An evaluation of initiatives implemented to support undergraduate students’ transition into Higher Education at one post-1992 university

Supporting students in the transition to Higher Education is crucial to improving retention. Set in a post-1992 university, admitting a high proportion of students from a widening participation background, this paper analyses first year undergraduate students’ experience of their transition and, in particular, the initiatives implemented to support them. Through questionnaires and focus groups with students and interviews with course leaders, the study identifies the importance of pre-entry and first year engagement in helping students make proactive decisions, develop realistic expectations and integrate both socially and academically. A number of initiatives were evaluated and these were largely positive with the majority successfully managing the transition. However, student transition and retention is multi-faceted and this paper demonstrates the challenges post-1992 universities face in supporting a diverse student body. Nevertheless, areas of good practice were identified, including opportunities for social integration during induction and the use of course social network sites

Deficits in object-in-place but not relative recency performance in the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease: implications for object recognition

Performance was examined on three variants of the spontaneous object recognition (SOR) task, in 5-month old APPswe/PS1dE9 mice and wild-type littermate controls. A deficit was observed in an object-in-place (OIP) task, in which mice are preexposed to four different objects in specific locations, and then at test two of the objects swap locations (Experiment 2). Typically more exploration is seen of the objects which have switched location, which is taken as evidence of a retrieval-generated priming mechanism. However, no significant transgenic deficit was found in a relative recency (RR) task (Experiment 1), in which mice are exposed to two different objects in two separate sample phases, and then tested with both objects. Typically more exploration of the first presented object is observed, which is taken as evidence of a self-generated priming mechanism. Nor was there any impairment in the simplest variant, the spontaneous object recognition (SOR) task, in which mice are preexposed to one object and then tested with the familiar and a novel object. This was true regardless of whether the sample-test interval was 5 minutes (Experiment 1) or 24 hours (Experiments 1 and 2). It is argued that SOR performance depends on retrieval-generated priming as well as self-generated priming, and our preliminary evidence suggests that the retrieval-generated priming process is especially impaired in these young transgenic animals

Timing impairments in early Alzheimer's disease: Evidence from a mouse model

A key characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is loss of episodic memory-memory for what happened, where and when; this final aspect-timing-is the focus of the present article. Although timing deficits have been reported in AD patients, few parallel studies have been performed in animals, compromising the translational potential of these findings. We looked for timing impairments in the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model of AD at 4-5 months of age, before significant plaques have developed. In Experiments 1 and 2a mice were trained with auditory stimuli that were followed by food, either immediately (delay stimulus; Experiments 1 and 2a) or after a short interval (trace stimulus; Experiment 1). In Experiment 1 APPswe/PS1dEdE9 mice conditioned normally, but showed more variable timing of the delay-conditioned cue. Experiment 2 examined timing of two delay-conditioned CSs, with Experiment 2a using mice 4-5 months old, and Experiment 2b mice at 6-8 months. With the longer conditional stimulus (CS) the transgenic mice showed both more variable timing and earlier timed peak responding than wild-type mice; these effects were not influenced by age. Our results bear similarity to those seen in AD patients, raising the possibility that they have diagnostic potential. They also resemble deficits in animals with dorsal hippocampal lesions, suggesting that they could be mediated by this area. Activated microglia, a component of the immune response thought to be driven by the elevated levels of ?-amyloid, were elevated in both dentate gyrus and striatum of young transgenic mice, providing some support for this proposal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Stability, Transient Response, Control, and Safety of a High-Power Electric Grid for Turboelectric Propulsion of Aircraft

This document contains the deliverables for the NASA Research and Technology for Aerospace Propulsion Systems (RTAPS) regarding the stability, transient response, control, and safety study for a high power cryogenic turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP) system. The objective of this research effort is to enumerate, characterize, and evaluate the critical issues facing the development of the N3-X concept aircraft. This includes the proposal of electrical grid architecture concepts and an evaluation of any needs for energy storage

Colon and rectal cancer incidence and water trihalomethane concentrations in New South Wales, Australia

BACKGROUND There is evidence, although inconsistent, that long term exposure to disinfection by products (DBPs) increases the risk of bowel cancer. No study has been conducted in Australia to examine this association and due to difference in the methods of disinfection the risk can vary across geographical regions and. This study was conducted to analyse the association of trihalomethanes (THMs) in water with colon and rectal cancer in NSW Australia. METHODS Average yearly concentrations of total and individual species of THMs were obtained for 50 local government areas (LGAs). Indirectly-standardized incidence rates of colon and rectal cancers in LGAs for the period 1995 to 2001 were regressed against mean THM concentrations lagged five years, adjusting for socioeconomic status, high risk drinking, smoking status, usual source of water and year of diagnosis, including local and global random effects within a Bayesian framework. The incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in THMs were estimated. RESULTS Using five year lag of exposure there was a positive association between bromoform concentration and CRC in men (IRR = 1.025, 95% CI 1.010, 1.040) but not in women (IRR = 1.003, 95% CI 0.987, 1.018). The association in men was mainly found in colon cancer with bromoform (IRR = 1.035, 95% CI 1.017, 1.053). There was no appreciable association of colorectal cancer with other species of THMs. Sensitivity analyses did not materially change the associations observed. CONCLUSION A positive association was observed between colon cancer and water bromoform concentrations in men. Given the potential population impact of such an association, further research into the relationship between THMs, particularly brominated species, and colorectal cancer is warranted.This study was conducted as part of a PhD thesis. The PhD was funded by the Endeavor International Postgraduate Research Scholarship program of the Australian Government and the University of Sydney’s international postgraduate award program and Sydney School of Public Health. The expenditure for data collection was borne by the Sydney School of Public Health, the University of Sydney. The case data were provided by the NSW central cancer registry. The exposure data were provided by the Sydney Water Corporation and the Hunter Water Corporation in NSW, Australia

Architecture, Voltage and Components for a Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion Electric Grid

The development of a wholly superconducting turboelectric distributed propulsion system presents hide unique opportunities for the aerospace industry. However, this transition from normally conducting systems to superconducting systems significantly increases the equipment complexity necessary to manage the electrical power systems. Due to the low technology readiness level (TRL) nature of all components and systems, current Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion (TeDP) technology developments are driven by an ambiguous set of system-level electrical integration standards for an airborne microgrid system (Figure 1). While multiple decades' worth of advancements are still required for concept realization, current system-level studies are necessary to focus the technology development, target specific technological shortcomings, and enable accurate prediction of concept feasibility and viability. An understanding of the performance sensitivity to operating voltages and an early definition of advantageous voltage regulation standards for unconventional airborne microgrids will allow for more accurate targeting of technology development. Propulsive power-rated microgrid systems necessitate the introduction of new aircraft distribution system voltage standards. All protection, distribution, control, power conversion, generation, and cryocooling equipment are affected by voltage regulation standards. Information on the desired operating voltage and voltage regulation is required to determine nominal and maximum currents for sizing distribution and fault isolation equipment, developing machine topologies and machine controls, and the physical attributes of all component shielding and insulation. Voltage impacts many components and system performance