Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
REINFORCED EARTH RETAINING WALLS

In a discussion of this paper, participants observe that model tests carried out by the authors appeared to partially substantiate the lateral earth pressure the theory used to postulate failure modes and develop analysis and design equations. This theory for computing lateral pressures is based on the existence of a "plastic wedge" which is assumed to develop behind retaining structures and, as such, the concept is essentially an ultimate strength concept. The discussants express reservations with respect to the applicability of this theory and the applicability of the model tests for the prediction of the behavior of full-scale reinforced earth walls. Alternative failure mode, an alternate conceptual approach for describing the behavior of reinforced earth by representing it by an equivalent "composite material" with associated orthotropic "composite properties", and the composite continuim concept are discussed. The Rankine method for computing tension in the strip is also discussed. In a second discussion, the need is expressed for additional information on the influence of the length of ties on the breaking failure height. The mechanical behavior of reinforced earth walls is reviewed and the discussant observes that reinforced earth walls provide a good example of the difference between the potential failure line defined by the equations of statics and the actual failure line, obeying equations of kinematics. A third discussion covers the aspect of tension in the ties and questions the theory underlying the authors methods.
Statistical Evaluation of Motorcycle Crash Injury Severities by Using Multinomial Models

The analysis of motorcycle crashes that occurred in Florida has shown an average increase of 11.9% from 1999 to 2004. During that time period, among the number of persons involved in motorcycle crashes, 48.5% resulted into injury while 2.6% resulted into death. In view of these statistics, this study had two main objectives. First, to evaluate the frequency of various factors associated with motorcycle crash injury severities through descriptive statistics. The second task was the use the multinomial Logit (MNL) and the multinomial Probit (MNP) distributions to model motorcycle crash injury severities. Multinomial models were used instead of ordered models since the later are not flexible in giving the effect of the regressor variables for each injury severity model. The results of descriptive analysis showed that motorcycle crashes have high frequency in collision with automobile, at weekend days, at intersections and influential areas, in innermost lanes, when driving under influence, and when over speeding. The MNL and MNP models yield the similar results in terms of the sign and magnitude of the coefficients. However the standard errors in MNP are seen to be more tighter than those in MNL implying that MNP is more efficient in estimation compared to MNL. The models found that, increase in number of lanes, alcohol and drug use, high posted speed limit, curved areas, turning movements, ramps, and driving with no adequate daylight increase probability of severe injury. Collision with truck and buses, more than two vehicles in the crash increase probability of fatality.
How does ageism influence frailty? A pilot study using a structural equation model

Objectives: Based on the Stereotype Embodyment Theory (SET), this study aims to examine the mechanism of ageism on frailty through the proposed framework of "Experiences of Ageism (EA) → Age Stereotypes (AS) → Attitudes to ageing (AA) → Frailty" using a structural equation model (SEM). Methods: A community-based study involving 630 participants aged 60 years and older was conducted in Shanghai. EA, AS, AA and frailty status were assessed by validated scales. In particular, EA included three parts in this study, as the first part was the experiences of explicit prejudice or discrimination because of age, another two parts were the experiences of witnessed and encountered implicit negative age-based stereotypes. A SEM was performed to examine whether the proposed paths from EA to frailty were supported. Results: EA had a direct effect (β=.168, p=.026) on frailty, but also had a significant indirect effect (.052) on frailty through the path of "EA → AS → AA → Frailty" after controlling for covariates. AA had a direct effect (β=-.337, p<.001) on frailty, AS fully mediated the association between EA and AA (indirect effect=-.153), and AA fully mediated the association between AS and frailty (indirect effect=.123). Conclusions: These findings demonstrated a mechanism from ageism to frailty, and highlighted the potential threat of negative AS on health. Ageism and frailty are both great challenges for the process of healthy ageing.
Development of curved beam periodic structure in broadband resonance suppression for cylindrical shell structure

A dynamic model is developed to incorporate a curved beam periodic structure in the transfer path of an internal isolation system to reduce the resultant vibro-acoustic of the receiving cylindrical shell structure in a passive broadband way. The vibration transmission from the multi-connected internal isolation system with/without the curved beam periodic structure is built by the matrix method. The analytical representation of the curved beam is employed to establish the transfer matrix dynamic model of the proposed multi-layer curved beam periodic structure. Both numerical simulations and experimental investigations are carried out. The numerical simulations demonstrate that the resonances of the internal isolation system will magnify the vibro-acoustic responses notably and the designed curved beam periodic structure is an effective band-stop mechanical filter to minimize the vibration transmission and acoustic radiation responses at resonances in the band gap. The experimental results confirm that the normal acceleration responses on both the bases and the surface of the cylindrical shell are reduced in the band gap of the curved beam periodic structure. An average reduction amount of 9∼12 dB on the bases and 2∼3 dB on the shell is obtained. The vibration transmission in the curved beam periodic structure is tested and found to be influenced by the boundary conditions at the input and output ends, which is different from that under the free boundary conditions.
An Analysis of Basic Accounting Practices of Microenterprises

Every microenterprise needs to learn and perform basic accounting practices to ensure that their business progress is running smoothly. Besides able to improve the business performance of a company, accounting practices also represent the result of operations of a company, as well as the statement of financial position. Therefore, by understanding financial performance very well might help the microenterprises not only to evaluate and monitor their business activities but also facilitate them in a critical way to make a better decision. The purpose of this paper is to study the application of basic accounting practices among the microenterprises in Batu Pahat. The data were collected among 157 owners of microenterprises. The data were analysed in frequency and percentage form by using The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings showed that most of the microenterprises practiced a very basic accounting system, maintained both cash and accrual accounting and practiced recording both electronically and manually. The survey also showed that most of the microenterprises completed the accounting cycle by keeping records of their daily business transaction and prepared the financial statement at the end of period mostly on income statement and statement of cash flow. With such well-maintained and completed financial records, it can be translated into feasible and good decision-making which may eventually result in business success. Besides, this survey found that the main challenges that were faced by microenterprises were lack of accounting knowledge and limited cost and time in preparing the financial statement for their businesses. Thus, it was recommended that microenterprises should improve their accounting skills and increase their knowledge by joining any training for seminar on the accounting practices toward the effectiveness of their financial management and entrepreneurial development
Pan-Cancer Analysis of the Antigen-processing Gene PSMB8 as an Immunologic and Prognostic Biomarker

Recently some evidences have demonstrated the significance of PSMB8 in various malignancies. Nevertheless, PSMB8 (proteasome subunit beta 8), more familiar in the field of immunology contributing to the process of antigen presentation, is indeterminate in the role as a survival predictor of human pan-cancer. Besides, how PSMB8 interacts with immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment requires further research. We then penetrated into the analysis of PSMB8 expression profile among 33 types of cancer in TCGA database. The results show that overexpression of PSMB8 was associated with the poor clinical outcomes in overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), disease-free interval (DFI) and progression-free interval (PFI) in most cancer varieties. In addition, there existed distinctly positive correlations between PSMB8 and immunity, reflected straightfowardly in the form of immune scores, tumour-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) abundance, microsatellite instability, tumour mutation burden, and neoantigen level. Notably, specific markers of dendrite cells exhibited the tightest association with PSMB8 expression in terms of tumor-related immune infiltration patterns. Moreover, gene enrichment analysis showed that elevated PSMB8 expression was related to multiple immune-related pathways. We finally validated the PSMB8 expression in our local breast samples via quantitative pCR assays and concluded that PSMB8 appeared to perform well in predicting the survival outcome of BRCA patients. These findings elucidate the pivotal role of the antigen presentation-related gene PSMB8, which could potentially serve as a robust biomarker for the prognosis determination in multiple cancers.
SCOUR AROUND CIRCULAR BRIDGE PIERS AT HIGH FROUDE NUMBERS

The results of laboratory experiments on scour around circular piers in cohesionless bed material at high Froude numbers, F, up to 1.5 are presented. The scour depths in sediment transport regime (F is greater than F sub c) first slightly decreases and then increases with the increase in the Froude number. A formula to predict the scour depth at Froude numbers (F-F sub c) is equal to or greater than 0.15, is developed. The limitations of some of the existing predictors of local scour are discussed, and a new formula to predict the maximum clearwater scour is proposed. (FHWA)
INITIAL EVALUATION OF SELECTED DETECTORS TO REPLACE INDUCTIVE LOOPS ON FREEWAYS

Problems with installation and maintenance of inductive loop detectors, especially on freeways, have necessitated evaluation of alternative detection systems. The approach used in this research relied on recent evaluations of non-intrusive detectors and knowledge of researchers to identify three detection systems that warranted further evaluation in Texas. These were the VideoTrak (Registered trademark) 900 by Peek (video image processing), the non-invasive microloop by 3M (Trademark) (magnetic), and the SAS-1 by SmarTek (acoustic). Testing of these detectors utilized the Texas Transportation Institute's (TTI's) freeway test bed for conducting full-scale field testing. The parameters measured for accuracy were vehicle presence and speed, but installation cost and ease of setup and calibration were also considered. The 3M microloop was the most consistent detector overall, and performed well both on a freeway as well as under a bridge. The Peek VideoTrak system's presence and speed accuracy both declined to unacceptable levels during nighttime and during rain. It was also the most difficult to set up and the most expensive. The SAS-1 by SmarTek was the least expensive and demonstrated reasonable accuracy. TTI recommends continued evaluation of the SAS-1 and the 3M microloops.
Using Salmon's E-tivities Learning Model for Developing EFL Preservice Teachers' Creative Writing Skills and Writing Dispositions

The present study aimed at developing EFL creative writing skills, as simplified in short stories, and writing dispositions using Salmon's Etivities model of online learning. About 96 participants from fourth-year preservice teachers enrolled in the English Section at the Faculty of Education, Benha University were randomly assigned into two groups: an experimental group [N=48] and a control group [N=48]. The present study adopted the mixed research method for data collection and analysis and the pre-post-test control-group design for the intervention. Two main instruments were used for the quantitative analysis: the EFL creative writing pre-posttest with a scoring rubric and the writing disposition scale. Several tools were used to adhere to the qualitative analysis. Results showed that e-tivities learning model was effective in developing EFL creative writing skills and writing dispositions, and that writing disposition can be used as predicators for EFL creative writing skills. It was recommended that this model should be integrated into writing instruction programs.
Art and Practice of Managing Projects

Offering a new perspective on project management, Art and Practice of Managing Projects brings together over 40 years of experience and research from industry leader Albert Hamilton. With advice that is easy to interpret and apply to projects, this internationally relevant book provides the tools and techniques needed to increase effectiveness at all levels of the project team and to achieve strategic goals. Structured into six parts, each containing a real-life case study, this book takes a systems approach to project management, guiding the reader through the key stages from initial idea to final completion.
Supporting Coordination in Mobile Networks: a Middleware Approach (Ondersteuning van coördinatie in mobiele netwerken door middel van een middleware platform)

Wireless communication and increased miniaturisation of computing devices has catalysed the development of so-called mobile applications. Mobile applications are deployed in wireless networks that consist of nodes that can move freely in space. Mobile applications are characterised by (1) their need to take into account their physical environment (usually called context) explicitly; and (2) their need to deal with dynamics and unexpected events originating from their context. This dissertation first proposes two programming abstractions, views and roles, to simplify mobile application development with respect to those two needs. Second, two alternative implementation strategies for middleware that supports the abstractions are designed and evaluated. Third, the abstractions’ usability is evaluated in a real world application, automatic guided vehicle control. The first abstraction, a view, is an automatically up-to-date collection of data objects, that are copies or representations of data objects available on a set of nodes in the network. The middleware automates gathering the data objects from a set of nodes, and maintains the view in the face of dynamically changing availability of the data objects. The second abstraction, a role, encapsulates the behaviour of a component of the application engaging in a protocol. The middleware automates the setup and maintenance of an interaction session between a number of participating components in the mobile network, in the face of a continuously changing number
Determinants of estimated face composite quality

This thesis addresses the evaluation of an investigative tool commonly used by police forces around the world, namely a face composite or facial likeness. Face composites are constructed by witnesses to crimes, and are used to further the investigation. The process of constructing a composite involves a number of cognitive elements, all of which contribute to the final composite quality. This thesis examines elements of the construction process and assessment of the final composite quality in research and practice. There are three main aspects to the empirical work reported in this thesis. The first, consisting of two experimental studies, investigates the possibility of reinstating context as a way of improving composite quality. The first of these studies explores featural and holistic influences of composite systems and interview methods on composite quality. Results of this study showed no superiority of either the featural or the holistic approach in consistently producing high quality composites. The second experimental study examined the influence of mental and physical context reinstatement on composite quality. The results of this study provided some evidence that context-reinstatement, although having a strong effect on the recall of crime details, does not have an equally strong overall effect on composite quality. The second aspect of the work on which this thesis reports examines composite construction and use within the South African Police Service. Two field studies investigated police practice by examining police dockets, survey forms, and existing databases. Results showed that composite construction in real-life is in many aspects different from composite construction in laboratory experiments, and from composite construction as advocated by police policy. The third and last aspect of the empirical work examined the measurement of composite quality itself. An experimental study compared the most common composite quality measurements, using the same stimulus material and compos-
Prevalence of a combination of hypertension and dyslipidemia among the adult population of a large East Siberian region

Aim. To study the prevalence of a combination of two major cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension (HTN) and lipid metabolism disorders, among the Krasnoyarsk Krai population as a whole, as well as among men and women in different age groups.Material and methods. We analyzed the data from a random representative sample of 1603 residents of the Krasnoyarsk city and Berezovsky district aged 25-64 years within the ESSE-RF epidemiological study. Statistical processing was performed using IBMSPSS 22 and Microsoft Office Excel 2007. The proportion of people with hypertension and dyslipidemia and 95% confidence intervals was calculated. The significance of differences in the prevalence of hypertension and dyslipidemia was tested using the chi-squared test with Yates’ correction. Differences were considered significant at p≤0,05.Results. The prevalence of a combination of HTN and any dyslipidemia was 40%, HTN + hypercholesterolemia — 31,6%, HTN + high low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) — 32,3%, HTN + hypertriglyceridemia — 16,4%, HTN + reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) — 10,8%. This characteristic increased with age. The prevalence of a combination of HTN with hypercholesterolemia, with an increased LDL-C level, as well as HTN with any dyslipidemia in women aged 55-64 years was significantly higher than in men.Conclusion. The prevalence of a combination of HTN with any dyslipidemia in the Krasnoyarsk Krai among the adult population aged 25-64 years was 40% and increased with age. In women aged 55-64 years, the prevalence of a combination of HTN with hypercholesterolemia, with an increased LDL-C level, as well as HTN with any dyslipidemia was significantly higher than in men.
Microelectronic Failure Analysis: Desk Reference

Developments over the past six years have been covered in this expanded text, while previously covered topics have been revisited with a fresh perspective. New material includes fault isolation and characterization, as well as state-of-the-art techniques to analyze the die from the backside. This updated reference book, prepared by experts in their fields, contains 60 articles covering a wide range of topics involving the failure analysis of microelectronics. It places the most frequently needed information on this subject at your fingertips. Contents: Overall View of Failure Analysis of Microelectronic Devices Test-and-Fail Verification Decapsulation and Package Analysis Electrical Techniques Electron/ Ion-Beam Based Techniques Thermal Techniques Photonic Techniques Soft-ware Techniques Deprocessing and Sample Preparation Physical / Chemical Defect Characterization Discrete / Passive Component Analysis Failure Modes and Mechanisms Advance Techniques Laboratory Operations and Management.
Platelet count and AST can reliably predict the onset of plasma leakage in dengue, a low-cost triage tool during epidemics

Background: Dengue is one of the most important mosquito-borne viral infections to affect humans. It is most often a self-limiting febrile illness but in some instances can progress to plasma leakage and in extreme cases culminate in death. The objective of this study was to identify reliable, low-cost, easily-accessible and objective predictors of Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) that can be used as a triage tool in epidemic situations. Methods A cohort of dengue fever patients were selected and data on symptoms, clinical signs, routine lab tests, ultrasonography and packed cell volume measurements collected. The demographics and clinical characteristics of severe and non-severe dengue cases were described Bivariate and regression analysis were used to identify variables significantly correlated with plasma leak. Results Serologically confirmed 350 serial adult dengue patients were included in the study. 257 (73.4%) were classified as dengue fever (DF, non leakers) and 93 (26.5%) as DHF with plasma leakage. Bivariate and regression analysis showed platelet count (Pearson r 0.59), and AST (r 0.27) to be significantly correlated with plasma leakage and platelet count to have a moderate predictive association ( R 2 0.35) with plasma leakage. Platelet count <50,000/mm 3 (OR 23.7; 95% CI 12.2-45.9), AST> twice, upper limit of normal (OR 7.5; 95% CI 3.9-14.3) and ALT> twice, upper limit of normal (OR 2.4; 95%CI 1.4-3.6) increased the likelihood of DHF.In the final analysis, logistic regression identified platelet count <50,000/mm 3 (OR 17.2; 95% CI 8.6-34.1) and AST>2ULN (OR 5.1, 95% CI 2.1-12.1) at time of plasma leakage as significant independent predictors of DHF.ROC curve performed for Platelet count had an AUC of . 89 and at a platelet count of 50,000/mm 3 predicted DHF with a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 79%. AUC for AST was 0.72 and at 93Iu/L predicted DHF with a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 60%. Conclusion: We have identified 2 laboratory parameters that could be used to identify plasma leakage and might be useful to stratify dengue-infected patients at risk for developing dengue hemorrhagic fever