Use of online video in a first year tertiary mathematics unit

The exploratory case study reported here used an action learning approach to examine the impact of online video on students studying a first year mathematics unit aimed at non-mathematics majors. After this intervention, the students completed a written questionnaire to determine their views on the impact of online video material on their understanding. Although most students were frequent users of online video only a proportion viewed the online video material. Two thirds of students who viewed the online video found it useful for visualising and understanding the practical applications of exponential function. The findings of this pilot study are encouraging and provide impetus to repeat the intervention, and develop online video material in other difficult areas of mathematics

Postnatal Development of the Human Nasal Septum and its Related Structures: An anatomical, radiological and histlogical study

The otorhinolaryngologist who is regularly confronted with nasal obstruction in children, finds himself supported by sophisticated diagnostic imaging (e.g. CT- and MRI-scanning) and makes use of similarly sophisticated surgical approaches and techniques. It is the latter, which lies at the root of a tendency to carry out surgical interventions in the nasal region, inclusive of correction of nasal septum deviation, at an even younger age. This has raised the question for nasal surgery of the consequences for growth and development of the young and still rapidly developing midface. The literature until the present, does not agree on the presence and extent of the effects of septal surgery for final outgrowth of the nose or midface (Pirsig, 1974, 1986, Huizing, 1979, Ortiz-Monasterio and Oimedo, 1981, Stucker et aI., 1984, Healy, 1986, Jugo, 1987, Verwoerd et aI., 1989, Walker et aI., 1993, Potsic, 1997, Cotton and Myer 1999, Manning, Crysdale, Derkay, 1999)

Use of online video in the teaching of exponential functions

Graduates with high level mathematical skills are a commodity that Australia needs more of. However the number of high school students taking a level of mathematics sufficient for their university studies is on the decline. This lack of relevant mathematical preparation makes the teaching of these students in their first year mathematics units challenging. Visualisation is an important tool in mathematical problem solving. The use of online videos (eg, YouTube) to illustrate applications of mathematical concepts can help to enhance a student’s engagement and ultimately their conceptual understanding. Conducted at a large Australian university with students enrolled in a first year service teaching mathematics unit taught in a traditional lecture and tutorial format, online videos were introduced to enhance students’ understanding of exponential function. The videos present the concepts in real world contexts in a visual way that is relevant and thus provides a starting point for engaging students in mathematical thinking. Online video was augmented with specific exercises in the same context as the videos. The outcomes of this intervention will be discussed

Computed tomography of the human developing anterior skull base

Abstract The ossification of the anterior skull base, especially the lamina cribrosa, has been studied by computed tomography and histopathology. Sixteen human fetuses, (referred to our laboratory for pathological examination after spontaneous abortion between 18 and 32 weeks of gestation) and three infants, (1, 2 and 6 years of age, respectively) were examined. The cartilaginous preformation of the anterior skull base creates a ‘pseudo-defect’ on CT in the coronal plane, even with ultra thin sections and high resolution CT. By the age of 6 years of life this ‘artefact’ is no longer, as the present ossification of the lamina cribrosa is, by that time, complete

Jamaica: assessing the impact of climate change on cocoa and tomato

This policy brief explores the consequences of climate change on cocoa and tomato production in Jamaica. The report describes work carried out by CIAT in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI), which used climate predictions and crop suitability models to assess the likely impact of climate change on crops grown in Jamaica. Results from the study indicate that there will be a reduction in the area of land suitable for growing tomato (and several other annual crops), as the region’s climate gets progressively warmer. The largest reductions in suitability are expected in low-lying areas, particularly along Jamaica’s southern coast. However, in the case of cocoa, the impacts are less significant, suggesting its cultivation could be expanded as a response strategy to the projected changes in climate. Additionally, it was found that the higher areas of the island would gradually gain suitability for both tomato and cocoa over time. Key policy recommendations are provided

How Have Markets Affected the Governance of Agrobiodiversity?

This book chapter is focused on the role of markets (especially those of agricultural products) as a form of agrobiodiversity governance. The expansion of these global agricultural product markets during the past two decades has generally furthered the simplification of agricultural and food systems, reducing the diversity within crop and animal species. Farmers who continue to conserve on-farm agrobiodiversity are providing the global public goods of food security and environmental sustainability insurance for the world’s population, nowadays and for future times. However, as markets or other global institutions are not compensating farmers for conserving high levels of agrobiodiversity, these farmers face little private incentive to maintain on-farm conservation practices and may resort to practices that result in reduced levels of agrobiodiversity, leading to the destruction of local food systems and general biodiversity loss. To enhance both agrobiodiversity conservation and income generation through market-based instruments endeavors to place a value on agrobiodiversity that signal its true production cost and contributions to genetic resource usage should be further developed. It is proposed that payments for agrobiodiversity conservation schemes and niche market development through differential marketing, labels, certification schemes, and agrotourism should be complementary in providing a stronger foundation for agrobiodiversity conservation activities, building on both private sector investment and government funds. Depending on the context, these measures can have great potential for the successful marketing of agrobiodiversity and agrobiodiversity niche products through collective action. However, several constraints and possible unintended consequences of market-based approaches to agrobiodiversity conservation should be taken into account

An Anatomic Study on the Overlap Patterns of Structural Components in the Keystone Area in Noses of Koreans

ObjectivesThe keystone area has critical importance in maintaining the stability of the nasal dorsum. However, overlap patterns between structural components in the keystone area have rarely been studied, especially in the noses of Koreans.MethodsDissections were performed on 18 cadaveric noses. The length and width of the structural components in the keystone area were measured. The shape of the caudal margin of the nasal bone and the overlap patterns between the upper lateral cartilage and the nasal bone were classified.ResultsThe shape of the caudal margin of the nasal bone were classified as follows: type A, curvilinear margin; type B, paramedian retractions or "M" shape; type C, elongated midline; and type D, retracted midline. The overlap area between the upper lateral cartilage and the nasal bone was classified as follows: type Ao, crescent shape; type Bo, short midline extension; and type Co, long midline extension. The cephalocaudal length of the overlap area between the upper lateral cartilage and the nasal bone was 4-10 mm (mean, 7 mm) in the midline, and 0-7 mm (mean, 3.1 mm) in the paramedian area. The overlap width of the upper lateral cartilage with the nasal bone was 8-14 mm (mean, 9.7 mm).ConclusionThe overlap pattern of the structural components in the keystone area is variable. Therefore, a thorough understanding and a cautious evaluation of the relationships of these components before and during surgery is important in performing safe and effective nasal procedures

Silylation of titanium-containing amorphous silica catalyst: effect on the alkenes epoxidation with H2O2

The surface of a Ti/SiO2 catalyst was silylated using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and tetramethyldisilazane (TMDS) as silylating reagents in vapor phase. The silylation of silanol (Si–OH) on the catalysts was confirmed by diffuse reflectance UV-Vis, DRIFT spectroscopy and solid-state 29Si MAS NMR techniques. Silylation with TMDS improves the catalytic performance of Ti/SiO2 catalyst more significantly than with HMDS and this is mainly due to the steric bulk effects of trimethylsilyl groups from HMDS as compared to dimethylsilyl groups from TMDS. The silylation degree with TMDS was found to be higher than with HMDS and no changes in the silylation degree with TMDS was observed for silylation times longer than 2 h. Despite the silylation route employed, the silylated surface is hydrophobic which enhances not only in hydrogen peroxide efficiency but also and in selectivity to epoxide in the epoxidation of alkenes with H2O2. These effects are more evident when the hydrogen peroxide concentration is higher and particularly for the catalyst modified with TMDS.Peer reviewe

Journalismus in Deutschland 2023: Aktuelle Befunde zu Situation und Wandel

Dieses Arbeitspapier präsentiert erste Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Befragung von insgesamt 1.221 Journalist:innen in Deutschland, die zwischen September 2022 und Februar 2023 durchgeführt wurde. Die Studie, die von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft gefördert wird, ist Teil des Forschungsverbunds Worlds of Journalism, der in zahlreichen Ländern weltweit den Zustand des Journalismus und die wachsenden Komplexitäten untersucht, denen sich Journalist:innen in einer sich schnell verändernden Medienwelt gegenübersehen. Die Befragung befasst sich mit unterschiedlichen Aspekten des Journalismus, darunter Arbeitsbedingungen, Rollenverständnissen, ethischen Haltungen sowie wahrgenommenen Gefahren und Herausforderungen. Die Befunde zeigen: Journalist:innen in Deutschland sind überwiegend männlich und haben mehrheitlich einen akademischen Hintergrund. Traditionelle Printmedienhäuser sind immer noch die wichtigsten Arbeitgeber. Journalist:innen in Deutschland sehen sich einem hohen Maß an Stress ausgesetzt, die Mehrheit hat in letzter Zeit Beleidigungen im Internet und Herabwürdigungen ihrer Arbeit erlebt. Mehr als 40 Prozent haben Sorge, dass Angriffe gegen Journalist:innen nicht bestraft werden. Beim Rollenselbstverständnis zeigt sich, dass es Journalist:innen in Deutschland besonders wichtig ist, zuverlässige Informationen zu liefern, Desinformation zu bekämpfen und Menschen zur Meinungsbildung zu befähigen. Einen hohen Stellenwert messen sie auch den Aufgaben bei, gesellschaftliche Missstände zu beleuchten und unparteiisch zu beobachten

trans-Chlorido[6-chloro-4-(4-methoxy­benz­yl)-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro­pyrazin-2-yl]­bis­(triphenyl­phosphine)palladium(II)

The title compound, [Pd(C12H10ClN2O2)Cl(C18H15P)2], is the inter­mediate of the reduction of a 3,5-dichloro­pyrazinone [Loosen, Tutonda, Khorasani, Compernolle & Hoornaert (1991 ▶). Tetra­hedron, 47, 9259–9268]. This species is formed by oxidative addition of coordinatively unsaturated Pd0 to the reactive 3-position of the heterocycle. The coordination around the Pd atom is square planar, with two trans PPh3 ligands. π–π inter­actions are observed between the centroid of the pyrazinone ring and planes of two adjacent phenyl rings, one from each PPh3 group (3.25 and 3.078 Å), stabilizing the inter­mediate structure. This could explain the reduced reactivity towards substitution of the Cl atom by the formate anion, resulting in poor yield of the reduced compound. 3-Substituted pyrazinones are important precursors in the synthesis of 5-amino­piperidinone-2-carboxyl­ate (APC) systems