Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High temperature SiC trench gate p-IGBTs

Various design issues pertaining to SiC-based IGBTs are described. A trench gate, p-channel IGBT was considered the most appropriate structure for fabrication in SiC. The fabrication and characterization of high temperature SiC IGBTs with high current levels are presented. Using optimized emitter processing, 6H-SiC p-IGBTs show a higher current capability than 4H-SiC p-IGBTs because of their lower emitter contact resistance and higher MOS channel mobility. Since IGBTs rely on minority carrier injection, the low bulk mobility parallel to the c-axis in 6H-SiC was not found to severely affect the current carrying capability as compared with 4H-SiC IGBTs in the present design. Measured results of these devices are described from room temperature to the 350-400/spl deg/C temperature range. For both polytypes, the current capability was found to be much larger when their MOS gates were fabricated in the 112~0 crystal direction compared with the 1100 crystal direction. The emitter (p-type) contact anneal was also found to significantly affect the performance of SiC IGBTs. 4H-SiC IGBTs showed a -85 V blocking capability (room temperature) and on-current of 100 mA at 350/spl deg/C. 6H-SiC IGBTs were demonstrated with -400 V blocking capability (at 25/spl deg/C) and 2 A at 400/spl deg/C.
Unified Design Approach to Geosynthetic Reinforced Slopes and Segmental Walls

Geosynthetic reinforced slopes and walls are being increasingly constructed to perform as permanent structures. Facing blocks are used to improve the aesthetic appearance of walls and to simplify their construction. This paper presents a unified design approach, based on limit equilibrium analysis, that considers the various aspects of stability of reinforced soil structures including the stabilizing effects of facing blocks. Possible instabilities due to tied-back failure, compound failure, direct sliding, and overturning are considered. The design procedure is validated using the test results of two full-scale walls. The results of parametric studies indicate that facing interblock friction significantly reduces the required geosynthetic length and strength for a near-vertical wall. This effect diminishes as the slope angle reduces. Even though the soil-block friction reduces the required geosynthetic strength, it increases the required length of geosynthetic. Examples, and general guidelines for approp.
Development of Gas Turbine Performance Models Using a Generic Simulation Tool

An approach for gas turbine engine modelling using a general purpose object-oriented simulation tool is described. A commercially available such tool that can be adapted to different fields, through the creation of reusable modelling component libraries representing parts or equipment of a physical system, is employed. Libraries are developed using an object-oriented language. The possibility for quick implementation of new models and rapid analysis of results, through the use of a graphical user interface is demonstrated. A turbofan model, developed for both steady state and transient performance simulation, is used to illustrate the advantages offered by this approach. Results are presented and compared to those produced by an industry-accepted model. The flexibility of incorporating particular features into a model is demonstrated by presenting the implementation of adaptive features and a study of engine frequency response.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Infodemia – an Analysis of Fake News in Polish News Portals and Traditional Media During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The article addresses the issue of the presence of false information on coronavirus in the Polish news media between January and September 2020. The research aimed to check the extent to which traditional media participate in disinformation processes during the pandemic. An attempt has also been made at explaining the reasons for the publication of fake news in these media. Sources of information that Poles use most often were examined: popular information portals, traditional media websites, and social media (Facebook and Twitter). The article analyses false information in both quantitative and qualitative terms. A total of 101 pieces of false information made available online were diagnosed, of which every fourth news item (25.74%) appeared in opinion-forming media (three most popular news portals and all traditional media were taken into account). The qualitative analysis shows that publishing false information in the opinion-forming media is the result of changes in the journalistic work environment (especially declining standards of work, a desire to attract the attention of the media audience and the pursuit of the media organisations’ own interests). However, this issue requires further research in editorial offices and among journalists.
Effect of Hold-Down Misplacement on Strength and Stiffness of Wood Shear Walls

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of misplaced hold-downs on the monotonic and cyclic behavior of wood shear walls. Three shear wall configurations were considered: (1) walls with hold-downs at the ends; (2) walls with one misplaced hold-down to the first interior stud; and (3) walls with misplaced hold-downs plus additional nailing applied to the stud attached to misplaced hold-downs. Results showed that misplaced hold-downs cause reductions in strength and absorbed energy. Specimens with misplaced hold-downs achieved strength values 42% lower under monotonic loading and 35% lower under cyclic loading when compared to the specimens with hold-downs at the ends. Specimens with misplaced hold-downs plus additional nailing reached an average strength that was 21% lower under monotonic loading and 19% lower under cyclic loading when compared to the specimens with hold-downs at the ends. Denser nail spacing applied to the stud with misplaced hold-downs significantly increased the amount o.
Construction and calibration of TDR probes for volumetric water content estimation in a Distroferric Red Latosol

A determinacao da umidade volumetrica de solos e fator importante no manejo da irrigacao. Dentre os metodos indiretos para a estimativa, a tecnica da reflectometria no dominio do tempo (TDR) vem recebendo significativo enfoque. Como toda tecnica, apresenta vantagens e desvantagens, entre elas a maior desvantagem e a necessidade de calibracao e alto custo de aquisicao. O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi estabelecer um modelo de calibracao para o equipamento de TDR, Trase System Modelo 6050X1 para a estimativa da umidade volumetrica em um Latossolo Vermelho distroferrico tipico. A calibracao foi realizada em condicoes de laboratorio, utilizando amostras deformadas do solo em estudo, acondicionadas em colunas de PVC com volume de 0,0078 m3. As sondas de TDR, fabricadas artesanalmente com tres hastes e 0,20 m de comprimento, foram instaladas verticalmente nas colunas de solo, em um total de cinco sondas por coluna, totalizando dezesseis colunas. Realizaram-se as pesagens com balanca digital e leituras diarias da constante dieletrica com o equipamento TDR. O modelo linear θv =0,0103Ka + 0,1900 para estimativa da umidade volumetrica do solo em estudo apresentou excelente coeficiente de determinacao (0,93), viabilizando o uso das sondas na estimativa indireta da umidade do solo.
Simulation and Skills Development: Preparing Australian Social Work Education for a Post-COVID Reality

ABSTRACT Social work field education is facing unprecedented challenges (e.g., increasing student numbers and limited availability of complex scenario placements due to the COVID pandemic). Students need skills in complex scenarios, but exposure to these situations are limited in available placements. This article explored the literature on using simulation in Australian social work education and addressed the challenges and opportunities surrounding this emerging technology. The results revealed a significant gap in the literature on simulation in social work education, which supports the need for exploring and testing authentic simulation-based learning. Effective methods to assess and support students’ practice competencies are critical for ethical and effective pedagogies. IMPLICATIONS Social work students often embark upon placement without an opportunity to develop skills in an authentic scenario, resulting in the potential risk of students being inadequately prepared. The social work profession must prepare for a new COVID reality where face-to-face field practicums with clients may not be possible. Research has shown that social work students are often not provided with the opportunity to engage in complex direct practice situations.
Multi-Tier Multi-Hop Routing in Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks for Freight-Train Monitoring

This paper presents an overview for a multi-hop communication system onboard freight trains based on wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Because a WSN with nodes in each freight car has a linear chain-like topology of significant length, the existing IEEE 802.15. 4 communication protocol, assuming a star topology, is unable to provide acceptable service. The end-to-end communication between nodes relies on individual nodes communicating with their respective neighbors to carry the information over multiple hops and deliver it to the desired destination. The routing performance and reliability degrades significantly with the increasing number of hops. The authors propose a practical solution for large-scale multi-hop wireless sensor networks in railroad environments that overcomes this problem. The authors simulation results show that our proposed multi-tier communication approach is a feasible and reliable solution for implementing chain-topology WSNs with a high number of hops onboard freight trains. The protocol, based on the IEEE 802.15. 4 network stack, is implemented and tested in ns-2.
A man-machine balanced rapid object model for automation of pavement crack sealing and maintenance

A number of studies during the last few years have discussed automated crack detection and mapping using digital image processing technologies in roadway maintenance and rehabilitation. Many recent studies have applied dig- ital image processing to the recognition or sealing of cracks in pavement. There have been great discrepancies, how- ever, among various segmentation methods that extract crack types and locations or classify the extent of cracking. Since all sensing systems also produce some spurious data and experience noise due to the varied topological and color conditions of the pavement surface, accurately mapping and representing the pavement cracks to be sealed using such segmentation methods would be even harder. This paper illustrates an innovative machine vision algorithm developed for accurate crack mapping and representation in the University of Texas (UT) automated road maintenance machine (ARMM). The paper mainly focuses on illustrating the detailed logic and descriptions of the algorithm. Efficiency eval- uation results of the ARMM man-machine balanced crack mapping and representation process, including the line- snapping and path-planning functions, are also shown. Using the algorithms as an edge-describing tool can have broader applications in automation of infrastructure maintenance and inspection of civil works and in the domain of digital image processing.
The incremental value of central control in serial supply chains

We consider a two-echelon serial supply chain where a single manufacturer replenishes a single downstream customer who faces random, stationary and discrete demand. In this setting, we compare the performance of a traditional supply chain having no information sharing to one where the customer shares demand and inventory information with the manufacturer. We also consider the case of central control where the manufacturer has full control over replenishments. This full information sharing with control by the manufacturer captures what has been called a vendor-managed inventory scenario in the literature. In order to estimate the performance of these three supply chain scenarios, we utilise renewal theory to develop probability models for each. A computational analysis of the models determines the benefit which information sharing offers as well as the incremental benefit central control provides beyond that of information sharing alone, a value which has not typically been considered in the literature despite its importance. Results indicate central control offers a 4.0% improvement over the no-information sharing setting; however, information sharing alone accounts for some of that benefit, offering an average cost savings of 1.8% compared to the no-information sharing setting. We then conclude that central control offers only an additional 2.2% benefit over the information sharing setting.
The Value of Serum Adiponectin in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition in women at reproductive age associated with reproductive and metabolic dysfunction. It may be the most common cause of anovulation, early pregnancy loss, and later pregnancy complications. Adiponectin is the most abundant adipokine and is mainly secreted from visceral fat cells. It might be responsible for the metabolic and neuroendocrine derangements characteristic of obesity and obesity-related disease, such as PCOS. We aimed to evaluate the level of serum adiponectin in PCOS and the potential use of adiponectin as a biomarker for PCOS. Methods: This case control study was carried on 100 patients, aged between 20–35 years, who were equally divided into four groups based on the diagnosis of PCOS; 2 case groups and 2 control groups. Group 1 were non-obese PCOS subjects with body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2. Group 2 were obese PCOS subjects with BMI >25 kg/m2. Control groups were selected as; group 3 were non-obese control group with BMI <25 kg/m2. Group 4 were obese control group with BMI >25 kg/m2. Results: Adiponectin was significantly lower in group 1 than group 3 and 4 (P2 and P3 <0.001). While it was significantly lower in group 2 than group 1, 3 and 4 and was significantly lower in group 4 than group 3 (P1 = 0.021, P4 and P5 <0.001). Conclusion: Serum adiponectin level may be taken into consideration as a biomarker for confirmation of PCOS diagnosis. The relationship between adiponectin and BMI suggests that adiponectin could serve as a marker for disease risk and provide opportunity for earlier intervention.
A NEW REGIONAL PETROLEUM SYSTEMS MODEL FOR CENTRAL ITALY AND THE CENTRAL ADRIATIC SEA SUPPORTED BY BASIN MODELLING AND AN ANALYSIS OF HYDROCARBON OCCURRENCES

The petroleum system in Central Italy and the Adriatic Sea is of great interest for future hydrocarbon exploration. However, major uncertainties remain about key risk elements such as source rock spatial distribution and maturation history, the timing of hydrocarbon migration, and the nature of migration pathways. This paper presents a new regional‐scale petroleum systems model based on an integrated inter‐disciplinary study which includes public‐domain subsurface data on key petroleum systems elements, heat‐flow and petroleum geochemical data, and an extensive set of 1D basin models.
n-th Order Functional Problems with Resonance of Dimension One

We consider the nonlinear n-th order boundary value problem Lu=u(n)=f(t,u(t),u′(t),…,u(n−1)(t))=Nu given arbitrary bounded linear functional conditions Bi(u)=0, i=1,…,n and develop a method that allows us to study all such resonance problems of order one, as well as implementing a more general constructive method for deriving existence criteria in the framework of the coincidence degree method of Mawhin. We demonstrate applicability of the formalism by giving an example for n=4.
Deployment of business excellence in Asia: an exploratory study

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of business excellence in Asian organisations. The study examines the effectiveness of business excellence in the organisations that adopt it as well as the approaches used to deploy business excellence. Finally, the study investigates the attitudes of organisations with respect to business excellence awards.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey of 74 organisations across five Asian countries was carried out in order to collect quantitative data. In addition, qualitative data was collected from 21 discussion groups held in all five countries and from 13 interviews held with senior executives of organisations that had won business excellence awards.Findings – The organisations believe that business excellence is important in helping them reach their organisational goals. The results also show that participation in and winning business excellence awards is a key objective for many organisations in the region. However, the region.
Effect of the percentage of Bos taurus inheritance on the fertility of Holstein×Zebu and Brown Swiss×Zebu crossbred cows in the Mexican tropics

Effect of the percentage of Bos taurus inheritance on the 41 fertility of Holstein x Zebu and Brown Swiss x Zebu crossbred cows in the Mexican tropics. Rev Colomb Abstract reproduction. Objective: To assess the effect of the proportion of Bos taurus (Bt) genes 51 on the reproductive performance of Holstein × Zebu (HZ) and Brown Swiss × Zebu (BZ) 52 crossbred cows, and to compare the reproductive performance of these genotypes in a 53 dual-purpose production system. Methods: Cows were maintained in a rotational grazing 54 system on African Star grass ( Cynodon plectostachyus ) in Veracruz, Mexico. Cows were 55 milked twice daily. Calves were kept tied on one side of their dams, while the cows were 56 milked. Results: Percentage of Bt genes did not affect (p>0.05) any fertility trait (age at 57 first calving, days to first service after calving, services per conception, first service 58 conception rate, days open until conception, gestation length and calving interval) of BZ 59 cows. In contrast, HZ cows with less than 75% of Holstein (H) genes were 0.3 years 60 younger (p<0.05) at first calving and had 39.8 fewer days open (p<0.05) than HZ cows 61 with 75% or more of H genes. In addition, the calving interval of HZ cows with less than 62 75% of H genes was 44.8 days shorter (p<0.05) than that of HZ cows with 75% or more 63 of H genes. HZ cows had five fewer days pregnant and were 22.8 kg heavier at calving 64 (p<0.05) than BZ cows. Conclusions: The effect of the percentage of Bt genes on cow 65 fertility depended on the dairy breed used. In general, BZ and HZ cows had similar 66 reproductive performance.
Computer Vision Techniques for the Automated Collection of Cyclist Data

One of the main challenges in the conduct of detailed analysis of cyclist behavior is the lack of reliable data. Collection of data through manual methods is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Two of the important areas of cyclist data collection are volume counts and average speed measurements. A volume count provides the basis for necessary exposure measures and conveys essential information about traffic patterns. Cyclist speed data are used for traffic control and safety studies. The application of computer vision (CV) techniques enables the collection of precise spatial and temporal measurements of road users in a resource-efficient way. This paper presents the use of a set of CV techniques for the automated collection of cyclist data. Cyclist tracks obtained from video analysis were used to perform screen line counts as well as cyclist speed measurements. The applications were demonstrated with the use of a real-world data set from a roundabout in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Further analysis was conducted on the mean speed of cyclists with regard to several factors (e.g., travel path, helmet use, group size). The motivation for this research was to understand better cyclist behavior and how it varied under different conditions. Several conclusions could be drawn from the analysis of cyclist speed behavior. Group size, travel path, lane position, and helmet use were all found to affect the cyclist mean speed. Single cyclists had a slightly, but significantly, higher mean cycling speed than did group cyclists. The mean cycling speed was highest for those cyclists who used the road rather than the sidewalk. The mean cycling speed decreased for cyclists without helmets.
Use of a priori information in the identification of global nonlinear models-a case study using a buck converter

This paper investigates some issues related to grey-box identification. In particular it is discussed how a priori information about the system static nonlinearity can be incorporated into the model. Also, it is shown that in some applications involving nonlinear systems, there must be a tradeoff between the accuracy of the estimated model static nonlinearity and the quality of forecasts. These concepts are applied in the identification of a real DC-DC buck converter operating in continuous mode. Improvement in model global stability was achieved by using simple a priori information that takes into account the steady-state voltage relation of the converter. Models that are valid over a wide operating range are included. Such models are compact and can be estimated directly from data obtained from the converter.
Exploring the Strategic Intent and Practices of University Accelerators: A Case of Australia

University accelerators are a recent but rapidly growing phenomenon that not only enhance regional entrepreneurial ecosystems but influence the success of university startups and regional development and prosperity. The aim of this research is to explore the alignment of university strategic intent and practices with the impact and outcomes of university startup accelerators. The research design includes emergent enquiry perspectives aligned to inductive and nascent exploratory research. This is the first global algorithmic study using Leximancer techniques to examine the integration of university intent and accelerator impact using institutional theory as a foundation. Neoteric reviews provide conflicting points of view regarding university accelerators as startup launchpads or vehicles for entrepreneurial learning, and the findings suggest a disparity between university accelerators and university strategic intent, primarily a result of the incongruent interplay of substantive and symbolic management practices. The findings provide not only critical grounding and insights for researchers, practitioners, and university leaders in their quest to engage with successful nascent entrepreneurs and university startups but, also, practical implications to align the strategic intent.
Effects of Seating Arrangement on Students' Interaction in Group Reflective Practice

Abstract In the conducted field experiment, we explore the intensity of university students' interaction related to the seating arrangement (circle or rows) in pre-service teachers' groups during the reflective practice. We also probe the differences across the various fields of study and evaluate the facilitator's influence on the interaction. We use wearable electronic Sociometric badges 2.0 to measure the interaction intensity (assessed by speech rate and average speaking segment length). We performed a total of 153 repeated measurements on 58 students in 4 different fields of study (Mathematics, Physics, Music, and Civic Education) using a counterbalanced design with a total of four measurements (two in circle and two in rows) in each group. Results of the multilevel modeling analysis indicate more intensive interaction in rows than in circles. However, the findings also indicate significant moderation by the field of study and partially by the extent of facilitator involvement.