Authentic tasks online: Two experiences

This chapter presents an exploration of the design and methods of two instantiations of authentic learning tasks in online learning environments. The first case employs a service learning orientation involving a distance learning project taught to students in four sites in two countries, while the second case is of a multimedia-based learning environment employing a scenario to engage students in realistic, simulated learning activities. The two approaches are examined through reference to characteristics of authentic tasks. The chapter demonstrates a range of possibilities for the instructor interested in more informed design of technology-based learning environments in higher education, and in particular, the design and creation of authentic learning tasks

An EPR investigation of the dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in SrCl2-La/2 plus/

Second-order solutions of Hamiltonian functions for EPR study of Jahn-Teller effect in SrCl2-La/2 plus

The perceived barriers to the inclusion of rainwater harvesting systems by UK house building companies

This work investigates the barriers that exist to deter the implementation of rainwater harvesting into new UK housing. A postal questionnaire was sent to a selection of large, medium and small house-builders distributed across the UK. Questions were asked concerning potential barriers to the inclusion of rainwater harvesting in homes separated into five sections; (1) institutional and regulatory gaps, (2) economic and financial constraints, (3) absence of incentives, (4) lack of information and technical knowledge, and (5) house-builder attitudes. The study concludes that although the knowledge of rainwater systems has increased these barriers are deterring house-builders from installing rainwater harvesting systems in new homes. It is further acknowledged that the implementation of rainwater harvesting will continue to be limited whilst these barriers remain and unless resolved, rainwater harvesting's potential to reduce the consumption of potable water in houses will continue to be limited

Improving the diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia using computerized analysis and immunohistochemical biomarkers

Endometrial hyperplasia (EH) is a precursor lesion to endometrial carcinoma (EC). Risks for EC include genetic, hormonal and metabolic factors most notably those associated with obesity: rates are rising and there is concern that cases in pre-menopausal women may remain undetected. Making an accurate distinction between benign and pre-malignant disease is both a challenge for the pathologist and important to the gynecologist who wants to deliver the most appropriate care to meet the needs of the patient. Premalignant change may be recognized by histological changes of endometrial hyperplasia (which may occur with or without atypia) and endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN). In this study we created a tissue resource of EH samples diagnosed between 2004 and 2009 (n = 125) and used this to address key questions: 1. Are the EIN/WHO2014 diagnostic criteria able to consistently identify premalignant endometrium? 2. Can computer aided image analysis inform identification of EIN? 3. Can we improve diagnosis by incorporating analysis of protein expression using immunohistochemistry. Our findings confirmed the inclusion of EIN in diagnostic criteria resulted in a better agreement between expert pathologists compared with the previous WHO94 criteria used for the original diagnosis of our sample set. A computer model based on assessment of stromal:epithelial ratio appeared most accurate in classification of areas of tissue without EIN. From an extensive panel of putative endometrial protein tissue biomarkers a score based on assessment of HAND2, PTEN, and PAX2 was able to identify four clusters one of which appeared to be more likely to be benign. In summary, our study has highlighted new opportunities to improve diagnosis of pre-malignant disease in endometrium and provide a platform for further research on this important topic

Sulfur isotopes of hydrothermal vent fossils and insights into microbial sulfur cycling within a lower Paleozoic (Ordovician‐early Silurian) vent community

This study was supported by a UK Natural Environment Research Council grant (NERC; number NE/R000670/1 to AG). MG is also grateful for support from an Ifremer Postdoctoral Fellowship. Alvinella samples were collected with the help of a NERC Small Grant (number NE/C000714/1 to CTSL). S isotopic analyses were undertaken under NERC Facility awards IP-1755-1117 and IMF672/1118.Symbioses between metazoans and microbes involved in sulfur cycling are integral to the ability of animals to thrive within deep‐sea hydrothermal vent environments; the development of such interactions is regarded as a key adaptation in enabling animals to successfully colonize vents. Microbes often colonize the surfaces of vent animals and, remarkably, these associations can also be observed intricately preserved by pyrite in the fossil record of vent environments, stretching back to the lower Paleozoic (Ordovician‐early Silurian). In non‐vent environments, sulfur isotopes are often employed to investigate the metabolic strategies of both modern and fossil organisms, as certain metabolic pathways of microbes, notably sulfate reduction, can produce large sulfur isotope fractionations. However, the sulfur isotopes of vent fossils, both ancient and recently mineralized, have seldom been explored, and it is not known if the pyrite‐preserved vent organisms might also preserve potential signatures of their metabolisms. Here, we use high‐resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) to investigate the sulfur isotopes of pyrites from recently mineralized and Ordovician‐early Silurian tubeworm fossils with associated microbial fossils. Our results demonstrate that pyrites containing microbial fossils consistently have significantly more negative δ34S values compared with nearby non‐fossiliferous pyrites, and thus represent the first indication that the presence of microbial sulfur‐cycling communities active at the time of pyrite formation influenced the sulfur isotope signatures of pyrite at hydrothermal vents. The observed depletions in δ34S are generally small in magnitude and are perhaps best explained by sulfur isotope fractionation through a combination of sulfur‐cycling processes carried out by vent microbes. These results highlight the potential for using sulfur isotopes to explore biological functional relationships within fossil vent communities, and to enhance understanding of how microbial and animal life has co‐evolved to colonize vents throughout geological time.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Efficacy of Online Training for Improving Camp Staff Competency

Preparing competent staff is a critical issue within the camp community. This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of an online course for improving staff competency in camp healthcare practices among college-aged camp staff and a comparison group (N = 55). We hypothesized that working in camp would increase competency test scores due to opportunities for staff to experientially apply knowledge learned online. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyse the cross-level effects of a between-individuals factor (assignment to experimental or comparison group) and within-individual effects of time (pre-test, post-test #1, and post-test #2) on online course test scores. At post-test #2, the difference in average test scores between groups was ~30 points, with the treatment group scoring lower on average than the comparison group. Factors that may have influenced these findings are explored, including fatigue and the limited durability of online learning. Recommendations for research and practice are discussed

Comparative analysis of methods for detecting interacting loci

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Interactions among genetic loci are believed to play an important role in disease risk. While many methods have been proposed for detecting such interactions, their relative performance remains largely unclear, mainly because different data sources, detection performance criteria, and experimental protocols were used in the papers introducing these methods and in subsequent studies. Moreover, there have been very few studies strictly focused on comparison of existing methods. Given the importance of detecting gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, a rigorous, comprehensive comparison of performance and limitations of available interaction detection methods is warranted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We report a comparison of eight representative methods, of which seven were specifically designed to detect interactions among single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), with the last a popular main-effect testing method used as a baseline for performance evaluation. The selected methods, multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR), full interaction model (FIM), information gain (IG), Bayesian epistasis association mapping (BEAM), SNP harvester (SH), maximum entropy conditional probability modeling (MECPM), logistic regression with an interaction term (LRIT), and logistic regression (LR) were compared on a large number of simulated data sets, each, consistent with complex disease models, embedding <it>multiple </it>sets of interacting SNPs, under different interaction models. The assessment criteria included several relevant detection power measures, family-wise type I error rate, and computational complexity. There are several important results from this study. First, while some SNPs in interactions with strong effects are successfully detected, most of the methods miss many interacting SNPs at an acceptable rate of false positives. In this study, the best-performing method was MECPM. Second, the statistical significance assessment criteria, used by some of the methods to control the type I error rate, are quite conservative, thereby limiting their power and making it difficult to fairly compare them. Third, as expected, power varies for different models and as a function of penetrance, minor allele frequency, linkage disequilibrium and marginal effects. Fourth, the analytical relationships between power and these factors are derived, aiding in the interpretation of the study results. Fifth, for these methods the magnitude of the main effect influences the power of the tests. Sixth, most methods can detect some ground-truth SNPs but have modest power to detect the whole set of interacting SNPs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This comparison study provides new insights into the strengths and limitations of current methods for detecting interacting loci. This study, along with freely available simulation tools we provide, should help support development of improved methods. The simulation tools are available at: <url>http://code.google.com/p/simulation-tool-bmc-ms9169818735220977/downloads/list</url>.</p

Student Satisfaction and Performance in an Online Teacher Certification Program

The article presents a study which demonstrates the effectiveness of an online post baccalaureate teacher certification program developed by a Wisconsin university. The case method approach employing multiple methods and multiple data sources were used to investigate the degree to which pre-service teachers were prepared to teach. It was concluded that the study supports online delivery as an effective means of teacher preparation, but it was limited in the number of students followed into their first year of teaching

An Electrochemical Study of Frustrated Lewis Pairs: A Metal-free Route to Hydrogen Oxidation

[Image: see text] Frustrated Lewis pairs have found many applications in the heterolytic activation of H(2) and subsequent hydrogenation of small molecules through delivery of the resulting proton and hydride equivalents. Herein, we describe how H(2) can be preactivated using classical frustrated Lewis pair chemistry and combined with in situ nonaqueous electrochemical oxidation of the resulting borohydride. Our approach allows hydrogen to be cleanly converted into two protons and two electrons in situ, and reduces the potential (the required energetic driving force) for nonaqueous H(2) oxidation by 610 mV (117.7 kJ mol(–1)). This significant energy reduction opens routes to the development of nonaqueous hydrogen energy technology