Interplay of Desktop and Mobile Apps with Web Services in an Introductory Programming Course

This paper describes a case study of a second-semester introductory programming course for information systems (IS) students that combined desktop and mobile application development and consumption of existing web services. Our aim was to provide students with a holistic view of how different types of applications can be developed and combined to solve real-world problems, as the students learned the basics of programming. Students progressively built a desktop Java application with a graphical user interface for a local public transit system. It combined the use of basic algorithms, existing web services for geo-coding and mapping to illustrate a recommended route on the system. Students then ported this application to the Android platform re-using most of the code they had already developed. Along with fulfilling the traditional objectives of an introductory course, this course also demonstrated the possible interplay of stand-alone components and web services in desktop and mobile applications and kept the students motivated and engaged throughout the semester

ON TESTING FOR SIGNIFICANT QUANTITATIVE TRAIT LOCI (QTL) EFFECTS WHEN VARIANCES ARE UNEQUAL

The basic theory of QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) mapping is to score a population for a quantitative trait according to the marker genotype, and then to use statistics to identify differences associated with the markers and the quantitative trait of interest. Permutation based methods have been used to estimate threshold values for quantitative mapping. The permutation test based on the Student t-test for equality of means does not control Type I error rate to its nominal value when variances are unequal. In this study we propose a modification of the Student t-test based on the jackknife estimator of population variance. Janssen [20] had proposed a permutation version of the Welch test to compare equality of means under heterogeneous error distributions. The Monte Carlo method is used to compare the type I error rate of the proposed jackknife test, Janssen’s permutation test, and permutation test based on the Student t-test. The Monte Carlo study also compares the power of the proposed jackknife test, Janssen’s permutation test, and permutation test based on the Student t-test. Also, the power for each test was calculated and compared after adjusting for Type I error rates

Distribution of Common Raccoons and Coyotes During Quail Nesting Season

Mammalian predation of quail and their eggs is a problem to many producers of quail particularly considering that abundance of common meso-predators, such as coyotes (Canis latrans) and common raccoons (Procyon lotor), is increasing. Predator removal programs are often not cost effective in increasing quail numbers but habitat management may be appropriate. There is a need for detailed knowledge of the habitat preferences and foraging patterns of these predators so producers of quail may limit predation of quail through management decisions and habitat manipulation. We placed GPS collars on 5 coyotes and 11 raccoons at Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, Fisher County, Texas during the nesting season of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus). The location of each animal was recorded at 5-min intervals for 35–42 consecutive nights. Habitat use and selectivity was calculated by Chi-square test of proportional use and availability of ecological sites both within the minimum convex polygon area used by each animal and throughout the ranch and adjacent 3-km buffer zone. Distribution of marked animals relative to roads, water, and quail feeders was compared to an equal number of randomly generated locations. Coyotes preferentially hunted in grassland which is prime nesting habitat for northern bobwhites. Coyotes were not deterred from accessing grassland with high concentrations of low growing plains prickly pear (Opuntia polyacantha). The nocturnal paths taken by coyotes over 1 month effectively covered virtually all the grassland habitat within their home range which increases the probability of locating nesting quail. Coyotes used ranch roads for travel but had little attraction to quail feeders and water sources. Raccoons favored areas of heavy cover such as riparian woodland and boulder strewn hillsides. Female raccoons had small home ranges and remained within thick cover. They rarely entered the more open habitats where quail nest and did not use ranch roads or seek out quail feeders which were mainly in grassland areas, nor did they encounter cactus-dominated grassland areas. Male raccoons had more expansive home ranges than females; they favored riparian strips and rocky hills as travel corridors but also ventured into more open habitats. They strongly avoided cactus-dominated areas but used grassland where scattered shrubs provided additional cover. Male raccoons within these areas used ranch roads for ease of travel and certain individuals frequently visited quail feeding stations. The tortuous nocturnal foraging path followed by raccoons provided efficient search patterns for locating scattered resources such as quail nests. Raccoons are generally considered to be more problematic predators of quail nests than coyotes. Where coyotes are less of a threat to quail than raccoons, tolerating the presence of coyotes may protect quail through competitive exclusion of raccoons from grasslands by the larger predator. Similarly, cactus in grasslands is seen as a problem for grazing livestock and a hindrance to quail hunters, but leaving some areas dominated by cactus may provide quail with valuable nesting refugia inaccessible to raccoons. The success of supplemental feed programs for quail should be balanced against the problem of altering the distribution of raccoons so they spend more time in quail nesting habitat and are more likely to discover quail nests. Placing feeders in areas where cover for predators is limited is advisable, as is targeted predator removal at quail feeding stations

Investigation of Mechanical Properties and Phase Analysis in Boiler Plate ASME SA-516-60 Grade by Welding Process

A detailed study on the microstructure, phase analysis and mechanical properties, HAZ width of BQ PLATE ASME SA 516 – 60 GRADE weld metal V- joint and heat-affected zone of 10 mm thick BQ plate was carried out using metallurgical microscopy, with Onix vision Video microscope projection system including mega pixel camera and image analysis software. The various sub-zones in the microstructure were observed in the HAZ of weld, base metal and weld pool are spheroidized, partially transformed, grain refined and grain coarsened. The main purpose of present work is to investigation and correlate the relationship between the various parameters; mechanical properties and microstructure of single “V” butt joint of Boiler Quality plate

Robust Estimation and Inference on Current Status Data with Applications to Phase IV Cancer Trial

The use of piecewise exponential distributions was proposed by Rai et al. (2013) for analyzing cardiotoxicity data. Some parametric models are proposed, but the focus is on the Weibull distribution, which overcomes the limitation of piecewise exponential