A Study Comparing the Technical Problem Solving Abilities of Middle School Students who have Participated in one or more Technology Education Courses to those of students having no course work in Technology Education

The problem in this study was to compare the technical problem solving capabilities of middle school students that have had one or more nine-week courses in technology education with the technical problem solving capabilities of middle school students that had no course work in technology education

A Simple Model for Fine Structure Transitions in Alkali-Metal Noble-Gas Collisions

From ranging and tracking applications, to directed energy weapons, laser technology is very important to the military. An instrumental part of laser design and characterization depends on knowledge of transition rates between various atomic energy levels. Of specific interest, is determining the transition probabilities between the 2P3=2 and 2P1=2 energy levels of an alkali-metal noble-gas laser, which is found in a DPAL. The probabilities of transition, caused by collisions between alkali metal and noble gas atoms, have previously been calculated using a computationally intensive quantum mechanical model. This research project aims to develop a simplified, less intensive method. This is accomplished through the use of a semi-classical approach, where the colliding atoms are modeled as having a classical, straight-line trajectory. The transition probabilities are then calculated using time-dependent perturbation theory, where the coupling between states is obtained by expressing the diabatic coupling potential as a function of time. Numerical solutions to the time-dependent perturbation equations are obtained for various forms of coupling and are compared with an approximate analytic solution

Ureteral duplication with intrasinusal ureteral junction and epididymal ureteric ectopia

We report a case of 47-year-old adult male who presented with episodic unilateral scrotal swelling associated with dragging pain,with a history of spontaneous resolution and associated non-colicky right flank pain. On evaluation, he was diagnosed to haveureteral duplication with intrasinusal ureteral junction and epididymal ureteral ectopia. Treatment included laparoscopic right lowerpole nephrectomy for the thinned out draining segment with ectopic ureterectomy. In literature, very few cases of ureteral duplicationin an inverted Y have been reported. In such cases, epididymal ureteral ectopia has been found to be extremely rare. Here, in thiscase, uncharacteristic symptoms mimicking chronic epididymo-orchitis, diagnostic difficulties and findings are described

Forward Analysis and Model Checking for Trace Bounded WSTS

We investigate a subclass of well-structured transition systems (WSTS), the bounded---in the sense of Ginsburg and Spanier (Trans. AMS 1964)---complete deterministic ones, which we claim provide an adequate basis for the study of forward analyses as developed by Finkel and Goubault-Larrecq (Logic. Meth. Comput. Sci. 2012). Indeed, we prove that, unlike other conditions considered previously for the termination of forward analysis, boundedness is decidable. Boundedness turns out to be a valuable restriction for WSTS verification, as we show that it further allows to decide all $\omega$-regular properties on the set of infinite traces of the system

Explanatory Model on Academic Self-Efficacy in Engineering Students: Role of Anxiety, Dysthymia, and Negative Affect

Students in engineering tend to be loners, making interpersonal relationships and mental health issues more likely to arise. The COVID pandemic caused university students to experience anxi-ety and depression, which affected their academic performance and self-esteem. However, stu-dents’ mental health was rarely evaluated after the pandemic, especially engineering students, who showed higher levels of depression than students from other disciplines. The present study aims to establish an explanatory model of academic self-efficacy based on factors related to mental health, such as anxiety, depression, and negative emotions. The method used was quan-titative cross-sectional, and a structural equation modeling was used. A sample of 561 students (54.4% males and 45.6% females) was analyzed. Instruments to measure self-efficacy, negative affect, depression, and anxiety, previously validated and with adequate reliability, were applied. The results showed that a state of anxiety affects academic self-efficacy negatively and directly; depression and negative affect indirectly affect academic self-efficacy mediated by a state of anxiety. These results show that a student with depression problems and a predominance of negative emotions is vulnerable to present anxiety in an academic setting. This anxiety causes his efficacy beliefs to decrease. As a result, he does not feel capable of facing academic challenges

Empresas familiares y sus decisiones de financiamiento : el impacto del grado de propiedad de la familia

La empresa familiar es uno de los tipos de estructura organizacional m?s antiguos del mundo, adem?s de ser uno de los m?s relevantes para la econom?a de los pa?ses, debido a la generaci?n de empleo, aporte al PBI e influencia en la sociedad. Una de las caracter?sticas m?s destacadas de este tipo organizativo es la trascendencia de la propiedad y control de generaci?n en generaci?n a trav?s de uno o m?s integrantes de la familia. Si bien las empresas familiares cuentan con gran popularidad, existe tambi?n un alto porcentaje de quiebra de las mismas, siendo explicada en gran medida por las decisiones de financiamiento que resultan en problemas para honrar sus obligaciones financieras. Es as? que las decisiones de financiamiento juegan un papel muy importante para la subsistencia de toda empresa y en especial para las familiares, debido a que ?stas tienen como uno de sus principales objetivos el mantener el control de la organizaci?n por parte de la misma familia lo que genera dificultades particulares. Por tal raz?n, el grado de propiedad de las familias en las empresas se considera que ejerce un especial impacto en las decisiones de financiamiento. Conociendo y analizando estudios realizados con anterioridad que sirven de base para la presente investigaci?n se realiza esta tesis con el objetivo de poder analizar el impacto del grado de propiedad en las decisiones de financiamiento de la muestra de empresas familiares analizada

Prey and Non-prey Arthropods Sharing a Host Plant: Effects on Induced Volatile Emission and Predator Attraction

It is well established that plants infested with a single herbivore species can attract specific natural enemies through the emission of herbivore-induced volatiles. However, it is less clear what happens when plants are simultaneously attacked by more than one species. We analyzed volatile emissions of lima bean and cucumber plants upon multi-species herbivory by spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) and caterpillars (Spodoptera exigua) in comparison to single-species herbivory. Upon herbivory by single or multiple species, lima bean and cucumber plants emitted volatile blends that comprised mostly the same compounds. To detect additive, synergistic, or antagonistic effects, we compared the multi-species herbivory volatile blend with the sum of the volatile blends induced by each of the herbivore species feeding alone. In lima bean, the majority of compounds were more strongly induced by multi-species herbivory than expected based on the sum of volatile emissions by each of the herbivores separately, potentially caused by synergistic effects. In contrast, in cucumber, two compounds were suppressed by multi-species herbivory, suggesting the potential for antagonistic effects. We also studied the behavioral responses of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis, a specialized natural enemy of spider mites. Olfactometer experiments showed that P. persimilis preferred volatiles induced by multi-species herbivory to volatiles induced by S. exigua alone or by prey mites alone. We conclude that both lima bean and cucumber plants effectively attract predatory mites upon multi-species herbivory, but the underlying mechanisms appear different between these species