Addressing Obstacles to Success: Improving student completion, retention and achievement in science modules in applied health programmes, with particular reference to Maori

The overall aim of our research project is to remove “the problem” of achievement in science for students in the nursing and midwifery programmes. Past students have reported science as difficult and time-consuming, and their achievement results reflected this. Science was seen as a barrier to overall course success (Gibson et al, 2005). Other research (Zepke, et al, 2006; Otrel-Cass et al, 2006) has focused on problems of retention and completion in the tertiary sector, thus locating the student or the tertiary context as the problem. Our research rests on a different proposition, arguing that the curriculum is at the root of “the problem”. We are adjusting the science curriculum in an attempt to make the links between science and practice more explicit, so that students might see greater relevance for their learning, make richer links to prior experience and more explicitly link the science to their chosen careers

Master of Science

thesisColorectal cancer (CRC) is a global health problem. In the United States, approximately 1 in 20 people will be diagnosed with CRC in their lifetime. Typically, CRC is associated with inflammation. Many factors influence CRC risk and development, most of which work through an inflammation connection. While genetics can play a role in CRC risk, lifestyle factors that promote inflammation seem to largely influence CRC risk and development. CRC inflammation factors mainly result from diet. Cancer is consistently linked with inflammation. Furthermore, increased systemic inflammation, as evaluated by chemokines, is consistently related to increased recurrence and decreased survival of CRC. The purpose of this study is to assess sugar intake (specifically fructose, glucose, and sucrose) and its association with systemic inflammatory and angiogenesis markers in colorectal cancer patients. ColoCare is a multicenter, international prospective cohort study with the goal of following over 5,000 patients who are newly diagnosed with CRC. The study employs longitudinal assessment of biomarkers and health behaviors and repeated sampling at multiple time points of multiple biological specimens. Specifically, the blood samples analyzed for this paper were from baseline blood samples collected pre- or peri-surgery. At 6-months post-baseline, the EPIC food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was administered. This food frequency questionnaire covered the year prior, which means it assessed diet 6-months pre-diagnosis and the 6-months post-diagnosis. To evaluate inflammation, we measured blood plasma inflammatory markers associated with cancer: C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), intercellular adhesion molecule (SICAM), vascular cell adhesion molecule (SVCAM), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and blood plasma angiogenesis markers associated with cancer: vascular endothelial growth factor-a (VEGFA) and vascular endothelial growth factor-d (VEGFD). Overall, no significant associations between sugar intake and systemic inflammatory and angiogenesis markers were observed. With body mass index (BMI(kg/m 2)) stratification, there were significant inverse correlations between sugar intake and VEGFD and MCP1 levels in those with a BMI < 25kg/m 2 and a significant positive association between sugar intake and SVCAM in those with a BMI ≥ 25kg/m2, as measured by Pearson's correlation. Additionally, there was a significant association between higher sugar intake, as a percentage of total kcals, and lower VEGFD levels in those with a BMI < 25kg/m2, as measured by Spearman's correlation. These results are contrary to the popular slogan "sugar feeds cancer." Many cancer patients wish to use diet to improve their prognosis, yet research is lacking in this field. This study helps to improve the understanding between diet and colorectal cancer; further research is warranted

Energy balance during two days of continuous stationary cycling

This study examined the capabilities of an ultraendurance athlete to self-regulate their diet during an attempt on the record for the longest period of stationary cycling. The attempt required the athlete to complete at least 20 km/hr, with a 15 minute break allowed every eight hours. Laboratory tests determined a heart rate-oxygen consumption regression equation enabling calculation of energy expenditure from heart rate during the attempt. Energy intake was determined by a non-weighed dietary record collected at the time of consumption. The athlete completed 46.7 hours, covering 1126 km, at a speed of 24 ± 1.6 km/hr. He expended 14486 kcal and consumed 11098 kcal resulting in an energy deficit (-3290 kcal) and a weight loss (-0.55 kg). The carbohydrate (42 ± 32 g/hr), water (422 ± 441 ml/hr), and sodium (306 ± 465 mg/hr) intake were all below current recommendations. The athlete was unable to self-regulate his diet or exercise intensity to prevent a negative energy balance

Strategic Puzzle in the South China Sea: Perception, Power, and Money. Chinese Plans for Hegemony?

The South China Sea is home to one of the world’s most contentious territorial disputes. Sovereignty of overlapping parts of the Sea is contested by seven littoral states, and the United States maintains an influential naval presence. Rich in fish and hydrocarbons and militarily valuable for power projection, the South China Sea is strategically important. One-third of global trade passes through the South China Sea annually. This paper looks to uncover what the South China Sea conflict indicates about Chinese strategic outlook and approaches the topic through three theoretical lenses: constructivism, realism, and disaggregation. This paper concludes with an assertion that Chinese actions in and regarding the South China Sea are indicative of a strategic outlook based on the principles of offensive realism. Aggressive rhetoric, backed up by naval modernization, island building, a willingness to upset the status quo, and a lack of meaningful institutional cooperation indicate that Beijing is concerned primarily with accruing power and an eventual transition of power in the Asia-Pacific. Though offensive realism sees structural circumstances in the international system as the primary causal mechanism of this outlook, this paper sees national history and identity as factors that have made Beijing more inclined to adopt this offensive strategic viewpoint

An Intercritical Heat Treatment Study of High Strength, Microalloyed Ferrous Open Die Forgings

High strength, low alloy steel is most commonly utilized in plate or sheet form-with a thickness under 4 in, one unconventional application however, is open die forging where cross-sectional area can be as large as 9.5 in by 11.5 in. When forging to larger section size than one would thermo-mechanically roll sheet steel, a new set of complications, such as variation in microstructure and mechanical properties, arise. This study investigates the heat treatment and processing options needed to negate the inherent microstructural irregularity and Charpy V-Notch (CVN) toughness variation. Intercritical heat treatment—normalizing and then quench and tempering above the AC3, 1750°Fand then again between 1440°F – 1750°F, the AC1 and AC3 respectively, has lessened the CVN toughness variation, increasing the success rate of passing parts in production from 25% to 75%. By controlling cooling rate and section size in this micro-alloyed steel, lower variability was attained

The Path To The Sea: Leatherback Hatchling Orientation at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge

Once sea turtle hatchlings emerge from their nest, they must find their way to the ocean by using cues such as a bright horizon and the slope of the beach. While moving toward the water, hatchlings often must navigate past predators and through vegetation, sticks, footprints in the sand, and other dangers such as ghost crab holes. Sometimes hatchlings become confused (or disoriented) and turn in circles to find the right route to the water. Sea turtle hatchlings also may become disoriented as a result of human impacts such as town lights or trash. The purpose of our experiment was to evaluate the path hatchlings took from the nest to the water and to record if they became disoriented because of human impacts. We took 10 leatherback hatchlings each from 11 nests that naturally emerged at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (St. Croix, USVI) and released them from their nest location between 14 July and 27 July 2014. We recorded the time it took for each of them to reach the high tide line, compass direction of their travel, distance from the nest to the water, distance and compass direction of the most direct route to the water, time of the experiment, and weather conditions. Our results show that the majority of hatchlings were not drawn toward town lights or disoriented by trash. In conclusion, town lights and trash are not a major concern at Sandy Point except on nights when there is a lot of sky glow from town

Indigenous youth justice programs evaluation

In this report, four programs that were already being implemented by states and territories and identified by them under the National Indigenous Law &amp; Justice Framework as promising practice in diversion are examined. Executive summary Diversion from the youth justice system is a critical goal for addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous young people in the criminal justice system. In this report, four programs that were already being implemented by states and territories and identified by them under the National Indigenous Law &amp; Justice Framework as promising practice in diversion are examined. The programs were evaluated, as part of a broader initiative, to determine whether and on what basis they represent good practice (ie are supported by evidence). State and territory governments nominated the programs for evaluation. The four programs sit at different points along a continuum, ranging from prevention (addressing known risk factors for offending behaviour, such as disengagement from family, school, community or culture), early intervention (with identified at-risk young people), diversion (diverting from court process—usually for first or second time offenders) and tertiary intervention (treatment to prevent recidivism): • Aboriginal Power Cup (South Australia)—a sports-based program for engaging Indigenous young people in education and providing positive role models (prevention). • Tiwi Islands Youth Development and Diversion Unit (Northern Territory)—a diversion program that engages Tiwi youth who are at risk of entering the criminal justice system in prevention activities, such as a youth justice conference, school, cultural activities, sport and recreation (early intervention and diversion). • Woorabinda Early Intervention Panel Coordination Service (Queensland)—a program to assess needs and make referrals for young Indigenous people and their families who are at risk or have offended and have complex needs (early intervention and diversion). • Aggression Replacement Training (Queensland)—a 10 week group cognitivebehavioural program to control anger and develop pro-social skills, delivered to Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth assessed as ‘at risk’ of offending or reoffending (early intervention and tertiary intervention with offenders to reduce risk of reoffending). For each program, the evaluation team developed a ‘program logic’, identifying the activities and goals of the program, and how it articulates within a broader framework of criminal justice prevention. This informed the design of the evaluation and the approach to collecting both qualitative data (from young people participating in the program, program staff, family, or other service providers/community members) and quantitative data to identify any effects of the program on individuals, or the broader community

A statistical procedure to adjust for time-interval mismatch in forensic voice comparison

The present paper describes a statistical modeling procedure that was developed to account for the fact that, in a forensic voice comparison analysis conducted for a particular case, there was a long time interval between when the questioned- and known-speaker recordings were made (six years), but in the sample of the relevant population used for training and testing the forensic voice comparison system there was a short interval (hours to days) between when each of multiple recordings of each speaker was made. The present paper also includes results of empirical validation of the procedure. Although based on a particular case, the procedure has potential for wider application given that relatively long time intervals between the recording of questioned and known speakers are not uncommon in casework