Naresuan University Journal
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Making research fly in schools: Drosophila as a powerful modern tool for teaching Biology
No full textThe droso4schools project is a novel and creative approach to bringing the fruit fly Drosophila back into school biology lessons. These small insects are powerful, modern teaching tools, ideal for explaining many concepts that underlie curriculum-relevant biology specifications and illustrating the links between them. Flies are cost-effective and easy to breed, and offer opportunities for exciting and memorable experiments that reflect relevant, contemporary research. As is explained here, the droso4schools project aims to inform teachers about these opportunities and provide them with the means to set up biology lessons with Drosophila at their respective schools. To achieve this, PhD students worked for several weeks as teaching assistants in a partner school and college and subsequently developed and thoroughly tested sample lessons which can now be downloaded for free, together with adjoined support materials. Furthermore, the lessons are complemented by two short, entertaining, educational YouTube films as well as a dedicated droso4schools website with resources that can be used for lesson preparation, homework tasks or revision
Discontinuous conduction/current mode analysis of dual interleaved buck and boost converters with interphase transformer
No full textA comprehensive and unified analysis is presented for the discontinuous conduction/current mode operation of dual interleaved buck and boost converters with an interphase transformer or coupled inductors. By exploiting the symmetry in the current waveforms between the buck and boost modes of operation, detailed operating maps are derived showing the seven separate discontinuous operating patterns in each circuit. Boundary conditions and overall conversion characteristics are presented along with validation results from simulations and measurements on high-power prototypes
Comparison of experimental observations in rotating machines with simple mathematical simulations
No full textThrough an earlier experimental study, an integrated fault classification approach was suggested for machines operating at different speeds. The suggested method was observed to separate faults adequately, which can lead to fault diagnosis. However, theoretical understanding of the proposed methods is important to further enhance the confidence of the earlier experimental study. Hence, simplified mathematical simulations of different rotor faults are carried out and used to test the earlier proposed classification technique in this paper. Observations in the orbit, spectra and fault classification diagrams are consistent with the previous experimental case
A Revolution in 'Lawyering'? Implications for Welfare Law of Alternatived Business Structures
No full textEffect of Interfacial Reaction on the Mechanical Performance of Steel to Aluminum Dissimilar Ultrasonic Spot Welds
No full textThe early stages of formation of intermetallic compounds (IMC) have been investigated in dissimilar aluminum to steel welds, manufactured by high power (2.5 kW) ultrasonic spot welding (USW). To better understand the influence of alloy composition, welds were produced between a low-carbon steel (DC04) and two different aluminum alloys (6111 and 7055). The joint strengths were measured in lap shear tests and the formation and growth behavior of IMCs at the weld interface characterized by electron microscopy, for welding times from 0.2 to 2.4 seconds. With the material combinations studied, the η (Fe2Al5) intermetallic phase was found to form first, very rapidly in the initial stage of welding, with a discontinuous island morphology. Continuous layers of η and then θ (FeAl3) phase were subsequently seen to develop on extending the welding time to greater than 0.7 seconds. The IMC layer formed in the DC04-AA7055 combination grew thicker than for the DC04-AA6111 welds, despite both weld sets having near identical thermal histories. Zinc was also found to be dissolved in the IMC phases when welding with the AA7055 alloy. After post-weld ageing of the aluminum alloy, fracture in the lap shear tests always occurred along the joint interface; however, the DC04-AA6111 welds had higher fracture energy than the DC04-AA7055 combination
Content validity of global measures for at-work productivity in patients with rheumatic diseases: an international qualitative study.
No full textOBJECTIVES: To identify from a patient's perspective, difficulties and differences in the comprehension of five global presenteeism measures in patients with inflammatory arthritis and OA across seven countries. METHODS: Seventy patients with a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis or OA in paid employment were recruited from seven countries across Europe and Canada. Patients were randomly allocated to be cognitively debriefed on 3/5 global measures [Work Productivity Scale - Rheumatoid Arthritis, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI), Work Ability Index, Quality and Quantity questionnaire, and WHO Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (HPQ)], with the WPAI debriefed in all patients as a standard measure of comparison between countries and patients. NVivo was used to code the data into four themes: construct and anchor, time recall, reference frame, and attribution. RESULTS: Discrepancies were found in the interpretation of the word performance (HPQ) between countries, with Romania and Sweden relating performance to sports rather than work. Seventy percent of patients considered that a 7-day recall (WPAI) can accurately represent how their disease affects work productivity. The compared to normal reference (Quality and Quantity questionnaire) was reportedly too ambiguous, and the comparison with colleagues (HPQ), made many feel uncomfortable. Overall, 29% of patients said the WPAI was the most relevant to them, making it the most favoured measure. CONCLUSION: Overall, patients across countries agree that the construct of work productivity in the last 7 days can accurately reflect the impact of disease while at work. Some current constructs to assess at-work productivity are not interchangeable between languages
United Kingdom Survey of Culture-Negative Peritonitis and Dialysate Sampling Practice.
No full textPeritonitis is a major cause of technique failure in peritoneal dialysis (PD) and accurate diagnosis ensures successful management and avoids unnecessary antibiotic exposure. United Kingdom (UK) registry data on peritonitis rates are not routinely reported. We conducted an electronic survey amongst senior PD nurses and microbiologists to obtain information about PD effluent sampling and processing practices in the UK. The survey was completed by 53 of 79 centres (67% response rate). The median annual culture-negative rate was 15% (range 5 - 38%). The main findings were wide variation in reported sampling volumes and processing methods that may in part explain the variation in culture-negative rates. Adherence to guidelines might reduce culture-negative rates informed by reporting data into national registries
Ambidexterity for Corporate Social Performance
No full textThe literature on corporate social performance advocates that firms address social issues based on instrumental as well as moral rationales. While both rationales trigger initiatives to increase corporate social performance, these rest on fundamentally different and contradicting foundations. Building on the literature on organizational ambidexterity and paradox in management, we propose in this conceptual article that ambidexterity represents an important determinant of corporate social performance. We explain how firms achieve higher levels of corporate social performance through the ambidextrous ability to simultaneously pursue instrumentally and morally driven social initiatives. We distinguish between a balance dimension and a combined dimension of ambidexterity, which both enhance corporate social performance through distinct mechanisms. With the balance dimension, instrumental and moral initiatives compensate for each other – which increases the scope of corporate social performance. With the combined dimension, instrumental and moral initiatives supplement each other – which increases the scale of corporate social performance. The article identifies the most important determinants and moderators of the balance and the combined dimension to explain the conditions under which we expect firms to increase corporate social performance through ambidexterity. By focusing on the interplay and tensions between different types of social initiatives, an ambidextrous perspective contributes to a better understanding of corporate social performance. Regarding managerial practice, we highlight the role of structural and behavioral factors for achieving higher corporate social performance through the simultaneous pursuit of instrumental and moral initiatives