Phase modulating the Urbana radar

The design and operation of a switched phase modulation system for the Urbana Radar System are discussed. The system is implemented and demonstrated using a simple procedure. The radar system and circuits are described and analyzed

ICT as learning media and research instrument: What eResearch can offer for those who research eLearning?

Students‘ interactions in digital learning environments are distributed over time and space, and many aspects of eLearning phenomenon cannot be investigated using traditional research approaches. At the same time, the possibility to collect digital data about students‘ online interactions and learning opens a range of new opportunities to use ICT as research tool and apply new research approaches. This symposium brings together some of the recent advancements in the area of ICT-enhanced research and aims to discuss future directions for methodological innovation in this area. The session will include four presentations that will explore different directions of ICT use for eLearning research

The BEST approaches to online mentoring

The beginning year of teaching is arguably a critical year for determining the longevity and success of a teachers career, and the one that would most benefit from induction and mentoring. This paper describes the design and development of a theoretically based, generic website template for online communities of practice for beginning teachers that provides independent and experienced mentoring support. It includes a rich range of resources that are automatically updated, and links to professional websites and other relevant sources of support. The paper illustrates and compares the ways in which the online resource can be used as a model to meet the professional needs of different cohorts of beginning and experienced practitioners, using different models of mentoring suited to various levels of funding and professional support

A cross‐faculty simulation model for authentic learning

This paper proposes a cross‐faculty simulation model for authentic learning that bridges the gap between short group‐based simulations within the classroom and longer individual placements in professional working contexts. Dissemination of the model is expected to widen the use of authentic learning approaches in higher education (HE). The model is based on a cross‐faculty project in which UK HE students acted as professional developers to produce prototype educational games for academic clients from other subject areas. Perceptions about the project were obtained from interviews with project participants. The stakeholders believed the cross‐faculty simulation to be a motivating learning experience, whilst identifying possible improvements. To evaluate whether the authenticity of the student–client relationship could be improved, the interview data were compared to four themes for authentic learning described by Rule in 2006. The data supported Rule’s themes, whilst highlighting the added value gained from meta‐awareness of the simulation as a learning opportunity

Optimization of biotinyl-tyramide-based in situ hybridization for sensitive background-free applications on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens

BACKGROUND: Over the past five years in situ hybridization techniques employing tyramide amplification reagents have been developed and promise the potential detection of low/single-copy nucleic acid sequences. However the increased sensitivity that tyramide amplification brings about may also lead to problems of background staining that confound data interpretation. METHODS: In this study those factors enabling background-free biotinyl-tyramide based in situ hybridization assay of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues have been examined. SiHa, HeLa and CaSki cell lines known to contain HPV integrated into the cell genome, and archival cervical pre-invasive lesions and carcinomas have been successfully assessed using biotinylated HPV and centromeric probes. RESULTS: The single most important factor both for sensitivity and clean background was a tissue unmasking regimen that included treatment with 10 mM sodium citrate pH 6.0 at 95°C followed by digestion with pepsin/0.2 M HCl. Concentrations both of probe and primary streptavidin-peroxidase conjugate and pH of hybridization mix and stringency washes were also critical for sensitivity. Certain probes were more associated with background staining than others. This problem was not related to probe purity or size. In these instances composition of hybridization mix solution was especially critical to avoid background. 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole was preferred over 3,3'-diaminobenzidene as a chromogen because background was cleaner and the 1–2 copies of HPV16 integrated in SiHa cells were readily demonstrable. HPV detection on metaphase spreads prepared from SiHa cells was only successful when a fluorescent detection method was combined with tyramide reagent. 'Punctate' and 'diffuse' signal patterns were identified amongst tissues consistent with the former representing integration and 'diffuse' representing episomal HPV. Only punctate signals were detected amongst the cell lines and were common amongst high-grade pre-invasive lesions and carcinomas. However it remains to be determined why single/low-copy episomal HPV in basal/parabasal cells of low-grade lesions is not also detectable using tyramide-based techniques and whether every punctate signal represents integration. CONCLUSIONS: A tyramide-based in situ hybridization methodology has been established that enables sensitive, background-free assay of clinical specimens. As punctate signals characterize HPV in high-grade cervical lesions the method may have potential for clinical applications

Can child injury prevention include healthy risk promotion?

To reflect on the role of risk-taking and risky play in child development and consider recommendations for the injury prevention field, a symposium was held prior to the November 2013 Canadian Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Conference. Delegates heard from Canadian and international researchers, practitioners and play safety experts on child development, play space design and playground safety, provision of recreation, and legal and societal perceptions of risk and hazard. The presenters provided multidisciplinary evidence and perspectives indicating the potential negative effect on children’s development of approaches to injury prevention that prioritise safety and limit children’s opportunities for risky play. Delegates considered the state of the field of injury prevention and whether alternative approaches were warranted. Each presenter prepared a discussion paper to provide the opportunity for dialogue beyond attendees at the symposium. The resulting discussion papers provide a unique opportunity to consider and learn from multiple perspectives in order to develop a path forward

Angular dependence of the magnetization relaxation in Co/Pt multilayers

We study the influence of defects in Co/Pt multilayers on the room-temperature magnetization reversal and relaxation mechanisms via angle-dependent magnetic viscosity and coercive field measurements. The data reveal a transition from pinning-dominated domain wall propagation to a sequence of pinning-dominated and uniform switching, with increasing tilt away from the normal direction. The leading role of the dendritic domain wall propagation in the nanogranular exchange-coupled films is corroborated by the scaling of relaxation times, the angular dependence of the coercive field, and Kerr microscopy

Design of a game-based pre-hospital resuscitation training for first responders

Kalz, M., Schmitz, B., Biermann, H., Klemke, R., Ternier, S., & Specht, M. (2013). Design of a game-based pre-hospital resuscitation training for first responders. In A. Holzinger, M. Ziefle, & V. Glavinić (Eds.), SouthCHI 2013, LNCS 7946 (pp. 363-372). Germany: Springer, Heidelberg.This paper reports about the design of a game-based training intervention for pre-hospital resuscitation training. Our underlying assumption is, that survival chances in cardiac arrest situations could be significantly improved, if bystanders would be better educated and prepared to help. Based on a discussion of problems of current training concepts and related educational the-ories a game-based learning intervention is proposed. The focus of the interven-tion is the improvement of procedural knowledge and self-efficacy of partici-pants. The game is designed on the basis of the ARLearn platform. The game context and game-design is discussed. Last but not least we discuss short-term and long-term evaluation scenarios.This publication was partly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), regions of the Euregio Meuse-Rhine and the participating institutions under the INTERREG IVa program (EMR.INT4-1.2.-2011-04/070, http://www.emurgency.eu)

Exploring structural and electronic effects in three isomers of tris{bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl}borane: Towards the combined electrochemical-frustrated Lewis pair activation of H2

Three structural isomers of tris{bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl}borane have been studied as the acidic com- ponent of frustrated Lewis pairs. While the 3,5-substituted isomer is already known to heterolytically cleave H2 to generate a bridging-hydride; ortho-substituents in the 2,4- and 2,5-isomers quench such reactivity through electron donation into the vacant boron pz orbital and steric blocking of the boron centre; as shown by electrochemical, structural and computational studies. Electrochemical studies of the corresponding borohydrides identify that the two-electron oxidation of terminal-hydrides occurs at more positive potentials than observed for [HB(C6F5)3]−, while the bridging-hydride oxidizes at a higher poten- tial still, comparable to that of free H2