Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance of geotextile silt fences in large flume tests

This paper presents the results of large-scale flume tests to assess the performance of different types of nonwoven geotextile in silt fences. Four types of geotextile and three types of soil were used in the tests, under varying values of runoff discharges. The flow rate passing through the geotextile and the upstream slurry level rising with time were measured, as well as the slurry concentration, the sizes of the soil particles that piped through the geotextile, and the permittivity of the geotextiles after the tests. The results showed the great effects of the geotextile on sediment retention and slurry concentration reduction. A greater than expected geotextile retention capacity was observed. The results also suggest that a lighter and cheaper nonwoven geotextile may be used in a silt fence if the other requirements for relevant material properties for this type of application are satisfied.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Inappropriate Use of Non-Culture-Based Fungal Assays: Implication for Diagnostic Stewardship

Abstract Background Non-culture-based fungal assays (NCBFAs) have been used increasingly to help diagnose invasive fungal diseases. However, little is known about inappropriate use of NCBFAs. We aimed to investigate inappropriate use of NCBFAs in a tertiary academic hospital. Methods This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent testing with beta-D glucan (BDG) between January and March 2018 or with galactomannan antigen (GMA) or cryptococcal antigen (CRAG) between January and June 2018. Testing was deemed appropriate if the clinical presentation was compatible with a fungal infection and there was a predisposing host factor at the time of ordering. We compared patients with appropriate and inappropriate use of NCBFAs using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Four hundred seventy patients (BDG, 394; GMA, 138; CRAG, 164) met inclusion criteria and were evaluated. About 80% of NCBFAs were deemed inappropriate. Ordering by transplant medicine physicians, repetitions of the test, the absence of predisposing factors for fungal infections, and the absence of recommendations from infectious diseases consultants were associated with an increased risk of inappropriate NCBFA use. Conclusions We found that a large proportion of NCBFAs were deemed inappropriate. There is an opportunity for diagnostic stewardship to reduce avoidable fungal testing among patients at low risk for fungal infection.
Version 0.5 of the Proposed INCOSE Systems Engineering Competency Framework

This paper presents Version 0.5 of the proposed INCOSE Systems Engineering (SE) Competency Framework. This paper also presents the newly developed competency framework tables along with notional examples and provides a working example of a framework derived competency model for Systems Security Engineering. The competency framework is being developed as an evolution of the current INCOSE United Kingdom (UK) SE Competencies Framework (INCOSE, 2010). The INCOSE Competency Working Group (CWG) is conducting this project in collaboration with the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), SE Division, Education and Training Committee in order to develop a common approach to the definition of an SE Competency Framework.
An Environmental Assessment of Heat Pumps in Poland

Greenhouse gas emissions are regarded as the cause of the rise in mean Earth temperature, the further increase of which may cause dramatic irreversible global changes. Their levels in Poland are some of the highest in the world. In this study, to evaluate the “Energy policy of Poland until 2040”, greenhouse gas and particulate matter emissions were compared in all Polish climatic zones using a typical meteorological year. A comparison was made between air-to-water, brine-to-water, and water-to-water devices. The electrical energy consumption and coefficient of performance were determined hourly in the heating season. The determining algorithm took a buffer tank or separating heat exchanger into consideration, when they were required, and electricity transmission efficiency. Subsequently the emissions were estimated for the present Polish energy mix and a mix proposed in the “Energy policy of Poland until 2040”. After implementing this policy all heat pumps will be energetically viable devices. However, only in one location will water-to-water heat pumps cause less emissions than a condensing gas boiler. In other cases, condensing gas boilers will be significantly less emissive devices. Therefore, this policy is insufficient for reducing emissions. Hence, it is necessary to replace almost all coal-fired power plants with natural gas-fired gas turbines in a transitional period.
A microstrip‐fed printed crossed dipole for wireless applications

A crossed‐dipole antenna with good directivity and good isolation between ports over a wide impedance bandwidth is presented. This antenna offers polarization diversity and employs an optimized shape for the dipole wing, which yields the wide bandwidth. A quarter‐wave balun is used for matching and improved isolation. Patterns are also presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 751–753, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21464
Landscaping patterns and sociodemographic profiles in suburban areas: Implications for water conservation along the Mediterranean coast

The act of watering a garden greatly increases domestic water consumption in residential areas. This issue has caused local governments and managers to become concerned over how homeowners shape and maintain their gardens. This subject is critical along the Mediterranean coast, where residential urban sprawl has expanded over the last few decades and water resources are scarce. Suburban residents from the Girona region of Catalonia, Spain were surveyed to determine the main landscaping typologies used on suburban properties. Four garden typologies were identified and characterised: ornamental, vegetable, lawn and tree. Furthermore, a multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed how each landscaping pattern is associated with particular sociodemographic characteristics of the households (e.g., age, size, unemployment, length of residency). Management guidelines for water users, real estate companies and local governments are provided in the conclusions, focused on raising awareness and cooperation.
Two-dimensional computer analysis of a microwave flat antenna array for breast cancer tomography

In this paper, we report a two-dimensional computer simulation of a microwave flat antenna array for breast cancer tomography. This new technology promises reduction of X-ray exposure and easier access to peripheral areas of the breast. Using our version of the Newton algorithm, we studied two simple mathematical objects and a more sophisticated two-dimensional model of the breast that takes into account dielectric properties of different human tissues and malignant tumors. Our calculations show that, operating at 2 GHz, this device may give very reasonable images of tissues located up to 3-4 cm beneath the surface.
A Comparison of Energy Plus and eQUEST Whole Building Energy Simulation Results for a Medium Sized Office Building

i ABSTRACT With the increasing interest in energy efficient building design, whole building energy simulation programs are increasingly employed in the design process to help architects and engineers determine which design alternatives save energy and are cost effective. DOE-2 is one of the most popular programs used by the building energy simulation community. eQUEST is a powerful graphic user interface for the DOE-2 engine. EnergyPlus is the newest generation simulation program under development by the U.S. Department of Energy which adds new modeling features beyond the DOE-2's capability. The new modeling capabilities of EnergyPlus make it possible to model new and complex building technologies which cannot be modeled by other whole building energy simulation programs. On the other hand, EnergyPlus models, especially with a large number of zones, run much slower than those of eQUEST. Both eQUEST and EnergyPlus offer their own set of advantages and disadvantages. The choice of which building simulation program should be used might vary in each case. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the potential of both the programs to do the whole building energy analysis and compare the results with the actual building energy performance. For this purpose the energy simulation of a fully functional building is done in eQUEST and EnergyPlus and the results were compared with utility data of the building to identify the ii degree of closeness with which simulation results match with the actual heat and energy flows in building. It was observed in this study that eQUEST is easy to use and quick in producing results that would especially help in the taking critical decisions during the design phase. On the other hand EnergyPlus aids in modeling complex systems, producing more accurate results, but consumes more time. The choice of simulation program might change depending on the usability and applicability of the program to our need in different phases of a building's lifecycle. Therefore, it makes sense if a common front end is designed for both these simulation programs thereby allowing the user to select either the DOE-2.2 engine or the EnergyPlus engine based upon the need in each particular case. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Engineering graduates’ perceptions of how well they were prepared for work in industry

This study investigated how well chemical engineering graduates perceive they were prepared for work in industry. To this end, sixteen interviews were carried out with a purposive sample of recent University of Cape Town chemical engineering graduates. Qualitative analysis of the interview data showed that graduates felt that overall, they were well prepared for work in industry. They perceived their strengths to be their technical background, problem solving skills, formal communication skills and life-long learning abilities. The following areas of weakness were also identified: work in multi-disciplinary teams, leadership, practical preparation and management skills. The use of interviews for data collection is a significant departure from the methods used in other studies in this area. The rich and contextual data gathered from the interviews justified this choice and contributed to the identification of issues not previously mentioned in the literature. For example, an unexpected finding of the study was that there was a clear link between the technical and non-technical attributes of engineering graduates, a result which has clear implications for the design of undergraduate engineering programmes.
A Comparison Of Five Mechanical Work Algorithms For Different Footstrike Patterns And Speeds During Distance Running

The mechanical work done by a runner during an average stride cyde has been calculated with a variety of algorithms that generate values that may vary by an order of magnitude. The application of different algorithms to the same data set is uncommon, and does not seem to have been used at all to compare different foot strike patterns (FSP) during distance running. Average stride cycle values from five work algorithms for forefoot strike (ffs) and heel strike (hs) running at three different running speeds are presented. In general order from most to least restrictive: Wn allows no transfer between segments; Ww, within-segment transfer only; WwbAS, transfer within and between adjacent segments only; WwbLT, within and between segments of the same limb and the trunk; and, Wwb, within- and between-segment transfer with no restrictions. The primary difference in these algorithms is the amount of energy transfer they permit between and among body segments. Twelve highly skilled, male distance runners each ran with both FSP at three speeds ranging from 3.58 to 4.58 m-s-l. High-speed video (200 Hz) was used to track eight segment endpoint markers in the left sagittal plane. An ll-segment model was used with symmetry assumed to generate right side values. Among the algorithms, the no-transfer method (Wn) produced the highest work estimates. An absolute difference of -300 joules-stride-1 (-15-20%) existed across speeds between the no-transfer and within-transfer algorithms. There was then a relatively large decrease to the span of values generated from the other three algorithms. WwbAS was slightly higher than the remaining two algorithms, moreso in relative terms as speed increased. WwbLT increased slightly over speed (-40% slow->fast), while Wwb, the least restrictive, demonstrated almost no change across speeds (-1 % slow->fast). On average, these differences converged absolutely (75->20 joules-stride-1) and relatively (9.8%->2.5%) with increased speed; i.e., differences between the two . FSP decreased as speed increased. At all speeds for each algorithm, hs was lower than ffs. Collapsed across speeds, hs as percentage of ffs was 96.7 (Wn), 96.5 (ww)- 96.7 (WwbAS), 95.8 (WwbLT) and 89.4% (Wwb). Wwb across speeds consistently showed the largest relative differences between FSP, due perhaps in part to low absolute values. However, FSP differences still decreased with increased speed. This algorithm, therefore, appears to preserve the ordinal relationship and the trend in relative change between FSP across speeds reflected in the other four algorithms. Overall, the consistency across all algorithms of absolute and relative decrease between FSP with increased speed suggests variations in actual kinematics, not algorithms, are responsible for observed differences.
Innovative Timber-Concrete Composite Structures with Prefabricated FRC Slabs

This paper concerns the development of innovative composite floor systems, comprising timber beams and prefabricated concrete slabs. For the development of this new system, two properties were regarded as vital, as follows: (1) good stiffness, and (2) a high degree of prefabrication. Shear connection systems installed using completely dry processes were used. Innovative and very efficient materials, such as fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) and modified wood, were used for the manufacture of the specimens. The research reported in this paper was conducted in two phases, as follows: (1) the mechanical properties of different shear connectors were investigated (Phase A), and (2) on the basis of these experiment's results a second investigation was carried out in order to study the behavior of full-scale timber-concrete composite slabs (Phase B). During Phase A four different configurations, with a total of eight specimens, were laboratory tested in shear. During Phase B two full-scale floor elements, each with a different shear connection system, were laboratory tested in bending. The two shear connector systems used in the investigation were (1) shear anchor-keys of furfurylated wood, and (2) inclined steel tubes. Both of the proposed connection systems performed more than satisfactorily, showing a very high degree of composite action even at load levels close to the failure load. Moreover, it appeared that the assembling of the prefabricated fiber-reinforced concrete slab with the underlying beams occurred in an extremely easy manner. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers. (Less)
A multiferroic vanadium phosphide monolayer with ferromagnetic half-metallicity and topological Dirac states.

Ferroelasticity, ferromagnetism, half-metallicity, and topological Dirac states are properties highly sought in two-dimensional (2D) materials for advanced device applications. Here, we report first-principles prediction of a dynamically and thermally stable tetragonal vanadium phosphide (t-VP) monolayer that hosts all these desirable properties. This monolayer is substantially ferromagnetic with polarized spins aligned in the in-plane direction via a d-p-d super-exchange coupling mechanism; meanwhile, its tetragonal lattice enables an intrinsic in-plane ferroelasticity with a reversible strain of 23.4%. As a result, the ferroelasticity is strongly coupled with ferromagnetism via spin-orbit coupling to enable deterministic control over the magnetocrystalline anisotropy by an applied elastic strain. More interestingly, this multiferroic t-VP monolayer possesses half-metallicity with an anisotropic, topological Dirac cone residing in the majority-spin channel. We also predict a multiferroic t-CrN monolayer, whose ferromagnetism features a high Curie temperature of up to 478 K but is weakly coupled to its in-plane ferroelasticity. These results suggest a tetragonal 2D lattice as a robust atomic-scale scaffold on the basis of which fascinating electronic and magnetic properties can be rationally created by a suitable combination of chemical elements.
Meconium-stained liquor and low birth weight increases the odds of low fifth-minute apgar scores in public health facilities of arba minch town, southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Background: Low Apgar scores in the childbirth period increased risk globally and significantly contributes to both newborn morbidity and mortality. Hence, it is very essential to update information on the status of low fifth-minute Apgar scores and factors affecting. Some studies were conducted, but most are retrospective and record reviews. Besides, there is limited study in country-Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the recent status of low fifth-minute Apgar scores and factors affecting in the study setting. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 286 newborns in public health facilities of Arba Minch town, southern Ethiopia from February 6 to March 9, 2019. Study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling method. Pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaires and checklist were used to collect the data. Data were entered into Epi data version 3.1 and exported to Stata version 15 for analysis. A crude and adjusted odds ratio was computed in the binary logistic regression model. In this study, P-value, < 0.05 was considered to declare factors as a statistically significant association. Results: In this study, 17.8% (95%CI: 13.8%, 22.7%) of neonates had low fifth-minute Apgar scores. Condition of labor (induced/augmented) (AOR=3.33, 95%CI: 1.24, 8.90), meconium-stained liquor (AOR=3.37, 95%CI: 1.17, 9.74), and birth weight (AOR=3.48, 95%CI: 1.23, 9.86) were significantly associated with neonate’s low fifth-minute Apgar scores. Conclusions: This study indicated that a significant number of newborns resulted in low fifth-minute Apgar scores. Strengthen the provision of health information during antenatal care; avoid delay in screening high-risk mothers during pregnancy and delivery, and give immediate interventions should be recommended.
SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induces inflammation via TLR2-dependent activation of the NF-κB pathway

The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is associated with a hyperinflammatory response; however, the precise mechanism of SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammation is poorly understood. Here, we investigated direct inflammatory functions of major structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2. We observed that spike (S) protein potently induced inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including IL-6, IL-1β, TNFα, CXCL1, CXCL2, and CCL2, but not IFNs in human and mouse macrophages. No such inflammatory response was observed in response to membrane (M), envelope (E), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. When stimulated with extracellular S protein, human and mouse lung epithelial cells also produced inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Interestingly, epithelial cells expressing S protein intracellularly were non-inflammatory, but elicited an inflammatory response in macrophages when co-cultured. Biochemical studies revealed that S protein triggers inflammation via activation of the NF-κB pathway in a MyD88-dependent manner. Further, such an activation of the NF-κB pathway was abrogated in Tlr2-deficient macrophages. Consistently, administration of S protein-induced IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in wild-type, but not Tlr2-deficient mice. Notably, upon recognition of S protein, TLR2 dimerizes with TLR1 or TLR6 to activate the NF-κB pathway. Taken together, these data reveal a mechanism for the cytokine storm during SARS-CoV-2 infection and suggest that TLR2 could be a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19.
Phubber's Emotional Activations: The Association between PANAS and Phubbing Behavior

Currently, mobile phones are widely used worldwide. Thus, phubbing rapidly became a common phenomenon in our social life. Phubbing is considered by the literature as a new form of technology-related addiction that may undermine interpersonal relationships and mental health. Our study contributed to exploring phubbers’ emotional activation as no other work has investigated it so far. Indeed, researchers have only explored phubbees’ but not phubbers’ emotional correlates. A sample of 419 Italian individuals (143 males) participated in our data collection on a voluntary basis. The results showed that phubbing is related to negative affects, but not to positive affects. Moreover, phubbing in both its components (i.e., communication disturbance, phone obsession) appeared to elicit an emotional activation similar to that of social media addiction. These findings may help in strengthening the discussion around the emotional consequences of virtual environment design, as well as the awareness about what happens at a relational level during phubbing.
OPTIMAL CONTROL OF PUMPING STATIONS IN OPEN CHANNELS BY METAHEURISTIC FIREFLY ALGORITHM

Optimum control of upstream pumping station in open channels with given constraint in downstream end is presented in this paper. The upstream control is capable of minimizing water level fluctuations in the channel in which the downstream pumping station causes an undesirable wave. The proposed method combines an unsteady non-uniform flow solver with shock-capturing capability, Fourier series and metaheuristic firefly algorithm. Fourier series is used to estimate the optimum inflow control and firefly algorithm is utilized to determine the unknown coefficients in the series. With a suitable objective function, the procedure generates the optimum inflow hydrograph that can effectively cancel destructive downstream waves. The results have been compared with the results obtained by a variational approach and show satisfactory improvement both in simplicity and the value of objective function.
Double-level noncontiguous thoracic Chance fractures treated with percutaneous stabilization: illustrative case

BACKGROUND Chance fractures are unstable due to horizontal extension of the injury, disrupting all three columns of the vertebra. Since being first described in 1948, Chance fractures have been commonly found at a single level near the thoracolumbar junction. Noncontiguous double-level Chance fractures that result from a single traumatic event are rarely reported in the literature. OBSERVATIONS The authors report a case of an 18-year-old male who presented to the emergency department after a rollover motor vehicle accident. The patient complained of severe back pain when at rest and had no neurological deficits. Computed tomography revealed two unstable Chance fractures of bony subtype located at T6 and T11. The patient underwent percutaneous stabilization from T4 to T12. The postoperative assessment revealed continued 5/5 power bilaterally in all extremities, back pain, and the ability to ambulate with a walker. At 3 months after the operation, clinical assessment revealed no significant back pain and the ability to walk independently. Imaging confirmed stable fixation of the spine with no acute osseous or hardware complications. LESSONS This report complements previous studies demonstrating support for more extensive stabilization for such unique fractures. Additionally, rapid radiological imaging is needed to identify the full injury and lead patients to appropriate treatment.