Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electronic books and the humanities: a survey at the University of Denver

Purpose – To identify levels of awareness and patterns of usage of electronic books by scholars in the humanities.Design/methodology/approach – A survey of the University of Denver community assessed knowledge about and usage of electronic books. The results for humanists are presented here.Findings – Scholars in the humanities have a higher level of awareness of e‐books than their colleagues across campus but use e‐books at the same rate. Their patterns of use are different, with humanists using less of the e‐book than do other groups. Humanists still prefer printed books to electronic texts at a higher rate than do other groups and care less about added features, such as searchability, than they do about content.Originality/value – Humanists conduct research differently than do most other scholars, using the library catalog and browsing as primary means of finding information, and valuing the book more than other resources. No previous research has assessed whether humanists have similarly unique patter.
Using Virtual Reality to Teach Disability Awareness

A desktop virtual reality (VR) program was designed and evaluated to teach children about the accessibility and attitudinal barriers encountered by their peers with mobility impairments. Within this software, children sitting in a virtual wheelchair experience obstacles such as stairs, narrow doors, objects too high to reach, and attitudinal barriers such as inappropriate comments. Using a collaborative research methodology, 15 youth with mobility impairments assisted in developing and beta-testing the software. The effectiveness of the program was then evaluated with 60 children in Grades 4–6 using a controlled pretest/posttest design. The results indicated that the program was effective for increasing children's knowledge of accessibility barriers. Attitudes, grade level, familiarity with individuals with a disability, and gender were also investigated.
REPORTING THAT IN TRANSLATED ENGLISH. EVIDENCE FOR SUBCONSCIOUS PROCESSES OF EXPLICITATION

This paper sets out to provide evidence of explicitation in translation into English through an analysis of patterns of inclusion and omission of optional that with the reporting verbs SAY and TELL. The notion of explicitation in the context of translation is first introduced and explained. An overview of the literature relating to that-clauses in English is then given, and this forms the basis for subsequent data analysis. The sources of the data to be analysed are briefly described: the TEC (Translational English Corpus) providing us with translated English, and the BNC (British National Corpus) containing original English. On the basis of a comparison of concordance data from the two corpora, quantitative results serve to illustrate the marked differences in use of that and zero with forms of SAY and TELL. Thus it is shown that the that-connective is far more frequent in TEC than in BNC, and conversely that the zero-connective is more frequent for all forms of both verbs in the BNC corpus than in TEC.
A Strong Authentication Scheme with User Privacy for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are used for many real‐time applications. User authentication is an important security service for WSNs to ensure only legitimate users can access the sensor data within the network. In 2012, Yoo and others proposed a security‐performance‐balanced user authentication scheme for WSNs, which is an enhancement of existing schemes. In this paper, we show that Yoo and others' scheme has security flaws, and it is not efficient for real WSNs. In addition, this paper proposes a new strong authentication scheme with user privacy for WSNs. The proposed scheme not only achieves end‐party mutual authentication (that is, between the user and the sensor node) but also establishes a dynamic session key. The proposed scheme preserves the security features of Yoo and others' scheme and other existing schemes and provides more practical security services. Additionally, the efficiency of the proposed scheme is more appropriate for real‐world WSNs applications.
Using unmediated computer conferencing to promote reflective practice and confidencebuilding in initial teacher education

Abstract The use of computer conferencing in initial teacher education (ITE) has been well documented, along with the barriers to its implementation. Existing research includes investigation into ways in which computer conferencing can be used as a medium to support reflective thinking and professional discourse between university tutors, teachers, student teachers and their peers during school placement. This article takes a different approach, examining instead whether computer conferencing can be successful between ITE peer groups, from different educational systems, without tutor moderation. It considers to what extent computer conferencing can raise students' confidence in the use of information and communication technologies and can encourage ‘reflective practice’ among student teachers. The report also considers the extent to which on-line discussion among student teachers can provide emotional support and stress relief during the course's most intensive period of teaching practice. Finally, it describes how participating student teachers in Northern Ireland used computer conferencing to compare experiences relating to their teacher education course and to establish communication with their counterparts in the Republic of Ireland.
Pronunciation variation analysis based on acoustic and phonemic distance measures with application examples on Mandarin Chinese

In this paper, two conceptually different statistical distance metrics are defined and analyzed. First, the asymmetric acoustic distance measures how the acoustic property of one phoneme is close to that of another, and is defined here based on the Mahalanobis distance between two hidden Markov models. Second, the asymmetric phonemic distance measures how probable a phoneme is realized as another, based on the aligned phonemic canonical and surface transcriptions of speech corpora. These two mutually dependent distance measures are used to construct an abstract acoustic/phonemic distance plane which is helpful in quantitatively analyzing pronunciation variations. Besides, clear distinction and complicated correlation between these two distances were discussed, which is believed to be helpful in many application areas involving lexical design and acoustic modelling as well. Preliminary analysis were performed on LDC Hub-4NE Mandarin Broadcast News database, and possible application in pronunciation modelling was discussed.
The Promise and Challenges of Integrating Multiple Time-Scales in Adult Developmental Inquiry

This special issue compiles a series of articles that highlight endeavors to integrate research traditions studying within-person change across years (developmental macro time) and shorter-term within-person processes (micro time). This introduction provides the rationale behind this series, discusses what may be learned from these empirical inquiries, and outlines promises and challenges of these lines of research. We advocate for (a) a conceptual integration of mechanisms linking developmental phenomena across multiple time-scales, (b) theory-based design and sampling plans, and (c) taking into account contextual factors. We conclude that multiple time-scale inquiry provides a toolbox to better understand the human development across adulthood.
Mixtures of Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids are liquids that consist entirely of ions. The commonly used criterion that they should melt below 100 1C is arbitrary and has no physical meaning. However, it has become popular, largely because it represents a condition at which these are easier to handle than salts that melt at elevated temperatures. Many ionic liquids even melt below roomtemperature. Since the beginning of this century, ionic liquids have undergone a transformation from interesting, but poorly known, materials to being the subjects of huge research activity. There has been an explosion of academic research and their introduction in industrial applications is well underway. Much of this interest has centred on their designation as ‘‘designer solvents’’; i.e., they can be fine-tuned by the independent selection of cation and anion to be the optimum solvent for a given application. It is even possible to use computational results to design an ionic liquid that has yet to be made. This designer solvent concept has led to intense study of how changing ionic liquid ions can affect their physico-chemical properties. As extensive as the ability to design ionic liquids by selection of cations and anions is, recently attempts have been made to take this idea further by using mixtures of ionic liquids. It is these mixtures that are the subjects of this review.
Towards a Character Language: A Probability in Language Use

This opinion paper is about a probability in language use, about how a competent speaker should be aware of speaking for politeness or for camaraderie, and be capable of avoiding impoliteness. The main aspects of pragmatics are briefly introduced and then elaborated as building-blocks ofcharacter language. The proposed building blocks are: 1) elaboration of meaning and form strategies, 2) distant languageand close language strategies, 3) politeness and camaraderie strategies, 4) object language and metalanguage strategies. A view on character language in Indonesian context is given, on how politeness, camaraderie, and impoliteness are elaborated; and then, six phases ofcharacter languagebuilding are proposed as a verbal social project: 1) interaction phase, 2) teaching-and-learning process phase, 3) evaluation phase, 4) re-evaluation phase, 5) verification phase, 6) selection phase. Upon the completion of a character language building, a competent speaker is presumably well-equipped for using language in a particular situation that may call.
Time and Cost-Optimized Decision Support Model for Fast-Track Projects

The fast-track method is one of the most recognized methodologies for reducing construction project schedules. However, due to the lack of definitive research to date pertaining to the effects of fast-track application in terms of time and cost, it has been difficult for project owners to determine its correct application. This paper presents the time and cost optimized decision support (TACTICS) model, and it was developed based on the fast-track methodology and genetic algorithms (GAs). TACTICS was applied to two case studies, and the results indicated that the fast-track method could be expected to deliver more efficient projects compared with using the traditional method. In particular, (1) the average reduction in project duration by applying the fast-track method was 40.48% (Case I) and 18.59% (Case II) com- pared with using the traditional method, and (2) the average project costs were reduced by as much as 0.39% (Case I) and 4.48% (Case II). Consequently, TACTICS could be expected to help in making a decision regarding the fast-track application and further contribute to the project scheduling expertise in the construction engineering and management body of knowledge. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862 . 0000570. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Fast track construction; Decision support systems; Optimization; Algorithms. Author keywords: Fast-track construction; Decision support system; Optimization algorithms.
The innovation and success of consumer electronics using new product development process

This research attempts to establish a model of a new product development process suitable for a consumer electronics company to help the firm become a strategic organisation and realise its creation/innovation. I built a conceptual framework and proposed three hypotheses. Data to test this research using a benchmarking questionnaire were gathered from 38 consumer electronics firms. The results indicated that, in a comparison between new-to-the-world products and product modifications, the former was generally more important than the latter in most stages. Furthermore, during the planning phase, the focus was on how to formulate technology into a product, and these products derived from technologically and commercially discontinuous innovation significantly emphasised this phase considerably more so than those products created from commercially discontinuous innovation or continuous innovation.
Spikes: Exploring the Neural Code

Our perception of the world is driven by input from the sensory nerves. This input arrives encoded as sequences of identical spikes. Much of neural computation involves processing these spike trains. What does it mean to say that a certain set of spikes is the right answer to a computational problem? In what sense does a spike train convey information about the sensory world? Spikes begins by providing precise formulations of these and related questions about the representation of sensory signals in neural spike trains. The answers to these questions are then pursued in experiments on sensory neurons.The authors invite the reader to play the role of a hypothetical observer inside the brain who makes decisions based on the incoming spike trains. Rather than asking how a neuron responds to a given stimulus, the authors ask how the brain could make inferences about an unknown stimulus from a given neural response. The flavor of some problems faced by the organism is captured by analyzing the way in which the observer can make a running reconstruction of the sensory stimulus as it evolves in time. These ideas are illustrated by examples from experiments on several biological systems. Intended for neurobiologists with an interest in mathematical analysis of neural data as well as the growing number of physicists and mathematicians interested in information processing by "real" nervous systems, Spikes provides a self-contained review of relevant concepts in information theory and statistical decision theory. A quantitative framework is used to pose precise questions about the structure of the neural code. These questions in turn influence both the design and analysis of experiments on sensory neurons.
A very low-power quadrature VCO with back-gate coupling

A new quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator (QVCO) topology is proposed where the back-gates of the core transistors are used as coupling terminals. The use of back-gates reduces the power dissipation and removes the additional noise contributions compare to the conventional coupling transistor based topology. The advantages of the proposed QVCO topology in comparison with prior works are exploited based on simulation. A QVCO based on the proposed topology with additional design ideas has been implemented using a 0.18-/spl mu/m triple-well technology for 1 GHz-band operation, and measurement shows the phase noise of -120 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset with output power of 2.5 dBm, while dissipating only 3 mA for the whole QVCO from 1.8-V supply.
Transimpedance preamplifier with 70-dB AGC range in fine-line NMOS

The test results for an NMOS transimpedance preamplifier with 50- Omega drive capability and built-in automatic gain control (AGC) function are presented. Measurements at 0.88 Gb/s using lambda =1.3 mu m and a p-i-n photodiode yield an average output power of -26 dBm with bit error rate (BER)=10/sup -9/. A method to estimate the receiver sensitivity from noise-figure measurements is also proposed. This provides a relatively simple complementary technique to optical bit error rate (BER) measurements. >
NIST Handbook of Mathematical Functions

Modern developments in theoretical and applied science depend on knowledge of the properties of mathematical functions, from elementary trigonometric functions to the multitude of special functions. These functions appear whenever natural phenomena are studied, engineering problems are formulated, and numerical simulations are performed. They also crop up in statistics, financial models, and economic analysis. Using them effectively requires practitioners to have ready access to a reliable collection of their properties. This handbook results from a 10-year project conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology with an international group of expert authors and validators. Printed in full color, it is destined to replace its predecessor, the classic but long-outdated Handbook of Mathematical Functions, edited by Abramowitz and Stegun. Included with every copy of the book is a CD with a searchable PDF of each chapter.
THE COMBINED USE OF THE RESISTOGRAPH AND THE SHIGOMETER FOR THE ACCURATE MAPPING AND DIAGNOSIS OF THE INTERNAL CONDITION OF WOODY SUPPORT ORGANS OF TREES

Summary The use of two detection instruments, the Resistograph M300 and the French version of the Shigometer, the Vitalometer is described and the method of their use is illustrated in four case studies. Verification of dubious Resistograph results can be obtained by the combined use of the Resistograph and the Shigometer. Their combined use provides acceptable results for most tree species and allows for a more accurate identification of the internal condition of roots and stems. Because the same hole created by the Resistograph is used for taking Shigometer readings, wounding to the tree is minimised. The paper concludes that there is scope for the development of a device which incorporates the technologies of both instruments.
Silicon hybrid wafer-scale package technology

A wafer-scale packaging technology is discussed. Pretested IC chips are mounted in holes etched through silicon wafers. Chips are interconnected via the wafer using standard multilevel metallization processes. The packaging technology has the potential to provide the flexibility of hybrid techniques with the reliability and density of monolithic fabrication.
Low‐Cost, Low‐Power, High‐Capacity 3R OEO‐Type Reach Extender for a Long‐Reach TDMA‐PON

This paper proposes a low‐cost, low‐power, and high‐capacity optical‐electrical‐optical‐type reach extender that can provide 3R frame regeneration and remote management to increase the reach and split ratio with no change to a legacy time division multiple access passive optical network. To provide remote management, the extender gathers information regarding optical transceivers and link status per port and then transmits to a service provider using a simple network management protocol agent. The extender can also apply to an Ethernet passive optical network (E‐PON) or a gigabit‐capable PON (G‐PON) by remote control. In a G‐PON, in particular, it can provide burst mode signal retiming and burst‐to‐continuous mode conversion at the upstream path through a G‐PON transmission convergence frame adaptor. Our proposed reach extender is based on the quad‐port architecture for cost‐effective design and can accommodate both the physical reach of 60 km and the 512 split ratios in a G‐PON and the physical reach of 80 km and the 256 split ratios in an E‐PON.
Surface Pseudocapacitive Mechanism of Molybdenum Phosphide for High‐Energy and High‐Power Sodium‐Ion Capacitors

Sodium‐based energy storage technologies are potential candidates for large‐scale grid applications owing to the earth abundance and low cost of sodium resources. Transition metal phosphides, e.g. MoP, are promising anode materials for sodium‐ion storage, while their detailed reaction mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Herein, the sodium‐ion storage mechanism of hexagonal MoP is systematically investigated through experimental characterizations, density functional theory calculations, and kinetics analysis. Briefly, it is found that the naturally covered surface amorphous molybdenum oxides layers on the MoP grains undergo a faradaic redox reaction during sodiation and desodiation, while the inner crystalline MoP remains unchanged. Remarkably, the MoP anode exhibits a pseudocapacitive‐dominated behavior, enabling the high‐rate sodium storage performance. By coupling the pseudocapacitive anode with a high‐rate‐battery‐type Na3V2O2(PO4)2F@rGO cathode, a novel sodium‐ion full cell delivers a high energy density of 157 Wh kg−1 at 97 W kg−1 and even 52 Wh kg−1 at 9316 W kg−1. These findings present the deep understanding of the sodium‐ion storage mechanism in hexagonal MoP and offer a potential route for the design of high‐rate sodium‐ion storage materials and devices.
Measurement of a Customer Satisfaction Index for Improvement of Mobile RFID Services in Korea

One of the ubiquitous technology fields that have received the most attention recently from technology communities worldwide is mobile radio frequency identification (RFID). Mobile handsets loaded with RFID readers enable the identification and retrieval of information on RFID tagged objects. In Korea, a variety of mobile RFID services are currently being piloted, and their commercial roll‐out looks imminent. The goal of this study is to propose, ahead of the commercial launch of mobile RFID services, a customer satisfaction index (CSI) model for this service category and to then measure the CSI to derive practical implications for their providers and pointers related to the improvement of service. A web survey was conducted on Korean mobile phone subscribers who had participated in a mobile RFID pilot program. Using the results of this survey, we tested the CSI model and its hypotheses by employing a partial least‐squares‐based structural equation model analysis and calculated the index. We further conducted an importance‐performance analysis in order to provide insights that may be useful for improving the quality of mobile RFID services.
Efficient use of training data in the n-tuple recognition method

A simple technique is presented for improving the robustness of the n-tuple recognition method against inauspicious choices of architectural parameters, guarding against the saturation problem, and improving the utilisation of small data sets. Experiments are reported which confirm that the method significantly improves performance and reduces saturation in character recognition problems.
Uniform Titles as Linking Devices

Uniform titles have an enhanced role to play in the multi-dimensional online catalog systems of the future. Since their early appearance in Panizzi's catalog, the functions of uniform titles have been more clearly articulated and their application has been expanded. As ongoing examination of cataloging principles ha clarified the distinction between item and work, the importance of the uniform title in identifying, distinguishing and collocating works has become clear. The development of online catalogs has focused our attention on the importance of defining bibliographic relationships. The uniform title will be a crucial linking device for these defined relationships in future multi-dimensional online catalogs.
Absolute Configurations of (±)-Glabridin Enantiomers

Concerned with ambiguous stereochemistry assignment of natural (+)-glabridin, absolute configurations of (±)glabridin enantiomers were studied with synthetic glabridin. Synthetic glabridin enantiomers were separated by semi-preparative Sumi-chiral column chromatography, and characterized by UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy. Three-dimensional molecular structure of glabridin was obtained as equatorial Ph-3 half chair chroman ring from semi-empirical PM3 calculation, and refined by coupling constants in 1 H NMR spectrum. Finally, absolute configurations of two enantiomers were determined by circular dichroism spectroscopy based on the empirical helicity rules. Absolute configuration of natural (+)-glabridin was confirmed as (R)-glabridin, as known.