Love triangle

Documentary.Author biography: Lauren Kirby is a freelance radio producer whose work has appeared on Voice of America and on the programs Weekend America and Making Contact. She is currently working on editing an audio diary she made about the 9-week teacher training course at Bikram Yoga in Palm Springs, CA. [2009]In this episode of The Missouri Review podcast, we present the winner of the 'Documentary' category of our 2008 Audio/Video Competition, 'Love triangle' by Lauren Kirby--Publisher's Web site

Do You See What I See? Perception and Social Construction of Academic Success between Student-Athletes and Support Services

The current study explores how academic success is defined and socially constructed between athletic academic support professionals and at-risk student-athletes. There continues to be an increase in academic support services provided to student-athletes, including learning specialists, academic advisors, and academic buildings (Wolverton, 2008). Although a significant relationship between support services and academic output of student-athletes has been found (Hollis, 2002; Ridpath, 2010), the relational and communicative dynamics of these groups have not been fully explored. Using qualitative methods, one-on-one interviews were conducted with participants, and grounded theory and thematic analysis were employed to identify overarching themes for the research questions. Academic advisors identified academic achievement and personal development as academic success. Learning specialists identified academic success as maximizing individual potential. Student-athletes identified meeting grade-based standards and work ethic resulting in reaching personal goals as academic success for themselves. Student-athletes also perceived that their advisor would identify eligibility and effort as academic success, and that their learning specialist would view academic success as building academic skills and work ethic. In addition, overarching themes were found to explain how success is socially constructed among these groups. Academic advisors used communication and instrumental support, while learning specialists created accountability through problem solving and aided in socio-emotional development. Student-athletes identified that their advisor provided information and acted as a safety net, while their learning specialist facilitated academic success and helped them develop socio-emotionally. This study adds to research on the professional roles of learning specialists and advisors, explores at-risk student-athletes’ experiences with academic support staff, and identifies how the communication and relational dynamics between these groups may be improved

A Comparative Study of Behavior in Neonate Gartersnakes, Thamnophis butleri and T. radix (Colubridae), in an Area of Potential Hybridization

An isolated population of Butler’s gartersnake, Thamnophis butleri (Colubridae), in southeastern Wisconsin has recently been listed as Threatened by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. One of the possible reasons for the decline of T. butleri in Wisconsin is pressure from a closely related species, the plains gartersnake, T. radix. The possibility of hybridization between T. butleri and T. radix has received recent attention because T. butleri is threatened in the area where the hybridization may be occurring. This study addresses the issue of hybridization by studying the behavior of neonatal T. butleri born to females originating from areas where the ranges of the species overlap (southeastern Wisconsin), as well as from areas outside the range of T. radix (Michigan and northern Ohio). Neonatal T. radix from northern Illinois were used as a T. radix “control”. Pregnant females were collected from 4 counties in southeastern Wisconsin, with the southernmost county closest to the range of T. radix. I examined antipredator behavior, prey chemosensory responses, prey preference, and morphological size traits. Several hypotheses have been put forth as to the interactions that occur when two species are sympatric, including character displacement, the importance of local ecology, and gene flow. Morphological and genetic evidence support the hypothesis of gene flow between T. butleri and T. radix, but this hypothesis has yet to be tested with only behavioral data. I had several predictions concerning the hypothesis of hybridization in these species: (1) the behaviors of T. butleri in Wisconsin would differ from the behaviors of Michigan and Ohio T. butleri in the direction of being more like T. radix; (2) the behaviors of T. butleri from the different counties and populations in Wisconsin would differ from one another; (3) T. butleri from the northern part of the Wisconsin range, further removed from the range of T. radix, would show behaviors more like Michigan T. butleri and less like T. radix than would T. butleri from the southern part of their range in Wisconsin. Michigan and Ohio T. butleri were heavier and longer than Wisconsin T. butleri, thus making the Wisconsin snakes less like T. radix. Populations within southeastern Wisconsin differed, and snakes from the population closest to T. radix were greater in length and mass than snakes from the population furthest from the range of T. radix. Snakes from Wisconsin were found to be more similar in body condition to T. radix than to Michigan and Ohio T. butleri. Differences were found in antipredator behaviors across the populations of T. butleri from southeastern Wisconsin, with snakes from the population closest to the range of T. radix striking more frequently and therefore more similar to the T. radix studied than to Michigan and Ohio T. butleri. Thamnophis butleri from Michigan and Ohio were more likely to flee than T. butleri from southeastern Wisconsin. Within Wisconsin populations, snakes further removed from T. radix were more likely to flee, and were therefore more similar to Michigan and Ohio T. butleri. Chemosensory preferences of the snakes also differed among the populations of T. butleri from southeastern Wisconsin. Snakes from the southernmost population showed a chemosensory preference for fish over worms, whereas snakes from the northern part of the range showed a chemosensory preference for worms over fish. Hence, the behaviors of T. butleri from the southern part of their range in Wisconsin, closer to the range of T. radix, are more similar to T. radix than are the behaviors of T. butleri elsewhere in their range. The implications of these findings for the conservation and genetic study of Wisconsin T. butleri are discussed

Understanding how law enforcement agencies share information in an intelligence-led environment: How operational context influences different approaches

PurposeThe importance of multi-agency information sharing is recognised as central to tackling crime and disorder in an intelligence-driven environment. However, whilst technology can facilitate and enhance this process, barriers to effective agency information exchange are consistently reported. This paper aims to categorise how information sharing takes place in a law enforcement operational setting and whether there is scope to improve the process.Design/methodology/approachThere were two stages to the method; firstly, a select group of practitioners with intelligence-related experience (n = 28) were interviewed to identify the most common approaches to operational information sharing. This generated a categorisation model, which was tested with a larger group of practitioners (n = 73). A mixed-methods approach was adopted.FindingsThe research found consensus surrounding four different approaches to information sharing, labelled as: (1) inform and request, (2) meet and share, (3) customised database and (4) integrated systems. These are used at various levels of frequency, dependent on the operational context.Originality/valueThis research provides original evidence-based research to show law enforcement practitioners vary in the way they share information. By demystifying and categorising the process, it provides understanding for practitioners, policymakers and researchers, allowing barriers to be more readily tackled in a much more cost-effective manner

Transferable Writing Strategies, Individualizing Learning

Our group’s hope is to develop a unit of writing instruction that invites a variety of specific instructional strategies, so that she can encourage individual students to meet their potential and transfer their knowledge from project to project, from class to class, and from high school to college

Individuals, communities, and sound change:An introduction

Do individual differences affect sound change? Traditional approaches to phonetic and phonological change typically downplay differences between the individuals who make up a speech community that is undergoing change, but this has been questioned in recent years in a number of ways from within several distinct traditions of research. The articles in the Glossa Special Collection to which this article is an introduction consider the extent to which individual differences (at a psychological, sociological, physiological, genetic and/or behavioral level) between the members of a speech community might or might not be important in explaining the general properties of sound change. This introduction places these articles in context, considers what we might mean by ‘sound change’ and ‘individual differences’, and aims to build a synthesis of the current research landscape in the area

From Exams to Assignments: towards a more authentic assessment in the Science of Radiotherapy

Although timed exams have their strengths and merit, assignment style assessments in the Science of Radiotherapy have proved to be of greater worth than originally imagined. When a change in assessment type was necessary due to the recent pandemic, conventional wisdom suggested an online scheduled exam might be the easiest move for what previously were always scheduled and timed written exams. This was the case for a number of our Science for Radiotherapy and Oncology Modules within the School of Health Sciences. But the opportunity was taken to evaluate assignment style assessments to test relevant knowledge and understanding, as before, but with the added advantage of being able to create more authentic style assessments – ones which painted real, detailed and relevant clinical scenarios which are part and parcel of modern clinical radiotherapy. This required students to go beyond reproducing class materials to demonstrate a depth of understanding and connectedness from various parts of the syllabus and, in the more advanced modules, bring to bear significant critique and critical appraisal skills from course materials and the peer-reviewed evidence base. The style of teaching also needed to change to accommodate this new style of assessment and to allow students to demonstrate their fullest learning throughout the modules. This approach has been extremely well received; and a full range of abilities from each cohort and commendation from external examiners have been drawn out through the assignments. The approach, structure, style and results from the last three years will be demonstrated within this poster

A service evaluation of 2D planar vs 3D volumetric on-treatment verification for radiotherapy to the upper gastrointestinal tract

INTRODUCTION On-treatment verification using image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) techniques is fundamental in upper GI radiotherapy for ensuring treatment accuracy. Strategies may include 2D kV planar and 3D kV volumetric cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging, but required frequencies are under debate. There is currently no national UK imaging standard with many departments adopting their own local protocols. Therefore, understanding potential differences between the modalities and their impact on plan objectives is important. METHODS The aim of this service evaluation was to determine the validity of 2D kV planar imaging compared with 3D volumetric kV-CBCT imaging for correcting patient set-up errors. This was investigated through retrospective assessment of various region of interest (ROI) boxes on 150 CBCT images of 50 patients, by examining any significant differences between bony anatomy and soft tissue matching. Discrepancies in different translational parameters and anatomical distinctions were calculated and a pilot dosimetric assessment was conducted to determine whether 2D kV planar imaging was sufficient or whether daily 3D kV CBCT imaging was warranted to meet plan objectives. RESULTS The key findings of this study were; (a) Inter-observer variability when conducting a bone match is minimal. (b) The greatest difference in patient set-up error correction between a bone and soft tissue match, occurred in the longitudinal direction, for patients with tumours of the lower oesophagus and GOJ/stomach. (c) Only a small percentage of patients required a re-plan or a change to daily CBCT imaging during their treatment course. (d) Only 14% of the overall study cohort had a mean systematic difference in couch shifts between the bone and soft tissue match of +/-0.3cm or greater over the course of treatment. (e) The pilot dosimetry assessment showed that even for the ‘worst-case’ mean systematic difference reported between a bone and soft tissue match, a bone match was sufficient to achieve plan objectives. CONCLUSION The acquisition of 2D kV planar images is a quick and straightforward method of performing on-treatment verification and can be considered an accurate modality for the correction of patient set-up errors in upper GI radiotherapy. Although the value of kV-CBCT imaging for providing indispensable soft tissue detail is well understood, the evidence suggests that the additional concomitant dose factor may not be justified for daily use in this patient group if not deemed absolutely necessary and that kV planar imaging is a sufficient alternative that can be conducted with a reduced dose to the patient