Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constructions as Resources for Interaction: Lists in English and Spanish Conversation

The comparative study of synchronic occurrences of a particular construction in interactional corpora from different languages can provide a complete understanding of the development of the construction as a response to some basic intimately associated set of interactional moves and cognitive demands. A comparative formal analysis of lists in Spanish and English conversations shows that in both languages the construction has developed a stylized intonation pattern based on the holding of tones by means of lengthening of nuclear syllables, a durable syntactic organization based on parataxis and an almost identical inventory of lexicalized expressions to index the end of the list. A parallel analysis of lists in their interactional contexts shows that in both English and Spanish conversation the formal properties of lists emerge as adaptations to a recurrent set of communicative tasks. The first type of `framing' lists is used for its incremental structure in the negotiation of common background between interlocutors, whereas the second type of `demonstrative' lists is used for its rhetorical structure to provide evidence for a claim and is directed to obtaining agreement.
Multiplier-and memory-based digital FIR filters for nyquist channels: An assessment of quantization noise

The performance capability of digitally implemented FIR receiver filters designed to complement transmitter spectral shaping and thereby form Nyquist channels for bandlimited voiceband telephony is explored in this work. Assuming the use of receiver filters that match an approximately half-Nyquist transmitter transfer function, a computer simulation assesses the quantization noise contributed by multiplier- and memory-based digital FIR filters. These filter architectures, realized with just several taps and conventional digital hardware, are shown capable of affording minimal peak digital eye closure, with quantization noise of less than 10 percent for quaternary signaling.
A self-calibrating single-chip CMOS camera with logarithmic response

A high-dynamic-range CMOS image sensor consisting of nonintegrating, continuously working photoreceptors with logarithmic response is presented. The nonuniformity problem caused by the device-to-device variations is greatly reduced by an implemented analog self-calibration. After performing this calibration, the remaining fixed pattern noise amounts to 3.8% (RMS) of an intensity decade at a uniform illumination of 1 W/m/sup 2/. The sensor provides a resolution of 384/spl times/288 pixels and a dynamic range of 6 decades in the intensity region from 3 mW/m/sup 2/ to 3 kW/m/sup 2/. It contains all components required for operating as a camera-on-a-chip. The image data can be read out either via a single analog line (video standard) or via a digital interface after undergoing an analog-to-digital conversion on the chip. Additional features like automatic exposure control, averaging of adjacent pixels, and digital zoom have been implemented, making the sensor suitable for a wide field of applications.
Air spindle attitude control via proof mass actuators

Attitude control of a single-axis air spindle testbed using two proof mass actuators is studied by means of analytical models and laboratory experiments. A key feature of the air spindle testbed is that ideally there is no external moment; hence the total angular momentum can be assumed to be conserved. After a brief hardware description of the air spindle testbed and proof mass actuators, the equations of motion are derived, assuming the total angular momentum is zero. It is shown that arbitrary platform reorientation can be achieved using periodic proof mass motions. Two proof mass actuator control strategies are constructed based on piecewise constant motions and sinusoidal motions. Experimental results are summarized and are compared with simulation results.
Are books becoming extinct in academic libraries

Purpose – Academic librarians who are planning for the future need to be knowledgeable about the short‐ and long‐range outlook for print. They must also consider what will happen if libraries abolish most or all of their books. This paper aims to explore current and future academic e‐book usage, and to suggest ideas for response to collection changes.Design/methodology/approach – This article examines a wide range of studies and comments on this timely topic.Findings – The disparity between the reception of e‐books in the general population and the adoption of them in the academic world suggests that print is still important to faculty and students. Given the advances in e‐book technology, the increasing popularity of online/distance education courses, the adoption of the new EPUB 3 format, and the ubiquity of mobile devices, e‐books are expected increasingly to replace print volumes in academic libraries.Originality/value – What has received little attention in the literature is the complexity of the iss.
Computer Task and Application Use by Professional Health Educators: Implications for Professional Preparation

Much has been written about how technology could affect the delivery of health education in the future. However, no data-based research has been published regarding how working health educators in any setting are actually using computer technology now, or how they expect to use computers in the near future. The purpose of this study was to determine how professional health educators are currently using computers and how they expect to use computers in the next 5 years. We report the results of a mail survey of a national random sample of working health educators (n = 400). Data pertain to tasks performed with computers now and in the near future (3-5 years) and the types of computer programs currently used. Internet, word processing, and electronic presentation skills were found to be of greatest importance. The results of this study provide guidelines for the development of curriculum components in professional preparation programs to address needed competencies.
Succession planning in libraries

Purpose – This article aims to draw attention to the fact that succession planning is crucial to libraries.Design/methodology/approach – The article is a literature review and commentary on the topic of succession planning in libraries.Findings – Libraries need to make succession planning a priority of human resource management.Originality/value – The value of planning ahead is needed with the exodus of baby boomers.
A head-and-torso model for low-frequency binaural elevation effects

Low-frequency elevation-dependent features appear in HRTF (head related transfer function) measurements because of torso and shoulder reflections and head diffraction effects. A simple structural model that accounts for these features is presented. Listening tests show that the model produces significant elevation cues for virtual sound sources whose spectra are limited to frequencies below 3 kHz. The low-frequency binaural elevation cues are perceptually significant away from the median plane, and complement high-frequency monaural pinna cues.
Estimating the storage capacity of space-varying cellular neural networks

The capacity of associative memories based on space-varying, nonreciprocal, discrete-time cellular neural networks (CNNs) is investigated. The capacity is defined as the maximum number of random bipolar prototypes which can be stored with probability larger than a suitable threshold. It is shown that the capacity of the CNN is actually determined by the cells with the smallest number of connections, i.e. those located at the corners of the rectangular array. A simple empirical formula is presented which enables a prediction to be made as to the capacity of the CNN associative memory as a function of the neighbourhood radius and of the stability margin.
Predictive modeling using sparse logistic regression with applications

In this thesis, sparse logistic regression models are applied in a set of real world machine learning applications. The studied cases include supervised image segmentation, cancer diagnosis, and MEG data classification. Image segmentation is applied both in component detection in inkjet printed electronics manufacturing and in cell detection from microscope images. The results indicate that a simple linear classification method such as logistic regression often outperforms more sophisticated methods. Further, it is shown that the interpretability of the linear model offers great advantage in many applications. Model validation and automatic feature selection by means of `1 regularized parameter estimation have a significant role in this thesis. It is shown that a combination of a careful model assessment scheme and automatic feature selection by means of logistic regression model and coefficient regularization create a powerful, yet simple and practical, tool chain for applications of supervised learning and classification.
Alceste une méthodologie d'analyse des données textuelles et une application: Aurelia De Gerard De Nerval

ALCESTE - A Methodology of Textual Data Analysis and an Application: Aurélia by Gérard de Nerval. Beginning with a cross-tabulation with different all sentence fragments in rows and a selected vocabulary in columns for a specific corpus, the author presents: the methodology, including principle concepts and objectives of this form of analysis; the technique, the ALCESTE computer program of automatic classification based on resemblance or dissimilarity: and an application, the analysis of Gérard de Nerval's text Aurélia. The analysis distinguishes three types of fragments which are described and analyzed further.
Training final year students in data presentation skills with an iterative report-feedback cycle

Although practical laboratory activities are often considered the linchpin of science education, asking students to produce many large practical reports can be problematic. Practical reports require diverse skills, and therefore do not focus the students' attention on any one skill where specific skills need to be enhanced. They are also time-consuming to write and mark, limiting the speed at which feedback can be returned. To focus students specifically on the skills of data presentation and interpretation, a weakness noted in many reports in the past, students were required to produce a results figure, as would be found in a journal article, one for each of four practical topics. The students found this a challenge, but their skills improved markedly over the semester due to an efficient feedback cycle. Students were very engaged with this assessment, as it caused them to re-consider what they understood about the results of the practical. As this assessment is a small focused version of a practical report, it allows faster marking and return of practicals. This is therefore a successful method of focusing students' attention on presenting and interpreting practical results, in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Representation aiding for problem solving in process control systems

Describes an experiment, believed to be the first, to compare a multilevel interface based on an abstraction hierarchy representation with another type of interface. Collectively, the experimental findings are consistent with the defensible conclusion that an interface based on an abstraction hierarchy representation of the work domain can provide more support for knowledge-based behavior than an interface based on physical variables alone because it results in a better match to the theoretical expert's mental model. <<ETX>>
Applying simulation optimization for solving a collaborative patient-referring mechanism problem

This research takes three-hospital collaboration as a case study. For the case hospital collaboration, each hospital has different computed tomography (CT) patients and CT scanners. This research formulates a mathematical model and uses system simulation to construct a collaborative CT patient-referring mechanism among the three hospitals. The objective of this study is to apply the simulation optimization method to obtain an optimal solution of daily referring CT patients among hospitals in order to satisfy the patient waiting time constraint and the hospitals’ budget constraints. Further, this study performs sensitivity analyses on key parameters and discusses their managerial implications. The results of this research will provide hospitals with a reference for developing collaborative patient-referring mechanisms.
Tuning the activity of Pt alloy electrocatalysts by means of the lanthanide contraction

A lanthanide boost for platinum High loadings of precious platinum are needed for automotive fuel cells, because the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are relatively slow. Escudero-Escribano et al. studied a series of platinum alloys with lanthanides and alkaline earth elements. When the surfaces were leached to leave pure platinum, they developed compressive strain that boosted the ORR activity—up to a factor of 6 for terbium. Enthalpy effects helped to stabilize these alloys under operating conditions. Science, this issue p. 73 Alloying platinum with lanthanide elements compresses its surface layer and boosts its oxygen reduction activity. The high platinum loadings required to compensate for the slow kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) impede the widespread uptake of low-temperature fuel cells in automotive vehicles. We have studied the ORR on eight platinum (Pt)–lanthanide and Pt-alkaline earth electrodes, Pt5M, where M is lanthanum, cerium, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, thulium, or calcium. The materials are among the most active polycrystalline Pt-based catalysts reported, presenting activity enhancement by a factor of 3 to 6 over Pt. The active phase consists of a Pt overlayer formed by acid leaching. The ORR activity versus the bulk lattice parameter follows a high peaked “volcano” relation. We demonstrate how the lanthanide contraction can be used to control strain effects and tune the activity, stability, and reactivity of these materials.
Motives for Active Participation in Political Blogs

Blogs play an important role in political communication and in forming the opinions of political actors and politically interested users. Their ability to facilitate active interaction, present opinions, mobilize voters, and thereby, influence public opinion and eventually election outcomes makes political blogs an interesting research subject. Thus, this article draws upon a qualitative content analysis to reveal the readers’ motivations and main themes to post comments and get involved in the discussions on political blogs. We analyze 12 blog discussions (500 pages) in eight left-leaning German political blogs and use qualitative content analysis to develop a category scheme comprising of 3,868 codings. We find that social interaction with other blog users is the main motive for blogging on German political blogs together with the desire for the exchange of further information and analysis, and the expression of the own opinion concerning the subject. Moreover, we classify 191 users by their motivations for blogging using cluster analysis and identify the bloggers’ different communication roles. By providing insight into the users’ political discussions, motives for participation, and communication roles, we clarify the role that political blogs play in the process of forming political opinion and derive implications for politics.
Text reference via Google Voice: a pilot study

Purpose – This paper aims to analyze data from a pilot study at one academic library using Google Voice for text message (SMS) reference. It also aims to analyze SMS reference question typology, compare question typology to other reference services, and analyze communication in the context of SMS reference.Design/methodology/approach – Analysis of all reference service models was conducted, including question typology. SMS transcripts were analyzed in the following areas: presence of a reference interview, evidence of a referral, number of librarian and patron texts, response time, and transaction duration.Findings – The number of SMS queries was lower than expected. Questions were primarily non‐research‐based or ready reference. The average number of texts per transaction was 7.5. With outliers removed, average response time was 9.5 minutes, and average transaction time was 53.2 minutes. Users appear to be regulating question difficulty.Research limitations/implications – Data collection occurred during .
Energy Aware Lossless Data Compression

Wireless transmission of a bit can require over 1000 times more energy than a single 32-bit computation. It would therefore seem desirable to perform significant computation to reduce the number of bits transmitted. If the energy required to compress data is less than the energy required to send it, there is a net energy savings and consequently, a longer battery life for portable computers. This paper reports on the energy of lossless data compressors as measured on a StrongARM SA-110 system. We show that with several typical compression tools, there is a net energy increase when compression is applied before transmission. Reasons for this increase are explained, and hardware-aware programming optimizations are demonstrated. When applied to Unix compress, these optimizations improve energy efficiency by 51%. We also explore the fact that, for many usage models, compression and decompression need not be performed by the same algorithm. By choosing the lowest-energy compressor and decompressor on the test platform, rather than using default levels of compression, overall energy to send compressible web data can be reduced 31%. Energy to send harder-to-compress English text can be reduced 57%. Compared with a system using a single optimized application for both compression and decompression, the asymmetric scheme saves 11% or 12% of the total energy depending on the dataset.
Audit Committee Characteristics and Corporate Fraud

The role of audit committee is of much interest to regulators & the public in corporate governance. This study examines the relationship between audit committee characteristics (the number of audit committee meetings, the number of audit committee members and the number of audit committee financial experts) and fraud, a proxy for potential fraudulent financial reporting. Using a final sample of 218 firms from SP (2) Number of audit committee members does not significantly affect fraud prevention and (3) Financial expert is significantly associated with fraud prevention; (4) Audit committees that have at least one female director function differently from all male audit committees; (5) Big 4’s clients are more likely to have audit committee financial experts than Non-Big 4’s clients. This study provides direct support to SEC’s assertion about the importance of audit committee financial expertise for effective corporate governance practice and financial reporting. In addition, few studies [e.g., Sheela Thiruvadi, 2008] have examined the impact of gender differences on audit committee characteristics. We also provide empirical evidence to show that audit committees that have a female director function differently than all male audit committees.
An efficient heuristic approach for parallel machine scheduling with job splitting and sequence-dependent setup times

In this paper, we consider a simplified real-life identical parallel machine scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup times and job splitting to minimize makespan. We propose a heuristic to solve this problem. Our method is composed of two parts. The problem is first reduced into a single machine scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup times. This reduced problem can be transformed into a Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), which can be efficiently solved using Little's method. In the second part, a feasible initial solution to the original problem is obtained by exploiting the results of the first part. This initial solution is then improved in a step by step manner, taking into account the setup times and job splitting. We develop a lower bound and evaluate the performances of our heuristic on a large number of randomly generated instances. The solution given by our heuristic is less than 4.88% from the lower bound.
Color-based classifier for region identification in video

Content based coding has been proposed by several authors and members of the MPEG-4 community as a solution to very low rate video coding. Using content coding, a video sequence is decomposed into objects that may be encoded independently. Such a scheme requires a fast and accurate segmentation algorithm to identify various objects in the scene. In this paper we propose, develop, and analyze a color-based segmentation algorithm. One application of interest is coding of sign language video sequences. The requirements for accurate perception of sign language differ from those of traditional head-and-shoulders videoconferencing sequences. We propose a content-based coding method in which perceptually important regions in an image are identified, and more resources are allocated to these regions. Since face, hands and arms are important components of sign language, regions are defined that encompass these features. The dynamic segmentation algorithm identifies flesh regions using statistical methods operating on image color distributions. A method for performing the segmentation in the perceptually linear LAB space using data captured in the YCbCr space is developed. Results of encoding sign language sequences using the proposed content- based methods illustrate the improved quality that can be achieved at the same bit rate when compared to a uniform algorithm.
What Else Do You Need to Know? Practical Skills for Catalogers and Managers

SUMMARY Catalogers and those who manage cataloging operations need a broader practical knowledge base than can be reasonably acquired in library schools, especially since the availability of cataloging coursework in library schools has decreased over time. This paper is written from the perspective of a manager of cataloging operations, and considers the kinds of skills, education and training needed for both catalogers and managers. It concentrates primarily on library specific education, computer, and communication skills, and suggests how such skills can be acquired and maintained.
The Effect of the Texas Instrument Interactive Instructional Environment on the Mathematical Achievement of Eleventh Grade Low Achieving Students

Teaching and learning mathematics with technology poses a unique dilemma. If technology is to enhance mathematical achievement (NCTM, 2000), why do documented studies indicate that this may not be the case (Waxman, Connell, & Gray, 2002)? This study looks at the learning environment used when teaching with technology. What in the instructional environment actually maximizes technology's ability to increase mathematical achievement? The instructional environment used with Texas Instrument InterActive software is examined to determine its affect on the mathematical achievement of eleventh grade at-risk students when studying quadratic functions. The Texas Instrument instructional environment uses technology to manipulate mathematical objects to observe patterns, make generalizations, and test conjectures. Technology is used as a tool to perform action on objects and to problem solve.