Conversion Program Research Articles

Developing Programs for Converting MIDAS GEN to ANSYS Models Based on Python

The reasonableness and accuracy of engineering design are often assessed through the use of a variety of structural design analysis software, which are then compared and verified. However, it is challenging for a single analysis software to meet the diverse and complex design requirements. In order to meet the specific engineering requirements, it is necessary to convert the MIDAS result model into an ANSYS structural model and conduct a nonlinear analysis and simulation in ANSYS. Nevertheless, the existing interface is unable to facilitate direct conversion of the model. Accordingly, this paper presents a Python-based ANSYS APDL program that enables the complete conversion of MIDAS GEN structural models to ANSYS finite element models. The program is capable of converting a range of data, including material, section, element, connection, load, node mass, constraint, time history function, and so forth. The program is capable of converting specific connection units, including elastic and general connection units. Additionally, the beam-column section direction, beam end freedom release, rigid element, and special anti-rocking structure of the structure can be considered. Ultimately, the theatre model is transformed. Following a comparison of the analysis results, it was found that the mass and mode of the model before and after the transformation were essentially identical. The maximum error of the first six orders of the structure is 2.95%, with the structural displacement under gravity load remaining essentially unchanged. The research and analysis demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the MIDAS GEN conversion ANSYS program. The conversion program significantly reduces the time required for direct modeling in ANSYS, enhancing work efficiency. The study has considerable practical significance for the seismic sway design and analysis of buildings based on vibration isolation design.

Benefit evaluation of sloping land conversion program in the upper reaches of the Yellow River

Benefit evaluation of sloping land conversion program in the upper reaches of the Yellow River

Institutional Conversion to Energy-Efficient Ultra-Low Freezers Decreases Carbon Footprint and Reduces Energy Costs.

Introduction: The storage of biospecimens is a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions and institutional energy costs. Energy-intensive ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers used for biospecimen storage are a significant source of carbon emissions. ENERGY STAR-certified ULT freezers have the potential to decrease the carbon footprint. Objective: Quantify the impact of an institutional-scale freezer conversion program on carbon emissions and energy costs. Methods: A ULT freezer energy use prediction model was developed to identify and replace the most inefficient freezers in the research building for this pilot, and eventually institution-wide. Multiple linear regression factors included the number of years of use, storage volume, and ENERGY STAR certification status. Electrical usage and carbon emissions were quantified before and after replacement with ENERGY STAR models. Logistical methods were developed to decrease the risks of exposure of frozen samples to ambient temperature during content transfers. Institution-wide energy costs were derived by converting electrical burden to electrical costs. Carbon footprint assessment from ULT freezer operation was computed using the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. Results: The pilot project revealed an annual reduction of 310,493 kilowatt hours of electrical usage, equivalent to 134 metric tons of carbon emissions. Annual electrical costs were reduced by $55,889 resulting in an 8-year payback on the initial investment. Using the pilot results, we modeled the benefit of the freezer exchange across the entire institution. The modeling predicted that conversion of the institution's remaining 1119 conventional ULT freezers to ENERGY STAR models would lower annual electrical usage by 7,911,549 kilowatt hours (3423 metric tons of carbon emissions), resulting in savings of over $1.4 million annually. Conclusion: Our methods make a large-scale initiative to replace energy-inefficient ULT freezers logistically possible, reduce carbon footprint, and demonstrate an attractive return on investment while proactively protecting valuable research materials.

Implementation Of Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah) To Improve The Daily Speaking Ability "At Darut Taqwa Bungkal Ponorogo"

Speaking plays an important role in social interaction with others to obtain or exchange information because speaking is one way to express feelings, ideas, experiences, and knowledge to others. As well as the position of English in Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School is a mandatory language in daily communication. This condition requires Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School to prepare efforts to support the students' language learning process. Therefore, Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School established a program, namely Weekly Conversation (Muhadatsah) to teach students speaking skills directly and actively daily in the dormitory environment. Speaking skills need to be taught because speaking is one of the basic skills that someone in learning a foreign language must master. The objectives of this study are to 1) Describe the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah): objectives, materials, learning organization, learning experiences, strategies, and evaluation, implemented to improve daily speaking ability at Darut Taqwa Islamic Boarding School for girls. 2) Describe the obstacle students face in the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah). This research was designed using a qualitative method with a case study design. Data were collected through observation, interview, and documentation. Data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman with data reduction, data display, and conclusions. The results showed that 1) Implementation of the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah) to improve the daily speaking ability at the Darut Taqwa Islamic boarding school for girls, which there are elements: Objectives, Materials, Learning Organization, Learning Experience, Strategy, and Evaluation. 2) Obstacles faced by students in the Weekly Conversation Program (Muhadatsah).

Automatic welding seam tracking and real-world coordinates identification with machine learning method

In the automatic welding process, the precision of the welding position significantly influences welding quality, relying heavily on the accurate identification of the welding seam. However, in complex and unstructured welding environments, such as those with strong arc lights, welding splashes, and thermal-induced deformations, various disturbances present a significant challenge to identify the welding seam. This paper introduces a cost-effective welding seam tracking model constructed using a laser line and a fixed viewpoint single RGB camera. The model's primary objective is to detect a chain of welding-seam points in both captured images and real-time camera feeds. The paper presents the techniques for camera calibration, laser detection, and the use of artificial intelligence to establish a real-world coordinate frame. The process begins with camera calibration using the OpenCV library to filter noise and undistort images. Subsequently, the thresholding technique is employed for color image segmentation, isolating the laser sensor light on the workpiece. An algorithm is then introduced to detect welding spots. Finally, the image coordinates are converted to world coordinates using two machine learning methods: Random Forest Regression and Gradient Boosting Regression. Experimental demonstrations were conducted at different positions on the object to assess algorithm precision. The results indicate average deviations of 0.83 mm, 0.74 mm, and 0.77 mm for X, Y, and Z coordinates, respectively, which fall below the expected standard deviation of 3 mm. Despite the overall consistency of the program, slight noise from environmental lighting may still exist. In conclusion, the proposed welding seam tracking method and coordinate conversion program have proven effective and cost-efficient, with potential for future improvements.

"I Love to Write My Story": Storytelling and its role in seniors' language

This article examines the role of storytelling as an arts-based educational approach in an older-adult immigrant language-learning program. As a special group within the adult language-learner population, immigrant seniors benefit from educational strategies that emphasize recognition of life experience over knowledge accumulation, which is a common goal of more traditional educational approaches. We present a small study of a storytelling class held within the English Conversation Program at the University of British Columbia Learning Exchange. Based on compelling results, we argue that storytelling is a powerful strategy that not only facilitates language learning, but creates a safe, inclusive learning community.

Flushing Out Homeowner Perceptions to Improve Voluntary Septic to Sewer Conversion With Social Marketing

Background Septic systems are recognized as a contributor to water quality degradation. Septic to sewer conversion programs are being implemented to mitigate nutrient pollution but success of voluntary programs is dependent on homeowner participation. The purpose of this study was to identify elements of potential social marketing strategies that could advance the voluntary adoption of septic to sewer conversion programs. Focus of the Article This study used formative survey research to assess residents’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceived benefits of and barriers to septic systems conversion in Florida, USA to inform future interventions promoting this major, costly home infrastructure change that reduces wastewater nutrient contamination. Research Question This study attempts to answer the following questions: (1) Does septic system conversion status (mandatory vs. voluntary) influence homeowners’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceived benefits and barriers to septic to sewer conversion? (2) What social marketing variables are the best predictors of attitude about septic to sewer conversion? Importance to the Social Marketing Field In contrast to inexpensive, repeated habits which are the target of many social marketing campaigns, costly one-time behaviors have been minimally explored by social scientists and social marketers. This study demonstrates how social marketing research can be applied to advance the adoption of costly, one-time infrastructure improvements, with septic to sewer conversions serving as the study context. There are substantial opportunities for social marketers to support local government and other organizations in their promotion of major technologies, including, but not limited to septic system conversions. Methods 518 adult Florida residents who were also septic system owners completed an online survey instrument that assessed subjective and objective knowledge, attitudes about septic to sewer conversion, and motivators and barriers to conversion. Results Septic system homeowners are largely supportive of septic conversion programs; however, the greatest perceived benefits are personal and not associated with environmental improvements. Despite many septic to sewer conversion projects being initiated for environmental purposes, behavior change efforts should promote the benefits of conversion as perceived by the homeowner. The primary barrier is the upfront cost, and alternative funding structures should be investigated. Recommendations for Research or Practice This study indicates that target audience outreach is an essential component of the environmental planning process. Considering the costs and complexity of water quality infrastructure projects, environmental management professionals should consider a robust audience-specific social marketing program as part of the implementation and planning process. The findings presented here suggest opportunities for social marketers to partner with environmental management professionals tasked with encouraging septic to sewer conversion or other costly and significant one-time behaviors.

Evaluation of methods used to improve grasslands as ring‐necked pheasant brood habitat

AbstractRing‐necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) demographic response is sensitive to chick survival and nest success. The establishment and management of grasslands within agricultural landscapes, often through cropland conversion programs (e.g., Conservation Reserve Program [CRP]), have positive impacts on survival and nest success. Newly established CRP and early successional habitat can provide vegetative structure selected by pheasant chicks. Ideal brood habitat provides an abundance of arthropods, an open understory promoting efficient chick movement, and a protective canopy cover. However, the natural succession of grasslands changes desired vegetative structure and challenges managers with providing adequate habitat for pheasant chicks. We investigated the efficacy of different methods of CRP management, including haying, burning, herbicide application, interseeding, and grazing, to provide adequate brood rearing habitat in cool‐ and warm‐season grasslands. We assessed chick body mass change using human‐imprinted ring‐necked pheasant chicks and investigated changes in vegetation composition and structure in relation to various habitat treatments in north‐central and north‐eastern South Dakota during mid‐June and mid‐July of 2013, 2014, and 2015. Generally, treatments that incorporated interseeding, herbicide application, or their combination had the greatest chick mass gain, reduced litter cover and depth, and increased bare ground and forb cover. Effective management for brood habitat may require more aggressive techniques than simple haying or prescribed fire techniques.

The Four Horsemen of Antiracist School Leadership: A Communication Guide to Bridge Racial Conflict in School Relationships

Principals are critical for disrupting systems that bar racially diverse students from learning opportunities and belonging in schools. Issues of inequity due to systemic racism have been ongoing and politically heightened in the United States as the nation navigates racial tensions within school systems. Research on antiracist school leadership has resulted in important, timely, and relevant frameworks for practice and popular strategies and programs, including courageous conversation and restorative justice programs. However, the process of how to practice antiracist leadership remains difficult and elusive in the translation of theory to praxis. Particularly, principals are rarely trained to develop healthy communication styles and effective conflict resolution skills, especially in conversations about racism. Borrowing from the field of counseling, this article details Gottman’s Four Horsemen model of conflict and their resolutions at the interpersonal level. This article frames the model within school contexts for principals to practice and empower their communication skills around race when setting antiracist and equitable school agendas. Recognizing the Four Horsemen and practicing the antidotes to conflicts are important skills for principals to effectively engage in difficult, contentious, and often emotional conversations around racism and its impacts on racially diverse students. Recommendations for principals and preparation programs are provided.

TOURISM VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CASE STUDY IN TEGALWANGI VILLAGE TOURISM VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CASE STUDY IN TEGALWANGI VILLAGE

Students of Universitas Muhammadiyah Cirebon must take part in Student Work Lectures (KKM) as a form of their service to the community. One of the tasks of KKM group 23 in Tegalwangi village is to create a podcast that incorporates the Ngobras (Informal conversation) program about the tourist village. Chatting, talking, or talking casually is the definition of "ngobras". The theme of Ngobras was "A thriving tourist village in the era of industrial revolution 4.0", and the resource person was Mr. H. Nana Mulyana, head of the Cirebon Regency Disbudparpora. The purpose of the KKM "Ngobras" activity is to gather information about what needs to be prepared, considered, and developed by Tegalwangi village as a tourism village. The research location is Tegalwangi Village, Weru Subdistrict, Cirebon Regency, and descriptive methods are used. The results of this Ngobras KKM activity provide some input for Tegal Wangi Village to develop a tourist village, hoping that there will be follow-up by the village government.

Configuration Analysis of Technology Readiness, Technology Acceptance, and Public Satisfaction Regarding Continued Induction Stove Use in Indonesia

In 2022, Indonesia began the energy conversion pilot project from Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stoves to induction stoves in Surakarta. Before the program is scaled up, it is vital to conduct an in-depth analysis of the technology readiness, technology acceptance, and user satisfaction to assess program continuity. This research aims to identify what configuration of aspects of technology readiness, technology acceptance, and satisfaction will produce continuance intention and the necessary conditions of continuance usage intention. This study involved 412 conversion program participants in five districts in Surakarta, Indonesia. Utilizing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), four solution configurations that lead to high continuance intention and four for low continuance intention were obtained. Generally, nearly all conditions must be maintained at a positive level to produce high continuance intention, especially innovativeness, and satisfaction. The research has theoretical and practical implications, including satisfaction having the greatest impact on configurations and the quality of the conversion program, in which the induction stove and its service program must become the main focus to ensure satisfaction. Clear policies and wider socialization must be conducted to enhance people’s awareness and trust. To boost sustainability and continuity, synergistic cooperation between stakeholders and the creation of a better environment for induction stove implementation must also be established. Future research should conduct a longitudinal study approach to strengthen the analysis of a long-term induction stove conversion program.

Customer Selection in the Conversion Program of LPG Stove to Induction Stove

The oversupply condition is due to differences in the current electricity supply which is higher than actual electricity demand. One option to increase demand is by converting LPG stoves into induction stoves. To achieve the conversion goal successfully, a customer selection process must be carried out to determine the conversion targets, aiming for a significant increase in electricity demand with the lowest investment costs. The main problem is the absence of a standard for determining conversion targets. The combination of clustering techniques and Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) analysis provides the best ideal solution to overcome these problems. The research included several main criteria for selecting customers that support the success factors of implementing a conversion program. The initial analysis involved clustering customers based on coordinates using the k-means method. By using the clustered customer data, the TOPSIS (Technique for Ordering Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) method identified the best cluster based on general criteria. Additionally, using detailed customer data, the TOPSIS method also identified the ranking of customer priorities for each selected cluster. The recommended priority target customers are those with the greatest potential for additional kWh, the best level of electricity reliability, shortest distance to the cluster centroid, and supplied by feeders and distribution transformers with the largest reserve margin. The results indicated the difference in revenue improvement compared to the current method was US$ 16,291.31 per month. Investment costs were also reduced by US$ 166,084.80 compared to the current method. The other results were a reduction in operational costs, improvement in average reliability according to the SAIDI SAIFI, improvement in the average operation-hours, and an improvement in the distribution transformer average reserve margins.

Impact of livestock and crop conversion support program on farm household income: A study in Chau Thanh A District

This paper investigates the impact of a support program for livestock and crop conversion on the incomes of farm households in the Chau Thanh A district of Hau Giang province. It analyzes data from 250 farming households in the area using the propensity score matching (PSM) method. The study uses probit regression to identify three key factors that significantly affect a household's ability to benefit from the support program: the size of the land owned, as well as the age and gender of the household head. Additionally, the PSM analysis reveals that farm households participating in the support program earn significantly more income than those that do not, with an annual income difference of 159 million VND. These findings support earlier research on the subject. Based on these results, the authors suggest several strategies to encourage more farm households to join the livestock and crop conversion support program, which could help improve their incomes and overall quality of life.

Pelatihan Redesain Instalasi Listrik Untuk Program Konversi Kompor Gas LPG Ke Kompor Listrik Di Desa Nyurlembang

The allocation of LPG gas subsidies has increased, putting a burden on state finances, while surplus electricity production is not being utilized optimally. Electrical energy can replace LPG gas by replacing the gas stove with an electric stove. This conversion requires adequate installation to ensure the safe and secure operation of the electric stove. The implementation of the conversion program must be supported by community readiness regarding standard electrical installations for electric stoves in the form of training. Training activities were carried out in Nyurlembang Village, Narmada, West Lombok, as a community service activity. This activity aims to educate and train the public about repairing and redesigning electrical installations for electric stoves. Training methods include lecture, discussion and practice methods. Before and after the activity, participants are given a written test to determine the success of the training activity. The test results show an average score before and after training of 38.33 and 66.00 for the range 0-100. These results show that the training was quite effective with an increase in participants' theoretical and practical knowledge of 27.67.

Assessing departmental readiness to support minoritized faculty

AbstractThough increasing numbers of racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) individuals earn PhDs and national initiatives focus on faculty diversity, challenges persist in recruiting, hiring, and retaining REM faculty. While a pervasive issue nationally, the literature predominantly focuses on faculty diversity at research‐intensive institutions. This exploratory case study pilots a readiness instrument to evaluate the commitment and willingness of a biomedical department at a primarily undergraduate institution to embrace faculty diversity before initiating a postdoctoral faculty conversion program. We introduce the Community Readiness Model (CRM) into an academic context, offering academic departments a robust framework and tool to evaluate readiness and capacity to recruit, retain, and support REM faculty.Practical Takeaways Academic departments can be conceived of as a type of community. The adapted Department Readiness Tool can be a valuable method of evaluating a department's readiness to support the success of underrepresented minority faculty. Departments may score highly on some areas of readiness but relatively low on others, which provides insight into where time and resources should be invested to improve readiness.

Value Perception, Government Regulation, and Farmers’ Behavior toward Continuing to Maintain the Sloping Land Conversion Program

As a major ecological project with the largest investment scale, strongest policy support, most extensive involvement, and the highest level of public participation in the world, the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) implemented by China is important for protecting the ecological environment and achieving long-term stability. Consolidating the SLCP’s achievements is key to its sustainable operation. Based on a sample of 612 farmers in Guizhou Province, this paper discusses the impact of value perception and government regulation on farmers’ behavior in terms of their continued SLCP maintenance. The results show that (1) value perception and government regulation are important factors affecting the sustainability of farmers’ behavior of continuing to maintain the SLCP. Perceived economic value and perceived cost input, as dimensions of value perception, and policy publicity and economic incentives, as dimensions of government regulation, have important influences on farmers’ continued SLCP maintenance. (2) There are complementary effects between value perception and government regulation. Policy publicity and perceived ecological value, technical guidance and perceived economic and social value, and economic incentives and perceived economic value can have complementary effects on farmers’ continued maintenance behavior. (3) Value perception and government regulation heterogeneously impact different groups of farmers. In terms of intergenerational differences, perceived cost inputs and punitive measures significantly affect only new-generation farmers. In terms of farmer type, perceived economic value does not significantly affect nonfarmers; perceived cost input significantly affects part-time farmers engaged mainly in off-farm employment, and technical guidance and economic incentives have the greatest impact on pure farmers. In terms of tree species, perceived cost input and policy publicity significantly impact only ecological forest farmers, while technical guidance has a greater impact on economic forest farmers. The findings provide an in-depth understanding of the mechanism underlying farmers’ behavior in maintaining the SLCP and offer a reference for promoting the goals of forestry ecological policies against the background of rural revitalization and green development.

Conversion Through the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola

The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola functions as a unique program for spiritual conversion in Christianity. Despite being effective for over 500 years, there have been few formal studies of individuals’ experience of the Exercises. Based on psychological and philosophical literature on conversion through the Exercises, on practitioners’ reports, and on an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of survey responses and interviews with Jesuits, this research proposes a heuristic framework by which to understand the process of conversion through the Exercises as a change in the meaning system of the exercitant. The findings reveal those factors that support this change following the Exercises, and the absence of “struggle” that features in the literature. This study is a contribution to the research on conversion, validating the proposed framework.

A system dynamics model on how zakat can reduce poverty in Indonesia

Purpose – This study analyzes the potential of zakat for poverty alleviation using a system dynamics approach. Indonesia has excellent zakat potential as a country with the largest Muslim population. However, the poverty rate in Indonesia is still high at approximately 10.14% of the total population.Methodology – This study used system dynamics to model how zakat can reduce poverty in Indonesia. The system dynamics method was chosen because of its capability to model the complexity of the system. Findings – The model indicates that increasing the percentage of productive zakat allocation and decreasing the delay of the conversion program can reduce the poverty alleviation time from 200 to 120 years using the zakat nisab standard and from 32 years using the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) poverty standard. However, if Zakat faces limited funds, the focus should be on decreasing the conversion delay. Implications –This research can encourage people to become muzakki (zakat payers) because, as indicated in the simulation models, muzakki growth of muzakki has a role in poverty alleviation. In addition, Zakat institutions can use the developed model to simulate the best policy for poverty alleviation before implementing the program.Originality – Although the system dynamics approach has shown promising findings in modeling poverty, the number of studies utilizing system dynamics to analyze the effect of zakat on poverty reduction is limited. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of zakat in alleviating poverty by implementing a system-based approach and simulating system dynamics.

Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Risk, and Trust towards Intention to Use Induction Stove: A Case Study on Pilot Project of Induction Stove Conversion Program in Surakarta

Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Risk, and Trust towards Intention to Use Induction Stove: A Case Study on Pilot Project of Induction Stove Conversion Program in Surakarta

The Implementation of English Conversation Program in Elementary School at Rural Area

This article discusses how to participate in Teaching campus programs and implementing English conversation programs in rural areas. Because English is one of the subjects considered difficult by elementary school students, especially in rural areas, teachers need to be active and communicative in giving instruction. This research was conducted in an elementary school at rural areas, This study used the self-study method, in which data are taken from observations and interviews with and English teacher in the school to find out the difficulties or challenges in teaching and learning in rural areas at Tulungagung East Java, Therefore, the self-study researcher is not the self who does the research, but rather the self being studied, not that the self is the only focus. This progression in self-study characterizes teaching as well. So after that, the author compiled this conversation program. The method used in the implementation of this conversation program was the appropriate TPR (Total Physical Response) method to support challenges or difficulties in teaching and learning. This program was carried out once every 2 weeks and was only attended by class 5. And to find out the improvement of students after joining this program, the researcher give assessment. When this activity was carried out the students were very enthusiastic and understood the lessons that I given, many improvements were obtained by them such as word pronunciation, word spelling, vocabulary knowledge, and word composition. This study strongly recommended that TPR is needed to learn English in rural area.