Development of the Web Users Self-Efficacy scale (WUSE)

The aim of this research was to develop a scale that could evaluate an individuals confidence in using the Internet. Web-based resources are becoming increasingly important within higher education and it is therefore vital that students and staff feel confident and competent in the access, provision, and utilisation of these resources. The scale developed here represents an extension of previous research (Cassidy & Eachus, 2002) that developed a measure of self-efficacy in the context of computer use. An iterative approach was used in the development of the Web User Self-Efficacy scale (WUSE) and the participants were recruited from the student body of a large University in the North West of the United Kingdom, and globally via a web site set up for this purpose. Initial findings suggest that the scale has acceptable standards of reliability and validity though work is continuing to refine the scale and improve the psychometric properties of the tool

Creating and validating self-efficacy scales for students

Purpose: student radiographers must possess certain abilities to progress in their training; these can be assessed in various ways. Bandura’s social cognitive theory identifies self-efficacy as a key psychological construct with regard to how people adapt to environments where new skills are developed. Use of this construct is common in health care literature but little has been noted within radiographic literature. The authors sought to develop a self-efficacy scale for student radiographers. Method: the scale was developed following a standard format. An initial pool of 80 items was generated and psychometric analysis was used to reduce this to 68 items. Radiography students drawn from 7 universities were participants (N=198) in validating the scale. Results: the psychometric properties of the scale were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA), factor analysis and item analysis. ANOVA demonstrated an acceptable level of known group validity: first-year, second-year, and third-year students all scored significantly differently (P=.035) from one another. Factor analysis identified the most significant factor as confidence in image appraisal. The scale was refined using item and factor analysis to produce the final 25-item scale. Conclusion This is the first published domain-specific self-efficacy scale validated specifically for student radiographers. In its current format it may have pedagogical utility. The authors currently are extending the work to add to the scale’s validity and embedding it into student training to assess its predictive value

Tannakian categories, linear differential algebraic groups, and parameterized linear differential equations

We provide conditions for a category with a fiber functor to be equivalent to the category of representations of a linear differential algebraic group. This generalizes the notion of a neutral Tannakian category used to characterize the category of representations of a linear algebraic group.Comment: 26 pages; corrected misprints; simplified Definition 2; more references adde

Tannakian approach to linear differential algebraic groups

Tannaka's Theorem states that a linear algebraic group G is determined by the category of finite dimensional G-modules and the forgetful functor. We extend this result to linear differential algebraic groups by introducing a category corresponding to their representations and show how this category determines such a group.Comment: 31 pages; corrected misprint

Investigation of additives for improvement of adhesive and elastomer performance Final report

Improvement additives for adhesive and elastomer performanc

Whole-cell pertussis vaccine protects against Bordetella pertussis exacerbation of allergic asthma

The prevalence of asthma and allergic disease has increased in many countries and there has been speculation that immunization promotes allergic sensitization. Bordetella pertussis infection exacerbates allergic asthmatic responses. We investigated whether whole-cell pertussis vaccine (Pw) enhanced or prevented B.pertussis induced exacerbation of allergic asthma. Groups of mice were immunized with Pw, infected with B.pertussis and/or sensitized to ovalbumin. Immunological, pathological and physiological changes were measured to assess the impact of Pw immunization on immune deviation and airway function. Pw immunization modulated ovalbumin-specific serum IgE production, and reduced local and systemic IL-13 and other cytokine responses to sensitizing allergen. Histopathological examination revealed Pw immunization reduced the severity of airway pathology and decreased bronchial hyperreactivity to methacholine exposure. Pw does not enhance airway IL-13 and consequently does not enhance but protects against the exacerbation of allergic responses. We find no evidence of Pw contributing to allergic asthma, but rather provide evidence of a mechanism whereby whole-cell pertussis vaccination has a protective role