Social Media Sites Enhance Online Teaching and Learning Activities: Instructors' Perceptions: A Case Study

Online teaching and learning environments have been booming worldwide. However, many universities in developing countries cannot afford learning management systems, such as Blackboard or WebCT. Therefore, this qualitative study explores the possibility of using social media sites for online instruction due to the fact that their prominent utilities are similar to those of Blackboard and other learning management systems. Through purposeful sampling, four university professors using social media for online instruction were selected as participants, in order to gain insights from their perspectives regarding its usage as an alternative instructional medium. Using the constant comparison method and open coding, data was gathered and triangulated from participant interviews, observations of participants' online courses on social media sites; documents collected from their online courses; and the researcher's reflexive journal. Thematic findings revealed that social media sites increase

The key parameters that govern translation efficiency

Translation of mRNA into protein is a fundamental yet complex biological process with multiple factors that can potentially affect its efficiency. Here, we study a stochastic model describing the traffic flow of ribosomes along the mRNA (namely, the inhomogeneous $\ell$-TASEP), and identify the key parameters that govern the overall rate of protein synthesis, sensitivity to initiation rate changes, and efficiency of ribosome usage. By analyzing a continuum limit of the model, we obtain closed-form expressions for stationary currents and ribosomal densities, which agree well with Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, we completely characterize the phase transitions in the system, and by applying our theoretical results, we formulate design principles that detail how to tune the key parameters we identified to optimize translation efficiency. Using ribosome profiling data from S. cerevisiae, we shows that its translation system is generally consistent with these principles. Our theoretical results have implications for evolutionary biology, as well as synthetic biology.Comment: To appear in Cell Systems. 32 pages, 10 figures, 1 tabl

Investigation of bond performance of reinforced fly ash-based Geopolymer concrete using experiments and numerical analysis

This study evaluates the bond performance of reinforced fly ash-based geopolymer concrete by using experiments and numerical analysis. Three types of mixture proportions along with two types of reinforcement diameter, (d12, ribbed bar) and (d14, smooth bar) mm, were selected for experimental work. The bond behaviour of reinforced geopolymer concrete is determined using the pullout test, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The test data indicated that the bond strength of reinforced fly ash-based geopolymer concrete increases with the increase in compressive strength. The concrete cover to diameter ratio (c/db) increases from 4.86 to 5.75 and the bond strength of all three groups of samples also increases. Besides, the bond stress-slip curves obtained by the ABAQUS software closely match the results from experimental works. Furthermore, the parametric analyses show that when the compressive strength of geopolymer concreteincreases, the bond strength of reinforced fly ash-based geopolymer concrete increases. These results are consistent with the test data

Environmental impact of the effluents discharging from full-scale wastewater treatment plants evaluated by a hybrid fuzzy approach

Increasing attention is being paid to the environmental impacts of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. In this study, comprehensive environmental impact analyses (EIAs) were performed for the secondary treatment processes, tertiary treatment processes, and entire plants at five full-scale WWTPs in Kunming, China. The EIAs took into account greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, potential for the effluent to cause eutrophication, ecological risks posed by endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in treated effluent, and the risks posed by heavy metals in excess sludge. A comprehensive assessment toward environmental sustainability was performed using a fuzzy approach. The results indicated that the biological treatment process made the largest contribution (>68% of the total) of the secondary treatment processes to GHG emissions and that electricity consumption made the largest contribution (>64% of the total) of the tertiary treatment processes to GHG emissions. Large numbers of EDCs were removed during the secondary treatment processes, but the potential ecological risks posed by EDCs still require attention. High mercury concentrations were found in excess sludge. The plant that removed the largest proportion of pollutants and produced effluent posing the least ecological risks gave the best comprehensive EIA performance

Researching the Factors Affecting the Engagement of Employees with the Organization at Mobio Vietnam Software Application Joint Stock Company

This research was conducted to evaluate the factors influencing the engagement of employees with the organization at Mobio Vietnam Software Application Joint Stock Company by surveying the employees. Cronbach's alpha, EFA, and multiple regression analysis were used as tools. The results presented a model of six factors that have a positive impact on employee engagement, listed in decreasing order of their effect level: leadership style, job characteristics, perception of development, income and fairness, work environment, and promotion opportunities. Based on this, the research proposes managerial implications for the company's leaders and managers to enhance the engagement of employees with the organization

3-Bromo-9-(4-chloro­benz­yl)-9H-carbazole

The title compound, C19H13BrClN, was synthesized by N-alkyl­ation of 4-chloro-1-(chloro­meth­yl)benzene with 3-bromo-9H-carbazole. The carbazole ring system is essentially planar, with a mean deviation of 0.028 Å, and it makes a dihedral angle of 91.2 (3) Å with the plane of the benzene ring

Examining the Effects of Gender and Presentation Mode on Learning from a Multimedia Presentation

  Visual presentation modes in multimedia learning include pictures, video, and animations. Research also reveals cognitive differences between males and females (Halpern, 2004). Which one of the presentation modes is more effective? Can one of these presentation modes be more effective for a specific gender? This study aimed to investigate the role of gender and presentation mode in multimedia learning. Participants were 72 university students randomly assigned to one of the two different versions of a computer-based multimedia program (narration with animation vs. narration with static images). A 2 × 2 factorial design is created by crossing gender and presentation mode (animation vs. static image). Dependent measures consisted of a transfer and a comprehension test. The results showed a significant modality by gender interaction on the comprehension test. Females performed better studying animations, whereas males performed better studying static pictures. The results are interpreted in light of multimedia learning principles and studies in the area of gender differences in learning. The important contribution of this study is the suggestion that individual differences such as gender should be considered in multimedia learning

Analysis on Steady-State Operation and Heat Loss of Chinese Integrated Pressurized Water Reactor

Chinese integrated pressurized water reactor (CIPWR) has compact configuration and high inherent safety, which is appropriate for nuclear power plants of small and medium scale. Heat balance model has been adopted widely in thermal power calibration of PWRs because of its advantage of accuracy. In this paper, a package based on FORTRAN language is developed and added into RELAP5 to calculate the heat loss value needed in heat balance analysis. The steady-state operation of CIPWR is modelled correctly by RELAP5. The heat loss of CIPWR is calculated by the package, and the comparison of the main values of parameters needed in the heat loss calculation between RELAP5 and the package has been done. It shows that the package has high calculation accuracy and can be applied in reactor design and monitoring