Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Practical LDGM-based Multiple Description Coding

This thesis presents two practical coding schemes based on low-density generator matrix (LDGM) codes, for two cases of the multiple description (MD) problem. The first one is for the two description problem for finite-alphabet sources with Hamming distortion measure. The proposed MD code targets the Zhang-Berger region, which is the best inner bound known so far for the corresponding MD rate-distortion region. The coding scheme can be regarded as a practical implementation of a theoretical sequential coding system for the corner points of a related rate-region, where the random codebooks are replaced by multilevel LDGM codebooks and the encoding at each stage is performed via a message passing algorithm. This coding system is further applied in three notable cases: 1) no excess sum-rate case for binary sources; 2) successive refinement for general finite-alphabet sources, 3) no excess marginal rate for uniform binary sources. Furthermore, in order to assist the code design in the noexcess sum-rate case for binary sources, the exact expression of the distortion region and of the auxiliary variables needed to achieve its boundary, are derived, which is another important contribution of the thesis. The second proposed MD code is for the case of L descriptions with individual and central distortion constraints, for the memoryless Gaussian source with squared distortion measure. It is shown first that the coding problem for an arbitrary point iii on the dominant face of an L-description El Gamal-Cover (EGC) rate region, can be converted to that for a vertex of aK-description EGC rate region for someK ≤ 2L−1, where the latter problem can be solved via successive coding. The practical coding scheme reduces each successive coding step to a Gaussian quantization operation, and implements this operation using multilevel LDGM codes. The LDGM-based coding schemes are extensively tested in practice for all aforementioned cases. The experimental results show very good performance, verifying that the proposed schemes can approach the theoretical rate-distortion bounds.
Students and Academic reflections of iPhone Audio Feedback Experience

Audio feedback for Engineering and Computing students has been produced for the last five academic years using an iPhone. The feedback has been applied to support their learning about the professional experience to enhance their employability. The benefits of audio feedback have been widely reported by the author and other academic practitioners, however its distribution can be problematic. This case study highlights how iPhone audio feedback production and distribution can be simplified to provide improved and effective high quality feedback to benefit both students and their tutors. iPhone audio feedback was provided to 130+ students in the 2010-211, and 200+ in 2011-2012. This study draws upon the reflections of the two student cohorts between 2010-2012 and considers the potential of the approach for feeding forward into the ongoing learning of students.
Exporting a user interface to memory management from a communication-oriented operating system

One of the most important resources that an operating system manages is main memory. Systems often provide virtual memory, using this main memory to cache the contents of a larger virtual storage. Unfortunately, existing systems hide the algorithms for controlling the contents of the main memory cache and for managing the external storage used to represent that virtual memory within the operating system kernel, making them unavailable to important systems applications. My thesis is that it is desirable and practical to provide an external memory management interface that allows user-level programs to define and manage the contents of memory objects that may be mapped into virtual address spaces. Exporting this interface simplifies the construction of complex virtual memory applications, allowing them to manage the sharing, consistency, and permanent storage of their data without being embedded in the operating system kernel. These systems applications can also take advantage of the performance benefits of using main memory as a cache of the contents of their data objects. This dissertation describes the Mach external memory management interface and implementation in detail. The interface design is based on communication: memory objects are communication channels, on which the operating system sends messages to read or write the contents of pages of virtual memory. The implementation addresses the modularity and security issues that arise from exporting this interface to user-level programs. Several systems applications that have been constructed using the Mach interface are described, including a user-level file system, a transaction-based data management system, and a network shared virtual memory service. An evaluation of the Mach system analyzes the cost of using this interface, and shows how it makes a fast path to the main memory cache available to systems applications. Experiments also show that the overall performance of the Mach system does not suffer appreciably under normal load, and that this system still outperforms commercially available operating systems under identical benchmarks. I conclude that an external memory management interface is a useful, affordable component that should be provided by future operating systems.
A sketch retrieval method for full color image database-query by visual example

Gives a basic idea and its fundamental algorithms of the visual interface for image database systems. The QVE (Query by Visual Example) accepts a sketch roughly drawn by a user to retrieve the original image and the similar images. The system evaluates the similarity between the rough sketch, i.e. a visual example, and each of the image data in the database automatically. The QVE interface is implemented and examined on an experimental electronic art gallery called ART MUSEUM. This paper also gives some experimental results and a current evaluation. The algorithms are quite effective for content based image retrieval. <<ETX>>
Exact procedures for single machine total cost scheduling

We study the One-Machine problem with release dates with the aim of minimizing several objective functions among those the total (weighted) tardiness and the total (weighted) completion time. These problems are NP hard in the strong sense. We present general dominance properties, propagation rules along with an intelligent backtracking technique, which are valid for all these criteria. These techniques have been integrated into branch and bound methods and have been experimentally studied. These results show the efficiency of these techniques which improve the best results found for these criteria.
Serial Genetic Algorithm Decoder for Low Density Parity Check Codes

Genetic algorithms are successfully used for decoding some classes of error correcting codes, and offer very good performances for solving large optimization problems. This article proposes a new decoder based on Serial Genetic Algorithm Decoder (SGAD) for decoding Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes. The results show that the proposed algorithm gives large gains over sum-product decoder, which proves its efficiency.
Software Technology for Adaptable, Reliable Systems (STARS)

Abstract : This technical report defines conventions for development of effective application user interfaces. The guide is intended for use by application developers and user interface developers using the Unisys STARS (software Technology for Adaptable Reliable Systems) Ada/X User Interface Software. The intent is to produce a consistent style among Ada applications. The Style Guide addresses three areas of style: (1) application/user interactions of dialogues; (2) conventions for developing applications; and (3) formal and informal user interface standardization efforts. (KR)
The applicability of grounded theory as research methodology in studies on the use of methodologies in IS practices

Information Systems (IS) development can be seen as a social activity. Research methodologies from social sciences, such as Grounded Theory (GT) can therefore be used to investigate IS practices. This paper asks whether GT can be used to investigate the use of specific methodologies by IS practitioners when the practitioners are not familiar with the methodologies in question. It aims to contribute to GT research methods as well as systems thinking research methods.
Inverse kinematics problem in robotics using neural networks

In this paper, Multilayer Feedforward Networks are applied to the robot inverse kinematic problem. The networks are trained with endeffector position and joint angles. After training, performance is measured by having the network generate joint angles for arbitrary endeffector trajectories. A 3-degree-of-freedom (DOF) spatial manipulator is used for the study. It is found that neural networks provide a simple and effective way to both model the manipulator inverse kinematics and circumvent the problems associated with algorithmic solution methods.
Large Dataset for Keyphrases Extraction

We propose a large dataset for machine learning-based automatic keyphrase extraction. The dataset has a high quality and consist of 2,000 of scientific papers from computer science domain published by ACM. Each paper has its keyphrases assigned by the authors and verified by the reviewers. Different parts of papers, such as title and abstract, are separated, enabling extraction based on a part of an article's text. The content of each paper is converted from PDF to plain text. The pieces of formulae, tables, figures and LaTeX mark up were removed automatically. For removal we have used Maximum Entropy Model-based machine learning and achieved 97.04% precision. Preliminary investigation with help of the state of the art keyphrase extraction system KEA shows keyphrases recognition accuracy improvement for refined texts.
3D Face Recognition

The survival of an individual in a socially complex world depends greatly on the ability to interpret visual information about the age, sex, race, identity and emotional state of another person based on that person’s face. Despite a variety of different adverse conditions (varying facial expressions and facial poses, differences in illumination and appearance), humans can perform face identification with remarkable robustness without conscious effort. Face recognition research using automatic or semi-automatic techniques emerged in the 1960s, and especially in the last two decades it has received significant attention. One reason for this growing interest is the wide range of possible applications for face recognition systems. Another reason is the emergence of affordable hardware, such as digital photography and video, which have made the acquisition of high-quality and highresolution images much more ubiquitous. Despite this growing attention, the current stateof-the-art face recognition systems perform well when facial images are captured under uniform and controlled conditions. However, the development of face recognition systems that work robustly in uncontrolled situations is still an open research issue. Even though there are various alternative biometric techniques that perform very well today, e.g. fingerprint analysis and iris scans, these methods require the cooperation of the subjects and follow a relatively strict data acquisition protocol. Face recognition is much more flexible since subjects are not necessarily required to cooperate or even be aware of being scanned and identified. This makes face recognition a less intrusive and potentially more effective identification technique. Finally, the public’s perception of the face as a biometric modality is more positive compared to the other modalities (Hietmeyer, 2000).
Collaborative Learning: Cognitive and Computational Approaches

Acknowledgement. Contributors. Introduction: what do you mean by 'collaborative learning'? (P. Dillenbourg). Learning together: understanding the processes of computer-based collaborative learning (K. Littleton, P. Hakkinen). The role of grounding in collaborative learning tasks (M. Baker et al.). What is "multi" in multi-agent learning? (G. Weiss, P. Dillenbourg). Comparing human-human and robot-robot interactions (R. Joiner et al.). Learning by explaining to oneself and to others (R. Ploetzner et al.). Knowledge transformations in agents and interactions: a comparison of machine learning and dialogue operators (E. Mephu Nguifo et al.). Can analytic models support learning in groups? (H.U. Hoppe, R. Ploetzner). Using telematics for collaborative knowledge construction (T. Hansen et al.). The productive agency that drives collaborative learning (D. Schwatrtz). References. Index.
Automatic array privatization and demand-driven symbolic analysis

Memory-related anti- and output dependences are false dependences because they do not represent the flow of data but rather only the collisions caused by memory location reuse. Privatization is a technique to eliminate cross-iteration anti-dependences. A variable is privatized if each processor allocates a local copy of the variable such that each processor accesses only its local copy. To determine whether an array is privatizable in a loop, we analyze the array sections that are defined and used in each iteration. A use section of an array is dominated by a definition section if the definition section covers the use section and if the definition site dominates the use site in the program control flow graph. To enhance the effectiveness of array section analysis, we develop several new techniques that can analyze conditionally defined (used) variables and symbolic expressions in array sections. Gated Single Assignment (GSA) form of program is used for conditional data flow analysis and demand-driven symbolic analysis. We developed an almost-linear time algorithm for building and placing gating functions to convert program into GSA form. We introduce a technique that exploits the single assignment property of GSA to perform demand-driven symbolic analysis using the use-def chains embedded in the variable names. The symbolic analysis technique uses the gating functions of GSA to represent the possible values of symbolic variable and the predicates guarding the choice of the possible values. We present a technique that can obtain more precise results from the predicated possible values using path conditions. We also present a technique that uses the gating functions as join operators at the join nodes of control flow graphs to perform conditional data flow analysis. We evaluate the effectiveness of these techniques using programs from the Perfect Benchmarks and NCSA users. After array privatization, our compiler is able to parallelize many outer loops. The resulting programs show speedups around 5 on an 8 processor SGI Challenge system.
The prefix be-/bi- as a marker of verbs of deception in late Old and early Middle English

This article brings to light a productive inseparable prefix construction marked by be-/bi-in late Old English and early Middle English, which forms complex verbs of DECEPTION, such as betray, beguile, bewray. The expression of such a specific psychological sense through a verbal prefix is highly exceptional for Germanic languages, and a complex four stage development has to be assumed, starting from other concrete constructions marked by be-/bi- such as the PRIVATIVE construction (cf. bereave, behead). By emphasizing the relevance of the notion of construction in this development, the article also contributes to the insights in the relationship between constructions and language change.
Does Compustat Data Standardization Improve Bankruptcy Prediction Models?

Capital IQ's Compustat database is commonly used in empirical accounting research. Numbers that appear in Compustat are standardized to ensure ". consistent and comparable data across companies, industries and business cycles. " However, there has been no evidence in the academic literature that Compustat's standardized numbers provide more benefits than the original numbers in financial statements. This is the first study to examine the effects of Compustat's data standardization using bankruptcy prediction models as examples. Specifically, we study whether using Compustat's standardized data as opposed to original 10-K data improves Altman's 1968 and Ohlson's 1980 bankruptcy prediction models. We find that Compustat's data standardization not only yields no improvements for bankruptcy prediction models, but also has a significant negative impact on the predictive accuracy of Altman's model (up to 8.56%).
A BiCMOS low-voltage transconductor for VHF continuous time filters

A new BiCMOS low-voltage transconductor suitable for VHF continuous-time filters is proposed. The transconductance is tunable with a control voltage. The output resistance of the transconductor is compensated and the resulting output resistance can be fine-tuned by means of a separate voltage. The transconductor has a large bandwidth due to having parasitic poles at extremely high frequencies. The performance of the transconductor is demonstrated by simulation results.
The Reference Process and the Philosophy of Karl Popper.

Two aspects of Popper's philosophy are applied to the ref erence process. In doing so, the process is first viewed as a series of problem-solving situations that are amenable to analysis using Popper's problem-solving schema. In a sec ond part, the reference interview is analyzed in the context of Popper's postulate that there is contained in books an autonomous world of ideas that has an existence apart from the mind of any knower. How such a world is used by librarians and inquirers is illustrated. This arrangement of a problem-solving model in the context of knowledge as an autonomous, active agent provides a cohesive theory of the reference process that assigns a place to, and explains, the action of every element in the environment while focusing on the knowledge seeker, the knowledge worker, and the knowledge store.
Phraseologie und Fremdsprachenlernen. Zur Problematik einer angemessenen phraseodidaktischen Umsetzung

In this paper the author strives for the more intensive inclusion of phraseological learning content in the teaching of foreign languages. Arguments, due to which at all levels of teaching languages should systematically provide for acquiring and respectively developing the passive and active phraseology competence, are as follow: the commonness and range of phraseological methods of expression, empirically proved acquisition of phraseological competence in the very early phase of mastering the native language and a relatively high degree of inter-language accordance of phraseological structure. In the planning of language education and the training of language teachers many consecutive changes will be necessary. Among others it will be necessary to synchronically plan teaching of the native and foreign languages, bring into force phraseology as a compulsory subject in higher education programs for the training foreign language teachers, and materially and professionally enable more intensive development of special phraseological learning material.
Anti-synchronization of chaotic delayed neural networks

By means of techniques of state observer， the anti-synchronization of a class of chaotic neural networks with time delay is investigated. Compared with the anti-synchronization strategies used in other chaotic systems， the technique presented here is rather simple and the convergence rate can be adjusted by tuning the eigenvalues through the pole placement technique. Finally， two numerical examples and computational simulations are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Pragmatics and the Philosophy of Language

Many topics in the philosophy of language pertain to pragmatics and there are many to which pragmatics pertains. Ones of the first sort, in PHILOSOPHY OF PRAGMATICS, include performatives, speech acts, communication, conversational implicature, and the question of how to distinguish pragmatic from semantic matters. Topics of the second sort, in APPLIED PRAGMATICS, concern various terms, distinctions, and problems of philosophical interest. Our survey of them will illustrate how certain seemingly semantic problems can be resolved by enforcing a cogent semantic-pragmatic distinction, for in many cases apparent matters of meaning turn out to be matters of use.
Metadata determination for a cadaveric collection

The number, size and complexity of research databases continue to grow unabated. Yet, despite significant advances in information technology, scientists continue to struggle with “data wrangling” or issues of finding, sharing, and reusing data, often for unanticipated future purposes. Most research databases are designed ad hoc, by native investigators for specific research functions and immediate needs with little to no input from database designers, informaticians, or other subject matter experts. Little thought is usually given to the implications of future data retrieval, sharing and reuse. When the needs of future investigators or research requirements change, the original design of the database can become a significant barrier to meeting unanticipated needs and can impede future scientific discovery. Designing research databases to anticipate future needs is a significant challenge given there is no
The Biology and Evolution of Language

This book synthesizes much of the exciting recent research in the biology of language. Drawing on data from anatomy, neurophysiology, physiology, and behavioral biology, Lieberman develops a new approach to the puzzle of language, arguing that it is the result of many evolutionary compromises. Within his discussion, Lieberman skillfully addresses matters as various as the theory of neoteny (which he refutes), the mating calls of bullfrogs, ape language, dyslexia, and computer-implemented models of the brain.
Biostatistical Methods: The Assessment of Relative Risks

Biostatistics and Biomedical Science Relative Risk Estimates and Tests for Two Independent Groups Sample Size, Power, and Efficiency Stratified-Adjusted Analysis for Two Independent Groups Case-Control and Matched Studies Applications of Maximum Likelihood and Efficient Scores Logistic Regression Models Analysis of Count Data Analysis of Event-Time Data Appendices References Indexes.
ON-LINE INFORMATION RETRIEVAL USING ASSOCIATIVE INDEXING

Abstract : Experiments were performed to determine the feasibility of using ALCAPP as one form of on-line dialogue. Assuming the ALCAPP (Automatic List Classification and Profile Production) system is in an on-line mode, investigations of those parameters which could affect its stability and reliability were conducted. Fifty-two full text documents were used to test how type of indexing, depth of indexing, the classification algorithm, the order of document presentation, and the homogeneity of the document collection would affect the hierarchical grouping programs of ALCAPP. Six hundred abstracts were used to study the effect on document clusters when more documents are added to the data base and the effect on the final cluster arrangement when the initial assignment of documents to clusters is arbitrary. Results reveal that the only time significant differences in the classification of documents does not occur is when the order of document presentation is varied. Final clusters are significantly affected by the initial assignment of documents to clusters. The number of documents added to a data base allows stability of clusters only to a cutoff point which is some percentage of the original number of documents in the data base.