Understanding Synesthesia and Impact for Learning

Synesthesia is a neurological disorder that has to do with the ‘union of the senses.’ The literature reveals that students with synesthesia are affected with various degrees of severity. Students may hear a bell ring. Their brain is wired to take that sound and interpret it differently, through color, texture, taste, sound or temperature among other things. While some people hear a bell, others may also experience the activation of another sense. The difficulties these students exhibit involves longer processing or thinking time to sort out the extra stimulus. Limiting sound environments and other visual cues like color coding to help these students to comprehend what is going on around them, particularly in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to identify and document the experience through the use of a case study, and describe the challenges an individual faces under these circumstances. Jessica, a young adult who served as the focus of this case study, shares her first person experience of what it is like to cope with synesthesia. Jessica exhibits other forms of synesthesia including grapheme to color, time units to color such as weekday to color, month to color, spatial sequences, pain to color and numbers to personalities. Data from her first person experience and childhood was the subject of the study. Data of her experiences from childhood into adulthood were gathered and analyzed. The findings suggest that Jessica continues to consistently demonstrate over a period of 12 years grapheme to color synesthesia. Jessica was tested and retested her over a period of five months and the results demonstrated that her alphabet and numbers to colors stayed consistent during that period of time as well. Jessica’s numbers to personalities stayed consistent although she used different words to describe the numbers, but the general personalities stayed consistent over the five-month test and retest. When tested and retested over a six month period Jessica also stated the same time units to color such as weekday to color and month to color. Although this study did not have the capabilities to measure Jessica’s claims of spatial sequences and pain to color Jessica did report it in the test and retest constantly over the five-month period

Validation of Hand-Held Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis for the Assessment of Body Fat in Young and Old Adults

Because of health concerns surrounding overweight and obesity, many individuals, health clubs, and physicians have begun using portable measures of body fat (BF) that are inexpensive and easy-to-use. Based on measures from these devices, health-related decisions are made and progress during fitness and/or dietary programs is tracked. However, accuracy of portable BF devices can be questionable, especially in free-living settings. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the validity and reliability of a commercially-available, hand-held bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device as a measure of BF during a controlled laboratory condition and a free-living condition. Methods: A total of 91 White individuals (41 men, 50 women), ages 19-39 (young group) and 55-75 years (old group), completed the study. During the laboratory visit, body fat measures from the hand-held BIA and to two additional methods, DEXA and tetrapolar BIA, were compared across age and sex when pre-testing guidelines were followed. Participants were then asked to take the hand-held BIA home to complete four free-living BF% measures. A mixed between by within design comparing sex and age groups (between groups variables) across hand-held BIA, tetrapolar BIA and DEXA measurements (within groups variable) was performed to determine whether differences among body fat assessment devices exist. Post-hoc planned comparisons were performed to determine which devices are different in assessing BF among the hand-held BIA, the tetrapolar BIA and the DEXA. Repeated-measures ANOVA with post hoc comparisons were performed to determine differences in BF measures among hand-held BF measures over the free-living day. Results: BF results from the hand-held BIA were significant from DEXA and tetrapolar BIA for the female and young groups. Specifically in the female group, the hand-held BIA underestimated %BF by 2.7 percentage points compared to the DEXA. The tetrapolar BIA also underestimated %BF by 2.5 percentage points compared to the DEXA. In the young group, the hand-held BIA underestimated %BF by 3.5 percentage points compared to the DEXA. The tetrapolar BIA also underestimated %BF by 3.8 percentage points compared to the DEXA. In the male and old groups, there was no significant difference between BF measures from DEXA and hand-held BIA, but significant differences were present between the tetrapolar BIA and hand-held BIA. The hand-held BIA overestimated %BF by 2.6 and 1.9 percentage points in the male and old groups, respectively, as compared to the tetrapolar BIA. Despite the fact that there were statistically significant differences in BF measures from the hand-held BIA and the DEXA, these differences did not exceed the clinically acceptable level (±3.5%). Conclusion: The hand-held BIA device is designed for use by individuals to assess BF level. Although means were not clinically different between the hand-held device and DEXA in all groups, difference scores between devices suggest that the hand-held BIA is not a valid device on an individual level and, therefore, not recommended for the assessment of %BF

Nesting ecology of a population of red-necked grebes in Northwestern Ontario

One of the largest, documented breeding populations of Red-necked Grebes (Podiceps grisegena holboelli) in the world was studied at Whitefish Lake, Ontario in 1993 and 1994. Whitefish Lake (WFL) represents a unique area compared to other study sites that show mostly solitary nesting Red-necked Grebes or a few pairs/lake. The population of nesting Red-necked Grebes at WFL is large for this species. It is also exceptionally dense (mean 1.01 pair per hectare) for this territorial species and could be considered a semi-colonial situation. The mean number of pairs nesting on the lake for 1993 and 1994 was 49 (range 59-39). The objective of the study was to expand on the limited information available on the Red-necked Grebe and to acquire data on nest and nest-site characteristics, egg measurements, clutch size, egg laying period, incubation period, hatching success, and young produced. Census results for 1993 show that peak nesting occurred on 21 June with 59 nests with eggs. Total number of eggs reached a maximum for 1993 at n = 202 for 21 June. Total nests with eggs peaked n = 39 on 22 June, 1994 while total eggs (n = 135) peaked on 30 June, 1994. The population is strongly associated with uncultivated wild rice (Zizania palustris) stands in shallow bays of the lake. Shallow, uniform water depth, and the high productivity of Whitefish Lake provide abundant food and vegetation for grebe breeding activities. Eighty-five percent of 121 nests in 1994 were constructed primarily of wild rice, the most abundant emergent species in the study area. One hundred and six of the 121 (88%) of the nests at Whitefish Lake were floating nests attached to the lake substrate by a column of sub-surface vegetation and detritus. Nest-site selection in Red-necked Grebes is influenced by underwater characteristics such as water depth, availability of nest material and anchors for the nest. Early evidence of future plant emergence, (future) shelter from wind and waves and protection/concealment from predators and some form of anchorage (debris, sticks or logs) evident only from underwater searches. A factorial ANOVA revealed significant differences between nest and non-nest sites for depth and vegetation density. Water depth at nests (57.4 ± 35.3 cm, n = 180) was significantly shallower than non-nest sites (86.9 ± 27.9 cm, n = 120). Overall vegetation density was higher for nest sites than non-nest sites. Mean distance for nearest neighbour for 148 nests at Whitefish Lake was 27.2 ± 30.0 m (range 1.5-185). Aggregation indices calculated from study area indicated that clumping occurred and a simple test of significance for deviation from randomness revealed significant differences for all of eleven sections sampled. Water depth and vegetation density must be considered when evaluating the quality of territory selected by grebes. A study investigating all variables potentially associated with breeding success is recommended. Since aggregations of this size and density are so rare for this grebe species. Whitefish Lake represents a suitable site for future research. There are over 50,000 lakes in Ontario (OMNR) in which only a handful of have been identified to have nesting Red-necked Grebes. Regional and provincial surveys could provide additional data for comparison with Whitefish and other lakes. It is important to establish more specific hypotheses on the habitat and nest site selection of this Grebe and perhaps determine the variables that can be attributed to their breeding success in Ontario

ONBOARDING FACULTY MEMBERS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITHIN THE RESEARCH ENTERPRISE: MAKING A CASE FOR CHANGING BEST PRACTICES

The overall purpose of this study is finding ways to improve the faculty onboarding process. There are specific issues that new research faculty must overcome in order to be contributing members to their university, students, research lab, and field of study. Issues such as managing workflow, complying with internal university/institution policy and external sponsor policy (federal or non-federal) are a few examples of the problems facing research faculty. Failure to properly onboard faculty members has the potential for serious non-compliance consequences. The overall study design consisted of previously surveyed faculty and research administrators to understand the issues with current systems and w changes were needed to improve the process. Additionally, industry professionals and literature were examined in an effort to find the best solution. Analysis and feedback from examining these groups illustrated the need for a robust onboarding option given the complex nature of the Faculty Researcher job type. This updated system consisting of a hybrid method utilizing online and in-person training would onboard faculty during the initial phase and used throughout their professional development within the university/institution

Ammonium uptake and regeneration rates in a coastal upwelling regime

Ammonium uptake and regeneration rates were measured in time course experiments with 15N as a tracer. Both ammonium uptake and regeneration rates measured over 12 to 18 h remained essentially constant. However, as the length of the incubations increased the amount of usable data decreased dramatically due to substrate depletion and recycling of 15N. Mass balance calculations indicated that 22 to 51 % of the ammonium removed from the dissolved pool was not recovered in the particulate fraction. This appeared to be a more serious problem at 0 and 8 m (47%) than at 25 m (22%). As a result, ammonium uptake rates were probably underestimated. At 0, 12, and 20 m uptake rates either balanced or exceeded regeneration rates, while at 8 and 25 m net regeneration occurred. The fastest rates were measured during upwelling-induced phytoplankton blooms, intermediate rates characterized post-bloom conditions and the lowest rates coincided with an active upwelling event. Ammonium uptake rates were highest during the upwelling season (11 to 17 mmol N m-2 d-1) and lowest during the non-upwelling season (3 mmol N m-2 d-1), whereas regeneration rates did not differ significantly between seasons (11 to 20 mmol N m-2 d-1 ).Keywords: Ammonium uptake, Coastal upwelling, Ammonium regeneratio

Resourcing and recognition: Academics\u27 perceptions of challenges experienced embedding work-integrated learning in the curriculum

This paper explores academics\u27 perceptions of work-integrated learning (WIL) resourcing provisions and challenges at one institution to better envisage institutional support for WIL. The study draws on the WIL Curriculum Classification Framework to unpack how support and resourcing aligns to different modes of WIL. This study reports on the perceptions of 95 academics from a range of disciplines, teaching a variety of WIL activities. Findings are organized under core resourcing challenges: workload and recognition; developing WIL; administering and scaling WIL; sustainable management of industry relationships, and; other support requirements. Findings suggest mixed perceptions on WIL resourcing, space for more WIL integration in subjects, and consensus on the under-recognition of WIL work. Findings highlight the invisibility of academics\u27 efforts to embed WIL in curriculum, showing clashes in workload modelling and WIL practices. The study has implications for institutional WIL resourcing and recommends more coherent policies for recognition of WIL work

New Approach Methodologies for the Endocrine Activity Toolbox: Environmental Assessment for Fish and Amphibians

Multiple in vivo test guidelines focusing on the estrogen, androgen, thyroid, and steroidogenesis pathways have been developed and validated for mammals, amphibians, or fish. However, these tests are resource-intensive and often use a large number of laboratory animals. Developing alternatives for in vivo tests is consistent with the replacement, reduction, and refinement principles for animal welfare considerations, which are supported by increasing mandates to move toward an “animal-free” testing paradigm worldwide. New approach methodologies (NAMs) hold great promise to identify molecular, cellular, and tissue changes that can be used to predict effects reliably and more efficiently at the individual level (and potentially on populations) while reducing the number of animals used in (eco)toxicological testing for endocrine disruption. In a collaborative effort, experts from government, academia, and industry met in 2020 to discuss the current challenges of testing for endocrine activity assessment for fish and amphibians. Continuing this cross-sector initiative, our review focuses on the current state of the science regarding the use of NAMs to identify chemical-induced endocrine effects. The present study highlights the challenges of using NAMs for safety assessment and what work is needed to reduce their uncertainties and increase their acceptance in regulatory processes. We have reviewed the current NAMs available for endocrine activity assessment including in silico, in vitro, and eleutheroembryo models. New approach methodologies can be integrated as part of a weight-of-evidence approach for hazard or risk assessment using the adverse outcome pathway framework. The development and utilization of NAMs not only allows for replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal testing but can also provide robust and fit-for-purpose methods to identify chemicals acting via endocrine mechanisms.publishedVersio