1,084 research outputs found
New reaction conditions for the synthesis of Wieland-Miescher ketone
Natural products chemistry is a very important field of chemistry to chemists, biochemists, and biologists. The ability to synthesize a naturally occurring chemical in the laboratory is necessary for some experiments. Often it is difficult to isolate a large quantity of a compound from its natural source when needed for certain experiments. Established procedures for artificial synthesis of this compound can produce higher yields. Sometimes, the function of a natural product is tested by observing the behavior of analogues in the same biological system. The differences in behavior can be related to differences in structure . Since such analogues are not produced naturally, they have to be synthesized in the lab. The goals of natural products chemistry are to increase available quantity and to provide possible methods for variation
Assessing the quality of a student-generated question repository
We present results from a study that categorizes and assesses the quality of
questions and explanations authored by students, in question repositories
produced as part of the summative assessment in introductory physics courses
over the past two years. Mapping question quality onto the levels in the
cognitive domain of Bloom's taxonomy, we find that students produce questions
of high quality. More than three-quarters of questions fall into categories
beyond simple recall, in contrast to similar studies of student-authored
content in different subject domains. Similarly, the quality of
student-authored explanations for questions was also high, with approximately
60% of all explanations classified as being of high or outstanding quality.
Overall, 75% of questions met combined quality criteria, which we hypothesize
is due in part to the in-class scaffolding activities that we provided for
students ahead of requiring them to author questions.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figure
'Baptism of Fire': The First Year in the Life of a Newly Qualified Social Worker.
This paper describes research commissioned by Skills for Care South West to identify and track the learning and development needs of newly qualified social workers through their first year of employment. The perceptions of 22 newly qualified social workers based in statutory settings are reported concerning the effectiveness of the social work degree (England), their induction and probationary periods and their progress towards post-qualifying social work education as part of their continuing professional development. The perspectives of line managers, people who use services and carers are also discussed. Findings from the research suggest that the social work degree has been well received by most newly qualified social workers and highlights the perceived importance of a statutory placement for social work degree students. Key social work practice skills that require further development are identified and a rationale is presented for greater investment in the induction and probationary periods of newly qualified social workers
The effect of topology on the structure and free energy landscape of DNA kissing complexes
We use a recently developed coarse-grained model for DNA to study kissing
complexes formed by hybridization of complementary hairpin loops. The binding
of the loops is topologically constrained because their linking number must
remain constant. By studying systems with linking numbers -1, 0 or 1 we show
that the average number of interstrand base pairs is larger when the topology
is more favourable for the right-handed wrapping of strands around each other.
The thermodynamic stability of the kissing complex also decreases when the
linking number changes from -1 to 0 to 1. The structures of the kissing
complexes typically involve two intermolecular helices that coaxially stack
with the hairpin stems at a parallel four-way junction
Bulk phase behaviour of binary hard platelet mixtures from density functional theory
We investigate isotropic-isotropic, isotropic-nematic and nematic-nematic
phase coexistence in binary mixtures of circular platelets with vanishing
thickness, continuous rotational degrees of freedom and radial size ratios
up to 5. A fundamental measure density functional theory, previously
used for the one-component model, is proposed and results are compared against
those from Onsager theory as a benchmark. For the system
displays isotropic-nematic phase coexistence with a widening of the biphasic
region for increasing values of . For size ratios , we
find demixing into two nematic states becomes stable and an
isotropic-nematic-nematic triple point can occur. Fundamental measure theory
gives a smaller isotropic-nematic biphasic region than Onsager theory and
locates the transition at lower densities. Furthermore, nematic-nematic
demixing occurs over a larger range of compositions at a given value of
than found in Onsager theory. Both theories predict the same
topologies of the phase diagrams. The partial nematic order parameters vary
strongly with composition and indicate that the larger particles are more
strongly ordered than the smaller particles
Identifying and Analyzing Determinants of Allocated Revenue to NCAA FBS Athletic Departments
Beyond Landscape’s Visible Realm:Recorded sound, nature and wellbeing
This article draws on an AHRC/EPSRC funded project called ‘A Sense of Place: Exploring nature and wellbeing through the non-visual senses’. The project used sound and smell technologies, as well as material textures and touch, to ask: what does ‘wellbeing’ mean for people in relation to the non-visual aspects of nature, and how might technology play a role in promoting it (if at all)? This article takes recorded sound as a case study. It argues that recorded soundscapes should be understood on their own terms rather than as ‘less than’ or a simulation of natural environments. They have specific value in creating space for imagination, particularly when delivered with care and as part of the co-creation of sensory experience. Overall, the article argues that the value of emerging immersive technologies is not to simulate nature better. An ‘immersive experience’ is richest when it allows for – and reveals – the nuances and complexities of individual responses to natural environments
- …