Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relationship between DBT network training and perceived criticism: a pre-post study

Background: Emotional and behavioural dysregulation in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), such as repeated non-suicidal self-injury, are strongly affecting patients’ family members or partners. In addition, critical disapproval of this emotional and behavioural phenomena by family members and reconciling understanding, affects the patients’ sensitivity for rejection. As a result, scientific findings endorse that individuals with BPD appear to experience less satisfying social support and a stronger feeling of loneliness. This negative spiral possibly elicits further challenging behaviour. Therapy programs for BPD might therefore benefit from the inclusion of family members or partners in the treatment. One of the programs that includes family members is the network training of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This study examines the impact of the DBT network training on the perceived criticism of both patients and network members.Method: This study follows a pre-post design where a DBT network training is given to 33 patients (mean age 25 years) and 61 relatives during 8 group sessions. The degree of perceived criticism is measured by using a self-report questionnaire.Results: Results show that the overall scores of the perceived criticism scale decrease significantly for both patients and relatives after following the DBT network training. More specific, item scores of both patients and relatives concerning how critical they looked towards the other and how critical they thought the other looked at them also decreased significantly after following the DBT network training. Conclusion: Findings suggest that a DBT network training may be instrumental in decreasing levels of perceived criticism. Further research may focus on the putative mechanisms of behaviour such as improved perspective taking, behavioural change, and the evaluation of social cues.
Alternative Fuels for Military Applications

Abstract : Over the past few years, the U.S. Department of Defense has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the development, testing, and certification of alternative fuels that can substitute for petroleum-derived fuels used by the Army, Navy and Marine Corps and Air Force in their tactical weapon systems. This monograph summarizes research directed at understanding key policy, management, and technical issues associated with these efforts. This document is called for in the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (P.L. 110-417). As called for in the act, this monograph includes a review of alternative approaches for reducing lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions; an examination of the military utility of mobile, in-theater synthetic fuel processes; and a review of the goals and progress of the military departments in the research, testing, and certification of alternative fuels.
PITTSBURGH WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY COMPREHENSIVE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FLUORIDE TRACER STUDY

The Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct Rule (Stage 2 DBPR) builds on the Stage 1 Disinfectant and Disinfection Byproduct Rule (Stage 1 DBPR) and strengthens public health protection for utility customers by tightening compliance monitoring requirements for disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation, including total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5), in finished drinking water. All community water systems and non-community water systems which add a disinfectant to their finished water, excluding ultraviolet light, are required to comply [EPA, 2006]. Many of these drinking water systems will not be able to comply with the Stage 2 DBPR unless changes are made to their treatment or distribution system to improve water quality. One way to asses the degradation of water in distribution systems and identify operational improvements is through a tracer study. Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) completed a fluoride tracer study from October to December, 2006. The tracer study data were used to assess the aging of water from the PWSA clearwell to selected sampling points in the distribution system. The results were also used to evaluate the mixing of the primary reservoirs, to calibrate the hydraulic model, and to identify potential operational improvements to increase water quality and balance of the distribution system prior to completing the Initial Distribution System Evaluation (IDSE) for the Stage 2 DBPR.
Recognition of Targets in Camera Networks Fredrik

This thesis presents a re-recognition model for use in area camera network surveillance systems. The method relies on a mix of covariance matrix feature descriptions and Bayesian networks for topological information. The system consists of an object recognition model and an re-recognition model. The object recognition model is responsible for separating people from the background and generating the position and description for each person and frame. This is done by using a foreground-background segmentation model to separate the background from a person. The segmented image is then tracked by a tracking algorithm that produces the coordinates for each person. It is also responsible for creating a silhouette that is used to create a feature vector consisting of a covariance matrix that describes the persons appearance. A hypothesis engine is then responsible for connecting the coordinates into a continues track that describes the trajectory were aa person has been visiting.
Particle filter design for mobile robot localization based on received signal strength indicator

This paper presents a particle filter design to improve the accuracy of received signal strength indicator (RSSI)-based localization algorithms for localizing mobile robots that move in an environment with an 802.15. 4 ZigBee wireless sensor network. In this study, the RSSI of transmission signals is adopted to estimate the location of a mobile robot by applying the trilateration algorithm. However, the interference and reflection effects of transmission signals and the orientation effects of the antenna can significantly affect the RSSI signals and result in serious localization errors. This study analyses the characteristics of RSSI signals and the orientation effects of the antenna and then develops a particle filter design with the fusion of the current states of the mobile robot to improve localization accuracy. A static localization experiment shows that the developed localization algorithm can significantly improve the localization accuracy, and a maximum rate of improvement of up to 85% is achieved in the test environment. A dynamic localization experiment demonstrates that the developed algorithm is suitable for localizing a mobile robot.
Adoption of E-commerce in Bangladesh: Probit Regression and Principal Component Analysis Approach

Web based services have turned into an integral part of peoples’ life. Ease of use and several advantages lead to the popularity of adopting electronic commerce (e-commerce). Though a big number of customers visit and register on the commerce sites daily, the selling rate is low for lack of trust and loyalty. Trust is the main connector of companies and customers. Loyal customers are the important assets for the companies. This study aims at identifying the factors that are associated with the trust and risk perception of the customers on e-commerce. A primary dataset is collected on this occasion. Likert scale type questionnaire is involved in the questionnaire and data reliability is checked through Cronbach's alpha. Probit regression and principal component analysis are used as statistical analysis. The study finds the variables age, internet using purpose, market orientation, and technology as significantly related to trustworthiness of the customers on e-commerce, while the variables experienced using the internet, internet using purpose, and market orientation are potential determinants of risk perception. The study results suggest the e-commerce companies emphasize technologies for keeping accurate information, performing the outmost of the customers’ benefit, and collecting customers’ information. In addition, they should be conscious of the customers’ opinion and pleasant experience, along with maintaining the mentioned delivery time.
Airfoil section characteristics as affected by protuberances

The drag and interference caused by protuberance from the surface of an airfoil have been determined in the NACA variable-density wind tunnel at a Reynolds number approximately 3,100,000. The effects of variations of the fore-and-aft position, height, and shape of the protuberance were measured by determining how the airfoil section characteristics were affected by the addition of the various protuberances extending along the entire span of the airfoil. The results provide fundamental data on which to base the prediction of the effects of actual short-span protuberances. The data may also be applied to the design of air brakes and spoilers.
A Nonlinear Pre-Filter to Prevent Departure and/or Pilot-Induced Oscillations (PIO) Due to Actuator Rate Limiting

Abstract : Closed loop instability caused by excess phase lag induced by actuator rate limiting has been suspected in many aircraft departures from controlled flight and pilot-induced oscillations (PIO). As part of the joint Air Force Institute of Technology Test Pilot School (AFITITPS) program, a nonlinear rate limiter pre-filter (RLPF) was developed to minimize the phase lag induced by rate limiting. RLFF performance was evaluated inside the feedback path, but primary emphasis was on the pilot command path. Closed loop computer and motion-based flight simulation were conducted to prepare for the flight test. The HAVE FILTER flight test project was flown using the NF-16D Variable Stability in-flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA) aircraft and evaluated using a software rate limit (SWRL) with and without an RLPF on the pilot command path. A programmable heads-up-display (HUD) was used to generate a fighter tracking task. Flight test results showed the SWRL was useful in preventing departure and/or PIO. However, with low SWRL settings (<40 deg/sec) handling qualities deficiencies were uncovered due to sluggish initial pitch response. The RLPF plus SWRL combination resulted in more departure and/or PIO protection than the SWRL alone. But with low SWRL settings (<40 deg/sec) significant handling qualities deficiencies were sometimes found.
Incremental launching versus scaffolding for construction of prestressed concrete bridges

Incremental launching (IL) of concrete bridges is a construction technique that has not been used in Sweden for a long time. The purpose of this master’s thesis is to gather information that makes it possible for Skanska Sverige AB to decide if incremental launching is advantageous to use compared to other construction methods. An existing bridge built with scaffolding is used as reference bridge in order to compare incremental launching with scaffolding. The main task is to compare the needed amounts of concrete and prestressing tendons depending on whether the reference bridge is built with the IL technique or with traditional scaffolding. The cross-section of an IL bridge has to be designed to handle the varying bending moments that are induced during launching. An IL bridge requires therefore larger cross-section, additional prestressing and a launching nose in order to manage the launching process. To be able to compare scaffolding and IL a model is created of the reference bridge in the finite element software BRIGADE/Standard. In order to create a model as correct as possible values and constants are used from ELU Konsult AB’s calculations on the reference bridge. The model is verified through a comparison of the sectional forces between the reference bridge and the model. After verification a simulation of the launching process is carried out in order to find the most critical section forces. From the sectional forces stresses can be calculated in the top and bottom part of the crosssection. A stress control is carried out to make sure that the stresses do not exceed the allowable values in the Swedish code BRO 94. Different prestressing layouts and cross-sections are combined and analysed in order to find the optimal combination for incremental launching. From the obtained stresses the amounts of concrete and prestressing tendons are calculated for the different combinations of cross-sections and prestressing layouts. The result from the analysis shows that it requires least amount of concrete and prestressing tendons if the bridge is built with scaffolding. However, the difference is less than 10 % between the most optimal cross-section and prestressing layout for incremental launching in comparison with the bridge built with scaffolding. IL makes it possible to construct bridges in inaccessible areas and also in a shorter time than bridges built with scaffolding.
SP 800-30. Risk Management Guide for Information Technology Systems

Risk management is the process of identifying risk, assessing risk, and taking steps to reduce risk to an acceptable level. Organizations use risk assessment, the first step in the risk management methodology, to determine the extent of the potential threat, vulnerabilities, and the risk associated with an information technology (IT) system. The output of this process helps to identify appropriate controls for reducing or eliminating risk during the risk mitigation process, the second step of risk management, which involves prioritizing, evaluating, and implementing the appropriate risk-reducing controls recommended from the risk assessment process. This guide provides a foundation for the development of an effective risk management program, containing both the definitions and the practical guidance necessary for assessing and mitigating risks identified within IT systems throughout their system development life cycle (SDLC). The ultimate goal is to help organizations to better manage IT-related mission risks.Organizations may choose to expand or abbreviate the comprehensive processes and steps suggested in this guide and tailor them to their site environment in managing IT-related mission risks. In addition, this guide provides information on the selection of cost-effective security controls. These controls can be used to mitigate risk for the better protection of mission-critical information and the IT systems that process, store, and carry this information.The third step in the process is continual evaluation and assessment. In most organizations, IT systems will continually be expanded and updated, their components changed, and their software applications replaced or updated with newer versions. In addition, personnel changes will occur and security policies are likely to change over time. These changes mean that new risks will surface and risks previously mitigated may again become a concern. Thus, the risk management process is ongoing and evolving.
Managing Risk in Higher Education

The need to manage risk is widely acknowledged throughout the corporate world, and a well-developed body of knowledge is available to guide efforts to do so. Implementation of principles into practice, however, is mixed, often due not just to a lack of the right skills, but also because of a lack of commitment from senior management. Peter Tufano, Peter Moores Dean and Professor of Finance at the University of Oxford’s Said Business School and formerly a professor at Harvard Business School, emphasizes that risk management should be considered an essential C-suite—that is, CEO and board level—activity, and be practiced by nonprofits as well as corporations. Tufano reviews an HBS case study of the World Food Programme (WFP), a division of the UN that feeds about 100 million people at risk of starvation that undertook an Enterprise Risk Management exercise beginning in 2003. He draws lessons from the WFP’s experience for colleges and universities to consider as they work to strategically manage their own risks.
The Impact of Team Management on the Organizational Performance in Bahrain Government Sector

Bahrain government sector organizations have started to realize the significance of team management and how it can be managed effectively and efficiently to ensure enhancing the organization's performance. The use of team management to enhance organizational performance in the Bahrain government sector has become a serious situation for the government in the Kingdom of Bahrain. However, in spite of the increasing number of studies relating to team management in developed countries, few studies have been made in the same context within gulf countries. The aim of this study is to determine how the factors of team management can affect the performance of government organizations in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The study adopted a quantitative method approach for the purpose of the study. The sample size of the study is selected from Bahrain government sector organizations, data were collected from 150 respondents, and the sample was selected based of those who were working for the government and semi-government organizations from the employees who are representing the basics of the organization to the managers who are the responsible persons of team’s formation. The generated data from the government and semi-government organizations were analyzed using many statistical tools, we used the Correlation analysis to test the relationship between our variables and Linear Regression was to test the hypothesis of the study. The results showed that only team decision has a significant positive influence on organizational performance in Bahrain government sector. However, the study result showed that there is no influence on organizational performance in the Bahrain government sector from team trust, team motivation, team cohesiveness, and job satisfaction. Finally, the study recommended the need for Bahrain government sector organizations to give full attention to team management in those organizations in which this will reflect the organizational performance positively.
Phalloidin-Functionalized Hyperbranched Conjugated Polyelectrolyte for Filamentous Actin Imaging in Living Hela Cells

A phalloidin-functionalized hyperbranched conjugated polyelectrolyte (HCPE-phalloidin) is synthesized and used for direct filamentous actin (F-actin) imaging in living Hela cells. Different from commercially available organic dye-phalloidin conjugates, which require sophisticated techniques to be delivered into living cells, simple incubation of living cells with HCPE-phalloidin leads to efficient internalization of the probe and clear visualization of F-actin due to high brightness of HCPE and good specificity between phalloidin and actin. In addition, HCPE-phalloidin possesses improved photostability as compared to that for commercially available Alexa Fluor 488-phalloidin conjugates, suggesting that the new probe is promising for long-term F-actin imaging in living cells. Further fine-tuning the fluorescent property and targeting ability of HCPE-based probes could lead to more complicated imaging applications and subcellular target detection.
Measurement of the Instantaneous Characteristics of Natural Response Modes of a Spar Platform Subjected to Irregular Wave Loading

In this work, wavelet analysis is applied to measured responses of a 1:55 scale-model spar platform in order to measure instantaneous amplitude and frequency fluctuations of surge and pitch natural modes. The analysis was performed for a spar subjected to irregular wave loading representative of operational conditions, a 10-year storm, and a 100-year survival storm. The first part of this study focuses on the evaluation of the frequency response of wavelet ridges, curves extracted from a continuous wavelet transform for measuring amplitude and frequency fluctuations of a response mode. Using amplitudemodulated (AM) and phase-modulated (PM) test signals to perform a numerical swept sine test, it is found that wavelet ridges for measuring instantaneous amplitude and frequency fluctuations have a frequency response characterized as a lowpass filter with zero phase shift. In the second part of the study, wavelet analysis of the experimental data reveals that the surge and pitch natural frequencies of the spar fluctuate for each of the sea-states examined. Further, the wavelet ridge frequency response results indicate that the attenuation of the measured instantaneous amplitude and frequency fluctuations is significant for the spar natural response modes and should be accounted for in quantitative studies. Finally, surge responses were examined in detail, and it was found that they have a maximum frequency excursion between 5% and 10% of the average frequency, and a phase-modulation index of 0.33 to 0.52 with a modulation period of about 1800 s. Pitch natural frequency fluctuations exhibited similar levels of fluctuation for the 3 sea-states and did not appear to have a characteristic modulation period.
Effects of organic fertilization on soil bacterial community structure in incubated microcosms

Addressing the growing demand for food from a burgeoning population requires agricultural methods that sustainably support increases in crop production while maintaining environmental health. Agricultural practices that include the use of compost, in lieu of mineral fertilizers, have been shown to reduce environmental impacts and improve soil health. Producers seeking to improve sustainability through compost use are challenged by the chemical form and availability of nutrients in organic amendments, limiting their ability to predict when nutrients will be available to crops. To better understand nutrient dynamics in soils amended with organic fertilizers, we compared the soil microbial community response to amendments with differing carbon and nitrogen content. Composted horse manure was chosen to represent an organic high carbon amendment, and alfalfa hay was chosen to represent a high nitrogen amendment. Amended soils were incubated for 97 days and destructively sampled on seven progressively longer incubation intervals. DNA was extracted for microbial community characterization, and measurements of nitrogen, carbon, and biomass were also compared for all samples. Our results showed significant shifts in soil microbial communities due to both time and amendment. Nutrient release was highly associated with amendment composition, with alfalfa showing the greatest release of plant available nutrients. We observed complex interactions between soils and amendments, with specific bacteria associated with nitrogen and carbon metabolism. These bacteria are targets for further characterization and better knowledge of their role in decomposition may contribute to the increased use of high organic matter fertilizer by producers and lead to a better understanding of sustainable crop production techniques.
Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews

Kerth, Norm, Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews, Dorset House 2001. Stanfield, R. Brian, The Art of Focused Conversation: 100 Ways. By Esther Derby and Diana Larsen. Pragmatic Programmers, 2006. hier bei amazon, Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews. By Norman Kerth. efficacite-performance.org/outils-et-exemples/team-buildinget-papier-a4 Project Retrospectives: A Handbook for Team Reviews by Norman Kerth.