Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Influences Usability Defect Reporting? — A Survey of Software Development Practitioners

Software development organizations invest in test automation tools and methods to optimize defect discovery rates. The true value of these tools is realized when the defects are addressed before release, and hence good quality defect reports are critical. We describe a survey we conducted to better understand usability defect reporting, in particular, influences on the quality of usability defect reports. We analyze feedback from nearly 150 software developers and usability defect reporters and identify key determinants of quality defect reports, aspects of usability defects that are challenging to report and directions for future research into usability defect reporting tools to improve usability defect reports quality.
Individual and Organizational Responses to Changing and Challenging Conditions

In this issue, we introduce three empirical articles, all of which concern our changing organizational environment. We take up the issues of corporate sustainability, organizational downsizing, and the ongoing struggle for organizational legitimacy. All three highlight the dynamic environment we face every day, and the efforts that individuals and organizations put forth to cope with this constant change. In the following, I introduce and briefly summarize each of these thought-provoking pieces. Corporate sustainability has become both an ethical and a strategic imperative for organizations around the world. Organizations are challenged by myriad forces related to the natural environment, human rights, population growth, corruption, poverty, and much more (Fairfield, Harmon, & Behson, 2011). To survive, organizations must develop sound, effective policies and practices that address today’s urgent issues while considering the needs of future generations. In their article “Gender and Corporate Sustainability: On Values, Vision, and Voice,” Joan L. Slepian and Gwen E. Jones explore the differences between men and women in their sustainability values and vision. Previous research in this area suggests that there is a significant difference in the beliefs of men and women with regard to environmentalism and sustainability. It is important to know how these differences might impact the decisions that organizations make in the future around sustainability issues. Overall, Slepian and Jones found that women are indeed more personally concerned about sustainability-related issues than men. Further, they found that women judged their organization to be less involved in sustainability related practices than men did. Their discussion highlights the somewhat more nuanced differences between men and women’s views of their companies’ concern for specific sustainability issues, suggesting that differences may relate to more deeply engendered
Spectral occupancy rate of cognitive radio networks in queueing with adaptive modulation and coding over multiple-input and multiple-output transmit antenna selection/maximal ratio combining in nakagami-m fading

Cognitive radio is successfully overlayed on the single user cross-layer design and implementation with adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) over frame-slotted transmission. The authors analyse the spectral occupancy rate of cognitive radio networks with AMC and queueing effect. They employ multiple-input and multiple-output with single transmit antenna selection and maximal ratio combining in Nakagami- m fading channel. The average spectral efficiency and packet dropping rate are also obtained. The analytical result shows that significant cognitive radio traffic can be accommodated without compromising the primary user network quality.
Region-of-convergence estimation for learning-based adaptive controllers

Recent learning-based extensions to popular adaptive control procedures offer improved convergence, but at the cost of increased complexity. This complexity makes it difficult to analytically compute level sets that bound the system response. These level sets can be combined with the a priori known Lyapunov function for such systems to provide barrier certificates, verifying the safety of the system to maximum allowable error limits. This paper presents a complementary automated procedure for computing invariant level sets offline using simulation data. These level sets encompass combinations of safe initial conditions and parameters that will not cause the adaptive system's response to exceed constraints. First, conditions for the complete set of safe initial states and parameters, known as the region-of-convergence, are established. These conditions, coupled with the known Lyapunov functions describing the adaptation, are used to form an optimization procedure to construct verifiable level sets for the system response. These levels sets thus provide barrier certificates for safety and conservatively estimate the complete regionof-convergence. Lastly, the procedure is demonstrated on an adaptive control system.
Adaptive neural control of uncertain MIMO nonlinear systems

In this paper, adaptive neural control schemes are proposed for two classes of uncertain multi-input/multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear systems in block-triangular forms. The MIMO systems consist of interconnected subsystems, with couplings in the forms of unknown nonlinearities and/or parametric uncertainties in the input matrices, as well as in the system interconnections without any bounding restrictions. Using the block-triangular structure properties, the stability analyses of the closed-loop MIMO systems are shown in a nested iterative manner for all the states. By exploiting the special properties of the affine terms of the two classes of MIMO systems, the developed neural control schemes avoid the controller singularity problem completely without using projection algorithms. Semiglobal uniform ultimate boundedness (SGUUB) of all the signals in the closed-loop of MIMO nonlinear systems is achieved. The outputs of the systems are proven to converge to a small neighborhood of the desired trajectories. The control performance of the closed-loop system is guaranteed by suitably choosing the design parameters. The proposed schemes offer systematic design procedures for the control of the two classes of uncertain MIMO nonlinear systems. Simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the approach.
Processos de aprendizagem e acumulação de competências tecnológicas: evidências de uma empresa de bens de capital no Brasil

This paper focuses on the implications of the intra-firm learning processes for technological capability accumulation. Drawing on a single case study methodology, this relationship is examined in Kvaerner Pulping do Brasil (1980-2000). The framework for capability accumulation, tailored to the capital goods industry - supplier of equipment and complete plants for pulp and paper mills - identifies three technological functions: engineering activities and project management, operational processes and practices, and process equipment. The framework for learning identifies four learning processes (external and internal knowledge acquisition, knowledge socialization and codification), examined in the light of four features. The study has found different types and levels of innovative capability in the case-study firm. In line with previous studies, this article suggests that the way and speed at which the firm accumulated these capabilities can be explained by the way it managed its learning processes over time. On the other hand, the evidence in this study argues against certain common generalizations relative to technological development in the capital goods industry in Brazil.
Chemical synthesis and biophysical applications of membrane proteins

Chemical synthesis or semi‐synthesis of membrane proteins can provide unique molecular tools, such as site‐specific isotope labeling or post‐translationally modified membrane proteins to gain insight into their biophysical and functional characteristics. However, during preparation, purification, and ligation of transmembrane peptides, tremendous challenges are encountered owing to their hydrophobic nature. This review focuses on the recent advances in chemical synthesis strategies of membrane proteins. These strategies help to solubilize the hydrophobic transmembrane peptide sequences under standard purification and chemical ligation conditions to improve their handling properties. Biophysical and functional studies of synthetic membrane proteins are reviewed as well. Copyright © 2014 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
RaVioli: a GPU Supported High-Level Pseudo Real-time Video Processing Library

Real-time video processing applications such as intruder detection system are now in demand and being developed. However, on general purpose computers, it is difficult to guarantee that enough CPU resources can be surely be provided. We have proposed a pseudo real-time video processing library RaVioli for solving this problem. RaVioli conceals two types of resolutions, frame rate and the number of pixels, from programmers. This makes video and image processing programmings more intuitive, but the performance may be lower by the abstraction overhead. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an improvement of RaVioli for supporting GPU platforms. For using GPUs effectively, a deep knowledge about them has been required, and this would have been a burden to programmers. The proposition on this paper provides an easy-to-use framework for developers. They can benefit from GPU without rewriting their RaVioli programs and get high performance video processing. The experiment results with image/video processing programs show that the proposed method improves the performance about 151-fold/164-fold in maximum against traditional RaVioli without rewriting programs, and about 30-fold/4-fold in maximum against a native C++ program.
Evaluating Register Bank Partitioning with Genetic Algorithms

The problem of partitioning registers in a clustered VLIW architecture has critical impact on the quality of code generated. As a result, several clustering schemes to allocate registers to the various register banks have come into existence over the past few years. However, since the clustering problem is a NP-complete problem, all schemes proposed to date are heuristics or approximations to the solution. Furthermore, all of these schemes report their results in comparison to the ideal but un-practical, non-partitioned VLIW machine. As a result, a real world estimate of the current status of clustering research is missing. The work described here uses genetic algorithms to help generate expected near-optimal solutions to the clusterin g problem. These solutions are then compared to the solutions generated by means of an existing state-of-the-art heuristic developed for partitioning registers. In this way we attempt to evaluate the state of clustering as it exists today. The results suggest that while the targeted heuristic, Hise r’s Advanced Greedy Partitioning Scheme[7, 8], performs well when the available parallelism in the program is high, it does show some possibilities for improvement when dealing with code where the level of parallelism is inherently lower .
Interpretation of subjective ratings: some fundamental aspects

The use of subjective scores and rankings has become familiar in the context of hazard assessment and risk analysis in health and safety. Less familiar, however, are the mathematical fundamentals that underpin these techniques; a lack in understanding of these fundamentals might lead to the methods being incorrectly applied or to the results being incorrectly interpreted. The paper reviews the fundamental mathematical assumptions made in using subjective measures and the consequences for their interpretation.
Obsessive-compulsive and spectrum disorders: overview and quality of life issues.

Although obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is among the most common of all psychiatric disorders, the diagnosis is frequently overlooked unless specific screening questions are asked by the treating physician. The obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviours that primarily characterize OCD can be found in other obsessive-compulsive "spectrum" disorders as well. These disorders affect a sizable percentage of the U.S. population and have thus become an increasing public health problem. Preliminary results from our comprehensive survey of OCD sufferers found significant impairments in quality of life and substantial costs associated with the morbidity and treatment of OCD. This is of particular interest to the primary care practitioner since these patients often present initially to primary care physicians, and early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can substantially improve outcome.
Analyzing vision at the complexity level

Abstract The general problem of visual search can be shown to be computationally intractable in a formal, complexity-theoretic sense, yet visual search is extensively involved in everyday perception, and biological systems manage to perform it remarkably well. Complexity level analysis may resolve this contradiction. Visual search can be reshaped into tractability through approximations and by optimizing the resources devoted to visual processing. Architectural constraints can be derived using the minimum cost principle to rule out a large class of potential solutions. The evidence speaks strongly against bottom-up approaches to vision. In particular, the constraints suggest an attentional mechanism that exploits knowledge of the specific problem being solved. This analysis of visual search performance in terms of attentional influences on visual information processing and complexity satisfaction allows a large body of neurophysiological and psychological evidence to be tied together.
Exogenous source of PRRSV antibody in positive oral-fluid

An exogenous source of PRRSV antibody was initially identified in the course of investigating a diagnostic case involving unexpected PRRSV antibody-positive results on oral fluids from a PRRSV-negative production system. The system was considered free of PRRSV on the basis of monthly testing of the sow farm (30 serum samples tested on the PRRS X3 Antibody ELISA; Idexx Laboratories Inc, Westbrook, Maine) and bimonthly testing of nursery and the finishing sites (oral-fluid samples tested by PRRSV reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]).
Quantification of gene expression in urinary sediment for the study of renal diseases

SUMMARY: Urinalysis has been used extensively in clinical practice to aid in the diagnosis of various renal diseases. With the advances in technology of molecular biology, gene expression and proteomic studies are now possible for urinary sediment. In this review article, we focus on the quantification of messenger RNA expression in urinary sediment by reverse‐transcription and real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Recently, this technique has been explored for three potential applications: (i) distinguishing the different causes of kidney disease; (ii) assessment of kidney disease activity, progression and response to therapy; and (iii) as a tool to study the pathogenesis. Although the method is simple and non‐invasive, it requires further research to define the role in routine clinical practice. At this moment, the technique should only be considered experimental albeit promising.
Self-similar texture for coherent line stylization

Stylized line rendering for animation has traditionally traded-off between two undesirable artifacts: stroke texture sliding and stroke texture stretching. This paper proposes a new stroke texture representation, the self-similar line artmap (SLAM), which avoids both these artifacts. SLAM textures provide continuous, infinite zoom while maintaining approximately constant appearance in screen-space, and can be produced automatically from a single exemplar. SLAMs can be used as drop-in replacements for conventional stroke textures in 2D illustration and animation. Furthermore, SLAMs enable a new, simple approach to temporally coherent rendering of 3D paths that is suitable for interactive applications. We demonstrate results for 2D and 3D animations.
Divergence and Convergence in the Causal Attributions of Married Couples.

This study addresses the question of whether and to what degree differences between actor and observer are likely to occur in the mutual attributions of married couples regarding the causes of each other's behavior. Specifically, the author investigated the effects of the following on spouses' attributions: the viewing of videotape replays of interactions; the sex of the subject; the target of the attribution (self or spouse); and the valence of the behavior. The data provided by the 40 couples in the study are clearly consistent with the finding of previous research that married couples do exhibit mutual idealizing tendencies in both their perceptions and causal attributions. Anticipation of future interaction, a concern for relationship maintenance, and self-serving biases, broadly interpreted, are invoked as explanations for these results. Viewing a videotape replay had minimal effects, and only among females, in reorienting. subjects' attributions. Finally, the results suggest that, whereas wives are remarkably convergent in their attributions to self and spouse, husbands tend to provide more stable and less variable internal attributions for themselves than for their wives. These results, which both support and reverse the pattern predicted by the actor-observer hypothesis, are interpreted in terms of role differences between husbands and wives and as strategic causal communications.
Crucial differences between developmental cognitive neuroscience and adult neuropsychology

It is argued that the static adult neuropsychological model is inappropriate for explaining the development of many atypical children whose brains cannot be considered in terms of a normal brain with parts intact and parts impaired. Rather, their brains develop differently from normal children from the very outset. I illustrate this with two examples from Williams syndrome, showing how equivalent behavioral outcomes stem from different underlying processes.
Mainstreaming the Digital Revolution

The University of Melbourne, Australia, is in the process of defining its profile in respect of teaching and learning and high-technology, and is in the process of implementing a decision to employ sophisticated communications and information technologies in what will remain a campus-based setting. Many other Universities are of course engaged in the same process. The following paper points out the significant steps taken to mediate this change, and from the perspective of a curious ‘rank and file’ academic, provides a commentary and critique of the measures taken. Although the University of Melbourne is the case in point, the issues raised will have a currency in many University settings.
Spelling Ability of Reading Disabled LD Students and Able Readers

The present study investigated differences in the spelling ability of two populations of elementary pupils: reading disabled students receiving learning disability services and able readers. Subjects consisted of three groups totaling 107 children. Pupils were matched on reading recognition ability with intelligence controlled for. Results revealed that reading disabled pupils differed from able readers of the same chronological age in phonetic spelling ability, nonphonetic spelling ability, and recognition spelling ability. It was concluded that the spelling ability of school-identified students with severe reading deficiencies was significantly inferior to that of reading able students.
Effects of cooperative learning on achievement of adult learners in introductory psychology classes

A structured eight-week cooperative learning intervention was implemented in two Year 11 Psychology classes. Each class was taught alternately under cooperative learning and traditional instruction. Three different measures of student achievement were used: a pretest, a 10-item quiz, and an overall posttest. In addition, all students completed the Learning Preference Scale - Students (LPSS; Barnes, Owens, & Straton, 1990) at posttest. The results indicated no overall effects on academic achievement. Rather, it was found that the effects of cooperative learning differed across the two classes. Further, significant differences were found in preferred learning styles between the two classes. It was concluded that successful implementation of cooperative learning in adult education classes relies upon effective teacher management skills.
Solving infinite horizon nonlinear optimal control problems using an extended modal series method

This paper presents a new approach for solving a class of infinite horizon nonlinear optimal control problems (OCPs). In this approach, a nonlinear two-point boundary value problem (TPBVP), derived from Pontryagin’s maximum principle, is transformed into a sequence of linear time-invariant TPBVPs. Solving the latter problems in a recursive manner provides the optimal control law and the optimal trajectory in the form of uniformly convergent series. Hence, to obtain the optimal solution, only the techniques for solving linear ordinary differential equations are employed. An efficient algorithm is also presented, which has low computational complexity and a fast convergence rate. Just a few iterations are required to find an accurate enough suboptimal trajectory-control pair for the nonlinear OCP. The results not only demonstrate the efficiency, simplicity, and high accuracy of the suggested approach, but also indicate its effectiveness in practical use.
Gender Differences in Large-Scale Math Assessments: PISA Trend 2000 and 2003

Many efforts have been made to determine and explain differential gender performance on large-scale mathematics assessments. A well-agreed-on conclusion is that gender differences are contextualized and vary across math domains. This study investigated the pattern of gender differences by item domain (e.g., Space and Shape, Quantity) and item type (e.g., multiple-choice i items, open constructed-response items). The U.S. portion of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2000 and 2003 mathematics assessment was analyzed. A multidimensional Rasch model was used to provide student ability estimates for each comparison. Results revealed a slight but consistent male advantage. Students showed the largest gender difference (d = 0.19) in favor of males on complex multiple-choice items, an unconventional item type. Males and females also showed sizable differences on Space and Shape items, a domain well documented for showing robust male superiority. Contrary to many previous findings reporting male superiority on multiple-choice items, no measurable difference has been identified on multiple-choice items for both the PISA 2000 and the 2003 math assessments. Reasons for the differential gender performance across math domains and item types were speculated, and directions of future research were discussed. iIn this paper, two kinds of multiple-choice items are discussed: traditional multiple-choice items and complex multiple-choice items. A sample complex multiple choice item is shown in Table 6. The terms “multiple-choice” and “traditional multiple-choice” are used interchangeably to refer to the traditional multiple choice items throughout the paper, while the term “complex multiple-choice” is used to refer to the complex multiple-choice items.