Cambridge College

This article begins and ends by arguing that social historians of the early Middle Ages interested in the relatively neglected themes of work and mobility would do well to refocus their energies on the »small worlds« unearthed by charter-based reconstructions of local societies – the latter a methodology associated above all with the pioneering studies of Wendy Davies since the 1980s. It argues that this approach – that is, what we might call a »reversion to the local« – remains relevant because most people’s social experience – indeed, their entire referential system – took root and developed within a limited geographical compass, so if we want to understand the structures that gave shape and meaning to non-elite life, it is imperative that we consider work and mobility – the principal themes of this article – in the specific local contexts in which they operated. Such an approach is of course constrained by the patchy survival of evidence from across early medieval Europe. But the mundane affairs of the village society of tenth-century north-western Spain can be tracked in some detail, especially in certain unusually well-documented villages, such as Rabal, analysed herein, thanks to significant numbers of surviving charters, allowing us to see something of the potential richness of »the local« as a frame of analysis. This article proposes that by focusing on the small-scale and the quotidian, we address the lives of rural cultivators, as far as possible, on their own terms, enabling us, to the degree that it is indeed possible, to set those lives within carefully historicised contextual horizons.

Hitherto the filtering techniques used in active sound control systems have been analogue: these are rapidly becoming obsolete because ' of their lack of stability and versatility. The microprocessor gives digital_techniques an edge both on grounds of convenience and economics: moreover the performance of digital filtering is far superior to that of analogue methods. An algorithm is presented which can be used to assess the optimum filter characteristics required for active sound control systems witha single degree of freedom. In the prooess the system is subjected to three random noise tests which directly yield the characteristics of the filter. The algorithm has been tried out in practical applications and shown_to be both quick and convenient to use.

En este artículo se describe la aplicabilidad del modelo de retención estudiantil de Berge y Huang en estudiantes a distancia a nivel graduado de una universidad privada en Puerto Rico. El investigador desarrolló un instrumento para un estudio fenomenológico cualitativo que tuvo como objetivo dar respuesta a las preguntas de investigación. Este estudio utilizó el Modelo de Retención Estudiantil Sostenible de Berge y Huang para analizar las condiciones que influyen en la efectividad institucional para reducir la deserción desde la perspectiva de la educación a distancia. Asimismo, los factores que influyen en el desempeño de los estudiantes y los factores que contribuyen a la decisión de dejar la educación. Por último, el rol del educador con respecto al impacto en las decisiones de los estudiantes de persistir. En este estudio se utilizaron unas guías de preguntas durante el proceso de entrevistas virtuales a estudiantes y profesores desarrolladas por el investigador y validadas por un panel de 10 expertos. La muestra la conformaron cinco profesores y cinco estudiantes, para un total de 10 participantes. Según los datos recopilados, se demostró que los factores que afectan la retención de los estudiantes graduados en la educación en línea son: flexibilidad, automotivación, sistemas de apoyo, carga de trabajo, interacciones de los estudiantes, apoyo familiar, calidad del curso en línea, factor económico, crecimiento profesional y habilidades previas. Como parte de las conclusiones, se determinó lo siguiente: 1) Se validó la aplicabilidad de los factores circunstanciales del modelo de retención estudiantil de Berge y Huang (2004) a nivel graduado, diseñado originalmente para estudiantes subgraduados y 2) Se realizó una validación parcial de los factores personales e institucionales del modelo conceptual de Berge y Huang (2004).

In this review, we examine the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 on pharmaceutical drugs in the United States, drawing on a diverse range of sources to understand the perceptions of multiple stakeholders and professionals. Findings suggest that the Act, while aiming to control price inflation, has had a multifaceted impact on the pharmaceutical sector. Stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, patient advocacy groups, and policymakers, offered varied perspectives: while some laud the Act for its potential in controlling runaway drug prices and making healthcare more accessible, others raise concerns about possible reductions in drug innovation, disruptions to supply chains, and the sustainability of smaller pharmaceutical companies. The review identified four underlying constructs (themes) in the literature surrounding healthcare stakeholders' perceptions of the IRA's impact upon prescription drugs: pricing and/or dictation pricing issues, topics related to patent law and pharmaceuticals, processes surrounding the IRA's (2022) rules and regulations, and potential threats to the pharmaceutical industry concerning the research and development of future medications. The complex interplay of the Act's implications underscores the importance of ongoing assessment and potential iterative policy refinements as implementation endures.