Black Abolitionists of Central New York: An Intimate Circle of Activism

In the spring of1999 Ryan curated an exhibition in E. S. Bird Library tided Intimate Circles of Activism: Abolitionists of Central New York, 1830-1860. This article, an offshoot of the exhibition, focuses on letters to activist and philanthropist Gerrit Smith from certain African American abolitionists

Modular communication system

A modular communication system (10) can include an adaptable communication module (12) having a transceiver (13) coupled to a processor (14) and memory (20), and a first interface block (24) coupled to the processor, and a host device (30) having a power source (36), a user interface (34), and a second interface block (46). The host device can be among a plurality of host devices having different user interfaces and the processor is adaptable to control the different user interfaces when the first interface block recognizes the second interface block. The module can further include a DSP (16) and a display (18) coupled to the processor as well as an antenna (11). A host device can be a phone, a wristwatch, a camera or video phone, an MP3 player, a heart rate monitor, a game controller, a toy, a stroller, or a crib among other devices

Operational Improvements From the Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast In-Trail Procedure in the Pacific Organized Track System

The Federal Aviation Administration's Surveillance and Broadcast Services Program has supported implementation of the Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) In-Trail Procedure (ITP) on commercial revenue flights. ADS-B ITP is intended to be used in non-radar airspace that is employing procedural separation. Through the use of onboard tools, pilots are able to make a new type of altitude change request to an Air Traffic Service Provider (ATSP). The FAA, in partnership with United Airlines, is conducting flight trials of the ITP in revenue service in the Pacific. To support the expansion of flight trials to the rest of the US managed Pacific Airspace Region, a computerized batch study was conducted to investigate the operational impacts and potential benefits that can be gained through the use of the ITP in the Pacific Organized Track System (PACOTS). This study, which simulated the Oakland managed portion of the PACOTS, suggests that potential benefits in the PACOTS are significant with a considerable increase in time spent at optimum altitude and associated fuel savings

Optimized Sequence Library Design for Efficient In Vitro Interaction Mapping

Sequence libraries that cover all k-mers enable universal, unbiased measurements of binding to both oligonucleotides and peptides. While the number of k-mers grows exponentially in k, space on all experimental platforms is limited. Here, we shrink k-mer library sizes by using joker characters, which represent all characters in the alphabet simultaneously. We present the JokerCAKE (joker covering all k-mers) algorithm for generating a short sequence such that each k-mer appears at least p times with at most one joker character per k-mer. By running our algorithm on a range of parameters and alphabets, we show that JokerCAKE produces near-optimal sequences. Moreover, through comparison with data from hundreds of DNA-protein binding experiments and with new experimental results for both standard and JokerCAKE libraries, we establish that accurate binding scores can be inferred for high-affinity k-mers using JokerCAKE libraries. JokerCAKE libraries allow researchers to search a significantly larger sequence space using the same number of experimental measurements and at the same cost. We present a new compact sequence design that covers all k-mers utilizing joker characters and develop an efficient algorithm to generate such designs. We show through simulations and experimental validation that these sequence designs are useful for identifying high-affinity binding sites at significantly reduced cost and space. Keywords: sequence libraries; microarray design; de Bruijn graphNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01GM081871

National Standard Eight and processing labor : an assessment of processors in the Mid-Atlantic region

In this report, we provide a broad overview of the processing sector in the Mid-Atlantic region, which we defined as those firms engaged in processing and conducting business in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. Delaware also is in the region, but the data on processing activities in Delaware were inadequate, and thus, processing activities in Delaware were not included in this study. The objective of this study was to obtain information about processing labor dependency on fisheries subject to federal fishery management plans (FMPs); assess how changes in fishery regulations might affect labor; determine product levels and sources of raw materials required for processing fish and shellfish products; assess the distribution of sales by geographic region and market level; determine the level of employment and types of jobs in processing; assess the distribution of labor by gender, job or occupation, race, and national origin; determine the dependency of processing plants on H2B workers; assess how other types of regulations (e.g., land-use policies, environmental, and OSHA) may have affected processing activities; and assess the potential future plans of processors

Picky eaters are rare: DNA-based blood meal analysis of \u3ci\u3eCulicoides\u3c/i\u3e (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) species from the United States

Background: Biting midges in the genus Culicoides (Diptera; Ceratopogonidae) have been implicated in the transmission of a number of parasites and highly pathogenic viruses. In North America, the complete transmission cycles of many of these pathogens need further elucidation. One way to increase our knowledge about the evolution and ecology of Culicoides species and the pathogens they transmit is to document the diversity of vertebrate hosts that Culicoides feed upon. Our objective was to identify the diversity of Culicoides hosts in the United States. Results: We sequenced two vertebrate mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and cytochrome b) from blood-engorged Culicoides to identify Culicoides species and their blood meals. We detected the mitochondrial DNA of 12 host species from seven different Culicoides species from three states. The majority of the identified blood meals were from the C. variipennis species complex in California. The hosts included both mammals and birds. We documented new host records for some of the Culicoides species collected. The majority of the mammalian hosts were large ungulate species but we also detected a lagomorph and a carnivore. The bird species that were detected included house finch and emu; the latter is evidence that the species in the C. variipennis species complex are not strictly mammalophilic. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that Culicoides will feed on multiple classes of vertebrates and may be more opportunistic in regards to host choice than previously thought. This knowledge can help with identification of susceptible host species, pathogen reservoirs, and new vector species which, in turn, will improve disease outbreak risk assessments

Extending the Information Revolution

America has a grand opportunity to lay the foundations for a prosperous and secure future. Our task is not just reviving the weak economy or increasing security -- as important as those are. Real sustainable economic growth and international security will come from expanding the information revolution to all parts of our society. Metcalfe's Law states that the value of a network increases exponentially in relation to the number of users. The same is true for markets and economic activity. By leaving some behind -- both at home and around the world, we impoverish not only those individuals; we also impoverish ourselves. This paper lays out a series of recommendations in a number of areas from a number of experts. It is based on some shared principles:the critical importance of inclusion and true participation by all;technology is, and should be, a tool -- the means to an end, not the end itself;open and competitive economic systems work best;and a more economically prosperous world is a more secure world

Mapping Collaboration in Veteran and Military Family Services: Preliminary Observations and Database Launch

Starting in the summer of 2015, the IVMF research team took a first step to build a database of more than 70 veteran-serving organizational networks, collaborative initiatives, and higher education institutions active in veteran and military family research. This working paper officially lauches the project and summarizes preliminary data collection efforts, observations, and plans to develop the database into a public resource. Given the evolving and fluid nature of collaborative activities across the country, we aim for the database to serve as a ‘living tool’ that (1) facilitates learning and the diffusion of best practices between veteran and military family serving organizations and (2) informs future social science research on public sector collaboration, public-private partnerships, and network structure and governance on vexing policy challenges that span both agency and sector boundaries

Career development learning in the curriculum: What is an academic’s role?

Career development learning (CDL) is an approach to developing student employability that enables students to reflect on and plan their future careers through engaging in activities outside or within their degree. Building on literature arguing for the benefits of integrating CDL within curriculum, this study examines academics’ perceived roles facilitating CDL. Informed by the principles and processes of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), 55 academics were interviewed from one institution, enabling responses to be examined through a common lens of teaching, policy and governance structures. Findings demonstrate that while some participants broadly understood the value of CDL, the term CDL is not well known. Further, while CDL strategies within teaching contexts occur, they are mostly unplanned or dialogic. This paper presents a taxonomy of current practice, featuring 11 diverse roles for facilitating CDL within curriculum grouped as absent, implicit and explicit approaches. The paper offers recommendations for a university-wide agenda for employability that features CDL strategies embedded across core curricula