Re-positioning SoTL toward the T-shaped Community

Amongst a range of changes that have taken place within tertiary education, perhaps the most revolutionary has been a shift to student-centred approaches focused on life-long learning. Accompanying this approach to holistic higher education (HE) has been a growing interest in, and understanding of, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). SoTL has, at its core, a deep concern with student learning and is therefore well-aligned with higher education’s renewed focus on its students. In this conceptual paper, we examine the impact of the T-shaped person which many tertiary institutions are operationalizing to inform and connect the development of students’ deep disciplinary knowledge with non-academic and employment readiness skills (such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking). Importantly, we argue for a re-positioning of SoTL to complement and support this model, with SoTL as both the fulcrum and the fluid, multiple threads of discourse that are intricately entwined around the structure of the T-shaped model. We encourage our colleagues to strive to be T-shaped practitioners and we cast a vision of a T-shaped community. Here, all stakeholders within HE connect both their academic knowledge and holistic skills in collaborative ways to produce learners who flourish in modern society. The SoTL community plays a pivotal role in achieving this vision and is well-positioned to expand the current notion of SoTL toward a more holistic, interconnected, central role in HE

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy determination of the InN/yttria stabilized cubic-zirconia valence band offset

The valence band offset of wurtzite InN(0001)/yttria stabilized cubic-zirconia (YSZ)(111) heterojunctions is determined by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy to be 1.19±0.17 eV giving a conduction band offset of 3.06±0.20 eV. Consequently, a type-I heterojunction forms between InN and YSZ in the straddling arrangement. The low lattice mismatch and high band offsets suggest potential for use of YSZ as a gate dielectric in high-frequency InN-based electronic devices

Crystal Structure and Magnetism of the Linear-Chain Copper Oxides Sr5Pb3-xBixCuO12

The title quasi-1D copper oxides (0=< x =<0.4) were investigated by neutron diffraction and magnetic susceptibility studies. Polyhedral CuO4 units in the compounds were found to comprise linear-chains at inter-chain distance of approximately 10 A. The parent chain compound (x = 0), however, shows less anisotropic magnetic behavior above 2 K, although it is of substantially antiferromagnetic (mu_{eff}= 1.85 mu_{B} and Theta_{W} = -46.4 K) spin-chain system. A magnetic cusp gradually appears at about 100 K in T vs chi with the Bi substitution. The cusp (x = 0.4) is fairly characterized by and therefore suggests the spin gap nature at Delta/k_{B} ~ 80 K. The chain compounds hold electrically insulating in the composition range.Comment: To be published in PR

What does it take to make integrated care work? A ‘cookbook’ for large-scale deployment of coordinated care and telehealth

The Advancing Care Coordination & Telehealth Deployment (ACT) Programme is the first to explore the organisational and structural processes needed to successfully implement care coordination and telehealth (CC&TH) services on a large scale. A number of insights and conclusions were identified by the ACT programme. These will prove useful and valuable in supporting the large-scale deployment of CC&TH. Targeted at populations of chronic patients and elderly people, these insights and conclusions are a useful benchmark for implementing and exchanging best practices across the EU. Examples are: Perceptions between managers, frontline staff and patients do not always match; Organisational structure does influence the views and experiences of patients: a dedicated contact person is considered both important and helpful; Successful patient adherence happens when staff are engaged; There is a willingness by patients to participate in healthcare programmes; Patients overestimate their level of knowledge and adherence behaviour; The responsibility for adherence must be shared between patients and health care providers; Awareness of the adherence concept is an important factor for adherence promotion; The ability to track the use of resources is a useful feature of a stratification strategy, however, current regional case finding tools are difficult to benchmark and evaluate; Data availability and homogeneity are the biggest challenges when evaluating the performance of the programmes

Implications of invariance of the Hamiltonian under canonical transformations in phase space

We observe that, within the effective generating function formalism for the implementation of canonical transformations within wave mechanics, non-trivial canonical transformations which leave invariant the form of the Hamilton function of the classical analogue of a quantum system manifest themselves in an integral equation for its stationary state eigenfunctions. We restrict ourselves to that subclass of these dynamical symmetries for which the corresponding effective generating functions are necessaarily free of quantum corrections. We demonstrate that infinite families of such transformations exist for a variety of familiar conservative systems of one degree of freedom. We show how the geometry of the canonical transformations and the symmetry of the effective generating function can be exploited to pin down the precise form of the integral equations for stationary state eigenfunctions. We recover several integral equations found in the literature on standard special functions of mathematical physics. We end with a brief discussion (relevant to string theory) of the generalization to scalar field theories in 1+1 dimensions.Comment: REVTeX v3.1, 13 page

Ammonia Measurements and Emissions from a California Dairy Using Point and Remote Sensors

Ammonia (NH3) is an important trace gas species in the atmosphere that can have negative impacts on human, animal, and ecosystem health. Agriculture has been identified as the largest source of NH3, specifically livestock operations. NH3 emissions from a commercial dairy in California were investigated during June 2008. Cattle were held in open-lot pens, except for young calves in hutches with shelters. Solid manure was stored in the open-lot pens. Liquid manure from feed lanes was passed through a solids settling basin and stored in a holding pond. Passive sensors and openpath Fourier transform infrared spectrometers (OP-FTIR) were deployed around the facility to measure NH3 concentrations. Emissions from pens and the liquid manure system (LMS) were estimated using inverse modeling. Mean emission factors (EFs) for the entire facility were 140.5 ±42.5 g d-1 animal-1 from the passive sampler data and 199.2 ±22.0 g d-1 animal-1 from the OP-FTIR data, resulting in the facility’s summer emissions calculated at 265.2 ±80.2 kg d-1 and 375.4 ±27.1 kg d-1, respectively. These EFs are within the range of values reported in the literature. Both concentrations and emissions exhibited a strong diurnal cycle, peaking in the late afternoon. Total facility emissions exhibited significant positive correlations with temperature and wind speed. The findings of this study show that NH3 emissions from a commercial dairy can vary by a factor of 10 or more throughout the day, and EFs can vary by two orders of magnitude when compared to other U.S. dairies, based on literature values

A case series of patients with isolated IgG4-related hypophysitis treated with rituximab

Context The acute presentation of Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related hypophysitis can be indistinguishable from other forms of acute hypophysitis and histology remains the diagnostic gold standard. The high recurrence rate necessitates long term immunosuppressive therapy. Rituximab (RTX) has been shown to be effective in systemic IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), but experience with isolated pituitary involvement remains limited. Case description We report three female patients with MRI findings suggestive of hypophysitis. All patients underwent transsphenoidal biopsy and fulfilled diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related hypophysitis. Treatment with GCs (GC) resulted in good therapeutic response in patients 1 and 2, but the disease recurred on tapering doses of GCs. GC treatment led to emotional lability in Patient 3 necessitating dose reduction. All three patients received RTX and Patients 2 and 3 received further courses when symptoms returned and B-cells repopulated. Patient 3 did not receive RTX until 12 months from onset of symptoms. Patient 1 was not able to have further RTX treatments due to an allergic reaction when receiving the second dose. RTX treatment resulted in sustained remission and full recovery of anterior pituitary function in Patients 1 and 2 with complete resolution of pituitary enlargement. By contrast, Patient 3 only showed symptomatic response following RTX treatment, but pituitary enlargement and hypofunction persisted. Conclusion RTX treatment for IgG4-related hypophysitis resulted in sustained remission in two patients treated early in the disease process, but only achieved partial response in a patient with chronic disease suggesting that early therapeutic intervention may be crucial to avoid irreversible changes

The use of routine outcome measures in two child and adolescent mental health services: a completed audit cycle

Background: Routine outcome measurement (ROM) is important for assessing the clinical effectiveness of health services and for monitoring patient outcomes. Within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in the UK the adoption of ROM in CAMHS has been supported by both national and local initiatives (such as government strategies, local commissioning policy, and research). Methods: With the aim of assessing how these policies and initiatives may have influenced the uptake of ROM within two different CAMHS we report the findings of two case-note audits: a baseline audit conducted in January 2011 and a re-audit conducted two years later in December 2012-February 2013. Results: The findings show an increase in both the single and repeated use of outcome measures from the time of the original audit, with repeated use (baseline and follow-up) of the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA) scale increasing from 10% to 50% of cases. Re-audited case-notes contained more combined use of different outcome measures, with greater consensus on which measures to use. Outcome measures that were applicable across a wide range of clinical conditions were more likely to be used than symptom-specific measures, and measures that were completed by the clinician were found more often than measures completed by the service user. Conclusions: The findings show a substantial improvement in the use of outcome measures within CAMHS. These increases in use were found across different service organisations which were subject to different types of local service priorities and drivers

Initial psychological responses to influenza A, H1N1 ("Swine flu")

Background The outbreak of the pandemic flu, Influenza A H1N1 (Swine Flu) in early 2009, provided a major challenge to health services around the world. Previous pandemics have led to stockpiling of goods, the victimisation of particular population groups, and the cancellation of travel and the boycotting of particular foods (e.g. pork). We examined initial behavioural and attitudinal responses towards Influenza A, H1N1 ("Swine flu") in the six days following the WHO pandemic alert level 5, and regional differences in these responses. Methods 328 respondents completed a cross-sectional Internet or paper-based questionnaire study in Malaysia (N = 180) or Europe (N = 148). Measures assessed changes in transport usage, purchase of preparatory goods for a pandemic, perceived risk groups, indicators of anxiety, assessed estimated mortality rates for seasonal flu, effectiveness of seasonal flu vaccination, and changes in pork consumption Results 26% of the respondents were 'very concerned' about being a flu victim (42% Malaysians, 5% Europeans, p < .001). 36% reported reduced public transport use (48% Malaysia, 22% Europe, p < .001), 39% flight cancellations (56% Malaysia, 17% Europe, p < .001). 8% had purchased preparatory materials (e.g. face masks: 8% Malaysia, 7% Europe), 41% Malaysia (15% Europe) intended to do so (p < .001). 63% of Europeans, 19% of Malaysians had discussed the pandemic with friends (p < .001). Groups seen as at 'high risk' of infection included the immune compromised (mentioned by 87% respondents), pig farmers (70%), elderly (57%), prostitutes/highly sexually active (53%), and the homeless (53%). In data collected only in Europe, 64% greatly underestimated the mortality rates of seasonal flu, 26% believed seasonal flu vaccination gave protection against swine flu. 7% had reduced/stopped eating pork. 3% had purchased anti-viral drugs for use at home, while 32% intended to do so if the pandemic worsened. Conclusion Initial responses to Influenza A show large regional differences in anxiety, with Malaysians more anxious and more likely to reduce travel and to buy masks and food. Discussions with family and friends may reinforce existing anxiety levels. Particular groups (homosexuals, prostitutes, the homeless) are perceived as at greater risk, potentially leading to increased prejudice during a pandemic. Europeans underestimated mortality of seasonal flu, and require more information about the protection given by seasonal flu inoculation

Multi-graviton theory, a latticized dimension, and the cosmological constant

Beginning with the Pauli-Fierz theory, we construct a model for multi-graviton theory. Couplings between gravitons belonging to nearest-neighbor ``theory spaces'' lead to a discrete mass spectrum. Our model coincides with the Kaluza-Klein theory whose fifth dimension is latticized. We evaluate one-loop vacuum energy in models with a circular latticized extra dimension as well as with compact continuous dimensions. We find that the vacuum energy can take a positive value, if the dimension of the continuous space time is $6, 10,...$. Moreover, since the amount of the vacuum energy can be an arbitrary small value according to the choice of parameters in the model, our models is useful to explain the small positive dark energy in the present universe.Comment: 10 pages, No figure. Needs REVTeX4. citations are corrected and minor correction