Transitioning from analog to digital communications: An information security perspective

A summary is given of the government's perspective on evolving digital communications as they affect secure voice users and approaches for operating during a transition period to an all digital world. An integrated architecture and a mobile satellite interface are discussed

Transitioning Your Institutional Repository into a Digital Archive

The Wolf Law Library at the College of William & Mary has spent the past several years developing a digital repository. The scope of digital collections has evolved from one of a strictly scholarly nature to incorporate the Law School’s historical materials. Now the repository houses both the intellectual output of the law faculty and the school’s digital archive

An Efficient Data-aided Synchronization in L-DACS1 for Aeronautical Communications

L-band Digital Aeronautical Communication System type-1 (L-DACS1) is an emerging standard that aims at enhancing air traffic management (ATM) by transitioning the traditional analog aeronautical communication systems to the superior and highly efficient digital domain. L-DACS1 employs modern and efficient orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation technique to achieve more efficient and higher data rate in comparison to the existing aeronautical communication systems. However, the performance of OFDM systems is very sensitive to synchronization errors. L-DACS1 transmission is in the L-band aeronautical channels that suffer from large interference and large Doppler shifts, which makes the synchronization for L-DACS more challenging. This paper proposes a novel computationally efficient synchronization method for L-DACS1 systems that offers robust performance. Through simulation, the proposed method is shown to provide accurate symbol timing offset (STO) estimation as well as fractional carrier frequency offset (CFO) estimation in a range of aeronautical channels. In particular, it can yield excellent synchronization performance in the face of a large carrier frequency offset.Comment: In the proceeding of International Conference on Data Mining, Communications and Information Technology (DMCIT

Computer-mediated collaboration and the transitioning of intercultural spaces

The following implementation of computer-mediated collaboration\ud aims to help international students improve the quality of their intercultural experiences by applying strategies for synthesizing and applying knowledge obtained\ud through cross-cultural interactions. It does this by engaging learners in computermediated collaborative activities that help increase their factual knowledge in\ud areas of individual relevance, develop personally effective retrieval and application frameworks and improve their ability to monitor their own thinking and\ud learning

Effects of digital altimetry on pilot workload

A series of VOR-DME instrument landing approaches was flown in the DC-9 full-workload simulator to compare pilot performance, scan behavior, and workload when using a computer-drum-pointer altimeter (CDPA) and a digital altimeter (DA). Six pilots executed two sets of instrument landing approaches, with a CDPA on one set and a DA on the other set. Pilot scanning parameters, flight performance, and subjective opinion data were evaluated. It is found that the processes of gathering information from the CDPA and the DA are different. The DA requires a higher mental workload than the CDPA for a VOR-DME type landing approach. Mental processing of altitude information after transitioning back to the attitude indicator is more evident with the DA than with the CDPA

Improved integration of communications and scholarly roles can help academics become successful digital influencers

It has become increasingly incumbent upon higher education institutions to improve the visibility of their academic research. Heather Crookes has examined the role of university departments in transitioning academic researchers into digital influencers able to engage with non-academic publics. Although the value and opportunities presented by this are clear, some obstacles remain. It is improved integration of communications and scholarly roles that will lead to increased digital scholarship

Clinical and Procedural Effects of Transitioning to Contact Force Guided Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: A major innovation in atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation has been the introduction of contact force (CF) sensing catheters. Objective: To evaluate procedural and clinical effects of transitioning to CF-guided AF ablation. Methods: Consecutive AF ablation patients were studiedduring the period of time of transitioning from a non-CF to CF sensing catheter. Procedural data recorded was total radiofrequency time, time to isolate the left pulmonary veins (LPVs), and time to isolate the right pulmonary veins (RPVs). Clinically, the 3 and 12-month maintenance of sinus rhythm was noted and compared by: paroxysmal vs. persistent AF; CT scan LA volume more or less than 150 cc; CHA2DS2VASC more or less than 2; and LVEF more or less than 55%. Safety data was recorded as well. Results: Total ablation times were shorter (113 vs.146 min, p=0.011)when using the CF catheters compared to non-CF ablations. This was driven by a decrease in both LPV (46 vs.72 min, p\u3c0.001) and RPV time (54 vs. 75 min, p=0.002).The use of CF catheter did not change the overall percentage of patients in sinus rhythm at 3 and 12-months of follow up. However, sinus rhythm was more frequent at 12 months with CF ablation inpatients with an LA volume of more than 150 cc when compared to non-CF ablation (84.6% and 52.4%, p=0.03). There was no difference in outcomes with stratification by CHA2DS2VASC score or LVEF. No significant difference in complications was noted. Conclusions: For AF ablation, the initial use of CF-sensing technology reduced procedure times with similar overall sinus rhythm maintenance at 3 and 12 months. CF improved 12-month outcomes in patients with an enlarged LA

The digital brain switch: managing rapid transitions between role identities in a digital world

In this paper, we present initial findings from an EPSRC-sponsored multi-disciplinary research project investigating how digital technologies and social media affect role transitions across work-life domains. The research uses an innovative combination of visual diaries and narrative interviews to capture micro-transitions (‘switches’) and explore these with participants in the context of their overall lives. Findings from a pilot study with academics are reported here in terms of: emergent digital boundary management strategies; triggers for rapid switching and the effects of this; and the function of meta roles and multi-role cognitions. The research contributes to current thinking in work-life literature in terms of devising innovative methods, focusing on the micro- transitional and in considering the role of the digital and social media in boundary management

Career Transitions and Trajectories: A Case Study in Computing

From artificial intelligence to network security to hardware design, it is well-known that computing research drives many important technological and societal advancements. However, less is known about the long-term career paths of the people behind these innovations. What do their careers reveal about the evolution of computing research? Which institutions were and are the most important in this field, and for what reasons? Can insights into computing career trajectories help predict employer retention? In this paper we analyze several decades of post-PhD computing careers using a large new dataset rich with professional information, and propose a versatile career network model, R^3, that captures temporal career dynamics. With R^3 we track important organizations in computing research history, analyze career movement between industry, academia, and government, and build a powerful predictive model for individual career transitions. Our study, the first of its kind, is a starting point for understanding computing research careers, and may inform employer recruitment and retention mechanisms at a time when the demand for specialized computational expertise far exceeds supply.Comment: To appear in KDD 201

Life After Being a Pathology Department Chair: Issues and Opportunities.

Although there is a considerable literature on transition of faculty members to the position of department chair, there is a dearth of publications about transitioning from the chair to other activities including retirement. The Association of Pathology Chairs senior fellows (all of whom are former chairs of academic departments of pathology) made this topic a focus of discussion at the Association of Pathology Chairs 2016 Annual Meeting. Of the 33 senior fellows engaged in this discussion, following their time as chairs, a small majority (18) transitioned to other administrative posts within or outside the university, while the others either returned to the active faculty (7) or retired (8). The motivating factors and influences for transitioning from the chair were probed along with the processes used in executing the transition, such as the development of transition plans. The reasons for selecting the specific type of postchair activity were also investigated. There was extraordinary diversity in the type of post-chair activities pursued. To our knowledge, no other medical specialty has examined these issues, which may be potentially relevant for the career planning of active chairs