Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Poststructuralist Lifestyle Analysis: Conceptualizing the Social Patterning of Consumption in Postmodernity

In the sociology of consumption, a core research issue is the symbolic expression, reproduction, and potential transformation of social collectivities through consumption. The two theoretical perspectives that have long dominated both consumer research and sociological investigations of this class of research questions—what I term personality/values lifestyle analysis and object signification research—have become less useful in the postmodern era. In this study, I develop an alternative poststructuralist approach for analyzing lifestyles. I describe five core principles of poststructuralist lifestyle analysis that distinguish this approach from the two predominant paradigms. Drawing from a series of unstructured interviews, I argue that each of these five features allows for more nuanced description of lifestyles than the two predominant approaches. Poststructuralist lifestyle analysis can be used to unravel the social patterning of consumption according to important social categories such as social class, gender, race/ethnicity, nationality, and generation in advanced capitalist countries in which postmodern cultural conditions make tracing these patterns difficult with conventional approaches.
Concurrent Operations of O2-Tree on Shared Memory Multicore Architectures

Modern computer architectures provide high performance computing capability by having multiple CPU cores. Such systems are also typically associated with very large main-memory capacities, of the order of tens to hundreds of gigabytes, thereby allowing such architectures to be used for fast processing of in-memory databases applications. However, most of the concurrency control mechanism associated with the index structures of these memory resident databases do not scale well, under high transaction rates due to the overhead incurred. This paper presents the O2-Tree, a fast main memory resident index, which is highly scalable and tolerant of high transaction rates in a concurrent environment using the relaxed balancing tree algorithm. The O2-Tree is a modified Red-Black tree in which the leaf nodes are formed into blocks that hold key-value pairs, while each internal node stores only a single key that results from splitting leaf nodes in a manner reminiscent of the B+-Tree. The scheme adopts well to implementing key-value store as in the NoSQL database. Multithreaded concurrent manipulation of the O2-Tree, in shared memory outperforms popular NoSQL based key-value stores considered in this paper. An added feature of the scheme is its resiliency to system failure since the memory resident index can be restored from the minimum keys in each of the leaf nodes.
A Comparison of Basic CPU Scheduling Algorithms for Multiprocessor UNIX

In this paper, we present the results of a simulation study comparing three basic algorithms that schedule independent tasks in multiprocessor versions of Unix. Two of these algorithms, namely Central Queue and Initial Placement, are obvious extensions to the standard uniprocessor scheduling algorithm and are in use in a number of multiprocessor systems. A third algorithm, Take, is a variation on Initial Placement, where processors are allowed to raid the task queues of the other processors. Our simulation results show the difference between the performance of the three algorithms to be small when scheduling a typical Unix workload running on a small, bus-based, shared memory multiprocessor. They also show that the Take algorithm performs best for those multiprocessors on which tasks incur overhead each time they migrate. In particular, the Take algorithm appears to be more stable than the other two algorithms under extreme conditions. In this paper, we consider ways to organize and manage the ready tasks in a shared memory multiprocessor. The uniprocessor Unix kernel uses a single priority queue for this purpose: A task is added to the ready queue behind all tasks of higher or equal priority, and the CPU is allocated to the task with the highest priority which is at the head of the queue. For the shared memory multiprocessor case, we consider three basic scheduling algorithms in a simulation study, and compare their behavior and performance in scheduling a Unix workload of tasks. We focus on bus-based multiprocessors that incur extra overhead each time a task is migrated from one processor to another. Many existing multiprocessors belong to this class, including the Encore Multimax [MNO86], the Sequent Symmetry [LT88], and the DEC Firefly [TSS88]. Two of the scheduling algorithms we study are obvious extensions of the method used in the uniprocessor case: Central Queue (CQ): All processors of the multiprocessor share a single ready queue. (This requires that accesses to the queue be synchronized.)
The matching model: An examination of the processes underlying realistic job previews.

Using information systems and data processing personnel in 9 major insurance companies, this research assessed the validity of Wanous's (1980)matching model as a framework of the processes linking realistic job previews (RJPs) to employee adjustment and employment stability. Because the matching model is an adaptation of the Theory of Work Adjustment (TWA), this study also assessed the TWA's applicability to RJP and turnover research. Structural equation methodology tested the fit of the matching model to the data of newcomers and of more tenured employees. Also, two-group structural analysis was performed to determine differences between groups. Support for the matching model was obtained with newcomer data but not with data from tenured employees. Results also supported the applicability of the TWA to RJP and turnover research. Implications of the findings to work adjustment and RJP research are discussed.
A Self-Tuning Fuzzy Rule-Based Classifier for Data Streams

In recent years, tremendous amounts of data streams are generated in different application areas. The new challenges in these data need fast and online data processing, especially in classification problems. One of the most challenging problems in field of data streams that reduces the performance of traditional methods is concept change. To handle this problem, it is necessary to update the classifier system after every alteration of the concept of data. However, updating a classifier can often be a time consuming and expensive process. In this paper, an efficient method is proposed for quickly and easily updating of a fuzzy rule-based classifier by setting a weight for each rule. Then, two online procedures for online adjustment of the rule weights are proposed. The experimental results show the high performance of these methods against a non-weighted approach.
A proposal and implementation of automatic detection/collection system for cross-site scripting vulnerability

Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks target Web sites with cookie-based session management, resulting in the leakage of privacy information. Although several server-side countermeasures for XSS attacks do exist, such techniques have not been applied in a universal manner, because of their deployment overhead and the poor understanding of XSS problems. This paper proposes a client-side system that automatically detects XSS vulnerability by manipulating either request or server response. The system also shares the indication of vulnerability via a central repository. The purpose of the proposed system is twofold: to protect users from XSS attacks, and to warn the Web servers with XSS vulnerabilities.
Patterns of innovation and intra-industry heterogeneity in Turkey

This study investigates the patterns of innovation in Turkey and its primary aim is to examine the intra-industry heterogeneity in innovative activities. For this purpose double-level factor analysis is performed and the resulting factor scores are used in the subsequent cluster analyses. Four distinct innovation patterns, which may be interpreted as ingredients of different technological regimes, are identified. A taxonomy of innovative firms is also constructed by grouping firms according to their innovation characteristics and, to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical classification study in Turkey. These results indicate that industries differ in terms of innovative activities. However, industries are not dominated by a single technological regime. On the contrary, five technological regimes were observed in almost all sectors. Building upon these facts, it can be speculated that sector-specific conditions determine the extent of intra-industry heterogeneity.
Active Basis for Modeling, Learning and Recognizing Deformable Templates

This article proposes an active basis model, a shared sketch algorithm, and a computational architecture of sum-max maps for representing, learning, and recognizing deformable templates. In our generative model, a deformable template is in the form of an active basis, which consists of a small number of Gabor wavelet elements at selected locations and orientations. These elements are allowed to slightly perturb their locations and orientations before they are linearly combined to generate the observed image. The active basis model, in particular, the locations and the orientations of the basis elements, can be learned from training images by the shared sketch algorithm. The algorithm selects the elements of the active basis sequentially from a dictionary of Gabor wavelets at a dense collection of locations and orientations. When an element is selected at each step, the element is shared by all the training images, and the element is perturbed to encode or sketch a nearby edge segment in each training image. The recognition of the deformable template from an image can be accomplished by a computational architecture that alternates the sum maps and the max maps. The computation of the max maps deforms the active basis to match the image data, and the computation of the sum maps scores the template matching by the log-likelihood of the deformed active basis.
Dual-frequency single-inductor multiple-output (DF-SIMO) power converter topology for SoC applications

Modern mixed-signal SoCs integrate a large number of sub-systems in a single nanometer CMOS chip. Each sub-system typically requires its own independent and wellisolated power supply. However, to build these power supplies requires many large off-chip passive components, and thus the bill of material, the package pin count, and the printed circuit board area and complexity increase dramatically, leading to higher overall cost. Conventional (single-frequency) Single-Inductor Multiple-Output (SIMO) power converter topology can be employed to reduce the burden of off-chip inductors while producing a large number of outputs. However, this strategy requires even larger off-chip output capacitors than single-output converters due to time multiplexing between the multiple outputs, and thus many of them suffer from cross coupling issues that limit the isolation between the outputs. In this thesis, a Dual-Frequency SIMO (DF-SIMO) buck converter topology is proposed. Unlike conventional SIMO topologies, the DF-SIMO decouples the rate of power conversion at the input stage from the rate of power distribution at the output stage. Switching the input stage at low frequency (~2 MHz) simplifies its design in nanometer CMOS, especially with input voltages higher than 1.2 V, while switching the output stage at higher frequency enables faster output dynamic response, better cross-regulation, and smaller output capacitors without the efficiency and design complexity penalty of switching both the input and output stages at high frequency. Moreover, for output switching frequency higher than 100 MHz, the output capacitors can be small enough to be integrated on-chip. A 5-output 2-MHz/120-MHz design in 45-nm CMOS with 1.8-V input targeting low-power microcontrollers is presented as an application. The outputs vary from 0.6 to 1.6 V, with 4 outputs providing up to 15 mA and one output providing
A rare case of alektorophobia treated successfully with graded exposure therapy

Phobia is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by circumscribed, marked fear or anxiety to a specific object or situation which is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the concerned object or situation. Worldwide, the prevalence of specific phobia has been found to be 16% in 13–17 years olds. In India, specific phobia has been identified as one of the most common disorders in the school-going age group, with the prevalence of approximately 4.2%. Alektorophobia is the specific term for phobia to hen/chickens. We hereby report an 18-year-old female presenting with alektorophobia and successfully treated with graded exposure therapy. It has not been described in extant literature to the best of our knowledge.
Classifying Arabic Verbs Using Sibling Classes

In the effort of building a verb lexicon classifying the most used verbs in Arabic and providing information about their syntax and semantics (Mousser, 2010), the problem of classes over-generation arises because of the overt morphology of Arabic, which codes not only agreement and inflection relations but also semantic information related to thematic arity or other semantic information like "intensity", "pretension", etc. The hierarchical structure of verb classes and the inheritance relation between their subparts expels derived verbs from the main class, although they share most of its properties. In this article we present a way to adapt the verb class approach to a language with a productive (verb) morphology by introducing sibling classes.
Q-Band Millimeter-Wave Antennas: An Enabling Technology for MultiGigabit Wireless Backhaul

The bandwidth demands in mobile communication systems are growing exponentially day by day as the number of users has increased drastically over the last five years. This mobile data explosion, together with the fixed service limitations, requires a new approach to support this increase in bandwidth demand. Solutions based on lower-frequency microwave wireless systems may be able to meet the bandwidth demand in a short term. However, with the small-cell mass deployment requiring total capacities of 1 Gb/s/km2, scalable, multigigabit backhaul systems are required. Millimeter-wave technology fits nicely into these new backhaul scenarios as it provides extended bandwidth for high-capacity links and adaptive throughput rate, which allows efficient and flexible deployment. Besides these advantages, millimeter-wave solutions become even more attractive when the cost of backhaul solutions and the cost of spectrum licenses are factored in. Compared to the cost of laying fiber to a cell base station, which is the only other scalable solution, the millimeter-wave solution becomes the most appropriate approach.
Functional Analysis of Retinal Flecks in Stargardt Disease

Purpose To evaluate visual function of flecked areas in a series of patients with Stargardt disease (STGD) and compare them with adjacent non flecked areas. Methods Twenty–seven patients with STGD, ABCA4 mutations and yellowish retinal flecks at fundus examination were recruited. Microperimetry with the Nidek MP-1 and fundus autofluorescence imaging (FAF) were performed in all the patients (27 eyes) while spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was performed in a subgroup of patients (20 eyes). Visual sensitivity (in dB) for each hyperfluorescent flecked area on FAF was compared with the value of the nearest adjacent non-flecked area in the MP-1 grid and at approximately the same distance from the fovea. Retinal structure in some of the flecked areas tested by microperimetry was analysed with SD-OCT. All patients were screened for mutations in the ABCA4 gene by APEX array and direct sequencing. Results A total of 1836 locations (68 locations for each eye with the 10-2 program) were tested with the MP-1 and 97 corresponded to hyperautofluorescent flecks. A repeated measure, linear regression analysis was used to evaluate differences between visual sensitivity associated with the 97 flecked areas with those in the 97 neighbouring non-flecked areas. The difference was statistically significant (p<0.001) (flecked areas 12.89 +/− 3.86 dB vs. non-flecked areas 14.40 +/− 3.53 dB, respectively). SD-OCT in the flecked areas revealed the presence of hyperreflective dome-shaped lesions in the outer retina located at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), with dislocation or disruption of the photoreceptor layer. Conclusions In STGD hyperfluorescent flecks on FAF are associated with decreased visual sensitivity compared to adjacent non-flecked areas and with an alteration of the photoreceptor layer on OCT. Flecks do not represent only a typical ophthalmoscopic feature but correspond, in some cases, to retinal damage that contributes to patients’ visual loss.
Copies convergence in a distributed real-time collaborative environment

In real-time collaborative systems, replicated objects, shared by users, are subject to concurrency constraints. In order to satisfy these, various algorithms, qualified as opðtimistic, [3, 5, 13, 17, 14, 15, 18], have been proposed that exploit the semantic properties of operations to serialize concurrent operations and achieve copy conðvergence of replicated objects. Their drawback is that they either reðquire a condition on user's operations which is hard to verify when possible to ensure, or they need undoðing then redoing operations in some situations. The main purpose of this paper is to present two new algorithms that overðcome these drawbacks. They are based upon the impleðmentation of a continuous global order which enables that condition to be released, and simplifies the operation inteðgration process. In the second algorithm, thanks to deðferred broadcast of operations to other sites, this process becomes even more simplified.
Mullen Scales of Early Learning

Short Description of Instrument: Description: The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) includes five scales that provide information on cognitive and motor ability. The five scales include: Gross Motor (0–33 months only), Visual Reception, Fine Motor, Expressive Language and Receptive Language. In addition to assessing a child’s strength and weaknesses, this measure is used to assess school readiness. Included in the questionnaire are three different forms depending on the age of the child; 15 minute test for a 1-year old, 25– 35 minute test for 3 year olds and 40–60 minutes for 5 year olds. The report generated from this measure includes a list of tasks that parents can help their child learn at home (based on age).
Exploring the Contradictions in Learning to Teach: The Potential of Developmental Work Research

This article discusses aspects of a programme intervention (the DETAIL project) in the learning processes of beginning English teachers, teacher mentors and a university-based teacher educator. The research reported here has taken place in the context of the Oxford Internship Scheme (OIS) (Benton 1990; McIntyre 1997), a highly successful pre-service teacher education programme that (along with a similar scheme at Sussex University) is often seen as influential within the ‘national experiment’ of school-based teacher education in England (Furlong et al. 2000). The intervention is being researched within the framework of Developmental Work Research (DWR) (Engeström 1991, 2007), particularly a version elaborated by Edwards and Fox (2005) sometimes known as ‘DWR Lite’. DWR is a form of research that aims to enable participants to move from (in Vygotskyan terms [Vygotsky 1986]) ‘everyday’ to ‘scientific’ understandings of what they are trying to do through identifying, working on and expanding the object of activity with the tools offered by third generation Activity Theory (Engeström, Miettinen, and Punamaki 1999). Third generation Activity Theory is perhaps most often associated with a triangular representation of the activity system. Conceptually, however, it is Engeström’s elaboration of the ‘bottom line’ of the triangle – rules, community and division of labour – and the complex interrelationships with subject, tools and object that has the potential to allow participants in DWR to identify and work on contradictions within the activity systems in which they are participating. My focus in this article is on the concepts of teacher identity and teacher agency that emerged very early on in the research as the beginning English teachers (known as ‘interns’ in the OIS), teacher mentors and the university-based teacher educator (myself) started to negotiate the new terrain of the intervention. Specifically, I examine the knowledge about identity and agency produced by teacher mentors as they engage in DWR-framed research and consider its implications for pre-service teacher education.
Ethical Reasoning of U.S. High School Seniors Exploring Just Versus Unjust Laws

Abstract Because a pluralistic democracy is inherently conflictual, public deliberation of issues holds the potential to expand the thinking of participants by revealing new insights, perspectives, information, or logics into the participants’ consideration. These are ethical questions that ask citizens to decide whether policies, actions, and decisions are “right” or “wrong. ” The Persistent Issues in History (PIH) Network (www.pihnet.org) is a decade-long professional development community of practice encouraging, modeling, and supporting teachers in increasing inquiry-based social studies teaching. For this qualitative study, we created a professional community of practice including 4 U.S. government teachers, a university researcher, and a political science professor. This team created lessons enabling high school seniors to dissect and apply Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail to 3 specific scenarios to explore the students’ moral reasoning on just versus unjust laws.
Relationship between balance and gait stability in healthy older adults.

Age-related adaptations during walking create a more stable walking pattern, which is less effective for forward progression and might be related to balance deficiencies. This study determined the relationship between walking stability and measures of balance in older adults. Seventeen older and 20 young adults performed the Berg Balance Test (BBT) and walked 10 m. Walking velocity (WV) and cadence were measured, and a gait-stability ratio (GSR) was calculated. Higher GSR indicated that a greater portion of the gait cycle was spent in double-limb support. Age-group comparisons established declines in BBT scores and WV and increases in GSR with age. Significant relationships were identified for BBT Item 12 (alternate stepping on a stool) with WV (r =.58, r(2) =. 34) and GSR (r = -.74, r(2) =. 54). The correlation of BBT Item 12 with GSR was stronger than with WV (p <.05). Results indicated a strong relationship between increased gait stability and decreased balance for a dynamic weight-shifting task. Therefore, GSR is a better indicator of balance deficits during walking than is WV alone.