San Francisco State University

About: San Francisco State University is a education organization based out in San Francisco, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Planet. The organization has 5669 authors who have published 11433 publications receiving 408075 citations. The organization is also known as: San Francisco State & San Francisco State Normal School.

Beyond Comprehension Exercises in the ESL Academic Reading Class

Abstract: Recent research in L1 reading and education has focused on cognitive and metacognitive strategies that can increase students' comprehension and learning of academic subject matter from written text. However, the insights from this work have had limited impact on academic purposes ESL curricula. ESL developmental reading courses continue to rely on such standard activities as comprehension and skill-building exercises. Study strategies may receive little attention or be taught generically. This article urges English for academic purposes (EAP) programs to devise more holistic, task- and text-specific, strategy-oriented approaches for reading instruction. Recommendations are given for selecting reading materials, defining criterion tasks, and providing strategy instruction to prepare intermediate- and advanced-level ESL students to meet the demands of reading assignments in secondary and postsecondary content classes.

End-of-life issues in intensive care units: a national random survey of nurses' knowledge and beliefs

Abstract: Objective To investigate the knowledge, beliefs, and ethical concerns of nurses caring for patients dying in intensive care units. Methods A survey was mailed to 3000 members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The survey contained various scenarios depicting end-of-life actions for patients: pain management, withholding or withdrawing life support, assisted suicide, and voluntary and nonvoluntary euthanasia. Results Most of the respondents (N = 906) correctly identified the distinctions among the end-of-life actions depicted in the scenarios. Almost all (99%-100%) agreed with the actions of pain management and withholding or withdrawing life support. A total of 83% disagreed with assisted suicide, 95% disagreed with voluntary euthanasia, and 89% to 98% disagreed with nonvoluntary euthanasia. Most (78%) thought that dying patients frequently (31%) or sometimes (47%) received inadequate pain medicine, and almost all agreed with the double-effect principle. Communication between nurses and physicians was generally effective, but unit-level conferences that focused on grief counseling and debriefing staff rarely (38%) or never (49%) occurred. Among the respondents, 37% had been asked to assist in hastening a patient's death. Although 59% reported that they seldom acted against their consciences in caring for dying patients, 34% indicated that they sometimes had acted against their conscience, and 6% had done so to a great extent. Conclusions Intensive care unit nurses strongly support good pain management for dying patients and withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining therapies to allow unavoidable death. The vast majority oppose assisted suicide and euthanasia. Wider professional and public dialogue on end-of-life care in intensive care units is warranted.

Spatial soliton pixels from partially incoherent light

Abstract: We report what is to our knowledge the first observation of pixellike spatial solitons from partially spatially incoherent light. We created an array of as many as 32×32 soliton pixels by launching a spatially modulated incoherent light beam into a noninstantaneous self-focusing photorefraction medium. These solitons were stable and robust, forming a steady-state two-dimensional waveguide array in which optical coupling and control of local waveguide channels could be realized.

Determinants of wine consumption of US consumers: an econometric analysis

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify econometrically the determinants of wine consumption of US consumers.Design/methodology/approach – In empirically identifying driving forces of wine consumption, we used 122 survey responses from Northern California consumers.Findings – The study found that even knowledgeable or frequent consumers of wine purchase across all price points. Further, a significant positive correlation exists between knowledge and volume of wine consumed. All three regression techniques applied in this paper indicate that knowledge remains the most important determinant in wine consumption.Practical implications – The results emphasize the need for US wineries to better educate and connect with consumers by developing compatible positioning strategies and marketing programs that are as informative as they are appealing.Originality/value – As one of the few studies of the US wine market employing econometric analysis, this paper offers a fresh perspective on the consumption be...