Taxonomy of the Genus Perodicticus

The specific and subspecific taxonomies of African primate populations such as Cheirogaleus and the Galagidae have been challenged in recent years (Bearder, Honess, Bayes, Ambrose, and Anderson 1995; Groves 2000), and it has been suggested that the taxonomy of another group, Perodicticus, may not adequately reflect the diversity of its members either (Schwartz and Beutel 1995; Grubb, Butynski, Oates, et al. 2003). Taxonomies are an organizational framework used by researchers conducting comparative studies, and their completeness and accuracy is important for evolution and systematics.A representative sample (N=132) of specimens allocated to Perodicticus, representing the entire known geographic range of the genus, was examined and described by dentition, cranium, post-cranium, and pelage. Measurements were taken with sliding calipers, and tape and non-metric descriptions are supported by photographs. The descriptions (observed values) were then compared to summaries of distinguishing and diagnostic descriptive traits received from previous taxonomies (expected values).Specimens were found that were highly congruent with traditional descriptions of the taxa Perodicticus potto edwardsi, Perodicticus potto ibeanus, and Perodicticus potto potto. A single specimen was found that matches the expected description for Perodicticus potto faustus, which is not taken as support for reviving that taxon out of its synonymy with Perodicticus potto edwardsi. Specimens were found that partially resemble the descriptions for Perodicticus potto ju-ju and have been tentatively identified as such. Previously undescribed features present in the population assigned to the genus Perodicticus have also been found, including a bowed fin on the mesial margin of the lower (caniniform) anterior premolar in most of the specimens conforming to the descriptions for P. p. ju-ju and P. p. potto

Lunar base launch and landing facilities conceptual design

The purpose of this study was to perform a first look at the requirements for launch and landing facilities for early lunar bases and to prepared conceptual designs for some of these facilities. The emphasis of the study is on the facilities needed from the first manned landing until permanent occupancy, the Phase 2 lunar base. Factors including surface characteristics, navigation system, engine blast effects, and expected surface operations are used to develop landing pad designs, and definitions fo various other elements of the launch and landing facilities. Finally, the dependence of the use of these elements and the evolution of the facilities are established

Proficiency-based High School Diploma Systems in Maine: Implications for College and Career Access

In the 127th Legislative Session, An Act to Implement Certain Recommendations of the Maine Proficiency Education Council (S.P. 660 - L.D. 1627) was passed into law as Chapter 489 amending the chaptered law An Act to Prepare Maine People for the Future Economy (S.P.439 - L.D.1422) passed in 2012 requiring Maine school districts to implement proficiency-based diploma requirements and standards-based education systems. The Maine Legislature\u27s Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs has requested for the past five years that the Maine Education Policy Research Institute\u27s (MEPRI) annual work plan include studies designed to compile data, examine progress and explore impacts regarding implementation of this state policy within local institutions and school districts across the state. In 2016-2017, Phase V of this study shifted from the general perceptions and practices of schools and districts implementing proficiency-based high school diploma systems (as explored in Phases I-IV) to the examination of the policy implications within key programs, contexts and populations. This report shares research conducted to examine the alignment of proficiency-based diploma systems with college eligibility and admissions requirements as well as identify postsecondary career entry requirements and attributes of high quality workers. Findings suggest that most college admissions, scholarship selection and athletic eligibility processes still heavily rely on traditional components, such as grade point average, standardized test scores, course selection and grades. Admissions officers indicated that a precise, informative school profile and clear transcript with student information that could be compared to other applicants was important. Representatives from Maine businesses and professional organizations described high quality entry-level job applicants as dependable and positive with a strong work ethic as well as being adaptable to changing markets or leaders. Employers said that they expected high school graduates to demonstrate a common level of basic literacy in reading, writing, mathematics and technology. Many participants from Maine businesses emphasized that their organizations needed employees who understood local as well as global economic systems and demonstrated collaboration in a team-oriented environment in addition to solid communication skills. Four appendixes are included: (1) College Access (Part I) Interview Protocol; (2) Post-Secondary Institution Admissions Criteria; (3) Career Access (Part II) Interview Protocol; and (4) Maine Employment Data

Lunar and Martian hardware commonality

A number of different hardware elements were examined for possible Moon/Mars program commonality. These include manned landers; cargo landers, a trans-Mars injection (TMI) stage, traverse vehicles, unmanned surface rovers, habitation modules, and power supplies. Preliminary analysis indicates that it is possible to build a common two-stage manned lander. A single-stage, reusable lander may be practical for the lunar cast, but much less so for the Martian case, and commonality may therefore exist only at the subsystem level. A modified orbit transfer vehicle was examined as a potential cargo lander. Potential cargoes to various destinations were calculated for a Shuttle external tank sized TMI stage. A nuclear powered, long range traverse vehicle was conceptually designed and commonality is considered feasible. Short range, unmanned rovers can be made common without great effort. A surface habitation module may be difficult to make common due to difficulties in landing certain shapes on the Martian surface with aerobraking landers. Common nuclear power sources appear feasible. High temperature radiators appear easy to make common. Low temperature radiators may be difficult to make common. In most of these cases, Martian requirements determine the design

Proficiency-based High School Diploma systems in Maine: Implications for College and Career Access

This report shares research conducted to examine the alignment of proficiency-based diploma systems with college eligibility and admissions requirements as well as identify post-secondary career entry requirements and attributes of high quality workers. Findings suggest that most college admissions, scholarship selection and athletic eligibility processes still heavily rely on traditional components, such as grade point average, standardized test scores, course selection and grades. Admissions officers indicated that a precise, informative school profile and clear transcript with student information that could be compared to other applicants was important. Although participants in this study said they had not received many proficiency-based high school transcripts yet, they communicated that it would be critical to explain changes and felt proposed changes have the potential to be a less reductive way of evaluating students

The Relationships Between School Poverty and Student Achievement in Maine

The goal of this study was to examine the relationships between school level poverty found in Maine schools and student academic performance. The evidence clearly shows that there is a relationship. As the percent of poverty increases in a school, student performance declines. But the poverty level alone does not explain the wide variations in performance found across the state. The level of poverty in a school is the single best predictor of average student performance, but other factors also play a role in influencing student achievement. Some of these factors include the type of school students are enrolled in, years of teaching experience of the school staff, and the education levels of teachers. Evidence was also found for some higher poverty schools that were defying the odds. Even with higher levels of poverty in their schools, these schools were successful in producing higher levels of student performance. Two additional characteristics were discovered for student performance in higher poverty schools. First, overall performance differs in K-8 and middle schools. The negative relationship between poverty levels and performance is weaker for K-8 schools. More of the higher poverty K-8 schools are performing better than higher poverty middle schools. Second, the levels of poverty found in schools not only affected children in poverty but also those not in poverty. Students in higher poverty schools who do not qualify for free or reduced lunches do not perform as well as their cohorts in lower poverty schools. What is unclear are the causes of this lower performance of non-poverty children in higher poverty schools. Without question, the evidence examined in this study indicates that levels of school poverty and average student achievement are related. The magnitude of the relationship varies, and other factors are related to poverty and achievement, but the single best predictor of performance is school poverty level. The bright news is that there are schools at all levels that defy the odds. Student achievement is better than predicted in spite of school poverty levels. These schools may provide good models for other schools to emulate. In addition, the evidence from this study indicates that there is more to learn about the performance of some types of school configurations (i.e., K-8 schools) and the performance of non-poverty children in higher poverty schools. Additional numerical data is included in the appendices. [This study was funded by the Maine State Legislature, and the University of Maine System.

Deep Inelastic Scattering at the TeV Energy Scale and the LHeC Project

The prospect of an ep collider involving an LHC proton beam and a new electron accelerator is discussed. Configurations reaching centre of mass energies a factor of 5 beyond HERA are possible with luminosities of the order of 10^33 cm^-2 s^-1. The physics programme with such a facility is surveyed and possible machine and detector lay-outs are sketched.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of the Ringberg Workshop on New Trends in HERA Physics, October 200

Mindfulness Training Supports Quality of Life and Advance Care Planning in Adults With Metastatic Cancer and Their Caregivers: Results of a Pilot Study

Background: Emotional distress often causes patients with cancer and their family caregivers (FCGs) to avoid end-of-life discussions and advance care planning (ACP), which may undermine quality of life (QoL). Most ACP interventions fail to address emotional barriers that impede timely ACP. Aim: We assessed feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of a mindfulness-based intervention to facilitate ACP for adults with advanced-stage cancer and their FCGs. Design: A single-arm pilot was conducted to assess the impact of a 6-week group mindfulness intervention on ACP behaviors (patients only), QoL, family communication, avoidant coping, distress, and other outcomes from baseline (T1) to post-intervention (T2) and 1 month later (T3). Participants: Eligible patients had advanced-stage solid malignancies, limited ACP engagement, and an FCG willing to participate. Thirteen dyads (N = 26 participants) enrolled at an academic cancer center in the United States. Results: Of eligible patients, 59.1% enrolled. Attendance (70.8% across 6 sessions) and retention (84.6% for patients; 92.3% for FCGs) through T3 were acceptable. Over 90% of completers reported high intervention satisfaction. From T1 to T3, patient engagement more than doubled in each of 3 ACP behaviors assessed. Patients reported large significant decreases in distress at T2 and T3. Family caregivers reported large significant improvements in QoL and family communication at T2 and T3. Both patients and FCGs reported notable reductions in sleep disturbance and avoidant coping at T3. Conclusions: The mindfulness intervention was feasible and acceptable and supported improvements in ACP and associated outcomes for patients and FCGs. A randomized trial of mindfulness training for ACP is warranted

Randomized clinical trial of therapeutic music video intervention for resilience outcomes in adolescents/young adults undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant: a report from the Children's Oncology Group

BACKGROUND: To reduce the risk of adjustment problems associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for adolescents/young adults (AYAs), we examined efficacy of a therapeutic music video (TMV) intervention delivered during the acute phase of HSCT to: 1) increase protective factors of spiritual perspective, social integration, family environment, courageous coping, and hope-derived meaning; 2) decrease risk factors of illness-related distress and defensive coping; and 3) increase outcomes of self-transcendence and resilience. METHODS: This was a multisite randomized, controlled trial (COG-ANUR0631) conducted at 8 Children's Oncology Group sites involving 113 AYAs aged 11-24 years undergoing myeloablative HSCT. Participants, randomized to the TMV or low-dose control (audiobooks) group, completed 6 sessions over 3 weeks with a board-certified music therapist. Variables were based on Haase's Resilience in Illness Model (RIM). Participants completed measures related to latent variables of illness-related distress, social integration, spiritual perspective, family environment, coping, hope-derived meaning, and resilience at baseline (T1), postintervention (T2), and 100 days posttransplant (T3). RESULTS: At T2, the TMV group reported significantly better courageous coping (Effect Size [ES], 0.505; P = .030). At T3, the TMV group reported significantly better social integration (ES, 0.543; P = .028) and family environment (ES, 0.663; P = .008), as well as moderate nonsignificant effect sizes for spiritual perspective (ES, 0.450; P = .071) and self-transcendence (ES, 0.424; P = .088). CONCLUSIONS: The TMV intervention improves positive health outcomes of courageous coping, social integration, and family environment during a high-risk cancer treatment. We recommend the TMV be examined in a broader population of AYAs with high-risk cancers

On looking into words (and beyond): Structures, Relations, Analyses

On Looking into Words is a wide-ranging volume spanning current research into word structure and morphology, with a focus on historical linguistics and linguistic theory. The papers are offered as a tribute to Stephen R. Anderson, the Dorothy R. Diebold Professor of Linguistics at Yale, who is retiring at the end of the 2016-2017 academic year. The contributors are friends, colleagues, and former students of Professor Anderson, all important contributors to linguistics in their own right. As is typical for such volumes, the contributions span a variety of topics relating to the interests of the honorand. In this case, the central contributions that Anderson has made to so many areas of linguistics and cognitive science, drawing on synchronic and diachronic phenomena in diverse linguistic systems, are represented through the papers in the volume. The 26 papers that constitute this volume are unified by their discussion of the interplay between synchrony and diachrony, theory and empirical results, and the role of diachronic evidence in understanding the nature of language. Central concerns of the volume include morphological gaps, learnability, increases and declines in productivity, and the interaction of different components of the grammar. The papers deal with a range of linked synchronic and diachronic topics in phonology, morphology, and syntax (in particular, cliticization), and their implications for linguistic theory