Faculty Participation in Teaching Improvement Programs

A study undertaken to explore faculty nonparticipation in teaching improvement programs is described. Faculty nonparticipation was viewed as a function of interacting personal and situational factors. Questionnaire results, representing 30 percent of the academic faculty at a major university, were compared along disciplinary lines and according to participation in instructional workshops. Responses of past participants and nonparticipants were compared in order to identify variables associated with nonparticipation in instructional development activities. Approximately one-quarter of the 213 respondents had participated in teaching improvement workshops at least once since 1971. Respondents from the Professions and Applied Sciences appeared generally most supportive of the concept of T.I.P. 's while respondents from the Faculty of Science appeared to be the least positive. The study results suggest that faculty nonparticipation in T.I.P. 's may be associated with: the professor's views about teaching and teaching improvement; the relative personal priority assigned to teaching; the perceived need for improvement in teaching skills; attitudes towards the teaching improvement program; awareness of available programs; and the perceived convenience of available programs. The perceived level of university support for good teaching was less clearly associated with nonparticipation, and perceived situational barriers were not found to be associated.Dans ce travail, l'auteur décrit une étude tentant d'explorer la non-participation des enseignants d'une université au programme de perfectionnement de l'enseigne-ment (T.I.P.). La non-participation des enseignants se voit comme étant la consé-quence de l'interaction de facteurs personnels et de facteurs de situations d'enseignement dans lesquelles se trouvent les professeurs. L'auteur a analysé les résultats d'un questionnaire, représentant 30 pour cent du personnel académique d'une université de grande taille selon les disciplines enseignées par les professeurs et selon leur participation aux ateliers d'enseignement. La comparaison des réactions des anciens participants et des non-participants fut effectuée afin d'identifier les variables reliées à la non-participation aux activités de perfectionne-ment. Environ un quart des 213 réponses venaient de professeurs qui avaient participé au moins line fois d des ateliers de perfectionnement de l'enseignement depuis 1971. Les réponses du personnel des professions et des Sciences Appliquées semblaient en général appuyer le concept des ateliers de perfectionnement de l'enseignement tandis que celles du personnel de la Faculté des Sciences semblaient être les moins positives au concept. L'enquête suggère que la non-participation des professeurs aux ateliers de perfectionnement de l'enseignement peut être due aux facteurs suivants: à la philosophie du professeur envers l'enseignement et envers le perfectionnement de son enseignement; à.la priorité personnelle qu'il accorde à l'enseignement; au besoin qu'il éprouve de se perfectionner dans les techniques d'enseignement; aux attitudes qu 'il a envers le programme de perfec-tionnement de l'enseignement; d la connaissance qu 'il a des programmes disponi-bles; et à la disponibilité du professeur vis-â-vis l'horaire des programmes. La per-ception de l'appui universitaire pour un bon enseignement était moins nettement reliée à la non-participation et les difficultés de situations redoutées n 'étaient pas valables

Loss of the DNA methyltransferase MET1 Induces H3K9 hypermethylation at PcG target genes and redistribution of H3K27 trimethylation to transposons in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Dimethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9m2) and trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27m3) are two hallmarks of transcriptional repression in many organisms. In Arabidopsis thaliana, H3K27m3 is targeted by Polycomb Group (PcG) proteins and is associated with silent protein-coding genes, while H3K9m2 is correlated with DNA methylation and is associated with transposons and repetitive sequences. Recently, ectopic genic DNA methylation in the CHG context (where H is any base except G) has been observed in globally DNA hypomethylated mutants such as met1, but neither the nature of the hypermethylated loci nor the biological significance of this epigenetic phenomenon have been investigated. Here, we generated high-resolution, genome-wide maps of both H3K9m2 and H3K27m3 in wild-type and met1 plants, which we integrated with transcriptional data, to explore the relationships between these two marks. We found that ectopic H3K9m2 observed in met1 can be due to defects in IBM1-mediated H3K9m2 demethylation at some sites, but most importantly targets H3K27m3-marked genes, suggesting an interplay between these two silencing marks. Furthermore, H3K9m2/DNA-hypermethylation at these PcG targets in met1 is coupled with a decrease in H3K27m3 marks, whereas CG/H3K9m2 hypomethylated transposons become ectopically H3K27m3 hypermethylated. Our results bear interesting similarities with cancer cells, which show global losses of DNA methylation but ectopic hypermethylation of genes previously marked by H3K27m3

Employment Adjustment and Financial Constraints - Evidence from Firm-level Data

Firms adjust their employment to changes in output. But they tend to adjust it only partially. Typically, labor is hoarded in downturns and subsequently rms have to hire less in upturns. Investment in labor hoarding may therefore be in uenced by factors that impede investments, such as nancial constraints. Using rm-level data, we show that nancial constraints increase the sensitivity of employment to  uctuations in output considerably. When output changes, nancially constrained rms resize their labor force substantially more than rms that have abundant funding. Limited internal funding opportunities turn out to be just as important as the reduced access to external nance. The strongest impact, however, is observed when internal and external constraints occur jointly. In that case, rms lay o two-and-a-half times more employees than unconstrained rms. The amplifying eect of nancial constraints is similar in upturns and downturns, implying that nancially constrained rms not only reduce their workforce more when demand decreases, but they also hire more labor when demand increases

Employment Adjustment and Financial Tightness - Evidence from Firm-level Data

Firms tend to only partially adjust their workforce to changes in output. Typically, labour is hoarded in downturns; subsequently, firms have to hire less workers in upturns, but they can do so only if they can bear the current costs of keeping superfluous workers so that the firms can save rehiring costs in the future. Therefore, labour hoarding can be seen as an investment and may be influenced by factors, such as the firms' financial shortages, that tend to impede investments. Using Swiss firm-level data, we show that for firms in financially strained situations, the sensitivity of employment to fluctuations in output increases considerably. When output changes, financially tighter firms resize their labour force more than firms that have abundant funding. Both limited internal funding opportunities as well as the reduced access to external finance are important. The strongest impact, however, is observed when internal and external financial tightness occur jointly. In that case, compared to firms that are not in a financially strained situation, firms in a financially strained situation lay off twice as many employees. The amplifying effect of financial tightness is similar in upturns and downturns, implying that financially tight firms not only reduce their workforce more when demand decreases but also hire more labour when demand increases

Tet2 Rescues Age-Related Regenerative Decline and Enhances Cognitive Function in the Adult Mouse Brain.

Restoring adult stem cell function provides an exciting approach for rejuvenating the aging brain. However, molecular mechanisms mediating neurogenic rejuvenation remain elusive. Here we report that the enzyme ten eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (Tet2), which catalyzes the production of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), rescues age-related decline in adult neurogenesis and enhances cognition in mice. We detected a decrease in Tet2 expression and 5hmC levels in the aged hippocampus associated with adult neurogenesis. Mimicking an aged condition in young adults by abrogating Tet2 expression within the hippocampal neurogenic niche, or adult neural stem cells, decreased neurogenesis and impaired learning and memory. In a heterochronic parabiosis rejuvenation model, hippocampal Tet2 expression was restored. Overexpressing Tet2 in the hippocampal neurogenic niche of mature adults increased 5hmC associated with neurogenic processes, offset the precipitous age-related decline in neurogenesis, and enhanced learning and memory. Our data identify Tet2 as a key molecular mediator of neurogenic rejuvenation

How large is the Financial Accelerator? Some Evidence from Firm-level Data

This paper analyzes how the size and composition of the balance sheet affects firms financing cost within a large panel of Swiss firms in the non-financial sector from 1998 to 2011. The data includes a large number of small firms, which makes the data representative. We use an instrumental variables approach to identify the investment finance supply curve. Our finding that financing cost increase with exogenous changes in leverage supports the financial accelerator mechanism a la Bernanke, Gertler and Gilchrist. We quantitatively evaluate the implications of our findings for the aggregate business cycle and find that the amplification mechanism of the financial accelerator is economically significant: the volatility of the business cycle is amplified by a factor of 2.25 due to the presence of the financial accelerator channel

Neuronal O-GlcNAcylation Improves Cognitive Function in the Aged Mouse Brain.

Mounting evidence in animal models indicates potential for rejuvenation of cellular and cognitive functions in the aging brain. However, the ability to utilize this potential is predicated on identifying molecular targets that reverse the effects of aging in vulnerable regions of the brain, such as the hippocampus. The dynamic post-translational modification O-linked N-Acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) has emerged as an attractive target for regulating aging-specific synaptic alterations as well as neurodegeneration. While speculation exists about the role of O-GlcNAc in neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, its role in physiological brain aging remains largely unexplored. Here, we report that countering age-related decreased O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) expression and O-GlcNAcylation ameliorates cognitive impairments in aged mice. Mimicking an aged condition in young adults by abrogating OGT, using a temporally controlled neuron-specific conditional knockout mouse model, recapitulated cellular and cognitive features of brain aging. Conversely, overexpressing OGT in mature hippocampal neurons using a viral-mediated approach enhanced associative fear memory in young adult mice. Excitingly, in aged mice overexpressing neuronal OGT in the aged hippocampus rescued in part age-related impairments in spatial learning and memory as well as associative fear memory. Our data identify O-GlcNAcylaton as a key molecular mediator promoting cognitive rejuvenation

The Forgotten Kingdom.: New investigations in the prehistory of Eswatini

The kingdom of Eswatini provides a rich archaeological sequence covering all time periods from the Early Stone Age to the Iron Age. For over 27 years though, no or very little archaeological research was conducted in the country. In the scope of a new project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) we aim to re-excavate and re-date Lion Cavern, the potentially oldest ochre mine in the world. In addition, we conduct a largescale geological survey for outcrops of ochre and test their geochemical signatures for comparative studies with archaeological ochre pieces from MSA and LSA assemblages in Eswatini. Here we present a review of the research history of the kingdom and some preliminary results from our ongoing project

Surf Therapy: A Scoping Review of the Qualitative and Quantitative Research Evidence

Over the past 15 years, surf therapy has emerged as a growing therapeutic intervention in diverse communities around the world.  Although the programs operate on the premise that surf therapy provides a range of benefits for both physical and psychological health, there is limited research evidence available to support these claims. There additionally remains a need to further develop evidence-based practices around surf therapy that support the global impact of existing and future surf therapy interventions. This research provides a scoping review of academic literature focused on surf therapy.  The objectives of the research are; (1) to gain a better understanding of the global use of surf therapy and its physical, psychological and social benefits, (2) to identify intervention and research gaps related to surf therapy, (3) to provide recommendations for future surf therapy research, (4) to use the evidence to inform best practices in the field. A systematic article search of the meta-databases Google Scholar, EbscoHost, and Wiley yielded 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria. An additional search for Master’s Theses, Doctoral Dissertations, and expert search yielded 11 studies.  A total of 29 studies were found to meet criteria.  The data from the studies were analyzed using metasynthesis.  As a result, the review provides an overview of the current scientific evidence related to surf therapy, including its physical, psychological, and social benefits.  It additionally provides a detailed description of existing research methods and measures used to evaluate the impact of surfing as a therapeutic intervention that could inform further research designs. The study supports surf therapy as a means of improving both physical and psychosocial health outcomes and includes recommendations for improving surf therapy research and practice