Vicarious learning through capturing task‐directed discussions

The vicarious learner group has been developing a multimedia database system to promote and enhance the role of dialogue in learning. A specific interest, and the origin of the projects' collective name, is in the question of whether and how dialogue can be helpfully ‘reused’. What benefits can students gain from dialogue as observers, not just as participants? We describe our initial attempts to generate and capture educationally effective discourse exchanges amongst and between students and tutors. Problems encountered with available CMC discourse formats led to our development of a set of Task Directed Discussions (TDDs). A medium‐sized corpus of discourse exchanges was collected using the TDDs. A selection of nearly two hundred of these TDD exchanges formed the multimedia discourse database to the implemented prototype system, Dissemination. Initial results from a controlled experiment and evaluation of Dissemination are outline

Out-of-home care by state and place: higher placement rates for children in some remote rural places

This fact sheet examines out-of-home placement rates for children removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. The data finds that children in remote rural areas have overall higher rates of out-of-home placements. It also provides data on placement rates by rural or urban status to help inform policy makers as they discuss the child welfare system

A conceptual study of the potential for automotive-derived and free-piston Stirling engines in 30- to 400-kilowatt stationary power applications

The technical feasibility of applying automotive-derived kinematic and free-piston Stirling engine concepts for stationary applications was explored. Automotive-derived engines offer cost advantages by providing a mature and developd engine technology base with downrating and parts commonality options for specific applications. Two engine sizes (30 and 400 kW), two Stirling engine configurations (kinematic and free-piston), and two output systems (crankshaft and hydraulic pump) were studied. The study includes the influences of using either hydrogen or helium as the working gas. The first kinematic configuration selects an existing Stirling engine design from an automotive application and adapts it to stationary requirements. A 50,000-hour life requirement was established by downrating the engine to 40 kW and reducing auxiliary loads. Efficiency improvements were gained by selective material and geometric variations and peak brake efficiency of 36.8 percent using helium gas was achieved. The second design was a four-cylinder, 400 kW engine, utilizing a new output drive system known as the z-crank, which provides lower friction losses and variable stroke power control. Three different material and working gas combinations were considered. Brake efficiency levels varied from 40.5 percent to 45.6 percent. A 37.5 kW single-cycle, free-piston hydraulic output design was generated by scaling one cylinder of the original automotive engine and mating it to a counterbalanced reciprocal hydraulic pump. Metallic diaphragms were utilized to transmit power

Effects of probiotics on child growth : a systematic review

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Analytic Approximations for the Primordial Power Spectrum with Israel Junction Conditions

This work compares cosmological matching conditions used in approximating generic pre-inflationary phases of the universe. We show that the joining conditions for primordial scalar perturbations assumed by Contaldi et al. are inconsistent with the physically motivated Israel junction conditions, however, performing general relativistic matching with the aforementioned constraints results in unrealistic primordial power spectra. Eliminating the need for ambiguous matching, we look at an alternative semi-analytic model for producing the primordial power spectrum allowing for finite duration cosmological phase transitions.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures. To be submitted to PR

Analysis of Acute Non-specific Back Pain Content on TikTok: An Exploratory Study.

Introduction In this study, we evaluated the scope of acute non-specific back pain (ANSBP) content available on TikTok (ByteDance Ltd, Beijing, China) in 2021. It is plausible that TikTok's popularity among teenagers, adolescents, and young adults may influence decision-making about what constitutes appropriate ANSBP self-care among a younger age cohort. Methods We examined 157 of the most viewed videos available through the hashtag #backpain available on TikTok in September 2021. We examined the following research questions: (1) What are the metadata characteristics of the videos in the final data set?, (2) What are the creator identities reflected in the final data set in this study?, (3) What are the ANSBP self-care content themes in the final data set?, and (4) What are the characteristics of the data set based on a low back pain reference checklist based on consensus guidelines?. Results We identified clear differences based on TikTok creator identity in our data set of most popular videos. We examined videos created by chiropractors, fitness professionals, influencers, physicians, physiotherapists, and other creator identities. We found that the TikTok videos created by chiropractors were consistently among the most viewed, most commented, and most shared. Conversely, chiropractic TikTok videos consistently had the lowest self-care reference checklist scores relative to all other disciplines. That is, TikTok videos created by chiropractors were least likely to reflect the scientific consensus on treating ANSBP. Discussion TikTok is an increasingly popular medium for disseminating short health messages. The main cohort using TikTok is young and at risk of ANSBP. However, we postulate that the messages reaching young TikTok users overall do not generally reflect the self-care advice described in consensus guidelines.  Conclusion TikTok is a popular social media channel among young people. However, the most viewed TikTok videos about ANSBP are not produced by mainstream health professionals and the videos featuring the #backpain hashtag do not generally reflect contemporary evidence-based practice. There is considerable scope for mainstream health professionals to provide evidence-informed self-management and self-care content for ANSBP on TikTok

Professional decision-making in medicine: Development of a new measure and preliminary evidence of validity

INTRODUCTION: This study developed a new Professional Decision-Making in Medicine Measure that assesses the use of effective decision-making strategies: seek help, manage emotions, recognize consequences and rules, and test assumptions and motives. The aim was to develop a content valid measure and obtain initial evidence for construct validity so that the measure could be used in future research or educational assessment. METHODS: Clinical scenario-based items were developed based on a review of the literature and interviews with physicians. For each item, respondents are tasked with selecting two responses (out of six plausible options) that they would choose in that situation. Three of the six options reflect a decision-making strategy; these responses are scored as correct. Data were collected from a sample of 318 fourth-year medical students in the United States. They completed a 16-item version of the measure (Form A) and measures of social desirability, moral disengagement, and professionalism attitudes. Professionalism ratings from clerkships were also obtained. A sub-group (n = 63) completed a second 16-item measure (Form B) to pilot test the instrument, as two test forms are useful for pre-posttest designs. RESULTS: Scores on the new measure indicated that, on average, participants answered 75% of items correctly. Evidence for construct validity included the lack of correlation between scores on the measure and socially desirable responding, negative correlation with moral disengagement, and modest to low correlations with professionalism attitudes. A positive correlation was observed with a clerkship rating focused on professionalism in peer interactions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate modest proficiency in the use of decision-making strategies among fourth-year medical students. Additional research using the Professional Decision-Making Measure should explore scores among physicians in various career stages, and the causes and correlates of scores. Educators could utilize the measure to assess courses that teach decision-making strategies

Magnetic dipole moments in single and coupled split-ring resonators

We examine the role of magnetic dipoles in single and coupled pairs of metallic split-ring resonators by numerically computing their magnitude and examining their relative contributions to the scattering cross section. We demonstrate that magnetic dipoles can strongly influence the scattering cross section along particular directions. It is also found that the magnetic dipole parallel to the incident magnetic field and/or high-order multipoles may play a significant role in the linear response of coupled split-ring resonators.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl