Evaluation of Voting with Form Dropout Techniques for Ballot Vote Counting

Vote counting accuracy has become a well-known issue in the vote collection process. Digital image processing techniques can be incorporated in the analysis of printed election ballots. Current image processing techniques in the vote collection process are heavily dependent on the anticipated, geometric positioning of the vote. These techniques don’t account for markings made outside of the requested field of input. Using various form dropout techniques, however, every mark on the form can be extracted and used by the machine to make an intelligent decision. Most methods will still miss a few marks and result in a few false alarms. This paper explores methods of voting between the results of the different mark extraction methods to improve recognition. To provide diversity a simple image subtraction technique is paired with a distance transform and a morphology based algorithm. The result has a higher detection rate and a lower false alarm rate

An Analysis of Adult Educators’ Experiences with Professional Development Activities

This study was designed to explore Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), and English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers’ experiences with professional development. The study sought to determine whether adult learning principles were evident in the facilitation of professional development activities. The study instrument was administered online to members of the Coalition on Adult Basic Education (COABE), with a total of n=348 respondents to the survey. The survey consisted of demographic questions, questions related to professional development experiences, and an open response question. The majority of respondents were teachers/instructors (n=232, 66.7%), held a master’s degree (n=187, 54.4%), and did not have adult education certification/licensure (n=205, 59.1%). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was utilized to identify adult learning principles that were perceived by ABE, ASE, and ESL teachers who attended professional development. Seven factors emerged to explain 67.11% of the total variance among 32 items on the instrument. The first factor in the exploratory factor analysis indicated that during professional development, ABE, ASE, and ESL teachers learned new skills and strategies for working with adult learners that were applicable to their classroom instruction. The other factors had fewer items and were less defined. To describe how the learning environment impacted ABE, ASE, and ESL teachers’ professional development experiences, a one-way between-groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. Results indicated no statistically significant difference among the groups. To compare perceptions of facilitator skills and abilities that impacted ABE, ASE, and ESL teachers’ professional development experiences, a one-way between-groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. Data analysis indicated differences existed between ASE and ESL groups on two items

Fact sheet: Using a terrestrial ecosystem survey to estimate the historical density of ponderosa pine trees in northern Arizona

The Terrestrial Ecosystem Survey (TES) delineates ecosystems according to their climate, geology, soils, and potential natural vegetation (U.S. Forest Service 1986). Land managers and planners can use this information to help interpret site suitability for natural regeneration, reforestation, and revegetation potential as well as site suitability for road building, range and timber, range structures (watering sources), and other land uses. However, the TES can be used for other purposes as Ganey and Benoit (2002) demonstrated in their report about identifying potential habitat for Mexican spotted owl on national forest lands. Similarly, Bell and colleagues (2009) used the TES and its specific survey units (TESU) to analyze the characteristics of the Woolsey plots in northern Arizona - plots the Forest Service established in the early 1900s to examine tree regeneration. In our study, we identified historic ponderosa pine densities on various TES mapping units and then correlated our findings with what the TESU predicted we should find

Pathological changes within the cerebral vasculature in Alzheimer's disease:New perspectives

Cerebrovascular disease underpins vascular dementia (VaD), but structural and functional changes to the cerebral vasculature contribute to disease pathology and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this review, we discuss the contribution of cerebral amyloid angiopathy and non‐amyloid small vessel disease in AD, and the accompanying changes to the density, maintenance and remodelling of vessels (including alterations to the composition and function of the cerebrovascular basement membrane). We consider how abnormalities of the constituent cells of the neurovascular unit – particularly of endothelial cells and pericytes – and impairment of the blood‐brain barrier (BBB) impact on the pathogenesis of AD. We also discuss how changes to the cerebral vasculature are likely to impair Aβ clearance – both intra‐periarteriolar drainage (IPAD) and transport of Aβ peptides across the BBB, and how impaired neurovascular coupling and reduced blood flow in relation to metabolic demand increase amyloidogenic processing of APP and the production of Aβ. We review the vasoactive properties of Aβ peptides themselves, and the probable bi‐directional relationship between vascular dysfunction and Aβ accumulation in AD. Lastly, we discuss recent methodological advances in transcriptomics and imaging that have provided novel insights into vascular changes in AD, and recent advances in assessment of the retina that allow in vivo detection of vascular changes in the early stages of AD

Influence of laser polarization on collective electron dynamics in ultraintense laser-foil interactions

The collective response of electrons in an ultrathin foil target irradiated by an ultraintense laser pulse is investigated experimentally and via 3D particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that if the target is sufficiently thin that the laser induces significant radiation pressure, but not thin enough to become relativistically transparent to the laser light, the resulting relativistic electron beam is elliptical, with the major axis of the ellipse directed along the laser polarization axis. When the target thickness is decreased such that it becomes relativistically transparent early in the interaction with the laser pulse, diffraction of the transmitted laser light occurs through a so called 'relativistic plasma aperture', inducing structure in the spatial-intensity profile of the beam of energetic electrons. It is shown that the electron beam profile can be modified by variation of the target thickness and degree of ellipticity in the laser polarization

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA): a population based gap analysis of trauma patients in England and Wales

INTRODUCTION: Non-compressible torso haemorrhage (NCTH) carries a high mortality in trauma as many patients exsanguinate prior to definitive haemorrhage control. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is an adjunct that has the potential to bridge patients to definitive haemostasis. However, the proportion of trauma patients in whom REBOA may be utilised is unknown. METHODS: We conducted a population based analysis of 2012-2013 Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) data. We identified the number of patients in whom REBOA may have been utilised, defined by an Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥3 to abdominal solid organs, abdominal or pelvic vasculature, pelvic fracture with ring disruption or proximal traumatic lower limb amputation, together with a systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg. Patients with non-compressible haemorrhage in the mediastinum, axilla, face or neck were excluded. RESULTS: During 2012-2013, 72 677 adult trauma patients admitted to hospitals in England and Wales were identified. 397 patients had an indication(s) and no contraindications for REBOA with evidence of haemorrhagic shock: 69% men, median age 43 years and median Injury Severity Score 32. Overall mortality was 32%. Major trauma centres (MTCs) received the highest concentration of potential REBOA patients, and would be anticipated to receive a patient in whom REBOA may be utilised every 95 days, increasing to every 46 days in the 10 MTCs with the highest attendance of this injury type. CONCLUSIONS: This TARN database analysis has identified a small group of severely injured, resource intensive patients with a highly lethal injury that is theoretically amenable to REBOA. The highest density of these patients is seen at MTCs, and as such a planned evaluation of REBOA should be further considered in these hospitals

(En)gendering the political: Citizenship from marginal spaces

This introduction sets out the central concerns of this special issue, the relationship between marginality and the political. In doing so it makes the argument that the process of marginalisation, the sites and experiences of ‘marginality’ provide a different lens through which to understand citizenship. Viewing the political as the struggle over belonging it considers how recent studies of citizenship have understood political agency. It argues that marginality can help us understand multiple scales, struggles and solidarities both within and beyond citizenship. Whilst there is a radical potential in much of the existing literature in citizenship studies it is also important to consider political subjectivities and acts which are not subsumed by right claims. Exploring marginality in this way means understanding how subjects are disenfranchised by regimes of citizenship and at the same how time this also (en)genders new political possibilities which are not always orientated towards 'inclusion'. The introduction then sets out how each article contributes to this project

Perfusion optimisation for vascular grafts design used in the treatment of aortic disease

Regions of the aortic arch affected by an aneurysm or dissection may require surgical intervention using vascular grafts, which includes a means of re-perfusing the supra-aortic branch vessels. However, graft configuration to ensure optimal post-surgical perfusion is currently poorly understood. Therefore, enhanced understanding of perfusion in patient-specific cases is critical to improving clinical practice and patient outcomes. In this work, a combination of computational and experimental models of the aortic arch were created to investigate the pre-surgical haemodynamics of the aortic arch, using a coupled 3D-0D numerical framework to simulate a range of downstream conditions, both healthy and pathological

Blood flow analysis of the aortic arch using computational fluid dynamics in a coupled 3D-0D framework

Regions of the aortic arch affected by an aneurysm or dissection may require surgical intervention using vascular grafts, which includes a means of reperfusing the supra-aortic branch vessels, comprised of the left subclavian artery (LSA), left common carotid artery (LCCA) and brachiocephalic artery. Open surgical grafts are widely used in arch reconstruction yet the graft configuration which ensures optimal post-surgical perfusion is currently poorly understood. For example, peripheral organ ischaemia and post-operative malperfusion remain a concern. It is clear, therefore, that enhanced understanding of perfusion in patient-specific cases is critical to improving clinical practice and patient outcome