Innovation From Above, Below, and Behind: The Linguistics of the Hebrew Revival

This thesis seeks to investigate the unique example of Modern Hebrew’s linguistic revival and determine the historical and linguistic qualities that made it successful. I intend to challenge the common narrative of Hebrew revival as \u27miraculous\u27 and isolated from Jewish history. I will demonstrate the long legacy of Hebrew creativity, preservation, and reinvention that formed the foundations the Zionist movement was able to build upon. I also seek to expand the narrative of the revival process itself to more accurately account for the modern result that is Israeli Hebrew. The ‘planned’ element of the revival process, i.e. the well-documented top-down impositions of the Hebrew revivalists, was just one of many conflicting forces that converged to actualize a functioning vernacular; in fact, simultaneously, the population was engaging with, and even defying, the rules of the establishment–introducing foreign loanwords, using ‘incorrect’ grammar, inventing slang, and, ultimately, choosing which of the Hebrew revivalists’ innovations would survive. In this way, the organic and unorganized actions of a young Hebrew-speaking population worked alongside the revivalists to determine what ‘correct’ Hebrew is today

Molecular evolution of opsins, a gene responsible for sensing light, in scallops (Bivalvia: Pectinidae)

Genetic diversity can cause drastic effects on phenotypes and is commonly the result of a gene duplication event. Gene duplication and subsequent functional divergence of opsins, a G-protein coupled-receptor (GPCR), have played an important role in expanding photoreceptive capabilities of organisms by altering what wavelengths of light are absorbed by photoreceptors (spectral tuning). Relatively few studies have been devoted to exploring the role of opsin duplication and evolution in non-arthropod invertebrates, and even fewer have integrated all the potential genetic diversity of opsins. In this dissertation, I utilized the photosensory system of the scallop, a marine bivalve, to study the evolution and expansion of the genetically diverse opsins, and demonstrate the complicated nature of Gq-opsin diversification after gene duplication. First, I explored how opsin paralogs diversify in function and evolutionary fate by characterizing four rhabdomeric (Gq-protein coupled) opsins in the scallop, Argopecten irradians. Using a phylogenetic framework, I showed a pattern consistent with two rounds of duplication generating the four paralogous Gq-opsins in scallops. Differential expression of the four Gq-opsins across ocular and extra-ocular photosensitive tissues suggested that the Gq-opsins are used in different biological contexts in scallops, while protein modeling reveals variation in the amino acid composition, suggesting the four Gq-opsin paralogs may absorb different wavelengths of light. Second, I investigated how two Gq-opsin paralogs differentiate after a duplication event across the scallop family, Pectinidae. By comparing the rates of evolution between paralogous clades, I demonstrated both paralogs are under purifying selection, yet maintained at rates that are significantly different. I showed that one amino acid position, which is not considered a putative spectral tuning site, stands out as a strong candidate to explain the source of selection driving the difference in evolutionary rates. Finally, I discussed the current role of allelic variation in sensory systems and described how alleles are often discarded in studies of molecular evolution. I demonstrated the breadth of possible allelic variation within an individual and stressed the potential of cryptic genetic variation in the evolution of organisms by examining the allelic variation in Gq-opsins sampled across 34 bivalve species

Spin effects in single-electron tunneling in magnetic junctions

Spin dependent single electron tunneling in ferromagnetic double junctions is analysed theoretically in the limit of sequential tunneling. The influence of discrete energy spectrum of the central electrode (island)on the spin accumulation, spin fluctuations and tunnel magnetoresistance is analysed numerically in the case of a nonmagnetic island. It is shown that spin fluctuations are significant in magnetic as well as in nonmagnetic junctions.Comment: 14 pages, 3 eps-figures include

Action Research

Action research is a common journey for graduate students in education and other human science fields. This book attempts to meet the needs of graduate students, in-service teachers, and any other educators interested in action research and/or self-study. The chapters of this book draw on our collective experiences as educators in a variety of educational contexts, and our roles guiding educator/researchers in various settings. All of our experiences have enabled us to question and refine our own understanding of action research as a process and means for pedagogical improvement. The primary purpose of this book is to offer clear steps and practical guidance to those who intend to carry out action research for the first time. As educators begin their action research journey, we feel it is vital to pose four questions: 1) What is action research, and how is it distinct from other educational research?; 2) When is it appropriate for an educator to conduct an action research project in their context?; 3) How does an educator conduct an action research project?; 4) What does an educator do with the data once the action research project has been conducted? We have attempted to address all four questions in the chapters of this book.https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/1034/thumbnail.jp

Quantum transport through a DNA wire in a dissipative environment

Electronic transport through DNA wires in the presence of a strong dissipative environment is investigated. We show that new bath-induced electronic states are formed within the bandgap. These states show up in the linear conductance spectrum as a temperature dependent background and lead to a crossover from tunneling to thermal activated behavior with increasing temperature. Depending on the strength of the electron-bath coupling, the conductance at the Fermi level can show a weak exponential or even an algebraic length dependence. Our results suggest a new environmental-induced transport mechanism. This might be relevant for the understanding of molecular conduction experiments in liquid solution, like those recently performed on poly(GC) oligomers in a water buffer (B. Xu et al., Nano Lett 4, 1105 (2004)).Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Localization Properties of Electronic States in Polaron Model of poly(dG)-poly(dC) and poly(dA)-poly(dT) DNA polymers

We numerically investigate localization properties of electronic states in a static model of poly(dG)-poly(dC) and poly(dA)-poly(dT) DNA polymers with realistic parameters obtained by quantum-chemical calculation. The randomness in the on-site energies caused by the electron-phonon coupling are completely correlated to the off-diagonal parts. In the single electron model, the effect of the hydrogen-bond stretchings, the twist angles between the base pairs and the finite system size effects on the energy dependence of the localization length and on the Lyapunov exponent are given. The localization length is reduced by the influence of the fluctuations in the hydrogen bond stretchings. It is also shown that the helical twist angle affects the localization length in the poly(dG)-poly(dC) DNA polymer more strongly than in the poly(dA)-poly(dT) one. Furthermore, we show resonance structures in the energy dependence of the localization length when the system size is relatively small.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Time savings and accuracy of a simulated flexible and conditional administration of the MMPI-2-RF in presurgical psychological evaluations of bariatric surgery candidates

Background: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2- RF) has empirically validated utility in presurgical psychological evaluations of bariatric surgery patients. However, clinicians may prefer shorter, symptom-focused measures. Objectives: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the feasibility and potential administration time savings of a proposed flexible and conditional (FCA) administration of the MMPI-2-RF in presurgical evaluations of bariatric surgery candidates. Setting: Bariatric surgery candidates evaluated at a large hospital as well as a private practice in the Midwest. Methods: MMPI-2-RF scores were available for a total of 4099 adult bariatric surgery candidates from 2 separate samples. The hospital sample included 911 males and 2430 females. The average BMI was 49.3 kg/m2 (SD=11.0). The private practice sample included 105 males, 640 females, and 13 individuals who did not report gender. The average BMI was 48.8 kg/m2 (SD=8.4). The authors used a simulation design in which existing MMPI-2-RF responses were used to simulate an FCA administration. Results: The findings indicated that an FCA of the MMPI-2-RF closely approximates the amount of information typically gained from a full administration of the test in the 2 samples of bariatric surgery candidates. Items savings and estimated time savings ranged from 44% to 88% in both samples, depending on the number of conditionally administered scales. Conclusions: The present study supports the feasibility of an FCA of the MMPI-2-RF, potentially shortening administration time and reducing patient burden. However, the findings are limited because the accuracy and time savings are based on a simulation, not actual FCA administration

Using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form Cutoffs to Predict Lack of Pre-surgical Exercise

Previous studies suggest the importance of understanding what factors increase risk of lack of physical activity (PA) prior to bariatric surgery, which may increase risk of suboptimal postoperative outcomes. Therefore, the current study sought to explore which Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) scales were associated with lack of pre-surgical PA. The mean age of the sample (N=1170) was 45.97 years [standard deviation (SD)=11.59]. Bivariate correlations and relative risk ratios were utilized to examine associations between MMPI-2-RF scale scores and regular preoperative PA. Of the ten hypothesized associations, seven MMPI-2-RF scales in the internalizing and somatic domains were associated with increased risk of preoperative lack of PA. Interventions designed to increase levels of preoperative PA are especially important because individuals with higher levels of preoperative cardiorespiratory fitness experience less complications in surgery and greater weight loss postoperativel

Electrical transport through single-molecule junctions: from molecular orbitals to conduction channels

We present an atomistic theory of electronic transport through single organic molecules that reproduces the important features of the current-voltage characteristics observed in recent experiments. We trace these features to their origin in the electronic structure of the molecules and their local atomic environment. We demonstrate how conduction channels arise from the molecular orbitals and elucidate which specific properties of the individual orbitals determine their contribution to the current.Comment: Revtex4, 4 pages, 4 figures. Version with color figures in http://www-tfp.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de/~cuevas/Publications.htm

Risk, Benefit, and Cost Thresholds for Emergency Department Testing: A Cross‐sectional, Scenario‐based Study

BackgroundWhile diagnostic testing is common in the emergency department, the value of some testing is questionable. The purpose of this study was to assess how varying levels of benefit, risk, and costs influenced an individual’s desire to have diagnostic testing.MethodsA survey through Amazon Mechanical Turk presented hypothetical clinical situations: low‐risk chest pain and minor traumatic brain injury. Each scenario included three given variables (benefit, risk, and cost), that was independently randomly varied over four possible values (0.1, 1, 5, and 10% for benefit and risk and $0,$100, $500, and$1,000 for the individual’s personal cost for receiving the test). Benefit was defined as the probability of finding the target disease (traumatic intracranial hemorrhage or acute coronary syndrome).ResultsOne‐thousand unique respondents completed the survey. With an increased benefit from 0.1% to 10%, the percentage of respondents who accepted a diagnostic test went from 28.4% to 53.1%. (odds ratio [OR] = 3.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.57–4.54). As risk increased from 0.1% to 10%, this number decreased from 52.5% to 28.5%. (OR = 0.33; 95% CI = 0.25–0.44). Increasing cost from $0 to$1,000 had the greatest change of those accepting the test from 61.1% to 21.4%, respectively (OR = 0.15; 95% CI = 0.11–0.2).ConclusionsThe desire for testing was strongly sensitive to the benefits, risks, and costs. Many participants wanted a test when there was no added cost, regardless of benefit or risk levels, but far fewer elected to receive the test as cost increased incrementally. This suggests that out‐of‐pocket costs may deter patients from undergoing diagnostic testing with low potential benefit.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137417/1/acem13148_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137417/2/acem13148.pd