A study of time concepts found in primary reading materials

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Hydrological and sedimentation implications of landscape changes in a Himalayan catchment due to bioenergy cropping

There is a global effort to focus on the development of bioenergy and energy cropping, due to the generally increasing demand for crude oil, high oil price volatility and climate change mitigation challenges. Second generation energy cropping is expected to increase greatly in India as the Government of India has recently approved a national policy of 20 % biofuel blending by 2017; furthermore, the country’s biomass based power generation potential is estimated as around ∼24GW and large investments are expected in coming years to increase installed capacity. In this study, we have modelled the environmental influences (e.g.: hydrology and sediment) of scenarios of increased biodiesel cropping (Jatropha curcas) using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in a northern Indian river basin. SWAT has been applied to the River Beas basin, using daily Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) precipitation and NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) meteorological data to simulate the river regime and crop yields. We have applied Sequential Uncertainty Fitting Ver. 2 (SUFI-2) to quantify the parameter uncertainty of the stream [U+FB02]ow modelling. The model evaluation statistics for daily river flows at the Jwalamukhi and Pong gauges show good agreement with measured flows (Nash Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.70 and PBIAS of 7.54 %). The study has applied two land use change scenarios of (1) increased bioenergy cropping in marginal (grazing) lands in the lower and middle regions of catchment (2) increased bioenergy cropping in low yielding areas of row crops in the lower and middle regions of the catchment. The presentation will describe the improved understanding of the hydrological, erosion and sediment delivery and food production impacts arising from the introduction of a new cropping variety to a marginal area; and illustrate the potential prospects of bioenergy production in Himalayan valleys

A study of time concepts found in primary reading materials

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit

Experiments on the injection and containment of electron clouds in a toroidal apparatus

Injection and containment of electron clouds in azimuthally symmetric, toroidal apparatu

Using Data Envelopment Analysis to Transform Data Into Information: Academic Department Efficiency at a Public University

Institutions of higher education amass incredible amounts of data. Analyzing the data in a way that can improve decision making is an integral part of complex operational and management processes, including resource allocation, programmatic development, and planning. Traditionally, higher education have lagged in its use of the data in operational and management processes (Desouza & Smith, 2016; Siemens & Long, 2011). This study examined the use of the analytical method, data envelopment analysis (DEA), to determine the efficiency of academic departments over the period 2008 to 2014. Data envelopment analysis was a method developed by Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes (1981) and designed to measure the relative efficiency based on inputs and outputs of decision making units (DMUs). The purpose of this study was to explore the efficiency of academic departments in a public, Carnegie classified tier one, high research, comprehensive doctoral university with balanced arts and sciences undergraduate instruction. The inputs considered for this study were total research expenditures, state appropriated budgets, and operational budgets. The outputs considered were graduate and undergraduate degrees granted, full time equivalents (FTE) produced, student credit hours generated, scholarly works, and amount of grants awarded. An output-oriented, multi-stage DEA model was used to determine the efficiency scores of 16 academic departments or DMUs. Both constant returns to scale (CRS) and variable returns to scale (VRS) methods were used in DEA calculations. The efficiency results, descriptive data, departmental slacks results, and peer department comparisons were considered in determining the factors contributing to the efficiency and inefficiency of each DMU. Malmquist indices were used to measure the shifts in efficiency over time.Seven of the 16 academic departments were identified as efficient throughout the time period, 2008 to 2014. The remaining nine academic departments were identified as inefficient in at least one year throughout the period. The factors contributing to efficiency were undergraduate degree completers and operating budgets. Other factors that contributed to inefficiency of departments were scholarly publications, graduate degree completers, and instructional outputs. The examination of efficiency scores over time and the respective results generated, such as input and output targets and productivity indices, provide a means for assessing departmental efficiency and determining areas for improvement. Results may be one aspect of institutional decision making and planning about academic direction and resource allocation to ensure ongoing academic excellence

Crack barriers improve the mechanical and thermal properties of non-metallic sinter materials

Means of improving the tensile strength of ceramic composites by introducing ductile intermediate layers capable of absorbing the elastic energy at the rupture front are studied. Tests with an Al203 laminate with niobium inclusions showed that crack propagation could be successfully precluded by dissipation of the energy by deformation and/or delamination at the inclusion/matrix interface

Introducing Interdisciplinary Curricula Into Conservation Biology: Exploring Changes in Students’ Perceived Proenvironmental Attitudes and Behaviors

Today, conserving the natural environment is paramount. Educators have been striving to develop pedagogical approaches that facilitate greater engagement in conservation behaviors. However, many of these reforms have been targeted at an institutional level, without necessarily testing whether changes in proenvironmental perceptions, attitudes, or behaviors occur for students. This step seems important when developing conservation biology courses that provide well-rounded education that may better prepare students for future challenges in biodiverse conservation contexts. Our objective was to assess the proenvironmental attitudes and conservation values of undergraduate students enrolled in an undergraduate conservation biology course before and after instruction to determine whether a multidisciplinary curriculum, in conjunction with traditional conservation biology content, would alter their perceptions. Students in both the control and intervention groups felt relatively neutral about a range of environmental and conservation topics. No statistical significance between curricula and impact on student perception was revealed. However, in the experimental course, shifts were found concerning students’ understanding of the complexity of conservation. Results also highlight long-standing issues related to conservation education, such as a bias toward mammal conservation, and suggest that guest lectures are insufficient to bring about attitude change related to sustainability. Further research on incorporating cross-disciplinary pedagogy into STEM courses is recommended

Brief report: Exploring the relationship between repetitive behaviours and sensory processing in Williams syndrome

This study explored the relationship between sensory processing abnormalities and repetitive behaviours in children with Williams Syndrome (WS; n = 21). This is a novel investigation bringing together two clinical phenomena for the first time in this neuro-developmental disorder. Parents completed the Sensory Profile (Short Form; Dunn in The sensory profile manual. San Antonio: The Psychological Corporation, 1999) and the Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire (Turner 1995). A significant correlation was evident between the total scores on each of these measures; suggesting that children with WS who exhibit increased sensory processing abnormalities also display a higher number of repetitive behaviours. Further exploratory analyses of subscales of the measures indicated potentially important relationships that suggest a role for arousal regulation in the relationship between sensory processing abnormalities and repetitive behaviours in WS

Clinical efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccination : characteristics of two outbreaks of influenza A(H1N1) in immunocompromised patients

Background: Influenza A(H1N1) causes serious complications in immunocompromised patients. The efficacy of seasonal vaccination in these patients has been questioned. Aim: To describe two outbreaks of influenza A(H1N1) in immunocompromised patients. Methods: Two outbreaks of influenza A(H1N1) occurred in our institution: on the kidney transplant ward in 2014 including patients early after kidney or simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation, and on the oncology ward in 2016 including patients receiving chemotherapy for malignant tumours. Factors leading to these outbreaks and the clinical efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccination were analysed. Findings: Altogether 86 patients were exposed to influenza A(H1N1) during the outbreaks, among whom the seasonal influenza vaccination status was unknown in 10. Only three out of 38 vaccinated patients were infected with influenza A(H1N1), compared with 20 out of 38 unvaccinated patients (P = 0.02). The death of one out of 38 vaccinated patients was associated with influenza, compared with seven out of 38 unvaccinated patients (P = 0.06). Shared factors behind the two outbreaks included outdated facilities not designed for the treatment of immunosuppressed patients. Vaccination coverage among patients was low, between 40% and 70% despite vaccination being offered to all patients free of charge. Vaccination coverage of healthcare workers on the transplant ward was low (46%), but, despite high coverage on the oncology ward (92%), the outbreak occurred. Conclusion: Seasonal influenza vaccination was clinically effective with both a reduced risk of influenza infection and a trend towards reduced mortality in these immunocompromised patients. Several possible causes were identified behind these two outbreaks, requiring continuous awareness in healthcare professionals to prevent further outbreaks. (C) 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe