secondary data. Sources of references whereby the Nitzschia species were listed in this article were cited accordingly. This article compiles a total of 11 Nitzschia spp. found in Malaysia including a few revisions and new records. This article could serve as an important reference for Nitzschia taxonomic and distributional study particularly in tropical region.Keywords: distribution, morphology, taxonomy, tropical
Basic feasibility constraints for multilevel CHE-programmed flash memories

This paper discusses the basic constraints for the feasibility of multilevel (ML) Flash memories, with specific reference to devices programmed by channel hot electron injection. Issues such as programming algorithm, program and read disturb immunity, data retention, and sense circuitry sensitivity are considered. Experimental data concerning the most suited programming algorithm and reliability aspects are given. A guideline for the evaluation of ML storage feasibility is provided, and a simple set of equations for basic constraint estimation is derived.