Cosmopolitanism, Globalization and The Field of Adolescent Literacy

In this article we discuss the current nature and circumstances of cosmopolitanism and what it means to the field of adolescent literacy. Drawing on contemporary scholarship, cosmopolitanism is understood as: 1) the local experience or condition of globalization, what has been called ‘internal globalization,’ and, 2) as a disposition or sensibility that ensures productive and peaceful relations in light of globalization or any circumstance that creates dynamic and culturally diverse contexts. From a critical review of the key documents in the field, we argue that for many adolescents their lives and literacies now, and especially in the future, will be lived out in the interface of the local and global. In what might be described as a cosmopolitan age we discuss what that means for the field of adolescent literacy. In critical review of the work done under the rubric of adolescent literacy, it was evident the field has been carefully documenting the terrain of adolescent literacies, and leading the charge for reform in policy and practice. However, there is a need to reconfigure and expand the concepts, precepts and practices that have come to name adolescent literacy in order to ensure that students are well served by the field and by their literacy education. Cet article discute la nature et les circonstances du concept de cosmopolitisme et ce qu’il signifie dans le domaine de la littératie des adolescents. Du point de vue du savoir actuel, ce concept définit (1) l’expérience ou la condition locale de globalisation, ce qui est connu sous le terme de « globalisation interne » et (2) la disposition ou sensibilité qui assure des relations productives et pacifiques dans un contexte global ou toutes circonstances qui créent des contextes culturellement dynamiques et différents. En nous basant sur une révision critique des documents clés, nous argumentons que les vies et les littératies actuelles et futures de beaucoup d’adolescents seront vécues dans une interface entre un monde tout aussi local que global. Nous discuterons ce que ce monde peut représenter dans le domaine de la littératie adolescente dans l’ère cosmopolite. En révisant cette littératie de façon critique, il est facile de s’apercevoir du nombre croissant de publications et de son importance dans la réforme de politiques et de pratiques de terrain. Il est cependant tout à fait nécessaire de reconfigurer et de développer ces concepts, préceptes et pratiques afin d’assurer leur adéquation dans le domaine et l’éducation en littératie des adolescents

Διερεύνηση Πλημυρικής Κατάκλυσης σε συνθήκες μη μόνιμης ροής με τη χρήση Λογισμικών Υδραυλικής Προσομοίωση. Εφαρμογή στον Πηνειό Θεσσαλίας.

Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο--Μεταπτυχιακή Εργασία. Διεπιστημονικό-Διατμηματικό Πρόγραμμα Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών (Δ.Π.Μ.Σ.) “Επιστήμη και Τεχνολογία Υδατικών Πόρων

Detection of two poleroviruses infecting garlic (Allium sativum) in Australia

Two near complete polerovirus genomes were assembled using high throughput sequencing (HTS) data from two separate samples of garlic cultivar ‘Glenlarge’ grown in Gatton, Queensland, Australia. Whole genome sequence comparisons showed that one contig shared 96.7% nucleotide identity with phasey bean mild yellows virus (MT966032.1) and the other, 99.8% nucleotide identity with turnip yellows virus (MT586581.1). Phylogenetic analyses further revealed that the isolates fell within the PBMYV group 2 and TuYV group 2 clades, respectively. This is the first report of these poleroviruses infecting garlic

Circadian Rhythms, Exercise, and Cardiovascular Health

Human circadian rhythmicity is driven by a circadian clock comprised of two distinct components: the central clock, located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) within the hypothalamus, and the peripheral clocks, located in almost all tissues and organ systems in the body. Entrainment, or alignment, of circadian rhythmicity is dependent upon time of day and can occur through environmental influences such as light cues and physical activity exerted on skeletal muscle. Entrainment of the circadian clock through exercise has been reported to improve health by reducing risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), but further research is still needed. The purpose of this review is to discuss the effects exercise has on the regulation of circadian rhythmicity, specifically with respect to CVD risk factors – including hormonal levels, sleep/wake cycles, blood pressure, and heart rate. Additionally, the impact of exercise-induced circadian entrainment is discussed relative to hormone regulation, nocturnal blood pressure dipping, post-exercise hypotension, and overall cardiovascular health

Continued participation in an asbestos fiber-counting proficiency test with relocatable grid slides †

The effect of using relocatable reference slides of chrysotile and amosite in asbestos fiber counting proficiency testing was examined for volunteer analysts from laboratories in the USA. Results of participation in one round have been published; two more rounds are reported here. In the first round, participants were asked to draw what they saw, allowing identification of error type by comparison to the reference. In later rounds only the number of fibers per field was reported since the number of errors per field has been shown to be a reasonable estimate of proficiency. The third round included a training exercise. The total number of participants stayed reasonably constant with some reduction over time. More restricted numbers participated from round to round. Those who dropped out had lower average scores than those that remained in the program; from 2006 to 2007 this difference was significant, but for 2007 to 2008 it was not. The overall results for amosite were generally good compared to an arbitrary proficiency score of 60, and continued to improve further over time. The results for chrysotile were better in rounds 1 and 3 than round 2, so that both attention to detail (drawing the fibers in round 1) and training (round 3) may improve performance, which is consistent with the major type of error being oversight of fine fibers. However, the results are still poor, even by round 3, and no analyst achieved a score of 60 in all three rounds. Further improvement is preferred since chrysotile is the most commonly encountered type of asbestos in the USA. Depending on the adopted score for proficiency many laboratories or analysts may be labeled as poor performers and this may be a deterrent to voluntary participation in this type of exercise, especially for those in most need of assistance. Participants have tested new relocatable reference asbestos proficiency counting slides in three rounds of chrysotile and three rounds of amosite. Performance for amosite was good. Poor performance for chrysotile appears to be improved by greater attention and training

Loss of the insulin receptor in murine megakaryocytes/platelets causes thrombocytosis and alterations in IGF signalling.

AIMS: Patients with conditions that are associated with insulin resistance such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and polycystic ovary syndrome have an increased risk of thrombosis and a concurrent hyperactive platelet phenotype. Our aim was to determine whether insulin resistance of megakaryocytes/platelets promotes platelet hyperactivation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We generated a conditional mouse model where the insulin receptor (IR) was specifically knocked out in megakaryocytes/platelets and performed ex vivo platelet activation studies in wild-type (WT) and IR-deficient platelets by measuring aggregation, integrin αIIbβ3 activation, and dense and α-granule secretion. Deletion of IR resulted in an increase in platelet count and volume, and blocked the action of insulin on platelet signalling and function. Platelet aggregation, granule secretion, and integrin αIIbβ3 activation in response to the glycoprotein VI (GPVI) agonist collagen-related peptide (CRP) were significantly reduced in platelets lacking IR. This was accompanied by a reduction in the phosphorylation of effectors downstream of GPVI. Interestingly, loss of IR also resulted in a reduction in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)- and insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-2)-mediated phosphorylation of IRS-1, Akt, and GSK3β and priming of CRP-mediated platelet activation. Pharmacological inhibition of IR and the IGF-1 receptor in WT platelets recapitulated the platelet phenotype of IR-deficient platelets. CONCLUSIONS: Deletion of IR (i) increases platelet count and volume, (ii) does not cause platelet hyperactivity, and (iii) reduces GPVI-mediated platelet function and platelet priming by IGF-1 and IGF-2

Climate Change during and after the Roman Empire: Reconstructing the Past from Scientific and Historical Evidence

Growing scientific evidence from modern climate science is loaded with implications for the environmental history of the Roman Empire and its successor societies. The written and archaeological evidence, although richer than commonly realized, is unevenly distributed over time and space. A first synthesis of what the written records and multiple natural archives (multi-proxy data) indicate about climate change and variability across western Eurasia from c. 100 b.c. to 800 a.d. confirms that the Roman Empire rose during a period of stable and favorable climatic conditions, which deteriorated during the Empire's third-century crisis. A second, briefer period of favorable conditions coincided with the Empire's recovery in the fourth century; regional differences in climate conditions parallel the diverging fates of the eastern and western Empires in subsequent centuries. Climate conditions beyond the Empire's boundaries also played an important role by affecting food production in the Nile valley, and by encouraging two major migrations and invasions of pastoral peoples from Central Asia.Earth and Planetary SciencesHistor

The STAR Time Projection Chamber: A Unique Tool for Studying High Multiplicity Events at RHIC

The STAR Time Projection Chamber (TPC) is used to record collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The TPC is the central element in a suite of detectors that surrounds the interaction vertex. The TPC provides complete coverage around the beam-line, and provides complete tracking for charged particles within +- 1.8 units of pseudo-rapidity of the center-of-mass frame. Charged particles with momenta greater than 100 MeV/c are recorded. Multiplicities in excess of 3,000 tracks per event are routinely reconstructed in the software. The TPC measures 4 m in diameter by 4.2 m long, making it the largest TPC in the world.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figure