Information Content of Polarization Measurements

Information entropy is applied to the state of knowledge of reaction amplitudes in pseudoscalar meson photoproduction, and a scheme is developed that quantifies the information content of a measured set of polarization observables. It is shown that this definition of information is a more practical measure of the quality of a set of measured observables than whether the combination is a mathematically complete set. It is also shown that when experimental uncertainty is introduced, complete sets of measurements do not necessarily remove ambiguities, and that experiments should strive to measure as many observables as practical in order to extract amplitudes.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures; figures updated, minor textual correction

ORGANIC FOOD ADOPTION DECISIONS BY NEW MEXICO GROCERIES

Sales for organically grown foods, particularly organic fresh produce are increasing. This study focuses on the characteristics of grocery stores in New Mexico who sell or intend to sell organic foods. The results suggest most grocery stores do not carry organic foods because of the low availability and perceived consumer demand. However, stores that sell organic foods reported consumer demand prompted them to carry organic foods. The results can provide information for grocery stores to further understand problems and benefits associated with adopting organic foods.Agribusiness,

They are Small Worlds After All: Revised Properties of Kepler M Dwarf Stars and their Planets

We classified the reddest ($r-J>2.2$) stars observed by the NASA $Kepler$ mission into main sequence dwarf or evolved giant stars and determined the properties of 4216 M dwarfs based on a comparison of available photometry with that of nearby calibrator stars, as well as available proper motions and spectra. We revised the properties of candidate transiting planets using the stellar parameters, high-resolution imaging to identify companion stars, and, in the case of binaries, fitting light curves to identify the likely planet host. In 49 of 54 systems we validated the primary as the host star. We inferred the intrinsic distribution of M dwarf planets using the method of iterative Monte Carlo simulation. We compared several models of planet orbital geometry and clustering and found that one where planets are exponentially distributed and almost precisely coplanar best describes the distribution of multi-planet systems. We determined that $Kepler$ M dwarfs host an average of $2.2 \pm 0.3$ planets with radii of 1-4$R_{\oplus}$ and orbital periods of 1.5-180 d. The radius distribution peaks at $\sim 1.2R_{\oplus}$ and is essentially zero at $4R_{\oplus}$, although we identify three giant planet candidates other than the previously confirmed Kepler-45b. There is suggestive but not significant evidence that the radius distribution varies with orbital period. The distribution with logarithmic orbital period is flat except for a decline for orbits less than a few days. Twelve candidate planets, including two Jupiter-size objects, experience an irradiance below the threshold level for a runaway greenhouse on an Earth-like planet and are thus in a "habitable zone".Comment: MNRAS, in press. Tables 1, 3, and 4 are available in electronic form in the "anc" director

Collaboration in ministry : a transformative approach to Kingdom ministry in the United Methodist Church

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/2433/thumbnail.jp

Polarization observables in the longitudinal basis for pseudo-scalar meson photoproduction using a density matrix approach

The complete expression for the intensity in pseudo-scalar meson photoproduction with a polarized beam, target, and recoil baryon is derived using a density matrix approach that offers great economy of notation. A Cartesian basis with spins for all particles quantized along a single direction, the longitudinal beam direction, is used for consistency and clarity in interpretation. A single spin-quantization axis for all particles enables the amplitudes to be written in a manifestly covariant fashion with simple relations to those of the well-known CGLN formalism. Possible sign discrepancies between theoretical amplitude-level expressions and experimentally measurable intensity profiles are dealt with carefully. Our motivation is to provide a coherent framework for coupled-channel partial-wave analysis of several meson photoproduction reactions, incorporating recently published and forthcoming polarization data from Jefferson Lab.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Teacher attitudes toward inclusion

The purpose of this study was to examine the type of attitude towards inclusion that exists among regular classroom teachers, special education teachers, and specialist teachers in a middle school setting. Seventy-one subjects – forty-nine regular classroom teachers, ten special education teachers, and twelve specialist teachers – from a suburban New Jersey community were studied. Participants were given the Survey of Attitudes Toward the Inclusion of Students with Special Needs, a twenty item Likert-type scale. Data was analyzed using a one-way ANOVA and the Games-Howell post hoc test. Findings suggest that regular and specialist teachers believed that inclusion results in a lower amount of positive effects on children and setting than special education teachers. Regular and specialist teachers also held significantly higher attitudes in regard to the negative effects of inclusion on children and believed that inclusion results in a higher amount of workload for teachers. Significant results were also found regarding differences between teaching experience and attitudes toward inclusion. Those with more experience held significantly lower beliefs on the positive effects of inclusion, higher beliefs on the negative effects of inclusion, and higher beliefs on the amount of workload resulting from inclusion than those with less experience

Musical Listening Interest, Socio-Demographic and Socio-Psychological Factors as Predictors of Test Anxiety Among Students of a Christian University in Jamaica

Problem There is an enormous deficit in the literature on the factors associated with test anxiety generally, and test anxiety and music listening interest in particular, in the Caribbean region. This deficit is made even more distinct by the numerous studies that exist on test anxiety elsewhere and the effect it has on students’ behavior and performance in the classroom. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between musical listening interest and test anxiety, while controlling for variables that are deemed plausible predictors of test anxiety. Predictor variables utilized include sociodemographic factors such as gender, age, marital status, parental status; socio-economic factors as income, and education, and socio-psychological factors which include parental nurturance, self-efficacy and religiosity. Method This study employed ex post facto, correlational cross-sectional, research design in which two strategies were utilized to collect the data. An electronic format using Survey Monkey, an online research tool, as well as a hard copy format in which participants were asked to complete the questionnaire in their classes. The convenience sample, (N = 329) was drawn from both undergraduate and graduate students at a Christian university in Jamaica. Bivariate and Multiple regression techniques were used to gauge the relationships between the identified predictor and outcome variables. Results Five null hypotheses were assessed by means of bivariate (BS) and multivariate (MS) statistical procedures in order to determine the relationship between test anxiety (examined as overall test anxiety (OTA) and the subscales ii psychological impairment (PI) and iii emotional impairment (EI) and the various measures of the predictor variables. Several relationships were thus identified between the predictor variables and the three measures of test anxiety/test anxiousness. At the bivariate level, marital status, parental status, father nurturance, rhythm and blues and religious music were all found to be significantly related to test anxiety. When t-tests were used to assess the relationship between overall test anxiety (OTA), and psychological impairment (PI), and emotional impairment (EI) and marital status, respondents who were married were found to be less test anxious than those who were not married: OTA (t = 2.20, p = .030); PI (t = 1.94, p = .055); EI (t = 2.48, p = .015). Similarly, when the three measures of test anxiousness were examined against parental status, participants with children were found to be less test anxious than those without children: OTA (t = -3.11, p = .002); PI (t = -3.25, p = .001); EI (t = -2.92, p = .004). The same three measures were assessed against father nurturance using Pearson r correlation. In each instance, statistically significant inverse relationships were found between each of the three measures when examined against father nurturance: OTA (r = - .186, p = .01); PI (r = -.175, p = .01); EI (r = -.183, p = .01). This suggests that the test anxiety levels of participants were lowered with increased levels of father nurturance. When the three measures were examined against rhythm and blues, only emotional impairment showed significance. Participants showed less test anxiousness with increased listening to rhythm and blues in one measure of test anxiousness namely emotional impairment (r = -.145, p = .012). However, religious music demonstrated positive relationships with two measures of test anxiousness PI (r = .148, p = .009); and EI (r = .129, p = .022). This indicates that the more participants listened to religious music the more test anxious they were. At the multivariate level, the three measures of test anxiety were each significantly related to only two predictor variables, religious music and father nurturance. In the case of psychological impairment religious music explained 19% of the variance (β = .191, p \u3c 0.10). However, for emotional impairment 20% of the variance (β =.203, p \u3c 0.10) was explained by religious music listening. On the other hand, when the three measures of test anxiety were regressed on father nurturance inverse relationships resulted. In the instance of overall test anxiety 26 % of the variance was explained by father nurturance (β = -.256, p \u3c 0.01); for psychological impairment, 25% of the variance was explained (β = .254, p \u3c 0.01), and for emotional impairment 24% was explained (β = .237, p \u3c 0.01) by the same variable. It is useful to reiterate here that only father nurturance and religious music maintained a relationship with test anxiousness in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions Of the set of musical predictor variables employed in this study, 5 variables reached statistical significance with the three measures of test anxiousness at the bivariate level. These were marital status, parental status, father nurturance, rhythm and blues and religious music. However, at the multivariate level only 2 variables retained significance with the three measures of test anxiety. These were father nurturance and religious music. In terms of policy implication, schools, and education administrators may want to appropriate these findings selectively in addressing the issue of test anxiety

Peroxisome Proliferator-activated receptor alpha gene variation influences age of onset and progression of type 2 diabetes

Dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism is important in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) is a master regulator of fatty acid catabolism, and PPAR activators delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. We examined association between three PPAR gene polymorphisms (an AC variant in intron 1, the L162V variant, and the intron 7 GC variant) and age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in 912 Caucasian type 2 diabetic subjects. Individually, PPAR gene variants did not influence age at diagnosis, but in combination, the rare alleles of both the intron 1 AC (P < 0.001) and intron 7 GC (P = 0.025) variants synergistically lowered age at diagnosis (interaction P < 0.001). Overall, the PPAR haplotype signficantly influenced age at diagnosis (P = 0.027), with the C-L-C and C-V-C haplotypes (intron 1-L162V-intron 7) accelerating onset of diabetes by 5.9 (P = 0.02) and 10 (P = 0.03) years, respectively, as compared with the common A-L-G haplotype, and was associated with an odds ratio for early-onset diabetes (age at diagnosis 45 years) of 3.75 (95% CI 1.65–8.56, P = 0.002). Intron 1 C-allele carriers also progressed more rapidly to insulin monotherapy (AA 9.4 ± 1.5 and AC + CC 5.3 ± 1.1 years, P = 0.002). These data indicate that PPAR gene variation influences the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes

High resolution observations of the outer disk around T Cha: the view from ALMA

T Cha is a young star surrounded by a transitional disk with signatures of planet formation. We have obtained high-resolution and high-sensitivity ALMA observations of T Cha in the ${\rm CO}(3$--$2)$, ${\rm ^{13}CO}(3$--$2)$, and ${\rm CS}(7$--$6)$ emission lines to reveal the spatial distribution of the gaseous disk around the star. In order to study the dust within the disk we have also obtained continuum images at 850$\mu$m from the line-free channels. We have spatially resolved the outer disk around T Cha. Using the CO(3-2) emission we derive a radius of $\sim$230 AU. We also report the detection of the $^{13}$CO(3-2) and the CS(7-8) molecular emissions, which show smaller radii than the CO(3-2) detection. The continuum observations at 850$\mu$m allow the spatial resolution of the dusty disk, which shows two emission bumps separated by $\sim$40AU, consistent with the presence of a dust gap in the inner regions of the disk, and an outer radius of $\sim$80AU. Therefore, T Cha is surrounded by a compact dusty disk and a larger and more diffuse gaseous disk, as previously observed in other young stars. The continuum intensity profiles are different at both sides of the disk suggesting possible dust asymmetries. We derive an inclination of i(deg)=67$\pm$5, and a position angle of PA (deg)= 113$\pm$6, for both the gas and dust disks. The comparison of the ALMA data with radiative transfer models shows that the gas and dust components can only be simultaneously reproduced when we include a tapered edge prescription for the surface density profile. The best model suggests that most of the disk mass is placed within a radius of $R<$ 50AU. Finally, we derive a dynamical mass for the central object of $M_{*}$=1.5$\pm$0.2M$_{\odot}$, comparable to the one estimated with evolutionary models for an age of $\sim$10Myr.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letter