Developing and Implementing Self-Direction Programs and Policies: A Handbook

Provides a guide to designing, implementing, and evaluating service delivery models that allow public program participants to manage their own care services and supports. Outlines elements of employer and budget authorities, enrollment, and counseling

Individual Differences in Trust in Friendships of Children and Adolescents with Their Best versus Other Friend

This study was concerned with the investigation of gender and psychological types (Extravert-Introvert, Sensation-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, and Judging- Perceiving) in the application of trust of friendships of children and adolescents in reference to their \u27best\u27 and another one friend. The psychological types were determined by the Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children (grades 4, 6, and 8) and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator form G (grade 10). The two measures of trust were a modified version of Sharabany Intimacy Scale (Sharabany, 1974), which consisted of a questionnaire of descriptive sentences about friendship, and a measure based on the Prisoner’s Dilemma, consisting of four scenarios which described conflict situations involving interpersonal issues regarding trust. The subjects responded to the questions in reference to their \u27best\u27 and an \u27other\u27 friend, who was rank-ordered sixth on their list of friends. The analysis for sex differences showed that males and females gave higher trust ratings for \u27best\u27 friend than for \u27other\u27 friend. Females had higher trust scores than males when \u27best friend and \u27other\u27 friend were involved, but males made a more trusting choice in conflict situations concerning \u27other\u27 friend. Across the four psychological types examined, Extravert-Introvert, Sensation-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, and Judging-Perceiving, higher trust ratings and more trusting choices in conflict situations were made for \u27best\u27 friend compared to \u27other\u27 friend. Furthermore, there was a difference in scenario order for all four psychological types for trusting choices in a conflict involving a \u27best\u27 friend. The order from highest to lowest mean was: 3-Secret, 4-Backstab, 1-Principal, and 2-Homework. The ordering from highest to lowest mean for an \u27other\u27 friend was: 3-Secret, 2-Homework, 1-Principal, and 4-Backstab

Examining current provision, practice and experience of initial teacher training providers in Ireland preparing pre service teachers for the inclusion of students with special education needs in physical education classes.

Research from an international perspective in relation to the preparation of pre service teachers in physical education and special educational needs indicates that initial teacher training providers are inconsistent in the amount of time spent addressing the issue and the nature of curricular content (Vickerman, 2007). In Ireland, research of Meegan and MacPhail (2005) and Crawford (2011) indicates that physical education teachers do not feel adequately prepared to accommodate students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in physical education classes. This study examined initial teacher training provision in Ireland in the training of pre service physical education teachers in SEN. The methodology used was qualitative and included questionnaires and interviews (n=4). Findings indicated that time allocation (semester long modules), working with children with disabilities in mainstream settings (school or leisure centre based), lack of collaboration with other PETE providers (n=4) and a need for continued professional development were themes in need of address. Using a combined approach where the recently designed European Inclusive Physical Education Training (Kudlácěk, Jesina, & Flanagan, 2010) model is infused through the undergraduate degree programme is proposed. Further, the accommodation of hands on experience for undergraduates in mainstream settings and the establishment of inter institutional communities of practice, with a national disability research initiative, is essential to ensure quality adapted physical activity training can be accommodated throughout Ireland

How Far Have We Come Since Our “Go Live” Dates, and Where Do We Go from Here?

Next‐generation library systems promise new opportunities to expand beyond our existing methodologies, and there has been a surge of institutions migrating to web‐based platforms as a result. Extensive research and planning goes into choosing and moving to a new integrated library system (ILS). But what happens after migration and implementation? And how closely does reality align with expectations? Individuals from three libraries who have chosen Ex Libris’s Alma as their web‐based ILS solution will share their migration experiences and the challenges of working in a constantly changing environment. Strategies on transitioning from an abstract understanding to a live production site will be addressed, as well as the possibilities to collaborate in the future

An Exploration of the Data Collection Methods Utilised with Children, Teenagers and Young People (CTYPs)

Background: The impact of cancer upon children, teenagers and young people can be profound. Research has been undertaken to explore the impacts upon children, teenagers and young people with cancer, but little is known about how researchers can ‘best’ engage with this group to explore their experiences. This review paper provides an overview of the utility of data collection methods employed when undertaking research with children, teenagers and young people. A systematic review of relevant databases was undertaken utilising the search terms ‘young people’, ‘young adult’, ‘adolescent’ and ‘data collection methods’. The full-text of the papers that were deemed eligible from the title and abstract were accessed and following discussion within the research team, thirty papers were included. Findings: Due to the heterogeneity in terms of the scope of the papers identified the following data collections methods were included in the results section. Three of the papers identified provided an overview of data collection methods utilised with this population and the remaining twenty seven papers covered the following data collection methods: Digital technologies; art based research; comparing the use of ‘paper and pencil’ research with web-based technologies, the use of games; the use of a specific communication tool; questionnaires and interviews; focus groups and telephone interviews/questionnaires. The strengths and limitations of the range of data collection methods included are discussed drawing upon such issues as of the appropriateness of particular methods for particular age groups, or the most appropriate method to employ when exploring a particularly sensitive topic area. Conclusions: There are a number of data collection methods utilised to undertaken research with children, teenagers and young adults. This review provides a summary of the current available evidence and an overview of the strengths and limitations of data collection methods employed

Observations of glitches in PSR 0833-45 and 1641-45

An eleven-year series of radio timing observations of 0833- 45 (Vela) and PSR 1641- 45 is presented. During this time, five large spin-ups ("glitches") were observed in 0833- 45 and one in 1641-45. The stellar response to these events is investigated, and the three relat ively long complete inter-glitch intervals in 0833-45 are modeled. The results are of relevance to studies of the interiors of neutron stars. The initial aim of the project - to obtain good observational coverage of large glitches in the Vela pulsar - was successfully achieved, and high quality observations of the periods between glitches were obtained as a by-product. The results of the analysis presented here provide support for the existence of both linear and non-linear coupling in the Vela pulsar, and put a limit on the former in PSR 1641- 45. The recently observed existence of a rapidly recovering component of part of a glitch in Vela was verified in the subsequent glitch, although there is now evidence to contradict the suggestion that this component involves a particular region of the star that is implicated in every glitch. Observations of a recent glitch in the same pulsar have resolved a small component of the spin-up; such a component has not been reported for any other large glitch

Thermoluminescence studies of F centers in X-irradiated potassium chloride

Solid State Physics is a comparatively new field in which much research has been conducted in the past few decades. The study of crystal defects is a topic of major concern in this field. Color centers are crystal defects which have been the subject of extensive research in an attempt to understand what they are, how they are formed, and how they are annihilated or transformed into other defects, as well as how they affect the properties of the crystal in which they are present. Historically, color center research was performed with the alkali halides because of their comparatively simple structure and because of the fact that they are easily obtainable in a reasonably pure state. The alkali halides (of which potassium chloride given the symbol KC1 is an example) are compounds formed from ions in the first and seventh group of the periodic table which typically crystallize in the NaC1-type structure

Inter-aviary distance and visual access influence conservation breeding outcomes in a territorial, endangered bird

Funding for setting up the housing database was provided by the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC; grant BB/G023913/2 to C.R.).Species extinctions are becoming a global crisis, affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services, with island populations being particularly vulnerable. In response, conservation managers are increasingly turning to ex situ conservation breeding programs to establish assurance populations and provide a source for release and re-establishment of wild populations. The 'Alalā (Hawaiian crow, Corvus hawaiiensis) is a critically endangered and territorial island corvid that became extinct in the wild in 2002, following a severe and prolonged population decline during the late 20th century. Surviving individuals of the species were brought into captivity to establish an assurance population to serve as a source for reintroduction, which commenced in 2016. We analyzed the extent to which a range of captive housing conditions impact 'Alalā reproductive success, using 19 years of breeding program data. We found that reproductive success was most strongly affected by the distance between aviaries and their closest neighbors and whether breeding pairs had visual access to other adult conspecifics. Pairs located in aviaries that were more spatially isolated and without visual access to conspecifics were more likely to produce fertile eggs than pairs housed in aviaries that were closer to others or those with visual access to other birds. Our results have direct management implications relevant to the design of conservation breeding centers geared towards the recovery of endangered, territorial bird species. Moreover, since suboptimal housing conditions can increase stress levels in captive birds, our findings are also relevant to improving animal welfare for 'Alalā and other species in conservation breeding programs.PostprintPeer reviewe

Neonatal BCG vaccination reduces interferon gamma responsiveness to heterologous pathogens in infants from a randomised controlled trial

Background Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has beneficial non-specific (heterologous) effects that protect against non-mycobacterial infections. We have previously reported that BCG vaccination at birth alters in vitro cytokine responses to heterologous stimulants in the neonatal period. This study investigated heterologous responses in 167 infants in the same trial seven months after randomisation. Methods A whole blood assay was used to interrogate in vitro cytokine responses to heterologous stimulants (killed pathogens) and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. Results Compared to BCG-naïve infants, BCG-vaccinated infants had increased production of MIG and IFN-γ in response to mycobacterial stimulation and decreased production of IFN-γ in response to heterologous stimulation. Reduced IFN-γ responses to heterologous stimulants and TLR ligands were attributable to a decrease in the proportion of infants who mounted a detectable IFN-γ response. BCG-vaccinated infants also had increased production of MIG and IL-8, and decreased production of IL-10, MIP-1α and MIP-1ß, the pattern of which varied by stimulant. IL-1Ra responses following TLR1/2 (Pam3CYSK4) stimulation were increased in BCG-vaccinated infants. Both sex and maternal BCG vaccination status influenced the effect of neonatal BCG vaccination. Conclusions BCG vaccination leads to changes in IFN-γ responsiveness to heterologous stimulation. BCG-induced changes in other cytokine responses to heterologous stimulation varies by pathogen