Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Pilot Examination of a Joint Railroad Management-Labor Approach to Root Cause Analysis of Accidents, Incidents, and Close Calls in a Diesel and Car Repair Shop Environment

This report presents findings from a 1-year pilot study investigating the feasibility and practicality of a joint railroad management-labor approach to root cause analysis (RCA) of accidents, incidents, and close calls in a diesel and car repair shop environment. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the value and utility of a joint railroad management-labor RCA process. Participating labor and management representatives identified seven RCA opportunities during the study period; however, only one was investigated. Participants identified a number of barriers that made it difficult for the project to succeed in its current form. Key barriers included a lack of study leadership poor interaction and communication between labor and management participants and between participants and the employees involved in the accidents, incidents, and close calls; challenges with employee participation; perceived minimal opportunity to conduct RCA; and complexity of the RCA tools and process. Suggestions for future implementation addressed these barriers. The report discusses additional lessons learned and recommendations for any future implementation of a joint labor-management RCA process. The joint management-labor RCA process and tools should experience greater success once these barriers are addressed.
Osteochondral Live Slices as Physiological in-vitro Model of the Human Joint for High-throughput Applications

Background: Current advances in musculoskeletal research yielded numerous new insights and therapy options for diseases of the joints but preclinical in-vitro testing is currently limited to self-manufactured 2D and 3D cell cultures only remotely mimicking the in-vivo situation in regards of tissue composition and cell configuration. While in-vivo animal models are a lot more lifelike, they are inherently connected with ethical concerns, translation to the human situation, logistic efforts and high costs. Here we explored the use of native human life slice cultures from explanted tibial plateaus upon their feasibility to serve as a highly lifelike and easy-to-handle model of the human joint which can be obtained in masses from few tissue samples.Methods: Osteochondral slices (1cm x 1cm x 500µm) were prepared with a special microtome from 23 human tibial plateaus and subsequently cultivated in hanging inserts over the course of 7 or 21 days. Short-term cultivated slices were stimulated with either 800 pM/1.2 nM TNF-α or 800 pM TGF-β3. During cultivation, viability of tissue cells was assessed via laser microscopy / resazurin assay. After cultivation, gene expression of cartilage ECM Marker proteins was quantified with RT-PCR. TNF-α stimulated slices and their controls were stained with Safranin-O and analyzed via histomorphometry to quantify tissue proteoglycan content. Results: Tissue cell viability remained >90% over the three weeks. Laser scanning microscopy revealed highly conserved spatial alignment of cells inside the cartilage. Incubation of the slice cultures with TNF-α showed a significant, dose dependent decrease in mRNA expression of cartilage proteins collagen II, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein and aggrecan while incubation with TGF-β3 caused a significant increase of early bone formation proteins collagen I and also cartilage oligomeric matrix protein. Histologically, TNF-α incubation caused a 32% reduction of proteoglycans, detachment of collagen fibers and cell swelling.Conclusion: In summary, native osteochondral slice cultures provide a stable and manipulable, physiological model of human joint bone and cartilage biology. The setup is easy to produce and handle, scalable, and contributes to 3R principles in biomedical research, suggesting itself as a platform for preclinical testing especially regarding high-throughput applications.
Generating survival data for fitting marginal structural Cox models using Stata and comparing the fit

Marginal structural models (MSM) can be used to estimate the effect of a time dependent exposure in presence of time dependent confounding. Previously Fewell et al. (2004) described how to estimate this model in Stata based on a weighted pooled logistic model approximation. However, based on the current literature and some recent simulation study results, this model can be suitably fitted in other ways too and various new weighting schemes are proposed accordingly. In this presentation, first the idea behind MSM will be explained and use of various weighting schemes will be justified through simple examples and tabulations using Stata. Then the procedure of generating survival data from a Cox MSM model will be illustrated using existing Stata commands. The performance of simulated data generation and procedure of fitting MSM via Stata will be compared with other standard statistical packages such as SAS and R.
198 Effect of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentate on Immune Cell Function Following Prolonged Head Elevation in 2-year-old Horses in Training

Horses are often restricted from lowering their heads while being transported, which prevents nasal drainage and triggers upper respiratory tract inflammation. Based on positive outcomes in other species, we hypothesized Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentate (SCF) would modify this immune response in horses. Two-year-old Quarter Horses (mean ± SEM; initial age 22 ± 0.3 mo and BW 439 ± 3 kg) were randomly assigned to receive SCF (Diamond V, Cedar Rapids, IA; 21 g/d; n = 10) or no supplement (CON; n = 10) added to their diet (60% hay, 40% concentrate) for 60 d. Horses were exercised 4 d/wk for 30–45 min/d at light to moderate intensity. On d 57 horses were tethered with their heads elevated 35 cm above wither height for 12 h to mimic long-distance transport. Whole blood samples were obtained before and up to 72 h after stress induction to evaluate immune cell function. Data were compared using mixed model ANOVA with repeated measures. Serum cortisol (P < 0.01) and blood leukocytes (P < 0.05) were greater after head elevation. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to lipopolysaccharide was lower (P < 0.01) following head elevation but did not differ by treatment. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to concanavalin A exhibited a time × treatment effect (P = 0.05) where it decreased in CON horses after head elevation (P < 0.05) but was unchanged in SCF horses. Neutrophil phagocytosis of Streptococcus equi (a respiratory pathogen) was temporarily reduced (P < 0.05) after head elevation in both treatments. A time × treatment effect (P = 0.05) was observed for phagocytosis-induced oxidative burst, where it increased in SCF (P < 0.01) but did not change in CON horses. These data indicate SCF modified peripheral immune cell activity following a localized mucosal stressor. Whether these responses improve resistance to opportunistic pathogens following transport needs to be determined.
Bidirectional River‐Floodplain Connectivity During Combined Pluvial‐Fluvial Events

Hydrologic connectivity controls the lateral exchange of water, solids, and solutes between rivers and floodplains, and is critical to ecosystem function, water treatment, flood attenuation, and geomorphic processes. This connectivity has been well‐studied, typically through the lens of fluvial flooding. In regions prone to heavy rainfall, the timing and magnitude of lateral exchange may be altered by pluvial flooding on the floodplain. We collected measurements of flow depth and velocity in the Trinity River floodplain in coastal Texas (USA) during Tropical Storm Imelda (2019), which produced up to 75 cm of rainfall locally. We developed a two‐dimensional hydrodynamic model at high resolution for a section of the Trinity River floodplain inspired by the compound flooding of Imelda. We then employed Lagrangian particle routing to quantify how residence times and particle velocities changed as flooding shifted from rainfall‐driven to river‐driven. Results show that heavy rainfall initiated lateral exchange before river discharge reached flood levels. The presence of rainwater also reduced floodplain storage, causing river water to be confined to a narrow corridor on the floodplain, while rainwater residence times were increased from the effect of high river flow. Finally, we analyzed the role of floodplain channels in facilitating surface‐water connectivity by varying model resolution in the floodplain. While the resolution of floodplain channels was important locally, it did not affect as much the overall floodplain behavior. This study demonstrates the complexity of floodplain hydrodynamics under conditions of heavy rainfall, with implications for sediment deposition and nutrient removal during floods.
Pembelajaran Medan Magnet Menggunakan Online Interactive Multimedia Untuk Meningkatkan Penguasaan Konsep dan Keterampilan Berpikir Kritis Mahasiswa

Penelitian eksperimen kuasi ini bertujuan mengkonstruksi pembelajaran medan magnet berbantuan online interactive multimedia untuk meningkatkan penguasaan konsep dan keterampilan berpikir kritis mahasiswa. Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah nonequivalent control group design. Sampel penelitian adalah mahasiswa pendidikan fisika Universitas Bengkulu yang mengambil matakuliah fisika dasar 2 TA 2010/2011 yang dipilih mengunakan teknik convenient sampling. Instrumen utama yang digunakan adalah lembar tes penguasaan konsep dan keterampilan berpikir kritis materi medan magnet. Hasil analisis data menunjukkan rerata N-gain peningkatan penguasaan konsep kelas eksperimen 0,72 dan kelas kontrol 0,51, keterampilan berpikir kritis kelas eksperimen 0,53 dan kelas kontrol 0,46. Uji hipotesis menggunakan uji t dua sampel independen menunjukkan bahwa penguasaan konsep dan keterampilan berpikir kritis mahasiswa yang mengikuti pembelajaran medan magnet menggunakan online interactive multimedia secara signifikan lebih baik dibandingkan dengan mahasiswa yang mengikuti pembelajaran konvensional
A Noval Approach of Array to Inverter Matching of Utility Scale Solar PV Plants

The array to inverter matching of a utility scale solar PV plants are necessary for the PV plant design. In practical environment at low temperatures, the module voltage increases. If the inverter is switch off on a sunlit winter day, this can guide to the open-circuit voltage being moreover high when it is switch back on again. At high temperature during summer, modules on a roof can easily heat up to around 70°C. If the working voltage of the system drops lower than the minimum MPP voltage of the inverter, this would no longer feed the maximum possible power and, in the worst case, would even switch off itself. To solve this problem, in this paper the goals of array to inverter matching is proposed and the maximum and minimum number of modules in series per string and the number o f modules connected in parallel for the inverter is calculated using pv syst software, also the MATLAB/SIMULINK model for the PV array designed depending on the specifications of the module selected. In this paper we selected a site which has a Global Horizontal Irradiance of 5.65 kWh/m/day, and requires an area of 160582m for developing a 25MW utility scale PV power plant having 50 inverters, for each inverter has 2000 modules, connected 20 in series and 100 in parallel and has an annual yield of 41,313 MWh.
PASSION FRUIT

Origin: The purple passion fruit is native from southern B azil through Paraguay to northern Argentina. It has been stated that the yellow form is of unknown origin, or perhaps native to the Amazon region of Brazil, or is a hybrid between P. edulis and P. ligularis. Cytological studies have not borne out the hybrid theory. In Au stralia the purple passion fruit was flourishing and partially naturalized in coastal ar e s of Queensland before 1900. In Hawaii, seeds of the purple passion fruit, brought from Aus tralia, were first planted in 1880 and the vine came to be popular in home gardens.
IELTS collected papers : research in speaking and writing assessment

This volume brings together a set of ten IELTS-related research studies - four on Speaking and six on Writing - conducted between 1995 and 2001. The ten studies were funded under the auspices of the British Council/IELTS Australia Joint-funded Research Program which promotes research activity among IELTS test stakeholders around the world. Findings from the studies provided valuable evidence on the validity, reliability, impact and practicality of the IELTS test; they were also instrumental in highlighting aspects needing attention, and so directly informed the revised design and implementation of the IELTS Speaking and Writing Modules introduced in 2001 and 2005. The volume reviews and comments on the specific contribution of each study to the ongoing process of IELTS speaking and writing test development; it also evaluates the range of research methodologies used in the projects and discusses their usefulness for researchers working in the broader field of performance assessment.
FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT MODEL VESYS IV-B

Various capabilities of several versions of the VESYS flexible pavement model have been combined into a single computer program called VESYS IV-B. The resulting computer program was also edited and modularized to make it more convenient to use and to modify in the future. VESYS IV-B now models an n-layer flexible pavement structure using resilient moduli, creep compliance, or a combination of these for specifying layer stiffnesses, which may be varied seasonally. Both single and tandem axles are considered. Both fatigue and permanent deformation material properties may be varied seasonally, and permanent deformation properties and layer moduli may be varied with magnitude of loads as well. Seasonal variations in the fatigue constants K1 and K2 may be generated internally on the basis of seasonal pavement surface temperatures or stiffnesses. This state of the art model predicts fatigue cracking, rutting, and serviceability loss. These revisions and improvements are described in the report, and a combined keyword dictionary and input guide is included. (FHWA)
Self-assembly of micro parts by controlling the environmental parameters

We propose a novel design for self-assembly with milli-scaled components and investigate a relation between the yield rate and environmental parameters such as the external force using different binding faces. In the first experiment, we demonstrate a production of a distributed micro-motor array by a self-assembly. By giving a vibration to the substrate, columnar iron parts with 1 mm length and 0.5 mm diameter are trapped in the holes that are stable sites in terms of gravitational potentials at the yield rate of more than 80%. We then achieved to drive the micro-motor array selectively. In the second experiment, we demonstrate a self-assembly of 3D structures with two kinds of parts. We use a surface tension as a binding force, and control the orientation and the selectivity of binding by a triangular copper binding face and a complementary shape of component. Our experiments show the promising results for applications of the proposed self-assembly systems in micro-machine production.
Symbiotic Strategies in Enterprise Ecology: Modeling Commercial Aviation as an Enterprise of Enterprises

We investigate the effectiveness of strategic alternatives that are designed to dampen the cyclicality manifest in the commercial aviation (CA)-related industries. In this research we introduce the conceptual framework of Enterprise of Enterprises (EoE) as an extension and special case of a System of Systems, to facilitate the design of strategic alternatives in an enterprise ecosystem characterized by loosely coupled enterprises. The constituent enterprises in an EoE exhibit managerial and operational independence and have diverse value functions that are often viewed by the enterprises as zero-sum games. We argue that this may not always be the case; for example, in the CA EoE both airline and airframe manufacturers constituents would benefit from a steadier influx of aircraft that counters the current situation that is characterized by relatively stable demand growth rate for air travel while airline profitability and aircraft ordering fluctuate intensely. A strategic alternative geared towards this EoE-wide desired state is “symbiotic”. In order to identify such strategies, we use the EoE framework to analyze the CA-related industries and to specify their local value functions and the salient interfaces among them based on an extensive review of the literature on commercial aviation. We develop working hypotheses about the driving mechanisms of the cycle in the CA EoE informed by the literature on economywide and supply chain cyclicality. To test these hypotheses, we extend a system dynamics model of commercial aviation. After testing several individual strategic alternatives, we find that capacity management is key to cycle moderation. We then compare two diverse, non-collusive ways for capacity management: faster aircraft deliveries and semi-fixed production schedules generated by long-term forecasts. While both are promising, only the latter alternative is shown to be Pareto optimal. We also examine the potential synergistic effects from combining more than one strategic alternatives for which we also discuss implementation implications. The EoE framework and some of our findings can be applicable and generalizable to other industries facing intense cyclical behavior. Thesis Supervisor: Joseph M. Sussman Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Systems
Performance and Control of a Pulse Thermal Loop Heat Transport System

Thermal management on space vehicles is dominated by passive systems, including materials, coatings, louvers and heat pipes, and active systems, including pumped liquid loops. Recently, the pulse thermal loop was proposed as a novel technology to provide improved heat transfer over passive systems in the moderate to high heat flux range and as a sustainable alternative to active systems, where an electric pump is undesirable. In this work, the performance of an experimental pulse thermal loop with refrigerant R-134a is characterized using a test facility incorporating variable heat input, driving pressure differential, and line lengths. Three automated control schemes are investigated, which provide flexibility in design. The performance of the device is mapped for a range of power levels and compared with data from the literature, highlighting the operating limits. The pulse thermal loop provides effective thermal control for a range of heat loads from 100 to 800 W while maintaining the source temperatur.
Field-plate assisted RESURF power devices: gradient based optimization, degradation and analysis

Compact fluorescent and solid-state lights rapidly gain ground in the lighting market. Developments in the size, efficiency and reliability of these light sources are accompanied by advancements in the embedded electronics driving them. The long lifetime of these light sources requires that the electronics parts last at least equally long. The power-transistor, a transistor specially designed to withstand high voltages and or currents, is a key component in these and many other (e.g. automotive) electronics. This PhD-work focuses on the development of optimization methodologies for these power transistors and studies how long-term electrical stress affects their performance. The developed (gradient based) optimized device designs result in smaller and therefore less expensive transistors with an almost constant internal electric field (Reduced SURface Field - RESURF) having many unique features useful for modeling and the prediction of electrical behavior. During electrical stress however, parasitic charge can build up in certain locations, thus distorting the electric field distribution which in turn leads to changing (potentially destructive) transistor performance. The main mechanisms responsible for degradation in these transistors under different stress conditions are identified, as well as the location in the transistor where the stress induced physical and chemical changes take place. Diagnostic techniques and analytical models were subsequently developed to allow the prediction of the transistor's performance after stress. As such, this work provides the necessary insights and tools for the design and in depth electrical characterization of gradient based field-plate assisted RESURF optimized power transistors before and after electrical stress.
Cleareye In-Ground and In-Concrete DIV Inspections: FY11 Final Report

This report summarizes the results of a series of feasibility testing studies for in-ground and in-concrete imaging/detection technologies including radar imaging and acoustic time-of flight method. The objectives of this project are: (1) Design Information Verification (DIV) Tools for In-Concrete Inspections - To determine the feasibility of using holographic radar imaging (HRI), radar imaging, and acoustic time-of-flight (TOF) non-destructive evaluation technologies to detect, locate and identify pipes and voids embedded in standard-density and high-density concrete walls that typify those the IAEA will need to verify during field inspections; (2) DIV Tools for In-Ground Inspections - To determine the feasibility of using HRI and radar imaging non-destructive evaluation technologies to detect, locate, and identify objects buried at various depths made of various materials (metal, plastic, wood, and concrete) and representing geometries that typify those the IAEA will need to verify during field inspections; and (3) Based on the results of the studies, recommend the next steps needed to realize fieldable tools for in-concrete and in-ground inspections (including detection of deeply buried polyvinyl chloride [PVC] pipes) that employ the technologies shown to be feasible.
Social capital and firm performance nexus: The role of new product development capability and environmental dynamism in an emerging economy

ABSTRACT This paper seeks to examine the argument that the social capital and market performance link is more pronounced when it is channelled through the new product development capability of the firm. The study further argues that the indirect effect of social capital on market performance, via new product development capability, is conditional upon levels of environmental dynamism. We tested the hypotheses using data from 313 managers and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana. We analyzed the data using the conditional PROCESS analysis software, in SPSS 23.0, and structural equation modelling (SEM). We found that new product development capability partially mediates the relationship between social capital and market performance. The study further discovered that the indirect relationship between social capital and market performance is significantly enhanced at higher levels of environmental dynamism. This study's finding will help managers of SMEs understand the need to invest in building their social capital resource and the complementary new product development skills needed to improve firm performance.
Technology enhanced reflection and meta-reflection: Guiding learners through reflective processes

Do your students submit reflective journals that read like ‘What I did On My Summer Holidays’? Inspired by the work of Professor Carolyn Mair, the purpose of this paper is to outline a ‘research project in progress’ focusing on technology-enhanced reflective practice. Findings to date will also be discussed.