298 research outputs found
Binge drinking
No full textRuntime 1:30 minutesThis resource is provided for informational purposes only and may not reflect current scientific knowledge or medical recommendations.Welcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Binge drinking is common among active-duty military personnel, according to a new study released by the University of Minnesota and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the study, involving more than 16,000 military personnel, binge drinking was reported by 43 percent of military personnel during the past month. How does one define binge drinking? Lead author of the study, Mandy Stahre, a University of Minnesota Ph.D. student, explains. Stahre says the study shows that binge drinking is a significant public health problem. With another Public Health Moment, I’m John Finnegan.Finnegan, John; Mandy Stahre. (2009). Binge drinking. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/257616
Data from Velthuis et al., 2017 Frontiers in Plant Science
No full textHuman activity is currently changing our environment rapidly, with predicted temperature increases of 1–5°C over the coming century and increased nitrogen and phosphorus inputs in aquatic ecosystems. In the shallow parts of these ecosystems, submerged aquatic plants enhance water clarity by resource competition with phytoplankton, provide habitat, and serve as a food source for other organisms. The carbon:nutrient stoichiometry of submerged aquatic plants can be affected by changes in both temperature and nutrient availability. We hypothesized that elevated temperature leads to higher carbon:nutrient ratios through enhanced nutrient-use efficiency, while nutrient addition leads to lower carbon:nutrient ratios by the luxurious uptake of nutrients. We addressed these hypotheses with an experimental and a meta-analytical approach. We performed a full-factorial microcosm experiment with the freshwater plant Elodea nuttallii grown at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C on sediment consisting of pond soil/sand mixtures with 100, 50, 25, and 12.5% pond soil. To address the effect of climatic warming and nutrient addition on the carbon:nutrient stoichiometry of submerged freshwater and marine plants we performed a meta-analysis on experimental studies that elevated temperature and/or added nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus). In the microcosm experiment, C:N ratios of Elodea nuttallii decreased with increasing temperature, and this effect was most pronounced at intermediate nutrient availability. Furthermore, higher nutrient availability led to decreased aboveground C:P ratios. In the meta-analysis, nutrient addition led to a 25, 22, and 16% reduction in aboveground C:N and C:P ratios and belowground C:N ratios, accompanied with increased N content. No consistent effect of elevated temperature on plant stoichiometry could be observed, as very few studies were found on this topic and contrasting results were reported. We conclude that while nutrient addition consistently leads to decreased carbon:nutrient ratios, elevated temperature does not change submerged aquatic plant carbon:nutrient stoichiometry in a consistent manner. This effect is rather dependent on nutrient availability and may be species-specific. As changes in the carbon:nutrient stoichiometry of submerged aquatic plants can impact the transfer of energy to higher trophic levels, these results suggest that eutrophication may enhance plant consumption and decomposition, which could in turn have consequences for carbon sequestration
The Human Leader: Leading from Weakness
No full textHow might human limitations empower rather than impede our leadership? Mandy Smith, author of The Vulnerable Pastor, will explore themes related to vulnerability and weakness in leadership and ministry. Interspersing teaching with guided roundtable discussion, this seminar will empower you to lead out of your deep humanity
Elements of carbon cycling: primary producers in aquatic systems under global change
No full textIt is of crucial importance to understand the consequences of climatic changes (e.g. elevated pCO2, warming and eutrophication) on aquatic primary producers, as they play a vital role in the global carbon cycle. Therefore, the main aims of the thesis were (1) to assess the role of primary producer identity (i.e. phytoplankton vs submerged aquatic plants) in aquatic carbon cycling, and (2) to assess the effects of elevated pCO2, warming and eutrophication on aquatic carbon cycling (with the focus on primary producers). The results of this thesis show that global change can significantly alter the role of primary producers in the carbon cycle, but that the direction of this change may depend on the prominent global change stressor. Producer carbon:nutrient stoichiometry can be enhanced by elevated pCO2, but reduced by eutrophication. The effect of warming on carbon:nutrient stoichiometry is context-dependent and may be influenced by abiotic conditions such as nutrient availability. Systems dominated by aquatic plants can have significantly higher sedimentation fluxes of carbon than those dominated by phytoplankton. This difference can be attributed to standing stocks of producer biomass related to producer identity. Additionally, the results of this thesis show that consumer biomass can advance in response to climatic warming, thereby imposing top-down control on primary producers. Thus, processes hampering the build-up of producer biomass may alter the flux of carbon to the sediment. To integratively assess the effect of warming on freshwater carbon cycling, producer biomass, sedimentation and decomposition were measured in a mesocosm experiment. The results of this experiment show that warming can significantly enhance the standing stock of plant biomass, sedimentation and decomposition. When combined into a carbon budget model, these similarly enhanced carbon fluxes cancelled each other out resulting in no net change in carbon burial between temperature treatments. All in all, I conclude that global change can affect the balance of aquatic carbon cycling by altering the biomass and carbon:nutrient stoichiometry of aquatic primary producers as well as their interactions with higher trophic levels. These changes in turn can have potential consequences for our future climate
Changes in science content knowledge and attitudes toward science teaching of educators attending a zoo-based neuroscience professional development
No full textInformal learning environments often host teachers for learning opportunities, but little is known about the impact of these experiences on teacher professional development (PD). This article describes a unique collaborative PD experience between zoological park personnel and university faculty, examining the impact on teacher content knowledge, attitudes, and classroom lessons. Our findings suggest that the PD improved science content, but made no impact on already high attitudes toward science. In light of the high level of self-reported satisfaction and high frequency of teacher lesson plan use, we propose that the PD had other positive outcomes such as pedagogical knowledge and authentic learning experiences.John L. Pecore, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education, College of
Professional Studies at the University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL. Mandy L.
Kirchgessner is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum, Instruction and Technology in
Education at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Laura L. Carruth, PhD, is an
Associate Professor at the Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.John L. Pecore , Mandy L. Kirchgessner & Laura L. Carruth (2013) Changes in Science Content Knowledge
and Attitudes toward Science Teaching of Educators Attending a Zoo-based Neuroscience Professional Development, The
Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 86:6, 238-245Journal Articl
Velthuis et al., 2018, GCB
No full textData and R-scripts belonging to the published manuscript. For more detailed information see the README file
Multi-source monitoring data and numerical analyses for the assessment of settlements affecting built-up areas in variable soil conditions
No full textThis paper presents an integrated analysis based on the use of multi-source wide-area datasets consisting of hydro-mechanical properties of geomaterials, in-situ investigations/measurements (e.g. groundwater levels in wells) and innovative space-borne data (i.e. DInSAR techniques) to support numerical analyses aimed at assessing and predicting the settlements affecting built-up areas in variable soil conditions. To this aim, an expeditious procedure was developed and tested with reference to a district in Rotterdam City (The Netherlands) affected by subsidence phenomena due to the presence of heterogeneous settling strata mainly composed by peat and organic soils. The results obtained allowed investigating the role of predisposing factors of the settlement occurrence and assessing the induced damage on buildings. Considering the widespread diffusion of such geohazards, the followed procedure could help the in-charge authorities to carry out activities at urban scale aimed at identifying the areas most affected by subsidence risk and to select the most suitable and sustainable mitigation strategies.Applied MechanicsGeo-engineerin
On unregulated markets and the freedom of media the transition of the East German press after 1989
No full textThis thesis fills a gap in research, literature and our understanding of transitioning media in post-socialist countries. It tells the fascinating and complicated story of a press moving from state control to a Western free press model. The focus lies on the German Democratic Republic (GDR) between the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 until after German unification in October 1990. It is a story untold in English-language literature, and it is a largely ignored part in contemporary German media history. Being written for an international readership while engaging largely with a unique moment in German and international media history, this thesis bridges a gap between national, continental and academic disciplines. Its primary question is in how far the democratic potential that existed in the moment of revolutionary change in 1989/1990 found its institutional and/or political manifestation in the post-socialist East German press. Contrary to current research, it answers this question by approaching it from the perspective of an expanding Western democratic, and market economic order. It is, thus, not concerned with case studies or one press-related sector but looks at structural change on various levels; its focus lies on the simultaneous battles fought over a free press. Core concern is the intersection between the normative role the press holds in a democratic society and that of a newly developing, or rather established expanding Western market economy.
This thesis analyzes three press-related sectors within a transitioning political setting: first, the opening of the GDR to (and sale of) West German print media; second, the reform and building of distribution infrastructures, and, third, emerging East-West joint ventures and subsequent changing newspaper ownerships. While closely interlinked, reforming distribution became the point of conflict over which issues of a “free press” were being debated. This thesis shows that nothing that happened in the GDR before, during and after the transition happened in isolation nor was it an exclusively East German problem. Instead, East Germany became the battle ground for various interests groups, East and West, but with clear and all-overshadowing interests of West German political and economic groups. These groups generally expanded and continued their long-established interests and disputes onto the newly opened political arena and economic market. Aiming for power at different levels, all had an interest in influencing media and its policies to their own advantage or, by simply circumventing them, created situations on the ground that, once put into place, were hard to change.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2020-08-01The student, Mandy Troger, accepted the attached license on 2018-07-06 at 20:31.The student, Mandy Troger, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2018-07-06 at 20:43.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2018-07-10 at 13:34.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #12765 on 2018-09-27 at 11:16:44Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-27T16:30:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2
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Empirical fragility curves for settlement-affected buildings: Analysis of different intensity parameters for seven hundred masonry buildings in The Netherlands
No full textThe analysis and prediction of damage to buildings resting on highly compressible fine-grained ‘‘soft soils” containing (organic) clay
and peat are key issues to be addressed for a proper management of subsidence-affected urban areas. Among the probabilistic approaches suggested in literature, those oriented to the generation of empirical fragility curves are particularly promising provided that a comprehensive dataset for both the subsidence-related intensity (SRI) parameters and the corresponding damage severity to buildings is available. Following this line of thought, in the present paper, a rich sample of more than seven hundred monitored (by remote sensing) and surveyed masonry buildings – mainly resting with their (shallow or piled) foundations on soft soils – is analysed in four urban areas of The Netherlands. Probabilistic functions in the form of fragility curves for building damage are retrieved for three different SRI parameters (i.e., differential settlement, rotation and deflection ratio) derived from the processing of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images by way of a differential interferometric (DInSAR) technique in combination with the severity levels of the damage recorded from the visual inspection of over 700 masonry buildings. As a novelty with respect to earlier similar studies, the work points out the methodological steps to be followed in order to identify the most appropriate SRI parameter among the selected ones. Thus, the objective of the paper is to improve the existing geotechnical forecasting tools for subsidence-affected urban areas, in order to target areas that require more detailed investigations/analyses and/or to select/prioritize foundation repairing/replacing measures
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