3,361 research outputs found
Comparison of the costâeffectiveness of a computerâassisted learning program with a tutored demonstration to teach intestinal motility to medical students
Computerâbased simulations of undergraduate experiments in pharmacology and physiology may offer a costâeffective alternative to the traditional live laboratory for some students, for whom laboratory skills are less important. Here we describe a study which compares two approaches to teaching preclinical medical students the pharmacology of colonic motility. Half of one cohort received a tutored live demonstration of an isolated tissue laboratory, while the other half used a computer simulation program covering the same subject. The study demonstrated that student learning was comparable for both groups, that many students found the computer simulation an acceptable alternative and that the latter required significantly less resource
Evaluation of the usefulness of a computerâbased learning program to support student learning in pharmacology
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a computerâbased teaching program in supporting and enhancing traditional teaching methods. The program covers the pharmacology of inflammation and has been evaluated with a group of secondâyear medical students at a UK university. The study assessed subjectâspecific knowledge using a preâ and postâtest and surveyed, by questionnaire, studentsâ perceptions of the usefulness of the program to support learning before and after use. The use of computers for learning amongst this cohort of students was widespread. The results demonstrated an increase in students â knowledge of the pharmacology of inflammation, coupled with a positive attitude towards the CBL program they had used and the advantages that this mode of study may provide in enabling students to manage their own learning. However, students did not feel that the program could substitute for traditional teaching (lectures)
Engaging Students Engaging Industry Engaging Enterprise
A reflective piece on how a small team of students and academics gained more awareness of their own sense of enterprise and creativity. The case study examines the phases and crisis points of the whole event process and identifies some of the key learning outcomes for all involved
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LENSÂź and SFF: Enabling Technologies for Optimized Structures
Optimized, lightweight, high-strength structures are needed in many applications from aerospace
to automotive. In pursuit of such structures, there have been proposed analytical solutions and
some specialized FEA solutions for specific structures such as automobile frames. However,
generalized 3D optimization methods have been unavailable for use by most designers.
Moreover, in the cases where optimized structural solutions are available, they are often hollow,
curving, thin wall structures that cannot be fabricated by conventional manufacturing methods.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Rhode Island teamed to solve
these problems. The team has been pursuing two methods of optimizing models for generalized
loading conditions, and also has been investigating the methods needed to fabricate these
structures using Laser Engineered Net Shapingâą (LENSÂź) and other rapid prototyping
methods. These solid freeform fabrication (SFF) methods offer the unique ability to make
hollow, high aspect ratio features out of many materials. The manufacturing development
required for LENS to make these complex structures has included the addition of rotational axes
to Sandiaâs LENS machine bringing the total to 5 controlled axes. The additional axes have
required new efforts in process planning. Several of the unique structures that are only now
possible through the use of SFF technology are shown as part of the discussion of this exciting
new application for SFF.Mechanical Engineerin
All-electron Exact Exchange Treatment of Semiconductors: Effect of Core-valence Interaction on Band-gap and -band Position
Exact exchange (EXX) Kohn-Sham calculations within an all-electron
full-potential method are performed on a range of semiconductors and insulators
(Ge, GaAs, CdS, Si, ZnS, C, BN, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe). We find that the band-gaps
are not as close to experiment as those obtained from previous pseudopotential
EXX calculations. Full-potential band-gaps are also not significantly better
for semiconductors than for insulators, as had been found for
pseudopotentials. The locations of -band states, determined using the
full-potential EXX method, are in excellent agreement with experiment,
irrespective of whether these states are core, semi-core or valence. We
conclude that the inclusion of the core-valence interaction is necessary for
accurate determination of EXX Kohn-Sham band structures, indicating a possible
deficiency in pseudopotential calculations.Comment: 4 pages 2 fig
Non-equilibrium structural phase transitions of the vortex lattice in MgB2
We have studied non-equilibrium phase transitions in the vortex lattice in
superconducting MgB2, where metastable states are observed in connection with
an intrinsically continuous rotation transition. Using small-angle neutron
scattering and a stop-motion technique, we investigated the manner in which the
metastable vortex lattice returns to the equilibrium state under the influence
of an ac magnetic field. This shows a qualitative difference between the
supercooled case which undergoes a discontinuous transition, and the
superheated case where the transition to the equilibrium state is continuous.
In both cases the transition may be described by an an activated process, with
an activation barrier that increases as the metastable state is suppressed, as
previously reported for the supercooled vortex lattice [E. R. Louden et al.,
Phys. Rev. B 99, 060502(R) (2019)]. Separate preparations of superheated
metastable vortex lattices with different domain populations showed an
identical transition towards the equilibrium state. This provides further
evidence that the vortex lattice metastability, and the kinetics associated
with the transition to the equilibrium state, is governed by nucleation and
growth of domains and the associated domain boundaries.Comment: 27 pages, 10 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with
arXiv:1812.0597
Bootstrap approximation for the exchange-correlation kernel of time-dependent density functional theory
A new parameter-free approximation for the exchange-correlation kernel
of time-dependent density functional theory is proposed. This
kernel is expressed as an algorithm in which the exact Dyson equation for the
response as well as a further approximate condition are solved together
self-consistently leading to a simple parameter-free kernel. We apply this to
the calculation of optical spectra for various small bandgap (Ge, Si, GaAs,
AlN, TiO, SiC), large bandgap (C, LiF, Ar, Ne) and magnetic (NiO)
insulators. The calculated spectra are in very good agreement with experiment
for this diverse set of materials, highlighting the universal applicability of
the new kernel.Comment: 4 figures 5 page
The Absence of Vortex Lattice Melting in a Conventional Superconductor
The state of the vortex lattice extremely close to the superconducting to
normal transition in an applied magnetic field is investigated in high purity
niobium. We observe that thermal fluctuations of the order parameter broaden
the superconducting to normal transition into a crossover but no sign of a
first order vortex lattice melting transition is detected in measurements of
the heat capacity or the small angle neutron scattering (SANS) intensity.
Direct observation of the vortices via SANS always finds a well ordered vortex
lattice. The fluctuation broadening is considered in terms of the Lowest Landau
Level theory of critical fluctuations and scaling is found to occur over a
large H_{c2}(T) range
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