Evaluation of a Training Course for University Teachers

This report describes the evaluation of a training course for university teachers offered by the University Teaching Methods Unit of the University of London Institute of Education. The procedures used required the collection of information from the course participants at the conclusion of the course and again after a four month interval. A post course ques- tionnaire asked the participants to assess the success of the course in achieving its stated objectives and to indicate the extent to which the course's scheduled activities contributed to the achievement of the course objectives. Cross tabulation of the results of the two lines of questions identified which course activities contributed to the achievement of specific objectives. The data collected four months later indicated the extent to which and in what areas participants felt the course did have significant impact on their teaching behaviours.Le rapport présent décrit l'évaluation d'un cours de formation pour les enseignants universi-taires offert par l'Institut pédagogique de l'Université de Londres (University of London Institute of Education). La méthode suivie exigea la cueillette de renseignements chez les participants juste à la fin de leurs cours et une deuxième fois quatre mois plus tard. Un questionnaire à la fin du cours demanda aux participants d'évaluer si leur programme at-teignit, oui ou non, ses objectifs et d'indiquer jusqu 'à quel point les activités inscrites au cours contribuèrent à la réalisation de ces objectifs. Une distribution des résultats avec des renvois aux deux séries de questions permit d'identifier les activités du cours qui contri-buèrent à la réalisation d'objectifs précis. Les données cueillies quatre mois plus tard signa-lèrent jusqu'à quel point et dans quels domaines les participants estimaient que leur cours avait une influence significative dans leur conduite en tant qu'enseignant

Simulating Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamics on a Cellular-Automata Machine

We demonstrate how three-dimensional fluid flow simulations can be carried out on the Cellular Automata Machine 8 (CAM-8), a special-purpose computer for cellular-automata computations. The principal algorithmic innovation is the use of a lattice-gas model with a 16-bit collision operator that is specially adapted to the machine architecture. It is shown how the collision rules can be optimized to obtain a low viscosity of the fluid. Predictions of the viscosity based on a Boltzmann approximation agree well with measurements of the viscosity made on CAM-8. Several test simulations of flows in simple geometries -- channels, pipes, and a cubic array of spheres -- are carried out. Measurements of average flux in these geometries compare well with theoretical predictions.Comment: 19 pages, REVTeX and epsf macros require

Spurious diffusion in particle simulations of the Kolmogorov flow

Particle simulations of the Kolmogorov flow are analyzed by the Landau-Lifshitz fluctuating hydrodynamics. It is shown that a spurious diffusion of the center of mass corrupts the statistical properties of the flow. The analytical expression for the corresponding diffusion coefficient is derived.Comment: 10 pages, no figure

Cocoa flavanols reduce N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with chronic heart failure

This work was supported by a grant (to R.C.) from BarryCallebaut Belgium NV. Assay of CT-proET-1 was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council, UK (grant numberG0801509)

The GROUSE project II: Detection of the Ks-band secondary eclipse of exoplanet HAT-P-1b

Context: Only recently it has become possible to measure the thermal emission from hot-Jupiters at near-Infrared wavelengths using ground-based telescopes, by secondary eclipse observations. This allows the planet flux to be probed around the peak of its spectral energy distribution, which is vital for the understanding of its energy budget. Aims: The aim of the reported work is to measure the eclipse depth of the planet HAT-P-1b at 2.2micron. This planet is an interesting case, since the amount of stellar irradiation it receives falls in between that of the two best studied systems (HD209458 and HD189733), and it has been suggested to have a weak thermal inversion layer. Methods: We have used the LIRIS instrument on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT) to observe the secondary eclipse of HATP-1b in the Ks-band, as part of our Ground-based secondary eclipse (GROUSE) project. The observations were done in staring mode, while significantly defocusing the telescope to avoid saturation on the K=8.4 star. With an average cadence of 2.5 seconds, we collected 6520 frames during one night. Results: The eclipse is detected at the 4sigma level, the measured depth being 0.109+/-0.025%. The uncertainties are dominated by residual systematic effects, as estimated from different reduction/analysis procedures. The measured depth corresponds to a brightness temperature of 2136+150-170K. This brightness temperature is significantly higher than those derived from longer wavelengths, making it difficult to fit all available data points with a plausible atmospheric model. However, it may be that we underestimate the true uncertainties of our measurements, since it is notoriously difficult to assign precise statistical significance to a result when systematic effects are important.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in A&

Development and validation of the Diabetes Numeracy Test (DNT)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low literacy and numeracy skills are common. Adequate numeracy skills are crucial in the management of diabetes. Diabetes patients use numeracy skills to interpret glucose meters, administer medications, follow dietary guidelines and other tasks. Existing literacy scales may not be adequate to assess numeracy skills. This paper describes the development and psychometric properties of the Diabetes Numeracy Test (DNT), the first scale to specifically measure numeracy skills used in diabetes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The items of the DNT were developed by an expert panel and refined using cognitive response interviews with potential respondents. The final version of the DNT (43 items) and other relevant measures were administered to a convenience sample of 398 patients with diabetes. Internal reliability was determined by the Kuder-Richardson coefficient (KR-20). An <it>a priori </it>hypothetical model was developed to determine construct validity. A shortened 15-item version, the DNT15, was created through split sample analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The DNT had excellent internal reliability (KR-20 = 0.95). The DNT was significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with education, income, literacy and math skills, and diabetes knowledge, supporting excellent construct validity. The mean score on the DNT was 61% and took an average of 33 minutes to complete. The DNT15 also had good internal reliability (KR-20 = 0.90 and 0.89). In split sample analysis, correlations of the DNT-15 with the full DNT in both sub-samples was high (rho = 0.96 and 0.97, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The DNT is a reliable and valid measure of diabetes related numeracy skills. An equally adequate but more time-efficient version of the DNT, the DNT15, can be used for research and clinical purposes to evaluate diabetes related numeracy.</p

Holonomy in the Schwarzschild-Droste Geometry

Parallel transport of vectors in curved spacetimes generally results in a deficit angle between the directions of the initial and final vectors. We examine such holonomy in the Schwarzschild-Droste geometry and find a number of interesting features that are not widely known. For example, parallel transport around circular orbits results in a quantized band structure of holonomy invariance. We also examine radial holonomy and extend the analysis to spinors and to the Reissner-Nordstr\"om metric, where we find qualitatively different behavior for the extremal ($Q = M$) case. Our calculations provide a toolbox that will hopefully be useful in the investigation of quantum parallel transport in Hilbert-fibered spacetimes.Comment: 18 Latex pages, 3 figures. Second replacement. This version as published in CQG with some misprints correcte

Two and three-dimensional oscillons in nonlinear Faraday resonance

We study 2D and 3D localised oscillating patterns in a simple model system exhibiting nonlinear Faraday resonance. The corresponding amplitude equation is shown to have exact soliton solutions which are found to be always unstable in 3D. On the contrary, the 2D solitons are shown to be stable in a certain parameter range; hence the damping and parametric driving are capable of suppressing the nonlinear blowup and dispersive decay of solitons in two dimensions. The negative feedback loop occurs via the enslaving of the soliton's phase, coupled to the driver, to its amplitude and width.Comment: 4 pages; 1 figur

Finite difference lattice Boltzmann model with flux limiters for liquid-vapor systems

In this paper we apply a finite difference lattice Boltzmann model to study the phase separation in a two-dimensional liquid-vapor system. Spurious numerical effects in macroscopic equations are discussed and an appropriate numerical scheme involving flux limiter techniques is proposed to minimize them and guarantee a better numerical stability at very low viscosity. The phase separation kinetics is investigated and we find evidence of two different growth regimes depending on the value of the fluid viscosity as well as on the liquid-vapor ratio.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Spinodal decomposition of off-critical quenches with a viscous phase using dissipative particle dynamics in two and three spatial dimensions

We investigate the domain growth and phase separation of hydrodynamically-correct binary immiscible fluids of differing viscosity as a function of minority phase concentration in both two and three spatial dimensions using dissipative particle dynamics. We also examine the behavior of equal-viscosity fluids and compare our results to similar lattice-gas simulations in two dimensions.Comment: 34 pages (11 figures); accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.