Convex cocompactness in mapping class groups via quasiconvexity in right-angled Artin groups

We characterize convex cocompact subgroups of mapping class groups that arise as subgroups of specially embedded right-angled Artin groups. That is, if the right-angled Artin group G in Mod(S) satisfies certain conditions that imply G is quasi-isometrically embedded in Mod(S), then a purely pseudo-Anosov subgroup H of G is convex cocompact in Mod(S) if and only if it is combinatorially quasiconvex in G. We use this criterion to construct convex cocompact subgroups of Mod(S) whose orbit maps into the curve complex have small Lipschitz constants.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figure

SPED 861: Infants with Disabilities and Home Visiting

This portfolio documents the process I used to redesign and assess students learning in SPED 861 Infants with Disabilities and Home Visiting. This is a course students in the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) take while pursuing a master’s degree or graduate certificate in ECSE. This portfolio documents how I aligned the course objectives, content, and activities to Division for Early Childhood (DEC) recommended practices and DEC EI (Early Intervention)/ECSE professional standards (still in draft form as of June 2019). Then, I share the results of two methods used to assess student learning in SPED 861 (pre/post-test and assessment report). Finally, I reflect on my experiences with peer review of teaching and how it has improved my ability to design meaningful courses for students

Loading the dice : perspectives on climate change communication in Australia 1987-2001

For almost 40 years I had the naive view that if we simply obtain more physical understanding of the issue, we could provide "the" answers and responses would be rational. I now see that there is absolutely no guarantee of this. It is ourselves we do not understand. Atmospheric scientist Graeme Pearman, personal communication, February 17, 2009 The broad theme of this "science and society" study is the communication of anthropogenic climate change over the period 1987-2001 in Australia. Adding a novel science communication analysis to existing studies of policy and media presented the opportunity to broaden understanding of how this society engaged with a unique environmental issue. Relying on the public documentary record, supported by interviews, the investigation found and analysed dramatic changes to communication in correlation with changing public policy and evidence of public knowledge during the course of the study period. Against expectation, the changes went from a high level of early good understanding of climate change risk and response to a high level of confusion and conflict by the end of the study period, while the basic science messages remained consistent throughout. A framing lens was developed to study public language in the documentary record. Major social and cultural influences on the framing were identified and analysed, combining insights from other research fields with original evidence from the thesis research. This study thereby contributes some new insights for communication of environmental science, specifically climate change. It also offers a novel case study in Australian science history

Functional variants of DOG1 control seed chilling responses and variation in seasonal life-history strategies in Arabidopsis thaliana.

The seasonal timing of seed germination determines a plant's realized environmental niche, and is important for adaptation to climate. The timing of seasonal germination depends on patterns of seed dormancy release or induction by cold and interacts with flowering-time variation to construct different seasonal life histories. To characterize the genetic basis and climatic associations of natural variation in seed chilling responses and associated life-history syndromes, we selected 559 fully sequenced accessions of the model annual species Arabidopsis thaliana from across a wide climate range and scored each for seed germination across a range of 13 cold stratification treatments, as well as the timing of flowering and senescence. Germination strategies varied continuously along 2 major axes: 1) Overall germination fraction and 2) induction vs. release of dormancy by cold. Natural variation in seed responses to chilling was correlated with flowering time and senescence to create a range of seasonal life-history syndromes. Genome-wide association identified several loci associated with natural variation in seed chilling responses, including a known functional polymorphism in the self-binding domain of the candidate gene DOG1. A phylogeny of DOG1 haplotypes revealed ancient divergence of these functional variants associated with periods of Pleistocene climate change, and Gradient Forest analysis showed that allele turnover of candidate SNPs was significantly associated with climate gradients. These results provide evidence that A. thaliana's germination niche and correlated life-history syndromes are shaped by past climate cycles, as well as local adaptation to contemporary climate

B cell activation and proliferation increase intracellular zinc levels

Zinc ions serve as second messengers in major cellular pathways, including the regulation pathways of proliferation and their proper regulation is necessary for homeostasis and a healthy organism. Accordingly, expression of zinc transporters can be altered in various cancer cell lines and is often involved in producing elevated intracellular zinc levels. In this study, human B cells were infected with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) to generate immortalized cells, which revealed traits of tumor cells, such as high proliferation rates and an extended lifespan. These cells showed differentially altered zinc transporter expression with ZIP7 RNA and protein expression being especially increased as well as a corresponding increased phosphorylation of ZIP7 in EBV-transformed B cells. Accordingly, free zinc levels were elevated within these cells. To prove whether the observed changes resulted from immortalization or rather high proliferation, free zinc levels in in vitro activated B cells and in freshly isolated B cells expressing the activation marker CD69 were determined. Here, comparatively increased zinc levels were found, suggesting that activation and proliferation, but not immortalization, act as crucial factors for the elevation of intracellular free zinc

Teaching Reciprocal Imitation Training To Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Through Combined Internet-Based And In Vivo Instruction

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are known to have significant difficulties with imitation observed across settings and situations leading to deficits in pivotal skills necessary for development. Research has shown us that imitation is especially absent for children with autism within naturalistic, play-based routines. Reciprocal Imitation Training (RIT) has emerged as an effective method to teach children with ASD to imitate within these types of situations. Similarly, evidence supports parent-implemented interventions as a reliable way to improve skills in children with ASD. This research study implemented a multiple probe single-subject design across four children with ASD and their parents to examine the effect of practitioner training on parental acquisition of RIT strategies, child imitation, and child social-engagement. Findings support the effectiveness of training parents through a combination of Internet-based and in-vivo instruction. All four parents met the intervention fidelity criterion during training sessions and three maintained their skills during follow up. Rate of spontaneous imitation improved greatly in one participant with moderate improvements in three. Slight increases in duration of social-engagement were observed in three participants with a moderate increase in one. Limitations regarding combining Internet-based and in-vivo instruction and recommendations for future research are discussed

Large-effect flowering time mutations reveal conditionally adaptive paths through fitness landscapes in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Contrary to previous assumptions that most mutations are deleterious, there is increasing evidence for persistence of large-effect mutations in natural populations. A possible explanation for these observations is that mutant phenotypes and fitness may depend upon the specific environmental conditions to which a mutant is exposed. Here, we tested this hypothesis by growing large-effect flowering time mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana in multiple field sites and seasons to quantify their fitness effects in realistic natural conditions. By constructing environment-specific fitness landscapes based on flowering time and branching architecture, we observed that a subset of mutations increased fitness, but only in specific environments. These mutations increased fitness via different paths: through shifting flowering time, branching, or both. Branching was under stronger selection, but flowering time was more genetically variable, pointing to the importance of indirect selection on mutations through their pleiotropic effects on multiple phenotypes. Finally, mutations in hub genes with greater connectedness in their regulatory networks had greater effects on both phenotypes and fitness. Together, these findings indicate that large-effect mutations may persist in populations because they influence traits that are adaptive only under specific environmental conditions. Understanding their evolutionary dynamics therefore requires measuring their effects in multiple natural environments

Strategy of Theatre: an investigation into the Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s strategy for change and the future

This study is a case study of The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, “one of Britain’s leading producing theatres” (Birmingham Repertory Theatre, 2015). The main focus of this dissertation is to investigate Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s strategy for change and the future by looking specifically at their funding diversification strategies and the large scale move that they undertook from 2011-2013. In addition, how they utilise their dynamic capabilities to create an organisation with sustained long-term competitive advantage and success potential. The resource dependency theory was used to help understand the relationship that the theatre has with its external environment and funders. Historically, they have relied heavily on external funding but as there is less public money available for arts and culture in England it is necessary to develop an income diversification strategy that incorporates commercial income generation activities. This paper will investigate the potential effects of this change in funding strategy on the theatre’s core mission. The dynamic capabilities framework was also applied to the organisation in order to understand the theatre’s ability to survive in a changing environment while other arts businesses have failed. The primary research was collected through the use of one-to-one semi-structured interviews as part of a case study design. The participants were all members of the senior management team at Birmingham Repertory Theatre and were chosen because they would be able to provide insight into the strategic decision making processes. As a result of these interviews it was found that the theatre has diversified their income strategy by investing in their commercial team that sells spaces and manages corporate events within the building. The theory would suggest that for a charitable organisation such as this, to carry out commercial activities there may be some evidence of mission drift in which they lose sight of their core mission. However, the research showed that there was little concern of mission drift from the senior management team however the challenges lay within perceived loyalty of the organisation to the core mission by members of staff that are not part of the commercial team. This has the potential of affecting their intangible resources. The theatre manages to maintain and develop their dynamic capabilities through the use of an organic organisational structure while using an intuitive process to regularly search for new opportunities within the markets that they operate. This allows them to remain responsive and flexible to unexpected changes; to be able to exploit new opportunities and to reconfigure their resources easily. It has been recommended that the Birmingham Repertory Theatre consider applying the scenario planning method to proactively prepare for the future. This would allow the theatre an opportunity to consider and plan for a variety of possible futures