Identifying Student Discussion in Computer-Mediated Problem Solving Chat

The COMPS project employs computer chat for students working in small groups solving classroom problems. This summer’s project aims to build computer classifiers that could effectively “look over the shoulders” of the students while working, to approximately recognize whether the students are engaging in productive discussion. Research questions are: can we write machine classifiers that can recognize reasoning, agreement, and disagreement in student discussions? Can we achieve this using only a common English vocabulary? Several thousand lines of COMPS transcripts were manually annotated. A topic modelling program was used to determine 10 main topics which appeared in the transcripts and the words in those topics. A Linear Classifier and a Support Vector Machine Classifier used the topic model to predict the annotation of each line of dialogue. To address the common English vocabulary research question, an intersection of many transcripts from different sources was combined with Google word lists and modified to accommodate text-chat conventions. In the normal vocabulary, we found f1 scores of 0.7 and above for reasoning. Using only common vocabulary, the scores were slightly lower. The next step is to train our topic model on a combination of transcripts and apply it to other transcripts from different student discussions

The marketing of lesser known tropical hardwoods in the U.K

The present study set out to identify and analyse the relative importance of the various factors which affect the acceptance of lesser-known Tropical Hardwood species. Two different groups of factors were analysed, physical/technical factors and marketing factors, emphasis was placed on the second group. To achieve the above stated objective, it was regarded as essential to examine the two main market intermediaries, the merchants/importers and the end-users. Therefore, two main surveys were conducted: (a) Merchants/importers. The effect of the various marketing efforts on the eventual outcome of lesser-known specie introductions were examined. A further, smaller, survey was found to be necessary on the perception and beliefs of the sales-staff of the importing firms. Their perception of well established and lesser-known species was examined. (b) End-users. The perceptions of various end-users/end-use segments was examined. The underlying reasons which dictate the choice of different species and the influence of the various marketing activities on such decisions were established. The research was based on postal questionnaires (different ones for each survey) which were designed following depth interviews and pilot studies. Following a detailed analysis and interpretation of the replies to the surveys, an attempt has been made to apply these findings in order to design a meaningful marketing strategy. A total marketing plan is proposed and particular emphasis is placed on screening the potential of lesser-known species and the communication mix to be used during the stages of introduction. One of the main findings was the degree of uniqueness of each particular introduction of a lesser-known specie. This finding, together with the structure of the customers of each merchant and the finding that what constitutes a lesser-known specie is a matter of perception, presented a very complex matrix of alternative marketing strategies. But one thing which has become clear is that a well designed framework is absolutely necessary if lesser-known specie(s) are to be marketed successfully

Principals\u27 knowledge of legal issues related to search and seizure issues in Virginia

Today, public school administrators have the responsibility to provide a safe and secure educational environment for all who enter the school building. Amid continued drug use by students and a proliferation of weapons at school, principals at all levels face the unenviable task of maintaining an environment conducive to learning. In order to do so, principals often must balance the need to preserve individual student rights against the need to make schools safe.;The present study was conducted to determine if public school principals in Virginia meet minimum competency levels with respect to their knowledge of search and seizure law, and to compare the knowledge of search and seizure issues by Virginia public school principals with respect to their organizational level (elemcntary/middle/high). The study was designed also to examine theoretical perspectives by administrators as applied to search and seizure issues.;The study involved responses from surveys received from 91 public school principals in Virginia (37% of the 246 randomly sampled elementary, middle, and high school principals). Analysis of data revealed that one-third of the respondents fell below the mean, that 64.8% failed to achieve minimal competency, with no significant difference between building levels. Pragmatism was selected by 92.3% of the respondents as their legal perspective

Colleagues, Competitors, Creators: City Governance Among Peers and Its Implications for Addressing Climate Change.

Since the 1990s, cities have emerged as the vanguard in the cultivation of policy responses to climate change. Many cities throughout the world have offered supportive niches for the development and testing of efforts to address climate change mitigation and adaptation while international efforts failed to provide clear and comprehensive leadership. However, this focus on cities as niches for exceptional efforts in policy innovation risks limiting the discussion about urban climate change policy to cities with exemplary resources, connections, and profiles. With the tide of international negotiations turning towards real mitigation commitments after the 2015 Paris Agreement and the need for adaptation becoming more evident each year, the pursuit of policies to address climate change in all cities will almost inevitably move from the exception to the consensus in the years ahead. What forces will shape this transition and what will it mean for those interested in climate change policy? To help answer these questions, this dissertation sheds light on how local governments influence one another and what the implications of that influence are for the emergence of climate change policies in cities. Over the course of three papers, the dissertation makes the case that not only can the influence that local governments have on one another shape whether or not climate change interventions emerge in cities, but that these intercity relationships represent significant sources of latent capacity for the rapid scaling up of the development and expansion of these interventions. This dissertation argues that cities’ impetus to “keep up” with their peers leads to patterns of policy adoption of climate change interventions that are non-linear – slow to emerge, but potentially quick to proliferate across contexts once they are established. Understanding the influence of local governments on one another’s actions can offer a critical link between analyzing local processes driving local action and understanding the impact that such activities can ultimately have at larger geographic scales.PHDNatural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135913/1/scottkal_1.pd

Doing Kink vs. Being Kinky: A Systematic Scoping Review of the Literature on BDSM Behavior, Orientation, and Identity

This systematic scoping review examines the literature on BDSM/kink as it relates to three core dimensions of sexuality: behavior, orientation, and identity. The main sexuality framework used for defining these dimensions is Sexual Configurations Theory (van Anders, 2015). This search is guided by two research questions. 1) Are there empirical differences between individuals who simply consider BDSM to be something they do (i.e., behavior only) and individuals who consider BDSM to be part of who they are (i.e., kink-identified)? 2) Are there any existing, psychometrically validated, quantitative measures to assess BDSM as an identity component? I hypothesized that a model where some overlap (in language use and conceptualization) in these distinct but interrelated dimensions would be evident. I conducted a search using various combinations of the terms BDSM, kink, identity, behavior, and orientation; 60 articles were identified and coded into three categories (i.e., behavior, orientation, identity). My hypothesis was confirmed. Furthermore, six themes emerged: 1) BDSM behavior as a tool for assessing engagement with BDSM, 2) BDSM as serious leisure/adult play, 3) BDSM fantasy as orientation to BDSM, 4) BDSM as a tool for exploration, 5) BDSM role identification as a cornerstone of BDSM identity development, and 6) BDSM community engagement as important to BDSM identify development. Additionally, empirical assessment of BDSM identity relies heavily on measures created on a case-by-case basis, as no psychometrically validated assessment of BDSM identity exists. For individuals interested or involved in BDSM, some are drawn to it as a behavior; some fantasize about it but do not practice it often or ever; for some, it is an important and inseparable part of their sexual identity. Important differences exist between these groups (e.g., ten Brink et al., 2021), and research on BDSM would benefit greatly from further investigation of these constructs

Spellbinding Effects of the Acidic COOH-Terminus of Factor Va Heavy Chain on Prothrombinase Activity and Function

Human factor Va (hfVa) is the important regulatory subunit of prothrombinase. Recent modeling data have suggested a critical role for amino acid Arg of hfVa for human prothrombin (hPro) activation by prothrombinase. Furthermore, it has also been demonstrated that hfVa has a different effect than that of bovine fVa on prethrombin-1 activation by prothrombinase. The difference between the two cofactor molecules was also found within the Asn-Arg dipeptide in the human factor V (hfV) molecule, which is replaced by the Asp-Glu sequence in bfV. As a consequence, we produced a recombinant hfV (rhfV) molecule with the substitution NR→DE. rhfV together with the wild-type molecule (rhfV) were expressed in COS7 cells, purified, and tested for their capability to function within prothrombinase. Kinetic studies showed that the of rhfVa for human fXa as well as the and of prothrombinase made with rhfVa for hPro activation were similar to the values obtained following hPro activation by prothrombinase made with rhfVa. Remarkably, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses of hPro activation time courses demonstrated that the rate of cleavage of hPro by prothrombinase reconstituted with rhfVa was significantly delayed with substantial accumulation of meizothrombin, and delayed thrombin generation, when compared to activation of hPro by prothrombinase made with rhfVa. These unanticipated results provide significant insights on the role of the carboxyl-terminal end of the heavy chain of hfVa for hPro cleavage and activation by prothrombinase and show that residues NR regulate at least in part the enzyme-substrate/product interaction during fibrin clot formation

Book Review: The Psychology of Human Sexuality, 2nd ed., Justin J. Lehmiller

Sex education is important both to individuals and to overall public health outcomes. In the United States, sex education curriculum is not guided by any federal standards, meaning materials and approaches vary widely. Drawing inspiration and evidence from countries with successful sexuality education standards, we know that comprehensive, evidence-based methods are the most effective for improving health outcomes across myriad domains. Materials that are guided by this standard of empirical basis should be identified and used in conjunction with other tools for providing responsible and effective sex education. This is a review of one such undergraduate textbook: \textit{The Psychology of Human Sexuality} (Lehmiller, 2018). Lehmiller’s (2018) textbook is not only guided by a rigorous commitment to empirical basis and medical accuracy, but features an understanding of the roles of psychological, social, and cultural issues in sexual development and behavior that other sexuality textbooks lack. Additionally, the intentional tone of sex-positivity and attempts at inclusivity present in this textbook set it apart from its counterparts. Benefits and shortcomings to this approach are discussed

Will cryptographically enhanced commerce lead to a better world or make it more unequal?

Web 3.0 is meant to describe a new set of technology developments for the internet that are moving the pendulum back to a more decentralised environment, away from walled gardens such as Apple, Facebook, and Google. But the jury is still out on whether cryptographically enhanced commerce will be positive or negative for improving equity, diversity, and inclusion in societies and organisations. Thomas Kalafatis and Richard Nesbitt explain how having a better world or a more unequal one depends on how cryptographically enabled techniques are rolled out across software and finance