Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance Tests for the Selection of Fabrics and Additives When Used as Geotextile Bags, Containers, and Tubes

There are two performance tests available for the selection of fabrics and additives when contemplating a geotextile bag, container, or tube application. They are the “hanging bag test” and the “pillow test. ” Both tests are described in this paper along with data generated by their use. While both can be used for selection purposes, the advantages of the pillow test over the hanging bag test are quite compelling. Items favoring the pillow test are much smaller size, need for less dredged or slurried infill material, better field simulated orientation, and the capability of monitoring hydraulic head versus time behavior. This last item is most important since dredging pressures are always involved and the simulated behavior of the pillow test gives good insight into the anticipated behavior of the full-scale application.
Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction Measurements Mapping Internal Strains of Thermal Barrier Coatings During Thermal Gradient Mechanical Fatigue Loading

An understanding of the high temperature mechanics experienced in thermal barrier coatings (TBC) during cycling conditions would be highly beneficial to extending the lifespan of the coatings. This study will present results obtained using synchrotron X-rays to measure depth resolved strains in the various layers of TBCs under thermal mechanical loading and a superposed thermal gradient. Tubular specimens, coated with yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and an aluminum containing nickel alloy as a bond coat both through electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD), were subjected to external heating and controlled internal cooling generating a thermal gradient across the specimen's wall. Temperatures at the external surface were in excess of 1000 degrees C. Throughout high temperature testing, 2D high-resolution XRD strain measurements are taken at various locations through the entire depth of the coating layers. Across the YSZ, a strain gradient was observed showing higher compressive strain at the interface to the bond coat than toward the surface. This behavior can be attributed to the specific microstructure of the EB-PVD-coating, which reveals higher porosity at the outer surface than at the interface to the bond coat, resulting in a lower in plane modulus near the surface. This location at the interface displays the most significant variation due to applied load at room temperature with this effect diminishing at elevated uniform temperatures. During thermal cycling with a thermal gradient and mechanical loading, the bond coat strain moves from a highly tensile state at room temperature to an initially compressive state at high temperature before relaxing to zero during the high temperature hold. The results of these experiments give insight into previously unseen material behavior at high temperature, which can be used to develop an increased understanding of various failure modes and their causes.
Factors related to study success in engineering education

Recent studies on student learning in higher education have paid attention to the relationships between characteristics of the learning environment and students' study orientations and study success. The purpose of the present paper is to examine these relationships in university level engineering education. The data were collected from Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland, by means of an Internet survey (n=394). Grade point average, credits per semester and students' qualitative evaluation of their learning outcomes were used as indicators of study success. The findings of the study indicate that students' perceptions of their learning environment were related to their study orientations which, in turn, were related to study success. Having a deep study strategy was the most important predictor of study success. Having a surface strategy, doubt about one's abilities and lack of regulation were factors negatively related to study success. Meaning-oriented and self-regulated students using a deep strategy showed the best success in their studies and externally regulated students using a surface strategy the worst. The findings of the study suggest that the learning environments in Lappeenranta University of Technology encourage deep learning.
Long Term Oral Contraceptive Administration is Associated with Low Serum Levels of Nitric Oxide, Vitamin C and Vitamin E

Background: Oral contraceptives are now commonly used by women worldwide as a method for preventing pregnancy. In addition, it was proposed that women taking these drugs require supplementary vitamin E. The aim of this study was to identify changes in serum levels of nitric oxide, vitamin C and vitamin Einwomen taking oral contraceptives for more than three years. Method: The study included (60) women using these tablets and (58) healthy women used as control group. Levels of nitric oxide, vitamin C, vitamin E were estimated in all women participants. In order to estimate the effect of age on levels of nitric oxide, vitamin C and vitamin E, women were divided into two groups: thirteen women aged (18-35) years and thirteen of women aged (36-45) year, remarked to it with symbols (A and B). These groups were compared with two groups of nonuser’s women: twenty-nine of women aged (18-35) years and twenty-nine of women aged (36-45) year, remarked to it with symbols (AC and BC). Results: There was a significant decrease in levels of nitric oxide, vitamin C and vitamin E) ( P ≤0.05) in all women who were taking oral contraceptives when compared with control women. In addition, the results illustrated significant elevation in nitric oxide,vitamin C and (vitamin Elevels ( P ≤0.05) in the two groups of user’s women when compared with the control groups. Also, it showed none significant elevation in nitric oxide in group (B) in comparison with group (A) ( P ≤0.05), while no significant differences were seen in vitamin C and vitamin E levels ( P ≤0.05) between groups (A) and (B) and control groups. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the use of combined oral contraceptives resulted in low levels of nitric oxide, vitamin C and vitamin E.
Understanding new technology adoption in the apparel and footwear industry within a social framework: a case of rapid prototyping technology

This study explores the current phenomenon of user-technology negotiation associated with new technology adoption in the apparel and footwear industry. A theoretical framework was proposed as a construct, and a case study was performed to evaluate the proposed framework. In partnership with a world leading footwear company, its newly patented prototyping technology, named the virtual sampling system (VSS), was used to generate empirical data. A web survey was administered to the employees and quantitative analysis was performed to assess the relationships among the study variables. Frequency of use was the most determinant external variable to identify relative social groups to categorise the technology users by the levels of their initial expectation of the technology, satisfaction with training sessions, and evaluations of the company's performance with the use of the technology. Based on the case study findings, a strategy for increasing the efficiency of internal communications was suggested to the participant company.
Evaluating Adaptive Multisensory Displays for Target Localization in a Flight Task

This study was designed to determine the efficacy of providing target location information via head-coupled visual and spatial audio displays presented in adaptive and nonadaptive configurations. Twelve United States Air Force pilots performed a simulated flight task in which they were instructed to maintain flight parameters while searching for ground and air targets. The integration of visual displays with spatial audio cueing enhanced performance efficiency, especially when targets were most difficult to detect. Several of the interface conditions were also associated with lower ratings of perceived mental workload. The benefits associated with multisensory cueing were equivalent in both adaptive and nonadaptive configurations.
Numerical Simulations of the Pulsed Inductive Thruster

Numerical modeling of the Pulsed Inductive Thruster exercising the magnetohydrodynamic code. MACH2 aims to provide bilateral validation of the thruster’s measured performance and the code’s capability of capturing the pertinent physical processes. Computed impulse values demonstrate excellent correlation to the experimental data for a range of energy levels and helium propellant‐mass values. The effects of the vacuum tank wall and mass‐injection scheme were investigated to show trivial changes in the overall performance.
Passive Force–Deflection Behavior for 0° and 30° Skewed Abutments

Accounting for seismic forces and thermal expansion in bridge design requires an accurate passive force–deflection relationship for the abutment wall. Current design codes make no allowance for skew effects on passive force; however, small-scale experimental results indicate a significant reduction in peak passive force as skew angle increases for plane-strain cases. To explore this issue further, large-scale field tests were conducted at skew angles of 0° and 30° with unconfined backfill geometry. The abutment back wall was 11 ft (3.35 m) wide by 5.5 ft (1.68 m) high, and backfill material consisted of dense, compacted sand. The peak passive force for the 30° skew was found to be 58% of the peak passive force for the 0° skew case, which was in good agreement with the available laboratory and numerical results; however, the small difference between field and available laboratory results suggests that backfill geometry may have some effect on the reduction in peak passive force with respect to skew angle. Longitudinal displacement of the back wall at the peak passive force was found to be between 3% and 5% of the back wall height for field tests of both the 0° and 30° skew, which was consistent with previously reported values for large-scale passive force–deflection tests. For both tests, the failure geometry extended approximately 4 to 5 ft (1.22 to 1.52 m) beyond the edge of the pile cap and 16 to 18 ft (4.88 to 5.49 m) from the face of the cap when measured perpendicular to the back wall.
Detection-Action Linkage in Vigilance: Effects on Workload and Stress

Using a simulated UAV control task in which a vigilance display warned observers of the presence of enemy threats, Gunn et al. (2005) reported that perceived mental workload in relation to the vigilance task was unexpectedly low. The present study did not confirm that finding. It did show, however, that vigilance performance was greater and task induced stress was less among observers who had the opportunity to act upon vigilance signal detections by destroying the enemy threats than among those who detected threats but had no opportunity to counter them. Accordingly, the results point to the importance of a detection-action linkage to enhance signal detection and reduce stress in the performance of vigilance tasks.
Non-invasive assessment of human ribs mechanical properties

Despite the current safety systems, thoracic injuries in car crash accidents are among the most important. To improve the users’ safety, a better knowledge of the biomechanical response of the rib cage is necessary (Stitzel et al. 2003; Kemper et al. 2005; Vezin and Berthet 2009). One approach is based on finite element modelling of the thorax. Such models are already available for ‘standard’ subjects. However, to study the whole range of transport users (children, elderly, etc.), their customisation is needed. It involves acquiring data in vivo and thus the development of non-destructive methods. Before considering in vivo studies, it is essential to assess these methods ex vivo. In this context, a first question is: is it possible to estimate the ribs mechanical properties by non-invasive measurements? Currently, no method exists to measure the rib strength in clinical examination. Nonetheless, a method estimating the elasticity of bone tissues by ultrasonic axial transmission is under development. It was initially designed for the in vivo measurements on the radius (Talmant et al. 2009) and is applied here for the first time to the ribs.
Evaluation of Representative Loading Frequency for Linear Elastic Analysis of Asphalt Pavements

The mechanistic design of flexible pavement is usually done with linear elastic theory (LET); this process must use appropriate values of the equivalent asphalt concrete elastic modulus to evaluate stresses and strains in a linear elastic multilayer. The aim is to identify some relationships to estimate the value of loading frequency, representative of the real strain pulse frequency spectrum, to be used in calculating the stiffness modulus of the asphalt concrete layers. In this way, an equivalent linear elastic structural analysis can be conducted. To achieve this aim, many transient load simulations were performed with ViscoRoute software based on the viscoelastic model. After variables that affected the representative frequency value were detected, more than 215 variable combinations (representative of real conditions) were randomly generated. For each combination, viscoelastic analysis was conducted, and then the stiffness modulus and the corresponding loading frequency were backcalculated by minimizing the residuals between linear elastic and viscoelastic peak strains. The representative frequency values calculated for these configurations were related to the significant variables by means of a multivariate regression. The model was developed separately for each of the three directions according to the anisotropic behavior of pavement under moving loads. Finally, the procedure was validated by applying it to several climatic and load configurations of an existing pavement. A simple and useful tool is provided to take into account all significant parameters; the tool can be used in conjunction with LET for pavement design.
A Simple Method to Stabilize Radiation Pattern over a Large Bandwidth

An alternative radiation stabilization method has been presented for patch antenna. With this method, side radiation could be suppressed when a conductor ring and a circular slot both with the width of a quarter-wavelength are placed on the same layer and around patch antenna. An experimental structure has been simulated and the distance from antenna part to conductor ring is optimized using parametric function of HFSS software. Measured results given in this paper obviously indicate that not only the side radiation from the boundary of substrate could be suppressed effectively, but also the antenna directivity could be adjusted and enhanced after this method has been carried out. Both simulation and measurement indicate that when the distance is set to one guided wavelength (), side radiation could be suppressed the most effectively and the return loss of patch antenna is only slightly affected.
Drilled Displacement Piles – Current Practice and Design

Abstract Drilled displacement piles are being increasingly used as foundation elements, particularly in projects requiring fast construction. Different types of drilled displacement (DD) piles are available in practice. DD piles are classified according to the drilling tool design and installation method. The capacity of a DD pile, depending on its type, is between the capacities of geometrically similar nondisplacement and full-displacement piles installed in the same soil profile. This paper provides an overview of the different types of DD piles and their installation techniques and describes three design methods used in practice. It also compares DD pile capacities obtained with these design methods for two different sites.
Non-Constant Prediction-Step MPC for Processes with Multi-Scale Dynamics

Abstract Motivated by applications in minerals processing, a novel model predictive control scheme is presented with non-constant prediction step size. In the proposed scheme, the sampling rate of the prediction and control horizons changes, with nearer steps having a shorter sampling period than ones in the more distant future. This approach allows for fine tuning of the control trajectory over the near horizon, whilst still allowing for long prediction and control horizons to account for slow dynamics. This may find application in many chemical and minerals processing plants where process units have multiple time-scale dynamics. Extensions to decentralized control of process networks are presented. The approach is illustrated using an industrial case study.
Optimal Energy Allocation for Kalman Filtering over Packet Dropping Links with Energy Harvesting Constraints

Abstract This paper studies the problem of optimal transmission energy allocation for error covariance minimization in Kalman filtering with random packet losses for sensors with energy harvesting capabilities. The energy harvesters provide an everlasting but unreliable energy source compared to conventional batteries with fixed energy storages. The packet loss probabilities of the Kalman filtering depend on both the sensor transmission energy and time varying wireless fading channel gains. We minimize either a finite horizon sum or the long term average (infinite horizon) of the trace of the expected error covariance of the Kalman filter subject to energy harvesting constraints. The resulting Markov decision process problems with constraints are approached using the dynamic programming principle for both causal and non-causal system information. Using the concept of submodularity, the structure of the optimal transmission energy policy is studied. Numerical simulation results are presented illustrating the performance of the energy allocation algorithms.
Taxi! Urban economies and the social and transport impacts of the taxicab

making. There are also a few technical problems that needed to be corrected in the editing process, one example being the heading ‘A new research agenda: geography, psychology and policy’. The paragraph immediately below does not say what this agenda is, although it is buried in the subsequent pages, which also contain misleading subheadings. In an indirect way, the value of this book is that it is unable to deliver on what actually would constitute a sustainable environment and society, and this in itself highlights the immense problems involved with this issue. For this reason, the book is worth reading and studying for the insights, both explicit and implicit, about further research agendas and ways of moving towards a sustainable future.
ROLE OF INTERLEUKIN-35 IN RENAL FAILURE PATIENTS WITH HEPATITIS C VIRUS

Background: Chronic Renal Failure is a condition where there is a loss of kidney function over a period of months or years.Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a hepatotropic virus that infects people and causes liver disease. It is a potential source of significant morbidity and death throughout the globe. patients with acute hepatitis C become chronically infected. Therefore, the high, acute HCV infection and chronicity rates after acute infection contribute to the high prevalence of HCV infection in End Stage Renal Disease patients.In patients with CRF, renal problems are caused by an imbalance between the oxidant and antioxidant systems, as well as the depletion of the protective antioxidant system and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). T lymphocytes are then attracted into the kidney as a consequence. T cells infiltrating the body may induce tissue damage, iTr35 cell generation, IL-35 expression, and iTr35 regulatory T cell conversion, indicating that these cells may be involved in the development of renal failure. Objective: Evaluate the levels of IL-35Renal Failure Patients with Hepatitis C. Methods and Results:Collected 46 patients with Hepatitis C Virus and 45 control. This sandwich kit is used to detect human Interleukin-35 in a quantifiable manner. The identification of HCV-specific IgM and IgG was accomplished using a third-generation ELISA method. Study population an age ranging between (14-73) years old. The present study showed that the female group had the highest percentage and constituted 26/46 (56.52%) patients, while the male group constituted 20/46 (43.48%). The first age group is 14-33 years, n = 15 (32.6%). The second age group, 34-53, 24 (52.1), was the oldest group of renal failure patients infected with the hepatitis C virus. The third age group, 54-73 years, n=7 (15.21%), had the fewest renal failure patients infected with the hepatitis C virus. the mean level of Interleukin-35 (IL-35) in Renal Failure patients with Hepatitis C Virus (RF-HCV) (11.48) was significantly higher than in control group (2.30).
Prevention through Design as a Path toward Social Sustainability

AbstractDesign and construction professionals who have studied sustainability know that sustainability encompasses not just environmental equity but also social equity and economic equity. Most of the literature on social sustainability in the built environment focuses on regional urban planning issues, not on specific actions capital project owners and design professionals can take. Prevention through design (PtD) (also known as design for construction safety) is an emerging initiative in the design and construction industry in which design professionals consider the safety of construction workers during the design phase. This paper provides an overview of the PtD concept and suggests that PtD should be a required aspect of social equity on capital projects. A recent survey (n=103) indicates that the expected challenges to diffusion of PtD—lack of knowledge, higher costs, industry structure, and fear of liability—may not prove to be significant barriers, but these challenges may be relevant to other soci.
Concept Development of Design Driven Parts Regarding Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

ABSTRACTThe increasing number of derivates in the automotive sector, combined with the product variation for individualization and technical progress, is presenting a major challenge for product designers. There are many case studies, especially in the concept development, which need to be checked on feasibility. This paper outlines how the necessary efficiency improvement, to deal with the rising amount of projects, can be achieved through the application of a Knowledge Based Engineering System (KBES). A special focus is put on the automated construction of design driven components. Furthermore, possibilities for the integration of expert knowledge into the construction system are demonstrated in order to enable a single user to build a product model according to the methodology of Multidisciplinary Design and Optimization (MDO). An approach for the knowledge based creation of automotive headlamps is presented in detail. The advantages of a reacting construction system consisting of a variety of construct.
Composition of Household Dust in Semi-urban Areas in Malaysia

A study of household dust composition was conducted in a semi-urban area around Kajang and Bandar Baru Bangi Selangor, Malaysia. Samples of household dust were collected from 31 randomly selected houses using a vacuum cleaner equipped with a changeable dust bag. Parameters analysed were anions (Cl � , SO 2� 4 , and NO3� ), cations (K þ ,C a 2þ , and Mg 2þ ), and heavy metals (Cd, Fe, Ni, and Pb) to deduce the possible sources and evaluate the toxicity of indoor dust. The concentration of each parameter was compared to the concentration of street dust collected outside the houses. The results showed that the composition