Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A simple theory of impulse turbine with self-pitch-controlled guide vanes for wave power conversion

A classical one-dimensional analysis in turbomachinery was presented to estimate aerodynamic characteristics of an impulse turbine with self-pitch-controlled guide vanes which is proposed by the authors for ocean wave power conversion. With some simple assumptions, the efficiency vs. flow-rate coefficient curves were calculated and compared with the experimental results both in a unidirectional steady flow condition and a sinusoidallyoscillating flow condition. The estimated results reveal a behavior of the actual characteristics curve of the turbine. Possibility of further increase in efficiency was discussed from a viewpoint of specific speed and specific diameter.
Frequency control coordination among non-synchronous AC areas connected by a multi-terminal HVDC grid.

This thesis addresses the problem of frequency control in a power system composed of several non-synchronous AC areas connected by a multi-terminal HVDC grid. For this system, we propose three control schemes, two for primary frequency control and one for secondary frequency control. Based on remote measurements of the other areas' frequencies, the first control scheme modifies the power injections from the different AC areas into the DC grid so as to make the system collectively react to load imbalances. This collective reaction allows each individual AC area to downscale its primary reserves. The second control scheme has the same objective with the first one, but acts on the DC voltages of the HVDC converters. In particular, it modifies the DC voltage of each converter based on the frequency deviation of the AC area it is connected to. The last control scheme aims at restoring the frequencies and the power exchanges to their nominal or scheduled values in the aftermath of a power imbalance. It can be combined with the other two control schemes. Theoretical studies reveal the stability properties of the three control schemes. Simulation results on a benchmark power system with five AC areas confirm their good performance.
African Cities:

: This paper hypothesis that application of PPP will significantly contribute to increased financing of infrastructure within the Nairobi Metropolitan region (NMR), which has been plagued with inadequate, inaccessible and underdeveloped social and phys ical structures. The study utilized stratified sampling method and targeted six institutions within the Nairobi Metropolitan Region which included National Housing Corporation (NHC), Kenya National Highways Authority (KENHA), State Department of Housing, City County of Nairobi, Athi River township in Machakos County and the PPP unit based at the National Treasury. These institutions were selected because they were at various stages of using PPPs and the fact that the PPP unit is the central advisory unit in the application of PPPs in Kenya. The main objective was to investigate the extent to which PPPs can be utilized within the NMR and in Kenya in general to bridge the infrastructure financing gap. Utilization of the concept enhances cost effectiveness, technology, and affordable financing; projects are completed on time, which brings value for money. It was found out that PPPs, when structured in an effective manner, through aligning interests of stakeholders, provides can bridge this gap. Kenya has the necessary enabling environment for PPPs application in accelerating development in all the sectors of the economy. 81% of the respondents noted the importance of PPPs in accelerat ing infrastructural development in the country; they noted that this prospect faced many challenges: inadequate awareness and knowhow of structuring effective PPPs, capacity, inadequate institutional frameworks and inadequate project financing. It was rec ommended that the NMR and Kenya should embrace effective application of PPPs in all the sectors, to access: Innovation, financing, technological, managerial expertise and appropriate risk transfer skills.
Fuzzy technology application for mobile positioning in cellular communication

In engineering systems there is generally two classes of knowledge: objective knowledge, which can be quantified using the laws of traditional mathematics, and subjective or intelligent knowledge, that cannot be modeled mathematically but can be expressed in linguistical terms. Fuzzy Logic (FL) is a method that combines these two forms of knowledge, and as such provides a powerful tool for solving real engineering problems. A fuzzy logic system (FLS) is the methodology of applying FL to engineering systems. In general, a FLS can be considered as a non-linear mapping of crisp (firm) input data to crisp output data. It is the inclusion of subjective knowledge in a FLS that leads to a plethora of mapping possibilities, which may not be possible using traditional mathematical modeling techniques. A fuzzy logic system consists of four main elements: fuzzification, rule based, inference engine and deffuzification. Fuzzy logic has been successfully adopted in many real-world automatic control systems including automobile transmission, subway systems, industrial robots, washing machines, cameras and air-conditioners. In contrast, the utilization of fuzzy logic in mobile communications systems is recent and limited. Understanding general mobile communications is essential in order to go on and develop a mobile positioning application. The successful applications of Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC) techniques in many areas draw a huge amount of attention to its industrial applications. However, lack of structured methods and tools for design and analysis is preventing this revolutionary controller from playing a more significant role in mobile communications. A methodology to construct and analyse a FL controller to be used in mobile positioning would significantly improve the efficiency of FLC design, increase the quality of FLC by allowing the designer to develop and design the controller based on some specifications and requirements, and then validate that design.
Effect of Inulin, Polydextrose, or Resistant Starch on the Quality Parameters of Prebiotic Bread

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the addition of prebiotic components (resistant starch, inulin, or polydextrose, 10% of flour weight) on the flour characteristics and quality parameters of bread. Prebiotic addition increased the particle size of the flour. Inulin addition did not impact the physicochemical and texture characteristics of the bread, while resistant starch addition resulted in bread with higher crumb firmness, moisture content, and specific volume. However, both components improved the sensory characteristics (chewiness, crust, aroma, taste, and total acceptability) of the bread. They decreased the staling of the products, maintaining the quality parameters for a longer period of time. Polydextrose could also be used as a prebiotic component, resulting in products with similar sensory characteristics to the control but higher crumb firmness and specific volume. In conclusion, the most suitable prebiotic components in bread would be inulin and resistant starch because of improved sensory scores and prolongation of the shelf life.
Aerodynamic design and analysis of small horizontal axis wind turbine blades

The exploitation of small horizontal axis wind turbines provides a clean, prospective and viable option for energy supply. Although great progress has been achieved in the wind energy sector, there is still potential space to reduce the cost and improve the performance of small wind turbines. An enhanced understanding of how small wind turbines interact with the wind turns out to be essential. This work investigates the aerodynamic design and analysis of small horizontal axis wind turbine blades via the blade element momentum (BEM) based approach and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based approach. From this research, it is possible to draw a series of detailed guidelines on small wind turbine blade design and analysis. The research also provides a platform for further comprehensive study using these two approaches. The wake induction corrections and stall corrections of the BEM method were examined through a case study of the NREL/NASA Phase VI wind turbine. A hybrid stall correction model was proposed to analyse wind turbine power performance. The proposed model shows improvement in power prediction for the validation case, compared with the existing stall correction models. The effects of the key rotor parameters of a small wind turbine as well as the blade chord and twist angle distributions on power performance were investigated through two typical wind turbines, i.e. a fixed-pitch variable-speed (FPVS) wind turbine and a fixed-pitch fixed-speed (FPFS) wind turbine. An engineering blade design and analysis code was developed in MATLAB to accommodate aerodynamic design and analysis of the blades. The linearisation for radial profiles of blade chord and twist angle for the FPFS wind turbine blade design was discussed. Results show that, the proposed linearisation approach leads to reduced manufacturing cost and higher annual energy production (AEP), with minimal effects on the low wind speed performance. Comparative studies of mesh and turbulence models in 2D and 3D CFD modelling were conducted. The CFD predicted lift and drag coefficients of the airfoil S809 were compared with wind tunnel test data and the 3D CFD modelling method of the NREL/NASA Phase VI wind turbine were validated against measurements. Airfoil aerodynamic characterisation and wind turbine power performance as well as 3D flow details were studied. The detailed flow characteristics from the CFD modelling are quantitatively comparable to the measurements, such as blade surface pressure distribution and integrated forces and moments. It is confirmed that the CFD approach is able to provide a more detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis for wind turbine airfoils and rotors. With more advanced turbulence model and more powerful computing capability, it is prospective to improve the BEM method considering 3D flow effects.
Effect of Foliar Application of Some Micronutrients at Two Growth Stages on Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Two Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Varieties

A B S T R A C T: Fe foliar application and their combination at two growth stages on growth and yield of two wheat varieties (Triticum aestivum L.). A factorial experiment (2×2×4) was conducted using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The research was included two wheat varieties (Hawler 2 and Hawler 4), foliar fertilization at two growth stages (Tillering GS Z25 and booting GS Z45) and four fertilizers treatments which include F1(control), F2 (134 mg/L) Fe as (FeSO4.7 H2O), F3 (270.01 mg/L Zn) as ZnSO4 and F4 ((134 mg/L Fe + 270.01 mg/L Zn) combination of (F2.7H2O + ZnSO4). The results indicated that the treatment combination of V1 × S2 × F0 recorded highest values for no. of spike plant -1 , no. of spikelet spike -1 and no. of seed spike -1
Aquatic feed extrusion technology- an update

This article, compiled from various sources for teaching postgraduate students in mariculture, is an attempt to provide a deeper understanding in aquatic feed extrusion technology, which would be of use to current and potential users of extrusion equipment. Extrusion today is also seen as a cheaper alternative to conventional animal protein production which requires investment in crores of rupees in the Indian context.
A new perspective for ERP Projects: Modelling Risk Factors Interdependence

Risk-based management of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) projects has gained great attention in the related literature of the last decade. Risk management has been proposed as a potential way to deal with the ERP project complexity and improve the final effectiveness of the implementation process. Nevertheless, to approach an effective risk management process is an ambitious task for this kind of projects: in particular assessing the risks of ERP projects is a very complex problem. Due to the nature of the risk factors, in fact, strict interconnections and indirect effects on the project performance often occur; unfortunately implications of interdependency are usually underestimated because they are difficult to include in any risk assessment logic. This work shows how Colored Petri Nets (CPN) can be used to model and assess risk in ERP projects in order to deal with the problem of risk factor interdependences. The technique is presented through an application to a real case study. Findings show the impact of interdependence and indirect links among the risk factors for a valuable ranking of risks. Furthermore, results support the utility of CPN for risk factor modeling since it allows a more structured and systematic analysis of risk factors and supports the planning for more accurate risk management actions.
Perceptions of Online Teaching and Learning During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Barbadian Primary and Secondary Schools

This paper explores a sample of data collected from a UNICEF Eastern Caribbean rapid assessment on teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in eight countries. The primary investigation method was mixed and captured data from key participants/stakeholders in education using CAPI Technology and Video Conferencing tools. Statistical analyses and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted to report on findings using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and Nvivo Qualitative Software. The data on online teaching and learning from Barbados was selected for further review and presented an opportunity to assess the Barbadian experience against other developing and developed countries. In assessing these perceptions in a sample of primary and secondary schools, stakeholders were generally dissatisfied with the online and blended learning modalities citing challenges relating to the equality and equity in access to devices and the enabling environment that facilities effective online teaching and learning.
Development of an Analysis System for Discontinuities in Rigid Airfield Pavements.

Abstract : The response of the rigid pavement slab-joint-base structural system is complex, and accurately predicting the response of such a system requires a significant degree of analytical sophistication. The research reported in this dissertation has defined some essential features required to adequately model the system and has demonstrated a technique to develop a comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) finite element model of the rigid pavement slab-joint-foundation structural system. Analysis of experimental data from the 1950's confirms that explicit modeling of dowels is not required to model the structural response of the system. Additional experimental data gathered as a part of this research indicates that joint response depends upon the presence and condition of a stabilized base. The presence of cracking in the base and the degree of bonding between the slabs and stabilized base course influences the structural capacity and load transfer capability of the rigid pavement structure. The finite element models developed in this research indicate that a comprehensive 3D finite element modeling technique provides a rational approach to modeling the structural response of the jointed rigid airport pavement system.
Ultrafast Optical Devices for Photonic Integrated Circuit Applications

The transmission bandwidth of a modern fiber-optic communication systems depends on the modulation bandwidth of optical signal transmitters, as well as the computation speed of photonic components for optical signal processing. Nowadays, the rapid development of various bandwidth-hungry network products urges the research on optical transmitters and photonic circuits that could support high bit-rate optical signal communication and computation. The objective of this dissertation is to investigate on laser transmitters that allow ultrafast modulations, as well as on photonic integrated circuits components in nonlinear chalcogenide glass substrates that are capable of ultrafast all-optical signal processing. Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) offers superior properties as signal transmitters in the fiber-optic communication network, such as large modulation bandwidth, low coupling loss with optical fibers, and low fabrication cost. As the modulation bandwidth of VCSELs are limited due to their relaxation modulation frequency up to 20GHz, transverse mode lock of VCSEL is proposed to reach modulation bandwidth beyond 100GHz. Both the static emission and ultrafast dynamics of VCSELs’ transverse modes were studied to explore their potential for mode locking. All-optical signal processing with nonlinear photonic integrated circuits (PIC) is an effective solution to overcome the speed limitation arising from opto-electronic conversions in the modern communication network. Performance of individual components in a PIC and its scale of integration are influenced by its substrate material and its fabrication method. In this dissertation, nonlinear PIC components written in ChG substrates by ultrafast laser writing are studied, taking advantages of the unique material traits of chalcogenide glasses (ChGs), and the capability of ultrafast laser writing to fabricate 3D arbitrary structures in nearly any transparent materials. The fabrication challenges arising from the laser-material interaction were overcome, and basic nonlinear PIC components including waveguide Bragg gratings, nonlinear directional couplers and one dimensional waveguide arrays were designed and fabricated. Functionalities of these devices were demonstrated at a reduced power required for nonlinear operations, as compared to similar devices in silica substrates. The results presented in this dissertation provide the basics for the realization of on-chip optical network for largely increased data transmission bandwidth and signal processing speed.
Advanced gasification-based biomass power generation

A promising strategy for modernizing bioenergy is the production of electricity or the cogeneration of electricity and heat using gasified biomass with advanced conversion technologies. Major advances that have been made in coal gasification technology, to marry the gas turbine to coal, are readily adaptable to biomass applications. Integrating biomass gasifiers with aeroderivative gas turbines in particular makes it possible to achieve high efficiencies and low unit capital costs at the modest scales required for bioenergy systems. Electricity produced with biomass-integrated gasifier/gas turbine (BIG/GT) power systems not only offers major environmental benefits but also would be competitive with electricity produced from fossil fuels and nuclear energy under a wide range of circumstances. Initial applications will be with biomass residues generated in the sugarcane, pulp and paper, and other agro- and forest-product industries. Eventually, biomass grown for energy purposes on dedicated energy farms will also be used to fuel these gas turbine systems. Continuing improvements in jet engine and biomass gasification technologies will lead to further gains in the performance of BIG/GT systems over the next couple of decades. Fuel cells operated on gasified biomass offer the promise of even higher performance levels in the period beyond the turn of themore » century. 79 refs., 21 figs., 11 tabs. « less
Quiet Pavement Systems in Europe

Noise pollution is a growing concern in the United States. A major contributor of highway noise is at the tire-pavement interface, which means that quieter pavements could lead to reductions in traffic-generated noise. The Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and National Cooperative Highway Research Program sponsored a scanning study of quiet pavement systems used in Europe to reduce traffic noise. All of the countries the scan team studied - Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom - have policies requiring consideration of quiet pavement where noise is a concern. The focus is on three technologies - thin-surfaced, negatively textured gap-graded asphalt mixes, single- and double-layer highly porous asphalt mixes, and exposed aggregate concrete pavements. The countries are conducting extensive research on quiet pavement technology. The team's recommendations for U.S. implementation include evaluating the use of double-layer porous asphalt mixes to reduce noise on high-speed roadways, reducing the size of the aggregate used in mixes applied to the wearing surface, and trying thin-textured surfacing using a small aggregate in urban and other areas with lower traffic speeds. The team also recommends assembling a team of acoustical experts and pavement engineers to develop protocols for measuring the acoustical performance of quiet pavements.
An exfiltration subversion demonstration

Abstract : A dynamic subversion attack on the Windows XP Embedded operating system is demonstrated to raise awareness in developers and consumers of the risk of subversion in commercial operating systems that may be safety critical. SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems that monitor and control our critical infrastructure depend on embedded systems. The attack can be loaded onto a fielded system that has been subverted with a small software artifice. The artifice could be inserted into the system at any time in the system's lifecycle. The attack provides a flexible method for the attacker, who may not be the same individual who inserted the artifice, to gain total control of the subverted system. Due to the dynamic loading property of this subversion, the attacker does not have to decide the aspect of the system to be targeted until a time of her choice. The attack does not exploit an existing flaw in the target module but is possible because the initial artifice is inserted into the kernel of an operating system where adversaries have access to source code. This thesis discusses certain aspects of known methods for developing systems free from subversion. Several projects that utilized these methods are presented.
Piperacillin-tazobactam should be preferred to third-generation cephalosporins to treat wild-type inducible AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae in critically ill patients with hospital or ventilator-acquired pneumonia. A propensity score-matched analysis

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare the rate of therapeutic failure and emergence of resistance in critically ill patients treated by third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs) or piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ) for wild-type AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae pulmonary infections. METHODS In a multicenter retrospective cohort study over a 4-year period, all patients treated for a pulmonary infection related to wild-type AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae who received documented antibiotic therapy with 3GCs or PTZ after less than 48 hours of empirical antibiotic therapy were eligible. The main outcome was the rate of therapeutic failure, defined by an impaired clinical response under treatment and/or a relapse of pulmonary infection related to the same pathogen. The secondary outcome was a secondary acquisition of derepressed cephalosporinase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. RESULTS Over the study period, 244 patients were included; 56 (23%) experienced therapeutic failure and 19 (8%) experienced secondary acquisition of resistance. In the non-adjusted cohort, the rate of therapeutic failure and emergence of resistance were significantly higher in the 3GCs group (32 vs. 18%, p = 0.011 and 13 vs. 5%, p = 0.035, respectively). In the propensity score-matched population, the 3GCs group was associated with higher rates of therapeutic failure (HR = 1.61 [1.27 – 2.07]). The secondary de-escalation to 3GCs after 48h of PTZ as a first-line antibiotic therapy was not associated with increased rate of emergence of resistance. CONCLUSION Our study confirms that third-generation cephalosporins should be avoided as first-line antibiotic therapy in wild-type AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae pulmonary infections.