14,243 research outputs found
The Echo: March 9, 2020
No full textTaylor hosts OVC Conference – IWU pastor faces PD diagnosis – Alumnus weighs in on conflict in India – Lions Club pays it forward with school fundraiser – Driving forward in grace for growth – You had the semester of your life, now what? – Time to wake up! – The Weekly Bachelor and Bachelorette – More than an English Professor – Sudoku – KenKen – Jus how smart are you? – True confessions -- #TaylorU’s Top Tweets – Envision Film Festival shares student talent – Two Taylor alumni present a ‘super’ new book – ‘The Invisible Man’ creeps its way into movie theaters – A&E Events – Explorations in Digital Art: A collection by Livia Rose – Maisel’s Mousse Market: Prose Excerpt by Leah Kiers – Our View – Breaking down Brexit -- Entrepreneurship on campus – Buchs twins nearing end of Taylor career – Women’s basketball falls short in Crossroads Tournament – Problems with IU basketball – Final Crossroads League Standings – Rollercoaster season ends at 17-15 – Weekly Preview – Scoreboard – Taking a look at race and athletics – Athletes of the Weekhttps://pillars.taylor.edu/echo-2019-2020/1016/thumbnail.jp
Implications of the Improvement of Teaching Quality for Professional Development (PD) of Academics at the Colleges of Applied Sciences (CASs) in the Sultanate of Oman
No full textThe Oman Accreditation Council (OAC), which is called later the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA), designed a higher education institution (HEI) Quality Assurance (QA) framework for Omani public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), starting with a quality audit process in 2008. The Colleges of Applied Sciences (CASs), as a public HEI, are required to ensure the quality of all services and activities to meet particular national standards (specified in the framework) in order to gain a HEI and programme certificate. In line with a quality audit scope, the quality of the fields of PD and related teaching quality should be ensured and enhanced by the promotion and contribution of the former field to the maintenance and improvement of the latter one.
The chief purpose of this study was to identify the uptake and implications of the growing requirement to improve teaching quality and the PD of academics at the CASs in the Sultanate of Oman especially in the context of the application of the QA framework. The study focused on examining the academics’ participation in professional development programmes (PDPs) and current perceptions of PD with respect to the improvement of teaching quality improvement at these colleges. The current study also dealt with a reorganization and prioritization of academics’ PD needs, barriers to effective PD, and factors to enhance PD of academics regarding teaching quality improvement in the colleges.
Based on the purpose and research objectives, the current study adopted both positivist (quantitative) and interpretive (qualitative) research paradigms. Because the study perused quantitative and qualitative data regarding certain variables, it chose a mixed-research design. The researcher designed survey questionnaire to collect quantitative data and a semi-structured interview and a focus group discussion to probe and interpret quantitative findings. After fulfillment of the validity and reliability measurements, a self-completion questionnaire was distributed to a stratified random sample of academics (170) over the six CASs. A total of 150 questionnaires (out of 170) were completed and returned and the response-rate reached 88.2%. The quantitative data was analyzed by appropriate analysis using the Statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS), while the qualitative data was analyzed by appropriate qualitative analysis.
The findings of the study showed that the level of academics’ participation in PDPs to improve teaching quality in the last two years in the CASs seems to be unsatisfactorily low. The current perceptions of the PD situations in the colleges, relating to teaching quality improvement, signified a shortage in the number of available PDPs and/or a discouragement of academics’ participation in these programmes in the last two years. The study also revealed all the 22 PD needs of academics regarding the improvement of teaching quality are significantly demanded by participants; the higher rated needs focused on a development of ‘student centred’ skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the study illustrated that the highest significant perceived barriers to effective PD in the CASs, as related to teaching quality improvement, focus on a lack of a clear institutional PD policy and a lack of appropriately systematic PD plans. The study also revealed all 10 perceived factors to enhance PD regarding teaching quality improvement are very important. The most significant factors represented and stressed particular problematic issues (the high rated barriers) and a reduction of a heavy workload to enhance academics’ participation in PD regarding the improvement of teaching quality.
Conclusions drawn from the discussion of the findings of study include a lack of a clear PD policy at national and institutional levels and absence of a particular authority/unit concerning PD issues in Omani HEIs. The two problematic issues resulted in a lack of systematic and realistic PD plans in the CASs, involving a lack of academics’ involvement in PD plans, a misconnection of academics’ PD needs to PD, inappropriate facilities and resources allocation, and inappropriate evaluation processes of PD. In addition, the conclusions also include that PD of academics regarding the improvement of teaching quality in the colleges requires more attention and focus to manage particular significant issues perceived by participants as both barriers and potential facilitators relating to PD of academics.
Based on identified conclusions, particular implications for policy and practice to enhance PD to improve teaching quality were set at three levels: governmental, institutional, and individual. Moreover, achievements of the current study according to the research questions were identified and contributions of the study to the fields of PD, teaching quality, and the context of QA and quality audit in HE were addressed. Based on the findings and conclusions, particular directions and recommended issues were suggested to be studied by further research to benefit the enhancement of PD and related teaching quality improvement
Clinical evidence that immunogenic cell death sensitizes to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade
No full textInternational audienceIn preclinical in vivo models of cancer, the induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) sensitizes to subsequent immunotherapy. Several clinical trials now confirm that pretreatment with ICD-inducing anthracyclines sensitizes to immune checkpoint blockade targeting PD-1 and PD-L1 interaction. These findings support the translational utility of the concept of ICD. © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Use of Machine Learning for Partial Discharge Discrimination
No full textPartial discharge (PD) measurements are an important tool for assessing the condition of power equipment. Different sources of PD have different effects on the insulation performance of power apparatus. Therefore, discrimination between PD sources is of great interest to both system utilities and equipment manufacturers. This paper investigates the use of a wide bandwidth PD on-line measurement system to facilitate automatic PD source identification. Three artificial PD models were used to simulate typical PD sources which may exist within power systems. Wavelet analysis was applied to pre-process the obtained measurement data. This data was then processed using correlation analysis to cluster the discharges into different groups. A machine learning technique, namely the support vector machine (SVM) was then used to identify between the different PD sources. The SVM is trained to differentiate between the inherent features of each discharge source signal. Laboratory experiments indicate that this approach is applicable for use with field measurement data
Obtenção, caracterização e avaliação da atividade de um nanocatalisador de Pd(0) sintetizado in situ sob a superfície de Fe3O4@dextrana para redução do 4-nitrofenol
No full textTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Físicas e Matemáticas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, Florianópolis, 2015.O objetivo principal deste trabalho é a preparação, caracterização e avaliação da atividade catalítica das nanopartículas (NPs) de Pd impregnadas no suporte magnético magnetita e estabilizada por dextrana. As NPs-Pd foram preparadas por crescimento in situ sob a superfície de nanopartículas superparamagnéticas (NPSMs) (Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd(0)). O controle do crescimento das NPs-Pd foi feito com o auxílio de NaBH4, como agente redutor. O catalisador de Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd foi totalmente caracterizado por diversas técnicas tais como espectroscopia de infravermelho, espalhamento de luz dinâmico, espalhamento de raios-X a baixos ângulos, microscopia eletrônica de transmissão e varredura, e difração de raios-X de pó. A caracterização mostrou que o catalisador é constituído de um suporte feito de Fe3O4@dextrana composto por unidades de nanocristais com tamanho de 9,7 nm, formando nanoclusters de 105,6 nm, contendo as NPs-Pd de 7,8 nm impregnadas em sua superfície. Os estudos cinéticos foram realizados por UV-vis, sendo que a atividade catalítica foi avaliada pela reação modelo de redução do p-nitrofenol (Nip), utilizando NaBH4. Aplicando um modelo de reação de superfície pseudo-molecular, a reação foi investigada pelo modelo teórico de isoterma de adsorção, revelando ser uma reação bimolecular que segue o mecanismo de Langmuir-Hinshelwood. A atividade catalítica do nanocatalisador Fe3O4@ dextrana/Pd com área superficial de 3,33 m2L-1x10-3 (0, 0053 mg L-1 de Pd) pode ser efetivamente analisada, e foi possível obter os parâmetros cinéticos kL, KBH4- e KNip. Os resultados mostraram que as moléculas de Nip possuem afinidade de adsorção muito maior do que BH4- pela superfície das NPs-Pd, resultado da influência do caráter hidrofóbico do Nip sob a constante de adsorção do substrato. Um novo parâmetro de atividade catalítica ??? foi proposto e utilizado com sucesso na comparação com outros catalisadores reportados na literatura. As NPSMs de Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd apresentaram um valor de ? = 3,65 L mg-1 s-1, superior ao citado na literatura. O estudo do reuso de Fe3O4@dextrana/Pd demonstrou que é possível reutilizar as mesmas por até 5 vezes com cerca de 99% de conversão do Nip e valor alto de TOF, 692 h-1.Abstract : The aim of this work was the preparation, characterization and evaluation of catalytic activity of Pd nanoparticles (NPs) impregnated in magnetite and stabilized by dextran. The Pd NPs were prepared by the in situ growth under the surface of superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The growth control of Pd NPs was made with the aid of NaBH4, as reducing agent. The catalyst Fe3O4@dextran/Pd was fully characterized by several techniques such as: infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray scattering at small angle, transmission and scanning electron microscopy , and diffraction X-ray powder. The characterization revealed that the catalyst consisted of a support made of Fe3O4@dextran nanocrystals composed of units with 9.7 nm in size, forming nanoclusters of 105.6 nm containing NPs of Pd with 7.8 nm diameter, impregnated in the surface. The kinetic studies were performed by UV-vis spectrocopy, and the catalytic activity was evaluated by the model reaction of the p-nitrophenol (Nip) reduction, using NaBH4 as a reducing agent. Applying a pseudo-molecular surface reaction approach, the reduction reaction could be investigated by means of a theoretical adsorption model, revealing that the reaction is bimolecular and followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism.The catalytic activity of nano-catalyst of Fe3O4@dextran/Pd, with a surface area of 3.33m2L-1x103 (0.0053 mg L-1Pd), could be effectively determined, obtaining the kinetic parameters kL, KBH4- and KNip. These kinetics results showed that the Nip molecules have higheraffinity for the catalyst surface than the molecules of BH4-, as a result of the influence of the Nip hydrophobic character. A new catalytic activity parameter "?" was proposed and effectively used for comparison with other recent reported catalysts. The reuse studies showed that could be reused up to 5 times with about 99% conversion of Nip and a high TOF value, 692 h-1
Fullerene-like WS<sub>2</sub> supported Pd catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction
No full textHydrogen is the most desirable green energy carrier and electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) from water is a promising route for hydrogen production. The search for efficient, low-cost HER catalysts is a challenging and attracting topic. In this work, we report that inorganic fullerene-like WS2 supported Pd nanoparticles (Pd/WS2), with Pd loading of 0.76 wt%, are active for electrocatalytic HER conducted in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution, with overpotential at 10 mA cm−2 current density of ~130 mV and Tafel slope of 82.4 mV dec−1, which is comparable to that of Pt/WS2 (0.88 wt% Pt loading) with higher costs. Characteristic results indicate that WO3 impurities were in-situ produced on the WS2 surface and the Pd NPs are primarily located inside the WS2 nanocages. Contrasting experiments suggest that the WO3 impurities play a crucial role in generating Hads intermediate and the Pd NPs are active sites of H2 production, and a reaction mechanism is proposed. The Pd/WS2 catalyst also shows good long-term stability owing to the location of Pd NPs inside the WS2 cages. The high HER activity, low costs and good stability make the Pd catalyst a potential alternative to Pt catalyst for HER.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Micro and Nano Engineerin
A bibliometric analysis of research on PD-1/PD-L1 in urinary tract tumors
No full textProgrammed cell death 1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) are key components in immune checkpoint studies across various tumors, including those in the urinary tract. The utilization of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in urinary tract tumors is on the rise. This study provides a comprehensive overview of PD-1/PD-L1 research in urinary tract tumors through bibliometric analysis. A search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database for academic papers on PD-1/PD-L1 in urinary tract tumors published between January 1, 1999, and September 3, 2022. Tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and an online bibliometric platform, were used for an in-depth analysis covering countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords. A total of 1,711 articles on PD-1/PD-L1 in urinary tract tumors were analyzed. The United States led in article contributions, followed by China and Japan. Harvard University was the top institution in this research area. With notable conctributions from Choueiri TK, who authored 48 related articles. The Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer was the top publisher, and Topalian SL’s 2012 publication in The New England Journal of Medicine was the most cited article. Key author keywords included “immunotherapy,” “PD-L1,” “renal cell carcinoma,” “bladder cancer,” and “immune checkpoint inhibitors.” Notably, research on the role of PD-1/PD-L1 in kidney and bladder cancer has garnered significant attention
Multinuclear (Sn/Pd) complexes with disodium 2,2′-(dithiocarboxyazanediyl)diacetate hydrate; Synthesis, characterization and biological activities
No full textThis is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this record.Bimetallic chlorodi-/triorganotin(IV) derivatives of general formulas R 2 (H 2 O)SnLCSSSn(Cl)R 2 (R=Me: 1; Ph: 2) and R 3 Sn(Na)LCSSSnR 3 ·H 2 O (R=Bu: 3; Ph: 4) were prepared by reaction of iminodiacetic acid disodium salt hydrate (Na 2 LH) with CS 2 and R 2 SnCl 2 /R 3 SnCl in methanol. The reaction between Na 2 LH, CS 2 , and PdCl 2 produced [Na 2 LCSS] 2 Pd·2H 2 O (5) which was treated with R 3 SnCl to synthesize the heterobimetallic derivatives [R 3 Sn(Na)LCSS] 2 Pd·2H 2 O (R=Me: 6; Ph: 7). The complexes were characterized by microanalysis, spectroscopic, and thermogravimetric analyses. Elemental analysis data, mass fragmentation, and thermal degradation patterns supported the molecular composition of the complexes. FT-IR data indicated monodentate binding of carboxylate while a chelating coordination mode of the dithiocarboxylate was verified in the solid state. A five-coordinate tin(IV) was demonstrated in the solid state. In solution, a tetrahedral/trigonal bipyramidal configuration around Sn(IV) and a square planar geometry of Pd(II) was indicated by multinuclear NMR ( 1 H and 13 C) and UV-visible studies. The Pd(II) derivatives showed interaction with salmon sperm-DNA and caused an inhibition of alkaline phosphatase (ALPs). The antibacterial/antifungal potential of the coordination products varied with the nature of incorporated metal and a substitution pattern at tin(IV); the palladium metallation decreased the antimicrobial activities. The triorganotin(IV) products exhibited more powerful action against bacteria/fungi as compared to their diorganotin(IV) counterparts. The complexes displayed sufficiently lower hemolytic effects in vitro as compared to triton X-100 and slightly higher than PBS.SH thanks the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Pakistan, for the financial support under the PhD Fellowship Scheme Batch-IV (PIN Code: 074-3160-Ps4-362)
Towards lean product and process development
No full textSuccesses in lean manufacture have led researchers and practitioners to consider extending ‘lean' to different parts of the engineering enterprise, including product and process development (PPD). Lean product development (PD) has been understood to mean lean manufacture applied to PD, while the roots of lean PD - just like lean manufacture - go back to Toyota. This article presents the methodology adopted in order to pave the way towards a coherent lean PD model that combines lessons from the Toyota product development system (TPDS) with other best practises. The article provides a unique review of the lean PD research area, and a reference framework for the enablers that Toyota has employed for lean PD. An investigation of five engineering enterprises undertaken to search for evidence of the implementation of lean PD enablers through observation, document analysis and interviews is also presented. Some enablers have been informally applied, while few have been formally implemented, and no model was found to formally combine lean PD enablers into a coherent whole. This is the first article to critique attempts to describe lean PD and provide a definition for Lean PD
Noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation in Parkinson’s disease: current status and future prospects
No full text\ua9 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Introduction: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common progressive neurodegenerative disorder with multifactorial etiology. While dopaminergic medication is the standard therapy in PD, it provides limited symptomatic treatment and non-pharmacological interventions are currently being trialed. Areas covered: Recent pathophysiological theories of Parkinson’s suggest that aggregated α-synuclein form in the gut and spread to nuclei in the brainstem via autonomic connections. In this paper, we review the novel hypothesis that noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS), targeting efferent and afferent vagal projections, is a promising therapeutic tool to improve gait and cognitive control and ameliorate non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson’s. We conducted an unstructured search of the literature for any studies employing nVNS in PD as well as for studies examining the efficacy of nVNS on improving cognitive function and where nVNS has been applied to co-occurring conditions in PD. Expert opinion: Evidence of nVNS as a novel therapeutic to improve gait in PD is preliminary, but early signs indicate the possibility that nVNS may be useful to target dopa-resistant gait characteristics in early PD. The evidence for nVNS as a therapeutic tool is, however, limited and further studies are needed in both brain health and disease
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