Iphimediidae of New Zealand (Crustacea, Amphipoda)

New Zealand species of Iphimediidae, Amphipoda, are revised. Based on new material from the Chatham Rise, east of New Zealand, two new species are described in detail: Labriphimedia meikae sp. nov. and Labriphimedia martinae sp. nov. A key to the six species belonging to three genera of New Zealand Iphimediidae is provided

Curricularizing Language Teaching and Learning: Navigating Sociocultural Dilemmas in Teacher Education

This dissertation explores sociocultural factors which influence the choices of language teacher educators deciding what to include in coursework and programs. The term “curricularizing” is used to describe the complex process of selecting, planning, and delivering teacher education content. Conflicting social values create dilemmas for teacher educators curricularizing language teaching and learning (LTL) in their practice. Three sociocultural domains of influence affect their work: their national environment, their professional field, and their individual experiences and beliefs. The two stand-alone studies in this dissertation each focus on a different domain and explore the following question: How do language teacher educators curricularize language teaching and learning for teacher learners? The first study examines a German as a Second or Foreign Language (Deutsch als Zweit/Fremdsprache - DaZ/DaF) pre-service teacher education program in southwest Germany in which the future teaching-contexts of graduates is not yet determined. Data include observation fieldnotes and artifacts from fifty class sessions taught by three teacher educators in one semester of the DaZ/DaF bachelor’s program. The study asks the research question: How do DaZ/DaF teacher educators curricularize content-specific aspects of teaching and learning the German language in their practice for teacher learners? The analysis and findings focus on how teacher educators present LTL in their practice through defining language, situating instructional methods in a teaching-context, and relating language teaching and learning to other connected topics. The discussion examines ways in which the factors from the national environment influence the curricularizing choices of DaZ/DaF teacher educators. The second study explores an in-service teacher training program in Australia which prepares teachers to use a functional theory of language to support English literacy in the primary/secondary school context and centers the domain of the professional field. The study asks the following question: How do members of the ‘community of explanation’ (Freeman, 2016) implementing functional grammar and the Lexis program in schools, separated by geographical and professional distance, understand the factors which affect that work? Interviews with twelve educators involved in implementing the training program from Lexis Education were analyzed for common factors they discussed. The educators have various professional roles and live in different Australian states, but findings show they are connected as a community of explanation by a shared understanding of the theory of language and the curriculum materials, as well as factors which relate to those social facts. Findings also reveal factors related to the setting of implementation as the school context. The discussion explores dilemmas which are resolved through having a contextualized theory of language in teacher education and standardized materials and dilemmas which remain as a result of implementing the program in schools. The final chapter explores how the same curricularizing framework was used to explore different research questions, diverse sociocultural influences on the work of teacher educators, and dilemmas specific to the teacher educators and programs in the studies by focusing on different domains. Future areas of research as presented, including the need to examine alignment between the curricularizing of language teaching and learning and the future teaching-contexts of teacher learners. The concluding remarks address the need for teacher educators to reflect on the ways in which they navigate sociocultural dilemmas and consider how small changes in their practice might help them work toward their goals in language education.PHDEducational StudiesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162865/1/acwebre_1.pd

Do circum-Antarctic species exist in peracarid Amphipoda? A case study in the genus Epimeria Costa, 1851 (Crustacea, Peracarida, Epimeriidae)

The amphipod genus Epimeria is species rich in the Southern Ocean and at present eight of its 19 species are reported with circum-Antarctic distributions. For the first time, specimens of epimeriid species from the Antarctic Peninsula, the Weddell Sea and the Ross Sea were analysed using partial COI genes sequences and morphological characters. In total 37 specimens of 14 species of Epimeria and two species of Epimeriella were analysed and the resulting molecular topology checked by critically reviewing taxonomic characters. The genus Epimeriella, genetically grouping within Epimeria is synonymised with the genus Epimeria. Sequences distances between populations of the nominal species Epimeria robusta from the Weddell and Ross Sea led to detailed morphological investigations, resulting in the description of Epimeria robustoides sp. n. from the Weddell Sea. Epimeria robusta Barnard, 1930 from the Ross Sea is redescribed. Sequences of a damaged Epimeria specimen of a species new to science from the lower continental shelf of the eastern Weddell Sea were included. Based on the current study, the hypothesis of circum-Antarctic species' distributions in brooding amphipods proved to be unlikely

The Role of Perception in Developing Healthy Lifestyles and Community Engagement

Background: The Cobb and Douglas Public Health Department and the Cobb2020 partnership, sponsored by the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnering program, facilitated six focus groups in Cobb County to ascertain residents’ perceptions of healthy behaviors. The purpose of the research was to assist in the development of programs to increase healthy behaviors. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to choose fifty-eight participants, who were divided into six groups in different geographic locations. The focus group questions concerned healthy living, health communications, and community health. Qualitative data analysis techniques were used to generate themes and categories across and within groups. Results: Six themes emerged: 1) need for education; 2) healthy food choices; 3) access to healthcare; 4) trust in health care providers; 5) affordable healthcare; and 6) need for local resources. The results show how community members’ perceptions regarding: a) policies that affect health, b) environments that promote healthier choices, and c) systems that allow individuals to be health consumers influence healthy living and community engagement. Other findings note different perceptions between those with and without health insurance. In addition, socio-economic status and ethnicity were seen as factors related to the perceptions of participants. Conclusions: The findings of this study informed a comprehensive, county-wide Community Health Improvement Plan. As a result of these studies, Cobb & Douglas Public Health established, as two chronic disease prevention interventions, the Cobb2020 Farm Fresh Market and, in the City of Kennesaw, the 100% Tobacco Free Parks and Cemeteries policy

Covadonga, une Espagnole à Bruxelles

Tous les Belges de notre génération déjà ancienne ont un petit coin d’Espagne enfoui dans leur coeu

Risk Factors for Glaucoma Needing More Attention

Glaucoma is defined as a chronic progressive optic neuropathy, for which elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only modifiable risk factor. Emerging research indicates that modifiable factors besides IOP may be associated with the presence of glaucoma. In this review, we discuss the role of modifiable determinants, specifically socioeconomic status, nutritional intake, body mass index and obesity, exercise, smoking, and sleep apnea, in the presence of glaucoma. Preliminary studies suggest that associations may exist between these non-inherent factors and glaucoma although research had significant limitations. The mechanisms of influence are unknown or understudied. Research needs to incorporate the broader behavioral and social factors that may affect glaucoma status

Inflation in Supersymmetric Cosmic String Theories

We examine a non-Abelian SUSY $SU(2) \times U(1)$ gauge theory and a SUSY U(1) theory originally used to investigate the microphysics of cosmic strings in supersymmetric theories. We show that both theories automatically include hybrid inflation. In the latter theory we use a $D$ term to break the symmetry. SUSY is broken during inflation and restored afterwards. Cosmic strings are formed at the end of inflation. The temperature anisotropy is calculated and found to vary as $(M_{GUT}/M_P)^2$.Comment: 5 page

Plan Choice And Affordability In The Individual And Small-Group Markets: Policy And Performance—Past And Present

The individual and small-group health insurance markets have experienced considerable changes since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, affecting access, choice, and affordability for enrollees in these markets. We examined how health plan access, choice, and affordability varied between the individual on-Marketplace, individual off-Marketplace, and small-group markets in 2018. We found relatively similar outcomes across the three markets with respect to deductibles and out-of-pocket spending maximums. However, the small-group market maintained greater plan choice and lower premiums—outcomes that appear to be associated with higher insurer participation. States may consider a variety of policy proposals such as reinsurance or the introduction of a public option to increase insurer participation and improve the plan choices offered in the individual market

Embedded Vortices

We present a discussion of embedded vortices in general Yang-Mills theories. The origin of a family structure of solutions is shown to be group theoretic in nature and a procedure for its determination is developed. Vortex stability can be quantified into three types: Abelian topological stability, non-Abelian topological stability, and dynamical stability; we relate these to the family structure of vortices, in particular discussing how Abelian topological and dynamical stability are related. The formalism generally encompasses embedded domain walls and embedded monopoles also.Comment: final corrections. latex fil

Factors Associated With Retinal Vessel Diameters in an Elderly Population: the Thessaloniki Eye Study

Purpose: To identify the factors associated with retinal vessel diameters in the population of the Thessaloniki Eye Study. Methods: Cross-sectional population-based study (age ≥ 60 years). Subjects with glaucoma, late age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy were excluded from the analyses. Retinal vessel diameters were measured using the IVAN software, and measurements were summarized to central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE), and arteriole to venule ratio (AVR). Results: The analysis included 1614 subjects. The hypertensive group showed lower values of CRAE (P = 0.033) and AVR (P = 0.0351) compared to the normal blood pressure (BP) group. On the contrary, the group having normal BP under antihypertensive treatment did not have different values compared to the normal BP group. Diastolic BP (per mm Hg) was negatively associated with CRAE (P < 0.0001) and AVR (P < 0.0001), while systolic BP (per mm Hg) was positively associated with CRAE (P = 0.001) and AVR (P = 0.0096). Other factors significantly associated included age, sex, alcohol, smoking, cardiovascular disease history, ophthalmic medication, weight, and IOP; differences were observed in a stratified analysis based on BP medication use. Conclusions: Our study confirms previous reports about the association of age and BP with vessel diameters. The negative correlation between BP and CRAE seems to be guided by the effect of diastolic BP as higher systolic BP is independently associated with higher values of CRAE. The association of BP status with retinal vessel diameters is determined by diastolic BP status in our population. Multiple other factors are also independently associated with retinal vessel diameters