Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Emergence of a Content Acceptance Model (CAM): New Thoughts Regarding the Trial, Adoption, and Usage of New Media

Abstract : The Internet allows people from different groups, societies, and cultures to communicate and share information about their beliefs with anyone who has a computer. People often distribute information to others in an effort to influence their actions and/or gain support for a cause. This thesis looks at different forms of online technology currently being used to obtain information for communication purposes and for entertainment, and what drives people to use them. The focus is on New Media technologies. New Media technology is defined as information and communication technologies and their associated social contexts. New Media consists of three distinct components. The first are the artifacts or devices that individuals use to communicate and/or convey information. The activities and practices used to communicate are the second element of New Media. The final element of New Media are the devices and practices used to develop social arrangements and/or organizational forms. New Media technology includes, but is not limited to, weblogs (blogs), podcasts, online forums, social networking sites (e.g., My Space, Facebook), video/picture sharing sites (e.g., YouTube), and viral marketing. The important characteristics of the definition of New Media are not technology dependent, but are based on the content they provide to their users. A qualitative analysis of 80 in-depth semi-structured interviews reveals that it is the content that drives the trial, use, adoption, and diffusion of New Media systems. Three questions are addressed in this thesis: Which of the six types of New Media services just mentioned are being used by people and to what extent are they being used? ; Why do users try, adopt, and use New Media services, and in what contexts are they being used? ; and Why do or don't users diffuse New Media services?
Student perspectives on the use of their data: between intrusion, surveillance and care

The Open University (OU) is a large, open distance learning institution with more than 200,000 students. In common with many other higher education institutions (HEIs), the University is looking more closely at its use of learning analytics. Learning analytics has been defined as the collection and analysis of data generated during the learning process in order to improve the quality of learning and teaching (Siemens, Dawson, & Lynch, 2013). In the context of the Open University, learning analytics is the use of raw and analysed student data to, inter alia, proactively identify interventions which aim to support students in completing their study goals. Such interventions may be designed to support students as individuals as well as at a cohort level. The use of a learning analytics approach to inform and provide direction to student support within the Open University is relatively new and, as such, existing policies relating and referring to potential uses of student data have required fresh scrutiny to ensure their continued relevance and completeness (Prinsloo & Slade, 2013). In response, The Open University made the decision to address a range of ethical issues relating to the University’s approach to learning analytics via the implementation of new policy. In order to formulate a clear policy which reflected the University’s mission and key principles, it was considered essential to consult with a wide range of stakeholders, including students.
BRIEF REPORTS Looking at the rope when looking for the snake: Conceptually mediated eye movements during spoken-word recognition

Participants’ eye movements to four objects displayed on a computer screen were monitored as the participants clicked on the object named in a spoken instruction. The display contained pictures of the referent (e.g., a snake), a competitor that shared features with the visual representation associated with the referent’s concept (e.g., a rope), and two distractor objects (e.g., a couch and an umbrella). As the first sounds of the referent’s name were heard, the participants were more likely to fixate the visual competitor than to fixate either of the distractor objects. Moreover, this effect was not modulated by the visual similarity between the referent and competitor pictures, independently estimated in a visual similarity rating task. Because the name of the visual competitor did not overlap with the phonetic input, eye movements reflected word‐object matching at the level of lexically activated perceptual features and not merely at the level of preactivated sound forms.
Hybrid-mentoring Programs for Beginning Elementary Science Teachers

This study examines four induction models and teacher changes in science teaching practices, as a result of several mentoring programs. It explores three different computer-mediated mentoring programs, and a traditional offline induction programâqin terms of interactivity, inquiry-based teaching, and topics of knowledge. Fifteen elementary science teachersâqeleven new teachers and four experienced science teachers âqwere assigned to and participated in, one of the four induction programs for five months: a Virtual Reality (VRG), a Wiki (WKG), a hand-held digital device (HDG), and a general group (GG). Data was collected by archiving written dialogues, snapshots and field notes of avatar interactions, monthly open-ended questionnaires, weekly journal reflections, science lesson plans, mentor/teacher field notes, student artifacts, and video-recording science teaching in classrooms. Using a case study through a time-order display strategy and utilizing situated learning framework, the findings indicate that the beginning teachers in each induction program had their own unique way of professionally interacting with their mentors. Except for the teachers in the GG, the new teachers were able to establish their own platforms for inquiry-based, student-centered teaching, improving not only their pedagogical content knowledge but also their confidence in teaching science. This study further discusses the importance of meaningful social engagements between mentors and mentees, as well as how these social engagements benefit new teachers becoming inquiry-based teachers and developing healthy communities of practice.
SPSS survival manual : a step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS for Windows

Praise for previous editions: 'This book really is a life saver! If the mere thought of statistics gives you a headache, then this is the book for you' - Statistics student, UK. 'I just wanted to say how much I value Julie Pallant's "SPSS Survival Manual". It's quite the best text in SPSS I've encountered and I recommend it to anyone who's listening! ' -- Professor Carolyn Hicks, Birmingham University, UK. 'one of the most useful functional pieces of instruction I have seen. So, gold star and thanks' - Instructional designer, USA. 'There are several SPSS manuals published and this one really does 'do what it says on the tin' . Whether you are a beginner doing your BSc or struggling with your PhD research (or beyond! ), I wholeheartedly recommend this book' - "British Journal of Occupational Therapy", UK.Praise for the new edition: 'An excellent introduction to using SPSS for data analysis . It provides a self-contained resource itself, with more than simply (detailed and clear) step-by-step descriptions of statistical procedures in SPSS. There is also a wealth of tips and advice, and for each statistical technique a brief, but consistently reliable, explanation is provided' - Associate Professor George Dunbar, Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, UK. In this fully revised edition of her bestselling text, Julie Pallant guides you through the entire research process, helping you choose the right data analysis technique for your project. From the formulation of research questions, to the design of the study and analysis of data, to reporting the results, Julie discusses basic and advanced statistical techniques.She outlines each technique clearly, with step-by-step procedures for performing the analysis, a detailed guide to interpreting SPSS output and an example of how to present the results in a report. For both beginners and experienced SPSS users in psychology, sociology, health sciences, medicine, education, business and related disciplines, the "SPSS Survival Manual" is an essential guide. Illustrated with screen grabs, examples of output and tips, it is supported by a website with sample data and guidelines on report writing. In this third edition all chapters have been updated to accommodate changes to SPSS procedures, screens and output in version 15. A new flowchart is included for SPSS procedures, and factor analysis procedures have been streamlined. It also includes more examples and material on syntax. Additional data files are available on the book's supporting website.
High Speed Signal Propagation: Advanced Black Magic

Raves for Dr. Johnson's previous classic, High-Speed Digital Design! In High-Speed Signal Propagation, Howard Johnson and Martin Graham bring together state-of-the-art techniques for building digital interconnections that can transmit faster, farther, and more efficiently than ever before. Packed with new examples and never-before-published high-speed design guidance, this book offers a complete and unified theory of signal propagation for all metallic media, from cables to pcb traces to chips. Coverage includes: Managing tradeoffs between speed and distance Physical theory of signal impairments: skin and proximity effects, dielectric loss, surface roughness, and non-TEM mode propagation Generalized frequency- and step-response models Calculation of time-domain waveforms from frequency-domain transfer functions Differential signaling: Edge-coupled and broadside-coupled differential pairs, bends, intra-pair skew, differential trace geometry impedance, crosstalk, and radiation Inter-cabinet connections: Coax, twisted-pair, fiber, equalizers, and LAN building wiring Clock distribution: Special requirements, repeaters, multi-drop clock distribution, jitter, and power filtering Simulation: Frequency domain simulation methods, Spice, and IBIS
PENGEMBANGAN KOMPETENSI TENAGA KEPENDIDIKAN DI UNIVERSITAS NEGERI MAKASSAR

Penelitian ini dimaksudkan untuk menguji Pengembangan Kompetensi Tenaga Kependidikan di Universitas Negeri Makassar yang meliputi: pengembangan kompetensi tenaga kependidikan dan stategi atau upaya meningkatkan kompetensi tenaga kependidikan. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif dan yang menjadi informan adalah pembantu rektor II (PR II), kepala biro, kepala bagian, kepala sub bagian, dan staf. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Teknik analisis data dilakukan dengan analisis deskriptif kualitatif yaitu reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan keimpulan atau verifikasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan yakni: 1) pola pengembangan kompetensi tenaga kependidikan. Pola pengembangan kompetensi tenaga kependidikan di Universitas Negeri Makassar seperti kompetensi umum, kompetensi fungsional, dan kompetensi manajerial, sudah cukup optimal diberikan kepada tenaga kependidikan seperti: pendidikan dan pelatihan, workshop, pelatihan fungsional, pelatihan struktural jabatan, dan pengembangan kompetensi IT. 2) Strategi pengembangan kompetensi tenaga kependidikan di Universitas Negeri Makassar seperti pelatihan sudah cukup optimal diberikan kepada tenaga kependidikan, namun strategi pengembangan kompetensi seperti pendidikan, mentoring, dan coaching masih perlu ditingkatkan atau dikembangkan. 3) Faktor yang mempengaruhi pengembangan kompetensi tenaga kependidikan di Universitas Negeri Makassar yakni faktor internal seperti: visi, misi, tujuan, strategi pencapaian tujuan, sifat dan jenis kegiatan, dan jenis teknologi yang digunakan, serta faktor eksternal seperti: kebijakan pemerintah, sosio-budaya masyarakat, dan perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi. Kata Kunci: Pengembangan, Kompetensi, Tenaga Kependidikan
The Seven Steps

SUMMARY A patent novelty search (to determine if an invention is new) consists of seven basic steps that can be summarized as determining the classification(s), finding patent numbers in those classifications, and then comparing the invention to the search results. A brief comparative review of the various types of intellectual property, patent basics, and the author's viewpoint regarding using keywords for this type of search are also included.
Theory of mind profile and cerebellar alterations in remitted bipolar disorder 1 and 2: a comparison study

The literature on social cognition abilities in bipolar disorder (BD) is controversial about the occurrence of theory of mind (ToM) alterations. In addition to other cerebral structures, such as the frontal and limbic areas, the processing of socially relevant stimuli has also been attributed to the cerebellum, which has been demonstrated to be involved in the above-mentioned disorder. Nevertheless, the cerebellar contribution to ToM deficits in bipolar patients needs to be elucidated further. To this aim, two tests assessing different components of ToM were used to evaluate the ability to appreciate affective and mental states of others in 17 individuals with a diagnosis of BD type 1 (BD1) and 13 with BD type 2 (BD2), both in the euthymic phase, compared to healthy matched controls. Cerebellar gray matter (GM) volumes were extracted and compared between BD1 and controls and BD2 and controls by using voxel-based morphometry. The results showed that BD1 patients were compromised in the cognitive and advanced components of ToM, while the BD2 ToM profile resulted in a more widespread compromise, also involving affective and automatic components. Both overlapping and differing areas of cerebellar GM reduction were found. The two groups of patients presented a pattern of GM reduction in cerebellar portions that are known to be involved in the affective and social domains, such as the vermis and Crus I and Crus II. Interestingly, in both BD1 and BD2, positive correlations were detected between lower ToM scores and decreased volumes in the cerebellum. Overall, BD2 patients showed a more compromised ToM profile and greater cerebellar impairment than BD1 patients. The different patterns of structural abnormalities may account for the different ToM performances evidenced, thus leading to divergent profiles between BD1 and BD2.
Evaluation of instruction set processor architecture by program tracing.

Abstract : The thesis develops and evaluates methods for evaluation of the architecture of instruction set processors (ISPs). (An ISP is the logical processor defined by the instruction set, independent of physical implementation). The methods are based on analyzing traces of program executions which contain information about every instruction executed. The main advantages of the methods are: They permit a very detailed study of ISP behavior; they are not restricted to specific languages or processors; and, they are easily programmed.
Analyses formantiques automatiques de voyelles orales : évidence de la réduction vocalique en langues française et allemande

Formant values of oral vowels are automatically measured in a total of 50000 segments from four hours of spontaneous broadcast speech in French and German. After the automatic segmentation using the LIMSI automatic speech alignment system. , formant values are extracted for the oral vowel segments using the PRAAT software. Vowels with unlikely formant values are discarded (4%). The measured values are discussed with respect to three parameters: speaker sex, segment duration and language. For 60% of the vowels the measured formant values are within a 200Hz range of established reference formant values. The gap between the measured mean Fi values and the reference values is inversely proportional to vowel duration. A tendency of vowel centralization clearly emerges for both languages.
Assessment of the neuroprotective potential of d-cycloserine and l-serine in aluminum chloride-induced experimental models of Alzheimer’s disease: In vivo and in vitro studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain accompanied by synaptic dysfunction and neurodegeneration. No effective treatment has been found to slow the progression of the disease. Therapeutic studies using experimental animal models have therefore become very important. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the possible neuroprotective effect of D-cycloserine and L-serine against aluminum chloride (AlCl3)-induced AD in rats. Administration of AlCl3 for 28 days caused oxidative stress and neurodegeneration compared to the control group. In addition, we found that aluminum decreases α-secretase activity while increasing β-secretase and γ-secretase activities by molecular genetic analysis. D-cycloserine and L-serine application resulted in an improvement in neurodegeneration and oxidative damage caused by aluminum toxicity. It is believed that the results of this study will contribute to the synthesis of new compounds with improved potential against AlCl3-induced neurodegeneration, cognitive impairment, and drug development research.
Mathematics word problems solving by English language learners and web based tutoring system

The goal of the study was to investigate the impact of English text difficulty on English learners’ math word problem solving. Booklets containing eight word problems and 5 point Likert-type rating scale items were given to 41 students. The students were asked to solve 8 math word problems written in English, and varying in grade level readability (vocabulary and grammatical complexity) as well as in the math operation (e.g., arithmetic, simple algebra). The researcher provided the students with hints as needed to ensure that students found the correct solution. The results showed that both English difficulty and Math level difficulty contributed to the students’ poor achievements. Based on the results, some suggestions for improvements to an existing Web based math instructional software aimed at helping ELL students (called Animal Watch) have been made.
Combined transcriptome and metabolome reveal glutathione metabolism plays a critical role in resistance to salinity in rice landraces HD961

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important food crops around the world, which is sensitive to salt stress, especially in the seedling and booting stage. HD961 is a salt-tolerant rice landrace that grows along coastal beaches and has disease and insect pest resistance, salt tolerance, and vigorous growth characteristics. We performed a combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis to clarify salinity resistance mechanisms in cultivar HD961, which has adapted to salinity soil at the early seedling stage. The results showed that the growth and antioxidant capacity of HD961 were stronger than 9311 under salt stress (SS). Transcriptomic analysis showed that a total of 6,145, 3,309, 1,819, and 1,296 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the groups of TH60 (control group vs. 60 mM group of HD961 for transcriptome), TH120 (control group vs. 120 mM group of HD961 for transcriptome), T60 (control group vs. 60 mM group of 9311 for transcriptome), and T120 (control group vs. 120 mM group of 9311 for transcriptome), respectively. Starch and sucrose metabolism and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were shared in the four treatment groups based on a KEGG enrichment analysis of DEGs. In addition, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, plant-pathogen interaction, and fatty acid elongation were specific and significantly different in HD961. A total of 92, 158, 151, and 179 significantly regulated metabolites (SRMs) responded to SS in MH60 (control group vs. 60 mM group of HD961 for metabolome), MH120 (control group vs. 120 mM group of HD961 for metabolome), M60 (control group vs. 60 mM group of 9311 for metabolome), and M120 (control group vs. 120 mM group of 9311 for metabolome), respectively. The KEGG analysis showed that eight common metabolic pathways were identified in the four treatment groups, of which biosynthesis of amino acids was the most significant. Three specific metabolic pathways were identified in the HD961, including glutathione metabolism, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, and pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis. Integrative analysis between the transcriptome and metabolome showed that glutathione metabolism was specific and significantly affected under SS in HD961. A total of seven SRMs and 48 DEGs and four SRMs and 15 DEGs were identified in the glutathione metabolism pathway in HD961 and 9311, respectively. The Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between reduced glutathione and 16 genes (12 upregulated and four downregulated genes), suggesting these genes could be candidates as salt-tolerance regulation genes. Collectively, our data show that glutathione metabolism plays a critical role in response to SS in rice. Moreover, the stronger regulative ability of related common genes and metabolites might contribute to salt resistance in HD961.
Parallel and distributed computation

This book focuses on numerical algorithms suited for parallelization for solving systems of equations and optimization problems. Emphasis on relaxation methods of the Jacobi and Gauss-Seidel type, and issues of communication and synchronization. Topics covered include: Algorithms for systems of linear equations and matrix inversion; Herative methods for nonlinear problems; and Shortest paths and dynamic programming.
Software literacy and student learning in the tertiary environment: PowerPoint and beyond

In this paper, we explore the relationship between student success in acquiring software literacy and students’ broader engagement and understanding of knowledge across different disciplines. We report on the first phase of a project that examines software literacies associated with Microsoft PowerPoint as a common software package encountered and used by most students at tertiary level. Student data was collected through an online survey and focus-group interviews. One hundred and seventy-nine first-year Engineering and Media Studies students from a New Zealand university responded to the survey. A majority of students considered themselves to be confident and comfortable in engaging with new technologies, had access to mobile-based technologies or laptops, and relied on this hardware and related software for electronic forms of communication and information access in their university courses. On the whole, students expressed a preference for informal strategies (including trial and error) when learning about PowerPoint, expected it to be used in their university coursework, and could identify its related affordances and constraints, and how those affected their learning. Despite their familiarity with PowerPoint, students fell short in their ability to critique the ways the software shaped their understanding of disciplinary knowledge. Implications are discussed in terms of university teaching, including the nature of support services. Keywords: ICT; software literacy; PowerPoint; presentation software; teaching and learning; university students