Library Impact Data Project: hit, miss or maybe

Purpose In February 2011 the University of Huddersfield along with 7 partners were awarded JISC funding through the Activity Data programme to investigate the hypothesis that: “There is a statistically significant correlation across a number of universities between library activity data and student attainment” The Library Impact Data Project aimed to analyse users’ actions with regards to library usage and then linking those to final degree award. By identifying a positive correlation in this data those subject areas or courses which exhibit high usage of library resources can be used as models of good practice. Design, methodology or approach The overall approach of the project is to extract anonymised activity data from partners’ systems and analyse the findings. For each student who graduated in the sample years, the following data was required: final grade achieved; number of books borrowed; number of times e-resources were accessed; number of times each student entered the library and school or faculty. This data was then collated, normalised, and then analysed. In addition all partners were asked to hold a number of focus groups in order to secure qualitative data from students on library usage to provide a holistic picture of how students engage with library resources. Findings This paper will report on the findings of the project which ran from February to July 2011. It will consider whether the hypothesis was proven for the three indicators of library usage. Research or practical limitations or implications The main aim of the project was to support the hypothesis. The project acknowledges however, that the relationship between the two variables is not a causal relationship and there will be other factors which influence student attainment. Conclusions The paper will discuss the implications of the results and suggest further work that could result from the projects findings

FERAL HOGS-BOON OR BURDEN

Feral hogs (Sus scrofa L. ) have long been considered a pest by most land managers because of the potential range and pasture damage that can result from their feeding habits. In recent years however, second only to deer, feral hogs have become the most sought after big game animal in California. Their great reproductive capacity coupled with the ruggedness of their preferred habitat has allowed the California State Fish and Game Department to set liberal seasons and bag limits. The freedom to work within the states liberal framework has prompted some private land managers to look at controlled harvest programs with several objectives in mind. Using paid hunting as the main means of control, thus providing additional revenue for the landowner, such programs would aim at keeping the herds within the carrying capacity of the range, so that minimal damage is done to the vegetation and soil as well as keeping interspecific competition in check. Reviewed here is a description of how such a program is carried out on the Dye Creek Preserve

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Using APIs to develop reading list software at the University of Huddersfield

Presentation given at the European Libraries Automation Group Conference 201

Comparison of stimulation patterns for FES-cycling using measures of oxygen cost and stimulation cost

<b>Aim</b><p></p> The energy efficiency of FES-cycling in spinal cord injured subjects is very much lower than that of normal cycling, and efficiency is dependent upon the parameters of muscle stimulation. We investigated measures which can be used to evaluate the effect on cycling performance of changes in stimulation parameters, and which might therefore be used to optimise them. We aimed to determine whether oxygen cost and stimulation cost measurements are sensitive enough to allow discrimination between the efficacy of different activation ranges for stimulation of each muscle group during constant-power cycling. <p></p> <b>Methods</b><p></p> We employed a custom FES-cycling ergometer system, with accurate control of cadence and stimulated exercise workrate. Two sets of muscle activation angles (“stimulation patterns”), denoted “P1” and “P2”, were applied repeatedly (eight times each) during constant-power cycling, in a repeated measures design with a single paraplegic subject. Pulmonary oxygen uptake was measured in real time and used to determine the oxygen cost of the exercise. A new measure of stimulation cost of the exercise is proposed, which represents the total rate of stimulation charge applied to the stimulated muscle groups during cycling. A number of energy-efficiency measures were also estimated. <p></p> <b>Results</b><p></p> Average oxygen cost and stimulation cost of P1 were found to be significantly lower than those for P2 (paired <i>t</i>-test, <i>p</i> < 0.05): oxygen costs were 0.56 ± 0.03 l min<sup>−1</sup> and 0.61 ± 0.04 l min<sup>−1</sup>(mean ± S.D.), respectively; stimulation costs were 74.91 ± 12.15 mC min<sup>−1</sup> and 100.30 ± 14.78 mC min<sup>−1</sup> (mean ± S.D.), respectively. Correspondingly, all efficiency estimates for P1 were greater than those for P2. <p></p> <b>Conclusion</b><p></p> Oxygen cost and stimulation cost measures both allow discrimination between the efficacy of different muscle activation patterns during constant-power FES-cycling. However, stimulation cost is more easily determined in real time, and responds more rapidly and with greatly improved signal-to-noise properties than the ventilatory oxygen uptake measurements required for estimation of oxygen cost. These measures may find utility in the adjustment of stimulation patterns for achievement of optimal cycling performance. <p></p&gt

Nearest pattern interaction and global pattern formation

We studied the effect of nearest pattern interaction on a globally pattern formation in a 2-dimensional space, where patterns are to grow initially from a noise in the presence of periodic supply of energy. Although our approach is general, we found that this study is relevant in particular to the pattern formation on a periodically vibrated granular layer, as it gives a unified perspective of the experimentally observed pattern dynamics such as oscillon and stripe formations, skew-varicose and crossroll instabilities, and also a kink formation and decoration

The Acquisition of Speech Pattern by Two-year-old Karonese Girls

This research analyzes the acquisition of speech pattern by three Karonese girls. Particular attention is given to types of speech pattern acquired by the three girls. This research uses ethnography qualitative research. The term ethnography has come to be quated with vitually any qualitative research project where the intent is to provide a detailed, in depth description of everyday life and practice. The data were collected by applying documentary technique through daily observation in different context when the children should be active and produce utterances such as playing, watching television, having snack, home activities and communicate with others. The finding at this research shows that Karonese girls acquired three types of speech patterns, namely one- word utterance, two- word utterances and multi- word utterances. The speech pattern used more complex and accordance with the structure of words in the local Karo language. There were three factors affecting language acquisition of the three children, namely society, cognitive process and language

Re-designing Batik Mbako Motif Pattern

Batik Mbako as one of Indonesian local textile from Temanggung, has been developed since 2009. Mbako means temba-kau (tobacco) became inspiration for batik motif by local society. More than 30 pattern motif of Batik Mbako exist, some of them have been legally recognized by government. Nowadays, the development of motif design is less varied regarding to the lack of innovation design and has a potential to be redesign with new composition. The purpose of this paper is to create the innovation of motif pattern design composition for Batik Mbako. The methodology used by this paper was by reviewing and analysing the original Mbako motif pattern, creating new concept and redesign the shape of Mbako motif pattern. The main result of this paper was the innovation of motif pattern design for the form of original Batik Mbako motif, with three different concept and target market. This paper hopeful encourages people outside Temanggung to getting know more about Batik Mbako and gain the popularity for it. In the future those new motif design could be use by local artisan. Keywords batik, mbako, motif, pattern, desig

The 1-box pattern on pattern avoiding permutations

This paper is continuation of the study of the 1-box pattern in permutations introduced by the authors in \cite{kitrem4}. We derive a two-variable generating function for the distribution of this pattern on 132-avoiding permutations, and then study some of its coefficients providing a link to the Fibonacci numbers. We also find the number of separable permutations with two and three occurrences of the 1-box pattern