Potential applications of randomised graph sampling to invasive species surveillance and monitoring.

Abstract Many invasive plants and animals disperse preferentially through linear networks in the landscape, including road networks, riparian corridors, and power transmission lines. Unless the network of interest is small, or the budget for surveillance is large, it may be necessary to draw inferences from a sample rather than a complete census on the network. Desired features of a surveillance system to detect and quantify invasion include: (1) the ability to make unbiased statements about the spatial extent of invasion, the abundance of the invading organism, and the degree of impact; (2) the ability to quantify the uncertainty associated with those statements; (3) the ability to sample by moving within the network in a reasonable fashion, and with little wasted non-measurement time; and (4) the ability to incorporate auxiliary information (such as remotely sensed data, ecological models, or expert opinion) to direct sampling where it will be most fruitful. Randomised graph sampling (RGS) has all of these attributes. The network of interest (such as a road network) is recomposed into a graph, consisting of vertices (such as road intersections) and edges (such as road segments connecting nodes). The vertices and edges are used to construct paths representing reasonable sampling routes through the network; these paths are then sampled, potentially with unequal probability. Randomised graph sampling is unbiased, and the incorporation of auxiliary information can dramatically reduce sample variances. We illustrate RGS using simplified examples, and a survey of Polygonum cuspidatum (Siebold & Zucc.) within a high-priority conservation region in southern Maine, USA

Colorblind Policies And The Discourses That Uphold Them: The Social Construction Of Bullying

This research explores the relationship between the social construction of bullying and race in K-12 schools using Crenshaw’s (1991) theory of intersectionality. The central research questions are: In what ways is the bullying discourse connected to race and racialized discourses in PK-12 settings? How do bullying discourses and policies offer protection to some students while portraying/positioning others as bullies? In what ways do bullying discourses and policies privilege and afford institutional protection for some students while marginalizing others? Twenty high school seniors will be interviewed. Ten participants attend an alternative high school because they have been expelled from mainstream schooling. They are primarily students of color from low-income backgrounds. The other ten students attend a college-preparatory high school where they have must have high grades and few behavioral infractions. They are mostly white, middle-class or wealthy students. Critical discourse analysis will be used to analyze the data. This data will inform policy and school practices around bullying

Descriptive analysis of associate degree nursing in Massachusetts : changing perceptions.

The purposes of this study were: to investigate the practice and education of associate degree nurses in Massachusetts; to determine the relevance of the program to present as well as the future practice environment; and to determine if the program prepares its graduates to function within the limited scope of registered nursing practice proposed by Mildred Montag. Changes in the nursing curriculum are suggested based on the outcomes of this study. Competencies of the associate degree nurse, standards of nursing practice, licensure requirements, and job descriptions are used as a frame of reference to examine the current practice. A telephone survey was conducted to obtain information, about job description and responsibilities of registered nurses at acute care hospitals. The hospitals selected were general medical/surgical facilities with at least 100 beds. The curricula of the associate degree nursing programs in Massachusetts were reviewed to determine if they reflect the guiding principles of the original program developed by Mildred Montag in 1951. A comparison is made of: length of programs; total number credits, including non-nursing as well as nursing; and the prevalence of the term technical nurse. Evidence presented in this study indicate that nursing practice will change. Nursing practice in the future and specifically in Massachusetts will be shaped by: government intervention in cost containment; increased proportion of the older population; increased complexity of patient needs and severity of patient conditions; and shift in delivery of patient care away from hospitals. The areas that need to be addressed in the present associate degree nursing curriculum are community health, home care and gerontology. A greater percentage of the curriculum should be geared toward the geriatric patient in non-hospital settings. A outline of program changes is suggested based on predicted trends in health care delivery. In conjunction with the changes in the curriculum, nursing service and education need to come to consensus on the differences in practice based on the educational preparation of the nursing graduates

Language Arts Whole Language Program for Limited English Proficient Students in a Self-Contained First Grade

The purpose of this project was the development of a language arts program based on thematic units for limited English proficient students. Sample language activities are included for each unit. The contents of the project include: a review of literature related to the topics of using the whole language approach with limited English proficient students, procedures for the construction of thematic units, and an explanation of how to utilize the project. A summary with conclusions and recommendations is included

Fine-scale population structure and asymmetrical dispersal in an obligate salt-marsh passerine, the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus Caudacutus)

Understanding the spatial scale of gene flow can yield valuable insight into the ecology of an organism and guide conservation strategies. Fine-scale genetic structure is uncommon in migratory passerines because of their high vagility and presumed high dispersal abilities. Aspects of the behavior and ecology of some migratory species, however, may promote structure on a finer scale in comparison to their mobility. We investigated population genetic structure in the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus), a migratory passerine that breeds along the northeastern coast of the United States, where it is restricted exclusively to a narrow strip of patchily distributed tidal marsh habitat. Using genotyping with 10 microsatellite loci, we detected weak but significant population structure among Saltmarsh Sparrows from nine marshes on the breeding grounds between Scarborough, Maine, and Oceanside, New York. Genetic variation among marshes was largely consistent with a pattern of isolation by distance, with some exceptions. One inland marsh was genetically divergent despite its proximity to other sampled marshes, which suggests that mechanisms besides geographic distance influence population genetic structure. Bayesian clustering, multivariate analyses, and assignment tests supported a population structure consisting of five groups. Estimates of migration rates indicated variation in gene flow among marshes, which suggests asymmetrical dispersal and possible source-sink population dynamics. The genetic structure that we found in Saltmarsh Sparrows may result from natal philopatry and breeding-site fidelity, combined with restricted dispersal due to obligate dependence on a patchy habitat. Our findings suggest that fine-scale population structure may be important in some migratory passerines. Received 12 July 2011, accepted 1 February 2012

Legal Hurdles Faced by Deep Green Buildings: Case Studies and Recommendations

The recent emphasis on building design, construction, and performance has revealed legal challenges and risks an owner or project team may face when attempting to construct a “deep green” building. The intent of this article is to encourage and facilitate the development of deep green and high performing buildings by reducing perceived and actual risks as well as challenges associated with their development, construction, and operation. This article explores these risks and challenges through a discussion of specific examples from two case study projects located in Seattle, Washington. These examples are arranged in two broad categories: (1) the process of achieving a deep green, high performing project, and (2) specific aspects of the technology employed to achieve deep green goals. As most technical challenges that the case study projects faced could be resolved through process improvements, the reader will note that solutions identified through the case studies are heavily weighted toward process. The authors’ recommendations, based on input from policy planners, construction lawyers, and leasing and operations professionals, are also heavily process-oriented. These recommendations include aligning code with municipal goals, integrating green codes, leading by example, leveraging existing regulations, developing demonstration ordinances (for policy planners), assigning risk reasonably, understanding appropriate responsibilities, encouraging an integrated process (for construction lawyers), and encouraging the use of green leases and collection of building performance data (for leasing professionals)