Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tribological assessment of oil condition sensors for marine launching equipment.

Problems in hydraulic systems associated with hydraulic fluids are an important area of research. Time has proven that contamination control in hydraulic and lubricating systems are fundamental to reliability and performance. Contamination control is needed to guarantee the quality of the oil and machine reliability. Among the several condition monitoring techniques, oil and wear analysis are the most effective for contamination control in hydraulic equipment. An emerging maintenance philosophy is oil condition based maintenance, in which the active monitoring of oil parameters determines the machine health and the variable service intervals. This new maintenance philosophy requires sensor technology able to provide real time indicators of the status of the system.Nowadays, oil condition monitoring sensors are not a mature technology and their performance has not been widely assessed under controlled experimental conditions. This research explains the physical fundamentals of commercially available sensors and it discusses and evaluates their effectiveness under controlled experimental conditions.Tribology tests were performed for sliding contacts as they are the most predominant type of contacts within hydraulic systems. Results reveal that several characteristics of the sensors must be improved for a more meaningful output and for an earlier detection of abnormal trends which are typical indicators of the onset of faults.Finally, of all the future trends of oil condition monitoring sensors, the novel methodology to calculate the particle size distribution from ferrous debris density measurements is the most useful and important contribution to knowledge of this research. The proposed method when compared to current technology would bring a new type of particle counter that could break the technological size limitation of particle counters based on magnetometry (the most extended type in industrial and military machinery), leading to earlier fault detection. Improvements of this methodology would allow further development of low cost particle counters in the micrometer and submicrometer range which can be widely applied in many industrial processes and scientific disciplines.
The Role of Bank-based and Market-based Financial Development on Economic Growth of Nepal

This study examines the empirical relationship between economic growth and various measures of stock market and banking development in Nepal over the sample period 1987/88 to 2015/16 using a framework of endogenous growth model suggested by Romer (1986), Rebelo (1991) and Pagano (1993). The study finds that stock market size, liquidity and banking development measures predict the economic growth in the context of Nepal. Similarly, the study results show the important role of banking development on economic growth process of Nepal because all indicators of banking development have positive and significant impact on growth. The study results shed light on the fact that both the level of stock market development and the level of banking development can influence the economic growth of Nepal. This finding supports the notion of Levine (1996) which articulates that stock market and banking sector are independently as well as jointly significant in promoting economic growth.
Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Patients with Hypertension: Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA), a condition characterized by a complete or partial cessation of airflow during sleep, can cause various cardiovascular disorders including hypertension. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of OSA in patients with hypertension. Methods: A cross-sectional prospective cohort study of 504 patients with hypertension was undertaken at a tertiary care hospital of India for a period of six months. OSA was evaluated using the Berlin questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Data analysis was done using SPSS v. 20. Results: High risk of OSA was identified in 120 (23.8%) patients and the prevalence of sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness score ˃16) was found to be 32.5% (95% CI, p˂0.001) in these patients. The mean neck circumference, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio for high-risk OSA group were 14.75 ± 1.338 inches, 105.90 ± 11.28 cm and 1.01 ± 0.065 respectively while for the low-risk group, these parameters were 13.97 ± 1.045 inches, 98.75 ± 10.87 cm and 0.99 ± 0.080 respectively (95% CI, p˂0.001). The mean blood pressure (BP) ≥133.52/84.37 mm Hg was recorded in patients with a high risk of OSA (95% CI, P<0.05), and resistant hypertension (3.3%) was significantly associated with the risk of OSA (95% CI, P<0.05). Conclusion: In the tertiary health care setting, the prevalence of high-risk of OSA in patients with hypertension is high. Screening for OSA should be a part of the hypertensive medical investigation and patients may benefit from a proper evaluation of OSA.
The Development of a Remote Sensor System and Decision Support Systems Architecture to Monitor Resistance Development in Transgenic Crops

Institute for Technology Development, USAThe United States Environmental Protection Agency (E PA) has declared that “significant benefits accrue to growers, thepublic, and the environment” from the use of transgenic pesticid al crops due to reductions in pesticide usage for crop pestmanagement. Large increases in the global use of transgenic pesticidal crops has reduced the amounts of broad spectrumpesticides used to manage pest populations, improved yield and reduced the en vironmental impact of crop management. Asignificant threat to the continued use of this technology is the evolution of resistance in insect pest populations to theinsecticidal Bt toxins expressed by the plants. Management of transgenic pesticidal crops w ith an emphasis on conservationof Bt toxicity in field populations of insect pests is important to the future of sustainable agriculture. A vital component ofthis transgenic pesticidal crop management is establishing the proof of concept basic understanding, situational awareness,and monitoring and decision support system tools for more than 133650 square kilometers (33 million acres) ofbio-engineered corn and cotton for development of insect resistance . Early and recent joint NASA, US EPA and ITDremote imagery flights and ground based field experiments have provided very promising research results that willpotentially address future requirements for crop management capabilities.Key Words: Genetically Modified Crops; Decision Support System; Remote Sensing;Pest Infestation; Ecosystem
Understanding Project Management Practice through Interpretative and Critical Research Perspectives

This paper discusses the possibilities that a qualitative research approach grounded in critical interpretative perspectives of phronetic social science can offer an alternative way of understanding and talking about the practice of project management. Such an approach implies a combination of practical philosophical considerations and concrete empirical analysis of lived experiences and social processes in concrete project settings. Two important issues are addressed: the complex process of this kind of qualitative research, and the nature and practical usefulness of its outcomes. First, the interconnectedness of a number of elements in the process of management research (the focus of inquiry, theoretical tradition used to define the research question, methodological approach to research design, and data collection and interpretation method) is presented as a holistic framework, which is then used to discuss the implications of deploying interpretative and critical methodologies in researching project management practice, skills, and competencies. By providing examples of both the process and outcomes from an illustrative research study, the paper illuminates how the chosen, phronesis-centered approach underpinned by the concepts of “pragmatic epistemology” and “cooperative enquiry” can generate new insights into project managers’ daily coping with the complexity of projects. Further commentary is then provided on how the mainstream, normative prescriptions regarding individual skills and competencies could be combined with the alternative ones that promote intuition, judgment, and social and political virtuosity in local contexts, and integrated to enhance the existing project management training and development schemes.
Keeping Score: Using the Right Metrics to Drive World-Class Performance

From the Publisher: Keeping Score ensures that you look at the right measurements. The author contends that your measurements must focus on the past, present, and future and be based on the needs of customers, shareholders, and employees. Measuring everything is more damaging than measuring nothing - pinpointing the vital few key measures is the key to success. Following a Baldrige approach, Mark Brown shows you how to evaluate your current approach to measurement and redesign inadequate metrics and systems used to collect and report data. Developing an accurate measurement system ensures that you correctly measure customer satisfaction and value, the quality of products and services before they reach the customer, and employee satisfaction. In addition, you'll improve the accuracy of your metrics by linking them to key success factors as well as learn how to select the right financial metrics, perform process measurement, and track supplier performance.
A New Approach for Obtaining the Compression Behavior of Anisotropic Sheet Metals Applicable to a Wide Range of Test Conditions

The consideration of anisotropic and asymmetric tension-compression behaviour in some materials has proved to be of great importance for the modelling of plastic behaviours that allow for accurate results in sheet metal forming analysis. However, obtaining this compression behaviour of a sheet metal in the principal plane directions is one of the most complex aspects from an experimental point of view. This complexity is notably increased when this behaviour needs to be analysed under high temperature conditions. This paper presents a compression test system with load application in the in-plane sheet directions which is characterised by a relative technical simplicity allowing its application under temperature conditions of up to 750 °C and different strain-rates. Due to the specific test conditions, namely the high temperature, it is not possible to use the common systems for measuring the strains involved and to obtain the stress-strain curve. Therefore, this paper proposes two methods for this purpose. The first is the performance of interrupted tests and measurement of the central cross sections. The second consists of inverse calibration using finite element simulations. The sensitivity of the proposed test methodology is validated through the characterisation, at room temperature, of the compression and tensile behaviour of six materials with different plastic deformation phenomena. In this way, the asymmetric tension-compression phenomena are accurately identified and high compression strains of around 0.3, higher than those existing in the literature, are investigated. A novel test methodology is thus established that is easily applicable for the mechanical characterisation of sheet metal at high temperature.
INDIRECT LEFT TURNS - THE MICHIGAN EXPERIENCE

Left turns at intersections have been a recurring problem, especially at suburban intersections. To simplify conflicts, indirect left/U-turns in advance or beyond intersections have been increasingly utilized. The Michigan Department of Transportation has provided U-turn channels on highways with wide-medians and prohibited all left-turns at signalized intersections for many decades. More recently Oakland County, Michigan has installed "U" turns on some of its arterials. This paper provides an overview and analysis of the Michigan "U". It describes the origin, features and application of the concept, with a focus on the Detroit metropolitan area - including the more recent applications in Oakland County. It presents the reported safety and operational benefits, and community response. It compares capacities and service levels with those for more conventional facilities. The paper also gives a case study of Telegraph Road (US-24), a six-to-eight lane roadway carrying up to 100,000 vehicles per day. It describes the signal coordination, traffic flow, and travel times/speeds as well as safety. It also describes the Livernois Road Experience in Oakland County. Finally, the paper describes the access management implications, and the opportunities for application elsewhere.
INVESTIGATION OF LOAD TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF DOWELS

A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED ON THE LOAD TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS OF DOWELS USED IN AIRFIELD PAVEMENT EXPANSION JOINTS. FIELD INSTALLATION AND DOWEL AND SLAB INSTRUMENTATION WERE DISCUSSED. A SPECIALLY-DESIGNED CART FOR APPLYING SINGLE WHEEL LOADS WAS DESCRIBED AND DATA OBTAINED AS A RESULT OF PRELIMINARY TESTS USING A 50,000-POUND LOAD WAS PRESENTED. PLANS FOR APPLICATION OF THE DATA OBTAINED TO THE DESIGN OF A TEST FACILITY FOR EVALUATION OF LOAD TRANSFER DEVICES IN GENERAL WAS DESCRIBED. /AUTHOR/
Resources, Firms, and Strategies: A Reader in the Resource-Based Perspective

Strategic management has been increasingly characterized by an emphasis on core competences. Firms are advised to divest unrelated businesses and return to core business. Moreover, competitive advantage is now increasingly seen as a matter of efficiently deploying scarce knowledge resources to product markets. Much of this change in emphasis has occurred because of the emergence of a unified and rigorous approach to strategy, often called the resource-based approach. This Reader brings together extracts from the seminal articles that created this dominant perspective in strategic management. It includes the pioneering work of Selznick, Penrose, and Chandler and more recent writing by Wernerfelt, Barney, Teece, and Prahalad and Hamel.
Comparative Studies on The Diagnostic Validity of Widal And Evaluation of Interferon Gamma Response In Patients Investigated For Typhoid Fever

Background: Typhoid fever remains a public health challenge in developing countries. In Nigeria, patients usually come with complains of fever and other symptoms typical of febrile illnesses where resource limitation in healthcare facilities necessitates the use of screening tests for diagnosis. Widal test is widely used due to its simplicity. However, the specificity of this test has been debated. The present study compared the diagnostic validity of Widal to blood culture and evaluated interferon gamma response among the study participants. Methods: A total of 90 patients with complain of fever and other symptoms suggestive of typhoid fever were recruited for the study. Widal serology, automated blood culture and interferon gamma concentration were conducted using rapid antibody detection kit, BACTEC and sandwich enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. Results were subjected to Fisher’s exact test using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22 where a p- value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Of the 90 samples tested, 63 (70.0%) were positive for anti Typhi O antigen while 42 (46.7%) were positive for anti- Typhi H antigen. Similarly, 18 (20%) of the patients had non-S. Typhi culture positivity while 72 (80%) had no bacteria isolated. Overall, 0 (0%) of the cases had S. Typhi positive culture. Fisher’s exact test suggests a significant difference between blood culture status and prevalence of anti-S. Typhi H antigen. Interferon gamma concentration was found to be significantly associated with blood culture status as plasma interferon gamma levels increased with bacteraemia. Fisher’s exact test showed a strong statistical relationship between interferon gamma concentration and blood culture (p=0.003). Conclusions: Interferon gamma has a direct proportionality with bacteraemia and as such, could be a good marker for the development of an alternative screening test, possibly an interferon gamma based detection system for typhoid fever. However, further research is required to implement that.
Location

Rainer Polak and Nori Jacoby from the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics have rented the premises to research traditional dance and music in West Africa. They’ve engaged several groups of local professional artists. A drum ensemble with three musicians, two singers and several dancers are involved. All elements of this live session are recorded via multimedia. Video cameras capture the performance from several perspectives, and the membranes of all the drums have been fitted with sensors to directly pick up their mechanical vibrations. One of the dancers wears a motioncapture suit incorporating seventeen sensors, each of which is simultaneously recording her movements’ acceleration, rotation and magnetic field data. This allows the movement of the dancer in the room to be precisely calculated and, for instance, correlated with the rhythms played by the instrumentalists.
Aeroacoustic Study of a 26%-Scale Semispan Model of a Boeing 777 Wing in the NASA Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel

An acoustic and aerodynamic study was made of a 26%-scale unpowered Boeing 777 aircraft semispan model in the NASA Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel for the purpose of identifying and attenuating airframe noise sources. Simulated approach and landing configurations were evaluated at Mach numbers between 0.12 and 0.24. Cruise configurations were evaluated at Mach numbers between 0.24 and 0.33. The research team used two Ames phased-microphone arrays, a large fixed array and a small traversing array, mounted under the wing to locate and compare various noise sources in the wing high-lift system and landing gear. Numerous model modifications and noise alleviation devices were evaluated. Simultaneous with acoustic measurements, aerodynamic forces were recorded to document aircraft conditions and any performance changes caused by the geometric modifications. Numerous airframe noise sources were identified that might be important factors in the approach and landing noise of the full-scale aircraft. Several noise-control devices were applied to each noise source. The devices were chosen to manipulate and control, if possible, the flow around the various tips and through the various gaps of the high-lift system so as to minimize the noise generation. Fences, fairings, tip extensions, cove fillers, vortex generators, hole coverings, and boundary-layer trips were tested. In many cases, the noise-control devices eliminated noise from some sources at specific frequencies. When scaled to full-scale third-octave bands, typical noise reductions ranged from 1 to 10 dB without significant aerodynamic performance loss.
Correlational Research on the 3D Digital Models Based Measurement for Periodontal Biotypes of Crown and Gingival Morphology

Background This paper aims to quantitatively study the clinical parameters of crown and gingival morphology (CGM) of the maxillary anterior teeth (MAT), and analyze the correlation of parameters between periodontal biotype(PB) and CGM, with a view to providing objective standards for periodontal biotyping.Methods The 3D maxillary digital models of 56 experimental subjects were obtained through an intra-oral scanner, and an array of parameters measued with the SpaceClaim software, such as gingival angle (GA), papilla width (PW), papilla height (PH), crown length (CL), crown width (CW), crown width/crown length ratio (CW/CL), bucco-lingual width of the crown (BLW), contact surface width (CSW), and contact surface height/crown length ratio (CS/CL). Then, the PBs were judged through the transparency method of the periodontal probe through the gingival sulcus. Logistic regression was adopted to analyze the independent influence factors of PB, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) used to analyze the optimal cutoff value of independent influence factors.Results There is statistical difference to the parameters of CGM of the MAT at left and right side. The thick biotype accounts for 69.6%, and the parameters of gender, GA, PW, PH, CW and CW/CL are significantly correlated with PBs (P≤0.043). GA (OR=1.206) and PW (OR=5.048) are the independent predictive factors of PBs, their areas under the ROC curve (AUC) are 0.807 and 0.881, respectively, and their optimal cutoff values are 95.95° and 10.01mm, respectively.Conclusion The CGMs of the MAT at the left and right side is symmetrical. The thin biotype accounts for a small portion, and GA and PW are the independent influence factors of PBs. When GA is 95.95° and PW is 10.01mm, it is the optimal cutoff value to categorize experimental subjects into thick biotype.
Hedge's instability mechanics for the prediction of forming limit in sheet metal forming

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to investigate the Hegde’s instability mechanics for the prediction of forming limit in sheet metal forming. Design/methodology/approach: Hegde’s Instability Mechanics (HIM) paves way for explaining the effects of diffuse instability and localization due to necking in sheet metal forming. For different ranges of stress ratios, the ratio of strain differentials has been computed and hence the forming limits are predicted. Findings: Basing the formulation of HIM on the von Misess yield criterion and applying the interface theory (briefed in appendix) the state-ofthe-art purpose is deemed to be well served and demonstrated. Interface theory to explain in simple terms, gives the optimal decision variables in an ‘n’ dimensional hyper-space. The concept of HIM is demonstrated on isotropic and anisotropic materials. The anisotropic materials show better stability than isotropic materials in sheet metal forming. However the geometric instability is analyzed with the assumptions that the thickness stresses are negligible and biaxial state of stress persists in sheet metal forming. Practical implications: The observations are based on the theoretical findings for which the experimental validation exists in the reviewed references. Originality/value: To the sincere knowledge of authors, is both different and unique of its kind in sheet forming mechanics needing horizontal exploration by potential researchers.