Noise assisted directed motion at the molecular level — 2

The term noise is used to describe fluctuations about the mean deterministic stationary value of a physical quantity. It is now being increasingly realised that noise is an important ingredient to bring order in dynamical processes. Though it appears counterintuitive, noise seems to help in directing transport processes in biological systems at the molecular level. In Part 2 of the article, we discuss some more examples of noise assisted directed motion.     

The Journey Toward Transformational Learning in a Statewide Doctoral Program

This article describes strategies for redesigning the University of Missouri's Statewide Cooperative Ed.D. Cohort Program in educational leadership. Results had suggested a need to redesign aspects of the program in order to achieve higher levels of cognitive learning outcomes inclusive of transformational learning. To help meet this objective, the areas targeted for redesign were the curriculum as it relates to issues of diversity and ethics, instruction as it relates to group dynamics and cohort models, and increased time and a forum for students to reflect on their leadership practices. This forum also allowed faculty to monitor and assess the transformational learning outcomes of their students. This article is meant to assist others who are interested in fostering higher levels of transformational learning outcomes within their programs. Meredith L. Mountford holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University, a Master of Science degree in educational administration from Northern Illinois University and a Philosophy of Science degree in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. She is an Assistant Professor and has served as Director for the Statewide Cooperative Ed.D. Cohort Program in educational leadership at the University of Missouri—Columbia.     

化学实验室常见废弃物的处理

实验废弃物对环境的负面影响尚未引起人们应有的重视。要避免其任意排放对环境的危害，应依据绿色化学减量化、再利用、再循环的原则对其进行处理，化学实验室废气应采用溶液吸附法和固体吸收法等来处理、废水应采用中和法、萃取法、化学沉淀法、氧化还原法等来处理，实验用过的有机溶剂应进行回收与提纯。     

陕西省商品粮基地县建设的思考

对陕西省商品粮基地县建设的分析表明，该省商品粮基地县数量自1984年的20个增至2000年的38个，其粮食作物播种面积与粮食产量则呈波动性上升。商品粮基地县在地域分布上主要集中于关中平原，其次是汉中盆地，黄土高原及陕南秦巴山地呈零星分布。随着“人粮矛盾”的日益突出，务必加大对关中平原和汉中盆地商品粮基地县的建设力度，并在自然生态条件有所改善的延安、安康等市开拓新的商品粮基地县。     

Predictors of College Attendance Patterns of Rural Youth

This study investigated patterns of college attendance using data from a nationwide and contemporary sample of 2112 rural youth. We found that more than half of rural youth attended two-year institutions at some point during their college career and about a fourth initially enrolled in a two-year college before enrolling in a four-year college. Results also revealed that parental education, college preparatory track and preparation experiences, and teacher expectations predicted students’ college attendance patterns. Our findings point to the importance of two-year colleges and highlight the influence of family characteristics and students’ schooling experiences in the postsecondary trajectories of rural youth.     

Job Crafting and Identity in Low-Grade Work: How Hospital Porters Redefine the Value of their Work and Expertise

Over 25 years ago, Brown and Duguid (Organisation Science, 2(1), 40–57, 1991) highlighted the differences between the way organisations formally describe and delineate jobs and the actual practices of their employees. This paper combines ideas from their seminal contribution with theories of ‘job crafting’ and identity to examine the agentic behaviour of employees in low-grade, ‘dirty work’ as they utilise their expertise and practices to (re)frame their occupational identities and challenge their prescribed job boundaries. The evidence for the paper comes from a qualitative study of hospital porters in the UK’s National Health Service. It argues that this combined theoretical approach provides a potential research and employment framework to challenge the abstracted and stereotypical conceptions of the expertise related to low-grade jobs.     

Raising the bar on studying cultural evolution

Sasaki and Biro (2017, Nature Communications, 8, 15049) show that pairs of pigeons can increase the efficiency of their homing routes over several ‘generations’ in which pair members are gradually replaced by naïve birds. Their findings show that socially transmitted cumulative alterations of behavior are not unique to humans and suggest a way to examine potential mechanisms of cultural evolution.     

An Investigation of How Culture Shapes Curriculum in Early Care and Education Programs on a Native American Indian Reservation

This article investigates how culture shapes instruction in three early care and education programs on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Interviews with eight early childhood teachers as well as classroom observations were conducted. The investigation is framed by the following research question: How does the culture of the family and community shape curriculum? Data analysis suggested that ongoing communication with parents and community about teaching within a culturally relevant context, building a sense of belongingness and community through ritual, and respecting children, families, and community were essential to defining the Native American Indian culture within these early learning programs.     

Effects of Second-Order Difference-Frequency Wave Forces on Floating Wind Turbine Under Survival Condition

In this paper, the effects of second-order difference-frequency wave forces on the global motion of an offshore wind turbine system with a large displacement under the survival condition are studied. In this case, the hydrodynamic force is the main force because the blades are feathered to reduce the lifting force. The first-order hydrodynamic forces are calculated by WADAM, while the second-order wave forces are calculated by a customized MATLAB module. Then the hydrodynamic coefficients are transferred to the wind turbine analytical code FAST. Through the comparisons of dynamic responses between the first- and second-order numerical models, it is found that the second-order wave forces significantly influence the motion of floating wind turbine under the survival condition. Moreover, neglecting the second-order force significantly underestimates the tension forces in the mooring lines.