Collaboration, Commitment, and Communication: Tales from the Road of Continuous Performance Improvement

Performance in higher education is strongly tied to accountability—accountability that goes beyond financial matters and includes assessment of academic achievement. The demands of accountability, both from the faculty and from the institution, are critical performance requirements for the higher education industry. In the past, institutional performance or success was very often measured by endowment, the number of student applications, the rate of matriculation from that application pool, and the graduation rate. Higher education has moved far beyond that for a real assessment of performance

Foundations for Aboriginal Adult Literacy

Aboriginal adult literacy must be firmly rooted in the traditions of Aboriginal people, which continue to be applicable today in the twenty first century. Aboriginal literacy facilitates the development of self determination, affirmation, achievement and sense of purpose. In terms of foundational Aboriginal literacy we found that we must first understand the meaning of Aboriginal literacy in its broadest sense. Consequently Aboriginal literacy programs must reflect a broad approach that recognizes the unique ways that Aboriginal people represent their experience and knowledge. The medicine wheel is an organizing tool used to conceptualize, reframe and revitalize Aboriginal adult education

Whey permeate-derived milk acidifier for dairy calves

Received: April 15th, 2022 ; Accepted: May 12th, 2022 ; Published: May 27th, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] milk acidifier obtained from whey permeate fermenting it with dairy propionic acid bacteria was tested in this study to evaluate the effects of milk acidification on the health and growth performance of pre-weaned dairy calves. The study consisted of 30 neonatal Holstein female calves, allocated to three treatments fed unacidified (Control group) or acidified (EG-1 and EG-2 groups) pasteurised milk during the 7–75 day age. Control and EG-1 were fed milk by divided method three times daily till one month of age, then twice daily until weaning; EG-2 was basically fed by the undivided method - one week three times daily (7–14 day age), then once daily. Results demonstrate that animal general health status and faecal scores (FS) were good and the tested acidifier can be used for pre-weaned calf milk acidification. Biochemical and haematological indices of blood at the 30 and 60 day age were within normal reference values with both - divided and undivided - milk feeding methods. Mean live weight (LW; 106.6 ± 9.40 kg on average) and live weight gain (LWG; 911.33 ± 109.04 g day-1 on average) at weaning did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05). Lower intake of starter feed associated with a larger amount of milk consumed was observed in EG-2 animals (P < 0.05). As the results observed regarding growth performance and health indices of all dietary treatment groups of calves were similar, we could anticipate that the acidification benefits would be greater when providing unpasteurised milk, or during the hottest weather when the risks of milk spoilage are greater

A Model-Based Method for Assessment of Salivary Gland and Planning Target Volume Dosimetry in Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy Planning on Head-and-Neck Cancer.

This study examined the relationship of achievable mean dose and percent volumetric overlap of salivary gland with the planning target volume (PTV) in volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plan in radiotherapy for a patient with head-and-neck cancer. The aim was to develop a model to predict the viability of planning objectives for both PTV coverage and organs-at-risk (OAR) sparing based on overlap volumes between PTVs and OARs, before the planning process. Forty patients with head-and-neck cancer were selected for this retrospective plan analysis. The patients were treated using 6 MV photons with 2-arc VMAT plan in prescriptions with simultaneous integrated boost in dose of 70 Gy, 63 Gy, and 58.1 Gy to primary tumor sites, high-risk nodal regions, and low-risk nodal regions, respectively, over 35 fractions. A VMAT plan was generated using Varian Eclipse (V13.6), in optimization with biological-based generalized equivalent uniform dose (gEUD) objective for OARs and targets. Target dose coverage

Drift-free humanoid state estimation fusing kinematic, inertial and LIDAR sensing

This paper describes an algorithm for the probabilistic fusion of sensor data from a variety of modalities (inertial, kinematic and LIDAR) to produce a single consistent position estimate for a walking humanoid. Of specific interest is our approach for continuous LIDAR-based localization which maintains reliable drift-free alignment to a prior map using a Gaussian Particle Filter. This module can be bootstrapped by constructing the map on-the-fly and performs robustly in a variety of challenging field situations. We also discuss a two-tier estimation hierarchy which preserves registration to this map and other objects in the robot’s vicinity while also contributing to direct low-level control of a Boston Dynamics Atlas robot. Extensive experimental demonstrations illustrate how the approach can enable the humanoid to walk over uneven terrain without stopping (for tens of minutes), which would otherwise not be possible. We characterize the performance of the estimator for each sensor modality and discuss the computational requirements.United States. Air Force Research Laboratory (Award FA8750-12-1-0321

Asynchronous student engagement in analysis of climate data achieves learning objectives related to climate change understanding, statistical competence, and climate anxiety

Learning in asynchronous online environments has gained importance over the last several decades, and educational environment shifts from the COVID-19 pandemic appear to have increased this need. Science educators and students need information about which approaches work in the asynchronous environment where informal feedback tends to be reduced, compared to other teaching modalities. In this study, we asynchronously implemented a learning module across 5 institutions that guided students (N = 199) from prescriptive data analysis through guided inquiry and eventually to open inquiry. The module focuses on the science behind climate change. Students work with the same authentic data sets used by professional scientists to examine geologic history and causes of climate change. By analyzing contemporary atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature data and then using the 800,000-year record available from the Vostok ice core proxy record of atmospheric properties, students identify the causes of climate change and discover the unprecedented nature of recent atmospheric changes. Using a pre/post-module assessment, we demonstrate improvement in students’ understanding of climate change processes and statistical methods used to analyze data. However, there was no evidence that the module develops students’ scientific reasoning about the relationship between causation and correlation. Students maintained that correlation is not causation, even when a robust causal mechanism (i.e., the greenhouse effect) explains the link between atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature. Finally, our analysis indicated that generally, anxiety about climate change was reduced during the module, such that students become less anxious about the climate change the more they learn about it. However, science-denying students experienced much higher anxiety about climate change than students who accepted the scientific consensus about climate change. Climate science-dissenting students were so few in this study that a statistical comparison was not possible, but this intriguing finding warrants further investigation of the role of anxiety in science denial. Mainly, this study demonstrates how asynchronous online learning environments can indeed support the achievement of learning objectives related to conducting authentic science, such as increasing understanding of climate change and statistical concepts, all while not provoking anxiety about climate change

A New Solution to the Relative Orientation Problem using only 3 Points and the Vertical Direction

This paper presents a new method to recover the relative pose between two images, using three points and the vertical direction information. The vertical direction can be determined in two ways: 1- using direct physical measurement like IMU (inertial measurement unit), 2- using vertical vanishing point. This knowledge of the vertical direction solves 2 unknowns among the 3 parameters of the relative rotation, so that only 3 homologous points are requested to position a couple of images. Rewriting the coplanarity equations leads to a simpler solution. The remaining unknowns resolution is performed by an algebraic method using Grobner bases. The elements necessary to build a specific algebraic solver are given in this paper, allowing for a real-time implementation. The results on real and synthetic data show the efficiency of this method

Living Mercy: Reflecting on the Vocation and Values of Salve Regina University

With this collection of essays, we honor the vocation and spirit of mercy that has enlivened and guided Salve Regina University for the last 75 years. Inspired by the accomplishments of the past and looking forward to the call of the future, these essays provide a starting point for University-wide conversations to support Salve Regina in discerning how it will move into the increasingly complex challenges of the future. Salve\u27s tradition of mercy is rooted in the example of Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in 19th-century Dublin, Ireland. It is a model of faith expressed through action and maintains that each person is called to and capable of contributing to the common good by responding to the needs of the day, to respond to the suffering and injustice of each era.Attending to this spirit of mercy that continues to guide our University, this project considers how the six core values of Salve’s Strategic Compass – purpose-driven education, respect and dignity for all, mercy community, integrity, faith and spirituality, and compassionate service and solidarity – relate to our shared mercy, Catholic heritage, and the mercy vocational paradigm. Exploring how to re-root and re-frame these values, we approached the project as a vocationally oriented narrative. This type of narrative focuses on the call and vocation, as well as the patterns of meaning that shape the unique identity of an institution in its founding and how the institution has evolved and changed in response to the claims and context of social and historic dynamics. Thus, these six essays are harmonized by a three-fold critical-creative structure that attends to the dynamic experience of the call and spirit of mercy modeled in the founding of the University, how we presently live this call, and envision the challenges and possibilities that lie on the horizon. We employed the perspectives of Foundations, Living Presence, and Horizons to frame an analogical exploration of the unique character, actions and ideals that have inspired and sustained the vocation and mission of Salve Regina University, and may be creatively transferred to shaping the horizon for future generations of students.Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of Salve Regina University, we invite readers to reflect on this collection of essays and then to join the conversations that are to follow as we continue to discern the path forward as Salve takes its next steps into the future.https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/fac_staff_ebooks/1006/thumbnail.jp

Uncoupling protein-2 is an antioxidant that is up-regulated in the enamel organ of fluoride-treated rats

Dental fluorosis is characterized by subsurface hypomineralization and retention of enamel matrix proteins. Fluoride (F−) exposure generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can cause ER-stress. We therefore screened oxidative stress arrays to identify genes regulated by F− exposure. Vitamin E is an antioxidant so we asked if a diet high in vitamin E would attenuate dental fluorosis. Maturation stage incisor enamel organs (EO) were harvested from F− treated rats and mice were assessed to determine if vitamin E ameliorates dental fluorosis. Uncoupling protein-2 (Ucp2) was significantly up-regulated by F− (~1.5 & 2.0 fold for the 50 or 100 ppm F− treatment groups respectively). Immunohistochemical results on maturation stage rat incisors demonstrated that UCP2 protein levels increased with F− treatment. UCP2 down-regulates mitochondrial production of ROS, which decreases ATP production. Thus, in addition to reduced protein translation caused by ER-stress, a reduction in ATP production by UCP2 may contribute to the inability of ameloblasts to remove protein from the hardening enamel. Fluoride treated mouse enamel had significantly higher quantitative fluorescence (QF) than the untreated controls. No significant QF difference was observed between control and vitamin E enriched diets within a given F− treatment group. Therefore, a diet rich in vitamin E did not attenuate dental fluorosis. We have identified a novel oxidative stress response gene that is up-regulated in vivo by F− and activation of this gene may adversely affect ameloblast function