A picture is worth a thousand words: The perplexing problem of indexing images

Indexing images has always been problematic due to their richness of content and innate subjectivity. Three traditional approaches to indexing images are described and analyzed. An introduction of the contemporary use of social tagging is presented along with its limitations. Traditional practices can continue to be used as a stand-alone solution, however deficiencies limit retrieval. A collaborative technique is supported by current research and a model created by the authors for its inception is explored. CONTENTdm® is used as an example to illustrate tools that can help facilitate this process. Another potential solution discussed is the expansion of algorithms used in computer extraction to include the input and influence of human indexer intelligence. Further research is recommended in each area to discern the most effective method

The Effects of Soil Parameters on the Growth and Survival of Chestnut

American chestnut was an important tree species in the eastern North American forest until near extirpation by chestnut blight. The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) has been working to breed a blight-resistant chestnut through a backcross program using American and Chinese chestnuts. The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) is a collaboration founded between environmental groups, the coal industry, academic institutions, citizen groups, and agencies to restore coal-mined lands. Forests were the predominant pre-mining vegetation of much of Appalachia’s present strip-mined areas, and are more beneficial ecologically and economically than the pasture that has been the post-mining land use. With the union of TACF’s hybrid seedlings and ARRI’s mission of mine reclamation, research is needed to examine the effectiveness of the establishment of chestnut on reclaimed mine lands. This study focused on a plantation of chestnut on reclaimed mine land in Carroll County, Ohio, with the aim of determining if soil factors, slope, and aspect significantly account for the observed differences among individuals in survival and growth. One hundred and forty trees were selected in a grid pattern, with a tree being the sampling unit. Soil sampling involved taking samples with a soil probe and a bulb planter. Soil analyses included pH, texture, bulk density, relative moisture, and a visual description of color and coarse fragments. Tree sampling classified samples as live and dead, and cross-sectional area was calculated for living trees. Statistical methods utilized included analysis of variance and linear regression. Relationships were explored among combinations of variables such as cross-sectional area and texture, observing both degree of correlation and significance. Analysis is ongoing but preliminary results indicate a significant relationship between tree survival and slope, with moisture and pH appearing to be important co-factors.No embarg

Assessment of the Use of Non-Pharmacological Methods for Managing Depression in Patients with Myotonic Dystrophy (DM) and Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD)

Background: Myotonic dystrophy (DM) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) are two types of muscular dystrophies with multi-system manifestations. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine 1: the prevalence of depression in patients with myotonic dystrophy (DM) and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and 2: which non-pharmacological methods DM and FSHD patients are using to manage their depression. Methods: A survey was conducted using the online system, Qualtrics. The voluntary and anonymous survey was emailed to 1,205 eligible patients from the National Registry for DM and FSHD Patients and Family Members at the University of Rochester. Participants were at least 18 years old, a member of the registry, and diagnosed with DM or FSHD. The 65 question survey included questions on basic demographic information, depression diagnosis, medication use and effectiveness, and non-pharmacological management. Surveys were collected between May 2017 and August 2017 and the responses were analyzed and compared to the general population. The study was approved by the St. John Fisher College Institutional Review Board and the Registry Scientific Advisory Committee. Results: Of the 1,205 surveys that were sent, 466 patients responded. A total of 46 percent of patients had DM (DM1 30 percent, n=138/460 and DM2 16 percent, n=75/460) and 48 percent (n=223/460) of respondents had FSHD. Of the study respondents, 34 percent (n=150/436) reported being diagnosed with depression, while 8 percent (n=24/294) feel depressed, but haven’t been diagnosed. Non-pharmacological techniques used by patients who were diagnosed with depression or feel that they are depressed included: exercise (33 percent, n=57/150), relaxation techniques once per week (51 percent, n=50/98), and visiting a counselor or therapist once per week (11 percent, n=4/37). The most common type of relaxation technique used was meditation (52 percent, n=77/147) followed by yoga (18 percent, n=24/147). In conclusion, 32 percent (n=34/107) stated that relaxation techniques helped them, and 49 percent (n=52/107) stated that relaxation techniques may have helped them. Conclusion: Patients with both DM and FSHD have been diagnosed with depression. To manage their depression, and similar to what occurs in the general population, DM and FSHD patients are using a combination of both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies. DM and FSHD patients also believe that these non-pharmacologic methods, which include exercise, counseling, and relaxation techniques are helpful in their managing depression

Germanium Esaki Diodes by N-type In-Situ Doping

A rapid melt growth process is performed in the formation of Esaki tunnel junctions on in-situ n-doped germanium on silicon substrates. An aluminum-silicon alloy is used as the p-dopant for the junctions as well as an ohmic contact for testing. The rapid thermal anneal (RTA), used for the incorporation of the aluminum-silicon, is characterized by varying ramp rate and peak anneal temperatures. It is found that peak anneal temperature is the dominant factor affecting the current density through the devices. The maximum current density recorded is 2098mA/cm2 at a peak anneal temperature of 620°C

Meeting the Need for K-8 Teachers for Classrooms with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: The Promise and Challenge of Early Field Experiences

The writers present the findings of their study focused on teacher learning through early fieldwork experiences to address the problem of teachers working with a culturally and linguistically diverse student population. Data were analyzed from an archive collected from approximately 500 students enrolled in six undergraduate child development courses at three state university campuses located in urban areas of California. Findings suggest that early field experiences provide participants with opportunities for career goal clarification, and the context of field experience is significant and may lead to outcomes beyond the initial goal of the experience

The Globetrotter: Cosmopolitan Travel, Connecting Cultures and Conjuring the 'Authentic' East, 1870-1920

Abstract: The Globetrotter: Cosmopolitan Travel, Connecting Cultures and Conjuring the ‘Authentic’ East, 1870-1920 Amy Miller Globetrotters were a new type of nineteenth-century traveller created from the confluence of three historic developments: British imperial dominance in India, the new presence of Britons in Chinese and Japanese Treaty Ports, and the improvements of steam technology, railway networks and the engineering that produced the Suez Canal. These technological advances accelerated the compression of time and space which meant that not only were the British colonies, with their mercantile and military concerns, nearer to home, but that tourists could ‘trot’ around the world in a matter of months. This dissertation considers how the gaze of globetrotters developed and changed during the period between 1870, when the opening of the Suez Canal promoted greater accessibility to the ‘East’, and 1920, when luxury Cruise Liners changed the culture of travel. Globetrotters’ collections and accounts brought something new to those at home: the global East, which notwithstanding their ‘orientalist’ view, distinguished among Asian cultures. Travellers chronicled a ‘cultural’ journey of distinct cultures and customs that both challenged and confirmed pre-existing tropes of the ‘East’ by conjuring their own ‘authentic’ version through their experiences and the objects they brought home. They also charted a journey, that of the transformation of self through mutual encounter with local populations. In this dissertation, chapters assessing globetrotters’ experiences through the cultural engagement of networks, space, food and collecting will explore these developments through three overarching themes: the gaze and mutual encounter, social distinction and authenticity, and cosmopolitanism and the differentiated East of India, China and Japan

Assessing change and resilience in a northern New Mexico acequia irrigation community

Acequias in New Mexico are the oldest water management institutions of European origin in the United States. Remarkably, the acequias studied in this project have been continuously maintained for over 200 years. These communal water management systems have survived through major droughts and persisted through time, but are now vulnerable to new disturbances that threaten their livelihood. Research on these disturbances helps us protect acequias, not only for their inherent cultural and historic values, but also for the example they provide as an effective way to manage water in times of scarcity. This should be particularly important in an era and region of current and projected water shortages. Three major disturbances affecting the Rio Hondo acequias were studied in this project: land use change, climate change, and demographic change. Land use change was quantified over time by examining historic and contemporary aerial photos of the region in a Geographic Information Systems program and by utilizing a historic crop report. Climate data were collected from a number of sources and evaluated using a statistical trend test. Demographic data were collected mainly from the U.S. Census and the American Community Survey and analyzed through time. The findings suggest a loss of 25 percent of the agricultural lands in the Rio Hondo between 1969 and 2010, a shift towards less crop diversification, and displacement of agricultural land by development. The climate change research findings indicate that the region has experienced increased temperatures and drier conditions over time. Substantial shifts in demographics took place, including a decline in Hispanics and increase in Anglos, an aging of the population, and large overall population growth rates. Even with these major changes, the acequias in the Rio Hondo are found to be resilient, although there is some evidence of weakening of the acequia institution. Recommendations for future resilience are provided based on the report findings