Congressional opinions of war change with the events on the battlefield

The Iraq War Resolution of October 2002 was broadly supported in Congress, passing with bipartisan majorities in both chambers (296-133; 77-23), but the conflict rapidly became unpopular, especially with members of the Democratic Party. Drawing on data from the Iraq War, Douglas Kriner examines how members of Congress respond to casualties, both on the national level and within their constituencies. He argues that congressional feelings on a conflict should be of great concern to the president because members of Congress are highly effective at rallying their constituents to support a war

MILITANT ACCELERATIONISM

On November 23, 2022, Mr. Matt Kriner, a Senior Research Scholar at Middlebury University's Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism (CTEC) and Managing Director of the Accelerationism Research Consortium (ARC), presented on Militant Accelerationism. The key points discussed were militant accelerationism, its actors, and the strategies of accelerationist groups to pursue their goals of societal collapse.   Received: 2022-12-05Revised: 2022-12-2

Survival Analysis with Multivariate adaptive Regression Splines

Multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) are a useful tool to identify linear and nonlinear effects and interactions between two covariates. In this dissertation a new proposal to model survival type data with MARS is introduced. Martingale and deviance residuals of a Cox PH model are used as response in a common MARS approach to model functional forms of covariate effects as well as possible interactions in a data-driven way. Simulation studies prove that the new method yields a better fit to the data than the traditional Cox PH approach. The analysis of real data of the German Heart Center on survivors of an acute myocardial infarction also documents the good performance of the method

Perceptions of selected upper elementary public school teachers toward grouping and evaluation of pupil learning progress in reading.

This descriptive study examined the perceptions of teachers toward grouping and evaluation of pupil learning progress in reading. Instructional grouping decisions by teachers were viewed as part of the evaluation function of teaching. Teacher practices in grouping and evaluation were assumed to represent significant classroom level indicators of equity and excellence in the education provided for children. A major priority for the inquiry was to discover whether the evaluation information collected about students lead teachers to change the practice of ability grouping. Three major research questions guided the study: (1) What criteria do teachers report they use to group pupils for instruction in reading? (2) What are teachers\u27 perceptions of the similarities and differences in ways that they evaluate pupil learning progress across instructional groups for reading? (3) What are teachers\u27 perceptions of ways they use data from their evaluation of pupil learning progress in reading? The study adapts assumptions from interpretive and critical theoretical perspectives complemented by a qualitative research design to describe the perceptions of teachers for grouping and evaluating students in reading. Data are drawn from interviews with 23 experienced teachers representing grades 5 and 6 in ten schools in western Massachusetts. Findings indicate that teachers tend to rely on previous teacher recommendations and the results of their own informal assessments as criteria for grouping students by ability within the classroom. Teachers assign students to within-class ability groups during the first few weeks of school. Students tend to remain in the reading groups to which they were initially assigned. Teachers\u27 evaluation methods and performance criteria vary depending on whether they are in a basal or non-basal reading curriculum. Teachers reported that they expect students placed in higher ability groups to proceed at a faster pace through the reading curriculum and to produce written work that was more detailed and of higher quality than students placed in lower ability groups. Teachers report numerous uses of data from pupil evaluation. The primary uses are for communicating with parents and students and for improving instruction. The study concludes that despite the diverse ways that teachers evaluate student learning progress in Reading, little student mobility occurs across the instructional groups, nor does the evaluation data collected by teachers suggest to them a need to change the practice of ability grouping

The Effect of Constant Relative Growth Rate Versus Constant Specific Growth Rate on Oocystis SP

In this study, a strain of Oocystis sp. (S002) was grown using two different growth strategies at three different temperatures (15°C, 20°C, 25°C). One strategy (GS1) kept a constant specific growth rate (µ) and the other (GS2) kept a constant relative growth rate (µ/µmax). In both strategies, the cultures were grown following the protocols of a hybrid growth system. The Dilution Phase is an initial semi-continuous growth phase that involves daily dilutions until set growth criteria are met. Followed by a batch culture growth protocol where the cultures were diluted at the onset of the first day and left to grow for two days (Harvest Phase). Six replicates were grown with samples taken at Dilution and Harvest Phase to study any effects on the physiology of S002. In order to compare the biomass composition, the following analyses were done: CN content, the extracted chl a concentration, lipid concentration using Nile Red stain, and the ash free dry weight. The results of this study indicated that the cultures grown most likely did not undergo nutrient stress except during GS1 at 20°C. Given the results under these conditions, neither GS1 nor GS2 is better than the other at keeping the biomass composition steady across the temperatures or for increasing the biomass and lipid during Harvest Phase of 25°C. However, given the results of this study, GS1 is as effective as GS2 when used in the optimal temperature range of the algal species used for experiments under these conditions

Writer Self-Efficacy and Student Self-Identity in Developmental Writing Classes: a Case Study

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how instructional approaches to teaching developmental writing at a large urban community college foster the development of college students’ self-efficacy regarding academic writing and self-identity as college students. The case study examined the perspectives of four instructors and six students. The research considered: 1) how students experience the development of self-efficacy related to their academic writing; 2) how students experience their self-identity as college students; 3) how writing instructors foster students’ development of self-efficacy as writers; and 4) how writing instructors foster students’ self-identities as college students. The findings of this study provided a description of some of the specific ways students enrolled in developmental writing courses experienced the development of self-efficacy and self-identity. The study illuminated some of the practices that instructors use to facilitate both self-efficacy and self-identity in their approaches to teaching. With regard to students, what emerged in the analysis of this data was a sense that they felt both more empowered toward writing in an academic context and more self-identified as college students. The significance of the study demonstrated that fostering relationships among students and with the institution itself, along with scaffolding and contextualizing assignments, builds effective pathways to student success

Sustained congressional investigations into the president can seriously erode their popular support

Recent years have seen increasing concerns over the influence of presidents on the policymaking process, often bypassing Congress through the use of executive orders. But Congress may not be completely helpless in the face if an ‘imperial presidency’. In new research, Douglas Kriner and Erick Schickler have examined 3,500 investigative hearings from 1953 through 2006 and finds that sustained congressional investigations into the president can be as damaging to their approval rating as a fall in consumer confidence in the economy would be

When it comes to executive actions, Americans’ partisan and policy preferences trump constitutional concerns

Facing a gridlocked Congress, the last 18 months have seen President Obama make increasing use – as promised – of his “pen and phone” to implement policy via executive actions. While Obama has been roundly criticized from the right for taking such unilateral actions, do Americans instinctively oppose them? Using survey experiments to test this question, Dino Christenson and Douglas Kriner find little evidence that Americans oppose unilateral actions as threats to checks and balances. Instead, constitutional concerns are overwhelmed by partisanship and policy preferences. The means through which the president pursues his policy priorities – be it legislation or unilateral action – is largely irrelevant

An analysis of the role of VCT in the prevention of HIV infection in Sub-Saharan Africa : Swakopmund, Namibia case study

Asignment (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research paper looks at the role of VCT (Voluntary Counselling and Testing) services in the prevention of HIV – a growing trend throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The benefits of VCT on the HIV positive segment of the population are clear, i.e. psychosocial support, access to further resources etc. However, the impact of VCT services on the HIV negative segment of society, as a preventive tool, has not been closely studied. Many organizations are implementing HIV workplace programmes but not emphasising voluntary counselling and testing services, often due to the often high cost of these services and the fact that employees miss out on work time in order to be tested. Organizations need to strive to ensure that their HIV positive employees remain healthy enough to work and also that their HIV negative employees remain negative. Behaviour change is at the root of HIV prevention. How to bring about behaviour change, however, still remains a major stumbling block to HIV prevention. This is especially true when looking at the multi-cultural environment in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study was conducted in Swakopmund, Namibia. Data was gathered on individuals voluntarily making use of VCT services. The study focuses on 221 clients who have attended VCT services, tested negative on their initial visit and returned after a three month period for further counselling and testing. Data gathered includes background information, high risk activities, and was gathered during both visits. Information gathered during both visits was then compared and analysed. An analysis of the data has shown that indeed VCT services can produce behaviour change and therefore reduce risk to HIV. Clients returning to the VCT centre for further counselling and testing showed a decrease in high risk activities such as unprotected sex, sex while intoxicated and number of sexual partners. This may help to reshape how we think about VCT and to assist in further integrating VCT services into successful HIV/AIDS management programmes.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing behandel die rol van V.C.T ( Voluntary Counselling and Testing ) – dienste vir die voorkoming van MIV/ VIGS – wat merkbare groei in Sub-Sahara-Afrika toon. Die voordele wat V.C.T vir die MIV – positiewe deel van die bevolking inhou spreek vanself nl. sielkundige hulp, die toegang tot ander hulpbronne ens. Maal hul effek op die MIV negatiewe deel van die gemeenskap is tot hede nog nie van naderby gebestudeer nie. Vele organisasies is tans besig om MIV programme by werkplekke te implimenteer, maar beklemtoon ongelukkig nie vrywillige raadgewing, -voorligting en, -toetsing genoeg nie. Dikwels is dit toe te skryf an die hoë koste, en ook dat werknemers tyd by hulle werk sou verloor om getoets te kan word. Werkgewers behoort te poog dat MIV-positiewe werknemers gesond genoeg bly om werk te kan verrig, en dat MIV- negatiewe werknemers negatief bly. Van die belangrikste aspekte vir MIV-voorkoming en bekamping is gedragspatrone en lewenswyse wat noodwendig sal moet verander. Om hierdie verandering te hulp bewerkstellig is en bly steeds ń groot probleem. Dit geld veral vir die multikulturele bevolking van Suid- Sahara-Afrika. Hierdie studie is in Swakopmund, Namibia gedoen. Data is by individue wat vrywillig van V.C.T.- dienste gebruik maak het, verkry. Die studie fokus op 221 kliente wat hierdie dienste bygewoon het, negatief getoets is met die eerste besoek, en dan na drie maande teruggekeer het vir verdere berading en toetsing. Die data sluit al die kliente se agtergrond inligting, hoë risiko aktiwiteite, en is ingewin by beide besoeke. Die twee stelle inligting is dan vergelyk en geanaliseer. Analise van die data toon dat V.C.T-dienste inderdaad gedragsveranderinge tot vevolg kan he en derhalwe die gevaar van MIV kan verminder. Kliente wat opvolgsbesoeke an die V.C.Tsentrum gebring het, het na voorligting en toetse ń afname in hoë risiko bedrywighede. getoon