Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Small Wind Power Generation â€“ A Case Study

The electrical energy is an integral utility not only in the in modern society, but also has become a basic need in the Indian rural culture too. In spite of the claim by central and state government that 80% of the rural population is facilitated by the electricity in India, still large portions is either facing a severe shortage or are not connected to grid system so far. The conventional energy sources are over stressed and the use of renewable energy sources is becoming technically and economically feasible due to advancement in technology. These renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and bio mass are creating an opportunity to develop an energy system, exclusively for a village to achieve the energy security. This paper presents a feasibility study of a village for energy security through the wind energy. A wind energy generation system is proposed which will address the minimum energy needs including for household and streetlighting in a village. The life cycle cost analysis of a proposed wind energy generation system for a village is done. The unit cost of electricity is obtained for four phases in analysis period of 20 years, and it is found that the same tunes with the existing ones. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out for different rate of interest and different plant load factors
RANCANG BANGUN APLIKASI PEMBELAJARAN HADIS UNTUK PERANGKAT MOBILE BERBASIS ANDROID

Pada saat ini mobile phone sudah sangat berkembang sehingga mempunyai berbagai macam kemampuan seperti untuk akses internet dan juga mempunyai sistem operasi seperti layaknya komputer sehingga sering disebut dengan smart mobile phone atau lebih dikenal dengan istilah smart phone. Pemanfaatan kemampuan smart phone untuk keperluan di beberapa bidang pun dikembangkan dengan aplikasi-aplikasi yang mampu mendukung dalam penggunaannya diantaranya adalah untuk media pembelajaran edukatif. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk merancang dan membuat aplikasi mobile phone sebagai media pembelajaran dalam mempelajari pengertian ilmu hadis yang disertai dengan hadist pilihan dan latihan soal. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan prototyping. Tahapan yang akan dilakukan pada penelitian ini meliputi: analisis kebutuhan, perancangan arsitektur program aplikasi, pembuatan program aplikasi, pengujian teknis dan analisisnya, dan analisis respon calon pengguna melalui kuesioner. Hasil pengujian implementasi sistem yang dibuat pada smartphone menunjukkan bahwa sistem dapat berjalan pada smartphone dengan sistem operasi Android yang ada dipasaran. Kata kunci : Android, pembelajaran ilmu hadis, perangkat mobile .
Shielding performance of a metallic enclosure with slots - numerical modelling and measurements

The shielding performance of a rectangular metallic enclosure with two slots is analysed using a fullwave electromagnetic simulation software based on the method of moments. Measurements are conducted in a 3m semi-anechoic chamber to validate the results. A good agreement between the results gives confidence in the simulation. Thus. simulation tools can be used to predict and optimise the shielding performance of metallic enclosures.
Sub-20nm substrate patterning using a self-assembled nanocrystal template

A hexagonally close-packed monolayer of lead selenide quantum dots is presented as a template for patterning with a tunable resolution from 2 to 20nm. Spin-casting and micro-contact printing are resolved as methods of forming and depositing these monolayers of quantum dots through self-assembly. Four methods of templated patterning shadowmasking, lift-off, selective ablation & nano-imprinting using the quantum dot self-assembled monolayer are proposed and explored. The nano-imprinting technique is used to produce the smallest pattern in anodized alumina to date. The use of this nano-patterned anodized alumina as an etch mask is discussed as a means of patterning substrates within the 2 to 20nm range. The physics behind the possible modification of silicon's electronic band gap due to our nano-patterning is also presented. Thesis Supervisor: Vladimir Bulovid Title: Associate Professor, KDD Career Development Chair
The Diffusion of Cellular Telephony in Portugal before UMTS: A Time Series Approach

In this paper, we propose a methodology to estimate diffusion processes that differs from the standard practice in two ways. First, we model the nonlinear long-run trend through the Richards curve, which is more flexible than the standard alternatives. Second, we propose a dynamic specification that accounts for: short-run dynamics, and a tendency to correct deviations from the nonlinear long-run trend. We apply the model to the diffusion of cellular telephony in Portugal. Statistical tests show that our model outperforms the standard diffusion models. We also use the model to characterize the diffusion process of the Portuguese cellular telephone industry, and test several hypothesis about the recent evolution of the industry.
Child Labour in Nepal and Associated Hazards: A Descriptive Study

Introduction: As important is the magnitude of child labour, so important is the nature and condition of works they do. So we designed this study to assess the work environment in different sectors of child labour.Methods: This is a descriptive study. Our study team comprising of five experts from different disciplines inspected the work places at different child labour prone work sectors in five cities of the country. They mainly made observations of the work places, their physical condition, the type of works children do and the possible hazards prevalent at the work places.Results: We presented the qualitative data in the form of description. Lack of hygiene in the work places, inappropriately sized tools and equipments, lack of protective wears, careless use of chemicals, air contaminants, noise, and increased workload were found as the main hazards at the work places.Conclusion: The working condition at majority of the work places is not satisfactory.
Shock Capturing with PDE-Based Artificial Viscosity for an Adaptive, Higher-Order Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Method

This work was made possible by the following sources, • National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship • U. S. Air Force Research Laboratory (USAF-3306-03-SC-0001) • The Boeing Company • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Co-op Agreement NNX07AC70A)
Failure Mode Scaling Transitions in RC Beams in Flexure: Tensile, Shearing, Crushing

Reinforced concrete beams in flexure exhibit three different collapse mechanisms by varying the mechanical and geometrical parameters. The limit cases are: tensile failure for low steel percentages and/or small and slender beams, and crushing failure for high steel percentages and/or large and stocky beams. The intermediate collapse mechanism, and, therefore, the most frequent, is represented by diagonal tension failure, in which the collapse is dominated by unstable propagation of one or more shear cracks [1]. In this paper, a study of the transitions between these mechanisms is proposed inside the theoretical framework of nonlinear fracture mechanics. More in details, fracture nonlinearity as well as strain and dissipated energy localizations, both in tension and compression, are taken into account by means of the cohesive crack model and the dual overlapping crack model [2]. Due to the presence of different nonlinear contributions and to the strong interaction between the different collapse mechanisms, the problem is dealt with by a numerical procedure. Relevant results concern the prediction of the predominant collapse mechanisms, the failure load as well as the analysis of the mutual transition between the different failure modes by varying the scale, the slenderness and the reinforcing steel amount. Then, other specific aspects are also investigated, such as the problem of minimum reinforcement necessary to prevent the phenomenon of hyperstrength at low steel percentages, and the rotational capacity of plastic hinges. Both these aspects, also affected by size-scale effects, have practical implications in defining structural elements with ductile response, as required by current design codes [3]. A wide validation of the proposed mechanical model is finally presented on the basis of the results of experimental research programmes available in the literature, as well as recently carried out by the authors [4].
Burst Mode Clock Recovery for Passive Optical Network

The emerging passive optical network (PON) requires the burst mode clock and data recovery (BM-CDR) for the successful data detection, with a strict requirement in the locking time. Two innovative BM-CDR schemes are proposed, modeled, simulated, and analyzed. They simplify the circuit design and reduce the chip size and the power consumption by utilizing the characteristics of the optical components in the upstream fiber link. One scheme utilizes the phenomenon of the clock tone generation by the fiber dispersion. The other scheme utilizes the nonlinear relaxation oscillation of the directly modulated laser (DML) to generate the clock tone. The phenomenon of the clock tone generation by the DML relaxation oscillation is discovered for the first time. Both schemes do not incur extra cost, additional optical components or electrical circuit blocks. In both schemes, the BM clock recovery (CR) circuitry is based on the injection locked oscillator (ILO). Its behavior in the BM-CR application with the input of the distorted non-return-to-zero (NRZ) data is simulated at the system level for the first time. The BM-CR circuitry is designed and fabricated in a standard 0.18 ! lm CMOS technology to experimentally demonstrate the two schemes operating at the bit rate close to 10 Gbps.
Blending on-campus and online experiences through the use of virtually immersive technologies

Recently there has been a great deal of attention put toward efforts to integrate teaching methodologies and strategies between face to face and online classrooms looking to maximize learning by combining delivery modalities. Studies point to students not only learning more when online capabilities were added to traditional courses but also increasing their level of interaction thereby improving the studentsâ€™ sense of satisfaction with the courses taken. However these studies tend to isolate deliveries to either all online deliveries or to all on-campus classes and students without taking into account the more recent movement of blending teaching methods that look to cross over the barriers between online and face to face students. To meet some of the collaborative requirements for blending instruction virtually immersive environments are beginning to show promise as an interactive communication media that can facilitate the needs of several communities including e-learning distance education and corporate training. So the question was posed - what happens when online students are given the opportunity through the use of virtually immersive technologies to engage with students attending traditional on-campus sessions? Thus the purpose of this case study is to evaluate the use of virtually immersive technologies as a platform for the conduct of synchronous and asynchronous classroom activities. This article also presents the framework for conducting an undergraduate level â€˜Technology Project Managementâ€™ course that includes delivery approaches to students from both online (Distance Education) class offerings and on-campus (Face-to-face) class offerings.
Robust case-weighting for multipurpose establishment surveys.

Case-weighting or assigning a unique weight to each sample unit is a popular method of sample weighting when internal consistency of the survey estimates is paramount. If in addition external constraints on key variables (the survey benchmarks) must also be met, then case-weights computed via generalised least squares, based on an assumed linear regression model for the survey variables, can be used. Unfortunately, this method of weighting can lead to negative case-weights. It is also susceptible to bias if the linear model is misspecified. This article proposes a modified method of linear regression-based case-weighting which ensures positive weights via use of a ridging procedure, and model misspecification robustness via the inclusion of a nonparametric regression bias correction factor. Empirical results which illustrate the gains from the new method of weighting are presented
Feeling Represented

Institutional learning works. Citizens in older and more mature democracies feel represented to a larger extent than people in new and emerging democracies. And as normatively expected, feelings of being represented are reasonably well spread across different social and political groups. Electoral system design turns out not to be consequential. Majoritarian, proportional or mixed electoral systems do about equally well when it comes to how well people feel they are being represented by a party or a party leader. The results are based on data from The Comparative Study of Electoral System’s (CSES) project covering forty-six countries and eighty-six elections between 2001 and 2011.
Macro and Femto Network Aspects for Realistic Lte Usage Scenarios

The exponential growth of mobile data traffic affects not only the capacity requirements of the mobile networks, but even the expected quality of service. The introduction of LTE improved the situation to some extent. However, as a high percent of mobile data traffic is generating from indoors, LTE operating at higher frequencies cannot really meet the ever-increasing demand of data traffic and reasonable quality of service. This Thesis provides an analysis of the network throughput with LTE technology. In this regard a system level simulation environment was developed that included macro and indoor traffic distribution pattern. Simulation results show that with increasing percentage of indoor traffic the aggregated throughput of the macro network decreases significantly. Lately, two possible solutions emerged to offload the indoor traffic, by WiFi or Femtocell. A brief overview of the two solutions is presented and the more promising of the two, femtocells, are further evaluated. The analysis shows the increase in macro network throughput by offloading the traffic via femtocells.
Design of a Circular Microphone Array for Panoramic Audio Recording and Reproduction: Array Radius

A method for quantification and prediction of the perceived naturalness is introduced. This method is used to select the microphone array radius of Johnston and Lam’s perceptual sound field reconstruction system. Simulation results support array diameters close to that proposed by Johnston and Lam in the sense that they achieve optimal naturalness in the centre of the listening area, but also suggest that larger arrays might provide a more graceful degradation of the naturalness for listening positions away from the centre. 128th AES Convention, London, UK, May 22-25, 2010.
Multiparametric analysis of HRV signal by linear and nonlinear methods in heart failure patient population

The paper proposes a quantification of heart rate variability signal (HRV) by a multiparametric analysis. The goal is to verify a possible improvement of the diagnostic and prognostic power of the HRV analysis. Conventional indices in time and in frequency domain have been associated with newer parameters based on nonlinear dynamics, such as approximate entropy and /spl alpha/ slope of the 1/f spectrum. The study considers HRV signals derived from 24 hours Holter ECG recordings. The population consists of 17 congestive heart failure patients (CHF) and 5 normal subjects. Results show differences in heart rate control inside the CHF group and between normal and CHF patients. The nonlinear HRV indices may contribute prognostic value to complement traditional HRV measures.
Effect of building materials on indoor air quality in residential buildings in Egypt: A pre occupancy assessment

First and foremost I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my supervisors for their aspiring guidance, motivation, and immense knowledge throughout my work. My appreciation goes to Dr. Mohamed Nagib Abou-Zeid for his invaluable comments, advice, continuous support, and encouragement not only in this work but also throughout my graduate studies. Dr. Khaled Tarabieh for his unconditional patience, great effort, and inspiration that has helped build this study from the start. I sincerely acknowledge Dr. Abou-Zeid’s and Dr. Tarabieh’s overall contribution to bringing this work to its present shape and express my profound gratitude to them. I would also like to express my warm thanks to Dr. Ahmed Sherif, for his precious and illuminating views on a number of issues related to my work. My heart-felt gratitude goes to my family for their unceasing encouragement, patience, and absolute confidence in me. Special thanks are also due to the program of Graduate Studies at AUC for providing the support and funding needed to complete my study. I am also thankful to Lab Chemist Ahmed Omaia at the American University in Cairo and to Dr. Nasser Abdel Latif, Professor at the National Research Center for providing me with the assistance and data associated with the work.
A model for the evaluation of is/it investments

Evaluation is a vital—yet challenging—part of IS/IT management and governance. The benefits (or lack therefore) associated with IS/IT investments have been widely debated within academic and industrial communities alike. Investments in information technology may or may not result in desirable outcomes. Yet, organizations must rely on information systems to remain competitive. Effective evaluation serves as one pathway to ensuring success. However, despite a growing multitude of measures and methods, practitioners continue to struggle with this intractable problem. Responding to the limited success of existing methods, scholars have argued that academicians should first develop a better understanding of the process of IS/IT evaluation. In addition, scholars have also posited that IS/IT evaluation practice should be tailored to fit a given organization's particular context. Of course, one cannot simply tell practitioners to "be contextual" when conducting evaluations and then hope for improved outcomes. Instead, having developed an improved understanding of the IS/IT evaluation process, researchers should articulate unambiguous guidelines to practitioners. The researcher addressed this need using a multi-phase research methodology. To start, the researcher conducted a literature review to identify and describe the relevant contextual elements operating in the IS/IT evaluation process: the purpose of conducting the evaluation (why); the subject of the evaluation (what); the specific aspects to be evaluated (which); the particular evaluation methods and techniques used (how); the timing of the evaluation (when); the individuals involved in, or affected by, the evaluation (who); and the environmental conditions under which the organization operates ( where). Based upon these findings, the researcher followed a modeling-as-theorizing approach to develop a conceptual model of IS/IT evaluation. Next, the conceptual model was validated by applying it to multiple case studies selected from the extant literature. Once validated, the researcher utilized the model to develop a series of methodological guidelines to aid organizations in conducting evaluations. The researcher summarized these guidelines in the form of a checklist for professional practitioners. The researcher believes this holistic, conceptual model of IS/IT evaluation serves as an important step in advancing theory. In addition, the researcher's guidelines for conducting IS/IT evaluation based on organizational goals and conditions represents a significant contribution to industrial practice. Thus, the implications of this study come full circle: an improved understanding of evaluation should result in improved evaluation practices.
Essentials of dynamic walking; analysis and design of two-legged robots

One of the main challenges in the design of human-like walking robots (useful for service or entertainment applications as well as the study of human locomotion) is to obtain dynamic locomotion, as opposed to the static form of locomotion demonstrated by most of the current prototypes. A promising concept is the idea of passive dynamic walking; even completely unactuated and uncontrolled mechanisms can perform a stable gait when walking down a shallow slope. This concept enables the construction of dynamically walking prototypes that are simpler yet more natural in their motions than the static bipeds. This paper presents three additions to the concept of passive dynamic walking. First, hip actuation is added to increase the fore-aft stability and to provide power to the system, removing the need for a downhill floor. Second, a bisecting hip mechanism is introduced to allow the addition of a passive upper body without compromising the simplicity, efficiency and naturalness of the concept of passive dynamic walking. Third, skateboard-like ankle joints are implemented to provide 3D stability. These ankles couple the unstable sideways lean motion to yaw (steering), a kinematic coupling which provides sideways stability when walking with sufficient forward velocity. The three additions are investigated both with elementary simulation models and with prototype experiments. All three prototypes demonstrate an uncannily natural and stable gait while requiring only two foot switches and three on/off actuators. This research was performed in the context of the STW project number DWT4551 "Development of a ballistic walking biped" at the Delft Biorobotics Laboratory of the Man Machine Systems Group in the department of Mechanical Engineering.
Framework for the simulation of wireless power transmission over ultra wide band links in multipath propagation environments in the vicinity of the human body

In this contribution, a modular framework for ultra wide band wireless power transmission in proximity of the human body is presented. The goal of this work is to simplify the study of wireless links by considering antenna models, including radiation characteristics when the antenna is deployed on the human body, and the power transferred over them in multipath, shadowed propagation environments, such as powering textile antenna systems completely integrated inside garments. To obtain this goal, antenna links are partitioned in black box models for all elementary building blocks, such as antenna transfer functions, propagation channels, active components and more, that can be recombined as one sees fit. The recombination allows for accurate simulation of intricate systems. For small examples, considerable speed and memory gains were observed (a factor 6.20 in time and 1.75 in memory), while for more elaborate examples, it is even impossible to simulate a reference solution. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Distance Perception in Loudspeaker-Based Room Auralization

A loudspeaker-based room auralization (LoRA) system has been recently proposed which eﬃciently combines modern room acoustic modeling techniques with high-order Ambisonics (HOA) auralization to generate virtual auditory environments (VAEs). The reproduction of the distance of sound events in such VAE is very important for its ﬁdelity. A direct-scaling distance perception experiment was conducted to evaluate the LoRA system including the use of near-ﬁeld control (NFC) for HOA. Experimental results showed that (i) loudspeaker-based auralization in the LoRA system provides similar distance perception to that of the corresponding real environment and that (ii) NFC-HOA provides a signiﬁcant increase in the range of perceived distances for near sound sources as compared to standard HOA.