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Researchers have considered how school choice policies affect student achievement, but less inquiry explores how the organization of schools may change in the presence of choice. This descriptive and exploratory paper analyzes a state representative sample of school mission statements at two time points: before the enactment of choice policies in Indiana, namely the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, and again six years into the policy. Using structural topic modeling, this paper examines whether and how school mission statements topics have changed over this period. Descriptive findings suggest mission statement topics differ significantly between sectors but show few changes over time. The most striking shift is that Catholic and other private religious schools appear to be clarifying the religious aspects of their mission in the presence of robust choice policies.

The purpose of this article is to describe a model for creating a successful service engagement partnership with a community organization that may lead to the development of a short- or long-term service engagement project or course. The article explains how to create a successful partnership, including how to identify and choose the right community partner, the importance and development of a memorandum of understanding, and procedures for evaluating the partnership. Examples of two successful partnerships with two different structures, at two different universities, with one organization (Special Olympics) will be used. One partnership has produced a service-learning course for a sport management program that includes service-engagement opportunities for physical education, health, and exercise science students, while the other partnership has resulted in a three-tiered service-engagement project that involves interns, two community recreation and nonprofit leadership classes, and a co-curricular registered student organization. Lessons learned from this article can be replicated in other higher education programs, as well as in elementary, middle, and secondary education settings.

For the first time, a cutin-like, highly chemically resistant macropolymer has been isolated from rachises of Karinopteris sp. (lyginopteridalean pteridosperm, Middle Pennsylvanian). Samples are obtained from a cuticular or "paper" coal-shale, i.e., an organic-rich and highly clastic rock associated with the Upper Block Coal Member of the Brazil Formation, Parke County, west-central Indiana, U.S.A. Karinopteris specimens are preserved as naturally oxidized compressions, termed "fossilized cuticles", and possibly represent vegetation of mineral substrate environments. Employing laboratory oxidation reactions, the fossilized cuticle of Karinopteris rachises is used to obtain the cuticle. After additional and long-term oxidation treatment, the cuticle yields the cutin-like macropolymer, here referred to as "cutin" for simplicity. The fossilized cuticle, cuticle, and cutin samples of Karinopteris sp. are chemically analyzed using semi-quantitative Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Cutin IR spectra of Karinopteris rachises are characterized by (a) a predominantly aliphatic composition as indicated by intense aliphatic (CH al) C H stretching peaks at 3000–2700 cm−1, which are assigned to methylene (CH 2) and methyl (CH 3) groups; (b) carbonyl (C=O) groups at 1730–1640 cm−1, and aromatic carbon (C=C) absorption bands at 1600–1500 cm−1. A comparison with the cuticle, the cutin stands out due to relatively higher values of CH 2 /CH 3 and C=O/C=C, while displaying notably low values of CH al /C=O and C C contribution. Specifically, the relatively low value of CH al /C=O ratio obtained for the cutin of Karinopteris rachises is consistent with those found in the cutin of extant and fossil leaves. This lower CH al /C=O ratio indicates the important role likely played by C O groups in creating a deformable and flexible structure in both the cutin and the cuticle. Such a reduced rigidity suggests a high level of rachis flexibility of the once-living Karinopteris plant, supporting the interpretation of a climbing or liana habit. Cutin isolation and its chemical characterization shed light on the probable biomechanical (flexibility) properties of Karinopteris rachises, thereby enhancing our understanding of the plant growth habit. [Display omitted] • First-time spectroscopic study of Indiana "paper" coal (Pennsylvanian, U.S.A.). • Cutin polymer is obtained from fossilized cuticles of Karinopteris rachises. • Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy supplies chemical data. • Cutin is mainly aliphatic with highly crossed-linked ester carbonyl (C=O) bonds. • High C O contents suggest a liana-like Karinopteris plant with flexible rachises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunoassays and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) are both widely used methods for drug screening in toxicology. We investigated an alternative approach for rapid drug screening: paper spray MS (PS-MS). In paper spray, the biofluid sample is spotted onto a paper substrate. Upon application of a spray solvent and an electric potential, extraction and ionization occur directly from the paper without any need for additional sample preparation. We developed two paper spray high-resolution MS/MS targeted drug screening assays using a quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometer, one the positive ion mode and one in the negative ion mode. In the positive ion mode, over 130 drugs and drug metabolites were semi-quantitatively screened at sub-toxic concentrations in a single 2.5 min analysis. Limits of detection and calibration performances for each target compound are reported. The PS-MS/MS assay was tested on authentic postmortem specimens, and its screening ability and semi-quantitative performance were evaluated against independent LC-MS-MS screening and confirmation assays with good agreement. The paper spray MS/MS showed good qualitative agreement with LC-MS-MS; the true positive rate of paper spray MS/MS was 92%, and the true negative rate was over 98%. The quantitative results between the two methods were also acceptable for a screening application; Passing-Bablok regression yielded a slope of 1.17 and a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.996. A separate PS-MS/MS negative ion screening method was also developed for a small panel of barbiturates and structural analogs, demonstrating its potential for acidic drug detection and screening.

The Metropolitan District of Lawrence Township in Indianapolis, Indiana, needs a new model of teaching the latest technologies and strategies to teach kids. This paper presents the districts' implementation of the staff development plan. The plan focuses on enhancing teachers' abilities to teach: (a) basic literacy; (b) technological literacy; (c) visual literacy; (d) informational literacy; (e) self-direction; and (f) higher-order thinking. As part of the district's digital age literacy initiative, the district designed a web learning environment including e-discussions, online courses and meetings, list serves and digital age resources for township educators, parents, students, and community members to use. (Contains a list of 4 resources.)

Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling can be performed on the same area of an evidence item and, if only one is possible, which examination offers the best chance for identification. Latent fingerprints can be enhanced by targeting different components of fingerprint residues with sequential chemical treatments. This study investigated the effects of single‐reagent and sequential latent fingerprint development processes on downstream DNA analysis to determine the point at which latent fingerprint development should be stopped to allow for DNA recovery. Latent fingerprints deposited on copy paper by one donor were developed using three sequential processes: 1,8‐diazafluoren‐9‐one (DFO) → ninhydrin → physical developer (PD); 1,2‐indanedione‐zinc (IND‐Zn) → ninhydrin → PD; and IND‐Zn → ninhydrin → Oil Red O (ORO) → PD. Samples were examined after the addition of each chemical treatment. DNA was collected with cotton swabs, extracted, quantified, and amplified. DNA yields, peak heights, number of alleles obtained, and percentage of DNA profiles eligible for CODIS upload were examined. DNA profiles were obtained with varying degrees of success, depending on the number and type of treatments used for latent fingerprint development. The treatments that were found to be the least harmful to downstream DNA analysis were IND‐Zn and IND‐Zn/laser, and the most detrimental treatments were DFO, DFO/laser, and PD. In general, as the number of treatments increase, the opportunities for DNA loss or damage also increase, and it is preferable to use fewer treatments when developing latent fingerprints prior to downstream DNA processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ninhydrin and 1,2-indanedione zinc chloride (IND - ZnCl2) are two reagents that are commonly used to develop latent fingerprints on porous substrates. In this study, various hard paper substrates (e.g., cardboard and brown paper bags) were processed to compare the results produced with ninhydrin versus IND - ZnCl2. The IND - ZnCl2 provided the best results on the substrates tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education has prompted important new scholarship, Jan Meyer and Ray Land's related theoretical work has received less attention from librarians. The study described in this article is based upon 20 in-depth interviews with undergraduates about their experiences with research assignments. These students' accounts of their research offer insights into Meyer and Land's foundational ideas about troublesome knowledge and threshold concepts. Based upon the interviews, the authors suggest that research assignments might be viewed as a kind of threshold concept practice, where students grapple with not knowing and finding their way through the difficulties of research.

This article offers responses from various authors to the article "Incarnational immersion-based learning in cultural contexts: A charity model," by Dr. John Trokan (2005.) Mount St. Joseph's program on incarnational immersion-based learning, as described in the article by Dr. John Trokan, will have the participating students' eyes opened to the richness and complexity of spiritual, social, political, and economic issues among peoples of different culture. Civille shares that in his classes, he uses films and case studies to give the students some sense of seeing the world through the eyes of others. But he believes nothing compares to the firsthand experience of living in another culture and experiencing with the people their joys and hopes, their anxieties and fears. Mount St. Joseph College should be commended for its program. As Beckman reads Trokan's essay, she indeed also sees differences between the community-based learning efforts at Mount St. Joseph and her school's own. She attempts to allow Trokan's words to help her rethink what they do. For Green, the Trokan article tells the story of one particular program at one particular school. It shows a willingness that needs to be replicated at other universities and Catholic schools around the country to engage our students' faith formation by creating meaning. It shows that there is an ever increasing awareness to bring students back into relationships and service to others for the common good.

The Gary plan of "work-study-play" was the brainchild of William Wirt (1874-1938), though largely influenced by the philosophy of John Dewey (1859-1952). Introduced in 1907 to the schools of Gary, Indiana, by Superintendent of Schools Wirt, the Gary plan had organizational and curriculum features that fostered hands-on activities relating to occupations and daily life. It was considered progressive in nature, with an articulated and broad program being offered from primary through secondary grades. The increased notoriety of the plan's social and financial benefits led New York City to invite Wirt as a consultant to transform its overstretched schools. What followed were several acrimonious years of position papers, posturing, and propaganda by all sides, culminating in a swift end to the plan. The demise of the Gary plan in New York and then slowly in other locales throughout the nation that introduced it raises questions as to what might have been, especially as it accentuated manual arts and training, forerunners to today's technology education programs. This article first presents the issues, actors, and events surrounding the Gary plan and associated reform efforts in New York City. The inclusion of manual arts and vocational education as a fundamental feature of the plan also described. On a macro level, the politics of American education is examined as to how other reform efforts have been influenced by various factions. Finally, efforts to improve and change technology education through the recent "Standards for Technological Literacy" (International Technology Education Association [ITEA], 2000) are examined as to their potential for success, based on the outcomes and lessons learned from the past. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

The profession of recreational therapy first established professional membership organizations in the 1940s and 1950s. The most recent national professional membership organization was developed in 1984, when the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) was formed. The National Academy of Recreational Therapists (NART) was established in 2011 as an honor society to recognize the most accomplished practitioners and educators in recreational therapy and to provide a clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas that would ultimately lead to the advancement of the recreational therapy profession. Efforts to establish NART began in 2009 when David Austin and Ray West drafted a conceptualization of the academy and its operations, as well as proposed a set of by-laws. A steering committee was subsequently established to review and approve by-laws for NART and to establish the Founding Fellows of NART. The central purpose of the Academy was the advancement of recreational therapy by recognition, education, research, scholarly activity, advocacy, and the provision of advice to decision makers. Since its inception NART has established and funded a Future Scholars Fund to support outstanding graduate students considering pursuing a terminal degree, as well as the Marcia Carter Scholarly Manuscript Award for the best annual publication in the Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Over its first 10 years, NART made revisions to its bylaws to refine criteria and categories for Fellows, and by 2021 there were 77 elected Fellows. The invited paper summarizes the first 10 years and considers a number of original goals that remain to be realized to support and advance this honor society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide information regarding the ways in which the authors' College's faculty use paper within their pedagogical practice. A related purpose was to ascertain faculty interest in professional development initiatives related to reducing paper usage through technological affordances. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was developed and administered to the faculty within the university's Teachers College. The survey was built to assess faculty pedagogical use of paper. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected via the survey. Findings: The results suggested that digital resources are widely used by faculty, and students are encouraged to conserve paper. However, many faculty are uncomfortable with the complete elimination of paper. Originality/value: Modeling and promoting environmentally sustainable pedagogical practice is imperative within institutions charged with preparing the next generation of educators.

Differencing digital terrain models (DTMs) generated from multitemporal airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) data provide accurate and detailed information about three-dimensional (3D) changes on the Earth. However, noticeable spurious errors along flight paths are often included in the differencing results, hindering the accurate analysis of the topographic changes. This paper proposes a new scalable method to alleviate the problematic systematic errors with a high degree of automation in consideration of the practical limitations raised when processing the rapidly increasing amount of large-scale lidar datasets. The proposed method focused on estimating the displacements caused by vertical positioning errors, which are the most critical error source, and adjusting the DTMs already produced as basic lidar products without access to the point cloud and raw data from the laser scanner. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method were evaluated with experiments with county-level multitemporal airborne lidar datasets in Indiana, USA. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed method could estimate the vertical displacement reasonably along the flight paths and improve the county-level lidar differencing results by reducing the problematic errors and increasing consistency across the flight paths. The improved differencing results presented in this paper are expected to provide more consistent information about topographic changes in Indiana. In addition, the proposed method can be a feasible solution to upcoming problems induced by rapidly increasing large-scale multitemporal lidar given recent active government-driven lidar data acquisition programs, such as the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer review was used as a primary pedagogical tool in a scholarly writing course for social work doctoral students. To gauge student response to peer review and learning as a result of peer review, the instructor used narrative analysis to organize student comments into themes. Themes identified included initial trepidation, "no pain, no gain," and writing as relationship. Students transitioned from cautious reluctance about peer review to embracing it as a necessary part of the writing and publication process. As a profession that values collaboration, social work doctoral programs may benefit by encouraging peer support to enhance student writing and scholarly productivity.

In 2008, the Indiana legislature passed and the governor signed into law House Enrolled Act No. 1001, now referred to as Public Law 146-2008, which capped Indiana school districts' ability to raise revenues from the local property tax without local voter approval. To phase in the impact of the law, the state provided school districts with levy replacement grants in 2009 and 2010 that offset losses of greater than 2% of their property tax revenues. In 2011, the levy replacement grant program expired, and schools districts experienced the full impact of the law. As a result, property taxes for homesteads were capped at 1%, agricultural land at 2%, and nonresidential real property at 3% of total assessed value (Indiana Department of Local Government Finance 2008). For school boards hesitant to seek voter approval of higher taxes, these caps represented a potential loss in funding. To that end, the exploratory study described in this article analyzed the law's impact on the school districts by demographic type and sought to establish the predictive value of select independent variables on school district funding losses attributable to property tax caps. The article is divided into four sections. Following this introduction is a section on the background of this property tax reform in Indiana and a comparison to other states. The next section provides a description of the methodology used in the study while the third section discusses findings. In the final section, conclusions and recommendations for future research are presented.

Bibliometric analysis identifies the most influential manuscripts that shape our understanding of various congenital gastrointestinal pathologies. This study sets out to analyse the 100 most cited manuscripts on congenital gastrointestinal surgery. The Thomson Reuters Web of Science database was searched for all manuscripts relevant to paediatric congenital gastrointestinal surgery. The number of citations, authorship, publication date, journal of publication, institution and country were recorded for each paper. Eigenfactor and impact factor rankings were obtained for each journal of publication. 971 eligible manuscripts were returned by the search. Within the top 100 manuscripts, the most cited paper (by Metkus et al.) investigated fetal diaphragmatic hernia and was cited 413 times. University of Indianapolis had the most publications (n=5) and Journal of Pediatric Surgery had the most citations (n=3231). The country with the most publications in top 100 were the USA (n=39). The most commonly published topics were diaphragmatic hernia (n=23), abdominal wall defect (n=20) and atresia (n=6). The most cited manuscripts include various topics with a primary focus on the aetiology, diagnosis, management and outcome of diaphragmatic hernia and abdominal wall defects. Additionally, by collecting the most influential works, this study serves to reference what makes a manuscript 'citable'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the objections of scientists towards the experimental design and conclusions of the insecticidal toxins from the Bacillus thringiensis study conducted by Emma Rosi-Marshall and colleagues in 12 streams in Indiana. It mentions that after the study has released, complaints about the paper had rippled through the research community. It states that behind the attacks on Rosi-Marshall's paper are scientists who are determined to prevent papers they view to have scientific flaws from influencing policy makers.

Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) refers to novel requirements in asymmetric cryptography, namely key exchange, asymmetric encryption and digital signature. In PQC, the cryptographic computation shall resist not only attacks from classic computers, but also from quantum computers. Still, PQC algorithms are mathematical functions which are implemented conventionally (as software, hardware, etc.). Therefore, regular implementation-level attacks apply. In this paper, we list the challenges associated with the implementation of PQC, in particular vulnerabilities related to side-channel analyses. Some features in PQC, such as modular arithmetic in finite fields, inversions, non-uniform random numbers sampling, or decoding algorithms, are intrinsically hard to evaluate in constant-time. First, we detail the detection and the prevention of leakage arising from conditional control-flow and from conditional access to data structures. Second, we apply the same methodology to data leakage, in the situation where the manipulated data is randomly split in several shares (protection known as "masking"). Conventional detection of vertical leakage is not appropriate in the presence of countermeasures, such as masking. This paper shows that proper implementation of PQC requires knowledge of security evaluation and of secure coding. Owing to the large variety of PQC algorithms (key generation, encapsulation/decapsulation, signature verification/generation), classes (lattice-based, code-based, multivariate, etc.) and their configurations (key size, conforming to IND-CCA or IND-CPA security, etc.), generic methods shall be available. Those are overviewed in this paper, which is intended to provide to the readers with a comprehensive coverage about secure code evaluation and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Springs provide ideal monitoring points for groundwater chemistry, which are important for managing groundwater resources. The chemistry of these spring waters aggregate geochemical reactions along the flow path. In this paper, part two of a two-part investigation, 104 perennial springs in the classic karst landscape of the Mitchell Plateau, Indiana, USA were sampled at base flow. Many of these springs are historically important for domestic, agricultural, commercial, and recreational use. Multifactor analysis of field measurements, principal ions, and stable isotopes revealed five primary clusters of springs emerging from the Mitchell Aquifer. Two clusters represented earth-alkaline-type karst groundwater that were discriminated by temperature and inorganic carbon concentration. Two other clusters comprised mineralized alkaline-earth-type groundwater with excess alkalis and elevated sulfate. The fifth cluster appeared to be groundwater that included meteoric and mineralized sources. Using the longitudinal data over two years from part one of this investigation, two mixing lines were used to describe the data set. The mixing lines pointed to sources of sulfur in mineralized springs from deep brines and from evaporite dissolution. Collectively, these regional data allow for a better delineation of water types and differentiation between the Upper and Lower Mitchell Aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the interior C^{2} estimates for a type of Hessian quotient equation. If k

A paucity of research exists regarding the relative strengths and limitations and effects on practice in gifted education state policies. The purpose of this five-state study is to shed light on selected states' gifted education policies. Four data sources were probed and comparisons were made within each state and across the five states. Additionally, a deductive analysis was conducted of each state's written policies against the National Association for Gifted Children program standards (NAGC, 1998), which serve as benchmarks for evaluating policies and services. Suggestions are given for policy development and research, based on five-state findings of existing gifted programs, services, and student accountability systems and the way in which selected policy components are integrated within state school reform efforts. (Contains 3 tables.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense and immeasurable disruption to billions of lives worldwide, and the strain on healthcare workers and facilities will undoubtedly be seen for years to come. Many factors impact the incidence and prevalence of COVID-19 in states, such as policies and legislation, funding, partisanship of the statehouse, vaccination rates, and rurality. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the differences in the daily positive cases between Indiana and Washington State and examine the respective ways each state tried to mitigate the morbidity and mortality of the virus. Indiana and Washington State were chosen as the states have similar populations in different geographical locations in the country and varying responses to the pandemic. Data was obtained from the respective state health departments over a period of two and a half years from March 2020 to December 2022. Independent t-tests were used for the analysis of the data between Indiana and Washington. Overall, Indiana had a higher daily positive case rate when compared to Washington. Indiana had a lower vaccination rate and had more hospitalizations and deaths compared to Washington and the US population as a whole. The difference in the findings of each state could be attributed to the partisanship of the state and the ways in which partisanship influences the enacting of legislation and policies intended to mitigate disease, as well as public health funding allocated by the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Split failures have been a conventional method to estimate overcapacity at signalized intersections. Currently, split failures are estimated from high-resolution (HR) traffic signal controller event data by evaluating occupancy at the stop bar. Recently, a technique that uses high-fidelity connected vehicle (CV) trajectory data to estimate split failures has been developed and has been adopted by some agencies. This paper compares cycle-by-cycle split failure estimations from both techniques for 42 signalized intersections across central Indiana. CV trajectories were assigned to a cycle based on their arrival characteristics. Then, HR and CV data were used to determine whether each cycle split fails. Finally, agreements and discrepancies were quantified and evaluated. The results obtained after analyzing over 35,000 cycles showed that both techniques produce similar overall split failure estimations. The HR and the CV methods identified 4% and 3% of all cycles as split failing, respectively. However, only 23% of all cycles determined as split failing with the HR approach were also identified as split failing with CV data. Similarly, only 30% of all cycles determined as split failing with the CV approach were also identified as split failing with the HR approach. This indicates significant discrepancies on a cycle-by-cycle basis. Using CV data to identify split failing cycles produces more conservative results and is based on the entire experience of traversing vehicles. If data are available, the authors recommend the CV approach when allocating limited agency resources for operational improvement activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn and soybeans play pivotal roles in the agricultural landscape of the United States, and accurately delineating their cultivation areas is indispensable for ensuring food security and addressing hunger-related challenges. Traditional methods for crop mapping are both labor-intensive and time-consuming. Fortunately, the advent of high-resolution imagery, exemplified by Sentinel-2A (S2A), has opened avenues for precise identification of these crops at a field scale, with the added advantage of cloud computing. This paper presents an innovative algorithm designed for large-scale mapping of corn and soybean planting areas on the Google Cloud Engine, drawing inspiration from symmetrical theory. The proposed methodology encompasses several sequential steps. First, S2A data undergo processing incorporating phenological information and spectral characteristics. Subsequently, texture features derived from the grayscale matrix are synergistically integrated with spectral features in the first step. To enhance algorithmic efficiency, the third step involves a feature importance analysis, facilitating the retention of influential bands while eliminating redundant features. The ensuing phase employs three base classifiers for feature training, and the final result maps are generated through a collective voting mechanism based on the classification results from the three classifiers. Validation of the proposed algorithm was conducted in two distinct research areas: Ford in Illinois and White in Indiana, showcasing its commendable classification capabilities for these crops. The experiments underscore the potential of this method for large-scale mapping of crop areas through the integration of cloud computing and high-resolution imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the previous paper by Alt et al (1984 Indiana Univ. Math. J. 33 367â€"91), the existence of the symmetric plane flows of two fluids with two free boundaries has been established by variational approach. However, the uniqueness of the two-phase fluids with two free boundaries is an unsolved problem. In the present paper, we will deal with the uniqueness of the two-phase fluids. In addition, if we assume that the two nozzles both converge, we shall show the monotonicity of the two free boundaries of the incompressible two-phase fluids issuing from these two nozzles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several abstracts of various studies related to black communities. The analysis is based on personal interviews dealing with the social problems perceived by black residents of Indianapolis, Indiana. In this survey, unexpected difficulties in retaining black interviewers necessitated using white interviewers to meet project deadlines. Anticipating that the data would reflect the operation of interviewer effect, subsequent analysis paid careful attention to the phenomenon. Ethical issues surrounding research with humans are of concern not only to researchers and professional associations but also to government agencies and the Congress. Another report describes the changing attitudes of executives toward the corporate advancement of women and nonwhites as well as their election to boards of directors, and examines the ways in which executives believe that women and minorities are now discriminated against in opportunities to grow into positions in top and middle management.

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Threshold public-key encryption (threshold PKE) has various useful applications. A lot of threshold PKE schemes are proposed based on RSA, Diffie–Hellman and lattice, but to the best of our knowledge, code-based threshold PKEs have not been proposed. In this paper, we provide three IND-CCA secure code-based threshold PKE schemes. The first scheme is the concrete instantiation of Dodis–Katz conversion (Dodis and Katz, TCC'05) that converts an IND-CCA secure PKE into an IND-CCA secure threshold PKE using parallel encryption and a signature scheme. This approach provides non-interactive threshold decryption, but ciphertexts are large (about 16 kilobytes for 128-bit security) due to long code-based signatures even in the state-of-the-art one. The second scheme is a new parallel encryption-based construction without signature schemes. Unlike the Dodis–Katz conversion, our parallel encryption converts an OW-CPA secure PKE into an OW-CPA secure threshold PKE. To enhance security, we use Cong et al.'s conversion (Cong et al., ASIACRYPT'21). Thanks to eliminating signatures, its ciphertext is 512 bytes, which is only 3% of the first scheme. The decryption process needs an MPC for computing hash functions, but decryption of OW-CPA secure PKE can be done locally. The third scheme is an MPC-based threshold PKE scheme from code-based assumption. We take the same approach Cong et al. took to construct efficient lattice-based threshold PKEs. We build an MPC for the decryption algorithm of OW-CPA secure Classic McEliece PKE. This scheme has the shortest ciphertext among the three schemes at just 192 bytes. Compared to the regular CCA secure Classic McEliece PKE, the additional ciphertext length is only 100 bytes. The cons are heavy distributed computation in the decryption process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of Indiana maintains approximately 120 salt storage facilities strategically distributed across the state for winter operations. In April 2023, those facilities contained approximately 217,000 tons of salt with an estimated value of USD 21 million. Accurate inventories at each facility during the winter season are important for scheduling re-supply so the facilities do not run out of salt. Inventories are also important at the end of the season for restocking to provide balanced inventories. This paper describes the implementation of a portable pole-mounted LiDAR system to measure salt stockpile inventory at 120 salt storage facilities in Indiana. Using two INDOT staff members, the end-of-season inventory took 9 working days, with volumetric inventories provided within 24 h of data collection. To provide an independent evaluation of the methodologies, the Hovermap ST backpack was used at selected facilities to provide control volumes. This system has a range of 100 m and an accuracy of ±3 cm, which reduces the occlusion to less than 8%. The pre-season facility capacity ranged from 0% to 100%, with an average of 66% full across all facilities. The post-season facility percentage ranged from 3% to 100%, with an average of 70% full. In addition, permanent roof-mounted LiDAR systems were deployed at two facilities to evaluate the effectiveness of monitoring salt stockpile inventories during winter operation activities. Plans are now underway to install fixed LiDAR systems at 15 additional facilities for the 2023–2024 winter season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined optimal grain marketing strategies for a southeast Indiana case farm. Specifically, a downside risk model was used to examine the tradeoffs between net return and downside risk, and to determine whether the optimal marketing strategy changed as downside risk was reduced. The hedge and roll marketing strategy had the highest net return for both corn and soybeans. Even when downside risk was reduced, the hedge and roll strategy was an important component of optimal marketing strategies. Results stress the importance of using a portfolio of marketing strategies for corn and soybeans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science and technology studies scholars have discussed the concept of nature within the context of Christian settler hierarchies (Cronon; Haraway; Titon). However, despite an emerging literature (Doolittle; Mundy), the narrativization of interspecies relations in musical contexts remains undertheorized. In this paper, I examine the ways that music has been used to construct seventeen-year Magicicada Brood X as biologically necessary within Christian environmentalism in the Midwestern United States, despite widespread popular claims that cicadas are "annoying" or "gross." Utilizing a mixture of gastromusicological and multispecies ethnographic techniques, I examine the 2021 event "All Creatures Yum!" in Bloomington, IN, which featured a combination of cicada culinary pop-ups with an album of cicada music. Critiquing David Rothenberg's claim that cicada noise is evidence of a prior stage of human musical evolution, I argue that the pairing of cicadas-as-food with cicadas-as-musical-collaborators suggests a complex negotiation by which participants are involved in "eating the Other" as theorized by bell hooks. The violence of consumption, contrasted with narratives of benevolent bio-musical harmony, brings to light questions of "what particular forms of life and death mean and why they matter" (Van Dooren 7). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an R-based approach to mapping dynamics of the flooded areas in the Inner Niger Delta (IND), Mali, using time series analysis of Landsat 8–9 satellite images. As the largest inland wetland in West Africa, the habitats of IND offers high potential for biodiversity of the flood-dependent eco systems. IND is one of the most productive areas in West Africa. Mapping flooded areas based on satellite images enables to provide strategies for land management and rice planting and modelling vegetation types of IND. Our approach is based on using libraries of R programming language for processing six Landsat images, and each image was taken on November from 2013 to 2022. By capturing spatial and temporal structures of the satellite images on 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the remote sensing data are combined to yield estimates of landscape dynamics that is temporally coherent, while helping to analyse fluctuations of spatial extent in fluvial wetlands caused by the hydrological processes of seasonal flooding. Further, by allowing packages of R to support image processing, an approach to mapping vegetation by NDVI, SAVI and EVI indices and visualising changes in distribution of different land cover classes over time is realised. In this context, processing Earth observation data by advanced scripting tools of R language provides new insights into complex interlace of climate-hydrological processes and vegetation responses. Our study contributes to the sustainable management of natural resources and improving knowledge on the functioning of IND ecosystems in Mali, West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming caused by excessive emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) has become a hot topic globally in today's society, and optimizing carbon emission performance (CEP) is an effective way to alleviate CO2 emissions. Many studies have explored CEP at the global, national, provincial and sector levels. However, due to the difficulty in obtaining energy consumption data, there is a lack of studies at the urban agglomeration and city levels. Taking the urban agglomeration dimension as the starting point, this paper constructs an improved epsilon-based measure (EBM) model to measure the CEP of the Yellow River Basin. A spatial data analysis model was introduced to explore the regional spatial characteristics of CEP. The newly developed spatial statistical model was used to study the driving factors of CEP. The results showed that: (1) The overall CEP of the Yellow River Basin was relatively high, showing an upward trend of volatility. There were significant differences between the seven urban agglomerations and 69 cities. (2) The CEP of the Yellow River Basin showed a trend of spatial agglomeration. The urban agglomerations of the eastern region showed a low-value agglomeration phenomenon, and the urban agglomerations of the central and western regions showed a trend of high-value agglomeration. (3) Economic development level (PGGDP), technological progress (TP), industrialization level (IND) and human capital (HC) can play a positive role in promoting the improvement in CEP, and population structure (PD) and energy structure (ES) can play a negative role in promoting the improvement in CEP. Industrial agglomeration (IA) and CEP show a "U"-shaped relationship that first inhibits and then promotes. In addition, foreign direct investment (FDI), IND, and HC have significant spatial spillover effects on neighboring cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the film-related aspects of the papers of Will H. Hays at the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis. Significance of film-related materials on the social and political history of the movies in the United States; Film related documents of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA).

Modern vehicles have extensive instrumentation that can be used to actively assess the condition of infrastructure such as pavement markings, signs, and pavement smoothness. Currently, pavement condition evaluations are performed by state and federal officials typically using the industry standard of the International Roughness Index (IRI) or visual inspections. This paper looks at the use of on-board sensors integrated in Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) connected vehicles to obtain crowdsource estimates of ride quality using the International Rough Index (IRI). This paper presents a case study where over 112 km (70 mi) of Interstate-65 in Indiana were assessed, utilizing both an inertial profiler and connected production vehicle data. By comparing the inertial profiler to crowdsourced connected vehicle data, there was a linear correlation with an R2 of 0.79 and a p-value of <0.001. Although there are no published standards for using connected vehicle roughness data to evaluate pavement quality, these results suggest that connected vehicle roughness data is a viable tool for network level monitoring of pavement quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonic acid and sulfuric acid speleogenesis describe a dichotomy between epigenetic and hypogenetic caves and carbon and sulfur cycling in karst, but do not acknowledge the global spectrum of cave formation. This paper, part one of a two-part investigation, tests and revises speleogenetic models from a classic karst landscape using dissolved ion concentrations δ13CDIC, and δ34S in water samples collected at four sites across the Bluespring and Lost River karst basins in the Mitchell Plateau, Indiana, USA. Analyses revealed elevated sulfur in both karst basins but differently sourced; H2S (δ34S = −14.2‰) evolved from petroleum seeps in Bluespring Caverns accounted for up to 61% of sulfur in the cave stream, while evaporite beds (δ34S = [+14.50‰, +17.91‰]) of the St. Louis Limestone contributed up to 100% of sulfur at Orangeville Rise, a terminal spring of the Lost River karst basin. These results have implications for carbon–sulfur cycle linkages, particularly the potential acceleration of carbon flux from sulfuric acid dissolution in otherwise epigenetic settings. We suggest a new paradigm for speleogenesis in the North American midcontinent—speleogenesis in the Mitchell Plateau and similar settings is not epigenetic or hypogenetic, but instead polygenetic with competing chemical processes varying across space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this article is to introduce nuclear medicine technology (NMT) educators to a method of incorporating research methodologies into the curriculum. Methods: The research methodology in the NMT program at Indiana University (IU) is taught in five steps (1. Introduction to research articles and statistics 2. Mock project and individual project design 3. Data collection 4. Writing the research paper 5. Presenting the abstract and mentoring new students). These steps could be combined for programs of shorter length or with credit hour restrictions. Results: All IU NMT students (100%) presented their research abstracts as part of a continuing education program for technologists. Seventeen of twenty-five (68%) presented their abstracts at a regional professional meeting. Six of twenty-five (24%) presented their research abstracts at a national professional meeting. Three of those six (50%) received travel grants. Two students submitted their research for publication and one was successful. Conclusion: The goal of incorporating a research methodology program into the nuclear medicine program should be to introduce undergraduates to the research process and instill excitement for new technologists to continue participation in research throughout their career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brachial plexopathy is a potentially serious complication from stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) that has not been widely studied. Therefore, we compared datasets from two different institutions and generated a brachial plexus dose-response model, to quantify what dose constraints would be needed to minimize the effect on normal tissue while still enabling potent therapy for the tumor.Methods: Two published SBRT datasets were pooled and modeled from patients at Indiana University and the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center from 1998 to 2007, as well as the Karolinska Institute from 2008 to 2013. All patients in both studies were treated with SBRT for apically located lung tumors localized superior to the aortic arch. Toxicities were graded according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, and a probit dose response model was created with maximum likelihood parameter fitting.Results: This analysis includes a total of 89 brachial plexus maximum point dose (Dmax) values from both institutions. Among the 14 patients who developed brachial plexopathy, the most common complications were grade 2, comprising 7 patients. The median follow-up was 30 months (range 6.1-72.2) in the Karolinska dataset, and the Indiana dataset had a median of 13 months (range 1-71). Both studies had a median range of 3 fractions, but in the Indiana dataset, 9 patients were treated in 4 fractions, and the paper did not differentiate between the two, so our analysis is considered to be in 3-4 fractions, one of the main limitations. The probit model showed that the risk of brachial plexopathy with Dmax of 26 Gy in 3-4 fractions is 10%, and 50% with Dmax of 70 Gy in 3-4 fractions.Conclusions: This analysis is only a preliminary result because more details are needed as well as additional comprehensive datasets from a much broader cross-section of clinical practices. When more institutions join the QUANTEC and HyTEC methodology of reporting sufficient details to enable data pooling, our field will finally reach an improved understanding of human dose tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let X be a Banach space with a normalized (Schauder) basis (b k) k and let { T (t) } t ≥ 0 be a C 0 -semigroup on X with generator A : D (A) ⊂ X → X . The main contribution of this paper is a new estimate for the semigroup orbits of initial data in D (A 2) that have with respect to (b k) k "absolutely summable graph norm." This result is noteworthy because (1) there is no requirement that z ↦ R (z , A) x has a bounded analytic extension to C + [e.g. Van Neerven (Semigroup Forum 53(2):155–161, 1996)] and (2) the only structural condition on X is the existence of (b k) k [e.g. Wrobel (Indiana Univ. Math. J. 38(1):101–114, 1989)]. Two directions for additional research are in some detail discussed as well at the end of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation agencies in northern environments spend a considerable amount of their budget on salt for winter operations. For example, in the state of Indiana, there are approximately 140 salt storage facilities distributed throughout the state and the state expends between USD 30 M and USD 60 M on inventory and delivery each year. Historical techniques of relying on visual estimates of salt stockpiles can be inaccurate and do not scale well for managing the supply chain during the winter or planning for re-supply during summer months. This paper describes the implementation of a portable pole mounted LiDAR system that can be used to inventory a large barn in under 15 min and describes how this system has been deployed over 90 times at 30 facilities. A quick and easy accuracy test, based upon conservation of volume, was used to provide an independent check on the system performance by repositioning portions of the salt pile. Those tests indicated stockpile volumes can be estimated with an accuracy of approximately 0.1%. The paper concludes by discussing how this technology can be permanently installed near the roof for systematic monitoring throughout the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an influx of public and private sector investment in the electric vehicle (EV) domain, public agencies and stakeholders need objective, equitable and systematic processes for identifying candidate sites for siting charging stations. This paper reports on a case study examining the Indiana Interstate network using connected vehicle data (CV). The Indiana Interstate network analyzed by this study is composed of 1247 centerline miles along nine routes. Each month, approximately 13 billion CV records representing more than 44 million unique trips are generated along all roads in Indiana. For this study 3.02 billion records comprising 4.78 million trips on and around Indiana Interstates and Exits were analyzed for usage patterns. The CV data was predominantly from internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) passenger cars, but provides insight into exit utilization and dwell times at 544 exits on 9 interstate roadways to evaluate how their current usage would align with building out Indiana's Alternative Fuel Corridors. A pareto sorted graphic for the top 50 busiest exits in the state shows that all but two are not well served by fast charging infrastructure. The paper suggests this pareto sorted list as a good starting point for further analysis and identified 15 exits on Indiana interstates, if chosen for deploying charging infrastructure, would ensure full compliance. The results provide a systemwide look at present dwell patterns among ICEVs and help identify locations of interest that would most benefit from addition of charging infrastructure as the current fleet of ICEVs gradually transitions to EVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation to screen adults for unhealthy alcohol use, the implementation of alcohol screening in primary care remains suboptimal. Methods: A pre and post-implementation study design that used Agile implementation process to increase screening for unhealthy alcohol use in adult patients from October 2021 to June 2022 at a large primary care clinic serving minority and underprivileged adults in Indianapolis. Results: In comparison to a baseline screening rate of 0%, the agile implementation process increased and sustained screening rates above 80% for alcohol use using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption tool (AUDIT-C). Conclusions: Using the agile implementation process, we were able to successfully implement evidence-based recommendations to screen for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Hospitals and clinicians increasingly are reimbursed based on quality of care through financial incentives tied to value-based purchasing. Patient-centered care, measured through patient experience surveys, is a key component of many quality incentive programs. We hypothesize that operational aspects such as wait times are an important element of emergency department (ED) patient experience. The objectives of this paper are to determine (1) the association between ED wait times and patient experience and (2) whether patient comments show awareness of wait times. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, across 16 EDs within a regional health care system. Patient and operations data were obtained as secondary data through internal sources and merged with primary patient experience data from our data analytics team. Dependent variables are (1) the association between ED wait times in minutes and patient experience ratings and (2) the association between wait times in minutes and patient comments including the term wait (yes/no). Patients rated their “likelihood to recommend (LTR) an ED” on a 0 to 10 scale (categories: “Promoter” = 9-10, “Neutral” = 7-8, or “Detractor” = 0-6). Our aggregate experience rating, or Net Promoter Score (NPS), is calculated by the following formula for each distinct wait time (rounded to the nearest minute): NPS = 100* (# promoters – # detractors)/(# promoters + # neutrals + # detractors). Independent variables for patient age and gender and triage acuity, were included as potential confounders. We performed a mixed-effect multivariate ordinal logistic regression for the rating category as a function of 30 minutes waited. We also performed a logistic regression for the percentage of patients commenting on the wait as a function of 30 minutes waited. Standard errors are adjusted for clustering between the 16 ED sites. Results: A total of 50 833 unique participants completed an experience survey, representing a response rate of 8.1%. Of these respondents, 28.1% included comments, with 10.9% using the term “wait.” The odds ratio for association of a 30-minute wait with LTR category is 0.83 [0.81, 0.84]. As wait times increase, the odds of commenting on the wait increase by 1.49 [1.46, 1.53]. We show policy-relevant bubble plot visualizations of these two relationships. Conclusions: Patients were less likely to give a positive patient experience rating as wait times increased, and this was reflected in their comments. Improving on the factors contributing to ED wait times is essential to meeting health care systems’ quality initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this paper we study certain combinatorial attributes of Ind-schemes of polynomial automorphisms in positive characteristic. In particular, we prove that over an algebraically closed field K of positive characteristic ≠2 every automorphism of the group of origin-preserving automorphisms of the polynomial algebra K[x1,…,xn] (n≥3), which fixes every diagonal matrix, preserves, up to composition with a linear inner automorphism, every tame automorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]