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Peer review of teaching is recognized increasingly as one strategy for academic development even though historically peer review of teaching is often unsupported by policy, action and culture in many Australian universities. Higher education leaders report that academics generally do not engage with peer review of teaching in a systematic or constructive manner, and this paper advances and analyses a conceptual model to highlight conditions and strategies necessary for the implementation of sustainable peer review in higher education institutions. The model highlights leadership, development and implementation, which are critical to the success and formation of a culture of peer review of teaching. The work arises from collaborative research funded by the Office for Learning and Teaching to foster and advance a culture of peer review of teaching across several universities in Australia.

A method of visualizing atomic polarization as a surface in three dimensions is described. The technique is used to illustrate the evolution of polarized atoms in external electric and magnetic fields. This can aid in the understanding of experiments involving the evolution of atomic polarization, such as optical rotation experiments and measurements of discrete symmetry violations in atomic systems. [C] 2001 American Association of Physics Teachers. [DOI: 10.1119/1.1344166]

Peer review of teaching is recognized increasingly as one strategy for academic development even though historically peer review of teaching is often unsupported by policy, action and culture in many Australian universities. Higher education leaders report that academics generally do not engage with peer review of teaching in a systematic or constructive manner, and this paper advances and analyses a conceptual model to highlight conditions and strategies necessary for the implementation of sustainable peer review in higher education institutions. The model highlights leadership, development and implementation, which are critical to the success and formation of a culture of peer review of teaching. The work arises from collaborative research funded by the Office for Learning and Teaching to foster and advance a culture of peer review of teaching across several universities in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation is a sensitive technique for measuring magnetic fields. Here, the shot-noise-limited magnetometric sensitivity at high light power is analysed for optically thick media. Such media have been the subject of recent experimental and theoretical investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mullerian remnant cysts, also referred to as cutaneous ciliated cysts, are rare skin lesions most commonly found in young females on their lower extremities but can also be found in other locations. The pathogenesis of these lesions is important for understanding their significance and there is a paucity of literature on the clinical course and management of these rare and typically benign masses in young patients. We report a case of a 2 cm Mullerian remnant cyst on the lateral buttock in an 11-year-old female with a prior ovarian cystectomy. The current literature regarding the complex origin and clinical management of these unusual cutaneous lesions is reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors demonstrate the detection of magnetic particles carried by water in a continuous flow using an atomic magnetic gradiometer. Studies on three types of magnetic particles are presented: a single cobalt particle (diameter ∼150 μm, multidomain), a suspension of superparamagnetic magnetite particles (diameter ∼1 μm), and ferromagnetic cobalt nanoparticles (diameter ∼10 nm). Estimated detection limits are 20 μm diameter for a single cobalt particle at a water flow rate of 30 ml/min, 5×103 magnetite particles at 160 ml/min, and 50 pl for the ferromagnetic fluid of cobalt nanoparticles at 130 ml/min. Possible applications of their method are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to determine the increase in the language immediacy discussed and dealt by nurses to a dying patient in the U.S. The subjects of the study refer to 40 nurses with an average age of 35 and mostly single individuals who were asked to describe their approach to a dying patient. The results reveal that nurses without training in dealing with dying patients maintains a strict communicative distance from the patients. It was also found out that nurses tend to become more direct in their reference to the dying patients.

Observers (O's) were presented with a two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) duration-discrimination task. In separate experimental runs, O's were asked to choose either the longer of two increments or the longer of two decrements from a continuous white noise background. Direct determinations of the increase in duration (ΔT) necessary for 75% and for 90% correct response were made at each of four base durations (T = 10, 25, 50, and 100 msec). These measurements were possible through the use of Delta, a combination of the PEST (parameter estimation by sequential testing) technique with ΔT as dependent variable. To establish whether Delta yielded results comparable to the more traditional 2AFC measurement of per cent correct, psychometric functions for the same observers were obtained for the same base durations. From these functions, the value of ΔT needed by an observer to achieve 75% and 90% correct discrimination was found for each T. In general, the estimated values of ΔT did not differ from those obtained directly by the Delta technique. [Supported by the National Research Council of Canada.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]