The Lover Reflected in the Exemplum: A Study of Propertius 1.3 and 2.6

published or submitted for publicatio

The ground state fundamentals of p-benzoquinone and p-benzoquinone-d4

The solid state infrared and Raman spectra of p-benzoquinone and several isotopic derivatives are reported and compared with the results of previous solution and vapor phase studies and with the results of previously published normal coordinate analyses. The vibrational assignments are discussed in terms of the vibronic activity observed in the phosphorescence spectra of the individual isotopically related quinones in several host lattices at 2[deg]K. The infrared and Raman inactive fundamentals of p-benzoquinone-h4 obtained from vibronic analyses of the vapor phase resonance fluorescence are reported. The six Raman active lattice modes of p-benzoquinone-h4 and -d4 are assigned with the aid of isotope shifts and thermal-anisotropic-motion amplitudes from previously published X-ray diffraction data.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/22430/1/0000880.pd

Assignments of the n[pi]* singlet states of p-benzoquinone

The vapor phase fluorescence spectra of p-benzoquinone-h4 and d4 are reported and discussed in relation to the assignment of the low lying singlet states. The low temperature, polarized single crystal electronic absorption spectra of p-benzoquinone and several of its isotopic derivatives are reported. From the isotope shifts and band polarizations of the various vibronic origins, a detailed vibronic analysis is offered of the electronic absorption spectrum of p-benzoquinone which indicates a near degeneracy of the 1Au and 1B1g electronic states.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/22434/1/0000885.pd

Analysis of the low temperature fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra of p-difluorobenzene

The low temperature fluorescence spectra (4.2 K) of solid solutions of p-difluorobenzene-h4 (pDFB-h4) and -d4 have been recorded and analyzed. The absence of fluorescence from vibrationally excited states at 4.2 K eliminates the sequence and "hot band" structure which complicate the analysis of the vapor fluorescence spectrum. On the basis of a comparison of our vibrational analysis with those published for the vapor phase fluorescence, several incorrect assignments in the latter have been identified. The high resolution and lack of spectral congestion obtained in the low temperature matrix isolated fluorescence spectra also allowed additional vibrational assignments to be made. These results are of added importance because of the extensive use which has been made of pDFB for radiationless relaxation studies in the vapor phase. The phosphorescence spectrum of crystalline pDFB-h4 was observed with sufficient intensity to locate the electronic origin to make several vibrational assignments. Additionally, the zero-field splitting of the first triplet excited state was measured by optically detected magnetic resonance techniques.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/25357/1/0000804.pd

Heating up the forest: Open-top chamber warming manipulation of arthropod communities at Harvard and Duke Forests

1.Recent observations indicate that climatic change is altering biodiversity, and models suggest that the consequences of climate change will differ across latitude. However, long-term experimental field manipulations that directly test the predictions about organisms\u27 responses to climate change across latitude are lacking. Such experiments could provide a more mechanistic understanding of the consequences of climate change on ecological communities and subsequent changes in ecosystem processes, facilitating better predictions of the effects of future climate change. 2.This field experiment uses octagonal, 5-m-diameter (c.22m 3) open-top chambers to simulate warming at northern (Harvard Forest, Massachusetts) and southern (Duke Forest, North Carolina) hardwood forest sites to determine the effects of warming on ant and other arthropod populations and communities near the edges of their ranges. Each site has 12 plots containing open-top chambers that manipulate air temperature incrementally from ambient to 6°C above ambient. Because the focus of this study is on mobile, litter- and soil-dwelling arthropods, standard methods for warming chambers (e.g. soil-warming cables or infrared heaters applied to relatively small areas) were inappropriate and new technological approaches using hydronic heating and forced air movement were developed. 3.We monitor population dynamics, species composition, phenology and behaviour of ants and other arthropods occupying these experimental chambers. Microclimatic measurements in each chamber include the following: air temperature (three), soil temperatures (two each in organic and mineral soil), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), relative humidity and soil moisture (one each). In two chambers, we are also measuring soil heat flux, associated soil temperatures at 2 and 6cm and volumetric water content. To assess the composition, phenology and abundance of arthropod communities within the experiment, we use monthly pitfall trapping and annual Winkler sampling. We also census artificial and natural ant nests to monitor changes in ant colony size and productivity across the temperature treatments. 4.This experiment is a long-term ecological study that provides opportunities for collaborations across a broad spectrum of ecologists, including those studying biogeochemical, microbial and plant responses to warming. Future studies also may include implementation of multifactorial climate manipulations, examination of interactions across trophic levels and quantification of changes in ecosystem processes. © 2011 The Authors. Methods in Ecology and Evolution © 2011 British Ecological Society

Promoting proactive bystander responses to racism and racial discrimination in primary schools: a mixed methods evaluation of the ‘Speak Out Against Racism’ program pilot

BackgroundRacism and racial discrimination are fundamental causes and determinants of health and health inequalities globally, with children and adolescents particularly vulnerable. Racial discrimination is a common stressor in the lives of many children and adolescents, with growing evidence of negative associations between racial discrimination and multiple domains of child and adolescent health. Addressing racism and racial discrimination must be core public health priorities, even more so among children and young people. Schools are key settings in the lives of children and adolescents and become increasingly more important to identity formation. School communities, teachers and peers greatly influence children and adolescents' beliefs about race and difference. Schools are therefore key sites for the delivery of population-based programs to reduce racism and promote proactive bystander behaviour and healthy resistance to racism among all children and adolescents as well as among the adults.MethodsThis study examines the feasibility and acceptability of the 'Speak Out Against Racism (SOAR)' program, a whole of school, multi-level, multi-strategy program that aimed to promote effective bystander responses to racism and racial discrimination in primary schools. A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design was used. Students in Years 5 and 6 (10-12 years) across six schools completed surveys pre- and post- intervention (N = 645; 52% female; 6% Indigenous, 10% Middle Eastern, African, Latinx or Pacific Islander, 21% Asian, 52% Anglo/European). Focus groups with students and interviews with staff collected qualitative data about their experiences of the program and their views about the program's perceived need, implementation, impacts and suggested improvements.ResultsQuantitative data showed student prosocial skills and teacher inter-racial climate improved in intervention schools compared to comparison schools. Qualitative data highlighted teacher attitudinal and behaviour change regarding racism, and student reduced interpersonal racial discrimination, improved peer prosocial norms, commitment to anti-racism, knowledge of proactive bystander responses and confidence and self-efficacy to intervene to address racism.ConclusionsThis study provides quantitative evidence of the potential of the SOAR program to improve the prosocial skills of students and their perceptions of the inter-racial school climate provided by their teachers. This program also provided qualitative evidence of the potential to promote teacher and student attitudinal and behavioural change. Further refinement and testing of the program in a large scale implementation trial is recommended

Chaste: an open source C++ library for computational physiology and biology

Chaste - Cancer, Heart And Soft Tissue Environment - is an open source C++ library for the computational simulation of mathematical models developed for physiology and biology. Code development has been driven by two initial applications: cardiac electrophysiology and cancer development. A large number of cardiac electrophysiology studies have been enabled and performed, including high performance computational investigations of defibrillation on realistic human cardiac geometries. New models for the initiation and growth of tumours have been developed. In particular, cell-based simulations have provided novel insight into the role of stem cells in the colorectal crypt. Chaste is constantly evolving and is now being applied to a far wider range of problems. The code provides modules for handling common scientific computing components, such as meshes and solvers for ordinary and partial differential equations (ODEs/PDEs). Re-use of these components avoids the need for researchers to "re-invent the wheel" with each new project, accelerating the rate of progress in new applications. Chaste is developed using industrially-derived techniques, in particular test-driven development, to ensure code quality, re-use and reliability. In this article we provide examples that illustrate the types of problems Chaste can be used to solve, which can be run on a desktop computer. We highlight some scientific studies that have used or are using Chaste, and the insights they have provided. The source code, both for specific releases and the development version, is available to download under an open source Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) licence at http://www.cs.ox.ac.uk/chaste, together with details of a mailing list and links to documentation and tutorials

Transgressing the moral economy: Wheelerism and management of the nationalised coal industry in Scotland

This article illuminates the links between managerial style and political economy in post-1945 Britain, and explores the origins of the 1984–1985 miners' strike, by examining in longer historical context the abrasive attitudes and policies of Albert Wheeler, Scottish Area Director of the National Coal Board (NCB). Wheeler built on an earlier emphasis on production and economic criteria, and his micro-management reflected pre-existing centralising tendencies in the industries. But he was innovative in one crucial aspect, transgressing the moral economy of the Scottish coalfield, which emphasised the value of economic security and changes by joint industrial agreement

Serum Uric Acid and Achievement in High School

The relationship of serum uric acid concentration and school achievement was studied in 467 high school children in Tecumseh, Michigan. Serum uric acid (SUA) was determined by the spectrophotometric method. No statistically significant relationships were found between SUA and intelligence quotient or average academic grades. There was also no significant difference in SUA among the overachievers (higher grade point average than predicted by IQ) as compared to the underachievers.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/37724/1/1780160310_ftp.pd