Impact of character education on a third grade inclusion classroom

The purpose of this study was to implement a character education program with a third grade inclusion classroom at Cooper\u27s Poynt School in Camden, New Jersey. This study was conducted in efforts to improve relationships and interpersonal skills using qualitative action research. Character education is a concept that describes implementing moral conduct in schools in order to encourage positive behaviors. Several benefits to character education programs include reduced negative behaviors, a more positive school environment conducive to learning, and higher academic achievement. This study conducted discusses the impacts of a character education program initiated in a third grade inclusion classroom. The use of surveys, students\u27 artifacts, student discussions, students\u27 journals, and the teacher researcher journal pointed to improvement of students\u27 behaviors. The data collected and the implementation of an initial and final survey acknowledged an impact on improvement in a positive nature over the course of the instructional unit

Full Characterization of the First 1 Inch Industrial Prototype of a New Concept Photodetector

The VSiPMT (Vacuum Silicon PhotoMultiplier Tube) is an original design for an innovative light detector we proposed with the aim to create new scientific instrumentation for industrial applications and physics research. The idea behind this device is to replace the classical dynode chain of a photomultiplier tube with a silicon photomultiplier, the latter acting as an electron detector and amplifier. The VSiPMT offers very attractive features and unprecedented performance, definitely superior to every other photodetector with comparable sensitive surface, such as: negligible power cosumption, excellent photon counting, easy low-voltage-based stabilization and very good time performance. After the feasibility test of the idea, Hamamatsu Photonics realized for our research group two VSiPMT industrial prototypes, that have been fully characterized. The results of the full characterization of the 1-inch industrial prototype are presented in this work.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figure

Mitochondrial DNA lineages of Italian Giara and Sarcidano horses

Giara and Sarcidano are 2 of the 15 extant native Italian horse breeds with limited dispersal capability that originated from a larger number of individuals. The 2 breeds live in two distinct isolated locations on the island of Sardinia. To determine the genetic structure and evolutionary history of these 2 Sardinian breeds, the first hypervariable segment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was sequenced and analyzed in 40 Giara and Sarcidano horses and compared with publicly available mtDNA data from 43 Old World breeds. Four different analyses, including genetic distance, analysis of molecular variance, haplotype sharing, and clustering methods, were used to study the genetic relationships between the Sardinian and other horse breeds. The analyses yielded similar results, and the FST values indicated that a high percentage of the total genetic variation was explained by between-breed differences. Consistent with their distinct phenotypes and geographic isolation, the two Sardinian breeds were shown to consist of 2 distinct gene pools that had no gene flow between them. Giara horses were clearly separated from the other breeds examined and showed traces of ancient separation from horses of other breeds that share the same mitochondrial lineage. On the other hand, the data from the Sarcidano horses fit well with variation among breeds from the Iberian Peninsula and North-West Europe: genetic relationships among Sarcidano and the other breeds are consistent with the documented history of this breed

The role of the organisational dimension in university positioning: a case-study approach

This paper argues that university strategic positioning is influenced by the organisational dimension, operationalised along the variables of organisational structure, identity and centrality. A comparative case study is presented including two English and two Italian universities and drawing on a set of sixty interviews with academic leaders, managers and administrators. The analysis of the trajectory of the four universities from 2004 to 2018 illustrates the articulation of the link between the three organisational variables and positioning and how this has changed over time. Finally, the paper outlines six propositions on the expected impact of the organisational structure, identity and centrality on positioning processes of universities

The determinants of university strategic positioning: a reappraisal of the organisation

This paper makes a contribution to the debate on university organisational actorhood by theorising the determinants of institutional strategic positioning. It argues that besides environmental forces and managerial rationality, the organisational dimension needs to be accounted for. Addressing the mixed empirical evidence in the relevant literature, we conceptualise the organisational dimension as a meso-level intervening variable mediating both external influences (outside-inside) and organisational action (inside-outside). We operationalise the organisational dimension along three components: organisational structure, identity and centrality, which are further elaborated in sub-components and indicators. A set of hypotheses to be tested in empirical research is provided. The paper offers new perspectives on the dynamics of change in higher education and on strategic agency of organisational actors

The determinants of university strategic positioning: A reappraisal of the organizational dimension

This paper makes a contribution to the debate on university organisational actorhood by theorising the determinants of institutional strategic positioning. It argues that besides environmental forces and managerial rationality, the organisational dimension needs to be accounted for. Addressing the mixed empirical evidence in the relevant literature, we conceptualise the organisational dimension as a meso-level intervening variable mediating both external influences (outside-inside) and organisational action (inside-outside). We operationalize the organizational dimension along three components: organizational structure, identity, and centrality, which are further elaborated in sub-components and indicators. A set of hypotheses to be tested in empirical research is provided. The paper offers new perspectives on the dynamics of change in higher education and on strategic agency of organizational actors

Self-perceived cultural competence. A cross-sectional study about nurses' awareness and behavior

Background: Cultural competence is a valuable and intangible heritage of knowledge, relationships and identity. Cultural competence is fundamental in nursing: sharing the objectives of all patients - not only foreigners - promotes patient's participation in healthcare and supports nurses' professional development, enhancing the intellectual capital that guides quality care. The aim of this study is to evaluate nurses' self-perceived cultural competence. Study design: This is a cross-sectional study. Methods: A self-administered cultural-competence questionnaire was used. Nurses working in hospitals and territorial healthcare settings in Rome, Italy, were involved in this study, from March 2017 to February 2018. Results: This study involved 192 nurses. The mean age was 46.2 ± 7.9. Most of the nurses (77.6%) were women. The nurses' mean work experience was 21.4 ± 8.8 years; 65.1% of them had never attended any type of course concerning multiculturalism. The mean score of the nurses' cultural competence was 4.19 ± 0.57 (range = 2.75-5.71). In all, 41.7% of the nurses did not consider themselves neither competent nor incompetent. Conclusion: The results show that nurses have an acceptable level of cultural competence, slightly higher in the territorial context

Lexicographical polytopes

Within a fixed integer box of Rn, lexicographical polytopes are the convex hulls of the integer points that are lexicographically between two given integer points. We provide their descriptions by means of linear inequalities