Exploring the Personal Responsibility Orientation Model: Self-Directed Learning within Museum Education

Grounded in humanistic philosophy, this basic-interpretive, qualitative inquiry explores self-directed learning (SDL) within the museum environment. Investigation is conducted into the Personal Responsibility Orientation (PRO) Model as a conceptual framework for understanding SDL within museums and discoveries are revealed into SDL from the perspective of the museum learner

Numerical simulations of the nonlinear Molodensky problem

We present a boundary element method to compute numerical approximations to the non-linear Molodensky problem, which reconstructs the surface of the earth from the gravitational potential and the gravity vector. Our solution procedure solves a sequence of exterior oblique Robin problems and is based on a Nash-H\"{o}rmander iteration. We apply smoothing with the heat equation to overcome a loss of derivatives in the surface update. Numerical results compare the error between the approximation and the exact solution in a model problem.Comment: 13 pages, submitted to the proceedings of the European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2013 / Studia geophysica et geodaetic

Evaluation of executive functions, cognitive control and a neurocognitive profile of college binge drinkers, An

2014 Summer.Introduction: Binge drinking is a detrimental behavior which presents with consumption of large amounts of alcohol however, does not present with symptoms of dependence. The college population is a unique group to investigate due to the neuroplasticity and development those in this cohort are undergoing. Specifically, this age group is experiencing a natural period of neural immaturity specific to the prefrontal cortex. In addition to being identified by the personal, physical, and academic detriments caused by binge drinking, it was hypothesized this population of binge drinkers could be categorized with a neurocognitive profile which varies from their non-drinking peers. Participants: One hundred and ninety seven Colorado State University students were recruited and categorized in to different levels of binge alcohol consumption on non-drinkers based on two self-report measures. Method: Alcohol consumption was evaluated through a sex based questionnaire and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Neurocognitive performance was assessed through six tasks: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Delay Discounting Task, One Touch Stockings of Cambridge, Trail Making Task (A and B), the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire. Results: An initial MANOVA was used to assess differences between non-drinkers and binge drinkers, showing no significance, F (12, 19) = 1.96, p = 0.09. A secondary MANOVA was used to evaluate differences across different categories of binge drinkers and non-drinkers, where significance was noted, F (36, 92.32) = 1.56, p = 0.045. The post hoc tests suggest the significance of this relationship was due to poorer performance on the WCST by binge drinkers, F (3, 42) = 3.27; p = 0.03. Conclusions: Though the deficits were not as vast as hypothesized, the inability for binge drinkers to complete an equal number of categories in the WCST as their non-drinking peers holds interesting conclusions. Those which are discussed relate to binge drinkers' inefficient self-reporting of executive functioning performance, as well as allowing us to possibly understand why we see differences in binge drinkers' perception of alcohol outcomes and their personal self-efficacy with alcohol consumption

Event-related potentials in college-aged binge drinkers and non drinkers

2010 Summer.Includes bibliographic references (pages 27-29).Covers not scanned.Print version deaccessioned 2022.Recent research has begun investigating whether there are neurophysiological differences in individuals who drink heavily compared to those who do not drink. Research has shown significantly reduced P3 amplitudes in response to neutral but not alcohol-related stimuli in alcoholics and their children. The purpose of this study was to further investigate this phenomenon comparing event-related potentials (ERP) of high drinkers to non drinkers when presented positive, negative and alcohol related images. Participants were categorized as a drinker or non drinker based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), a self report measure of alcohol use. Group comparisons were made based on differences in amplitude and latency of the P2 and the late positive potential (LPP), a component believed to be more evaluative in nature. This data indicated significant difference in the amplitude of the P2, meaning initial attention is greater in the binge drinkers compared to the non-drinking group. No differences were found in LPP amplitudes between drinkers and non-drinkers. These results suggest that there may be neurophysiological indices for binge drinking which may be useful for identifying individuals who are either at risk or currently abusing alcohol

The Relationship Between Insulin Resistance and Glucose Transport and Transporter (GLUT4) Levels in a Rodent Model of Syndrome X

(Part I.) The purpose of this study was to measure insulin regulated glucose transport and GLUT4 protein in aortic tissue from insulin-resistant vs. sensitive rats. We assessed basal and insulin-stimulated [3H]-2-deoxyglucose transport in aorta from lean vs. obese Zucker rats. In a muscle-bath system, insulin significantly stimulated aortic 2-deoxyglucose transport by 30% in lean and obese animals. Further, in the perfusion system with only luminal vessel exposed, insulin significantly stimulated 2-deoxyglucose transport in aorta of lean animals. Western blot analysis demonstrated that aorta contained substantial concentrations of GLUT4 protein. These data demonstrate that the aorta is insulin-sensitive and partially impaired in the insulin resistant animals. (Part II.) The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a fa allele effect in BN/fa rats subjected to a high fat diet. BN/BN and BN/fa male/female rats were fed 12% or 48% fat diets for 7 weeks. Food intake and weight change were recorded weekly to obtain an index of energy efficiency ratio (EER) and blood and tissue were harvested for subsequent analysis. Plasma insulin, glucose and cholesterol concentrations, perirenal and epididymal fat pad weights, EER, weight gain and food intake were all significantly higher in male rats on the 48% vs. 12% fat diet. BN/fa animals had heavier fat pads than BN/BN animals. The animals on the 48% fat diet had a significantly higher concentration of soleus GLUT4 protein vs. 12% fat diet. We have demonstrated that a high fat diet exacerbates insulin resistance and the aberrations associated with insulin resistance. The effects of the high fat diet are amplified in animals carrying one copy of the fa allele and female animals appear to be somewhat resistant to this diet-gene interaction. Additionally, we have demonstrated that a high fat diet increases the insulin responsive glucose transporter (GLUT4) protein in skeletal muscle. These data support the concept that syndrome X is a multifactorial syndrome that predominates in males, which is genetically determined and modulated by environmental influences

Verbände in Deutschland: Potenzial und Relevanz für den Meeting-Markt Schweiz

Grosse Verbandskongresse bringen einem Standort Wertschöpfung und Ansehen, fördern neben den ökonomischen Effekten aber auch den Wissenstransfer in einer Region. Sie fungieren als Schaufenster für die regionale Ökonomie und Wissenschaft. So ist es naheliegend, dass Kongressveranstalter zu einem wichtigen Segment im Geschäftstourismus zählen. Auch Verbände aus dem Markt Deutschland können für die Schweizer Meeting-Branche eine interessante Zielgruppe darstellen, da auch sie Veranstaltungen in der Schweiz durchführen. Die Forschungsarbeit soll die Relevanz und das Potenzial der deutschen Verbandskongresse in der Schweiz aufzeigen. Dabei gilt es herauszufinden, welche Cluster von deutschen Verbänden für die Schweizer Meeting-Regionen und -Destinationen von Bedeutung sind, welches Potenzial sie aufweisen und wie man diese durch die Convention Bureaus (CVB’s) in der Schweiz optimal erreichen kann