Researching instructional use and the technology acceptation of learning management systems by secondary school teachers

The aim of this large-scale study was to understand the technology acceptation of learning management systems (LMS) by secondary school teachers and to investigate the instructional use of LMS, distinguishing between informational use and communicational use. The predictive model further includes: perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, subjective norm, personal innovativeness in the domain of information technology, experience and internal ICT support at school level. Data were collected from 505 Flemish secondary school teachers. After performing satisfactory reliability and validity checks, the study was able to support all relationships among the 9 variables. Informational use was found to be a precursor for communicational use, perceived ease of use of the LMS is the strongest predictor in LMS-acceptation. Internal ICT support has a direct effect on the informational use of the LMS and on subjective norm. Implications stress that secondary school managers in education should take into account the importance of a teachers’ efforts and performance perceptions and the direct and indirect impact of internal ICT support on LMS adoption.     

Passivation of metal alloys using sol–gel-derived materials — a review

The sol–gel method is being investigated as an environmentally compliant alternative for chromate-based conversion coatings currently in use. An overview of recent advances in the use of sol–gel derived coatings for improved corrosion resistance of aluminum and steel metal surfaces is given.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Thrombin Conjugated γ‐Fe2O3 Magnetic Nanoparticles for Hemostasis

Thrombin is the final protease produced in the clotting pathways. Thrombin has been used in the clinic more than six decades for topical hemostasis and wound management. In human plasma the half‐life of thrombin is shorter than 15 seconds due to close control by inhibitors. In order to stabilize thrombin, this enzyme was conjugated covalently and physically to γ‐Fe₂O₃ magnetic nanoparticles. The physical conjugation was accomplished through adsorption of thrombin to BSA coating on the nanoparticles. The coagulant activity of the covalently bound thrombin was significantly lower than that of the physically adsorbed thrombin. Leakage of the physically bound thrombin into PBS containing 4% HSA was negligible. The physical conjugation of thrombin onto the nanoparticles stabilized the thrombin against its major inhibitor antithrombin III and improved its storage stability. At optimal CaCl₂ concentration, the clotting time by the bound thrombin is shorter than that of the free enzyme. This novel conjugated thrombin may be an efficient candidate for topical hemostasis and wound healing.     

Review of Helping the noncompliant child: Family-based treatment for oppositional behavior (2nd ed.).

Reviews the book, Helping the noncompliant child: Family-based treatment for oppositional behavior (2nd ed.) by R. J. McMahon and R. L. Forehand (see record 2004-00004-000). Positive outcomes of parent training programs have been well documented in the literature (Lonigan, Elbert, & Johnson, 1998). These programs are often recommended for young children exhibiting disruptive behaviors (Kazdin, 1997). The efficacy of parent training programs for families who are able to complete treatment is documented for both short-term and long-term goals (Brestan & Eyberg, 1998; Lonigan et al., 1998). Helping the Noncompliant Child: Family-Based Treatment for Oppositional Behavior is the second edition of a successful parent training program that promises to deliver results similar to those of the earlier program. In their book, McMahon and Forehand present an intervention treatment program designed for children ages 3 to 8 years who present as "excessively noncompliant." The treatment program is based on the premise that "the child's noncompliant, inappropriate behavior is shaped and maintained through maladaptive patterns of family interaction, which reinforce coercive behaviors" (p. 28). McMahon and Forehand's HNC program provides parents with a specific and practical way to get out of the coercive cycle of negative interactions by using attention and rewards, ignoring negative behaviors, and giving clear instructions. The program falls short when it uses essentially the same time-out procedure for noncompliance for children between the ages of 3 and 8 and regardless of the function or reason for the noncompliance. To intervene effectively with a child, all of the issues at hand must be taken into consideration. In severe cases, the time-out procedure recommended could actually increase conflict between the parent and the child should the child not comply, resulting in family drop out or the need to modify the adjunctive individual therapies. Preparing parents for these exceptions and possible need for modifying the program by clarifying the populations who have been successful and unsuccessful in parent training programs would be a good addition to the book. This book can only be recommended for use with families for whom a thorough evaluation has determined that the child's noncompliant behaviors are a function of coercive family interactions consisting of unclear parenting messages. The child must evidence the ability to participate effectively in the time-out procedure. The child and family must clearly fit into the population shown to benefit from parent training programs. For these families, the HNC program may decrease noncompliant behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterisation of potential health promoting lipids in the co-products of de-flossed milkweed

The floss and oil of the common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) seeds are currently used to produce comforters/pillows and skin care products, respectively. As an outcome of these products, copious quantities co-products (pressed seed meal and pod biomass) are disposed of each year despite the presence of potential health benefitting lipids. The objective of this project was to determine the feasibility of developing the lipid fraction from of these co-products for the fast growing dietary human health market. Although certain types of lipids were affected by the extraction solvent used (hexane and diethyl ether) as were overall amounts, analysis of the each extract showed novel lipid profiles with several potential health benefitting agents present at levels comparable to or exceeding those present in other typically consumed dietary oils or food systems (vitamin E, carotenoids, sterols and unsaturated free fatty acids, particularly the both omega 7-fatty acids).