Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kitchens as Cultural Mediums: The Food Experiences of Mexican Immigrants in Minnesota

Abstract Under conditions of displacement, food has been linked to physical and emotional well-being and has been positioned as a stabilizing cultural element, one imbued with symbolic meaning when deployed in the construction of identity. However, limited research has delved into the role of kitchens in the adjustment process of immigrant groups. Understanding how food practices relate to the built environment, and particularly kitchens, enriches the potential solutions by which designers, housing professionals, educators, and policymakers can work toward culturally sensitive housing; that is, housing that supports various ways of living. Drawing from 25 in-home interviews with Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans living in Minnesota, this article investigated their kitchen needs as a way to more fully understand the role of domestic interiors in immigrants’ attempts to navigate life in displacement. A background on Mexican immigration, the culture’s foundations, and the study’s methodology preceded the discussion of the findings which pointed to the value of Mexican foods in constructing and nourishing the Mexican sense of difference. As kitchens were found to act as cultural mediums, capable of supporting and/or suppressing the practice of Mexican food traditions and thereby delineating the direction of cultural change, the article concluded with culturally sensitive design solutions and a call for future research.
Effects of Layer Interface Slip on the Response and Performance of Elastic Multi-Layered Flexible Airport Pavement Systems

The new AASHTO Pavement design guide for flexible pavements is shifting from an experience (or purely empirical) based design method to a mechanistic-empirical (M-E) design method. The latter approach requires an elastic multilayered analysis to compute responses of interest and use empirically established models to determine airport pavement distresses like fatigue cracking of asphalt concrete layer and as well as rutting or plastic deformation. Three different types of compliance models that simulate pavement layer interface slip and introduced into the multilayered elastic analysis freeware known as GAMES are presented in this paper. The GAMES software is capable of analyzing effects of five different types of airport pavement surface loading, namely; vertical, horizontal (shear), torsion, moment and centripetal forces. Airport pavement responses due to multiple loadings are determined by using the superposition concept applicable to linear elastic theory, where responses from each wheel load are decomposed into the x-y-z components before summing-up the responses at each point. In this study, the effect of layer interface slip rate on the critical responses such as (primary) tensile strains as well as strain distortion energies for a flexible runway pavement structure is examined based on strain energy of distortion. The strain energies have, in recent years, received attention as an indication of potential fatigue and/or damage failure criteria. Important environmental effects such as pavement moisture and temperature were, however, not analytically considered in this study.
Crack Detection for Aerospace Quality Spur Gears

Abstract : Health and Usage Monitoring System research and development involves analysis of the vibration signals produced by a gearbox throughout its life. There are two major advantages of knowing the actual lifetime of a gearbox component: safety and cost. In this report, a technique is proposed to help extract the critical data and present it in a manner that can be easy to understand. The key feature of the technique is to make it independent of speed, torque and prior history for localized, single tooth damage such as gear cracks. This extraction technique is demonstrated on two sets of digitized vibration data from cracked spur gears. Standard vibration diagnostic parameters are calculated and presented for comparison. Several new detection algorithms are also presented. The results of this study indicate that crack detection methods examined are not robust or repeatable. The proposed techniques provide a limited improvement to existing diagnostic parameters. Current techniques show that the cracks progressed at a much faster rate than anticipated which reduced available time for detection.
What throwing frame configuration should be used to investigate the impact of different impairment types on Paralympic seated throwing?

International Paralympic Committee Athletics classification aims to place athletes who throw from a seated position into classes according to how much their neuromusculoskeletal impairments affect that activity, so that impairment severity does not influence competition outcome. Current classification methods are not evidence based and their development requires research in which athletes with varying impairments throw from standardized throwing frame configurations, thereby permitting quantification of impairment impact. Unfortunately athletes throw from highly individualized (not standardized) positions. This study aimed to establish two standardized seating configurations – one with assistive pole, one without – which would permit conduct of the required research. Using a custom-built, adjustable throwing frame, 47 non-disabled males self-selected their preferred seated throwing configurations with an assistive pole and without. Seventeen repeated the self-selection process within a week. All then completed three maximal throws from their self-selected configurations. Mean configuration without pole was 34° (seat angle) and 17% sitting height (backrest). Mean configuration with a pole was 32° (seat angle), 15% sitting height (backrest), 75° elbow extension, and 127° pelvic angle (pole position). Results establish the seated throwing configurations preferred by non-disabled people, providing a valid guide for researchers wishing to evaluate the impact of impairment on seated throwing performance.
Abstract

This study aims to build a destination marketing conceptual model to bridge the research gap concerning managing a destination service-scape quality for enhancing destination loyalty. The convenience sample data were collected from an unknown population of Indonesian domestic tourists who visited tourist destinations in Indonesia. Data were analysed using AMOS SEM Software. The findings demonstrate the significant impacts of destination servicescape quality on destination authentic value advantage. The research findings resulted in a complete significant pathway to enhancing loyalty by mediating an authentic destination advantage through destination congruence. This study is evidence for the application of SDL-Service Dominant Logic Theory. The possibility of enhancing an authentic value experience superiority would be a strategic process for achieving any level of destination congruence as a step towards creating and sustaining loyalty. Destination planning could consider crafting the hardscape and soft-scape of a destination equally. A company should provide services that encourage positive emotions as the basis for building congruency. The originality of this study is the concept of destination servicescape quality with two new dimensions of destination service, hard-servicescape and soft-servicescape, and the development of destination authentic value advantage for enhancing authentic value advantage.
Smoothing Output Power Variations of Isolated Utility Connected Multiple PV Systems by Coordinated Control

A Photovoltaic (PV) system’s power output varies with the change of climate. Frequency deviations, tie line voltage swings are caused by the varying PV power when large PV power from several PV systems is fed in the utility. In this paper, to overcome these problems, a simple coordinated control method for smoothing the variations of combined PV power from multiple PV systems is proposed. Here, output power command is formed in two steps: central and local. Fuzzy control is used to produce the central smoothing output power command considering insolation, variance of insolation and absolute average of frequency deviation. In local step, a simple coordination is kept between the central power command and the local power commands by producing a common tuning factor. Power converters are used to achieve the same output power as local command power employing PI control law for each of the PV generation systems. The proposed method is compared with the method where conventional Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control is used for each of the PV systems. Simulation results show that the proposed method is effective for smoothing the output power variations and feasible to reduce the frequency deviations of the power utility.
Maintaining Sediment Flows through Hydropower Dams in the Mekong River Basin

AbstractThe planning, design, and construction of hydropower dams are occurring at a rapid pace in the Mekong/Lancang River Basin in Southeast Asia. For years the river and its tributaries transported an average of 160 million metric tons of sediment per year to the South China Sea. Reservoirs are expected to trap significant fractions of this sediment, rendering much of it unavailable to transport nutrients and maintain the river’s geomorphic structure and ecological habitats. This paper introduces and applies a method for identifying and evaluating alternative dam siting, design, and operating (SDO) policy options that could help maintain more natural sediment regimes and for evaluating the effect of these sediment-management strategies on hydropower production. This paper focuses on the planned Lower Sesan 2 (LSS2) Dam in Cambodia. This dam would prevent a significant source of sediment from reaching critical Mekong ecosystems, such as Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The conc.
The organization of the future

Introduction: Toward the New Organization (P. Drucker). SHAPING TOMORROWS'S ORGANIZATIONS. Preparing for Organizational Change (J. Champy). How Generational Shifts Will Transform Organizational Life (J. Conger). The Soul of the New Organization (M. Hammer). The "Big" Organization of the Future (R. Ducques & P. Gaske). Will the Organization of the Future Make the Mistakes of the Past? (J. Pfeffer). Designing for Implementability (O. Gadiesh & S. Olivet). New Competencies for a New World (I. Somerville & J. Mroz). NEW MODELS FOR WORKING AND ORGANIZING. The Circular Organization (F. Hesselbein). The Reconfigurable Organization (J. Galbraith). The Organization's New Clothes (R. Ashkenas). The Mondragon Model: A New Pathway for the Twenty--First Century (J. Barker). The Future Organization: A Chameleon in All Its Glory (D. Miller). Creating a Leadership Organization with a Learning Mission (G. Jones). ORGANIZING FOR STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE. Restoring People to the Heart of the Organization of the Future (R. Kanter). Competitiveness and Civic Character (P. Kotler). The Work of New Age Manners in the Emerging Competitive Landscape (C. Prahalad). Organizing for Endless Winning (M. Hanaka & B. Hawkins). Creating Sustainable Learning Communities for the Twenty--First Century (S. Marshall). Organizing Around Capabilities (D. Ulrich). WORKING AND ORGANIZING IN A WIRED WORLD. Human Capital in the Digital Economy (A. Smith & T. Kelly). Shock Waves from the Communications Revolution (E. Miller). Self--Esteem in the Information Age (N. Branden). The Seven R's of Self--Esteem (D. Sethi). Future Present (F. Harmon). LEADING PEOPLE IN THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FUTURE. Passing the Baton: Preparing Tomorrow's Leaders (J. Rocksmith). Retaining Your Top Performers (M. Goldsmith). Situational Leadership in the Multicultural Organization (P. Hersey & D. Johnson. Emotions, Tempo, and Timing in Managing People (P. Everaert). Leading Across Cultures: Five Vital Capabilities (J. Alexander & M. Wilson). Cultivating Inner Resources for Leadership (D. Walsh). Learning to Lead (R. Rosen). NEW DEFINITIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH. Employee Work--Life Balance: The Competitive Advantage (L. Platt). The Healthy Organization: A Profile (R. Beckhard). Diversity and Organizations of the Future (R. Thomas). Producing Social Results (G. Parston). The Voluntary Health Organization of the Future (J. Seffrin). Building a Healthy Company--For the Long Term (A. Dahlberg, et al.). The Next Challenge (C. Argyris). The Last Word. Unimagined Futures. Charles Handy.
Wear and Corrosion Resistance of AlSi10Mg–CP–Ti Metal–Metal Composite Materials Produced by Electro-Sinter-Forging

Metal–metal composites are a class of composite materials studied for their high ductility and strength, but their potential applications are currently limited by the complex manufacturing processes involved. Electro-sinter-forging (ESF) is a single-pulse electro discharge sintering technique that proved its effectiveness in the rapid sintering of several metals, alloys, and composites. Previous studies proved the processability of Ti and AlSi10Mg by ESF to produce metal–metal composites and defined a correlation between microstructure and processing parameters. This paper presents the wear and corrosion characterizations of two metal–metal composites obtained via ESF with the following compositions: 20% Ti/80% AlSi10Mg and 20% AlSi10Mg/80% Ti. The two materials showed complementary resistance to wear and corrosion. A higher fraction of AlSi10Mg is responsible for forming a protective tribolayer in dry-sliding conditions, while a higher fraction of Titanium confers improved corrosion resistance due to its higher corrosion potential.
Development of a locomotion interface for portable virtual environment systems using an inertial/magnetic sensor-based system and a ranging measurement system

Abstract : This dissertation describes the development of an integrated locomotion interface for building self-contained, portable, and immersive virtual environment (VE) systems. Such VE systems do not rely on any infrastructure support and can be used in indoor/outdoor open spaces. The natural walking motions of the user are utilized as a means of signal generation to drive the locomotion interface, which provides the user with a higher sense of presence. This work investigates the use of two types of measurement systems, the inertial/magnetic measurement units and the ranging measurement systems, to develop a locomotion interface for portable VE systems. Algorithms were developed for each of the two systems to provide the necessary functionalities of the desired locomotion interface. Fusing measurements from a head-mounted and a foot-mounted inertial/magnetic sensor, a locomotion interface was developed for allowing the use of natural walking motions to navigate through virtual environments. To prevent collisions with physical environment boundaries such as walls, a ranging measurement system was used to detect the presence of obstacles. An improved Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm was developed for map-building of the physical environment and for estimating the user s orientation and position within the map. A redirected-walking mechanism was utilized for redirecting the user s walking direction away from boundaries in the physical environment. The two types of measurement systems were integrated to constitute a novel locomotion interface for portable VE systems, and its effectiveness was experimentally tested and demonstrated.
Impact of Thyroglobulin and Thyroglobulin Antibody Assay Performance on the Differential Classification of DTC Patients

Abstract Context Measurements of thyroglobulin (Tg) and Tg antibodies are crucial in the follow-up of treated differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients. Interassay differences may significantly impact follow-up. Objective The aim of this multicenter study was to explore the impact of Tg and Tg antibody assay performance on the differential classification of DTC patients, as described in national and international guidelines. Design Four commonly used Tg and Tg antibody assays were technically compared to reflect possible effects on patients with DTC follow-up. Storage stability at different storage temperatures was also investigated for LIAISON® and Kryptor assays, as this is an underexposed topic in current literature. Results B.R. A.H. M.S. assays yield approximately 50% lower Tg values over the whole range compared to the DiaSorin and Roche assays investigated. These differences between assays may result in potential misclassification in up to 7% of patients if fixed cutoffs (eg, 1 ng/mL) are applied. Poor correlation was also observed between the Tg antibody assays when the method-specific upper limits of normal are used as cutoffs. Storage of Tg and Tg antibodies was possible for 3 to 4 weeks at −20°C and −80°C. Calibration of the assays, however, was found to be crucial for stable results over time. Conclusions Technical aspects of Tg and Tg antibody assays, including interassay differences, calibration and standardization, and cutoff values, may have a significant clinical impact on the follow-up of DTC patients.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Pycanum ochraceum Distant 1893 (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae)

Abstract In the present study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Pycanum ochraceum was identified for the first time. The entire genome is 17,198 bp in length with 73.6% A + T content. It contains 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) and 1 noncoding control region (D-loop). Phylogenetic analysis showed that Tessaratomidae bugs are monophyletic. This study can provide essential DNA molecular data for further phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for Heteroptera.
Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode detectors for short-wave infrared wavelengths

Germanium-on-silicon (Ge-on-Si) based single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) have recently emerged as a promising detector candidate for ultra-sensitive and picosecond resolution timing measurement of short-wave infrared (SWIR) photons. Many applications benefit from operating in the SWIR spectral range, such as long distance light detection and ranging, however, there are few single-photon detectors exhibiting the high-performance levels obtained by all-silicon SPADs commonly used for single-photon detection at wavelengths <1 µm. This paper first details the advantages of operating at SWIR wavelengths, the current technologies, and associated issues, and describes the potential of Ge-on-Si SPADs as a single-photon detector technology for this wavelength region. The working principles, fabrication and characterisation processes of such devices are subsequently detailed. We review the research in these single-photon detectors and detail the state-of-the-art performance. Finally, the challenges and future opportunities offered by Ge-on-Si SPAD detectors are discussed.
Approaches to Improve Teachers’ Use of Groupware

Teachers are confronted with groupware for various reasons. However, the teachers’ acceptance of many systems is afflicted. This paper identifies reasons for the refusal and presents approaches to improve the usage of groupware for teachers. On the basis of an empirical survey on an inter-school groupware, we discover shortcomings of groupware and corresponding general conditions. In this context we focus on the offered utility and the embedding of groupware in schools. The results of the study show that the motivation of teachers to employ groupware can be improved by implementing specific organizational terms of use and by focussing the utility on document management. Nevertheless, adjustments in both mentioned directions have to be implemented with caution, since they exhibit critical points as well.
Elastolytic-sensitive 3D-printed chitosan scaffold for wound healing applications

The combination of a chitosan 3D-printed scaffold with a hydrogel matrix containing an elastin-like polypeptide functionalized with the epidermal growth factor (HEGF) was evaluated as a possible strategy to obtain a bioactive platform with stimuli-responsive properties. We designed a chitosan/HEGF hybrid scaffold and examined the physico-chemical properties and the in vitro behavior when in contact with simulated biological fluids. Primary human dermal fibroblasts (hDFs) were used to test the in vitro cytocompatibility. Overall, these data provide first insights into the integration of HEGF-based hydrogel with 3D-printed scaffolds, contributing towards the rational design of a new smart functional wound dressing.
Orofacial pain in older people with dementia

Objective: The aim of this review was to provide a systematic overview including a quality assessment of studies about oral health and orofacial pain in older people with dementia, compared to older people without dementia. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. The following search terms were used: dementia and oral health or stomatognathic disease. The quality assessment of the included articles was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Results: The search yielded 527 articles, of which 37 were included for the quality assessment and quantitative overview. The median NOS score of the included studies was 5, and the mean was 4.9 (SD 2.2). The heterogeneity between the studies was considered too large to perform a meta-analysis. An equivalent prevalence of orofacial percentage, and denture use was found for both groups. However, the presence of caries and retained roots was higher in older people with dementia than in those without. Conclusions: Older people with dementia have worse oral health, with more retained roots and coronal and root caries, when compared to older people without dementia. Little research focused on orofacial pain in older people with dementia. Clinical Relevance: The current state of oral health in older people with dementia could be improved with oral care education of caretakers and regular professional dental care.