Ward's Hierarchical Clustering Method: Clustering Criterion and Agglomerative Algorithm

The Ward error sum of squares hierarchical clustering method has been very widely used since its first description by Ward in a 1963 publication. It has also been generalized in various ways. However there are different interpretations in the literature and there are different implementations of the Ward agglomerative algorithm in commonly used software systems, including differing expressions of the agglomerative criterion. Our survey work and case studies will be useful for all those involved in developing software for data analysis using Ward's hierarchical clustering method.Comment: 20 pages, 21 citations, 4 figure

Inertial coalescence of droplets on a partially wetting substrate

We consider the growth rate of the height of the connecting bridge in rapid surface-tension-driven coalescence of two identical droplets attached on a partially wetting substrate. For a wide range of contact angle values, the height of the bridge grows with time following a power law with a universal exponent of 2/3, up to a threshold time, beyond which a 1/2 exponent results, that is known for coalescence of freely-suspended droplets. In a narrow range of contact angle values close to 90°, this threshold time rapidly vanishes and a 1/2 exponent results for a 90° contact angle. The argument is confirmed by three-dimensional numerical simulations based on a diffuse interface method with adaptive mesh refinement and a volume-of-fluid method

Transitional random matrix theory nearest-neighbor spacing distributions

This paper presents a study of the properties of a matrix model that was introduced to describe transitions between all Wigner surmises of Random Matrix theory. New results include closed-form exact analytical expressions for the transitional probability density functions, as well as suitable analytical approximations for cases not amenable to explicit representation

Examination of Preschool Educators\u27 Implementation of Motor Activities

This project was designed to obtain and analyze data pertaining to a teacher’s understanding of movement education in a preschool program. The purpose of this research was to conduct a case study to examine a preschool educator’s knowledge and use of motor activities in the classroom. The preschool teacher was observed and interviewed. The teacher was given a survey that included questions about aspects of motor development in preschool classrooms in early childhood centers, and whether professional development training in motor learning had been offered for early childhood educators

Effects of spatially displaced feedback on remote manipulation tasks

Several studies have been performed to determine the effects on computer and direct manipulation task performance when viewing conditions are spatially displaced. Whether results from these studies can be directly applied to remote manipulation tasks is quenstionable. The objective of this evaluation was to determine the effects of reversed, inverted, and inverted/reversed views on remote manipulation task performance using two 3-Degree of Freedom (DOF) hand controllers and a replica position hand controller. Results showed that trials using the inverted viewing condition showed the worst performance, followed by the inverted/reversed view and the reversed view when using the 2x3 DOF. However, these differences were not significant. The inverted and inverted/reversed viewing conditions were significantly worse than the normal and reversed viewing conditions when using the Kraft Replica. A second evaluation was conducted in which additional trials were performed with each viewing condition to determine the long term effects of spatially displaced views on task performance for the hand controllers. Results of the second evaluation indicated that there was more of a difference in performance between the perturbed viewing conditions and the normal viewing condition with the Kraft Replica than with the 2x3 DOF

Safety and efficacy of eculizumab in adult and pediatric patients with aHUS, with or without baseline dialysis

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The Third International Symposium on Tilapia in Aquaculture

Tilapias, because of the low cost and relative ease of their production, are a potential food fish staple for many people ini tropical countries and a globally traded commodity. This volume of symposium proceedings shows a strong interest in production systems research and a dawning interest in socioeconomic research. Both of these fields of research are expected to receive much greater attention in the future as the economic and market importance of tilapia increases and as we seek to understand better the distribution of benefits of the different production technologies.Tilapia culture Tilapia, Oreochromis, Sarotherodon

Evaluation of force-torque displays for use with space station telerobotic activities

Recent experiments which addressed Space Station remote manipulation tasks found that tactile force feedback (reflecting forces and torques encountered at the end-effector through the manipulator hand controller) does not improve performance significantly. Subjective response from astronaut and non-astronaut test subjects indicated that force information, provided visually, could be useful. No research exists which specifically investigates methods of presenting force-torque information visually. This experiment was designed to evaluate seven different visual force-torque displays which were found in an informal telephone survey. The displays were prototyped in the HyperCard programming environment. In a within-subjects experiment, 14 subjects nullified forces and torques presented statically, using response buttons located at the bottom of the screen. Dependent measures included questionnaire data, errors, and response time. Subjective data generally demonstrate that subjects rated variations of pseudo-perspective displays consistently better than bar graph and digital displays. Subjects commented that the bar graph and digital displays could be used, but were not compatible with using hand controllers. Quantitative data show similar trends to the subjective data, except that the bar graph and digital displays both provided good performance, perhaps do to the mapping of response buttons to display elements. Results indicate that for this set of displays, the pseudo-perspective displays generally represent a more intuitive format for presenting force-torque information

Activation of sperm motility in the euryhaline tilapia Sarotherodon melanotheron heudelotii (Dumeril, 1859) acclimatized to fresh, sea and hypersaline waters

The effects of osmolality and ions were examined on motility of sperm from males of Sarotherodon melanotheron heudelotii acclimatized in tanks at salinities set at 0, 35 and 70 g L-1. The range of osmolality that enabled sperm activation, shifted and broadened as the maintenance salinity of broodfish increased. The requirement of extracellular Ca2+ for activation of sperm motility increased when the maintenance salinity of broodfish was higher