Case studies to enhance online student evaluation: Bond University – Surveying students online to improve learning and teaching

One of the most sensible ways of improving learning and teaching is to ask the students for feedback. At the end of each teaching period (i.e. semester or term) all universities and many schools survey their students. Usually these surveys are managed online. Questions ask for student perceptions about teaching, assessment and workload. The survey administrators report four common problems

Use of computer-aided analysis techniques for cover type mapping in areas of mountainous terrain

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

The Party Controls the Gun, but How? Institutionalization as a Trend in Chinese Civil-Military Relations

Originally characterized by a tightly intertwined relationship based in informal manners of control, the relationship between the Chinese army, party, and state has evolved over the past few decades. Instigated by the reforms of Deng Xiaoping, which changed Chinese politics, economics, and society, the party and the army’s relationship is no longer based in the interlocking directorate, which characterized the party-army hierarchies of the past. Changes to the army, the party, and the state have contributed to an evolution of Chinese civil-military relations which can be characterized as “institutionalized.

Is Pilates an Effective Treatment for Improving Functional Disability and Pain in Patients with Nonspecific Low Back Pain?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is Pilates an effective treatment for improving functional disability and pain in patients with nonspecific low back pain?” STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies, two of which were published in 2006 and the other in 2009. DATA SOURCES: Three single-blind randomized control trials comparing the Pilates method of treatment to a control group that did not receive Pilates intervention were found using PubMed and EBSCOhost databases. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Each of the studies had patients participate in Pilates sessions for six to seven weeks. The outcomes measured include whether or not there was a decrease in low back pain and improvement in functional disability. The subjective measurement of outcomes included NRS-101 pain scale, Roland Morris Questionnaire, Owestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire, symptom report, sport functioning questionnaire, visual analog pain scale, and present pain intensity scale. The tools used to assess significance of outcomes measured were P-values and change in mean from baseline. RESULTS: All of the single-blind randomized control trials showed a significant decrease in low back pain after the Pilates intervention. The Rydeard et al single-blind randomized control trial also showed a significant improvement in functional disability after the Pilates intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the RCT’s reviewed demonstrate Pilates method to be an effective treatment for improving functional disability and decreasing low back pain. Further research is needed to determine length, intensity, and specific Pilates exercises that may yield maximum results and long term relief

Pion Interactions in the X(3872)

We consider pion interactions in an effective field theory of the narrow resonance X(3872), assuming it is a weakly bound molecule of the charm mesons D^{0} \bar D^{*0} and D^{*0} \bar D^{0}. Since the hyperfine splitting of the D^{0} and D^{*0} is only 7 MeV greater than the neutral pion mass, pions can be produced near threshold and are non-relativistic. We show that pion exchange can be treated in perturbation theory and calculate the next-to-leading-order correction to the partial decay width \Gamma[X \to D^0 \bar D^{0} \pi^0].Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures, revtex4, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Electromagnetic Production of Quarkonium in Z0Z^{0} decay

The decay $Z^{0}\rightarrow Q+ \ell^{+}\ell^{-}$, where $Q$ is a $J^{PC}=1^{--}$ quarkonium state, has a very clean final state, which should make it easy to detect. The branching ratio of this mode is greater than $10^{-6}$ for $\rho$, $\phi$, and $\psi$, indicating that these processes may be detectable at LEP.Comment: Latex, 6 pages, 2 figure in postscript format (uuencoded), (or available upon request), NUHEP-TH-93-1

UK mothers' experiences of bottle refusal by their breastfed baby.

Little is known about bottle refusal by breastfed babies; however, an informal review of global online forums and social media suggested large numbers of mothers experiencing the scenario. This study aimed to explore UK mothers' experiences of bottle refusal by their breastfed baby in order to provide understanding of the scenario and enhance support for mothers experiencing it. A 22-point online questionnaire was developed and completed by 841 UK mothers. Findings suggest that mothers introduced a bottle to their breastfed baby due to physical, psychological and socio-cultural factors. Advice and support for mothers experiencing bottle refusal was not always helpful, and 27% of mothers reported bottle refusal as having a negative impact on their breastfeeding experience. When compared with eventual bottle acceptance, bottle refusal was significantly associated with previous experience of bottle refusal (p < .001), how frequently mothers intended to feed their baby by bottle and babies being younger at the first attempt to introduce a bottle (p < .001). This study provides a unique insight into the complexities of bottle refusal by breastfed babies and the impact it can have upon mothers' breastfeeding experiences. It generates knowledge and understanding that can help to inform practice and policies. In addition, a 'normalising' of the scenario could enable mothers, and those supporting them, to view and manage it more positively

Assessing risks of invasion through gamete performance: farm Atlantic salmon sperm and eggs show equivalence in function, fertility, compatibility and competitiveness to wild Atlantic salmon

Adaptations at the gamete level (a) evolve quickly, (b) appear sensitive to inbreeding and outbreeding and (c) have important influences on potential to reproduce. We apply this understanding to problems posed by escaped farm salmon and measure their potential to reproduce in the wild. Farm Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are a threat to biodiversity, because they escape in large numbers and can introgress, dilute or disrupt locally adapted wild gene pools. Experiments at the whole fish level have found farm reproductive potential to be significant, but inferior compared to wild adults, especially for males. Here, we assess reproductive performance at the gamete level through detailed in vitro comparisons of the form, function, fertility, compatibility and competitiveness of farm versus wild Atlantic salmon sperm and eggs, in conditions mimicking the natural gametic microenvironment, using fish raised under similar environmental conditions. Despite selective domestication and reduced genetic diversity, we find functional equivalence in all farm fish gamete traits compared with their wild ancestral strain. Our results identify a clear threat of farm salmon reproduction with wild fish and therefore encourage further consideration of using triploid farm strains with optimized traits for aquaculture and fish welfare, as triploid fish remain reproductively sterile following escape