bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The layering of a mountain podzol can strongly affect the distribution of infiltrated water in the soil profile
Authors: Jačka Lukáš , Pavlásek Jiří , Kalibová Jana , Bašta Petr , Kovář Martin , Kuráž Václav
Published: August 2018

The layering of the soil profile can influence the accumulation of infiltrated water and the way in which subsurface runoff is formed. This paper examines a mountain podzol characterized by clearly developed soil horizons. After these horizons had been identified, distinct soil layers were defined (the eluvial horizon, the spodic horizon (undifferentiated), and weathered bedrock). Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), particle size distribution and bulk density were measured in these layers. A visualization of the distribution of infiltrated water in the podzolic profile was performed using a dye tracer experiment. The accumulation of dyed water and a distinct lateral flow were detected in the eluvial layer. Only limited entry of water into the spodic layer was observed. These effects were caused by changes in soil hydraulic properties (SHP) among the investigated layers. For the spodic horizons, the measured Ks value (crucial SHP) was significantly lower than the Ks values for the other tested horizons. The probable reason for the lower Ks was an accumulation of fine particles and various substances in the spodic horizons, and corresponding changes in the porous system. The observed effects of layering indicate that water can be accumulated and subsurface runoff can be formed over the spodic layer during intensive rain or snow melting.
High incidence of shell injuries in an isolated population of the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) from Romania
Authors: Moraru Valentina E. , Zamfirescu Ștefan R. , Ciocănău Marius A. , Murariu Dumitru
Published: August 2018

Testudo graeca is one of the two species of tortoises from Romania, the other one being Testudo hermanni. It is well known that this species has a broad but fragmented distribution range and this fact labels this species as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. The population of Testudo graeca ibera from the Natura 2000 site “Marine dunes from Agigea” is characterized by a high percentage of injuries (84%) from the total of 43 individuals found alive. A high percentage of individuals have injuries on all the plates from carapace and plastron. All lesions appear to be chronic, suggesting that there is a series of predisposing factors, such as: inadequate terrain (concrete, metal, broken glass and other hard objects), high-density dog population and coprophagia, which could be a sign of unbalanced nutrition. This is the first report of a population of Testudo graeca which has such a high percentage of individuals with shell damage.
Working with “Others”: Developing Sustainability Skills in the First Year Engineering Classroom
Authors: Nesbit Susan , Ellis Naoko , Ostafichuk Pete
Published: August 2018

Abstract While engineering education excels at training students to solve well-defined and highly structured problems, it struggles to support the development of students’ abilities to address highly complex, ill-structured, and contested engineering problems that lack in definite solutions, where engineers are called on to work with non-engineers in a transdisciplinary environment.  The challenge for engineering educators is to develop and teach constructively aligned curricula aimed at developing transdisciplinary skills so that, as practitioners, graduating engineering students contribute to addressing these types of problems within transdisciplinary environments.

Efforts are underway in many institutions to close the gap between the transdisciplinary needs in practice and current engineering curricula. At the University of British Columbia (UBC), a team of faculty members and engineering practitioners have recently developed and are teaching a design-focused engineering course to all first year students. In this paper we, a subset of UBC’s teaching team, present the argument for teaching skills to engineering students that support transdisciplinary. Wesummarize the definitions of these skills found in the literature, and we speculate that the development of one aspect of transdisciplinary is related to personal development. Specifically, we hypothesize that systems thinking is correlated to metacognition. We describe an experimental strategy for testing the hypothesis within a first year engineering program, then we present and discuss preliminary test results.
Engineering educators’ perceptions of the influence of professional/industry experience on their teaching practice
Authors: Van Barneveld Angela , Strobel Johannes
Published: August 2018

Abstract –This preliminary study explored engineering educators’ perceptions of the influence of industry experience on their teaching practice. Fifty American engineering educators were interviewed. There appeared to be a distinction in the extent to which influence on practice was reported, based on years of industry experience. Three themes emerged – influence on content and curriculum, influence on instructional strategies and the integration of real world components, and benefits of being a practitioner/educator. Implications and future research are discussed.
SURVEYS FOR SIMULTANEOUS DIRECT AND INDIRECT ASSESSMENT
Authors: Wright Derek , Markoff Emma , Grove Jason , Al-Hammoud Rania , Milne Andrew , Pirnia Mehrdad
Published: August 2018

Abstract – As the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board moves toward outcomes-based assessment, engineering institutions are employing a variety of assessment tools and methods. Surveys are usually thought of as indirect measures. However, survey tools can easily provide direct measures as well, and can therefore simultaneously present direct and indirect assessments to students. This paper examines the benefits and possibilities of exploiting such simultaneous direct and indirect assessment.
THE ROLE OF ENGINEERING TEACHING AND LEARNING FELLOWS IN THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS OF ECE COURSES
Authors: Salem Deena , Frank Brian
Published: August 2018

Abstract –This paper presents work in progress of a participatory action research project of transforming some Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) courses with the help of Engineering Teaching and Learning Fellows (ETLF). The objective of this paper is to highlight the effectiveness of incorporating an ETLF, with expertise in both the engineering and education fields, in the process, and their accountability throughout the three phases: pre-transformation, transformation and post-transformation.
COMPARITIVE STUDY OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF ENGINEERING STUDENT TEAMS AND TEAM EFFECTIVENESS
Authors: Kartha Radhika R. , Fowler Dr Michael W. , Fraser Dr Roydon A.
Published: August 2018

Abstract – Design-and-build competitions are integral to effective higher engineering education. Yet, there is not much research investigating if the organizational structures of engineering student teams and team effectiveness follow any trends.

This paper delves into the possibility of this correlation by measuring parameters that contribute to effective teams. This research provides data that is used to judge best practices for engineering student teams. The findings from this paper can then be used as a basis for action when the students find a need for organization development in the future. Additionally, this analysis provides insight into teamwork in engineering. This could benefit 4th year design (a.k.a capstone) projects as well as innovative companies with similar settings.

The core contributors to a team's effectiveness are leadership, direction, planning, knowledge transfer, and meetings for engineering student teams. Although parameters like communication and team culture are important, student teams generally have no problems in these areas. By comparing three organizational structures, it is concluded that in general engineering student teams are best when they follow a holocratic or flatter organizational structure as opposed to a strictly flat organizational structure.
Teaching Societal Leadership Through Design: Case Study of a Cohort-Based Social Innovation Engineering Leadership Program
Authors: Huynh Albert , Klassen Mike
Published: August 2018

Abstract – Engineering students are well equipped with a technical background to become agents of social change. This paper highlights a co-curricular social innovation program that aims to foster that potential through team-based project-based learning. Key teaching methods are described, such as how students establish a vision, scope complex projects, effectively build teams, and leverage failure and iteration for learning. The program faces challenges maintaining student engagement and getting them to fully embrace learning through failure, but has had significant success in fostering self-reflection. It has also been successful in creating a structure whereby personal and leadership learning happen alongside design and project-oriented learning. There is opportunity for the teaching methods and structure of this program to be applied to other contexts in an effort to improve student team learning outcomes and find ways to integrate leadership learning into core technical and design courses.
COLLABORATIVE DIGITAL DESIGN NOTEBOOKS
Authors: Buchal Ralph O.
Published: August 2018

Abstract – Many design courses require students to maintain a paper-based personal design notebook or journal. The potential advantages of a digital notebook have been described in the literature, but few reports can be found on the use of digital notebooks in practice. This paper describes the design and implementation of a cloud-based collaborative workspace to provide a shared team design notebook. The shared workspace uses Microsoft SharePoint sites and Microsoft OneNote notebooks as the main components. SharePoint sites were created for 34 design teams in a 2nd-year engineering design course. Each site had a team notebook, document library, discussion forum, and task scheduler. Instructions and training were provided at the beginning of the course. Students were able to use the tools with little difficulty, and were able to use them as an effective replacement for a paper notebook. However, many teams did not make full use of the available capabilities, and there was little evidence of higher-level collaborative activities. The described implementation is technically and financially feasible, is scalable to large classes, and satisfies most of the requirements of a collaborative design notebook. However, scaffolding and training are needed to ensure that students collaborate effectively.
Innovative Use of Media to Increase Student Engagement for a Large Second-year Core Course: “Engineering Economics”
Authors: Flemming Scott A.C.
Published: August 2018

Abstract – As most practitioners are aware, student engagement in large first- or second-year engineering classes is difficult. In a traditional lecture-style presentation instructors are given the challenging task of explaining difficult technical material to several hundred students in such a way that they are not distracted by their friends, cellphones, or the lecture hall atmosphere.  In the literature, various solutions to student engagement are suggested: flipped classrooms, design projects, brainstorming sessions, paraphrasing exercises, and selfrating exercises [1].  The author attempted to implement various of these interventions with little anecdotal success. However, a modification of the “think-pairshare” idea as described by Karl Smith, from a subjective point of view, seemed to capture the class more than the default lecture/powerpoint method.  Enumeration of student comments about the intervention and a comparison of means from student self reports of “stimulation of learning” suggests that the intervention was successful. Future work is planned to further refine the lectures in terms of student engagement in the lecture theatre and the tutorial classroom.
Re-engaging Students by Teaching from the Middle and Back of a 500-seat Lecture Hall
Authors: Smith James Andrew
Published: August 2018

Abstract – To better engage with students, especially in a large traditional classroom, one should consider teaching from multiple locations within the classroom, not just in the front. In classes where computers can be used to project material to the front of the classroom teachers should consider wireless peripherals or computers to achieve dynamic content delivery from beyond the podium. A variety of technologies were examined here, with wireless Wacom drawing tablets paired with either Apple or Windows computers, Miracast-enabled Windows tablets, and Doceri’s Whiteboard mode on Windows tablets and Apple iPads yielding the best results. The Wacom Tablet and Apple Trackpad were found to enable greater engagement of students, from the front to the rear of the classroom. More rigorous tests with the other technologies is to be carried out in the future.
TEACHING CREDIBLE VALIDATION AND VERIFICATION METHODS TO A LARGE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING DESIGN CLASS
Authors: Komisar Vicki , Flood Andrew , Walji Noosheen , Foster Jason , Irish Robert
Published: August 2018

Abstract – This paper describes our experiences in teaching credible validation and verification methods to a class of 250 first-year Engineering Science students at the University of Toronto. While our students have previously developed proof-of-concept prototypes, this was the first year that testing their prototypes against key design requirements – and substantially integrating stakeholder feedback into their projects – were course expectations. 

Core strategies to support our students included leveraging the expertise of a multidisciplinary teaching team; training students to collect and interpret data from community stakeholders; demystifying prototyping and testing through small-scale activities; and legitimizing our expectations through real-world examples.

Student design teams generally performed well with respect to validation and verification criteria on their summative project evaluations. Most teams effectively integrated stakeholder feedback with other research into developing and refining their designs, and demonstrated that their prototypes addressed key metrics. Challenges to be addressed in future course iterations are discussed.
HOW FINE ARE THE EMPEROR’S CLOTHES? – MOTIVATING CRITICAL AND ETHICAL DESIGN PRACTICES BY DECONSTRUCTING ENGINEERING CODES AND STANDARDS
Authors: Komisar Vicki , Irish Robert , Foster Jason
Published: August 2018

Abstract – At the University of Toronto, Engineering Science students are typically introduced to the engineering codes and standards that they are expected to incorporate into framing and responding to engineering design challenges in their first year of study. In our experience, however, students do not always appreciate that these codes and standards may not reflect the interests of key (and potentially under-represented) stakeholders, and thus may not be appropriate for their engineering context. To encourage our students to adopt a more critical perspective when working with codes and standards, we exposed them to case examples of contentious regulations, and highlighted the objectives, people, and processes behind the development of these works. Our examples focus on common products to which first-year students can relate, such as handrails and stairs. By exposing our students to the people and processes by which codes and standards are developed, and to the controversies associated with contentious policy decisions, we expect that students will adopt a rigorous approach to using engineering codes and standards in their design activities.
SCAFFOLDING STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING ENGINEERING DESIGN IN A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Galaleldin Mohamed , Anis Hanan , Dumond Patrick , Knox David
Published: August 2018

Abstract –Collaborative Project Based Learning (CPBL) is known for enhancing deep learning, professional skills development, student engagement and motivation, cultivating interdependence in learning, thinking, problem solving, and creating interest and excitement in learning. This article describes the impact of an engineering design course on first-year engineering students. Student performance was evaluated before and after taking the course using a pre-and-post design skill assessment test, peer feedback evaluations, and thematic analysis of each student’s self-reflection of lessons learned. Initial analysis of the data indicates that a CPBL environment has a significantly positive impact on the development of engineering students’ ability to describe the engineering design process and relate it directly to real-world problems. Students also realized the importance of communication, team work, investigation and project management skills.
An Overview of the Teaching Assistant Consultant Program for Developing Competency in Novice Engineering Graduate Teaching Assistants
Authors: Bubbar Kush , Dimopoulos Alexandros , Korpan Cynthia , Wild Peter
Published: August 2018

As engineering education strives to progress towards a student-centric learning model, a competency gap with future educators becomes more apparent. In particular, the expectation of graduate student teaching assistants (GTAs) in attaining teaching competency to support this dynamic learning environment, often without sufficient training, is unrealistic.In the following paper, we present an implementation of the flexible Teaching Assistant Consultant (TAC) program, which serves to support the development of novice GTA competencies using a discipline-specific model with emphasis on assisting the unique challenges of international teaching assistants.We introduce the specific role of the TAC in terms of core principles and deliverables, and the strategic structure of the campus wide program at the University of Victoria. We conclude by detailing the specific implementation of the program in engineering by illustrating the role and deliverables of the engineering TAC.
INTEGRATING ELEMENTS OF TEAM-BASED LEARNING AND INCREASING INDEPENDENCE IN A 4TH-YEAR LAB COURSE TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM-SOLVING AND TROUBLESHOOTING SKILLS
Authors: Potvin Gabriel
Published: August 2018

Although conventional labs provide good opportunities to develop technical communication and analytical skills, they offer few avenues to develop creative problem-solving or experimental design skills. Even when an open-ended Problem-Based Lab (PBL) format is followed, many students remain reliant on TAs or instructors and when problems arise are reluctant to attempt a solution themselves. This paper describes a new design for a 4th-year chemical engineering PBL-based lab course that incorporates elements of Team-Based Learning (TBL), flexibility, and greatly reduces formal supervision to promote independence, problem-solving, troubleshooting, and critical thinking skills. The course structure and deliverables are described. Student feedback, collected from surveys, indicates that they preferred this approach compared to regular labs and felt it was quite successful in developing the aforementioned skills and in increasing their confidence in their engineering judgement. It will therefore be expanded in the future.
HOW DO FIRST YEAR STUDENTS FORM THEIR PROJECT TEAMS?
Authors: Maggs Elizabeth , Hulls Carol , Rennick Chris , Robinson Mary
Published: August 2018

Abstract - Common wisdom of how students, form their teams for projects is "who they know", not necessarily who would make a good teammate, nor someone they can actually work with.   In their first semester on campus, Mechatronics students have multiple opportunities to work with their classmates, any of which could have contributed to how they formed their course project team. The activities range in scope from straightforward assignments to challenging projects, and vary in length from one, to several weeks.  This research was conducted as a sequential explanatory, mixed-methods study. First semester team formation data was cross-checked with survey responses, and student self-reporting on satisfaction with their choice of team members. Focus groups were then conducted to investigate external forces on team formation.  Conclusions from the initial work show that students are much more strategic with who they work with than initially hypothesized and the motivations behind the choice of teammates are diverse, and complex. Further work needs to be completed to see how widespread these motivations are across Engineering at UWaterloo.
Practices and Beliefs about Educational Data Usage
Authors: Sivanand Ajay , Frank Dr. Brian
Published: August 2018

Abstract – As programs drive to innovate in educational delivery they are increasingly seeking to apply and connect diverse data sets, including student performance data arising from learning outcomes assessment, student activity data in learning management systems, and survey data. This research study is aimed at developing a model to support visualization of educational data to support a range of data needs from individual reflection to program improvement and change management. A literature review around assessment data usage indicated that there is currently a gap in the assessment cycle between collecting the educational data and putting it to use towards educational data needs. Facilitating ways to close this gap served as the motivation for the study. The first phase of this study, as approved by the instructional research ethics board, was to find out how instructors, faculty administration, and educational developers use data and the role it has in improving the student experience.  We conducted semi-structured interviews of twelve faculty and educational staff who collect, analyze, and reflect on educational data. Interviews were created according to McCracken and analyzed using Charmaz’s abductive approach to grounded theory. The emerging data presents a number of emergent themes around the affective aspects of how stakeholders feel about how data is and is not being used.  This paper will describe the method to approach to the qualitative data gathering and analysis procedure, and the ideas that emerged from the interviews that we think are of interest to readers.
Adapting CEAB Graduate Attributes to Promote Graduate Student Success in the Canadian Engineering Community
Authors: Caines Susan , Lye Leonard M.
Published: August 2018

Abstract –Graduate engineering programs at Memorial University’s Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science are not accredited and as such there is no information available on non-technical professional skills development. These skills are essential for successful entry into the Canadian engineering community. To assess the current graduate program, an assessment methodology was developed based on the CEAB graduate attribute assessment process used for undergraduate program accreditation. An initial application of this methodology to Process Engineering indicates that all professional skills are not covered for all students. This lead to modifications for current programing that will ensure all students are exposed to the skills needed for a successful career in engineering.
BACKING UP A TRAILER – AN APPLICATION-BASED VECTOR ANALYSIS PROJECT FOR 2ND YEAR CALCULUS
Authors: Teertstra Peter , Bedi Sanjeev
Published: August 2018

Abstract – A project for the second year calculus course, ME201, will be presented. Students worked in groups, make measurements using physical prototypes and performed analysis to predict behavior for the physical situation of reversing (backing up) a vehicle attached to a single axle trailer. The objectives of the project were to reinforce concepts from previous courses, including physics (vector components) and linear algebra (matrices), to demonstrate key concepts from the current course (vector products, moment vector), and to generate interest in future courses (sensors and feedback, control systems). This paper will outline the development process for the project, including the design and fabrication of the physical prototypes and the selection of test conditions.  Measurements and analysis from the project, including samples of student work, will be presented.
OUTCOME COMPARISON FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGN COURSES IN ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Zakani Sima , Kaupp Jake , Turner Roderick , Frank Brian
Published: August 2018

Abstract – Inconsistent transfer policies, lack of articulated syllabi, and subsequent differences on the delivery of comparable courses are a few examples of the obstacles that Ontario students face when trying to change programs. This study sought to develop a framework to support transfer between engineering and engineering technology programs in Ontario using explicit and implicit course outcomes to help develop and define new pathways.  Primarily focusing on program expectations in introductory design courses this study compared the content and context of design projects in different institutions and programs across the province. The contextual framework, namely the “Outcome Comparison Framework for Engineering and Technology”, synthesized relevant elements from existing frameworks which can collectively identify the differences in the context of learning in engineering and technology disciplines. This framework looks into disciplinarity, use of tools and design thinking required to successfully finish a design project.  We collected design projects from 5 technology programs and 4 engineering programs across the province and coded them based on the content targeted by the project description and the three dimensions of the framework.  Content analysis for design courses showed an overall low percentage of alignment between the learning outcomes and the project descriptions across the board.  It was found that engineering design courses were more focused on principles of engineering design (problem definition, stakeholder needs, idea generation, decision making) and development of professional characteristics (workplace communication skills, ethics, etc.); but technology design courses, focused on the use of more “hands-on”' skills (building/implementation, troubleshooting, etc.)
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF DESCRIPTORS FOR UNIVERSAL PROBLEM-ANALYSIS RUBRIC
Authors: Memarian Bahar , McCahan Susan
Published: August 2018

Abstract –This paper describes the process for creating and validating descriptors for a universal problem-analysis rubric. Our objective is to create descriptors that provide effective feedback to students on assessments that have been designed to elicit the demonstration of metacognitive problem-analysis skills.  Building on previously tested and validated indicators as well as benchmarking descriptors from credible and cited rubrics (e.g. the VALUE rubrics), the descriptors were developed through decomposition of global outcome statements and expansion into separate dimensions. The descriptors were then iteratively revised through consultation with faculty experts who teach in fields where assessment of problem-analysis is common. This involved individual faculty and focus group sessions held with engineering faculty members.  The universal problem-analysis rubric created could serve as a resource for engineering faculty to accompany their problem-analysis learning activities (e.g. problem sets) and to elicit student work that is aligned with learning outcomes students need to demonstrate to fulfill CEAB assessment needs. They could also use them as an evaluation tool to increase consistency and reliability of evaluation especially in large classes with multiple assessors.
DO CARROTS MAKE YOU STRONG? MOTIVATIONAL AND TEAMWORK EFFECTS OF GAMIFICATION OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR FIRST YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENTS
Authors: Klassen Mike , Bazylak Jason , Sheridan Patricia K. , Huynh Albert
Published: August 2018

Abstract – There is an increasing interest in developing leadership capacity among engineering students, but these efforts are often split between curricular and cocurricular initiatives. This paper reports on an attempt to bridge these two worlds by using in-class incentives for first-year students to participate in leadership workshops.  Findings are that team leaders participate at higher than average rates, that students surveyed had attended a large number of workshops and gave on average more detailed feedback than previous cohorts. However, there was no major evidence of greater team-member effectiveness among those who participated in workshops.
ASSESSMENT OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS: EXPERIENCE FROM A JOINT ENGINEERING-BUSINESS CLASS EXPERIMENT
Authors: Pasek Zbigniew J.
Published: August 2018

Abstract –This paper discusses selected preliminary results from a collaborative efforts between undergraduate engineering and business students working together on a joint semester-long project. The project, though common for all students, was simultaneously a requirement in two, parallel run courses, one in engineering and another one in business. The cohort of participating students was fairly large, and involved about 240 second year students from engineering and 50 fourth year from business.

The information about students’ attitudes and project teams dynamics was collected by means of two surveys, one at the beginning and the other at the end of the courses, and also through a peer-evaluation software platform.

This experiential learning efforts is one of the first in North America of this size to combine multidisciplinary entrepreneurial teams at the undergraduate level.
Acute peripheral facial paralysis following varicella infection: An uncommon complication
Authors: Hanalioğlu Damla , Özsürekci Yasemin , Büyükçam Ayşe , Gültekingil-Keser Ayşe , Tekşam Özlem , Ceyhan Mehmet
Published: August 2018

Chickenpox is caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV/HHV-3), which is one of the eight human herpes viruses. Although chickenpox has a good prognosis, neurologic complications including encephalitis, acute cerebellar ataxia, myelitis and meningitis may seldom be associated with the disease. Peripheral facial palsy (PFP) is an extremely rare complication in patients with chickenpox. Herein, we report a 12-year-old boy with chickenpox and unilateral peripheral facial palsy, who was successfully treated with short-term steroids and physical rehabilitation.
Dissolution and Performing Homogeneous Photocatalysis of Polymeric Carbon Nitride
Authors: Huang Chaofeng , Wen Jing , Shen Yanfei , He Fei , Mi Li , Gan Ziyu , Ma Jin , Liu Songqin , Ma Haibo , Zhang Yuanjian
Published: August 2018

As a metal-free conjugated polymer, carbon nitride (CN) has attracted tremendous attention as heterogeneous (photo)catalysts. By following prototype of enzymes, making all catalytic sites of accessible via homogeneous reactions is a promising approach toward maximizing CN activity, but hindered due to the poor insolubility of CN. Herein, we report the dissolution of CN in environment-friendly methane sulfonic acid and the homogeneous photocatalysis driven by CN for the first time with the activity boosted up to 10-times, comparing to the heterogeneous counterparts. Moreover, facile recycling and reusability, the hallmark of heterogeneous catalysts, were kept for the homogeneous CN photocatalyst via reversible precipitation using poor solvents. It opens new vista of CN in homogeneous catalysis and offers a successful example of polymeric catalysts in bridging gaps of homo/heterogeneous catalysis.
Environmental Control Programs the Emergence of Distinct Product Ensembles from Unconstrained Chemical Reaction Networks
Authors: Surman, Andrew J. , Garcia Marc Rodriguez , Abul-Haija Yousef , Cooper Geoffrey , Gromski Piotr S. , Turk-MacLeod Rebecca , Mullin Margaret , Mathis Cole , Walker Sara , Cronin Leroy
Published: August 2018

Harnessing and then controlling combinatorial explosions in uncontrolled condensation reactions of simple building blocks is a key problem to many hypotheses on the origin of life. Much has been achieved in understanding how the building blocks of biopolymers may be formed, and in understanding how macromolecules may produce functional and increasingly life-like systems. How these steps can be joined, and how defined populations of macromolecules can form from mixtures of simple building blocks, instead of an undifferentiated mess, remain open questions. Herein, we show how unconstrained condensation reactions of both amino acids, and prebiotic soup mixtures produced by spark discharge, can be steered by changes in the reaction environment, such as order of reactant addition (mixing history), and addition of salts or minerals. Using techniques akin to untargeted metabolomics to survey product distributions we demonstrate that while these reactions do produce a large range of species, there are distinct, significant, and reproducible differences between the product ensembles. Furthermore, we observe that differences in composition are demonstrated through clearly different structural and functional properties. Using this approach, we demonstrate for the first time that simple variations in environmental parameters can mediate the differentiation of distinct ensembles from both amino acid mixtures and a classic primordial soup model (products of a ‘Miller Urey’ type spark discharge reaction). This shows that the synthetic complexity produced by such unconstrained reactions is not as intractable as often suggested, when viewed through a chemically agnostic lens. An open approach to complexity can generate compositional, structural, and functional diversity from fixed sets of simple starting materials, suggesting that differentiation of product mixtures can occur in the wider environment without the need for biological machinery.
Editorial
Authors: Da Silveira Vladmir Oliveira
Published: August 2018

A RDB é uma publicação oficial do CONPEDI, quadrimestral, que visa fomentar o estudo das questões relevantes que envolvem a justiça constitucional tanto no âmbito nacional, como internacional. Nesse sentido procura-se estudar os principais temas do Direito Contemporâneo de modo reflexivo e dialético. Objetiva-se criar um campo vasto de discussão e aproximação do Direito interno e Internacional, propiciando um intercâmbio de informações e soluções sobre as mais diversas questões jurídicas situadas no âmbito da justiça constitucional. Tem como objetivo oferecer aos estudiosos do Direito uma visão atualizada dos principais temas do Direito Contemporâneo.
Faktor Pemilihan Lokasi Bermukim pada Kawasan Rawan Bencana Longsor di Desa Guntur Macan, Kabupaten Lombok Barat
Authors: Widayanti Baiq Harly , Yuniarman Ardi , Susanti Febrita
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this research is to understand the settlement pattern and the factors that determine the selection of settlement locations on areas prone to landslides at Guntur Macan Village, West Lombok Regency. The research uses qualitative method by conducting questionnaire and in-depth interview to respondents. Mapping of community houses together with analysis on nearest neighbors in viewing the settlement patterns were conducted. Categorical frequency analysis was used to measure villagers’ perceptions that affect their choice to settle at disaster-prone areas. The result of mapping shows the existing settlement patterns are either cluster, linear or spread. The result of analysis of nearest neighbors shows T value of 1.74, which means an evenly spread pattern. Based on villager’s perception, factors determining the selection of settlement locations on areas prone to landslides are distance away from high-noises, pollution levels that do not interfere with health, and accessibility to job sites.
O design instrucional aplicado a infográficos em atividade educacional multimídia no Ensino Superior
Authors: Knoll Graziela Frainer , Minuzzi Reinilda de Fátima Berguenmayer
Published: August 2018

Este artigo de pesquisa tem por objetivo geral analisar a aplicação de princípios do Design Instrucional em infográficos a partir de uma atividade de estudo no ambiente virtual de aprendizagem de um curso superior presencial de Comunicação. Como objetivos específicos pretende-se: descrever os infográficos criados por estudantes em termos de classificação e funcionalidade; refletir sobre o Design Instrucional aplicado a infográficos e sua utilização como recurso didático multimodal. A metodologia da pesquisa é qualitativa e descritiva, com a análise de oito infográficos produzidos pelos estudantes em uma atividade educacional. Constatou-se que o uso do infográfico na elaboração de conteúdos e atividades requer noções de planejamento visual e habilidades de síntese e representação. Salienta-se que os infográficos cujas funções comunicacionais não se restringiram à função decorativa (estética) ativam, potencialmente, a capacidade de memória de trabalho do estudante, pois agregam significados por meio de dois sistemas de representação.
Interculturalidade e a formação de professores: reflexões a partir dos documentos que orientam as políticas públicas de ensino para a formação de professores da Educação Básica
Authors: Mutti Gabriele de Sousa Lins , Marçal Cleonice , Machado Maria Laura de Oliveira
Published: August 2018

A instauração de uma educação que privilegie a interculturalidade e a alteridade tem sido defendida na literatura. Ela solicita, entretanto, a superação de compreensões que tomem a interculturalidade na escola pautada na mera informação. Para tanto, um dos aspectos preponderantes é a reflexão acerca dos documentos que orientam as ações que são desenvolvidas pelos professores nas salas de aula de todo o país. Nesse artigo explicitamos as compreensões que emergiram quando interrogamos: O que se mostra sobre a interculturalidade nos documentos que orientam as políticas públicas de ensino para a formação de professores da Educação Básica? Estabelecida a partir de uma abordagem qualitativa de pesquisa, por meio da análise de conteúdo, essa interrogação nos levou ao levantamento de 18 documentos, entre diretrizes, resoluções e pareceres disponibilizados pelo Ministério da Educação Brasileiro. Esses documentos foram categorizados e analisados com o auxílio do software Atlas.ti. Os resultados revelaram que a discussão sobre a interculturalidade no contexto da formação de professores, ainda tem se mostrado limitada a cultura indígena e afro e mesmo havendo o incentivo para adoção de práticas pedagógicas que favoreçam a valorização da diversidade cultural na escola, são ínfimas as sugestões de encaminhamentos que permitam essa adoção.
A importância do desenho instrucional para o sucesso de cursos online: uma revisão sistemática
Authors: Lotthammer Karen Schmidt , Da Silva Juarez Bento , Ferenhof Hélio Aisenberg
Published: August 2018

Com a disseminação das tecnologias da informação e comunicação na educação, cresceu exponencialmente a criação e disponibilização de cursos online. A partir da popularização destes cursos, observou-se também a grande evasão dos participantes, resultando em baixos números de concluintes. Em vista disso, este trabalho visa analisar a importância do desenho instrucional para o engajamento de alunos em cursos online. Para tal, realizou-se uma revisão sistemática com base no modelo SSF (Systematic Search Flow). A revisão resultou na identificação de metodologias de ensino aprendizagem voltadas para elaboração de cursos online, nos públicos-alvo os quais os cursos estão endereçados e os principais recursos utilizados para promover a interação e engajar os alunos em seus estudos. Conclui-se que o desenho instrucional possui grande importância para a eficiência dos cursos, pois permite o planejamento de um curso e seleção dos recursos mais apropriados de acordo com o público alvo.
The benefits of sustained undergraduate inter-programme collaborations between international partners
Authors: Hurkett Cheryl P , Symons Sarah L , Gretton Sarah N , Harvey Chad T , Lock Phillipa E , Williams Dylan P , Raine Derek J
Published: August 2018

This paper explores the use of relatively small-scale, virtual, classroom-level interactions that have developed into a sustained partnership between two institutions on two sides of the Atlantic. These interactions have benefitted the student bodies and faculty members as well as addressing institutional strategic agendas (e.g. internationalization). This partnership goes beyond the common exchange program paradigm: it impacts upon the academic and transferable skill sets of the entire student body rather than just exchange students. We provide examples of these collaborative activities and discuss their particular benefits to the student bodies. Whilst the two programs share similar pedagogies and degree content, which has helped these interactions, we aim to show how individual faculty members can initiate and mediate sustainable inter-program interactions between any Higher Education providers with sustainable effort.Keywords: Undergraduate education, institutional cooperation, exchange, international collaboration, innovative pedagogies, experiential learning
From Medina to Runnymede: Comparing the Foundational Legacies of the Constitution of Medina and the Magna Carta
Authors: Kleidosty Jeremy
Published: August 2018

Identifying an Islamic constitutional tradition can be controversial due to orthodox Muslim understandings of God’s sovereignty and agency. Further complicating such discussions are arguments surrounding the compatibility of Muslim traditions with international norms alternately referred to as ‘Western’ or ‘universal’, depending upon one’s political preferences. This comparative examination of Muhammad’s ‘Constitution of Medina’ and the Magna Carta argues that where there is assent and accountability, there is also agency. Just as the relatively spare discussion of rights in the Magna Carta laid the foundations of what would become a far more expansive constitutional tradition in the West, the very existence of Muhammad’s covenant along with the fact that this covenant details specific tribal duties with corresponding rights to societal goods and a vision of the rule of law, indicates that Islamic states can indeed codify and negotiate the challenges of governing, even within the framework of a transcendent law (sharīʿa). Assessing the unique constitutional characteristics of the ‘Constitution of Medina’ and the Magna Carta will reveal that each of these documents, while not properly constitutions, are concerned with fundamental constitutional issues that have surprising resonance in the aftermath of the Arab Revolutions of 2011 and in other redistributions of international power.
An Alternative Representation of Femininity in 1920s Lebanon: Through the Mise-en-Abîme of a Masculine Space
Authors: Nachabe Yasmine
Published: August 2018

In the 1920s, during the early French mandate in Lebanon (1920-1943), a period of major social, political and economic changes and a rising women’s movement in Syria and Lebanon, a young woman in her mid-twenties was recording her everyday life with a photographic camera in the village of Zgharta in the north of Lebanon. The imported lightweight and user-friendly Eastman Kodak attracted the woman’s interest. Clicking the button to capture whatever shot she deemed worth the effort, Marie al-Khazen (1899-1983) left behind more than two hundred six-by-nine centimeter negative plates. In a number of these photographs al-Khazen and her friends and family appear as if they were using the apparatus to stage themselves and their lifestyles in the way they would have wanted them to appear.
The Role of Israel in Ayman Nour's Liberal Vision for Egypt
Authors: Winter Ofir
Published: August 2018

In recent years, Ayman Nour has emerged as a prominent leader of the Egyptian liberal opposition. Although Israel is not at the focus of his discourse, it is, nevertheless, not entirely ignored. This article examines Nour's attitude toward Israel by analyzing his views on three inter-connected issues: (a) his views on the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty and normalizing relations with Israel; (b) the distinction between his approaches to the United States and to Israel; (c) his vision for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the future of Israeli-Egyptian relations. In his public activity, Nour embodies a unique case study for Israel's role in the overall political agenda of a liberal oppositionist in contemporary Egypt. This article argues that understanding Nour's motives allow us to interpret his positions toward Israel as part of a broader line against the Egyptian regime, and not necessarily as reflecting a systematic ideological doctrine.
Immunity to the Arab Spring? Fear, Fatigue and Fragmentation in Algeria
Authors: McAllister Edward
Published: August 2018

Rather than asking why the Arab Spring has not spread to Algeria, a question that necessitates a comparative approach, this paper will argue that the localised protests that have become a familiar feature of Algerian life for over half a decade respond to Algerian dynamics and have continued to do so in the wake of the Arab Spring. As part of an on-going research project, this paper will use social memory to explore the contradictory nature of Algeria’s past-present relationship, by looking at experiences which at once define what Algerians expect from the state and demobilise energies for collective change. The paper will argue that the fragmented nature of narratives about the past, as well as related generational divides, are factors that have inhibited the growth of cohesive movements demanding political change. In addition, the paper will look critically at assumptions that fears of a return to the violent 1990s are defining reticence toward revolution in Algeria, and will suggest that the riots of October 1988 provide a more useful reference point for understanding the clear lack of enthusiasm for a home-grown Arab Spring.
A Re-evaluation of the Revisionist - Status Quo Dichotomy in Interwar Turkish Foreign Policy, 1936-1939
Authors: Çoban Mustafa
Published: August 2018

Turkish history during the interwar period (1918-1939) has been described in terms which place it on a dichotomy best used to analyse the actions of the eventual belligerents in World War II. This dichotomy describes the eventual defeated Axis countries as revisionist and the victorious Allies as status quo nations in the interwar period. The contention is that this distinction, taking as its basis the actions of belligerents, is unhelpful in analysing the foreign policy of a non-belligerent state in WWII.Three case studies are examined through the secondary literature as well as archival sources to show that notions of Turkey as either status quo or revisionist are not entirely accurate. This is because Turkish foreign policy can be classified as either or both, thus diminishing the terms’ explanatory utility. Three case studies are; the Montreux Straits Convention (1936), the Saadabad Pact (1937) and the Sanjak dispute of Alexandretta (1936-39). A reading of history which assumes macro level (1914-1945) superiority based on Great Power interests and actions undermines the complexity of Turkish foreign policy in the 1930s. By extension, the practice of subsuming the actions of smaller states under terminology which was intended for Great Powers is challenged.
Preparatory stage effectiveness increase in manufacturing machinery of dispersed-strengthening polymeric composites
Authors: Нотин Илья , Notin Ilya
Published: August 2018

A prediction matter of dispersed-strengthened polymeric composites strength characteristics at the pre-production stage of engineering parts has been considered which allows decreasing time and material costs. Strength characteristics of dispersed-strengthened polymeric composites (DSPC) have been considered from the view point of power concept and estimated through the definition of specific power characteristics of material on the basis of data of its composition. As a basis for the definition of the value of specific power characteristics there was assumed a condition for the formation of a directed polymeric layer close to the “extender-polymer” boundary which contributes a basic share into formation of DSPC strength characteristics.