Usage, attitudes and workload implications for a Web-based learning environment

At the University of Twente, a locally developed Web-based learning environment called the TeleTOP system is being implemented throughout the university after being first developed and used in the Faculty of Educational Science and Technology, followed by use in the Department of Telematics. Studying the usage choices of instructors with regard to tools offered by the system, as well as the instructors' workload implications and attitudes, is valuable not only for the implementation activities in the rest of the university, but more generally for those studying the impact on educational practice of Web-based learning environments containing course-management tools. This paper reports on a study of thirty-three TeleTOP using instructors from the two faculties at the end of the 1999–2000 academic year. The results show that instructors feel that a major benefit of using the system is that it is a catalyst for a re-evaluation of one's own teaching; many instructors do not make use of the tailoring options; decisions about use of the system and the provision of feedback are based on the current instructional practices of the instructor; and instructors perceive increases in their workload to be a problem (whenin fact the actual amounts of time spent vary considerably and include instructors with minimal investments)

Celts Ancient and Modern: Recent controversies in Celtic Studies

This article reviews the recent conflicts over the Celts largely generated in the field of archaeology, but also affecting some other areas of Celtic Studies.  The debate has been renewed in reaction to the recent exhibitions on The Celts: Art and Identity at the British Museum and the the National Museum of Scotland

University education in archaeology in Britain : an overview

In Britain Archaeology is recognised as an independent academic subject, with a higher level of funding than Arts subjects. There are three levels of degree, the Bachelor, traditionally the entry point into the profession, the Taught Masters (increasingly the entry level), and the PhD. Degrees are considered only part of the training needed by archaeologists, a practical experience working in the profession is equally important. Degrees are increasingly seen as only the start of a process of 'life long learning', and there is a great need to integrate this learning into defined career structures. Given the great variation in expertise needed by different types of archaeologists, a modular approach to the acquisition of skills is being explored by the Institute of Field Archaeologists, which will encompass the courses offered by universities.En el Reino Unido la arqueología está reconocida como una materia académica independiente, con un nivel de subvención mayor que las materias artísticas. Existen tres tipos de titulación, el Bachelor, que ha constituido tradicionalmente la vía de acceso a la profesión, los Taught Masters (que se está conviertiendo de forma creciente en la titulación de acceso profesional), y el Doctorado. Las titulaciones se consideran tan sólo una parte de la formación que necesitan los arqueólogos, ya que una formación práctica es de igual importancia. Las titulaciones tienden a considerarse cada vez más como el inicio de un proceso de formación continua y existe la necesidad de integrar esta formación en carreras estructuradas y definidas. Dada la gran variedad de especializaciones que necesitan los diferentes tipos de arqueólogos, se está ensayando una aproximación modular a la adquisición de habilidades por parte del Intitute of Field Archaeologists, que complementará los cursos ofrecidos por las universidades.Al Regne Unit l'arqueologia està reconeguda com una matèria acadèmica independent amb un grau de subvenció més gran que les matèries artístiques. Existeixen tres tipus de titulació, el Bachelor, que ha constituit tradicionalment la via d'accés a la professió, els Taught Masters (que s'estan convertint de forma creixent en la titulació d'accés professional) i el Doctorat. Les titulacions es consideren tan sols una part de la formació que necessiten els arqueòlegs, ja que una formació pràctica és d'igual importància. Les titulacions tendeixen a considerar-se cada vegada més com l'inici d'un procés de formació continuada i existeix la necessitat d'integrar aquesta formació en carreres estructurades i definides. Donada la gran varietat d'especialitzacions que necessiten els diferents tipus d'arqueòlegs, s'està assajant una aproximació modular a l'adquisició d'habilitats per part de l'Intitute of Field Archaeologists, que complementarà els cursos oferts per les universitats

Post-colonial Antarctica

This chapter explores how postcolonial perspectives have informed and contributed to ‘critical Antarctic studies’. Shortly after Dodds published an essay in Polar Record entitled ‘Post- colonial Antarctica: an emerging engagement’, leading postcolonial theorists posited the ‘The end of post- colonial theory?’ in the journal PMLA (Publications of the Modern Language Association). Lambasting postcolonial theory as irrelevant, parochial and Anglo-centric, 1 their piece captured a powerful current of discontent. But for Robert Young, a leading theorist of post- colonialism and author of field- setting introductions to postcolonial theory and practice, such an obituary seemed out of place and time..

Déchelette’s contribution to Iron Age Studies : theory and practice

Je suggère dans cet article qu’on porte plus d’attention aux approches méthodologiques et théoriques de Joseph Déchelette de l’archéologie. Même s’il a pu être plus un homme de synthèse que d’innovation, il appartient à la période où se développait l’« histoire culturelle » appliquée à la préhistoire. Ses façons d’aborder les problèmes sont très typiques de cette période, par exemple dans ses tentatives de mettre au point un cadre chronologique précis où situer les changements culturels en usant du concept de périodes et de fossiles types, et également dans son usage de cartes de répartition pour localiser des groupes « raciaux » tels que les Celtes et les Ligures. Un problème majeur était d’établir un lien entre les données archéologiques et les classifications d’autres sujets, en particulier la linguistique, même s’il n’alla pas jusqu’aux positions extrêmes de son contemporain Gustav Kossinna dont les idées allaient former la base des développements racistes de la première moitié du xxe siècle.In this paper I suggest that more attention should be paid to Joseph Déchelette’s methodological and theoretical approaches to archaeology. Though he may have been more of a synthesiser than innovator, he belongs to the period when the “Culture History” approach to prehistory was developing. His approaches were very typical of the period, for instance in his attempts to develop a precise chronological framework in which to place cultural changes, using the concept of periods and type fossils, and also in his use of distribution maps to locate “racial” groups such as Celts and Ligurians. One major problem was to correlate archaeological data with classifications in other subjects, especially linguistics, though he never went to the extremes of his contemporary, Gustaf Kossinna whose ideas were to form the basis of the racist approaches of the first half of the 20th century

The measurement of Navier slip on individual nanoparticles in liquid

The Navier slip condition describes the motion of a liquid, relative to a neighboring solid surface, with its characteristic Navier slip length being a constitutive property of the solid-liquid interface. Measurement of this slip length is complicated by its small magnitude, expected in the nanometer range based on molecular simulations. Here, we report an experimental technique that interrogates the Navier slip length on individual nanoparticles immersed in liquid, with sub-nanometer precision. Proof-of-principle experiments on individual, citrate-stabilized, gold nanoparticles in water give a constant slip length of 2.7$\pm$0.6 nm (95% C.I.) - independent of particle size. Achieving this feature of size independence is central to any measurement of this constitutive property, which is facilitated through the use of individual particles of varying radii. This demonstration motivates studies that can now validate the wealth of existing molecular simulation data on slip.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Characterization of Drawn and Undrawn Poly-L-Lactide Films by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is an optically active, biocompatible and biodegradable polymer that has been widely investigated as an artificial cell scaffold material. In its most crystalline form, PLLA is highly anisotropic and is one of the most piezoelectric polymers known. Conversely, amorphous PLLA exhibits little, if any, piezoelectric behavior. Compression molded PLLA films can be endowed with varying amounts of crystalline character and piezoelectricity by uniaxially stretching the polymer in a hot air bath. Understanding the precise crystalline architecture of PLLA that results from tensile drawing is important for constructing cell scaffolds that have highly tailored biodegradation and cell guiding properties. In our work here, we investigate the changes in the thermal properties of PLLA at draw ratios between 1.0 and 5.5 using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallinity of the compression molded undrawn starting material is characterized using X-ray diffraction. Our DSC results show an increase in percent crystallinity with increasing draw up to a draw ratio of 4.0. At greater draw ratios, there is a decrease in the crystalline character exhibited by PLLA

Inertial and viscous flywheel sensing of nanoparticles

Rotational dynamics often challenge physical intuition while enabling unique realizations, from the rotor of a gyroscope that maintains its orientation regardless of the outer gimbals, to a tennis racket that rotates around its handle when tossed face-up in the air. In the context of inertial mass sensing, which can measure mass with atomic precision, rotational dynamics are normally considered a complication hindering measurement interpretation. Here, we exploit the rotational dynamics of a microfluidic device to develop a new modality in inertial resonant sensing. Combining theory with experiments, we show that this modality normally measures the volume of the particle while being insensitive to its density. Paradoxically, particle density only emerges when fluid viscosity becomes dominant over inertia. We explain this paradox via a viscosity-driven, hydrodynamic coupling between the fluid and the particle that activates the rotational inertia of the particle, converting it into a viscous flywheel. This modality now enables the simultaneous measurement of particle volume and mass in fluid, using a single, high-throughput measurement.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures, 12 s. figures, 2 s. table

What is the economic cost of providing an all Wales postpartum haemorrhage quality improvement initiative (OBS Cymru)? A cost-consequences comparison with standard care

Background and Objective: A postpartum haemorrhage quality improvement initiative (the Obstetric Bleeding Strategy for Wales [OBS Cymru]), including about 60,000 maternities, was adopted across Wales (2017–2018). We performed a cost-consequences analysis to inform ongoing provision and wider uptake. Methods: Analysis was based on primary data from the All Wales postpartum haemorrhage database, with a UK National Health Services perspective, a time horizon from delivery until hospital discharge and no discounting. Costs were based on UK published sources with viscoelastic haemostatic assay costs provided by the OBS Cymru national team. Mean costs per eligible patient (postpartum haemorrhage > 1000 mL) were calculated for OBS Cymru, using the early implementation period as a comparator. Modelling allowed comparisons of three scenarios (two predefined and one post hoc) and implementation in different sizes of maternity unit. Results: All analyses demonstrated consistent savings in blood products, critical care and haematology time, and also a reduced occurrence of massive postpartum haemorrhage (> 2500 mL). Incremental postnatal length of stay varied between scenarios, substantially impacting on total costs. Mean incremental cost of OBS Cymru, compared with standard care, across Wales was £18.41 per patient (postpartum haemorrhage > 1000 mL) or − £10.66 if the length of stay was excluded. Modelling a maternity unit of 5000 births per annum, OBS Cymru incurred an incremental cost of £9.53 per patient with postpartum haemorrhage > 1000 mL. Conclusions: OBS Cymru reduces the occurrence of massive postpartum haemorrhage, need for transfusions, quantity of blood products and intensive care. In medium-to-large maternity units (>3000 maternities per annum), the OBS Cymru intervention approaches cost neutrality compared to standard care

The incidence, aetiology, and coagulation management of massive postpartum haemorrhage: a two-year national prospective cohort study

Introduction Between 2017 and 2018 a national quality improvement initiative was introduced incorporating point-of-care viscoelastic haemostatic assays (VHA) to guide blood product transfusion. Laboratory coagulation profiles, use and results of VHA, and administration of blood products were investigated. Methods A two-year prospective cohort study of maternal outcomes of women experiencing massive postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) >1000 mL in Wales. In this study, cases of massive PPH (≥2500 mL and/or ≥5 units red blood cell (RBC) transfusion) were identified. Results Massive PPH occurred in 349 of 60 914 maternities (rate 5.7 per 1000). There were no deaths from PPH. Intensive care unit admission and/or hysterectomy occurred in 34/311 (10.9%) and 16/347 (4.6%), respectively. The leading cause of massive PPH was genital tract trauma (107/349, 30.6%). Two hundred and seventy-nine (80.6%) required RBC transfusion and 79/345 (22.9%) received at least one blood coagulation product. Results of VHA were recorded in 245/349 (70.2%), with 44/98 (44.9%) women tested in the first six months vs 63/77 (81.8%) in the final six months. Hypofibrinogenaemia (Clauss fibrinogen 1.5×reference range in 10/293 (3.4%). Conclusion In Wales, the use of VHA in cases of massive PPH increased over time, enabling clinicians to adopt a targeted, patient-specific approach to blood product administration, with only 22.9% of women receiving blood coagulation products and 17.1% having a documented clotting abnormality