Code Generation = A* + BURS

A system called BURS that is based on term rewrite systems and a search algorithm A* are combined to produce a code generator that generates optimal code. The theory underlying BURS is re-developed, formalised and explained in this work. The search algorithm uses a cost heuristic that is derived from the termrewrite system to direct the search. The advantage of using a search algorithm is that we need to compute only those costs that may be part of an optimal rewrite sequence

Survey on Instruction Selection: An Extensive and Modern Literature Review

Instruction selection is one of three optimisation problems involved in the code generator backend of a compiler. The instruction selector is responsible of transforming an input program from its target-independent representation into a target-specific form by making best use of the available machine instructions. Hence instruction selection is a crucial part of efficient code generation. Despite on-going research since the late 1960s, the last, comprehensive survey on the field was written more than 30 years ago. As new approaches and techniques have appeared since its publication, this brings forth a need for a new, up-to-date review of the current body of literature. This report addresses that need by performing an extensive review and categorisation of existing research. The report therefore supersedes and extends the previous surveys, and also attempts to identify where future research should be directed.Comment: Major changes: - Merged simulation chapter with macro expansion chapter - Addressed misunderstandings of several approaches - Completely rewrote many parts of the chapters; strengthened the discussion of many approaches - Revised the drawing of all trees and graphs to put the root at the top instead of at the bottom - Added appendix for listing the approaches in a table See doc for more inf

Effect of Grinding Inner Surface on Biaxial Flexural Strength, Phase Analysis and Surface Roughness of Translucent Zirconia

Objective: Zirconia is generally used in dentistry. Grinding zirconia is difficult because of the high value of its surface hardness. Therefore, specific burs for grinding zirconia were created. To receive proper marginal fit, sometimes grinding a high spot at the inner surface of zirconia fixed partial denture was needed. The objective was to assess the effect of grinding inner surface on biaxial flexural strength (BFS), phase analysis and surface roughness of translucent zirconia. Materials and Methods: Forty samples, disc-shaped translucent zirconia, were randomly divided into four groups. CT group: no grinding samples; MD group: samples were ground by medium-grit diamond burs; FD group: samples were ground by fine-grit diamond burs; and HS group: samples were ground by heatless stone burs. The burs in MD group were represented as widespread commonly used burs; meanwhile, the burs in FD and HS groups were specifically for grinding zirconia. All samples were ground for a half-minute. The BFS was tested by Universal testing machine and the results were evaluated using one-way analysis of variance Scheffé test were performed to compare BFS among the groups (p-value < 0.05) Results: The monoclinic phase were existed in all ground zirconia groups and the roughness was raised compared with the CT group. The BFS of FD and HS group were not statistically significant differences from the CT group (p-value > 0.05). However, a significant reduction of BFS was observed in the MD group in comparison with the CT group (p-value < 0.05).  Conclusions: Clinical inner surface adjustment of translucent zirconia fixed partial dentures with specific burs (FD and HS group) had no significant reduction of the BFS. Conversely, the BFS was reduced significantly after translucent zirconia was ground by common diamond burs (MD group). > ว.ทันต.มศว ปีที่ 16 ฉบับที่ 1 พ.ศ. 2566 หน้า 50-61. > SWU Dent J. 2023;16(1): 50-61

Faculty Impressions of Dental Students’ Performance With and Without Virtual Reality Simulation

This study compared faculty perceptions and expectations of dental students’ abilities using virtual reality simulation (VRS) to those who did not use virtual reality simulation (non-VRS) in an operative dentistry preclinical course. A sixteen-item survey with a ten-point rating scale and three open-ended questions asked about students’ abilities in ergonomics, confidence level, performance, preparation, and self-assessment. The surveys were administered three times to a small group of preclinical faculty members. First, faculty members (n=12, 92 percent response rate) gave their perceptions of non-VRS students’ abilities at the end of their traditional course. Secondly, faculty members (n=13, 100 percent response rate) gave their expectations of the next incoming class’s abilities (VRS students) prior to the start of the course with traditional and VRS components. Finally, faculty members (n=13, 100 percent response rate) gave their perceptions of VRS students’ abilities after completion of the course. A Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons measured significance among survey items. Faculty perceptions of VRS students’ abilities were higher than for non-VRS students for most abilities examined. However, the faculty members’ expectations of VRS training were higher than their perceptions of the students’ abilities after VRS training for most abilities examined. Since ergonomic development and technical performance were positively impacted by VRS training, these results support the use of VRS in a preclinical dental curriculum

What factors influence learning of psychomotor skills by dental students?

Several key factors have been identified that relate to skill acquisition: a) ability, b) motivation, c) thinking processes and d) learning environments. Other health professions have used learning theories to inform study designs when investigating skill acquisition but this approach has not been adopted routinely in dentistry. Previous studies in dentistry have focused mainly on the predictive value of assessments used in dental admissions, eg ability tests, rather than trying to clarify how factors such as motivation and ability influence skill learning. This dissertation explores the influence of the above key factors on dental performance and outlines theoretical-based implications for practice in operative technical courses. To clarify how motivation, ability, thinking processes and learning environments influence the acquisition of psychomotor skills in operative dentistry, two cohorts of dental students were studied from different years of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery program at The University of Adelaide. To determine the nature of the relationship between individual differences in ability, motivational determinants and performance on routine operative dentistry tasks, a cross-sectional study (Phase I) was conducted of third-year students. Phase I also investigated the use of motor learning parameters by students during completion of a routine operative task. The second phase of the study investigated individual differences in ability of a different cohort of students and was carried out during the second year. This was achieved by exploring the contribution of ability and motivation determinants to changes in motor performance throughout the operative technique course. The study also explored external factors that were related to performance, ie learning experiences that students reported had influenced their skill learning, as well as motor learning parameters they used during the activities. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to explore the previously noted key factors using a range of instruments, eg psychometric tests, a motivation survey, a retrospective think-aloud technique and critical incident reports. Significant positive associations were found between cognitive, psychomotor and motivation scores and performance in operative dentistry. This relationship varied across different stages of learning in the dental program. Students tended to focus on evaluating their outcome rather than evaluating their processes to achieve a task. Three themes related to learning environments were derived from critical incident reports and follow-up interviews: roles of tutors in providing a positive learning environment; perceptions about the quality of cavity preparations, ie “learning from errors”; and roles of peers in self-assessment of outcomes. This study has provided insights into individual differences in the learning of psychomotor skills by dental students as a result of inherited factors, eg ability, as well as the roles of the learning environment in enhancing learning. This dissertation presents the implications of these findings for the design of quality learning activities in operative technique courses.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Dentistry, 201

No more worksheets: a pre-service teacher\u27s look at manipulatives

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of manipulatives during math. This is done by examining manipulatives in reference to student interest, diverse learners, student response, and student opinions. The study was conducted in an elementary school in the Winslow Township school district located in the Camden County region of South Jersey. All seventeen participants were taken from a collaboratively taught first grade classroom. Collection of data was done through the use of video tape, student journals, tests and my personal observations. Data was triangulated through the examination of multi-sources (video, journals, tests, observations), and themes, scores and interesting remarks were analyzed. In conclusion to the study one unifying pattern that was found during the exploration of manipulatives was student eagerness. Their eagerness to use and explore manipulatives provided them with the openness to learn thus increasing their knowledge of the subject at hand

Going the Extra Mile to Increase the Wilder School’s Student Enrollment

To align with the themes and goals of VCU Quest 2028: One VCU Together We Transform, the Wilder School has prepared and will implement a schoolwide strategic plan to guide its development to 2028. In this strategic plan, one of the metrics of student success is student enrollment, which is of paramount importance. After the background introduction, this report gives an overview of the student enrollment data of the five academic programs within the Wilder School during the past 5 years and takes a snapshot of the 2022 MURP student demographic data. Afterward, it briefly introduces the enrollment management strategies in other selected universities and makes a set of recommendations on how to go the extra mile in boosting the URSP Program’s graduate student enrollment through different recruitment strategies. Finally, the report proposes a budget estimate to implement this plan, lays out the implementation priorities, and draws conclusions