Cheapside: commerce and commemoration

The broad street of Cheapside, Vanessa Harding shows, was a central location in the lives and minds of early modern Londoners. In a crowded city it was a significant open space where public events could be staged and important issues communicated to a wide audience. The everyday reality of shop and market trading — where qualities and values were scrutinized and false dealing punished - enhanced its association with truth and patency. Normally dominated by the authorities, it was on occasion captured by oppositional groups, though their activities tended to reinforce Cheapside's identity as a place of publicity and validation

Stem Cell Research and Same Sex Reproduction

Recent advances in stem cell research suggest that in the future it may be possible to create eggs and sperm from human stem cells through a process that we term in vitro gametogenesis (IVG). IVG would allow treatment of some currently untreatable forms of infertility. It may also allow same-sex couples to have genetically-related children. For example, cells taken from one man could potentially be used to create an egg, which could then be fertilised using naturally produced sperm from another man to create a genetically-related child with half of its DNA from each of the men. In this chapter, we consider whether this technology could justifiably be denied to same-sex couples if it were made available as a fertility treatment to different-sex couples. We argue that it could not

Women and Men in Theological Education: Exploring the Present, Creating the Future\u27

Churches\u27 Council on Theological Education in Canada Consultation, Wilfrid Laurier University, June 17-20, 1993

Tracking African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) outside of the breeding season: Regional effects and fishing pressure during the pre-moult period

African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) have experienced a 60% population decline in the past 30 years due to an eastward shift in the relative abundance of their main food source, anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus ) and sardine (Sardinops sagax). This shift may be exacerbated by pressure from the small-pelagic fishery targeting these species. A lack of knowledge regarding foraging areas when not breeding has been identified as a deficiency in management planning for African penguins. Satellite transmitters were deployed on 20 adults during the pre-moult foraging period from colonies on the west coast (Dassen Island, n=10) and south coast (Bird Island, Algoa Bay, n=10) of South Africa. Kernel density analyses were produced using nightly locations to create foraging range maps, which were compared to catches made by the small-pelagic fishery during September-December 2012. Birds from the two colonies differed in their foraging strategies. Compared to penguins from Bird Island, those from Dassen Island spent more than six times the number of nights beyond the foraging range used during the breeding season (40 km from their colony). Birds from Dassen Island typically made long, looping trips more than 300 km away from the colony, and travelled further and at higher daily rates to foraging areas than individuals from Bird Island, feeding outside areas where fishing activity was highest. Kernel density analysis showed the foraging range of Dassen Island penguins was between Cape Columbine and the central Agulhas Bank. Individuals from Bird Island continued to central place forage, typically staying within 35 km of the colony. Penguins from Dassen Island that remained on the west coast had to compete with higher levels of fishing pressure than penguins from Bird Island. More than 70% of the fleet-wide, 2012 purse-seine catch occurred within the area where Dassen Island penguins spent 50% of their time. These colony-specific characteristics suggest that management plans for African penguins need to be regionally targeted and incorporate larger foraging ranges during the pre-moult period for birds from western colonies. The larger foraging ranges and effort demonstrated by birds from the west coast suggest that a combination of the low relative fish abundance and higher commercial fishing pressure may force pre-moulting birds to seek food sources farther from the colony, putting them at higher risk of not surviving the annual moult. This project requires more years of data to ensure these foraging patterns are representative, and to more accurately provide management suggestions directed to alleviate stress on African penguins for long-term protection of this endangered seabird

An Experiential-Based Computer Technology Curriculum

Short Abstract: A new computer curriculum uses studios in which students work to complete projects designed to tie together content learned that semester with topics of previous semesters. Students record their work in a portfolio, which demonstrates their ability to employers and provides data for program assessment. Full Abstract: Traditional computer curricula organize courses around getting students proficient in discrete content areas such as computer programming, database management, etc. Such an organization can make it difficult for students to understand how separate topics fit together in the practicing life of a software developer. Also, students lose proficiency in topics as semesters pass, reducing the effectiveness of the final capstone course. We addressed these weaknesses by developing a computer curriculum that moves students through a curriculum that emphasizes the completion of projects so that graduates emerge ready to practice in the field by having used its core tools and techniques many times over. Central to the curriculum are the studio and the portfolio. In studio, students work to complete projects designed to tie together content learned that semester with topics of previous semesters. Students record their work in a portfolio, which demonstrates their ability to potential employers and provides data for program assessment. The new curriculum has been in effect for one year. The presentation includes the detailed design of the curriculum; its implementation to date; the planned and completed development of the program’s academic-outcomes assessment tools; and the planned assessment of the program’s business outcomes

Children’s Views on Playtime in Schools: A Systematic Literature Review

Background and aim(s)Playtime in schools has been shown to have wide-ranging benefits to children and young people. However, opportunities for playtime in schools have declined over time. It is important children’s voices are heard on matters that are important to them, yet playtime is often driven by adult policy. The aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) was to explore children’s views on playtime to further our understanding of what is important to them, and what affects their access to playtime.MethodologyThis SLR employed thematic synthesis to aggregate the views of children on playtime. This review includes 8 papers which met inclusion criteria, and this review drew out children’s views on playtime from each study.FindingsChildren’s views on playtime included both aspects that they enjoyed as well as the barriers that they perceived to enjoying and accessing their playtime. Aspects that they enjoyed included: being outdoors, social interaction and friendships, physical activity, and freedom and autonomy. Aspects that they perceived to be barriers to enjoying and accessing playtime included: social conflict, risk, weather, loss of playtime, and lack of resource and support.LimitationsMost of papers included were from either the UK or USA, with one being from Greece. This is likely to impact the representation of these findings to other countries. The studies did not include the views of older children (14+) or the views of groups that are more likely to face barriers to their play (e.g. children with special educational needs).ConclusionsFrom the studies reviewed, children identified many positive aspects of, as well as barriers to, their playtime. Implications for policy and practice include considerations about length of opportunities for playtime, as well as resources and staffing allocated to managing playtime. Further implications include challenging practice that restricts playtime. This review also highlighted a dearth in research exploring children’s views on playtime as a general concept. Directions for future research are discussed further

A survey of UK Special School Speech & Language Therapists (SLT) and school staff regarding the use of mealtime mats to provide eating and drinking guidelines

Purpose: A survey of UK Special School Speech & Language Therapists (SLT) and school staff regarding the use of mealtime mats to provide eating and drinking guidelines. Method: Two questionnaires were developed to collect experiences of creating and using mealtime mats within UK special schools including benefits and disadvantages of this method, training provided and improvement suggestions. SLTs (11) completed an online survey and education staff members of a UK special school (25) completed a paper questionnaire. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and reviewing the free text comments. Results: SLTs reported usage of mealtime mats with many utilising similar formats and areas of advice covered. Some aspects received less focus e.g. communication and environment. SLTs reported difficulties in continuing to provide mealtime mats, despite being positive about their usage, due to increased service pressures. This was often without active evaluation of the effectiveness of mealtime mats. Only 2 school staff members reported using mealtime mat and they had a different name. Other school staff were aware of the mats but did not support children with complex dysphagia. However they reported that a mealtime mat resource for children with autism would be useful. Conclusions: This survey has shown that mealtime mats are being utilised within UK special schools and are viewed positively. However there is variety in usage in terms of name, format, content and evaluation. Research to determine the effectiveness of mealtime mats in special schools and other settings, including how to implement them, would be beneficial

Exposure of benthic invertebrates to sediment vibration: From laboratory experiments to outdoor simulated pile-driving

Activities directly interacting with the seabed, such as pile-driving, can produce vibrations that have the potential to impact benthic invertebrates within their vicinity. This stimuli may interfere with crucial behaviors such as foraging and predator avoidance, and the sensitivity to vibration is largely unknown. Here, the responsiveness of benthic invertebrates to sediment vibration is discussed in relation to laboratory and semi-field trials with two marine species: the mussel (Mytilus edulis) and hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus). Sensory threshold curves were produced for both species in controlled laboratory conditions, followed by small-scale pile-driving exposures in the field. The merits of behavioral indicators are discussed, in addition to using physiological measures, as a method of determining reception and measuring responses. The measurement and sensors required for sediment vibration quantification are also discussed. Response and threshold data were related to measurements taken in the vicinity of anthropogenic sources, allowing a link between responsiveness and actual operations. The impact of pile-driving on sediment-dwelling invertebrates has received relatively little research, yet the data here suggest that such activities are likely to impact key coastal species which play important roles within the marine environment