Integrated context-aware and cloud-based adaptive home screens for android phones

This is the post-print version of this Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 Springer VerlagThe home screen in Android phones is a highly customizable user interface where the users can add and remove widgets and icons for launching applications. This customization is currently done on the mobile device itself and will only create static content. Our work takes the concept of Android home screen [3] one step further and adds flexibility to the user interface by making it context-aware and integrated with the cloud. Overall results indicated that the users have a strong positive bias towards the application and that the adaptation helped them to tailor the device to their needs by using the different context aware mechanisms

Role of the cell wall in freezing tolerance of plants

1989 Spring.Covers not scanned.Includes bibliographical references.Acoustic emissions were observed during freezing of woody supercooling (Fraxinus americana, Malus x 'Dolgo', Pyrus communis, and Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and nonsupercooling species (Pinus edulis, Pinus ponderosa, and Cornus sericea). Observations of hundreds of samples revealed several consistent responses. Acoustic emissions were in no case associated with the high temperature exotherm (extracellular freezing) and are therefore not a result of ice formation per se. The emissions just preceded the low temperature exotherm in supercooling species and stopped at the same time intracellular freezing was completed (near -40°C). Although some acoustic emissions occurred during freezing of non-supercooling species the quantity was considerably less. The concept of negative turgor as a cause of cavitation of cellular water, detected as acoustic emissions, is proposed to explain these observations. When etiolated pea (Pisum sativum) cv. Alaska) seedlings were acclimated at 2°C, changes in several cell wall properties were observed. The weight of the cell wall increased by 40% and arabinosyl content doubled while other glycosyl residues and cellulose remained essentially unchanged. The level of hydroxyproline increased by 80%. Arabinose and especially hydroxyproline are indicators of the glycoprotein extensin. The increase in these components translates to a significant increase in this cell wall structural protein. Measurement of the mRNA for extensin by Northern blot analysis revealed a more than 3-fold increase in the total of all transcripts found (6.0, 4.5, 3.5, 2.6, 2.3, and 1.5 kilobases), while increases in certain transcripts (6.0, 2.6, and 1.5 kilobases) appeared to be especially promoted. The possible structural role of extensin in freezing tolerance and its regulation at the gene level are examined. Pea epicotyls grown in osmotic stress up to -1.15 MPa imposed by growth in polyethylene glycol solutions were visibly stunted and became 10°C more tolerant to freezing. During this period extensin level in the cell wall increased significantly. When water was withheld from etiolated seedlings the water potential dropped from -0.42 to -1.14 MPa and was coincident with a 7°C increase in freezing tolerance, a 44% increase in cell wall extensin, and a dramatic drop in extensin mRNA. In both water stress treatments there was no specific increase in extensin mRNA transcripts identified at 6.0, 4.5, 3.5, 2.6, 2.3, 1.8, and 1.5 kilobases. Pea epicotyls that were either wounded or exposed to ethylene showed no clear change in freezing tolerance, or total extensin mRNA, but had a significant rise in cell wall extensin. The same mRNA transcripts were found with the addition of a band at 1.2 kilobases. Interestingly, the 1.5 kilobase transcript was upregulated significantly more than other bands in both wounded and ethylene treated peas

Mathematical representation for VLSI arrays

Journal ArticleThis paper introduces a methodology for mapping algorithmic description into a concurrent implementation on silicon. This methodology can help in the solution of important problems using a new technique for the representation of highly parallel networks. This new approach for the representation of computational networks was inspired by the systolic array approach [H. T. Kung & Leiserson 78], and by the linear approach to computational networks [Cohen 78]. It creates tools which will enable the creation of new high performance implementations as well as verification tools. This approach is more complex than the linear approach [Gill 66, Cohen 78]. but can also be used to verify computation networks

Reduction of Garbage in the Diet of Nonbreeding Glaucous Gulls Corresponding to a Change in Waste Management

Glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus) are major predators in the Arctic and may benefit from human development. We studied use of garbage by glaucous gulls in Barrow, Alaska, in 2007, when municipal waste was disposed of in a landfill, and in 2008, when it was incinerated. In both years, diet samples from breeding adult gulls contained less garbage than those from loafing nonbreeding gulls (mostly subadults of less than four years), possibly because the breeding colony was more distant than many loafing sites from the landfills. Although breeding gull samples showed no change, garbage in regurgitated pellets and food remains of nonbreeding gulls was significantly less prevalent in 2008 than in 2007 (28% vs. 43% occurrence in diet samples), and this reduction could be explained by the switch from landfill to waste incineration. Yet garbage remained a substantial part of nonbreeding gull diet after the management change. Other aspects of waste management, such as storage prior to disposal, may also be important in limiting scavengers’ access to garbage and thus reducing the indirect impact of human development on prey species of conservation concern.Dans l’Arctique, le goéland bourgmestre (Larus hyperboreus) est un important prédateur, et celui-ci pourrait bénéficier du développement humain. Nous nous sommes penchés sur l’utilisation qu’a fait le goéland bourgmestre des déchets à Barrow, en Alaska, en 2007 lorsque les déchets municipaux aboutissaient dans un site d’enfouissement puis en 2008, lorsque les déchets municipaux étaient incinérés. Au cours de ces deux années, les échantillons alimentaires prélevés chez les goélands adultes reproducteurs renfermaient moins de déchets que les échantillons prélevés auprès des goélands non-reproducteurs qui flânaient (des goélands immatures de moins de quatre ans dans la plupart des cas), probablement parce que la colonie de reproduction était plus loin des sites d’enfouissement que des nombreux lieux de flânerie. Bien que les échantillons prélevés chez les goélands reproducteurs ne laissent entrevoir aucun changement, les déchets se trouvant dans les pelotes de régurgi­tation et les restes d’aliments des goélands non-reproducteurs étaient beaucoup moins considérables en 2008 qu’en 2007 (soit une occurrence de 28 % par rapport à 43 % dans les échantillons alimentaires), réduction qui pourrait être attribuable au fait que les déchets étaient incinérés et non plus enfouis. Pourtant, les déchets constituaient toujours une partie importante du régime alimentaire des goélands non-reproducteurs après que la méthode d’élimination des déchets a subi des changements. D’autres aspects de la gestion des déchets, tels que le stockage des déchets avant leur élimination, pourraient également jouer un rôle important quand vient le temps de restreindre l’accès de ces charognards aux déchets, ce qui aurait pour effet de réduire les incidences indirectes du développement humain sur les espèces de proies suscitant des inquiétudes en matière de conservation

Theory of enhanced dynamical photo-thermal bi-stability effects in cuprous oxide/organic hybrid heterostructure

We theoretically demonstrate the formation of multiple bi-stability regions in the temperature pattern on the interface between a cuprous oxide quantum well and DCM2:CA:PS organic compound. The Frenkel molecular exciton of the DCM2 is brought into resonance with the $1S$ quadrupole Wannier-Mott exciton in the cuprous oxide by "solvatochromism" with CA. The resulting hybrid is thermalized with surrounding helium bath. This leads to strongly non-linear temperature dependence of the laser field detuning from the quadrupole exciton energy band which is associated with the temperature induced red shift of the Wannier exciton energy. Numerical up and down-scan for the detuning reveals hysteresis-like temperature distribution. The obtained \emph{multiple} bi-stability regions are at least three orders of magnitude bigger ($meV$) than the experimentally observed bi-stability in bulk cuprous oxide ($\mu eV$). The effective absorption curve exhibits highly asymmetrical behavior for the Frenkel-like (above the $1S$ energy) and Wannier-like (below the $1S$ energy) branches of the hybrid.Comment: 6 pages, 7 Figure

Population Dynamics of \u3cem\u3eEmpoasca fabae\u3c/em\u3e (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Central Iowa Alfalfa Fields

Adults and nymphs of Empoasca fabae Harris (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and adults of predatory species in the families Coccinellidae, Anthocoridae, Nabidae, Chrysopidae, and Hemerobiidae were sampled in Iowa alfalfa fields from June to September in 1999 and 2000. The relationship between each predatory taxa and E. fabae was examined using regression analysis. In 2000, all predators were found to be positively correlated with the presence of E. fabae during all periods sampled and most likely contributed to mortality. Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthoridae) was the most numerous insect predatory species; population numbers ranged from 0 to 1 and 0.1 to 3.7 adults per 0.25 m2 in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Partial life tables were constructed for E. fabae nymphs for two alfalfa-growing periods. Nymphs were grouped into three age intervals: first and second, third and fourth, and fifth instars. For the first alfalfa growing period examined, E. fabae nymphal mortality was 70% in 1999 and 49% in 2000. During the last growing period of each season (August–September), total nymphal mortality was relatively low (E. fabae density ranged from 5.4 to 25.6 and 1.4–9.2 per 0.25 m2 in 1999 and 2000, respectively. E. fabae population peaks were similar for each age interval in all growing periods. This study provides further information on the population dynamics of E. fabae and its relationship with select predatory species in Iowa alfalfa fields

An Appreciative Approach to Diversity Training

One way to combat "diversity fatigue" is to take an appreciative approach to diversity training. This article highlights the six phases of Appreciative Education and how diversity trainers can use specific activities for each phase to deliver effective diversity training