Student perceptions of their autonomy at University

© 2017, The Author(s). Learner autonomy is a primary learning outcome of Higher Education in many countries. However, empirical evaluation of how student autonomy progresses during undergraduate degrees is limited. We surveyed a total of 636 students’ self-perceived autonomy during a period of two academic years using the Autonomous Learning Scale. Our analysis suggests that students do not perceive themselves as being any more autonomous as they progress through University. Given the relativity of self-perception metrics, we suggest that our results evince a “red queen” effect. In essence, as course expectations increase with each year, each student’s self-perceived autonomy relative to their ideal remains constant; we term this the “moving goalpost” hypothesis. This article corroborates pedagogical literature suggesting that providing students with opportunities to act autonomously and develop confidence is key to developing graduates who have the independence that they need in order to be successful in the workplace

An Evaluation of the Measurement Requirements for an In-Situ Wake Vortex Detection System

Results of a numerical simulation are presented to determine the feasibility of estimating the location and strength of a wake vortex from imperfect in-situ measurements. These estimates could be used to provide information to a pilot on how to avoid a hazardous wake vortex encounter. An iterative algorithm based on the method of secants was used to solve the four simultaneous equations describing the two-dimensional flow field around a pair of parallel counter-rotating vortices of equal and constant strength. The flow field information used by the algorithm could be derived from measurements from flow angle sensors mounted on the wing-tip of the detecting aircraft and an inertial navigation system. The study determined the propagated errors in the estimated location and strength of the vortex which resulted from random errors added to theoretically perfect measurements. The results are summarized in a series of charts and a table which make it possible to estimate these propagated errors for many practical situations. The situations include several generator-detector airplane combinations, different distances between the vortex and the detector airplane, as well as different levels of total measurement error

Michaelis-Menten dynamics in protein subnetworks

To understand the behaviour of complex systems it is often necessary to use models that describe the dynamics of subnetworks. It has previously been established using projection methods that such subnetwork dynamics generically involves memory of the past, and that the memory functions can be calculated explicitly for biochemical reaction networks made up of unary and binary reactions. However, many established network models involve also Michaelis-Menten kinetics, to describe e.g. enzymatic reactions. We show that the projection approach to subnetwork dynamics can be extended to such networks, thus significantly broadening its range of applicability. To derive the extension we construct a larger network that represents enzymes and enzyme complexes explicitly, obtain the projected equations, and finally take the limit of fast enzyme reactions that gives back Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The crucial point is that this limit can be taken in closed form. The outcome is a simple procedure that allows one to obtain a description of subnetwork dynamics, including memory functions, starting directly from any given network of unary, binary and Michaelis-Menten reactions. Numerical tests show that this closed form enzyme elimination gives a much more accurate description of the subnetwork dynamics than the simpler method that represents enzymes explicitly, and is also more efficient computationally

Discovery of a new INTEGRAL source: IGR J19140+0951

IGR J19140+0951 (formerly known as IGR J19140+098) was discovered with the INTEGRAL satellite in March 2003. We report the details of the discovery, using an improved position for the analysis. We have performed a simultaneous study of the 5-100 keV JEM-X and ISGRI spectra from which we can distinguish two different states. From the results of our analysis we propose that IGR J19140+0951 is a persistent Galactic X-ray binary, probably hosting a neutron star although a black hole cannot be completely ruled out.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

The new model of fitting the spectral energy distributions of Mkn 421 and Mkn 501

The spectral energy distribution (SED) of TeV blazars has a double-humped shape that is usually interpreted as Synchrotron Self Compton (SSC) model. The one zone SSC model is used broadly but cannot fit the high energy tail of SED very well. It need bulk Lorentz factor which is conflict with the observation. Furthermore one zone SSC model can not explain the entire spectrum. In the paper, we propose a new model that the high energy emission is produced by the accelerated protons in the blob with a small size and high magnetic field, the low energy radiation comes from the electrons in the expanded blob. Because the high and low energy photons are not produced at the same time, the requirement of large Doppler factor from pair production is relaxed. We present the fitting results of the SEDs for Mkn 501 during April 1997 and Mkn 421 during March 2001 respectively.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figures, 1table. accepted for publication in Sciences in China --

Self-gravitating Brownian systems and bacterial populations with two or more types of particles

We study the thermodynamical properties of a self-gravitating gas with two or more types of particles. Using the method of linear series of equilibria, we determine the structure and stability of statistical equilibrium states in both microcanonical and canonical ensembles. We show how the critical temperature (Jeans instability) and the critical energy (Antonov instability) depend on the relative mass of the particles and on the dimension of space. We then study the dynamical evolution of a multi-components gas of self-gravitating Brownian particles in the canonical ensemble. Self-similar solutions describing the collapse below the critical temperature are obtained analytically. We find particle segregation, with the scaling profile of the slowest collapsing particles decaying with a non universal exponent that we compute perturbatively in different limits. These results are compared with numerical simulations of the two-species Smoluchowski-Poisson system. Our model of self-attracting Brownian particles also describes the chemotactic aggregation of a multi-species system of bacteria in biology

Maximising Social Interactions and Effectiveness within Distance Learning Courses: Cases from Construction

Advanced Internet technologies have revolutionised the delivery of distance learning education. As a result, the physical proximity between learners and the learning providers has become less important. However, whilst the pervasiveness of these technological developments has reached unprecedented levels, critics argue that the student learning experience is still not as effective as conventional face-to-face delivery. In this regard, surveys of distance learning courses reveal that there is often a lack of social interaction attributed to this method of delivery, which tends to leave learners feeling isolated due to a lack of engagement, direction, guidance and support by the tutor. This paper defines and conceptualises this phenomenon by investigating the extent to which distance-learning programmes provide the social interactions of an equivalent traditional classroom setting. In this respect, two distance learning case studies were investigated, covering the UK and Slovenian markets respectively. Research findings identified that delivery success is strongly dependent on the particular context to which the specific distance learning course is designed, structured and augmented. It is therefore recommended that designers of distance learning courses should balance the tensions and nuances associated with commercial viability and pedagogic effectiveness

Electrolyte disturbances in diabetic patients in Cotonou, Benin

Background: As globally observed in low income countries, the incidence of diabetes rise rapidly in Benin. Electrolytes imbalance contribute to complications observed in diabetes. The aim of this study was to estimate electrolytes disturbances in diabetic patients in Cotonou, Benin.Methods: A total of 260 participants were included in the study: 150 diabetic patients and for the control group110 age and sex matched non diabetic subjects. Glucose, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+ and Cl- were determined in fasting blood samples. The proportions of subjects with abnormal values in the diabetic population and in the control group were compared using Chi-square test. The diabetic population was divided in three groups in regard of the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level. For each group, the mean values of the parameters were compared to those of the control group using the Student’t-test.The significance level was set to 5%.Results: Near half of the diabetic patients suffered from hyperkalemia (48%). Hypocalcemia was observed in 41.3% of the diabetic patients and hypercalcemia was found in 23.3%. Hypomagnesemia and hyponatremia affected more than 40% of the diabetic subjects.  The mean values of serum potassium were significantly elevated in all three groups of diabetic patients compared to the control group.Conclusions: This study showed that electrolyte imbalances affect the diabetic patients in Cotonou

Erratum to: Database preference queries - a possibilistic logic approach with symbolic priorities.

International audienceThis note corrects a claim made in the above-mentioned paper about the exact representation of a conditional preference network by means of a possibilistic logic base with partially ordered symbolic weights. We provide a counter-example that shows that the possibilistic logic representation is indeed not always exact. This is the basis of a short discussion on the difficulty of obtaining an exact representation