I Danni da fumo

The argument of this paper was the subject of a conference held at the Arzachena (Sardinia) middle school, as part of a Health Education program. After a brief introduction and some historical notes, the Author illustrates the composition of tobacco smoke, the substances whose biological action has definitely recognized, the damage they produce and their of acting. Special emphasis is given to the damage on the cardiovascular apparatus and to the definite connection between smoking and cancer, not only that on the respiratory apparatus, given that, among the substances present in smoke, many have a mutagen and cancerous action. A separate chapter is dedicated to so-called «secondhand smokers», among whom the most damaged is certainly the fetus during the smoking mother's pregnancy. As regards the prophylaxis on smoke damage, the Author recalls, as well, that less harmful cigarettes, with a filter and ventilated have been produced, but even so, not such as may be considered ideal cigarettes. Finally, the Author shows a certain scepticism about the usefulness of advertising papers, conferences and, in general, about Health Education iniziatives against smoking, it probably being more useful to make the existing law respected rigorously, which would, at least, serve to protect non-smokers from damage caused by others' smoking

The Lived Experiences of Black Women Faculty in the Instructional Technology Professoriate

Black women currently and historically have faced challenges as faculty in higher education. The problem the study addressed was the lack of intellectual study and resulting literature about Black women faculty in the field of Instructional Technology. This research sought to gain better insight into experiences of Black women professors in Instructional Technology. Specifically, the purpose of this research was to identify and describe the lived experiences of Black women who are tenure-track faculty in the Instructional Technology professoriate. A review of literature regarding faculty work, Black faculty in the Academy, Women in the Academy and Black women in the Academy provide groundwork for the investigation. The study employed a phenomenological methodology to answer the research questions. Siedman’s (2005) “three-interview series model” was used to collect data from the participants. The researcher facilitated three 90 minute interviews with each participant – the life history interview, the current experience interview and the meaning-making interview. The findings of this research indicate that the support of their parents and attendance at integrated grade schools prepared the participants to work in their current positions. As they worked in the professoriate, these Black women realized that they had to self-advocate and set their own boundaries. They made meaning of their experiences by connecting it to their faith and realizing that they were not in the position for themselves. The implications of this study are also indicated in the advice the participants gave to Black women who wish to pursue careers in the Instructional Technology professoriate

Personality, relationship closeness and loneliness of the oldest old and their children

The purpose of this study was to examine parent-child relationships in late life. The design of the first part of the study was quantitative. The sample consisted of 100 parent-child dyads. Personality, attachment, and dimensions of solidarity were hypothesized to predict loneliness for oldest old adults (i.e., 85 years of age and older) and their adult children. The design of the second part of the study was qualitative. Members of four intergenerational family units (i.e., parents and all children) were interviewed in order to explore factors that influenced relationship closeness over the life span;Results from the quantitative study indicated that affective solidarity negatively predicted oldest old adults\u27 loneliness, while depression (a control variable) positively predicted loneliness. Attachment positively predicted affective solidarity, while anxiety negatively predicted affective solidarity. Adult children\u27s loneliness was predicted by associative and normative solidarity, extraversion, as well as by the quality of friendships and depression. Attachment positively predicted affective, associative and normative solidarity;In addition to personality, affection, association, and expectations, the qualitative study identified the following factors that influenced relationship closeness of oldest old adults and their adult children: life events, education, financial status, friendships, marriage, social roles of parents and children, and individual and environmental factors;Results from this study indicate that oldest old adults perceive relationships to be closer than do their adult children. Anxiety negatively predicts affective relationships for oldest old adults but not for their adult children. Based on a reduced number of close relationships and the high stake oldest old adults have in their children, affectionate relationships with children are of prime importance for reducing loneliness. In contrast, it is association with parents, fulfillment of filial obligations, extraversion, and friendships that reduce adult children\u27s loneliness

God, the Taboo Topic in Art Education

A serendipitous match of this journal\u27s call for imagery that lies outside art educators\u27 accepted sphere - out of site/ sight/ cite - and a (too) rare discussion among art educators talking about God within a secular classroom prompts this article. Concepts of God are generally withheld from the site of public school art classrooms in the United States; many teachers express wariness and fear of bringing artists\u27 sights of God into their public school art rooms, although God and Gods are a frequent subject for artists through time and across place. Further, the topic of God is rarely cited in art education literature. Recently, a group of art educators, including the authors, engagingly addressed concepts of God within a state institution; we wish to formally cite the topic and place this introductory discussion within the literature

Instructional Practices that Promote Reading Growth in K-3 Students: A Qualitative Study of Highly Effective Reading Teachers

The focus of this study was to examine the effective instructional practices, philosophies, values, and beliefs of highly effective reading teachers, as evidenced by their students’ rate of reading growth over the course of one academic year across all demographic subgroups. Teacher instructional strategies, approaches to tier one and tier two instruction, planning, preparation, and philosophical beliefs about teaching were investigated. The primary goal of this study was to identify and examine teacher practices and characteristics which result in high reading growth, so as to benefit students. This qualitative grounded theory study used targeted teacher interviews and extensive coding methodologies to isolate the specific teacher practices and beliefs resulting in high student reading growth. Study results suggest that a teacher’s commitment to their students, ownership of student learning, and actionable instructional planning and design are the most critical elements necessary to promote the greatest reading growth in primary students. The findings of this study may be generalizable to suggest specific teacher characteristics, beliefs, values, and instructional strategies which impact students’ reading growth, ways in which school districts can embed professional development and additional educational opportunities for teachers to develop their reading pedagogy, and the call for a broader conversation about teacher quality as it relates to the preparation, hiring, and retention of the high quality teachers that our students deserve

Aqueous Solution Equilibria and Spectral Features of Copper Complexes with Tripeptides Containing Glycine or Sarcosine and Leucine or Phenylalanine

Copper(II) complexes of glycyl-L-leucyl-L-histidine (GLH), sarcosyl-L-leucyl-L-histidine (Sar-LH), glycyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-histidine (GFH) and sarcosyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-histidine (Sar-FH) have potential anti-inflammatory activity, which can help to alleviate the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). From pH 2–11, the MLH, ML, MLH-1 and MLH-2 species formed. The combination of species for each ligand was different, except at the physiological pH, where CuLH-2 predominated for all ligands. The prevalence of this species was supported by EPR, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, and mass spectrometry, which suggested a square planar CuN4 coordination. All ligands have the same basicity for the amine and imidazole-N, but the methyl group of sarcosine decreased the stability of MLH and MLH-2 by 0.1–0.34 and 0.46–0.48 log units, respectively. Phenylalanine increased the stability of MLH and MLH-2 by 0.05–0.29 and 1.19–1.21 log units, respectively. For all ligands, 1H NMR identified two coordination modes for MLH, where copper(II) coordinates via the amine-N and neighboring carbonyl-O, as well as via the imidazole-N and carboxyl-O. EPR spectroscopy identified the MLH, ML and MLH-2 species for Cu-Sar-LH and suggested a CuN2O2 chromophore for ML. DFT calculations with water as a solvent confirmed the proposed coordination modes of each species at the B3LYP level combined with 6-31++G**

An analysis of selected piano works: Program notes

Abstract not availabl

Applications of CW and pulsed EPR spectroscopy for the characterization of copper(II) complex stereochemistry and of Beta-peptide secondary structure

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) is a spectroscopic technique, based on the magnetic resonance principles, that allows the characterization of systems containing unpaired electrons to achieve information on their chemical environment with high resolution. Considering the peculiar class of samples that can be investigated, nowadays, EPR spectroscopy finds applications in several areas of science. Thanks to the modern Site-Directed Spin Labelling (SDSL) approaches, it is possible to introduce spin labels into defined positions of a natural diamagnetic system making it detectable by EPR. This method has further extended the applications towards samples which are naturally EPR silent. The first part of the thesis offers an overview of the main theoretical key concepts required to understand the set-up and the outcomes of an EPR experiment. In the second part of the thesis CW-EPR spectroscopy is employing to characterize the geometries adopted in aqueous solution by some copper(II) complexes with important biological ligands. The study of biochemical processes, in fact, cannot be performed neglecting the inorganic biometals dissolved in biological fluids. These metal ions are involved in the cell biochemistry coordinated by several biomolecules forming metal complexes which are the real players with specific biological activities. The functions of these systems are strictly related with the arrangement of the ligands around the metal centre and with the overall geometry of the complex. The experimental results presented in this part of the thesis enable to develop a more detailed picture of these copper(II) species in solution in order to better clarify their structure-function relationships for further biochemical considerations about their role. Additionally, voltammetric measurements are performed on the same systems to support the spectroscopic data. In the third part of the thesis, the results of a project developed in the Electron Spin Resonance research group at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (Göttingen Germany), under the supervision of Professor Marina Bennati, is presented. It is well-known that the structural characterization of membrane proteins in their natural environment is a challenging task. EPR spectroscopy in combination with SDSL approaches is emerging as a powerful biophysical tool to reveal biomolecular structural information at atomic resolution. In particular, Pulsed Electron Double Resonance (PELDOR) spectroscopy, called also Double Electron Electron Resonance (DEER), is a pulsed EPR method which enables to detect distances between two paramagnetic centres in a biological system in order to characterize its structure. Measuring the dipolar coupling between two unpaired electrons, PELDOR allows to probe their intramolecular distances with high resolution and reliability. In this project, CW-EPR and PELDOR/DEER spectroscopy are employed for the structural characterization of a transmembrane peptide in solution and in a lipid environment. The samples are prepared introducing two semi-rigid TOPP nitroxide spin labels into the peptide s backbone in order to make it detectable by EPR. The experimental results of this part of the thesis demonstrate the great potential of EPR spectroscopy in structural biology to characterize biomolecular structures and encourage the employment of TOPP spin label as useful tool for the EPR investigation of peptides foldamers in solution and in lipid bilayer

Cradle to cradle: Reverse logistics strategies and opportunities across three industry sectors

Manufacturers have experienced institutional pressures in the form of market and regulatory demands to conform to the standards dictated by environmental regulations. The primary forces are studied for three industry sectors (automotive, consumer appliances and electronic) to close the supply chain loop in the product lifecycle. The first deals with identifying the drivers of a growing market for recycled and remanufactured products. The second relates to the creation of economically efficient end-of-life product returns and reuse/recycling practices. The third deals with enabling supply chain coordination for redesign of products, disassembly methods and practices, and services.Closed-loop supply chain SWOT Remanufacturing Reuse Recycling End-of-life product management