Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Proactive Approach for Change Management and Control on Construction Projects

Changes on construction projects present tough and controversial issues. Change is one of the primary reasons for schedule delay and cost overrun, which create negative impact on project performance and profitability. The liability of change and its consequences are major sources of disagreements between project participants, which often lead to disputes or claims.To answer the challenge of change, both industry and academia have developed change management techniques. Many studies have touched on the problem of quantifying project change's direct and cumulative impact and apportioning change's consequences to the responsible parties. However, more research needs to be done on predicting project change and proactive change management decision-making. This study addresses this important need and develops and tests a proactive change management tool.Accordingly, this study conducts a comprehensive change analysis and develops a proactive change management model to support project change management. The model is developed from a large set of project data. It addresses the proactive aspect of project change management and most of the key project attributes that determine the success of a construction project. A new set of project data is used to test the model and illustrate its applications.Among other things, this study identifies that:(1) Project change has a negative impact on project performance. (2) Design change and construction change are positively correlated. (3) Various factors affect the amount of project change. (4) Project decision-making should include careful consideration of these factors. (5) A tool for predicting the amount of change would help improve project performance.These findings and developments provide a good framework for proactive change management.This study recommends that proactive change management be taken seriously in the project planning and design phases. In addition, the decision-making process should usually be directed towards minimizing project change. Finally, companies and organizations in the construction industry should collect and mine their project data to support their decision-making and improve cost efficiency.The primary contribution of this study to the existing body of knowledge is the development of the proactive change management model that is based on analysis of a very large and detailed project database. This model will help industry professionals predict potential change on their projects and benchmark their change performance against a large set of projects. It improves stakeholder ability to manage project change and its consequent effects. With this tool, better change management will result and the cost effectiveness of the construction industry will be improved.
Steel moment frames for earthquakes in United States and Japan

Steel moment frames are used for seismic design in the United States and Japan and are highly regarded structural systems, but severe damage to steel frames occurred during the 1994 Northridge and 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquakes. Examination of similarities and differences in the engineering research and practice for these frames in the two countries provides insight into this important seismic issue. A brief history of the engineering practice in both countries is provided, and current practice and design methods are summarized and compared. The evolution of structural systems and the details and practices employed in the two countries are described. Damage from past earthquakes is briefly reviewed. Welding processes and material behavior are also compared, because they influence the seismic behavior of these systems. Many U.S. engineers believe that Japanese buildings are much stiffer and stronger but less ductile than comparable U.S. buildings. It will be shown that this is not always the case. Significant differences in U.S. and Japanese design practices will be shown, but even greater similarities in our structures and design procedures will be noted. As a consequence, this paper should help engineers from both countries learn from one another.
Mental health status of adults under institutional quarantine: a cross-sectional survey in Tunisia

Introduction restrictive measures imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as quarantine, may induce psychiatric outcomes among concerned individuals. The present study aimed to describe the mental health status of Tunisian adults under mandatory institutional quarantine imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine factors influencing the occurrence of psychiatric symptoms. Methods a cross-sectional phone survey was conducted from April to November 2020 using convenience sampling of persons who had experienced mandatory institutional quarantine. A standardized questionnaire was administered to participants including questions about socio-demographic characteristics and quarantine related information. Generalized anxiety disorder, depression symptoms, and sleep quality during quarantine were assessed using, respectively, the generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), the centre for epidemiological studies depression (CES-D-10) and the insomnia severity index (ISI) scales. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine factors associated with anxiety and/or depression and with clinical insomnia. Results among 506 participants, 38.3% experienced anxiety and/or depression symptoms (anxiety: 15.4%; depression: 37.4%) and 19.2% had clinical insomnia. The prevalence of anxiety and/or depression symptoms and insomnia were higher among women those who spent three hours or above on COVID-19 news, those who had economic difficulties due to COVID-19 pandemic, those who were not satisfied by the accommodation conditions of quarantine facilities, and those who had experienced stigma. Conclusion high prevalence of psychiatric symptoms among quarantined individuals was found in this study. Psychological interventions should thus be an integral part of the COVID-19 control strategy in order to provide adequate psychological support to persons quarantined due to COVID-19.
System Identification and Damage Detection of a Prestressed Concrete Beam

In the domain of civil engineering it is often necessary to monitor constructions such as buildings or bridges to maintain safety conditions. Nondestructive test methods outmatch other methods, because they do not influence the constructions performance. One approach is based on the experimental determination of modal parameters (eigenvalues, damping, mode shapes). From the changes in modal data damage can be detected. By updating a reference finite-element model such that its numerical modal data correspond well with the experimental modal data of the damaged structure, the damage pattern can be identified. When applying this technique to prestressed concrete, the problem arises that, because of the prestressing, cracks close again. Therefore a research program was started to investigate the change of modal parameters of a gradually damaged prestressed concrete beam. Static loads with increasing amplitude were applied. In between each load step a dynamic measurement was performed. The results show that the damage detection remains difficult for prestressed concrete in the early damage state. However, a damage pattern could be identified, which corresponds to the locations of the final failure.
Application of UPFC for enhancement of voltage profile and minimization of losses using Fast Voltage Stability Index (FVSI)

Transmission line loss minimization in a power system is an important research issue and it can be achieved by means of reactive power compensation. The unscheduled increment of load in a power system has driven the system to experience stressed conditions. This pheno- menon has also led to voltage profile depreciation below the acceptable secure limit. The signi- ficance and use of Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices and capacitor placement is in order to alleviate the voltage profile decay problem. The optimal value of compensating de- vices requires proper optimization technique, able to search the optimal solution with less com- putational burden. This paper presents a technique to provide simultaneous or individual controls of basic system parameter like transmission voltage, impedance and phase angle, thereby control- ling the transmitted power using Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) based on Bacterial Foraging (BF) algorithm. Voltage stability level of the system is defined on the Fast Voltage Stability Index (FVSI) of the lines. The IEEE 14-bus system is used as the test system to demon- strate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed system. The test result showed that the location of UPFC improves the voltage profile and also minimize the real power loss.
Distributed Constrained Optimization With Asynchrony and Delays

This brief investigates a distributed composite optimization problem over an undirected network with equality constraints. The optimization problem includes a smooth term and two possibly non-smooth terms. Most existing results are devoted to developing distributed algorithms in a synchronous setting with a global clock, where the agents cannot proceed to the next iteration until the slowest agent completes its update. A new asynchronous distributed primal-dual forward-backward splitting algorithm (AD-PDFBS) is presented to solve this problem. Each agent can compute and communicate independently at different times, for different durations, with the information it has even if the latest information from its neighbors is not yet available. The convergence of AD-PDFBS is proved by transforming the asynchronous algorithm into a fixed-point problem utilizing the operator splitting scheme under bounded delay assumption. Experiment result confirms the effectiveness of AD-PDFBS.
Statistical study of impulse corona inception parameters on line conductors

Laboratory tests on corona on line conductors of cylindrical cross-section have provided charge measurements and surface field data for negative corona resulting from double-exponential and oscillatory impulses. The charge measurements show that minimum corona charge is injected for impulse front times intermediate between the standard lightning and switching impulse shapes. This result is associated with the interdependence of the corona charge and the statistical time lag of corona inception and with the time required to clear the corona space charge. Time lag effects are simulated by applying critical volume theory to line conductor geometry. The corona space-charge field reduction is quantified by the electric field measurements using a cylindrical field filter.
Current saturation in submillimeter-wave varactors

In semiconductor devices the speed of electrons cannot exceed certain limits. This phenomenon will affect varactor multipliers as well as other high-frequency devices where the RF current through the active part of the device is primarily displacement current. Hence, at some point, 'saturation' of the varactor output power is expected. The authors discuss this phenomenon in some detail and show that it severely deteriorates the multiplier performance at higher frequencies. Single barrier varactors (SBVs) should have an advantage over GaAs Schottky diode varactors because they can be fabricated on InAs and stacked in a series array, allowing for lower current densities and higher power handling. >
Error-free 10 Gbit/s transmission using individual Fabry-Perot modes of low-noise quantum-dot laser

A comb-generating laser suitable for DWDM application is demonstrated on the basis of a multimode quantum-dot laser. Bit error rate <10−13 at 10 Gbit/s external modulation was measured for 10 longitudinal modes owing to low (<0.3% over 0.001–10 GHz) relative intensity noise of each individual mode.
Life-Cycle Cost Minimization and Sensitivity Analysis for Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design

AbstractRebuilding and maintaining the nation’s highway infrastructure will require very large capital outlays for many years to come. While the expenditures involved in the maintenance and construction of highway facilities are large, current methods of pavement design used in common engineering practice do not routinely take advantage of design optimization methodologies. This paper presents an optimization formulation for mechanistic-empirical pavement design that minimizes life-cycle costs associated with the construction and maintenance of flexible pavements. Sensitivity analysis is performed on the model to understand how the optimal design changes with respect to variations in the critical design inputs. Using typical values for the costs associated with the construction of each pavement layer and the reconstruction of failed pavement sections, it is determined that extended-life flexible pavements may provide significant life-cycle cost savings despite their higher initial construction cost. Howev.
Investment fund selection techniques from the perspective of Brazilian pension funds

ABSTRACT The aim of this article was to evaluate the effectiveness of investment fund selection techniques from the perspective of Brazilian pension funds. Asset liability management (ALM) and liability driven investment (LDI) strategies are usually adopted to guide pension fund managers in relation to strategic allocation in asset classes that should compose their investment portfolios and to the liquidity needed in each period, but not specifying in which assets to allocate resources from among the infinity of assets available in the financial market. This article contributes to tactical management in the fixed income and stock segments outsourced via funds and demonstrates that adopting simple indicators can increase investment performance. The article broadens the knowledge on pension fund investment decisions and creates confidence in the adoption of the Sharpe ratio as a technique for choosing investment funds. We analyzed the returns obtained by hypothetical portfolios built using the following techniques: (i) the Sharpe ratio; (ii) the alpha of a multifactor model; (iii) data envelopment analysis (DEA) efficiency; and (iv) the different combinations of these techniques. We considered information on 369 funds from 2013 to 2018, adopting 12 temporal windows for choosing and re-evaluating the portfolios. The returns obtained were compared with the mean actuarial goal of the benefits plans administered by the pension funds, by means of the unplanned divergence (UD). When outsourcing pension fund investments in fixed income and stock investment funds it was verified that the Sharpe ratio contributes significantly to pension fund performance, compared with other indicators and techniques or a combination of them.
Preparation of Nano-Iron Loaded Cassava Fibre Composite Material for Hexavalent Chromium Removal

Waste cassava fiber and tea polyphenols were used as carrier materials and reducing agents, respectively, to prepare nano-iron loaded cassava fiber composite (CF-FeNPs). This work investigated the factors affecting the removal of Cr(Ⅵ) by CF-FeNPs under different environmental conditions and the removal mechanism. The SEM characterization results show that as the initial Fe2+ concentration increases, the amount of nano-iron on the surface of the composite material increases. The results show that the increases of the initial Fe2+ content and dosage of CF-FeNPs can enhance the removal rate. Meanwhile, the decrease of the initial concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) solution and pH also beneficial for the removal performance. When pH=2.0 and the initial concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) is 10 mg/L, the removal rate of hexavalent chromium by CF-FeNPs can reach 81.4% within 2 h. The reaction conforms to the pseudo first-order kinetic model. The results of this study can provide technical reference for the remediation and treatment of Cr(VI)-containing wastewater.
The intervening effect of business innovation capability on the relationship between Total Quality Management and technological innovation

The growing diffusion and acceptance in the business world of Total Quality Management (TQM) has attracted greater interest on the part of academia. Although fundamental questions focus on how the different dimensions of TQM can bring about better business performance, a more recent recurring issue pertains to the relationship between TQM and technological innovation and whether technological innovation might provide a source of competitive advantage. Unfortunately, from both theoretical and empirical perspectives, the relationship between TQM and technological innovation appears contradictory and complex. This paper argues that the relationship might be better understood from the contingent perspective of strategic management and thus proposes a multidimensional intervening variable in the relationship, called Business Innovation Capability (BIC). An empirical study of 105 Spanish industrial firms reveals that the effect of some business practices suggested by TQM on technological innovation can be better understood when BIC dimensions are taken into account.
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni: The Interaction of Night Interruption on Gas Exchange, Flowering Delay, and Steviol Glycosides Synthesis

The Stevia market is estimated to be USD 1.14 billion in 2028 due to its acceptance in the food and beverage industry. Stevia rebaudiana and its two more relevant edulcorants: stevioside (St) and rebaudioside A (Reb-A) can reach 450-fold sweeter than sucrose. The species is considered a long night plant, promoting flowering and shortening vegetative growth. Thus, to increase the leaf area and St and Reb-A increase, we broke the long night with a short light pulse, here called night interruption (NI). In this study, three NI times and two S. rebaudiana genotypes were tested to promote larger vegetative growth, flowering delay, and higher synthesis of steviol glycosides (SvGly). The main goal of this study was to demonstrate that NI increased net photosynthesis (9% to 20%), the internode length (59%), the leaf area (25%), while delays in 4 to 10 days of the flowering phase, impacting in 17% to 25% more St and Reb-A, respectively. Here we describe an inexpensive flowering delay, elongation of vegetative growth, allowing extended harvesting, which could yield four to five annual harvesting of leaves, increasing the production in 21% to 24% more St and Reb-A yield (kg ha−1).
Factors Influencing Academic Self-Efficacy Among Nursing Students During COVID-19: A Path Analysis

Introduction: The shift to online learning owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic is posing an additional challenge to academic success, particularly for students who speak English as a Second Language (ESL). This study aimed to examine the factors that contribute to academic self-efficacy among ESL nursing students. Method: This was a cross-sectional study using path analysis with 113 undergraduate ESL nursing students in New York City. Data were collected online using self-report measures of the study variables: academic self-efficacy, perfectionistic concerns, acculturative stress, and e-learning stress. A hypothetical path model was tested using AMOS 26.0. Results: Perfectionistic concerns and acculturative stress directly affected academic self-efficacy. Furthermore, perfectionistic concerns and e-learning stress indirectly affected academic self-efficacy via the acculturative stress path. Discussion: Results indicate the importance of developing a multifaceted intervention that considers diverse cultural and psychological factors to help ESL nursing students enhance their academic self-efficacy in e-learning environments.
SIMULTANEOUS EFFECT OF INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL AND HEPTAHELIX MANAGERIAL PERFORMANCE ON COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: A TNI AL SURVEY IN RIAU ISLANDS

The current research was conducted aiming to investigate the simultaneous effect of Intellectual Capital and Heptahelix Managerial Performance on Competitive Advantage. The current research novelty is in the form of measurement of the level of personal performance by combining the Pentahelix and Technology concept as well as the Managerial Performance measurement in the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), Riau Islands Province, which is called Heptahelix's Managerial Performance. The implication of this research is expected to create superior human resources among the Indonesian Navy in the Riau Islands Province so that they can handle the illegal actions they encounter, since their main tasks and functions is to maintain defense and security in the Marine Territory of the Republic of Indonesia, especially in the Riau Islands Province. This study uses the associative method to see the magnitude of the influence if Intellectual Capital and Heptahelix Managerial Performance are combined together so that later it is hoped that the Navy will excel in competing to maintain the defense and security of the Marine Territory of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly in the Riau Islands Province.
The Subsidence Analysis of Experimental Post-Tensioned Concrete Slab Model in the Course of the Static Load Test

This article presenting results of subsidence measurement on experimental post-tensioned concrete slab model during static load test. This subsidence measurement was realized on the large scale concrete slab model and brought important data for computer modeling by FEM (finite element method). The experiment simulated the load effect of the base plate of heavy rack. In the course of the static load test subsidence was measured by set of potentiometric gauges at the particular points in real time. The experiment continue on research activity focused on problematic of interaction between concrete structures and subsoil and was realized at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, VSB – Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic.
The effects of tamping on railway track geometry degradation

The UK rail industry remains a safe, reliable and competitive alternative to other forms of transport. Maintaining such an ageing, increasingly utilized, railway network with limited financial resources is a major challenge. By utilizing data on the UK network track geometry collected over six years, along with available records of maintenance performed during this period, the effects of tamping on track geometry degradation have been analysed. This paper presents a Weibull approach to analyse the distributions of times for the track geometry to degrade to specified states following maintenance. Track quality is given by the standard deviation of the averaged vertical position of the rails taken over a 35 m wavelength. The quality of the track geometry is also investigated after tamping has been performed. The results of this study show that traffic speed and the maintenance history of any line have an effect on geometry deterioration. Furthermore, support is provided to the argument that tamping damages track ballast.