Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Keep Taking the Tablets? Assessing the Use of Tablet Devices in Learning and Teaching Activities in the Further Education Sector

This article summarises the methodology and outcomes of an interventionist/action research project to assess the benefits, and potential pitfalls, of the use of mobile devices in learning and teaching activities in a Further Education environment. A bank of 15 tablet devices were purchased and prepared for classroom use. Staff members were approached to scope potential activities and uses for the tablet devices. Three departments took part in the research activity: the Language School, Social and Vocational Studies and the Hairdressing department. Use of the tablets was varied in nature and included: use of multimedia tools, use of apps, creation and use of a bespoke app, multimedia manipulation and sharing, and creation of an online e-portfolio. Staff and student feedback was gathered during and after the project, and project authors were present during classroom activities for observation and recording purposes. Overall feedback was very positive, but there were issues with tablet use and administration. One of the major issues was the onerous nature of the security setup, and app administration. Keywords: mobile technology; tablets; student attitudes; staff attitudes; mobile classroom (Published: 19 February 2014) Citation: Research in Learning Technology 2014, 22 : 22648 - http://dx.doi. org/10.3402/rlt.v22. 22648
Very near ground radio frequency propagation measurements and analysis for military applications

We analyze, using a 2-ray model, the effects associated with placing a man-portable radio transceiver very near the ground (3-28 cm). A significant decrease in signal strength occurs when a soldier drops from the crouched position to the prone position. As much as a 16.8 dB decrease in signal strength was observed. This effect is more pronounced at short ranges, even without obstructions in the signal path. The Rician k factor generally decreases as the antenna height is lowered. The assumed 2-ray propagation model is only appropriate when the Rician k factor is much greater than zero.
Linear matrix inequality methods for designing sliding mode output feedback controllers

The development of sliding mode controllers based on output information alone is a topic of considerable current research interest; sliding mode control is known to be robust, but for confident industrial application, there is a need to consider design methods which use only a subset of state information. Linear matrix inequality optimisation is shown to be a useful tool both for determining switching surfaces and also for computing static output feedback controllers which satisfy the reaching condition. This paper also considers a switching surface design when dynamical compensation is required to solve the associated output feedback problems, again using linear matrix inequality methods.
Is there a difference between critical thinking and information literacy

This paper investigates the similarities and differences between two important ideas in information processing and knowledge utilisation. Those ideas are [critical thinking] and [information literacy]. The two phrases are shown in brackets to indicate that the two words involved in each idea are not arbitrarily combined but have been coupled by authors to represent a single entity or a focus for development of concepts describing the characteristics involved. By exploring terms related to this couplet from the same sentence, the meaning of each of the central ideas can be expanded. The education, library science, and health science literature were used in this study, which analysed 8745 articles dealing with [critical thinking] and 8201 reports dealing with [information literacy] included in either ERIC or PubMed from 2000-2009. The findings showed that combinations of terms (i.e. ideas) such as [ information & literacy & related term] or [ critical & thinking & related term] , when organised based on Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning (Bloom 1956), clarified the similarities and differences between the two central ideas. [Information literacy] was involved in all of the cognitive functions suggested by Bloom. This finding is consistent with the definitions of [information literacy] that relate it to lifelong learning and effective decision-making. In addition, the ideas describing [information literacy] were consistent with actions and perceptions that were more public and standardised than those associated with [critical thinking]. This suggests that [information literacy] and its associated procedures could significantly augment current instruction in [critical thinking] and indeed, the possibility has been explored by some authors in the current literature. A merging of the two ideas would involve [information literacy] providing tools and techniques in the processing and utilisation of knowledge and [critical thinking] supplying the particulars and interpretations associated with a specific discipline. This type of integration could lead to instructional programs similar in concept and application to those in research methodology where methods from statistics are integrated with the techniques and skills associated with a specific discipline. The development of a curriculum of this type would change functions and perceptions from private, individualised mentation, now associated with [critical thinking], to a more easily learned and practiced process suitable across the breadth of disciplines.
JPEG2000 and JPEG: image quality measures of compressed medical images

Due to the constraints on bandwidth and storage capacity, medical images must be compressed before transmission and storage. However, when the image is compressed, especially at lower bit rates, the image fidelity is reduced, a situation which cannot be tolerated in the medical field. The paper studies the compression performance of the new JPEG2000 and the more conventional JPEG standards. The parameters compared include the compression efficiency, peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), picture quality scale (PQS), and mean opinion score (MOS). Three types of medical images are used - X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound. Overall, the study shows that JPEG2000 compression is more acceptable than, and superior to, JPEG in lossy compression.
Students' attitudes towards e-books in a Scottish higher education institute. Part 2: Analysis of e-book usage

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the second part of three inter‐related studies investigating the use and usability of e‐books in higher education based on experiments conducted at the University of Strathclyde. Design/methodology/approach – The research discussed here involved two analyses: an analysis of two e‐book collections in the libraries of the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow and an analysis of a follow‐up study to a web survey into user interactions with e‐books in one of the library's collections. Findings – The follow‐up study found that in general students found that interacting with e‐books in the library collection was easy. Students indicated that their preferred book formats varied depending on the context of their information need. Despite their positive reaction and attitudes towards e‐books, students commented that e‐books needed to be promoted more strongly and that there were limitations with respect to their use. Research limitations/implications – The study presented here was a small‐scale study based only on e‐book collections from one supplier (NetLibrary) and involved only 18 respondents. While this is considered sufficient based on the discount usability testing concept, generalisation of the results should be made with caution. Practical implications – The findings should be of value to academic libraries in terms of improving e‐book collection management. This study highlights current attitudes of students towards e‐book in terms of how they interact with them, the features they value and their preferences between e‐books and paper books in a university library. Originality/value – This paper provides useful information on students’ attitudes towards e‐books.
Finite element software for mini-computers

In this paper the efficient implementation of the Finite Element Method (FEM) on mini-computers is considered. The main limitations of memory and address space are overcome and a software solution proposed using a Virtual Stack Facility (VSF) which is implemented and tested. A new replacement algorithm for a virtual stack is presented and shown to be more efficient than other implementations.
Learning by Understanding: The Role of Multiple Representations in Learning Algebra

Prealgebra students learned about functions in a unit that emphasized (a) representing problems in multiple formats, (b) anchoring learning in a meaningful thematic context, and (c) problem-solving processes in cooperative groups. In posttest results, treatment students were more successful in representing and solving a function word problem and were better at problem representation tasks such as translating word problems into tables and graphs than were comparison students. Similar results were found for students who spoke English as a second language.
The Effects of Local Warming on Surgical Site Infection.

BACKGROUND Surgical site infections (SSI) account for a major proportion of hospital-acquired infections. They are associated with longer hospital stay, readmissions, increased costs, mortality, and morbidity. Reducing SSI is a goal of the Surgical Care Improvement Project and identifying interventions that reduce SSI effectively is of interest. In a single-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT) we evaluated the effect of localized warming applied to surgical incisions on SSI development and selected cellular (immune, endothelial) and tissue responses (oxygenation, collagen). METHODS After Institutional Review Board approval and consent, patients having open bariatric, colon, or gynecologic-oncologic related operations were enrolled and randomly assigned to local incision warming (6 post-operative treatments) or non-warming. A prototype surgical bandage was used for all patients. The study protocol included intra-operative warming to maintain core temperature ≥36°C and administration of 0.80 FIO2. Patients were followed for 6 wks for the primary outcome of SSI determined by U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria and ASEPSIS scores (additional treatment; presence of serous discharge, erythema, purulent exudate, and separation of the deep tissues; isolation of bacteria; and duration of inpatient stay). Tissue oxygen (PscO2) and samples for cellular analyses were obtained using subcutaneous polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) tubes and oxygen micro-electrodes implanted adjacent to the incision. Cellular and tissue ePTFE samples were evaluated using flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and Sircol™ collagen assay (Biocolor Ltd., Carrickfergus, United Kingdom). RESULTS One hundred forty-six patients participated (n=73 per group). Study groups were similar on demographic parameters and for intra-operative management factors. The CDC defined rate of SSI was 18%; occurrence of SSI between groups did not differ (p=0.27). At 2 wks, warmed patients had better ASEPSIS scores (p=0.04) but this difference was not observed at 6 wks. There were no significant differences in immune, endothelial cell, or collagen responses between groups. On post-operative days one to two, warmed patients had greater PscO2 change scores with an average PscO2 increase of 9-10 mm Hg above baseline (p<0.04). CONCLUSIONS Post-operative local warming compared with non-warming followed in this study, which included intra-operative warming to maintain normothermia and FIO2 level of 0.80, did not reduce SSI and had no effect on immune, endothelial cell presence, or collagen synthesis. PscO2 increased significantly with warming, however, the increase was modest and less than expected or what has been observed in studies testing other interventions.
A best approximation framework and implementation for simulation of large-scale nonlinear systems

A conceptual and mathematical framework is presented for optimally approximating a large-scale continuous-time-parameter nonlinear dynamical system S_C by a continuous-time-parameter model \hat{S}_C as well as a discrete-time-parameter model \hat{S}_D , which can be readily simulated respectively on an analog and on a digital computer. A reproducing kernel Hilbert space approach in appropriate weighted Fock spaces is used in the problem formulation and solution. Assuming that the input-output map of the system S_C can be represented by a Volterra functional series V_t , belonging to a Fock space F_{\underline{\rho}}(E) , the input-output maps for the simulators \hat{S}_C and \hat{S}_D are obtained as "best approximations" in F_{\underline{\rho}}(E) for the entire (untruncated) series V_t . Each of these models has the following features: (a) It is adaptive because it is based on a set of test input-output pairs which can be incorporated in the system by on-line multiplexing, (b) it is optimal in the sense of being a projection in a Hilbert space of nonlinear operators, (c) it is easily implementable by means of a set of interconnected linear dynamical systems and zero-memory nonlinear functions of single variables, and (d) unlike polynomic (truncated Volterra series) approximations, it constitutes a global approximation and thus is valid under both small- and large-signal operating conditions.
Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Correlation with Occupational Exposure in Milos Island

Aims: Evaluation of general health level of residents of Milosisl and through respiratory functional testing, bone density measurement in correlation with occupational and environmental exposure. Case: Study protocol consisted of only one visit during which nativity, demographic characteristics, risk factors, occupational exposure, comorbidities and current medication were recorded and FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, SatO2% and T-score were measured. The participants were over 35 years of age. For the description of the qualitative variables, absolute (number of observations) and relative frequencies (percentages) were used. Results: 181 residents fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study. 5,5% of the participants suffered from COPD, while 22.1% of the study population was exposed to perlite or other mineral dust. According to our analysis it is shown that COPD and occupational exposure to mineral dust are not correlated. Osteoporosis and osteopenia were recorded in 10.5% of the cases. Other co-morbidities recorded were hypothyroidism and eye disorders. Conclusion: The prevalence of the patients with COPD (5,5%) is lower than the rates established in previous studies for the general population. The majority of the study population (77.9%) was not exposed to perlite, bentonite, caoline or asbestos. The exposure degree of the population probably plays a crucial role in the impact of mineral dust on its general health level.
The Effects of Data Collection Mode and Disclosure on Adolescent Reporting of Health Behavior

This study examined how information obtained from an adolescent screening instrument administered in a medical clinic is affected by the method of data collection and knowledge that a summary report would be given to the provider. The Adolescent Health Review (AHR) was administered to 610 adolescent patients randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions to test the effect of mode of administration (paper vs. computer) and disclosure of results to the provider versus only to researchers (using the computer version). The AHR obtained information on mental health, sexual experiences, and use of psychoactive substances. Response patterns varied by mode of administration, with the paper version generally eliciting higher, and arguably more accurate, rates of disclosure. Knowing that the results would be provided to the doctor further attenuated disclosure. Results suggest that the paper version's higher rates of reporting must be weighed against the computer version's benefits of automated scoring and reporting.
Conceptual Foundations for Multidisciplinary Thinking

Preface 1. Introduction Part I. The System Concept: 2. Systems, domains, and truth assertions 3. Sysreps and the human mind Part II. Complexity: 4. An index for complexity 5. Thinking about complex systems 6. Feedback as a source of complexity Part III. Structure: 7. Hierarchy as a structural feature: the hierarchy of constitution 8. Interfaces of mutual constraint and levels of control: Polyanyi's principle 9. The theory of dimensions 10. Integrated control information 11. Disciplines at one level: disciplines and the human design process 12. Consistency as a primary criterion: the limits of reductionism and synoptism 13. Operational procedures in forming sysreps for compex systems 14. Examples of multidisciplinary anaylsis 15. The evolution of disciplines, 1500-1900 16. Relations among the disciplines in the twentieth century: similarities and differences Part IV. Fallacies of Projection: 17. Fallacies of projection: illustrations 18. Fallacies of projection: possible sources Part V. Conclusions: 19. What have we learned? A summary of results and conclusions 20. What have we learned? Implications and inferences Appendix A. Implications for education Appendix B. Two standing bets Appendix C. Hypotheses, guidelines, dicta, and queries Appendix D. Glossary References Index.
Code breaking for automatic speech recognition

Code Breaking is a divide and conquer approach for sequential pattern recognition tasks where we identify weaknesses of an existing system and then use specialized decoders to strengthen the overall system. We study the technique in the context of Automatic Speech Recognition. Using the lattice cutting algorithm, we first analyze lattices generated by a state-of-the-art speech recognizes to spot possible errors in its first-pass hypothesis. We then train specialized decoders for each of these problems and apply them to refine the first-pass hypothesis. We study the use of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) as discriminative models over each of these problems. The estimation of a posterior distribution over hypothesis in these regions of acoustic confusion is posed as a logistic regression problem. GiniSVMs, a variant of SVMs, can be used as an approximation technique to estimate the parameters of the logistic regression problem. We first validate our approach on a small vocabulary recognition task, namely, alphadigits. We show that the use of GiniSVMs can substantially improve the performance of a well trained MMI-HMM system. We also find that it is possible to derive reliable confidence scores over the GiniSVM hypotheses and that these can be used to good effect in hypothesis combination. We will then analyze lattice cutting in terms of its ability to reliably identify, and provide good alternatives for incorrectly hypothesized words in the Czech MALACH domain, a large vocabulary task. We describe a procedure to train and apply SVMs to strengthen the first pass system, resulting in small but statistically significant recognition improvements. We conclude with a discussion of methods including clustering for obtaining further improvements on large vocabulary tasks.
It is more than knowledge seeking: examining the effects of OpenCourseWare lectures on vocabulary acquisition in English as a foreign language (EFL) context

OpenCourseWare (OCW) has received increasing attention over the past few years in higher education. These courses provide appealing opportunities to view classes taught in well-established universities worldwide. The current study aims to examine how OCW lectures can serve as authentic learning materials to facilitate vocabulary acquisition for learners learning English as a foreign language (EFL). It further investigates factors that influence the effectiveness of vocabulary acquisition via OCW lectures. Three open-course lectures from MIT and Yale University, on psychology, physics, and music, were selected. Sixty-five Taiwanese college students participated in the study. The results of pre- and post-testing indicate that learners were able to gain L2 vocabulary knowledge by simply viewing an OCW lecture once. Level of vocabulary (academic vocabulary, technical vocabulary and low-frequency vocabulary) was found to be the most influential factor affecting vocabulary acquisition through OCW lectures. In addition, learners improved more on technical words than on academic ones. Verbal elaboration was also an important factor affecting vocabulary acquisition; the more explicit the elaboration is the greater the vocabulary gain. Frequency of occurrence, on the other hand, had positive but relatively small effects on learners' vocabulary gain.
Voice conversion through vector quantization

The authors propose a new voice conversion technique through vector quantization and spectrum mapping. The basic idea of this technique is to make mapping codebooks which represent the correspondence between different speakers' codebooks. The mapping codebooks for spectrum parameters, power values and pitch frequencies are separately generated using training utterances. This technique makes it possible to precisely control voice individuality. To evaluate the performance of this technique, hearing tests are carried out on two kinds of voice conversions. One is a conversion between male and female speakers, the other is a conversion between male speakers. In the male-to-female conversion experiment, all converted utterances are judged as female, and in the male-to-male conversion, 65% of them are identified as the target speaker. <<ETX>>
Clients as Co-Developers of Multimedia Software: Two HIV/AIDS Training Programs for Kids

SUMMARY Most educators using multimedia have difficulty determining how best to structure and present curriculum material to difficult audiences, such as at-risk youth. This article describes a process whereby kids played significant roles as co-developers and subject matter experts in the development of two multimedia training modules on HIV/AIDS for kids ages 6–9 and 9–12. It presents the development process, the resulting software, the results of the formal evaluation, issues, problems, and lessons learned. It concludes that client involvement in software is effective as well as therapeutic and empowering. However, developing software in controversial areas, such as HIV and AIDS, results in problematic distribution and continued enhancement.
Neovascular Glaucoma and Diabetic Macular Edema in a Patient with Monolateral Pseudoexfoliative Glaucoma and Type 2 Diabetes: Therapeutic Effects of Two-Sided Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide Treatment

Background: To report on the safety and efficacy of intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide in a patient with diabetic macular edema in the right eye and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma complicated by iris neovessels in the left eye. Case presentation: Two intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide were given (one per eye) in a 75 year-old caucasian male with macular edema in the right eye and neovascular glaucoma in the left eye. Changes in visual acuity, intraocular pressure, ophthalmoscopic examination of the anterior and posterior segment and flicker ERG response were regularly detected during a period of 6 months. Conclusion: Bilateral visual acuity improvement was obtained after each injection and maintained for the whole observation period. Central retinal thickness in the right eye decreased after intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide and remained stable until the last observation 6 months later. Iris neovessels in the left eye disappeared after the injection in the left eye. Flicker ERG implicit time in the right eye improved after intravitreal injections of triamcinolone acetonide, and remained stable in the left eye. No side effects of the treatment were observed. Intraocular pressure in the right eye remained within normal values without any intraocular pression-lowering drug, whereas it showed even some decrease in the left eye, despite the presence of glaucoma.