Revisiting Clickers: In-Class Questions Followed by At-Home Reflections Are Associated with Higher Student Performance on Related Exam Questions

Clicker questions are a commonly used active learning technique that stimulates student interactions to help advance understanding of key concepts. Clicker questions are often administered with an initial vote, peer discussion, and a second vote, followed by broader classroom explanation. While clickers can promote learning, some studies have questioned whether students maintain this performance on later exams, highlighting the need to further understand how student answer patterns relate to their understanding of the material and to identify ways for clickers to benefit a broader range of students. Systematic requizzing of concepts during at-home assignments represents a promising mechanism to improve student learning. Thus, we paired clicker questions with at-home follow-up reflections to help students articulate and synthesize their understandings. This pairing of clickers with homework allowed us to decipher how student answer patterns related to their underlying conceptions and to determine if revisiting concepts provided additional benefits. We found that students answering both clicker votes correctly performed better on isomorphic exam questions and that students who corrected their answers after the first vote did not show better homework or exam performance than students who maintained an incorrect answer across both votes. Furthermore, completing the followup homework assignment modestly boosted exam question performance. Our data suggest that longer-term benefits of clickers and associated homework may stem from students having repeated opportunities to retrieve, refine, and reinforce emerging conceptions

Enantioselective isothiourea catalysed Michael-Michael-lactonisation cascade; synthesis of δ-lactones and 1,2,3,4-substituted cyclopentanes

The authors thank the EPSRC (ERTR – grant code EP/J500549/1; ABF - grant code EP/J018139/1), the Spanish government for a FPU Fellowship and the University of Seville (V Plan Propio de Investigación) for financial support (PER). This work was supported by the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) ERC grant agreement no. 279850. ADS thanks the Royal Society for a Wolfson Research Merit Award.This manuscript describes the application of α,β-unsaturated acyl ammonium intermediates in a Michael-Michael-lactonisation cascade process to furnish δ-lactones. Generation of α,β-unsaturated acyl ammonium intermediates was achieved upon addition of isothiourea catalyst HyperBTM into α,β-unsaturated acid chlorides. Subsequent reaction with enonemalonates gave access to δ-lactones in 20-64% yield, 72.5:27.5 to 95:5 er and 81:19 to >95:5 dr. Additionally, application of a ring-opening protocol yielded1,2,3,4-substituted cyclopentanes in 28-77% yield, 76:24 to 98:2 er and 86:14 to >95:5 dr. Interestingly, highest er was observed at high reaction temperatures, with 70˚C proving optimal. This effect was investigated by conducting an Eyring analysis, which indicated that differential activation entropy rather than differential activation enthalpy is responsible for enantiodiscrimination in this process.PostprintPeer reviewe

Insights into Space Solar Cell Durability Using SPICE Simulation Seeded by Current-Voltage Characteristics Parametrized Using the Lambert W Special Function

We developed and validated an automated routine for the fitting of I-V curve data to the single diode model according to an exact analytical solution. Our fitting routine was validated to show good noise immunity and high accuracy usingsimulated values from LTSPICE. We are thus able to automate parameter extraction from a dataset or arbitrary size. This parameterization allows for better simulation of performance of real cells and arrays and provides utility for a host of applications relevant to space arrays. We will use this methodology to determine the array performance of radiated cells over time, and simulate the performance of the arrays with bypass diodes and power electronics

Stylasterid corals: a new paleotemperature archive

Stylasterids are a ubiquitous deep-sea coral taxon that build their skeletons from either calcite, aragonite, or both. Yet, robust geochemical proxy data from these corals are limited. In this study, 95 modern stylasterids, spanning a wide range of depths (63 to 2894 m) and ambient seawater temperatures (0 to 17 °C), were tested for their potential use as paleoceanographic archives. Stable oxygen and carbon isotopic composition (O and C) were measured from the main trunk of all specimens and five specimens were further sub-sampled to assess internal chemical variability. The isotope data show non-equilibrium precipitation from seawater for both O and C, with the growing tips of colonies yielding the isotopically lowest values. Overall, the calcitic corals showed lower isotope values for O and C than aragonitic specimens. Within the aragonite corals, we present a O:temperature calibration that exhibits a significant linear relationship with the equation Ocoral-seawater = −0.22(°C) + 3.33(±0.06) across a temperature range of 0 to 30 °C, using samples from this study and published data. This work highlights the potential application of stylasterid coral O data to reconstruct paleo seawater temperature

The spanish Blue Division in Y. Revista para la mujer (1941-1943)

Los cerca de 45.000 hombres que formaron parte de la División Azul estuvieron acompañados por un grupo de enfermeras españolas en el frente del Este. Los soldados, además, recibían desde España las cartas de las madrinas de guerra y la ayuda de la Sección Femenina. Estas acciones fueron altamente publicitadas por la propaganda del Régimen a través de las revistas para mujeres. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar cómo les fue contada a las mujeres la experiencia de la División Azul en Y. Revista para la mujer. Para ello, estudiamos los artículos sobre el tema en tres secciones específicas: las mujeres que viajaron a la Unión Soviética, las que colaboraron desde casa y la imagen del voluntario como héroe masculino.The about 45.000 men that were part of the Spanish Blue Division were accompanied by a group of Spanish nurses in the Eastern Front. The soldiers, moreover, received from Spain the letters of the godmothers of war and the aid of Falange Women’s Section. These actions were highly publicized by the regime’s propaganda through the women’s magazines. The aim of this paper is to analyze how the experience of the Spanish Blue Division was told to women in Y. Revista para la mujer. For it, we study the articles about the theme in three specific sections: the women who travelled to the Soviet Union, those who collaborated from Spain and the image of the volunteer as a male hero

Targeting OGG1 and PARG radiosensitises head and neck cancer cells to high-LET protons through complex DNA damage persistence

Complex DNA damage (CDD), containing two or more DNA lesions within one or two DNA helical turns, is a signature of ionising radiation (IR) and contributes significantly to the therapeutic effect through cell killing. The levels and complexity of CDD increases with linear energy transfer (LET), however, the specific cellular response to this type of DNA damage and the critical proteins essential for repair of CDD is currently unclear. We performed an siRNA screen of ~240 DNA damage response proteins to identify those specifically involved in controlling cell survival in response to high-LET protons at the Bragg peak, compared to low-LET entrance dose protons which differ in the amount of CDD produced. From this, we subsequently validated that depletion of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG) in HeLa and head and neck cancer cells leads to significantly increased cellular radiosensitivity specifically following high-LET protons, whilst no effect was observed after low-LET protons and X-rays. We subsequently confirmed that OGG1 and PARG are both required for efficient CDD repair post-irradiation with high-LET protons. Importantly, these results were also recapitulated using specific inhibitors for OGG1 (TH5487) and PARG (PDD00017273). Our results suggest OGG1 and PARG play a fundamental role in the cellular response to CDD and indicate that targeting these enzymes could represent a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of head and neck cancers following high-LET radiation

Regression, developmental trajectory and associated problems in disorders in the autism spectrum: the SNAP study

We report rates of regression and associated findings in a population derived group of 255 children aged 9-14 years, participating in a prevalence study of autism spectrum disorders (ASD); 53 with narrowly defined autism, 105 with broader ASD and 97 with non-ASD neurodevelopmental problems, drawn from those with special educational needs within a population of 56,946 children. Language regression was reported in 30% with narrowly defined autism, 8% with broader ASD and less than 3% with developmental problems without ASD. A smaller group of children were identified who underwent a less clear setback. Regression was associated with higher rates of autistic symptoms and a deviation in developmental trajectory. Regression was not associated with epilepsy or gastrointestinal problems

Clinical Data: Sources and Types, Regulatory Constraints, Applications.

Access to clinical data is critical for the advancement of translational research. However, the numerous regulations and policies that surround the use of clinical data, although critical to ensure patient privacy and protect against misuse, often present challenges to data access and sharing. In this article, we provide an overview of clinical data types and associated regulatory constraints and inferential limitations. We highlight several novel approaches that our team has developed for openly exposing clinical data

Sodium bicarbonate ingestion and individual variability in time to peak pH

The aim of this study was to determine the individual variability in time to peak pH after the consumption of a 300mg.kg-1 dose of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Seventeen active males volunteered to participate in the study (mean ± SD: age 21.38 ± 1.5y; mass 75.8 ± 5.8kg; height 176.8 ± 7.6cm). Participants reported to the laboratory where a resting capillary blood sample was taken aseptically from the fingertip. After this, 300 mg.kg-1 of NaHCO3 in 400ml of water with 50ml of flavoured cordial was ingested. Participants then rested for 90 min during which repeated blood samples were procured at 10 minute intervals for 60 mins and then every 5 min until 90 min. Blood pH concentrations were measured using a blood gas analyser. Results suggested that time to peak pH (64.41±18.78 min) was highly variable with a range of 10-85 min and a coefficient of variation of 29.16%. A bi-modal distribution occurred, at 65 and 75 min. In conclusion, researchers and athletes, when using NaHCO3 as an ergogenic aid, should determine, in advance their time to peak pH to best utilise the added buffering capacity this substance allows