‘Personal Response’ and English Teaching

A case study relating to secondary education, examining the teacher student relationship as it operates within the English classroom is the topic of this paper. It describes how a certain conception of 'personal response' to literature provided a means for the teacher/counsellor to form the ethical capacities of children. 'Personal response' is usually associated with the moment in which the child is freed to be most natural. But for all the emphasis upon the irreducibly individual nature of the 'genuinely felt response', this pedagogic exercise finds its place within a series of strategies designed both to cherish and correct the child, to nurture and to scrutinise, to guide and to reconstruct.

Genotype x culture media interaction effects on regeneration response of three indica rice cultivars

Interactive effects of genotypes with callus induction and regeneration media combinations on green plantlet regeneration response were studied for three indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, IR-72, IR-54 and Karnal Local. Isolated mature-embryoswere used to derive scutellar callus and fifteen media combinations involvingMS, N6, R2, SK1 and some modifications were tested. Regeneration percentage as well as the shoot-bud induction frequency were influenced by genotype, callus induction medium, regeneration medium, interaction between genotype and the two media (callus induction and regeneration) as well the interaction between the callus induction medium and regeneration medium. Basal media combination of SK1m (callusing) and MS (regeneration) was found to be the best for cv. Karnal Local in which regeneration frequency of 88% and shoot-bud induction of 233% was observed. In IR-72, the highest regeneration frequency of 47.5% and shoot-bud induction frequency of 77% was obtained on MS-MS combination. In IR-54, highest regeneration frequency (25%) was recorded on MMS(N)-MMS(N) combination, whereas, highest frequency of shoot-bud induction (50%) was observed on MMS(S)-MS combination. Although genotype and the composition of the callus induction basal medium were the major determinants of regeneration response, an overall analysis of variation also revealed a significant interaction between the media used for de-differentiation (callusing) and re-differentiation (plantlet regeneration)

Osteopenia in a teenage boy presenting with previously undiagnosed guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency and response to creatine supplementation

A 16 y.o. fully ambulant boy born to consanguineous Indian parents, presented for assessment of a fragility femoral neck fracture sustained against a background of autism and moderately severe intellectual disability. He had a past history of infantile eczema, and epilepsy treated with anticonvulsants from 2 to 10 years of age, with no further seizures following cessation of anticonvulsants. He had a thin body habitus (see Table 1) with long fingers and a high arched palate. He had no speech and negligible social interaction, but physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. Positive investigations revealed an undetectable serum creatinine and a urinary metabolic screen which showed an elevated GUA:Phe of 160 (< 36) and a decreased creatinine of 0.3 mmol/l (1.2–29.5) consistent with the diagnosis of guanidinoacetate methyltransferase(GAMT) deficiency. He was commenced on oral creatine 5 g three times daily. Despite improvement in physical activity, height and bone density, there was no discernable improvement in his intellectual functioning. Proton and phosphorous brain and leg magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) was performed at baseline and showed an increased inorganic phosphorus peak and decreased phosphocreatine synthesis in brain and decreased creatine concentration in muscle. Following creatine treatment total brain creatine(1H-MRS) and phosphocreatine/ATP ratio (31P-MRS) content increased to 30% and 60% of control values, respectively. Brain GUA returned to normal levels.

Host location by the fruit fly parasitoid Diachasmimorpha krausii : role of fruit fly species, life stage and host plant

1 Diachasmimorpha krausii is a braconid parasitoid of larval tephritid fruit flies, which feed cryptically within host fruit. At the ovipositor probing stage, the wasp cannot discriminate between hosts that are physiologically suitable or unsuitable for offspring development and must use other cues to locate suitable hosts. 2 To identify the cues used by the parasitoid to find suitable hosts, we offered, to free flying wasps, different combinations of three fruit fly species (Bactrocera tryoni, Bactrocera cacuminata, Bactrocera cucumis), different life stages of those flies (adults and larvae) and different host plants (Solanum lycopersicon, Solanum mauritianum, Cucurbita pepo). In the laboratory, the wasp will readily oviposit into larvae of all three flies but successfully develops only in B. tryoni. Bactrocera tryoni commonly infests S. lycopersicon (tomato), rarely S. mauritianum (wild tobacco) but never C. pepo (zucchini). The latter two plant species are common hosts for B. cacuminata and B. cucumis, respectively. 3 The parasitoid showed little or no response to uninfested plants of any of the test species. The presence of adult B. tryoni, however, increased parasitoid residency time on uninfested tomato. 4 When the three fruit types were all infested with larvae, parasitoid response was strongest to tomato, regardless of whether the larvae were physiologically suitable or unsuitable for offspring development. By contrast, zucchini was rarely visited by the wasp, even when infested with B. tryoni larvae. 5 Wild tobacco was infrequently visited when infested with B. cacuminata larvae but was more frequently visited, with greater parasitoid residency time and probing, when adult flies (either B. cacuminata or B. tryoni) were also present. 6 We conclude that herbivore-induced, nonspecific host fruit wound volatiles were the major cue used by foraging D. krausii. Although positive orientation to infested host plants is well known from previous studies on opiine braconids, the failure of the wasp to orientate to some plants even when infested with physiologically suitable larvae, and the secondary role played by adult fruit flies in wasp host searching, are newly-identified mechanisms that may aid parasitoid host location in environments where both physiologically suitable and unsuitable hosts occur.

Theorizing Police Response to Domestic Violence in Singapore: Police Subculture Revisited

This article focuses on the well documented, yet potentially contested concept of rank-and-file policesubculture to conceptualize policeresponse to situations of domesticviolence in Singapore. It argues that the utility of the concept to explaining police behavior is often undermined by an all-powerful, homogenous, and deterministic conception of it that fails to take into account the value of agency in police decision-making and the range of differentiated policeresponse in situations of domesticviolence. Through reviewing the literature on policeresponse to domesticviolence, this study called for the need to rework the concept of policesubculture by treating it as having a relationship with, and response to, the structural conditions of policing, while retaining a conception of the active role played by street-level officers in instituting a situational practice. Using Pierre Bourdieu's relational concepts of ‘habitus’ and ‘field,’ designating the cultural dispositions of policesubculture and structural conditions of policing respectively, the study attempted to reconceptualize the problem of policing domesticviolence with reference to the Singaporean context.

Measuring voluntary dietary change in response to exercise : a focus on dietary fat

Traditional treatments for weight management have focussed on prescribed dietary restriction or regular exercise, or a combination of both. However recidivism for such prescribed treatments remains high, particularly among the overweight and obese. The aim of this thesis was to investigate voluntary dietary changes in the presence of prescribed mixed-mode exercise, conducted over 16 weeks. With the implementation of a single lifestyle change (exercise) it was postulated that the onerous burden of concomitant dietary and exercise compliance would be reduced, leading to voluntary lifestyle changes in such areas as diet. In addition, the failure of exercise as a single weight loss treatment has been reported to be due to compensatory energy intakes, although much of the evidence is from acute exercise studies, necessitating investigation of compensatory intakes during a long-term exercise intervention. Following 16 weeks of moderate intensity exercise, 30 overweight and obese (BMI≥25.00 kg.m-2) men and women showed small but statistically significant decreases in mean dietary fat intakes, without compensatory increases in other macronutrient or total energy intakes. Indeed total energy intakes were significantly lower for men and women following the exercise intervention, due to the decreases in dietary fat intakes. There was a risk that acceptance of the statistical validity of the small changes to dietary fat intakes may have constituted a Type 1 error, with false rejection of the Null hypothesis. Oro-sensory perceptions to changes in fat loads were therefore investigated to determine whether the measured dietary fat changes were detectable by the human palate. The ability to detect small changes in dietary fat provides sensory feedback for self-initiated dietary changes, but lean and overweight participants were unable to distinguish changes to fat loads of similar magnitudes to that measured in the exercise intervention study. Accuracy of the dietary measurement instrument was improved with the effects of random error (day-to-day variability) minimised with the use of a statistically validated 8-day, multiple-pass, 24 hour dietary recall instrument. However systematic error (underreporting) may have masked the magnitude of dietary change, particularly the reduction in dietary fat intakes. A purported biomarker (plasma Apolipoprotein A-IV) (apoA-IV) was subsequently investigated, to monitor systematic error in self-reported dietary intakes. Changes in plasma apoA-IV concentrations were directly correlated with increased and decreased changes to dietary fat intakes, suggesting that this objective marker may be a useful tool to improve the accuracy of dietary measurement in overweight and obese populations, who are susceptible to dietary underreporting.

Single-subject analysis reveals varied knee mechanics during step landing in response to isokinetic fatigue of the quadriceps

Introduction: The ability to regulate joint stiffness and coordinate movement during landing when impaired by muscle fatigue has important implications for knee function. Unfortunately, the literature examining fatigue effects on landing mechanics suffers from a lack of consensus. Inconsistent results can be attributed to variable fatigue models, as well as grouping variable responses between individuals when statistically detecting differences between conditions. There remains a need to examine fatigue effects on knee function during landing with attention to these methodological limitations. Aim: The purpose of this study therefore, was to examine the effects of isokinetic fatigue on pre-impact muscle activity and post-impact knee mechanics during landing using singlesubject analysis. Methodology: Sixteen male university students (22.6+3.2 yrs; 1.78+0.07 m; 75.7+6.3 kg) performed maximal concentric and eccentric knee extensions in a reciprocal manner on an isokinetic dynamometer and step-landing trials on 2 occasions. On the first occasion each participant performed 20 step-landing trials from a knee-high platform followed by 75 maximal contractions on the isokinetic dynamometer. The isokinetic data was used to calculate the operational definition of fatigue. On the second occasion, with a minimum rest of 14 days, participants performed 2 sets of 20 step landing trials, followed by isokinetic exercise until the operational definition of fatigue was met and a final post-fatigue set of 20 step-landing trials. Results: Single-subject analyses revealed that isokinetic fatigue of the quadriceps induced variable responses in pre impact activation of knee extensors and flexors (frequency, onset timing and amplitude) and post-impact knee mechanics(stiffness and coordination). In general however, isokinetic fatigue induced sig nificant (p<0.05) reductions in quadriceps activation frequency, delayed onset and increased amplitude. In addition, knee stiffness was significantly (p<0.05) increased in some individuals, as well as impaired sagittal coordination. Conclusions: Pre impact activation and post-impact mechanics were adjusted in patterns that were unique to the individual, which could not be identified using traditional group-based statistical analysis. The results suggested that individuals optimised knee function differently to satisfy competing demands, such as minimising energy expenditure, as well as maximising joint stability and sensory information.

Response to comments on "Productivity is a poor predictor of plant species richness"

Pan et al. claim that our results actually support a strong linear positive relationship between productivity and richness, whereas Fridley et al. contend that the data support a strong humped relationship. These responses illustrate how preoccupation with bivariate patterns distracts from a deeper understanding of the multivariate mechanisms that control these important ecosystem properties.