Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction

Outlines criteria and recommendations for state policies on providing mentoring support for new teachers and administrators, including universality, program standards on design and operation, mentor quality, program delivery, funding, and accountability

Domain wall behaviour in ferromagnetic nanowires with interfacial and geometrical structuring

The magnetic behaviour in nanoscale structures is of great interest for the fundamental understanding of magnetisation processes and also has importance for wide ranging technological applications. This thesis examines mechanisms for the enhanced control of domain walls in these structures via focussed ion beam modifications to magnetic nanowires and through the inclusion of periodic geometrical modifications to the nanowires geometry. A detailed investigation into the effect of focussed ion beam irradiation on the structure of NiFe/Au bilayers was performed through x-ray reflectivity and fluorescence techniques. This analysis revealed the development of interfacial intermixing with low dose irradiation. This is associated with complex changes of the magnetic behaviour including a rapid decrease, followed by a recovery of the saturation magnetisation with low dose irradiation. This behaviour is attributed to changes in the local environment of the atoms at the interface; resulting in modifications to the magnetic moment on Ni and Fe. The development of an induced moment on Au and a change in the spin-orbit interaction is also suggested. Localised control of the magnetic properties in nanowires demonstrates the ability to manipulate domain walls in these structures. Here, irradiated regions provide pinning sites where the width and dose of the irradiated region give control over the pinning potential. The inclusion edge modulation to nanowires geometry provides additional control over their magnetic behaviour. The direct magnetisation reversal field of these structures is explained by an analytical model based on the torque on the spins following the modulated wire geometry. This model is scalable for different modulation parameters and combines with the effect of localised regions of orthogonal anisotropy along the wire; explaining the reversal behaviour over the entire parameter space. Domain wall mediated reversal in modulated wires was also investigated in these structures. The inclusion of modulation shows an improvement in dynamic properties by the suppression of Walker breakdown. This is due to the relationship between geometrical modulations and the periodicity of micromagnetic domain wall structural changes during the Walker breakdown process. The combination of this work shows a route to the optimisation of the dynamic properties whilst minimising the detrimental increase in the de-pinning field from the modulation

Observation on a Presentation Given on the Comparative Tax Aspects of Technological Change in Canada and the United States

The Impact of Technological Change in the Canada/U.S. Contex

Observation on a Presentation Given on the Comparative Tax Aspects of Technological Change in Canada and the United States

The Impact of Technological Change in the Canada/U.S. Contex

Gait and cognition: mapping the global and discrete relationships in ageing and neurodegenerative disease

Recent research highlights the association of gait and cognition in older adults but a stronger understanding is needed to discern coincident pathophysiology, patterns of change, examine underlying mechanisms and aid diagnosis. This structured review mapped associations and predictors of gait and cognition in older adults with and without cognitive impairment, and Parkinson's disease. Fifty papers out of an initial yield of 22,128 were reviewed and a model of gait guided analysis and interpretation. Associations were dominated by the pace domain of gait; the most frequently studied domain. In older adults pace was identified as a predictor for cognitive decline. Where comprehensive measurement of gait was conducted, more specific pathological patterns of association were evident highlighting the importance of this approach. This review confirmed a robust association between gait and cognition and argues for a selective, comprehensive measurement approach. Results suggest gait may be a surrogate marker of cognitive impairment and cognitive decline. Understanding the specific nature of this relationship is essential for refinement of diagnostics and development of novel therapies

Terrain Classification from Body-mounted Cameras during Human Locomotion

Abstract—This paper presents a novel algorithm for terrain type classification based on monocular video captured from the viewpoint of human locomotion. A texture-based algorithm is developed to classify the path ahead into multiple groups that can be used to support terrain classification. Gait is taken into account in two ways. Firstly, for key frame selection, when regions with homogeneous texture characteristics are updated, the fre-quency variations of the textured surface are analysed and used to adaptively define filter coefficients. Secondly, it is incorporated in the parameter estimation process where probabilities of path consistency are employed to improve terrain-type estimation. When tested with multiple classes that directly affect mobility a hard surface, a soft surface and an unwalkable area- our proposed method outperforms existing methods by up to 16%, and also provides improved robustness. Index Terms—texture, classification, recursive filter, terrain classification I

Patient attitudes to sternotomy and thoracotomy scars

Young adults with congenital heart defects expressed dissatisfaction with their surgical scar. The impact extended to their social life and ability to form close relationships, and has implications for holistic practice. Presented at Association for European Paediatric Cardiology conference in Munich