Conservation of stained glass windows with protective glazing: Main results from the European VIDRIO research programme

The methodology of protecting the European stained glass windows against environmental risk (e.g. meteorological factors, air pollution, microorganisms) by means of an external glazing is not new. In spite of many scientific studies carried out in the last 20 years, some questions were still up for discussion. The European VIDRIO (2002–2005) project gave an answer to these questions. The research carried out by the different project partners established a new multidisciplinary approach aimed at evaluating the efficiency of the protective glazing systems and their effects on stained glass windows conservation, and finally at assessing the most appropriate strategy to preserve stained glass windows. Scientific results showed that the so-called isothermal glazing (i.e. ventilation by the air coming from the inside of the building) protected efficiently the ancient stained glass window from environmental attack (i.e. rain, pollutants, condensation, thermal shocks) with very limited secondary effects. The scientific research highlighted that its efficiency was strongly related to the technical design of the protective system. In particular, the ventilation and the size of the interspace had to be carefully considered. The research developed within the VIDRIO project was turned into general recommendations to the owners and practitioners on the best practice for the stained glass windows future conservation.     

Kinematic,kinetic and EMG analysis of four front crawl flip turn techniques

This study aimed to analyse the kinematic, kinetic and electromyographic characteristics of four front crawl flip turn technique variants. The variants distinguished from each other by differences in body position (i.e. dorsal, lateral, ventral) during rolling, wall support, pushing and gliding phases. Seventeen highly trained swimmers (17.9 ± 3.2 years old) participated in interventional sessions and performed three trials of each variant, being monitored with a 3-D video system, a force platform and an electromyography (EMG) system. Studied variables: rolling time and distance, wall support time, push-off time, peak force and horizontal impulse at wall support and push-off, centre of mass horizontal velocity at the end of the push-off, gliding time, centre of mass depth, distance, average and final velocity during gliding, total turn time and electrical activity of Gastrocnemius Medialis, Tibialis Anterior, Biceps Femoris and Vastus Lateralis muscles. Depending on the variant, total turn time ranged from 2.37 ± 0.32 to 2.43 ± 0.33 s, push-off force from 1.86 ± 0.33 to 1.92 ± 0.26 BW and centre of mass velocity during gliding from 1.78 ± 0.21 to 1.94 ± 0.22 m · s^?1. The variants were not distinguishable in terms of kinematical, kinetic and EMG parameters during the rolling, wall support, pushing and gliding phases.     

A multilevel analysis of late entry in Nigeria

This paper explores how factors operating at the state and community levels are associated with the prevalence of late school enrolment in Nigeria. We investigate the following three research themes. First, whether late entry varies across states and across communities and how much of this variation can be explained by the composition of communities and states. Second, whether community wealth and state wealth are stronger predictors of late entry than household wealth. Third, whether wealth has different effects on the probability of late school entry in different states and in different communities within states. Using the 2010 Nigeria Education Data Survey, and a three-level multilevel logit model, we show that a substantial proportion of the variation in late school entry is explained by community- and state-level factors. We further find that children living in specific communities in Nigeria may face a double disadvantage in terms of on-time school enrolment. In these communities, not only is there a large proportion of children entering school late, but also household wealth has strong effects on the probability that a child is sent to school on on time. These communities could be targeted for educational interventions aimed at promoting on-time school enrolment.     

Interactive Kiosk at the Texas Tech University Libraries

The academic library, given its often privileged position on campus, is the information source that can include directional as well as general campus facts among the myriad of print and e-resources for reference. Also, an academic library's audiences can be quite varied and include prospective students or parents seeking more general knowledge of the building and the campus. Many times this need for information drives patrons to the library service desks. Sometimes, especially during the high-demand seasons of new student orientation and beginning of the fall semesters, the desk is so busy that many patrons will leave because they don't have the time to wait. To address this immediate need for information, Texas Tech University Libraries developed an interactive kiosk to provide general information for frequently asked questions in a more efficient, creative, and interactive way. The kiosk provides a fun method of satisfying a patron's information needs without the requirement of a staff member or the need to wait in line for help. The kiosk is available as long as the Library is open and provides a variety of useful answers to general questions, as well as facts about the Library.     

Critical elements for product innovation at Portuguese innovative SMEs: an intellectual capital perspective

Knowledge Management Research & Practice - The general purpose of this research is to study interaction effects between intangible assets and product innovation. More specifically, the authors...     

Careers in Health

Carreras en Salud (Careers in Health) provides bilingual/bicultural individuals with a fully-supported customized career path for nursing and other allied health occupations bridging individuals from unemployment/underemployment to high-demand healthcare positions. Healthcare providers, elected officials, and community leaders have partnered with the collaboration and supported the initiative in its various stages.     

Students Making Sense of Chaotic Behavior

Abstract

This article reports a preliminary study of high school students making sense of the behavior displayed by a Lorenzian Water Wheel. The Lorenzian Water Wheel is a rotating disk driven by the flow of water whose motion may be periodic or not, depending on different parameters (e.g., tilt of the wheel, flow rate of the water, and amount of friction). The study aims to contribute toward new basis for the learning of dissipative dynamics through the analysis and experimentation with common phenomena. The study also aims to support the design of learning environments that focus on fundamental aspects of dissipative dynamics‐such as the origins of turbulence, the relationships between periodicity and predictability, or the notion of an attractor—by refining intuitions that emerge from the daily experience with the surrounding world.     

Teaching future teachers basic astronomy concepts—seasonal changes—at a time of reform in science education

Bearing in mind students' misconceptions about basic concepts in astronomy, the present study conducted a series of constructivist activities aimed at changing future elementary and junior high school teachers' conceptions about the cause of seasonal changes, and several characteristics of the Sun–Earth–Moon relative movements like Moon phases, Sun and Moon eclipses, and others. The activities and results concerning the cause of seasonal changes are reported. Both the experimental class and the control groups improved their grasp of basic astronomy concepts statistically significantly, although the experimental class made the most impressive progress of all. Regarding subjects relevant to this study (seasonal changes), only the experimental class showed a statistically significant improvement, which justifies the constructivist approach. We conclude that in implementing a reform in the science curriculum, the change has to include the subjects taught and also the way they are taught. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 879–906, 2006