Innovation Exposition: Advanced Research Course in Psychology (PSY 390)

The innovative Advanced Research course was designed in the early 1980s, well before the pedagogical approach of enquiry-based instruction was widely championed in the late 1990s to early 2000s (National Science Educational Standards, 1996; National Research Council, 2000). Enquiry-based instruction entails “learning through doing” and is a method of teaching and learning based on self-directed enquiry (EBL) or research (RBL) by the student (University of Manchester, 2007; University of Reading, n.d.). This course integrates a research experience for students in the psychology curriculum that reflects a cutting edge approach to teaching psychology. The “lone-wolf” model of science is outdated and one of the primary “opportunities” of today’s best practices in scientific discovery is the collaborative research model. The course provides students with critical pre-professional experiences and the research outcomes are presented at regional, national, and international professional venues

A General Synthesis of C8-Arylpurine Phosphoramidite

A general scheme for the synthesis of C8-arylpurine phosphoramidites has been developed. C8-Arylation of C8-bromo-2′-deoxyguanosine is the key step and has been achieved through the use of a Suzuki coupling. Since the coupling reaction is conducted under aqueous conditions, it is unnecessary to protect and then deprotect the hydroxyl groups, thus saving several steps and improving overall yields. Once the C8-arylgroup is introduced, the glycosidic bond becomes very sensitive to acid catalyzed cleavage. Protection of the amino groups as the corresponding N,N-dimethylformamidine derivative improves stability of the derivatives. Synthetic C8-arylpurines were successfully used to prepare synthetic oligonucleotides

A General Synthesis of C8-Arylpurine Phosphoramidites

A general scheme for the synthesis of C8-arylpurine phosphoramidites has been developed. C8-Arylation of C8-bromo-2′-deoxyguanosine is the key step and has been achieved through the use of a Suzuki coupling. Since the coupling reaction is conducted under aqueous conditions, it is unnecessary to protect and then deprotect the hydroxyl groups, thus saving several steps and improving overall yields. Once the C8-arylgroup is introduced, the glycosidic bond becomes very sensitive to acid catalyzed cleavage. Protection of the amino groups as the corresponding N,N-dimethylformamidine derivative improves stability of the derivatives. Synthetic C8-arylpurines were successfully used to prepare synthetic oligonucleotides

Development and validation of a piloted simulation of a helicopter and external sling load

A generalized, real time, piloted, visual simulation of a single rotor helicopter, suspension system, and external load is described and validated for the full flight envelope of the U.S. Army CH-54 helicopter and cargo container as an example. The mathematical model described uses modified nonlinear classical rotor theory for both the main rotor and tail rotor, nonlinear fuselage aerodynamics, an elastic suspension system, nonlinear load aerodynamics, and a loadground contact model. The implementation of the mathematical model on a large digital computing system is described, and validation of the simulation is discussed. The mathematical model is validated by comparing measured flight data with simulated data, by comparing linearized system matrices, eigenvalues, and eigenvectors with manufacturers' data, and by the subjective comparison of handling characteristics by experienced pilots. A visual landing display system for use in simulation which generates the pilot's forward looking real world display was examined and a special head up, down looking load/landing zone display is described

Are You Actually Helping or Just Looking Out for Yourself?: Examining the Individual and Interactive Effects of Relationship Quality and Political Skill on Supervisor Motive Attributions

Scholars have argued for the importance of motive attributions in supervisors’ reactions and subsequent decisions about their subordinates’ organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). However, research examining models of attributions of OCBs have not considered the role of individual skill and relationship quality. The purpose of this two-experiment study is to examine the impact of subordinate political skill and leader–member exchange (LMX) on the attributions supervisors make of their subordinates’ OCBs and how these attributions affect subordinate performance ratings. Results from experiment 1 (n = 195) indicate that subordinates who are highly politically skilled and in high-quality relationships receive more favorable, other-serving attributions, which are related to higher evaluations of performance. Additionally, results from experiment 2 (n = 175) indicate that political skill may be a more potent contributor to motive attributions than LMX

Case Study: Sick Building Syndrome in a Humid Climate

An indepth environmental investigation was conducted at a four-story building officing 1200 employees in Oklahoma. A preassessment and walkthrough of the facility revealed extensive ongoing renovations throughout the building. Renovations consisted of installations of new partitions, carpeting, ceiling tiles, and repainting. Management was receiving numerous complaints related to the indoor air quality from all parts of the building, particularly the unrenovated areas. The majority of employee complaints originated from the unrenovated second floor; in contrast, few complaints had been submitted from the finished fourth floor area. Due to the disparity in employee complaints from these two floors, the investigation focused on a comparison of the air quality on the second and fourth floors. The initial walkthrough revealed inordinate amounts of dust in the occupied space of the second floor. High humidity levels were measured throughout the building. Other potential problems -- i.e., poor lighting, job stress, poor air circulation, stuffy air, thermal discomfort. smokers in the area --were also noted at this point. Questionnaires were made available to occupants on both floors to attain a better understanding of employee problems and assist in formulating an investigation plan. Collectively the nonspecificity of the responses tended to indicate building-related problems often described by the term ''Sick Building Syndrome" (SBS). Based on the questionnaire responses, the walkthrough observations, and the lack of specific illnesses, the investigation focused on identification of and testing for sources of chemical and particulate emissions and possible inadequacies of the mechanical ventilation system in providing the necessary amount of outside air. Although the building investigation revealed few signs of biological contamination, problems of this nature are not uncommon in climates with high humidity. The potential for biological proliferation in buildings with excessive humidity are discussed in the paper. The SBS causation was multifactorial and thus could not be attributed to a single etiologic factor. Temperature and humidity problems were partially attributed to the inadequate provision of chilled water (at a low enough temperature) to ensure proper tempering and dehumidification of the supply air. These periodic excursions in temperature and relative humidity were compounded by an associated reduction in outside air which exacerbated the situation. Other recommendations had to do with improving the filtration system, balancing of the air handling system, improving the ventilation efficiency, separation of smokers and nonsmokers, and the infusion of a fastidious cleaning and maintenance program combined with an adequate supply of fresh air per ASHRAE 62-89 specifications

Comparing ligo merger rate observations with theory: distribution of star-forming conditions

Within the next decade, ground based gravitational wave detectors are in principle capable of determining the compact object merger rate per unit volume of the local universe to better than 20% with more than 30 detections. Though these measurements can constrain our models of stellar, binary, and cluster evolution in the nearby present-day and ancient universe, we argue that the universe is sufficiently heterogeneous (in age and metallicity distribution at least) and that merger rates predicted by these models can be sufficiently sensitive to those heterogeneities so that a fair comparison of models per unit similar star forming mass necessarily introduces at least an additional 30%--50% systematic error into any constraints on compact binary evolution models. Without adding new electromagnetic constraints on massive binary evolution or relying on more information from each merger (e.g. , binary masses and spins), as few as the {approx_equal}5 merger detections could exhaust the information available in a naive comparison to merger rate predictions. As a concrete example immediately relevant to analysis of initial and enhanced LIGO results, we use a nearby-universe catalog to demonstrate that no one tracer of stellar content can be consistently used to constrain merger rates without introducing a systematic error of order 0(30%) at 90% confidence (depending on the type of binary involved). For example, though binary black holes typically take many Gyr to merge, binary neutron stars often merge rapidly; different tracers of stellar content are required for these two types. More generally, we argue that theoretical binary evolution can depend sufficiently sensitively on star-forming conditions -- even assuming no uncertainty in binary evolution model -- that the distribution of star forming conditions must be incorporated to reduce the systematic error in merger rate predictions below roughly 40%. We emphasize that the degree of sensitivity to star-forming conditions depends on the binary evolution model and on the amount of relevant variation in star-forming conditions. For example, if after further comparison with electromagnetic and gravitational wave observations future population synthesis models suggest all BH-BH binary mergers occur promptly and therefore are associated with well-studied present-day star formation, the associated composition-related systematic uncertainty could be lower than the pessimistic value quoted above. Further, as gravitational wave detectors will make available many properties of each merger -- binary component masses, spins, and even short GRB associations and host galaxies could be available -- many detections can still be exploited to create high-precision constraints on binary compact object formation models

Becoming the right musician for the job: versatility, connectedness, and professional identities during personalized, online music-making in hospital maternity wards

The beneficial potential for music in hospital contexts is well established, with research showing that music can promote patient well-being and support recovery. However, less attention has been paid to the ways in which musicians’ practices and professional identities are informed by working in hospital settings. As arts-and-health approaches continue to proliferate, it is essential to recognize the values, emotional labor, and skills associated with these approaches through understanding the experiences of practitioners. As part of an international collaboration led by Hanze University in the Netherlands, the ProMiMiC project explores the professional development of musicians and nurses through person-centered music-making in hospital settings. The current study focused on five conservatoire-trained musicians’ delivery of personalized music-making via Zoom in a hospital maternity setting in London during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their experiences of adapting to the new context, and the impacts on their personal and professional development, were explored using reflective journals, group discussions, and semi-structured interviews. The data were interpreted using the theoretical lens of vocational habitus to examine the skills and dispositions required to be the right musician for this job. Qualitative synthesis revealed the musicians’ developing musical values as they adapted to the online maternity setting, highlighting the centrality of communicative and musical versatility as well as the ability to connect and empathize through music. The findings offer insights into possible ways of supporting emerging music practitioners in healthcare settings and emphasize the imperative for higher music education to prepare and train musicians for this type of work