Departing Reflections

Latin American Studie

Factors associated with student grades in Animal Physiology I

Students and faculty alike would like to know what factors are related to success in college courses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors that relate to a student’s success in Animal Physiology I (Phys I), an upper-level animal science course at the University of Arkansas. Student data were confidentially collected and coded. Data collected were student high school grade point average (HSGPA); composite ACT score; English, reading, math, and science subscores on the ACT; and student grades in English composition I and II, college algebra, chemistry, biology, microbiology, animal physiology II, and reproductive physiology. Prematriculation performance confirmed that students with higher HSGPA and (or) ACT scores had better grades in animal physiology I. However, ACT subscores were not more informative than the ACT composite score. Performance in prerequisite courses (chemistry and biology) was significantly related to student grades in Animal Physiology I. Student grades in related courses indicated the same results, that is, students that do well in high school tend to have better grades in college, including in Animal Physiology I

Facial Emotion Recognition Impairments in Subclinical Depression

Depression brings with it a wide variety range of symptoms. One of the least studied symptoms in depression is an impairment in the ability to recognize the emotions on the faces of others. Previous literature has shown both that many people without diagnosed depression still display some depressive symptoms as well as that the impairments in emotion recognition are an extremely common symptom. These impairments are frequently associated with an increase in the severity of other symptoms, which makes their presence in subclinical populations especially important to uncover. In this proposed study, 400 students who don’t meet the diagnostic criteria for depression would be tested on their ability to detect emotion (happiness and sadness) in rapidly presented, masked images of faces. Their detection accuracy would then be compared to their scores on the Beck Depression Inventory II. Subjects will score in the lowest range of scores of the BDI-II; from 0-13 (which is the “minimal depression” range of scores on the BDI-II) since higher scores would prevent them from participating in the study. A negative monotonic relationship is predicted between subjects’ ability to detect emotions (measured using d prime, a measure of discriminability), and their self-reported scores of depressive symptoms on the BDI-II. This predicted pattern of results is consistent with the idea that there is a causal relationship between emotion recognition impairments and the development of more severe depressive symptoms. Although this study is designed to show that the impairments exist in a subclinical population rather than prove causality, it may help direct future studies towards researching this connection in order to more accurately identify people at risk for clinical depression

Making the most of transit oriented development opportunities

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) offers a strategy to build population density and transit patronage. Key contributing success factors for TOD that are identifiable through a review of best practice international research include; innovative and supportive planning policies, high quality urban design, 21st century transport infrastructure and improved co-ordination between stakeholders. TOD provides opportunities for transport providers and operators, local governments, private business and communities. Quality TOD offers major opportunities to leverage private development and public open space in close proximity to the people-moving capacity provided by existing and planned transit infrastructure. As such, quality TOD offers the opportunity to make the most of transport infrastructure dollars. With a co-ordinated approach, transit ridership might also be boosted through TOD, and this should offer benefits for transport efficiency and transport authority revenues. Challenges and complicating factors for TOD include; identifying workable approaches that can assist with putting extensive existing knowledge and research on TOD into practice in building a network of TOD projects. Innovative means to overcome various barriers are also required. The coming challenge in TOD might be characterised as a need to turn opportunity into reality through a co-ordination of project management and long-term transport planning

A Step-by-Step Approach to Transit Oriented Development Project Delivery

A major challenge in successfully implementing transit-oriented development (TOD) is having a robust process that ensures effective appraisal, initiation and delivery of multi-stakeholder TOD projects. A step-by step project development process can assist in the methodic design, evaluation, and initiation of TOD projects. Successful TOD requires attention to transit, mixed-use development and public space. Brisbane, Australia provides a case-study where recent planning policies and infrastructure documents have laid a foundation for TOD, but where barriers lie in precinct level planning and project implementation. In this context and perhaps in others, the research effort needs to shift toward identification of appropriate project processes and strategies. This paper presents the outcomes of research conducted to date. Drawing on the mainstream approach to project development and financial evaluation for property projects, key steps for potential use in successful delivery of TOD projects have been identified, including: establish the framework; location selection; precinct context review; preliminary precinct design; the initial financial viability study; the decision stage; establishment of project structure; land acquisition; development application; and project delivery. The appropriateness of this mainstream development and appraisal process will be tested through stakeholder research, and the proposed process will then be refined for adoption in TOD projects. It is suggested that the criteria for successful TOD should be broadened beyond financial concerns in order to deliver public sector support for project initiation

Practice review in peak period rail network management: Sydney and San Francisco Bay area

The paper reviews current rail peak demand management approaches in Sydney and San Francisco through a practice review approach. Sydney and the San Francisco Bay Area offer two cases in the management of rail passenger demand in peak periods and beyond. By reviewing a range of strategies in use and under consideration, a broader picture emerges of the potential options and solutions available. In Sydney, certain lines are facing challenging peak-period scenarios, in which the rail system is severely overcrowded and perhaps unable to deliver greater capacity without major infrastructure upgrades. The paper reviews the state of practice in Sydney - tracking the peak demand problem and considering the management, pricing and communication strategies that are currently in place and emerging. In San Francisco, similar scenarios of peak-capacity are faced, with infrastructure bottlenecks at critical locations and potential operational constraints on the horizon in a region with a growing population. From these case study examples, suggestions are drawn for a suite of strategy options to assist transport agencies and rail operators to address peak demand issues through a managed and structured approach

Visions for a sustainable transport future: A comparative analysis of transport planning approaches in Singapore, Vienna and Brisbane

Singapore, Vienna and Brisbane represent three mid-to-large sized metropolitan regions with advanced economies and highly developed societies. On a worldwide basis, Singapore and Vienna are recognised for their enlightened approaches to transport and urban planning – and to some extent are recognised reference cases for any city that is developing or improving its transport planning and systems. This paper offers a comparative analysis of the three city regions and their key transport planning policy arrangements. The overarching concern is for the philosophy of transport planning in the three cities, as well as the effectiveness of the planning documents themselves. In order to draw out other important themes, a number of key areas for comparison will be covered. These include: • transport and urban performance parameters • a review of key projects, investments and implementation phases • the manner in which the cities approach the topic of “an integrated public transport network” • the role of road network management • transport/land use relationships and policy

Sweet Daisy Stokes

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-vp/4062/thumbnail.jp