University lecturers’ construction of the ‘ideal’ undergraduate student

Research on the ‘ideal’ or ‘good’ student tends to be situated within compulsory schooling. Few recent studies have focused on lecturers’ conceptualisation and construction of the ‘ideal’ university student. Informed by 30 in-depth interviews with lecturers from two post-92 English universities within the social sciences, we explore how the notion of ‘ideal’ student is understood in contemporary higher education. We focus on lecturers’ expectations of undergraduate students, as well as their views of the ‘ideal’ student in different teaching and learning contexts. We identified specific personal and academic skillsets that are desirable of students, including preparation, engagement, commitment, as well as being critical, reflective and progressing. The ability to achieve high grades, interestingly, is rarely mentioned as important. Implications for policy and practice are discussed as we present a much-needed update on the current features of the ‘ideal’ university student, which can influence student experience, especially the lecturer-student relationship

Development of a Disaster Preparation Toolkit to Improve Community Resilience

Problem: Natural and man-made disasters happen in all communities and negatively impact the health and safety of populations. Vulnerable populations, such as older adults with comorbidities and disabilities or those aging in place, face greater challenges and have specific needs when faced with disasters. The physical, psychosocial, and cultural characteristics of older adults place them at greater risk during disasters. Emergency preparedness is necessary to build and improve community resilience, as well as to ensure older adults aging in place have the necessary supplies and support to respond to a disaster. Without a proper action plan, recovery efforts during disaster response for this targeted population can exacerbate disparities. A collaborative effort is needed to build community resilience to withstand and recover from disasters. Context: Global climate change has and is affecting the San Francisco Bay Area. The Neighborhood Empowerment Network is a cohort of organizations focused on positioning communities around San Francisco to be resilient during any time of stress. The organization provides numerous resources and programs to community leaders to improve the quality of life among their neighborhoods. Disaster preparedness resources, such as a shelter-in-place assessment, are tools necessary for community leaders to build and implement plans to care for their community before, during, and after a disaster. Intervention: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student developed and introduced a disaster toolkit into practice to help community leaders implement and improve current disaster preparation and management action plans. Video interviews were conducted with leaders who were experienced and knowledgeable on the health needs of older adults aging in place. A toolkit was created based on a review of the literature and best practice recommendations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions, the implementation of the toolkit and training for Neighborhood Empowerment Network Block Champions was deferred to a future date. Subsequently, the project was implemented with graduate students and healthcare clinicians. Outcome Measures: Outcome measures included pre-and post-surveys to evaluate the change in disaster preparedness knowledge for older adults. Results: Data analysis revealed an increase in overall knowledge and confidence regarding disaster preparedness for older adults among participants after reviewing the toolkit. Respondents also indicated the toolkit was easy to use, which scored a mean value of 4.83 out of 5 on the Likert Scale, as well as the toolkit provided the necessary strategies and resources to make their community safer and better prepared. Conclusion: A disaster preparedness toolkit for older adults is an effective strategy to prevent consequences endured during and after an emergency. Enhancing the skills and knowledge of community members can improve community resilience and help communities recover from disasters

Implementing a Database Information System for an Electronic Baseball Scorecard

We present our design and implementation of a database system of information storage and retrieval for an electronic baseball scorecard. The program uses the relational MySQL database to hold information and a Tcl API to handle interactions between the database and the user interface code. This paper discusses the inner workings of how information storage was broken down inside the database, how queries were internally constructed in accordance with the user\u27s input, and how statistics for players and teams were calculated and returned to the user. Finally, we discuss some limitations attached to our current implementation of the program and propose improvements that can be made in future versions

An Implementation of Object-Oriented Program Transformation for Thought-Guided Debugging

This paper presents our design and implementation of program transformation for C++ that will be used in the context of a thought-guided debugging system. The program uses a lexical analyzer written in Flex and a grammar written in Bison that work in conjunction to scan the inputted C++ code for function definitions and class definitions. The code is then transformed to produce trace information for each defined function, while the original functionality of the code is left untouched. We also implement two additional data structures that are used for information storage during the course of the program

The Utility of a Protection Motivation Theory Framework for Understanding Sedentary Behaviour

This study aimed to 1) examine the factor structure and composition of sedentary-derived Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) constructs and 2) determine the utility of these constructs in predicting general and leisure sedentary goal intention (GI), implementation intention (II), and sedentary behaviour (SB). PMT, GI, II constructs, and a modified SB questionnaire were completed by undergraduate students. After completing socio-demographics and the PMT items (n = 787), participants were randomized to complete general or leisure intention and SB items. Irrespective of model, principal axis factor analysis revealed that the PMT items grouped into eight coherent and interpretable factors. Using linear regression, general and leisure models predicted 5% and 6% of the variance in GI, 12% and 18% of the variance in II, and 6% and 7% of the variance in SB, respectively. Support now exists for the tenability of an eight-factor PMT sedentary model with modest predictability for intentions and behaviour

A Pan1/End3/Sla1 complex links Arp2/3-mediated actin assembly to sites of clathrin-mediated endocytosis.

More than 60 highly conserved proteins appear sequentially at sites of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in yeast and mammals. The yeast Eps15-related proteins Pan1 and End3 and the CIN85-related protein Sla1 are known to interact with each other in vitro, and they all appear after endocytic-site initiation but before endocytic actin assembly, which facilitates membrane invagination/scission. Here we used live-cell imaging in parallel with genetics and biochemistry to explore comprehensively the dynamic interactions and functions of Pan1, End3, and Sla1. Our results indicate that Pan1 and End3 associate in a stable manner and appear at endocytic sites before Sla1. The End3 C-terminus is necessary and sufficient for its cortical localization via interaction with Pan1, whereas the End3 N-terminus plays a crucial role in Sla1 recruitment. We systematically examined the dynamic behaviors of endocytic proteins in cells in which Pan1 and End3 were simultaneously eliminated, using the auxin-inducible degron system. The results lead us to propose that endocytic-site initiation and actin assembly are separable processes linked by a Pan1/End3/Sla1 complex. Finally, our study provides mechanistic insights into how Pan1 and End3 function with Sla1 to coordinate cargo capture with actin assembly

INVESTIGATION INTO THE ROLE OF UVR8 IN BALANCING GROWTH AND ACCLIMATION TO UV-B RADIATION IN NATURAL AND TRANSGENIC POPULUS VARIANTS

Research on woody plants offers promise for the development of next-generation biofuel feedstocks with reduced lignin recalcitrance and enhanced saccharification for ethanol production. Natural variants of Populus trichocarpa with diverse lignin content and saccharification differences, and transgenic Populus deltoides constructed for reduced lignin levels for improved cellulose extraction, offer clues to enhance biofuel production but with a tradeoff to overall fitness and biomass. One concern of engineering lignin relates to the protection of plants against environmental stress such as UV-B radiation. Secondary metabolite biosynthesis initiated by UV-B, particularly phenylpropanoids (lignin precursors) and flavonoids, plays an important role in managing and protection of UV stress. Genetic modifications affecting the production of these compounds may have significant physiological consequences. Thus, the goal of this research was to develop a model for biosynthetic compensation of low-lignin Populus to UV-B stress. The effect of UV-B on Populus was evaluated by spectroscopic and metabolomic measurements on leaves. UV-B promoted shifts in physiological and metabolomic responses of natural and transgenic Populus with varying levels of lignin were complex, reflecting compensation from variety of biosynthetic alterations. Therefore, the impact of modulating the expression of the photoreceptor, UVR8, in regulating the response of Populus to UV-B was pursued. Modulation of UVR8 expression in Populus hybrid was achieved by constructing transgenic plants using CRISPR and RNAi, in wild-type, and an RNAi-constructed cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase knockdown line. UV-B response of UVR8 modulated Populus indicated that flavonoids were upregulated in UVR8 overexpression lines, and that in a CAD knockdown background, these effects were slightly enhanced. Salicylates were upregulated in UVR8 knockout poplars, suggesting metabolic flux in the pathway, but little difference was seen relative to wild-type plants in CAD lines, and UV-B treatment had little effect. An interesting and unexpected finding was that UVR8 modulated Populus exhibited more rapid growth than wild-type plants. The findings underscore the key role of UVR8 in synchronizing protective metabolic responses to UV-B and suggest an additional function of the photoreceptor in regulating growth and development of Populus through shifts in the chemical equilibria of UVR8 monomers and dimers and interactions with other regulatory factors

Sensing Movement in Endotracheal Tubes

The objective of this project was to develop a device that would better secure endotracheal tubes (ETT), measure unwanted displacement, and notify caretakers when a dangerous amount of displacement has occurred. The project deliverables were as follows: a detailed design, a prototype, and a final demonstration of the prototype which shows successful ability to carry out the objectives stated above. The device needs to be small in size, expensive, flexible to allow for regular cleaning, yet strong enough to withstand stress. The final design consists of a small bite block holder and head straps to secure the device. The device also contains a sensor that detects voltage changes, which correlates to displacement, and sets off an auditory alarm when the ETT moves out of a pre-determined safety range. The prototype developed includes these attributes and provides an auditory and visual alarm in the event of unwanted ETT displacement. It is made of a flexible, durable, and non-toxic polyurethane material. Testing in the simulation laboratory revealed that the device was able to measure displacement accurately within a range of 2 mm and able to output an alarm when the ETT was moved out of the pre-determined safety range of 20 mm. In conclusion, the final prototype meets the objectives that were meant to be addressed in this project. Future plans include creating a wireless solution to increase portability, adding an exterior antimicrobial coating to decrease bacteria accumulation, and incorporating wall port electrical safety measures to ensure patient safety.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1072/thumbnail.jp

The Utility of a Protection Motivation Theory Framework for Understanding Sedentary Behavior

Multilevel determinants of sedentary behavior (SB), including constructs couched within evidence-based psychological frameworks, can contribute to more efficacious interventions designed to decrease sitting time. This study aimed to: (1) examine the factor structure and composition of sedentary-derived protection motivation theory (PMT) constructs and (2) determine the utility of these constructs in predicting general and leisure sedentary goal intention (GI), implementation intention (II), and self-reported SB. Sedentary-derived PMT (perceived severity, PS; perceived vulnerability, PV; response efficacy, RE; self-efficacy, SE), GI, and II constructs, and a modified SB questionnaire were completed by undergraduate students (n = 596). SE was broken into three psychological (productive, focused, tired), and two situational (studying, leisure) constructs to capture the main barriers to reducing sitting time. After completing socio-demographics and the PMT items, participants were randomized to complete general or leisure GI and II. Based on model assignment, they completed either the general or leisure SB questionnaire one week later. Irrespective of model, exploratory followed by confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the PMT items grouped into eight coherent and interpretable factors consistent with the theory\u27s threat and coping appraisal tenets: PV, PS, RE, and five scheduling SE constructs (tired, productive/focused, TV/video games/computer, studying at home, studying in library/Wi-Fi area). Using linear regression, general and leisure models predicted 5% and 1% of the variance in GI, 10% and 16% of the variance in II, and 3% and 1% of the variance in SB, respectively. Variables that made unique and significant contributions were: RE (general) and SE (leisure) for goal intention; PV and RE (general), PV, RE, and SE (leisure) for implementation intention; and only goal intention (leisure) for SB. Support now exists for the tenability of an eight-factor PMT sedentary model and its utility in predicting II and to a lesser extent GI and behavior

Creating Better Access Pathways Into A Diverse Community

This report, prepared for the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind (RVIB) in Melbourne, Australia, reviews the lack of access to mainstream services by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and focuses on methods to address this issue. Through interviews with CALD-related organisations and members of the CALD communities, we confirmed most of the known barriers that affect CALD access to RVIB services and identified strategies aimed to overcome these barriers. Using this information, we designed an outreach plan intended to help RVIB create better access pathways into CALD communities