Examining the Correlation between Excessive Recreational Smartphone Use and Academic Performance Outcomes

The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether excessive recreational smartphone use significantly affects students’ academic performance outcomes, study patterns, learning abilities and interactions with fellow students and faculty. Data was collected from 257 students attending a small community college in Bermuda to identify if there is a direct correlation between the grade point averages of participants and excessive recreational time spent on their smartphones. This study will also highlight creative technology-based learning platforms and productive strategies that can assist faculty with converting excessive recreational smartphone use into productive and engaging learning opportunities

From instability to volatility: Bermuda\u27s shift from tourism to international business dependency

Bermuda has relied on tourism as a primarily source of economic activity ever since the 1920s. At the close of 2003, the World Bank positioned this small country behind only Luxemburg and the United States as the third richest country in the world. However, by 1995 Britain\u27s oldest colony experienced an economic dependency shift from tourism to international business. This article examines how this shift has impacted on the residents of Bermuda, economically and socially and points out the dangers of relying too heavily on international business. The survey results implied that there was a significant difference in the perceptions of respondents employed in various industries concerning tourism being more important to Bermuda\u27s economy than international business. Also, the majority of respondents agreed that international business revenues were primarily responsible for Bermuda\u27s current economic prosperity, and that the domestic tourism industry will not be able to sustain Bermuda\u27s economy if international business revenues suddenly declined. Additionally, exponential forecasting techniques were applied to determine the short-term prospects for Bermuda\u27s principle industries. The results showed accelerated growth trends in the international business sector causing a \u27pull\u27 effect for supporting industries and heightened demand for specialized labour. Conversely, the domestic tourism industry outlook leading up to 2010 displayed a continued negative growth trend. Consequently, tourism related jobs were predicted to decline, creating a \u27drag\u27 effect for supporting industries. The article concludes by suggesting that a community-based approach to tourism, along with sustaining international business growth could be the key to Bermuda\u27s long-term economic future

EPR studies of phase transitions in cadmium calcium acetate hexahydrate as a function of different paramagnetic impurity-ion concentrations

The phase tt':lnsition in cadmium calcium acetate hexahydrate (CCDAH) has been studied in detail with electron paramagnetic resonance (J;PR) as a function of two different paramagnetic ion concentrations. namely. Cu:• and Mn:• ions. The change in transition temperature (1:!2-143 Kl with Cuz• ion concentrations is explained in terms of mean-field theory and a soft vibrational mode of the -Ca-Cd1 _ ,Cu,-Ca- chain along the c axis of the crystal. While the same theory can also explain our observed transition temperature ( 118-128 K) as a function of the Mn2• ion concentration in this crystal. it does not explain why the limiting value of the transition temperature (i.e .• 145 K) of CaCd1 -.,CuzCCH3C00)4 ·6H~O as x tends to zero, is strikingly different from the limiting value of ( -128..+ K) of CaCd1_.,Mn,(CH3C00)4·6H:O as x tends to zero. The same theory also successfully c:xplains the absence of any phase transition in isomorphous CaCu(CH 3C00)~·6H 20. The value of -dT~Id.t is significantly higher with Mn:• than with Cu!• in CCDAH. [50163-1829(97)01329-5

Configurational analysis of uranium-doped thorium dioxide

While thorium dioxide is already used industrially in high temperature applications, more insight is needed about the behaviour of the material as part of a mixed-oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel, incorporating uranium. We have developed a new interatomic potential model, commensurate with a prominent existing UO2 potential, to conduct configurational analyses of uranium-doped ThO2 supercells. Using the GULP and Site Occupancy Disorder (SOD) computational codes, we have analysed the distribution of low concentrations of uranium in the bulk material, but have not observed the formation of uranium clusters or a single dominant configuration

Theoretical analysis of uranium-doped thorium dioxide: Introduction of a thoria force field with explicit polarization

Thorium dioxide is used industrially in high temperature applications, but more insight is needed into the behavior of the material as part of a mixed-oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel, incorporating uranium. We have developed a new interatomic potential model including polarizability via a shell model, and commensurate with a prominent existing UO2 potential, to conduct configurational analyses and to investigate the thermophysical properties of uranium-doped ThO2. Using the GULP and Site Occupancy Disorder (SOD) computational codes, we have analyzed the distribution of low concentrations of uranium in the bulk material, where we have not observed the formation of uranium clusters or the dominance of a single preferred configuration. We have calculated thermophysical properties of pure thorium dioxide and Th(1−x)UxO2 which generated values in very good agreement with experimental data

Inter-seasonal population dynamics and pest status of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B in an Australian cropping system

Bemisia tabaci, biotype B, commonly known as the silverleaf whitefly (SLW) is an alien species that invaded Australia in the mid-90s. This paper reports on the invasion ecology of SLW and the factors that are likely to have contributed to the first outbreak of this major pest in an Australian cotton cropping system, population dynamics of SLW within whitefly-susceptible crop (cotton and cucurbit) and non-crop vegetation (sowthistle, Sonchus spp.) components of the cropping system were investigated over four consecutive growing seasons (September-June) 2001/02-2004/05 in the Emerald Irrigation Area (EIA) of Queensland, Australia. Based on fixed geo-referenced sampling sites, variation in spatial and temporal abundance of SLW within each system component was quantified to provide baseline data for the development of ecologically sustainable pest management strategies. Parasitism of large (3rd and 4th instars) SLW nymphs by native aphelinid wasps was quantified to determine the potential for natural control of SLW populations. Following the initial outbreak in 2001/02, SLW abundance declined and stabilised over the next three seasons. The population dynamics of SLW is characterised by inter-seasonal population cycling between the non-crop (weed) and cotton components of the EIA cropping system. Cotton was the largest sink for and source of SLW during the study period. Over-wintering populations dispersed from weed host plant sources to cotton in spring followed by a reverse dispersal in late summer and autumn to broad-leaved crops and weeds. A basic spatial source-sink analysis showed that SLW adult and nymph densities were higher in cotton fields that were closer to over-wintering weed sources throughout spring than in fields that were further away. Cucurbit fields were not significant sources of SLW and did not appear to contribute significantly to the regional population dynamics of the pest. Substantial parasitism of nymphal stages throughout the study period indicates that native parasitoid species and other natural enemies are important sources of SLW mortality in Australian cotton production systems. Weather conditions and use of broad-spectrum insecticides for pest control are implicated in the initial outbreak and on-going pest status of SLW in the region

Sperner type theorems with excluded subposets

Let F be a family of subsets of an n-element set. Sperner's theorem says that if there is no inclusion among the members of F then the largest family under this condition is the one containing all ⌊ frac(n, 2) ⌋-element subsets. The present paper surveys certain generalizations of this theorem. The maximum size of F is to be found under the condition that a certain configuration is excluded. The configuration here is always described by inclusions. More formally, let P be a poset. The maximum size of a family F which does not contain P as a (not-necessarily induced) subposet is denoted by La (n, P). The paper is based on a lecture of the author at the Jubilee Conference on Discrete Mathematics [Banasthali University, January 11-13, 2009], but it was somewhat updated in December 2010. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Life-Threatening Simultaneous Bilateral Spontaneous Tension Pneumothorax - A case report -

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a common clinical problem in emergency care. However, the overall incidences of primary spontaneous pneumothorax has been reported from as low as 1.4% to 7.6%. The clinical findings of simultaneous bilateral spontaneous pneumothorax can be variable. Clinical presentation is variable, ranging from mild dyspnea to tension pneumothorax. Bilateral tension pneumothorax can defined as cases where no tracheal deviation is detected in chest X-ray, and symptoms may be equal bilaterally. Herein, we present a case with simultaneous bilateral tension pneumothorax, severely deteriorated (i.e. with loss of consciousness, cyanosis, and hemodynamically unstable), that was successfully treated with immediate large-size needle decompression