Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Aging Study in India: Vision, Design, Implementation, and Preliminary Findings *

An early version of this paper was presented in March 2011 at the Indian National Science Academy in New Delhi, India at a conference on “Aging in Asia”. The authors are indebted to the conference participants and to Larry Rosenberg for helpful comments. A more detailed analysis of these data is available at http://www.hsph. harvard.edu/pgda/WorkingPapers/2011/PGDA_WP_82. pdf. This research has been supported by NIA Grants R21AG032572 and P30AG024409.
Experimental modelling of lateral loads on large diameter mono-pile foundations in sand

The last years several offshore wind farms have been completed. Such farms typically consist of a few dozen wind turbines. The majority of these wind turbines is founded on mono-piles with a diameter of 4–5 m and is designed according to standards that use the p-y method for lateral loading conditions. However, this p-y method is not validated for such diameter piles. Full-scale field tests and model pile tests with properly scaled stress conditions subjected to lateral loads are scarce. This Thesis investigates the effect of a diameter increase on the lateral bearing capacity of 2.2 m and 4.4 m diameter mono-piles in dry sand. Static displacement controlled and one-way cyclic force controlled model pile load tests were performed using the Delft University of Technology geotechnical centrifuge. Results show that the smaller 2.2 m diameter pile has a lower secant and tangent soil- pile stiffness when compared to the 4.4 m diameter pile. In all cases the tangent stiffness is about 50% higher than the secant stiffness. Also, a force acting higher above soil surface yields a lower initial system stiffness. Results furthermore show that an increase in pile diameter with a constant slenderness or L/D-ratio, relative density Id and load excentricity e, leads to a significant increase in static lateral capacity. The secant and tangent stiffness also significantly increase with increasing diameter. The accumulation of lateral pile displacements as function of the number of applied one-way cyclic lateral loads has been investigated using 500 force controlled cycles. For an increasing number of load cycles the pile head displacements increase whilst the rate of accumulation decreases. However, additional loading cycles, up to e.g. 100000, are recommended. For static loading conditions experimental results have been compared to the default API formulation for laterally loaded piles. This default formulation shows a significant overestimation of the initial stiffness. However, after incorporating a stress dependent secant stiffness E50, which has been derived from triaxial compression tests on model sand, good agreement is found between the experimental results and the modified API formulation for pile displacements <0.1D. For displacements of about 0.05D the modified p-y method underestimates the lateral bearing capacity of the 4.4 m diameter pile by up to 25. Further research with loading conditions that mimic field loading conditions and a sample with a higher initial density are recommended. It is also recommended to im- prove the current set-up using better load control and a larger strongbox and to perform additional model pile tests on saturated samples.
An Overview of Innovation

AbstractModels that depict innovation as a smooth, well-behaved linear process badly misspecify the nature and direction of the causal factors at work. Innovation is complex, uncertain, somewhat disorderly, and subject to changes of many sorts. Innovation is also difficult to measure and demands close coordination of adequate technical knowledge and excellent market judgment in order to satisfy economic, technological, and other types of constraints—all simultaneously. The process of innovation must be viewed as a series of changes in a complete system not only of hardware, but also of market environment, production facilities and knowledge, and the social contexts of the innovation organization.
Acceptance Of Emat Based In-Line Inspection Technology For The Assessment Of Stress Corrosion Cracking And Other Forms Of Cracking In Pipelines

Posing a major integrity threat, the phenomenon of Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) has been investigated and discussed intensively since the 1970's. On the basis of a deeper understanding of this threat today, integrity management programs have been developed further in the recent past. The detection of SCC with conventional liquid coupled ultrasonic technology is well accepted within the pipeline industry. Part of this acceptance is the successful application of such assessment standards as API 579. It has been shown that the conventional ultrasonic technology is sensitive and accurate enough to meet the needs of the standard. Recently, another form of ultrasonic technology has been recognized as a competitive alternative for in-line inspection tools. The electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) based ultrasonic technology does not require a liquid coupling making it cost effective for use in gas pipelines. In recent years, a newer generation of Electro-Magnetic Acoustic Technology tools has been made available and a process is on the way to establish this technology as a future option for gas pipeline operators [1,2]. In this paper results from the inspection of several gas pipelines and a series of pull-tests are used to show that EMAT technology is sufficiently sensitive and accurate to meet industry standards like API 579, making it a viable option for pipeline operators, especially for transportation of gaseous media.
Enabling Personal Preference: The Implementation of the Cash and Counseling Demonstration in New Jersey. Princeton, NJ: Mathematica Policy Research

Describes the design and implementation of the Personal Preferences program in New Jersey, which provides consumer-directed supportive services for some Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities. Provides lessons for other states seeking to develop a similar program on various aspects of implementation, including outreach and enrollment, the arrangements made to provide consulting services to participants, cash planning, consumers' use of representatives to help manage the allowance, setting the allowance, restrictions on use of the cash allowance, and ways to avoid abuse of the allowance and exploitation of consumers.
The integration of human factors into a company's production design process

Human factors (HF) considerations, integrated early in design of production assembly systems, can improve both worker health and business performance. A longitudinal case study using an action research style collaboration between researchers and a large electronics manufacturer was the platform for this investigation. The findings show “how” HF, previously outside engineering with HF specialists (HFS) performing reactive injury assessments, increasingly became integrated into each stage of the design process with HF adapted tools, enforceable targets, sign-off, and most HF work focused on proactive design alongside engineers. An operations research tool (cognitive mapping) was used to identify the HF perceptions of Senior Directors and link these to their strategic goals. As a result, HF specialists changed their focus from injury risk to reducing fatigue and improving worker performance and assembly quality. Several industrial engineering tools were also adapted for HF (eg. HF failure mode effects analysis, HF design-for-assembly) and used to quantitatively communicate HF concerns, drive continuous improvement, visibly demonstrate change, and lead to benchmarking. Qualitative data analyzed with a grounded theory methodology resulted in six constructs in the final “Design for Human Factors” theory. The theory propositions state that when: 1. HFS acclimate to the engineering process, language and tools; and 2. strategically align HF to the design and business goals, then HF becomes perceived as a means to improve business performance. This results in 3. HFS being pulled onto the engineering team, which increases HF application and engineers’ awareness of HF, and 4. Management hold engineers accountable for HF targets. Being on the engineering team leads to 5. Engineering tools adapted to include HF targets, and in combination results in 6. HF becoming embedded in the design process. Senior directors reported that increased HF application has improved the design of more recent assembly lines and made it easier for operators. The theory contributes an explanation about how HF can be integrated into design processes to inform researchers and practitioners and improve proactive HF application. Recommendations include increased education for HFS in engineering, and more collaborative research to develop tools that quantify and link worker performance to business metrics.
The effectiveness of audio media for english learning based on scripted song at the fifth grade of elementary school

This study aims at determining the effectiveness of audio media based on scripted song that was developed based on themes for the fifth-grade elementary school students. After validation by two experts on content and quality, the developed media was implemented in Public Elementary School 205 / IV Jambi, which involved 25 students. The study design used a pre-post treatment design. The results of the study proved that the audio media is effective in increasing the fifth grade students’ English competence especially in listening and speaking It is shown by the average learning achievements of 6.69 that are categorized fair before the action to 8.32, which are categorized good after the action. Besides, the results of the questionnaire proved that all students (100%) showed a positive perception of the use of audio media based on scripted song They became more motivated to learn because through song, the learning became fun, interesting, and the learning material became more easily understood.
Real-Time Applications in Smart Grids Using Internet Communications:: Latency Issues and Mitigations

The Smart Grid will be a geographically widespread system, with real-time applications spanning large distances. To deploy real-time applications traditionally Industrial networks designed to specification are used. Since the Smart Grid will be geographically widespread and consist of many devices there is a great economic gain by utilizing the Internet as its communication network. This thesis presents literature describing problems with congestion, bufferbloat and active queue management in today's Internet. Additionally existing solutions and mitigations to these problems are presented and discussed. In addition, two end-user last mile links connected to the Norwegian Internet are characterized in terms of delay and passive traffic measurements. One link utilizes fiber to the home and one utilizes Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) technology. The characterization results show evidence of both bufferbloat and lack of active queue management in the ADSL link. The characterization results provide no conclusive evidence of neither bufferbloat nor active queue management in the fiber to the home link. The guaranteed timely delivery problem over an Internet path has been analysed. This leads to recommendations on minimizing latency at the end-user based on the discussion on existing solutions and the characterization experiments performed.
Blast Characteristics of 20 and 100 Ton Hemispherical AN/FO Charges

Abstract : Two twenty-ton and one 100-ton hemispherical AN/FO (ammonium nitrate/ fuel oil) charges were detonated on the surface at the Defence Research Establishment, Suffield, Ralston, Alberta, Canada. The major results were: (1) AN/FO has been demonstrated to be a highly suitable explosion source for nuclear airblast simulation; (2) Over the 1-200 psi region, there was no significant difference in the pressure-distance characteristics between AN/FO and TNT; (3) The impulse characteristics of the AN/FO system were found to be slightly lower than those of TNT; (4) No self heating of AN/FO was observed; (5) Conventional cube root scaling applies for AN/FO over a 1000 range in explosive weight, once a charge weight of 200 pounds is exceeded.
The Dynamics Of The Atmospheric Pollutants During The Covid-19 Pandemic 2020 And Their Relationship With Meteorological Conditions In Moscow

The relationship between the dynamics of the atmospheric pollutants and meteorological conditions has been analyzed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Moscow in spring, 2020. The decrease in traffic emissions during the lockdown periods from March 30th until June 8th played an important role in the decrease (up to 70%) of many gaseous species and aerosol PM10 concentrations and in the increase of surface ozone (up to 18%). The analysis of the pollutant concentrations during the lockdown showed much smoother diurnal cycle for most of the species due to the reduced intensity of traffic, especially during rush hours, compared with that before and after the lockdown. The specific meteorological conditions with low temperatures during the lockdown periods as well as the observed smoke air advection have made a considerable contribution to the air quality. After removing the cases with smoke air advection the decrease in concentration of many pollutants was observed, especially in NOx and PM10. The analysis of Pearson partial correlation coefficients with fixed temperature factor has revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between the Yandex self-isolation indices (SII), which can be used as a proxy of traffic intensity, and daily concentrations of all pollutants, except surface ozone, which has a statistically significant positive correlation with SII caused by specific photochemical reactions. In situations with SII>2.5 more favorable conditions for surface ozone generation were observed due to smaller NOx and the higher O3 /NOx ratios at the same ratio of VOC/NOx. In addition, this may also happen, since during the Arctic air advection, which was often observed during the lockdown period, the growth of ozone could be observed due to the downward flux of the ozone-rich air from the higher layers of the atmosphere.
Gradient Descent based Objective Function Reformulation for Finite Control Set Model Predictive Current Control with Extended Horizon

This article proposes a novel objective function formulation based on gradient descent(GD) for finite control set predictive current control(FCS-PCC) with extended horizon. FCS-PCC has become increasingly attractive for electrical drive applications owing to its short settling time, lower switching frequency, capability to handle multiple conflicting targets and feasible inclusion of constraints. However, it still suffers from high torque ripple and poor current quality at the steady state. To tackle the aforementioned issue, a GD-based objective function reformulation is employed in the FCS-PCC with extended horizon. First, the optimization problem underlying FCS-PCC is formulated as a constrained quadratic programming(QP) problem with proved convexity from a geometric perspective. Based on the above, the tracking error of the control objective is minimized more efficiently by searching along the direction of GD. Consequently, the objective function is reconstructed as the deviation between the normalized GD and derivative, combined with the extension of feasible set. The abovementioned procedures are iteratively learned in every prediction horizon. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified on a 2.2 kW induction machine(IM) platform with a prediction horizon of N=3. It is confirmed that the proposed algorithm outperforms the conventional and multistep FCS-PCC in steady state and transient state.
Industry Best Practices for the Software Development Life Cycle

In the area of software development, there are many different views of what constitutes a best practice. The goal of this project was to identify a set of industry best practice techniques that fit the needs of the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), and provide a consistent and robust process for software development. The researchers believe that the Unified Software Development Process represents the closest methodology to an industry standard for software development. The Project Management Professional certification of the Project Management Institute represents best practice in project management. The researchers have suggested the Unified Modeling Language as a representational method for developing software designs. Practical suggestions for the elicitation of software requirements are provided. The complete set of MDT forms was converted to an XML utility system to allow for easy changes and configurations.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN HISTORIC BUILDINGS - Insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level-cold roofs

This guidance note provides advice on the principles, risks, materials and methods for insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level. When insulation is placed at this position the roof is often referred to as a ‘cold roof’. Insulating the top floor ceiling is one of the easiest and cheapest means of improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Such work can be carried out successfully in older buildings if approached with care. Even very thick layers of insulation will not cause problems if installed carefully with materials that are compatible with the existing construction. However, the installation can be made much more difficult if part of the ceiling is sloping, for instance if the room is partly within a roof space.
Groundborne vibrations caused by railway construction and operation in buildings : design, implementation and analysis of measurement for assessment of human exposure

Environmental issues surrounding railway operation and construction have become more prominent in recent years, increasing the need for administrators and researchers to understand how residents living around railways respond to the noise and vibration generated by them. Within this context, the University of Salford, within the project funded by Defra “Human response to vibration in residential environments” (NANR209), has derived exposure response relationships for railway traffic and construction for a population sample of 1281 people: 931 for railway traffic and 350 for railway construction. Vibration measurements within residences have been used for assessing human exposure to vibration alongside a social study questionnaire based on face-to-face interviews for quantifying the human response. The first part of this work is concerned with the exposure side of NANR209. The design and implementation of measurement methodologies are presented and discussed, which provide exposure data suitable for building an exposure response relationship for vibration caused by the sources mentioned above. In light of the large amount of vibration data gathered during the project, the analysis of vibration signals is considered in the second part of the dissertation. Two aspects connected with the assessment of the human exposure to vibration are investigated: wave field assessment and ground to building transmissibility analysis.
Stress analysis of periodic notches by using the strain energy density approach

This research focuses on the stress analysis of periodic notches by using the strain energy density approach. Bolts, screws and rotary-shouldered connections, as examples of periodic notched components, play an important role in the performance of the machinery. The contents are related to two-dimensional (2D), as well as three-dimensional (3D) modeling of periodic notches both in the case of round and sharp notches. The analyses are based on the numerical modeling of periodic notches with linear elastic assumption of the material. The simple analytical expressions for the notch stress intensity factors (NSIFs) of periodic sharp notches, as well as theoretical stress concentration factors (SCFs) of periodic blunt notches are obtained. Using the strain energy density (SED) approach, the coarse mesh in the finite element models is used and compared with the results obtained from the fine meshing. In fact, using SED approach, the averaged strain energy in a control volume allows using the coarse meshes in order to determine the NSIFs and SCFs of notched components precisely. In the case of 3D analysis, the thickness effects with particular attention on coupling modes, which due to Poisson effect are automatically generated, are studied. These modes can have a significant effect on the structural integrity of mechanical components. In addition, two collaborative industry projects with: Officine Meccaniche Zanetti s.r. l. and Omera s.r. l. are successfully implemented.
Estudio de la lealtad del cliente a sitios web de contenido gratuito

Customer retention is a key factor for the success and survival of the e-business and, specially, for those not focused on direct and immediate profitability, i.e. free-content websites. The aim of this research is to analyze the customer loyalty formation process to a website that offers free contents to the user. To fulfil this aim it is per- formed an empirical study with users of a website centered in "Health". In general, previous literature has focused in explaining the e-loyalty considering website quality related variables, while in this research other useful factors to explain the development of commercial relationships are included (satisfaction, trust and commitment). The results show that the proposed model fit adequately the visit e-loyalty formation process.
Pediatric Brain tumors in Southeast Nigeria; A prospective longitudinal cohort study

Background: Pediatric brain tumors (PBT’s) from previous studies are associated with poor outcomes in our sub region. Methods. An 8 -year single center prospective study. All cases investigated with neuroimaging and treated were enrolled. Data was analyzed with SPSS (Inc.) Chicago IL, USA version 23. Chi Square test, One-way Anova and confidence limits were used to evaluate associations at the 95% level of significance. Ethical approval was obtained for our study. Results: 103 patients were enrolled, 92 satisfied the study criteria. There were 45 males and 39 females, M: F=0.8. The mean age was 9.5±2.1 years 95%CI with a range of 7 months to 16 years. The most common symptom was headache for supratentorial lesions (73%) and gait disturbance (80.2%) for infratentorial lesions. More tumors were supratentorial in location (51 (55.4%), while 35(38.1%) were infratentorial. Craniopharyngiomas (n=22), medulloblastomas (n=17) and astrocytomas (n=12) were the most common tumors. Hemoglobin genotype (AA and AS) had some influence on tumor phenotype FT, P=0.033. 76 cases were microsurgically resected while 16 patients were treated with radiotherapy alone. The 30-day mortality for operated cases is 7.2±0.7%. Overall 1-year and 5-year survival was 66.7% and 52.3 % respectively. Survival School performance varied among treatment subgroups Conclusion: Survival profile in this series suggests some improvement in comparison to previous studies from our region. Keywords: Pediatric brain tumors, microneurosurgery, radiotherapy, survival
Input impedance of microstrip patch antennas on anisotropic dielectric substrates

The analysis of microstrip patch antennas is developed, in the Fourier domain, by using the Hertz vector potentials and Galerkin method. The microstrip patch antenna substrate is composed by several isotropic and anisotropic layers. The effect produced by anisotropic dielectric overlays is also investigated. Curves are shown for the input impedance as function of the geometry of the structure considered.