Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Building Bridges: Creating an Online Conversation Community for Preservice Teachers

Suzi, What I've found with these students is that asking what they were thinking when they wrote whatever they wrote often helps them clarify mistakes. A lot of poor readers have a problem not necessarily with the words themselves, but with processing the meaning in relation to the other words and then writing about it. Many times, however, they can talk about it. If you can get them to do that before they write, their chance for success is much higher. Does this help at all? I hope so! Break a leg! Love, Laura1
Weakness of expiratory muscles and pulmonary complications in malnourished patients undergoing upper abdominal surgery

Background and objective: Malnutrition is prevalent in hospitalized patients and causes systemic damage including effects on the respiratory and immune systems, as well as predisposing to infection and increasing postoperative complications and mortality. This study aimed to assess the impact of malnutrition on the rate of postoperative pulmonary complications, respiratory muscle strength and chest wall expansion in patients undergoing elective upper abdominal surgery.
Classification of Human Emotions from EEG Signals using Statistical Features and Neural Network

A statistical based system for human emotions classification by using electroencephalogram (EEG) is proposed in this paper. The data used in this study is acquired using EEG and the emotions are elicited from six human subjects under the effect of emotion stimuli. This paper also proposed an emotion stimulation experiment using visual stimuli. From the EEG data, a total of six statistical features are computed and back-propagation neural network is applied for the classification of human emotions. In the experiment of classifying five types of emotions: Anger, Sad, Surprise, Happy, and Neutral. As result the overall classification rate as high as 95% is achieved.
Molecular classification of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Personalized medicine, genetics and biomarkers

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive fibrotic lung disease associated with high morbidity and poor survival. Characterized by substantial disease heterogeneity, the diagnostic considerations, clinical course and treatment response in individual patients can be variable. In the past decade, with the advent of high‐throughput proteomic and genomic technologies, our understanding of the pathogenesis of IPF has greatly improved and has led to the recognition of novel treatment targets and numerous putative biomarkers. Molecular biomarkers with mechanistic plausibility are highly desired in IPF, where they have the potential to accelerate drug development, facilitate early detection in susceptible individuals, improve prognostic accuracy and inform treatment recommendations. Although the search for candidate biomarkers remains in its infancy, attractive targets such as MUC5B and MPP7 have already been validated in large cohorts and have demonstrated their potential to improve clinical predictors beyond that of routine clinical practices. The discovery and implementation of future biomarkers will face many challenges, but with strong collaborative efforts among scientists, clinicians and the industry the ultimate goal of personalized medicine may be realized.
A Reconfigurable SIMT Processor for Mobile Ray Tracing With Contention Reduction in Shared Memory

In this paper, we present a reconfigurable SIMT multi-core processor with a shared memory for mobile ray tracing. The proposed processor addresses two issues of SIMT architecture: branch divergence of concurrently executed threads and contention in a shared memory. Performance degradation due to the branch divergence is reduced by dividing a wide SIMT datapath into several narrow SIMT cores that execute independent threads asynchronously. The contention in a shared memory caused by the multiple SIMT cores is alleviated by introducing a new time-division multiplexing (TDM) scheme using multi-phase clocks. The SIMT cores send their requests to a shared memory sequentially not concurrently by synchronizing the SIMT cores with multi-phase clocks to hide arbitration delays. The processor achieves the same datapath utilization as 4-wide SIMT which has been widely used by CPU-based ray tracers while its area remains 68% of the 4-wide SIMT. As a result, the performance normalized to area is improved by 26% compared to previous work with negligible overheads (2.6% for area and 1% for power consumption). The chip was fabricated in 90 nm CMOS technology, and it contains 2.3 M logic gates and 19.3 KB SRAM. It consumes 221 mW at 100 MHz with Vdd=1.2 V.
Subband analysis for robust speech recognition in the presence of car noise

A new set of speech feature representations for robust speech recognition in the presence of car noise is proposed. These parameters are based on subband analysis of the speech signal. Line spectral frequency (LSF) representation of the linear prediction (LP) analysis in subbands and cepstral coefficients derived from subband analysis (SUBCEP) are introduced, and the performances of the new feature representations are compared to mel scale cepstral coefficients (MELCEP) in the presence of car noise. Subband analysis based parameters are observed to be more robust than the commonly employed MELCEP representations.
Paddle: highly deformable mobile devices with physical controls

We present the concept of highly deformable mobile devices that can be transformed into various special-purpose controls in order to bring physical controls to mobile devices. Physical controls have the advantage of exploiting people's innate abilities for manipulating physical objects in the real world. We designed and implemented a prototype, called Paddle, to demonstrate our concept. Additionally, we explore the interaction techniques enabled by this concept and conduct an in-depth study to evaluate our transformable physical controls. Our findings show that these physical controls provide several benefits over traditional touch interaction techniques commonly used on mobile devices.
Optimally Fortifying Logic Reliability through Criticality Ranking

With CMOS technology aggressively scaling towards the 22-nm node, modern FPGA devices face tremendous aging-induced reliability challenges due to bias temperature instability (BTI) and hot carrier injection (HCI). This paper presents a novel anti-aging technique at the logic level that is both scalable and applicable for VLSI digital circuits implemented with FPGA devices. The key idea is to prolong the lifetime of FPGA-mapped designs by strategically elevating the VDD values of some LUTs based on their modular criticality values. Although the idea of scaling VDD in order to improve either energy efficiency or circuit reliability has been explored extensively, our study distinguishes itself by approaching this challenge through an analytical procedure, therefore being able to maximize the overall reliability of the target FPGA design by rigorously modeling the BTI-induced device reliability and optimally solving the VDD assignment problem. Specifically, we first develop a systematic framework to analytically model the reliability of an FPGA LUT (look-up table), which consists of both RAM memory bits and associated switching circuit. We also, for the first time, establish the relationship between signal transition density and a LUT’s reliability in an analytical way. This key observation further motivates us to define the modular criticality as the product of signal transition density and the logic observability of each LUT. Finally, we analytically prove, for the first time, that the optimal way to improve the overall reliability of a whole FPGA device is to fortify individual LUTs according to their modular criticality. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to draw such a conclusion.
Adapted cognitive–behavioural therapy required for targeting negative symptoms in schizophrenia: meta-analysis and meta-regression

Background There is an increasing interest in cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions targeting negative symptoms in schizophrenia. To date, CBT trials primarily focused on positive symptoms and investigated change in negative symptoms only as a secondary outcome. To enhance insight into factors contributing to improvement of negative symptoms, and to identify subgroups of patients that may benefit most from CBT directed at ameliorating negative symptoms, we reviewed all available evidence on these outcomes. Method A systematic search of the literature was conducted in PsychInfo, PubMed and the Cochrane register to identify randomized controlled trials reporting on the impact of CBT interventions on negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed on end-of-treatment, short-term and long-term changes in negative symptoms. Results A total of 35 publications covering 30 trials in 2312 patients, published between 1993 and 2013, were included. Our results showed studies’ pooled effect on symptom alleviation to be small [Hedges’ g = 0.093, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.028 to 0.214, p = 0.130] and heterogeneous (Q = 73.067, degrees of freedom = 29, p < 0.001, τ 2 = 0.081, I 2 = 60.31) in studies with negative symptoms as a secondary outcome. Similar results were found for studies focused on negative symptom reduction (Hedges’ g = 0.157, 95% CI −0.10 to 0.409, p = 0.225). Meta-regression revealed that stronger treatment effects were associated with earlier year of publication, lower study quality and with CBT provided individually (as compared with group-based). Conclusions The co-occurring beneficial effect of conventional CBT on negative symptoms found in older studies was not supported by more recent studies. It is now necessary to further disentangle effective treatment ingredients of older studies in order to guide the development of future CBT interventions aimed at negative symptom reduction.
Secure enrollment and practical migration for mobile trusted execution environments

Smartphones can implement various security services from mobile banking to security tokens used for physical access control. System-wide trusted execution environments (TEEs), like ARM TrustZone, allow implementation of these services that withstand malware and operating system compromise. While researchers and developers have focused on secure storage and processing of credentials on such mobile TEEs, secure and practical bootstrapping of security services has been overlooked. The goal of this paper is to put forward the problem of secure user enrollment in the context of mobile system-wide TEEs. We explain why user identity binding to a mobile device is challenging on current smartphone platforms, and argue that current mobile device architectures do not facilitate secure enrollment and migration for such TEEs. We outline possible architecture changes that would enable the realization of secure and practical enrollment, and thus enable more widespread secure deployment of various mobile security services.
Validity of Three E&E Rating Methods for Entry and Full Performance Level Jobs.

A meta-analysis examines the predictive validity of three methods for evaluating the education and experiences (EE (2) the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) method based on job analysis and comparison with the applicant's KSA; and (3) the Behavioral Consistency method, also based on KSAs from a job analysis, with achievement-based content benchmarks. The sample consisted of 1,399 new Federal Government hires, representing 10 jobs with a substantial number of selections per year. Supervisory ratings of job performance were obtained. The Point method was used to select applicants for three jobs, the KSA for . our, and Behavioral Consistency for three. Moderate support was found for the validity of education and experience ratings in predicting full-performance level job performance, but not for entry-level jobs. The Point method was not. valid for full-performance or entry-level jobs. Applicant self-assessment might provide a way of measuring the general KSAs required for entry-level trainees' jobs. Attachment A is an example of a job performance rating scale, and Attachment B summarizes the validity of education and experience ratings by iob level and rating method. (SLD) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** a U,I5. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office ol Educational Research and Improvement EDII AnoNAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICI This document has been reproduced as wowed Rom the person or organization originating Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction OualilY Points of view or opinionsstaled in this doCo ment do not neCeseilinly represent OE RI position or poky 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
Nonsingular black hole model as a possible end product of gravitational collapse

In this paper we present a nonsingular black hole model as a possible end-product of gravitational collapse. The depicted spacetime which is type [II,(II)], by Petrov classification, is an exact solution of the Einstein equations and contains two horizons. The equation of state p{sub r}({rho}) in the radial direction, is a well-behaved function of the density {rho}(r) and smoothly reproduces vacuumlike behavior near r=0 while tending to a polytrope at larger r, low {rho} values. The final equilibrium configuration comprises a de Sitter-like inner core surrounded by a family of 2-surfaces {sigma} of matter fields with variable equation of state. The fields are all concentrated in the vicinity of the radial center r=0. The solution depicts a spacetime that is asymptotically Schwarzschild at large r, while it becomes de Sitter-like as r{yields}0. Possible physical interpretations of the macro-state of the black hole interior in the model are offered. We find that the possible state admits two equally viable interpretations, namely, either a quintessential intermediary region or a phase transition in which a two-fluid system is in both dynamic and thermodynamic equilibrium. We estimate the ratio of pure matter present to the total energy and in both cases find it tomore » be virtually the same, being {approx}0.83. Finally, the well-behaved dependence of the density and pressure on the radial coordinate provides some insight on dealing with the information loss paradox. « less
Isolation of a Bacteriophage Specific for a Lactobacillus Casei From Human Oral Material

THE classification of the lactobacilli is based upon biochemical, serologic, and morphologic characteristics. Since phage typing has proved useful for the classification of other bacteria, the availability of bacteriophages for various species of lactobacilli would probably expedite and simplify the classification of these organisms. Sierakowski and Zajdell reported the isolation of a "lytic agent" active against a bacterium isolated from a various tooth. McKinley2 examined surgical specimens from various body areas and reported isolation of a polyvalent bacteriophage from a filtrate made from a human submaxillary gland removed because of "sialolithiasis with chronic inflammation. " Wagemans3 reported the isolation from human saliva of a bacteriophage active against 3 organisms of the colon-typhoid group (B. coti, B. voldagsen, and B. typhus). However, the occurrence of bacteriophages in the human oral cavity and their possible relation to oral disease, and the ecology of the oral flora, is unknown. Because dental caries is the most common dental disease, and the lactobacilli are the organisms most commonly thought to be associated with this disease, the occurrence of oral bacteriophages against 12 strains of lactobacillus was investigated.
CORB: Context-aware opportunistic resource-based routing for stationary wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we present the Context-Aware Opportunistic Resource-Based Routing Protocol (CORB) for intermittently-connected stationary wireless sensor networks. This protocol targets domains such as ambiance control in smart buildings. Unlike existing context-aware routing approaches which consider node mobility as the main source of disconnection, CORB only considers the nodes' limited resources and context as the reasons for intermittent connection. Performance evaluation results show that the proposed CORB protocol does not only outperform existing context-aware routing protocols but also significantly outperforms the IP Ripple Routing Protocol (RPL) designed specifically for low power and lossy networks. In grid topologies (sink-centered topologies), the delivery ratio of CORB under heavy loads is up to 404% and 296% (143% and 46.6%) of the original context-aware routing protocol and IPv6 RPL, respectively.
Image Object Label 3 D CAD Model Candidate Grasps Google Object Recognition Engine Google Cloud Storage Select Feasible Grasp with Highest Success Probability Pose EstimationCamera Robots Cloud 3 D Sensor

The Cloud infrastructure and its extensive set of Internet-accessible resources has potential to provide significant benefits to robots and automation systems. We consider robots and automation systems that rely on data or code from a network to support their operation, i.e., where not all sensing, computation, and memory is integrated into a standalone system. This survey is organized around four potential benefits of the Cloud: 1) Big Data: access to libraries of images, maps, trajectories, and descriptive data, 2) Cloud Computing: access to parallel grid computing on demand for statistical analysis, learning, and motion planning, 3) Collective Robot Learning: robots sharing trajectories, control policies, and outcomes, and 4) Human Computation: use of crowdsourcing to tap human skills for analyzing images and video, classification, learning, and error recovery. The Cloud can also improve robots and automation systems by providing access to a) datasets, publications, models, benchmarks, and simulation tools, b) open competitions for designs and systems, and c) open-source software. This survey includes over 150 references on results and open challenges. A website with new developments and updates is available at: http://goldberg.berkeley. edu/cloud-robotics/ Note to Practitioners—Most robots and automation systems still operate independently using onboard computation, memory, and programming. Emerging advances and the increasing availability of networking in the “Cloud” suggests new approaches where processing is performed remotely with access to dynamic global datasets to support a range of functions. This paper surveys research to date.
Durability of fibre reinforced cementitious composites : Coupling mechanical and chloride environment loads

Fibre reinforced cementitious composites (FRCC) may be characterized by their improved performance namely in terms of tensile ductility, accompanied by multiple cracking, and potentially lower permeability to liquid and gas in cracked state. Cracking, which is nearly inevitable, can occur due to applied structural loading, shrinkage, chemical attack, thermal deformations and restrained condition. Even though might not be a structural problem, cracking could be a durability issue, since it considerably modifies the transport properties of the cementitious composite and, as consequence, accelerates the deterioration process, which can significantly impair the long term service life of a structure or element. Literature indicates that, particularly for chloride penetration, the presence of cracks and/or load condition, causes a more deleterious attack compared to standard durability test on sound specimens composites. Contributing to that concern a methodology for accessing chloride attack in loaded and/or cracked FRCC is proposed. Cracking procedure and specimen geometry were selected, considering that cracks produced in laboratory should resemble those in structural elements (beams). Thus, FRCC specimens were firstly pre-loaded under four point bending up to a pre-defined crack width. The crack width was kept using special stainless steel frame. In addition, cracked but not loaded specimens were considered and sound specimens were used as reference. Then, specimens were exposed to wet-dry cycles in a chloride solution. It is argued that the chloride penetration is definitively influenced by the load and cracking conditions, which promoted a higher penetration depth leading to a severe fibres corrosion, which also compromised the mechanical performance of FRCC.
Multiview Clustering on PPI Network for Gene Selection and Enrichment from Microarray Data

Various statistical and machine learning based algorithms have been proposed in literature for selecting an informative subset of genes from micro array data sets. The recent trend is to use functional knowledge to aid the gene selection process. In this paper we propose a clustering algorithm which generates multiple views (clusters) from the micro array expression profiles, each representing a particular facet of the data. Such multiple clusters are found to represent strongly connected regions of the known protein -- protein interaction (PPI) networks, perhaps corresponding to those responsible for certain biological processes. Thus we integrate micro array data clustering with PPI knowledge to obtain enriched gene sets. Results on benchmark micro array data sets demonstrate the competitiveness of our method compared to gene selection techniques.
Strategies for effectively visualizing 3D flow with volume LIC

This paper discusses strategies for effectively portraying 3D flow using volume line integral convolution. Issues include defining an appropriate input texture, clarifying the distinct identities and relative depths of the advected texture elements, and selectively highlighting regions of interest in both the input and output volumes. Apart from offering insights into the greater potential of 3D LIC as a method for effectively representing flow in a volume, a principal contribution of this work is the suggestion of a technique for generating and rendering 3D visibility-impeding "halos" that can help to intuitively indicate the presence of depth discontinuities between contiguous elements in a projection and thereby clarify the 3D spatial organization of elements in the flow. The proposed techniques are applied to the visualization of a hot, supersonic, laminar jet exiting into a colder, subsonic coflow.
A Systematic Approach for Synthesizing VLSI Architectures of Lifting-Based Filter Banks and Transforms

The lifting scheme has become an important tool for designing filter banks and transforms of digital signal processing. Recently, the conventional lifting scheme that concerns the construction of 2-channel filter banks has been extended to M-channel filter banks (M > 2), bringing up the desirable properties of the lifting scheme to a broader range of applications. Many hand-crafted lifting-based VLSI architectures exist, which mostly concentrate on a single and specific target application having fixed data throughput and resource consumption. However, the reusability of such architectures is limited due to the lack of scalability. To overcome this issue, we present a design methodology for automatic synthesis of VLSI architectures suitable for arbitrary lifting-based M -channel filter banks and transforms. The proposed methodology enables high parameterizability in terms of data throughput, resource consumption, and arithmetic precision for the generated architectures. The concept of parameterizing design elements is important for modern system-on-chip design, since it features design space exploration and increases reusability. The proposed methodology is implemented as a high-level compilation tool that generates VLSI architectures at the register transfer level. We present results on the implementation of different architectures that were generated by our tool.