Digital Commons Network^™

Wagon Tracks Volume 39, Issue 1 (November 2024)

Wagon Tracks

Contents

2 On the Cover: Steam Engine Running Beside Road with Covered Wagons: Dale Crawford

4 Trail Writings: Chris Day

5-6 Joanne’s Jottings

6 Letter to Editor: Margaret Sears

7 News along the Trail

8-9 1884 Railroad Map of Raton Pass By L. Stephen Schmidt

10-19 Road of Conquest: The "Bloodless" Occupation of NM and the Insurrection and Treason Trials of 1847 By Robert J. Tórrez

19-26 The Caddo Agency Site and John W. Prowers' First Ranch at Big Timbers, Bent County, Colorado By Richard F. Carrillo and Philip L. Petersen

23-24 Book Reviews: Crossings: Women on the Santa Fe …

Comparing National Benchmark Quantitative Literacy Paper-Based Tests Scores With Its Computer-Based Counterparts, Robert N. Prince

Numeracy

One of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic was the rapid shift to replacing traditional, paper-based tests with their computer-based counterparts. In many cases, these new modes of delivering tests will remain in place for the foreseeable future. In South Africa, the National Benchmark Quantitative Literacy (QL) test was impelled to make this rapid shift. While test-makers attempted to ensure comparability between the computer-based and paper-based versions, some scholars have questioned the efficacy of these efforts. The International Test Commission (2005) declared that the equivalency of test scores obtained from computer-based and conventional paper-based testing should be established to ensure …

Evaluating The Feasibility And Efficacy Of 3d Printing Versus Traditional Construction Techniques: A Study Of Cost, Time And Energy Of A New Lowrise Office Building On The Uaeu Campus, Hala Mohammed Basel

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

In line with the forward-looking vision of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), this research evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of 3D printing technology compared to traditional construction methods, focusing on cost, time, and energy efficiency for a new low-rise office building on the UAEU campus. With the growing number of PhD students in the Architectural Engineering Department, expanding office space has become a priority. This study explores how 3D printing technology, known for its sustainability, reduced material waste, and accelerated construction, can address these challenges more efficiently than conventional methods.Guided by the UAE Vision 2030, which promotes innovation and …

An Archeological Evaluation Of The Fort Worth Nature Center Gravel Quarry Site, Tarrant County Archeological Society

North Texas Archeological Society Records

A bound draft of the evaluation for the Fort Worth Nature Center Quarry Site.

Excursion Guidebook, Michael R. Waters, Michael B. Collins

North Texas Archeological Society Records

An excursion guide book for the Gault Site.

Exhaust Gas Energy Recovery Via Stirling Engine To Increase The Efficiency Of Combustion Engines, Konrad Hirschbeck

Defensive Publications Series

Use of a stirling engine with generator in the exhaust tract of an internal combustion engine to recover heat energy from the exhaust gases.

Remedios Varo, Diseñadora Y Publicista, Carmina López Sánchez, M. Mar Martínez-Oña

GDI. Revista de investigación de Género, Diseño e Innovación

El presente artículo analiza las obras de la pintora surrealista Remedios Varo Uranga, siendo el objeto de estudio el análisis de su trabajo como diseñadora y publicista, concretamente de los diseños realizados para la empresa Bayer. Por ello, a través de diferentes metodologías como la revisión bibliográfica, la catalogación junto con los métodos histórico e iconográfico se profundiza en el análisis de algunos de estos trabajos publicitarios. Pretendiendo con ello, visibilizar no solamente la labor artística de Remedios Varo, sino valorar su trabajo como diseñadora donde presenta características iconográficas y estéticas similares a su obra surrealista creando entonces, una publicidad …

Deep Content Understanding For Recipe Guidance Using A Large Language Model, Nagaraj Kota, Varsha Kukreja, Jatin Jindal

Defensive Publications Series

Online recipe searches performed by users are often highly personalized; users seek specific culinary guidance, cooking methods, styles, etc. A large language model (LLM) can be used to generate recipe insights. However, an LLM can generate ungrounded results, and/or miss specific nuances of recipes along dimensions specified by the user. This disclosure describes techniques that leverage a large language model (LLM) to mine, aggregate, and summarize recipe information across multiple pages/sources and to deliver personalized, contextual, and insightful responses to user queries for recipes via a deep understanding of the pages/sources of the recipe. Recipe tips and guidance snippets are …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda November 18, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• 3:00 Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes
• 3:05 University Business
• 3:20 Faculty Senate Business
• 3:35 Information
• EPC Report
• Library Budget
• 3:45 Report
• Faculty Evaluation Committee Annual Report
• USUSA Annual Report
• 3:55 Old Business
• 4:00 New Business
• Adjourn: 4:10pm

2024 November 18 - Faculty Senate Agenda And Minutes, Faculty Senate, East Tennessee State University

Faculty Senate Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Utah Statesman, November 18, 2024, Utah State University

The Utah Statesman

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.

Enhancing 3d Knowledge-Based Authentication In Vr By Having Fun, William James Doyle V, Christopher Kreider

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In the modern era of cyber attacks, and an ever-changing online world, safety and security must constantly evolve to fit the current standards. In virtual reality (VR) simple keyboard-typed passwords are a thing of the past. These passwords are complicated and frustrating to input. Along with the creation of VR, it also opened the door to a new era of password-based authentication. Using these systems' technology, password inputting can be a fun experience. These passwords are not only easier, and less frustrating to input, but as shown in previous studies, they can also be faster while still being secure. In …

Improving The Performance Of The Modal Holographic Wavefront Sensor By Adapting To Prevailing Turbulence Conditions: Experimental Verification, Andreas Zepp, Emma Branigan, Kevin Murphy, Szymon Gladysz

Conference Papers

The modal holographic wavefront sensor offers a promising alternative to established wavefront sensing techniques. Since the strengths of individual aberration modes are directly measured, there is no need for time-consuming signal processing and wavefront reconstruction. Bandwidths up to three orders of magnitude higher than those of commercial wavefront sensors can in principle be achieved. However, in practice the accuracy of measurements is compromised by intermodal crosstalk, which arises when the wavefront exhibits additional aberrations to those encoded in the modal wavefront sensor. This issue is particularly prominent when measuring wavefronts disturbed by atmospheric turbulence. To mitigate the effects of intermodal …

Beyond Human-Centric Models In Cybersecurity Education: A Pilot Posthuman Analysis Of The Nice Workforce Framework For Cybersecurity, Ryan Straight

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This study applies a posthuman lens to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework, examining two key Work Roles in cybersecurity education. Employing a novel posthuman coding scheme, the associated Tasks, Knowledge, and Skills (TKS) statements were analyzed. Findings reveal significant posthuman elements within the framework while identifying opportunities for further integration. The analysis demonstrates a strong presence of human-technology entanglement and adaptive learning concepts, yet highlights areas where the framework could emphasize system complexity and interconnectedness. This research contributes to ongoing discussions on cybersecurity education in complex technological landscapes, proposing a theoretical framework for integrating posthuman concepts …

Porcine Peritoneal Macrophages Are Susceptible To Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Syndrome Virus Infection, Kassandra Durazo-Martinez, Jayeshbhai Chaudhari, Sushmita Kumari, Hiep Vu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Previous studies have suggested that porcine peritoneal macrophages (PPMs) are resistant to PRRSV infection, whereas porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) are highly susceptible. This contrast is intriguing, as both cell types belong to the same monocyte/macrophage family. The current study aimed to investigate the host factors contributing to the differing susceptibility of PPMs and PAMs to PRRSV infection. We found that PPMs exhibit a higher frequency of CD14+ cells compared to PAMs, suggesting a more immature macrophage phenotype in PPMs. Importantly, PPMs expressed both CD163 and CD169, the key receptors for PRRSV entry, although the frequency and intensity of CD163 and …

Regulating Chatbot Output Via Inter-Informational Competition, Jiawei Zhang

Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property

The advent of ChatGPT has sparked over a year of regulatory frenzy. Policymakers across jurisdictions have embarked on an AI regulatory “arms race,” and worldwide researchers have begun devising a potpourri of regulatory schemes to handle the content risks posed by generative AI products as represented by ChatGPT. However, few existing studies have rigorously questioned the assumption that, if left unregulated, AI chatbot’s output would inflict tangible, severe real harm on human affairs. Most researchers have overlooked the critical possibility that the information market itself can effectively mitigate these risks and, as a result, they tend to use regulatory tools …

Between Copyright And Computer Science: The Law And Ethics Of Generative Ai, Devin R. Desai, Mark Riedl

Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property

Copyright and computer science continue to intersect and clash, but they can coexist. The advent of new technologies such as digitization of visual and aural creations, sharing technologies, search engines, social media offerings, and more, challenge copyright-based industries and reopen questions about the reach of copyright law. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence research, especially Large Language Models that leverage copyrighted material as part of training, are the latest examples of the ongoing tension between copyright and computer science. The exuberance, rush-to-market, and edge problem cases created by a few misguided companies now raises challenges to core legal doctrines and may shift …

Fair Use, Licensing, And Authors' Rights In The Age Of Generative Ai, Celeste Shen

Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property

The rise of generative AI technologies has introduced unprecedented challenges to copyright law, particularly around the fair use of copyrighted works in AI training processes. Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are trained on vast datasets that often include copyrighted material, typically without the consent of authors or compensation for use. This widespread, unauthorized use has led to legal disputes, with plaintiffs asserting that using protected texts in training AI models constitutes copyright infringement. This Note examines the application of the fair use doctrine to generative AI, analyzing each of the four statutory factors to demonstrate that generative AI’s commercial …

Attributing Ai Authorship: Towards A System Of Icons For Legal And Ethical Disclosure, Joseph J. Avery, Patricia Sánchez Abril, Alissa Del Riego

Northwestern Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property

Over the past year, the pervasive role of large language models (LLMs) and artificial intelligence (AI) in text generation has precipitated concerns about ethical usage, authorship, and transparent attribution. This has been true in legal practice, academia, and the corporate world, as well as in countless other arenas. In this Article, we identify the gap that has opened between those demanding proper disclosure (we should know when and to what extent AI is an author) and those struggling to respond to these demands. Part of the problem is that there is no system in place, no lingua franca, no set …

Time Domain Spectral Lidar Enabled By Cascaded Raman In A Hydrogen-Filled Transmitter, Richard K. Martin, Trevor L. Courtney, Arielle M. Adams, Daniel E. Leaird, Luke Ausley, Christian K. Keyser

Faculty Publications

We introduce what we believe to be novel spectral light detection and ranging (LiDAR) architectures that enable ultra-compact systems by a transition from spectral signal processing in space (gratings) to processing in time. The architectures leverage temporal dispersion and the unique spectro-temporal waveforms produced from the cascaded Raman scattering generated in the (H₂) filled hollow core fiber. The characterized Raman source yields as many as six Raman orders from 1.06-1.70 μm; their unique spectro-temporal waveforms are measured. System performance simulations based on measured Raman waveforms show that high accuracy measurement of range and reflectivity are possible with proper …

Preparing Children For Kindergarten Readiness: Early Childhood Teachers’ Goals And Practices, Julie Chappell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Literature in the field of early childhood education suggests that standardization and the accountability movement in the United States has changed the way that teachers approach kindergarten, resulting in less play and more teacher-directed activities. This pedagogical shift causes challenges for early childhood educators striving to promote developmentally appropriate, play-based and child-centered approaches to learning for young children while preparing children for the expectations of kindergarten. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding of prekindergarten teachers’ views about their role in preparing children for kindergarten. The study was guided by two research questions: How do prekindergarten …

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes November 18, 2024, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Information
• EPC Report
• Library Budget
• Faculty Evaluation Committee Annual Report
• USUSA Annual Report
• Old Business
• New Business
• Adjourn: 4:25 pm

2024-11-18 Message From The President, Morehead State University. Office Of The President.

Staff Congress Records

Message sent on November 18, 2024 by the President to the campus community regarding upcoming dates of importance, congratulatory recognitions, and a brief summary on the November 15th Board of Regents meeting.

The Daily Gamecock: November 2024, University Of South Carolina, Office Of Student Media

November

No abstract provided.

Advancing An Integrated Understanding Of Land–Ocean Connections In Shaping The Marine Ecosystems Of Coastal Temperate Rainforest Ecoregions, Brian P. Hunt, Simone Alin, Allison Bidlack, Heida L. Diefenderfer, Jennifer M. Jackson, Colleen T. Kellogg, Peter Kiffney, Kyra A. St. Pierre, Eddy Carmack, William C. Floyd, Eran Hood, Alexander R. Horner-Devine, Colin Levings, Christian Vargas

Faculty, Staff, and Students

Land and ocean ecosystems are strongly connected and mutually interactive. As climate changes and other anthropogenic stressors intensify, the complex pathways that link these systems will strengthen or weaken in ways that are currently beyond reliable prediction. In this review we offer a framework of land–ocean couplings and their role in shaping marine ecosystems in coastal temperate rainforest (CTR) ecoregions, where high freshwater and materials flux result in particularly strong land–ocean connections. Using the largest contiguous expanse of CTR on Earth—the Northeast Pacific CTR (NPCTR)—as a case study, we integrate current understanding of the spatial and temporal scales of interacting …

Disentangling Genotype And Environment Specific Latent Features For Improved Trait Prediction Using A Compositional Autoencoder, Anirudha Powadi, Talukder Zaki Jubery, Michael C. Tross, James C. Schnable, Baskar Ganapathysubramanian

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In plant breeding and genetics, predictive models traditionally rely on compact representations of high-dimensional data, often using methods like Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and, more recently, Autoencoders (AE). However, these methods do not separate genotype-specific and environment-specific features, limiting their ability to accurately predict traits influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. We hypothesize that disentangling these representations into genotype-specific and environment-specific components can enhance predictive models. To test this, we developed a compositional autoencoder (CAE) that decomposes high-dimensional data into distinct genotype-specific and environment-specific latent features. Our CAE framework employed a hierarchical architecture within an autoencoder to effectively separate …

11.18.2024 Orsp Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

Director of Research Lab Safety

GIS Day

Tech Startup Weekend

NSF Virtual Grants Conference

The Echo: November 18, 2024, Taylor University

2024-2025 (Volume 112)

No abstract provided.

Association Between In Situ Ventilation And Human-Generated Aerosol Exposure In Meatpacking Plants During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Joshua L. Santarpia, Josephine Lau, Debayan Shom, Shanna A. Ratnesar-Shumate, Eric C. Carnes, Gearge W. Santarpia, Vicki L. Herrera, Danielle N. Rivera, Daniel N. Ackerman, Ashley R. Ravnholdt, John J. Lowe, Athena K. Ramos

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, meatpacking workers were disproportionately affected by disease. Large outbreaks at meatpacking facilities resulted in loss of life and threatened the well-being of workers across the globe. Much work was done throughout the pandemic to understand and prevent these outbreaks. This study combined ventilation system evaluation and measurement of human-generated respiratory aerosol to investigate and identify areas of highest risk for disease transmission. These findings confirm that improved ventilation reduces exposure to human-generated aerosols in meatpacking facilities, including those that may contain infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2. This study suggests areas of greatest risk are likely areas …

Six-Year College Graduation Status For High School Students Participating In An Upward Bound Program, Raymond Upward Cabrera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of high school academic indicators and participation in the federally funded Upward Bound program on college graduation rates for first-generation, low-income students. Specifically the extent to which participation in the federally funded TRIO Upward Bound program and related factors—high school GPA, course rigor, program involvement, gender, race, and college type—predict 6-year college graduation rates for first-generation, low-income students. Using stepwise logistic regression analysis on data of 163 students in an Upward Bound program in the Southeast, the results show that students with higher GPAs, active engagement in the program, and females were significantly more likely …