Ethel Turner and the ‘Voices of Dissent’: Masculinities and Fatherhood in The Cub and Captain Cub

In his interesting study 'Making the Australian Male: Middle-Class Masculinity 1870-1920', Martin Crotty argues that turn-of-the-century Australians firmly rejected the androgynous, domesticated gender role that both children's fiction and the public schools had offered Australian boys in the 1870s... Work such as Crotty's should help to inspire any number of reexaminations of the masculine gender role in texts that sought to acculturate young readers before, during, and after the Great War

New error measures and methods for realizing protein graphs from distance data

The interval Distance Geometry Problem (iDGP) consists in finding a realization in $\mathbb{R}^K$ of a simple undirected graph $G=(V,E)$ with nonnegative intervals assigned to the edges in such a way that, for each edge, the Euclidean distance between the realization of the adjacent vertices is within the edge interval bounds. In this paper, we focus on the application to the conformation of proteins in space, which is a basic step in determining protein function: given interval estimations of some of the inter-atomic distances, find their shape. Among different families of methods for accomplishing this task, we look at mathematical programming based methods, which are well suited for dealing with intervals. The basic question we want to answer is: what is the best such method for the problem? The most meaningful error measure for evaluating solution quality is the coordinate root mean square deviation. We first introduce a new error measure which addresses a particular feature of protein backbones, i.e. many partial reflections also yield acceptable backbones. We then present a set of new and existing quadratic and semidefinite programming formulations of this problem, and a set of new and existing methods for solving these formulations. Finally, we perform a computational evaluation of all the feasible solver$+$formulation combinations according to new and existing error measures, finding that the best methodology is a new heuristic method based on multiplicative weights updates

The relationship between sleep and sedentary time, and the impact of varying sleep patterns

The purpose of this study was to determine the directionality of the relationships between sleep and sedentary time, and the consistency of these relationships across varying sleep patterns. Sleep duration and total sedentary time were assessed daily in men (n = 19; aged 32.5 + 3.9; 28.8 + 3.4 BMI) over three 14-day conditions. For all conditions, participants were given ActivPAL and SenseWear Armband monitors to measure sedentary, active, and sleep behaviors; during each condition, monitors were worn as close to 24-hours per day as possible. Data was analyzed via statistical analysis software to determine correlation coefficients and regression significance between sleep duration and total sedentary time. Our results indicate an inverse relationship between sleep duration and its prediction of sedentary time on subsequent days, though no evidence was found of a relationship between sedentary time and the subsequent sleep bout (Table 2; p-value = \u3c0.0001 and 0.3561, respectively). Results were found to be heterogeneous across individuals indicating that the strength of the association varies between people (Table 3; p-value = 0.0002). When investigating the effects of varying sleep patterns, neither weekday versus weekend or sleep timing were found to have a significant impact on the relationship (Table 2; Day of week p-value = 0.9248; Sleep timing p-value = 0.5105). We determined that there is a significant difference between sleep duration, specifically, on the week days versus weekend days (Appendix B.3; p-value \u3c 0.0001), and between sedentary time for morning and evening chronotypes (Appendix B.4; p-value \u3c 0.0001). Through this project we learned that there is a relationship between sleep duration and sedentary time that is unique to individuals and not impacted by varying sleep patterns. Further research in this field should use a larger sample size to better understand the longitudinal and acute relationships between sleep duration and sedentary time, as well as to better investigate the effect of daily and habitual sleep patterns on these relationships. Future studies should explore the impact these variables have across groups and within individuals to better determine the heterogeneity of these associations

Phosphorous cycling in the Gulf of Maine : a multi-tracer approach

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution September 1998Knowledge of temporal and spatial nutrient turnover and export rates is of great importance for a variety of investigations, ranging from nutrient limitation to contamination uptake and removal. However, there are few methods that allow for the in situ elucidation of these processes. In this thesis research, in situ phosphorus turnover rates and upper ocean export were determined within the southwestern Gulf of Maine using the naturally occurring radionuclides phosphorus-32 (t_= 14.3 d), phosphorus-33 (t_ = 25.3 d), thorium-234 (t_ = 24.1) and beryllium-7 (t_ = 53.3 d). New techniques were developed for the extraction, purification and measurement of 32p and 33p in rainwater and in inorganic, organic and particulate pools in seawater. In order to constrain the input ratio of 33p/32p, rain samples were collected and measured continuously for 32p and 33p, as well as 7Be and 21OPb, from March 1996 to March 1998 at Woods Hole, MA, and from March 1997 to October 1997 at Portsmouth, NH. The average 33p;32p ratio was 0.88 ± 0.14. 32p, 33p, 7Be and 210Pb were further used to determine aerosol residence times and as possible tracers of stratospheric/tropospheric exchange during severe storm events. F our cruises were conducted in Wilkinson Basin, in the Gulf of Maine, during the spring and summer of 1997. 234Th was used to estimate advection and diffusion using 1D steady state and multi-dimensional non-steady state models. Export ratios (export/primary production) were found to range between 0.11 and 0.37. Vertical eddy diffusivity found using 7Be varied from 0.5 to 1.5 cm2 sec-I. Significant changes in phosphorus turnover rates within the reservoirs which contained 32p and 33p activity were found between the spring and summer months. In late summer, bacterial activity was substantial, significantly affecting the residence times of dissolved inorganic and organic phosphorus pools. Our results clearly show that 32p and 33p can provide much needed information regarding the biogeochemical cycling of P in marine systems and can be of use in the development of ecosystem models which seek to address mechanisms which affect primary production in the ocean.Funding for this work was provided by the Office of Naval Research Fellowship Program, The Environmental Protection Agency Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship Program, the National Science Foundation (Grant no. OCE-9633240) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (unrestricted funds)

Comparison of drought stress response and gene expression between a GM maize variety and a near-isogenic non-GM variety

Maize MON810, grown and commercialised worldwide, is the only cultivated GM event in the EU. Maize MON810, variety DKC6575, and the corresponding near-isogenic line Tietar were studied in different growth conditions, to compare their behaviour in response to drought. Main photosynthetic parameters were significantly affected by water stress in both GM and non –GM varieties to a similar extents. Though DKC6575 (GM) had a greater sensitivity in the early phase of stress response as compared with Tietar (non GM), after six days of stress they behaved similarly, and both varieties recovered from stress damage. Profiling gene expression in water deficit regimes and in a generalised water stress condition showed an up-regulation of many stress- responsive genes, but a greater number of differentially expressed genes was observed in Tietar, with genes belonging to transcription factor families and genes encoding HSPs, LEAs and detoxification enzymes. Since induction of these genes have been indicated from the literature as typical of stress responses, their activation in Tietar rather than in DKC6575 may be reminiscent of a more efficient response to drought. DKC6575 was also analysed for the expression of the transgene CryIAb (encoding the delta-endotoxin insecticidal protein) in water deficit conditions. In all the experiments, the CryIAb transcript was not influenced by water stress, but was expressed at a constant level.. This suggests that though possessing a different pattern of sensitivity to stress, the GM variety maintains the same expression level for the transgene

Thousands of milky ways: Galaxy satellites and building blocks

A semi-analytic model of galaxy formation with and without active galactic nuclei feedback is used to study the nature of possible building blocks (BBs) of z = 0 galaxies, including those of Milky-Way types. We find that BBs can show an important range of properties arising from environmental variables such as host halo mass, and whether a galaxy is a satellite within its host halo; the stellar formation histories are comparatively faster and the chemical enrichment is more efficient in BBs than in surviving satellites, in accordance with recent metallicity measurements for the Milky Way. These results can be used in combination with observational constraints to continue probing the ability of the cold dark-matter scenario to reproduce the history of galaxy demography in the Universe.Instituto de Astrofísica de La Plat

MiNAA: Microbiome Network Alignment Algorithm

Our Microbiome Network Alignment Algorithm (MiNAA) aligns two microbial networks using a combination of the GRAph ALigner (GRAAL) algorithm and the Hungarian algorithm. Network alignment algorithms find pairs of nodes (one node from the first network and the other node from the second network) that have the highest similarity. Traditionally, similarity has been defined as topological similarity such that the neighborhoods around the two nodes are similar. Recent implementations of network alignment methods such as NETAL and L-GRAAL also include measures of biological similarity, yet these methods are restricted to one specific type of biological similarity (e.g. sequence similarity in L-GRAAL). Our work extends existing network alignment implementations by allowing any type of biological similarity to be input by the user. This flexibility allows the user to choose whatever measure of biological similarity is suitable for the study at hand. In addition, unlike most existing network alignment methods that are tailored for protein or gene interaction networks, our work is the first one suited for microbiome networks

Life Science Undergraduate Mentors in NE STEM 4U Significantly Outperform Their Peers in Critical Thinking Skills

The development of critical thinking skills in recent college graduates is keenly requested by employers year after year. Moreover, improving these skills can help students to better question and analyze data. Consequently, we aimed to implement a training program that would add to the critical thinking skills of undergraduate students: Nebraska Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math 4U (NE STEM 4U). In this program, undergraduates provide outreach, mentoring, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to K–8 students. To determine the impacts of serving as an undergraduate mentor in this program on critical thinking, we compared undergraduate mentors (intervention group) with nonmentor STEM majors (nonintervention, matched group) using the valid and reliable California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) as a pre/post measurement. Importantly, before the intervention, both NE STEM 4U mentors and nonmentor undergraduates scored similarly overall on the CCTST. However, the posttest, carried out one academic year later, indicated significant gains in critical thinking by the NE STEM 4U mentors compared with the nonmentors. Specifically, the math-related skills of analysis, inference, and numeracy improved significantly in mentors compared with nonmentors

South Carolina Stormwater Detention Ponds: Sediment Accumulation and Nutrient Sequestration

Stormwater detention ponds are prevalent across South Carolina and receive runoff waters carrying both nutrients and sediments. As sediments accumulate in these ponds, water volume is reduced leading to a decrease in runoff retention. Periodic dredging is required to maintain pond function, but dredging is costly and there is little data available to support how often pond dredging is required. It is further unknown how high nutrient loading effects sediment nutrient sequestration and autochthonous production of organic sediment components

What is the irrigation potential for Africa?

Although irrigation in Africa has the potential to boost agricultural productivities by at least 50 percent, food production on the continent is almost entirely rainfed. The area equipped for irrigation, currently slightly more than 13 million hectares, makes up just 6 percent of the total cultivated area. Eighty-five percent of Africa’s poor live in rural areas and mostly depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. As a result, agricultural development is key to ending poverty on the continent. Many development organizations have recently proposed to significantly increase investments in irrigation in the region. However, the potential for irrigation investments in Africa is highly dependent upon geographic, hydrologic, agronomic, and economic factors that need to be taken into account when assessing the long-term viability and sustainability of planned projects. This paper analyzes large, dam-based and small-scale irrigation investment needs in Africa based on agronomic, hydrologic, and economic factors. This type of analysis can guide country- and local-level assessment of irrigation potential, which will be important to agricultural and economic development in Africa.internal rate of return, Investment, irrigation potential, large-scale irrigation, small-scale irrigation,