An Analytical Survey of Census, Enrollment and Financial Trends of the Harrisburg Independent Consolidated School District C-1 Over the Years 1940 to 1953

This is the report of the writer, who, in his third year as superintendent of the Harrisburg Independent Consolidated School District C-1, has conducted a study of the Harrisburg district, hereafter referred to as Harrisburg District C-1 and as District C-1, in the hope that such an appraisal would be helpful both to superintendents in other school districts to study their own educational and financial set-up. The purpose of this study is to collect and analyze facts which are pertinent to the educational planning and administration of Harrisburg District C-1 and which present a picture of the pupils served and the financial practices and conditions of the district for the school years 1940 to 1953 inclusive. This period of years was selected for analysis and comparison because it represented a period of adjustment following a time in which schools suffered disproportionally to other public expenditures during the economic depression. While the basis for this discrimination cannot be readily identified, the failure of the public to understand the needs and obligations of education plus a certain amount of official and administrative incompetence has made recovery painfully slow. In the past decade an active concern with the financial management of schools has been asserting itself. The rapid popularization of secondary education, rising expenditures for schools, increased school services, competition for public funds and the struggle to secure adequate local, state, and federal support through legislation sand reorganization has made this a vital period in the history of schools in South Dakota. This research study was approached with the aim of surveying the educational activit5y of District C-1 during this difficult period and of ascertaining and interpreting important facts thereof which serve to guide, direct and determine future practices

Impact of altered cell wall composition on saccharification efficiency in stem tissue of Arabidopsis RABA GTPase-deficient knockout mutants

Use of biomass for second-generation biofuel production is severely hindered by the inherent recalcitrance of the plant cell wall to digestion. Trafficking is crucial for compartmentalisation within the cell. This process is partly regulated by small Rab GTPase proteins. In particular, control of trafficking to the cell wall is regulated through the RABA clade. Manipulation of this regulatory system offers tantalising opportunities for manipulation of cell wall composition and hence recalcitrance. Trafficking-defective rabA mutants have already been shown to impact cell wall composition. To study the impacts of these mutants on cell wall digestion, we developed a saccharification process for Arabidopsis based on the hot water method. We then showed that following pre-treatment, stems from the T-DNA knockouts of the three RABA4 genes expressed in Arabidopsis stem show an increased sugar release on saccharification. These rabA4 mutants have been shown to impact the “hemicellulose-rich” fraction during cell wall fractionation. Furthermore, we go on to show that these mutant lines also show increased sugar release when subjected to saccharification without pre-treatment. Finally, we used X-ray diffraction to show that rabA4 mutants had no impact on cellulose crystallinity, thus supporting the hypothesis that the increases in saccharification were not due to alterations of the cellulose microfibrils but were a direct effect of reduced hemicellulose levels. We also present data to show that the growth characteristics of these plants were unaffected. The data obtained from these lines are most easily explained by the reported alteration in hemicellulose increasing pre-treatment efficiency

Radioactive metals disposal and recycling impact modelling

Screening life cycle assessment models developed to investigate hypothetical disposal and recycling options for the Windscale Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor heat exchangers were used to generate more complex models addressing the main UK radioactive metals inventory. Both studies show there are significant environmental advantages in the metals recycling promoted by the current low level waste disposal policies, strategies and plans. Financial benefits from current metals treatment options are supported and offer even greater benefits when applied to the UK radioactive metals inventory as a whole

The Empirical Reality of IT Project Cost Overruns: Discovering A Power-Law Distribution

If managers assume a normal or near-normal distribution of Information Technology (IT) project cost overruns, as is common, and cost overruns can be shown to follow a power-law distribution, managers may be unwittingly exposing their organizations to extreme risk by severely underestimating the probability of large cost overruns. In this research, we collect and analyze a large sample comprised of 5,392 IT projects to empirically examine the probability distribution of IT project cost overruns. Further, we propose and examine a mechanism that can explain such a distribution. Our results reveal that IT projects are far riskier in terms of cost than normally assumed by decision makers and scholars. Specifically, we found that IT project cost overruns follow a power-law distribution in which there are a large number of projects with relatively small overruns and a fat tail that includes a smaller number of projects with extreme overruns. A possible generative mechanism for the identified power-law distribution is found in interdependencies among technological components in IT systems. We propose and demonstrate, through computer simulation, that a problem in a single technological component can lead to chain reactions in which other interdependent components are affected, causing substantial overruns. What the power law tells us is that extreme IT project cost overruns will occur and that the prevalence of these will be grossly underestimated if managers assume that overruns follow a normal or near-normal distribution. This underscores the importance of realistically assessing and mitigating the cost risk of new IT projects up front

Concertacion y seguridad social : de la legitimidad social a la legitimidad tecnocrática

El estudio aborda la concertación, un análisis de las políticas de seguridad social constatando su evolución desde una legitimidad social a una legitimidad tecnocrática en la crisis del welfare state y en la crisis económica con particular referencia al sistema español. Desde la normalización de la acción política de los sindicatos y agentes sociales en sus diversas manifestaciones, como la participación institucional y la "legislación negociada" en la búsqueda del consenso y el negociado de intercambios en el marco político frente a la imposición unilateral. La frustración de la concertación social se produce cuando el gobierno interpreta la democracia como algo puramente aritmético de mayorías que ejercen sin más el poder, en épocas de debilidad sindical, de debilidad del estado nación, de dificultades para las políticas redistributivas, de reforzamiento de los planteamientos neoliberales. La búsqueda de legitimidad en el pacto social no se ve en estas ocasiones como necesaria sino que la legitimidad se traslada al discurso economicista y tecnocrático, no político. Se vuelve a la búsqueda de una legitimidad a través del mercado y del intercambio entre particulares.L'estudi aborda la concertació, una anàlisi de les polítiques de seguretat social constatant la seva evolució des d'una legitimitat social a una legitimitat tecnocràtica en la crisi del welfare state i en la crisi econòmica amb particular referència al sistema espanyol. Des de la normalització de l'acció política dels sindicats i agents socials en les seves diverses manifestacions, com la participació institucional i la "legislació negociada" en la cerca del consens i el negociat d'intercanvis en el marc polític enfront de la imposició unilateral. La frustració de la concertació social es produeix quan el govern interpreta la democràcia com alguna cosa purament aritmètic de majories que exerceixen sense més el poder, en èpoques de feblesa sindical, de feblesa de l'estat nació, de dificultats per a les polítiques redistributives, de reforçament dels plantejaments neoliberals. La cerca de legitimitat en el pacte social no es veu en aquestes ocasions com a necessària sinó que la legitimitat es trasllada al discurs economicista i tecnocràtic, no polític. Es torna a la cerca d'una legitimitat a través del mercat i de l'intercanvi entre particulars.The study addresses the conclusion an analysis of policies of social security noting exposing its evolution from a social legitimacy to a technocratic legitimacy in the crisis of the welfare state and the economic crisis with particular reference to the Spanish system. Since the normalization of the political action of the trade unions and social partners in its various manifestations, such as institutional participation and negotiated "legislation" in the search for consensus and the Bureau of exchanges in the political framework against the unilateral imposition. The frustration of the social agreement occurs when the Government interprets the democracy as something purely arithmetic of majorities that exercise without more power, in times of Union weakness, weakness of the State nation, of difficulties for redistributive policies, strengthening of neoliberal approaches. The search for legitimacy in the social pact is not on these occasions as necessary but that legitimacy is moved to the economistic and technocratic, non-political speech. Turns to the search for legitimacy through the market and the exchange between individuals

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) Migration from Maternal Dens in Western Hudson Bay

Migration is a common life history strategy among Arctic vertebrates, yet some of its aspects remain poorly described for some species. In February-March, post-parturient polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in western Hudson Bay, Canada, migrate from maternity den sites on land to the sea ice with three- to four-month-old cubs. We investigated this migration using data from 10 adult females fitted with satellite-linked global positioning system collars tracked in 2011 – 16. Directed movement towards the coast began on average on 1 March (range: 31 January to 23 March) and took a mean of 7.8 days to reach the coast. Bears traveled 18 to 100 km from their dens to the coast (mean = 63 km) at a mean rate of 6.7 km/d. Movements were highly directed, with an approximate northeast orientation, but did not follow the shortest path to the coast. Observed migration patterns were broadly similar to those previously documented, although mean departure date from dens was about four days earlier and mean movement rate was only 40% of that from the late 1990s. Given the sensitivity of polar bears to climate change, the phenology of denning may be a meaningful parameter for long-term monitoring.Parmi les vertébrés de l’Arctique, la migration constitue une stratégie de cycle biologique courante et pourtant, pour certaines espèces, certains des aspects de la migration sont toujours mal décrits. En février et en mars, les ours polaires (Ursus maritimus) de post-parturition de l’ouest de la baie d’Hudson, au Canada, migrent depuis leurs aires terrestres de mise bas vers la glace de mer avec leurs oursons de trois à quatre mois. Nous avons étudié cette migration en nous servant des données relatives à dix femelles adultes dotées de colliers satellitaires avec système de localisation GPS, données recueillies de 2011 à 2016. En moyenne, les déplacements dirigés vers la côte commençaient le 1er mars (étendue : du 31 janvier au23 mars) et pour se rendre jusqu’à la côte, il fallait en moyenne 7,8 jours. De leur aire de mise bas jusqu’à la côte, les ours parcouraient de 18 à 100 km (moyenne = 63 km) au taux moyen de 6,7 km/j. Les déplacements étaient fortement dirigés, avec une orientation approximative du nord-est, sans toutefois emprunter le chemin le plus court menant à la côte. Les modèles de migration observés ressemblaient beaucoup aux modèles déjà documentés, quoique la date de départ moyenne des aires de mise bas s’établissait à environ quatre jours plus tôt et que le taux de déplacement moyen ne correspondait qu’à 40 % du taux de la fin des années 1990. Compte tenu de la sensibilité des ours polaires au changement climatique, la phénologie de l’aire de mise bas pourrait constituer un paramètre significatif pour la surveillance à long terme

Monodisperse Cylindrical Micelles and Block Comicelles of Controlled Length in Aqueous Media

Cylindrical block copolymer micelles have shown considerable promise in various fields of biomedical research. However, unlike spherical micelles and vesicles, control over their dimensions in biologically relevant solvents has posed a key challenge that potentially limits in depth studies and their optimization for applications. Here, we report the preparation of cylindrical micelles of length in the wide range of 70 nm to 1.10 μm in aqueous media with narrow length distributions (length polydispersities <1.10). In our approach, an amphiphilic linear-brush block copolymer, with high potential for functionalization, was synthesized based on poly­(ferrocenyldimethylsilane)-<i>b</i>-poly­(allyl glycidyl ether) (PFS-<i>b</i>-PAGE) decorated with triethylene glycol (TEG), abbreviated as PFS-<i>b</i>-(PEO-<i>g</i>-TEG). PFS-<i>b</i>-(PEO-<i>g</i>-TEG) cylindrical micelles of controlled length with low polydispersities were prepared in <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dimethylformamide using small seed initiators via living crystallization-driven self-assembly. Successful dispersion of these micelles into aqueous media was achieved by dialysis against deionized water. Furthermore, B–A–B amphiphilic triblock comicelles with PFS-<i>b</i>-poly­(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) as hydrophobic “B” blocks and hydrophilic PFS-<i>b</i>-(PEO-<i>g</i>-TEG) “A” segments were prepared and their hierarchical self-assembly in aqueous media studied. It was found that superstructures formed are dependent on the length of the hydrophobic blocks. Quaternization of P2VP was shown to cause the disassembly of the superstructures, resulting in the first examples of water-soluble cylindrical multiblock comicelles. We also demonstrate the ability of the triblock comicelles with quaternized terminal segments to complex DNA and, thus, to potentially function as gene vectors

Secondary school pupils' preferences for different types of structured grouping practices

The aim of this paper is to explore pupils’ preferences for particular types of grouping practices an area neglected in earlier research focusing on the personal and social outcomes of ability grouping. The sample comprised over 5,000 year 9 pupils (aged 13-14 years) in 45 mixed secondary comprehensive schools in England. The schools represented three levels of ability grouping in the lower school (years 7 to 9). Pupils responded to a questionnaire which explored the types of grouping that they preferred and the reasons for their choices. The majority of pupils preferred setting, although this was mediated by their set placement, type of school, socio-economic status and gender. The key reason given for this preference was that it enabled work to be matched to learning needs. The paper considers whether there are other ways of achieving this avoiding the negative social and personal outcomes of setting for some pupils

Self-Cleaning Boudouard Reactor for Full Oxygen Recovery from Carbon Dioxide

Oxygen recovery from respiratory carbon dioxide is an important aspect of human spaceflight. Methods exist to sequester the carbon dioxide, but production of oxygen needs further development. The current International Space Station Carbon Dioxide Reduction System (CRS) uses the Sabatier reaction to produce water (and ultimately breathing air). Oxygen recovery is limited to 50% because half of the hydrogen used in the Sabatier reactor is lost as methane, which is vented overboard. The Bosch reaction, which converts carbon dioxide to oxygen and solid carbon is capable of recovering all the oxygen from carbon dioxide, and is the only real alternative to the Sabatier reaction. However, the last reaction in the cycle, the Boudouard reaction, produces solid carbon and the resulting carbon buildup will eventually foul the nickel or iron catalyst, reducing reactor life and increasing consumables. To minimize this fouling and increase efficiency, a number of self-cleaning catalyst designs have been created. This paper will describe recent results evaluating one of the designs