Teachers’ Real and Perceived of ICTs Supported-Situation for Mathematics Teaching and Learning

Purpose of this research was to gain information related to the real and perceived ICT Infrastructures, Facilities, and Resources in Bojonegara Sub District, Indonesia. This article emphasize the publication of this information because it is needed for implementation of technology-based mathematics teaching and learning. The method used was survey. Instruments of survey were questionnaires, unstructured interview guideline, and handycam. During the survey, total of 220 questionnaire packages were distributed to teachers, however only 119 (response rate 54.1%) of them were filled and returned. A total of 12 teachers were interviewed, with five of these interviews were video recorded. Several head masters welcomed and allowed researcher to visit their schools and make documentation of ICT Infrastructures, facilities, and resources, while the others did not allow the researcher to do that. Based on survey, many important findings have been discovered. It is suggested that the Teachers-Centered Learning with Technology is the most appropriate method of technology-based learning to be implemented

Mathematics Curriculum Review by Advancing the Use of Learning Design Map and Subjects Classification

Curriculum review is a long process. Typically, the people responsible for these activities are one or two people (coordinators) who are responsible for this and it can be burdensome. Authors propose a new computer-based method for mathematics curriculum review by advancing the use of Learning Designs Maps (LDMaps). The LDMaps have already been developed by authors to document expected mathematics teaching and learning experiences as expected by curriculum. The proposed method can disperse the process allowing the responsible coordinators to conduct the simple task of collating available LDMaps for the review. In this paper, an example of mathematics curriculum review in counting mathematics subjects classification entries is presented

Two-color, nonlocal vector solitary waves with angular momentum in nematic liquid crystals

The propagation and interaction of two solitary waves with angular momentum in bulk nematic liquid crystals, termed nematicons, have been studied in the nonlocal limit. These two spinning solitary waves are based on two different wavelengths of light and so are referred to as two-color nematicons. Under suitable boundary conditions, the two nematicons can form a bound state in which they spin about each other. This bound state is found to be stable to the emission of diffractive radiation as the nematicons evolve. In addition this bound state shows walk-off due to dispersion. Using an approximate method based on the use of suitable trial functions in an averaged Lagrangian of the two-color nematicon equations, modulation equations for the evolution of the individual nematicons are derived. These modulation equations are extended to include the diffractive radiation shed as the nematicons evolve. Excellent agreement is found between solutions of the modulation equations and full numerical solutions of the nematicon equations. The shed diffractive radiation is found to play a much lesser role in the nonlocal limit than in the local limit

Refraction of nonlinear beams by localized refractive index changes in nematic liquid crystals

The propagation of solitary waves in nematic liquid crystals in the presence of localized nonuniformities is studied. These nonuniformities can be caused by external electric fields, other light beams, or any other mechanism which results in a modified director orientation in a localized region of the liquid-crystal cell. The net effect is that the solitary wave undergoes refraction and trajectory bending. A general modulation theory for this refraction is developed, and particular cases of circular, elliptical, and rectangular perturbations are considered. The results are found to be in excellent agreement with numerical solutions

Propagation of optical spatial solitary waves in bias-free nematic-liquid-crystal cells

The propagation of a bulk optical solitary wave in a rectangular cell filled with a nematic liquid crystal—a nematicon—is mathematically modelled. In order to overcome the Freédricksz threshold the cell walls are rubbed to pretilt the nematic. A modulation theory, based on a Lagrangian formulation, is developed for the (2+1)-dimensional propagation of the solitary wave beam down the cell. This modulation theory is based on two different formulations of the director distribution. The relative advantages and disadvantages of these two methods are discussed. A previously unexplored method based on images is found to possess significant advantages. Excellent agreement with full numerical solutions of the nematicon equations is found for both methods. Finally, the implications of the results obtained for some widely used approximations to the nematicon equations are discussed, particularly their use in comparisons with experimental results

Durvalumab for the Treatment of Locally Advanced, Unresectable, Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer:An Evidence Review Group Perspective of a NICE Single Technology Appraisal

As part of the Single Technology Appraisal (STA) process, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) invited the manufacturer (AstraZeneca) of durvalumab (IMFINZI(TM)) to submit evidence for the clinical and cost effectiveness of durvalumab for the treatment of patients with locally advanced, unresectable, stage III non-small cell lung cancer whose tumours express programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) on >= 1% of tumour cells and whose disease has not progressed after platinum-based chemoradiation therapy. Kleijnen Systematic Reviews Ltd, in collaboration with Maastricht University Medical Centre, was commissioned to act as the independent Evidence Review Group (ERG). This paper summarises the company submission (CS), presents the ERG's critical review on the clinical- and cost-effectiveness evidence in the CS, highlights the key methodological considerations, and describes the development of the NICE guidance by the Appraisal Committee. The CS included a systematic review that identified one randomised controlled trial, comparing durvalumab with SoC. Participants with tumours expressing PD-L1 on >= 1% of tumour cells accounted for approximately 40% of the total participants. In this subgroup, a benefit in progression-free survival (PFS) [hazard ratio (HR) 0.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.63] and overall survival (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35-0.81) was reported. Adverse events were comparable between both treatments, but more serious adverse events were reported for durvalumab (64/213 [30%] vs. 18/90 [20%]). The ERG's concerns regarding the economic analysis included a likely overestimation of PFS for the durvalumab arm, the choice of timepoint for treatment waning, as well as the way treatment waning was incorporated in the model, and potential overestimation of utility values without applying an age- or treatment-related decrement. The revised ERG base-case resulted in a deterministic incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 50,238 pound per quality-adjusted life-year gained, with substantial remaining uncertainty. NICE recommended durvalumab as an option for use within the Cancer Drugs Fund only in a subpopulation (concurrent platinum-based chemoradiation therapy) with a commercially managed access agreement in place

Soliton Steering by Longitudinal Modulation of the Nonlinearity in Waveguide Arrays

We show how discrete solitary waves in one and two-dimensional waveguide arrays can be steered across the lattice via the introduction of a longitudinal periodic modulation of the nonlinear response. Through parametric energy transfer from the modulation to the solitary wave, the latter can increase its width and overcome the Peierls-Nabarro potential to propagate freely