Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thin Whitetopping—the Colorado Experience

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) started experimenting with thin whitetopping (TWT) in the 1990s. CDOT has constructed many successful TWT projects and has conducted several studies to develop design and construction guidelines for TWT. One of these studies, co-funded under the Concrete Pavement Technology Program (CPTP), which operates in the Federal Highway Administration's Infrastructure Office of Pavement Technology, resulted in a mechanistic-based design procedure for TWT. This TechBrief provides details of CDOT's experience with TWT.
Effects of quorum quenching on temporal succession of activated sludge microbial community in a membrane bioreactor

Quorum quenching (QQ) is an attractive strategy for mitigating biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs). However, the effects of QQ on the activated sludge (AS) process have not been adequately evaluated. This study investigated the long‐term effects of QQ on a laboratory‐scale anoxic–oxic MBR, focusing on AS performance and microbial community.
Determinants of maximal dose titration of sacubitril/valsartan in clinical practice

Abstract Background Little information is available about the tolerability of uptitration to the maximal dose of sacubitril/valsartan and the predictors and clinical correlates of achieving such a dose. Methods All consecutive heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who received sacubitril/valsartan for a class-IB indication in a tertiary heart failure clinic were retrospectively analysed. Predictors of maximal uptitration including associated changes in clinical parameters were assessed in patients with at least 1 follow-up. Results A total of 401 HFrEF-patients received sacubitril/valsartan. Uptitration was possible in 41% and up to 32% of patients tolerated the maximal dose of sacubitril/valsartan. Younger age (HR = 0.862; CI = 0.751–0.989), higher systolic-blood-pressure (HR = 1.077; CI = 1.014–1.137), lower serum creatinine (HR = 0.064; CI = 0.005–0.822), and higher previous dose of renin-angiotensin-system-inhibitors (RASi [HR = 1.065; CI = 1.016–1.115]) independently predicted a higher odds of tolerating a maximal dose of sacubitril/valsartan. Patients who were seen more frequently in a structured heart failure clinic were also more likely to receive a maximal dose (p = .038). Patient assigned to the maximal dose, were more often able to reduce their loop diuretic dose (p = .001) and more often had an increase in serum creatinine (p = .011), without a higher risk for hyperkalemia (p = .524). An improvement in New York Heart Association class and the rate of heart failure hospitalisations was observed in all patients, independent of the sacubitril/valsartan dose. Conclusion Uptitration to the maximal dose of sacubitril/valsartan is possible in up to 32% of real-world HFrEF-patients in our cohort, which relates to both patient characteristics’ as well as heart failure care-related factors.
Evaluation and assessment of the knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacy students with respect to pharmacovigilance in a Saudi pharmacy school: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacovigilance is an important part of the health care system as it helps in the detection, assessment, reporting and prevention of Adverse Drug Reactions. Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reaction plays a vital role in the success of Pharmacovigilance programs and pharmacy students are supposed to acquire sufficient knowledge and necessary skills required for practicing pharmacovigilance under different clinical settings. Hence, this study was carried out in the students of College of Pharmacy of a University in the Southern Province of Saudi Arabia to assess the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of undergraduate Pharmacy students towards Pharmacovigilance. METHODS: A quantitative, prospective, cross-sectional online survey was carried out using a validated, self-administered questionnaire constituting 4 domains i.e. Demographics, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pharmacovigilance among the pharmacy students of King Khalid University. RESULTS: The questionnaire was administered to 360 students out of which 329 responded (response rate of 91.3 %). The mean score of Level 7,8,9,10 and intern students for Knowledge was (3.03,5.37, 6.38, 6.19,6.42), Attitude (5.28,4.16, 5.62, 5.01, 5.29), and Practice (2.99, 3.25, 3.04, 3.43, 3.13) respectively. In addition, the findings indicated a significant difference in the mean score among different level of students for knowledge and attitude with a p-value of <0.0001, and 0.0002 respectively. The practice mean score showed there was no much significance among different level of students (p-value = 0.4108) CONCLUSION: Our research findings revealed that the pharmacy students of the focused university have adequate knowledge and positive attitude towards adverse drug reaction. However, there is a dire need to understand and address concerns regarding real time practice patterns prevalent among Health Care Providers about pharmacovigilance under different clinical settings. Keywords: Pharmacovigilance, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Pharmacy students
Vocabulary Learning Strategies: The Case of English for Business and Financial Reporting

Among the essential challenges faced by students in foreign language learning processes is vocabulary learning. Lexical competence has been acknowledged as critical to the use of language in which the students’ inadequate knowledge of the vocabulary causes problems in learning a second language. Therefore, learners require being educated with vocabulary in learning strategies when learning a second language. Contemporary research has not scrutinised to the fullest the categories of strategies of vocabulary learning used by learners who are majoring in Accounting. The main objective of this research was to understand how students use vocabulary learning strategies. For that, we adopted a qualitative approach, based on open-ended individual interviews with fifteen learners. The strategies that were concluded include the monolingual and bilingual dictionary use, usage of several media of English language, learning a word by specific texts, and application of new words in everyday conversation, interrelated to memory, strategies of metacognitive, and determination. These are common strategies and have keenly been used by students.
COVID-19 Fear Association with Ukrainian “Help Profession” Student Mental Health, Substance Use, and Resilience

This letter to the editor responds to the recently published paper in the Journal of Loss and Trauma about COVID-19 ’ s impact on Russian university student fear, mental health, and substance use (Isralowitz et al., 2021). We replicated the survey to examine Ukrainian medical, psychology, and social work students in May 2021. The country was at that time, and remains, in a third wave of COVID-19 infection including the delta variant.
EVALUATION OF THE CONVERGING CHEVRON PAVEMENT MARKING PATTERN AT ONE WISCONSIN LOCATION

This paper describes an evaluation of converging chevron pavement markings in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The chevron markings are designed to reduce exit ramp speeds by creating the illusion that the vehicle is speeding and the road is narrowing. A test ramp was chosen based on traffic volumes and roadway geometry and because the ramp had a history of large-truck rollovers. Speed information was provided by four permanent loop detectors, including two in a nearby comparison ramp. Speed and crash impact data were compared for the test and comparison ramps both before and after the chevron installation. Given the relatively short time frame and the small number of crashes, statistically robust crash analyses were not possible. The installation of chevron patterns did appear to result in large speed reductions on the test ramp. Speeds were found to be lower in the "after" period during all hours on both weekdays and weekends. No adverse effects were identified from the installation of the chevron markings. Limitations of the study are discussed. Because of several methodological hurdles, it is recommended that more research is needed to definitively evaluate the effect of chevron markings on speed and crashes.
ASSESSING HEAVY VEHICLE SUSPENSIONS FOR ROAD WEAR

This report describes a substantial research project to determine procedures for assessing the road-friendliness of heavy vehicle suspensions. The aim was to develop a procedure for replicating the on-road dynamic wheel forces generated by a suspension in the laboratory on a simple two-post servohydraulic shaker facility. The first series of tests were undertaken on a test vehicle fitted with steel suspension. Dynamic wheel forces were measured during a set of road trials. These were followed by a set of shaker trials, which aimed to match the on-road suspension dynamics. The vehicle was modified and fitted with air suspension and the testing repeated. With appropriate modifications to the shaker control software and the vehicle support rig a reliable and reasonably fast method for replicating the suspension dynamics in the laboratory was developed. Additional shaker trials were undertaken on the loading vehicle from the Canterbury Accelerated Pavement Testing Indoor Facility (CAPTIF). Simple linear computer simulation models were developed and used to refine the testing procedure. In the first instance a tuned model was used to calculate the required shaker excitations directly from the road profiles. This eliminates the need for a road test to provide the input data for the shakers. The second use of the linear models was to develop testing strategies that minimise the effect of other vehicle parameters on the suspension's response. In this way a vehicle independent suspension rating could be obtained. The findings of this study were then combined with those of other researchers to present a set of recommendations for suspension assessment procedures. (a)
CROSS FRAME DIAPHRAGM FATIGUE AND LOAD DISTRIBUTION BEHAVIOR IN STEEL HIGHWAY BRIDGES

An investigation into the behavior of cross frame diaphragms in steel highway bridges was conducted. The investigation involved both field testing of three bridges as well as analytical studies using finite element analysis. Diaphragms were removed from the structure and less than half replaced by a new diaphragm design. The remaining diaphragms were permanently removed from the structure. The removal of the diaphragms provided a unique opportunity to study the effects of diaphragms on the load distribution characteristics of the structure. Strain measurements, under controlled loading conditions, were obtained with diaphragms and with the new diaphragm arrangement in place. Combined with the previous measurements for the as-built condition, a direct comparison was made. The research team found that the girder flange stresses doubled when the diaphragms were removed. With the new diaphragm pattern, the increase in stresses was limited to 20%. The increase without the diaphragms was still significant below the stress levels predicted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design methods. Two additional bridges were instrumented in their as-built condition and the data were compared with the results obtained from the finite element analysis. This allowed for the prediction in the change of load distribution due to diaphragm removal or modification. Researchers developed a method to predict diaphragm member forces under vehicle live load for both the strength and fatigue limit states. Other types of fatigue damage in steel highway bridges were studied and generalized repair procedures are provided.
Roll Motion of a Ship in Random Beam Waves: Comparison Between Theory and Experiment

The results of an experimental study of a ship rolling in random beam waves at zero speed are presented. The experiments were conducted in a large wave tank using a 1:20 scale model of the fisheries protection vessel Sulisker. By digitally processing the roll response measurements, obtained over long periods of time, estimates of the probability distribution of the roll peak amplitudes were obtained and compared with some corresponding theoretical predictions. The theory was found to give good agreement with the experimental findings for four different wave elevation spectra. In particular, the experimentally observed deviation from the Rayleigh distribution at high peak amplitudes was correctly predicted by the theory. This deviation is largely due to the pronounced nonlinear character of the roll damping.
Running for Women

As best-selling author John Gray pointed out, men are from Mars and women are from Venus. There are obvious differences between women and men in anatomy, physiology, hormones, and metabolism. So why do most running books take a one-size-fits-all approach to training? Finally, here's one that doesn't. Running for Women provides comprehensive information on training female runners based on their cardiovascular, hormonal, metabolic, muscular, and anatomical characteristics. In this authoritative guide, authors Jason Karp and Carolyn Smith answer the questions and tackle the topics women need to know: • The impact of the menstrual cycle on hydration, body temperature, metabolism, and muscle function • The most effective workouts for endurance, speed and strength, lactate threshold, and VO2max • How and when to train during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause • Preventing knee injuries, stress fractures, and other common running-related injuries • Avoiding the risks of the female athlete triad disordered eating, osteoporosis, and menstrual irregularities • How to use sex differences to your advantage Based on the latest research on estrogen, metabolism, and other sex-specific performance factors, Running for Women will change the way you fuel, train, and compete. If you are serious about running, this is one guide you must own.
Population‐level effects of parasitism on a freshwater ecosystem engineer, the unionid mussel
 Anodonta anatina

1. Parasites can negatively affect hosts at individual, population, and species- level scales. However, the link between individual- and population- level impacts is often poorly understood. In particular, the population- level response to parasitism may alter wider ecosystem dynamics if animals with ecosystem engineering capabilities are infected. 2. Here, we examine the effects of parasitism on a freshwater ecosystem engineer, the unionid mussel Anodonta anatina , at two different sites. We study three common parasites: the digenean trematode Rhipidocotyle campanula ; the unionicolid mite Unionicola intermedia ; and the ectoparasitic invasive zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha . As well as demonstrating the individual- level effects of parasitism on the native host mussel, we construct a simple model to estimate the reduction in population- level reproductive output caused by parasites. 3. We show that both infection prevalence and intensity were population- specific, with one site having more than three times as many native mussels infected by trematodes and mites
Improvements to the Fire Performance of Light Gauge Steel Floor Systems

Light gauge steel frame (LSF) structures are increasingly used in commercial and residential buildings because of their non-combustibility, dimensional stability and ease of installation. A common application is in floor-ceiling systems. The LSF floor-ceiling systems must be designed to serve as fire compartment boundaries and provide adequate fire resistance. Fire-rated floor-ceiling assemblies have been increasingly used in buildings. However, limited research has been undertaken in the past and hence a thorough understanding of their fire resistance behaviour is not available. Recently a new composite floor-ceiling system has been developed to provide higher fire rating. But its increased fire rating could not be determined using the currently available design methods. Therefore a research project was conducted to investigate its structural and fire resistance behaviour under standard fire conditions. This paper presents the results of full scale experimental investigations into the structural and fire behaviour of the new LSF floor system protected by the composite ceiling unit. Both the conventional and the new floor systems were tested under structural and fire loads. It demonstrates the improvements provided by the new composite panel system in comparison to conventional floor systems. Numerical studies were also undertaken using the finite element program ABAQUS. Measured temperature profiles of floors were used in the numerical analyses and their results were compared with fire test results. Tests and numerical studies provided a good understanding of the fire behaviour of the LSF floor-ceiling systems and confirmed the superior performance of the new composite system.
Numerical Evaluation of Acoustic Green's Functions

The reduction of noise generated by new and existing engineering products is of increasing importance commercially, socially and environmentally. Commercially, the noise emission of vehicles, such as cars and aircraft, may often be considered a selling point and the effects of noise pollution on human health and the environment has led to legislation restricting the noise emissions of many engineering products. Noise prediction schemes are important tools to help us understand and develop a means of controlling noise. Acoustic problems present numerous challenges to traditional CFD-type numerical methods rendering all but the most trivial problems unsuitable. Difficulties relate to the length scale discrepancies which arise due to the relatively tiny pressure and density fluctuations of an acoustic wave propagating over large distancesto the point of interest; the result being large computational domains to capture wave behaviour accurately between source and observer. Noise prediction may be performed using a hybrid Computational Aero-Acoustics (CAA) scheme, an approach to noise prediction which alleviates many issues associated with exclusively numerical or analytical approaches. Hybrid schemes often rely on knowledge of a Green? s function, representing the scattering of the geometry, to propagate source fluctuations to the far-field. Presently, these functions only exist in analytical form for relatively simple geometries. This research develops principles for the robust calculation of Green? s functions for general situations. In order to achieve this, three techniques to computeGreen? s functions for the Helmholtz equation within an extended class of 2D geometries are developed, evaluated and compared. Where appropriate, their extension to 3D is described. Guidance is provided on the selection of a suitable numerical method in practice given knowledge of the geometry of interest. Through inclusion of the numerical methods for the construction of Green? s functions presented here, the applicability of existing hybrid schemes will be significantly extended. Thus, it is expected that noise predictions may be performed on a more general range of geometries while exploiting the computational efficiency of hybrid prediction schemes.
INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

An attempt is made in this paper to review the evolution of computer-based information systems in logistics management and to speculate on the direction that will be taken by future systems. Only information systems of manufacturers and distributors are covered, and examples are used to highlight this evolution. The information systems discussed here, which support all aspects of total logistics management, are grouped into 4 broad categories. The paper starts with a review of (1) the areas in which computers have been applied in logistics, and (2) a synopsis of developments in computer-based information processing technology covering the last 30 years. The rest of the paper discusses the 4 categories of information systems development and their integration. The topics covered include batch processing, real-time systems, data bases and query/retrieval languages, electronic data interchange, and microcomputers. The paper discusses the processing of data to provide work schedules up to a week into the future: inventory replenishment, production sequencing, warehouse order picking, vehicle routing, and shipment consolidation. The flow planning systems are also discussed including forecasting, allocation, and time-phased flow schedule. Network planning and design is discussed with reference to location of facilities, and the modeling techniques that have been developed including simulation methods and optimizing models.
Managing Selected Transportation Assets: Signals, Lighting, Signs, Pavement Markings, Culverts, and Sidewalks

This synthesis was designed to gain a better understanding of the state of the practice for managing transportation infrastructure assets other than pavements and bridges, identify best practices, and document gaps in knowledge and areas for further study. It examines key aspects of asset management related to selected infrastructure assets (traffic signals, lighting, signs, pavement lane striping and other markings, drainage culverts and pipes, and sidewalks), including primary sources of technical guidance for management; basic approaches to budgeting for and conducting preservation, operation, and maintenance; organizational responsibilities for ongoing maintenance; measurement of asset condition and performance, including methods and frequencies of data collection; estimates of service lives (or deterioration models) for key components of the selected assets, accounting for the different materials used; information technology capabilities available to help agencies manage these selected assets; and perceptions of the transportation objectives that are served by maintaining selected assets in good condition. Information for the study was acquired through a review of U.S. and international literature and by a survey of state, provincial, county, and city transportation agencies in the United State and Canada. Follow-up communications with selected survey respondents provided additional information.
Low-Subsonic-Speed Static Stability of Right-Triangular-Pyramid and Half-Cone Lifting Reentry Configurations

An investigation has been made to determine the low-subsonic-speed static stability characteristics of several right-triangular-pyramid and half-cone configurations. Also studied were the effects of various modifications, such as base extensions, nose shape, nose incidence, and ridge-line shape. The investigation showed that, in general, the models had satisfactory longitudinal and lateral stability. The basic pyramid model and the conical ridge-line model with or without a rounded nose had almost identical longitudinal and lateral stability characteristics and lift-drag ratios. The lift-drag ratios of the cylindrical ridge-line and half-cone models were considerably lower than those of the conical ridge-line model. The addition of a 20 degree boattail to the models increased the lift-drag ratios but decreased the directional stability, whereas a streamwise base extension was more effective in increasing the lift-drag ratios and increased the directional stability.