Typo-resource: developing T&L support materials through collaboration

This paper reports on a collaborative project between staff and students in the Department of Typography & Graphic Communication at the University of Reading The Partnerships in Learning and Teaching (PLanT) project here described is a direct response to student needs for better online support materials. Methodologically, the project embeds user-centred design principles within an iterative process of design development and participant research. This process has underpinned the development of a prototype for an online interface called Typo-Resource. The resulting initial prototype addresses the usability and user experience dimensions of an online learning resource, moving beyond providing tutor-identified sets of resources to a multifaceted, collaborative, and visual platform for peer learning

Multi frequency evaporative cooling to BEC in a high magnetic field

We demonstrate a way to circumvent the interruption of evaporative cooling observed at high bias field for $^{87}$Rb atoms trapped in the (F=2, m=+2) ground state. Our scheme uses a 3-frequencies-RF-knife achieved by mixing two RF frequencies. This compensates part of the non linearity of the Zeeman effect, allowing us to achieve BEC where standard 1-frequency-RF-knife evaporation method did not work. We are able to get efficient evaporative cooling, provided that the residual detuning between the transition and the RF frequencies in our scheme is smaller than the power broadening of the RF transitions at the end of the evaporation ramp.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Dexmedetomidine As An Adjunct To Regional And Neuraxial Anesthesia

Regional and neuraxial anesthetic techniques are ever-expanding, and an understanding of the tools, medications, and adjuncts associated with these techniques is prudent for anesthesia providers. One goal of these techniques is to extend pain management beyond the initial surgical phase by using long-acting local anesthetics with or without adjunct medications. The purpose of this review is to detail the clinical utility, benefits, and risks of dexmedetomidine as an adjunct to regional and neuraxial anesthetic techniques. This review includes an analysis of literature of over 20 randomized controlled trials comparing the use of dexmedetomidine to other adjuncts in common regional and neuraxial techniques in adult patients. This expanding body of research suggests dexmedetomidine may exert desirable effects as an adjunct to regional and neuraxial anesthesia

Effects of a nursing intervention with homeless veterans

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine if a specific nursing intervention to instill hope would positively influence levels of hope, self- efficacy, self-esteem and depression in homeless veterans. Miller\u27s (1983, 1992) Model of Patient Power Resources served as the conceptual framework from which a middle-range theory of Homelessness-Hopelessness was derived to guide the study. The sample consisted of 40 homeless veterans from the Homeless Evaluation Unit (HEU) Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Mountain Home, Tennessee. The subjects completed pretests on admission, were randomly assigned to the treatment or waiting control group and completed posttests at the end of four weeks of either specialized nursing intervention or the usual and customary treatment in the HEU. Data were collected with the Miller Hope Scale (Miller & Powers, 1988), the General Self-Efficacy Subscale (Sherer, Maddox, Mercandante, Prentice, Dunn, Jacobs, & Rogers, 1982), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979). Test-retest reliability was high for each instrument. Qualitative data were recorded in field notes. Quantitative statistical analyses were performed on the data using correlations, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and t-tests. The qualitative data were analyzed for patterns and themes. Length of homelessness was inversely related to hope and positively related to depression on admission to the study. There was support for the vii Homelessness-Hopelessness theory as evidenced by a high level of depression and low levels of hope, self-efficacy and self-esteem among these homeless veterans. Further support for the theory was seen in the increased levels of hope and self-esteem and decreased depression in veterans who received the nursing intervention. Treatment and control groups differed significantly with regard to hope at posttest. Implications for the nursing profession, public policy and future research were discussed

Commentary—Disenchantment with the “Egalitarian Revolution”

When I heard the discussion this morning, what came to mind is the problem in law of the different levels on which one has to operate in trying to address or deal with this problem

Rural First Responders A Comprehensive Approach to Understanding Their Experiences

First responders are chronically exposed to traumatic events throughout their career. First responders in rural communities have unique experiences that make them more susceptible to poor mental health outcomes. Some of these experiences include strong ties to the community, the chance of responding to someone known personally to them, limited resources, and limited training. Since rural communities make up a large part of the U.S., and first responders in these communities compromise about 70% of the first responders population, it is important for mental health providers to understand and provide services for these individuals. Utilizing research already conducted with paid first responders, the Banded Dissertation focuses on the experiences of the rural first responder. Three products compromise the Banded Dissertation. The first is a conceptual paper that explores the prevalence of mental health outcomes of first responders’ exposure to traumatic events with a focus on volunteer fire fighters and EMT’s in rural communities. The article provides innovative ways for mental health professionals to utilize rural cultural values and norms to address barriers this population has to receiving services. The second is a research study that explored the current state of first responders in rural communities amid a global pandemic. The third product is a conference presentation that describes a traumavinformed, culturally sensitive approach to working with rural volunteer first responders after a traumatic experience

Atom Skimmers and Atom Lasers Utilizing Them

Atom skimmers are devices that act as low-pass velocity filters for atoms in thermal atomic beams. An atom skimmer operating in conjunction with a suitable thermal atomic-beam source (e.g., an oven in which cesium is heated) can serve as a source of slow atoms for a magneto-optical trap or other apparatus in an atomic-physics experiment. Phenomena that are studied in such apparatuses include Bose-Einstein condensation of atomic gases, spectra of trapped atoms, and collisions of slowly moving atoms. An atom skimmer includes a curved, low-thermal-conduction tube that leads from the outlet of a thermal atomic-beam source to the inlet of a magneto-optical trap or other device in which the selected low-velocity atoms are to be used. Permanent rare-earth magnets are placed around the tube in a yoke of high-magnetic-permeability material to establish a quadrupole or octupole magnetic field leading from the source to the trap. The atoms are attracted to the locus of minimum magnetic-field intensity in the middle of the tube, and the gradient of the magnetic field provides centripetal force that guides the atoms around the curve along the axis of the tube. The threshold velocity for guiding is dictated by the gradient of the magnetic field and the radius of curvature of the tube. Atoms moving at lesser velocities are successfully guided; faster atoms strike the tube wall and are lost from the beam