NASA access mechanism: Graphical user interface information retrieval system

Access to online information sources of aerospace, scientific, and engineering data, a mission focus for NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Program, has always been limited to factors such as telecommunications, query language syntax, lack of standardization in the information, and the lack of adequate tools to assist in searching. Today, the NASA STI Program's NASA Access Mechanism (NAM) prototype offers a solution to these problems by providing the user with a set of tools that provide a graphical interface to remote, heterogeneous, and distributed information in a manner adaptable to both casual and expert users. Additionally, the NAM provides access to many Internet-based services such as Electronic Mail, the Wide Area Information Servers system, Peer Locating tools, and electronic bulletin boards

School Libraries Should be Equipped to Operate in the Virtual Space

Since the Covid-19 Pandemic, online activities have increased exponentially. Public and school libraries have expanded their offerings and increased their online presence to ensure that patrons continue to access their services. Our school libraries in the Caribbean have not been given the attention they deserve and so are not equipped to function in the online world. Many kept their doors closed or the space reassigned for other activities. In instances Librarians have been assigned other tasks and information literacy skills placed on hold. In this time of online presence, our school libraries and librarians have a role to play in assisting our students navigate the information highway and to develop their literacy skills. There is also the likelihood that many online services will continue after the pandemic. Our school librarians and libraries in the Caribbean should be prepared to operate in the virtual space

Pass the bar!

Pass the Bar! provides a comprehensive overview of the pre-bar review, bar review, and bar exam process. The authors demystify the bar exam process and take readers through the steps they need to follow to succeed. Readers are given specific information about what to do during the year before their bar exams; checklists, exercises, and reflection questions; tips for studying and completing practice questions; and sample exam questions and answers to maximize their likelihood of bar exam success. The book has been designed with several uses in mind: As the text for a for-credit law school bar preparation course; As a supplemental text for an upper-level doctrinal course, allowing professors to build students’ bar study skills in the context of learning a bar-tested subject; As a text for non-credit bar preparation workshops; or For students’ independent study. The authors’ recommendations are grounded in educational and psychological research as well as their personal experiences in designing programs and preparing thousands of students to pass their bar exams. Readers will find the text user-friendly and its recommendations straightforward and practical. “Once in awhile the perfect book comes along at the perfect time. Pass the Bar! is just such a book, arriving at the ideal time to help law students clear the last hurdle of the race they began when they started law school. The authors’ approach is both logical and powerful, and would immediately enhance any bar taker’s likelihood of success. I will happily recommend the book to generations of students as they prepare to cross the finish line of their challenging bar exam race.” — Professor Ruth Ann McKinney, Director of the Writing and Learning Resources Center, The University of North Carolina School of Lawhttps://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/facultybooks/1031/thumbnail.jp

Post-Its and Priorities: A Participatory Exercise for Understanding Perspectives of Diverse Stakeholders

We describe a participatory co-learning exercise that can help elucidate and navigate the unique perspectives of farmers, researchers, Extension personnel, and other agricultural professionals engaged in managing complex systems. We developed the exercise to help a diverse advisory panel collaboratively identify and prioritize ecosystem services for measurement in an experiment on cover crop mixtures. Post-event evaluations were positive and suggest that the exercise is a useful tool for participatory research projects or Extension programs involving a diverse group of stakeholders and complex systems

Did bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) from the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas undergo a genetic bottleneck? A test using nuclear microsatellite loci

This study reexamines the nuclear microsatellite analysis by Rooney et al. (1999a) of Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) to determine if this population underwent a genetic bottleneck as a result of 19th and early 20th Century commercial whaling. This investigation used more accurate laboratory techniques to score alleles, had a larger sample size that was divided into two groups (mainland Alaska and St. Lawrence Island (SLI)), and used a moderately different set of microsatellite loci which are more variable and thus, more informative. The results corroborate the findings of Rooney et al. (1999a) for mainland Alaska showing no evidence of a genetic bottleneck. However, the SLI data analyses provide conflicting conclusions. The Wilcoxon test is significant for a heterozygote excess (p = 0.042) suggesting that a genetic bottleneck has occurred. This is not substantiated by the exact tests of each locus or the table-wide sign test. There is a possibility that a bottleneck has occurred, but due to the small sample size this is not a definitive conclusion and warrants reanalysis with a larger sample size

Predictive Value of Ankle Fracture for Osteoporosis at the Fracture Liaison Service Is Dependent on Gender and May Be Related to Alcohol Use

Osteoporosis, characterised by a reduction in bone mass, is a common musculoskeletal condition, with diet and lifestyle factors including heavy alcohol consumption now recognised to exacerbate bone loss. Fracture Liaison Services (FLS), which screen patients over 50 years who have suffered a low trauma fracture, are considered vital in the early diagnosis of osteoporosis. Although FLS has made significant contributions in preventing secondary fractures, there remains variation in patient case finding between services. Therefore, we aimed to assess the value of an ankle or wrist fracture in the diagnosis of osteoporosis taking into consideration the patient’s history of alcohol consumption. Data on 500 consecutive patients observed by the FLS with either ankle or wrist fractures was surveyed. Data on gender, bone mineral density (BMD) measured by T-score, and history of heavy alcohol consumption (>28 units/week) was collected. Osteoporosis was defined as a T-score below −2.5 at any site. Logistic regression models, adjusting for age and body mass index, investigated associations between fracture type and diagnosis of osteoporosis. Data was available in 499 patients (114 M, 385 F) with 313 presenting with a wrist fracture whilst 186 presented with an ankle fracture. Some 6.8% (n = 34) of patients were deemed heavy alcohol consumers and over a quarter (n = 128) were considered osteoporotic. Males (n = 19) who were heavy alcohol consumers had a significantly lower hip and spine BMD (Both p = 0.01) when compared to those who were not. Males with an ankle fracture who were not heavy alcohol consumers also had a significantly lower risk of presenting with osteoporosis (OR 0.12, 95% CI: 0.03–0.59, p = 0.01). No significant differences in BMD were observed amongst females who were heavy alcohol consumers and those who were not. Additionally, no significant associations were noted between fracture type and presentation of osteoporosis in females. Assessment of alcohol consumption should be included when considering the value of ankle fractures for predicting osteoporosis in males. Future research using comprehensive assessments of alcohol consumption is warranted to confirm these findings. Focus should be placed on developing a standardised approach for assessing alcohol consumption which can be utilised across all FLS

Mandated Continuing Education and the Competency of Illinois Physical Therapists

Continuing education (CE) mandate laws are passed by states because it is in the public interest. The intent behind the passage of Illinois\u27s CE law for physical therapists is to protect public health and safety through ensuring the competency of providers. However, studies into the impact of mandated CE on competency have been mixed. The problem addressed by this study was whether Illinois\u27s CE law was effective in improving the competency of physical therapists and its impact on patient care. The purpose of this study was to understand what role mandated CE played in developing the competency of physical therapists in Illinois and whether mandated CE was the best method for the state to use to address provider competency. The main research question and sub questions focused on examining what role mandated CE played in improving the professional competency of physical therapists and its impact on patient care. Framework analysis was used to analyze the data that was then placed into themes that had been identified in the literature review. Findings from this study were examined using systems theory and human motivation theory. This study\u27s findings indicate physical therapists believe mandated CE can improve competency and patient satisfaction. Participants indicated when patients get better faster they are more satisfied and when practitioners have advanced skills patient care is improved. The social implications of Illinois\u27s CE law, while not perfect, is positive for both patients and providers, according to Illinois physical therapists. Overall, physical therapists believe that CE improves the competency of the provider, which in turn improves patient care