Simultaneous observations of changes in coronal bright point emission at the 20 cm radio and He Lambda 10830 wavelengths

Preliminary results of observations of solar coronal bright points acquired simultaneously from ground based observatories at the radio wavelength of 20 cm and in the He I wavelength 10830 line on September 8, 1985, are reported. The impetus for obtaining simultaneous radio and optical data is to identify correlations, if any, in changes of the low transition-coronal signatures of bright points with the evolution of the magnetic field, and to distinguish between intermittent heating and changes in the magnetic field topology. Although simultaneous observations of H alpha emission and the photospheric magnetic field at Big Bear were also made, as well as radio observations from Owen Valley Radio Interferometer and Solar Maximum Mission (SSM) (O VIII line), only the comparison between He 10830 and the Very Large Array (VLA) radio data are presented

Preserved Consciousness in the Absence of a Cerebral Cortex, the Legal and Ethical Implications of Redefining Consciousness and Its Neural Correlates: A Case for a Subcortical System Generating Affective Consciousness

Historically, the scientific and medical communities have taken a corticocentric view on consciousness, emphasizing the need for a cortex in producing the conscious experience. The preserved consciousness observed in hydranencephalic children and decorticated rats suggests that some form of consciousness may be produced by a subcortical network. The brainstem, a phylogenetically ancient and conserved brain structure, could serve as the major integrative machinery to produce this form of consciousness, which is called affective consciousness—the evolutionary antecedent to the reflective consciousness that allows humans to reflect on their experiences. The functional convergence of the brainstem with the amygdala, motor system, and other subcortical structures provides the necessary architecture to support an affective state of consciousness by which instinctual-emotional goal-directed behavior is produced. This subcortical system operates by what Merker (2007) calls the selection triangle—an interface between bodily actions (action selection), the world (target selection), and personal motivation—to produce action through integration. By this model, it is possible that consciousness may persist in the absence of a cortex, such as in the persistent vegetative state. Because of this, it is necessary to establish that multiple forms of consciousness exist and to distinguish between affective and reflective consciousness, because such a distinction would have tremendous ethical implications in the conventional medical treatment of those with disorders of consciousness

Reforming Islamic Finance

Pessimists would rather declare the Islamic finance industry as clinically dead. Such dim expectation would become a reality when the industry will completely switch to selling present for future money through contrived sale contracts. The writings are plenty on the wall. We need to listen and respond seriously. Calling for the reform of the industry could be the last attempt to save it. Rusni Hassan’s paper (2020) provides a good perspective of the current problem, albeit a little dispassionate. This comment provides a brief explanation of the theoretical rationale and the macroeconomic benefits of Islamic finance. It diagnoses the problem of Islamic finance as that of convergence. In addition, a few modest proposals are presented to mitigate the problem

U.S. demand for certified tropical hardwood products

Tropical forests, which contain 50 percent of the planet\u27s biodiversity, are threatened by deforestation and illegal logging. Forest certification was initiated initially as a s certification: forest management practices and chain of custody (CoC). The United States is the largest market for secondary, or value-added, tropical hardwood products (STHP) which influences forest management practices in supplier countries. In 2004, this study was conducted to measure the demand for certified products in the U.S. The objectives of the study were to identify characteristics of U.S. demand for secondary (value-added) tropical hardwood products and to understand market perceptions regarding certification of secondary tropical hardwood products. Two sectors were surveyed: importers / brokers / manufacturers / wholesalers / retailers (Supply Chain) and builders and architects (B&A). Response rates were 19 percent for Supply Chain and 12 percent for B&A. For both groups, brokers and wholesalers are the dominant purchase channels for tropical hardwoods. More than 50 percent of TSHP originates from South America with Brazil being the primary export country. The main TSHP imported are doors, flooring, cabinets, and millwork. The most important criteria for respondents when selecting tropical hardwoods are quality, availability, and performance. Consistent supply is the greatest barrier to purchasing TSHP. With regard to certified tropical value-added hardwoods, generally respondents do not pay premiums relative to non-certified alternatives. Certification is not an important product selection attribute relative to price and quality. The B&A respondent group experienced more unexpected costs relative to Supply Chain members while Supply Chain members are more likely to promote certified product to their customers. Overall, in order to target the U.S. market tropical hardwood suppliers, particularly those that are engaged in certification, need to improve consistency of their supply and ensure that product quality standards remain at or above non-certified alternatives

The relationship between arabic language proficiency, english language proficiency, and science academic achievement of 11th grade arabic speaking english language learners

Limited schooling in the first language (L1) has allowed English Language Learners (ELLs) to face obstacles in their second language (L2) and science courses. Therefore, this study examines these variables in the following two hypotheses: (1) there is a significant relationship between Arabic language proficiency and English language proficiency and (2) there is a significant relationship between Arabic language proficiency and science academic achievement. A causal-comparative design was used to examine these hypotheses. The investigator selected sixty 11th grade Arabic-speaking students based on a nonrandom sampling method from one high school in the Metropolitan Schools (pseudonym) in Southeast Michigan. The measures used to collect data include: (1) Versant Arabic Test (VAT), (2) English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA), and (3) Science component of the Michigan Merit Examination (MME). Descriptive analysis classified the sixty students by country of origin, age, gender and ESL level. Inferential statistics that were used to investigate the research hypotheses included correlational analysis and multivariate regression analysis. The results of correlational and multivariate regressional analyses showed a significant relationship between Arabic language proficiency and English language proficiency. Thus, the first hypothesis was supported. However, no significant relationship was found between Arabic language proficiency and science academic achievement, when conducting correlational and multiple regression analysis. Thus, the second hypothesis was not supported. Discussions are provided as to why the first hypothesis was supported and as to why the second hypothesis was not supported. Also, educational implications as well as directions for future research are provided