Assessment Strategy to ‘Future Proof’ Students as Computing Practitioners

Unavoidable questions occur about the best way to equip computing students for the inherent professional and technical challenges facing them when building and/or working with computing systems. Here we are reporting on our experiences in addressing such questions with successive cohorts of both graduate and undergraduate students. This comprised simulating working as practitioners in team-based software engineering projects. It illustrates practical-based assessment strategies ‘future proofing’ students, e.g. for Industry 4.0 by equipping them with skills transferrable across industry sectors. This entailed adopting a tool-based approach which supports constructivist principles of learning with real-world case studies.Peer reviewe

Alien Registration- Lindsay, Helen M. (Presque Isle, Aroostook County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/33462/thumbnail.jp

Structural characterization of the carbohydrate-binding module of NanA sialidase, a pneumococcal virulence factor

This research was supported by the University of St Andrews and grants provided by the Medical Research Council.Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae Neuraminidase A (NanA) is a multi-domain protein anchored to the bacterial surface. Upstream of the catalytic domain of NanA is a domain that conforms to the sialic acid-recognising CBM40 family of the CAZY (carbohydrate-active enzymes) database. This domain has been identified to play a critical role in allowing the bacterium to promote adhesion and invasion of human brain microvascular endothelial cells, and hence may play a key role in promoting bacterial meningitis. In addition, the CBM40 domain has also been reported to activate host chemokines and neutrophil recruitment during infection. Results: Crystal structures of both apo- and holo- forms of the NanA CBM40 domain (residues 121 to 305), have been determined to 1.8 angstrom resolution. The domain shares the fold of other CBM40 domains that are associated with sialidases. When in complex with alpha 2,3- or alpha 2,6-sialyllactose, the domain is shown to interact only with the terminal sialic acid. Significantly, a deep acidic pocket adjacent to the sialic acid-binding site is identified, which is occupied by a lysine from a symmetry-related molecule in the crystal. This pocket is adjacent to a region that is predicted to be involved in protein-protein interactions. Conclusions: The structural data provide the details of linkage-independent sialyllactose binding by NanA CBM40 and reveal striking surface features that may hold the key to recognition of binding partners on the host cell surface. The structure also suggests that small molecules or sialic acid analogues could be developed to fill the acidic pocket and hence provide a new therapeutic avenue against meningitis caused by S. pneumoniae.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

An analysis of the lifeloads of first year engineering students

Professional degree programs, such as Engineering, are notorious for placing considerable demands upon their students. Balancing study and work is a challenge faced by an increasing number of undergraduate students. In order to assist students to manage this balance it is important to know how this compromise varies from student to student. This paper presents data gathered from first year engineering students regarding the hours they spend each week in study, paid employment and volunteer work. A substantial variation across the cohort is shown for all three factors. The data also shows variation in these factors with respect to the week of semester, with time commitments growing independently early in semester, and study somewhat taking the place of paid employment later in the semester

A software tool supporting a constructivist approach to assessing student team work in software development

We developed a robust technical tool providing level 5-7 students with simulated experiences of team-based software development. It is scalable from a pedagogical perspective, given the tool supports real-world case studies, allowing students to adopt a constructivist approach to learning. The tool has features which support defining assessment grade boundaries.Peer reviewe

Sewing can be fun : clothing II

November, 1949."University of Missouri College of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating"--Page [18].Title from caption