1,149 research outputs found
Connecting Land Ethics and Entrepreneurship Through Experiential Learning in Bobwhite Centric Outdoor Education Program
The majority of todayâs youth have the ability to utilize consumer technology on a regular basis. This access has exacerbated the disconnect between adolescents and the natural environment by reducing the amount of time spent outdoors. To compound this disconnect, the continued use of traditional classroom settings along with the ââsit-and-getââ style of facilitation, widens the gap between inert knowledge and applied knowledge. The transformation from theory to practice witnessed in outdoor science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education has been shown to foster the assimilation and retention of STEM concepts. Therefore, educational institutions have begun to cultivate the implementation of experiential learning programs in order to provide the appropriate setting for students to establish relationships between theory and application. This study investigated the relationship between experiential learning and content information retention in a bobwhite centric outdoor education program in which participants were given the task of creating a habitat management plan for a tract of land by utilizing entrepreneurship skills acquired over the course of camp. The study participants consisted of north Texas youth and program facilitators. Pre- and post-assessments were administered on the first and last day of the program. The data indicate an increase in content information retention among participants in experiential settings. The results are consistent with similar studies that have analyzed experiential learning methodologies and their impact on data retention. We recommend that the experiential approach be further applied and tested in youth outdoor education programs
Diagnostic criterion for crystallized beams
Small ion crystals in a Paul trap are stable even in the absence of laser
cooling. Based on this theoretically and experimentally well-established fact
we propose the following diagnostic criterion for establishing the presence of
a crystallized beam: Absence of heating following the shut-down of all cooling
devices. The validity of the criterion is checked with the help of detailed
numerical simulations.Comment: REVTeX, 11 pages, 4 figures; submitted to PR
Gene expression and data analysis pipeline using cancer BioPortal in the classroom
At institutions with an emphasis on authentic research experiences as an integral part of the biology curriculum, COVID created a huge challenge for course instructors whose learning objectives were designed for such experiences. Moving such laboratory experiences online when remote learning became necessary has resulted in a new model for CUREs that utilizes free online databases to provide not only a novel research experience for students, but also the opportunity to engage in big data analysis. Cancer BioPortal (cBioPortal) is an open-access collective cancer research resource for storing and exploring clinical, genomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic data. cBioPortal eliminates the computational barrier of interpreting complex genomic data by providing easily understandable visualization that can be interpreted and translated into relevant biological insights. Because no prior computational knowledge is required, cBioPortal is an ideal educational tool for either in-person or distance learning environments. We developed a pedagogical approach, video tutorials, and data analysis workflows centered on using cBioPortal. Pedagogically, students develop an initial research outline that is continually updated and graded throughout the project. Progress during the project or course is assessed by a series of student presentations that are 5 to 15 minutes in length and are aimed at explaining the approach used in data acquisition, interpretation of the data, and relevance to the initial hypothesis. While cancer-specific, this analysis platform appeals to a wide range of classes and student interests. Further, the project has been successfully done both as an independent research experience and as part of a virtual class-based research project
Experimental constraints on a dark matter origin for the DAMA annual modulation effect
A claim for evidence of dark matter interactions in the DAMA experiment has
been recently reinforced. We employ a new type of germanium detector to
conclusively rule out a standard isothermal galactic halo of Weakly Interacting
Massive Particles (WIMPs) as the explanation for the annual modulation effect
leading to the claim. Bounds are similarly imposed on a suggestion that dark
pseudoscalars mightlead to the effect. We describe the sensitivity to light
dark matter particles achievable with our device, in particular to
Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Model candidates.Comment: v4: introduces recent results from arXiv:0807.3279 and
arXiv:0807.2926. Sensitivity to pseudoscalars is revised in light of the
first. Discussion on the subject adde
Probing sporadic and familial Alzheimer's disease using induced pluripotent stem cells.
Our understanding of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis is currently limited by difficulties in obtaining live neurons from patients and the inability to model the sporadic form of the disease. It may be possible to overcome these challenges by reprogramming primary cells from patients into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Here we reprogrammed primary fibroblasts from two patients with familial Alzheimer's disease, both caused by a duplication of the amyloid-ÎČ precursor protein gene (APP; termed APP(Dp)), two with sporadic Alzheimer's disease (termed sAD1, sAD2) and two non-demented control individuals into iPSC lines. Neurons from differentiated cultures were purified with fluorescence-activated cell sorting and characterized. Purified cultures contained more than 90% neurons, clustered with fetal brain messenger RNA samples by microarray criteria, and could form functional synaptic contacts. Virtually all cells exhibited normal electrophysiological activity. Relative to controls, iPSC-derived, purified neurons from the two APP(Dp) patients and patient sAD2 exhibited significantly higher levels of the pathological markers amyloid-ÎČ(1-40), phospho-tau(Thrâ231) and active glycogen synthase kinase-3ÎČ (aGSK-3ÎČ). Neurons from APP(Dp) and sAD2 patients also accumulated large RAB5-positive early endosomes compared to controls. Treatment of purified neurons with ÎČ-secretase inhibitors, but not Îł-secretase inhibitors, caused significant reductions in phospho-Tau(Thrâ231) and aGSK-3ÎČ levels. These results suggest a direct relationship between APP proteolytic processing, but not amyloid-ÎČ, in GSK-3ÎČ activation and tau phosphorylation in human neurons. Additionally, we observed that neurons with the genome of one sAD patient exhibited the phenotypes seen in familial Alzheimer's disease samples. More generally, we demonstrate that iPSC technology can be used to observe phenotypes relevant to Alzheimer's disease, even though it can take decades for overt disease to manifest in patients
Results from a Search for Light-Mass Dark Matter with a P-type Point Contact Germanium Detector
We report on several features present in the energy spectrum from an ultra
low-noise germanium detector operated at 2,100 m.w.e. By implementing a new
technique able to reject surface events, a number of cosmogenic peaks can be
observed for the first time. We discuss several possible causes for an
irreducible excess of bulk-like events below 3 keVee, including a dark matter
candidate common to the DAMA/LIBRA annual modulation effect, the hint of a
signal in CDMS, and phenomenological predictions. Improved constraints are
placed on a cosmological origin for the DAMA/LIBRA effect.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. v2: submitted version. Minimal changes in
wording, one reference adde
Challenges and Lessons Learned in Applying Sensitivity Analysis to Building Stock Energy Models
Uncertainty Analysis (UA) and Sensitivity Analysis (SA) offer essential tools to determine the limits of inference of a model and explore the factors which have the most effect on the model outputs. However, despite a wellestablished body of work applying UA and SA to models of individual buildings, a review of the literature relating to energy models for larger groups of buildings undertaken by Fennell et al. (2019) highlighted very limited application at larger scales. This contribution describes the efforts undertaken by a group of research teams in the context of IEA-EBC Annex 70 working with a diverse set of Building Stock Models (BSMs) to apply global sensitivity analysis methods and compare their results. Since BSMs are a class of model defined by their output and coverage rather than their structure and inputs, they represent a diverse set of modelling approaches. Key challenges for the application of SA are identified and explored, including the influence of model form, input data types and model outputs. This study combines results from 7 different modelling teams, each using different models across a range of urban areas to explore these challenges and begin the process of developing standardised workflows for SA of BSMs
Stationary solutions of driven fourth- and sixth-order Cahn-Hilliard type equations
New types of stationary solutions of a one-dimensional driven sixth-order
Cahn-Hilliard type equation that arises as a model for epitaxially growing
nano-structures such as quantum dots, are derived by an extension of the method
of matched asymptotic expansions that retains exponentially small terms. This
method yields analytical expressions for far-field behavior as well as the
widths of the humps of these spatially non-monotone solutions in the limit of
small driving force strength which is the deposition rate in case of epitaxial
growth. These solutions extend the family of the monotone kink and antikink
solutions. The hump spacing is related to solutions of the Lambert
function. Using phase space analysis for the corresponding fifth-order
dynamical system, we use a numerical technique that enables the efficient and
accurate tracking of the solution branches, where the asymptotic solutions are
used as initial input. Additionally, our approach is first demonstrated for the
related but simpler driven fourth-order Cahn-Hilliard equation, also known as
the convective Cahn-Hilliard equation
EFFECT OF TREATMENT OF BROILER LITTER WITH ALUMINOSILICATE
El estudio evaluĂł el efecto del tratamiento de la cama con un aluminosilicato activado sobre los parĂĄmetros productivos en pollos de carne. Se utilizaron 400 pollos de carne de ambos sexos de la lĂnea Ross 308. La mitad se criĂł sobre cama tratada con aluminosilicato y la otra mitad sobre cama no tratada hasta los 44 dĂas de edad. Se analizĂł los datos productivos de las aves, niveles de amoniaco y pH atmosfĂ©rico del gallinero, y pH y porcentaje de humedad de la cama. TambiĂ©n se evaluĂł la presencia de pododermatitis y lesiones a nivel de la pechuga. La ganancia de peso, el Ăndice de conversiĂłn alimenticia y el Ăndice de eficiencia productivo europeo fueron estadĂsticamente similares entre los dos grupos. No se evidenciĂł lesiones a nivel de la pechuga y el grado de lesiones a nivel de las patas fue similar en ambos grupos. El nivel de amoniaco, pH atmosfĂ©rico y pH de la cama fue mayor en el grupo de aves criadas sobre cama no tratada demostrando que el tratamiento de la cama con aluminosilicato fue efectivo en controlar los niveles de amoniaco, aunque no se llegĂł a reflejar en una mejora del los niveles productivos de las aves.The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of treating broiler litter with active aluminosilicate on productive parameters of broiler chickens. Four hundred broilers Ross 308 of both sexes were reared for 44 days. Half of them were reared on litter treated with aluminosilicate and the other half on untreated litter. Productive performance of chicks and ammonia concentrations, atmospheric ph, litter ph, and moisture ratio of the litter were evaluated on a weekly basis. Additionally, lesions in breast and foot pads were also evaluated. Body weight gain, feed conversion index, and productive efficiency index were statistically similar between the two groups. No breast lesions were observed and the degree of lesions in foot pads was similar in the two groups. The ammonia concentrations, atmospheric ph, and litter ph were higher in the non-treated litter group showing that the litter treatment with aluminosilicate was effective in controlling ammonia levels, despite no effect was observed in the productive performance
Development of intuitive rules: Evaluating the application of the dual-system framework to understanding children's intuitive reasoning
This is an author-created version of this article. The original source of publication is Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Dec;13(6):935-53
The final publication is available at www.springerlink.com
Published version: http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/BF0321390
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