The Chicano Movement and the Latino/Native American Connection

This piece takes a brief look at the historical and current intersections of Latino and Native American identity in the United States

Folding the circle in half is a text book of information

This paper addresses folding the circle in half and discussing some of over one hundred different mathematical terms and functions generated in that one fold. The simplicity of process in understanding fundamentals of mathematics by folding circles and observing what is generated is unknown because we only draw pictures of circles. Examples are given about observing and exploring relationships in the circle that are appropriate for first, second, third grade level and beyond. The traditional educational ‘parts-towhole’ approach can only be fully realized through the comprehensive frame of Whole-to-parts by folding the circle. Wholemovement of the circle is not only direct; it is the only context inclusive to progressively understanding parts within unity of the Whole

Forecasting utility of UK consumer sentiment indexes in real time : do consumer sentiment surveys improve consumption forecasts in real time?

This paper builds on recent research utilizing real time datasets in order to assess the forecasting utility of consumer sentiment indexes in the United Kingdom. Academic researchers have consistently found that consumer confidence indexes accurately predict consumer spending in the near term. Few of these examinations, however, have utilized out of sample forecasting and only one has incorporated real time data. In an effort to recreate the exact dataset that is available to economic forecasters in real time, this paper utilizes the recently published Gross Domestic Product Real-Time Database from the Bank of England in order to produce forecasts of consumer spending growth. The results of the root mean forecasting error analysis indicate that the inclusion of a consumer sentiment index in a VAR forecast does not improve the accuracy of the model

The effectiveness of traditional instructional methods in an online learning environment

For more than a century, the most predominant form of instruction in higher education has been classroom-based and instructor-led. Today, this traditional approach to learning is being challenged by new technologies such as multimedia, telecommunications, and the Internet. It has been suggested that the effectiveness of traditional pedagogical methods in alternative learning environments may be resolved through the creation of a new domain for educational interaction referred to as online education (Harasim, 1990); There has been much research focused on the advantages of teaching university courses online (Davis, Odell, Abbitt, Amos, 1999; Hiltz, 1994; Harasim, 1990). However, there is little research that has focused on the effectiveness of traditional instructional methods when used in an online learning environment. This study examined the effectiveness of traditional classroom teaching methods used in an online learning environment; Academic outcomes of preservice education students who received online instruction were compared with preservice education students who received traditional teacher-based instruction. In this quasi-experimental, mixed model study, all students participated in both traditional (control) and online (experimental) interventions. Three different traditional methods of instructional delivery were compared: (a) lecture, (b) guided instruction, and (c) collaborative discussion. Interventions were created in which the intact traditional instruction was delivered through an online learning environment created specifically for this study; The results of this study show that overall, there were no significant differences between experimental and control groups. That is, student performance was the same whether instruction was delivered in a traditional classroom or through an online learning environment. Traditional instructional methods, such as those used in this study, produce similar academic outcomes when delivered through online learning environments

Embryonic POU5F1 is Required for Expanded Bovine Blastocyst Formation.

POU5F1 is a transcription factor and master regulator of cell pluripotency with indispensable roles in early embryo development and cell lineage specification. The role of embryonic POU5F1 in blastocyst formation and cell lineage specification differs between mammalian species but remains completely unknown in cattle. The CRISPR/Cas9 system was utilized for targeted disruption of the POU5F1 gene by direct injection into zygotes. Disruption of the bovine POU5F1 locus prevented blastocyst formation and was associated with embryonic arrest at the morula stage. POU5F1 knockout morulas developed at a similar rate as control embryos and presented a similar number of blastomeres by day 5 of development. Initiation of SOX2 expression by day 5 of development was not affected by lack of POU5F1. On the other hand, CDX2 expression was aberrant in embryos lacking POU5F1. Notably, the phenotype observed in bovine POU5F1 knockout embryos reveals conserved functions associated with loss of human embryonic POU5F1 that differ from Pou5f1- null mice. The similarity observed in transcriptional regulation of early embryo development between cattle and humans combined with highly efficient gene editing techniques make the bovine a valuable model for human embryo biology with expanded applications in agriculture and assisted reproductive technologies

Modeling Shock Waves Using Exponential Interpolation Functions with the Least-Squares Finite Element Method

The hypothesis of this research is that exponential interpolation functions will approximate fluid properties at shock waves with less error than polynomial interpolation functions. Exponential interpolation functions are derived for the purpose of modeling sharp gradients. General equations for conservation of mass, momentum, and energy for an inviscid flow of a perfect gas are converted to finite element equations using the least-squares method. Boundary conditions and a mesh adaptation scheme are also presented. An oblique shock reflection problem is used as a benchmark to determine whether or not exponential interpolation provides any advantages over Lagrange polynomial interpolation. Using exponential interpolation in elements downstream of a shock and having edges coincident with the shock showed a slight reduction in the solution error. However there was very little qualitative difference between solutions using polynomial and exponential interpolation. Regardless of the type of interpolation used, the shocks were smeared and oscillations were present both upstream and downstream of the shock waves. When a mesh adaptation scheme was implemented, exponential elements adjacent to the shock waves became much smaller and the numerical solution diverged. Changing the exponential elements to polynomial elements yielded a convergent solution. There appears to be no significant advantage to using exponential interpolation in comparison to Lagrange polynomial interpolation

Deployable robotic woven wire structures and joints for space applications

Deployable robotic structures are basically expandable and contractable structures that may be transported or launched to space in a compact form. These structures may then be intelligently deployed by suitable actuators. The deployment may also be done by means of either airbag or spring-loaded typed mechanisms. The actuators may be pneumatic, hydraulic, ball-screw type, or electromagnetic. The means to trigger actuation may be on-board EPROMS, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that trigger actuation based on some input caused by the placement of the structure in the space environment. The actuation may also be performed remotely by suitable remote triggering devices. Several deployable woven wire structures are examined. These woven wire structures possess a unique form of joint, the woven wire joint, which is capable of moving and changing its position and orientation with respect to the structure itself. Due to the highly dynamic and articulate nature of these joints the 3-D structures built using them are uniquely and highly expandable, deployable, and dynamic. The 3-D structure naturally gives rise to a new generation of deployable three-dimensional spatial structures