Use of CATME Peer Review Measurement Tool to Assess Team Work Skills

Short Abstract: Initiating an initiative focused on identifying best practices for developing and improving teamwork skills, researchers at Purdue Polytechnic Institute, School of Engineering Technology have begun to define research in this area. This project is intended to be multi‐institutional, investigating skills within the Capstone experiences of engineering, technology, and computing programs. Full Abstract: Initiating an initiative focused on identifying best practices for developing and improving teamwork skills, researchers at Purdue Polytechnic Institute, School of Engineering Technology have begun to define research in this area. This project is intended to be multi‐institutional, investigating skills within the Capstone experiences of engineering, technology, and computing programs. Teamwork as defined and measured by the existing team are those dimensions measured by the CATME Peer Review (Ohland, et al, 2006), which is currently used by thousands of technology and engineering instructors and institutions worldwide. The CATME Peer Review measurement tool is used to collect self and peer evaluations of team members’ contributions on five different teamwork dimensions. These teamwork dimensions are 1) pose the knowledge, skills, and abilities to help the team; 2) expect quality work from the team; 3) keep the team on schedule; 4) positive interactions between teammates to help the team; and 5) all team members contribute to the team\u27s work and success. This research team has evaluated a semester of data to provide an example of how to evaluate teamwork skills and subsequently begin the task of improving skills and the capstone environment (Lucietto, et al, 2017)

World\u27s Fair March

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-ps/3071/thumbnail.jp

Expert systems: Advanced computer software with potential optometric applications

Expert systems are a form of advanced computer programming utilizing aspects of artificial intelligence to emulate the skills of an expert within a given field of knowledge. Low cost expert systems are now being used in business, and soon will be seen in some health professions. This article describes the basics of expert systems, and suggests possible applications in optometry

Early shear bond strength of experimental amalgam-bonding combinations with and without thermocycling

Le but de cette étude était d’évaluer la résistance au cisaillement de l’amalgame collé à la dentine en utilisant quatre systèmes de collage différents. Quatre-vingt dents de sagesse humaines extraites, d’environ la même taille, ont été sélectionnées. Les dents ont été sectionnées parallèlement au plan occlusal à mihauteur coronaire pour exposer la dentine, puis la moitié de chaque dent a été incluse dans de la résine acrylique. Quatre systèmes de collage ont été utilisés selon les recommandations des fabricants. Les surfaces de l’émail et de la dentine des dents en cours de restauration avec un amalgame collé ont été mordancées, rincées, recouvertes d’une couche de primer/adhésif, restaurées avec du Valiant PhD-XT avec condensation pour entremêler l’amalgame à l’adhésif en cours de prise, photopolymérisées (30 sec) et conditionnées (l’eau distillée, 37°C, 24h). La moitié de tous les échantillons ont été thermocyclés pendant 24 heures (5°C/ 55°C, le temps de séjour: 1 minute, 500 cycles). La résistance au cisaillement a été testée pour tous les échantillons (taux de chargement=1mm/min, 25 °C). Les résultats (MPa=charge de rupture/zone de collage) pour les groupes (n=10) ont été statistiquement analysés (2-way ANOVA et Tukey-Kramer post hoc, p ≤ 0,05). La résistance au cisaillement des groupes thermocyclés était plus élevée (p \u3c 0,05). Les résultats pour les groupes 1-4 pour le stockage seulement (6,7 ± 1,6, 6,5 ± 1,0, 3,6 ± 0,9, 6,4 ± 2,5) par rapport aux groupes thermocyclés (13,3 ± 3,0, 15,1 ± 4,9, 15,4 ± 4,7, 18,2 ± 5,8) n’a montré pratiquement aucun effet du type de collage ainsi qu’aucune interaction du type de collage avec le thermocyclage. Le mode d’échec le plus commun était l’échec adhésif après thermocyclage

Improving Writing Quality of Capstone Reports

Abstract-Contributions: The main contribution is to share a series of practical methods that improve the writing quality of capstone reports. Background: The ability to write well is critical to the success of an engineering technology graduate. However, the evidence points to the fact that industries are disappointed with the quality of writing skills graduates demonstrate. Intended Outcomes: A faculty review of capstone reports showed little improvement in writing quality from the first course to the second in a two-semester capstone sequence. Therefore, the instructors explored what actions were needed to improve the writing quality of the capstone reports. Application Design: Several changes in the capstone courses were developed and implemented. The changes included 1) using instructional technology as a scaffolding to help frame the writing required for the course and 2) engaging students in iterative writing with feedback. Findings: The assessment data showed a significant improvement, at the 5% level. The iterative process of writing and rewriting the report, coupled with frequent meetings with faculty mentors, proved to be a powerful combination for improving the writing prowess of the students

Is Nitrogen a Major Stressor of Eelgrass (Zostera marina) in Puget Sound?

The deep, cold and well-flushed waters of Puget Sound, WA (USA) are experiencing areas of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) decline. Eelgrass faces anthropogenic stresses ranging from eutrophication and sedimentation to shoreline hardening, ship traffic, and aquaculture, which are currently being evaluated with a weight-of-evidence analysis. Since 2000, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ Submerged Vegetation Monitoring Program has assessed status and trends in eelgrass area and depth distribution throughout Puget Sound. Over this same time period, WA Department of Ecology has been monitoring nitrogen in the Sound’s waters; increasing concentrations of nitrate have been measured, linked to anthropogenic sources. The human-derived nitrogen comes on top of the already high background nitrogen level from the Pacific Ocean upwelling. The result is very high phytoplankton productivity, most evident in the more poorly flushed parts of the Sound. In many of these areas, nitrate concentrations have increased 4-10 times over the last 10 years while eelgrass beds have declined, with eelgrass losses seen at the deep edge where light is most limited. Nitrogen loading is by no means the only stressor impacting eelgrass in the Sound. Sediment loading also shades eelgrass and is derived from river input to the Sound and surface runoff that results from watershed deforestation, agriculture, and impervious surfaces, in addition to the fine sediment from glacial melting. There are a variety of additional direct physical impacts to eelgrass, including aquaculture, shoreline hardening, dredging and filling, boating and fishing practices, and overwater structures all contribute to direct physical impacts on eelgrass and each was evaluated in terms of its spatial extent and type of threat. The weight-of-evidence analysis shows that the nitrogen stressor has the broadest spatial extent and most lethal impacts to eelgrass and is the primary stressor of eelgrass in Puget Sound. The Puget Sound Partnership’s goal of a 20% increase in eelgrass area by 2020 cannot be achieved with existing management practices; the stresses on eelgrass must be reduced to create gains in eelgrass area and insure the health of Puget Sound

Response Validity in Forensic Neuropsychology: Exploratory Factor Analytic Evidence of Distinct Cognitive and Psychological Constructs

Forensic neuropsychology studies usually address either cognitive effort or psychological response validity. Whether these are distinct constructs is unclear. In 122 participants evaluated in a compensation-seeking context, the present Exploratory Factor Analysis examined whether forced-choice cognitive effort measures (Victoria Symptom Validity Test, Test of Memory Malingering, Letter Memory Test) and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2) validity scales (L, F, K, FBS, Fp, RBS, Md, Dsr2, S) load on independent factors. Regardless of factor rotation strategy (orthogonal or oblique), four response validity factors emerged by means of both Principal Components Analysis (82.7% total variance) and Principal-Axis Factor Analysis (74.1% total variance). The four factors were designated as follows: Factor I, with large loadings from L, K, and S—underreporting of psychologicalsymptoms; Factor II, with large loadings from FBS, RBS, and Md—overreporting of neurotic symptoms; Factor III, with large loadings from VSVT, TOMM, and LMT—insufficient cognitive effort; and Factor IV, with the largest loadings from F, Fp, and Dsr2—overreporting of psychotic/rarely endorsed symptoms. Results reflect the heterogeneity of response validity in forensic samples referred for neuropsychological evaluation. Administration of both cognitive effort measures and psychological validity scales is imperative to accurate forensic neuropsychological assessment. (JINS, 2007, 13, 440–449.

Use of MMPI-2 to Predict Cognitive Effort: A Hierarchically Optimal Classification Tree Analysis

Neuropsychologists routinely rely on response validity measures to evaluate the authenticity of test performances. However, the relationship between cognitive and psychological response validity measures is not clearly understood. It remains to be seen whether psychological test results can predict the outcome of response validity testing in clinical and civil forensic samples. The present analysis applied a unique statistical approach, classification tree methodology (Optimal Data Analysis: ODA), in a sample of 307 individuals who had completed the MMPI-2 and a variety of cognitive effort measures. One hundred ninety-eight participants were evaluated in a secondary gain context, and 109 had no identifiable secondary gain. Through recurrent dichotomous discriminations, ODA provided optimized linear decision trees to classify either sufficient effort (SE) or insufficient effort (IE) according to various MMPI-2 scale cutoffs. After “pruning” of an initial, complex classification tree, the Response Bias Scale (RBS) took precedence in classifying cognitive effort. After removing RBS from the model, Hy took precedence in classifying IE. The present findings provide MMPI-2 scores that may be associated with SE and IE among civil litigants and claimants, in addition to illustrating the complexity with which MMPI-2 scores and effort test results are associated in the litigation context. (JINS, 2008, 14, 842–852.

Array-Based FMR1 Sequencing and Deletion Analysis in Patients with a Fragile X Syndrome–Like Phenotype

Background: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by loss of function mutations in the FMR1 gene. Trinucleotide CGG-repeat expansions, resulting in FMR1 gene silencing, are the most common mutations observed at this locus. Even though the repeat expansion mutation is a functional null mutation, few conventional mutations have been identified at this locus, largely due to the clinical laboratory focus on the repeat tract. Methodology/Principal Findings: To more thoroughly evaluate the frequency of conventional mutations in FXS-like patients, we used an array-based method to sequence FMR1 in 51 unrelated males exhibiting several features characteristic of FXS but with normal CGG-repeat tracts of FMR1. One patient was identified with a deletion in FMR1, but none of the patients were found to have other conventional mutations. Conclusions/Significance: These data suggest that missense mutations in FMR1 are not a common cause of the FXS phenotype in patients who have normal-length CGG-repeat tracts. However, screening for small deletions of FMR1 may be of clinically utility