Publishing data evidence to support educational technology claims [Editorial]

As is evident by this issue, JTATE publishes works that include rich data evidence, regardless of the method used in the research design. Detailed and careful research analyses, as well as purposeful design and construction of the write-up are critical to building a strong foundation of educational technology literature. Researchers in educational technology and technology and teacher education more specifically, who decide to follow a platinum standard for research publication, are strengthening and broadening the credibility of a relatively young field. The JTATE editors promote this line of thinking, encouraging editorial board members, reviewers, and authors to assist with this important goal

A Description of a New \u3cem\u3eAllosaurus\u3c/em\u3e (Dinosauria: Theropoda) Skull with Comparison to Additional Specimens

Allosaurus was a genus of large theropod dinosaur from the Late Jurassic Period (Kimmeridgian to early Tithonian). The history of the taxonomic classification of Allosaurus species is muddled at best, and the number of recognized species varies significantly between researchers. Most Allosaurs from the Morrison Formation are typically lumped into a single species, Allosaurus fragilis. Given the amount of variation seen in Allosaurs through the Morrison, the genus may more diverse than generally recognized. A nearly complete Allosaurus skull (CM 279) located in the Creation Museum in Petersberg, KY is described, with comparison of its skull morphology to two other well-known Allosaurus skulls at the Dinosaur National Monument (DNM 2560) in Jensen, Utah, and the Museum of the Rockies (MOR 693) in Bozeman, Montana. Similarities are noted between CM 297 and DNM 2560, which share the same rectangular muzzle shape, differing from the pointed muzzle and triangular skull of MOR 693. This difference suggests CM 297 and DNM 2560 belong to a different species than MOR 693, which potentially belongs to the recently described A. jimmadsenni, though more research into this classification is needed. Furthermore, CM 297 and DNM 2560, while classified as Allosaurus fragilis, show a notable difference from the neotype for A. fragilis, AMNH 4734. This difference is often attributed to supposed taphonomic distortion in AMNH 4734, though this claim may be erroneous

Understanding Feathered Dinosaurs

Young-earth creationists hold to separate creations of birds and land animals due to a literal interpretation of Genesis 1:20-25, which describes their creations on different days. As such, they oppose the conventional model of theropod-to-bird evolution. For many years, there were few Mesozoic birds known, namely Hesperornis and Icthyornis. Specimens such as Archaeopteryx, found in 1861, seemed to strengthen the argument for the proposed transition. However, even after John Ostrom reinvigorated the idea of dinosaur-to-bird evolution in 1960 with the discovery of Deinonychus, evidence of this transition was still sparse. In the 1990’s, exquisitely-preserved dinosaur fossils began to pour out of Liaoning Province, China sporting feathers and several feather-like filaments. Typical creationist responses to feathered dinosaur fossils include 1) denying that they are real fossils, 2) assuming that “dino-fuzz” is something other than integument, or 3) arbitrarily calling some fossils birds and others dinosaurs. Some creationists believe that no feathered dinosaurs have been found, despite there being evidence of feathers in most families within Theropoda

Understanding Feathered Dinosaurs

Young-earth creationists hold to separate creations of birds and land animals due to a literal interpretation of Genesis 1:20-25, which describes their creations on different days. As such, they oppose the conventional model of theropod-to-bird evolution. For many years, there were few Mesozoic birds known, namely Hesperornis and Icthyornis. Specimens such as Archaeopteryx, found in 1861, seemed to strengthen the argument for the proposed transition. However, even after John Ostrom reinvigorated the idea of dinosaur-to-bird evolution in 1960 with the discovery of Deinonychus, evidence of this transition was still sparse. In the 1990’s, exquisitely-preserved dinosaur fossils began to pour out of Liaoning Province, China sporting feathers and several feather-like filaments. Typical creationist responses to feathered dinosaur fossils include 1) denying that they are real fossils, 2) assuming that “dino-fuzz” is something other than integument, or 3) arbitrarily calling some fossils birds and others dinosaurs. Some creationists believe that no feathered dinosaurs have been found, despite there being evidence of feathers in most families within Theropoda

Resilience and the U.S. Labor Market: A Cross-Scale Analysis on the Role of Industrial Diversity and Specialization

This thesis examines how the effects of industrial diversity and specialization vary across geographical scales and classification levels. The notion of a robust institutional design, in conjunction with a regional resilience framework, is used to model how diversity and modularity affect unemployment through-out economic cycles. We use fixed effects models on employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau in all available U.S. counties from 1998-2015. Key results suggest the optimal structure of industrial composition varies across scale, namely, that fine levels of industrial diversity are beneficial at higher levels of geographical scale (regions), whereas a broad type of industrial specialization is ideal for localities (counties/cities). This work is unique as it brings together notions of regional resilience and robustness and conducts analysis across multiple scales in attempts to identify the role of modular structure on the resiliency of a locality

On the Aquatic Habits of Sauropods – An Antiquated Theory in Need of Revival?

When sauropods were first discovered, they were thought to have been restricted to life in the water due to their immense size. This image of sauropods was dismissed in the 1950’s when it was determined that the lungs would have been placed under massive amounts of pressure at these depths, rendering breathing nearly impossible (Kermack, 1951). However, these experiments failed to consider pneumaticity of sauropod vertebrae and were later dismissed. Sauropods possessed pneumatic features in all their presacral vertebrae, originally identified as weight-saving structures. These features kept the strength and integrity of the bone while dramatically reducing its weight. The postcranial skeletal pneumaticity is indicative of a physical relationship between the vertebral column and the pulmonary system. In particular, neosauropods show signs of air sacs in the lower back and hip regions (Wedel, 2003). A similar phenomenon is exhibited in modern birds. Other sauropods, by contrast, only possess such pneumatic features in the cervical vertebrae. The effects of a highly pneumatized skeleton on a sauropod’s buoyancy were not considered until the 1970’s. Henderson (2004) concluded in his study on sauropod buoyancy that it would be impossible for sauropods to walk in water deeper than chest-height, as their high calculated buoyancy would cause the animal to capsize. While Henderson (2004) and Kermack (1951) came to reasonable conclusions, perhaps the idea of semi-aquatic sauropods should not be ruled out. If this hypothesis were to be investigated further, there are several criteria scientists might consider. For instance, perhaps sauropods possessed reinforced peripheral airways that allowed their lungs to collapse when under higher pressures, similar to those in deep-diving whales and seals– something that is difficult to preserve in the fossil record. Additionally, if sauropods had a higher muscle mass than generally assumed, it would negatively affect the animals’ buoyancy calculated in Henderson’s (2004) experiments, helping to ballast the animal and prevent capsizing. These proposed adaptations are theoretical, and would not be preserved in the fossil record. Overall, the evidence painting sauropods as exclusively terrestrial animals is based on assumptions that perhaps should be reconsidered in light of some of these proposed adaptations

Letter by Claire D. Sprague about evacuated students and theirs families, April 1942

April 1942 We will have to move away to the Japanese camp they all say. Still I will always do my part by buying defense stamps with all my heart” by Fujino Yoshida. Here Fujino Yoshida symbolizes the spirit of the California Japanese child as his final assignment before leaving French Camp Grammar School, which is located in the heart of the fertile San Joaquin Valley. 12 yr. [year] old Fujino Yoshida is but one of 80 young Japanese from this school who [have been] were evacuated from their homes and sent to Assembly Centers during the [past few weeks] W.W. II [World War] period. Lonesome for their school mates and friends at French Camp, these young [ ] [have] poured out letter after letter telling of happy moments and sad ones. As their teacher for several years I had come to know and understand them. Though these letters may seem a little strange to others, to me they represented all the emotions of the American born Japanese child. “We had a nice trip up here to Manzinar [Manzanar],” writes Dorothy Sakurai, “We came right by Turlock camp and all our Japanese friends from French Camp were standing on the fence waving their hats, hands, and flags as we went by.” She continues, “Over here we are surrounded by hills. The hills are all desert and on one side of the top of the hill there is snow. The mountains are very pretty.” Haru Tanaka who went to the Turlock Assembly Center with her parents and 9 brothers and sisters wrote “I am lonesome without those puppies and if you know where our place is you can go see our puppies.” She wrote again. “We had three little kittens too-I wonder how big they are now- Maybe the little ducks are hatched by now.” However, Haru isn\u27t too lonesome because she wrote, “The Watanabe’s, Yamasaki’s, and Yonemoto’s and many other French Camp families are here for our neighbors at Turlock. In a later letter Dorothy Sakurai describes the camp at Manzinar [Manzanar]. “It is very sandy here and there are no gates, but there is a certain line that you cannot go by. Outside that line is the desert. The weather here is very hot, but the wind blows. The houses are very good. We have a little stove in ours. I think there is a little stove in every house. The stove is to keep warm.” California’s entire Japanese population was housed in these Assembly Centers, constructed on Fair Grounds and Race Tracks and other places throughout of the state. These places provided temporary homes for the Japanese until arrangements could be made to move them to other central and western states. Camps were operated on a summer camp basis-canteens were in operation. They used coupon books to [buy] make their purchases. They lived in barracks and ate in a giant mess hall. After the first few days they amended the meal time check off system so that each family had its own number. This assured the family group that they would not be separated and was much easier on the tongues of those in charge. Each person had an individual bed (somewhat of a novelty to the children of the large Japanese families). The beds and equipment caused enthusiastic response from the Japanese boys who write repeatedly that they were sleeping on army cots with army blankets just like the soldiers!! However! The biggest hit of the camp was the shower. [Marjorie] sheepishly reported that she spent most of the first afternoon under the shower and left no hot water for the rest of the camp. A few had difficulty getting accostomed [accustomed] to the shower bath but all were impressed by it. [Family oriental style of bathing in the large tub had been the vogue for these farm families]. Upon my visit to the Stockton Assembly Center, Mrs. Harry Itaya requested that I send her some shower bath caps. She related that her 5 small children had their hair continuously wet from going back and back and back to the showers. The Itaya family is a representative group of evacuees. Harry, about 35was a moderately prosperous truck gardener. His vegetable route, with deliveries starting when some people were on their way to bed, covered many of Stockton’s major stores. Harry, who was progressive and used latest farming methods brought his children up in American traditions. Mrs. Itaya, although shy, was a member of the [Parent] Teacher Group at French Camp [] Thru her efforts enough wool was purchased by the Japanese people to knit some 180 squares for afgans [afghans] for the jr. [junior] Red Cross. This was done as a school project which was almost halted when the war knitting craze caused a shortage of knitting needles. Creative Japanese, however converted chop sticks into knitting needles and the project continued. 12 yr. [year] old Ray Itaya had been my pupil for 2 yrs. [years]. He too might be taken as representative of the Japanese child in the community, clean, honest, and industrious. During war time, the American children in French Camp school deserved the highest praise for their [tolerance] love [during war time-of] for their Japanese class mates. [Today] They are spent all their spare time in the fields, doing their part in an attempt to salvage [this year’s] the crops. Oddly enough, they have been [using] a used a small part of their earnings to send candy and gum etc. to their Japanese class mates at Assembly Centers- Yes! All this [could only] happened in America! (Mrs. Claire Sprague 1444 N. [North] Baker Stockton Calif. [California]. This is a letter written by Mrs. Claire Sprague a teacher at French Camp School. 1942https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/sprague/1000/thumbnail.jp

Quality Improvement in Maryland: Partnerships and Progress

This one-and-a-half-day site visit to Easton, Maryland, explored the activities of the Delmarva Foundation, the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Maryland and the District of Columbia. The program reviewed Delmarva’s responsibilities under their Medicare contract and the initiatives they have undertaken with hospitals and other providers to improve health care outcomes and to define, collect, and report quality data. Local hospital officials added their perspective on quality programs and working with Delmarva. Topics of particular interest were health information technology, patient safety, and quality reporting both to government agencies and to consumers