Rural Tourism and Gendered Nuances

Despite numerous studies conducted on rural residents’ perception of attempts at tourism development in their communities, findings are often contradictory. While several explanations have been provided for these contradictions, the two of interest here are a tendency to view residents under study as a single group, rather than examining variation among local subgroups, and the related tendency to ignore or trivialize possible differences in men’s and women’s orientations

A Meta-Analysis of the Association Between Psychopathy Checklist and Risk Assessment Instrument Scores

Assessing risk for future violence or reoffense is a common and important task for forensic evaluators. Indeed, these assessments are among the most common requests received by forensic evaluators. To conduct such evaluations most accurately and efficiently, it is important for forensic evaluators to have knowledge about the tools they utilize in assessments and how they may interact with and/or overlap with one another, an area of research that is greatly underdeveloped. The current study aimed the examine the relationship between Psychopathy Checklist (PCL) measure total, factor, and facet scores and risk assessment total scores. Although the PCL family of measures were not created as risk assessment measures, they have come to be used in risk assessments due to moderate correlations between PCL scores and recidivism. Random-effects meta-analytic procedures were utilized to determine the mean correlation between PCL measures and risk assessment measures found in existent literature or received from authors of papers in the risk assessment literature. Overall, results suggest a moderate to large correlation between PCL Factor 2, facet 3, and facet 4 scores and risk assessment measures and small to moderate correlations between PCL Factor 1, facet 1, and facet 2 scores. Additionally, correlations between PCL Factor 2, facet 3, and facet 4 scores meet or exceed r = .70 for many specific risk assessments suggesting these PCL components may be completely redundant with preexisting risk assessment measures

Pilot investigation of a virtual gastric band hypnotherapy intervention

This was a pilot investigation of 30 men and women with a BMI > 27kg/m² over a 24 week period. It aimed to determine whether virtual gastric band (VGB) hypnotherapy has an effect on weight loss in overweight adults, compared to relaxation hypnotherapy and a self-directed diet. Levels of weight loss and gain ranged from -17kg to +4.7kg in the VGB hypnotherapy group and -9.3kg to +7.8kg in the relaxation group. There was no significant difference between VGB hypnotherapy as a main effect on weight loss (Chi²=0.67, p=0.41, df=1) and there was no evidence of differential weight loss over time (Chi²=4.2, p=0.64, df=6). Therefore, this study concludes that there was no significant difference between VGB hypnotherapy and the relaxation hypnotherapy

Impression formation in asymmetrical power relationships :: does power corrupt absolutely?

Thesis (M.S.

A scoping review of the impact of Food Policy Groups on local food systems in high-income countries

This scoping review aimed to explore international evidence on the impact of Food Policy Groups (FPGs) on local food systems, in urban and rural regions of high-income countries. Peer-reviewed and grey literature were searched to identify 31 documents published between 2002 and 2022 providing evidence on the impact of FPGs. Activities spanned domains including increasing food equity (e.g. strengthening school meals programs); increasing knowledge and/or demand for healthy food (e.g. food literacy programs with children and adults); increasing food access (e.g. enhancing local food procurement); environmental sustainability (e.g. promoting low-waste food items on café menus); economic development (e.g. ensuring local businesses are not outperformed by large food distributors), and increasing food system resiliency (e.g. establishment of local produce schemes). Most FPGs reported conducting activities that positively influenced multiple food system domains and reported activities in urban areas, and to a lesser extent in rural areas. Our study highlighted a range of qualitative and quantitative evaluation strategies used to measure FPGs\u27 impact on local food systems. Our recommendations focus on regular and systematic evaluation and research surrounding the impact of FPGs activities, to build the evidence base of their impact. Ideally, evaluation would utilise comprehensive, and established tools. We recommend exploring the establishment of FPGs across more regions of high-income countries, particularly rural areas; and forming partnerships between FPGs, local government and universities to maximise implementation and evaluation of activities

Explorations of Classroom Talk and Links to Reading Achievement in Upper Elementary Classroo

The current study reports on a large-scale quantitative analysis of classroom talk practices and links to different measures of reading achievement within upper elementary classrooms. Data involving 745 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers and 18,844 students from the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) study were used. Talk was quantified via various talk-related indicators from 2 observation protocols and a student survey. Dimensionality analyses suggest these indicators represent 4 factors consisting of teacher explaining, questioning, encouraging of student talk, and big-picture communicating. Links to 2 different standardized reading achievement measures were also modeled with improved ratings of teacher explanations and questioning predicting higher standardized reading scores. Relationships varied, though, by different measures of classroom talk (i.e., observational protocols vs. student surveys) and levels of analysis (i.e., the student, class period, or school level). Students’ but not observers’ ratings of talk practices linked to standardized reading at the class period level, whereas observers’ ratings related to standardized reading performance at the school level. Interpretations, implications for future research, and connections to educational practice are conveyed

One Complete and Seven Draft Genome Sequences of Subdivision 1 and 3 Acidobacteria Isolated from Soil.

We report eight genomes from representatives of the phylum Acidobacteria subdivisions 1 and 3, isolated from soils. The genome sizes range from 4.9 to 6.7 Mb. Genomic analysis reveals putative genes for low- and high-affinity respiratory oxygen reductases, high-affinity hydrogenases, and the capacity to use a diverse collection of carbohydrates

Efficacy of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor as a Therapeutic for Permanent Large Vessel Stroke Differs among Aged Male and Female Rats

Preclinical studies using rodent models of stroke have had difficulty in translating their results to human patients. One possible factor behind this inability is the lack of studies utilizing aged rodents of both sexes. Previously, this lab showed that leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) promoted recovery after stroke through antioxidant enzyme upregulation. This study examined whether LIF promotes neuroprotection in aged rats of both sexes. LIF did not reduce tissue damage in aged animals, but LIF-treated female rats showed partial motor skill recovery. The LIF receptor (LIFR) showed membrane localization in young male and aged rats of both sexes after stroke. Although LIF increased neuronal LIFR expression in vitro, it did not increase LIFR in the aged brain. Levels of LIFR protein in brain tissue were significantly downregulated between young males and aged males/females at 72 h after stroke. These results demonstrated that low LIFR expression reduces the neuroprotective efficacy of LIF in aged rodents of both sexes. Furthermore, the ability of LIF to promote motor improvement is dependent upon sex in aged rodents

Can students be taught to articulate employability skills?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on research findings from a teaching and learning intervention that explored whether undergraduate university students can be taught to articulate their employability skills effectively to prospective employers and to retain this ability post-course. Design/methodology/approach The study included 3,400 students in 44 courses at a large Canadian university. Stage 1 involved a course-level teaching and learning intervention with the experimental student group, which received employability skills articulation instruction. Stage 2 involved an online survey administered six months post-course to the experimental group and the control group. Both groups responded to two randomly generated questions using the Situation/Task, Actions, Result (STAR) format, a format that employers commonly rely on to assess job candidates’ employability skills. The researchers compared the survey responses from the experimental and control groups. Findings Survey results demonstrate that previous exposure to the STAR format was the only significant factor affecting students’ skills articulation ability. Year of study and program (co-operative or non-co-operative) did not influence articulation. Practical implications The findings suggest that universities should integrate institution-wide, course-level employability skills articulation assignments for students in all years of study and programs (co-op and non-co-op). Originality/value This research is novel because its study design combines practical, instructional design with empirical research of significant scope (institution-wide) and participant size (3,400 students), contributing quantitative evidence to the employability skills articulation discussion. By surveying students six months post-course, the study captures whether articulation instruction can be recalled, an ability of particular relevance for career preparedness