60419 research outputs found
Sort by
Beyond descriptions and good practices: empirical effects on students’ learning outcomes of active learning environments in political science curricula
No full textThe introduction of the symposium sets out a possible research agenda on producing systematic empirical evidence of the effect of active learning tools to the discipline of political science, inspired by and drawing from educational research. It discusses the core research questions of such an agenda. Do active learning environments enhance political science students’ learning outcomes? Does the introduction of active learning in political science curricula make a difference for cognitive, affective, and/or regulative learning outcomes? In addition, it draws attention upon which conditions make active learning tools more or less effective? What are the inhibiting and stimulating factors? Are there differential effects according to specific student attributes such as gender, prior knowledge, prior education, or prior results? In short, it discusses the dependent variables (effects on what learning outcomes exactly), the independent variables (such as student dispositions), the intervening variable (types of active learning environments), methods and data, and the teaching context (such as level of education and intra- and extra-curricular contexts). Finally, we introduce the papers of the symposium, which are illustrations of how this agenda can be implemented in the field, covering a variety of effects, learning environments, methods, data, and contexts
Thioester-functional Polyacrylamides: Rapid Selective Backbone Degradation Triggers Solubility Switch Based on Aqueous LCST/UCST
No full textRadical ring-opening polymerization is a clever strategy to incorporate cleavable linkages into otherwise non-degradable vinyl polymers. But conventional systems suffer from slow copolymerization, harsh non-selective degradation conditions, and limited application potential because the degradation products (often oligomers or polymers themselves) have properties like the intact species. This work presents fast selective degradation accompanied by a drastic change in a key property, aqueous solubility. The thionolactone dibenzo[c,e]oxepane-5-thione was found to copolymerise radically with a range of primary, secondary, and tertiary neutral and zwitterionic acrylamides with rapid incorporation of degradable biphenyl thiocarboxylate repeat units. Intact copolymers displayed temperature-responsive (LCST or UCST-type) aqueous solubility behaviour, tuneable through the molar composition and (exploiting the non-azeotropic copolymerization behaviour) comonomer sequence. Various conditions led to selective and complete degradation of the backbone thioesters through hydrolysis, aminolysis, transthioesterification (including under physiological conditions), and oxidative hydrolysis which drastically increased aqueous solubility. Polymers containing as little as 8 mol-% of thioester repeat units underwent a temperature-independent insoluble–soluble transition upon degradation with cysteine or potassium persulfate. Insoluble polymers were used to block syringe filters which allowed flow of degradant solutions only, relevant relevant to lab-on-a-chip, sensing, and embolic biomedical applications
Good Neighbor Alternative to Best Response and Machine Learning Based Beamforming and Power Adaptation for MIMO Ad Hoc Networks
No full textDecentralized joint transmit power and beam-
forming selection for multiple antenna wireless ad hoc net-
works operating in a multi-user interference environment is
considered. An important feature of the considered environ-
ment is that altering the transmit beamforming pattern at
some node generally creates more signi�cant changes to in-
terference scenarios for neighboring nodes than variation of
the transmit power. Based on this premise, a good neighbor
algorithm is formulated in the way that at the sensing node,
a new beamformer is selected only if it needs less than the
given portion of the transmit power required for the current
beamformer. Otherwise, it keeps the current beamformer
and achieves the performance target only by means of power
adaptation. Equilibrium performance and convergence be-
havior of the proposed algorithm compared to the best re-
sponse and regret matching solutions is demonstrated by
means of semi-analytic Markov chain performance analysis
for small scale and simulations for large scale networks
Field electron emission measurements as a complementary technique to assess carbon nanotube quality
No full textCarbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used in many different applications. Field emission (FE) measurements were used together with Raman spectroscopy to show a correlation between the microstructure and field emission parameters. However, field emission characterization does not suffer from fluorescence noise present in Raman spectroscopy. In this study, Raman spectroscopy is used to characterize vertically aligned CNT forest samples based on their D/G band intensity ratio (ID/IG), and FE properties such as the threshold electric field, enhancement coefficient, and anode to CNT tip separation (ATS) at the outset of emission have been obtained. A relationship between
ATS at first emission and the enhancement factor, and, subsequently, a relationship between ATS and the ID/IG are shown. Based on the findings, it is shown that a higher enhancement factor (�3070) results when a lower ID/IG is present (0.45), with initial emissions at larger
distances (�47 lm). For the samples studied, the morphology of the CNT tips did not play an important role; therefore, the field enhancement factor (b) could be directly related to the carbon nanotube structural properties such as breaks in the lattice or amorphous carbon content. Thus, this work presents FE as a complementary tool to evaluate the quality of CNT samples, with the advantages of alarger probe size and an averaging over the whole nanotube length. Correspondingly, one can find the best field emitter CNT according to its ID/IG
Characterising the structure of the largest online commercial sex network in the UK: observational study with implications for STI prevention
No full textThis study analyses large-scale online data to examine the characteristics of a national commercial sex network of off-street female sex workers and their male clients to identify implications for public health policy and practice. We collected sexual contact information from the largest online community dedicated to reviewing sex workers’ services in the UK. We built the sexual network using reviews reported between January 2014 and December 2017. We then quantified network parameters using social network analysis measures. The network is composed of 6477 vertices with 59% of them concentrated in a giant component clustered around London and Milton Keynes. We found minimal disassortative mixing by degree between sex workers and their clients, and that a few clients and sex workers are highly connected whilst the majority only have one or few sexual contacts. Finally, our simulation models suggested that prevention strategies targeting both sex workers and clients with high centrality scores were the most effective in reducing network connectedness and average closeness centrality scores, thus limiting the transmission of STIs
A Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm for Finding Knee Regions Using Two Localized Dominance Relationships
No full textIn preference based optimization, knee points are
considered the naturally preferred trade-off solutions, especially when the decision-maker has little a priori knowledge about the problem to be solved. However, identifying all convex knee regions of a Pareto front remains extremely challenging, in particular in a high-dimensional objective space. This paper
presents a new evolutionary multi-objective algorithm for locating knee regions using two localized dominance relationships. In the environmental selection, the �-dominance is applied to each subpopulation partitioned by a set of predefined reference
vectors, thereby guiding the search towards different potential knee regions while removing possible dominance resistant solutions.
A knee-oriented dominance measure making use of the
extreme points is then proposed to detect knee solutions in convex knee regions and discard solutions in concave knee regions. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art knee identification algorithms on a majority of multi-objective optimization test problems having up to eight objectives and a hybrid electric vehicle controller
design problem with seven objectives
Fast-neutron response of LaBr3(Ce) and LaCl3(Ce) scintillators
No full textThe response of LaBr3(Ce) and LaCl3(Ce) scintillators to fast neutrons is investigated.
Neutron-induced charged-particle reactions are observed in both materials when exposed to the fast neutrons produced by an AmBe source, with pulse-shape discrimination used to separate channels. LaBr3(Ce) is found to have the best separation between reaction channels, while LaCl3(Ce)
has a significantly higher efficiency
Tandem RNA isolation reveals functional rearrangement of RNA-binding proteins on CDKN1B/p27<sup>Kip1</sup> 3'UTRs in cisplatin treated cells
No full textPost-transcriptional control of gene expression is mediated via RNA-binding proteins
(RBPs) that interact with mRNAs in a combinatorial fashion. While recent global RNA
interactome capture experiments expanded the repertoire of cellular RBPs quiet
dramatically, little is known about the assembly of RBPs on particular mRNAs; and
how these associations change and control the fate of the mRNA in drug-treatment
conditions. Here we introduce a novel biochemical approach, termed tobramycinbased
tandem RNA isolation procedure (tobTRIP), to quantify proteins associated with
the 3'UTRs of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (CDKN1B/p27Kip1) mRNAs in vivo.
P27Kip1 plays an important role in mediating a cell's response to cisplatin (CP), a widely
used chemotherapeutic cancer drug that induces DNA damage and cell cycle arrest.
We found that p27Kip1 mRNA is stabilized upon CP treatment of HEK293 cells through
elements in its 3'UTR. Applying tobTRIP, we further compared the associated proteins
in CP and non-treated cells, and identified more than fifty interacting RBPs, many
functionally related and evoking a coordinated response. Knock-downs of several of
the identified RBPs in HEK293 cells confirmed their involvement in CP-induced p27
mRNA regulation; while knock-down of the KH-type splicing regulatory protein
(KHSRP) further enhanced the sensitivity of MCF7 adenocarcinoma cancer cells to
CP treatment. Our results highlight the benefit of specific in vivo mRNA-protein
interactome capture to reveal post-transcriptional regulatory networks implicated in
cellular drug response and adaptation
‘We needed to talk about it’: The experience of sharing the emotional impact of healthcare work as a panellist in Schwartz Center Rounds in the UK.
No full textObjective: Schwartz Center Rounds (‘Rounds’) are multidisciplinary forum where healthcare staff come together to reflect upon the emotional impact of their work. A small number of staff (panellists) share experiences through stories to trigger reflection in audience members. Previous research has identified impacts associated with Rounds attendance but little is known about the experience and impact of Rounds from panellists’ perspectives. Drawing on interview data from a national evaluation of Rounds in the UK this study is the first to explore the role of disclosure and reflection through storytelling in Rounds specifically exploring panellists’ motivations, experience and reported impacts associated with panel participation.
Methods: Interviews with 39 panellists, from nine case study sites, representing acute, community, mental health NHS trusts and hospices. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: Most panellists spoke positively about their experience of sharing their stories in Rounds. Reported impacts included increased emotional resilience and acceptance of past experiences; reduced negative assumptions about colleagues and increased approachability and trust increasing tolerance and compassion; a space to stop and think and to reframe negative patient experiences facilitating greater empathy, and emotional disclosure becoming more visible and normative helping change culture. The extent of panel preparation and audience characteristics (e.g. size, composition, and response to their stories) influenced panellist’s experiences and outcomes.
Conclusions: Rounds highlight the important role of disclosure and reflection through storytelling to support panellists with the emotional aspects of their work, providing a space for support with the emotional demands of healthcare, reducing the need for employees to be stoic. Panel participation also offers an important source of validation in organisations marked by scrutiny
Insurance uptake among small and medium-sized tourism and hospitality enterprises in a resource-scarce environment
No full textSmall and medium-sized tourism and hospitality enterprises (SMTHEs) are often susceptible to various hazards, which result in risk concerns. Insurance is recognised as one of the risk management strategies, but evidence indicates that insurance uptake among SMTHEs has been low. Yet, researchers have hardly researched into the factors that influence insurance uptake among SMTHEs. Two-hundred and fifty (250) respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Confirmatory factor analysis, multivariate logit and probit regression techniques were used to determine factors underlying SMTHEs' insurance uptake. Risk concerns, the firm's characteristics, the perceived benefits of insurance and other informal risk coping mechanisms, as well as insurance service provision concerns were identified as determinants of insurance uptake. This is one of the first papers to offer a holistic understanding of the factors influencing SMTHEs' insurance subscription in a resource-scarce destination of Sub-Saharan Africa. The practical and theoretical implications of the paper are discussed
Data sources:
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Surrey Research Insight? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!