Azimuthally unidirectional transport of energy in magnetoelectric fields. Topological Lenz effect

Magnetic dipolar modes (MDMs) in a quasi 2D ferrite disk are microwave energy eigenstate oscillations with topologically distinct structures of rotating fields and unidirectional power flow circulations. At the first glance, this might seem to violate the law of conservation of an angular momentum, since the microwave structure with an embedded ferrite sample is mechanically fixed. However, an angular momentum is seen to be conserved if topological properties of electromagnetic fields in the entire microwave structure are taken into account. In this paper we show that due to the topological action of the azimuthally unidirectional transport of energy in a MDM resonance ferrite sample there exists the opposite topological reaction on a metal screen placed near this sample. We call this effect topological Lenz effect. The topological Lenz law is applied to opposite topological charges, one in a ferrite sample and another on a metal screen. The MDM originated near fields, the magnetoelectric (ME) fields, induce helical surface electric currents and effective charges on a metal. The fields formed by these currents and charges will oppose their cause

Associated Charmonium Production in p-pbar Annihilation

In this paper we summarize our recent results for low energy associated charmonium production cross sections, using 1) crossing symmetry, and 2) an explicit hadronic model. These predictions are of relevance to the planned charmonium and charmonium hybrid production experiment PANDA at GSI.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Contribution to the Second Meeting of the APS Topical Group on Hadron Physics GHP2006. (Nashville, TN, 22-24 Oct. 2006

Temperament as a Predictor of Infant Immunization Distress and Response to Treatment

There is a growing body of research on interventions to decrease infant distress during painful procedures, and distraction is a particularly practical option. However, the effectiveness data for distraction for infant pain relief are mixed. Inconsistencies in response to distraction might be explained by unique characteristics of the infant patient. Some researchers argue that temperament is the best predictor of differences observed between individuals and also the most sensitive to novel environmental factors such as exposure to pain. This study examined whether infants’ temperament is predictive of response to immunization injection pain and whether temperament moderates the relation between a distraction intervention and infant distress. Data for this study came from two prior studies of healthy infants receiving immunizations (Cohen, 2002; Cohen et al., 2006). Participants included 252 healthy infants and toddlers who ranged from 1 to 22 months of age. Infants were randomly assigned to “typical care” condition or “distraction” condition. The period of time before, during, and after the injection was videotaped and observational coding was used to assess infant distress. Prior to the immunization, parents completed six pre-injection visual analogue scales about their child’s temperament. An oblique rotation factor analysis was conducted with the temperament data and provided two temperament factors that map onto the ‘easy/difficult’ and ‘time-to-warm-up’ dimensions documented in the literature; these two factors were used for analyses. After controlling for site and gender, regression analyses revealed that neither easy/difficult temperament (p = .098, b = .109) nor time-to-warm-up temperament (p = .572, b = -.037) was predictive of distress. There was a significant treatment condition and time-to-warm-up temperament interaction, b = .0011, SE = .0005, p = .0254, such that distraction decreased distress in infants that were slower to warm up, or warmed up neither slowly nor quickly. No other significant distraction x temperament interactions were found. Temperament was not found to impact infant distress during immunizations in this study but results speaking to whether temperament serves as a moderator of the relation between distraction and distress were mixed. Results suggest that temperament is a factor that warrants closer attention when examining how infants respond to interventions around pain

Preregistration research training of speech and language therapists in the United Kingdom: a nationwide audit of quantity, content and delivery

AIM: To carry out an audit of the quantity and content of research teaching on UK preregistration speech and language therapy (SLT) degree programmes. METHOD: Lecturers delivering research teaching from each higher education institution providing preregistration training were invited to complete an online survey. QUESTIONS INCLUDED: Amount of research teaching, content of research teaching (including final-year projects), perceived confidence by staff of graduates in research awareness, research activity and leading research. Responses were received for 14 programmes (10 undergraduate and four postgraduate), representing 73% of all undergraduate courses and 44% of all postgraduate courses in the United Kingdom. RESULTS: Fifty percent of courses included over 30 h of research teaching, with wide variability across both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in number of hours, modules and credits devoted to research. There was no association between quantity of research teaching and perception of adequacy of quantity of teaching. Critical appraisal, statistical software and finding literature were the most common topics taught. Conversely, service evaluation and audit was the least common topic covered. All institutions provided a final-year project, with 11/14 requiring empirical research. Perceived confidence of graduates was higher for research awareness than active research and leading research, but this varied across institutions. There was a strong correlation between lecturers' perceived confidence of graduates in research awareness and number of hours of research teaching. CONCLUSION: Despite the requirements for healthcare professionals to engage in evidence-based practice, the amount and nature of research training in preregistration courses for SLTs in the United Kingdom is highly variable. Levels of perceived confidence of graduates were also variable, not only for active participation in research, and for leading research, but also for research awareness. This has implications for the ability of SLTs to use and embed research in their routine clinical practice

Open educational practices for curriculum enhancement

Open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP) are relatively new areas in educational research. How OER and OEP can help practitioners enhance curricula is one of a number of under-researched topics. This article aims to enable practitioners to identify and implement appropriate open practices to enhance higher education curricula. To that aim, we put forward a framework of four open educational practices based on patterns of OER reuse (‘as is’ or adapted), mapped against the processes of curriculum design and delivery. The framework was developed from the in-depth analysis of 20 cases of higher education practitioners, which revealed patterns of OER reuse across disciplines, institutions and needs. For each open practice we offer evidence, examples and ideas for application by practitioners. We also put forward recommendations for institutional policies on OER and OE

The working practices and clinical experiences of paediatric speech and language therapists: a national UK survey

Background: The majority of speech and language therapists (SLTs) work with children who have speech, language and communication needs. There is limited information about their working practices and clinical experience and their views of how changes to healthcare may impact upon their practice. Aims: To investigate the working practices and professional experiences of paediatric SLTs working in the UK through an online survey. Methods & Procedures: The survey was conducted online using Survey Monkey. Therapists were alerted to the survey through the Bulletin of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and by e-mails to national special interest groups. Outcomes & Results: A total of 516 clinicians completed the survey. A large majority worked in the National Health Service (NHS). A varied pattern of working was revealed. Most worked in several settings and saw a range of clients. A typical clinician spends less than one-quarter of their time giving direct therapy and more than one-quarter training parents and other professionals. Nearly half of respondents felt that their time could be better used. Too little time for direct therapy and the time required for administration emerged as their principal concerns. Most clinicians have specialist knowledge of particular client groups and spend more time with them than do non-specialists. Nevertheless, clients are more likely to be treated by a therapist who does not claim to have specialist knowledge of their condition than by one who does. The only clients for whom this is not the case are those with dysphagia. Eighty per cent of respondents felt that proposed changes to the NHS would not benefit the children they treat and there was widespread concern about cuts and the effects of general practitioner commissioning. Despite this, a large majority expected to remain speech and language therapists 5 years from now. Conclusions & Implications : This survey provides an overview of the working practices of paediatric speech and language therapists. Its findings have significant implications for training and workforce development in the profession