Thinking the Unthinkable: A Library Without a Public Catalog

Two years ago Utrecht University Library (UUL) in the Netherlands decided to focus on delivery instead of discovery. Based on international studies, users statistics, and surveys, UUL concluded that library discovery tools have become less relevant because users find their research and teaching material increasingly outside the framework of the library. This conclusion had major implications for both UUL and its users. In 2012 UUL decided to shut down the discovery system Omega, custom‐made for finding electronic material owned by its library, and—more important—not to implement another library discovery service. After nine months of preparation, on September 1, 2013, Omega closed. Recently UUL decided to close its own public library catalog too. Instead, the library advises users to find their material via alternative general or subject specific discovery tools. This paper hopes to encourage libraries to rethink and evaluate their efforts on discovery and delivery. The principle idea while doing this should be that it does not matter where users find their material. What matters is that they can use the relevant material they find

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: Considerations from in Silico Experiments

Objective: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is associated with remodeling of gap junctions and also, although less well-defined, down-regulation of the fast sodium current. The gap junction remodeling and down-regulation of sodium current have been proposed as contributors to arrhythmogenesis in ARVC by slowing conduction. The objective of the present study was to assess the amount of conduction slowing due to the observed gap junction remodeling and down-regulation of sodium current. Methods: The effects of (changes in) gap junctional conductance, cell dimensions, and sodium current on both longitudinal and transversal conduction velocity were tested by simulating action potential propagation in linear strands of human ventricular cells that were either arranged end-to-end or side-by-side. Results: A 50% reduction in gap junction content, as commonly observed in ARVC, gives rise to an 11% decrease in longitudinal conduction velocity and a 29% decrease in transverse conduction velocity. A down-regulation of the sodium current through a 50% decrease in peak current density as well as a −15 mV shift in steady-state inactivation, as observed in an experimental model of ARVC, decreases conduction velocity in either direction by 32%. In combination, the gap junction remodeling and down-regulation of sodium current result in a 40% decrease in longitudinal conduction velocity and a 52% decrease in transverse conduction velocity. Conclusion: The gap junction remodeling and down-regulation of sodium current do result in conduction slowing, but heterogeneity of gap junction remodeling, in combination with down-regulation of sodium current, rather than gap junction remodeling per se may be a critical factor in arrhythmogenesis in ARVC

Standing on Hallowed Ground: Should the Federal Judiciary Monitor Executive Violations of the Establishment Clause

This Note argues that the Seventh Circuit reached the correct result. However, there is little logic in continuing to limit Establishment Clause adjudications to plaintiffs who can show injury-in-fact or, absent such injury, plaintiffs who can claim the allegedly unconstitutional act was an exercise of the Taxing and Spending Clause. Instead, because the Establishment Clause is a unique structural restraint which separates the government from organized religion4 and prohibits government support of religion that divides the political process along religious lines, this Note concludes that standing to sue for Establishment Clause violations should be extended to acts of any government power

Constructions of Adolescent Identities within Hogwarts Houses in the Harry Potter Novels by J. K. Rowling

The main purpose of this thesis is to examine how four adolescent characters of four different houses in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books series’ Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry construct their identities. These characters are Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Nymphadora Tonks and Draco Malfoy. The aim is to find out whether their identities conform with the characteristics the Sorting Hat imposes on each house. Comprehensive pictures of the identities are formed by establishing what is valuable to them in life and what identity statuses the characters have. I do this with the help of psychoanalytic identity theories by Erik Erikson and James Marcia as well as ideas of philosopher Charles Taylor. The analysis clearly shows some narratives, such as helping friends and fighting for justice, were common to all characters. Every character conformed to the features of their house well. There was, however, a distinction between the female and male character when identity statuses were concerned. The young females had achieved identities whereas the male did not. Also, Draco’s values differed from that of the females, which suggests his life has fundamentally been different from the others. Future research could focus on solely one character, the most notable female character of the series Hermione Granger for instance, with the aim of understanding her influence on young readers. A more detailed assessment of her identity as a young female role model for adolescents constructing their own identities could, for instance, be a fruitful area of future research

Developing a Public Transportation Application for the Elderly

The purpose of this study was to develop a public transportation application, to assess the prevalence of public transportation among older adults in Turku and to describe the conditions and physical functions these older adults. A prototype application for older adults was developed and tested. Data gathered from Turku healthcare study consisting of 75-year-old participants was used to assess prevalence and conditions of the passengers. This data shows that most older adults in Turku use public transportation and their health status is good. Good health status, female gender, and not using a car turned out to be significant factors increasing the possibility for older adults to use public transportation. The testing of the prototype seems to indicate that current public transportation application used in Turku does not manage as well as the prototype. Prototype’s minimalistic design with vertically structured interface and clear page titles seems to function better compared to the official application’s design. Test group brought up that their reasons to not use public transportation applications are caused by the perceived complexity of technology and the lack of perceived usefulness which led to frustration

‘I don’t really like the thing what you do, I like it more because you get the stickers’: the impact of rules and rewards on children’s transition experiences

Children’s early experiences of educational transition can be a critical step in their life-long learning journey, yet we know very little about their perceptions of this experience. This paper draws on the findings of a participatory study, which identified rules and rewards as being significant factors for children transitioning from an early childhood education setting to the first year of primary school in a European school in a major city in Belgium. This case study accessed the voices of six children, their parents and the teaching staff. The findings indicated that the children perceived both sanctions and rewards to be important in the enforcement of classroom rules. However, the children expressed concerns about their ability to adapt their behaviour to meet the cultural expectations of the setting and were troubled about the impact this could have on their social belonging. Furthermore, learning dispositions were found to be inhibited by both ambiguous criteria for success and the desire to earn rewards. This paper recommends that educators give careful consideration to the ways in which rules and rewards impact upon children’s experiences of transition

Tell Me What You Want, What You Really, Really Want

Too often discussions on curriculum development fail to examine underlying assumptions about the nature of education, the identity of design and technology as a 'subject', and its place in the whole school curriculum.' Even our National Curriculum document offers no rationale behind the statutory order2 Indeed there is a danger that design and technology teachers simply do not have time to reflect.3 The DATA consultative paper4 provided a valuable framework for discussion. The present article reports on a workshop at the 1998 DATA Conference. This took the form of a structured, participatory debate, led by two Nuffield Area Field Officers holding differing views on certain fundamental issues. Eight key issues were raised with the leaders presenting a range of arguments. Delegates were then invited to contribute further views before regis

The Future of Blockbuster Exhibitions After the Covid-19 Crisis:The Case of the Dutch Museum Sector

This article deals with the long-known vulnerability of the blockbuster exhibition business model, which is defined as an exhibition that receives major loans, aims to attract a large body of visitors and uses marketing methods to achieve this. In light of the current Covid-19 crisis, which resulted in the closure of museums, blockbusters have become especially problematic. This article addresses to what extent – and for which types of museums – it will continue to be feasible to organise blockbusters in a post-Covid era. In research conducted on behalf of the Dutch Museum Association in 2020–2021, interviews with representatives of 14 Dutch museums were held, in addition to desk research. This research focused on the impact of the crisis on blockbusters and related phenomena such as scheduling and financial struggles, improvement of online platforms and the system of governmental support. Based on the data, conclusions were drawn regarding the viability of future blockbusters in different types of museums in the Netherlands. The article demonstrates that the crisis had potential to serve as a catalyst for changes that were already well underway. The constant growth that has taken place in the museum sector in the past few years appears to not be sustainable, especially if museums continue to compete for visitor numbers while overlooking the visitor experience. In this light, the Covid-19 crisis might serve to facilitate positive transformation, which could in turn enforce the speed of a much-needed shift in the museum sector; nonetheless, the results of this research show otherwise