Female participation increases and gender segregation. ESRI WP564, May 2017

This article examines the impact of a large increase in female participation on occupational segregation. Increases in female participation may decrease occupational segregation if women enter male dominated sectors but may increase segregation if they enter already female dominated sectors. Using Ireland as a test case due to the recent large increase in female participation rates, we firstly carry out a decomposition analysis between 1991 and 2006 and find that the rise in female employment was driven predominantly by increased demand while between one tenth and one fifth of the rise was due to women increasing their share of occupational employment. Formal measures of segregation show that occupational segregation fell over this time period. The formal measures of segregation show that the level of occupational grouping is important with stagnation or smaller falls in segregation using a broad occupational grouping and sharper falls using a more detailed occupational grouping. Our findings support previous U.S. research that found a rise in female participation resulted in a decline in occupational segregation

All gates lead to smoking: The ‘gateway theory’, e-cigarettes and the remaking of nicotine

The idea that drug use in 'softer' forms leads to 'harder' drug use lies at the heart of the gateway theory, one of the most influential models of drug use of the twentieth century. Although hotly contested, the notion of the 'gateway drug' continues to rear its head in discussions of drug use-most recently in the context of electronic cigarettes. Based on a critical reading of a range of texts, including scholarly literature and media reports, we explore the history and gestation of the gateway theory, highlighting the ways in which intersections between academic, media and popular accounts actively produced the concept. Arguing that the theory has been critical in maintaining the distinction between 'soft' and 'hard' drugs, we turn to its distinctive iteration in the context of debates about e-cigarettes. We show that the notion of the 'gateway' has been transformed from a descriptive to a predictive model, one in which nicotine is constituted as simultaneously 'soft' and 'hard'-as both relatively innocuous and incontrovertibly harmful

Implementation of a One-to-One iPod Touch Program in a Middle School

The purpose of this study is to investigate the implementation of a whole school one-to-one iPod Touch project in a middle school in the southeastern United States. While some focused studies have been undertaken in this new field of learning, there has been little research to date that documents activity within a whole school implementation (Chen, Kao, & Sheu, 2003; Conti-Ramsden, Durkin, & Simkin, 2010). Using Rogers\u27 (1963, 2003) theory of diffusion of innovation as a lens for this research, we gathered data from observations, focus groups, and interviews. Our findings indicated that teachers focused on internet-based research activities, formative assessment, innovative practices, and remediation, but they often had difficulty finding appropriate applications. Teachers and students were both positive and critical regarding efficacy of this device in middle schools. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.

An Integrated Study Investigating Masticated Fuel Treatments in the Rocky Mountains

Many coniferous forests in the western US once supported frequent, low intensity fires, but due to a century of fire exclusion and other factors, severe wildfires have now become common. With the goal of lowering fire intensities and severities, one possible fuel treatment that is currently gaining favor in with many land managers is mastication which breaks, shreds, or grinds canopy (seedlings, saplings and pole trees) and surface fuel (fine and coarse woody material) into smaller sizes and deposits the treated fuel on the ground. However, very little is known concerning the effects of this treatment on the resulting fire behavior, vegetation community, and ecosystem responses. Managers need to be aware of the beneficial and adverse effects of mastication to more effectively manage ecosystems. The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of masticated fuels on various ecosystem processes and characteristics with the following objectives • Describe the characteristics and properties of masticated fuelbeds • Develop a sampling protocol to estimate the loading of masticated fuelbed • Describe fire behavior in burning masticated fuelbeds • Evaluate the effects of masticated fuelbed on the ecosystem We have established study sites on the Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico; San Juan National Forest, Colorado; and Kootenai National Forest, Montana. Each site contains control, masticate, masticate and burn, and burn only units. As of fall 2008, all sites had received the mastication treatment but none had been prescribed burned. We found that a cover-depth sampling protocol was the best option for quantifying masticated fuel loadings and mastication reduced canopy fuels by approximately 30-50 percent

Listening to the voices of boys in dance

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Professional Doctorate in Education.This thesis examines how child-centred research illuminates complex and intertwined social dynamics for boys in dance. Male involvement in dance has been compared to effeminacy and homosexuality (Owen and Riley, 2020b), which has marginalised male participation. In doing so, dance has been distanced from orthodox masculinity, which is framed in heterosexuality, homophobia, and anti-femininity identities. The pressure to perform within such boundaries has impacted upon gendered and sexual identities. Nonetheless, an attitudinal revolution under the guise of inclusive masculinity theory (Anderson, 2009) maintains more liberal masculine identities are emerging. My research questions therefore ask: (i) what evidence of inclusive masculinity is present in primary aged boys? (ii) how do primary age boys perform masculinities in dance? (iii) What do boys aspire for within lessons to encounter meaningful dance through PE? These questions were answered through data from two case study schools in the West Midlands region of England. The study built on the ‘write, draw, show and tell’ (WDST) method (Noonan et al., 2016) and added the innovative use of ‘emojis’ to create the write, draw, show, tell and emoji’ (WDSTE) approach. Over a four month duration, observations, focus group interviews using WDSTE, and photo-elicitation, with 18 Year Five and Six (ages 9-11) boys were deployed. The boys’ visual and verbal data was thematically analysed (Braun and Clarke, 2006) giving insight into three themes, including the freestyling of masculinity, embodying inclusive masculinity and inquiry, and embodied learning in dance. Boys resisted hegemonic ideals, instead displaying increasing normalcy of homosocial tactility with other boys (Anderson and McCormack, 2014) as a means to cope in dance. The data demonstrated desired ownership over the content and increased social connectedness through collaborative activities. My thesis illustrated that contemporary masculinity is continuing to evolve and boys are not trapped by the stigmatisation of their interest in dance or physical closeness with other boys. I argue with, and for, boys, who saw a need to vocalise for more equitable practices in dance, where they aspired to be supported meaningfully to become competent. This thesis draws attention to the interest that boys hold towards dance and the need for educational purposes of dance to be mindfully considered to support holistic growth in primary school dance

Study in supply chain design

Thesis (M. Eng. in Logistics)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2011.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-83).Corporations are increasingly looking at ways to incorporate environmental sustainability initiatives into their businesses to lower operating costs and improve the value of their brands for customers that expect higher social responsibility from corporations. These environmental initiatives, often called "win-win" for their dual effect on long-term shareholder value, are easy to identify but often hard to incorporate into existing operations. One such initiative in the retail industry involves delivering products to customers in reusable plastic cartons, rather than corrugated cardboard. One of the largest challenges when designing and implementing this type of supply chain system is developing a reverse logistics strategy that ensures carton return by the consumers, whom the corporation must convince to participate in closing the logistics loop. This thesis analyzes a pilot program conducted by a consumer products company, referred to as the Sponsor, where reusable plastic cartons were used to deliver orders to one of their corporate customers. Process mapping, qualitative interviews, and data analysis were utilized to understand factors contributing to the unacceptably high rate of carton attrition. Using the results of this analysis, two new design tracks are proposed for the delivery of the Sponsor's products at MIT. One design relies on the current operating systems and structures to minimize investment by the Sponsor, while the other design is aimed at maximizing effort to optimize the system. The proposed programs consider both operational practicalities in the logistical design and communication and incentive efforts that are needed to drive consumer behavior to maximize carton return and lower attrition rates. We believe the recommended implementation of the maximized effort design will result in lower carton attrition, which will provide the necessary proof of concept for the Sponsor to roll the program out to additional customers.by Erin Mulvey Connolly and Emily Keane.M.Eng.in Logistic

Storying challenges in communities

PhD ThesisThe methodology of the thesis guided the research focus. It endeavoured to use a community psychology approach, collaboratively working with Mothers Against Violence (MAV) - a volunteer group based in Moss Side, Manchester. The research question evolved through attendance at MAV meetings, where members expressed concern with how they felt their community was being perceived. Members believed that negative stereotypes had impacted on investment, employment, public services, and opportunities for young people. Five members of MAV were interviewed using semi-structured re-authoring questions from narrative practice. Interviews were evaluated using narrative and thematic analysis techniques. As well as highlighting concerns about perceptions, MAV relayed their community’s attributes including the diverse activities, facilities, volunteers and community groups locally available. They also gave richer descriptions of problematic issues with helpful guidance towards future change. This thesis is introduced with a review of government agendas over the last two administrations, particularly in relation to communities and young people. The discussion considers misrepresentations and dominant narratives circulated about communities facing challenges. These are analysed alongside structural issues such as inequality. The discussion also raises questions about the effectiveness of current government agendas in promoting genuine community consultation. As a developing educational psychologist it is important to be aware of dominant discourses, and how these could impact on judgements being made about the people we work with. Being sensitive to how children, families and communities feel they are storied might encourage more authentic engagement. It is also likely to result in more relevant, collaboratively designed goals and strategies

Heightened inflammasome activation is linked to age-related cognitive impairment in Fischer 344 rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Members of the mammalian nucleotide binding domain, leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing receptor (NLR) family of proteins are key modulators of innate immunity regulating inflammation. Our previous work has shown that among the members of this family, NLRP1/NALP1, present in neurons, plays a crucial role in inflammasome formation and the production of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL) -1β and IL-18 after various types of central nervous system injury.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We investigated whether age-related cognitive decline may involve a heightened inflammatory response associated with activation of the NLRP1 inflammasome in the hippocampus. Young (3 months) and aged (18 months) male Fischer 344 rats were tested in a spatial acquisition task via Morris water maze. Following behavioral testing, hippocampal lysates were assayed for expression of NLRP1 inflammasome components and inflammatory cytokines. Hippocampal lysates from aged rats showed significantly higher levels of NLRP1 inflammasome constituents, caspase-1, caspase-11, the purinergic receptor P2X7, pannexin-1 and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) than lysates from younger animals. Following treatment with probenecid, an inhibitor or pannexin-1, aged animals demonstrated reduction in inflammasome activation and improvement in spatial learning performance.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our behavioral findings are consistent with increases in IL-1β and IL-18 that have been previously shown to correlate with spatial learning deficits. Probenecid reduced activated caspase-1 and ameliorated spatial learning deficits in aged rats. Thus, aging processes stimulate activation of the NLRP1 inflammasome and secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 that may contribute to age-related cognitive decline in the growing elderly population. Moreover, probenecid may be potentially useful as a therapy to improve cognitive outcomes in the aging population.</p