Outstanding Educational Performance Awards: Highlighting High Achieving Arkansas Schools, 2011

So, in this Arkansas Education Report (AER) we aim to highlight excellent performance and give our congratulations. To that end, we are happy to highlight many high performing schools around the state in our now-annual AER entitled the Outstanding Educational Performance Awards

The Berkeley tunable far infrared laser spectrometers

A detailed description is presented for a tunable far infrared laser spectrometer based on frequency mixing of an optically pumped molecular gas laser with tunable microwave radiation in a Schottky point contact diode. The system has been operated on over 30 laser lines in the range 10–100 cm^–1 and exhibits a maximum absorption sensitivity near one part in 10^6. Each laser line can be tuned by ±110 GHz with first-order sidebands. Applications of this instrument are detailed in the preceding paper

Write Free or Die: Vol. 04, No. 01

Department Writing Goals, Outcomes, and Plans, Page 1-2 Upcoming Events, Page 1 Persistence v Genius, Page 2 Writing Committee Members, Page 2 Dangling Modifier, Page 3-4 Ask Matt, Page 5-6 Grammar Box, Page 7 Past Perfect, Page

Good Versus Evil in Austen’s Mansfield Park and Iris Murdoch’s A Fairly Honourable Defeat

The character of Tallis Browne in Iris Murdoch's novel 'A Fairly Honourable Defeat' is characterised by her as a figure of good, taking the place of Christ in a post-Christian allegory. This article compares Murdoch's exploration of theological themes with the ethical world created in Jane Austen's 'Mansfield Park'. Various possibilities for theological schemes in 'Mansfield Park' are discussed, and the characters analysed and compared to Murdoch's characters in 'A Fairly Honourable Defeat'. It is established, by examining point of view and voice in both novels, that, while Tallis is the moral centre of Murdoch's novel, Fanny is far from embodying the implied morality of the author of Mansfield Park, whose world view is more worldly and sophisticated than Fanny Price's

Write Free or Die: Vol. 04, No. 01

Department Writing Goals, Outcomes, and Plans, Page 1-2 Upcoming Events, Page 1 Persistence v Genius, Page 2 Writing Committee Members, Page 2 Dangling Modifier, Page 3-4 Ask Matt, Page 5-6 Grammar Box, Page 7 Past Perfect, Page

Combined Effects of Long-Term Sitting and Whole-Body Vibration on Discomfort Onset for Vehicle Occupants

Occupants of automobiles experience discomfort after long drives, irrespective of how well designed a seat might be. Previous studies of discomfort during driving have focused either on the seat shape and materials (“static” properties), long-term discomfort (“fatigue” properties), or dynamics (“vibration” properties). These factors have previously not been considered together. This paper reports three studies with objectives to define and test a model for describing long-term discomfort from vibration. Study 1 was an independent measures laboratory trial using an automobile seat, which lasted 80 minutes; Study 2 was a repeated measures laboratory trial using a rail passenger seat, which lasted 60 minutes; Study 3 was a repeated measures field trial in a people carrier automobile, which involved 70 minutes of travelling. The findings showed that discomfort accrues with time but that more discomfort is experienced when subjects are also exposed to whole-body vibration. Exposure to whole-body vibration accelerates development of discomfort. The relationship between the reported discomfort, the vibration magnitude, and the exposure time can be described using a multifactorial linear model. It is concluded that ignoring parts of the multi-factorial model (i.e., static, dynamic, or temporal factors) will compromise understanding of discomfort in context

Instrument or object? The New Zealand piano on display

The piano is rather a unique display item in the museum or the historic house. Firstly, whether an upright or a grand, the piano is an imposing, substantial object that occupies significant space within a setting and immediately demands attention because of its proportions. This object has a history, a story to tell that, where the provenance of the piano is known, provides a direct, tangible link with the past. Secondly, the piano is an aesthetic object, finely crafted and giving pleasure to the eye through the grain of the wood, the sheen of the polish, the black and white chessboard of the keyboard, the intricacy of the carved legs or marquetry inlay, the elegance of its shape and design. Finally, it is a musical instrument designed to produce sound and thus has the potential to delight the ear as well as the eye. Indeed, sight and sound are not the only senses to be satisfied by the instrument. The musty perfume of old wood and the sharp tang of lacquer entice the nose, while the satin wood and cool ivory keys please the fingers. It is through touch, the interplay between the body and the instrument, with hands on the keys and feet on the pedals, that a piano is given voic

IoWoman March/April 2007, Vol.37, no.2

Newsletter for the Iowa Commission on the Status of Wome

Infections with extracellular trypanosomes require control by efficient innate immune mechanisms and can result in the destruction of the mammalian humoral immune system

Salivarian trypanosomes are extracellular parasites that affect humans, livestock, and game animals around the world. Through co-evolution with the mammalian immune system, trypanosomes have developed defense mechanisms that allow them to thrive in blood, lymphoid vessels, and tissue environments such as the brain, the fat tissue, and testes. Trypanosomes have developed ways to circumvent antibody-mediated killing and block the activation of the lytic arm of the complement pathway. Hence, this makes the innate immune control of the infection a crucial part of the host-parasite interaction, determining infection susceptibility, and parasitemia control. Indeed, trypanosomes use a combination of several independent mechanisms to avoid clearance by the humoral immune system. First, perpetuated antigenic variation of the surface coat allows to escape antibody-mediated elimination. Secondly, when antibodies bind to the coat, they are efficiently transported toward the endocytosis pathway, where they are removed from the coat proteins. Finally, trypanosomes engage in the active destruction of the mammalian humoral immune response. This provides them with a rescue solution in case antigenic variation does not confer total immunological invisibility. Both antigenic variation and B cell destruction pose significant hurdles for the development of anti-trypanosome vaccine strategies. However, developing total immune escape capacity and unlimited growth capabilities within a mammalian host is not beneficial for any parasite, as it will result in the accelerated death of the host itself. Hence, trypanosomes have acquired a system of quorum sensing that results in density-dependent population growth arrest in order to prevent overpopulating the host. The same system could possibly sense the infection-associated host tissue damage resulting from inflammatory innate immune responses, in which case the quorum sensing serves to prevent excessive immunopathology and as such also promotes host survival. In order to put these concepts together, this review summarizes current knowledge on the interaction between trypanosomes and the mammalian innate immune system, the mechanisms involved in population growth regulation, antigenic variation and the immuno-destructive effect of trypanosomes on the humoral immune system. Vaccine trials and a discussion on the role of innate immune modulation in these trials are discussed at the end

Homophobia, Heterosexism, and Ambivalence in the Premier Issue of \u3cem\u3eSports Illustrated Woman/Sport\u3c/em\u3e

The arrival of a magazine dedicated solely to the world of women\u27s sports was an exciting prospect for fans and proponents of women\u27s sports. But the first issue of Sports Illustrated Women/Sport disappointed many who considered it did not put women\u27s sports in the best possible light, who were worried and disappointed that its editors did not print the best stories or even focus on the most deserving athletes. Lisa Weidman decided to investigate further, using feminist theory and prior research findings to better understand the magazine\u27s messages. Through a critical analysis of the magazine\u27s editorial content - at the same time recognizing its advertisement, an aspect worthy of study - Weidman demonstrates how the first issue of Women/Sport marginalized women\u27s sports, expressed ambivalence about women\u27s participation in sports, and perpetuated homophobic and heterosexist attitudes