Affects of student attendance on performance in undergraduate materials and manufacturing modules

This paper investigates the class attendance of second year, third year and fourth year students and their overall performance at the school of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering in Dublin City University (DCU). An investigation was recently conducted into the delivery of different module which was presented to a group of second year, third year and fourth year engineering students at DCU. Attendance in the class was recorded and the continuous assessment results and the final overall performances were investigated with their attendance. Student performance on Strength of materials – part 1 (SM1), Strength of materials part - 2 (SM2), Mechanics of Materials and Machine (MMM) and Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Processes (AMMP) modules are presented in this paper. This paper presents an examination of some of the factors affecting the overall results of these students. Factors evaluated include attendance of the student, as well as individual performance in continuous assessment and examination. Overall attendance at the lecture, the organised seminar series, and practical work were recorded. Results indicate a direct link between attendance and marks awarded. Students with higher attendance achieved better grades

Atomic and magnetic structures of (CuCl)LaNb2_2O7_7 and (CuBr)LaNb2_2O7_7: Density functional calculations

The atomic and magnetic structures of (Cu$X$)LaNb$_2$O$_7$ ($X$=Cl and Br) are investigated using the density-functional calculations. Among several dozens of examined structures, an orthorhombic distorted $2\times 2$ structure, in which the displacement pattern of $X$ halogens resembles the model conjectured previously based on the empirical information is identified as the most stable one. The displacements of $X$ halogens, together with those of Cu ions, result in the formation of $X$-Cu-$X$-Cu-$X$ zigzag chains in the two materials. The nearest-neighbor interaction within the zigzag chains are determined to be antiferromagnetic (AFM) for (CuCl)LaNb$_2$O$_7$ but ferromagnetic (FM) for (CuBr)LaNb$_2$O$_7$. On the other hand, the first two neighboring interactions between the Cu cations from adjacent chains are found to be AFM and FM respectively for both compounds. The magnitudes of all these in-plane exchange couplings in (CuBr)LaNb$_2$O$_7$ are evaluated to be about three times those in (CuCl)LaNb$_2$O$_7$. In addition, a sizable AFM inter-plane interaction is found between the Cu ions separated by two NbO$_6$ octahedra. The present study strongly suggests the necessity to go beyond the square $J_1-J_2$ model in order to correctly account for the magnetic property of (Cu$X)$LaNb$_2$O$_7$.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figure

On the role of intrinsic disorder in the structural phase transition of magnetoelectric EuTiO3

Up to now the crystallographic structure of the magnetoelectric perovskite EuTiO3 was considered to remain cubic down to low temperature. Here we present high resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data showing the existence of a structural phase transition, from cubic Pm-3m to tetragonal I4/mcm, involving TiO6 octahedra tilting, in analogy to the case of SrTiO3. The temperature evolution of the tilting angle indicates a second-order phase transition with an estimated Tc=235K. This critical temperature is well below the recent anomaly reported by specific heat measurement at TA\sim282K. By performing atomic pair distribution function analysis on diffraction data we provide evidence of a mismatch between the local (short-range) and the average crystallographic structures in this material. Below the estimated Tc, the average model symmetry is fully compatible with the local environment distortion but the former is characterized by a reduced value of the tilting angle compared to the latter. At T=240K data show the presence of local octahedra tilting identical to the low temperature one, while the average crystallographic structure remains cubic. On this basis, we propose intrinsic lattice disorder to be of fundamental importance in the understanding of EuTiO3 properties.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, 2 table

Caring attributes and preparedness to care: effects of a pre-enrolled nursing certificate programme in Singapore

Background: Caring is a highly complex and abstract concept, and nurturing a caring attribute among individuals for a nursing career is believed to be best introduced at the start of student journey in preparatory courses specifically designed for nursing. However, because of the need to professionalise nursing, pre-enrolled nursing programmes have been discontinued and replaced by generic healthcare programmes in many parts of the world. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the impact of pre-enrolled certificate nursing education on students’ caring attributes and their preparedness to care. Methodology: A mixed methods approach using unstructured questions and the Caring Behaviour Inventory was employed to determine student caring attributes and their preparedness to care. The participants were final year pre-enrolled nursing students in Singapore. Findings: Students demonstrated attributes of caring based on an average CBI score of 4.55 (SD 0.32). Expressions of professional nurse caring were explicit in students’ entire learning journey and these took various forms of approach embedded in both curricular and extracurricular activites. The study also found that nurturing caring attributes was associated with a high expectation of student social behaviour and closely linked to the increasingly good reputation of nursing as a profession in that region. Conclusions: This study indicates the high potential value of pre-enrolled nursing education for developing the caring attributes of individuals. A nursing-oriented programme title and its high status associated with nursing were critical elements for nurturing the caring attributes. The implications for developments in nurse education and research are discussed

Women’s political representation in small island developing states : a comparative analysis of Mauritius and Seychelles

A notable feature of the island studies literature is the gap at the level of research and data on gender issues. This paper look at the gender dimensions of political representation in two Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Indian Ocean: Mauritius and Seychelles. The paper discusses the gendered aspects of scale, boundedness, isolation and fragmentation that are characteristic of island states in the contexts of Mauritius and Seychelles. Mauritius and Seychelles both inherited British colonial structures and became independent in 1968 and 1976. Smallness is a salient feature of both islands, but women’s political trajectories and success differ substantially. Drawing from published sources, this paper attempts to explain the different trends in gendered political presence in Mauritius and Seychelles. The paper also discusses the implications for women’s political empowerment in SIDS.peer-reviewe

Search for long lived heaviest nuclei beyond the valley of stability

The existence of long lived superheavy nuclei (SHN) is controlled mainly by spontaneous fission and $\alpha$-decay processes. According to microscopic nuclear theory, spherical shell effects at Z=114, 120, 126 and N=184 provide the extra stability to such SHN to have long enough lifetime to be observed. To investigate whether the so-called "stability island" could really exist around the above Z, N values, the $\alpha$-decay half lives along with the spontaneous fission and $\beta$-decay half lives of such nuclei are studied. The $\alpha$-decay half lives of SHN with Z=102-120 are calculated in a quantum tunneling model with DDM3Y effective nuclear interaction using $Q_\alpha$ values from three different mass formulae prescribed by Koura, Uno, Tachibana, Yamada (KUTY), Myers, Swiatecki (MS) and Muntian, Hofmann, Patyk, Sobiczewski (MMM). Calculation of spontaneous fission (SF) half lives for the same SHN are carried out using a phenomenological formula and compared with SF half lives predicted by Smolanczuk {\it et al}. Possible source of discrepancy between the calculated $\alpha$-decay half lives of some nuclei and the experimental data of GSI, JINR-FLNR, RIKEN are discussed. In the region of Z=106-108 with N$\sim$ 160-164, the $\beta$-stable SHN $^{268}_{106}Sg_{162}$ is predicted to have highest $\alpha$-decay half life ($T_\alpha \sim 3.2hrs$) using $Q_\alpha$ value from MMM. Interestingly, it is much greater than the recently measured $T_\alpha$ ($\sim 22s$) of deformed doubly magic $^{270}_{108}Hs_{162}$ nucleus. A few fission-survived long-lived SHN which are either $\beta$-stable or having large $\beta$-decay half lives are predicted to exist near $^{294}110_{184}$, $^{293}110_{183}$, $^{296}112_{184}$ and $^{298}114_{184}$. These nuclei might decay predominantly through $\alpha$-particle emission.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 1 tabl