Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Informal Spaces in Global Citizenship Education

Literature on global citizenship education (GCE) has helped to build a framework of best practice for its implementation and delivery. Creating safe spaces and open environments for teaching, learning and discussion have been widely supported by scholars. However, while research shows that the constraints of formal education make it increasingly difficult to deliver GCE, there remains little in-depth research into the spaces beyond the walls of formal education as a place for GCE. Using data from fieldwork conducted within an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) aimed at building ‘active global citizens’, as well as reflections from working in the field, this article will argue that both as scholars and practitioners we need to understand in more depth the impact these informal spaces and encounters have on fostering global citizenship.
Verification of Code Generators Using Term Rewriting Systems

Code generators for modern compilers are difficult to constr uct. To build a code generator that produces correct target code, we require detailed knowledg e of the intermediate representation (IR) generated by the compiler’s front-end and intimate kno wledge of the instruction set available on the target machine. We then put this knowledge to use b y mapping the individual IR instructions to a sequence of target instructions that are i dentical in meaning. That is, the semantics of the original program and thus the original IR inst ructions that make up the program are preserved by this mapping. Unfortunately, it is often th e case that errors are introduced by an incorrect mapping that results in the generation of incor rect code. Usually these incorrect code sequences can only be detected by compiling complete pr ograms and testing their execution on some finite number of test cases. Because these test cases are finite, they are not sufficient to guarantee that our code generator will produce correct code in all cases. To guarantee correctness we require a general mechanism tha t will llow us to reason about the meaning of an IR instruction and the meaning of the t arge instruction sequence to determine if they are semantically identical. This reasoni ng procedure should not only allow us to reason about the meaning of instructions, but should do so in an automated fashion. An automated reasoning framework that will allow us to accom plish this task is known as term rewriting systems. Using a set of rules that define seman tic equivalence a term rewriting system can be used to determine if the meaning of one instruct ion is identical to another. For this to be possible, a term rewriting system must satisfy two important properties: termination and confluence. In this paper we present an automated reasoning system based on t rm rewriting systems that allows us to verify the correctness of code generators. We introduce a formal machine model that provides the basis for defining instruction seman tics. We use this model to define a set of equations that are processed by a well known procedur e calledcompletionto produce a set of rewrite rules that are terminating and confluent. The se rules are then used to rewrite our instruction semantics into unique normal forms. These n ormal forms can then be used to determine if a set of instructions is equivalent in meanin g to another. PISA, a prototype system implementing these techniques, shows that a termina ting and confluent term rewriting system can be generated from a set of equations defining seman tic equivalence for instructions. These rules are then used by a rewriting inference procedure to show that the equivalence of instruction semantics can be determined efficiently.
Robustness of power grasp with human skin characteristics

Human skin has anisotropic elasticity. In this paper, we reveal that robustness of power grasp is improved by assuming human-skin-like anisotropic elasticity of fingers. First, we briefly introduce a conventional method to derive contact forces considering compliant contacts between an object and robot fingers, which has been proposed in Bicchi, A (1993). Then, we model human skin characteristic with anisotropic elasticity and propose an algorithm based on a linear programming method to measure robustness of a given power grasp model with a multifingered hand with human-skin-like anisotropic elasticity. Finally, calculation of a stability region for a planar power grasp model shows that the robustness of the power grasp is improved by assuming human-skin-like anisotropic elasticity at contact points
Cross-Cultural Differences of Online Store Image Perception and Customer Purchasing Intension

In this study, seven factors affecting consumer perception of online store image are identified based on store image measurement of traditional stores. Enjoyment and trustworthiness are two new antecedents suggested for the online store image. A cultural dimension is also introduced to understand the possible differences of model structure and relationships between online store image perception, attitude toward purchasing at an online store and customer purchasing intention in a cross-cultural setting. Keyword: Online store image, purchasing intention, cross-cultural difference
Water-filling Spectrum Balancing Algorithm in VDSL Environment

Various techniques have been developed to increase the bit rate in the DSL world. These techniques are known as Dynamic Spectrum Management. These can be applied at different levels. By increasing the levels of DSM means increasing the coordination between multiple DSL lines. In this paper we focus on DSM at level 1 (Distributed Power Control) and in particular on a specific algorithm called water filling which has been implemented on VDSL modems. Measured performance results are given showing a big performance increase as compared to without water filling algorithm.
On Planetary Companions to the MACHO 98-BLG-35 Microlens Star

We present observations of the microlensing event MACHO 98-BLG-35, which reached a peak magnification factor of almost 80. These observations by the Microlensing Planet Search (MPS) and MOA collaborations place strong constraints on the possible planetary system of the lens star and show intriguing evidence for a low-mass planet with a mass fraction 4 × 10-5 ≤ ϵ ≤ 2 × 10-4. A giant planet with ϵ = 10-3 is excluded from 95% of the region between 0.4 and 2.5 RE from the lens star, where RE is the Einstein ring radius of the lens. This exclusion region is more extensive than the generic "lensing zone," which is 0.6-1.6 RE. For smaller mass planets, we can exclude 57% of the "lensing zone" for ϵ = 10-4 and 14% of the lensing zone for ϵ = 10-5. The mass fraction ϵ = 10-5 corresponds to an Earth-mass planet for a lensing star of mass ~0.3 M☉. A number of similar events will provide statistically significant constraints on the prevalence of Earth-mass planets. In order to put our limits in more familiar terms, we have compared our results to those expected for a solar system clone, averaging over possible lens system distances and orientations. We find that such a system is ruled out at the 90% confidence level. A copy of the solar system with Jupiter replaced by a second Saturn-mass planet can be ruled out at 70% confidence. Our low-mass planetary signal (few Earth masses to Neptune mass) is significant at the 4.5 σ confidence level. If this planetary interpretation is correct, the MACHO 98-BLG-35 lens system constitutes the first detection of a low-mass planet orbiting an ordinary star without gas giant planets.
Multi-wavelength analysis of the field of the dark burst GRB 031220

We have collected and analyzed data taken in different spectral bands (from X-ray to optical and infrared) of the field of GRB 031220 and we present results of such multiband observations. Comparison between images taken at different epochs in the same filters did not reveal any strong variable source in the field of this burst. X-ray analysis shows that only two of the seven Chandra sources have a significant flux decrease and seem to be the most likely afterglow candidates. Both sources do not show the typical values of the R - K' colour but they appear to be redder. However, only one source has an X-ray decay index (1.3 ± 0.1) that is typical for observed afterglows. We assume that this source is the best afterglow candidate and we estimate a redshift of 1.90 ± 0.30. Photometric analysis and redshift estimation for this object suggest that this GRB can be classified as a Dark Burst and that the obscuration is the result of dust extinction in the burst circum medium or inside the host galaxy.
Improving Bug Report Comprehension

Developers need to reason about data in bug reports to diagnose problems and compare proposed solutions. Current bug tracking systems’ interfaces, however, collect and present data as a conversation. Previous work shows that this hinders the ability of users to consult, reason, and analyze information important to resolve bugs. This work implements BugBot, a bug tracking system that eliminates comments as the main component of bug reports, promoting information instead of conversation. An evaluation for 6 months on a group of 9 users finds that BugBot facilitates reasoning about bug report information and improves its archival value.
Smart Pacing for Effective Online Ad Campaign Optimization

In targeted online advertising, advertisers look for maximizing campaign performance under delivery constraint within budget schedule. Most of the advertisers typically prefer to impose the delivery constraint to spend budget smoothly over the time in order to reach a wider range of audiences and have a sustainable impact. Since lots of impressions are traded through public auctions for online advertising today, the liquidity makes price elasticity and bid landscape between demand and supply change quite dynamically. Therefore, it is challenging to perform smooth pacing control and maximize campaign performance simultaneously. In this paper, we propose a smart pacing approach in which the delivery pace of each campaign is learned from both offline and online data to achieve smooth delivery and optimal performance goals. The implementation of the proposed approach in a real DSP system is also presented. Experimental evaluations on both real online ad campaigns and offline simulations show that our approach can effectively improve campaign performance and achieve delivery goals.
Choosing a Spanish Part-of-Speech tagger for a lexically sensitive task

In this article, four Part-of-Speech (PoS) taggers for Spanish are compared. The evaluation has been carried out without prior training or tuning of the PoS taggers. To allow for a comparison across PoS taggers, their tagsets have been mapped to the universal PoS tagset (Petrov, Das and McDonald, 2012). The PoS taggers have also been compared as regards the information they provide and how they treat special features of the Spanish language such as verbal clitics and portmanteaux.
Generalized method of determining heavy-atom positions using the difference Patterson function

An automated procedure for locating the positions of heavy atoms in crystals of macromolecules has been developed. The method is simple to apply, is independent of space group, and permits inclusion of non-crystallographic symmetry. The procedure is a search of the difference Patterson function; a trial solution consisting of a set of heavy-atom sites is considered likely to be correct only if the corresponding 'minimum function' (the minimum value of the difference Patterson function at the self- and crossvector positions for this group of sites) is large. Although the method may be used to search for 'single-site' solutions to the difference Patterson function, it is more effectively used to search for pairs of sites unrelated by crystallographic symmetry. In the latter case the number of predicted cross vectors for each trial solution is larger, and correct solutions may be more readily distinguished from incorrect ones. Because of noise in difference Patterson functions, it is helpful in evaluating the solutions obtained to calculate the probability that a given value of the minimum function might occur by chance. The method has been applied to nine difference Patterson functions for which solutions were known. In eight of these cases, including several which had resisted earlier attempts at interpretation, this procedure yielded at least half of the known sites.
Degrees of Freedom on the K-User MIMO Interference Channel with Constant Channel Coefficients for Downlink Communications

In this paper, we study degrees of freedom for the K-User multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)-interference channel (IFC) with constant channel coefficients. In this channel, we investigate how many total number of transmit antennas, M1 + M2 + . + MK, are required in minimum to achieve di = 1, ∀i degrees of freedom when all receivers have N = 2 antennas, which is a downlink communication scenario. To answer this question, we propose a new interference alignment scheme based on intersection subspace property of the vector space. The proposed interference alignment scheme can be easily generalized regardless of the number of users. In addition, we investigate degrees of freedom for the partially connected MIMOIFC where some arbitrary interfering links are disconnected due to the large path loss or deep fades. In this channel model, we examine how these disconnected links are considered on designing the beamforming vectors for interference alignment.
Improved speech enhancement by removal of impulsive noise

This paper presents enhancement of speech by removal of the impulsive noise in the speech signals. The impulsive noise results in surface degradation of audio recordings and the degradation of intelligibility in speech signals. To enhance the speech component from impulsive disturbance we go for emphasis, signal segmentation and log MMSE filtering. Pre-emphasis is done to increase the magnitude of high frequencies in the speech signal. Then the signal is segmented and the segmented frames are filtered in log MMSE filter. This filter does not require an inventory of pre-recorded clean signals. This method proposes a speaker independent speech enhancement.
Reducing adolescent obesity with a mobile fitness application: Study results of youth age 15 to 17

We present the results of the second phase of a multiphase study into the feasibility of combating growing adolescent obesity rates with a fitness game deployed on mobile devices. The fitness application includes tracking software to measure and count exercises performed and socialization features to compete and collaborate with friends. In the first phase of our study we tested producing positive changes in test subjects' attitudes towards fitness as a precursor to producing sustained fitness interest. This second phase study tests the application on its efficacy for improving physical fitness levels in adolescents. This study included 19 subjects aged 15 to 17 using the fitness application over a six week period. Students were categorized into underweight, healthy, and overweight/obese categories according to the United States' Centres for Disease Control's 2000 published charts on body-mass index (BMI) percentile charts. Test results showed an average decrease in BMI of 0.51 for overweight/obese subjects, while healthy subjects maintained their healthy BMI levels with an average BMI change of 0.02. Only one subject was classified as underweight and had a BMI increase of 0.32.
EVIDENCE FOR SEXUAL SELECTION ON STRUCTURAL PLUMAGE COLORATION IN FEMALE EASTERN BLUEBIRDS (SIALIA SIALIS)

Abstract Although the function of ornamental traits in males has been the focus of intensive research for decades, expression of such traits in females has received much less study. Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) display structurally based ultraviolet/blue and melanin-based chestnut plumage, and in males this plumage coloration is related to both reproductive success and competitive ability. Compared to males, female bluebirds show a subdued expression of blue and chestnut ornamental coloration, and we used a combination of an aviary nutritional-stress experiment and four years of field data to test the hypothesis that coloration functions as a signal of female quality. First, we tested the effect of food intake on expression of structural and melanin coloration in female eastern bluebirds to determine whether structural or melanin coloration are condition-dependent traits. Females that were given ad libitum access to food displayed more ornamented structural coloration than females on a food-restricted diet, but there was no effect of the experiment on melanin ornamentation. Second, we used field data to assess whether female ornamentation correlated with measures of mate quality and parental effort. The structural coloration of females predicted first egg date, maternal provisioning rates, and measures of reproductive success. These data indicate that structural coloration is dependent on nutritional condition and suggest that sexual selection is acting on structurally based plumage coloration in female eastern bluebirds.
Systems biology visualization tools for drug target discovery

Importance of the field: Post-genome drug development has been driven by the need to study biological perturbations at the molecular system level. Systems biology visualization tools can help researchers extract hidden patterns from complex and large Omics data sets, model disease molecular mechanisms, and identify drug targets and drugs with good pharmacological and toxicological profiles. Areas covered in this review: This review covers basic concepts in developing and applying information visualization tools to systems biology. We describe a framework and basic data representation schemes for visual data analysis in systems biology. We review major application areas of these visualization tools within drug discovery by focusing on early-stage drug discovery tasks such as disease biology modeling, target identifications and lead identification. We also show case studies and summarize our experience using visualization tools as lessons to our readers. What the reader will gain: The reader will understand what visualization tools are available for diverse types of systems biology studies in drug discovery and understand how these tools can help advance drug development. Take home message: In spite of the complexity inherent in systems biology, proper use of information visualization tools may reveal emerging properties hidden in the data and enhance chances of success for drug discovery.
Kinesthetic learning of behaviors in a humanoid robot

This work presents an approach for learning of behaviors by kinesthetic teaching in a humanoid robot. The approach enables the robot to improve and reproduce a specific behavior incrementally every time a new teaching trial is provided, and therefore, it is more suitable for real-world human-robot interaction. The algorithm consists of projection of motion data to a latent space and description of motion data in a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). The latent space and GMM can be refined incrementally after each kinesthetic teaching. The number of components in the GMM is adjusted accordingly in a real-time manner. Experiments with a Nao humanoid robot show the feasibility of the approach. We demonstrate that the robot can reproduce learned behaviors well through continuous kinesthetic trials.
The ATB Framework: Quantifying and Classifying Epistemic Strategies in Tangible Problem-Solving Tasks

In task performance, pragmatic actions refer to behaviors that make direct progress, while epistemic actions involve altering the world so that cognitive processes are faster, more reliable or less taxing. Epistemic actions are frequently presented as a beneficial consequence of interacting with tangible systems. However, we currently lack tools to measure epistemic behaviors, making substantiating such claims highly challenging. This paper addresses this problem by presenting ATB, a video-coding framework that enables the identification and measurement of different epistemic actions during problem-solving tasks. The framework was developed through a systematic literature review of 78 papers, and analyzed through a study involving a jigsaw puzzle -- a classical spatial problem -- involving 60 participants. In order to assess the framework's value as a metric, we analyze the study with respect to its reliability, validity and predictive power. The broadly supportive results lead us to conclude that the ATB framework enables the use of observed epistemic behaviors as a performance metric for tangible systems. We believe that the development of metrics focused explicitly on the properties of tangible interaction are currently required to gain insight into the genuine and unique benefits of tangible interaction. The ATB framework is a step towards this goal.
Is cefepime safe for clinical use? A Bayesian viewpoint.

Cefepime hydrochloride is approved for pneumonia, empirical therapy for febrile neutropenia, uncomplicated and complicated urinary tract infections, uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections and complicated intra-abdominal infections. A recent meta-analysis by Yahav et al. (Lancet Infect Dis 2007; 7: 338-48) concluded that cefepime was associated with a statistically significant increase in mortality (risk ratio 1.26, 95% confidence interval 1.08-1.49) when compared with other antibiotics. The US FDA decided to re-evaluate the meta-analysis data in collaboration with the drug sponsor. Two years later the FDA Alert summarized that 'data do not indicate a higher rate of death in cefepime-treated patients. Cefepime remains an appropriate therapy for its approved indications. ' However, a thorough evaluation of the 52-page FDA report still shows that safety remains an unresolved issue. A Bayesian re-appraisal of the findings by the FDA and by Yahav et al. indicates that there is a 90.9% (by FDA trial-level meta-analysis), 80.8% (by FDA patient-level meta-analysis) and 99.2% (by Yahav et al. meta-analysis) probability that cefepime raises mortality in neutropenic fever patients, which translates into the following numbers needed to harm (NNH), i.e. to cause one extra death with the use of cefepime: FDA trial-level meta-analysis, NNH = 109; FDA patient-level meta-analysis, NNH = 76; Yahav et al. meta-analysis, NNH = 54. A similar harmful probability was observed with skin structure infections but not with pneumonias, intra-abdominal infections and urinary tract infections. In conclusion, cefepime should be avoided in patients with neutropenic fever or with skin structure infections.