Opaline Microfossils in Some Michigan Soils

Author Institution: Department of Agronomy, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinoi

Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Projections for the National Park Service

Over one quarter of the units of the National Park System occur along ocean coastlines. Ongoing changes in relative sea levels and the potential for increasing storm surges due to anthropogenic climate change and other factors present challenges to national park managers. This report summarizes work done by the University of Colorado in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) to provide sea level rise and storm surge projections to coastal area national parks using information from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and storm surge scenarios from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) models. This research is the first to analyze IPCC and NOAA projections of sea level and storm surge under climate change for U.S. national parks. Results illustrate potential future inundation and storm surge under four greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. In addition to including multiple scenarios, the analysis considers multiple time horizons (2030, 2050 and 2100). This analysis provides sea level rise projections for 118 park units and storm surge projections for 79 of those parks. Within the National Park Service, the National Capital Region is projected to experience the highest average rate of sea level change by 2100. The coastline adjacent to the Outer Banks Group of parks in the Southeast Region is projected to experience the highest sea level rise by 2100. The Southeast Region is projected to experience the highest storm surges based on historical data and NOAA storm surge models. These results are intended to inform park planning and adaptation strategies for resources managed by the National Park Service. Sea level change and storm surge pose considerable risks to infrastructure, archeological sites, lighthouses, forts, and other historic structures in coastal units of the national park system. Understanding projections for continued change can better guide protection of such resources for the benefit of long-term visitor enjoyment and safety

Integrating Writing in the Middle-Level Mathematics Classroom: An Action Research Study

Discourse in mathematics refers to the written and oral communication that occurs in the mathematics classroom. Yet, in many classrooms in the United States, writing is often taught remotely in the classroom of a language arts teacher. In this action research project, our focus was on improving students’ written expressions and explanations in the middle-level mathematics classroom. The purpose of this action research was to examine and evaluate the effect writing has on students’ mathematical thinking processes and skills. Over the course of eight weeks, students were presented with various writing assignments in mathematics. Students were given approximately 20 minutes to brainstorm, reflect, and complete their journal prompts each day. Math journaling during the mathematical workshop appeared to have a positive effect on student motivation as well as to increase conceptual understanding. Based on the results of this study implications are provided for future research and classroom practice

Compact low power infrared tube furnace for in situ X-ray powder diffraction.

We describe the development and implementation of a compact, low power, infrared heated tube furnace for in situ powder X-ray diffraction experiments. Our silicon carbide (SiC) based furnace design exhibits outstanding thermal performance in terms of accuracy control and temperature ramping rates while simultaneously being easy to use, robust to abuse and, due to its small size and low power, producing minimal impact on surrounding equipment. Temperatures in air in excess of 1100 °C can be controlled at an accuracy of better than 1%, with temperature ramping rates up to 100 °C/s. The complete "add-in" device, minus power supply, fits in a cylindrical volume approximately 15 cm long and 6 cm in diameter and resides as close as 1 cm from other sensitive components of our experimental synchrotron endstation without adverse effects

Pharmacological Approaches For the Management of Patients with Moderately Elevated Triglycerides (150-499 mg/dL)

Hypertriglyceridemia, defined as serum triglyceride (TG) levels \u3e 150 mg/dL, now affects over one-quarter of the U.S. adult population and is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Available guidelines for managing hypertriglyceridemia vary with respect to triglyceride thresholds and severity of disease. Lifestyle modifications and management of secondary causes (e.g., diabetes) remain the first step in managing hypertriglyceridemia, with pharmacotherapy reserved to reduce the risk of pancreatitis and/or further reduce TG levels. Several classes of lipid-lowering agents are available with variable TG-lowering efficacy. While there is no consensus regarding the choice of initial TG-lowering pharmacotherapy, there is general agreement that the decision depends on the degree of hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. This review will discuss available and emerging lipid-lowering therapies for the management of moderately elevated TG, defined as TG 150-499 mg/dL

Practical Considerations for Using Exploratory Factor Analysis in Educational Research

The uses and methodology of factor analysis are widely debated and discussed, especially the issues of rotational use, methods of confirmatory factor analysis, and adequate sample size. The variety of perspectives and often conflicting opinions can lead to confusion among researchers about best practices for using factor analysis. The focus of the present review is to clarify terminology, identify key issues, and clarify areas of debate regarding best practices and functions of factor analytic procedures., The conclusions and implications drawn should be useful to researchers in education, psychology, and cognate social fields who employ factor analytic procedures or evaluate research using factor analytic methods. Accessed 27,993 times on https://pareonline.net from March 05, 2013 to December 31, 2019. For downloads from January 1, 2020 forward, please click on the PlumX Metrics link to the right

Relationship of Objectively-Measured Habitual Physical Activity to Chronic Inflammation and Fatigue in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Habitual (non-exercise) physical activity (PA) declines with age, and aging-related increases in inflammation and fatigue may be important contributors to variability in PA