International students at community colleges: how are their needs being met?

2012 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.An emerging trend today is the increased enrollment of international students at community colleges. International students look to American community colleges as a stepping stone to achieving an education that might otherwise be beyond their reach. They are attracted to the community college by the lower tuition costs, opportunities for guaranteed transfer to a four-year university, and the opportunity to study at a variety of geographical locations throughout the United States. California is one of the most popular destinations for international students in the United States. In 2011, more than 23,000 international students were enrolled in California's 112 community colleges. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experience of international students at selected California community colleges and explore how they perceive their needs and expectations are being met. Twenty nine international students from 19 countries were interviewed at seven California community colleges with small, medium, and large international student programs. The phenomenological interview was used as the primary method of data collection. The interview questions were open-ended and allowed the participants to discuss the wide and varied nature of their experience as international students at community colleges. Through the use of an interpretive phenomenological approach to qualitative research, five thematic structures were identified: Reasons, Academic Experience, Social Experience, Cultural Experience, and Problems and Solutions. The essence of the phenomenon of the international student experience at the community college is identified as: The Stepping Stone

Improving Complementary Methods to Predict Evapotranspiration for Data Deficit Conditions and Global Applications Under Climate Change

A reliable estimate of evapotranspiration (ET) in river basins is important for the purpose of water resources planning and management. ET represents a significant portion of rainfall in the water budget; therefore, the uncertainty in estimating ET can lead to the inaccurate prediction of water resources. While remote sensing techniques are available to estimate ET, such methods are expensive and necessary data may not be readily available. Classical methods of estimating ET require detailed land use/cover information that are not readily available in rural river basins. Complementary methods provide simple and reliable approaches to estimate ET using meteorological data only. However, these methods have not been investigated in detail to assess the overall applicability and the needs for revisions if any. In this work, an improved approach to use the complementary methods using readily available meteorological data is presented. The methodology is validated using 34 global FLUXNET sites with heterogeneous land use/cover, climatic, and physical conditions. The method was compared with classical methods using Ghana as a study area where original pioneering studies of ET have been performed. The work was extended to develop global maps of ET and water surplus (precipitation - ET) for the 20th century followed by climate change-induced 21st century estimates for 2040-2069 and 2070-2099 periods. The emission scenario used was the moderate A1B with the global climate models CGCM3.1 and HADGEM1. The results were assessed at different scales from global to regional such as for potential outcomes of climate change on ET and water surplus

Improving the Complementary Methods to Estimate Evapotranspiration Under Diverse Climatic and Physical Conditions

Reliable estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is important for the purpose of water resources planning and management. Complementary methods, including complementary relationship areal evapotranspiration (CRAE), advection aridity (AA) and Granger and Gray (GG), have been used to estimate ET because these methods are simple and practical in estimating regional ET using meteorological data only. However, prior studies have found limitations in these methods especially in contrasting climates. This study aims to develop a calibration-free universal method using the complementary relationships to compute regional ET in contrasting climatic and physical conditions with meteorological data only. The proposed methodology consists of a systematic sensitivity analysis using the existing complementary methods. This work used 34 global FLUXNET sites where eddy covariance (EC) fluxes of ET are available for validation. A total of 33 alternative model variations from the original complementary methods were proposed. Further analysis using statistical methods and simplified climatic class definitions produced one distinctly improved GG-model-based alternative. The proposed model produced a single-step ET formulation with results equal to or better than the recent studies using data-intensive, classical methods. Average root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute bias (BIAS) and R2 (coefficient of determination) across 34 global sites were 20.57 mm month−1, 10.55 mm month−1and 0.64, respectively. The proposed model showed a step forward toward predicting ET in large river basins with limited data and requiring no calibration

Analisis Perspektif Praktisi Advokat dan Penyidik Dalam Penunjukan Kekuatan Pembuktian Pada Kasus Kekerasan Seksual Dalam Rangka Program Magang Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka

Ide-ide kreatif dari program studi maupun mahasiswa selama ini terkadang hanya tersimpan tanpa ada kesempatan untuk menjadi kegiatan yang mendukung Program Magang Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM). Untuk itulah pada program hibah MBKM UNS tahun 2022 ini, dibuka peluang bagi seluruh Program Studi di UNS dan himpunan mahasiswa untuk mendapat dukungan implementasi aktivitas merdeka belajar. Dari program Hibah ini kami membawakan hasil penelitian dari analisis kami mengenai pembuktian dalam tindak pidana kekerasan seksual. Pengaturan mengenai alat bukti tindak pidana kekerasan seksual diatur dalam Pasal 24 dan Pasal 25 Undang-Undang Nomor 12 Tahun 2022 tentang Tindak Pidana Kekerasan Seksual. Pasal 24 ayat (1) menyebutkan bahwa, alat bukti yang sah dalam pembuktian tindak pidana kekerasan seksual terdiri atas pertama alat bukti yang dimaksud dalam hukum acara pidana, kedua alat bukti lain berupa informasi elektronik dan/atau dokumen elektronik sebagaimana diatur dalam ketentuan peraturan perundang-undangan, dan ketiga barang bukti yang digunakan untuk melakukan tindak pidana atau sebagai hasil tindak pidana kekerasan seksual dan/atau benda atau barang yang berhubungan dengan tindak pidana tersebut

Chemoinformatic-guided engineering of polyketide synthases

Polyketide synthase (PKS) engineering is an attractive method to generate new molecules such as commodity, fine and specialty chemicals. A central challenge in PKS design is replacing a partially reductive module with a fully reductive module through a reductive loop exchange, thereby generating a saturated β-carbon. In this work, we sought to establish an engineering strategy for reductive loop exchanges based on chemoinformatics, a field traditionally used in drug discovery. We first introduced a set of donor reductive loops of diverse genetic origin and chemical substrate structures into the first extension module of the lipomycin PKS (LipPKS1). These results demonstrated that chemical similarity between the substrate of the donor loops and recipient LipPKS1 correlated with product titers. Consequently, we identified donor loops with substrates chemically similar to LipPKS1 for further reductive loop exchanges, and we observed a statistically significant correlation with production. Reductive loops with the highest chemical similarity resulted in production of branched, short-chain fatty acids reaching a titer of 165 mg/L in Streptomyces albus J1074. Collectively, our work formulizes a new chemoinformatic paradigm for de novo PKS biosynthesis which may accelerate the production of valuable bioproducts

Chemoinformatic-Guided Engineering of Polyketide Synthases.

Polyketide synthase (PKS) engineering is an attractive method to generate new molecules such as commodity, fine and specialty chemicals. A significant challenge is re-engineering a partially reductive PKS module to produce a saturated β-carbon through a reductive loop (RL) exchange. In this work, we sought to establish that chemoinformatics, a field traditionally used in drug discovery, offers a viable strategy for RL exchanges. We first introduced a set of donor RLs of diverse genetic origin and chemical substrates  into the first extension module of the lipomycin PKS (LipPKS1). Product titers of these engineered unimodular PKSs correlated with chemical structure similarity between the substrate of the donor RLs and recipient LipPKS1, reaching a titer of 165 mg/L of short-chain fatty acids produced by the host Streptomyces albus J1074. Expanding this method to larger intermediates that require bimodular communication, we introduced RLs of divergent chemosimilarity into LipPKS2 and determined triketide lactone production. Collectively, we observed a statistically significant correlation between atom pair chemosimilarity and production, establishing a new chemoinformatic method that may aid in the engineering of PKSs to produce desired, unnatural products

Spatial distribution of nitrate health risk associated with groundwater use as drinking water in Merida, Mexico

Water containing nitrate levels above 45 mg/l is not recommended for human consumption and its prolonged intake is associated with various health conditions. In Merida city, Mexico, the only source for water supply is a karstic aquifer, but the absence of sewerage and drainage networks makes it highly vulnerable to anthropogenic contamination. In this work, the concentration and spatial distribution of nitrate in the Merida’s karstic aquifer were assessed by statistical and geostatistical techniques. The sources of nitrate contamination were tracked by making statistical correlations between nitrate concentrations and key ions; the potential risk to human health was also estimated by using the Hazard Index (HI). A total of 177 groundwater samples were collected from the four water supply systems serving Merida, during 2012 and 2013. Nitrate concentrations from collected samples varied between 15.51 and 70.61 mg/l, with maximum and minimum concentrations per sampling point ranging from 47.47 to 70.61 mg/l and from 15.51 to17.32 mg/l, respectively. Significant positive correlations (P < 0.05) between nitrates and chlorides, sulphates and potassium were found, which may indicate potential contamination from domestic wastewater and agricultural activities. The spatial distribution of nitrate concentrations in the aquifer revealed an increase in nitrates following a trajectory South – North West, towards central and northwestern zones within Merida Metropolitan Area. From the health risk analysis, it was found that infants exposed at current nitrate levels are at a higher risk (HIMAX = 1.40) than adults (HR<1.0) and therefore, there is a clear need for implementing effective strategies to protect groundwater quality and to better manage and control nitrate pollution sources

Picture from Nicaragua - Photograph

In “Picture from Nicaragua,” Sean Anayah captures an image of two Nicaraguan children taking a break from a soccer game by lying in a tall patch of clover. Consider the indentation created by the children’s bodies. What argument might such an image make about the relationship between humans and nature? Also, study the children’s facial expressions. What might they suggest about the children’s relationship with the natural world? If you were profiling these children, how might you describe this moment in their lives? What perspective or point of view is conveyed in this photograph

Evapotranspiration estimation: complementary versus classical methods

It is important to reliably estimate evapotranspiration (ET) in semi-arid regions because rainfall is mostly lost as ET. Furthermore, rural river basins are characterized by scarcity of data and resources. This research aims at estimating ET in semi-arid rural river basins with limited data for the purpose of water resources planning and management. In the literature, several classical methods are used to estimate potential ET. Those methods are primarily based on temperature, radiation, combination, or pan evaporation. However, estimating actual ET requires detailed local data such as land cover/land use, crop pattern, growing cycle, etc. Still, these classical methods are mainly applicable to predict ET from crop covered areas during the growing seasons. In water resources planning, the important estimate needed is the total water loss from the land surface that mayor may not include transpiration from crop areas. For several decades, complementary methods, including Complementary Relationship Areal Evapotranspiration (CRAE), Advection-Aridity (AA), and Granger and Gray (GG) methods, have been used to estimate ET. These methods are attractive due to simplicity, practicability, and reliability in estimating actual, wet environment, and potential ET at regional scale using meteorological data only. Previous studies attempted to use the complementary methods with little success given the limited understanding of the methods and the confusion due to the definitions of various terms. Still the complementary methods offer a distinct advantage over the classical method given the simplicity of data and the ability to estimate total water loss as opposed to ET. In this study the applicability of the complementary methods in estimating ET and the needs to perform additional revisions to the methods to improve estimates if necessary are investigated. In addition, the estimates of the complementary methods are profoundly compared to those of the classical methods

Is There a Global Model to Reliably Predicting Evapotranspiration?

A reliable estimate of Evapotranspiration (ET) in river basins is truly important for the purpose of water resources planning and management. Therefore, the uncertainty in estimating ET can lead to the inaccurate prediction of water balance and water resources needs. The complementary methods, including Complementary Relationship Areal Evapotranspiration (CRAE), Advection-Aridity (AA), and Granger and Gray (GG) methods, have been used to estimate ET. These methods are attractive due to simplicity, practicability, and reliability in estimating ET (or total water loss) at regional scale using meteorological data only. These methods are applied to 34 FLUXNET sites representing different physical and climatic conditions in the globe. In comparison to eddy covariance (EC) fluxes of ET, the results indicate that further improvements to those methods can be performed. A wide set of model variations are developed and statistically tested in order to better simulate the latent heat fluxes of ET. The GG method was found to be promising once wet environment ET is calculated by the Priestley-Taylor equation and the basic complementary relationship is applied to the method. The results of the modified GG model are equal or even better than those of the most recent ET studies. Eventually, the objective of this study was achieved by developing a global, simple but robust, model using minimal data requirements to reliably estimate regional ET in a variety of ecosystems, climates, and environmental conditions