Pharmacy Student's perceptions of Natural Science and Mathematics Subjects

Objective. To determine the level of importance pharmacy students placed on science and mathematics subjects for pursuing a career in pharmacy. Method. Two hundred fifty-four students completed a survey instrument developed to investigate students’ perceptions of the relevance of science and mathematics subjects to a career in pharmacy. Pharmacy students in all 4 years of a master of pharmacy (MPharm) degree program were invited to complete the survey instrument. Results. Students viewed chemistry-based and biology-based subjects as relevant to a pharmacy career, whereas mathematics subjects such as physics, logarithms, statistics, and algebra were not viewed important to a career in pharmacy. Conclusion. Students’ experience in pharmacy and year of study influenced their perceptions of subjects relevant to a pharmacy career. Pharmacy educators need to consider how they can help students recognize the importance of scientific knowledge earlier in the pharmacy curriculum

Will mobile video become the killer application for 3G? - an empirical model for media convergence

Mobile carriers have continually rolled out 3G mobile video applications to increase their revenue and profits. The presumption is that video is superior to the already successful SMS, ringtones, and pictures, and can create greater value to users. However, recent market surveys revealed contradicting results. Motivated by this discrepancy, we propose in this paper a parsimonious model for user acceptance of mobile entertainment as digital convergence. Integrating research on Information Systems, Flow, and Media Psychology, we take a unique approach to user acceptance of digital convergence - platform migration. Our key proposition is that the interaction between media types and the platform-specific constraints is the key determinant of user evaluation. Particularly, users' involvement in the media is determined by both the entertaining time span on the original platform and the attentional constraint of the new platform. The mismatch between the two spans can result in lower level involvement, which in turn cause no or even negative user emotional responses. The model was tested with empirical data. We discuss the theoretical contributions, strategic and design implications, and future research directions derived from this theoretical framewor

Issues for computer modelling of room acoustics in non-concert hall settings

The basic principle of common room acoustics computer models is the energy-based geometrical room acoustics theory. The energy-based calculation relies on the averaging effect provided when there are many reflections from many different directions, which is well suited for large concert halls at medium and high frequencies. In recent years computer modelling has become an established tool in architectural acoustics design thanks to the advance in computing power and improved understanding of the modelling accuracy. However concert hall is only one of many types of built environments that require good acoustic design. Increasingly computer models are being sought for non-concert hall applications, such as in small rooms at low frequencies, flat rooms in workplace surroundings, and long enclosures such as underground stations. In these built environments the design issues are substantially difference from that of concert halls and in most cases the common room acoustics models will needed to be modified or totally re-formulated in order to deal with these new issues. This paper looks at some examples of these issues. In workplace environments we look at the issues of directional propagation and volume scattering by furniture and equipment instead of the surface scattering that is common assumed in concert hall models. In small rooms we look at the requirement of using wave models, such as boundary element models, or introducing phase information into geometrical room acoustics models to determine wave behaviours. Of particular interest is the ability of the wave models to provide phase information that is important not only for room modes but for the construction of impulse response for auralisation. Some simulated results using different modelling techniques will be presented to illustrate the problems and potential solutions

GSPD: An algorithm for time-dependent tokamak equilibria design

One of the common tasks required for designing new plasma pulses or shaping scenarios is to design the desired equilibria using an equilibrium (Grad-Shafranov equation) solver. However, standard equilibrium solvers are time-independent and cannot include dynamic effects such as plasma current drive, induced vessel currents, or voltage constraints. In this work we present the Grad-Shafranov Pulse Design (GSPD) algorithm, which solves for sequences of equilibria while simultaneously including time-dependent effects. The computed equilibria satisfy both Grad-Shafranov force balance and axisymmetric conductor circuit dynamics. The code for GSPD is available at github.com/plasmacontrol/GSPD

A New Class of Solutions to the Strong CP Problem with a Small Two-Loop theta

We present a new class of models which produce zero theta (QCD} angle at the tree and one-loop level due to hermiticity of sub-blocks in the extended quark mass matrices. The structure can be maintained typically by non-abelian generation symmetry. Two examples are given for this class of solutions.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Attitudes to Ageing and to Geriatric Medicine

The ageing of populations across the developed and developing world is a consequence of success (better nutrition and sanitation, improved medical care, greater choice about whether and when to have children) but older people are not always viewed or portrayed in a positive light, either in the hospital setting or in wider society. Similarly, geriatric medicine is a low prestige specialty, facing problems with recruitment. Even the British Geriatrics Society debates changing its name since "geriatrics" has "acquired negative connotations". Here, we briefly review the attitudes to geriatric medicine among medical professionals, including physicians, medical students and nurses. Societal attitudes to ageing are explored from different eras and across cultural perspectives. We consider how older people's own attitudes to their health may impact both their recovery from illness and life expectancy. We conclude that it is essential to consider the broader cultural milieu of medical schools, as this may have a greater influence than the formal curriculum on physicians' personality and conduct. Positive forces such as governmental edicts to abolish ageist practices may be undermined by what medical students hear and see on the wards. With the ageing of the inpatient population, it is critical that all physicians and nursing staff respect the ageing process and provide dignified and appropriate care to vulnerable older people

On the Nature of Particulate Emissions from DISI Engines at Cold-Fast-Idle

Particulate emissions from a production gasoline direct injection spark ignition engine were studied under a typical cold-fast-idle condition (1200 rpm, 2 bar NIMEP). The particle number (PN) density in the 22 to 365 nm range was measured as a function of the injection timing with single pulse injection and with split injection. Very low PN emissions were observed when injection took place in the mid intake stroke because of the fast fuel evaporation and mixing processes which were facilitated by the high turbulent kinetic energy created by the intake charge motion. Under these conditions, substantial liquid fuel film formation on the combustion chamber surfaces was avoided. PN emissions increased when injection took place in the compression stroke, and increased substantially when the fuel spray hit the piston. A conceptual model was established for the particulate matter (PM) formation process in which PM is formed by pyrolysis after the normal premixed flame passage in fuel rich plumes originating from liquid films on the cylinder walls. The pyrolysis process is supported by heat conducted from the hot burned gases outside the plume and by the energy released by the pyrolysis reactions. Thus, the “pool fire” often observed is not a diffusion flame since the small amount of residual oxygen in the burned gases cannot support such a flame. The luminosity is radiation from the hot soot particles which are not oxidized after being formed in the pyrolysis reactions. This model was supported by the PN data obtained from sweeping the charge equivalence ratio from lean to rich.Borg-Warner CorporationChrysler CorporationFord Motor CompanyGeneral Motors Corporatio

Optimal feeding and swimming gaits of biflagellated organisms

Locomotion is widely observed in life at micrometric scales and is exhibited by many eukaryotic unicellular organisms. Motility of such organisms can be achieved through periodic deformations of a tail-like projection called the eukaryotic flagellum. Although the mechanism allowing the flagellum to deform is largely understood, questions related to the functional significance of the observed beating patterns remain unresolved. Here, we focus our attention on the stroke patterns of biflagellated phytoplanktons resembling the green alga Chlamydomonas. Such organisms have been widely observed to beat their flagella in two different ways - a breast-stroke and an undulatory stroke-both of which are prototypical of general beating patterns observed in eukaryotes. We develop a general optimization procedure to determine the existence of optimal swimming gaits and investigate their functional significance with respect to locomotion and nutrient uptake. Both the undulatory and the breaststroke represent local optima for efficient swimming. With respect to the generation of feeding currents, we found the breaststroke to be optimal and to enhance nutrient uptake significantly, particularly when the organism is immersed in a gradient of nutrients. Keywords: optimization; stroke kinematics; low Reynolds number; efficiencyNational Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant CCF-0323672)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant CTS-0624830