Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Base Performances of Cement-Stabilized Magnesium Slag–Aeolian Sand Mixture

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46544/AMS.v26i3. 04 Abstract Many problems are encountered in the disposal of abundant magnesium slags, remarkable ecological environmental damages by stacking and landfill of magnesium slag, poor properties of soil–rock materials, and high pavement cost in Yulin City, China. This study focused on the combined use of feasibility of magnesium slag–Aeolian sand in pavement base to address the problems above. The physical and chemical properties of magnesium slag and Aeolian sand were obtained through tests on the basic properties of raw materials. Different mixing ratios of magnesium slag and Aeolian sand and cement content were designed. Moreover, a comparative study on the compaction characteristics and water stability, as well as unconfined compressive strength, splitting strength, and compressive modulus of resilience of five groups of cement-stabilized magnesium slag–Aeolian sand mixtures in different periods, was conducted through a series of systematic laboratory tests. The impact degrees of different factors on compressive strength were calculated by the grey relational analysis method. Finally, the test section was paved by combining laboratory test results. Research results demonstrate that the active matter content is high, and the crushing value of magnesium slag is also high. The optimal water content of the mixture increases with the magnesium slag content, while the maximum dry density decreases. The mixture's unconfined compressive strength, splitting strength, and compressive modulus of resilience in different curing periods all increased with the magnesium slag and cement contents. Moreover, magnesium slag content has minimal influence on splitting strength compared with unconfined compressive strength. Among all factors, cement content provides the most influence on the compressive strength, followed by water content, magnesium slag content, and curing period successively. The 7 d compressive strength of mixtures with different mixing ratios meets the strength requirements of the base and subbase of different highway grades, and all mixtures show good water stability. The test road also achieves good performance. These findings prove that using cement-stabilized magnesium slag– Aeolian sand mixture as the pavement base and subbase materials is feasible. The magnesium slag content should be higher than 45% under 5% cement content to meet the strength requirements base. This study can provide references to the applications of magnesium slag and Aeolian sand in semi-rigid base materials.
Denoising of partial discharge signals in wavelet packets domain

Despite advances in the filtering techniques of partial discharge (PD) signals, an acceptable signal to noise ratio (SNR) remains elusive due to the presence of environmental noises. A wavelet packet transform-based method is proposed for effective denoising of on-site partial discharge data from a power generator and a gas-insulated substation. Taking advantage of the statistical properties of white noise, the method uses variance as the criterion to select the best tree. It is shown by comparative studies that the method restores the PD pulse from data with very low SNR. The denoised PD pulses enable more accurate diagnosis of insulation defects in HV equipment.
Laboratory Validation of Healing-Based Fatigue Endurance Limit for Hot-Mix Asphalt

One of the main requirements of designing perpetual pavements is to determine the endurance limit of hot-mix asphalt (HMA). The endurance limit, as applied to HMA and flexible pavement design, is the strain or stress level below which the HMA would endure indefinite fatigue load repetitions and the pavement would not experience bottom-up fatigue cracking. The purpose of this study is to validate the endurance limit for HMA by using laboratory beam fatigue tests. A rational procedure was developed to determine the endurance limit of HMA attributable to healing that occurs during the rest periods between loading cycles. Relating healing to endurance limit makes this procedure unique compared with previous research projects that investigated these concepts separately. An extensive laboratory testing program was conducted according to AASHTO T 321-03 test procedure as a part of NCHRP Project 9-44A. Six factors that affected the fatigue response of HMA were evaluated: binder grade, binder content, air voids, test temperature, rest period, and applied strain. The endurance limit was determined when no accumulated damage occurred and indicated complete healing during the rest period after each load application. A threshold rest period of about 5 s for a load duration of 0.1 s—beyond which no more healing was gained—was obtained. HMA exhibits endurance limits ranging from 37 to 246 microstrains, depending on mixture properties and environmental conditions. The results of this study can be used to design perpetual pavements that can sustain a large number of loads if traffic volumes and vehicle weights are controlled.
Updating MISEV: Evolving the minimal requirements for studies of extracellular vesicles

Abstract The minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (EVs, MISEV) is a field‐consensus rigour initiative of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV). The last update to MISEV, MISEV2018, was informed by input from more than 400 scientists and made recommendations in the six broad topics of EV nomenclature, sample collection and pre‐processing, EV separation and concentration, characterization, functional studies, and reporting requirements/exceptions. To gather opinions on MISEV and ideas for new updates, the ISEV Board of Directors canvassed previous MISEV authors and society members. Here, we share conclusions that are relevant to the ongoing evolution of the MISEV initiative and other ISEV rigour and standardization efforts.
Neospora caninum Infection in Cattle in the Province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmad, Southwest of Iran: Seroprevalence and Molecular Assessment

Introduction Among the protozoa of veterinary importance, Neospora caninum is responsible for large economic and productive losses in cattle herds. Dogs are being considered the definitive hosts of the parasite. Neospora caninum has gained considerable attention through its role in the etiology of bovine abortion. The current study aimed at assessing the status of Neospora infection in cattle in Boyer-Ahmad County in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, southwest of Iran. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 150 cattle blood samples were collected and samples were screened for N. caninum antibodies using a modified direct agglutination test (MAT). For the same samples, 130 buffy coats were collected and tested, by PCR, for the presence of N. caninum DNA, targeting the Nc-5 gene. Results Anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected in the sera of 49 out of 150 cattle which is corresponding to a seroprevalence rate of 32.7%. Neospora DNA was detected in buffy coats of 26 out of 127 (20.47%) cattle. Even though Neospora infection was more common in females and in five-year-old cattle by serology and molecular methods, yet there was no statistically significant difference between age, sex, and Neospora infection in both molecular and serological methods (p > 0.05). Conclusion Findings of the current study indicate a high rate of N. caninum infection in cattle of Boyer-Ahmad region in the southwest of Iran. This issue should be further investigated and the prevention and control of this parasite in livestock, due to the high financial burden of this parasite in the livestock industry, should be considered.
Three-dimensional simulation of inverse narrow-channel effect

Based on a three-dimensional numerical analysis, it is shown that narrow-width MOSFETs of the BOX structure1 exhibit an `inverse? narrow-channel effect whereby their threshold voltages become lower and lower with decreasing channel width. The phenomenon is attributed to a pronounced enhancement of the channel edge region due to a crowding of the fringing field.
An efficient analysis of microstrip lines on artificial periodic structures

In this paper a hybrid numerical approach is designed for microstrip lines on artificial periodic structures. This hybrid approach divides the whole transmission problem of periodic microstrip structures into two problems: the eigenmode problem in the transverse direction, and the reflection and transmission problem in the longitudinal direction. The eigenmode problem of uniform transmission lines is analyzed by the edge-based finite element method, and the reflection and transmission of the discontinuity in the longitudinal direction are calculated by the mode-matching method and the multimode network theory. Numerical experiments demonstrate the accuracy, efficiency, and generality of this hybrid approach. Various numerical results are given for both infinite and finite periodic microstrip structures.
Factors Determining Decision to Rent Low-Cost Flats (RUSUNAWA): A Case Study in Indonesia*

The purpose of this study is to analyze and to provide suggestions to the government as developers and managers of RUSUNAWA to make it more effective and efficient in building and managing it. This research was conducted in three locations of rented low-cost flats in North Sumatra, namely RUSUNAWA Kayu Putih, RUSUNAWA Seruwai Belawan, and RUSUNAWA Binjai. The majority of respondents in this study were women who were in the productive age group of 30–40 years, but economic difficulties forced them to live in low-cost flats. This phenomenon shows that in the productive age poverty also occurs. This research applied a quantitative descriptive method by selecting three locations of RUSUNAWA in two cities in the North Sumatra Region and involving 200 tenants as respondents. The data was obtained by observing, interviewing, and distributing research questionnaires, and then were processed by SEM-PLS. The results showed that the factors determining the tenants to rent RUSUNAWA in North Sumatra Province are convenience, attractiveness, sanitation, cleanliness, design, and the location offered. It indicates that a healthy and clean environment, the condition of the building, and the facilities offered become the priorities for the tenants.
Initial assessment of bridge backwater using an artificial neural network approach

The assessment of backwater resulting from extra energy losses on flood flows caused by bridge constrictions is of vital interest in hydraulic engineering due to its importance in the design of waterways and management of flooding. Although many detailed methods for estimating bridge backwater have been developed, an initial estimate of the magnitude of bridge backwater using a practical model, such as the multiple linear regression (MLR) technique, has a crucial importance for rapid evaluation of flood damages upstream of the bridge structure. In the current study, first, two artificial neural network (ANN) models using the same amount of input data as that of an MLR approach were developed, and then the ability of these ANN models versus the MLR models was investigated for the initial assessment of bridge backwater, both models having been based on the comprehensive laboratory data of the Hydraulic Research Wallingford in UK. The comparison of the results by the MLR and the ANN approaches revealed that .
Improving the accuracy estimates of building of approximate projects

This paper investigates the level of estimating accuracy in Singapore between 1992 and 1998. It compares the actual estimating accuracy against practitioners' expectations, and past studies. Forty-two sets of project data were obtained from six Singapore based quantity surveying firms. The estimating accuracy was found to be 1.09. This level of accuracy is below the expectation of 41 quantity surveyors (QS) who were surveyed. There is therefore a need to increase estimating accuracy further. Results also showed that there is no significant difference in estimating accuracy between this study and a previous study by Gunner and Skitmore (1999a). The implication of this finding is that longitudinally, there is no improvement in estimating accuracy over time. Moreover, for future studies on estimating accuracy, researchers can rely on cost data sets that are relatively dated, and from one source. Thirteen possible methods to improve estimating accuracy were tested in the fieldwork. It was found that the more important methods relate to having good quality and sufficient quantity of design information to prepare estimates. Dans cette communication, les auteurs examinent le niveau de précision des estimations à Singapour entre 1992 et 1998. Ils comparent la précision effectivement obtenue avec les attentes des professionnels et les études faites dans le passé. Six cabinets de métreurs-vérificateurs de Singapour ont fourni 42 jeux de données relatives à des projets. On estime à 1.09 la précision de leurs estimations. Ce niveau de précision est inférieur aux attentes des 41 métreurs-vérificateurs (QS) qui ont été interrogés. Il faut donc améliorer la précision des estimations. Les résultats ont également montré qu'il n'y avait pas de différence significative dans la précision des estimations entre cette étude et la précédente (Gunner and Skitmore 1999a). Il ressort de cette étude, sur le plan longitudinal, que la précision des estimations ne s'améliore pas avec le temps. De plus, pour ce qui est des futures études sur la précision des estimations, les chercheurs peuvent s'appuyer sur des jeux de données de coûts qui sont relativement anciens et ne proviennent que d'une seule source. Treize méthodes possibles d'amélioration de la précision des estimations ont été testées sur le terrain. Il apparaît que les méthodes les plus intéressantes se fixent pour objectifs d'obtenir une bonne qualité et des quantités suffisantes d'informations de conception pour préparer les estimations.
Determining the Most Dominant Honda PCX Purchase Intention Indicator in Kembang Jawa Motor Kediri with Multiple Linear Regression

Honda is one of the significant companies originating from Japan engaged in the automotive field. Honda has consistently continued to develop the automotive products it creates. One of the flagship products of Honda that became the prima donna among the upper-middle class is the Honda PCX, which is a motorcycle with a trendy, dashing and luxurious design. This study aims to determine the indicator of interest in buying Honda PCX in Kembang Jawa Motor Kediri. The population in this study is all consumers on Honda PCX in Kembang Jawa Motor domiciled in the Kediri city area whose numbers cannot be known. This study uses accidental sampling methods. The sample in this study was 40 respondents—data collection using the questionnaire method. The analysis techniques in this study used t-test, multiple linear regression, and F-test. This study results from several indicators of buying interest, namely Country-Of-Origin, Perceived Quality, and Service Quality, which affect the buying interest in Honda PCX in Kembang Jawa Motor Kediri. Of the three indicators that are the most dominant is Service Quality.
SIMULTANEOUS HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT EMPLOYING A LPO~-LPI 1 FIBER-OPTIC POLARIZATION-SENSITIVE

A fiber-optic LPol -LP11 polarization- sensitive intermodal interferometer is proposed to simul- taneously measure hydrostatic pressure and temperature using the same sensing element. In analogy to the case of strain sensing it was found that the experimental parameters Tp and TT describing the 27c phase shifts in the interferogram are significantly different for the X- and Y- polarizations of two polarization modes. This represents a fundamental phenomenon which can be put to use for simultaneous two-parameter sensing. The results obtained are found to be in agreement with a recently developed Muller-Stokes formalism describing polarization effects in the case of two-mode interference. Initial calibration of the two parameter simultaneous pressure-and-temperature sensor has also been performed up to 100 MPa using a primary pressure standard (deadweight tester Hanvood DWT-35). 1.
Assessing embodied energy of building structural elements

Although operational energy is currently the focal point of sustainability in building regulations, embodied energy and carbon dioxide emissions will become more significant as operational energy consumption is reduced. In the near future, embodied energy could account for a significant proportion of a building's carbon footprint over its lifetime, bearing in mind that the construction of energy-efficient buildings is carbon and energy intensive. Unlike operational energy, embodied energy savings have an immediate significant effect on carbon footprint and are independent of human behaviour. However, there is a lack of consensus within the construction industry on how to assess embodied energy and carbon dioxide and where to draw system boundaries, which has impeded advancement on the issue. This paper analyses the life-cycle embodied energy and carbon dioxide emissions of a building's structural elements, and examines which stages within a building's life are the most significant and offer the most oppor.
H-formulation for simulating levitation forces acting on HTS bulks and stacks of 2G coated conductors

Several techniques to model high temperature superconductors (HTSs) are used throughout the world. At the same time, the use of superconductors in transportation and magnetic bearings promises an increase in energy efficiency. However, the most widespread simulation technique in the literature, the H-formulation, has not yet been used to simulate superconducting levitation. The goal of this work is to present solutions for the challenges concerning the use of the H-formulation to predict the behavior of superconducting levitators built either with YBCO bulks or stacks of 2G wires. It is worth mentioning the originality of replacing bulks with HTS stacks in this application. In our simulation methodology, the movement between the HTS and the permanent magnet was avoided by restricting the simulation domain to the HTS itself, which can be done by applying appropriate boundary conditions and analytical expressions for the source field. Commercial finite element software was used for the sake of ease of implementation. Simulation results were compared with experimental data, showing good agreement. We conclude that the H-formulation is suitable for problems involving moving objects and is a good alternative to other approaches for simulating superconducting magnetic bearings.
Self-consolidating concrete for prestressed applications - phase I : girder fabrication and pre-erection performance.

Prior to statewide acceptance of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) in precast, prestressed bridge member production, the Alabama Department of Transportation sponsored an investigation of the material to be performed by the Auburn University Highway Research Center. Two parts of that research are presented in this report: a laboratory investigation of fresh stability test methods to quantify the unique fresh behavior of SCC, and a field investigation of as-built material and pre-erection structural behavior in the first full-scale SCC girders produced in Alabama for an in-service bridge. During the laboratory investigation, the Visual Stability Index, Sieve Stability, and Surface Settlement tests correlated most strongly to multiple measures of hardened concrete uniformity; a testing protocol utilizing these test methods is recommended. Use of SCC in girder production was clearly beneficial. The utilized SCC mixture exhibited practically the same compressive strength, slightly reduced elastic stiffness, and increased time-dependent deformation (creep and shrinkage), at least in representative cylinders. However, the differences were expectable due to differences between the utilized SCC and vibrated concrete (VC). Also, SCC-girder transfer lengths, initial cambers, initial prestress losses, pre-erection time-dependent camber growth, and pre-erection time-dependent prestress force were found to be acceptably similar and at least as predictable as in companion, geometrically identical VC girders. Therefore, pre-erection behavior of SCC should not restrict its use in the production of precast, prestressed girders using current design and production procedures.
The Effects of Blockholder Diversity on the Firm Risk: Evidence from Korea

This study examines the effect of block diversity on the risk of firms listed on the Korean Stock Exchange between 2010 and 2017. To examine the effect of block diversity on corporate risk, we measure block diversity in terms of a single component, portfolio size, by referring to prior literature. This diversity component accounts for the differences in portfolio size across corporate blocks. In line with existing research on corporate risk, we consider several variables to measure corporate risk: volatility, beta, and idiosyncratic risk. The results show a negative relationship between the size of a block shareholder’s portfolio and corporate risk. We also show no difference in the effect of block diversity on the corporate risk between KOSPI and KOSDAQ. This implies that the difference in portfolio size among corporate blocks reduces corporate risk. This may be due to the effect of inter-block monitoring activities in the Korean securities market, which benefits from block diversity. This empirical result supports previous studies that predicted that block diversity would have beneficial influences on firm monitoring in general. This study is significant in that it analyzes the relationship between block diversity and firm risk and provides relevant information to business practitioners and investors.
Cosmic structure formation in a flavoured U(1) dark sector at small scales

In this work we study the footprint of a secluded dark sector with a U(1) gauge symmetry on the formation of cosmic structure at small scales. A single generation of dark fermions with mass in the TeV range is able to elegantly solve all small-scale issues of structure formation, while still being consistent with the cosmological history of the universe. A new interaction at the MeV scale is introduced for this purpose. As a generalization we consider multiple generations of fermions as well and show that such extensions are also cosmologically viable and allow a more flexible choice of the parameters of the theory. ar X iv :1 81 0. 07 19 8v 2 [ he pph ] 2 1 Ja n 20 21
Real Earnings Management and Persistence of Firm Value: Evidence from India*

The present study aims to examine the impact of real earnings management on the future value of the firm and its persistence. The study also tests suspect firm effects on the relationship between real earnings management and the future value of the firm. The sample of the present study consists of all listed non-financial firms from the year 2011 to 2018. Real earnings management has been measured in three alternative ways viz., abnormal operating cash flows, abnormal discretionary spending, and abnormal production cost. Tobin’s Q is used as a measure of firm value. The interaction term of real earnings management and Tobin’s Q is used to test firm value persistence. The results of the analysis disclose that out of three measures of real earnings management, abnormal reduction in discretionary spending only has a significant negative impact on the persistence of firm value. Moreover, the suspect firm analysis reveals that when the underlying motive of real earnings management is to meet zero earnings, both abnormal increases in operating cash flows and abnormal reduction in discretionary spending have a significant negative impact on firm value persistence.