English-Only policy and belief in the United States

English-Only initiatives are commonplace in the United States. Proponents of Official English would like to make the official language of the United States English despite the prestige English already has in the United States. The motivations behind this movement are varied and have substantial effects on the opinion of the American population. This paper examines a group of American residents in the Northeast, aged 18 and older. States considered Northeastern in this study are Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The survey distributed contains questions on the topic of English- only issues, languages in general, and the role of language in participant’s personal lives. This survey tested assumptions about English-only attitudes and language use against the data contributed by participants. The findings confirm that English- only attitudes are pervasive in American society, that education is necessary to further compete against prevailing negative ideologies and beliefs, and that continued survey can accomplish more work and research in this area of study

The Faster Sex: Examining Trial Position Effects on Reaction Time

Past research has studied the connection between reaction times (RTs) and general intelligence (IQ) in an attempt to understand individual differences in intelligence. Though general intelligence shows no gender differences, researchers have found a gender difference in reaction times. In past research, women showed slower initial choice reaction times compared to men, but became faster than men across a block of 12 trials. The present study examined whether this effect could be replicated across different RT tasks. Twenty six Ohio State University students (twelve men) participated in the study, completing four computer-based tasks: signal detection, in which the participants responded to a rectangle appearing on the screen; line-length judgment, in which the participants responded to the shorter of two lines; brightness discrimination, in which participants judged whether a pixilated rectangle appeared bright or dark; and numerosity judgment, in which participants judged whether there were many or few asterisk shown within a 10x10grid. It was hypothesized that males would outperform females during the first trial, and then females would outperform males during the remainder of the block; consequently, women would show a greater variability in RT in each task, as measured by the coefficient of variance (CV, standard deviation divided by the mean). We found a trial-by-trial effect on mean RTs for all tasks, but no trial-by-trial gender effect on mean RTs or CV across trials in any of the tasks. There was, however, a gender effect on CV across blocks in three of the tasks. These differences in results among tasks may be due to differences in the cognitive demands on each sex for each task, especially considering that sex differences are observed in a variety of tasks. This suggests that the type of tasks used can change the sex effect seen in a given RT study.No embarg

Evaluating decontamination methods for mobile devices

Introduction The use of mobile devices within healthcare settings by staff, patients and visitors is widespread and growing. DoH guidance states that patients should be allowed the widest possible use of mobile phones. For staff mobile devices have become an essential aspect of their day-to-day professional and personal lives. There is, however, clear evidence that phones/tablets can be contaminated with pathogens, which may survive for prolonged periods before being transferred onto hands or other surfaces. This quantitative study evaluates the ability of a range of technologies to decontaminate iPads.   Methods The front, back and sides of iPads were contaminated with a standard suspension of Staphylococcus aureus. Half of these surfaces were sampled to provide pre-values, whilst the other half was decontaminated with either alcohol wipes, detergent wipes, quaternary ammonium impregnated wipes, or exposure to Ultraviolet light for either 30 or 60 seconds. As a control, a microfibre cloth impregnated with sterile water was also tested.   Results Alcohol based wipes were most effective, generating on average a 2 log reduction on the back of the iPad and a 3 log reduction on the front. The cleaning of the front surface of the iPad was consistently easier to clean that the back. However, all of the wipes were less effective than UV exposure, where a 60 second exposure generated a 4 log reduction on the front and a 3.5 log reduction on the back.   Discussion The results indicate that commercial wipes are unable to effectively decontaminate the high touch surfaces of an iPad. However, the application of a UV decontamination technology was a much more effective method for the removal of bacteria from these surfaces. This suggests that UV based decontamination technology would provide a quick, efficient and economical method for the disinfection of mobile devices such as iPads in healthcare settings

Cadence

Cadence is a unique proposal that responds to the tragic bombing on Christmas day of 2020 in the Second Avenue Historic District of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The location of the bombing was particularly devastating, as this district is the heart of the city and the founding site of Nashville. Originally known as Market Street, Second Avenue is filled with exquisite Victorian-era facades, containing memories of its colorful past when it was home to many small businesses including grocers, bakeries, and retailers. The bombing affected 60 buildings to varying degrees, leaving three buildings damaged beyond repair and in need of demolition. This project explores the design possibilities for the buildings neighboring the three that would be demolished, The Rhea Building (166 2nd Avenue) and 176 2nd Avenue. The Rhea Building will be repurposed as a Music Center, with spaces for the community to enjoy performances, as well as opportunities for kids and aspiring musicians of all ages to receive musical training and resources. 176 2nd Avenue will be repurposed as the Nashville History Museum, telling the stories of Nashville’s past that don’t currently have a home, such as Second Avenue itself and the Cumberland River. The Market Street Music Center and Nashville History Museum act as one with the connection to the central plaza, joining Nashville’s vibrant past to the city’s promising future. The project explores how architecture can respond to tragedy and exemplify hope and unity

Borderline Personality Disorder: A Personal Construct Approach

In 2003, Winter, Watson, Gillman-Smith, Gilbert and Acton criticised the DSM-IV’s psychiatric conceptualisation of BPD, proposing a set of alternative descriptions based on Kelly’s (1955) Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) and diagnostic constructs. According to Winter et al. (2003), PCP offers not only a less “pre-emptive” stance towards BPD but is more clinically useful given its intrinsic implications for treatment. This correlational research study aimed to determine whether BPD symptomatology is associated with these proposed characteristics of construing. In addition, it was hypothesised that those with a belief that BPD was a part of their identity and untreatable would display higher levels of hopelessness. Ten participants with an existing diagnosis of BPD completed the following measures: a) Personal Construct Inventory (PCI; Chambers & O’Day, 1984); b) Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Third Edition, (MCMI-III, Millon, 1994); and c) Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS; Beck & Steer, 1988). Participants were also asked to complete a repertory grid and a Likert Scale indicating the extent of their belief that: a) BPD is an intrinsic part of them; and b) BPD is a treatable condition. Two of the participants are presented as case examples. The most significant finding related to the hypothesis that greater BPD symptomatology would be associated with a higher degree of change in self-construction over time (‘slot-rattling’). Contrary to our prediction, similarity of construing of the elements ‘Me Now’ and ‘Me in the Past’ was correlated with greater BPD symptomatology. This may indicate a belief among participants that they are unable to change or may represent Kellian hostility. Construing one’s mother and father similarly to one’s therapist was associated with greater BPD symptomatology, as was construing one’s father and partner similarly, suggesting, as hypothesised, that those diagnosed with BPD tend to construe current relationships in the same terms as early relationships. Pre-emptive construing and poorly elaborated self-construction were also found to be associated with increased BPD symptoms as predicted. Content analyses performed on elicited constructs revealed that emotion regulation is the most salient area for participants. While the majority of participants considered that BPD was a part of their identity, most were uncertain as to whether BPD is treatable although these findings were not significantly correlated with levels of hopelessness. Participants’ feedback about their experiences of being diagnosed with BPD raises important ethical questions. Further hypotheses are generated based on the study findings and suggestions are made for a revision of the way in which psychological distress is conceptualized, with a particular emphasis on the utility of the PCP approach towards BPD. Clinical implications, limitations of the study and possibilities for further research are discussed

A New Generating Function for Calculating the Igusa Local Zeta Function

A new method is devised for calculating the Igusa local zeta function $Z_f$ of a polynomial $f(x_1,\dots,x_n)$ over a $p$-adic field. This involves a new kind of generating function $G_f$ that is the projective limit of a family of generating functions, and contains more data than $Z_f$. This $G_f$ resides in an algebra whose structure is naturally compatible with operations on the underlying polynomials, facilitating calculation of local zeta functions. This new technique is used to expand significantly the set of quadratic polynomials whose local zeta functions have been calculated explicitly. Local zeta functions for arbitrary quadratic polynomials over $p$-adic fields with $p$ odd are presented, as well as for polynomials over unramified $2$-adic fields of the form $Q+L$ where $Q$ is a quadratic form and $L$ is a linear form where $Q$ and $L$ have disjoint variables. For a quadratic form over an arbitrary $p$-adic field with odd $p$, this new technique makes clear precisely which of the three candidate poles are actual poles.Comment: 54 page

Understanding the policy and public debate surrounding the regulation of online advertising of high in fat, sugar and salt food and beverages to children

Introduction: In the United Kingdom (UK) increasing childhood obesity rates may be indicative of a lack of regulation of corporate influences that contribute to an obesogenic environment. A key feature in the policy debate surrounding childhood obesity is the role that online advertising of high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) food and beverages may play. Minimal research has been conducted in the UK seeking to understand stakeholders’ views of regulating this online environment. Methods: Focus groups with parents, secondary analysis of focus groups with children, consultation response analysis and professional stakeholder interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the focus groups and interview data, and frame analysis was employed to analyse the consultation. Findings: Parents and children reported finding it increasingly difficult to attain a healthy diet, with online advertising of HFSS products appearing to be an ‘external intruder’ within the home environment. Findings were underpinned by participants’ concerns on the power dynamics related to the regulation of online HFSS product advertising. Both industry power and State power were positioned as problematic, with regulation (or the lack of) considered an appropriate tool to address problematic power dynamics. Participants’ concerns aligned with social justice and market justice values. Discussion and conclusion: Participants’ views indicate a complex debate surrounding the regulation of online advertising of HFSS products. Although tension existed between participants’ acceptability of improved regulation of online advertising as an appropriate policy response to the extensive advertising of HFSS products, there appeared to be a desire for a re-negotiation of the power dynamics within the obesogenic environment to increase parents’ and children’s ability to attain a healthy diet. Statutory regulation, framed as an empowering public health policy rather than restrictive, may be one way to address the concerns described by the participants

Lauren Claire White, Oboe

Sonatine pour hautbois et piano / Maurice Ravel, transcription by David Walter; Concerto in C Major for Oboe and Orchestra KV 314 / W. A. Mozart; Trio pour piano, hautbois, et basson / Francis Poulen