Experiences of Revalidating the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Courses Within the Information Systems Curricula at University of Westminster, UK

Information Systems (IS) is probably the most frequently used name for a variety of academic programs focusing on applied information technology, whose curricula is available from a range of schools and university departments. For more than a decade we have successfully run at the University of Westminster, UK, BSc and MSc courses in IS, within our IS department of the Cavendish School of Computer Science. The major developments of curriculum design related to subject content, construction of courses and teaching/learning strategies, has triggered changes in our IS programs which were implemented through the IS course reviews in 2002. This paper addresses the purpose of course reviews within the UK Higher Education (HE) environment, gives a rationale for our curriculum changes, describes the revalidated IS courses at both BSc and MSc levels including our teaching and assessment strategies, and comments on our progress to date

Key determinants and future implications on Mexican market entry - Case study on Finnish companies

Objectives of the study: Finland and Mexico share a long and stable relationship since 1936, when they signed a friendship agreement. However, despite the long and stable relationship between the two countries, trade between Finland and Mexico could be described as limited. However, the amount of Finnish companies operating in Mexico is slowly growing. This study aims to recognize the key determinants influencing the market entry of Finnish companies to Mexico. The second key objective is to point out the key determinants influencing the market entry mode of Finnish companies in Mexico. Finally, the study aims to construct a market entry model for Finnish companies considering market entry to Mexico and offer managerial implications and key considerations upon market entry. Academic background and methodology: There is an abundance of data available on the business environment of Mexico; however, the data on trade relations between Finland and Mexico and Finnish companies operating in Mexico is quite restricted. The literature review builds on the extensive amount of literature available on the Mexican business environment, Finnish and Mexican relations, market entry modes and strategies and foreign trade in Mexico. In addition, the Mexican market and business environment was compared to Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America. The empirical findings were retrieved via an exploratory case study, which included two interview groups: the case company representatives and experts, authorities and researchers in relation to the Finnish and Mexican relations and the Mexican business environment. The existing literature and empirical findings were combined to form an adapted market entry model for Finnish companies to Mexico in addition to managerial implications upon market entry. Findings and conclusions: The empirical findings offered various key takeaways on the market entry determinants to Mexico for Finnish companies. The three most important determinants concerning the market entry to Mexico were the following: 1. Market factors, 2. Competition, and 3. Inputs (labor, natural resources and land), while the three most important determinants on the choice of market entry and operation mode were the following: 1. Global strategy of the entrant firm, 2. Tax factors, and 3. Control of operations in the target market. Based on the key determinants upon market entry and market entry mode choice to Mexico, the study offers concrete suggestions for the potential Finnish market entrants for all the important determinants, emphasizing the timing of market entry and the prevailing market conditions

Torque magnetometry study of the spin reorientation transition and temperature-dependent magnetocrystalline anisotropy in NdCo5

We present the results of torque magnetometry and magnetic susceptibility measurements to study in detail the spin reorientation transition (SRT) and magnetic anisotropy in the permanent magnet NdCo5. We further show simulations of the measurements using first-principles calculations based on density-functional theory and the disordered local moment picture of magnetism at finite temperatures. The good agreement between theory and experimental data leads to a detailed description of the physics underpinning the SRT. In particular we are able to resolve the magnetization of, and to reveal a canting between, the Nd and Co sublattices. The torque measurements carried out in the ac and ab planes near the easy direction allow us to estimate the anisotropy constants, K 1, K 2 and K 4 and their temperature dependences. Torque curves, τ(γ) recorded by varying the direction of a constant magnetic field in the crystallographic ac plane show a reversal in the polarity as the temperature is changed across the SRT (240 < T < 285 K). Within this domain, τ(γ) exhibits unusual features different to those observed above and below the transition. The single crystals of NdCo5 were grown using the optical floating zone technique

Tunability of the spin reorientation transitions with pressure in NdCo5

We present pressure-dependent magnetization measurements carried out in the domain of the spin reorientation transitions (SRTs) of a NdCo5 single crystal. The application of a hydrostatic pressure leads to a shift in the SRTs to higher temperatures. This shift is found to be very sensitive to pressure, with the SRT temperatures increasing at a rate of ≈17 K/GPa. To explain the experimental results, we have also performed first-principles calculations of the SRT temperatures for different applied strains, which corroborate the experimental findings. The calculations attribute the pressure dependence of the SRTs to a faster weakening of the Co contribution to the magnetocrystalline anisotropy with pressure compared to the Nd contribution

Vitamin K supplementation and vascular health after kidney transplantation: authors' response

We thank Drs te Velde-Keyzer and de Borst1 for their interest in our trial. We agree that in the small, heterogeneous cohort of kidney transplant recipients (KTR) in ViKTORIES, the lack of evidence of benefit of vitamin K supplementation does not rule out a possible role for vitamin K to improve vascular health in specific circumstances or populations. However, we note that Drs te Velde-Keyzer and de Borst do not provide evidence of any clinical trials where this effect has been demonstrated in patients with kidney failure

The utility of anti-Müllerian hormone in women with chronic kidney disease, on haemodialysis and after kidney transplantation

Women with renal disease have menstrual and gonadal dysfunction manifesting as hormonal imbalance. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a potential measure of ovarian reserve. We examined circulating AMH concentrations in young women with renal failure, determined associations with clinical characteristics, and compared AMH with age-matched healthy individuals. AMH was measured in 77 women: 26 had chronic kidney disease (CKD), 26 were on haemodialysis (HD), and 25 had a kidney transplant. Random AMH levels were highest in women on HD [HD 2.9 (1.1–5.2), CKD 1.6 (0.7–2.2), transplant 1.5 (1.0–4.2) ng/ml]. On multiple linear regression, AMH was 53% higher [95% CI 0.20–0.98, P = 0.002] in women on HD and decreased by 20% per 5-year increase in age (P &lt; 0.001). AMH was 43% lower in women with renal failure compared with 600 age-matched controls [1.7 (0.9–3.8) versus 3.0 (1.9–5.0) ng/ml, P &lt; 0.001]; however, we found no difference in AMH between those on HD and healthy individuals [2.9 (1.1–5.2) versus 3.0 (1.9–5.0) ng/ml]. AMH may be a useful biomarker in female renal patients with non-dialysis dependent renal disease pursuing pregnancy. In contrast, AMH levels are higher in HD but unlikely to reflect ovarian reserve

4H-SiC Schottky diode arrays for X-ray detection

Five SiC Schottky photodiodes for X-ray detection have been electrically characterized at room temperature. One representative diode was also electrically characterized over the temperature range 20°C to 140 °C. The performance at 30 °C of all five X-ray detectors, in both current mode and for photon counting X-ray spectroscopy was investigated. The diodes were fabricated in an array form such that they could be operated as either a 2×2 or 1×3 pixel array. Although the devices showed double barrier heights, high ideality factors and higher than expected leakage current at room temperature (12 nA/cm2 at an internal electric field of 105 kV/ cm), they operated as spectroscopic photon counting soft X-ray detectors uncooled at 30 °C. The measured energy resolution (FWHM at 17.4 keV, Mo Kα) varied from 1.36 to 1.68 keV among different diodes

Structural and magnetic properties of GdCo5−xNix

GdCo5 may be considered as two sublattices—one of Gd and one of Co—whose magnetizations are in antiparallel alignment, forming a ferrimagnet. Substitution of nickel in the cobalt sublattice of GdCo5 has been investigated to gain insight into how the magnetic properties of this prototype rare earth/transition-metal magnet are affected by changes in the transition-metal sublattice. Polycrystalline samples of GdCo5-xNix for 0 ≤ x ≤ 5 were synthesized by arc melting. Structural characterization was carried out by powder x-ray diffraction and optical and scanning electron microscope imagings of metallographic slides, the latter revealing a low concentration of Gd2(Co,Ni)7 lamellae for x ≤ 2.5. Compensation—i.e., the cancellation of the opposing Gd and transition-metal moments—is observed for 1< x < 3 at a temperature which increases with Ni content; for larger x , no compensation is observed below 360 K. A peak in the coercivity is seen at x ≈ 1 at 10 K coinciding with a minimum in the saturation magnetization. Density-functional theory calculations within the disordered local moment picture reproduce the dependence of the magnetization on Ni content and temperature. The calculations also show a peak in the magnetocrystalline anisotropy at similar Ni concentrations to the experimentally observed coercivity maximum

Moordvis.

Book Title: MoordvisBook Author: Irna van Zyl2016. Kaapstad: Penguin Random House. 253 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4152-0720-8

Field-induced canting of magnetic moments in GdCo5 at finite temperature : first-principles calculations and high-field measurements

We present calculations and experimental measurements of the temperature-dependent magnetization of a single crystal of GdCo5 in magnetic fields of order 60 T. At zero temperature the calculations, based on density-functional theory in the disordered-local-moment picture, predict a field-induced transition from an antiferromagnetic to a canted alignment of Gd and Co moments at 46.1 T. At higher temperatures the calculations find this critical field to increase along with the zerofield magnetization. The experimental measurements observe this transition to occur between 44–48 T at 1.4 K. Up to temperatures of at least 100 K, the experiments continue to observe the transition; however, at variance with the calculations, no strong temperature dependence of the critical field is apparent. We assign this difference to the inaccurate description of the zero-field magnetization of the calculations at low temperatures, due to the use of classical statistical mechanics. Correcting for this effect, we recover a consistent description of the high-field magnetization of GdCo5 from theory and experiment