Relying solely on public conservation lands for habitat provision will be inadequate for achieving national conservation goals. Production landscapes in New Zealand make up 60% of the land area and contain potential conservation habitat; however, the amount of native vegetation they contain is poorly known. While there have been previous assessments of native vegetation cover in New Zealand, no study has undertaken a national-scale assessment of multiple native vegetation cover types on different land uses. This absence limits the potential to manage production landscapes for conservation. Our study aimed to bridge this gap by using GIS and remote-sensing data to estimate the area of native vegetation, including forests, grasslands and wetlands, present on different land-use classes and in different environments. We found that while most of the country's remaining native vegetation was found on public conservation land, it was not evenly distributed across land environments and was biased towards high-elevation vegetation types. Yet private land, in particular sheep and beef farms, contained a quarter of the remaining native vegetation in the country, and 17% of remaining native forest. While this vegetation was often highly fragmented, it contained forest types that were otherwise under-represented on public conservation land. We conclude that sheep and beef farms in New Zealand have the potential to add to nationwide conservation efforts. However, realising this potential will involve improving the connectivity, area and quality of native vegetation.


Received: September 2011, Accepted: October 2011 Background: Millions of construction industry accidents occur in the world causing demages and injuries to workers and consequently economical losses every year. The aim of this study was to determine an estimator model for accidents among construction industry workers, in the years 2006 2011 for the first time, in Yazd city. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the questionnaire included items asking about variables such as age, occupation, type of accident, injured organ and the outcome of the accident. Time Series Model was used in this study to estimate accidents among the Yazd construction workers up to 2011. Results: Fatality rate of workers who did not have insurance was more than those who had, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The greatest rate of accident was falling (48.58%) and the lowest was chocking (29%). The relationships of accident outcomes with type of occupation and also the injured part of body were statistically significant in the construction industry (p<0.001). After testing many models, time series model of quadratic form was the closest model to the trend of data. Conclusions: This model estimation shows that if the situation is the same as now in 2011 the accident cases will be more than 300 per year in 2012 and later. So this model is recommended to make changes in the trend for preventing the accidents in the future.


Although linguists have thoroughly studied the formation of language areas for given dialectal phenomena, little quantitative research has been conducted on how these areas relate to each other, and how the transition between these dominance areas of dialectal variants can be modelled. We propose gradient estimation methods used in GIScience to answer the key question to the analysis of such dialectal boundaries: to what extent we can find crisp boundaries in a dialectal landscape (termed 'isoglosses' in linguistics) or whether the transitions are rather gradual. Our methods are also aimed at the comparison of these boundaries. We apply trend surface analysis and regression analysis to Swiss German syntax data and test our methods on dialect phenomena with typical variation exhibiting the spatial competition of two variants. We conclude that subdividing the linguistic landscape of the given competing variants into three subregions (two dominance zones for each of the two variants and a transition zone between them) and calculating regression models in these subregions lets us quantitatively compare their relationships to each other and to other linguistic phenomena.


On April 5, 2011, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) introduced a sweeping budget proposal, The Path to Prosperity: Restoring America's Promise (House Committee on the Budget 2011), designed to trim the federal budget by nearly $6 trillion over the next decade, (1) Greeted with much fanfare by pundits and legislators on both sides of the aisle, the Ryan plan was touted as a bold and courageous effort to start a serious conversation about our nation's fiscal health. Among the key elements of the plan were a change from traditional Medicare to a premium-support (or voucher) program for the purchase of private insurance; a conversion of Medicaid from an open-ended entitlement to a federal block grant; and a dismantling of key provisions of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Other critical provisions included retaining the income tax reductions enacted under President George W. Bush; significant reductions in safety-net programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the food stamp program) and low-income housing assistance; and a reduction in Pell education grants for low-income students. The Ryan-inspired budget proposal was not simply a trial balloon. Before its defeat in the Senate, it received robust support and was passed by the House of Representatives. With all due respect to Congressman Ryan and his admirers, I want to take issue with the characterization of his effort as providing a valuable public service. To be sure, the recent acrimony over our budget debates and efforts to increase the federal debt ceiling has demonstrated that the time for serious bipartisan discussion of our long-term fiscal health is long overdue, as is the necessity for constructive compromise solutions. But from my perspective, Ryan's plan falls short of addressing these critical needs. While his proposal may be bold, it is hardly courageous. First, by proposing a radical restructuring of two basic social insurance and safety-net programs, it provides little room for compromise, and as such is likely to be a non-starter for a serious discussion of our fiscal dilemma. Instead, it perpetuates the divisiveness in our politics and in attempts to develop meaningful public policy. Next, the Ryan proposal for Medicare raises serious issues regarding intergenerational equity, and the budget cuts affecting vulnerable populations exacerbate the three decades long problem of growing income inequality. Finally, by eliminating key provisions of the ACA, it does little to ensure equitable access to meaningful health insurance coverage and payment for health care by nonelderly Americans, especially those of modest means who find themselves the victims of cyclical economic crises. In this column, I explore some implications of the approach laid out in the Ryan budget proposal. My reason is not to attack a convenient "straw man" and easy target for rebuke. Indeed, given the prominence of conservative elements in Congress, we are likely to revisit elements of the proposal in subsequent budget debates, and it may gain new currency after the pivotal elections of 2012. Nor is nay purpose to be a naysayer who unabashedly supports the status quo and is resistant to any meaningful change to our conventional social insurance and safety-net programs. Instead, I believe it is important to recognize that policy approaches that emphasize significant program restructuring and spending reductions, but ignore their second-order implications for our most vulnerable citizens, are short-sighted and incomplete. At the same time, I believe that any meaningful and thoughtful change in our public policy requires serious efforts to avoid ideologically driven proposals and must seek compromise and shared sacrifice. The Ryan Proposal and Health Care Recognizing that controlling health care spending is key to restoring our nation's fiscal health, the Ryan proposal imposes major changes to Medicare and Medicaid. …


The current study has as its objective to analyze the relationship between students' attitude towards learning English and  the procrastinating behavior at the academic level. Attitudes strengthen people's motivation to learn a foreign language  (Delfín, 2007), and procrastination, which involves unjustified delaying of activities, causes negative consequences in  completing academic tasks postponement of responsibilities (Rodríguez & Clariana, 2017). The design was correlational,  and the sample consisted of 55 students learning English. The instruments were the Attitudes towards English language  learning questionnaire and the academic procrastination questionnaire. According to the results, evidence shows that  there is a positive median relationship between the variables, leading us to conclude that despite having positive attitudes towards learning English, procrastinating behavior does not diminish. The results of this study could be utilized in  bilingual programs, or those could also be utilized to implement curricula in language programs at schools or universities. The idea is that higher education institutions include, as mandatory, the instruction of English as a global language.

How to cite this article: Marquina Luján, R. J., Huaire Inacio, E. J., Horna Calderón, V. E., Villamar Romero, R. M., & Kishnani García, A. (2021). Attitudes toward Learning English and Procrastination in Students from a Private Institution Specialized in Foreign Languages in the City of Lima-Peru. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 30(2), 27-39. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v30n2.83678


The article first discusses five approaches that aim to transcend, complement, or overturn the hegemony of the written academic text. These five approaches are (1) the cluster of science communication, science popularization, and knowledge dissemination; (2) the cluster of knowledge exchange, and participatory, transformative, and interventionist (action) research; (3) multimodal academic communication; (4) the cluster of visual anthropology and visual sociology; and (5) arts-based research. As each approach deals with (overcoming) the hegemony of the written academic text differently, the first part of the article details these approaches. In the second part, the Mirror Palace of Democracy installation experiment, which had the explicit objective of moving beyond the written academic text while still remaining in the realm of academic knowledge communication, is autoethnographically analyzed. The experiment allowed reflection on the integrated and iterative nature of academic communication, on the hybrid academic–artistic identity, and on the diversification of publics. Both the theoretical discussion on the five approaches and the Mirror Palace of Democracy installation are part of a call for more experimentation with, and theorization of, multimodal and/or arts-based academic communication.


The need to visualise the complexity of the determinants of population health and their interactions inspired the development of the rainbow model. In this commentary we chronicle how variations of this model have emerged, including the initial models of Haglund and Svanström (1982), Dahlgren and Whitehead (1991), and the Östgöta model (2014), and we illustrate how these models have been influential in both public health and beyond. All these models have strong Nordic connections and are thus an important Nordic contribution to public health. Further, these models have underpinned and facilitated other examples of Nordic leadership in public health, including practical efforts to address health inequalities and design new health policy approaches. Apart from documenting the emergence of rainbow models and their wide range of contemporary uses, we examine a range of criticisms levelled at these models – including limitations in methodological development and in scope. We propose the time is ripe for an updated generic determinants of health model, one that elucidates and preserves the core value in older models, while recognising the developments that have occurred over the past decades in our understanding of the determinants of health. We conclude with an example of a generic model that fulfills the general purposes of a determinants of health model while maintaining the necessary scope for further adjustments to be made in the future, as well as adjustments to location or context-specific purposes, in education, research, health promotion and beyond.


Glacial cirques are widely used palaeoenvironmental indicators, and are key to understanding the role of glaciers in shaping mountain topography. However, notable uncertainty persists regarding the rate and timing of cirque erosion. In order to address this uncertainty, we analyse the dimensions of 2208 cirques in Britain and Ireland and model ice accumulation to investigate the degree of coupling between glacier occupation times and cirque growth. Results indicate that during the last ~120 ka, cirques were glacier‐free for an average of 52.0 ± 21.2 ka (43 ± 18%); occupied by small (largely cirque‐confined) glaciers for 16.2 ± 9.9 ka (14 ± 8%); and occupied by large glaciers, including ice sheets, for 51.8 ± 18.6 ka (43 ± 16%). Over the entire Quaternary (i.e. 2.6 Ma), we estimate that cirques were glacier‐free for 1.1 ± 0.5 Ma; occupied by small glaciers for 0.3 ± 0.2 Ma; and occupied by large glaciers for 1.1 ± 0.4 Ma. Comparing occupation times to cirque depths, and calculating required erosion rates, reveals that continuous cirque growth during glacier occupation is unlikely. Instead, we propose that cirques attained much of their size during the first occupation of a non‐glacially sculpted landscape (perhaps during the timeframe of a single glacial cycle). During subsequent glacier occupations, cirque growth may have slowed considerably, with the highest rates of subglacial erosion focused during periods of marginal (small glacier) glaciation. We propose comparatively slow rates of growth following initial cirque development because a 'least resistance' shape is formed, and as cirques deepen, sediment becomes trapped subglacially, partly protecting the bedrock from subsequent erosion. In support of the idea of rapid cirque growth, we present evidence from northern British Columbia, where cirques of comparable size to those in Britain and Ireland developed in less than 140 ka. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Change all but defines the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in American history. In the midst of these tumultuous times, America experienced a revolution of reform meant to develop and enhance all areas of life from politics to society, which led historians to call this time period the Progressive Era. However, the progress of the nation was not always the winning ideology. At times, the backlash against progressive ideas restrained innovators and caused them to disappear into the mires of history. One reformer who experienced this backlash was Fred Morrow Fling. Although he was an internationally-known historian, he remained a rather invisible history education reformer because his ideas were overshadowed by the enormous human events of his lifetime, including the work of other reformers and his unexpected death in 1934. As a trained scientific historian, Fling was a pioneer of historical method and the application of what became known as "source method" in the classroom and he espoused a radical approach to critical education that sought to embed a scientific approach into the teaching of history that has clear parallels with best teaching practices today. Thus, using traditional historical research methods and archival records from both Bowdoin College and the University of Nebraska, the author presents in this dissertation a biographical portrait of Fling's life. Through the analysis of these historical documents and the evidence of his life recorded in publications and the public press, this portrait will serve to uncover both how Fred Morrow Fling's conception of history education influenced his practice as a history professor and researcher and how Fred Morrow Fling's philosophy of education formed and developed over his lifetime. Specifically, this author will consider: how can the philosophy of history education created by Fred Morrow Fling inform our current history education practices today? By investigating Fling's life, researchers will finally be able to acknowledge Fling's myriad contributions to history education, which are vital to composing a fuller picture of the history of social studies education. INDEX WORDS: Fred Morrow Fling, Source Method, History Education, Social Studies Education, Philosophy of Education, Historical Method, Scientific History, Progressive Era Education Piecing Together the Puzzle of the Past: A Biographical Research Project on "Doing History" the Fred Morrow Fling Way by Kerri Napoleon


Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and its effects may push coastal ecosystems to undergo irreversible changes. This is especially true for shorebirds with the loss of biodiversity and resource-rich habitats to rest, refuel, and breed. To protect these species, it is critical to conduct research related to nature-based Solutions (NbS). Through a scoping review of scientific literature, this paper initially identified 85 articles with various ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) strategies that could help conserve shorebird populations and promote ecotourism. Of these 85 articles, 28 articles had EbA strategies that were examined, with some like coral reefs and mangroves eliminated as they were inappropriate for this region. The scoping review identified four major EbA strategies for the Greater Niagara Region with living shorelines and beach nourishment being the most suitable, especially when combined. These strategies were then evaluated against the eight core principles of nature-based solutions protecting shorebird as well as human wellbeing. Living shoreline strategy was the only one that met all eight NbS principles. As the coastline of the region greatly varies in substrate and development, further research will be needed to decide which EbA strategies would be appropriate for each specific area to ensure their efficacy.


This article is the first to use quantile regression to analyze the impact of experience and size of funds of hedge funds (FHFs) on performance. In comparison to OLS regression, quantile regression provides a more detailed picture of the influence of size and experience on FHF return patterns. Hence, it allows one to study the relevance of these factors for various return and risk levels instead of average return and risk, as is the case with OLS regression. Because FHF size and age (as a proxy for experience) are available in a panel setting, one can perform estimations in an unbalanced stacked panel framework. This study analyzes time series and descriptive variables of 649 FHFs drawn from the Lipper TASS Hedge Fund database for the time period January 1996 to August 2007. The empirical results suggest that experience and size have a negative effect on performance, with a positive curvature at the higher quantiles. At the lower quantiles, however, size has a positive effect with a negative curvature. Both factors show no significant effect at the median.


For a considerable amount of time the field of information science has employed its own, as well as the knowledge bases and methods of other fields (with productive results). One field that has been appropriated from has been cognitive science. Cognitive science, however, has been in flux over the last few decades, with different conceptual frameworks assuming ascendance at various times. That dynamic implies that information science should pay close attention to what is occurring in cognitive science in order to investigate the most complex of challenges in information retrieval use, behaviour, and other phenomena. This paper includes a review of the frameworks of cognitive science and suggests that some of the most recent work in that field holds promise for development of thought and inquiry in information science. Understanding of the complex individual processes within human brains, the relationships among thinking communicators, and the relationship of brain and mind, is one of the areas where particular attention should be paid.


In light of the worldwide epidemic of obesity, and in recognition of hypertension as a major factor in the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with obesity, The Obesity Society and The American Society of Hypertension agreed to jointly sponsor a position paper on obesity‐related hypertension to be published jointly in the journals of each society. The purpose is to inform the members of both societies, as well as practicing clinicians, with a timely review of the association between obesity and high blood pressure, the risk that this association entails, and the options for rational, evidenced‐based treatment. The position paper is divided into six sections plus a summary as follows: pathophysiology, epidemiology and cardiovascular risk, the metabolic syndrome, lifestyle management in prevention and treatment, pharmacologic treatment of hypertension in the obese, and the medical and surgical treatment of obesity in obese hypertensive patients. Obesity (2012)


Citing volatility and few growth prospects, DuPont says it will divest a big portion of its traditional chemical business, including its storied Teflon fluoropolymers brand and its industry-leading titanium dioxide pigment unit. The company is exploring "strategic options" for its performance chemicals segment, a process that could mean a sale or a spin-off. The division includes well-known DuPont brands such as Teflon nonstick coatings, Nafion ion-exchange membranes, and Suva refrigerants. It also makes industrial chemicals such as aniline, sulfuric acid, and glycolic acid. Performance chemicals is DuPont's second-largest division, after seeds and agrochemicals. It's also one of the company's most profitable businesses. It posted $1.8 billion in operating income on $7.2 billion in sales last year—figures that are 29% and 20%, respectively, of the company's total. An exit would mark the second large divestiture of a long-held DuPont business in less than a year. In February, the company completed the ...


The aim of this thesis is to examine the notion of 'genre' in general as a basic unit in linguistic, cultural and literary analysis. Chapter One is an introduction to this study outlining my aims and objectives which are mainly related to popular fiction in English and Arabic. Chapter Two discusses the theory of genre both from a linguistic and a literary point of view, underlining crosscultural differences and similarities. These critical insights should enable us to form an overall picture of how the subject of my case study (Mills & Boon and its translation into Arabic) is viewed in the languages and cultures concerned: this particular genre has not been acceptable to the Western literary establishment until recently, and is not acceptable to the Arabic critical establishment even today. Chapter Three historically deals with the first attempts in writing novels in Arabic. This was influenced by translation, but an Arabic genre nevertheless emerged. Chapter Four critically focuses on this aspect of the canonization of the novel in Arabic. This has influenced the development of popular fiction in this language. Chapter Five presents a detailed analysis of one particular example of popular fiction in Arabic, one which was seen negatively by the critics. Chapter Six discusses the tension between the canon and the periphery as far as the novel is concerned. This is illustrated by an analysis of an Arabic novel which we take to be a good example of popular fiction. Chapter Seven deals with aspects of Eastern and Western translation theory relevant to my analysis of genre. Chapter Eight presents a detailed analysis of a Mills & Boon novel in English and its translation into Arabic. Finally, Chapter Nine briefly summarizes the issues discussed and points us towards some general direction and pedagogic implications.


The aim of this work was to study the fermentation process of honey with kefir grains through a comprehensive understanding of its rheological properties, probiotic cell viability, instrumental color parameters and kinetic aspects in a batch bioreactor and during storage. The results showed that kefir grains were well adapted to bioreactor conditions, reaching high levels of cell viability (over 106 CFU mL−1 for total yeast and bacteria), phenolic compounds content (190 GAE/100 g) and acidification after 24 h of fermentation at 30 ℃. Colorimetric analysis showed that lightness (L*) and redness (a*) remained constant, while yellowness intensities (b*) decreased during fermentation time. After 35 days of storage, honey kefir beverage maintained its chemical characteristics and microbial viability as required to be classified as a probiotic product. The Ostwald-de-Waele (R2 ≥ 0.98) and Herschel-Bulkley (R2 ≥ 0.99) models can be used to predict the behavior of honey kefir beverage. The parameters analyzed in this study should be taken into account for industrial production of this novel non-dairy beverage.


This case study evaluates a field-based strategy for training inservice elementary teachers to use technology. The strategy, which was incorporated into the Long Beach Professional Development School for Educators (LBPDSE), involved a technology course taken by a cohort of students in an onsite M.A. program in Curriculum and Instruction. Participating teachers identified topics of interest and, in teams, taught one another both computer and technology integration skills. Data were collected including beginning-of-course and end-of-course professional development plans and self-assessments, plus postcourse focus group meetings. Prior to the course, teachers' predominant uses of computers were largely peripheral to their subject matter instruction, and their beginning-of-course self-assessments of their technological skills were mostly at introductory proficiency levels. By the end of the course (a) teachers began applying many of the introduced technology integration skills to their teaching, (b) most teachers' technology self-assessments reached intermediate to advanced proficiency levels, (c) the most frequently mentioned means for further professional development in technology was learning from fellow teachers, (d) over one-half of the teachers reported increased confidence or comfort with computers, and (e) about one-third of the teachers reported a substantial shift in their stance towards computers. ********** As noted by a report of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), information technologies are having a profound impact on society, and a growing research base supports the potential of technology as a resource for contributing to students' learning. Even so, most teacher training programs have considerable work to do in the area of preparing teachers to teach with technology (National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, 1997). Valuable preparatory skills in using technology can be provided through university-based courses, including technology courses and methods courses with embedded technology components. However, such university-based approaches do not afford the contextual realism of field-based approaches. Thus, there has been increased advocacy for improving linkages between teacher preparation programs and K-12 schools as a way of fostering the direct ties to practice that such approaches make possible (Milken Exchange on Educational Technology, 1999; National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, 1997). One promising approach is to include technology training in the activities of professional development schools, which are a form of teacher training based in K-12 schools involving a partnership with a university college of education. This article reports on a project aimed at integrating technology into a professional development school in the greater Los Angeles area, the Long Beach Professional Development School for Educators (LBPDSE). The professional development school in turn is a project of the nationally recognized Long Beach Education Partnership, which includes California State University, Long Beach, regional community colleges, and the Long Beach Unified School District. The technology training took the form of a course that was part of an onsite Master's degree program in Curriculum and Instruction. This article describes the design of the course as well as its role in the LBPDSE. It describes findings from data that were collected in an effort to assess this course. The article describes this particular case with the hope of contributing to national discussions about models for field-based training of teachers in technology. BACKGROUND Prior projects incorporating field-based approaches to technology training have targeted both inservice and preservice teachers, but projects for preservice teachers have been more prevalent. Whereas some of these projects for preservice teachers have taken the form of professional development schools, little if any work has been reported using the model discussed in this article that is based in a professional development school for inservice teachers. …


Model driven security has become an active area of research during the past decade. While many research works have contributed significantly to this objective by extending popular modeling notations to model security aspects, there has been little modeling support for state-based views of security issues. This paper undertakes a scientific approach to propose a new notational set that extends the UML (Unified Modeling Language) statecharts notation. An online industrial survey was conducted to measure the perceptions of the new notation with respect to its semantic transparency as well as its coverage of modeling state based security aspects. The survey results indicate that the new notation encompasses the set of semantics required in a state based security modeling language and was largely intuitive to use and understand provided very little training. A subject-based empirical evaluation using software engineering professionals was also conducted to evaluate the cognitive effectiveness of the proposed notation. The main finding was that the new notation is cognitively more effective than the original notational set of UML statecharts as it allowed the subjects to read models created using the new notation much quicker.


To stabilize foams, droplets and films at liquid interfaces a range of protein biosurfactants have evolved in nature. Compared to synthetic surfactants, these combine surface activity with biocompatibility and low solution aggregation. One recently studied example is Rsn-2, a component of the foam nest of the frog Engystomops pustulosus, which has been predicted to undergo a clamshell-like opening transition at the air-water interface. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and surface tension measurements we study the adsorption of Rsn-2 onto air-water and cyclohexane-water interfaces. The protein adsorbs readily at both interfaces, with adsorption mediated by the hydrophobic N-terminus. At the cyclohexane-water interface the clamshell opens, due to the favourable interaction between hydrophobic residues and cyclohexane molecules and the penetration of cyclohexane molecules into the protein core. Simulations of deletion mutants showed that removal of the N-terminus inhibits interfacial adsorption, which is consistent with the surface tension measurements. Deletion of the hydrophilic C-terminus also affects adsorption, suggesting that this plays a role in orienting the protein at the interface. The characterisation of the interfacial behaviour gives insight into the factors that control the interfacial adsorption of proteins, which may inform new applications of this and similar proteins in areas including drug delivery and food technology and may also be used in the design of synthetic molecules showing similar changes in conformation at interfaces.


Abstract. Mineral dust is arguably the most abundant aerosol species in the world and as such potentially plays a large role in aerosol indirect effects (AIEs). This study assesses and isolates the individual responses in a squall line that arise (1) from radiation, (2) from dust altering the microphysics, as well as (3) from the synergistic effects between (1) and (2). To accomplish these tasks, we use the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) set up as a cloud-resolving model (CRM). The CRM contains aerosol and microphysical schemes that allow mineral dust particles to nucleate as cloud drops and ice crystals, replenish upon evaporation and sublimation, be tracked throughout hydrometeor transition, and be scavenged by precipitation and dry sedimentation. Factor separation is used on four simulations of the squall line in order to isolate the individual roles of radiation (RADIATION), microphysically active dust (DUST MICRO), and the nonlinear interactions of those factors (SYNERGY). Results indicate that RADIATION acts to increase precipitation, intensify the cold pool, and enhance the mesoscale organization of the squall line due to changes in microphysics originating from cloud top cooling. Conversely, DUST MICRO decreases precipitation, weakens the cold pool, and weakens the mesoscale organization of the squall line due to an enhancement of the warm rain process. SYNERGY shows little impact on the squall line, except near the freezing level, where an increase in mesoscale organization takes place. The combined effect of the mineral dust AIE due to both DUST MICRO and SYNERGY is to weaken the squall line.


Backoff algorithms have been introduced to improve network performance by reducing collisions over networks, especially in large ones. The Binary Exponential Backoff used in the standard IEEE 802.11 Medium Access Control makes exponential increments to contention window sizes. The large contention window gaps produced can significantly reduce the network performance. Therefore, a new increment behavior is introduced in this paper in order to avoid failure transmissions. The Results show that shifting the contention window to the right place based on previous transmissions outperforms each of the Binary Exponential Backoff Algorithm, the Smart Adaptive Backoff Algorithm and Pessimistic Linear Exponential Backoff Algorithm, up to 7.1%, 16.5% and 19% respectively in term of data delivery ratio.


This paper presents the nonlinear characteristics of typical automotive seat cushion structures. The experimental transfer functions between the seat butt (upper surface of seat cushion) and the seat track show that the magnitude and frequency decrease as the excitation increases. This indicates that the structure has both nonlinear stiffness and nonlinear damping. This paper develops two nonlinear models for seat cushion structures. The linear and nonlinear terms are compared and analysed in both the models. A Recursive Least Squares (RLS) method is used to identify the nonlinear parameters. The transfer functions obtained by the analytical models compared very well with those obtained experimentally. Two typical seats, a sports car seat and a luxury car seat, are analysed. These two seats represent extreme choices of typical seat structures. The results presented here can be useful for both the analysts and seat cushion designers.


It is systemic to expound how that the speculative behaviors are driven by the number of a series housing policies promulgated by China's government for the real estate market. The market is resulted in full of speculative behaviors, and has been booming since the beginning of this decade, even though the market has only a very short history, How to rationally measure the speculative behaviors still remains open in the academe and practice. Based on the level of housing prices, this paper establishes some innovative dynamic models, proposes a concept of net mortgage loan to net speculative gain ratios to investigate the speculative behaviors and mortgage bubbles, and finally concludes some interesting results: The necessary condition of speculative behaviors' existence is that the growth rate of housing prices must have a positive minimum boundary, and, the net mortgage loan to net speculative gain ratios subsequently exist, which approximately depict the potential risks banks would face. Furthermore, investor's behaviors may impact the housing prices' trend through changing the expectation or variance of housing returns in sale or resale massively. The last finding indicates that how investor's behaviors change market' behaviors, which evidently testifies that the efficient market hypothesis would be invalid.


This guide is designed to help students in Dr. Sally Connolly's ENGL 3325 section to find research and information relevant to their assignments.


Plant fibers in general and hemp fibers in particular have great prospects for their use in various innovative applications such as ecological, biodegradable, and renewable resources with unique properties. Such properties together with the increased strength due to high-cellulose content and specific morphological parameters are widely used to produce plant fiber–based plastic composites. The properties of plant fibers that may influence the properties of composites depend on crop processing, but the basis for them is provided during fiber development in planta . It is known that two types of bast fibers are developed in the hemp stem: primary fibers formed from procambium cells and sec- ondary fibers that originate as a result of cambium activity. Both types of fibers may significantly vary in their yield and quality depending on the variety and growth condi- tions. Differences in the anatomical and morphological characteristics of the two types of hemp fibers, together with peculiarities in the composition and architecture of cell wall, influence the technical parameters of the raw material quality. Based on our study of both primary and secondary fiber development in hemp stem that was focused on the two key stages, intrusive elongation and deposition of thick cell wall layers, we suggest the set of parameters that can influence the quality of the mature fibers and trace their biological origin.


In the Swedish mandatory and non-confessional school subject of Religious Education (RE) all pupils are taught together in the same classroom regardless of religious or secular affiliation. According to the syllabus, RE should include content concerning Christianity, other world religions and different outlooks on life. But what representations of different religions and outlooks of life appear in the classroom practice? How is the subject shaped in interaction between content, teachers and students? The research field that concerns the content of subjects in the classroom are relatively unexplored, not least in RE. The aim of the following paper is to analyse representations of different religions and outlooks of life as they are articulated in the classroom practice of RE by students and teachers. The Interpretive approach is used as a theoretical base. Ethnography of RE-lessons in three Swedish upper secondary schools was conducted during the school year 2011-2012. Discourse analysis was used as a method for analysing representations of religions and outlooks of life. The preliminary analysis indicates that different world religions appear in much different guises. Some religions were presented based on their history, other more as lived religion. Some religions were presented as more compatible with contemporary society and as an expression of an active conscious choices, while other religions were talked about as obsolete relics and described in terms of traditions and rules religious practitioner must subject to. Non-religious outlooks of life that occurred were humanism, existentialism, marxism, system-theory.


Prediction models are becoming increasingly important in clinical practice. Unfortunately, research on prediction models is often not reproducible and the usefulness of most models in clinical practice is unclear. This is because researchers do not always use the recommended methods for developing or validating a prediction model. Furthermore, often numerous models exist for the same target population or condition. Systematic reviews have therefore become important to appraise and summarize the current evidence on existing prediction models in a specific clinical field. Although ample guidance exists for systematic reviews of interventions and diagnostic tests, guidance for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of prediction models is lacking. In this thesis we present guidance for systematic reviews of prediction models and meta-analysis of their predictive performance. This guidance is subsequently applied in systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We showed that there is an overabundance of prediction models for cardiovascular disease. Most of these models predicted the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) or CVD over 10 years and the majority of models consisted of a similar set of core predictors, including age, gender, smoking, diabetes, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol. Substantial heterogeneity in predictor and outcome definitions was observed between models, and important clinical and methodological information, necessary to externally validate the model or even apply it in clinical practice, were often missing. Only one third of the available models was externally validated, and therefore the usefulness in clinical practice of most models remains unclear. We further focused on three often advocated prognostic models (Framingham Wilson, Framingham ATP III, and Pooled Cohort Equations (PCE)) for the prediction of 10-year risk of CHD or CVD and summarized their predictive performance in terms of discrimination and calibration. There was considerable heterogeneity in the predictive performance between studies, likely due to differences in eligibility criteria, and population characteristics. On average, however, all models discriminate comparable well and all models overestimate the 10-year risk of CHD and CVD. One way to improve the predictive performance of available prediction models, is to add new predictors to the model. We showed that adding extra biomarkers to a prognostic model with traditional predictors including age, smoking, and blood pressure, did result in very limited improvement of performance of this model for predicting 10-year risk of CHD. Another problem in the field of prediction model studies, is poor reporting. We showed that more than half of the items that are considered essential for transparent reporting of a prediction model in the TRIPOD statement were not or inadequately reported. In the last part, we studied sources of heterogeneity in the predictive performance of prognostic models from various clinical fields. Using a meta-epidemiological approach, we found that this heterogeneity is mainly associated with variation in population aspects and noticed some indications for an association with predictor and outcome measurement methods.


We present a simple fabrication approach for anisotropically conductive stretchable composites, towards novel flexible pressure transducers. Flexible electronic systems have gained great interest in recent years, and within this space, anisotropic conducting materials have been explored for enhanced sensing performance. However, current methods for producing these materials are complex or are limited to small fabrication areas. Our method uses film applicator coating to render commercially available conductive RTVs anisotropically conductive. A ratio of in-plane surface resistance to through-thickness resistance of 1010 was achieved using our method. Furthermore, we show that when a normal pressure is applied to such films, the in-plane resistance can be reduced by seven orders of magnitude for an applied pressure of 10 kPa. Hence these materials show great promise for the development of novel, robust pressure transducers.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Immunotherapy for drug addiction is being investigated in several laboratories but most studies are conducted in animals of one sex. Yet, women show heightened immune responses and are more likely to develop autoimmune diseases than men. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of an active anti-cocaine vaccine, succinyl-norcocaine conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin, for its ability to elicit antibodies and alter cocaine-induced ambulatory activity in male versus female mice.

METHODS
Male and female BALB/c mice were vaccinated (n = 44) or served as non-vaccinated controls (n = 34). Three weeks after initial vaccination, a booster was given. Ambulatory activity induced by cocaine (20 mg/kg) was assessed at 7 weeks and plasma obtained at 8 weeks to assess antibody levels.

RESULTS
High antibody titers were produced in mice of both sexes. The vaccine reduced ambulatory activity cocaine-induced but this effect was greater in female compared to male mice.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The efficacy of this anti-cocaine vaccine is demonstrated in mice of both sexes but its functional consequences are greater in females than males.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE
Results point to the importance of testing animals of both sexes in studies of immunotherapies for addiction.


A microactuator made from poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), a piezoelectric polymer, was fabricated to control the gas flow rate through a glass micronozzle. The actuator was formed by gluing together two PVDF sheets with opposite polarization directions. The sheets were covered with thin conducting films on one side, that were then used as electrodes to apply an electric field to move the valve. The actuator has a rectangular shape, 3 mm × 6 mm. The device was incorporated with a micronozzle fabricated by a powder blasting technique. Upon applying a DC voltage across the actuator electrodes, one sheet expands while the other contracts, generating an opening motion. A voltage of +300 V DC was used to open the device by moving the actuator 30 µm, and a voltage of −200 V DC was used to close the device by moving the actuator 20 µm lower than the relaxed position. Flow measurements were performed in a low-pressure vacuum system, maintaining the microvalve inlet pressure constant at 266 Pa. Tests carried out with the actuator in the open position and with a pressure ratio (inlet pressure divided by outlet pressure) of 0.5, indicated a flow rate of 0.36 sccm. In the closed position, and with a pressure ratio of 0.2, a flow rate of 0.32 sccm was measured.


Abstract Upper Ordovician radiolarians are described from limestone within the Malongulli Formation in the Cliefden Caves area using revised systematics. Eight genera and 12 species are described, including the following four new species: Protoceratoikiscum crossingi, Haplotaeniatum ovatum, Haplotaeniatum prolatum, and Borisella dunhilli, and two new combinations, Borisella subulata and Haplotaeniatum spongium. All samples are dominated by Kalimnasphaera maculosa, B. subulata, and Palaeoephippium octaramosum with lesser abundances of Haplotaeniaum spp. and Inanigutta complanata, and rare occurrences of Protoceratoikicsum spp. The rare species Etymalbaillella yennienii is reported for the first time outside of China. The Malongulli Formation is upper Eastonian through lower Bolindian (Katian global stage) based on graptolite and conodont biostratigraphy. From a stratigraphic standpoint, the limestone intervals sampled appear to represent two or possibly three stratigraphically separate intervals within the Malongulli Formation. Conodonts recovered from Coppermine Creek, Angullong/Belubula, and Gleesons Creek localities occur in the lower and middle parts of the formation and fall within one conodont zone, the O. velicuspis Zone. The stratigraphic position of the limestone at the Sugarloaf Creek locality is higher, possibly as high as lower Bolindian, based on proximity to the top of the formation where Bolindian graptolites have been recovered. Despite the different stratigraphic positions of the limestones, the radiolarians contained within are essentially the same fauna, barring some differences in relative abundance in Haplotaeniatum and Palaeoephippium. The Malongulli fauna is discussed with respect to other Upper Ordovician faunas, most notably those from siliceous facies in the eastern Lachlan Orogen and from the Hanson Creek Formation of Nevada, U.S. The radiolarian species occur across different depositional environments and from a range of geographically widespread localities, which bodes well for them being recognized as biostratigraphically important faunal markers with correlation potential within the Katian.


Offshore platforms operating in harsh ocean environments often suffer from severe wave impacts which threaten the structural integrity and staffs safety. An experimental study was carried out to investigate the wave impact load and its effect on the global response of a semi-submersible. First, two typical wave impact events occurring successively in the wave test run are analyzed, including the characteristics of incident waves, relative wave elevations and the spatial distribution of the wave impact load. Subsequently, the corresponding global response of the semi-submersible under these two wave impacts are investigated in time domain. It reveals that compared with the incident wave, the relative wave elevation has a more straightforward relationship with the wave impact load. The relative wave crest height is associated with the spatial distribution of the wave impact load, while the local wave steepness matters more in the magnitude of the wave impact load. The impulsive effect of the wave impact load on the motion behaviors is not obvious. But severe wave impacts can introduce excessive horizontal accelerations and nonlinear behaviors like ringing in the acceleration response.


In hamsters, territorial aggression normally directed toward a non-aggressive intruder is replaced by submissive/defensive behaviors in hamsters that have previously experienced social defeat. This phenomenon has been labeled conditioned defeat. The present study investigated the role of the amygdala in the modulation of behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to defeat. In Experiments 1 and 2, male Syrian hamsters received either bilateral electrolytic or sham lesions of the central/basolateral (CE/BLA) nuclei of the amygdala. In Experiment 1, agonistic behavior was recorded during a 10min social encounter with an aggressive male resident. Bilateral amygdala lesions had no effect on behavioral and neuroendocrine responses of the hamsters during an encounter with an aggressive resident. In Experiment 2, subjects were placed in an aggressive resident's home cage for 10-min with either the resident present or absent. As in Experiment 1, agonistic behavior was recorded during social encounters with aggressive male residents. Amygdala lesions had no effect on behavioral responses to an aggressive resident during the initial defeat. Twenty-four hours later, defeated and non-defeated hamsters were exposed to a non-aggressive intruder for 10 min. Lesioned, non-defeated hamsters exposed to a non-aggressive opponent exhibited increases in non-social and decreases in social behavior but exhibited similar levels of aggression and submission. By contrast, lesioned hamsters that had previously experienced defeat exhibited significantly less submissive behavior during testing. Plasma levels of ACTH and cortisol were similar for all subjects. While the effects of CE/BLA lesions on behavior appear to depend upon the social history of the subject, these lesions do not block the ability of subjects to produce normal submissive responses to an aggressive opponent. In addition, it appears that the CE/BLA amygdala region is not critical in the modulation of neuroendocrine responses of defeat stress. Data suggest that the CE/BLA is involved in the behavioral plasticity observed following an acute social defeat in Syrian hamsters. INDEX WORDS: ACTH, Agonistic behavior, Amygdala, Conditioned defeat, Cortisol, Limbic system, Neuroendocrine, Social defeat, Social conflict, Stress EFFECTS OF AMYGDALA LESIONS ON BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROENDOCRINE RESPONSES TO DEFEAT IN MALE SYRIAN HAMSTERS


Low frequency analog and digital electronic circuits are susceptible to radiofrequency interference (RFI). This disturbance is produced when the coupled RF signal is rectified by the nonlinear behavior of the semiconductors used in the small signal analog input stages of the electronic system. These circuits present an AM demodulation effect produced by nonlinearity of internal transistors, generating parasitic signals in the low-frequency range and undesired offset voltage. In this paper, an alternative to the current standard EMI filters is presented by combining the conventional printed circuit board layout with complementary split ring resonators (CSRRs), in order to reduce the output offset impact due to RFI. An operational amplifier circuit has been designed with a 4-stage CSRR filter, electromagnetically simulated and experimentally tested. Two prototypes have been implemented, with and without CSRRs, in order to compare the filter properties in standard FR4 substrate. The resonance frequency of the CSRRs has been designed in the vicinity of 2.4 GHz in order to prevent susceptibility in the ISM band. Electromagnetic and electrical equivalent circuit model simulations are also provided and compared with experimental results. Measurement data show an effective rejection of the undesired RF demodulation without affecting the signal integrity out of the filter band, and therefore a significant reduction concerning output offset voltage impact in terms of RFI amplitude, with no-extra cost in terms of the device area or manufacturing process.


This article aims to present a new approach to science and technology park concept and the development prospects in the context of social technologies. Globalization and the spread of social technologies are expanding the influence of science and technology parks on national innovation systems. It opens new directions for research in this area, as well as the practical use of social technologies in the development of science and technology parks. The paper also examines the science and technology park as an institutionalized concept of social technology. In this article the interdisciplinary approach for analyzing the complex concept of science and technology parks is used to explore the theoretical relationships with the social technologies concept. The possible links are identified and illustrated by practical examples ofLithuanian science and technology parks. Finally suggestions for further research are made. Based on the analysis and synthesis of scientific literature in both fields (science and technology parks; social technologies) three possible theoretical links are established: a) the use of social technologies in science and technology parks b) the role of a science park as an intermediate body in the humanization and socialization of technologies c) science and technology parks as an institutionalized concept of social technology. The theoretical model is supported by empirical illustrations from the development of Lithuanian science and technology parks, therefore further research in all three directions is feasible and needed. As this research takes a merely theoretical approach to the social systems investigation, it can be qualified only as a preparational stage for further research. The practical examples used in the article are more illustrative than evidence based and shall not be considered as case studies. The research offers an initial framework for researching science and technology parks in the context of social technologies. Establishment of stronger interdisciplinary links of those different concepts has an impact on the effectiveness of the management of science and technology parks, competitiveness of regional and national economies. It allows definition of the areas for future research in a more detailed way, to make particular case studies and gather further evidence on the strength of established links, their main characteristics. It also allows design of new management models for science and technology parks, formulates the recommendations on the effectiveness of science and technology parks as institutions and as a part of innovation system, define new indicators for evaluation of performance and establish new work organization methods. The new concept of science and technology parks as an institutionalized form of social technology shall be elaborated in the future research.


The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the conflict management styles in an HBCU and HSI community college and how gender, power position, age, educational level, and ethnicity influence conflict management. A convenience sample of 80 administrators and 220 subordinates completed an electronic demographic survey and the Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory-II measuring conflict management styles— integrating, obliging, dominating, avoiding, and compromising. Nahavandi's (2003) transformational approach to leadership which is sister to the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory approach emphasizes the importance of developing and maintaining relationships between leaders and followers. Main findings showed differences in conflict management styles between power positions. The whole community college scored highest in both integrating and compromising conflict management styles, with administrators scoring higher than subordinates. The integrating and compromising environment within the institution was more influential than the expected conflict management styles related to gender, age, educational level, and ethnicity.


The title compound, C34H38ClN5O2, has spiro links connecting the pyrrolidine ring and indole residue, as well as the piperidine and pyrrolidine rings. A half-chair conformation is found for the piperidine ring with the C atom connected to the spiro-C atom lying 0.738 (4) Å out of the plane of the remaining five atoms (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0407 Å). The methylene C atom is the flap in the envelope conformation for the pyrrolidine ring. In the crystal, supramolecular chains are sustained by alternating eight-membered {⋯HNCO}2 and 14-membered {⋯HC5O}2 synthons. Chains are connected into a three-dimensional network by (pyrrolidine-bound phenyl-methyl)C—H⋯π(pyrrolidine-bound phenyl) edge-to-face interactions.


More Death or Glory adventure as Tom Caine is captured by Nazis. Italy, 1943 - SAS Captain Tom Caine is being held captive by Nazis forces. While imprisoned he befriends another member of the SAS - one who has heard a rumour. The operative knows the location of an ancient codex. A codex he claims will lead them to the location of the original texts of Tacitus's Germania. Caine is deployed by the Nazis to find the codex and retrieve the texts on a mission that will most certainly bring about his death, and refusal is not an option. Caine has little choice but to begin his most deadly campaign yet. The Death or Glory series is perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Andy McNab - Michael Asher combines seamless historical accuracy with the pace and action of a modern SAS thriller. Praise for the Death or Glory series: "Breathtaking bravery, astonishing feats of endurance, raids and battles described with terrific immediacy and pace. Compelling and definitive ...will surely not be bettered". (Sunday Telegraph). "Detailed, scathingly honest. Asher has brought the critical eye of the knowledgeable insider to his in-depth study of SAS operations and personalities". (Herald). Michael Asher has served in the Parachute Regiment and the SAS. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and has won the Ness Award of the Royal Geographical Society and the Mungo Park Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for Exploration.


This paper develops a model of currency circulation under asymmetric information. Agents are heterogeneous and trade in bilateral matches. Coins are intrinsically valuable and are available in two weights, light and heavy. We characterize the equilibrium under complete information and under imperfect information about the quality of coins. We determine a set of conditions under which the two currencies circulate and are traded according to different terms of trade. We study how output, welfare, and the velocity of currency are affected by the recognizability of coins. We show that society's welfare increases as coins become more easily recognizable.


This book provides a good overview of philosophical and cognitive approaches to language use and meaning. A synthesis of such approaches leads to a dynamic concept of pragmatic meaning which is on the one hand grounded in cognition and motivated by linguistic and cultural convention and, on the other, creates a framework for studying the interactive and social dimensions of the development of meaning in linguistic communication. Through an experientialist approach based on connectionist models, the author shows that by internalizing pragmatic meaning people become social agents who reproduce, challenge or change their social parameters during interaction. Pragmatic Meaning and Cognition is suitable as a course book in Pragmatics and Semantics and of interest to those concerned with cognitive models and dynamic and social aspects of linguistic communication.


The idea that life is based on signs and codes, i.e., that "Life is semiosis", has been strongly suggested by the discovery of the genetic code, but so far it has made little impact, and is largely regarded as philosophy rather than science. The main reason for this is that there are at least three basic concepts in modern biology that keep semiosis squarely out of organic life. (1) The first is the classical model that describes the cell as a biological computer made of genotype and phenotype. a computer contains codes but is not a semiotic system, and this makes it possible to say that the cell too can have a genetic code without being a semiotic system. (2) The second idea is physicalism, the doctrine that everything in life must ultimately be accounted for by physical quantities. This amounts to saying that signs and codes do not exist at the molecular level and are but linguistic metaphors that biologists use simply because they are convenient. (3) The third concept is the idea that all biological novelties have been brought into existence by natural selection, an idea which implies that semiotic processes did not have any creative role in evolution. These arguments have effectively ruled out the existence of semiosis in the organic world, thus depriving the discovery of the genetic code of all its revolutionary potential, but here it will be shown that there are experimental facts against all of them. more precisely, it will be shown that the cell is a true semiotic system, and that the genetic code has been the first of a long series of organic codes that have shaped the whole history of life on our planet. biological semiosis, in other words, is a scientific reality because the organic codes are experimental realities. This paper intends to underline precisely the scientific nature of biosemiotics and argues that the time has come to acknowledge that semiosis not only is a fact of life but is 'the' fact that allowed life to emerge from inanimate matter.


Departing from the view that the digital divide is a technical issue, the EDC Center for Children and Technology (CCT) and Computers for Youth (CFY) have completed a 1-year comparative study of children's use of computers in low- and middle-income homes. To assess emerging digital literacy skills at home, we define digital literacy as a set of habits through which children use computer technology for learning, work, socializing, and fun. Our findings indicate that both groups of children used the computer to do schoolwork. Many children with leisure time at home also spent 2 to 3 hours a day communicating with peers, playing games, and pursuing creative hobbies. When solving technical problems, the children from low-income homes relied more on formal help providers such as CFY and schoolteachers, while the children from middle-income homes turned to themselves, their families, and their peers. All the children developed basic literacy with word processing, email, and the Web. Not surprisingly, those children who spent considerably more time online developed more robust skills in online communication and authoring. The results also show that children's digital literacy skills are emerging in ways that reflect local circumstances, such as the length of time children had a computer at home; the family's ability to purchase stable Internet connectivity; the number of computers in the home and where they are located (bedroom or public area); parents' attitudes toward computer use; parents' own experience and skills with computers; children's leisure time at home; the computing habits of children's peers; the technical expertise of friends, relatives, and neighbors; homework assignments; and the direct instruction provided by teachers in the classroom. The findings highlight issues impacting social, school, and assessment policy and practice. Specifically, these results have implications for local educational systems interested in developing digital literacy assessment instruments that demonstrate progress as well as specific areas that need improvement. The digital literacy analysis model developed in this study affords teachers opportunities to start to construct activities based on 5 central digital literacy components: computing for a range of purpose, understanding the function of and ability to use common tools, communication literacy, Web literacy, and troubleshooting skills. These activities can help teachers scaffold for their students and themselves the range of digital literacy proficiency skills, that is, their proficiency in using common tools as well as their use of different communications and Web tools. However, when it comes to large-scale assessments of digital literacy of teachers and students at the national and federal levels, the use of the digital literacy analysis model outlined in this study would be operationally and financially impractical. The field urgently needs to develop valid methods and instruments of assessment that help aggregate state and federal data as schools and districts at the local level acquire more and more technology. These methods and measurement instruments are likely to include surveys, e-readiness assessment tools, multiple-choice tests, pre- and post-tests, etc., that can measure individual as well as group progress in digital literacy.


This paper describes the efforts of a host community generally referred to as a "Collaborative Community" and comprised of the Biology and Math departments of the University of Wisconsin-stout (UW-Stout), the Math and Biology Departments of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UW-EC), and the Departments of Math, Biology, and Chemistry of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UW-RF). The group's major focus is that of realizing the following goals: (1) Increasing the active participation of students, particularly women and minorities in math and science classes; (2) increasing the comfort level of women and minority students in the science laboratories; (3) increasing the emphasis on the importance of math and science in real world applications; (4) increasing the students' self-confidence in doing math and science; and (5) developing alternative teaching methodologies to replace the traditional lecture format. Included in the document is a discussion of the community's plan of action to realize the aforementioned goals, schedule of workshop events, a description of the roles that a Distinguished Visiting Professor and a Faculty Fellow play in this process, and an article entitled "Science, Diversity, and Community: Revitalizing Introductory Science Curricula: An Overview." (ZWH) ****A****************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** THE MAKING OF THE FACULTY: FOSTERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CURRICULAR INNOVATION, AND TEAMWORK THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE SCIENCE COMMUNITY


Homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells offers an exquisitely precise mechanism to introduce targeted modifications to the mouse genome. This ability to produce specific alterations to the mouse genome has become an essential tool for the analysis of gene function and the development of mouse models of human disease. Of the many thousands of mouse alleles that have been generated by gene targeting, the majority are designed to completely ablate gene function, to create conditional alleles that are inactivated in the presence of Cre recombinase, or to produce reporter alleles that label‐specific tissues or cell populations (Eppig et al., 2012, Nucleic Acids Res 40:D881–D886). However, there is a variety of powerful motivations for the introduction of subtle targeted mutations (STMs) such as point mutations, small deletions, or small insertions into the mouse genome. The introduction of STMs allows the ablation of specific transcript isoforms, permits the functional investigation of particular domains or amino acids within a protein, provides the ability to study the role of specific sites with in cis‐regulatory elements, and can result in better mouse models of human genetic disorders. In this review, I examine the current strategies that are commonly used to introduce STMs into the mouse genome and highlight new gene targeting technologies, including TALENs and CRISPR/Cas, which are likely to influence the future of gene targeting in mice. genesis 51:605–618. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is an ongoing public health crisis. Poor developmental quality of differentiation-relatedness of object representations and attachment insecurity have been clinically and empirically demonstrated as core patterns of intrapsychic and interpersonal dysfunction in this particular form of personality pathology. Differentiation-relatedness (D-R), which involves a complementary relationship between intrapsychic autonomy and interpersonal relatedness, has been shown to be a significant aspect of internal psychic experience that relates directly to external relationship patterns, including characteristic response to interpersonal interactions and has been a specific target for treatment of BPD. Specifically, individuals with BPD have shown lower developmental quality of differentiation-relatedness than non-clinical controls. Similarly, attachment insecurity, stemming from repetitive, conflicted exchanges with caregivers beginning from early development, is a hallmark of borderline personality. Although differentiation-relatedness and attachment organization have been extensively studied in this clinical population, few studies have investigated the relationship between such measures of historically relevant intrapsychic functioning, behavioral and neural responses to social interaction in the here and now. Through narrative responses to a clinical v interview, self-reports and a measure of social cognition during fMRI that operationalize borderline pathology in distinct ways, this study investigated differences between individuals diagnosed with BPD and non-clinical controls, as well as the relationship among measures of developmental quality of differentiation-relatedness of object representations, attachment style, and behavioral and neural response patterns in a laboratory-based design. Results: Independent samples t-tests showed significant differences between borderline patients and controls for D-R mean, father, and self scores, attachment anxiety and avoidance, and anger response patterns to experiences of social exclusion. Simple linear regression analyses demonstrated that D-R mean, father, and self scores also significantly predicted anger response in Cyberball. Non-significant positive trends for attachment anxiety, scored from the self-report Experience in Close Relationships (ECR) measure, predicting rejection and anger were also evident; however the ECR was less sensitive at predicting rejection and anger in response to social exclusion than D-R scores. The D-R mean score also modulated neural activity associated with social inclusion in Cyberball in the left inferior frontal cortex. Thus, this study provides further evidence of the multidimensional nature of borderline personality disorder and the intricate complexity of the relationship among different levels of the pathology (i.e., intrapsychic, attachment, behavioral, and neural). These results, in conjunction with further studies on the relationship among these components, have the potential to offer crucial insights for the treatment of this disorder.


We study the extent to which diffeomorphism invariance restricts the properties of the perturbations in single scalar field cosmological models. We derive a set of identities that constrain the connected correlators of the cosmological perturbations, as well as the one-particle-irreducible vertices of the theory in any gauge. These identities are the analogues of Slavnov-Taylor identities in gauge theories, and follow essentially from diffeomorphism invariance alone. Yet because quantization requires diffeomorphism invariance to be broken, they not only reflect invariance under diffeomorphisms, but also how the latter has been broken by gauge fixing terms. In order not to lose the symmetry altogether, we cannot simply set some fields to zero, as is usually done in cosmological perturbation theory, but need to decouple them smoothly and make sure that they do not contribute to cosmological correlators in the decoupling limit. We use these identities to derive a set of consistency relations between bispectra and power spectra of cosmological perturbations in different gauges. Without additional assumptions, these consistency relations just seem to reflect the redundancy implied by diffeomorphisms. But when combined with analyticity, in a formulation of the theory in which auxiliary fields have been integrated out, we recover novel and previously derived relations that follow from invariance under both time and spatial diffeomorphisms.


Joseph Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago was for twenty years the most influential U.S. Catholic bishop; he was also a beloved public figure whose views commanded respect from Catholics and non-Catholics alike. This posthumous collection of a number of his major addresses on central moral issues in contemporary American life voices the causes that were closest to his heart: the sanctity and protection of all human life, the reshaping of American society and institutions for the benefit of the poorest, the preservation of peace in the pursuit of justice, and the growth of mutual understanding and harmony within the Church. Spanning the period from the early 1980s to just weeks before his death in late 1996, these essays demonstrate a remarkably sustained and thoughtful effort to articulate an overall framework for moral decisions - 'a consistent ethic of life' - and to affirm an active role for religious convictions in a pluralist democratic society. Cardinal Bernardin applies the Church's moral and social teachings to complex policy issues in a way that respects religious freedom and invites both reflection from Catholics and dialogue with people of other beliefs. Written in a clear and accessible style, this volume will be of value to everyone interested in Cardinal Bernardin's moral vision for political choices. It will also be important for a wide range of readers concerned with in Christian ethics and the role of religion in the public sphere. Joseph Cardinal Bernardin (1928-1996) served as the archbishop of Chicago from 1982 to 1996 and as archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 to 1982. He was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 1983 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1996 for his contribution to American civic life. He wrote "The Gift of Peace" (Loyola University Press, 1997).


In order to achieve a more sustainable mode of development, the government of China declared its intention to build a harmonious socialist society, and the Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) proposed 'human–water harmony'. However, some problems still exist in China9s water resources management (CWRM), which affect management performance and trigger acute water crisis. Nowadays, the human–water relationship in China is disharmonious and the relationship between human activities and water resources has entered into a vicious cycle. This paper concluded that achieving human–water harmony is a necessary and rational pathway to solve China9s water problems on the basis of reviewing the development course of CWRM. In order to achieve human–water harmony in China, many impressive efforts both in terms of policies and measures have been made. Ultimately, they pointed out that human–water harmony can be achieved through our tireless efforts as long as people hold the belief that the idea of 'human–water harmony' is the first and the foremost way to deal with the contradiction between human activities and water resources.


We formally demonstrate the general case for class action in a rent-seeking contest model, explaining why separate action adjudication is biased in the defendant's favor and collective adjudication is bias-free. Separate action bias arises from the defendant's investment advantage in capitalizing on centralized control over the aggregate (classwide) stake in the common question defense, while the plaintiff, with only an individual recovery at stake, spends much less. Class action eliminates bias by enabling both parties to make their best case through centralized optimal classwide investments. Our social benefit-cost analysis shows that class action surpasses alternative methods for achieving bias-free adjudication.


Using Western theories and perspectives as models, this chapter discusses the cultural interpretation of dying and death in a non-Western society. Also discussed, based on the historical, political, and cultural history of Nigeria, are the implications of dying and death for death preparation, the problem of deathcausation diseases without external symptoms, and the special plight of widows. Suggestions are made on how to change current practices to alleviate the conditions of widows. The Nigerian experience provides a model for other nonWestern societies with similar historical, political, and cultural backgrounds. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. This article is available in Online Readings in Psychology and Culture: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/orpc/vol3/iss2/1


Both constant and variable forward error correcting (FEC) coding is provided by the DVB-S2 system. Variable FEC can be used to provide different levels of error protection according to applications, and may be combined with the use of return channels, to achieve adaptive coding. The novel idea explained in this paper, introduces an algebric method for construction of well-structured low density parity check (LPDC) codes, enabling the system to switch between LDPC codes of different rates (9/10, 8/9, 5/6, 4/5,...) and perform FEC based on the required level of error protection. In this scheme instead of using different parity check matrices for the different code rates, LDPC codes of different rates are derived by structurally modifying a mother parity check matrix. It is different from the rate-compatible code construction in the sense that the H-matrix used for different code-rates is independent of the H-matrices used for all other code-rates in the set.


Background:TMD are musculoskeletal disorders characterized by tenderness, pain, limitations in mandible movements, headache, and clicking within the joint. The present study was conducted to assess awareness level of dentists about role of physiotherapy in diagnosis of TMJ disorders. Materials & Methods:560 dentists of both genders were enrolled. A questionnaire related to thegeneral knowledge, role of physiotherapy in management of TMDs was recorded. Results: There were 380 males and 200 females. Year of experience was 0-5 years in 115, 5-10 years in 145, 10-20 years in 120 and >20 years in 180 dentists. There were 150 General dentist, 130 endodontist, 70 prosthodontists, 8-0 periodontist and 40 oral surgeons. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Treatment methods for TMDs was splint/occlusal guard in 56%, braces in 24%, medication in 15% and other in 5%. Dentists' referral to other professionals was physiotherapist in 50%, oral medicine in 23%, psychologist in 10%, orthodontist in 7%, speech therapist in 8% and other in 2%. Causes of referral to PT was masticatory muscle tenderness in 40%, neck postural alteration in 30%, headache in 20% and neck pain in 10%. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Most of the dentists has limited knowledge about role of physiotherapy in diagnosis of TMJ disorders.


Political instability has the potential to disrupt financial markets. But how do political institutions affect financial movements in an environment where all institutions are in flux? This paper looks at the effects of formal and informal political volatility in the new EU countries of central and eastern Europe, in the Eastern Neighborhood, and farther afield in Central Asia to answer this question. Using asymmetric GARCH modeling on monthly data, I find that informal political volatility has a significant negative effect on stock returns, while formal political institutions generate much higher financial volatility than changes in monetary policy.


Women are still in the clear minority among the financial sector's top decision-making bodies. According to DIW Berlin's Women Executives Barometer, at the end of 2016, 21 percent of the supervisory and administrative board members of the 100 largest banks were female. The number has stagnated compared to last year. Since 2010, when the discussion about the gender quota for supervisory boards gained momentum, growth has been relatively flat — particularly in comparison to the top 100 companies outside the financial sector. At insurance companies, the proportion of women on supervisory boards was a solid 22 percent (an increase of around three percentage points). This puts insurance companies ahead of banks for the first time since 2006. Also of note: companies whose supervisory boards contained one-third women were not able to increase this number in 2016. Extrapolating from the past decade, supervisory boards of banks would need 50 years for the ratio of women to men to be equal. Gender parity in executive boards would be reached in 80 years. The proportion of women on executive boards remained very low overall as it reached roughly ten percent at insurance companies and eight percent at banks.


The basic thesis of this book is that Google assumes roles and projects that, because of their central importance in society, should be carried out and led by public institutions, or at least subjected to regulations that assure the interests of the public. The main threat represented by a private company overseeing a function as important as "organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful" (Google, n.d.) is the commercial nature of the enterprise, which in the long run will enforce the commoditization of knowledge. Consequently, the democratic values governing society will be displaced as commercial values increasingly inform the challenge of digitalizing and processing human knowledge.


The Internet has led to the development of online markets, and computer scientists have designed various auction algorithms, as well as automated exchanges for standardized commodities; however, they have done little work on exchanges for complex non-standard goods. We present an exchange system for trading complex goods, such as used cars or non-standard financial securities. The system allows traders to represent their buy and sell orders by multiple attributes; for example, a car buyer can specify a model, options, colour, and other desirable features. Traders can also provide complex price constraints, along with preferences among acceptable trades; for instance, a car buyer can specify dependency of an acceptable price on the model, year of production, and mileage. We describe the representation and indexing of orders, and give algorithms for fast identification of matches between buy and sell orders. The system identifies the most preferable matches, which maximize trader satisfaction, and it allows control over the trade-off between speed and optimality of matching. It supports markets with up to 300 000 orders, and processes hundreds of new orders per second.


Less well-known Voortrekker leaders. This study shows that apart from the eight or so ""notable"" figures who led groups of Voortrekkers from the Cape Colony in the years 1835 to 1842, numerous other, ""less well-known"", ones also led groups. Of the latter leaders, virtually all are now unknown and most of us are not even aware of their having acted as trek leaders. Of these ""minor leaders"", twenty-one are discussed briefly, and in each case reasons are given why he should in fact be regarded as a Voortrekker leader. Genealogical data are provided for each leader, as well as further information (if available) on, for example, the district and ward where that person lived in the Cape Colony, any public offices held by him in the Colony, the size of his party, the date of their departure, their routes, and his subsequent influence as a leader. It is also argued that a few of these so-called minor leaders were in fact more influential and better qualified for their role than some of the well-known ones.


OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the association between dietary patterns and metabolic changes in obese adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 76 students (both genders, 14-19 years old, BMI³P95 and Tanner stage ³4) enrolled in public schools from 2006 to 2007 in Sao Paulo city, Brazil. A sociodemographic questionnaire and 4-day food record were administered and anthropometric and biochemical data were collected. Scores for dietary patterns were assessed by factor analysis and after potential confounders were controlled, multilinear regression was used to associate the three identified patterns with biological risk factors. RESULTS: The Traditional Pattern (rice and cereals, beans, red meat, sausage, oils and sweets) was positively associated with insulin, blood glucose and triglycerides and negatively associated with high-density lipoprotein. The In-Transition pattern (fish, poultry, eggs, bread, butter, milk and dairy products, vegetables, fruits, fruit juice and white sugar), presented the same positive associations in addition to an association with diastolic blood pressure. The Fast Food pattern (high fat bakery products, hamburger, mayonnaise, cookies and crackers, chocolate and sodas) presented a positive association with cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and a negative association with insulin and high-density lipoprotein. CONCLUSION: The Traditional and In-Transition patterns were differently related to glucose and lipid metabolism when compared with the fast food pattern. The three patterns could be considered obesogenic, however the Fast Food pattern seems to be the most atherogenic and promoter of hypertension.


The Bank has for many years held regular discussions with major UK lenders and money market participants to discuss trends in credit markets. Earlier this year, the Bank began supplementing these discussions with a formal Credit Conditions Survey, similar to those already conducted by the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank. The survey is intended to assess trends in the demand for, and the supply of credit, including terms and conditions. It covers both household and corporate lending markets. Although the concept of the survey predates the recent movements in financial markets, the first results of the survey, which will be published on 26 September, will provide a good opportunity to assess trends in credit conditions. This article introduces the survey.


Underwater censuses by divers were used to study the fish assemblages from two unexplored Atlantic seamounts in the Cape Verde archipelago. Fifty three species of 27 families were recorded: 27 in Northwest Bank and 46 in Joao Valente Bank. Northwest Bank had dense schools, while Joao Valente Bank had higher species richness and smaller schools. Both seamounts were dominated mainly by coastal species directly depending on seabed habitat (Demersal or benthopelagic). Of the 53 fish species recorded, 22.6% were of continental African origin, while 9.4% and 5.7% were endemic of the Cape Verde Islands and of the Macaronesia province, respectively. Most species (64.2%) had a very wide biogeographic distribution: cosmopolitan (22.6%), amphi-Atlantic (28.3%) and Atlantic-Mediterranean (13.2%). Northwest Bank and Joao Valente Bank may have a permanent fish community supported by various oceanographic-topographic interactions. Joao Valente Bank seems more diverse, which is probably associated with algae cover and with a larger area providing additional suitable and more varied habitats. The geographic proximity to the coast and the presence of oceanic and/or oceanodromous species suggests that the upper part of these seamounts may act both as attraction points and as "stepping-stones" for the dispersal of coastal species.


We recently developed context-dependent DNN-HMM (DeepNeural-Net/Hidden-Markov-Model) for large-vocabulary speech recognition. While achieving impressive recognition error rate reduction, we face the insurmountable problem of scalability in dealing with virtually unlimited amount of training data available nowadays. To overcome the scalability challenge, we have designed the deep convex network (DCN) architecture. The learning problem in DCN is convex within each module. Additional structure-exploited fine tuning further improves the quality of DCN. The full learning in DCN is batch-mode based instead of stochastic, naturally lending it amenable to parallel training that can be distributed over many machines. Experimental results on both MNIST and TIMIT tasks evaluated thus far demonstrate superior performance of DCN over the DBN (Deep Belief Network) counterpart that forms the basis of the DNN. The superiority is reflected not only in training scalability and CPU-only computation, but more importantly in classification accuracy in both tasks.


Vegetarian diets provide an abundance of nutrients when carefully planned. However, vegetarian diets may have lower protein quality compared to omnivorous diets, a reflection of less favorable amino acid profiles and bioavailability. Hence, the current recommended dietary allowance for protein may not be adequate for some vegetarian populations. The purpose of this study was to determine dietary protein quality using the DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) method in vegetarian and omnivore endurance athletes. DIAAS scores reflect the true ileal digestibility of the indispensable amino acids that are present in food items, and these scores can be used to compute the available protein in diet plans. Thirty-eight omnivores and 22 vegetarians submitted seven-day food records that were analyzed for nutrient content, and DIAAS scores were computed by diet group. Average available protein (g) was compared along with participants' lean body mass and strength (quantified using the peak torque of leg extension). DIAAS scores and available protein were higher for omnivorous versus vegetarian athletes (+11% and +43%, respectively, p < 0.05). Omnivorous participants had significantly higher lean body mass than vegetarian participants (+14%), and significant correlations existed between available protein and strength (r = 0.314) and available protein and lean body mass (r = 0.541). Based upon available protein, as determined through the DIAAS, vegetarian athletes in this study would need to consume, on average, an additional 10 g protein daily to reach the recommended intake for protein (1.2 g/kg/d). An additional 22 g protein daily would be needed to achieve an intake of 1.4 g/kg/d, the upper end of the recommended intake range.


Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease characterized by progressive destruction of insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells. Both T-cell–mediated adaptive responses as well as innate immune processes are involved in pathogenesis. Interleukin-1 receptor–associated kinase M (IRAK-M) can effectively inhibit the MyD88 downstream signals in Toll-like receptor pathways, while lack of IRAK-M is known to be associated with autoimmunity. Our study showed that IRAK-M–deficient (IRAK-M−/−) nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice displayed early onset and rapid progression of T1DM with impaired glucose tolerance, more severe insulitis, and increased serum anti-insulin autoantibodies. Mechanistic studies showed that the enhanced activation and antigen-presenting function of IRAK-M−/− antigen-presenting cells from IRAK-M−/− mice were responsible for the rapid progression of disease. Moreover, IRAK-M−/− dendritic cells induced enhanced activation of diabetogenic T cells in vitro and the rapid onset of T1DM in vivo in immunodeficient NOD mice when cotransferred with diabetogenic T cells. This study illustrates how the modulation of innate immune pathways through IRAK-M influences the development of autoimmune diabetes.


Eleven of the world's 55 dictators are 69 years old or older and are in varying stages of declining health. At first blush, this paints a hopeful picture for democracy scholars who have documented a slow but steady authoritarian resurgence. Yet this article reveals that the advanced age of 20 percent of the world's autocrats offers little hope for a reversal of this trend. Rather than creating a space for change, the passing of these leaders will likely leave in place the resilient autocratic systems they created and reinforced. While most leadership transitions generate opportunities for regime change, this article demonstrates that death in office is not one of them.