Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Auditory Characteristics of Communications and Hearing Protection Systems (C&HPS) Part 3 - Auditory Localization

Abstract : Devices that provide hearing protection, situational awareness and radio communications are often referred to as Communications and Hearing Protection Systems (CH the third system provided insufficient attenuation to be included. Results of the auditory localization testing indicated that both C&HPS negatively affected auditory localization accuracy performed in background noise, but the observed decrement was not significantly different between the two systems. Evidence from objective measures of the systems such as directivity, calculation of interaural level differences (ILDs), and the measurement of input/output functions indicate that changes in binaural intensity difference cues were the primary factor driving the reduction in performance.
Co-Leaders: The Power of Great Partnerships

The Case for Co--Leaders. The Two Bobs: Sharing the Driver's Seat. Cyberstars: Ballmer Is to Gates What Barrett Is to Grove. Winthrop H. Smith: A Breed Apart. Chou En--lai: The Elastic Bolshevik. George C. Marshall: Selfless Leadership. Bernice Pauahi Bishop: A Legacy Second to None. Anne Sullivan Macy: The Miracle Worker. Al Gore: Hail to the Co--Chief. Bill Guthridge: Invisible but Invaluable. Amy Tucker: Hoop Dreams. Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes: Fiction's Most Famous Pair. Clash of the Titans. Recasting the Executive Suite. Lessons for Co--Leaders. Acknowledgments. Notes. Index.
Paranoia, sensitisation and social inference: findings from two large-scale, multi-round behavioural experiments.

The sensitisation model suggests paranoia is explained by over-sensitivity to perceived threat in social environments. However, this has been difficult to test experimentally. We report two pre-registered studies that tested i) the sensitisation model as an explanation of paranoia, and; ii) the role of purported maintaining factors in supporting social sensitisation. In study one, we recruited a large general population sample (N=987) who serially interacted with other participants in multi-round Dictator games, matched to fair, partially fair, or unfair partners. Participants rated attributions of harmful intent and self-interest after each interaction. In study two (N=1011), a new sample of participants completed the same procedure and additionally completed measures of anxiety, worry and interpersonal sensitivity. As predicted, paranoid ideation predicted higher and faster overall harmful intent attributions, whereas attributions of self-interest were unaffected, supporting the sensitisation model. Contrary to predictions, neither worry nor anxiety predicted harmful intent attributions while interpersonal sensitivity predicted decreased harmful intent attributions. In a third exploratory study we combined data sets to examine the effect of paranoia on trial by trial attributional changes when playing fair and unfair dictators. Paranoia predicted a greater reduction in harmful intent attributions when playing a fair but not unfair dictator, suggesting paranoia may also exaggerate the volatility of beliefs about the harmful intent of others.
ICT as a driver for Creative Learning and Innovative Teaching

This chapter argues for the necessity of creativity and innovation in educational sets. It focuses on three interrelated enablers for change: technologies, culture and pedagogy. Technologies are already accepted by the young generation, who are appropriating ICT tools and in particular web 2.0 applications in new creative ways. New pedagogies have to take into account what it means to be educated in our times, as the overwhelming presence of technologies in our lives brings about a change in the way young people and children learn and understand. A cultural shift is also required in order to promote values, that are not always recognised in a school environment, such as risk-taking, uniqueness and originality. Teachers are key figures to implement change, but they need support to understand and accept creativity in their practices.
The effect of prerigor electrical stimulation of beef muscle on selected bacteria

approved: Dr. Paul H. Krump^rman This investigation was designed to study the possible effects of the electrical stimulation of beef muscle on microorganisms present on the meat surface during and after treatment. The effect of electric current on microorganisms in minimal media suspension was also studied. Cell viability before and after electrical treatment or exposure to treated media was determined. Storage studies of meat tissure for five days at 10C were conducted to determine variations in microbial growth of treated muscle. Growth curves of inoculum in ground electrically stimulated beef and of organisms treated electrically were run to determine lag time, growth rate, and ultimate cell density variations due to the electrical treatment. The ATP pool of electrically treated organisms was also studied in an effort to determine variations due to the treatment which could alter the microbial growth characteristics. In no instance did the results of this study show variations in microbial growth characteristics which would be significant enough to cause an extended shelf life of electrically stimulated beef. The Effect of Prerigor Electrical Stimulation of Beef Muscle on Selected Bacteria
Membrane distillation : principles and applications

Modern membrane engineering is critical to the development of process-intensification strategies and to the stimulation of industrial growth. "Membrane Distillation (MD)" is a broad reference that covers specific information on membranes available and methods for MD membrane preparation and characterization. The book offers an introduction to the terminology and fundamental concepts as well as a historical review of MD development. Commercial membranes used in MD as well as laboratory-made membranes, including emerging membranes, are described in detail and illustrated by a number of clear and instructive schematic drawings and images. This is a comprehensive review on the development of MD membranes, MD modules, MD membrane characterization, MD configurations, applications in different areas and theoretical models. It offers an introduction to the terminology and fundamental concepts associated with MD as well as an historical review of MD development. It provides a description of commercial membranes used in MD as well as laboratory-made membranes, including emerging membranes.
Prediction of Turbulent Mixing at the Interface of Density Stratified, Shear Flows Using CFD

Abstract : Density stratified, shear flows are a common flow phenomena that occur in many engineering applications. Using the commercial code CFX 4.1, several numerical simulations were performed involving various stratified shear flows that have been investigated experimentally. One set of experiments dealt with homogeneous shear, involving fresh water and brine, which are miscible fluids. The other set of experiments dealt with a developing shear layer, involving two immiscible fluids, namely fresh water and diesel fuel. Of primary interest in these simulations was the ability to predict trends for the interfacial thickness and local characteristic Richardson numbers. After these verification/validation studies, the re-fueling of a compensated fuel/ballast tank, which is partially characterized by a shear layer, was also simulated. Compensated fuel/ballast tanks (CFBT) are used in US navy ships and are located in the bottom of the ships. During re-fueling diesel fuel is pumped into a series of tanks through a vertical inlet pipe, forcing the compensating sea water out of the bottom of the tank through an exit pipe, and some of the fuel becomes entrained in the water exiting the tank. Of primary interest in this re-fueling process is the extent to which the fuel and water mix.
Oxidation of Nanodispersed MoS2 in Ambient Air: The Products and the Mechanistic Steps

Oxidation of finely divided molybdenum sulfide in ambient air has been studied for air exposure times from 10 min to 1 year to clarify the nature of the reaction products and the mechanistic steps. At the initial steps, for air exposure times from several minutes to several hours, rapid oxidation of MoS2 edges occurs with simultaneous formation of hydroxyl species and surface disulfide S22– moieties as attested by 1H NMR, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and temperature-programmed reduction. Prolonged air exposure of MoS2 nanodispersions leads to deep oxidation. According to the results of X-ray absorption spectroscopy, UV–visible, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies, the main oxidation products are soluble paramagnetic molybdenum blue species and sulfuric acid. As shown by EXAS fitting, the major product is oxo-bridged dimolybdenyl Mo(V, VI) species. Ambient moisture plays an important role in the oxidation process as it contributes to the formation of sulfuric acid which leads to liquescence .
Demonstration of Coupled Models and Their Validation against Experiment: The Current Phase DECOVALEX 2015

The DECOVALEX Project (DEmonstration of COupled models and their VALidation against EXperiment) has been operating since 1992 with the objective of developing thermo-hydro-mechanical coupled computer modelling in order to provide the necessary support for the design of underground radioactive waste repositories. The Project consists of Benchmark Tests which are synthetic models for comparison of different research teams' computer modelling results (verification), and Test Cases which are simulations of actual physical cases to establish whether the modelling does in fact represent the rock reality (validation). An international consortium of Funding Organisations supports the DECOVALEX work, currently the following ten Funding Organisations: BGR/UFZ (Germany), CAS (China), DOE (USA), ENSI (Switzerland), IRSN (France), JAEA (Japan), KAERI (Korea), NDA (UK), NRC (USA) and RAWRA (Czech Republic). In this paper, we explain the 2011-2015 DECOVALEX modelling tasks which cover the range of argillaceous, sedimentary and crystalline rocks.
Triglyceride and Glucose Index as a Screening Tool for Nonalcoholic Liver Disease in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is regarded as a component of metabolic syndrome, which involves insulin resistance (IR) as the primary physiopathological event. The aim of this study was to establish the association between IR, assessed using the triglyceride and glucose index (TyG), and histopathological features of NAFLD lesions. Methods: The study included 113 patients with metabolic syndrome. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting lipid profiles and liver enzymes were measured. IR was assessed by the TyG index. Liver biopsy was performed for assessment steatosis and fibrosis. Results: the TyG index had a mean value of 8.93 ± 1.45, with a higher value in the patients with overweight (p = 0.002) and obesity (p = 0.004) characteristics than in the patients with normal weight. The TyG index mean value was 8.78 ± 0.65 in subjects without NASH, 8.91 ± 0.57 in patients with borderline NASH and 9.13 ± 0.55 in patients with definite NASH. A significant difference was found between subjects without NASH and the ones with definite NASH (p = 0.004), as well as in patients with early fibrosis vs. those with significant fibrosis. The analysis of the area under the ROC curve proved that the TyG index is a predictor of NASH (p = 0.043). Conclusion: the TyG index is a facile tool that can be used to identify individuals at risk for NAFLD.
Procurement method as conflict and dispute reduction mechanism for construction industry in Malaysia

Conflict and dispute management in construction is generally associated with disputes resolution techniques such as arbitration. Despite the effort to manage dispute have been and continue to be explored and develop, there has been an increased of initiation of arbitration and litigation cases signals. This indicates that the effort to minimize dispute should initiated as early as selecting the project delivery or procurement stage. This paper explores the potential of minimizing the frequency of dispute occurrence in project undertaking. A survey on 150 construction practitioners indicates that traditional method as the most commonly used procurement had the highest dispute rate compared to other innovative procurement methods such as design and build, construction management and partnering. The respondents suggest that the usage of innovative techniques is capable of reducing the frequency of dispute for construction industry. Hence, appropriate measures should be initiated to encourage the maximize utilization of innovative procurement methods in the construction industry
iRoad - cooperative road infrastructure systems for driver support

This paper discusses the design and implementation of a cooperative road infrastructure system, which uses an intelligent road surface. Using an overtaking assist feature as an example it is shown how such a feature can be designed and implemented on a road infrastructure and integrated with drivers and passengers using IMS. The feasibility of this feature is assessed from a functional and communication perspective. Moreover, first results from real-life tests on the Swedish highway E4 are presented that motivate the next research and development steps.
Effect of Dark Septate Endophytes on Plant Performance of Artemisia Ordosica and Associated Soil Microbial Community Under Salt Stress

Background: Fungal endophytes can improve plant tolerance to abiotic stress, however, the role of these plant–fungal interactions in desert species ecology and their management implications remain unclear. This study aimed to assess whether dark septate endophytes (DSE) can shift the performance of Artemisia ordosica and associated soil microbial community under salt stress.Methods: We investigated the effects of three DSE (Alternaria chlamydosporigena [AC], Paraphoma chrysanthemicola [PC] and Bipolaris sorokiniana [BS]) isolated from desert habitats on plant morphology, physiology and rhizosphere soil microhabitat of Artemisia ordosica seedlings under different NaCl concentrations (0 %, 0.1 %, 0.2 %, and 0.3 %) in a growth chamber. Results: Three DSE strains could colonize the roots of A. ordosica, and the symbiotic response with host plants depended on DSE species and NaCl concentration. The greatest benefits associated with DSE occurred under 0.1 % NaCl. Specifically, AC improved root morphology, and increased total biomass and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity; PC increased root morphology, root biomass, and glutathione (GSH) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) contents; and BS promoted SOD activity and GSH and IAA contents. DSE reduced the root Na+ content. Interestingly, BS promoted gram-positive (G +) and gram-negative (G −) bacteria under 0.1 % NaCl and the abundance of AM fungi under 0.2 % and 0.3 % NaCl. PC positively affected fungi, AM fungi, G − bacteria and actinomycetes under 0.2 % and 0.3 % NaCl, while AC increased the abundance of all examined microbes under 0.3 % NaCl. A structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated that DSE not only positively affects A. ordosica performance but also directly or indirectly impacts soil microbes by regulating the soil organic carbon (SOC), available phosphorus (AP), and alkaline nitrogen (AN) content.Conclusions: DSE isolated from A. ordosica enhanced the root development of host plants and altered the soil nutrient content and soil microbiota under different NaCl concentrations, possibly contributing to plant growth and ecological adaptability under saline environment. These results contribute to the understanding of the ecological function of DSE in desert ecosystems and may be used to promote vegetation restoration in salinized desert areas.
Covid-19, desinformação e Facebook: circulação de URLs sobre a hidroxicloroquina em páginas e grupos públicos

Neste artigo, analisamos a circulação de URLs desinformativas no Facebook. Nosso estudo de caso é o uso da hidroxicloroquina como cura ou profilaxia para o Covid-19. Analisamos a presença de URLs em mais de 70 mil publicações de páginas e grupos públicos no Facebook. Utilizamos a Análise de Redes Sociais para mapear a circulação das URLs em redes de páginas e grupos e a Análise de Conteúdo para identificar as fontes das informações e a presença de desinformação. Nossos resultados mostram que (1) a circulação de URLs foi polarizada, tanto no contexto de páginas, quanto grupos;(2) o conteúdo desinformativo foi utilizado para reforçar uma narrativa pró-hidroxicloroquina;e (3) os grupos deram maior visibilidade a mídias hiperpartidárias e desinformação em comparação com as páginas, os grupos também registraram maior frequência no compartilhamento de URLs.
Access to Textbooks, Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Technology:Inadequacy and Inequality in California’s Public Schools

Oakes and Saunders address four questions: 1) Are textbooks and curriculum materials essential to students’ education in California? 2) Do all students have access to these resources? 3) Has the State failed to correct (or even contributed to) gaps or inequalities in access to instructional materials? 4) Are there policies the State could follow that would lead to better access? Drawing both on empirical research and the analysis of current state policy, Oakes and Saunders show that, although textbooks and instructional materials are fundamentally important to students’ education, many California students do not have access to them. At many schools, instructional materials inadequacies converge with problems in staffing and facilities. Schools serving low-income students, English language learners, and/or non-white student majorities are most plagued by inadequacies in instructional materials. Furthermore, by not mandating that students be provided with instructional materials, and by not investigating their availability through existing oversight mechanisms, the State has contributed to shortages and disparities in access. An analysis of other states’ policies, however, shows that the State could take measures that would insure students access to sufficient and appropriate textbooks and instructional materials.
Modelling Supercritical Phase Equilibria: Problems and Pitfalls

This article addresses some recurring difficulties and problems of computing phase equilibria involving supercritical fluid phases. These difficulties prevent a full automatization of thermodynamic calculations and require human interference. Examples are the wrong interpretation of experimental data, phase inversion phenomena, or overlooking phases. While none of these insights are knew, publications dealing with them are scattered and sometimes hard to obtain. This article gives a short overview over some of the most common difficulties and pitfalls.
Analytical and laboratory modelling of granular filters for embankment dams

University of Wollongong Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorise you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: This work is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this work may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of the author. Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. A court may impose penalties and award damages in relation to offences and infringements relating to copyright material. Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong.
Control in Power Electronics: selected problems

Part I: PWM Converters: Topologies and Control 1. Power Electronic Converters 2. Resonant dc Link Converters 3. Fundamentals of the Matrix Converter Technology 4. Pulse Width Modulation Techniques for Three-Phase Voltage Source Converters Part II: Motor Control 5. Control of PWM Inverter-Fed Induction Motors 6. Energy Optimal Control of Induction Motor Drives 7. Comparison of Torque Control Strategies Based on the Constant Power Loss Control System for PMSM 8. Modeling and Control of Synchronous Reluctance Machines 9. Direct Torque and Flux Control (DTFC) of ac Drives 10. Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic Control in Power Electronics Part III: Utilities Interface and Wind Turbine Systems 11. Control of Three-Phase PWM Rectifiers 12. Power Quality and Adjustable Speed Drives 13. Wind Turbine Systems Index
VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop Experimentation Plan

Abstract : Command team personnel aboard submarines are faced with unique Command and Control (C2) challenges imposed by the limitations of crew size and operating environment. Submarines are often described as operating blind with a high level of uncertainty which puts many constraints on the decision making capabilities of the command team (Hautamaki, Bagnall, & Small, 2005; Dominguez, Long, Miller, Wiggins 2006; Kirschenbaum & Arruda, 1994). Research on submarine command teams suggests a number of difficulties related to data uncertainty and assimilation, environmental uncertainty, as well as team related issues such as workload and communication (Hautamaki et al, 2005; Jones, Steed, Diedrich, Armbruster & Jackson, 2011). To better understand the specific challenges of the Canadian Forces VICTORIA Class submarines (VCS) command team, Defence Research Development Canada (DRDC) Atlantic Research Centre completed a number of Cognitive Work Analyses (CWA) - including a Work Organization Analysis, a Cognitive Transformations Analysis (CogTA) and a Strategies Analysis (Chalmers, 2010, 2011). These analyses revealed a number of C2 challenges related to the ease with which the Commanding Officer (CO) and Watch Leader (WL) were able to assimilate mission-relevant information to aid effective warfighting performance. These findings are in line with the cognitive difficulties identified by Dominguez et al (2006) who also found that the CO had difficulties assimilating information and managing the uncertainty inherent in submarine operations.