Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
xLogo online - a web-based programming IDE for Logo

Algorithmic thinking is increasingly recognized as a vital skill and schools across Switzerland are widely adopting Computer Science in their curriculum. Teachers are now having to expand their lessons and are in need of informative and educational teaching materials. A difficulty they face, however, is how to teach programming in their classrooms, especially to young children who are both newcomers to the digital world and also need to understand and practice new and abstract concepts. Visual aids have been shown to greatly support this learning process because pupils are rewarded by appealing images and immediately see the effect of their changes, which makes exploration fun. We borrow on these ideas and in this thesis we present XLogo online, a web-based and graphical programming environment which features a turtle and a small set of drawing commands. Our solution is tailored to fit a widely-deployed curriculum, which has already been in use for more than nine years and is taught in in hundreds of courses spread around Switzerland. The contemporary circumstances ask for an intuitive and stable programming environment which is easily accessible from anywhere and which serves the pupils during their learning. Our system meets all these needs and can be deployed at the click of a button using only a web browser and, thanks to its reactive design, can be run on a broad set of devices with different screen sizes and platforms. A distinguishing feature from comparable IDEs is that our application is uncluttered and easy to use; everything is shown on a single page and the number of visual contents have been reduced to a bare minimum. This structure was proven to be intuitive and generally approved by primary school pupils in a user study. Comprehensive experiments with over 80 programs confirmed that our implementation works as expected, generates correct results and is sufficiently fast to render even complex drawings with thousands of lines within only a few seconds. Our system eases the learning process thanks to, among other things, immediate feedback shown directly in the editor. We implemented an on-the-fly syntax checking mechanism by smartly re-running the interpreter after keystrokes. Syntax checking eases the understanding of code, because of the direct feedback, which reduces the cognitive load.
Deciphering chronic pain

Chronic pain is a problematic reality at least for two reasons. First, pain is a person's private experience, to which no one else has direct access. Second, chronic pain is lasting proof of a failure that questions the validity of actions and explanations, both past and future, of all involved. Because pain is a private sensation that cannot be reduced by objectification, it cannot, ultimately, be stablised as an unquestionable fact that can serve as the basis of medical practice and thus organise relations between professional and lay persons. This fragile factuality increases the work a physician has to do to decipher a patient's pain. The aim of this paper is to examine how physicians specialising in pain medicine work at this deciphering. Because of these characteristics of pain, physicians are forced to work on the elusive information provided by patients so as to bring into being something called chronic pain. When doing this they tap various, nearly incompatible, resources. I shall study the way these multiple resources are put to use by physicians as they form judgements about cases. By using as a field experiment two pain centres with opposite conceptions and practices, it can be shown how physicians in each centre determine patients' pain situations and formulate advice to them, how the characteristics of this work involve physicians in specific systems of relations with patients, and how these systems are related to dimensions of this work: either to a justification of physicians' actions or else to a confirmation, or realignment, of the initial doctor-patient agreement.
Supervised Machine Learning Based Network Intrusion Detection System for Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an innovative invention that can combine physical object to the Internet with an ability to transfer and access of the data through Internet, however with the rapid growth in the application and services of the IoT, the scope of network attack is also increasing exponentially. To secure data, device and IoT network, there is a need of an efficient, secure and accurate Intrusion Detection System (IDS). IDS basically monitors network and system activities and raises alarm when anything deviated from its normal behaviour is found. Classical intrusion detection system follows rule based detection approaches that fail to detect zero day or unknown attack is not suitable for dynamic and insecure IoT environment. This paper mainly proposes an efficient method with uniform detection system based on supervised machine learning technique by using Random Forest classifier. Also two different datasets, NSL-KDD and KDDCUP99 with minimal feature sets have been used that give lightweight attack detection strategy for IoT network. Simulation of proposed method with theses datasets has 99.9 percentage accuracy in intrusion detection with less amount of time and energy.
On Bernoulli-Gaussian process modeling of speech excitation source

In the multipulse linear predictive coding (LPC) speech synthesis, an autoregressive filter is excited by a multipulse excitation consisting of impulses of various amplitudes and locations. The authors statistically model the excitation signal as a zero mean Bernoulli-Gaussian process. The pulse locations are independently distributed with a probability distribution, and the pulse amplitudes are expressed as a Gaussian sequence with zero mean and finite variance. An algorithm is described for estimation of pulse amplitudes and locations based on the Bernoulli-Gaussian process when the number of pulses is given. Results from computer simulation are presented. <<ETX>>
Diagnosis and Management of Genitourinary Cancer

This well-written text is highly recommended as a valuable reference source for use by any physician involved in the clinical care of genitourinary cancer patients, including the urologic surgeon, medical oncologist, internist, pathologist, radiologist, and radiotherapist. Each chapter is concise, well organized, and readable, with minimal overlap of subject material, enabling the editors to include a wealth of information usually available only in multivolume works or separate texts. Historical perspective, current standards of care, and future research initiatives are adequately summarized for all disease sites. The text is divided into four parts: "Basic Science Concepts of Neoplasia," "Epidemiology," "Pathology," and "Diagnosis and Therapy. " Although diagnosis and management of genitourinary cancers is emphasized, the sections on epidemiology and pathology are complete, informative, and well organized for quick reference. The majority of the text is devoted to the most common genitourinary neoplasms arising from bladder, kidney, testis, and prostate, but rarer tumors,
Pattern Coupled Sparse Bayesian Learning Based on UTAMP for Robust High Resolution ISAR Imaging

Block sparse Bayesian learning (BSBL) has been widely used in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging, which significantly improves the imaging performance by exploiting the sparse pattern information of ISAR images. However, the conventional Bayesian learning algorithm has high computational complexity, which hinders its applications to real-time processing of radar imaging. The approximate message passing (AMP) can be used to obtain a low complexity implementation of sparse Bayesian learning (SBL). However, AMP suffers from performance losses and even diverges in the case of high-Doppler resolution ISAR imaging where the measurement matrix can be highly correlated. To solve this problem, we propose a fast pattern coupled SBL ISAR imaging algorithm based on approximate message passing with unitary transformation (UTAMP). First, the estimates of the hyperparameters of sparse vector are obtained through UTAMP based SBL, and then nearest neighbor hyperparameters are coupled and updated for next iteration. With low complexity, the proposed algorithm can effectively exploit the sparse pattern information of ISAR images, and exhibits excellent convergence and imaging performance. Both simulation and real data experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Identifying Instructional Methods for Development of Clinical Reasoning in Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Education

Date Presented 4/21/2018 This study provides relevant information about what instructional methods faculty use most often and what they find valuable to successfully teach clinical reasoning. Future work needs to identify specific methods that are most effective to build the cadre of contemporary scholarship of teaching and learning for occupational therapy. Primary Author and Speaker: Whitney Henderson Additional Authors and Speakers: Brenda Coppard Contributing Authors: Youngue Qi
Management of Tracheo Bronchial Foreign Bodies in Children – A Retrospective Study of series of 50 cases

Abstract This retrospective study of series of 50 cases of inhaled foreign bodies in pediatric patients in one year, deals with which the cases presented and the types of foreign body removed. Diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy aid in the diagnosis of unsuspected foreign body aspiration, or with doubtful history of foreign body aspiration without physical or X-ray signs and can proceed with definitive treatment in the same preparation without delay. Tracheotomy is indicated for foreign body that cannot be removed through glottis. A team work of anesthetist, endoscopist, and assistants are essential to ensure the safety of procedure with no compromise on availability of instruments. Key words Tracheo Bronchial · Foreign Bodies · Children · Management
A novel powering-down scheme for low Vt CMOS circuits

In this paper, a novel powering-down scheme with a virtual power/ground rails clamp (VRC) circuit is proposed. It features the 98% off-leakage current reduction, without the operating speed degradation and the high Vt transistors. The VRC scheme does not need the extra circuits and the timing design for data holding in the sleep mode. This effectiveness has been confirmed by the 24-bit multiplier-accumulator, using 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS double-layer metal technology.
Knowledge of emergency contraception among women coming for induced abortion

Unprotected sexual intercourse and method failure lead to unintended pregnancies. Emergency contraception (EC) promises to be useful in such cases by preventing unwanted pregnancies following unprotected sex. In India, the levonorgestrel method has been approved and is incorporated in the National Family Welfare Program. The aim of this study was to assess the awareness and level of knowledge towards EC among women coming for induced abortion since this group could have directly benefited from the knowledge of EC.
TactiForm : a touch sensitive actuated shape display as a dynamic interactive user interface for geospatial visual analytic systems

Visual analytic systems that use real-time interactive interfaces enable effective problem solving and decision making by supporting intuitive data modelling, visualization, and analysis. In the oil and gas industry, these technologies are essential as they allow expert users to discover valuable insights and actionable information, even as the relevant information becomes increasingly diverse and complex. However, better interactive interfaces are needed to allow any user to effectively work with multivariate information. In this thesis I present TactiForm, a dynamic tangible user interface for geospatial visual analytic systems. In order to develop an effective tangible interface for viewing, selecting, and manipulating multivariate data, I designed a dynamic actuated shape-changing display that incorporates a multi-point multi-surface touch interface. I also developed a grammar of interaction techniques focused around multivariate geospatial data. I am in the process of constructing a 1x6 pin prototype to evaluate its performance as an interactive tool. Thesis Supervisor: Hiroshi Ishii Title: Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
Research progress in osteoporotic models

Osteoporosis is defined as a systemic disease characterized by loss of bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture.According to purpose of one's research to select a suitable animal model is critical.Various kinds of animal models hold their own features and superiorities and the manufactures of animal models place extra emphasis on different aspects.This paper tries to make a review on these.
Clinical research Patients with diabetes mellitus with ischemic stroke have a higher hemoglobin A1c level and a higher serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level than diabetics without ischemic stroke

Introduction: To investigate the association between the hemoglobin A1c level and the serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level in diabetics with and without ischemic stroke. Material and methods: The patient population included 408 diabetics, mean age 66 years, with ischemic stroke and 404 age-matched and gender matched diabetics without ischemic stroke. The prevalence of race, hypertension, use of statins, current smoking, obesity, carotid arterial disease, obstructive coronary artery disease, prosthetic valve, and atrial fibrillation was not significantly different between diabetics with and without ischemic stroke. Results: The hemoglobin A1c level was < 7.0% in 141 of 408 diabetics (35%) with stroke and in 221 of 404 diabetics (55%) without stroke (p < 0.001). The serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was < 100 mg/dl in 164 of 408 diabetics (40%) with stroke and in 269 of 404 diabetics (67%) without stroke (p < 0.001). The serum LDL cholesterol was < 70 mg/dl in 34 of 408 diabetics (8%) with stroke and in 127 of 404 diabetics (31%) without stroke (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Diabetics should have their hemoglobin A1c level reduced to < 7.0% and their serum LDL cholesterol reduced to < 70 mg/dl.
OSL: An Optimized Strategy of Data Replicas for Online Social Network

With the continued growth of social network users, nearly all the OSN (Online Social Network) providers replicate users’ data to different server nodes in order to ensure high reliability. Unlike traditional web applications, OSN represents a different class of data system that most of the data is based on friend relationship. In this paper, we propose OSL (Online Social Locality) algorithm, an online optimized strategy of data replicas based on social locality. This algorithm can decide the server node the replicas should be saved, and it improves system performance significantly.
A B-ISDN-compatible modem/codec

Coded modulation techniques for developing a B-ISDN (broadband integrated services digital network)-compatible modem/codec are investigated. The selected baseband processor system must support transmission of 155.52 Mb/s of data over an Intelsat 72-MHz transponder. Fundamental system parameters, including channel symbol rate, code rate, and the modulation scheme, are determined. From several candidate codes, a coded octal PSK (phase-shift keying) modulation is selected, and its bit-error-rate performance is analyzed by computer simulation. The hardware implementation complexity of the decoder for the selected code is also examined. <<ETX>>
Predicting the overall spatial quality of automotive audio systems.

The spatial quality of automotive audio systems is often compromised due to their unideal listening environments. Automotive audio systems need to be developed quickly due to industry demands. A suitable perceptual model could evaluate the spatial quality of automotive audio systems with similar reliability to formal listening tests but take less time. Such a model is developed in this research project by adapting an existing model of spatial quality for automotive audio use. The requirements for the adaptation were investigated in a literature review. A perceptual model called QESTRAL was reviewed, which predicts the overall spatial quality of domestic multichannel audio systems. It was determined that automotive audio systems are likely to be impaired in terms of the spatial attributes that were not considered in developing the QESTRAL model, but metrics are available that might predict these attributes. To establish whether the QESTRAL model in its current form can accurately predict the overall spatial quality of automotive audio systems, MUSHRA listening tests using headphone auralisation with head tracking were conducted to collect results to be compared against predictions by the model. Based on guideline criteria, the model in its current form could not accurately predict the overall spatial quality of automotive audio systems. To improve prediction performance, the QESTRAL model was recalibrated and modified using existing metrics of the model, those that were proposed from the literature review, and newly developed metrics. The most important metrics for predicting the overall spatial quality of automotive audio systems included those that were interaural cross-correlation (IACC) based, relate to localisation of the frontal audio scene, and account for the perceived scene width in front of the listener. Modifying the model for automotive audio systems did not invalidate its use for domestic audio systems. The resulting model predicts the overall spatial quality of 2- and 5-channel automotive audio systems with a cross-validation performance of R^2 = 0.85 and root-mean-square error (RMSE) = 11.03%.
Strategies to Improve Reflective Teaching

ABSTRACTSchools/colleges of pharmacy must reexamine their instructional methods, materials, and strategies to ensure the incorporation of critical thinking and problem solving into their curricula. One means of helping faculty prepare for a more student-centered teaching environment is to encourage faculty to think about their teaching. That is, pharmacy educators need to become reflective practitioners. Reflective practice is a means of personal discovery by an individual regarding what is currently being done as well as discovering new ways to do things through self-awareness. This paper begins by providing several definitions of reflection and identifying a mechanism for becoming critically reflective. Next, some benefits of reflective practice are discussed, including faculty self-assessment, identifying differences between intended and actual classroom activities, and expanding the faculty members' professional development. Finally, strategies for achieving reflective practice are outlined, including.
A general genetic algorithm for one and two dimensional cutting and packing problems

Cutting and packing problems are combinatorial optimisation problems. The major interest in these problems is their practical significance, in manufacturing and other business sectors. In most manufacturing situations a raw material usually in some standard size has to be divided or be cut into smaller items to complete the production of some product. Since the cost of this raw material usually forms a significant portion of the input costs, it is therefore desirable that this resource be used efficiently. A hybrid general genetic algorithm is presented in this work to solve one and two dimensional problems of this nature. The novelties with this algorithm are: A novel placement heuristic hybridised with a Genetic Algorithm is introduced and a general solution encoding scheme which is used to encode one dimensional and two dimensional problems is also introduced. Acknowledgements I wish to express my sincere thanks to both my promoters. Firstly, Prof. T.I van Niekerk who afforded me the opportunity to further my studies, provided much needed support during the course of this study. Secondly, my co-promoter Mr. M.C. du Plessis whose advice and direction, patience I am indebted to. I also wish to express my gratitude to the National Research Foundation, who have funded this study. I wish to thank my colleagues at the Manufacturing Technology Research Center (MTRC), Pule Mulenga, Khotso Majara, Louis von Wielligh, Tao Hua, Vuyo Mjali and Tao Zhang. I wish to thank all the people from the Automotive Components Technology Station (ACTS). I wish to thank my family, especially ’Ma and ’Ta. Last but not least I wish to thank the Lord Jesus Christ, who always makes us triumph over adversity.
Frequency Response Analysis of Actively Cooled Nylon Twisted Coiled Actuators for Use in Wrist Rehabilitation Devices

Recovery from an upper limb musculoskeletal injury can take months or years, and often requires continuous visits to a therapist for specialized training and evaluation. Research has found that active assistance using mechatronic devices can significantly improve the quality and speed of recovery, especially when used for periods beyond a typical clinical appointment. However, current devices commonly use conventional actuation methods that are too heavy and rigid to be worn as a portable system outside of clinical settings. A recently discovered actuator made from twisting and coiling nylon thread (TCA) has the potential to improve wearable mechatronic designs due to its high power density, large strain, and inherent compliance. TCAs require heat to contract, which limits the actuation bandwidth due to the slow cooling rate, making it difficult to implement in wearable devices that must respond to voluntary motion. This study presents an active cooling method for TCAs to improve their frequency response and evaluates their feasibility in a wrist orthosis design based on real anatomical constraints. The frequency response was evaluated using a square wave input of varying frequency to provide actuation cycles of resistive heating and forced convective cooling, while measuring displacement at constant load. The results show that the TCA was able to respond to frequencies of up to 6.5 Hz, and also achieve full wrist range of motion at 0.55 Hz for loads equivalent to the weight of an average adult hand. This indicates that the proposed wrist orthosis could effectively assist the wrist throughout its entire range of motion and at the speeds required for voluntary motion using parallel TCAs.