Activating Boxmind: an evaluation of a web‐based video lecture with synchronized activities

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of synchronous computer‐mediated communication activities in a video e‐lecture. Previous research has reported that learning is facilitated when communication activities are added to a video lecture. Twelve postgraduate students participated in the study and they viewed a video e‐lecture on the perspective‐taking theory of communication. The lecture consisted of a video image of the lecturer, an audio track, slides, the transcript and a number of communication activities. They were given a pre‐test a week before the lecture and a post‐test a week after. They were also asked to rate the helpfulness of various aspects of the lecture. Students’ post‐test scores were statistically significantly higher than their pre‐test scores. They found the audio track, transcript, slides and activities helpful. The most helpful aspects were the communication activities. The implications of these findings are discussed

Exploring New Zealand’s Rural Education Activities Programmes (REAPs): Social capital in a lifelong learning and community development context : A thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

This research explored the extent to which social capital is an approach used by New Zealand’s Rural Education Activities Programmes (REAPs) to contribute to rural education. Social capital was defined for the purposes of this study as the resource residing in networks of individuals, based on mutual trust and shared social norms, which can be brokered and mobilised to achieve social benefits, particularly in the application of knowledge and skills. A conceptual framework lays out four key elements from this definition which were investigated: networks, trust, social norms, and brokerage. Given the lack of published material on REAPs and their work, a primarily qualitative design was utilised. Set within a constructivist epistemology and interpretive phenomenological methodology, in-depth interviews with REAP managers and questionnaires for REAP learners were used to collect data. The aim was to explore the lived experiences of these two REAP groups to identify their views on how REAPs operate so that those views could be considered within the social capital framework above. An inductive-deductive-inductive analysis approach was used to maximise the extent to which findings reflected participant language. Findings from both REAP managers and learners supported the strong presence of the four social capital elements in REAP activity. In many cases the qualitative themes were closely related, both within and across the four social capital elements. Both strong (social) and weak (institutional) forms of trust were described as influencing learner participation in networks, where REAPs played a role in brokering that participation within similar (bonded) and differing (bridged) networks. REAPs made use of trusted relationships and valued-based decision making to gain local community and cultural knowledge to ensure the relevance of responsive learning activities. The result was enhanced confidence and identity of learners to take part in other social activities, including further learning and collective action. Lived examples of these elements supported a social capital approach that fit well with the lifelong learning and community development processes outlined by the REAP mandate. These processes were defined holistically to consider the integration of individuals’ beliefs, viewpoints, and behaviours as much as skills and knowledge. The explored social capital approach within lifelong learning and community development contexts, yields clear recommendations for Government, REAPs, and partner organisations. Flexibility, values/identity-based education, and closing network gaps to facilitate innovation come through as REAP social capital practices that could inform policy and partnerships across the whole of the education sector. Further research is needed to more closely consider the complex relationships of the identified social capital themes. In terms of emergent themes, a deeper exploration of innovation produced through brokerage within REAP activity is highlighted as a key area of research for future

A multi-method approach to delineate and validate migratory corridors

Context: Managers are faced with numerous methods for delineating wildlife movement corridors, and often must make decisions with limited data. Delineated corridors should be robust to different data and models. Objectives: We present a multi-method approach for delineating and validating wildlife corridors using multiple data sources, which can be used conserve landscape connectivity. We used this approach to delineate and validate migration corridors for wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) in the Tarangire Ecosystem of northern Tanzania. Methods: We used two types of locational data (distance sampling detections and GPS collar locations), and three modeling methods (negative binomial regression, logistic regression, and Maxent), to generate resource selection functions (RSFs) and define resistance surfaces. We compared two corridor detection algorithms (cost-distance and circuit theory), to delineate corridors. We validated corridors by comparing random and wildebeest locations that fell within corridors, and cross-validated by data type. Results: Both data types produced similar RSFs. Wildebeest consistently selected migration habitat in flatter terrain farther from human settlements. Validation indicated three of the combinations of data type, modeling, and corridor detection algorithms (detection data with Maxent modeling, GPS collar data with logistic regression modeling, and GPS collar data with Maxent modeling, all using cost-distance) far outperformed the other seven. We merged the predictive corridors from these three data-method combinations to reveal habitat with highest probability of use. Conclusions: The use of multiple methods ensures that planning is able to prioritize conservation of migration corridors based on all available information

Quantifying E. coli Discharge from Failing Onsite Sewage Facilities in the Dickinson Bayou Watershed, Texas

Since 1996, the E. coli levels in Dickinson Bayou have been considerably higher than the Texas state maximum of 126 colony forming units (CFU) per 100 mL for recreational waters. One hypothesis is that failing onsite sewage facilities (OSSFs) in the nearby residential areas are causing an increase of Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations in Dickinson Bayou. There are two types of OSSFs in the watershed; anaerobic and aerobic systems. The anaerobic systems discharge partially treated effluent below the soil surface from gravel drainage trenches while the aerobic systems disperse treated effluent on the soil surface using spray nozzles. This project was designed to determine if either of the two systems was contributing to the elevated E. coli concentrations in Dickinson Bayou. Two water quality monitoring stations were installed in the Dickinson Bayou watershed to estimate E. coli concentrations in surface runoff. One of the monitoring stations was placed in a neighborhood that uses OSSFs and the second station was placed in a neighborhood connected to a municipal sewage plant. Each monitoring station was equipped with a flow meter and an automatic water sampler. Runoff/rainfall relationships were established for each monitoring station. Water quality samples were obtained for sixteen rainfall events at the site with OSSFs and twelve events at the site with no OSSFs. Nearly all sampling events had at least one sample with an E. coli concentration greater than the state boundary. However, the concentrations from both sites were very similar to one another. A bacterial source tracking method was employed to conclude that a portion of the E. coli from both sites were of human origin. Further studies should focus on bacterial source tracking to determine the exact extent of human-based bacterial contamination in the Dickinson Bayou watershed

Nanoscale spectroscopic studies of two different physical origins of the tip-enhanced force: dipole and thermal

When light illuminates the junction formed between a sharp metal tip and a sample, different mechanisms can con-tribute to the measured photo-induced force simultaneously. Of particular interest are the instantaneous force be-tween the induced dipoles in the tip and in the sample and the force related to thermal heating of the junction. A key difference between these two force mechanisms is their spectral behaviors. The magnitude of the thermal response follows a dissipative Lorentzian lineshape, which measures the heat exchange between light and matter, while the induced dipole response exhibits a dispersive spectrum and relates to the real part of the material polarizability. Be-cause the two interactions are sometimes comparable in magnitude, the origin of the nanoscale chemical selectivity in the recently developed photo-induced force microscopy (PiFM) is often unclear. Here, we demonstrate theoretically and experimentally how light absorption followed by nanoscale thermal expansion generates a photo-induced force in PiFM. Furthermore, we explain how this thermal force can be distinguished from the induced dipole force by tuning the relaxation time of samples. Our analysis presented here helps the interpretation of nanoscale chemical measure-ments of heterogeneous materials and sheds light on the nature of light-matter coupling in van der Waals materials.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure

Groundwater Study at Armand Bayou Nature Center

This paper describes the research done to determine the hydraulic gradient and direction of groundwater flow in two aquifers at the Armand Bayou wetland. One aquifer is an unconfined aquifer at a depth of approximately 15 ft. and the second aquifer is a perched aquifer near the surface. The wetland research site was located at the Armand Bayou Nature Center near Houston, Texas. Four well nests were installed at this site. Each well nest consisted of a deep well (13-16 feet deep) installed below a thick clay lense and a shallow well (1-2 feet deep) installed above the clay lense. The groundwater levels were measured once a week over a two year period at all four well nests. Water levels in Armand Bayou were also measured. The first year the data was recorded was a wet year (17.81 inches of rainfall over collection period) and the second year was an unusually dry year (5.8 inches of rainfall over collection period). The paper presents how the hydraulic gradient and direction of groundwater flow changed during a drought. The data showed that the typical direction of flow in the aquifers was toward the bayou and that under drought conditions the direction of flow was altered by an average of 10.1˚. The drought conditions also caused the hydraulic gradient to decrease by an average of 0.00254 ft. / ft

Sclerosing alcohol injections for the management of intermetatarsal neuromas: a systematic review

An intermetatarsal neuroma is a plantar digital neuritis causing metatarsalgia of the affected inter-metatarsal space. At present the evidence to support the management of the condition is poor with only some quality evidence supporting the short-term management of intermetatarsal neuromas using steroid injections. Some authors have supported the use of alcohol sclerosing intra-lesional injections to treat intermetatarsal neuromas. Following a search of the evidence 11 articles were identified. The systematic review found that alcohol injections appear to be safe although some papers report a short-term side effect of a flogistic reaction and there are variances in the alcohol concentration used and guiding verses not guiding the injection using ultrasound imaging. Some of the evidence may suggest a sclerosing histological effect of the nerve. However, all the studies reviewed present a research design offering a low level of evidence that is open to methodological biases and interpretation. Thus, this review found insufficient high-quality research evidence to afford conclusions on the management of intermetatarsal neuromas with alcohol sclerosing agent injections.sch_pod35pub5134pu

Simple and objective prediction of survival in patients with lung cancer: staging the host systemic inflammatory response

Background. Prediction of survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer remains problematical. The aim of the present study was to examine the clinical utility of an established objective marker of the systemic inflammatory response, the Glasgow Prognostic Score, as the basis of risk stratification in patients with lung cancer. Methods. Between 2005 and 2008 all newly diagnosed lung cancer patients coming through the multidisciplinary meetings (MDTs) of four Scottish centres were included in the study. The details of 882 patients with a confirmed new diagnosis of any subtype or stage of lung cancer were collected prospectively. Results. The median survival was 5.6 months (IQR 4.8–6.5). Survival analysis was undertaken in three separate groups based on mGPS score. In the mGPS 0 group the most highly predictive factors were performance status, weight loss, stage of NSCLC, and palliative treatment offered. In the mGPS 1 group performance status, stage of NSCLC, and radical treatment offered were significant. In the mGPS 2 group only performance status and weight loss were statistically significant. Discussion. This present study confirms previous work supporting the use of mGPS in predicting cancer survival; however, it goes further by showing how it might be used to provide more objective risk stratification in patients diagnosed with lung cancer

Themed issue on advances in solid state chemistry and its applications

Peer reviewedPostprin

Diseño de estructura de pavimento articulado para 1km. en el Empalme San Benito- San Benito Agrícola km, 35 carretera Norte.

Presenta el diseño de estructura de pavimento articulado para 1 km en el empalme San Benito Agrícola km 35 carretera norte, en el que se hará uso de la AASHTO 93 para el diseño de pavimento, de igual forma las especificaciones generales para la construcción de calles, caminos y puentes NIC-2000 y el manual Centroamericano para diseño de pavimento de la S.I.E. C.A