Pair Movements in Canada Geese

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are a staple of most parks, neighborhoods, and even shopping centers (Conover 1998) – wherever there is a body of water with subsequent aquatic vegetation, you will most likely find Canada geese. This is especially true during their annual molting period from mid-June to late July, in which they shed and regrow their flight feathers. It is generally accepted that geese with broods prefer to molt and rear the brood near to or at their own birthplaces- this concept is known as philopatry. Over the summer of 2020, I observed the Canada goose flock of Cookeville, Tennessee to discern whether this philopatric trend can be observed within the flock. Geese with broods and those without were examined and analyzed separately to accommodate for the heightened philopatry that is commonly seen in geese that are rearing broods. Results showed that local males, those first captured in the Cookeville flock as hatch years, did indeed travel farther on average than local females. It was also found that individuals were philopatric to their natal sight whether or not they had had a brood that season. Such results raise questions regarding the following, or lack thereof, of seen trends within the study: (1) If the trends followed are seen in the Cookeville flock, are they followed by other resident flocks? and (2) Are the common trends that are not being followed due to the flock being a resident flock, or is it due to other variables

Elite networks of the London Season: perspectives from the New Mobilities literature

This research investigates and analyses the London Season in the nineteenth century through an engagement with „New Mobilities‟ literature. By positioning the research within this literature and connected theories surrounding material and performative geographies, the research provides a historical perspective to this emerging area of geographical enquiry. Using a wide variety of sources, the mobility of this societal group is reassessed, highlighting the crucial role movement played in the practices of the Season. The concept of „networks‟ is adopted to enable a detailed analysis of the connections forged during the London Season, revealing the powerful role held by women in the period. This desire to network is understood in detail through an engagement with performance literatures to illustrate the importance of dance to those participating. This detailed engagement with networking practices is continued through a material engagement with the Season; analysing the use of fashion to increase the chances of connection. The spatial implications of the London Season are addressed through the construction of broad scale analyses using court directories, ball attendance records and rate books. This enabled the popularity of certain spaces to be ascertained, leading to discussions regarding the use of space as a tool by those participating in the Season to attract connections. This active engagement with space moves away from previous interpretations of the period, in which the West End is treated as a banal template. This research also adopts calls from within historical geography (Blunt, 2000a; McDowell, 2004) to utilise biographical material in understanding the past. Individual experiences of the Season are contrasted throughout the thesis, revealing that the period should not be understood as a single, indivisible „Season‟, but instead as many „Seasons‟ overlapping with one another, yet offering different experiences of the same phenomenon

Behaviour of the headed stud shear connectors on composite stee-concrete beams under elevated temperatures utilising carbon nanotube

This paper describes the ultimate loads and failure modes of composite steel-concrete specimens when carbon nanotube is implemented. This paper also compares the load versus slip relationship of push tests under ambient temperature, at-fire exposure and post-fire exposure. Results from the experimental study demonstrated that the reduction of ultimate load and stiffness as temperatures increased. The at-fire exposure specimens showed a decrease in ductility as temperatures increased. Whilst, the post-fire exposure specimens showed an increase in ductility as temperatures increased. Even though carbon nanotube did not show increment in ultimate load, however the carbon nanotube reduced concrete spalling and cracking when compared to normal concrete under elevated temperatures

EQUESTRIAN RIDER TRUNK-PELVIS STRATEGIES CAN BE IDENTIFIED USING SELF-ORGANISING MAPS

The purpose of the study was to explore whether equestrian riders can be grouped by their trunk-pelvis movement strategy. Riders (n = 40) with national or international competition experience in dressage were measured using motion capture on a riding simulator for ten seconds of simulated medium and extended trot. Trunk and pelvic pitch trajectories were filtered, time-normalised to the riding simulator’s vertical displacement cycle, and scaled. A self-organising map, with subsequent k-means clustering, identified three groups of rider-trunk pelvis movement. These groups related to the relative timing between peak posterior trunk and pelvis pitch. The study identified movement-based classifications of riders for future studies, which may have implications for rider injury risk and training

Teaching with Feminist Judgments: A Global Conversation

This conversational-style essay is an exchange among fourteen professors—representing thirteen universities across five countries—with experience teaching with feminist judgments. Feminist judgments are ‘shadow’ court decisions rewritten from a feminist perspective, using only the precedent in effect and the facts known at the time of the original decision. Scholars in Canada, England, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, India, and Mexico have published (or are currently producing) written collections of feminist judgments that demonstrate how feminist perspectives could have changed the legal reasoning or outcome (or both) in important legal cases. This essay begins to explore the vast pedagogical potential of feminist judgments. The contributors to this conversation describe how they use feminist judgments in the classroom; how students have responded to the judgments; how the professors achieve specific learning objectives through teaching with feminist judgments; and how working with feminist judgments—whether studying them, writing them, or both—can help students excavate the multiple social, political, economic, and even personal factors that influence the development of legal rules, structures, and institutions. The primary takeaway of the essay is that feminist judgments are a uniquely enriching pedagogical tool that can broaden the learning experience. Feminist judgments invite future lawyers, and indeed any reader, to re-imagine what the law is, what the law can be, and how to make the law more responsive to the needs of all people

Measuring the impact of incorporating case study presentations into applied biomedical science placement workshops for trainee biomedical scientists

© 2024 The Authors. Published by Frontiers Media. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3389/bjbs.2024.12017Introduction: Successfully completing the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) registration portfolio is essential to becoming a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Biomedical Scientist. In the West Midlands, a unique collaboration between four universities (Aston, Wolverhampton, Coventry, and Keele) and local NHS Trusts supports student placements and portfolio development. The universities support Training Officers in delivering components of the registration portfolio through the delivery of eight combined placement workshops. These have been designed to align to the IBMS registration portfolio and help students meet the HCPC Standards of Proficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a redesigned workshop where students generated and presented medical case studies to peers, academics, and training leads. Materials and Methods: The three phases of the case study intervention included a pre-intervention survey, academic-led sessions focussing on medical case presentations and delivery of the presentation followed by a post-intervention survey. Results: Analysing survey responses pre- and post-intervention, students demonstrated enhanced confidence in their understanding of clinical conditions (p<0.0001), connecting lab findings to diseases, and in delivering a case presentation to their peers (p<0.001). Students reported an increased confidence in structuring case presentations and their critical thinking ability (p<0.0001). All students agreed engaging with the case study workshop improved their ability to communicate knowledge of scientific concepts orally. Thematic analysis revealed that the case presentation deepened students' understanding of multidisciplinary teams. 98% of respondents agreed patient communication should be integrated into Biomedical Sciences courses and 85% would like to see case study presentations embedded into the curriculum. Discussion: Combined placement workshops are an integral part of the Applied Biomedical Science placement journey. Case study presentations are clearly a valuable teaching and learning tool to nurture and develop key transferable skills and competencies in conjunction with Biomedical Science expertise. The collaborative approach in the West Midlands effectively prepares graduates with essential pathology knowledge, skills, and a completed IBMS registration portfolio. This study highlights a successful framework for a collaborative partnership with local NHS trusts that has allowed the completion of numerous pathology placements and could be adopted by other universities delivering accredited Biomedical Science courses

Measuring the Impact of Incorporating Case Study Presentations Into Applied Biomedical Science Placement Workshops for Trainee Biomedical Scientists

Introduction: Successfully completing the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) registration portfolio is essential to becoming a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Biomedical Scientist. In the West Midlands, a unique collaboration between four universities (Aston, Wolverhampton, Coventry, and Keele) and local NHS Trusts supports student placements and portfolio development. The universities support Training Officers in delivering components of the registration portfolio through the delivery of eight combined placement workshops. These have been designed to align to the IBMS registration portfolio and help students meet the HCPC Standards of Proficiency. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a redesigned workshop where students generated and presented medical case studies to peers, academics, and training leads. Materials and Methods: The three phases of the case study intervention included a pre-intervention survey, academic-led sessions focussing on medical case presentations and delivery of the presentation followed by a post-intervention survey. Results: Analysing survey responses pre- and post-intervention, students demonstrated enhanced confidence in their understanding of clinical conditions (

Effectiveness of a community football programme on improving physiological markers of health in a hard-to-reach male population: the role of exercise intensity

© 2015 Taylor & Francis. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of participation in recreational football during a community health programme, on physiological markers of health within a hard to reach population. Nine men (Age: 33 ± 9 years, Mass: 75.4 ± 13.7 kg, Height: 1.74 ± 0.07 m and Body Fat: 19 ± 2%) were recruited to participate in the study in collaboration with an English Premier League Football Club. Participants completed the 12-week football-based programme which included two coached football sessions each week. Physiological tests for blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol and an anthropometrical test for body composition were completed at three time points during the study (Weeks – 1, 6 and 12) in an attempt to evaluate the impact of the intervention on health. During each training session, measurements of intensity (%HRmax, identified from the yoyo intermittent level 1 test), duration and rating of perceived exertion were made. The 12-week programme (mean HRmax throughout programme = 75 ± 4% beats min−1; mean RPE throughout programme = 6 ± 1) elicited few changes in physiological markers of health with the only significant change been a decrease in resting heart rate from weeks 6 to 12 (87 ± 22 beats min−1 at week-6, to 72 ± 17 beats min−1; p < 0.05). These data would suggest that the current community football-related health project was not effective in improving physiological markers of health, but was able to maintain their level of health. A lack of improvement may be due to the low intensity of sessions and a lack of coach education for the promotion of sessions that aim to improve health

Initiation of Rapid Start Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) in Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) persists as a significant global health problem. Men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) remains the primary mode of HIV transmission in all regions of the United States, accounting for about 70% of new HIV infections each year. The U.S. South carries a heavier HIV burden when compared with other regions of the country.Current national and international guidelines recommend that all persons with a confirmed HIV positive (HIV+) test should begin antiretroviral therapy (ART) as soon as possible after diagnosis. Considerable variation in time to starting ART exists due to barriers to accessing medication which are multi-factorial and include linkage and access to HIV medical care, financial classification, insurance issues and method of receipt of medication. To reduce HIV-associated morbidity, mortality, new HIV infections, and related health care costs, rapid initiation of ART is necessary to decrease time to viral suppression. Early diagnosis and treatment of HIV affords MSM the opportunity for improved quality of life and a decrease in forward transmission of HIV infections. Consequences of delayed therapy, using traditional processes for engaging in care, result in increased number of AIDS diagnoses, non-AIDS associated co-morbidities and HIV transmission. Purpose: The purpose of this research project was to implement an accelerated ART program in an Infectious Disease Clinic in the southeastern U.S. among HIV+ MSM to reduce the time from date of initial HIV+ diagnosis to linkage to care (initial intake visit), thereby decreasing the number of days until the first dose of ART was administered, resulting in decreased time to viral load suppression, and improving linkage and retention in HIV care after initiating ART. Methods: Permission to conduct the study was granted from the Institutional Review Board of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; a waiver of informed consent was granted due to the retrospective nature of this study. A university-based infectious disease (ID) clinic in the southern U.S. initiated an accelerated start ART program among HIV+ MSM. The rapid start ART program for newly diagnosed HIV+ MSM involved the initiation of ART across an MSM population between the ages of 18-34. A goal was set of =14 working days from diagnosis (HIV positive test result) to intake (linkage to care) visit and =7 days from intake visit to receipt of first dose of antiretroviral medication. Strategies focusing on rapid treatment initiation show promise in improving linkage and retention in care with the added benefit of decreasing time to viral suppression. Twenty newly diagnosed HIV+ MSM were included in the retrospective chart review. Ten charts were reviewed for MSM aged 18-34 who were newly diagnosed pre-intervention (between 2016 to 2018) and ten charts were reviewed for MSM who were included in the intervention group (diagnosed between March 2022 to October 2022). Results: Of the 20 charts reviewed, 10 participants were managed by rapid start ART, the pre-intervention group received the clinic’s standard of care. In the pre-intervention group 7 patients were scheduled for a linkage-to-care care visit within 14 days of their HIV diagnosis; 9 patients in the intervention group were scheduled for a linkage-to-care visit within 14 days of HIV diagnosis. Among the pre-intervention group it was an average of 30.9 days between the linkage-to-care visit and taking the first dose of ART, while the intervention group took their first dose of ART within 24 hours of their linkage to care visit. Nine patients in the intervention group were virally suppressed at the time of the first visit with their primary HIV provider, while 7 patients in the pre-intervention group were virally suppressed at the first medical provider visit. All intervention patients accepted rapid start. There were no adverse events or drug toxicities necessitating change of therapy. No participants were lost to follow-up in either group.Recommendations and Conclusions: Due to the small size of the sample population for this project, replication of the interventions in a larger group of newly diagnosed HIV+ MSM is recommended. Participants were able to begin ART through the disbursement of donated meds so that ART could be initiated as soon as possible after confirmed HIV diagnosis. There is need for a formalized process for accessing ART by medication samples or activation of medication assistance cards for patients to receive starter packs of ART to last 7-14 days (pending approval of HIV medication assistance program or prior authorization processes for privately insured patients)