Teacher change in post-16 mathematics: a multiple case analysis of teachers in the Zone of Enactment.

This research focuses on the use of teaching resources that support an ambitious student-centred approach to learning mathematics. A multiple case study involving three teachers of post-16 mathematics is presented to develop new insights into the process of teacher change. Data sources include classroom observations in addition to teacher and student interviews. Using the concept of Zone of Enactment (ZoE) and teacher self-efficacy as a theoretical framework this research reveals the importance of teachers being aware of, and able to reflect on, the ZoE and their self-efficacy

Cooling Performance of Arrays of Vibrating Cantilevers

provide heat transfer enhancement while consuming little power. Past research has focused on feasibility and performance characterization of a single fan, while arrays of such fans, which have important practical applications, have not been widely studied. This paper investigates the heat transfer achieved using arrays of cantilevers vibrating in their first resonant mode. This is accomplished by determining the local convection coefficients due to the two piezoelectric fans mounted near a constant heat flux surface using infrared thermal imaging. The heat transfer performance is quantified over a wide range of operating conditions, including vibration amplitude (7.5–10 mm), distance from heat source (0.01–2 times the fan amplitude), and pitch between fans (0.5–4 times the amplitude). The convection patterns observed are strongly dependent on the fan pitch, with the behavior resembling a single fan for small fan pitch and two isolated fans at a large pitch. The area-averaged thermal performance of the fan array is superior to that of a single fan, and correlations are developed to describe this enhancement in terms of the governing parameters. The best thermal performance is obtained when the fan pitch is 1.5 times its vibration amplitude

Local Heat Transfer Coefficients Induced by Piezoelectrically Actuated Vibrating Cantilevers

Piezoelectric fans have been shown to provide substantial enhancements in heat transfer over natural convection while consuming very little power. These devices consist of a piezoelectric material attached to a flexible cantilever beam. When driven at resonance, large oscillations at the cantilever tip cause fluid motion, which in turn results in improved heat transfer rates. In this study, the local heat transfer coefficients induced by piezoelectric fans are determined experimentally for a fan vibrating close to an electrically heated stainless steel foil, and the entire temperature field is observed by means of an infrared camera. Four vibration amplitudes ranging from 6.35 to 10 mm are considered, with the distance from the heat source to the fan tip chosen to vary from 0.01 to 2.0 times the amplitude. The two-dimensional contours of the local heat transfer coefficient transition from a lobed shape at small gaps to an almost circular shape at intermediate gaps. At larger gaps, the heat transfer coefficient distribution becomes elliptical in shape. Correlations developed with appropriate Reynolds and Nusselt number definitions describe the area-averaged thermal performance with a maximum error of less than 12%

Development and Testing of Relative Risk-based Health Messages for Electronic Cigarette Products

Background: Health messages on e-cigarette packs emphasise nicotine addiction or harms using similar wording to warnings on cigarette packs. These may not be appropriate for e-cigarettes which constitute a reduced risk alternative for smokers. This research aimed to i) develop and test a selection of relative risk messages for e-cigarette products; ii) compare these to the two current EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) nicotine addiction messages; and iii) explore differences between smokers, non-smokers and dual users. Method: Twenty-six messages focusing on either harm-reduction or cessation were developed and rated by multidisciplinary experts for accuracy, persuasiveness and clarity. The eight highest ranking messages were compared alongside the TPD messages in a sample of 983 European residents (316 smokers, 327 non-smokers, 340 dual users) on understandability, believability and convincingness. Results: On all three constructs combined, the two TPD messages rated the highest, closely followed by four relative risk messages “Completely switching to e-cigarettes lowers your risk of smoking related diseases”, “Use of this product is much less harmful than smoking”, “Completely switching to e-cigarettes is a healthier alternative to smoking”, and “This product presents substantially lower risks to health than cigarettes” which did not differ statistically from the TPD messages. Non-smokers rated TPD1 significantly higher overall than dual users. Dual users rated “This product is a safer alternative to smoking” significantly higher than non-smokers. Messages did not differ on understandability. Conclusions: These alternative messages provide a useful resource for future research and for policy makers considering updating e-cigarette product labelling

Involvement of a putative intercellular signal-recognizing G protein-coupled receptor in the engulfment of Salmonella by the protozoan Tetrahymena

In an effort to investigate the molecular basis of protozoa engulfment-mediated hypervirulence of Salmonella in cattle, we evaluated protozoan G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) as transducers of Salmonella engulfment by the model protozoanTetrahymena. Our laboratory previously demonstrated that non-pathogenic protozoa (including Tetrahymena) engulf Salmonella and then exacerbate its virulence in cattle, but the mechanistic details of the phenomenon are not fully understood. GPCRs were investigated since these receptors facilitate phagocytosis of particulates byTetrahymena, and a GPCR apparently modulates bacterial engulfment for the pathogenic protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. A database search identified three putative Tetrahymena GPCRs, based on sequence homologies and predicted transmembrane domains, that were the focus of this study. Salmonella engulfment by Tetrahymenawas assessed in the presence of suramin, a non-specific GPCR inhibitor. Salmonella engulfment was also assessed in Tetrahymena in which expression of putative GPCRs was knocked-down using RNAi. A candidate GPCR was then expressed in a heterologous yeast expression system for further characterization. Our results revealed that Tetrahymena were less efficient at engulfing Salmonella in the presence of suramin. Engulfment was reduced concordantly with a reduction in the density of protozoa. RNAi-based studies revealed that knock-down of one the Tetrahymena GPCRs caused diminished engulfment of Salmonella. Tetrahymena lysates activated this receptor in the heterologous expression system. These data demonstrate that the Tetrahymena receptor is a putative GPCR that facilitates bacterial engulfment by Tetrahymena. Activation of the putative GPCR seemed to be related to protozoan cell density, suggesting that its cognate ligand is an intercellular signaling molecule

Experimental Study of Aerodynamic Damping in Arrays of Vibrating Cantilevers

Cantilever structures vibrating in a fluid are encountered in numerous engineering applications. The aerodynamic loading from a fluid can have a large effect on both the resonance frequency and damping, and has been the subject of numerous studies. The aerodynamic loading on a single beam is altered when multiple beams are configured in an array. In such situations, neighboring beams interact through the fluid and their dynamic behavior is modified. In this work, aerodynamic interactions between neighboring cantilever beams operating near their first resonance mode and vibrating at amplitudes comparable to their widths are experimentally explored. The degree to which two beams become coupled through the fluid is found to be sensitive to vibration amplitude and proximity of neighboring components in the array. The cantilever beams considered are slender piezoelectric fans (approximately 6 cm in length), and are caused to vibrate in-phase and out-of-phase at frequencies near their fundamental resonance values. Aerodynamic damping is expressed in terms of the quality factor for two different array configurations and estimated for both in-phase and out-of-phase conditions. The two array configurations considered are for neighboring fans placed face-to-face and edge-to-edge. It is found that the damping is greatly influenced by proximity of neighboring fans and phase difference. For the face-to-face configuration, a reduction in damping is observed for in-phase vibration, while it is greatly increased for out-of-phase vibration; the opposite effect is seen for the edge-to-edge configuration. The resonance frequencies also show a dependence on the phase difference, but these changes are small compared to those observed for damping. Correlations are developed based on the experimental data which can be used to predict the aerodynamic damping in arrays of vibrating cantilevers. The distance at which the beams no longer interact is quantified for both array configurations. Understanding the fluid interactions between neighboring vibrating beams is essential for predicting the dynamic behavior of such arrays and designing them for practical applications

Mitochondrial Fusion Promotes Steroidogenesis in MA10 Leydig Cells

Infertility affects 1 out of every 6 couples, worldwide, with male infertility playing a primary factor in a third of all cases. Dysregulation of sex hormones is a major cause of infertility. Male hypogonadism is a condition in which the testis does not produce adequate concentrations of testosterone. Males suffering from hypogonadism can be born with the condition or develop it later in life, often from acute injury or infection. Male hypogonadism is treated with testosterone replacement to return testosterone levels to normal. However, one side effect of testosterone treatment is infertility. Understanding mechanisms that regulate the synthesis of sex steroids holds great potential to positively impact reproductive health and overall quality of life. Mitochondria play a key role in the synthesis of all steroid hormones. The first and rate-limiting step in the production of all steroid hormones is the transfer of cholesterol from the outer mitochondrial membrane to the inner membrane. In the current study, we examined the hypothesis that mitochondrial fusion promotes acute steroid synthesis in LH-responsive Leydig cells.https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/surp2022/1005/thumbnail.jp