Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
End plate connections and their influence on steel and composite structures

The structural members of steel frames are jointed by connections. These connections are neither rigid nor pinned but semi-rigid. The performance of steel structures is highly influenced by the behaviour of connections which is characterized by the moment-rotation curve. This thesis studies the effects of semi-rigid connections on steel and composite steel-concrete frames, in particular the behaviour and influence of end plate connections. The first part of the thesis concerns the performance of unbraced planar steel frames with semi-rigid joints. Several aspects are investigated, concerned mainly with the serviceability limit state. Using the definition given in Eurocode 3 for a rigid connection, it is suggested that the conventional limit for the sway angle should be relaxed by 10% when the rotational behaviour of the joints is included in the analysis. For frames designed by the wind-moment method, it is proposed that deflections based on the assumption of rigid joints should be increased by 50% to allow for the connection flexibility. An approximate method, in which the stiffness of beams are reduced to account for joint flexibility, was found to be sufficiently accurate if deflections based on semi-rigid behaviour were to be calculated. Finally, studies on the ultimate limit state show that the resistance of a joint has significant effect on the collapse load of a frame, compared to the more modest influence of joint flexibility. The second part of the thesis concerns the behaviour of composite connections in braced frames. This part consists of a concise collection of the available experimental data, a description of the test programme conducted by the author, a proposed method for prediction of connection stiffness and studies on redistribution of moments in composite beams. Eleven tests have been carried out on bare steel and composite end plate joints. Their moment-rotation behaviour is recorded and the influence of variables on the joint stiffness is pointed out. These variables are the amount of reinforcement in the concrete slab, the type of steelwork connection and the beam depth. Increase in the amount of reinforcement increases significantly the moment resistance of the composite joint but does not influence its initial stiffness. I % reinforcement with respect to the area of concrete slab is proposed to be used for an efficient design. The increase in the depth of steel section increases the moment resistance and stiffness of composite connection but reduces its rotation,capacity. The effect of semi-rigid composite connections on column stability is also studied and a value of 0.75 is proposed as the effective length factor for columns. The proposed method for prediction of connection behaviour is shown to be in satisfactory agreement with the test results. From the final studies in Part Two formulae are proposed for calculation of the required rotation capacity of composite connections.
Identifying Educator Related Variables on Grade 6 Learner Achievement in the Mathematics Annual National Assessment (ANA) Results in South Africa

Every educator has an ability to implicitly and explicitly influence the learners’ education. This study explored how the Grade 6 learner achievement in Mathematics Annual National Assessment (ANA) link with the educator’s inputs (teaching experience, academic qualifications and subject specialisation). Educators from ten (10) Primary Schools in the Motheo Education District of Free State Province of South Africa constituted the target population for this study. 49 Grade 6 mathematics educators participated in this study. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Multiple regressions were used to analyse data. The study found that there was a significant relationship between the educator inputs and learner achievement. The gender of participants was however found not significantly related to learner achievement. It is anticipated that this study will assist the Department of Education as it provides the basis for subject specialisation, teaching experience to employment allocation. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015. v4n1p407
Self-heat generation in piezoelectric stack actuators used in fuel injectors

Multilayer piezoelectric actuators are used in fuel injectors due to their quick response, high efficiency, accuracy, low power consumption, and excellent repeatability. Experimental results for soft lead zirconate titanate (PZT) stack actuators have shown that a significant amount of heat is generated when they are driven under high frequency and/or high electric-field magnitudes, both of which occur in fuel injectors. Self-heat generation in these actuators, mainly caused by losses, can significantly affect their reliability and piezoelectric properties, and may also limit their application. Other studies have demonstrated that at large unipolar electric-field magnitudes, displacement–electric-field loss (displacement hysteresis) shows a direct relation with polarization–electric-field loss (dielectric hysteresis). In this paper, a simplified analytical self-heating model is presented. The model directly relates self-heating in multilayer piezoelectric actuators to displacement–electric-field loss (displacement hysteresis). The model developed is based on the first law of thermodynamics, and accounts for different parameters such as geometry, magnitude and frequency of applied electric field, duty cycle percentage, fuel type, and environmental properties. The model shows reasonable agreement with experimental results at low and high electric-field magnitudes.
Relationship between Orthodox Finance and Dividend Policy: A Literature Review

This paper concentrates on the relationship between orthodox (corporate) finance and dividend policy. More specifically, the paper examines the relationship between different dividend policy theories and dividend policy. This paper also investigates the association between different corporate finance elements and dividend policy. The primary purpose of this paper is to put some light on the dividend literature, which means how dividend literature developed over the year. However still, the dividend policy is a puzzle for researchers. From the previous literature survey, we can see that after so much constrictive research, researchers still did not reach any conclusion. This paper provides details about previous literature reviews in the area of dividend policy.
A C-band superconductive input multiplexer for communication satellites

The paper demonstrates the feasibility of building a fully integrated C-band 4-channel superconductive multiplexer employing 8-pole hybrid dielectric/HTS thin film filters. Experimental results are presented for 4-pole and 8-pole externally-equalized superconductive filters having 1% bandwidth. The measured data for the integrated multiplexer clearly indicates that C-band superconductive multiplexers are approaching the performance requirements of typical satellite systems and have the potential of large reduction in mass and volume over conventional technologies. The critical design considerations of such type of superconductive multiplexers are discussed. >
An Examination of Tax E-Filing Acceptance in Sarawak Applying UTAUT

The usage of tax e-filing in Malaysia has continuously shown a positive and increasing trend from year to year after a decade of its introduction. However, the acceptance rate for salaried taxpayers in Sarawak is only about 50%, making the study of this situation necessary. The aims of this study are twofold: (1) to examine the level of tax e-filing acceptance in Sarawak, and (2) to investigate the relationships between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, and the intention to accept tax e-filing system in Sarawak, Malaysia. This study uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as the underpinning theory. A total of 630 questionnaires was distributed to salaried taxpayers in Sarawak. The descriptive analysis and multiple regression analysis using IBM SPSS version 26 were utilised to achieve the objectives. It was found that taxpayers in Sarawak have a high level of intention to use tax e-filing. The findings also show that performance expectancy and facilitating conditions have a significant positive relationship, social influence has a significant negative relationship. In contrast, effort expectancy was found to be insignificant. Since the IRBM is currently taking steps to enhance services delivery using the e-filing system, the results may assist them to plan a more effective strategy to provide a better tax e-filing system to Sarawak salaried taxpayers, specifically other states that have a similar background to Sarawak.
The potential retinal hazards of curing light use for dentists

Background: Many recent studies have focused on the potential hazards of blue light exposure to ocular health. One group with a unique blue light exposure risk is dentists, who use curing lights that emit intense blue light during restorative procedures. During these procedures, dentists often experience brief ocular exposure to these lights. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether such exposures may have an effect on the vision and ocular health of dentists. Methods: A group of 12 dentists who had experienced curing light exposure over a period of 10 or more years were compared to a group of eight control subjects with no such exposure. The subjects were tested for visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Their retinas were examined using fundus imaging and optical coherence tomography. Macular pigment optical density was measured. The likelihood that brief blue light exposure could lead to ocular effects was further explored by subjecting a retinal pigment epithelial cell (RPE) line to such exposures. Results: Although no visual defects or ocular pathologies were found in either group, the dentist group differed from the control group in having increased macular thickness (P < 0.02), a higher incidence of macular vessel tortuosity (P < 0.05), and greater variance in their macular pigment optical density values (P < 0.01). RPE cells that received blue light exposure similar to those sustained by dentists demonstrated a change in physiology. Conclusions: Retinal changes were found in dentists, which, while not pathological in themselves, are associated with some retinal pathologies. Further studies are necessary to determine whether these signs correlate with the degree of curing light exposure and to determine whether they eventually develop into pathological conditions.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Intralesional Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine with Intralesional Vitamin D3 as Immunotherapies in the Treatment of Recalcitrant Cutaneous Warts in Adult- A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study

Introduction: Currently, various destructive and ablative treatment options are conventionally used for warts, but all of them are limited in some form by their adverse effects, high recurrences, suboptimal effectiveness, and the need to treat every wart. Lately, immunotherapy has emerged as a safe treatment relying on biological substances that modulate the immune system to achieve disease control. Aims and Objectives: We aimed at conducting a placebo-controlled study to compare the rate of efficacy of intralesional MMR vaccine with vitamin D3 in the management of recalcitrant extragenital warts in immune-competent adults. Follow-up was done at third and sixth month. Materials and Methods: Patients were divided into three groups, namely, group A, B, and C. Groups A, B, and C received intralesional MMR vaccine, vitamin D3 and normal saline, respectively, in the largest wart. The injections were repeated every 2 weeks, for a maximum of four injections. Results: Among injected warts, in group A, complete clearance was seen in 29 (87.8%) patients, partial clearance in two (6.1%) and no response in two (6.1%) patients. In group B, 24 (77.4%) patients, five (16.1%) patients, and two (6.5%) patients showed signs of complete, partial, and no clearance, respectively, in injected warts. Complete response in distant warts was seen in 25 (75.7%) patients in group A and 20 (64.5%) patients in group B. There was no statistically significant difference between responses of the two groups. In group C, only three (12.5%) patients had complete clearance in injected warts, and none in distant warts. Recurrence was seen in two (6.4%) patients, each in group B and C. However, for management of verruca plana MMR was found to be superior to vitamin D3. Limitations: Our study was limited by a small sample size, absence of immunological analysis, and limited follow-up period. Conclusion: MMR vaccine and vitamin D3 are equally effective and safe treatment option for multiple, recalcitrant warts, as well as warts on difficult to treat sites with minimal recurrence.
Validation of rapid DNA extraction protocol and their effectiveness in marker assisted selection in crop plants

In the present study, a simple and ultra quick protocol for extraction of genomic DNA was successfully validated in four different crops namely rice, wheat, lentil and Indian mustard. The method is simple and involves only two steps, it does not involve use of liquid nitrogen and other expensive and toxic reagents, and is highly suited for analyzing large number of samples within a short span of time. This makes it very attractive for use in MAS even in smaller labs where no sophisticated facilities are available.
Pharmacological perturbation reveals deficits in D2 receptor responses in Thap1 null mice

The primary dystonia DYT6 is caused by mutations in the transcription factor Thanatos‐associated protein 1 (THAP1). To understand THAP1’s functions, we generated mice lacking THAP1 in the nervous system. THAP1 loss causes locomotor deficits associated with transcriptional changes. Since many of the genes misregulated involve dopaminergic signaling, we pharmacologically challenged the two striatal canonical dopamine pathways: the direct, regulated by the D1 receptor, and the indirect, regulated by the D2 receptor. We discovered that depleting THAP1 specifically interferes with the D2 receptor responses, pointing to a selective misregulation of the indirect pathway in DYT6 with implications for pathogenesis and treatment.
High-precision Δ′17O measurements of geothermal H2O and MORB on the VSMOW-SLAP scale: evidence for active oxygen exchange between the lithosphere and hydrosphere

have reported 17O-depletion in terrestrial silicates compared with that in hydrospheric H2O such as seawater and meteoric water (Pack et al., 2016; Sharp et al., 2016). The ∆′17O value of mantle-derived silicates ranges from –70 to –30 × 10−6; however, the mean ∆′17O value of meteoric water is +33 × 10−6 and that of seawater collected at various depths is –5 ± 1 × 10−6 (Luz and Barkan, 2010). This difference in ∆′17O between the lithosphere and hydrosphere has been explained by kinetic fractionation of oxygen isotopes during degassing from the magma ocean on the early primitive earth (Tanaka and Nakamura, 2013) or oxygen isotope exchange between the seawater and lithospheric components such as seafloor basalt and continental crust (Pack and Herwartz, 2014; Sengupta et al., 2020; Sengupta and Pack, 2018). The latter explanation has been proposed on the basis of findings that the equilibrium fractionation exponent θ [=ln17α/ln18α; αA-B = RA/ RB where iR corresponds to the abundance ratio of the heavy isotope (iO where i = 17 or 18) to the light isotope (16O). ] between silicates and H2O is a funcHigh-precision ∆′17O measurements of geothermal H2O and MORB on the VSMOW-SLAP scale: evidence for active oxygen exchange between the lithosphere and hydrosphere
On the design of chemical processes with improved controllability characteristics

Traditionally, process design and control system design are carried out sequentially. The premise underlying this sequential approach is that the decisions made in the process design phase do not limit the control design. However, it is generally known that incongruent designs can occur quite easily. In the literature two different classes of approaches are being described that consider the control performance of the design alternatives from the earliest design stages: (i) Anticipating sequential approaches where process design and control system design are still carried out sequentially, but in anticipation of the control design the controllability properties of the process are taken into account during the process design phase. (ii) Simultaneous approaches. In the simultaneous approach the process design and the control system design are carried out simultaneously. This work is focused on the first approach. Tools and methods are presented that can assist the process designer in designing processes that are well controllable. The control system design still needs to be carried out afterwards, but the process designer has already anticipated on it. The methods and tools presented in this thesis are aimed at the different stages of the conceptual process design phase: formulation, synthesis, analysis and evaluation. Primarily the synthesis and the analysis phases will be addressed to overcome some of the limitation of the anticipating sequential approaches. Since most industrially scale processes operate in a steady state this mode of operation has been the reference for this research. However as dynamic modes of operation are becoming more important, an exploration was made of the potential of periodic operation of Fischer Tropsch synthesis.
Boron determinations of silicate reference rocks by the isotope dilution method in a high-background environment

of rock samples (Yonezawa et al., 1999; Sano et al., 1998, 1999, 2001; Miyoshi et al., 2010; Shinjoe et al., 2013). Sano et al. (1998, 1999) reported that relative standard deviations (% RSD) of replicate analyses of standard rocks were better than 5% for the wide range of boron concentrations of 8–160 ppm. After the nuclear power plant accident in 2011, neutron radiation experiments were halted in Japan. Boron determination was attempted in a high background environment in this study. An ICP-MS used for boron determinations was installed in a laboratory where laser ablation ICP mass spectrometry analyses on glass bead samples fused with LiBO4 was conducted with another ICP-MS. The author investigated effective methods to reduce the influence of a high background on boron peaks. Three analytical methods were compared to improve the accuracy of boron determination. When the concentration of an element is measured using a sensitivity method that compares a signal intensity of an element in a sample solution with that in a standard solution, an internal standard element is often doped to the sample solution to correct the influence of the sample-derived matrix. The internal standard element is selected from elements that are not included in the sample solution and which have a similar mass number to that of the element to be analyzed. Finding a suitable internal standard element is difficult when light elements such as Li, Be, and B in silicate rock samples are determined. Gotan et al. Boron determinations of silicate reference rocks by the isotope dilution method in a high-background environment
The Mars Project

A reprint of the 1953 U. of Illinois Press edition, itself translated from the 1952 German edition (Bechtle Verlag, Esslingen). A forward look at interplanetary space flight, based on von Braun's experience working first for the Nazis and then for the US Army. With a new foreword by former NASA admi
Substrate dependent homeostatic control of c-di-AMP synthase (MsDisA) and hydrolase (MsPDE) from Mycobacterium smegmatis

Cyclic-di-nucleotide based secondary messengers regulate various physiological processes including the stress responses in bacteria. In the past decade, cyclic diadenosine monophosphate (c-di-AMP) has emerged as a crucial second messenger, implicated in fatty acid metabolism, antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, virulence, DNA repair, ion homeostasis, sporulation etc. The level of c-di-AMP is maintained in the cell by the action of two opposing enzymes, namely diadenylate cyclase (DAC) and phosphodiesterase (PDE). In mycobacteria, this molecule is essential for its regulatory role in bacterial physiology and host-pathogen interactions. However, such modulation of c-di-AMP remains to be explored in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Here, we systematically characterised the c-di-AMP synthase (MsDisA) and a hydrolase (MsPDE) from M. smegmatis at different pH and osmolytic conditions in vitro. Our biochemical assays show that the MsDisA activity is enhanced during the alkaline stress and c-di-AMP is readily produced without any intermediates. At pH 9.4, the MsDisA promoter activity in vivo increases significantly, strengthening this observation. However, under physiological conditions, the activity of MsDisA was moderate with the formation of intermediates. To get further insights into the structural characteristics, we determined the cryo-EM structure of the MsDisA, revealing some interesting features. Biochemical analysis of individual domains shows that the N-terminal minimal region alone can form a functional octamer. Altogether, our results reveal the biochemical and structural regulation of mycobacterial c-di-AMP in response to various environmental stress.
Definition of Wind Profiles in ASCE 7

One of the major changes in the recent versions of ASCE 7 concerns the introduction of three-second gust as the reference wind speed. The three-second gust speed is derived using Durst’s model in terms of the mean wind speed and turbulence intensity given in the former versions of ASCE 7. A review of these profiles suggests a notable inconsistency in the embedded relationship among the wind profiles in ASCE 7-98, which is also apparent when these are compared to the profiles in major international codes and standards. To overcome this inconsistency in the definition of wind profiles, this paper proposes a modified turbulence intensity profile and suggests retaining the current mean wind and gust speed profiles. This modification not only ensures consistency in the definition of wind profiles in ASCE 7-98, but also renders the definition of these profiles consistent with those in major international codes and standards.
Theta Activity During Encoding Interacts With NREM Sleep Oscillations to Predict Memory Generalization

Relatively little is known regarding the interaction between encoding-related neural activity and sleep-based memory consolidation. One suggestion is that a function of encoding-related theta power may be to ‘tag’ memories for subsequent processing during sleep. This study aimed to extend previous work on the relationships between sleep spindles, slow oscillation-spindle coupling and task-related theta activity with a combined Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) and nap paradigm. This allowed us to examine the influence of task- and sleep-related oscillatory activity on the recognition of both encoded list words and associative theme words. Thirty-three participants (29 females, mean age = 23.2 years) learned and recognised DRM lists separated by either a 2hr wake or sleep period. Mixed-effects modelling revealed the sleep condition endorsed more associative theme words and fewer list words in comparison to the wake group. Encoding-related theta power was also found to influence sleep spindle density, and this interaction was predictive of memory outcomes. The influence of encoding-related theta was specific to sleep spindle density, and did not appear to influence the strength of slow oscillation-spindle coupling as it relates to memory outcomes. The finding of interactions between wakeful and sleep oscillatory-related activity in promoting memory and learning has important implications for theoretical models of sleep-based memory consolidation.