Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Auditory Feedback on the Control of Voice Fundamental Frequency ( F 0 ) while Singing

Whether we are learning how to play a new instrument, song, or even learn a second language, the nervous system relies on various forms of sensory feedback to establish task-specific sensorimotor representations. Over time, the plasticity of the nervous system permits neural reorganization and the formation of an 'internal model'. It has been suggested that internal models represent neural maps of skilled movement that store the relationship between the motor commands, environment and sensory feedback responsible for their production. These internal representations are often investigated by altering a particular aspect of the sensory feedback associated with a given task. Arguably the most influential contribution to F0 control during speech production is from auditory feedback. For instance, using the frequency-altered feedback (FAF) paradigm (where the pitch of participants' voices is shifted in frequency) results show that participants will compensate by adjusting their vocal productions in the opposite direction of the perturbation. Moreover, aftereffects are often observed (subsequent responses err in the direction of compensation) when auditory feedback is unexpectedly returned to normal following a series of fixed pitch-shift manipulations. Thus, the evidence from studies on speech production suggests that an internal model represents voice fundamental frequency (F0). However, there is little evidence to suggest that this is also true for vocal control while singing. As a result, the purpose of this dissertation is to examine whether acoustic-motor representations (internal models) control voice FQ. Chapter 1 examined trained singers and untrained singers (nonsingers) sensitivity to subtle manipulations in auditory feedback. Participants produced the consonant-vowel /ta/ while receiving auditory feedback that was shifted up and down in
Mapping the Customer Journey: A Graph-Based Framework for Online Attribution Modeling

Advertisers employ various channels to reach consumers over the Internet but often do not know to what degree each channel actually contributes to their marketing success. This attribution challenge is of great managerial interest, yet so far academic approaches have not found wide application in practice. The authors introduce a graph-based framework to analyze multichannel online customer path data as first- and higher-order Markov walks. According to a comprehensive set of criteria for attribution models, embracing both scientific rigor and practical applicability, four model variations are evaluated on four, large, real-world data sets from different industries. Results indicate substantial differences to existing heuristics such as “last click wins” as well as alternative attribution approaches. Applying the proposed framework to four different data sets enables generalizations and helps identify avenues for future research. The framework offers support to practitioners by facilitating objective budget allocation and allows for future applications such as real-time bidding.
Visual Control of Robots: High-Performance Visual Servoing

From the Publisher: This book is about the application of high-speed machine vision for close-loop position control, or visual servoing, of a robot manipulator. It provides a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the visual servoing problem: robotics, vision, control, technology and implementation issues. While much of the discussion is quite general the experimental work described is based on the use of a high-speed binary vision system with a monocular "eye-in-hand" camera.
LibQUAL+® and the Information Commons Initiative at Buffalo State College: 2003 to 2009

Objective – To examine the effect of a transition to an information commons model of service organization on perceptions of library service quality. In 2003, the E. H. Butler Library at Buffalo State College began development of an Information Commons, which included moving the computing help desk to the library, reorganizing the physical units in the library around functional service areas, and moving the reference desk to the lobby. Methods – In 2003, 2006, and 2009, the library administered the LibQUAL+ survey, which measures the relationship between perceived library service delivery and library user satisfaction. The 2003 survey was conducted before the implementation of the Information Commons Initiative. Analyses of variance were conducted to compare the effect of the service changes on users’ perceptions of library service quality between the three data collection points, as well as to explore differences between undergraduate and graduate students. Results – The analyses revealed significant differences between the three data points, with significantly more positive perceptions of library service quality in 2006 and 2009 than in 2003. Comparisons between 2006 and 2009 were not statistically significant. In 2003, no significant differences were found between undergraduate and graduate students’ perceptions. However, in 2006, undergraduate students perceived higher levels of service quality after the development of the Information Commons than graduate students. This difference was maintained in 2009. Conclusion – The Information Commons has become a popular place for new programming, exhibits, workshops, and cultural events on campus. The library staff and administration have regained the respect of the campus community, as well as an appreciation for user-driven input and feedback and for ongoing assessment and evaluation.
Boltzmann machines for depth recovery using a MRF model

The authors deal with the problem of depth recovery or surface reconstruction from sparse and noisy range data. Based on earlier insights from Markov random field models for such data, a Boltzmann machine is proposed for the parallel computation of the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate of the data. A new consensus function is developed to effectively detect discontinuities in highly sparse and noisy images. Interpolation over missing data sites is first done using only local characteristics of the network. Simulation results are also presented. <<ETX>>
Ion selectivity and gating behavior of the CorA-type channel Bpss1228

Magnesium is an essential element to sustain all forms of life. Total intracellular magnesium content is determined by the balance of magnesium influx and efflux. CorA is a divalent selective channel in the metal ion transport superfamily and is the major Mg2+ uptake pathway in prokaryotes and eukaryotic mitochondria. Previous studies have demonstrated that CorA showed distinct magnesium bound closed conformation and Mg2+-free states. In addition, CorA is regulated by cytoplasmic magnesium ions and its gating mechanism has been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance technique and molecular dynamic simulations. Here, we report a study of the putative CorA-type channel Bpss1228 from Burkholderia pseudomallei, which has been shown to be significantly associated with pseudomallei infection. We expressed and purified the Bpss1228 in full-length. Subsequently, electrophysiological experiments further investigated the electrical characteristics of Bpss1228 and revealed that it was a strictly cation-selective channel. We also proved that Bpss1228 not only possessed magnesium-mediated regulatory property a remarkable ability to be modulated by magnesium ions. Finally, we observed the three-step gating behavior of Bpss1228 on planar lipid bilayer, and further proposed a synergistic gating mechanism by which CorA family channels control intracellular magnesium homeostasis.
Understanding Interfaces: Second language acquisition and first language attrition of Spanish subject realization and word order variation

By combining theoretical analysis and empirical investigation, this monograph investigates the status of interfaces in Minimalist linguistic theory, second language acquisition and native language attrition. Two major questions are currently under debate: (1) what exactly makes a linguistic phenomenon an ‘interface phenomenon’, and (2) what is the specific role that the interfaces play in explaining language loss and persistent problems in second language acquisition? Answers to these questions are provided by a theoretical examination of the role that economy and computational efficiency play in recent Minimalist models of the language faculty, as well as by evidence obtained in two empirical studies examining the acquisition and attrition of two interface phenomena: Spanish subject realization and word order variation. The result is a new definition of ‘interface phenomena’ which deemphasizes syntactic complexity and focuses on the effect of interface interpretive conditions on syntactic structure. This work also shows that representational deficits cannot be ruled out in the acquisition and attrition of interface structures.
Researching the transferability of mathematical skil

Science students are required to use mathematics, at various levels, in all their science subjects. Certain mathematical skills are essential for success as an undergraduate student, and in the student’s future career. An ability to transfer the skills learned in mathematics to other disciplines is expected of both undergraduates and graduates. It is important to discover therefore, whether or not students have this ability. An instrument was developed to test the transferability of mathematical concepts across various scientific disciplines. The instrument consists of mathematical problems set in various scenarios. The instrument was trialled with mathematics, microbiology and physics students from higher years. First year students from the different disciplines will be tested using the instrument once it has been refined using the results from the trials. Results of the trial with students from higher years are presented. The research methodology and the process of developing a useful instrument are discussed. The results of this research will have an impact on curriculum design and the teaching and learning of mathematics, both within mathematics and other scientific disciplines.
Comparing multiple file copies using minimal communication

The minimum amount of communication necessary to identify any given number of erroneous pages among the copies of a file is determined and a technique to attain this minimum is presented. We study the general case of identifying all corrupted pager among any number of secondary sites. We assume that secondary sites can communicate only with the primary site. We present a protocol that identifies the corrupted pages and prove that this protocol is optimal in the sense of requiring the minimum amount of communication. This protocol relies on the structure of Reed-Solomon codes. <<ETX>>
Towards ICT-integrated language learning: Developing an implementation framework in terms of Pedagogy, Technology and Environment

How can we get more language students and teachers to use ICT for language learning purposes? This study sets out to address this problem from the perspective of establishing task-based language learning and teaching in Higher Education institutions, where opportunities for learning in class co-exist with options for learning online. Using a conceptual framework, in which Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and the Flexibility-Activity Framework are the main components, this thesis defines integration of ICT as the process of attuning aspects of technology, pedagogy and the institutional environment to yield favourable conditions for language learning. Implementation - the actions and strategies used to get ICT integrated into educational practice - should consistently address each of these aspects. The study demonstrates how factors relating to these dimensions played a role in Dutch language teaching innovation projects during the past 15 years. It also reports on a survey administered to language teachers world wide, which showed that web resources, tutorial programs and email are the most frequently used applications, while computer-mediated communication (CMC) other than email is far less commonly employed. Using well-established pedagogical frameworks of TBLT as a point of departure, the study integrates these findings into an extensive discussion of how various types of ICT applications may contribute to setting up language learning tasks and the language learning curriculum. The technologies discussed include web resources, online references, tutorial programs, different types of CMC, virtual learning environments and CEFR-related tools. The study concludes by making recommendations on how institutions may go about promoting innovative technology-enhanced teaching practices based on TBLT by establishing links with existing practice, building an institutional vision and making appropriate provisions for teacher training and support.
Computational Models for Stereoscopic Perception

Binocular vision enables a precise estimation of depth in visual space through a process called stereopsis. Combined with other visual cues to depth, humans can efficiently interpret a complex three-dimension world. Various forms of technology exist to recreate this visual experience. The most common today is the use of stereoscopic 3D images or video. The fundamental idea is to present two images, one to each eye, which are fused to provide a compelling sensation of depth. Stereoscopic image viewing, however, introduces several perceptual distortions, which impact visual quality, depth interpretation and comfort. Since the complexity is high, there is a need to develop technology to facilitate understanding of how stereoscopic images are perceived. The technology is based on computational models that encompass theory, representation and implementation of the models. This thesis presents a combination of perceptual models based on existing research and novel experimental methods. The findings support the challenging, yet important endeavor to develop models of stereoscopic image quality. This thesis makes four primary contributions. First, a collection of modeling topics related to stereoscopic imaging are presented. This helps to frame the space of limitations influencing both the presentation and perception of stereoscopic images. A second contribution is the exploration of how a dominant perceptual conflict between eye vergence and accommodation influences a viewers ability to change visual attention. A third contribution is the exploration of another perceptual distortion when one of the strongest depth cues, occlusion, is in conflict with another strong cue, stereopsis. Finally, because visual attention plays such a critical role in the perception of stereoscopic depth, we develop a framework producing an edge-aware, spatio-temporally smooth stereoscopic saliency representation.
Performance Issues and Network Design for Sensor Networks

This paper discusses performance issues for a sensor network. It describes the unique features of the sensor network and discusses studies on its protocols. Performance measures for the sensor network are investigated and studies related to them are surveyed. As an example of performance measures, this paper analyzes a sensor network’s availability, which is the probability that all the sensor nodes are working without any of them having run out of energy. An explicit formula for the sensor network availability is derived, and the optimal placement of sensor nodes is investigated. key words: sensor network, ubiquitous, performance metric, performance measure, QoS metric, QoS measure, performance evaluation
Conceptual foundations for the development of organizational decision support systems

It is noted that the effort to construct organizational decision support systems (ODSS) is new to the field of information systems but draws heavily on previous experience with decision support systems (DSS) and group decision support systems (GDSS). The conceptual foundations of this new venture are not well established, but the most logical approach to designing ODSS would be to simply scale-up GDSS technologies to deal with larger groups at the organizational level. However, a careful examination of the character of decision processes at the individual, group, and organizational level suggests that organizational decision processes differ significantly from group decision processes, and features of GDSS that are useful at the group level might well be dysfunctional at the organizational level. Simple scale-up is therefore not a recommended approach. Instead, a broader view of organizational decision processes as an open-system problem is presented, in which ODSS technologies might be constructed to facilitate two important, existing features of group decision making: the maintenance of articulated due process and the establishment of boundary objects. <<ETX>>
Fuzzy ontology and intelligent systems for discovery of useful medical information

1 1. CHAPTER ONE 2 1.1 Aim of the work 2 1.2 Original contribution in this work 2 1.3 Background 3 1.3. 1 Electronic Knowledge sources 4 1.3. 2 Examples of Knowledge sources 5 1.3. 3 Use of Knowledge sources in Medicine 6 1.4 Useful Information 10 1.4. 1 A framework for identifying useful information 11 1.4. 2 General Quality 12 1.4. 3 Clinical relevance 14 1.4. 4 Clinical usefulness 15 1.4. 5 Scope of this thesis 17 1.5 Problem outline 18 1.6 Description of the searching process 20 1.7 Organisation of this thesis 23 2 CHAPTER TWO 25 2.1 Information retrieval 25 2.1.1 Relevance 28 2.1.2 Query formulation 30 2.1.3 Quality marks and other approaches 35 2.1.4 Browsing and searching 38 2.1.5 Query expansion and refinement 42
Proxy Support for HTTP Adaptive Streaming

Not long ago streaming video over the Internet included only short clips of low quality video. Now the possibilities seem endless as professional productions are made available in high definition. This explosion of growth is the result of several factors, such as increasing network performance, advancements in video encoding technology, improvements to video streaming techniques, and a growing number of devices capable of handling video. However, despite the improvements to Internet video streaming this paradigm is still evolving. HTTP adaptive streaming involves encoding a video at multiple quality levels then dividing those quality levels into small chunks. The player can then determine which quality level to retrieve the next chunk from in order to optimize video playback when considering the underlying network conditions. This thesis first presents an experimental framework that allows for adaptive streaming players to be analyzed and evaluated. Evaluation is beneficial because there are several concerns with the adaptive video streaming ecosystem such as achieving a high video playback quality while also ensuring stable playback quality. The primary contribution of this thesis is the evaluation of prefetching by a proxy server as a means to improve streaming performance. This work considers an implementation of a proxy server that is functional with the extremely popular Netflix streaming service, and it is evaluated using two Netflix players. The results show its potential to improve video streaming performance in several scenarios. It effectively increases the buffer capacity of the player as chunks can be prefetched in advance of the player’s request then stored on the proxy to be quickly delivered once requested. This allows for degradation in network conditions to be hidden from the player while the proxy serves prefetched data, preventing a reduction to the video quality as a result of an overreaction by the player. Further, the proxy can reduce the impact of the bottleneck in the network, achieving higher throughput by utilizing parallel connections to the server.
Planning and analysis of construction operations

Construction Processes. Line-of-Balance Models. Queueing Systems. Method Productivity Delay Method. Process Modeling Concepts. Building Process Models. System Definition. Extended Modeling Concepts. Modeling Work Task Durations. Simulation. Typical Repetitive Processes. Building Construction Models. Heavy Construction Models. Sensitivity Analysis. Noncyclic Networks. Appendices. Problems. Bibliography. Index.
Analysis of Market Information Sources for Agricultural Transformation Among Cassava Farmers in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria

This study investigated sources of market information among cassava farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was employed; data were collected through an interview schedule and described and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, and chi-square. Results showed that the majority of the cassava farmers were male and married, had no formal education, and sourced market information from middlemen. There was a significant relationship between respondents’ personal characteristics, such as tribe and primary occupation (χ2 = 34.360, χ2 = 43.203), and market information sources. Market information should be disseminated using local languages preferred by cassava farmers and be reliable, timely, and relevant.
Principle-Based Parsing: Computation and Psycholinguistics

Principles of principle-based parsing, R.C. Berwick deductive parsing - the use of knowledge of language, M. Johnson the computational implementation of principle-based parsers, S. Fong empty categories, chain binding, and parsing, N. Correa parsing Warlpiri - a free word order language, M.B. Kashket principle-based parsing for machine translation, B.J. Dorr principle-based interpretation of natural language quantifiers, S.S. Epstein avoid the pedestrian's paradox, E.P. Stabler Jr parsing with changing grammars - evaluating a language acquisition model, R. Kazman parsing by chunks, S.P. Abney subcategorization and sentence processing, P. Gorrell subjacency in a principle-based parser, B.L. Pritchett locating Wh traces, H.S. Kurtzman et al.
TEACHING VOCABULARY USING FLASHCARDS AND WORD LIST

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of using flashcards or word list on fifty graders' vocabulary mastery and to discover the students' responses toward both strategies in learning English vocabulary. This study employed a quasi-experimental research design which involved two classes, grouped into experimental and control groups with a relatively similar vocabulary mastery before treatment. The experimental group received flashcards treatment while the control group received word list treatment. The results showed that students' vocabulary mastery improved after they were taught by using flashcards and wordlist. The students in experimental group admitted that they could memorize the words easily, be more motivated to learn English and understand vocabulary easily. On the other hand, students in the control group perceived that word list was a tedious strategy. Hence, it was concluded that flashcards is recommended to teach vocabulary to young learners.