Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
#DoINeedSocialMedia: Social Media in Local Political Elections

DoINeedSocialMedia: Social Media in Local Political Elections Brittany K. Karzen School of Communications, BYU Master of Arts More research is needed to be able to fully understand the role that social media plays in elections, specifically in local elections. Candidates need to understand how it works and how they can effectively use this new communication medium. By exploring Diffusion of Innovation Theory, Social Information Processing Theory, and the Two-Way Symmetrical Model of communications this study sought to answer one overarching question: how should a candidate employ social media in a local election? This qualitative, single case study explores the 2014 recall and general election in Yorba Linda, California. Councilman Tom Lindsey and candidate Matt Palmer are the primary subjects of study. Observations were made through analysis of documentation, interviews, and participant and direct observation. The researcher was employed as the campaign manager for both Lindsey’s and Palmer’s campaigns. The findings support the use of social media in local campaigns on a case by case basis. Determining use depends on the demographics of the voters and the abilities of the candidate. The data suggests that social media needs to be part of comprehensive strategy that includes traditional communication tools. Observations from the case study illustrate the need for candidates to engage in two-way communication that is monitored and regulated. This study begins to establish social media as a tool that candidates can use to inexpensively reach voters in a way that showcases the candidate’s personality and allows them to connect on a personal level with constituents. Social media will play a role in politics at all levels.
Trajectory tracking control of a 6-degree-of-freedom robot arm using nonlinear optimization

The trajectory tracking control of a 6-degree-of- freedom (DOF) rigid robot arm is described in this paper. The trajectories for the joint variables are generated in third-order spline form using general constrained nonlinear optimization, taking into consideration the joint position, velocity, acceleration, jerk and overall current consumption constraints during the movement. The trajectory tracking of the individual joints is solved using a discrete-time linear controller design. The obtained trajectories are previously checked to avoid collisions using oriented bounding boxes and their separating axis theorem tests. The complete inverse kinematics of the arm is symbolically calculated in the Mathematica computing environment and implemented in C++. Simulations and measurements show the applicability of the proposed method.
Farmer Cooperative Theory: Recent Developments

Since 1980, agricultural economists have begun to reexamine fundamental issues in the theory of agricultural cooperation. These include the basic nature of farmer cooperation; the theoretical benefits and limits of cooperative enterprise; and the implications of these for cooperative members, managers, and public policy. Analysts have extended previous models of the cooperative as a type of business firm in order to analyze the impact of large cooperatives on market performance. They have also developed new models to analyze how cooperatives attempt to serve the divergent interests of different participants, such as managers and different classes of farmers. This report describes and evaluates recent theoretical developments, outlines remaining areas of conflict and gaps in the theory of agricultural cooperation, and discusses topics for future research. It concludes that one of the most promising areas for current research may be in testing hypothesis arising from current theoretical work.
Money, Income, Prices, and Causality in Pakistan. A Trivariate Analysis

This paper re-examines the causal relationship between money and income and between money and prices in Pakistan using a longer annual data set from 1949–50 to 1998–99 and employing Granger causality and Error Correction Models. We also investigate the causal relationships through trivariate approach. The analyses indicate the long run relationship among money, income, and prices. The analyses further suggest a one way causation from income to money implying that probably real factors rather than money supply has played a major role in increasing Pakistan’s national income. Regarding the causal relationship between money and prices, the analyses suggest a both way causation between them. This implies that monetary expansion increases, and is also increased by, inflation in Pakistan.
Combined multiclass classification and anomaly detection for large-scale Wireless Sensor Networks

A smart wireless sensor network analytics requirement, beyond routine data collection, aggregation and analysis, in large-scale applications, is the automatic classification of emerging unknown events (classes) from the known classes. In this paper we present a new form of SVM that combines multiclass classification and anomaly detection into a single step to improve performance when data contains vectors from classes not represented in the training set. We demonstrate how the concepts of structural risk minimisation and anomaly detection are combined and analysing the effect of the various training parameters. The evaluations on several benchmark datasets reveal its ability to accurately classify unknown classes and known classes simultaneously.
Topics and Treatments in Global Software Engineering Research - A Systematic Snapshot

This study presents an analysis of the most recent literature addressing global software engineering (GSE). The primary purpose is to understand what issues are being addressed and how research is being carried out in GSE – and comparatively, what work is not being conducted. We examine the current state of GSE research using a new Systematic Snapshot Mapping (SSM) technique. We analysed 275 papers published between January 2011 and June 2012 in peer-reviewed conferences, journals and workshops. Our results provide a coarse-grained overview of the very recent literature addressing GSE, by classifying studies into predefined categories. We also follow and extend several prior classifications to support our synthesis of the data. Our results reveal that, currently, GSE studies are focused on Management and Infrastructure related factors rather than Human or Distance related factors, using principally evaluative research approaches. Most of the studies are conducted at the organizational level, mainly using methods such as interviews, surveys, field studies and case studies. We use inter-country network analysis to confirm that the USA and India are major players in GSE, with USA-India collaborations being the most frequently studied, followed by USA-China. Specific groups of countries have dominated the reported GSE project locations (and the locations of research authors). In contrast, regions including Central Asia, South Asia (except India), Africa and South East Asia have not been covered in these studies. While a considerable number of GSE-related studies have been published they are currently quite narrowly focused on exploratory research and explanatory theories. The critical research paradigm has been untouched, perhaps due to a lack of criteria and principles for carrying out such research in GSE. An absence of formulative research, experimentation and simulation, and a comparative focus on evaluative approaches, all suggest that existing tools, methods and approaches from related fields are being tested in the GSE context. However, these solutions may not scale to cover GSE-related issues or may overlook factors/facets specific to GSE.
Design space exploration for hardware/software codesign of multiprocessor systems

We present a new methodology to rapidly explore the large design space encountered in hardware/software systems. The proposed methodology is based on a fast and accurate estimation approach. It has been implemented as an extension to a hardware/software codesign flow to enable the exploration of a large number of multiprocessor architecture solutions from the very start of the design process. The effectiveness of this approach is illustrated by a significant application example.
Numerical analysis of a new time-stepping θ-scheme for incompressible flow simulations

In [13], we had performed numerical comparisons for different time stepping schemes for the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. In this paper, we present the numerical analysis in the context of the Navier-Stokes equations for a new time-stepping θ-scheme which has been recently proposed by Glowinski [5]. Like the well-known classical FractionalStep-θ-scheme which had been introduced by Glowinski [1], [4], too, and which is still one of the most popular time stepping schemes, with or without operator splitting techniques, this new scheme consists of 3 substeps with non-equidistant substepping to build one macro time step. However, in contrast to the Fractional-Step-θ-scheme, the second substep can be formulated as an extrapolation step for previously computed data only, and the two remaining substeps look like a Backward Euler step so that no expensive operator evaluations for the right hand side vector with older solutions, as for instance in the Crank-Nicolson scheme, have to be performed. This new scheme is implicit, strongly A-stable and second order accurate, too, which promises some advantageous behavior, particularly in implicit CFD simulations for the nonstationary Navier-Stokes equations. Representative numerical results, based on the software package FEATFLOW [15], are obtained for typical flow problems with benchmark character which provide a fair rating of the solution schemes, particularly in long time simulations.
Software Defined Networking for electrical substations based on IEC 61850

This project seeks to clarify the IEC 61850 concepts and observe what they point to the new developments of it, and then design the telecommunications network in a generic electrical substation with a long life, easy maintenance, reducing copper wiring and technologically updated equipment; using Software Defined Networking (SDN) to manage the flow of data traffic on the network.
A Study of Planning and Implementation Stages in Electronic Commerce Adoption and Evaluation: The Case of Australian SMEs

This research examines and explores the electronic commerce adoption and evaluation issues and practices of Australian SMEs during the planning and implementation stages. The results indicate d that most SMEs failed to link their objectives for e-commerce adoption with their organizational goals as well as to involve users during the planning stage. In addition, pre-project justification process and change management were often not properly carried out. Although it was found that almost all senior executives and managers were committed to the IT investments in e-commerce during the implementation stage, most of these organizations did not manage user resistance effectively. Moreover, it was also disappointing to see that most SMEs failed to conduct IT investment evaluation processes during the implementation stage. Finally, no formal IT benefits realization methodology was carried out in any of the SMEs interviewed.
Interactive Biosignal Analysis and Classification

We often encounter experimental results that are difficult to quantify although the visual recognition of a phenomenon is apparent. We are able to detect patterns and features with our vision that are complex to specify algorithmically. This is because our brain has evolved into a powerful pattern matching machine. One important class of measurement results in medical research are signals that describe a cycling pattern of some phenomenon. In this work, we developed a software tool, Anomaly Explorer, to assist in classification of Ca2+ signals emitted by cardiomyocytes. Anomaly Explorer was designed and implemented to analyze and classify Ca2+ signals with criteria similar to the criteria used by laboratory personnel. The software tool is based on interactive visualization with a direct manipulation user interface. Our Anomaly Explorer has proven to be a valuable tool as it makes the analysis faster, more accurate, and person-independent. The definition of signal anomalies in terms of visual properties is more flexible than numerical or analytical specification. Our approach is not limited to the Ca2+ signal analysis. The anomaly types are domain-specific, but the interaction and visualization ideas can be applied in any signal analysis problem.
Array Manifold Calibration in Shipborne Radar

Array manifold error is the key factor which influences the performance of DOA algorithm. In ship borne radar, after distance and velocity resolution, the corresponding spatial azimuth of first-order sea echo can be computed. The first-order sea echo on the fixed frequency can be considered as scale source. After array covariance matrix's eigen value decomposition, the vector corresponding to the biggest eigen value can be considered as the actual manifold vector so as to apply DOA algorithm effectively. In ship born radar, through source calibration, the performance of DOA algorithm is enhanced and the inadequacy of compensation from different influencing factors such as the discrepancy of amplitude and phase, and the coupling between array elements are also avoided.
EXCLUSION REGIONS FOR SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS∗

Branch and bound methods for finding all zeros of a nonlinear system of equations in a box frequently have the difficulty that subboxes containing no solution cannot be easily eliminated if there is a nearby zero outside the box. This has the effect that near each zero many small boxes are created by repeated splitting, whose processing may dominate the total work spent on the global search. This paper discusses the reasons for the occurrence of this so-called cluster effect and how to reduce the cluster effect by defining exclusion regions around each zero found that are guaranteed to contain no other zero and hence can safely be discarded. Such exclusion regions are traditionally constructed using uniqueness tests based on the Krawczyk operator or the Kantorovich theorem. These results are reviewed; moreover, refinements are proved that significantly enlarge the size of the exclusion region. Existence and uniqueness tests are also given.
Indexing and Retrieval Performance: The Logical Evidence

This article presents a logical analysis of the characteristics of indexing and their effects on retrieval performance. It establishes the ability to ask the questions one needs to ask as the foundation of performance evaluation, and recall and discrimination as the basic quantitative performance measures for binary noninteractive retrieval systems. It then defines the characteristics of indexing that affect retrieval—namely, indexing devices, viewpoint-based and importance-based indexing exhaustivity, indexing specificity, indexing correctness, and indexing consistency—and examines in detail their effects on retrieval. It concludes that retrieval performance depends chiefly on the match between indexing and the requirements of the individual query and on the adaptation of the query formulation to the characteristics of the retrieval system, and that the ensuing complexity must be considered in the design and testing of retrieval systems. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Capabilities and Applications of FY-3A/B SEM on Monitoring Space Weather Events

The space environment monitor (SEM), onboard the Chinese meteorological satellites FengYun-3A/B, has the abilities to measure proton flux in 3-300-MeV energy range and electron flux in 0.15-5.7-MeV energy range. SEM can also detect the heavy ion compositions, satellite surface potential, the radiation dose in sensors, and the single events. The space environment information derived from SEM can be utilized for satellite security designs, scientific studies, development of radiation belt models, and space weather monitoring and disaster warning. In this paper, the SEM's instrument characteristics are introduced, and the postlaunch calibration algorithm is presented. The applications in monitoring space weather events and the service for manned spaceflights are also demonstrated.
Gender disparities in Africa’s labour markets : An analysis of survey data from Ethiopia and Tanzania

The main objective of this thesis is to contribute to our better understanding of the main factors behind large and persistent gender disparities in Africa's labour markets. This work looks at three key dimensions of labour market gender inequality in Africa: (i) the gender wage gap, (ii) gender inequalities in allocating time to market and household work, and (iii) the gender-differentiated income effect of informality. Chapter 2 shows that, in Ethiopia, progress towards gender equity in education is important to improve women's wages but not enough to close most of the gender wage differential. Other interventions would be needed as, for instance, information campaigns and other awareness-raising efforts in support of the anti-discriminatory provisions of Ethiopia's own constitution and legislation, to compensate for the adverse impact of unobservable factors (discriminatory practices, social and cultural norms…), that directly contribute to the gender wage gap and indirectly, through job selection. Chapter 3 highlights the coexistence of two phenomena in Ethiopia, a strong gender-based division of labour and a double work burden on women. The country would benefit from pursuing and intensifying its efforts to ensure better access to education at all levels for women, and from providing better information and enforcement of the law in support of women's economic and social well-being, as it would help changing mentalities and attitudes that impede women to take full advantage of their abilities and that keep them subordinated to men. Finally, in Chapter 4 we observe that, in Tanzania, women face a significantly higher informal employment wage penalty than men. To explain this result, we conjecture that the exclusion hypothesis, according to which individuals are denied access to formal jobs due to the disproportionate constraints they face (burden of household responsibilities, lack of adequate infrastructure…), is more acute among women.JEL classification : J16, J22, J24, J31, J42, J71
Selenium Accumulation in Plants—Phytotechnological Applications and Ecological Implications

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for many organisms including humans, yet toxic at higher levels. Both Se deficiency and toxicity are problems worldwide. Since plants readily accumulate and volatilize Se, they may be used both as a source of dietary Se and for removing excess Se from the environment. Plant species differ in their capacity to metabolize and accumulate Se, from non-Se accumulators (<100 mg Se/kg DW), to Se-accumulators (100–1000 mg Se/kg DW) to Se hyperaccumulators (>1,000 mg Se/kg DW). Here we review plant mechanisms of Se metabolism in these various plant types. We also summarize results from genetic engineering that have led to enhanced plant Se accumulation, volatilization, and/or tolerance, including field studies. Before using Se-accumulating plants at a large scale we need to evaluate the ecological implications. Research so far indicates that plant Se accumulation significantly affects the plant's ecological interactions below and above ground. Selenium can protect plants from fungal pathogens and from a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate herbivores, due to both deterrence and toxicity. However, specialist (Se-tolerant herbivores), detritivores and endophytes appear to utilize Se hyperaccumulator plants as a resource. These findings are relevant for managing phytoremediation of Se and similar elements.
Planning multi-arm screening studies within the context of a drug development program

Screening trials are small trials used to decide whether an intervention is sufficiently promising to warrant a large confirmatory trial. Previous literature examined the situation where treatments are tested sequentially until one is considered sufficiently promising to take forward to a confirmatory trial. An important consideration for sponsors of clinical trials is how screening trials should be planned to maximize the efficiency of the drug development process. It has been found previously that small screening trials are generally the most efficient. In this paper we consider the design of screening trials in which multiple new treatments are tested simultaneously. We derive analytic formulae for the expected number of patients until a successful treatment is found, and propose methodology to search for the optimal number of treatments, and optimal sample size per treatment. We compare designs in which only the best treatment proceeds to a confirmatory trial and designs in which multiple treatments may proceed to a multi‐arm confirmatory trial. We find that inclusion of a large number of treatments in the screening trial is optimal when only one treatment can proceed, and a smaller number of treatments is optimal when more than one can proceed. The designs we investigate are compared on a real‐life set of screening designs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Retrospective Exploration of the 3Rs Education Program: Systemic Facilitators and Barriers to Implementation

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have historically been denied basic rights and thus have been subjected to abuse. The 3Rs: Rights, Respect and Responsibility Human Rights Education Program was implemented and researched through a partnership with Community Living Welland Pelham and Brock University initially and then cascade training on the program was provided to five developmental service sector agencies from across the Niagara Region. This research evaluated the role of the 3Rs education program on the shift to a rights-based service agenda across those five agencies. Interviews were conducted with the Executive Director and Liaison staff from each of the agencies and a thematic analysis was used to describe factors that facilitated organizational changes and a cultural shift. Systemic barriers to the change were also explored. The results indicated that the 3Rs education program provides the catalyst necessary for the shift to a rights-based service agenda and that the resultant changes in practices now embedded in the organizations are reflective of a shift to a rights-based service agenda.
Progressive decrease of amyloid precursor protein carboxy terminal fragments (APP‐CTFs), associated with tau pathology stages, in Alzheimer's disease

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) dysfunction is a key aetiologic agent in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The processing of this transmembrane protein generates carboxy terminal fragments (CTFs) upstream of β‐amyloid peptide (Aβ) production. The physiologic significance of APP‐CTFs is still poorly understood, as well as the relationship that could link APP dysfunction and tau pathology in familial and non‐familial AD (non‐FAD). In the present study, we have investigated the quantitative and qualitative changes of APP‐CTFs in different brain areas of non‐demented and demented patients from a prospective and multidisciplinary study. A significant decrease of the five APP‐CTFs was observed, which correlated well with the progression of tau pathology, in most cases with infraclinical AD and AD, either familial or non‐FAD. Furthermore, solubility properties and the ratio between the five bands were also modified, both in the Triton‐soluble and/or ‐insoluble fractions. Together, we show here for the first time a modification directly observed on APP‐CTFs upstream of Aβ products and its relationship with tau pathology, which could reflect the basic aetiological mechanisms of AD.