Isometries and Equivalences Between Point Configurations, Extended To ε\varepsilon-diffeomorphisms

In this paper, we deal with the Orthogonal Procrustes Problem, in which two point configurations are compared in order to construct a map to optimally align the two sets. This extends this to $\varepsilon$-diffeomorphisms, introduced by [1] Damelin and Fefferman. Examples will be given for when complete maps can not be constructed, for if the distributions do match, and finally an algorithm for partitioning the configurations into polygons for convenient construction of the maps.Comment: version: 11.26.1

A Robust Estimation of the Effects of Taxation on Charitable Contributions

While many studies find that the tax-price elasticity of giving exceeds unity, several recent studies find the contrary. This is important because it can be shown that if the elasticity exceeds one, then allowing taxpayers to deduct charitable giving from their taxable income is efficient in the sense that the amount donated exceeds the loss to the treasury. Here we use Consumer Expenditure Survey data to estimate the price elasticity of all deductible contributions. Because specification tests reject the consistency of estimators such as Tobit or the two-stage Heckman we use the semiparametric method of Ahn and Powell (1993). Rather than selecting bandwidths through cross-validation we demonstrate that because high and low bandwidths lead to the standard linear model one may use visual inspection for bandwidth selection. We also do not use the covariance matrix estimator of Ahn and Powell, instead bootstrapping a confidence interval. These bootstraps are also used to remove the finite sample bias inherent in nonlinear estimators. In our results we find an elasticity estimate greater than unity for the Tobit and Heckman methods but less than one for the Ahn and Powell method. Because specification tests suggest that the likelihood assumptions ensuring the consistency of the Tobit and Heckman do not hold, our results suggest that previous high tax-price elasticities may be caused by misspecification. However, our estimate of the elasticity of contributions to just social welfare organizations exceeds unity. In this sense the deduction for those types of contributions is efficient.

The VWFA: It\u27s not just for words anymore

Reading is an important but phylogenetically new skill. While neuroimaging studies have identified brain regions used in reading, it is unclear to what extent these regions become specialized for use predominantly in reading vs. other tasks. Over the past several years, our group has published three studies addressing this question, particularly focusing on whether the putative visual word form area (VWFA) is used predominantly in reading, or whether it is used more generally in a number of tasks. Our three studies utilize a range of neuroimaging techniques, including task based fMRI experiments, a seed based resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) experiment, and a network based RSFC experiment. Overall, our studies indicate that the VWFA is not used specifically or even predominantly for reading. Rather the VWFA is a general use region that has processing properties making it particularly useful for reading, though it continues to be used in any task that requires its general processing properties. Our network based RSFC analysis extends this finding to other regions typically thought to be used predominantly for reading. Here, we review these findings and describe how the three studies complement each other. Then, we argue that conceptualizing the VWFA as a brain region with specific processing characteristics rather than a brain region devoted to a specific stimulus class, allows us to better explain the activity seen in this region during a variety of tasks. Having this type of conceptualization not only provides a better understanding of the VWFA but also provides a framework for understanding other brain regions, as it affords an explanation of function that is in keeping with the long history of studying the brain in terms of the type of information processing performed (Posner, 1978)

Improving Earthquake Disaster Models with Post-Event Data: Insights from the 2015 Gorkha, Nepal Earthquake

Immense amounts of data are collected following earthquake disasters. Yet, it remains unclear how researchers’ might take full advantage of diverse post-disaster datasets. Using data from the 2015 Gorkha Nepal earthquake, this dissertation explores three ways in which post- disaster survey and assessment datasets can be used to inform models of seismic risk, vulnerability, and recovery processes. The first article presents an empirical analysis of scale issues in disaster vulnerability indices using a novel dataset of 750,000 households. This study finds that using aggregated household data to create social vulnerability indices can produce results that are meaningfully different from equivalent indices produced directly with household-level data. These results inform future development of vulnerability indices. The second article develops a Bayesian item-response theory modeling framework for estimating household-level reconstruction behavior from reconstruction progress surveys. This study provides a new way to quantitatively assess earthquake recovery, with results showing large differences in reconstruction probabilities among different levels of aid receipt, household willingness to commit additional resources, and geographic location. The final article uses engineering damage assessment data to develop a model for spatially interpolating geolocated clusters of rapid damage assessments onto a high-resolution grid. Incorporating ground truthed data significantly improves existing rapid estimates for completely damaged buildings and is feasible with the current scope of rapid damage assessment collection. Together, these contributions cast a vision for an improved disaster modeling ecosystem that more effectively integrates novel post-disaster data streams

Chronic Stress Potentiates The Response To Intra-Bed Nucleus Of The Stria Terminalis (bnst) Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide (pacap) Infusion.

Chronic or repeated exposure to stressful stimuli can result in several maladaptive consequences, including increased anxiety-like behaviors and altered peptide expression in brain structures involved in emotion. Among these structures, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) has been implicated in emotional behaviors as well as regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. In rodents, chronic variate stress (CVS) has been shown to increase BNST pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and its cognate PAC1 receptor transcript, and BNST PACAP signaling may mediate the maladaptive changes associated with chronic stress. In order to determine whether chronic stress would potentiate the behavioral and/or endocrine response to subthreshold BNST PACAP infusion, rats were exposed to a 7 day CVS paradigm previously shown to upregulate BNST PAC1 receptor transcripts; control rats were not stressed. Twenty-four hours following the last stressor, stressed and control rats were bilaterally infused into the BNST with 0.5 µg PACAP. Startle response to intra-BNST PACAP infusion was assessed post-infusion in Experiment 1. In Experiments 2 and 3, blood was sampled via a tail nick 30 min following PACAP infusion to assess the corticosterone response to PACAP following CVS. We found an increase in startle amplitude and an increase in plasma corticosterone levels 30 minutes following BNST PACAP infusion only in rats that had been previously exposed to CVS. These results were likely mediated via PAC1 receptors, as equimolar infusion of the VPAC1/2 receptor ligand vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) had no effect on plasma corticosterone levels. These results suggest that repeated exposure to stressors sensitizes the neural circuits underlying the behavioral and endocrine responses to BNST PACAP infusion and BNST PACAP/PAC1 receptor signaling likely plays a critical role in mediating stress responses

Disparity Between The Real And The Ideal: How Do Different Health Profession Students View Effective Clinical Preceptors?

Preceptors overseeing health care students during clinical education are critical to the overall learning experience of the student. Although research has been conducted surrounding the characteristics of effective clinical preceptors from the students’ perspective within specific professions, little research has been done across health care disciplines. Research across health care professions is important because of the increased attention by academic programs on interprofessional education. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference amongst health care education students’ perceptions as to the characteristics of effective clinical preceptors. This study included participants from six different health care programs at one research-intensive university in the Midwest. Findings included students from all disciplines ranked teaching ability lowest of four subcategories when surveyed on characteristics of their past preceptors. Teaching ability was also the subcategory showing the largest difference between actual student-preceptor experiences and the students’ ideal preceptor. Differences among professions were seen within this study such as students’ opinion of actual preceptor professional competence between occupational therapy and physician assistant students. However, students overall perceive their actual preceptor experiences and their ideal preceptors similarly. The findings in this study assist educational programs utilizing interprofessional education to better understand their students’ perspective of past preceptors and their ideal preceptors

PRIMM and Proper: Authentic Investigation in HE Introductory Programming with PeerWise and GitHub

We explore the use of the PRIMM methodology (Predict, Run, Investigate, Modify, Make) within a higher education introductory programming setting, particularly focusing on the three first three steps. Formative prediction questions on the effects of changes to HTML, CSS or JavaScript code are constructed by students using PeerWise system, based on their own investigation. Authenticity of the task is enhanced by presenting the peer prediction questions as pull requests to a GitHub repository, mirroring the code review process followed by professionals working within software development teams. We report on student engagement with the formative practical exercises and analyse the content of the questions they asked