Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Program Planning and Evaluation

Overview Program planning involves a variety of elements including identifying program need and capacity (including surge capacity), planning for resource allocation and use, assuring service delivery, preparing to respond to critical events, and evaluating program activities and outcomes. Undertaking a long-term strategic planning process can provide the framework needed for program planning. Strategic planning can help identify the organizational goals to be achieved over a specific period of time and the resources needed to achieve those goals. Program evaluation is an essential organizational practice in public health; however, it is not practiced consistently across program areas, nor is it well-integrated into the day-today management of most programs. Program evaluation is a tool for using science as a basis for decision-making and action, making efforts outcome-oriented, and being accountable-principles that imply several ways to improve how public health activities are planned and managed. These principles underscore the need for programs to develop clear plans, inclusive partnerships, and feedback systems that allow learning and ongoing improvement to occur. One way to ensure that new and existing programs honor these principles is for programs to routinely conduct practical evaluations that inform their management and improve their effectiveness. The references listed below provide guidance for programs to evaluate a comprehensive immunization program and also smaller, individual programmatic components or activities. When carrying out program planning activities, it is important to ensure that American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes are engaged in the process. AI/AN tribes have a unique political and legal status that distinguishes them from traditionally defined minority and other population groups. As sovereign nations, AI/AN tribes maintain a government-to-government relationship with the federal government. As a federal agency, CDC has special obligations to AI/AN tribes and is committed to fulfilling its critical role in assuring that AI/AN communities are safer and healthier. CDC policy (see: calls for enhanced AI/AN access to CDC programs, including programs funded by CDC through grants and cooperative agreements. As recipients of 317 grants from CDC, immunization programs are thus required to engage AI/AN tribes in the planning and implementation of immunization program activities that affect AI/AN populations. Impact of the CDC's section 317 immunization grants program funding on childhood vaccination coverage.
Formulation and Analysis of Single Switch High Gain Hybrid DC to DC Converter for High Power Applications

The necessity for DC−DC converters has been rapidly increasing due to the emergence of RES-based electrification. However, the converter designed so far exhibits the drawbacks of lower efficiency and non-compactness in size. Hence, to rectify this problem, the new topology of a flyback converter for PV application is proposed in this work. The proposed converter exhibits reduced ripple in input current and enhances the conversion efficiency. Finally, the efficiency of this proposed converter is verified using MATLAB. The results indicate that this projected topology can be suitable for high voltage DC applications.
Wavelet-based protection strategy for DC faults in multi-terminal VSC HVDC systems

A new protection algorithm for DC line faults in multi-terminal high voltage DC (MTDC) systems is proposed in this study. A four-terminal MTDC model is used to investigate fault behaviour and detection using the simulation program PSCAD/EMTDC. The simulation results are post-processed using Matlab. The fault clearing must be done very rapidly, to limit the effect of the fault on neighbouring DC lines because of the rapid increase in DC current. However, before clearing the line, the fault location must be detected as soon as possible. A rapid fault location detection algorithm is therefore needed, preferably without communication. The protection algorithm proposed in this study uses wavelet analysis to detect the fault location based on local measurements. The protection algorithm consists of three independent fault criteria, of which two use wavelet analysis. The third criterion is based on a detection method in the time domain. The latter is an additional detection method independent of wavelet analysis. Using a two out of three selection criteria results in an increased reliability of the whole protection algorithm. The final objective is to implement a protection algorithm which allows to detect a DC fault within 1 ms without using communication between the participating converter stations.
Model‐based automatic grading of object‐oriented programming assignments

Automatic grading of object‐oriented programming (OOP) assignments is an important problem from practical, theoretical, and educational viewpoints. Apart from computing a specific grade, an effective grading method needs to provide systematic feedback comments to both the design and code elements. Existing works have proposed grading methods that make various assumptions about the design. However, none of these methods have considered using a design language for the program model. A challenge here is to use a language that eases learning and application in program design. In this paper, we propose a novel grading method, named OOPGRADER, which automatically grades OOP assignments constructed based on an essentially detailed program model. This model is defined in an embedded design language, which directly uses the annotation feature of OOP language to express the essential design rules. We explain how programming assignments can be designed with this language and propose a program checker and a grader for both student and teacher to use in working on the assignments and in grading them. We implement these components in a tool and develop an Eclipse plugin for this tool. We evaluate our method using a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques. The main result is that our method helps students effectively learn to program through detailed feedback comments based on a program model. The tool is adaptable, has a good performance, and helps enhance the productivity of both students and teachers through IDE integration.
Lead-free piezoelectric ceramic (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 with MnO2 and K5.4Cu1.3Ta10O29 doping for piezoelectric transformer application

In this study, K0.5Na0. 5NbO3+0.25 mol% MnO2+0.38 mol% K5.4Cu1. 3Ta10O29 lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by a conventional ceramic sintering technique and fabricated into a square-plate contour-vibration-mode piezoelectric transformer. The ceramic was well sintered to a dense structure at 1110 °C. Because of the pinning effects provided by the defect dipoles, the ceramic exhibited excellent ‘hard’ piezoelectric characteristics: d33 = 90 pC N−1, kp = 0.40, εr = 300, tanδ = 0.003 and Qm = 1900. The piezoelectric transformer showed a maximum power density of 10 W cm−3 with a temperature rise of 20 °C. When operated with a matching load of 8 kΩ, the maximum efficiency of the transformer reached 96%. The transformer has great potential to be used in power supply units and other electronic circuits.
Progress in the application of surface engineering methods in immobilizing TiO2 and ZnO coatings for environmental photocatalysis

ABSTRACT Photocatalysis is widely used for the degradation of organic pollutants, with TiO2 and ZnO as the best candidates with unique properties. However, agglomeration and recycling are major challenges in practical photocatalysis applications. Advanced deposition processes can provide nanotubular or hierarchical structures that are more promising than suspended particles. More importantly, higher efficiency of photoelectrocatalysis than photocatalysis for the degradation of persistent organic pollutants including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) necessitates catalyst immobilization. Photoelectrocatalysis exhibited remarkably higher efficiency (56.1%) than direct photolysis (15.1%), electrocatalysis (5.0%) and photocatalysis (18.1%) for PFOA degradation. This paper aims to review the progress in the application of anodizing and thermal spraying as two major industrial surface engineering processes to bridge the gap between laboratorial and practical photocatalysis technology. Overall, thermal spraying is considered as one of the most efficient methods for the deposition of TiO2 and ZnO photocatalytic films. Graphical Abstract
Improving Human-Robot Interaction through Interface Evolution

In remote robot operations, the human operator(s) and robot(s) are working in different locations that are not within line of sight of each other. In this situation, the human’s knowledge of the robot’s surroundings, location, activities and status is gathered solely through the interface. Depending on the work context, having a good understanding of the robot’s state can be critical. Insufficient knowledge in an urban search and rescue (USAR) situation, for example, may result in the operator driving the robot into a shaky support beam, causing a secondary collapse. While the robot‘s sensors and autonomy modes should help avoid collisions, in some cases the human must direct the robots‘ operation. If the operator does not have good awareness of the robot’s state, the robot can be more of a detriment to the task than a benefit. The human’s comprehension of the robot’s state and environment is known as situation awareness (SA). Endsley developed the most generally accepted definition for SA: “The perception of elements in the environment within a volume of time and space [Level 1 SA], the comprehension of their meaning [Level 2 SA ] and the projection of their status in the near future [Level 3 SA]” (Endsley, 1988). Drury, Scholtz, and Yanco (2003) redefined this definition of situation awareness to make it mo re specific to robot operations, breaking it into five categories: human-robot awareness (the human’s understanding of the robot), human-human awareness, robot-human awareness (the robot’s information about the human), robot-robot awareness, and the humans’ overall mission awareness. In this chapter, we focus on two of the five types of awarene ss that relate to a case in which one human operator is working with one robot: human-robot awareness and the human’s overall mission awareness. Adams (2007) discusses the implications for human-unmanned vehicle SA at each of the three levels of SA (perception, comprehension, and projection). In Drury, Keyes, and Yanco (2007), human-robot awareness is further decomposed into five types to aid in assessing the operator’s understanding of the robot: location awareness, activity awareness, surroundings awareness, status awareness and overall mission awareness (LASSO). The two types that are primarily addressed in this chapter are location awareness and surroundings awareness. Location awareness is the operator’s knowledge of where the robot is situated on a larger scale (e.g., knowing where the robot is from where it started or that it is at a certain point on a map). Surroundings awareness is the knowledge the operator has of the robot’s circumstances in a local sense, such as when there is an
Ensuring system and software reliability in safety-critical systems

Reliability growth models, formal specifications, testing, safety analysis have been proposed to address system and software reliability. This paper presents a technique, called ripple effect analysis, which is well known in software maintenance, for system and software reliability. This technique is useful to ensure that all the changes that need to be done are indeed changed after a software modification. It is different from regression test of which the purpose is to show that those parts that should not be changed remain unchanged after a software modification. We have used this technique at Guidant-CPI and found ripple effect analysis is an effective technique for ensuring system and software reliability in developing safety-critical systems.
Numerical Modelling and Design of an Eddy Current Sensor

Eddy current testing involves exciting a coil with a fixed frequency or pulse and bringing it into close proximity with a conductive material. The electrical impedance of the coil changes due to the influence of electrical ‘eddy currents’ in the material. Using an eddy current technique, the sizing of surface and sub-surface defects, measurements of thickness of metallic plates and of conductive and non-conductive coatings on metal substrates, assessment of corrosion, ductility, heat treatment and measurements of electrical conductivity and magnetic permeability are all possible and quantifiable. The eddy current method has become one of the most successful non-destructive techniques for testing conductive coatings on conductive substrates.
Estimation of soil compaction parameters based on Atterberg limits

In civil engineering works, soils are commonly used as construction materials. Compaction of soils is carried out to improve the strength of the soils. However, compaction tests are time-consuming and relatively expensive especially when many samples are to be tested. In this study, an alternative method is proposed. The relationships of liquid limit, (LL), plastic limit, (PL), and plasticity index, (PI) to modified maximum dry density, (MDD), and optimum moisture content, (OMC), were determined. The parameters can therefore be correlated by graphical and empirical analysis. Using curve fitting techniques, empirical equations were obtained and charts were prepared. From these, it is possible to estimate the potential optimum moisture content and maximum dry density for the Modified and Standard Proctor compaction tests from the information of Atterberg limits only. Determination of Atterberg Limits is easier and the tools for the test are not complex, it therefore will save time and cost. The collected data for the study were obtained from government agencies and private sectors. The collected data then were used to produce the regression equations. While, the results of the laboratory test programme were used to compare with the results of the regression equations for the compiled data. In the study, the types of soil were limited for clay and silt only, i.e., cohesive soils. From the study, the results show that the multiple-parameter relationships are better than the single-parameter relationship because of its higher regression factor in the statistical analysis and lower percentages of differences in comparison with the laboratory results and the charts. The results also show that the R squared values obtained for the correlations between maximum dry density and the Atterberg limits are higher than that of for the correlations between the optimum moisture content and the Atterberg limits. Hence, optimum moisture content is not a good indicator compared to the maximum dry density parameter, for the estimation of the soil compaction parameters based on Atterberg limits.
Reliability of megawatt drive concepts

In the process industries, reliability of production machines has a strong influence on the profitability of a plant. Examples for such machines are mills, extruders, compressors, pumps, fans and others. Increasingly, such machines are equipped with megawatt rated electric variable speed drive systems (VSDS). The requirements for the reliability of VSDS in such applications are extraordinarily high. In this paper, a comparison of the potential reliability for a number of different high-power medium-voltage drive concepts is made, like load commutated inverters, voltage source inverters, and cellular converters based on building blocks. Redundancy is introduced as a means of increasing reliability, and different approaches to redundancy in a VSDS are discussed. Besides component reliability and redundancy, also the maintenance strategy has an impact on the reliability of a VSDS. As a result, recommendations for the choice of a drive concept and maintenance strategy are given.
Interconnecting university networks using a full-duplex FSO system using coherent detection and polarization-division multiplexing: Design and simulation

In this paper the design and simulation results of a full-duplex FSO communication link (500 meters) at 800 Mbps with coherent detection and polarization multiplexing is presented. In order to use a single optical system in the full-duplex scheme, subsystems of transmitter and receiver in each location was used.
Management of clonal mini-garden with gibberellic acid in guava rootstock propagation

The viability of the mini-cutting technique requires seedling regrowth ability and continuous propagule production. It is hypothesized that the application of gibberellic acid (GA) can stimulate vegetation and increase the production of mini-cuttings. The aim of this study was to increase the mini-cutting yield of Psidium guajava (L.) × Psidium guineense (Sw.) (‘BRS Guaraçá’) as a function of foliar application of GA and season of the year. The experiment was laid out in a randomized-block design with split-plots in time, in which the plots consisted of different GA concentrations applied (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg L-1) and the subplots were represented by two application periods or seasons (summer and winter). Four replicates were used, with two plants per plot. After the seedlings were topped, GA was applied at different concentrations and the emerged shoots were evaluated over 30 days. Mini-stump yield was assessed by collecting and evaluating the potential number of mini-cuttings. Shoot length and mini-stump yield increased linearly with the increasing GA concentrations during the summer. In the winter, this response was quadratic, with optimal concentrations estimated at 65.3 mg L-1 for shoot length and 76 mg L-1 for mini-stump yield. The GA concentration of 200 mg L-1 provided shorter internodes in the summer, whereas in the winter the use of GA did not interfere with this trait. The increasing applications of GA induced a linear increase in stem diameter at both seasons of the year. Gibberellic acid did not interfere with the rooting of the mini-cuttings. The highest rooting percentage occurred in the summer, with an average of 95%. In the winter, this value was 77.2%, demonstrating that mini-cuttings are a promising technique for ‘BRS Guaraçá’. Foliar spraying of GA promoted an increase in mini-cutting production, without interfering with their rooting.
Aspergillus aeneus Rediscovered in India from an Extreme Habitat

During a survey of psychrotrophic soil fungi from a high-altitude cold desert (4000 masl), nine species of the genus Aspergillus were recovered. One of the species was identified as Aspergillus aeneus based on its morphological and molecular characterization. This species has been rediscovered from India from an extreme habitat as a psychrotolerant after 56 years of its first report from tropical soil in Madhya Pradesh. Globally, this fungus is a rare species with limited occurrence, being reported so far only from India, Somalia and Costa Rica. It is a novel representative of desert fungi that showed cellulase and protease activity, but lack lipase activity.
Noise performance and nonlinear distortion of semiconductor laser under two‐tone modulation for use in analog CATV systems

We introduce numerical modeling of noise performance and distortion of semiconductor lasers subject to two‐tone modulation according to the National Television Standards Committee NTSC plan for the cable television (CATV) signal transport. The waveform of the laser signal is simulated over wide ranges of the modulation index and placements of the modulation channel. The power and frequency spectra of the relative intensity noise (RIN) are characterized, and the associated second‐order harmonic distortion (2HD), and the second‐order (IMD2) and third‐order intermodulation distortions (IMD3) are calculated. The calculated data are used to predict the measures of the CATV system performance. The dynamic range of linearity of the laser is evaluated in terms of the spurious‐free dynamic range SFDR. We show that under weak modulation, the low‐frequency RIN is constant at −168 dB/Hz regardless the modulation frequency. Within this accepted noise level, IMD2 is 4 dBm higher than 2HD and 10 dBm higher than IMD3. When the modulation index exceeds 25%, the laser emits clipped signals associated with large values of signal distortions. Accepted values of the carrier to noise ratio and distortions correspond to lower modulation index and/or channel frequency. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Introduction to Stand‐up Meetings in Agile Methods

In recent years, agile methods have become more popular in the software industry. Agile methods are a new approach compared to plan‐driven approaches. One of the most important shifts in adopting an agile approach is the central focus given to people in the process. This is exemplified by the independence afforded to developers in the development work they do. This work investigates the opinions of practitioners about daily stand‐up meetings in the agile methods and the role of developer in that. For our investigation we joined a yahoo group called “Extreme Programming”. Our investigation suggests that although trust is an important factor in agile methods. But stand‐ups are not the place to build trust.
Wing in Ground Effect Craft Review

Abstract : It has long been recognised that flight close to a boundary surface is more aerodynamically efficient than flight in the freestream. This has led to the design and construction of craft specifically intended to operate close to the ground and fly in ground effect. A great range of Wing in Ground effect Craft (WIGs) have been manufactured ranging from 2 seat recreational vehicles to 500 tonne warcraft. Despite this WIGs have never enjoyed great commercial or mIlitary success. The Maritime Platform Division of DSTO commissioned The Sir Lawrence Wackeft Centre for Aerospace Design Technology to conduct a design review of WIG craft This review considers all elements of WIG design and operation, including performance, limitations, control, stability, operational requirements, regulation, manufacture and technological risk. The review highlights the research required to overcome the weaknesses of WIG craft, the advantages that they may offer and the possible uses of WIG craft in the Australian military.
Linking Learning Capacity and Business Performance: A Research and Empirical Assessment

There has been little research that includes reliable deductions about the influence of knowledge and its associated learning processes on business performance. For this reason, the main objective of the present study is to empirically explore the link between learning flows in organizations, resulting knowledge stocks, and business performance evaluated in both financial and non-financial terms. Using data from 111 companies, we conduct our research through a structural equation modeling. In doing so, we establish a measurement model for the main constructs and examine the paths between them.