Gomphus Fraternus (Odonata: Gomphidae) A New Missouri State Record

A male Gomphus fraternus (Say) (Odonata: Gomphidae) was vouchered from the Meramec River at Castlewood State Park, St. Louis, County, Missouri on 7 June 2005. The collection of this specimen is a new state record for Missouri and represents a significant range extension south and westward for this species

Influence of cell surface characteristics on adhesion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to the biomaterial hydroxylapatite

The influence of the physicochemical properties of biomaterials on microbial cell adhesion is well known, with the extent of adhesion depending on hydrophobicity, surface charge, specific functional groups and acid–base properties. Regarding yeasts, the effect of cell surfaces is often overlooked, despite the fact that generalisations may not be made between closely related strains. The current investigation compared adhesion of three industrially relevant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (M-type, NCYC 1681 and ALY, strains used in production of Scotch whisky, ale and lager, respectively) to the biomaterial hydroxylapatite (HAP). Adhesion of the whisky yeast was greatest, followed by the ale strain, while adhesion of the lager strain was approximately 10-times less. According to microbial adhesion to solvents (MATS) analysis, the ale strain was hydrophobic while the whisky and lager strains were moderately hydrophilic. This contrasted with analyses of water contact angles where all strains were characterised as hydrophilic. All yeast strains were electron donating, with low electron accepting potential, as indicated by both surface energy and MATS analysis. Overall, there was a linear correlation between adhesion to HAP and the overall surface free energy of the yeasts. This is the first time that the relationship between yeast cell surface energy and adherence to a biomaterial has been described

Digital, material and networked: some emerging themes for SET education

Boundaries between the digital and material worlds are becoming blurred as the internet increasingly connects us to things as well as people and information. This is increasingly relevant to education as initiatives which significantly combine digital and material elements in networks are becoming a reality for Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) learning. Our paper reports on the initial findings of a project to carry out a ‘state of the art’ review of literature to establish the key themes, opportunities and obstacles that are emerging from the development and use of these ‘hybrid’ systems in learning. We wanted to explore the extent to which this new domain of study is being reported in the literature and to identify work representative of this area. Our aim was to investigate the depth of research in this area by going beyond the technologically descriptive to focus on pedagogical and organisational issues raised in the literature. To identify the state of current research in the area we carried out a systematic search of databases of Science, Engineering and Technology education literature. We found 808 papers relating to the hybrid learning initiatives we are interested in, of which the majority, 81%, involved the Engineering and Technology disciplines while 6.8% related to Science. The vast majority of papers referred to remote laboratories and most of these were concerned with describing the technologies involved. In order to explore issues emerging from the research, we carried out an in-depth text review of a particular subset of the papers found that focussed on pedagogical issues. The three main themes that emerged were: the importance of real data and authenticity in learning; the importance of a sense of presence (e.g. telepresence, social presence and/or immersion) and the locus of control in, and responsiveness of, a hybrid system. We conclude that these new digital ‘hybrid’ pedagogies offer a lens with which to view both the more traditional material pedagogies, e.g. laboratory-based learning, and purely digital pedagogies, e.g. virtual labs. Finally, issues of authenticity, presence and control/responsiveness will be of increasing pedagogical importance to other ‘hybrid’ systems, such as those involving ubiquitous computing

Multimodal hybrid powerplant for unmanned aerial systems (UAS) robotics

Most UAS propulsion systems currently utilize either Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) or Electric Motor (EM) prime movers. ICE are favoured for aircraft use due to the superior energy density of fuel compared to batteries required for EM, however EM have several significant advantages. A major advantage of EM is that they are inherently self starting have predictable response characteristics and well developed electronic control systems. EMs are thus very easy to adapt to automatic control, whereas ICE have more complex control response and an auxiliary starting motor is required for automated starting. This paper presents a technique for determining the performance, feasibility and effectiveness of powerplant hybridisation for small UAS. A Hybrid Powerplant offers the possibility of a radical improvement in the autonomy of the aircraft for various tasks without sacrificing payload range or endurance capability. In this work a prototype Aircraft Hybrid Powerplant (AHP) was designed, constructed and tested. It is shown that an additional 35% continuous thrust power can be supplied from the hybrid system with an overall weight penalty of 5%, for a given UAS. Dynamometer and windtunnel results were obtained to validate theoretical propulsion load curves. Using measured powerplant data and an assumed baseline airframe performance characteristic, theoretical endurance comparisons between hybrid and non-hybrid powerplants were determined. A flight dynamic model for the AHP was developed and validated for the purposes of operational scenario analysis. Through this simulation it is shown that climb rates can be improved by 56% and endurance increased by 13%. The advantages of implementing a hybrid powerplant have been baselined in terms of payload range and endurance. Having satisfied these parameters, a whole new set of operational possibilities arises which cannot be performed by non-self-starting ICE only powered aircraft. A variety of autonomous robotic aircraft tasks enabled by the hybrid powerplant is discussed

The influence of teaching strategies and behaviours in the EFL classroom on student motivation and anxiety

Although the research area of motivation and anxiety in language learning has experienced a surge in the last two decades, the relationship between teacher use of motivational strategies and behaviours, and student motivation and anxiety from the perspective of both teachers and students is under-researched. This longitudinal study, with two interventions four months apart, investigated the influence of teaching strategies and behaviours in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom on student motivation and anxiety in senior high schools in Limassol (Cyprus). It aimed to establish (1) which teaching strategies and behaviours students find motivating (2) which teaching strategies and behaviours positively influence student motivation and (3) which teaching strategies and behaviours negatively affect FL classroom anxiety. Using a case-study approach with both qualitative and quantitative data and a range of analytical and interpretative methods, this study primarily utilised tailor-made questionnaires and bottom-up interpretive methods of qualitative data. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analysed using the statistical software programme SPSS 21 to produce both descriptive and inferential statistics. Thematic analysis was used to analyse further qualitative data from focus groups and interviews. Consulting both learners and teachers using a mixed methods approach, permitted triangulation of data from different perspectives, which together worked to enhance the integrity and credibility of the results. Results showed that respect, support, awareness of students' needs and validation of progress and achievement were associated with increased motivation throughout the year. Unclear instructions and negative feedback were among factors associated with foreign language anxiety (FLA). The findings provide important resources for teachers and researchers in the field to build on in their own educational settings, and have relevance for other foreign language classrooms in similar cultural settings

Gomphus Fraternus (Odonata: Gomphidae) A New Missouri State Record

A male Gomphus fraternus (Say) (Odonata: Gomphidae) was vouchered from the Meramec River at Castlewood State Park, St. Louis, County, Missouri on 7 June 2005. The collection of this specimen is a new state record for Missouri and represents a significant range extension south and westward for this species

The Role of Performance Anxiety Within the Music Therapist

The purpose of this study was to examine the manifestation of anxiety, the role it plays in the life and practice of the music therapist, as well as exploring the techniques and exercises utilized by the therapist for this or her own care. This explorative research study used a survey approach to gather qualitative data based on both practicing music therapists and music therapy students’ perceptions and experiences related to performance anxiety within their training and clinical work. A total of 100 surveys were completed online by music therapy students, interns, novice clinicians, as well as seasoned music therapists and was then analyzed by the researcher to find what factors contribute to anxiety within the profession of music therapy. The factors explored were interpersonal skill, ability to transition through interventions, and musical ability, with the addition of the participant’s ability to contribute their own opinion. In some cases, participants voiced potential issues of anxiety beyond the clinical setting. Performance anxiety can affect an individual in their ability to complete certain skills and tasks; it can manifest through combinations of affective, cognitive, somatic, and behavioral symptoms and it can have a direct impact on the therapeutic process and the client-therapist relationship (Kenny, 2011). After a review of literature, it became apparent that the research and material relating to the dynamic of stress and anxiety within the clinician and the clinical setting is scarce. In addition to the limitation of resources on the subject, a large number of the sample group found that anxiety does exist within the day-to-day clinical work and that it is a common issue within the developing practice of music therapy. The study found that performance anxiety might be more common in the field than it is accounted for especially within the student, intern, and novice clinician

Evaluating the Constitutionality of Marital Status Classifications in the Regulation of Posthumous Reproduction and Postmortem Sperm Retrieval

In Eisenstadt v. Baird, the Supreme Court held that a state law prohibiting the provision of contraceptives to unmarried persons violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s rational basis test because of the disparate treatment it afforded to married and unmarried individuals. Eisenstadt stands for an individual’s right to make their own procreative decisions, free from governmental intrusions which impose arbitrary classifications on privacy and freedom. This Note focuses on posthumous reproduction and, more specifically, postmortem sperm retrieval: the process of using a deceased male’s frozen sperm after his death to produce his biological children at the request of his spouse or intimate partner. It provides a survey of judicial decisions relating to assisted reproductive technology, posthumous reproduction, and the constitutional right to privacy as it relates to procreative decision-making, as well as model statutes, state laws, and institutional guidelines that seek to regulate posthumous reproduction. Ultimately, this Note argues that judicial decisions, legislation, and medical facility regulations or policies that prohibit unmarried partners from posthumously reproducing with their deceased partner’s gametes on the basis of their marital status are unconstitutionally discriminatory

Polymer-stabilized sialylated nanoparticles : synthesis, optimization, and differential binding to influenza hemagglutinins

During influenza infection, hemagglutinins (HAs) on the viral surface bind to sialic acids on the host cell's surface. While all HAs bind sialic acids, human influenza targets terminal α2,6 sialic acids and avian influenza targets α2,3 sialic acids. For interspecies transmission (zoonosis), HA must mutate to adapt to these differences. Here, multivalent gold nanoparticles bearing either α2,6- or α2,3-sialyllactosamine have been developed to interrogate a panel of HAs from pathogenic human, low pathogenic avian, and other species' influenza. This method exploits the benefits of multivalent glycan presentation compared to monovalent presentation to increase affinity and investigate how multivalency affects selectivity. Using a library-orientated approach, parameters including polymer coating and core diameter were optimized for maximal binding and specificity were probed using galactosylated particles and a panel of biophysical techniques [ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and biolayer interferometry]. The optimized particles were then functionalized with sialyllactosamine and their binding analyzed against a panel of HAs derived from pathogenic influenza strains including low pathogenic avian strains. This showed significant specificity crossover, which is not observed in monovalent formats, with binding of avian HAs to human sialic acids and in agreement with alternate assay formats. These results demonstrate that precise multivalent presentation is essential to dissect the interactions of HAs and may aid the discovery of tools for disease and zoonosis transmission