Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wideband Circularly Polarized End-Fire Antenna Based on Counter-Wound Normal-Mode Helix

This paper presents a wideband circularly polarized (CP) end-fire antenna based on a compact normal-mode helix. The counter-wound helix element is employed to achieve good omnidirectional CP radiation and is further extended into an array configuration in a log-periodic fashion. It operates at the 3λ/2 mode and is differentially fed by a double-sided parallel strip line. A wideband balun is employed to feed the whole array. For experimental verification, the helices and the balun are fabricated using the selective laser melting (SLM) and printed circuit board (PCB) techniques, respectively. Measured results agree well with simulated ones, with a wide impedance bandwidth of 50% and an axial ratio (AR) bandwidth of 46% being obtained. In addition, the proposed structure is very compact, with the dimensions of only 2. 24λ0 × 0. 11λ0 × 0. 53λ0 at the lowest operating frequency. The proposed antenna successfully demonstrates that the omnidirectional normal-mode helix element has great potential for achieving wideband unidirectional CP radiation.
Dynamic modelling of a combined cycle plant for power system stability studies

This paper presents a mathematical representation of a combined cycle plant that is suitable for use in power system stability studies. The model incorporates gas turbine, heat recovery steam generator and steam turbine and includes speed control, temperature control and inlet guide vane control. A PID controller is designed for the governor-gas turbine system to improve system dynamic performance. The proposed combined cycle plant model and its controls are tested on a simple two-area power system. The performance of the combined cycle plant is investigated following system disturbances.
Multi-Criteria Analysis of the “Lake Baikal—Irkutsk Reservoir” Operating Modes in a Changing Climate: Reliability, Resilience, Vulnerability

In the second half of the twentieth century, a cascade of reservoirs was constructed along the Angara: Irkutskoe, Bratskoe, Ust-Ilimskoe and Boguchanskoe, which were intended for producing renewable hydroelectric energy for providing transportation through the Angara and Yenisei Rivers, and for avoiding floods. The upper reservoir (Irkutsk Dam) is used to regulate the level of Baikal Lake. The cascade of Angarsk reservoirs is managed using the dispatch schedules developed in 1988. This article contains a multi-criteria analysis of the “Lake Baikal–Irkutsk Reservoir” operating modes in a changing climate, based on statistical summaries of performance criteria: reliability, resilience, vulnerability. Studies have shown that dispatch schedules need to be developed on the historical series of recent years, updated more often and optimization methods should be used for real-time management. This article discusses mathematical methods, algorithms and their implementations for the formation of reservoir operation modes based on dispatch schedules (DS) and optimization methods. Furthermore, mathematical methods, algorithms and programs have been developed for the formation of reservoir operation modes in real time, based on optimization approaches and long-term series of observed inflows, taking into account a given hierarchy of priorities of water users’ requirements. To solve the integer nonlinear large-dimensional task of performing water resource calculations, a special optimization algorithm was developed that allows decomposition of the task into a series of two-year dimensional independent subtasks.
The return of the state and the pink tide in Latin America: Implications for the capacity and democratic quality of gender equality agencies

Implicaciones Abstract : The “pink tide” or turn to the left that altered the Latin American political landscape brought promises to promote equality, social justice, and new forms of demo- cratic participation on the one hand, and stronger and more centralized states, with greater capacity to intervene and regulate the economy and society on the other hand. This paper examines if and how these promises affected women’s policy machinery in four countries in the region. Now that the pink tide era is fading and the region is facing an increase in conservative and anti-gender movements, it is important to know if state- society architectures changed in any substantial way to provide some level of protection or resilience against backsliding. Keywords Gender Equality Women’s Policy Agencies Argentina La “marea político promesas la justicia formas participación
Forecasting the impact of epidemic outbreaks on the supply chain: modelling asymptomatic cases of the COVID-19 pandemic

An epidemic outbreak largely disrupts supply chains (SCs) worldwide through plummeting business confidence, especially when it becomes a pandemic; its unpredictable re-emergence and spreadability may lead to inappropriate decision-making, in turn causing severe economic shocks. In March 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak attained a pandemic level, and many millions of cases were confirmed globally. Many countries reported an increasing number of active cases and formulated long-term lockdown guidelines, which resulted in an unexpected disruption of SCs. A key challenge in this scenario is that the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases does not necessarily reflect the already infected or asymptomatic cases. It is thus critical to understand the impact of asymptomatic carriers on the SC, as they may be the key driver of the novel virus spread, disrupting long-term SCs. This paper generalised the susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (S-E-I-R) approach to create a mathematical model for which the impact of a proposed asymptomatic situation on the SC is evaluated through the basic reproduction number (R0), considered the main driver of SC disruption and the equilibrium status of infection over time. This paper presents an action plan for reducing disruption in the SC based on the R0 of the model. Overall, the current study as validated through a case study suggests that the asymptomatic-situation-based model is more convenient for critically understanding as well as forecasting the outbreak’s impact on SCs. This study also highlights different perspectives of SCs for managing such types of pandemics using modelling approaches.
Development of Reading Comprehension in Bilingual and Monolingual Children—Effects of Language Exposure

The current study aimed at investigating the performance of bilingual children with English as an additional language (EAL) on language and literacy measures compared to monolinguals across the first four years of primary school in the U.K. Moreover, it addressed whether bilinguals and monolinguals’ performance on reading comprehension was consistent with the Simple View of Reading. An additional area of interest was to examine the extent to which use of and exposure to both heritage and majority language affected the development of the children’s reading comprehension in both of their spoken languages. A total of forty bilingual and forty monolingual children were assessed in oral language skills and decoding in Year 1 and Year 3 in primary school. After one school year, they were assessed in oral language skills, decoding, and reading comprehension in Year 2 and Year 4. The results showed that the bilinguals performed better than the monolinguals in decoding in all years, suggesting that exposure to a first language with transparent orthography (Greek) may benefit the development of word reading skills. However, the bilinguals scored lower in oral language skills and reading comprehension than their monolingual peers. This finding underlined the significant role of oral language skills in the development of bilinguals’ reading comprehension. Both oral language skills and decoding contributed to reading comprehension in bilinguals but the effects of oral language skills on reading comprehension were stronger than the effects of decoding. Finally, we found that language use of the minority language outside the home could significantly predict reading comprehension in the minority language, underlining the importance of language exposure through complementary schools and other activities outside the home to the maintenance and development of the heritage language.
Working capital management and business performance: evidence from Latin American companies

Abstract Working capital management is one of the most important decisions that affect an organisation’s financial performance. Despite the importance of this topic, the empirical evidence for emerging economies is scarce; therefore, this research attempts to estimate and compare how investment in working capital impacts the financial performance of companies listed on the stock exchanges in Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Brazil for the years 2000 to 2018. This study uses panel data methodology, and the results show the existence of a positive and significant but non-linear relationship between investments in working capital and firm performance. However, there are mixed results for different countries and industries that could be explained by macroeconomic variables that favour access to financing for such investments. Furthermore, the results show that investments in working capital perform better for larger companies than smaller companies.
Potential ways to address antimicrobial resistance across India and wider exacerbated by COVID-19

ising rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are a concern across all countries as AMR increases morbidity, mortality and costs (Cassini et al ., 2019, Founou et al ., 2017, Godman et al ., 2021a, Haque and Godman, 2021a, Hofer, 2019, Shrestha et al ., 2018, Swaminathan et al ., 2017). The World Bank in 2017 believed even in a low-AMR scenario, the loss on output as a result of AMR across the world could exceed US$1 trillion annually after 2030 unless addressed, which is equivalent to 3.8% of annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (World Bank, 2017). In addition, the overall costs of AMR appreciably exceed those of any of the antibiotics prescribed or dispensed (Shrestha et al ., 2018). It is also estimated that in India there will be more than two million deaths a year due to AMR by 2050 unless the factors causing AMR, including excessive and inappropriate use of antibiotics, are addressed (Chandra et al ., 2020).
Agency Costs of Debt in Conglomerate Firms

I exploit the introduction of a segment reporting reform to investigate the economic effect of the agency costs of debt in conglomerate firms. Firms reported as single-segment before the reform and as conglomerates after the reform suffer a 12% increase in the bond spreads, compared to the standalone firms. The treatment effect is concentrated on firms with high volatility of the (newly revealed) segments' cash-flow, consistent with the presence of contagion costs and underinvestment problems as theorized in Myers (1977). I disentangle among coinsurance and agency costs in times of growing markets, when coinsurance is less valuable to investors.
Capacitance of a circular symmetric model of a via hole including finite ground plane thickness

The capacitance of a simplified model of a via hole is calculated based on an integral equation approach for the surface charge density. The formulation of the problem is based on an integral equation for the surface charges combined with an analytical solution at the ground plane opening. The finite ground plane thickness is explicitly taken into account. Numerical data are obtained for a large range of realistic geometrical data. The relative importance of the contribution to the total capacitance coming from the ground plane opening is explicitly evaluated. It is found that the via capacitance is proportional to the square root of its height, at least for the range of geometrical data considered. >
Étude des propriétés physiques de différents sédiments très fins et de leur comportement sous des actions hydrodynamiques

A comparative study of the physical properties of pelitic sediment of the mud, silt or sludge type and of its behaviour under hydrodynamic action shows that in spite of the complexity of the phenomena involved, there are a certain number of simple relationships betwen the various representative parameters for soil-water complexes. The mineralogical, chemical and grain size characteristics of element particles must be known in establishing the origin of a deposit and making assumptions about the conditions under which it settled out at a given point. Such data can be confirmed by the detection of natural tracers in certain oligo-elements found in sediment, and by modern radioactive tracer techniques. In order to be able to define the dynamics of this very fine sediment in its natural water medium, however, it is necessary to estabIish precisely a certain number of basic physical properties. Laboratory research for various French and foreign government departments and private firms tends to show that the following are the three basic properties involved: (i) Flocculation of suspensions, and hence also the floc sinking rate Wf for various solid parti cle concentrations and water media; (ii) The bedding-down of deposits in time, the Characteristic feature of which is the mean particle concentration variation T8 and the concentration gradient with depth; (iii) The rheological properties of the deposits at the various bedding-down stages, and more especially initial rigidity ('ty)) and viscosity (v) variations with soIid particle concentration. Where these three physical properties are similar in different soil-water complexes, suspensions and deposits of the latter also behave similarly under hydrodynamic action. In parti cular, the slope of a submerged or emergent mud bank, tan α, for an assumed 40 cm height of deposit will be proportion al to the initial deposit rigidity ty, as follows: tan α = Kty where for given measurement conditions K is around 25/100 for a submerged deposit, and 7/100 for one above water, ty being in dynes/cm2• Similarly, it seems that the critical bed friction velocity U. can as a first approximation be related to initial rigidity by the following expression : U. = 0,5 ty1/2 where ty is in dynes/cm2 for deposits with an initial rigidity greater than 10 dynes/cm2 • This effect of initial deposit rigidity and viscosity is also found in the behaviour of various forms of pelitic sediment scattered within various water media by wave and tide current action. Flocculation, bedding-down, rigidity and viscosity of deposits invariably turn out to be characteristic parameters for the behaviour of soil-water complexes under various forms of hydrodynamic action. It should be noted, however, that accurate determination of this type of parameter still remains a difficult matter and that its quantitative values depend on measurment conditions, so that any extrapolations must remain subject to considerable caution.
Response of Organic Manures, Inorganic Fertilizers and Bio-fertilizers on Qualitative and Quantitative Parameters of Onion (Allium cepa L.)

Aims: To find out the response of combined use of organic, inorganic and bio-fertilizers of nutrients on quality of small onion Aggregatum cv. Thengaithittu. Study Design: The experiment was laid out in randomized block design 9 treatment combinations with three replications. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted for two seasons at Adhiparasakthi Horticultural College farm situated at 12°15’N and 78° 20’E longitude, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India during the year 2014-2015. Methodology: The treatments comprised of organic manures, inorganic fertilizer and bio-fertilizers with nine treatments viz., T1: NPK (60:60:30 kg/ha.), T2: Farm yard manure (FYM) (25t/ha.), T3: FYM (25t/ha.) + NPK (60:60:30 kg/ha.), T4: FYM (25t/ha.) +Azospirillum (2kg/ha.)+ NPK (30:30:15 kg/ha.), T5: FYM (25t/ha.) + Phosphobacteria (2kg/ha.) +NPK (60:30:30 kg/ha.), T6: FYM (25t/ha.) + Azospirillum (2kg/ha.) + Phosphobacteria (2kg/ha.) +NPK (30:30:15 kg/ha.), T7: FYM (25t/ha.)+NPK (60:60:30 kg/ha.) + gypsum (50kg/ha.), T8: FYM (25t/ha.) + Azospirillum (2kg/ha.) + Phosphobacteria (2kg/ha.) +NPK (30:30:15 kg/ha.) +gypsum (50 kg/ha.) and T9: FYM (25 kg/ha.) + gypsum (50 kg/ha.). Results: The combined application of N, P, K, FYM, Azospirillum, phosphobacteria and gypsum significantly influenced the total soluble solids (15.77B°), ascorbic acid (14.76 mg/100g) and total sugars (14.72%) contents. The combined application of organic manures, inorganic and bio-fertilizers may be recommended to farmers to get good quality onion.
Analysis of Accident-Reduction Factors on California State Highways

Accident reduction factors (ARFs) are mechanisms that the California Department of Transportation employs in calculating Traffic Safety Index values, which are used to prioritize safety-improvement projects on California state highways. Many factors that affect motorist safety have changed over the nearly 30 years in which ARFs have been used in the Traffic Safety Index Program. It is therefore appropriate to review and update, as needed, these accident-reduction factors. The research focused on four accident-reduction factors that are currently in use (rumble-strip installation, shoulder widening, superelevation correction, and curve correction). An accident-reduction factor was developed for a fifth treatment category (wet-pavement treatments). Data were gathered for all projects proposed for funding in the state of California’s Safety Improvement Program from 1985 through 1995. Projects completed from 1988 through 1992 were considered for inclusion in a before-and-after study that employed empirical Bayesian statistical analysis. A Bayesian statistical software package, BEATS (Bayesian Estimation of Accidents in Transportation Studies), was used in the analysis. The study reviewed scope of work for each of the projects of interest that were completed from 1988 to 1992. Thirty projects—the most frequently occurring individual treatments and treatment combinations—were categorized by treatment type and analyzed. Accident-reduction factors of sufficient statistically significant strength were found for wet-pavement treatments, rumble-strip installations, and shoulder-widening projects. Data for shoulder widening, superelevation correction, and curve correction projects also are presented, but small sample size hampered statistical significance for these projects. Results of the study revealed the importance of improving curve radius during superelevation correction and lane- and/or shoulder-widening treatments.
A Dynamical Compact Model of Diffusive and Drift Memristors for Neuromorphic Computing

Different from nonvolatile memory applications, neuromorphic computing applications utilize not only the static conductance states but also the switching dynamics for computing, which calls for compact dynamical models of memristive devices. In this work, a generalized model to simulate diffusive and drift memristors with the same set of equations is presented, which have been used to reproduce experimental results faithfully. The diffusive memristor is chosen as the basis for the generalized model because it possesses complex dynamical properties that are difficult to model efficiently. A data set from statistical measurements on SiO2:Ag diffusive memristors is collected to verify the validity of the general model. As an application example, spike‐timing‐dependent plasticity is demonstrated with an artificial synapse consisting of a diffusive memristor and a drift memristor, both modeled with this comprehensive compact model.
Efficient Q-switched Ti:Er:LiNbO3 waveguide laser

Diode-pumped Q-switched Ti:Er:LiNbO/sub 3/ waveguide lasers have been developed with a monolithically integrated folded Mach-Zehnder type modulator of high extinction ratio as the Q-switch. The lasers are operated at 1562 nm wavelength, emitting pulses of 4.3 ns halfwidth with up to 1.44 kW peak power at 1 kHz repetition frequency. Good agreement between experimental and theoretical results has been obtained.
Distress Among Adolescents: An Exploration of Mattering, Social Media Addiction, and School Connectedness

This study aimed to explore the effects of mattering, social media addiction, online activity, school connectedness, age, and gender on anxiety/depressive symptomatology among U.S. adolescents. A nationally representative Qualtrics panel sample consisting of 441 adolescents (Mage = 17.3; SDage = 1.67) participated in this study. The results of a three-step hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that gender, social media usage, and mattering were most strongly associated with adolescent distress (i.e., anxiety/depressive symptom reporting). For the full predictive model with all six predictors added, mattering was found to significantly improve the prediction of adolescents’ anxiety/depressive symptomatology, contributing an additional 12.8% of explained variance. For this sample, adolescent girls participants reported experiencing more anxiety/depressive symptoms. Furthermore, higher levels of social media usage, indicative of an addictive stage, and lower levels of mattering were related to more significant anxiety/depressive symptomatology. Overall, mattering was found to significantly correlate with adolescent distress, online activity, problematic social media usage, and school connectedness, evidencing its importance in addressing adolescent mental health.
PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR DISCHARGE AND WATER QUALITY DATA COLLECTION ON SMALL WATERSHEDS

Many sampling projects have been initiated or modified in recent years to quantify the effects of water quality protection and enhancement programs. Although comprehensive references on the theory and procedures related to discharge data collection have been published, similar guides to water quality sampling are not available. Several sources provide general guidance on sampling project design and on manual sampling procedures, but only recently has detailed information on automated storm water quality sampling been developed. As a result, a compilation of available information on the design of water quality sampling projects is needed to support sound decision-making regarding data collection resources and procedural alternatives. Thus, the objective of this article is to compile and present practical guidance for collection of discharge and water quality constituent data at the field and small watershed scale. The guidelines included are meant to increase the likelihood of project success, specifically accurate characterization of water quality within project resource constraints. Although many considerations are involved in establishing a successful sampling project, the following recommendations are generally applicable to field and small watershed studies: (1) consider wet-weather access, travel time, equipment costs, and sample collection method in the selection of sampling site numbers and locations; (2) commit adequate resources for equipment maintenance and repair; (3) assemble a well-trained, on-call field staff able to make frequent site visits; (4) establish reliable stage-discharge relationships for accurate discharge measurement; (5) use periodic manual grab sample collection with adequate frequency to characterize baseflow water quality; (6) use flow-interval or time-interval storm sampling with adequate frequency to characterize storm water quality; and (7) use composite sampling to manage sample numbers without substantial increases in uncertainty.