Evaluation of the School Psychology Program At Marshall University Graduate College

This research evaluates the structure, purpose, and efficiency of the School Psychology Program at Marshall University Graduate College and will be utilized as baseline research for further measures of program efficiency and accountability. This study investigates the satisfaction levels and opinions of the student population, including all current and recent students who have graduated from the program. The methods of data collection were a survey, developed primarily from the goals and objectives of the program, and telephone interviews. The information requested in these methods was structured to provide both qualitative and quantitative data. Frequency analysis of the data resulted in an overall satisfaction rating, indicating that the program is meeting student needs in most areas. Suggestions for program improvement are offered, derived from the student response data, and problems encountered in this research were evaluated

Cetacean Rights under Human Laws

This Comment addresses the recent controversy surrounding the award of a permit to Sea World, Inc., pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, allowing them to scientifically study ninety orca whales and capture ten whales for public display. The author analyzes the standards a court would use to review the controversial permit, and discusses the proposed legal actions and options of those opposed to the permit. The author then changes perspective and advocates protecting the animals by granting cetaceans themselves legal rights, and examines the justifications and advantages of this new approach

Children\u27s Exposure to Metals: A Community-Initiated Study

In 2007, it was shown that the shipping of lead (Pb) through Esperance Port in Western Australia resulted in contamination and increased Pb concentrations in children. A clean-up strategy was implemented; however, little attention was given to other metals. In consultation with the community, a cross-sectional exposure study was designed. Thirty-nine children aged 1 to 12 years provided samples of hair, urine, drinking water, residential soil and dust. Concentrations of nickel (Ni) and Pb were low in biological and environmental samples. Hair aluminium (Al) (lower than the detection limit [DL] to 251 μg/g) and copper (Cu) (7 to 415 μg/g), as well as urinary Al ( μg/L), manganese (Mn) (μg/L), and Cu (μg/L), were increased for a small number of participants. Concentrations of nickel (Ni) in urine, soil, and dust decreased with increasing distance from the port, as did soil Pb concentrations. The results suggest exposure to Ni and Pb was limited in children at the time of sampling in 2009. Further investigation is required to determine the source(s) and significance of other increased metals concentrations

Mount Gilead Campground

Prepared by the Fall 1990 Conservation of Historic Building Materials class. This Historic Structure Report contains Historical considerations and information about the Mt. Gilead Campground, physical description of the Arbor, Historical Overview of the site, Prospective Use Rationale and Recommendations for rehabilitation of existing structures, as well as, future property development. The purpose of this report is two-fold - provide a rehabilitation plan for existing structures and a future development plan to expand the use areas of the site.https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_heritagepreservation/1018/thumbnail.jp

Chemoecological studies on marine natural products: terpene chemistry from marine mollusks

Some species of nudibranchs (Mollusca) protect themselves from predatory attacks by storing defensive terpene chemicals acquired from dietary sponges (Porifera) in specialized body parts called MDFs (mantle dermal formations), often advertising their unpalatability to potential predators by means of bright coloration patterns. Consequently, the survival of these trophic specialist species is closely related to the possibility of obtaining the defensive tools from sponges that live in their immediate vicinity; therefore, it is important to determine as precisely as possible the chemical composition of nudibranch extracts prior to any ecological studies addressing issues that involve their alimentary behavior and their defensive strategies, including the significance of their color patterns. Some of our recent studies on the chemical composition of terpene extracts from nudibranchs belonging to the genera Chromodoris and Hypselodoris are summarized. We also report the development of a method to assay extracts and purified metabolites for their feeding deterrent activity against co-occurring generalist predators. In a recent chemoecological study, showing that repugnant terpene chemicals are accumulated at extremely high concentrations in exposed parts of the nudibranchs' bodies, the feeding deterrence assays were carried out on the generalist marine shrimp Palaemon elegans, very common in the Mediterranean. We have modified this assay for use with the Australian shrimp species P. serenus, and confirmed the ecological validity of the assay by analysis of extracts from species of sponges and mollusks that live in the same habitat as P. serenus. The deterrent properties of haliclonacyclamine alkaloids isolated from the sponge Haliclona sp. were demonstrated, with the alkaloid mixture demonstrating palatability deterrence at concentrations as low as 0.05 mg/mL, and complete deterrence at 0.75 mg/mL. In contrast, the diterpene thuridillin metabolites from the sacoglossan mollusk Thuridilla splendens did not deter feeding by P. serenus

Avalanches on a conical bead pile: scaling with tuning parameters

Uniform spherical beads were used to explore the behavior of a granular system near its critical angle of repose on a conical bead pile. We found two tuning parameters that could take the system to a critical point where a simple power-law described the avalanche size distribution as predicted by self-organized criticality, which proposed that complex dynamical systems self-organize to a critical point without need for tuning. Our distributions were well described by a simple power-law with the power {\tau} = 1.5 when dropping beads slowly onto the apex of a bead pile from a small height. However, we could also move the system from the critical point using either of two tuning parameters: the height from which the beads fell onto the top of the pile or the region over which the beads struck the pile. As the drop height increased, the system did not reach the critical point yet the resulting distributions were independent of the bead mass, coefficient of friction, or coefficient of restitution. All our apex-dropping distributions for any type of bead (glass, stainless steel, zirconium) showed universality by scaling onto a common curve with {\tau} = 1.5 and {\sigma} = 1.0, where 1/{\sigma} is the power of the tuning parameter. From independent calculations using the moments of the distribution, we find values for {\tau} = 1.6 \pm 0.1 and {\sigma} = 0.91 \pm 0.15. When beads were dropped across the surface of the pile instead of solely on the apex, then the system also moved from the critical point and again the avalanche size distributions fell on a common curve when scaled similarly using the same values of {\tau} and {\sigma}. We also observed that an hcp structure on the base of the pile caused an emergent structure in the pile that had six faces with some fcc or hcp structure.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures; submitted to Granular Matter; Reformatted into LaTeX from Word; Fixed typo in uncertainty of tau; Rearranged two paragraphs to improve flo

Exercise recommendations for people with bone metastases: Expert consensus for healthcare providers and clinical exercise professionals

Purpose: Exercise has been underutilized in people with advanced or incurable cancer despite the potential to improve physical function and reduce psychosocial morbidity, especially for people with bone metastases because of concerns over skeletal complications. The International Bone Metastases Exercise Working Group (IBMEWG) was formed to develop best practice recommendations for exercise programming for people with bone metastases on the basis of published research, clinical experience, and expert opinion. Methods: The IBMEWG undertook sequential steps to inform the recommendations: (1) modified Delphi survey, (2) systematic review, (3) cross-sectional survey to physicians and nurse practitioners, (4) in-person meeting of IBMEWG to review evidence from steps 1-3 to develop draft recommendations, and (5) stakeholder engagement. Results: Recommendations emerged from the contributing evidence and IBMEWG discussion for pre-exercise screening, exercise testing, exercise prescription, and monitoring of exercise response. Identification of individuals who are potentially at higher risk of exercise-related skeletal complication is a complex interplay of these factors: (1) lesion-related, (2) cancer and cancer treatment–related, and (3) the person-related. Exercise assessment and prescription requires consideration of the location and presentation of bone lesion(s) and should be delivered by qualified exercise professionals with oncology education and exercise prescription experience. Emphasis on postural alignment, controlled movement, and proper technique is essential. Conclusion: Ultimately, the perceived risk of skeletal complications should be weighed against potential health benefits on the basis of consultation between the person, health care team, and exercise professionals. These recommendations provide an initial framework to improve the integration of exercise programming into clinical care for people with bone metastases