Enchantment and Haunting: Bimbling in Jarra: Chris Harrison’s Photographs

An essay which discusses Chris Harrison's project, I Belong Jarrow

It Hurts!

Luke 12:49-5

Numeracy for 14 to 19-year-olds

GCSE results and international comparisons show that performance in numeracy is lower in Wales than that in the other home nations and below the average for OECD countries. Standards of numeracy as judged in school inspections are also lower than for communication in English and information and communication technology. The number of learners in schools, colleges and work-based learning providers who gain application of number qualifications has increased substantially over the last five years. However, too many of these learners gain qualifications at too low a level relative to their ability. These learners do not improve their numeracy skills by taking qualifications at too low a level. Only a minority of schools plan to develop numeracy systematically across the curriculum. Only a few schools track the progress of pupils in numeracy well enough, including the pupils who previously received support for numeracy in key stage 3. Around a half of the schools surveyed do not provide specific support for learners with poor numeracy skills in key stage 4. Although schools assess pupils’ numeracy skills, they do not share this information well enough when their learners attend courses at college or other providers. Further education colleges and work-based learning providers assess the level of learners’ numeracy skills at the start of courses. They generally use this information well to identify whether learners need basic support. As a result, many learners have individual learning plans and benefit from a range of support strategies. However, providers often enter learners for key skills qualifications only at the level needed to complete their framework qualification aim and do not challenge learners to achieve beyond this level

COMT Val(158)Met genotypes differentially influence subgenual cingulate functional connectivity in healthy females

Brain imaging studies have cons stently shown subgenual Anterior Cingulate Cortical (sgACC) involvement in emotion processing. catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val(158) and Met(158) polymorphisms may influence such emotional brain processes in specific ways. Given that resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) may increase our understanding on brain functioning, we integrated genetic and rsfMRI data and focused on sgACC functional connections. No studies have yet investigated the influence of the COMT Val(158)Met polymorphism (rs4680) on sgACC resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in healthy individuals. A homogeneous group of 61 Caucasian right-handed healthy female university students, all within the same age range, underwent isfMRI. Compared to Met158 homozygotes, Val(158) allele carriers displayed significantly stronger rsFC between the sgACC and the left parahippocampal gyrus, ventromedial parts of the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). On the other hand, compared to Val(158) homozygotes, we found in Met(158) allele carriers stronger sgACC rsFC with the medial frontal gyrus (MEG), more in particular the anterior parts of the medial orbitofrontal cortex. Although we did not use emotional or cognitive tasks, our sgACC rsFC results point to possible distinct differences in emotional and cognitive processes between Val(158) and Met(158) allele carriers. Hovvever, the exact nature of these directions remains to be determined

Spiritual quest: an inter-religious dimension

Reviewed Book: Askari, Hasan. Spiritual quest: an inter-religious dimension. Leeds, England: Seven Mirrors, 1991

Pastoral Care in Context: An Introduction to Pastoral Care

Reviewed Book: Patton, John. Pastoral Care in Context: An Introduction to Pastoral Care. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993

The Effects of Fatigue on Balance in Individuals with Parkinson\u27s Disease: Influence of Medication and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Genotype

Background and Purpose: The purpose was to investigate the effects of fatigue on balance in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Because falls in this population can have deleterious consequences, it is important to understand the influence of fatigue and PD medications on balance. Additionally, since brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to be related to motor performance, we explored its role in balance fatigue. Participants: 27 individuals (age= 65.4±8.1; males= 14, females= 13) with neurologist-diagnosed PD. Of the 27, 13 were genotyped for BDNF as Val/Val, 11 as Val/Met, 2 as Met/Met, and one refused genotyping. Methods: Participants were tested twice, first on medication and second off medication, one week apart. On both days, participants completed the following tests before and after a fatiguing condition: mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (mini-BESTest), computerized dynamic posturography (sensory orientation and motor control), functional reach, and gait spatial-temporal parameters at preferred gait speed across an instrumented walking mat. To address the primary aim of the study, a 2 (condition: pre and post) X 2 (medication: on and off) factorial ANOVA was performed for each outcome variable in each of the following domains: 1. anticipatory postural response; 2. adaptive postural responses; 3. Dynamic balance; 4. sensory orientation; and, 5. gait characteristics. For the exploratory aim, independent t-tests were conducted to compare both pre- and post-fatigue states, and on and of medication states for all of the aforementioned balance domains. Results: There were no statistically significant interactions between time (pre and post) and medication (on and off) for anticipatory postural responses, adaptive postural responses, dynamic balance, sensory orientation, or gait characteristics (ps≥.187). Participants with BDNF Met alleles were not significantly different from Val/Val participants in balance or gait (ps≥.111) and response to a fatiguing condition (ps≥.070). Discussion: The results of this study suggest that fatigue does not have a detrimental effect on balance and gait in individuals with PD. Likewise, our results were also in line with other studies that suggest that PD medications are not effective for decreasing risk of falls due to postural instability. Lastly, these results also indicate that individuals with a BDNF Met allele are not at an increased fall risk after a fatiguing condition compared to those with the Val/Val genotype

Parallel repetition for entangled k-player games via fast quantum search

We present two parallel repetition theorems for the entangled value of multi-player, one-round free games (games where the inputs come from a product distribution). Our first theorem shows that for a $k$-player free game $G$ with entangled value $\mathrm{val}^*(G) = 1 - \epsilon$, the $n$-fold repetition of $G$ has entangled value $\mathrm{val}^*(G^{\otimes n})$ at most $(1 - \epsilon^{3/2})^{\Omega(n/sk^4)}$, where $s$ is the answer length of any player. In contrast, the best known parallel repetition theorem for the classical value of two-player free games is $\mathrm{val}(G^{\otimes n}) \leq (1 - \epsilon^2)^{\Omega(n/s)}$, due to Barak, et al. (RANDOM 2009). This suggests the possibility of a separation between the behavior of entangled and classical free games under parallel repetition. Our second theorem handles the broader class of free games $G$ where the players can output (possibly entangled) quantum states. For such games, the repeated entangled value is upper bounded by $(1 - \epsilon^2)^{\Omega(n/sk^2)}$. We also show that the dependence of the exponent on $k$ is necessary: we exhibit a $k$-player free game $G$ and $n \geq 1$ such that $\mathrm{val}^*(G^{\otimes n}) \geq \mathrm{val}^*(G)^{n/k}$. Our analysis exploits the novel connection between communication protocols and quantum parallel repetition, first explored by Chailloux and Scarpa (ICALP 2014). We demonstrate that better communication protocols yield better parallel repetition theorems: our first theorem crucially uses a quantum search protocol by Aaronson and Ambainis, which gives a quadratic speed-up for distributed search problems. Finally, our results apply to a broader class of games than were previously considered before; in particular, we obtain the first parallel repetition theorem for entangled games involving more than two players, and for games involving quantum outputs.Comment: This paper is a significantly revised version of arXiv:1411.1397, which erroneously claimed strong parallel repetition for free entangled games. Fixed author order to alphabetica

Critical Caring: A Feminist Model for Pastoral Psychology

Reviewed Book: DeMarinis, Valerie. Critical Caring: A Feminist Model for Pastoral Psychology. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993

Transient pupils: the induction and support of Key Stage 3 late entrants .

Little UK research has been undertaken into the experiences of pupils who move between secondary schools after the normal year 7 entry date. This thesis builds on a major research study on pupil mobility in English schools undertaken by Dobson, Henthorne and Lewis (2000) which investigated its impact on school and pupil performance, and school and LEA responses to this. The purpose of the study described in this thesis was to identify the circumstances and characteristics associated with late entrants to secondary school, to investigate their experience of late entry and to see whether additional induction and support could assist them in making a successful transfer. The study investigated the experiences of Key Stage 3 late entrants to Coventry LEA schools who participated in a programme of induction and support provided by Connexions Service personal advisers. The research, which was conducted in two phases, involved myself, an LEA adviser, and Connexions personal advisers in collecting data. First, personal advisers collected data about personal background and school transfer experience from all late entrants who were referred to them by year heads for induction interviews. At the end of the same school year, I conducted in- depth interviews with nine pupils, their year heads and personal advisers; personal advisers also completed questionnaires. Data analysis revealed a multiplicity of circumstances and characteristics associated with moving schools during the secondary phase that made it an individual and sometimes isolated experience. Pupils used a variety of strategies to assist them in managing this transition and they valued the support of the Connexions personal adviser. School induction and support systems for late entrants varied in their effectiveness and appeared rarely to be consistently implemented within over-stretched pastoral and curriculum systems