From a Year-long Delivery Pattern to a One Semester Delivery Pattern, the Impact on Student Performance in a UK University

Increasingly UK universities are adopting a more US-based approach of teaching subject- matter in modules across semesters This means that the teaching of a particular subject across a whole academic year is now changing to the same subject-matter being compressed into a single module taught in one semester across twelve weeks This study examines the effects of a transition over four years on 2 612 students at a UK university changing teaching methods from a year-long two semesters method of teaching to a more compressed US-style of only one semester long module method The main findings are that overall pass rates stay approximately the same but there is concern that the number of awards at a first class and upper second level has been diminished This is potentially due to the students not having the time to assimilate the course-material develop a deeper learning and understanding of the course material

Automotive Thermoelectric Generator

The field of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) is an exciting field with promising new technology for energy recovery and efficiency. Recent development in thermoelectric research has enabled TEGs to be used in automotive waste heat recovery. In internal combustion engines 60% of energy is lost to the environment in the form of heat through the exhaust. TEG has been designed by the BSU Thermal Science and Energy Systems Lab for fabrication using nanostructured bulk Half-Heusler thermoelectric material to recover this lost energy and improve vehicle fuel efficiency by 5%. This devices’ high temperature design, compact nature, and solid state make it ideal for automotive uses. It is designed to operate at temperature differences of up to 500o C with a 10% heat-to-electricity conversion efficiency. Using multi-physics modeling software this design was simulated using finite volume and element methods. Our configuration was chosen in order to optimize the TEG thermal efficiency and power output while minimizing the resultant pressure drop on the engine and minimizing the thermal stress on the module. Our initial TEG design has been predicted to produce nearly 200 W of electrical power with a pressure drop of 1.8 kPa and an exhaust temperature drop of 350o C. Our future work will be coordinating with automotive equipment manufactures to modify the design a commercial path of fuel efficiency enhancement using TEGs

A-CD estrogens. I. substituent effects, hormone potency, and receptor subtype selectivity in a new family of flexible estrogenic compounds

Long-term use of estrogen supplements by women leads to an increased risk of breast and uterine cancers. Possible mechanisms include metabolism of estradiol and compounds related to tumor-initiating quinones, and ligand-induced activation of the estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ which can cause cancer cell proliferation, depending on the ratio of receptors present. One therapeutic goal would be to create a spectrum of compounds of variable potency for ERα and ERβ, which are resistant to quinone formation, and to determine an optimum point in this spectrum. We describe the synthesis, modeling, binding affinities, hormone potency, and a measure of quinone formation for a new family of A-CD estrogens, where the A-C bond is formed by ring coupling. Some substituents on the A-ring increase hormone potency, and one compound is much less quinone-forming than estradiol. These compounds span a wide range of receptor subtype selectivities and may be useful in hormone replacement therapy