Quadrupole ion traps

During the last two decades there has been tremendous progress in the technique of trapping and cooling ions using quadrupole ion traps. Using these trapping techniques one can have charged particles of a single species confined near the trap centre, which enables to carry out studies of these ions in a well-controlled environment. The long storage times of the ions, possible in these traps, results in the elimination of transit-time broadening making it possible to do precision spectroscopic measurements on these ions. Several important experiments with single electron or ion have been undertaken to address problems related to basic physics, such as the measurement of the electron radius, precision measurements of fundamental parameters and tests of the predictions of quantum mechanics.     

Teaching and learning about science practices: insights and challenges in professional development

The purpose of this study was to determine if science teachers showed a change in their ability to design and implement science lessons that integrate twenty-first century science practices as a result of their participation in a subject-specific professional development program. A qualitative design utilizing inductive analysis was used to investigate teachers’ ability to design inquiry-oriented lessons and implement them in the classroom. Eight science teachers participated in the study. Findings showed that teachers have benefited from their participation in the program and were able to plan and implement their inquiry-oriented lesson plans and implement them in the classroom. The analysis also showed that teachers were not able to demonstrate their ability in two dimensions of inquiry (asking scientifically oriented questions and designing and carrying out investigations). Finally, several suggestions were presented to modify the program’s training materials to focus more on these two dimensions of inquiry.     

Influence of expectation and campus racial climate on undergraduates' interracial interaction

In this study, the authors examine the influence of interracial interaction expectation and campus racial climate perception on attitudes toward interracial interaction which, in turn, influences the levels of interracial interaction among students at a multicultural university in Malaysia. Interaction across race is fundamental to students' growth and development. Responses from 193 Malay and 165 Chinese students were analysed by means of hierarchical regression. Results support the hypothesized influence of interracial interaction expectation and campus racial climate perception on attitudes toward interracial interaction for the Chinese students. For the Malay students, however, only interracial interaction expectation is significant. Attitudes toward interracial interaction, in turn, significantly predict levels of interracial interaction for both groups. The results support the hypothesized differential strength of relationships among the variables for the two racial groups. Implications for higher education are discussed.     

Adaptive T–S fuzzy controller using reinforcement learning based on Lyapunov stability

In this paper, an adaptive Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy controller based on reinforcement learning for controlling the nonlinear dynamical systems is proposed. The parameters of the T–S fuzzy system are learned using the reinforcement learning based on the actor-critic method. This on-line learning algorithm improves the controller performance over the time, which it learns from its own faults through the reinforcement signal from the external environment and tries to reinforce the T–S fuzzy system parameters to converge. The updating parameters are developed using the Lyapunov stability criterion. The proposed controller is faster in learning than the T–S fuzzy that parameters learned using the gradient descent method under the same conditions. Moreover, it is able to handle the load changes and the system uncertainties. The test is carried out based on two mathematical models. In addition, the proposed controller is applied practically for controlling a direct current (DC) shunt machine. The results indicate that the response of the proposed controller has a good performance compared with other controllers.     

Adjustments of serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes and their significance in monitoring the treatment in patients with tubercular pyothorax

The adjustments and diagnostic significance of polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic (PAGE) profiles of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes (LDH: 1.1.1.27) was evaluated in the sera and pleural fluid of patients with tubercular pyothorax. Sera and pleural fluid samples were randomly collected from 72 and 18 patients respectively at two different timings; first, when patients were admitted to the Hospital and second, after an intensive phase of treatment. Sera of 20 healthy individuals served as control. Our results demonstrate significant differences in sera LDH (sLDH) and pleural fluid LDH (pfLDH) isoenzymes. In patients the order of LDH isoenzyme in sera and pleural fluid followed: LDH−5>−4>−2>−3>−1 and LDH-5>−4>−3>−2>−1 respectively. The ranking of activity levels in control was LDH−2>−1>−3>−5>−4. In the second phase of sampling from 31 patients, values of sLDH isoenzymes showed recovery and resembled profiles of controls. Therefore, the sLDH zymograms of patients can be used as the prognostic marker, since they tend to reach the normal level during recovery signifying the effect of chemotherapy in hospitalized patients. Moreover, according to the present findings on LDH-PAGE profiles, the levels of LDH-5 and-4 rise in pyothorax patients significantly (P<0.05). This elevation along with the rise in total LDH activity may, therefore, be used in the diagnosis and monitoring of tubercular pyothorax.     

Modern Traditions? British Muslim Women and Academic Achievement

Participation rates in higher education for British South Asian Muslim women are steadily increasing. The aim of this article, therefore, is to explore motivations and influences for entering higher education and to consider how these may contribute to current discourses surrounding Muslim women in Britain. The possible impact higher education may have on their future relationships and lifestyle choices is also briefly considered. Various notions of 'agency' have been expressed that are characteristic of the ongoing complex assessments made by these women in relation to both perceived familial obligations and their own aspirations. Their articulations suggest that higher education is increasingly viewed as a necessary asset in maintaining and gaining social prestige. This preliminary research indicates that young South Asian Muslim women are continually negotiating and renegotiating their cultural, religious and personal identities and that these processes operate in complex and sometimes contradictory ways.     

A dynamic systems analysis of classrooms: teacher experience and student motivation

Learning Environments Research - In this study, classrooms were regarded as systems in which the teacher and students interact in context and behaviors of the teacher and students affect each other...     

Dialogue conferences and empowerment: transforming primary education in Tanzania through cooperation

In this article we present and discuss experiences developed through a dialogue conference which we organised as part of a three-year participatory action research project related to primary education and agricultural education in Tanzania. We explore how dialogue conference as a research method can fill a gap between traditional ways of mutual problem-solving in Tanzania and research. Talking and sharing ideas is important for problem-solving, but the research demonstrated the need for a concrete base for the dialogue. After direct exposition to the local school practice, participants became more responsible and responsive to their environment. The participants agreed upon an action plan and distributed the responsibilities to implement the plan between themselves. The results show that the method opened up for uniting cooperative learning and research among participants and enabled the democratisation of knowledge creation and sharing. We argue that taking cultural conditions and concretisation of local challenges into consideration is important for harnessing the potential of the method in community development-oriented research.     

Heterogeneity in Perceptions of Parenting Among Arab Refugee Adolescents in Jordan

Heterogeneity in parenting was examined in 883 Arab refugee adolescents in Jordan (M_age = 15.01 years, SD = 1.60). Latent profile analyses of five parenting dimensions rated separately for mothers and fathers yielded authoritative, authoritarian, indifferent, punitive, and for mothers, permissive profiles, with most mothers (60%) and fathers (66%) classified as authoritative. Parenting was more often authoritative for women than men and punitive (for fathers) or permissive (for mothers) of boys than girls. Authoritative fathers and authoritarian mothers were better educated than punitive parents, whose offspring reported more norm breaking and internalizing symptoms and lower academic achievement than other youth. Adjustment was better when adolescents had at least one authoritative parent than when parents were either consistent or discrepant but nonauthoritative.     

A Phenomenological Investigation of African American Counselor Education Students' Challenging Experiences

This study explored 11 African American doctoral students’ perceptions of challenging experiences in counselor education programs. The authors identified the following themes using critical race theory: feelings of isolation, peer disconnection, and faculty misunderstandings and disrespect. Implications for counselor education programs and policies are discussed.