Efficacy of a Basic Public Speaking Course Delivered via a Virtual Community College

The purposes of this study were to: (a) determine if taking the basic public speaking course in face-to-face, hybrid, and online format statistically significantly reduces public speaking anxiety; (b) determine which course format, if any, reduces public speaking anxiety to the greatest extent; (c) determine if students’ satisfaction with learning is statistically significantly different in the three course formats; (d) determine faculty’s perceptions of students learning in the basic public speaking in the three course formats. Pre- and post-data were collected from 263 participants taking the basic public speaking course in a virtual community college in January 2012 and in May 2012. Predata were collected using McCroskey’s (1982) Personal Report of Public Speaking Anxiety (PRPSA). A post data survey administration included satisfaction questions about participants’ learning experiences in addition to the post-PRPSA. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 53 years, with a mean age of 23.23 years. The majority of the respondents were females, while the two most reported ethnicities were Caucasian and African American. The majority of members reported that they were freshmen. Additionally, 11 of 21participating faculty members (52.4%) completed the faculty perceptions of students learning questionnaire at the end of the Spring 2012 semester. Results of the current study suggest that all course formats statistically significantly reduced public speaking anxiety and that the online course format lowered public speaking anxiety statistically significantly greater when compared to the face-toface format, but perhaps this was due to selection bias, where students who were extremely anxious at baseline self-selected the fully-online course. Also, students in the fully-online course indicated that although their anxiety was reduced, their comfort speaking in front of others, their confidence in public speaking, and their public speaking skills did not improve nearly to the extent that students who took the course in the traditional and hybrid formats reported. The results of the study also indicate that students are significantly more satisfied with the face-to-face course than with the fully-online course and that faculty members deem the face-to-face and hybrid courses to be more efficacious in reaching desired student learning outcomes

As-Yet-Still-Forgiven Past : Dylan Thomas and Nostalgia

Dylan Thomas exhibited a variety of nostalgic influences within his poetry. A careful study of his life will reveal a nostalgia that evolved from adolescent musings upon an ideal past, to a self-destructive urge to return to innocence through death. Thomas incorporates a variety of historical influences within this nostalgia, but his primary influence is ultimately his own tormented past. This study not only focuses on the personal nostalgia of one man, but the variety of ways nostalgia can affect people, history and society as sociological force

When the Balance Isn't Easy: A Case Study Exploring the Complications with Work-Life Balance Initiatives in the Australian Construction Industry

Studies of work and life balance often concentrate on the ways in which employees may require and use flexible work practices to cope with the demands of their other ‘non-work’ activities and responsibilities. This paper adds to our knowledge in this arena through presenting a case study of work-life balance. This case study focuses on managerial and employee issues in implementing organisational work life balance initiatives within the construction industry in Australia. For this case study, the workplace was an ‘alliance’ project, of four collaborating companies undertaking a large infrastructure project. The project management group determined that work-life balance was an important issue within the industry and consequently implemented a five-day instead of the industry standard six-day working week as a balance initiative for the workforce. A range of factors contributed to this five-day week initiative reverting to the original work schedule of a six-day working week. This paper explores these issues and analyses the competing priorities and demands of management in endeavouring to develop alternate strategies to maintain a positive work and life balance for employees. The analysis of this case suggests that management and employees were dedicated to improving work-life balance; however, a range of externalities resulted in not all initiatives being successful. Nevertheless, within the constrained choices, the management group instigated alternate initiatives

Spire stimulates nucleation by Cappuccino and binds both ends of actin filaments.

The actin nucleators Spire and Cappuccino synergize to promote actin assembly, but the mechanism of their synergy is controversial. Together these proteins promote the formation of actin meshes, which are conserved structures that regulate the establishment of oocyte polarity. Direct interaction between Spire and Cappuccino is required for oogenesis and for in vitro synergistic actin assembly. This synergy is proposed to be driven by elongation and the formation of a ternary complex at filament barbed ends, or by nucleation and interaction at filament pointed ends. To mimic the geometry of Spire and Cappuccino in vivo, we immobilized Spire on beads and added Cappuccino and actin. Barbed ends, protected by Cappuccino, grow away from the beads while pointed ends are retained, as expected for nucleation-driven synergy. We found that Spire is sufficient to bind barbed ends and retain pointed ends of actin filaments near beads and we identified Spire's barbed-end binding domain. Loss of barbed-end binding increases nucleation by Spire and synergy with Cappuccino in bulk pyrene assays and on beads. Importantly, genetic rescue by the loss-of-function mutant indicates that barbed-end binding is not necessary for oogenesis. Thus, increased nucleation is a critical element of synergy both in vitro and in vivo

Experimental determination of Apery-like identities for zeta(2n+2)

We document the discovery of two generating functions for the Riemann zeta values zeta(2n+2), analogous to earlier work for zeta(2n+1) and zeta(4n+3). This continues work initiated by Koecher and pursued further by Borwein, Bradley and others.Comment: 15 pages, AMSLaTeX, Proof of Theorem 1 improve

Vibration Isolation System

The Vibration Isolation System Senior Project is a collaborative group project between its sponsor, Maxar Technologies, and a team of students from Cal Poly - SLO to effectively design, manufacture, and test a structural assembly for satellites, isolating vibrations during launch and orbit conditions. After initial sponsor contact, requirements and needs were set which dictated deliverables for the senior project group. The group performed analyses to validate all design decisions, including a modified concept and design direction, selection of a prototype viscoelastic damping material, preliminary testing to validate design specifications, and detailed design and analysis toward a finalized design. Instead of moving forward with the manufacturing and testing as planned, it was necessary to create a modified scope with the necessary items due to the COVID-19 situation. This document contains screenshot from the senior project website found at https://projectexpo.calpoly.edu/2020/vibration-isolation-system/. Screenshots include the project definition, initial designs, background information, final design, analyses and an image gallery. Supplemental videos can also be found on the listed website

Integrating Glenohumeral Range of Motion with Dynamic Postural Control for Early Detection of Elbow Injury Risk in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Prospective Case Series

Introduction: Medial elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries are common in baseball with increased surgical incidence in pitchers. There is no consensus on which modifiable injury risk metrics or performance screening tools to use to identify at risk collegiate baseball pitchers. Current literature on UCL injury risk has focused on local passive glenohumeral rotational motion with limited forays into more global movement patterns. The aim of this study was to assess possible relationships involving UCL injuries and modifiable local and global motor control performance risk factors. Material and Methods: An observational single cohort case series involving 15 collegiate baseball pitchers aimed to elucidate disparitites in glenohumeral active and passive range of motion alongside an assessment of general movement competency and dynamic motor control performance to identify injury risk for the UCL. Preseaon baseline metrics, including the Functional Movement Screen, Upper and Lower Quarter Y Balance Test, and glenohumaral internal and external rotation active, passive, and total arc range of motion were examined. Results: The two pitchers with UCL injury demonstrated less ability to actively move into their available passive rotational range with decreased lower extremity dynamic postural control, but no difference with general movement competency. The pitcher requiring UCL surgical intervention demonstrated even greater excessive passive range compared to the other injured pitcher and a decreased ability to control base of support during the dynamic single-leg balance performance test. Discussion: Participants with UCL injuries exibited noticable deficiencies in baseline active and passive mobility, suggestive of a potential motor control deficit and a compromised ability to fully access available range of motion. Furthermore, diminished performance on the Lower Quarter Y Balance Test identified potential motor control limitations involving a decreased ability to dynamically maintain a base of support. Conclusions: This is the first study designed to identify motor control issues in the both the local shoulder region and global body movement to identify modifiable risk factors for UCL injuries in baseball pitchers. This study may begin to address the gap in the literature by combining modifiable local shoulder range of motion and global balance metrics to identify pitchers at risk for UCL injuries. It underscores the significance of comparing active and passive range of motion in tandem with dynamic postural control assessments to better evaluate the risk of injuries in baseball pitchers. This case series lays the groundwork for future randomized clinical trials to evaluate the utiliity of combining this information

Analysis of Student Vulnerabilities to Phishing

Phishing attacks were responsible for $3.2 billion dollars in losses during 2007 and the number of attacks is increasing daily. According to the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, phishing was the top security threat during the first quarter of 2007, comprising 48% of all reported incidents. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of student awareness related to specific phishing tactics. Findings revealed that while students are unlikely to provide personal information in response to an email request, they can be easily tricked by numerous other tactics. This paper reports the findings of the study in addition to listing suggested points to include in classroom discussions on phishing. Education is the most powerful tool available for combating the growing phishing security threat and student vulnerability

Exploring how occupational therapists and physiotherapists evaluate rehabilitation potential of older people in acute care

Introduction Evaluations of rehabilitation potential are an everyday occurrence, yet the concept is poorly understood and there is a lack of understanding about the reasoning process. This study aimed to explore how occupational therapists and physiotherapists evaluated the rehabilitation potential of older people following an acute hospital admission. Method Focused ethnography was utilised, primarily using observation, interviewing and review of records within one acute medical ward in a general hospital in the United Kingdom. Five patient participants gave consent for their episode of care to be studied, for interactions with professionals to be observed and for their clinical records to be reviewed. Three occupational therapists and two physiotherapists then participated in individual interviews. Findings Thematic analysis of data led to the identification of a four-stage reasoning process. The four stages are as follows: gathering baseline information; provision of curative and supportive interventions; provision and monitoring of rehabilitative interventions; the evaluation of rehabilitation potential and decision about the subsequent pathway. Conclusions The reasoning process illustrates the professional reasoning of occupational therapists and physiotherapists when evaluating rehabilitation potential for older adults in acute care. However, it also highlights vulnerabilities to professional reasoning which may contribute to subjectivity, inconsistency or risk to patients