A survey of the equipment in the office machines courses in the state of Connecticut

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

The Type VI Secretion System of Burkholderia cenocepacia: a study of actin cytoskeleton remodeling and involvement in host cell death

Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic pathogen of cystic fibrosis patients. B. cenocepacia encodes a type VI secretion system (T6SS) under control by the global negative regulator, AtsR. This study demonstrates that while the T6SS is not involved in the characteristic phagosome maturation delay associated with B. cenocepacia, it may play a role in the induction of host cell death. The formation of actin-rich protrusions within infected host cells, previously shown as dependent upon T6SS function, is not a prelude to this cell death, as a mutant deficient in the induction of actin rearrangement still induced cell death. Furthermore, other unknown virulence factors regulated by AtsR may contribute to host cell death, as only loss of T6SS function in conjunction with loss of normal global regulation resulted in reduced host cell death. The host cell death studied appears to not proceed through caspase-3 dependent pathways

The X-ray transient XTE J1118+480: Multiwavelength observations of a low-state mini-outburst

We present multiwavelength observations of the newly discovered X-ray transient XTE J1118+480 obtained in the rising phase of the 2000 April outburst. This source is located at unusually high Galactic latitude and in a very low absorption line of sight. This made the first EUVE spectroscopy of an X-ray transient outburst possible. Together with our HST, RXTE, and UKIRT data this gives unprecedented spectral coverage. We find the source in the low hard state. The flat IR-UV spectrum appears to be a combination of optically thick disk emission and flat spectrum emission, possibly synchrotron, while at higher energies, including EUV, a typical low hard state power-law is seen. EUVE observations reveal no periodic modulation, suggesting an inclination low enough that no obscuration by the disk rim occurs. We discuss the nature of the source and this outburst and conclude that it may be more akin to mini-outbursts seen in GRO J0422+32 than to a normal X-ray transient outburst.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, replaced with accepted version. Uses emulateapj5.st

Lessons from the Draft Horse Industry in East Texas

The purpose of the study reported here was to determine and understand the variables responsible for the revival of the draft horse industry in East Texas. The draft horse industry can provide viable employment for rural entrepreneurs. The authors suggest universities and Extension rethink their traditional roles of supporting and providing resources for rural entrepreneurs engaged in agricultural enterprises that utilize relic technologies

Study Abroad and College Students of the African Diaspora: Attitudes, Access and Barriers

This qualitative study examined the attitudes, preferences, and barriers to participation experienced by African American students attempting to participate in study abroad programs. A literature review indicates that African American students are grossly underrepresented in global education opportunities when compared with their overall enrollment numbers. Study abroad has been named as a valuable (both personally and academically) enriching experience granting competitive edges in postgraduate and professional endeavors in a globalized world. Twenty participants from purposively selected universities across the United States participated in a short-answer survey of either twelve or seven questions, depending on if they participated in a study abroad program or not. The results suggest that finances, institutional factors, and individual differences are significant factors in determining if an African American student will study abroad. Future studies tracking Black students’ active intent to study abroad, as well as those that do study abroad, can provide more insight to universities as they attempt to increase this group of students’ participations.Michelle Renee’ Harris - [email protected] W. Hynes - [email protected] Renee’ Harris - MEd is the Global Programs Coordinator for all programs affiliated with the African Bioethics Consortium at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. Her primary research/career focuses are international education program management, with special focus on minority, low-income, 1st generation, and other underrepresented groups’ participation in in global education opportunities.James W. Hynes - Corresponding author. PhD. is an Associate Professor in the School of Teaching and Learning at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. His research focus is primarily centered on two topics. The first is sustainable development in agriculture and education in developing countries located primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. The second focus supports the first - right sizing animal traction agricultural implements developed and used by U.S. Amish farmers. This adaptation allows farmers in developing countries, whose primary source of power is either human or animal, to increase their food production and quality of life without the use of combustion engines.Michelle Renee’ Harris - Sam Houston State UniversityJames W. Hynes - Sam Houston State UniversityArmstrong, G. K. (1984). Life after study abroad: A survey of undergraduate academic and career choices. The Modern Language Journal, 68(1), 1-6.Barbuto Jr., J. E., Beenen, G., & Tran, H. (2015). The role of core self-evaluation, ethnocentrism, and cultural intelligence in study abroad success. The Journal of Management Education, 13, 268-277.Brux, J. M., & Fry, B. (2010). Multicultural students in study abroad: Their interests, their issues, and their constraints. Journal of Studies in International Education, 14(5), 508-227.Carlson, J. S., & Widaman, K. F. (1998). The effects of study abroad during college on attitudes toward other cultures. International Journal of Intercultural Relations. https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-1767(88)90003-XChieffo, L., & Griffiths, L. (2004). Large-scale assessment of student attitudes after a short-term study abroad program. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 10, 165-177.Dwyer, M. M. (2004). More is better: The impact of study abroad program duration. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 10, 151-163.Dwyer, M. M., & Peters, C. K. (2004). The Benefits of study abroad: New study confirms significant gains. Retrieved from Transitions Abroad: https://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0403/benefits_study_abroad.shtmlEducators, N. A. (2018). Trends in U.S, study abroad. Retrieved from NAFSA: https://www.nafsa.org/Policy_and_Advocacy/Policy_Resources/Policy_Trends_and_Data/Trends_in_U_S__Study_Abroad/Engberg, M. E. (2013). The influence of study away experiences on global perspective-taking. Journal of College Student Development, 54(5), 466-480.Giedt, T., Gokcek, G., & Ghosh, J. (2015). International education in the 21st Century: The importance of faculty in developing study abroad research opportunities. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 26, 167-186.Gieser, J. D. (2015). A sociocultural investigation of identity: How students navigate the study abroad experience. Journal of College Student Development, 56(6), 637-643.Goldstein, S. B., & Kim, R. I. (2006). Predictors of US college students’ participation in study abroad programs: A longitudinal study. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 30(4), 507-521.Kadmar, N., & Lewis, T. (2015). Deriving long-term benefits from short-term study-abroad programs. The Journal of Management and Engineering Integration, 7(2), 1-11.Kowarski, L. (2010). Colleges help students to translate the benefits of study abroad. Retrieved from The Chronicle of Higher Education: https://www.chronicle.com/article/Colleges-Help-Students-to/123653Lee, C. S., Therriault, D. J., & Linderholm, T. (2012). On the cognitive benefits of cultural experience: Exploring the relationship between study abroad and creative thinking. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 26(5), 768-778.Lee, J., & Green, Q. (2016). Unique opportunities: Influence of study abroad on black students. The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 28, 62-77.Lewis, W. (2016). Study abroad influencing factors: An investigation of socio-economic status, cultural, and personal factors. Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal of the University of Northern Colorado, 5(3), 58-73.Lu, C., Reddick, R., Dean, D., & Pecero, V. (2015). Coloring up studying abroad: Exploring black students’ decision to study in China. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 52(4), 440-451.Luo, J., & Jamieson-Drake, D. (2015). Predictors of study abroad intent, participation, and college outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 56(1), 29-56.M’Balia, T. (2013). The problematization of racial/ethnic minority student participation in U.S. study abroad. Applied Linguistics Review, 4(2), 365-390.Norris, E. M., & Gillespie, J. (2008). How study abroad shapes global careers: Evidence from the United States. Journal of Studies in International Education, 13(3), 382-397.Paige, R. M., Fry, G. W., Stallman, E. M., Josic, J., & Jon, J.-E. (2009). Study abroad for global engagement: The long-term impact of mobility experiences. Intercultural Education, 20((sup1)), S29-S44.Petzold, K., & Peter, T. (2015). The social norm to sStudy abroad: Determinants and effects. Higher Education, 69(6), 885-900.Potts, D. (2015). Understanding the early career benefits of learning abroad programs. Journal of Studies in International Education, 19(5), 441-459.Salisbury, M. H., Paulsen, M. B., & Pascarella, E. T. (2011). Why do all the study abroad students look alike? Applying an integrated student choice model to explore differences in the factors that influence white and minotiry students’ intent to study abroad. Research in Higher Education, 52, 123-150.Simon, J., & Ainswoth, J. W. (2012). Race and socioeconomic status differences in study abroad participation: The role of habitus, social networks, and cultural capital. International Scholarly Research Network. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/413896Slotkin, M. H., Durie, C. J., & Eisenberg, J. R. (2012). The benefits of short-term study abroad as a blended learning experience. Journal of International Education in Business, 5(2), 163-173.Slotkin, M. H., Vamosi, A. R., & Perez, E. M. (2016). Study tours and the diversification of cultural capital aAquisition. Journal of International Education in Business, 9(1), 70-86.Smith, D. E., & Mitry, D. (2008). Benefits of study abroad and creating opportunities: The case for short-term programs. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching, 1(1), 236-245.Stroud, A. H. (2010). Who plans (not) to study abroad? An examination of U.S. student intent. Journal of Studies in International Education, 14(5), 491-507.Wang, L. C., Gault, J. J., Christ, P., & Diggin, P. A. (2016). Individual attitudes and social influences on college students’ intent to participate in study abroad programs. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 26(1), 103-128.Xiaoxuan, L. (2004). A study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the benefits of study abroad. Chinese Education and Society, 37(2), 61-87.Zemach-Bersin, T. (2007). Global citizenship & study abroad: It’s all about U.S. Critical Literacy: Theories and Practices, 1(2), 16-29.32112

The Evolving Accretion Disc in the Black Hole X-ray Transient XTE J1859+226

We present HST, RXTE, and UKIRT observations of the broad band spectra of the black hole X-ray transient XTE J1859+226 during the decline from its 1999-2000 outburst. Our UV spectra define the 2175A interstellar absorption feature very well and based on its strength we estimate E(B-V)=0.58+/-0.12. Hence we deredden our spectra and follow the evolution of the spectral energy distribution on the decline from outburst. We find that the UV and optical data, and the X-ray thermal component when detectable, can be fit with a simple blackbody model of an accretion disc heated by internal viscosity and X-ray irradiation, and extending to close to the last stable orbit around the black hole, although the actual inner radius cannot be well constrained. During the decline we see the disc apparently evolving from a model with the edge dominated by irradiative heating towards one where viscous heating is dominant everywhere. The outer disc radius also appears to decrease during the decline; we interpret this as evidence of a cooling wave moving inwards and discuss its implications for the disc instability model. Based on the normalisation of our spectral fits we estimate a likely distance range of 4.6-8.0kpc, although a value outside of this range cannot securely be ruled out.Comment: 10 pages including figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Discovery of 15-second oscillations in Hubble Space Telescope observations of WZ Sagittae following the 2001 outburst

We report the discovery of 15-s oscillations in ultraviolet observations of WZ Sge obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope approximately one month after the peak of the 2001 outburst. This is the earliest detection of oscillations in WZ Sge following an outburst and the first time that a signal near 15 s has been seen to be dominant. The oscillations are quite strong (amplitude about 5%), but not particularly coherent. In one instance, the oscillation period changed by 0.7 s between successive observations separated by less than 1 hour. We have also found evidence for weaker signals with periods near 6.5 s in some of our data. We discuss the implications of our results for the models that have been proposed to account for the 28-s oscillations seen in quiescence. If the periods of the 15-s oscillations can be identified with the periods of revolution of material rotating about the white dwarf, the mass of the white dwarf must satisfy M_WD > 0.71 M_sun. The corresponding limit for the 6.5-s signals is M_WD > 1.03 M_sun.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ Letters; 13 pages, 4 postscript figures; new version corrects a few typos and matches version that will appear in ApJ

Prospects for Valuation in Marine Decision Making in Europe

There is now high-level recognition that the UN Sustainable Development Goals can only be achieved if the decline of ecosystems and biodiversity can be halted and reversed. This will require effective control of ongoing pressures, meaningful protection and enforcement of protected areas, and significant investments in ecosystem restoration. This paper explores the possible use of economic valuation and appraisal in achieving these goals in marine systems and discusses the European marine policy instruments where they should have an important role The paper first briefly reviews the tools of economic valuation and appraisal for marine ecosystem management. A critique of the use of economic valuation and appraisal in marine conservation and restoration is then presented. The paper argues that while progress has been made there remains a pressing need for better integration of marine environmental values in policy processes. It also highlights the fact that the focus on natural capital accounting, and more generally on green/blue growth and market instruments, could create a reliance on exchange values at the expense of welfare values required for policy appraisal.publishedVersio

People do care about the deep sea. A comment on Jamieson et al. (2020)

In a paper in this journal entitled “Fear and loathing of the deep sea: why don’t people care about the deep sea?”, Jamieson et al. (2020) pose this question and answer it with many interesting perspectives from psychology, ocean literacy and philosophy. However, there is an inherent assumption in the question they ask that people do not care about the deep sea. In order to assess this assumption, we contend that the first question to ask is: do people care about the deep sea? Based on the cultural significance of the theme of the deep ocean in art and literature, the results of ocean attitudinal surveys and the work done on deep sea economic valuation in recent years, we suggest that the answer is that people do care about many different aspects of the deep sea, not only the ones that hold market value, but also non-market values. It is nonetheless argued that the welfare benefits that societies gain from the deep sea are not at the fore in political discussions or marine policy making