mLearning, development and delivery : creating opportunity and enterprise within the HE in FE context

This research project was funded by ESCalate in 2006-7 to support Somerset College in developing the curriculum, as well as widening participation via the use of mobile communications technologies such as mp3 players and mobile phones. The Project represents a highly topical and timely engagement with the opportunities for learning provided by the burgeoning use of mobile computing/ communications devices. Activities bring together colleagues from Teacher Education and Multimedia Computing in an innovative approach to designing for and delivering the curriculum. The Project addresses pedagogic issues and also vitally involves current and future learners, providing them with a new context for skills development and entrepreneurship. Anticipated outcomes include informed development of new HE modules and professional CPD activities which address the skills and context of this emerging approach to delivering the curriculum. The Project also intends to trial and evaluate the use of mobile technologies to support a blended learning approach to programme delivery and the development of a FD module which could be delivered via a mobile computing device. An interim report and a final project report are available as Word and PDF file

\u3cem\u3eTwo from the Underworld\u3c/em\u3e: Short Fiction.

The following thesis contains two works of short fiction. The first, “Afterlife,” is narrated by Jeff Carlton, whose unenthusiastic passage into fatherhood is complicated by his girlfriend Charlene’s obsession with mummification. The second, “Jolly,” is the story of Calvin Edwards, a young bus station attendant haunted by his father’s ghost and visited by a cadaverous stranger, Jolly, who also sees the dead. The stories are preceded by an introduction in which the author discusses his views on implied motivation in character development

Effects of Lift Velocity on Muscle Activation During Leg Extension

It is not known if manipulating velocity within a prescribed resistance training mode will improve muscle activation. Muscle activations of the Rectus Femoris (RF), Vastus Lateralis (VL), Vastus Medialis (VM) and Bicep Femoris (BF) were examined during a leg extension exercise at 3 different velocities on 15 subjects (10men, 5 female, Age = 21.5 ± 1.8 yrs, Height = 171.2 ± 12.5 cm, Mass = 75.5 ± 16.3 kg). Trials of 1 set of 10 repetitions at 60% of 1RM, were performed at 15, 30 and 60º/s. Bipolar surface electrodes were placed over the BF, RF, VL, and VM. Micro-switches were utilized to identify the concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) phases of the lift. Data were sampled at 1024 Hz, filtered, rectified and the mean, integrated EMG calculated. One 2 x 4 x 3 (action x muscle x velocity) ANOVA with bonferonni adjustment was run and significance was followed by Tukey HSD post hoc analysis. Results indicated significantly greater activation of the VL, RF and VM for ECC extension at 60º/s compared to 15º/s. While 60º/s was also greater than 30º/s for the VL and VM during ECC. While comparing muscle action, CON VL, VM and RF were greater than ECC at 30º/sec, meanwhile VM CON was also greater at 15º/sec. No differences in muscle activation at any velocity or muscle action for BF were identified. We conclude that muscle recruitment while training with a 60% 1RM load is maximized at a velocity of 60º/s during ECC activity and 15 or 30º/sec during CON

Ecology and Population Dynamics of Raccoons in East Tennessee

Raccoons were studied on the Chuck Swan Wildlife Management Area and State Forest (CSWMA) from 1981-1990. CSWMA is a 9,872 ha peninsula managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA) and Tennessee Division of Forestry. A control (2,588 ha), experimental (2,545 ha), and remaining hunted area (RHA) (4,739 ha) were established and received respective treatments of livetrapping only, livetrapping and harvest, and harvest only. Livetrapping was initiated in 1981 and continued through 1990. Quota hunts were reinstated m 1984 and were monitored through 1990. Objectives of this study were to summarize and evaluate the ecology and population dynamics of raccoons on CSWMA and to evaluate the impacts of managed quota hunts on the raccoon population. Since 1981, 992 raccoons were captured 3,171 times. Mean trapping success was 16.8 and 13.8 raccoons per 100 trapnights on the control and experimental areas, respectively, and were significantly different (p=0.0006). Trapping success varied by year (p\u3c0.0001) and month (p\u3c0.0001). Raccoons were captured more frequently (p=0.0139) on the control area than on the experimental area. Male raccoons were captured a greater number of times than females (p=0.0598). The overall sex ratio was significantly (p\u3c 0.0001) skewed towards males on the experimental area (155:100) but not (p=0.1375) on the control area (114:100); there was a higher proportion of males on the experimental area than on the control area (p=0.0200). Since 1984, a total of 757 raccoons were harvested for an overall success rate of 66.3%. Under the current (1988-1990) system of harvest (6 nights and hunter quotas), mean harvest intensity on the experimental area was 2.53 raccoons per 100 ha or 36.5% of the estimated population; more data are needed before this level of harvest can be considered sustainable. The overall percentage of juveniles in the harvest was 29.0% (range IQ. 1-40.1%) and varied by year (p=0.0001). The percentage of juveniles in the harvest increased as the harvest intensity increased. The sex ratio of harvested raccoons was significantly (p=0.0088) skewed towards females. Weights of adult raccoons varied by month (p\u3c0.0001) and sex (p\u3c 0.0001); mean harvest weights were 5.05 and 4.41 kg for males and females, respectively, and varied by year (p\u3c 0.0001) and sex (p=0.0009). Mean weights of harvested juveniles were 2.64 and 2.47 kg for males and females, respectively, and varied by year (p=0.0305) and sex (p=0.0124). Dates of parturition ranged from April to August with 81.0% of births occurring during the last 2 weeks of May and first 2 weeks of June. Mean litter size during 1984-1990 was 2.1 young per breeding female and varied by year (p=0.0408) but not by age class (p =0.1088). Refined natality during 1984-1990 was 1.3 young per adult female and varied by age class (p\u3c0.0001) but not by year (p=0.5425). Excluding age class II raccoons (15-38 months), the mean pregnancy rate was 82.0%; the mean pregnancy rate for age class II raccoons was only 37.1%. Yearlings contributed very little, if any, to annual recruitment. The oldest confirmed age for a raccoon on CSWMA was 12.5 years. On the control area, 7.5% of males and 32.1% of females captured during 1981-1985 had capture histories that exceeded 60 months; 1.5% of males and 11.9% of females captured during 1981-1983 were still alive 85 months after their initial capture. On the was was experimenial area, 7.4% of males and 21.2% of females raccoons captured during , 1981-1985 had capture histories that exceeded 60 months; 0.7% of males and 1.0% of females raccoons captured during 1981-1983 were still alive 85 months after their initial capture. Juvenile survival from September to March was at least 45.2 and 60.3% for male and female raccoons, respectively; the disparity between males and females attributed to dispersal and/or increased mortality of males. The Jolly-Seber population estimator violated the fewest assumptions and determined to be the best estimator for CSWMA. Densities ranged from 1 raccoon per 7.2-16.8 ha on the control area and 1 raccoon per 9.9-18.9 ha on the experimental area. The control area was unable to sustain a density of 1 raccoon per 7.2 ha in 1988 and underwent a substantial population decline in 1989 and 1990. Raccoon densities on CSWMA were substantially higher than those found in other parts of east Tennessee. Upland hardwood habitat typical of much of east Tennessee is capable of providing quality raccoon hunting while maintaining sustained yields. However, current levels of hunting pressure in open counties of east Tennessee will probably continue to keep raccoon densities below those found on CSWMA

Item-level and Composite-level Interrater Reliability of Functional Movement Screen™ Scores Following Condensed Training in Novice Raters

BACKGROUND The Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS™) is a clinical instrument designed to use movement behaviors to screen individuals for injury risk. Current rater certification programs focus on extensive, individualized training, which may not be appropriate in all screening contexts. PURPOSE The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of a two-hour FMSTM training seminar on measures of reliability between previously untrained scorers. STUDY DESIGN Repeated measures, descriptive cohort study. METHODS Four novice raters completed a two-hour training course administered by an FMS™-certified, licensed physical therapist. The novices and the instructor then scored a group of 16 individuals on the seven FMS™ component tests on two separate occasions. Interrater reliability was assessed for FMS™ component scores using Fleiss’ kappa and Krippendorff’s α. Interrater reliability for the FMS™ composite score was assessed using a two-way ICC for agreement (a priori significance level=0.05). RESULTS Reliability ranged from fair to almost perfect (kappa) for Deep Squat (0.61 Day 1, 0.79 Day 2), Shoulder Mobility (0.90 Day 1, 1.00 Day 2), Active Straight Leg Raise (0.53 Day 1, 0.69 Day 2), and Trunk Stability Push Up (0.48 Day 1, 0.49 Day 2) on both testing occurrences (p CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that a brief training seminar may be sufficient to ensure acceptable reliability in many, but not all, of the FMS™ component tests and composite score. Levels of Evidence Level 2

A Study of In-School Suspension Programs in Area 7 of Iowa

Suspension has increasingly become one of the foremost problems confronting educational administrators in American public schools. The controversy over the advantages and disadvantages of out-of-school suspension has been on stage in the current educational scene. This conflict has evoked public skepticism and some intervention on the part of courts. Educators have begun to develop in-school suspension programs as an alternative to out-of-school suspension. The major objective of in-school suspension is to have suspended students remain in the educational setting. This change in practice enables the school and community resources to be more readily used in remediating and facilitating the improvement of student behavior problems. Variation exists in the organization of in-school suspension programs across the country. This result is achieved because programs are designed to meet the particular needs of each school and by the availability of resources. The present study purported to (1) assess in-school suspension programs and (2) identify those criteria or organizational variables which tend to be contributing to the success or lack of success of in-school suspension programs. The junior high/middle schools and senior high schools located in Area 7 of Iowa served as the population for this investigation. The actual implementation of an in-school suspension program by school officials in Area 7 was the basis upon which schools in this study were selected. Three questionnaires and an interview form were developed in this study. The first questionnaire was sent to a panel of experts. The experts\u27 responses provided validation and a rank ordered hierarchy of the ten organizational criteria utilized in the assessment of in-school suspension programs. The other two questionnaires were designed to obtain suspension data from schools in Area 7 with and without in-school suspension programs. The interview form was developed to assess the criteria or organizational variables included in the in-school suspension programs of schools in Area 7 of Iowa. In the final analysis, in-school suspension programs were found to be operating in 27 secondary schools located in Area 7 of Iowa. Twenty-six principals and/or others designated by the principal were interviewed in regard to the in-school suspension program being operated in their own particular school. Typically the in-school suspension programs in Area 7 of Iowa did not include a majority of the criteria or organizational variables used to assess the programs. The criteria practiced in the in-school suspension programs did not correlate well with the rank ordered hierarchy provided by the panel of experts. There was no significant difference in the number of suspensions occurring Before as compared to After the implementation of an in-school suspension program. The enrollment-suspension ratios improved in six schools after an in-school suspension program had been implemented, however, the enrollment-suspension ratios worsened in five schools after an in-school suspension program had been implemented. It was found that the trend in the enrollment-suspension ratios of the 40 schools in this study, with and without in-school suspension, had improved over the past three semesters. However, it is not clear why this improvement occurred. As a group, the in-school suspension programs of schools in Area 7 of Iowa did not possess a majority of the criteria used to assess the programs. The criteria or organizational variables perceived by experts as being necessary for inclusion in an in-school suspension program were not generally reflected as being a major part of the in-school suspension programs of schools in Area 7. It was concluded that the majority of in-school suspension programs in Area 7 of Iowa appear to be still in the developmental stages. As a result, the majority of administrators have grasped the idea of in-school suspension, but have not yet begun to operate in-school suspension programs that are generally accepted as educationally sound

The Effect of Foam Rolling Duration on Hamstring Range of Motion

Musculoskeletal health benefits from flexibility training and maintaining a functional, or sport specific, range of motion is important to one’s overall fitness. Commercial foam rollers are commonly used in gyms, therapy clinics and homes, yet data are lacking on the optimal rolling duration and effect on range of motion

The Effects of Dual Tasks on Balance and Gait in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease: A Critically Appraised Topic

● Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects over 10 million people globally. ● There is evidence to suggest that dual-cognitive tasks negatively impact the gait and balance of patients with PD. ● 19-38% of patients with PD will develop cognitive impairments. ● Higher level cognitive functioning dual tasks exacerbate freezing of gait episodes (FoG). ● Research shows potential improvement with dual-tasks during gait secondary to prioritization of motor task of walking

Mechanical Stress and Antioxidant Protection in the Retina of Hindlimb Suspended Rats

It has been postulated that hindlimb suspension (HS) causes a cephalad fluid shift in quadrupeds similar to that occurring to humans in microgravity. Therefore, HS may provide a suitable animal model in which to recapitulate the ocular changes observed in the human Visual Impairment and Intracranial Pressure (VIIP) syndrome. This work reports preliminary results from a tissue sharing project using 34 week-old Brown Norway rats. Two different experiments compared normal posture controls and HS rats for 2 weeks and rats exposed to HS for 2 weeks but allowed to recover in normal posture for 2 additional weeks. The effects of two nutritional countermeasures, green tea extract (GT) and plant polyphenol resveratrol (Rv), were also evaluated. Green tea contains the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). qPCR gene expression analysis of selected targets was performed on RNA from isolated retinas, and histologic analysis was done on one fixed eye per rat. The transcription factor early growth response protein 1 (Egr1) was upregulated almost 2-fold in HS retinas relative to controls (P = 0.059), and its expression returned to control levels after 2 weeks of recovery in normal posture (P = 0.023). HS-induced upregulation of Egr1 was attenuated (but not significantly) in retinas from rats fed an antioxidant rich (GT extract) diet. In rats fed the GT-enriched diet, antioxidant enzymes were induced, evidenced by the upregulation of the gene heme oxygenase 1 (Hmox1) (P = 0.042) and the gene superoxide dismutase 2 (Sod2) (P = 0.0001). Egr1 is a stretch-activated transcription factor, and the Egr1 mechanosensitive response to HS may have been caused by a change in the translaminal pressure and/or mechanical deformation of the eye globe. The observed histologic measurements of the various retinal layers in the HS rats were lower in value than those of the control animal (n = 1), however insufficient data were available for statistical analysis. Aquaporin 4, a water-selective channel involved in interstitial fluid homeostasis, showed an upregulated trend in HS retinas; however, these results are preliminary. Total retinal thickness increased significantly (P = 0.049) in HS rats fed a resveratrol enriched diet compared to HS rats on a normal diet. This change appeared to be reversed during the 2 weeks of recovery post HS, but no differences in retina thickness were observed between HS animals and HS recovered animals when both groups consumed a normal diet. The reversibility of the increase in retinal thickness induced by resveratrol during HS may therefore reflect an interaction between the stress provoked by HS and the cytoprotective mechanisms elicited by resveratro

Affinity and dose of TCR engagement yield proportional enhancer and gene activity in CD4+ T cells.

Affinity and dose of T cell receptor (TCR) interaction with antigens govern the magnitude of CD4+ T cell responses, but questions remain regarding the quantitative translation of TCR engagement into downstream signals. We find that while the response of mouse CD4+ T cells to antigenic stimulation is bimodal, activated cells exhibit analog responses proportional to signal strength. Gene expression output reflects TCR signal strength, providing a signature of T cell activation. Expression changes rely on a pre-established enhancer landscape and quantitative acetylation at AP-1 binding sites. Finally, we show that graded expression of activation genes depends on ERK pathway activation, suggesting that an ERK-AP-1 axis plays an important role in translating TCR signal strength into proportional activation of enhancers and genes essential for T cell function