Multimedia resources designed to support learning from written proofs: An eye-movement study

This paper presents two studies of an intervention designed to help undergraduates comprehend mathematical proofs. The intervention used multimedia resources that presented proofs with audio commentary and visual animations designed to focus attention on logical relationships. In Study 1, students studied an e-Proof or a standard written proof and their comprehension was assessed in both immediate and delayed tests; the groups performed similarly at immediate test, but the e-Proof group exhibited poorer retention. Study 2 accounted for this unexpected result by using eye-movement analyses to demonstrate that participants who studied an e-Proof exhibited less processing effort when not listening to the audio commentary. We suggest that the extra support offered by e-Proofs disrupts the processes by which students organise information, and thus restricts the extent to which their new understanding is integrated with existing knowledge. We discuss the implications of these results for evaluating teaching innovations and for supporting proof comprehension

Effect of Probiotics on Host-Microbiota in Bacterial Infections

Diseases caused by bacteria cause millions of deaths every year. In addition, the problem of resistance to antibiotics is so serious that it threatens the achievements of modern medicine. This is a very important global problem as some bacteria can also develop persistence. Indeed, the persistence of pathogenic bacteria has evolved as a potent survival strategy to overcome host organisms’ defense mechanisms. Additionally, chronic or persistent infections may be caused by persisters which could facilitate antibiotic resistance. Probiotics are considered good bacteria. It has been described that the modulation of gut microbiota by probiotics could have a great potential to counteract the deleterious impact and/or regulate gut microbiota after bacterial infection. Probiotics might provide health benefits through the inhibition of pathogen growth or the replacement of pathogenic bacteria. Bearing in mind that current strategies to avoid bacterial persistence and prevent antibiotic resistance are not effective, other strategies need to be assessed. We have carried out a comprehensive review, which included the reported literature between 2016 and 2021, highlighting the clinical trials that reported the probiotics’ potential to regulate gut microbiota after bacterial infection and focusing in particular on the context of antibiotic resistance and persister cells.Regional Ministry of Health and Families (Andalucia, Spain) RPS 2466

Using Total Solids Concentration to Estimate Nutrient Content of Feedlot Runoff Effluent from Solid Settling Basins, Vegetative Infiltration Basins, and Vegetative Treatment Areas

Increased environmental awareness has promoted the need for improved feedlot runoff control. The use of vegetative treatment systems (VTSs) to control and treat feedlot runoff may enhance environmental security and protect water quality. Knowledge of effluent nutrient concentrations throughout the vegetative treatment system is required to evaluate impact on water quality and system performance. Previously collected VTS monitoring data has provided the opportunity to investigate relationships between effluent quality parameters. The objective of this study was to evaluate, through correlation and regression, the relationships between total solids, nutrients, and effluent quality indicator concentrations of feedlot runoff at various stages of treatment in a VTS, including solid settling basin, vegetative infiltration basin, and vegetative treatment area effluent. Results of a correlation and primary factor analysis showed that most of the parameters’ concentrations were strongly correlated to each other, with a single factor capable of describing more than 60% of the variability of monitored parameters. Regression equations were developed to relate nutrient content and effluent quality indicator concentrations to total solids concentrations. Results were satisfactory for most parameters, indicating that total solids concentrations provided significant insight into VTS performance relative to nutrient concentration and effluent quality indicators. A comparison between predicted, based on total solids content, and monitored mass release of the parameters was conducted. No statistical difference was found for most parameters; indicating that effluent volume release along with total solids concentrations can be used to provide an estimate of nutrient mass in solid settling basin, vegetative infiltration basin, and vegetative treatment area effluent

Investigating and improving undergraduate proof comprehension

Undergraduate mathematics students see a lot of written proofs. But how much do they learn from them? Perhaps not as much as we would like – every professor knows that students struggle to make sense of the proofs presented in lectures and textbooks. Of course, written proofs are only one resource for learning; students also attend lectures and work, independently or with support, on problems. But, because mathematics majors are expected to learn much of their mathematics by studying proofs, it is important that we understand how to support them in reading and understanding mathematical arguments. This observation was the starting point for the research reported in this article. Our work uses psychological research methods to generate and analyse empirical evidence on mathematical thinking, in this case via experimental studies of teaching interventions and quantitative analyses of eye-­‐movement data. What follows is a chronological account of three stages in our attempts to better understand students’ mathematical reading processes and to support students in learning to read effectively

PowerSimulationsDynamics.jl -- An Open Source Modeling Package for Modern Power Systems with Inverter-Based Resources

The inclusion of inverter-based resources from renewable energy creates new challenges for the stability and transient behavior of power systems which are best understood by studying their dynamic responses through simulation. In this paper, we develop an open source simulation toolbox, PowerSimulationDynamics.jl, to study the dynamic response of a balanced system with high penetration of inverter-based resources. PowerSimulationDynamics.jl is implemented in the Julia language and features a rich library of synchronous generator components and inverter models. In addition, it allows the study of both quasi-static phasors that employ an admittance matrix representation for the network and electromagnetic dq models that use a dynamic representation of the network. Case studies and validation exercises show that PowerSimulationDynamics.jl results closely match Quasi-Static Phasor (QSP) tools like Siemens PSSe, ANDES, and wave-form Electro-magnetic Transient (EMT) simulations like PSCA

A systematic review of internet-based worksite wellness approaches for cardiovascular disease risk management: outcomes, challenges & opportunities.

ContextThe internet is gaining popularity as a means of delivering employee-based cardiovascular (CV) wellness interventions though little is known about the cardiovascular health outcomes of these programs. In this review, we examined the effectiveness of internet-based employee cardiovascular wellness and prevention programs.Evidence acquisitionWe conducted a systematic review by searching PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane library for all published studies on internet-based programs aimed at improving CV health among employees up to November 2012. We grouped the outcomes according to the American Heart Association (AHA) indicators of cardiovascular wellbeing--weight, BP, lipids, smoking, physical activity, diet, and blood glucose.Evidence synthesisA total of 18 randomized trials and 11 follow-up studies met our inclusion/exclusion criteria. Follow-up duration ranged from 6-24 months. There were significant differences in intervention types and number of components in each intervention. Modest improvements were observed in more than half of the studies with weight related outcomes while no improvement was seen in virtually all the studies with physical activity outcome. In general, internet-based programs were more successful if the interventions also included some physical contact and environmental modification, and if they were targeted at specific disease entities such as hypertension. Only a few of the studies were conducted in persons at-risk for CVD, none in blue-collar workers or low-income earners.ConclusionInternet based programs hold promise for improving the cardiovascular wellness among employees however much work is required to fully understand its utility and long term impact especially in special/at-risk populations