Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Values and the Social Environment on the Environmental Attitudes of Students: The Case of Lithuania

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of values and social environmental factors on the pro-environmental attitudes of students. A representative survey of 1161 Lithuanian schoolchildren was conducted between October and November 2020. Health was the most important value for students, and for girls, while healthcare was more important for boys. Among the ecological values, unpolluted food, clean air, and fresh water were the most important. For Lithuanian students, school does not play a decisive role in outdoor behavior compared to family, which plays a more important role in outdoor behavior, and friends are the most important influencers of outdoor behavior. Students in Lithuania have a pro-ecological outlook, which is shaped by their interest in and practice of ecology. Students of ECO schools are more responsible than students of regular schools, although they have less pro-environmental attitudes compared to students of regular schools.
A Comparative Study of Cascade Vanes and Drilled Nozzle Designs for Pre-Swirl

Design of pre-swirl systems is important for the secondary air cooling system of gas turbine engines. In this paper, three pre-swirl nozzles, a cascade vane and two drilled nozzles are analysed and their performances are compared. The two drilled nozzles considered are a straight drilled nozzle and an aerodynamically designed nozzle. CFD analyses are presented for stand-alone and pre-swirl system 3D sector models at engine operating conditions near to engine maximum power condition rotational Reynolds number (Reφ ) up to 4.6 ! 107 . Nozzle performance is characterised by the nozzle discharge coefficient (CD ), nozzle velocity coefficient (η) and cooling air delivery temperature. Two commonly used eddy viscosity models are employed for the study, the standard k-e and Spalart-Allmaras models with wall functions. Both models give very similar results for CD and η, and are in reasonable agreement with available experimental data. Effects of nozzle or vane number and sealing flow have been analysed. The cascade vanes perform slightly better than the aerodynamically designed drilled nozzles but the final design choice will depend on other component and manufacturing costs. An elementary model is presented to separate temperature losses due to the nozzle, stator drag and sealing flow.Copyright © 2011 by Rolls-Royce plc
A Gaussian Process Method with Uncertainty Quantification for Air Quality Monitoring

The monitoring and forecasting of particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5) and gaseous pollutants (e.g., NO, NO2, and SO2) is of significant importance, as they have adverse impacts on human health. However, model performance can easily degrade due to data noises, environmental and other factors. This paper proposes a general solution to analyse how the noise level of measurements and hyperparameters of a Gaussian process model affect the prediction accuracy and uncertainty, with a comparative case study of atmospheric pollutant concentrations prediction in Sheffield, UK, and Peshawar, Pakistan. The Neumann series is exploited to approximate the matrix inverse involved in the Gaussian process approach. This enables us to derive a theoretical relationship between any independent variable (e.g., measurement noise level, hyperparameters of Gaussian process methods), and the uncertainty and accuracy prediction. In addition, it helps us to discover insights on how these independent variables affect the algorithm evidence lower bound. The theoretical results are verified by applying a Gaussian processes approach and its sparse variants to air quality data forecasting.
Differences Between Present‐Day and Cretaceous Hydrological Cycle Responses to Rising CO2 Concentration

Climate model simulations have suggested that, in East Asia, the mean precipitation increases with global warming, leading to more humid conditions. In contrast, Cretaceous proxy data show an aridification in the low latitudes of East Asia during the mid‐Cretaceous when CO2 levels were higher and the climate was relatively warmer compared to the early and late Cretaceous. We conducted simulations of the Present‐day and Cretaceous climates with different CO2 levels using an atmosphere‐ocean general circulation model, MIROC4m, to investigate the hydrological cycle changes as CO2 is increased. The results show that the responses of the hydrological cycle in East Asia for the Present‐day and Cretaceous experiments are the exact opposite; an increase in the Present‐day, and a decrease in the Cretaceous, as geological evidence shows. Overall, the opposite response in the Cretaceous is attributed to a weaker summer atmospheric circulation, associated with the absence of the Tibetan Plateau.
MEASURING ODOR CONCENTRATION WITH AN ELECTRONIC NOSE

The Adaptive Logic Network (ALN) software, a type of artificial neural network (ANN), was used to develop a function to convert the measurements of a commercially available electronic nose into odor concentrations. A data set was developed by evaluating odor samples with both an olfactometer and the electronic nose. The odor concentrations measured with the olfactometer served as observed values, and the responses of a 32–sensor array in the electronic nose, together with the humidity of the odor sample and reference air, served as input variables. By applying a principal component analysis, the number of input variables in the data set was reduced from 34 to 3, which represented 99% of the variance. This data preprocessing procedure is crucial to the success of using the ALN. Well–trained ALNs combined with an electronic nose can measure odor concentrations with about 20% mean error.
Pattern synthesis of array antennas with additional isolation of near field arbitrary objects

A new technique for synthesising array antennas in the presence of arbitrary obstacles in the near field region is presented. This technique allows a prescribed far field pattern to be synthesised, while trying to avoid coupling with near field obstacles through the constraint of minimising the radiated power over the obstacle surface. Some results have been obtained showing that the obstacles are finally isolated from the array antenna radiation.
Two improvements to the dynamic wake meandering model: including the effects of atmospheric shear on wake turbulence and incorporating turbulence build‐up in a row of wind turbines

The dynamic wake meandering (DWM) model is an engineering wake model designed to physically model the wake deficit evolution and the unsteady meandering that occurs in wind turbine wakes. The present study aims at improving two features of the model: The effect of the atmospheric boundary layer shear on the wake deficit evolution by including a strain-rate contribution in the wake turbulence calculation. The method to account for the increased turbulence at a wake-affected turbine by basing the wake-added turbulence directly on the Reynolds stresses of the oncoming wake. This also allows the model to simulate the build-up of turbulence over a row of turbines in a physically consistent manner. The performance of the modified model is validated against actuator line (AL) model results and field data from the Lillgrund offshore wind farm. Qualitatively, the modified DWM model is in fair agreement with the reference data. A quantitative comparison between the mean flow field of the DWM model with and without the suggested improvements, to that of the AL model, shows that the root-mean-square difference in terms of wind speed and turbulence intensity is reduced on the order of 30% and 40%, respectively, by including the proposed corrections for a row of eight turbines. Furthermore, it is found that the root-mean-square difference between the AL model and the modified DWM model in terms of wind speed and turbulence intensity does not increase over a row of turbines compared with the root-mean-square difference of a single turbine. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Work socialisation gone wrong? Exploring the antecedent of child trafficking in two Ghanaian fishing communities

ABSTRACT The phenomenon of child trafficking has emerged as a global child protection concern ever since the Palermo Protocol was promulgated by the United Nations in the year 2000. Since then, specific aspects of children’s mobility for work in sectors such as fishing have been conceptualised as trafficking in Ghana. Drawing on a qualitative case study design, the views of 20 fishing community members were elicited in Senya Breku and Yeji. The study found that the trafficking of children from Senya Breku to Yeji for fishing began initially as a form of work socialisation within familial fishing groups before it expanded broadly into its present description as trafficking. Consequently, the study calls for greater recognition of the socio-historical processes that have characterised children’s mobility to other communities for work in order to fully comprehend the phenomenon and propose appropriate policy responses.
Modeling traveler mode choice behavior of a new high-speed rail corridor in China

This study examines mode choice behavior for intercity business and personal/recreational trips. It uses multinomial logit and nested logit methods to analyze revealed preference data provided by travelers along the Yong-Tai-Wen multimodal corridor in Zhejiang, China. Income levels are found to be positively correlated with mode share increases for high-speed rail (HSR), expressway-based bus, and auto modes, while travel time and trip costs are negatively correlated with modal shift. Longer distance trips trigger modal shifts to HSR services but prevent modal shift to expressway-based auto use due to escalation of fuel cost and toll charges. Travelers are less elastic in their travel time and cost for trips by nonexpressway-based auto use modes. The magnitude of elasticity for travel time is higher than trip costs for business trips and lower for personal/recreational trips. The study provides some policy suggestions for transportation planners and decision-makers.
Mass Shooting Outcomes: A Comparison of Completed, Attempted, Failed, and Foiled Incidents in America

ABSTRACT This study examines completed, attempted, failed, and foiled mass shooting outcomes in the United States (2000–2019). Comparative analyses of these four outcomes determine differences in the offender, motive, gun, target, and resolution. Findings indicate predictors of completed outcomes included open-space targets and offender death. Attempted outcome predictors included older offenders, victim-specific motives, and workplace targets. Failed outcomes were more likely than completed and attempted outcomes to involve school targets, although still less likely than foiled outcomes. Foiled outcome predictors included younger white co-offenders, fame and ideological motives, multiple guns, and school and religious targets. A discussion of findings provides implications for justice officials and scholars seeking potential procedures for mass shooting harm mitigation and prevention.
External Debt and Economic Growth Nexus in the Ecowas: A Threshold Analysis

Literature on the debt-growth nexus postulates that external debt is viewed as capital that closes the financing gap, boost investment and promote growth. Against this background, and given the low revenue mobilization drive, the ECOWAS Member States resort to external borrowing with a view to complement domestic revenue and enhance their ability to finance large infrastructural projects and boost economic growth. However, external debt accumulation has not translated into high growth in the ECOWAS Member States. Thus, the paper investigates the impact of external debt on economic growth in the ECOWAS countries, and determines the optimal threshold level of external debt that promotes growth. The study utilizes panel data for 15 countries spanning from 2000 to 2019, and employs four estimation techniques including the Pooled Ordinary Least Squares (POLS), Fixed Effect Model (FEM), Random Effect Model (REM) and Panel Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE) techniques. The empirical results suggest that external debt (ED), Openness to trade (Opn) and Control of Corruption (CoC) are the main determinants of economic growth in the ECOWAS countries. Specifically, openness has a positive effect on growth, while both external debt and control of corruption have negative impact on growth. Furthermore, the study reveals evidence of a nonlinear relationship between external debt and real GDP, and confirms that the optimal threshold level of external debt in the ECOWAS countries is 111%. Intuitively, the result indicates that any increase in external debt above 111% will reduce growth in the ECOWAS countries by 0.0001% while below the threshold level, economic growth will improve by 0.0222%. The policy implication is that, governments of the ECOWAS countries should ensure that, external debt are utilized in growth enhancing sectors, with a view to boost growth. Also, governments should develop debt management strategic policies, with a view to keep debt levels within sustainable limits.
Rotor loss in permanent magnet brushless AC machines

The eddy current loss in the permanent magnets of brushless AC machines is usually neglected, since the fundamental airgap field rotates in synchronism with the rotor and time harmonics in the current waveform and space harmonics in the winding distribution are generally small. However, machine designs are emerging for which the fundamental component of the stator MMF has fewer poles than the rotor, the torque being developed by a higher order MMF harmonic. The fundamental and lower order MMF harmonics can then give rise to significant rotor eddy currents. An analytical model is developed to predict rotor induced eddy currents in such machines, and to quantify the effectiveness of circumferentially segmenting the permanent magnets in reducing the rotor loss.
WINDOW, WATCHDOG, INSPECTOR: The Eclecticism of Journalistic Roles During the COVID-19 Lockdown

ABSTRACT With the aim of understanding solidities and disturbances in journalism as a belief system, the study investigates how television journalists in Slovenia have been re-articulating their roles against normative principles, professional ideals, and media performance during the COVID-19 lockdown. As procedures and forms of television news production were importantly re-configured, analysis of qualitative interviews with editors and journalists reveals eclecticism in journalistic roles, re-articulated in the connections between journalism, power and the public, leading to contradictory assessments with respect to journalism’s autonomy and responsibility. While the salience of the dominant monitorial role, referring to the journalistic provision of “objective” news and the surveillance of power on behalf of the public, was initially evident, deeper analysis showed not only a variety and disagreement concerning, but also paradoxes in, perceptions that resemble facilitative and collaborative roles. These findings reflect a particular manifestation of historical contradictions in Slovenian journalism’s relationship to power and the public during the public safety crisis and the many social contingencies during the lockdown.
An Interdisciplinary Case Management Protocol for High-Conflict Families: The Evolution of Coparental Dynamic

ABSTRACT In order to meet the crying needs of high-conflict families and professionals who work with them, a Canadian psycho-legal team developed an intervention protocol called Parentalité–Conflit–Résolution. Sixteen parents completed validated questionnaires to measure co-parenting, parental conflict, and psychological adjustment. Nonparametric analyses were performed to measure pre- and post-intervention effects. Results confirm the severity of communication problems and the high degree of hostility in families participating in the intervention protocol. Parents perceived fewer alienating behaviors in the other parent at the end of the intervention. Mothers perceived a more positive alliance with the other parent, whereas fathers perceived less parental conflict and fewer negative interactions. Longitudinal research should be conducted to measure the sustainability of changes over the long term.
Residence time and behaviour of sole and cod in the Offshore Wind farm Egmond aan Zee (OWEZ)

‘Noordzeewind’ (a Nuon and Shell Wind Energy consortium) exploits a wind farm with 36 wind turbines off the coast of Egmond aan Zee: the Offshore Wind farm Egmond aan Zee (OWEZ). This project serves to evaluate the economical, technical, ecological and social effects of offshore wind farms in general. To gather knowledge which will result from this project, a Monitoring and Evaluation Program (NSW6MEP) has been developed. Knowledge on environmental impact gained by this project will be made available to all parties involved in the realization of large6scale offshore wind farms. The construction and operation of offshore wind farms may result in possible negative impacts on fish populations, e.g. disturbance by noise or electromagnetic fields around cables, and consequent loss and degradation of habitats. On the other hand, due to the creation of new structures, i.e. additional habitats, that might act as artificial reefs or fish aggregation devices in combination with banning fisheries and shipping within wind farms, also positive impacts on fish populations are possible (Inger et al. 2009). In the latter case, wind farms might act as marine6protected areas or refuges for some fish species. The overall effect of the potential negative and positive impacts of the construction and operation of wind farms for fish is highly dependent on individual behavioural responses of fish to wind farms. This study focuses on exploring the potential benefits of the wind farm OWEZ, i.e. whether the wind farm can act as a refuge against fisheries for some fish species, by studying individual behaviour of fish during the operation phase of the wind farm. A key factor in this is individual residence time of fish within the wind farm. The longer individual fish spend in the wind farm, the stronger potential benefit of wind farms can be expected.
Clipping distortion in lightwave CATV systems: models, simulations, and measurements

We report theoretical, numerical, and experimental investigations of clipping distortions in CATV systems are reported. The applicability of A.A.M. Saleh's (1989) calculation of the carrier-to-nonlinear-distortion ratio (CNLD) is extended by incorporating a more precise spectral analysis and further analytic results. An effective transfer function model which spectrally resolves the clipping distortion at intermodulation products (IMPs) of all orders and frequencies, and features closed-form analytic calculation of the second- and third-order distortions (CSO and CTB) from basic principles, as well as the CNLD, is introduced. It is found that Saleh's model slightly overestimates the simulation results for the CNLD, while the new model is in essential agreement with the simulation for all three distortion measures. Experimental measurements of the CSO, CTB, and CNLD over a 50-dB range in distortion exhibited excellent agreement with the simulations and the new model over the entire range. The unified nature of the model allows standard CATV, CSO, and CTB measurements to be theoretically connected to the CNLD and clipping boundary.
Modelling the installation of stiffened caissons in overconsolidated clay

Design of suction caissons for installation in overconsolidated clay presents several geotechnical engineering challenges. These include (i) predicting the installation resistance and required ‘suction’ pressure, (ii) ensuring adequate skirt length to account for vertical plug heave, and (iii) accommodating the structural engineering stiffening requirements and their effects on the penetration resistance and plug heave. A suite of centrifuge tests in overconsolidated kaolin clay was carried out to investigate the effects of stiffener geometry on penetration resistance during direct jacking and suction installation. Three caisson geometries were compared: caissons with (i) no stiffeners, (ii) horizontal stiffeners only and (iii) both vertical and horizontal stiffeners. Results show negligible differences in penetration resistance between jacked and suction installation for each caisson type. The magnitude of soil heave within the caisson is seen to be highly dependent on the level of applied suction as well as on the volume of the stiffeners. Observations during and following testing indicated that minimal flow-round of the overconsolidated clay occurred for skirts with horizontal stiffeners. These included (i) linear penetration resistance profiles following penetration of the lowest horizontal stiffener, (ii) a wedge of clay observed only below the lowest horizontal stiffener following extraction, and (iii) unsupported plug heave heights following penetration. A comparison of measured data with back-calculated resistance factors suggests that current design methods adequately predict the measured penetration resistance assuming zero flow-round conditions, implying additional end bearing of the upper horizontal stiffener during penetration was negligible. © 2009 ASME
Reliability of InGaAs/InP long-wavelength p-i-n photodiodes passivated with polyimide thin film

The long-term reliability of InGaAs/InP p-i-n photodiodes passivated with polyimide thin film was studied through a room temperature life test and through thermally accelerated life tests. No degradation in dark current was observed in a room temperature life test at a reverse bias of -15 V after aging for 7000 h. However, the dark current increased gradually in the accelerated life tests at 110°C, 130°C, and 150°C. It was confirmed that the activation energy of degradation in dark current was 0.85 eV and the average lifetime was estimated to be 107h at room temperature. The dark current recovered in high temperature storage tests. The phenomenon of degradation and recovery was qualitatively explained by a model of accumulation and diffusion of mobile ions at a junction perimeter.
Testing Candidate Cerebellar Presymptomatic Biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Testing candidate cerebellar presymptomatic biomarkers for Autism Spectrum Disorder by Zoë Wilson Hawks Doctor of Philosophy in Psychological and Brain Sciences Washington University in St. Louis, 2021 Professor Lori Markson, Chair Professor Desirée White, Co-Chair Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosed on the basis of social impairment, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Contemporary theories posit that cerebellar-mediated error signaling impairments contribute to the causation of ASD. However, the relationship between infant cerebellar functional connectivity (fcMRI) and later ASD behaviors and outcomes has not been investigated. Such work is critical to establish early (presymptomatic) cerebellar correlates of ASD. Methods: Data from the Infant Brain Imaging Study (n=94, 68 male) were used to evaluate cerebellar fcMRI as a presymptomatic biomarker for ASD. Specifically, brain-behavior associations were analyzed for 6-month cerebellar connections in relation to later (12and 24-month) ASD behaviors and outcomes using univariate tests of association, multivariate machine learning prediction, and fcMRI enrichment. Univariate and multivariate approaches focused on cerebellar-frontoparietal network (FPN is implicated in error-signaling) and cerebellar-default mode network (DMN is implicated