Showing papers by "University of Rhode Island published in 2010"

Building sustainable hybrid organizations: the case of commercial microfinance organizations

Abstract: We explore how new types of hybrid organizations (organizations that combine institutional logics in unprecedented ways) can develop and maintain their hybrid nature in the absence of a “ready-to-w...

Exercise and type 2 diabetes: the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: joint position statement.

Abstract: Although physical activity (PA) is a key element in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes, many with this chronic disease do not become or remain regularly active. High-quality studies establishing the importance of exercise and fitness in diabetes were lacking until recently, but it is now well established that participation in regular PA improves blood glucose control and can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, along with positively affecting lipids, blood pressure, cardiovascular events, mortality, and quality of life. Structured interventions combining PA and modest weight loss have been shown to lower type 2 diabetes risk by up to 58% in high-risk populations. Most benefits of PA on diabetes management are realized through acute and chronic improvements in insulin action, accomplished with both aerobic and resistance training. The benefits of physical training are discussed, along with recommendations for varying activities, PA-associated blood glucose management, diabetes prevention, gestational diabetes mellitus, and safe and effective practices for PA with diabetes-related complications.

Fore-arc basalts and subduction initiation in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana system

Abstract: Recent diving with the JAMSTEC Shinkai 6500 manned submersible in the Mariana fore arc southeast of Guam has discovered that MORB-like tholeiitic basalts crop out over large areas These ''fore-arc basalts'' (FAB) underlie boninites and overlie diabasic and gabbroic rocks Potential origins include eruption at a spreading center before subduction began or eruption during near-trench spreading after subduction began FAB trace element patterns are similar to those of MORB and most Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) back-arc lavas However, Ti/V and Yb/V ratios are lower in FAB reflecting a stronger prior depletion of their mantle source compared to the source of basalts from mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basins Some FAB also have higher concentrations of fluid-soluble elements than do spreading center lavas Thus, the most likely origin of FAB is that they were the first lavas to erupt when the Pacific Plate began sinking beneath the Philippine Plate at about 51 Ma The magmas were generated by mantle decompression during near-trench spreading with little or no mass transfer from the subducting plate Boninites were generated later when the residual, highly depleted mantle melted at shallow levels after fluxing by a water-rich fluid derived from the sinking Pacific Plate This magmatic stratigraphy of FAB overlain by transitional lavas and boninites is similar to that found in many ophiolites, suggesting that ophiolitic assemblages might commonly originate from near-trench volcanism caused by subduction initiation Indeed, the widely dispersed Jurassic and Cretaceous Tethyan ophiolites could represent two such significant subduction initiation events

Predator-prey naïveté, antipredator behavior, and the ecology of predator invasions

Abstract: We present a framework for explaining variation in predator invasion success and predator impacts on native prey that integrates information about predator–prey naivete, predator and prey behavioral responses to each other, consumptive and non-consumptive eff ects of predators on prey, and interacting eff ects of multiple species interactions. We begin with the ‘naive prey’ hypothesis that posits that naive, native prey that lack evolutionary history with non-native predators suff er heavy predation because they exhibit ineff ective antipredator responses to novel predators. Not all naive prey, however, show ineff ective antipredator responses to novel predators. To explain variation in prey response to novel predators, we focus on the interaction between prey use of general versus specifi c cues and responses, and the functional similarity of non-native and native predators. Eff ective antipredator responses reduce predation rates (reduce consumptive eff ects of predators, CEs), but often also carry costs that result in non-consumptive eff ects (NCEs) of predators. We contrast expected CEs versus NCEs for non-native versus native predators, and discuss how diff erences in the relative magnitudes of CEs and NCEs might infl uence invasion dynamics. Going beyond the eff ects of naive prey, we discuss how the ‘naive prey’, ‘enemy release’ and ‘evolution of increased competitive ability’ (EICA) hypotheses are inter-related, and how the importance of all three might be mediated by prey and predator naivete. Th ese ideas hinge on the notion that non-native predators enjoy a ‘novelty advantage’ associated with the naivete of native prey and top predators. However, non-native predators could instead suff er from a novelty disadvantage because they are also naive to their new prey and potential predators. We hypothesize that patterns of community similarity and evolution might explain the variation in novelty advantage that can underlie variation in invasion outcomes. Finally, we discuss management implications of our framework, including suggestions for managing invasive predators, predator reintroductions and biological control.

Financial Socialization of First-year College Students: The Roles of Parents, Work, and Education

Abstract: This cross-sectional study tests a conceptual financial socialization process model, specifying four-levels that connect anticipatory socialization during adolescence to young adults’ current financial learning, to their financial attitudes, and to their financial behavior. A total of 2,098 first-year college students (61.9% females) participated in the survey, representing a diverse ethnic group (32.6% minority participation: Hispanic 14.9%, Asian/Asian American 9%, Black 3.4%, Native American 1.8% and other 3.5%). Structural equation modeling indicated that parents, work, and high school financial education during adolescence predicted young adults’ current financial learning, attitude and behavior, with the role played by parents substantially greater than the role played by work experience and high school financial education combined. Data also supported the proposed hierarchical financial socialization four-level model, indicating that early financial socialization is related to financial learning, which in turn is related to financial attitudes and subsequently to financial behavior. The study presents a discussion of how the theories of consumer socialization and planned behavior were combined effectively to depict the financial development of young adults. Several practical implications are also provided for parents, educators and students.

Exercise and type 2 diabetes: the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Diabetes Association: joint position statement executive summary.

Abstract: Although physical activity (PA) is a key element in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes, many with this chronic disease do not become or remain regularly active. High-quality studies establishing the importance of exercise and fitness in diabetes were lacking until recently, but it is now well established that participation in regular PA improves blood glucose control and can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes, along with positively impacting lipids, blood pressure, cardiovascular events, mortality, and quality of life. Structured interventions combining PA and modest weight loss have been shown to lower risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 58% in high-risk populations. Most benefits of PA on diabetes management are realized through acute and chronic improvements in insulin action, accomplished with both aerobic and resistance training. …

Study of stability of time-domain features for electromyographic pattern recognition

Abstract: Significant progress has been made towards the clinical application of human-machine interfaces (HMIs) based on electromyographic (EMG) pattern recognition for various rehabilitation purposes. Making this technology practical and available to patients with motor deficits requires overcoming real-world challenges, such as physical and physiological changes, that result in variations in EMG signals and systems that are unreliable for long-term use. In this study, we aimed to address these challenges by (1) investigating the stability of time-domain EMG features during changes in the EMG signals and (2) identifying the feature sets that would provide the most robust EMG pattern recognition. Variations in EMG signals were introduced during physical experiments. We identified three disturbances that commonly affect EMG signals: EMG electrode location shift, variation in muscle contraction effort, and muscle fatigue. The impact of these disturbances on individual features and combined feature sets was quantified by changes in classification performance. The robustness of feature sets was evaluated by a stability index developed in this study. Muscle fatigue had the smallest effect on the studied EMG features, while electrode location shift and varying effort level significantly reduced the classification accuracy for most of the features. Under these disturbances, the most stable EMG feature set with combination of four features produced at least 16.0% higher classification accuracy than the least stable set. EMG autoregression coefficients and cepstrum coefficients showed the most robust classification performance of all studied time-domain features. Selecting appropriate EMG feature combinations can overcome the impact of the studied disturbances on EMG pattern classification to a certain extent; however, this simple solution is still inadequate. Stabilizing electrode contact locations and developing effective classifier training strategies are suggested to further improve the robustness of HMIs based on EMG pattern recognition.

Being the Change: Resolving Institutional Contradiction through Identity Work

Abstract: We show how gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) ministers in two mainline Protestant denominations in the United States experience and address a salient institutional contradiction between their role in the church and their marginalized GLBT identities. Drawing on this analysis, we offer a theoretical model of the microprocesses through which marginalized actors who are committed to the institution in which they are embedded can begin to think and act as agents of institutional change. This model enunciates the importance of embodied identity work in resolving the experience of institutional contradiction and marginalization.

Sustainability and Global Seafood

Abstract: Although seafood is the most highly traded food internationally, it is an often overlooked component of global food security. It provides essential local food, livelihoods, and export earnings. Although global capture fisheries production is unlikely to increase, aquaculture is growing considerably. Sustaining seafood's contributions to food security hinges on the ability of institutions, particularly in developing countries, to protect and improve ecosystem health in the face of increasing pressures from international trade.

Electrolyte Reactions with the Surface of High Voltage LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract: The reaction of an electrolyte (1 M LiPF 6 in ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate/diethyl carbonate, 1:1:1) with the surface of LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 at various voltages (4.0-5.3 V vs Li) was investigated. Coin cells (Li/LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 ) stored at low voltage (4.0-4.5 V vs Li) show low residual current, and ex situ analysis of the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 surface by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and IR spectroscopy suggests low concentrations of electrolyte decomposition products. Coin cells (Li/LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 ) stored at high voltage (4.7-5.3 V vs Li) show increased residual current, and ex situ analysis of the cathode surface by XPS and IR supports the presence of poly(ethylenecarbonate).

Hypolipidemic, Antioxidant, and Antiinflammatory Activities of Microalgae Spirulina

Abstract: Spirulina is free-floating filamentous microalgae growing in alkaline water bodies. With its high nutritional value, Spirulina has been consumed as food for centuries in Central Africa. It is now widely used as nutraceutical food supplement worldwide. Recently, great attention and extensive studies have been devoted to evaluate its therapeutic benefits on an array of diseased conditions including hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycerolemia, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, cancer, and viral infections. The cardiovascular benefits of Spirulina are primarily resulted from its hypolipidemic, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory activities. Data from preclinical studies with various animal models consistently demonstrate the hypolipidemic activity of Spirulina. Although differences in study design, sample size, and patient conditions resulting in minor inconsistency in response to Spirulina supplementation, the findings from human clinical trials are largely consistent with the hypolipidemic effects of Spirulina observed in the preclinical studies. However, most of the human clinical trials are suffered with limited sample size and some with poor experimental design. The antioxidant and/or antiinflammatory activities of Spirulina were demonstrated in a large number of preclinical studies. However, a limited number of clinical trials have been carried out so far to confirm such activities in human. Currently, our understanding on the underlying mechanisms for Spirulina's activities, especially the hypolipidemic effect, is limited. Spirulina is generally considered safe for human consumption supported by its long history of use as food source and its favorable safety profile in animal studies. However, rare cases of side-effects in human have been reported. Quality control in the growth and process of Spirulina to avoid contamination is mandatory to guarantee the safety of Spirulina products.

Marine reserves as linked social–ecological systems

Abstract: Marine reserves are increasingly recognized as having linked social and ecological dynamics. This study investigates how the ecological performance of 56 marine reserves throughout the Philippines, Caribbean, and Western Indian Ocean (WIO) is related to both reserve design features and the socioeconomic characteristics in associated coastal communities. Ecological performance was measured as fish biomass in the reserve relative to nearby areas. Of the socioeconomic variables considered, human population density and compliance with reserve rules had the strongest effects on fish biomass, but the effects of these variables were region specific. Relationships between population density and the reserve effect on fish biomass were negative in the Caribbean, positive in the WIO, and not detectable in the Philippines. Differing associations between population density and reserve effectiveness defy simple explanation but may depend on human migration to effective reserves, depletion of fish stocks outside reserves, or other social factors that change with population density. Higher levels of compliance reported by resource users was related to higher fish biomass in reserves compared with outside, but this relationship was only statistically significant in the Caribbean. A heuristic model based on correlations between social, cultural, political, economic, and other contextual conditions in 127 marine reserves showed that high levels of compliance with reserve rules were related to complex social interactions rather than simply to enforcement of reserve rules. Comparative research of this type is important for uncovering the complexities surrounding human dimensions of marine reserves and improving reserve management.

The Past, Present, and Future of the AVHRR Pathfinder SST Program

Abstract: With origins dating back to 1990, the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) Pathfinder Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Program has experienced a 20-year history of reprocessing space-based observations to create accurate, consistent, climate data records. Both scientific and programmatic aspects of this history are reviewed and summarized in this chapter, along with a review of the currently available Pathfinder SST data. In addition, a look forward to the next generation of Pathfinder currently under development is presented.

On the Dynamics of x_{\bf{n} + \bf{1}} = {{ \mgreek{a} + \mgreek{g} x_{n-1} + \mgreek{d} x_{n-2}} \over {A + x_{n-2}}}

Abstract: We investigate the global stability, the periodic character and the boundedness nature of solutions of the equation in the title for all admissible nonnegative values of the parameters and the initial conditions. We show that the solutions exhibit a trichotomy character depending on how the parameter γ compares to the sum of the parameters δ and A.

Economic Growth and the Expansion of Urban Land in China

Abstract: This paper aims to demonstrate the relationship between economic growth and the urban core area in order to help urban planners reach a better understanding of the pressures that are leading to cha...

Mesopelagic zone ecology and biogeochemistry - a synthesis

Abstract: The mesopelagic zone is the oceanic region through which carbon and other elements must pass in order to reach deeper waters or the sea floor. However, the food web interactions that occur in the mesopelagic zone are difficult to measure and so, despite their crucial importance to global elemental cycles, are not very well known. Recent developments in technology and new approaches have advanced the study of the variability in and controls upon the distribution and diversity of organisms in the mesopelagic zone, including the roles of respiration, recycling, and repackaging of particulate and dissolved organic material. However, there are remarkably few syntheses of the ecology and biogeochemistry of the microbes and metazoa that permanently reside or habitually visit this ‘twilight zone’. Without this synthesis, it is difficult to assess the impact of ongoing changes in ocean hydrography and chemistry, due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, on the biological carbon pump. This paper reviews what is known about the distribution of microbes and metazoa in the mesopelagic zone in relation to their activity and impact on global biogeochemical cycles. Thus, gaps in our knowledge are identified and suggestions made for priority research programmes that will improve our ability to predict the effects of climate change on carbon sequestration.

Regioselective oxidative arylation of indoles bearing N-alkyl protecting groups: dual C-H functionalization via a concerted metalation-deprotonation mechanism.

Abstract: The most direct method for synthesizing 2-arylindoles is oxidative coupling of an arene with an indole. We have shown that both the activity and regioselectivity of this cross-coupling reaction are correlated with the acidity of the medium. This insight has been applied to predict the best conditions for the oxidative cross-coupling of N-alkylindoles, an important class of substrates that has heretofore been incompatible with the harsh conditions required for oxidative cross-coupling. Both experimental and computational data indicate that the mechanism for C-H palladation of both the indoles and simple arenes is best described as concerted metalation-deprotonation, regardless of the substitution on the arene.

Maintenance of weight loss after lifestyle interventions for overweight and obesity, a systematic review.

Abstract: Lifestyle interventions can reduce body weight, but weight regain is common and may particularly occur with higher initial weight loss. If so, one may argue whether the 10% weight loss in clinical guidelines is preferable above a lower weight loss. This systematic review explores the relation between weight loss during an intervention and weight maintenance after at least 1 year of unsupervised follow-up. Twenty-two interventions (during at least 1 month) in healthy overweight Caucasians were selected and the mean percentages of weight loss and maintenance were calculated in a standardized way. In addition, within four intervention groups (n > 80) maintenance was calculated stratified by initial weight loss (0-5%, 5-10%, >10%). Overall, mean percentage maintenance was 54%. Weight loss during the intervention was not significantly associated with percentage maintenance (r = -0.26; P = 0.13). Percentage maintenance also not differed significantly between interventions with a weight loss of 5-10% vs. >10%. Consequently, net weight loss after follow-up differed between these categories (3.7 vs. 7.0%, respectively; P < 0.01). The analyses within the four interventions confirmed these findings. In conclusion, percentage maintenance does not clearly depend on initial weight loss. From this perspective, 10% or more weight loss can indeed be encouraged and favoured above lower weight loss goals.

Population genetic diversity and fitness in multiple environments

Abstract: When a large number of alleles are lost from a population, increases in individual homozygosity may reduce individual fitness through inbreeding depression. Modest losses of allelic diversity may also negatively impact long-term population viability by reducing the capacity of populations to adapt to altered environments. However, it is not clear how much genetic diversity within populations may be lost before populations are put at significant risk. Development of tools to evaluate this relationship would be a valuable contribution to conservation biology. To address these issues, we have created an experimental system that uses laboratory populations of an estuarine crustacean, Americamysis bahia with experimentally manipulated levels of genetic diversity. We created replicate cultures with five distinct levels of genetic diversity and monitored them for 16 weeks in both permissive (ambient seawater) and stressful conditions (diluted seawater). The relationship between molecular genetic diversity at presumptive neutral loci and population vulnerability was assessed by AFLP analysis. Populations with very low genetic diversity demonstrated reduced fitness relative to high diversity populations even under permissive conditions. Population performance decreased in the stressful environment for all levels of genetic diversity relative to performance in the permissive environment. Twenty percent of the lowest diversity populations went extinct before the end of the study in permissive conditions, whereas 73% of the low diversity lines went extinct in the stressful environment. All high genetic diversity populations persisted for the duration of the study, although population sizes and reproduction were reduced under stressful environmental conditions. Levels of fitness varied more among replicate low diversity populations than among replicate populations with high genetic diversity. There was a significant correlation between AFLP diversity and population fitness overall; however, AFLP markers performed poorly at detecting modest but consequential losses of genetic diversity. High diversity lines in the stressful environment showed some evidence of relative improvement as the experiment progressed while the low diversity lines did not. The combined effects of reduced average fitness and increased variability contributed to increased extinction rates for very low diversity populations. More modest losses of genetic diversity resulted in measurable decreases in population fitness; AFLP markers did not always detect these losses. However when AFLP markers indicated lost genetic diversity, these losses were associated with reduced population fitness.

Controlled release from bilayer-decorated magnetoliposomes via electromagnetic heating.

Abstract: Nanoscale assemblies that can be activated and controlled through external stimuli represent a next stage in multifunctional therapeutics. We report the formation, characterization, and release properties of bilayer-decorated magnetoliposomes (dMLs) that were prepared by embedding small hydrophobic SPIO nanoparticles at different lipid molecule to nanoparticle ratios within dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers. The dML structure was examined by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, and release was examined by carboxyfluorescein leakage. Nanoparticle heating using alternating current electromagnetic fields (EMFs) operating at radio frequencies provided selective release of the encapsulated molecule at low nanoparticle concentrations and under physiologically acceptable EMF conditions. Without radio frequency heating, spontaneous leakage from the dMLs decreased with increasing nanoparticle loading, consistent with greater bilayer stability and a decrease in the effective dML surface area due to aggregation. With radio frequency heating, the initial rate and extent of leakage increased significantly as a function of nanoparticle loading and electromagnetic field strength. The mechanism of release is attributed to a combination of bilayer permeabilization and partial dML rupture.

Sargasso Sea phosphorus biogeochemistry: an important role for dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP)

Abstract: . Inorganic phosphorus (SRP) concentrations in the subtropical North Atlantic are some of the lowest in the global ocean and have been hypothesized to constrain primary production. Based upon data from several transect cruises in this region, it has been hypothesized that dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) supports a significant fraction of primary production in the subtropical North Atlantic. In this study, a time-series of phosphorus biogeochemistry is presented for the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study site, including rates of phosphorus export. Most parameters have a seasonal pattern, although year-over-year variability in the seasonal pattern is substantial, likely due to differences in external forcing. Suspended particulate phosphorus exhibits a seasonal maximum during the spring bloom, despite the absence of a seasonal peak in SRP. However, DOP concentrations are at an annual maximum prior to the winter/spring bloom and decline over the course of the spring bloom while whole community alkaline phosphatase activities are highest. As a result of DOP bioavailability, the growth of particles during the spring bloom occurs in Redfield proportions, though particles exported from the euphotic zone show rapid and significant remineralization of phosphorus within the first 50 m below the euphotic zone. Based upon DOP data from transect cruises in this region, the southward cross gyral flux of DOP is estimated to support ~25% of annual primary production and ~100% of phosphorus export. These estimates are consistent with other research in the subtropical North Atlantic and reinforce the hypothesis that while the subtropics may be phosphorus stressed (a physiological response to low inorganic phosphorus), utilization of the DOP pool allows production and accumulation of microbial biomass at Redfield proportions.

In Vitro Potential of Ascophyllum nodosum Phenolic Antioxidant‐Mediated α‐Glucosidase and α‐Amylase Inhibition

Abstract: Ascophyllum nodosum is a brown seaweed that grows abundantly in the Northeast coastal region. In this study, the potential of A. nodosum for type 2 diabetes management through antioxidant-mediated alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibition was investigated. After the initial screening of 4 locally harvested seaweeds, A. nodosum was chosen for its highest phenolic content and was subjected to water extraction. Among extraction ratios of 50 g to 100 to 1000 mL at room temperature, 50 g/400 mL yielded the highest phenolic content of 4.5 mg/g wet weight. For evaluation of extraction temperature ranging from 20 to 80 degrees C, 50 g/400 mL was chosen as a minimum amount of extractant. Among temperatures studied, extraction at 80 degrees C resulted in the highest total phenolic contents (4.2 mg/g wet weight). All extracts had similar levels of antioxidant activity in the range of 60% to 70% in terms of 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity. The 80 degrees C extract had the highest alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibitory activity with IC(50) of 0.24 and 1.34 microg phenolics, respectively, compared to the IC(50) of acarbose, reference inhibitor, being 0.37 and 0.68 microg. The results show that fresh A. nodosum has strong alpha-glucosidase and mild alpha-amylase inhibitory activities that correlated with phenolic contents. This study suggests a nutraceutical potential of A. nodosum based on phytochemical antioxidant and antihyperglycemia activities.

Mantle Melting as a Function of Water Content beneath the Mariana Arc

Abstract: Subduction zone magmas are characterized by high concentrations of pre-eruptive H_2O, presumably as a result of an H_2Oflux originating from the dehydrating, subducting slab. The extent of mantle melting increases as a function of increasing water content beneath back-arc basins and is predicted to increase in a similar manner beneath arc volcanoes. Here, we present new data for olivine-hosted, basaltic melt inclusions from the Mariana arc that reveal pre-eruptive H_2O contents of ~1•5-6•0 wt %, which are up to three times higher than concentrations reported for the Mariana Trough back-arc basin. Major element systematics of arc and back-arc basin basalts indicate that the back-arc basin melting regime does not simply mix with wet, arc-derived melts to produce the observed range of back-arc magmatic H_2O concentrations. Simple melting models reveal that the trend of increasing extents of melting with increasing H_2O concentrations of the mantle source identified in the Mariana Trough generally extends beneath the Mariana volcanic front to higher mantle water contents and higher extents of melting. In detail, however, each Mariana volcano may define a distinct relationship between extent of melting and the H_2O content of the mantle source. We develop a revised parameterization of hydrous melting, incorporating terms for variable pressure and mantle fertility, to describe the distinct relationships shown by each arc volcano. This model is used in combination with thermobarometry constraints to show that hydrous melts equilibrate at greater depths (34-87 km) and temperatures (>1300°C) beneath the Mariana arc than beneath the back-arc basin (21-37 km), although both magma types can form from a mantle of similar potential temperature (~1350°C).The difference lies in where the melts form and equilibrate. Arc melts are dominated by those that equilibrate within the hot core of the mantle wedge, whereas back-arc melts are dominated by those that equilibrate within the shallow zone of decompression melting beneath the spreading center. Despite higher absolute melting temperatures (>1300°C), Mariana arc melts reflect lower melt productivity as a result of wet melting conditions and a more refractory mantle source.

RAMOBoost: Ranked Minority Oversampling in Boosting

Abstract: In recent years, learning from imbalanced data has attracted growing attention from both academia and industry due to the explosive growth of applications that use and produce imbalanced data. However, because of the complex characteristics of imbalanced data, many real-world solutions struggle to provide robust efficiency in learning-based applications. In an effort to address this problem, this paper presents Ranked Minority Oversampling in Boosting (RAMOBoost), which is a RAMO technique based on the idea of adaptive synthetic data generation in an ensemble learning system. Briefly, RAMOBoost adaptively ranks minority class instances at each learning iteration according to a sampling probability distribution that is based on the underlying data distribution, and can adaptively shift the decision boundary toward difficult-to-learn minority and majority class instances by using a hypothesis assessment procedure. Simulation analysis on 19 real-world datasets assessed over various metrics-including overall accuracy, precision, recall, F-measure, G-mean, and receiver operation characteristic analysis-is used to illustrate the effectiveness of this method.

Robotic tools for deep water archaeology: Surveying an ancient shipwreck with an autonomous underwater vehicle

Abstract: The goals of this article are twofold. First, we detail the operations and discuss the results of the 2005 Chios ancient shipwreck survey. This survey was conducted by an international team of engineers, archaeologists, and natural scientists off the Greek island of Chios in the northeastern Aegean Sea using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) built specifically for high‐resolution site inspection and characterization. Second, using the survey operations as context, we identify the specific challenges of adapting AUV technology for deep water archaeology and describe how our team addressed these challenges during the Chios expedition. After identifying the state of the art in robotic tools for deep water archaeology, we discuss opportunities in which new developments and research (e.g., AUV platforms, underwater imaging, remote sensing, and navigation techniques) will improve the rapid assessment of deep water archaeological sites. It is our hope that by reporting on the Chios field expedition we can both describe the opportunities that AUVs bring to fine‐resolution seafloor site surveys and elucidate future opportunities for collaborations between roboticists and ocean scientists. (Less)

A network-individual-resource model for HIV prevention.

Abstract: HIV is transmitted through dyadic exchanges of individuals linked in transitory or permanent networks of varying sizes. A theoretical perspective that bridges key individual level elements with important network elements can be a complementary foundation for developing and implementing HIV interventions with outcomes that are more sustainable over time and have greater dissemination potential. Toward that end, we introduce a Network-Individual-Resource (NIR) model for HIV prevention that recognizes how exchanges of resources between individuals and their networks underlies and sustains HIV-risk behaviors. Individual behavior change for HIV prevention, then, may be dependent on increasing the supportiveness of that individual’s relevant networks for such change. Among other implications, an NIR model predicts that the success of prevention efforts depends on whether the prevention efforts (1) prompt behavior changes that can be sustained by the resources the individual or their networks possess; (2) meet individual and network needs and are consistent with the individual’s current situation/developmental stage; (3) are trusted and valued; and (4) target high HIV-prevalence networks.