Effective Assessment Plan Leading to Strong Reform of Petroleum Engineering Graduate Program

The Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering at Texas Tech University has made a lot of significant actions of improvement to its graduate program that was motivated by a systematic SACSCOC assessment plan. This paper shows how the SACSCOC assessment plan aided in making continuous actions of improvement and as a conclusion of these actions, how the current graduate curriculum plan was improved. This paper highlights the details of the graduate department assessment plan, such as how graduate program objectives are assessed, what assessment tools are used, when data are gathered and evaluated, and when actions of improvement are made. This paper will also detail how the analysis of data was utilized in making actions of continuous improvement. At the end of the paper examples of the significant actions of improvement made based on the department assessment and evaluation plan are presented.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Robust quantum parameter estimation: coherent magnetometry with feedback

We describe the formalism for optimally estimating and controlling both the state of a spin ensemble and a scalar magnetic field with information obtained from a continuous quantum limited measurement of the spin precession due to the field. The full quantum parameter estimation model is reduced to a simplified equivalent representation to which classical estimation and control theory is applied. We consider both the tracking of static and fluctuating fields in the transient and steady state regimes. By using feedback control, the field estimation can be made robust to uncertainty about the total spin number

Forms of Knowledge of Advanced Mathematics for Teaching

In this paper, we explore in more detail why knowing advanced mathematics might be beneficial for teachers, specifically in relation to their classroom practice. Rather than by listing courses or specific advanced topics, as though those were the agents of change, we do so by considering advanced mathematical content for teachers in terms of more general forms of knowledge. In particular, we identify five forms of knowledge of advanced mathematics for teaching: peripheral, evolutionary, axiomatic, logical, and inferential. These categories were derived from analysis of an extensive mapping process linking K-12 content to relevant advanced mathematics. We connect these forms of knowledge to particular practices that teachers engage in so as to clarify the perceived relations to classroom practices. We view such work as important to and productive for teacher educators, particularly in conceptualizing and structuring mathematics courses for teachers so that content that truly informs the work of K-12 teaching can be highlighted, and in a manner that facilitates teachers’ formation of those connections

A photoisomerizable muscarinic antagonist. Studies of binding and of conductance relaxations in frog heart

These experiments employ the photoisomerizable compound, 3,3'-bis- [alpha-(trimethylammonium)methyl]azobenzene (Bis-Q), to study the response to muscarinic agents in frog myocardium. In homogenates from the heart, trans-Bis-Q blocks the binding of [3H]-N-methylscopolamine to muscarinic receptors. In voltage-clamped atrial trabeculae, trans- Bis-Q blocks the agonist-induced potassium conductance. The equilibrium dose-response curve for carbachol is shifted to the right, suggesting competitive blockade. Both the biochemical and electrophysiological data yield a dissociation constant of 4-5 microM for trans-Bis-Q; the cis configuration is severalfold less potent as a muscarinic blocker. Voltage-clamped preparations were exposed simultaneously to carbachol and Bis-Q and were subjected to appropriately filtered flashes (less than 1 ms duration) from a xenon flashlamp. Trans leads to cis and cis leads to trans photoisomerizations cause small (less than 20%) increases and decreases, respectively, in the agonist-induced current. The relaxation follows an S-shaped time course, including an initial delay or period of zero slope. The entire waveform is described by [1 - exp(-kt)]n. At 23 degrees C, k is approximately 3 s-1 and n is 2. Neither k nor n is affected when: (a) [Bis-Q] is varied between 5 and 100 microM; (b) [carbachol] is varied between 1 and 50 microM; (c) carbachol is replaced by other agonists (muscarine, acetylcholine, or acetyl-beta-methylcholine); or (d) the voltage is varied between the normal resting potential and a depolarization of 80 mV. However, in the range of 13-30 degrees C, k increases with temperature; the Q10 is between 2 and 2.5. In the same range, n does not change significantly. Like other investigators, we conclude that the activation kinetics of the muscarinic K+ conductance are not determined by ligand-receptor binding, but rather by a subsequent sequence of two (or more) steps with a high activation energy

Scattering of polarized laser light by an atomic gas in free space: a QSDE approach

We propose a model, based on a quantum stochastic differential equation (QSDE), to describe the scattering of polarized laser light by an atomic gas. The gauge terms in the QSDE account for the direct scattering of the laser light into different field channels. Once the model has been set, we can rigorously derive quantum filtering equations for balanced polarimetry and homodyne detection experiments, study the statistics of output processes and investigate a strong driving, weak coupling limit.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Mergers and starbursts at large redshifts - The case of 3C 368

We report the results of a multiwavelength study of the high-redshift radio galaxy 3C 368, which is observed at a lookback time of about two-thirds of the present galaxian age. This galaxy has optical and spectroscopic properties that are perhaps typical for the powerful 3CR galaxies at large redshifts (z > 1 ), though it is probably more luminous than the most, both in continuum and [O II]. Its resolved, multicomponent morphology of the starlight continuum and the [O II] λ 3727 emission-line gas, and the properties of the ionized-gas velocity field, are suggestive of a strong and highly dissipative merger. There is a good positional and morphological coincidence between the line emission and the optical continuum. The proposed merger is probably enhancing the star formation over the whole galaxy (as evidenced by the large luminosity and the blue colors of the optical continuum), and may be the primary source of the fuel for, or even the trigger of, the strong radio emission from the system. The morphological and spectroscopic similarities with other 3CR galaxies at z > 1 suggest that spectacular merging was a common process in such systems at early epochs. The mergers may be identified with the process of transformation of (large?) E galaxies into cD’s, and the epoch of such “secondary” formation of gE/cD galaxies may be signalled by the appearance of powerful radio sources at z ~ 1-2. The galaxy evolution models with a continuing star formation, suggested by the colors and magnitudes of high-redshift 3CR galaxies, may be understood in terms of a declining sequence of starbursts, stimulated by gas-rich mergers. There are also some indications of an ongoing interaction between the radio lobes and the ambient gas: both radio lobes show a prominent Faraday rotation and depolarization, probably caused by the intervening plasma along the line of sight. There is also a reasonable positional coincidence between the southern radio lobe and the emission-line gas. However, the evidence for an interaction between the radio plasma and the gas in the host galaxy is neither clear nor unambiguous

KRIT-1/CCM1 is a Rap1 effector that regulates endothelial cell–cell junctions

Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM), a disease associated with defective endothelial junctions, result from autosomal dominant CCM1 mutations that cause loss of KRIT-1 protein function, though how the loss of KRIT-1 leads to CCM is obscure. KRIT-1 binds to Rap1, a guanosine triphosphatase that maintains the integrity of endothelial junctions. Here, we report that KRIT-1 protein is expressed in cultured arterial and venous endothelial cells and is present in cell–cell junctions. KRIT-1 colocalized and was physically associated with junctional proteins via its band 4.1/ezrin/radixin/moesin (FERM) domain. Rap1 activity regulated the junctional localization of KRIT-1 and its physical association with junction proteins. However, the association of the isolated KRIT-1 FERM domain was independent of Rap1. Small interfering RNA–mediated depletion of KRIT-1 blocked the ability of Rap1 to stabilize endothelial junctions associated with increased actin stress fibers. Thus, Rap1 increases KRIT-1 targeting to endothelial cell–cell junctions where it suppresses stress fibers and stabilizes junctional integrity

The Changing Role of Physicians in Disaster Management and Hospital Incident Command

Recent changes in governmental policy toward disaster medicine and hospital incident command foreshadow a significant change in the role that physicians will play in disaster preparedness and response. The distinct discipline of Disaster Medicine has received authoritative recognition and promotion in the recent Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21, and recently established guidelines for incident command within hospitals have included a new position designated as “Medical/Technical Specialist(s)” that will assist the Incident Commander in disaster-related decision-making. This is a multidisciplinary position, and its functions can be filled by one or more individuals. As physician training and competency in Disaster Medicine increases, it should be anticipated that the multiple functions of this position will increasingly be performed by physicians who are expert in Disaster Medicine. As physician training and certification in Disaster Medicine develops, it should be expected that physicians will increasingly become responsible for hospital disaster response

Breakfast omission reduces subsequent resistance exercise performance

Although much research has examined the influence of morning carbohydrate intake (i.e., breakfast) on endurance performance, little is known about its effects on performance in resistance-type exercise. Sixteen resistance-trained men (age 23 ± 4 years, body mass 77.56 ± 7.13 kg, and height 1.75 ± 0.04 m) who regularly (≥3 day/wk) consumed breakfast completed this study. After assessment of 10 repetition maximum (10RM) and familiarization process, subjects completed 2 randomized trials. After an overnight fast, subjects consumed either a typical breakfast meal (containing 1.5 g of carbohydrate/kg; breakfast consumption [BC]) or a water-only breakfast (breakfast omission [BO]). Two hours later, subjects performed 4 sets to failure of back squat and bench press at 90% of their 10RM. Sensations of hunger, fullness, desire to eat, and prospective food consumption were collected before, as well as immediately, 1 hour and 2 hours after BC/BO using 100-mm visual analogue scales. Total repetitions completed were lower during BO for both back squat (BO: 58 ± 11 repetitions; BC: 68 ± 14 repetitions; effect size [ES] = 0.98; p < 0.001) and bench press (BO: 38 ± 5 repetitions; BC: 40 ± 5 repetitions; ES = 1.06; p < 0.001). Fullness was greater, whereas hunger, desire to eat, and prospective food consumption were lower after a meal for BC compared with BO (p < 0.001). The results of this study demonstrate that omission of a pre-exercise breakfast might impair resistance exercise performance in habitual breakfast consumers. Therefore, consumption of a high-carbohydrate meal before resistance exercise might be a prudent strategy to help maximize performanc