2,889 research outputs found
"I don’t really like tedious, monotonous work": working-class young women, service sector employment and social mobility in contemporary Russia
No full textThis article contributes a global perspective to the emerging literature on girlhood in western contexts by examining the changing shape of transitions to adulthood amongst working-class young women in St. Petersburg, Russia. As in many western countries, new forms of service sector employment and an increasingly accessible higher education system appear to offer young women new prospects for social mobility. In contrast to the increasingly impoverished and denigrated traditional pathways into work, the young women in the study derive significant value from these new opportunities, constructing narratives of self-actualisation and approximating notions of respectable femininity. Nevertheless, actual social mobility is elusive, as familiar patterns of classed and gendered stratification limit their prospects. Despite its specificity, the case thus further illustrates the limited nature of the transformations available to young women through the new forms of education and work characteristic of global neoliberal contexts
Strict coupling between CFTR's catalytic cycle and gating of its Cl- ion pore revealed by distributions of open channel burst durations
No full textCFTR, the ABC protein defective in cystic fibrosis, functions as an anion channel. Once phosphorylated by protein kinase A, a CFTR channel is opened and closed by events at its two cytosolic nucleotide binding domains (NBDs). Formation of a head-to-tail NBD1/NBD2 heterodimer, by ATP binding in two interfacial composite sites between conserved Walker A and B motifs of one NBD and the ABC-specific signature sequence of the other, has been proposed to trigger channel opening. ATP hydrolysis at the only catalytically competent interfacial site is suggested to then destabilize the NBD dimer and prompt channel closure. But this gating mechanism, and how tightly CFTR channel opening and closing are coupled to its catalytic cycle, remains controversial. Here we determine the distributions of open burst durations of individual CFTR channels, and use maximum likelihood to evaluate fits to equilibrium and nonequilibrium mechanisms and estimate the rate constants that govern channel closure. We examine partially and fully phosphorylated wild-type CFTR channels, and two mutant CFTR channels, each bearing a deleterious mutation in one or other composite ATP binding site. We show that the wild-type CFTR channel gating cycle is essentially irreversible and tightly coupled to the ATPase cycle, and that this coupling is completely destroyed by the NBD2Walker B mutation D1370N but only partially disrupted by the NBD1 Walker A mutation K464A
Assessing young people’s learning needs related to sexuality and relationships on the Maltese Islands
No full textThis research explored young people’s learning needs related to sexuality and relationships withinthe current rapidly changing social, cultural and religious context of the Maltese Islands. It alsoexplored the challenges, opportunities and alternative means by which these needs can be met. Adefinitional matrix for needs assessment that adopts a sociological perspective to people’s needs,which is widely used in health promotion, was employed. This thesis was framed around theunderlying principles of youth involvement, participation and empowerment, and thus emphasisedyoung people’s own perspective of their learning needs.The mixed-methodology approach was adopted in this research. The first stage of investigationsought to achieve an overview of sexual behaviour and knowledge among young Maltese peopleaged 14 - 16 attending secondary schools. A stratified random sample of 1310 pupils (68% responserate) provided a first-ever snapshot of young people’s sexual behaviour in Malta. The second stagesought to explore young people’s felt and expressed learning needs within and outside the schoolsetting by way of sixteen focus groups involving another 166 pupils.Findings suggest a relatively low rate of pupils who would have practiced sexual intercourse byschool-leaving age in Malta (12.3%). Mean age at first intercourse seems similar to that of otherEuropean countries (14 years) for both genders. Only a fifth used condoms every time they had sex.Knowledge of STIs was scant. The pupils were more informed about HIV. Girls were moreknowledgeable. Boys had sex with more sexual partners. No gender differences were noted insubstance abuse with sex. Discussions among pupils revealed a high degree of perceived unmetlearning need. Participants valued highly learning about sexuality but thought it received much lessattention than their other academic learning needs. Disparities between schools were evidenced.Learning was sporadic and uncoordinated with conflicting messages from different teachers. Oftensessions started timely to pupils’ needs, but ended prematurely. Learning from parents was scantyand associated with the overall relationship and bonding between parents and the child. Gaps werenoted between perceived ideal sources (teachers, parents and visiting speakers) and actual /preferred sources (friends and the media). Needs were perceived in relation to the content andtiming of learning, sources of knowledge, learning styles and resources. Maltese pupils had diversevalues and called for a variety of approaches.Recommendations were made for a national sexuality education policy to standardize theframework of sexuality education among Maltese schools; more initial teacher training and inservicetraining in sexuality education to meet the needs of a diverse group of adolescents throughvarious approaches; more collaboration among teachers within schools; parenting skills and lifelonglearning opportunities for parents; more active involvement of adolescents and a widerconsultation with schools and families in the evaluation of sexuality education
Measurement of the CKM angle gamma from a combination of B->Dh analyses
No full textA combination of three LHCb measurements of the CKM angle gamma is presented. The decays B->DK and B->Dpi are used, where D denotes an admixture of D0 and D0-bar mesons, decaying into K+K-, pi+pi-, K+-pi-+, K+-pi-+pi+-pi-+, KSpi+pi-, or KSK+K- final states. All measurements use a dataset corresponding to 1.0 fb-1 of integrated luminosity. Combining results from B->DK decays alone a best-fit value of gamma = 72.0 deg is found, and confidence intervals are set gamma in [56.4,86.7] deg at 68% CL, gamma in [42.6,99.6] deg at 95% CL. The best-fit value of gamma found from a combination of results from B->Dpi decays alone, is gamma = 18.9 deg, and the confidence intervals gamma in [7.4,99.2] deg or [167.9,176.4] deg at 68% CL, are set, without constraint at 95% CL. The combination of results from B->DK and B->Dpi decays gives a best-fit value of gamma = 72.6 deg and the confidence intervals gamma in [55.4,82.3] deg at 68% CL, gamma in [40.2,92.7] deg at 95% CL are set. All values are expressed modulo 180 deg, and are obtained taking into account the effect of D0-D0bar mixing
New Jersey's Rising Seas and Changing Coastal Storms: Report of the 2019 Science and Technical Advisory Panel
No full textThe first New Jersey Science and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) on Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Storms was convened by Rutgers University on behalf of the NJ Climate Change Alliance in 2015, culminating in a 2016 report that identified planning options for practitioners to enhance the resilience of New Jersey’s people, places, and assets to sea-level rise, coastal storms, and the resulting flood risk (Kopp et al., 2016). An innovative approach used to inform the 2016 report was the complementary convening of a panel of practitioners to offer insights on the application of the STAP science to state and local planning and decision-making. Following the same process, the same team at Rutgers University was engaged by the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to update the 2016 report based on the most current scientific information. Similar to the inaugural work, the 2019 STAP was charged with identifying and evaluating the most current science on sea-level rise projections and changing coastal storms, considering the implications for the practices and policies of local and regional stakeholders, and providing practical options for stakeholders to incorporate science into risk-based decision processes.
The 2019 STAP process recommended the following key updates to the 2016 STAP report:
Making available historical sea-level rise (SLR) information for New Jersey to provide a frame of reference for future projections;
Updating information on ice sheet dynamics;
Expanding consideration of tidal flooding; and
Expanding consideration of storm tide-related flooding.
This report integrates the 2019 key STAP updates and should be considered the most recent reference in this series.Please cite this report as: Kopp, R.E., C. Andrews, A. Broccoli, A. Garner, D. Kreeger, R. Leichenko, N. Lin, C. Little, J.A. Miller, J.K. Miller, K.G. Miller, R. Moss, P. Orton, A. Parris, D. Robinson, W. Sweet, J. Walker, C.P. Weaver, K. White, M. Campo, M. Kaplan, J. Herb, and L. Auermuller. New Jersey’s Rising Seas and Changing Coastal Storms: Report of the 2019 Science and Technical Advisory Panel. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Prepared for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Trenton, New Jersey.
This work was made possible with financial assistance from the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, as administered by the Office of Coastal Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Program through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Coastal Management Program, Bureau of Climate Resilience Planning. The LocalizeSL sea-level rise projection framework used in this report was developed with grants to REK from the National Science Foundation (Grant ICER-1663807) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant 80NSSC17K0698), as well as from the Rhodium Group (for whom REK has previously worked as a consultant) as part of the Climate Impact Lab collaboration."November 2019
Repositioning the graphic designer as researcher
No full textIn academic terms, the discipline of graphic design is relatively young. Consequently the position of the discipline within academic territory, and the role of the designer, continue to be debated. In part, these debates have been a product of attempts to define and defend the discipline’s borders from within, in order to establish a sense of the role of graphic design and the graphic designer as commensurate with other disciplines both within and beyond art and design. In recent years graphic designers have variously been defined as ‘authors’, ‘producers’ and ‘readers’, yet none of these definitions seem to have provided any kind of productive or lasting impact within the academy. This paper suggests that rather than continue to seek territorial definitions and positions from within, it could be more productive to look beyond the confines of the discipline. Gaining a broader, interdisciplinary perspective on, and understanding of, qualitative research methods from other disciplines may enable the graphic designer to more fully position his or her practice within the wider academy. Such a perspective could help facilitate the repositioning and redefinition of the graphic designer as ‘researcher’ - a move that would be productive in relation to the future development of postgraduate research within the discipline
Zammara smaragdula Walker 1858
No full text<p> Amale specimenof <i>Zammara smaragdula</i> Walker, 1858</p> <p>(Figure 1)</p> <p>was collected on 18-II- 2010 in gallery forest at themouthof theriver Jurupari, Acre state, Brazil, (7°51’32” S, 70°51’10” W). The collected specimen was deposited in the Entomology Collection at the Phytosanitation Department of the Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias of the UNESP (FCAV / UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil.</p> <p> When alive, <i>Z. smaragdula</i> has an iridescent blue-green color and can be easily diagnosed by the pattern of spots on their forewings. Initially, this species was reported only for South America (Walker 1858), without providing any specific location, neither does the type specimen have any location data. Currently this species is known to occur in Mexico (Sanborn 2006a; 2007), Guatemala (Sanborn 2006b) and Colombia (Sanborn 2010). Bartholomew and Barnhart (1984) carried out physiological studies with <i>Z. smaragdula</i> in Panama. However, this species is not listed for this country in the list provided by Wolda and Ramos (1992). Young (1972; 1973) attributes ecological notes for <i>Z. smaragdula</i> in Costa Rica, but the pictures presented by theauthorarenotconsistentwiththisspecies.Probablythe correct species is <i>Z. smaragdina</i> Walker, 1850. However, in later publications, as indicated by the pictures presented, the author starts to correctly determine both species, thus providing the true ecological notes for <i>Z. smaragdula</i> from Costa Rica (Young 1980a, b, c, d; 1981a, b). Since the records of occurrence for <i>Z. smaragdula</i> did not include Brazil, the collection herein reported represents a new record for the country.</p>Published as part of <i>Maccagnan, Douglas Henrique Bottura, Martinelli, Nilza Maria, Goemans, Geert & Guilherme, Edson, 2011, Zammara smaragdula Walker, 1858 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae): first record for Brazil, pp. 563-564 in Check List 7 (4)</i> on page 563, DOI: 10.15560/7.4.563, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/900561">http://zenodo.org/record/900561</a>
“Film Censorship in Western Australia: Public, Government and Industrial Responses 1898-1928”
No full textMuch work has been undertaken by legal writers on the present debates surrounding censorship in Australia.Many of these writings focus their critique on the extent to which Australian censorship law attempts to regulate public morality and the problems that arise form such an approach. Other work has critiqued the issue of whether this legislative sphere is best handled at the Federal level or the State level. While this work is important in its own right, very little of this work describes the historical debates and reform initiatives from which present legislative censorship policies now find their source. This leaves an unfortunate gap in the writing on state sanctioned censorship within this country, for without an understanding of the ways in which the public and past governments have responded to calls for tighter controls on what people should view, an incomplete understanding of the source and reasons for modern day censorship campaigns emerges.
This paper examines the responses made by the Western Australian public, government and film industry to the question of film censorship between 1898 and 1928: it examines the similarities and differences between Western Australian responses and responses in the eastern states. It aims to rectify two major imbalances in existing work: firstly, the stress upon eastern states' responses as representative of Australia as a whole; and secondly, the failure to integrate political, social and economic influences which shaped the development of film censorship. As well it identifies transitions in public perceptions of film between 1898 and 1928.
While there were similarities in Western Australia and eastern states' responses to film there were also differences, particularly in the way government and public organisations responded to the debate. In particular, the conclusion drawn in previous studies, that the public initially complained about film as medium rather than film's message is not true for Western Australia. As well, there were noticeable transitions in the way people perceived the effects of film. In the 1910s organisations did not complain about both the immorality of film content and the link between film and criminal behaviour. Rather the debate about criminal behaviour did not develop until after 1916 and this transition was a reflection of the changing content of film in this period. An examination of political, social and economic factors affecting film censorship in Western Australia indicates that an analysis of film censorship which ignores any of these factors within their historical context ignores the complex interplay which shaped Australian film censorship controls and which arguably impact upon present day censorship policies.
This paper is divided into five parts. Part One discusses the introduction of moving pictures into Western Australia and highlights some misconceptions which have occurred in previous studies of this early period. Parts Two and Three examine government, industrial and public responses to the question of film censorship between 1911 and 1927. Part four discusses the Minutes of Evidence from the Royal Commission and Part five provides the conclusion. Central to the paper is the changing public perceptions, between the early 1900s and 1927, of the effect of films upon the child and society
Mapping a Memoir within Australian Landscapes: Shirley Walker
No full textShirley Walker (1927), retired Senior Lecturer in English from the University of New
England at Armidale, where she taught Australian Literature, decided to try her own
hand at writing a memoir. The result is Roundabout at Bangalow: An Intimate
Chronicle (2001), which is her account of growing up in the Northern Rivers area of
New South Wales in Australia. The author has also published numerous critical articles
on Australian Literature, commenting thoroughly on the work of Mary Gilmore (1865-
1962), Judith Wright (1915-2000) and Dorothy Hewett (1923-2002). Walker has also
published The Ghost at the Wedding (2009) based on the life of Walker’s mother in law,
a woman whose life was largely shaped by war, and who, in 1918 near the end of
WW1, married a returned soldier. This biography, which was awarded the Asher
Literary Prize (2009) and the Nita B Kibble Award (2010), Australia’s premier award
for women’s writing, has been described as a major work of Australian literature and a
major contribution to Australian history. The present article focuses on Roundabout at
Bangalow: An Intimate Chronicle, where Walker narrates the complicated and,
sometimes, blurred resonances of her “half-a-lifetime” memoir. This work exemplifies
how Walker is deeply concerned with the unreliability of memory and the way it can
exaggerate grievances or distort past perceptions, unloosing itself from historical and
geographical truth and adopting first and foremost a primal function in the formation of
identities
MANOVA modelling of a chiropractic longitudinal study using multiple imputation
No full textThe purpose of this report is to present the detailed statistical analysis of a randomised, placebo-controlled trial comparing two different treatment modalities to an intervention of no known benefit for people with acute or subacute thoracic spine pain.
The therapy arms consist of Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) and Graston Technique (GT) and the placebo is a non-functional ultrasound. A placebo group was utilised because at present there are no proven treatments for non-specific thoracic pain. This trial is registered with the Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Ethics approval has been granted by Murdoch University Human Research and Ethics Committee, number 2007/274.
The aim of this three arm trial was to test the efficacy of SMT and GT as independent modalities compared to detuned ultrasound for the outcomes of pain and disability. The latter were measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and a modified Oswestry Back Pain Disability Index. The study was conducted at the Murdoch University Chiropractic student clinic in Perth, Australia, and the protocol published in Crothers et al (2008).
In this report, Section 2 provides an initial exploratory analysis of the data, Section 3 outlines the statistical models used in the final analysis, Section 4 defines these models in mathematical terms, Section 5 discusses the management of missing values via multiple imputation and Section 6 presents the results of the statistical modelling and hypothesis tests. The clinical study will be published in full elsewhere
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