A simple start - A potential use of simplified english materials in the inclusive classroom

This paper examines issues surrounding simplified English materials (SEMs) and their usage. It considers their value in light of widespread support for authentic materials, the communicative approach and bilingual support and learning, contrasting this with the call for language simplification for children with Down syndrome. It sets these conflicting messages against a discussion of differentiated materials and current classroom practices. Drawing on these two different strands it suggests that SEMs could serve a very effective strategic role with all pupils as the starting point of lessons

Fully decentralized computation of aggregates over data streams

In several emerging applications, data is collected in massive streams at several distributed points of observation. A basic and challenging task is to allow every node to monitor a neighbourhood of interest by issuing continuous aggregate queries on the streams observed in its vicinity. This class of algorithms is fully decentralized and diffusive in nature: collecting all data at few central nodes of the network is unfeasible in networks of low capability devices or in the presence of massive data sets. The main difficulty in designing diffusive algorithms is to cope with duplicate detections. These arise both from the observation of the same event at several nodes of the network and/or receipt of the same aggregated information along multiple paths of diffusion. In this paper, we consider fully decentralized algorithms that answer locally continuous aggregate queries on the number of distinct events, total number of events and the second frequency moment in the scenario outlined above. The proposed algorithms use in the worst case or on realistic distributions sublinear space at every node. We also propose strategies that minimize the communication needed to update the aggregates when new events are observed. We experimentally evaluate for the efficiency and accuracy of our algorithms on realistic simulated scenarios

Set-Based Pre-Processing for Points-To Analysis

We present set-based pre-analysis: a virtually universal op- timization technique for flow-insensitive points-to analysis. Points-to analysis computes a static abstraction of how ob- ject values flow through a program’s variables. Set-based pre-analysis relies on the observation that much of this rea- soning can take place at the set level rather than the value level. Computing constraints at the set level results in sig- nificant optimization opportunities: we can rewrite the in- put program into a simplified form with the same essential points-to properties. This rewrite results in removing both local variables and instructions, thus simplifying the sub- sequent value-based points-to computation. E ectively, set- based pre-analysis puts the program in a normal form opti- mized for points-to analysis. Compared to other techniques for o -line optimization of points-to analyses in the literature, the new elements of our approach are the ability to eliminate statements, and not just variables, as well as its modularity: set-based pre-analysis can be performed on the input just once, e.g., allowing the pre-optimization of libraries that are subsequently reused many times and for di erent analyses. In experiments with Java programs, set-based pre-analysis eliminates 30% of the program’s local variables and 30% or more of computed context-sensitive points-to facts, over a wide set of bench- marks and analyses, resulting in a 20% average speedup (max: 110%, median: 18%)

Exact quantum dissipative dynamics under external time-dependent fields driving

Exact and nonperturbative quantum master equation can be constructed via the calculus on path integral. It results in hierarchical equations of motion for the reduced density operator. Involved are also a set of well--defined auxiliary density operators that resolve not just system--bath coupling strength but also memory. In this work, we scale these auxiliary operators individually to achieve a uniform error tolerance, as set by the reduced density operator. An efficient propagator is then proposed to the hierarchical Liouville--space dynamics of quantum dissipation. Numerically exact studies are carried out on the dephasing effect on population transfer in the simple stimulated Raman adiabatic passage scheme. We also make assessments on several perturbative theories for their applicabilities in the present system of study