Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
GRADERS USING RUBRICS TO SELF-ASSESS OR PEER-ASSESS DRAFTS OF WRITING? by Gabriel Cameron Horn A thesis

The purpose of this quasi-experimental research thesis was to determine the effects of rubric-referenced peer-revision and self-assessment on the writing drafts of 3 rd grade students. A convenience sample of students in existing classrooms engaged in two persuasive writing assignments. The first assignment established a baseline score for comparison purposes. During the second assignment, a peer-revision group and selfassessment group received different interventions that focused on revision guided by a rubric. A third control group did not receive an intervention. Student opinions toward the usefulness of the treatments were also gathered through a questionnaire that was delivered after the writing assignments were complete. The utilization of rubrics to assist peers in revision had a statistically significant, positive effect on student scores during the second persuasive writing assignment. The treatment of rubric-referenced self-assessment did not have an overall positive effect on student scores during the second assignment. The control group’s scores decreased slightly on the second assignment. Almost every student in the peer-revision group thought the treatment was beneficial for student writing. In comparison, a little more than half the students in the self-assessment group considered the treatment to be useful in helping them achieve higher scores or become more proficient writers.
Differential effects of alcohol on associative versus item memory

Alcohol has detrimental effects on a range of cognitive processes, the most prominent being episodic memory. These deficits appear functionally similar to those observed within the normal aging population. We investigated whether an associative memory deficit, as found in older adults, would also be evident in young adults moderately intoxicated by alcohol. Participants were shown unrelated word pairs and then tested on both their item recognition (old/new item? ) and associative recognition (intact/recombined pair? ). Half the participants were under the influence of alcohol whereas the other half were sober. Alcohol impaired memory performance but significantly more so for associative than for item memory. Moreover, within the alcohol group, the associative memory deficit was significantly related to the amount of alcohol consumed. The findings suggest that not all aspects of episodic memory are equally impaired by alcohol, which may have practical implications for criminal investigations involving eye witnesses who have consumed alcohol.
ECG Biometrics in Forensic Application for Crime Detection

The physiological property of the human being is unique for each individual. This provides the identity of specific human. Biometric features are used with the help of engineering through machines in recent years for better operation. Similar features can be used for crime detection and security purpose. The biometric features provides information and useful in forensic science. Unlike many methods, heart signal is considered in this work. In different mental condition ECG is collected experimentally in our laboratory using cardio track device. The experiment is carried with eighty subjects. The age range is between nineteen to twenty one years. The data is verified for frighten boy committed some mistakes related to academic environment. Spectral analysis using Fractional fourier transform (FFT) and Wavelet transform (WT) has been performed for R peak detection. The wavelet coefficients are considered as the weights of neural network model for detection purpose. The standard neural network structure multi layer perceptron (MLP) is utilized with wavelet coefficients. The result found excellent as compare to earlier method and exhibited in result section
An Investigation of Shared Value, Benefit, Commitment, Trust and Retention in the Banking Sector: A Student Perspective

Despite the increase in research focusing on service relationship level in the banking sector, research on relationship benefit, student perceived shared value on relationship commitment, trust and student retention in the African banking context is still scant. Therefore, using a data set of 175 from students in colleges and universities in Johannesburg, this study examines these relationships. Smart PLS software technique was used to statistically analyse the measurement and structural models. All the posited six hypotheses were supported. The findings from the data analysis proved that there is a strong positive relationship between all six hypotheses.
An RF/baseband FDMA-interconnect transceiver for reconfigurable multiple access chip-to-chip communication

An RF/baseband FDMA-interconnect transceiver, implemented in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS, enables reconfigurability and multiple access for multi-I/Os on a shared bus. The RF/baseband transceiver achieves an aggregate data rate of 3 Gb/s/pin (3.6 Gb/s/pin) for bi-directional (uni-directional) signaling while dissipating 92 mW and occupying 0.65 mm/sup 2/.
Model-based hybrid tracking for medical augmented reality

Camera pose estimation is one of the most important, but also one of the most challenging tasks in augmented reality. Without a highly accurate estimation of the position and orientation of the digital video camera, it is impossible to render a spatially correct overlay of graphical information. This requirement is even more crucial in medical applications, where the virtual objects are supposed to be correctly aligned with the patient. Many medical AR systems use specialized tracking devices, which can be of limited suitability for real-world scenarios. We have developed an AR framework for surgical applications based on existing medical equipment. A surgical navigation device delivers tracking information measured by a built-in infrared camera system, which is the basis for the pose estimation of the AR video camera. However, depending on the conditions in the environment, this infrared pose data can contain discernible tracking errors. One main drawback of the medical tracking device is the fact that, while it delivers a very high positional accuracy, the reported camera orientation can contain a relatively large error. In this paper, we present a hybrid tracking scheme for medical augmented reality based on a certified medical tracking system. The final pose estimation takes the inital infrared tracking data as well as salient features in the camera image into account. The vision-based component of the tracking algorithm relies on a pre-defined graphical model of the observed scene. The infrared and vision-based tracking data are tightly integrated into a unified pose estimation algorithm. This algorithm is based on an iterative numerical optimization method. We describe an implementation of the algorithm and present experimental data showing that our new method is capable of delivering a more accurate pose estimation.
Fibrous and flexible supercapacitors with a hierarchical nanostructure comprised of carbon spheres and graphene

A simple electrochemical deposition method is introduced for the preparation of a hierarchical nanostructure comprised of graphene and carbon spheres. The carbon spheres are used as nano-spacers to separate graphene nanosheets, improving properties. This method allowed for the one-step preparation of a fibrous, flexible supercapacitor electrode. The fibrous, flexible supercapacitors fabricated based on this hierarchically nanostructured material achieved excellent electrochemical performance. With an areal capacitance of 60.02mF/cm2 (two-electrode system) in aqueous electrolyte, this structure displayed an areal capacitance three times than that of pure-graphene supercapacitors. This method can be employed to fabricate various graphene-based fibrous and flexible composite electrodes for wearable electronics and energy storage applications.
Modeling and Optimal Control of Nonlinear Underactuated Mechanical Systems – a Survey

The purpose of this paper is to examine the state-ofthe-art in the analysis and control of nonlinear underactuated mechanical systems. Typical representatives of such systems are presented together with theoretical fundamentals. Application of optimal control techniques and hybrid systems theory to underactuated systems is described. Future research challenges are suggested and a list of essential references is included. Keywords—nonlinear underactuated mechanical systems, Lagrangian mechanics, optimal control techniques, hybrid systems theory
A Semantic Difference Algorithm for Structured Visual Dataflow Programs

The diff utility is an important basic tool, providing a foundation for many of the fundamental practices of software development, such as source code management. While there are many file differencing tools for textual programming languages, including some that look at more than simple textual variations, there are few for visual programming languages. We present an algorithm for semantic comparison of programs in controlled visual dataflow languages; that is, languages in which dataflow diagrams are embedded in control structures. This algorithm performs depth-first search of call structures, comparing embedded diagrams using a graph matching algorithm such as subgraph isomorphism, to determine if two programs are semantically equivalent, and if they are not, discovers the differences. We use the visual language Prograph for illustration; however, the mechanism we propose could be applied to any controlled dataflow language, such as LabVIEW. Results are reported of experiments in which the algorithm is applied to large code samples.
Storage of Complex Business Rules in Object Databases

True integration of large systems requires sharing of information stored in databases beyond sharing of pure data: business rules associated with this data must be shared also. This research focuses on providing a mechanism for defining, storing and sharing business rules across different information systems, in an area where existing technologies are weak. In this paper, we present the pre-integrationstage where individual business rules are stored in the database for subsequent exchange applications and information systems.
Growth and Inequality: Evidence from Transitional Economies

The transitional economies of Eastern Europe (EE) and the former Soviet Union (FSU) experienced a dramatic increase in income inequality in the 1990s. In this paper I investigate the causes of unprecedented changes in income distribution using a unique panel of inequality estimates for 24 transitional countries for the period 1989-1998. The fixed effects model is used to control for unobservable country-specific effects that result in a missing-variable bias in cross-sectional studies. The relationship between income inequality, measured by Gini coefficient, and per capita GDP is shown to be positive for EE, but negative for the FSU. Economic liberalization, privatization and deindustrialization are found to have contributed to the rise in income inequality in the transitional region. Hyperinflation also makes the distribution of income more unequal. I do not find strong support for unemployment and the size of government consumption affecting income distribution. While civil conflicts increase income inequality, the extent of political rights and civil liberties is not found to directly affect income distribution.
In vivo resuscitation, and virulence towards mice, of viable but nonculturable cells of Vibrio vulnificus

Vibrio vulnificus is an estuarine bacterium responsible for 95% of all seafood-related deaths in the United States. The bacterium occurs naturally in molluscan shellfish, and ingestion of raw oysters is typically the source of human infection. V. vulnificus is also known to enter a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state, wherein the cells are no longer culturable on routine plating media but can be shown to remain viable. Whether or not this human pathogen remains virulent when entering the VBNC state has not been definitively demonstrated. In this study, the VBNC state was induced through a temperature downshift to 5 degrees C, with cells becoming nonculturable (< 0.1 CFU/ml) within 7 days. As they became nonculturable, virulence was determined by employing an iron overload mouse model. At the point of nonculturability (7 days), injections of the diluted microcosm population resulted in death when < 0.04 CFU was inoculated, although > 10(5) cells in the VBNC state were present in the inoculum. Culturable cells of V. vulnificus, with identification confirmed through PCR, were recovered from the blood and peritoneal cavities of mice which had died from injections of cells present in the VBNC state for at least 3 days. Thus, our data suggest that cells of V. vulnificus remain virulent, at least for some time, when present in the VBNC state and are capable of causing fatal infections following in vivo resuscitation. Our studies also indicate, however, that virulence decreases significantly as cells enter the VBNC state, which may account, at least to some extent, for the decrease in infections caused by this bacterium during winter months.
Linear stability and instability patterns in ion-sputtered silicon

We study the patterns formed on Ar+ ion-sputtered Si surfaces at room temperature as a function of the control parameters ion energy and incidence angle. We observe the sensitivity of pattern formation to artifacts such as surface contamination and report the procedures we developed to control them. We identify regions in control parameter space where holes, parallel mode ripples and perpendicular mode ripples form, and identify a region where the flat surface is stable. In the vicinity of the boundaries between the stable and pattern-forming regions, called bifurcations, we follow the time dependence from exponential amplification to saturation and examine the amplification rate and the wavelength in the exponential amplification regime. The resulting power laws are consistent with the theory of nonequilibrium pattern formation for a type I (constant wavelength) bifurcation at low angles and for a type II (diverging wavelength) bifurcation at high angles. We discuss the failure of all sputter rippling models to adequately describe these aspects of the simplest experimental system studied, consisting of an elemental, isotropic amorphous surface in the simplest evolution regime of linear stability.
Signaling Networks in Neuronal Polarization

A mature neuron is typically polarized both structurally and functionally, with a single long axon and several dendrites. Neuronal polarity is essential for unidirectional signal flow from somata or dendrites to axons. The initial event in establishing a polarized neuron is the specification of a single axon. Early in neuronal development, one immature neurite becomes differentiated from other neurites to form an axon. Although studies in the past two decades have yielded a catalog of structural, molecular, and functional differences between axons and dendrites, we are only now beginning to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment of neuronal polarity. In the last few years, neuronal polarity-regulating molecules have been revealed. There are two major signaling cascades in neuronal polarization. Several groups, including ours, reported that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)/Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/collapsin response mediator protein-2 pathway is important for axon specification and elongation. Recent studies have revealed that the positive feedback loop composed of Rho family small GTPases and the Par3/Par6/atypical protein kinase C complex plays a role in the initial events of neuronal polarization downstream of PI3-kinase. Here, we discuss the roles of signaling molecules for axon specification.
Risk indicators for venous thrombosis in first-degree relatives of patients with recurrent venous thromboembolism in Chinese

Abstract Having encountered several subjects with venous thromboembolism (VTE) in 1 family in which 1 proband has recurrent VTE (rVTE), we aimed to assess the risk of VTE in first-degree relatives, especially the children of individuals with rVTE, and to investigate the association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) G894T polymorphism between Chinese persons with rVTE and their offspring. We collected information about family histories and blood samples from 126 individuals with rVTE who had presented to our institute from 2003 to 2014, and 126 population-based controls and the first-degree relatives of subjects in these 2 groups. We tested blood samples for heritable thrombophilia and calculated odds ratios (ORs) and kappa coefficients. First-degree relatives of individuals with rVTE patients had a statistically significant risk of developing VTE (OR 2.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.61–4.26, P < 0.001). For siblings, the OR was 2.72 (95% CI 1.56–4.73, P < .001). Moreover, for each year that the patient was older, the OR was 0.98 (95% CI 0.97–0.99, P = 0.03). One (11.2%) of the 9 individuals who had the same eNOS G894T polymorphism as their probands had a history of VTE, whereas none of the 17 relatives without the same polymorphism had developed VTE. The associations between patients and their children were statistically significant for VTE (kappa = 0.23, P < 0.001) and for eNOS G894T (kappa = 0.03, P = 0.04). In this case-controlled study, we demonstrated a higher risk of VTE among first-degree relatives of individuals with rVTE, especially in siblings of younger subjects with rVTE. We also found that eNOS G894T polymorphism may be a predictor of VTE in offspring of individuals with rVTE.
Connectivity and Kirwan surjectivity for isoparametric submanifolds

Atiyah's formulation of what is nowadays called the convexity theorem of Atiyah-Guillemin-Sternberg has two parts: (a) the image of the moment map arising from a Hamiltonian action of a torus on a symplectic manifold is a convex polytope, and (b) all preimages of the moment map are connected. Part (a) was generalized by Terng to the wider context of isoparametric submanifolds in euclidean space. In this paper we prove a generalization of part (b) for a certain class of isoparametric submanifolds (more precisely, for those with all multiplicities strictly greater than 1). For generalized real flag manifolds, which are an important class of isoparametric submanifolds, we give a surjectivity criterium of a certain Kirwan map (involving equivariant cohomology with rational coefficients) which arises naturally in this context. Examples are also discussed.
Understanding Vibration Spectra of Planetary Gear Systems for Fault Detection

This paper explores the vibration spectra for planetary gear systems by studying a kinematic model of vibration and comparing the model with measurements of two helicopter transmissions made in flight. The model and flight data include systems with both uniformly and nonuniformly spaced planet gears. This model predicts vibration to occur only at frequencies that are integer multiples of the planet spacing repetition frequency and clustered around gear mesh harmonics. Vibration measurements show the model correctly predicts the frequencies with large components around the first several harmonics of the gear mesh frequency. Measurements do not confirm some of the more detailed features predicted by the model. Some features in the spectra from the numerically derived model can be used to separate the model data with and without planted faults. These features were not found useful for detecting faults in the vibration measurements of real gearboxes in flight due to added complexity in the spectra from real gearboxes.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Instrumentation for fabricating an indigenous spin coating apparatus andgrowth of zinc oxide thin films and their characterizations

Spin coating is an easy and efficient technique to grow good quality thin film crystals and amorphous films suitable for many applications in science in technology namely sensors, filters and solar cells. The engineering and design for the spin coating apparatus was conceived tested and fabricated indigenously in-house inside the laboratory to grow thin film crystals and amorphous films to suit various applications. The rotor consists of an AC motor capable of reaching speeds like 1200 rpm, 2400 rpm and 3600 rpm. A rectangular substrate holder is fabricated on the top of the stub firmly fixed so that not to spin off while reaching the above said high speeds. A transparent lid is fixed with a provision for applying the liquefied charge periodically as droplets onto the substrate. A spill container cum arrestor is fabricated around the spinning platform in order to reduce the splashing and wasting of the charge. The charge is taken in the form of the solution with an optimal texture and super saturation so that the long range order is maintained else there is scope of accumulation and multiple nucleation which will prevent the film from a smooth formation. Homogeneous and Heterogeneous combinations of single layered and multiple layered thin films are realised after effecting a coating with an optimal spin speed. The thin films realised after the process will be subjected to structural, functional and optical characterizations.
Misbehaviour Detection for Wireless Sensor Networks-Necessary or Not ?

As radio communication modules combined with adequate hardware based cryptography are becoming available at low cost, sensor network security has reached a new level. However it is still possible to gain access to networks, even if they require authorisation and authentication, as single nodes cannot be assumed to be tamper proof. Therefore the question remains what kind of misbehaviour is possible within a secured network and how it can be detected. A possible solution to detect misbehaviour is the usage of an artificial immune system (AIS). The advantage of an AIS in contrast to protocol based security improvements is the generality of the approach, as it tries to identify anomalies which are not known to exist within the regular range of network behaviour. In this paper we present some results obtained from our simulation experiments looking at the possibilities of artificial immune system based misbehaviour detection.
Approaches to passage retrieval in full text information systems

Large collections of full-text documents are now commonly used in automated information retrieval. When the stored document texts are long, the retrieval of complete documents may not be in the users' best interest. In such circumstance, efficient and effective retrieval results may be obtained by using passage retrieval strategies designed to retrieve text excerpts of varying size in response to statements of user interest. New approaches are described in this study for implementing selective passage retrieval systems, and identifying text passages responsive to particular user needs. An automated encyclopedia search system is used to evaluate the usefulness of the proposed methods.
Sheltering the president from blame: Drone strikes, media assessments and heterogeneous responsibility 2002–2014

This article presents the first systematic analysis of how location of drone strikes and the identification of civilian or terrorist casualties in newspaper reporting affect media assessments of operational outcomes and elite responsibility. Conducting a content analysis of several hundred newspaper articles, we evaluate the likelihood of these newspapers identifying the civilian casualties, the role those casualties play in media assessments of operational outcomes, and who they blame for failure. We found that there were significant differences in the likelihood of the two newspapers reporting civilian casualties. We demonstrate that political elites including the US President tended to avoid blame for failure, with much of the focus of newspaper dissatisfaction being directed at the intelligence agencies. We believe these findings have serious ramifications for the democratic oversight for future warfare and have the potential to undermine the ability of public to constrain elites from launching military operations using drones.