Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social identity in hearing youth who have deaf parents: A qualitative study

The purpose of this research study is to describe the perspectives of young children of deaf adults regarding their linguistic and cultural identity. Kodas represented an interesting subgroup of bilingual, bicultural, and bimodal children with diverse language and cultural backgrounds. This research study used the phenomenological qualitative research method to conclude the social identity of Kodas by having their “voice” be heard and documented in this dissertation. The researcher developed the questionnaires based on Henri Tajfel’s social identity theory under these three subgroups: Social Categorization, Social Identification, and Social Comparison. The researcher recruited 11 participants who were Kodas themselves aged 11 to 17 years old. The Kodas agreed to voice their experiences about being a Koda and how they felt, compared to other groups, and how they have learned more of their own identity by being a Koda. The researcher found major themes in three components of Tajfel’s social identity theory.
Spectrum of α-thalassemia mutations in Qazvin Province, Iran

α-Thalassemia is a widespread inherited disease particularly prevalent in the middle East Asia population, including Iran. The aim of this study was to define the molecular spectrum and frequency of α-thalassemia mutations in prospective couples of Qazvin province. A total of 120,000 subjects were studied during 10 years (1998-2008). Individuals present with hypochromic and microcytic parameters with normal haemoglobin α-2 (HbA2), without iron deficiency were included in the study. Molecular detection of α-globin mutations were performed by gap-PCR, reverse dot blot hybridization (RDB) and sequencing. Results show that six different kinds of mutations are present in this region. In 22 subjects, most prevalent α-thalassemia mutations were α -3.7 , followed by α -20.5 and α 5nt . Most α-thalassemia couples had consanguineous relationships and Kordish ethnicity. In conclusion, in spite of relatively low incidence of α-thalassemia mutations in Qazvin province, the spectrum and frequency of mutations are different from other parts of Iran. It might be due to migration of several ethnic groups to Qazvin. Key words: α-Thalassemia, mutations, prospective marriage couples, Qazvin.
Rump File Systems: Kernel Code Reborn

When kernel functionality is desired in userspace, the common approach is to reimplement it for userspace interfaces. We show that use of existing kernel file systems in userspace programs is possible without modifying the kernel file system code base. Two different operating modes are explored: 1) a transparent mode, in which the file system is mounted in the typical fashion by using the kernel code as a userspace server, and 2) a standalone mode, in which applications can use a kernel file system as a library. The first mode provides isolation from the trusted computing base and a secure way for mounting untrusted file systems on a monolithic kernel. The second mode is useful for file system utilities and applications, such as populating an image or viewing the contents without requiring host operating system kernel support. Additional uses for both modes include debugging, development and testing. The design and implementation of the Runnable Userspace Meta Program file system (rump fs) framework for NetBSD is presented. Using rump, ten diskbased file systems, a memory file system, a network file system and a userspace framework file system have been tested to be functional. File system performance for an estimated typical workload is found to be ±5% of kernel performance. The prototype of a similar framework for Linux was also implemented and portability was verified: Linux file systems work on NetBSD and NetBSD file systems work on Linux. Finally, the implementation is shown to be maintainable by examining the 1.5 year period it has been a part of NetBSD.
Imaging of the Shoulder: A Comparison of MRI and Ultrasound

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well established as a powerful imaging modality for the shoulder. In the last decade, ultrasound has emerged as an effective imaging option, alongside MRI, for evaluation of the shoulder. With MRI and ultrasound, clinicians now have two viable advanced imaging options for the diagnostic evaluation of shoulder pain. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of ultrasound and MRI for the shoulder. Applications where ultrasound is considered the imaging test of choice, those where MRI is more advantageous, and those where both ultrasound and MRI are viable alternatives for shoulder imaging are discussed.
Action Selection for Single-Camera SLAM

A method for evaluating, at video rate, the quality of actions for a single camera while mapping unknown indoor environments is presented. The strategy maximizes mutual information between measurements and states to help the camera avoid making ill-conditioned measurements that are appropriate to lack of depth in monocular vision systems. Our system prompts a user with the appropriate motion commands during 6-DOF visual simultaneous localization and mapping with a handheld camera. Additionally, the system has been ported to a mobile robotic platform, thus closing the control-estimation loop. To show the viability of the approach, simulations and experiments are presented for the unconstrained motion of a handheld camera and for the motion of a mobile robot with nonholonomic constraints. When combined with a path planner, the technique safely drives to a marked goal while, at the same time, producing an optimal estimated map.
A GPS-less self-positioning method for sensor networks

One challenging issue in sensor networks is to determine where a given sensor node (SN) is physical located. This problem is especially crucial for very small SNs. In this paper, we present a GPS-less self-positioning method for sensor networks. In our method, a set of nodes, called as reference points (RPs), are deployed in the sensor network with overlapping regions of coverage. The RP periodically broadcasts beacon frames which contain localization data. The SN collects the beacon frames from RPs and processes the data in the frame, and then it can localize itself simply. The analysis of positioning accuracy is also given to show how well a SN can correctly localize itself.
Conceptualizing the key factors influencing Internet banking adoption among young adults

The emergence of the Internet has transformed the ways banking services are delivered in the 21st century. It is crucial for the banks to know their customers' mindset well in order to deliver their services efficiently. Hence, this paper discussed the key determinants Internet banking adoption among young adults. This group of users happens to be the major target by banks when it comes to Internet banking services. The conceptual framework for this study is based on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with six independent variables, which are perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, relative advantage, self-efficacy, perceived credibility and trialability. This study would provide critical information on how to manage Internet banking services effectively based on what consumers consider important. In addition, this paper would also be useful for enabling literature development in the subject area for future research.
An e-Learning Platform for SME Manager Upgrade and its Evolution Toward a Distributed Training Environment

The purpose of this paper is to describe the work in progress related to the customisation, the trial and the evaluation of an innovative e-learning platform for manager upgrade in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in the framework of an EC funded project named InTraServ and its forthcoming re-engineering process aimed to the adoption of distributed services in the framework of another EC funded project named Diogene. The present e-learning solution includes several state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies such as: metadata and ontologies for knowledge manipulation, fuzzy learner modelling, intelligent course tailoring, case based reasoning, business games and simulation tools. The proposed solution is based on the distribution of working tasks among content provider services, content discovery services, content brokering services, training services, curriculum vitae searching services and collaboration services.
Insert movie reference here: a system to bridge conversation and item-oriented web sites

Item-oriented Web sites maintain repositories of information about things such as books, games, or products. Many of these Web sites offer discussion forums. However, these forums are often disconnected from the rich data available in the item repositories. We describe a system, movie linking, that bridges a movie recommendation Web site and a movie-oriented discussion forum. Through automatic detection and an interactive component, the system recognizes references to movies in the forum and adds recommendation data to the forums and conversation threads to movie pages. An eight week observational study shows that the system was able to identify movie references with precision of . 93 and recall of . 78. Though users reported that the feature was useful, their behavior indicates that the feature was more successful at enriching the interface than at integrating the system.
Genome-Wide RNAi Analysis of Growth and Viability in Drosophila Cells

A crucial aim upon completion of whole genome sequences is the functional analysis of all predicted genes. We have applied a high-throughput RNA-interference (RNAi) screen of 19,470 double-stranded (ds) RNAs in cultured cells to characterize the function of nearly all (91%) predicted Drosophila genes in cell growth and viability. We found 438 dsRNAs that identified essential genes, among which 80% lacked mutant alleles. A quantitative assay of cell number was applied to identify genes of known and uncharacterized functions. In particular, we demonstrate a role for the homolog of a mammalian acute myeloid leukemia gene (AML1) in cell survival. Such a systematic screen for cell phenotypes, such as cell viability, can thus be effective in characterizing functionally related genes on a genome-wide scale.
Image Retargeting Quality Assessment

Content‐aware image retargeting is a technique that can flexibly display images with different aspect ratios and simultaneously preserve salient regions in images. Recently many image retargeting techniques have been proposed. To compare image quality by different retargeting methods fast and reliably, an objective metric simulating the human vision system (HVS) is presented in this paper. Different from traditional objective assessment methods that work in bottom‐up manner (i.e., assembling pixel‐level features in a local‐to‐global way), in this paper we propose to use a reverse order (top‐down manner) that organizes image features from global to local viewpoints, leading to a new objective assessment metric for retargeted images. A scale‐space matching method is designed to facilitate extraction of global geometric structures from retargeted images. By traversing the scale space from coarse to fine levels, local pixel correspondence is also established. The objective assessment metric is then based on both global geometric structures and local pixel correspondence. To evaluate color images, CIE L*a*b* color space is utilized. Experimental results are obtained to measure the performance of objective assessments with the proposed metric. The results show good consistency between the proposed objective metric and subjective assessment by human observers.
A novel approach to quantification of real and artifactual components of current density imaging for phantom and live heart

Spatial distribution of injected current in a subject could be calculated and visualized through current density imaging (CDI). Calculated CDI paths however have a limited degree of accuracy due to both avoidable methodological errors and inevitable limitations dictated by MR imaging constraints. The source and impact of these limitations are scrutinized in this paper. Quantification of such limitations is an essential step prior to passing any judgment about the results especially in biomedical applications. An innovative technique along with metrics for evaluation of range of errors using baseline and phase cycle MR images is proposed in this work. The presented approach is helpful in pinpointing the local artifacts (areas for which CDI results are suspect), evaluation of global noises and artifacts and assessment of the effect of approximation algorithms on real and artifactual components. We will demonstrate how this error/reliability evaluation is applicable to interpretation of CDI results and in this framework, report the CDI results for an artificial phantom and a live pig heart in Langendorff setup. It is contended here that using this method, the inevitable trade-off between details and approximations of CDI components could be monitored which provides a great opportunity for robust interpretation of results. The proposed approach could be extended, adapted and used for statistical analysis of similar methods which aim at mapping current and impedance based on magnetic flux images obtained through MRI.
A hybrid PSO/ACO algorithm for classification

In a previous work we have proposed a hybrid Particle Swarm Optimisation/Ant Colony Optimisation (PSO/ACO) algorithm for the discovery of classification rules, in the context of data mining. Unlike a conventional PSO algorithm, this hybrid algorithm can directly cope with nominal attributes, without converting nominal values into numbers in a pre-processing phase. The design of this hybrid algorithm was motivated by the fact that nominal attributes are common in data mining, but the algorithm can in principle be applied to other kinds of problems involving nominal variables (though this paper focuses only on data mining). In this paper we propose several modifications to the original PSO/ACO algorithm. We evaluate the new version of the PSO/ACO algorithm (PSO/ACO2) in 16 public-domain real-world datasets often used to benchmark the performance of classification algorithms. PSO/ACO2 is evaluated with two different rule quality (particle "fitness") functions. We show that the choice of rule quality measure greatly effects the end performance of PSO/ACO2. In addition, the results show that PSO/ACO2 is very competitive with respect to two well-known rule induction algorithms.
Toward the modeling of mucus draining from the human lung: role of the geometry of the airway tree

Mucociliary clearance and cough are the two main natural mucus draining methods in the bronchial tree. If they are affected by a pathology, they can become insufficient or even ineffective, then therapeutic draining of mucus plays a critical role to keep mucus levels in the lungs acceptable. The manipulations of physical therapists are known to be very efficient clinically but they are mostly empirical since the biophysical mechanisms involved in these manipulations have never been studied. We develop in this work a model of mucus clearance in idealized rigid human bronchial trees and focus our study on the interaction between (1) tree geometry, (2) mucus physical properties and (3) amplitude of flow rate in the tree. The mucus is considered as a Bingham fluid (gel-like) which is moved upward in the tree thanks to its viscous interaction with air flow. Our studies point out the important roles played both by the geometry and by the physical properties of mucus (yield stress and viscosity). More particularly, the yield stress has to be overcome to make mucus flow. Air flow rate and yield stress determine the maximal possible mucus thickness in each branch of the tree at equilibrium. This forms a specific distribution of mucus in the tree whose characteristics are strongly related to the multi-scaled structure of the tree. The behavior of any mucus distribution is then dependent on this distribution. Finally, our results indicate that increasing air flow rates ought to be more efficient to drain mucus out of the bronchial tree while minimizing patient discomfort.
High efficiency high density telecom rectifier with GaN device

Efficiency and power density are the two most important index of the telecom rectifier development. During recent years, the efficiency of the telecom rectifier is pushed from 92% to 96% and now 98%, this paper however explores the design considerations of super high density (100W/inch3) telecom rectifiers in concert with high efficiency requirements (96%). Specifically, the design considerations of a high switching frequency (1MHz) and high efficiency interleaving totem pole PFC stage with DCM boundary control followed by a high resonant frequency (500kHz), PCB winding based LLC DCDC stage is explained. The wide band device 650V GaN HEMT is used for both PFC stage and D2D stage. Experimental results are presented to validate the design concept to meet the power density and efficiency target.
Generation of multi-contact motions with passive joints: Improvement of Sitting Pivot Transfer strategy for paraplegics

In this paper, we present a motion generation method to improve the Sitting Pivot Transfer (SPT) strategy. We propose to analyze the impact of the torque generated on lower limbs by using Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) on the maximal forces underneath the hands needed for the SPT. This method, based on an optimization process considers a 3D whole body biomechanical model and produces multi-contact motions with desired constant knee torque value. From the generated motions, we study the impact of legs muscle stimulation on the arm forces during the SPT motion. This approach highlights the relationship between the lower limbs stimulation and the maximal forces underneath the hands. The generated motions provide a good tradeoff between the minimization of the maximal hand forces and an excessive increase of the lower limb muscular fatigue.
Beatbox Classification Using ACE

This paper describes the use of the Autonomous Classification Engine (ACE) to classify beatboxing (vocal percussion) sounds. A set of unvoiced percussion sounds belonging to five classes (bass drum, open hihat, closed hihat and two types of snare drum) were recorded and manually segmented. ACE was used to compare various classification techniques, both with and without feature selection. The best result was 95.55% accuracy using AdaBoost with C4.5 decision tress.
What Kinds Of Social Support Does The Audience Offer To A-List Journal-Type Bloggers?

A journal-type blog offers audiences a venue, through which to exchange ideas about bloggers’ feelings and provide feedback, which could be regarded as a kind of social support. Based on a social support category system proposed by Cutrona and Suhr (1992), this study aims to identify the kinds of social support offered by audiences to continuous popular journal-type bloggers(A-list), as well as explore the possible benefits bloggers may obtain from these kinds of social support. Content analysis was used to analyze the feedback or comments of 479 members of the audiences of highly popular journal-type blog posts. The research results revealed that “validation, encouragement, and compliment” are the most common types of social support given by the audience to A-list journal-type bloggers, implying that the audience often conveys validation and support to bloggers, encourages them to continue writing, and confirms their abilities through their responses. Such types of social support may help bloggers obtain the benefits of social validation and relationship development, which in turn encourage bloggers to commit continuous self-disclosure.
LA MEDICIÓN EMPÍRICA DEL NARCISISMO

The measurement of Narcissistic Personality. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychometric characteristics of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) in its Spanish version. Ninety four instructors (60 men and 34 women) of a private Mexican college completed the NPI (Raskin y Terry, 1988). Analysis of results included Cronbach's alpha coefficient and interscale item analysis (Johnson. 1951); construct validity was explored by principal component analysis and varimax rotation; in addition, the NPI overall mean for each component of the English and Spanish version was compared through a zx for independent samples. Results suggest the NPI might be a recommendable measure to assess narcissism in Spanish-speaking normal populations. Yet, further studies using larger samples and inter-item factorial anlysis are needed to verify its psychometric characteristics in Spanish-speaking populations.
Scaling-Up Item-Based Collaborative Filtering Recommendation Algorithm Based on Hadoop

Collaborative filtering (CF) techniques have achieved widespread success in E-commerce nowadays. The tremendous growth of the number of customers and products in recent years poses some key challenges for recommender systems in which high quality recommendations are required and more recommendations per second for millions of customers and products need to be performed. Thus, the improvement of scalability and efficiency of collaborative filtering (CF) algorithms become increasingly important and difficult. In this paper, we developed and implemented a scaling-up item-based collaborative filtering algorithm on MapReduce, by splitting the three most costly computations in the proposed algorithm into four Map-Reduce phases, each of which can be independently executed on different nodes in parallel. We also proposed efficient partition strategies not only to enable the parallel computation in each Map-Reduce phase but also to maximize data locality to minimize the communication cost. Experimental results effectively showed the good performance in scalability and efficiency of the item-based CF algorithm on a Hadoop cluster.
Interindividual Variation in Fornix Microstructure and Macrostructure Is Related to Visual Discrimination Accuracy for Scenes But Not Faces

Transection of the nonhuman primate fornix has been shown to impair learning of configurations of spatial features and object-in-scene memory. Although damage to the human fornix also results in memory impairment, it is not known whether there is a preferential involvement of this white-matter tract in spatial learning, as implied by animal studies. Diffusion-weighted MR images were obtained from healthy participants who had completed versions of a task in which they made rapid same/different discriminations to two categories of highly visually similar stimuli: (1) virtual reality scene pairs; and (2) face pairs. Diffusion-MRI measures of white-matter microstructure [fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD)] and macrostructure (tissue volume fraction, f) were then extracted from the fornix of each participant, which had been reconstructed using a deterministic tractography protocol. Fornix MD and f measures correlated with scene, but not face, discrimination accuracy in both discrimination tasks. A complementary voxelwise analysis using tract-based spatial statistics suggested the crus of the fornix as a focus for this relationship. These findings extend previous reports of spatial learning impairments after fornix transection in nonhuman primates, critically highlighting the fornix as a source of interindividual variation in scene discrimination in humans.
Enhancing Single-Document Summarization by Combining RankNet and Third-Party Sources

We present a new approach to automatic summarization based on neural nets, called NetSum. We extract a set of features from each sentence that helps identify its importance in the document. We apply novel features based on news search query logs and Wikipedia entities. Using the RankNet learning algorithm, we train a pair-based sentence ranker to score every sentence in the document and identify the most important sentences. We apply our system to documents gathered from CNN.com, where each document includes highlights and an article. Our system significantly outperforms the standard baseline in the ROUGE-1 measure on over 70% of our document set.