Chapter 7- The Crucial Role and Responsibilities of the Mentoring Program Coordinator

Mentoring is a crucial part of personal and professional development in practically any environment, including higher education, industry, and private institutions, though the nature and methods of such mentoring may vary as much as the organizations themselves. Because institutions differ so much in their structures and needs, it is important that a dedicated program coordinator be assigned to define mentoring and spearhead the construction, implementation, assessment, and evaluation of any institutional mentoring program. This program coordinator should have enthusiasm for mentoring, effectively communicate program goals, and provide the training and resources necessary to implement an efficient mentoring model. Coordinators should also direct the assessment and evaluation process and make changes, as needed, to promote quality results. This chapter will explain this process in detail, outlining the characteristics and duties of the ideal mentoring program coordinator and some ideas for evaluating and supporting that individual. We will also detail the six phases of designing, executing, evaluating, funding, and sustaining a successful program, followed by suggestions for future research and ultimate conclusions

BOTPPI, a New Wittig Salt Used in the Synthesis of 12-(S)-Hydroxy-Eicosatetraenoic Acid [12-(S)-HETE]

An efficient route to (Z)-(8-benzyloxy-8-oxooct-3-en-1-yl)triphenylphosphonium iodide, or BOTPPI, is disclosed, complete with full experimental details, NMR spectra, and HRMS data. BOTPPI serves as a surrogate for (Z)-(8-methoxy-8-oxooct-3-en-1-yl)triphenylphosphonium iodide, or MOTPPI, a Wittig salt previously used in two 12-HETE syntheses. BOTPPI has the advantage over MOTPPI of being derived from a sequence for which every intermediate is UV-active and amenable to large-scale chromatographic purification. A formal asymmetric total synthesis of 12-(S)-HETE is also reported, involving a stereoselective phase-transfer catalyzed (PTC) alkylation in its key step

A Search for a Sub-Earth Sized Companion to GJ 436 and a Novel Method to Calibrate Warm Spitzer IRAC Observations

We discovered evidence for a possible additional 0.75 R_Earth transiting planet in the NASA EPOXI observations of the known M dwarf exoplanetary system GJ 436. Based on an ephemeris determined from the EPOXI data, we predicted a transit event in an extant Spitzer Space Telescope 8 micron data set of this star. Our subsequent analysis of those Spitzer data confirmed the signal of the predicted depth and at the predicted time, but we found that the transit depth was dependent on the aperture used to perform the photometry. Based on these suggestive findings, we gathered new Warm Spitzer Observations of GJ 436 at 4.5 microns spanning a time of transit predicted from the EPOXI and Spitzer 8 micron candidate events. The 4.5 micron data permit us to rule out a transit at high confidence, and we conclude that the earlier candidate transit signals resulted from correlated noise in the EPOXI and Spitzer 8 micron observations. In the course of this investigation, we developed a novel method for correcting the intrapixel sensitivity variations of the 3.6 and 4.5 micron channels of the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) instrument. We demonstrate the sensitivity of Warm Spitzer observations of M dwarfs to confirm sub-Earth sized planets. Our analysis will inform similar work that will be undertaken to use Warm Spitzer observations to confirm rocky planets discovered by the Kepler mission.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in PAS

Automatisering og omkostningsudvikling inden for godstransport

Udviklingen inden for automatisering kan give muligheder for omkostningsreduktioner inden for godstransporten, der på sigt både kan påvirke efterspørgslen efter godstransport på vej og den hastighed, hvormed transportørerne tager de nye muligheder i brug. Vejdirektoratet har derfor i samarbejde med Moe|Tetraplan gennemført en analyse af scenarier for platooning og automatisering og deres betydning for godstransport-omkostningerne. Interview med repræsentanter fra DTL, ITD, Volvo, Scania, Teknologisk Institut samt en række vognmænd udgør en del af grundlaget for rapporten. Platooning-teknologien skønnes generelt, at være tæt på at kunne anvendes i praksis, og kan i første omgang reducere brændstofforbruget med mellem 5 og 10% pr. km for lastbiler der kører på motorvej. Den bedste case for reduktioner er med ens lastbiler i platoon. Ved forskellige lastbiler i samme platoon bliver reduktionen mindre. Brændstofforbruget udgør imidlertid kun ca. 24% af de samlede kørselsomkostninger. Den samlede reduktion af kørselsomkostninger pr km på motorvej er derfor kun i størrelsesordenen 2% (se figur). Omkostningsreduktioner ved kørsel i platoons er derfor nært knyttet til mulighederne for, at chauffører kan holde deres korte hvil i lastbilen, imens den kører i platoon (omkostningsreduktion: 7%), at chauffører kan undværes i følgelastbiler (omkostningsreduktion: 29%), eller at der kan køres uden chauffører (fuld automatisering, omkostningsreduktion: 44%). Dannelse af platoons forventes at kunne ske i flow på motorvej baseret på kommunikation mellem køretøjer. Der er således ikke et behov for egentlige opkoblingspladser. I det omfang platoons kører, delvist uden chauffører, vil der dog opstå et behov for mødesteder for platoons og chauffører, før der kan køres videre med lastbilerne på mindre veje. Tilsvarende kan kørsel delvist uden chauffører stille nye krav til rasteanlæg, der bør have plads til indkørsel og parkering af tre sammenkoblede lastbiler. Platooning skønnes alene at være en mulighed på motorveje, hvor der er bedst plads til de store enheder, få koter og kurver hvilket gør det lettere at holde en platoon samlet, og høje hastigheder der øger betydningen af platooning for brændstofbesparelser. Det skønnes først og fremmest at være på lange ture ved høj hastighed at der er mulighed for at opnå gevinster fra det reducerede brændstofforbrug. Det er derfor først og fremmest relevant, for lastbiler der kører i international trafik. Den internationale lastbiltrafik skønnes at køre knap 400 mio. km om året på danske veje og kan dermed stå for en større andel, af de 1,2 mia. lastbil-km der kører på motorvejene. Betydningen af platooning for trafikken vil dog afhænge af udbredelseshastigheden. Her vil det formentligt spille en stor rolle at gevinsterne for vognmændene vil afhænge af kørselsbehovene og mulighederne for at kombinere dem til større platoons uden at møde nye omkostninger/ulemper i form af forsinkelser/ventetid el lign. Begrænsede omkostningsreduktioner fra mindre brug af brændstof ved kørsel i platoons skønnes at udgøre en barriere for udbredt anvendelse af platooning på kort sigt. Omkostningerne ved teknologien er dog endnu ikke kendte, og mulighederne for besparelser vil være stærkt afhængige af den enkelte vognmands kørsels-sammensætning. Besparelser på hviletider eller chaufførlønninger ved platooning vil gøre det mere attraktivt, men forudsætter ændringer af køre-hviletids bestemmelser eller tilladelse til kørsel uden chauffører i platoonens følgelastbiler. Figuren viser reduktion af omkostninger pr. km i forskellige scenarier for platooning og automatisering af godskørslen. Beregningerne tager udgangspunkt i kørsel med 40 ton sættevognskombination, danske chaufførlønninger og en gennemsnitligt brændstofbesparelse på 7% ved platooning

Flipped Learning in Synchronously-Delivered, Geographically-Dispersed General Chemistry Classrooms

In synchronously-delivered, multi-site classrooms, the physical separation between distance students and instructors may create a perceived divide that negatively affects learning. Building on prior experience in flipping organic chemistry in single-site face-to-face (F2F) classes, we decided to extend our approach to multi-site, synchronously-delivered general chemistry courses. Our thought was to narrow the perceived instructor-student divide in distance teaching by using the flexible in-class time that flipping affords to increase the number of positive teacher/distance-student interactions. In this effort, we gradually developed a technique called “bridging questions,” through which the instructor becomes more familiar with student interests and then connects those interests to chemistry topics discussed in class. Despite anticipating overall positive results, actual consequences were mixed: after flipping the class, evaluation scores and positive feedback increased slightly. However, the mean final exam scores decreased for F2F students by 26.2%, but increased for distance students by 4.4% (not statistically significant). Thus, this new approach (flipping with bridging questions) may have unintentionally skewed our focus to distance students, though this conclusion is speculative. (We acknowledge statistical limitations, due to small sample sizes.) We accordingly advocate proactive efforts to balance engagement between both F2F and distance sites. In this paper we also discuss modifications we made to adapt our flipped format to multi-site, synchronously-delivered freshman chemistry courses, as well as the basic idea of bridging questions in general

Redshifts and Velocity Dispersions of Galaxy Clusters in the Horologium-Reticulum Supercluster

We present 118 new optical redshifts for galaxies in 12 clusters in the Horologium-Reticulum supercluster (HRS) of galaxies. For 76 galaxies, the data were obtained with the Dual Beam Spectrograph on the 2.3m telescope of the Australian National University at Siding Spring Observatory. After combining 42 previously unpublished redshifts with our new sample, we determine mean redshifts and velocity dispersions for 13 clusters, in which previous observational data were sparse. In six of the 13 clusters, the newly determined mean redshifts differ by more than 750 km/s from the published values. In the case of three clusters, A3047, A3109, and A3120, the redshift data indicate the presence of multiple components along the line of sight. The new cluster redshifts, when combined with other reliable mean redshifts for clusters in the HRS, are found to be distinctly bi-modal. Furthermore, the two redshift components are consistent with the bi-modal redshift distribution found for the inter-cluster galaxies in the HRS by Fleenor et al. (2005).Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, Accepted to A

Color singlet suppression of quark-gluon plasma formation

The rate of quark-gluon plasma droplet nucleation in superheated hadronic matter is calculated within the MIT bag model. The requirements of color singletness and (to less extent) fixed momentum suppress the nucleation rate by many orders of magnitude, making thermal nucleation of quark-gluon plasma droplets unlikely in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions if the transition is first order and reasonably described by the bag model.Comment: 9 pages, 3 ps figures. To appear in PhysRevC (April 1996

MicroRNAs in cardiac arrhythmia: DNA sequence variation of MiR-1 and MiR-133A in long QT syndrome.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a genetic cardiac condition associated with prolonged ventricular repolarization, primarily a result of perturbations in cardiac ion channels, which predisposes individuals to life-threatening arrhythmias. Using DNA screening and sequencing methods, over 700 different LQTS-causing mutations have been identified in 13 genes worldwide. Despite this, the genetic cause of 30-50% of LQTS is presently unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (∼ 22 nucleotides) noncoding RNAs which post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding complementary sequences within messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The human genome encodes over 1800 miRNAs, which target about 60% of human genes. Consequently, miRNAs are likely to regulate many complex processes in the body, indeed aberrant expression of various miRNA species has been implicated in numerous disease states, including cardiovascular diseases. MiR-1 and MiR-133A are the most abundant miRNAs in the heart and have both been reported to regulate cardiac ion channels. We hypothesized that, as a consequence of their role in regulating cardiac ion channels, genetic variation in the genes which encode MiR-1 and MiR-133A might explain some cases of LQTS. Four miRNA genes (miR-1-1, miR-1-2, miR-133a-1 and miR-133a-2), which encode MiR-1 and MiR-133A, were sequenced in 125 LQTS probands. No genetic variants were identified in miR-1-1 or miR-133a-1; but in miR-1-2 we identified a single substitution (n.100A> G) and in miR-133a-2 we identified two substitutions (n.-19G> A and n.98C> T). None of the variants affect the mature miRNA products. Our findings indicate that sequence variants of miR-1-1, miR-1-2, miR-133a-1 and miR-133a-2 are not a cause of LQTS in this cohort

Eclipsing binaries in the open cluster Ruprecht 147. II: EPIC 219568666

We report our spectroscopic monitoring of the detached, grazing, and slightly eccentric 12 day double-lined eclipsing binary EPIC 219568666 in the old nearby open cluster Ruprecht 147. This is the second eclipsing system to be analyzed in this cluster, following our earlier study of EPIC 219394517. Our analysis of the radial velocities combined with the light curve from the K2 mission yields absolute masses and radii for EPIC 219568666 of M₁ = 1.121 ± 0.013 M☉ and R₁ = 1.1779 ± 0.0070 R☉ for the F8 primary and M₂ = 0.7334 ± 0.0050 M☉ and R₂ = 0.640 ± 0.017 R☉ for the faint secondary. Comparison with current stellar evolution models calculated for the known metallicity of the cluster points to a primary star that is oversized, as is often seen in active M dwarfs, but this seems rather unlikely for a star of its mass and with a low level of activity. Instead, we suspect a subtle bias in the radius ratio inferred from the photometry, despite our best efforts to avoid it, which may be related to the presence of spots on one or both stars. The radius sum for the binary, which bypasses this possible problem, indicates an age of 2.76 ± 0.61 Gyr, which is in good agreement with a similar estimate from the binary in our earlier study