Coming of Age in Boston: Out-of-School Time Opportunities for Teens

Synthesizes findings from interviews, surveys, a literature review, and new research on current out-of-school time programs, what teens need and seek, and elements of effective programs. Includes a case study of environmental youth development programs

The City-Region concept in a Scottish context

The concept of the ‘city-region’ has (re)gained prominence in academic discourse, firstly in a functional dimension an explanation of patterns of life and work in the modern space-economy, and secondly in a related politico-cultural dimension via an advocacy of the city-region scale as a loci for political and administrative organisation. As an acknowledgment of the connection between the two dimensions a case study approach was adopted. Firstly, the thesis considered the extent to which Scotland has city-regions in a functional sense, primarily via a quantitative analysis of census origin-destination (home-workplace) data. Secondly, having established that the spatial logic for city-regions was sufficiently robust, the thesis considered the political and organisational feasibility, desirability and relevance of devising arrangements that would facilitate planning and policy-making for city-regions. A series of qualitative semi-structured interviews featuring a cross-section of respondents across three field service case studies (local authorities, healthcare and strategic planning) were undertaken with discussions grounded in the context of Scotland’s pre-existing administrative geography. The interviews were interpreted via a series of governance principles or themes that emerged from a review of relevant literature on the city-region, and a second subsequent review of literature on Scotland’s field service geography. The totality of the quantitative research constituted a comprehensive statement on the significance of city-regions as functional entities, with a ‘spatial mismatch’ evident between Scotland’s functional city-regions and Scotland’s pre-existing geoadministrative structure. With respect to the qualitative research (regional organising capacity and culture and identity) it was concluded that existing cooperative arrangements for city-regions in Scotland are inadequate, but that a fresh approach is necessary due to reluctance amongst many field service units to cooperate across administrative boundaries. This work serves as a reminder that irrespective of any compelling functional evidence, the city-region concept must be able to overcome or adapt to the political and cultural barriers to its practical implementation that inevitably face any normative geoadministrative proposition

Grant Application: Maine Partners For Health In Africa

IPEC Mini-grant application for funding of UNE student project Maine Partners for Health in Africa: Clinical and Public Health Initiatives. The team organized a day long conference in February 2014, The Maine Africa Connection, to bring together UNE community, Maine organizations, members of the public, and practitioners to discuss best practices, challenges, and begin new collaborations for future health projects. Goals of the conference were to gather experts on interdisciplinary approaches to health care for African refugees and immigrants in Maine, educate health providers, administrators, educators, and community members on best practices for refugee health care, and set a foundation for professional collaboration and leadership.https://dune.une.edu/minigrant_meafrica/1000/thumbnail.jp

The genome sequence of the hornet moth, Sesia apiformis (Clerck, 1759)

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Sesia apiformis (the Hornet Moth; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Sesiidae). The genome sequence is 546.8 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 15.4 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 16,358 protein coding genes

The Slothful Claw: Osteology and Taphonomy of \u3cem\u3eNothronychus mckinleyi\u3c/em\u3e and \u3cem\u3eN. graffami\u3c/em\u3e (Dinosauria: Theropoda) and Anatomical Considerations for Derived Therizinosaurids

Nothronychus was the first definitive therizinosaurian discovered in North America and currently represents the most specialized North American therizinosaurian genus. It is known from two species, No. mckinleyi from the Moreno Hill Formation (middle Turonian) in west-central New Mexico, and No. graffami from the Tropic Shale (early Turonian) in south-central Utah. Both species are represented by partial to nearly complete skeletons that have helped elucidate evolutionary trends in Therizinosauria. In spite of the biogeographical and evolutionary importance of these two taxa, neither has received a detailed description. Here, we present comprehensive descriptions of No. mckinleyi and No. graffami, the latter of which represents the most complete therizinosaurid skeleton known to date. We amend previous preliminary descriptions of No. mckinleyi and No. graffami based on these new data and modify previous character states based on an in-depth morphological analysis. Additionally, we review the depositional history of both specimens of Nothronychus and compare their taphonomic modes. We demonstrate that the species were not only separated geographically, but also temporally. Based on ammonoid biozones, the species appear to have been separated by at least 1.5 million years and up to 3 million years. We then discuss the impacts of diagenetic deformation on morphology and reevaluate potentially diagnostic characters in light of these new data. For example, the ulna of No. mckinleyi is curved whereas the ulna of No. graffami was considered straight, a character originally separating the two species. However, here we present the difference as much more likely related to diagenetic compression in No. graffami rather than as a true biologic difference. Finally, we include copies of three-dimensional surface scans of all major bones for both taxa for reference

Detecting West Nile Virus in Owls and Raptors by an Antigen-capture Assay

We evaluated a rapid antigen-capture assay (VecTest) for detection of West Nile virus in oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs, collected at necropsy from owls (N = 93) and raptors (N = 27). Sensitivity was 93.5%–95.2% for northern owl species but <42.9% for all other species. Specificity was 100% for owls and 85.7% for raptors

Un modèle d’admission axé sur l’équité pour le recrutement des étudiants autochtones

Background: With the 2015 publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s calls to action, health professional schools are left grappling with how to increase the recruitment and success of Indigenous learners. Efforts to diversify trainee pools have long looked to quota-based approaches to recruit students from underserved communities, though such approaches pose dilemmas around meaningfully dismantling structural barriers to health professional education. Lessons shared here from developing one multi-layered admissions strategy highlight the importance of equity—rather than equality—in any recruitment for learners from medically underserved communities.&nbsp;&nbsp; Summary: The promotion of fairness in the recruitment of future practitioners is not just a question of equalizing access to, in this case, medical school; it involves recognizing the wider social and structural mechanisms that enable privileged access to the medical profession by members of dominant society. This recognition compels a shift in focus beyond merely giving the disadvantaged increased access to an unfair system, towards building tools to address deeper questions about what is meant by the kind of excellence expected of applicants, how it is to be measured, and to what extent these recruits may contribute to improved care for the communities from which they come.&nbsp; Conclusion:&nbsp;Equity-based approaches to student recruitment move health professional schools beyond the dilemma of recruiting students from marginalized backgrounds who happen to be most similar to the dominant student population. Achieving this requires a complex view of the target population, recognizing that disadvantage is experienced in many diverse ways, that barriers are encountered along a spectrum of access, and that equity may only emerge when a critically, socially conscious approach is embedded throughout institutional practices.Background: Depuis la publication en 2015 d’un appel à l’action de la Commission de vérité et réconciliation du Canada, les établissements de formation en sciences de la santé sont à la recherche de moyens d’accroître le recrutement et la réussite des apprenants autochtones. Les efforts visant à diversifier le bassin d’apprenant sont longtemps été axés sur la mise en place de quotas pour les étudiants issus de communautés mal desservies, mais de telles approches entraînent des choix difficiles quant au démantèlement approprié des obstacles structurels à la formation professionnelle dans le domaine de la santé. Les leçons tirées de l’élaboration d’une stratégie d’admission à plusieurs niveaux montrent l’importance de l’équité – plutôt que de l’égalité – dans tout recrutement d’apprenants issus de communautés défavorisées. Corps du texte&nbsp;: La promotion de l’équité dans le recrutement des futurs praticiens va bien au-delà de la garantie d’un accès égal, dans ce cas, à l’école de médecine; elle passe par la reconnaissance des mécanismes sociaux et structurels plus larges qui donnent aux membres des couches dominantes de la société un accès privilégié à la profession médicale. Cette reconnaissance exige de ne plus se contenter de donner aux personnes défavorisées un meilleur accès à un système injuste, mais à mettre en place des outils permettant de s’attaquer aux problématiques sous-jacentes liées au type d’excellence attendu des candidats, à la manière dont elle doit être mesurée et à la contribution que ces recrues peuvent apporter à l’amélioration des soins pour les communautés dont elles sont issues. Conclusion&nbsp;: Les approches fondées sur l’équité permettent aux écoles professionnelles de santé de dépasser le dilemme du recrutement d’étudiants issus de milieux marginalisés qui se trouvent être les plus semblables à la population étudiante dominante. Pour y parvenir, il faut adopter une vision complexe de la population cible et reconnaître que les désavantages sont vécus de nombreuses manières différentes, qu’il y a tout un éventail d’obstacles à l’accès, et, enfin, que l’équité ne sera pas établie tant qu’on n’aura pas intégré une approche critique et socialement consciente à l’ensemble des pratiques institutionnelles

Integrating Smart Ceiling Fans and Communicating Thermostats to Provide Energy-Efficient Comfort

The project goal was to identify and test the integration of smart ceiling fans and communicating thermostats. These highly efficient ceiling fans use as much power as an LED light bulb and have onboard temperature and occupancy sensors for automatic operationbased on space conditions. The Center for the Environment (CBE) at UC Berkeley led the research team including TRC, Association for Energy Affordability (AEA), and Big Ass Fans (BAF). The research team conducted laboratory tests, installed99 ceiling fans and 12 thermostats in four affordable multifamily housing sites in California’s Central Valley, interviewed stakeholders to develop a case study, developed an online design tool and design guide, outlined codes and standards outreach, and published several papers.The project team raised indoor cooling temperature setpoints and used ceiling fans as the first stage of cooling; this sequencing of ceiling fans and air conditioningreducesenergy consumption, especially during peak periods, while providing thermal comfort.The field demonstration resulted in 39% measured compressor energy savings during the April–October cooling seasoncompared to baseline conditions, normalized for floor area. Weather-normalized energy use varied from a 36% increase to 71% savings, withmedian savings of 15%.This variability reflects the diversity in buildings, mechanical systems, prior operation settings, space types, andoccupants’ schedules,preferences, and motivations. All commercial spaces with regular occupancy schedules (and twoof the irregularly-occupied commercial spaces and one of the homes) showed energy savings on an absolute basis before normalizing for warmer intervention temperatures,and 10 of 13 sites showed energy savings on a weather-normalized basis. The ceiling fans provided cooling for one site for months during hot weather when the coolingequipment failed.Occupants reported high satisfaction with the ceiling fans and improved thermal comfort. This technology can apply to new and retrofit residential and commercial buildings

Book Review Of Leap Of Faith By Danielle Steel

Leap of Faith is a novel by a famous novelist Danielle Steel. Leap of Faith debuted at the New York Times and is listed as the best-selling novel to fifty-two of Danielle Steel. This novel is about a girl from France, she is Marie-Ange Hawkins who lives in a magnificent castle name, Chateau de Marmouton. At the castle, she has childhood like everyone\u27s dream. She has the freedom, security and abundant affection of both parents and her brother. But when Marie-Ange Hawkins is eleven years old, a tragic accident that befell his parents take her happiness. She becomes an orphan and is sent to America to live with a cruel aunt of her father. Alone in a foreign land, Marie-Ange Hawkins becomes slave of agricultural land by her aunt, only her friendship with Billy and her dream to return to the castle of her childhood memories that make Marie-Ange endures. But the magic happens when Marie-Ange is 21 years old. She makes it back to the castle Chateau de Marmouton again and even get a chance to be the hostess which is the new owner of the castle, Comte Bernard de Beauchamp proposed her. But behind his proposal, Comte Bernard de Beauchamp keeps his hidden bad intentions to Marie-Ange Hawkins. In desperation and uncertainty areas around her, Marie-Ange has to find the faith and courage to take her last step to save her love ones and herself. Danielle Steel packed this book with very interesting by a simple writing style and storyline in the 1800s which is different from the usual. This book is quite interesting and deserves to be read as entertainment by teenagers and adults