Rethinking the Digital Media Library for RIT\u27s The Wallace Center

In 2012, the Digital Preservation Team at Rochester Institute of Technology\u27s The Wallace Center undertook an assessment of its Institutional Repository, the Digital Media Library. The Digital Preservation Team looked at the repository\u27s current performance and requirements for ensuring its future success, and then examined four different philosophical approaches to configuring an IR that are in use by research institutions today: All-in-one, Archival, Researcher-centric and Subject. The team also compared open source vs. in-house repository providers and services including DSpace, Digital Commons, IR+, and Discovery Garden. A decision was made to move from the open source software DSpace to the full-service hosted software bepress from Digital Commons. The new repository will have a narrower research focus and will be rebranded RIT Scholar Works. It will be launched in fall of 2013. This article describes the configuration approaches that were considered and how each approach would impact the Digital Media Library, leading to the final recommendation

UA68/3/2/1 Forensic Story

Audiotape interview regarding the restablishment of the William Biven Forensic Society

Histogram Reweighting Method for Dynamic Properties

The histogram reweighting technique, widely used to analyze Monte Carlo data, is shown to be applicable to dynamic properties obtained from Molecular Dynamics simulations. The theory presented here is based on the fact that the correlation functions in systems in thermodynamic equilibrium are averages over initial conditions of functions of the trajectory of the system in phase-space, the latter depending on the volume, the total number of particles and the classical Hamiltonian. Thus, the well-known histogram reweighting method can almost straightforwardly be applied to reconstruct the probability distribution of initial states at different thermodynamic conditions, without extra computational effort. Correlation functions and transport coefficients are obtained with this method from few simulation data sets.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Linking the oceans to public health: current efforts and future directions

This is the final version of the article. Available from BioMed Central via the DOI in this recordWe review the major linkages between the oceans and public health, focusing on exposures and potential health effects due to anthropogenic and natural factors including: harmful algal blooms, microbes, and chemical pollutants in the oceans; consumption of seafood; and flooding events. We summarize briefly the current state of knowledge about public health effects and their economic consequences; and we discuss priorities for future research.We find that:* There are numerous connections between the oceans, human activities, and human health that result in both positive and negative exposures and health effects (risks and benefits); and the study of these connections comprises a new interdisciplinary area, "oceans and human health."* The state of present knowledge about the linkages between oceans and public health varies. Some risks, such as the acute health effects caused by toxins associated with shellfish poisoning and red tide, are relatively well understood. Other risks, such as those posed by chronic exposure to many anthropogenic chemicals, pathogens, and naturally occurring toxins in coastal waters, are less well quantified. Even where there is a good understanding of the mechanism for health effects, good epidemiological data are often lacking. Solid data on economic and social consequences of these linkages are also lacking in most cases.* The design of management measures to address these risks must take into account the complexities of human response to warnings and other guidance, and the economic tradeoffs among different risks and benefits. Future research in oceans and human health to address public health risks associated with marine pathogens and toxins, and with marine dimensions of global change, should include epidemiological, behavioral, and economic components to ensure that resulting management measures incorporate effective economic and risk/benefit tradeoffs.Funding was provided in part by the NSF-NIEHS Oceans Centers at Woods Hole, University of Hawaii, University of Miami, and University of Washington, and the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative Centers of Excellent in Charleston, Seattle and Milwaukee, the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the WHOI Marine Policy Center. Grant numbers are: NIEHS P50 ES012742 and NSF OCE-043072 (HLKP, RJG, PH); NSF OCE-0432368 and NIEHS P50 ES12736 (LEF); NIEHS P50 ES012762 and NSF OCE-0434087 (EMF, AT, LRY); NSF OCE04-32479 and NIEHS P50 ES012740 (BAW

Nitrogen activation in a Mars-van Krevelen mechanism for ammonia synthesis on Co3Mo3N

Co3Mo3N is one of the most active catalysts for ammonia synthesis; however, little is known about the atomistic details of N2 adsorption and activation. Here we examine whether N2 can adsorb and activate at nitrogen surface vacancies. We have identified the most favorable sites for surface nitrogen vacancy formation and have calculated vacancy formation free energies (and concentrations) taking into account vacancy configurational entropy and the entropy of N2 at temperature and pressure conditions relevant to ammonia synthesis (380–550 °C, 100 atm) via a semiempirical approach. We show that 3-fold hollow bound nitrogen-containing (111)-surfaces have surprisingly high concentrations (1.6 × 1016 to 3.7 × 1016 cm–2) of nitrogen vacancies in the temperature range for ammonia synthesis. It is shown that these vacancy sites can adsorb and activate N2 demonstrating the potential of a Mars–van Krevelen type mechanism on Co3Mo3N. The catalytically active surface is one where 3f-hollow-nitrogens are bound to the molybdenum framework with a hexagonal array of embedded Co8 cobalt nanoclusters. We find that the vacancy-formation energy (VFE) combined with the adsorption energy can be used as a descriptor in the screening of materials that activate doubly and triply bonded molecules that are bound end-on at surface vacancies

Hispanic Representation in a Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study

Background: The purpose of this paper is to report: 1) strategies used to engage Hispanic women and their families in a longitudinal birth cohort study, and 2) comparisons of Hispanic and non-Hispanic groups that received those strategies. This paper augments the current literature by reporting methods and results specific to a subpopulation of Hispanic women, that of self-identified Mexican women. Comparisons between Hispanic and non-Hispanic groups that received those strategies will build the evidence base that supports effective outreach and engagement strategies. Methods: Cultural responsiveness theory was used to structure outreach and engagement, including: 1) assembling a culturally competent team; 2) partnering with community organizations; and 3) creating a personalized marketing and media campaign. For the purposes of evaluating the effectiveness of the outreach and engagement strategies, respondents were asked two questions about outreach and engagement efforts during a screening interview. Results: Hispanic women were proportionally represented in the sample. Just over 43% of the women who completed the pregnancy screening instrument were Hispanic. This rate is similar to the percentage of age-eligible Hispanic women living in the recruitment area. Over half (52%) of the consented women were Hispanic. Overall, 63% of the respondents (n=1273) reported having heard about the study during the screening interview. Among Hispanic respondents (n=871), a little over half (52%, n=453) responded affirmatively. Among non-Hispanic respondents (n=1135), most (72%, n=813) had heard of the NCS. The top three ways that both Hispanic and Non-Hispanic respondents heard about the NCS were through the advance letter, household enumeration, and radio. Both groups reported hearing about the NCS through “Community partners/outreach events” with similar frequency. Discussion: Demographic changes in America speak to the importance of developing outreach and engagement plans tailored to Hispanic populations. Cultural responsiveness theory provided a multi-faceted framework that was used to engage Hispanic families in a study of children’s health and their environment

Linking the oceans to public health : current efforts and future directions

© 2008 Author et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License The definitive version was published in Environmental Health 7 (2008): S6, doi:10.1186/1476-069X-7-S2-S6.We review the major linkages between the oceans and public health, focusing on exposures and potential health effects due to anthropogenic and natural factors including: harmful algal blooms, microbes, and chemical pollutants in the oceans; consumption of seafood; and flooding events. We summarize briefly the current state of knowledge about public health effects and their economic consequences; and we discuss priorities for future research. We find that: • There are numerous connections between the oceans, human activities, and human health that result in both positive and negative exposures and health effects (risks and benefits); and the study of these connections comprises a new interdisciplinary area, "oceans and human health." • The state of present knowledge about the linkages between oceans and public health varies. Some risks, such as the acute health effects caused by toxins associated with shellfish poisoning and red tide, are relatively well understood. Other risks, such as those posed by chronic exposure to many anthropogenic chemicals, pathogens, and naturally occurring toxins in coastal waters, are less well quantified. Even where there is a good understanding of the mechanism for health effects, good epidemiological data are often lacking. Solid data on economic and social consequences of these linkages are also lacking in most cases. • The design of management measures to address these risks must take into account the complexities of human response to warnings and other guidance, and the economic tradeoffs among different risks and benefits. Future research in oceans and human health to address public health risks associated with marine pathogens and toxins, and with marine dimensions of global change, should include epidemiological, behavioral, and economic components to ensure that resulting management measures incorporate effective economic and risk/benefit tradeoffs.Funding was provided in part by the NSF-NIEHS Oceans Centers at Woods Hole, University of Hawaii, University of Miami, and University of Washington, and the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative Centers of Excellent in Charleston, Seattle and Milwaukee, the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the WHOI Marine Policy Center. Grant numbers are: NIEHS P50 ES012742 and NSF OCE-043072 (HLKP, RJG, PH); NSF OCE 0432368 and NIEHS P50 ES12736 (LEF); NIEHS P50 ES012762 and NSF OCE-0434087 (EMF, AT, LRY); NSF OCE04-32479 and NIEHS P50 ES012740 (BAW

Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicle Fuel Consumption Modeling Based on Road Load and Power Train Parameters

The EPA is developing a new generation emissions inventory model, MOVES (Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator). The first version of the model outputs fuel consumption based on available modal data. However, due to the limited heavy-duty vehicle data, MOVES rates need to be supplemented with rates determined with the Physical Emission Rate Estimator (PERE). PERE combines vehicle tractive power together with vehicle powertrain parameters specific to the class of vehicle; the vehicle weight, shape, engine type, and transmission. Analysis of in-use data for heavy-duty diesel tractortrailer vehicles, city transit diesel buses, and dynamometer non-road diesel engines has enabled a determination of diesel engine efficiency and friction and transmission shift schedules for these engines and vehicles. These model parameters and a comparison of the model results to measured fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are presented