Lessons Learned from Development of a Software Tool to Support Academic Advising

We detail some lessons learned while designing and testing a decision-theoretic advising support tool for undergraduates at a large state university. Between 2009 and 2011 we conducted two surveys of over 500 students in multiple majors and colleges. These surveys asked students detailed questions about their preferences concerning course selection, advising, and career paths. We present data from this study which may be helpful for faculty and staff who advise undergraduate students. We find that advising support software tools can augment the student-advisor relationship, particularly in terms of course planning, but cannot and should not replace in-person advising.Comment: 5 Figures, revised version including more figures and cross-referencin

Negative Differential Resistance, Memory and Reconfigurable Logic Functions based on Monolayer Devices derived from Gold Nanoparticles Functionalized with Electro-polymerizable Thiophene-EDOT Units

We report on hybrid memristive devices made of a network of gold nanoparticles (10 nm diameter) functionalized by tailored 3,4(ethylenedioxy)thiophene (TEDOT) molecules, deposited between two planar electrodes with nanometer and micrometer gaps (100 nm to 10 um apart), and electropolymerized in situ to form a monolayer film of conjugated polymer with embedded gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Electrical properties of these films exhibit two interesting behaviors: (i) a NDR (negative differential resistance) behavior with a peak/valley ratio up to 17, and (ii) a memory behavior with an ON/OFF current ratio of about 1E3 to 1E4. A careful study of the switching dynamics and programming voltage window is conducted demonstrating a non-volatile memory. The data retention of the ON and OFF states is stable (tested up to 24h), well controlled by the voltage and preserved when repeating the switching cycles (800 in this study). We demonstrate reconfigurable Boolean functions in multiterminal connected NP molecule devices.Comment: Full manuscript, figures and supporting information, J. Phys. Chem. C, on line, asap (2017

The dynamics of measles in sub-Saharan Africa.

Although vaccination has almost eliminated measles in parts of the world, the disease remains a major killer in some high birth rate countries of the Sahel. On the basis of measles dynamics for industrialized countries, high birth rate regions should experience regular annual epidemics. Here, however, we show that measles epidemics in Niger are highly episodic, particularly in the capital Niamey. Models demonstrate that this variability arises from powerful seasonality in transmission-generating high amplitude epidemics-within the chaotic domain of deterministic dynamics. In practice, this leads to frequent stochastic fadeouts, interspersed with irregular, large epidemics. A metapopulation model illustrates how increased vaccine coverage, but still below the local elimination threshold, could lead to increasingly variable major outbreaks in highly seasonally forced contexts. Such erratic dynamics emphasize the importance both of control strategies that address build-up of susceptible individuals and efforts to mitigate the impact of large outbreaks when they occur

What determines the spreading of a wave packet?

The multifractal dimensions D2^mu and D2^psi of the energy spectrum and eigenfunctions, resp., are shown to determine the asymptotic scaling of the width of a spreading wave packet. For systems where the shape of the wave packet is preserved the k-th moment increases as t^(k*beta) with beta=D2^mu/D2^psi, while in general t^(k*beta) is an optimal lower bound. Furthermore, we show that in d dimensions asymptotically in time the center of any wave packet decreases spatially as a power law with exponent D_2^psi - d and present numerical support for these results.Comment: Physical Review Letters to appear, 4 pages postscript with figure

Educación para la diversidad afectivo-sexual desde la perspectiva de las familias homoparentales

Treball final de Grau en Mestre o Mestra d'Educació Infantil. Codi: MI1040. Curs acadèmic 2016-2017Este proyecto tiene como objetivos conocer la opinión de algunas familias homoparentales acerca del trabajo de la diversidad afectivo sexual en las escuelas, acercarnos al trato que reciben algunas familias homoparentales en lasaulas y descubrir qué mejoras educativas proponen las familias homoparentales para fomentar la inclusión del colectivo LGBT en el ámbito escolar. Para llevar a cabo este trabajo, en primer lugar, se ha realizado una primera aproximación a la materia a través de la búsqueda de autores y documentos que avalen la necesidad de trabajar este tipo de diversidad, cómo se trata este tema en el sistema educativo actual, así como la necesidad de introducir a las familias en las aulas. Después, para averiguar de primera mano la visión de las familias homoparentales acerca de este tema, se han realizado entrevistas a tres familia de diferentes edades, procedentes de diferentes lugares y con diferente grado de participación en asociaciones LGBT. Para llevar a término estas entrevistas, se ha utilizado una metodología cualitativa, basada en una entrevista semiestructurada y preguntas abiertas. Estas preguntas están separadas en temas, todos relacionados con los objetivos propuestos (sistema educativo, relación familiar, relación con la escuela,…). Para finalizar, a partir de las respuestas de las tres familias se ha realizado el análisis de datos. Este se ha llevado a cabo a través de la comparación y el contraste de las diferentes visiones de las familias. A raíz del análisis se han podido deducir las siguientes conclusiones: en las escuelas no se trabaja la diversidad afectivo-sexual o no se introduce en toda su complejidad, la educación para este tipo de diversidad podría solucionar el aumento de las agresiones homófobas, el colectivo LGTB continúa viviendo situaciones de desigualdad respecto a los heterosexuales y en el sistema educativo sigue vigente la heteronormatividad

Comparativa de la situación de la mujer en la educación Española y Alemana

Treball Final de Grau en Mestre o Mestra d'Educació Infantil. Codi: MI1040. Curs acadèmic: 2016/2017Este trabajo tiene como objetivo principal conocer el papel de la mujer en la sociedad y cómo esto influye en la educación infantil, además de ofrecer una comparativa con otros países Europeos con una ideología conservadora similar a la de España, como pueden ser Alemania o Inglaterra, cuya religión mayoritaria no es el catolicismo. Para conseguir nuestro objetivo hemos realizado un trabajo basado en la recogida de información de diversas fuentes, entre ellas, libros, artículos de revista, materiales digitales. Esto nos ha ayudado a comprender que hay una gran diferencia de género entre los docentes de educación infantil a consecuencia de una larga tradición histórica que sigue perdurando hoy en día. Para comprender esto también se ha analizado el desarrollo histórico de la educación infantil a lo largo de la historia, centrándonos principalmente en dos países como hemos dicho anteriormente, España y Alemania. Finalmente se presentan una serie de conclusiones donde se reúnen todas las informaciones encontradas y la síntesis a la que nosotros llegamos tras realizar el siguiente trabajo

The Change in Prevalence of Campylobacter on Chicken Carcasses During Processing: A Systematic Review

A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the change in prevalence of Campylobacter on chicken carcasses during processing. A structured literature search of 8 electronic databases using the key words for Campylobacter, chicken, and processing identified 1,734 unique citations. Abstracts were screened for relevance by 2 independent reviewers. Thirty-two studies described prevalence at more than one stage during processing and were included in this review. Of the studies that described the prevalence of Campylobacter on carcasses before and after specific stages of processing, the chilling stage had the greatest number of studies (9), followed by washing (6), defeathering (4), scalding (2), and evisceration (1). Studies that sampled before and after scalding or chilling, or both, showed that the prevalence of Campylobacter generally decreased immediately after the stage (scalding: 20.0 to 40.0% decrease; chilling: 100.0% decrease to 26.6% increase). The prevalence of Campylobacter increased after defeathering (10.0 to 72.0%) and evisceration (15.0%). The prevalence after washing was inconsistent among studies (23.0% decrease to 13.3% increase). Eleven studies reported the concentration of Campylobacter, as well as, or instead of, the prevalence. Studies that sampled before and after specific stages of processing showed that the concentration of Campylobacter decreased after scalding (minimum decrease of 1.3 cfu/g, maximum decrease of 2.9 cfu/mL), evisceration (0.3 cfu/g), washing (minimum 0.3 cfu/mL, maximum 1.1 cfu/mL), and chilling (minimum 0.2 cfu/g, maximum 1.7 cfu/carcass) and increased after defeathering (minimum 0.4 cfu/g, maximum 2.9 cfu/mL). Available evidence is sparse and suggests more data are needed to understand the magnitude and mechanism by which the prevalence and concentration of Campylobacter changes during processing. This understanding should help researchers and program developers identify the most likely points in processing to implement effective control efforts. For example, if contamination will occur during defeathering and likely during evisceration, critical control points postevisceration are likely to have a greater effect on the end product going to the consumer

L\'evy flights of photons in hot atomic vapours

Properties of random and fluctuating systems are often studied through the use of Gaussian distributions. However, in a number of situations, rare events have drastic consequences, which can not be explained by Gaussian statistics. Considerable efforts have thus been devoted to the study of non Gaussian fluctuations such as L\'evy statistics, generalizing the standard description of random walks. Unfortunately only macroscopic signatures, obtained by averaging over many random steps, are usually observed in physical systems. We present experimental results investigating the elementary process of anomalous diffusion of photons in hot atomic vapours. We measure the step size distribution of the random walk and show that it follows a power law characteristic of L\'evy flights.Comment: This final version is identical to the one published in Nature Physic