191 research outputs found
An exploration of metacognition and its interplay with other forms of conscious thought processing in independent learning at tertiary level.
Educators are increasingly required to assist learners not simply with subject content, but with developing metacognitive skills for independent learning, interdisciplinary learning and lifelong learning. However, there is a dearth of research on how metacognitive processing interacts with other forms of processing in authentic, real-world learning environments. In light of this, this study concerned itself with furthering understanding of metacognition, cognition and its interactions with other forms of conscious thought processing within the real-world setting of a Self-Access Learning Centre (SALC) supporting independent learning at tertiary level in Japan.
This study employed a Grounded Theory Methodology, based on a constructivist paradigm, to explore the various forms of processing that occur during independent learning. A sample of 47 students in a Japanese University undertook a range of independent learning tasks individually and/or as part of a group. Verbal protocol analysis, discourse analysis, audio and video recordings were used to record various forms of processing that emerged during the implementation of the tasks within this independent learning context. This data was then subjected to the rigorous process of constant comparison, through which codes were developed, and the categories of processing, the processing sequences and the interplay between thought processes during independent learning were elucidated. As an exploratory study, the findings cannot be considered widely applicable to larger, more diverse learner populations.
The findings have added new knowledge to the fields of metacognition and independent learning by identifying the categories of processing that account for all conscious processing occuring during independent learning. The resultant grounded theory posits that different types of processing, namely, metacognitive, cognitive, affective, physical and off-task processing, interact to influence the learning experience in independent learning. Finally, it postulates that each type of processing is multi-dimensional and that the interactions within and between these processes and the learning experience are non-linear and complex
A Way to Reopen the Window for Electroweak Baryogenesis
We reanalyse the sphaleron bound of electroweak baryogenesis when allowing
deviations to the Friedmann equation. These modifications are well motivated in
the context of brane cosmology where they appear without being in conflict with
major experimental constraints on four-dimensional gravity. While suppressed at
the time of nucleosynthesis, these corrections can dominate at the time of the
electroweak phase transition and in certain cases provide the amount of
expansion needed to freeze out the baryon asymmetry without requiring a
strongly first order phase transition. The sphaleron bound is substantially
weakened and can even disappear so that the constraints on the higgs and stop
masses do not apply anymore. Such modification of cosmology at early times
therefore reopens the parameter space allowing electroweak baryogenesis which
had been reduced substantially given the new bound on the higgs mass imposed by
LEP. In contrast with previous attempts to turn around the sphaleron bound
using alternative cosmologies, we are still considering that the electroweak
phase transition takes place in a radiation dominated universe. The universe is
expanding fast because of the modification of the Friedmann equation itself
without the need for a scalar field and therefore evading the problem of the
decay of this scalar field after the completion of the phase transition and the
risk that its release of entropy dilutes the baryon asymmetry produced at the
transition.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures; v2: minor changes, remark added at end of
section 5 and in caption of figure 1; v3: references added, version to be
publishe
Differential metabolism of deoxyribonucleosides by leukaemic T cells of immature and mature phenotype
Experimental evidence has indicated that T lymphoblasts are more sensitive to deoxynucleoside toxicity than are B lymphoblasts. These data have led to the use of purine enzyme inhibitors as selective chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of T cell malignancies ranging from T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia to cutaneous T cell lymphomas. We have compared the toxicities of 2′-deoxyadenosine, 2′-deoxyguanosine, and thymidine for T cell lines derived from patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia with those for mature T cell lines derived from patients with cutaneous T cell leukaemia/lymphoma. We have found that both deoxynucleosides are far less toxic to the mature T cell lies than to T lymphoblasts and that the mature cells accumulate much lower amounts of dATP and dGTP when exposed to deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine, respectively. Similar studies performed on peripheral blood cells from patients with T cell leukaemias of mature phenotype and on peripheral blood T cells demonstrate similar low amounts of deoxynucleotide accumulation. Measurements of the activities of several purine metabolizing enzymes that participate in deoxynucleoside phosphorylation or degradation do not reveal differences which would explain the toxicity of deoxynucleosides for immature, as compared to mature, T cells. We conclude that deoxynucleoside metabolism in leukaemic T cells varies with their degree of differentiation. These observations may be relevant to the design of chemotherapeutic regimes for T cell malignancies.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72479/1/j.1365-2141.1985.tb04067.x.pd
The Drift Directional Dark Matter Experiments
The current status of the DRIFT (Directional Recoil Identification From Tracks) experiment at Boulby Mine is presented, including the latest limits on the WIMP spin-dependent cross-section from 1.5 kg days of running with a mixture of CS2 and CF4. Planned upgrades to DRIFT IId are detailed, along with ongoing work towards DRIFT III, which aims to be the world's first 10 m3-scale directional Dark Matter detector
Science-Technology-Society (STS): a new paradigm in Science Education
publication-status: Publishedtypes: ArticleChanges in the past two decades of goals for science education in schools have induced new orientations in science education worldwide. One of the emerging complementary approaches was the science-technology-society (STS) movement. STS has been called the current megatrend in science education. Others have called it a paradigm shift for the field of science education. The success of science education reform depends on teachers' ability to integrate the philosophy and practices of current programs of science education reform with their existing philosophy. Thus, when considering the STS approach to science education, teacher beliefs about STS implementation require attention. Without this attention, negative beliefs concerning STS implementation and inquiry learning could defeat the reform movements emphasizing STS. This article argues the role of STS in science education and the importance of considering science teachers' beliefs about STS in implementing significant reforms in science education
Creation and impact of containment units with high-risk zones during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
Background: The rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) required swift preparation to protect healthcare personnel (HCP) and patients, especially considering shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE). Due to the lack of a pre-existing biocontainment unit, we needed to develop a novel approach to placing patients in isolation cohorts while working with the pre-existing physical space. Objectives: To prevent disease transmission to non–COVID-19 patients and HCP caring for COVID-19 patients, to optimize PPE usage, and to provide a comfortable and safe working environment. Methods: An interdisciplinary workgroup developed a combination of approaches to convert existing spaces into COVID-19 containment units with high-risk zones (HRZs). We developed standard workflow and visual management in conjunction with updated staff training and workflows. The infection prevention team created PPE standard practices for ease of use, conservation, and staff safety. Results: The interventions resulted in 1 possible case of patient-to-HCP transmission and zero cases of patient-to-patient transmission. PPE usage decreased with the HRZ model while maintaining a safe environment of care. Staff on the COVID-19 units were extremely satisfied with PPE availability (76.7%) and efforts to protect them from COVID-19 (72.7%). Moreover, 54.8% of HCP working in the COVID-19 unit agreed that PPE monitors played an essential role in staff safety. Conclusions: The HRZ model of containment unit is an effective method to prevent the spread of COVID-19 with several benefits. It is easily implemented and scaled to accommodate census changes. Our experience suggests that other institutions do not need to modify existing physical structures to create similarly protective spaces
Genome-wide association study of serum fructosamine and glycated albumin in adults without diagnosed diabetes: Results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities study
Fructosamine and glycated albumin are potentially useful alternatives to hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) as diabetes biomarkers. The genetic determinants of fructosamine and glycated albumin, however, are unknown. We performed genome-wide association studies of fructosamine and glycated albumin among 2,104 black and 7,647 white participants without diabetes in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study and replicated findings in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Among whites, rs34459162, a novel missense single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in RCN3, was associated with fructosamine (P = 5.3 3 1029) and rs1260236, a known diabetes-related missense mutation in GCKR, was associated with percent glycated albumin (P = 5.9 3 1029) and replicated in CARDIA. We also found two novel associations among blacks: an intergenic SNP, rs2438321, associated with fructosamine (P = 6.2 3 1029), and an intronic variant in PRKCA, rs59443763, associated with percent glycated albumin (P = 4.1 3 1029), but these results did not replicate. Few established fasting glucose or HbA1c SNPs were also associated with fructosamine or glycated albumin. Overall, we found genetic variants associated with the glycemic information captured by fructosamine and glycated albumin as well as with their nonglycemic component. This highlights the importance of examining the genetics of hyperglycemia biomarkers to understand the information they capture, including potential glucose-independent factors
Measurements of long-range near-side angular correlations in TeV proton-lead collisions in the forward region
Two-particle angular correlations are studied in proton-lead collisions at a
nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of TeV, collected
with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The analysis is based on data recorded in
two beam configurations, in which either the direction of the proton or that of
the lead ion is analysed. The correlations are measured in the laboratory
system as a function of relative pseudorapidity, , and relative
azimuthal angle, , for events in different classes of event
activity and for different bins of particle transverse momentum. In
high-activity events a long-range correlation on the near side, , is observed in the pseudorapidity range . This
measurement of long-range correlations on the near side in proton-lead
collisions extends previous observations into the forward region up to
. The correlation increases with growing event activity and is found
to be more pronounced in the direction of the lead beam. However, the
correlation in the direction of the lead and proton beams are found to be
compatible when comparing events with similar absolute activity in the
direction analysed.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and
additional information, are available at
https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-040.htm
Study of the production of and hadrons in collisions and first measurement of the branching fraction
The product of the () differential production
cross-section and the branching fraction of the decay () is
measured as a function of the beauty hadron transverse momentum, ,
and rapidity, . The kinematic region of the measurements is and . The measurements use a data sample
corresponding to an integrated luminosity of collected by the
LHCb detector in collisions at centre-of-mass energies in 2011 and in 2012. Based on previous LHCb
results of the fragmentation fraction ratio, , the
branching fraction of the decay is
measured to be \begin{equation*} \mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/\psi
pK^-)= (3.17\pm0.04\pm0.07\pm0.34^{+0.45}_{-0.28})\times10^{-4},
\end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is
systematic, the third is due to the uncertainty on the branching fraction of
the decay , and the
fourth is due to the knowledge of . The sum of the
asymmetries in the production and decay between and
is also measured as a function of and .
The previously published branching fraction of , relative to that of , is updated.
The branching fractions of are determined.Comment: 29 pages, 19figures. All figures and tables, along with any
supplementary material and additional information, are available at
https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-032.htm
Evidence for the strangeness-changing weak decay
Using a collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity
of 3.0~fb, collected by the LHCb detector, we present the first search
for the strangeness-changing weak decay . No
hadron decay of this type has been seen before. A signal for this decay,
corresponding to a significance of 3.2 standard deviations, is reported. The
relative rate is measured to be
, where and
are the and fragmentation
fractions, and is the branching
fraction. Assuming is bounded between 0.1 and
0.3, the branching fraction would lie
in the range from to .Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, All figures and tables, along with any
supplementary material and additional information, are available at
https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2015-047.htm
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