Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the use of Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for drought intensity assessment

Monthly rainfall data from June to October for 39 years were used to compute Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) values based on two parameter gamma distribution for a low rainfall and a high rainfall districts of Andhra Pradesh state, India. Comparison of SPI with actual rainfall and rainfall deviation from the mean indicated that SPI values under‐estimate the intensity of dryness/wetness when the rainfall is very low/very high, respectively. As a result, the SPI in the worst drought years of 2002 and 2006 in the low rainfall district indicated only moderate dryness instead of extreme dryness. SPI values of the high rainfall district showed slightly better stretching in both positive and negative directions, compared to that of the low rainfall district. Further, the SPI values of longer time scales (2, 3 and 4 months) showed an extended range compared to that of 1 month, but the sensitivity in drought years has not improved significantly.
Synthesis of Magnetic Catalyst from Palm Oil Fronds for Biodiesel Production

Biodiesel has been produced by many countries using homogenous catalyst. However, tedious separation and expensive post treatment are required when using conventional homogeneous catalyst. Heterogeneous catalyst on the other hand does solve the separation problem. However it has a much lower yield as compared to the homogeneous counterpart. The catalyst used in this research was ensured to have magnetic properties as an alternative separation method. Acid based magnetic carbon based catalyst was successfully produced with the highest conversion of 87.56 %. Palm oil fronds was used as a natural carbon source of support to synthesis magnetic solid catalyst by undergoing reaction with FeCl3, calcination and subsequent sulphonation. Sulphonation at 50 °C with 10 M for 3 hours gave the highest catalyst acid density at 3.1636 mmol/g. The catalysts were characterized using TGA, SEM, EDX, XRD, BET and FTIR. XRD result showed that the presence of Fe3O4 in the catalyst which provided the magnetic properties. TGA result reported that the catalyst was thermally stable up to a temperature of 400 ̊ C. FTIR analysis showed the presence of –SO3H and Fe-O at 1041.72 and 561.18 cm respectively which indicated the successful attachment of -SO3H and Fe-O which provided the active site and magnetic properties respectively. For the synthesis of biodiesel, it was tested using GC. The optimum esterification condition was at 75 °C, 3 hours, 10 wt % catalyst loading with 20:1 methanol to oil ratio.
METHOD AND TASK IN MOTOR GUIDANCE

Restriction and forced-response guidance were used as training methods for two forms of a manual positioning task. The most effective training was given in each case by the guidance technique which most resembled the form of the task to be learned. As in a previous experiment, restriction appeared more effective in a ‘ push ’ task. In a modified ‘ release ’ task, forced-response appeared the better method. In addition, two groups were given experience of alternative movements as an aid to learning the wanted movement. Although they thus practised fewer movements of the distance required in the final test neither method became less effective, with the forced-response technique showing some improvement.
Ink‐jet printing: The route to production of full‐color P‐OLED displays

Abstract— Ink‐jet‐printing technology for displays has been making rapid progress and is now nearing production. This paper will go through the developments that have been carried out at CDT, Ltd., to achieve this status. The ink‐jet head and machine development that underpin the capability of the RGB printing process to manufacture P‐OLEDs at high speed with high reliability and with the film‐forming properties to achieve the appropriate device performance will be described. The important contribution made by the availability of flexible metrological tools will be discussed.
Feedback as dialogue: exploring the links between formative assessment and social software in distance learning

The paper explores the relationship between formative assessment and social software. Formative assessment practices though beneficial for student learning become marginalised and constrained in open and distance learning environments in higher education. Feedback is a key factor in formative assessment and learners can benefit from the deployment of emerging technologies and the opportunities for participation and dialogue afforded by social software. This paper explores and proposes a conceptual framework for this relationship. The claim is that the social dimensions of emerging technologies – specifically, blogs and wikis – allow for formative assessment practices to be re‐invented or at the very least facilitated by essentially participative and student‐focussed interventions. A comparison of these technologies against formative assessment mechanisms identifies the types of processes that these new tools might best support to encourage effective feedback approaches that both empower the learner and enhance their learning experience.
Handling Complexity with Self-Organizing Fractial Semantic Networks

This report has been submitted for publication outside of IBM and will probably be copyrighted if accepted for publication. It has beenissued as a Research Report for early dissemination of its contents. In view of the transfer of copyright to the outside publisher, itsdistribution outside of IBM prior to publication should be limited to peer communications and specific requests. After outside publica-tion, requests should be filled only by reprints or legally obtained copies (e.g., payment of royalties.
Implementation of FFT on Massively Parallel GPU for DVB-T Receiver

Recently various research have been conducted relating to the implementation of signal processing or communication system by software using the massively parallel processing capability of the GPU. In this work, we focus on reducing software simulation time of 2K/8K FFT in DVB-T by using GPU. we estimate the processing time of the DVB-T system, which is one of the standards for DTV transmission, by CPU. Then we implement the FFT processing by the software using the NVIDIA`s massively parallel GPU processor. In this paper we apply stream process method to reduce the overhead for data transfer between CPU and GPU, coalescing method to reduce the global memory access time and data structure design method to maximize the shared memory usage. The results show that our proposed method is approximately 20~30 times as fast as the CPU based FFT processor, and approximately 1.8 times as fast as the CUFFT library (version 2.1) which is provided by the NVIDIA when applied to the DVB-T 2K/8K mode FFT.
Outdoor passive millimetre wave security screening

In short range applications such as the outdoor screening of people for security purposes, passive millimetre wave imaging has several benefits: it is not necessary to artificially irradiate subjects, clothing is transparent, and images have similarities to those obtained visibly. The paper outlines the application of these concepts to security screening. A Ka band mechanically scanned imaging system, with a frame rate of up to 12 Hz, designed for outdoor security screening is discussed. This system is based on folded conical scan technology which has been reported previously. It is constructed from low cost materials such as polystyrene and printed circuit board. The advantages of multiple over single frame imagery are discussed. It is concluded that multiple frame imagery offers considerable advantages because weapons are varied in size and shape, and may be positioned and oriented in many ways. A human observer can more easily interpret images when a series of images is presented showing the subject from different viewing angles. The optical properties of clothing samples have been determined and examples of their spectral reflectivity and transmission are presented. Transmission is close to constant for many samples from 60 to 150 GHz, above which it decreases for some clothing materials. A model is presented for calculating the contrast of objects concealed under clothing and it indicates contrasts as large as 200 K for a weapon can be achieved outdoors. This contrast has been realised with a prototype system and example images are presented.
Analysis of DAC MAC RBAC Access Control based Models for Security

Access Control is the process or mechanism for giving the authority to access the specific resources, applications and system. Access control defines a set of conditions or criteria to access the system and its resources. There are three main accesses Control model first is Mandatory access control model, second is Discretionary access control model and third is Role based access control models. In Mandatory access control models, the user’s roles are allotted according to the system administrator wishes. In this, end users do not have authority to set any access control policies on files therefore it is the most restrictive access control method. It is useful in a highly secured environment. For example military, research centers. In Discretionary access control model, the end users have complete authority to assign any rights to objects. But giving all control to the user over the files is too dangerous because if an attacker got the control over the account then the attacker will have complete authority on the access. In Role based model creates different authorities permissions by assigning access rights to specific roles or jobs within the company then role based access control assigns these roles to users. It is effectively implemented in an organization because files and resources are assigned according to the roles. Assigning roles to the user was done by the system administrator. In this, Roles are assigned affected to each resource. For example, roles can decide a resource to be used at certain times of the day.
Pictures of programs and other processes, or how to do things with lines

Abstract The familiar flowchart has been widely used not only to explicate programs but also to present many other kinds of algorithms, rules and instructions. With the rise of structured programming, a number of competing notations have been produced, each trying to improve on flowcharts. Several of these notations are compared and empirical evidence is reviewed as to their success or failure, and some of the difficulties that arise with the new notations are pointed out. To emphasize the wide applicability of these notations illustrations are taken from everyday algorithms.
New Lignans and Their Biological Activities

Lignans, which are widely distributed in higher plants, represent a vast and rather diverse group of phenylpropane derivatives. They have attracted considerable attention due to their pharmacological activities. Some of the lignans have been developed approved therapeutics, and others are considered as lead structures for new drugs. This article is based on our previous review of lignans discovered in the period 2000–2004, and it provides a comprehensive compilation of the 354 new naturally occurring lignans obtained from 61 plant families between 2005 and 2011. We classified five main types according to their structural features, and provided the details of their sources, some typical structures, and diverse biological activities. A tabular compilation of the novel lignans by species is presented at the end. A total of 144 references were considered for this review.
The acquisition of Swedish grammar

1. Introduction (by Josefsson, Gunlog) 2. Swedish language learner corpora (by Hakansson, Gisela) 3. The Acquisition of Tense (by Christensen, Lisa) 4. Word formation (by Mellenius, Ingmarie) 5. Input and output: Sentence Patterns in Child and Adult Swedish (by Josefsson, Gunlog) 6. The Verb Phrase (by Platzack, Christer) 7. Non-target Structures and Non-target Uses in Child and Adult Swedish (by Josefsson, Gunlog) 8. Nominal phrases (by Bohnacker, Ute) 9. The Acquisition of Swedish Wh-Questions (by Santelmann, Lynn) 10. Index
A grammar-theoretic treatment of multiagent systems

A variant of cooperating and distributed grammar systems—the so-called colony—is studied to capture some aspects of multiagent systems consisting of a finite number of very simple autonomous agents. A colony is considered as a set up from a finite number of regular grammars generating finite languages that cooperate without any explicit predefined strategy. Generative power and hierarchical properties of colonies are investigated. The behavioral (generative) stability of colonies as well as a modified model augmenting agents by ‘clocks’ is studied. It is proved that the generative power of colonies with augmented components overcomes the generative power of colonies without clocks.
Building bridges: the role of the systems librarian in a university library

This article will review the role of system librarians in the administration of a university library management system. It will focus library systems projects, which have been instigated as a result of library or university strategy and discuss the role that systems staff play. In addition to their technical skills, systems librarians bring possess many other skills, and must often play the role of mediator. Systems librarians must be able to work and compromise within the framework of a university, but also continue to achieve technological improvements to services.
Collaborations for delivering the library to students through WebCT

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the findings of a faculty survey, collaborative efforts between the Library, the Information Technology Services, and the School of Nursing at Auburn University at Montgomery, and methods to persuade faculty to deliver the Library to their students using WebCT.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was distributed to 102 faculty with WebCT shells residing on the campus server. Follow‐up interviews were conducted, and the Library's server log was examined to determine the number of referrals to the Library originating from WebCT. A case study using the recommendations is included.Research limitations/implications – Research was limited to a single university campus. Similar studies elsewhere would likely support the need for librarian involvement in course management system supported courses.Findings – While a small percentage of faculty actually linked to the Library, a significant number indicated interest in doing so. Increase in Library access through S.
Developing a corpus-based paraphrase tool to improve EFL learners' writing skills

Paraphrasing, or restating information using different words, is critical to successful writing. However, EFL learners have difficulty in making paraphrases to meet their writing demands, and there has been little research on developing automatic reference tools to assist these learners' paraphrasing skills for better writing quality. In this study, we developed PREFER, an online corpus-based paraphrasing assistance system. Allowing multi-word input and returning promptly with a list of paraphrases in English and Chinese, along with usage patterns and example sentences, PREFER provides substantial support for EFL learners to vary their expressions during writing. An assessment study of the effectiveness of PREFER was conducted with 55 Chinese-speaking EFL college freshmen in an Asian country. The results indicated that PREFER offered the most benefits to students' writing performance (with an after-use improvement of 38.2%), compared with an online dictionary and an online thesaurus (−31.6% and −6.2%, respectively). Further investigation revealed that the less proficient, more motivated, and more conservative students showed more significant progress in the paraphrasing task with the help of PREFER. In the meantime, nearly 90% of the students expressed satisfaction with the paraphrases generated by PREFER, and its functions, and another 75% of them acknowledged that PREFER benefits their writing task.
Overview of Fading Channel Modeling

VisSim and LabVIEW based approaches are proposed and implemented to demonstrate fading in the communication systems. The introduction to fading, models for flat fading like Rayleigh, Weibull, Nakagami-m and the results of simulations are presented. Keywords—Communication channel, random variables, simulation, Nakagami-m fading, Rayleigh fading, Weibull fading.
Library services for people with disabilities in Greece

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate current library services for people with disabilities in Greece and their information seeking behavior and to study both libraries' and users' perspectives in this field for the first time in Greece.Design/methodology/approach – Survey methodology has been used as the basic research tool by sending questionnaires both to Greek libraries and to associations for the disabled.Findings – The paper depicts the lack of library services to the disabled and acknowledges possible barriers but also presents several, recent steps of improvement and development in Greek libraries.Research limitations/implications – Difficulty in identifying these vulnerable group of disabled users and estimating their exact figures.Originality/value – This paper is useful for information professionals who seek a greater understanding of library services for people with disabilities in Greece, since there is almost no literature and research relevant to this topic. Furthermore, it .
Black and Decker—towards a knowledge‐centric organization

Black and Decker, like other global organizations, has sought to capitalize on its knowledge assets to enhance its international competitive performance. In this paper, attention is focused specifically on the knowledge environment at its European Design Centre (EDC), responsible for the design and introduction of new global products. The findings, derived from interviews with senior managers and a questionnaire-based knowledge audit, reveal that the EDC is well served in terms of technological infrastructure. At the same time, there is evidence that knowledge creation and management could be enhanced by developments in the organization's human and cultural infrastructure, leadership and communications that promote the value of knowledge and integrate it within its core business. At present, these act as inhibitors to the development of a knowledge-centric organization. Progess is, however, being made in this respect, with the appointment of a knowledge executive and the introduction of in-house initiatives designed to facilitate the sharing and creation of knowledge. Such developments signal Black and Decker's commitment to ensuring that knowledge, both individual and organizational, is embedded within the company's core business and that it emerges as a truly knowledge-centric organization. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermal‐Aware Floorplanning with Min‐cut Die Partition for 3D ICs

Three‐dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs) implement heterogeneous systems in the same platform by stacking several planar chips vertically with through‐silicon via (TSV) technology. 3D ICs have some advantages, including shorter interconnect lengths, higher integration density, and improved performance. Thermal‐aware design would enhance the reliability and performance of the interconnects and devices. In this paper, we propose thermal‐aware floorplanning with min‐cut die partitioning for 3D ICs. The proposed min‐cut die partition methodology minimizes the number of connections between partitions based on the min‐cut theorem and minimizes the number of TSVs by considering a complementary set from the set of connections between two partitions when assigning the partitions to dies. Also, thermal‐aware floorplanning methodology ensures a more even power distribution in the dies and reduces the peak temperature of the chip. The simulation results show that the proposed methodologies reduced the number of TSVs and the peak temperature effectively while also reducing the run‐time.
Jackfruit seed: an accompaniment to functional foods

Abstract The Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a well-known fruit in many Asian countries. Jackfruit seeds are underutilized and less acknowledged by people, but they have considerable nutritional benefits and can be considered as a potential functional food ingredient. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, a large number of studies have been carried out concerning the composition and health implications of jackfruit seeds. However, in broder manner there is a need to explore the information about the commercial production of jackfruit seeds and their incorporation in food products. Products with incorporated jackfruit seed flour possess better nutraceutical appeal, leading to improved consumer acceptability. The present study attempted to review the health-promoting effects of jackfruit seeds with special emphasis on their applications in the food. It also reveals the valorization of jackfruit seeds in various value-added products along with their effects on the different properties of the products.
Variation in Voice Onset Time in Stops in Gurindji Kriol: Picture Naming and Conversational Speech

Gurindji Kriol is the home language of children and adults under about 40 years of age in the traditionally Gurindji-speaking communities of northern Australia. Nearly all words in Gurindji Kriol are derived from Gurindji or from Kriol, both of which have been described as lacking a stop voicing contrast, at least in basilectal varieties in the case of Kriol. In this study, we describe variation in voice onset time in Gurindji Kriol, in both picture naming and in conversational speech by young Gurindji Kriol speaking women. For picture naming, Australian English comparison data are also reported. The results indicate that in Gurindji Kriol, VOT varies systematically in expected ways by place of articulation, and position in word and utterance, but not according to the phonological voicing category of cognate English words. Initial stops tend to have short-lag VOT of up to 30 ms; values can be longer in English code-switched forms. Medial stops tend to have negative VOT. The present data do not suggest a voicing contrast based on VOT.
Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics

Adding It Up explores how students in pre-K through 8th grade learn mathematics and recommends how teaching, curricula, and teacher education should change to improve mathematics learning during these critical years. The committee identifies five interdependent components of mathematical proficiency and describes how students develop this proficiency. With examples and illustrations, the book presents a portrait of mathematics learning: * Research findings on what children know about numbers by the time they arrive in pre-K and the implications for mathematics instruction. * Details on the processes by which students acquire mathematical proficiency with whole numbers, rational numbers, and integers, as well as beginning algebra, geometry, measurement, and probability and statistics. The committee discusses what is known from research about teaching for mathematics proficiency, focusing on the interactions between teachers and students around educational materials and how teachers develop proficiency in teaching mathematics.
Using Virtual Reality with and without Gaming Attributes for Academic Achievement

Abstract A subcategory of computer-assisted instruction (CAI), games have additional attributes such as motivation, reward, interactivity, score, and challenge. This study used a quasi-experimental design to determine if previous findings generalize to non simulation-based game designs. Researchers observed significant improvement in the overall population for math skills in the non-game CAI control condition, but not in the game-based experimental condition. The study found no meaningful, significant differences in language arts skills in any of the conditions. This finding has implications for the design of future learning games, suggesting that a simulation-based approach should be integrated into the gaming technology.