Building Bridges: Restructuring Online Library Tutorials to Span the Generation Gap and Meet the Needs of Millennial Students

This session will discuss the learning characteristics of Millennial students, and how online library tutorials can produce successful information literacy learning outcomes for this unique generation. In 2009, we transformed Searchpath , the 2003 PRIMO award-winning online library tutorial, into ResearchPath, a dynamic audio, visual and kinesthetic experience with the Millennial user in mind. We will share the results of the research we conducted at Western Michigan University Libraries to measure the success of our intended learning outcomes, as well as the qualitative user feedback which we gathered. We will recommend strategies for others interested in developing online tutorials geared towards building bridges to the unique learning styles of Millennial learners

Perforated Webs Subjected to End-one-flange Loading

A study of structural behavior was conducted and a design equation was developed that accounts for the degradation in web crippling capacity caused by web openings for unreinforced single web cold-formed steel flexural members subjected to the End-One-Flange (EOF) loading condition. The research findings enable the current EOF design provisions for sections without web openings to be modified by a reduction factor equation to obtain the web crippling capacity for sections with web openings. The modified capacity is considered for the web crippling capacity in the absence of bending moment for the same cross section and load bearing length

Structural behavior of perforated web elements of cold-formed steel flexural members subjected to web crippling and a combination of web crippling and bending

PREFACE A study of structural behavior was conducted and design equations were developed that account for the degradation in web crippling capacity caused by web openings for single web cold-formed steel flexural members. The sections were subjected to a concentrated load applied to one flange. The load application satisfied the AISI definition for either End-One-Flange or Interior-One-Flange loading. The research findings enable the current design provisions for sections without web openings to be modified by a reduction factor equation to obtain the web crippling capacity for sections with web openings. The modified capacity is considered for the web crippling capacity in the absence of bending moment. For situations of combined bending and web crippling, the current AISI provisions for interaction are used based on the web opening modified bending moment and web crippling capacities. Simple and practical web reinforcement configurations using material from the same cross section as the member are provided. Use of the web reinforcement configurations, for single web members having web openings, will ensure that the web crippling strength for the same cross section without web openings is obtained for the same key parameters defining the design situation. This report is based on the dissertation of the same title presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR) in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering. This investigation was sponsored by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Metal Lath/Steel Framing Association (MLjSFA) Division of the National Association of Architectural Metal Manufacturers (NAAMM). Technical guidance was provided by the ML/SFA-AISI Joint Task Force: J.E. Sullivan (chairman), C. Bissey, R.L. Brockenbrough, C.R. Clauer, E.R. diGirolamo, S.J. Errera, E.R. Estes, Jr., L. Hernandez, A.L. Johnson, K.H. Klippstein, J.P. Matsen, W.R. Midgley, T.B. Pekoz, N. Peterson, G.S. Ralph, R.M. Schuster, T.W. Trestain, and R.A. LaBoube. Thanks are also extended to R.B. Haws, K.L. Cole, AISI staff, and A.L. Sisco, NAAMM staff, for their assistance

A practical guide for the study of human and murine sebaceous glands in situ

The skin of most mammals is characterised by the presence of sebaceous glands (SGs), whose predominant constituent cell population is sebocytes, that is, lipid-producing epithelial cells, which develop from the hair follicle. Besides holocrine sebum production (which contributes 90% of skin surface lipids), multiple additional SG functions have emerged. These range from antimicrobial peptide production and immunomodulation, via lipid and hormone synthesis/metabolism, to the provision of an epithelial progenitor cell reservoir. Therefore, in addition to its involvement in common skin diseases (e.g. acne vulgaris), the unfolding diversity of SG functions, both in skin health and disease, has raised interest in this integral component of the pilosebaceous unit. This practical guide provides an introduction to SG biology and to relevant SG histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques, with emphasis placed on in situ evaluation methods that can be easily employed. We propose a range of simple, established markers, which are particularly instructive when addressing specific SG research questions in the two most commonly investigated species in SG research, humans and mice. To facilitate the development of reproducible analysis techniques for the in situ evaluation of SGs, this methods review concludes by suggesting quantitative (immuno-)histomorphometric methods for standardised SG evaluation

De novo design of bioactive protein switches.

Allosteric regulation of protein function is widespread in biology, but is challenging for de novo protein design as it requires the explicit design of multiple states with comparable free energies. Here we explore the possibility of designing switchable protein systems de novo, through the modulation of competing inter- and intramolecular interactions. We design a static, five-helix 'cage' with a single interface that can interact either intramolecularly with a terminal 'latch' helix or intermolecularly with a peptide 'key'. Encoded on the latch are functional motifs for binding, degradation or nuclear export that function only when the key displaces the latch from the cage. We describe orthogonal cage-key systems that function in vitro, in yeast and in mammalian cells with up to 40-fold activation of function by key. The ability to design switchable protein functions that are controlled by induced conformational change is a milestone for de novo protein design, and opens up new avenues for synthetic biology and cell engineering

Simulation of a Machine Learning Based Controller for a Fixed-Wing UAV with Distributed Sensors

Recent research suggests that the information obtained from arrays of sensors distributed on the wing of a fixed-wing small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can provide information not available to conventional sensor suites. These arrays of sensors are capable of sensing the flow around the aircraft and it has been indicated that they could be a potential tool to improve flight control and overall flight performance. However, more work needs to be carried out to fully exploit the potential of these sensors for flight control. This work presents a 3 degrees-of-freedom longitudinal flight dynamics and control simulation model of a small fixed-wing UAV. Experimental readings of an array of pressure and strain sensors distributed across the wing were integrated in the model. This study investigated the feasibility of using machine learning to control airspeed of the UAV using the readings from the sensing array, and looked into the sensor layout and its effect on the performance of the controller. It was found that an artificial neural network was able to learn to mimic a conventional airspeed controller using only distributed sensor signals, but showed better performance for controlling changes in airspeed for a constant altitude than holding airspeed during changes in altitude. The neural network could control airspeed using either pressure or strain sensor information, but having both improved robustness to increased levels of turbulence. Results showed that some strain sensors and many pressure sensors signals were not necessary to achieve good controller performance, but that the pressure sensors near the leading edge of the wing were required. Future work will focus on replacing other elements of the flight control system with machine learning elements and investigate the use of reinforcement learning in place of supervised learning.</p