Software Piracy Among Teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and personality correlates of software piracy among teachers, who were 97 inservice teachers enrolled in Education courses at UNO. Subjects completed the Computing Teacher Inventory (a questionnaire designed expressly for this study to measure teachers\u27 experience with and attitudes toward microcomputer software), the Teacher Stress Inventory, and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Results indicated that teachers procured more software from illegal sources than from legal sources. More than half of those teachers who owned software admitted to illegally copying software from school. The other crimes against impersonal victims that teachers committed most frequently were traffic and reprography violations. The pattern of correlations among variables suggested that teachers\u27 tendency toward software piracy appeared to be related to the tendencies to be dissatisfied with their jobs, to be stressed, and to commit other impersonal crimes

A social learning video method: Identifying and sharing successful transformation knowledge for sustainable soil management in Switzerland

To enhance sustainable land use, a From Farmer to Farmer project was conducted in Switzerland (2001 – 2010). A Multi-stakeholder Discussion Group co-produced nine videos with experienced farmers and wine producers showing sustainable soil management practices. We analysed the video audio-visual content and drew on reflections of the coproduction process, referring to concepts of system, target and transformation knowledge, as well as on social learning. The analysis showed a broad range of means (or actions) for sustainable soil management in arable land management, fodder production and wine growing that are aligned to transformation knowledge. The research showed that farmers refer to three phases of social learning, light-bulb moments, coping with challenges and gaining successful expertise. These are not just linear processes of individuals, four types of social learning were also found in the video analysis: 1) learning from observing actions of others, 2) sharing experiences with storytelling, 3) informal social interactions and 4) being a role model with a large social network. Videos enable transformation knowledge to be shared with peers using storytelling; this powerful narrative communication style provides credibility and respects the ‘thought style’ of the target audience group. We conclude that for successful implemention of sustainable actions, it is important to address a specific target group and share transformation knowledge built upon system and target knowledge. The social learning video method is a viable way to enable social learning between science, administration and practice and has potential for fostering change in sustainable soil management

Teaching transdisciplinary competencies for sustainability transformation by co-producing social learning videos

Film has great potential to initiate social learning processes. Therefore, working with film is suitable as a teaching format that enables co-production of knowledge and transformative learning. Through participatory filmmaking, students can acquire transdisciplinary competencies, which are necessary for sustainability transformations. We discuss how transdisciplinary competences can be acquired by building on transformative teaching by co-producing social learning videos

Muddying the water or swimming dowstream? A critical analysis of literature reviewing in a phenomenological study through an exploration of lifeworld, reflexivity and role of the researcher.

This paper proceeds from examining the debate regarding the question of whether a systematic literature review should be undertaken within a qualitative research study to focusing specifically on the role of a literature review in a phenomenological study. Along with pointing to the pertinence of orientating to, articulating and delineating the phenomenon within a review of the literature, the paper presents an appropriate approach for this purpose. How a review of the existing literature should locate the focal phenomenon within a given context is illustrated by excerps from the first author's literature review within a descriptive phenomenological study. Also discussed is the important issue of when the researcher should fully enter the attitude of the phenomenological reduction and how this may influence the study

The Glass House: An Architectural and Structural Analysis and Reimagining of Ludwig Meis van der Rohe\u27s 50x50 House

This portfolio documents the work of four students: Jackson Blake (ARCE), William Fry (ARCH), Andrew Hodge (ARCE), and Gemma Rizzuto (ARCE). It was created for ARCE 415: Interdisciplinary Capstone Project and advised by prof. Edmond Saliklis. The course included a historical and analytical analysis of Ludwig Meis van der Rohe\u27s 50x50 House, which was never constructed. The content of this portfolio primarily consists of a reimagining of Meis van der Rohe\u27s famous concept

Validation of a Metallomics Analysis of Placenta Tissue by Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Trace elements can play an important role in maternal health and fetal development, and deficiencies in some essential minerals including zinc and copper have been correlated in some individuals to the development of birth defects and adverse health outcomes later in life. The exact etiology of conditions like preeclampsia and the effects of fetal exposure to toxic metals has not been determined, making the assessment of trace element levels crucial to the elucidation of the causes of conditions like preeclampsia. Previous studies analyzing serum and placenta tissue have produced conflicting findings, suggesting the need for a robust, validated sample preparation and analysis method for the determination of trace elements in placenta. In this report, an acid digestion method and analysis by ICP-MS for a broad metallomics/mineralomics panel of trace elements is developed and validated over three experimental days for inter- and intraday precision and accuracy, linear range, matrix impact, and dilution verification. Spike recovery experiments were performed for the essential elements chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), and the toxic elements arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) at levels equal to and in excess of native concentrations in control placenta tissue. The validated method will be essential for the development of scientific studies of maternal health and toxic metal exposure effects in childhood

Association of pol Diversity with Antiretroviral Treatment Outcomes among HIV-Infected African Children

Background: In HIV-infected children, viral diversity tends to increase with age in the absence of antiretroviral treatment (ART). We measured HIV diversity in African children (ages 6–36 months) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing two ART regimens (Cohort I of the P1060 trial). Children in this cohort were exposed to single dose nevirapine (sdNVP) at birth. Methods: HIV diversity was measured retrospectively using a high resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay. Samples were obtained from 139 children at the enrollment visit prior to ART initiation. Six regions of the HIV genome were analyzed: two in gag, one in pol, and three in env. A single numeric HRM score that reflects HIV diversity was generated for each region; composite HRM scores were also calculated (mean and median for all six regions). Results: In multivariable median regression models using backwards selection that started with demographic and clinical variables, older age was associated with higher HRM scores (higher HIV diversity) in pol (P = 0.005) and with higher mean (P = 0.014) and median (P<0.001) HRM scores. In multivariable models adjusted for age, pre-treatment HIV viral load, pre-treatment CD4%, and randomized treatment regimen, higher HRM scores in pol were associated with shorter time to virologic suppression (P = 0.016) and longer time to study endpoints (virologic failure [VF], VF/death, and VF/off study treatment; P<0.001 for all measures). Conclusions: In this cohort of sdNVP-exposed, ART-naïve African children, higher levels of HIV diversity in the HIV pol region prior to ART initiation were associated with better treatment outcomes

Correction: Association of pol Diversity with Antiretroviral Atment Outcomes among HIV-Infected African Children

Background: In HIV-infected children, viral diversity tends to increase with age in the absence of antiretroviral treatment (ART). We measured HIV diversity in African children (ages 6–36 months) enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing two ART regimens (Cohort I of the P1060 trial). Children in this cohort were exposed to single dose nevirapine (sdNVP) at birth. Methods: HIV diversity was measured retrospectively using a high resolution melting (HRM) diversity assay. Samples were obtained from 139 children at the enrollment visit prior to ART initiation. Six regions of the HIV genome were analyzed: two in gag , one in pol , and three in env . A single numeric HRM score that reflects HIV diversity was generated for each region; composite HRM scores were also calculated (mean and median for all six regions). Results: In multivariable median regression models using backwards selection that started with demographic and clinical variables, older age was associated with higher HRM scores (higher HIV diversity) in pol (P = 0.005) and with higher mean (P = 0.014) and median (P , 0.001) HRM scores. In multivariable models adjusted for age, pre-treatment HIV viral load, pre- treatment CD4%, and randomized treatment regimen, higher HRM scores in pol were associated with shorter time to virologic suppression (P = 0.016) and longer time to study endpoints (virologic failure [VF], VF/death, and VF/off study treatment; P , 0.001 for all measures). Conclusions:In this cohort of sdNVP-exposed, ART-naı ̈ ve African children, higher levels of HIV diversity in the HIV pol region prior to ART initiation were associated with better treatment outcome