Specifying and Reasoning about Contextual Preferences in the Goal-oriented Requirements Modelling

Goal-oriented requirements variability modelling has established the understanding for adaptability in the early stage of software development-the Requirements Engineering phase. Goal-oriented requirements variability modelling considers both the intentions, which are captured as goals in goal models, and the preferences of different stakeholders as the main sources of system behaviour variability. Most often, however, intentions and preferences vary according to contexts. In this paper, we propose an approach for a contextual preference-based requirements variability analysis in the goal-oriented Requirements Engineering. We introduce a quantitative contextual preference specification to express the varying preferences imposed over requirements that are represented in the goal model. Such contextual preferences are used as criteria to evaluate alternative solutions that satisfy the requirements variability problem. We utilise a state-of-the-art reasoning implementation from the Answer Set Programming domain to automate the derivation and evaluation of solutions that fulfill the goals and satisfy the contextual preferences. Our approach will support systems analysts in their decisions upon alternative design solutions that define subsequent system implementations.Comment: 10 pages conference paper submitted to ACSW 201

Preservation of Indigenous Culture among Indigenous Migrants through Social Media: The Igorot Peoples

The value and relevance of indigenous knowledge towards sustainability of human societies drives for its preservation. This work explored the use of Facebook groups to promote indigenous knowledge among Igorot peoples in the diaspora. The virtual communities help intensify the connection of Igorot migrants to their traditional culture despite the challenges of assimilation to a different society. A survey of posts on 20 Facebook groups identified and classified the indigenous cultural elements conveyed through social media. A subsequent survey of 56 Igorot migrants revealed that popular social media has a significant role in the exchange, revitalization, practice, and learning of indigenous culture; inciting an effective medium to leverage preservation strategies

Agnosia for accents in primary progressive aphasia.

As an example of complex auditory signal processing, the analysis of accented speech is potentially vulnerable in the progressive aphasias. However, the brain basis of accent processing and the effects of neurodegenerative disease on this processing are not well understood. Here we undertook a detailed neuropsychological study of a patient, AA with progressive nonfluent aphasia, in whom agnosia for accents was a prominent clinical feature. We designed a battery to assess AA's ability to process accents in relation to other complex auditory signals. AA's performance was compared with a cohort of 12 healthy age and gender matched control participants and with a second patient, PA, who had semantic dementia with phonagnosia and prosopagnosia but no reported difficulties with accent processing. Relative to healthy controls, the patients showed distinct profiles of accent agnosia. AA showed markedly impaired ability to distinguish change in an individual's accent despite being able to discriminate phonemes and voices (apperceptive accent agnosia); and in addition, a severe deficit of accent identification. In contrast, PA was able to perceive changes in accents, phonemes and voices normally, but showed a relatively mild deficit of accent identification (associative accent agnosia). Both patients showed deficits of voice and environmental sound identification, however PA showed an additional deficit of face identification whereas AA was able to identify (though not name) faces normally. These profiles suggest that AA has conjoint (or interacting) deficits involving both apperceptive and semantic processing of accents, while PA has a primary semantic (associative) deficit affecting accents along with other kinds of auditory objects and extending beyond the auditory modality. Brain MRI revealed left peri-Sylvian atrophy in case AA and relatively focal asymmetric (predominantly right sided) temporal lobe atrophy in case PA. These cases provide further evidence for the fractionation of brain mechanisms for complex sound analysis, and for the stratification of progressive aphasia syndromes according to the signature of nonverbal auditory deficits they produce

Test of a 25 K. W. Dynamo in Use at the Rhode Island College

Defines functions and types of dynamos, with a particular focus on the evaluation a 25 K.W. dynamo, in use at the Rhode Island State College (now URI)

The Golden Gate University Executive Master of Public Administration Degree: Assessing Its Value on Graduates\u27 Career Advancement

Public sector jobs are said to be secure and stable even during times of recession. In Golden Gate University\u27s (GGU) Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) program, students enroll for career advancement, professional credibility, and occupational changes. This paper examines the impact of the degree on graduates\u27 career advancement via the career success approach and the value-added approach. Findings are based on a selfadministered emailed survey questionnaire which asked GGU EMPA alumni their jobs / titles, agency I company names, annual salaries, and number of people supervised before and after earning their degrees. It also asked them their reasons for pursuing the EMPA degree and whether the degree improved their potential and opened greater opportunities for career advancement. Lastly, the survey sought confirmation on whether the graduates felt they were equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills required by their jobs as MPA-educated public administrators. The conclusion of this study confirms the degree\u27s positive impact on graduates\u27 career advancement. Data collected from the survey indicate that the graduates believe the EMPA degree 1) improved their potential and opened greater opportunities for career advancement; and 2) helped them achieve their personal and/or career goals. It also showed that the graduates felt they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills required of an MPA-educated employee

ADOPSI PETANI TERHADAP BUDIDAYA PADI SISTEM TANAM JAJAR LEGOWO DI KELOMPOK TANI OBAK MUGALAI, DESA SIKAKAP, KECAMATAN SIKAKAP, KABUPATEN KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI

Penelitian ini dilakukan di Kelompok Tani Obak Mugalai, Desa Sikakap, Kecamatan Sikakap, Kabupaten Kepulauan Mentawai yang bertujuan untuk mengetahui adopsi petani terhadap budidaya padi sistem tanam jajar legowo serta mengidentifikasi alasan petani menerapkan atau tidak menerapkan teknologi jajar legowo di Kelompok Tani Obak Mugalai, Kecamatan Sikakap, Kabupaten Kepulauan Mentawai. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah studi kasus dengan analisis data secara deskriptif kuantitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa adopsi petani terhadap budidaya jajar legowo di Kelompok Tani Obak Mugalai, Desa Sikakap, Kecamatan Sikakap, Kabupaten Kepulauan Mentawai masih rendah. Hal ini dapat dilihat dari komponen persiapan dan pengolahan, teknik penanaman, teknik pemupukan, serta pengendalian gulma dan hama yang semuanya diterapkan dalam kategori rendah. Alasan petani tidak menerapkan budidaya jajar legowo karena karena penilaian petani terhadap rendahnya keuntungan relatif, kerumitan dari teknik jajar legowo, serta kompatibilitas teknik penanaman jajar legowo dengan kebiasaan petani

The Role of Fieldwork Practice in Developing Professional Competence of Christian Religious Education Students

This study examines how fieldwork practice improves the professional competence of Christian Religious Education students. It evaluates the program to inform us of its next semester\u27s development. Using a qualitative descriptive method, the study collected data through interviews with 11 mentor teachers and 52 randomly selected students of fieldwork practice. The data was analyzed using Atlas.ti, following the steps outlined by Miles and Huberman. The findings reveal that the students demonstrate teaching planning, implementation, and evaluation skills. They are also proficient in integrating technology and instructional media. Overall, the students effectively fulfilled their responsibilities and performed their roles and functions in the learning process well. They demonstrated satisfactory professional competence, including understanding and explaining course materials, classroom management, communication, feedback reception, ethics, and integrity. With some of the challenges of fieldwork practice, the faculty must improve the program preparations and implementation quality

Dementias show differential physiological responses to salient sounds.

Abnormal responsiveness to salient sensory signals is often a prominent feature of dementia diseases, particularly the frontotemporal lobar degenerations, but has been little studied. Here we assessed processing of one important class of salient signals, looming sounds, in canonical dementia syndromes. We manipulated tones using intensity cues to create percepts of salient approaching ("looming") or less salient withdrawing sounds. Pupil dilatation responses and behavioral rating responses to these stimuli were compared in patients fulfilling consensus criteria for dementia syndromes (semantic dementia, n = 10; behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, n = 16, progressive nonfluent aphasia, n = 12; amnestic Alzheimer's disease, n = 10) and a cohort of 26 healthy age-matched individuals. Approaching sounds were rated as more salient than withdrawing sounds by healthy older individuals but this behavioral response to salience did not differentiate healthy individuals from patients with dementia syndromes. Pupil responses to approaching sounds were greater than responses to withdrawing sounds in healthy older individuals and in patients with semantic dementia: this differential pupil response was reduced in patients with progressive nonfluent aphasia and Alzheimer's disease relative both to the healthy control and semantic dementia groups, and did not correlate with nonverbal auditory semantic function. Autonomic responses to auditory salience are differentially affected by dementias and may constitute a novel biomarker of these diseases