Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Premixed combustion of alternative fuels under varying conditions of temperature and pressure

Increasing interest in alternative fuels for gas turbines stim­ ulates research in gaseous fuels other than natural gas. Various gas mixtures, based on methane as the main component, are con­ sidered as possible fuels in the future. In particular, methane enrichment with hydrogen or dilution with carbon dioxide is of considerable interest. Some experiments and numerical calcu­ lations have been undertaken to investigate methane-hydrogen and methane-carbon dioxide gas flames, however most of these investigations are limited by particular pressure or temperature conditions. This paper presents the investigation of the combustion of methane carbon dioxide mixtures at atmospheric and elevated temperature and pressure conditions. Two experimental rigs were used, a Bunsen burner and swirl burner. Bunsen burner experiments were performed in the High Pressure Optical Chamber, which is located within the Gas Tur­ bine Research Centre of Cardiff University at 3 bara and 7 bara pressure, and 473 K, 573 K and 673 K temperature conditions for lean and rich mixtures. Planar Laser Tomography (PLT) was applied to investigate turbulent burning velocity. Burning veloc­ ity of the gas mixture was calculated using two different image processing techniques and the difference in the results obtained using these two techniques is presented and discussed. Laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) was utilised to define turbulence characteristics such as turbulence intensity and integral length scale. Due to the variability of the velocity flow field and turbu­ lence intensity across Bunsen burners, the importance of measur­ ing position and conditions is discussed. The sensitivity of this variance on the flame regime as defined in the Borghi diagram is evaluated. In the second part of the study, a generic swirl burner was used to define the flame flashback limits for methane car­ bon dioxide mixtures at atmospheric conditions. The gas mix­ ture stability graphs are plotted, and the effect of CO2 addition are discussed. ’ Address all correspondence to this author. 1 Copyright © 2010 by ASME NOMENCLATURE A Flame front area B Swirl burner swirler slot width c Progress variable De Swirl burner exit diameter f Equivalent nozzle diameter Di Swirl burner injector diamter Dv Swirl burner internal swirler diameter Gx Axial flux of axial momentum Ge Axial flux of angular momentum H Swirl burner swirler height h Image pixel height k Integral length scale k Taylor’s length scale m Mass flow rate, kg/s nk Number of pixels S Swirl number Sg Geometrical swirl number Sl Laminar burning velocity St Turbulent burning velocity TP Temperature of the products Tr Temperature of the reactants u Axial velocity, m/s u Mean axial velocity, m/s V Radial velocity, m/s </ Root mean square (RMS) velocity, m/s w Tangential velocity, m/s W p Image pixel width a Thermal diffusivity of nitrogen P Density Sl Laminar flame thickness 0 Equivalence ratio Da Damkohler number K Karlovitz stretch factor Ka Karlovitz number he Lewis number
Awareness and use of social media applications among library staff of power sector organizations

The paper identifies the level of awareness among library staff in power sector organizations about select social media applications and the frequency of use of those applications at their work place. The study also identifies the perception among library staff with regard to the usefulness of those applications as well as the available sources from where they could learn about those social media applications. In this study, 48 responses were obtained from the library staff using questionnaire as survey tool. The analysis of results of the survey revealed that the library staffs in those libraries were neither adequately aware of social media applications not had fair understanding of their usefulness in libraries. It was also found that library staff lacked appropriate training on the use of social media applications in libraries.
Abstract

Commercially available ionic liquids were used as additives in the model lubricant fluid glycerol. The stability of the mixtures was controlled by measuring of turbidity. Tribological experiments have been performed on a reciprocating sliding tribometer in the boundary lubrication regime with three ionic liquid concentrations, as well as with neat glycerol and the neat ionic liquids at 100°C. Wear and friction were measured, and the worn surfaces were examined with optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show the influence of the ionic liquid concentration and the anion alkyl chain length on the tribological behaviour. Significant improvement in friction and wear reduction at low ionic liquid concentrations was detected and attributed to sulfur species in tribofilm.
Characteristics and Driving Factors of Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities of Chinese Fir Provenances

Rhizosphere bacteria affect the diversity of soil functions, playing important roles in the growth and expansion of Chinese fir. Understanding the driving factors of rhizosphere bacterial distribution is imperative when comparing bacterial diversity and composition under different Chinese fir provenances. We investigated the growth of Chinese fir belts and the effects of climate, geographic location, and soil nutrients. Using 16S rDNA next-generation sequencing analysis, the bacterial communities of 16 Chinese fir provenances were compared. The bacterial compositionsof Dechang, Junlian, Shangrao, Zhenxiong, Yangxin, Xinyang, Luotian, and Tianmushan provenances weredistinct from others. Generally, higher-latitude provenances showed more biomarkers (LDA = 2). Rhizosphere bacterial α-diversity was the highest in Hunan Youxian and lowest in Henan Xinyang (p < 0.05). From south to north, bacterial α-diversity initially increased and then decreased. From east to west in the middle belt, bacterial α-diversity followed a “W” trend, with the eastern middle belt having the highest values, especially near Hunan, Fujian, and Zhejiang provinces. Amongst environmental factors, soil nutrient content (Mg, P and K) and stoichiometric ratio (Ca/Mg, K/Ca and N/P), along with precipitationrate primarily controlled rhizosphere bacterial diversity. Soil pH had a significant impact on the relative abundance of rhizosphere soil bacteria. Our findings offer insight into the evolution of Chinese fir and provide a scientific basis for soil microbial community improvement of Chinese fir provenances.
Light alcohol drinking and the risk of developing cancer, a systematic review.

Background: There is strong evidence that heavy alcohol consumption (>50g per day) is a risk factor for several disease, including cancer. However, the oncogenic role of light alcohol drinking (<12,5g per day) is still controversial. The purpose of this review is to assess whether the intake of a single daily dose of alcohol could determine an increased risk of malignancy onset. Methods: A systemic PubMed research of meta-analysis studies, using the keywords “light alcohol drinking”, “light alcohol consumption” and “cancer”, was done. We established a period of 15 years, in order to select the most recent evidences; exclusively meta-analysis that specified levels of alcohol intake were included in the review. Studies focused on biochemical, molecular and genetic aspects, as well as duplicate articles were excluded. Results: We included in this review 29 large meta-analysis; light alcohol drinking was not associated with an increased risk of occurrence of most cancers, with the exception of breast, prostate cancer and, with less evidence, melanoma. Furthermore, a protective role of alcohol assumption on the development of bladder, kidney ovarian cancer and Non Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), has been described.Conclusions: We found that light alcohol drinking do not determine a higher risk for the insurgence of several malignancies, except for a light increase in the incidence of melanoma, breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among University Students in Jordan

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the commonest diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders (GI) in primary care and gastroenterology practices. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of IBS, and identify associated factors, among university students in Jordan. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among students at the Hashemite University in Jordan. A validated, confidential, self-administered data collection questionnaire was used for the collection of personal and sociodemographic data, and the Rome III criteria were used to define IBS. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify factors associated with IBS. Results A total of 198 students participated in the study, of whom 163 had complete data and could be assessed by the Rome III criteria. The age range of the students was 18 to 35 years, and 91 (55.8%) were women. Overall, 26 (16.0%) of the respondents were diagnosed with IBS. Poor sleep (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-10.4; p<0.01), being married (AOR 7.6; 95% CI 2.0-28.8; p<0.01) and a family history of IBS (AOR 2.9; 95% CI 1.1-7.7; p=0.03) were independently associated with IBS in multivariable analysis. Conclusion IBS was common among otherwise healthy university student in Jordan. Lifestyle factors such as poor sleep appeared to be associated with IBS symptoms.
Effective flexural rigidities for ordinary reinforced concrete columns and beams

Current effective flexural rigidities proposed for use in design and analyses of reinforced concrete structures have been examined. The level of accuracy in the estimation of section rigidity plays a very important role in determining realistic values for the structural stiffness and hence the seismic forces imposed. The most significant parameters influencing the effective rigidity, which reflects the effect of cracking as well as the theoretical yielding of reinforced concrete sections, have been determined through comprehensive moment–curvature analyses of various reinforced concrete sections. The geometry, axial load level, concrete strength and the amount of compression and tension reinforcements have been identified as the most important factors affecting the effective rigidity. New relationships that are believed to represent the effective stiffness of reinforced concrete members have been adequately developed. Efficiency of the code‐specified and proposed values has been investigated through experimental data and parametric studies. It has been observed that the relationships developed herein have provided the most accurate results in prediction of the effective rigidity of older‐type structural elements with low‐strength and longitudinal reinforcement ratio. They can be used for assessment of ordinary buildings. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiple output DC/DC zero-current switch quasi-resonant converter

Nowadays, launched electronic equipment need more and more energy which means a bigger volume of their power supplies, leading to more expense and more EMI generation. In order to reduce these constraints, new switchmode power supply principles have been proposed, using resonance in particular. But this concept is not well adapted to multi-output power supplies. This paper shows, within an industrial feasibility project, the problems inherent to the PWM technique and proposes a simple manufacturable structure of a DC-DC multi-output power converter, with a resonant main output rated (5 V/6 A) and two secondary outputs rated (/spl plusmn/15 V/1 A) of forward type. This half-bridge structure is zero current switched with a resonant frequency of 750 kHz. The bidirectional secondary current is consumed by synchronous rectifiers. Moreover this solution gives good efficiency even at low loads which is essential in such equipment. <<ETX>>
MONETARY EVALUATION OF DRIVING COMFORT

For the determination of a road section's needs of maintenance and repaving there have so far been no facts about the costs that reduced driving comfort causes. The costs can be direct, in that the drivers make a detour instead of driving on a poor road, or indirect in that they are ready to make a detour if there were one. The drivers' readiness to drive a longer, better, road in order to avoid a shorter but poorer road has been investigated using different kinds of interviews. The drivers' evaluation of road evenness and costs caused by increasing unevenness have been quantified in monetary terms. (TRRL)
From Writing the Grant to Working the Grant: An Exploration of Processes and Procedures in Transition

Fundamental to many projects, a research grant application outlines a research question to be explored as well as its importance and scholarly contribution. In addition, an application outlines methodology, key tasks and associated budget. In some regards, a grant application is a high level abstract document that leaves, by design, some important research process areas unaddressed until such time as the grant is successful and research can commence. This paper’s aim is to explore this transition from the grant application to the actual funded research work by examining the experience of INKE, a large interdisciplinary research team. After more than five years of planning and funding success, the research team needed to develop more specific procedures and policies that would facilitate their collaboration than had been outlined in the grant application. Issues under consideration included governance documents, intellectual property policies, leave/exit policies, planning processes, and the inclusion of new researchers and partners. This paper will conclude with recommendations on transition and process planning for research teams to ensure effective research collaboration. This paper contributes to efforts to understand the general nature of academic collaboration and the factors that contribute to its success while minimizing the potential difficulties (Amabile, et al., 2001) and more specifically to activities within the Digital Humanities community to develop tools and processes to facilitate collaboration (Siemens, Forthcoming; Siemens, Duff, Cunningham, & Warwick, 2009). Finally, it also meets the specific objectives of the Major Collaborative Research Initiative (MCRI) program, the primary research funder for this project, to promote and develop large-scale collaborative research.
A Macro-Finance Model for Option Prices: A Story of Rare Economic Events

We propose a macrofinance model that rationalizes robust features in equity index option markets. When rare disasters are followed by economic recoveries, the slope of the implied volatility term structure is positive in good times but turns negative in bad times. Additionally, implied volatility decreases with moneyness in bad times (volatility skew), whereas the shape becomes a smile in good times in the presence of rare economic booms. Our theory contributes to understanding the dynamics of the implied volatility surface yet keeping standard asset-pricing moments realistic. This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.
Maritime safety control instruments in the era of the globalisation

For more than 30 years the International Marine Organization (OMI) has caried out valuable work and invested a great deal of effort in implementing rules and regulations covering maritime transportation to ensure compliance with vital in order to reach an s standard of shipping safety and marine environmental protection. The SOLAS and MARPOL conventions have been adopted in respect of ninety per cent of the international fleet. From the current situation, however, it is clear that sub-standard vessels are proliferating, and represent what constitute a serious hazard to the safety of maritime navigation. The large number of different nationalities involved in maritime transportation has motivated a cause for Coastal/Port States to try and develop into the way of protecting policies. The aim of this paper, within the analysis already described, is to study the influences of these policies regarding open register (FOC)
Modeling the vehicle‐to‐vehicle propagation channel: A review

In this paper we provide a review of the vehicle‐to‐vehicle (V2V) wireless propagation channel. This “car‐to‐car” application will be used to improve roadway efficiency, provide unique traveler services, and can also enable safety applications that can save lives. We briefly review some currently envisioned applications and the initial V2V radio technology, then address the V2V propagation channel. Propagation basics germane to the V2V setting are described, followed by a discussion of channel dispersion and time variation. The channel impulse response and its Fourier transform, the channel transfer function, are described in detail, and their common statistical characterizations are also reviewed. The most common models for the V2V channel—the tapped delay line and geometry‐based stochastic channel models—are covered in some detail. We highlight key differences between the V2V channel and the well‐known cellular radio channel. These differences are the more rapid time variation and the higher probability of obstruction of the direct line of sight component; modeling of these effects has required some novel approaches. The V2V channel's nonstationary statistical behavior is addressed, as is the use of multiple‐antenna systems. The remaining areas for future work are also described.
The influence of crustal strength on rift geometry and development – Insights from 3D numerical modelling

Abstract. The lateral distribution of strength within the crust is non-uniform, dictated by crustal lithology and the presence and distribution of heterogeneities within it. During continental extension, areas of crust with distinct lithological and rheological properties manifest strain differently, influencing the structural style, geometry, and evolution of the developing rift system. Here, we use 3D thermo-mechanical models of continental extension to explore how pre-rift upper-crustal strength variations influence rift physiography. We model a 500×500×100 km volume containing 125 km wide domains of mechanically “strong” and “weak” upper crust along with two reference domains, based upon geological observations of the Great South Basin, New Zealand, where extension occurs parallel to the boundaries between distinct geological terranes. Crustal strength is represented by varying the initial strength of 5 km3 blocks. Extension is oriented parallel to the domain boundaries such that each domain is subject to the same 5 mm yr−1 extension rate. Our modelling results show that strain initially localises in the weak domain, with faults initially following the distribution of initial plastic strain before reorganising to produce a well-established network, all occurring in the initial 100 kyr. In contrast, little to no localisation occurs in the strong domain, which is characterised by uniform strain. We find that although faults in the weak domain are initially inhibited at the terrane boundaries, they eventually propagate through and “seed” faults in the relatively strong adjacent domains. We show characteristic structural styles associated with strong and weak crust and relate our observations to rift systems developed across laterally heterogeneous crust worldwide, such as the Great South Basin, New Zealand, and the Tanganyika Rift, East Africa.
Food waste prevention in quick service restaurants: A comparative case study on the quantity, source, costs and cause

This research aims to fill the knowledge gap with regards to food waste prevention with a specific focus on quick service restaurants (QSRs) – also known as fast food restaurants. Restaurants are in a prime position to reduce food waste produced in the consumptive stages of the food supply chain, and more focus should be placed on how restaurants can help achieve food waste reduction targets. The research takes a comparative case study approach to better understand and identify the quantity, source and cause of food waste in QSRs; the factors that contribute towards QSRs producing more food waste than others; food waste prevention measures; and the financial incentives for food waste prevention. The research finds that the predominant sources and causes of food waste in the case study QSRs relate to food spoilage in the serving line and customer plate waste due to excessive portion sizes and the eating culture of customers. The research also finds that there can be a large variation between the causes and sources of food waste in QSRs within the same chain, and this can depend on the eating culture of customers and how individual QSRs deal with serving food waste and respond and adapt to food health and safety regulations. The research finds that, when taking into account the full costs of food waste, QSRs producing low amounts of food waste can pay around 3 per cent of their turnover on food waste, while QSRs producing high amounts can pay up to 15 per cent. Reducing food waste also has the added effect of potentially saving up to 30 per cent energy and water consumption associated with preparing, processing and cooking food that’s wasted. In order for restaurants to reduce food waste, the study highlights that there is a general need for QSRs and restaurants to focus more on monitoring, measuring and identifying the source of avoidable food waste; conduct regular full-costing calculations to understand and provide incentives for food waste minimization; and identify ways to legally reuse serving food waste in other menu items as opposed to simply throwing it away.
A New Image Classification System Using Deep Convolution Neural Network And Modified Amsgrad Optimizer

: A new deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) with six convolutional layers and one fully-connected layer is developed and trained by backpropagation using a new optimization algorithm called Fast-AMSgrad which is modified from AMSgrad. The aims are to speed up the training process while achieving acceptable accuracy. The application of the network using both, the Fast-AMSgrad and the AMSgrad algorithms to CIFAR-10 dataset for image classification reveals that the developed CNN performs better when trained with Fast-AMSgrad for both cases, with and without Batch Normalization (BN) layers. The training time is reduced by 50% when Fast-AMSgrad algorithm is used. Also the accuracy and loss values of the training and validation are improved when Fast-AMSgrad is used. The training and validation accuracies provided by Fast-AMSgrad with BN are (91.18% and 86.92%) at epoch number (50) and ( 94.13 % and 86.758%) at epoch number (100), while the corresponding accuracies that are provided by AMSgrad with BN are (82.65% and 81.4%) at epoch (50) and (88.82% and 85.85%) at epoch (100). The overall test accuracy and classification metric measures indicate that the given architecture of CNN and optimization algorithm perform reasonably well.
Y‐shaped monopole antenna with dual‐broadband operation for WLAN

A novel dual‐broadband Y‐shaped monopole antenna with dual shorted I‐shaped strip‐sleeves for 2.4/5.2/5.8‐GHz wireless local area networks (WLANs) is proposed. Dual I‐shaped strip‐sleeves are introduced to be shorted with the ground plane to excite the upper resonant mode for operating at the 5.8‐GHz band. The obtained impedance bandwidths reach about 48.5% for the 2.4‐GHz band and 35.5% for the 5‐GHz band, which meet the required bandwidth specifications of IEEE 802.11a/b/g standards. The measured peak antenna gains for the operating frequencies across dual WLAN bands are measured to be 4.7 and 4.9 dBi, respectively, with gain variations within 0.5 dBi. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1476–1480, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21735