Factors Influencing Learning Intention of Advanced Placement MOOCs: Insights from an Investigation into Information Technology Adoption

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have attracted recent scholarly attention, mainly because MOOCs have effectively made higher education accessible. However, MOOCs tend to have low completion rates, and many scholars have attempted to remedy this by investigating the psychological, cognitive, physiological, and demographic factors affecting completion rates. Nevertheless, most studies have rarely investigated the student’s information technology (IT) background, focusing instead on self-awareness, self-recognition, intrinsic motivation, or external factors. Thus, this study adopted the technology acceptance model (TAM) to explore factors affecting MOOC learning intention, specifically in advanced placement (AP) MOOCs. This study also recruited 435 student participants from a university in Taiwan who took MOOCs for AP. Questionnaires were used to analyze the factors affecting completion rates. The results revealed that personal and IT backgrounds significantly affected perceived ease of use (PEU); perceived usefulness (PU) significantly affected attitude toward use (ATU); PEU significantly affected ATU; PEU significantly affected PU; ATU significantly affected behavioral intention to use (BITU); PU significantly affected BITU; and BITU significantly affected course completion rates. The results suggest that universities first understand students’ personal and IT backgrounds before promoting their AP MOOCs， as this can assist students in their learning and provide the necessary support. . Furthermore, universities must also establish a complete course-provision process and formulate learning strategies to attract, guide, and inspire students to adapt to the learning modes that AP MOOCs entail. In doing so, students are more likely to perceive MOOC learning modes as being innovative and thus learn more effectively

Quantitative measures of functional outcomes and quality of life in patients with C5 palsy

AbstractBackgroundIt is generally understood that postoperative C5 palsy can occur with anterior or posterior decompression surgery, but functional measures of the palsy have not been well documented. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of C5 palsy in different surgical procedures, examine the correlations between muscle strength, upper extremity functional measures, and health-related quality of life, and to observe potential risk factors contributing to C5 palsy.MethodsOur investigation involved a retrospective study design. A total of 364 patients who underwent decompression surgery were indicated within the selected exclusion criteria. Additionally, 12 C5 palsy patients were recruited. The relationships between the manual muscle test (MMT), the action research arm test (ARAT), the Jebsen test of hand function (JTHF), and the European quality of life-5 dimensions (EQ-5D) were studied, and univariate analyses were performed to search possible risk factors and recovery investigation.ResultsThe data analyzed in the 12 cases and C5 palsy incidences (3.3%) were: 0.7% in anterior procedures (n = 2), 8.8% in posterior procedures (n = 6), and 36.4% in combined procedures (n = 4). Moderate-to-high correlations were observed between the ARAT, JTHF, EQ-5D visual analog scale scores, and MMT (r = 0.636–0.899). There were significant differences in patient age, etiology of cervical lesion, variable decompression procedures, and the number of decompression levels between the C5 palsy and non-C5 palsy groups. For female patients (p = 0.018) and number of decompression levels (p = 0.028), there were significant differences between the complete recovery and the incomplete recovery groups.ConclusionPatients undergoing combined anterior–posterior decompression surgery had the highest incidence of C5 palsy, and correlations between the ARAT, JTHF, EQ-5D visual analog scale clinical tools, and MMT scores supported these findings. Female status and lower decompression levels could also be predictive factors for complete recovery, although additional research is needed to substantiate these findings

Near-Surface Attenuation and Velocity Structures in Taiwan from Wellhead and Borehole Recordings Comparisons

By analyzing the data from 28 seismic borehole stations deployed by the Central Weather Bureau Seismic Network throughout Taiwan from 2007 to 2014, we estimated the near-surface velocity (Vp and Vs) and attenuation (Qp and Qs) structures from surface to depths of approximately 300 m. To ensure that the deeper recordings were on the ray path between the seismic source and upper receiver, only events with an incidence angle of less than 35° were selected. Local magnitudes of analyzed events were between 1.1 and 6.6. The subsurface Qp and Qs were well modeled in the 5 - 40 Hz frequency band using the spectral ratio of direct P- and S-waves, respectively, at each station, under frequency-independent Q and ω2 source model assumptions. The estimated Vp in the Coastal Plain, the Western Foothills, the Longitudinal Valley, and the Yilan Plain were approximately 1000 - 2000 m s-1, which was lower than the Vp of 2500 - 4000 m s-1 in the Central Mountain Range. In addition, the Vs in the plain areas were lower than that in the Central Mountain Range. The low Vp and Vs and high Vp/Vs ratio in the Coastal Plain and the Western Foothills can be attributed to the unconsolidated soil and high pore-fluid content of subsurface sediments in the plain areas. In contrast to the velocity distribution, low Qp and Qs were observed in the Central Mountain Range. The low Qp and Qs with low Vp/Vs and low Qs/Qp ratios in the Central Mountain Range was consistent with the high thermal temperature observed in the field investigation. The obtained velocity and attenuation structures near surface could also provide important constraints in validation of the crustal structure of Taiwan

YamSat: the First Picosatellite being Developed in Taiwan

This paper describes the current planning and design of the YamSat, the first picosatellite being developed in Taiwan. The design, analysis, manufacture, integration, test and operation of the YamSat will be performed by the National Space Program Office (NSPO), Taiwan, R.O.C, in cooperation with other domestic organizations and companies. It is a member of the CubeSat [1], 10cm x 10cm x 10cm size and within 1kg mass. The major objective of the YamSat is to qualify in space the components and technology developed in Taiwan, including a micro-spectrometer payload using Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology. The YamSat will be ready for flight in the middle of 2002

Ventricular divergence correlates with epicardial wavebreaks and predicts ventricular arrhythmia in isolated rabbit hearts during therapeutic hypothermia

INTRODUCTION: High beat-to-beat morphological variation (divergence) on the ventricular electrogram during programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS) is associated with increased risk of ventricular fibrillation (VF), with unclear mechanisms. We hypothesized that ventricular divergence is associated with epicardial wavebreaks during PVS, and that it predicts VF occurrence. METHOD AND RESULTS: Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts (n = 10) underwent 30-min therapeutic hypothermia (TH, 30°C), followed by a 20-min treatment with rotigaptide (300 nM), a gap junction modifier. VF inducibility was tested using burst ventricular pacing at the shortest pacing cycle length achieving 1:1 ventricular capture. Pseudo-ECG (p-ECG) and epicardial activation maps were simultaneously recorded for divergence and wavebreaks analysis, respectively. A total of 112 optical and p-ECG recordings (62 at TH, 50 at TH treated with rotigaptide) were analyzed. Adding rotigaptide reduced ventricular divergence, from 0.13±0.10 at TH to 0.09±0.07 (p = 0.018). Similarly, rotigaptide reduced the number of epicardial wavebreaks, from 0.59±0.73 at TH to 0.30±0.49 (p = 0.036). VF inducibility decreased, from 48±31% at TH to 22±32% after rotigaptide infusion (p = 0.032). Linear regression models showed that ventricular divergence correlated with epicardial wavebreaks during TH (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Ventricular divergence correlated with, and might be predictive of epicardial wavebreaks during PVS at TH. Rotigaptide decreased both the ventricular divergence and epicardial wavebreaks, and reduced the probability of pacing-induced VF during TH

Effect Of Sediment Releasing Operation From Reservoir Outlets On The Water Treatment Plant Downstream

With steep slope and strong rainfall intensity, landslide and debris flow could generate huge amount of sediment yield from the watershed, typically during typhoon floods in Taiwan. As such huge amount of sediment moved into a reservoir, serious sedimentation problem reduced storage of reservoir due to decrease of flow velocity and without sufficient sediment releasing bottom outlet. As a result, using flood discharge to release sediment during Typhoon or rain fall duration is very important. This study adopts the data of field observation from outlet structures of the Shihmen reservoir to establish the operational strategies of sediment releasing rule and keep water sustained supply at downstream river intake. Based on the numerical simulation by using 1-D and 2-D models, the relationship of sediment concentration between the Shihmen reservoir and downstream withdraw intake at the YuanShan weir can be established. The sediment concentration reduction ratio is calculated to be 89% from the Shihmen reservoir to the YuanShan weir. This study also focuses on the sediment concentration mitigation influence of tunnel spillway due to the high sediment concentration releasing from bottom outlet. From simulated results, when the extra discharge of tunnel spillway reaches 830m3/s for specific event, the influence of reducing sediment concentration to downstream river by tunnel spillway can maintain water supply of downstream withdraw intake at YuanShan weir. In practice, when using the extra discharge of tunnel spillway to reduce sediment concentration during Typhoon Haitang and Typhoon Wipha, the sediment concentration at YuanShan weir can reduce water turbidity lower than 6000NTU that water treatment plant can deal with

Lessons Learned of NSPO’s Picosatellite Mission: Yamsat - 1A, 1B & 1C

The YamSat is the first developed picosatellite in National Space Program Office’s (NSPO), Taiwan, R.O.C. It is scheduled to flight in the CubeSat launch in 2003. The rapid-prototyping system engineering different from the past formal discipline opens a new satellite development model in NSPO. The YamSat Test Readiness Review Meeting was successfully held in January 2002 and the environmental tests were completed by end March 2002. Besides the breadboard model and engineering test bed to prove of operation concept are built, three YamSats (1A, 1B, & 1C) instead of one are manufactured with slightly different configurations and purposes. The YamSat- 1A is for flight with ambitious and novel R.O.C. made components, including 15 domestic organizations and companies’ participation. The YamSat-1B is basically for backup purpose and demonstration, whereas the YamSat-1C is for amateur communication experiment end-to-end field test, and for public education purpose. This new experience gives fruitful lessons learned and provides low cost space experimentation and education to the next built picosatellites in Taiwan’s universities. Detailed mission and lessons learned are addressed in this paper