Book Removal in Secondary Schools: A Violation of the First Amendment? Board of Education v. Pico

In the American democratic system, it is not uncommon for small, publicly-elected bodies to control the workings of societal institutions. These bodies may be federal, state or local in realm and function, and are usually given wide discretion. But who is it that controls the actions of these bodies This question is paramount to the myriad of recent cases involving the removal of books from secondary school libraries. The body involved is the local school board - an elected unit charged with the duty of managing school affairs. In that process of management, however, local school boards are apparently not sovereign. In Board of Education v. Pico, a suit brought originally in 1979 by junior high and high school students in New York, it was held by the Supreme Court of the United States that students are entitled to first amendment protection of their right of access to information which is not to be infringed upon by the denial of access to ideas with which the board disagrees. In Pico, this access occurs in the form of books acquired for the school library which are subsequently removed under the discretion of the school board

Co-Fathering With Nonresident Biological Fathers: A Phenomenological Study on Stepfathers

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the experiences of stepfathers when both the non-resident biological father (NRBF) and stepfather are involved in the parenting efforts. This study will explore the stepfather’s co-fathering experiences with the NRBF and its overall effect on stepfamily functioning and marital satisfaction. The theories guiding this study are the family stress theory and the family systems theory. These two theories will help to explain how stressful events, such as stepfamily formation and the presence of the NRBF, disrupt the family’s equilibrium and challenge the stepfamily to find adaptive ways to reestablish their balance. Stepfathers were recruited and participated in a semi-structured interview, in which they discussed the challenges they experienced with co-fathering with a NRBF. The results of the study showed that stepfathers had four unmet needs which prevented a healthy co-fathering relationship with the NRBF: (a) a need to be accepted, (b) a need to establish authority, (c) a need for communication, and (d) a need for guidance. This study paves the way for premarital and postmarital stepfamily educational programs which may increase the possibility for fathers to engage in a collaborative approach to parenting

Using The Symmetry Of False Matches To Solve The Correspondence Problem

Veridical stereoscopic depth depends on matching corresponding image points. This requires solving the stereo correspondence problem: how are true matches distinguished from false ones? Conventional algorithms select true matches on the basis of feature detection [what do you mean by ‘feature detection’ here? Is there some more specific term?] and adherence to natural statistics. They reject false matches as noise. We propose here an alternative that uses the signals present in false matches to delineate the true solution. When visualized in a Keplerian array, binocular matches are symmetrically reflected about an axis that is a potential solution. Properties such as extent and curvature of the solution are encoded the transformation that describes how one-half of the matches reflects onto the other. To implement this strategy, left and right images were convolved with Gaussian kernels of various standard deviations (spatial frequencies). Keplerian arrays comparing filter responses across left and right spatial-frequency combinations were then constructed. Responses that are minimally different across the eyes give rise to regions of high symmetry; position within the Keplerian array indicates the location of a solution in space. Solutions that possess natural surface regularities consistently showed minimal differences for one left : right spatial frequency ratio, which is correlated with local surface slant. As a result, combining responses within particular ratio families can distinguish true matches from false ones. True matches tend to be long and smoothly contoured, and symmetry would be preserved across all members of a ratio family from low to high spatial-frequency combinations. This approach is efficient; preprocessing is minimal since no feature extraction is involved. It can be implemented in machine vision to solve the correspondence problem for depth sensing algorithms. It is robust when tested against perfectly camouflaged surfaces in random dot stereograms and consistent with physiological data showing that false match signals are propagated to higher cortical areas along the dorsal pathway

Perceived depth in non-transitive stereo displays

AbstractThe separation between the eyes shapes the distribution of binocular disparities and gives a special role to horizontal disparities. However, for one-dimensional stimuli, disparity direction, like motion direction, is linked to stimulus orientation. This makes the perceived depth of one-dimensional stimuli orientation dependent and generally non-veridical. It also allows perceived depth to violate transitivity. Three stimuli, A, B, and C, can be arranged such that A>B (stimulus A is seen as farther than stimulus B when they are presented together) and B>C, yet A⩽C. This study examines how the visual system handles the depth of A, B, and C when they are presented together, forming a pairwise inconsistent stereo display. Observers’ depth judgments of displays containing a grating and two plaids resolved transitivity violations among the component stimulus pairs. However, these judgments were inconsistent with judgments of the same stimuli within depth-consistent displays containing no transitivity violations. To understand the contribution of individual disparity signals, observers were instructed in subsequent experiments to judge the depth of a subset of display stimuli. This attentional instruction was ineffective; relevant and irrelevant stimuli contributed equally to depth judgments. Thus, the perceived depth separating a pair of stimuli depended on the disparities of the other stimuli presented concurrently. This context dependence of stereo depth can be approximated by an obligatory pooling and comparison of the disparities of one- and two-dimensional stimuli along an axis defined locally by the stimuli

HUBUNGAN ANTARA KOMUNIKASI INTERPERSONAL MAHASISWA DAN DOSEN DENGAN MOTIVASI BELAJAR

Learning is an activity carried out by students so that there is a change from not knowing to know. In the learning process, students must have motivation in themselves to be able to encourage students to do learning activities. In the learning process, communication must be built between students and lecturers so that learning activities can be well established. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between interpersonal communication of students and lecturers with learning motivation for level I and II students at a private university in North Sulawesi. The research design used is quantitative correlation with a cross-sectional approach. The sample of this study amounted to 148 people who were taken using Purposive Sampling technique. Results of this study indicate that the description of interpersonal communication is included in the poor category (53.4%) and the description of learning motivation is included in the high category (50.7%). The results of the Spearmen's Rank/Rho test show p value = 0.000 <0.05, meaning that there is a significant relationship between student and lecturer interpersonal communication and learning motivation. Recommendations for level I and II students to be active by asking questions and opinions during teaching and learning activities and to establish good communication with lecturers. KEYWORDS: Communication, Interpersonal, Learning Motivation  KEYWORDS: Communication, Interpersonal, Learning Motivation Belajar merupakan kegiatan yang dilakukan oleh mahasiswa sehingga terjadi perubahan dari yang tidak tahu menjadi tahu. Dalam proses belajar mahasiswa harus memiliki motivasi dalam dirinya untuk dapat mendorong melakukan kegiatan belajar. Dalam proses pembelajaran pentingnya terjalin komunikasi yang baik  antara mahasisiwa dan dosen agar kegiatan belajar dapat berjalan dengan baik. Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengetahui hubungan antara komuniksi interpersonal mahasiswa dan dosen dengan motivasi belajar pada mahasisiwa tingkat I dan II pada salah satu universitas swasta di Sulawesi Utara. Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah kuantitatif korelasi dengan pendekatan Cross-Sectional. Sampel penelitian berjumlah 148 orang yang diambil menggunakan teknik Purposive Sampling. Hasil dari penelitian menunjukkan gambaran komunikasi interpersonal termasuk dalam kategori kurang baik (53,4%) dan gambaran motivasi belajar termasuk dalam kategori tinggi (50,7%). Hasil uji Spearmen’s Rank/Rho menunjukkan p value = 0,000<0,05 artinya ada hubungan yang signifikan antara komunikasi interpersonal mahasiswa dan dosen dengan motivasi belajar. Rekomendasi bagi mahasisiwa tingkat I dan II untuk dapat aktif memberikan pertanyaan dan pendapat selama mengikuti kegiatan belajar-mengajar serta dapat menjalin komunikasi yang baik dengan dosen. KATA KUNCI: Komunikasi, Interpersonal, Motivasi Belaja

Structural and functional characterization of signaling protein complexes

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

A method for classifying student teachers' conceptual responses to educational events /

The PeeC Method was found to be a reliable tool for acquiring information in quantifiable form about the student teachers' conceptual responses to educational events. Further reliability studies will be necessary to determine if similar results will be obtained when the PeeC Method is used by other raters using written comments from different student teachers or written comments from teachers currently in the field. Validity was preliminarily addressed by basing the PeeC dimensions and categories upon current literature on cognitive development. Construct and concurrent validity studies will be necessary to further validate the PeeC Method as a means for quantifying student teachers' conceptual responses to educational events. Once these studies are successfully completed, data collected using the PeeC Method may enable teacher educators and supervisors to document student teachers' and teachers' conceptual growth and tailor interventions to their stages of cognitive development, amount of experience, and degree of maturity.An objective and quantifiable method for collecting information on student teachers' conceptual responses to educational events was developed and initial steps were taken to establish validity and reliability. It was named the PeeC Method. Through a review of the literature on congnitive development, four constructs were identified: how many elements a student teacher perceived and/or recalled about an educational event; what kinds of elements in an educational event were perceived; whether the student teacher merely reported his/her perceptions or if meaningful relationships were constructed; and who or what was designated as responsible for what occurred. These constructs served as the basis for the dimensions of the PeeC Method: Thought Unit, Source, Type of Thought, and Attribution.The development of the PeeC Method involved the collection of student teachers' written comments about educational events and a three phase content analysis procedure for testing the categories within the four PeeC dimensions. An analysis of the data indicated that the dimension categories, category definitions, and category examples within each PeeC dimension were reliable as evidenced by the investigator's ability to classify written comments across two time periods with over 80% consistency; exhaustive as evidenced by raters' ability to classify all written comments of student teachers; and reliable as well as mutually exclusive such that two different groups of three raters achieved over 80% agreement when classifying written comments

Effects of calcitriol on the crosstalk between macrophages and human adipocytes

Macrophage-infiltration of adipocytes in obesity provides an important mechanistic link that may explain the increase in inflammatory mediators produced by adipose tissue. Elucidating the crosstalk mechanisms between macrophages and adipocytes is important as adipose tissue has been shown to be the linchpin linking inflammation and insulin resistance. Growing evidence suggests that vitamin D exerts immunomodulatory effects and adipose tissue could be a target for its action. This study investigated the role of vitamin D3 (calcitriol) in alleviating inflammation mediators expressed and released by human adipocytes under the basal and stimulated conditions. The study also examined the effect of calcitriol on monocyte migration as well as on the NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways. A simulated model of adipocyte inflammation was created by incubating adipocytes with macrophage-conditioned (MC) medium, and this model was then used to study the effect of vitamin D. High dose calcitriol (10-8M) decreased the basal levels of MCP-1 and IL-6 released by adipocytes. Pretreatment with calcitriol (10-8M) reduced the rise in protein levels of MCP-1 and IL-6 released by adipocytes after stimulation with MC medium. Calcitriol (10-8M) also decreased IL-6 release but it had no effect on MCP-1 production by adipocytes stimulated with TNF-α. Upon MC medium stimulation, calcitriol (10-8M) partially reversed the decrease in gene expression of adiponectin and ZAG although the release of adiponectin or ZAG by adipocytes was unaffected. In addition, calcitriol (10-11M and 10-8M) supplementation decreased THP-1 macrophage migration although it did not reverse the effects of MC medium or TNF-α. Furthermore, calcitriol increased the basal protein abundance of NF-κB IκBα and reversed the inhibitory effect of MC medium on IκBα. Calcitriol supplementation also decreased both basal and MC medium stimulated protein abundance of phosphorylated NF-κB p65 as well as basal and MC medium stimulated levels of phosphorylated p38 MAPK. In conclusion, this study has shown that MC medium potently stimulated inflammatory responses in human adipocytes. Calcitriol supplementation was able to reduce the basal and stimulated production of the proinflammatory mediators by adipocytes. Calcitriol also led to a decrease in chemoattractant ability of adipocytes. In addition, calcitriol exhibited an inhibitory effect on the activation of the NF-κB and MAPK signalling pathways. These results suggest that calcitriol may have a beneficial effect in protecting against adipose tissue inflammation induced by the crosstalk between macrophages and adipocytes

Job-Saving Strategies: Worker Buyouts and QWL

This book probes the effectiveness of two job-saving strategies, worker buyouts and QWL (quality of worklife) programs, used to try to reverse the shutdown of a chain of supermarkets in Philadelphia.https://research.upjohn.org/up_press/1113/thumbnail.jp

Attentional selection in judgments of stereo depth

Stereoscopic depth is most useful when it comes from relative rather than absolute disparities. However, the depth perceived from relative disparities can vary with stimulus parameters that have no connection with depth or are irrelevant to the task. We investigated observers’ ability to judge the stereo depth of task-relevant stimuli while ignoring irrelevant stimuli. The calculation of depth from disparity differs for 1-D and 2-D stimuli and we investigated the role this difference plays in observers’ ability to selectively process relevant information. We show that the presence of irrelevant disparities affects perceived depth differently depending on stimulus dimensionality. Observers could not ignore disparities of irrelevant stimuli when they judged the relative depth between a 1-D stimulus (a grating) and a 2-D stimulus (a plaid). Yet these irrelevant disparities did not affect judgments of the relative depth between 2-D stimuli. Two processes contributing to stereo depth were identified, only one of which computes depth from a horizontal disparity metric and permits attentional selection. The other uses all stimuli, relevant and irrelevant, to calculate an effective disparity direction for comparing disparity magnitudes. These processes produce inseparable effects in most data sets. Using multiple disparity directions and comparing 1-D and 2-D stimuli can distinguish them