Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lexical Collocations and Their Impact on the Online Writing of Taiwanese College English Majors and Non-English Majors.

The present study investigates the use of English lexical collocations and their relation to the online writing of Taiwanese college English majors and non-English majors. Data for the study were collected from 41 English majors and 21 non-English majors at a national university of science and technology in southern Taiwan. Each student was asked to take a 45-minute online English writing test, administered by the web-based writing program, Criterion Version 7.1 (Educational Testing Service) to examine the subjects’ use of lexical collocations (i.e. frequency and variety). The test was also used to measure writing scores of the two student groups. Test results were examined to answer two major questions for correlation (1) between the subjects’ frequency of lexical collocations and their writing scores and (2) between the subjects’ variety of lexical collocations and their writing scores. The study findings indicate that: (1) there seems to be a significant correlation between Taiwanese college EFL learners’ frequency of lexical collocations and their online writing scores; and (2) there also seems to be a significant correlation between the subjects’ variety of lexical collocations and their online writing scores. This present study further reports on a pattern of lexical collocation development observed among writers of different scores, ranging from the lowest to the highest.
A Design Basis for Composite Cascode Stages Operating in the Subthreshold/Weak Inversion Regions

A Design Basis for Composite Cascode Stages Operating in the Subthreshold/Weak Inversion Regions Taylor M. Waddel Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, BYU Master of Science Composite cascode stages have been used in operational amplifier designs to achieve ultrahigh gain at very low power. The flexibility and simplicity of the stage makes it an appealing choice for low power op-amp designs. Op-amp design using the composite cascode stage is often made more difficult through the lack of a design process. A design process to aid in the selection of the MOSFET dimensions is provided in this thesis. This process includes a table-based method for selection of the widths and lengths of the MOSFETs used in the composite cascode stage. Equations are also derived for the gain, bandwidth, and noise of the composite cascode stage with each of the devices operating in the various regions of inversion.
Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill for Everyone.

A group of high school students cluster around a computer looking at a series of graphs and charts on the screen and talking quietly but intently. They are collaborating with a group of students in South America using Skype. Together they have gathered data and created a model depicting the rate of deforestation of the rain forests around the world. Today they are discussing the changes they need to make to their data representation and algorithm before running their simulation. These students are engaged in what is called computational thinking.
Perception of Inspiratory Resistive Loads in Asthmatic Children with Attention Deficit Disorder

Magnitude estimation (ME) of inspiratory resistive (R) loads has been studied in asthmatic children. Some children have been reported to be unable to perform the perception task. One reason some children may be unable to perform the ME task is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The aim of this study was to determine if asthmatic patients with ADD/ADHD have a perceptual and/or attention deficit in the ME of graded inspiratory R loads. Methods Asthmatic children aged 11-18 years were classified into ADD/ADHD and asthma control groups. Perception of extrinsic loads was assessed by handgrip ME of inspiratory R loads. A methacholine challenge was performed and the PC20 for each subject determined. Results There was no significant difference between asthma control and ADD/ADHD groups in the group mean for the slope of ME-R load slopes. The ADD/ADHD subjects had significantly greater variability in ME of R loads. Conclusions Asthmatic children with ADD/ADHD do not have an impaired perception of extrinsic respiratory loads but do have difficulty attending to the perceptual task. Difficulties in their asthma management may be due to their attention deficit and not their symptom perception.
Alternative realities : from augmented reality to mobile mixed reality

This thesis provides an overview of (mobile) augmented and mixed reality by clarifying the different concepts of reality, briefly covering the technology behind mobile augmented and mixed reality systems, conducting a concise survey of existing and emerging mobile augmented and mixed reality applications and devices. Based on the previous analysis and the survey, this work will next attempt to assess what mobile augmented and mixed reality could make possible, and what related applications and environments could offer to users, if tapped into their full potential. Additionally, this work briefly discusses what might be the cause for mobile augmented reality not yet being widely adopted to everyday use, even though many such applications already exist for the smartphone platform, and smartglass systems slowly becoming increasingly common. Other related topics and issues that are briefly covered include information security and privacy issues related to mobile augmented and mixed reality systems, the link between mobile mixed reality and ubiquitous computing, previously conducted user studies, as well as user needs and user experience issues. The overall purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate what is already possible to implement on the mobile platform (including both hand-held devices and head-mounted configurations) by using augmented and mixed reality interfaces, and to consider how mobile mixed reality systems could be improved, based on existing products, studies and lessons learned from the survey conducted in this thesis.
Code Composer Studio IDE v2 White Paper

Designed for the Texas Instruments (TI) high performance TMS320C6000  (C6000  ) and power efficient TMS320C5000  (C5000  ) digital signal processor (DSP) platforms, the Code Composer Studio  IDE is a development environment that tightly integrates the tools needed to create winning DSP applications. Key components of the Code Composer Studio IDE include:
Compartilhamento Seguro de Arquivos de Saúde usando Criptografia Baseada em Atributos e Redes Descentralizadas

A computação em nuvem possibilita o armazenamento e o compartilhamento de arquivos sob demanda com alta taxa de disponibilidade para aárea da saúde. Contudo, utilizar um provedor de nuvem para armazenar um arquivo de saúde significa confiar a ele a segurança do arquivo. Ao mitigar isso, as abordagens da literatura preocupam-se apenas com a confidencialidade e o controle de acesso, não tratando adequadamente a integridade dos dados. Esse trabalho apresenta o protocolo Decentralized Sharing of Health Records (DSHR), que utiliza criptografia baseada em atributos e redes descentralizadas para o compartilhamento seguro de arquivos de saúde, tratando a confidencialidade, o controle de acesso e a integridade dos arquivos. Uma prova de conceito do DSHR foi implementada e testes de carga foram executados para demonstrar a sua viabilidade prática.
The Effect of the Microsoft Excel based Interactive Learning Media on the Physics Problem Solving

The physics problem solving is needed students to overcome the phenomenon of physics. The development of technology in physics learning is able to explain the concept of abstract physics. This study aims to know effect of use interactive learning media based Microsoft Excel on the physics problem solving. The subject on this media is Heat and Temperature. The research method used is pretest-postest controlled group design. The analysis technique is used t-test with SPSS 16.0 with a margin of error of 5%. The results of this study showed that the mean scores of post-test treatment class students significantly better than the average score post-test control class indicated by the average score of students' post-test treatment class at 80.26 and scores the average post-test control class at 68.00 and with SPSS analyze sig value is 0.000. While the average score gain results-physics students learn physics class treatment significantly better than the average score gain results Physics students learn physics-control class indicated by the average score of physics problem solving gain of 0.77 and the treatment class the average score gain control class student physics problem solving of 0.63.
AUTOMATIC POLYPHONIC PIANO NOTE EXTRACTION USING FUZZY LOGIC IN A BLACKBOARD SYSTEM

This paper presents a piano transcription system that transforms audio into MIDI format. Human knowledge and psychoacoustic models are implemented in a blackboard architecture, which allows the adding of knowledge with a top-down approach. The analysis is adapted to the information acquired. This technique is referred to as a prediction-driven approach, and it attempts to simulate the adaptation and prediction process taking place in human auditory perception. In this paper we describe the implementation of Polyphonic Note Recognition using a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) as part of the Knowledge sources in a Blackboard system. The performance of the transcription system shows how polyphonic music transcription is still an unsolved problem, with a success of 45% according to the Dixon formula. However if we consider only the transcribed notes the success increases to 74%. Moreover, the results obtained in the paper presented in [1], show how the transcription can be used with success in a retrieval system, encouraging the authors to develop this technique for more accurate transcription results.
An Organizational Memory Approach to the Knowledge Dissemination of Post-Project Reviews: Combining Knowledge Management and Organizational Learning

Current research on and practices of post-project reviews (PPR) are ad hoc in nature. This paper introduces an organizational memory (OM) approach to evaluating the knowledge dissemination function of post-project reviews in a systematic and quantitative way. The approach is based on a network topology of organizational memory and its structural changes during PPRs (i.e., network dynamics). We try to associate PPRs and OM in the sense that both facilitate organizational learning (OL) through knowledge management (KM). At the end of the paper, some suggestions on improving the practice and research of PPRs are given.
Why Link Knowledge Management, Organizational Culture and Ethics: Inquiring Results

This paper aims to understand how the interaction between knowledge management, organizational culture and ethics occur, focusing on the potential tensions between personal and collective knowledge in learning organizations. These tensions are reflected upon ethical and social dilemmas which are often neglected by managers and produce unexpected impacts into the organizational strategy. Therefore, this contribution is divided into two main sections: knowledge management (levels, dimensions, and ethical issues/social dilemmas); empirical procedures (methodological design, data collection methods, and empirical outcomes). However, in order to promote a reliable argument, this manuscript will shed some light about the underlying topics. Knowledge management (KM) can be characterized as the acquisition and utilization of resources to generate a milieu in which information is available to all, allowing individuals to obtain, share and employ that information to increase their own knowledge and apply their knowledge for organizational benefit. Despite this consideration, KM as a strategy encompasses two antagonistic levels of analysis: personal knowledge management (PKM) and organizational knowledge management (OKM), leading to potential tensions. Moreover, the “knowledge continuum process” is synchronized throughout organizational culture, technology, and ethics. As a result, it is fundamental to approach the ethical issues (free access to organizational knowledge, autonomy, dignity, privacy, intellectual property, fair compensation), and social dilemmas (organizational trust) that literature claims. Moving forward, this research project unites descriptive and explanatory assumptions through an interpretative and critical epistemological study. Additionally, an embedded multiple-case study with grounded theory (multi-method) will be under scrutiny. Nevertheless, the complex and sensitive nature of the research imposes challenges regarding data collection methods (interviews and questionnaires), leading to protocol fine-tune in order to improve the level of confidence. In spite of these constraints, the empirical outcomes clearly demonstrate that a wide range of ethical issues and social dilemmas occur within organizational contexts, which managers do not recognize or neglect.
Design of Large-Scale Sensory Data Processing System Based on Cloud Computing

In large-scale Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), with limited computing power and storage capacity of sensor nodes, there is an urgent demand of high performance sensory data processing. This study studies the interconnection of wireless sensor networks and cloud-based storage and computing infrastructure. It proposes the idea of distributed databases to store sensory data and MapReduce programming model for large-scale sensory data parallel processing. In our prototype of large-scale sensory data processing system, Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) and HBase are used for sensory data storage, and Hadoop MapReduce is used for data processing application execution framework. The design and implementation of this system are described in detail. The simulation of environment temperature surveillance application is used to verify the feasibility and reasonableness of the system, which also proves that it significantly improves the data processing capability of WSNs.
Extracellular Electron Transfer via Outer Membrane Cytochromes in a Methanotrophic Bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath)

Electron exchange reactions between microbial cells and solid materials, referred to as extracellular electron transfer (EET), have attracted attention in the fields of microbial physiology, microbial ecology, and biotechnology. Studies of model species of iron-reducing, or equivalently, current-generating bacteria such as Geobacter spp. and Shewanella spp. have revealed that redox-active proteins, especially outer membrane c-type cytochromes (OMCs), play a pivotal role in the EET process. Recent (meta)genomic analyses have revealed that diverse microorganisms that have not been demonstrated to have EET ability also harbor OMC-like proteins, indicating that EET via OMCs could be more widely preserved in microorganisms than originally thought. A methanotrophic bacterium Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) was reported to harbor multiple OMC genes whose expression is elevated by Cu starvation. However, the physiological role of these genes is unknown. Therefore, in this study, we explored whether M. capsulatus (Bath) displays EET abilities via OMCs. In electrochemical analysis, M. capsulatus (Bath) generated anodic current only when electron donors such as formate were available, and could reduce insoluble iron oxides in the presence of electron donor compounds. Furthermore, the current-generating and iron-reducing activities of M. capsulatus (Bath) cells that were cultured in a Cu-deficient medium, which promotes high levels of OMC expression, were higher than those cultured in a Cu-supplemented medium. Anodic current production by the Cu-deficient cells was significantly suppressed by disruption of MCA0421, a highly expressed OMC gene, and by treatment with carbon monoxide (CO) gas (an inhibitor of c-type cytochromes). Our results provide evidence of EET in M. capsulatus (Bath) and demonstrate the pivotal role of OMCs in this process. This study raises the possibility that EET to solid compounds is a novel survival strategy of methanotrophic bacteria.
Statistical methods for analysis and processing ofmedical ultrasound: applications to segmentation and restoration

In this thesis two major topics inherent with medical ultrasound images are addressed: deconvolution and segmentation. In the first case a deconvolution algorithm is described allowing statistically consistent maximum a posteriori estimates of the tissue reflectivity to be restored. These estimates are proven to provide a reliable source of information for achieving an accurate characterization of biological tissues through the ultrasound echo. The second topic involves the definition of a semi automatic algorithm for myocardium segmentation in 2D echocardiographic images. The results show that the proposed method can reduce inter- and intra observer variability in myocardial contours delineation and is feasible and accurate even on clinical data.
Automatic Translation and Object-Oriented Reengineering of Legacy Code

Can we reuse some of the huge code-base developed in C to take advantage of modern programming language features such as type safety, objectorientation, and contracts? This dissertation presents a source-to-source translation and object-oriented reengineering of C code into Eiffel, a modern object-oriented programming language, and the supporting tool C2Eif. The migration is completely automatic and supports the entire C language (ANSI, as well as many GNU C Compiler extensions) as used in practice, including pointer arithmetic, usage of native system libraries and inlined assembly code. Eiffel programs are created exhibiting elements of good objectoriented design, such as low coupling and high cohesion of classes, and proper encapsulation. The programs also leverage advanced features such as inheritance, contracts, and exceptions to achieve a better usability and a clearer design. Our experiments show that C2Eif can handle C applications and libraries of significant size (such as vim and libgsl), as well as challenging benchmarks such as the GCC torture tests. The produced Eiffel code is functionally equivalent to the original C code, and takes advantage of some of Eiffel’s features to produce safe and easy-to-debug programs. We have also investigated the related problem of automatically translating source code between different modern environments, in particular from Java to Eiffel. The translation has been formalized in order to increase confidence in its correctness, and the usability of the supporting tool J2Eif has been evaluated on four programs of varying complexity.
Equation Invasion! How Math can Explain How the Brain Learns

Imagine that every time you experience a beautiful sunset, you post a picture of it on Instagram. Your first few photos get tons of “likes,” but then one day you post another one and it only gets “liked” by a few people—do you post a picture of the next sunset you see? Making choices and seeing what happens helps us learn things about the world around us, which influences the future choices that we make. Neuroscience researchers have developed mathematical models to explain how people learn from the good and bad outcomes of their past choices. These models are generally referred to as reinforcement learning models. In this article, we explain situations in which we might use reinforcement learning in the real world, how math equations can help us understand this process, and how researchers study the way the brain learns from experience to make good choices. YOUNG REVIEWERS:
Saliency-guided graphics and visualization

In this dissertation, we show how we can use principles of saliency to enhance depiction, manage visual attention, and increase interactivity for 3D graphics and visualization. Current mesh saliency approaches are inspired by low-level human visual cues, but have not yet been validated. Our eye-tracking-based user study shows that the current computational model of mesh saliency can well approximate human eye movements. Artists, illustrators, photographers, and cinematographers have long used the principles of contrast and composition to guide visual attention. We present a visual-saliency-based operator to draw visual attention to selected regions of interest. We have observed that it is more successful at eliciting viewer attention than the traditional Gaussian enhancement operator for visualizing both volume datasets and 3D meshes. Mesh saliency can be measured in various ways. The previous model of saliency computes saliency by identifying the uniqueness of curvature. Another way to identify uniqueness is to look for non-repeating structure in the middle of repeating structure. We have developed a system to detect repeating patterns in 3D point datasets. We introduce the idea of creating vertex and transformation streams that represent large point datasets via their interaction. This dramatically improves arithmetic intensity and addresses the input geometry bandwidth bottleneck for interactive 3D graphics applications. Fast-previewing of time-varing datasets is important for the purpose of summarization and abstraction. We compute the salient frames in molecular dynamics simulations through the subspace analysis of the protein's residue orientations. We first compute an affinity matrix for each frame i of the simulation based on the similarity of the orientation of the protein's backbone residues. Eigenanalysis of the affinity matrix gives us the subspace that best represents the conformation of the current frame i. We use this subspace to represent the frames ahead and behind frame i. The more accurately we can use the subspace of frame i to represent its neighbors, the less salient it is. Taken together, the tools and techniques developed in this dissertation are likely to provide the building blocks for the next generation visual analysis, reasoning, and discovery environments.
Various aspects of vehicles image data-streams reduction for road traffic sufficient description

Summary . The on-line image processing was implemented for video-camera usage for traffic control. Due to reduce the immense data sets dimension various speculations of data sampling methods were introduced. At the beginning the needed sampling ratio has been found then simple but effective image processing algorithms have to be chosen, finally the hardware solutions for parallel processing are discussed. The PLA computing engine was involved for coping with this task; for fulfilling the assumed characteristics. The developer has to consider several restrictions and preferences. None universal algorithm is available up to now. The reported works, concern vehicles stream recorders development that has to do all recording and computing procedures in strictly defined time limits.