The role of epistemic style in the processing of style consistent and style inconsistent counterattitudinal editorials.

The present study examined epistemic style predispositions associated with individual differences in responsiveness to style-consistent and style-inconsistent persuasive communications. Two hundred and fifty-seven undergraduate students participated. In Session 1, subjects were given (a) a questionnaire measuring their attitudes toward two relevant issues, student access to course evaluations and equal automobile insurance rates for men and women in Ontario, (b) the Psycho-Epistemological Profile (PEP) to assess their characteristic epistemic styles (rational, empirical, or metaphorical), and (c) a brief demographic survey. In the second session, subjects in the experimental group (n = 200) read two counterattitudinal, persuasive editorials on the two issues assessed in Session 1. One form of each editorial contained empirical information supporting the message arguments, while the other presented the arguments using figurative language and metaphorical expressions. After reading each editorial, subjects completed a series of dependent measures indicating the degree to which they found the editorial involving and persuasive and listed the thoughts they had while reading the editorials. After reading both editorials subjects completed a posttest attitude questionnaire. Control group subjects (n = 57) received only the posttest attitude questionnaire in Session 2. It was predicted that subjects would rate the editorial whose style was consistent with their dominant epistemic style as more involving and more persuasive than the style-inconsistent editorials. It was also expected that subjects would generate more supportive than unsupportive thoughts and change their attitudes more in response to the style-consistent editorials. Preliminary analyses indicated that subjects preferred the empirical to metaphorical editorials and the editorials on auto insurance to course evaluations. Regression analyses revealed a significant metaphorical by editorial style interaction for the dependent variable measuring subjects\u27 degree of involvement with the editorial. As predicted, high scores on the metaphorical scale were associated with high ratings of involvement for the metaphorical style editorials and low ratings for the empirical articles. No other significant interactions emerged. These findings were discussed in terms of affective versus cognitive responses to persuasive editorials within an information processing paradigm.Dept. of Psychology. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1990 .D383. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-11, Section: B, page: 6112. Adviser: Shelagh Towson. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1990

Identification and Evaluation of Predictors for Learning Success and of Models for Teaching Computer Programming in Contemporary Contexts

Introductory undergraduate computer programming courses are renowned for higher than average failure and withdrawal rates when compared to other subject areas. The closer partnership between higher education and the rapidly expanding digital technology industry, as demonstrated by the establishment of new Degree Apprenticeships in computer science and digital technologies, requires efficient and effective means for teaching programming skills. This research, therefore, aimed to identify reliable predictors of success in learning programming or vulnerability to failure. The research also aimed to evaluate teaching methods and remedial interventions towards recommending a teaching model that supported and engaged learners in contemporary contexts that were relevant to the workplace. Investigation of qualifications designed to prepare students for undergraduate computer science courses revealed that A-level entrants achieved significantly higher programming grades than BTEC students. However, there was little difference between the grades of those with and those without previous qualifications in computing or ICT subjects. Analysis of engagement metrics revealed a strong correlation between extent of co-operation and programming grade, in contrast to a weak correlation between programming grade and code understanding. Further analysis of video recordings, interviews and observational records distinguished between the type of communication that helped peers comprehend tasks and concepts, and other forms of communication that were only concerned with completing tasks. Following the introduction of periodic assessment, essentially converting a single final assessment to three staged summative assessment points, it was found that failing students often pass only one of the three assignment parts. Furthermore, only 10% of those who failed overall had attempted all three assignments. Reasons for failure were attributed to ‘surface’ motivations (such as regulating efforts to achieve a minimum pass of 40%), ineffective working habits or stressful personal circumstances rather than any fundamental difficulty encountered with subject material. A key contribution to pedagogical practice made by this research is to propose an ‘incremental’ teaching model. This model is informed by educational theory and empirical evidence and comprises short cycles of three activities: presenting new topic information, tasking students with a relevant exercise and then demonstrating and discussing the exercise solution. The effectiveness of this model is evidenced by increased engagement, increased quiz scores at the end of each teaching session and increased retention of code knowledge at the end of the course

A multi-point performance matched aerofoil design algorithm for a scaled wind turbine rotor model

A search-based multi-point aerofoil design algorithm is presented which optimises a profile for a prescribed CL-α distribution and Reynolds number, Re. A real-coded genetic algorithm is used in conjunction with XFOIL and a geometrically constrained shape parameterisation method to produce smooth, manufacturable aerofoils given the required aerodynamic performance. The validated tool is used to produce a family of aerofoils to define a model rotor blade for a wind turbine with a similar axial induction factor along its length in a small scale laboratory environment to a full scale reference. It is hypothesised that given the similar axial induction and similar non-dimensional geometry, the model rotor will have a similar unsteady aerodynamic response to the full scale

Many-body theory interpretation of deep inelastic scattering

We analyze data on deep inelastic scattering of electrons from the proton using ideas from standard many-body theory involving {\em bound} constituents subject to {\em interactions}. This leads us to expect, at large three-momentum transfer ${\bf{q}}$, scaling in terms of the variable $\tilde{y}=\nu-{\bf |q|}$. The response at constant ${\bf |q|}$ scales well in this variable. Interaction effects are manifestly displayed in this approach. They are illustrated in two examples.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

A helium, oxygen and rhenium-osmium isotope study of some intraplate magmatism

Intraplate magmatism provides important constraints on the evolution, dynamics and composition of the Earth's mantle. Uncertainties remain, however, in understanding the mantle sources related to intraplate magmatism. For example, the influence or existence of mantle stratification, core-mantle interaction and recycling of subducted components are poorly understood. The extent to which geochemical signatures of intraplate magmas are modified during melt transportation, eruption and emplacement also requires better definition. This thesis employs He, O and Re-Os isotope systematics on selected volcanic and intrusive rocks from a number of oceanic and continental intraplate settings to address some of these key issues. New constraints on the effect of syn-eruptive degassing and post-emplacement mobility processes on intraplate magmas are presented. Ocean Island Basalts (OIB) from the Western Canary Islands and Coppermine Continental Flood Basalts (CFB) suggest that Re degassing for both modem and ancient alkaline and tholeiitic sub-aerially empted lavas are similar in extent. Crustal contamination is shown to explain some low δ(^18)O (≤5%(_0) in central Icelandic lavas and low (^3)He/'(^4)He ( 50 ppt) Western Canary OIB indicate that recycled oceanic crust forms part of the mantle source for these basalts, a theme also common to low δ(^18)O measured in central Icelandic glasses with (^3)He/(^4)He ratios similar to those of mid ocean ridge basalts. Decoupling of lithophile (Sr, Nd, Pb) and siderophile (Os) isotope tracers from He in both settings provides evidence for (^3)He-recharge with (^3)He/(^4)He up to 11.8R(_A) for the Western Canary Islands and 34.3R(_A) for central Icelandic lavas. There is evidence in Western Canary Island lavas, and in OIB globally, that a common or 'universal' mantle component is present with a near-chondritic (^187)Os/(^188)Os (≥0.127), mantle-like δ(^18)O (~5.2%(_0)) and elevated (^206)Pb/(^204)Pb (≥19.1) with respect to the depleted mantle; the so-called FOZO (Focus Zone), PHEM (Primary He mantle), or C (Common) components. Coppermine Re-Os isochron ages (1284 ± 13 Ma) are within error of the accepted 1270 ± 4 Ma U-Pb age for the Muskox Intrusion. γOs initials derived from both the Coppermine CFB (+2.0) and Muskox Intmsion (+1.3) lie on an enstatite or ordinary chondritic Os isotopic evolution curve for the Earth's mantle indicating derivation from a source similar to the universal component recognised in modem-day OIB. These results can be interpreted in the context of a veined or banded peridotite-pyroxenite mantle. Small amounts of partial melting of a heterogeneous mantle source leads to great isotopic variability whilst larger degrees of partial melting will lead to more homogeneous mantle-derived compositions. Pyroxenite sources might also explain the correlated isotopic and elemental compositions, including the possibility of (^186)Os-(^187)Os enrichment in OIB through high Re/Os and Pt/Os ratios. Ultimately, a universal mantle component appears to be present in all intraplate magmatism. This universal component is not always related to high (^3)He/(^4)He and appears to provide an endmember component to all intraplate mantle melting signatures from the Archaean to the present-day

Atomic spectrometry update. Clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages

This review discusses developments in elemental mass spectrometry, atomic absorption, emission and fluorescence, XRF and LIBS, as applied to the analysis of specimens of clinical interest, foods and beverages. Sample preparation procedures and quality assurance are also included.</p

Seamless editing of the chloroplast genome in plants

BACKGROUND: Gene editing technologies enable the precise insertion of favourable mutations and performance enhancing trait genes into chromosomes whilst excluding all excess DNA from modified genomes. The technology gives rise to a new class of biotech crops which is likely to have widespread applications in agriculture. Despite progress in the nucleus, the seamless insertions of point mutations and non-selectable foreign genes into the organelle genomes of crops have not been described. The chloroplast genome is an attractive target to improve photosynthesis and crop performance. Current chloroplast genome engineering technologies for introducing point mutations into native chloroplast genes leave DNA scars, such as the target sites for recombination enzymes. Seamless editing methods to modify chloroplast genes need to address reversal of site-directed point mutations by template mediated repair with the vast excess of wild type chloroplast genomes that are present early in the transformation process. RESULTS: Using tobacco, we developed an efficient two-step method to edit a chloroplast gene by replacing the wild type sequence with a transient intermediate. This was resolved to the final edited gene by recombination between imperfect direct repeats. Six out of 11 transplastomic plants isolated contained the desired intermediate and at the second step this was resolved to the edited chloroplast gene in five of six plants tested. Maintenance of a single base deletion mutation in an imperfect direct repeat of the native chloroplast rbcL gene showed the limited influence of biased repair back to the wild type sequence. The deletion caused a frameshift, which replaced the five C-terminal amino acids of the Rubisco large subunit with 16 alternative residues resulting in a ~30-fold reduction in its accumulation. We monitored the process in vivo by engineering an overlapping gusA gene downstream of the edited rbcL gene. Translational coupling between the overlapping rbcL and gusA genes resulted in relatively high GUS accumulation (~0.5 % of leaf protein). CONCLUSIONS: Editing chloroplast genomes using transient imperfect direct repeats provides an efficient method for introducing point mutations into chloroplast genes. Moreover, we describe the first synthetic operon allowing expression of a downstream overlapping gene by translational coupling in chloroplasts. Overlapping genes provide a new mechanism for co-ordinating the translation of foreign proteins in chloroplasts. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-016-0857-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

New crystal packing arrangements in radical cation salts of BEDT-TTF with [Cr(NCS)6]3− and [Cr(NCS)5(NH3)]2−

BEDT-TTF forms three packing arrangement styles in its radical cation salts with [Cr(NCS)6]3− in two of which two trans-oriented isothiocyanate ligands penetrate the BEDT-TTF layers either at the point where a solvent (nitrobenzene) is incorporated in a stack of donors or by four donor molecules forming a “tube” motif to accept a ligand at each end along with a small solvent molecule in between (acetonitrile). The [Cr(NCS)5NH3]2− ion forms a related crystal packing arrangement with BEDT-TTF with a reduction in the number of “tube” motifs needed to accept an isothiocyanate ligand