Student-Centered Learning: The Experience of Teaching International Students in Russian Universities

The paper focuses on the use of student-centered technologies when teaching international students of the Preparatory Department in the Russian language. The authors review such technologies as problem-based learning, search, research, and design technologies. The main emphasis is on gaming technologies. The feasibility of their use arises from the specific character of education of international students at the Preparatory Department. The paper presents potential applications of these methods and validates their use. The main supporting argument is that student-centered communicative technologies in general, and gaming techniques in particular, improve the quality of training for international students when used in the organization of the learning process. The authors emphasize the need for the teacher's personal activity in the educational process, including the use of student-centered communication technologies

Adult Learners and Short-term Study Abroad: Formation or Transformation?

This paper reports on the identity work in which adult learners engage who are participating in a graduate, short-term, study-abroad program in higher and adult education

Temporary Closure of the Open Abdomen: A Systematic Review on Delayed Primary Fascial Closure in Patients with an Open Abdomen

Background This study was designed to systematically review the literature to assess which temporary abdominal closure (TAC) technique is associated with the highest delayed primary fascial closure (FC) rate. In some cases of abdominal trauma or infection, edema or packing precludes fascial closure after laparotomy. This "open abdomen'' must then be temporarily closed. However, the FC rate varies between techniques. Methods The Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases were searched until December 2007. References were checked for additional studies. Search criteria included (synonyms of) "open abdomen,'' "fascial closure,'' "vacuum,'' "reapproximation,'' and "ventral hernia.'' Open abdomen was defined as "the inability to close the abdominal fascia after laparotomy.'' Two reviewers independently extracted data from original articles by using a predefined checklist. Results The search identified 154 abstracts of which 96 were considered relevant. No comparative studies were identified. After reading them, 51 articles, including 57 case series were included. The techniques described were vacuum-assisted closure (VAC; 8 series), vacuum pack (15 series), artificial burr (4 series), Mesh/sheet (16 series), zipper (7 series), silo (3 series), skin closure (2 series), dynamic retention sutures (DRS), and loose packing (1 series each). The highest FC rates were seen in the artificial burr (90%), DRS (85%), and VAC (60%). The lowest mortality rates were seen in the artificial burr (17%), VAC (18%), and DRS (23%). Conclusions These results suggest that the artificial burr and the VAC are associated with the highest FC rates and the lowest mortality rate

Flow in Aggregate-Binder Mixes

Abstract not availabl

Controlling reflection cracking in bituminous surfacings

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/7978/5/bad4167.0001.001.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/7978/4/bad4167.0001.001.tx

Redesign of bituminous binder and leveling courses

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/7980/5/bad4033.0001.001.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/7980/4/bad4033.0001.001.tx

Photographic surveys of bridge decks

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/7979/5/bad4153.0001.001.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/7979/4/bad4153.0001.001.tx