Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using statistically designed experiments to improve reliability and to achieve robust reliability

This tutorial explains statistically designed experiments which provide a proactive means to improve reliability as advocated by Genichi Taguchi. That is, by systematic experimentation, the important parameters (factors) affecting reliability can be identified along with parameter values that yield reliability gains. In addition to improving reliability, Taguchi's robust design can be used to achieve robust reliability; that is, to make a process or product reliability insensitive to factors which are hard or impossible to control. Robust design is also implemented using statistically designed experiments. This paper presents classes of experimental plans for reliability improvement and robust reliability. An important feature of the reliability data collected from such experiments is censoring which occurs when some of the experimental units have not failed by the end of the experiment. Consequently, the analysis methodology must account for these censored data which are likely to occur in light of the ever increasing reliability of today's products. Several appropriate methods are discussed briefly. These experimental plans and analysis methods are illustrated using three documented experiments which improved fluorescent lamp and industrial thermostat reliability and which achieved robust reliability for night-vision goggles. >
Contemporary management of paragangliomas of the head and neck

Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors typically arising from nonsecretory head and neck parasympathetic ganglia. Historically thought of as aggressive tumors that warranted equally aggressive surgical intervention, evidence has emerged demonstrating that the vast majority of HNPGLs are slow growing and indolent. It is also now recognized that a large proportion of HNPGLs are hereditary with succinate dehydrogenase gene mutations typically implicated. These recent advances have led to significant changes in the way in which clinicians investigate and treat HNPGLs with most now opting for more conservative treatment strategies. However, a proportion of patients present with more aggressive disease and still require nonconservative treatment strategies. Recent studies have sought to determine in which groups of patients the morbidity associated with treatment is justified. We summarize the recent advances in the understanding and management of these tumors and we provide our recommendations regarding the management of HNPGLs.
A wide-bandwidth electronic scanning antenna for multimode RF sensing

A wide-bandwidth electronic scanning antenna (ESA), based on a Rotman lens beam-former, has been developed for shared aperture applications. The key feature of the Rotman lens is that it allows multiple simultaneous beams to be transmitted in different directions and at different frequencies. Since the Rotman lens is a true time-delay element, it is inherently wide-bandwidth and other components of the antenna were designed to support a bandwidth of 8 to 18 GHz. In the ESA, the input signal to the Rotman lens is controlled by a PIN diode beamswitching network, and the outputs are fed to a two-dimensional array of Vivaldi notches. The ESA performance is characterized, and the results is presented.
ASSESSING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN GROUP PROJECTS

Personal and professional skills developed during Design-Build-Test (DBT) group projects, such as team working and leadership, are difficult to assess using traditional methods such as technical reports. Academic staff often are not able to dedicate sufficient time to become embedded in the multiple projects they are typically supervising, in addition to other duties. As a result they do not have the required level of observation and discussion with the students to effectively assess these skills. This paper discusses methods and tools used to accurately and efficiently measure learning outcomes relevant to these personal and professional skills and comments on their effectiveness.
Use of Amniotic Membrane in MMC-Augmented Trabeculectomy: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Purpose Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) has shown promising results as an antifibrotic agent in trabeculectomy. We aimed to evaluate the additional effect of AMT in MMC-augmented trabeculectomy. Patients and Methods This retrospective study analyzed the results of the first 12 postoperative months of glaucomatous eyes submitted to Moorfields Safer Surgery Trabeculectomy with MMC alone (non-AMT group) compared to MMC and AMT (AMT group). Both groups were compared in terms of intraocular pressure (IOP), number of antihypertensive medications and need for surgical reinterventions. Absolute and relative success rates 12 months after surgery were defined as IOP <18 mmHg, without and with the use of antihypertensive medications, respectively. Results The analysis included 51 eyes of 45 glaucoma patients (29 eyes in the non-AMT group and 22 in the AMT group). Mean IOP decreased from 24.72±5.11 mmHg and 26.86±10.62 mmHg preoperatively in non-AMT and AMT groups to 12.86±4.22 mmHg and 12.60±4.43 mmHg, respectively, at 12 months (p = 0.84). Postoperative number of medications decreased significantly in both groups. Absolute success was seen in 71% of non-AMT eyes and 55% of AMT eyes (p = 0.46), whereas relative success was obtained in 14% and 30%, respectively (p = 0.55). Reinterventions were needed in 28% of the eyes (11 bleb injection/needling and 4 Ahmed tube implantation) in the non-AMT group and in 27% of the AMT group (10 bleb injection/needling and 1 Ahmed tube implantation) (p = 0.89). Conclusion Trabeculectomy combined with MMC and AMT did not show better results than trabeculectomy with MMC alone.
Validation of the SDM Process Scale to Evaluate Shared Decision-Making at Clinical Sites

The Shared Decision-Making (SDM) Process scale (scored 0-4) uses 4 questions about decision-making behaviors: discussion of options, pros, cons, and preferences. We use data from mail surveys of patients who made surgical decisions at 9 clinical sites and a national web survey to assess the reliability and validity of the measure to assess shared decision-making at clinical sites. Patients at sites using decision aids to promote shared decision-making for hip, knee, back, or breast cancer surgery had significantly higher scores than national cross-section samples of surgical patients for 3 of 4 comparisons and significantly higher scores for both comparisons with “usual care sites. ” Reliability was supported by an intra-class correlation at the clinical site level of 0.93 and an average correlation of SDM scores for knee and hip surgery patients treated at the same sites of 0.56. The results document the reliability and validity of the measure to assess the degree of shared decision-making for surgical decisions at clinical sites.
Workplace Fun as Determinant of Teachers' Performance in Pakistani Universities

Supporting environment provided to employees ensures high performance. This idea led researchers to examine workplace fun as a determinant of teacher’s performance in public and private sector universities functioning in Pakistan. Data collection trough questionnaires and appropriate statistical techniques helped in drawing viable conclusions. Workplace fun including congratulating one another and personal freedom helped in developing strong ties and performing well at universities. Moreover female teachers are more influenced with workplace fun as compared to male teachers. The results are beneficial for the university administrators and academicians equally.
Dynamism: Reconceptualising Resilience in Recovery From Trauma

Resilience research is currently dominated by Western theoretical frameworks, concepts, constructions, worldviews and understandings. Applying a Western construction of resilience to other global settings, is challenged by the fact that cultural practices central to different cultural identities, may not be acknowledged. This paper will present new and existing ways of conceptualising resilience and proposes that the term dynamism may be more culturally appropriate for capturing the concept of resilience in cross-cultural settings. The term dynamism has been crafted from research that initially sought to understand resilience and recovery among young Cambodian trauma survivors (See Wyatt, 2021). The research endeavoured to situate the concept of resilience within a non-Western, Cambodia-specific context. This study looked at factors that enabled young people to move forward with their lives and do remarkably well, despite significant childhood trauma (Wyatt, 2021). This paper is an extension of the key findings and will focus on the construction of the term resilience and its usefulness in cross-cultural settings. Furthermore, this article will present a model for dynamism and how this may be helpful in understanding recovery from trauma in cross-cultural contexts.
Assessing the efficacy of higher‐taxon approach for ant species surveys to improve biodiversity inventories

Understanding the distribution of species is essential for the conservation and management of biodiversity. But the availability of this kind of information is still scarce for the most diverse regions. The higher‐taxon approach (i.e. use of coarser taxonomic levels to represent species) as an easier and efficient method in representing species patterns can be one way to overcome these constraints. However, there is a general lack of information about the taxonomic stability of surrogate taxa across space and time. We investigated the predictive power and stability of taxonomic identification at the genus level as a predictor of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) distribution throughout ~1000 km along the Amazon Basin, using taxonomy over the past 120 years. Using intervals of 10 years, from 1900 to 2020 we generated a genus and species matrix based on actual data from our sampling sites for each decade over a total of 120 years. We tested the predictive power of genera as a surrogate of species for approximating species‐level richness, composition and distribution‐based measures along topographic gradients at local (within site) and regional (between sites) scales. We detected a strong correlation between genera and ant species richness in the current database. There was also high congruence between genera and ant species composition over the time period studied. Genera were also efficient at detecting patterns of species distribution along topographic gradients. Despite changes in ant taxonomy over the past 120 years, our data indicate that such revisions did not affect the ability of ant genera to predict general patterns of ant species in our study area within the Amazon Basin. This reinforces the potential of genera to serve as surrogates for ant species elsewhere, which may significantly decrease the cost of surveying ants in environmental monitoring programs because of the time saved from identifying collected specimens to genus rather than species level.
Mathematical Model for Commercial Production of Bio-Gas from Sewage Water And Kitchen Waste

Utilisation of Bio-Gas is increasingly applied to produce renewable energy to minimize environmental emissions both resulting in reduction of green house gas. Despite Government Grants, the production of Bio- Gas is not commercialized and people mostly depend on natural gas which is non-renewable and depleting fast. The project aims at operation a pilot scale model of 20 litres capacity to evaluate the maximum yield of bio-gas from domestic sewage and kitchen waste. The organic loading and Hydraulic retention time of 25 days will be studied to improve the production of bio-gas and model will be developed. Suggestion and recommendations will be made to commercialise the production of bio-gas. A computer programme will be developed for optimum allocation of the above factors to generate more Bio- Gas based on the feed stock an effluent samples characteristics, such as pH, total solids, volatile solids, number of days, alkalinity, volatile fatty acid. A various digestion options and operational factors will be analysed to make the commercial production of Bio-Gas. A model will be developed with computer programme on the biogas from Kitchen waste and sewage water. The project aims at the usage of distribution of Bio- Gas, is renewable resource instead of Coal, petroleum which are non-renewable resource and fast depleting. Thus when the Bio-Gas is used as fuel in Transportation and Power generation, definitely this will be a mile stone in the economical development of our country
A General Theory of Phase Noise in Electrical Oscillators

A general model is introduced which is capable of making accurate, quantitative predictions about the phase noise of different types of electrical oscillators by acknowledging the true periodically time-varying nature of all oscillators. This new approach also elucidates several previously unknown design criteria for reducing close-in phase noise by identifying the mechanisms by which intrinsic device noise and external noise sources contribute to the total phase noise. In particular, it explains the details of how 1/f noise in a device upconverts into close-in phase noise and identifies methods to suppress this upconversion. The theory also naturally accommodates cyclostationary noise sources, leading to additional important design insights. The model reduces to previously available phase noise models as special cases. Excellent agreement among theory, simulations, and measurements is observed.
Touch Screens on the Flight Deck

There is widespread interest in the aviation industry in using touch screen controls on the flight deck. While earlier research efforts have explored touch screen use in aircraft, relatively recent advancements in both hardware and software suggest that renewed attention to touch can help inform its use in modern aircraft. A study was conducted using a medium-fidelity motion flight simulator to investigate how touch target size, touch target spacing, and touch technology impacted pilot data entry performance, workload perception, and fatigue in varying levels of turbulence. The results are intended to support the development of guidelines and recommendations for the integration of touch screen controls into the flight deck.
Impact of Dielectric Loss Tangent on the Performance of Millimeter Wave Ferrite Circulators

A ferrite circulator can be modeled as a dielectric resonator whose unloaded Q is a function of dielectric loss. This model predicts that when loss tangents of ferrite materials are increased from 0.0002 to 0.002, circulator insertion loss increases by about 0.14 dB. Experimental measurements confirm that loss tangents significantly less than 0.001 are required to achieve low insertion loss, high performance, millimeter wave circulators.
Employing Detection Controlled Models in Health and Environmental Risk Assessment: A Case in Offshore Oil Drilling

ABSTRACT This study examines the determinants of health, safety, and environmental (HS&E) incidence and reporting behavior in Gulf of Mexico offshore drilling. One objective is to determine statistically significant variables that influence the probability of HS&E incidence and reporting. Incidence modeling employs standard qualitative response models with binary and ordered dependent variables, and a Poisson specification. A second objective is to examine the impact of imperfect reporting on inferences. Unlike previous studies, models allowing for the possibility of imperfect reporting are specified and estimated. The results of this analysis provide strong evidence to support the hypothesis that aspects of well complexity and site complexity increase the likelihood of HS&E incidents in drilling. Equally important is evidence rejecting the hypothesis that broader oil company attributes influence HS&E incidence. An analysis of reporting behavior provides mixed support for the hypothesis that well-known firms are more likely to report an incident than their more anonymous counterparts. There is weak evidence indicating differential reporting behavior between regulatory districts. Finally, the analysis provides consistent support for the conclusion that a 1996 policy change reduced HS&E incidence and increased HS&E reporting. The results of this research provide guidance to company managers and regulators on the factors driving HS&E incidence and reporting. Results also provide evidence that models of imperfect reporting can alter, in this case reverse, the interpretation of trends in reported incidents. These results can be used to support efficient resource allocation to prevention efforts, and inform regulatory policy.
Trends of Scots pine forest health and element flow changes in the ICP Forests monitoring sites in Latvia

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is one of the most widespread and economically most important tree species in Latvia. Scots pine forest health and element flow changes have been monitored in Latvia within the International Cooperative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP Forests) with assessment of crown condition and damaging agents at 115 Level I monitoring sites (mostly oligothrophic and mesotrophic Vacciniosa, Myrtillosa and Hylocomiosa forests) and with sampling and analyses of environmental samples at three Level II monitoring sites representing typical Scots pine forests (Myrtillosa) in hemiboreal conditions in Latvia. This study summarizes the background information and presents the trends of forest health, carbon turnover and environment condition in Scots pine forest since 2009. In general, defoliation rate in Scots pine stands remains stable for the studied period, with some yearly fluctuations, possibly related to regional insect outbreaks, especially well demonstrated in two Level II plots. The share of damaged trees varied by year from 12.8% to 19% of the total number; the main cause of damage was direct action of man. Chemical element flows in Scots pine forests in Level II monitoring plots have been relatively stable as well except the decreasing trend in total N concentration in deposition and SO4-S concentration in soil solution and increasing trends in DOC concentration in soil solution that is in line with common trends in Europe. Carbon input with above-ground litter was relatively stable during the whole period; however, interannual variations were rather wide.
e-Infrastructure Acceptance in e-Health, e- Learning and e-Agriculture in Zimbabwe: The Quest for the User Acceptance Variable

One of the best ways to achieve global literacy is through communication, collaborative learning, research, and problem solving. Technology helps tremendously in these areas, so it is a great tool to use in this process. As e-infrastructures gain ground in many African countries and at the same time promises a new way of delivering health, education and agriculture. New technologies should be readily acceptable in order to deliver these essential services to the populace. However, against a background of previous studies pointing to e-learning as a monster under the bed (Chiome, Kurasha and Mupa, 2011) and after 98% of the students failed to voluntarily register for an e-learning blended programme, this research set out to find the factors affecting user acceptance of e- infrastructures in health, agriculture and education. This was a survey of institutions engaged in e-agriculture, e-health and e-learning in Zimbabwe. A purposive sample of 65students who were exposed to e-infrastructures was interviewed in order to determine the user acceptance variable applicable in Zimbabwe. The study found out that e-infrastructure users made rational choices faced with alternatives, belief in the usefulness or lack of it of the system, too much effort put into using technology, content richness, e-infrastructure usefulness and update regularity of the e-infrastructure are some of the absolutely vital technology acceptance variables. The research argues that the ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires e-infrastructure developers to pay rigorous attention to technology acceptance to engage e-infrastructure users other than the “early adopters” with the opportunities in e-infrastructures. Key terms: e-infrastructure , E-learning, e-agriculture, e-health, technology adoption, new technologies 1. Background to the Study
Human Clinical Study of the Efficacy of LifeWave Energy Patch in Improving Flexibility, Strength and Endurance in Healthy Humans

[[SUBSTITUTE THE PARAGRAPH BELOW This double-blind crossover placebo-controlled clinical trial demonstrates that LifeWave Energy Patches produce a significant increase in several tests of flexibility, strength and endurance in healthy humans when worn for one hour. This increase is correlated with a subjective increase in energy levels. ] In this double-blind crossover placebo-controlled clinical trial, tests were conducted that measure flexibility, strength and endurance in 60 healthy humans. Tests conducted included: stretch and reach, hand strength, latissimus dorsi pull down maximum weight, outcome measures with an ergometer bicycle (peak and average power and watts per kilogram, average and peak speed and speed per kilogram, distance and calories. These results demonstrate that the LifeWave Energy Patch improved performance in several different tests of flexibility, strength and endurance in healthy humans. In addition, one third of the subjects reported an increase in [[subjective] energy levels while wearing the active patch and no change in energy while wearing the placebo. In contrast, [[only] one of 60 reported that the placebo produced an increase in energy and no energy change with active patch.
Modelling Approaches for Flow over a Wind Turbine Blade

This work models the aerodynamic performance of a wind turbine blade using computational fluid dynamics and strip theory. The wind turbine blade design was supplied by Twin Turbines Ltd. It is a constant tip-speed ratio design, using stall regulation for power control in winds above the rated speed. The analysis uses the commercial computational fluid dynamics program CFX-5. The software model of the wind turbine blade includes rotation simulated using a rotating domain. The results from this model are compared to the solutions obtained using the strip theory method for wind turbine performance analysis. Finally, the stall regulation of the blade at high wind speeds is investigated, using both CFX and the strip theory model. The results from the two methods show good agreement with each other, and indicate that the regulation effect is likely to be smaller than had been expected by the intended manufacturer, Twin Turbines Ltd.
Metabolic Characteristic Analysis of an Oil Field Wastewater Degrading Strain Chelatococcus G5

An oil field wastewater-degrading strain was isolated from the waste activated sludge of an oil field wastewater treatment plant. The degrading capabilities for oil field wastewater, culture conditions in a liquid enrichment medium, and metabolic characteristics for carbon sources in a Biolog-ECO microplate of this strain were investigated. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strain were very similar to each other (>99% similarity) and exhibited a similarity of 98% with other Chelatococcus sp. The COD removal efficiency of the oil field wastewater-degrading strain is 64.3%, based on a batch experiment after strain inoculation for 60 h. Chelatococcus G5 is a mesophilic and NaCl-tolerant strain that can be grown well at pH 7.0, 37 °C, and under shaking conditions. Its NaCl tolerance is up to 5.0%. Based on the metabolic characteristic analysis, up to 54.8% of the carbon sources in the Biolog-ECO microplate could be utilized and only 29.03% of these sources could be easily degraded by Chelatococcus G5.