Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distinctions in source regions and formation mechanisms of secondary aerosol in Beijing from summer to winter

Abstract. To investigate the sources and evolution of haze pollution in different seasons, long-term (from 15 August to 4 December 2015) variations in chemical composition of PM1 were characterized in Beijing, China. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis with a multi-linear engine (ME-2) resolved three primary and two secondary organic aerosol (OA) sources, including hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), cooking OA (COA), coal combustion OA (CCOA), local secondary OA (LSOA) and regional SOA (RSOA). The sulfate source region analysis implies that sulfate was mainly transported at a large regional scale in late summer, while local and/or nearby sulfate formation may be more important in winter. Meanwhile, distinctly different correlations between sulfate and RSOA or LSOA (i.e., better correlation with RSOA in late summer, similar correlations with RSOA and LSOA in autumn, and close correlation with LSOA in early winter) confirmed the regional characteristic of RSOA and local property of LSOA. Secondary aerosol species including secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA – sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium) and SOA (LSOA and RSOA) dominated PM1 during all three seasons. In particular, SOA contributed 46 % to total PM1 (with 31 % as RSOA) in late summer, whereas SIA contributed 41 % and 45 % to total PM1 in autumn and early winter, respectively. Enhanced contributions of secondary species (66 %–76 % of PM1) were also observed in pollution episodes during all three seasons, further emphasizing the importance of secondary formation processes in haze pollution in Beijing. Combining chemical composition and meteorological data, our analyses suggest that both photochemical oxidation and aqueous-phase processing played important roles in SOA formation during all three seasons, while for sulfate formation, gas-phase photochemical oxidation was the major pathway in late summer, aqueous-phase reactions were more responsible during early winter and both processes had contributions during autumn.
Photocatalytic post-treatment in waste water reclamation systems

A photocatalytic water purification process is described which effectively oxidizes organic impurities common to reclaimed waste waters and humidity condensates to carbon dioxide at ambient temperatures. With this process, total organic carbon concentrations below 500 ppb are readily achieved. The temperature dependence of the process is well described by the Arrhenius equation and an activation energy barrier of 3.5 Kcal/mole. The posttreatment approach for waste water reclamation described here shows potential for integration with closed-loop life support systems.
Alignment in Organisations: Does an Interpretative Perspective Lead to a Better Understanding of the Subject?

This article discusses the concept of alignment and the different domains in which it is used. The standard functionalist perspective on alignment hampers our understanding of this concept. We therefore put forward a social constructionist approach to conducting research into alignment. Using this as a basis, we substantiate a proposition that by examining the restrictive influence of themes on collective sense-making, the degree of alignment can also be investigated. On this basis, we have drafted a framework which could facilitate the study of alignment in organisations. We recommend that further research be conducted to investigate how themes influence the degree of alignment in different organisations so that comparative studies can be carried out on this topic.
Development of PlastoLock overtube with temperature controlled rigidity for colonoscopy

To diagnose and treat colon cancer a colonoscopy is usually performed. Current colonoscopy is performed by advancing a colonoscope (scope) through the tortuous colon. However, the flexible scope often buckles when advanced. This can cause discomfort and pain for the patient and can make the examination of the colon difficult for the endoscopist. Guiding the scope, with an overtube that has a controllable rigidity, when the scope is advanced could reduce these problems. The rigidity of the overtube should be switched between a flexible state, that allows the insertion of the overtube, and a rigidified state that provides sufficient support to the scope. The PlastoLock overtube utilizes the glass transition of Purasorb© PLC 7015 (PLC). By changing the temperature of its PLC components from 43 to 5°C, the PlastoLock overtube is reversibly rigidified. A physical test model of the PlastoLock overtube shaft was developed and its stiffness at 43 and 5°C was determined. The tests showed a reliable, reversible and fast change in stiffness. The stiffness of the test model in flexible state is sufficiently low. However, the stiffness of the rigidified test model is insufficient. A larger change in stiffness was found when testing the test model submerged in water compared to passing water through the PLC components. The measured stiffnesses were considerably below expectation. Possible causes for this discrepancy were investigated, but require further testing to confirm. These future tests should also indicate whether the stiffness of the rigidified test model can be increased.
CARACTERIZACIÓN DE LA DUCTILIDAD Y DEL COMPORTAMIENTO MECÁNICO A VELOCIDAD DE DEFORMACIÓN VARIABLE DE HORMIGONES DE ALTA RESISTENCIA

Abstract . We investigate the mechanical behavior of high strength concrete in compression and tested in strain control. The tests are performed at four strain rates that go from 1.5x10 -3 to 5.0x10 -8 s -1 . Our results allow us to quantify the ductility of this particular concrete. For instance, the strain at maximum load is bigger than in the case of normal concrete specimens used as a reference. Besides, the energy density required to fully exhaust the carrying capacity of the high strength material is 70% bigger than that of the reference. In this sense we can af-firm that our high strength concrete is more ductile than conventional concrete. Nonetheless, its characteristic length is half of that of the reference, which means that our high strength concrete would behave in a brittle fashion in damage processes where fracture is dominant. Areas tematicas propuestas: Aplicaciones Practicas en Ingenieria. Palabras clave: Hormigon de Alta Resistencia, Ductilidad, Velocidad de Deformacion Variable.
Investigating Benefits of IntelliDriveSM in Freeway Operations--Lane Changing Advisory Case Study

Merging conflicts created by freeway on-ramps contribute significantly to freeway congestion. Although the need to address merging conflicts is evident, transportation engineers have limited options with existing traffic surveillance and management tools. Fortunately, IntelliDriveSM, the integration of vehicles and the infrastructure through wireless communication, offers the potential for much more active management of the surface transportation system, providing capabilities that may be of significant benefit in ramp management. Given this background, in this research, a lane changing advisory algorithm was developed to explore the potential of IntelliDriveSM in improving freeway ramp management. Utilizing new IntelliDriveSM capabilities (highly detailed individual vehicular data and personalized advisory information provision), the proposed algorithm attempts to reduce merging conflicts by encouraging early mainline freeway lane changes to create more space in ramp merging areas. An evaluation of the algorithm was conducted using a PARAMICS microscopic simulation model of a heavily traveled freeway network in Orange County, California, for morning peak hours. The results have revealed that IntelliDriveSM has significant potential in improving freeway operations. More specifically, the lane changing advisory algorithm improved the network performance by enabling 4.3% more vehicle miles traveled while reducing vehicle hours traveled by 4.6%, which resulted in 9.3% higher average speeds.
Freight Trip Generation and Land Use

This report provides a comprehensive discussion of how the freight system, and specifically freight trip generation and land use, relate. The report consolidates available freight trip generation models in an electronic database to assist practitioners interested in using these models; identifies the most appropriate approaches to develop and apply freight trip generation models; and estimates establishment-level freight trip generation models in a number of case studies. The case studies confirm the superiority of economic classification systems over standard land use classification systems as the foundation for estimating freight trip generation.
Finding of No Significant Impact: Replacement of Chemical Cleaning Line Tinker Air Force Base Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Abstract : An Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared to assess the potential effects on the human and natural environment of replacing the chemical cleaning line at Tinker Air Force Base (AFB) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This action would remedy the current inadequacy of the existing chemical cleaning line to accommodate larger engine parts and future workload. Replacement of the existing cleaning line would provide a more energy-efficient operation that would reduce water and chemical use, generate cost savings for overall cleaning line system operations, and accommodate larger engine parts.
Accessibility planning in American metropolitan areas: Are we there yet?

Transportation-planning researchers have long argued that the end goal of a transportation system is increasing accessibility, or opportunities for individuals to meet their daily needs, but that US practice tends to focus on increasing mobility, or opportunities to travel farther and faster. This study finds evidence that the gap between theory and practice may be closing when it comes to accessibility, but that significant barriers still exist to the wider adoption of the accessibility paradigm among metropolitan planning organisations, the main entities responsible for regional transportation planning in the USA. We measure this gap by creating an accessibility index based on content analysis of a nationally representative sample of 42 US regional transportation plans (RTPs). We then use regression-tree analysis to determine the characteristics of metropolitan areas that are most likely to employ accessibility concepts. Finally, we identify barriers to a wider adoption of the accessibility paradigm. Most RTPs include accessibility-related goals, but few define the term or use accessibility-oriented performance measures. The lack of clarity on accessibility leaves vehicle speed as the fundamental criterion for success in most plans. Our analysis finds that MPOs serving large regions with high per capita income are the most likely to produce plans that focus on accessibility. We argue that such places produce more accessibility-oriented RTPs because they have greater planning capacity and recommend changes to federal planning guidelines that could speed the adoption of the accessibility paradigm in RTPs.
IEEE 802.11a standard uyumlu, RF alıcı-verici alt-blok devrelerinin gerçeklenmesi

Bu calismanin amaci IEEE 802.11a standardi ile uyumlu, yuksek performansli, dusuk maliyetli, aliciverici sisteminin alt unitelerini gerceklemektir. Alici-verici sisteminin parcalari olan, ozgun Dusuk guclu kuvvetlendirici (LNA), Gerilim Kontrollu Osilator (VCO), Karistirici (Mixer), ve Guc Kuvvetlendiricisi (Power amplifier - PA). Devreler, Cadence ve ADS tasarim / simulasyon /modelleme ortamlari kullanilarak, Austria Micro Systems (AMS) 0.35´m SiGe BiCMOS HBT teknolojisi ile tasarlanmis / gerceklestirilmistir. VCO ve LNA devreleri urettirilmis ve test edilmis, Mixer ve PA uretime gonderilmek uzere tasarlanip/optimize edilmistir.
Size Matters at LaGuardia

This article describes strategies that carriers have devised to maximize profits for carriers flying into and out of LaGuardia, which is constrained by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) slot allocation method and limits flights to 75 per hour. Using smaller regional jets that can be filled reliably is one successful tactic. Since 2000, the average aircraft has shrunk from 110 to 98 seats. Regional jets arriving from medium and large hub airports have increased by more than 50 percent since August 2001. But the facilities on the ground are under-utilized, prompting the FAA to propose a new system that would force airlines to give up slots unless they used larger airplanes. It would replace the slot system with “operating authorizations. ” Airlines are still formulating their responses, but they are not pleased about mandated numbers of seats on their flights. Another longer-term approach would be to auction the slots, letting the market set prices for landing fees and allowing the airlines to sort out the best approach for them.
PORT SELECTION CRITERIA: AN APPLICATION OF A TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

This paper develops a framework for classifying existing transportation choice research by using two dimensions: the decision(s) being researched and the respondent's role(s) in the decision process. Following a discussion of this framework, the paper then presents the results of an empirical study involving a single decision (international water port selection) evaluated by multiple participants (larger and smaller shippers, international water carriers, international water ports, international freight forwarders) in global trade. Both univariate and multivariate analyses indicate that port selection factors are evaluated differently by various participants in international commerce. The paper concludes by discussing possible implications of these divergent views.
Obtención del Valor Genético Predicho en Animales Incluyendo el Efecto del Medio Ambiente Permanente

The genetic improvement of the animals based in productive records and genealogical information, is a fundamental mechanism to increase the economic income of the commercial farms, through the estimation of the predicted breeding values (VGP’s). The VGP’s allows the identification of animals genetically superior to be used as parents of the next generation. In many parts of the world the best linear unbiased predictor procedure (MPLI) is used as an animal model, for its appropriate properties, to obtain the VGP’s. In these models the permanent environment effect is usually included in order to increase the accuracy of the VGP’s. In this work a developed example is presented using supposed data to obtain VGP’s with the MPLI procedure and an animal model where the methodology, interpretation and use of the VGP’s are shown.
Chinese economic planning and input-output analysis

Input-output analysis is relatively recent in China, but has, since its beginnings there in the 1960s, expanded rapidly in terms of both theoretical developments and empiricial applications. The contributors to this text, who themselves helped to initiate input-output research at national, regional and local enterprise level, document the diversity of work currently being undertaken in China. The book also provides a detailed analysis of the application of input-output work to planning at all levels.
The effect of ageing on the control of toe clearance during walking

Increased tripping frequency and the associated risk of falling is an international health problem in older adult populations. The average distance between the toe and the ground surface is approximately 1.3cm at the event where the toe reaches a minimum clearance height during leg swing of walking (Winter 1991, Begg et al. 2007). Little is known about how the lower limbs are controlled and coordinated to perform safe (risk-averse) toe-to-ground clearance. This thesis investigates the kinematic interactions of the lower limbs during unperturbed walking with a specific emphasis on examining the cooperative interactions of the stance and swing limb.
Immunohistochemical Expression

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is an ancillary method, widely used in pathologist practice, that allows to identify diagnostic and prognostic/predictive therapeutic response protein markers on tissue samples by the use of specific monoclonal antibodies and chromogenic substances that guarantee the visualization of the antibody–antigene binding complex under the light microscope [. ]
Bioactivities of stem bark of Albizia chinensis Osbeck. Merr., Chakua Koroi of Bangladesh

Merr. (Family: Fabaceae) is quite abundant in Bangladesh. The plant has a history of its traditional use in scorpion and snake bite. This investigation was designed to analyze the analgesic, anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory potentials along with sleep inducing property of the crude methanol extract of stem bark of Albizia chinensis Osbeck. Merr. Peripheral analgesic activity was evaluated by inducing pain through intraperitoneal administration of acetic acid in writhing test. Tail-flick test protocol was followed to determine central analgesic activity. The tail flicking response to thermal stimulus was measured in this assay. A. chinensis extract was also tested for anti-diarrheal activity by inducing castor oil-induced diarrhea in Swiss albino mice model. Phenobarbitone-sodium induced sleeping time was determined to assess CNS depressant activity. The crude methanol extract (400 mg/kg body weight) demonstrated 85.71% inhibition of writhing as compared to 74.49% by diclofenac sodium. The crude extract (400 mg/kg dose) reduced diarrheal feces by 69.05% and revealed 53.03% elongation of the reaction time after 30 min of administration in tail flick test. At the same dose, the crude methanol extract exhibited 91.49% inhibition of rat paw edema at the 4 th h of carrageenan injection. The phytocomponents responsible for observed activity should be isolated and involved in further assessment.
MOBILE ROBOTICS TEACHING USING ARDUINO AND ROS

Robotics teaching is nowadays limited by the expensiveness of the electronic material required. In this paper, a new low-cost, user friendly robotic system has been developed. This system provides an advanced mobile robotics teaching frame using cheap hardware and software resources. This platform consists on a little mobile robot able to navigate through the environment avoiding obstacles and performing a map of its surrounding. This system performs these tasks using open hardware and software tools. The robot, made from an Arduino board, cheap sensors, motors and wheels, has been programmed using C++ language on Arduino and ROS. The system communicates in real time with a PC where the map is drawn using OpenCV libraries. Regarding to the hardware, the robot has the structure of a PopBot-168 Arduino kit, which consists of a circular structure and two motors connected to their corresponding wheels. The robot also has two encoders and a magnetometer to perform location task. The processor is an Arduino Mega board. The system features two infrared sensors that get the distances of robot’s environment in every directions due to a servomotor that moves them. The developed robot is able to perform a map of its environment and draw it in a computer. The communication between the robot and the computer is performed using ROS. This project has managed to introduce a ROS node on the Arduino board. In the computer there are another two nodes, one for draw the map and another which decide where to move. Finally, as experimental results, an example of how the robot works building a 2-dimensional reconstruction from an environment is shown. Students can learn about the problem of auto-location and other difficulties due to robotics itself. It is also a very good mechanism to learn from the beginning to design, assemble and program a mobile robot; use and gather data from the sensors.
Manipulator or magician: Is there a free lunch?

We report on research into outcomes that emerge when MAPLE software forms a central component of both the lecture presentation and laboratory activity in a first-year undergraduate mathematics course. We have noted an increase in both the number and type of questions asked by students compared with conventionally taught classes, and have identified factors associated with a symbolic manipulator environment that appear to link with task demand and student success. While enabling capable students to move faster and further, our evidence suggests that the use of such software does not compensate for, replace, nor render irrelevant, flaws in mathematical background.
Optimal Projection Pattern for Active Visual Servoing (AVS)

Visual servo control uses images that are obtained by a camera for robotic control. This study focuses on the problem of positioning a target object using a robotic manipulator with image-based visual servo (IBVS) control. To perform the positioning task, the image-based visual servoing requires visual features that can be extracted from the appearance of the target object. Therefore, a positioning error tends to increase especially for textureless objects, such as industrial parts. Since it is difficult to extract differences of the visual features between current and goal images. To solve these problems, this paper presents a novel visual servoing named ``Active Visual Servoing. " Active Visual Servoing (AVS) projects patterned light onto the target object using a projector. The design of the projection pattern affects the positioning error. AVS uses an optimal pattern which is theoretically derived and maximizes differences between current and goal images. The experimental results show that the proposed active visual servoing method reduces the positioning error by more than 97% compared to conventional image-based visual servoing.
Nutritional status and birth outcomes among pregnant teenagers in Ghana

Background: Inadequate nutritional status during pregnancy can lead to adverse birth outcomes but this is more so for pregnant adolescents as they require nutrients to meet their needs for growth and that of the foetus. The study examined the relationship between nutritional status and birth outcomes among Ghanaian teenagers in rural and urban districts of the Ashanti Region, Ghana.Methods In this prospective cohort study, 416 pregnant teenagers recruited at hospitals/health centres during antenatal care were followed until delivery. Data on weight, height (for body mass index), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and nutrients intake using a repeated 24-hour dietary recall were determined. Blood samples were also taken and analysed for haemoglobin (Hb), serum levels of ferritin, prealbumin, vitamin A, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP). Birth weight, gestational age at birth, type of delivery, and outcome of delivery were collected as each teenager gave birth. Data were analysed using Chi-square (Fisher’s exact) analysis, t-test, two-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression. Results: 15.9% had low birth weight, 12.5% had preterm birth, 11.5% had a postpartum haemorrhage, and 3.1% neonatal deaths. Majority of the participants had inadequate intakes of energy (81.4%), protein (77.2%), vitamins A (97.1%) and E (97.7%), calcium (99.8%), iron (97.6%), folate (93.0%), zinc (83.7%), riboflavin (88.4%), thiamin (74.4%), and fiber (74.4%) intakes. Anaemia and wasting prevalence were 57.1% and 27.8%. Between-subject effects determined using Generalized Linear Modelling indicated MUAC (p=0.058), and gestational age at delivery (p=0.023) significantly affected birth weight. A multiple linear regression analysis indicated MUAC (β=0.283, p=0.002), BMI (β=0.221, p=0.015), gestational age (β=0.285, p<0.001), and ZPP (β=0.131, p=0.057) were significantly associated with birth weight (F(23, 223), P=0.008, R2=1.941). Conclusions: Inadequate nutrients intake, anaemia, and LBW were found in these pregnant teenagers. Maternal MUAC, gestational age, and serum ZPP were associated with birth weight. Interventions for improving the nutritional status of teenagers before and during pregnancy are urgently needed to reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes.