The ‘Suburban Imaginary’: Restructuring the rural village in Ireland and France

The phenomenon of the proliferation of holiday homes, particularly in remote and isolated areas, has provoked widespread concern regarding the fate of the indigenous rural community. The central concern of this thesis is to investigate how the rural community is adapting to the presence of the outsider as both a temporary and permanent resident, by examining the interaction between local and outsider resident in order to get a sense of the dynamics involved in the restructuring of the rural community. The study approached this central problematic, by looking at how rural space is being socially constructed as a result of this interaction, and how rural space is determining the dynamic involved in this interaction. The two rural villages which were chosen for this study, are located in regions of unique cultural and historical interest: Dunfarraig in the Burren region in the west of Ireland, and Gireux in the Cathar region in the south of France. Despite their empirical similarities, these villages have demonstrated quite different responses to the presence of the outsider, which has become apparent through a comparative analysis of the way in which concepts such as ‘community membership’ are played out in either context. The central findings of this research, has been to show how the landscapes of Dunfarraig and Gireux are being symbolically constructed as ‘suburban’ through the social practices of its residents, taking an abstract or social form in the French context, and a material form in the Irish context. Further, how these practices are appealing to a vocabulary of ‘suburbia’, located in the suburban imaginary of residents. These findings of ‘suburbia’ are premised on the theory that residents are constructing a view of the physical landscape for private consumption in the Irish context, and a view of the social landscape, for private consumption in the French context. However, the thesis ultimately defends the rural character of these two villages, maintaining that this interpretation of the ‘suburban imaginary’ is one way of understanding the complexity of these social practices

The ‘Suburban Imaginary’: Restructuring the rural village in Ireland and France

The phenomenon of the proliferation of holiday homes, particularly in remote and isolated areas, has provoked widespread concern regarding the fate of the indigenous rural community. The central concern of this thesis is to investigate how the rural community is adapting to the presence of the outsider as both a temporary and permanent resident, by examining the interaction between local and outsider resident in order to get a sense of the dynamics involved in the restructuring of the rural community. The study approached this central problematic, by looking at how rural space is being socially constructed as a result of this interaction, and how rural space is determining the dynamic involved in this interaction. The two rural villages which were chosen for this study, are located in regions of unique cultural and historical interest: Dunfarraig in the Burren region in the west of Ireland, and Gireux in the Cathar region in the south of France. Despite their empirical similarities, these villages have demonstrated quite different responses to the presence of the outsider, which has become apparent through a comparative analysis of the way in which concepts such as ‘community membership’ are played out in either context. The central findings of this research, has been to show how the landscapes of Dunfarraig and Gireux are being symbolically constructed as ‘suburban’ through the social practices of its residents, taking an abstract or social form in the French context, and a material form in the Irish context. Further, how these practices are appealing to a vocabulary of ‘suburbia’, located in the suburban imaginary of residents. These findings of ‘suburbia’ are premised on the theory that residents are constructing a view of the physical landscape for private consumption in the Irish context, and a view of the social landscape, for private consumption in the French context. However, the thesis ultimately defends the rural character of these two villages, maintaining that this interpretation of the ‘suburban imaginary’ is one way of understanding the complexity of these social practices

Communication Practices in Technology Companies.

It is contended that the skills or competencies that are required of business graduates by technology companies, range from the ability to communicate complex information about global issues in ways that are accessible to and connect with the general public, to problem-solving and project-based interaction. This represents a shift in the type of communication practice that now characterises the technology company, with its main focus on “agile” frameworks of teamwork. This report examines the context for this development, and explores the role of assessment and pedagogy in preparing the student for these communication competencies, from the perspective of the technology company

Teacher education admission criteria as measure of preparedness for teaching

This study investigated the relationship between commonly used admission criteria, found in a one-year, post Bachelor's degree, initial, teacher education program, and the preparedness of teacher candidates in mathematics for independent teaching. The admission criteria used in this study were grade point average (GPA) and a written profile. The profile was not significantly related with either the assessment of practice teaching or preparedness. However, entering GPAs predicted only between five and 12 per cent of variance in course instructors' judgements of teacher candidates' preparedness in three of five areas: Promote Student Learning, Critical Thinking, and Use of Technology. Ratings of preparedness by instructors, associate teachers, and the teacher candidates themselves suggested that teacher candidates were adequately to well-prepared in all areas. This finding is possibly due to the restriction of range of GPA and overall success for all teacher candidates. Further research is needed utilizing unique approaches to draw substantive conclusions that entering GPA or ratings of applicants responses to a written profile have predictive value for successful student teaching performance. Implications for initial teacher education program admissions are discussed.Cette étude explore le lien entre les critères d'admission couramment utilisés pour un programme de formation initiale à l'enseignement d'un an après le baccalauréat et la mesure dans laquelle les candidats sont prêts à enseigner d'une manière autonome les mathématiques. Les critères d'admission analysés dans cette étude étaient la moyenne pondérée cumulative (MPC) et un profil écrit de chaque candidat. Le profil n'était pas relié d'une manière significative à l'évaluation du stage pédagogique ou de l'état de préparation des stagiaires. Pour ce qui est des MPC des candidats, leur valeur prédictive expliquait seulement de 5 à 12 % de la variance dans les opinions des moniteurs de cours au sujet de l'état de préparation des stagiaires dans trois domaines sur cinq, à savoir la promotion de l'apprentissage des élèves, la pensée critique et l'utilisation de la technologie. Les évaluations de l'état de préparation des stagiaires par les moniteurs, les enseignants associés et les stagiaires eux-mêmes semblent indiquer que la préparation des stagiaires était de « adéquate » à « excellente ». Ce résultat s'explique probablement par l'homogénété des MPC des candidats et le succès global de tous les stagiaires. Il faudra d'autres recherches faisant appel à des approches pertinentes pour pouvoir conclure nettement que le MCP des candidats ou l'évaluation des réponses des candidats à un questionnaire écrit relatif à leur profil a une valeur prédictive à l'égard du succès des stagiaires. Les auteurs analysent en outre les implications pour les admissions à des programmes de formation initiale à l'enseignement.Mots clés : formation à l'enseignement, critères d'admission, préparation des stagiaires en enseignement

Teacher Education Program Admission Criteria and What Beginning Teachers Need to know to be Successful Teachers

Most teacher education programs receive many more applications than they can accept. How should programs select among applicants and how should the programs evaluate the success of their selection processes? In this article we review the criteria utilized throughout North America to select prospective teachers into education programs. The strengths and weaknesses of each criterion are discussed. We propose a conceptual framework linking the knowledge, skills, and attitudes beginning teachers need, the preparation that teacher education programs provide, and the programs’ application criteria. In the conclusion, the authors make numerous suggestions about how to adapt and change the current selection criteria so that the resultant product is the successful teacher. The authors challenge teacher education programs to critically examine their admission criteria.

Precision Medicine in Phaeochromocytoma and Paraganglioma.

Precision medicine is a term used to describe medical care, which is specifically tailored to an individual patient or disease with the aim of ensuring the best clinical outcome whilst reducing the risk of adverse effects. Phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumours with uncertain malignant potential. Over recent years, the molecular profiling of PPGLs has increased our understanding of the mechanisms that drive tumorigenesis. A high proportion of PPGLs are hereditary, with non-hereditary tumours commonly harbouring somatic mutations in known susceptibility genes. Through detailed interrogation of genotype-phenotype, correlations PPGLs can be classified into three different subgroups or clusters. Thus, PPGLs serve as an ideal paradigm for developing, testing and implementing precision medicine concepts in the clinic. In this review, we provide an overview of PPGLs and highlight how detailed molecular characterisation of these tumours provides current and future opportunities for precision oncology

Genetic stratification of inherited and sporadic phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma: implications for precision medicine.

Over the past two decades advances in genomic technologies have transformed knowledge of the genetic basis of phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL). Though traditional teaching suggested that inherited cases accounted for only 10% of all phaeochromocytoma diagnosis, current estimates are at least three times this proportion. Inherited PPGL is a highly genetically heterogeneous disorder but the most frequently results from inactivating variants in genes encoding subunits of succinate dehydrogenase. Expanding knowledge of the genetics of PPGL has been translated into clinical practice by the provision of widespread testing for inherited PPGL. In this review, we explore how the molecular stratification of PPGL is being utilized to enable more personalized strategies for investigation, surveillance and management of affected individuals and their families. Translating recent genetic research advances into clinical service can not only bring benefits through more accurate diagnosis and risk prediction but also challenges when there is a suboptimal evidence base for the clinical consequences or significance of rare genotypes. In such cases, clinical, biochemical, pathological and functional imaging assessments can all contribute to more accurate interpretation and clinical management.We apologise to all the authors whose work we were unable to cite because of space constraints. We thank Dr Birke Bausch, University of Freiburg, Germany and Anna Roslyakowa, Department of Surgery, Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia for their expert input. RC acknowledges support from AMEND and GIST Support UK. ERM acknowledges support from European Research Council (Advanced Researcher Award), NIHR (Senior Investigator Award and Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centre) and Cancer Research UK Cambridge Cancer Centre. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS or NIHR. The University of Cambridge has received salary support in respect of EM from the NHS in the East of England through the Clinical Academic Reserve

Oocyte size, egg index, and body lipid content in relation to body size in the solitary bee Megachile rotundata

Females of solitary, nest-provisioning bees have relatively low fecundity, but produce large eggs as part of their overall strategy of investing substantially in each offspring. In intraspecific comparisons of several species of solitary, nest-provisioning bees and wasps, the size of the mature eggs produced increases with female body size. We further examined oocyte size–body size correlations in the solitary bee Megachile rotundata (F.), an important crop pollinator. We hypothesized that larger females carry larger basal oocytes (i.e., those next in line to be oviposited) but that body size–oocyte size correlations would be absent soon after emergence, before their first eggs fully matured. Because egg production is likely affected by the quantity of stored lipids carried over from the bees’ immature stages, we also tested the hypothesis that female body size is correlated with the body lipid content at adult emergence, the time during which oocyte growth accelerates. We found significant correlations of body size with oocyte size variables chosen to reflect: (1) the magnitude of the investment in the next egg to be laid (i.e., the length and volume of the basal oocyte) and (2) the longer term potential to produce mature oocytes (i.e., the summed lengths and volumes of the three largest oocytes in each female). Positive correlations existed throughout the nesting season, even during the first week following adult emergence. The ability to produce and carry larger oocytes may be linked to larger females starting the nesting season with greater lipid stores (which we document here) or to greater space within the abdomen of larger females. Compared to other species of solitary bees, M. rotundata appears to have (1) smaller oocytes than solitary nest-provisioning bees in general, (2) comparable oocyte sizes relative to congeners, and (3) larger oocytes than related brood parasitic megachilids

The social worker's preparation of the psychiatric patient for leaving the hospital (A study of the trial visit preparation of twenty patients returning to relatives)

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University N.B.: The title page states this is "Part II." We suspect that this was a multi-part work involving different authors. We have found two related works, but there may be more. We are investigating. Please see also: Haliburton, Donald H. The social worker's preparation of the psychiatric patient for leaving the hospital, Part five: a study of twenty patients prepared for trial visit living alone. http://hdl.handle.net/2144/6788 Please see also: Bauer, Mildred H. The social worker's preparation of the psychiatric patients for leaving the hospital: part I: a study of twenty patients prepared for trial visit with relatives. http://hdl.handle.net/2144/671