An investigation of changes to the tertiary entrance examination art history syllabus and art teachers\u27 perceptions of those changes

In 1986, a new Tertiary Entrance Examination Art Syllabus was introduced to the secondary school curriculum. Four years have passed since the implementation of this syllabus without 11 formal evaluation having taken place. Because the changes to the Art Syllabus were implemented swiftly, it is considered appropriate to investigate any discrepancies between the intended changes to the Tertiary Entrance Examination Art History Syllabus and art teachers\u27 perceptions of those changes, This study was prompted by concern expressed by art teachers over the changes in the Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE) Art Syllabus. A foreshadowed minor change in the 1992 Art History Syllabus has refuelled the debate about the TEE Art Syllabus. Five art teachers were selected according to their teaching experience. The instrument used was a standardised open-ended interview of one hours duration. The interviews were transcribed. These verbatim records together with documents from the Ministry of Education and approved Secondary Education Authority documents, were analyzed in the light of the research questions. Michael\u27s (1982) Sudden Organisational Change Model is proposed as a possible means of describing teachers\u27 perceptions of extensive syllabus change, Art History as a compulsory section of TEE Art has had a stormy introduction. Art History was introduced at a time when other major changes such as the implementation of the Unit Curriculum and structural changes to the Ministry of Education occurred. Many teachers had a limited background in the area of Art History and the. inclusion of Art History in the new Syllabus presented them with a problem. The changes to the Art Syllabus occurred in a short space of time, the changes were at times, vague and confusing. Compounding the frustration and anguish felt by the teachers were the lack of resources and support from the change agents involved. The findings of this study do not accurately reflect the views of the total population of Western Australian art teachers although they highlight issues of concern. Significant issues arising from the data analysis focus on the development of the syllabus, the dissemination of information concerning the changes and the need for resources and support. Even with such a limited number of subjects, it seems apparent that future changes need to be developed and disseminated with sufficient time allowed. Teachers need to be seen as a main component of the success of change

Osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells on substituted calcium phosphate/chitosan composite scaffold

[EN] Ionic substitutions are a promising strategy to enhance the biological performance of calcium phosphates (CaP) and composite materials for bone tissue engineering applications. However, systematic studies have not been performed on multi-substituted organic/inorganic scaffolds. In this work, highly porous composite scaffolds based on CaPs substituted with Sr2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and SeO3 2¿ ions, and chitosan have been prepared by freezegelation technique. The scaffolds have shown highly porous structure, with very well interconnected pores and homogeneously dispersed CaPs, and high stability during 28 days in the degradation medium. Osteogenic potential of human mesenchymal stem cells seeded on scaffolds has been determined by histological, immunohistochemical and RT-qPCR analysis of cultured cells in static and dynamic conditions. Results indicated that ionic substitutions have a beneficial effect on cells and tissues. The scaffolds with multi-substituted CaPs have shown increased expression of osteogenesis related markers and increased phosphate deposits, compared to the scaffolds with non-substituted CaPs.The financial supports of the European Regional Development Fund (grant KK.01.1.1.07.0014) , the PID2019-106000RB-C21/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 project from the Spanish Research Agency, and the L'Oreal-UNESCO "For Women in Science" Foundation are gratefully acknowledged.Ressler, A.; Antunovic, M.; Teruel Biosca, L.; Ferrer GG; Babic, S.; Urlic, I.; Ivankovic, M.... (2022). Osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells on substituted calcium phosphate/chitosan composite scaffold. Carbohydrate Polymers. 277:1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.11888311627

Mechanical and fracture performance of carbon fibre reinforced composites with nanoparticle modified matrices

The microstructure and fracture performance of carbon-fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites with an epoxy resin cured with an anhydride hardener containing silica nanoparticles and/or polysiloxane core-shell rubber (CSR) particles was investigated in the current work. Double cantilever beam tests were performed in order to evaluate the fracture energy of the CFRP composites, while the single edge notched bend (SENB) specimen was employed to evaluate the fracture energy of the bulk polymers. Tests were conducted at room temperature and at -80°C. The transferability of the toughness from the bulk polymers to the fibre-composite systems is discussed, with an emphasis on elucidating the toughening mechanism

WG1 technical report: Performance indicators for roadway bridges of COST Action 1406

[Excerpt] SCOPE: In the past few years, significant worldwide research has been done regarding condition assessment of roadway bridges, namely through the use of non-destructive tests, monitoring systems and visual inspection techniques. Obtained values, which provide information regarding the assessed bridge state condition, are then compared with previously established goals. As a result, there are currently several methodologies to evaluate bridge condition. A similar problem was addressed with roadway pavements in the past. Although this was a worldwide problematic, in Europe it was solved through COST Action 354 (performance indicators for pavements). More recently, the concept of performance indicator was introduced, simplifying communication between consultants, operators and owners. However, large deviations continue to exist on how these indicators are obtained and, therefore, specific actions should be undertaken in order to standardize this procedure. It is verified that Quality Control (QC) plans should always address the assessed performance indicators and pre-specified goals. However, these latter values are even more difficult to obtain as they are highly subjective. (...

Milking Characteristics of Istrian and Littoral Dinaric Donkey Breeds

Istrian and Littoral Dinaric donkey are autochthonous breeds which habitat primarily in the Mediterranean part of Croatia. During the second half of the 20th century they have lost primary function as working animals, which led to breeds suppression. Nowadays these two breeds are in the status of endangered ones. One of the possibilities for their economic re-affirmation is launching the program for production and processing donkey’s milk. The aim of the study was to determine the possibility of milk production of Istrian and Littoral Dinaric jennies in terms of quantity and chemical composition. Istrian jennies produce 745.4 mL/milking while Littoral Dinaric produce 317.8 mL/milking. Milk form Littoral Dinaric jennies contained a significantly higher proportion of milk fat and proteins. There were no significant differences in the content of lactose, dry matter, number of somatic cells and microorganisms in milk between these two breeds. Considering the potential for milk production and milk quality, we believe that both breeds are suitable for integration in the programs for milk production, thus enabling for both population to be economically sustainable. It is necessary to develop production technology and markets, with special emphasis considering quality of donkey milk and safety of consumers

Adhesion Improvement of Thermoplastics-Based Composites by Atmospheric Plasma and UV Treatments

The present work is concerned with adhesive bonding of thermoplastic composites used in general aerospace applications, including polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetherimide (PEI) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) carbon fibre composites. Three different surface treatments have been applied to the PEEK, PPS and PEI-based composites in order to enhance the adhesion: atmospheric plasma, ultraviolet radiation (UV) and isopropanol wiping as a control. Water contact angles and free surface energies were measured following the standard experimental procedure based on the employment of three different liquid droplets. Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were subsequently performed to characterize the surface chemistry of the samples after treatment. The single lap joints were manufactured and bonded by an Aerospace grade epoxy-based film adhesive originally developed for use on metals but with the ability to bond treated thermoplastics to good strength (supplied by Henkel Ireland). Quasi-static (QS) tests were conducted. The lap shear strength was evaluated, and the failure mechanisms of the different joints were examined for the range of surface treatments considered. It was found that the performances of the PEEK and PPS joints were considerably improved by the plasma and UV treatments resulting in cohesive and delamination failures, while PEI was unaffected by the plasma and UV treatments and performed very well throughout

Bone-Mimicking Injectable Gelatine/Hydroxyapatite Hydrogels

[EN] Bioactive synthetic hydrogels have emerged as promising materials because they can provide molecularly tailored biofunctions and adjustable mechanical properties. To mimic the mineralogical and organic components of the natural bone, hydroxyapatite and a tyramine conjugate of gelatine were combined in this study. The effect of various amounts of in situ synthesized hydroxyapatite in gelatine-tyramine on the morphology and physical properties of injectable hydrogels was investigated. Mineralogical identification confirmed successful precipitation of in situ formed hydrox yapatite. Better distribution of hydroxyapatite crystal agglomerates within modified gelatine was found at 5 % of hydroxyapatite, which could be responsible for increased storage modulus with respect to pure gelatine hydrogel. Prepared composite hydrogels are non-toxic and support the proliferation of Hek293 cells.The authors are grateful for the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the MAT2016-76039-C4-1-R project (including Feder funds) and the Croatian Science Foundation under the project IP-2014-09-3752.Rogina, A.; Sandrk, N.; Teruel Biosca, L.; Antunovic, M.; Ivankovic, M.; Gallego Ferrer, G. (2019). Bone-Mimicking Injectable Gelatine/Hydroxyapatite Hydrogels. Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly Journal. 33(3):325-335. https://doi.org/10.15255/CABEQ.2019.1663S32533533

Uncomfortable yet Necessary: The Impact of PPE on Communication in Emergency Medicine

Background: The efficacy of pre-hospital emergency services is heavily dependent on the effective communication of care providers. This effective communication occurs between providers as part of a team, but also among providers interacting with family members and patients. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced a number of communication challenges to emergency care, which are primarily linked to the increased use of PPE. Methods: We sought to analyze the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers and pre-hospital care delivery. We conducted focus groups and one-on-one interviews with fire-EMS first responders between Sept 2021 and 2022. Interviews included questions about job related stress, EMS skills, work experiences and changes during Covid-19. Interviews were recorded, independently dual coded, and analyzed for themes. Results: 223 first responders participated in 40 focus groups and 40 lead paramedics participated in individual interviews. We found that additional use of personal protective-equipment (PPE) was reported to have significantly impaired efficiency and perceptions of quality of care—among EMS team members and also between EMS workers and patients. EMS personnel also experienced on scene hostility on arrival (from both families and other agencies). Use of extensive PPE muffles voices, obscures facial expressions, and can cause team members to have difficulty recognizing and communicating with one another and can be a barrier to showing empathy and connecting with patients. Creative solutions such as putting a hand on someone’s shoulder, wearing name tags on suits, and explaining rationale for perceived delays were mentioned as methods to transcend these barriers. The appearance of providers in heavy PPE can be unsettling and create barriers to human connection, particularly for pediatric patients. Conclusion: Human connection is an important element of health care delivery and healing. These findings shed light on new skills that are needed to initiate and maintain human connection in these times of PPE use, especially full body PPE. Awareness of the communication and empathy barriers posed by PPE is the first step to improving provider-patient interactions in pre-hospital EMS. Additionally, ‘communication-friendly’ adaptations of PPE equipment may be an important area for future research and development in manufacturing and the healthcare industry