A case study investigation of academic library support for open educational resources in Scottish universities

The aim of the research was to investigate why and how Scottish university libraries support open educational resources and to assess their ability to provide support services for their development and use within higher education institutions. There has been little research on the role of academic libraries in supporting open educational resources in Scotland and previous research found that there is a lack of awareness of them in Scottish higher education institutions and few have open educational resources policies. The case study methodology therefore involved two Scottish academic libraries providing open educational resources services. The libraries’ motivation includes supporting teaching and learning and the development of educator digital skills and copyright knowledge. However, there are a number of barriers limiting the services the libraries are able to provide, particularly lack of human resources. The research confirmed the findings of previous research on the importance of institutional commitment, incentives for educator engagement, and understanding of copyright and licensing issues by educators and library staff

Does the inclusion of moderate amounts of red meat in the diet of exercising older women impact on faecal markers of bowel health, including faecal lactoferrin?

Background: High intakes of red meat may be associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), however, to determine CRC risk, it is important to assess faecal changes related to protein and carbohydrate metabolism.Objective: To determine the influence of three weekly meals rich in red meat as opposed to a carbohydrate control diet on faecal markers which are involved in the aetiology of CRC.Design: Twenty post-menopausal women (aged 60-75) undertook, 3 times a week for 12 weeks, a 30 minute exercise session followed immediately by a cooked meal that was high in lean red meat, low in carbohydrate (n= 10) or low in lean red meat, high in carbohydrate (n=10). Dietary fibre intake and macronutrients were kept constant. At the beginning and end of the study, three-day faecal samples were collected and by-products of protein fermentation and carbohydrate metabolism, undigested fibre residues, and faecal output and colonic bacterial microbiota changes measured.Outcomes: No significant differences were observed in subjects on either diet when comparing faecal output, faecal pH, other faecal markers, nor faecal lactoferrin. There was a trend observed in changes in the population of colonic microbiota using FISH analysis. Bacteroides spp. and Prevotella spp. appeared to decrease in women consuming a high red meat diet compared with an increase in women consuming a high carbohydrate diet.Conclusions: In this pilot study the trend in colonic microbiota change is interesting and suggests that dietary influence of colonic microbiota, especially changes in Bacteroidetes, may be indicative of risk of gut damage and disease compared to other faecal markers.<br /

Early History Of ISNA

The International Symposia on Nonlinear Acoustics, now referred to as ISNA, have convened regularly since 1968, bringing together scientists and engineers to report and discuss the latest developments in this branch of nonlinear physics. The fact that this series of symposia is still going strong after more than four decades is testimony that nonlinear acoustics has established itself as a distinct, important, and vibrant field of research. In this paper we take a look back at the early years of ISNA to recall how it all began and trace the evolution of the symposia into their current form.Applied Research Laboratorie

A comprehensive traffic survey of Phelps County, Missouri

The purpose of this study is two fold. The first of these purposes is to serve as a pattern or guide for any county or township wishing to conduct a comprehensive traffic survey. The second purpose of this study is to provide traffic classification and other data on a typical county system of rural roads. Today, many counties in the United States are faced with the problem of inadequate roads, due to the modernization of the American farm. While they realize this problem exists, may county governments have developed no organized method of studying and determining their needs...When the author began preparations for this comprehensive traffic survey of Phelps County at the suggestion of the Missouri State Highway Department, there were some doubts as to the results. The reason for these doubts was slightly inadequate stationing and the relatively short time duration of the counts involved. While more complete data would be desirable, the author feels that the information available has proven adequate for the conclusions drawn --Introduction, page 1-3

Education at the local level seen in the light of the 1972 report of the International Commission on the Development of Education

(i) That individualised learning be adopted where this is feasible and that a combination of programming and counselling be adopted that facilitates learning under existing constraints and where possible initiates the learner into the system of self - directed learning (p. 23 here)(ii) That, on an experimental basis, primary French should be taught using an individualised audio - visual process involving the playback of audio- casettes linked to picture books, and periodic conversation with native (or possibly merely fluent) speakers. (p. 28 here)(iii) That primary teacher exchange between France and Scotland be encouraged in the interest of the teaching of primary French. (p. 28 here)(iv) That provision for the non -contractual remuneration of nonteacher native speakers be made. (p.28 here)(v) That group teaching, using a class group of four teachers, be tried at primary level on an experimental basis. (p. 28 here)(vi) That activity schedules be provided, on an individual and negotiated basis, for each learner. (p.31 here)(vii) That each learner maintain and submit for periodic inspection, as a basis for counselling, an activity log book or diary. (p.31 here)(viii)That school facilities form the basis for a socio- educational scheme partly administered by the social work department and operating mostly during out -of- school hours. (p. 44 here)(ix) That formal religious instruction be replaced by the study of comparative religion, the interaction between culture and religion, philosophy, logic, psychology and the humanistic bases of morality. (p.50 here).(x) That children should not receive religious education from merely one teacher, but from a group and that this group should include non -specialists. (p. 50 here)(xi) That actual broadcasts should be used more often both 'live' and recorded by either audio or video tape- recorders. (p.60 here)(xii) That where and whenever feasible, suitable 'live' and recorded network programmes should be incorporated into the Open Programmed System (p.60 here)(xiii)That learners should be introduced to educational broadcasts on television and, more especially, radio. (p.60 here)(xiv) That every school and college take at least one copy of each of the Radio Times and the T.V. Times. (p.60 here)(xv) That a feasibility study be made of the setting up of a local 'piped' audio and video educational transmitting network. (p. 63 here)(xvi) That the boards of governors and management of educational institutions should include learner, staff, and where appropriate (e.g. in schools) parent members, and that these members should be representatives of organised bodies such as student councils, staff associations and parent associations. (p.72 here)(xvii) That at least two members of each such association be members of the board, in order that their weight be more than merely nominal. (p.72 here).(xviii) That such boards of management and governors have professionals such as those well versed in sociology, pedagogy and democracy, amongst their numbers. (p.72 here).(xix) That all individual members of staff, including even headmasters and principals, be exposed to the notion that a learner (of any age) is entitled to respect. (p. 72 here).(xx) That each locality set up a body to which all local institutions involved in adult education (e.g. the education authority, the W.E.A., university and art college extra -mural departments) be invited to send staff and student representatives to discuss their joint and individual policies and practices in the field of adult education. (p.78 here)(xxi) That student -mobility between the formal and informal educational activities of institutions involved in adult education be encouraged and facilitated. (p.78 here)(xxii)That where possible individual learning facilities be integrated into adult education, and that simultaneously the social isolation of the adult learner be eradicated by a properly structured learning situation. (p.78 here).(xxiii) That adult educatees have regular individual discussions with constantly available counsellors who could provide information on mobility within the educational system. (p.78 here)(xxiv) That daytime adult educational facilities be made available to the mothers of children of ages appropriate to attendance at creches, playgroups, nursery schools and kindergartens, and that where possible the adult and children's facilities be adjacent. (p.78 here

Social interactions in massively multiplayer online role-playing gamers

To date, most research into massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) has examined the demographics of play. This study explored the social interactions that occur both within and outside of MMORPGs. The sample consisted of 912 self-selected MMORPG players from 45 countries. MMORPGs were found to be highly socially interactive environments providing the opportunity to create strong friendships and emotional relationships. The study demonstrated that the social interactions in online gaming form a considerable element in the enjoyment of playing. The study showed MMORPGs can be extremely social games, with high percentages of gamers making life-long friends and partners. It was concluded that virtual gaming may allow players to express themselves in ways they may not feel comfortable doing in real life because of their appearance, gender, sexuality, and/or age. MMORPGs also offer a place where teamwork, encouragement, and fun can be experienced

The early medieval origin of Perth, Scotland

The radiocarbon results (and Bayesian modeling) of 15 samples of carbonized food residues removed from the external surface of rim sherds of cooking pots indicate that shellyware pottery first appeared in Perth, Scotland, around cal AD 9101020 (95% probability) and that it had disappeared by cal AD 10201140 (95% probability). Previously, it had been suggested that this pottery could not date to before AD 1150. These data, together with 14C analyses carried out on leather artifacts and a sample of wattle from a ditch lining, also demonstrate that there was occupation in Perth about 100 yr or more prior to the granting of royal burgh status to Perth in the 1120s