Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE PHYSICS OF ... TRAFFIC

This article discusses the world of traffic physics, which uses computer models and traffic sensors to collect and interpret traffic flow information. Theoretical physicists such as Bernardo Huberman, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center and Dirk Helbing of the University of Stuttgart in Germany, are studying traffic congestions and flow to come up with ways to decrease highway traffic. Helbing, in particular, has found that at certain traffic densities, small causes have large effects. Most types of congestion are caused by small disturbances that grow and at some point cause the traffic to break down.
Optimizing symbol timing, frequency spacing, and SNR estimation for communication systems

This dissertation presents techniques to improve the performance of both coherent as well as non-coherent wireless communication systems via optimizing symbol timing, frequency spacing and by making efficient SNR estimations. We show that some of the design choices made in traditional systems are not optimal and demonstrate the gains that may be achieved by making unconventional, but judicious, choices for these parameters. We start in the area of coherent multi-antenna communications where we introduce an offset between the symbol boundaries of the transmitted waveforms from the different antennas and show that this improves performance in comparison to the traditional symbol aligned transmission. For this modified system, we derive various optimal receivers such as maximum likelihood (ML), best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE), minimum mean squared error (MMSE), and zero forcing (ZF) receivers and show that they outperform the equivalent receiver for the system with aligned symbol boundaries. In some system configurations, the performance gain is close to 2dB. The design methodology for a new symbol pulse shape that increases the performance even more is also presented. Next, we extend the study of SNR estimation from the previously published results of a data aided (DA) single antenna system to the non-data aided (NDA) model and also to systems with multiple antennas (MIMO). In both these cases, we have derived the Cramer- Rao lower bound (CRLB) as well as ML estimators that achieve or perform very close to the CRLB. For MIMO systems we define the SNR and then derive the CRLB and the ML estimators for both the DA as well as the NDA data model. We show that previously published results for single antenna systems are a special case of our general solution. The proposed SNR estimation techniques are demonstrated in a patented algorithm to detect the onset of non-linearity in a remote transmitter by dithering the power of transmitted bursts and estimating the difference in the received SNR. For non-coherent systems we show that the performance of multi-tone M-ary frequency shift keying (MT-MFSK) modulation may be significantly improved if, instead of the usual choice of mutually orthogonal tones, non-orthogonal tones are used. In some system configurations, the proposed system can lead to a 4-fold increase in system capacity. The channel capacity, as well as the performance gains of systems using practical receivers such as ML, least squared (LS) error, and compressed sensing (CS) are demonstrated for both flat and frequency selective channels. Many more choices of spectral efficiency are achievable by the non-orthogonal system, thus enabling the system to adapt to changing link SNR and send data at the optimum spectral efficiency. In order to make this practical, we derive the CRLB and ML estimators for SNR estimation for non-orthogonal MT-MFSK in both the DA as well as the NDA data model
Based On Evacuation Entropy Ant Colony Evacuation Path Optimization Model Considering Classified Crowds

Existing ant colony evacuation path optimization models seldom consider the degree of population chaos and the evacuation status under different classifications of population. Based on the modified ant colony evacuation model of evacuation entropy, this paper establishes models for calm, sensitive and managed crowd respectively. The behavior characteristics of different classified groups in real evacuation scenarios are simulated through modifying its state transition probability and global pheromone updating method. It is of important practical significance for the path optimization in public safety emergency management.
A Pilot's Planning Aid for Route Selection and Threat Analysis in a Tactical Environment.

Abstract : A prototype tactical mission planning system is described which provides pilots with automated tools for developing air-to-ground mission plans. This thesis is a continuation of the Fighter Pilot's Intelligent Aide For Tactical Mission Planning. The Tactical Mission Planner (TMP) contains interfaces to planning and intelligence databases and performs rudimentary threat analysis. Extensive use of graphical displays provide the user with an interactive visual environment for generating mission routes from a starting base to the target and back to the home base. The TMP employs a rapid prototyping design methodology coupled with object oriented programming. This design strategy permits the knowledge engineer to produce an effective planning system without expert knowledge of the planning domain. Keywords: Artificial intelligence; Expert systems. (Theses).
Patterns of Fish and Whale Consumption and Concentrations of Methylmercury in Hair Among Residents of Western Canadian Arctic Communities

Background. Methylmercury contamination of the environment represents a substantial environmental health concern. Human exposure to methylmercury occurs primarily through consumption of fish and marine mammals. Heavily exposed subgroups include sport or subsistence fishers residing in Arctic communities. We aimed to estimate the association of fish/whale consumption patterns of Canadian Arctic subsistence fishers with the internal dose of methylmercury as measured in hair. Methods. This research was conducted within ongoing community projects led by the CANHelp Working Group in Aklavik and Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories and Old Crow, YT. We interviewed each participant using a fish-focused food-frequency questionnaire during September-November 2016 and collected hair samples concurrently. Methylmercury was measured in the full-length of each hair sample using gas chromatography inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Multivariable random-effects linear regression estimated beta-coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the effect of fish/whale consumption on hair-methylmercury concentrations. Results. In total, 101 participants provided hair samples and diet data. The mean number of fish/whale species eaten by participants was 3.5 (SD:1.9). The mean hair-methylmercury concentration was 0. 60μg/g (SD:0.47). Fish/whale consumption was positively associated with hair-methylmercury concentration, after adjusting for sex, hair length and use of permanent hair treatments. Hair-methylmercury concentrations among participants who consumed the most fish/whale in each season ranged from 0.30- 0. 50μg/g higher than those who consumed <1 meal/week. Conclusions. Hair-methylmercury concentrations were below the 6. 0μg/g threshold for safe exposure defined by Health Canada, suggesting that fish/whale consumption patterns among participants are not increasing their risk of known serious health effects of methylmercury exposure.
FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF GLIBENCLAMIDE GEL FOR TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY

Objective: The purpose of the recent study was to formulate glibenclamide gels for transdermal drug release, and to evaluate the oleic acid effect on the release of the preparations. Methods: Oleic acid was used at a range of concentrations in the gel formulations and its effects observed in Glibenclamide gel using In vitro release of drug was done in Franz diffusion cells, whereas pH 7.4 Phosphate buffer was used for release studies. Formulations were characterized by clarity, pH, homogeneity, viscosity, spreadabilty, skin irritation, drug content, stability studies. Scanning calroimetry analysis (SCA) and XRD studies were performed to assess the physical and chemical interactions. Results: Release profiles in vitro were observed. The released quantity of drug recovered from the glibenclamide gel after the addition of 1% oleic acid, increased with increasing concentration of the enhancer that is oleic acid. Whereas drug quantity recovered in the receptor solvent was 69.999% of Glibenclamide gel having 3% oleic acid. All the formulation were physicochemically stable. The data was statistically analyzed by using SPSS and DD solver. Conclusion: The drug is released and the oleic acid does enhance the release of the drug with the increase in its concentration.
The Knowledge Circulated-Organisational Management for Accomplishing E-Learning

Nowadays, e-Learning has been used in many kinds of educational institutes as a regular learning/teaching system. In the real practices, Educational knowledge management among the relevant organizations is quite important. This means “knowledge in universities circulated-systematic process” of finding, selecting, organising, distilling and presenting information in a way that improves a learner’s competency and/or ability to fulfil his or her necessary learning objectives. In order to construct such educational management systems, the fundamental processing modules are required, such as a distributed file system, synchronous data communications, etc. If any applications and tools related to e-Learning can be plugged into the core framework, we can build an integrated e-Learning environment where learners/teachers can share/operate this software/data in real time. Universities also have many organisations to perform educational activities and researches. In order to operate and manage an e-Learning system, the information/knowledge occurring in each of organisations must be connected seamlessly and integrated under the standardised data format and the procedure of job-processing. In this paper, we mention the conceptual framework of Knowledge Circulated-Organizational Management according to our experiences of UEC-GP project. Moreover, we introduce how to construct & analyze the content-frames of e-Learning as technological knowledge on Instructional Design. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel. 2009.01. 002
CAVITATION AND OPEN-WATER PERFORMANCE TESTS OF A SERIES OF PROPELLERS DESIGNED BY LIFTING-SURFACE METHODS

Abstract : Results of cavitation inception and performance tests are presented for a series of model propellers designed using lifting-surface procedures. Open-water performance curves are shown in addition to cavitation inception and cavitation performance data obtained in the NSRDC 24-inch variable-pressure water tunnel. The propeller series included geometrical variations of blade area, thickness, skew, and section meanlines. Photographs are presented to compare cavitation on propellers with different blade areas and skew and operating at identical cavitation numbers and advance coefficients.
Structuring the front end of innovation at a high tech company

Innovation is getting more and more important. With the speed of innovation and the needs of customers it is important to structure the front end of innovation. In this research the relations between absorptive capacity, Lead User method and the front end of innovation are investigated, and a manual is written on how the Lead User method can contribute to more successful innovations for company X
Fuzzy Layout Planner: A simple layout planning tool for early stages of design

This study presents a digital architectural design tool named Fuzzy Layout Planner that helps architects create two dimensional sketchy footprints for their design. The purpose of the tool is to extend limits of early design thinking. It uses fuzzy modeling techniques to adapt the ambiguous design phase. There are several commands in this digital tool to generate and modify layouts. Users can create, move, combine sketchy bubbles to form bigger footprints and see them in action dynamically. The tool offers a manual creation process.
A comparison between laparoscopic and robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction

Background The aim of this study is to compare the results of laparoscopic pyeloplasty and robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Methods Between March 2008 and May 2019, the patients who underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic or robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Results Thirteen patients underwent laparoscopically, and 12 patients underwent robotic surgery. The significant difference was found in median operative time between laparoscopic group (296 minutes) and robotic group (199 minutes) (P = 0.001). The median time for drain removal in laparoscopic group was longer than robotic group (3 vs 2 days, respectively, P = 0.029). Conclusions Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty is safe and excellent success rates in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction. However, our experience study suggested that robotic surgery improves a total operative time, decreases drain removal time and less intraoperative blood loss than laparoscopic approach.
Computation of Gradually Varied Flow by Fourth Order Runge-Kutta Method (SRK)

The main hydraulic engineering activities related to flow in open channels involve the calculation of gradually varied flow profiles (GVF) (Subramanya, 1990); the same one that requires a considerable effort in the analysis and solution of the problems under consideration, such as: flooding of land due to the construction of dams, determination of flow profiles due to the various hydraulic structures in the channel and estimation of flood areas. This paper outlines an efficient algorithm of numerical solution of the differential Gradually Varied Flow (GVF) based on the Standard Fourth Order Runge-Kutta Method (SRK) for permanent flow in prismatic channels without resorting to tables or traditional interpolation techniques. The results show that the calculation procedure, implemented in MatLab , meets a high level of convergence and a very high computational efficiency in terms of accuracy and speed.
LATIST: A Performance Support Tool for Integrating Technologies into Defense Acquisition University Learning Assets

Abstract : As of September 30, 2008, the Defense Acquisition Workforce was just under 126,000 personnel; an estimated 76 percent of that 2008 workforce was classified as baby boomers--the majority of which are now approaching retirement (DoD, 2007). Waiting in the wings is the gamer generation. As these gamers enter the workforce and subsequently become students at the Defense Acquisition University (DAU), they do so with expectations about their educational environment. The new generation finds classroom settings that have little visual stimulation, passive lectures, and ineffective or unengaging use of integrated technology (Kapp, 2007). DAU recognizes this change in expectations and wants to enhance its learning assets and prepare for the future by smartly integrating available technologies (Anderson, Hardy, & Leeson, 2008). For example, DAU is already using innovative approaches to develop games and simulations designed to improve performance outcomes (Sanchez, 2009). However, the pace from invention to production to maturity of these new technologies is shortening dramatically (Oehlert, 2009). Keeping pace with these new technologies, their capabilities, and impact as possible tools for training and education is an ongoing challenge. As such, DAU partnered with the Instructional Technology Immersion Program at George Mason University (GMU) to conduct comprehensive research on Advanced Learning Technologies (ALT) in order to determine how best to integrate such technologies into its learning assets.
Visualet: Visualizing Shapelets for Time Series Classification

Time series classification (TSC) has attracted considerable attention from both academia and industry. TSC methods that are based on shapelets (intuitively, small highly-discriminative subsequences have been found effective and are particularly known for their interpretability, as shapelets themselves are subsequences. A recent work has significantly improved the efficiency of shapelet discovery. For instance, the shapelets of more than 65% of the datasets in the UCR Archive (containing data from different application domains) can be computed within an hour, whereas those of 12 datasets can be computed within a minute. Such efficiency has made it possible for demo attendees to interact with shapelet discovery and explore high-quality shapelets. In this demo, we present Visualet -- a tool for visualizing shapelets, and exploring effective and interpretable ones.
Riding the wave: Distributional properties and process explanations of merger and acquisition waves

Although Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are potential value-creation opportunities, why they tend to occur in waves is a mystery to scholars and managers alike. Most models of M&A waves are unilevel, reductionist, and Gaussian, whereas wave patterns are arguably multi-level, emergent, and non-normally distributed. Using complexity theory, I interpret waves as emergent expressions of a self-organized critical ecology of firms conceptualized as a complex adaptive system. My observation that aggregate U.S. M&A waves from 1895 to 2008 are power-law-distributed lends support. The view that waves are self-organized critical phenomena, similar to earthquakes and avalanches, facilitates integration of prior wave theories. I then employ process-tracing to generate a historical narrative of the Great Merger Wave of 1898-1903, from which I obtain a robust process for waves consistent with a CAS interpretation of these phenomena: (1) a privatizing, market-expanding and financially innovating transportation network generates (2a) laissez-faire regulation, (2b) economic competition, and (2c) financial arbitrage, leading to (3) a burst of consolidation. My process explanation explains the power law's emergence, and may help to understand better the process dynamics of M&A waves.
THE USE OF PULSE CODING TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CLUTTER

Abstract : The use of pulse coding (or pulse comprehension) in radar to obtain improved detection of targets in clutter is discussed. The effectiveness of this technique depends on the differing spatial characteristics of the target and clutter in contrast with the usual MTI which depends on the differing time- varying properties. With the assumptions of a simple clutter model and an appropriately optimized receiver, and with the aid of known results in detection theory, an expression is derived or the single-pulse detection capability of a radar operating in the presence of both clutter and additive white receiver noise. From the expression it is seen that detection performance is simply related to the spectrum of the transmitted signal and, generally speaking, improves as the bandwidth of the transmitted signal is increased. Results for clutter noise only or receiver noise only appear as special cases.
OCCURRENCE OF ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES IN SOILS AND FOODS FROM COTTON FIELDS AND RELATED HEALTH RISKS IN THE HAMBOL REGION (COTE DIVOIRE)

Organochlorine pesticides derived from the chlorination of cyclic and/or aromatic hydrocarbons. But, due to their persistence in the environment and their bioaccumulation in the body leading health problems, they were banned from using.They have been widely used around the world in agriculture and public health in particular in Cote dIvoire. This study was aimed to determine the concentrations of organochlorine pesticides residues in soils and crops from Hambol region (Cote dIvoire) and to evaluate the potential carcinogenic risk based on the concentrations found.Organochlorine pesticides residues were determined in soils and crops in cotton fields by using an HPLC. Soil samples analysed showed the presence of five organochlorine pesticide residues namely DDT (ND - 0.39 Âµg/kg), lindane (ND - 0.972 Âµg/kg), Î±-endosulfan (ND - 0.481 Âµg/kg), Î²-endosulfan (ND - 0.435 Âµg/kg) and sulfate-endosulfan (ND - 0.44 Âµg/kg). In crop samples, no pesticides were detected. The concentrations of detected organochlorines in soil samples were less than United States and FAO maximum residues limits for agricultural soils. The cancer risk assessment and hazard quotient values are under 10-6 and 1. The risks related to farmer exposure to DDT and lindane from soil via ingestion, inhalation and dermal route is negligible.
The technology development process and its result - The case of Volvo Aero Corporation

In an explorative study at Volvo Aero Corporation, the intricacies of the technology development process have been studied. The aim has been to map the process, the various steps taken, the main decisions in the process, and the main events or circumstances that have contributed to or hindered the development. This has been done through a descriptive study, in which three innovations have been mapped in retrospect and results have been compared to find similarities and differences. Different data sources have been used, but the primary source has been a series of semi-structured interviews. The empirical results are compared to selected innovation and technology management literature, engineering design theory, and systems engineering theory. We can conclude that a basic need, and a vision of a conceptual solution meeting this need, has defined and driven the technology development. The need for new technology is not fully known beforehand; rather, it evolves and grows into a need-solution tree in a highly iterative process. Customers are involved from an early stage in testing different ideas and contributing to decision making. Mutual trust and confidence is built through common demonstrators, and, at the same time, the competitive position of the supplier is created. Through this exploration and development, a technology platform is built from which a series of different products can be generated. The iterative process builds knowledge concerning the applicability of the technology, thereby mapping the bandwidth of the developed platform. Despite differences in aim and scope between technology development and product development, theories and methods from product design and systems engineering can be used to reason about the technology development process and its contents. Based on analogies to product design, phenomena seen in technology development can be explained.