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Get PDFCrossing Borders is the focus of the Fall 2018 issue of PNLA Quarterly. We invite library practition-ers, students, and educators in the PNLA region (Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, and Washington) to submit articles that deal with any aspect of crossing boarders in our profession, including (but not limited to) cross-training within libraries, unique collaborations between or outside libraries, or endeavors spanning geographic boarders. Articles may be theoretical, research-based, or practice-focused.The deadline for submissions to [email protected] is June 30, 2018
Is a Library Department Chair Essential?: The Development of the Library Department Chair at Central Washington University
Get PDFThe combined position of University Archivist and Library Department Chair in the James E. Brooks Library at Central Washington University (CWU) in Ellensburg, Washington is unique and draws curiosity as to what other academic libraries have department chairs and what is their specific area of librarianship. This article provides a review of literature on the responsibilities of department chairs and their vitality, as well as publications specifically referencing library department chairs. A comparison of the CWU library department chair to another library faculty chair in the Orbis Cascade Alliance is also provided. The history of the chair position at Brooks Library is examined as is the makeup of the library faculty. Resources for chairs at CWU and personal strategies that have proved effective in being a leader of library faculty are described
Use of Social Media by Alaskan Libraries
No full textThis paper summarizes a survey study of the use of social media by school, public, and academic libraries in Alaska. Librarians at 243 Alaskan libraries were contacted and asked to participate in the study; 83 librarians responded by taking the survey. Results show that public libraries are heavily engaged in social media; academic libraries regularly use social media; and some school libraries use social media but many face school district restrictions on usage. The top reasons Alaskan libraries use social media is to promote library news and events; promote specific resources; and promote specific services. Reasons for not using social media include: not having enough time; social media isn’t deemed as important; and poor Internet connectivity in rural communities. Social media platforms are selected based on librarian preference and comfort level, as opposed to audience characteristics. Libraries that aren’t under prohibitive restrictions, such as policies against using social media or poor internet/bandwidth issues, should frequently reassess their use of social media platforms to best engage with patrons and the community
Evaluation of the Article “Estimating Herbaceous Biomass of Grassland Vegetation Using the Reference Unit Method” by Boyda, et al. 2015
Get PDFAn evaluation of the scientific article “Estimating Herbaceous Biomass of Grassland Vegetation Using the Reference Unit Method” by Boyda, et al. 2015 (Prairie Naturalist) is relevant because authors state that herbaceous biomass can be accurately and precisely estimated throughout the entire Buffalo Gap National Grasslands (BGNG) and beyond with the Reference Unit Method. The authors failed to provide easy to follow methods, a complete data set with all results, a study site map while only providing partial data and analyses for prairie dog colonies or areas adjacent to prairie dog colonies. The authors did not provide an improvement in protocol and methodology of the weight estimated method (double sampling-estimating and clipping) described by Pechanec and Pickford (1937) and its application on rangelands to estimate above ground biomass for many ecological types. Evaluations were very limited to few plant species: western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea), needle-and-thread (Hesperostipa comata), and green needle grass (Nassella viridula). Other comparisons were groups of plants with unidentified species and may produce questionable results with different species mixes when applied to other grasslands or locations on the BGNG. The protocols developed with double sampling (clipping with oven dry weights and corrected to visual estimates) is still the standard with no improvement by Boyda et al. (2015). The article by Boyda et al (2015) may provide erroneous results with application of the Reference Unit Method and is not recommended for estimating herbaceous biomass.
Key words: estimating biomass, double sampling, grasslands, plant biomass
Mechanistic and Kinetic Insights of [Cu(Pdtc)L]
Get PDFCarbon tetrachloride (CT) is a known carcinogen. It is know that when pyridine-2,6- bis(thiocarboxylic acid) (PDTC) forms square planer coordinate complexes with copper(II) the combination can dechlorinate CT stoichiometrically. In this study three different complexes, where the position four ligands are varied Cu(PDTC)L (L= Cl-, CN-, and PPh3), were used to probe the mechanism of the dichlorination reaction. GC-MS kinetic assays were performed to assess the aqueous dechlorination kinetics while organic solvents were used in UV-Vis assays to test organic based solvents. Results on the UV-Vis show that Cu(PDTC) PPh3 shows the most significant reaction with CT in organic solvent, followed by Cu(PDTC) CN with very limited reactivity, and finally Cu(PDTC)Cl with no reaction. Water-based kinetics were done in phosphate buffer with Cu(PDTC)Cl, Cu(PDTC)CN, and Cu(PDTC) PPh3. Cu(PDTC)Cl showed the most significant loss in CT in air and under inert gas. In addition variable temperature kinetics assays were performed to elucidate activation energies for the reaction
Prosocial Behavior and Empathy: Analysis of Emotional Responses During the Use of Ted Talk Videos in the Classroom
Get PDFEmpathy may increase when observing prosocial behavior of others. The purpose of the study was to evaluate students’ emotional responses when observing prosocial behavior demonstrated in a Tedx Talk video through the lens of cognitive empathy and affective empathy. Tedx Talk videos are often shown in college classrooms to enhance learning outcomes. Student participants (N=157) completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index pre/post assessment to examine if differences of empathy were measurable from before watching the video and after. Paired Samples t test Analyses were run to explore if there were differences between groups over time. Independent Samples t tests were used to understand differences between groups: age, gender and parental status. Results suggested statistically significant changes in empathy both over time and between groups
XFEB, A Direct Target of ZIC1, is Involved in Neural Crest Development
Get PDFThe peripheral nervous system, melanocytes and craniofacial cartilage and bone arise from neural crest cells that develop during early embryonic neural development. Transcription and signaling factors form a network to regulate this development. For example, it has been shown that Zic1 and Pax3 in conjunction are able to induce full neural crest cell development (Monsoro-Burq et al., 2005). Xfeb and Gbx2 also play roles during neural crest cell development as they are present in the same regions and developmental stages as the neural crest (Plouhinec et al., 2014; Li et al., 2009). A microarray identified Xfeb as a direct, downstream target of Zic1 (Li et al., 2006). An additional lab also identified Xfeb as a neural crest gene induced by Zic1 (Plouhinec et al., 2014). We hypothesize that Pax3, Xfeb, Gbx2 and Zic1 are all part of the same gene regulatory network controlling neural crest development. To investigate the relationship between the Xfeb, Pax3, Gbx2, and Zic1 genes, we first upregulated Xfeb gene expression with sense RNA and down regulated Xfeb gene expression with morpholino oligonucleotides (MO). We used in situ hybridization to visualize neural crest induction by staining for Slug RNA expression, a known neural crest marker. Our results showed that embryos injected with Xfeb sense RNA expanded Slug expression while those injected with Xfeb MO diminished Slug expression. Given other labs’ results suggesting that Zic1 plus Pax3 or Zic1 plus Gbx2 induced ectopic Slug expression, we will determine whether Xfeb plus Pax3 or Xfeb plus Gbx2 genes can induce ectopic Slug expression. These experiments will allow us to determine whether Xfeb acts in neural crest induction and will allow us to place Xfeb into the gene regulatory network that drives neural crest development
Epaulets in Golden Eagle Plumages in Western Montana
Get PDFAn uncommon plumage characteristic of North American Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) is the epaulet, a white feather or feathers at the shoulder, often symmetrical on both sides in appearance. The size and shape of an epaulet varies by individual. This characteristic is mentioned within the literature, but is not noted how it is reflected within a population. We have observed epaulets in 17 out of 102 (16.6%) individual Golden Eagles with at least one epaulet in western Montana since 2012. Of these individuals, 13 (76.4%) were observed on the Rocky Mountain Front while on migration, and 4 (23.6%) were observed on wintering grounds in the Bitterroot Valley, Montana. Epaulets have been observed on both male and female individuals, and on both sub-adult and adult aged birds. This plumage characteristic should continue to be recorded in Golden Eagles for a better estimate of rate of occurrence within a population
