A Better Deal for Cohabiting Fathers? Union Status Differences in Father Involvement

We use the package deal framework to study the trajectory of father involvement over time as a function of union status, while also examining reporting differences in father involvement by parent gender. Data on 4,224 mother-father pairs are from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study. Average father involvement at the child’s first birthday is 3.25 days per week and declines at a rate of .17 days per year. Mothers, on average, report father involvement to be .57 days less than fathers report. Parents who remain in a continuous coresidential union, who transition from cohabitation to marriage, or who transition from a noncoresidential state to a coresidential union experience the highest levels of father involvement and the lowest levels of discrepancy between mothers’ and fathers’ reports. Cohabiting fathers exhibit higher average levels of father involvement than married fathers. We discuss the place of cohabiting families in light of our findings.father involvement, fatherhood, gender, cohabiting, marriage

Distorção de lentes: captura de imagem, racismo e subversão da fotografia colonial à “iborder”

This intervention emerged from the increase of use of facial recognition technologies on population management, specifically on European migration management. Inspired by these circumstances I reflect over the use of optical lens from the early use of the camera by Europeans in colonial times in connection to contemporary image capture devices as a tracking tool to detecting and encamp people on the move. I believe that this archaeological methodology with an aesthetic sensibility allows to reveal how contemporary disciplinary techniques of image capture are produced by a complex relation of power and knowledge framed within the same biometric logic of truth-seeking that marked the European colonial domination. I conclude my intervention by featuring a powerful artwork of a contemporary artist that with her artwork disrupts the illusory claim of scientific truth and impartiality that still nowadays colonizes the system of visual verification, by upsetting its cluster of relations of power, by evoking forgotten African roots of modernity.Esta intervención surgió del aumento del uso de tecnologías de reconocimiento facial en la gestión de la población, más concretamente en el control de la migración europea. Inspirado por estas circunstancias, reflexiono sobre el uso de lentes ópticos desde el uso de la cámara por parte de los primeros europeos como un arma colonial hasta los dispositivos de captura de imágenes actuales como una herramienta de seguimiento para detectar y acampar a las personas en movimiento. Creo que esta metodología arqueológica con sensibilidad estética nos permite revelar cómo las técnicas disciplinarias contemporáneas de captura de imágenes son producidas por una compleja relación de poder y conocimiento enmarcada en la misma lógica biométrica de búsqueda de la verdad que marcó la dominación colonial europea. Concluyo mi intervención presentando una poderosa obra de arte de un artista contemporáneo que rompe la pretensión ilusoria de verdad científica e imparcialidad que todavía coloniza el sistema de verificación visual y evoca las raíces africanas olvidadas de la modernidad, rompiendo finalmente su conjunto de relaciones de poder.Esta intervenção surgiu do aumento da utilização de tecnologias de reconhecimento facial na gestão da população, mais especificamente no controle da migração europeia. Inspirado por essas circunstâncias, reflito sobre o uso de lentes ópticas desde o início do uso da câmera pelos europeus como arma colonial até os dispositivos de captura de imagens atuais como uma ferramenta de rastreamento para detectar e acampar pessoas em movimento. Creio que esta metodologia arqueológica com sensibilidade estética permite revelar como as técnicas disciplinares contemporâneas de captação de imagens são produzidas por uma relação complexa de poder e saber enquadrada na mesma lógica biométrica de procura da verdade que marcou a dominação colonial europeia. Concluo minha intervenção apresentando uma poderosa obra de arte de uma artista contemporânea que rompe a reivindicação ilusória de verdade científica e imparcialidade que ainda coloniza o sistema de verificação visual e evocando raízes africanas esquecidas da modernidade, em última instância perturbando seu conjunto de relações de poder

Analysis of stochastic probing methods for estimating the trace of functions of sparse symmetric matrices

We consider the problem of estimating the trace of a matrix function $f(A)$. In certain situations, in particular if $f(A)$ cannot be well approximated by a low-rank matrix, combining probing methods based on graph colorings with stochastic trace estimation techniques can yield accurate approximations at moderate cost. So far, such methods have not been thoroughly analyzed, though, but were rather used as efficient heuristics by practitioners. In this manuscript, we perform a detailed analysis of stochastic probing methods and, in particular, expose conditions under which the expected approximation error in the stochastic probing method scales more favorably with the dimension of the matrix than the error in non-stochastic probing. Extending results from [E. Aune, D. P. Simpson, J. Eidsvik, Parameter estimation in high dimensional Gaussian distributions, Stat. Comput., 24, pp. 247--263, 2014], we also characterize situations in which using just one stochastic vector is always -- not only in expectation -- better than the deterministic probing method. Several numerical experiments illustrate our theory and compare with existing methods

Computation of the von Neumann entropy of large matrices via trace estimators and rational Krylov methods

We consider the problem of approximating the von Neumann entropy of a large, sparse, symmetric positive semidefinite matrix $A$, defined as $\operatorname{tr}(f(A))$ where $f(x)=-x\log x$. After establishing some useful properties of this matrix function, we consider the use of both polynomial and rational Krylov subspace algorithms within two types of approximations methods, namely, randomized trace estimators and probing techniques based on graph colorings. We develop error bounds and heuristics which are employed in the implementation of the algorithms. Numerical experiments on density matrices of different types of networks illustrate the performance of the methods.Comment: 32 pages, 10 figure

Doctoral Students: Online, On Time, and On to Graduation

Increased numbers of students are enrolling in online doctoral programs. Although students enroll for a variety of reasons, many do not persist to the dissertation phase. The results of this quantitative study can guide the development of retention strategies for students who are at risk of academic failure in doctoral programs

MESSA PUNTO E VALIDAZIONE DI UN METODO PER LA DETERMNAZIONE DELL\ubfACIDO SALICILICO E ACIDO FERULICO NELL\ubfUOMO, E STUDIO DELL'INFLUENZA DEL PATTERN DI MEDITERRANEIT\uc0 DELLA DIETA SULLE CONCENTRAZIONI EMATICHE DI DUESTE DUE MOLECOLE.

A chronic systemic inflammation is reported to be involved in atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. Evidences suggest that elevated levels of circulating pro-inflammatory markers (interleukin 6, C-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor alpha) are risk factors for many chronic diseases (Battezzati A, 2005). Food choices play an important role because of macro and micronutrients may interact with human body producing specific metabolic and inflammatory responses relevant to the prevention of chronic-degenerative diseases (Dauchet L, 2009, Pelucchi C, 2009). Particularly, fruit and vegetable provide measurable amounts of bioactive compounds, such as Salicylic acid (SA) that is an ubiquitous hormone in plants. Circulating SA in human is related to fruit and vegetable consumption [Spadafranca et al 2006]. However, only few studies report the effect of acute meal administration on the blood concentrations of salicylic acid. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate the short-term effect of a single meal of fruit on blood concentrations of salicylic acid and the effects of fruit intake on metabolic and inflammatory parameters are unknown. Based on these considerations, a simple, highly selective, and sensitive method using stable isotope dilution and gas chromatography\u2013mass spectrometry has been developed to quantify Salicylic acid and Ferulic acid at concentrations naturally occurring in human serum. This method involves: \u2022 deproteinization with ACN; \u2022 enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-glucuronidase. \u2022 Liquid-liquid extraction with ethylacetate and diethyl ether \u2022 derivatization with BSFTA+TMS1% \u2022 GC-MS- electron impact-selective ion monitoring analysis. We therefore administrated to 26 healthy subjects a peach shake (PSM), of known SA content and centesimal composition, and an isoglucidic solution (MSM). The evening before the tests Group1 (n=16) abstained from FV consumption; Group2 (n=10) kept a free diet. During the tests circulating SA, glucose, insulin, FFA, IL-6 and CRP were measured. Basal SA was lower (p<0,001) in Group1 (0.09\ub10.02 \u3bcmol/l) than in Group2 (0,30\ub10,03 \u3bcmol/l). After PSM, SA peaked at 90 min in Group1 (0,18\ub10,01 \u3bcmol/l, p<0.01) and Group2 (0,38\ub10,02 \u3bcmol/l, p<0.05) and remained above baseline (p<0.05) up to 3 hours. Glycemia increased more slowly with PSM than MSM (+9,69\ub10,70 vs +28,21\ub13,15 mg/dl at 15 min, p<0.01) with a lower average glucose excursion (p<0.05). Insulin peaked at 45 min with PSM and MSM (41,49\ub15,94 vs 38,40\ub15,56 \ub5IU/ml) and decrease less rapidly with PSM. FFA were percentually more suppressed (p<0,01) after PSM. IL-6 increased less (p<0.05) with PSM than MSM. CRP was similar between the meals. In conclusion, peach consumption increases circulating SA for more than three hours. Compared to a watery carbohydrates mix, fruit results in a slower plasma glucose increment, and a lower glucose excursion a smaller increment of inflammatory cytokines. Our results confirm that SA is normally present in the blood of people that does not take salicylates drugs. Fruit and vegetables are the main dietary sources of SA and subjects on a free diet, showed concentrations of SA three times higher than individuals who abstained from fruit and vegetables consumption. However, we noticed that SA is still present in blood in individuals who abstained from eating fruits and vegetables in the previous twelve hours. This phenomenon could be due to the long half-life of SA (Hare LG, 2003) either to endogenous metabolic pathways as recently suggested by Paterson (Paterson JR, 2008). Moreover it is interesting to notice that the concentrations of SA achieved in our study are similar to those found by Xu et al (Xu, 1999) to be effective in inhibiting COX-2 gene transcription in HUVE cells. Even though ASA is clinically used at doses that are two orders of magnitude greater than the doses naturally delivered in our study, we demonstrated that after a fruit meal, basal circulating SA may be reach concentrations comparable with those found by Blacklock et al, 2001 in vegetarians and may overlap those of subjects chronically taking aspirin 75 mg/die

A Histological Study of Ovarian Development in the Giant Red Shrimp Aristaeomorpha foliacea (Crustacea: Decapoda: Aristeidae) from the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Western Mediterranean)

The reproductive features of the giant red shrimp, Aristaeomorpha foliacea, were investigated in the southern Tyrrhenian sea by experimental trawl sampling. The annual length-frequency distribution showed a multimodal trend in females, ranging between 16 and 67 mm carapace length (CL), and a unimodal trend in males (18–45 mm CL). Mature males occurred in different proportions all year round, while females displayed seasonal maturity (June—September), with a peak in July. Six oocyte developmental stages were identified, the most advanced of which (Pv, postvitellogenic) had never been described before in this species. Ovary development followed a group-synchronous pattern, with the yolked oocyte stock clearly separated from the reservoir of unyolked oocytes, suggesting that A. foliacea is a total spawner, with determinate fecundity. Based upon histological findings, a revision of macroscopic maturity staging employed in Mediterranean bottom trawl surveys (MEDITS) is proposed

Target-Aware Neural Architecture Search and Deployment for Keyword Spotting

Keyword spotting (KWS) utilities have become increasingly popular on a wide range of mobile and home devices, representing a prolific application field for Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), which are commonly exploited to perform keyword classification. Addressing the challenges of targeting such resource-constrained platforms, requires a careful definition of the CNN architecture and the overall system implementation. These reasons have led to a growing need for design and optimization flows, able to intrinsically take into account the system's performance when ported on the target platform. In this work, we present a design methodology based on Neural Architecture Search, exploited to combine the exploration of the optimal network topology, the audio pre-processing scheme, and the data quantization policy. The proposed design flow includes target-awareness in the exploration loop, comparing the different design alternatives according to a model-based pre-evaluation of metrics like execution latency, memory footprint, and energy consumption, evaluated considering the application's execution on the target processing platform. We have tested our design flow to obtain target-specific CNNs for a resource-constrained commercial platform, the ST SensorTile. Considering two different application scenarios, enabling the comparison with the state-of-the-art of efficient CNN-based models for KWS, we have obtained up to a 1.8% accuracy improvement and a 40% footprint reduction in the most favorable case