Effects of the internet, other media and study time on wellbeing and academic attainment of university students

There has been considerable research on the effects of the internet and other media on the academic attainment of university students. Less is known about effects on wellbeing, and studies have rarely controlled for other established predictors of attainment (e.g. conscientiousness) and wellbeing (e.g. stressors; negative coping; positive personality and social support). Three hundred and thirteen university students completed an online survey involving the Student Wellbeing Process Questionnaire and questions about internet use, interference from the internet, and studying time. Grade Point Average (GPA) scores for the students were added to the database. The results showed that hours of internet/media use were significantly correlated with negative wellbeing, lower GPA scores, and negative coping. Hours studying were significantly correlated with GPA scores and conscientiousness. Internet interference with studying was the strongest predictor. It was negatively correlated with GPA and positive outcomes and positively correlated with negative wellbeing. It was also positively correlated with established predictors of negative wellbeing (stressors and negative coping) and negatively correlated with predictors of positive wellbeing (positive personality; conscientiousness). When the established predictors were statistically controlled, hours spent on the internet and other media were associated with lower academic attainment scores. None of the associations between internet use, internet interference, studying time and wellbeing remained significant when established predictors were controlled for. These results show that many negative outcomes attributed to internet use reflect other correlated attributes. Reduced academic attainment remained significantly associated with internet use, and further research with longitudinal designs (preferably with interventions) is required to investigate underlying causal mechanism

Cyclic Elastoplastic Large Displacement Analysis of Cold-formed Steel Box Columns under Combined Action of Axial and Bidirectional Lateral Loading

This paper deals with the cyclic elastoplastic large displacement analysis of cold-formed steel box columns under combined action of axial and bidirectional lateral loading. Cold-formed steel box columns are very useful in highway bridge pier construction as they offer flexible space requirement and provide speedy construction. Behavior of cold-formed steel box columns under earthquake-induced loads is rather complicated as earthquakes occur in an oblique direction. However, modern seismic design philosophies have been based on the behavior of structures under independent actions of uni-directional loading in orthogonal directions. In this study, inelastic cyclic behavior of steel columns subjected to constant axial force together with simultaneous bi-directional cyclic lateral loads is investigated using an advanced finite element analyses procedure. Several types of linear and non-linear idealized loading patte rns are employed to check the strength and ductility. The effects of important structural parameters and loading history on the behavior of cold-formed thin-walled steel box columns are examined using the proposed procedure

Evaluation of IVR data collection UIs for untrained rural users

Due to the rapid spread of mobile phones and coverage in the developing world, mobile phones are being increasingly used as a technology platform for developing-world applications including data collection. In order to reach the vast majority of mobile phone users without access to specialized software, applications must make use of interactive voice response (IVR) UIs. However, it is unclear whether rural users in the developing world can use such UIs without prior training or IVR experience; and if so, what UI design choices improve usability for these target populations. This paper presents the results of a real-world deployment of an IVR application for collecting feedback from teachers in rural Uganda. Automated IVR data collection calls were delivered to over 150 teachers over a period of several months. Modifications were made to the IVR interface throughout the study period in response to user interviews and recorded transcripts of survey calls. Significant differences in task success rate were observed for different interface designs (from 0% to over 75% success). Notably, most participants were not able to use a touchtone or touchtone-voice hybrid interface without prior training. A set of design recommendations is proposed based on the performance of several tested interface designs

Increasing and Detecting Memory Address Congruence

A static memory reference exhibits a unique property when its dynamic memory addresses are congruent with respect to some non-trivial modulus. Extraction of this congruence information at compile-time enables new classes of program optimization. In this paper, we present methods for forcing congruence among the dynamic addresses of a memory reference. We also introduce a compiler algorithm for detecting this property. Our transformations do not require interprocedural analysis and introduce almost no overhead. As a result, they can be incorporated into real compilation systems. On average, our transformations are able to achieve a five-fold increase in the number of congruent memory operations. We are then able to detect 95% of these references. This success is invaluable in providing performance gains in a variety of areas. When congruence information is incorporated into a vectorizing compiler, we can increase the performance of a G4 AltiVec processor up to a factor of two. Using the same methods, we are able to reduce energy consumption in a data cache by as much as 35%.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Transparent dynamic instrumentation

Process virtualization provides a virtual execution environment within which an unmodified application can be monitored and controlled while it executes. The provided layer of control can be used for purposes ranging from sandboxing to compatibility to profiling. The additional operations required for this layer are performed clandestinely alongside regular program execution. Software dynamic instrumentation is one method for implementing process virtualization which dynamically instruments an application such that the application's code and the inserted code are interleaved together. DynamoRIO is a process virtualization system implemented using software code cache techniques that allows users to build customized dynamic instrumentation tools. There are many challenges to building such a runtime system. One major obstacle is transparency. In order to support executing arbitrary applications, DynamoRIO must be fully transparent so that an application cannot distinguish between running inside the virtual environment and native execution. In addition, any desired extra operations for a particular tool must avoid interfering with the behavior of the application. Transparency has historically been provided on an ad-hoc basis, as a reaction to observed problems in target applications. This paper identifies a necessary set of transparency requirements for running mainstream Windows and Linux applications. We discuss possible solutions to each transparency issue, evaluate tradeoffs between different choices, and identify cases where maintaining transparency is not practically solvable. We believe this will provide a guideline for better design and implementation of transparent dynamic instrumentation, as well as other similar process virtualization systems using software code caches

Coding Schemes for Distributed Storage Systems: Implementation and Improvements

Distributed data storage systems are used to store data reliably over a distributed collection of storage locations, called peers. Coding schemes are used to store a portion of the data in the peers ensuring the complete retrieval of data, during peer failures. This has applications in various areas like Wireless Networks, Sensor Networks etc. In this framework we consider a large file to be stored in a distributed manner over few peers of limited capacity. Each peer stores a portion of the coded data, without the knowledge of the contents of other peers. Random Coding is one of the coding schemes used for this. In [1] coding coefficients are chosen randomly from a finite field to encode the data. The encoding is basically a linear combination of file pieces (pieces are elements of finite fields). The data downloader downloads these coded data from several peers and decodes to get the original data. The decoding is basically solving a system of linear equations over a finite field, which is the most time consuming step in the whole process. We give a simple C++ implementation of the schemes in [1] and plot the results. We are trying to find a scheme where coding vectors can be chosen such that the decoding complexity is reduced significantly. Also in a dynamic setting where nodes enter and leave system intermittently, are discussed

Bit-Packing Optimization for StreamIt

StreamIt is a language specifically designed for modern streaming applications. A certain important class of these applications operates on streams of bits. This paper presents the motivation for a bit-packing optimization to be implemented in the StreamIt compiler for the RAW Architecture. This technique aims to pack bits into integers so that operations can be performed on multiple bits at once thus increasing the performance of these applications considerably. This paper gives some simple example applications to illustrate the various conditions where this technique can be applied and also analyses some of its limitations.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

A Comprehensive Definition for ‘Operational Excellence’

The study's objective was to develop a comprehensive definition for operational excellence (OE) while identifying its attributes, most suitable theoretical lens and dimensions. Attributes of OE were collected by evaluating 32 existing definitions of OE and interviewing 30 OE experts. A focus group interview with 15 OE experts was employed to consensus on the critical attributes and tentative dimensions of OE. Content analysis was employed for data analysis. Continuous improvement of sustainable operational performance, deriving sustainable competitive advantages and implementing the operation strategy consistently and reliably were determined as the critical attributes. Based on the identified critical attributes of OE, the Resource-Based Theory (RBT) was recognized as the most applicable theory for explaining OE. Based on the identified theoretical lens and identified critical attributes, the new definition of OE involves, ‘utilization of valuable, rare, costly to imitate and non-substitutable resources & capabilities to execute the operations strategy consistently and reliably as the organization can achieve: a continuous improvement of the sustainable operational performance and sustainable competitive advantages while upholding the satisfaction of employees, customers, suppliers and other important stakeholders.' Continuous improvement of sustainable operational performance and sustainable competitive advantages were determined as the possible dimensions of OE.  Keywords: Operational Excellence; Resource-Based Theory; Construct Definition, Operational Performance, Competitive Advantage

Penggunaan Eufemisme pada Koran Pontianak Post

Penelitian ini menelaah lebih dalam mengenai penggunaan eufemisme (penghalusan makna) yang ada pada kolom opini koran Pontianak Post bulan Desember 2015. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif dengan bentuk penelitian kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data yaitu teknik studi dokumenter. Alat pengumpul data yaitu peneliti, alat tulis dan instrumen pembantu. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa referensi eufemisme dari 37 data yang disajikan, diperoleh data 1) referensi benda dan binatang sebanyak 4 data atau 11%, profesi sebanyak 1 data atau 3%, aktivitas 10 data atau 27%, peristiwa 2 data atau 5%, sifat atau keadaan 20 data atau 54%. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut disimpulkan bahwa penggunaan referensi sifat atau keadaaan sebanyak 54% mendominasi dalam penggunaan referensi eufemisme. Selain itu, 2) fungsi eufemisme diperoleh fungsi sebagai alat menghaluskan ucapan sebanyak 10 data atau 27%, alat berdiplomasi 27 data tau 78% dari data keseluruhan. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut, disimpulkan fungsi eufemisme sebagai alat berdiplomasi lebih sering digunakan dalam eufemisme. Kata kunci: eufemisme, koran, referensi, dan fungsi. Abstrack : This study examines more deeply about the use of euphemisms (smoothing meaning) that exist in Pontianak Post newspaper opinion column in December 2015. This research uses descriptive method with a form of qualitative research. Data collection techniques are techniques of documentary studies. Data collection tool that researchers, stationery and auxiliary instruments. The results showed that the reference euphemism of 37 data presented, data 1) reference objects and animals as much as 4 data or 11%, the profession as much as 1 data or 3%, activity 10 data, or 27%, event 2 data or 5%, properties or the state of the data 20 or 54%. Based on these results concluded that the use of a reference nature or circumstances, as much as 54% dominate in reference USAge of euphemisms. In addition, 2) functions as a euphemism derived function smooths greeting as many as 10 data, or 27%, diplomacy tool 27 Data tau 78% of the overall data. Based on these results, it was concluded euphemisms function as a tool of diplomacy is more often used in euphemism