Early Career Researchers’ Experiences of Post-Maternity and Parental Leave Provision in UK Politics and International Studies Departments: A Heads of Department and Early Career Researcher Survey

© The Author(s) 2020. Supporting increasing equality and diversity in the recruitment and retention of Early Career Researchers from the widest pool of talent available is high on the agenda of universities and policy makers. Notwithstanding this, the demanding nature of academic careers has a disproportionate effect on Early Career Researchers, who may face indirect obstacles in their career development particularly following a period of maternity or parental leave. Our research seeks to expose the nexus of challenges, from job insecurity to the pressures of raising new families that Early Career Researchers face during this critical juncture in their career trajectory. Focusing on Politics and International Studies Departments in the United Kingdom, we document the institutional mechanisms that exist to support Early Career Researchers returning from maternity and parental leave through a Heads of Department and an Early Career Researcher survey to gain an understanding of needs and the impact of institutional measures. Adopting a feminist institutionalist analysis, we map gendered outcomes in the university, through formal and informal rules, which mitigate against those Early Career Researchers taking maternity and parental leave. We end by identifying specific measures which would help to ensure that the university is more supportive of Early Career Researchers taking maternity and parental leave

The effect of fear‐inducing content on memory for advertisements and on retroactive and proactive interference of programme information

The current study focused on whether fear‐inducing content in television advertisements leads to better memory for the advertisement but also impairs memory for programme information that either precedes the advertisements (retroactive interference) or that follows the advertisements (proactive interference). Fifty‐four participants (48 female) aged 18 to 55 watched a programme that had an advertisement break in the centre. This consisted of 6 advertisements with either fear‐inducing or nonfear‐inducing content. Participants were tested on their recall and recognition of the advertisement information as well as their recall of the first half and second half of the programme. The results indicated that fear‐inducing advertisements were better recalled than those that elicited no fear, and there was also evidence of proactive interference from fear‐inducing advertisements on programme recall. Limitations and implications of the study are discussed

Febrile seizures: Factors affecting risk of recurrence in Pakistani children presenting at the Aga Khan University Hospital

Objectives: To (a) describe the effect of temperature rise on seizure recurrence in the ER (b) investigate the effect of age, gender, family and developmental history, type, duration and multiple seizures, past history and number of seizures and treatment given (either late or early) on seizure recurrence in the ER and (c) explore prognostic indicators for seizure recurrence.Methods: Data from 352 children [ages 3-84 months; 220 males (62.5%) 132 females (37.5%)] was taken using chart reviews for the years January 1998-August 2000 inclusive, from the Pediatric department of the Aga Khan University Hospital. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and Discriminant Analysis were used.Results: Of the 52 (16%) cases that had seizure recurrence in the ER, majority (36.5%) occurred in \u3e 38.5 degrees \u3c or = 39.5 degrees C temperature range. The percentage declined to 15% at higher temperatures. Bivariate tests showed that age, family and developmental history, type of seizure and treatment given did not affect seizure recurrence in the ER. Past history number of seizures (p = .006), duration of seizure (p \u3c 0.001), past history of seizures (p = 0.004) and multiple seizure (p = 0.024) were factors significantly associated with seizure recurrence in the ER at the bivariate level of analysis. Duration of seizure was the most important prognostic indicator for FS recurrence in the ER at the multivariate level with beta = .79.Conclusion: Duration of seizure (\u3e 5 minutes) was the most important prognostic factor for FS recurrence. Early treatment did not affect recurrence,suggesting timely anti-pyretic vs. anti-leptic medication use

A model of using social media for collaborative learning to enhance learners’ performance on learning

Social media has been always described as the channel through which knowledge is transmitted between communities and learners. This social media has been utilized by colleges in a way to encourage collaborative learning and social interaction. This study explores the use of social media in the process of collaborative learning through learning Quran and Hadith. Through this investigation, different factors enhancing collaborative learning in learning Quran and Hadith in the context of using social media are going to be examined. 340 respondents participated in this study. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data obtained. Upon analysis and structural model validities, the study resulted in a model used for measuring the influences of the different variables. The study reported direct and indirect significant impacts of these variables on collaborative learning through the use of social media which might lead to a better performance by learner

Quantum interference in optical fields and atomic radiation

We discuss the connection between quantum interference effects in optical beams and radiation fields emitted from atomic systems. We illustrate this connection by a study of the first- and second-order correlation functions of optical fields and atomic dipole moments. We explore the role of correlations between the emitting systems and present examples of practical methods to implement two systems with non-orthogonal dipole moments. We also derive general conditions for quantum interference in a two-atom system and for a control of spontaneous emission. The relation between population trapping and dark states is also discussed. Moreover, we present quantum dressed-atom models of cancellation of spontaneous emission, amplification on dark transitions, fluorescence quenching and coherent population trapping.Comment: To be published in Journal of Modern Optics Special Issue on Quantum Interferenc

CHARGE-TRANSFER COMPLEXES OF CHLORPHENOXAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE WITH CHLORANILIC ACID, 2,3-DICHLORO-5,6-DICYANO-1,4-BENZOQUINONE AND 7,7,8,8-TETRACYANOQUINODIMETHANE AS π-ACCEPTORS

Objective: To develop simplified, accurate and precise visible spectrophotometric strategies for the assay of chlorphenoxamine hydrochloride (CPX) in pure drug and in its pharmaceutical preparations. Methods: The described methods depended on the formation of charge-transfer (CT) complexes of intense color between CPX as donor with three π-acceptors, chloranilic acid (CLA), 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ), and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and the colored reaction products were estimated spectrophotometrically at 520 nm, 460 nm and 840 nm for CLA, DDQ, and TCNQ complexes, individually. All the optimum conditions were established. The proposed methods were validated in term of linearity, limit of detection as per the international conference on harmonization guidelines ICH Q2 (R1). Results: The complexes obeyed Beer’s law in the concentration range of 16-144, 6-54 and 4-76 μg/mlwith molar absorptivity at 0.30×104, 0.68×104 and 0.58×104 l/mol/cm for CLA, DDQ, and TCNQ, individually. According to Benesi-Hildebrand plots, the association constants and changes of standard free energy were determined. 1:1 was the ratio of composition of the formed CT-complex. Conclusion: The obtained results revealed that the developed method can be applied successfully for the determination of CPX in drug formulations samples with good accuracy and precision

EXTRACTIVE-SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF SOME ANTIMUSCARINIC ANTAGONIST IN TABLET FORMULATIONS USING ERIOCHROME CYANINE R

Objective: To develop and validate simple, rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the assay of four antimuscarinic antagonists, namely oxybutynin (OXB), solifenacin (SOL), tolterodine (TOL) and fesoterodine (FES) in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations.Methods: The proposed method is based on the reaction of the selected drugs with eriochrome cyanine R (ECR) in buffered aqueous solution at pH 1.0. The formed ion-pair complexes were extracted with dichloromethane and measured quantitatively with maximum absorption at 464 nm. All variables that affect on color intensity such as pH, buffer volume and concentration of ECR and extractive solvents were studied and optimized.Results: The calibration graphs were linear over the concentration range of 4–24, 4–32, 4–32 and 2–22 mg/ml for OXB, SOL, TOL and FES, respectively. The stoichiometry of the reaction was found to be 1:1 in all cases. Molar absorptivity values were found to be 2.043×104, 1.856×104, 1.798×104 and 2.856×104 l/mol/cm for OXB, SOL, TOL and FES, respectively. Excipients which used as an additive in commercial formulations did not interfere in the analysis.Conclusion: The developed method was successfully applied to determine OXB, SOL, TOL and FES in pharmaceutical preparations. The developed method can be used for quality control and routine analysis where time, cost effectiveness and high specificity of analytical technique are of great importance

Identifikasi Miskonsepsi Siswa Kelas XI IPA 1 di SMA Negeri 3 Gorontalo Utara pada Konsep Larutan Penyangga

Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif, yang bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi miskonsepsi siswa terhadap konsep larutan penyangga. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada siswa kelas XI IPA 1 di SMA Negeri 3 Gorontalo Utara menggunakan tes piihan ganda (multiple choice) dengan alasan terbuka. Instrumen ini dapat membedakan antara siswa yang tahu konsep, tidak tahu konsep dan miskonsepsi. Pengamblan sampel dilakukan dengan cara sampling jenuh. Hasil penelitian secara keseluruhan menunjukkan bahwa miskonsepsi siswa kelas XI IPA 1 di SMA Negeri 3 Gorontalo Utara pada konsep larutan penyangga berada pada kategori tinggi yaitu nilai rata-rata sebesar 44,17%, tahu konsep nilai rata-rata 10,8%, tahu konsep tetapi kurang yakin nilai rata-rata 2,13% dan tidak tahu konsep nilai rata-rata sebesar 42,9%

Research and publications in Islamic perspective (part 2: experimental results)

This article is part 2 of “Research and Publications in Islamic Perspective” and is focuses on the experimental results, while part 1 was an introductory on this topic. Hence, Islam emphases the need to establish facts based on experience. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in the case of date trees pollination: “You have better knowledge (of a technical skill) in the affairs of your professions” (Muslim)