Instructors’ transformations during early online teaching experiences

AbstractUse of online learning environments became popular through the opportunities that internet technologies provide. However, most of instructors have only some assumptions and beliefs about teaching online in a lack of prior knowledge or experience. Transformative learning occurs when they critically reflect on and revise these, and change their actions. Transformative learning is essential for instructors especially in technology-affiliated learning environments. The study is designed as a qualitative case study. The purpose is analyzing and presenting instructors’ transformational experiences in online learning environments

1/f noise in hydrogenated amorphous silicon-germanium alloys

Measurements were made of conductance noise of a-Si:H and a-Si 1-xGex:H in two different geometries: one where the current flow is transverse to the surface and the other where it is longitudinal to the surface. Because of the large change in sample resistance between the two geometries, it was not possible to measure both geometries at the same temperature. For both geometries, alloyinzg with up to 40% Ge reduces the noise magnitude by several orders of magnitude over that found in a-Si:H. The decrease is incompatible with several popular noise models. Extrapolating the temperature trends for each geometry shows that it is possible that the noise observed in the transverse samples has the same origin as the higher frequency part of the double power law spectra observed in the longitudinal samples.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canad

A novel mutation of KIF11 in a child with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome associated with MCLMR

Microcephaly with or without chorioretinopathy, lymphedema, or mental retardation (MCLMR; OMIM 152950) is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited syndrome. Mutations in the kinesin family member 11 (KIF11) gene have been associated with this condition. Here, we report a de novo novel heterozygous missense mutation in exon 12 of the KIF11 gene [c.1402T>G; p.(Leu468Val)] in a boy with 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome. His major features were microcephaly, ventricular septal defect, congenital lymphedema of the feet, and distinct facial appearance including upslanting palpebral fissures, a broad nose with rounded tip, anteverted nares, long philtrum with a thin upper lip, pointed chin, and prominent ears. His right eye was enucleated due to subretinal hemorrhage and retinal detachment at age 3 months. Lacunae of chorioretinal atrophy and the pale optic disc were present in the left eye. He also had a de novo 1.6-Mb microdeletion in the Di George/VCFS region of chromosome 22q11.2 in SNP array, which was confirmed by FISH analysis. In this study, for the first time, we describe the co-occurrence of a KIF11 mutation and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome in a patient with MCLMR

Kırka Boraks atıklarının soda liçi

Bor, çok geniş kullanım alanları ile, insanlığın bugünkü ve gelecekteki yaşamlarında, vazgeçilmez bir endüstriyel hammadde olarak önemini gittikçe arttıracaktır. Ülkemiz bu açıdan şanslı bir konumda olup, toplam dünya bor rezervlerinin yaklaşık %60 'mı içermektedir Bu nedenlerden dolayı, bor cevherlerimizin en verimli bir şekilde üretimi ülkemiz açısından çok fazla önem arz etmektedir. Kırka boraks konsantratöründe, her yıl yaklaşık %10-12 B2O3 tenörlü 250 bin ton yaş artık oluşmakta ve bunun yanında artık göletinde de benzer tenörlü yaklaşık 4 milyon ton birikmiş katı artık bulunmaktadır. Artıkların teknolojik koşullara uygun olarak değerlendirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmada, kırka boraks artıklarının soda liçi ile değerlendirilmesinde etken olan parametreler ayrıntılı bir şekilde araştırılmıştır. Bu amaçla, boraks artıklarının Na2C03 ve NaHCC>3 liçi; değişik sıcaklık, çözücü"miktarları, katı/sıvı oranlan ve çözeltine sürelerinde denenmiş olup, düşük çözücü oranlarında, optimal sıcaklık ve sürede başarılı sonuçlar alınmıştır. Sonuçta, seyreltik soda çözeltisi ile yapılan deneylerde, artiklardaki boraks yüksek verimle çözünmüş ve elde edilen bulgulardan yararlanılarak, tesisin mevcut çalışma koşullarına uygun optimum öneri akım şemalan geliştirilmiştir. Aynca, bu yöntemle boraks artıklarının değerlendirilmesinde, çözücü olarak tronanın kullanılması ile ülkemizde büyük bir potansiyele sahip olan trona yataklan yem bir kullanım alam bulmuş olacaktır.Boron will continue its importance in the recent world and in the future as a very well-known and necessary industrial rawmaterial with common use areas. Our country is very advantegeous in this point and contains approximately 60 % of total world reserves of boron. Thus production of boron ores is greatly significant for our country. In the Kırka Tincal Concentrator, approximately 250 000 tons wet tailings with a grade of 10 -12 % are produced and separately 4 million tons tailings with similar grade are disposed. Beneficiation from the Kırka Tincal tailings is thereby necessary. In this study, the effective parameters m soda leaching of the Kırka Tincal tailings have been investigated in detail. For this aim, Na2CC>3 and NaHCC>3 leaching of the tailings at different temperature, concentration, solid/liquid ratio and leaching time were carried out. As a conclusion, in the experiments made with aqueous soda solutions, tincal were efficiently extracted and an optimum processing plant proposal was developed. Furthermore, with use of trona in this processing method of the tailings, the great trona deposits will find a different use

A systematic review of nutrition-based practices in prevention of hypertension among healthy youth

The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the results of observational and interventional research/studies on nutrition-based practices in the prevention of hypertension among healthy youth. The MEDLINE/PubMed database was searched using the key words, "hypertension," "nutrition/diet," "prevention" and "youth." Inclusion criteria were: 1) sample with a majority of adolescents, defined as 10-24 years of age, or findings for adolescents reported separately from other age groups; 2) primary research reports; 3) studies with normotensive participants; and 4) studies that focused on preventing hypertension/lowering blood pressure through at least one nutritional practice. Results of the analysis indicated that increased consumption of unsaturated fats, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dietary products, decreased consumption of dietary sodium and beverages containing caffeine, and breastfeeding were found to have preventive effects against high blood pressure in later years of life. The effects of training given during youth to encourage a healthy lifestyle and behavior changes based on diet and physical activity were also noted.publisher versio

Effective spin physics in two-dimensional cavity QED arrays

We investigate a strongly correlated system of light and matter in two-dimensional cavity arrays. We formulate a multimode Tavis–Cummings (TC) Hamiltonian for two-level atoms coupled to cavity modes and driven by an external laser field which reduces to an effective spin Hamiltonian in the dispersive regime. In one-dimension we provide an exact analytical solution. In two-dimensions, we perform mean-field study and large scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations of both the TC and the effective spin models. We discuss the phase diagram and the parameter regime which gives rise to frustrated interactions between the spins. We provide a quantitative description of the phase transitions and correlation properties featured by the system and we discuss graph-theoretical properties of the ground states in terms of graph colourings using Pólya's enumeration theorem

Distributive politics and regional development: assessing the territorial distribution of Turkey’s public investment

Turkey is often perceived as a country with low bureaucratic capacity and prone to political manipulation and ‘pork-barrel’. This article tests whether this is the case, by analysing the extent to which politics, rather than equity and efficiency criteria, have determined the geographical allocation of public investment across the 81 provinces of Turkey between 2005 and 2012. The results show that although the Turkish government has indeed channelled public expenditures to reward its core constituencies, socioeconomic factors remained the most relevant predictors of investment. Moreover, in contrast to official regional development policy principles, we uncover the concentration of public investment in areas with comparatively higher levels of development. We interpret this as the state bureaucracy’s intentional strategy of focussing on efficiency by concentrating resources on ‘the better off among the most in need’