Physisporinus vitreus: a versatile white rot fungus for engineering value-added wood products

The credo of every scientist working in the field of applied science is to transfer knowledge "from science to market,” a process that combines (1) science (fundamental discoveries and basic research) with (2) technology development (performance assessment and optimization) and (3) technology transfer (industrial application). Over the past 7years, we have intensively investigated the potential of the white rot fungus, Physisporinus vitreus, for engineering value-added wood products. Because of its exceptional wood degradation pattern, i.e., selective lignification without significant wood strength losses and a preferential degradation of bordered pit membranes, it is possible to use this fungus under controlled conditions to improve the acoustic properties of tonewood (i.e., "mycowood”) as well as to enhance the uptake of preservatives and wood modification substances in refractory wood species (e.g., Norway spruce), a process known as "bioincising.” This minireview summarizes the research that we have performed with P. vitreus and critically discusses the challenges encountered during the development of two distinct processes for engineering value-added wood products. Finally, we peep into the future potential of the bioincising and mycowood processes for additional applications in the forest and wood industr

TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE OR TEACHING OBEDIENCE: DO OBEDIENT STUDENTS LEARN BETTER?

This paper aims to identify 1) strategies adopted by teachers to retain students’ attention on the lesson and 2) counter strategies adopted by students in responding to teacher behaviour. The paper is based on data gathered in a leading girls’ school in Colombo. A convenient sample of three Grade Nine classrooms was studied through nonparticipant observations for a period of 20 hours in each classroom. Majority of teachers depended on the ‘authority’ that is traditionally attributed to teachers in Sri Lanka while some others used more ‘democratic’ techniques to retain students’ attention on the lesson. Students were not entirely hostile to the idea of ‘teacher authority’ during a lesson. However, they resisted certain teacher strategies; particularly demands to which adherence was not essential for learning to take place. Students seemed to prefer a democratic style of teaching with the ‘right’ blend of authority as and when necessary

TRANSFERRING KNOWLEDGE OR TEACHING OBEDIENCE: DO OBEDIENT STUDENTS LEARN BETTER?

This paper aims to identify 1) strategies adopted by teachers to retain students’ attention on the lesson and 2) counter strategies adopted by students in responding to teacher behaviour. The paper is based on data gathered in a leading girls’ school in Colombo. A convenient sample of three Grade Nine classrooms was studied through nonparticipant observations for a period of 20 hours in each classroom. Majority of teachers depended on the ‘authority’ that is traditionally attributed to teachers in Sri Lanka while some others used more ‘democratic’ techniques to retain students’ attention on the lesson. Students were not entirely hostile to the idea of ‘teacher authority’ during a lesson. However, they resisted certain teacher strategies; particularly demands to which adherence was not essential for learning to take place. Students seemed to prefer a democratic style of teaching with the ‘right’ blend of authority as and when necessary

Experiments with a spectral tropical cyclone model

July, 1983.Includes bibliographical references.Sponsored by the National Science Foundation ATM-8207563.Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research N00014-83-K-0068

Radial basis function neural networks for modeling growth rates of the basidiomycetes Physisporinus vitreus and Neolentinus lepideus

A radial basis function (RBF) neural network was developed and compared against a quadratic response surface (RS) model for predicting the specific growth rates of the biotechnologically important basidiomycetous fungi, Physisporinus vitreus and Neolentinus lepideus, under three environmental conditions: temperature (10-30°C), water activity (0.950-9.998), and pH (4-6). Both the RBF network and polynomial RS model were mathematically evaluated against experimental data using graphical plots and several statistical indices. The evaluation showed that both models gave reasonably good predictions, but the performance of the RBF neural network was superior to that of the classical statistical method for all three data sets used (training, testing, full). Sensitivity analysis revealed that of the three experimental factors the most influential on the growth rate of P. vitreus was water activity, followed by temperature and pH to a lesser extent. In contrast, temperature in particular and then water activity were the key determinants of the development of N. lepideus. RBF neural networks could be a powerful technique for modeling fungal growth behavior under certain parameters and an alternative to time-consuming, traditional microbiological technique

Consumer Health: Public and Academic Libraries Partnering for Community Events about Mobile Health Resources

The article describes a consumer health workshop regarding mobile health apps provided as a partnership between a public and academic library

Continuing Education During Times of War: Experiences of Children in Northern Sri Lanka

The primary objective of the study was to explore the experiences of children during and after 30 years of civil war with particular attention on its impact on their academic learning. The research intended to answer two research questions, namely 1) How did the war impact on children’s education? and 2) What support networks were available for children affected by war to remain in school and/or to continuously engage in academic learning? The research was carried out in the Jaffna District of Northern Sri Lanka and depended entirely on qualitative data generated through in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, focus groups discussions and observations. Multiple displacements caused by war, the impact of war on livelihoods and the trauma caused by war has resulted in some students losing interest in school and eventually dropping out. In spite of various financial and other support provided by local and international NGOs only some children have remained in school with a sustained interest in education. A characteristic common to these children was that they came from more ‘secure’ family backgrounds. The security offered by intimate relationships within the family seems crucial for educational success even during times of war. The findings suggest the need for strengthening family well-being and stronger emotional support to ensure sustained interest in education during times of war

Re-envisioning the Virginia Journal of Public Health: Leveraging the Institutional Repository for Publishing Success

This case study presents what happened when new leadership for the Virginia Journal of Public Health brought new questions about journal quality, value, and impact. Conversations initially began with the liaison librarian about the nature of journal publishing and open access today. As the conversation evolved, the Digital Collections team joined the working group to think through journal publishing for this title. This session will describe this collaborative evolution and how we worked to re-envision and migrate the journal from its prior website to the university’s institutional repository. The session will feature considerations for publishing with the institutional repository, highlight the steps involved in migrating a journal from one platform to another, and offer lessons learned from the experience. This session would be appropriate for journal editors and managers, institutional repository managers, and those seeking to learn more about the behind the scenes work of academic publishing

Re-envisioning the Virginia Journal of Public Health: Leveraging the institutional repository for publishing success

Lightning talk presented at 2021 Medical Institutional Repositories in Libraries conference