Alien Registration- Dubois, Anna (Sanford, York County)

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The effects of intensive block scheduling on high school mathematics

The purpose of this study was to compare intensive block scheduling to the traditional scheduling used in the high school setting, especially focusing on the areas of mathematics achievement and the patterns of higher level mathematics course selection. Surveys were sent to 67 high schools throughout the United States and Canada which are currently using intensive block scheduling. Mathematics supervisors were asked questions regarding: school population, percentage of college bound students, higher level mathematics courses offered, and the sequence of mathematics courses taught leading to Advanced Placement Calculus. The remaining part of the survey requested specific data comparing standardized test results and enrollments in higher level mathematics classes before and after the inception of block scheduling. It was determined that there are significant relationships between the adoption of block scheduling and increased student enrollment in higher level mathematics courses. The findings also indicated that there was no significant increase in achievement on the SAT or the AP Calculus test scores, but the ACT test scores increased significantly after block scheduling was introduced

Transport in supply networks

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to analyse how transport activities are embedded in supply chains and networks. Design/methodology/approach The paper is empirically grounded in a single case study that describes and analyses a supply chain of a particular product, Geocloth, focussing on how transport activities are organised in the supply network. Findings The paper concludes that transport activities are embedded in two related settings - the supply chain setting and the transport network setting - with implications for how adjustments can be made to increase transport performance. Furthermore, the paper shows how transport performance can be analysed as a function of how business relationships are connected vertically (i.e. how transport activities are sequentially connected within supply chains) and horizontally (i.e. how transport activities are connected across supply chains with regard to joint resource use). Originality/value The paper contributes to the understanding of how transport is integrated in supply networks by focussing on the connections between business relationships in supply chains and by pointing to how transport activities are embedded both in supply chain settings and in transport network settings

Transportation as a loosely coupled system: a fundamental challenge for sustainable freight transportation

In view of the pressing need to reduce the negative environmental impact of freight transportation we argue that it is essential to take account of the organization of the freight transportation system when considering how to address various individual activities and parts of the system. To support a transition to a more sustainable freight transportation system this paper examines the way in which different parts of the system interact and the way this can impact the scope for profound change. Taking loosely coupled systems (Weick, 1976) as a starting point, we scrutinize the couplings within and between three system layers of the freight transportation system: the supply chain layer, the transportation layer, and the infrastructure layer. In addition, we address two interfaces connecting these layers: the market for transportation services, and the traffic using the infrastructure. We find that tight couplings dominate in the supply chain and infrastructure layers and that these couplings depend on loose couplings in the transportation layer and the two interfaces. The pattern of couplings identified in the freight transportation system can explain several positive outcomes, such as flexibility and efficiency. But there are also major negative aspects of the loosely coupled nature of the system that create resistance to change and present a barrier in the drive for increased sustainability. The paper concludes that the identified couplings and system features have important implications for policies aiming to change the freight transportation system in ways that lead to significant reduction in the reliance on oil

The importance of resource interaction in strategies for managing supply chain disruptions

The turbulent business environment highlights the need for strategies for mitigating, responding to, and recovering from (that is, managing) supply chain disruptions. Resources are central in these strategies but remain unspecified in the literature. This paper shows how the resource interaction approach (RIA) can help under-standing resources in this setting by acknowledging their interactive and networked nature. Based on a con-ceptual discussion that compares key assumptions within the supply chain risk management (SCRM) and supply chain risk resilience (SCRes) literatures with the RIA, we propose an alternative approach to strategies for managing supply chain disruptions. We challenge the SCRM and SCRes literatures by emphasizing interdepen-dence (as opposed to independence) and pointing to relationships as key resources in strategies for managing supply chain disruptions. Collaboration relying on an interplay between temporary and permanent organizing is suggested as a starting point instead of being just one of several alternative strategies

The Effect of Needle Exchange Programs on Blood-Borne Illnesses

Needle exchange programs (NEPs) were created in order to improve the safety of people who inject drugs (PWIDs) and to reduce the risk of transmission of blood-borne illnesses. These programs provide PWIDs with clean needles in exchange for used needles. The purpose of this review is to determine whether or not NEPs are effective in reducing the transmission of blood-borne illnesses in PWIDs. This is important to nursing practice because nurses often work with PWIDs and are advocates for their patients, which requires EBP-backed treatment options. In order to conduct this review, five databases were used and eleven articles were selected. The eleven articles selected and utilized in this paper discuss the effectiveness and ineffectiveness, in some instances, of NEPs in reducing the transmission of blood-borne illnesses. Research indicates that the effect of NEPs on the transmission of blood-borne illnesses is inconclusive. For this reason, no practice change is indicated, but further research is recommended

Development of a human model for the study of effects of hypoxia, exercise, and sildenafil on cardiac and vascular function in chronic heart failure

Background: Pulmonary hypertension is associated with poor outcome in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and may be a therapeutic target. Our aims were to develop a noninvasive model for studying pulmonary vasoreactivity in CHF and characterize sildenafil's acute cardiovascular effects. Methods and Results: In a crossover study, 18 patients with CHF participated 4 times [sildenafil (2 × 20 mg)/or placebo (double-blind) while breathing air or 15% oxygen] at rest and during exercise. Oxygen saturation (SaO2) and systemic vascular resistance were recorded. Left and right ventricular (RV) function and transtricuspid systolic pressure gradient (RVTG) were measured echocardiographically. At rest, hypoxia caused SaO2 (P = 0.001) to fall and RVTG to rise (5 ± 4 mm Hg; P = 0.001). Sildenafil reduced SaO2 (−1 ± 2%; P = 0.043), systemic vascular resistance (−87 ± 156 dyn·s−1·cm−2; P = 0.034), and RVTG (−2 ± 5 mm Hg; P = 0.05). Exercise caused cardiac output (2.1 ± 1.8 L/min; P < 0.001) and RVTG (19 ± 11 mm Hg; P < 0.0001) to rise. The reduction in RVTG with sildenafil was not attenuated by hypoxia. The rise in RVTG with exercise was not substantially reduced by sildenafil. Conclusions: Sildenafil reduces SaO2 at rest while breathing air, this was not exacerbated by hypoxia, suggesting increased ventilation–perfusion mismatching due to pulmonary vasodilation in poorly ventilated lung regions. Sildenafil reduces RVTG at rest and prevents increases caused by hypoxia but not by exercise. This study shows the usefulness of this model to evaluate new therapeutics in pulmonary hypertension