Vincentian Missions in the Islamic World

Vincentians and Daughters of Charity were missionaries in North Africa, Turkey, the Middle East, Balkan countries, and Iran from the seventeenth through twentieth centuries. The first work was in North Africa, where Vincentians worked with enslaved Christians. Depending on the location, missionaries ran seminaries, schools, churches, orphanages, and medical facilities. They worked primarily with Latin Catholics, Eastern Christians, and Eastern Catholics, such as the Chaldeans; in modern times, they were not allowed to evangelize Muslims. Efforts of specific missionaries are noted, especially those of Eugene Bore, who worked throughout the Middle East and was eventually superior general of the Congregation

Creating the West Gate Entrance: Erosion and Water Quality Solutions for the University of Massachusetts – Amherst Campus

The impacts of development have degraded the Tan Brook to the point that water pollution and flooding issues are affecting residents and the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus as well as the adjacent Mill River Watershed. Water quality measurements indicate high levels of conductivity possibly due to winter salting. This proposed design solution includes a vegetated swale that integrates sand filters and bioretention basins. These applications within the design could reduce erosion issues and improve water quality while providing students, faculty, and staff a location for educational purposes, recreation, and respite. By embracing innovative and aesthetic solutions, the West Gate entrance could become a functional stormwater destination and identity marker that showcases the ecological stewardship founded in the roots of the land grant of the University of Massachusetts Amherst

2021 Graduate Program Rankings for UNLV & UNR

This Fact Sheet presents the 2021 U.S. News and World Report graduate program rankings for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). The rankings for 2021 are important when taking into consideration that both UNLV and UNR achieved Carnegie R1 status in 2018. This status marks their place in the top 130 research universities in the country

Remote sensing techniques for mapping range sites and estimating range yield

Image interpretation procedures for determining range yield and for extrapolating range information were investigated for an area of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. Soil and vegetative data collected in the field utilizing a grid sampling design and digital film data from color infrared film and black and white films were analyzed statistically using correlation and regression techniques. The pattern recognition techniques used were K-class, mode seeking, and thresholding. The herbage yield equation derived for the detailed test site was used to predict yield for an adjacent similar field. The herbage yield estimate for the adjacent field was 1744 lbs. of dry matter per acre and was favorably compared to the mean yield of 1830 lbs. of dry matter per acre based upon ground observations. Also an inverse relationship was observed between vegetative cover and the ratio of MSS 5 to MSS 7 of ERTS-1 imagery

Distance Functions and Attribute Weighting in a K-Nearest Neighbors Classifier

To assess environmental health of a stream, field, or other ecological object, characteristics of that object should be compared to a set of reference objects known to be healthy. Using streams as objects, we propose a k-nearest neighbors algorithm (Bates Prins and Smith, 2006) to find the appropriate set of reference streams to use as a comparison set for any given test stream. Previously, investigations of the k-nearest neighbors algorithm have utilized a variety of distance functions, the best of which has been the Interpolated Value Difference Metric (IVDM), proposed by Wilson and Martinez (1997). We propose two alternatives to the IVDM: Wilson and Martinez\u27s Windowed Value Difference Metric (WVDM) and the Density-Based Value Difference Metric (DBVDM) developed by Wojna (2005). We extend the WVDM and DBVDM to handle continuous response variables and compare these distance measures to the IVDM within the ecological k-nearest neighbors context. Additionally, we compare two existing attribute weighting schemes (Wojna 2005) when applied to the IVDM, WVDM, and DBVDM, and we propose a new attribute weighting method for use with these distance functions as well. In assessing environmental impairment, the WVDM and DBVDM were slight improvements over the IVDM. Attribute weighting also increased the effectiveness of the k-nearest neighbors algorithm in this ecological setting. This research was supported by NSF grant NSF-DMS 0552577 and was conducted during an 8-week summer research experience for undergraduates (REU)

Use of remote sensing techniques for inventorying and planning utilization of land resources in South Dakota

The basic procedures for interpreting remote sensing imagery to rapidly develop general soils and land use inventories were developed and utilized in Pennington County, South Dakota. These procedures and remote sensing data products were illustrated and explained to many user groups, some of whom are interested in obtaining similar data. The general soils data were integrated with land soils data supplied by the county director of equalization to prepare a land value map. A computer print-out of this map indicating a land value for each quarter section is being used in tax reappraisal of Pennington County. The land use data provided the land use planners with the present use of land in Pennington County. Additional uses of remote sensing applications are also discussed including tornado damage assessment, hail damage evaluation, and presentation of soil and land value information on base maps assembled from ERTS-1 imagery

Distance Functions and Attribute Weighting in a K-Nearest Neighbors Classifier

To assess environmental health of a stream, field, or other ecological object, characteristics of that object should be compared to a set of reference objects known to be healthy. Using streams as objects, we propose a k-nearest neighbors algorithm (Bates Prins and Smith, 2006) to find the appropriate set of reference streams to use as a comparison set for any given test stream. Previously, investigations of the k-nearest neighbors algorithm have utilized a variety of distance functions, the best of which has been the Interpolated Value Difference Metric (IVDM), proposed by Wilson and Martinez (1997). We propose two alternatives to the IVDM: Wilson and Martinez\u27s Windowed Value Difference Metric (WVDM) and the Density-Based Value Difference Metric (DBVDM) developed by Wojna (2005). We extend the WVDM and DBVDM to handle continuous response variables and compare these distance measures to the IVDM within the ecological k-nearest neighbors context. Additionally, we compare two existing attribute weighting schemes (Wojna 2005) when applied to the IVDM, WVDM, and DBVDM, and we propose a new attribute weighting method for use with these distance functions as well. In assessing environmental impairment, the WVDM and DBVDM were slight improvements over the IVDM. Attribute weighting also increased the effectiveness of the k-nearest neighbors algorithm in this ecological setting. This research was supported by NSF grant NSF-DMS 0552577 and was conducted during an 8-week summer research experience for undergraduates (REU)

Pilot Study Assessment of Dynamic Vascular Changes in Breast Cancer with Near-Infrared Tomography from Prospectively Targeted Manipulations of Inspired End-Tidal Partial Pressure of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

The dynamic vascular changes in the breast resulting from manipulation of both inspired end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide were imaged using a 30 s per frame frequency-domain near-infrared spectral (NIRS) tomography system. By analyzing the images from five subjects with asymptomatic mammography under different inspired gas stimulation sequences, the mixture that maximized tissue vascular and oxygenation changes was established. These results indicate maximum changes in deoxy-hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, and total hemoglobin of 21, 9, and 3%, respectively. Using this inspired gas manipulation sequence, an individual case study of a subject with locally advanced breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was analyzed. Dynamic NIRS imaging was performed at different time points during treatment. The maximum tumor dynamic changes in deoxy-hemoglobin increased from less than 7% at cycle 1, day 5 (C1, D5) to 17% at (C1, D28), which indicated a complete response to NAC early during treatment and was subsequently confirmed pathologically at the time of surgery