Viking GC/MS mechanisms design and performance

The Viking Lander gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer will analyze pyrolyzed samples of the Martian surface for organic content. The surface-sample loader and pyrolyzer assembly (SSPLA) is described, along with the major problems encountered during design and testing. Three mechanisms were developed to implement the required SSLPA functions: (1) a soil loader that forces soil from a filled rotating funnel into each of three ovens located on a carriage, (2) a Geneva drive for rotating and precisely indexing the ovens to receive sample, and (3) a toggle-clamp mechanism for sealing the ovens by forcing circular double knife edges into gold sealing surfaces

Using the PSIC Model to Understand Change in an Educational Setting: The Case of an E-Textbook Implementation

This paper reports on an analysis of the change caused by an e-textbook implementation in a school in South Africa. The PSIC model, a change model from ICT enabled change in organisations, was considered because it affirms existing educational research, but also extends it by recognising the episodic nature of change. On a vertical level the model allowed the researchers to identify and distinguish between the factors and events influencing change in the organisation on four different levels. On a horizontal level, the model makes the disequilibrium between the socio-technical system components visible as they happen over time. Data was collected during an interpretive case study and analysed using the PSIC model. It is found that, despite the preparatory events leading to the full roll out, as well as the positive affordances of the new technology, the equilibrium of the socio-technical components of the work system was severely disrupted. The technology infrastructure did not support the e-textbook systems and more than one system was implemented which caused confusion. Teachers’ experienced that support for teachers and learners was not sufficient and that the e-textbooks did not support the learning and teaching task. Consequently, the researchers suggested some interventions of which some have already been implemented

Understanding the influence of teachers’ beliefs and professional dispositions on technology use in South African secondary schools before and during COVID

Those advocating for technology integration within education claim that teachers need to reform their pedagogic practices to make learning more engaging and relevant. While educational technology researchers claim teachers are primarily responsible for these failures, it seems teachers do not embrace technology unquestionably. This paper aims to develop an understanding of how teachers’ beliefs and professional dispositions (PDs) influence technology use within different social and educational contexts. A set of three interviews were conducted at four South African secondary schools with vastly different social contexts, over different periods of time (before and during COVID) with cross-case analyses. Findings show that the provision of technology does not guarantee integration as use varies amongst teachers within technology-rich schools, with teachers who hold more positive Internal Beliefs (IBs) of technology not only focusing less on External Structure (ES) barriers, but also utilising technology in more varied ways, even to enhance and transform their pedagogic practices. Furthermore, teachers’ PDs seem to exist on a continuum and do not appear to be the sole influencer of technology use, with the context alongside the school’s technology policy and related technology structures influencing teachers’ IBs and resulting technology use. In addition, while mandatory use of technology during COVID led to more positive IBs as teachers understood the value of the technology, this only appears to be true if external structures (ESs) supported the learners as well. Moreover, all teachers expressed their belief that technology is no replacement for face-to-face teaching. Finally, the rich data from the interviews underlined the intricacies of factors influencing the use of technology in classrooms, indicating a need for a meta-theory to gain a holistic understanding of technology use by teachers.http://www.easychair.org/publications/EPiC/Computingam2023Informatic

The perception of South African parents on the use of technology in schools

Parents are recognized as an important group of stakeholders to take into account when implementing technology in schools. However, very little research has considered the parent’s view in the learning development of his/her child, when introducing technology. This paper addresses this gap by presenting the findings of an inductive study to improve the understanding of parents’ perception on the adoption of technology in their child’s learning environment. A qualitative study was done with data gathered through an online anonymous questionnaire containing open-ended questions. The questionnaire was distributed on parents’ communication platforms. The data indicated that the introduction of technology has caused concern amongst parents. The parents sensed that their children’s (inter alia) academic goals, neurological development, competency in computer usage and health, are affected by the introduction of technology. They experienced an increase in difficulty to monitor learning; some children find it more difficult to study and that children are easily distracted. The parents managed these interferences by amongst others acquiring hard copy textbooks; adjusting the way they monitor homework and agreeing to trust their children rather than attempting to monitor everything. The findings illustrate the importance of involving parents in the technology implementation process because of their close involvement in the academic development of their children (especially primary school children).http://link.springer.combookseries/5582018-08-13hj2017Informatic

Interferon β-1a in relapsing multiple sclerosis: four-year extension of the European IFNβ-1a Dose-C omparison Study

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease requiring long-term monitoring of treatment. Objective: To assess the four-year clinical efficacy of intramuscular (IM) IFNb-1a in patients with relapsing MS from the European IFNb-1a Dose-C omparison Study. Methods: Patients who completed 36 months of treatment (Part 1) of the European IFNb-1a Dose-C omparison Study were given the option to continue double-blind treatment with IFNb-1a 30 mcg or 60 mcg IM once weekly (Part 2). Analyses of 48-month data were performed on sustained disability progression, relapses, and neutralizing antibody (NA b) formation. Results: O f 608/802 subjects who completed 36 months of treatment, 493 subjects continued treatment and 446 completed 48 months of treatment and follow-up. IFNb-1a 30 mcg and 60 mcg IM once weekly were equally effective for up to 48 months. There were no significant differences between doses over 48 months on any of the clinical endpoints, including rate of disability progression, cumulative percentage of patients who progressed (48 and 43, respectively), and annual relapse rates; relapses tended to decrease over 48 months. The incidence of patients who were positive for NAbs at any time during the study was low in both treatment groups. Conclusion: C ompared with 60-mcg IM IFNb-1a once weekly, a dose of 30 mcg IM IFNb-1a once weekly maintains the same clinical efficacy over four years

The effect of adventure-based experiential learning on personal effectiveness of adolescents

The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of Adventure-based Experiential Learning (AEL) in developing the personal effectiveness of adolescents. Twenty three adolescents, currently enrolled in a post-matriculation development centre were studied. The study consisted of an experimental (n=12) and control group (n=11). The experimental group participated in a five day low risk AEL programme in an urban setting. The Review of Personal Effectiveness with Locus of Control (ROPELOC) instrument developed and piloted by Richards, Ellis and Neill (2002) was used to measure 14 constructs related to personal effectiveness. The ROPELOC was administered in the form of pre and post-tests for both groups. Pre-posttest effect sizes showed that the experimental group experienced high significant (d.0.80) development in four areas and medium (d.0.50) development in nine areas of personal development, compared to one medium effect size for the control group. The results from this study compare favourably with the benchmark effect size for AEL of 0.40 as suggested by Neill (2003) with an average effect size of 0.61. Based on these results it is concluded that AEL programme could be used to effectively improve personal effectiveness among adolescents

Analgesic Therapy with the Opioids Fentanyl and Morphine by Ambulance Personnel in Rural Areas: An Observational Study Over 7 Years

Olga Scharonow,1 Signe Vilcane,2 Christian Weilbach,2 Maximilian Scharonow2 1Department of Internal Medicine, St. Josefs-Hospital Cloppenburg (Academic Teaching Hospital of the MHH Hannover), Cloppenburg, Germany; 2Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, St. Josefs-Hospital Cloppenburg (Academic Teaching Hospital of the MHH Hannover), Cloppenburg, GermanyCorrespondence: Maximilian Scharonow, Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, St. Josefs-Hospital Cloppenburg (Academic Teaching Hospital of the MHH Hannover), Krankenhausstrasse 13, Cloppenburg, 49661, Germany, Email [email protected]: The treatment of severe pain is one of the basic procedures of emergency medicine. In rural regions, longer arrival times of the emergency doctor prevent the earliest possible treatment of pain. Since 2014, a project for independent analgesia by ambulance personnel has been introduced in our ambulance service area.Methods: Over a period of 7 years the mission protocols were recorded and statistically evaluated within the framework of an observational study. Among other things, the attendance and transport times, vital signs, pain level, symptom groups (body region) and classification according to disease or accident mechanism were recorded. Treatment data by medication, including dosages, were recorded for fentanyl (monotherapy), morphine (monotherapy) and a combination (change from morphine to fentanyl, additional application of esketamine, metamizole or butylscopolamine).Results: In 659 patients, the opioids fentanyl and morphine were used by the ambulance staff, 596 data sets could be evaluated. When an emergency physician was requested, the average time of presence at the scene was 34.8 +- 11.7 min, in cases of unavailability it was 29.0 +-9.8 min (p< 0.0001). Analgesic therapy resulted in a reduction of pain from NRS 8.4 (+-1.3) to NRS 3.5 +-1.8 (p< 0.0001). Pain intensity after treatment by emergency paramedics compared to emergency physicians was not significantly different with NRS 3.5 +- 1.7 versus NRS 3.6 +-1.9 (p=0.788). Fentanyl was used at a mean dose of 0.18mg +- 0.11 and morphine at a mean dose of 4.4mg +- 3.6mg. There was no clinically relevant decrease in oxygen saturation or respiratory rate in any of the treatment groups. Antagonisation of the opioid effect with naloxone was not necessary in any case.Conclusion: Analgesia with morphine and fentanyl by specially trained ambulance personnel according to defined rules of use is a safe and necessary procedure for patients, especially in rural regions.Keywords: prehospital, analgesia, opioids, paramedic

Project for the introduction of prehospital analgesia with fentanyl and morphine administered by specially trained paramedics in a rural service area in Germany

Maximilian Scharonow,1 Timo Alberding,2 Wolfgang Oltmanns,2 Christian Weilbach1 1Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, St Josefs-Hospital, 2Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Kreisverb&auml;nde, Cloppenburg, Germany Background: In patients with serious illness or trauma, reduction of severe pain is a key therapeutic goal of emergency medical service (EMS) teams. In Germany, only physicians are allowed to use opioid analgesics. In the rural EMS area studied, the mean arrival time for paramedics is 8 minutes, 23 seconds, and for the rescue physician between 10 minutes, 30 seconds and 16 minutes, 59 seconds, depending on EMS site. In cases of parallel callouts, rescue-physician arrival times may be considerably longer.Objective: During this project, we assessed the administration of the opioid analgesics morphine and fentanyl by specially trained paramedics with regard to analgesia quality and patient safety.Materials and methods: During the 18-month study period, specially trained paramedics administered morphine or fentanyl to patients with severe pain if indicated and if a rescue physician was not available in time. Besides basic documentation, pain intensity (using a numeric rating scale) and oxygen saturation were measured initially and at hospital handover.Results: During the 18 months, 4,285 emergency callouts were attended to by the 13 specially trained paramedics of the district (total callouts during this period 21,423). In 77 patients (1.8%), fentanyl (n=53/68.8%) or morphine (n=24/31.2%) was administered. Based on the measurements obtained with the numeric rating scale at the start of treatment (7.9) and upon hospital handover (3.3), pain reduction was 4.52 overall (41.5%, P&lt;0.001): 4.64 with fentanyl (42.9%, P&lt;0.001) and 4.25 with morphine (43.2%, P&lt;0.001). None of the patients had an oxygen saturation &lt;95% at the time of handover, and no patient developed opioid-induced respiratory depression requiring treatment.Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the administration of opioid analgesics by specially trained and qualified paramedics is safe and effective. Keywords: prehospital analgesia, paramedics, fentanyl, morphin