On Metric Dimension of Functigraphs

The \emph{metric dimension} of a graph $G$, denoted by $\dim(G)$, is the minimum number of vertices such that each vertex is uniquely determined by its distances to the chosen vertices. Let $G_1$ and $G_2$ be disjoint copies of a graph $G$ and let $f: V(G_1) \rightarrow V(G_2)$ be a function. Then a \emph{functigraph} $C(G, f)=(V, E)$ has the vertex set $V=V(G_1) \cup V(G_2)$ and the edge set $E=E(G_1) \cup E(G_2) \cup \{uv \mid v=f(u)\}$. We study how metric dimension behaves in passing from $G$ to $C(G,f)$ by first showing that $2 \le \dim(C(G, f)) \le 2n-3$, if $G$ is a connected graph of order $n \ge 3$ and $f$ is any function. We further investigate the metric dimension of functigraphs on complete graphs and on cycles.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Voice Conversion Based on Cross-Domain Features Using Variational Auto Encoders

An effective approach to non-parallel voice conversion (VC) is to utilize deep neural networks (DNNs), specifically variational auto encoders (VAEs), to model the latent structure of speech in an unsupervised manner. A previous study has confirmed the ef- fectiveness of VAE using the STRAIGHT spectra for VC. How- ever, VAE using other types of spectral features such as mel- cepstral coefficients (MCCs), which are related to human per- ception and have been widely used in VC, have not been prop- erly investigated. Instead of using one specific type of spectral feature, it is expected that VAE may benefit from using multi- ple types of spectral features simultaneously, thereby improving the capability of VAE for VC. To this end, we propose a novel VAE framework (called cross-domain VAE, CDVAE) for VC. Specifically, the proposed framework utilizes both STRAIGHT spectra and MCCs by explicitly regularizing multiple objectives in order to constrain the behavior of the learned encoder and de- coder. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed CD- VAE framework outperforms the conventional VAE framework in terms of subjective tests.Comment: Accepted to ISCSLP 201

Performance enhancements for algebraic soft decision decoding of Reed-Solomon codes

In an attempt to determine the ultimate capabilities of the Sudan-Guruswami-Sudan-Kotter-Vardy algebraic soft decision decoding algorithm for Reed-Solomon codes, we present a new method, based on the Chernoff bound, for constructing multiplicity matrices. In many cases, this technique predicts that the potential performance of ASD decoding of RS codes is significantly better than previously thought

Motherhood and Sexuality: A 20-year Content Analysis of Sexuality-related Articles in Popular Magazines for Mothers

This exploratory study investigated the inclusion of articles related to sexuality in magazines targeted to mothers over a 20-year period. Articles in the most popular parenting magazines, including American Baby, Baby Talk, Fit Pregnancy, Good Housekeeping, Mothering, Parenting, Parents, and Working Mother, were analyzed for sexuality content from 1991 to 2010. The starting point for this research was selected after an obviously pregnant Demi Moore appeared nude on the cover of the August 1991 issue of Vanity Fair. The cover, and many others that followed, suggested an acknowledgement of pregnant women as sexual beings. However, it also raised questions about if such an acknowledgement exists in magazines targeted to mothers by their inclusion of articles on sexuality issues. Four issues per year of each of the eight magazines (N=548 issues) were analyzed for sexuality-related content. Results revealed that of the 14,746 articles analyzed over the 20-year period and across all eight magazines, few (n=332 or 2.3%) included content on sexuality issues. The limitations, implications, and directions for further research are discussed

Design & sizing of a testing bench for a turbocompressor

The present project consists of the design of a testing bench to characterize the compression process generated in the compressor of a turbocompressor, thus being able to build the compressor map of this turbocompressor. In order to achieve this objective, it shall first be understood in what the compressor map consists of, how it is built and which parameters are required to be able to build it. Once the necessary parameters have been defined, a measurement methodology must be designed for each of these parameters, which shall be compatible with both the system requirements and the expected range of values to be measured. In addition, it is also defined how the data acquisition and processing system is performed for all those sensors that require it. The design also includes the estimation of the error committed in each of the measurements performed, and those deriving from them, throughout the range of expected values. Thus being able to obtain the precision and accuracy of the characterization of the compression process. Finally, to unify all sensors in a single system, capable of performing all measurements, data processing and calculation of the relevant errors while feeding the turbocompressor

Building Social Networks from Institutional Repositories

An Institutional Repository may offer .a set of services. to its local users, supporting the publication of research. More importantly, the repository also forms a key component in the global scholarly communications environment. In this presentation we investigate the role of the repository on a global scale by witnessing the effects on a changing economy and also show how worldwide collaboration networks can be predicted using the strong social links found in repository metadata

Database Maintenance from the Central Catalog to Your Local System

As we start to anticipate next year\u27s ILS Migration, one thing is certain: Clean data will make the migration easier--at the local and consortium levels. This presentation will provide ideas and resources to help institutions start or accelerate database and system maintenance in preparation for migration. Erin Kilkenny will discuss OhioLINK\u27s database maintenance projects in the Central Catalog and highlight resources available via Ostaff. Leigh Duncan will share ideas for streamlining codes and data within your Sierra system

Statistical Summary of the 1987 Farm Management and Energy Survey

A.E. Res. 89-

Funding Resilient Infrastructure in New Jersey: Attitudes Following a Natural Disaster

Recent major natural disasters in New Jersey have demonstrated the need to increase the resilience of transportation infrastructure. This research examines public attitudes toward revenue sources that can be dedicated to protecting vulnerable areas, most notably the transportation linkages on which the state depends. A statewide survey was conducted to gather data approximately four months following Superstorm Sandy, the costliest natural disaster in the state’s history. The authors’ objective was to sample public attitudes while the impacts of the disaster were still fresh. They found little support for temporary tax increases to improve resiliency, with the most positive support for taxing visitors (i.e., a hotel and recreational tax) and for a 30-year bond measure (i.e., taxing the future). This observation seemingly contradicts broad support for investing in new infrastructure, as well as maintaining and protecting existing infrastructure. Multivariate analysis to understand the underlying attitudes toward raising revenue found that more left-leaning or communitarian attitudes are associated with more support for gasoline, income, or sales taxes devoted to mitigating vulnerability. Those who supported investment in transit and protecting infrastructure also were more likely to support these taxes. There was no parallel finding of factors associated with taxing visitors or issuing bonds

Non-linear Cyclic Codes that Attain the Gilbert-Varshamov Bound

We prove that there exist non-linear binary cyclic codes that attain the Gilbert-Varshamov bound