Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Matthew Effects in Learning Computer Programming Concepts

In this research to practice full paper we quantified whether student progress in learning computer programming concepts in a Java course is consistent with the Matthew effect, that is, if early success (or failure) in the acquisition of concepts/skills begets later success (or failure) in the acquisition of more concepts/skills. We found that 63% of students had difficulty understanding basic programs involving the assignment operator and a sequence of statements. The inability of students to understand assignment and sequencing proved to be a substantial obstacle to student progress in learning more advanced flow control and data structures concepts like selection, repetition loops and arrays. About 66% of students who succeeded in assignment/sequencing also succeeded in selection structures. On the other hand, about 34% of the students who did not succeed in assignment/sequencing succeeded in selection structures. About 77% of the students who succeeded in assignment/sequencing and selection also succeed in repetition. Students who did not succeed in both assignment/sequencing and selection had lower percentage of success in repetition: 39% when they succeeded only in selection; 61% when they succeeded only in assignment/sequencing; 38% when they failed in both assignment/sequencing and selection. The same trends were observed when analyzing performance in student understanding of arrays. In conclusion: 1) student performance in computer programming concepts taught early in the course affects performance in computer concepts taught later in the semester; 2) The ability of students to understand concepts involving a sequence of statements is a good early predictor of success/failure in understanding more advanced concepts like selection, repetition and arrays; 3) Matthew effects are at play in learning computer programming: early success (or failure) in understanding basic computer programming concepts begets later success (or failure) in understanding more advanced computer programming concepts.
Multichannel PMD mitigation and outage reduction through FEC with sub-burst-error-correction period PMD scrambling

We study the performance of a novel multichannel polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) mitigation scheme in which forward error correction is utilized with distributed fast polarization scramblers to physically change the PMD of an optical link within each burst-error-correction period. It is shown numerically that the proposed scheme dramatically reduces the PMD outage probability, and that it improves the PMD tolerance for nonreturn-to-zero on-off keying and differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) by approximately 70% and 100%, respectively. The optimal scrambling speeds are determined. The proposed scheme is particularly beneficial to DPSK with a balanced receiver as the optimal decision threshold is the same for all the bits regardless of distortion.
The Effects of Mouth Guards and Clenching on Strength and Power Measures of a Countermovement Vertical Jump: A Pilot Study

Strength and power gains from either mouth guards or clenching have been reported in highly trained athletes from a number of studies utilizing different testing measures. However, there have not been statistically significant effects in a recreationally trained population; and there has not been a research design to combine multiple mouthpiece conditions (mouthpiece designed for performance, a traditional mouth guard, and no mouthpiece condition) with a clench and no clench sub-condition. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate potential ergogenic effects of mouth guards and clenching on strength and power measures of a countermovement vertical jump. Three recreationally trained males (age 26.7 ± 2.9 years, mass 89.2 ± 10.8 kilograms, and height 182.0 ± 2.9 centimeters) volunteered to participate in three testing sessions, one session for each condition, each separated by one week. The three conditions consisted of a traditional, boil-and-bite mouth guard (MP), a mouthpiece designed for performance (PMP), and no mouthpiece (NoMP). The order of conditions was randomly assigned to participants, and each condition consisted of both a maximal clench and no clench sub-condition, allowing each participant to serve as his own control. Each testing session consisted of a warm up followed by a countermovement vertical jump test performed from a force platform (to gather dependent variables: peak vertical force, normalized peak force, and rate of force development) using a Vertec to measure the final dependent variable: vertical jump height. There were no statistically significant differences (p>.05) between conditions for peak force, normalized peak force, or rate of force development. Significant differences in vertical jump height (p<.05) were observed for overall main effect of mouthpiece type and interaction; however post hoc analysis revealed that there were no significant differences between individual conditions. There were no negative effects of either mouthpiece condition when compared to no mouthpiece nor were there for clenching when compared to no clenching. Therefore, this study cannot recommend traditional boil-and-bite mouth guards or performance designed mouthpieces to positively affect strength and power. Likewise, clenching cannot be recommended because further research is necessary with a larger number of participants to come to further conclusions.
Real-time analysis signal processor for ultrasonic nondestructive testing

Hilbert transform processors were developed to improve flaw detection in parts by sensing the rate of total energy arrival. Analytic signal processing is used to improve pulse resolution. A real-time analytic processor was built using single-sideband (SBB) AM techniques. An upper sideband processor using the filter method to maximize signal bandwidth and in which the lower sideband aliases was built. This processor has a transducer bandwidth of 0.5 to 20 MHz and can resolve echoes 90-ns apart. The spurious products of practical mixers and amplifiers make the aliased approach impractical due to high noise and distortion. By using a bandpass filter after the mixer, distortion is reduced. A processor built with a lower sideband filter method yielded the lowest distortion and noise. The lower sideband processor has a bandwidth of 2 to 42 MHz and can resolve echoes 60-ns apart. With a single-cycle tone-burst processor input, ringing in the IF filter causes temporal asymmetry of the output pulse, while ringing in the detector filter causes ringing in the output pulse. Performance is expected to improve through the design of optimized filters. The ringing is less with ultrasonic echoes, because they do not start and stop as abruptly as a tone burst. >
The continuous strength method

Many of the principal concepts that underpin current metallic structural design codes were developed on the basis of bilinear (elastic, perfectly-plastic) material behaviour; such material behaviour lends itself to the concept of section classification. The continuous strength method represents an alternative treatment to cross-section classification, which is based on a continuous relationship between slenderness and (inelastic) local buckling and a rational exploitation of strain hardening. The development and application of the continuous strength method to structural steel design is described herein. Materials that exhibit a high degree of nonlinearity and strain hardening, such as aluminium, stainless steel and some high-strength steels, fit less appropriately into the framework of cross-section classification, and generally benefit to a greater extent from the continuous strength method. The method provides better agreement with test results in comparison to existing design codes, and offers increas.
Operation of fault tolerant machines with winding failures

This paper examines winding faults in a demonstrator switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive, based on the specification for an aircraft fuel pump. This motor drive has been designed with a degree of inherent fault tolerance and is capable of continued operation in the presence of a variety of faults. The paper focuses on the possible consequences of winding insulation failure within a phase of the machine. A method of detecting turn to turn short circuits which may result from winding insulation breakdown is presented, along with a strategy for continued post fault operation of the drive.
Biaxial behaviour of plain concrete subjected to dynamic compression with constant lateral stress

This study investigates the dynamic biaxial behaviour of concrete by testing more than 60 cubic specimens on a custom‐designed, servo‐hydraulic‐controlled machine. Each specimen was axially loaded in compression at a constant strain rate of 10–5, 10–4, 10–3 or 10–2 s–1 while two opposite side faces were subjected to a constant confining pressure and the other two side faces were free. The confining pressure applied to each specimen was 0, 30.5, 61.0 or 91.5 % of its uniaxial compressive strength. Test results indicate that the biaxial strength of concrete increases with strain rate at a reduced slope as confining pressure increases. The failure mode of the concrete specimens was basically unaffected by the strain rate. An empirical relation for the ultimate strength of concrete in a biaxial stress state was developed taking into account the effects of both confinement and strain rate.
Building constructive innovation networks: role of relationship management

In response to the growing demands for innovation, networked arrangements that draw together and synthesize the knowledge resources of multiple organizations and sectors have come to the fore-front within the construction arena. Because they are based on a relational governance principal, these new arrangements require management strategies and techniques that may not be synonymous with conventional approaches. Drawing on the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation as an example of an interorganizational innovation network, this case study examines its formation and operation to determine the role that relational governance plays in these new arrangements and to provide insights into the relationship-based management strategies employed. The case study indicates that although a mix of governance modes supplements the relational approach, network management remains a critical, if often overlooked, function. Based on the findings, a preliminary relationship management framework is presented as well as some key lessons for those responsible for the architecture, operation, and administration of these innovation networks.
Empirical Studies of Mobile Apps and Their Dependence on Mobile Platforms

Our increasing reliance on mobile devices has given rise to a new class of software applications (i.e., mobile apps). Tens of thousands of mobile app developers have developed hundreds of thousands of mobile apps that are available across multiple platforms. These apps are used by millions of people around the world every day. However, currently most software engineering research is performed on large desktop or server applications like the Eclipse IDE and Apache HTTPD Server. We believe that research efforts must begin to examine mobile apps. Mobile apps are growing at a rapid pace, yet they differ from traditionally-studied desktop and server applications. In this thesis, we examine such apps by performing three quantitative studies. First, we study differences in the size of the code bases and development teams of desktop/server applications and mobile apps. We then study differences in the code, dependency and churn properties of the mobile apps of two different mobile platforms. Finally, we study the impact of size, coupling, cohesion and code reuse on the quality of mobile apps. Some of the most notable findings of this thesis are that mobile apps are much smaller than traditionally-studied desktop/server applications and that most mobile apps tend to be developed by only one or two developers. Mobile app developers i tend to rely heavily on functionality provided by the underlying mobile platform through platform-specific APIs. We find that Android app developers tend to rely on the Android platform more than BlackBerry app developers rely on the BlackBerry platform. We find that defects in Android apps tend to be concentrated in a small number of source code files. We also find that source code files that depend on the Android platform tend to have more defects. Our results indicate that major differences exist between mobile apps and traditionallystudied desktop/server applications. However, the mobile apps of two different mobile platforms also differ. Further, our results suggest that mobile app developers should avoid excessive platform dependencies and focus their testing efforts on source code files that rely heavily on the underlying mobile platform. Given the widespread use of mobile apps and the lack of research surrounding these apps, we believe that our results will have significant impact on software engineering research.
Anti-Amnesic Effects of Epigallocatechin Gallate on Scopolamine-Induced Learning and Memory Dysfunction in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a major flavan-3-ol of green tea polyphenols that exhibits various beneficial health effects, including antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate whether EGCG prevents scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in in vivo and ex vivo models. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were pre-treated with EGCG (5 mg/kg/day; intraperitoneal injection (i.p.)) for 10 days. Then, EGCG and scopolamine (1 mg/kg/day; i.p.) were applied 60 and 30 min before the behavioral tests, respectively, for another 9 days. EGCG alleviated the cognitive deficits in the Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze tests. EGCG showed improved cholinergic functions by decreasing acetylcholinesterase activity in hippocampi dissected from the brain of the rats after the behavioral tests. EGCG also reduced oxidative stress, partly due to increased superoxide dismutase activity and decreased malondialdehyde level in the hippocampi of the rat brains after the behavioral tests. Furthermore, EGCG attenuated the scopolamine-induced blockade of long-term potentiation in organotypic hippocampal tissue of seven-day-old SD rats. Taken together, these results suggested that EGCG is a potential therapeutic agent for alleviating cognitive dysfunction.
The potential for renewable materials to reduce the embodied energy and associated greenhouse gas emissions of medium-rise buildings

The development of medium- and high-rise buildings has performed a vital role in the creation and expansion of modern cities. Our ability to build tall structures has enabled us to reduce our land use on a per-capita basis, allowing cities to manage their population growth while limiting the land degradation from urban expansion. However, the construction of these buildings comes at a price. The mining and processing of building materials uses significant amounts of energy, and the building industry is a major contributor of global greenhouse gas emissions. This paper investigates the potential of renewable building materials to reduce embodied energy and greenhouse emissions in medium-rise construction by substituting the conventional materials in a commercial building in Melbourne with renewable materials. The analysis found that overall a reduction of 13 and 14% could be made in embodied energy and greenhouse emissions, respectively. The potential and limitation of renewable building materials in this construction area are also discussed.
Bacteriological and pathological investigations on the preputial glands of one-year-old C57BL/6NCrl mice maintained in individually ventilated cages

Spontaneous infections of the preputial glands represent overlooked health problems in mice that could raise welfare concerns and potentially confound scientific experiments. Agents involved in preputial gland infections have rarely been investigated, with opportunistic pathogens of laboratory animals usually detected in inflamed preputial glands. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of bacterial infection in the preputial glands and the relationship between haematological and pathological changes and infection status. We analysed 40 preputial glands from 20 one-year-old C57BL/6NCrl male mice by using bacteriology, haematology and pathology. Bacteria were isolated from 16/20 (80%) mice, for a total of 32/40 (80%) examined preputial glands. Enterobacter cloacae, Pasteurella spp. , Klebsiella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were identified in 35%, 17.5%, 15% and 12.5% of the examined glands, respectively. Preputial gland inflammation was identified in 29/40 (72.5%) glands and was classified as chronic interstitial adenitis in 27 cases and suppurative adenitis in the remaining two glands. No haematological changes were found in mice with infected glands. Histologically, the presence of intralesional bacteria, intraluminal necrotic material, intraluminal keratin accumulation, interstitial inflammatory cell infiltrate and granulocytes (intraluminal and/or interstitial), along with total inflammatory score and total histopathological score, were significantly increased in infected glands and correlated with the bacterial load. Most severe inflammatory changes were identified after S. aureus infection, while ductal hyperkeratosis was significantly increased in glands infected with Klebsiella spp. In conclusion, preputial gland infection was a common event in one-year-old C57BL/6NCrl mice, and bacterial load correlated with pathological findings, while systemic effects were not highlighted by haematology.
A simple formulation for quasistatic solutions of elliptical, cylindrical and asymmetrical coplanar strip lines

Simple, analytic CAD‐oriented expressions for calculating the quasistatic TEM parameters of asymmetrical coplanar strip lines (ACPS), elliptical coplanar strip lines (ECPS), and cylindrical coplanar strip lines (CCPS) using the conformal mapping method are presented. Derived expressions are accurate and very simple to use in antennas and microwave integrated circuits. Comparisons are also made between the results of this paper and ones available in the literature. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 41: 18–21, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20032
A study of churning losses in dip-lubricated spur gears

Abstract Churning losses contribute significantly, both to overall inefficiency and to oil heating, in many dip-lubricated transmission systems, notably in automotive applications. For this reason, a reasonably accurate estimate of churning loss is often desirable at the design stage. However, the published literature contains several empirical calculation methods that give widely different results, even within the claimed range of accuracy. For example, a single 72-tooth, 3 mm module spur gear rotating at 4500 r/min immersed in 20W50 motor oil to a depth of 54 mm would be predicted to exert a churning torque of 75 N m by the method of Boness but less than 5 N m by the method of Terekhov. In order to resolve the discrepancy, churning torques have been measured on a range of meshed and single spur gears with different speeds, lubricants and temperatures. Results are compared with the predictions from various literature sources.
Location, Area, Curvature and Temporal Trends of Coral Sea Tropical Cyclone Tracks, Over 50 Years

Tropical Cyclones (TCs) with genesis in the Coral Sea, often near the east coast of Australia, present significant hazards to coastal regions in their surroundings. There has, therefore, been significant recent efforts to extract information from records of their historical tracks in order to help predict their future behaviour in the light of a changing climate. In this study, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) database of TC tracks over the last fifty years were grouped based on K-means clustering of the maximum wind-weighted centroids. Track shape variance and track curvature (sinuosity) were assessed. Three well defined clusters of TC tracks were identified, and the results showed predominant directions of TC movement by cluster. Track sinuosity was shown to increase from east to west. Only one cluster showed a statistically significant trend (decreasing) in TC frequency. The concept of TC power dissipation index (PDI) was introduced, revealing that two of the clusters have diverging trends for PDI post 2004. The location of cyclone maximum intensity (LMI) was trended, and only one cluster showed a statistically significant trend (towards the equator) for LMI. All these findings demonstrated a clear variance in risk between the clusters and suggests that this method of cluster analysis is a useful and productive complementary tool when establishing future impacts of TCs - the method identifies divergent TC characteristics and trends at a finer scale (cluster) level which then aids in assigning specific and differing TC risk mitigation strategies to different areas of the Australian east coast.
Wind power forecasting using advanced neural networks models

In this paper, an advanced model, based on recurrent high order neural networks, is developed for the prediction of the power output profile of a wind park. This model outperforms simple methods like persistence, as well as classical methods in the literature. The architecture of a forecasting model is optimised automatically by a new algorithm, that substitutes the usually applied trial-and-error method. Finally, the online implementation of the developed model into an advanced control system for the optimal operation and management of a real autonomous wind-diesel power system, is presented.
Students’ Perception Towards e-learning through Online Sessions amidst Covid-19 Pandemic Situation

Present study aimed at finding out the college students’ perception towards e-learning in respect of four domains i.e., perceived usefulness of e-learning, perceived ease of use of e-learning, attitude towards using e-learning and intention to use e-learning during this pandemic situation. Two random samples of 309 Undergraduate college students (152 males and 157 females) studying in several undergraduate degree colleges affiliated to Calcutta University were selected. Students’ Perception of E-learning Questionnaire (R. S. Mamattah, 2016) along with a general information schedule were administered on selected samples through online. Findings suggest that the perception of e-learning partially varied according to certain study variables viz., gender, residing areas, using type of electronic gadgets, academic years and educational programmes on the basis of four above mentioned domains.
Strengthening of concrete columns with carbon fibre reinforced polymer wrap

Reinforced and prestressed concrete columns with one or two layers of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) wrap were tested to failure in axial compression. When the results were compared with the maximum load predictions of two proposed design methods, the predictions consistently underestimated actual loads. The design methods are thus conservative. A simple analysis for circular columns reveals that the confining effect of the wrap is not engaged until the concrete actually starts failing and dilating. A finite element model of a chamfered square column confirms this analysis, as do strain readings from the tests. It is shown that strength gains are not linearly related to wrap thickness. The failure mechanism suggests that design should not be based on the ultimate strength or strain of the wrap and that strength gains can be expected to reduce with increasing brittleness of the concrete and with increasing eccentricity.Key words: concrete columns, FRP wrap, reinforced, strengthening.