Pictorial Socratic dialogue and conceptual change

Counter-examples used in a Socratic dialogue aim to provoke reflection to effect conceptual changes. However, natural language forms of Socratic dialogues have their limitations. To address this problem, we propose an alternative form of Socratic dialogue called the pictorial Socratic dialogue. A Spring Balance System has been designed to provide a platform for the investigation of the effects of this pedagogy on conceptual changes. This system allows learners to run and observe an experiment. Qualitative Cartesian graphs are employed for learners to represent their solutions. Indirect and intelligent feedback is prescribed through two approaches in the pictorial Socratic dialogue which aim to provoke learners probe through the perceptual structural features of the problem and solution, into the deeper level of the simulation where Archimedes’ Principle governs

Role of Head Teachers in Ensuring Sound Climate

The school climate is outlined in literature as one of the most important within school factors required for effective teaching in learning. As leaders in any organisations are assigned the role of ensuring sound climates for work, head teachers also have the task of creating and maintaining an environment conducive for effective academic work within their institutions. Although it is debated that positive school climate will lead to positive academic very little studies have been conducted on how the school leaders can influence the school climate needed improved child performance. The current study seeks to evaluate head teachers’ role in ensuring a sound school climate and also examine how the role of head teachers in ensuring a sound school climate will influence school climate conditions. An exploratory mixed design approach was employed. Items of the survey questionnaire were based on questions form the both Inventory of School Climate (ISC) and the NSCC scale for school climate. The qualitative phase involved interviews with 40 head teachers and the second quantitative phase involved collation of primary data from 110 schools randomly selected from 513 Senior High schools across five regions in Ghana. Participants during survey included a student and teacher from each of the selected schools. Data obtained during survey was coded and entered into a SPSS 21 statistical software and subsequently analyses using both descriptive and inferential methods were conducted. It was found that the all five roles of head teachers significantly influences school climate items. Recommendations were made based on the finding of the study

Comparison of photocatalytic systems including silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles efficiencies for the E. coli removal from drinking water

The removal and destruction of organic contaminants in groundwater can be addressed through the impregnation of adsorbents with photoactive catalysts. In this paper removal trend of E. coli from drinking water examined by nano silver and nano titanium dioxide. To perform this, four different concentration of silver nano particles and titanium dioxide under UV radiation (with 247 nm- wavelength) used. The results showed the nano particles of silver and titanium reach to 100% disinfection efficiency at the concentrations of 0.4 mg/l (with 20 minutes contact time) and 0.8 mg/l (with 40 minutes contact time), respectively. For equal amounts of disinfectant and equal number of E. coli colonies in drinking water, disinfection potential for (nAg + V) is significantly higher than (nTiO2 + UV). When the nano particles concentration increases, the disinfection rate rises, and it was higher and faster done by the nano silver particles comparing to nano-titanium particles (Pvalue < 0.05, R²= 0.705)

The Impact of School Climate on Academic Performance: A case of Ghanaian Schools

One of the most important school factors required for effective teaching in learning is the school climate. The study sought to explore and explain the degree to which school climate factors contribute towards improved students’ performance. A quantitative research design was employed for the study. Items of the survey questionnaire were based on questions form the both Inventory of School Climate (ISC) and the NSCC scale for school climate.  Data was collated from of primary data from 500 students from 500 schools randomly selected across all ten regions in Ghana. Performance was measured using average performance of schools in WASSCE examinations for the year 2014. Data obtained during survey was entered into a SPSS statistical software, were missing analysis was conducted. Subsequently analyses using both descriptive and inferential methods were done. The Cronchbach’s measure of reliability estimated for the school climate construct was 0.774. The structural equation model was then employed to test the effects of climate on the performance of students in standardized examinations. Results from SEM analysis reveal the model of the study was confirmed as the data showed equivalence to model modifications Χ2/ DF &lt; 3.00, GFI &gt;.90, AGFI &gt;.90, NFI &gt; .90, TLI &gt; .90, CFI &gt; .90, RMSEA &lt; 0.07. It was found that school climate had a positive and significant effect on the academic performances of students. It was also found that specific school climate factors that influence student performance in ensuring positive school climate. Based on the findings of the study it was recommended that school leaders and other stake holding bodies help promote cohesiveness among all members of their schools. Keywords: School Climate, Senior High School, Structural Equation Mode

E 100 en de naoorlogse rechtspraak met betrekking tot onroerend goed

Onderwerp van deze studie zijn de ontwikkelingen van het Nederlandse woonrecht in de wederopbouwperiode van 1945 tot 1955. Woonrecht is de verzamelterm voor het huurrecht, vastgoedrecht en het administratief recht met betrekking tot woningen en onroerende goederen. Hiertoe behoort ook het rechtsherstel van onroerende goederen en huurrechten in Nederland na de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Al tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog had de Nederlandse regering in Londen onderkend, dat het noodzakelijk was regels vast te stellen om de roof van goederen en rechten door de bezetter en diens handlangers ongedaan te maken. Voor wat betreft vermogensrechtelijke betrekkingen voorzag daarin het Koninklijk Besluit E 100 van 17 september 1944. Krachtens het besluit E 100 kreeg een Raad voor het Rechtsherstel de opdracht te onderzoeken of de onder dwang gewijzigde rechtsbetrekkingen weer in de oude staat gebracht moesten worden, als een belanghebbende daartoe een verzoek had ingediend. Het rechtsherstel heeft veel tijd gevergd, het zou tot 1967 duren voor de Raad voor het Rechtsherstel werd opgeheven bij Rijkswet van 9 maart 1967 (1967, Stb. 163), inwerkinggetreden 1 juli 1967 (KB van 2 mei 1967. Stb. 243). De afdeling Effectenregistratie werd pas opgeheven bij wet van 7 januari 1971 (1971, Stb. 1), inwerkinggetreden 1 oktober 1971 (KB van 6 september 1971, Stb. 541). Een onderdeel van de Raad was de Afdeling Onroerende Goederen, die tot taak had geschillen ten aanzien van onroerende goederen te onderzoeken. Deze Afdeling heeft feitelijk haar werkzaamheden uitgeoefend tot 1959. Het onderzoek bestrijkt de periode tot 1955, waarin het rechtsherstel van onroerende goederen en huurrechten voor het belangrijkste deel tot stand is gekomen en loopt daarmee parallel met de periode van wederopbouw van het in de oorlog verwoeste Nederland. De desbetreffende jurisprudentie en literatuur uit deze periode bieden voldoende materiaal om de – hierna geformuleerde onderzoeksvragen – te behandelen

PROMOTING GREEN TRANSPORTATION VIA PERSUASIVE GAMES

It is now widely accepted that human behaviour accounts for a large portion of total global emissions, and thus influences climate change to a large extent (IPCC, 2014). Changing human behaviour when it comes to mode of transportation is one component which could make a difference in the long term. In order to achieve behavioural change, we investigate the use of a persuasive multiplayer game. Transportation mode recognition is used within the game to provide bonuses and penalties to users based on their daily choices regarding transportation. Preliminary results from testers of the game indicate that using games may be successful in causing positive change in user behaviour

Lung Injury Prevention with Aspirin (LIPS-A): a Protocol for a Multicentre Randomised Clinical Trial in Medical Patients at High Risk of Acute Lung Injury

Introduction: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a devastating condition that places a heavy burden on public health resources. Although the need for effective ALI prevention strategies is increasingly recognised, no effective preventative strategies exist. The Lung Injury Prevention Study with Aspirin (LIPS-A) aims to test whether aspirin (ASA) could prevent and/or mitigate the development of ALI. Methods and analysis LIPS-A is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised clinical trial testing the hypothesis that the early administration of ASA will result in a reduced incidence of ALI in adult patients at high risk. This investigation will enrol 400 study participants from 14 hospitals across the USA. Conditional logistic regression will be used to test the primary hypothesis that early ASA administration will decrease the incidence of ALI. Ethics and dissemination Safety oversight will be under the direction of an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB). Approval of the protocol was obtained from the DSMB prior to enrolling the first study participant. Approval of both the protocol and informed consent documents were also obtained from the institutional review board of each participating institution prior to enrolling study participants at the respective site. In addition to providing important clinical and mechanistic information, this investigation will inform the scientific merit and feasibility of a phase III trial on ASA as an ALI prevention agent. The findings of this investigation, as well as associated ancillary studies, will be disseminated in the form of oral and abstract presentations at major national and international medical specialty meetings. The primary objective and other significant findings will also be presented in manuscript form. All final, published manuscripts resulting from this protocol will be submitted to Pub Med Central in accordance with the National Institute of Health Public Access Policy

RNA Pol III promoters—key players in precisely targeted plant genome editing

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindrome repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein Cas) system is a powerful and highly precise gene-editing tool in basic and applied research for crop improvement programs. CRISPR/Cas tool is being extensively used in plants to improve crop yield, quality, and nutritional value and make them tolerant to environmental stresses. CRISPR/Cas system consists of a Cas protein with DNA endonuclease activity and one CRISPR RNA transcript that is processed to form one or several short guide RNAs that direct Cas9 to the target DNA sequence. The expression levels of Cas proteins and gRNAs significantly influence the editing efficiency of CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing. This review focuses on insights into RNA Pol III promoters and their types that govern the expression levels of sgRNA in the CRISPR/Cas system. We discussed Pol III promoters structural and functional characteristics and their comparison with Pol II promoters. Further, the use of synthetic promoters to increase the targeting efficiency and overcome the structural, functional, and expressional limitations of RNA Pol III promoters has been discussed. Our review reports various studies that illustrate the use of endogenous U6/U3 promoters for improving editing efficiency in plants and the applicative approach of species-specific RNA pol III promoters for genome editing in model crops like Arabidopsis and tobacco, cereals, legumes, oilseed, and horticultural crops. We further highlight the significance of optimizing these species-specific promoters’ systematic identification and validation for crop improvement and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance through CRISPR/Cas mediated genome editing

Batalin-Vilkovisky gauge-fixing of a chiral two-form in six dimensions

We perform the gauge-fixing of the theory of a chiral two-form boson in six dimensions starting from the action given by Pasti, Sorokin and Tonin. We use the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism, introducing antifields and writing down an extended action satisfying the classical master equation. Then we gauge-fix the three local symmetries of the extended action in two different ways.Comment: 15 pages, latex, no figures, version accepted by Class. Quant. Gra

Measuring the impact of ambulatory red blood cell transfusion on home functional status: study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

SPIRIT 2013: SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) Checklist for clinical trial protocols. (DOCX 65 kb