1,922 research outputs found

    Alaska Felony Sentencing Patterns: Selected Findings

    Get PDF
    This article describes selected findings from the Alaska Judicial Council's recently released report Alaska Felony Sentencing Patterns: 2012–2013. The report examines factors associated with felony sentences under new presumptive ranges set by the Alaska Legislature in 2005 and 2006. The study has been used by the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC), established by the legislature in 2014 to make recommendations about criminal justice reform and sentencing.Classification of Felony Offenses / Background / Selected Finding

    GPS-Denied Navigation Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Images and Neural Networks

    Get PDF
    Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) often rely on GPS for navigation. GPS signals, however, are very low in power and easily jammed or otherwise disrupted. This paper presents a method for determining the navigation errors present at the beginning of a GPS-denied period utilizing data from a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system. This is accomplished by comparing an online-generated SAR image with a reference image obtained a priori. The distortions relative to the reference image are learned and exploited with a convolutional neural network to recover the initial navigational errors, which can be used to recover the true flight trajectory throughout the synthetic aperture. The proposed neural network approach is able to learn to predict the initial errors on both simulated and real SAR image data

    The effects of mnemonics on letter recognition and letter sound acquisition of at-risk kindergarten students

    Get PDF
    This study examined the effectiveness of embedded picture mnemonic alphabet cards on the acquisition of letter name and letter sound knowledge with at-risk kindergarten students in a rural Texas public school. The study compared student achievement against a zero baseline when the student(s) are trained using a dissassociated picture mnemonic to an embedded picture mnemonic. A secondary area of investigation was the “Degree of Difficulty in Learning Letter Names” theory proposed by Treiman, Tincoff, Rodriguez, Mouzaki, & Francis. The theory states that consonant letter names can be divided into three categories based on phoneme characteristics: Easy to learn letters have a consonant-vowel pattern (the letter name for “D” is /d/ /e/); hard letters have a converse pattern of vowel-consonant (the letter name for “M” is /e/ /m/); and the other category has no phoneme pattern reflective to the letter name (the letter name “W” is “double” “you”). Students were randomly selected to either the treatment or the control group and after a ten-day (two week) training period, the students were given one week with no intervention then administered a posttest, followed by another week with no intervention followed by a post-posttest. The purpose for this assessment design was to determine if the training had an effect on long-term memory. Results revealed that children taught with the embedded picture mnemonics learned more letter name associations than did the control group. The embedded picture mnemonic had a positive effect on long term memory reflecting an increase from a moderate effect sizes for letter naming (d = .69) on the first week post test to a large effect size for letter naming (d =1.12) on the second week post test. The results also revealed inconclusive support for Treiman’s et al. (1998) degree of difficulty in learning letter names theory

    AVIAN SCAVENGING, MUMMIFICATION, AND VARIABLE MICRO-ENVIRONMENTS AS FACTORS AFFECTING THE DECOMPOSITION PROCESS IN WESTERN MONTANA

    Get PDF
    The purpose of this research study was to empirically study the temporal order of events of postmortem changes in Missoula, Montana utilizing pig (Sus scrofa) cadavers as human proxies by documenting postmortem changes and rate of soft tissue decomposition of three pigs over the course of one year and 19 days. The data from this study will be compared and contrasted to studies that have occurred elsewhere. A full understanding of the postmortem changes and rate of soft tissue decomposition in this area will help forensic anthropologists better understand why the postmortem interval (PMI) may be different in western Montana than in other states or countries. The current research study reveals that previous methods for estimating the PMI using accumulated degree-days (ADD) and total body score (TBS) are not appropriate for Montana, as the climates are too disparate. Building a body of longitudinal data that documents environmentally related soft tissue decomposition or change will be a first step towards developing a decomposition sequence and time scheme that can be used to more accurately estimate the PMI in this region. In Montana a number of partially decomposed cases enter the medico-legal system each year. Thus, greater knowledge about the postmortem period will be a significant contribution to members of the medico-legal community as well as the criminal justice system. In addition, this data could be extended to similar climatic zones

    Gender-Inclusive Library Workgroup Report

    Get PDF
    The Gender-Inclusive Workgroup explored how VCU Libraries can better serve trans and gender-nonconforming users and staff. The group’s recommendations cover library spaces, staff, systems, services, and culture. Key recommendations include highlighting existing all-gender restrooms; building more gender-inclusive restrooms; expanding availability of menstrual products and disposal bins; continuing support for name-of-use changes in library systems; minimizing display of legal name in library systems; offering ongoing staff training in gender-inclusive language and customer service; and encouraging staff to share pronouns. The workgroup also recommends pursuing a culture of shared learning and inclusive thinking, with a reminder that gender identity is one facet of multiple intersecting identities for people in the VCU community

    IT Managers’ and IT Professionals’ Mobile Device Security Strategies

    Get PDF
    The growing use of mobile devices in the workplace for communicating, transferring, and sharing information, presents increasing security risks as technology evolves. The qualitative exploratory case study presented the insights and perspectives of 15 IT managers’ and IT professionals’ mobile device security strategies through interviews. Some of the themes that emerged from the study include the following: security awareness and training programs help improve visibility and user education; secure networks, updates, authentication, and encryption improve mobile device security; and trusted device recognition is critical in mobile device security. The results highlighted the need to increase awareness and education of mobile device security strategies in the workplace to ensure that transmission of information is not breached

    The DNA damage response promotes Polyomavirus JC infection by nucleus to cytoplasm NF-Kappa B activation.

    Get PDF
    Background: Infection of glial cells by human neurotropic polyomavirus JC (JCV), the causative agent of the CNS demyelinating disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), rapidly inflicts damage to cellular DNA. This activates DNA damage response (DDR) signaling including induction of expression of DNA repair factor Rad51. We previously reported that Rad51 co-operates with the transcription factor NF-κB p65 to activate JCV early transcription. Thus Rad51 induction by JCV infection may provide positive feedback for viral activation early in JCV infection. DDR is also known to stimulate NF-κB activity, a phenomenon known as nucleus to cytoplasm or “insideout” NF-κB signaling, which is initiated by Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein, a serine/threonine kinase recruited and activated by DNA double-strand breaks. Downstream of ATM, there occurs a series of posttranslational modifications of NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO), the γ regulatory subunit of inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB) kinase (IKK), resulting in NF-κB activation. Methods: We analyzed the effects of downstream pathways in the DDR by phosphospecific Western blots and analysis of the subcellular distribution of NEMO by cell fractionation and immunocytochemistry. The role of DDR in JCV infection was analyzed using a small molecule inhibitor of ATM (KU-55933). NEMO sumoylation was investigated by Western and association of ATM and NEMO by immunoprecipitation/Western blots. Results: We show that JCV infection caused phosphorylation and activation of ATM while KU-55933 inhibited JCV replication. JCV infection caused a redistribution of NEMO from cytoplasm to nucleus. Co-expression of JCV large Tantigen and FLAG-tagged NEMO showed the occurrence of sumoylation of NEMO, while co-expression of ATM and FLAG-NEMO demonstrated physical association between ATM and NEMO. Conclusions: We propose a model where JCV infection induces both overexpression of Rad51 protein and activation of the nucleus to cytoplasm NF-κB signaling pathway, which then act together to enhance JCV gene expression

    CONSTRUCTING DISTANCE, RESPONSIBILITY, AND MEMORY MANAGEMENT THEORIES: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL APPROACH TO DEATH NOTIFICATION INTERACTIONS

    Get PDF
    Following a sudden or unexpected death, coroners often communicate the death to the next-of-kin. Death notifications may occur in hospitals, assisted living or dying facilities, homes, offices or workplaces, correctional facilities, schools, or other locations. A death notification has been perceived by outsiders and many researchers as a one-time, unilateral death-telling event. I argue, instead, death notifications are a series of social interactions and processes necessitating multiple actors and mechanisms. The death notification processes begin for the coroner when they are dispatched to a death scene, while the processes begin for the next-of-kin upon the death-telling event. The end is more difficult to distinguish, as I believe death notification processes continue long after a death. This dissertation examines the death notification processes between coroners and next-of-kin using a grounded theory methodological framework. For this study, I gathered interview and observational data from 40 individuals (n=20 coroners/death investigators and 20 next-of-kin). Each participant had at least one death notification experience. As a result, three anthropological grounded theories emerged: Distance Management Theory, Responsibility Management Theory, and Memory Management Theory. Until now, no anthropological study has qualitatively examined how coroners and next-of-kin respond to and manage the tensions and interactions before, during, and after the death notification. Understanding how death impacts those who necessarily interact with it can be transformative for a society who fears or denies it. By stepping from the liminal space of dying to death, this research confronted death where it begins: At the notification. Understanding both perspectives is worthwhile if the goal is to improve the death notification processes for everyone involved; not just the notifier. The implication of this study is the creation of both publicly offered and policy-oriented teaching materials for coroners, grief facilitators, medical personnel, end-of-life professionals, death doulas, nursing home personnel, and other community members involved with death notification interactions and processes

    Recruitment and retention of tutors in problem-based learning: why teachers in medical education tutor

    Get PDF
    Introduction: Problem-based learning (PBL) is resource-intensive, particularly as it relates to tutors for small group learning. This study explores the factors that contributed to tutor participation in PBL in a medical training program, examining tutor recruitment and retention within the larger scope of teacher satisfaction and motivation in higher education. Method: From 2007 to 2010, following the introduction of new PBL-based curriculum in undergraduate medical education, all faculty members serving as tutors were invited to attend an interview as part of this study. Semi-structured interviews approximately one hour in length were conducted with 14 individuals- 11 who had tutored in PBL within the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and 3 faculty members who had chosen not to participate in PBL. Thematic analysis was employed as the framework for analysis of the data. Results: Seven factors were identified as affecting recruitment and retention of tutors in the undergraduate medical education program. Discussion: We suggest that identification and strengthening of the factors that promote tutor recruitment and retention may serve to strengthen PBL initiatives and, furthermore, may increase our understanding of motivation by academics in other aspects of medical education
    • …
    corecore