Automated calibration of 3D-printed microfluidic devices based on computer vision

With the development of 3D printing techniques, the application of it in microfluidic/Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) fabrication is becoming more and more attractive. However, to achieve a satisfying printing quality of the target devices, researchers usually require quite an amount of work in calibration trials even for high-end 3D printers. To increase the calibration efficiency of the average priced printers and promote the application of 3D printing technology in the microfluidic community, this work has presented a computer vision (CV)-based method for rapid and precise 3D printing calibration with examples on cylindrical hole/post diameters of 0.2–2.4 mm and rectangular hole/post widths of 0.2–1.0 mm by a stereolithography-based 3D printer. Our method is fully automated, which contains five steps and only needs a camera at hand to provide photos for convolutional neural network recognition. The experimental results showed that our CV-based method could provide calibrated dimensions with just one print of the specific calibration ruler to meet user desire. The higher resolution of the photo provides a higher precision in calibration. Subsequently, only one more print for the target device is needed after the calibration process. Overall, this work has provided a quick and precise calibration tool for researchers to apply 3D printing in the fabrication of their microfluidic/LoC devices with average price printers. Besides, with our open source calibration software and calibration ruler design file, researchers can modify the specific setting based on customized needs and conduct calibration on any type of 3D printer.     

Communication,cognitive processing,and public knowledge about climate change

This study advances the cognitive mediation model (CMM) by examining the factors behind acquiring knowledge about climate change. Based on a nationally representative survey of Singaporeans (N?=?1,083), this study supported the original CMM. The extended CMM showed that surveillance gratification was positively associated with traditional and online media attention, while social utility was positively associated with online media attention. While attentions to traditional and online media were positively associated with elaboration, online media attention was positively associated with selective scanning. Elaboration was positively associated with knowledge. Implications for theory and practice were discussed.     

Adult Interactions and Child Engagement

The purposes of this study were to investigate how engagement varied as a function of concurrent adult interactions (e.g., individual versus group orientation, type of teacher interaction) and pre-existing states (e.g., age, ratings of typical engagement). Eleven child care teachers and 63 children were videotaped in 93 naturally occurring child care situations. Two teacher interaction categories, elaborations and information giving, were associated with participatory engagement, attention, and low engagement. Interaction behaviors that were responsive without providing direction and those that were directive without responding to children were not associated with engagement. Individually targeted interactions produced more engagement than did group-targeted interactions. Chronological age, developmental age, and ratings of persistence did not statistically significantly affect engagement.     

When ideology meets bottom line: analysis on market competition and ideological bias in newspapers

This study investigated how newspapers adopted partisan branding as a product differentiation strategy under pressure of intense market competition, through cases of conservative dailies in South Korea. Despite academic interest in news media's partisanship, only a few studies attempted to conduct analysis at the organizational level. Drawing on the hierarchy of influences model as a main theoretical framework, the present study examined how partisanship of newspapers was related to the social and economic forces. Evidence demonstrated that conservative bias increased as market competition intensified. Conservative bias was positively associated with the ideological mood of the conservative group, and the revenue decreased as conservative newspapers carried stronger conservative bias. These results will add insight into the prevalence of partisanship in today's media environment.     

Recent Developments in Education in Singapore

This analysis of recent developments and trends in education in Singapore attempts to show how a government through a pragmatic approach to education and nation-building has tried to resolve, within the framework of a number of unchanging parameters, some of the problems posed by constant social change and a rapidly changing national and global economy. The parameters are the multiracial and multilingual nature of Singapore society, the maximisation of the potential in all its young citizens through the provision of educational opportunities, and the maintenance of equality of treatment and opportunity for all, irrespective of ethnicity, religion and language. In the final analysis, the central tenets of an ideology underpinning the education system are identified.