274 research outputs found
Evolutionary Attitudes and Literacy Survey (EALS): Development and Validation of a Short Form
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12052-012-0429-7.The Evolutionary Attitudes and Literacy Survey (EALS) is a multidimensional scale consisting of 16 lower- and 6 higher-order constructs developed to measure the wide array of factors that influence both an individual’s endorsement of and objection to evolutionary theory. Past research has demonstrated the validity and utility of the EALS (Hawley et al., Evol Educ Outreach 4:117–132, 2011); however, the 104-item long-form scale may be excessive for researchers and educators. The present study sought to reduce the number of items in the EALS while maintaining the validity and structure of the long form. For the present study, and following best practices for short-form construction, we surveyed a new sample of several hundred undergraduates from multiple majors and reduced the long form by 40% while maintaining the scale structure and validity. A multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis supported strong factorial invariance across samples, and therefore verified structure and pattern between the six higher-order constructs of the long-form EALS and the EALS short form (EALS-SF). Regression analysis further demonstrated the short form’s validity (i.e., demographics and openness to experience) and replicated previous findings. In the end, the EALS-SF may be a versatile tool that may be used whole or in part for a variety of research areas, including curricular effectiveness of courses on evolution and/or biology
What's the Matter with Kansas?: The Development and Confirmation of the Evolutionary Attitudes and Literacy Survey (EALS)
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12052-010-0294-1.The present survey was designed to assess predominant regional belief systems and the roles these beliefs play in science understanding and attitudes, and curricular effectiveness in colleges and universities. To this end, we created a wide variety of theory-driven subscales (lower order factors) reflecting, for example, exposure to evolutionary material, young earth creationist beliefs, moral and social objections, political ideology, endorsement of intelligent design fallacies, knowledge (and distrust) of the scientific enterprise, and attitudes of evolutionary theory’s relevance in several domains (e.g., sciences and humanities). We also included potentially important demographic variables (e.g., rural upbringing, family size). Finally, we assessed openness to experience, a key facet of personality. Hierarchical Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis showed the 16 constructs to have a theoretically meaningful and quantitatively coherent higher order factor structure. In this large Kansas sample of university students, creationist reasoning and conservative orientation (political and religious) were negatively associated with exposure to evolutionary theory, knowledge about it, and positive attitudes toward its relevance. At the same time, exposure to the theory was positively associated with knowledge and positive attitudes. Importantly, though most Kansas-specific demographic variables (e.g., rural origins) were largely unrelated to outcomes of interest in this university-based sample, the personality factor openness to experience appears to be highly relevant for several higher order factors (e.g., exposure, knowledge and relevance, and creationist reasoning). We close with implications for educators and the next steps in survey development
What's the Matter with Kansas?: The Development and Confirmation of the Evolutionary Attitudes and Literacy Survey (EALS)
This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12052-010-0294-1.The present survey was designed to assess predominant regional belief systems and the roles these beliefs play in science understanding and attitudes, and curricular effectiveness in colleges and universities. To this end, we created a wide variety of theory-driven subscales (lower order factors) reflecting, for example, exposure to evolutionary material, young earth creationist beliefs, moral and social objections, political ideology, endorsement of intelligent design fallacies, knowledge (and distrust) of the scientific enterprise, and attitudes of evolutionary theory’s relevance in several domains (e.g., sciences and humanities). We also included potentially important demographic variables (e.g., rural upbringing, family size). Finally, we assessed openness to experience, a key facet of personality. Hierarchical Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis showed the 16 constructs to have a theoretically meaningful and quantitatively coherent higher order factor structure. In this large Kansas sample of university students, creationist reasoning and conservative orientation (political and religious) were negatively associated with exposure to evolutionary theory, knowledge about it, and positive attitudes toward its relevance. At the same time, exposure to the theory was positively associated with knowledge and positive attitudes. Importantly, though most Kansas-specific demographic variables (e.g., rural origins) were largely unrelated to outcomes of interest in this university-based sample, the personality factor openness to experience appears to be highly relevant for several higher order factors (e.g., exposure, knowledge and relevance, and creationist reasoning). We close with implications for educators and the next steps in survey development
Nonthermal Hard X-ray Emission and Iron Kalpha Emission from a Superflare on II Pegasi
We report on an X-ray flare detected on the active binary system II~Pegasi
with the Swift telescope. The trigger had a 10-200 keV luminosity of
2.2 erg s-- a superflare, by comparison with energies of
typical stellar flares on active binary systems. The trigger spectrum indicates
a hot thermal plasma with T180 K. X-ray spectral analysis
from 0.8--200 keV with the X-Ray Telescope and BAT in the next two orbits
reveals evidence for a thermal component (T80 K) and Fe K 6.4
keV emission. A tail of emission out to 200 keV can be fit with either an
extremely high temperature thermal plasma (TK) or power-law
emission. Based on analogies with solar flares, we attribute the excess
continuum emission to nonthermal thick-target bremsstrahlung emission from a
population of accelerated electrons. We estimate the radiated energy from
0.01--200 keV to be erg, the total radiated energy over
all wavelengths erg, the energy in nonthermal electrons above 20
keV erg, and conducted energy erg. The
nonthermal interpretation gives a reasonable value for the total energy in
electrons 20 keV when compared to the upper and lower bounds on the thermal
energy content of the flare. This marks the first occasion in which evidence
exists for nonthermal hard X-ray emission from a stellar flare. We investigate
the emission mechanism responsible for producing the 6.4 keV feature, and find
that collisional ionization from nonthermal electrons appears to be more
plausible than the photoionization mechanism usually invoked on the Sun and
pre-main sequence stars.Comment: 41 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Angular Diameters and Effective Temperatures of Twenty-five K Giant Stars from the CHARA Array
Using Georgia State University's CHARA Array interferometer, we measured
angular diameters for 25 giant stars, six of which host exoplanets. The
combination of these measurements and Hipparcos parallaxes produce physical
linear radii for the sample. Except for two outliers, our values match angular
diameters and physical radii estimated using photometric methods to within the
associated errors with the advantage that our uncertainties are significantly
lower. We also calculated the effective temperatures for the stars using the
newly-measured diameters. Our values do not match those derived from
spectroscopic observations as well, perhaps due to the inherent properties of
the methods used or because of a missing source of extinction in the stellar
models that would affect the spectroscopic temperatures
The European Photon Imaging Camera on XMM-Newton: The MOS Cameras
The EPIC focal plane imaging spectrometers on XMM-Newton use CCDs to record
the images and spectra of celestial X-ray sources focused by the three X-ray
mirrors. There is one camera at the focus of each mirror; two of the cameras
contain seven MOS CCDs, while the third uses twelve PN CCDs, defining a
circular field of view of 30 arcmin diameter in each case. The CCDs were
specially developed for EPIC, and combine high quality imaging with spectral
resolution close to the Fano limit. A filter wheel carrying three kinds of
X-ray transparent light blocking filter, a fully closed, and a fully open
position, is fitted to each EPIC instrument. The CCDs are cooled passively and
are under full closed loop thermal control. A radio-active source is fitted for
internal calibration. Data are processed on-board to save telemetry by removing
cosmic ray tracks, and generating X-ray event files; a variety of different
instrument modes are available to increase the dynamic range of the instrument
and to enable fast timing. The instruments were calibrated using laboratory
X-ray beams, and synchrotron generated monochromatic X-ray beams before launch;
in-orbit calibration makes use of a variety of celestial X-ray targets. The
current calibration is better than 10% over the entire energy range of 0.2 to
10 keV. All three instruments survived launch and are performing nominally in
orbit. In particular full field-of-view coverage is available, all electronic
modes work, and the energy resolution is close to pre-launch values. Radiation
damage is well within pre-launch predictions and does not yet impact on the
energy resolution. The scientific results from EPIC amply fulfil pre-launch
expectations.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in the A&A Special
Issue on XMM-Newto
Further Analysis of Allozyme Variation in the Northern Flicker, in Comparison with Mitochondrial DNA Variation
The Siren Site and the Long Transition from Archaic to Late Prehistoric Lifeways on the Eastern Edwards Plateau of Central Texas
On behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted testing and data recovery investigations at the Siren site (41WM1126), a prehistoric multi-component site in the Interstate Highway 35 right-of-way along the South Fork of the San Gabriel River in Williamson County, Texas. The work was done to fulfill TxDOT’s compliance obligations under the National Historic Preservation Act and the Antiquities Code of Texas. The testing investigations were conducted under Antiquities Permit 3834, and the subsequent data recovery was under Permit 3938. Kevin Miller served as Principal Investigator on both permits. Though the site extends far beyond the area of potential effects both horizontally and vertically, the investigations focused on Late Archaic and Late Prehistoric components within a relatively limited area that would be subject to project impacts. The investigations were conducted in February 2006.
The investigations identified five isolable components that were intermittently laid down from approximately 2600 to 900 years ago. A substantial Late Prehistoric Austin phase occupation is represented by Scallorn projectile points, stone tools, burned rock, faunal materials, and radiocarbon dates from cooking features. The component feature assemblage includes a cluster of discrete, well-preserved burned rock features that range from small fire-cracked rock concentrations to a large, slab-lined feature that dominates the cluster.
The underlying components include four cultural strata representing a series of phases in the final millennium or so of the long Archaic period. These components span approximately 2600 to 1500 b.p., though earlier, deeply buried components were also noted on the site. These deeper deposits were not the focus of the investigations, however, since they would not be affected by the project. The Archaic components revealed a suite of small side-notched dart points such as Ensor, Fairland, and Frio, as well as many earlier broad-bladed styles such as Castroville, Montell, Marshall, and Pedernales. These robust components contained numerous burned rock features of varying size and function, abundant tools, well-preserved faunal materials, macrobotanical remains including geophytes from several earth ovens, and a large suite of radiocarbon dates. The features include an incipient burned rock midden, burned rock clusters, a debitage reduction area, a biface cache, slab-lined hearths, basin-shaped hearths, and small circular hearths. The distributions of artifacts and features within the Archaic components across the excavation blocks showed significant variations. These differences reflect sequential components that provide a view of diachronic trends in technology, subsistence, economy, and a suite of other behaviors and activities during the long transition from Archaic to Late Prehistoric adaptations.
As previously determined by the testing excavations and further substantiated by the data recovery investigations, the Siren site, most notably the Late Archaic and Late Prehistoric components, is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion D, 36 CFR 60.4, and eligible for State Archeological Landmark designation under Criteria 1 and 2 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas, 13 TAC 26.8. The excavations and subsequent analysis have mitigated the adverse effects of the bridge construction by recovering the vast majority of the affected components within the area of potential effect. No further archaeological work is recommended. Portions of the site outside the area of potential effects have not been fully evaluated, and any future impacts beyond the mitigated areas warrant further assessment
Genome sequence of an Australian kangaroo, Macropus eugenii, provides insight into the evolution of mammalian reproduction and development.
BACKGROUND: We present the genome sequence of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, which is a member of the kangaroo family and the first representative of the iconic hopping mammals that symbolize Australia to be sequenced. The tammar has many unusual biological characteristics, including the longest period of embryonic diapause of any mammal, extremely synchronized seasonal breeding and prolonged and sophisticated lactation within a well-defined pouch. Like other marsupials, it gives birth to highly altricial young, and has a small number of very large chromosomes, making it a valuable model for genomics, reproduction and development. RESULTS: The genome has been sequenced to 2 × coverage using Sanger sequencing, enhanced with additional next generation sequencing and the integration of extensive physical and linkage maps to build the genome assembly. We also sequenced the tammar transcriptome across many tissues and developmental time points. Our analyses of these data shed light on mammalian reproduction, development and genome evolution: there is innovation in reproductive and lactational genes, rapid evolution of germ cell genes, and incomplete, locus-specific X inactivation. We also observe novel retrotransposons and a highly rearranged major histocompatibility complex, with many class I genes located outside the complex. Novel microRNAs in the tammar HOX clusters uncover new potential mammalian HOX regulatory elements. CONCLUSIONS: Analyses of these resources enhance our understanding of marsupial gene evolution, identify marsupial-specific conserved non-coding elements and critical genes across a range of biological systems, including reproduction, development and immunity, and provide new insight into marsupial and mammalian biology and genome evolution
Health behaviors and their relationship with disease control in people attending genetic clinics with a family history of breast or colorectal cancer
The current work aimed to assess health behaviors, perceived risk and control over breast/colorectal cancer risk and views on lifestyle advice amongst attendees at cancer family history clinics. Participants attending the East of Scotland Genetics Service were invited to complete a questionnaire (demographic data, weight and height, health behaviors and psycho-social measures of risk and perceived control) and to participate in an in-depth interview. The questionnaire was completed by 237 (49%) of attendees, ranging from 18 to 77years (mean age 46 (±10) years). Reported smoking rates (11%) were modest, most (54%) had a BMI>25kg/m2, 55% had low levels of physical activity, 58% reported inappropriate alcohol intakes and 90% had fiber intakes indicative of a low plant diet. Regression analysis indicated that belief in health professional control was associated with higher, and belief in fatalism with poorer health behavior. Qualitative findings highlighted doubts about the link between lifestyle and cancer, and few were familiar with the current evidence. Whilst lifestyle advice was considered interesting in general there was little appetite for non-tailored guidance. In conclusion, current health behaviors are incongruent with cancer risk reduction guidance amongst patients who have actively sought advice on disease risk. There are some indications that lifestyle advice would be welcomed but endorsement requires a sensitive and flexible approach, and the acceptability of lifestyle interventions remains to be explored
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