Large 1-systems of Curves in Non-orientable Surfaces

A longstanding avenue of research in orientable surface topology is to create and enumerate collections of curves in surfaces with certain intersection properties. We look for similar collections of curves in non-orientable surfaces. A surface is non-orientable if and only if it contains a M\"obius band. We generalize a construction of Malestein-Rivin-Theran to non-orientable surfaces to exhibit a lower bound for the maximum number of curves that pairwise intersect 0 or 1 times in a generic non-orientable surface

Rethinking ESL Literacy Education in Multicultural Conditions: the Passage Through Cultural-Historical Psychology

This thesis explores new possibilities in the field of ESL education to address the issue of the growing cultural-semiotic heterogeneity and polyphony in contemporary classrooms. Covering a wide range of areas including cultural-historical and sociocultural psychology, postcolonial literature, applied linguistics, studies in cultural semiotics and the New Literacy Studies, this thesis seeks to move beyond the limitations of rationalist approaches to second language and literacy learning. However, a sociocultural perspective on ESL education reveals not only the constraints and limitations of cognitivist frameworks of learning but also the compacting of identity and language politics into a closed logic of binarised categories. Therefore, an attempt is made to crack open these categories by drawing on the concepts of Thirdspace and cultural-semiotic hybridity

Improving Students' Competence in the Thesis Defence Examination (TDE) in Two Universities in Aceh, Indonesia: Case study at Nanggroe University and Syiar University

The Thesis Defence Examination (TDE) is a vital step for students in many countries to complete their degree. The TDE is defined as a class of communicative events; and it is assumed that, to succeed in performing a specific genre, students should understand the elements of the genre and perform appropriately. Although in some countries, such as Australia, the TDE is not commonly practised, in other countries such as the USA, the UK and Indonesia, the TDE is necessary before students can graduate. In Indonesia, the issue of the poor performance of undergraduate students in their TDEs has been raised by academic communities: many students appear to be competent in their general English, but most of them perform poorly in their TDEs. This thesis will discuss this discrepancy and propose a possible solution

Childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: socioeconomic inequalities in symptoms, impact, diagnosis and medication

Background: Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are at greater risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related symptoms, being diagnosed with ADHD, and being prescribed ADHD medications. We aimed to examine how inequalities manifest across the ‘patient journey’, from perceptions of impacts of ADHD symptoms on daily life, to the propensity to seek and receive a diagnosis and treatment. // Methods: We investigated four ‘stages’: (1) symptoms, (2) caregiver perception of impact, (3) diagnosis and (4) medication, in two data sets: UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS, analytic n ~ 9,000), with relevant (parent-reported) information on all four stages (until 14 years); and a population-wide ‘administrative cohort’, which includes symptoms (child health checks) and prescriptions (dispensing records), born in Scotland, 2010–2012 (analytic n ~ 100,000), until ~6 years. We described inequalities according to maternal occupational status, with percentages and relative indices of inequality (RII). // Results: The prevalence of ADHD symptoms and medication receipt was considerably higher in the least compared to the most advantaged children in the administrative cohort (RIIs of 5.9 [5.5–6.4] and 8.1 [4.2–15.6]) and the MCS (3.08 [2.68–3.55], 3.75 [2.21–6.36]). MCS analyses highlighted complexities between these two stages, however, those from least advantaged backgrounds, with ADHD symptoms, were the least likely to perceive impacts on daily life (15.7% vs. average 19.5%) and to progress from diagnosis to medication (44.1% vs. average 72.5%). // Conclusions: Despite large inequalities in ADHD symptoms and medication, parents from the least advantaged backgrounds were less likely to report impacts of ADHD symptoms on daily life, and their children were less likely to have received medication postdiagnosis, highlighting how patient journeys differed according to socioeconomic circumstances

The Ursinus Weekly, March 21, 1949

Dorm champs to be decided tonight: Intramural contests scheduled for 6:30 in T-G gymnasium • Editorial: Wanted, a student government • Debate team to be host for Ben Franklin tourney • Junior class picks Lanin for annual spring prom • Is our student government satisfactory? • Music, languages, coeds please Brazilian student • Med students hear talk by radiologist • Coeds battle to 25-18 win over Chestnut Hill squad • Jay Vees succumb to Chestnut Hillers in final home tilt • Baseball team starts practice sessions • Intramural season to end tomorrow; several teams tied • Quartet of cagers to finish careers in Bryn Mawr tilt • Baseball, soccer star begins tennis duties • Swimmers drop pair in week; Ellis, Borkey, Pattison get points • Sophomores choose Woody Leigh combo for April 4 dance • Clarke, Mattson thrill operetta audiencehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1612/thumbnail.jp

Modeling the influence of the Weddell Polynya on the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf cavity

Open-ocean polynyas in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica are the product of deep convection, which transports Warm Deep Water (WDW) to the surface and melts sea ice or prevents its formation. These polynyas occur only rarely in the observational record, but are a near-permanent feature of many climate and ocean simulations. A question not previously considered is the degree to which the Weddell Polynya affects the nearby Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS) cavity. Here we assess these effects using regional ocean model simulations of the Weddell Sea and FRIS, where deep convection is imposed with varying area, location, and duration. In these simulations, the idealised Weddell Polynyas consistently cause an increase in WDW transport onto the continental shelf, as a result of density changes above the shelf break. This leads to saltier, denser source waters for the FRIS cavity, which then experiences stronger circulation and increased ice shelf basal melting. It takes approximately 14 years for melt rates to return to normal after the deep convection ceases. Weddell Polynyas similar to those seen in observations have a modest impact on FRIS melt rates, which is within the range of simulated interannual variability. However, polynyas which are larger or closer to the shelf break, such as those seen in many ocean models, trigger a stronger response. These results suggest that ocean models with excessive Weddell Sea convection may not be suitable boundary conditions for regional models of the Antarctic continental shelf and ice shelf cavities

Study abroad, L2 motivation and English language acquisition: A longitudinal study of the experience of Japanese university students studying English abroad and at home

This portfolio of individual exploratory studies reports on the English language learning experiences of a cohort of Japanese university students who studied English abroad as a group during their first year at university. The studies focus on the students' English language learning experiences in three successive environments and time periods: the pre-study abroad period in Japan during the years of schooling, the study abroad period in the United Kingdom during the students' first year at university, and finally the post-study abroad period in Japan during the students' second and third years at university. Each study explores L2 motivation from different perspectives in order to capture the dynamic trajectory of L2 motivation in Japanese university students whose program of study includes studying English abroad. The portfolio draws on dynamic systems theory (DST) and L2 motivation theories to conceptualise the participants' learning journeys, and to identify diverse possible cognitive, social and environmental factors acting on the learning of an additional language and on motivation to learn an additional language. Applying the DST approach to the study participants' language learning has made it possible to trace their L2 journeys as multi-dimensional experiences, non-linear in nature and sensitive to the effect of temporal factors

Cost-effectiveness of specialist eating disorders services for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa: a national surveillance study.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests specialist eating disorders services for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa have the potential to improve outcomes and reduce costs through reduced hospital admissions. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of assessment and diagnosis in community-based specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) compared to generic CAMHS for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa. METHOD: Observational, surveillance study of children and adolescents aged 8 to 17, in contact with community-based CAMHS in the UK or Republic of Ireland for a first episode of anorexia nervosa. Data were reported by clinicians at baseline, 6 and 12-months follow-up. Outcomes included the Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) and percentage of median expected body mass for age and sex (%mBMI). Service use data included paediatric and psychiatric inpatient admissions, outpatient and day-patient attendances. A joint distribution of incremental mean costs and effects for each group was generated using bootstrapping to explore the probability that each service is the optimal choice, subject to a range of values a decision-maker might be willing to pay for outcome improvements. Uncertainty was explored using cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-eight children and adolescents met inclusion criteria. At 12-month follow-up, there were no significant differences in total costs or outcomes between specialist eating disorders services and generic CAMHS. However, adjustment for pre-specified baseline covariates resulted in observed differences favouring specialist services, due to significantly poorer clinical status of the specialist group at baseline. Cost-effectiveness analysis using CGAS suggests that the probability of assessment in a specialist service being cost-effective compared to generic CAMHS ranges from 90 to 50%, dependent on willingness to pay for improvements in outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment in a specialist eating disorders service for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa may have a higher probability of being cost-effective than assessment in generic CAMHS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN12676087 . Date of registration 07/01/2014

Reply to “Global coastal wetland expansion under accelerated sea-level rise is unlikely”

We thank Törnqvist et al. for engaging with our modelling study on the future response of global coastal wetlands to sea-level rise (SLR) and their careful and critical discussion of the presented methods and results. However, we disagree with their suggestion that our modelling approach is inadequate, a claim which relies on two arguments: (1) they argue that our results are inconsistent with the “A/S (accommodation versus sediment supply) theory”; (2) they refer to coastal Louisiana as a case example where our modelling results would deviate from historic observations and future projections of coastal wetland change. However, below we will demonstrate that Törnqvist et al.’s application of the A/S theory is not valid to predict changes in coastal wetland area, and that our global predictions are in line with regional observations and projections for coastal Louisiana and the wider region of the Gulf of Mexico. Taking coastal Louisiana as an example, Törnqvist et al. highlight that ca. 6000 km2 of land are expected to be lost over the coming 50 years due to RSLR and the erosion/drowning of coastal wetlands. However, this figure cannot directly be compared to our results, because it does not account for upland areas being converted to wetlands as sea level rises; it only accounts for seaward losses due to erosion and/or drowning with associated shoreline retreat and land loss3. Equivalent scenario runs of our model (i.e. only considering wetland accretion, but no inland migration) result in a comparable projected wetland loss in Louisiana of ca. 6,900 km2 until 2100, under the medium SLR scenario (RCP4.5). This loss is triggered by insufficient sediment availability for the marshes to keep pace with SLR in situ. Hence, Törnqvist et al.’s claim that our model underestimates future wetland loss on the US Gulf coast is incorrect. Rather, we demonstrate that our global-scale model predictions of wetland losses are comparable to regional estimates