A Journey Toward Mastery Teaching: STEM Faculty Engagement in a Year-Long Faculty Learning Community

As part of an institutional focus on STEM student success, a group of STEM faculty participated in a year-long faculty learning community (FLC) to explore and adopt research-based best practice in their teaching. The authors assessed the effectiveness of the FLC in influencing faculty perceptions about teaching and increasing their use of best teaching practices. Their research design used pre- and post-analysis of participants\u27 teaching logs, classroom observations, and a survey instrument that probed attitudes toward teaching and learning. Data analysis shows that the sustained support provided by the FLC increased faculty knowledge of best teaching practices and catalyzed faculty to try new pedagogical and assessment approaches. However, over the year of the FLC experience, only small shifts were observed in faculty perceptions and practice, as measured by a survey and a descriptive observation protocol, respectively. Results suggest the experience primarily supported modest faculty exploration of new strategies

Transient Characterization of Type B Particles in a Transport Riser

Simple and rapid dynamic tests were used to evaluate fluid dynamic behavior of granular materials in the transport regime. Particles with densities ranging from 189 to 2,500 kg/m3 and Sauter mean size from 61 to 812 μm were tested in a 0.305 m diameter, 15.5 m height circulating fluidized bed (CFB) riser. The transient tests involved the abrupt stoppage of solids flow for each granular material over a wide range gas flow rates. The riser emptying time was linearly related to the Froude number in each of three different operating regimes. The flow structure along the height of the riser followed a distinct pattern as tracked through incremental pressures. These results are discussed to better understand the transformations that take place when operating over various regimes. During the transients the particle size distribution was measured. The effects of pressure, particle size, and density on test performance are also presented

Innovative gasification technology for future power generation

Ever tightening environmental regulations have changed the way utility and non-utility electric generation providers currently view their fuels choices. While coal is still, by far, the major fuel utilized in power production, the general trend over the past 20 years has been to switch to low-sulfur coal and/or make costly modifications to existing coal-fired facilities to reach environmental compliance. Unfortunately, this approach has led to fragmented solutions to balance our energy and environmental needs. To date, few integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) suppliers have been able to compete with the cost of other more conventional technologies or fuels. One need only look at the complexity of many IGCC approaches to understand that unless a view toward IEC is adopted, the widespread application of such otherwise potentially attractive technologies will be unlikely in our lifetime. Jacobs-Sirrine Engineers and Riley Stoker Corporation are working in partnership with the Department of Energy`s Morgantown Energy Technology Center to help demonstrate an innovative coal gasification technology called {open_quotes}PyGas{trademark},{close_quotes} for {open_quotes}pyrolysis-gasification{close_quotes}. This hybrid variation of fluidized-bed and fixed-bed gasification technologies is being developed with the goal to efficiently produce clean gas at costs competitive with more conventional systems by incorporating many of the principles of IEC within the confines of a single-gasifier vessel. Our project is currently in the detailed design stage of a 4 ton-per-hour gasification facility to be built at the Fort Martin Station of Allegheny Power Services. By locating the test facility at an existing coal-fired plant, much of the facility infrastructure can be utilized saving significant costs. Successful demonstration of this technology at this new facility is a prerequisite to its commercialization

Numerical simulation of the influence of the orifice aperture on the flow around a teeth-shaped obstacle

The sound generated during the production of the sibilant [s] results from the impact of a turbulent jet on the incisors. Several geometric characteristics of the oral tract can affect the properties of the flow-induced noise so that the characterization of the influence of different geometric parameters on the acoustic sources properties allows determining control factors of the noise production. In this study, a simplified vocal tract/teeth geometric model is used to numerically investigate the flow around a teeth-shaped obstacle placed in a channel and to analyze the influence of the aperture at the teeth on the spectral properties of the fluctuating pressure force exerted on the surface of the obstacle, which is at the origin of the dipole sound source. The results obtained for Re = 4000 suggest that the aperture of the constriction formed by the teeth modifies the characteristics of the turbulent jet downstream of the teeth. Thus, the variations of the flow due to the modification of the constriction aperture lead to variations of the spectral properties of the sound source even if the levels predicted are lower than during the production of real sibilant fricative

Dynamic analysis of process reactors

The process design for integration of advanced gasifiers for combined-cycle facilities requires a dynamic analysis tool for predicting the gasifier performance and stability. Such a tool provides an understanding of both process reactions and the interaction of process components. To illustrate the utility of the process dynamic tool, a Gasifier Dynamic Model (GDM) was developed at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) to investigate alternative designs and operational scenarios during process design development. Empirical data and first principles were combined into steady-state process models to develop sensitivity parameters around a nominal process design condition. These gain factors were then coupled with time-dependent functions for process mass and energy inventories to develop the dynamic model (GDM). Engineering calculations performed in the GDM were used to predict process responses such as gas make, flow, pressure, and temperature. Small research facilities were constructed and operated to validate both the steady-state process and dynamic models. GDM predictions provided engineers insights into the design integrity and operational safety of the reactions, components, and control elements

Solids Fraction Measurement with a Reflective Fiber Optic Probe

A method has been developed to extract solids fraction information from a reflective fiber optic probe. The commercially available reflective fiber optic probe was designed to measure axial particle velocity (both up and down directions). However, the reflected light intensity measured is related to particle size and particle concentration. A light reflection model is used to relate the reflected light intensity to solids fraction. In this model we assume that the reflected light intensity is a fixed fraction, K1, of the total light intensity lost in penetration of a solid layer. Also, the solids fraction is related to particle concentration, N, in the light path, by N = K2 (1- ε), where (1-ε) is the solids fraction. The parameters K1 and K2 are determined through a calibration and curve fitting procedure. This paper describes this procedure and the steps taken to derive the values of K1 and K2. It is proposed that the reflective fiber optic can be used for real time measurement of solids fraction in a circulating fluid bed

NuRD and CAF-1-mediated silencing of the D4Z4 array is modulated by DUX4-induced MBD3L proteins

Functional Genomics of Muscle, Nerve and Brain Disorder

Outer-Sphere Contributions to the Electronic Structure of Type Zero Copper Proteins

Bioinorganic canon states that active-site thiolate coordination promotes rapid electron transfer (ET) to and from type 1 copper proteins. In recent work, we have found that copper ET sites in proteins also can be constructed without thiolate ligation (called “type zero” sites). Here we report multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic data together with density functional theory (DFT) and spectroscopy-oriented configuration interaction (SORCI) calculations for type zero Pseudomonas aeruginosa azurin variants. Wild-type (type 1) and type zero copper centers experience virtually identical ligand fields. Moreover, O-donor covalency is enhanced in type zero centers relative that in the C112D (type 2) protein. At the same time, N-donor covalency is reduced in a similar fashion to type 1 centers. QM/MM and SORCI calculations show that the electronic structures of type zero and type 2 are intimately linked to the orientation and coordination mode of the carboxylate ligand, which in turn is influenced by outer-sphere hydrogen bonding

The impact of a decision aid about heart disease prevention on patients' discussions with their doctor and their plans for prevention: a pilot randomized trial

BACKGROUND: Low utilization of effective coronary heart disease (CHD) prevention strategies may be due to many factors, but chief among them is the lack of patient involvement in prevention decisions. We undertook this study to test the effectiveness of an individually-tailored, computerized decision aid about CHD on patients' discussions with their doctor and their plans for CHD prevention. METHODS: We conducted a pilot randomized trial in a convenience sample of adults with no previous history of cardiovascular disease to test the effectiveness of an individually-tailored, computerized decision aid about CHD prevention against a risk factor list that patients could present to their doctor. RESULTS: We enrolled 75 adults. Mean age was 53. 59% were female, 73% white, and 23% African-American. 66% had some college education. 43% had a 10-year CHD risk of 0–5%, 25% a risk of 6–10%, 24% a risk of 11–20%, and 5% a risk of > 20%. 78% had at least one option to reduce their CHD risk, but only 45% accurately identified the strategies best supported by evidence. 41 patients received the decision aid, 34 received usual care. In unadjusted analysis, the decision aid increased the proportion of patients who discussed CHD risk reduction with their doctor from 24% to 40% (absolute difference 16%; 95% CI -4% to +37%) and increased the proportion who had a specific plan to reduce their risk from 24% to 37% (absolute difference 13%; 95% CI -7% to +34%). In pre-post testing, the decision aid also appeared to increase the proportion of patients with plans to intervene on their CHD risk (absolute increase ranging from 21% to 47% for planned medication use and 5% to 16% for planned behavioral interventions). CONCLUSION: Our study confirms patients' limited knowledge about their CHD risk and effective risk reduction options and provides preliminary evidence that an individually-tailored decision aid about CHD prevention might be expected to increase patients' discussions about CHD prevention with their doctor and their plans for CHD risk reduction. These findings should be replicated in studies with a larger sample size and patients at overall higher risk of CHD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0031597