Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal pricing and complex analysis with carbon emission reduction preference in an apparel supply chain

In this paper, we study the supply chain competition models that consider consumers' low-carbon consumption preferences. By constructing the supply chain of manufacturers and retailers with different market positions, two game types, decentralized decision making and centralized decision making are proposed, and the static and dynamic game methods are combined respectively for research. Although research has found that centralized decision making is always better than decentralized decision making under the static game mode, when considering the long-term dynamic evolutionary game, the average profit of decentralized decision making may be better than the average profit of centralized decision making. Moreover, there are complex dynamic characteristics under dynamic games. In order to fully understand the nature of the dynamic game systems, we discussed the stability, local bifurcation, and global bifurcation of these dynamic systems. It is found that although dynamic game systems may lose stability with changes in parameters, they are better than static game results in some cases, this is beneficial to decision-makers and has practical management significance.
Modelling and measurement of ac loss in BSCCO/Ag-tape windings

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) transformers promise decreased weight and volume and higher efficiency. A 1 MVA HTS railway transformer was built and tested at Siemens AG. This paper deals with the prediction of ac loss in the BSCCO/Ag-tape windings. In a railway transformer the tape carries ac current in alternating field, the temperature differs from 77 K, tapes are stacked or cabled and overcurrents and higher harmonics occur. In ac-loss literature these issues are treated separately, if at all. We have developed a model that predicts the ac loss in sets of BSCCO/Ag-tape coils, and deals with the above-mentioned issues. The effect of higher harmonics on the loss in HTS tapes is considered for the first time. The paper gives a complete overview of the model equations and required input parameters. The model is validated over a wide range of the input parameters, using the measured critical current and ac loss of single tapes, single coils and sets of coils in the 1 MVA transformer. An accuracy of around 25% is achieved in all relevant cases. Presently the model is developed further, in order to describe other HTS materials and other types of applications.
Impact of TQM on company's performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of total quality management (TQM) implementation on different dimensions of company performance.Design/methodology/approach – The study investigates Canadian finalists (winners and certificates of merit) in the Total Quality category of the Canada Awards for Business Excellence. The data were collected either through in‐depth personal interviews or by mail/telephone using the questionnaire and then analyzed.Findings – The data analysis confirmed the hypothesized positive impact of TQM on all investigated dimensions of company performance, i.e. employee relations (improved employee participation and morale), operating procedures (improved products and services quality, process and productivity, and reduced errors/defects), customer satisfaction (reduced number of customer complaints), and financial results (increased profitability). Research limitations/implications – Small sample size limited the scope of statistical analysis. Also, the resul.
Selection of Dredging Projects for Maximizing Waterway System Performance

Budget allocation to annual maintenance dredging projects conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is addressed. Of the many projects requested, only a subset may be selected for funding because of budgetary constraints. The benefits of conducting maintenance dredging at one dredging project depend on other projects in the system that also are being dredged to take advantage of transportation efficiency gains derived from deeper navigable waterways. The proposed integer programming models and heuristic solution algorithms selected dredging projects for funding, while taking into account interdependent benefits. The models considered the waterway network topology, which was derived from flow data of historic waterborne cargo. The solution algorithms ensured efficient computational performance and quality of solutions. The models and algorithms were tested on example port systems from the Great Lakes region, as well as from mainline coastal ports and inland waterways. The models were shown to increase the amounts of system cargo throughput directly supported by dredging relative to traditional rank-order approaches that did not consider project interdependencies. This result was true especially for scenarios in which the overall budget was small relative to the total of all funding requests in question.
A comparative study for the concrete compressive strength estimation using neural network and neuro-fuzzy modelling approaches

In this paper, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and artificial neural network (ANN) model have been successfully used for the evaluation of relationships between concrete compressive strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) values using the experimental data obtained from many cores taken from different reinforced concrete structures having different ages and unknown ratios of concrete mixtures. A comparative study is made using the neural nets and neuro-fuzzy (NF) techniques. Statistic measures were used to evaluate the performance of the models. Comparing of the results, it is found that the proposed ANFIS architecture with Gaussian membership function is found to perform better than the multilayer feed-forward ANN learning by backpropagation algorithm. The final results show that especially the ANFIS modelling may constitute an efficient tool for prediction of the concrete compressive strength. Architectures of the ANFIS and neural network established in the current study perform sufficiently in the estimation of concrete compressive strength, and particularly ANFIS model estimates closely follow the desired values. Both ANFIS and ANN techniques can be used in conditions where too many structures are to be examined in a restricted time. The presented approaches enable to practically find concrete strengths in the existing reinforced concrete structures, whose records of concrete mixture ratios are not available or present. Thus, researchers can easily evaluate the compressive strength of concrete specimens using UPV and density values. These methods also contribute to a remarkable reduction in the computational time without any significant loss of accuracy. A comparison of the results clearly shows that particularly the NF approach can be used effectively to predict the compressive strength of concrete using UPV and density values. In addition, these model architectures can be used as a nondestructive procedure for health monitoring of structural elements.
Statistical dimensioning of insulators with respect to polluted conditions

Statistical methods for the dimensioning and specification of insulators with respect to pollution have formed the subject of many studies. However, such methods are not in widespread use due to its perceived complexity. A simple method is introduced for the dimensioning and verification of insulators with respect to polluted conditions, together with the detailed statistical method on which it was based. The statistical requirements for site assessment and the mathematical equations for the evaluation of flashover risk are presented. This basis is then used to obtain a simplified procedure to determine the minimum insulator flashover characteristic that will provide an adequate flashover performance. The selection of an appropriate test severity level for laboratory verification tests is discussed and equations are provided to calculate the test severity level from site severity measurements.
Structural analysis of 3D high-speed train–bridge interactions for simple train load models

Three-dimensional models are developed for analysing the dynamic interaction that occurs between high-speed trains and bridges. The reliability and accuracy of developed models are verified by comparing the results from analysing field tests on high-speed trains. A number of train load models are proposed and their performances are compared in order to identify possible models that would reduce the computational and modelling efforts while maintaining suitable accuracy. The results show that at least 16 cars out of a 20-car train should be modelled to achieve results that are comparable to those obtained using the highly detailed 20-car model. Regarding the simplified train load model, more accurate results are obtained employing the 3D moving vehicle model for power cars, the heaviest cars of a high-speed trainset, and a moving force model for other cars, power passenger cars, and passenger cars, compared with highly detailed 20-car model.
Active damage interrogation system for structural health monitoring

An integrated and automated smart structures approach for in situ damage assessment has been implemented and evaluated in a laboratory environment for health monitoring of a realistic aerospace structural component. This approach, called Active Damage Interrogation (ADI), utilizes an array of piezoelectric transducers attached to or embedded within the structure for both actuation and sensing. The ADI system, which is model independent, actively interrogates the structure through broadband excitation of multiple actuators across the desired frequency range. Statistical analysis of the changes in transfer functions between actuator/sensor pairs is used to detect, localize, and assess the severity of damage in the structure. This paper presents the overall concept of the ADI system and provides experimental results of damage assessment studies conducted for a composite structural component of the MD-900 Explorer helicopter rotor system. The potential advantages of this approach include simplicity (no need for a model), sensitivity, and low cost implementation. The results obtained thus far indicate considerably promise for integrated structural health monitoring of aerospace vehicles, leading to the practice of condition-based maintenance and consequent reduction in life cycle costs.
Modeling Pedestrian Walking Speeds on Sidewalks

Several models have been created over the years that are used in simulation packages to predict pedestrian speed and flow on sidewalks. However, the predictive power of these models has been weak. In this paper the results of a modeling exercise in the United Kingdom is reported. A number of video surveys of pedestrian movement on sidewalks, which are representative of different levels of service, have been made. These videos have been analyzed to yield data on pedestrian flows and speeds and a variety of other variables. From this data regression models have been constructed and the predictive performance of these models assessed and found to perform reasonably well. The value of the models to designers is then discussed.
Polyphosphate initiates tau aggregation through intra- and intermolecular scaffolding

The aggregation and deposition of tau is a hallmark of a class of neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. Despite intensive study, cellular and molecular factors that trigger tau aggregation are not well understood. Here we provide evidence for two mechanisms relevant to the initiation of tau aggregation in the presence of cytoplasmic polyphosphates (polyP): changes in the conformational ensemble of monomer tau and noncovalent cross-linking of multiple tau monomers. We identified conformational changes throughout full-length tau, most notably diminishment of long-range interactions between the termini coupled with compaction of the microtubule binding and proline rich regions. We found that while the proline rich and microtubule binding regions both contain polyP binding sites, the proline rich region is a requisite for compaction of the microtubule binding region upon binding. Additionally, both the magnitude of the conformational change and the aggregation of tau are dependent on the chain length of the polyP polymer. Longer polyP chains are more effective at intermolecular, noncovalent cross-linking of tau. These observations provide an understanding of the initial steps of tau aggregation through interaction with a physiologically relevant aggregation inducer.
Benefit Segmentation of Catalog Shoppers Among Professionals

A nationwide sample of professionals who use retail catalogs (n = 493) was segmented based on benefits sought. Using a cluster analysis, three distinct segments of catalog users were identified: Convenience Seekers, Product Seekers, and Inactive Shoppers. Full profiles of these benefit segments were developed based on personal (demographics and lifestyle) and situational (purchase for self vs. for others; gifts vs. non-gifts) variables. Convenience Seekers, who tended to use catalogs out of convenience, were more likely to be married professionals with highest levels of self-confidence and fashion-consciousness and to use clothing catalogs most frequently for both themselves and others. Product Seekers, who exhibited interest in product-related benefits (e.g., quality, variety, price, and ease of return), tended to be married professionals and most price-conscious. Inactive Shoppers, displaying the lowest importance level for all identified benefits, tended to be married male professionals with lowest levels of fashion-consciousness and self confidence and to use catalogs least frequently. Strategic implications for catalog retailers were drawn from the findings.
Supervisory control of a rapid thermal multiprocessor

An application of supervisory control theory to a piece of semiconductor manufacturing equipment is presented. The approach allows the flexible design and reliable update of processing recipes to accommodate frequently changing manufacturing requirements. An input-output interpretation of supervisory control theory is given. This interpretation leads to a generic implementation scheme for manufacturing systems. A synthesis fixpoint algorithm implementation using binary decision diagrams enables the design of supervisors of realistic size. A sample synthesis for an oxide growth recipe is performed on a state space of the order of 10/sup 6/ states. The actual implementation of the logic sequencing control software for the application under investigation is described. >
A development of a generalized frequency-domain transient program-FTP

The frequency-domain transient program (FTP) is based on a frequency-time transform method using nodal analysis, admittance parameters, and modal theories. Discontinuous and nonlinear elements are solved as initial condition problems using a piecewise linear approximation. The FTP is used to solve for the transient and steady states of a network composed of an arbitrary interconnection of basic circuit elements. The FTP is structured to be compatible with the Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP), so that the same input data and output formats can be used. The present version of the FTP can deal with a network with over a hundred nodes and branches. Comparisons of calculated results obtained with the FTP with results of field tests and calculations by the EMTP confirm the high accuracy and satisfactory efficiency of the FTP. The FTP offers the most accurate or theoretically exact solutions of transients on distributed-parameter lines. >
Executive Perceptions about the Effectiveness of HR

© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ert.21405 In 2012, a study was initiated to examine how senior leaders in organizations throughout North America perceive the effectiveness of human resources professionals. The overarching objective of the study was to identify the issues most responsible for creating conflict between executives and HR practitioners in an effort to improve the working relationship going forward. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach based on research conducted across three strategies of inquiry: (1) semistructured interviews, typically lasting between 60 to 90 minutes, with 18 corporate executives located throughout North America; (2) surveys of 171 HR professionals conducted in two separate groups; and (3) a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. At the conclusion of the interview process, HR professionals were subsequently asked to rank-order the issues identified by the executives as problematic, with an additional option to select “no issues create increased conflict. ” Two separate surveys were conducted with 171 HR professionals in August and September of 2012 with consistent results. Each group surveyed identified a lack of understanding of business fundamentals as creating the most conflict between executives and HR professionals (43 percent and 35 percent, respectively), followed closely by concerns that HR is too administratively oriented (22 percent and 32.5 percent), is slow to act or fails to respond at all (24 percent and 17.5 percent), and says “no” without suggesting alternative solutions (8 percent and 12.5 percent). Collectively, these survey results demonstrate that HR practitioners are aware of the perceptions of senior leaders about HR’s contributions and perceived weaknesses. On the positive side, executives view HR professionals as possessing considerable strength in four key areas: (1) education and training of the workforce; (2) mitigation of risk to the organization; (3) providing reliable basic HR services (e.g., compensation, benefits, and training); and (4) protecting the interests of both employees and management. The overall rating of the HR function, however, was not impressive. On a scale of 1 to 5 (with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst), the executives cumulatively rated the overall effectiveness of the HR function in their organizations at 3.66—roughly translating into perhaps a grade of C+ at best.
The Finite-Element Simulation of the Intra-Body Communication Used in Wireless Body Area Networks

The finite-element simulation of the intra-body communication used in wireless body area networks has been introduced. Firstly, a novel finite-element method for modeling the whole human body is proposed, while a FE model of the whole human body used for IBC simulation was developed. Secondly, the simulations of the galvanic coupling IBC with the different signal transmission paths were implemented. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method was verified by using the in vivo measurements. Our results indicate that the proposed method will offer the significant advantages in theoretical analysis and the application of the intra-body communication used in wireless body area networks.
Impact of Secondary Flow on the Accuracy of Simplified Design Methods for Steam Turbine Stages

The subject of the presented paper is the validation of a design method for HP and IP steam turbine stages. Common design processes have been operating with simplified design methods in order to quickly obtain feasible stage designs. Therefore, inaccuracies due to assumptions in the underlying methods have to be accepted. The focus of this work is to quantify the inaccuracy of a simplified design method compared to 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations.Short computing time is very convenient in preliminary design; therefore, common design methods work with a large degree of simplification. The origin of the presented analysis is a mean line design process, dealing with repeating stage conditions. Two features of the preliminary design are the stage efficiency, based on loss correlations, and the mechanical strength, obtained by using the beam theory. Due to these simplifications, only a few input parameters are necessary to define the primal stage geometry and hence, the optimal design can easily be found. In addition, by using an implemented law to take the radial equilibrium into account, the appropriate twist of the blading can be defined.However, in comparison to the real radial distribution of flow angles, this method implies inaccuracies, especially in regions of secondary flow. In these regions, twisted blades, developed by using the simplified radial equilibrium, will be exposed to a three-dimensional flow, which is not considered in the design process. The analyzed design cases show that discrepancies at the hub and shroud section do exist, but have minor effects. Even the shroud section, with its thinner leading-edge, is not vulnerable to these unanticipated flow angles.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Evaluation of reinforcement learning for optimal control of building active and passive thermal storage inventory

This paper describes an investigation of machine learning for supervisory control of active and passive thermal storage capacity in buildings. Previous studies show that the utilization of active or passive thermal storage, or both, can yield significant peak cooling load reduction and associated electrical demand and operational cost savings. In this study, a model-free learning control is investigated for the operation of electrically driven chilled water systems in heavy-mass commercial buildings. The reinforcement learning controller learns to operate the building and cooling plant based on the reinforcement feedback (monetary cost of each action, in this study) it receives for past control actions. The learning agent interacts with its environment by commanding the global zone temperature setpoints and thermal energy storage charging/discharging rate. The controller extracts information about the environment based solely on the reinforcement signal; the controller does not contain a predictive or system model. Over time and by exploring the environment, the reinforcement learning controller establishes a statistical summary of plant operation, which is continuously updated as operation continues. The present analysis shows that learning control is a feasible methodology to find a near-optimal control strategy for exploiting the active and passive building thermal storage capacity, and also shows that the learning performance is affected by the dimensionality of the action and state space, the learning rate and several other factors. It is found that it takes a long time to learn control strategies for tasks associated with large state and action spaces.
Silicon photonics: the early years

The purpose of this paper is to set the scene for what promises to be an outstanding conference. To this end the paper will survey the early work in silicon photonics from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s. This was when the more fundamental studies of basic building blocks were carried out, such as study of the silicon optical waveguide itself, the contributions to loss and improvement of waveguiding devices. Issues such as how to achieve modulation, and how to implement a modulator, the criteria for single mode propagation will also be covered, as well as work on the beginnings of optical circuits in silicon and SOI. The focus will be upon pure silicon, usually, but not exclusively in the form of Silicon on Insulator (SOI), as opposed to work on compounds such as SiGe or SiC. Much of this work still resonates with work being carried out today, because the move to smaller and more efficient devices means that some of these issues must be revisited in order to achieve optimal device performance. Hence the paper will provide a summary of the early work on silicon photonics, and attempt to relate it to some of the issues being studied today.