Mathematics without Lectures: Small-Group Learning at New York University

This article describes an effort to introduce small-group learning into the mathematics curriculum for the non-specialist at New York University. Starting in spring 1999, students were offered the choice of fulfilling their mathematics requirement in a small-group environment that included no formal lectures. The goal of these groups is to make the transition from relatively inactive, even passive, lectures to an experience that actively engages students in the process of doing mathematics. Contact time was restricted to two weekly classes run by a graduate student and was limited to enrollments of 15-16 students. The course is a small-group version of one that has been offered regularly since 1995, with a format that includes two traditional large lectures and one 100-minute workshop each week. Students in the College of Arts and Science and in the School of Education took the course, and the latter group included future K-12 teachers. Instructors for the small-group sections come from the graduate level Mathematics Education Group in the School of Education and the Mathematics Department in the Graduate School of Arts and Science

Measurement of light mesons at RHIC by the PHENIX experiment

The PHENIX experiment at RHIC has measured a variety of light neutral mesons ($\pi^{0}$, K$_{S}^{0}$, $\eta$, $\omega$, $\eta^{\prime}$, $\phi$) via multi-particle decay channels over a wide range of transverse momentum. A review of the recent results on the production rates of light mesons in p+p and their nuclear modification factors in d+Au, Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at different energies is presented.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, talk given at Hard Probes 2008 conference in La Toja, Spain. submitted to EPJ

ProRefine: Valorisation of forage legumes for both monogastric animals and ruminants through fractionation

ProRefi ne aims to gain new knowledge about local food systems in organic farming based on fractionation of forage legumes, such as lucerne and red clover. We will compare fractionation at harvest (leaves and stems) and post-harvest (juice and pulp). We aim to develop protein feeds that are suitable for monogastric animals such as pigs and poultry and fi ber-rich feeds that can be used by ruminants such as dairy cows. We will develop integrated systems for animal production in organic farming that can be adapted to different regions in Europe and Turkey. Furthermore, we aim to assess the sustainability of such systems regarding economy, social aspects and environmental impact

Phase-locked telemetry system for rotary instrumentation of turbomachinery, phase 1

A telemetry system for use in making strain and temperature measurements on the rotating components of high speed turbomachines employs phase locked transmitters, which offer greater measurement channel capacity and reliability than existing systems which employ L-C carrier oscillators. A prototype transmitter module was tested at 175 C combined with 40,000 g's acceleration

The effect of preservation method of barley, maturity of grass silage, and type of protein supplementation on sensoric milk quality in organic farming

Three continuous production experiments and three short term cross over experiments were carried out in Northern Norway to investigate different feeding strategies for dairy cows in organic farming. This paper focuses on the effects on sensoric milk quality. Half of the 32 Norwegian red dairy cows in the production experiments were fed 40% (HC) concentrates (on energy basis per year) and the other half 10% (LC). Twelve cows (HC) participated in the short term cross over experiments. The experimental factors in the continuous production experiments were barley preservation method (P1), grass silage maturity (P2) and type of protein supplement (P3), and in the short term cross over experiments barley preservation method (C1), type of protein supplement (C2) and time for fishmeal feeding (C3). In all experiments the cows were offered grass silage ad libitum, restricted amounts of cereals and protein feeds, and mineral and vitamin supplements. The sensoric quality of milk was in general high. In the production experiments, milk from cows in HC had slightly higher quality than from cows in LC (significant in P2, p = 0.04). Neither the preservation method of barley (dried or ensiled with molasses), maturity of grass silage or type of protein supplement (fishmeal or peameal) influenced the sensoric milk quality significantly. Also in the cross over experiments no effect of the studied factors was found in milk flavour and odour. Early harvested grass silage gave significantly lower FFA contents than grass silage cut at normal time (P2) and FM gave significantly lower FFA concentrations than peameal (P3). These results indicate that organic farmers with different feeding regimes can produce milk of first class sensoric quality. Also the content of FFA has been low in all experiments (except C1). However, feeding regimes containing low levels of concentrates may reduce milk taste slightly

Effect of barley preservation method on milk production and milk quality in organic farming

The effect of dried vs. ensiled barley (cv. Arve) on feed intake, milk yield and quality in organic production was tested in two experiments in Northern Norway. In the first experiment, two groups were given either 40% or 10% concentrated feed (barley) per cow and year, calculated on energy basis. Grass silage was fed ad. lib. Both drying and ensiling preserved barley properly and resulted in approximately the same feed intake and milk production. Cows in the group with 10% barley had lower milk protein concentration than cows in the group with 40% barley. The palatability of barley was in general low, and several cows refused parts of their allowances throughout the experiment. The second experiment had a cross over design with three treatments. The trial was designed to evaluate the effect of preservation method for barley on sensoric milk quality. The cows were fed well-preserved grass silage ad lib. and supplemented with 5.8 kg DM of either dried barley, barley ensiled with molasses, or barley ensiled with a propionic acid-containing additive. All types of barley were well preserved and no negative effect of ensiled barley was observed

The effect of fishmeal or peameal on milk fatty acid composition in organic farming

Feed fatty acid (FA) composition influences the FA composition of cow milk. In a continuous production experiment with 32 Norwegian red dairy cows fishmeal (FM) was compared to peameal (PM) as protein supplement to home-grown cereals and grass silage in organic farming. The protein supplements were together with cereals formulated to be isonitrogeneous and isoenergetic (NEL) and were compared at high (HC) and low concentrate (LC) level. The concentrate rations did not affect the intake of silage. Fishmeal resulted in significantly higher milk yield (kg) with a lower fat concentration (HC) compared to PM. Lower concentrations of urea and FFA were found in milk produced with FM compared to PM. Milk flavour and odour was equal or better when FM rather than PM was fed. Fishmeal diets increased significantly the proportions of several long-chain FAs: oleic acid (C18:1c9), vaccenic acid (C18:1c11), CLA (C18:2c9,t11, not significant at HC), C20:0, C18:1t10, and DHA (C22:6 n-3) in milk fat compared to PM. DHA, which is found in high concentrations in FM (14 g/100g FAME), had the most significant increase. The proportion of C18:3 n-3 (ALA) was significantly lower when FM was fed compared to PM. The percentage of saturated FA was significantly lower and the percentage of monounsaturated FA was higher when FM rather than PM was fed. For cows on HC the n-6/n-3 ratio was lower in the FM group than in the PM group, and the ratio was lower at LC than at HC (p = 0.006, interaction p = 0.02). Fishmeal diets included higher proportions of oats than PM diets. Oats have high content of oleic acid and may therefore have influenced the composition of FAs in milk fat as well as the protein supplements. Fishmeal increased the proportion of beneficial FAs without reducing the sensoric quality of milk. It remains unclear whether this is an effect of protein source or an effect of the higher oat proportions in FM diets

Early or Normal Cut Grass Silage for Dairy Cows in Organic Farming

Early cut organic grass silage (roundbales) was compared with silage harvested 17 days (180 daydegrees) later in a continuous production experiment with 32 Norwegian Red dairy cows in early lactation. The experiment was carried out in Bodø, Norway. A half of the cows received a feed ration with 40% concentrates (H), and the other half 10% (L) on an annual energy basis. Feeding early cut silage of an organic ley increased feed intake, milk yield and milk protein concentration compared with normal cut. Left-overs of concentrates were a problem in the experiment and ways to improve the palatability of on farm produced cereals have to be developed. Early cut crop yields were only about half of the crop yield at normal cut. Therefore early cut may only be recommended to farmers in northern Norway when acerage is not a limiting factor