Firing Back on Lead Shot

California condors and golden eagles are just two of 130 species suffering the effects of lead ammunition. An HSUS-backed bill in California would force hunters to get the lead out

Dynamics and structure of an aging binary colloidal glass

We study aging in a colloidal suspension consisting of micron-sized particles in a liquid. This system is made glassy by increasing the particle concentration. We observe samples composed of particles of two sizes, with a size ratio of 1:2.1 and a volume fraction ratio 1:6, using fast laser scanning confocal microscopy. This technique yields real-time, three-dimensional movies deep inside the colloidal glass. Specifically, we look at how the size, motion and structural organization of the particles relate to the overall aging of the glass. Particles move in spatially heterogeneous cooperative groups. These mobile regions tend to be richer in small particles, and these small particles facilitate the motion of nearby particles of both sizes.Comment: 7 pages; submitted to Phys. Rev. E. Revised with 1 new figure, improved tex

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Widely Available 3-D Visualization Tools in Support of Public Participation

There is a persistent need for improved tools and techniques to facilitate public involvement in transportation decision making. Despite continuous improvements in increasing public involvement at all phases of transportation decision making, transportation agencies are still seeking more affordable, accessible, and effective means of communicating with a wide range of stakeholders. The report documents a survey of a wide variety of transportation agencies on their use of interactive 3-D visualization for public involvement using an electronic survey. Supplemental qualitative data was generated through telephone interviews with selected survey participants. It concludes with three case studies illustrating applications of interactive 3-D visualization to support public involvement in transportation decision making. The report concludes that the use of interactive 3-D mapping, although pervasive in transportation planning and design, is at the early stages of application as a public involvement tool. Most agencies use the tools for the purposes of informing stakeholders, illustrating the location of proposed projects, or plans or programs of projects in a regional or study area context, but not for engaging them in a specific dialogue in a meeting, workshop, or on-line chat forum

Free, Quick & Easy: Utilizing Google Apps to Assess & Communicate Learning

The Reese Library team utilizes a range of Google’s free applications (apps) to create, evaluate, and share assessment results of library instruction to faculty and students. The apps have also been utilized for team project work. Reception from faculty has consistently been positive, due to the ease of collaboration in developing assessment and sharing results so they can see at a glance the learning that has taken place in sessions. Attendees will gain a comprehensive overview of the workflow undertaken of the creation, delivery, analysis, and dissemination of assessment and results, with time for hands-on practice. Finally, strategies will be shared for utilizing Google apps for a range of project collaborations. Apps make it efficient and effective for project work across departments and campus libraries. In this workshop, attendees will learn methods for utilizing Google’s apps for assessment and beyond: Introduction (5 mins): Are Google apps useful for your context? Benefits and limitations. Part 1: Google Forms (30 mins): How to create an assessment for one-shot or ongoing library instruction. Create a sample assignment inspired by the ACRL Framework that meets the multifaceted needs of your library instruction session. Part 2: Google Sheets (15mins): How to export results into a Sheet. How to de-identify students; analyze, share and distribute results with others, such as professors and colleagues. Best practices for sharing feedback. Part 3: Project Collaboration (10 mins) Learn how Forms, Sheets, and Docs are useful for cross-departmental collaboration. Conclusion (10 mins): Q & A and/or final tips

The Cellular Environment Stabilizes Adenine Riboswitch RNA Structure

There are large differences between the intracellular environment and the conditions widely used to study RNA structure and function in vitro. To assess the effects of the crowded cellular environment on RNA, we examined the structure and ligand-binding function of the adenine riboswitch aptamer domain in healthy, growing Escherichia coli cells at single-nucleotide resolution on the minute timescale using SHAPE. The ligand-bound aptamer structure is essentially the same in cells and in buffer at 1 mM Mg2+, the approximate Mg2+ concentration we measured in cells. In contrast, the in-cell conformation of the ligand-free aptamer is much more similar to the fully folded ligand-bound state. Even adding high Mg2+ concentrations to the buffer used for in vitro analyses did not yield the conformation observed for the free aptamer in cells. The cellular environment thus stabilizes the aptamer significantly more than does Mg2+ alone. Our results show that the intracellular environment has a large effect on RNA structure that ultimately favors highly organized conformations

Making the case for diversity as a strategic business tool in small firm survival and success

Although human resource managers have long realized the impact of diversity on organizational outcomes, most of the research to date has focused on large organizations. Very little consideration has been given to small firms in the United States with fewer than 15 employees, which are not required to comply with federal Equal Employment Opportunity legislation. We propose that by valuing racial diversity and creating an inclusive organizational climate from inception, new small firms with growth objectives can increase their competitiveness, leading to better performance and long-term survival. Anchoring our arguments in intellectual capital theory, coupled with Cox and Blake’s seminal work on valuing diversity, we provide testable propositions that detail why new small firms should pursue and view racial diversity as a strategic business tool, even when they are not legally required to attend to these issues. We offer practical recommendations for small firms seeking to create an affirming climate for racial diversity and strategies that can be used to recruit, select, retain, and benefit from a racially diverse workforce

Making the Case for Diversity as a Strategic Business Tool in Small Firm Survival and Success

Although human resource managers have long realized the impact of diversity on organizational outcomes, most of the research to date has focused on large organizations. Very little consideration has been given to small firms in the United States with fewer than 15 employees, which are not required to comply with federal Equal Employment Opportunity legislation. We propose that by valuing racial diversity and creating an inclusive organizational climate from inception, new small firms with growth objectives can increase their competitiveness, leading to better performance and long-term survival. Anchoring our arguments in intellectual capital theory, coupled with Cox and Blake’s seminal work on valuing diversity, we provide testable propositions that detail why new small firms should pursue and view racial diversity as a strategic business tool, even when they are not legally required to attend to these issues. We offer practical recommendations for small firms seeking to create an affirming climate for racial diversity and strategies that can be used to recruit, select, retain, and benefit from a racially diverse workforce