3,703 research outputs found
Open Educational Resource (OER) Adoption in Higher Education: Examining Institutional Perspectives
The costs associated with education, including tuition and learning resources, continue to rise causing affordability issues for learners. It has been reported that the cost of traditional textbooks and materials has risen by as much as 103% over the past decade (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). Due to this increase, many students have opted out of purchasing required textbooks for classes. A study conducted in Florida found that 67% of students did not purchase required textbooks (Florida Virtual Campus, 2016). Institutions of Higher Education are becoming increasingly concerned with textbook affordability and the impact on academic performance, achievement, and completion (Jhangiani, Dastur, LeGrand, & Penner, 2018). These institutions have begun delving deeper into the issues associated with textbook affordability and seeking ways to reverse the negative effects experienced by learners due to rising textbook costs.
The implementation of open educational resources (OER) may be the solution, however, the impact of these resources is still undefined. OERs are being examined as cost-effective substitutions to traditional textbooks and literature suggests that OERs are equally effective and are comparable in quality to traditional textbooks (Hilton, n.d.). Current literature recommends further exploration concerning stakeholder perspectives of OER adoption and integration as well as examining the impact of OERs across educational institutions globally. A case study conducted at a state college in Florida sought to examine the perspectives of a group of four identified stakeholder groups (i.e., faculty, librarians, instructional designers, and students) in order to better understand the impact of these OERs at the institutional level (Wright, 2018)
Optical springs to create macroscopic optical traps and negative inertia for gravitational wave detectors
This thesis investigates the phenomena of negative inertia and optical traps, and endeavours to implement them in an interferometer system that is a prototype of a gravitational wave detector arm cavity and uses similar control techniques and apparatus. Chapter 1 discusses gravitational waves and how they are produced. It then moves onto the basic design of current gravitational wave detectors and the main noise sources that are required to be taken into account when engineering the detector. Lastly, it concludes by discussing future gravitational wave detector designs and how this work might inform these. In Chapter 2 the theoretical underpinnings of optical springs are discussed. The chapter moves on to discuss the quantum noise of an interferometer and how optical springs change this. An expression for the optical spring constant is given, and then the thesis discusses how the frequency dependence of this quantity complicates obtaining analytical expressions. A review of optical spring stability in a Fabry-Perot interferometer is then provided. Systems with multiple optical springs that would be interesting to investigate in the current work are discussed, then a justification is given for investigating these effects and optical springs in general, in the light of the current state of the field. The layout of the experimental apparatus is laid out in Chapter 3. There are two experimental cavities which share a common mirror, the central test mass (CTM), and two input lasers. The setup of the optical systems is discussed first, then the layout of the suspensions, then how the electronic control of the lasers and experimental cavities is achieved. Chapter 4 lays out the procedure for calibrating the experiment and carrying it out. The determination of the cavity circulating power is discussed mathematically. Then the setup of the cavity simulation, the experimental calibration of the two cavity measurement process, and finally the calibration of spring detuning in the main experimental cavity is described. Results of the main thesis experiments are discussed in Chapter 5. Measurements using simple optomechanical systems are discussed first, then more complex measurements are described. Finally, evidence for both negative inertia and trapping is discussed. The conclusion given in Chapter 6 sums up the tasks achieved in the thesis work and the limitations of the results obtained are discussed. Some suggestions for further work are given
Two New Gecko Species Allied to Bavayia sauvagii and Bavayia cyclura (Reptilia: Squamata: Diplodactylidae) from New Caledonia
Two new species of the diplodactylid gecko Bavayia are described
from Mt. Koghis, Province Sud, New Caledonia. One species is a large,
characteristically colored representative of the B. sauvagii complex. It is sympatric
with B. sauvagii itself, for which a neotype is here designated. The second
new taxon is a large member of the Bavayia cyclura group. Selection of a neotype
of B. sauvagii and designation of a lectotype of B. cyclura facilitate future
evaluation of intra- and interspecific variation within these two species groups.
Although restricted in apparent range, both new species are relatively common
where they occur
A Review of Consumer-provided Services on Assertive Community Treatment and Intensive Case Management Teams: Implications for Future Research and Practice
BackgroundâAssertive community treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based practice that
provides intensive, in vivo services for adults with severe mental illness. Some ACT and intensive case management teams have integrated consumers as team members with varying results.
MethodsâWe reviewed the literature examining the outcomes of having consumer providers on case management teams, with attention devoted to randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
ResultsâWe identified 16 published studies, including 8 RCTs. Findings were mixed, with evidence supporting consumer-provided services for improving engagement, and limited support for reduced hospitalizations. However, evidence was lacking for other outcomes areas such as symptom reduction or improved quality of life.
ConclusionâIncluding a consumer provider on an ACT team could enhance the outreach
mechanisms of ACT, using a more recovery-focused approach to bring consumers into services and help engage them over time. More rigorous research is needed to further evaluate integrating consumer providers on teams
Pharmacokinetics in neonatal prescribing: evidence base, paradigms and the future
Paediatric patients, particularly preterm neonates, present many pharmacological challenges. Due to the difficulty in conducting clinical trials in these populations dosing information is often extrapolated from adult populations. As the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs change throughout growth and development extrapolation presents risk of over or underestimating the doses required. Information about the development these processes, particularly drug metabolism pathways, is still limited with weight based dose adjustment presenting the best method of estimating pharmacokinetic changes due to growth and development. New innovations in pharmacokinetic research, such as population pharmacokinetic modelling, present unique opportunities to conduct clinical trials in these populations improving the safety and effectiveness of the drugs used. More research is required into this area to ensure the best outcomes for our most vulnerable patients
Open Educational resource (OER) Adoption in Higher education: Examining institutional perspectives
This presentation focuses on institutional stakeholdersâ perspectives of OER adoption and integration at a state college in east Florida. This session will provide recommendations for an institutional adoption of OERs at Nova Southeastern University and demonstrate how NSUâs librarians and library resources can be leveraged to ensure a successful OER implementation. This session will also discuss the ways in which librarian advocacy helps in the OER adoption process and how building relationships with librarians may help drive a wide-scale OER implementation
Protection of Trabecular Bone in Ovariectomized Rats by Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is Dependent on Extract Composition
This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see http://doi.org/10.1021/jf101873fExtracts prepared from turmeric (Curcuma longa L., [Zingiberaceae]) containing bioactive phenolic curcuminoids were evaluated for bone-protective effects in a hypogonadal rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Three-month female Sprague Dawley rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and treated with a chemically complex turmeric fraction (41% curcuminoids by weight) or a curcuminoid-enriched turmeric fraction (94% curcuminoids by weight), both dosed at 60mg/kg 3x per week, or vehicle alone. Effects of two months of treatment on OVX-induced bone loss were followed prospectively by serial assessment of bone mineral density (BMD) of the distal femur using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), while treatment effects on trabecular bone microarchitecture were assessed at two months by micro-computerized tomography (ΌCT). Chemically complex turmeric did not prevent bone loss, however, the curcuminoid-enriched turmeric prevented up to 50% of OVX-induced loss of trabecular bone and also preserved the number and connectedness of the strut-like trabeculae. These results suggest that turmeric may have bone-protective effects but that extract composition is a critical factor
Factor structure of the autonomy preference index in people with severe mental illness
People vary in the amount of control they want to exercise over decisions about their healthcare. Given the importance of patient-centered care, accurate measurement of these autonomy preferences is critical. This study aimed to assess the factor structure of the Autonomy Preference Index (API), used widely in general healthcare, in individuals with severe mental illness. Data came from two studies of people with severe mental illness (N=293) who were receiving mental health and/or primary care/integrated care services. Autonomy preferences were assessed with the API regarding both psychiatric and primary care services. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate fit of the hypothesized two-factor structure of the API (decision-making autonomy and information-seeking autonomy). Results indicated the hypothesized structure for the API did not adequately fit the data for either psychiatric or primary care services. Three problematic items were dropped, resulting in adequate fit for both types of treatment. These results suggest that with relatively minor modifications the API has an acceptable factor structure when asking people with severe mental illness about their preferences to be involved in decision-making. The modified API has clinical and research utility for this population in the burgeoning field of autonomy in patient-centered healthcare
The InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) for TMT: photometric precision and ghost analysis
The InfraRed Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) is a first-light instrument for the
Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) that will be used to sample the corrected adaptive
optics field by NFIRAOS with a near-infrared (0.8 - 2.4 m) imaging camera
and Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS). In order to understand the science case
specifications of the IRIS instrument, we use the IRIS data simulator to
characterize photometric precision and accuracy of the IRIS imager. We present
the results of investigation into the effects of potential ghosting in the IRIS
optical design. Each source in the IRIS imager field of view results in ghost
images on the detector from IRIS's wedge filters, entrance window, and
Atmospheric Dispersion Corrector (ADC) prism. We incorporated each of these
ghosts into the IRIS simulator by simulating an appropriate magnitude point
source at a specified pixel distance, and for the case of the extended ghosts
redistributing flux evenly over the area specified by IRIS's optical design. We
simulate the ghosting impact on the photometric capabilities, and found that
ghosts generally contribute negligible effects on the flux counts for point
sources except for extreme cases where ghosts coalign with a star of
m2 fainter than the ghost source. Lastly, we explore the photometric
precision and accuracy for single sources and crowded field photometry on the
IRIS imager.Comment: SPIE 2018, 14 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables, Proceedings of SPIE
10702-373, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VII,
10702A7 (16 July 2018
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