STUDENTS' EVALUATIONS OF UNIVERSITY TEACHING: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING ANALYSIS

In this paper a Student Satisfaction survey was conducted. The used questionnaire was proposed by a very large Research Group in 2010. The collected data was elaborated by a full reflective Structural Equation Model using PLS path model estimation. The first results showed that the influence of the Organization and Infrastructure on the Student Satisfaction were not statistically significant. Therefore a more complex model was supposed, the end results showed that the influence of Organization and Infrastructure on the SS was indirect, that is the Organization and the Infrastructures exert an influence upon the SS through the Didactics

Slow Diffeomorphisms of a Manifold with Two Dimensions Torus Action

The uniform norm of the differential of the n-th iteration of a diffeomorphism is called the growth sequence of the diffeomorphism. In this paper we show that there is no lower universal growth bound for volume preserving diffeomorphisms on manifolds with an effective two dimensions torus action by constructing a set of volume-preserving diffeomorphisms with arbitrarily slow growth.Comment: 12 p

Alcune considerazioni sull’analisi multidimensionale dei dati nella valutazione dei servizi di day surgery

The evaluation of the quality on the Day Surgery service is an actual problem. The conceptual models proposed in literature allow to collected data of the different nature: ordinal, compositional, and so on. The multidimensional analysis of these data gives more problems and difficulties. Aim of this paper is to think about the mentioned problems as well as to suggest suitable multidimensional methods. Finally, the appropriateness of the inclusion the external information in a customers satisfaction framework is given

Systematic changes of the Nb-Sn reaction with time, temperature and alloying in Restacked-Rod-Process (RRP) Nb3Sn strands

Reaction heat treatments spanning 605 to 750 C and 24 to {approx}400 hours were applied to several sets of RRP strands. Magnetization and transport measurements were used to track the changes of superconducting properties and the amounts of Nb{sub 3}Sn formed. The experiments showed that temperature increases of 15 C produced equivalent properties in half the time within the temperature range 620-680 C. This result was the same whether Ta or Ti was used to alloy the Nb{sub 3}Sn. The bulk pinning force Fp for Ta-alloyed wires displayed a significant drop for temperatures outside the range above, due to tin gradients at low temperatures and grain growth at high temperatures. The F{sub p} drop at high reaction temperatures prevents wire technology from taking advantage of significantly higher Kramer-plot intercept H{sub K} for high-temperature reactions. On the other hand, Ti alloying provides a quick and potent means to increase H{sub K} at reaction temperatures for which F{sub p} remains high

Finite-element-method (FEM) model generation of time-resolved 3D echocardiographic geometry data for mitral-valve volumetry

INTRODUCTION: Mitral Valve (MV) 3D structural data can be easily obtained using standard transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) devices but quantitative pre- and intraoperative volume analysis of the MV is presently not feasible in the cardiac operation room (OR). Finite element method (FEM) modelling is necessary to carry out precise and individual volume analysis and in the future will form the basis for simulation of cardiac interventions. METHOD: With the present retrospective pilot study we describe a method to transfer MV geometric data to 3D Slicer 2 software, an open-source medical visualization and analysis software package. A newly developed software program (ROIExtract) allowed selection of a region-of-interest (ROI) from the TEE data and data transformation for use in 3D Slicer. FEM models for quantitative volumetric studies were generated. RESULTS: ROI selection permitted the visualization and calculations required to create a sequence of volume rendered models of the MV allowing time-based visualization of regional deformation. Quantitation of tissue volume, especially important in myxomatous degeneration can be carried out. Rendered volumes are shown in 3D as well as in time-resolved 4D animations. CONCLUSION: The visualization of the segmented MV may significantly enhance clinical interpretation. This method provides an infrastructure for the study of image guided assessment of clinical findings and surgical planning. For complete pre- and intraoperative 3D MV FEM analysis, three input elements are necessary: 1. time-gated, reality-based structural information, 2. continuous MV pressure and 3. instantaneous tissue elastance. The present process makes the first of these elements available. Volume defect analysis is essential to fully understand functional and geometrical dysfunction of but not limited to the valve. 3D Slicer was used for semi-automatic valve border detection and volume-rendering of clinical 3D echocardiographic data. FEM based models were also calculated. METHOD: A Philips/HP Sonos 5500 ultrasound device stores volume data as time-resolved 4D volume data sets. Data sets for three subjects were used. Since 3D Slicer does not process time-resolved data sets, we employed a standard movie maker to animate the individual time-based models and visualizations. Calculation time and model size were minimized. Pressures were also easily available. We speculate that calculation of instantaneous elastance may be possible using instantaneous pressure values and tissue deformation data derived from the animated FEM

Social richness, socio-technical tension and the virtual commissioning of NHS research

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This paper draws on a recent study that evaluated the process of commissioning NHS funded research using virtual committees. Building on an earlier paper that reported our evaluation, here we focus on the effects of asynchronous computer mediated communication (CMC) when used to support group work.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To do this the discussion focuses on how CMC affected three key group factors, building relationships, group cohesion and group commitment. The notion of socio-technical tension is elaborated and the paper explores how social richness can act to counter the socially impoverishing and time extending effects of asynchronous CMC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We argue that social richness in this context results from the presence of five principal influences. These are: a dynamic range of participant aspirations and personal agendas; participant commitment to and identification with the work and ideals of the group; a rich diversity of social, professional and work-related backgrounds; a website designed to enhance participation and interaction and the mediating effects of an effective chairperson.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>If virtual work groups are to be used by the NHS in the future, then there is a need for more research into the role of social context and its relationship to the effectiveness of newly formed virtual groups. Equally as important are studies that examine the effects of socio-technical interaction on groups undertaking tasks in the real world of work.</p

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

Visualizing main effects and interaction in multiple non-symmetric correspondence analysis

Non-symmetric correspondence analysis (NSCA) is a useful technique for analysing a two-way contin- gency table. Frequently, the predictor variables are more than one; in this paper, we consider two categorical variables as predictor variables and one response variable. Interaction represents the joint effects of pre- dictor variables on the response variable. When interaction is present, the interpretation of the main effects is incomplete or misleading. To separate the main effects and the interaction term, we introduce a method that, starting from the coordinates of multiple NSCA and using a two-way analysis of variance without interaction, allows a better interpretation of the impact of the predictor variable on the response variable. The proposed method has been applied on a well-known three-way contingency table proposed by Bocken- holt and Bockenholt in which they cross-classify subjects by person’ s attitude towards abortion, number of years of education and religion. We analyse the case where the variables education and religion influence a person’s attitude towards abortion