Student Perspectives on Reflective Writing, Improvisation, and Cooperative and Peer Learning in a Collegiate Aural Skills Course

Student-centered instructional approaches that directly engage the learner in problem-solving activities and emphasize social interaction in the construction of knowledge are known to be much more effective than traditional teaching methods. While music educators also claim to espouse these views, these strategies have yet to infiltrate the area of aural skills pedagogy, where the mode of instruction often remains limited to traditional repetition and drill. In an effort to update and improve the Ear Training and Sight Singing (ETSS) curriculum at Linfield, reflective writing, improvisation, and cooperative and peer-learning activities were integrated into the course for the 2012-2013 academic year. This study examined the efficacy of these new approaches by comparing students’ experiences, progress, and assessments to those of previous years. Though a comparison of final exam scores did not reveal a statistically significant difference in achievement, results suggest reflective writing was particularly effective for students in increasing self-awareness, organizing and reinforcing learning, increasing retention of course material, and providing opportunities for self-assessment. Data revealed a mixed effectiveness for cooperative and peer-learning activities that is often dependent on a variety of factors including the nature and goals of the activity or assignment and the level of disparity in abilities between partners. Benefits include increased accountability, motivation and practice

Financial Impact of Fines in the Unbound Pavement Layers

INE/AUTC 14.1

Impact of template backbone heterogeneity on RNA polymerase II transcription.

Variations in the sugar component (ribose or deoxyribose) and the nature of the phosphodiester linkage (3'-5' or 2'-5' orientation) have been a challenge for genetic information transfer from the very beginning of evolution. RNA polymerase II (pol II) governs the transcription of DNA into precursor mRNA in all eukaryotic cells. How pol II recognizes DNA template backbone (phosphodiester linkage and sugar) and whether it tolerates the backbone heterogeneity remain elusive. Such knowledge is not only important for elucidating the chemical basis of transcriptional fidelity but also provides new insights into molecular evolution. In this study, we systematically and quantitatively investigated pol II transcriptional behaviors through different template backbone variants. We revealed that pol II can well tolerate and bypass sugar heterogeneity sites at the template but stalls at phosphodiester linkage heterogeneity sites. The distinct impacts of these two backbone components on pol II transcription reveal the molecular basis of template recognition during pol II transcription and provide the evolutionary insight from the RNA world to the contemporary 'imperfect' DNA world. In addition, our results also reveal the transcriptional consequences from ribose-containing genomic DNA

The Kindness of Strangers: Exploring Interdependencies and Shared Mobilities of Elderly People in Rural Japan

For over forty years, most residents in rural areas of Japan have relied on private vehicles to meet their mobility needs. Today, however, the rapid ageing of the population, coupled with low birth rates and migration of young people to urban areas, is posing a variety of new transport challenges. Most notably, the proportion of drivers to non-drivers is getting smaller. This means that non-drivers who relied on family and neighbours for trips in the past, as well as elderly residents who give up their licenses, have fewer people to drive them. Current policy debates tend to focus on technological “solutions”, and underestimate the complex social, cultural and inter-personal relationships which underlie transport dependencies in these environments. Using a qualitative semi-structured survey, the current study explores the current mobilities of older people living in a small rural district in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. The resulting analysis reveals how cultural attitudes and social norms affect the ways in which older people manage their mobilities

Oxidative stress alters cell morphology and cell death indices in immortalized astrocytes

Abstract only availableMenadione, usually known as vitamin K3, also serves as a trigger for oxidative stress, delivering reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon entering the cells. Astrocytes are glial cells that are found in the brain and are extremely important in providing nourishment to cells in the brain, especially neurons. Oxidative stress may cause damage to astrocytes and alter their function. Increase in oxidative stress is the underlying cause for many neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease and stroke. In this study, we used menadione as an oxidant compound to study effects of oxidative stress on cell morphology and viability in an immortalized astrocyte cell line (DITNC). Menadione causes cytoskeletal rearrangement and stress fiber protrusions in astrocytes. This event is accomplished by an increase in LDH release and a decrease in MTT release, suggesting loss of cell viability. Resveratrol (enriched in grape) and curcumin (from turmeric), polyphenolic antioxidants, have been shown to inhibit damage caused by ROS. In this study, we also used these botanical compounds to demonstrate their inhibitory properties against menadione-mediated morphological changes and cell damage in DITNC cells.NSF-REU Biology & Biochemistr

Evaluation of Precut Transverse Cracks for an Asphalt Concrete Pavement in Interior Alaska (Moose Creek –Richardson Highway)

Road-width thermal cracks (major transverse cracks) are perhaps the most noticeable form of crack-related damage on AC pavements throughout colder areas of Alaska. The main objective of this study is to recommend design strategies and construction practices aimed at controlling thermal cracking in AC pavements. In this report, literature review summarizes selected items of the engineering literature directly relevant to precutting of pavement-type structures and control of thermal cracking in general. Crack surveys and data collection were conducted at the test sections in an AKDOT&PF resurfacing project to compare various precut strategies (variations of cut spacing and depth), with the locations of natural major transverse cracks both before and after construction. Laboratory testing and numerical analysis were also presented to provide basic data about the physical properties of the AC and help explain some of the observed characteristics associated with natural thermal cracking. 17.I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 PROBLEM STATEMENT ..................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................... 2 OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................... 4 Research Approach .............................................................................................. 4 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 7 INTRODUCTION TO THERMAL CRACKING (McHattie et al. 2013) ............. 7 TECHNOLOGY REGARDING PRECUTTING OF TRANSVERSE CRACKS ............................................................................................................. 10 Sawing Joints to Control Cracking in Flexible Pavements (Morchinek 1974).10 Sawing and Sealing Joints in Bituminous Pavements to Control Cracking (Janisch 1996) .................................................................................................. 12 III. DESCRIPTION OF RESEARCH AREA ...................................................... 15 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT / RESEARCH AREA LOCATION ..................... 15 RESEARCH LAYOUT / PRECUT DESIGN/EXECUTION .............................. 17 IV. MATERIALS PROPERTIES ........................................................................ 19 ASPHALT CONCRETE SPECIFICATIONS & MARSHALL MIX DESIGN ..20 DATA FROM AKDOT&PF CONSTRUCTION ACCEPTANCE TESTS ....... 21 DESCRIPTION OF PAVEMENT CORES & LABORATORY RESULTS ....... 23 V. CRACK SURVEYS & DESCRIPTIONS ...................................................... 25 CRACK SURVEYS .............................................................................................. 25 Data Collection and Availability ....................................................................... 25 Analysis of Crack Survey Data ......................................................................... 25 CRACK DESCRIPTIONS .................................................................................... 29 VI. NUMERICAL ANALYSES .......................................................................... 35 SIMULATION CONFIGURATIONS AND INPUTS ......................................... 35 FEM Model Configurations .............................................................................. 35 Simulation Inputs............................................................................................... 37 SIMULATION RESULTS AND ANALYSIS ..................................................... 38 VII. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................. 42 CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................... 42 IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS ................................................. 42 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTINUING RESEARCH ............................. 43 APPENDIX A: EXAMPLES OF CRACK SURVEY SHEETS ............................. 44 APPENDIX B: RAW CRACK SURVEY DATA ................................................... 47 APPENDIX C: CRACK MAP BASED ON 2014 FIELD DATA ........................... 57 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 6

Intensity-free Integral-based Learning of Marked Temporal Point Processes

In the marked temporal point processes (MTPP), a core problem is to parameterize the conditional joint PDF (probability distribution function) $p^*(m,t)$ for inter-event time $t$ and mark $m$, conditioned on the history. The majority of existing studies predefine intensity functions. Their utility is challenged by specifying the intensity function's proper form, which is critical to balance expressiveness and processing efficiency. Recently, there are studies moving away from predefining the intensity function -- one models $p^*(t)$ and $p^*(m)$ separately, while the other focuses on temporal point processes (TPPs), which do not consider marks. This study aims to develop high-fidelity $p^*(m,t)$ for discrete events where the event marks are either categorical or numeric in a multi-dimensional continuous space. We propose a solution framework IFIB (\underline{I}ntensity-\underline{f}ree \underline{I}ntegral-\underline{b}ased process) that models conditional joint PDF $p^*(m,t)$ directly without intensity functions. It remarkably simplifies the process to compel the essential mathematical restrictions. We show the desired properties of IFIB and the superior experimental results of IFIB on real-world and synthetic datasets. The code is available at \url{https://github.com/StepinSilence/IFIB}

Two decades of research in discovery of anticancer drugs targeting STAT3, how close are we?

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) controls many biological processes including differentiation, survival, proliferation, and angiogenesis. In normal healthy cells, STAT3 is tightly regulated to maintain a momentary active state. However, aberrant or constitutively activated STAT3 has been observed in many different cancers and constitutively activated STAT3 has been shown to associate with poor prognosis and tumor progression. For this reason, STAT3 has been studied as a possible target in the treatment of many different types of cancers. However, despite decades of research, a FDA-approved STAT3 inhibitor has yet to emerge. In this review, we will analyze past studies targeting STAT3 for drug discovery, understand possible causes of failure in these studies, and provide potential insights for future efforts to overcome these roadblocks

Modelling the Carrying Capacity of Water Resources for Sustainable Water Ecology Using Vensim

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to address the growing challenges associated with water resources due to population growth, rapid economic expansion, and the imbalance between supply and demand. It aims to investigate the importance of water as a fundamental resource for ecological preservation and sustainable economic development.   Design/Methodology/Approach: In this study, a comprehensive approach was taken to analyze water resources carrying capacity (WRCC) using the Vensim modeling tool. The research methodology involves considering the multifaceted roles of water resources within the complex ecological, environmental, societal, and economic systems, as well as their interrelationships with other system components.   Findings: The findings of the study highlight the critical need for increasing investment in environmental protection and initiating new water storage projects to enhance the region's water resource carrying capacity. This research underscores the importance of sustainable water ecology in addressing the challenges posed by population growth and economic expansion.   Research, Practical & Social Implications: This study has significant implications for research, practical applications, and societal well-being. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing water resources in a sustainable manner to ensure ecological health, economic development, and social progress. The findings can inform policy decisions and guide actions to address water resource challenges.   Originality/Value: The originality and value of this study lie in its holistic approach to assessing WRCC and its consideration of the complex interactions between water resources, ecology, environment, society, and the economy. The research provides insights into the unique challenges faced by regions with increasing water resource demands and pollution and offers a modeling tool for measuring and enhancing water carrying capacity