Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A REVIEW OF M-LEARNING MODELS

In the most recent times, mobile visitors form the fastest growing Web community. The ease with which web pages or information is retrieved from the Web using PDAs or cell phones is a result of the rapid development in wireless technologies like GPRS, EDGE, etc. Also the development of educational technologies tends to be more mobile, portable and personalized. This development is quickly changing the traditional classroom learning to the electronic learning (E-learning). Mobile Learning (M-Learning), an extension of e-learning is based on the use of mobile devices such as cell phones, PDAs, smart phones, notebooks, etc over wireless networks to provide interaction between learners and teachers ‘anywhere and anytime’. Much of the interest so far in m-learning has been focused on development of tools for teacher administration, classroom management, quizzes and note-taking. This paper presents an evaluation of some M-learning models developed in an attempt to formulate a standard for future m-learning systems.
Endogenous Institutions: The Origins of Compulsory Voting Laws

Between 1862 and 1998, 20 democracies adopted compulsory voting laws, the majority in Western Europe and Latin America. Although there is a broad literature on the effects of compulsory voting on voter turnout, far less is known about when and why compulsory voting has been adopted. Using an original cross-national dataset on compulsory voting laws combined with in-depth historical analyses of out-of-sample cases, we find evidence that strategic considerations – whether parties believe they will benefit or be harmed electorally under compulsory voting rules – shape the decisions to adopt such laws. More generally, our paper aims to contribute to the emerging literature on the adoption of electoral systems by examining the degree to which electoral institutions are the result of party strategy and, thus, are endogenous to party competition.
MORPHOLOGICAL ADAPTATION INFLUENCES THE EVOLUTION OF A MATING SIGNAL

Abstract Theory predicts that forces of natural selection can reduce the intensity of sexually selected traits. In this study, I investigate how morphological adaptation to feeding ecology influences a mating signal. In birds, changes in feeding ecology can cause rapid divergence in bill morphology. Because bills are also important for song production, feeding ecology may influence song divergence. During song, birds can rapidly change vocal tract resonance using bill movement, yet are constrained in rate and magnitude of bill movements resulting in a trade-off between trill rate and frequency bandwidth. Male swamp sparrows vary in their ability to produce rapid, broad-band trills and females prefer more physically demanding songs. Populations of swamp sparrows adapted to the feeding ecology of tidal marshes have larger bills than inland populations. Larger bills should increase the constraints of producing rapid, broad-band trills allowing for a test of how changes in feeding ecology affect a feature of song used in mate choice. I found significant differences in acoustic features of song consistent with the hypothesis that coastal males are less able to meet the physical demands of song production because of the constraints of having larger bills. As possible compensation for decreases in song performance, coastal populations exhibit an increase in song complexity. These changes support the current model of how motor constraints influence song production and suggest a mechanism by which feeding ecology can influence signal evolution.
Learning in Sustainable Agriculture: Food Miles and Missing Objects

Industrial production imposes geographical, economic and cultural distances between producers and consumers. The concept of constituting ‘missing objects’ can help shrink these distances by enabling actors to engage in discourses and practices about contexts beyond what is materially present. Since the mid-1990s, food miles have emerged as an example of missing objects, representing the distance that agricultural products travel from the farm to the dining table, and the environmental effects of transportation. I analyse how consumers, farmers, activists, industry and policy-makers in the United States and Europe are building agency in making and using food miles.
OntoDLV : An Object-Oriented Disjunctive Logic Programming System

The paper presents OntoDLV a system based on an extension of Disjunctive Logic Programming (DLP) which combines the expressive power of DLP with the modeling capabilities of the object-oriented languages. In particular, the OntoDLV language supports the most important object-oriented constructs including classes, objects, (multiple) inheritance, and types. OntoDLV is built on top of DLV (a state-of-the art DLP system), and provides a graphical user interface that allows to specify, update, browse, query, and reason on knowledge bases. Two strong points of the system are the powerful type-checking mechanism, and the advanced interface for visual querying.
Advanced Placement English Exam Scores

We compared the performance of Hispanic students from California, Texas, and Arizona on the two Advanced Placement (AP) English exams (i.e., English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition) using archival data from the College Board from 1997 through 2012. Pearson chi-square tests yielded statistically significant differences in all 16 comparisons for the English Language and Composition exams and in 15 of the 16 comparisons for the English Literature and Composition exams. Students from Arizona had the highest passing rate in 21 comparisons, California had the highest passing rate in 11 comparisons, and Texas had the lowest passing rate in all 32 comparisons. The majority of Hispanic students who took an AP English exam failed to earn a score that would result in college credit. Implications of our findings are discussed.
Event Retrieval in Soccer Video from Coarse to Fine Based on Multi-Modal Approach

Abstract-With the explosion in demand for visual information retrieval in soccer videos, many Content-Based Video Retrieval (CBVR) models were born. However these current CBVR models still remain some shortcomings such as inflexible retrieval frameworks because they are majorly based on a specific training data set and a specific language. In this paper we propose a framework which contains flexible and easy-to-use queries based on visual and audio data indexing in soccer videos. Our framework understands a soccer event which is constructed by the following visual components: shot with shot types, interest objects, and audio components. In which, an event can be retrieved from coarse to fine by finding relevant shot-sequence, after that some specific visual and audio objects are related to events. Our experiment on AFF-Suzuki Cup Tournament 2009 video data set showed better retrieval results with events such as goal, foul, shoot, corner kick, off side, red (yellow) card regarding precision and recall than the traditional systems only based on visual or audio queries.
Architecture and global imaginations in China

This article examines the changing consciousness of globality in the Chinese discourses of national and modernist architecture between 1949 and 1965. Drawing on recent scholarship concerning knowledge and representation, the study focuses on three crucial moments when Chinese architectural imaginings were decisively shaped by the dynamic relationship between a vexed Chinese situation and a shifting world stage: (1) the search for a ‘Socialist Realist’ architecture in relation to the Soviet Union and Eastern European socialist countries during the early 1950s; (2) the reception of modernist architecture in relation to an expansive internationalist view of the world in the second half of the 1950s; and (3) the re-evaluation of modernist architecture in relation to Third World nations during the early 1960s. The study demonstrates the world in Chinese architectural discourses not as a static one that could be neatly divided into a centre/periphery but a dynamic one constantly being reconstructed. The article reveals the history of modern architecture as a narration of tangled global and local experiences, instead of a linear one bounded within a nationally defined space.
Aflatoxins in sunflower and safflower seeds from Iran

Aflatoxin content of 173 sunflower and safflower seeds was determined by HPLC with immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up and fluorometric detection. Aflatoxin B1 contamination was found in 111 samples: in 8 of the sunflower seed samples (16%) at a mean level of 40.68 ng g−1 and in 103 safflower seed samples (83.7%) at a mean level of 2.81 ± 0.44 ng g−1. In 5 sunflower seed samples and 1 safflower seed sample, aflatoxin B1 levels were higher than the maximum levels of AFB1 under Iran regulations (5 ng g−1). Aflatoxin B1 levels in 5 sunflower and 2 safflower seed samples were higher than the European Union maximum limit (2 ng g−1).
Synthesis of 3′-Deoxy-3′-[4-(pyrimidin-1-yl)methyl-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl]thymidine via 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition

Abstract The synthesis of new 3′-deoxy-3′-[4-(pyrimidin-1-yl)methyl-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl]thymidine 6a–f, from 3′-azido-3′-deoxy-5′-O-monomethoxytrityl-thymidine is described. The key step is the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between the azido group of the protected AZT 3 and N-1-propargylpyrimidine derivatives 2a–f. All new derivatives 6a–f were evaluated for their inhibitory effects against the replication of HIV-1 (IIIB), HIV-2 (ROD). No marked activity was found.
Anticipating Scientific Software Evolution as a Combined Technological and Design Approach

Evolution in scientific software is often according to a specific pattern of software changes: professional scientists, who are not professional software developers, need rapid, dynamic, and domain-specific changes of the software they work this. To address unanticipated software evolution in this field, our objective is to enable these end-users (here: biologists) to change software from the user interface. An approach is presented that integrates technological and methodological solutions. We explain why these solutions are complementary, and how they can be integrated and co-evolved from software design to actual use.
Leadership and collective requisite complexity

We maintain that the requisite complexity of collectives is an important component of collective learning and adaptive performance. Collective requisite complexity is comprised of two components: static complexity, which consists of group or team heterogeneity in general cognitive, social, self, and affective domains; and dynamic complexity, which is a social interactive process by which one person’s contributions transform those of another. We propose that social-regulation processes involving active goals, identity, and affect, as well as formal and emergent leadership processes, such as shared leadership, provide the key social structures within which dynamic complexity emerges. We also propose that successful adaptation to task or organizational demands, as well as social feedback, transform these structural aspects through “double-loop learning” and provide a basis for individual and collective learning.
Techniques for handling video in virtual environments

This paper discusses ways to incorporate video displays into virtual environments. It focuses on the virtual worlds created by a distributed multi-user simulator. Still images or video streams represent spaces within these three-dimensional worlds. The paper introduces techniques to deal with avatar movement into and out of video regions. In one technique—media melding—when an object moves from one region to another, the media used to represent that object correspondingly change. In a second technique—object tracing—when an object moves from one region to another, its actions in the second region are represented by a trace object in the first region. Pyramidic panels provide a means of dealing with viewpoint changes so that two-dimensional images and video clips can successfully simulate threedimensional spaces. The paper concludes by suggesting ways to extend our techniques and by listing possible future studies. CR
Non-synchronous signal monitoring based on simulated annealing neural network

A neural network method combined with simulated annealing algorithm is proposed for power system harmonic analysis. This method is aimed at the system in which the sampling frequency cannot be locked on the actual fundamental frequency. By updating the relevant parameters including the learning rate of fundamental frequency, fundamental frequency, harmonic phases and amplitudes, the accurate harmonic estimating results can be obtained. The simulating results show that the harmonic estimation accuracy by the proposed approach is relatively better than that by the conventional harmonic analysis methods in the asynchronous case.
Measurement of Sex Fantasy

Abstract This paper describes the construction of the Sex Fantasy Questionnaire (SFQ), which is designed as a standard quantification of sexual desires, preferences and activities. It is argued that there is a need for such an instrument for both research purposes (e.g. intergroup comparisons) and for clinical use (e.g. assessment of clients in sex therapy). A factor-based scoring method is described and some preliminary norms given for normal and sexually variant groups.
Maternal Protectiveness and Child Adjustment: A Multidimensional Study

SYNOPSIS Objective . The purposes of this study were to identify multiple dimensions of maternal protectiveness and to examine their relations with demographic factors, child characteristics, and children's psychological adjustment. Design . One hundred and seven mothers of 8- to 13-year-old children completed questionnaires on child temperament and maternal protectiveness. Teachers completed questionnaires on children's social-emotional adjustment. Results . Three domains of protectiveness were identified: (1) protectiveness around the use of household objects and activities outside of the home, (2) protectiveness involving withholding potentially upsetting information from the child, and (3) protectiveness involving the restriction of media use. In general, maternal social class, education, and employment were negatively associated with maternal protectiveness, although maternal education was positively associated with media protectiveness. Mothers of highly social children reported the lowest levels of protectiveness. Protectiveness in the media and sexual information domains was positively associated, and protectiveness regarding family secrets and world events was negatively associated, with teacher ratings of child adjustment. Conclusion . Maternal protectiveness is a multidimensional construct that shows differential relations with child adjustment.
Impact of relaxation training according to Yoga In Daily Life® system on self-esteem after breast cancer surgery.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this pilot study was to gather information on the immediate and short-term effects of relaxation training according to the Yoga In Daily Life(®) system on the self-esteem of patients with breast cancer. DESIGN This is a parallel-groups design. SETTINGS/LOCATION Baseline interventions took place at the Institute for Oncology of Ljubljana (Slovenia). At discharge, the experimental group was issued with audiocassette recordings containing the instructions for relaxation training to be practiced individually at home for an additional 3 weeks. SUBJECTS The convenience sample of 32 patients with breast cancer was recruited from an accessible population of hospitalized women. Patients were randomized to the experimental (n=16) and to the control group (n=16). INTERVENTIONS Both groups received the same standard physiotherapy for 1 week, while the experimental group additionally received a group relaxation training sessions according to the Yoga in Daily Life(®) system. At discharge, the experimental group was issued with audiocassette recordings containing similar instructions for relaxation training to be practiced individually at home for an additional 3 weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome measures were obtained by blinded investigators (physiotherapists) using standardized questionnaires (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale) at baseline (after the surgery); at 1 week (1 week postattendance; at discharge); and at 4 weeks (4 weeks postattendance); prior the commencement of radiation. RESULTS Analysis of variance showed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental and control group in all measuring self-esteem scores over the study period (p<0.0005). At the same time, the control group's scores remained unchanged over the study period (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that relaxation training according to the Yoga in Daily Life system could be a useful clinical physiotherapy intervention for patients who have breast cancer and who are experiencing low self-esteem. Although this kind of relaxation training can be applied to clinical oncology in Slovenia, more studies need to be done.
S4: Distributed Stream Computing Platform

S4 is a general-purpose, distributed, scalable, partially fault-tolerant, pluggable platform that allows programmers to easily develop applications for processing continuous unbounded streams of data. Keyed data events are routed with affinity to Processing Elements (PEs), which consume the events and do one or both of the following: (1) emit one or more events which may be consumed by other PEs, (2) publish results. The architecture resembles the Actors model, providing semantics of encapsulation and location transparency, thus allowing applications to be massively concurrent while exposing a simple programming interface to application developers. In this paper, we outline the S4 architecture in detail, describe various applications, including real-life deployments. Our design is primarily driven by large scale applications for data mining and machine learning in a production environment. We show that the S4 design is surprisingly flexible and lends itself to run in large clusters built with commodity hardware.
Researching religious education journals: methodology and selected results from a German study

This article is based on a research project concerning the development of religious education as an academic discipline in Germany during the twentieth century. Applying a methodology that has been of growing interest in a number of fields, the project proceeded by analysing major religious education journals published between 1900 and 1975. The present report focuses on the procedures developed and used in this research project in order to make it available to others in other countries. This is why the procedures are described in detail while the material results of the study are presented only selectively, to the degree that they indicate the results that can be reached by the methodology applied, and give readers an impression of how general theories of modernization, professionalization, scientification, etc. can be used for interpreting the development of religious education as an academic discipline. The authors suggest that research of this kind may eventually create a better basis for international comparative research in religious education.
Cognitive Flexibility, Approaches to Learning, and Academic School Readiness in Head Start Preschool Children

Research Findings: The purpose of this study was to examine whether approaches to learning significantly mediated relations between cognitive flexibility (a component of executive functions) and school readiness in Head Start preschoolers. A total of 191 children from 22 Head Start classrooms were directly assessed on cognitive flexibility and school readiness. In addition, teachers rated children's approaches to learning in 3 domains (competence motivation, attention/persistence, and attitude toward learning) using the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale (P. A. McDermott, L. F. Green, J. M. Francis, & D. H. Stott, 2000). Results of multilevel mediation analyses revealed that 1 component of approaches to learning—attention/persistence—significantly mediated the relation between cognitive flexibility and school readiness. These results suggest that part of the effect of cognitive flexibility on school readiness may be related to cognitive flexibility supporting children's approaches to learning. Practice or Policy: This information may be useful to researchers and practitioners attempting to improve school readiness by improving children's cognitive flexibility. The findings suggest, at a very preliminary level, that improvements to children's cognitive flexibility may lead to improved approaches to learning as well as academic school readiness. This information is important to consider as preschool programs increasingly target children's executive functions.
An output-capacitor-free adaptively biased low-dropout regulator with sub-threshold undershoot-reduction for SoC

This paper presents an output-capacitor-free adaptively biased low-dropout regulator with sub-threshold undershoot-reduction (ABSTUR LDR) for SoC power management applications. Techniques of Q-reduction compensation and adaptive biasing (AB) are employed to achieve low-voltage high-precision regulation with enhanced loop bandwidth while maintaining low quiescent current and high current efficiency. A symmetrically matched current-voltage mirror is used to implement the AB scheme, enabling an accurate load current sensing even with the pass transistor working in the linear region that is beneficial for chip-area saving. The dedicated STUR circuit, which is low-voltage compatible and consumes very low current in the steady state, is inserted to momentarily increase the gate discharging current of the pass transistor when the LDR output has a large undershoot due to a large step up of the load current. Features of the proposed ABSTUR LDR are experimentally verified by a prototype fabricated in a standard 0.35-µm CMOS process.
Construct of attributional style in depression and marital distress.

Although important theoretically, consistency in attribution responses or attributional style has rarely been investigated empirically. The responses of 150 couples were used to examine whether consistency of attribution responses within attribution dimensions and consistency in the pattern of responses across attribution dimensions were associated with adaptational outcomes. Replicating previous findings, mean attribution scores correlated with depression and with marital distress. Consistency of attribution responses was unrelated to either adaptational outcome, whereas (a) theoretically derived pessimistic and optimistic attribution patterns were related to depression scores and (b) benign and nonbenign marital attribution patterns were related to marital satisfaction scores. The implications of these findings for the level at which attributional stvle is best conceptualized are discussed.