Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ILP modelling of the common subexpression sharing problem

Subexpression sharing is an important implementation issue when one data is multiplied with many constants or a sum of products is computed. By modelling the subexpression sharing problem using integer linear programming (ILP) an optimal solution can be found. Further, the model can be directly incorporated with the design of algorithms that have linear design constraints, e.g., linear-phase FIR filters. The proposed method is compared with previously reported algorithms. It produces better results than other subexpression sharing methods, even though it is still not comparable with the optimal method based on graph representation. However, the possibility to expand the ILP model beyond subexpression sharing is discussed. This would then produce identical results to the optimal adder graph method.
Strategizing in practice in Islamic and conventional banks in Saudi Arabia

This empirical research has explored strategizing in the banking sector in a non-Western context. Attention was drawn to strategy meaning, strategizing activities and strategy practitioners. A comparison of strategizing was made between Islamic banks governed by Shari’ah and non Islamic ones. Strategy practices and strategy practitioners have received little research attention. Hence, this research is influenced by the strategy as practice perspective to describe the context for strategy actors and strategizing practices. The importance of this study is derived from its focus on the micro level of strategizing and strategists in a cross cultural context. Its focal point is strategy practitioners from different levels of the organisation. A multiple case study approach was adopted. Data were obtained via 41 semi-structured interviews with purposively selected strategy actors, complemented by secondary data, from six of the 12 commercial banks in Saudi Arabia: two Islamic ones, two local conventional ones and two international banks. Findings reveal that no single consensus definition was expressed by strategists, yet there were similarities in the various conceptualizations they offered. Thirteen practices employed by practitioners were identified and classified as recursive or adaptive. This research provides insights into who the strategists (internal and external) are by focusing on capabilities and engagement. Findings confirm that social norms could restrict certain actors’ participation, such as the cultural barrier to women’s participation. The engagement of strategy actors in different practices varied, which means different strategy practices could be practised by different strategy actors; moreover, they differed in their level of influence. In terms of differences between conventional and Islamic banks, there was no distinction in the way strategy was perceived and practised. The only distinctive aspect was in terms of strategy actors, where in the Islamic banks, the Shari’ah Board and Shari’ah Group played key roles. The research contributes to the emerging s-as-p perspective with micro level, cross-cultural data, identifying 13 practices and linking them to modes, timing and actors.
APPLYING THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE MODEL AND FLOW THEORY TO ONLINE E-LEARNING USERS' ACCEPTANCE BEHAVIOR

Streaming e-Learning systems have become widely available lately. Web-based streaming media, due to its low production cost, are generally the most popular way of providing e-learning services. However, considering the many different media formats (text, graphics, audio, video, and animations) that can be integrated into a streaming e-learning, how should a cost-effective streaming media system be implemented in the web? This study proposes an integrated theoretical framework for users’ acceptance behavior on web-based streaming e-learning. This study considers the e-Learning systems user as both a system user and a learner. Constructs from information systems (Technology Acceptance Model) and Human Behavior and Psychology (Flow Theory) are tested in an integrated theoretical framework of online e-learning users’ acceptance behavior. The data collected from our experiment show significant evidence in support of our hypothesis. The analytical results confirm the dual identity of the online elearning user as a system user and a learner, since both the flow and the perceived usefulness of the e-learning system strongly predict intention to continue using e-learning. The study provides a more rounded, albeit partial, view of the online e-Learning user and significantly improves understanding of e-learning user acceptance behavior on the Web. The validated metrics should be valuable to both researchers and practitioners.
Development of the traditional digital games for strengthening childhood’s verbal skill

The aims of this research was to: (1) know the portability aspect of the Traditional Digital Games application as a medium for early childhood learning; and (2) know the usability aspect of the Traditional Digital Games applications as a medium for early childhood learning. The method used in this study is Research and Development (R & D). The stages through which the waterfall will be useful to be able to produce reliable and effective software. The waterfall flowchart consists of: analysis, design, implementation, testing, and improvement. The results of this study were: (1) the results of testing from the portability aspect using a different smartphone, it can be concluded that traditional digital game applications have entered into a very good category; and (2) the results of testing usability aspects averaged over 70%, so that in both aspects the test was considered feasible and good. Although in the aspect of learning games the score shows 70.83% so it needs an increase.
Image denoising based on BEMD and PDE

Image processing is an important area in the information industry. A crucial research is how to filter noise caused by the nature, system and processing of transfers and so on. The noise mixed with the useful images or signals and brings the researchers lots of troubles. In many research areas related, such as target detecting and tracking, edge detecting and image registration, image denoising is the first step of process and the effect of it is very important to the following processes. In this paper, we proposed an image denoising method using partial differential equation and bi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition. The bi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition transforms the image into intrinsic mode function and residue. Different components of the intrinsic mode functions present different frequency of the image. The different with the classic method of partial differential equation denoising is that we use partial differential equation of the intrinsic mode functions to filter noise. Finally, we reconstruct the image with the filtered intrinsic mode functions and residue. The experiments show the reliability of our algorithm.
Syntax Matters for Rhetorical Structure: The Case of Chiasmus

The chiasmus is a rhetorical figure involving the repetition of a pair of words in reverse order, as in “all for one, one for all”. Previous work on detecting chiasmus in running text has only considered superficial features like words and punctuation. In this paper, we explore the use of syntactic features as a means to improve the quality of chiasmus detection. Our results show that taking syntactic structure into account may increase average precision from about 40 to 65% on texts taken from European Parliament proceedings. To show the generality of the approach, we also evaluate it on literary text and observe a similar improvement and a slightly better overall result.
Circadian-dependent retinal light damage in rats.

PURPOSE To determine the relative susceptibility of rats to retinal light damage at different times of the day or night. METHODS Rats maintained in a dim cyclic light or dark environment were exposed to a single dose of intense green light beginning at various times. Normally, light exposures were for 8 or 3 hours, respectively, although longer and shorter periods were also used. Some animals were treated with the synthetic antioxidant dimethylthiourea (DMTU) before or after the onset of light. The extent of visual cell loss was estimated from measurements of rhodopsin and retinal DNA levels 2 weeks after light treatment. The time course of retinal DNA fragmentation, and the expression profiles of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and interphotoreceptor retinol binding protein (IRBP) were determined 1 to 2 days after exposure. RESULTS When dark-adapted, cyclic light-reared or dark-reared rats were exposed to intense light during normal nighttime hours (2000-0800) the loss of rhodopsin or photoreceptor cell DNA was approximately twofold greater than that found in rats exposed to light during the day (0800-2000). The relative degree of light damage susceptibility persisted in cyclic light-reared rats after dark adaptation for up to 3 additional days. For rats reared in a reversed light cycle, the light-induced loss of rhodopsin was also reversed. Longer duration light treatments revealed that dim cyclic light-reared rats were three- to fourfold more susceptible to light damage at 0100 than at 1700 and that dark-reared animals were approximately twofold more susceptible. Intense light exposure at 0100 resulted in greater retinal DNA fragmentation and the earlier appearance of apoptotic DNA ladders than at 1700. The extent of retinal DNA damage also correlated with an induction of retinal HO-1 mRNA and with a reduction in IRBP transcription. Antioxidant treatment with DMTU was effective in preventing retinal light damage when given before but not after the onset of light. CONCLUSIONS These results confirm earlier work showing greater retinal light damage in rats exposed at night rather than during the day and extend those findings by demonstrating that a single, relatively short, intense light exposure causes a circadian-dependent, oxidatively induced loss of photoreceptor cells. The light-induced loss of photoreceptor cells is preceded by DNA fragmentation and by alterations in the normal transcriptional events in the retina and within the photoreceptors. The expression profile of an intrinsic retinal factor(s) at the onset of light exposure appears to be important in determining light damage susceptibility.
Growth strategies for Africa

Over the past four decades Africa has diverged from other developing regions and is now the poorest region in the world. This paper offers an explanation of Africa's slow growth in terms of its distinctive economic and human geography: its high dependence upon natural resource exports, the many landlocked countries, and the high ethnic diversity of the typical state. It discusses how key economic policy choices, especially trade and fiscal policy, and assistance from the international community, need to tailored specifically to these distinctive circumstances. Part one of this paper sets out an explanation for why this happened and whether it is likely to recur, using the building blocks of economic geography. Africa is distinctive both in its physical geography and its human geography and these have shaped its opportunities. Part one has three sections. Section two considers the implications of Africa's distinctive physical geography. It accounts for some of Africa's slow growth and suggests how strategies will need to differ radically among Africa's countries. In section three author turn to its distinctive human geography and the political problems that this has created. To a considerable extent these problems recently have been surmounted: Africa's human geography may explain delayed take-off rather than predict persistent stagnation. Finally, in section four, author consider three interactions between physical geography and human geography that generate intractable problems that are likely to require both regional action and international assistance in various forms. Part two uses the analysis of part one to consider policy options. Section five discusses options for African governments. Section six focuses on the supporting actions that can be taken by governments outside Africa and by international agencies. Section seven offers a brief conclusion.
IMPACTS OF IDEOLOGY, TRUST, AND COMMUNICATION ON EFFECTIVENESS IN OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

The emerging work on understanding open source software has strongly argued for the importance of understanding what leads to effectiveness in OSS development, has frequently pointed to ideology and communication as probable factors in effectiveness, and has presented conflicting opinions about the role of trust in effectiveness. For all the discussion of these issues, there has been no comprehensive elaboration of what constitutes OSS ideology, and very little empirical data has been brought to bear on examining antecedents of OSS team effectiveness. This paper develops a framework of the OSS ideology (including specific norms, beliefs, and values) and a theoretical model to show how components of the ideology, combined with trust and communication, impact effectiveness in OSS teams. The research model proposes distinct roles for affective trust, cognitive trust, social communication, and task communication as determinants of OSS team effectiveness. Qualitative and quantitative data are analyzed to evaluate the model. The results suggest that in order for OSS projects to grow into the kind of large successes that prior work has studied, the teams that work on them should foster the norms and values of the larger community and maintain consistent task communication to develop cognitive trust among members.
The Skill Bias: Comparative evidence and an econometric test

Many empirical studies have shown how technological change, organisational change and globalisation can be alternatively (or jointly) seen as causes of skill bias. In this paper, after discussing some evidence on the G7 countries which shows a clear upskilling trend in manufacturing industries over the 1980s, an illustrative example is provided.The panel analysis of a sample of 488 Italian manufacturing firms shows how the upskilling trend of employment is a function of the reorganisational strategy adopted by firms, while technological change and FDI seem to play negligible roles.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REWARD MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTES IN KENYA

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between reward management system and the employee performance in Technical Institutes in Kenya. Many organizations including technical institutions have realized the value of human capital, which is the most important asset of any organization, besides; the success or failure of an organization is largely dependent on the caliber of the people working therein. Methodology: The research adopted both descriptive and correlational research designs. It also used a mixture of methods approach consisting of both qualitative and quantitative research methods, applied to a sample of the technical training institutes in Kenya. A sample size of 3 Technical Institutes in Kenya and comprising of 137 respondents was used. A linear regression analysis was used to explain the relationship between independent variables and dependent variable. The data was analyzed through Statistical package for social sciences and presented using the statistical methods amongst them tables, bar graphs and pie charts. The results were used test and determine the relationship of the variables. Findings: The findings revealed that reward management had a positive effect and thus relationship on performance of the employee. Contributions: The findings contribute to enhancement of reward systems in any organization for improved performance of both the employee and at large the employer. The results and recommendations will be used for policy formation and decision making
How users use access control

Existing technologies for file sharing differ widely in the granularity of control they give users over who can access their data; achieving finer-grained control generally requires more user effort. We want to understand what level of control users need over their data, by examining what sorts of access policies users actually create in practice. We used automated data mining techniques to examine the real-world use of access control features present in standard document sharing systems in a corporate environment as used over a long (> 10 year) time span. We find that while users rarely need to change access policies, the policies they do express are actually quite complex. We also find that users participate in larger numbers of access control and email sharing groups than measured by self-report in previous studies. We hypothesize that much of this complexity might be reduced by considering these policies as examples of simpler access control patterns. From our analysis of what access control features are used and where errors are made, we propose a set of design guidelines for access control systems themselves and the tools used to manage them, intended to increase usability and decrease error.
Integrating Collaborative Filtering and Sentiment Analysis: A Rating Inference Approach

We describe a rating inference approach to incorporating textual user reviews into collaborative ﬁltering (CF) algorithms. The main idea of our approach is to elicit user preferences expressed in textual reviews, a problem known as sentiment analysis , and map such preferences onto some rating scales that can be understood by existing CF algorithms. One important task in our rating inference framework is the determination of sentimental orientations (SO) and strengths of opinion words. It is because inferring a rating from a review is mainly done by extracting opinion words in the review, and then aggregating the SO of such words to determine the dominant or average sentiment implied by the user. We performed some preliminary analysis on movie reviews to investigate how SO and strengths of opinion words can be determined, and proposed a relative-frequency-based method for performing such task. The proposed method addresses a major limitation of existing methods by allowing similar words to have different SO. We also developed and evaluated a prototype of the proposed framework. Preliminary results validated the effectiveness of various tasks in the proposed framework, and suggest that the framework does not rely on a large training corpus to function. Further development of our rating inference framework is ongoing. A comprehensive evaluation of the framework will be carried out and reported in a follow-up article.
Scalable multiple description video for fair streaming to many clients

Peer-to-peer networks (P2P) form a distributed communication infrastructure that is particularly well matched to video streaming using multiple description coding. We form M descriptions using MDC-FEC building on a scalable version of the “Dirac” video coder. The M descriptions are streamed via M different application layer multicast (ALM) trees embedded in the P2P network. Client nodes (peers in the network) receive a number of descriptions m < M that is dependent on their bandwidth. In this paper we consider the optimization of the received video qualities, taking into account the distribution of the clients’ bandwidth. We propose three “fairness” criteria to define the criterion to be optimized. Numerical results illustrate the effects of the different fairness criteria and client bandwidth distributions on the rates allocated to the compressed video layers and multiple descriptions.
Hispanic Secondary School Students with Disabilities: How Are They Doing?.

This paper focuses on the secondary school experiences of Hispanic students with disabilities, presenting findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS) of Special Education Students. The 5-year NLTS study included data on more than 8,000 students (of whom 733 were Hispanic) enrolled in special education in the 1985-86 school year. The data provided in this report were collected in 1987 from telephine interviews with parents of the NLTS Hispanic youth. The paper begins with a description of individual and family background factors, such as disability category, functional skills, youth demographics and household characteristics. It continues with a description of students' secondary school experiences including school characteristics (such as size and urbanicity) and school policies amd practices regarding instructional placement and vocational education services and programs. The paper then focuses on aspects of student school performance and activities related to vocational and instructional placement experiences including absenteeism, school completion, employment during secondary school, and participation in extracurricular activities. Findings indicated that Hispanic students with disabilities were unlikely to be in racially integrated or mainstream settings, had fewer vocational training opportunities than other special education students, and were unlikely to participate in extracurricular group activities. An appendix presents background information on the NLTS. (35 references) (DB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************u****************************************
Electroendocytosis Is Driven by the Binding of Electrochemically Produced Protons to the Cell’s Surface

Electroendocytosis involves the exposure of cells to pulsed low electric field and is emerging as a complementary method to electroporation for the incorporation of macromolecules into cells. The present study explores the underlying mechanism of electroendocytosis and its dependence on electrochemical byproducts formed at the electrode interface. Cell suspensions were exposed to pulsed low electric field in a partitioned device where cells are spatially restricted relative to the electrodes. The cellular uptake of dextran-FITC was analyzed by flow cytometery and visualized by confocal microscopy. We first show that uptake occurs only in cells adjacent to the anode. The enhanced uptake near the anode is found to depend on electric current density rather than on electric field strength, in the range of 5 to 65 V/cm. Electrochemically produced oxidative species that impose intracellular oxidative stress, do not play any role in the stimulated uptake. An inverse dependence is found between electrically induced uptake and the solution’s buffer capacity. Electroendocytosis can be mimicked by chemically acidifying the extracellular solution which promotes the enhanced uptake of dextran polymers and the uptake of plasmid DNA. Electrochemical production of protons at the anode interface is responsible for inducing uptake of macromolecules into cells exposed to a pulsed low electric field. Expanding the understanding of the mechanism involved in electric fields induced drug-delivery into cells, is expected to contribute to clinical therapy applications in the future.