Landowners' liability? is perception of the risk of liability for visitors accidents a barrier to countryside access?

The study seeks to analyse both the perception and reality of liability risk for owners of countryside land for injuries suffered by recreational visitors. The study starts by evaluating the relevant legislation and case law in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on countryside access and liability in tort for injury suffered by visitors to such places. In doing so it reviews legislation such as Health &amp; Safety at Work Act 1974, Countryside &amp; Rights of Way Act 2000, Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, Occupiers' Liability Acts 1957 &amp; 1984, Animals Act 1971 and the Compensation Act 2006. Through appraisal of this legislation and key cases such as Tomlinson -v- Congleton Borough Council (2004) the actual level of liability risk is assessed to be low. The study then investigates the rise of a pervasive discourse amongst policy makers, judiciary and senior business figures asserting the need to avoid further development of a risk adverse culture within the UK and/or to tackle a growth in the perceived "compensation culture". A link to deregulation and pro-entrepreneurship interests is shown. The reality of compensation claim rates and associated behaviours is then examined. Issues of liability risk perception are then addressed by reviewing in detail the limited available UK literature on liability perception by landowners and comparing this with evidence from the United States and New Zealand. Case studies of alleged risk adverse land management are then examined to test the evidence base for common assertions of excess regulation and/or withdrawal of access to land or facilities through fear of liability. Finally, the study explores (via interviews of 21 land managers and representative bodies) how liability risks are actually perceived by land owners and the extent of awareness of recent changes in discourse and case law regarding public safety issues. In doing so the study reveals the ways in which land managers in large pro-access agencies and utilities develop common standards and understandings around the level of "reasonably practicable" safety provision. The study concludes with recommendations for further research to investigate the way in which liability risk perceptions are formed by smaller landowners who are more remote from such "interpretive communities" (Fish 1980).</p

Probabilistic hyperspace analogue to language

Song and Bruza introduce a framework for Information Retrieval(IR) based on Gardenfor's three tiered cognitive model; Conceptual Spaces. They instantiate a conceptual space using Hyperspace Analogue to Language (HAL to generate higher order concepts which are later used for ad-hoc retrieval. In this poster, we propose an alternative implementation of the conceptual space by using a probabilistic HAL space (pHAL). To evaluate whether converting to such an implementation is beneficial we have performed an initial investigation comparing the concept combination of HAL against pHAL for the task of query expansion. Our experiments indicate that pHAL outperforms the original HAL method and that better query term selection methods can improve performance on both HAL and pHAL

Describing results of 4000 hours of multi environment model verification test Final report

Investigating categorization and formulation of stress and strength factors for semiconductor diodes to provide improved failure rate prediction from mathematical model

SeqDoC: rapid SNP and mutation detection by direct comparison of DNA sequence chromatograms

BACKGROUND: This paper describes SeqDoC, a simple, web-based tool to carry out direct comparison of ABI sequence chromatograms. This allows the rapid identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and point mutations without the need to install or learn more complicated analysis software. RESULTS: SeqDoC produces a subtracted trace showing differences between a reference and test chromatogram, and is optimised to emphasise those characteristic of single base changes. It automatically aligns sequences, and produces straightforward graphical output. The use of direct comparison of the sequence chromatograms means that artefacts introduced by automatic base-calling software are avoided. Homozygous and heterozygous substitutions and insertion/deletion events are all readily identified. SeqDoC successfully highlights nucleotide changes missed by the Staden package 'tracediff' program. CONCLUSION: SeqDoC is ideal for small-scale SNP identification, for identification of changes in random mutagenesis screens, and for verification of PCR amplification fidelity. Differences are highlighted, not interpreted, allowing the investigator to make the ultimate decision on the nature of the change

Sibling Closeness and Similarity and the Presence of Perfectionism

This study explored whether characteristics of the sibling relationship are related to the level of perfectionistic tendencies that an individual reports. The framework of this study was based on Tesser\u27s Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model, which says that the effects of comparisons with a close other, such as a sibling, can be mediated in one of three ways: (a) by reducing the closeness of the relationship, (b) by improving one\u27s performance/impeding on the other\u27s performance, or (c) by decreasing the relevance of the performance to one\u27s self-concept (pursuing different areas and interests). Several hypotheses were offered which were based on the presumption that individuals with high levels of closeness and similarity in their sibling relationships might attempt to reduce the effects of sibling comparison by improving their performances. In turn, continually striving for high level of performance might be evident in the form of perfectionistic tendencies. A total of 186 participants completed an online questionnaire containing demographic questions, the Perfectionism Inventory, the Warmth/Closeness composite scale of the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire, and the Sibling Similarity Scale. Results suggest that sibling similarity and closeness are related to perfectionistic tendencies, but in different ways than originally anticipated. In particular, each sibling type (non-twins, identical twins, and fraternal twins) demonstrated a different pattern of relationships with perfectionism, suggesting it is important to consider sibling types when studying sibling relationships

Making and Unmaking in Middle-earth and Elsewhere

Study of the concepts of making (creation) and unmaking (destruction), the opposing forces of Order and Chaos, in worlds created by Tolkien and Orson Scott Card

Sibling Closeness and Similarity and the Presence of Perfectionism

This study explored whether characteristics of the sibling relationship are related to the level of perfectionistic tendencies that an individual reports. The framework of this study was based on Tesser\u27s Self-Evaluation Maintenance Model, which says that the effects of comparisons with a close other, such as a sibling, can be mediated in one of three ways: (a) by reducing the closeness of the relationship, (b) by improving one\u27s performance/impeding on the other\u27s performance, or (c) by decreasing the relevance of the performance to one\u27s self-concept (pursuing different areas and interests). Several hypotheses were offered which were based on the presumption that individuals with high levels of closeness and similarity in their sibling relationships might attempt to reduce the effects of sibling comparison by improving their performances. In turn, continually striving for high level of performance might be evident in the form of perfectionistic tendencies. A total of 186 participants completed an online questionnaire containing demographic questions, the Perfectionism Inventory, the Warmth/Closeness composite scale of the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire, and the Sibling Similarity Scale. Results suggest that sibling similarity and closeness are related to perfectionistic tendencies, but in different ways than originally anticipated. In particular, each sibling type (non-twins, identical twins, and fraternal twins) demonstrated a different pattern of relationships with perfectionism, suggesting it is important to consider sibling types when studying sibling relationships

A survey of the use of television in elementary schools in selected areas.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University This item was digitized by the Internet Archive

Let there be light: Does light influence transition behavior?

Let there be light: Does light influence transition behavior? Typical classroom transitions include changing textbooks, rotating between learning centers, and leaving the classroom. Instructional time may be lost during transitions. When students move between structured activities, their unstructured, transition time often becomes an opportunity for misbehavior. Students frequently become distracted, begin talking, or wander around the classroom. Handling transitions is an aspect of classroom management that is often difficult for preservice teachers and new teachers. When trying to teach rules and procedures, there is a struggle to find balance between establishing rules and procedures and the need to move through the daily curriculum. This six-week study conducted by a pre-service teacher, examined the effect of light on transitional behaviors in a K-1 classroom. Data, collected when students left the classroom and returned, was analyzed to determine if the amount of light in the classroom had any effect on appropriate student transitional behaviors