Smooth Sailing or Stormy Seas? Atlantic Canadian Physical Educators on the State and Future of Physical Education

This article summarizes results from a recently completed study that focused upon the current state and possible future of physical education within Canada’s four Atlantic provinces. Data from both large-scale surveys and eight follow-up focus group interviews are shared as they relate to the state and future of physical education, possible reforms in physical education, and two elements of NASPE’s PE2020 framework (physical education teacher education [PETE], curriculum). Results suggest physical educators within Atlantic Canada are largely satisfied with the state of physical education, with few (external) negative observations. Moreover, there is little-to-no perceived need for internal reform within the discipline. Physical educators also provided insightful informationrelated to their beliefs and practices regarding PETE and curriculum. Results might be of particular interest to those similarly engaged in “futures” inquiry within physical education. More specifically, this research attends to the call for physical educator-informed reform efforts

A parametric shell analysis of the shuttle 51-L SRB AFT field joint

Following the Shuttle 51-L accident, an investigation was conducted to determine the cause of the failure. Investigators at the Langley Research Center focused attention on the structural behavior of the field joints with O-ring seals in the steel solid rocket booster (SRB) cases. The shell-of-revolution computer program BOSOR4 was used to model the aft field joint of the solid rocket booster case. The shell model consisted of the SRB wall and joint geometry present during the Shuttle 51-L flight. A parametric study of the joint was performed on the geometry, including joint clearances, contact between the joint components, and on the loads, induced and applied. In addition combinations of geometry and loads were evaluated. The analytical results from the parametric study showed that contact between the joint components was a primary contributor to allowing hot gases to blow by the O-rings. Based upon understanding the original joint behavior, various proposed joint modifications are shown and analyzed in order to provide additional insight and information. Finally, experimental results from a hydro-static pressurization of a test rocket booster case to study joint motion are presented and verified analytically

The use of complementary and alternative medicines in the treatment of menopausal symptoms by private healthcare patients in Pretoria, South Africa

Magister Scientiae - MSc (Pharmacy Administration and Policy Regulation)BACKGROUND The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. While observational studies indicate that CAMs can bring some relief of symptoms, there is mixed evidence of this based on clinical trials and other studies (Thompson, 2010 and Newton et al., 2006), with very little available research specific to South Africa

Xwnt-5A: a maternal Wnt that affects morphogenetic movements after overexpression in embryos of Xenopus laevis

To contribute to an understanding of the roles and mechanisms of action of Wnts in early vertebrate development, we have characterized the normal expression of Xenopus laevis Wnt-5A, and investigated the consequences of misexpression of this putative signalling factor. Xwnt-5A transcripts are expressed throughout development, and are enriched in both the anterior and posterior regions of embryos at late stages of development, where they are found primarily in ectoderm, with lower levels of expression in mesoderm. Overexpression of Xwnt-5A in Xenopus embryos leads to complex malformations distinct from those achieved by ectopic expression of Xwnts −1, −3A, or −8. This phenotype is unlikely to result from Xwnt-5A acting as an inducing agent, as overexpression of Xwnt-5A does not rescue dorsal structures in UV-irradiated embryos, does not induce mesoderm in blastula caps, and Xwnt-5A does not alter the endogenous patterns of expression of goosecoid, Xbra, or Xwnt-8. To pursue whether Xwnt-5A has the capacity to affect morphogenetic movements, we investigated whether overexpression of Xwnt-5A alters the normal elongation of blastula cap explants induced by activin. Intriguingly, Xwnt-5A blocks the elongation of blastula caps in response to activin, without blocking the differentiation of either dorsal or ventral mesoderm within these explants. The data are consistent with Xwnt-5A having the potential activity of modifying the morphogenetic movements of tissues

Do Differences in Pleadings Standards Cause Forum Shopping in Securities Class Actions?: Doctrinal and Empirical Analyses

Federal appellate courts have promulgated divergent legal standards for pleading fraud in securities fraud class actions after the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act (PSLRA). Recently, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a decision in Tellabs, Inc. v. Makor Issues & Rights, Ltd. that could have resolved these differences, but did not do so. This Paper provides two significant contributions. We first show that Tellabs avoids deciding the hard issues that confront courts and litigants daily in the wake of the PSLRA\u27s heightened pleading standard. As a consequence, the opinion keeps very much alive the circuits\u27 disparate interpretations of the PSLRA\u27s fraud pleading standard. To be sure, Tellabs might ultimately be applied by lower courts to narrow the range of permissible approaches to satisfying the strong inference standard, but leaves a good deal of room within which wide variations in approach will continue. Our second contribution is empirical in that we seek to answer the question: do plaintiffs\u27 attorneys take advantage of the differences among the circuits\u27 interpretation of the pleading standard to select more favorable venues to file their cases, as some scholars have claimed? We find that 85 percent of the securities fraud class actions in our sample are filed in the home circuit of the defendant corporation. While we find that the differences in the circuits\u27 pleading standards do not have a statistically significant impact on the plaintiffs\u27 choice of venue, we find that plaintiffs are more likely to file low-value cases in jurisdictions other than the one in which the defendant\u27s headquarters is located

Gadgets in the Gymnasium: Physical Educators’ Use of Digital Technologies | Les gadgets au gymnase : l’utilisation des technologies numériques par les enseignants en éducation physique

This article highlights results from a recent study that investigated Atlantic Canadian physical educators’ adoption and implementation of various digital technologies. Employing a mixed-methods research design (survey participants, n = 206; focus group participants, n = 12), the research intended to provide a clear overview of physical educators’ implementation of digital technologies—as well as an account of the factors that may enable or limit their use. Results suggest that some digital technologies are used more (e.g., audio players, computers) than others (e.g., Dartfish, iTouch). Moreover, a number of external barriers (limitations in time, expertise, resources) and internal barriers (teacher beliefs, established pedagogy) were identified. In light of these results, a number of observations and comments are offered. Results from this research might be of particular interest to those engaged with physical education and technology implementation. Cet article souligne les résultats d’une étude récente qui s’est penchée sur l’adoption et la mise en application de diverses technologies numériques par les moniteurs d’éducation physique du Canada atlantique. À l’aide d’un modèle de recherche faisant appel à des méthodes mixtes (participants au sondage, n = 206; participants au groupe de discussion, n = 12), l’étude entendait fournir un survol limpide de la mise en œuvre des technologies numériques par les enseignants en éducation physique, ainsi qu’un compte-rendu des facteurs qui peuvent permettre ou limiter cet usage. Les résultats suggèrent que certaines technologies numériques sont plus utilisées (p. ex. lecteurs audio et ordinateurs) que d’autres (p. ex. Dartfish, iTouch). De plus, un certain nombre d’obstacles externes (des limites relatives au temps, à l’expertise, aux ressources) et internes (croyances des enseignants, pédagogie établie) ont été repérés. À la lumière de ces résultats, nous offrons certaines observations et des commentaires. Les résultats de ces recherches peuvent être intéressants pour les personnes qui s’occupent de l’éducation physique et de la mise en application des technologies