Equivalent Rating Research Articles

Effect of Seminar on Teaching on the Performance of Teachers in Higher Education

Abstract Effective teaching in higher education depends on faculty development opportunities such as teaching seminars. This paper delves into how such seminars influence the teaching performance of higher education teachers. This study used a survey research design to examine the effect of Seminar on Teaching (SOT) on the teaching performance rating of randomly selected 172 faculty members of a higher education institution in the Philippines. Results of the t-test showed significant differences in the performance of the faculty members before and after attending the SOT, with an average teaching performance score of 1.5503 (equivalent rating of 80.67) before attending the SOT and 1.4965 (equivalent rating of 83.33) after attending the SOT. Overall, the findings showed that the seminar greatly helped the higher education institutions’ faculty members improve their teaching performance and that the seminar was effective among the faculty members, especially those newly hired or inexperienced in teaching. As educational institutions continue to prioritize the professional development of their faculty, understanding the impact of seminars on teaching has become crucial for fostering a culture of continuous improvement in higher education.

A Review of Technology Readiness Levels for Superconducting Electric Machinery

Superconducting electric machines (SEMs) have the potential to be commercially available in the coming years. This commercialization depends on the availability of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) produced on a large scale. HTSs have high current densities and low losses, making them the leading technology choice for future light and compact high-power-density superconducting rotating machines, with a particular niche for high torque at low frequency. The advantages of SEM in its fully superconducting design or hybrid configuration (conventional stator, superconducting rotor) inherit from the characteristics of the superconductor material. So, they can show greater efficiency at a higher power density and lighter frame than their conventional counterparts for an equivalent power rating. Applications like electric aircraft, naval propulsion, and wind turbines, among others, are likely to use SEMs if the rated power has to be increased beyond what is technically available with conventional technology. In this context, this paper reviews SEMs and their applications. However, it also aims to highlight the main the literature projects with a minimal Technology Readiness Level (TRL) larger than three. Due to the diversity of the superconductors’ characteristics and the variety of machines, the modes of operation of SEMs can be quite distinct from conventional machines. Taking into account such diversity, SEMs are presented and sorted out by their operational principles and the choice of superconducting material. Finally, the future perspectives of SEM are discussed.

Optimizing the integration of photovoltaic and wind energy systems for enhanced efficiency

This paper presents a novel integration scheme of solar Photovoltaic (PV) with a large-capacity Doubly Excited Induction Generator (DFIG)-based wind energy system. The proposed scheme leverages both the grid and rotor-side power converters of the DFIG to inject PV power into the grid, eliminating the need for a dedicated converter for PV power processing and offering a cost-effective PV-grid integration solution. The system effectively delivers a substantial amount of PV power to the grid when compared to an equivalent rating inverter used in conventional PV-grid systems. Moreover, the proposed scheme prevents circulating power during sub-synchronous operation in the presence of solar radiation, enhancing overall system efficiency. Additionally, the system's stability benefits from turbine inertia, allowing for higher PV penetration into the power grid. The intermittent complementary nature of solar PV and wind energy sources significantly improves the utilization of the converters. Furthermore, the proposed scheme minimally impacts Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for PV and wind sources, except in rare environmental glitches, which the PV power control algorithm is adept at handling. The study provides a comprehensive system model used to design the control strategy, supported by analysis, simulations, and experiments conducted on a laboratory prototype.

Single event burnout sensitivity of SiC and Si

Exposure to ionizing radiation has the potential to catastrophically modify the operation, and destroy, electronic components in microseconds. The electrification of aircraft necessitates the need to use the most power dense and lowest loss semiconductor devices available, and the increasing supply voltages results in extremely high electric fields within the devices. These conditions create the worst case environment for the Single Event Effect (SEE), the instantaneous alteration in device response after high energy particle interaction, with a destructive form of SEE, the single event burnout (SEB), resulting in total failure of the device with potentially explosive consequences. To enable circuits to operate with these high supply voltages, SiC is rapidly becoming the semiconductor of choice. However, the radiation response of SiC power devices during operation is unknown. Here we show that SiC offers a 60% reduction in cosmic ray sensitivity in comparison to Si devices with an equivalent voltage rating. The data show that Si fails when subjected to a heavy ion impact with Linear Energy Transfer (LET) equivalent to 0.2% of the silver ions commonly used for SEE testing. In total contrast, we show that SiC does not exhibit failure during exposure to any heavy ion LET up to values three times greater than those commonly used in testing at any bias up to 99% of the breakdown voltage. The data show that SiC is a robust material and therefore has the potential to replace Si as the material of choice for high reliability avionic applications, as it far exceeds the performance of Si in cosmic ray environments, facilitating significant advances in the electrification of aircraft to be made in the near future.

Saffron yield estimation by adaptive neural-fuzzy inference system and particle swarm optimization (ANFIS-SCM-PSO) hybrid model

ABSTRACT The aim of the present research is to estimate the saffron yield by land characteristics through a combination of adaptive neural-fuzzy inference system and particle swarm optimization in Siminehrood catchment, south of Urmia Lake, Iran. To achieve this target, 150 representative soil profiles were descripted in saffron fields. Then each genetic horizon was sampled for soil analysis. Climate rating was calculated from meteorological data by Food and Agriculture Organization framework. Saffron observed yield obtained from saffron field data. The results showed that coarse fragment, gypsum, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, pH, calcium carbonate equivalent and climate rating have the highest correlation with saffron yield. The range of saffron estimated yield was between 1937–4124 and 1843–4025 kg per hectare for combination model and fuzzy model, respectively. Combination model doses a more accurate estimation compared with the observed yield values (2020–4200), statistical validation indicator results confirm this too. High agreement obtained from combination model between estimated saffron yield map with observed yield map. Finally, a combination of adaptive neural-fuzzy inference system and particle swarm optimization model can be employed as a powerful, low time-consuming and accurate method for estimating saffron yield in pre-decision for saffron cultivation.

Aeroelastic load analysis of a co‐rotating quad‐rotor wind turbine

AbstractAn aeroelastic analysis is carried out to assess the loads on a selected quad‐rotor wind turbine vis‐à‐vis those on an equivalent rated single‐rotor turbine, with a specific focus on a comparison of support structure loads (e.g., tower root, yaw‐bearing, and boom loads). A quad‐rotor wind turbine with combined rated power of 6 MW and a single‐rotor with equivalent machine rating are modeled in SIMAPCK coupled with AerodynV15 (including turbulent wind input from TurbSim) to calculate the aerodynamic loads. A correction for tower/boom shadow is implemented in Matlab to account for reduction in (axial) incoming wind due to the presence of support structures that carry the rotors. The performance of the quad‐rotor wind turbine, with the single‐rotor as baseline, is carried out for load cases selected from wind turbine certification standard (IEC‐61400‐1) covering the following: nominal loads under normal wind speed profile, fatigue loads under normal turbulence, and ultimate loads under extreme turbulence. Results show that, comparing the quad‐rotor tower root loads to those of the single‐rotor turbine under extreme turbulence, the side‐side force is up to 31% higher, the force‐aft bending moment is up to 15% higher, and the normal force is up to 46% higher due to additional boom/nacelle inertial loads.

Automatic Segmentation of the Olfactory Bulb.

The olfactory bulb (OB) has an essential role in the human olfactory pathway. A change in olfactory function is associated with a change of OB volume. It has been shown to predict the prognosis of olfactory loss and its volume is a biomarker for various neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Thus far, obtaining an OB volume for research purposes has been performed by manual segmentation alone; a very time-consuming and highly rater-biased process. As such, this process dramatically reduces the ability to produce fair and reliable comparisons between studies, as well as the processing of large datasets. Our study aims to solve this by proposing a novel methodological framework for the unbiased measurement of OB volume. In this paper, we present a fully automated tool that successfully performs such a task, accurately and quickly. In order to develop a stable and versatile algorithm and to train the neural network, we used four datasets consisting of whole-brain T1 and high-resolution T2 MRI scans, as well as the corresponding clinical information of the subject’s smelling ability. One dataset contained data of patients suffering from anosmia or hyposmia (N = 79), and the other three datasets contained data of healthy controls (N = 91). First, the manual segmentation labels of the OBs were created by two experienced raters, independently and blinded. The algorithm consisted of the following four different steps: (1) multimodal data co-registration of whole-brain T1 images and T2 images, (2) template-based localization of OBs, (3) bounding box construction, and lastly, (4) segmentation of the OB using a 3D-U-Net. The results from the automated segmentation algorithm were tested on previously unseen data, achieving a mean dice coefficient (DC) of 0.77 ± 0.05, which is remarkably convergent with the inter-rater DC of 0.79 ± 0.08 estimated for the same cohort. Additionally, the symmetric surface distance (ASSD) was 0.43 ± 0.10. Furthermore, the segmentations produced using our algorithm were manually rated by an independent blinded rater and have reached an equivalent rating score of 5.95 ± 0.87 compared to a rating score of 6.23 ± 0.87 for the first rater’s segmentation and 5.92 ± 0.81 for the second rater’s manual segmentation. Taken together, these results support the success of our tool in producing automatic fast (3–5 min per subject) and reliable segmentations of the OB, with virtually matching accuracy with the current gold standard technique for OB segmentation. In conclusion, we present a newly developed ready-to-use tool that can perform the segmentation of OBs based on multimodal data consisting of T1 whole-brain images and T2 coronal high-resolution images. The accuracy of the segmentations predicted by the algorithm matches the manual segmentations made by two well-experienced raters. This method holds potential for immediate implementation in clinical practice. Furthermore, its ability to perform quick and accurate processing of large datasets may provide a valuable contribution to advancing our knowledge of the olfactory system, in health and disease. Specifically, our framework may integrate the use of olfactory bulb volume (OBV) measurements for the diagnosis and treatment of olfactory loss and improve the prognosis and treatment options of olfactory dysfunctions.

Acute effects from changes in saddle height in perceived comfort during cycling

Prior research did not provide data on acute adaptations to changes in saddle height as commonly performed in bicycle fitting. This study assessed the acute responses from recreational cyclists to changes in saddle height using dynamic bicycle fitting. Ten recreational cyclists completed five trials using three saddle heights (Preferred, High and Low), one Sham-height trial and a final repeated trial for assessment of intra-session reliability. High and Low saddle heights were determined based on dynamically measured knee flexion angles (±10° from their Preferred height). Trials were performed for 30-s at 90 ± 2 rpm and 2.5 W/kg (181 ± 32 W). Perceived comfort and discomfort and rating of perceived exertion were assessed at the end of each trial. Significant differences were determined when p < 0.05. Increased comfort was observed at the preferred saddle height compared to a lower saddle height ( p = 0.03) but no differences were observed between Preferred and High ( p = 0.69) or High vs. Low ( p = 0.06). The Sham height was also not different from its equivalent saddle height ( p = 0.77) and rating of perceived exertion did not differ between saddle heights ( p = 0.33). Recreational cyclists were generally sensitive to changes in saddle height given they reported different levels of comfort between their preferred and a lower saddle height. Similar levels of comfort were observed when a Sham height was introduced, showing that recreational cyclists identified that no change in saddle height was conducted. However, these cyclists could not report differences in comfort when cycling at a High compared to a Low saddle height.

A Two-Terminal Active Inductor With Minimum Apparent Power for the Auxiliary Circuit

This letter proposes a two-terminal active inductor concept with minimum apparent power processed by the auxiliary circuits, which are implemented by power semiconductor switches and passive elements. It has the same level of convenience as a passive inductor with two power terminals only. Compared with a conventional inductor with the same equivalent inductance and current rating, the energy storage requirement of the inductor can be reduced significantly, as well as the weight and volume. The auxiliary circuit in the active inductor processes both partial voltage and partial current, with the lowest apparent power rating compared to existing solutions. A case study for the dc-link filter inductor in a three-phase diode-bridge rectifier is discussed. Proof-of-concept experimental results are given to verify the functionality and effectiveness of the proposed active inductor.

Optimizing Student Learning: A Faculty-Course Assignment Problem Using Linear Programming

Decision making is carried out in organizations in such a way as to observe the goals of the organizations, which are a combination of the goals of the individuals and groups within the organization. This study deals with some of the objectives of the universities as well as the faculty themselves in the process of assigning faculty members to teach specific sections of particular courses each semester. The regular faculty of the Department of Business and Management were used as the representative set of such objectives. Some conflict between objectives which are used as constraints in the analysis were noted. The assignment process required satisfying in such a way that the total evaluation rating is maximized; thus, a faculty member who has the highest competency to teach such a specific subject over the others is assigned. A mathematical model of the assignment process was formulated using mixed-integer programming. The test run was successfully analyzed using the solver add-in in MS excel which generated an overall evaluation rating of 2188% which has an equivalent average evaluation rating of 87.5% for each faculty assigned. The faculty assignment problem is only one of the many day-to-day situations in real life which can be viewed as allocations of scarce resources involving separate units.

Evaluating polymer degradation with complex mixtures using a simplified surface area method

ABSTRACTChemical-resistant gloves, designed to protect workers from chemical hazards, are made from a variety of polymer materials such as plastic, rubber, and synthetic rubber. One material does not provide protection against all chemicals, thus proper polymer selection is critical. Standardized testing, such as chemical degradation tests, are used to aid in the selection process. The current methods of degradation ratings based on changes in weight or tensile properties can be expensive and data often do not exist for complex chemical mixtures. There are hundreds of thousands of chemical products on the market that do not have chemical resistance data for polymer selection. The method described in this study provides an inexpensive alternative to gravimetric analysis. This method uses surface area change to evaluate degradation of a polymer material. Degradation tests for 5 polymer types against 50 complex mixtures were conducted using both gravimetric and surface area methods. The percent change data were compared between the two methods. The resulting regression line was y = 0.48x + 0.019, in units of percent, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was r = 0.9537 (p ≤ 0.05), which indicated a strong correlation between percent weight change and percent surface area change. On average, the percent change for surface area was about half that of the weight change. Using this information, an equivalent rating system was developed for determining the chemical degradation of polymer gloves using surface area.

Wind Energy Potential of Gaza Using Small Wind Turbines: A Feasibility Study

In this paper, we conduct a feasibility study of the wind energy potential in Gaza, which suffers from a severe shortage of energy supplies. Our calculated energy harvested from the wind is based on data for a typical meteorological year, which are fed into a small wind turbine of 5 kW power rating installable on the roof of residential buildings. The expected annual energy output at a height of 10 m amounts to 2695 kWh, but it can be increased by 35–125% at higher altitudes between 20 m and 70 m. The results also depict the great potential of wind energy to complement other renewable resources such as solar energy: the harvested energy of a wind system constitutes to up to 84% of the annual output of an equivalent power rating photovoltaic system and even outperforms the solar energy in the winter months. We also show that one wind turbine and one comparable photovoltaic system together could provide enough energy for 3.7 households. Hence, a combination of wind and solar energy could stabilize the decentralized energy production in Gaza. This is very important in a region where people seek to reach energy self-sufficient buildings due to the severe electricity shortage in the local grid.

Comparative daily energy expenditure and water turnover by Dorper and Merino sheep measured using doubly labelled water

Details of the energy (food) requirements of domestic herbivores are essential for predicting grazing pressures and subsequent ecological impacts on rangelands. However, these details are lacking for some of the more recently introduced sheep breeds to Australia, such as the Dorper breed sheep, which are principally meat sheep, and it is uncertain how they compare with the traditional Merino, a wool-breed, sheep. We used the doubly labelled water method to compare the field metabolic rate and water turnover rate of Dorpers and Merinos grazing together in a small holding paddock in a typical rangeland environment. We found no significant differences in field metabolic rate (Dorpers 481 ± 125 kJ and Merinos 500 ± 109 kJ kg–0.73 day–1) or water turnover rate (Dorpers 397 ± 57 mL and Merinos 428 ± 50 mL kg–0.8 day–1). As such we conclude that under controlled conditions with limited movement and ready access to feed and water, dry sheep equivalent of 1 is appropriate for Dorpers (that is, one Dorper ewe had a grazing requirement equal to one standard, dry Merino wether). However, we also found that the field metabolic rate for Merinos under these conditions was only around half that measured in published studies for animals ranging freely in a large paddock system. This suggests that more work is needed to fully appreciate the energetic and grazing impacts of Dorpers versus Merinos under more realistic grazing conditions (e.g. large paddock systems) where feed and water are more spread. It also highlights limitations of the current dry sheep equivalent rating system, which has been derived from laboratory measures of sheep metabolic rates.

Novel Integration of a PV-Wind Energy System With Enhanced Efficiency

A novel integration scheme of solar photovoltaic (PV) with a large capacity doubly excited induction generator-based wind energy system is described. The proposed scheme uses both the grid- and rotor-side power converters of doubly fed induction generator to inject PV power into the grid. Thus, it renders a cost-effective solution to PV-grid integration by obviating the need for a dedicated converter for PV power processing. The system is able to feed significantly large PV power into the grid compared to an equivalent rating inverter used in the conventional PV-grid system. The proposed scheme prevents circulating power during subsynchronous operation during the availability of solar radiation. All these features enhance system efficiency. System stability is also augmented due to turbine inertia, facilitating high PV penetration into the power grid. The intermittent but complementary nature of solar PV and wind energy sources considerably improves the converters' utilization. Besides, the proposed scheme does not hamper maximum power point tracking of PV and wind sources except during very rarely occurring environmental glitches, which the PV power control algorithm is suitably geared to handle. A comprehensive system model is presented and used for designing the control strategy. The proposed scheme is supported by analysis, simulations, and experiments on a laboratory prototype.

Features of Railway Noise Rationing and Assessment in Housing Estate Territory in Russia

The comparative analysis of railway noise rationing in Russia and Europe is carried out. Criteria of railway noise assessment are considered in accordance with standards to be entered into last years in Russia and taking into account less harmful character of railway noise in comparison with noise of other types of transport. On an example it is shown that such approach leads to essential reduction (more than by 10 dB) of noise indicator as equivalent rating pressure levels in comparison with such levels created by separate trains on the same distance. Essential excess of noise indicator as maximum rating sound level above the mark is shown.

Incorporating farmed goats into sustainable rangeland grazing systems in southern Australia: a review

The recent trend to farming or re-domestication of feral goats poses serious questions for the ecological sustainability of the semiarid and arid rangelands of southern Australia. This paper reviews aspects of the biology and grazing habits of goats, and aspects of the Australian goat industry, relevant to their sustainable management in livestock enterprises. Key factors identified include high fertility and fecundity even under low seasonal rainfall conditions and a generalist feeding strategy. Adverse consequences for rangeland condition can be expected if seasonal or market conditions result in an imbalance between population growth and turnoff, resulting in high grazing pressures. Given the limited control of the reproductive process at the current stage of the development of goat farming, strategies aimed at ensuring continuity of sale of goats (e.g. on-property feed lots or supply chain and market development) will be important in ensuring that imbalances are avoided. Conservative stocking rates and use of seasonal risk management tools are also particularly relevant. The major research and development needs identified by this review, from a resource management perspective, concern the appropriate dry sheep equivalent rating for goat classes based on age, sex and reproductive status, the extent and consequences of heterogeneity of grazing in space, time, and across forage species, and development of means of establishing sustainable stocking rates based on the use of all available forage sources, including browse.

Effect of Voltage Transformation Ratio on the Kilovoltampere Rating of Delta-Connected Autotransformer for 12-Pulse Rectifier System

This paper presents the effect of voltage transformation ratio on the kilovoltampere rating of delta-connected autotransformer for 12-pulse rectifier system and gives an optimal configuration of the autotransformer with minimal kilovoltampere rating and the least windings. According to the phasor diagrams and the relation between the output voltage and input voltage of the autotransformer under different connection ways, the effect of voltage transformation ratio on current through windings is analyzed, and corresponding expressions and waveforms of the currents are also obtained. Consequently, a relation between the position parameter and output power is established, and based on the relation, the effect of winding configuration on the kilovoltampere rating of the autotransformer is analyzed, which can be used to obtain the optimal configuration. From the theoretical analysis, an autotransformer with optimal configuration and minimal equivalent kilovoltampere rating is designed. Some simulated and experimental results show the correctness of the theoretical analysis.

Comparison of Kettlebell Swings and Treadmill Running at Equivalent Rating of Perceived Exertion Values

The purpose of this study was to compare metabolic demand of a kettlebell (KB) swing routine with treadmill (TM) running at equivalent rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Thirteen subjects (11 male, 2 female, age = 21.4 ± 2.1 years, weight = 73.0 ± 9.2 kg) completed a 10-minute KB swing routine consisting of 35-second swing intervals followed by 25-second rest intervals. Men used a 16-kg KB, and women used an 8-kg KB. After 48 hours of rest, the subjects completed a 10-minute TM run at equivalent RPEs as measured during the swing workout. Metabolic data were monitored each minute during each exercise using an automated cart, with the final 7 minutes used for analysis. The RPE and heart rate (HR) recorded at minutes 5, 7, 9, and 10 increased by 2-3 and 7-9%, respectively, for each exercise, producing a significantly increasing pattern but no significant difference between exercises. Average HR and RPE were not significantly different between KB and TM and averaged 90 and 89%, respectively, of age-predicted HRmax. Oxygen consumption, METS, pulmonary ventilation, and calorie expenditure were significantly higher for TM (25-39%) than for KB. Respiratory exchange ratio (TM = 0.94 ± 0.04, KB = 0.95 ± 0.05) and respiratory rate (TM = 38 ± 7, KB = 36 ± 4 b·min) were not significantly different between the exercises at any time point. During TM and KB exercises matched for RPE, the subjects are likely to have higher oxygen consumption, work at a higher MET level, and burn more kilocalories per minute during TM running than during KB swings. However, according to the American College of Sports Medicine standards, this KB drill could provide sufficient exercise stress to produce gains in aerobic capacity.

MECHANICAL INSULATION CASE STUDY— TIMELY OPPORTUNITY FOR RETROFITS AND NEW CONSTRUCTION

INTRODUCTION “You won't find any issues in our newly constructed and retrofitted buildings,” was the response that Lyndon Johnson, representative of the BC Insulators, got from the campus facility manager when explaining the poor state of practice of mechanical insulation, “let me show you one of our showcase buildings.” The building in question had just undergone $80 million in upgrades and was designed to achieve LEED® Silver equivalent rating. The upgrades included a high-performance climate control system that allows for precise control of temperature and humidity in different rooms. “We toured the building and found many problems with the mechanical insulation,” explained Mr. Johnson afterwards, “including substandard finish, adhesive tape lifting, and most disturbing, 20 feet of missing insulation on each floor of the building along the dividing line of the two phases of the project. One or both sets of contractors that worked on the job had completely left off the insulation. The saddest part is, t...

A03 材料疲れの寿命データに基づいた転がリ軸受の新寿命理論(OS2 最新機械要素技術(1))

New life theory for rolling bearings is propounded by a linkage between the rating life data converted into the same size with bearing races in relation to the characteristic data of material carried out by alternating torsion probabilistic stress-life (P-S-N) test for hourglass shape specimens (Weibull slope ms_2=3/2, D_eo=φ8 mm) and the theoretically equivalent rating life data for bearing races (m= 10/9 for point contact bearings and m =21120 for line contact bearings). The 90% load rating formulas for races and a whole bearing are developed with a linkage factorβ, and then a newly introduced 100% load rating formulas are postulated with a linkage factor βby using the minimum life data for the life distribution data of ball bearings #6206. Consequently,β = 2A,β' = 2.16 and a reduction factor of rating loadλ=β'/β = 0.9 can be evaluated.