University of Stirling

About: University of Stirling is a education organization based out in Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Polyunsaturated fatty acid. The organization has 7722 authors who have published 20549 publications receiving 732940 citations. The organization is also known as: Stirling University.

Nominal species of the genus Gyrodactylus von Nordmann 1832 (Monogenea: Gyrodactylidae), with a list of principal host species

Abstract: The total diversity of the monogenean genus Gyrodactylus is evaluated. There are 409 potentially valid species names within the genus, recorded from c.400 host species. Five species have been placed within Fundulotremaand an additional 51 Gyrodactylus species names represent synonyms, nomina nuda or have been reassigned to other non-viviparous monogenean genera. While the majority of Gyrodactylus species (59%) are recorded from single hosts, some have a much broader broad range.

The Development of Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence: Amnesia and Deja Vu.

Abstract: Scotland’s new Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) has been widely acknowledged as the most significant educational development in a generation, with the potential to transform learning and teaching in Scottish schools. In common with recent developments elsewhere, CfE seeks to re‐engage teachers with processes of curriculum development, to place learning at the heart of the curriculum and to change engrained practices of schooling. This article draws upon well‐established curriculum theory (notably the work of both Lawrence Stenhouse and A.V. Kelly) to analyse the new curriculum. We argue that by neglecting to take account of such theory, the curricular offering proposed by CfE is subject to a number of significant structural contradictions which may affect the impact that it ultimately exerts on learning and teaching; in effect, by ignoring the lessons of the past, CfE runs the risk of undermining the potential for real change.

Structural differences between bulk and rhizosphere soil

Abstract: Summary The physical characteristics of the soil at the root–soil interface are crucial because they determine both physical aspects of root function such as water and nutrient uptake and the microbial activity that is most relevant to root growth. Because of this we have studied how root activity modifies the structure and water retention characteristic of soil adjacent to the root for maize, wheat and barley. These plants were grown in pots for a 6-week growth period, then the soil adjacent to the root (rhizosphere soil) and bulk soil aggregates were harvested. These soil aggregates were then saturated and equilibrated at matric potentials between −600 kPa and saturation, and the water retention characteristics were measured. From subsamples of these aggregates, thin sections were made and the porosity and pore-size distributions were studied with image analysis. Both image analysis and estimates of aggregated density showed that the rhizosphere soil and bulk soil had similar porosities. Growing different plants had a small but significant effect on the porosity of the soil aggregates. Image analysis showed that for all the plant species the structure of the rhizosphere soil was different to that of the bulk soil. The rhizosphere soil contained more larger pores. For maize and barley, water retention characteristics indicated that the rhizosphere soil tended to be drier at a given matric potential than bulk soil. This effect was particularly marked at greater matric potentials. The difference between the water retention characteristics of the bulk and rhizosphere soil for wheat was small. We compare the water retention characteristics with the data on pore-size distribution from image analysis. We suggest that differences in wetting angle and pore connectivity might partly explain the differences in water retention characteristic that we observed. The impact of differences between the water retention properties of the rhizosphere and bulk soil is discussed in terms of the likely impact on root growth.

Predicting psychological distress in college students: the role of rumination and stress.

Abstract: Psychological distress among college students represents a serious health concern. The aim of this research was to investigate, for the first time, whether interactions between rumination and different measures of stress could differentially predict components of psychological distress, within a diathesis-stress framework. This self-report study employed a longitudinal design, spanning a period of 6 months. One hundred sixty-one undergraduate college students completed selected measures of psychological distress, rumination, and stress at two time points 6 months apart. Both independent and interaction effects were examined through hierarchical regression analyses. Rumination and stress were found to interact significantly to predict the social dysfunction components of psychological distress. Other main effects are reported. The evidence supported the proposed diathesis-stress model and extended previous research by relating rumination to different components of psychological distress prospectively.