‘All Ears’: a questionnaire of 1516 owner perceptions of the mental abilities of pet rabbits, subsequent resource provision, and the effect on welfare

Pet rabbit welfare is a hidden crisis: Inappropriately housed, fed, and not routinely provided healthcare—rabbits can often suffer painful conditions and shortened lifespans. This study provides novel understanding of owners’ perceptions of rabbits’ mental capabilities; how this impacts their husbandry; and subsequent effects on rabbits’ welfare. A survey was designed to investigate owner and rabbit demographics, owner perception of rabbits, resources provided, and rabbit behavior. Distributed online and by the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, the survey received 1516 responses. It was found that increased owner perceptions of pain, emotions. and intelligence resulted in increased likelihood of providing a partner, increased enrichment variation, and a more appropriate diet and type of housing. Welfare scores were associated with diet, housing, variety of enrichment, and time spent with owners. These results suggest that a practical approach to improving the welfare standard provided to rabbits may be to target improving owner perceptions of the species’ intelligence, emotionality, and experience of pain. This information would be beneficial in tailoring public education programs to increase provision of welfare enhancing resources, improve the human–animal relationship, and thus improve the welfare standards for this species

Impact of Fuel Price Increases on Texas Crops

Replaced with revised version of paper 02/02/06.crop model, simulation, input-output model, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, C53, Q10,

Henri Bergson, Duree Reelle and high modernism.

The cultural status and popular appeal of the philosopher Henri Bergson in the first decade of the 20th century is said to have exceeded even that of his fellow Parisian, Jean-­‐Paul Sartre in the 1950s. Bergson was an important influence on modernism, achieving a particular resonance with the ‘high modernist’ writers who were seeking new ways of giving expression to the ‘inner-­‐self’ and exploring the nature of time during a period when modernity was felt to be both moving too fast, and encroaching on individual identity and freedoms. This thesis aims to provide reinforcement, and also fresh evidence for the view that Bergson’s influence was more powerful and more widespread than has been recognised or acknowledged in the post-­‐war years. It starts by describing Bergson’s philosophy of time, intuition and inner experience, with its central distinction between ‘clock-­‐time’ (l’étendu), and ‘inner-­‐time’ (durée réelle). It then goes on to contextualise this within the intellectual and cultural environment of the period. The rapid dissemination of his ideas across Europe and America is explained by an analysis of the ideas themselves, and the intricate networks of early 20th century modernism which acted as their vectors. The decline in his influence is located within the history of ideology and culture, rather than in any philosophical critique. The main section of the thesis is based on a comparative exegesis of Bergson’s texts, and those of the modernists whom he inspired, revealing the anatomy of their application of his philosophy of durée, and his aesthetics to their work. The goal has been to convey the sense of excitement which his ideas generated, and demonstrate the creative, experimental ways in which they were adopted by the leading figures of high modernism, who, along with Bergson himself, have helped shape our own understanding of ourselves, and time, today

Multiple Pre-Nominal Adjective Usages by Asian L2 Learners of English

This thesis focuses on adjective ordering in the English language, particularly in how it affects Asian ESL students’ grasp on English grammar. In order to complete the thesis, research was done comparing the aforementioned ESL students’ handling of pre-nominal adjective placement with that of generally accepted English adjective order. This was used for the following reasons: (i) to identify whether adjective placement is innate or learned; (ii) to discover common errors made by ESL students in adjective ordering; and (iii) to show that the findings may, upon extension, be used to implement ESL curriculum

An Anti-Racist Framework for Teacher Education Programmes: Six Areas for Action

This international conference presentation welcomed participants to consider the National Anti-Racism Framework for Initial Teacher Education of the Scottish Council of Deans of Education (SCDE), a leading exemplar of anti-racist consciousness in teacher education. The unfortunate reality remains that teachers from diverse backgrounds are underrepresented in today’s schools, and racial harassment in our society and on our university campuses remains an uncomfortable truth. As a scenario planning session, we will considered how the anti-racism framework can inform a clear and pragmatic way forward that builds on successful practices in teacher education, provides real opportunities to address identity and positionality, better support teacher educators and practitioners, and expand opportunities for dialogue across systems through sharing of practices, policies, and professional expectations. Participants will have time to discuss the framework, explore potential changes they may want to implement, and plan potential strategies and tactics together based on the presentation. There remains underrepresentation of teachers from diverse backgrounds in today’s schools, and racial harassment in our society and on our campuses remains an uncomfortable truth. Additionally, the lack of consideration of race within all parts of teacher preparation, including the curriculum and during teachers’ professional lives are factors which discourage individuals from diverse backgrounds from considering a teaching career. There is need to question our processes, interrogate the systematic barriers that exist, and acknowledge the many ways racism manifests in day-to-day interactions in schools and universities

Impact of skeletal heterogeneity and treatment method on interpretation of environmental variability from the proteinaceous skeletons of deep-sea gorgonian octocorals

The stable isotope geochemistry of gorgonian octocoral skeletons facilitates detailed time series reconstructions of nutrient biogeochemistry. However, comparisons among reconstructions from different locations require realistic estimates of the uncertainty surrounding each measured geochemical value. Here, we determine quantitative uncertainties related to 1) standard skeletal pretreatment in preparation for stable isotopic analysis and 2) biological variability associated with a heterogeneous isotopic composition of the gorgonin skeleton. We found that the 5% HCl pretreatment required for the δ13C measurements does not significantly impact the δ15N values of the skeleton nor the reproducibility of the δ15N measurements. In contrast, while 5% HCl pretreatment significantly altered bulk δ13C values via removal of CaCO3, it did not change amino acid δ13C values in the organic skeleton. We found that the variance of repeat measurements of skeleton samples formed contemporaneously and homogenized skeleton for both δ13C and δ15N exceeded that of instrumental uncertainty of an acetanilide standard. This indicates that instrumental uncertainty underestimates the true precision of an isotopic measurement of the organic skeleton. Furthermore, measurements of contemporaneous skeleton around the circumference of an octocoral colony yielded variability exceeding that of homogenized skeleton. Based on these results, we find that 1) both δ13C and δ15N values can be measured simultaneously in pretreated skeleton, 2) growth bands should be homogenized prior to analysis, and 3) reported error should include uncertainty due to biological effects determined from repeat analysis of homogenized skeleton and not just instrument error to reduce false significant differences. Our results present an important protocol for processing proteinaceous octocoral skeletons and propagating uncertainty to more accurately reconstruct nutrient dynamics from proteinaceous deep-sea octocoral skeletons

Active music

We are a group of eleven young people with intellectual disability and three music therapists. We did action research at a university. We wanted to find out how a music group might be helpful for young people with intellectual disabilities. We wanted to tell our own story and use our own words because we have a lot to say. We wanted people to read our story and to use our ideas to help young people with intellectual disabilities to have good lives. We went to twenty sessions of music research, and five more sessions of research analysis. We also did a lot of research work in between sessions. We found out that music groups can be fun. They can also be hard work. They help us develop skills like listening and waiting. They are places where we can be independent. But music groups are also good places to practice working as a team. They can be safe places for people to express emotions. Music helps us to know people. It brings us together. Playing musical instruments can also help physical development. A good life for us would include having the chance to play music with others or to have music lessons. But it is not always easy for us to go to ordinary lessons or music groups. It might be important for young people with intellectual disability to have support from people who understand them at first. We want to be independent but we need help to develop our dreams in practical ways. We found that doing research is fun and interesting. We were all researchers but we had different things to do. The adults had to be the organisers, setting up the research. We knew from the start the research would be about what young people think about music. The adults had done their reading and had written the literature review. The young people decided on other questions, and gathered data in lots of different ways. They also did some of the analysis, and decided on the findings of each cycle. The findings of each cycle, with more of the young people’s words, are in the appendices. Later, the adults wrote the main findings, the discussion and conclusion. We all discussed the things we wrote along the way and at the end of the research. The adults have tried to help the young people understand what has been written. The research took a lot of time and it was hard work for everybody. To be a good researcher you need to learn research skills. It is important that young people with intellectual disabilities are not exhausted by research. They need to be able to enjoy the things they are doing. We all liked being involved in research even though it was hard work. We think that research is important and helpful. Young people should be involved in research that is about them. We learnt that young people with intellectual disabilities can go to university. Going to university was scary at first but we got used to it and we started to enjoy it. We need to do more research to make sure universities are ready to welcome students with intellectual disabilities. We can use our research to show universities that it can be a good idea to support people with intellectual disabilities to go to university. We can also use our research show people what we can do; what we like to do; and what we want to do in the future. Most of us would like to do more music and research in future

Student Housing Choices in the Morris Community

This report discusses the results of a housing survey conducted by the Center for Small towns in April of 2006 that addressed what factors determine the student demand for off-campus vs. on-campus housing, and also includes a discussion of historical data in addition to the results of the survey.https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/cst/1010/thumbnail.jp