Parents Online

Presents findings from surveys conducted between 2000 and 2002. Looks at the use of the Internet and other technology by parents with a child at home, in comparison with non-parents

THE FARM LEVEL EFFECTS OF BETTER ACCESS TO INFORMATION: THE CASE OF DART

In this study, two methods of entering and accessing dairy herd records are compared: the traditional mail-in Dairy Herd Improvement (DHI) system and the Direct Access to Records by Telephone (DART) system, which provides more timely and convenient access to records. An evaluation of DART was carried out using mail survey responses from 117 DART users and telephone surveys of 40 randomly selected users. Results indicate that DART users are generally satisfied with the system and feel that it improves their herd management. Variations in use of the DART system by DART users are explained by herd, cost, and management variables. DART users and comparable non-DART, DHI users are compared with respect to gains in herd production efficiency. Results indicate that DART users made somewhat better gains in most efficiency measures but that the differences were generally not statistically significant.Farm Management,

Filamentary Star Formation: Observing the Evolution toward Flattened Envelopes

Filamentary structures are ubiquitous from large-scale molecular clouds (few parsecs) to small-scale circumstellar envelopes around Class 0 sources (~1000 AU to ~0.1 pc). In particular, recent observations with the Herschel Space Observatory emphasize the importance of large-scale filaments (few parsecs) and star formation. The small-scale flattened envelopes around Class 0 sources are reminiscent of the large-scale filaments. We propose an observationally derived scenario for filamentary star formation that describes the evolution of filaments as part of the process for formation of cores and circumstellar envelopes. If such a scenario is correct, small-scale filamentary structures (0.1 pc in length) with higher densities embedded in starless cores should exist, although to date almost all the interferometers have failed to observe such structures. We perform synthetic observations of filaments at the prestellar stage by modeling the known Class 0 flattened envelope in L1157 using both the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA). We show that with reasonable estimates for the column density through the flattened envelope, the CARMA D-array at 3mm wavelengths is not able to detect such filamentary structure, so previous studies would not have detected them. However, the substructures may be detected with CARMA D+E array at 3 mm and CARMA E array at 1 mm as a result of more appropriate resolution and sensitivity. ALMA is also capable of detecting the substructures and showing the structures in detail compared to the CARMA results with its unprecedented sensitivity. Such detection will confirm the new proposed paradigm of non-spherical star formation.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures. Accepted by Ap

SS433's jet trace from ALMA imaging and Global Jet Watch spectroscopy: evidence for post-launch particle acceleration

We present a comparison of Doppler-shifted H-alpha line emission observed by the Global Jet Watch from freshly-launched jet ejecta at the nucleus of the Galactic microquasar SS433 with subsequent ALMA imaging at mm-wavelengths of the same jet ejecta. There is a remarkable similarity between the transversely-resolved synchrotron emission and the prediction of the jet trace from optical spectroscopy: this is an a priori prediction not an a posteriori fit, confirming the ballistic nature of the jet propagation. The mm-wavelength of the ALMA polarimetry is sufficiently short that the Faraday rotation is negligible and therefore that the observed E-vector directions are accurately orthogonal to the projected local magnetic field. Close to the nucleus the B-field vectors are perpendicular to the direction of propagation. Further out from the nucleus, the B-field vectors that are coincident with the jet instead become parallel to the ridge line; this occurs at a distance where the jet bolides are expected to expand into one another. X-ray variability has also been observed at this location; this has a natural explanation if shocks from the expanding and colliding bolides cause particle acceleration. In regions distinctly separate from the jet ridge line, the fractional polarisation approaches the theoretical maximum for synchrotron emission.Comment: To appear in ApJ Letter

Investigating Performance and Usage of Input Methods for Soft Keyboard Hotkeys

Touch-based devices, despite their mainstream availability, do not support a unified and efficient command selection mechanism, available on every platform and application. We advocate that hotkeys, conventionally used as a shortcut mechanism on desktop computers, could be generalized as a command selection mechanism for touch-based devices, even for keyboard-less applications. In this paper, we investigate the performance and usage of soft keyboard shortcuts or hotkeys (abbreviated SoftCuts) through two studies comparing different input methods across sitting, standing and walking conditions. Our results suggest that SoftCuts not only are appreciated by participants but also support rapid command selection with different devices and hand configurations. We also did not find evidence that walking deters their performance when using the Once input method.Comment: 17+2 pages, published at Mobile HCI 202

Secret Spending in the States

Six years after Citizens United enabled unfettered spending in our elections, the use of so-called dark money has become disturbingly common. Contrary to the Supreme Court's assumption that this unlimited spending would be transparent to voters, at the federal level powerful groups have since 2010 poured hundreds of millions of dollars into influencing elections while obscuring the sources of their funding. But it is at the state and local levels that secret spending is arguably at its most damaging. For a clear understanding of the degree to which dark money is warping American democracy, state ballot referenda and local school board contests may be a better starting point than the presidential campaign or even congressional races. As Chris Herstam, a former Republican majority whip in the Arizona House of Representatives and now lobbyist, put it, "In my 33 years in Arizona politics and government, dark money is the most corrupting influence I have seen."This report documents how far outside spending -- election spending that is not coordinated with candidates -- at the state and local levels has veered from the vision of democratic transparency the Citizens United Court imagined, drawing on an extensive database of news accounts, interviews with a range of stakeholders, campaign finance and tax records, court cases, and social science research. For the first time, it also measures changes in dark money – and a thus far unrecognized rise in what we term "gray money" – at the state level, by analyzing spender and contributor reports in six of nine states where sufficient usable data were available. This set of six geographically and demographically diverse states, comprising Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, and Massachusetts, represents approximately 20 percent of the nation's population.

Use of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-III by therapists for assessing development and recommending treatment for infants in a NICU follow-up clinic

Infants who have been hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may present with a multitude of challenges that put them at risk for delayed development. Early Intervention and specialized NICU follow up clinics are in place to help identify NICU graduates’ need for therapy services. Well-established, standardized assessments, such as the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-III) are utilized by occupational and physical therapists when making recommendations for therapy. The purpose of this retrospective chart review (N=104) was to identify the extent to which BSID-III motor scores were predictive of a referral for further developmental therapy in infants who were seen in NICU follow-up and to examine how therapist clinical judgment related to BSID-III scores. Independent sample t-tests conducted to compare motor performance to recommendations for motor therapy found there was a significant difference in the gross motor scores for those who were and were not recommended for motor therapy. Quality, quantity, and variability of motor skills emerged as recurring themes in therapist’s clinical judgment for initiating motor therapy, despite BSID-III scores that were within normal limits. Findings from this study indicate that the factors that influence follow-up recommendations are complex and that test scores alone were not indicative of whether or not a referral was given. Information gathered from this study may help increase understanding of how BSID-III scores and clinical judgment relate for therapists recommending motor therapy for NICU graduates

Beliefs in advance care planning among Chinese Americans: Similarities and differences between the younger and older generations

The purpose of this research is to explore behavioral, normative, and control beliefs in the discussion of advance care planning (ACP) among older and younger Chinese Americans. Ethnic minority groups have been identified as less engaged in ACP and this represents an ethnic and cultural gap. Older Chinese American adults often have different beliefs and values compared to the younger generation who are more acculturated to American mainstream culture. These differences may hinder the discussion of ACP with Chinese older adults. A qualitative design was used. The Theory of Planned Behavior guided the development of the interview guide. We recruited 60 Chinese Americans. Prior experience was identified as a theme that influenced attitudes about ACP. We found that older and younger Chinese participants had different beliefs in the norm and control related to ACP discussions, but not in the belief of attitudes about ACP discussions. Both younger and older Chinese American participants believed that ACP was important and necessary. Participants in both clusters expressed that they were ready and willing to engage in ACP discussions with their family members but hesitant to initiate these discussions. The reluctance in discussing ACP with Chinese older adults may be related to the expectations and obligations of Xiao (filial piety) in Chinese culture. This study describes the similarities and differences of beliefs in ACP between older and younger Chinese Americans. We identified barriers and facilitators in behavioral, normative, and control beliefs that can be used to promote ACP for Chinese Americans