Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stress-induced parametric shift in plastic packaged devices

In order to determine the shift in device characteristics due to stresses the die experiences during assembly, long channel NMOS and PMOS transistors (6.25/spl times/6.25 /spl mu/m) were encapsulated in plastic quad flat packages (PQFPs) and the shifts in device parameters were monitored. Shifts as much as -5.3% in drain current (I/sub dsat/) were recorded for the NMOS devices, and +1.64% for PMOS devices. These shifts indicate a biaxial compressive stress level of some 60-87 MPa after plastic packaging. Die attach alone (prior to plastic encapsulation) results in a biaxial tensile stress in the range 35-55 MPa. Different mold compounds can exert different stress levels and accompanying device parameter shifts. Prolonged high temperature storage, leading to resin shrinkage, also affects device characteristics. Short channel submicron devices, typical of what is used in products, are expected to show little shift. Monitoring device parameter shift is a simple technique and is well suited for quantifying the stresses the die experiences in a plastic package.
A Train to Nowhere? California Editorial coverage of the California High-Speed Rail System

The California High-Speed rail system has been a highly contentious issue, particularly in the context of sweeping political and economic changes since its initial proposal in 2002. Given the controversial nature, editorials represent an excellent measure of public opinion and concerns. Little has been done however to critically analyze these editorials. This thesis examines how newspapers editorial have used discursive techniques to represent and promote differing opinions and agendas. I performed a Critical Discourse Analysis focused on the discursive elements and argument frames of editorials. I also analyzed these editorials over time to detect changes in discourse and frames from the rails initial conception in 2002 to its first phase of construction in 2013. I found that the authors primarily framed their arguments by focusing on either fiscal costs or multiple benefits. I also found that the discourse tended to omit facts and figures when it would hurt their argument. Many editorials focused on the real dollar cost of the high-speed rail and frequently cited what the cost of construction at the time of the article would be. This is in direct contrast to the other dominant frame that championed the multiple benefits of the highspeed rail like job creation, environmental benefits, future benefits, etc. without citing any actual facts or numbers. This type of discourse analysis using editorials and letters to the editor offers a unique way to view the issues that newspaper readers feel is the most important and as such should be considered first and foremost.
The Role of Fragility Assessment in Consequence-Based Engineering

Concepts of uncertainty modeling and fragility assessment in earthquake engineering and their applications in consequence-based engineering (CBE) of buildings in a region of low-to-moderate seismicity are presented. Efficient treatment of uncertainties in components and systems that are major contributors to building vulnerability is an essential ingredient of risk assessment and decision making. Current methodologies are reviewed first. A framework for fragility analysis then is demonstrated using an unreinforced masonry building as an example. The importance of fragility analysis in various stages of risk assessment, loss estimation, and decision making in CBE to achieve the desirable long-term objective in reduction of loss and consequence with the most efficient intervention measures is clearly indicated. Current research issues related to vulnerability assessment are identified.
Our Space: professional development for new graduates and professionals in Australia

This paper explores the changing work environment in libraries and information management and the impact on new professionals and new graduates. New graduates need to have their own support networks and targeted professional development to successfully navigate job and sector changes and to gain transferable skills. The development and structure of a targeted professional development event, the New Librarians’ Symposium, is discussed. This successful event, held in Australia biennially, could be considered a model of targeted professional development for other professional associations and groups.
Antiboxology: agent design in cultural context

Abstract : Artificial Intelligence (AI), the design of technology with attributes that we traditionally associate with living beings, generally follows the broader scientific tradition of focusing on technical problems and their solutions within a relatively constrained framework. The cultural studies of science, on the other hand, insists that scientific work should be understood as it springs from and influences other cultural phenomena, including the background of metaphors and assumptions that influence the way scientists do their work. In this thesis, I explore the possibilities for AI and the cultural studies of science to engage in a mutually beneficial alliance, by studying AI as a culturally situated activity and by using results of that study to generate novel technology. Specifically, I focus on the design of autonomous agents, programs which are intended to represent a complete person, animal, or character. In the alternative AI tradition, these agents are created from a set of independent building blocks termed behaviors. A major open question is how these behaviors can be synthesized to create an agent with overall coherent behavior. I trace the problems in behavior integration to a strategy called atomization that AI shares with industrialization and psychiatric institutionalization. Atomization is the process of breaking agents into modular chunks with limited interaction and represents a catch 22 for AI; while this strategy is essential for building understandable code, it is fatal for creating agents that have the overall coherence we have come to associate with living beings. I tackle this problem of integration by redefining the notion of agent. Instead of seeing agents as autonomous creatures with little reference to their sociocultural context, I suggest that agents can be thought of in the style of cultural studies as a form of communication between the agent's designer and the audience which will try to comprehend the agent's activity.
LiC Detector Toy - Tracking detector optimization with fast simulation and its application to the ILD design

The “LiC Detector Toy” is a fast single-track simulation and reconstruction tool, aiming at the optimization of tracking detector design, i.e. geometric layout and material budgets. Its implementation is based on the MATLAB system. Improvements over the last year include correct handling of complex forward regions (arbitrary mixture of cylindrical and plane surfaces), advanced detector description, flexible data presentation of the results (e.g. fitted track resolutions and impact parameters), and support by an integrated GUI. In addition a non-GUI version running under open-source OCTAVE has been implemented. The tool has recently been used for fixing the “reference design” layout of the silicon tracker (SIT, SET and FTD) within the ILD detector concept. 1 The “LiC Detector Toy” fast simulation program This simple but powerful software tool for detector design, modification and upgrade studies aims at investigating the resolution of reconstructed track parameters at the inner side of the beam tube for comparing and optimizing the track sensitive devices and the material budgets of various detector setups. This is achieved by a simplified simulation of the setup yielding the measured coordinates, followed by full single track reconstruction. The detector model corresponds to a collider experiment with a solenoid magnet, and is rotational symmetric w.r. t. the beam axis; the surfaces are either cylinders (barrel region) or planar disks (forward and rear regions). The magnetic field is homogeneous and parallel to the beam axis, thus implying a helix track model (radius RH); S-shaped tracks are not foreseen. All material causing multiple scattering is assumed to be concentrated within thin layers; it can either be averaged over a surface, or can be modeled individually. The algorithms used in the tool are on a solid mathematical basis. The software was originally written in MatLab R
Anthropogenic Aerosols Modulated 20th‐Century Sahel Rainfall Variability Via Their Impacts on North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature

The Sahel rainfall has a close teleconnection with North Atlantic sea surface temperature (NASST) variability, which has separately been shown to be affected by aerosols. Therefore, changes in regional aerosols emission could potentially drive multidecadal Sahel rainfall variability. Here we combine ensembles of state‐of‐the‐art global climate models (the CESM and CanESM large ensemble simulations and CMIP6 models) with observational data sets to demonstrate that anthropogenic aerosols have significantly impacted 20th‐century detrended Sahel rainfall multidecadal variability through modifying NASST. We show that aerosol‐induced multidecadal variations of downward solar radiative fluxes over the North Atlantic cause NASST variability during the 20th century, altering the ITCZ position and dynamically linking aerosol effects to Sahel rainfall variability. This process chain is caused by aerosol‐induced changes in radiative surface fluxes rather than changes in ocean circulations. CMIP6 models further suggest that aerosol‐cloud interactions modulate the inter‐model uncertainty of simulated NASST and potentially the Sahel rainfall variability.
A multi-level model of leadership in complex project management

Management (or perceived mismanagement) of large-scale, complex projects poses special problems and often results in spectacular failures, cost overruns, time blowouts and stakeholder dissatisfaction. While traditional project management responds with increasingly administrative constraints, we argue that leaders of such projects also need to display adaptive and enabling behaviours to foster adaptive processes, such as opportunity recognition, which requires an interaction of cognitive and affective processes of individual, project, and team leader attributes and behaviours. At the core of this model we propose is an interaction of cognitive flexibility, affect and emotional intelligence. The result of this interaction is enhanced leader opportunity recognition that, in turn, facilitates multilevel outcomes.
Observed Impact of Long-Term Consumption of Oral Cannabidiol on Liver Function in Healthy Adults

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that prescribed cannabidiol (CBD) products may cause elevations in liver tests (LT). This study compared the prevalence of elevated LT in an adult population self-administering CBD with the normal and general adult population prevalences. Materials and Methods: Adults 18–75 years of age across the United States taking CBD orally for a minimum of 30 days were recruited from 12 individual CBD product companies in this decentralized, observational study and sent their standard CBD regimen from the company of their choice. An app-based, 21CFR Part 11 decentralized clinical study platform (ValidCare Study) was used to securely automate consent inclusion/exclusion criteria and collect all the data for this study, including: demographic information, medical history, reasons for taking, dosage, current medications dosage, adverse effects, and efficacy. At the end of 30 days, LTs were obtained. Follow-up LTs were offered to all individuals with elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) values. Results: A total of 28,121 individuals were invited to participate in this study, 1475 enrolled, and 839 (female: 65.3%, male: 34.7%) completed the study. Full-spectrum hemp oil was used by 55.7%, CBD-isolate by 40.5%, and broad spectrum by 3.8%. The mean±SD daily dose of CBD was 50.3+40.7 mg. The prevalence of elevated ALT was 9.1%, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 4.0%, alkaline phosphatase 1.9%, total bilirubin 1.7%, with 85.5% of the ALT elevations <2×the upper limit of normal (ULN) with only 0.3% having ALT levels >3× ULN. The prevalence of ALT and AST elevations (9.1% and 4.0%) were not significantly different from known adult general population prevalences (8.9% and 4.9%). There was no significant association between CBD dosage and LT values. Thirty-three individuals with elevated ALT levels had follow-up LT performed with 21 having normal LT, 8 having the same severity of ALT elevation, and 4 having an increase in severity, 1 of which ultimately became normal. Conclusions: Self-medication of CBD does not appear to be associated with an increased prevalence of LT elevation and most of the LT elevations are likely due to the conditions/medications for which the individuals are taking CBD.
Systematic Testing of the Fatigue Performance of Submerged Small-Scale Grouted Joints

With an increasing demand for renewable energy, offshore wind farms become more and more important. Within the next 15 years the German government intends to realize offshore wind farms with a capacity of 15 GW of electrical energy. This corresponds to approximately 3000 to 4000 new turbines.The grouted joint is a common structural detail for the connection between substructure and foundation piles in offshore wind turbine structures. For lattice substructures such as jackets, the connection is located just above the seabed and is permanently surrounded by water.Prior investigations by Schaumann et al. showed that the surrounding water may have an impact on the fatigue performance of grouted joint specimens. Thus far, very few results of submerged fatigue tests on grouted joint specimens are published and their statistical reliability is insecure.Within this paper, 24 individual test results are presented. Regarding test parameters, the focus is set on two different applied load levels, two different loading frequencies and two different grout materials. All parameters are varied in a factorial experiment and are statistically evaluated.The evaluation shows that load level and loading frequency have a significant effect on the fatigue performance of the connection. Moreover, both effects are significantly correlated. For the used grout materials no significant impact is visible, which can be explained by their similarity regarding mechanical properties and micro structure. Furthermore, the mean displacement and the stiffness degradation of the specimens during fatigue tests are discussed in detail in the paper.In conclusion, previously published results on the fatigue performance of submerged small scale grouted joint specimens can be confirmed. Load level as well as loading frequency can be stated as most relevant parameters for the fatigue performance.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Rebuild Fast but Rebuild Better: Chile's Initial Recovery following the 27 February 2010 Earthquake and Tsunami

The Chilean earthquake and tsunami disaster of 27 February 2010 impacted 12 million people in 900 cities and towns, causing more than US$30 billion in losses. This paper considers how the national government responded to the challenges of coastal and urban reconstruction, and examines the actions taken in the housing, land use mitigation planning, insurance, and risk reduction management sectors. The Chilean government utilized a mixed decentralized model for recovery management with strong direction from the national-level ministries and subnational planning and housing efforts at the regional and municipal levels. The national recovery plan guiding principles are used in this paper as a framework for progress. In 12 months, a series of temporary shelter villages and a system of recovery housing subsidies were established; risk-based land use plans were conducted in various coastal areas; a finance plan was adopted; changes to the national emergency management agency were made; and rapid payment of insurance claims were completed. Conflicts did arise related to the speed of housing recovery support, expropriation of land sites as future tsunami protection barriers, and extent of public participation in recovery plan making.
INSIGHT 2: a Phase II study of tepotinib plus osimertinib in MET-amplified NSCLC and first-line osimertinib resistance.

MET amplification (METamp), a mechanism of acquired resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, occurs in up to 30% of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) progressing on first-line osimertinib. Combining osimertinib with a MET inhibitor, such as tepotinib, an oral, highly selective, potent MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor, may overcome METamp-driven resistance. INSIGHT 2 (NCT03940703), an international, open-label, multicenter Phase II trial, assesses tepotinib plus osimertinib in patients with advanced/metastatic EGFR-mutant NSCLC and acquired resistance to first-line osimertinib and METamp, determined centrally by fluorescence in situ hybridization (gene copy number ≥5 and/or MET/CEP7 ≥2) at time of progression. Patients will receive tepotinib 500 mg (450 mg active moiety) plus osimertinib 80 mg once-a-day. The primary end point is objective response, and secondary end points include duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival and safety. Trial registration number: NCT03940703 (clinicaltrials.gov).
The Building Information Modeling (BIM)-Based System Framework to Implement Circular Economy in Construction Waste Management

The tremendous quantity of waste produced from construction and demolition is a major cause of environmental degradation. This quantity tends to increase due to the rapid growth of building development and renovation. Meanwhile, construction waste management is a complex and costly process due to the fact that it requires different kinds of resources such as money, land, and technology. It is often ignored by all project participants even though it is an essential element of construction project management. However, it has been discovered that modern construction waste management is structured based on the concept of circular economy which focuses on eliminating construction waste and maximizing the value of materials. Therefore, this research proposes an innovative framework to implement the circular economy using building information modeling (BIM) in order to improve the construction waste management process. This involved a thorough review of past literature to identify the implementation of the concept of circular economy, waste management, and the application of BIM, also the research gaps observed were used to develop the functionality of the proposed framework. The five functionalities include (1) visualization and data integration, (2) direct construction waste quantity take-off, (3) BIM-based sorting system and selection of appropriate disposal parties, (4) estimating cost and schedule of waste disposal, and (5) simulation and monitoring report. This BIM system was designed to analyze material waste, quantity, disposal time, and waste treatment based on project conditions, material quantities, and schedule. It can also be used to plan and monitor the construction waste process, thereby making it possible to avoid the disruption of productivity and project time usually caused by unplanned waste management activities. Moreover, the proposed on-site sorting system also has the ability to facilitate the adoption of the circular economy concept during the construction phase.
Disentangling the link between ICT and Industry 4.0: impacts on knowledge-related performance

PurposeIndustry 4.0 technologies are promising to increase manufacturing companies' performance through the new knowledge that such digital technologies allow to create and manage within the firm boundaries and through customer interactions. Despite the great attention on the Industry 4.0 adoption paths, little is known about the relationships with previous waves of digital technologies, namely, information and communication technologies (ICTs), and how different groups of both types of technologies link to knowledge and its related performances.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed a quantitative research design using a survey method. Submitting the questionnaire to entrepreneurs, chief operation officers or managers in charge of the operational and technological processes of Italian manufacturing firms, 206 respondents stated that their firm has adopted at least one of the seven Industry 4.0 technologies investigated.FindingsThe findings of the study highlight the positive relationship between ICT and Industry 4.0 technologies in terms of both intensity and groups of technologies (Web-based, Management and Manufacturing ICT; Operation, Customization and Data-processing 4.0), and how technologies affect knowledge-related performances in terms of products and processes, job-learning, product-related services and customer involvement.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first attempts to link groups of ICT to groups of Industry 4.0 technologies and to explore the effects in terms of knowledge-related performances as a measure of technology use. The study shows strong path dependency among ICT, Industry 4.0 and knowledge performance, enriching the literature on technological innovation and knowledge management.
Lifetime resistance model of bare metal electrical contacts

The performance of a bare metal electrical contact may be seriously impaired by the formation of surface films in the contact area. The growth of surface films is influenced by the anion diffusion process in the contacts. The present paper examines the effects of mechanical contact stress, electrical voltage drop across the contact area, and environmental temperature on the film growth in a single contact spot. The electrical resistance of a contact spot is examined for some common contact metals, such as aluminum, copper, and nickel, subjected to corrosive environments. An equation, based on the fundamental diffusion mechanism is derived for the life cycle resistance in a contact material as a function of environmental temperature, contact stress and voltage drop across the contact area. Resulting curves of resistance versus time are similar in trend and shape to curves measured experimentally by other researchers. This approach also provides a means to gain insight into the correlation between the lifecycle, electrical contact resistance, and such key design variables such as contact normal force, applied electrical voltage, and environmental temperature.
Behavior of Prestressed Beam Strengthened with External Tendons

The prestressing technique using external tendons can be considered an effective method of strengthening bridges deteriorating due to increasing overloading and progressive structural aging. In order to analytically investigate the dynamic behavior of prestressed composite girder bridges, strengthened with external tendons, this paper focuses on a simply supported prestressed composite girder with alternative prestressing levels, eccentricity of the attached tendons, and tendons properties. The accuracy of the proposed analysis is verified by comparison with the results of dynamic tests on large-scale prestressed composite girders. Furthermore, as a practical example, the results of a dynamic test in which the strengthening method is applied to an actual bridge are discussed.
Circularly polarised antenna with switchable polarisation sense

The authors present the design of a wideband circularly polarised antenna with switchable polarisation sense. The basic antenna is a circularly polarised aperture coupled patch antenna with a slot excitation located along the diagonal of a rectangular patch. A second slot is added along the other diagonal and beam-lead pin diodes are inserted in both slots to allow a dual sense operation for a compact structure in a 4% CP bandwidth.