The design and application of a data logging system to monitor discrete electronic components

A Data Logger has been designed and developed by the author. The Data Logger is used to take measurements on electronic components. The Data Logger is outlined. It is described in terms of the hardware from which it was built. It is also described in terms of the software through which it is controlled using an Apple microcomputer. An experiment on multi-layer ceramic capacitors is detailed. A further experiment on optocouplers is outlined. Both experiments make full use of the Data Logger. In concluding, the Data Logger is found to work best with two and three terminal components. Some changes are discussed, enabling the Data Logger to be compatible with the IBM PC format

The Relationship between Scholarly Teaching and SoTL: Models, Distinctions, and Clarifications

We examine, through conceptual analysis and investigation of the available literature, some commonly assumed models of the relationship between SoTL and scholarly teaching, demonstrate how those models fare against the conceptual and empirical evidence, and propose an alternative that better represents the concepts involved. Both our definitions and the model we choose to represent their relationship impact our decisions regarding policies, programs, and resources. If the assumptions behind these practices are not warranted, our reflexive use, dissemination and propagation of these practices must be questioned

Design and realization of a miniature capacitive silicon force sensor for loads up to 500 kg

In this paper, a micromachined silicon load cell (force sensor) is presented for measuring loads up to 500 kg. The load cell has been realized and tested. Measurement results show a hysteresis error of ±0.02 % of full-scale. Creep at 500 kg after 30 minutes is within 0.01 %. These measurements show that the performance has improved by a factor of 10 compared to the previous design

Information sharing, bank penetration and tax evasion in emerging markets

Tax evasion, which is typically considered an illegal activity, is a critical problem and is considered a barrier to economic growth. A review of the literature shows that tax and social security contributions, regulations, public sector services, the quality of institutions and tax compliance, play important roles in determining the degree to which firms attempt to evade taxes. Measuring tax evasion is problematic due to data requirements and inadequacies. Few tax evasion indices have been estimated but it appears that they cannot be used for international comparisons across countries. This important issue has largely been ignored in the literature, in particular for emerging markets. Consequently, this paper is conducted to develop a new tax evasion index (TEI) using the most substantial and recent data from the standardized World Bank Enterprises Survey 2006–2017. In addition, using the newly developed TEI, the paper examines the importance and contribution of information sharing and bank penetration to the degree of tax evasion in emerging markets. The paper uses a sample of 112 emerging markets from 2006–2017 and the Tobit model in estimation. The empirical findings from the paper indicate that the average TEI during the 2006– 2017 period for emerging markets is 0.62, with a range of (0.25, 0.75). In addition, we find that information sharing and bank penetration negatively affect the degree of tax evasion, as proxied by the TEI, in emerging markets. The empirical results also confirm the view that large firms are considered to have adopted good tax compliance practices, while firms located in remote areas are more likely to evade taxes. Policy implications have emerged on the basis of the empirical findings from the paper

Systematic risk at the industry level: A case study of Australia

The cornerstone of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) lies with its beta. The question of whether or not beta is dead has attracted great attention from academics and practitioners in the last 50 years or so, and the debate is still ongoing. Many empirical studies have been conducted to test the validity of beta within the framework of CAPM. However, it is a claim of this paper that beta at the industry level has been largely ignored in the current literature. This study is conducted to examine if beta, proxied for a systematic risk, should be considered valid in the application of the CAPM at the industry level for Australia using daily data on 2200 stocks listed on the Australian Securities Exchange from January 2007 to 31 December 2016. Various portfolio formations are utilized in this paper. General economic conditions such as interest rate, inflation, and GDP are examples of systematic risk. Findings from this study indicate that the selection of portfolio construction, estimation technique, and news about economic conditions significantly affects the view whether or not beta should be considered as a valid measure of systematic risk

Some aerodynamic features of a cotton canopy

Analysis of profiles measured over irrigated cotton in the Sudan Gezira showed that the crop boundary layer remained stable throughout most of the day. The shape of wind profiles measured within the canopy suggested that momentum was absorbed mostly in the upper layers of the canopy, with the lower regions remaining isolated from the microclimate above. A similarity analysis based on dynamic scaling factors yielded a generalized wind profile from which momentum diffusivities and mixing lengths were calculated. The analysis showed that aerodynamic features of the upper layers of the canopy were characterized by the friction velocity and the height of the zero-plane displacement

Anthropic Distribution for Cosmological Constant and Primordial Density Perturbations

The anthropic principle has been proposed as an explanation for the observed value of the cosmological constant. Here we revisit this proposal by allowing for variation between universes in the amplitude of the scale-invariant primordial cosmological density perturbations. We derive a priori probability distributions for this amplitude from toy inflationary models in which the parameter of the inflaton potential is smoothly distributed over possible universes. We find that for such probability distributions, the likelihood that we live in a typical, anthropically-allowed universe is generally quite small.Comment: 12 pages, 2 tables. v3: Replaced to match published version (minor corrections of form

Quantum fluctuations of classical skyrmions in quantum Hall Ferromagnets

In this article, we discuss the effect of the zero point quantum fluctuations to improve the results of the minimal field theory which has been applied to study %SMG the skyrmions in the quantum Hall systems. Our calculation which is based on the semiclassical treatment of the quantum fluctuations, shows that the one-loop quantum correction provides more accurate results for the minimal field theory.Comment: A few errors are corrected. Accepted for publication in Rapid Communication, Phys. Rev.

Developments in an HF Nowcasting Model for Trans-Polar Airline Routes

HF communications can be difficult in the polar regions since they are strongly influenced by space weather events. Airline communications within the polar regions rely on HF communications and improved nowcasting and forecasting techniques in support of this are now required. Previous work has demonstrated that ray tracing through a realistic, historical ionosphere provides signal coverage in good agreement with measurements. This paper presents an approach to providing a real-time ionospheric model by assimilating TEC measurements and validates it against observations from ionosondes