Plagiarism Education in Science: The Effect of Instruction on Student Attitudes

In scientific publications, plagiarism is an ethical breach that can lead to article retractions and damage the reputations of scientists. In academia, when students begin their scientific careers and are learning the norms of scientific research, teaching the concepts of plagiarism is critical. However, a lack of clarity exists regarding the nuances of plagiarism and how universities should address instances of plagiarism committed by students. This study was conducted at the University of The Bahamas with students of scientific research methods classes to assess the effectiveness of plagiarism instruction on student attitudes. Over five semesters, a total of 110 students attended a lesson on plagiarism and completed at-home assignments to support the information learned in class. Students were provided questionnaires, which were administered before and after the plagiarism class, to assess their understanding, attitudes, and opinions regarding plagiarism at the University. Following the class, students indicated a greater understanding of plagiarism, more agreement with strict punishments for plagiarism, and less agreement on the acceptability of reusing past assignments. Students also reported a lack of clarity of the University policy on plagiarism. These results suggest that the university would benefit from providing additional learning opportunities pertaining to plagiarism, as well as a revision of the plagiarism policy, which could assist students as they embark on their scientific careers

Steps to Alleviating Violence Against Women on Tribal Lands

One in three Native American women has been raped or has experienced an attempted rape. Federal officials also failed to prosecute 75% of the alleged sex crimes against women and children living under tribal authority. The Senate bill to reauthorize the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) could provide appropriate recourse for Native American women who are victims of sexual assault. This bill (S. 1925), introduced in 2011, would grant tribal courts the ability to prosecute non-Indians who have sexually assaulted their Native American spouses and domestic partners. Congress has quickly reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act twice before. But members of the House of Representatives now oppose a provision in S. 1925 that allows tribal courts to prosecute non-Native American criminal defendants, indicating that the battle to pass the bill will be prolonged

IoT Protocols : Z-Wave and Thread

Today there are a multitude of IoT protocols available in the marketplace. Two protocols from different time periods are selected to be compared. The two protocols selected are: Z-Wave which is one of the oldest and the most commercially successful protocol, and Thread which is the latest protocol released for commercialization. This paper discusses both the protocols PAN, PHY, MAC, Routing, encryption, etc. Z-Wave is based on propriety standards, most of which is not publicly available, although some have been reverse engineered by researchers. Thread on other hand is based completely on open standards. All Z-Wave modules are made by a single company, while Thread modules are expected to be available from multiple vendors. Z-Wave has a large installed base and has proven to be a commercial success. Thread is new and has a open protocol, but Thread based devices are not yet readily available in the market for users

Microplastics in The Bahamas: A Reconnaissance Quantifying the Prevalence on Selected Beaches in New Providence.

Plastic substances, unlike organic materials, disintegrate over long periods of time. After degradation, larger plastic materials that are broken down into smaller pieces ranging in sizes of less than 5 mm are known as microplastics. To investigate microplastics on Bahamian beaches, this reconnaissance study was conducted on a total of three beaches in New Providence: Cabbage Beach, Goodman’s Bay, and Montague Beach. A total of 30 samples were collected, including 10 samples from each beach along the high tide line, and assessed for microplastics. The microplastics were then visualized using a dissecting microscope with a magnification of 25x or greater. In the 30 samples, an average of 13.5 microplastics were identified at Cabbage Beach; an average of 15.8 were identified at Goodman’s Bay, and an average of 16.3 were identified at Montague Beach. Fibres were the most prevalent type of microplastic observed, but film, pellets, and fragments were also identified. As the concern for the environments of Small Island Developing States grows tremendously, the need for research on the behavior and accumulation of microplastics is crucial

Grand Bahama Post-Hurricane Dorian: A Comparison of Fresh Water in Two Primary Wellfields

Freshwater lenses, a layer of fresh water that floats atop saline groundwater, are vulnerable sources of drinking water for small islands. The threats to freshwater lenses, and their recovery following catastrophic events, is not well documented. Due to storm surge and flooding during the Category 5 Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, the freshwater lenses of Grand Bahama were inundated with salt water, removing the freshwater source of drinking water for the island. This study builds on previous work to monitor the recovery of the freshwater lenses three years after the hurricane by assessing tidal lag, as well as stable isotopes in water (δ2H and δ18O), to understand the hydrologic characteristics of the FWL in Grand Bahama. Results from electrical conductivity revealed that the tidal lag, or the time it takes for the tidal effect to be observed in groundwater, was approximately 2.5 hours on average. Through stable isotope analysis of precipitation samples, we determined a local meteoric water line of δ2H = 8.2 * δ18O + 12.2, which is close to the global meteoric water line. Groundwater samples did not show evidence of significant evaporation from precipitation. These results serve as baseline data for additional monitoring and recovery efforts on Grand Bahama

Relative prognostic value of rest thallium-201 imaging, radionuclide ventriculography and 24 hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring after acute myocardial infarction

Rest thallium-201 scintigraphy, radionuclide ventriculography and 24 hour Holter monitoring are acceptable methods to assess myocardial necrosis, performance and electrical instability. This study examined the relative value of the three tests, when obtained a mean of 7 days after acute myocardial infarction, in predicting 1 year mortality in 93 patients. Planar thallium-201 images were obtained in three projections and were scored on a scale of 0 to 4 in 15 segments (normal score = 60).Patients were classified as having high risk test results as follows: thallium score ≤45 (33 patients), left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40% (51 patients) and complex ventricular arrhythmias on Holter monitoring (36 patients). During the follow-up of 6.4 ± 3.4 months (mean ± SD), 15 patients died of cardiac causes. All three tests were important predictors of survival by univariate Cox survival analysis; the thallium score, however, was the only important predictor by multivariate analysis. The predictive power of the thallium score was comparable with that of combined ejection fraction and Holter monitoring (chi-square = 21 versus chi-square = 22).Thus, rest thallium-201 imaging performed before hospital discharge provides important prognostic information in survivors of acute myocardial infarction which is comparable with that provided by left ventricular ejection fraction and Holter monitoring. Patients with a lower thallium score (large perfusion defects) are at high risk of cardiac death during the first year after infarction

Brandishing the Cybered Bear: Information War and the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Russia’s use of cyber power against Ukraine offered renewed insight to Russian cyber strategy and capabilities. This article dissects the Russia-Ukraine conflict by analyzing Russia’s strategic doctrine, tactical maneuvers, and capabilities in the information realm. Understanding the Russia-Ukraine conflict in this manner can inform and strengthen U.S. cyber policy and strategy. In particular, U.S. strategic planners and cyber professionals should consider internalizing Russian strategic thinking regarding cyber power and promote tactical improvements in resilience, intelligence, and information among itself and its allies