Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Power Systems Development Facility: High Temperature, High Pressure Filtration in Gasification Operation

High temperature, high pressure gas filtration is a fundamental component of several advanced coal-fired power systems. This paper discusses the hot-gas filter vessel operation in coal gasification mode at the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF). The PSDF, near Wilsonville, Alabama, is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Southern Company, and other industrial participants currently including the Electric Power Research Institute, Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation, Kellogg Brown & Root Inc. (KBR), and Peabody Energy. The PSDF is an engineering scale demonstration of key features of advanced coal-fired power systems designed at sufficient size to provide data for commercial scale-up.
Speed from Skids: A Modern Approach

This paper describes how an automobile equipped with a conventional brake system will often produce four skid marks on a roadway surface during maximum braking. This condition often occurs immediately prior to a collision in a traffic accident. Knowing the length of the skid marks, S\ds, and using the dynamic coefficient of friction for the roadway surface, \gm, a reconstructing engineer can determine the amount of kinetic energy converted to work during the skidding process on a level roadway. The equation used in this process states that, the portion of the kinetic energy of the vehicle that was used to perform the work of slowing the vehicle is equal to the braking force applied to the vehicle through the skidding distance. Solving the equation for the speed of a vehicle that skids to a stop yields, V\ds = 2 \2% g \2% \gm \2% S\ds, the traditional speed from skids equation. Problems exist with the traditional speed equation that limit its practical use in traffic accident reconstruction. A major problem is that the equation does not account for the energy converted to work during the transient portion of the braking process. The transient portion of braking occurs prior to the onset of visible skid marks on the roadway surface. A new speed from skids equation is set forth in this paper that will allow the reconstructing engineer to determine the speed of a vehicle at the onset of maximum braking. In addition, new equations are presented that determine the total braking distance and total braking time. An empirical investigation was used to gather data on a test vehicle. This data was used in a comparison of the accuracy of the new method and the traditional method in estimating the speed, braking distance and braking time of the test vehicle.
Are coastal habitats important nurseries? A meta‐analysis

Nearshore‐structured habitats—including underwater grasses, mangroves, coral, and other biogenic reefs, marshes, and complex abiotic substrates—have long been postulated to function as important nurseries for juvenile fishes and invertebrates. Here, we review the evolution of the “nursery habitat hypothesis” and use >11,000 comparisons from 160 peer‐reviewed studies to test whether and which structured habitats increase juvenile density, growth, and survival. In general, almost all structured habitats significantly enhanced juvenile density—and in some cases growth and survival—relative to unstructured habitats. Underwater grasses and mangroves also promoted juvenile density and growth beyond what was observed in other structured habitats. These conclusions were robust to variation among studies, although there were significant differences with latitude and among some phyla. Our results confirm the basic nursery function of certain structured habitats, which lends further support to their conservation, restoration, and management at a time when our coastal environments are becoming increasingly impacted. They also reveal a dearth of evidence from many other systems (e.g., kelp forests) and for responses other than density. Although recent studies have advocated for increasingly complex approaches to evaluating nurseries, we recommend a renewed emphasis on more straightforward assessments of juvenile growth, survival, reproduction, and recruitment.
Design Equations for Symmetric Microstrip DC Blocks

The design formulas are presented for achieving either a rippled or a maximally flat response of the dc blocks built with symmetrical coupled microstrip lines. The selection of characteristic impedances of the odd and even modes is facilitated by the use of a universal diagram containing the equicontours of the standing wave ratio and of the band-width. The deformation of the frequency response due to a difference in wavelengths of the odd and even modes is analyzed and the design procedure is adjusted accordingly.
An Analysis of Network Management Traffic and Requirements In Wireless Networks

Mobile wireless packet networks are becoming more common with the advances in the technology of digital communications, portable computers, and semiconductors. Network management in mobile wireless networks involves a variety of new issues not dealt with when managing immobile networks, and commonly used network management tools and protocols may not be ideal for a mobile environment. In this thesis, we show that the limited bandwidth of mobile wireless networks along with the need to monitor topology changes while keeping network management bandwidth usage at less than 5% may require alternative network management data gathering strategies on BBN Corporation's mobile wireless networks. Three alternatives to standard network management tools (SNMP) are discussed and analyzed for network bandwidth requirements, and a guide for choosing network management data gathering strategies on mobile wireless networks is proposed. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Steven G. Finn Title: Principal Research Scientist, Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems
“More like a friend than a teacher”: ideal teachers and the gig economy for online language learning

Abstract This article considers how language learners conceptualize their ideal teacher within the context of gig economy language platforms (GELPs). GELPs differ significantly from traditional language learning in that their users are able to change between teachers easily and also select teachers according to a far wider range of criteria than is available to offline learners. However, much remains unknown about which attributes GELP users seek in their language teachers. This study draws on responses to an open-ended questionnaire (N = 1,488) to consider which characteristics GELP users favor in their ideal teacher. The study includes both learners of English as well as learners of other languages. Ideologies of native speakerism are found to affect both groups but rapport emerges as a more common theme. The article concludes by discussing the potential opportunities and pitfalls that GELPs represent in terms of furthering intercultural learning and combating stereotypes.
What is the Time Series Regression of the Stock Market Return?

We obtain a derivative-based formula of time series regression coefficients on the stock market return. We introduce a forward contract on a power VIX index (PVIX) calculated by market index options, and obtain a model-free future price of PVIX by using S&P 500 index options, VIX futures, and VIX index options. Our empirical results suggest a negative autocorrelation (resp. beta coefficient) between monthly market return, but the reversal level is relatively small compared to the past market returns, yielding a long-term positive trend (resp. intercept term). Moreover, the autocorrelation coefficients computed using derivatives are primarily comparable to the corresponding statistical measure estimated by historical return data between two consecutive months; however, the time-series coefficients using derivatives are significant and more sensitive to the market in the volatile period. Finally, we demonstrate that the derivatives market’s forward-looking information helps predict future market return. University of North Carolina Charlotte. Email: ylu28@uncc.edu University of North Carolina Charlotte. Email: wtian1@uncc.edu. Corresponding author. Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3810878 What is the time series regression of the stock market return?
Experiences of Sexual Health in Persons with Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis from A Physiotherapeutic Perspective: A Qualitative Study

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the world’s most common form of arthritis and a common cause of musculoskeletal pain and disability. Persons living with chronic diseases often have affected sexual health because of pain and limited function. Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease but there is scarce knowledge about how sexual health is experienced. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of sexual health in persons with hip and/or knee OA.Methods: This study has a qualitative design. Participants were recruited from the Swedish Quality Register Better Management of Patients with Osteoarthritis (BOA). To reach a variety of experiences and strengthen credibility, a strategic sampling strategy based on age, sex and hip and knee OA was used. Semi-structured telephone interviews were held with 20 persons with hip and/or knee OA. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis and inductive category development was applied.Results: The analysis resulted in two main categories: Individual differences in how sexual health is affected by hip and knee OA; and Varying needs for communication about sexual health. Each main category comprised two subcategories.Conclusions: Painful hip and knee OA limits sexual health and individuals make adjustments or develop strategies to maintain sexual life. Sexual health is not talked about during consultations with physiotherapists or other health care professionals, indicating that patients with OA may have unmet needs regarding their sexual health. Further research is needed on how to provide support and information about sexual health in OA.
Sero-epidemiologic study of helicobacter pylori in cowherds of Shahrekord province

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common infection in developing countries, causing chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric malignancies. Its main transmission methods include human-human transmission, especially in early childhood, environmental (water supply and hygiene) and zoonotic factors. Some researchers have suggested that pigs, cats, and dogs are infected with Helicobacter and sheep is suggested as an important animal reservoir of H. pylori, causing infection in shepherds. Accordingly, cowherds might also be prone to H. pylori infection, while studies have scarcely addressed this issue. Thus, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in cowherds of Shahrekord province. In this cross-sectional study, conducted from June to October 2016, 80 cowherds with at least three days a week involvement with cows were compared with a matched control group from their neighbors with no direct contact with cows. Demographic information, including age, sex, job experience, educational level, number of family members, history of cancer or peptic ulcer, gastric symptoms, including epigastric pain, nausea/vomiting, and heartburn were collected. One blood sample was taken from all participants for ELISA measurement of H. pylori. Mean±SD age of participants was 35.8±14.3 (P>0.05). Serum examination of H. pylori showed positive IgG in 89 participants (55.6%), which was 57.5% in the case group and 53.8% in the control group (P>0.05). The prevalence of gastric symptoms was not statistically significant different between the groups and there was also no association between presence of H. pylori and gastric symptoms or demographic variables, including age, sex, job, educational level, marital status, and number of family members (P>0.05). Cowherds have the same prevalence of H. pylori infection than the control group that suggests that cows are not a potential zoonotic factor for H. pylori infection in cowherds.
Cooperative Subcarrier and Power Allocation in OFDM Based Relaying Systems

The increasing use of relays in wireless communication systems is a driving force to explore innovative techniques that can improve the quality of service as well as enhance the coverage of wireless systems. Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) is widely deployed in broadband wireless systems to effectively combat the frequency selectivity of the wireless fading channel. Wireless relays are used in practical OFDM-based wireless systems such as WiMAX to increase the capacity and diversity order of the system. To fully exploit the benefits of OFDMA, relaying systems require efficient management of resources, including power and subcarriers. The difficulty in resource allocation in a relaying system is the nonconvexity of the optimization problem caused by the inter-relationship of all the resources through the relay station. Therefore, suboptimal and heuristic algorithms are proposed to assign power and subcarriers to the users in the relaying system while maintaining flexible fairness in resource allocation. In this dissertation, we improve the efficiency of subcarrier and power allocation algorithms with flexible fairness in the downlink of an amplify-and-forward (AF) OFDM relaying system. We propose an asymptotically fair subcarrier allocation algorithm that provides flexibility in the fairness index for possible improvement in the total throughput of the system by using a group-based approach. We investigate the problem of power allocation for an AF relaying scheme by considering three different objective functions: average SNR, average BER, and outage probability. The results are presented for various relay locations and different total power in the system. It is shown that the solution to the power allocation problem does not depend on the objective function when the relay is closer to the mobile user for different objective functions. By deriving the capacity of the AF relaying, a new parameter, called cooperation coefficient, is introduced to quantify the cooperation level from the relaying links in the data rate of the the mobile station. Assuming flat power allocation and using the cooperation coefficient parameter, a cooperative subcarrier allocation algorithm is proposed that increases the total throughput of a multi-user OFDM relaying system by approximately 15%. We also propose a two-step solution for subcarrier and power allocation of an AF relaying system. In the first step, the total power is allocated to the users and relays based on the power ratio found for the single-relay system. In the second step, subcarriers are assigned to the users based on the cooperative subcarrier allocation algorithms. Based on our finding, the total throughput of the system improves by 25% using the two-step procedure. By applying the proposed asymptotically fair idea to the two-step subcarrier and power allocation, we maintain a flexible fairness and further increase the total throughput in an OFDM relaying system.
Softening response properties of plain concrete by large-scale direct tension tests

The softening response properties of plain concrete, which directly affect the structural capacity of the concrete containment building of nuclear power plants, were studied via direct tension tests using large-size concrete specimens with two notches. A variation of two and three levels of the concrete strength and the maximum size of coarse aggregate, respectively, was considered. Two independently controlled actuators were used to ensure a homogeneous increase of crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) on the top and bottom notches of the specimen and to avoid secondary flexural stresses. From the tests, the complete load–CMOD responses with stable post-peak descending curves were obtained for each specimen. The fracture energy data obtained using the complete load–CMOD responses and one evaluated using a classical prediction equation were compared. The results, owing to size effect, indicated that the fracture energy obtained in the current investigation is larger on average than that obtained using a.
AIS Electronic Library (AISeL)

This exploratory research investigates the effectiveness of an attempt to benefit from ‘lessons learned’ through the implementation of a formal project management methodology. A synthesis of the relevant literature forms a basis for the research and identifies existing weaknesses. Building on research to date, a series of pilot interviews relating to government sponsored information systems projects is used to develop a conceptual model, and this is used to illustrate the transfer and conversion of knowledge through a full or partial cycle of identification, storage, access, absorption and finally ‘knowledge in action’. The research which this ‘research in progress’ paper introduces, aims to facilitate improved knowledge management for both academic and practitioner audiences through identifying what has worked well in previous projects, as well as issues that could have been managed better. It develops a conceptual model which will be improved and developed further through a series of case studies.
Increasing Situational Awareness by Combining Realistic and Non-Realistic Rendering Techniques

Abstract : Advances in computer graphics hardware have led to astounding increases in visual realism for 3D environments. Although this improved visual realism can lead to a better sense of immersion and a more faithful reproduction of the natural world, it does not necessarily promote increased awareness of an evolving situation. Although some requirements overlap with other applications such as off-the-shelf games, military Command and Control systems (including stability operations and homeland defense missions) have unique requirements. In particular, the overriding goal is to provide timely data effectively, independent of how visually pleasing it may be. The primary objective is to convert the abundance of information into concise knowledge. This paper proposes a method of combining realistic and non-realistic displays to increase display effectiveness, and hence improve situational awareness.
Non-destructive monitoring of planarization processes (CMOS technology)

A novel technique for control and optimization of planarization processes is presented. The method is called the DOPED contactless method and is based on analysis of the diffraction of light by a periodic grating for the control of the reproducibility of certain planarization processes: (i) oxide sidewall spacers, (ii) oxide deposition and etchback, and (iii) etchback of a sacrificial polymeric layer. This simple nondestructive method allows the reproducibility of the processes to be monitored and the achieved profiles after planarization to be quantified geometrically after calibration. It is shown how, for each planarizing scheme investigated, the DOPED measurement is related to the relevant geometrical parameters which describe the degree of planarization. <<ETX>>
Analysis and design of photonic crystal fibers

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to show the effectiveness of the finite element method (FEM) to study the properties of different kinds of photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), presenting results which highlight the FEM flexibility, exploited according to the particular PCF feature under investigation.Design/methodology/approach – The FEM has been applied to a new emerging class of optical fibers, the so‐called PCFs, also known as microstructured or holey fibers.Findings – It has been shown how to design and customize the PCF cross‐section to achieve desired values of dispersion, confinement loss, nonlinear or amplification properties. Reported examples prove the FEM ability to deal with complex geometries, arbitrary refractive index steps and distribution, and to be integrated with other approaches for a better and accurate analysis of the considered fiber.Research limitations/implications – Limitation in the FEM use can be given by the required computation effort in terms of memory occupancy and time, even.
Biofeedback for upper limb myoelectric prostheses

Although receptors are spread all over the surface of the body, their highest concentration is found the hand. Tactile sensitivity is one of the factors that determines the great ability of natural hands to handle objects correctly. Thermo sensitivity allows a person to feel and evaluate an object’s temperature and avoid being scalded when touching very hot objects. The loss of one or both upper limbs not only deprives a person of this ability to grasp and handle objects, but it also deprives the person of the most important and sophisticated systems for maintaining sensory awareness of the external world. Today, prostheses are used to permit partial recovery of the grasping and handling functions of the natural hand [2,3,13], but they are incapable of restoring human hand sensitivity. For unilateral amputees this problem can be of secondary importance, as they will use the healthy limb for all functions requiring sensory feedback and the prosthetic hand will
Financial Technologies for Accepting Transactions Using Block Chain Technology and Crypto Currency in Digital Marketing

Recently, block chain technology as an innovative technology has attracted attention and spread. Its potential benefits have led organizations to decide to adopt the technology. Therefore, this research aims for FinTech start-ups to accept financial transactions using block chain technology and crypto currency in digital marketing for the use of users. The present study is a survey and a researcher-made questionnaire. The statistical population of this study includes experts in the field of cryptocurrency and block chain who are scientifically or experimentally familiar with this field. This study shows that FinTech introduces a new paradigm in which information technology drives innovation in the financial industry. As a changing game, FinTech is a destructive innovation that is able to stimulate traditional financial markets. Investors in emerging markets are looking for innovation to gain a foothold.
2021 International Congress of Advanced Technology and Engineering (ICOTEN)

The proceedings contain 142 papers. The topics discussed include: lightweight cnn-based models for masked face recognition;intelligent methods for flood forecasting in Wadi al Wala, Jordan;software process improvement during the last decade: a theoretical mapping and future avenues;wireless remote control-security system for entrances (WRC-SSE);solid waste classification using deep learning techniques;COVID-19 classification for chest X-ray images using deep learning and resnet-101;design of high-performance x-band monopulse comparator for active phased array radar applications;deep residual networks model for star-galaxy classification;employee awareness model to enhance awareness of social engineering threats in the Saudi public sector;acceptable walking distance accessible to the nearest bus stop considering the service coverage;and a survey on predicting workloads and optimizing QoS in the cloud computing.
Response of corn crop to concentrations of digested bovine manure in humid tropical climate

The use of liquid manure is a viable and economic alternative that can be integrated into family production systems in the humid tropics. The objective of this study was to determine the response of corn ( Zea mays L.) to the application of different concentrations of livestock liquid manure. To this end, a completely randomized block design with seven treatments (concentrations of livestock liquid manure) and four replications were used. The results indicate the corn yield was higher in the treatments with foliar application of liquid manure, including the treatment with application directed to the soil. The treatment with 60% liquid manure allowed reaching the highest average yield with 5.24 t ha -1 . Finally, it is concluded that corn achieves the highest yield when 60% livestock liquid manure is applied via foliar under a family production system in tropical humid climate.