One Step Further

In this qualitative research study, a bidirectional ARS was integrated into a lecture. Students’ perceptions were explored by focusing on their preferences on different question and feedback types, sharing of posts, nickname use, problems, and design suggestions. A total of 25 students participated in focus group interviews. The results showed that students liked the multiple-choice type questions due to the easy answer characteristics, and they found it difficult to text their responses for open-ended questions. The majority of the students preferred getting feedback immediately after asking a question. Students also stated that using ARS ease their shyness. The findings can significantly contribute for understanding the potential of an ARS supporting two-way communication during a lecture-based approach of instruction, also demonstrate that thinking level of the questions with the feasibility of ARS should be investigated together, and the different preferences of students on the question type, feedback type, and nickname use highlight the importance of student characteristics.

Macro-Modeling for N-Type Feedback Field-Effect Transistor for Circuit Simulation

In this study, we propose an improved macro-model of an N-type feedback field-effect transistor (NFBFET) and compare it with a previous macro-model for circuit simulation. The macro-model of the NFBFET is configured into two parts. One is a charge integrator circuit and the other is a current generator circuit. The charge integrator circuit consisted of one N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (NMOSFET), one capacitor, and one resistor. This circuit implements the charging characteristics of NFBFET, which occur in the channel region. For the previous model, the current generator circuit consisted of one ideal switch and one resistor. The previous current generator circuit could implement IDS-VGS characteristics but could not accurately implement IDS-VDS characteristics. To solve this problem, we connected a physics-based diode model with an ideal switch in series to the current generator circuit. The parameters of the NMOSFET and diode used in this proposed model were fitted from TCAD data of the NFBFET, divided into two parts. The proposed model implements not only the IDS-VGS characteristics but also the IDS-VDS characteristics. A hybrid inverter and an integrate and fire (I&F) circuit for a spiking neural network, which consisted of NMOSFETs and an NFBFET, were simulated using the circuit simulator to verify a validation of the proposed NFBFET macro-model.

A Capacity-Achieving Feedback Scheme of the Gaussian Multiple-Access Channel with Degraded Message Sets

The classical Schalkwijk–Kailath (SK) scheme for the point-to-point white Gaussian channel with noiseless feedback plays an important role in information theory due to the fact that it is capacity-achieving and the complexity of its encoding–decoding procedure is extremely low. In recent years, it has been shown that an extended SK feedback scheme also achieves the capacity region of the two-user Gaussian multiple-access channel with noiseless feedback (GMAC-NF), where two independent messages are, respectively, encoded by two intended transmitters. However, for the two-user GMAC-NF with degraded message sets (one common message for both users and one private message for an intended user), the capacity-achieving feedback scheme remains open. In this paper, we propose a novel two-step SK-type feedback scheme for the two-user GMAC-NF with degraded message sets and show that this scheme is capacity-achieving.

A Quality Improvement Plan for Implementing an Innovative Organization System for Pediatric Airway Patients

Risks of pediatric tracheostomy are well known. The objectives of this quality improvement study were to organize tracheostomy supplies into a comprehensive care kit and demonstrate that the kits improved nursing and parental comfort in providing tracheostomy care routinely and emergently. Kits were assembled using roll-up toiletry style bags and organized in a uniform fashion with necessary supplies. Nurses and parents were surveyed using a 5-point Likert-type. Feedback was overall very positive; the kits were found to ease the transition of caring for a child with a new tracheostomy from hospital to home. This intervention can easily be adapted at other pediatric institutions.

Waste Reduction: A Review of Common Options and Alternatives

Circular economy aims to address limited resources through the continuous circulation of materials and energy. Recirculating low quality materials for reuse is a sustainability goal that is analogous to the primary function of Nature’s detritus species, a keystone for the proper functioning of ecosystems. Prior applications of ecosystem structure to human network design uncovered that even the most economically successful networks of industries demonstrate a lack of analogous detritus actors in the form of reuse and recycling. The recycling industry’s volatile nature, dependency on international factors, and financial difficulties prevent this strategy from becoming an efficient alternative. Creativity in design, inspired by ecosystems, is proposed here as a method to repurpose manufacturing byproducts that are otherwise seen as low quality waste materials. Realizing the reuse potential of these materials can create detrital-type feedback loops, an attribute that supports the characteristic resilience and efficiency of ecosystems. The work here analyzes existing methods of pursuing circular economy and investigates the potential benefits generated by purposefully adding connects that create detrital-feedback-loops at the consumer and producer levels.