A Survey Of Professor Acceptance And Use Of E-Textbooks In Higher Education

As electronic books (e-books) have continued to gain in popularity, more and more books are becoming available in electronic format. Textbooks are no exception. More and more publishers are making textbooks available in electronic format (e-textbooks). There have been many devices specifically designed to use e-books and e-textbooks with many more devices which utilize e-book apps to further increase the availability and ease of moving to e-books. Many professors are embracing the new technology, but others are somewhat (very, in many cases) resistant. This study discusses a recent study of professor acceptance and intention to use e-textbooks in the classroom and presents preliminary results and conclusions suggested by the survey

Freshwater Mollusks Survive Fish Gut Passage

Freshwater mollusks figure prominently in the diets of humpback whitefish (Coregonus pidschian) and broad whitefish (C. nasus), two benthic-feeding coregonid species. A recent examination of pea clams (Sphaeriidae), valve snails (Valvatidae), and pond snails (Lymnaeidae) from the lower digestive tracts of these fish found that many of the mollusks were alive. Survival completely through gut passage would indicate a dispersal mechanism for freshwater mollusks that has not been previously recognized. A field investigation was conducted with wild-caught humpback and broad whitefish to test the hypothesis that clams and snails are capable of surviving complete gut passage. Wild fish were captured alive and held in collection totes to obtain feces samples. Pea clams and valve snails were abundant in fish feces, and pond snails were present but not abundant. An average of 483 pea clams and 833 valve snails per fish were observed to have survived complete gut passage, while only a single surviving pond snail was found. These findings suggest that fish may play an important role in the dispersal of freshwater mollusks within freshwater systems.Les mollusques d’eau douce constituent une partie imposante du régime alimentaire du corégone à bosse (Coregonus pidschian) et du corégone tschir (C. nasus), deux corégonidés à alimentation benthique. L’analyse récente de pisidies (Sphaeriidae), de valvatidés (Valvatidae) et de lymnéidés (Lymnaeidae) provenant du tractus digestif inférieur de ces poissons a permis de constater que grand nombre de ces mollusques étaient toujours en vie. Le fait d’avoir entièrement survécu dans le passage digestif porterait à croire qu’il s’agirait là d’un mécanisme de dispersion des mollusques d’eau douce qui n’a jamais encore été reconnu. Une étude sur le terrain a été réalisée au moyen de corégones à bosse et de corégones tschir afin de mettre à l’épreuve l’hypothèse selon laquelle les pisidies, les valvatidés et les lymnéidés sont capables de survivre à travers tout le passage digestif. Des poissons sauvages ont été capturés en vie et conservés dans des sacs de prélèvement dans le but de recueillir des échantillons de fèces. Les pisidies et les valvatidés abondaient dans les fèces des poissons, tandis que les lymnéidés ne s’y retrouvaient pas en abondance. En moyenne, 483 pisidies et 833 valvatidés ayant survécu à travers le passage digestif ont été observés dans chaque poisson, tandis qu’un seul lymnéidé avait survécu. Ces constatations laissent croire que les poissons pourraient jouer un rôle important dans la dispersion des mollusques d’eau douce au sein des systèmes d’eau douce

Migratory patterns of Yukon River inconnu as determined with otolith microchemistry and radio telemetry

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2000Migratory patterns of Yukon River inconnu Stenodus leucichthys were evaluated using otolith aging and microchemical techniques and radio telemetry. Research was conducted each fall between 1997 and 1999, on inconnu captured at a study site 1,200 river km from the Bering Sea. Biological data were collected to establish maturity and spawning condition. Sagital otoliths were analyzed optically to determine age distribution, and microchemically to determine amphidromy. Inconnu were tagged with radio transmitters and located in upstream spawning destinations. Inconnu captured at the study site were uniformly large, mature fish preparing to spawn. Age estimates ranged from 7 to 28 years. Microchemical analyses suggested that the population was amphidromous rather than freshwater only. Preliminary testing of radio transmitter attachment methods showed that the internal method (pushed through the esophagus into the stomach) was superior to the external method (attached behind the dorsal fin) for use with migrating inconnu. Most radio-tagged inconnu were located during their spawning time in a common region of the Yukon River. Inconnu captured at the study site each fall were mature fish engaged in a spawning migration that originated in the lower Yukon River or associated estuary regions, and continued towards a common spawning destination in the Yukon River, approximately 1,700 river km from the sea

The Collaborative Community Change Model: Understanding and Evaluating University Extension Professionals\u27 Role in Community Change

The article presents a new model for understanding Extension professionals\u27 role in community change. This Collaborative Community Change model incorporates aspects of effective collaborations and the various influences that affect community change. It identifies different points in the community change process where Extension professionals typically contribute. Accordingly, it identifies indicators of activities that are needed to achieve community-level change, depending on the point of contribution within the model. The model is useful to Extension and community development professionals who are involved in development and capacity-building activities that lay the groundwork for community change outcomes

Reflections 1980

The 1980 issue of Reflections is edited by Randy Waters with Joyce Compton Brown and Michele Barale serving as faculty advisers. Cover photography is by Les Brown. Historical photographs of Gardner-Webb are included throughout the issue in celebration of the school\u27s 75th anniversary. Award winners of the student writing contest include: Criss Nichols, Teresa Yingling, and Randy Waters. Mike Gurley is the award winner of the student black and white photography contest.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/reflections/1006/thumbnail.jp

Reflections 1981

The 1981 issue of Reflections is edited by Randy Waters with Joyce Compton Brown and Michele Barale serving as faculty advisers. Cover art is by Miriam Ash-Jones. Award winners of the student writing contest include: Randy Waters, Debbie Drayer, and Cyndy Porter.https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/reflections/1007/thumbnail.jp

Hybrid digital-analog computer parallel processor

Describes a hybrid digital-analog computer parallel processing apparatus wherein a template circuit, or multiplicity thereof, is connected to receive parallel digital inputs. Each template circuit has controlled current sources with control gates connected respectively to parallel digital inputs. Current subsources for each pixel normally have programmable current output and “0” or “1” responses. Each template circuit has a current summing device for algebraically adding the current outputs of current sources, while a greatest value is detected at a comparator which may have a ramp signal applied to another input thereby identifying which template produced a maximum indication from the same parallel inputs. A self-calibrating feedback controlled current generator supplies all current sources on a chip making it possible to generate a known comparator input independent of IC resistivity or other parameters. The value of the indication of other templates may also be determined by the time relation of comparator output signals. If templates of the apparatus represent printed character correlation data, the output of the processor would identify the template with maximum indication and character with highest probability from a set of pixel inputs. Similar apparatus can be cascaded to first identify details in a scene and then match such detail charts with second stage templates

What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards

Increasingly, Cooperative Extension professionals are required to have their projects approved by their university Institutional Review Boards. For many, this can be an intimidating task. In this article we provide information that we hope will help ease the confusion and frustration that can sometimes accompany the process. We also present several tips for helping the process go more smoothly

What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards: Risks and Benefits

More and more, Extension professionals are being asked to first run their needs assessment, program evaluation, and applied research projects through their university\u27s Institutional Review Boards. For many, this can be a confusing task. This article is the third in a series providing tips for preparing IRB proposals and discusses the potential risks and benefits involved in research projects