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Digital learning has come a long way from the days of simple 'if-then' queries. It is now enabled by countless innovations that support knowledge sharing, openness, flexibility, and independent inquiry. Set against an evolutionary context this study investigated innovations that directly support human inquiry. Specifically, it identified five activities that together are defined as the 'why dimension' – asking, learning, understanding, knowing, and explaining why. Findings highlight deficiencies in mainstream search-based approaches to inquiry, which tend to privilege the retrieval of information as distinct from explanation. Instrumental to sense-making, the 'why dimension' provides a conceptual framework for development of 'sense-making technologies'.

This study investigates the impact of off-shore cross-coast winds on the coastal-jet along the Central California Coast specifically Vandenberg AFB. Events that resulted in synoptic-scale offshore flow over most of the Central Californian coast were identified and considered for this study throughout the late spring through early fall 2006 season. A total of 18 events were found along the central coast during this time frame. Two cases were selected from the 18 events for detailed analyses by examining the cross-coast offshore winds, length of duration, the degree of marine boundary layer compression, and westward migration of coastal jet. Results indicate changes in the California Coast Jet are dominantly influenced by two major processes: subsidence due to increase of low to mid-level thickness above the boundary layer and downsloping winds directly above the marine boundary layer from flow over Coastal Mountain Ranges. Both processes lead to compression of the marine boundary layer near coast, increasing the east-west thermal gradient in the inversion above the marine boundary layer causing the coastal jet to migrate westward near the tightest temperature and pressure gradient., http://archive.org/details/meterologicalfac109453577, US Air Force (USAF) author., Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

This paper finds that an increase in population size had a disproportionately large effect on carbon emissions for OECD countries between 1990 - 2007. A 1% increase in total population increased carbon emissions by 1.3%. As the relationship is non-unitary, this suggests that as population size increases, so do emissions per capita. Moreover, countries with higher population densities produced less of their energy from alternative and renewable sources. Further to this, population growth appeared to increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita by a small increment; this increase in affluence further increased emissions. Surprisingly, and contrary to many other studies, an increase in the percentage of the population aged over 65 actually increased carbon emissions slightly. These results suggest that there are environmental advantages for countries projected to decrease in population size, such as Germany. Although a decreasing population may accentuate the problems of population ageing, the results of this paper suggest that instead of increasing fertility rates, it is far more environmentally friendly for countries to meet this demographic challenge by increasing the retirement age, raising productivity and training the long-term unemployed. Also, as population size in developed countries is a major cause of carbon emissions, by investing in family planning in the developing world now, governments may prevent countless future emissions once these countries gain a certain level of affluence.

Objective: Large-scale synchronous firing of neurons during seizures is modulated by electrotonic coupling between neurons via gap junctions. To explore roles for connexin36 (Cx36) gap junctions in seizures, we examined the seizure threshold of connexin36 knockout (Cx36KO) mice using a pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) model. Methods: Mice (2-3 months old) with Cx36 wildtype (WT) or Cx36KO genotype were treated with vehicle or 10-40 mg/kg of the convulsant PTZ by intraperitoneal injection. Seizure and seizure-like behaviors were scored by examination of video collected for 20 min. Quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) was performed to measure potential compensatory neuronal connexin (Cx30.2, Cx37, Cx43 and Cx45), pannexin (PANX1 and PANX2) and gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptor alpha 1 subunit gene expression. Results: Cx36KO animals exhibited considerably more severe seizures; 40 mg/kg of PTZ caused severe generalized (andgt;= grade III) seizures in 78% of KO, but just 5% of WT mice. A lower dose of PTZ (20 mg/kg) induced grade II seizure-like behaviors in 40% KO vs. 0% of WT animals. There was no significant difference in either connexin, pannexin or GABA(A) alpha 1 gene expression between WT and KO animals. Conclusion: Increased sensitivity of Cx36KO animals to PTZ-induced seizure suggests that Cx36 gap junctional communication functions as a physiological anti-convulsant mechanism, and identifies the Cx36 gap junction as a potential therapeutic target in epilepsy.

Experiments were conducted to examine the effects of film cooling on a gas turbine engine's high-pressure turbine section. The focus for this effort was in the tip/shroud region of a rotor stage and a high pressure turbine vane. A primary goal was to understand the unsteady flow effects. Attempts were also made to characterize the effects as caused by the fully-cooled rotor stage. Data for this investigation was taken at the U.S. Air Force's Turbine Research Facility (TRF), a transient blow-down facility with instrumentation fitted to fill-scale, high-speed, full-cooled cane and rotor stage of proprietary design. Measurements of pressure, temperature, and heat flux were taken at flow conditions non-dimensionally matched to actual engine operation. From this high speed data the relevant film-cooling parameters (heat transfer coefficients, film cooling effectiveness, and overall effectiveness) were determined over a range of operating conditions. Of specific interest were the high frequency events associated with the blade passage frequency on both the vane and shroud surfaces. It was found that tip flow and vane wake rotor interaction result in noticeable heat flux variations in time., The original document contains color images.

This technology needs assessment report of populations living in the Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) region addresses the root causes and dilemmas of the “digital divide” problem. This study addresses the central question: how can the Southeast Cities Technology Collaborative (SCTC) structure a regional intervention project that spearheads development in the productive use of information technology and benefits a low-income population with low educational attainment in Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) cities?The study first provides a regional survey of the fiscal, institutional, and technological challenges facing this demographic region. The SELA region is a sub-section of Los Angeles County and comprised of eight cities and one unincorporated district: Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, South Gate, Vernon, Walnut Park, and the Florence-Firestone area. The demographic survey identifies that the SELA region has strong indicators of digital divide inequality.The study further provides an assessment of existing digital divide intervention efforts in the SELA region: public access to computers and the internet at public schools, public libraries, nonprofit and community-based organization, city-initiated programs, and private for-profit services. The study takes account of community impressions and provides specific recommendations for institutional changes than can better integrate the population into a positive development process.The study finds that investment in coordinating the integration of human capacity and technical infrastructure to network social service providers and users will support the social and economic advancement of the region. Investment in training school-age children, youth, and adults to harness the productive uses of information and telecommunications technology will yield the greatest benefits for future generations.

This study investigates the impact of off-shore cross-coast winds on the coastal-jet along the Central California Coast specifically Vandenberg AFB. Events that resulted in synoptic-scale offshore flow over most of the Central Californian coast were identified and considered for this study throughout the late spring through early fall 2006 season. A total of 18 events were found along the central coast during this time frame. Two case were selected from the 18 events for detailed analyses by examining the cross-coast offshore winds, length of duration, the degree of marine boundary layer compression, and westward migration of coastal jet. Results indicate changes in the California Coastal Jet are dominantly influenced by two major processes: subsidence due to increase of low to mid-level thickness above the boundary layer and downsloping winds directly above the marine boundary layer from flow over Coastal Mountain Ranges. Both processes lead to compression of the marine boundary layer near coast, increasing the east-west thermal gradient in the inversion above the marine boundary layer causing the coastal jet to tightest temperature and pressure gradient.

This study investigates the impact of off-shore cross-coast winds on the coastal-jet along the Central California Coast specifically Vandenberg AFB. Events that resulted in synoptic-scale offshore flow over most of the Central Californian coast were identified and considered for this study throughout the late spring through early fall 2006 season. A total of 18 events were found along the central coast during this time frame. Two cases were selected from the 18 events for detailed analyses by examining the cross-coast offshore winds, length of duration, the degree of marine boundary layer compression, and westward migration of coastal jet. Results indicate changes in the California Coast Jet are dominantly influenced by two major processes: subsidence due to increase of low to mid-level thickness above the boundary layer and downsloping winds directly above the marine boundary layer from flow over Coastal Mountain Ranges. Both processes lead to compression of the marine boundary layer near coast, increasing the east-west thermal gradient in the inversion above the marine boundary layer causing the coastal jet to migrate westward near the tightest temperature and pressure gradient.