bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secure Data Deduplication of Encrypted Data in Cloud
Authors: Mahana Sumit Kumar , Aggarwal Rajesh Kumar
Published: March 2019

In the present digital scenario, data is of prime significance for individuals and moreover for organizations. With the passage of time, data content being produced increases exponentially, which poses a serious concern as the huge amount of redundant data contents stored on the cloud employs a severe load on the cloud storage systems itself which cannot be accepted. Therefore, a storage optimization strategy is a fundamental prerequisite to cloud storage systems. Data deduplication is a storage optimization strategy that is used for deleting identical copies of redundant data, optimizing bandwidth, improves utilization of storage space, and hence, minimizes storage cost. To guarantee the security parameter, the data which is stored on the cloud must be in an encrypted form to ensure the security of the stored data. Consequently, executing deduplication safely over the encrypted information in the cloud seems to be a challenging job. This chapter discusses various existing data deduplication techniques with a notion of securing the data on the cloud that addresses this challenge.
Optimum Power Control of Household Appliances Using IoT in Smart Buildings
Authors: Sadid Waselul Haque , Islam Prianka , Das Kowshik
Published: March 2019

This chapter presents a model that is developed to distribute the electrical power among the home appliances efficiently with a given capacity. This chapter works only on the consumer side demand management by designing admission control of the appliances. The authors have proposed an algorithm to schedule different appliances by considering three different cases. The simulation is carried out in MATLAB/Simulink. The results show that the appliances efficiently utilize the provided power by reducing the wastage in power consumption in all cases. Finally, consumers can control the operations of the appliances according to their requirements and the available capacity using IoT.
Cooperative Caching in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks
Authors: Dhiman Pushpender Kumar , Chand Narottam , Chauhan Naveen , Kumar Rajeev
Published: March 2019

Caching is a technique that transparently stores data nearer to the requester so that future requests for that data can be served faster. In networking environment, caching is a method of storing data in multiple places on the network, typically to reduce response time and network traffic. In wireless environment, through caching we can improve the efficiency. Caching can be utilized to improve the efficiency by storing the data nearer to the requester. Data are stored nearer to the requester, so it will reduce the access latency and bandwidth usage to transmit data to the requester, and reduce the overall cost of accessing data. Wireless environment is infrastructure-less so all nodes directly communicate with their neighbors. In wireless sensor network, nodes have limited resources such as battery, communication bandwidth, storage, etc. Through caching we can reduce the overall cost of accessing data and conserve the scarce resources.
Broker-Controller for NGN Management
Authors: Raouyane Brahim , Khairi Sara , Haddar Imane , Belmekki Elmostafa , Bellafkih Mostafa
Published: March 2019

New generation networks (NGN) are based on revolutionary aspects in IT and telecom fields. Huge throughput as well as a simplified infrastructure are based on the data center result of virtualization and cloud computing. Nevertheless, a very important question about the management part is always relevant, regardless of QoS management, of business, or of security. The chapter aims to propose a management architecture, which invokes the notion of broker and also of controller to centralize the management of networks and services.
Synchronous Learning in an Asynchronous Environment for Orientation, Intervention, Interaction, and Students Retention
Authors: Veerabathina Nilakshi
Published: March 2019

This chapter demonstrates the author's perspective, practical experience, and personal reflection on effective practices in hosting the synchronous sessions in the asynchronous (online) courses offered at a large public university in the USA. The author hosts the web-based video sessions (webinars) using the Blackboard Collaborate Ultra™ to orient the students at the beginning of the course and motivate and guide the students at regular intervals throughout the semester. The author describes how the online video sessions helped in enhancing students' learning experience which in turn helped increase the students' retention in the courses. The author also describes the challenges in hosting the synchronous webinars and suggests possible ways to overcome them.
Is It Real or Not?
Authors: Koo Katie
Published: March 2019

Counseling graduate trainings, in-person discussions, one-on-one supervision, group supervision, and in-person mentoring are key components of clinical trainings. Thus, developing and delivering diverse counseling trainings by utilizing effective synchronous learning cannot be emphasized more in the field of counseling training. The purpose of this chapter is to explore effective, efficient, and achievable synchronous learning methods by analyzing current counseling graduate trainees' practical experiences on synchronous learning. The chapter will discuss diverse synchronous learning tools that counseling graduate programs offer and the effectiveness of these methods as well as the directions and implications for researchers, educators, and counseling practitioners in higher education.
Quality Assurance Within Synchronous Sessions of Online Instruction
Authors: Kerns William Alan
Published: March 2019

This chapter addresses strategies for using the operation mechanisms of a quality assurance framework to guide the design and implementation of synchronous sessions of online instruction within a teacher education program. Quality assurance provides a foundation for systematic diagnosis, decision making, and action that results in continuous improvement of online instruction. Open systems theory in quality assurance informs this chapter. Additionally, this chapter draws on an ecological approach to the understanding of interaction that takes places in quality assurance frameworks. The chapter is organized into three parts that together address key strategies toward fostering a community of learners in synchronous sessions of online instruction while addressing quality assurance: 1) the importance of quality assurance; 2) how an educator preparation program can be enhanced through synchronous learning and quality assurance; and finally, 3) how an educator preparation program can ensure that synchronous learning and quality assurance initiatives are effective.
Energy-Saving Electrical Installations for Heat Supply of Agricultural Objects
Authors: Tikhomirov Dmitry , Vasiliev Alexey , Dudin Stepan
Published: March 2019

Electrical energy in the thermal processes of agricultural production has a number of technical and technological advantages in comparison with other energy carriers. At the same time, electricity is the most high-quality but expensive type of energy. The effective use of electrical energy in thermal processes is possible with the implementation of all its advantages over fuel energy. This requires a system of technical, economic, and energy analysis and the selection justification of the most effective systems and technical means of heat supply of stationary agricultural technological processes. The chapter presents functional and technological schemes, physical models, the experimentally obtained dependencies, parameters, and operating regimes of the developed energy-saving electrical equipment and systems for the main thermal technological processes.
Innovative Technologies for E-Learning of Safety of Agro-Industrial Production
Authors: Khalin Evgeny Vasilevich , Mikhaylova Elena Evgenievna
Published: March 2019

An important factor of impact on the decrease in operational injuries is the high-quality and timely training, certification, preparation, and retraining of personnel in safety of production. Procedures of training and control of knowledge of various directions of safety of production are regulated by the existing normative documents developed by authors of the chapter . The systems of e-learning of personnel for safety of agro-industrial production have to be built in digital technologies of management of agro-industrial production and have the modular structure allowing the customization of systems on requirement of concrete production.
Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks for CRT Pedagogy
Authors: Kilburn Michelle , Radu Monica Bixby , Henckell Martha
Published: March 2019

Online courses have the ability to connect learners and faculty from across the globe. Understanding the role of diversity as it relates to the pedagogical development of courses is crucial for student success. Faculty are responsible for making authentic connections with students and cultivating an inclusive learning environment. Prior research suggests that this may be achieved through culturally responsive teaching. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to define culturally responsive teaching, discuss the importance and role of intersectionality considerations, and suggest pedagogical best practices and guidelines.
Strategies and Reflections on Teaching Diversity in Digital Learning Space(s)
Authors: Montelongo Ricardo , Eaton Paul William
Published: March 2019

This chapter aims to introduce readers to critical theoretical orientations necessary for online pedagogues, including feminist pedagogies, praxis pedagogy, culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy, and embodied practices. These critical theoretical orientations undergird a critical digital pedagogy in an online master's course, Diverse College Students. Critical digital pedagogical strategies employed by the authors, such as high context communication, community and relationship building, and visual and audio pedagogies, are discussed. The authors conclude the chapter by engaging in a self-reflexive activity, opening space for insights about the role of current political events, personal student successes, and an engaged community beyond the classroom. Recommendations for faculty wishing to engage a critical digital pedagogy are offered, as are recommendations for future research.
Equitable Means Accessible
Authors: Green Kathryn R. , Tolman Steven
Published: March 2019

The continued growth of online learning provides more educational opportunities to a diversity of people than ever before. In fact, Smith and Basham report that K-12 students with disabilities are opting for online learning environments at remarkably high rates, a trend unlikely to diminish as those students matriculate into postsecondary education. However, growth of educational practice is not always part and parcel of the growth of educational opportunity; too often, the latent shortcomings of traditional classrooms and teaching practices are heightened in non-traditional, virtual spaces. This chapter examines current models informing accessibility in education and explores the creative application of emerging pedagogical research and practices that support inclusive and accessible instruction across an increasingly diverse learner base.
Globalization and Localization in Online Settings
Authors: Farmer Lesley S. J.
Published: March 2019

In designing online instruction, increasingly educators need to consider cultural aspects of the educational philosophy, concepts, language, resources, teaching strategies, ICT literacy, learning activities, and student interaction. These elements largely depend on the learning outcomes and the learners' situation. While some factors are universal, such as declarative knowledge and basic human needs, others are much more culturally defined, such as “soft” skills and prior educational experience. This chapter focuses on evaluating the need for globalizing or localizing resources and experiences based on needs assessment. It also gives strategies on ways to globalize or localize these resources and experiences.
E-Relationships
Authors: Rider Jennifer
Published: March 2019

This empirical multi-case study explored a diverse group of postsecondary students' experiences with care in computer-mediated discourse (CMD) from their professors. Participants from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds shared their definitions of care and what they perceive to be qualities of a caring professor. Through participant-selected samples of discourse artifacts identified as exhibiting care, computer-mediated discourse analysis (CMDA) was conducted collaboratively by each student participant and the researcher. The CMDA process highlighted several qualities commonly perceived by students as caring within CMD, organized into three themes: invitation, intentionality, and inclusiveness. These three themes of care are presented through six tenets that professors can use as they build awareness and reflectiveness around their discourse to diverse students in blended, hybrid, and online courses.
Toward a Typology of Rivalry
Authors: Havard Cody T. , Lomenick Megan E.
Published: March 2019

The chapter offers (1) a brief overview of what is currently known about rivalry and (2) the need for further understanding and investigating the differences between rival categories. Using college football in the United States as a baseline, the chapter introduces a possible typology of rivalry, building on previous research on the foundations and antecedents of rivalry. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the importance of (1) utilizing a typology of rivalry in future research and (2) calling for additional inquiry and conversation about a typology of rivalry in various competition settings.
Rivalry In and Out of Sport
Authors: Havard Cody T.
Published: March 2019

The current chapter offers (1) an overview of what is known regarding sport rivalry and (2) how that knowledge can be applied to both sport and non-sport settings. In particular, the authors discuss what is known about rivalry and intergroup relations, detailing specific examples from the sport setting. Then, the essay addresses how non-sport organizations, and society at large, can benefit from the literature on sport rivalry. Included in this are examples of responsible promotion of rivalry and group competition, along with a discussion of the Adventures with Sport Rivalry Man comics, cartoons, and curriculum, a program intended to teach people about rivalry and appropriate behavior toward others. Suggestions for responsibly promoting rivalry and competition outside of the sport setting are offered along with areas for future consideration. Finally, a challenge is presented to future researchers and practitioners to improve the use of rivalry to promote products and decrease group member deviance.
Sport Rivalry Is More Than Just “The Game”
Authors: Grieve Rick , Case Joseph C.
Published: March 2019

Sport rivalry research has grown from sport fandom research. And, while sport fandom research has a strong knowledge base, sport rivalry research is still in its infancy. This chapter briefly reviews the extant literature on sport rivalry. Topics include research examining geopolitical rivalries within international football (soccer), the psychological effects of sport rivalry, schadenfreude, and the creation of the Sport Rivalry Fan Perception Scale, a measure of sport rivalry. The marketing implications of sport rivalry research are discussed and areas for future research are provided.
A Strategic Decision-Making Framework in Cyberspace
Authors: Chen Jim Q.
Published: March 2019

Cyberspace possesses unique characteristics, which should be taken into consideration in order to ensure the success of cyber operations or joint operations. How can the unique characteristics be addressed in strategic decision making? How can relatively more effective and efficient courses of action be selected or generated in cyberspace within a short period of time? These questions need to be addressed. This chapter briefly discusses the key requirements for strategic decision making. After a discussion about the key unique characteristics of cyberspace, it reveals the challenges that traditional strategic decision-making models are facing. Based on this analysis, this chapter proposes a new strategic decision-making framework in cyberspace, which helps to select or generate relatively more effective and efficient courses of action for a specific environment within a short period of time, thus guaranteeing the success in missions.
The Opportunities for a National Cyber Strategy and Social Media in the Rhizome Networks
Authors: Huhtinen Aki-Mauri , Kangasmaa Tommi , Hirvelä Arto
Published: March 2019

Securing society is a central task of the state. In the present day as well as in the future, knowledge and information are ever more closely tied to electronic data transfer. Finland's published Cyber Security Strategy depicts how the government safeguards electronic data transfer, that is, information security against different threat and risk scenarios. Cyber Security Strategy was introduced 2013 and has provided guidance to all governmental actors how to implement security activities to be able to respond to increased security threats in networks. Visuality has increasing importance in strategic communications, not least because it is faster than the written word and globally distributed via social media. Relatedly, camera drones are becoming increasingly important tools in the security economy, especially when it comes to enhancing military capability through combat cameras. The main challenge facing society is that the cyber domain in general, and social media in particular, is moving out of the control of the nation-state.
Building Blocks and Measurement of National Cyberpower
Authors: Jansen van Vuuren Joey , Leenen Louise
Published: March 2019

Cyberspace and cyber threats are increasingly recognized to pose a significant risk to a state's security. Cyberpower is central to national power and thus a driver towards the attainment of national security. The authors decompose national cyberpower by analyzing the elements of cyberspace as part of national security. David Jablonsky distinguishes between natural and social determinants of power in his discussion of national power and refers to Ray Cline's formula to determine a rough estimate of “perceived” national power by focusing primarily on a state's capacity to wage war. The authors present an adaptation of the formula for perceived power for use in cyberspace to create a similar formula for perceived cyberpower that focuses primarily on a state's capacity for cyberwarfare. Military cyberpower is one of the critical elements of cyberpower but little attention has been paid to this concept in the literature. In this chapter, concepts such as cyber effectiveness and the operationalization of military cyberpower are also addressed.
The Evolution of Cyber Warfare in Information Operations Targeting Estonia, the U.S., and Ukraine
Authors: Boyte Kenneth James
Published: March 2019

This comparative international case study provides a context for considering the evolution of cyber technologies as elements of hybrid warfare, including information operations (IO), capable of killing people, as well as impacting political elections and physical infrastructure (such as power grids and satellite-based communications and weapons systems). Threatened by “autonomous battle networks,” the “Internet of Battle Things” has been considered a domain of modern warfare by the United States since 2011 and by NATO since 2016. Focusing on three historic cyberattacks against three modern democracies—Estonia in 2007, the United States in 2012, and Ukraine during the 2013-2015 conflict—the study shows how computer warfare, first reported in the 1990s, has become integral in warfare for both state and non-state actors—particularly for information warfare waged by proxies to create confusion and manipulate public opinion via satellites that can penetrate national boundaries and firewalls with armies of zombies and botnets.
Big Data Analysis for Terroristic Behavior Identification and Study Using Social Networks
Authors: Kostyuchenko Yuriy V. , Pushkar Victor , Malysheva Olga , Yuschenko Maxim
Published: March 2019

This chapter aimed to consider of approaches to big data (social network content) utilization for understanding social behavior in the conflict zones, and analysis of dynamics of illegal armed groups. The analysis directed to identify of structure of illegal armed groups, and detection of underage militants. The probabilistic and stochastic methods of analysis and classification of number, composition, and dynamics of illegal armed groups in active conflict areas are proposed. Data of armed conflict in Donbas (Eastern Ukraine) in the period 2014-2015 is used for analysis. The numerical distribution of age, gender composition, origin, social status, and nationality of militants among illegal armed groups has been calculated. Conclusions on the applicability of described method in criminological practice, as well as about the possibilities of interpretation of obtaining results in the context of study of terrorism are proposed.
The Double Edge of the Information Sword
Authors: Huhtinen Aki-Mauri
Published: March 2019

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the West became increasingly confident that globalization, supported by an information technology network, the internet, would increase openness, liberalism, and democracy – the core values of the “free world.” Western leaders knew then, just as they do now, a quarter of a century later, that the power of the internet would grow as the technology that controls its use develops. However, no development is wholly good, and the internet is no exception. It seems that the technology that has enabled us to create a “global village” where people are able to communicate in a way that is open and free, and that bypasses the encumbrances of class and ethnicity, has also brought with it a very dark underworld, an uncontrolled rhizome or meshwork, where propaganda, trolling, and hate speeches are rife. After the 2016 US elections, cyber warfare is no longer just about the technical details of computer ports and protocols. Propaganda as disinformation distributed via social media is rapidly becoming the best hacking tool.
String-Based Feature Representation for Trajectory Clustering
Authors: Sabarish B. A. , R. Karthi , Kumar T Gireesh
Published: March 2019

A trajectory is the spatial trail of a moving object as a function of time. All moving objects such as humans, robots, cloud, taxis, animals, mobile phones generate trajectories. Trajectory clustering is grouping of trajectories that have similar moving patterns, and the formed clusters depend on feature representation, similarity metrics, and clustering algorithm used. In this article, trajectory features are generated after mapping trajectories onto grids, as this smoothens the variations that occur in spatial coordinates. These variations occur due to differences in how GPS points at varying intervals are generated by the device, even when they follow the same path. The main motivation for the article is to devise an algorithm for trajectory clustering that is independent of the variations from GPS devices. A string-based model is used, where trajectories are represented as strings and string-based distance metrics are used to measure the similarity between trajectories. A hierarchical method is applied for clustering and the results are validated using three metrics. An experimental study is conducted and the results show the effectiveness of string-based representation and distance metrics for trajectory clustering.
CompactRIO Based Real Time Implementation of AES Algorithm for Embedded Applications
Authors: Samir El Adib , Naoufal Raissouni
Published: March 2019

For real-time embedded applications, several factors (time, cost, power) that are moving security considerations from a function-centric perspective into a system architecture (hardware/software) design issue. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) adopts Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) as the most widely used encryption algorithm in many security applications. The AES algorithm specifies 10, 12 and 14 rounds offering different levels of security. Although the number of rounds determines the strength of security, the power consumption issue has risen recently, especially in real-time embedded systems. In this article, the authors present real time implementation of the AES encryption on the compactRIO platform for a different number of AES rounds. The target hardware is NI cRIO-9022 embedded real-time controller from National Instruments (NI). The real time encryption processing has been verified successfully. The power consumption and encryption time experimental results are presented graphically for 10, 12 and 14 rounds of processing.
A Training Method of Convolution Neural Network for Illumination Robust Pedestrian Detection
Authors: Jeong Junmo
Published: March 2019

In this article, the authors propose a new training method of convolution neural networks for pedestrian detection under the illumination of robust environments of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System). This training method was aimed at proposing a method to increase the recognition rate in a system that classifies objects by receiving distorted images in real time as the ADAS, by using the Convolution Neural Network (CNN). The proposed method used images with an increased distortion level by setting gamma to 0.7, and the conventional method was experimented with images with a gamma set to 1. In this article, the authors experiment with the comparison of the conventional training method using the preprocessing accelerator and the proposed training method using the gamma variation. In this study, pedestrian images with a distorted illumination intensity were used in training and then the accuracy of pedestrian classification was tested with normal images and distorted images as test images. The proposed method shows an error rate of 9.8%, which was improved by 1.2% in accuracy.
Ambient Intelligence At-Home Laboratory for Human Everyday Life
Authors: Meigal Alexander Yu. , Korzun Dmitry G. , Gerasimova-Meigal Liudmila I. , Borodin Alexander V. , Zavyalova Yulia V.
Published: March 2019

The relation of artificial intelligence (AI) and human intelligence (HI) still needs better understanding. In this article, the authors develop the fourth brain concept where AI is considered as a specific form of HI evolution. The concept development considers evolutionary and ontogenetic insights on intelligence. The forth brain can be implemented using ambient intelligence (AMI) environments that surround humans in everyday life. AMI environment allows scaffolding and other assistance information services to compensate for the HI function decay. This article proposes an at-home laboratory (AHL) design where an AMI environment is deployed at home and using everyday devices. In this setting, AHL provides a functionally equivalent alternative to the professional healthcare laboratory, though less accurate and advanced in regard to data measurements and the assistance information value.
Modeling of Microstructural Evolution in the Hot Rolling Process of Fe-16Cr-4Mn-4Ni-0.05C-0.17N Austenitic Stainless Steel
Authors: Turdimatov Murodjon , Nam Alexander , Kawalla Rudolf , Prahl Ulrich
Published: March 2019

The understanding of the softening behaviour during the hot rolling process is required to optimize the hot rolling schedule. Therefore, the microstructural evolution in the hot rolling of austenitic stainless steel was simulated. In this work, kinetics of grain growth was investigated by means of compression tests using the Gleeble HDS V40 and described by appropriate kinetic equations based on the obtained experimental results. Moreover, numerical simulation was performed using the Simufact.forming software. The results of the numerical simulation were further validated by experimental data, which were obtained from the labour continuous hot rolling of the austenitic stainless steel.
Brucella abortus Cyclic Dinucleotides Trigger STING-Dependent Unfolded Protein Response That Favors Bacterial Replication
Authors: Guimarães Erika S. , Gomes Marco Túlio R. , Campos Priscila C. , Mansur Daniel S. , dos Santos Adara A. , Harms Jerome , Splitter Gary , Smith Judith A. , Barber Glen N. , Oliveira Sergio C.
Published: March 2019

Brucella abortus is a facultative intracellular bacterium that causes brucellosis, a prevalent zoonosis that leads to abortion and infertility in cattle, and undulant fever, debilitating arthritis, endocarditis, and meningitis in humans. Signaling pathways triggered by B. abortus involves stimulator of IFN genes (STING), which leads to production of type I IFNs. In this study, we evaluated the pathway linking the unfolded protein response (UPR) and the endoplasmic reticulum–resident transmembrane molecule STING, during B. abortus infection. We demonstrated that B. abortus infection induces the expression of the UPR target gene BiP and XBP1 in murine macrophages through a STING-dependent pathway. Additionally, we also observed that STING activation was dependent on the bacterial second messenger cyclic dimeric GMP. Furthermore, the Brucella-induced UPR is crucial for induction of multiple molecules linked to type I IFN signaling pathway, such as IFN-β, IFN regulatory factor 1, and guanylate-binding proteins. Furthermore, IFN-β is also important for the UPR induction during B. abortus infection. Indeed, IFN-β shows a synergistic effect in inducing the IRE1 axis of the UPR. In addition, priming cells with IFN-β favors B. abortus survival in macrophages. Moreover, Brucella-induced UPR facilitates bacterial replication in vitro and in vivo. Finally, these results suggest that B. abortus–induced UPR is triggered by bacterial cyclic dimeric GMP, in a STING-dependent manner, and that this response supports bacterial replication. In summary, association of STING and IFN-β signaling pathways with Brucella-induced UPR unravels a novel link between innate immunity and endoplasmic reticulum stress that is crucial for bacterial infection outcome.
The exchange graph and variations of the ratio of the two Symanzik polynomials
Authors: Amini Omid
Published: March 2019

Correlation functions in quantum field theory are calculated using Feynman amplitudes, which are finite dimensional integrals associated to graphs. The integrand is the exponential of the ratio of the first and second Symanzik polynomials associated to the Feynman graph, which are described in terms of the spanning trees and spanning 2-forests of the graph, respectively.

In a previous paper with Bloch, Burgos and Fresán, we related this ratio to the asymptotic of the Archimedean height pairing between degree zero divisors on degenerating families of Riemann surfaces. Motivated by this, we consider in this paper the variation of the ratio of the two Symanzik polynomials under bounded perturbations of the geometry of the graph. This is a natural problem in connection with the theory of nilpotent and SL2 orbits in Hodge theory.

Our main result is the boundedness of variation of the ratio. For this we define the exchange graph of a given graph which encodes the exchange properties between spanning trees and spanning 2-forests in the graph. We provide a complete description of the connected components of this graph, and use this to prove our result on boundedness of the variations.
On dimer models and coamoebas
Authors: Forsgård Jens
Published: March 2019

We describe the relationship between dimer models on the real two-torus and coamoebas of curves in

(\mathbb C^\times)^2

. We show, inter alia, that the dimer model obtained from the shell of the coamoeba is a deformation retract of the closed coamoeba if and only if the number of connected components of the complement of the closed coamoeba is maximal. Furthermore, we show that in general the closed coamoeba of the characteristic polynomial of a dimer model does not have the maximal number of components of its complement
Elliptic actions on Teichmüller space
Authors: Durham Matthew Gentry
Published: March 2019

Let

S

be an oriented surface of finite type,

\mathcal {MCG}(S)

its mapping class group, and

\mathcal T(S)

its Teichmüller space with the Teichmüller metric. Let

H < \mathcal {MCG}(S)

be a finite subgroup and consider the subset of

\mathcal T(S)

fixed by

H

, Fix

(H) \subset \mathcal T(S)

. For any

R > 0

, we prove that the set of points whose

H

-orbits have diameter bounded by

R

, Fix

_R^T(H)

, lives in a bounded neighborhood of Fix

(H)

. As an application, we show that the orbit of any point

X \in \mathcal T(S)

has a fixed coarse barycenter, a property of nonpositive curvature. By contrast, we show that Fix

^T_R(H)

need not be quasiconvex with an explicit family of examples. As an application of the barycenter theorem, we prove that there is an exponential-time algorithm to solve the conjugacy problem for finite order subgroups of

\mathcal {MCG}(S)

.
Empanelment in a Resident Teaching Practice: A Cornerstone to Improving Resident Outpatient Education and Patient Care
Authors: Wajnberg Ania , Fishman Mary , Hernandez Cameron R. , Kweon So Youn , Coyle Andrew
Published: March 2019

Background 

Improving continuity is challenging in residency training practices. Studies have shown that empanelment enables high-performing primary care and is foundational to improve accountability and continuity.

Objective 

An empanelment process was created in a large, urban, residency training practice as an effective approach to enhancing continuity among residents and their patients.

Methods 

In 2016, we formed an empanelment committee that included stakeholders from the department of medicine, the internal medicine residency program, and hospital and IT leadership. This committee set goal panel sizes, selected an empanelment algorithm, determined which patients needed re-empanelment, and facilitated medical record integration. Empanelment was followed and reassessed quarterly for 2 years. We measured anticipated visit demand using visits in the prior year and continuity using the continuity for physician formula.

Results 

Of 18 495 active patients in July 2016, 8411 (45%) were assigned a new PCP in the empanelment process. At baseline, panel sizes and expected visit demand were highly variable among residents (from 40 to 107 and 120 to 480, respectively). Empanelment led to more equivalent panel sizes and expected visit demand across same year residents (eg, PGY-3: 80–100 and 320–440, respectively). Continuity for all PCPs in the practice improved from 63% before empanelment to over 80% after empanelment, and improved from 55% to 72% for individual residents.

Conclusions 

In a large and complex practice environment, we were able to empanel resident clinic patients to improve continuity and maintain it over 2 years.
Research of the Photoelectric Tracking and Pointing Platform Based on the Servo Control System
Authors: Shanzhong Liu , Pengna Han
Published: March 2019

To improve the speed and accuracy of the photoelectric tracking and pointing platform stable tracking, we took the three-axis photoelectric tracking platform, of which the coupling among the rings is ignored, as the research object. Considering the effects of various disturbances, the stable tracking double closed-loop servo control system was built for the azimuth, pitch, and roll rings. In the stabilization loop, output-feedback H∞ controller based on linear matrix inequality was designed to reduce the effects of model perturbations and uncertainties and to maintain the stability of the platform’s inertial space. In the tracking loop, the integral-separation proportional integral derivative (PID) controller was designed to achieve fast and accurate tracking. Smith estimated compensation was adopted to compensate the pure lag caused by video tracking. Finally, the double closed-loop servo control system was built to complete the simulation. The simulation results show that the system not only has good robustness under external disturbances, but also completes the attitude tracking quickly and accurately. Besides, the tracking error is |error| < 5∙e-4 rad, which meets the tracking accuracy requirements.
Future Sounds
Authors: Kennedy Stephen
Published: March 2019

What can the sounds of today tell us about the future? Can an analysis of sound and sonic practices allow us to make reliable predictions in relation to wider social phenomena? And what might they tell us about technology in a world where futurology is such a frenzied and busy field? In order to answer these questions, this book tests a range of propositions that connect noise, sound and music to political, economic and technological events. Hence it is a book about historical trajectories and conflicting ideas about time and the necessity to re-contextualize and interpret them in the digital age.
Humming
Authors: Kim Suk-Jun
Published: March 2019

Humming is a ubiquitous and mundane act many of us perform. The fact that we often hum to ourselves, to family members, or to close friends suggests that humming is a personal, intimate act. It can also be a powerful way in which people open up to others and share collective memories. In religious settings such as Tibetan chanting, humming offers a mesmerising sonic experience. Then there are hums that resound regardless of human activity, such as the hums of impersonal objects and man-made or natural phenomena.

The first sound studies book to explores the topic of humming, Humming offers a unique examination of the polarising categories of hums, from hums that are performed only to oneself, that are exercised in religious practice, that claim healing, and that resonate with our bodies, to hums that can drive people to madness, that emanate from cities and towns, and that resound in the universe. By acknowledging the quirkiness of hums within the established discourse in sound studies, Humming takes a truly interdisciplinary view on this familiar yet less-trodden sonic concept in sound studies.
Cloud base height retrieval from multi-angle satellite data
Authors: Böhm Christoph , Sourdeval Odran , Mülmenstädt Johannes , Quaas Johannes , Crewell Susanne
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Clouds are a key modulator of the Earth energy budget at the top
of the atmosphere and at the surface. While the cloud top height is
operationally retrieved with global coverage, only few methods have been
proposed to determine cloud base height (zbase) from satellite
measurements. This study presents a new approach to retrieve cloud base
heights using the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) on the Terra
satellite. It can be applied if some cloud gaps occur within the chosen
distance of typically 10 km. The MISR cloud base height (MIBase) algorithm
then determines zbase from the ensemble of all MISR cloud top
heights retrieved at a 1.1 km horizontal resolution in this area. MIBase
is first calibrated using 1 year of ceilometer data from more than 1500
sites within the continental United States of America. The 15th percentile of
the cloud top height distribution within a circular area of 10 km radius
provides the best agreement with the ground-based data. The thorough
evaluation of the MIBase product zbase with further ceilometer
data yields a correlation coefficient of about 0.66, demonstrating the
feasibility of this approach to retrieve zbase. The impacts of
the cloud scene structure and macrophysical cloud properties are discussed.
For a 3-year period, the median zbase is generated globally
on a 0.25∘ × 0.25∘ grid. Even though overcast cloud
scenes and high clouds are excluded from the statistics, the median
zbase retrievals yield plausible results, in particular over ocean
as well as for seasonal differences. The potential of the full 16 years of
MISR data is demonstrated for the southeast Pacific, revealing interannual
variability in zbase in accordance with reanalysis data. The
global cloud base data for the 3-year period (2007–2009) are available
at https://doi.org/10.5880/CRC1211DB.19.
Extracting weather information from a plantation document
Authors: Burris Gregory , Washburn Jane , Lasheen Omar , Dorribo Sophia , Elsner James B. , Doel Ronald E.
Published: March 2019

Abstract. The authors introduce a method for extracting weather and climate data from a
historical plantation document. They demonstrate the method on a document
from Shirley Plantation in Virginia (USA) covering the period 1816–1842.
They show how the resulting data are organized into a spreadsheet that
includes direct weather observations and information on various cultivars.
They then give three examples showing how the data can be used for climate
studies. The first example is a comparison of spring onset between the
plantation era and the modern era. A modern median final spring freeze event
(for the years 1943–2017) occurs a week earlier than the historical
median (for the years 1822–1839). The second analysis involves developing an
index for midsummer temperatures from the timing of the first malaria-like
symptoms in the plantation population each year. The median day when these
symptoms would begin occurring in the modern period is a month and a half
earlier than the median day they occurred in the historical period. The final
example is a three-point temperature index generated from ordinal weather
descriptions in the document. The authors suggest that this type of local
weather information from historical archives, either direct from observations
or indirect from phenophase timing, can be useful toward a more complete
understanding of climates of the past.
Village Financial System: How Do the Village Government Officials Understand the System?
Authors: Yulianti Yulianti , Janie Dyah N.A. , Sudarman Sudarman
Published: March 2019

This research aims at analyzing the village government officials’ understanding on the village financial system.This research is conducted by distributing questionnaires to 148 village government officials in nine districts in Central Java. The data are then quantitatively processed. Some village officials are randomly selected and then interviewed as the additional supporting data. The research results show that the village government officials have a relatively good understanding on the village financial system, yet there is no significant difference among the groups of government officials. However, there is an interesting issue due to the research results that the Head of the Village has the highest understanding when compared to all village government officials. In addition, the village government officials with accounting background have a higher understanding on the village financial system than those with no accounting background.
An Ethics of Complicit Criticism for Postmodern Satire
Authors: Rossing Jonathan P.
Published: March 2019

Postmodern, satiric critique destabilizes notions of truth through performances marked simultaneously by apparent inauthenticity and a commitment to the reality of the performance. The uncertainty about these performances’ meanings complicates their potential for social transformation. Satiric critiques of racism exemplify this limitation, particularly when performed by white artists. This satire often earns the label “ironic racism,” and the satirist ostensibly committed to racial justice finds herself stuck between complicit reproduction of oppressive ideologies and a desire to destabilize those meaning systems. This article suggests that an ethics of complicit criticism presents a self-consciously doubled performance that necessarily amplifies a satirist's concurrent complicity with the dominant ideologies the performance attacks. To identify a model for embracing this doubled performance, this article considers the problem of ironic racism that satirist Stephen Colbert negotiated on his Comedy Central news satire The Colbert Report (2005-14) and his response to the #CancelColbert campaign.
Judgments, Corrections, and Audiences: Amy Schumer's Strategies for Narrowcast Satire
Authors: Howell William
Published: March 2019

Narrowcast methods—first cable, then the internet—have enabled entertainers to target media to highly specific audiences. This poses an existential problem for twenty-first-century satire: in delivering satire, narrowcasting can exclude both apathetic viewers and those who deny that this issue is a problem. This audience balkanization is reflected in how commentators discuss satire, and those discussions further structure audiences’ experiences with satire. This article considers three sketches from Amy Schumer and the commentary about those sketches, finding that Schumer's satire makes harsher judgments and becomes less laughable the more narrowly it is cast. This shift is a potential problem for contemporary satirists and satire scholars: the shrinking of audience size that accompanies narrowcasting satire may weaken its ability to catalyze ideological change. Given satire's contemporary popularity, this weakening may threaten an already-imperiled deliberative culture.
Of Satire and Gordian Knots
Authors: Gilbert Christopher J.
Published: March 2019

Comic dictionaries and encyclopedias are an underappreciated medium of satiric epistemology in a twenty-first century replete with televisual satire. This article looks at how the humor in texts like Jon Stewart's America (the Book) (2004) and Stephen Colbert's I Am America (And So Can You!) (2007) establishes catalogues of cultural knowledge as collections of the Gordian knots that ensnare US public culture. It argues that the written form of the dictionary or encyclopedia discloses a nexus of connections about matters of social, political, and cultural concern, which reveal grand narratives as so many bundles of squibs. The squibs enable readers to unravel the Gordian knots in hidebound modes of knowledge. Such unravelings result in a comic logic of unknowing prevailing against ways of knowing in and through narrative travesties.
The Difficulties That the Teachers Who Continue Master of Science Education Experience
Authors: Çalışoğlu Murat , Yalvaç Abdul Samet
Published: March 2019

Postgraduate education includes Master's, PhD, specialty in medicine and proficiency in art after the undergraduate education. Postgraduate education is a high-level education program that provides a specialization in the field of science in which students are interested following a four-year undergraduate program in faculties. Teachers also continue their postgraduate education in order to improve themselves and to make a professional contribution. The purpose of this study is to determine the difficulties encountered by teachers who are continuing their graduate education. The research group consists of 29 teachers working in Ministry of National Education and continued master’s with thesis education in 2017-2018 academic years, and they were selected with purposeful sampling. In the study, the qualitative research method was used. The data collection tool consisted of the personal information protocol and the interview form consisting of 5 open-ended questions developed by the researcher. In the presentation of the data, the frequency and percentage values of the personal information of the participants were tabulated. As a result of the study, it was determined that the participants had problems such as the distance between the university and the school, the training being a tiring process, the problem of attendance and the inadequacy of the incentives to complete the education and the inadequacy of the rights given in the case of the completion of the education.