Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Uma Nova Abordagem para a Formação em Engenharia de Reabilitação em Portugal

The education and training of engineers in order to enable them for professional activity in the field of rehabilitation and support people with impairment or disability has been a subject of study by researchers and engineering educators in this field, for the past 30 years. It is clear that Rehabilitation Engineering – as a profession – has so far been little known in most countries, Portugal included. Its practice is conducted by a small number of professionals and is fragile in terms of recognition, statute, and identity. Part of this is due to a lack of academic curricula devoted to it. This work focuses on a new approach to education and training in Rehabilitation Engineering that is taking place in Portugal, at UTAD, via the baccalaureate programme of studies in Human Accessibility and Rehabilitation Engineering. It is innovative in this country and uncommon internationally, and can present itself as a reference example. The implementation and analysis of such a programme of studies cannot be pursued without an overview of previous efforts, as well as of the current standing of Rehabilitation Engineering, its relationship with Accessibility and Assistive Technologies, and its near-course challenges. For these reasons, a lengthy study of such matters is presented. In order to better understand the relevance of this kind of education, as conducted at UTAD, a diagnosis is made of the status of the profession and of the development of Rehabilitation Engineering in Portugal. We compare the education & training model used at UTAD for Rehabilitation Engineering with academic programs in other countries, and with studies on related educational models, from which some concepts were drawn in support of the effort at UTAD. The overall operation of the baccalaureate at UTAD is also source for reflection, based on the profile, preparation, and expectations of its students and new challenges associated with this educational project.
Analyzing Characteristics of Design-Build Delivery System in Korea Using System Dynamics Modeling

Design build (DB) is a construction project delivery system which has become one of the favored ones and the growth of DB by the public agencies has been steadily increasing. DB can be viewed as an evolutionary project delivery system, since DB project team members collaborate on work with each other, keep seeking cost effective and innovative alternatives that meet the construction needs of the project. Thus DB outperformed others in delivery speed, cost saving, and turnover quality. In Korea, DB projects likewise have steadily increased that it is needed to analyze characteristics of DB delivery system in Korea. For that purpose, this research would offer an analysis of characteristics of DB delivery system in Korea using system dynamics model with investigating the public market trend, comparing DB performance to DBB, and analyzing questionnaire survey.
Study of weather and location effects on wind turbine failure rates

Understanding the availability of wind turbines (WT) is vital to maximize WT energy production and minimize the capital payback period. Previous work on this subject concentrated on reliability and the location of WT failure modes rather than root causes. This paper concentrates on the influence of weather and WT location on failure rate and downtime, to try to understand root causes and the consequences of failure. The paper goes further than a previous study, which used Windstats data from the whole of Denmark, by considering a limited population of identical WTs at three locations on the German Nordzee, Ostzee and in western Germany, using data from WMEP and local weather stations. This new study focuses more precisely than the previous study by using more reliable data. The data were analysed to find the WT failures and weather conditions and then cross-correlate them. To confirm their representativeness, the reliability characteristics of these smaller WT populations followed the average trends of the overall WMEP survey. However, clear differences were observed in the failure behaviour of the WTs at the three locations. Annual periodicity was seen in the weather data, as expected, but not in individual WT population failure data. However, clear cross-correlations can be seen between WT failures and weather data, in particular wind speed, maximum temperature and humidity. These cross-correlations were more convincing than those found in the earlier, larger Danish study, vindicating the more focused approach. It is also clear from the analysis that Operation & Maintenance also has an impact on WT failure rates. These factors will be important for the operation of offshore WTs with the work indicating how weather conditions may affect offshore WT failure rates. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of top Chinese contractors＇ developmental tracks and evaluation of their strategic selection of international construction markets

过去的十年见证研究试图调查最高的中国承包商的发展磁道并且从 2001～2006 在时期上评估他们国际构造市场的战略选择的国际构造 market.This 的快速的开发，基于从 2001～2005 请教组矩阵( BCG ) . Results 的修改波士顿显示亚洲和非洲，它是“问号”为最高的中国承包商出售(作为 TCC 缩短了)，最潜在
Human factors in product design : current practice and future trends

Introduction: Ergonomics, Usability and Product Development. Essential Conditions for the Acceptance of User Trialing as a Design Tool. Designing for Usability: Input of Ergonomics Information at an Appropriate Point, and Appropriate Form, in the Design Process. Product Evaluation Methods and Their Importance in Designing Interactive Artifacts. Design Centered Research into User Activities. Designing Scenarios and Tasks for User Trials of Home Electronic Devices. Implications for Using Intelligence in Consumer Products. Representations of Smart Product Concepts in User Interface Design. Ergonomics and Safety in Consumer Product Design. Usability & Product Design: A Case Study. User Trials as a Design Directive Strategy. The User Interface Design of the Fizz and Spark GSM Telephones. Usability Testing Under Time-Pressure Design Practice Case. Spoken Help for a Car Stereo: An Exploratory Study. Prototypes on Trial. Best Practice isn't Always Good Enough. Inclusive Design - Design for All. Inclusive Design. Personal Reader Systems for the Blind. Designing Domestic Appliances for Everyone. Transgenerational Guidelines. Pleasure With Products: Human Factors for Body, Mind and Soul. Understanding Person-Product Relationships - a Design Perspective. Kansei Engineering Design. The Ergonomics of Pleasure. Discussion and Conclusion.
Use of Data Envelopment Analysis to Measure the Technical Efficiencies of Oil Refineries in India

This paper is an attempt to implement the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach to measure the relative efficiency of a sample of oil refineries in India over a period of two years, 2012, 2013. We demonstrate that DEA is an effective tool for the Ministry of Petroleum (MOP) for monitoring and controlling the performance of oil refineries, which are growing as an important sector in India. We followed a case study methodology where data about the inputs and outputs of refineries are gathered and analyzed to compute the relative efficiency of the refineries. Based on the results obtained, 91.66 of the refineries were efficient in 2011, and the same percentage was efficient in 2012. The overall efficiency of the refineries studied was about 98 and 98.9%respectively. Later, inefficient refineries were investigated closely to identify the areas in which the use of resources manifest decreasing returns to scale. We concluded the paper with some recommendations on the applicability of the DEA for oil refinery efficiency evaluation. Due to the absence of research work, in this discipline, in the oil sector in India, this study will add to our knowledge on how oil refineries in India may apply DEA to measure their efficiency, and how they might use the results to overcome efficiency problems. Although the results of the present paper are limited to the oil refineries studied; the DEA approach could trigger the attention of policy makers in the MOP to apply DEA to improve the efficiency of other DMUs. In addition, other manufacturing and service sectors in India could also benefit from this approach. Keywords: Data Envelopment Analysis, Technical Efficiency, Oil Refineries, Oil Refinery Performance
Bio-Inspired Emergent Control of Locomotion Systems

This book deals with locomotion control of biologically inspired robots realized through an analog circuital paradigm as cellular nonlinear networks. It presents a general methodology for the control of bio-inspired robots and several case studies, as well as describes a new approach to motion control and the related circuit architecture. Bio-inspired Emergent Control of Locomotion Systems provides researchers with a guide to the fundamentals of the topics. Moreover, neuro-biologists and physiologists can use the book as a starting point to design artificial structures for testing their biological hypotheses on the animal model.
Consumers’ Evaluation of Glocal Marketing Strategies of Global Firms in Turkey: An Example of a Glocal Product

: This study aims to determine the impact of objective and subjective evaluations of consumers about Glocal marketing practices of global brands in Turkey. The data is collected from 200 consumers about their evaluation of the local soup taste of the Knorr brand. Using a convenient sampling technique, a total of 200 useable questionnaires were received and put into analysis. The ﬁndings reveal that evaluations of Turkish consumers favour the Glocal marketing approach used by Knorr in terms of its marketing mix choices. The theoretical signiﬁcance of this study can be deﬁned that in literature, there is no study inspired from a model used in measurement service quality gap. Therefore, this research attempts to apply the SERVQUAL model to determine the gap between objective global product expectations and subjective product performance.
3D Printed Robotic Hand

Dexterous robotic hands are changing the way robots and humans interact and use common tools. Unfortunately, the complexity of the joints and actuations drive up the manufacturing cost. Some cutting edge and commercially available rapid prototyping machines now have the ability to print multiple materials and even combine these materials in the same job. A 3D model of a robotic hand was designed using Creo Parametric 2.0. Combining "hard" and "soft" materials, the model was printed on the Object Connex350 3D printer with the purpose of resembling as much as possible the human appearance and mobility of a real hand while needing no assembly. After printing the prototype, strings where installed as actuators to test mobility. Based on printing materials, the manufacturing cost of the hand was $167, significantly lower than other robotic hands without the actuators since they have more complex assembly processes.
The Pattern of Cervical Cancer according to HIV Status in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Objective To analyze the epidemiological aspects of invasive cervical cancer according to HIV status. Methods This was an historical cohort study from January 2010 to April 2017 in three hospitals at the Yaoundé city Capital, Cameroon, after the National Ethics Committee' approval. We included invasive cervical cancers with documented HIV status. Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval were calculated to assess the association between the different variables and HIV status. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier. The level of significance was set up at <5%. Results Among the overall 213 cervical cancer patients, 56 were HIV+ (24.67%). Factors associated with positive HIV status were age below 40 (OR: 2.03 (1.38–2.67)), celibacy (OR: 2.88 (1.58–4.17)), nonmenopausal status (OR: 2.56 (1.36–3.75)), low parity, primiparity (OR: 2.59 (1.43–3.74)), and for parity with 2–4 children (OR: 2.24 (1.35–3.12)). Concerning the HIV+ patients, tumor was diagnosed late (stages III-IV) (OR: 2.70 (1.43–5.08)), undifferentiated (grade III) (OR: 7.69 (5.80–9.57)), with low median survival (9.83 months vs. 20.10 months). Conclusion HIV is frequent among cervical cancer patients. In the HIV+ patients, the diagnosis was made at the advanced stage, cells were poorly differentiated, and the prognosis was worse.
Determinants of Users Intention to Adopt Mobile Fitness Applications: an Extended Technology Acceptance Model Approach

The present research was motivated by the recognition that the use of mobile fitness applications (MFA) is increasingly popular among sports and exercise participants in recent years. Using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) perspective, this study explored potential predictors of behavioral intention toward MFAs such as perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, personalization, personal innovativeness in information technology (PIIT), perceived enjoyment, mobile application self-efficacy, involvement in sports and exercise participation, and social influences (interpersonal and external influences). A theoretical model was developed and tested against the empirical data collected from 385 collegiate students enrolled in physical activity classes at a large university in the United States. The result of descriptive statistics indicated that the samples are active sports and exercise participants with their weekly exercise and sports participation of 5.41 hours. A measurement model and structural equation model were tested using AMOS 22.0 and confirmed eight out of eleven hypothesized
Analysis on bandwidth enhancement of compact probe-fed patch antenna with equivalent transmission line model

In this paper, a comprehensive study of miniaturised broadband microstrip patch antennas for ultra-wideband applications is presented. At first, design and analysis of a compact wideband basic antenna which is composed of a folded-patch feed, a symmetric E-shaped edge, a U-shaped-slot patch and shorting pins are studied and investigated. The measured −10 dB impedance bandwidth of the proposed basic antenna is about 92% in the frequency range 3.94–10.65 GHz. To explicitly demonstrate the mechanism of the bandwidth enhancement method, the equivalent transmission line model of the basic antenna is exhibited. This model contributes the effect of different parts used in the basic antenna structure in order to predict the broadband behaviour of it. Moreover, with the use of a V-shaped slot instead of the U-shaped slot on the patch, an improved antenna with a wider bandwidth in order to cover the frequency range from 4 to 14.4 GHz is obtained. This improved design introduces comparatively a simpler structure with considerable size reduction and an enhancement of 21% in impedance bandwidth compared with the basic antenna. Experimental investigations and detailed simulations based on the parametric study are performed to describe and optimise the broadband performance of the proposed designs.
A Study on the Selection Model of Retaining Wall Methods Using Support Vector Machines

There is a greater importance for underground work designed and built in the urban areas when it comes to considering the cost-effectiveness and the period of construction commensurate with an increasing trend of skyscrapers. At this stage of underground work, it's extremely necessary to choose a proper earth retaining method. Therefore, the study has suggested the rational retaining wall method by developing the support vector machine(SVM) model as a tool to choose a proper retaining wall method applied at the stage of selecting the earth retaining method. In order to develop the SVM model, the binary SVM classifier is expanded into a multi-class classifier. and to present the feasibility of our SVM model, we considered 129 projects. Applying the 'SVM Model' developed in the study to the designing and developing stages of the earth retaining work will contribute to the successful outcomes by decreasing any changes of design from implementing the earth retaining.
Robust sum-MSE transceiver optimisation for multi-user non-regenerative MIMO relay downlink systems

Presented is transceiver optimisation for multi-user non-regenerative MIMO relay downlink systems. By taking the channel uncertainties into account, a robust scheme is proposed to minimise the sum mean square error (SMSE) of the system under the power constraints, where the transceiver is obtained by using the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions and realised through an iterative algorithm. Simulation results verify the robustness of the proposed scheme against the estimation errors.
ADAM17 Cleaves the Insulin Receptor α‐Subunit on Endothelial Cells and Induces Vascular Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes

Microvascular insulin resistance is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and an underlying event in the pathophysiology of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. However, the molecular mechanisms by which T2D causes vascular insulin resistance remain largely unknown. Hyperglycemia and the proinflammatory state associated with T2D are characterized, in part, by an increased activity of ADAM17, an enzyme that cleaves the ectodomain of various transmembrane proteins. Here, we hypothesized that increased expression and activation of ADAM17 sheds the insulin receptor α‐subunit (IRα) from endothelial cells causing vascular insulin resistance in T2D. We tested this hypothesis in isolated resistance arteries from T2D and non‐T2D subjects undergoing bariatric surgery and in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Resistance arteries from T2D subjects exhibited increased ADAM17 expression, reduced presence of endothelial IRα as well as the endogenous ADAM17 inhibitor, TIMP3, and impaired insulin‐induced vasodilation, relative to arteries from non‐T2D subjects (P<0.05). Exposure of HUVECs to high glucose (30mM, 24h) increased the expression and activity of ADAM17 (P<0.05), led to increased shedding of IRα detected in the cell culture media supernatant (P<0.05) and decreased IRα on cell surfaces as observed using super‐resolution microscopy. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of ADAM17 led to reduced shedding of IRα and improved insulin signaling in cells exposed to high glucose or the ADAM17 activator, PMA (P<0.05). Collectively, these findings suggest that T2D, and in particular hyperglycemia, leads to ADAM17 shedding of IRα from the endothelial surface and reduced insulin‐dependent vasodilation, all of which supports ADAM17 activity as a new therapeutic target to ameliorate vascular insulin resistance in T2D.
HEADWAY DEVIATION EFFECTS ON BUS PASSENGER LOADS: ANALYSIS OF TRI-MET'S ARCHIVED AVL-APC DATA

In this paper the authors empirically analyze the relationship between transit service headway deviations and passenger loads, using archived data from Tri-Met's automatic vehicle location and automatic passenger counter systems. The analysis employs two-stage least squares estimation to account for the simultaneous relationship between headway deviations and loads. Controlling for the effects of passenger activity on delay, the results indicate that the observed incidence of excess passenger loads is systematically attributable to deviations from scheduled headways. In turn, analysis of the causes of headway deviations served to identify possible operations control actions that would improve service regularity and, consequently, reduce incidences of overloading and forestall the need for additional service.
Flat panel display characterization: a perceptual approach

Over the last decade, consumer television sets have substantially increased in screen size, with screen diagonals up to 65-inch and beyond. At the same time, their thickness has decreased to only a few centimeters. Right from the start, this combination has been highly appreciated by consumers, resulting in a fast acceptance of flat-screen televisions in the consumer market. However, the visible light generation and modulation technologies in flat-screen displays differ considerably from those in conventional cathode-ray tubes. As a consequence, the rendered images on these displays may look different. To understand differences in perceived images, it seems obvious to ask consumers for their opinion. In practice, perception experiments with consumers are often complicated, time consuming, and expensive. To aid display designers in optimizing the image quality without conducting perception experiments, a framework for predicting image quality on the basis of technical display parameters has been proposed in literature. In this framework, technical display parameters need to be linked to physical display characteristics, i.e., things we can measure, which in turn need to be linked to things we perceive, i.e., the perceptual attributes. The final image quality judgment is based on a combination of all perceptual attributes. In the context of this framework, display engineers mainly focus on describing the physical display characteristics, whereas psychologists concentrate on evaluating the perceptual attributes and their relation to image quality. In this thesis, the missing link is addressed and psychophysical relations are established between three physical flat-screen display characteristics and their related perceptual attributes. The performance of LCDs under oblique viewing angles is characterized and a new definition for the viewing angle range is proposed. A model is developed to predict flicker visibility for scanning backlight LCDs. Finally, a methodology is provided to enable the characterization of the LCD's motion performance.
Good practices in developing “on line” lessons: Indispensable elements for a systematized design

This article describes the construction of a lesson or course for the internet, emphasizing the characteristics in viable activities that need to be implemented for the course to be effective and complete: the Beginning stage, the Development stage and finally the End stage. We also consider different pedagogical techniques and their implications in preparing a course that will be delivered online, exclusively through the internet. At the beginning of the article, we discuss some successfull regional projects.
Non-optical biosensing in lab-on-a-chip systems

This paper presents a review of the recent trends and developments in non-optical biosensing platforms for lab-on- a-chip systems. This includes design considerations and applications of the non-optical biosensing platforms. The paper first categorizes the non-optical biosensors into four groups. The definition of each group together with a review of the reported works associated with the group are given. A performance analysis of different non-optical detection methods is also presented.