Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the impact of automated path planning aids in the maritime community

In the area of merchant maritime navigation, electronic charts are a relatively new tool. As a result, navigational path planning environments that allow users to manually enter a path onto an electronic chart are becoming popular, especially in high-end civilian vessels. In military naval operations, however, the switch to newer technology for navigation is taking longer, as there is higher risk due to the weapons and sometimes nuclear reactors onboard. There also appears to be a pervasive lack of trust in automation. In order to incorporate automation into both military and commercial navigation tasks, a system must be designed that is not only efficient in aiding the planning, but also trustworthy to a user. Currently in military submarine and surface ship navigation, paths are planned and re-planned using paper charts, pencils, and rulers, and while these paths are adequate, they are often not optimized based on the depth, weather, and surrounding contacts. As part of a larger research project that is developing a tool to bring more situational awareness to a submarine commander, this thesis develops and implements an automation and visualization to aid submarine commanders in surface navigation. To achieve this, this thesis incorporated design requirements for creating such an automated tool in the development of an automated path planning tool, and then tested the resulting product on human subjects. The results showed that the automation was successful at reducing the time required to generate an optimized path for a set of changing input parameters. The results also showed that the tool was trustworthy, promising high potential for use in commercial and military environments. Thesis Supervisor: Mary Cummings Title: Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Prämature Ovarialinsuffizienz

Im Durchschnitt erreichen 20–25 % der Frauen die Menopause im Alter von 50 Jahren (Abb. 1). Frauen mit POI weisen häufig zusätzlich zu einer Oligooder Amenorrhoe typische Östrogenmangelsymptome auf. Deutet die Kon stellation auf eine POI hin, sollte kurzfristig eine Kon trolle von Estradiol (17-β-Östradiol), Gonado tropinen (β-hCG, LH und FSH) und vom Anti-MüllerHormon (AMH) auch zur Bestätigung erfolgen. Es gibt jedoch auch symptomlose Verläufe oder zwischenzeitliches Verschwinden der Symptomatik. Nach Absetzen oraler Kontra zeptiva kommt es bei der POI häufig durch den Östrogenentzug zu besonders schweren Symptomen. In der Praxis sollte daher bei Frauen unter 40 Jahren bei einer Oligo menorrhoe immer nach Östrogenmangelsymptomen gefragt werden, um ggf. eine POI auszuschließen.
Safety effects of adaptive cruise controls in critical traffic situations

Conventional cruise controls (CC) are capable of keeping a constant speed, but the driver has to intervene and control the speed manually when speed change is required. Adapted cruise controls (ACC) are developed to extend the speed keeping function by automatic distance keeping. Expected advantages are reduced workload and rear-end collisions, increased driver comfort, and traffic smoothness. As ACCs are designed as driver comfort systems, their braking power is limited to 0.2 to 0.3 g. Also, ACCs do not consider stationary objects. Finally, the automatic distance control is only performed within a limited speed interval. Ten drivers drove with ACC and ten without ACC in a VTI simulator. They were exposed to traffic situations where the ACC limitations may be critical. Acceptance, driver performance, and workload were studied. ACC drivers approaching a stationary queue started to brake later and braked harder than those driving manually. Four crashed into the rear end of the queue, compared to one driver in the control group. When preceding cars braked hard or pulled out, ACC-initiated braking and warnings resulted in longer headways. The ACC was well accepted and did not influence the workload level. Conclusions were that: 1) safety may be negatively influenced; 2) drivers may expect more from ACCs than they can provide, and when necessary react later and more abruptly than during manual driving; and 3) early system actions and warning may reduce criticality, if the target is detected.
A longitudinal case-study examination of HRM practices in high-performing work organisations in the Indian HRO/BPO industry

This research is concerned with the Human Resource contribution to High Performance Work Systems in High Performing Human Resource Offshoring and Business Process Offshoring organisations in India. Indian Business Process Offshoring organisations offer knowledge intensive services dependent on human resources for delivery. Technology underpins the delivery of services and processes; however, the employees of Human Resource Offshoring Business Process Offshoring are central to organisational resources and represent a cornerstone for value creation. The management of Human Resources is therefore central to overall performance and success. There is a lack of research on High Performance Work Systems strategies adopted and adapted by successful Indian firms in this sector. This study bridges this gap through an empirical longitudinal study. Methodologically, longitudinal qualitative reflexive case study examinations have been rare in management and organisation research. Previous studies have concentrated on being ‘snap-shot’ whereas this study’s longitudinal nature enabled a more holistic and contextualised view of the Human Resources processes. Fieldwork was conducted in three phases, (ten visits) over five years. Data gathering methods included interviews and focus groups. A longitudinal reflexive research methodology using inductive and deductive approaches was utilised via an innovative and robust combination of ‘template’ ‘processual’ and ‘systematic’ analysis. Findings suggest a complex, global, networked and dynamic business context, wherein Human Resource Management is understood and enacted in different forms, characterised by 'shape-shifting', a dynamic 'entanglement' of problem solving and strategic adoptive and adaptive approaches to attrition and performance. Phase 1 of the research witnessed attrition anxiety drive both a focus on employer branding and perceived sophisticated Human Resources. In Phase 2, an 'attritioncentric' approach that integrated both employer branding and other Human Resources practices took hold and in Phase 3 a distinctive blend/bundles of attrition-centric Human Resources and employer branding emerged. Influences were seen to include the complexities of life cycle, leadership ambitions, economic and market fluctuations, cultural, social, socio-cultural, national, sub-national and institutional contexts. Theoretically, this phenomenon suggested a unique Human Resource Management-performance link in the Indian Business Process Offshoring industry and was grounded and premised on the ‘evolutionary resource-based view’, as an alternative to the traditional human capital versus resource-based view. This idiosyncratic theoretical form is supported by six identified dimensions including tacit knowledge, the knowledge based view, resource dependency, core competencies and core- related specificity, casual ambiguity, and social complexity, thus contributing to academic knowledge.
Advances in Integrating Autonomy with Acoustic Communications for Intelligent Networks of Marine Robots

Abstract : Autonomous marine vehicles are increasingly used in clusters; the effectiveness of this collaboration is often limited by communications. This thesis argues that improved communication can be gained by acting on knowledge from improved awareness of the physical acoustic link and higher network layers by the autonomous underwater vehicle's (AUV's) decision making software. This thesis presents a modular acoustic networking framework called Goby-Acomms which provides underwater vehicles with an efficient short-range single-hop network. Goby-Acomms is comprised of short message serialization, queuing which prioritizes based both on importance and time sensitivity, medium access control with passive automatic discovery, and an abstract modem driver. Also, two approaches that use the vehicle's intelligence to improve communications are presented. The first is a non-disruptive approach which uses state observers in conjunction with an entropy source encoder to enable highly compressed telemetry of AUV position vectors. The second approach is disruptive, as it changes the vehicle's course to effect an improvement in the communications channel. This technique is an autonomous environmental adaptation framework which allows AUVs to follow a path which optimizes their ability to maintain connectivity with an acoustic contact for optimal sensing or communication.
Improved performance alternator with fully integrated Switched-Mode Rectifier

The use of Power Electronic circuits has helped to advance the technology of automotive alternators. The use of a Switched-Mode Rectifier (SMR) allows the alternator to run at a load-matched condition, optimizing power and efficiency over all operating speeds. However, the use of SMR's has largely been focused on designs for 42 V alternators. This thesis presents the design, build, and characterization of an SMR-based alternator that provides improved power and efficiency at the present automotive standard of 14 V. The SMR-based machine was built from commercial electronic devices and packaged such that it could be fully integrated into the alternator housing without impacting the physical structure or reliability. The SMR-based alternator was characterized in a laboratory environment (25°C ambient temperature) over the standard operating range of 1500 rpm (idle speed) to 6000 rpm (cruising speed). The alternator operated in a load-matched condition, achieving maximum power output up to 2400 rpm and achieved cruising speed output power of 2178 W at full field current of 4.3 A. Thesis supervisor: David J. Perreault Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering
Fast EMI prediction method for three-phase inverter based on Laplace transforms

The conception of power electronics converters is made without a real EMI prediction method. The classical sizing methods based on experiments are effective but not optimized. They involve the increase in the designing duration and generally lead to the oversize of the filter. To reduce these stages, a mathematical model for the prediction of conducted EMI generated by a three-phase inverter is pointed out in this paper. This model, based on analytical disturbance-sources and propagation paths, including EMI filter and the induction motor, permits the estimation of common and differential modes in all the structure. Passive components and especially the filter elements have been modeled. With this method, the effect of different filter components can be evaluated by simulations. Time domain and frequency simulations are compared and discussed.
Design of W-band monolithic low noise amplifiers using accurate HEMT modeling

A W-band monolithic two-stage low noise amplifiers have been developed using new accurate HEMT modeling. The modeling includes intrinsic FET noise parameters that are independent of frequency. A noise figure of 5.5 dB with an associated gain of 8.7 dB is achieved at 91 GHz when biased for low noise figure, and a small signal gain of 10.4 dB with noise figure of 5.9 dB is obtained when biased for high gain. Good agreement between measured and simulated data of the low noise amplifier verifies the HEMT modeling. <<ETX>>
Finanzas Corporativas

Este libro expone diferentes técnicas para la elaboración de proyecciones financieras, explica cómo es la estructura económica de una organización, enuncia diversos métodos para valorar una compañía e identifica la importancia de las políticas de dividendos y las teorías que existen alrededor de ellas. Por cada técnica o método mencionado, ofrece ejercicios desarrollados y ejemplos de aplicación con base en numerosas formulaciones matemáticas estandarizadas. Su objetivo es brindar herramientas a los lectores para el estudio de las variables que permiten valorar las acciones y las empresas. Se espera que, luego de realizar la lectura de estos contenidos, el encargado de las finanzas corporativas pueda tomar decisiones conducentes a crear capital, crecer y adquirir más negocios.
A high-performance digital IF receiver and application in ISAR imaging

In order to obtain high range resolution and long effective detection range simultaneously, high resolution radars usually transmit super wide-band frequency-modulated signals for pulse compression. The pulse compression methods of frequency-modulated signal can be matched filter and strecth. The principle and performance of the two methods is contrasted, and the matched filter method is adopted based on software defined radio theory. General requirements for wideband digital radar receiver are analysed and a universal receiver module is designed and implemented. The receiver module mainly consists of two ADCs with 2 Gsps sampling rate and 1 Obits resolution and two Vertex5 FPGAs. These two ADCs may work as two separate channels or in interleaved mode. A common DDC structure based on poly-phase decimation filter is introduced. The requirements for digital intermediate frequency receiver of the ISAR are analysed. And the implementation parameters and design details of the DDC based on poly-phase decimation filter for super wideband LFM waveform are introduced. The simulation result proves the effectiveness of the high-performance digital receiver. (4 pages)
Trademarks Statistics as Innovation Indicator? - A Micro Study

This study explores the possibility of using trademark statistics as an indicator of new-to-the-firm innovation. It compares registrations of trademarks and the launch of new-to-the-firm products for a number of Swedish companies in the electromechanical, automotive and pharmaceutical industries. The results show considerable differences between these sectors. For the studied companies in the electromechanical and automotive industries, trademarks are generally unreliable as an indicator of new products. However, the results from the pharmaceutical industry are different. A comparison between trademarks and the number of new products show that a high and fairly stable percentage of the new products have been trademarked. The number of trademarks is also mutually co-integrated with the number of registered (approved) new drugs over the time period 1935-1996. Short term variations are not correlated, possibly due to the extreme uncertainty of the development process in the pharmaceutical industry, where many projects fail even in the final testing, as well as the often lengthy registration process. A comparison between the number of trademarks and patents nevertheless suggests that the trademark statistics carries information about product development activities prior to registration. The study also suggests that the use of trademarks as an indicator of new-to-the-firm innovation is likely to be most successful in industries with frequent use of trademarks and with products targeting consumers or professional end-users, but with less uncertain development process than the pharmaceutical industry’s.
Head Tracker-Based Auralization Systems: Additional Consideration of Vertical Head Movements

The headphone-based Binaural Room Scanning (BRS) auralization system relies on real-measured binaural room impulse response data and headtracking, thereby offering high-quality listening for example in a virtual surround sound control room. Due to further developments of the BRS system it was suggested to be important that the head-tracker does support not only rotational movements of the head but also head movements in the vertical plane. Results from corresponding localization experiments are presented and discussed.
The Use of Politeness Strategies and Respect Markers by Call Center Agents

Politeness is a basic verbal strategy that is commonly used by call center agents in handling customers, specifically when they encounter frustrated and irate customers, when they can hardly fix the problems of customers, or when they make mistakes in grammar and pronunciation. The aim of this study was to examine politeness strategies and respect markers employed by call center agents when transacting business with American customers. Data were gathered from interviews with 30 call center agents, and interview data were analyzed using words, phrases, clauses, and sentences as the unit of analysis. The responses of call center agents were coded/categorized and analyzed. Results of the study have revealed that call center agents utilized polite speech act formulae, polite requests, apologies, and respect markers in the course of their transaction with the customers. Furthermore, analysis has shown that the use or choice of politeness strategies and respect markers has an impact on the interactions of call center agents with their customers and affects the customers’ impression about the company and the quality of service.
Ultrafine Particle Formation from Wear

Abstract Much attention is given to the consequences of airborne particles on human health and well-being. Wear is one source of airborne particles and contributions in the urban environments from wheel-to-rail contacts and disc brakes cannot be neglected. Traditionally, mechanical wear has been associated with the generation of particles of diameters of some microns. However, the research described has found ultrafine particle generation from wear processes. Particle generation from wear was measured under controlled laboratory conditions. The wear was created through sliding contact in a tribometer (type “pin-on-disc”) with different materials and with different sliding velocities and pressures, to represent rail traffic and automobile disc braking. Particle concentrations and size distributions in the air were determined for particle diameters from 10 nm up to more than 10 μm. For most materials and conditions three particle size modes were found: one at 50–100 nm, one at a few hundred nm and one at a few μm particle diameter.
Reaching for Collaboration in Insight (and Beyond)

There were two early incomplete attempts to think out practical philosophies in culture. About 2,400 year ago, Plato posed the problem of working out the finest implementable philosophy for culture’s progress. Later, there were Aristotle’s musings: “We must first inquire of what character is a branch. To speak concisely, then, it would seem to be a branch of nothing else than statescraft ”(Aristotle, Magna Moralia ). More recently, there were Lonergan’s reachings in Insight - and his beginnings, there, identifying “aspects” of a solution that he named cosmopolis. As pointed to in Insight , the problem is in all disciplines. In this paper, the reader is invited to enter some ways into the science of biology. This concrete context helps further bring out the need for cosmopolis . In Chapter 20 of Insight , Lonergan indicates the need of new kind of collaboration, but “not something altogether new” ( Insight, 266 ). The reaching in Insight brings the question of cosmopolis to a head. This paper ends with a brief mention of Lonergan’s later 1965 breakthrough to a solution which is to be an empirically grounded eightfold collaboration.
Supporting Development for the Stirling Radioisotope Generator and Advanced Stirling Technology Development at NASA GRC

A high‐efficiency, 110‐We (watts electric) Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG110) for possible use on future NASA Space Science missions is being developed by the Department of Energy, Lockheed Martin, Stirling Technology Company (STC), and NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). Potential mission use includes providing spacecraft onboard electric power for deep space missions and power for unmanned Mars rovers. GRC is conducting an in‐house supporting technology project to assist in SRG110 development. One‐, three‐, and six‐month heater head structural benchmark tests have been completed in support of a heater head life assessment. Testing is underway to evaluate the key epoxy bond of the permanent magnets to the linear alternator stator lamination stack. GRC has completed over 10,000 hours of extended duration testing of the Stirling convertors for the SRG110, and a three‐year test of two Stirling convertors in a thermal vacuum environment will be starting shortly. GRC is also developing advanced technology.
Comparación teórica entre técnicas fenotípicas y genotípicas utilizadas en la identificación de Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes es un patógeno ubicuo intracelular, causante de la Listeriosis, la cual se considera una enfermedad transmitida por alimentos (ETA). En la actualidad existe una creciente demanda de consumidores de productos alimenticios tratados mínimamente que pueden favorecer la proliferación de este microorganismo. Es necesario contar con programas de vigilancia que incluyan métodos fiables para la detección de este patógeno en casos de brotes epidémicos. Esta revisión bibliográfica compara las ventajas y desventajas de las técnicas fenotípicas y genotípicas utilizadas en la determinación de L. monocytogenes con el fin de definir la más adecuada que permita obtener resultados confiables y en el menor tiempo posible. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en bases de datos como Pubmed, Science Direct, Proquest y Ovid, en inglés y español, utilizando los siguientes descriptores: L. monocytogenes, molecular typing, diagnosis, PCR y bacterial typing techniques. Estos se combinaron de diferentes maneras para, finalmente, recopilar setenta artículos que cumplieron con los criterios de selección propuestos. Como resultado se presentan las técnicas de diagnóstico fenotípico y genotípico que representan una opción útil para el aislamiento e identificación de este patógeno a partir de diferentes orígenes. Las técnicas revisadas permiten la diferenciación entre especies patógenas y no patógenas, así como de serotipos y genotipos con base en la implementación de procedimientos cuya fundamentación puede diferir, pero que igualmente pueden ser complementarias.
Robot development for nuclear material processing

The Department of Energy is seeking to modernize its special nuclear material (SNM) production facilities and concurrently reduce radiation exposures and process and incidental radioactive waste generated. As part of this program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) lead team is developing and adapting generic and specific applications of commercial robotic technologies to SNM pyrochemical processing and other operations. A working gantry robot within a sealed processing glove box and a telerobot control test bed are manifestations of this effort. This paper describes the development challenges and progress in adapting processing, robotic, and nuclear safety technologies to the application. 3 figs.
Pursuing Excellence in Healthcare: Preserving America's Academic Medical Centers

INTRODUCTION SPHERE OF ACTION 1: STRUCTURE Integrating the Diverse Structures of the AMC Integrating Clinical Care Delivery Systems Leadership in the Academic Medical Center SPHERE OF ACTION II: RE-SEARCH Fixing the "Broken Pipeline" of AMC Scientists Resolving Con1licts ofInterest Commercializing Research Discoveries SPHERE OF ACTION III: EDUCATION Resolving the Physician Workforce Crisis The Changing Demographics of America's AMCs Teaching Medical Professionalism in the AMC SPHERE OF ACTION IV: BUSINESS Financing the Missions of the AMC Developing Strategic Regional and Global Collaborations Insuring Governmental Support and Oversight of the AMC CONCLUSION