Indexing: Narrating Interdisciplinary Connections in the Classroom

An integrative tool that we have piloted in two LCs, the interdisciplinary index, is an integrative template that students use to make connections between disciplines. In the learning community, “Cli-Fi: Stories and Science of the Coming Climate Apocalypse,” faculty developed the Climate-Change Stress Index (CCSI) that students used to identify evidence of climate-change impacts in the fictional setting of each novel they read. In another learning community, “All things Connect: Living with Nature in Mind,” students again used an index consisting Ecopsychology principles to describe, explain, and/or evaluate how these principles informed excerpts from environmental literature. We present a variety of student samples using Barber’s (2012) model of integrative learning and conclude with a review of the functions of interdisciplinary indexing

Avalanches on a conical bead pile: scaling with tuning parameters

Uniform spherical beads were used to explore the behavior of a granular system near its critical angle of repose on a conical bead pile. We found two tuning parameters that could take the system to a critical point where a simple power-law described the avalanche size distribution as predicted by self-organized criticality, which proposed that complex dynamical systems self-organize to a critical point without need for tuning. Our distributions were well described by a simple power-law with the power {\tau} = 1.5 when dropping beads slowly onto the apex of a bead pile from a small height. However, we could also move the system from the critical point using either of two tuning parameters: the height from which the beads fell onto the top of the pile or the region over which the beads struck the pile. As the drop height increased, the system did not reach the critical point yet the resulting distributions were independent of the bead mass, coefficient of friction, or coefficient of restitution. All our apex-dropping distributions for any type of bead (glass, stainless steel, zirconium) showed universality by scaling onto a common curve with {\tau} = 1.5 and {\sigma} = 1.0, where 1/{\sigma} is the power of the tuning parameter. From independent calculations using the moments of the distribution, we find values for {\tau} = 1.6 \pm 0.1 and {\sigma} = 0.91 \pm 0.15. When beads were dropped across the surface of the pile instead of solely on the apex, then the system also moved from the critical point and again the avalanche size distributions fell on a common curve when scaled similarly using the same values of {\tau} and {\sigma}. We also observed that an hcp structure on the base of the pile caused an emergent structure in the pile that had six faces with some fcc or hcp structure.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures; submitted to Granular Matter; Reformatted into LaTeX from Word; Fixed typo in uncertainty of tau; Rearranged two paragraphs to improve flo

The ideal healthcare: priorities of people with chronic conditions and their carers

Background It is well established that health consumer opinions should be considered in the design, delivery, and evaluation of health services. However, the opinions of people with chronic conditions and their carers and what they actually consider as ideal healthcare is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the healthcare priorities of consumers with chronic conditions and their carers, if there are differences between these two groups, and if priorities differ depending on geographical location. Methods The nominal group technique was used as a method to identify what is currently important to, or valued by, participants. This method was also particularly suited to learning about healthcare problems and generating important solutions, thereby helping to bridge the gap between research and policy. Recruitment was carried out via purposive sampling, with the assistance of community pharmacies, general practices, various health agencies, government and non-government organisations. A total of 11 nominal groups were conducted; five groups consisted predominantly of consumers (n = 33 participants), two groups consisted predominantly of carers (n = 12 participants) and four were mixed groups, i.e. consumers, carers, and both (n = 26 participants). Results The findings suggested that to create a model of ideal healthcare for people with chronic conditions and their carers, appropriate and timely healthcare access was of paramount importance. Continuity and coordinated care, patient-centred care and affordability were equally the second most important healthcare priorities for all groups. When compared with other groups, access was discussed more frequently among participants residing in the rural area of Mount Isa. Compared to consumers, carers also discussed priorities that were more reminiscent with their caring roles, such as increased access and continuity and coordinated care. Conclusions Access to healthcare is the most important priority for people with chronic conditions and their carers. In the event of inappropriate access for certain groups, all other efforts to increase the quality of healthcare delivery, e.g. patient-centred care, may be pointless. However, health professionals alone may be limited in their ability to address the concerns related to healthcare access; structural changes by health policy makers may be needed

The Vehicle, Spring 1995

Table of Contents Poetry The SwimmersJennifer Moropage 2 Everlasting ArmsSue Songerpage 2 Talking to an AddictBridgett Jensenpage 3 SecretsTiffany Abbottpage 5 CryingMatthew Berrypage 6 winter fieldsKeith Spearpage 7 untitledKemp Nishan Munizpage 7 Rainy Night in ParisDiana Matijaspage 8 nap timeKelly A. Pricepage 10 Angel of the EarthHeather Anne Winterspage 10 Color DreamsMatthew J. Nelsonpage 12 Dandelion PaintSandy Beauchamppage 13 Merry Go Round MarathonElizabeth Bromleypage 14 The ArmadilloKeith Spearpage 15 The Shoe SagaJennifer Moropage 16 Coffee Cup Confessional BoothSue Songerpage 18 What Gravity, A Rock And A Rabbit Have To Do With My Love LifeMartin Paul Brittpage 19 Good Bye, Good KnightRich Birdpage 20 Photography Railroad Station IKelly A. Pricepage 22 1000 VinesKelly A. Pricepage 23 Self PortraitKelly A. Pricepage 24 Prose Queen of Dead AirBryan Levekpage 26 Closer to the noiseMichell Heidelpage 29 Somewhere in BetweenKimberly Hunterpage 32 Miss SteakBryan Levekpage 37 Chasing the ChasteTerry Bassettpage 43 Biographies Authors, editorspage 48https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1065/thumbnail.jp

Temporal, seasonal and weather effects on cycle volume: an ecological study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cycling has the potential to provide health, environmental and economic benefits but the level of cycling is very low in New Zealand and many other countries. Adverse weather is often cited as a reason why people do not cycle. This study investigated temporal and seasonal variability in cycle volume and its association with weather in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two datasets were used: automated cycle count data collected on Tamaki Drive in Auckland by using ZELT Inductive Loop Eco-counters and weather data (gust speed, rain, temperature, sunshine duration) available online from the National Climate Database. Analyses were undertaken using data collected over one year (1 January to 31 December 2009). Normalised cycle volumes were used in correlation and regression analyses to accommodate differences by hour of the day and day of the week and holiday.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In 2009, 220,043 bicycles were recorded at the site. There were significant differences in mean hourly cycle volumes by hour of the day, day type and month of the year (<it>p </it>< 0.0001). All weather variables significantly influenced hourly and daily cycle volumes (<it>p </it>< 0.0001). The cycle volume increased by 3.2% (hourly) and 2.6% (daily) for 1°C increase in temperature but decreased by 10.6% (hourly) and 1.5% (daily) for 1 mm increase in rainfall and by 1.4% (hourly) and 0.9% (daily) for 1 km/h increase in gust speed. The volume was 26.2% higher in an hour with sunshine compared with no sunshine, and increased by 2.5% for one hour increase in sunshine each day.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>There are temporal and seasonal variations in cycle volume in Auckland and weather significantly influences hour-to-hour and day-to-day variations in cycle volume. Our findings will help inform future cycling promotion activities in Auckland.</p

Good Practices in the Co-Production of Knowledge: Working Well Together in Environmental Change Research

This living document proposes good relational practices to support climate change researchers in and beyond the Columbia University Climate School in their efforts to pursue and practice knowledge co-production in their climate-related scholarship, research, and practice. For the purpose of this document, climate researchers are anyone from any background who contributes, in any form, to enhancing our shared understanding, strategies, and responses to climate change. Although this document is focused on research, it also importantly provides communities (Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike), private sector organizations, and others who are carrying out and connected to climate-related work a window into how climate researchers might interact with them, how they can further advocate on their own behalf through the language and aspirations of co-production, and how they can anticipate interacting with researchers through co-production relational way. The document starts with a brief introduction and description of what it does and does not intend to communicate. It then transitions into a framework for good relational practices in knowledge co-production generated through an extensive review of co-production literature in the climate sciences, one-on-one conversations with 9 Columbia University affiliated researchers and practitioners, and a 2.5 day convening with 36 contributors, including Columbia researchers, Indigenous leaders, government representatives, the private sector, and external academics. The framework brings together 28 relational principles and 22 recommended good relational practices, which are summarized under the framework section. The principles and practices are then filtered into 30 reflexive questions, or points of reflection, climate researchers can ask themselves to help use and learn from the good relational practices. The principles, good practices and points of reflection are categorized into 6 interrelated pillars of co-production: The people theme brings attention to the ways in which individual and group identities shape the direction of knowledge co-production efforts. The purpose theme represents the meanings and motivations associated with knowledge co-production. The power theme refers to how power and power relations are understood and enacted through and around efforts to co-produce knowledge. The politics theme centers on the effects of policies and politics on knowledge co-production work at different scales. The pathways theme focuses on tools, approaches, and strategies used to co-produce knowledge in relevant, rigorous, and meaningful ways. The progress theme embodies the broad aspiration that knowledge co-production will catalyze transformative change, whether societal, scientific, cultural, or otherwise. The guidelines are followed with two sections about the motivations for this document and a condensed overview of the history and development of co-production within the environmental and climate sciences. The last section, Steps towards ‘good relational practices’, details how information was gathered and summarized for this document. Drawing from this information, climate researchers are encouraged to use, learn from, and reflect on the information in this document to consider why and how knowledge co-production may or may not be appropriate for their climate-related research

A prospective examination of sex differences in posttraumatic autonomic functioning.

Background: Cross-sectional studies have found that individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit deficits in autonomic functioning. While PTSD rates are twice as high in women compared to men, sex differences in autonomic functioning are relatively unknown among trauma-exposed populations. The current study used a prospective design to examine sex differences in posttraumatic autonomic functioning. Methods: 192 participants were recruited from emergency departments following trauma exposure ( Results: 2-week systolic BP was significantly higher in men, while 2-week HR was significantly higher in women, and a sex by PTSD interaction suggested that women who developed PTSD demonstrated the highest HR levels. Two-week HF-HRV was significantly lower in women, and a sex by PTSD interaction suggested that women with PTSD demonstrated the lowest HF-HRV levels. Skin conductance response in the emergency department was associated with 2-week HR and HF-HRV only among women who developed PTSD. Conclusions: Our results indicate that there are notable sex differences in autonomic functioning among trauma-exposed individuals. Differences in sympathetic biomarkers (BP and HR) may have implications for cardiovascular disease risk given that sympathetic arousal is a mechanism implicated in this risk among PTSD populations. Future research examining differential pathways between PTSD and cardiovascular risk among men versus women is warranted

CpG-creating mutations are costly in many human viruses.

Mutations can occur throughout the virus genome and may be beneficial, neutral or deleterious. We are interested in mutations that yield a C next to a G, producing CpG sites. CpG sites are rare in eukaryotic and viral genomes. For the eukaryotes, it is thought that CpG sites are rare because they are prone to mutation when methylated. In viruses, we know less about why CpG sites are rare. A previous study in HIV suggested that CpG-creating transition mutations are more costly than similar non-CpG-creating mutations. To determine if this is the case in other viruses, we analyzed the allele frequencies of CpG-creating and non-CpG-creating mutations across various strains, subtypes, and genes of viruses using existing data obtained from Genbank, HIV Databases, and Virus Pathogen Resource. Our results suggest that CpG sites are indeed costly for most viruses. By understanding the cost of CpG sites, we can obtain further insights into the evolution and adaptation of viruses