Digital Commons Network^™

Removing Obstacles, Candace Schilling

Illinois Wesleyan University Magazine, 2002-2017

To better grasp the interplay between culture and religion, Professor Brian Hatcher begins by asking some unsettling questions.

Guardian Angel (Ireland), Thomas Cooney

Case studies

It was the summer of 2006 and three friends of many years had come up with a business idea that they believed could be a money-spinner for all of them. Maria Harrison, Krystle Malone and Marie Lyons had all been students at the Technological University Dublin and had recently completed their degree in Marketing. As part of their programme, they had taken a course on Entrepreneurship by way of interest rather than any deep-rooted desire to start their own business. But now, they are about to meet a venture capital company to ask for €300,000 to get the business started. …

Theories Of Learning And Curriculum Design: Key Positionalities And Their Ralationships, Tony Cunningham, Julie Gannon, Mary Kavanagh, John Greene, Louise Reddy, Laurence Whitson

Level 3

One of the challenges academics face when designing pedagogies and curricula is how best to articulate their own positionalities regarding the different ways theories or models of learning inform both the process of design as well as the product. It is difficult to find a text book or design resource that illustrates the relationships between the main theories of learning and how they might inform a coherent approach to programme design in higher education. For that reason we decided to produce this summative guide to learning theories and a chart illustrating their relevance for pedagogies and for curriculum design.

The …

What Now?: Evaluating Elearning Cpd Practice In Irish Third-Level Education, Roisin Donnelly, K. C. O'Rourke

Journal Articles

The internet has made it impossible for higher education institutions to ignore technology in fulfilling their strategic mission and respond to the expectations of a diverse student body. In the Republic of Ireland, as elsewhere, the use of online technologies has become an increasingly important challenge in academic staff development, and on the surface, eLearning has been moderately successful in the teaching and learning environment. However, given the rapid rate of change in both technology and the increasing diversity in academic staff and students, to describe accurately the nature of eLearning for academic staff development is near impossible. There has …

Perceived Impact Of Peer Observation Of Teaching In Higher Education, Roisin Donnelly

Journal Articles

This paper explores participant perceptions of the impact of a Peer Observation of Teaching scheme offered as part of an accredited Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching for academic staff/faculty in higher education. The Postgraduate Certificate Program has been designed to support the continuing professional development of academic staff/faculty through integration of peer learning. Inherent in the design and delivery of the Peer Observation of Teaching scheme is the belief by all involved that learning about teaching in higher education, and heightening a sense of professionalism, stems from a continuous process of transforming and constructing personal meaning in a variety of related …

Ef Fi Cacy Of Steamer Jet-Injection As Alternative To Chlorine In Fresh-Cut Lettuce, Daniel Rico, Ana Belen Martin-Diana, Jesus Maria Frias, J. Barat, Gary Henehan, Catherine Barry-Ryan

Articles

The use of calcium lactate solutions has been shown to be a healthy alternative to chlorine washing in order to maintain the shelf-life of fresh-cut products. The aim of this research was to analyse the effects of calcium lactate (15 g L⁻¹) treatment at 25 °C and 50 °C (heat-shock) on the textural properties of sliced carrots and to compare those with the chlorine treatment (120 mg L⁻¹) widely used in industry. Several direct and indirect markers of textural changes in carrots during storage were used: Instron textural analysis, Cryo-SEM and optical microscopic, sensory analysis, pectin …

Efficacy Of Steamer Jet-Injection As Alternative To Chlorine In Fresh-Cut Lettuce, Ana Belen Martin-Diana, Daniel Rico, Catherine Barry-Ryan, Jesus Maria Frias, Gary Henehan, J. Barat

Articles

Short-time steam processing was used as an alternative to chlorine (100 mg L⁻¹) in sanitising fresh-cut lettuce. Quality (pH, water content, colour, potential browning, browning-related enzymes and texture), safety (mesophilic counts) and antioxidant markers (ascorbic and carotenoids) were monitored in lettuce stored for 10 days at 4 °C. The steam treatment produced a shocking effect on lettuce metabolism, showing a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in respiration (from day 3 to 7) and a partial inactivation of browning-related enzymes. Both effects were reflected in a significant reduction of browning. From a safety point of view, steam treatment kept the mesophilic load as low as chlorine treatment, and significantly lowers than the water control. However, antioxidant content, especially ascorbic acid but also carotenoids in a lower degree, showed a reduction compared with chlorine-treated samples. Despite the lower visual browning in steam-treated samples, the sensory panel scored similar values of acceptability and fresh appearance for both samples similarity.

Proteinparser:A Community Based Tool For The Generation Of A Detailed Protein Consensus And Fasta Output, Barry Ryan, Ronan Barrett

Articles

Comparison of bioinformatic data is a common application in the life sciences and beyond. In this communication, a novel Java based software tool, ProteinParser, is outlined. This soft- ware tool calculates a detailed consensus, or most common, amino acid at a given position in an aligned protein set, whilst also generating a full consensus protein FASTA output. A second application of this software tool, computing a consensus amino acid given a toler- ance threshold, is also demonstrated. The phytase and the common bacterial �-lactamase proteins are analysed as ‘proof of concept’ examples. Consensus proteins, as generated by ProteinParser, are regularly …

Enterobacter Sakazakii: An Emerging Microbe With Implications For Infant Health, N. R. Mullane, B. Healy, Ciara Walsh, C. Iversen, P. Whyte, P. G. Wall, T. Quinn, Seamus Fanning

Articles

Enterobacter sakazakii (E. sakazakii) is an opportunistic pathogen and the aetiological agent in rare but life-threatening cases of meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and sepsis in infants. Among infants, those at greatest risk are neonates (<28 >days), particularly those born prematurely or of low birth weight (g). Consumption of contaminated powdered infant formula (PIF) has been epidemiologically linked with cases of infection. Contamination can occur during the manufacturing process or during postmanufacture reconstitution of formula. Development of rapid, sensitive and specific detection methods will facilitate manufacturers efforts to reduce the occurrence of E. sakazakii in the final powdered product. Furthermore, since PIF …

Use Of The Mitsunobu Reaction In The Synthesis Of Orthogonally Protected A,B-Diaminopropionic Acids, Fintan Kelleher, Keith Ó Proinsias

Articles

Orthogonally protected a,b-diaminopropionic acids have been synthesised in good yields by the reaction of N-trityl L-serine esters with N-substituted sulfonamides under Mitsunobu reaction conditions (DEAD, PPh₃, THF). The best isolated yields were obtained when N-Boc p-toluenesulfonamide was used as the nitrogen nucleophile precursor in the Mitsunobu reaction. Subsequently, the N-trityl group was efficiently replaced with the more stable allyloxycarbonyl (alloc) group.

Volatility Spillovers Between Exchange Rates And Equity Markets: Evidence From Spain, Portugal And Italy, Lucia Morales

Conference papers

This paper investigates the nature of volatility spillovers between stock returns and exchange rate changes for Italy, Spain and Portugal for the 1996-1998 period prior to the introduction of the Euro as well as the 1999-2001 and 1992-2006 periods since the Euro has been introduced. We use an EGARCH model which takes into account whether bad news has the same impact on volatility as good news. We also investigate whether volatility spillovers between exchange rates and equity markets is stronger for some currencies than others. We find that there were no significant volatility spillovers from stock returns to exchange rates …

Determination Of Laser Absorption Coefficients Of Gas Mixtures Using An Ab Initio Md Model, Zhi Liang, Hai-Lung Tsai, Lan Jiang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In an Effort to Study the Laser Induced Dissociation of Gas Mixtures for an Ongoing Research Project on Diamond Thin Film Coating using Multiple Lasers, It is Necessary to Determine the Absorption Coefficient of Laser Energy by CO2 Gas. an Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics (AIMD) Model is Used to Determine the Laser Absorption Coefficient of CO2 Gas as a Function of Laser Wavelength and Gas Temperature. the Translational, Rotational, and Vibration Motions of Molecules Are All Taken into Account in Our Model. the Intra-Molecular Potential Energy is Obtained by Solving the Kohn-Sham Equation. the Projector-Augmented Wave (PAW) Exchange-Correlation Potential Function …

Breaking The Cycle-Preventing Failures By Leveraging Historical Data During Conceptual Design, Daniel A. Krus, Katie Grantham

Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Major engineering accidents are often caused by seemingly minor failures propagating through complex systems. One example of this is an accident involving a Bell 206 Rotorcraft where a fuel pump failure led to the severing of the tail boom. Cataloguing and communicating the knowledge of potential failures and failure propagations is critical to prevent further accidents. The need for effective failure prevention tools is not specific to rotorcrafts, however. Failure reporting systems have been adopted by various industries to aid and promote failure prevention. The catalogued failures usually consist of narratives describing which part of a product failed, how it …

Verifying Noninterference In A Cyber-Physical System The Advanced Electric Power Grid, David Cape, Xiaoqing Frank Liu, Bruce M. Mcmillin, Yan Sun

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The advanced electric power grid is a complex real-time system having both cyber and physical components. While each component may function correctly, independently, their composition may yield incorrectness due to interference. One specific type of interference is in the frequency domain, essentially, violations of the Nyquist rate. The challenge is to encode these signal processing problem characteristics into a form that can be model checked. To verify the correctness of the cyber-physical composition using model-checking techniques requires that a model be constructed that can represent frequency interference. In this paper, RT-PROMELA was used to construct the model, which was checked …

Wetting Kinetics Of A Thin Film Evaporating In Air, S. Saritha, Partho Neogi

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The conservation equation and the equations of motion are solved for a case where a thin liquid film moves out of a slot onto a horizontal surface. The liquid is allowed to evaporate into air. The evaporation process is taken to be isothermal. Lubrication theory approximation is used where only the tangential velocity and its dependence only in the normal direction are considered. The dynamics of thin films includes the use of disjoining pressure for a pure liquid and where there is a dissolved polymer. The results show that evaporation is quicker than film thinning such that a spreading regime …

Training Winner-Take-All Simultaneous Recurrent Neural Networks, Xindi Cai, Danil V. Prokhorov, Donald C. Wunsch

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The winner-take-all (WTA) network is useful in database management, very large scale integration (VLSI) design, and digital processing. The synthesis procedure of WTA on single-layer fully connected architecture with sigmoid transfer function is still not fully explored. We discuss the use of simultaneous recurrent networks (SRNs) trained by Kalman filter algorithms for the task of finding the maximum among N numbers. The simulation demonstrates the effectiveness of our training approach under conditions of a shared-weight SRN architecture. A more general SRN also succeeds in solving a real classification application on car engine data.

An Online Approximator-Based Fault Detection Framework For Nonlinear Discrete-Time Systems, Balaje T. Thumati, Jagannathan Sarangapani

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, a fault detection scheme is developed for nonlinear discrete time systems. The changes in the system dynamics due to incipient failures are modeled as a nonlinear function of state and input variables while the time profile of the failures is assumed to be exponentially developing. The fault is detected by monitoring the system and is approximated by using online approximators. A stable adaptation law in discrete-time is developed in order to characterize the faults. The robustness of the diagnosis scheme is shown by extensive mathematical analysis and simulation results.

A Proportional-Integrator Type Adaptive Critic Design-Based Neurocontroller For A Static Compensator In A Multimachine Power System, Salman Mohagheghi, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Yamille Del Valle, Ronald G. Harley

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A novel nonlinear optimal controller for a static compensator (STATCOM) connected to a power system, using artificial neural networks, is presented in this paper. The action dependent heuristic dynamic programming, a member of the adaptive critic designs family is used for the design of the STATCOM neurocontroller. This neurocontroller provides optimal control based on reinforcement learning and approximate dynamic programming. Using a proportional-integrator approach, the proposed neurocontroller is capable of dealing with actual rather than deviation signals. Simulation results are provided to show that the proposed controller outperforms a conventional PI controller for a STATCOM in a small and large …

Channel Estimation And Phase-Correction For Robust Underwater Acoustic Communications, Y. Rosa Zheng

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a new channel estimation, equalization, and phase correction scheme to combat the convergence and stability problem encountered by time-domain adaptive equalizers in underwater acoustic communication systems. Large Doppler spread and symbol scaling in underwater channels have been challenging problems causing significant phase drift and performance degradation. Our new method targets this problem by first allowing phase errors in the estimation of the fading channel coefficients and then perform group-wise (rather than symbol-wise) phase estimation and correction after equalization and multiple channel combining. Single transmitter and multiple receiver data obtained through ocean experiments have been processed using the …

Asia Pacific Perspectives Vol. 7 No. 1, July 2007, University Of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco

Asia Pacific Perspectives

Contents:

Editor's Introduction by Joaquin L. Gonzalez III

Cross-Regional Trade Cooperation: The Mexico-Japan Free Trade Agreement by Sarita D. Jackson

Latin American and Asia-Pacific countries are fervently forging economic cooperative relationships, which began with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in 1989. The two regions have shifted away from looking intra-regionally for economic stability against the forces of globalization. Rather, they have moved towards emphasizing cross-regional trade pacts. Cross-regional trade pacts present a number of advantages for member countries. The Mexico-Japan FTA, as a case study, shows us that trade and FDI between member countries increase with cross-regional free trade agreements (FTA). …

A Comparison Of Print Advertisements From Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates And The United States, Gilberto De Los Santos, Caroline Fisher, Salma Ghanem, Morris Kalliny, Anshu Saran

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study examines cultural differences between the United States and the Arab world regarding low/high context, collectivism/individualism, time orientation and man's relationship with nature in print advertising. Study reveals that the main differences between the United States and the Arab world include cultural values that are embedded in religious values and beliefs.

Forecasting Consumer Adoption Of Technological Innovation: Choosing The Appropriate Diffusion Models For New Products And Services Before Launch, Roger Calantone, Lance Gentry

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

There are many good articles on various forecasting models. There is consensus that no single diffusion model is best for every situation. Experts in the field have asked for studies to provide empirical-based guidelines for recommending when various models should be used. This research investigates multiple diffusion models and provides recommendations for which diffusion models are appropriate for radical and really new products and services before the launch of the innovation.

Probing Reactivity And Substrate Specificity Of Both Subunits Of The Dimeric Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Fabh Using Alkyl-Coa Disulfide Inhibitors And Acyl-Coa Substrates, Sarbjot Sachdeva, Faik Musayev, Mamoun M. Alhamadsheh, J. Neel Scarsdale, H. Tonie Wright, Kevin A. Reynolds

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The dimeric Mycobacterium tuberculosis FabH (mtFabH) catalyses a Claisen-type condensation between an acyl-CoA and malonyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) to initiate the Type II fatty acid synthase cycle. To analyze the initial covalent acylation of mtFabH with acyl-CoA, we challenged it with mixture of C6-C20 acyl-CoAs and the ESI-MS analysis showed reaction at both subunits and a strict specificity for C12 acyl CoA. Crystallographic and ESI-MS studies of mtFabH with a decyl-CoA disulfide inhibitor revealed a decyl chain bound in acyl-binding channels of both subunits through disulfide linkage to the active site cysteine. These data provide the first unequivocal evidence that …

Trampling, Peeling And Nibbling Mussels: An Experimental Assessment Of Mechanical And Predatory Damage To Shells Of Mytilus Trossulus (Mollusca: Mytilidae), Carlos E. Cintra-Buenrostro

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Shell damage, if properly recognized, can provide information about biotic interactions between molluscs and their predators. However, it can be difficult to distinguish predatory damage from mechanical breakage, thus making interpretation of damaged modern and fossil shells problematic. To establish a clear-cut distinction between antemortem predatory crab damage and ante- and postmortem mechanical damage in Mytilus trossulus shells, a combined field and experimental approach was used. Mussels were exposed to predation by crabs, tumbled-live, tumbled-dead, and trampled. After 100 h of tumbling, live-collected mussel shells were abraded and disarticulated but not otherwise damaged. Eight percent of the dead-collected shells were …

The Practitioner, The Priest, And The Professor: Perspectives On Self-Initiation In The American Neopagan Community, Marty Laubach, Louis Martinie’, Roselinda Clemons

Sociology and Anthropology Faculty Research

Initiation is a religious practice that is generally understood as involving socialization and acceptance into a religious community, but American Neopaganism, with its emphasis on individualism and autonomy, has evolved a meaning that challenges that simple understanding. American Neopagan communities are marketplaces of ideas that are comprised of groups and solo practitioners, all in interaction in which they might conduct main holidays together, but not necessarily work together in what they would consider more “serious” practices in which they receive the spirit communications with which they develop the ideas. Among groups, these practices include initiations through which candidates are trained …

Theories Of Learning And Curriculum Design - Key Positionalities And Their Relationships, Tony Cunningham, Julie Gannon, Mary B. Kavanagh, John Greene, Louise Reddy, Laurence Whitson

Articles

One of the challenges academics face when designing pedagogies and curricula is how best to articulate their own positionalities regarding the different ways theories or models of learning inform both the process of design as well as the product. It is difficult to find a text book or design resource that illustrates the relationships between the main theories of learning and how they might inform a coherent approach to programme design in higher education. For that reason we decided to produce this summative guide to learning theories and a chart illustrating their relevance for pedagogies and for curriculum design. The …

Citax: Defining Xml Standards For Data Exchange In The Construction Industry Supply Chain, Alan V. Hore, Roger West

Conference papers

The current methods of ordering, delivering and invoicing of products in the construction industry is enormously inefficient, with vast quantities of paperwork, duplication of effort, scanning, re-keying and resolving mismatches between invoices, delivery dockets and purchase orders. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Construction IT Alliance eXchange (CITAX) project and, in particular, to outline the work carried out-to-date by a special interest group within the project. They are seeking to define a universal set of eXtensible Mark-Up Language (XML) message standards that will allow suppliers and contractors to exchange information with each other in supply chain activity. …

Automating Ornamentation Transcription, Mikel Gainza, Eugene Coyle

Conference papers

A novel technique for detecting single and multi-note ornaments is presented. The system detects audio segments by utilising and onset detector based on comb filters (ODCF), which is capable of detecting very close events. In addition, a novel method to remove spurious onsets due to offset events is introduced. The system utilises musical ornamentation theory to decide whether a sequence of audio segments correspond to an ornamentation musical structure. In order to evaluate the results, a database of signals produced by different players using the three different instruments has been utilised. The results represent a step forward towards fully automating …

Shared And Mutual Knowledge In Language Learning, Marty Meinardi

Articles

This article discusses the matter of shared knowledge from the perspective of the different deictic centres of understanding. Difficulties, which may result from a possible lack of a shared knowledge between NSs and NNSs due to differences in language experiences and personal backgrounds, are identified.

University Futures: The Direction, Shape And Provision Of Higher Education In The University Of The Future, Arlene Finn, John Ratcliffe, Lorcan Sirr

Reports

The aim of this study is to help create an awareness of the changing milieu within which Higher Education (HE) will operate over coming decades, while concurrently exploring its possible alternative forms. The specific objectives of the study are to review literature relevant to the University of the Future in a global, European and Irish context. We have sought to determine key trends which have the potential to affect the future of Higher Education (and the institutions charged with its delivery), under the headings of Demography, Society, Technology, Governance, Economy and Environment, and to identify different possible formats for the …