Search

We present an optical wavelength division multiplexer enabled by a ring resonator tuned by MEMS electrostatic actuation. Analytical analysis, simulation and fabrication are discussed leading to results showing controlled tuning greater than one FSR.

We conducted a survey to inform the expansion of a Virtual Reality (VR) service in our library. The survey assessed user experience, demographics, academic interests in VR, and methods of discovery. Currently our institution offers one HTC Vive VR system that can be reserved and used by patrons within the library, but we would like to expand the service to meet the interests and needs of our patrons. We found use among all measured demographics and sufficient patron interest for us to justify expansion of our current services. The data resulting from this survey and the subsequent focus groups can be used to inform other academic libraries exploring or developing similar VR services.

The association between mention of scientific research in popular media (e.g., the mainstream media or social media platforms) and scientific impact (e.g., citations) has yet to be fully explored. The purpose of this study was to clarify this relationship, while accounting for some other factors that likely influence scientific impact (e.g., the reputations of the scientists conducting the research and academic journal in which the research was published). To accomplish this purpose, approximately 800 peer-reviewed articles describing original research were evaluated for scientific impact, popular media attention, and reputations of the scientists/authors and publication venue. A structural equation model was produced describing the relationship between non-scientific impact (popular media) and scientific impact (citations), while accounting for author/scientist and journal reputation. The resulting model revealed a strong association between the amount of popular media attention given to a scientific research project and corresponding publication and the number of times that publication is cited in peer-reviewed scientific literature. These results indicate that (1) peer-reviewed scientific publications receiving more attention in non-scientific media are more likely to be cited than scientific publications receiving less popular media attention, and (2) the non-scientific media is associated with the scientific agenda. These results may inform scientists who increasingly use popular media to inform the general public and scientists concerning their scientific work. These results might also inform administrators of higher education and research funding mechanisms, who base decisions partly on scientific impact.

Evaluating collections and ultimately removing content poses a variety of difficult issues, including choosing appropriate deselection criteria, communicating with stakeholders, providing accountability, and managing the overall timetable to finish projects on time. The Science and Engineering librarians at Brigham Young University evaluated their entire print collection of over 350,000 items within one year, significantly reducing the number of items kept on the open shelves and the physical collection footprint. Keys to accomplishing this project were extensive preparation, tracking progress and accountability facilitated by Google Sheets and an interactive GIS stacks map, and stakeholder feedback facilitated by a novel web-based tool. This case study discusses guidelines to follow and pitfalls to avoid for any organization that is considering a large- or small-scale collection evaluation project.

The gold standard of care for coronary artery disease, a leading cause of death for in the world, is balloon angioplasty in conjunction with stent deployment. However, implantation injuries and long-term presence of foreign material often promotes significant luminal tissue growth, leading to a narrowing of the artery and severely restricted blood flow. A promising method to mitigate this process is the use of biodegradable metallic stents, but thus far they have either degraded too slowly (iron) or disappeared prematurely (magnesium). The present work investigates the use of a unique type of magnetic material, galfenol (iron-gallium), for postoperative wireless control of stent degradation rates. Due to its magnetoelastic property, galfenol experiences longitudinal micron-level elongations when exposed to applied magnetic fields, allowing generation of a microstirring effect that affect its degradation behavior. In vitro indirect cytotoxicity tests on primary rat aortic smooth muscle cells indicated that galfenol byproducts must be concentrated approximately seven times from collected 60 day degradation medium to cause ∼15% of death from all cells. Surface and cross-sectional characterization of the material indicate that galfenol (Fe

Eliciting emotions, particularly uncomfortable emotions, through exhibition design can have a positive impact on the patrons’ reception of the exhibition. In this study, patrons visiting an exhibition designed to create a dark and macabre atmosphere were given an exit survey asking them to identify and rate the intensity of the emotions they felt during the experience. The survey also assessed visitor likelihood of returning to view the exhibition again. In general, visitors who recorded feeling negative emotions while viewing the exhibition were significantly more likely to visit multiple times than those who did not.

Delivering bad news to students, teachers, and parents is not an uncommon occurrence for school psychologists. Skillfully communicating bad news requires sensitivity, thoughtful wording, and an awareness of the potential effect on the recipients. Despite the importance of this skill, school psychology has devoted little attention to what is currently known about delivering bad news. This article synthesizes the literature on presenting and receiving bad news, devoting special attention to how information can be used by school psychologists in their day-to-day practices. Primarily drawn from medicine, the scholarship is instructive as a guide to the many dimensions of bad news delivery including what needs to be considered beforehand, how to communicate, cultural factors to consider, and conveying hope.

Compared to other areas of global health, funding opportunities for surgery projects has been limited. With an increasing number of surgical faculty attempting to build academic careers in this area, lack of funding has been a source of great frustration. While it is likely that global surgery funding will increase in the future, it is still possible to obtain funding in the current environment provided that projects are designed well, have goals that align closely with donor’s priorities, and if one is persistent.

Librarians at Brigham Young University compared search statement development between traditional lecture and flipped instruction sessions. Students in lecture sessions scored significantly higher on developing search statements than those in flipped sessions. However, student evaluations show a strong preference for pedagogies that incorporate elements from both lecture and flipped methodologies. Reasons for lower flipped-session scores may include a lack of student accountability, strong preference for a live demonstration, and disconnections between online tutorial content and in-class collaborative activities. Librarians using a flipped classroom should consider ways to help students make meaningful connections between online tutorials and in-class activities.