Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ROAD LAYOUT AND ACCIDENTS ON MODERN RURAL TRUNK ROADS

This study of single-carriageway and dual-carriageway trunk roads of modern design aims to provide information which will help reduce road accidents. The results of the study are applicable to new schemes and to improvements to the alignment and features of existing roads. The study aimed to quantify the relationships between the numbers of injury accidents that occur, and the traffic and road layout variables that determine them, using the technique of generalised linear modelling to develop predictive relationships. The study also examined trends in accident numbers and rates over time, both on the modern rural trunk road schemes used in the models, and also on the network of all non-built-up trunk and principal roads, to determine how these trends could be explained by changes in design standards, on-going minor improvements, improvements due to vehicle design and driver behaviour, and increasing traffic flows. (A)
New Innovative Intermodal Rail Freight Paradigm

This paper describes how new innovative intermodal rail freight paradigm highlights existing issues in the rail freight transport based on the market needs, and the paper proposes an innovative solution for small shipments and/or short distances. The proposed solution is based on a combination of well-known solutions and improvements in organization. An ideal freight transport technology for small shipments and/or short distances is a "truck on the rail", which can be coupled to a long train formation and uncoupled to a single, self-propelled, bi-directional, fast moving railway-truck(s), loaded/unloaded by using innovative transhipment technologies and performing the transport under the same driving priority conditions as passenger trains.
Discourse Function

Taking a slightly different perspective on reference compared to the previous chapter, this chapter considers nominal and verbal gerunds in light of their discourse-functional behavior. It is argued that nouns and verbs have a different status as referents in discourse. Nouns (or nominals) serve as discourse participants, while verbs serve as relators between participants in the clauses they head. As a result, nominals tend to be anaphorically tracked in their entirety, while clauses are anaphorically accessed for their internal participants (e.g. Helping refugees is important. [It is the right thing to do] vs. [They need your help]). Nominal gerunds seem to increasingly resemble prototypical nominals in this respect, while verbal gerunds retain a clause-like internal accessibility.
Reinforcement Learning in Ship Handling

: This paper presents the idea of using machine learning techniques to simulate and demonstrate learning behaviour in ship manoeuvring. Simulated model of ship is treated as an agent, which through environmental sensing learns itself to navigate through restricted waters selecting an optimum trajectory. Learning phase of the task is to observe current state and choose one of the available actions. The agent gets positive reward for reaching destination and negative reward for hitting an obstacle. Few reinforcement learning algorithms are considered. Experimental results based on simulation program are presented for different layouts of possible routes within restricted area
Developing organisational design criteria in the redesign of an Irish higher education institution

This paper outlines the first phase of a process of re-design strategy that was undertaken in an Irish higher education institution. The re-design strategy was undertaken prior to a merger of three autonomous higher education institutions in the Dublin area. The strategy undertaken comprised three main phases: identification and consideration of design criteria; short-listing and consideration of design options; and finally, the development and selection of the most appropriate design option. This paper focuses mainly on the first phase of the process undertaken: the identification and consideration of design criteria.
An Analysis on Cases of Fashion Collaboration Strategy

The purpose of this study is to analyze the various types and areas of recent collaborations in fashion industry and to find the utility value of collaboration. Seventy seven cases of fashion collaboration marketing strategies were selected from officially announced literature survey and enterprises information around the world. Among the seventy seven cases of fashion collaboration surveyed in this study, collaboration with other fields made up 59.7 percent, collaboration between the same fashion categories made up 40.3 percent. Among the areas of other fields, collaboration with IT(Information Technology) or Motor enterprises were included and made up 36.4 percent. Collaborations with Culture and art world that fashion brands collaborate with world-renowned industrial designer or artist and star entertainers were also included and made up 23.3 percent. Among the areas of the same categories, collaboration of fashion designer and sports or casual brand made up 22.1 percent. Collaborations of home shopping mall and fashion designer made up 18.2 percent. Collaboration cases surveyed in this study were classified according to three types; co-product development, co-branding, and co-marketing. Collaboration for co-product development made up 72.7 percent. Collaboration for co-branding made up 27.3 percent. Collaboration for co-marketing made up 37.7 percent. These collaboration marketing strategies are very efficient to upgrade brand image and cut the marketing cost by creating new target, product, brand, and promotion through successful partnerships. Therefore, much more various types and areas of fashion collaborations should be developed to create something new for future consumers.
Improved Stress Intensity Solutions Developed for the Multiple Site Damage Scenario: Two Unequal Through Cracks on Either Side of an Open Hole, Multiple Through Cracks, and Through Cracks Approaching an Open Hole

Abstract : This report documents work performed to develop new, improved stress intensity factor (K) solutions for geometries that may be useful as components of a more complex solution for the multi-site damage geometry. These solutions include: * Two, unequal through cracks on either side of an open hole in an infinite plate * Multiple through cracks along a plane in an infinite plate * Through crack approaching an open hole in an infinite plate. The solutions were developed using existing handbook solutions (where possible) and were modified as needed based on K-solutions obtained from finite element (FE) validation models. A wide range of geometric parameters, compatible with typical hole spacing values used in actual aircraft structures, were used for the FE models. The improved solutions for all three cases are shown to be within 3 percent of the FE model results obtained as a part of this effort. The majority of the cases are within 1 percent of these results.
Power reduction of a CMOS high speed interface using Clock Gating

The evolution of human being consciousness changed the way we look at the world in which we live in. Motivated by economical and environmental issues, the word "efficient" became more relevant in our daily lives. The semiconductor industry, especially for the digital domain, has been driven by the need to improve the processing speed and reduce the fabrication cost of integrated circuits. This was the trend before the explosion of mobile devices through the recent years gone by, which led to a race for higher clock speeds and smaller feature sizes. These higher commutation ratios, higher leakage power derived from the use of these smaller technologies and lower threshold voltages translates in higher power consumption, which impacts negatively in several performance metrics at the system level, being the autonomy of mobile devices one of the most important design goals nowadays. The concept of "Low Power Design Project" emerged to, somehow, solve this problem. Scientists and Engineers gathered forces to create and implement techniques to be introduced in the normal Digital Systems Design Flow. This work was developed in partnership with Synopsys, one of the world’s leader in Electronic Design Automated Tools and provider of digital and mixed signal IP (Intellectual Property) blocks used in the design, verification and manufacturing of electronic systems digital, this work fits in this context, and aims to study and implement a low power design technique known by Clock Gating, in a high speed digital interface. It was important to practice with the Project Flow and Tools used in the Company in order to understand where and when Clock Gating must be inserted and/or validated. To implement automatic Clock Gating insertion as one of the main goals of this work, it was necessary to slightly modify the standard Project Flow, and, additionally was created a generic automatic first evaluation of Clock Gating gains using scripts developed Python and Cshell. This evaluation process proved to be decisive to achieve better clock gating usage and efficiency. All the Project Flow, even modified, was ran and the result were a physical implementation of the interface. This implementation, as a final and well characterized implementation by all sign-off tools and technology libraries, was analysed using dedicated and specialized Synopsys tools to validate the circuit functionality and evaluate the power consumption gains based on simulations considering realistic operating conditions. Finally, the results were confronted and evaluated with a non Clock Gating interface physical implementation.
Slow zones: their impact on mode choices and travel behaviour

Given that the safety impacts of traffic management measures, including their effect on traffic speed, have been reasonably well-established, this reports explores the potential impact of such treatments on mode choice and travel behaviour such as travel patterns. The term 'slow zone' treatment or programme was created to generically describe the aim of any programme that modified the physical road environment in such a way it would moderate driver behaviour, slow vehicle traffic, and/or improve the environment of the neighbourhood. An evaluability assessment framework was adopted as the methodological approach for this research project. Evaluability assessment is a systematic process that helps identify whether a planned programme evaluation is justified, feasible and likely to provide useful information. In the first stage of an assessment, one output is an evidence-based logic model. In completing the tasks for this stage, it was found that the evidence review did not allow the development of a comprehensive logic model as planned, because it was not possible to clearly identify slow zone programme 'best practice(s)' for facilitating mode shifts or changes in transport mode use. Hence, less detailed guidance for a monitoring framework to help collect appropriate outcome and impact data was developed.
Bayesian inference methods in operational risk

Under the Advanced Measurement Approach (AMA), banks must use four different sources of information to assess their operational risk capital requirement. The three main quantitative sources available to build the future loss distribution are internal loss data, external loss data and scenario analysis. The fourth source, business environment and internal control factors, is treated as an ex-post update to capital calculations and is not a subject of this thesis. Ap- proaches from Extreme Value Theory (EVT) have gained popularity in the area of operational risk in recent years, with its focus on the behaviour of processes at extreme levels making it a natural candidate for operational risk modelling. However, the adoption of EVT in operational risk modelling has encountered several obstacles with the main one being the scarcity of data leading to substantial statistical uncertainty for both parameter and capital estimates. This Master thesis evaluates Bayesian Inference approaches to extreme value estimation and implements a method to reduce these uncertainties. The results indicate that the Bayesian Inference approaches gives a significant reduction of the statistical uncertainties compared to more traditional estimators and also performs well when applied on real-world data sets.
Mechanism for Self-Reacted Friction Stir Welding

A mechanism has been designed to apply the loads (the stirring and the resection forces and torques) in self-reacted friction stir welding. This mechanism differs somewhat from mechanisms used in conventional friction stir welding, as described below. The tooling needed to apply the large reaction loads in conventional friction stir welding can be complex. Self-reacted friction stir welding has become popular in the solid-state welding community as a means of reducing the complexity of tooling and to reduce costs. The main problems inherent in self-reacted friction stir welding originate in the high stresses encountered by the pin-and-shoulder assembly that produces the weld. The design of the present mechanism solves the problems. The mechanism includes a redesigned pin-and-shoulder assembly. The welding torque is transmitted into the welding pin by a square pin that fits into a square bushing with set-screws. The opposite or back shoulder is held in place by a Woodruff key and high-strength nut on a threaded shaft. The Woodruff key reacts the torque, while the nut reacts the tensile load on the shaft.
Localisation of wireless sensor nodes in confined industrial processes

Work described in this thesis is concerned with localisation techniques, for determining the position, of wireless sensors whilst these are immersed in confined industrial processes, such as those occurring in the chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing industries. Two different approaches to localisation were investigated. The first approach employed an existing hardware system that used ultra wide band (UWB) signals whist the second approach used a network localisation method based on information from narrow-band received signals. A prototype UWB-based localisation algorithm processed experimental received UWB pulses to detect their leading edges (LE) that were used to derive Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) data. In turn TDoA data were converted into distances and used to compute the locations of the sensor nodes. Nevertheless, the process of detecting the LEs caused significant errors in the localisation process. To deal with this problem new automated adaptive LE detection methods were derived that succeeded in reducing localisation errors by half, compared to the prototype method, reaching accuracies of �2cm. Thorough analysis of TDoA profiles revealed that these follow specific trends depending on the positions of the sensor nodes. A number of properties of TDoA profiles are proved mathematically and incorporated into seven localisation algorithms. These algorithms were examined using experimental TDoA data and shown to achieve average localisation errors up to 3cm. Network-based localisation was examined at a later stage of this research since complexities of large scale measurements and difficulties with equipment, delayed acquiring experimental data. The deployed network consisted of a number of nodes whose positions were known (anchors) that were used to estimate the positions of sensor nodes whose positions where considered to be unknown. Localisation was based on received signal strength (RSS) data, at every node to be localised, in anticipation that RSS could provide distance information that could be used in the localisation procedure. Nevertheless, fluctuations in RSS only allowed using localisation algorithms that associated RSS to the positions of anchors. The average localisation error in the network-based localisation algorithms was between 30cm to 100cm.
Improving Research Patient Data Repositories From a Health Data Industry Viewpoint

Organizational, administrative, and educational challenges in establishing and sustaining biomedical data science infrastructures lead to the inefficient use of Research Patient Data Repositories (RPDRs). The challenges, including but not limited to deployment, sustainability, cost optimization, collaboration, governance, security, rapid response, reliability, stability, scalability, and convenience, restrict each other and may not be naturally alleviated through traditional hardware upgrades or protocol enhancements. This article attempts to borrow data science thinking and practices in the business realm, which we call the data industry viewpoint, to improve RPDRs.
The impact of climate change on birder destination loyalty: examining changes in bird resources

ABSTRACT Climate change has had a considerable impact on bird activities; however, it remains unclear how birders perceive the effects of climate change and whether their perceptions affect their loyalty to birding destinations. Based on the cognitive appraisal theory of emotions, this study constructs a destination loyalty model driven by the perception that bird resources have changed and place attachment of birders. We collected 252 valid questionnaires at five well-known birding destinations in China, including Baihualing in Yunnan, Nonggang in Guangxi, Chengdu in Sichuan, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong to test the proposed model. The study indicated four important findings. First, when climate change caused significant changes in bird migration time as perceived by birders, their loyalty to birding destinations was significantly reduced. Second, when mediated by place attachment, changes in bird migration time, population and distribution/habitat had negative impacts on loyalty to birding destinations. Third, the change in bird departure time had the greatest impact on birding destination loyalty. Finally, the change in bird distribution/habitat in a city had the greatest impact on place attachment than changes in migration time and population of birds. Specific theoretical and practical implications are provided.
Using Flipped Instruction in a Technology-enhanced Learning Environment: The Case for Scaffolding

This article examined the effect of designed conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive scaffolding on team performance during an Enterprise Resource Planning simulation (ERPsim) in the flipped classroom. The scaffolds were embedded in an ERPsim learning unit within a flipped classroom to support student inquiry and team performance. The 120 participants in a randomized control group consisted of undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory supply chain management class designed with flipped instruction. The results revealed that the designed scaffolds had a statistically significant positive effect on the team results during each quarter of the simulation. The results have implications for instructors who use flipped instruction and for technology-enhanced learning environments (TELEs). These results indicate that scaffolding substantially increased the performance of teams. Although flipped instruction is an engaging teaching methodology, offering students additional scaffolding with flipped teaching can lead to better understanding of course concepts.
More than generic skills: Systematic Integrated Learning Advisers (SILA) supporting first year students in low retention courses

This paper describes an innovative academic support program known as the Systematic Integrated Learning Adviser (SILA) program. The preliminary findings from the initial evaluation of the pilot program are discussed and a number of successes and challenges are identified. This study highlights possibilities for improved outcomes for both students and teaching staff when an integrated and embedded approach to the provision of learning support is undertaken in a systematic manner.
Paleoproteomics

Paleoproteomics, the study of ancient proteins, is a rapidly growing field at the intersection of molecular biology, paleontology, archaeology, paleoecology, and history. Paleoproteomics research leverages the longevity and diversity of proteins to explore fundamental questions about the past. While its origins predate the characterization of DNA, it was only with the advent of soft ionization mass spectrometry that the study of ancient proteins became truly feasible. Technological gains over the past 20 years have allowed increasing opportunities to better understand preservation, degradation, and recovery of the rich bioarchive of ancient proteins found in the archaeological and paleontological records. Growing from a handful of studies in the 1990s on individual highly abundant ancient proteins, paleoproteomics today is an expanding field with diverse applications ranging from the taxonomic identification of highly fragmented bones and shells and the phylogenetic resolution of extinct species to the exploration of past cuisines from dental calculus and pottery food crusts and the characterization of past diseases. More broadly, these studies have opened new doors in understanding past human–animal interactions, the reconstruction of past environments and environmental changes, the expansion of the hominin fossil record through large scale screening of nondiagnostic bone fragments, and the phylogenetic resolution of the vertebrate fossil record. Even with these advances, much of the ancient proteomic record still remains unexplored. Here we provide an overview of the history of the field, a summary of the major methods and applications currently in use, and a critical evaluation of current challenges. We conclude by looking to the future, for which innovative solutions and emerging technology will play an important role in enabling us to access the still unexplored “dark” proteome, allowing for a fuller understanding of the role ancient proteins can play in the interpretation of the past.
Electrothermal device-to-circuit interactions for half THz SiGe∶C HBT technologies

The power generate by modern silicon germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) can produce large thermal gradients across the silicon substrate. The device opering temperature modifies model parameters and can significantly affect circuit operation. This work characterizes and models self-heating and thermal coupling in SiGe HBTs. The self-heating effect is evaluated with low frequency and pulsed measurements. A novel pulse measurement system is presented that allows isothermal DC and RF measurements with 100ns pulses. Electrothermal intra- and inter-device feedback is extensively studied and the impact on the performance of two analog circuits is evaluated. Novel test structures are designed and fabricated to measure thermal coupling between single transistors (inter-device) as well as between the emitter stripes of a multi-finger transistor (intra-device). Thermal coupling factors are extracted from measurements and from 3D thermal simulations. Thermally coupled simulations of a ring oscillator (RO) with 218 transistors and of a 60GHz power amplifier (PA) are carried out. Current mode logic (CML) ROs are designed and measured. Layout optimizations lead to record gate delay of 1.65ps. The thermal performance of a 60GHz power amplifier is compared when realized with a multi-transistor array (MTA) and with a multi-finger trasistor (MFT). Finally, perspectives of this work within a CAD based circuit design environment are discussed.