Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Proceedings of the 4th Regional Symposium on Landslides in the Adriatic - Balkan Region

The planning of civil engineering infrastructures and the exploitation of mineral resources in lithologically and structurally heterogeneous carbonatedominated rock assemblages should take into account associated complex karst structures as potential geohazards. A recent study on the Paleocene-Eocene sedimentary succession outstandingly exposed in the Anhovo quarry (Outer NW Dinarides, Slovenia) points out the occurrence of paleokarst structures that are the result of localised dissolution processes along phreatic channels. These fluid flow pathways follow the directional anisotropy provided by a complex network of lithological matrix/clasts contacts in a matrix-rich depositional unit of ancient, large-scale submarine landslides (mass transport deposits; MTDs), which is in turn originated by specific sedimentary and post-sedimentary processes. Among primary sedimentary processes, down-slope gravitational transport favoured the lithological disaggregation and mixing of slide blocks and clasts into a marly-silty matrix, which later played an important role in controlling subsequent diagenetic processes on such exhumed MTDs. In this framework, groundwater flow followed different lithological and structural contacts, and block/clast boundaries, allowing the formation of contact karst structures, consequently providing favourable conditions for the formation of geomechanical labile systems in heterogeneous lithological units. The complex “worm-like” network of such phreatic channels, with certain anatomical features defined by the shape and orientation of structures and slide block/clast contacts, represents a zone potentially prone to gravitational collapse. The presented results suggest that the correct interpretation of synsedimentary structures, backed up by e.g. georeferencing of the contacts and the orientation of the slide blocks axes, allows us to identify or predict potential geomechanically weak areas of the quarry slopes where landslides could well be activated, and thereby contributes to better, more efficient decision-making on issues related to safe mining and/or civil engineering practices.
Mixed-Signal Carry Look-Ahead Adder with Constant Power for Cryptographic Applications

Due to the ubiquity of electronic communication systems in consumers’ lives, it is necessary to ensure that the sensitive information being transmitted is not accessible by malicious parties. Because of advancements in technology, it is now possible to easily steal data from these electronic systems, even if they are protected by a strong encryption algorithm. These security threats, known as Side Channel Attacks, have exposed weaknesses in the hardware architectures of the systems meant to be secure. This research explores a novel method of designing a crypto processor component, the adder, which allows it to produce minimal side channel information, rendering it less vulnerable in terms of hardware. The results show that it is possible to maintain a competitively low power consumption, as compared to conventional architectures, all while providing a method to greatly improve data security systems.
Changes in Species, Grade, and Structure Over 48 Years in a Managed New England Northern Hardwood Stand

Three individual-tree selection harvests over a 48 yr period in a northern hardwood stand in New Hampshire resulted in an increase in the percentage of volume in trees with grade 1 and 2 butt logs from 21% (1952) to 30% (2000) in beech and 40% (1952) to 65% (2000) in sugar maple and other hardwoods. By 2000, 90% of the volume was in tolerant species.
Objective Structural Clinical Examinations can be Used to Assess Clinical Nursing Cultural Competence Abilities.

Background: Culture is the adhesive that binds people's lives. However, there is a lack of an objective and useful tool for assessing cultural competence and practice. The purpose of this study were to assess the learning efficacy of nurses after completing the Cultural Competence Cultivation Program using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Methods: A quasi-experimental research design was used to evaluate nurses working at a medical center in Taiwan. The nurses were randomly allocated into an experimental group (N = 47), which underwent the Cultural Competence Cultivation Program, and a control group (N = 50), which did not partake in an educational program. After the intervention, the nurses’ learning efficacy was assessed using an OSCE. The research data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software for Windows. Results: The average score of the experimental group was significantly higher in the “communication ability and skill” category. Furthermore, the OSCE scores, Standardized Patient Survey (SPS) scores and overall SPS scores were significantly and positively correlated.Conclusion: The findings of this study can serve as a reference for the design of future clinical education programs.
Automatic extraction of outbreak information from news

With the explosion of unstructured data on the Web, especially in the form of text, there has been a lot of interest to mine knowledge from these data for variety of purposes. In this thesis, we study a particular problem: how to extract disease outbreak information from news. By defining Emergent Disease Report, we focus on extracting disease name and outbreak location from the news report emergent disease outbreaks. First, we study the problem how to classify those sentences reporting disease outbreak, and propose to a new method by integrating semantic features with the bag-of-words scheme. Experimental result shows the integrated approach is better than each individual approach alone. Second, a novel method based on sequential rules is introduced to extract the outbreak locations from the outbreak reporting sentences, and the new method outperforms conditional random fields in our experimental data. Finally, we discuss how to do classification and extraction together using label sequential rules and how to geocode the extracted location named entities into geographical locations accurately. Evaluations on classification-extraction including geocoding are conducted, and the proposed method is shown to improve the overall performance.
Point-of-choice prompts as tools of behaviour change : moderators of impact

Point-of-choice prompts consistently increase stair climbing in public access settings. Comparison of message content, however, is rare. Chapter two reports that, after controlling for the effects of traffic, similar effects on stair climbing were evident for a more specific and a simpler heart-health message. Chapters three to five demonstrate that specific, calorific expenditure messages were associated with significantly increased stair climbing in public access and workplace settings, with greater increases in overweight than normal weight individuals (chapter four). Chapter three investigated the single and combined effects of volitional and motivational intervention components, in a tram station, to test the theory underpinning the success of point-of-choice prompts. Both components positioned simultaneously were required to increase stair climbing where choosing the stairs resulted in a time delay for pedestrians due to the site layout. Similarly, a motivational intervention alone did not increase stair climbing in the workplace (chapter five). When supplemented with a volitional, point-of-choice prompt at the time the choice of ascent method is made, a significant increase in stair climbing occurred. Analysis should adjust for potential moderating effects of pedestrian traffic, time of day, demographics and building characteristics; failure to do so may mask the true impact of the intervention.
Value crafting: a tool to develop sustainable work based on organizational values

This paper describes a method to craft work using organizational values in a business context. The method, which is based in complexity, uses the integral-theory framework to arrive at a cycle that consists of four steps, i.e., picking an organizational value, better understanding it, developing intentions what to do with it in a project context, and applying it in the daily work. The method was further developed into a practical activity tool, which was empirically pilot-tested in two small innovation teams in a Dutch manufacturing company. Results indicate that the R&D engineers in the pilot test were successfully able to craft an organizational value by using the tool. However, initially they experienced some problems with understanding the practical relevance of organizational values. Therefore, future research should increase the basic understanding and practical usability of the tool.
Resort to Arms: International and Civil Wars, 1816-1980

'Small and Singer have made a valuable collection of data even more valuable by opening up more possibilities for systematic research on conflict. ' -- The Annals, Vol 475, Sept 1984 'At first glance one could easily miss the point that this book is the second edition of The Wages of War (with a new title and authorship reversed). But surely the reissuing of the source-book for the single most important data-collection effort in peace research to date calls for celebration. The extensive bibliography of the Correlates of War project, published in the back of this book, testifies to the range and importance of the research which has resulted from the painstaking work performed by Singer and Small. However, there's sufficient new material in this book for any librarian to be undeterred by the words "second edition". The lists of inter-state wars have been expanded from 50 to 67, and that of extra-systemic wars from 43 to 51.Like its predecessor, this volume will be a standard reference source for empirical work on war in the modern age. ' -- Journal of Peace Research, Vol 19 No 3, 1982
Long Term Stability and Implications for Performance of High Strength Fibers Used in Body Armor

Title of dissertation: LONG TERM STABILITY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF HIGH STRENGTH FIBERS USED IN BODY ARMOR Amanda L. Forster, Doctor of Philosophy, 2012 Dissertation directed by: Professor Mohamad Al-Sheikhly Department of Materials Science and Engineering The objective of this work is to examine the relationship between structure (both molecular and morphological structure) and properties of high strength fiber. The superior performance of the high strength fibers is predicated on the development of a highly aligned molecular structure that allows the polymer to exhibit a superior strength in the axial direction of the fiber. Armor manufacturers have exploited the inherent strength of these materials to develop body armor that continues to defeat ever-increasing threats. However, even an ideal molecular structure will be subjected to a potentially hydrolytic or oxidative environment during use, which can reduce the high strength of these fibers, and impact their ability to protect the wearer. The effect of the wear environment on the molecular structure, which is responsible for the high strength of these fibers, has not been well understood by the scientific community. In this work, the chemical mechanisms of degradation were investigated at the molecular level to understand the effect of the environmental conditions on crystallinity, orientation, and molecular weight. The chemical mechanism and kinetics elucidated from these measurements are used to understand the reduction in strength of these materials after degradation. Hydrolysis was found to be the predominant mechanism of degradation for polybenzobisoxazole and goes to irreversible chain scission. Hydrolysis is also the primary mechanism of degradation for aramid fibers. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers undergo an oxidative mechanism of degradation, and the activation energy for this mechanism was calculated. Additionally, the release of acids from aramid copolymer fibers, and the performance of these fibers in hydrolytic and thermooxidative environments were studied to determine that hydrolytic degradation is the predominant degradation mechanism for these fibers. Exploratory research was also performed in an effort to improve the stability of UHMWPE fibers by using radiation to crosslink the UHMWPE fibers and increase the temperature of their alpha relaxation. However, this radiation treatment was still found to reduce the overall tensile strength of these fibers. In summary, the wear environment and vulnerabilities of a material to degradation are essential when selecting materials or developing new materials for use in body armor. LONG TERM STABILITY AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF HIGH STRENGTH FIBERS USED IN BODY ARMOR
How useful is laboratory test ISO 11948-1 (the Rothwell Method) for predicting the leakage performance of incontinence pads in real use?

Aims of Study Although disposable bodyworn pads are the most commonly used products for managing intractable heavy incontinence, the plethora of alternative products and the frequency with which manufacturers modify them make informed purchasing difficult. Accordingly, laboratory tests – quicker and easier to perform than clinical evaluations – are often used to compare competing products before purchase. This study aimed to measure how well data from a commonly used international standard test (ISO 11948-1, the Rothwell method) correlates with the leakage performance of pads in real use. A secondary aim was to measure the impact on pad leakage performance of product features like elastication at the legs.
White-Water Wake Characteristics of Surface Vessels

Abstract : The visible white-water generated by a vessel is a streak of foamy, aerated turbulent water. Aerial photographs showing the white-water wakes generated by vessels underway were examined to study wake characteristics of these surface vessels. Both visual and dimensional analyses of the photographic data were performed. The major variables that influence the production, geometry, persistence and visibility of the foamy white-water the wake generated by surface vessels were identified and discussed. In a majority of the nondimensional plots involving these variables, the data appeared to collapse onto curves unique to each vessel class, with the propeller tip to surface clearance of each vessel class determining the relative location of these curves on the plots. Vessels with minimal tip to surface clearance had longer, stronger and wider white-water wakes than those with significantly deeper propellers. The white-water wake length data appeared to collapse, within an order of magnitude, onto four different curves. The best of these curves revealed that the maximum length of the visible white-water wake was proportional to a ratio of the vessel's speed raised to a power divided by the vessel propeller revolutions per second raised to a different power. The data scattered no more than a factor of three below the curve. The width of the turbulent boundary layer and bow wave portions of the overall wake and the length of the initial spreading region and far wake region of the propeller wake all increase as the speed of the vessel increases. The wake geometry and characteristics of a single class of vessels may exhibit some type of similarity.
Command, Control, and Communications: Techniques for the Reliable Assessment of Concept Execution (C3TRACE) Modeling Environment: The Tool

Abstract : The U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Human Research and Engineering Directorate has relied on the use of human performance models to assess the effectiveness of command and control (C2) organizational designs for nearly a decade. This work was based on task network modeling in various versions of MicroSaint (developed by Micro Analysis and Design) as the key methodology. The models have been based on representations of C2 tasks and functions performed by a group of people engaged in various military missions, within conceptual and actual military organizational designs, and using various types of communication and information technologies. These organizations have ranged in size from battalion to brigade level, with the inclusion of message flow from companies to a division staff. This report briefly describes these MicroSaint models and how they led to the development of a modeling environment called command, control, and communications - techniques for the reliable assessment of concept execution (C3TRACE). Thus, models can be rapidly constructed with C3TRACE to analyze multiple organizational, personnel, and systems architectures as they emerge through concept exploration for the Army Future Force.
MASTER and ESCAPE A Legal Expert System Shell and Application

This project was initially known as EXILE (Expert System in Legal Evidence). It was first reported in the paper, "EXILE - Expert Information in Legal Evidence" published by the Department of Computer Science, University of Reading (1988). It consisted of two distinct components - a specially developed expert system shell for legal applications and its first application to the law of evidence in Queensland. This project has now been substantially enhanced and these enhancements are described in this paper. The project is part of a continuing research program at the Queensland University of Technology and is a co-operative venture between the Faculties of Information Technology and Law.
A TEAMWORK TEST-BED FOR A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

Resource management in complex socio-technical systems (e.g. management and control (road, rail, sea, air), industrial engineering systems, transportation logistics, etc.) is a central and crucial process. The many diverse components involved, together with various constraints such as real-time conditions, make it impossible to devise exact optimal solutions. In this article, we present an approach to the resource management problem based on the multi-agent paradigm to be applied in the context of a shipboard command and control (C2) system. A general architecture for multi-agent planning and scheduling for achieving a common shared goal together with a real-time simulation environment as well as a simulation test-bed using the agent teamwork approach is described.
The practice of ecodesign: A study of small product design consultancies

This paper reports on an ongoing study that explores how UK based designers, in small design consultancies (SDCs), locate information and learn new skills. Semi-structured interviews were used to improve understanding of the context within which these designers operate and how their design process works. The interviews also helped to construct a clearer picture of what these designers understand by the term EcoDesign and how widely it is practiced. Collectively small design consultancies play a very important role in the design and creation of consumer products. SDCs make up approximately half of all employed designers and generate as much turnover as in-house design teams in the UK. The research has investigated the absence of an EcoDesign agenda in many design briefs and how this might be changed in the future. This paper will outline the constraints that designers work under and in particular the barriers that SDCs face when acquiring reliable information and learning new techniques. The paper also aims to explore ways in which designers could be more engaged by EcoDesign. Many important decisions are not taken by designers, but by their clients and managers who often control the general direction of design. However, in spite of these limitations designers can still be observed influencing outcomes, and inspiring others through their work. The paper will draw some conclusions on the reality of EcoDesign practice in UK based SDCs and outline the ways in which this could be changed in the near future.
Response of the EAA FRSC to the IASB Discussion Paper: A Review of the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting

The European Accounting Association (EAA) Financial Reporting Standards Committee (FRSC) provided a response to the International Accounting Standards Board's (IASB's) 2013 Discussion Paper (DP) on completing and revising its Conceptual Framework. The response consisted of a literature-based discussion of the issues raised in the IASB paper and responses to the questions asked. The following paper has omitted the responses to specific questions but otherwise sets out the arguments made to the IASB, together with introductory material to indicate the context. The FRSC paper follows the order of the IASB DP.
Asymptotic Waveform Evaluation Technique Based on Fast Lifting Wavelet Transform

The asymptotic waveform evaluation (AWE) technique based on fast lifting wavelet transform (LWT) is applied to the method of moments to solve the combined-field integral equation (CFIE). The wide-band radar cross section of an arbitrarily shaped two-dimensional perfectly electric conduct object is calculated. The employment of CFIE eliminates the interior resonance problems. Numerical results presented in this paper are compared with the results obtained by the method of moments. It is shown that the computational efficiency is improved greatly.
Delivering successful IS/IT projects : eight key elements from success criteria to review via appropriate management, methodologies and teams

In spite of decades of research, Information Systems/Information Technology (IS/IT) projects still often fail to deliver the objectives expected of them. Managers require information systems to achieve their business objectives and the failure of these projects inevitably hinders the progress and success of their organisations. This research examines the key criteria by which IS/IT projects are judged to be successful and what factors are important in influencing the success of IS/IT projects. The research shows that very often different participants in a project are aiming at different targets and they each have their own perception of project success. There must be greater convergence on the criteria for success. To achieve this, the criteria for success and associated factors that influence success need to be defined clearly, agreed by all parties at the start of the project and reviewed as the project progresses. Agreeing the criteria is not sufficient to guarantee success. The project has to be carried out within a defined framework. The project life cycle is used to link the two disciplines of project management and systems development, and to highlight the fundamental issues that must be carried out on all projects. However, project managers need to focus more on the products of the system and not on the plans and schedules. Therefore, there should be the emphasis on configuration management as a means of linking the two disciplines. Furthermore, automated tools need to provide additional functionality to be of any practical use to project managers and system developers. Project managers are crucial to the development process and they need a portfolio of skills to deliver successful projects in the future. The research outlines the development path for project managers to acquire these skills. They should not rely solely on experience but formal career development has to be part of the overall strategy of the organisation.