The Buffalo Central Terminal and Economic Development

BCT was completed in 1929 by New York Central Railroad, shortly before the stock market crash leading to the Great Depression. Between 1929 and 1933 the railroads’ gross operating and net revenues fell; costs dramatically increased while passenger’s disposable incomes decreased. The railroads were responsible for their own maintenance and capital improvements, while the Federal Government was actively subsidizing auto, bus and air travel. In addition, taxes paid by the railroads to federal, state and municipal governments were being used to pay for their competitors’ infrastructure. The U.S.’s entry into World War II brought an increase in freight and passenger rail traffic because rails were an effective way to move war goods and there were gasoline rations as well as rubber and metal shortages. While the railroads were now increasing income like never before, they were stretched near to capacity in addition to the fact that resources were not available to maintain the trains (materials were being used to manufacture war goods). Once the war ended, the railroads’ freight and passenger traffic once again declined

Catholic Church Closings

The Catholic Diocese of Buffalo was established on April 23, 1847. It serves the following counties in New York State: Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus and Allegany. The Diocese covers 6,455 square miles and has a Catholic population of 702,884. In June 2005, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, the bishop of Buffalo, initiated a “parish-based strategic plan and spiritual revitalization initiative” called “Journey in Faith and Grace.” Through this initiative, the Diocese of Buffalo “restructured” churches in the Vicariates of Southeast Buffalo, Northern Erie, and Eastern Erie. The restructuring called for 77 worship sites to be phased out, while 198 worship sites will remain in use

Handedness and behavioural inhibition:left-handed females show most inhibition as measured by BIS/BAS self-report

This study investigated the relationship between handedness, gender and behavioural approach and inhibition using Carver and White’s (1994) BIS/BAS Scale. 112 participants took part: 46 left-handers and 66 right-handers. All participants completed Peters’ (1998) handedness questionnaire followed by the self-report BIS/BAS Scale. Significant effects of both handedness and gender on the BIS scores were found, with left-handers and females scoring significantly higher on inhibition. BIS scores were re-examined to include FFFS scores, which showed a significant effect of gender. Revised BIS scores replicated the original BIS findings. These findings are discussed in relation to handedness research

Taking over someone else's e-learning design: challenges trigger change in e-learning beliefs and practices

As universities invest in the development of e-learning resources, e-learning sustainability has come under consideration. This has largely focused on the challenges and facilitators of organisational and technological sustainability and scalability, and professional development. Little research has examined the experience of a teacher dealing with e-learning sustainability when taking over a course with an e-learning resource and associated assessment. This research focuses on a teacher who was inexperienced with e-learning technology, yet took over a blended unit of study with an e-learning resource that accounted for one-fifth of the subject assessment and was directed towards academic skills development relevant to the degree program. Taking a longitudinal approach, this research examines the challenges faced by the new teacher and the way she changed the e-learning resource and its implementation over two years. A focus of the research is the way the teacher's reflections on the challenges and changes provided an opportunity and stimulus for change in her e-learning beliefs and practices. This research has implications for the way universities support teachers taking over another teacher's e-learning resource, the need for explicit documentation of underpinning beliefs and structured handover, the benefit of teamwork in developing e-learning resources, and provision of on-going support

Investigating sustainable solutions for roadside gully pot management

Roadside gully pots are an important component of urban drainage, with over 17 million examples in service throughout England and Wales. Their main purpose is to retain sediments from road runoff, leaves and organic litter in order to avoid blockage or hydraulic restriction of the drainage system. Gully pots require regular mechanical cleaning to prevent blockages; indeed, blocked gullies were partially blamed for exacerbating flooding in the city of Kingston upon Hull in 2007. The rate at which mechanical cleaning and emptying of individual gully pots is required depends in part on the decomposition rate of the waste contained within. However, the physical and chemical processes which dominate decomposition processes are poorly understood. Understanding these internal processes, and whether climate and catchment area have the potential to affect them, is an important factor in developing sustainable solutions for managing gully pots, thus reducing the likelihood of future blockages.In order to establish a basic understanding of internal gully pot processes, waste was collected from a range of catchment areas and across different seasons. This allowed temporal and spatial variability to be assessed. Model gully pots were then set up under laboratory condition to monitor the effects of moisture and temperature in situ over a six month period. Additionally, the effect of substrate addition, including glucose, Tween 80 and itaconic acid, was assessed within these model gully pots. A composting trial was also executed under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions assessing the effect of a substrate addition (starch) on the waste. In order to assess the processes within the waste, the organic matter content, moisture content and pH were all measured throughout the study. The effects of these variables on the microbial community were assessed using Biolog EcoPlatesTM, along with the assessment of enzyme activity using a fluorogenic approach.Seasonality has little influence upon the waste, whereas geographical location exhibits a stronger influence. This can be attributed to the variable levels of foliage in the areas. Under laboratory conditions the waste was significantly affected by temperature, showing greater degradation at higher temperatures. Varying moisture levels, however, had little to no effect. Furthermore, slight increases in degradation were observed upon the addition of a substrate to the waste; this increase varied not only with the choice of substrate, but was also temperature dependant. The starch addition to the compost trial confirmed the waste’s ability to compost under both thermophilic and mesophilic conditions.The results demonstrated the gully pot waste was able to decompose at a slow rate under replica field conditions. Using a substrate additive only increased this rate minimally, indicating that it would not be worthwhile for local authorities to use this as a substitute for, or in addition to, manual cleaning. However, the positive confirmation from the composting trial could be valuable when considering sustainable gully pot management in the future

The complex relationship between weather and dengue virus transmission in Thailand.

Using a novel analytical approach, weather dynamics and seasonal dengue virus transmission cycles were profiled for each Thailand province, 1983-2001, using monthly assessments of cases, temperature, humidity, and rainfall. We observed systematic differences in the structure of seasonal transmission cycles of different magnitude, the role of weather in regulating seasonal cycles, necessary versus optimal transmission "weather-space," basis of large epidemics, and predictive indicators that estimate risk. Larger epidemics begin earlier, develop faster, and are predicted at Onset change-point when case counts are low. Temperature defines a viable range for transmission; humidity amplifies the potential within that range. This duality is central to transmission. Eighty percent of 1.2 million severe dengue cases occurred when mean temperature was 27-29.5°C and mean humidity was > 75%. Interventions are most effective when applied early. Most cases occur near Peak, yet small reductions at Onset can substantially reduce epidemic magnitude. Monitoring the Quiet-Phase is fundamental in effectively targeting interventions pre-emptively

Computer Supported Strategic Management

This paper presents an overview of the essential components of effective strategic management and a detailed description of the methodology for leading an organization through the strategic management process. This process can be extremely time consuming and can easily fall victim to pep rally thinking, rather than producing useful critical evaluation.The authors have successfully used GroupSystems software, one of a limited number of software products designed to support meetings, to significantly reduce the amoimt of time required for meetings and to improve the level of independent, unbiased input from participants. The parallel processing afforded by the software typically reduced meeting time from one-third to one-half that of face-to-face meetings, and the input anonymity feature of the software encouraged insightful candor from participants. The GroupSystems seuip for each of the computer-supported meetings is detailed to illustrate how software of this type can be used to make strategic management efforts more successful. (GroupSystems is a registered trademark of Ventana Corporation, Tucson, Arizona.

Clarifying Analysis and Interpretation in Grounded Theory: Using a Conditional Relationship Guide and Reflective Coding Matrix

Although qualitative methods, grounded theory included, cannot be reduced to formulaic procedures, research tools can clarify the process. The authors discuss two instruments supporting grounded theory analysis and interpretation using two examples from doctoral students. The conditional relationship guide contextualizes the central phenomenon and relates categories linking structure with process. The reflective coding matrix serves as a bridge to the final phase of grounded theory analysis, selective coding and interpretation, and, ultimately, to substantive theory generation

Retention strategies in longitudinal studies with emerging adults

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this report was to describe retention strategies that were useful and those that were not in a longitudinal study of emerging adults. BACKGROUND: A longitudinal study examining the transition to young adulthood among emerging adults with type 1 diabetes, which had success in retention, provided the context for describing retention strategies. RATIONALE: A challenge in longitudinally designed studies is retention of participants because the loss decreases power for statistical analysis. Given that emerging adulthood is a period of instability, retention is particularly challenging among this population. However, longitudinal studies are the best way to understand developmental changes, and it is also important to increase our knowledge of health outcomes during emerging adulthood. DESCRIPTION: Retention strategies used in the study are described, including promoting a positive relationship with participants, maintaining contact with participants, having a study staff with good interpersonal skills, using incentives, conveying respect for participants, and using user-friendly data collection. OUTCOMES: Useful strategies to promote a positive relationship included sending cards and newsletters to participants, maintaining consistency of contact person, and expressing appreciation for participant's time and effort. Useful strategies for maintaining contact with participants included obtaining contact information at every data collection point, maintaining birth dates and chart numbers in tracking databases, monitoring returned mail, and using Web search engines. Other useful strategies were providing incentives to participants, employing staff with good interpersonal skills, providing participants with choices when appropriate, and using user-friendly data collection. One strategy, using contests, was not found useful. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the challenges of conducting longitudinally designed studies with emerging adults, multiple retention strategies can be used that are useful to retention. IMPLICATIONS: It is feasible to conduct longitudinal studies with emerging adults despite the challenges

Clostridium difficile infection in the United States: A national study assessing preventive practices used and perceptions of practice evidence

We surveyed 571 US hospitals about practices used to prevent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Most hospitals reported regularly using key CDI prevention practices, and perceived their strength of evidence as high. The largest discrepancy between regular use and perceived evidence strength occurred with antimicrobial stewardship programs.Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(8):969–971</jats:p