Tinkering in K-12: an exploratory mixed methods study of makerspaces in schools as an application of constructivist learning

Makerspaces have experienced a surge in popularity in recent years, resulting in an influx of Maker education in K-12 settings. While Makerspaces have been studied abundantly in museums, libraries, and in after-school programs, little research has been conducted inside the K- 12 school day. The goal of this study is to discover insights of established Makerspaces inside the K-12 school environment. In this exploratory mixed methods study, educators were survived, examining school and participant demographics, Makerspace setup, as well as intersections of technology, content, and pedagogy. Next, the researcher conducted a follow-up interview with selected participants based on diversity in the following key demographic areas: teacher gender, professional background, and school environment. In order to better understand K-12 implementation of Makerspaces, the study examines seven characteristics of Makerspaces: setting, computational thinking, participant structures, teacher training, gender and racial issues, assessment, and sustainability. The data was examined through TPACK framework with a constructivist approach. Makerspaces can empower students to invent, prototype, and tinker with low-cost technology tools such as microcircuits and fabrication tools such as 3d printers. The goal of this study is to add to the body of literature regarding the role and potential value of Makerspaces in school environments. This exploration of Makerspaces in K-12 setting could be generalized to serve as a guide for teachers who want to establish their own Makerspace

Design and manufacturing analysis of a window shading system

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1997.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 63).In this thesis a novel concept for a window shading system was proposed and developed. This concept was created to address issues with an existing Lutron Electronics product. Over the past year and a half, concepts have been generated, tested and refined to produce a fully functional working prototype that meets the product specifications. This thesis focuses upon a manufacturing cost analysis and redesign of a gearbox assembly for the window shading system. This is a logical next step in the product's development. An estimate for the assembly time for the current version of the gearbox assembly is found. The parts are then redesigned for improved assembly time, and hence reduced cost. The parts are also redesigned for mass production processes; injection molding, and die casting. Calculating and then comparing cost estimates for the two processes finds an injection molded integrated design the most cost effective.by Ashley Cross Wodtke.S.M

The Right to Remain Silent: Garcetti v. Ceballos and a Public Employee\u27s Refusal to Speak Falsely

Both Bowie and Jackler, when compared with a wide variety of public employee free speech case law, stand out as cases where a public employee is not seeking protection of his right to speak, but rather, is seeking protection of the right not to speak falsely or protection of the right to refrain from speaking at all. This Summary seeks to review the progression of public employee case law up to Garcetti and then discusses Garcetti\u27s effect on subsequent circuit decisions attempting to apply its standards. Next, a review of the ineffectiveness of current whistleblower protection laws suggests that employees without First Amendment protection have little protection at all. Finally, it is suggested that Garcetti did not anticipate its holding to apply to cases where employees were seeking First Amendment protection of the right to refrain from speaking falsely, and thus, purports that the Supreme Court of the United States should revisit Garcetti to determine where cases such as Bowie and Jackler fit within the public employee free speech dialogu

Expression and regulation of neurotrophic and angiogenic factors during human intervertebral disc degeneration

Introduction : The degenerate intervertebral disc (IVD) becomes innervated by sensory nerve fibres, and vascularised by blood vessels. This study aimed to identify neurotrophins, neuropeptides and angiogenic factors within native IVD tissue and to further investigate whether pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the regulation of expression levels within nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, nerve and endothelial cells. Methods : Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed on 53 human IVDs from 52 individuals to investigate native gene expression of neurotrophic factors and their receptors, neuropeptides and angiogenic factors. The regulation of these factors by cytokines was investigated in NP cells in alginate culture, and nerve and endothelial cells in monolayer using RT-PCR and substance P (SP) protein expression in interleukin-1 (IL-1ß) stimulated NP cells. Results : Initial investigation on uncultured NP cells identified expression of all neurotrophins by native NP cells, whilst the nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor was only identified in severely degenerate and infiltrated discs, and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) receptor expressed by more degenerate discs. BDNF expression was significantly increased in infiltrated and degenerate samples. SP and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were higher in infiltrated samples. In vitro stimulation by IL-1ß induced NGF in NP cells. Neurotropin-3 was induced by tumour necrosis factor alpha in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs). SP gene and protein expression was increased in NP cells by IL-1ß. Calcitonin gene related peptide was increased in SH-SY5Y cells upon cytokine stimulation. VEGF was induced by IL-1ß and interleukin-6 in NP cells, whilst pleiotrophin was decreased by IL-1ß. VEGF and pleiotrophin were expressed by SH-SY5Y cells, and VEGF by HDMECs, but were not modulated by cytokines. Conclusions : The release of cytokines, in particular IL-1ß during IVD degeneration, induced significant increases in NGF and VEGF which could promote neuronal and vascular ingrowth. SP which is released into the matrix could potentially up regulate the production of matrix degrading enzymes and also sensitise nerves, resulting in nociceptive transmission and chronic low back pain. This suggests that IL-1ß is a key regulatory cytokine, involved in the up regulation of factors involved in innervation and vascularisation of tissues.</p

Southern Cross Soloists Season 2016

Ensemble in Residence at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Southern Cross Soloists present three concerts: Forbidden Love (with Jack Liebeck, Violin)– 20th March 2016 at 3pm Visions of Earth (with William Barton, Didjeridu)– 19th June 2016 at 3pm Heavenly Voice (with Sara Macliver, Soprano)– 27th November 2016 at 3p

Macrophage Reprogramming with Anti-miR223-Loaded Artificial Protocells Enhances In Vivo Cancer Therapeutic Potential

Several immune cell‐expressed miRNAs (miRs) are associated with altered prognostic outcome in cancer patients, suggesting that they may be potential targets for development of cancer therapies. Here, translucent zebrafish (Danio rerio) is utilized to demonstrate that genetic knockout or knockdown of one such miR, microRNA‐223 (miR223), globally or specifically in leukocytes, does indeed lead to reduced cancer progression. As a first step toward potential translation to a clinical therapy, a novel strategy is described for reprogramming neutrophils and macrophages utilizing miniature artificial protocells (PCs) to deliver anti‐miRs against the anti‐inflammatory miR223. Using genetic and live imaging approaches, it is shown that phagocytic uptake of anti‐miR223‐loaded PCs by leukocytes in zebrafish (and by human macrophages in vitro) effectively prolongs their pro‐inflammatory state by blocking the suppression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, which, in turn, drives altered immune cell‐cancer cell interactions and ultimately leads to a reduced cancer burden by driving reduced proliferation and increased cell death of tumor cells. This PC cargo delivery strategy for reprogramming leukocytes toward beneficial phenotypes has implications also for treating other systemic or local immune‐mediated pathologies

Childhood Bullying Victimization, Emotion Regulation, Rumination, Distress Tolerance, and Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-National Examination Among Young Adults In Seven Countries

Existing research suggests a robust association between childhood bullying victimization and depressive symptoms in adulthood, but less is known about potential mediators of this link. Furthermore, there is limited cross-national research evaluating similarities and differences in bullying victimization and its associations with mental health. The current study addressed gaps in the literature by evaluating cognitive and affective responses to stress (i.e., emotion regulation, rumination, and distress tolerance) as potential mediators of the link between recalled bullying victimization and current depressive symptoms among 5909 (70.6% female) college students from seven countries. Results revealed specific indirect associations of bullying victimization through distress tolerance and three out of four facets of rumination, as well as a persistent direct association of childhood bullying on adulthood depression. Emotion regulation strategies were not significantly associated with bullying victimization and did not mediate its association with depressive symptoms. Constrained multigroup models indicated that results were invariant across country and gender. Findings provide evidence of statistical mediation in a cross-sectional sample and await replication in prospective studies. Rumination and distress tolerance may be promising targets for resilience-promoting interventions among children experiencing peer victimization. Ongoing research is needed to clarify cross-national patterns in childhood bullying, identify additional mediators accounting for the remaining direct association, and evaluate emotion regulation as a potential moderator of associations between bullying victimization and adult mental health

Clinical and cost effectiveness of a system for turning and positioning intensive care unit patients, when compared to usual care turning and positioning devices, for the prevention of hospital-acquired pressure injuries

Pressure injuries affect 13.1% to 45.5% of patients in the intensive care unit and lead to pain and discomfort for patients, burden on healthcare providers, and unnecessary cost to the health system. Turning and positioning systems offer improvements on usual care devices, however the evidence of the effectiveness of such systems is still emerging. We conducted an investigator initiated, prospective, single centre, two group, non-blinded, randomised controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of a system for turning and positioning intensive care unit patients, when compared to usual care turning and positioning devices, for preventing PIs. The trial was prematurely discontinued after enrolment of 78 participants due to COVID-19 pandemic related challenges and lower than expected enrolment rate. The study groups were comparable on baseline characteristics and adherence to the interventions was high. Four participants developed a PI (in the sacral, ischial tuberosity or buttock region), n = 2 each in the intervention and control group. Each participant developed one PI. As the trial is underpowered, these findings do not provide an indication of the clinical effectiveness of the interventions. There was no participant drop-out or withdrawal and there were no adverse events, device deficiencies, or adverse device effects identified or reported. The results of our study (in particular those pertaining to enrolment, intervention adherence and safety) provide considerations for future trials that seek to investigate how to prevent PIs among ICU patients.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nerves are more abundant than blood vessels in the degenerate human intervertebral disc

Chronic low back pain (LBP) is the most common cause of disability worldwide. New ideas surrounding LBP are emerging that are based on interactions between mechanical, biological and chemical influences on the human IVD. The degenerate IVD is proposed to be innervated by sensory nerve fibres and vascularised by blood vessels, and it is speculated to contribute to pain sensation. However, the incidence of nerve and blood vessel ingrowth, as well as whether these features are always associated, is unknown. We investigated the presence of nerves and blood vessels in the nucleus pulposus (NP) of the IVD in a large population of human discs

Beyond human-likeness: Socialness is more influential when attributing mental states to robots.

We sought to replicate and expand previous work showing that the more human-like a robot appears, the more willing people are to attribute mind-like capabilities and socially engage with it. Forty-two participants played games against a human, a humanoid robot, a mechanoid robot, and a computer algorithm while undergoing functional neuroimaging. We confirmed that the more human-like the agent, the more participants attributed a mind to them. However, exploratory analyses revealed that the perceived of an agent appeared to be as, if not more, important for mind attribution. Our findings suggest top-down knowledge cues may be equally or possibly more influential than bottom-up stimulus cues when exploring mind attribution in non-human agents. While further work is now required to test this hypothesis directly, these preliminary findings hold important implications for robotic design and to understand and test the flexibility of human social cognition when people engage with artificial agents