Confirming what we know: Understanding questionable research practices in intro physics labs

Many institutions are changing the focus of their introductory physics labs from verifying physics content towards teaching students about the skills and nature of science. As instruction shifts, so too will the ways students approach and behave in the labs. In this study, we evaluated students' lab notes from an early activity in an experimentation-focused lab course. We found that about 30% of student groups (out of 107 groups at three institutions) recorded questionable research practices in their lab notes, such as subjective interpretations of results or manipulating equipment and data. The large majority of these practices were associated with confirmatory goals, which we suspect stem from students' prior exposure to verification labs. We propose ways for experimentation-focused labs to better engage students in the responsible conduct of research and authentic scientific practice.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

The effect of carbacyclin, a prostaglandin analogue, on adenylate cyclase activity in platelet membranes

AbstractThe effect of carbacyclin, a chemically stable analogue of prostacyclin, on the activity of adenylate cyclase in platelet membrane was measured, and compared with the effect of PGE1. When GTP was added in concentrations up to 10 μM the activation of adenylate cyclase by carbacyclin was increased, whereas higher concentrations of GTP were inhibitory. The addition of a non-hydrolysable analogue of GDP, guanosine 5′-[β-thio]diphosphate (GDP[βS]) resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of adenylate cyclase activation by carbacyclin; this inhibition was relieved by adding increased amounts of GTP

Biodiversity informatics: the challenge of linking data and the role of shared identifiers

A major challenge facing biodiversity informatics is integrating data stored in widely distributed databases. Initial efforts have relied on taxonomic names as the shared identifier linking records in different databases. However, taxonomic names have limitations as identifiers, being neither stable nor globally unique, and the pace of molecular taxonomic and phylogenetic research means that a lot of information in public sequence databases is not linked to formal taxonomic names. This review explores the use of other identifiers, such as specimen codes and GenBank accession numbers, to link otherwise disconnected facts in different databases. The structure of these links can also be exploited using the PageRank algorithm to rank the results of searches on biodiversity databases. The key to rich integration is a commitment to deploy and reuse globally unique, shared identifiers (such as DOIs and LSIDs), and the implementation of services that link those identifiers

Surprise! Shifting students away from model-verifying frames in physics labs

Framing affects how students interpret, approach, and accomplish tasks. Little is known, however, about how students frame tasks in physics labs. During the first lab of a sequence designed to teach students about modeling and critical thinking with data, students test a simple model of a pendulum that breaks down with improved measurements. Using in-lab video and follow-up interviews, we identified students' frequent use of a model-verifying frame that substantially interferes with the instructional goals. We present a case study analysis of two students who approach the lab with a model-verifying frame, engage in problematic behaviors including questionable research practices, but later shift their frames to accommodate goals aligned with instructional intention. As instructors transition their instructional labs to open-inquiry experiences, an activity that directly challenges the model-verifying frame may be productive for shifting students away from this problematic frame to one that supports their engagement in authentic experimentation

The Poisson-Boltzmann model for implicit solvation of electrolyte solutions: Quantum chemical implementation and assessment via Sechenov coefficients.

We present the theory and implementation of a Poisson-Boltzmann implicit solvation model for electrolyte solutions. This model can be combined with arbitrary electronic structure methods that provide an accurate charge density of the solute. A hierarchy of approximations for this model includes a linear approximation for weak electrostatic potentials, finite size of the mobile electrolyte ions, and a Stern-layer correction. Recasting the Poisson-Boltzmann equations into Euler-Lagrange equations then significantly simplifies the derivation of the free energy of solvation for these approximate models. The parameters of the model are either fit directly to experimental observables-e.g., the finite ion size-or optimized for agreement with experimental results. Experimental data for this optimization are available in the form of Sechenov coefficients that describe the linear dependence of the salting-out effect of solutes with respect to the electrolyte concentration. In the final part, we rationalize the qualitative disagreement of the finite ion size modification to the Poisson-Boltzmann model with experimental observations by taking into account the electrolyte concentration dependence of the Stern layer. A route toward a revised model that captures the experimental observations while including the finite ion size effects is then outlined. This implementation paves the way for the study of electrochemical and electrocatalytic processes of molecules and cluster models with accurate electronic structure methods

Traces for star products on the dual of a Lie algebra

In this paper, we describe all traces for the BCH star-product on the dual of a Lie algebra. First we show by an elementary argument that the BCH as well as the Kontsevich star-product are strongly closed if and only if the Lie algebra is unimodular. In a next step we show that the traces of the BCH star-product are given by the \ad-invariant functionals. Particular examples are the integration over coadjoint orbits. We show that for a compact Lie group and a regular orbit one can even achieve that this integration becomes a positive trace functional. In this case we explicitly describe the corresponding GNS representation. Finally we discuss how invariant deformations on a group can be used to induce deformations of spaces where the group acts on.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX2e. Updated reference

Flexible provisioning of Web service workflows

Web services promise to revolutionise the way computational resources and business processes are offered and invoked in open, distributed systems, such as the Internet. These services are described using machine-readable meta-data, which enables consumer applications to automatically discover and provision suitable services for their workflows at run-time. However, current approaches have typically assumed service descriptions are accurate and deterministic, and so have neglected to account for the fact that services in these open systems are inherently unreliable and uncertain. Specifically, network failures, software bugs and competition for services may regularly lead to execution delays or even service failures. To address this problem, the process of provisioning services needs to be performed in a more flexible manner than has so far been considered, in order to proactively deal with failures and to recover workflows that have partially failed. To this end, we devise and present a heuristic strategy that varies the provisioning of services according to their predicted performance. Using simulation, we then benchmark our algorithm and show that it leads to a 700% improvement in average utility, while successfully completing up to eight times as many workflows as approaches that do not consider service failures

Examining \u3cem\u3eDSM\u3c/em\u3e Criteria for Trichotillomania in A Dimensional Framework: Implications for \u3cem\u3eDSM-5\u3c/em\u3e And Diagnostic Practice

Background: Diagnosis of Trichotillomania (TTM) requires meeting several criteria that aim to embody the core pathology of the disorder. These criteria are traditionally interpreted monothetically, in that they are all equally necessary for diagnosis. Alternatively, a dimensional conceptualization of psychopathology allows for examination of the relatedness of each criterion to the TTM latent continuum. Objectives: First, to examine the ability of recently removed criteria (B and C) to identify the latent dimensions of TTM psychopathology, such that they discriminate between individuals with low and high degrees of hair pulling severity. Second, to determine the impact of removing criteria B and C on the information content of remaining diagnostic criteria. Third, to determine the psychometric properties of remaining TTM diagnostic criteria that remain largely unchanged in DSM-5; that is, whether they measure distinct or overlapping levels of TTM psychopathology. Fourth, to determine whether information content derived from diagnostic criteria aid in the prediction of disease trajectory (i.e., can relapse propensity be predicted from criteria endorsement patterns). Method: Statistics derived from Item Response Theory were used to examine diagnostic criteria endorsement in 91 adults with TTM who underwent psychotherapy. Results: The removal of two criteria in DSM-5 and psychometric validity of remaining criteria was supported. Additionally, individual trait parameters were used to predict treatment progress, uncovering predictive power where none previously existed. Conclusions: Diagnostic criteria for TTM should be examined in dimensional models, which allow for nuanced and sensitive measurement of core symptomology in treatment contexts

Impact of Higher Order and Soft Gluon Corrections on the Extraction of Higher Twist Effects in DIS

The impact of recently calculated next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections and soft gluon resummations on the extraction of higher twist contributions to the deep-inelastic structure function F_2 is studied using the BCDMS and SLAC data. It is demonstrated to which extent the need for higher twist terms is diminishing due to these higher order effects in the kinematical region, 0.35 \le x \le 0.85 and Q^2>1.2 GeV^2, investigated. In addition, theoretical uncertainties in the extraction of higher twist contributions are discussed, and comparisons to results obtained previously are made.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figure