Migration reversal of soft particles in vertical flows

Non-neutrally buoyant soft particles in vertical microflows are investigated. We find, soft particles lighter than the liquid migrate to off-center streamlines in a downward Poiseuille flow (buoyancy-force antiparallel to flow). In contrast, heavy soft particles migrate to the center of the downward (and vanishing) Poiseuille flow. A reversal of the flow direction causes in both cases a reversal of the migration direction, i. e. heavier (lighter) particles migrate away from (to) the center of a parabolic flow profile. Non-neutrally buoyant particles migrate also in a linear shear flow across the parallel streamlines: heavy (light) particles migrate along (antiparallel to) the local shear gradient. This surprising, flow-dependent migration is characterized by simulations and analytical calculations for small particle deformations, confirming our plausible explanation of the effect. This density dependent migration reversal may be useful for separating particles.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Yes you can, follow your goals! Individual Coaching for female Computer scientists on career development

[EN] Earlier results show that female computer scientists show a lower self-efficacy compared to male colleagues. Similarly, gender-typical attributions, in the sense of gender stereotypes, are considered a disorder. As a result, a coaching program that supports computer scientists after a re-entry into professional life also, in a new orientation or with regard to management ambitions has been developed at the University of <blinded>. The measure strengthens computer scientists in their motivational resources and enables them to take advantage of professional opportunities. A scientifically founded analysis of their potential helps the coachees to become aware of their abilities and competences. The coaching program based on the potential analysis, takes important life goals of the coachees into account. Individual career plans are developed in coaching sessions, including a clear definition of the objective and implementation strategy. An open and modern corporate culture offers new opportunities of career paths for female computer scientists. If the company philosophy is based on appreciation of good performance, women in computer science are more motivated strengthen their career ambitions.   Keywords: Women in computer science; self-efficacy beliefs; potential analysis; individual coaching;career developmenthttp://ocs.editorial.upv.es/index.php/HEAD/HEAD18Förtsch, S. (2018). Yes you can, follow your goals! Individual Coaching for female Computer scientists on career development. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 533-541. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD18.2018.8031OCS53354

Subjective burden of government-imposed Covid-19 restrictions in Switzerland: evidence from the 2022 LINK Covid-19 survey

BACKGROUND: While a large literature has quantified the health and economic impact of COVID-19, estimates on the subjective losses in quality of life due to government imposed restrictions remain scarce. METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative online survey in Switzerland in February 2022 to measure average self-reported quality of life with government restrictions. We used a discrete choice experiment to compute average willingness to pay for avoiding specific restrictions and time-trade-off questions to quantify the relative quality of life under restrictions. RESULTS: A total of 1299 Swiss residents completed the online survey between February 9th and 15th, 2022. On average, respondents valued life under severe restrictions at 39% of their usual life (estimated relative utility 0.39 [0.37, 0.42]). Willingness to pay for avoiding restrictions was lowest for masks (CHF 663 [319, 1007]), and highest for schools and daycares (CHF 4123 [3443, 4803]) as well as private parties (CHF 4520 [3811, 5229]). We estimate that between March 2020 and February 2022 a total of 5.7 Million QALYs were lost due to light, moderate and severe restrictions imposed by the governments. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of life losses due to government restrictions are substantial, particularly when it comes to the closure of schools and daycares, as well as the prohibition of private gatherings. Future policies should weigh these costs against the health benefits achievable with specific measures

Using the Plan–Teach–Reflect Cycle of the Refined Consensus Model of PCK to Improve Pre-Service Biology Teachers’ Personal PCK as Well as Their Motivational Orientations

In this article, we analyse how to improve pre-service biology teachers’ pPCK (personal Pedagogical Content Knowledge), professional values and motivational orientations in the field of academic and scientific language. On the basis of the theory of the Refined Consensus Model of PCK (RCM), we made a two-month quasi-experimental intervention study with 32 pre-service biology teachers. As a treatment, we trained the participants in the Plan–Teach–Reflect Cycle of enacted PCK in a school class, in the framework of a seminar. In the control group, the teaching of the cycle was replaced by presentations of their lesson plans. As dependent variables, we analysed participants’ pPCK, professional values and motivational orientations. Our results showed an increase in pre-service biology teachers’ pPCK (F(1,28) = 3.51, p = 0.04, part. η2 = 0.11, d = 0.70) and motivational orientations (F(1,23) = 29.68, p < 0.01, part. η2 = 0.56, d = 2.26) in both groups, but no effects on participants’ professional values. The teaching experience in a school class strengthened the effects both in participants’ pPCK (F(1,28) = 2.92, p = 0.04, part. η2 = 0.10, d = 0.67) and motivational orientations (F(1,23) = 7.64, p < 0.01, part. η2 = 0.25, d = 1.15). We recommend integrating the use of the Plan–Teach–Reflect Cycle of ePCK into science teacher education programmes

The Refined Consensus Model of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK): Detecting Filters Between the Realms of PCK

In this article, we analyse potential filters that moderate the transformation process between the realms of PCK defined in the refined consensus model of pedagogical content knowledge. We tested 58 preservice biology teachers in a 15-week one-group pretest/post-test design. To identify filters between collective PCK (cPCK) and personal PCK (pPCK), we set up moderation models with pretest pPCK as an independent variable, post-test pPCK as a dependent variable, and motivational orientations or professional values as moderator variables. To identify filters between pPCK and enacted PCK (ePCK), we set up moderation models with post-test pPCK as an independent variable, ePCK as a dependent variable, and noticing or knowledge-based reasoning as moderator variables. We did this specifically with a focus on language in biology education. We found that only the variable knowledge-based reasoning had a role as a filter. It moderates the transformation process between pPCK and ePCK (moderation analysis: F(3,19) = 10.40, p < 0.001, predicting 25.72% of the variance). In future studies, other filters should be identified

Charakterisierung von Lernkurven am Da Vinci Skills Simulator

Das Ziel dieser Studie lag darin, in einem Trainingsablauf die Leistungsentwicklung von Probanden am da Vinci Skills Simulator in Form von Lernkurven zu evaluieren. Basierend auf den vorteilhaften Erfahrungen des da Vinci Skills Simulators als Training168 swerkzeug wurde der Fragestellung eines erkenntnisgewinnenden und praktisch relevanten Trainingsprogramms nachgegangen. Im Zeitraum von Januar bis Dezember 2013 wurden 40 am da Vinci System unerfahrene Probanden, in zwei gleichstarke Gruppen für ein vierwöchiges Trainingscurriculum eingeteilt. Nach kurzer Einführung absolvierte eine Gruppe an vier Testtagen fünf Übungen mit jeweils drei aufeinanderfolgenden Wiederholungen (Match Board I-III und Ring & Rail I-II) an den Tagen eins, acht, fünfzehn und zweiundzwanzig und einer finalen neuen Übung (Needle Control) am letzten Tag. Gruppe II startete an Tag eins und beendete das Programm am Tag zweiundzwanzig ohne Testtag acht und fünfzehn unter ansonsten gleichen Bedingungen mit der Abschlussübung (Needle Control). Nach jeder abgeschlossenen Wiederholung wurden die erhobenen Parameter Time to Complete Exercise, Economy of Motion, Excessive Instrument Force, Instruments out of View, Collisions und Drops analysiert und in einem von der Software berechnetem Overall Score zusammengefasst. Darüber hinaus wurden die Probanden in Gruppe I zusätzlich in drei Gruppen eingeteilt, abhängig von der Höhe ihres am ersten Testtag erreichten Overall Score zur gruppeninternen Darstellung der Lernprozesse. Die Ergebnisse zeigten einen Anstieg des Overall Score am ersten und zweiten Testtag in Gruppe I in nahezu allen Parametern. Gruppe I erreichte höhere Overall Score Werte als Gruppe II, zurückzuführen auf eine kürzere Wiederholungsrate an Übungen. In Gruppe I stagnierten am zweiten Testtag in den Übungen Match Board II und Ring & Rail I die Parameter Time to Complete Exercise, Economy of Motion, Excessive Instrument Force und Instruments out of View. Zwei Trainingstage schienen in dieser Studie am praktikabelsten für Übungen mit sehr leichtem bzw. leichtem Anspruch zu sein. Mehrere Wiederholungen waren in den Übungen Match Board III und Ring & Rail II in der Gruppe I nötig, um fatale Fehler wie Collisions, Excessive Instrument Force und Instruments out of View zu reduzieren und abschließend einen Overall Score von >80% erreichen zu können. Match Board III und Ring & Rail II, klassifiziert als schwere Übungen, präsentierten die stärksten Lernkurven, obwohl am ersten Testtag die niedrigsten Parameter und Overall Score gemessen wurden. Maßgeblich war dies auf die benötigte Anzahl an Wiederholungen, die zur Ausbildung motorischer Fähigkeiten und eines geplanten Vorgehens nötig waren, zurückzuführen. Generell riefen Wiederholungen eine gruppeninterne Lernkurve hervor und führten zu einer Angleichung des Leistungsniveaus. Der Schwierigkeitsgrad der Übungen spiegelte sich in Verzögerungen des Overall Score Niveaus der Probanden wider. In den Übungen, die als einfach klassifiziert wurden, konnten am achten Tag annähernd gleichwertige Overall Score Werte dargestellt werden, in als mittel eingestuften Übungen am fünfzehnten Tag und in als schwer eingestuften Übungen am zweiundzwanzigsten Tag. Für Übungen, die in den Anforderungsbereich mittel und schwer fielen, konnte eine Empfehlung aus kürzeren Trainingspausen von größer einem, aber kleiner sieben Tagen bei mindestens sieben Wiederholungen getroffen werden. Der Parameter Drops könnte in Zukunft als Marker für die Konzentration der Probanden hinzugezogen werden. Gruppe II, als Kontrollgruppe anzusehen, zeigte am zweiten Testtag (Tag 22), geringer ansteigende bzw. auch stagnierende Parameter- und Overall Score Werte als in Gruppe I. Signifikante Unterschiede wurden bei der Time to Complete Exercise und Economy of Motion, aber keine signifikante Differenz beim Overall Score in der Abschlussübung Needle Control nachgewiesen. Empfehlenswert wäre gewesen, dass ausgelöste Fehler live dargestellt und eine Unterscheidung in der Art der zu hoch ausgelösten Krafteinwirkungen hätten ersichtlich sein sollen. Abschließend legten die Daten dieser Studie nahe, dass der Da Vinci Skills Simulator technische Bedienungsfähigkeiten von Robotic Novizen verbesserte. Das Curriculum präsentierte eine stärkere Rolle seitens der Anzahl an Wiederholungen gegenüber längeren zeitlichen Abständen zur Herausbildung von motorischen Eigenschaften in einfachen als auch schweren Übungen

30 Jahre kommunale Abwasserbeseitigung im Freistaat Sachsen

Historischer Abriss und Nachzeichnung der oft nicht einfachen und turbulenten Zeit des Aufbaus der kommunalen Abwasserbeseitigung in Sachsen sowie Darstellung des heute erreichten Standes. Redaktionsschluss: 11.12.202

Lugal-an-da(-nu-ku-mal)

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Interfacing transitions of different alkali atoms and telecom bands using one narrowband photon pair source

Quantum information technology strongly relies on coupling of optical photons with narrowband quantum systems, such as quantum dots, color centers, and atomic systems. This coupling requires matching the optical wavelength and bandwidth to the desired system, which presents a considerable problem for most available sources of quantum light. Here we demonstrate coupling of alkali dipole transitions with a tunable source of photon pairs. Our source is based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion in a triply-resonant whispering-gallery mode resonator. For this, we have developed novel wavelength tuning mechanisms, which allow for a coarse tuning to either cesium or rubidium wavelength with subsequent continuous fine-tuning to the desired transition. As a demonstration of the functionality of the source, we performed a heralded single photon measurement of the atomic decay. We present a major advance in controlling the spontaneous down-conversion process, which makes our bright source of single photons now compatible with a plethora of narrow-band resonant systems.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure