Learning to collaborate:a study of individual and organizational learning, and interorganizational relationships

This paper examines learning to collaborate in the context of industrial supply relationships. Evidence of collaboration, and individual and organizational learning, from an in-depth case study of a large organization and its relations with two key suppliers is discussed. Analytic methods developed to elicit such evidence and provide insights into learning processes and outcomes are presented. It is argued that it is possible for an organization and individuals to learn to develop resilient collaborative relationships, but this requires a more thorough consideration and understanding of issues such as trust, commitment and teamwork than has been typical to date. Suggestions for future practice and research are presented.

On Neuron Mechanisms Used to Resolve Mental Problems of Identification and Learning in Sensorium

The paper considers some possible neuron mechanisms that do not contradict biological data. They are represented in terms of the notion of an elementary sensorium discussed in the previous authors’ works. Such mechanisms resolve problems of two large classes: when identification mechanisms are used and when sensory learning mechanisms are applied along with identification.

Mediational effects in cognitive behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents

The current study examined whether variables that have been found to influence treatment outcome serve as mediators of a child and adolescent cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) anxiety program at multiple time points throughout the intervention. The study also examined mediating variables measured at multiple time points during treatment to determine the time lags necessary for changes in the mediator variable to translate into changes on treatment gains. Participants were 168 youth (ages 6 to 16 years; 54% males) and their mothers who presented to the Child Anxiety and Phobia Program (CAPP) at Florida International University (FIU). Overall, results indicate that the mediators at multiple time points influenced youth anxiety in a fluctuating manner, such that a decrease in skills at one given session caused changes in youth anxiety at a later session. This dynamic between the mediator and outcome may be reflective of the process of therapeutic change and suggests that skills gained from session to session took time to exert their effect on youth anxiety. The methodology employed helps to elucidate how variables mediate treatment outcome in youth anxiety disorders.

A molecular and stable isotopic approach to investigate the importance of algal and detrital energy pathways in a freshwater marsh

The relative importance of algal and detrital energy pathways remains a central question in wetlands ecology. We used bulk stable isotope analysis and fatty acid composition to investigate the relative contributions of periphyton (algae) and floc (detritus) in a freshwater wetland with the goal of determining the inputs of these resource pools to lower trophic-level consumers. All animal samples revealed fatty acid markers indicative of both microbial (detrital) and algal origins, though the relative contributions varied among species. Vascular plant markers were in low abundance in most consumers. Detritivory is important for chironomids and amphipods, as demonstrated by the enhanced bacterial fatty acids present in both consumers, while algal resources, in the form of periphyton, likely support ephemeropteran larvae. Invertebrates such as amphipods and grass shrimp appear to be important resources for small omnivorous fish, while Poecilia latipinna appear to strongly use periphyton and Ephemeroptera larvae as food sources. Both P. latipinna and Lepomis spp. assimilated small amounts of vascular plant debris, possibly due to unintentional ingestion of floc while foraging for invertebrates and insect larvae. Physid snails, Haitia spp., were characterized by considerably different fatty acid compositions than other taxa examined, and likely play a unique role in Everglades’ food webs.

Individual child cognitive behavioral treatment versus child-parent cognitive behavioral treatments for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: Comparative outcomes

Anxiety disorders; such as separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia and specific phobia, are widespread in children and adolescents. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in reducing excessive fears and anxieties in children and adolescents. Research has produced equivocal findings that involving parents in treatment of child anxiety enhances effects over individual CBT (ICBT). The present dissertation study examined whether parental involvement can enhance individual treatment effect if the parent conditions are streamlined by targeting specific parental variables. The first parent condition, Parent Reinforcement Skills Training (RFST), involved increasing mothers' use of positive reinforcement and decreasing use of negative reinforcement. The second parent condition, Parent Relationship Skill Training (RLST), involved increasing maternal child acceptance and decreasing maternal control (or increasing autonomy granting). Results of the present dissertation findings support the use of all three treatment conditions (ICBT, RLST, RFST) for child anxiety; that is, significant reductions in anxiety were found in each of the three treatment conditions. No significant differences were found between treatment conditions with respect to diagnostic recovery rate, clinician rating, and parent rating of child anxiety. Significant differences between conditions were found on child self rating of anxiety, with some evidence to support the superiority of RLST and RFST to ICBT. These findings support the efficacy of individual, as well as parent involved CBT, and provide mixed evidence with respect to the superiority of parent involved CBT over ICBT. The conceptual, empirical, and clinical implications of the findings are discussed. ^

The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey: XIX. B-type supergiants: Atmospheric parameters and nitrogen abundances to investigate the role of binarity and the width of the main sequence

Context: Model atmosphere analyses have been previously undertaken for both Galactic and extragalactic B-type supergiants. By contrast, little attention has been given to a comparison of the properties of single supergiants and those that are members of multiple systems. 

Aims: Atmospheric parameters and nitrogen abundances have been estimated for all the B-type supergiants identified in the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula survey. These include both single targets and binary candidates. The results have been analysed to investigate the role of binarity in the evolutionary history of supergiants. 

Methods: tlusty non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) model atmosphere calculations have been used to determine atmospheric parameters and nitrogen abundances for 34 single and 18 binary supergiants. Effective temperatures were deduced using the silicon balance technique, complemented by the helium ionisation in the hotter spectra. Surface gravities were estimated using Balmer line profiles and microturbulent velocities deduced using the silicon spectrum. Nitrogen abundances or upper limits were estimated from the Nii spectrum. The effects of a flux contribution from an unseen secondary were considered for the binary sample. Results. We present the first systematic study of the incidence of binarity for a sample of B-type supergiants across the theoretical terminal age main sequence (TAMS). To account for the distribution of effective temperatures of the B-type supergiants it may be necessary to extend the TAMS to lower temperatures. This is also consistent with the derived distribution of mass discrepancies, projected rotational velocities and nitrogen abundances, provided that stars cooler than this temperature are post-red supergiant objects. For all the supergiants in the Tarantula and in a previous FLAMES survey, the majority have small projected rotational velocities. The distribution peaks at about 50 km s^-1 with 65% in the range 30 km s^-1 ≤ ν_e sin i ≤ 60 km s^-1. About ten per cent have larger ve sin i (≥100 km s^-1), but surprisingly these show little or no nitrogen enhancement. All the cooler supergiants have low projected rotational velocities of ≤70 km s^-1 and high nitrogen abundance estimates, implying that either bi-stability braking or evolution on a blue loop may be important. Additionally, there is a lack of cooler binaries, possibly reflecting the small sample sizes. Single-star evolutionary models, which include rotation, can account for all of the nitrogen enhancement in both the single and binary samples. The detailed distribution of nitrogen abundances in the single and binary samples may be different, possibly reflecting differences in their evolutionary history. 

Conclusions: The first comparative study of single and binary B-type supergiants has revealed that the main sequence may be significantly wider than previously assumed, extending to T_eff = 20 000 K. Some marginal differences in single and binary atmospheric parameters and abundances have been identified, possibly implying non-standard evolution for some of the sample. This sample as a whole has implications for several aspects of our understanding of the evolutionary status of blue supergiants.

The ins of the striatum: Utilizing chemogenetics to define the contribution of cortical and thalamic afferents during addiction behaviors

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Verbal emotional memory in children and adolescents with temporal lobe epilepsy: A first study

International audience