Giant Spoon: Marc Simons

https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/mclp/1024/thumbnail.jp

Integracija izbjeglica u Hrvatskoj: kvalitativno istraživanje integracijskoga procesa i međugrupnih odnosa izbjeglica iz Sirije

Based on the theoretical model of multidimensional, two-way, dynamic integration of refugee and host community, a qualitative study was done determining views on and experiences with integration of refugees from Syria and the host community in Croatia. Five focus group discussions were held, three with host members (N = 21) and two with refugees from Syria (N = 11). Four overarching themes emerged from the data in both groups: "Perspectives on integration", "Socioeconomic integration", "Intergroup relations", and "Culture, language and social obstacles to integration". They appeared consistently throughout discussions, with hosts and refugees providing a consensual view of refugee integration. They understood integration in the same way and recognised the need for both groups to adapt as part of the integration process. Croatia was perceived as a transit country and a temporary solution for refugees, which is an obstacle to integration. Emphasis was placed on the intergroup relations and the responsibility of the host society in providing tools and mechanisms that foster socio-economic and socio-psychological integration, overcome structural barriers and promote pleasant social contexts.Na temelju teorijskoga modela multidimenzionalne, dvosmjerne i dinamičke integracije izbjeglica i domicilnoga društva provedeno je kvalitativno istraživanje s ciljem ispitivanja mišljenja, percepcija i iskustava s integracijom izbjeglica iz Sirije i domaćina u Hrvatskoj. Održano je pet fokusnih grupa, tri s domaćinima (N = 21) i dvije s izbjeglicama iz Sirije (N = 11). Utvrđene su četiri široke teme zajedničke objema grupama, a koje se podudaraju s multidimenzionalnim karakterom integracije: "Perspektive o integraciji", "Socioekonomska integracija", "Međugrupni odnosi" te "Kultura, jezik i društvene prepreke integraciji". Teme su identificirane u svim fokusnim grupama i u obje skupine sudionika, a domaćini i izbjeglice slagali su se u pogledima na integraciju. Članovi obiju grupa razumiju dvosmjernost i dinamične integracije na isti način te prepoznaju potrebu za prilagodbom obiju skupina. Hrvatsku vide kao privremeno rješenje za izbjeglice, što znači zapreku njihovoj integraciji. Naglasak je stavljen na međugrupne odnose i odgovornost domaćina u pružanju mogućnosti i mehanizama koji olakšavaju socioekonomsku i sociopsihološku integraciju, premošćuju strukturne zapreke i promiču ugodan međugrupni kontakt

Learning to learn in mathematics: Two Fulbright distinguished awards in teaching fellows’ narratives

Two middle school educators earned a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching fellowship. A Fulbright Finland Foundation inter-country travel grant provided the grantees with a unique opportunity to connect and collaborate at the University of Helsinki. Within this research, they described their inquiry experiences. The research included examining authentic student-centered learning continuums and phenomenon-based learning in Finland and teachers’ adaptability in relation to meeting the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse math classrooms in the Netherlands. This paper summarizes how cross-cultural dialogues, classroom observations, and informal interviews with educators, students, and thought leaders informed each grantee’s discovery of how student-centered learning is structured, delivered, and valued in Finland and the Netherlands. This article (1) describes how communication empowers middle school mathematics students, (2) analyzes the learning-to-learn framework, and (3) provides insights into how to utilize language diversity in a mathematics classroom.Peer reviewe

Randomised maximum likelihood based posterior sampling

Minimization of a stochastic cost function is commonly used for approximate sampling in high-dimensional Bayesian inverse problems with Gaussian prior distributions and multimodal posterior distributions. The density of the samples generated by minimization is not the desired target density, unless the observation operator is linear, but the distribution of samples is useful as a proposal density for importance sampling or for Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. In this paper, we focus on applications to sampling from multimodal posterior distributions in high dimensions. We first show that sampling from multimodal distributions is improved by computing all critical points instead of only minimizers of the objective function. For applications to high-dimensional geoscience problems, we demonstrate an efficient approximate weighting that uses a low-rank Gauss-Newton approximation of the determinant of the Jacobian. The method is applied to two toy problems with known posterior distributions and a Darcy flow problem with multiple modes in the posterior

Odgovor industrijske rajčice na primjenu arbuskularnih mikoriznih gljiva u uvjetima konvencionalne proizvodnje

The potential effect of pre-inoculation of processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on yield and fruit properties was investigated in conventional production. Tomato seeds were sown in seedling trays filled with a substrate non-inoculated (AMF-) or inoculated (AMF+) by selected mycorrhizal strains. Seedlings were transplanted in Terra rossa soil and grown in conditions with mineral fertilization and irrigation. Tomato fruits were sampled at harvest. Tomato plants under both treatments had high levels of mycorrhizal colonization, due to applied inoculum (AMF+) or indigenous (AMF-) inoculum present in the soil. Applied AMF+ treatment increased P and decreased K content in tomato fruits. Content of trace elements such as As and V significantly increased, while Pb content significantly decreased in the fruits of AMF+ when compared to the AMF- treatment. No significant effect of AMF+ treatment was observed on yield, fruit quality (soluble solids, pH, total acidity, fruit firmness), lycopene and antioxidant activity of tomato fruits. The overall results suggest that processing tomato is highly susceptible to the indigenous AMF, while seedlings inoculation with selected AMF improves only total phenolic and P fruit content. This means that AMF have a potential application in commercial processing tomato production, however a targeted adaptation of management decissions is required for more extensive results.Potencijalni utjecaj inokulacije presadnica industrijske rajčice (Solanum lycopersicum L.) selekcioniranim arbuskularnim mikoriznim gljivama (AMF), na prinos i svojstva ploda, istražen je u konvencionalnoj proizvodnji. Sjeme rajčice posijano je u polistirenske kontejnere s neinokuliranim (AMF-) ili mikorizama inokuliranim (AMF+) supstratom. Presadnice su posađene u crvenicu, u proizvodnim uvjetima s mineralnom gnojidbom i navodnjavanjem. Uzorkovanje plodova industrijske rajčice provedeno je u berbi. Kod oba tretmana utvrđen je visoki postotak kolonizacije selekcioniranim mikorizama (AMF+) i nativnim vrstama (AMF-) prisutnim u tlu. Plodovi rajčice s AMF+ biljaka imali su veći sadržaj P i manji sadržaj K u odnosu na AMF- tretman. Sadržaj As i V bio je signifikantno veći, dok je sadržaj Pb bio signifikantno manji u AMF+ u usporedbi s AMF- tretmanom. Signifikantan učinak tretmana AMF+ na prinos, kvalitetu ploda (suha tvar, pH, ukupna kiselost, čvrstoća ploda), likopen i antioksidacijsku aktivnost je izostao. Temeljem dobivenih rezultata možemo zaključiti da je industrijska rajčica podložna nativnim AMF, dok je ciljana inokulacija presadnica AMF značajno povećala ukupni sadržaj fenola i P. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju na potencijalnu primjenu AMF u komercijalnoj proizvodnji industrijske rajčice, međutim prethodna prilagodba uzgojnih uvjeta je neophodna za postizanje značajnijih rezultata

Compatibility of fungicides and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi in the open-field tomato production

Arbuskularne mikorizne gljive (AMG) su korisni mikroorganizmi tla koji žive u obliku simbioze s korijenjem velikog broja biljnih vrsta, uključujući i većinu ekonomski važnih poljoprivrednih kultura, u koje se za područje Hrvatske ubraja i rajčica. Rajčica ima visoki stupanj prirodne sposobnosti vezivanja s AMG, čije su prednosti najvećim dijelom povezane s boljom kondicijom biljaka i otpornosti na različite biotske i abiotske čimbenike. Primjena AMG je ograničena proizvodnim uvjetima, između ostalih primjenom fungicida koja se redovito provodi u proizvodnji rajčice za suzbijanje gljivičnih bolesti. Iako se fungicidi u proizvodnji rajčice uglavnom primjenjuju folijarno, značajne količine primijenjene djelatne tvari mogu indirektno dospjeti u gornji sloj tla i negativno utjecati na razvoj AMG. Cilj ovog preglednog rada je, temeljem dostupnih literaturnih podataka i dosadašnjih istraživanja, prikazati kompatibilnost AMG i fungicida dozvoljenih u Hrvatskoj za primjenu u proizvodnji rajčice na otvorenome.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are beneficial soil microorganisms that persist on roots of a significant number of plant species through symbiosis, including most of the economically important agricultural crops, where tomato takes a significant place for the Croatian area. Tomato has a high natural ability to interact with AMF, the benefits of which are significantly related to improved plant condition and resistance to different biotic and abiotic factors. Implementation of AMF is limited by production conditions, such as by application of fungicides that is regularly conduced in tomato production for fungal disease management. Although in tomato production mainly foliar fungicides are applied, significant quantity of applied active ingredient may indirectly reach the upper soil layer and negatively affect AMF development. The aim of this paper was to, based on available literature and research findings, describe the compatibility of AMF with fungicides allowed for application in open-field tomato production

Sarkocistoza papkarske divljači u Slovačkoj

In this paper, we analyze the results of surveys of Sarcocystis spp. carried out on heart and skeletal muscles from 71 ex. of cloven-hoofed game hunted in Central and Eastern Slovakia between 2005 and 2007. Sarcocystis infection was determined among 91.5 % of the 71 cloven-hoofed game animals (deer, mouflon, chamois, wild boar): 100% in 13 roe deer, 10 mouflons, 8 fallow deer, and 6 chamois; 85.0 % in 20 wild boars, 78.6 % in 14 red deer. In examined cloven-hoofed game in Slovakia a high intensity of infection of Sarcocystis spp., was recorded. The highest intensity of infection was in wild boars (up to 1,495 microcysts per gram) and roe deer (903 microcysts per gram). Animals under one year of age showed low intensity of infection in comparison with adults: red deer (19/g), mouflon (19/g), chamois (19/g) and wild boar (52/g). Muscle samples of males had a significantly higher intensity of infection than females. Intensity of infection was statistically significant in red deer male versus calves p<0.05; chamois male versus lamb p<0.001, chamois female versus lamb p<0.001, chamois male versus female p<0.05, wild boar male versus female p<0.01, wild boar female versus piglet p<0.05. We also present the morphology of thin-walled microcysts of Sarcocystis spp. according to histological sections. Light microscopy showed typical features of Sarcocystis spp. microcysts in skeletal muscles and myocardium. Thin-walled microcysts were filled with numerous bradyzoites, which are situated inside chamber-like hollows in the cysts.U radu je istraživana prisutnost parazita Sarcocystis spp. u poprečno-prugastom srčanom i skeletnom mišićju 71 primjerka papkarske divljači odstrijeljene u razdoblju od 2005. do 2007. na području središnje i istočne Slovačke. Invazija sarkocistama je utvrđena u 91% pregledane divljači (jelenska divljač, muflon, divokoza, divlja svinja), i to u 100% od pregledanih 13 srna, 10 muflona, 8 jelena lopatara i 6 divokoza; 85.0% u 20 pregledanih divljih svinja; 78.6% u pregledanih 14 jelena običnih. Također je u pretražene papkarske divljači zabilježen i visoki intenzitet invazije, najviši u divljih svinja (do 1.495 mikrocista po gramu) i srna (903 mikrociste po gramu). Niži intenzitet invazije zabilježen je u mladunčadi u odnosu na odrasle životinje; jelen obični (19/g), muflon (19/g), divokoza (19/g) i divlja svinja (52/g). Statistički značajno jača invazija utvrđena je u mužjaka negoli u ženki. Nadalje, statistički značajne razlike uočene su u intenzitetu invazije kod mužjaka jelena običnog u odnosu na telad p<0.05; divojaraca u odnosu na janjad p<0.001, divokoza u odnosu na janjad p<0.001, divojaraca u odnosu na divokoze p<0.05, veprova u odnosu na krmače p<0.01 te krmača u odnosu na prasad p<0.05. U radu su također prikazane i morfološke osobitosti mikrocista parazita Sarcocystis spp. u poprečno-prugastom skeletnom i srčanom mišićju, prema histološkom prikazu. Mikrociste su bile ispunjene brojnim bradizoitima, smještenima unutar komorica

Influence of the Consciousness Energy Healing Treatment on the Physicochemical, Spectral, Thermal and Behavioral Properties of Sodium Selenate

Sodium selenate is an important nutraceutical/pharmaceutical compound used for the prevention and treatment of cancer, diabetes, inflammatory diseases, etc. The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of The Trivedi Effect® - Energy of Consciousness Healing Treatment (Biofield Energy Healing treatment) on physical, structural, thermal, and behavioral properties of sodium selenate using PXRD, PSD, FT-IR, UV-vis, TGA, and DSC analysis. Sodium selenate was divided into two parts – one part was control, while another part was treated with The Trivedi Effect® remotely by seven renowned Biofield Energy Healers and defined as The Trivedi Effect® Treated sample. The PXRD analysis showed a significant alteration of the crystallite size of the treated sample in the range of -34.41% to 33.27% compared to the control sample. However, the average crystallite size of the treated sample was significantly decreased by 7.85% compared with the control sample. The particle size of the treated sample at d10, d50, and d90 values were significantly reduced by 4.72%, 8.40%, and 32.33%, respectively compared with the control sample. Consequently, the surface area of the treated sample was significantly increased by 6.25% compared to the control sample. The control and treated FT-IR spectra indicated the presence of sharp and strong absorption bands at 886 cm-1 and 887 cm-1, respectively due to the Se=O stretching. The UV-vis spectroscopic analysis displayed that the wavelength for the maximum absorbance of the control and treated samples were at 204.6 and 204.9 nm, respectively. TGA analysis revealed that the total weight loss of the treated sample was reduced significantly by 5.64% compared with the control sample. The DSC analysis showed that the treated sample (94.63°C) had very close vaporization temperature than the control sample (94.97°C). But, the latent heat of vaporization was increased significantly in the treated sample by 7.06% compared to the control sample. Thus, The Trivedi Effect® - Energy of Consciousness Healing Treatment might lead to generate a new polymorphic form of sodium selenate, which would be more soluble, bioavailable, and thermally stable compared with the untreated sample. The Trivedi Effect® treated sodium selenate would be very useful to design better nutraceutical/pharmaceutical formulations that might offer better therapeutic response against inflammatory diseases, immunological disorders, stress, aging, infectious diseases, cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. https://www.trivedieffect.com/science/influence-of-the-consciousness-energy-healing-treatment-on-the-physicochemical-spectral-thermal-and-behavioral-properties-of-sodium-selenate http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo?journalid=224&doi=10.11648/j.ajche.20170502.1

Characterization of Physical, Structural, Thermal, and Behavioral Properties of the Consciousness Healing Treated Zinc Chloride

Zinc chloride is an important pharmaceutical/nutraceutical compound used as a source of zinc. The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of The Trivedi Effect®-Energy of Consciousness Healing Treatment (Biofield Energy Treatment) on physical, structural, thermal, and behavioral properties of zinc chloride using PXRD, PSD, FT-IR, UV-vis, and DSC analysis. Zinc chloride was divided into two parts – one part was control, while another part was treated with The Trivedi Effect® remotely by seven renowned Biofield Energy Healers and defined as The Trivedi Effect® Treated sample. A significant alteration of the crystallite size and relative intensities of the PXRD peaks was observed in The Trivedi Effect® treated sample compared with the control sample. A sharp peak at 2θ equal to 16.58° was observed in the control sample, but it was disappeared in the treated sample. The average crystallite size of the treated sample was significantly reduced by 21.31% compared with the control sample. The particle size values at d10, d50, and d90 were significantly decreased by 8.15%, 6.28%, and 5.26%, respectively in the treated sample compared with the control sample. The surface area of the treated sample was significantly increased by 7.14% compared with the control sample. The FT-IR spectroscopic analysis revealed that Zn-Cl stretching in the control and treated sample were found at 510 cm-1 and 511 cm-1, respectively. The UV-vis analysis exhibited that wavelength of the maximum absorbance (λmax) of both the control and treated samples was at 196 nm. The DSC analysis exhibited that the melting and decomposition temperature were decreased by 0.29% and 0.28%, respectively in the treated zinc chloride compared to the control sample. The latent heat of fusion of the treated sample (370.48 J/g) was increased significantly by 97.71% compared with the control sample (187.39 J/g). This results indicated that zinc chloride need more heat energy to undergo the process of melting after Biofield Energy Treatment. The enthalpy of decomposition of the treated sample was significantly decreased by 15.40% compared with the control sample. The current study anticipated that The Trivedi Effect®-Energy of Consciousness Healing Treatment might lead to produce a new polymorphic form of zinc chloride, which would be more soluble, bioavailable and latent heat of fusion compared with the untreated compound. Hence, the treated zinc chloride would be very useful to design better nutraceutical/pharmaceutical formulations that might offer better therapeutic response against inflammatory diseases, immunological disorders, aging, stress, cancer, etc. https://www.trivedieffect.com/science/characterization-of-physical-structural-thermal-and-behavioral-properties-of-the-consciousness-healing-treated-zinc-chloride http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo?journalid=206&doi=10.11648/j.wjac.20170202.1

Effect of the Energy of Consciousness (The Trivedi Effect®) on the Structural Properties and Isotopic Abundance Ratio of Magnesium Gluconate Using LC-MS and NMR Spectroscopy

Magnesium gluconate has the wide application for the prevention and treatment of hypomagnesemia. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effect of The Trivedi Effect® - Energy of Consciousness Healing Treatment (Biofield Energy Healing Treatment) on magnesium gluconate for the change in the structural properties and isotopic abundance ratio (PM+1/PM) using LC-MS and NMR spectroscopy. Magnesium gluconate was divided into two parts – one part was control, and another part was treated with The Trivedi Effect® - Biofield Energy Healing Treatment remotely by seven renowned Biofield Energy Healers and defined as The Trivedi Effect® Treated sample. The LC-MS analysis of both the control and treated samples revealed the presence of the mass of the protonated magnesium gluconate at m/z 415 at the retention time of 1.53 minutes with almost similar fragmentation pattern. The relative peak intensities of the fragment ions of the treated sample were significantly altered compared with the control sample. The proton and carbon signals for CH, CH2 and CO groups in the proton and carbon NMR spectra were observed almost similar for the control and the treated samples. The isotopic abundance ratio analysis revealed that the percentage of the isotopic abundance ratio of PM+1/PM (2H/1H or 13C/12C or 17O/16O or 25Mg/24Mg) was significantly increased in treated sample by 80.38%, compared with the control sample. Briefly, 13C, 2H, 17O, and 25Mg contributions from (C12H23MgO14)+ to m/z 416; 18O and 26Mg contributions from (C12H23MgO14)+ to m/z 417 in the treated sample were significantly increased compared with the control sample. Thus, the treated magnesium gluconate could be valuable for designing better pharmaceutical and/or nutraceutical formulations through its changed physicochemical and thermal properties, which might be providing better therapeutic response against various diseases such as diabetes mellitus, allergy, aging, inflammatory diseases, immunological disorders, and other chronic infections. The Trivedi Effect® treated magnesium gluconate might be supportive to design the novel potent enzyme inhibitors using its kinetic isotope effects. Source: https://www.trivedieffect.com/science/effect-of-the-energy-of-consciousness-the-trivedi-effect-on-the-structural-properties-and-isotopic-abundance-ratio-of-magnesium-gluconate-using-lc-ms-and-nmr-spectroscopy http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo?journalid=110&doi=10.11648/j.ab.20170501.1