Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Feasibility Study to Determine the Economic and Operational Benefits of Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

This project explored the feasibility of using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) in Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) operations. The research team conducted 24 interviews with personnel in four GDOT divisions. Interviews focused on (1) the basic goals of the operators in each division, (2) their major decisions for accomplishing those goals, and (3) the information requirements for each decision. Following an interview validation process, a set of UAS design characteristics that fulfill user requirements of each previously identified division was developed. A “House of Quality” viewgraph was chosen to capture the relationships between GDOT tasks and potential UAS aiding those operations. As a result, five reference systems are proposed. The UAS was broken into three components: vehicle, control station, and system. This study introduces a variety of UAS applications in traffic management, transportation and construction disciplines related to DOTs, such as the ability to get real time, digital photographs/videos of traffic scenes, providing a "bird’s eye view" that was previously only available with the assistance of a manned aircraft, integrating aerial data into GDOT drawing software programs, and dealing with restricted or complicated access issues when terrain, area, or the investigated object make it difficult for GDOT personnel to conduct a task. The results of this study could lead to further research on design, development, and field-testing of UAVs for applications identified as beneficial to the Department.
Enterprise 2.0: New Collaborative Tools for Your Organization's Toughest Challenges

"Web 2.0" is the portion of the Internet that's interactively produced by many people; it includes Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, and prediction markets. In just a few years, Web 2.0 communities have demonstrated astonishing levels of innovation, knowledge accumulation, collaboration, and collective intelligence. Now, leading organizations are bringing the Web's novel tools and philosophies inside, creating Enterprise 2.0. In this book, Andrew McAfee shows how they're doing this, and why it's benefiting them. Enterprise 2.0 makes clear that the new technologies are good for much more than just socializing-when properly applied, they help businesses solve pressing problems, capture dispersed and fast-changing knowledge, highlight and leverage expertise, generate and refine ideas, and harness the wisdom of crowds. Most organizations, however, don't find it easy or natural to use these new tools initially. And executives see many possible pitfalls associated with them. Enterprise 2.0 explores these concerns, and shows how business leaders can overcome them. McAfee brings together case studies and examples with key concepts from economics, sociology, computer science, consumer psychology, and management studies and presents them all in a clear, accessible, and entertaining style. Enterprise 2.0 is a must-have resource for all C-suite executives seeking to make technology decisions that are simultaneously powerful, popular, and pragmatic.
Pockets of Potential : using mobile technologies to promote children's learning

Just as Sesame Street helped transform television into a revolutionary tool for learning among young children four decades ago, advances in mobile technologies are showing enormous untapped educational potential for todays generation. This report, undertaken by the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, draws on interviews with a cross-section of research, policy, and industry experts to illustrate how mobile technologies such as cell phones, iPod devices, and portable gaming platforms might be more widely used for learning. More than half of the worlds population now owns a cell phone and children under 12 constitute one of the fastest growing segments of mobile technology users in the U.S. Examining over 25 handheld learning products and research projects in the U.S. and abroad, the report highlights early evidence and examples of how mobile devices may help re-defi ne teaching and learning in the decade ahead. (http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/upload_kits/pockets_of_potential_1_.pdf)
Identifying and Quantifying Operational and Safety Performance Measures for Access Management: Micro-Simulation Results

This research report summarizes the activities of a research project intended to identify and quantify appropriate operational and safety performance measures that can be used for investigating access management treatments. Specifically, the research had three objectives: 1) assess the state-of-the-practice relative to performance measures that are applicable to access management and identify existing and/or new measures—particularly measures that can capture the safety benefits of access management treatments, 2) perform micro-simulation using the identified measures on two selected case study corridors and on three theoretical corridors to demonstrate the application of the measures, and 3) develop guidance for applying the performance measures for evaluating roadway improvements that include access management treatments (e.g., raised medians, driveway consolidation) and incorporating them into the transportation planning process. The research will be useful to practitioners as it identifies desirable input and output characteristics for individuals searching for a micro-simulation tool to use for assessing the impacts of access management. It also identifies surrogate safety measures related to time-to-collision (TTC), and incorporates them into a micro-simulation model (VISSIM) as a demonstration of how both safety and operational impacts might be investigated in the same software package. Generally, the results appear intuitive—particularly at lower volumes and for the theoretical corridors. The research report also discusses how the safety measures can be incorporated into the traditional transportation planning process. It also cautions that corridor improvements are very case specific and illustrates how micro-simulation, when calibrated appropriately to field conditions, provides a tool to estimate the effects of combined corridor characteristics. Finally, the research report concludes with future research needs that can enhance the state-of-the-practice in this area.
Laboratory investigation of scour around large structures in tidal waters

Large numbers of temporary structures (e.g. cofferdams) and permanent structures (e.g. caissons and bridge piers) are built in estuaries and tidal river reaches. Tidal flows can produce large depths of local scour around these structures. This can jeopardise their stability or otherwise require deeper and therefore more expensive sheet piling or local armouring of the bed. Considerable effort has in the past been directed towards the study of scour in unidirectional flows, but the important effects produced by tidal conditions have not previously been quantified. This paper describes a laboratory study carried out at HR Wallingford to investigate scour development around large obstructions under the influence of the following parameters: reversal of the flow direction, tidal cycle duration, water depth, shape of the obstruction and sediment size. The experimental facility used in the study was a 24m long flume fitted with an axial pump that allowed reversal of the flow direction. The test section was formed by a 4m long granular mobile bed where the model structures were placed. Preliminary tests were performed to measure scour development in unidirectional flows in order to allow later comparisons with tidal flow conditions. During the test programme the above flow parameters were varied to provide a wide range of conditions, and several typical shapes of structure were investigated: square, circular, rectangular and square with transverse sill. Tests were also carried out to determine the minimum requirements for the extent of protection (such as riprap) around structures. The paper presents the analysis carried out to determine the influence of the various factors on the equilibrium scour depths measured. Simple equations are given in the paper for the design of the extent of rock protection required around a structure. An outline is also given here of a method to relate the scaling law for the temporal movement of sediment with that of the water movement. By allowing the scaling of laboratory data to prototype values, the procedure will be applied to the development of design equations for predicting scour around large obstructions both in tidal and unidirectional flow conditions.
Structural Performance of Texas U-Beams at Prestress Transfer and Under Shear-Critical Loads

The Texas U-Beam standard designs were released in the 1990’s and have been used increasingly in bridges across the state since. While prototypes of the 54-in. deep prestressed concrete beam were built during the design phase, no full-scale load tests were performed. This study of the U-Beam had five goals: (1) determine the magnitude and location of stresses induced in reinforcing bars in the end region of the beam at prestress transfer; (2) measure concrete curing temperatures in square and skewed end blocks; (3) establish the vertical shear capacity of the standard section; (4) evaluate interaction between behavior at prestress transfer and performance under shear-critical loads; and (5) identify design and detailing improvements and make recommendations. Eight full-scale Texas U54 prestressed concrete beams were fabricated to achieve these goals. Load tests on the first four of these beams resulted in a failure along the bottom flange-to-web interface of the beam. These failures occurred at loads well below the calculated shear capacity. Given the horizontal sliding observed, the failure mode was called horizontal shear. The next two beams were fabricated to test three modifications to the end-region design, two of which were deemed successful. The final two beam sections tested contained the recommended new standard reinforcement and concrete geometry. A method to evaluate the horizontal shear demand on and capacity of the bottom flange-to-web interface of prestressed concrete beams was developed. The calculations were formulated using the theories of beam bending and shear friction. This method was calibrated and verified using the U-Beam test data and results of shear tests in the literature. This dissertation contains the specifics of the beams tested and the data collected, and provides the details of recommended changes to the Texas U-Beam standard drawings
A framework for achieving whole life value of healthcare facilities through briefing and optioneering

Since its inauguration in 1948, the National Health Service (NHS) has been providing “free at the point of delivery” healthcare to all UK citizens. However, lately, there has been unprecedented concern over the capability of most NHS hospitals to demonstrate best value in providing non-clinical service to NHS Trust customers. Demonstrating value is particularly important because of the current multi-billion pound expenditure towards modernising the healthcare service estate. Consequently, the present research aimed to respond to the need to demonstrate satisfactory Whole Life Value (WLV) delivery of healthcare facilities. This has been achieved by focusing on the improvement of front-end processes of construction briefing and optioneering, where most value can be embedded before progressing onto design and construction. The study reviewed extant literature in an attempt to construct a theoretical linkage between the three concepts of WLV, strategic briefing and optioneering. In addition, through a qualitative empirical study comprising interviews, workshops observations and a detailed case study, the same concepts were investigated within the context of NHS healthcare facilities. Key findings indicated that having a specific project strategy is vital to WLV delivery; and that selecting the right project and design options is dependent on first agreeing and clarifying a clinical service model/plan with clinicians. It was also found that improved construction briefing and optioneering involves adequately defining a customised whole life solution informed through purposeful communication and engagement with relevant stakeholders in contributing towards issues that directly affect how they use a healthcare facility. Another key finding was that WLV of healthcare facilities is defined through a whole life solution which is directly linked to its usefulness or utility value realisable by service users in achieving expected clinical outcomes over the facility’s design life. Therefore, through briefing and optioneering, a healthcare facility’s project strategy must be directly linked with specific needs and requirements (among other things) in order to reflect exactly what the stakeholders and end-users value in a healthcare built environment in the long term. These research findings were applied to inform the formulation of a better briefing and optioneering guidance framework applicable during project definition for satisfactory WLV delivery of healthcare schemes.
Auditory Efferent System; A Review on Anatomical Structure and Functional Bases

Background and Aim: In everyday life, auditory stimuli with different levels of intensity and various conditions from silence to the presence of competitive noise are presented. The auditory efferent system, which runs parallel to the auditory afferent one throughout the entire auditory pathway from the cortex to the cochlea, is involved in complex auditory processing such as speech recognition and auditory localization in noise. In this review, we have a focus on published researches about the structure and functions of the auditory efferent system. Findings: In the anatomic view, the auditory efferent system can include circular or serial chain paths at different levels. For evaluating the performance of this system in humans, the only accepted non-invasive method is the application of the OAE suppression test, which examines the specific cycle in the caudal part of the efferent system and provides no direct information about the performance of the rostral parts. Various studies have reported the probable role of auditory efferent pathways in many auditory processes and this system damage in hearing impairment such as tinnitus and central auditory processing disorder. Conclusion: Considering the anatomy and the various centers involved in the auditory efferent system, as well as the definitive and possible functions described around it, it seems that more studies require in this field. Based on the last published studies, the role of the auditory efferent system is prominent in hearing processing, especially in challenging and difficulty auditory conditions.
Language variation in Gulf Pidgin Arabic

The paper is a report of an investigation of factors influencing variation among expat speakers of Gulf Pidgin Arabic (GPA). Evidence from GPA indicates that the morpho-syntactic features of the pidgin speakers’ L1 have a very low impact on their choice of its variants. A significant relation between the subjects’ L1 and their GPA speech was only found in one feature, conjunction, out of six morho-syntactic features. Comparison between newcomers and long-term residents in the Gulf reveals that GPA speakers shift towards Gulf Arabic, the lexifier language in one feature only (conjunction). In the rest of the features, they either fossilise or shift towards a GPA norm.
Measurements and Simulations of Impedance Reduction Techniques in Particle Accelerators

Wakefields and the corresponding frequency-domain phenomenon beam coupling impedance have been well studied for a number of years as a source of beam instabilities within particle accelerators. With the development of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the large beam currents stored in the LHC during fills for physics production, wakefield driven instabilities and strong beam induced heating have become a limiting factors in luminosity production due to both instantaneous luminousity and the available time for collisions.In this thesis is presented an in depth study of the beam coupling impedance of two important (from an impedance and operational point of view) devices in the LHC; the collimation system and the injection kicker magnets (MKIs). These systems have both been sources of concern for the beam impedance of the LHC, the collimators due to their large transverse impedance and the MKIs due to the strong heating observed during the increased of beam current during operation in 2011 and 2012. The source of the heating for the MKIs is studied in depth, found to be power lost by the beam to wakefields in the MKIs. Simulations and measurements are used to characterise the impedance and localise the areas responsible for the high impedance, here the beam screen and ferrite yoke of the magnet; improvements are proposed to better screen the ferrite yoke and verified. A new RF damping system using ferrite for the collimation system is studied and compared to the existing RF damping system, focusing on the heating of the damping system. Highlights include a new method for measuring the quadrupolar and constant transverse impedances of an asymmetric structure using a coaxial wire technique is proposed and verified using computational simulations, and a study of the heat loss in a ferrite damped cavity, focusing on the location of the power loss for cavities being damped to varying degrees.
Effects of Oyster-Shell Meal on Improving Spring Chinese Cabbage Productivity and Soil Properties

Enormous amount of oyster-shell waste has been illegally disposed at oyster farm sites along the southern coast of Korea and then made a serious problem in environmental side. To increase the consumption of oyster shell meal as a soil amendment, the effects of oyster shell meal on soil properties and spring Chinese cabbage productivity were evaluated in silt loam soil to which 0, 4, 8, 12 and of oyster-shell meal fertilizer were added. Hydrated lime treatment () was selected as a control. Oyster-shell meal fertilizer, which made by a simple crushing and has high alkalinity as a calcium materials, had significant effects on neutralizing acid soil and on supplying calcium element. Spring Chinese cabbage yields increased with shell meal application. Plant uptakes of macro-nutrients such as P and C, and micro-nutrient such as B were significantly increased by oyster-shell meal application and then contributed to promote Chinese cabbage growth. The highest yield was achieved following the addition of shell meal application, and the same yield with that in lime treatment was at the . Oyster-shell meal had more substantial effect on suppling calcium and on improving soil pH than that of lime. In conclusion, oyster shell meal fertilizer could be a good supplement to other inorganic soil amendments to improve nutrient balances in upland soils.
EcoR : An Economic Incentive model for facilitating storage of materialized query results in Mobile-P2P environments

In mobile ad-hoc peer-to-peer (M-P2P) networks, challenges to efficient data management arise from rampant free-riding, resource constraints (e.g., energy, bandwidth, memory space) of mobile devices, and frequent network partitioning. We propose EcoR, an economic incentive model for facilitating storage of materialized query results in M-P2P environments. EcoR combats free-riding, optimizes energy and bandwidth consumption of the mobile peers, thereby facilitating network connectivity.
Pedestrian steering behaviour modelling within the built environment

Prediction of pedestrians’ steering behaviours within the built environments under normal and non-panic situations is useful for a wide range of applications, which include social science, psychology, architecture, and computer graphics. The main focus is on prediction of the pedestrian walking paths and the influences from the surrounding environment from the engineering point of view.
Nondestructive Testing of Flexible Pavements Field Testing Program Summary

An extensive nondestructive (NDT) flexible pavement testing program was conducted. Twenty four different pavement sections were subjected to NDT. Conventional granular base and stabilized base material sections were studied. NDT devices used were the Illinois Department of Transportation Road Rater 2000-8, the Benkelman Beam, and the Falling Weight Deflectometer. Subgrade soil and base material characterization and resilient moduli data were developed. A complete data summary is presented in various tables and figures. A procedure for characterizing the pavement surface deflection basin was developed. Correlations between the different devices were developed.
Comparison of Tramadol and Pethidine for Control of Shivering Following Central Neuraxial Blockade

Background: Central neuraxial blockade is associated with shivering in 40-60% of the patients. A popularly used drug to control shivering is pethidine. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of tramadol on shivering and compare it with the efficacy of pethidine. The study was also intended to compare the haemodynamics, complications and recurrence of shivering with the use of pethidine and tramadol. Subjects and Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted in Department of Anaesthesiology, Akash Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Devanahalli, Bengaluru. In this study, 80 consenting patients of either gender, aged between 20-60 years, in American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Grades 1, 2 and 3 according to ASA who experienced shivering during or immediately after elective surgeries under central neuraxial blockade (spinal, epidural and combined spinal and epidural) were randomized to receive either pethidine 1mg/kg or tramadol 1 mg/kg for control of shivering. The time interval for the onset of shivering after regional anaesthesia, onset of disappearance of shivering after drug administration, complete disappearance of shivering, hemodynamics, recurrence of shivering and complications were recorded. Results: There was no statistical difference in the onset of disappearance between the 2 groups (p=0.615). Time taken for complete disappearance of shivering after 5 minutes interval period was statistically more in Group T (17.5% vs 5% in Group P) with p= 0.154. Recurrence of shivering occurred more in the tramadol group as compared to pethidine group which was strongly significant statistically (27.5% vs 5.0%) with p=0.006. However the incidence of complications was higher with pethidine with a greater drop in mean blood pressure, increased indicators of respiratory depression, more sedation, greater nausea, vomiting and itching. Conclusion: The present study results may conclude that tramadol is an effective drug in the control of shivering with more stable hemodynamic and fewer side effects such as sedation, respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting and itching. However one must be prepared for a slight delay in the onset of its action and expect a recurrence of shivering which may require further therapy. Pethidine, with its equal efficacy may be advocated in patients allergic to tramadol and where sedation is desirable.