Automatic Design of Optimal Actuated Traffic Signal Control with Transit Signal Priority

In traffic networks, appropriately determining the traffic signal plan of each intersection is a ünecessary condition for a reasonable level of service. This paper presents the development of a new system for automatically designing optimal actuated traffic signal plans with transit signal priority. It uses an optimization algorithm combined with a mesoscopic traffic simulation model to design and evaluate optimal traffic signal plans for each intersection in the traffic network, therefore reducing the need for human intervention in the design process. The proposed method can simultaneously determine the optimal logical structure, priority strategies, timing parameters, phase composition and sequence, and detector placements. The integrated system was tested by a real-world isolated intersection in Haifa city. The results demonstrated that this approach has the potential to efficiently design signal plans without human intervention, which can minimize time, cost, and design effort. It can also help uncover problems in the design that may otherwise not be detected

Language Tests, Motivation, and Demotivation: A Complex Relationship

Tests are an integral part of most formal language learning processes, exerting far-reaching effects on many aspects of language learning. Among other things, tests affect language learning motivation (LLM), an element that is fundamental to many learning contexts. However, little attention has been paid to how tests affect LLM and what the pedagogical implications may be. Using qualitative semi-structured interviews with 20 adolescent Arab learners, this study attempts to explore how and when tests can motivate or demotivate language learners. It also examines the main strategies learners deploy to cope with the demotivating experiences associated with test taking. The data suggest that tests have the potential to both motivate and demotivate learners before, during, and after taking a test. Additionally, the results reveal several strategies that learners employ to cope with demotivation. This leads to a discussion regarding pedagogical implications on how to effectively employ tests to increase learners’ motivation and decrease their demotivation.  &nbsp

Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy

This pilot study examined the feasibility of applying Contingency Management (CM), where the woman receives financial compensation for abstinence from smoking. Eleven subjects were recruited from Marshall’s OB clinic for the program. CO levels were measured daily using online video recording. Quit rates were determined at the end of pregnancy. Birth outcomes were measured at delivery. 21 pregnant smokers from Marshall’s OB clinic were used as the control group. The results demonstrated a trend toward improved rates of smoking abstinence in CM participants as compared with the control group. Our study also showed a trend towards improved birth outcomes in the CM group. However, the results were not statistically significant, and we believe a larger study in our population is warranted

Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy

This pilot study examined the feasibility of applying Contingency Management (CM), where the woman receives financial compensation for abstinence from smoking. Eleven subjects were recruited from Marshall’s OB clinic for the program. CO levels were measured daily using online video recording. Quit rates were determined at the end of pregnancy. Birth outcomes were measured at delivery. 21 pregnant smokers from Marshall’s OB clinic were used as the control group. The results demonstrated a trend toward improved rates of smoking abstinence in CM participants as compared with the control group. Our study also showed a trend towards improved birth outcomes in the CM group. However, the results were not statistically significant, and we believe a larger study in our population is warranted

An experimental study of air flow and temperature distribution in a room with displacement ventilation and a chilled ceiling

Displacement ventilation and chilled ceiling panel systems are potentially more energy efficient than conventional air conditioning systems and are characterized by the presence of vertical temperature gradients and significant radiant asymmetry. The characteristics of this type of system have been studied by making temperature and air flow measurements in a test chamber over a range of operating parameters typical of office applications. Results from the displacement ventilation study are consistent with other studies and show that normalized temperature profiles are independent of internal heat gain. Linear temperature gradients in the lower part of the room were found, in all cases, to be driven by convection from the adjacent walls. Significant mixing, indicated by reduced temperature gradients, was evident in the upper part of the room in the chilled ceiling results at higher levels of heat gain. Visualization experiments, velocity measurements and related numerical studies indicated that with greater heat gains the plumes have sufficient momentum to drive flow across the ceiling surface and down the walls. The significance of forced, as opposed to natural convection, is also suggested by relatively low Richardson Number (Ri) values found near the ceiling. Furthermore, in cases with moderately high internal gains, comparison of the temperature gradients indicated that the effect of ceiling surface temperature on the degree of mixing and the magnitude of the temperature gradient were of secondary importance. These findings are in contrast to the view that it is natural convection at the ceiling that causes enhanced mixing

Psychological impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers: cross-sectional analyses from 14 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been impacted psychologically due to their professional responsibilities over the prolonged era of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to identify the predictors of psychological distress, fear, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic among HCWs. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among self-identified HCWs across 14 countries (12 from Asia and two from Africa). The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale were used to assess the psychological distress, fear, and coping of HCWs, respectively. Results A total of 2447 HCWs participated; 36% were doctors, and 42% were nurses, with a mean age of 36 (±12) years, and 70% were females. Moderate to very-high psychological distress was prevalent in 67% of the HCWs; the lowest rate was reported in the United Arab Emirates (1%) and the highest in Indonesia (16%). The prevalence of high levels of fear was 20%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (9%) and the highest in Egypt (32%). The prevalence of medium-to-high resilient coping was 63%; the lowest rate was reported in Libya (28%) and the highest in Syria (76%). Conclusion COVID-19 has augmented the psychological distress among HCWs. Factors identified in this study should be considered in managing the wellbeing of HCWs, who had been serving as the frontline drivers in managing the crisis successfully across all participating countries. Furthermore, interventions to address their psychological distress should be considered

Motivational orientations, attitudes, and demotivation : a case study of Muslim Arab learners of English in public schools in Northern Israel

The current study investigated aspects of language learning motivation among Arab learners of English in Israel.  The study involved 385 participants from 6 public (state) schools in Israel in years 9 and 10.  The study examined a number of motivational components including attitudes, motivational orientations (reasons for studying English) and demotivation with a special focus on the effect of the immediate learning environment on each of them.  In collecting the data, a mixed methodological approach was followed combining survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results of the study suggested that Arab learners of English in Israel had positive attitudes towards learning foreign languages in general and English in particular but possessed rather negative attitudes to native speakers of English.  The participants rated high the instrumental and intrinsic orientations but quite low the integrative one.  Results on language learning demotivation showed that there were two main sources of demotivation.  The first related to factors external to the learner and linked to the immediate learning context and the other included factors that were mainly linked to the perceived difficulties with learning English.  On the whole, the participants expressed light satisfaction with their immediate learning contexts although there were sharp differences among students coming from different classes. Some differences were found between male and female students. The interviews with students confirmed many of the above findings though they indicated that some aspects of the instrumental, in particular, were not applicable to Arab learners.  The results of the study were analysed by considering the socioeconomic and political conditions of the Arabs in Israel and by considering some of the cognitive motivational theories.  The results of the interviews opened new ways in which attitudes, motivation and demotivation in language learning could be understood.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Facebook-användning & Syriska revolutionen : En studie om människors upplevelser av Facebook-användning under revolutionen i Syrien

This study has analyzed people's experiences of Facebook use during the revolution in Syria. To be able to find out the answer, 6 people were interviewed, who all lived in Syria during the revolution. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed. An interview guide was used in the method and was provided to all interviewees. The focus of the interwiews are ordinary people and not explicit activists.   The main question is how did the people of Syria experience the use of Facebook during the revolution. Other questions of interest, in what way is Facebook used by the public to disseminate or absorb information during the Syrian revolution, and how did the people of Syria experience the internet connection during the revolution, Did the people of Syria experience a media mistrust during the revolution. And in what way did the people of Syria use resource mobilization and social movements.   In order to analyze the interviews, the main focus will be on the new social movement, social media and its influence, the media / media misstrust and resource mobilization. Two scientific articles will be highlighted in the background in this study. The first article is talking about the role social media has played during the uprising in Middle East and North Africa. And also how old media had been replaced by new digital media. The second article is about the internet and social media are getting a lot of attention in the last years in Middle East and North Africa. More and more people hade built a miss trust against the old media. Two examples mentioned in the article are Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings where digital media was a success against their own governments. Digital media, also known as Web 2.0, is considered the most credible source in Tunisia and Egypt.   The conclusion of this study is that ordinary people from Syria have always had a fear of the Syrian regime, but with the help of fake IP addresses and aliases, they were able to collaborate, plan demonstrations with the help of various Facebook groups. People have already had media mistrust when the regime took power over 40 years ago. Futhermore during the revolution the experience was amplified and Facebook was a reliable source replacing TV and newspapers from Syria.Denna studie har analyserat människors upplevelser av Facebook-användning under revolutionen i Syrien. För att kunna ta reda på detta användes 6 st. intervjupersoner som bodde i Syrien under revolutionen. Intervjuerna spelades in och sedan transkriberades. En intervjuguide användes i metoden och frågorna ställdes till alla intervjupersoner. Studien fokuserar på vanliga människor och inte aktivister. Studien har en huvudfrågeställning och fyra underrubriker till frågeställningen. Huvudfrågeställningen handlar om hur upplevde människorna i Syrien Facebook-användningen under revolutionen i Syrien. De fyra underrubriker till frågeställningarna är, på vilket sätt uppfattade de att Facebook av allmänheten för att sprida eller ta till sig information under den syriska revolutionen och hur upplevde människorna i Syrien internetanslutningen under revolutionen. Upplevde människorna i Syrien en mediemisstro under revolutionen. Den sista underrubriken handlar om, på vilket sätt använde sig vanliga människor i Syrien av Facebook för att mobilisera resurser som t.ex. planera, samarbeta och delta i demonstrationer. För att kunna analysera intervjupersonernas svar så kommer fokuset ligga på den nya sociala rörelsen, sociala medier och dess påverkan, media/nyhetsmisstro och resursmobilisering. I bakgrunden kommer två vetenskapliga artiklar att belysas. I den första artikeln undersöks sociala mediers spridning och som roll sociala medier har spelat under upproren i Mellanöstern och Nordafrika. Även hur gamla medier har förskjutits och ersatts av nya digitala medier. Den andra artikeln handlar om att internet och sociala medier fått mycket uppmärksamhet de senaste åren i Mellanöstern och Nordafrika. Människors förtroende till gamla medier sjönk. Två exempel som nämns i artikeln är den tunisiska och egyptiska upproren, där digitala medier var en succé för att bekämpa sina egna regeringar. Digitala medier som även kallas för webb 2.0 betraktas som den mest trovärdiga källan i Tunisien och Egypten. Slutsatsen i denna studie är att vanliga människor från Syrien har alltid haft en rädsla från den syriska regimen, men med hjälp av falska IP adresser och alias namn kunde de samarbete och planera demonstrationer med hjälp av olika Facebookgrupper. Människorna har haft mediemisstro redan när regimen tog makten för över 40 år sedan, men under revolutionen förstärktes upplevelsen och Facebook var en pålitligkälla som ersatte tv och tidningar i Syrien

Acausal Modelling of Thermal Fluid Systems with a Focus on Engine Air Path Components

The automotive industry is rapidly developing more advanced vehicle propulsion systems, autonomous driving, emissions reduction, and improved fuel efficiency. Optimal control theory has evolved such that a system can be controlled in real-time based on values predicted by models over a control horizon. Controller performance depends on the accuracy of the predictive model. The purpose of this work is to develop acausal high-fidelity control-oriented plant models of engine air path components that simulate faster than real-time to design and tune the required controllers. The desired features of these models are that they be physics-based and use physically-meaningful design parameters. These features are desired to make these models extensible over different generations of the engine air path components. The considered engine in this work is the engine of the Toyota Prius 2015 Plug-in hybrid. An acausal mean value thermal engine block model is developed. The engine block model includes computations done on thermal effects in the engine block, engine air intake and exhaust streams, lubricant oil, and coolant. Model parameters are identified and validated experimentally. Acausal physics-based models, including spatial variation in variables, are introduced for the engine manifold and catalytic converter. The models are based on one-dimensional partial differential equations. A novel method based on orthogonal collocation is devised to model quasi-one-dimensional compressible flows inside engine manifolds. A similar methodology is used to model the catalytic converter, transforming the system of partial differential equations into a system of ordinary differential equations in state-space form. Both high fidelity models simulate faster than real-time. The developed models are showcased by designing and tuning a low-level engine shaft speed adaptive model predictive controller than can be used to control speed, e.g. in an adaptive cruise controller or autonomous car. The controller manipulates engine throttle and air to fuel ratio to achieve the desired engine shaft speed at minimal fuel consumption. The tuned Model Predictive controller is compared to a tuned PID controller by simulating a drive cycle followed by the Toyota engine