Short Film: Nonverbal Communication

This creative project is a short silent movie titled “Meet Me At Seven.” The script is based on a literature review of forms of nonverbal communication (including acting, written language, visual communication, music, and body language) and their effectiveness, as well as the art of cinema and silent film. Upon completion of the script, the movie was cast with individuals who could express ideas and emotions in a convincing, yet overdramatic manner, as the genre of silent film requires. The filming was completed on an iPhone in locations near and on the Iowa State University campus. Once filming was completed, the film was edited to its final version in iMovie by cutting extra footage, writing inter titles (characters’ dialogue on screen), and adding in an original piano score to supplement and advance the message of the film

Numeracy, Consistency, and the Allais Paradox

This paper explores the relations between mathematical abilities and preferences, preferences for consistency, and the Allais paradox. To answer this question, 144 participants completed a survey which measured objective numeracy, subjective numeracy, preference for consistency, and consistency of probabilistic choices. The results did not show the predicted relations where consistency would moderate the relations where subjective numeracy mediates the relations between objective numeracy and the consistency of probabilistic choices. The previously indicated relations where subjective numeracy simply mediated the relations between objective numeracy and probabilistic reasoning were also not replicated.While the hypotheses were not supported overall one interesting finding was that consistency of probabilistic choices was affected by consistency. Additionally, the relations between subjective and objective numeracy while weaker were still present as has been previously found. While the sample size was slightly smaller than the original power analysis suggested, and the participants spent less time on average than would have been expected the results seem to suggest that there may not be a systematic relationship between numeracy and consistency

Critical perspectives in and approaches to educational leadership in England

The book showcases a wide range of theorists, including Bourdieu, Foucault and Fraser. Its impressive scope includes analyses of collectivist, neoliberal and historical influences on educational leadership

Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Intraoperative Hypotension and Hypertension Management

Managing intraoperative hypotension and hypertension is a non-technical skill anesthesia providers need to maintain patient safety. Upon transitioning from didactic training to clinical training, SRNAs may find it difficult to manage a patient’s blood pressure intraoperatively. The ultimate consequence of the delayed or improper treatment of intraoperative blood pressure perturbations is end-organ damage at the patient’s expense. Unintentionally causing a patient harm will lead to an SRNA losing confidence in their abilities. This OSCE is intended to increase SRNA confidence and competence regarding intraoperative hypotension and hypertension management before entering the clinical arena. The hypotension and hypertension management tools and OSCE template were provided to second-year SRNAs, third-year SRNAs, and licensed CRNAs. After reviewing the information, fifty-six SRNAs and CRNAs participated in a survey regarding the effectiveness of the OSCE. At least 90% of survey participants strongly agreed on the instructions were clear and concise. Additionally, at least 90% of respondents are able to identify the causes of intraoperative blood pressure perturbations and can create a plan of care to treat hypotension and hypertension. After reviewing the survey results, the OSCE for Intraoperative Hypotension and Hypertension Management could improve first-year SRNA’s competence and help prevent poor patient outcomes

System leadership as depoliticisation: Reconceptualising educational leadership in a new multi-academy trust

System leadership continues to be constructed largely as a desirable, even normative, evolution of educational leadership, with critiques often focusing on implementation rather than principles. This belies its increasingly recognised role in processes of disintermediation, in which the ‘middle tier’ comprising local government is dismantled. In this article, we draw on interview and observation data from our case study research in a new multi-academy trust to argue that system leadership is better understood as a manifestation of, and mechanism for, depoliticisation. We present a reconceptualisation of system leadership in which its primary function is to enable and operationalise three forms of depoliticisation: governmental, societal and discursive. We conclude that system leadership as depoliticisation is a suite of professional practices with linked identities and dispositions that operationalises the state’s project to depoliticise education in England through multi-academisation, or the creation of multi-academy trusts

Conceptualising constructions of educational-leader identity

In this chapter, we conceptualise and present a new typology of educational-leader identity constructions. Our aims are to reconceptualise what it means to be an educational leader, to reveal the processes involved in identifying leaders and to prompt questions for the field about the implications of such labelling. What is new about our typology is its serious engagement with the insight that identification concerns the attribution of labels and characteristics as much as their subjective adoption. Methodologically, our intellectual resources for creating the typology consist in Macintyre’s notion of “characters” and Cunliffe’s conceptualisation of self and critical reflexivity. These provide two dimensions for our typology: “leader-identity stability” and “subject reflexivity concerning leadership”. We interplay these ideas to conceptualise six idealised identity types for the educational leader: the “Right Fit”, “Fabricator”, “Troublemaker”, “Object of Analysis”, “Reinterpreted” and “Influencer”. Our typology provides a new conceptual framework for researchers to think about identity and for educational leaders to do identity work on themselves. It reveals a relative paucity of critical reflexivity in the field of educational-leader identity scholarship and so points the way for future research in this area

Implant compositions for the unidirectional delivery of therapeutic compounds to the brain

The present invention provides, in some aspects, bilayered and trilayered pharmaceutical implant compositions for the unidirectional delivery of anti-cancer compounds to the brain over a period of time (e.g., several weeks, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 days, or 1, 2, 3, weeks, or any range derivable therein) following the removal of glioblastoma multiforme or other malignant tumors in the brain.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Preparation and uses of multi-phase microspheres

Multi-phase polymeric microspheres containing a molecular compound dispersed in a polymeric matrix are described. Methods for preparing the multi-phase microspheres are also described, which includes a multiple emulsion solvent evaporation technique. Drug loading efficiencies between 80 to 100% were achieved using the described methods. Particular ratios of the W/O emulsion to polymer, and concentration of surfactant and dispersion media (mineral oil) provide highly efficient multi-phase microspheres. In particular embodiments, the multi-phase microspheres feature a high loading efficiency of water-soluble drugs, and also eliminates partitioning of the water soluble agent into the polymer acetonitrile (solvent) phase, thus preventing low encapsulation efficiency. The described multi-phase microspheres possess efficient drug loading, release properties, and drug stability, and also provide a vehicle for long term therapeutic release of a biologically active molecule for therapeutically effective periods of time. Molecular compounds which may be incorporated within the multi-phase microspheres include both water-soluble and water-insoluble drugs, proteins (e.g. TNF), peptides, and chemicals. The molecular compound is protected within an oily droplet, and contact with polymer, surfactant, organic solvents, and other potentially denaturing agents is prevented.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste