Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Control of Live Load on Bridges

Application of field testing for an efficient evaluation and control of live-load effects on bridges is described. A system is considered that involves monitoring of various parameters, including vehicle weight, dynamic load component, and load effects (moment, shear force, stress, strain) in bridge components, and verification of the minimum load-carrying capacity of the bridge. Therefore, an important part of the study is development of a procedure for measuring live-load spectra on bridges. Truck weight, including gross vehicle weight, axle loads, and spacing, is measured to determine the statistical parameters of the actual live load. Strain and stress are measured in various components of girder bridges to determine component-specific load. Minimum load-carrying capacity is verified by proof load tests. It has been confirmed that live-load effects are strongly site specific and component specific. The measured strains were relatively low and considerably lower than predicted by analysis. Dynamic load factor decreases with increasing static load effect. For fully loaded trucks, it is lower than the code-specified value. Girder distribution factors observed in the tests are also lower than the values specified by the design code. The proof load test results indicated that the structural response is linear with the absolute value of measured strain considerably lower than expected. Field tests confirmed that the tested bridges are adequate to carry normal truck traffic.
Dependence of deformation-induced magnetic field on plastic deformation for SUS304 stainless steel

In this paper, the correlation between plastic deformation and the deformation-induced magnetic field was exper- imentally investigated for the SUS304 austenitic stainless steel. Test-pieces with different shapes were fabricated to produce different strain distribution. Various plastic tensile loads were imposed into the specimens to introduce plastic deformations of different levels. The residual strain distributions at the surfaces of the specimens were measured by an optical 2D strain measurement system during loading process while the distributions of the deformation-induced magnetic fields above the specimens were measured by using a fluxgate magnetometer after each loading cycle. The experimental results show that the amplitudes of the magnetic field have a clear and repeatable relationship with the maximum residual strains for all the specimens, and the relationship is independent of the strain distribution. Based on the experimental results, the mechanism of the deformation-induced magnetic field was discussed, and a NonDestructive Evaluation (NDE) method was proposed for the quantitative evaluation of plastic deformation in the SUS304 stainless steel.
Improving sustainability in wood coating: testing lignin and cellulose nanocrystals as additives to commercial acrylic wood coatings for bio-building

Wood use in bio-building should be considered as one of the main pillars of sustainability. According to international standards, beech wood ( Fagus sylvatica L.) is a rather less durable species as it is subject to degradation due to weathering, though it is abundantly available to a more intense use. Service life of beech products and wood products in general can be enhanced by different methods, such as heat treatments, but new chances are offered by coating technologies. However, to ensure protection from wood-destroying organisms, most commercial coatings include components that could harm human health, other organisms and the environment. Therefore, coating industry has to develop more eco-friendly solutions in order to decrease its impact on human health and environment. The objective of this article was to modify commercial acrylic varnish by adding cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and lignin (LN) extracted from beech wood and investigate their effect on water sorption, additive dispersion in the coating matrix and coating resistance to bacterial attack. Contact angle, weight gain and colour difference were analysed and FT-IR mapping was applied. The performance of CNC was promising, as it enhanced water sorption of the modified coating. However, protection against bacterial attack was not satisfying. On the other hand, chemically unmodified lignin did not show positive effects as component in the coating formulation. Nevertheless, the currently limited usage of these two renewable and abundant resources urgently calls for their more efficient utilization, in order to create additional value with industry side-streams producing novel bio-based materials. Further experiments are needed in order to obtain better dispersion of the particles and higher resistance to bacterial attacks.
Internal hybrid loop/monopole slot antenna for quad‐band operation in the mobile phone

A novel printed hybrid loop/monopole slot antenna for quad‐band operation in the mobile phone is presented. The proposed hybrid antenna is composed of a meandered loop antenna and a monopole slot antenna, and can generate two wide operating bands centered at about 900 and 1900 MHz to cover GSM850/900/DCS/PCS operation. The hybrid antenna is easily fabricated by bending the meandered loop antenna at low cost, which is connected to and centered at the top edge of the system ground plane where a straight monopole slot is embedded. With quad‐band operation obtained, the hybrid antenna, however, occupies a small volume of 5.5 × 6 × 60 mm3 or 1.98 cm3 only inside the mobile phone. A 50‐Ω microstrip feedline is used to excite the meandered loop antenna and the monopole slot antenna in series. Detailed results and parametric studies of the proposed hybrid antenna are presented. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 50: 795–801, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.23201
GROUND REACTION FORCES, REARFOOT MOTION AND WRIST ACCELERATION IN NORDIC WALKING

The aim of this study was to analyze loading parameters in nordic walking (NW) compared to ordinary walking (W) with respect to upper and lower limb injury risks. 24 licensed NW-instructors, 12 male and 12 female (38±13 years, 175±9 cm, 78±14 kg, BMI 25±3 kg/m2), performed W and NW trials on a runway covered with artificial turf. Walking speed was controlled by two photo cells. By using an electrogoniometer and a Kistler platform, pronation and ground reaction forces were measured. Wrist acceleration was quantified by an uniaxial accelerometer attached to processus styloideus radii of the right forearm. Statistical evaluation was done by ANOVA and post hoc t-tests (p<0.05). Similar results were found for all three walking velocities chosen (5 km/h, 7km/h, 8 km/h). Except for the 2nd peak of the vertical ground reaction force, nordic walking results in higher loading rates and horizontal forces as well as higher pronation and pronation velocity values compared to ordinary walking. Wrist accelerations values up to 7 times gravitational acceleration were recorded in NW. The data clearly indicate that nordic walking can be recommended as low impact sport with relatively small loads to the lower extremities. However, the high wrist accelerations reveal that the upper extremities are exposed to considerable repetitive shocks, which may cause overuse injuries of wrist-, elbow, and shoulder joints. Thus, additional preventive exercises for the upper limb muscles are recommended as well as using shock absorbing walking poles.
Genetic programming and the efficient market hypothesis

While search plays an important role in the efficient market hypothesis (EMH), the traditional formalization of the EMH, based on probabilistic independence, fails to capture it. Due to this failure, recent findings of nonlinear tests misled us into concluding that the EMH is rejected. Even though most economists are reluctant to make this conclusion, the traditional formalization leaves us no other choice. This paper reformalizes the EMH with a biologically-based search program, i.e., genetic programming (GP). The GP-based search enables us to model search in the EMH explicitly. Through this, serach cost as well as search intensity can be measured objectively, and the notion of predictability and profitability can then be formalized. The GP-based notion of the EMH will be exemplified by testing the EMH with a small, medium and large sample of the S&P 500 stock index.
Multifarious Biological Applications and Toxic Hg2+ Sensing Potentiality of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Based on Securidaca inappendiculata Hassk Stem Extract

Introduction The use of environmentally benign resources for nanoparticles synthesis is consistently pushed to the front burner in a bid to ensure and enhance environmental protection and beneficiation. In this light, application of different plant parts for the reduction and stabilization of nanoparticles is gaining popularity. Materials and Methods In this contribution, we have exploited Securidaca inappendiculata stem extract (SISE), as the reducing and stabilizing agent for room temperature synthesis of highly stable and dispersed AgNPs. The major bioactive compounds in SISE were profiled using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS-QTOF-MS). Results and Discussion SISE could reduce silver salts to its nanoparticles almost instantaneously with a maximum absorption spectrum at 423 nm, under the optimal conditions. The fabricated SISE AgNPs was extensively characterized using FTIR, TEM, SEM, XRD, EDS, Zeta analysis/DLS and TGA/DTG analysis. SISE AgNPs with average particles size between 10–15 nm and a zeta potential value of −19.5 ± 1.8 mV was obtained. It was investigated for in-vitro biological applications by carrying out, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hemolytic, cytotoxicity and antidiabetic assays. It was found that SISE AgNPs exhibited potent antimicrobial capacity against some food borne microbes, good antioxidant property, while also demonstrating high biocompatibility. Moreover, with a view to extending further the applications SISE AgNPs, it was tested as a colorimetric nanoprobe for Hg2+ detection in aqueous environment, where good linearity between 0.10 and 10.0 μM, with a detection limit of 26.5 nM, were obtained. The practicality of the probe was investigated by carrying out Hg2+ detection in water sample, with good accuracy and precision. Discussion Overall, this work introduced a new stabilizer for biocompatible AgNPs with far-reaching applications.
Passenger Vehicle Structural Response in a Dynamic Rollover Test

The structural performance of a vehicle has been shown to be associated with the likelihood of sustaining serious injury in passenger vehicle rollover crashes. With increasing interest in implementing interior safety features, such as side curtain airbags, to mitigate injury during rollover it is important to understand the response of the vehicle structure onto which many of these devices are attached. Further, research is ongoing to determine the feasibility of using a dynamic rollover test device, such as the Jordan Rollover System (JRS), to accurately assess a vehicle’s ability to protect occupants in rollover crashes. This research requires an understanding of the performance of the tests performed on such a system. The objective of this paper is to investigate the response of the vehicle structure, as tested on the JRS, with specific focus on the relationship between the dynamic and residual roof intrusion. This paper will also investigate the kinematic response of the vehicle and how it is related to roof performance and test conditions.
Backtesting Value-at-Risk Models: A Multivariate Approach

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new and simple backtesting procedure that extends the previous work into the multivariate framework. We propose to use the multivariate Portmanteau statistic of Ljung-Box type to jointly test for the absence of autocorrelations and cross-correlations in the vector of hits sequences for di fferent positions, business lines or financial institutions. Simulation exercises illustrate that this shift to a multivariate hits dimension delivers a test that increases significantly the power of the traditional backtesting methods in capturing systemic risk: the building up of positive and significant hits cross-correlations which translates into simultaneous realization of large losses at several business lines or banks. Our multivariate procedure is addressing also an operational risk issue. The proposed technique provides a simple solution to the Value-at-Risk(VaR) estimates aggregation problem: the institution's global VaR measure being either smaller or larger than the sum of individual trading lines' VaRs leading to the institution either under- or over- risk exposure by maintaining excessively high or low capital levels. An application using Pro t and Loss and VaR data collected from two international major banks illustrates how our proposed testing approach performs in a realistic environment. Results from experiments we conducted using banks' data suggest that the proposed multivariate testing procedure is a more powerful tool in detecting systemic risk if it is combined with multivariate risk modeling i.e. if covariances are modeled in the VaR forecasts.
The burden of influenza and other respiratory viruses in hospitalized infants and children in a university hospital, Jordan

Background Acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide in young children and is predominately caused by viral respiratory pathogens. This study aims to identify the viral etiologies of ALRI in hospitalized children in Jordan University Hospital and compare the clinical characteristics of influenza virus infection with other respiratory viruses. Methods A retrospective viral surveillance study that included 152 children below 15 years of age admitted with ALRI from December 2018 through April 2019 was conducted. We recorded results of real-time reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for common respiratory viruses. Clinical and demographic information of the study population was collected from patients' electronic medical records. Results 152 patients were identified with a median age of 1 year (mean was 2.1 years). Ninety-five patients (62.5%) were males. One or more viral respiratory pathogens were detected in 145 (95.3%) children. Respiratory syncytial virus was the most detected virus in 68 patients (44.8%). Influenza virus was detected in 25 patients (16.4%). Children with influenza infection had more fever and lower leukocyte count compared to children infected with other viruses. The severity of the ALRI correlated significantly with several factors, including age less than six months and the presence of neuromuscular disease (p<0.05). Conclusion Viral detection was common among children admitted with ALRI. Viruses, including influenza, are recognized as significant contributors to the morbidity associated with ALRI. More attention is needed on strategies for the prevention and detection of viral ALRI in developing countries.
The development and impact of teachers’ collective agency during Covid-19: insights from online classrooms in Canada and China

ABSTRACT Teacher education programmes are embedded in both higher and K-12 education contexts. This study explores how collective teacher agency is developed and manifested within two online teacher education courses in a Canadian university and a Chinese university, respectively, under the Covid-19 pandemic context. Employing a digital ethnographic approach, this study reveals that: (1) the structural changes caused by the pandemic create common goals for collective teacher agency to develop; (2) collective teacher agency is motivated by caring for student well-being and honing of teaching skills; and (3) the asynchronous course structure hindered Chinese student teachers’ collective efforts to improve teaching but afforded the Canadian group greater collective agency in connecting with their schools. Importantly, this study highlights the role of emotions in facilitating collective agency and argues that emotions are an integral but often overlooked part of teacher agency.
Ethical boundary work in citizen science

The concept of boundary work (Gieryn 1983, 1999) has been developed to capture theways in which scientists collectively defend and demarcate their intellectual territories.This article applies the concept of boundary work to the ethical realm and investigates theethical boundary work performed by researchers in the field of citizen science (CS) througha literature review and by analysing accounts of ethics presented in CS literature.Results show that ethical boundary work in the CS literature is, to a large extent, a matterof managing ambiguities and paradoxes without any clear boundaries drawn between theunethical and ethical. Scientists are negotiating ethical positions, which might, occasionally,enhance the ethical authority of ‘non-science’ and non-scientists, as well as maintainalready established research ethics. The main ethical boundary work in CS displaysvariations towards perceived insufficiencies of conventional research ethics to accommodate“outsiders”, addressing issues of distribution, relevance, and expulsion as science includevolunteer contributors in the scientific process.
The Effect of Organizational Commitment, Competence, and Information Technology on the Performance of Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) of the Tojo Una-Una Regency Government and Their Impact on Job Satisfaction

: The purpose of this study is to measure, analyze and explain (1) the effect of organizational commitment on the performance of program achievements and activities of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (2) The influence of HR competence on the performance of program achievements and activities of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (3) The influence of information technology on the performance of program achievements and activities of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (4) The influence of the performance of program achievements and activities of Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) on job satisfaction. (5) The effect of organizational commitment on job satisfaction. (6) The influence of HR competence on job satisfaction. (7) The effect of information technology on job satisfaction. This type of research uses descriptive and causality—hypothesis testing using structural equation modeling with a sample count of 200 respondents. The analysis results show that (1) organizational commitment has a positive and significant impact on the program's performance and activities of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (2) HR competence positively impacts the program's performance and activities of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (3) Information technology has a positive and significant effect on the program's performance and activities of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (4) The performance of program achievements and activities of Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) has a positive but not significant effect on job satisfaction. (5) Organizational commitment has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (6) HR competence has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency. (7) Information technology has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction of the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Tojo Una-Una Regency.
Dynamic Risk Prediction for Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury in Adult Critical Care Patients

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. IMPORTANCE: Accurately measuring the risk of pressure injury remains the most important step for effective prevention and intervention. Time-dependent risk factors for pressure injury development in the adult intensive care unit setting are not well understood. OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a dynamic risk prediction model to estimate the risk of developing a hospital-acquired pressure injury among adult ICU patients. DESIGN: ICU admission data were split into training and validation sets. With death as a competing event, both static and dynamic Fine-Gray models were developed to predict hospital-acquired pressure injury development less than 24, 72, and 168 hours postadmission. Model performance was evaluated using Wolbers’ concordance index, Brier score, net reclassification improvement, and integrated discrimination improvement. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of ICU patients in a tertiary care hospital located in San Francisco, CA, from November 2013 to August 2017. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Data were extracted from electronic medical records of 18,019 ICU patients (age ≥ 18 yr; 21,220 encounters). Record of hospital-acquired pressure injury data was captured in our institution’s incident reporting system. The information is periodically reviewed by our wound care team. Presence of hospital-acquired pressure injury during an encounter and hospital-acquired pressure injury diagnosis date were provided. RESULTS: The dynamic model predicting hospital-acquired pressure injury more than 24 hours postadmission, including predictors age, body mass index, lactate serum, Braden scale score, and use of vasopressor and antifungal medications, had adequate discrimination ability within 6 days from time of prediction (c = 0.73). All dynamic models produced more accurate risk estimates than static models within 26 days postadmission. There were no significant differences in Brier scores between dynamic and static models. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A dynamic risk prediction model predicting hospital-acquired pressure injury development less than 24 hours postadmission in ICU patients for up to 7 days postadmission was developed and validated using a large dataset of clinical variables readily available in the electronic medical record.
The Estimated Effect of the Proposed Fx Megataxi Express Service on Mode-Changing Behavior in Metro Manila

Closed form logit models were used to estimate the impact of the proposed fx megataxi express service on transport mode choices of urban travelers in Metro Manila. Eight urban transport modes in the choice set were considered in the multinomial logit, two-level and three-level nested logit models that were used. In the three-level nested logit model, the modes are basically divided into private (car-driving, car-passenger and regular taxi) and public, with the latter further split into – airconditioned (light rail, airconditioned bus and fx megataxi) and non-airconditioned (jeepney and non-airconditioned bus). Depending on the point of origin and destination as well as points of transfer of the urban traveler, the proposed fx megataxi express service may or may not affect the individual’s mode choices. The analysis looks at whether the fx megataxi is retained as the traveler’s mode choice, or part of the traveler’s choice set, or is totally replaced by other, competing modes.
Low‐Frequency Noise Analysis in HfO2/SiON Gate Stack nMOSFETs with Different Interfacial Layer Thickness

Low‐frequency noise of HfO2/SiON gate stack nMOSFETs with different interfacial layer (IL) thickness is investigated. All devices show a typical 1/fγ‐like noise with frequency exponent (γ) equal to 1 and its dominant noise mechanism is found to be number fluctuations of channel carriers. The thicker‐IL devices show lower noise characteristics and trap density than that of thinner‐IL devices because SiON that has lower bulk trap density than that of HfO2 acts as a major noise source in the case of thicker‐IL devices.