Nonprofit Leadership: A Sampler of Networks, Fellowships, and Workshops

The Leadership Working Group of the Nonprofit Congress (a major initiative of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations) began meeting in February 2007 to examine the status of leadership development throughout the nonprofit sector and attempt to draw conclusions based on what they observed. The product of their research is the report Nonprofit Leadership: A Sampler of Networks, Fellowships, and Workshops. The purpose of this document is to provide information and guidance to those building or growing leadership programs. It includes qualitative reviews of 12 leadership programs throughout the country. This report was just the first step in a larger effort to identify the leadership needs of the sector and provide resources to help fill those needs. The Leadership Working Group has also developed curriculum pieces for nonprofits to use in encouraging intergenerational dialogue and building leadership among all staff. This document, titled "Work With Me: Intergenerational Conversations for Nonprofit Leadership," seeks to provide a means for nonprofit staffers of all generations to discuss the organizational, structural, and emotional barriers to true leadership transfer. For more information on that document, please visit our website: http://www.nonprofitcongress.org/workwithme

Temperature dependence of the nonlocal voltage in an Fe/GaAs electrical spin injection device

The nonlocal spin resistance is measured as a function of temperature in a Fe/GaAs spin-injection device. For nonannealed samples that show minority-spin injection, the spin resistance is observed up to room temperature and decays exponentially with temperature at a rate of 0.018\,K$^{-1}$. Post-growth annealing at 440\,K increases the spin signal at low temperatures, but the decay rate also increases to 0.030\,K$^{-1}$. From measurements of the diffusion constant and the spin lifetime in the GaAs channel, we conclude that sample annealing modifies the temperature dependence of the spin transfer efficiency at injection and detection contacts. Surprisingly, the spin transfer efficiency increases in samples that exhibit minority-spin injection.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Teleconnection in the martian atmosphere during the 2001 planet-encircling dust storm

Introduction: In July 2001 (Martian year 25), Mars was enshrouded by a thick veil of dust which lasted for several months and obscured the observation of its surface to spacecraft cameras and ground-based telescopes. The emergence and rapid evolution (within a few days) of multiple, isolated, regional dust storms which eventually attained planetary scale extent were observed by NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft using high resolution camera images and the thermal profiles and dust opacity measurements pro-vided by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) [1, 2]. We have applied a technique used in Terrestrial meteorology (sequential data assimilation, [3]) to ob-tain a complete, four-dimensional evolution of all the atmospheric variables during the period of this planet-encircling dust storm, even those which were not di-rectly observed by the MGS satellite, such as surface pressure and winds. We assimilated TES nadir-pointing thermal profiles and total dust opacities in a global circulation model of the Martian atmosphere, developed jointly by the University of Oxford and the Open University in the United Kingdom, with the col-laboration of the Laboratoire de Météorologie Dyna-mique in Paris (UK-MGCM) [4, 5, 6]

United States Nonprofit Sector 2003

The nonprofit, voluntary, civic, or charitable sector in the United States comprises a vast and diverse set of organizations. From soup kitchens, daycare centers, environmental, advocacy, and civil rights groups; to hospitals, educational institutions, theatres, and faith based organizations, charitable organizations exist to serve and promote the common good. In most corners of the United States you will find hard working and committed individuals coming together to make their communities stronger, safer, and better for all.Nonprofit organizations are probably best known by the services they provide to people in need. But it is important to remember that charitable organizations also create the space and opportunity for individuals to engage in volunteerism and become actively involved in civic life. By connecting people, inspiring altruism, and giving voice to local and far-reaching concerns, nonprofits weave an uninterrupted web of connection that binds communities together.This report summarizes the most current data available on the nonprofit sector and highlights the amazing breadth and scope of the sector. Through this report we aim to build awareness of the vital role that nonprofits play in society and to educate policymakers, journalists, and the public about the charitable sector.While this report focuses on reporting nonprofits -- those charitable organizations that are required to file annually with the IRS and provide much of the data available on the sector -- it is important to note that the overwhelming majority of registered charitable nonprofit organizations (66 percent or 548,777) are small in size and often volunteer-led. They are not reflected in the data because their revenues did not exceed $25,000 in 2003. From your local PTA to youth sports leagues to rescue squads, these organizations are at work every day. Your community is enriched by the role and presence of these critical nonprofits.The National Council of Nonprofit Associations is pleased to present this report on the United States charitable sector. We hope that it will enable you to gain a greater appreciation and understanding of our nation's charitable nonprofits. Charitable organizations are beacons of hope and a cherished American resource for bringing together communities, states, and the nation

Supraspinal reorganization after pediatric-onset spinal cord injury.

Pediatric spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts the efferent and afferent flow of the developing brain, leading to devastating functional impairments below the injury site, yet our understanding of its impact on the brain remains limited. This study examines supraspinal reorganization in children with SCI using electrophysiology and neuroimaging techniques to understand the relationship between residual spinal transmission and supraspinal reorganization. Chapter 2 discusses the development of a child-centric approach using ‘learn, play, and practice’ to foster a trusting relationship with each child and increase compliance with experimental protocols. Chapter 3 evaluates the residual neural transmission of three spinal pathways in children with SCI, revealing that supraspinal inputs onto spinal motor circuitry persist despite a clinical diagnosis of complete SCI. This finding supports the concept of discomplete injuries and suggests that clinical assessments may not fully capture the extent of residual sensorimotor function in this population. The neural conduction of the corticospinal tract (CST), the primary mediator of volitional motor function, was assessed via functional neurophysiological assessment (FNPA). Reticulospinal tract (RST) activity, crucial for movement coordination, was evaluated using acoustic startle response (ASR). Finally, the functional transmission of the dorsal column-medial lemniscus (DCML) pathway, which conveys touch information from the periphery to the brain, was evaluated by analyzing somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP). In Chapter 4, the impact of SCI on the pediatric brain was investigated using neuroimaging techniques. Analysis of 8 children with SCI and 18 age- and gender-matched typically developing controls showed reduced gray matter morphometry and functional connectivity in cortical and subcortical sensorimotor structures and lower CST microstructural integrity in the brains of children with SCI. Additional analysis reveals that higher cortical and subcortical neuroimaging measures were associated with a higher probability of volitional muscle activation, and higher RST activity levels were correlated with better measurements of subcortical morphometry and functional connectivity. These findings provide valuable insights into the effects of pediatric SCI on the brain and their underlying relationships to motor pathways activity, suggesting the potential of supraspinal neuroimaging to serve as biomarkers to assess recovery and track the efficacy of interventions targeting spinal translesional connectivity

The role of virtual reality in built environment education

This study builds upon previous research on the integration of Virtual Reality (VR) within the built environment curriculum and aims to investigate the role of VR and three-dimensional (3D) computer modelling on learning and teaching in a school of the built environment. In order to achieve this aim, a number of academic experiences were analysed to explore the applicability and viability of 3D computer modelling and VR into built environment subject areas. Although two-dimensional (2D) representations have been greatly accepted by built environment professions and education, 3D computer representations and VR applications, offering interactivity and immersiveness, are not yet widely accepted. The study attempts to understand the values and challenges of integrating visualisation technologies into built environment teaching and investigates tutors’ perceptions, opinions and concerns with respect to these technologies. The study reports on the integration process and considers how 3D computer modelling and VR technologies can combine with, and extend, the existing range of learning and teaching methods appropriate to different disciplines and programme areas

Perfil de proporcionalidad y la velocidad del lanzamiento en jugadores de béisbol

El objetivo de la investigación, se basó en establecer la relación entre el perfil de proporcionalidad y la velocidad del lanzamiento de veinte (20) jugadores, integrantes de la selección juvenil de béisbol del estado Barinas. El protocolo utilizado para las mediciones, son los estándares establecidos por la ISAK (Sociedad Internacional para el Avance de la Kinantropometría). Para la determinación del perfil de proporcionalidad se utilizó un modelo de proporcionalidad integrada, el cual se apoyó en la estrategia del somatograma de Behnke. En lo que respecta a la velocidad, el lanzamiento utilizado para la medición fue la recta. Se determinaron los factores del perfil de proporcionalidad que ejercen una mayor influencia sobre la velocidad del lanzamiento, son: longitud relativa de la extremidad superior; altura acromial e ilioespinal y anchura biacromial. Se recomienda extender los resultados de la presente investigación a los entrenadores, profesores de educación física y estudiantes.The objective of this investigation is about establishing the relation between the proportionality profile and throw velocity of twenty (20) players belonging to the juvenile baseball selection of the Barinas Sate. It was a field type of investigation with a correlation-descriptive design. The protocol used for measurements are the standard one established by the ISAK (International Society for the Advance of Kinanthropometrics). For the determination of the profile proportionality an integrated proportionality model was used, which was supported by the Behnke somatogram strategy. As for velocity, the throwing used for the measurement was linear. The factors of the proportionality profile that exert a major influence on the velocity of the throw were: relative length of the upper end; acromion and iliospinal height and biacromial width. It is recommended to provide the results of the actual study to coaches, physical education teachers