The Distribution of Revenues From State-Collected Consumer Taxes

Värdegrundsarbetet i förskolan där genus och likabehandling står i fokus är ett ämne som skall arbetas aktivt med och det var detta som var grunden i underökning. Undersökningen utgick ifrån två frågor som handlade om pedagogernas kompetens i genusvetenskap samt vilka genuspedagogiska strategier som de använde i arbetet med barnen. För att undersöka detta så valde jag att använda mig av en halvstrukturerad enkät där de flesta frågorna var av öppen karaktär för att kunna fånga vad pedagogernas kunskap om de olika genusvetenskapliga begreppen. De slutna frågorna fångade vilka genuspedagogiska strategier som pedagogerna använde i sitt arbete med barnen. 40 enkäter delades ut till pedagogerna i ett rektorsområde. Från resultatdelen kunde det utläsas att det var många olika definitioner på de genusvetenskapliga begreppen och att flertalet av pedagogerna inte hade samma syn som forskningen kring om det beror på det sociala eller det biologiska när barnen positionerar sig som pojkar eller flickor. Resultatet visade också att endast ett fåtal pedagogerna använder sig av det komplicerande och normkritiska arbetssättet med barnen och att lite fler än hälften tycker att de har tillräckligt med kunskap för att arbeta med genus. Slutsatser som kunde dras från resultaten från enkäten är att pedagogernas kompetenser i de genusvetenskapliga begreppen är på olika nivå och att de varierar väldigt mycket. Därför drog jag den slutsatsen att det är därför som det komplicerande och normkritiska arbetet inte används i arbetet med genus i förskolan. Ändå så ansåg flertalet av de pedagoger som inte arbetade med det komplicerande och normkritiska arbetet att de ändå hade tillräckligt med kunskap i genus. Kompetens i ett ämne gör att det är möjligt att ta ut svängarna, att verkligen se hur barnen gör genus i barngruppen och att ifrågasätta normer i samhället tillsammans med barnen

Evaluating research - Peer review team assessment and journal-based bibliographic measures: New Zealand PBRF research output scores in 2006

This paper concerns the relationship between the assessment of the research of individual academics by peer or expert review teams with a variety of bibliometric schemes based on journal quality weights. Specifically, for a common group of economists from New Zealand departments of economics the relationship between Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) Research Output measures for those submitting new research portfolios in 2006 are compared with evaluations of journal based research over the 2000-2005 assessment period. This comparison identifies the journal weighting schemes that appear most similar to PBRF peer evaluations. The paper provides an indication of the ‘power or aggressiveness’ of PBRF evaluations in terms of the weighting given to quality. The implied views of PBRF peer review teams are also useful in assessing common assumptions made in evaluating journal based research

Occupational complexity and lifetime cognitive abilities

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between complexity of main lifetime occupation and cognitive performance in later life. METHODS: Occupational complexity ratings for data, people, and things were collected from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles for 1,066 individuals (men = 534, women = 532) in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. IQ data were available from mean age 11 years. Cognitive ability data across the domains of general ability, processing speed, and memory were available at mean age 70 years. RESULTS: General linear model analyses indicated that complexity of work with people and data were associated with better cognitive performance at age 70, after including age 11 IQ, years of education, and social deprivation. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings are supportive of the differential preservation hypotheses that more stimulating environments preserve cognitive ability in later life, although the continued effects into old age are still debated. Studies that have early-life cognitive ability measures are rare, and the current study offers interesting prospects for future research that may further the understanding of successful aging

The glycocalyx: The gatekeeper to the endothelium

The endothelial glycocalyx (EG) is a carbohydrate-rich scaffold of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans on the luminal surface of endothelial cells. The main proteoglycans are the syndecans (Figure 1). These structures are transmembrane and play a role in transmitting shear stress signals to the cytoskeleton of the endothelial cell and also changing their binding capacity according to intracellular signalling pathway activation. They also provide an anchor for glycocoaminoglycans such as heparan sulfate. Another important glycosaminoglycan is hyaluronan, which weaves its way through the glycocalyx and is anchored by cell surface receptors such as CD44

The Rise of Accelerated Seasoned Equity Underwritings

Seasoned equity offerings (SEOs) executed through accelerated underwritings have increased global market share recently, raising over $850 billion since 1998, and now account for over half (two-thirds) of the value of U.S. (European) SEOs. We examine 31,242 global SEOs, executed during 1991-2004, which raise over$2.9 trillion for firms and selling shareholders. Compared to fully marketed deals, accelerated offerings occur more rapidly, raise more money, and require fewer underwriters. Importantly, accelerated deals reduce total issuance cost by about 250 basis points. Accelerated deals sell equal fractions of primary and secondary shares, whereas in traditional SEOs primary shares dominate. Announcement period returns are comparable for traditional and accelerated offerings, while secondary and mixed offerings trigger more negative market responses than do primary offerings. We conclude that this rapid, worldwide shift towards accelerated underwriting creates a spot market for SEOs, and represents the long-predicted shift towards an auction model for seasoned equity sales.Equity Offerings, Underwriting, Investment Banking

The dilemma of response among early childhood educators to rough-and tumble play in educational settings: Moving beyond expectations and rediscovering play

Early childhood educators often may struggle to find appropriate responses to rough-and-tumble play due to its unpredictable and risky nature. This case study examines the challenge of how two early childhood special educators in two inclusive public preschool classrooms make decisions about rough-and-tumble play for 4-year-old children. The stories presented are descriptive and based in an ecological context. Through the triangulation of interview, anecdotal observations, and frequency counts, three major themes of Teacher Beliefs, Context, and Teacher Reflection and Awareness emerged, illustrating the complex phenomenon of teacher response to rough-and-tumble play in inclusive settings. Analysis of the data revealed that inclusive preschool teachers utilize methods that support language, peer interaction, physical growth and safety when guiding young children with special needs in rough-and-tumble play interactions