Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District and Katonah-Lewisboro Support Staff Association/NYSUT/AFT/NEA

In the matter of the fact-finding between Katonah-Lewisboro Support Staff Association/NYSUT/AFT/NEA and Katonah-Lewisboro Union Free School District. Case Number M2008-327. Fact-Finder: Rosemary A. Townley, Esq., Ph.D

Mineola Union Free School District and Mineola Teachers Association

In the matter of the fact-finding between the Mineola Union Free School District, employer, and the Mineola Teachers Association, union. PERB case no. M2015-114. Before: Rosemary A. Townley, fact finder

Comparative study of spinning field development in two species of araneophagic spiders (Araneae, Mimetidae, Australomimetus)

External studies of spider spinning fields allow us to make inferences about internal silk gland biology, including what happens to silk glands when the spider molts. Such studies often focus on adults, but juveniles can provide additional insight on spinning apparatus development and character polarity. Here we document and describe spinning fields at all stadia in two species of pirate spider (Mimetidae: Australomimetus spinosus, A. djuka). Pirate spiders nest within the ecribellate orb-building spiders (Araneoidea), but are vagrant, araneophagic members that do not build prey-capture webs. Correspondingly, they lack aggregate and flagelliform silk glands (AG, FL), specialized for forming prey-capture lines in araneoid orb webs. However, occasional possible vestiges of an AG or FL spigot, as observed in one juvenile A. spinosus specimen, are consistent with secondary loss of AG and FL. By comparing spigots from one stadium to tartipores from the next stadium, silk glands can be divided into those that are tartipore-accommodated (T-A), and thus functional during proecdysis, and those that are not (non-T-A). Though evidence was more extensive in A. spinosus, it was likely true for both species that the number of non-T-A piriform silk glands (PI) was constant (two pairs) through all stadia, while numbers of T-A PI rose incrementally. The two species differed in that A. spinosus had T-A minor ampullate and aciniform silk glands (MiA, AC) that were absent in A. djuka. First instars of A. djuka, however, appeared to retain vestiges of T-A MiA spigots, consistent with a plesiomorphic state in which T-A MiA (called secondary MiA) are present. T-A AC have not previously been observed in Australomimetus and the arrangement of their spigots on posterior lateral spinnerets was unlike that seen thus far in other mimetid genera. Though new AC and T-A PI apparently form throughout much of a spider’s ontogeny, recurring spigot/tartipore arrangements indicated that AC and PI, after functioning during one stadium, were used again in each subsequent stadium (if non-T-A) or in alternate subsequent stadia (if T-A). In A. spinosus, sexual and geographic dimorphisms involving AC were noted. Cylindrical silk gland (CY) spigots were observed in mid-to-late juvenile, as well as adult, females of both species. Their use in juveniles, however, should not be assumed and only adult CY spigots had wide openings typical of mimetids. Neither species exhibited two pairs of modified PI spigots present in some adult male mimetids

Comparing two work-engagement scales: Relationships with job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and workaholism

Although research on work engagement has made great progress over the past 10 years, how best to measure work engagement is still an open question. The aim of the present study was to compare two multidimensional scales measuring work engagement: the popular and widely used Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES; Schaufeli & Bakker, 2003) capturing vigor, dedication and absorption and the newly developed ISA Engagement Scale (ISAES; Soane, Truss, Alfes, Shantz, Rees, & Gatenby, 2012) capturing intellectual, affective, and social engagement. When examining the intercorrelations of the scales’ total and subscale scores and their relationships with job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and workaholism in a sample of 130 employees, results showed that—even though UWES and ISAES total and subscale scores showed considerable overlap—they captured unique variance in the outcome variables, indicating that the two scales tap different aspects of engagement. Based on the present and previous findings (Soane et al., 2012), we recommend to use both scales when measuring work engagement to capture all aspects of the construct and gain a better understanding of how different aspects of work engagement contribute to outcomes that are of key interest to organizational and occupational psychology

Patterns and rules for sensitivity and elasticity in population projection matrices

Sensitivity and elasticity analysis of population projection matrices (PPMs) are established tools in the analysis of structured populations, allowing comparison of the contributions made by different demographic rates to population growth. In some commonly used structures of PPM, however, there are mathematically inevitable patterns in the relative sensitivity and elasticity of certain demographic rates. We take a simulation approach to investigate these mathematical constraints for a range of PPM models. Our results challenge some previously proposed constraints on sensitivity and elasticity. We also identify constraints beyond those which have already been proven mathematically, and promote them as candidates for future mathematical proof. A general theme among these rules is that changes to the demographic rates of older or larger individuals have less impact on population growth than do equivalent changes among younger or smaller individuals. However, the validity of these rules in each case depends on the choice between sensitivity and elasticity, the growth rate of the population and the PPM structure used. If the structured population conforms perfectly to the assumptions of the PPM used to model it, the rules we describe represent biological reality, allowing us to prioritise management strategies in the absence of detailed demographic data. Conversely, if the model is a poor fit to the population (specifically; if demographic rates within stages are heterogeneous) such analyses could lead to inappropriate management prescriptions. Our results emphasise the importance of choosing a structured population model which fits the demographics of the population

Neural measures of visual attention and suppression as biomarkers for ADHD-associated inattention

Whilst there is a wealth of literature examining neural differences in those with ADHD, few have investigated visual-associated regions. Given extensive evidence demonstrating visual-attention deficits in ADHD, it is possible that inattention problems may be associated with functional abnormalities within the visual system. By measuring neural responses across the visual system during visual-attentional tasks, we aim to explore the relationship between visual processing and ADHD-associated Inattention in the typically developed population. We first explored whether differences in neural responses occurred within the superior colliculus (SC); an area linked to distractibility and attention. Here we found that Inattention traits positively correlated with SC activity, but only when distractors were presented in the right visual field (RVF) and not the left visual field (LVF). Our later work followed up on these findings to investigate separate responses towards task-relevant targets and irrelevant, peripheral distractors. Findings showed that those with High Inattention exhibited increased responses towards distractors compared to targets, while those with Low Inattention showed the opposite effect. Hemifield differences were also observed where those with High Inattention showed increased RVF distractor-related signals compared to those with Low Inattention. No differences were observed for the LVF. Finally, we examined attention and suppression-related neural responses. Our results indicated that, while attentional responses were similar between Inattention groups, those with High Inattention showed weaker suppression responses towards the unattended RVF. No differences were found when suppressing the LVF. Findings across all studies suggest that differences in neural responses between those with High and Low levels of Inattention exist within the visual system. Such differences appear to relate to suppression of task-irrelevant distractors rather than attention towards task-relevant targets, suggesting such mechanisms are differentially affected in those with frequent Inattention problems. We also show a clear relationship between Inattention traits and visual suppression of the RVF