DEVELOPMENT AND FEDERAL GRAZING POLICY IMPACTS ON TWO COLORADO COUNTIES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Ranchers have concern over how federal policies such as the Endangers Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and other laws and regulations will affect the status of their ranching operations. The objectives of this study were to compare impacts of public forage losses on ranches in areas experiencing rapid growth (Routt County) and minimal growth (Moffat County) in Colorado. Thirty-five personal interviews obtained detailed cost-and-return information on public, leased, and private land. Enterprise budgets for seven distinct ranch averages were entered into a linear programming (LP) model to calculate impacts on ranches of public forage reductions of 25%, 50%, and 100%. Changes in net ranch returns and livestock production reflect the economic impact of policy changes. Grazing alternatives to hypothetical reductions in public grazing chosen by the ranchers were applied in the program to mimic rancher decisions. The study found, as would be expected, that larger ranches with more public forage dependency would be the most affected by public forage losses. Those with fewer sources of alternative forage, and ranches with low costs and high returns, experienced more difficulty in coping with the grazing reductions on public land. Routt County, with its higher dependence on public forage and minimal alternative forage sources, would be more affected by federal forage reduction than Moffat County.Agricultural and Food Policy, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Land Economics/Use,

Very young children’s reflections as indicators of metacognition.

This study explored the relationship between young children’s reflections and their metacognitive knowledge (MCK). Whist there is reluctance to accept that metacognition and reflection are skills possessed by young children, the Early Years (which is the context of this research) is considered to be crucial in determining a range of outcomes for children and the foci for many early intervention practices. The objective of this mixed methods research was to examine young children’s reflections qualitatively and using quantitative data to explore whether any relationships exist between their reflections and their metacognitive knowledge. Initial findings from the analysis show that these children reflected on a range of different topics, in different dimensions of time and possibly used different styles of reflection. Their reflections contained categories of metacognitive knowledge behaviour, especially metacognitive knowledge of self. Findings also appear to suggest that differences between children’s reflections on objects and their metacognitive knowledge behaviour may not be explained by chance

A Study of Music, Embodiment, and Meaning in the World of Portal

Interactive video game music is a relatively new and quickly expanding art form, incorporating elements of music history, cinema, and video game theory. This study explores how music functions, reveals meaning, and defines player experience within the interactive world of the video games Portal and Portal 2—and how the paradoxical, twisting essence of the Portal world is created and shaped musically. Ultimately, this is a study of the continued existence and relevance of classical music and traditional music history in the futuristic world of video games

Reconsidering Late Roman Cyprus: Using new material from Nea Paphos to review current artefact typologies

This thesis is based around detailed analysis of an assemblage of newly excavated material from the Paphos Theatre site in SW Cyprus. Before presenting the new work, the academic context into which it must fit is investigated. This process of re-evaluating past work sets up a framework within which the new material would be expected to fit. In fact, research on Late Roman Cyprus is not as advanced as might be expected after over seventy years of excavation. This is most particularly the case for fundamental principles like typology and chronology for the local ceramics and glass. A review of past and current excavations shows that the typology of Cypriot Red Slip ware is widely used around the Eastern Mediterranean as a dating tool for deposits containing this distinctive Fine ware. This makes it essential that it be confirmed to be a reliable and substantially correct construct. Unfortunately, a re-analysis of the foundations of the Cypriot red Slip ware typology and chronology reveals many uncertainties and establishes the necessity for new material from secure deposits to help refine current typologies. The artefact assemblage from Area Three at the Paphos Theatre provides just such an opportunity. A combination of a series of sealed deposits, a high density of artifacts and identifiable coins has enabled a comprehensive study to be achieved. A major collapse, probably an earthquake, sealed a paved street and drainage system in the trenches and this episode can be pinpointed to around the mid to late fifth century by the coin evidence. Most interesting is the fact that the dating suggested by the coins does not match the dating usually assigned to the associated pottery and glass. After establishing the reliability of the coin evidence, the study of the other artefacts offers new ideas about the dating and typology of the local Cypriot Red Slip ware, Cooking ware, Lamps and Glass. In fact an analysis of all the pottery from the site suggests that the chronology of Cypriot Red Slip ware and Cooking ware in particular needs to be pushed back to focus on a floruit in the fourth and fifth centuries. This is at least one hundred years earlier than current typologies that focus on the mid sixth to seventh centuries. This analysis provides some reliable fixed points, for both local pottery and glass, earlier in the Late Roman sequence upon which future work can be built

Parity of participation for autistic students: mapping provision across UK higher education institutions

This paper systematically identifies, maps and evaluates specific types of provision for autistic students published on university websites at 120 institutions throughout the UK. Within these data we identify trends in relation to geographical region, university group, and the Teaching Excellence Framework rating. We employ Nancy Fraser’s theory of social justice to unpack the reasons that underlie the differentials in provision across UK higher education institutions. Findings identify eight categories of provision tailored specifically for autistic students from ‘supporting transition to university’ to ‘social groups’ and suggest that there are institutions across the UK with evidence of more developed provision. Our data show, however, that resources and provision are not distributed equitably, raising implications for autistic students’ parity of participation in higher education

Psychiatric morbidity in older people with moderate and severe learning disability (mental retardation). Part I: development and reliability of the patient interview (the PAS-ADD)

This paper describes the development of the PAS-ADD, a semistructured clinical interview for use specifically with patients with learning disabilities, based on items drawn from the PSE. The PAS-ADD includes a number of novel features including: parallel interviewing of patient and informant; a three-tier structure to provide a flexible interview appropriate to the patient's intellectual level; use of a memorable 'anchor event' in the patient's life to improve time focus; and simplified wording, improved organisation and lay out. Inter-rater reliability was investigated using an experimental design in which two raters viewed and re-rated videotaped PAS-ADD interviews which had been conducted by an experienced clinician. Reliability results compared favourably with those obtained in a major study of PSE reliability with a sample drawn from non-learning disabled individuals. Mean kappa for all items was 0.72. Other indexes of reliability were also good. In the current phase of development, the PAS-ADD is to be expanded to include further diagnostic categories, including schizophrenia and autism. The new version will be updated for use with ICD-10 criteria

Measurement of Saccade Parameters in Relation to Adaptation to Homonymous Hemianopia

Purpose: To report saccade parameters in participants during adaptation to post-stroke homonymous hemianopia. Methods: In a prospective observational case cohort study, adult stroke survivors with new onset homonymous hemianopia were recruited. Using quantitative measurement, saccade parameters were measured and compared between the hemianopic and non-hemianopic sides. Two participants with longitudinal measurements were compared with age-matched controls. Results: Of 144 clinical study participants, quantitative saccade measurements were only possible in 14 due to an inability to visualise targets on the hemianopic side in the majority. In 9 of the 14 participants, at four weeks post-stroke, mean (±SD) saccade latency was significantly longer to the hemianopic (328.4 ± 105.9 ms) compared to the non-hemianopic side (234.7 ± SD53.6 ms; t = 4.2, df = 8, p = 0.003). The number of correct saccadic responses out of 50 was significantly lower to the hemianopic side (36.6 ± SD14.1) in comparison to the non-hemianopic side (44.4 ± SD7.5; t = –3.1, df = 8, p = 0.014). In two participants studied over an eight-week time period, saccadic differences to the hemianopic side persisted despite apparent recovery of visual field. Conclusion: As participants with residual visual field loss were unable to perform quantitative assessments, the widespread use of this approach in this setting is limited. However, in those whom measurements were possible, there were statistically significant differences in saccade parameters between hemianopic and non-hemianopic sides that persisted post-visual recovery. Exploration of saccades in relation to adaptation to hemianopia and response to saccadic scanning/search training requires further examination

Exploring changing attitudes to non-invasive liver fibrosis tests in secondary care pathways: comparison of two national surveys

INTRODUCTION: The increasing availability of non-invasive tests (NITs) has created the opportunity to explore their use in improving risk stratification of advanced liver disease. The study aimed to determine the attitudes and practices among UK secondary care specialists, focusing primarily on attitudes to fibrosis assessment and the use of NITs. METHODS: Two web-based surveys were circulated, first between 2014 and 2015 (survey 1), and again in 2021 (survey 2). The surveys were promoted via the British Society of Gastroenterology, the British Association for the Study of the Liver and using Twitter. RESULTS: In survey 1, 215 healthcare professionals (HCPs) completed the online survey. 112 HCPs completed survey 2. 71 acute UK trusts were represented in survey 1 compared with 60 trusts in survey 2. Between the two surveys, the proportion of HCPs performing fibrosis assessment in all or nearly all cases rose from 45.1% to 74.1% (χ2=25.01; p<0.0001). 46.5% (n=33/71) respondents in acute services reported the use of NITs in clinical pathways in survey 1, rising to 70.0% (n=42/60) in survey 2 (χ2=7.35; p=0.007). Availability of tests has increased but is not universal. The proportion reporting availability as a barrier to uptake fell from 57.2% of responses in survey 1 to 38.4% in 2021 χ2=11.01; p=0.0009). CONCLUSION: Between 2014 and 2021, the role of NITs in fibrosis assessment has risen substantially, as has the proportion of clinicians using NITs in clinical pathways to assess risk of liver disease. Poor access to NITs remains the predominant barrier

Using preferred fluids and different reward schedules to motivate rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in cognitive tasks

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) used in behavioural neuroscience are often required to complete cognitively complex tasks, for which a high level of motivation is essential. To induce motivation, researchers may implement fluid-restriction protocols, whereby freely available water is limited, such that fluid can be used as a reward in the laboratory. A variety of different rewards and schedules are used, but there exists a lack of data assessing their effectiveness. In this study, we aimed to quantify fluid preference in rhesus macaques and to use these preferences to compare the motivational quality of different reward schedules: the monkey's previous reward (i.e. the fluid used to reward them in past studies), their new preferred reward, a variable schedule of previous and preferred reward, and a choice between the previous and preferred rewards. We found that it may be possible to reduce the level of restriction if an adequately motivating preferred reward is identified, but that this is dependent on the animal. Each monkey responded differently to both the fluid-preference assessments and to the different reward schedules. As such, monkeys should not be subject to ‘blanket’ protocols but should be assessed individually to maintain adequate scientific data collection at the least severe level of fluid restriction