A Profile of Immigrants in Arkansas

Discusses key demographic trends, economic factors, and public policy issues associated with immigrants in Arkansas, which has the fourth-fastest-growing immigrant population in the nation

Broadband and Mobile Internet Services in Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll Results

A recent Pew Research Center survey revealed that home broadband adoption has plateaued in the United States. In addition, there has been an increase in adults who use a smartphone to access the Internet but do not have traditional broadband service in their home. Given these national trends, how do rural Nebraskans access the Internet? Are they accessing the Internet from their cell phones? Are they subscribing to high-speed Internet services at home? How satisfied are they with their Internet services? How important do they feel Internet access is for various items? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions. This report details 1,746 responses to the 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll, the 21st annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about Internet services. Comparisons are made among different respondent subgroups, that is, comparisons by age, occupation, region, etc

Perceptions of Well-Being in Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll Results

Certain indicators have pointed to overall economic growth in Nebraska. The state’s unemployment rate has remained among the lowest in the nation and wages have increased. However, net farm income continued to decline last year and employment growth in the state has been largely concentrated in the metropolitan counties. Given the challenges and uncertainties of recent years, how do rural Nebraskans believe they are doing and how do they view their future? How satisfied are they with various items that influence their well-being? Have these views changed over the past 21 years? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions. This report details 1,746 responses to the 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll, the 21st annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about their well-being. Trends for some of the questions are examined by comparing data from the twenty previous polls to this year’s results. In addition, comparisons are made among different respondent subgroups, that is, comparisons by age, occupation, region, etc

Broadband and Mobile Internet Services in Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll Results

A recent Pew Research Center survey revealed that home broadband adoption has plateaued in the United States. In addition, there has been an increase in adults who use a smartphone to access the Internet but do not have traditional broadband service in their home. Given these national trends, how do rural Nebraskans access the Internet? Are they accessing the Internet from their cell phones? Are they subscribing to high-speed Internet services at home? How satisfied are they with their Internet services? How important do they feel Internet access is for various items? This paper provides a detailed analysis of these questions. This report details 1,746 responses to the 2016 Nebraska Rural Poll, the 21st annual effort to understand rural Nebraskans’ perceptions. Respondents were asked a series of questions about Internet services. Comparisons are made among different respondent subgroups, that is, comparisons by age, occupation, region, etc

Individual and Community Quality of Life in Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: Nebraska Rural Poll Research Report 18-3

Table of Contents: Executive Summary / Introduction / Trends in Community Ratings (1996 - 2018) / Figure 1 Community Change, 1996 - 2018 / Figure 2 Expected Community Change Ten Years from Now: 2011 – 2018 / Figure 3 Expected Destination of Those Planning to Move: 1998 - 2018 / Table 1 Proportions of Respondents Very or Somewhat Satisfied with Each Service, 1997 - 2018 / The Community and Its Attributes in 2018 / Figure 4 Perceptions of Community Change by Region / Figure 5 Expected Community Change in Ten Years by Community Size / Figure 6 Feelings of Community Powerlessness by Region / Figure 7 Satisfaction with Retail Shopping by Region / Figure 8 Satisfaction with Cost of Housing by Community Size / Figure 9 Satisfaction with Cellular Phone Service by Community Size / Table 2 Opinions About Community / Figure 10 Change in Community Political Discussions During the Past Five Years by Community Siz

Global data for ecology and epidemiology: a novel algorithm for temporal Fourier processing MODIS data

Background. Remotely-sensed environmental data from earth-orbiting satellites are increasingly used to model the distribution and abundance of both plant and animal species, especially those of economic or conservation importance. Time series of data from the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors on-board NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites offer the potential to capture environmental thermal and vegetation seasonality, through temporal Fourier analysis, more accurately than was previously possible using the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor data. MODIS data are composited over 8- or 16-day time intervals that pose unique problems for temporal Fourier analysis. Applying standard techniques to MODIS data can introduce errors of up to 30% in the estimation of the amplitudes and phases of the Fourier harmonics. Methodology/Principal Findings. We present a novel spline-based algorithm that overcomes the processing problems of composited MODIS data. The algorithm is tested on artificial data generated using randomly selected values of both amplitudes and phases, and provides an accurate estimate of the input variables under all conditions. The algorithm was then applied to produce layers that capture the seasonality in MODIS data for the period from 2001 to 2005. Conclusions/Significance. Global temporal Fourier processed images of 1 km MODIS data for Middle Infrared Reflectance, day- and night-time Land Surface Temperature (LST), Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) are presented for ecological and epidemiological applications. The finer spatial and temporal resolution, combined with the greater geolocational and spectral accuracy of the MODIS instruments, compared with previous multi-temporal data sets, mean that these data may be used with greater confidence in species' distribution modelling

Combined electroejaculation and in vitro fertilization in the evaluation and treatment of anejaculatory infertility

Seven couples underwent combined electroejaculation and in vitro fertilization for anejaculatory infertility after a failed regimen of electroejaculation and intrauterine insemination. Two pregnancies resulted, one proceeding to a term vaginal delivery and one ending in a 6-week spontaneous abortion. Poor sperm binding and no fertilization were seen in two of the couples. Fertilization of the oocytes but no subsequent pregnancy were seen in the other three couples. Combined in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer was performied in four of the couples. The combination of electroejaculation and in vitro fertilization offers the opportunity to evaluate the female pelvis, observe the sperm-oocyte interaction, and achieve a pregnancy in couples with anejaculatory infertility.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44644/1/10815_2005_Article_BF01133886.pd

Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) for the Subaru Telescope: Overview, recent progress, and future perspectives

PFS (Prime Focus Spectrograph), a next generation facility instrument on the 8.2-meter Subaru Telescope, is a very wide-field, massively multiplexed, optical and near-infrared spectrograph. Exploiting the Subaru prime focus, 2394 reconfigurable fibers will be distributed over the 1.3 deg field of view. The spectrograph has been designed with 3 arms of blue, red, and near-infrared cameras to simultaneously observe spectra from 380nm to 1260nm in one exposure at a resolution of ~1.6-2.7A. An international collaboration is developing this instrument under the initiative of Kavli IPMU. The project is now going into the construction phase aiming at undertaking system integration in 2017-2018 and subsequently carrying out engineering operations in 2018-2019. This article gives an overview of the instrument, current project status and future paths forward.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures. Proceeding of SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 201