Complexity Theory: An Approach to Understanding the Weak Relationships between Valparaiso’s International and Non-International Student Populations

The Valparaiso University campus is becoming more diverse as each year passes. The undergraduate population on campus is experiencing a rise in international admissions. Although the University has many recognized student organizational groups, including VISA (Valparaiso International Student Association), these student organizations are failing to connect with one another, which results in a very fragmented student population rather than an intertwined group of young adults. The prior being the case, this campaign directly targets the international student association known as VISA, and is related to increasing student awareness (both international and national) of the VISA organization, their events, and also increasing student participation and membership within the program. This campaign will likely prove to be mutually beneficial to both the VISA program and to all other campus organizations that form partnerships with VISA. Within the campaign, several questionnaires were circulated to international and national students as well as to key dignitaries within specific and pre-identified campus organizations. With the feedback that was obtained through these questionnaires, plans were formulated to form partnerships with campus organizations, by which VISA and all partnered programs could realize a mutual benefit from the campaign. This benefit included, but was not limited to, increasing publicity and awareness of VISA events during the calendar year. The results of the campaign included the exchange of experiences between VISA and non-VISA organizations on the Valpo campus. The focus groups further confirmed: 1) stereotyping by each group toward the other, 2) the lack of incentive to mix, and 3) the need for leadership to facilitate better understanding and to create opportunities to mix student groups

The relationship of cell morphology, density, and mechanical properties in a rigid polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam, used as a supporting or insulating material, is sometimes formed in complex molds with significant variations in geometry and size. This work investigates the relationships between cell morphology, density, and mechanical properties in a molded polyurethane material using relatively small cylindrical molds. Understanding these relationships will help mechanical designers analyze and predict the responses of foam components accurately; Three mold sizes are used to study changes in cell morphology (cell area, cell diameter, aspect ratio, cell angle, cell edge length, cell face thickness, and cell edge thickness), density, and mechanical properties (Young\u27s modulus, peak yield, and collapse stress) with respect to vertical and radial positions. In addition, five time periods (1-day, 2-days, 7-days, 30-days, and 90-days) are used to determine aging effects on density and compressive mechanical properties of small diameter molds. Finally, theoretical equations are used to compare the experimental and theoretical density and mechanical properties

Challenging “Size Matters” Messages: An Exploration of the Experiences of Critical Obesity Scholars in Higher Education

Given that postsecondary institutions are increasingly seen as sites to promote health, critical scholars are calling attention to how the contemporary Western weight-centred health paradigm reinforces a “size matters” message that is fueling harmful attitudes towards and judgments of bodies. As such, research that highlights strategies to promote safe teaching and learning environments for students and faculty, regardless of body shape and size, is of utmost importance. Through 26 participant interviews, this study examines the experiences of critical obesity scholars who teach courses that engage critical approaches to obesity, fatness, and body size. The findings of this study shed light on the developing field of critical obesity scholarship, the types of challenges faced by critical obesity scholars in higher education, and how these scholars are building community as a way of coping with challenges facing the emerging field.   Puisque les institutions d’enseignement post-secondaire sont de plus en plus perçues comme des lieux de promotion de la santé, les acteurs universitaires attirent l’attention sur la façon dont l’approche contemporaine de l’Occident, axée sur le poids corporel, renforce les attitudes discriminatoires et les discours nocifs sur le surplus de poids. En découle l’importance d’effectuer des recherches favorisant des stratégies d’enseignement et d’apprentissage qui soient déconnectées de l’image corporelle. Ainsi, la présente étude analyse les entrevues de 26 professeurs universitaires qui enseignent une approche critique des facteurs traditionnels liés à l’obésité et à la composition corporelle. Les résultats font la lumière sur l’émergence de la mission professorale quant à l’obésité grave, sur les défis que relèvent les chercheurs du domaine en enseignement supérieur, et sur la façon dont ces chercheurs se constituent une nouvelle communauté scientifique afin de surmonter les difficultés rencontrées par les acteurs de cette recherche en émergence

Long bone cross-sectional geometric properties of Later Stone Age foragers and herder–foragers

Diaphyseal cross-sectional geometry can be used to infer activity patterns in archaeological populations. We examined the cross-sectional geometric (CSG) properties of adult Later Stone Age (LSA) herder-forager long bones from the inland lower Orange River Valley of South Africa (n=5 m, 13 f). We then compared their CSG properties to LSA forager adults from the coastal fynbos (n=23 m, 14 f) and forest (n=17 m, 19 f) regions, building on a previous report (Stock and Pfeiffer, 2004). The periosteal mould method was used to quantify total subperiosteal area, torsional strength, bilateral asymmetry and diaphyseal circularity (Imax/Imin) at the mid-distal (35%) location of upper arms (humeri) and the mid-shaft (50%) location of upper legs (femora). Maximum humerus and femur lengths were similar among the three samples, suggesting that adult stature was similar in all three regions. When compared to the previous study, CSG property values obtained using the periosteal mould method correlated well, and there were no significant differences between data collected using the different methods. No statistically significant differences were found among the humerus or femur CSG properties from the different regions. This finding suggests that all individuals undertook similar volitional habitual activities in regard to their upper limbs, and also had similar degrees of terrestrial mobility. These results indicate relative behavioural homogeneity among LSA foragers and herder foragers from South Africa. The small degree of regional variation apparent among the three samples may reflect local ecology and the subsistence demands affecting populations in these different regions

Impact Beyond Citation: An Introduction to Altmetrics

A fundamental concern for higher education institutions worldwide is improving their efectiveness and efficiency. #is is often expressed as a need to maximise the "impact" of funded research. "Impact" is intended to mean the e!ects of research beyond the research community, and may include in$uence on policy, improvements in health and living standards, cultural enrichment or an improved environment. Di!erent forms of impact – and the framework by which impact is assessed and rewarded – should depend on the mission and goals of the institution. In a political environment that places high value on transparency, accountability and demonstrable return-from-investment, and with intensifying competition in global higher education, universities are under pressure to provide evidence of the value of services they provide. While the value of teaching services has been straightforward to measure, this has not been the case for research. #e commercial publishing sector provides citation-based analysis – the ISI Impact Factor – that is the dominant metric for research evaluation. But the ISI Impact Factor's methodology, equitability and ability to measure the range of scholarship have been criticised. The Altmetrics movement, a body of scholars that seeks to create tools allowing scholarship to be measured and tracked in novel ways, is challenging the ISI Impact Factor. The Scholarly Communication in Africa Programme investigated "alternative methodologies for a more Afrocentric approach to research evaluation"

Rethinking Impact: Applying Altmetrics to Southern African Research

A fundamental concern for institutions around the world is maximising the efectiveness and efficiency of their investment in delivering their mission; this is perhaps most acutely the case for institutions in the developing world that are forced to balance challenging social responsiveness agendas with the rigours of the increasingly competitive global higher education environment. This is often expressed as a concern to maximise the "impact" of funded research, where impact is intended to mean the e!ects of research beyond the research community. This might include influence on policy, improvements in health and living standards, cultural enrichment, or an improved environment. The emphasis on di!erent forms of impact (and the framework by which that impact is assessed and rewarded) should depend on the goals and mission of the institution

Correlations of expression of cell wall biosynthesis genes with variation in biomass composition in shrub willow ( Salix spp.) biomass crops

We have measured significant genetically determined variation in biomass composition among breeding populations of shrub willow, a biomass feedstock crop. This project was aimed to ask whether patterns of cell wall gene expression can be correlated with genetic variation in biomass composition at harvest, in order to develop assays of early differences in gene expression as indicators of harvestable biomass chemical composition and potentially reduce the time of selection for new willow genotypes. Previous studies have demonstrated that manipulation of expression of cell wall biosynthetic genes results in altered biomass chemical composition. We analyzed genes encoding enzymes involved in lignin biosynthesis and carbohydrate active enzymes selected based on their functional characterization and conservation in Populus trichocarpa and Arabidopsis thaliana. Fragments of 20 genes were cloned from young stem cDNA of Salix sachalinensis and Salix miyabeana. Expression profiling in willow stem apical tissue and developing stem tissue was performed for each isolated gene using probe-based quantitative real-time PCR. Two willow parental genotypes and six progeny within a hybrid family were selected for analysis, and significant differences in expression among the individuals and between tissue types were observed for most of the genes. Significant correlations between patterns of gene expression and variation in the biomass chemical composition of those genotypes provide insight into the genetic regulation of lignocellulosic deposition in this important bioenergy crop and could be utilized as a tool for early selection of new genotype

1st International Symposium on Gait and Balance in MS: Gait and Balance Measures in the Evaluation of People with MS

Gait and balance measures have particular potential as outcome measures in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) because, of the many hallmarks of MS disability, gait and balance dysfunction are present throughout the course of the disease, impact many aspects of a person's life, and progress over time. To highlight the importance and relevance of gait and balance measures in MS, explore novel measurements of gait and balance in MS, and discuss how gait, balance, and fall measures can best be used and developed in clinical and research settings, the 1st International Symposium on Gait and Balance in Multiple Sclerosis was held in Portland, Oregon, USA on October 1, 2011. This meeting brought together nearly 100 neurologists, physiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, engineers, and others to discuss the current status and recent advances in the measurement of gait and balance in MS. Presentations focused on clinician-administered, self-administered, and instrumented measures of gait, balance, and falls in MS

Conjugative transfer of ICESde3396 between three β-hemolytic streptococcal species

Background: Integrative conjugative elements (ICEs) are mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that possess all genes necessary for excision, transfer and integration into recipient genome. They also carry accessory genes that impart new phenotypic features to recipient strains. ICEs therefore play an important role in genomic plasticity and population structure. We previously characterised ICESde 3396, the first ICE identified in the β-hemolytic Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp equisimilis (SDSE) and demonstrated its transfer to single isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococcus, GAS) and Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus, GBS). While molecular studies found the ICE in multiple SDSE and GBS isolates, it was absent in all GAS isolates examined. Results: Here we demonstrate that ICESde 3396:km is transferable from SDSE to multiple SDSE, GAS and GBS isolates. However not all strains of these species were successful recipients under the same growth conditions. To address the role that host factors may have in conjugation we also undertook conjugation experiments in the presence of A549 epithelial cells and DMEM. While Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) occurred, conjugation efficiencies were no greater than when similar experiments were conducted in DMEM. Additionally transfer to GAS NS235 was successful in the presence of DMEM but not in Todd Hewitt Broth suggesting that nutritional factors may also influence HGT. The GAS and GBS transconjugants produced in this study are also able to act as donors of the ICE. Conclusion: We conclude that ICEs are major sources of interspecies HGT between β-hemolytic streptococci, and by introducing accessory genes imparting novel phenotypic characteristics, have the potential to alter the population structure of these species

The Protective Effects of Estradiol on Sporadic and Inflammation-associated Colon Cancer

Epidemiological studies suggest pre-menopausal women have a reduced risk for sporadic and inflammation-associated colon cancer compared to post-menopausal women and men. The studies presented herein aim to determine the protective mechanisms of estradiol (E2) during sporadic and inflammation-associated colonic carcinogenesis. When investigating the role of E2 and fish oil at the earliest stage of sporadic colon cancer development, E2 had no effect on DNA adduct formation while dietary fish oil significantly reduced DNA adduct formation. Contrarily, E2 significantly induced apoptosis of damaged colonocytes while fish oil was not protective. In an in vivo model of inflammation-associated colon carcinogenesis with E2 administered following induction of DNA damage and initiation of inflammation, E2 treatment was associated with decreased colon tumor size and number in wild type (WT) but not estrogen receptor (ER) β knockout (ERβKO) mice. Interestingly, apoptosis was reduced and proliferation increased by E2 in these tumors in WT mice. This may be due to the altered ER expression in these tissues as the tumors developed, with ERβ expression decreasing concomitantly with ERα expression increasing. Contrary to the protective effect of E2 on inflammation-associated colon tumor formation, which was dependent on ERβ, during acute inflammation in the colon E2 was protective against inflammation in both WT and ERβKO mice and injury in ERβKO mice. The protection against inflammation is likely due to the reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression by E2. Apoptosis and proliferation were decreased and increased in the proximal and distal colon respectively in ERβKO mice. In vitro studies further elucidated the roles of ERα and ERβ in colonocytes. E2 and ERβ, but not ERα, specific agonists reduced cell number and induce apoptosis in nonmalignant colonocytes. This effect was lost in the presence of mutated p53. In ERα overexpressed nonmalignant colonocytes, E2 had no effect on cell number while ERβ agonist and ERα agonists decreased and increased cell number respectively. These studies suggest that E2 is protective in the colon and ERβ is required for protection against carcinogenesis but not protection against inflammation. Additionally, the protection against colon carcinogenesis is likely p53 mediated