Applications of a Collaborative Open Object Oriented Learning Environment to Electronics, Computing and Mathematics Education

A lightweight Java application suite has been developed and deployed allowing collaborative learning between students and tutors at remote locations. Students can engage in group activities online and also collaborate with tutors. A generic Java framework has been developed and applied to electronics, computing and mathematics education. The applications are respectively: (a) a digital circuit simulator, which allows students to collaborate in building simple or complex electronic circuits; (b) a Java programming environment where the paradigm is behavioural-based robotics, and (c) a differential equation solver useful in modelling of any complex and nonlinear dynamic system. Each student sees a common shared window on which may be added text or graphical objects and which can then be shared online. A built-in chat room supports collaborative dialogue. Students can work either in collaborative groups or else in teams as directed by the tutor. This paper summarises the technical architecture of the system as well as the pedagogical implications of the suite. A report of student evaluation is also presented distilled from use over a period of twelve months. We intend this suite to facilitate learning between groups at one or many institutions and to facilitate international collaboration. We also intend to use the suite as a tool to research the establishment and behaviour of collaborative learning groups. We shall make our software freely available to interested researchers.

Degenerate mixtures of rubidium and ytterbium for engineering open quantum systems

In the last two decades, experimental progress in controlling cold atoms and ions now allows us to manipulate fragile quantum systems with an unprecedented degree of precision. This has been made possible by the ability to isolate small ensembles of atoms and ions from noisy environments, creating truly closed quantum systems which decouple from dissipative channels. However in recent years, several proposals have considered the possibility of harnessing dissipation in open systems, not only to cool degenerate gases to currently unattainable temperatures, but also to engineer a variety of interesting many-body states. This thesis will describe progress made towards building a degenerate gas apparatus that will soon be capable of realizing these proposals. An ultracold gas of ytterbium atoms, trapped by a species-selective lattice will be immersed into a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of rubidium atoms which will act as a bath. Here we describe the challenges encountered in making a degenerate mixture of rubidium and ytterbium atoms and present two experiments performed on the path to creating a controllable open quantum system. The first experiment will describe the measurement of a tune-out wavelength where the light shift of $\Rb{87}$ vanishes. This wavelength was used to create a species-selective trap for ytterbium atoms. Furthermore, the measurement of this wavelength allowed us to extract the dipole matrix element of the $5s \rightarrow 6p$ transition in $\Rb{87}$ with an extraordinary degree of precision. Our method to extract matrix elements has found use in atomic clocks where precise knowledge of transition strengths is necessary to account for minute blackbody radiation shifts. The second experiment will present the first realization of a degenerate Bose-Fermi mixture of rubidium and ytterbium atoms. Using a three-color optical dipole trap (ODT), we were able to create a highly-tunable, species-selective potential for rubidium and ytterbium atoms which allowed us to use $\Rb{87}$ to sympathetically cool $\Yb{171}$ to degeneracy with minimal loss. This mixture is the first milestone creating the lattice-bath system and will soon be used to implement novel cooling schemes and explore the rich physics of dissipation.

From policy development to effectiveness and alignment: An analysis of the UK’s Higher Education Open Access policy landscape

The number of Open Access (OA) policies that have been adopted by universities, research institutes and research funders has been increasing at a fast pace. The Registry of Open Access Repository Mandates and Policies (ROARMAP) records the existence of 724 OA policies across the world, of which 512 have been adopted by universities and research institutions. The UK is one of the leading countries in terms of OA policy development and implementation with a total of 85 institutional1 and an estimated 35 funder2 OA policies. In order to understand and contextualise how OA policies are developed and how they can be effectively implemented and aligned, this brief looks at two areas. The first section provides an overview on the processes evolving around policy making, policy effectiveness and policy alignment. In particular, it summarises the criteria and elements generally specified in OA policies, it points out some of the relevant steps informing the development, monitoring and revision of OA policies, it outlines what OA policy elements contribute to policy effectiveness, and highlights the benefits in aligning OA policies. The second section revisits the issues previously discussed within the context of the UK institutional (universities) OA policy landscape.

Monitoring Compliance with Open Access policies

In the last few years, academic communities have seen an increase in the number of Open Access (OA) policies being adopted at the institutional and funder levels. In parallel to policy implementation, institutions and funders have also been engaged in developing mechanisms to monitor academics and researchers compliance with the existing OA policies. This study highlights a few of the cases where compliance is being effectively monitored by institutions and funders. In the first section, Open Access is briefly overviewed and the rationale for monitoring OA policy compliance is explained. The second section looks at best practices in monitoring policy compliance with OA policies by funders and institutions. The case studies reflect on compliance with the UK Funding Councils and the USA National Institutes of Health OA policies. The third section makes recommendations on what processes and procedures universities and funders should adopt to monitor compliance with their OA policies. The final section recapitulates some of the key ideas related to monitoring policy compliance.

Practical challenges in moving to Open Access: a focus on research funders and universities

At the Berlin7 conference in Paris on 3 December 2009 Knowledge Exchange provided a workshop on the practical challenges to be addressed in moving to Open Access. Presentations where provided by John Houghton and Alma Swan discussing the outcomes of studies on the costs and benefits of Open Access for institutions and the society as a whole. These were followed by presentations by two funding agencies on the results of financing publication costs both at an institutional and national level in Germany. Also the results of the Springer deal in the Netherlands where presented. The third section was focused on the results of implementing mandates both by funding bodies and institutions.

Two “pillars” of cold-water coral reefs along Atlantic European margins: Prevalent association of Madrepora oculata with Lophelia pertusa, from reef to colony scale

The scleractinian coral Lophelia pertusa has been the focus of deep-sea research since the recognition of the vast extent of coral reefs in North Atlantic waters two decades ago, long after their existence was mentioned by fishermen. These reefs where shown to provide habitat, concentrate biomass and act as feeding or nursery grounds for many species, including those targeted by commercial fisheries. Thus, the attention given to this cold-water coral (CWC) species from researchers and the wider public has increased. Consequently, new research programs triggered research to determine the full extent of the corals geographic distribution and ecological dynamics of “Lophelia reefs”. The present study is based on a systematic standardised sampling design to analyse the distribution and coverage of CWC reefs along European margins from the Bay of Biscay to Iceland. Based on Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) image analysis, we report an almost systematic occurrence of Madrepora oculata in association with L. pertusa with similar abundances of both species within explored reefs, despite a tendency of increased abundance of L. pertusa compared to M. oculata toward higher latitudes. This systematic association occasionally reached the colony scale, with “twin” colonies of both species often observed growing next to each other when isolated structures were occurring off-reefs. Finally, several “false chimaera” were observed within reefs, confirming that colonial structures can be “coral bushes” formed by an accumulation of multiple colonies even at the inter-specific scale, with no need for self-recognition mechanisms. Thus, we underline the importance of the hitherto underexplored M. oculata in the Eastern Atlantic, re-establishing a more balanced view that both species and their yet unknown interactions are required to better elucidate the ecology, dynamics and fate of European CWC reefs in a changing environment.

Suomen turvallisuuspoliittisen ratkaisun lähtökohtia

Suomi luopui puolueettomuuspolitiikasta turvallisuuspoliittisena linjanaan kun se liittyi Euroopan unioniin ennen kaikkea turvallisuussyistä. Vaikka Suomi on EU-jäsenyyden myötä poliittisesti liittoutunut ja vaikka se on jatkuvasti laajentanut ja syventänyt yhteistyötään NATOn kanssa, Suomi on yhä sotilaallisesti liittoutumaton valtio. Suomen turvallisuuspoliittinen toimintaympäristö on ollut poikkeuksellisen vakaa kylmän sodan jälkeen ennen kaikkea siksi, että maailman voimakkain suurvalta Yhdysvallat on yhä sotilaallisesti läsnä Euroopassa ja Euroopan integraatio on jatkunut ja syventynyt. Suomi on sitonut nykyisen turvallisuuspoliittisen linjansa turvallisuusympäristönsä pysyvyyteen. Viime vuosina NATOn laajentuminen entisen Neuvostoliiton alueelle on voimistanut läntisten suurvaltojen ja Venäjän välistä valtakamppailua ja turvallisuuskilpailua Suomen lähialueella. Viimeistään Ukrainan konflikti on tehnyt ajankohtaiseksi myös kysymyksen Suomen sotilaallisesta liittoutumisesta. Tässä artikkeliteoksessa turvallisuuspolitiikan asiantuntijat analysoivat keskeisimpien ulkoisten toimijoiden – EU:n, Ruotsin, Viron, Venäjän, Yhdysvaltojen ja NATOn – merkitystä Suomen turvallisuuspoliittisen toimintaympäristön vakaudelle ja Suomen turvallisuudelle sekä pohtivat, onko Suomen syytä muuttaa nykyistä turvallisuuspoliittista linjaansa turvallisuusympäristössä tapahtuneiden muutosten vuoksi. Kirjoittajat myös arvioivat Suomen mahdolliseen sotilaalliseen liittoutumiseen liittyviä etuja ja haittoja verrattuna nykyiseen turvallisuuspoliittiseen ratkaisuun. Teoksen kirjoittajien toisistaan poikkeavat näkemykset Suomen turvallisuuspoliittisen toimintaympäristön vakaudesta, NATOn laajentumisen vaikutuksista Itämeren alueella, Venäjän valtapolitiikasta ja sen Suomelle muodostaman sotilaallisen uhan voimakkuudesta, NATOn pelotteen uskottavuudesta ja Yhdysvaltojen sitoutumisesta liittolaistensa puolustamiseen sekä Suomen NATO-jäsenyyden eduista ja haitoista valaisevat laajasti kysymystä Suomen turvallisuudesta ja turvallisuuspoliittisesta ratkaisusta. Suomelle sen geopoliittinen asema Venäjälle strategisesti elintärkeiden Kuolan alueen ja Pietari–Moskova-ydinalueen välittömässä läheisyydessä on ongelmallinen maan turvallisuuden kannalta. Suurvalta Venäjä onkin edelleen keskeisin Suomen turvallisuuteen ja turvallisuuspoliittiseen ratkaisuun vaikuttava ulkoinen toimija. Neuvostoliiton hajoamisen jälkeen Suomella on ollut ainutlaatuinen mahdollisuus liittoutua Yhdysvaltojen kanssa NATO-jäsenyyden myötä Venäjän potentiaalista sotilaallista uhkaa vastaan. Toisaalta Suomella ei kuitenkaan ole ollut pakottavaa tarvetta siihen, koska se on välillisesti hyötynyt Yhdysvaltojen suurstrategiasta Euroopassa ja koska Venäjän valtapolitiikka on kohdistunut ennen kaikkea entisen Neuvostoliiton alueelle. Vaikka Ukrainan konflikti onkin lisännyt poliittista ja sotilaallista jännitettä Itämeren alueella, tämän teoksen perusteella on kuitenkin mahdotonta antaa yksiselitteistä vastausta siihen, pitäisikö Suomen sen turvallisuuspoliittisessa toimintaympäristössä tapahtuneen muutoksen seurauksena liittyä NATOn jäseneksi vai ei. Halutessaan Suomi voi siis edelleen jatkaa nykyisellä turvallisuuspoliittisella linjallaan sotilaallisesti liittoutumattomana valtiona, mutta samalla sen täytyy kuitenkin pitää myös sotilaallinen liittoutuminen avoimena turvallisuuspoliittisena vaihtoehtona tulevaisuudessa.

Team characteristics beneficial for Open Innovation projects

This study discusses the importance of creating Open Innovation (OI) teams for optimizing costs of Research and Development (R&D), dividing risks and maximizing profits. The purpose of this study is to determine team characteristics beneficial for successful OI project, with the emphasis on the fact that such teams are formed of professionals belonging to different organizations, both private and state-owned, with different educational and professional backgrounds and personal qualities. This purpose is supported by three sub-objectives: to observe the phenomenon of OI and its implementation in emerging economies, particularly in Russia; to specify professional and personal competencies of OI team members essential for the successful collaboration; and to identify the role of the leader in OI teams. The theoretical part of this study consists of knowledge from academic literature related to OI, cross-functional and innovation teams and leadership in innovation. The practical part of the study is presented in the form of multiple case study, and the empirical research is based on six semistructured interviews collected in October 2014 from the CEOs, Innovation Managers and Technical Directors of innovation companies participating actively in OI projects. The findings of the study demonstrate that many of the necessary competencies are equal for innovation or cross-functional teams and OI teams, such as professionalism and communication skills. However, due to the specific nature of OI, additional personal characteristics were recognized as beneficial for OI teams, such as flexibility, empathy and success-orientation. The role of the leader is also considered as a critical success factor for OI teams, with the emphasis on flexibility and autonomy. The findings of the study contribute to understanding the connection between notions of team member, team climate and team leader, and its influence on OI project success. Thus, the main purpose of the study is providing support for existing knowledge on OI teams and developing new insights into this newly emerged topic.

Libraries and open access: the implications of open-access publishing and dissemination for libraries in higher education institutions

This chapter discusses the consequences of open-access (OA) publishing and dissemination for libraries in higher education institutions (HEIs). Key questions (which are addressed in this chapter) include: 1. How might OA help information provision? 2. What changes to library services will arise from OA developments (particularly if OA becomes widespread)? 3. How do these changes fit in with wider changes affecting the future role of libraries? 4. How can libraries and librarians help to address key practical issues associated with the implementation of OA (particularly transition issues)? This chapter will look at OA from the perspective of HE libraries and will make four key points: 1. Open access has the potential to bring benefits to the research community in particular and society in general by improving information provision. 2. If there is widespread open access to research content, there will be less need for library-based activity at the institution level, and more need for information management activity at the supra-institutional or national level. 3. Institutional libraries will, however, continue to have an important role to play in areas such as managing purchased or licensed content, curating institutional digital assets, and providing support in the use of content for teaching and research. 4. Libraries are well-placed to work with stakeholders within their institutions and beyond to help resolve current challenges associated with the implementation of OA policies and practices.

Rethinking Open Science: The Role of Communication

The first version of this text was presented in the “Philosophy of Communication” section at the ECREA’s 5th European Communication Conference, “Communication for Empowerment,” in Lisbon in November 2014. I would like to thank the audience for the lively post-presentation discussion.

Food-Web Complexity in Guaymas Basin Hydrothermal Vents and Cold Seeps

In the Guaymas Basin, the presence of cold seeps and hydrothermal vents in close proximity, similar sedimentary settings and comparable depths offers a unique opportunity to assess and compare the functioning of these deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems. The food webs of five seep and four vent assemblages were studied using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses. Although the two ecosystems shared similar potential basal sources, their food webs differed: seeps relied predominantly on methanotrophy and thiotrophy via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle and vents on petroleum-derived organic matter and thiotrophy via the CBB and reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycles. In contrast to symbiotic species, the heterotrophic fauna exhibited high trophic flexibility among assemblages, suggesting weak trophic links to the metabolic diversity of chemosynthetic primary producers. At both ecosystems, food webs did not appear to be organised through predator-prey links but rather through weak trophic relationships among co-occurring species. Examples of trophic or spatial niche differentiation highlighted the importance of species-sorting processes within chemosynthetic ecosystems. Variability in food web structure, addressed through Bayesian metrics, revealed consistent trends across ecosystems. Food-web complexity significantly decreased with increasing methane concentrations, a common proxy for the intensity of seep and vent fluid fluxes. Although high fluid-fluxes have the potential to enhance primary productivity, they generate environmental constraints that may limit microbial diversity, colonisation of consumers and the structuring role of competitive interactions, leading to an overall reduction of food-web complexity and an increase in trophic redundancy. Heterogeneity provided by foundation species was identified as an additional structuring factor. According to their biological activities, foundation species may have the potential to partly release the competitive pressure within communities of low fluid-flux habitats. Finally, ecosystem functioning in vents and seeps was highly similar despite environmental differences (e.g. physico-chemistry, dominant basal sources) suggesting that ecological niches are not specifically linked to the nature of fluids. This comparison of seep and vent functioning in the Guaymas basin thus provides further supports to the hypothesis of continuity among deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystems.

A difícil integração dos países do Cone Sul

O artigo trata do longo processo de integração política e econômica dos países do Cone Sul. Ele aborda os primeiros passos da tentativa de união, ocorridos ainda no início da Guerra Fria. O texto estende-se até o começo da década de 90, quando quatro países – Brasil, Argentina, Uruguai e Paraguai – formaram o Mercado Comum do Sul – MERCOSUL. _________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT

Waterpower : a geophysical and archaeological investigation of the waterpower system at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York

Waterpower: A Geophysical and Archaeological Investigation of the Waterpower System at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York, describes the results of ground penetrating radar surveys and archaeological excavation undertaken by Michigan Technological University (MTU) archaeologists during the summer of 2003 at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York. 2003 constituted MTU's second field season at the foundry. Fieldwork concentrated on the foundry's waterpower system, an intricate network of surface and subsurface drains, races, flumes, waterwheels, turbines, dams, and ponds that powered operations and regulated water flow throughout the site. Archaeologists utilized non-destructive geophysical technology, which expedited survey, facilitated placement of excavation units, and provided a model for future archaeogeophysical research at industrial sites. Features discovered during excavation provided valuable information pertaining to the waterpower system's construction and its functions. Data from ground penetrating radar surveys, archaeological excavation, historical photographs, documents, and maps permitted the development of a provisional chronology of the development of various components of the West Point Foundry's waterpower system. Information gathered during this project serves as an aid in sit interpretation and rehabilitation.

Collaborative filtering and deep learning based hybrid recommendation for cold start problem

Recommender systems (RS) are used by many social networking applications and online e-commercial services. Collaborative filtering (CF) is one of the most popular approaches used for RS. However traditional CF approach suffers from sparsity and cold start problems. In this paper, we propose a hybrid recommendation model to address the cold start problem, which explores the item content features learned from a deep learning neural network and applies them to the timeSVD++ CF model. Extensive experiments are run on a large Netflix rating dataset for movies. Experiment results show that the proposed hybrid recommendation model provides a good prediction for cold start items, and performs better than four existing recommendation models for rating of non-cold start items.