What Effect Does CS0 Have On CS1 Performance And Major Retention?

Three years ago, due to a lower than desired success rate in our first major course, Introduction to Computer Programming (CS1), and a lower than desired proportion of students in CS1 selecting Computer Science or Computer Information Systems as their major, we introduced a new course, Introduction to Computer Science (CS0), and made it a prerequisite for CS1.  It was therefore required of all prospective Computer Science majors and Computer Information Systems majors.  Our intention was to improve the subsequent performance of students in CS1, to reduce the proportion of students who withdrew from CS1, and to increase the proportion of CS1 students who became Computer Science or Computer Information Systems majors.  This paper reports our progress on these measures. Our results show that after CS0 was introduced, students performed better in CS1 than before CS0 was introduced, and that this difference is statistically significant.  The withdraw rate from CS1, among students who completed CS0, has been reduced.  The proportion of students who performed well (earned a grade of A or B) in CS1 has been raised among students who completed CS0, and this difference is statistically significant. A higher proportion of students who completed both CS0 and CS1 declared Computer Science or Computer Information Systems majors, than before CS0 was introduced, and this difference is statistically significant.  The proportion of students who performed well in CS1 and who declared Computer Science or Computer Information Systems majors was substantially raised, and this difference is statistically significant. We compare these results with previous papers on this topic, and conclude that the results are consistent, and the statistical significance of the results is improved by the larger sample sizes being analyzed

Does A Pre-Introduction Course Improve Subsequent Performance In Introduction To Computer Programming?

A new Computer Science Introduction course is described.  Student grades and the withdraw rate for the next course are both improved, and the proportion of student Computer Science majors is increased.Initial results indicate that the availability of the new Introduction to Computer Science (CSO) reduces the number of students who withdraw from the old Introduction to Computer Science (CS1) almost certainly because students who simply need an introduction to computers no longer sign up for CS1 – a computer science and computer programming course).  The limited data for students who took CS1 after completing CS0 do not as yet statistically support the hypothesis that CS0 will improve performance in CS1.  A higher proportion of students who completed both CS0 and CS1 declared Computer Science or Information Systems majors, than the proportion of those who just completed CS1

Critical Chain Exercises

Critical Chains project management focuses on holding buffers at the project level vs. task level, and managing buffers as a project resource.  A number of studies have shown that Critical Chain project management can significantly improve organizational schedule fidelity (i.e., improve the proportion of projects delivered on time) and reduce average project duration, by reducing the unproductive time spent waiting for predecessor tasks to complete.  Classroom exposition of Critical Chains requires mental models.  Manufacturing examples, and particularly work in progress building up in front of specific bottleneck machines on the factory floor, have been effective examples for many years.  Since many fewer practitioners have manufacturing experience than previously, the factory floor mental model does not work well with them.  We describe a series of three “games” which have been used to teach managers and project managers about Critical Chains, and also used by the author in graduate Project Management courses the last two years.  This paper describes more careful preparation for these simulations, to make them more useful in the classroom.  Specifically, we more carefully define the setup, sequencing, instructions, and monitoring of each of the exercises, and develop a set of discussion questions for each exercise designed to lead the students to specific conclusions about the impacts of challenging objectives, multi-tasking, and the impact of randomness and batch size.  We develop a pre-/post-test to assess student learning, and will use these to compare student learning before and after the modified improvements in the games

Team Projects And Peer Evaluations

The authors assign semester- or quarter-long team-based projects in several Computer Science and Finance courses. This paper reports on our experience in designing, managing, and evaluating such projects. In particular, we discuss the effects of team size and of various peer evaluation schemes on team performance and student learning. We report statistical measures of the students’ peer evaluations – do they always rate each other strongly or weakly? What are the means and ranges? More importantly, we discuss why we introduced these peer evaluations, and what effect they have had on student commitment and performance. We discuss a small number of cases where student participation was poor, and relate this to the peer evaluation process

Cinnamaldehydes: Synthesis, antibacterial evaluation, and the effect of molecular structure on antibacterial activity

trans-Cinnamaldehyde is a major component of Cinnamomum cassia and has been reported to give rise to antimicrobial properties in cinnamon spice. In order to better understand the relationship between the structure of trans-cinnamaldehyde and its antimicrobial role, fifteen structurally different trans-cinnamaldehyde derivatives were selected for study based on their predicted electrophilicities. Both synthesized and commercial transcinnamaldehyde derivatives were evaluated for their antibacterial activity, with modest mM activity levels found against both E. coli and S. aureus. An initial mechanism of action study, suggesting that the electrophilicity of the trans-cinnamaldehydes affects the antibacterial activity, was conducted as well as an exploration of their ability to alter bacterial cell wall integrity. In addition, in vivo toxicity levels were determined using the larvae of the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, with all derivatives tested showing low toxicity

The Role of Glutathione S-Transferase GliG in Gliotoxin Biosynthesis in Aspergillus fumigatus

Gliotoxin, a redox-active metabolite, is produced by the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, and its biosynthesis is directed by the gli gene cluster. Knowledge of the biosynthetic pathway to gliotoxin, which contains a disulfide bridge of unknown origin, is limited, although L-Phe and L-Ser are known biosynthetic precursors. Deletion of gliG from the gli cluster, herein functionally confirmed as a glutathione S-transferase, results in abrogation of gliotoxin biosynthesis and accumulation of 6-benzyl-6-hydroxy-1-methoxy-3-methylenepiperazine- 2,5-dione. This putative shunt metabolite from the gliotoxin biosynthetic pathway contains an intriguing hydroxyl group at C-6, consistent with a gliotoxin biosynthetic pathway involving thiolation via addition of the glutathione thiol group to a reactive acyl imine intermediate. Complementation of gliG restored gliotoxin production and, unlike gliT, gliG was found not to be involved in fungal self-protection against gliotoxin

The Grizzly, April 22, 1983

Commencement Speaker Named • Career Strategies Revealed • Dance Week Planned • Xeroxing Illegal? • Letter to the Editor • Ursinus Night • New Policies at Wismer • U.C. Ugly Men • Successful Forum • Survivor Speaks • Alcohol Survey Results Questioned • Concert Soloists • New Class Officers • News Briefs: Dance Workshop for All; Women Plan Tour of Harbor Place; Free Bomberger Concert; Book Sale Continues at Library; Rhea Duryea Johnson Collection of Salt and Pepper Shakers • Success Formulas Revealed in Real World 101 • Ursinus Nine Looking Strong • Men\u27s Lacrosse Braves Elements • Golfers Start Well • Women\u27s Season Nears Conclusion • Women\u27s Lacrosse Downs Lafayette • Women\u27s Tennis Falls Short of Potential • Men\u27s Track Victorious • Bozentka Leads Men\u27s Tennis to Comeback Victoryhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1099/thumbnail.jp

Rehabilitation strategies following oesophagogastric and Hepatopancreaticobiliary cancer (ReStOre II) : a protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Curative treatment for upper gastrointestinal (UGI) and hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) cancers, involves complex surgical resection often in combination with neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemo/chemoradiotherapy. With advancing survival rates, there is an emergent cohort of UGI and HPB cancer survivors with physical and nutritional deficits, resultant from both the cancer and its treatments. Therefore, rehabilitation to counteract these impairments is required to maximise health related quality of life (HRQOL) in survivorship. The initial feasibility of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for UGI survivors was established in the Rehabilitation Strategies following Oesophago-gastric Cancer (ReStOre) feasibility study and pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT). ReStOre II will now further investigate the efficacy of that programme as it applies to a wider cohort of UGI and HPB cancer survivors, namely survivors of cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, and liver. METHODS: The ReStOre II RCT will compare a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme of supervised and self-managed exercise, dietary counselling, and education to standard survivorship care in a cohort of UGI and HPB cancer survivors who are > 3-months post-oesophagectomy/ gastrectomy/ pancreaticoduodenectomy, or major liver resection. One hundred twenty participants (60 per study arm) will be recruited to establish a mean increase in the primary outcome (cardiorespiratory fitness) of 3.5 ml/min/kg with 90% power, 5% significance allowing for 20% drop out. Study outcomes of physical function, body composition, nutritional status, HRQOL, and fatigue will be measured at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and 3-months follow-up (T2). At 1-year follow-up (T3), HRQOL alone will be measured. The impact of ReStOre II on well-being will be examined qualitatively with focus groups/interviews (T1, T2). Bio-samples will be collected from T0-T2 to establish a national UGI and HPB cancer survivorship biobank. The cost effectiveness of ReStOre II will also be analysed. DISCUSSION: This RCT will investigate the efficacy of a 12-week multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme for survivors of UGI and HPB cancer compared to standard survivorship care. If effective, ReStOre II will provide an exemplar model of rehabilitation for UGI and HPB cancer survivors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number: NCT03958019, date registered: 21/05/2019

The Grizzly, October 2, 1981

Homecoming Celebration Takes on New Meaning • Previously Idle Appeals Procedure Finally Tested • Faculty Member\u27s Dismissal Creates Unrest • President Calls School Start \u27One of the Best Ever\u27 • Comment: I Thought This Was College • Parent Involvement Sought in Planning for the Future • Platforms for Freshman Class Elections • Greaseband Sings its Heart Out to Fortunate Few • Concert Causes Funds Loss • Transplanted Texan: Our Most Illustrious Non-Graduate • Rolling Stones Rock \u27n Roll Circus Levels JFK • Ursinus News Briefs: Postage hike finally granted; \u27Dealing with Stress\u27 offered by evening school • Campus Craziness: Sorority Pledging Begins • Red Cross Bloodmobile at HH • Women Receive Special Attention for Founder\u27s Day • Parents Day: Oct. 10 • Volleyball Holding Even • Soccer Registers First Win • Bears Surrender Lead to Tie Moravian at 10 • Hockey Pulls Out Win in Last Seconds • X-Country Makes it Look Easy . . . Againhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1062/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 25, 1981

Greaseband Tonight • Campus Welcome • Fridge Fee Unfrozen • Deutsch und Deutschland Heute: German Professor Co-authors Text • Public Speaking Exemption Exam • Books Sought by Ursinus Friends • Red Cross Bloodmobile at Helfferich Hall • Career Planning and Placement Office • Dessert Held in Union • Fast Food Service Losing Convenience • ProTheatre: Canterbury Tales Presented • Transplanted Texan: Nobody Expects the Moral Majority • School Bands Looking for Musicians • WRUC: Back on the Air? • First Coffeehouse Sparkles With Talent • Late Mail for Off-Campus Houses • [Reprinted Articles About the Greaseband] • Bear\u27s Booters Kick Off Season • Business as Usual for Cross-Country • Bears Drop 10-3 Decision to Western Maryland • Davis Leads Hockey Over Widenerhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1061/thumbnail.jp