La Carta forestale della Basilicata.

A comment is made on the Forest Map of Regione Basilicata (Southern Italy)

The constitution of glucose diacetone

The reaction which takes place between acetone and sugars or polyhydric alcohols, first described by Fischer, produced several beautiful crystalline compounds of greater interest. Their value, however, to the study of carbohydrate chemistry, was only appreciated when Irvine, in 1908, applied to their investigation the process of methylation. It is through this reaction that most light has been thrown on the structure of carbohydrate derivatives and once again, in the present work, the methylation method has been applied to the study of the glucose acetones. A detailed account of the general type of reaction involved is unnecessary, since, owing to the success which has attended this method of investigation in many other important problems in sugar chemistry, it is now well known

O future problem solving program internacional (FPSPI) como um possível instrumento interventivo na sobredotação: caracterização do programa

O FPSPI- Future Problem Solving Program International é um programa educativo, internacionalmente validado, visando o desenvolvimento de competências de resolução de problemas (em crianças, jovens e nos aplicadores do programa), tais como o pensamento criativo, pensamento crítico e analítico, comunicação oral e escrita, trabalho em equipa, gestão emocional e tomada de decisão. Paralelamente, promove no contexto escolar a motivação para a aprendizagem, o rendimento escolar, o papel ativo do aluno e o envolvimento da (e na) comunidade. Em termos práticos, o desenvolvimento acontece dando aos participantes oportunidades de exercitar tais competências enquanto exploram temas relacionados com o futuro. Apesar de não ser um programa de intervenção especificamente dirigido a sobredotados, internacionalmente tem vindo a ser adotado como um dos instrumentos que vão ao encontro da necessidade formativa deste grupo. Pretende-se então contextualizar e apresentar tal programa, sumariamente, sensibilizando ainda para resultados positivos da sua aplicação.Abstract The FPSPI-­‐Future Problem Solving Program International is an educational program with international validation and oriented to the development of creative problem solving skills in participants (pre-­‐adolescents and adolescents) and mentors (adults). These skills include creative, critical and analytical thought, communication, emotions and decision making. FPSP also promotes learning motivation and scholarly achievement through the active role of the pupils and their engagement in the community. This development of skills results from a problem solving process that challenges participants to face problems creatively and with a futuristic approach. It is not a specific program oriented to gifted people, but it has been adopted internationally as an useful tool in order to address psychological characteristics frequently related to this population. This paper will present some guidelines about foundations, goals and methodology inherent to the program and will underline some positive results of its applicatio

Exploring experiences of compassion and resilience in clinical psychologists working in palliative care

The quality of palliative care can have a profound impact upon patients’ and families’ lives. Furthermore, the well-being of professionals within palliative care has serious implications for patients and families, professionals, and organisations. Therefore, this thesis explored issues within palliative care from both the patients’ and professionals’ perspective. Firstly, a meta-synthesis of literature was conducted in order to answer the following questions: “What do palliative care patients value in their care?” and “What enhances palliative care patients’ experience of feeling cared for?” The meta-synthesis of 14 papers revealed five themes: The Holistic Nature of Care, Being With People who Have a Shared Understanding, Talking and Being Listened to, Oscillating Between Living and Dying, and Psychological Well-being. The findings suggested aspects of care that services could focus on in order to meet patients’ needs. Secondly, experiences of 12 clinical psychologists working in palliative care were explored using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in order to gain an understanding of the impact this work has on their levels of compassion and resilience. Six themes were identified: Being Part of Something Special, The Therapeutic Relationship, Doing More With Less, Being Changed as a Result of Involvement, The Consummate Professional, and Practicing What you Preach. Experiences were characterised by the impact of the therapeutic relationship, organisational change, and effects on the self. Finally, the process of conducting research within palliative care was critically appraised. Methodological issues, as well as the effects of conducting research in palliative care on the researcher were discussed

The Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI): a challenge for creative citizens

Series: Research papers on knowledge, innovation and enterprise, vol. 4The Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) is an educational program for the development of creative skills, especially in children and young people (Future Problem Solving Program International, FPSPI, n.d). At the same time, it promotes critical, analytical and futuristic thinking, oral and written communication, teamwork, as well as emotional and decision making skills (FPSPI, n.d.). It is thus an educational tool that can be applied in many contexts, formal and informal, in order to promote creative problem solving skills. The stated mission of the FPSPI is “to develop the ability of young people globally to design and promote positive futures through problem solving using critical & creative thinking” (FPSPI, n.d.). It is designed to involve young people in thinking about the future and its challenges and unpredictability in all domains, including arts, technology and sciences. This program, based on futuristic thinking and the Osborn-Parnes Creative Problem Solving method (Osborn, 1953; Parnes, 1967; Parnes, Noller, & Biondi, 1977), begins with problem finding and definition and ends with a proposal for an effective and original solution. Begun by Torrance in the U.S. in 1974, the program is currently applied in countries from every continent. This chapter will present this program in detail, illustrating its goals, application methodology and agents. It will also share results obtained in several studies about the program and its effectiveness, thereby, raising awareness of the potential of its application for creative problem solutions in various contexts

Teachers’ and students’ experiences of positive relationships in secondary education

D. App. Ed. Psy. ThesisThis thesis explores experiences of positive Teacher-Student Relationships (TSRs) in secondary education from both teachers’ and adolescents’ perspectives. It is comprised of four chapters: a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), methodological and ethical considerations, an empirical research project and a reflective synthesis. The Systematic Literature Review (Chapter 1) explores teachers’ and students’ experiences of TSRs in secondary education settings. Meta-ethnography was used to synthesise five research papers that were identified as relevant to the review. Findings suggest that teachers and students experience positive relationships as being characterised by kind and friendly interactions, informality and humour and communications that are respectful and equal. Teacher responsivity and sensitivity were identified as important and the concept of going above and beyond for students was discussed. This chapter may support the development of positive TSRs in settings within proximal processes and may also support the development of relational policies in schools. Chapter 2 aims to act as a link between the meta-ethnography and empirical research. Philosophical assumptions are discussed leading to a rationale for the methodology employed. Key ethical considerations are discussed, paying particular attention to the changes to research design and subsequent ethical decisions due to the coronavirus pandemic. The empirical research report (Chapter 3) explores TSRs in upper secondary school in one mainstream secondary setting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two teachers and two students from Years 10 and 11 and data was transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Perceptions of the culture of relationships in school were found to be important. Findings also suggest that reciprocal interactions filled with human responses, playfulness and care were important. Agency, availability, recognition of responsibility, authenticity and consistency were found to be important elements of positive relationships from teachers towards their students. These findings have implications for teachers, school leaders and for Educational Psychologists. Chapter 4 consists of a reflective synthesis detailing the professional and academic learning acquired through the research journey. In this chapter, what the work means for research and practice is discussed, as well as the next steps for this enquiry. Chapters 1 and 3 have been prepared for publication and are presented in the style of papers typically published by the British Educational Research Journal

The digital library : current perspectives and future directions

This paper begins with an overview of present services relevant to the Digital Library, followed by near-future projects, some already in progress, others only potential; we then discuss some of the significant trends, opportunities and barriers facing the Digital Library; and we conclude with some recommendations for integrating the various services into a cohesive whole that will mark the beginnings of a true Digital Library

Motivation for creating the Museum of Scotland, and the educational effectiveness of its history content for the visiting public

My aim was to investigate the motivation for creating the Museum of Scotland, and the educational effectiveness of its history content for the visiting public,. Part One examines the creation and purpose of the Museum of Scotland. What was its origin? Why have a Museum of Scotland at all? What was the motivation of the Trustees and staff who campaigned and raised funds for it, and created the displays? (This Part draws mostly on primary sources such as unpublished Trustee, Advisory Board, and Committee reports, minutes and papers, letters; and Hansard). Part Two summarises the views of academic authorities and museum practitioners on the role of museums in education and learning. Their writings parallel the change in thinking in NMS, described in Part One, from primarily just collection and conservation of objects, to a vision of displaying to the public the ‘Wealth’ of historical and cultural heritage that had been collected. (This Part is almost entirely based on secondary sources – published books and articles). Part Three analyses how far the displays, as actually mounted, embody the vision of the creators. What do visitors get from the labels, interpretation, audio guides, guided tours, and interactives? (This is based partly on personal observation of the displays, influenced by published authorities on display techniques, partly on personal discussions with several curators, and partly on access to an important, unpublished primary source – the minutes and papers of the Exhibition Review Committee which monitored the creation of the displays). Part Four discusses attempts to evaluate visitor reaction. This Part analyses reports on unpublished visitor surveys of ‘Special Exhibitions’ by the National Museums of Scotland, Glasgow Museums Service, Merseyside Museums and Galleries, and the Imperial War Museum (North). It also contains a completely new visitor survey of the Museum of Scotland displays, geared specifically to Generic Learning Outcomes. It was organised and undertaken by this researcher, with help from several NMS volunteer guides, who conducted some of the interviews. It was supplemented by discussions with visitors in ‘mini groups’ and by feedback from two history teachers about visits by their students. The overall conclusion is that visitors did indeed learn from good, object-based displays, but many visitors, even native Scots, had disappointingly little understanding of Scottish history before their visit

Sobering up : the interactive effects of alcohol and caffeine on perceived intoxication

A large body of research suggests that individuals are accurate at subjectively judging their own alcohol intoxication when assessed relative to blood alcohol concentration. Although caffeine’s ability to antagonize alcohol-induced intoxication is generally regarded as a myth, it is often consumed with alcohol in preparation for tasks such as driving. Currently, however, few studies have directly examined the effect of caffeine consumption on subjective alcohol intoxication. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the interaction of alcohol and caffeine on subjective intoxication. A screening survey was used to recruit light to moderate drinking males between the ages of 21 and 30 years of age. The subjective effects of alcohol (water, placebo, .04 and .08) with eight ounces of coffee (0, or 2.0 mg/kg caffeine) were measure in 133 subjects. Subjectively, a cup of caffeinated coffee increased perceptions of intoxication for .04- alcohol condition, but did not effect perceived intoxication in other conditions

Quality of light — is laser necessary for effective photobiostimulation?

Is true laser, with its unique qualities of coherence, collimation and monochromaticity, necessary for effective photobiostimulation, or is a simpler form of light sufficient? Doubt has been cast on the importance of coherence and collimation in influencing biostimulation. It is hypothesised that monochromaticity (or singularity of wavelength) is the only characteristic of laser necessary for photostimulation. If wavelength is the important factor in phototherapy, the clinician must consider which wavelengths are capable of producing specific effects within living tissues. In addition, it is important to distinguish the quality of light provided by a unit and whether it will give the desired results without a large financial outlay. This article reviews the unique properties of laser, discusses their contribution to photobiostimulation and looks at apparatus which provide these properties