Improving functional form in cross-sectional regression studies to capture the non-linear safety effects of roadway attributes—Freeway median width case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 106130
Author(s):  
Alireza Jafari Anarkooli ◽  
Bhagwant Persaud ◽  
Craig Lyon
Keyword(s):  
Functional Form ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Median Width

Impacts of Sample Preparation Methodology on TEM Failure Analysis of Advanced Semiconductor Devices

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongkai Zhou ◽  
Jie Zhu ◽  
Han Wei Teo ◽  
ACT Quah ◽  
Lei Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Thickness Measurement ◽  
Interface Roughness ◽  
Silicide Formation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Inspection Method ◽  
Low Mass

Abstract In this paper, two failure analysis case studies are presented to demonstrate the importance of sample preparation procedures to successful failure analyses. Case study 1 establishes that Palladium (Pd) cannot be used as pre-FIB coating for SiO2 thickness measurement due to the spontaneously Pd silicide formation at the SiO2/Si interface. Platinum (Pt) is thus recommended, in spite of the Pt/SiO2 interface roughness, as the pre-FIB coating in this application. In the second case study, the dual-directional TEM inspection method is applied to characterize the profile of the “invisible” tungsten residue defect. The tungsten residue appears invisible in the planeview specimen due to the low mass-thickness contrast. It is then revealed in the cross-sectional TEM inspection.

scholarly journals Unexpected Diversity in Regenerating Sites Stresses the Importance of Baselines: A Case Study With Bats (Order Chiroptera) on the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 194008292110281
Author(s):  
Elène Haave-Audet ◽  
Doris Audet ◽  
Michelle Monge-Velazquez ◽  
Eleanor Flatt ◽  
Andrew Whitworth
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Restoration ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Baseline Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Osa Peninsula ◽  
The Family ◽  
Aerial Insectivores ◽  
Baseline State

Introduction: Background and Research Aims: Assessing biodiversity recovery is key to determine whether the objectives of habitat restoration for conservation are met. Many restoration initiatives use cross-sectional comparisons of wildlife communities to infer restoration impact instead of longitudinal assessments from a baseline state. Using an indicator of biodiversity in the neotropics— bats— we demonstrate how assessing community diversity and composition in an area targeted for restoration prior to implementation, and when compared to surrounding intact forest, provides the groundwork to track changes in the community post-restoration. Methods We assessed bat communities by 1) using mist-net surveys to identify species in the family Phyllostomidae (leaf-nosed bats), and 2) conducting acoustic surveys to identify non-phyllostomid species (aerial insectivores). Results For both groups, we found that areas targeted for restoration had similar diversity as the surrounding forest, but the two habitat types differed in community composition. Phyllostomids were captured at higher rates in forest, but aerial insectivores were detected at higher rates in restoration habitat. Conclusion Our baseline assessment revealed unexpected diversity in areas targeted for restoration. The presence of all trophic groups in restoration habitat suggests that bats provide key ecosystem services in the restoration process, such as through seed dispersal, pollination and insect pest control. Implications for Conservation: Conducting a baseline survey of bats in areas targeted for restoration demonstrated that the community was not species poor at the baseline and was different from the surrounding forest, allowing us to better track restoration success and the effects of different restoration treatments.

scholarly journals Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Capability: A Case Study of the Hanoi Primary Healthcare System

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117863292110192
Author(s):  
Minh Van Hoang ◽  
Anh Tuan Tran ◽  
Trang Thu Vu ◽  
Tuan Kim Duong
Keyword(s):  
Public Information ◽  
Enabling Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Emergency Operations ◽  
The Us ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Issue Public ◽  
Analytical Frameworks

This study examined the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preparedness and response of the health system (HS) in Hanoi, Vietnam, and identified enabling factors and barriers. This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted in 4 urban and peri-urban districts that included some wards with COVID-19-positive cases and some without. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analytical frameworks were used. Overall, 10% of health facilities (HFs) failed to fully implement COVID-19 risk determination; 8.8% failed to fully implement stronger community partnerships with local stakeholders to support public health (PH) preparedness; 35% and 2.5% incompletely implemented and did not implement evaluation of PH emergency operations, respectively; 10% did not identify communication channels to issue public information, alerts, warnings, and notifications; 25% incompletely implemented identification, development of guidance, and standards for information; 72.5% had good preventive and treatment collaboration; and 10% did not fully implement procedures for laboratory testing and reporting results. Enablers included sufficient infrastructure and equipment, strong leadership, and good cross-public-sector collaboration with police and military forces. Barriers included workforce constraints, overburdened and inconsistent reporting systems, inappropriate financial mechanisms, ambiguous health governance, and lack of private-sector engagement. Nonetheless, the HS preparedness and response were satisfactory, although further coordinated efforts in evaluation, coordination, communication, and volunteering remain necessary.

scholarly journals Multi-objective parametrization of interatomic potentials for large deformation pathways and fracture of two-dimensional materials

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Zhang ◽  
Hoang Nguyen ◽  
Jeffrey T. Paci ◽  
Subramanian K. R. S. Sankaranarayanan ◽  
Jose L. Mendoza-Cortes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Deformation ◽  
Functional Form ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Interatomic Potentials ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm ◽  
Two Dimensional Materials ◽  
Definition Of

AbstractThis investigation presents a generally applicable framework for parameterizing interatomic potentials to accurately capture large deformation pathways. It incorporates a multi-objective genetic algorithm, training and screening property sets, and correlation and principal component analyses. The framework enables iterative definition of properties in the training and screening sets, guided by correlation relationships between properties, aiming to achieve optimal parametrizations for properties of interest. Specifically, the performance of increasingly complex potentials, Buckingham, Stillinger-Weber, Tersoff, and modified reactive empirical bond-order potentials are compared. Using MoSe2 as a case study, we demonstrate good reproducibility of training/screening properties and superior transferability. For MoSe2, the best performance is achieved using the Tersoff potential, which is ascribed to its apparent higher flexibility embedded in its functional form. These results should facilitate the selection and parametrization of interatomic potentials for exploring mechanical and phononic properties of a large library of two-dimensional and bulk materials.

scholarly journals Bi-objective design-for-control of water distribution networks with global bounds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aly-Joy Ulusoy ◽  
Filippo Pecci ◽  
Ivan Stoianov
Keyword(s):  
Water Distribution ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Water Distribution Networks ◽  
Mixed Integer ◽  
Global Optimality ◽  
Linear Programs ◽  
Design For Control ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Feasible Solutions

AbstractThis manuscript investigates the design-for-control (DfC) problem of minimizing pressure induced leakage and maximizing resilience in existing water distribution networks. The problem consists in simultaneously selecting locations for the installation of new valves and/or pipes, and optimizing valve control settings. This results in a challenging optimization problem belonging to the class of non-convex bi-objective mixed-integer non-linear programs (BOMINLP). In this manuscript, we propose and investigate a method to approximate the non-dominated set of the DfC problem with guarantees of global non-dominance. The BOMINLP is first scalarized using the method of $$\epsilon $$ ϵ -constraints. Feasible solutions with global optimality bounds are then computed for the resulting sequence of single-objective mixed-integer non-linear programs, using a tailored spatial branch-and-bound (sBB) method. In particular, we propose an equivalent reformulation of the non-linear resilience objective function to enable the computation of global optimality bounds. We show that our approach returns a set of potentially non-dominated solutions along with guarantees of their non-dominance in the form of a superset of the true non-dominated set of the BOMINLP. Finally, we evaluate the method on two case study networks and show that the tailored sBB method outperforms state-of-the-art global optimization solvers.

Correlates of academic misconduct and CSR proclivity of students

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen K. Nkundabanyanga ◽  
Charles Omagor ◽  
Irene Nalukenge
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Statistical Modelling ◽  
Error Variance ◽  
Academic Misconduct ◽  
Fraud Triangle ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the fraud triangle, Machiavellianism, academic misconduct and corporate social responsibility (CSR) proclivity of students. Design/methodology/approach – The present study surveyed 471 university students. The study was cross-sectional and employed structural equation modelling in statistical modelling. Findings – The study provides evidence that perceived opportunity to cheat in examinations is the single most important factor accounting for significant variations in rationalization and academic misconduct. Similarly, low Machiavellians significantly get inclined to CSR ideals. The fraud triangle alone accounts for 36 per cent of the variations in academic misconduct, hence the error variance is 64 per cent of academic misconduct itself. This error variance increases to 78 per cent when a combination of perceived opportunity, rationalization, Machiavellianism is considered. Moreover, both Machiavellianism and academic misconduct account for 17 per cent of variations in students’ proclivity to CSR ideals. Research limitations/implications – Results imply that creating a setting that significantly increases a student's anticipated negative affect from academic misconduct, or effectively impedes rationalization ex ante, might prevent some students from academic misconduct in the first place and then they will become good African corporate citizens. Nevertheless, although the unit of analysis was students, these were from a single university – something akin to a case study. The quantitative results should therefore be interpreted with this shortcoming in mind. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the search for predictors of academic misconduct in the African setting and as a corollary, for a theory explaining academic misconduct. Those students perceiving opportunity to cheat in examinations are also able to rationalize and hence engage in academic misconduct. This rationalization is enhanced or reduced through Machiavellianism.

scholarly journals Experimental Investigations of Interactions between Sand Wave Movements, Flow Structure, and Individual Aquatic Plants in Natural Rivers: A Case Study of Potamogeton Pectinatus L.

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Łukasz Przyborowski ◽  
Anna Łoboda ◽  
Robert Bialik
Keyword(s):  
Flow Velocity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Potamogeton Pectinatus ◽  
Sand Wave ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Bending Tests ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Elevation Changes

Long-duration measurements were performed in two sandy bed rivers, and three-dimensional (3D) flow velocity and bottom elevation changes were measured in a vegetated area and in a clear region of a river. Detailed flow velocity profiles downstream and upstream of a single specimen of Potamogeton pectinatus L. were obtained and the bed morphology was assessed. Potamogeton plants gathered from each river were subjected to tensile and bending tests. The results show that the existence of the plants was influenced by both bottom and flow conditions, as the plants were located where water velocity was lower by 12% to 16% in comparison to clear region. The characteristics of the flow and sand forms depended on the cross-sectional arrangement of the river, e.g., dunes were approximately four times higher in the middle of the river than in vegetated regions near the bank. Furthermore, the studied hydrophytes were too sparse to affect water flow and had no discernible impact on the sand forms’ movements. The turbulent kinetic energy downstream of a single plant was reduced by approximately 25%. Additionally, the plants’ biomechanical characteristics and morphology were found to have adjusted to match the river conditions.

A NON-LINEAR MODEL FOR OPTIMAL ALLOCATION OF IRRIGATION WATER AND LAND UNDER ADEQUATE AND LIMITED WATER SUPPLIES: A CASE STUDY IN SOUTHERN ITALY

2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pietro Rubino ◽  
Anna Maria Stellacci ◽  
Roberta M. Rana ◽  
Maurizia Catalano ◽  
Angelo Caliandro
Keyword(s):  
Linear Model ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Optimal Allocation ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Non Linear
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