The Prevalence, Development and Domain Specificity of Elementary School Students' Achievement Goal Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansen in de Wal, Joost; Hornstra, Lisette; Prins, Frans J.; Peetsma, Thea; van der Veen, Ineke

2016-01-01

This study's aim was to examine the prevalence, development and domain specificity of fifth- and sixth-grade elementary school students' achievement goal profiles. Achievement goals were measured for language and mathematics among 722 pupils at three points in time. These data were analysed through latent profile analysis and latent transition…

Teacher-Directed Student Use of Technology and Mathematics Achievement: Examining Trends in International Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yang; O'Dwyer, Laura

2011-01-01

Using data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 and 2007 administrations, this study examines international trends in technology use and explores the international patterns in how teacher-directed, student-use of technology is related to eighth grade mathematics achievement. Descriptive patterns in…

Linking TIMSS and NAEP Assessments to Evaluate International Trends in Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Hwanggyu; Sireci, Stephen G.

2017-01-01

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) makes it possible to compare the performance of students in the US in Mathematics and Science to the performance of students in other countries. TIMSS uses four international benchmarks for describing student achievement: Low, Intermediate, High, and Advanced. In this study, we…

A latent profile analysis of math achievement, numerosity, and math anxiety in twins

PubMed Central

Hart, Sara A.; Logan, Jessica A.R.; Thompson, Lee; Kovas, Yulia; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

Underperformance in math is a problem with increasing prevalence, complex etiology, and severe repercussions. This study examined the etiological heterogeneity of math performance in a sample of 264 pairs of 12-year-old twins assessed on measures of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety. Latent profile analysis indicated five groupings of individuals representing different patterns of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety, coupled with differing degrees of familial transmission. These results suggest that there may be distinct profiles of math achievement, numerosity and anxiety; particularly for students who struggle in math. PMID:26957650

A latent profile analysis of math achievement, numerosity, and math anxiety in twins.

PubMed

Hart, Sara A; Logan, Jessica A R; Thompson, Lee; Kovas, Yulia; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Petrill, Stephen A

2016-02-01

Underperformance in math is a problem with increasing prevalence, complex etiology, and severe repercussions. This study examined the etiological heterogeneity of math performance in a sample of 264 pairs of 12-year-old twins assessed on measures of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety. Latent profile analysis indicated five groupings of individuals representing different patterns of math achievement, numerosity and math anxiety, coupled with differing degrees of familial transmission. These results suggest that there may be distinct profiles of math achievement, numerosity and anxiety; particularly for students who struggle in math.

Changing trends in US injury profiles: revisiting non-fatal occupational injury statistics.

PubMed

Subramanian, A; Desai, A; Prakash, L; Mital, A; Mital, Anil

2006-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to review the current trends in non-fatal injury profiles of workers in the United States. It is generally accepted that occupational injury and illness rates are affected by many factors, such as the amount and quality of training, employee turnover rates, work experience, extent of mechanization and automation, job-related parameters, and worker gender. In the last decade, not only have the technologies used in the workplace changed significantly, there has been a greater awareness among employers and employees as to the importance of containing work injuries. Additionally, the extent of outsourcing for labor-intensive jobs has increased dramatically owing to cheaper labor costs in places such as China and Mexico. These changes have affected the manufacturing sector of US industry more than any other sector. How these changes have influenced the injury and illness profiles of the American worker is of considerable interest given the increased attention paid to work-workplace design, injury hazard control, and ergonomics in general. In this paper, we compare the injury and illness profiles of US workers separated by nearly a decade. The trends from early 1990s are compared to those from early 2000s. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics were used to compile the injury statistics. The results of our comparison show that while the absolute numbers of work-related injuries and illnesses have declined over the last 10 years, the basic trends associated with different factors remain almost unchanged. The reasons for this decline are discussed in this paper.

Comparison of SBUV and SAGE II ozone profiles: Implications for ozone trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcpeters, R. D.; Miles, T.; Flynn, L. E.; Wellemeyer, C. G.; Zawodny, J. M.

1994-01-01

Solar backscattered ultraviolet (SBUV) ozone profiles have been compared with Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II profiles over the period October 1984 through June 1990, when data are available from both instruments. SBUV measurements were selected to closely match the SAGE II latitude/longitude measurement pattern. There are significant differences between the SAGE II sunrise and the sunset zonal mean ozone profiles in the equatorial zone, particularly in the upper stratosphere, that may be connected with extreme SAGE II solar azimuth angles for tropical sunrise measurements. Calculation of the average sunset bias between SBUV and SAGE II ozone profiles shows that allowing for diurnal variation in Umkehr layer 10, SBUV and SAGE II agree to within +/- 5% for the entire stratosphere in the northern midlatitude zone. The worst agreement is seen at southern midlatitudes near the ozone peak (disagreements of +/- 10%), apparently the result of the SBUV ozone profile peaking at a lower altitude than SAGE. The integrated ozone columns (cumulative above 15 km) agree very well, to within +/- 2.3% in all zones for both sunset and sunrise measurements. A comparison of the time dependence of SBUV and SAGE II shows that there was less than +/- 5% relative drift over the 5.5 years for all altitudes except below 25 km, where the SBUV vertical resolution is poor. The best agreement with SAGE is seen in the integrated column ozone (cumulative above 15 km), where SAGE II has a 1% negative trend relative to SBUV over the comparison period. There is a persistent disagreement of the two instruments in Umkehr layers 9 and 10 of +/- 4% over the 5.5-year comparison period. In the equatorial zone this disagreement may be caused in part by a large positive trend (0.8 K per year) in the National Meteorologica Center temperatures used to convert the SAGE II measurement of ozone density versus altitude to a pressure scale for comparison with SBUV. In the middle stratosphere (30

An Update on Ozone Profile Trends for the Period 2000 to 2016

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinbrecht, Wolfgang; Froidevaux, Lucien; Fuller, Ryan; Wang, Ray; Anderson, John; Roth, Chris; Bourassa, Adam; Degenstein, Doug; Damadeo, Robert; Zawodny, Joe;

The Civics Report Card: Trends in Achievement from 1976 to 1988 at Ages 13 and 17; Achievement in 1988 at Grades 4, 8, and 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Lee; And Others

This report summarizes findings from two national surveys of U.S. civics achievement conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Part 1 reports on a trend assessment of approximately 56,000 students at ages 13 and 17, carried out during the 1975-76, 1981-82, and 1987-88 school years. Chapter 1 summarizes national trends, trends…

2×2 dominant achievement goal profiles in high-level swimmers.

PubMed

Fernandez-Rio, Javier; Cecchini Estrada, Jose A; Mendez-Giménez, Antonio; Fernández-Garcia, Benjamín; Saavedra, Pablo

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to assess achievement goal dominance, self-determined situational motivation and competence in high-level swimmers before and after three training sessions set at different working intensities (medium, sub-maximal and maximal). Nineteen athletes (males, n=9, 18.00±2.32 years; females, n=10, 16.30±2.01 years, range = 14-18) agreed to participate. They completed a questionnaire that included the Dominant Achievement Goal assessment instrument, the 2×2 Achievement Goals Questionnaire for Sport (AGQ-S), The Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS) and the Competence subscale of the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise questionnaire (BPNES). Results indicated that participants overwhelmingly showed mastery-approach achievement goal dominance, and it remained stable at the conclusion of the different training sessions under all intensity levels. This profile was positively correlated to self-determined situational motivation and competence. However, swimmers' feelings of competence increased only after the medium intensity level training session. After the completion of the maximal intensity training session, swimmers' self-determined motivation was significantly lower compared to the other two training sessions, which could be caused by a temporary period of burnout. Results indicated that high-level swimmers had a distinct mastery-approach dominant achievement goal profile that was not affected by the workload of the different training sessions. They also showed high levels of self-determined situational motivation and competence. However, heavy workloads should be controlled because they can cause transitory burnout.

Representativeness of single lidar stations for zonally averaged ozone profiles, their trends and attribution to proxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zerefos, Christos; Kapsomenakis, John; Eleftheratos, Kostas; Tourpali, Kleareti; Petropavlovskikh, Irina; Hubert, Daan; Godin-Beekmann, Sophie; Steinbrecht, Wolfgang; Frith, Stacey; Sofieva, Viktoria; Hassler, Birgit

2018-05-01

This paper is focusing on the representativeness of single lidar stations for zonally averaged ozone profile variations over the middle and upper stratosphere. From the lower to the upper stratosphere, ozone profiles from single or grouped lidar stations correlate well with zonal means calculated from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Radiometer (SBUV) satellite overpasses. The best representativeness with significant correlation coefficients is found within ±15° of latitude circles north or south of any lidar station. This paper also includes a multivariate linear regression (MLR) analysis on the relative importance of proxy time series for explaining variations in the vertical ozone profiles. Studied proxies represent variability due to influences outside of the earth system (solar cycle) and within the earth system, i.e. dynamic processes (the Quasi Biennial Oscillation, QBO; the Arctic Oscillation, AO; the Antarctic Oscillation, AAO; the El Niño Southern Oscillation, ENSO), those due to volcanic aerosol (aerosol optical depth, AOD), tropopause height changes (including global warming) and those influences due to anthropogenic contributions to atmospheric chemistry (equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine, EESC). Ozone trends are estimated, with and without removal of proxies, from the total available 1980 to 2015 SBUV record. Except for the chemistry related proxy (EESC) and its orthogonal function, the removal of the other proxies does not alter the significance of the estimated long-term trends. At heights above 15 hPa an inflection point between 1997 and 1999 marks the end of significant negative ozone trends, followed by a recent period between 1998 and 2015 with positive ozone trends. At heights between 15 and 40 hPa the pre-1998 negative ozone trends tend to become less significant as we move towards 2015, below which the lower stratosphere ozone decline continues in agreement with findings of recent literature.

Trends in Academic Achievement Gaps in the Era of No Child Left Behind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Sean F.; Greenberg, Erica; Kalogrides, Demetra; Shores, Kenneth A.; Valentino, Rachel A.

2012-01-01

The authors' goals in this study are to use both the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and state accountability test score data to (1) provide a detailed description of the magnitude and trends of state-level academic achievement gaps among cohorts of students entering school in the 1990s and 2000s; (2) investigate the extent to…

Does Enjoying Friendship Help or Impede Academic Achievement? Academic and Social Intrinsic Value Profiles Predict Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seo, Eunjin; Lee, You-kyung

2018-01-01

We examine the intrinsic value students placed on schoolwork (i.e. academic intrinsic value) and social relationships (i.e. social intrinsic value). We then look at how these values predict middle and high school achievement. To do this, we came up with four profiles based on cluster analyses of 6,562 South Korean middle school students. The four…

Trends of Science Ability in the National Assessment of Educational Achievement (NAEA) of Korean Ninth Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Heon; Kim, Soojin

2016-01-01

The results of the National Assessment of Educational Achievement from 2010 to 2013 have shown a downward trend in ninth graders' science average achievement scores from 2011 to 2013. The percentage of students in the Advanced level decreased dramatically from 19.95% in 2010 to 11.48% in 2013, while the percentage of students in the Basic level…

Depth-time interpolation of feature trends extracted from mobile microelectrode data with kernel functions.

PubMed

Wong, Stephen; Hargreaves, Eric L; Baltuch, Gordon H; Jaggi, Jurg L; Danish, Shabbar F

2012-01-01

Microelectrode recording (MER) is necessary for precision localization of target structures such as the subthalamic nucleus during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. Attempts to automate this process have produced quantitative temporal trends (feature activity vs. time) extracted from mobile MER data. Our goal was to evaluate computational methods of generating spatial profiles (feature activity vs. depth) from temporal trends that would decouple automated MER localization from the clinical procedure and enhance functional localization in DBS surgery. We evaluated two methods of interpolation (standard vs. kernel) that generated spatial profiles from temporal trends. We compared interpolated spatial profiles to true spatial profiles that were calculated with depth windows, using correlation coefficient analysis. Excellent approximation of true spatial profiles is achieved by interpolation. Kernel-interpolated spatial profiles produced superior correlation coefficient values at optimal kernel widths (r = 0.932-0.940) compared to standard interpolation (r = 0.891). The choice of kernel function and kernel width resulted in trade-offs in smoothing and resolution. Interpolation of feature activity to create spatial profiles from temporal trends is accurate and can standardize and facilitate MER functional localization of subcortical structures. The methods are computationally efficient, enhancing localization without imposing additional constraints on the MER clinical procedure during DBS surgery. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Mathematics and Natural Science Students' Motivational Profiles and Their First-Year Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fokkens-Bruinsma, Marjon; Vermue, Carlien Elske; Deinum, Jan Folkert

2018-01-01

Our study focused on describing first-year university students' motivational profiles and examining differences in academic achievement based on these profiles. Data on academic motivation of 755 students in the field of mathematics and natural sciences were collected before the start of their bachelor's degree program; data on GPA were collected…

Obesity, High-Calorie Food Intake, and Academic Achievement Trends among U.S. School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jian; O'Connell, Ann A.

2012-01-01

The authors investigated children's self-reported high-calorie food intake in Grade 5 and its relationship to trends in obesity status and academic achievement over the first 6 years of school. They used 3-level hierarchical linear models in the large-scale database (the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort). Findings indicated…

Motivational profiles in high school students: Differences in behavioural and emotional homework engagement and academic achievement.

PubMed

Regueiro, Bibiana; Núñez, José C; Valle, Antonio; Piñeiro, Isabel; Rodríguez, Susana; Rosário, Pedro

2016-12-12

This work examined whether combinations of academic and non-academic goals generated different motivational profiles in high school students. Besides, differences in homework behavioural engagement (i.e. amount of homework, time spent in homework, homework time management), homework emotional engagement (i.e. homework anxiety) and academic achievement were analysed. Participants were 714 high school students (43.4% boys and 56.6% girls). The study of potential motivational profiles was conducted by latent profile analysis, and the differences between the motivational profiles regarding homework variables and academic achievement were analysed using multivariate analysis. The results indicate the existence of five groups of motivational profiles: a group of students with multiple goals, a group of unmotivated students, two groups of students with a predominance of learning goals and, finally, a group comprising students with a high fear of failure. Both the group with multiple goals and the learning goals-oriented groups reported to do more homework, spending more time on homework, making better use of that time and having a higher academic achievement than counterparts. The avoidance-failure group and the group with multiple goals showed higher levels of homework anxiety. Globally, these results provide support for a person-centred approach. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Tracking Achievement Gaps and Assessing the Impact of NCLB on the Gaps: An In-Depth Look into National and State Reading and Math Outcome Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jaekyung

2006-01-01

This study offers systematic trend analyses of NAEP national and state-level public school fourth and eighth graders' reading and math achievement results during pre-NCLB (1990-2001) and post-NCLB (2002-2005) periods. It compares post-NCLB trends in reading and math achievement with pre-NCLB trends among different racial and socioeconomic groups…

A Multilevel Study on Trends in Malaysian Secondary School Students' Science Achievement and Associated School and Student Predictors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohammadpour, Ebrahim

2012-01-01

This article aims to investigate variations in science achievement for secondary school students across the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assessments and to examine the relations of several student- and school-level factors with achievement. The data were obtained from 5,577, 5,314, and 4,466 Malaysian eighth…

Aggregating Student Achievement Trends across States with Different Tests: Using Standardized Slopes as Effect Sizes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yin, Robert K.; Schmidt, R. James; Besag, Frank

2006-01-01

The study of federal education initiatives that takes place over multiple years in multiple settings often calls for aggregating and comparing data-in particular, student achievement data-across a broad set of schools, districts, and states. The need to track the trends over time is complicated by the fact that the data from the different schools,…

Degrees of Resilience: Profiling Psychological Resilience and Prospective Academic Achievement in University Inductees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allan, John F.; McKenna, Jim; Dominey, Susan

2014-01-01

University inductees may be increasingly vulnerable to stressors during transition into higher education (HE), requiring psychological resilience to achieve academic success. This study aimed to profile inductees' resilience and to investigate links to prospective end of year academic outcomes. Scores for resilience were based on a validated…

Railroad industry modal profile: an outline of the railroad industry workforce trends, challenges, and opportunities - update : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-04-01

In 2011, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research, Development, and Technology (RD&T) published the : first edition of the Railroad Industry Modal Profile: An Outline of the Railroad Industry Workforce Trends, Challenges, and :...

Mental toughness profiles and their relations with achievement goals and sport motivation in adolescent Australian footballers.

PubMed

Gucciardi, Daniel F

2010-04-01

The aims of this study were to identify the mental toughness profiles of adolescent Australian footballers and to explore the relations between the mental toughness clusters and achievement goals and sport motivation. A total of 214 non-elite, male Australian footballers aged 16-18 years (mean = 16.8, s = 0.7) provided self-reports of mental toughness, achievement goals, and sport motivation. Cluster analysis supported the presence of two-groups in which players evidenced moderate and high levels of all four mental toughness subscales. Significant multivariate effects were observed for achievement goals and sport motivation with the high mental toughness group favouring both mastery- and performance-approach goals and self-determined as well as extrinsic motivational tendencies. The results suggest that adolescent Australian footballers' self-perceptions of mental toughness fall within two clusters involving high and moderate forms of all four components, and that these profiles show varying relations with achievement goals (particularly mastery-approach) and sport motivation.

Extending the SBUV MOD Ozone Profile data record with OMPS Nadir Profiler Data: Updated Trends and Uncertainties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frith, S. M.; Stolarski, R. S.; McPeters, R. D.; Kramarova, N. A.

2017-12-01

The Ozone Monitoring and Profile Suite (OMPS) on the Suomi NPP satellite comprises three instruments measuring profile and total column ozone. The Nadir Profiler sensor measures broadly-resolved vertical ozone profiles retrieved from backscattered UV radiances, and continues a nearly unbroken record of measurements from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV and SBUV/2) series of instruments dating back to late 1978. The SBUV Merged Ozone Dataset (MOD) combines data from the SBUV instrument series into a single coherent data record. The last instrument in the series, operating on the NOAA 19 satellite, is expected to encounter higher measurement uncertainties as the N19 orbit drifts closer to the terminator, necessitating a move to the next generation OMPS instruments. Here we incorporate OMPS NP v2.3 data from 2012-2017 into the MOD record and evaluate the effects of the new data on theoverall record, particularly the sensitivity of long-term trend estimates derived from MOD. We will evaluate the uncertainty associated with merging multiple records. We use a Monte Carlo modeling approach to estimate the potential for uncertainties in the calibration and drift of individual instruments to mimic long-term variations in the merged data set. Intra-instrument comparisons during overlap periods are used to quantify the uncertainty of each instrument in the Monte Carlo simulations. Current error estimates using this approach are likely conservative because we model a Gaussian distribution of potential offsets and drifts when the actual distributions are more complicated. In this work we will investigate the effects of the additional data set, but also pursue approaches to define the Monte Carlo model more precisely to better characterize the potential error.

A Latent Profile Analysis of Math Achievement, Numerosity, and Math Anxiety in Twins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Sara A.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Thompson, Lee; Kovas, Yulia; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Petrill, Stephen A.

2016-01-01

Underperformance in math is a problem with increasing prevalence, complex etiology, and severe repercussions. This study examined the etiological heterogeneity of math performance in a sample of 264 pairs of 12-year-old twins assessed on measures of math achievement, numerosity, and math anxiety. Latent profile analysis indicated 5 groupings of…

Singapore Primary Students' Pursuit of Multiple Achievement Goals: A Latent Profile Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ning, Hoi Kwan

2018-01-01

Based on measures of approach and avoidance mastery and performance goals delineated in the 2 × 2 achievement goal framework, this study utilized a person-centered approach to examine Singapore primary students' (N = 819) multiple goals pursuit in the general school context. Latent profile analysis identified six types of students with distinct…

PHOTOMETRIC TRENDS IN THE VISIBLE SOLAR CONTINUUM AND THEIR SENSITIVITY TO THE CENTER-TO-LIMB PROFILE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peck, C. L.; Rast, M. P.

2015-08-01

Solar irradiance variations over solar rotational timescales are largely determined by the passage of magnetic structures across the visible solar disk. Variations on solar cycle timescales are thought to be similarly due to changes in surface magnetism with activity. Understanding the contribution of magnetic structures to total solar irradiance and solar spectral irradiance requires assessing their contributions as a function of disk position. Since only relative photometry is possible from the ground, the contrasts of image pixels are measured with respect to a center-to-limb intensity profile. Using nine years of full-disk red and blue continuum images from the Precision Solarmore » Photometric Telescope at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, we examine the sensitivity of continuum contrast measurements to the center-to-limb profile definition. Profiles which differ only by the amount of magnetic activity allowed in the pixels used to determine them yield oppositely signed solar cycle length continuum contrast trends, either agreeing with previous results and showing negative correlation with solar cycle or disagreeing and showing positive correlation with solar cycle. Changes in the center-to-limb profile shape over the solar cycle are responsible for the contradictory contrast results, and we demonstrate that the lowest contrast structures, internetwork and network, are most sensitive to these. Thus the strengths of the full-disk, internetwork, and network photometric trends depend critically on the magnetic flux density used in the quiet-Sun definition. We conclude that the contributions of low contrast magnetic structures to variations in the solar continuum output, particularly to long-term variations, are difficult, if not impossible, to determine without the use of radiometric imaging.« less

Profiling first-year students in STEM programs based on autonomous motivation and academic self-concept and relationship with academic achievement.

PubMed

Van Soom, Carolien; Donche, Vincent

2014-01-01

The low success rate of first-year college students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs has spurred many academic achievement studies in which explanatory factors are studied. In this study, we investigated from a person-oriented perspective whether different motivational and academic self-concept profiles could be discerned between male and female first-year college students in STEM and whether differences in early academic achievement were associated with these student groups. Data on autonomous motivation, academic self-concept, and early academic achievement of 1,400 first-year STEM college students were collected. Cluster analyses were used to distinguish motivational profiles based on the relative levels of autonomous motivation and academic self-concept for male and female students. Differences in early academic achievement of the various profiles were studied by means of ANCOVA. Four different motivational profiles were discerned based on the dimensions of autonomous motivation (A) and academic self-concept (S): students scoring high and respectively low on both dimensions (HA-HS or LA-LS), and students scoring high on one dimension and low on the other (HA-LS or LA-HS). Also gender differences were found in this study: male students with high levels of academic self-concept and autonomous motivation had higher academic achievement compared to male students with low levels on both motivational dimensions. For female students, motivational profiles were not associated with academic achievement. The findings partially confirm the internal and external validity of the motivational theories underpinning this study and extend the present insights on identifying subgroup(s) of at risk students in contemporary STEM programs at university level.

Profiling First-Year Students in STEM Programs Based on Autonomous Motivation and Academic Self-Concept and Relationship with Academic Achievement

PubMed Central

Van Soom, Carolien; Donche, Vincent

2014-01-01

The low success rate of first-year college students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs has spurred many academic achievement studies in which explanatory factors are studied. In this study, we investigated from a person-oriented perspective whether different motivational and academic self-concept profiles could be discerned between male and female first-year college students in STEM and whether differences in early academic achievement were associated with these student groups. Data on autonomous motivation, academic self-concept, and early academic achievement of 1,400 first-year STEM college students were collected. Cluster analyses were used to distinguish motivational profiles based on the relative levels of autonomous motivation and academic self-concept for male and female students. Differences in early academic achievement of the various profiles were studied by means of ANCOVA. Four different motivational profiles were discerned based on the dimensions of autonomous motivation (A) and academic self-concept (S): students scoring high and respectively low on both dimensions (HA-HS or LA-LS), and students scoring high on one dimension and low on the other (HA-LS or LA-HS). Also gender differences were found in this study: male students with high levels of academic self-concept and autonomous motivation had higher academic achievement compared to male students with low levels on both motivational dimensions. For female students, motivational profiles were not associated with academic achievement. The findings partially confirm the internal and external validity of the motivational theories underpinning this study and extend the present insights on identifying subgroup(s) of at risk students in contemporary STEM programs at university level. PMID:25390942

Instructional Time Trends. Education Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Julie Rowland

2015-01-01

For more than 30 years, Education Commission of the States has tracked instructional time and frequently receives requests for information about policies and trends. In this Education Trends report, Education Commission of the States addresses some of the more frequent questions, including the impact of instructional time on achievement, variation…

Patterns and Trends in Achievement Gaps in Malaysian Secondary Schools (1999-2011): Gender, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saw, Guan Kung

2016-01-01

Educational inequality is a highly debated yet empirically understudied topic in Malaysia. This paper examines the patterns and trends of academic achievement gaps by student social groups in Malaysia, drawing upon nationally representative data for the most recent four cohorts (1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011) of eighth-grade Malaysian students from…

Profiles of Academic Achievement and Cognitive Processing in College Students with Foreign Language Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prevatt, Frances; Proctor, Briley; Swartz, Stacy L.; Canto, Angela I.

2003-01-01

This study evaluated the cognitive and achievement profiles of college students experiencing difficulties in foreign language (FLD group). Because past research appears to have generated different results based on the type of comparison groups utilized, we attempted to obtain a better representation of students with foreign language difficulties.…

Stratospheric ozone profile and total ozone trends derived from the SAGE I and SAGE II data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccormick, M. P.; Veiga, Robert E.; Chu, William P.

1992-01-01

Global trends in both stratospheric column ozone and as a function of altitude are derived on the basis of SAGE I/II ozone data from the period 1979-1991. A statistical model containing quasi-biennial, seasonal, and semiannual oscillations, a linear component, and a first-order autoregressive noise process was fit to the time series of SAGE I/II monthly zonal mean data. The linear trend in column ozone above 17-km altitude, averaged between 65 deg S and 65 deg N, is -0.30 +/-0.19 percent/yr, or -3.6 percent over the time period February 1979 through April 1991. The data show that the column trend above 17 km is nearly zero in the tropics and increases towards the high latitudes with values of -0.6 percent/yr at 60 deg S and -0.35 percent/yr at 60 deg N. Both these results are in agreement with the recent TOMS results. The profile trend analyses show that the column ozone losses are occurring below 25 km, with most of the loss coming from the region between 17 and 20 km. Negative trend values on the order of -2 percent/yr are found at 17 km in midlatitudes.

Laser-induced retinal damage thresholds for annular retinal beam profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, Paul K.; Zuclich, Joseph A.; Lund, David J.; Edsall, Peter R.; Till, Stephen; Stuck, Bruce E.; Hollins, Richard C.

2004-07-01

The dependence of retinal damage thresholds on laser spot size, for annular retinal beam profiles, was measured in vivo for 3 μs, 590 nm pulses from a flashlamp-pumped dye laser. Minimum Visible Lesion (MVL)ED50 thresholds in rhesus were measured for annular retinal beam profiles covering 5, 10, and 20 mrad of visual field; which correspond to outer beam diameters of roughly 70, 160, and 300 μm, respectively, on the primate retina. Annular beam profiles at the retinal plane were achieved using a telescopic imaging system, with the focal properties of the eye represented as an equivalent thin lens, and all annular beam profiles had a 37% central obscuration. As a check on experimental data, theoretical MVL-ED50 thresholds for annular beam exposures were calculated using the Thompson-Gerstman granular model of laser-induced thermal damage to the retina. Threshold calculations were performed for the three experimental beam diameters and for an intermediate case with an outer beam diameter of 230 μm. Results indicate that the threshold vs. spot size trends, for annular beams, are similar to the trends for top hat beams determined in a previous study; i.e., the threshold dose varies with the retinal image area for larger image sizes. The model correctly predicts the threshold vs. spot size trends seen in the biological data, for both annular and top hat retinal beam profiles.

Higher Education Profiles & Trends 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2013

2013-01-01

The statute [T.C.A. Section 49-7-202(c)(7)] requires the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to prepare a biennial report for the governor and the general assembly, "commenting upon major developments, trends, new policies, budgets and financial considerations which in the judgment of the commission will be useful to the governor and to the…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 5: Progress Lags in High School, Especially for Advanced Achievers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurrer, Jennifer; Kober, Nancy

2011-01-01

This report by the Center on Education Policy (CEP), an independent nonprofit organization, examines trends in the achievement of high school students on the state reading/English language arts (ELA) and mathematics tests used for accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In most states, these tests are first administered in grade…

Repository Profiles for Atmospheric and Climate Sciences: Capabilities and Trends in Data Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, C. Y.; Thompson, C. A.; Palmer, C. L.

2014-12-01

As digital research data proliferate and expectations for open access escalate, the landscape of data repositories is becoming more complex. For example, DataBib currently identifies 980 data repositories across the disciplines, with 117 categorized under Geosciences. In atmospheric and climate sciences, there are great expectations for the integration and reuse of data for advancing science. To realize this potential, resources are needed that explicate the range of repository options available for locating and depositing open data, their conditions of access and use, and the services and tools they provide. This study profiled 38 open digital repositories in the atmospheric and climate sciences, analyzing each on 55 criteria through content analysis of their websites. The results provide a systematic way to assess and compare capabilities, services, and institutional characteristics and identify trends across repositories. Selected results from the more detailed outcomes to be presented: Most repositories offer guidance on data format(s) for submission and dissemination. 42% offer authorization-free access. More than half use some type of data identification system such as DOIs. Nearly half offer some data processing, with a similar number providing software or tools. 78.9% request that users cite or acknowledge datasets used and the data center. Only 21.1% recommend specific metadata standards, such as ISO 19115 or Dublin Core, with more than half utilizing a customized metadata scheme. Information was rarely provided on repository certification and accreditation and uneven for transfer of rights and data security. Few provided policy information on preservation, migration, reappraisal, disposal, or long-term sustainability. As repository use increases, it will be important for institutions to make their procedures and policies explicit, to build trust with user communities and improve efficiencies in data sharing. Resources such as repository profiles will be

Goal orientation profile differences on perceived motivational climate, perceived peer relationships, and motivation-related responses of youth athletes.

PubMed

Smith, Alan L; Balaguer, Isabel; Duda, Joan L

2006-12-01

The aims of this study were twofold: (a) to determine if dispositional achievement goal orientation profiles that are reported in the literature would be observed in a sample of youth athletes, and (b) to examine potential achievement goal orientation profile differences on perceptions of the motivational climate, perceptions of peer relationships, and motivation-related responses. Male soccer players (n=223) aged 9-12 years (mean=10.9, s=0.6) completed a multi-section questionnaire containing assessments of dispositional goal (task, ego) orientations, the perceived task- and ego-involving features of the motivational climate, perceived peer acceptance and friendship quality (positive friendship quality, conflict), perceived ability, soccer enjoyment, and satisfaction with one's performance and the team. Four profiles were observed that closely matched those observed by Hodge and Petlichkoff (2000), though in the present study a lower proportion of participants exhibited achievement goal profiles consisting of relatively high ego orientation. Achievement goal profile differences were found for all variables except positive friendship quality, with a general trend for those reporting relatively lower task goal orientation to exhibit less adaptive responses. Overall, the findings support achievement goal frameworks (e.g. Nicholls, 1989) and suggest that further examination of dispositional achievement goals may afford a deeper understanding of social relationships and motivational processes in youth sport.

Subgroup Achievement and Gap Trends: New Hampshire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2009

2009-01-01

This year the Center on Education Policy analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps between…

The Association of Latino Children's Kindergarten School Readiness Profiles with Grade 2-5 Literacy Achievement Trajectories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quirk, Matthew; Grimm, Ryan; Furlong, Michael J.; Nylund-Gibson, Karen; Swami, Sruthi

2016-01-01

This study utilized latent class analysis (LCA) to identify 5 discernible profiles of Latino children's (N = 1,253) social-emotional, physical, and cognitive school readiness at the time of kindergarten entry. In addition, a growth mixture modeling (GMM) approach was used to identify 3 unique literacy achievement trajectories, across Grades 2-5,…

Higher Education Profiles and Trends, 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2009

2009-01-01

Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.) Section 49-7-2 (c) (7) requires the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to "submit a biennial report to the governor and the general assembly, commenting upon major developments, trends, new policies, budgets and financial considerations which in the judgment of the commission will be useful to the governor…

Does the Confidence of First-Year Undergraduate Students Change over Time According to Achievement Goal Profile?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putwain, David W.; Sander, Paul

2016-01-01

This study examined the changes in students' academic behavioural confidence over the course of their first year of academic study and whether changes differ by their achievement goal profile. Self-report data were collected from 434 participants in three waves: at the beginning of the first semester of their first year of undergraduate study, at…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? Utah

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles Utah's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2004, the mean scale score on the state 4th grade reading test was 167 for non-Title I students and 164 for Title I students. In 2009 the mean scale score in 4th grade reading was 168 for non-Title I students and 164 for Title I students. Between 2004 and 2009, the mean scale score…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? Colorado

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles Colorado's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2003, the mean scale score on the state 4th grade reading test was 598 for non-Title I students and 558 for Title I students. In 2009, the mean scale score in 4th grade reading was 599 for non-Title I students and 556 for Title I students. Between 2003 and 2009, the mean scale…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? Maryland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles Maryland's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2004, 82% of non-Title I 4th graders and 61% of Title I 4th graders scored at the proficient level on the state reading test. In 2009, 90% of non-Title I 4th graders and 78% of Title I 4th graders scored at the proficient level in reading. Between 2004 and 2009, the percentage…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? Delaware

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles Delaware's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2006, the mean scale score on the state 4th grade reading test was 474 for non-Title I students and 464 for Title I students. In 2009, the mean scale score in 4th grade reading was 478 for non-Title I students and 467 for Title I students. Between 2006 and 2009, the mean scale…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? Massachusetts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles Massachusetts's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2006, 59% of non-Title I 4th graders and 29% of Title I 4th graders scored at the proficient level on the state reading test. In 2009, 64% of non-Title I 4th graders and 31% of Title I 4th graders scored at the proficient level in reading. Between 2006 and 2009, the…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? Missouri

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles Missouri's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2006, the mean scale score on the state 4th grade reading test was 661 for non-Title I students and 642 for Title I students. In 2009, the mean scale score in 4th grade reading was 661 for non-Title I students and 648 for Title I students. Between 2006 and 2009, there was no…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? Kentucky

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles Kentucky's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2007, the mean scale score on the state 4th grade reading test was 455 for non-Title I students and 451 for Title I students. In 2009, the mean scale score in 4th grade reading was 455 for non-Title I students and 451 for Title I students. Between 2007 and 2009, the mean scale…

Mathematics Achievement in High- and Low-Achieving Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohammadpour, Ebrahim; Shekarchizadeh, Ahmadreza

2015-01-01

This paper identifies the amount of variance in mathematics achievement in high- and low-achieving schools that can be explained by school-level factors, while controlling for student-level factors. The data were obtained from 2679 Iranian eighth graders who participated in the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Of the…

Chemical water shutoff profile research status and development trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, L. T.

2017-08-01

Excess water production is now a common problem encountered in almost every water flooding mature oilfield. The exploitation of oil field is faced with great challenge because of the decrease of oil field production. For the development of high water cut rare the status quo chemical water shutoff profile control technology is an important solution to solve this problem. Oilfield chemical water shutoff has important application prospects. This paper analyzes the water shutoff profile control and water shutoff profile control agent currently oilfield applications, moreover the use and development of blocking agent profile technology is to improve reservoir recovery and propose solutions. With the constant increase in water cut, profile technology should be simple, efficient, practical and profile control agent of development should be economic, environmental, and long period

Trends in ozone profile measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, H.; Aikin, A.; Barnes, R.; Chandra, S.; Cunnold, D.; Deluisi, J.; Gille, J. C.; Hudson, R.; Mccormick, M. P.; Mcmaster, L.

1989-01-01

From an examination of the agreements and differences between different satellite instruments, it is difficult to believe that existing satellite instruments determine upper stratospheric ozone much better than 4 pct.; by extension, it probably would require at least a 4 pct. change to be reliably detected as a change. The best estimates of the vertical profiles of ozone change in the upper stratosphere between 1979 and 1986 are judged to be those given by the two SAGE satellite instruments. SAGE-2 minus SAGE-1 gives a much lower ozone reduction than that given by the archived Solar Backscatter UV data. The average SAGE profiles of ozone changes between 20 and 50 degs north and between 20 and 50 degs south are given. The SAGE-1 and SAGE-2 comparison gives an ozone reduction of about 4 pct. at 25 km over temperate latitudes. Five ground based Umkehr stations between 36 and 52 degs north, corrected for the effects of volcanic aerosols, report an ozone reduction between 1979 and 1987 at Umkehr layer 8 of 9 + or - 5 pct. The central estimate of upper stratospheric ozone reduction given by SAGE at 40 km is less than the central value estimated by the Umkehr method at layer 8.

How Certain are We of the Uncertainties in Recent Ozone Profile Trend Assessments of Merged Limbo Ccultation Records? Challenges and Possible Ways Forward

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubert, Daan; Lambert, Jean-Christopher; Verhoelst, Tijl; Granville, Jose; Keppens, Arno; Baray, Jean-Luc; Cortesi, Ugo; Degenstein, D. A.; Froidevaux, Lucien; Godin-Beekmann, Sophie;

Climatology and trends of mesospheric (58-90) temperatures based upon 1982-1986 SME limb scattering profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clancy, R. Todd; Rusch, David W.

1989-01-01

Atmospheric temperature profiles for the altitude range 58-90 km were calculated using data on global UV limb radiances from the SME satellite. The major elements of this climatology include a high vertical resolution (about 4 km) and the coverage of the 70-90 km altitude region. The analysis of this extensive data set provides a global definition of mesospheric-lower thermospheric temperature trends over the 1982-1986 period. The observations suggest a pattern of 1-2 K/year decreases in temperatures at 80-90-km altitudes accompanied by 0.5-1.5 K/year increases in temperatures at 65-80-km altitudes.

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles North Carolina's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2006, the mean scale score on the state 4th grade math test was 351 for non-Title I students and 347 for Title I students. In 2009, the mean scale score in 4th grade math was 354 for non-Title I students and 350 for Title I students. Between 2006 and 2009, the mean scale…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 4: Is Achievement Improving and Are Gaps Narrowing for Title I Students? New Hampshire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2011

2011-01-01

This paper profiles New Hampshire's test score trends through 2008-09. In 2006, the mean scale score on the state 4th grade reading test was 445 for non-Title I students and 438 for Title I students. In 2009, the mean scale score in 4th grade reading was 448 for non-Title I students and 441 for Title I students. Between 2006 and 2009, the mean…

Preschool predictors of school-age academic achievement in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Miller, Lauren E; Burke, Jeffrey D; Troyb, Eva; Knoch, Kelley; Herlihy, Lauren E; Fein, Deborah A

2017-02-01

Characterization of academic functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly predictors of achievement, may have important implications for intervention. The current study aimed to characterize achievement profiles, confirm associations between academic ability and concurrent intellectual and social skills, and explore preschool predictors of school-age academic achievement in a sample of children with ASD. Children with ASD (n = 26) were evaluated at the approximate ages of two, four, and ten. Multiple regression was used to predict school-age academic achievement in reading and mathematics from both concurrent (i.e. school-age) and preschool variables. Children with ASD demonstrated a weakness in reading comprehension relative to word reading. There was a smaller difference between mathematics skills; math reasoning was lower than numerical operations, but this did not quite reach trend level significance. Concurrent IQ and social skills were associated with school-age academic achievement across domains. Preschool verbal abilities significantly predicted school-age reading comprehension, above and beyond concurrent IQ, and early motor functioning predicted later math skills. Specific developmental features of early ASD predict specific aspects of school-age achievement. Early intervention targeting language and motor skills may improve later achievement in this population.

Merged SAGE II, Ozone_cci and OMPS ozone profiles dataset and evaluation of ozone trends in the stratosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tamminen, J.; Sofieva, V.; Kyrölä, E.; Laine, M.; Degenstein, D. A.; Bourassa, A. E.; Roth, C.; Zawada, D.; Weber, M.; Rozanov, A.; Rahpoe, N.; Stiller, G. P.; Laeng, A.; von Clarmann, T.; Walker, K. A.; Sheese, P.; Hubert, D.; Van Roozendael, M.; Zehner, C.; Damadeo, R. P.; Zawodny, J. M.; Kramarova, N. A.; Bhartia, P. K.

2017-12-01

We present a merged dataset of ozone profiles from several satellite instruments: SAGE II on ERBS, GOMOS, SCIAMACHY and MIPAS on Envisat, OSIRIS on Odin, ACE-FTS on SCISAT, and OMPS on Suomi-NPP. The merged dataset is created in the framework of European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative (Ozone_cci) with the aim of analyzing stratospheric ozone trends. For the merged dataset, we used the latest versions of the original ozone datasets. The datasets from the individual instruments have been extensively validated and inter-compared; only those datasets, which are in good agreement and do not exhibit significant drifts with respect to collocated ground-based observations and with respect to each other, are used for merging. The long-term SAGE-CCI-OMPS dataset is created by computation and merging of deseasonalized anomalies from individual instruments. The merged SAGE-CCI-OMPS dataset consists of deseasonalized anomalies of ozone in 10° latitude bands from 90°S to 90°N and from 10 to 50 km in steps of 1 km covering the period from October 1984 to July 2016. This newly created dataset is used for evaluating ozone trends in the stratosphere through multiple linear regression. Negative ozone trends in the upper stratosphere are observed before 1997 and positive trends are found after 1997. The upper stratospheric trends are statistically significant at mid-latitudes in the upper stratosphere and indicate ozone recovery, as expected from the decrease of stratospheric halogens that started in the middle of the 1990s.

Tennessee Higher Education Profiles and Trends, 2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2010

2010-01-01

Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.) Section 49-7-202 (c) (7) requires the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to "submit a biennial report to the governor and the general assembly, commenting upon major developments, trends, new policies, budgets and financial considerations which in the judgment of the commission will be useful to the…

Tennessee Higher Education Profiles and Trends, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2008

2008-01-01

Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.) Section 49-7-202 (c) (7) requires the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to "submit a biennial report to the governor and the general assembly, commenting upon major developments, trends, new policies, budgets and financial considerations which in the judgment of the commission will be useful to the…

Inorganic material profiling using Arn+ cluster: Can we achieve high quality profiles?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conard, T.; Fleischmann, C.; Havelund, R.; Franquet, A.; Poleunis, C.; Delcorte, A.; Vandervorst, W.

2018-06-01

Retrieving molecular information by sputtering of organic systems has been concretized in the last years due to the introduction of sputtering by large gas clusters which drastically eliminated the compound degradation during the analysis and has led to strong improvements in depth resolution. Rapidly however, a limitation was observed for heterogeneous systems where inorganic layers or structures needed to be profiled concurrently. As opposed to organic material, erosion of the inorganic layer appears very difficult and prone to many artefacts. To shed some light on these problems we investigated a simple system consisting of aluminum delta layer(s) buried in a silicon matrix in order to define the most favorable beam conditions for practical analysis. We show that counterintuitive to the small energy/atom used and unlike monoatomic ion sputtering, the information depth obtained with large cluster ions is typically very large (∼10 nm) and that this can be caused both by a large roughness development at early stages of the sputtering process and by a large mixing zone. As a consequence, a large deformation of the Al intensity profile is observed. Using sample rotation during profiling significantly improves the depth resolution while sample temperature has no significant effect. The determining parameter for high depth resolution still remains the total energy of the cluster instead of the energy per atom in the cluster.

Preschool Predictors of School-Age Academic Achievement in Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Miller, Lauren E.; Burke, Jeffrey D.; Troyb, Eva; Knoch, Kelley; Herlihy, Lauren E.; Fein, Deborah A.

2017-01-01

Objective Characterization of academic functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), particularly predictors of achievement, may have important implications for intervention. The current study aimed to characterize achievement profiles, confirm associations between academic ability and concurrent intellectual and social skills, and explore preschool predictors of school-age academic achievement in a sample of children with ASD. Method Children with ASD (N = 26) were evaluated at the approximate ages of two, four, and ten years. Multiple regression was used to predict school-age academic achievement in reading and mathematics from both concurrent (i.e., school-age) and preschool variables. Results Children with ASD demonstrated a weakness in reading comprehension relative to word reading. There was a smaller difference between mathematics skills; math reasoning was lower than numerical operations, but this did not quite reach trend level significance. Concurrent IQ and social skills were associated with school-age academic achievement across domains. Preschool verbal abilities significantly predicted school-age reading comprehension, above and beyond concurrent IQ, and early motor functioning predicted later math skills. Conclusions Specific developmental features of early ASD predict specific aspects of school-age achievement. Early intervention targeting language and motor skills may improve later achievement in this population. PMID:27705180

Statistical Trends in Broadcasting. Ninth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair (John) and Co., New York, NY.

A review of trends in broadcasting and an overall economic profile of the broadcasting industry for 1972, with projections for 1973, are given by a collection of tables and graphs. The first portion presents data on total advertising expenditures and trends, along with information on the gross national product and personal consumption spending.…

Quantifying the benefits of achieving or maintaining long-term low risk profile for cardiovascular disease: The Doetinchem Cohort Study.

PubMed

Hulsegge, Gerben; Smit, Henriëtte A; van der Schouw, Yvonne T; Daviglus, Martha L; Verschuren, W M Monique

2015-10-01

Studies investigating the relation between risk profiles and cardiovascular disease have measured risk at baseline only. We investigated maintenance and changes of risk profiles over time and their potential impact on incident cardiovascular disease. Population-based cohort study. Risk factors were measured at baseline (1987-1991) among 5574 cardiovascular disease-free adults aged 20-59 years. They were classified into four risk categories according to smoking status, presence of diabetes and widely accepted cut-off values for blood pressure, total cholesterol/HDL-ratio and body mass index. Categories were subdivided (maintenance, deterioration, improvement) based on risk factor levels at six and 11 years of follow-up. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for cardiovascular disease incidence 5-10 years following the risk-change period were fitted using Cox proportional hazards models. Only 12% of participants were low risk at baseline, and only 7% maintained it. Participants who maintained a low risk profile over 11 years had seven times lower risk of cardiovascular disease (HR: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.05-0.41) than participants with long-term high risk profile, whereas those low risk at baseline whose profile deteriorated had three times lower risk (HR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.18-0.71). Our results suggest that, within each baseline risk profile group, compared with a stable profile, improving profiles may be associated with up to two-fold lower HRs, and deteriorating profiles with about two-fold higher HRs. Our study, using long-term risk profiles, demonstrates the full benefits of low risk profile. These findings underscore the importance of achieving and maintaining low risk from young adulthood onwards. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Using Records of Achievement in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assiter, Alison, Ed.; Shaw, Eileen, Ed.

This collection of 22 essays examines the use of records of achievement (student profiles or portfolios) in higher and vocational education in the United Kingdom. They include: (1) "Records of Achievement: Background, Definitions, and Uses" (Alison Assiter and Eileen Shaw); (2) "Profiling in Higher Education" (Alison Assiter…

Report of the International Ozone Trends Panel 1988, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Chapters on the following topics are presented: spacecraft instrument calibration and stability; information content of ozone retrieval algorithms; trends in total column ozone measurements; and trends in ozone profile measurement.

Biomedical publications profile and trends in gulf cooperation council countries.

PubMed

Al-Maawali, Almundher; Al Busadi, Ahmed; Al-Adawi, Samir

2012-02-01

There is a dearth of studies examining the relationship between research output and other socio-demographic indicators in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). The three interrelated aims of this study were, first, to ascertain the number of biomedical publications in the GCC from 1970 to 2010; second, to establish the rate of publication according population size during the same period and, third, to gauge the relationship between the number of publications and specific socio-economic parameters. The Medline database was searched in October 2010 by affiliation, year and publication type from 1970 to 2010. Data obtained were normalised to the number of publications per million of the population, gross domestic product, and the number of physicians in each country. The number of articles from the GCC region published over this 40 year period was 25,561. Saudi Arabia had the highest number followed by Kuwait, UAE, and then Oman. Kuwait had the highest profile of publication when normalised to population size, followed by Qatar. Oman is the lowest in this ranking. Overall, the six countries showed a rising trend in publication numbers with Oman having a significant increase from 1990 to 2005. There was a significant relationship between the number of physicians and the number of publications. The research productivity from GGC has experienced complex and fluctuating growth in the past 40 years. Future prospects for increasing research productivity are discussed with particular reference to the situation in Oman.

Biomedical Publications Profile and Trends in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

PubMed Central

Al-Maawali, Almundher; Al Busadi, Ahmed; Al-Adawi, Samir

2012-01-01

Objectives There is a dearth of studies examining the relationship between research output and other socio-demographic indicators in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates). The three interrelated aims of this study were, first, to ascertain the number of biomedical publications in the GCC from 1970 to 2010; second, to establish the rate of publication according population size during the same period and, third, to gauge the relationship between the number of publications and specific socio-economic parameters. Methods: The Medline database was searched in October 2010 by affiliation, year and publication type from 1970 to 2010. Data obtained were normalised to the number of publications per million of the population, gross domestic product, and the number of physicians in each country. Results: The number of articles from the GCC region published over this 40 year period was 25,561. Saudi Arabia had the highest number followed by Kuwait, UAE, and then Oman. Kuwait had the highest profile of publication when normalised to population size, followed by Qatar. Oman is the lowest in this ranking. Overall, the six countries showed a rising trend in publication numbers with Oman having a significant increase from 1990 to 2005. There was a significant relationship between the number of physicians and the number of publications. Conclusion: The research productivity from GGC has experienced complex and fluctuating growth in the past 40 years. Future prospects for increasing research productivity are discussed with particular reference to the situation in Oman. PMID:22375257

Using ontology-based annotation to profile disease research

PubMed Central

Coulet, Adrien; LePendu, Paea; Shah, Nigam H

2012-01-01

Background Profiling the allocation and trend of research activity is of interest to funding agencies, administrators, and researchers. However, the lack of a common classification system hinders the comprehensive and systematic profiling of research activities. This study introduces ontology-based annotation as a method to overcome this difficulty. Analyzing over a decade of funding data and publication data, the trends of disease research are profiled across topics, across institutions, and over time. Results This study introduces and explores the notions of research sponsorship and allocation and shows that leaders of research activity can be identified within specific disease areas of interest, such as those with high mortality or high sponsorship. The funding profiles of disease topics readily cluster themselves in agreement with the ontology hierarchy and closely mirror the funding agency priorities. Finally, four temporal trends are identified among research topics. Conclusions This work utilizes disease ontology (DO)-based annotation to profile effectively the landscape of biomedical research activity. By using DO in this manner a use-case driven mechanism is also proposed to evaluate the utility of classification hierarchies. PMID:22494789

Clinical profile and improving mortality trend of scrub typhus in South India.

PubMed

Varghese, George M; Trowbridge, Paul; Janardhanan, Jeshina; Thomas, Kurien; Peter, John V; Mathews, Prasad; Abraham, Ooriapadickal C; Kavitha, M L

2014-06-01

Scrub typhus, a bacterial zoonosis caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, may cause multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and is associated with significant mortality. This study was undertaken to document the clinical and laboratory manifestations and complications and to study time trends and factors associated with mortality in patients with scrub typhus infection. This retrospective study, done at a university teaching hospital, included 623 patients admitted between 2005 and 2010 with scrub typhus. The diagnosis was established by a positive IgM ELISA and/or pathognomonic eschar with PCR confirmation where feasible. The clinical and laboratory profile, course in hospital, and outcome were documented. Factors associated with mortality were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (100%), nausea/vomiting (54%), shortness of breath (49%), headache (46%), cough (38%), and altered sensorium (26%). An eschar was present in 43.5% of patients. Common laboratory findings included elevated transaminases (87%), thrombocytopenia (79%), and leukocytosis (46%). MODS was seen in 34% of patients. The overall case-fatality rate was 9.0%. Features of acute lung injury were observed in 33.7%, and 29.5% required ventilatory support. On multivariate analysis, shock requiring vasoactive agents (relative risk (RR) 10.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2-25.7, p<0.001), central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction (RR 5.1, 95% CI 2.4-10.7, p<0.001), and renal failure (RR 3.6, 95% CI 1.7-7.5, p=0.001) were independent predictors of mortality. Over 4 years, a decreasing trend was observed in the mortality rate. Scrub typhus can manifest with potentially life-threatening complications such as lung injury, shock, and meningoencephalitis. MODS occurred in a third of our patients. The overall case-fatality rate was 9%, with shock, renal failure, and CNS associated with a higher mortality. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by

Energy profiles of four American states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Jiamei

2018-06-01

Energy production and usage are the major portion of any economy. With the constant consumption of the polluting energy and the deteriorating environment, people are paying more and more attention to clean, renewable energy. Based on autoregressive model and TOPSIS, though analyzing the past data, this paper establishes the energy profiles of four American states from 1960 to 2009, predict the energy profiles for 2025 and 2050 and obtain the ideal criteria for future clean, renewable energy usage at last. This study finds that by analyzing and predicting the energy profile, human beings can better understand and grasp the trend of energy development and take appropriate measures to deal with future energy trends.

Achievement Goal Profiles among Adolescent Males and Females

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litalien, David; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; McInerney, Dennis M.

2017-01-01

Achievement goal theory has long been a dominant model in the study of student motivation. However, a relatively small number of researchers have investigated gender differences in achievement goals or have considered the possible role that social and extrinsic goals may play in student academic motivation. Adopting a person-centered multiple…

Hot air vulcanization of rubber profiles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerlach, J.

1995-07-01

Elastomer profiles are deployed in quantity by the automobile industry as seals and wateproofing in coachwork. The high standards demanded by the industry; improvement in weather prediction, noise reduction, restriction of tolerances, together with powerful demand for EPDM force the rubber processing industry into development, particularly of elastomers. Complex proofing systems must also be achieved with extremely complicated profile forms. All too often such profiles have an extremely large surface together with a low cross-section density. They frequently consist of two or three rubber compounds and are steel reinforced. Sometimes they are flocked and coated with a low friction finish.more » Such high-tech seals require an adjustment of the vulcanization method. The consistent trend in the nineties towards lower quantities of elastomer per sealing unit and the dielectric factor, especially with EPDM, has brought an old fashioned vulcanization method once more to the fore, a method developed over the past years to an extremely high standard, namely the hot-air method. This paper describes various vulcanization and curing methods and their relative merits and disadvantages, the Gerlach hot-air concept, the hot air installation concept, and energy saving and efficiency afforded by this technique. 4 figs.« less

Stratospheric Temperature Trends Observed by TIMED/SABER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xian, T.; Tan, R.

2017-12-01

Trends in the stratospheric temperature are studied based on the temperature profile observation from the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER). The spatially trends are evaluated in different time scales ranging from decadal to monthly resolved. The results indicate a signature of BDC acceleration. There are strong warming trends (up to 9 K/decade) in the middle to upper stratosphere in the high latitude spring, summer, and autumn seasons, accompanied by strong cooling trends in the lower stratosphere. Besides, strong warming trends occurs through the whole stratosphere over the Southern Hemisphere, which confirms Antarctic ozone layer healing since 2000. In addition, the results demonstrate a significant warming trends in the middle of tropical stratosphere, which becomes strongest during June-July-August.

Demographic Trends that will Shape Future Housing Demand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Peter A.

1977-01-01

Important demographic trends in the United States include 1) the population's changing age profile, 2) the tendency for young people to remain single longer, 3) the widening mortality differential between the sexes, and 4) reversal of migration trends. Available from: Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Box 211, Amsterdam, the Netherlands,…

Motivational Profiles and Their Associations with Achievement Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Bo; McCaughtry, Nate; Martin, Jeffrey J.; Fahlman, Mariane M.

2009-01-01

With the belief that theoretical integration in motivation may help us better understand motivational behavior, we designed this study to explore adolescents' motivational profiles and their associations with knowledge acquisition, leisure-time exercise behaviors, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Middle school students from a large urban inner-city…

Profiling Learners' Achievement Goals when Completing Academic Essays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Chi-Hung Clarence

2009-01-01

This study explored adult learners' goal profiles in relation to the completion of a compulsory academic essay. Based on learners' scores on items assessing mastery, performance-approach, and work-avoidance goals, cluster analyses produced three distinct categories of learners: performance-focused, work-avoidant, and multiple-goal learners. These…

Timeline trend profile and seasonal variations in nicotine present in ambient PM10 samples: A four year investigation from Delhi region, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Shweta; Tandon, Ankit; Attri, Arun K.

2014-12-01

The detection of nicotine, an organic tracer for Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), in the collected PM10 samples from Delhi region's ambient environment, in a appropriately designed investigation was initiated over four years (2006-2009) to: (1) Comprehend seasonal and inter-annual variations in the nicotine present in PM10; (2) Extract regression based linear trend profile manifested by nicotine in PM10; (3) Determine the non-linear trend timeline from the nicotine data, and compare it with the obtained linear trend; (4) Suggest the possible use of the designed experiment and analysis to have a qualitative appraisal of Tobacco Smoking activity in the sampling region. The PM10 samples were collected in a monthly time-series sequence at a known receptor site. Quantitative estimates of nicotine (ng m-3) were made by using a Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC/MS). The annual average concentrations of nicotine (ng m-3) were 516 ± 302 (2008) > 494 ± 301 (2009) > 438 ± 250 (2007) > 325 ± 149 (2006). The estimated linear trend of 5.4 ng m-3 month-1 corresponded to 16.3% per annum increase in the PM10 associated nicotine. The industrial production of India's tobacco index normalized to Delhi region's consumption, pegged an increase at 10.5% per annum over this period.

Trend Analysis on Mathematics Achievements: A Comparative Study Using TIMSS Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ker, H. W.

2013-01-01

Research addressed the importance of mathematics education for the students' preparation to enter scientific and technological workforce. This paper utilized Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 data to conduct a global comparative analysis on mathematics performance at varied International Benchmark levels. The…

Marital Adjustment and Children's Academic Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westerman, Michael A.; La Luz, Edgar J.

1995-01-01

Investigated the relationship between marital adjustment and children's functioning at school and home. Marital adjustment was significantly related to two achievement measures (grades and teacher reports of school performance) and a trend was found for a third (achievement test scores). Significant associations also were found for other measures…

Profile of middle school students on scientific literacy achievements by using scientific literacy assessments (SLA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rachmatullah, Arif; Diana, Sariwulan; Rustaman, Nuryani Y.

2016-02-01

Along with the development of science and technology, the basic ability to read, write and count is not enough just to be able to survive in the modern era that surrounded by the products of science and technology. Scientific literacy is an ability that might be added as basic ability for human in the modern era. Recently, Fives et al. developed a new scientific literacy assessment for students, named as SLA (Scientific Literacy Assessment). A pilot study on the achievements of scientific literacy of middle school students in Sumedang using SLA was conducted to investigate the profile scientific literacy achievement of 223 middle school students in Sumedang, and compare the outcomes between genders (159 girls and 64 boys) and school accreditation (A and B) using a quantitative method with descriptive research-school survey. Based on the results, the average achievement of scientific literacy Sumedang middle school students is 45.21 and classified as the low category. The five components of scientific literacy, which is only one component in the medium category, namely science motivation and beliefs, and the four other components are in the low and very low category. Boys have higher scientific literacy, but the differences not statistically significant. Student's scientific literacy in an accredited school is higher than B, and the differences are statistically significant. Recommendation for further are: involve more research subjects, add more number of questions for each indicator, and conduct an independent research for each component.

Pocket Profile of Community Colleges: Trends & Statistics, 1995-1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Community College Trustees, Washington, DC.

Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of the Census, and other sources, this pamphlet presents current information on community college students; college outcomes and impact; community college staff, governance, and expenditures; and tuition and financial aid. In addition, trends in enrollments, numbers of…

Literacy Achievement Trends at Entry to First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Agostino, Jerome V.; Rodgers, Emily

2017-01-01

Recent shifts in policy and practice have brought an increasingly more academic focus to the early grades, evidenced in rising standards and the now widely accepted notion that kindergarten is the new first grade. These views however are mostly supported by teacher and parent self-reports and not by an analysis of literacy achievement data. We…

Vertical Compliance Trends in KBOS OPD Arrival Redesign

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Michael Jeffrey; Matthews, Bryan L.; Feary, Michael S.

2016-01-01

This report is a high-level summary of vertical compliance trends and overall rates of Area Navigation Optimized Profile Descent (RNAV OPD) utilization for Boston Logan International Airport. Specifically, we investigated trends from three RNAV OPDs and the subsequent redesigned iterations of those procedures: OOSHN3 to OOSHN4, ROBUC1 to ROBUC2, and QUABN3 to JFUND1.

Mobile Learning and Achievement Goal Orientation Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asplund, Minna

2014-01-01

Students with different achievement goal orientations have different approaches towards learning and studying. There is a widespread interest to find an easy access into learning spaces for those students who have low motivation with fear of failure and academic withdrawal. Mobile learning offers an easily accessible chance with low threshold to…

Temperature Trends in Montane Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melack, J. M.; Sadro, S.; Jellison, R.

2014-12-01

Long-term temperature trends in lakes integrate hydrological and meteorological factors. We examine temperature trends in a small montane lake with prolonged ice-cover and large seasonal snowfall and in a large saline lake. Emerald Lake, located in the Sierra Nevada (California), is representative of high-elevation lakes throughout the region. No significant trend in outflow temperature was apparent from 1991to 2012. Snowfall in the watershed accounted for 93% of the variability in average summer lake temperatures. Mono Lake (California) lies in a closed, montane basin and is hypersaline and monomictic or meromictic. Temperature profiles have been collected from 1982 to 2010. In the upper water column, the July-August-September water temperatures increased 0.8-1.0°C over the 29 years. This rate of warming is less than published estimates based on satellite-derived skin temperatures and will discussed in the context of general limnological interpretation of temperature trends.

Progress Toward Achieving an IR Radiance Record for Decadal Climate Trending: Fundamental Questions, Challenges, and Assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revercomb, H. E.; Knuteson, R. O.; Tobin, D. C.; Best, F. A.; Taylor, J. K.; Martin, G.; Gero, P. J.; Adler, D.; Pettersen, C.; Mulligan, M.; Thielman, D.

2017-12-01

Infrared radiance spectra can be measured with very high accuracy (0.1 K 3-sigma brightness temperature at scene brightness temperature) and contain a high degree of information about the state of the Earth's climate, including temperature, water vapor, and trace gas profiles, lapse rates, plus cloud and surface properties. How best to make use of existing EOS-AIRS and Suomi NPP/JPSS-CrIS/IASI observations and how to move toward more extensive future observations is a fundamental question that the climate community and world's space agencies need to address. A major step toward achieving climate quality observations was realized through the successes of the operational sounders IASI-A & B on MetOp and the CrIS on Suomi NPP. Both instrument types are expected to continue as part of the Joint Polar Satellite system through at least 2040 (with upgrades to IASI and hopefully to CrIS as well). IASI covers the 0930 time slot and CrIS the 1330 slot for operational weather forecasting applications. This represents a major step toward the unbiased sampling needed for accurate climate trending products. However, there is still a hole at the 0530 dawn/dusk time slot that needs to be filled. The new Chinese hyperspectral sounder, HIRAS, is expected to fulfill this need when FY3E is launched in 2018. In addition to improved sampling, the system of operational Fourier transform sounding instruments offer other measurement accuracy advantages over earlier instruments. This talk will review some of these, including review of CrIS accuracy estimates, discussion of several specific error sources, and the fundamental ability of these instruments to produce well-defined, stable, and largely instrument independent Instrument Line Shape (ILS) functions. In this context, we will address EOS to Suomi NPP spectral radiance continuity issues. Finally, optimizing this system still requires an on-orbit 0.1 K 3-sigma calibration reference that is not susceptible to long-term drifts and that

Population Profile of the United States 1984-85.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Current Population Reports, 1987

1987-01-01

This population profile summarizes the wide range of demographic and socio-economic data collected from the Current Population Survey during 1984 and 1985. The report contains information on the following areas: National Population Trends; National Population Projections; Fertility; State Population Trends; The Metropolitan/Nonmetropolitan…

Defensive pessimism, self-esteem and achievement goals: A person-centered approach.

PubMed

Ferradás Canedo, María M; Freire Rodríguez, Carlos; Regueiro Fernández, Bibiana; Valle Arias, Antonio

2018-02-01

The relationship between defensive pessimism, self-esteem, and achievement goals is a controversial issue. The main contribution of this research is the adoption of a person-centered approach to explore the existence of differentiated profiles of university students, which combine self-esteem and defensive pessimism. In addition, we analyze whether these profiles differ in their achievement goals (learning, performance-approach, performance-avoidance, and work-avoidance). 1,028 university students took part in the study. Four student profiles were identified: (a) HSE/MDP (high self-esteem and moderate defensive pessimism); (b) LSE/LDP (low self-esteem and low defensive pessimism); (c) HSE/LDP (high self-esteem and low defensive pessimism); and (d) LSE/HDP (low self-esteem and high defensive pessimism). These four profiles differ significantly in their achievement goals. The use of defensive pessimism may involve students with either low or high self-esteem, although the two profiles follow differentiated motivational achievement trajectories.

Trends in lipid profiles and descriptive characteristics of U.S. adults with and without diabetes and cholesterol-lowering medication use-National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2003-2012, United States.

PubMed

Mercado, Carla I; Gregg, Edward; Gillespie, Cathleen; Loustalot, Fleetwood

2018-01-01

With a cholesterol-lowering focus for diabetic adults and in the age of polypharmacy, it is important to understand how lipid profile levels differ among those with and without diabetes. Investigate the means, differences, and trends in lipid profile measures [TC, total cholesterol; LDL-c, low-density lipoprotein; HDL-c, high-density lipoprotein; and TG, triglycerides] among US adults by diabetes status and cholesterol-lowering medication. Population number and proportion of adults aged ≥21 years with diabetes and taking cholesterol-lowering medication were estimated using data on 10,384 participants from NHANES 2003-2012. Age-standardized means, trends, and differences in lipid profile measures were estimated by diabetes status and cholesterol medication use. For trends and differences, linear regression analysis were used adjusted for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Among diabetic adults, 52% were taking cholesterol-lowering medication compared to the 14% taking cholesterol-lowering medication without diabetes. Although diabetic adults had significantly lower TC and LDL-c levels than non-diabetic adults [% difference (95% confidence interval): TC = -5.2% (-6.8 --3.5), LDL-c = -8.0% (-10.4 --5.5)], the percent difference was greater among adults taking cholesterol medication [TC = -8.0% (-10.3 --5.7); LDL-c = -13.7% (-17.1 --10.2)] than adults not taking cholesterol medication [TC = -3.5% (-5.2 --1.6); LDL-c = -4.3% (-7.1 --1.5)] (interaction p-value: TC = <0.001; LDL-c = <0.001). From 2003-2012, mean TC and HDL-c significantly decreased among diabetic adults taking cholesterol medication [% difference per survey cycle (p-value for linear trend): TC = -2.3% (0.003) and HDL-c = -2.3% (0.033)]. Mean TC, HDL-c, and LDL-c levels did not significantly change from 2003 to 2012 in non-diabetic adults taking cholesterol medication or for adults not taking cholesterol medications. Diabetic adults were more likely to have lower lipid levels, except for triglyceride

Bandgap profiling in CIGS solar cells via valence electron energy-loss spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deitz, Julia I.; Karki, Shankar; Marsillac, Sylvain X.; Grassman, Tyler J.; McComb, David W.

2018-03-01

A robust, reproducible method for the extraction of relative bandgap trends from scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) based electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) is described. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated by profiling the bandgap through a CuIn1-xGaxSe2 solar cell that possesses intentional Ga/(In + Ga) composition variation. The EELS-determined bandgap profile is compared to the nominal profile calculated from compositional data collected via STEM-based energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The EELS based profile is found to closely track the calculated bandgap trends, with only a small, fixed offset difference. This method, which is particularly advantageous for relatively narrow bandgap materials and/or STEM systems with modest resolution capabilities (i.e., >100 meV), compromises absolute accuracy to provide a straightforward route for the correlation of local electronic structure trends with nanoscale chemical and physical structure/microstructure within semiconductor materials and devices.

Scalable and Cost-Effective Assignment of Mobile Crowdsensing Tasks Based on Profiling Trends and Prediction: The ParticipAct Living Lab Experience

PubMed Central

Bellavista, Paolo; Corradi, Antonio; Foschini, Luca; Ianniello, Raffaele

2015-01-01

Nowadays, sensor-rich smartphones potentially enable the harvesting of huge amounts of valuable sensing data in urban environments, by opportunistically involving citizens to play the role of mobile virtual sensors to cover Smart City areas of interest. This paper proposes an in-depth study of the challenging technical issues related to the efficient assignment of Mobile Crowd Sensing (MCS) data collection tasks to volunteers in a crowdsensing campaign. In particular, the paper originally describes how to increase the effectiveness of the proposed sensing campaigns through the inclusion of several new facilities, including accurate participant selection algorithms able to profile and predict user mobility patterns, gaming techniques, and timely geo-notification. The reported results show the feasibility of exploiting profiling trends/prediction techniques from volunteers’ behavior; moreover, they quantitatively compare different MCS task assignment strategies based on large-scale and real MCS data campaigns run in the ParticipAct living lab, an ongoing MCS real-world experiment that involved more than 170 students of the University of Bologna for more than one year. PMID:26263985

Exploiting metasurface anisotropy for achieving near-perfect low-profile cloaks beyond the quasi-static limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao Jiang, Zhi; Werner, Douglas H.

2013-12-01

In this paper, we report an approach for achieving near-perfect low-profile electromagnetic cloaking beyond the quasi-static limit. In contrast to previous works on metasurface cloaks where only the Leontovich surface impedance boundary condition has been considered, we employ a second-order surface impedance boundary condition to account for the radial response of the proposed anisotropic metasurfaces. This radial surface polarizability tensor parameter can be tailored to eliminate the higher order scattering modes. It is shown from analytical expressions that for a moderate-sized perfect electric conducting or dielectric cylinder (∼0.4λ0 in width), near-perfect scattering reduction, i.e. >98%, can be achieved by a single anisotropic metasurface with non-vanishing radial response, which is far superior to the conventional scalar impedance surface. A practical design of the metasurface is also presented and further validated by full-wave simulations. The physical mechanism of the metasurface cloaks is investigated in detail, revealing that the radiation cancellation of the induced surface currents is responsible for the scattering reduction. Importantly, it is shown that in addition to a ‘low-visibility coating’, the metasurface also functions to provide induced current enhancement which would be beneficial for the operation of a ‘cloaked sensor’. These findings will broaden the usage of metasurfaces to applications ranging from scattering reduction to noninvasive probing for objects beyond the quasi-static limit.

Records of Pupil Achievement: Some Philosophical Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridges, David

1992-01-01

Discusses a British national initiative to introduce records of pupil achievement (RPAs) and student profiles into schools, focusing on practical issues (values, meaning, truth, and validity); what RPAs are; positive reporting; authenticity of assessment; agreeing upon statements; holistic student profiles; and the relationship between assessment…

Global Survey on Future Trends in Human Spaceflight: the Implications for Space Tourism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurtuna, O.; Garneau, S.

2002-01-01

With the much-publicized first ever space tourist flight, of Dennis Tito, and the announcement of the second space tourist flight to take place in April 2002, it is clear that an alternative motivation for human spaceflight has emerged. Human spaceflight is no longer only about meeting the priorities of national governments and space agencies, but is also about the tangible possibility of ordinary people seeing the Earth from a previously exclusive vantage point. It is imperative that major space players look beyond the existing human spaceflight rationale to identify some of the major driving forces behind space tourism, including the evolving market potential and developments in enabling technologies. In order to determine the influence of these forces on the future of commercial human spaceflight, the responses of a Futuraspace survey on future trends in human spaceflight are analyzed and presented. The motivation of this study is to identify sought-after space destinations, explore the expected trends in enabling technologies, and understand the future role of emerging space players. The survey will reflect the opinions of respondents from around the world including North America, Europe (including Russia) and Asia. The profiles of targeted respondents from space industry, government and academia are high-level executives/managers, senior researchers, as well as former and current astronauts. The survey instrument is a questionnaire which is validated by a pilot study. The sampling method is non-probabilistic, targeting as many space experts as possible who fit our intended respondent profile. Descriptive and comparative statistical analysis methods are implemented to investigate both global and regional perceptions of future commercial trends in human spaceflight. This study is not intended to be a formal market study of the potential viability of the space tourism market. Instead, the focus is on the future trends of human spaceflight, by drawing on the

Decadal Variability and Temperature Trends in the Middle Atmosphere From Historical Rocketsonde Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunkerton, Timothy J.

2000-01-01

Observational studies were performed using historical rocketsonde data to investigate long-term temperature trends, solar-cycle variations, and interactions between tropical and extratropical latitudes in the middle atmosphere. Evidence from tropical, subtropical, and midlatitude North American rocketsonde stations indicated a consistent downward trend over 25 years, with a solar cycle component superposed. The trend is about -1.4 to -2.0 K per decade and the amplitude of the decadal oscillation is about 1.1 K. Prior to trend derivation it was necessary for us to correct temperatures for aerodynamic heating in the early years. The empirically derived correction profile agrees well with a theoretical profile of Krumins and Lyons. A study was also performed of the correlation between equatorial winds and north polar temperatures in winter, showing that the entire stratospheric wind profile near the equator -- including the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) and stratopause semiannual oscillation (SAO) -- is important to the extratropical flow, not merely the QBO component as previously thought. A strong correlation was discovered between winter polar temperatures and equatorial winds in the upper stratosphere during the preceding September, suggesting a role for the second cycle of the SAO.

Review of "High-Achieving Students in the Era of NCLB"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camilli, Gregory

2008-01-01

A recent report from the Fordham Institute considers potential instructional policies for high-achieving students that should be considered in the forthcoming reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. The report finds: 1) achievement growth among high-achieving students has been slower than that of low-achieving students; 2) this trend can…

Recent trends in the impurity profile of pharmaceuticals

PubMed Central

Pilaniya, Kavita; Chandrawanshi, Harish K.; Pilaniya, Urmila; Manchandani, Pooja; Jain, Pratishtha; Singh, Nitin

2010-01-01

Various regulatory authorities such as the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), the United States Food and Drug administration (FDA), and the Canadian Drug and Health Agency (CDHA) are emphasizing on the purity requirements and the identification of impurities in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). The various sources of impurity in pharmaceutical products are — reagents, heavy metals, ligands, catalysts, other materials like filter aids, charcoal, and the like, degraded end products obtained during \\ after manufacturing of bulk drugs from hydrolysis, photolytic cleavage, oxidative degradation, decarboxylation, enantiomeric impurity, and so on. The different pharmacopoeias such as the British Pharmacopoeia, United State Pharmacopoeia, and Indian Pharmacopoeia are slowly incorporating limits to allowable levels of impurities present in APIs or formulations. Various methods are used to isolate and characterize impurities in pharmaceuticals, such as, capillary electrophoresis, electron paramagnetic resonance, gas–liquid chromatography, gravimetric analysis, high performance liquid chromatography, solid-phase extraction methods, liquid–liquid extraction method, Ultraviolet Spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, supercritical fluid extraction column chromatography, mass spectrometry, Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and RAMAN spectroscopy. Among all hyphenated techniques, the most exploited techniques for impurity profiling of drugs are Liquid Chromatography (LC)-Mass Spectroscopy (MS), LC-NMR, LC-NMR-MS, GC-MS, and LC-MS. This reveals the need and scope of impurity profiling of drugs in pharmaceutical research. PMID:22247862

Mathematics beliefs and achievement of a national sample of Native American students: results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 United States assessment.

PubMed

House, J Daniel

2009-04-01

Recent mathematics assessment findings indicate that Native American students tend to score below students of the ethnic majority. Findings suggest that students' beliefs about mathematics are significantly related to achievement outcomes. This study examined relations between self-beliefs and mathematics achievement for a national sample of 130 Grade 8 Native American students from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 United States sample of (M age = 14.2 yr., SD = 0.5). Multiple regression indicated several significant relations of mathematics beliefs with achievement and accounted for 26.7% of the variance in test scores. Students who earned high test scores tended to hold more positive beliefs about their ability to learn mathematics quickly, while students who earned low scores expressed negative beliefs about their ability to learn new mathematics topics.

Sustaining School Achievement in California's Elementary Schools after State Monitoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCabe, Molly

2010-01-01

This study examined the Academic Performance Index (API) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) achievement trends between 2004 and 2006 of 58 California public elementary schools after exiting state monitoring and investigated practices for sustaining consistent achievement growth. Statistical methods were used to analyze statewide achievement trends…

Analysis of magnetotelluric profile data from the Ruby Mountains metamorphic core complex and southern Carlin Trend region, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wannamaker, Philip E.; Doerner, William M.; Stodt, John A.; Sodergen, Timothy L.; Rodriguez, Brian D.

2002-01-01

We have collected about 150 magnetotelluric (MT) soundings in northeastern Nevada in the region of the Ruby Mountains metamorphic core complex uplift and southern Carlin mineral trend, in an effort to illuminate controls on core complex evolution and deposition of world-class gold deposits. The region has experienced a broad range of tectonic events including several periods of compressional and extensional deformation, which have contributed to the total expression of electrical resistivity. Most of the soundings are in three east-west profiles across increasing degrees of core uplift to the north (Bald Mountain, Harrison Pass and Secret Pass latitudes). Two shorter lines cross a prominent east-west structure to the north of the northern profile. MT impedance tensor and vertical magnetic field rotations imply a N-NNE average regional geoelectric strike, similar to surface geologic trends. Model resistivity cross sections were derived using a 2-D inversion algorithm, which damps departures of model parameters from an a priori structure, emphasizing the transverse magnetic (TM) mode and vertical magnetic field data. Geological interpretation of the resistivity combines previous seismic, potential field and isotope models, structural and petrological models for regional compression and extension, and detailed structural/stratigraphic interpretations incorporating drilling for petroleum and mineral exploration. To first order, the resistivity structure is one of a moderately conductive, Phanerozoic sedimentary section fundamentally disrupted by intrusion and uplift of resistive crystalline rocks. Late Devonian and early Mississippian shales of the Pilot and Chainman Formations together form an important conductive marker sequence in the stratigraphy and show pronounced increases in conductance (conductivity-thickness product) from east to west. These increases in conductance are attributed to graphitization caused by Elko-Sevier era compressional shear deformation and

Cattell-Horn-Carroll Cognitive Ability Profiles of Poor Comprehenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Floyd, Randy G.; Bergeron, Renee; Alfonso, Vincent C.

2006-01-01

This study examines cognitive ability profiles of children with specific age-based normative weaknesses in reading comprehension and compares those profiles to the profiles of (a) children with at least average achievement in reading comprehension, reading decoding skills, and mathematics and (b) children with low achievement across the 3…

The Bitterroot Valley of western Montana: Area economic profile

Treesearch

Larry Swanson

2001-01-01

This profile provides a description and assessment of the area economy of the Bitterroot Valley of southwestern Montana. Changing conditions and trends in the area economy over the course of the last twenty to twenty- five years are examined, including trends in population and employment growth and associated income changes and economic restructuring. Changing...

Early developmental trajectories of number knowledge and math achievement from 4 to 10 years: Low-persistent profile and early-life predictors.

PubMed

Garon-Carrier, Gabrielle; Boivin, Michel; Lemelin, Jean-Pascal; Kovas, Yulia; Parent, Sophie; Séguin, Jean R; Vitaro, Frank; Tremblay, Richard E; Dionne, Ginette

2018-06-01

Little is known about the development of number knowledge (NK) and the antecedents of low-persistent NK profiles in early childhood. We documented the developmental trajectories of NK across the transition from preschool to elementary school, their predictive validity with respect to later math achievement, and the child and family early-life factors associated with low NK profiles. Children's NK was assessed four times at regular intervals between the ages 4 and 7 years in a large, representative population-based sample. Developmental trajectories of NK were established for 1597 children. These children were also assessed with respect to several features of their family environment at 5, 17, and 29 months, as well as their cognitive skills at age 41 months. Analyses revealed a best-fitting 4-trajectory model, characterized by Low-Increasing (10% of the children), Moderate-Increasing (39%), Moderate-Fast Increasing (32%) and High-Increasing (19%) groups. Children of these trajectory groups differed significantly with respect to math achievement at ages 8 and 10 years, with the Low-Increasing group persistently scoring lower than the other groups throughout these years. Children of Low-Increasing NK group were from household of lower income and father with low educational background, poorer early cognitive development, and more importantly, reduced visual-spatial skills and memory-span. Children displaying reduced cognitive abilities and impoverished living conditions early in life are at greater risk of low NK throughout late preschool and school entry, with ensuing difficulties in math achievement. They deserve early preventive attention to help alleviate later mathematic difficulties. Copyright © 2018 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Medical biotechnology trends and achievements in iran.

PubMed

Mahboudi, Fereidoun; Hamedifar, Haleh; Aghajani, Hamideh

2012-10-01

A healthcare system has been the most important priority for all governments worldwide. Biotechnology products have affected the promotion of health care over the last thirty years. During the last several decades, Iran has achieved significant success in extending healthcare to the rural areas and in reducing the rates of infant mortality and increasing population growth. Biomedical technology as a converging technology is considered a helpful tool to fulfill the Iranian healthcare missions. The number of biotechnology products has reached 148 in 2012. The total sales have increased to 98 billion USD without considering vaccines and plasma derived proteins in 2012. Iran is one of the leading countries in the Middle East and North Africa in the area of Medical biotechnology. The number of biotechnology medicines launched in Iran is 13 products until 2012. More than 15 products are in pipelines now. Manufacturers are expecting to receive the market release for more than 8 products by the end of 2012. Considering this information, Iran will lead the biotechnology products especially in area of biosimilars in Asia after India in next three years. The present review will discuss leading policy, decision makers' role, human resource developing system and industry development in medical biotechnology.

Medical Biotechnology Trends and Achievements in Iran

PubMed Central

Mahboudi, Fereidoun; Hamedifar, Haleh; Aghajani, Hamideh

2012-01-01

A healthcare system has been the most important priority for all governments worldwide. Biotechnology products have affected the promotion of health care over the last thirty years. During the last several decades, Iran has achieved significant success in extending healthcare to the rural areas and in reducing the rates of infant mortality and increasing population growth. Biomedical technology as a converging technology is considered a helpful tool to fulfill the Iranian healthcare missions. The number of biotechnology products has reached 148 in 2012. The total sales have increased to 98 billion USD without considering vaccines and plasma derived proteins in 2012. Iran is one of the leading countries in the Middle East and North Africa in the area of Medical biotechnology. The number of biotechnology medicines launched in Iran is 13 products until 2012. More than 15 products are in pipelines now. Manufacturers are expecting to receive the market release for more than 8 products by the end of 2012. Considering this information, Iran will lead the biotechnology products especially in area of biosimilars in Asia after India in next three years. The present review will discuss leading policy, decision makers’ role, human resource developing system and industry development in medical biotechnology. PMID:23407888

Malaria profiles and challenges in artemisinin resistance containment in Myanmar.

PubMed

Nwe, Thet Wai; Oo, Tin; Wai, Khin Thet; Zhou, Shuisen; van Griensven, Johan; Chinnakali, Palanivel; Shah, Safieh; Thi, Aung

2017-04-25

This study examined evolving malaria profiles from January, 2010 to December, 2014 to evaluate achievements and challenges of implementing measures to prevent and control spread of artemisinin resistance in Myanmar. Using National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) data, a cross-sectional descriptive study of 52 townships in artemisinin-resistant containment areas in Myanmar was conducted. Annual program data were analysed, and trends over time are graphically presented. In the 52 study townships populated by 8.7 million inhabitants, malaria incidence showed a decreasing trend from 10.54 per 1 000 population in 2010 to 2.53 in 2014, and malaria mortalities also decreased from 1.83 per 100 000 population in 2010 to 0.17 in 2014. The proportion of confirmed to total tested malaria cases also decreased from 6 to 1%, while identification of cases improved. All cases from all parasites species, including Plasmodium falciparum, decreased. Coverage of LLIN (long-lasting insecticidal net)/ITN (insecticide-treated mosquito nets) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) was high in targeted areas with at-risk persons, even though the total population was not covered. In addition to passive case detection (PCD), active case detection (ACD) was conducted in hard-to-reach areas and worksites where mobile migrant populations were present. ACD improved in most areas from 2012 to 2014, but continues to need to be strengthened. The findings provide useful data on the malaria situation in artemisinin-resistant initiative areas, which may be useful for the NMCP to meet its elimination goal. These profiles could contribute to better planning, implementation, and evaluation of intervention activities.

Gains Made By Walmart's Healthier Food Initiative Mirror Preexisting Trends.

PubMed

Taillie, Lindsey Smith; Ng, Shu Wen; Popkin, Barry M

2015-11-01

Healthier food initiatives conducted by national food retailers may offer opportunities to improve the nutritional profile of food purchases. Using a longitudinal data set of packaged food purchases made by US households, we examined the effect of a healthier food initiative officially launched by Walmart in 2011. From 2000 to 2013, household-level purchases of packaged foods at Walmart showed major declines in energy, sodium, and total sugar density, as well as in quantities of sugary beverages, grain-based desserts, snacks, and candy. These trends in packaged food purchases were more pronounced than similar concurrent trends seen at other major food retailers. However, the declines seen at Walmart after the initiative's official implementation did not exceed what would have been expected had pre-implementation trends continued, and therefore they cannot be attributed to the initiative. These results suggest that food retailer-based initiatives that purportedly create a healthier food environment may not suffice to improve the nutritional profile of food purchases. More systemic shifts in consumers' characteristics and preferences may be needed. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Fall 2002 Student Profile. Based upon First Census Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glyer-Culver, Betty.

This is the 13th in a series of student profiles for the Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD), California. These annual summaries provide the district and its colleges (American River College, Cosumnes River College, and Sacramento City College) with data on student demographics and enrollment trends. The fall 2002 student profile contains…

Vocational interests of intellectually gifted and highly achieving young adults.

PubMed

Vock, Miriam; Köller, Olaf; Nagy, Gabriel

2013-06-01

Vocational interests play a central role in the vocational decision-making process and are decisive for the later job satisfaction and vocational success. Based on Ackerman's (1996) notion of trait complexes, specific interest profiles of gifted high-school graduates can be expected. Vocational interests of gifted and highly achieving adolescents were compared to those of their less intelligent/achieving peers according to Holland's (1997) RIASEC model. Further, the impact of intelligence and achievement on interests were analysed while statistically controlling for potentially influencing variables. Changes in interests over time were investigated. N= 4,694 German students (age: M= 19.5, SD= .80; 54.6% females) participated in the study (TOSCA; Köller, Watermann, Trautwein, & Lüdtke, 2004). Interests were assessed in participants' final year at school and again 2 years later (N= 2,318). Gifted participants reported stronger investigative and realistic interests, but lower social interests than less intelligent participants. Highly achieving participants reported higher investigative and (in wave 2) higher artistic interests. Considerable gender differences were found: gifted girls had a flat interest profile, while gifted boys had pronounced realistic and investigative and low social interests. Multilevel multiple regression analyses predicting interests by intelligence and school achievement revealed stable interest profiles. Beyond a strong gender effect, intelligence and school achievement each contributed substantially to the prediction of vocational interests. At the time around graduation from high school, gifted young adults show stable interest profiles, which strongly differ between gender and intelligence groups. These differences are relevant for programmes for the gifted and for vocational counselling. ©2012 The British Psychological Society.

Lifelong Learning Trends: A Profile of Continuing Higher Education. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Univ. Continuing Education Association, Washington, DC.

This publication provides national data on trends and participation in continuing higher education. The charts have been derived from data collected by the National University Continuing Education Association and governmental and private organizations. Narrative accompanies each chart. Section I highlights factors contributing to growth: part-time…

National Profile of Community Colleges: Trends and Statistics, 4th Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillippe, Kent A.; Sullivan, Leila Gonzalez

2005-01-01

This book offers a national view of trends and statistics related to today's community colleges. The new edition includes completely revised text as well as updates to charts and tables on topics such as enrollment, student outcomes, population, curriculum, faculty, workforce, and financial aid. Informative narrative introduces and provides…

Evaluating lake stratification and temporal trends by using near-continuous water-quality data from automated profiling systems for water years 2005-09, Lake Mead, Arizona and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Veley, Ronald J.; Moran, Michael J.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service and Southern Nevada Water Authority, collected near-continuous depth-dependent water-quality data at Lake Mead, Arizona and Nevada, as part of a multi-agency monitoring network maintained to provide resource managers with basic data and to gain a better understanding of the hydrodynamics of the lake. Water-quality data-collection stations on Lake Mead were located in shallow water (less than 20 meters) at Las Vegas Bay (Site 3) and Overton Arm, and in deep water (greater than 20 meters) near Sentinel Island and at Virgin and Temple Basins. At each station, near-continual depth-dependent water-quality data were collected from October 2004 through September 2009. The data were collected by using automatic profiling systems equipped with multiparameter water-quality sondes. The sondes had sensors for temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and depth. Data were collected every 6 hours at 2-meter depth intervals (for shallow-water stations) or 5-meter depth intervals (for deep-water stations) beginning at 1 meter below water surface. Data were analyzed to determine water-quality conditions related to stratification of the lake and temporal trends in water-quality parameters. Three water-quality parameters were the main focus of these analyses: temperature, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen. Statistical temporal-trend analyses were performed for a single depth at shallow-water stations [Las Vegas Bay (Site 3) and Overton Arm] and for thermally-stratified lake layers at deep-water stations (Sentinel Island and Virgin Basin). The limited period of data collection at the Temple Basin station prevented the application of statistical trend analysis. During the summer months, thermal stratification was not observed at shallow-water stations, nor were major maxima or minima observed for specific-conductance or dissolved-oxygen profiles. A clearly-defined thermocline

Validation of 10 years of SAO OMI Ozone Profiles with Ozonesonde and MLS Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, G.; Liu, X.; Chance, K.; Bhartia, P. K.

2015-12-01

To evaluate the accuracy and long-term stability of the SAO OMI ozone profile product, we validate ~10 years of ozone profile product (Oct. 2004-Dec. 2014) against collocated ozonesonde and MLS data. Ozone profiles as well stratospheric, tropospheric, lower tropospheric ozone columns are compared with ozonesonde data for different latitude bands, and time periods (e.g., 2004-2008/2009-2014 for without/with row anomaly. The mean biases and their standard deviations are also assessed as a function of time to evaluate the long-term stability and bias trends. In the mid-latitude and tropical regions, OMI generally shows good agreement with ozonesonde observations. The mean ozone profile biases are generally within 6% with up to 30% standard deviations. The biases of stratospheric ozone columns (SOC) and tropospheric ozone columns (TOC) are -0.3%-2.2% and -0.2%-3%, while standard deviations are 3.9%-5.8% and 14.4%-16.0%, respectively. However, the retrievals during 2009-2014 show larger standard deviations and larger temporal variations; the standard deviations increase by ~5% in the troposphere and ~2% in the stratosphere. Retrieval biases at individual levels in the stratosphere and upper troposphere show statistically significant trends and different trends for 2004-2008 and 2009-2014 periods. The trends in integrated ozone partial columns are less significant due to cancellation from various layers, except for significant trend in tropical SOC. These results suggest the need to perform time dependent radiometric calibration to maintain the long-term stability of this product. Similarly, we are comparing the OMI stratospheric ozone profiles and SOC with collocated MLS data, and the results will be reported.

WV Kids Count Data Book: 1992 County Profiles of Child Well-Being.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West Virginia Task Force on Children, Youth and Families, Charleston.

In order to document the economic, social, educational, and emotional status and physical well-being of children in West Virginia, this databook provides national and state profiles, a separate minority profile, and 55 county profiles. For the state and each county, 10-year (1980-90) trend data are presented for 12 indicators: child abuse/neglect…

Lifelong Learning Trends. A Profile of Continuing Higher Education. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Univ. Continuing Education Association, Washington, DC.

This book reports national data on trends and participation in continuing higher education. Statistics in the book have been derived from data collected by the authors, as well as by governmental and private organizations. The book is organized in six sections that cover the following topics: factors contributing to the growth of continuing higher…

State Profiles: Financing Public Higher Education. 1978 to 1998 Trend Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halstead, Kent

This report presents two large tables showing trends in the financing of public higher education since 1977-78. Introductory information explains how to use the tables, the data-time relationship (whether fiscal year, academic year, or calendar year), and includes a sample chart constructed from one state's data. The raw data used for these…

Temperament and character profiles of Japanese university students with depressive episodes and ideas of suicide or self-harm: a PHQ-9 screening study.

PubMed

Mitsui, Nobuyuki; Asakura, Satoshi; Shimizu, Yusuke; Fujii, Yutaka; Kako, Yuki; Tanaka, Teruaki; Oba, Koji; Inoue, Takeshi; Kusumi, Ichiro

2013-11-01

The aim of our study was to reveal the personality traits of individuals with major and other depressive episodes among the young adult population. Furthermore, character traits of individuals with ideas of suicide or self-harm were also investigated in this study. The subjects of this study were 1421 university students who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). The subjects were divided into three separate groups: the major depressive episode group (N = 41), the other depressive episode group (N = 97), and the non-depressive controls (N = 1283). This separation was achieved using the PHQ-9 algorithm diagnosis. We compared the TCI scores using an analysis of variance. Moreover, the Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to determine the diagnosis, ideas of suicide or self-harm, and analysis of character profiles. The major depressive episode group had significantly higher HA (P < 0.001), lower RD (P < 0.001), lower SD (P < 0.001), and lower C (P < 0.001) scores than non-depressive controls. The other depressive episode group had significantly higher HA scores (P < 0.001) and lower SD scores (P < 0.001) than non-depressive controls. The Cochran-Armitage trend test revealed that the prevalence of depressive episodes decreased as the character profiles matured (χ(2)(trend) = 57.2, P < 0.0001). The same tendency was observed in individuals who had ideas of suicide or self-harm (χ(2)(trend) = 49.3, P < 0.0001). High HA and low SD scores were common personality traits among young adults with major depressive episodes. Furthermore, the immaturity of character profiles was clearly associated with depressive episodes and ideas of suicide or self-harm. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Defining the Relationship of Student Achievement Between STEM Subjects Through Canonical Correlation Analysis of 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neal, Melissa Jean

Canonical correlation analysis was used to analyze data from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 achievement databases encompassing information from fourth/eighth grades. Student achievement in life science/biology was correlated with achievement in mathematics and other sciences across three analytical areas: mathematics and science student performance, achievement in cognitive domains, and achievement in content domains. Strong correlations between student achievement in life science/biology with achievement in mathematics and overall science occurred for both high- and low-performing education systems. Hence, partial emphases on the inter-subject connections did not always lead to a better student learning outcome in STEM education. In addition, student achievement in life science/biology was positively correlated with achievement in mathematics and science cognitive domains; these patterns held true for correlations of life science/biology with mathematics as well as other sciences. The importance of linking student learning experiences between and within STEM domains to support high performance on TIMSS assessments was indicated by correlations of moderate strength (57 TIMSS assessments was indicated by correlations of moderate strength (57 < r < 85) stronger correlations (73 < r < 97) between life science/biology and other science domains. Results demonstrated the foundational nature of STEM knowledge at the fourth grade level, and established the importance of strong interconnections among life science/biology, mathematics, and other sciences. At the eighth grade level, students who built increasing levels of cognitive complexity upon firm foundations were prepared for successful learning throughout their educational careers. The results from this investigation promote a holistic design of school learning opportunities to improve student achievement in life science/biology and other science, technology, engineering, and

Trends in dermatology practices and the implications for the workforce.

PubMed

Ehrlich, Alison; Kostecki, James; Olkaba, Helen

2017-10-01

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) practice profile surveys have been conducted for more than a decade to gauge trends in our workforce supply and demand. To update the trends and current workforce issues for the field of dermatology. The AAD Practice Profile Survey is sent by both e-mail and postal mail to a random sample of practicing dermatologists who are AAD members. Shifts are noted in the primary practice setting; fewer dermatologists are in solo practice and more are in group practices than in previous years. Teledermatology use trended upward from 7% to 11% between 2012 and 2014. The implementation of electronic health records increased from 51% in 2011 to 70% in 2014. There is potential for response bias and inaccurate self-reporting. Survey responses collected may not be representative of all geographic areas. The demand for dermatology services remains strong. Shifts in the practice setting may be related to increases in overhead costs that are partially associated with the implementation of technology-based medical records. Integration of electronic health records and utilization of telemedicine are increasing. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Launch commit criteria performance trending analysis, phase 1, revision A. SRM and QA mission services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

An assessment of quantitative methods and measures for measuring launch commit criteria (LCC) performance measurement trends is made. A statistical performance trending analysis pilot study was processed and compared to STS-26 mission data. This study used four selected shuttle measurement types (solid rocket booster, external tank, space shuttle main engine, and range safety switch safe and arm device) from the five missions prior to mission 51-L. After obtaining raw data coordinates, each set of measurements was processed to obtain statistical confidence bounds and mean data profiles for each of the selected measurement types. STS-26 measurements were compared to the statistical data base profiles to verify the statistical capability of assessing occurrences of data trend anomalies and abnormal time-varying operational conditions associated with data amplitude and phase shifts.

Metrics help rural hospitals achieve world-class performance.

PubMed

Goodspeed, Scott W

2006-01-01

This article describes the emerging trend of using metrics in rural hospitals to achieve world-class performance. This trend is a response to the fact that rural hospitals have small patient volumes yet must maintain a profit margin in order to fulfill their mission to the community. The conceptual idea for this article is based largely on Robert Kaplan and David Norton's Balanced Scorecard articles in the Harvard Business Review. The ideas also come from the experiences of the 60-plus rural hospitals that are using the Balanced Scorecard and their implementation of metrics to influence performance and behavior. It is indeed possible for rural hospitals to meet and exceed the unique needs of patients and physicians (customers), to achieve healthy profit margins, and to be the rural hospital of choice that employees are proud to work for.

Quantifying stratospheric ozone trends: Complications due to stratospheric cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLinden, C. A.; Fioletov, V.

2011-02-01

Recent studies suggest that ozone turnaround (the second stage of ozone recovery) is near. Determining precisely when this occurs, however, will be complicated by greenhouse gas-induced stratospheric cooling as ozone trends derived from profile data in different units and/or vertical co-ordinates will not agree. Stratospheric cooling leads to simultaneous trends in air density and layer thicknesses, confounding the interpretation of ozone trends. A simple model suggests that instruments measuring ozone in different units may differ as to the onset of turnaround by a decade, with some indicting a continued decline while others an increase. This concept was illustrated by examining the long-term (1979-2005) ozone trends in the SAGE (Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment) and SBUV (Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet) time series. Trends from SAGE, which measures number density as a function of altitude, and SBUV, which measures partial column as a function of pressure, are known to differ by 4-6%/decade in the upper stratosphere. It is shown that this long-standing difference can be reconciled to within 2%/decade when the trend in temperature is properly accounted for.

Microporous polyethylene separators — today and tomorrow. Separator development trends for modern automotive batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Böhnstedt, Werner

During the past decade, the design of modern automotive batteries has undergone a fundamental change. The introduction of microporous polyethylene pocket separators has resulted in an approximately 8% better volume utilization. Besides increasing the energy density, the polyethylene envelope has enalbed an improvement in cold-cranking performance and has raised the production efficiency. A first failure-mode analysis of pocket-separated automotive batteries in Europe with respect to leaf separation is presented. For comparable service life, a shift in failure mode has been found. Although corrosion of the positive electrode still dominates, a significant increase in positive active-material shedding is noted. This is certainly a consequence of the general trend towards lower antimony contents. Shorting through the separator is only found in cases of severe battery mistreatment. This positive, intermediary result is supplemented by an outlook on emerging development trends. Future automotive batteries will experience elevated operating temperatures, higher cycling loads, and maintenance freedom. Battery tests at temperatures up to 75 °C with various alloy combinations show that the hybrid design is best suited to meet the expected requirements. Microporous polyethylene pocket separation is not expected to be a limiting factor; the trend to lower antimony alloy content and increased cycling load will demonstrate the advantage of this separation even more clearly than in the past. Optimization of the already achieved, balanced separator characteristics profile with the reference parameters of electrical performance, water loss, durability and machinability will stimulate further development work.

Achieving a physiological cortisol profile with once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone: a pharmacokinetic study.

PubMed

Johannsson, Gudmundur; Lennernäs, Hans; Marelli, Claudio; Rockich, Kevin; Skrtic, Stanko

2016-07-01

Oral once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone (DR-HC) replacement therapy was developed to provide a cortisol exposure-time profile that closely resembles the physiological cortisol profile. This study aimed to characterize single-dose pharmacokinetics (PK) of DR-HC 5-20mg and assess intrasubject variability. Thirty-one healthy Japanese or non-Hispanic Caucasian volunteers aged 20-55 years participated in this randomized, open-label, PK study. Single doses of DR-HC 5, 15 (3×5), and 20mg were administered orally after an overnight fast and suppression of endogenous cortisol secretion. After estimating the endogenous cortisol profile, PK of DR-HC over 24h were evaluated to assess dose proportionality and impact of ethnicity. Plasma cortisol concentrations were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PK parameters were calculated from individual cortisol concentration-time profiles. DR-HC 20mg provided higher than endogenous cortisol plasma concentrations 0-4h post-dose but similar concentrations later in the profile. Cortisol concentrations and PK exposure parameters increased with increasing doses. Mean maximal serum concentration (Cmax) was 82.0 and 178.1ng/mL, while mean area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)0-∞ was 562.8 and 1180.8h×ng/mL with DR-HC 5 and 20mg respectively. Within-subject PK variability was low (<15%) for DR-HC 20mg. All exposure PK parameters were less than dose proportional (slope <1). PK differences between ethnicities were explained by body weight differences. DR-HC replacement resembles the daily normal cortisol profile. Within-subject day-to-day PK variability was low, underpinning the safety of DR-HC for replacement therapy. DR-HC PK were less than dose proportional - an important consideration when managing intercurrent illness in patients with adrenal insufficiency. © 2016 The authors.

Achieving a physiological cortisol profile with once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone: a pharmacokinetic study

PubMed Central

Lennernäs, Hans; Marelli, Claudio; Rockich, Kevin; Skrtic, Stanko

2016-01-01

Objective Oral once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone (DR-HC) replacement therapy was developed to provide a cortisol exposure−time profile that closely resembles the physiological cortisol profile. This study aimed to characterize single-dose pharmacokinetics (PK) of DR-HC 5–20mg and assess intrasubject variability. Methods Thirty-one healthy Japanese or non-Hispanic Caucasian volunteers aged 20−55 years participated in this randomized, open-label, PK study. Single doses of DR-HC 5, 15 (3×5), and 20mg were administered orally after an overnight fast and suppression of endogenous cortisol secretion. After estimating the endogenous cortisol profile, PK of DR-HC over 24h were evaluated to assess dose proportionality and impact of ethnicity. Plasma cortisol concentrations were analyzed using liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry. PK parameters were calculated from individual cortisol concentration−time profiles. Results DR-HC 20mg provided higher than endogenous cortisol plasma concentrations 0−4h post-dose but similar concentrations later in the profile. Cortisol concentrations and PK exposure parameters increased with increasing doses. Mean maximal serum concentration (Cmax) was 82.0 and 178.1ng/mL, while mean area under the concentration−time curve (AUC)0−∞ was 562.8 and 1180.8h×ng/mL with DR-HC 5 and 20mg respectively. Within-subject PK variability was low (<15%) for DR-HC 20mg. All exposure PK parameters were less than dose proportional (slope <1). PK differences between ethnicities were explained by body weight differences. Conclusions DR-HC replacement resembles the daily normal cortisol profile. Within-subject day-to-day PK variability was low, underpinning the safety of DR-HC for replacement therapy. DR-HC PK were less than dose proportional – an important consideration when managing intercurrent illness in patients with adrenal insufficiency. PMID:27129362

Using Early Literacy Profiles of Hispanic English Language Learners to Predict Later Reading Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Francis; Ford, Karen; Invernizzi, Marcia

2011-01-01

Following a cohort of students from fall of kindergarten to spring of first grade, the authors investigated whether the general cluster profiles identified in Burrow et al.'s (2010) study remained consistent over time. If cluster profiles in the fall of kindergarten held, their goal was to investigate the differences between clusters in terms of…

Modern trends in lipomodeling

PubMed Central

El-Sabbagh, Ahmed Hassan

2017-01-01

Lipomodeling is the process of relocating autologous fat to change the shape, volume, consistency, and profile of tissues, with the aim of reconstructing, rejuvenating, and regenerating body features. There have been several important advancements in lipomodeling procedures during the last thirty years. Four clinical steps are important for the success of engraftment: fat harvesting, fat processing, fat reinjection, and preconditioning of the recipient site. With the discovery of adipose derived stem cells and dedifferentiated cells, fat cells become a major tool of regenerative medicine. This article reviews recent trends in lipomodeling trying to understand most of the issues in this field. PMID:28401032

Joint principal trend analysis for longitudinal high-dimensional data.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuping; Ouyang, Zhengqing

2018-06-01

We consider a research scenario motivated by integrating multiple sources of information for better knowledge discovery in diverse dynamic biological processes. Given two longitudinal high-dimensional datasets for a group of subjects, we want to extract shared latent trends and identify relevant features. To solve this problem, we present a new statistical method named as joint principal trend analysis (JPTA). We demonstrate the utility of JPTA through simulations and applications to gene expression data of the mammalian cell cycle and longitudinal transcriptional profiling data in response to influenza viral infections. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

Regional elevator survey : grain transportation & industry trends for Great Plains elevators

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-08-01

One potential means for gaining insight into the current state of the elevator industry, : and into expectations for future trends, is through a survey. The objective of this study is to profile the transportation and industry characteristics of the ...

Comparison of trend analyses for Umkehr data using new and previous inversion algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reinsel, Gregory C.; Tam, Wing-Kuen; Ying, Lisa H.

1994-01-01

Ozone vertical profile Umkehr data for layers 3-9 obtained from 12 stations, using both previous and new inversion algorithms, were analyzed for trends. The trends estimated for the Umkehr data from the two algorithms were compared using two data periods, 1968-1991 and 1977-1991. Both nonseasonal and seasonal trend models were fitted. The overall annual trends are found to be significantly negative, of the order of -5% per decade, for layers 7 and 8 using both inversion algorithms. The largest negative trends occur in these layers under the new algorithm, whereas in the previous algorithm the most negative trend occurs in layer 9. The trend estimates, both annual and seasonal, are substantially different between the two algorithms mainly for layers 3, 4, and 9, where trends from the new algorithm data are about 2% per decade less negative, with less appreciable differences in layers 7 and 8. The trend results from the two data periods are similar, except for layer 3 where trends become more negative, by about -2% per decade, for 1977-1991.

TCP Throughput Profiles Using Measurements over Dedicated Connections

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, Nageswara S.; Liu, Qiang; Sen, Satyabrata

Wide-area data transfers in high-performance computing infrastructures are increasingly being carried over dynamically provisioned dedicated network connections that provide high capacities with no competing traffic. We present extensive TCP throughput measurements and time traces over a suite of physical and emulated 10 Gbps connections with 0-366 ms round-trip times (RTTs). Contrary to the general expectation, they show significant statistical and temporal variations, in addition to the overall dependencies on the congestion control mechanism, buffer size, and the number of parallel streams. We analyze several throughput profiles that have highly desirable concave regions wherein the throughput decreases slowly with RTTs, inmore » stark contrast to the convex profiles predicted by various TCP analytical models. We present a generic throughput model that abstracts the ramp-up and sustainment phases of TCP flows, which provides insights into qualitative trends observed in measurements across TCP variants: (i) slow-start followed by well-sustained throughput leads to concave regions; (ii) large buffers and multiple parallel streams expand the concave regions in addition to improving the throughput; and (iii) stable throughput dynamics, indicated by a smoother Poincare map and smaller Lyapunov exponents, lead to wider concave regions. These measurements and analytical results together enable us to select a TCP variant and its parameters for a given connection to achieve high throughput with statistical guarantees.« less

Assessing the statistical significance of the achieved classification error of classifiers constructed using serum peptide profiles, and a prescription for random sampling repeated studies for massive high-throughput genomic and proteomic studies.

PubMed

Lyons-Weiler, James; Pelikan, Richard; Zeh, Herbert J; Whitcomb, David C; Malehorn, David E; Bigbee, William L; Hauskrecht, Milos

2005-01-01

Peptide profiles generated using SELDI/MALDI time of flight mass spectrometry provide a promising source of patient-specific information with high potential impact on the early detection and classification of cancer and other diseases. The new profiling technology comes, however, with numerous challenges and concerns. Particularly important are concerns of reproducibility of classification results and their significance. In this work we describe a computational validation framework, called PACE (Permutation-Achieved Classification Error), that lets us assess, for a given classification model, the significance of the Achieved Classification Error (ACE) on the profile data. The framework compares the performance statistic of the classifier on true data samples and checks if these are consistent with the behavior of the classifier on the same data with randomly reassigned class labels. A statistically significant ACE increases our belief that a discriminative signal was found in the data. The advantage of PACE analysis is that it can be easily combined with any classification model and is relatively easy to interpret. PACE analysis does not protect researchers against confounding in the experimental design, or other sources of systematic or random error. We use PACE analysis to assess significance of classification results we have achieved on a number of published data sets. The results show that many of these datasets indeed possess a signal that leads to a statistically significant ACE.

Epistemic Beliefs and Achievement Goal Orientations: Relations between Constructs versus Personal Profiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madjar, Nir; Weinstock, Michael; Kaplan, Avi

2017-01-01

Research has found students' epistemic beliefs to predict their achievement goal orientations. Much of this research emerged from the dimensional approach of epistemic beliefs, which hypothesized a relationship between particular independent dimensions of epistemic beliefs with different achievement goals. Research in this approach has primarily…

Leprosy trends at a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai, India, from 2008 to 2015.

PubMed

Muthuvel, Thirumugam; Isaakidis, Petros; Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Kattuppara, Lucy; Singh, Rajbir; Govindarajulu, Srinivas

2016-01-01

Leprosy remains an important cause of preventable disabilities. After the advent of multidrug therapy, new leprosy cases have come down dramatically. Despite this achievement, India, which contributes 60% of the global leprosy burden, faces some challenges to eliminate the disease, including active transmission in the community and delayed diagnosis of leprosy patients. The objectives of the study were 1) to determine sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of newly diagnosed adults and children (less than 15 years) with leprosy and their trends over time (2008-2015) and 2) to describe the profile of surgical procedures among leprosy patients registered for reconstructive surgeries during 2006-2015. Retrospective descriptive study was conducted involving a record review of new patients with leprosy registered in Vimala Dermatological Centre, Mumbai. A total of 578 new leprosy cases were registered in the hospital during 2008-2015. There has been a steady increase in the trend of child cases (less than 15 years) registered in the facility (from 3% in 2008 to 18% in 2015), x 2 =12.11, p< 0.01. The majority of the patients (68%) were migrants of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Targeting children and migrants and ensuring early diagnosis and treatment initiation are essential components for leprosy elimination in an urban metropolis in India.

Trends in Fetal Medicine: A 10-Year Bibliometric Analysis of Prenatal Diagnosis

PubMed Central

Dhombres, Ferdinand; Bodenreider, Olivier

2018-01-01

The objective is to automatically identify trends in Fetal Medicine over the past 10 years through a bibliometric analysis of articles published in Prenatal Diagnosis, using text mining techniques. We processed 2,423 full-text articles published in Prenatal Diagnosis between 2006 and 2015. We extracted salient terms, calculated their frequencies over time, and established evolution profiles for terms, from which we derived falling, stable, and rising trends. We identified 618 terms with a falling trend, 2,142 stable terms, and 839 terms with a rising trend. Terms with increasing frequencies include those related to statistics and medical study design. The most recent of these terms reflect the new opportunities of next- generation sequencing. Many terms related to cytogenetics exhibit a falling trend. A bibliometric analysis based on text mining effectively supports identification of trends over time. This scalable approach is complementary to analyses based on metadata or expert opinion. PMID:29295220

Analysis of Engineering Discipline Grade Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAllister, Charles D.; Jiang, Xiaoyue; Aghazadeh, Fereydoun

2008-01-01

Among the academic community, there is a perception that there is an upward shift in grade point average over an extended period of time without a corresponding increase in achievement. This trend has become an alarming topic among educators, industry and the general public. Some attribute increases in GPA to improvements in student quality while…

Emerging Trends in Parent-School Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seibert, Jane B.; And Others

School and home communication is of increasing interest in an era of concern for educational accountability. A review of research shows that landmark studies of the 1960s concentrated on the educational needs of the disadvantaged child and the influence of the home on school achievement. The current trend is toward attempting to unite the…

Mediterranean Ocean Colour Chlorophyll trend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

rinaldi, eleonora; colella, simone; santoleri, rosalia

2014-05-01

Monitoring chlorophyll (Chl) concentration, seen as a proxy for phytoplankton biomass, is an efficient tool in order to understand the response of marine ecosystem to human pressures. This is particularly important along the coastal regions, in which the strong anthropization and the irrational exploitation of resources represent a persistent threat to the biodiversity. The aim of this work is to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of using Ocean Color (OC) data to monitor the environmental changes in Mediterranean Sea and to develop a method for detecting trend from OC data that can constitute a new indicator of the water quality within the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive implementation. In this study the Mediterranean merged Case1-Case2 chlorophyll product, produced by CNR-ISAC and distributed in the framework of MyOcean, is analyzed. This product is obtained by using two different bio-optical algorithms for open ocean (Case1) and coastal turbid (Case2) waters; this improves the quality of the Chl satellite estimates, especially near the coast. In order to verify the real capability of the this product for estimating Chl trend and for selecting the most appropriated statistical test to detect trend in the Mediterranean Sea, a comparison between OC and in situ data are carried out. In-situ Chl data are part of the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) of the European Environmental Agency (EEA). Four different statistical approaches to estimate trend have been selected and used to compare trend values obtained with in-situ and OC data. Results show that the best agreement between in-situ and OC trend is achieved using the Mann- Kendall test. The Mediterranean trend map obtained applying this test to the de-seasonalized OC time series shows that, in accordance with the results of many authors, the case 1 waters of Mediterranean sea are characterized by a negative trend. However, the most intense trend signals, both negative

West Virginia Women Business Owners: Current Study and Trends Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holup, Linda L.; FitzGerald, Kathleen M.

This report profiles current West Virginia women business owners and notes significant trends in the last eight years. It highlights a subgroup of women business owners, specifically low income, single women with children. These survey areas are discussed: industry sector, type of ownership, reasons for going/not going into business, planning…

Extending water vapor trend observations over Boulder into the tropopause region: Trend uncertainties and resulting radiative forcing.

PubMed

Kunz, A; Müller, R; Homonnai, V; Jánosi, I M; Hurst, D; Rap, A; Forster, P M; Rohrer, F; Spelten, N; Riese, M

2013-10-16

Thirty years of balloon-borne measurements over Boulder (40°N, 105°W) are used to investigate the water vapor trend in the tropopause region. This analysis extends previously published trends, usually focusing on altitudes greater than 16 km, to lower altitudes. Two new concepts are applied: (1) Trends are presented in a thermal tropopause (TP) relative coordinate system from -2 km below to 10 km above the TP, and (2) sonde profiles are selected according to TP height. Tropical (TP z > 14 km), extratropical (TP z < 12 km), and transitional air mass types (12 km < TP z < 14 km) reveal three different water vapor reservoirs. The analysis based on these concepts reduces the dynamically induced water vapor variability at the TP and principally favors refined water vapor trend studies in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Nonetheless, this study shows how uncertain trends are at altitudes -2 to +4 km around the TP. This uncertainty in turn has an influence on the uncertainty and interpretation of water vapor radiative effects at the TP, which are locally estimated for the 30 year period to be of uncertain sign. The much discussed decrease in water vapor at the beginning of 2001 is not detectable between -2 and 2 km around the TP. On lower stratospheric isentropes, the water vapor change at the beginning of 2001 is more intense for extratropical than for tropical air mass types. This suggests a possible link with changing dynamics above the jet stream such as changes in the shallow branch of the Brewer-Dobson circulation.

Deriving spatial trends of air pollution at a neighborhood-scale through mobile monitoring

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Measuring air pollution in real-time using an instrumented vehicle platform has been an emerging strategy to resolve air pollution trends at a very fine spatial scale (10s of meters). Achieving second-by-second data representative of urban air quality trends requires a...

Achievement Goal Orientations and Subjective Well-Being: A Person-Centred Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuominen-Soini, Heta; Salmela-Aro, Katariina; Niemivirta, Markku

2008-01-01

This study examined whether students with different achievement goal orientation profiles differ in terms of subjective well-being (i.e., self-esteem, depressive symptoms, school-related burnout, and educational goal appraisals). Six groups of students with unique motivational profiles were identified. Observed differences in subjective well-being…

HS-GC/MS volatile profile of different varieties of garlic and their behavior under heating.

PubMed

Molina-Calle, María; Priego-Capote, Feliciano; de Castro, María D Luque

2016-05-01

Garlic is one of the most used seasonings in the world whose beneficial health effects, mainly ascribed to organosulfur compounds, are shared with the rest of the Allium family. The fact that many of these compounds are volatile makes the evaluation of the volatile profile of garlic interesting. For this purpose, three garlic varieties-White, Purple, and Chinese-cultivated in the South of Spain were analyzed by a method based on a headspace (HS) device coupled to a gas chromatograph and mass detector (HS-GC/MS). The main temperatures in the HS were optimized to achieve the highest concentration of volatiles. A total number of 45 volatiles were tentatively identified (among them 17 were identified for the first time in garlic); then, all were classified, also for the first time, and their relative concentration in three garlic varieties was used to evaluate differences among them and to study their profiles according to the heating time. Chinese garlic was found to be the richest variety in sulfur volatiles, while the three varieties presented a similar trend under preset heating times allowing differentiation between varieties and heating time using principal component analysis. Graphical Abstract HS-GC/MS analysis of the volatile profile of garlic.

Unconscious Motivation. Part II: Implicit Attitudes and L2 Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Hoorie, Ali H.

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the attitudinal/motivational predictors of second language (L2) academic achievement. Young adult learners of English as a foreign language (N = 311) completed several self-report measures and the Single-Target Implicit Association Test. Examination of the motivational profiles of high and low achievers revealed that…

Mask industry assessment trend analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelden, Gilbert; Marmillion, Patricia; Hughes, Greg

2008-04-01

Microelectronics industry leaders routinely name the cost and cycle time of mask technology and mask supply as top critical issues. A survey was created with support from SEMATECH and administered by SEMI North America to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition. This year's survey data were presented in detail at BACUS and the detailed trend analysis presented at EMLC. The survey is designed with the input of semiconductor company mask technologists, merchant mask suppliers, and industry equipment makers. This year's assessment is the sixth in the current series of annual reports. With continued industry support, the report can be used as a baseline to gain perspective on the technical and business status of the mask and microelectronics industries. The report will continue to serve as a valuable reference to identify the strengths and opportunities of the mask industry. The results will be used to guide future investments on critical path issues. This year's survey is basically the same as the 2005 and 2006 surveys. Questions are grouped into eight categories: General Business Profile Information, Data Processing, Yields and Yield Loss, Mechanisms, Delivery Times, Returns and Services, Operating Cost Factors, and Equipment Utilization. Within each category is a multitude of questions that creates a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the critical mask industry. Note: the questions covering operating cost factors and equipment utilization were added to the survey only in 2005; therefore, meaningful trend analysis is not available.

Searching for Tomorrow's Innovators: Profiling Creative Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Barbara; McKay, Robyn

2013-01-01

Profiling may be a viable means of identifying those creative adolescents who can benefit from specialized guidance and exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, arts, and human services. The experimenters developed 1 general and 5 specific profiles including interest, personality, and achievement variables…

PROFILE user's guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, L.; Saunders, D.

1986-01-01

User information for program PROFILE, an aerodynamics design utility for refining, plotting, and tabulating airfoil profiles is provided. The theory and implementation details for two of the more complex options are also presented. These are the REFINE option, for smoothing curvature in selected regions while retaining or seeking some specified thickness ratio, and the OPTIMIZE option, which seeks a specified curvature distribution. REFINE uses linear techniques to manipulate ordinates via the central difference approximation to second derivatives, while OPTIMIZE works directly with curvature using nonlinear least squares techniques. Use of programs QPLOT and BPLOT is also described, since all of the plots provided by PROFILE (airfoil coordinates, curvature distributions) are achieved via the general purpose QPLOT utility. BPLOT illustrates (again, via QPLOT) the shape functions used by two of PROFILE's options. The programs were designed and implemented for the Applied Aerodynamics Branch at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, and written in FORTRAN and run on a VAX-11/780 under VMS.

Global Population Profile: 2002. International Population Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christenson, Matthew; McDevitt, Thomas; Stanecki, Karen

2004-01-01

Global Population Profile: 2002 summarizes the most important trends in global population at the dawn of the 21st century. The presentation is organized around four themes: (1) Global Population; (2) Growth, Global Population; (3) Composition, Contraceptive Prevalence in the Developing World; and (4) the AIDS Pandemic in the 21st Century. This…

Barriers to Blacks' Educational Achievement in Higher Education: A Statistical and Conceptual Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Marvel

1992-01-01

Examines trends in the educational achievement of African Americans at secondary and postsecondary levels using data from various national surveys. Barriers to educational achievement are described, and intervention strategies for improving African-American success in higher education are reviewed. Increasing minority participation will require…

Class Size Effects on Fourth-Grade Mathematics Achievement: Evidence from TIMSS 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Wei; Konstantopoulos, Spyros

2016-01-01

Class size reduction policies have been widely implemented around the world in recent years. However, findings about the effects of class size on student achievement have been mixed. This study examines class size effects on fourth-grade mathematics achievement in 14 European countries using data from TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and…

Evaluation of forest nutrition based on large-scale foliar surveys: are nutrition profiles the way of the future?

PubMed

Luyssaert, Sebastiaan; Sulkava, Mika; Raitio, Hannu; Hollmén, Jaakko

2004-02-01

This paper introduces the use of nutrition profiles as a first step in the development of a concept that is suitable for evaluating forest nutrition on the basis of large-scale foliar surveys. Nutrition profiles of a tree or stand were defined as the nutrient status, which accounts for all element concentrations, contents and interactions between two or more elements. Therefore a nutrition profile overcomes the shortcomings associated with the commonly used concepts for evaluating forest nutrition. Nutrition profiles can be calculated by means of a neural network, i.e. a self-organizing map, and an agglomerative clustering algorithm with pruning. As an example, nutrition profiles were calculated to describe the temporal variation in the mineral composition of Scots pine and Norway spruce needles in Finland between 1987 and 2000. The temporal trends in the frequency distribution of the nutrition profiles of Scots pine indicated that, between 1987 and 2000, the N, S, P, K, Ca, Mg and Al decreased, whereas the needle mass (NM) increased or remained unchanged. As there were no temporal trends in the frequency distribution of the nutrition profiles of Norway spruce, the mineral composition of the needles of Norway spruce needles subsequently did not change. Interpretation of the (lack of) temporal trends was outside the scope of this example. However, nutrition profiles prove to be a new and better concept for the evaluation of the mineral composition of large-scale surveys only when a biological interpretation of the nutrition profiles can be provided.

New Mexico Articulated Assessment System. Student Achievement Profile: 1988-1989.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico State Dept. of Education, Santa Fe.

New Mexico has established a system of student achievement assessment that consists of four coordinated testing programs. District and state results are given for these assessments. The Reading Assessment, consisting of a norm-referenced test and a criterion-referenced test, is used in grades 1 and 2 to assess student mastery of essential…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Louisiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Louisiana's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, trends on state tests and NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) sometimes differed. On the state test, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level increased at grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. On NAEP, the percentage of…

Mediterranean Ocean Colour Chlorophyll Trends.

PubMed

Colella, Simone; Falcini, Federico; Rinaldi, Eleonora; Sammartino, Michela; Santoleri, Rosalia

2016-01-01

In being at the base of the marine food web, phytoplankton is particularly important for marine ecosystem functioning (e.g., biodiversity). Strong anthropization, over-exploitation of natural resources, and climate change affect the natural amount of phytoplankton and, therefore, represent a continuous threat to the biodiversity in marine waters. In particular, a concerning risks for coastal waters is the increase in nutrient inputs of terrestrial/anthropogenic origin that can lead to undesirable modifications of phytoplankton concentration (i.e., eutrophication). Monitoring chlorophyll (Chl) concentration, which is a proxy of phytoplankton biomass, is an efficient tool for recording and understanding the response of the marine ecosystem to human pressures and thus for detecting eutrophication. Here, we compute Chl trends over the Mediterranean Sea by using satellite data, also highlighting the fact that remote sensing may represent an efficient and reliable solution to synoptically control the "good environmental status" (i.e., the Marine Directive to achieve Good Environmental Status of EU marine waters by 2020) and to assess the application of international regulations and environmental directives. Our methodology includes the use of an ad hoc regional (i.e., Mediterranean) algorithm for Chl concentration retrieval, also accounting for the difference between offshore (i.e., Case I) and coastal (i.e., Case II) waters. We apply the Mann-Kendall test and the Sens's method for trend estimation to the Chl concentration de-seasonalized monthly time series, as obtained from the X-11 technique. We also provide a preliminary analysis of some particular trends by evaluating their associated inter-annual variability. The high spatial resolution of our approach allows a clear identification of intense trends in those coastal waters that are affected by river outflows. We do not attempt to attribute the observed trends to specific anthropogenic events. However, the trends

Stratospheric CH4 and CO2 profiles derived from SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noël, Stefan; Bramstedt, Klaus; Hilker, Michael; Liebing, Patricia; Plieninger, Johannes; Reuter, Max; Rozanov, Alexei; Sioris, Christopher E.; Bovensmann, Heinrich; Burrows, John P.

2016-04-01

Stratospheric profiles of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) have been derived from solar occultation measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY). The retrieval is performed using a method called onion peeling DOAS (ONPD), which combines an onion peeling approach with a weighting function DOAS (differential optical absorption spectroscopy) fit in the spectral region between 1559 and 1671 nm. By use of updated pointing information and optimisation of the data selection as well as of the retrieval approach, the altitude range for reasonable CH4 could be broadened from 20 to 40 km to about 17 to 45 km. Furthermore, the quality of the derived CO2 has been assessed such that now the first stratospheric profiles (17-45 km) of CO2 from SCIAMACHY are available. Comparisons with independent data sets yield an estimated accuracy of the new SCIAMACHY stratospheric profiles of about 5-10 % for CH4 and 2-3 % for CO2. The accuracy of the products is currently mainly restricted by the appearance of unexpected vertical oscillations in the derived profiles which need further investigation. Using the improved ONPD retrieval, CH4 and CO2 stratospheric data sets covering the whole SCIAMACHY time series (August 2002-April 2012) and the latitudinal range between about 50 and 70° N have been derived. Based on these time series, CH4 and CO2 trends have been estimated. CH4 trends above about 20 km are not significantly different from zero and the trend at 17 km is about 3 ppbv year-1. The derived CO2 trends show a general decrease with altitude with values of about 1.9 ppmv year-1 at 21 km and about 1.3 ppmv year-1 at 39 km. These results are in reasonable agreement with total column trends for these gases. This shows that the new SCIAMACHY data sets can provide valuable information about the stratosphere.

Culinary Arts Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Instructional Materials Lab.

This chart is intended for use in documenting the fact that a student participating in a culinary arts program has achieved the performance standards specified in the Missouri Competency Profile for culinary arts. The chart includes space for recording basic student and instructor information and the student's on-the-job training and work…

A trend study of self-concept and mathematics achievement in a cross-cultural context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jianjun

2007-12-01

The TIMSS 1995, 1999, and 2003 data have been gathered from Hong Kong before and after its sovereignty switch from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. Built on a reciprocal relation theory from the research literature, this investigation is designed to examine models of student self-concept and mathematics achievement during the political transition. Along with a perceived `brain drain' from the population migration, there was a non-monotonic change in the reciprocal relationship between self-concept and mathematics achievement. In addition, indicators of mathematics achievement and self-concept have demonstrated different linkages to the permanent emigration of Hong Kong residents with valued or desirable skills and qualifications. Interpretation of these empirical findings entails a need of enhancing cross-cultural understanding in mathematics education.

STS-1 operational flight profile. Volume 3: Ascent, cycle 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The ascent opeational flight profile for the space transportation system 1 flight is designed (1) to limit the maximum undispersed dynamic pressure to 580 lb/sq ft, (2) to follow the design load indicator profiles where q alpha is a specified profile and q beta is desired to be as close to zero as passible, and (3) to maximize nominal and abort performance. Significant trajectory parameters achieved are presented. A maximum dynamic pressure of 575 lb/sq ft was achieved, a minimum q alpha of -2187 lb-deg/sq ft was achieved, and q beta was limited to approximately + or - 100 lb-deg/sq ft in the high q region of the trajectory. The trajectory performance allows a press to main engine cutoff capability with one space shuttle main engine out at 262 seconds ground elapsed time. The orbital maneuvering system burns achieve a final orbit of 150.9 x 149.9 x 149.8 n. mi. and the desired inclination of 40.3 degrees.

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Tennessee's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 8 reading and math. At grade 4, trends on the state test and NAEP differed somewhat. In…

Quantitative SIMS depth profiling of diffusion barrier gate-oxynitride structures in TFT-LCDs.

PubMed

Dreer, Sabine; Wilhartitz, Peter; Piplits, Kurt; Mayerhofer, Karl; Foisner, Johann; Hutter, Herbert

2004-06-01

Gate oxynitride structures of TFT-LCDs were investigated by SIMS, and successful solutions are demonstrated to overcome difficulties arising due to the charging effects of the multilayer systems, the matrix effect of the method, and the small pattern sizes of the samples. Because of the excellent reproducibility achieved by applying exponential relative sensitivity functions for quantitative analysis, minor differences in the barrier gate-oxynitride composition deposited on molybdenum capped aluminium-neodymium metallisation electrodes were determined between the centre and the edge of the TFT-LCD substrates. No differences were found for molybdenum-tungsten metallisations. Furthermore, at the edge of the glass substrates, aluminium, neodymium, and molybdenum SIMS depth profiles show an exponential trend. With TEM micrographs an inhomogeneous thickness of the molybdenum capping is revealed as the source of this effect, which influences the electrical behaviour of the device. The production process was improved after these results and the aging behaviour of TFT-LCDs was investigated in order to explain the change in control voltage occurring during the lifetime of the displays. SIMS and TEM show an enrichment of neodymium at the interface to the molybdenum layer, confirming good diffusion protection of the molybdenum barrier during accelerated aging. The reason for the shift of the control voltage was finally located by semi-quantitative depth profiling of the sodium diffusion originating from the glass substrate. Molybdenum-tungsten was a much better buffer for the highly-mobile charge carriers than aluminium-neodymium. Best results were achieved with PVD silicon oxynitride as diffusion barrier and gate insulator deposited on aluminium-neodymium metallisation layers.

Trends in the Evolution of Snake Toxins Underscored by an Integrative Omics Approach to Profile the Venom of the Colubrid Phalotris mertensi

PubMed Central

Campos, Pollyanna Fernandes; Andrade-Silva, Débora; Zelanis, André; Paes Leme, Adriana Franco; Rocha, Marisa Maria Teixeira; Menezes, Milene Cristina; Serrano, Solange M.T.; Junqueira-de-Azevedo, Inácio de Loiola Meirelles

2016-01-01

Only few studies on snake venoms were dedicated to deeply characterize the toxin secretion of animals from the Colubridae family, despite the fact that they represent the majority of snake diversity. As a consequence, some evolutionary trends observed in venom proteins that underpinned the evolutionary histories of snake toxins were based on data from a minor parcel of the clade. Here, we investigated the proteins of the totally unknown venom from Phalotris mertensi (Dipsadinae subfamily), in order to obtain a detailed profile of its toxins and to appreciate evolutionary tendencies occurring in colubrid venoms. By means of integrated omics and functional approaches, including RNAseq, Sanger sequencing, high-resolution proteomics, recombinant protein production, and enzymatic tests, we verified an active toxic secretion containing up to 21 types of proteins. A high content of Kunitz-type proteins and C-type lectins were observed, although several enzymatic components such as metalloproteinases and an L-amino acid oxidase were also present in the venom. Interestingly, an arguable venom component of other species was demonstrated as a true venom protein and named svLIPA (snake venom acid lipase). This finding indicates the importance of checking the actual protein occurrence across species before rejecting genes suggested to code for toxins, which are relevant for the discussion about the early evolution of reptile venoms. Moreover, trends in the evolution of some toxin classes, such as simplification of metalloproteinases and rearrangements of Kunitz and Wap domains, parallel similar phenomena observed in other venomous snake families and provide a broader picture of toxin evolution. PMID:27412610

A flatter gallium profile for high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 solar cell and improved robustness against sulfur-gradient variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chien-Yao; Lee, Wen-Chin; Lin, Albert

2016-09-01

Co-optimization of the gallium and sulfur profiles in penternary Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 thin film solar cell and its impacts on device performance and variability are investigated in this work. An absorber formation method to modulate the gallium profiling under low sulfur-incorporation is disclosed, which solves the problem of Ga-segregation in selenization. Flatter Ga-profiles, which lack of experimental investigations to date, are explored and an optimal Ga-profile achieving 17.1% conversion efficiency on a 30 cm × 30 cm sub-module without anti-reflection coating is presented. Flatter Ga-profile gives rise to the higher Voc × Jsc by improved bandgap matching to solar spectrum, which is hard to be achieved by the case of Ga-accumulation. However, voltage-induced carrier collection loss is found, as evident from the measured voltage-dependent photocurrent characteristics based on a small-signal circuit model. The simulation results reveal that the loss is attributed to the synergistic effect of the detrimental gallium and sulfur gradients, which can deteriorate the carrier collection especially in quasi-neutral region (QNR). Furthermore, the underlying physics is presented, and it provides a clear physical picture to the empirical trends of device performance, I-V characteristics, and voltage-dependent photocurrent, which cannot be explained by the standard solar circuit model. The parameter "FGa" and front sulfur-gradient are found to play critical roles on the trade-off between space charge region (SCR) recombination and QNR carrier collection. The co-optimized gallium and sulfur gradients are investigated, and the corresponding process modification for further efficiency-enhancement is proposed. In addition, the performance impact of sulfur-gradient variation is studied, and a gallium design for suppressing the sulfur-induced variability is proposed. Device performances of varied Ga-profiles with front sulfur-gradients are simulated based on a compact device model

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Nevada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Nevada's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP increased in grade 8 reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test than on NAEP in both subjects. Trends in average (mean) test scores…

What can and should we learn from international studies of mathematics achievement?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leung, Frederick K. S.

2014-09-01

International studies of mathematics achievement such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and Programme for International Student Assessment have dominated much discussion within the mathematics education community and beyond, but such discussions often do not do justice to the nature of these international studies. In this paper, the espoused purposes of these international studies are examined, and the limitations of large-scale international studies posed by the nature and the methodology of these studies are discussed. It is argued that because of the limitations, only broad-brush pictures about achievements in different countries can be painted, and one such broad-brush picture is the superior performance of East Asian students. Cultural values in these countries are then discussed as possible explanation of student achievement. What should and should not be learned from these international studies are then discussed. Caution is advised against emphasising fine changes in ranking of countries, asserting causal relations between background variables and achievement, drawing conclusions about teacher attributes, and suggesting changes in education policies without due consideration of the nature and limitations of these studies. Instead one should focus on trends in achievement scores (and not rankings), performance in different strands of mathematics, and the attitudes of our students as shown in the questionnaire results.

Post universal health coverage trend and geographical inequalities of mortality in Thailand.

PubMed

Aungkulanon, Suchunya; Tangcharoensathien, Viroj; Shibuya, Kenji; Bundhamcharoen, Kanitta; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi

2016-11-22

Thailand has achieved remarkable improvement in health status since the achievement of universal health coverage in 2002. Health equity has improved significantly. However, challenges on health inequity still remain.This study aimed to determine the trends of geographical inequalities in disease specific mortality in Thailand after the country achieved universal health coverage. National vital registration data from 2001 to 2014 were used to calculate age-adjusted mortality rate and standardized mortality ratio (SMR). To minimize large variations in mortality across administrative districts, the adjacent districts were systematically grouped into "super-districts" by taking into account the population size and proximity. Geographical mortality inequality among super-districts was measured by the coefficient of variation. Mixed effects modeling was used to test the difference in trends between super-districts. The overall SMR steadily declined from 1.2 in 2001 to 0.9 in 2014. The upper north and upper northeast regions had higher SMR whereas Greater Bangkok achieved the lowest SMR. Decreases in SMR were mostly seen in Greater Bangkok and the upper northern region. Coefficient of variation of SMR rapidly decreased from 20.0 in 2001 to 12.5 in 2007 and remained close to this value until 2014. The mixed effects modelling revealed significant differences in trends of SMR across super-districts. Inequality in mortality declined among adults (≥15 years old) but increased in children (0-14 years old). A declining trend in inequality of mortality was seen in almost all regions except Greater Bangkok where the inequality in SMR remained high throughout the study period. A decline in the adult mortality inequality across almost all regions of Thailand followed universal health coverage. Inequalities in child mortality rates and among residents of Greater Bangkok need further exploration.

Understanding students' motivation in project work: a 2 x 2 achievement goal approach.

PubMed

Liu, Woon Chia; Wang, C K John; Tan, Oon Seng; Ee, Jessie; Koh, Caroline

2009-03-01

The project work (PW) initiative was launched in 2000 by the Ministry of Education, Singapore, to encourage application of knowledge across disciplines, and to develop thinking, communication, collaboration, and metacognitive skills. Although PW has been introduced for a few years, few studies have examined the motivation of students in PW, especially with the use of the recently proposed 2 x 2 achievement goal framework. To use a cluster analytic approach to identify students' achievement goal profiles at an intra-individual level, and to examine their links to various psychological characteristics and perceived outcomes in PW. Participants were 491 Secondary 2 students (mean age = 13.78, SD = 0.77) from two government coeducational schools. Cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct subgroups of students with similar achievement goal profiles. One-way MANOVAs, followed by post hoc Tukey HSD tests for pairwise comparisons were used to determine whether there was any significant difference amongst clusters in terms of the psychological characteristics and perceived outcomes in PW. Four distinct clusters of students were identified. The cluster with high achievement goals and the cluster with moderately high goals had the most positive psychological characteristics and perceived outcomes. In contrast, the cluster with very low scores for all four achievement goals had the most maladaptive profile. The study provides support for the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework, and demonstrates that multiple goals can operate simultaneously. However, it highlights the need for cross-cultural studies to look into the approach-avoidance dimension in the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework.

The Trend-in-trend Research Design for Causal Inference.

PubMed

Ji, Xinyao; Small, Dylan S; Leonard, Charles E; Hennessy, Sean

2017-07-01

Cohort studies can be biased by unmeasured confounding. We propose a hybrid ecologic-epidemiologic design called the trend-in-trend design, which requires a strong time trend in exposure, but is unbiased unless there are unmeasured factors affecting outcome for which there are time trends in prevalence that are correlated with time trends in exposure across strata with different exposure trends. Thus, the conditions under which the trend-in-trend study is biased are a subset of those under which a cohort study is biased. The trend-in-trend design first divides the study population into strata based on the cumulative probability of exposure given covariates, which effectively stratifies on time trend in exposure, provided there is a trend. Next, a covariates-free maximum likelihood model estimates the odds ratio (OR) using data on exposure prevalence and outcome frequency within cumulative probability of exposure strata, across multiple periods. In simulations, the trend-in-trend design produced ORs with negligible bias in the presence of unmeasured confounding. In empiric applications, trend-in-trend reproduced the known positive association between rofecoxib and myocardial infarction (observed OR: 1.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.1, 1.4), and known null associations between rofecoxib and severe hypoglycemia (OR = 1.1 [0.92, 1.3]) and nonvertebral fracture (OR = 0.84 [0.64, 1.1]). The trend-in-trend method may be useful in settings where there is a strong time trend in exposure, such as a newly approved drug or other medical intervention. See video abstract at, http://links.lww.com/EDE/B178.

Health sector reform and trends in the United Kingdom hospital workforce.

PubMed

Buchan, J; Hancock, C; Rafferty, A M

1997-10-01

The authors examine changing trends in the profile and patterns of employment of the workforce in hospitals in the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. The effect of the implementation of the NHS reforms is considered, with particular reference to the changing composition of the nursing workforce. The authors note that there are problems with establishing trend data because of altered information requirements as a result of the NHS reforms. Analysis and review of data from secondary sources and research publications. Although hospital activity rates have grown, patient length of hospital stays decreased, and patient activity levels increased, there has not been a linked growth in the size of the nursing workforce. The main changes in the profile of the nursing workforce highlighted are a marked reduction in the numbers of nursing students and alterations in the skill mix between first- and second-level qualified nurses. The authors also note a large increase in the number of managerial and administrative staff employed and growth in medical staff numbers. Changes in working patterns and increases in contracting for support services and in the use of temporary staff also are discussed. There have been pronounced changes in the profile of the hospital workforce but little evaluation of the impact of these changes on outcomes of care.

The Effect of Primary School Size on Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gershenson, Seth; Langbein, Laura

2015-01-01

Evidence on optimal school size is mixed. We estimate the effect of transitory changes in school size on the academic achievement of fourth-and fifth-grade students in North Carolina using student-level longitudinal administrative data. Estimates of value-added models that condition on school-specific linear time trends and a variety of…

Emerging Trends of Research on Transfer of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subedi, Bhawani Shankar

2004-01-01

The terms "transfer of learning" and "transfer of training" are usually found mutually exclusive in training and development literature. Transfer is a key concept in adult learning theories because most education and training aspires to transfer. The end goals of training and education are not achieved unless transfer occurs. Emerging trends of…

Income-related children's health inequality and health achievement in China.

PubMed

Chen, Lu; Wu, Ya; Coyte, Peter C

2014-10-29

This study assessed income-related health inequality and health achievement in children in China, and additionally, examined province-level variations in health achievement. Longitudinal data on 19,801 children under 18 years of age were derived from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Income-related health inequality and health achievement were measured by the Health Concentration and Health Achievement Indices, respectively. Panel data with a fixed effect multiple regression model was employed to examine province-level variations in health achievement. A growing trend was towards greater health inequality among Chinese children over the last two decades. Although health achievement was getting better over time, the pro-rich inequality component has lessened the associated gain in achievement. Health achievement was positively impacted by middle school enrollments, the urbanization rate, inflation-adjusted per capita gross domestic product, and per capita public health spending. This study has provided evidence that average health status of Chinese children has improved, but inequality has widened. Widening inequality slowed the growth in health achievement for children over time. There were wide variations in health achievement throughout China.

K-8 Charter Schools: Closing the Achievement Gap. Innovations in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2007

2007-01-01

This guide is part of a series produced by the U.S. Department of Education, and it builds on two previous works: "Successful Charter Schools" (ED493615) and "Charter High Schools Closing the Achievement Gap" (ED494482). It profiles seven K-8 charter schools that are making headway in narrowing gaps in achievement. It examines…

Epigenetic Research in Cancer Epidemiology: Trends, Opportunities, and Challenges

PubMed Central

Verma, Mukesh; Rogers, Scott; Divi, Rao L.; Schully, Sheri D.; Nelson, Stefanie; Su, L. Joseph; Ross, Sharon; Pilch, Susan; Winn, Deborah M.; Khoury, Muin J.

2014-01-01

Epigenetics is emerging as an important field in cancer epidemiology that promises to provide insights into gene regulation and facilitate cancer control throughout the cancer care continuum. Increasingly, investigators are incorporating epigenetic analysis into the studies of etiology and outcomes. To understand current progress and trends in the inclusion of epigenetics in cancer epidemiology, we evaluated the published literature and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported research grant awards in this field to identify trends in epigenetics research. We present a summary of the epidemiological studies in NCI’s grant portfolio (from January 2005 through December 2012) and in the scientific literature published during the same period, irrespective of support from NCI. Blood cells and tumor tissue were the most commonly used biospecimens in these studies, although buccal cells, cervical cells, sputum, and stool samples also were used. DNA methylation profiling was the focus of the majority of studies, but several studies also measured microRNA profiles. We illustrate here the current status of epidemiologic studies that are evaluating epigenetic changes in large populations. The incorporation of epigenomic assessments in cancer epidemiology studies has and is likely to continue to provide important insights into the field of cancer research. PMID:24326628

Profiles of the Sources of Science Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Jason A.; Usher, Ellen L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate (a) the latent profiles that arise from middle and high school students' (N = 1225) reported exposure to information from the four hypothesized sources of self-efficacy; (b) the relationships between these latent profiles and science self-efficacy and science achievement; and (c) the differences in…

Stellar Surface Brightness Profiles of Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, K. A.

2014-03-01

Radial stellar surface brightness profiles of spiral galaxies can be classified into three types: (I) single exponential, or the light falls off with one exponential out to a break radius and then falls off (II) more steeply (“truncated”), or (III) less steeply (“anti-truncated”). Why there are three different radial profile types is still a mystery, including why light falls off as an exponential at all. Profile breaks are also found in dwarf disks, but some dwarf Type IIs are flat or increasing (FI) out to a break before falling off. I have been re-examining the multi-wavelength stellar disk profiles of 141 dwarf galaxies, primarily from Hunter & Elmegreen (2004, 2006). Each dwarf has data in up to 11 wavelength bands: FUV and NUV from GALEX, UBVJHK and Hα from ground-based observations, and 3.6 and 4.5μm from Spitzer. Here I highlight some results from a semi-automatic fitting of this data set including: (1) statistics of break locations and other properties as a function of wavelength and profile type, (2) color trends and radial mass distribution as a function of profile type, and (3) the relationship of the break radius to the kinematics and density profiles of atomic hydrogen gas in the 40 dwarfs of the LITTLE THINGS subsample.

Implications of Version 8 TOMS and SBUV Data for Long-Term Trend Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frith, Stacey M.

2004-01-01

Total ozone data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and profile/total ozone data from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV; SBW/2) series of instruments have recently been reprocessed using new retrieval algorithms (referred to as Version 8 for both) and updated calibrations. In this paper, we incorporate the Version 8 data into a TOMS/SBW merged total ozone data set and an S B W merged profile ozone data set. The Total Merged Ozone Data (Total MOD) combines data from multiple TOMS and SBW instruments to form an internally consistent global data set with virtually complete time coverage from October 1978 through December 2003. Calibration differences between instruments are accounted for using external adjustments based on instrument intercomparisons during overlap periods. Previous results showed errors due to aerosol loading and sea glint are significantly reduced in the V8 TOMS retrievals. Using SBW as a transfer standard, calibration differences between V8 Nimbus 7 and Earth Probe TOMS data are approx. 1.3%, suggesting small errors in calibration remain. We will present updated total ozone long-term trends based on the Version 8 data. The Profile Merged Ozone Data (Profile MOD) data set is constructed using data from the SBUV series of instruments. In previous versions, SAGE data were used to establish the long-term external calibration of the combined data set. The SBW Version 8 we assess the V8 profile data through comparisons with SAGE and between SBW instruments in overlap periods. We then construct a consistently-calibrated long term time series. Updated zonal mean trends as a function of altitude and season from the new profile data set will be shown, and uncertainties in determining the best long-term calibration will be discussed.

Emerging Trends and New Directions in Telecollaborative Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Dowd, Robert

2016-01-01

This article provides an overview of the most significant emerging trends and tendencies in telecollaborative practice. In order to achieve this, I review the recent literature in the area and I identify recurring themes from the Telecollaboration in Higher Education conference which took place in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland from 21 to 23…

What Trends Do Turkish Biology Education Studies Indicate?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Topsakal, Unsal Umdu; Calik, Muammer; Cavus, Ragip

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine what trends Turkish biology education studies indicate. To achieve this aim, the researchers examined online databases of the Higher Education Council and open access archives of graduate theses in web sites of Turkish universities. Finally, totally 138 graduate theses were elicited to analyze in regard to…

Provision of legal services to persons with HIV or AIDS: barriers and trends.

PubMed

Carey, R

Canadian HIV/AIDS legal clinics address their agendas, funding, activities, and observed trends. The HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic (Ontario) (HALCO) is profiled in the first of a series. HALCO is a poverty law clinic for HIV-positive people with limited financial means in Ontario. The profile of legal problems handled by HALCO includes government assistance payments, inadequate or too-expensive housing, wills and substitute decision making, bankruptcy, human rights, prison health issues, employment concerns, immigration issues, and family law. HALCO has a limited budget, and can only afford one full-time lawyer and one full-time community worker on staff. HALCO is tracking a trend of diminishing legal protections for HIV-positive employees. They have also recorded increased opposition in the insurance industry to cover HIV drug treatment. Medical malpractice litigations are also increasing due to the doctors failing to inform patients of their HIV status or to treat them adequately once they have been notified.

Reducing The Station-to Station Variability of Umkehr Ozone Trends Using SAGE Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newchurch, Mike; Allen, Mark; Cunnold, Derek; Herman, Ben; Mateer, Carl

2000-01-01

This proposed research sought to use SAGE I and II ozone and aerosol measurements to reduce the variability in ozone trends, principally, but not exclusively, in layer 8 (40 km) derived from multiple Umkehr stations. Building on our experience with both SAGE and Umkehr data, we proposed to commence at the very beginning of the Umkehr process (measured radiance ratios) and proceed through the fitting and inversion processes in conjunction with radiative transfer calculations to establish a consistent, reliable time series of Umkehr ozone profiles at a number of stations. We expected to be able to reconcile the present discrepancies between SAGE and Umkehr trends in the upper stratosphere and, in particular, to reduce the variability in trend estimates among mid-latitude Umkehr stations.

Design tradeoffs for trend assessment in aquatic biological monitoring programs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gurtz, Martin E.; Van Sickle, John; Carlisle, Daren M.; Paulsen, Steven G.

2013-01-01

Assessments of long-term (multiyear) temporal trends in biological monitoring programs are generally undertaken without an adequate understanding of the temporal variability of biological communities. When the sources and levels of variability are unknown, managers cannot make informed choices in sampling design to achieve monitoring goals in a cost-effective manner. We evaluated different trend sampling designs by estimating components of both short- and long-term variability in biological indicators of water quality in streams. Invertebrate samples were collected from 32 sites—9 urban, 6 agricultural, and 17 relatively undisturbed (reference) streams—distributed throughout the United States. Between 5 and 12 yearly samples were collected at each site during the period 1993–2008, plus 2 samples within a 10-week index period during either 2007 or 2008. These data allowed calculation of four sources of variance for invertebrate indicators: among sites, among years within sites, interaction among sites and years (site-specific annual variation), and among samples collected within an index period at a site (residual). When estimates of these variance components are known, changes to sampling design can be made to improve trend detection. Design modifications that result in the ability to detect the smallest trend with the fewest samples are, from most to least effective: (1) increasing the number of years in the sampling period (duration of the monitoring program), (2) decreasing the interval between samples, and (3) increasing the number of repeat-visit samples per year (within an index period). This order of improvement in trend detection, which achieves the greatest gain for the fewest samples, is the same whether trends are assessed at an individual site or an average trend of multiple sites. In multiple-site surveys, increasing the number of sites has an effect similar to that of decreasing the sampling interval; the benefit of adding sites is greater when

Current trends in lifestyle-related disease management by general practitioners: a report from the "Heart Care Network" groups.

PubMed

2009-01-01

In Japan, it is believed that guidelines for lifestyle-related disease are used in routine clinical practice, however, there are few reports on the actual rate of healthcare conducted in accordance with these guidelines by general practitioners and on their usefulness in preventing cardiovascular events. Therefore, the Heart Care Network (HCN) groups were organized mainly by general practitioners treating lifestyle diseases in 62 areas of Japan. The HCN has collected data on lifestyle diseases in high-risk patients in routine practices and investigated management conditions, guideline target achievement rates and medication. Additionally, the incidence of cardiovascular events was assessed. We analyzed 14,064 cases. The lipid profile, blood pressure, glycemic control were significantly improved over the 3 years. The incidence of cardiovascular events were significantly reduced by the achievement of target LDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and hemoglobin A1c and even after adjustment for age, gender, history of myocardial infarction, the reduction of these lifestyle-related parameters remains significant. These results revealed the current trends in the healthcare activities of general practitioners, the management conditions for lifestyle diseases in CHD high-risk patients and their effects on reducing cardiovascular events.

Intelligent trend analysis for a solar thermal energy collector field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juuso, E. K.

2018-03-01

Solar thermal power plants collect available solar energy in a usable form at a temperature range which is adapted to the irradiation levels and seasonal variations. Solar energy can be collected only when the irradiation is high enough to produce the required temperatures. During the operation, a trade-off of the temperature and the flow is needed to achieve a good level for the collected power. The scaling approach brings temporal analysis to all measurements and features: trend indices are calculated by comparing the averages in the long and short time windows, a weighted sum of the trend index and its derivative detects the trend episodes and severity of the trend is estimated by including also the variable level in the sum. The trend index, trend episodes and especially, the deviation index reveal early evolving changes in the operating conditions, including cloudiness and load disturbances. The solution is highly compact: all variables, features and indices are transformed to the range [-2, 2] and represented in natural language which is important in integrating data-driven solutions with domain expertise. The special situations detected during the test campaigns are explained well.

Profiles of More and Less Successful L2 Learners: A Cluster Analysis Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparks, Richard L.; Patton, Jon; Ganschow, Leonore

2012-01-01

This retrospective study examined L1 achievement, intelligence, L2 aptitude, and L2 proficiency profiles of 208 students completing two years of high school L2 courses. A cluster analysis was performed to determine whether distinct cognitive and achievement profiles of more and less successful L2 learners would emerge. The results of…

Understanding the Gap in Mathematics Achievement of Malaysian Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ismail, Noor Azina

2009-01-01

Of 46 countries that participated in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study in 2003 (I. V. S. Mullis, M. O. Martin, E. J. Gonzalez, & S. J. Chrostowski, 2004), Malaysia was ranked 10th in international scores of mathematics achievement for 8th-grade students. The present author aimed to examine the importance of students'…

Overview of the Long-term Ozone Trends and Uncertainties in the Stratosphere(LOTUS) SPARC Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petropavlovskikh, I. V.; Hubert, D.; Godin-Beekman, S.; Damadeo, R. P.; Sofieva, V.; Hassler, B.

2017-12-01

WMO/UNEP Assessments on the state of the ozone layer (aka Ozone Assessments) require an accurate evaluation of both total ozone and ozone profile long-term trends. These trend results are of utmost importance in order to evaluate the success of the Montreal Protocol with regards to the recovery of the ozone layer and the effect of climate change on this recovery, in the main regions of the stratosphere (polar, mid-latitudes, tropics). A previous activity sponsored by SPARC, IO3C, IGACO-O3 and NDACC (SI2N) successfully provided estimates of ozone profile decreasing trend in the period 1979 - 1997 and recovery trend in the period 1998 -2012, from a variety of long term records, however its results were different from those published in the WMO 2014 Ozone Assessment report. For the WMO/UNEP 2018 Ozone Assessment, a clear understanding of ozone trends and their significance as a function of altitude and latitude is still needed, nearly 20 years after the peak of ozone depleting substances in the stratosphere. In the most recent years, new merged satellite data sets and long awaited homogenized ozonesonde data series have been produced. There is thus a strong interest in the scientific community to understand limitations in determining significance of ozone recovery. In order to address the issues left pending after the end of SI2N, a comprehensive evaluation of all long term data sets available together with their relative drifts was performed through the SPARC LOTUS (Long-term Ozone Trends and uncertainties in Stratosphere) activity. Evaluation of consistencies in results from various statistical trend regression models, sensitivity to the selection of predictors, evaluation of sampling-related uncertainties and impact of the measurement error propagation on ozone trend calculation was among subjects of investigation. This presentation will provide overview of the LOTUS project goals, provide highlights of the results and discuss the future goals.

Achievement and Behaviour in Undergraduate Mathematics: Personality Is a Better Predictor than Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alcock, Lara; Attridge, Nina; Kenny, Steven; Inglis, Matthew

2014-01-01

We investigated two factors that predict students' achievement and behaviour in undergraduate mathematics: gender and personality. We found that gender predicted students' achievement and behaviour when considered in isolation, but ceased to be predictive when personality profiles were taken into account. Furthermore, personality accounted for…

Dependable Trend Measurement Is Not Just IRT Scaling: Commentary on "Linking Large-Scale Reading Assessments: Measuring International Trends over 40 Years"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullis, Ina V. S.; Martin, Michael O.

2016-01-01

Linking IEA's international reading assessments across 40 years is an interesting endeavor from several perspectives. Being able to examine trends in reading achievement at the 4th grade over such a long period and relate these to policy changes during that time span is an attractive idea. However, this work brings to the fore many thorny issues…

The Education System of the Nineteenth Century: The Direction, Trends and Tensions of Curriculum Reforms in the Twenty-First Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braslavsky, Cecilia

The need for curriculum change is based on the recognition that there has been a consolidation of a number of trends that began at least 20 years ago. These trends include: changes in occupational profiles in an increasingly globalized work environment; the need to counteract social inequities and marginalization; the need to recognize diversity…

Differentials in Mathematics Achievement among Eighth-Grade Students in Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ismail, Noor Azina; Awang, Halimah

2008-01-01

This paper examines differences in mathematics achievement among eighth-grade students using a secondary analysis of the data. The students, who are from Malaysia, had participated in the Trend International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1999. A series of school, home, demographic and socio-economic variables were used to investigate the…

Drift-corrected Odin-OSIRIS ozone product: algorithm and updated stratospheric ozone trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourassa, Adam E.; Roth, Chris Z.; Zawada, Daniel J.; Rieger, Landon A.; McLinden, Chris A.; Degenstein, Douglas A.

2018-01-01

A small long-term drift in the Optical Spectrograph and Infrared Imager System (OSIRIS) stratospheric ozone product, manifested mostly since 2012, is quantified and attributed to a changing bias in the limb pointing knowledge of the instrument. A correction to this pointing drift using a predictable shape in the measured limb radiance profile is implemented and applied within the OSIRIS retrieval algorithm. This new data product, version 5.10, displays substantially better both long- and short-term agreement with Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) ozone throughout the stratosphere due to the pointing correction. Previously reported stratospheric ozone trends over the time period 1984-2013, which were derived by merging the altitude-number density ozone profile measurements from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II satellite instrument (1984-2005) and from OSIRIS (2002-2013), are recalculated using the new OSIRIS version 5.10 product and extended to 2017. These results still show statistically significant positive trends throughout the upper stratosphere since 1997, but at weaker levels that are more closely in line with estimates from other data records.

Mesopause region temperature variability and its trend in southern Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venturini, Mateus S.; Bageston, José V.; Caetano, Nattan R.; Peres, Lucas V.; Bencherif, Hassan; Schuch, Nelson J.

2018-03-01

Nowadays, the study of the upper atmosphere is increasing, mostly because of the need to understand the patterns of Earth's atmosphere. Since studies on global warming have become very important for the development of new technologies, understanding all regions of the atmosphere becomes an unavoidable task. In this paper, we aim to analyze the temperature variability and its trend in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region during a period of 12 years (from 2003 to 2014). For this purpose, three different heights, i.e., 85, 90 and 95 km, were focused on in order to investigate the upper atmosphere, and a geographic region different to other studies was chosen, in the southern region of Brazil, centered in the city of Santa Maria, RS (29°41'02'' S; 53°48'25'' W). In order to reach the objectives of this work, temperature data from the SABER instrument (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry), aboard NASA's Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics Dynamics (TIMED) satellite, were used. Finally, two cases were studied related to distinct grids of latitude/longitude used to obtain the mean temperature profiles. The first case considered a grid of 20° × 20° lat/long, centered in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. In the second case, the region was reduced to a size of 15° × 15° in order to compare the results and discuss the two cases in terms of differences or similarities in temperature trends. Observations show that the size of the geographical area used for the average temperature profiles can influence the results of variability and trend of the temperature. In addition, reducing the time duration of analyses from 24 to 12 h a day also influences the trend significantly. For the smaller geographical region (15° × 15°) and the 12 h daily time window (09:00-21:00 UT) it was found that the main contributions for the temperature variability at the three heights were the annual and semi-annual cycles and the solar flux influence

[Do nursing students have entrepreneur profile?].

PubMed

Roncon, Paulo Fernando; Munhoz, Sarah

2009-01-01

Descriptive-exploratory study that aimed at knowing the profile of nursing students regarding entrepreneurship. The General Entrepreneurship Trend Test with 54 questions was applied to 41 students. Results demonstrated that 14% present five entrepreneur tendencies, 12% present four entrepreneur tendencies, and 80% do not present entrepreneur tendencies. The majority of student intent to work as clinical nurses, while none of them intent to work in management activities. It was concluded that students have low grade of the entrepreneurship characteristics.

[Studying dysfunctional personality trends among sex offenders].

PubMed

Perrot, M; Bénony, H; Chahraoui, K; Juif, C

2014-10-01

A review of the literature reveals a consensus on the high prevalence of personality disorders among sexual offenders. Studies show that there is no unique personality profile for sex offenders. In France, little research has been conducted on this population with standardized assessment tools. The objective of the present study is to identify the distribution of personality disorders among sexual offenders using a new French questionnaire, i.e. the TD12. In view of the literature, we postulate that this tool will identify the diversity of personality disorders observed by various authors, but with a higher proportion of cluster B disorders. This study was conducted among 56 men, including 28 sex offenders aged from 21 to 70 years old, and a control group of 28 men without psychiatric disorders. The sex offenders in this study are men convicted or charged with sex offenses of various kinds: exhibitionism, the recording, distribution and possession of pornography depicting minors, aggravated corruption of a minor, sexual assault of a minor, or rape of a minor. They were examined using an inventory of dysfunctional trends recently developed by Rolland and Pichot with the aim of assessing dysfunctional personality styles. The TD-12 questionnaire is composed of 140 items describing thoughts, feelings and behaviors. It is based on the diagnostic criteria of Axis II of DSM IV-TR and consists of twelve scales that match the personality disorders described in this diagnostic manual (ten officially recognized disorders and two additional disorders). From a categorical viewpoint, results indicate rigid dysfunctional trends with regard to avoidant personality disorder in sex offenders compared to the control group (Chi(2)=9.16; P=0.005). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the number of rigid dysfunctional trends. Potentially controllable dysfunctional personality trends are identified for the dependent personality (Chi(2

Optimum Laser Beam Characteristics for Achieving Smoother Ablations in Laser Vision Correction.

PubMed

Verma, Shwetabh; Hesser, Juergen; Arba-Mosquera, Samuel

2017-04-01

Controversial opinions exist regarding optimum laser beam characteristics for achieving smoother ablations in laser-based vision correction. The purpose of the study was to outline a rigorous simulation model for simulating shot-by-shot ablation process. The impact of laser beam characteristics like super Gaussian order, truncation radius, spot geometry, spot overlap, and lattice geometry were tested on ablation smoothness. Given the super Gaussian order, the theoretical beam profile was determined following Lambert-Beer model. The intensity beam profile originating from an excimer laser was measured with a beam profiler camera. For both, the measured and theoretical beam profiles, two spot geometries (round and square spots) were considered, and two types of lattices (reticular and triangular) were simulated with varying spot overlaps and ablated material (cornea or polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA]). The roughness in ablation was determined by the root-mean-square per square root of layer depth. Truncating the beam profile increases the roughness in ablation, Gaussian profiles theoretically result in smoother ablations, round spot geometries produce lower roughness in ablation compared to square geometry, triangular lattices theoretically produce lower roughness in ablation compared to the reticular lattice, theoretically modeled beam profiles show lower roughness in ablation compared to the measured beam profile, and the simulated roughness in ablation on PMMA tends to be lower than on human cornea. For given input parameters, proper optimum parameters for minimizing the roughness have been found. Theoretically, the proposed model can be used for achieving smoothness with laser systems used for ablation processes at relatively low cost. This model may improve the quality of results and could be directly applied for improving postoperative surface quality.

Determination of defect content and defect profile in semiconductor heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubiaga, A.; Garcia, J. A.; Plazaola, F.; Zúñiga-Pérez, J.; Muñoz-Sanjosé, V.

2011-01-01

In this article we present an overview of the technique to obtain the defects depth profile and width of a deposited layer and multilayer based on positron annihilation spectroscopy. In particular we apply the method to ZnO and ZnO/ZnCdO layers deposited on sapphire substrates. After introducing some terminology we first calculate the trend that the W/S parameters of the Doppler broadening measurements must follow, both in a qualitative and quantitative way. From this point we extend the results to calculate the width and defect profiles in deposited layer samples.

Young Athletes’ Motivational Profiles

PubMed Central

Murcia, Juan Antonio Moreno; Gimeno, Eduardo Cervelló; Coll, David González-Cutre

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between motivational characteristics and dispositional flow. In order to accomplish this goal, motivational profiles emerging from key constructs within Achievement Goal Theory and Self-Determination Theory were related to the dispositional flow measures. A sample of 413 young athletes (Age range 12 to 16 years) completed the PMCSQ-2, POSQ, SMS and DFS measures. Cluster analysis results revealed three profiles: a “self-determined profile ”characterised by higher scores on the task-involving climate perception and on the task orientation; a “non-self-determined profile”, characterised by higher scores on ego-involving climate perception and ego orientation; and a “low self-determined and low non-self-determined profile ”which had the lowest dispositional flow. No meaningful differences were found between the “self-determined profile ”and the “non-self-determined profile ”in dispositional flow. The “self-determined profile ”was more commonly associated with females, athletes practising individual sports and those training more than three days a week. The “non-self-determined profile ”was more customary of males and athletes practising team sports as well as those training just two or three days a week. Key pointsThe “self-determined profile ”was characterized by high task orientation, high task-involving climate perception and was more commonly associated with females, athletes practising individual sports and those training more than three days a week.The “non-self-determined profile ”was characterized by high ego orientation, high ego-involving climate perception and was more customary of males and athletes practising team sports as well as those training two or three days a week.Both profiles revealed a moderate tendency toward dispositional flow, with no significant differences between the two profiles.The “low self-determined and low non-self-determined profile ”had low

Sexting among Spanish adolescents: Prevalence and personality profiles.

PubMed

Gámez-Guadix, Manuel; de Santisteban, Patricia; Resett, Santiago

2017-02-01

Voluntarily sending sexual content (e.g., photos, videos) among adolescents via the Internet and mobile phones, a phenomenon called sexting , is receiving increasing social and research attention. The aims of this study were: 1) to analyze the prevalence and trends of sexting among adolescents by gender and age and 2) to examine the personality profile of adolescents that participated in sexting. The sample consisted of 3,223 Spanish adolescents from 12 to 17 years of age (49.9% female; mean age = 14.06, SD = 1.37) who anonymously and voluntarily completed self-report questionnaires on sexting and the big five personality factors. The overall prevalence of sexting was 13.5%. The prevalence was 3.4% at 12 years old and increased to 36.1% at 17 years of age, showing a growing and significant linear trend. Overall, no differences were found between males and females. The personality profile of those involved in sexting was characterized by higher Extraversion and Neuroticism and by lower scores in Conscientiousness and Agreeableness. Given its high prevalence, beyond adopting a perspective based on the dangers of sexting, an educational approach that emphasizes responsible and informed use of information and communication technologies is necessary.

A Profile of Public School Biology Teachers in the USA.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindauer, Ivo E.; Queitzsch, Mary L.

1996-01-01

Uses data from the National Center for Educational Statistics' Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) to present a profile of biology teachers. Discusses background of biology teachers, preparation in the physical and life sciences, who does the preparation, and expected future trends. Compares data with results reported for chemistry, earth science,…

Age Profiles of Membership in Sixteen Types of Voluntary Associations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutler, Stephen J.

1976-01-01

Several trends are noted which may lead future cohorts of older persons to belong to voluntary associations to a greater extent than current cohorts. This study presents detailed age profiles of membership in 16 types of associations. Various patterns of age differences in belonging to associations are identified and discussed. (Author)

Profiling Differences in Achievement and Social Goals of Students at Different Levels of Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Malley, Patricia Tenowich; Sonnenschein, Susan

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to integrate domain-learning theory and goal theory to investigate the learning processes, achievement goals, social goals, and achievement of 141 college students. Cluster-analytic procedures were used to categorize participants at different levels of expertise based on their responses on knowledge, interest, and…

Metallic line profiles of the AOV star Vega

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fletcher, J. Murray; Gulliver, Austin F.; Adelman, Saul J.; Crowley, Charles R.

1990-01-01

High dispersion ultrahigh signal to noise Reticon spectra of Vega were obtained with the coude spectrograph of the 1.2 m telescope. A mean signal to noise ratio of 2500 over the spectral region lambdas from 3825 to 5435 was achieved. Examination of the line profiles confirmed the presence of two different types of profiles which were previously seen in IIIaJ and lower signal to noise Reticon spectra. The profiles of the strong lines are essentially classical rotational profiles with enhanced wings which are slightly stronger than expected while those of weak lines are clearly flat-bottomed resulting in a trapezoidal appearance. A few possible theoretical explanations are presented.

Impact of a priori information on IASI ozone retrievals and trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barret, B.; Peiro, H.; Emili, E.; Le Flocgmoën, E.

2017-12-01

The IASI sensor documents atmospheric water vapor, temperature and composition since 2007. The Software for a Fast Retrieval of IASI Data (SOFRID) has been developped to retrieve O3 and CO profiles from IASI in near-real time on a global scale. Information content analyses have shown that IASI enables the quantification of O3 independently in the troposphere, the UTLS and the stratosphere. Validation studies have demonstrated that the daily to seasonal variability of tropospheric and UTLS O3 was well captured by IASI especially in the tropics. IASI-SOFRID retrievals have also been used to document the tropospheric composition during the Asian monsoon and participated to determine the O3 evolution during the 2008-2016 period in the framework of the TOAR project. Nevertheless, IASI-SOFRID O3 is biased high in the UTLS and in the tropical troposphere and the 8 years O3 trends from the different IASI products are significantly different from the O3 trends from UV-Vis satellite sensors (e.g. OMI)..SOFRID is based on the Optimal Estimation Method that requires a priori information to complete the information provided by the measured thermal infrared radiances. In SOFRID-O3 v1.5 used in TOAR the a priori consists of a single O3 profile and associated covariance matrix based on global O3 radiosoundings. Such a global a priori is characterized by a very large variabilty and does not represent our best kowledge of the O3 profile at a given time and location. Furthermore it is biased towards the northern hemisphere middle latitudes. We have therefore implemented the possibility to use dynamical a priori data in SOFRID and performed experiments using O3 climatological data and MLS O3 analyses. We will present O3 distributions and comparisons with O3 radiosoundings from the different SOFRID-O3 retrievals. We will in particular assess the impact of the use of different a priori data upon the O3 biases and trends during the IASI period.

Evolving Practice Trends of Aortic Root Surgery in North America.

PubMed

Caceres, Manuel; Ma, Yicheng; Rankin, J Scott; Saha-Chaudhuri, Paramita; Gammie, James S; Suri, Rakesh M; Thourani, Vinod H; Englum, Brian R; Esmailian, Fardad; Czer, Lawrence S; Puskas, John D; Svensson, Lars G

2014-08-19

Aortic-valve sparing (AVS) techniques have emerged as alternatives to composite graft-valve replacement (CVR) for treatment of aortic root aneurysm. This study analyzed recent practice trends of aortic root surgery using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. From January 2000 through June 2011, 31,747, Overall patients received AVS (n=3,585/31,747; 11.3%) or CVR (n=28,162/31,747; 88.7%). A High-Risk Subgroup was defined as: age >75 years, endocarditis, aortic stenosis, dialysis, multi-valve surgery, valve reoperation, or emergency/salvage status, and high-risk patients were less likely to receive AVS (n=20,356/31,747 [64.1%]; 6% AVS; unadjusted operative mortality 10.5% AVS and 11.7% CVR). The remaining patients comprised a Low-Risk Subgroup, in which AVS was more common (n=11,388/31,747 [35.9%]; 21% AVS; unadjusted operative mortality 1.4% AVS and 3.1% CVR). Procedural changes over 3 equal time periods (P1-P2-P3) were evaluated by Cochran-Armitage trends analysis. Compared to AVS, Overall CVR patients had worse baseline risk profiles and higher unadjusted operative mortality. In High-Risk patients, AVS mortality was comparable to CVR (10.5% vs 11.7%, p=0.19), but AVS mortality was lower in the Low-Risk group (1.4% vs 3%, p<0.0001). For P1/P2/P3, AVS percentages and trend p-values were: High-Risk (6%/6%/7%, p=0.26) and Low-Risk (12%/21%/25%, p<0.0001). CVR prosthesis type (mechanical/bioprosthesis/homograft) also changed: P1 (63%/22%/15%), P2 (58%/38%/4%), and P3 (53%/44%/3%) (all p<0.0001, except mechanical valves in High-Risk patients p=0.18). Patients receiving CVR tended to have higher risk profiles. AVS increased over time in Low-Risk patients while bioprostheses increased in CVR. Favorable outcomes support the trend toward further expansion of AVS. Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparing National Policies on Institutional Profiling in Germany and the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klumpp, Matthias; de Boer, Harry; Vossensteyn, Hans

2014-01-01

The concepts of differentiation and profiling are cornerstones in discussions about the organisation of contemporary higher education systems, following the trends of massification and global competition. This contribution provides a system-level description and comparison of the German and Dutch higher education systems regarding these topics,…

A Study of Leadership Styles that Lead to Academic Achievement of Hispanic Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mitzi Harris

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between secondary principal leadership style and Hispanic student achievement. Student achievement was measured by the graduation rate for each school. The principals' leadership styles were defined by scores in the Leadership Orientations Profile. The online survey was sent to 549…

Compton profiles and electronic properties of TiB{sub 2}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhatt, Samir, E-mail: sameerbhatt011@gmail.com; Suthar, K. K.; Ahuja, B. L.

In this paper, we report the experimental Compton profile (CP) of TiB{sub 2} using high energy {sup 137}Cs γ-rays Compton spectrometer. To interpret the experimental momentum density, we have calculated the CPs using Hartree-Fock (HF), density functional theory (DFT) and hybridization of DFT and HF within linear combination of atomic orbitals. The theoretical profile with generalized gradient approximation is found to be relatively in better agreement with the experimental profile. A sharp valley in density of states and hence the pseudogap near the Fermi energy is attributed to hybridization of Ti-3d and B-2p states and almost reverse trend of energymore » bands below and above the Fermi energy.« less

National Culture, Creativity, and Productivity: What's the Relationship with Student Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Zheng; Xu, Xianxuan; Grant, Leslie W.; Stronge, James H.; Ward, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

Using Hofstede's culture dimensions and World Values Survey (WVS) dimensions, the study uses a series of multiple regressions to explore the relationship among national culture, creativity as measured by patents, economic productivity as measured by gross domestic product per capita, and student achievement as measured by Trends in International…

Summary of U.S. Geological Survey reports documenting flood profiles of streams in Iowa, 1963-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eash, David A.

2014-01-01

This report is part of an ongoing program that is publishing flood profiles of streams in Iowa. The program is managed by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Iowa Highway Research Board (Project HR-140). Information from flood profiles is used by engineers to analyze and design bridges, culverts, and roadways. This report summarizes 47 U.S. Geological Survey flood-profile reports that were published for streams in Iowa during a 50-year period from 1963 to 2012. Flood events profiled in the reports range from 1903 to 2010. Streams in Iowa that have been selected for the preparation of flood-profile reports typically have drainage areas of 100 square miles or greater, and the documented flood events have annual exceedance probabilities of less than 2 to 4 percent. This report summarizes flood-profile measurements, changes in flood-profile report content throughout the years, streams that were profiled in the reports, the occurrence of flood events profiled, and annual exceedance-probability estimates of observed flood events. To develop flood profiles for selected flood events for selected stream reaches, the U.S. Geological Survey measured high-water marks and river miles at selected locations. A total of 94 stream reaches have been profiled in U.S. Geological Survey flood-profile reports. Three rivers in Iowa have been profiled along the same stream reach for five different flood events and six rivers in Iowa have been profiled along the same stream reach for four different flood events. Floods were profiled for June flood events for 18 different years, followed by July flood events for 13 years, May flood events for 11 years, and April flood events for 9 years. Most of the flood-profile reports include estimates of annual exceedance probabilities of observed flood events at streamgages located along profiled stream reaches. Comparisons of 179 historic and updated annual exceedance-probability estimates

Stratospheric Ozone Trends and Variability as Seen by SCIAMACHY from 2002 to 2012

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gebhardt, C.; Rozanov, A.; Hommel, R.; Weber, M.; Bovensmann, H.; Burrows, J. P.; Degenstein, D.; Froidevaux, L.; Thompson, A. M.

2014-01-01

Vertical profiles of the rate of linear change (trend) in the altitude range 15-50 km are determined from decadal O3 time series obtained from SCIAMACHY/ENVISAT measurements in limb-viewing geometry. The trends are calculated by using a multivariate linear regression. Seasonal variations, the quasi-biennial oscillation, signatures of the solar cycle and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation are accounted for in the regression. The time range of trend calculation is August 2002-April 2012. A focus for analysis are the zonal bands of 20 deg N - 20 deg S (tropics), 60 - 50 deg N, and 50 - 60 deg S (midlatitudes). In the tropics, positive trends of up to 5% per decade between 20 and 30 km and negative trends of up to 10% per decade between 30 and 38 km are identified. Positive O3 trends of around 5% per decade are found in the upper stratosphere in the tropics and at midlatitudes. Comparisons between SCIAMACHY and EOS MLS show reasonable agreement both in the tropics and at midlatitudes for most altitudes. In the tropics, measurements from OSIRIS/Odin and SHADOZ are also analysed. These yield rates of linear change of O3 similar to those from SCIAMACHY. However, the trends from SCIAMACHY near 34 km in the tropics are larger than MLS and OSIRIS by a factor of around two.

Counseling in Malaysia: History, Current Status, and Future Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

See, Ching Mey; Ng, Kok-Mun

2010-01-01

This article presents an overview of the history of counseling in Malaysia, provides an update of its current status, and discusses some anticipated future trends for the profession in light of recent developments in the country. Counseling in Malaysia began with school guidance in the 1960s and has now achieved recognition as a profession in…

Science and Mathematics Advanced Placement Exams: Growth and Achievement over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judson, Eugene

2017-01-01

Rapid growth of Advanced Placement (AP) exams in the last 2 decades has been paralleled by national enthusiasm to promote availability and rigor of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Trends were examined in STEM AP to evaluate and compare growth and achievement. Analysis included individual STEM subjects and disaggregation…

Early Mathematics Achievement Trajectories: English-Language Learner and Native English-Speaker Estimates, Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey

PubMed Central

Roberts, Greg; Bryant, Diane

2012-01-01

This study used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey, Kindergarten Class of 1998 –1999, to (a) estimate mathematics achievement trends through 5th grade in the population of students who are English-language proficient by the end of kindergarten, (b) compare trends across primary language groups within this English-language proficient group, (c) evaluate the effect of low socioeconomic status (SES) for English-language proficient students and within different primary language groups, and (d) estimate language-group trends in specific mathematics skill areas. The group of English-language proficient English-language learners (ELLs) was disaggregated into native Spanish speakers and native speakers of Asian languages, the 2 most prevalent groups of ELLs in the United States. Results of multilevel latent variable growth modeling suggest that primary language may be less salient than SES in explaining the mathematics achievement of English-language proficient ELLs. The study also found that mathematics-related school readiness is a key factor in explaining subsequent achievement differences and that the readiness gap is prevalent across the range of mathematics-related skills. PMID:21574702

Tropospheric temperature climatology and trends observed over the Middle East

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basha, Ghouse; Marpu, P. R.; Ouarda, T. B. M. J.

2015-10-01

In this study, we report for the first time, the upper air temperature climatology, and trends over the Middle East, which seem to be significantly affected by the changes associated with hot summer and low precipitation. Long term (1985-2012) radiosonde data from 12 stations are used to derive the mean temperature climatology and vertical trends. The study was performed by analyzing the data at different latitudes. The vertical profiles of air temperature show distinct behavior in terms of vertical and seasonal variability at different latitudes. The seasonal cycle of temperature at the 100 hPa, however, shows an opposite pattern compared to the 200 hPa levels. The temperature at 100 hPa shows a maximum during winter and minimum in summer. Spectral analysis shows that the annual cycle is dominant in comparison with the semiannual cycle. The time-series of temperature data was analyzed using the Bayesian change point analysis and cumulative sum method to investigate the changes in temperature trends. Temperature shows a clear change point during the year 1999 at all stations. Further, Modified Mann-Kendall test was applied to study the vertical trend, and analysis shows statistically significant lower tropospheric warming and cooling in upper troposphere after the year 1999. In general, the magnitude of the trend decreases with altitude in the troposphere. In all the latitude bands in lower troposphere, significant warming is observed, whereas at higher altitudes cooling is noticed based on 28 years temperature observations over the Middle East.

Representativeness of single lidar stations and SBUV overpasses in zonally averaged ozone layered means, their trends and the role of proxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petropavlovskikh, I. V.; Zerefos, C. S.; Kapsomenakis, J. N.; Eleftheratos, K.; Tourpali, K.; Hubert, D.; Godin-Beekmann, S.; Steinbrecht, W.; Frith, S. M.; Sofieva, V.

2017-12-01

The paper is focusing on the representativeness of single lidar stations and SBUV overpasses in searching for trends in the vertical ozone profiles. It was found that from the lower to the upper stratosphere single or grouped stations correlate well with zonal means calculated from SBUV overpasses in a global perspective. The best representativeness in vertical ozone profiles is found within 5 degrees of latitude north or south of any LIDAR station or SBUV overpasses at which the latitude range is expanded as we move to the upper stratospheric layers. The paper includes a detailed analysis on a ranking of proxy footprints in the vertical ozone profiles. Major proxies studied are of different kinds: those outside of the earth system (solar cycle), those who represent dynamic processes (the QBO, the AO, AAO, ENSO), the volcanic aerosol component (AOD) and the manmade contribution to chemistry (EESC). The trends have been studied after removal of proxies from the total available SBUV records during the period 1980-2015. As seen in the detailed contributions of the proxies major contributions come from chemistry, the solar cycle and AOD. It appears that at some particular years the synergistic contribution of proxies which although contribute smaller amplitudes to ozone individually, when composited can result to anomalies that may influence the long term change or trend in the ozone profiles. Notable periods for the synergistic negative anomalies can be seen in 1983, 1985, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2013. During all these years ozone at about 24 km dropped below -6% of the mean. The so-called "inflection point" between 1997 and 1999 marks the large reduction of the significant negative ozone trends, followed by the recent period of positive ozone change 1998-2015 which is observed above 15 hPa whose significance remains to be proven due to its smaller period in comparison to the total period of 36 years of ozone profiles (1980-2015).

Burnout, quality of life, motivation, and academic achievement among medical students: A person-oriented approach.

PubMed

Lyndon, Mataroria P; Henning, Marcus A; Alyami, Hussain; Krishna, Sanjeev; Zeng, Irene; Yu, Tzu-Chieh; Hill, Andrew G

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to identify burnout and quality of life profiles of medical students and determine their associations with academic motivation and achievement on progress tests using a person-oriented approach. Medical students (n = 670) in Year 3 to Year 5 at the University of Auckland were classified into three different profiles as derived from a two-step cluster analysis using World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF scores and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory scores. The profiles were used as independent variables to assess differences in academic motivation and achievement on progress tests using a multivariate analysis of co-variance and repeated measures analysis of co-variance methods. The response rate was 47%. Three clusters were obtained: Higher Burnout Lower Quality of Life (n = 62, 20%), Moderate Burnout Moderate Quality of Life (n = 131, 41%), and Lower Burnout Higher Quality of Life (n = 124, 39%). After controlling for gender and year level, Higher Burnout Lower Quality of Life students had significantly higher test anxiety (p < 0.0001) and amotivation scores (p < 0.0001); and lower intrinsic motivation (p < 0.005), self-efficacy (p < 0.001), and progress test scores (p = 0.03) compared with the other profiles. Burnout and Quality of Life profiles of medical students are associated with differences in academic motivation and achievement over time.

Temporal Trends in the Risk Profile of Patients Undergoing Outpatient Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Report from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's CathPCI Registry.

PubMed

Vora, Amit N; Dai, Dadi; Gurm, Hitinder; Amin, Amit P; Messenger, John C; Mahmud, Ehtisham; Mauri, Laura; Wang, Tracy Y; Roe, Matthew T; Curtis, Jeptha; Patel, Manesh R; Dauerman, Harold L; Peterson, Eric D; Rao, Sunil V

2016-03-01

Because of recent changes in criteria for coverage for inpatient hospital stays, most nonacute percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures are reimbursed on an outpatient basis regardless of underlying patient risk. Downstream effects of these changes on the risk profile of patients undergoing outpatient PCI have not been evaluated. Using the American College of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Data Registry's CathPCI Registry, we assessed temporal trends in risk profiles and rates of hospital admission among 999 279 patients undergoing PCI qualifying for outpatient reimbursement. We estimated mortality and bleeding risk using validated models from the registry. From 2009 to 2014, the proportion of outpatients not admitted to a hospital after PCI increased from 32.8% to 66.3% (P<0.001). Patients who were admitted after PCI were older, had greater comorbidities, and experienced more post-PCI complications (all P<0.001). Among those not admitted, the proportion of patients at high risk for predicted mortality increased significantly from 17.0% to 19.8% during the study period (P<0.001). In contrast, 16.7% of patients admitted after PCI were at low risk for mortality. Among patients undergoing PCI procedures that qualify for outpatient reimbursement, there has been a temporal decrease in postprocedure hospital admission. Concomitantly, the proportion of these outpatients at high risk for mortality has significantly increased over time. These data suggest that current reimbursement classification could be improved by incorporating patient risk to appropriately match the necessary resources to the needed level of care. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Demographics and Trends in Wheeled Mobility Equipment Use and Accessibility in the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPlante, Mitchell P.; Kaye, H. Stephen

2010-01-01

This article presents a profile of household-resident U.S. adults using wheeled mobility equipment (WME) in 2005, trends in WME use from 1990 to 2005, and data on accessibility features and problems from 1994-97. Data were obtained from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) and the National Health Interview Survey on Disability…

Towards nanometric resolution in multilayer depth profiling: a comparative study of RBS, SIMS, XPS and GDOES.

PubMed

Escobar Galindo, Ramón; Gago, Raul; Duday, David; Palacio, Carlos

2010-04-01

An increasing amount of effort is currently being directed towards the development of new functionalized nanostructured materials (i.e., multilayers and nanocomposites). Using an appropriate combination of composition and microstructure, it is possible to optimize and tailor the final properties of the material to its final application. The analytical characterization of these new complex nanostructures requires high-resolution analytical techniques that are able to provide information about surface and depth composition at the nanometric level. In this work, we comparatively review the state of the art in four different depth-profiling characterization techniques: Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES). In addition, we predict future trends in these techniques regarding improvements in their depth resolutions. Subnanometric resolution can now be achieved in RBS using magnetic spectrometry systems. In SIMS, the use of rotating sample holders and oxygen flooding during analysis as well as the optimization of floating low-energy ion guns to lower the impact energy of the primary ions improves the depth resolution of the technique. Angle-resolved XPS provides a very powerful and nondestructive technique for obtaining depth profiling and chemical information within the range of a few monolayers. Finally, the application of mathematical tools (deconvolution algorithms and a depth-profiling model), pulsed sources and surface plasma cleaning procedures is expected to greatly improve GDOES depth resolution.

Stellar Surface Brightness Profiles of Dwarf Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, Kimberly A.; LITTLE THINGS Team

2012-01-01

Radial stellar surface brightness profiles of spiral galaxies can be classified into three types: (I) single exponential, (II) truncated: the light falls off with one exponential out to a break radius and then falls off more steeply, and (III) anti-truncated: the light falls off with one exponential out to a break radius and then falls off less steeply. Stellar surface brightness profile breaks are also found in dwarf disk galaxies, but with an additional category: (FI) flat-inside: the light is roughly constant or increasing and then falls off beyond a break. We have been re-examining the multi-wavelength stellar disk profiles of 141 dwarf galaxies, primarily from Hunter & Elmegreen (2006, 2004). Each dwarf has data in up to 11 wavelength bands: FUV and NUV from GALEX, UBVJHK and H-alpha from ground-based observations, and 3.6 and 4.5 microns from Spitzer. In this talk, I will highlight results from a semi-automatic fitting of this data set, including: (1) statistics of break locations and other properties as a function of wavelength and profile type, (2) color trends and radial mass distribution as a function of profile type, and (3) the relationship of the break radius to the kinematics and density profiles of atomic hydrogen gas in the 41 dwarfs of the LITTLE THINGS subsample. We gratefully acknowledge funding for this research from the National Science Foundation (AST-0707563).

The Role of Priming in the Development of Stable and Radioactive Carbon Isotope Profiles of Soil Organic Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serach, L.; Breecker, D.

2017-12-01

The stability of soil carbon (C) is one of the largest sources of uncertainty in global C cycle models and is central to identifying potential feedbacks to a warming climate. The role that more stable soil organic matter (SOM) pools could have in these feedbacks is highly uncertain. Stable C isotope (δ13C) and radiocarbon (14C) SOM profiles are used to understand the processes involved in soil C stabilization. In this study, we use a 1-dimensional, 3 pool soil C model to simulate the development of SOM δ13C and 14C profiles in a well-drained forest soil. Under the simplest model scenario where decomposition rate constants for each SOM pool remain fixed, model runs exhibit a buildup of slowly degrading C in the shallow subsurface (0-5cm) where fresh, labile C typically dominates in natural soils. Additionally, magnitudes of trends in SOM δ13C and 14C profiles were inconsistent with those observed in natural profiles, suggesting a deficiency in this version of the model. We hypothesize that the observed disparity between modeled and natural profiles is due to the absence of priming in the model. Priming effects presume a change in decomposition rate constants for recalcitrant C pools upon the addition of labile C to the soil. As such, priming effects were simulated in the model by making decomposition rate constants a function of labile C input (e.g., root C and leaf litter). The incorporation of priming into the model yields larger, more realistic shifts in SOM δ13C profiles and trends in 14C profiles that vary based on the sensitivity of recalcitrant pools to labile C addition. So far, the results from this study support the hypothesis that SOM δ13C and 14C profiles cannot be explained without priming. These results highlight the importance of priming to our understanding of the persistence of stable C in the soil and our ability to use SOM δ13C and 14C trends as a means to quantify C stability.

Mask industry assessment trend analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Greg; Yun, Henry

2009-01-01

Microelectronics industry leaders routinely name the cost and cycle time of mask technology and mask supply as top critical issues. A survey was created with support from SEMATECH to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition. This year's survey data were presented in detail at BACUS and the detailed trend analysis presented at EMLC. The survey is designed with the input of semiconductor company mask technologists and merchant mask suppliers. This year's assessment is the seventh in the current series of annual reports. With continued industry support, the report can be used as a baseline to gain perspective on the technical and business status of the mask and microelectronics industries. The report will continue to serve as a valuable reference to identify the strengths and opportunities of the mask industry. The results will be used to guide future investments on critical path issues. This year's survey is basically the same as the surveys in 2005 through 2007. Questions are grouped into seven categories: General Business Profile Information, Data Processing, Yields and Yield Loss, Mechanisms, Delivery Times, Returns, and Services. (Examples are given below). Within each category is a multitude of questions that creates a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the critical mask industry.

The Single-Gender Classroom: Improving Middle School Students' Achievement in Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalen, William V., III.

2012-01-01

At Joseph Case Junior High School, a school located in Swansea, Massachusetts for students in grades six through eight; there was a problematic trend in regard to student achievement in mathematics. Upon completion of an analysis of student cohort results in mathematics on the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System), there was an…

Assessment of leisure-time physical activity for the prediction of inflammatory status and cardiometabolic profile.

PubMed

Pires, Milena Monfort; Salvador, Emanuel P; Siqueira-Catania, Antonela; Folchetti, Luciana D; Cezaretto, Adriana; Ferreira, Sandra Roberta G

2012-11-01

Associations of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), commuting and total physical activity with inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and metabolic profile in individuals at high cardiometabolic risk were investigated. This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 193 prediabetic adults were compared according to physical activity levels measured by the international physical activity questionnaire; p for trend and logistic regression was employed. The most active subset showed lower BMI and abdominal circumference, reaching significance only for LTPA (p for trend=0.02). Lipid profile improved with increased physical activity levels. Interleukin-6 decreased with increased total physical activity and LTPA (p for trend=0.02 and 0.03, respectively), while adiponectin increased in more active subsets for LTPA (p for trend=0.03). Elevation in adjusted OR for hypercholesterolemia was significant for lower LTPA durations (p for trend=0.04). High apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A ratio was inversely associated with LTPA, commuting and total physical activity. Increase in adjusted OR for insulin resistance was found from the highest to the lowest category of LTPA (p for trend=0.04) but significance disappeared after adjustments for BMI and energy intake. No association of increased C-reactive protein with physical activity domains was observed. In general, the associations of LTPA, but not commuting or total physical activity, with markers of cardiometabolic risk reinforces the importance of initiatives to increase this domain in programs for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. Copyright © 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between the Learning Styles Preferences and Academic Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awang, H.; Samad, N. Abd; Faiz, N. S. Mohd; Roddin, R.; Kankia, J. D.

2017-08-01

The individual learning differences that have been much explored relate to differences in personality, learning styles, strategies and conceptual of learning. This article studies the learning style profile exhibited by students towards the academic achievement in Malaysian Polytechnic. The relationship between learning styles of Polytechnic students and their academic achievement based on VARK learning styles model. The target population was international business students of Malaysian Polytechnic. By means of randomly sampling method, 103 students were selected as sample of research. By descriptive - survey research method and a questionnaire adapted from VARK Learning Style Index, required data were collected. According to the results, no significantly difference between learning style and academic achievement of students. Students academic achievement was quite similar to their individual learning styles. These facts reveal that each learning style has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Usage of Computers and Calculators and Students' Achievement: Results from TIMSS 2003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antonijevic, Radovan

2007-01-01

The paper deals with the facts obtained from TIMSS 2003 (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). This international comparative study, which includes 47 participant countries worldwide, explores dependence between eighth grade students' achievement in the areas of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and geography, and basic…

Vocational High School Students’ Profile and their English Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liando, N. V. F.; Ratu, D. M.; Sahentombage, V.

2018-02-01

Vocational education has been given more attention in Indonesian education in the recent years. There have been many projects for vocational education since Jokowi Widodo took his presidential office in October 2014. In supporting government actions, vocational high school students need to improve their profile. Living in the global worlds requires the ability to interact with people from all over the world. The ability to communicate using English as the lingua franca is important. The purpose of the research reported here is, to prove whether the direct method is effective in improving vocational high school students’ English pronunciation or not. This research design is a true experimental using post-test only. The population is students from one vocational high school in North Sulawesi. Sample of this research was year 11 students consisting of two classes class A (27 students) and class B (27 students). The instrument used in collecting data is tests. The results showed that the mean of the experimental group (36.99) statistically describes the students’ improvement in pronouncing English words in which have been compared by result of the tobserved (2.897) exceed tcritical (1.943) at the level of significance 0.05. It means that there is a significant difference between the mean score of experimental group and control group regarding students’ English pronunciation. This then supports the claim that ‘rejects’ Ho and ‘accept’ Ha. Based on the result, it could be concluded that the direct method is considered effective in improving students’ English pronunciation.

The trend of occupational injuries in Korea from 2001 to 2010.

PubMed

Rhee, Kyung Yong; Choe, Seong Weon; Kim, Young Sun; Koo, Kwon Ho

2013-03-01

This study is planned to assess the trend of occupational injuries in Korea from 2001 to 2010. Ten years of occupational injuries, from 2001 to 2010, were analyzed in order to investigate the changing profiles according to the various characteristics of injuries; economic sectors, age of the injured, and type of injuries. The changing profile of occupational injuries was investigated by comparison with an index-created relative value based on the number of cases of reference category. The fatalities of construction, forest, agriculture, and service show the increasing trend. The nonfatal occupational injuries of the manufacturing sector were higher than those of other sectors in every year but the fatal occupational injuries of construction workers were higher than those of the manufacturing sector. Occupational injuries occurring due to amputation and those of slip and trip increased. The number of occupational injuries for the worker groups of 24 years old and below decreased and 45 years old and above increased. In comparison to the figure of fall from height, the figures of slip and trip or caught in equipment are higher in every calendar year. This study find out construction, forest, agriculture, and service sectors, aged worker with 45 years old and over can be target population for the strategies of occupational safety.

First-time blood donors: demographic trends.

PubMed

Wu, Y; Glynn, S A; Schreiber, G B; Wright, D J; Lo, A; Murphy, E L; Kleinman, S H; Garratty, G

2001-03-01

With changing demographics of the United States population and the continuous need to recruit new donors, it is important to monitor the demographic profile of first-time donors and to evaluate changes in the donor pool to improve recruitment targeting. First-time whole blood (n = 901,862) donors at five United States blood centers between 1991 and 1996 were analyzed. The total number of first-time donors appears to be decreasing. Over the 6-year period, there was an overall increase in the proportion of Hispanic and other minority first-time donors and a concurrent decrease in the proportion of white donors at Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study centers. Other variables, including age, sex, and education, did not show a consistent trend. The demographic profile of first-time donors is changing. These data highlight the importance for blood centers to continuously monitor the donor population. A better understanding of the donor population may help blood centers adjust their donor outreach, recruitment, and retention programs. New recruitment efforts appear needed to counter general apathy toward donating blood, and minority groups appear to be receptive to becoming blood donors.

Gender parity trends for invited speakers at four prominent virology conference series.

PubMed

Kalejta, Robert F; Palmenberg, Ann C

2017-06-07

Scientific conferences are most beneficial to participants when they showcase significant new experimental developments, accurately summarize the current state of the field, and provide strong opportunities for collaborative networking. A top-notch slate of invited speakers, assembled by conference organizers or committees, is key to achieving these goals. The perceived underrepresentation of female speakers at prominent scientific meetings is currently a popular topic for discussion, but one that often lacks supportive data. We compiled the full rosters of invited speakers over the last 35 years for four prominent international virology conferences, the American Society for Virology Annual Meeting (ASV), the International Herpesvirus Workshop (IHW), the Positive-Strand RNA Virus Symposium (PSR), and the Gordon Research Conference on Viruses & Cells (GRC). The rosters were cross-indexed by unique names, gender, year, and repeat invitations. When plotted as gender-dependent trends over time, all four conferences showed a clear proclivity for male-dominated invited speaker lists. Encouragingly, shifts toward parity are emerging within all units, but at different rates. Not surprisingly, both selection of a larger percentage of first time participants and the presence of a woman on the speaker selection committee correlated with improved parity. Session chair information was also collected for the IHW and GRC. These visible positions also displayed a strong male dominance over time that is eroding slowly. We offer our personal interpretation of these data to aid future organizers achieve improved equity among the limited number of available positions for session moderators and invited speakers. IMPORTANCE Politicians and media members have a tendency to cite anecdotes as conclusions without any supporting data. This happens so frequently now, that a name for it has emerged: fake news. Good science proceeds otherwise. The under representation of women as invited

Gender Parity Trends for Invited Speakers at Four Prominent Virology Conference Series

PubMed Central

Palmenberg, Ann C.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Scientific conferences are most beneficial to participants when they showcase significant new experimental developments, accurately summarize the current state of the field, and provide strong opportunities for collaborative networking. A top-notch slate of invited speakers, assembled by conference organizers or committees, is key to achieving these goals. The perceived underrepresentation of female speakers at prominent scientific meetings is currently a popular topic for discussion, but one that often lacks supportive data. We compiled the full rosters of invited speakers over the last 35 years for four prominent international virology conferences, the American Society for Virology Annual Meeting (ASV), the International Herpesvirus Workshop (IHW), the Positive-Strand RNA Virus Symposium (PSR), and the Gordon Research Conference on Viruses & Cells (GRC). The rosters were cross-indexed by unique names, gender, year, and repeat invitations. When plotted as gender-dependent trends over time, all four conferences showed a clear proclivity for male-dominated invited speaker lists. Encouragingly, shifts toward parity are emerging within all units, but at different rates. Not surprisingly, both selection of a larger percentage of first-time participants and the presence of a woman on the speaker selection committee correlated with improved parity. Session chair information was also collected for the IHW and GRC. These visible positions also displayed a strong male dominance over time that is eroding slowly. We offer our personal interpretation of these data to aid future organizers achieve improved equity among the limited number of available positions for session moderators and invited speakers. IMPORTANCE Politicians and media members have a tendency to cite anecdotes as conclusions without any supporting data. This happens so frequently now, that a name for it has emerged: fake news. Good science proceeds otherwise. The underrepresentation of women as

Metallic line profiles of the AO V star Vega

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulliver, Austin F.; Adelman, Saul J.; Cowley, Charles R.; Fletcher, J. M.

1991-01-01

High dispersion ultrahigh signal to noise Reticon spectra of Vega were obtained with the coude spectrograph of the 1.2 m telescope. A mean signal to noise ratio of 2500 over the spectral region lambdas from 3825 to 5435 was achieved. Examination of the line profiles confirmed the presence of two different types of profiles which were previously seen in IIIaJ and lower signal to noise Reticon spectra. The profiles of the strong lines are essentially classical rotational profiles with enhanced wings which are slightly stronger than expected while those of weak lines are clearly flat-bottomed resulting in a trapezoidal appearance. A few possible theoretical explanations are presented.

Correction of stream quality trends for the effects of laboratory measurement bias

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alexander, Richard B.; Smith, Richard A.; Schwarz, Gregory E.

1993-01-01

We present a statistical model relating measurements of water quality to associated errors in laboratory methods. Estimation of the model allows us to correct trends in water quality for long-term and short-term variations in laboratory measurement errors. An illustration of the bias correction method for a large national set of stream water quality and quality assurance data shows that reductions in the bias of estimates of water quality trend slopes are achieved at the expense of increases in the variance of these estimates. Slight improvements occur in the precision of estimates of trend in bias by using correlative information on bias and water quality to estimate random variations in measurement bias. The results of this investigation stress the need for reliable, long-term quality assurance data and efficient statistical methods to assess the effects of measurement errors on the detection of water quality trends.

Special Education--Non-Special Education Achievement Gap in Math: Effects of Reporting Methods, Analytical Techniques, and Reclassification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurlow, Martha L.; Wu, Yi-Chen; Lazarus, Sheryl S.; Ysseldyke, James E.

2016-01-01

Federal regulations indicate that the achievement gap must be closed between subgroups, including the gap between special education and non-special education students. We explored the ways in which achievement trends are influenced by three methods of reporting (cross-sectional, cohort-static, and cohort-dynamic). We also investigated (a) the ways…

U.S. NO₂ trends (2005–2013): EPA air quality system (AQS) data versus improved observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)

DOE PAGES

Lamsal, Lok N.; Duncan, Bryan N.; Yoshida, Yasuko; ...

2015-06-01

Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO x) and, subsequently, atmospheric levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) have decreased over the U.S. due to a combination of environmental policies and technological change. Consequently, NO₂ levels have decreased by 30–40% in the last decade. We quantify NO₂ trends (2005–2013) over the U.S. using surface measurements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality System (AQS) and an improved tropospheric NO₂ vertical column density (VCD) data product from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite.We demonstrate that the current OMI NO₂ algorithm is of sufficient maturity to allow a favorable correspondence ofmore » trends and variations in OMI and AQS data. Our trend model accounts for the non-linear dependence of NO₂ concentration on emissions associated with the seasonal variation of the chemical lifetime, including the change in the amplitude of the seasonal cycle associated with the significant change in NO x emissions that occurred over the last decade. The direct relationship between observations and emissions becomes more robust when one accounts for these non-linear dependencies. We improve the OMI NO₂ standard retrieval algorithm and, subsequently, the data product by using monthly vertical concentration profiles, a required algorithm input, from a high-resolution chemistry and transport model (CTM) simulation with varying emissions (2005-2013). The impact of neglecting the time-dependence of the profiles leads to errors in trend estimation, particularly in regions where emissions have changed substantially. For example, trends calculated from retrievals based on time-dependent profiles offer 18% more instances of significant trends and up to 15% larger total NO₂ reduction versus the results based on profiles for 2005. Using a CTM, we explore the theoretical relation of the trends estimated from NO₂ VCDs to those estimated from ground-level concentrations. The model

U.S. NO₂ trends (2005–2013): EPA air quality system (AQS) data versus improved observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lamsal, Lok N.; Duncan, Bryan N.; Yoshida, Yasuko

Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO x) and, subsequently, atmospheric levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) have decreased over the U.S. due to a combination of environmental policies and technological change. Consequently, NO₂ levels have decreased by 30–40% in the last decade. We quantify NO₂ trends (2005–2013) over the U.S. using surface measurements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality System (AQS) and an improved tropospheric NO₂ vertical column density (VCD) data product from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on the Aura satellite.We demonstrate that the current OMI NO₂ algorithm is of sufficient maturity to allow a favorable correspondence ofmore » trends and variations in OMI and AQS data. Our trend model accounts for the non-linear dependence of NO₂ concentration on emissions associated with the seasonal variation of the chemical lifetime, including the change in the amplitude of the seasonal cycle associated with the significant change in NO x emissions that occurred over the last decade. The direct relationship between observations and emissions becomes more robust when one accounts for these non-linear dependencies. We improve the OMI NO₂ standard retrieval algorithm and, subsequently, the data product by using monthly vertical concentration profiles, a required algorithm input, from a high-resolution chemistry and transport model (CTM) simulation with varying emissions (2005-2013). The impact of neglecting the time-dependence of the profiles leads to errors in trend estimation, particularly in regions where emissions have changed substantially. For example, trends calculated from retrievals based on time-dependent profiles offer 18% more instances of significant trends and up to 15% larger total NO₂ reduction versus the results based on profiles for 2005. Using a CTM, we explore the theoretical relation of the trends estimated from NO₂ VCDs to those estimated from ground-level concentrations. The model

Seasonal Dynamics of Academic Achievement Inequality by Socioeconomic Status and Race/Ethnicity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, David M.; Cooc, North; McIntyre, Joe; Gomez, Celia J.

2016-01-01

Early studies examining seasonal variation in academic achievement inequality generally concluded that socioeconomic test score gaps grew more over the summer than the school year, suggesting schools served as "equalizers." In this study, we analyze seasonal trends in socioeconomic status (SES) and racial/ethnic test score gaps using…

Seasonal and elevational contrasts in temperature trends in Central Chile between 1979 and 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burger, F.; Brock, B.; Montecinos, A.

2018-03-01

We analyze trends in temperature from 18 temperature stations and one upper air sounding site at 30°-35° S in central Chile between 1979-2015, to explore geographical and season temperature trends and their controls, using regional ocean-atmosphere indices. Significant warming trends are widespread at inland stations, while trends are non-significant or negative at coastal sites, as found in previous studies. However, ubiquitous warming across the region in the past 8 years, suggests the recent period of coastal cooling has ended. Significant warming trends are largely restricted to austral spring, summer and autumn seasons, with very few significant positive or negative trends in winter identified. Autumn warming is notably strong in the Andes, which, together with significant warming in spring, could help to explain the negative mass balance of snow and glaciers in the region. A strong Pacific maritime influence on regional temperature trends is inferred through correlation with the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) index and coastal sea surface temperature, but the strength of this influence rapidly diminishes inland, and the majority of valley, and all Andes, sites are independent of the IPO index. Instead, valley and Andes sites, and mid-troposphere temperature in the coastal radiosonde profile, show correlation with the autumn Antarctic Oscillation which, in its current positive phase, promotes subsidence and warming at the latitude of central Chile.

On long-term ozone trends at Hohenpeissenberg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Claude, H.; Vandersee, W.; Wege, K.

1994-01-01

More than 2000 ozone soundings and a large number of Dobson observations have been performed since 1967 in a unique procedure. The achieved very homogeneous data sets were used to evaluate significant long-term trends both in the troposphere and the stratosphere. The trend amounts to about plus 2 percent per year in the troposphere and to about minus 0.5 percent per year in the stratosphere. Extremely low ozone records obtained during winter 1991/92 are discussed in the light of the long term series. The winter mean of the ozone column is the lowest one of the series. The ozone deficit occurred mainly in the lower stratosphere. One cause may be the Pinatubo cloud. Even compared with the extreme winter mean following the El Chichon eruption the ozone content was lower. Additionally ozone was reduced by dynamical effects due to unusual weather situations.

Ethnic differences in longitudinal latent verbal profiles in the millennium cohort study*

PubMed Central

Kelly, Yvonne; Sacker, Amanda

2016-01-01

Background: Development of verbal skills during early childhood and school age years is consequential for children’s educational achievement and adult outcomes. We examine ethnic differences in longitudinal latent verbal profiles and assess the contribution of family process and family resource factors to observed differences. Methods: Using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study and the latent profile analysis, we estimate longitudinal latent verbal profiles using verbal skills measured 4 times from age 3–11 years. We investigate the odds of verbal profiles by ethnicity (reported in infancy), and the extent observed differences are mediated by the home learning environment, family routines, and psychosocial environment (measured at age 3). Results: Indian children were twice as likely (OR = 2.14, CI: 1.37–3.33) to be in the high achieving profile, compared to White children. Socioeconomic markers attenuated this advantage to nonsignificance. Pakistani and Bangladeshi children were significantly more likely to be in the low performing group (OR = 2.23, CI: 1.61–3.11; OR = 3.37, CI: 2.20–5.17, respectively). Socioeconomic and psychosocial factors had the strongest mediating influence on the association between lower achieving profiles and Pakistani children, whereas for Bangladeshi children, there was mediation by the home learning environment, family routines, and psychosocial factors. Conclusion: Family process and resource factors explain ethnic differences in longitudinal latent verbal profiles. Family resources explain verbal advantages for Indian children, whereas a range of home environment and socioeconomic factors explain disparities for Pakistani and Bangladeshi children. Future policy initiatives focused on reducing ethnic disparities in children’s development should consider supporting and enhancing family resources and processes. PMID:27999155

Achievement goals, social goals, and motivational regulations in physical education settings.

PubMed

Cecchini Estrada, José A; González González-Mesa, Carmen; Méndez-Giménez, Antonio; Fernández-Río, Javier

2011-02-01

This study examined the relationship between achievement and social goals, and explored how both goals affect students' level of informed self-determination in Physical Education. Participants were 395 high school students. Three scales were used to assess achievement, social goals, and motivation. Several hierarchical regression analyses revealed that mastery-approach goals were the greatest contributors to the individuals' levels of self-determination. Achievement and social goals were found to be separate predictors of students' levels of self-determination, and this highlights the importance of separating mastery and performance goals into avoidance and approach profiles. Girls reported significantly higher values than boys on responsibility, relationship, and mastery-avoidance goals, whereas boys scored higher on performance-approach goals. Researchers could use achievement and social goals to study students' motivation and achievement in Physical Education settings.

Pasadena City College Profile in Productivity, 1987-1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasadena City Coll., CA.

Focusing on the 5-year period from 1987 through 1991, this report provides data on Pasadena City College (PCC) in California, reviewing efforts and achievements in improving institutional productivity. Following a brief opening section discussing productivity trends and issues in the American workforce and in higher education, discussions are…

First Measurements of the HCFC-142b Trend from Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) Solar Occultation Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinsland, Curtis P.; Chiou, Linda; Boone,Chris; Bernath, Peter; Mahieu, Emmanuel

2009-01-01

The first measurement of the HCFC-142b (CH3CClF2) trend near the tropopause has been derived from volume mixing ratio (VMR) measurements at northern and southern hemisphere mid-latitudes for the 2004-2008 time period from spaceborne solar occultation observations recorded at 0.02/cm resolution with the ACE (atmospheric chemistry experiment) Fourier transform spectrometer. The HCFC-142b molecule is currently the third most abundant HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) in the atmosphere and ACE measurements over this time span show a continuous rise in its volume mixing ratio. Monthly average measurements at northern and southern hemisphere midlatitudes have similar increase rates that are consistent with surface trend measurements for a similar time span. A mean northern hemisphere profile for the time span shows a near constant VMR at 8-20km altitude range, consistent on average for the same time span with in situ results. The nearly constant vertical VMR profile also agrees with model predictions of a long lifetime in the lower atmosphere.

Young Adolescent Batterers: A Profile of Restraining Order Defendants in Massachusetts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochran, Donald; And Others

Research indicates a national trend of increasing violence among the juvenile population. This study examines and profiles adolescent restraining order defendants in one state. The study includes all adolescent defendants between the ages of 11 and 17 who had a restraining order issued against them during a 10-month period. This study examined the…

Health care units and human resources management trends.

PubMed

André, Adriana Maria; Ciampone, Maria Helena Trench; Santelle, Odete

2013-02-01

To identify factors producing new trends in basic health care unit management and changes in management models. This was a prospective study with ten health care unit managers and ten specialists in the field of Health in São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2010. The Delphi methodology was adopted. There were four stages of data collection, three quantitative and the fourth qualitative. The first three rounds dealt with changing trends in management models, manager profiles and required competencies, and the Mann-Whitney test was used in the analysis. The fourth round took the form of a panel of those involved, using thematic analysis. The main factors which are driving change in basic health care units were identified, as were changes in management models. There was consensus that this process is influenced by the difficulties in managing teams and by politics. The managers were found to be up-to-date with trends in the wider context, with the arrival of social health organizations, but they are not yet anticipating these within the institutions. Not only the content, but the professional development aspect of training courses in this area should be reviewed. Selection and recruitment, training and assessment of these professionals should be guided by these competencies aligned to the health service mission, vision, values and management models.

Space Weathering Trends (UV and NIR) at Lunar Magnetic Anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blewett, D. T.; Denevi, B. W.; Cahill, J. T.; Klima, R. L.

2017-12-01

Areas of magnetized crustal rocks on the Moon, known as magnetic anomalies, affect the flux of solar-wind ions that bombard the lunar surface. Hence, magnetically shielded areas could experience a space weathering regime different from the lunar norm. The unusual, high-albedo markings called lunar swirls are collocated with magnetic anomalies. The high albedo in the near-ultraviolet through near-infrared is consistent with the presence of material that is less weathered than that found in mature, non-shielded areas. We have undertaken an analysis of spectral trends associated with swirls in order to gain further insight into the nature and origin of these features. We examine swirls in the near-ultraviolet (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter LROC-WAC) and near-infrared (Chandrayaan Moon Mineralogy Mapper and Kaguya Spectral Profiler). We find that relative to the normal weathering trend, the swirls have a steeper NIR continuum slope (i.e., the continuum is redder than expected for their albedo) and steeper UV slope (i.e., greater UV drop-off than expected for their albedo). These trends can be understood in terms of differing relative abundances of microphase and nanophase metallic iron weathering products.

Disproportionality Fills in the Gaps: Connections between Achievement, Discipline and Special Education in the School-to-Prison Pipeline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annamma, Subini; Morrison, Deb; Jackson, Darrell

2014-01-01

The focus on the achievement gap has overshadowed ways in which school systems constrain student achievement through trends of racial disproportionality in areas such as school discipline, special education assignment, and juvenile justice. Using Critical Race Theory, we reframe these racial disparities as issues of institutionalized racism.…

Enhanced Acoustic Black Hole effect in beams with a modified thickness profile and extended platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Liling; Cheng, Li

2017-03-01

The phenomenon of Acoustics Black Hole (ABH) benefits from the bending wave propagating properties inside a thin-walled structure with power-law thickness variation to achieve zero reflection when the structural thickness approaches zero in the ideal scenario. However, manufacturing an ideally tailored power-law profile of a structure with embedded ABH feature can hardly be achieved in practice. Past research showed that the inevitable truncation at the wedge tip of the structure can significantly weaken the expected ABH effect by creating wave reflections. On the premise of the minimum achievable truncation thickness by the current manufacturing technology, exploring ways to ensure and achieve better ABH effect becomes important. In this paper, we investigate this issue by using a previously developed wavelet-decomposed semi-analytical model on an Euler-Bernoulli beam with a modified power-law profile and an extended platform of constant thickness. Through comparisons with the conventional ABH profile in terms of system loss factor and energy distribution, numerical results show that the modified thickness profile brings about a systematic increase in the ABH effect at mid-to-high frequencies, especially when the truncation thickness is small and the profile parameter m is large. The use of an extended platform further increases the ABH effect to broader the frequency band whilst providing rooms for catering particular low frequency applications.

Nadir Ozone Profile Retrieval from SCIAMACHY: application to the Antarctic Ozone Hole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Sweta; Piet, Stammes; Tuinder, Olaf N. E.; de Laat, Jos

2017-04-01

We present new nadir ozone profile retrievals using SCIAMACHY UV reflectance spectra for the mission period of the Envisat satellite. We have used the most recent Level-1 data version (v8 with degradation correction included) in the UV range (265-330 nm) and have used the OPERA optimal estimation algorithm (van Peet et al., AMT, 2014) developed in KNMI. We first show the comparison of the retrieved satellite profiles to co-located ozone sonde profiles in order to evaluate the accuracy of the retrieved ozone profile dataset. Based on these results, we have further processed the SCIAMCHY nadir dataset, specifically all the southern hemisphere pixels south of 45 degrees latitude for the months of August-November for the complete years 2003-2011. We show the monthly mean profiles, time-series of daily averages and minima of the retrieved stratospheric columns, and finally the ozone profile trend over the years 2003-2011. We also show the comparison of our results with the literature and hence the consistency of this new SCIAMACHY dataset.

Supporting Early Grades Student Achievement: An Exploration of RTI[superscript 2] Practices. Tennessee RTI[superscript 2] Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Zachary

2016-01-01

Almost half of Tennessee's students are not on grade level in reading and math by the time they complete third grade, and very few of those students achieve proficiency in later grades. To combat this trend and support the skill development and academic achievement of all students, Tennessee has adopted a framework for addressing individual…

[Trends in hospital care].

PubMed

Vecina Neto, Gonzalo; Malik, Ana Maria

2007-01-01

This paper analyses trends in the delivery of hospital services in Brazil, considering the setting, the current situation and its challenges, examining what still remains to be done. The variables studied for the analysis of the setting are: demography, epidemiological profile, human resources, technology, medicalization, costs, review of the role of the citizen, legislation, equity, hospital-centricity and regionalization, care fractioning and bed availability. The Brazilian setting was studied through the supplementary healthcare model, financing and the healthcare area production chain. The observations of the current situation present external evaluation models, outsourcing, public-private relationships, de-hospitalization and financing. The analysis of the challenges examines the need for long range planning, the quest for new legal models for the 'business', the use of information and information systems, cost controls and the need for enhanced efficiency and compliance with legal directives, guaranteed universal access to full healthcare facilities, the inclusion of primary prevention in healthcare procedures, integrating the public and private sectors and engaging physicians in solving problems.

Power Profiles of Commercial Multifocal Soft Contact Lenses.

PubMed

Kim, Eon; Bakaraju, Ravi C; Ehrmann, Klaus

2017-02-01

To evaluate the optical power profiles of commercially available soft multifocal contact lenses and compare their optical designs. The power profiles of 38 types of multifocal contact lenses-three lenses each-were measured in powers +6D, +3D, +1D, -1D, -3D, and -6D using NIMO TR1504 (Lambda-X, Belgium). All lenses were measured in phosphate buffered saline across 8 mm optic zone diameter. Refractive index of each lens material was measured using CLR 12-70 (Index Instruments, UK), which was used for converting measured power in the medium to in-air radial power profiles. Three basic types of power profiles were identified: center-near, center-distance, and concentric-zone ring-type designs. For most of the lens types, the relative plus with respect to prescription power was lower than the corresponding spectacle add. For some lens types, the measured power profiles were shifted by up to 1D across the power range relative to their labeled power. Most of the lenses were designed with noticeable amounts of spherical aberration. The sign and magnitude of spherical aberration can either be power dependent or consistent across the power range. Power profiles can vary widely between the different lens types; however, certain similarities were also observed between some of the center-near designs. For the more recently released lens types, there seems to be a trend emerging to reduce the relative plus with respect to prescription power, include negative spherical aberration, and keep the power profiles consistent across the power range.

Health-related Internet use among cancer survivors: data from the Health Information National Trends Survey, 2003-2008.

PubMed

Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia; Liu, Benmei; Post, Samantha; Hesse, Bradford

2011-09-01

Increasing prevalence of Internet and new technologies are changing the communication pattern for patients and caregivers across the cancer care continuum. To date, little is known on how cancer survivors in the USA utilize the Internet for health-related purposes. This knowledge is crucial in developing effective communication programs to achieve quality and equitable cancer care. Data from 2003, 2005, and 2008 iterations of the NCI-sponsored Health Information National Trends Survey(HINTS) were analyzed to: (1) compare health-related Internet use (hereafter HRIU) between individuals with and without a cancer diagnosis, (2) report trends, prevalence, and user profiles of HRIU, including support group participation, e-mailing provider, buying medicine online, and cancer information seeking on the Internet. Descriptive analyses and weighted multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. While Internet penetration is growing over the years across the USA, cancer survivors access the Internet at a lower rate than general population (49.4% to 56.4% vs. 63.1% to 66.3%). Once on the Internet, they are more likely to use it for health-related purposes. Disparities in Internet access persists, as higher likelihood of Internet access is associated with younger age, higher education, non-Hispanic White race/ethnicity, metropolitan residence, and better self-rated health. On the other hand, among Internet-accessing survivors, socio-demographic, and health factors do not play a significant role in determining the pattern of HRIU. The study identifies an increasing trend in HRIU among survivors, though the digital divide remains in Internet access. The findings also point to opportunities for narrowing the divide and using Internet to better serve survivors' needs, as individuals from wide-ranging backgrounds and experiences are equally engaging in health-related activities on the Internet. IMPLICATIONS FOR SURVIVORS: To increase equity and effectiveness in

Improving Learner Outcomes in EFL: Does Early Instruction Lead to Greater Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çelik, Servet; Karaca, Bilal

2014-01-01

Language education curricula and programs worldwide have begun emphasizing foreign language instruction for learners as young as 5-6 years, particularly in English. Yet, while studies have argued for the benefits of early language instruction, the results of this trend in terms of actual achievement are not clear. For this reason, the researchers…

Emotions, Self-Regulated Learning, and Achievement in Mathematics: A Growth Curve Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Wondimu; van der Werf, Greetje; Kuyper, Hans; Minnaert, Alexander

2013-01-01

The purpose of the current study was twofold: (a) to investigate the developmental trends of 4 academic emotions (anxiety, boredom, enjoyment, and pride) and (b) to examine whether changes in emotions are linked to the changes in students' self-regulatory strategies (shallow, deep, and meta-cognitive) and achievement in mathematics. Four hundred…

Mars entry guidance based on an adaptive reference drag profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Zixuan; Duan, Guangfei; Ren, Zhang

2017-08-01

The conventional Mars entry tracks a fixed reference drag profile (FRDP). To improve the landing precision, a novel guidance approach that utilizes an adaptive reference drag profile (ARDP) is presented. The entry flight is divided into two phases. For each phase, a family of drag profiles corresponding to various trajectory lengths is planned. Two update windows are investigated for the reference drag profile. At each window, the ARDP is selected online from the profile database according to the actual range-to-go. The tracking law for the selected drag profile is designed based on the feedback linearization. Guidance approaches using the ARDP and the FRDP are then tested and compared. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed ARDP approach achieves much higher guidance precision than the conventional FRDP approach.

Idaho Kids Count Data Book, 1994: Profiles of Child Well-Being.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idaho KIDS COUNT Project, Boise.

This Kids Count data book examines county and statewide trends of Idaho children's well-being. The statistical profile is based on 14 indicators: (1) children under age 18 in poverty; (2) children in single parent families; (3) births with adequate prenatal care; (4) infant mortality rate; (5) births to mothers age 10 to 19 without prenatal care;…

Alternative Methods for Estimating Achievement Trends and School Effects: When Is Simple Good Enough?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warkentien, Siri; Silver, David

2016-01-01

Public schools with impressive records of serving lower-performing students are often overlooked because their average test scores, even when students are growing quickly, are lower than scores in schools that serve higher-performing students. Schools may appear to be doing poorly either because baseline achievement is not easily accounted for or…

Extending the NOAA SBUV(/2) Ozone Profile Record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frith, S. M.; Wild, J.; Long, C. S.

2017-12-01

Since the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 and its subsequent agreements banning anthropogenic ozone depleting substances (ODS) the climate community has been anticipating the ability to detect the recovery of the ozone layer. This recovery is complicated by climate changes associated with the increase of CO2 in the both the troposphere and stratosphere. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) has generated a long term total column and profile ozone climate data record (CDR) based on the SBUV and SBUV/2 on Nimbus 7 and the NOAA Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellites (POES): NOAA-9, -11, -14, -16, -17, -18 and -19 spanning 38 years from 1978 to 2016. This dataset uses observations from a single instrument for each time period and an adjustment scheme to remove inter-satellite differences. The last of these SBUV/2 instruments resides on NOAA-19 launched in 2009, and with drifting equatorial crossing time will soon loose latitudinal coverage, and be impacted by an increasing solar zenith angle. The Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) instrument has replaced the SBUV/2 as the primary ozone monitoring instrument at NOAA. It is taking observations on the Suomi-NPOESS Preparatory Project (S-NPP) satellite which was launched in 2011 and will be on future JPSS satellites. JPSS-1 is expected to be launched in late 2017, and later JPSS satellites will additionally carry the OMPS instrument. Reprocessed OMPS Nadir Profile (NP) and Nadir Mapper (NM) level 2 data has been made available by NESDIS/STAR covering the period from 2012 through 2016. The OMPS NP has been characterized and calibrated to be very similar to the SBUV/2. Results of extending the SBUV(/2) dataset with ozone profile data from OMPS will be reviewed. Stability of ozone recovery trend estimates using these datasets will be explored using the Hockey Stick approach of Reinsel (2002) near-globally (50N-50S), tropically and at mid-latitudes. Seasonality of the trend results will be examined. Reinsel, G

A Profiling Float System for the North Arabian Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-29

purpose of this Defense University Research Instrumentation Program grant was to purchase a set of profiling floats to form an upper ocean observing ...purchase a set of profiling floats to form an upper ocean observing system for the Northern Arabian Sea Circulation - autonomous research (NASCar...resolution numerical simulations. To achieve these goals the DRI will utilize new observational methods that do not rely on a traditional ship-based

Observed temperature trends in the Indian Ocean over 1960-1999 and associated mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alory, Gaël; Wijffels, Susan; Meyers, Gary

2007-01-01

The linear trends in oceanic temperature from 1960 to 1999 are estimated using the new Indian Ocean Thermal Archive (IOTA), a compilation of historical temperature profiles. Widespread surface warming is found, as in other data sets, and reproduced in IPCC climate model simulations for the 20th century. This warming is particularly large in the subtropics, and extends down to 800 m around 40-50°S. Models suggest the deep-reaching subtropical warming is related to a 0.5° southward shift of the subtropical gyre driven by a strengthening of the westerly winds, and associated with an upward trend in the Southern Annular Mode index. In the tropics, IOTA shows a subsurface cooling corresponding to a shoaling of the thermocline and increasing vertical stratification. Most models suggest this trend in the tropical Indian thermocline is likely associated with the observed weakening of the Pacific trade winds and transmitted to the Indian Ocean by the Indonesian throughflow.

Behavioural profiles are shaped by social experience: when, how and why.

PubMed

Sachser, Norbert; Kaiser, Sylvia; Hennessy, Michael B

2013-05-19

The comprehensive understanding of individual variation in behavioural profiles is a current and timely topic not only in behavioural ecology, but also in biopsychological and biomedical research. This study focuses on the shaping of behavioural profiles by the social environment in mammals. We review evidence that the shaping of behavioural profiles occurs from the prenatal phase through adolescence and beyond. We focus specifically on adolescence, a sensitive phase during which environmental stimuli have distinctive effects on the modulation of behavioural profiles. We discuss causation, in particular, how behavioural profiles are shaped by social stimuli through behavioural and neuroendocrine processes. We postulate a central role for maternal hormones during the prenatal phase, for maternal behaviour during lactation and for the interaction of testosterone and stress hormones during adolescence. We refer to evolutionary history and attempt to place developmental shaping into broader evolutionary historical trends. Finally, we address survival value. We argue that the shaping of behavioural profiles by environmental stimuli from the prenatal phase through adolescence represents an effective mechanism for repeated and rapid adaptation during the lifetime. Notably, the adolescent phase may provide a last chance for correction if the future environment deviates from that predicted in earlier phases.

Families at the Century's Turn: The Troubling Economic Trends. Family Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindjord, Denise

2000-01-01

Discusses U.S. economic trends for the past century. Notes that distribution of wealth is more concentrated at top than is distribution of income, with income inequality growing worse in the 1990s. Maintains that wealth disparity explains achievement test score gaps between white and minority students. Presents proposals for asset-building,…

Ethnic differences in longitudinal latent verbal profiles in the millennium cohort study.

PubMed

Zilanawala, Afshin; Kelly, Yvonne; Sacker, Amanda

2016-12-01

Development of verbal skills during early childhood and school age years is consequential for children's educational achievement and adult outcomes. We examine ethnic differences in longitudinal latent verbal profiles and assess the contribution of family process and family resource factors to observed differences. Using data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study and the latent profile analysis, we estimate longitudinal latent verbal profiles using verbal skills measured 4 times from age 3-11 years. We investigate the odds of verbal profiles by ethnicity (reported in infancy), and the extent observed differences are mediated by the home learning environment, family routines, and psychosocial environment (measured at age 3). Indian children were twice as likely (OR = 2.14, CI: 1.37-3.33) to be in the high achieving profile, compared to White children. Socioeconomic markers attenuated this advantage to nonsignificance. Pakistani and Bangladeshi children were significantly more likely to be in the low performing group (OR = 2.23, CI: 1.61-3.11; OR = 3.37, CI: 2.20-5.17, respectively). Socioeconomic and psychosocial factors had the strongest mediating influence on the association between lower achieving profiles and Pakistani children, whereas for Bangladeshi children, there was mediation by the home learning environment, family routines, and psychosocial factors. Family process and resource factors explain ethnic differences in longitudinal latent verbal profiles. Family resources explain verbal advantages for Indian children, whereas a range of home environment and socioeconomic factors explain disparities for Pakistani and Bangladeshi children. Future policy initiatives focused on reducing ethnic disparities in children's development should consider supporting and enhancing family resources and processes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.

Future trends in commercial and military systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, F. E.

Commercial and military satellite communication systems are addressed, with a review of current applications and typical communication characteristics of the space and earth segments. Drivers for the development of future commercial systems include: the pervasion of digital techniques and services, growing orbit and frequency congestion, demand for more entertainment, and the large potential market for commercial 'roof-top' service. For military systems, survivability, improved flexibility, and the need for service to small mobile terminals are the principal factors involved. Technical trends include the use of higher frequency bands, multibeam antennas and a significant increase in the application of onboard processing. Military systems will employ a variety of techniques to counter both physical and electronic threats. The use of redundant transmission paths is a particularly effective approach. Successful implementation requires transmission standards to achieve the required interoperability among the pertinent networks. For both the military and commercial sectors, the trend toward larger numbers of terminals and more complex spacecraft is still persisting.

Stratospheric CH4 and CO2 profiles derived from SCIAMACHY solar occultation measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noël, S.; Bramstedt, K.; Hilker, M.; Liebing, P.; Plieninger, J.; Reuter, M.; Rozanov, A.; Bovensmann, H.; Burrows, J. P.

2015-11-01

Stratospheric profiles of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) have been derived from solar occultation measurements of the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY). The retrieval is performed using a method called "Onion Peeling DOAS" (ONPD) which combines an onion peeling approach with a weighting function DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy) fit. By use of updated pointing information and optimisation of the data selection and of the retrieval approach the altitude range for reasonable CH4 could be extended to about 17 to 45 km. Furthermore, the quality of the derived CO2 has been assessed such that now the first stratospheric profiles of CO2 from SCIAMACHY are available. Comparisons with independent data sets yield an estimated accuracy of the new SCIAMACHY stratospheric profiles of about 5-10 % for CH4 and 2-3 % for CO2. The accuracy of the products is currently mainly restricted by the appearance of unexpected vertical oscillations in the derived profiles which need further investigation. Using the improved ONPD retrieval, CH4 and CO2 stratospheric data sets covering the whole SCIAMACHY time series (August 2002-April 2012) and the latitudinal range between about 50 and 70° N have been derived. Based on these time series, CH4 and CO2 trends have been estimated, which are in reasonable agreement with total column trends for these gases. This shows that the new SCIAMACHY data sets can provide valuable information about the stratosphere.

Connecting Self-Esteem and Achievement: Diversity in Academic Identification and Dis-Identification Patterns among Black College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hope, Elan C.; Chavous, Tabbye M.; Jagers, Robert J.; Sellers, Robert M.

2013-01-01

Using a person-oriented approach, we explored patterns of self-esteem and achievement among 324 Black college students across the freshman college year and identified four academic identification profiles. Multivariate analyses revealed profile differences in academic and psychological outcomes at beginning and end of freshman year (academic…

The Trend of Occupational Injuries in Korea from 2001 to 2010

PubMed Central

Rhee, Kyung Yong; Choe, Seong Weon; Koo, Kwon Ho

2013-01-01

Objectives This study is planned to assess the trend of occupational injuries in Korea from 2001 to 2010. Methods Ten years of occupational injuries, from 2001 to 2010, were analyzed in order to investigate the changing profiles according to the various characteristics of injuries; economic sectors, age of the injured, and type of injuries. The changing profile of occupational injuries was investigated by comparison with an index-created relative value based on the number of cases of reference category. Results The fatalities of construction, forest, agriculture, and service show the increasing trend. The nonfatal occupational injuries of the manufacturing sector were higher than those of other sectors in every year but the fatal occupational injuries of construction workers were higher than those of the manufacturing sector. Occupational injuries occurring due to amputation and those of slip and trip increased. The number of occupational injuries for the worker groups of 24 years old and below decreased and 45 years old and above increased. In comparison to the figure of fall from height, the figures of slip and trip or caught in equipment are higher in every calendar year. Conclusion This study find out construction, forest, agriculture, and service sectors, aged worker with 45 years old and over can be target population for the strategies of occupational safety. PMID:23515324

Profiles of For-Profit and Nonprofit Education Management Organizations. Fourteenth Edition--2011-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miron, Gary; Gulosino, Charisse

2013-01-01

Annual "Profiles" reports are comprehensive digests of data on education management organizations. Analysis and interpretation of the data in this report are, for the most part, limited to describing general trends over time. The report is intended for a broad audience. Policymakers, educators, school district officials, and school board…

Evolving trends in mAb production processes

PubMed Central

Wolfe, Leslie S.; Mostafa, Sigma S.; Norman, Carnley

2017-01-01

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have established themselves as the leading biopharmaceutical therapeutic modality. The establishment of robust manufacturing platforms are key for antibody drug discovery efforts to seamlessly translate into clinical and commercial successes. Several drivers are influencing the design of mAb manufacturing processes. The advent of biosimilars is driving a desire to achieve lower cost of goods and globalize biologics manufacturing. High titers are now routinely achieved for mAbs in mammalian cell culture. These drivers have resulted in significant evolution in process platform approaches. Additionally, several new trends in bioprocessing have arisen in keeping with these needs. These include the consideration of alternative expression systems, continuous biomanufacturing and non‐chromatographic separation formats. This paper discusses these drivers in the context of the kinds of changes they are driving in mAb production processes. PMID:29313024

Mask industry assessment trend analysis: 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Greg; Yun, Henry

2010-05-01

Microelectronics industry leaders consistently cite the cost and cycle time of mask technology and mask supply as top critical issues. A survey was designed with input from semiconductor company mask technologists and merchant mask suppliers and support from SEMATECH to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition. This year's assessment was the eighth in the current series of annual reports. Its data were presented in detail at BACUS, and the detailed trend analysis is presented at EMLC. With continued industry support, the report can be used as a baseline to gain perspective on the technical and business status of the mask and microelectronics industries. The report will continue to serve as a valuable reference to identify the strengths and opportunities of the mask industry. Its results will be used to guide future investments on critical path issues. This year's survey is basically the same as the surveys in 2005 through 2009. Questions are grouped into six categories: General Business Profile Information, Data Processing, Yields and Yield Loss Mechanisms, Delivery Times, Returns, and Services. Within each category is a multitude of questions that creates a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the critical mask industry.

Transposon identification using profile HMMs

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Transposons are "jumping genes" that account for large quantities of repetitive content in genomes. They are known to affect transcriptional regulation in several different ways, and are implicated in many human diseases. Transposons are related to microRNAs and viruses, and many genes, pseudogenes, and gene promoters are derived from transposons or have origins in transposon-induced duplication. Modeling transposon-derived genomic content is difficult because they are poorly conserved. Profile hidden Markov models (profile HMMs), widely used for protein sequence family modeling, are rarely used for modeling DNA sequence families. The algorithm commonly used to estimate the parameters of profile HMMs, Baum-Welch, is prone to prematurely converge to local optima. The DNA domain is especially problematic for the Baum-Welch algorithm, since it has only four letters as opposed to the twenty residues of the amino acid alphabet. Results We demonstrate with a simulation study and with an application to modeling the MIR family of transposons that two recently introduced methods, Conditional Baum-Welch and Dynamic Model Surgery, achieve better estimates of the parameters of profile HMMs across a range of conditions. Conclusions We argue that these new algorithms expand the range of potential applications of profile HMMs to many important DNA sequence family modeling problems, including that of searching for and modeling the virus-like transposons that are found in all known genomes. PMID:20158867

Trends in Prevalence and Characteristics of Post-Neonatal Cerebral Palsy Cases: A European Registry-Based Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Germany, Laurence; Ehlinger, Virginie; Klapouszczak, Dana; Delobel, Malika; Hollody, Katalin; Sellier, Elodie; De La Cruz, Javier; Alberge, Corine; Genolini, Christophe; Arnaud, Catherine

2013-01-01

The present paper aims to analyze trends over time in prevalence of cerebral palsy of post-neonatal origin, to investigate whether changes are similar according to severity and to describe the disability profile by etiology. Post-neonatal cases, birth years 1976 to 1998, were identified from the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe…

De-Trending Techniques: Methods for Cleaning Questionable Shock Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grillo, Vincent J.

2010-01-01

Not all zero shifted acceleration data can De-trended using this technique. DC shifts, improper AC coupling, Circuit noise/EMI/EMR, Equivalent RC circuit gain response/Circuit saturation(Slew Rate Limited), fixture grounding and wiring losses can all contribute to bad shock data being recorded. Some data that is zero-shifted or exhibit large instantaneous velocity shifts is inherently bad and a retest is warranted. Clean Acceleration-Time history data can be bad upon examining the Velocity & Displacement profiles. Laser Vibrometers provide a high level of accuracy for pyrotechnic shock testing. Engineering judgment and experience will determine the validity of Shock data.

Laser safety at high profile projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barat, K.

2011-03-01

Laser Safety at high profile laser facilities tends to be more controlled than in the standard laser lab found at a research institution. The reason for this is the potential consequences for such facilities from incidents. This ranges from construction accidents, to equipment damage to personnel injuries. No laser user wants to sustain a laser eye injury. Unfortunately, many laser users, most commonly experienced researchers and inexperienced graduate students, do receive laser eye injuries during their careers. . More unforgiveable is the general acceptance of this scenario, as part of the research & development experience. How do senior researchers, safety personnel and management stop this trend? The answer lies in a cultural change that involves institutional training, user mentoring, hazard awareness by users and administrative controls. None of these would inhibit research activities. As a matter of fact, proper implementation of these controls would increase research productivity. This presentation will review and explain the steps needed to steer an institution, research division, group or individual lab towards a culture that should nearly eliminate laser accidents. As well as how high profile facilities try to avoid laser injuries. Using the definition of high profile facility as one who's funding in the million to billions of dollars or Euros and derives form government funding.

The Impact of High School Exit Exams on Graduation Rates and Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caves, Katherine; Balestra, Simone

2018-01-01

The authors examined the short- and long-term effects of high school exit exams (HSEEs) on graduation rates and achievement using an interrupted time series approach. There is a positive overall effect of HSEE introduction for graduation rate trends, which is heterogeneous over time. HSEEs have a negative impact on graduation rates in the year of…

Science Self-Beliefs and Science Achievement of Adolescents in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Areepattamannil, Shaljan

2012-01-01

This study explored the predictive effects of science self-beliefs on science achievement for 24,680 13-year-old students from Gulf Cooperation Council member countries--Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates--who participated in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007. The…

Understanding Motivational Structures That Differentially Predict Engagement and Achievement in Middle School Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Christine S.; Hayes, Kathryn N.; Seitz, Jeffery; DiStefano, Rachelle; O'Connor, Dawn

2016-01-01

Middle school has been documented as the period in which a drop in students' science interest and achievement occurs. This trend indicates a lack of motivation for learning science; however, little is known about how different aspects of motivation interact with student engagement and science learning outcomes. This study examines the…

Antihypertensive treatment and US trends in stroke mortality, 1962 to 1980.

PubMed Central

Casper, M; Wing, S; Strogatz, D; Davis, C E; Tyroler, H A

1992-01-01

OBJECTIVES. This study examines the association between increases in antihypertensive pharmacotherapy and declines in stroke mortality among 96 US groups stratified by race, sex, age, metropolitan status, and region from 1962 to 1980. METHODS. Data on the prevalence of controlled hypertension and socioeconomic profiles were obtained from three successive national health surveys. Stroke mortality rates were calculated using data from the National Center for Health Statistics and the Bureau of the Census. The association between controlled hypertension trends and stroke mortality declines was assessed with weighted regression. RESULTS. Prior to 1972, there was no association between trends in controlled hypertension and stroke mortality declines (beta = 0.04, P = .69). After 1972, groups with larger increases in controlled hypertension experienced slower rates of decline in stroke mortality (beta = 0.16, P = .003). Faster rates of decline were modestly but consistently related to improvements in socioeconomic indicators only for the post-1972 period. CONCLUSIONS. These results do not support the hypothesis that increased antihypertensive pharmacotherapy has been the primary determinant of recent declines in stroke mortality. Additional studies should address the association between declining stroke mortality and trends in socioeconomic resources, dietary patterns, and cigarette smoking. PMID:1456333

Spatial pattern and temporal trend of mortality due to tuberculosis 10

PubMed Central

de Queiroz, Ana Angélica Rêgo; Berra, Thaís Zamboni; Garcia, Maria Concebida da Cunha; Popolin, Marcela Paschoal; Belchior, Aylana de Souza; Yamamura, Mellina; dos Santos, Danielle Talita; Arroyo, Luiz Henrique; Arcêncio, Ricardo Alexandre

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives: To describe the epidemiological profile of mortality due to tuberculosis (TB), to analyze the spatial pattern of these deaths and to investigate the temporal trend in mortality due to tuberculosis in Northeast Brazil. Methods: An ecological study based on secondary mortality data. Deaths due to TB were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were calculated and gross mortality rates were estimated and smoothed by the Local Empirical Bayesian Method. Prais-Winsten’s regression was used to analyze the temporal trend in the TB mortality coefficients. The Kernel density technique was used to analyze the spatial distribution of TB mortality. Results: Tuberculosis was implicated in 236 deaths. The burden of tuberculosis deaths was higher amongst males, single people and people of mixed ethnicity, and the mean age at death was 51 years. TB deaths were clustered in the East, West and North health districts, and the tuberculosis mortality coefficient remained stable throughout the study period. Conclusions: Analyses of the spatial pattern and temporal trend in mortality revealed that certain areas have higher TB mortality rates, and should therefore be prioritized in public health interventions targeting the disease. PMID:29742272

A profile of a National Football League team.

PubMed

Pryor, J Luke; Huggins, Robert A; Casa, Douglas J; Palmieri, Gerard A; Kraemer, William J; Maresh, Carl M

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to document the physical profiles of players on the 2011 New York Giants (NYG) team and to make comparisons with the historical literature on previous National Football League (NFL) player profiles. In this study, height, body mass (BM), body fat percentage (BF%) using skinfold measurements, and several predicted 1 repetition maximal strength and power measures in 30 returning players from the 2011 NYG team, who recently won the Super Bowl, were collected. Players were grouped by position: running back, quarterback (QB), wide receiver (WR), tight end, offensive lineman (OL), defensive lineman (DL), linebacker (LB), and defensive back (DB). Pooled and weighted mean differences (NYG - NFL) and effect sizes were used to evaluate height, BM, and BF% comparisons of NYG to previous NFL studies from 1998 to 2009. The characteristics of the players as a group were: age, height, BM, BF%: 26 ± 2 years, 183.8 ± 9.0 cm, 144.9 ± 20.8 kg, 14.3 ± 5.5%, respectively. Comparisons highlight distinct position-specific dissimilarity in strength measures, BM, and BF%, which reflect current strength training, conditioning, and team play strategy. As expected, NYG positional differences were found for height (p ≤ 0.05), BM (p ≤ 0.037), BF% (p ≤ 0.048), bench press (p ≤ 0.048), inclined bench press (p ≤ 0.013), and squat (p ≤ 0.026). Anthropometrics profiles did not significantly differ from previously published trends in NFL players indicating equity in physical characteristics over the past 13 years. However, NYG LBs, DLs, OLs, QBs, and WRs trended toward less BF% but generally similar BM compared with NFL players, suggesting greater lean BM in these positions. This study adds new players' data to prototypical position-specific databases that may be used as templates for comparison of players for draft selection or physical training.

High-quality lossy compression: current and future trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLaughlin, Steven W.

1995-01-01

This paper is concerned with current and future trends in the lossy compression of real sources such as imagery, video, speech and music. We put all lossy compression schemes into common framework where each can be characterized in terms of three well-defined advantages: cell shape, region shape and memory advantages. We concentrate on image compression and discuss how new entropy constrained trellis-based compressors achieve cell- shape, region-shape and memory gain resulting in high fidelity and high compression.

Antecedents and trajectories of achievement goals: a self-determination theory perspective.

PubMed

Ciani, Keith D; Sheldon, Kennon M; Hilpert, Jonathan C; Easter, Matthew A

2011-06-01

Research has shown that both achievement goal theory and self-determination theory (SDT) are quite useful in explaining student motivation and success in academic contexts. However, little is known about how the two theories relate to each other. The current research used SDT as a framework to understand why students enter classes with particular achievement goal profiles, and also, how those profiles may change over time. One hundred and eighty-four undergraduate preservice teachers in a required domain course agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected at three time points during the semester, and both path modelling and multi-level longitudinal modelling techniques were used. Path modelling techniques with 169 students, results indicated that students' autonomy and relatedness need satisfaction in life predict their initial self-determined class motivation, which in turn predicts initial mastery-approach and -avoidance goals. Multi-level longitudinal modelling with 108 students found that perceived teacher autonomy support buffered against the general decline in students' mastery-approach goals over the course of the semester. Data provide a promising integration of SDT and achievement goal theory, posing a host of potentially fruitful future research questions regarding goal adoption and trajectories. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Implicit motive profile of treatment-seeking opiate users: high affiliation and low achievement.

PubMed

Bársonya, Katalin; Martos, Tamás; Ehmann, Bea; Balázs, Hedvig; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2013-01-01

Research on basic human motives (achievement, affiliation, and power) encoded at the emotional level recently returned to the forefront of scientific research. To date, there are only a few studies on the pattern of implicit motives of substance users, so the present study examined opiate users participating in methadone maintenance treatment (N = 80) along these dimensions, comparing them to 40 non-substance users. Participants were asked to create stories on the basis of the pictures of the Thematic Apperception Test. The stories were analyzed using the content analysis method of David Winter (1991). Like other substance user groups, opiate-dependent persons used less achievement and more affiliation notions in creating stories, while there was no significant difference between the two groups concerning power notions. The results proved to be independent of the presence of anxiety and depression symptoms, despite substance users reporting higher levels of these, and suggest that motivational factors are worth considering in treatment planning.

Motivational profiles in physical education and their relation to the theory of planned behavior.

PubMed

Moreno-Murcia, Juan Antonio; Cervelló Gimeno, Eduardo; Hernández, Elisa Huéscar; Pedreño, Noelia Belan-do; Rodríguez Marín, Jesús Jesus

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to establish motivational profiles for doing physical activity according to the variables from the theory of planned action in a sample of 698 students aged 14 to 16. The instruments used were the Questionnaire of Behavioral Regulation in Sport (BRQ-R) and the Questionnaire of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TCP). Cluster analysis revealed two motivational profiles: a "self-determined "profile with high scores in intrinsic motivation and low scores in extrinsic motivation and amotivation, and a "non self- determined "profile with low scores in intrinsic motivation and high scores in extrinsic motivation and amotivation. Positive significant differences in attitudes, norms, and intent to control were found for the self-determined profile related to "non self-determined "profile. Key PointsA "self-determined "profile was found with higher scores for the four types of intrinsic motivations (general, knowledge, stimulation and achievement) and identified regulation than for introjected and external regulation.A "non self-determined "profile was found with higher scores for external, introjected regulation and amotivation than for the four types of intrinsic motivation (general, knowledge, stimulation and achievement).In the context of the "non self-determined profile "we could encourage programs that adapt to these needs in such a way that they contribute to increasing the rates of doing physical activity in the population.

Homogenization of the lipid profile values.

PubMed

Pedro-Botet, Juan; Rodríguez-Padial, Luis; Brotons, Carlos; Esteban-Salán, Margarita; García-Lerín, Aurora; Pintó, Xavier; Lekuona, Iñaki; Ordóñez-Llanos, Jordi

Analytical reports from the clinical laboratory are essential to guide clinicians about what lipid profile values should be considered altered and, therefore, require intervention. Unfortunately, there is a great heterogeneity in the lipid values reported as "normal, desirable, recommended or referenced" by clinical laboratories. This can difficult clinical decisions and be a barrier to achieve the therapeutic goals for cardiovascular prevention. A recent international recommendation has added a new heterogeneity factor for the interpretation of lipid profile, such as the possibility of measuring it without previous fasting. All this justifies the need to develop a document that adapts the existing knowledge to the clinical practice of our health system. In this regard, professionals from different scientific societies involved in the measurement and use of lipid profile data have developed this document to establish recommendations that facilitate their homogenization. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Offset-electrode profile acquisition strategy for electrical resistivity tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, Austin R.; Plattner, Alain

2018-04-01

We present an electrode layout strategy that allows electrical resistivity profiles to image the third dimension close to the profile plane. This "offset-electrode profile" approach involves laterally displacing electrodes away from the profile line in an alternating fashion and then inverting the resulting data using three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography software. In our synthetic and field surveys, the offset-electrode method succeeds in revealing three-dimensional structures in the vicinity of the profile plane, which we could not achieve using three-dimensional inversions of linear profiles. We confirm and explain the limits of linear electrode profiles through a discussion of the three-dimensional sensitivity patterns: For a homogeneous starting model together with a linear electrode layout, all sensitivities remain symmetric with respect to the profile plane through each inversion step. This limitation can be overcome with offset-electrode layouts by breaking the symmetry pattern among the sensitivities. Thanks to freely available powerful three-dimensional resistivity tomography software and cheap modern computing power, the requirement for full three-dimensional calculations does not create a significant burden and renders the offset-electrode approach a cost-effective method. By offsetting the electrodes in an alternating pattern, as opposed to laying the profile out in a U-shape, we minimize shortening the profile length.

How to Measure and Explain Achievement Change in Large-Scale Assessments: A Rejoinder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickendorff, Marian; Heiser, Willem J.; van Putten, Cornelis M.; Verhelst, Norman D.

2009-01-01

In this rejoinder, we discuss substantive and methodological validity issues of large-scale assessments of trends in student achievement, commenting on the discussion paper by Van den Heuvel-Panhuizen, Robitzsch, Treffers, and Koller (2009). We focus on methodological challenges in deciding what to measure, how to measure it, and how to foster…

Distributed Method to Optimal Profile Descent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Geun I.

Current ground automation tools for Optimal Profile Descent (OPD) procedures utilize path stretching and speed profile change to maintain proper merging and spacing requirements at high traffic terminal area. However, low predictability of aircraft's vertical profile and path deviation during decent add uncertainty to computing estimated time of arrival, a key information that enables the ground control center to manage airspace traffic effectively. This paper uses an OPD procedure that is based on a constant flight path angle to increase the predictability of the vertical profile and defines an OPD optimization problem that uses both path stretching and speed profile change while largely maintaining the original OPD procedure. This problem minimizes the cumulative cost of performing OPD procedures for a group of aircraft by assigning a time cost function to each aircraft and a separation cost function to a pair of aircraft. The OPD optimization problem is then solved in a decentralized manner using dual decomposition techniques under inter-aircraft ADS-B mechanism. This method divides the optimization problem into more manageable sub-problems which are then distributed to the group of aircraft. Each aircraft solves its assigned sub-problem and communicate the solutions to other aircraft in an iterative process until an optimal solution is achieved thus decentralizing the computation of the optimization problem.

Is Google Trends a reliable tool for digital epidemiology? Insights from different clinical settings.

PubMed

Cervellin, Gianfranco; Comelli, Ivan; Lippi, Giuseppe

2017-09-01

Internet-derived information has been recently recognized as a valuable tool for epidemiological investigation. Google Trends, a Google Inc. portal, generates data on geographical and temporal patterns according to specified keywords. The aim of this study was to compare the reliability of Google Trends in different clinical settings, for both common diseases with lower media coverage, and for less common diseases attracting major media coverage. We carried out a search in Google Trends using the keywords "renal colic", "epistaxis", and "mushroom poisoning", selected on the basis of available and reliable epidemiological data. Besides this search, we carried out a second search for three clinical conditions (i.e., "meningitis", "Legionella Pneumophila pneumonia", and "Ebola fever"), which recently received major focus by the Italian media. In our analysis, no correlation was found between data captured from Google Trends and epidemiology of renal colics, epistaxis and mushroom poisoning. Only when searching for the term "mushroom" alone the Google Trends search generated a seasonal pattern which almost overlaps with the epidemiological profile, but this was probably mostly due to searches for harvesting and cooking rather than to for poisoning. The Google Trends data also failed to reflect the geographical and temporary patterns of disease for meningitis, Legionella Pneumophila pneumonia and Ebola fever. The results of our study confirm that Google Trends has modest reliability for defining the epidemiology of relatively common diseases with minor media coverage, or relatively rare diseases with higher audience. Overall, Google Trends seems to be more influenced by the media clamor than by true epidemiological burden. Copyright © 2017 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trend of some Tuberculosis Indices in Iran during 25 yr Period (1990-2014).

PubMed

Khazaei, Salman; Ayubi, Erfan; Mansournia, Mohammad Ali; Rafiemanesh, Hossein

2016-01-01

Investigation of tuberculosis (TB)-specific indices including prevalence of TB, mortality of TB cases excluding HIV, HIV/TB mortality, incidence of TB (all forms), HIV/TB incidence as well as case detection and related trends is a crucial step in evaluation of program performance and strategies success. Besides, estimating the number and time of change points for TB incidence can help to detect effective factors in TB control. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the trend of aforementioned indices in Iran during a 25 yr period (1990 to 2014). Data on trend of TB in Iran was extracted from WHO regional office reports during 1990-2014. For determining the trend of TB indices, Annual Percent Changes (APC) and Average Annual Percent Changes (AAPC) was estimated using segmented regression model. AAPC (95% CI) for HIV/TB mortality and HIV/TB incidence were 11.5 (9.3, 13.6) and 14.8 (13.6, 16.1), respectively, which are sign of increasing trend during the period (P<0.05). Other indices showed significantly decreasing trend (P<0.05), except for case detection rate (P =0.803). The incidence, prevalence, and death rates of TB had shown a decreasing trend in general population, regarded as a useful indicator of achievements of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and effectiveness of interventional programs. Increasing trend of incidence and mortality of TB in HIV infected patients, needs conducting more intervention strategies in health care programs.

Behavioural profiles are shaped by social experience: when, how and why

PubMed Central

Sachser, Norbert; Kaiser, Sylvia; Hennessy, Michael B.

2013-01-01

The comprehensive understanding of individual variation in behavioural profiles is a current and timely topic not only in behavioural ecology, but also in biopsychological and biomedical research. This study focuses on the shaping of behavioural profiles by the social environment in mammals. We review evidence that the shaping of behavioural profiles occurs from the prenatal phase through adolescence and beyond. We focus specifically on adolescence, a sensitive phase during which environmental stimuli have distinctive effects on the modulation of behavioural profiles. We discuss causation, in particular, how behavioural profiles are shaped by social stimuli through behavioural and neuroendocrine processes. We postulate a central role for maternal hormones during the prenatal phase, for maternal behaviour during lactation and for the interaction of testosterone and stress hormones during adolescence. We refer to evolutionary history and attempt to place developmental shaping into broader evolutionary historical trends. Finally, we address survival value. We argue that the shaping of behavioural profiles by environmental stimuli from the prenatal phase through adolescence represents an effective mechanism for repeated and rapid adaptation during the lifetime. Notably, the adolescent phase may provide a last chance for correction if the future environment deviates from that predicted in earlier phases. PMID:23569292

Secular trend of sex ratio and symptom patterns among children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Baker, Sidney M; Milivojevich, Andrew; Kraycar, Theresa; Holt, Brett; Gade, Satya

2014-05-01

An information technology invention embodied in a website serving the interests of the autism community was designed to "let the data talk." By its use, the authors have detected a downward temporal trend in 2013 in the sex ratio of 2431 members of Autism360.org from a yearly average between 2010 and 2012 of 4.24 to 3.01 in 2013. As of the first two months of 2014, the average sex ratio is 2.69. We report contemporaneous changes in previously reported male vs female symptom patterns. Such changes suggest a convergence in which distinctive severity of certain grouped central nervous, emotional, and immune profile items in females have diminished toward that of males. The data also show correlations among these profile items that add further credence to the sex ratio findings. A wider dispersion of the female data as compared with the male data was found in the year preceding the downward trend in the mean sex ratio. The authors suggest that such a trend toward an increase in the variance of the data points to instability in the biological system-the autism spectrum. We conclude that public policy would be better served by monitoring changes in the standard deviation as compared with the mean in large data sets to better anticipate changes. The findings we report raise questions based on known sex differences in detoxification chemistry. One such question would be whether maternal, fetal, or individual exposure to a novel environmental factor may have breached the taller fence of female protection from toxins.

Examining Organizational Practices That Predict Persistence among High-Achieving Black Males in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Kenneth Alonzo

2016-01-01

Background/Context: This article summarizes an increasing trend of antideficit Black male research in mathematics and highlights opportunities to add to the research. A review of the literature shows that antideficit researchers often examine relationships between individual traits and persistence of high-achieving Black males in mathematics.…

Impact of Health on Education Access and Achievement. Policy Brief Number 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pridmore, P.

2008-01-01

Access to education is recognized as a basic human right and yet projections based on current trends show that more than 50 countries will not achieve universal primary education by 2015. This briefing paper looks at the role of malnutrition and diseases in the failure of countries to meet EFA targets. It is based on the CREATE Pathways to Access…

Quantum Dot Platform for Single-Cell Molecular Profiling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zrazhevskiy, Pavel S.

In-depth understanding of the nature of cell physiology and ability to diagnose and control the progression of pathological processes heavily rely on untangling the complexity of intracellular molecular mechanisms and pathways. Therefore, comprehensive molecular profiling of individual cells within the context of their natural tissue or cell culture microenvironment is essential. In principle, this goal can be achieved by tagging each molecular target with a unique reporter probe and detecting its localization with high sensitivity at sub-cellular resolution, primarily via microscopy-based imaging. Yet, neither widely used conventional methods nor more advanced nanoparticle-based techniques have been able to address this task up to date. High multiplexing potential of fluorescent probes is heavily restrained by the inability to uniquely match probes with corresponding molecular targets. This issue is especially relevant for quantum dot probes---while simultaneous spectral imaging of up to 10 different probes is possible, only few can be used concurrently for staining with existing methods. To fully utilize multiplexing potential of quantum dots, it is necessary to design a new staining platform featuring unique assignment of each target to a corresponding quantum dot probe. This dissertation presents two complementary versatile approaches towards achieving comprehensive single-cell molecular profiling and describes engineering of quantum dot probes specifically tailored for each staining method. Analysis of expanded molecular profiles is achieved through augmenting parallel multiplexing capacity with performing several staining cycles on the same specimen in sequential manner. In contrast to other methods utilizing quantum dots or other nanoparticles, which often involve sophisticated probe synthesis, the platform technology presented here takes advantage of simple covalent bioconjugation and non-covalent self-assembly mechanisms for straightforward probe

Comparing trends in cancer rates across overlapping regions.

PubMed

Li, Yi; Tiwari, Ram C

2008-12-01

Monitoring and comparing trends in cancer rates across geographic regions or over different time periods have been major tasks of the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program as it profiles healthcare quality as well as decides healthcare resource allocations within a spatial-temporal framework. A fundamental difficulty, however, arises when such comparisons have to be made for regions or time intervals that overlap, for example, comparing the change in trends of mortality rates in a local area (e.g., the mortality rate of breast cancer in California) with a more global level (i.e., the national mortality rate of breast cancer). In view of sparsity of available methodologies, this article develops a simple corrected Z-test that accounts for such overlapping. The performance of the proposed test over the two-sample "pooled"t-test that assumes independence across comparison groups is assessed via the Pitman asymptotic relative efficiency as well as Monte Carlo simulations and applications to the SEER cancer data. The proposed test will be important for the SEER * STAT software, maintained by the NCI, for the analysis of the SEER data.

Reliability and validity of the adolescent health profile-types.

PubMed

Riley, A W; Forrest, C B; Starfield, B; Green, B; Kang, M; Ensminger, M

1998-08-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the preliminary reliability and validity of a set 13 profiles of adolescent health that describe distinct patterns of health and health service requirements on four domains of health. Reliability and validity were tested in four ethnically diverse population samples of urban and rural youths aged 11 to 17-years-old in public schools (N = 4,066). The reliability of the classification procedure and construct validity were examined in terms of the predicted and actual distributions of age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and family type. School achievement, medical conditions, and the proportion of youths with a psychiatric disorder also were examined as tests of construct validity. The classification method was shown to produce consistent results across the four populations in terms of proportions of youths assigned with specific sociodemographic characteristics. Variations in health described by specific profiles showed expected relations to sociodemographic characteristics, family structure, school achievement, medical disorders, and psychiatric disorders. This taxonomy of health profile-types appears to effectively describe a set of patterns that characterize adolescent health. The profile-types provide a unique and practical method for identifying subgroups having distinct needs for health services, with potential utility for health policy and planning. Such integrative reporting methods are critical for more effective utilization of health status instruments in health resource planning and policy development.

Revised Framingham Stroke Risk Profile to Reflect Temporal Trends.

PubMed

Dufouil, Carole; Beiser, Alexa; McLure, Leslie A; Wolf, Philip A; Tzourio, Christophe; Howard, Virginia J; Westwood, Andrew J; Himali, Jayandra J; Sullivan, Lisa; Aparicio, Hugo J; Kelly-Hayes, Margaret; Ritchie, Karen; Kase, Carlos S; Pikula, Aleksandra; Romero, Jose R; D'Agostino, Ralph B; Samieri, Cécilia; Vasan, Ramachandran S; Chêne, Genevieve; Howard, George; Seshadri, Sudha

2017-03-21

Age-adjusted stroke incidence has decreased over the past 50 years, likely as a result of changes in the prevalence and impact of various stroke risk factors. An updated version of the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP) might better predict current risks in the FHS (Framingham Heart Study) and other cohorts. We compared the accuracy of the standard (old) and of a revised (new) version of the FSRP in predicting the risk of all-stroke and ischemic stroke and validated this new FSRP in 2 external cohorts, the 3C (3 Cities) and REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) studies. We computed the old FSRP as originally described and a new model that used the most recent epoch-specific risk factor prevalence and hazard ratios for individuals ≥55 years of age and for the subsample ≥65 years of age (to match the age range in REGARDS and 3C studies, respectively) and compared the efficacy of these models in predicting 5- and 10-year stroke risks. The new FSRP was a better predictor of current stroke risks in all 3 samples than the old FSRP (calibration χ 2 of new/old FSRP: in men: 64.0/12.1, 59.4/30.6, and 20.7/12.5; in women: 42.5/4.1, 115.4/90.3, and 9.8/6.5 in FHS, REGARDS, and 3C, respectively). In the REGARDS, the new FSRP was a better predictor among whites compared with blacks. A more contemporaneous, new FSRP better predicts current risks in 3 large community samples and could serve as the basis for examining geographic and racial differences in stroke risk and the incremental diagnostic utility of novel stroke risk factors. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Phase shifts in the stoichiometry of rifamycin B fermentation and correlation with the trends in the parameters measured online.

PubMed

Bapat, Prashant M; Das, Debasish; Dave, Nishant N; Wangikar, Pramod P

2006-12-15

Antibiotic fermentation processes are raw material cost intensive and the profitability is greatly dependent on the product yield per unit substrate consumed. In order to reduce costs, industrial processes use organic nitrogen substrates (ONS) such as corn steep liquor and yeast extract. Thus, although the stoichiometric analysis is the first logical step in process development, it is often difficult to achieve due to the ill-defined nature of the medium. Here, we present a black-box stoichiometric model for rifamycin B production via Amycolatopsis mediterranei S699 fermentation in complex multi-substrate medium. The stoichiometric coefficients have been experimentally evaluated for nine different media compositions. The ONS was quantified in terms of the amino acid content that it provides. Note that the black box stoichiometric model is an overall result of the metabolic reactions that occur during growth. Hence, the observed stoichiometric coefficients are liable to change during the batch cycle. To capture the shifts in stoichiometry, we carried out the stoichiometric analysis over short intervals of 8-16 h in a batch cycle of 100-200 h. An error analysis shows that there are no systematic errors in the measurements and that there are no unaccounted products in the process. The growth stoichiometry shows a shift from one substrate combination to another during the batch cycle. The shifts were observed to correlate well with the shifts in the trends of pH and exit carbon dioxide profiles. To exemplify, the ammonia uptake and nitrate uptake phases were marked by a decreasing pH trend and an increasing pH trend, respectively. Further, we find the product yield per unit carbon substrate to be greatly dependent on the nature of the nitrogen substrate. The analysis presented here can be readily applied to other fermentation systems that employ multi-substrate complex media.

California's Low-Carbon Fuel Standard - Compliance Trends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witcover, J.; Yeh, S.

2013-12-01

Policies to incentivize lower carbon transport fuels have become more prevalent even as they spark heated debate over their cost and feasibility. California's approach - performance-based regulation called the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) - has proved no exception. The LCFS aims to achieve 10% reductions in state transport fuel carbon intensity (CI) by 2020, by setting declining annual CI targets, and rewarding fuels for incremental improvements in CI beyond the targets while penalizing those that fail to meet requirements. Even as debate continues over when new, lower carbon fuels will become widely available at commercial scale, California's transport energy mix is shifting in gradual but noticeable ways under the LCFS. We analyze the changes using available data on LCFS fuels from the California Air Resources Board and other secondary sources, beginning in 2011 (the first compliance year). We examine trends in program compliance (evaluated through carbon credits and deficits generated), and relative importance of various transport energy pathways (fuel types and feedstocks, and their CI ratings, including new pathways added since the program's start). We document a roughly 2% decline in CI for gasoline and diesel substitutes under the program, with compliance achieved through small shifts toward greater reliance on fuels with lower CI ratings within a relatively stable amount of transport energy derived from alternatives to fossil fuel gasoline and diesel. We also discuss price trends in the nascent LCFS credit market. The results are important to the broader policy debate about transportation sector response to market-based policies aimed at reducing the sector's greenhouse gas emissions.

Plasma Amino Acids Profiles in Children with Autism: Potential Risk of Nutritional Deficiencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Georgianne L.; Hyman, Susan L.; Mooney, Robert A.; Kirby, Russell S.

2003-01-01

The plasma amino acid profiles of 10 children with autism on gluten and casein restricted diets and 26 on unrestricted diets were reviewed. There was a trend for the children on restricted diets to have an increased prevalence of essential amino acid deficiencies and lower plasma levels of essential acids. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Testing for All: The Emergence and Development of International Assessment of Student Achievement, 1958-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizmony-Levy, Oren

2013-01-01

This dissertation examines a vital catalyst in the globalization of education: international assessments--that involve testing and rankings--of student achievement in academic subjects. Nearly all high-income countries participate in international assessments such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in…

NASA trend analysis procedures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

This publication is primarily intended for use by NASA personnel engaged in managing or implementing trend analysis programs. 'Trend analysis' refers to the observation of current activity in the context of the past in order to infer the expected level of future activity. NASA trend analysis was divided into 5 categories: problem, performance, supportability, programmatic, and reliability. Problem trend analysis uncovers multiple occurrences of historical hardware or software problems or failures in order to focus future corrective action. Performance trend analysis observes changing levels of real-time or historical flight vehicle performance parameters such as temperatures, pressures, and flow rates as compared to specification or 'safe' limits. Supportability trend analysis assesses the adequacy of the spaceflight logistics system; example indicators are repair-turn-around time and parts stockage levels. Programmatic trend analysis uses quantitative indicators to evaluate the 'health' of NASA programs of all types. Finally, reliability trend analysis attempts to evaluate the growth of system reliability based on a decreasing rate of occurrence of hardware problems over time. Procedures for conducting all five types of trend analysis are provided in this publication, prepared through the joint efforts of the NASA Trend Analysis Working Group.

Patterns of breast cancer mortality trends in Europe.

PubMed

Amaro, Joana; Severo, Milton; Vilela, Sofia; Fonseca, Sérgio; Fontes, Filipa; La Vecchia, Carlo; Lunet, Nuno

2013-06-01

To identify patterns of variation in breast cancer mortality in Europe (1980-2010), using a model-based approach. Mortality data were obtained from the World Health Organization database and mixed models were used to describe the time trends in the age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR). Model-based clustering was used to identify clusters of countries with homogeneous variation in ASMR. Three patterns were identified. Patterns 1 and 2 are characterized by stable or slightly increasing trends in ASMR in the first half of the period analysed, and a clear decline is observed thereafter; in pattern 1 the median of the ASMR is higher, and the highest rates were achieved sooner. Pattern 3 is characterised by a rapid increase in mortality until 1999, declining slowly thereafter. This study provides a general model for the description and interpretation of the variation in breast cancer mortality in Europe, based in three main patterns. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diffusion pore imaging with generalized temporal gradient profiles.

PubMed

Laun, Frederik B; Kuder, Tristan A

2013-09-01

In porous material research, one main interest of nuclear magnetic resonance diffusion (NMR) experiments is the determination of the shape of pores. While it has been a longstanding question if this is in principle achievable, it has been shown recently that it is indeed possible to perform NMR-based diffusion pore imaging. In this work we present a generalization of these previous results. We show that the specific temporal gradient profiles that were used so far are not unique as more general temporal diffusion gradient profiles may be used. These temporal gradient profiles may consist of any number of "short" gradient pulses, which fulfil the short-gradient approximation. Additionally, "long" gradient pulses of small amplitude may be present, which can be used to fulfil the rephasing condition for the complete profile. Some exceptions exist. For example, classical q-space gradients consisting of two short gradient pulses of opposite sign cannot be used as the phase information is lost due to the temporal antisymmetry of this profile. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Family Background and School Resources on Elementary School Students' Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nonoyama-Tarumi, Yuko; Hughes, Kathleen; Willms, J. Douglas

2015-01-01

This article compares the effects of family background and school resources on fourth-grade students' math achievement, using data from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In order to ameliorate potential floor effects, it uses relative risk and population attributable risk to examine the effects of family…

Motivational Profiles in Physical Education and Their Relation to the Theory of Planned Behavior

PubMed Central

Moreno-Murcia, Juan Antonio; Cervelló Gimeno, Eduardo; Hernández, Elisa Huéscar; Pedreño, Noelia Belan-do; Rodríguez Marín, Jesús Jesus

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to establish motivational profiles for doing physical activity according to the variables from the theory of planned action in a sample of 698 students aged 14 to 16. The instruments used were the Questionnaire of Behavioral Regulation in Sport (BRQ-R) and the Questionnaire of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TCP). Cluster analysis revealed two motivational profiles: a “self-determined ”profile with high scores in intrinsic motivation and low scores in extrinsic motivation and amotivation, and a “non self- determined ”profile with low scores in intrinsic motivation and high scores in extrinsic motivation and amotivation. Positive significant differences in attitudes, norms, and intent to control were found for the self-determined profile related to “non self-determined ”profile. Key Points A “self-determined ”profile was found with higher scores for the four types of intrinsic motivations (general, knowledge, stimulation and achievement) and identified regulation than for introjected and external regulation. A “non self-determined ”profile was found with higher scores for external, introjected regulation and amotivation than for the four types of intrinsic motivation (general, knowledge, stimulation and achievement). In the context of the “non self-determined profile ”we could encourage programs that adapt to these needs in such a way that they contribute to increasing the rates of doing physical activity in the population. PMID:24149164

Assessment of Quercus flowering trends in NW Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jato, V.; Rodríguez-Rajo, F. J.; Fernandez-González, M.; Aira, M. J.

2015-05-01

This paper sought to chart airborne Quercus pollen counts over the last 20 years in the region of Galicia (NW Spain) with a view to detecting the possible influence of climate change on the Quercus airborne pollen season (APS). Pollen data from Ourense, Santiago de Compostela, Vigo and Lugo were used. The Quercus airborne pollen season was characterized in terms of the following parameters: pollen season start and end dates, peak pollen count, pollen season length and pollen index. Several methods, dates and threshold temperatures for determining the chill and heat requirements needed to trigger flowering were applied. A diverse APS onset timing sequence was observed for the four cities as Quercus flowers few days in advance in Vigo. The variations observed could be related to differences in the meteorological conditions or the thermal requirements needed for flowering. Thermal requirements differed depending on local climate conditions in the study cities: the lowest values for chilling accumulation were recorded in Vigo and the highest in Lugo, whereas the lowest heat accumulation was achieved in Vigo. Differences in APS trends between cities may reflect variations in weather-related trends. A significant trend towards rising Quercus pollen indices and higher maximum daily mean pollen counts was observed in Ourense, linked to the more marked temperature increase across southern Galicia. A non-uniform trend towards increased temperatures was noted over the study period, particularly in late summer and early autumn in all four study cities. Additionally, an increase in spring temperatures was observed in south-western Galicia.

Analytic study of orbiter landing profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, H. J.

1981-01-01

A broad survey of possible orbiter landing configurations was made with specific goals of defining boundaries for the landing task. The results suggest that the center of the corridors between marginal and routine represents a more or less optimal preflare condition for regular operations. Various constraints used to define the boundaries are based largely on qualitative judgements from earlier flight experience with the X-15 and lifting body research aircraft. The results should serve as useful background for expanding and validating landing simulation programs. The analytic approach offers a particular advantage in identifying trends due to the systematic variation of factors such as vehicle weight, load factor, approach speed, and aim point. Limitations such as a constant load factor during the flare and using a fixed gear deployment time interval, can be removed by increasing the flexibility of the computer program. This analytic definition of landing profiles of the orbiter may suggest additional studies, includin more configurations or more comparisons of landing profiles within and beyond the corridor boundaries.

Developing a Critical View on E-Learning Trend Reports: Trend Watching or Trend Setting?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boon, Jo; Rusman, Ellen; van der Klink, Marcel; Tattersall, Colin

2005-01-01

Trend watching reports are an indispensable resource in the e-learning domain. Many HRD departments consider these reports as essential cornerstones for the development of their e-learning strategy. But what is the quality of the forecasts made in these reports? In this article, several methods of forecasting trends are discussed, resulting in a…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Washington

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Washington's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) decreased in grade 4 reading. In grade 4 math, the percentage scoring proficient on the state test decreased…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Nebraska

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Nebraska's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the percentages reaching the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased at grade 4 in both reading and math. At grade 8, however, the percentages…

The Influence of Achievement Goal Orientations and Task Concreteness on Situational Interest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tapola, Anna; Jaakkola, Tomi; Niemivirta, Markku

2014-01-01

This study investigated changes in elementary school students' (n = 140) situational interest as a function of achievement goal orientation profiles and task characteristics. The authors repeatedly measured situational interest during a simulated science learning task in 2 task conditions that differed in the concreteness of the task elements. The…

Trends in the Vertical Distribution of Ozone: A Comparison of Two Analyses of Ozonesonde Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loogan, J. A.; Megretskaia, I. A.; Miller, A. J.; Tiao, G. C.; Choi, D.; Zhang, L.; Bishop, L.; Stolarski, R.; Labow, G. J.; Hollandsworth, S. M.;

Walmart and Other Food Retail Chains: Trends and Disparities in the Nutritional Profile of Packaged Food Purchases.

PubMed

Taillie, Lindsey Smith; Ng, Shu Wen; Popkin, Barry M

2016-02-01

Proliferation of food retail chains has created an environment in which a few food retailers account for the majority of U.S. packaged food purchases (PFPs). Despite the major potential for these food retail chains (FRCs) to impact what U.S. consumers buy and eat, little is known about the nutritional profile of PFPs from these retailers, particularly PFPs from Walmart, the largest U.S. grocer. A data set of household PFPs from Nielsen Homescan was linked to data from the Nutrition Facts Panel (N=164,315), analyzed in 2014. Fixed effects models and inverse probability weights accounting for selectivity of shopping at a retailer were used to examine shifts in nutrient densities and key food groups purchased at Walmart and other FRCs from 2000 to 2013, and whether these changes differed for low-income or racial/ethnic-minority households. There were substantial declines in energy (-73 kcal/100 g); total sugar (-8 g/100 g); and sodium density (-33 mg/100 g) of Walmart PFPs, coupled with decreases in percentage volume purchased from sweets (-11%); grain-based desserts (-2%); and savory snacks (-3%) and increases in fruits (+3%) and vegetables (+1%). PFPs from other FRCs had a more favorable nutritional profile than Walmart PFPs in 2000, but demonstrated smaller shifts over time. Disparities in the nutritional profile of Walmart PFPs by race/ethnicity but not by income level shrank over time. The nutritional profile of Walmart purchases has improved over time and in 2013 was similar to PFPs from other FRCs. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring personalized searches using tag-based user profiles and resource profiles in folksonomy.

PubMed

Cai, Yi; Li, Qing; Xie, Haoran; Min, Huaqin

2014-10-01

With the increase in resource-sharing websites such as YouTube and Flickr, many shared resources have arisen on the Web. Personalized searches have become more important and challenging since users demand higher retrieval quality. To achieve this goal, personalized searches need to take users' personalized profiles and information needs into consideration. Collaborative tagging (also known as folksonomy) systems allow users to annotate resources with their own tags, which provides a simple but powerful way for organizing, retrieving and sharing different types of social resources. In this article, we examine the limitations of previous tag-based personalized searches. To handle these limitations, we propose a new method to model user profiles and resource profiles in collaborative tagging systems. We use a normalized term frequency to indicate the preference degree of a user on a tag. A novel search method using such profiles of users and resources is proposed to facilitate the desired personalization in resource searches. In our framework, instead of the keyword matching or similarity measurement used in previous works, the relevance measurement between a resource and a user query (termed the query relevance) is treated as a fuzzy satisfaction problem of a user's query requirements. We implement a prototype system called the Folksonomy-based Multimedia Retrieval System (FMRS). Experiments using the FMRS data set and the MovieLens data set show that our proposed method outperforms baseline methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Achievement of Eighth-Grade Students in Korea on the TIMSS 2011 Assessment: Effects of Confidence in Mathematics and Engagement in Mathematics Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

House, J. Daniel; Telese, James A.

2016-01-01

Research studies have identified several factors related to mathematics achievement of students in Korea. Further, results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) assessments have shown that instructional practices and beliefs about mathematics were significantly associated with mathematics achievement of students in…

Does Entry Route Really Affect Academic Outcome? Academic Achievement of Traditional versus Non Traditional Entrants to BN(Hons) Pre-Registration Nursing Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brimble, Mandy J.

2015-01-01

International trends for pre-registration nurse education at degree level alongside "widening access" initiatives mean that academic achievement of students entering via different educational routes is of interest to both higher and further education institutions. This article examines the academic achievement of students undertaking a…

How Do Students Want to Learn in Online Distance Education? Profiling Student Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koper, Rob

2015-01-01

How do (potential) students differ in their preferences for the organization of online and distance courses and programs, can these differences be grouped into preference profiles, and are there any associations between these profiles and variables, such as achievement and dropout, that are relevant for the promotion and design of online and…

Anchorage School District Profile of Performance, 1998-1999. Assessment and Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton, Ray

The "Profile of Performance" is the Anchorage School District, Alaska, report card to the School Board and community on academic achievement. Part 1 of the report provides a summary of performance across the entire district on a variety of indicators of achievement. It includes an overview of district performance and an examination of…

PROFILE: Airfoil Geometry Manipulation and Display. User's Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Leslie; Saunders, David

1997-01-01

This report provides user information for program PROFILE, an aerodynamics design utility for plotting, tabulating, and manipulating airfoil profiles. A dozen main functions are available. The theory and implementation details for two of the more complex options are also presented. These are the REFINE option, for smoothing curvature in selected regions while retaining or seeking some specified thickness ratio, and the OPTIMIZE option, which seeks a specified curvature distribution. Use of programs QPLOT and BPLOT is also described, since all of the plots provided by PROFILE (airfoil coordinates, curvature distributions, pressure distributions)) are achieved via the general-purpose QPLOT utility. BPLOT illustrates (again, via QPLOT) the shape functions used by two of PROFILE's options. These three utilities should be distributed as one package. They were designed and implemented for the Applied Aerodynamics Branch at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. They are all written in FORTRAN 77 and run on DEC and SGI systems under OpenVMS and IRIX.

Los Rios Community College District Fall 2000 Student Profile, Based upon First Census Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glyer-Culver, Betty

This is the eleventh in a series of Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD) (California) fall student profiles. These annual summaries provide the district and its colleges--American River College (ARC), Cosumnes River College (CRC), and Sacramento City College (SCC)--with data on student demographics and enrollment trends. The Fall 2000…

Students' Motivational Beliefs in Science Learning, School Motivational Contexts, and Science Achievement in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Cheng-Lung; Liou, Pey-Yan

2017-01-01

Taiwanese students are featured as having high academic achievement but low motivational beliefs according to the serial results of the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Moreover, given that the role of context has become more important in the development of academic motivation theory, this study aimed to examine the relationship…

Regression Analysis of Long-Term Profile Ozone Data Set from BUV Instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolarski, Richard S.

2005-01-01

We have produced a profile merged ozone data set (MOD) based on the SBUV/SBUV2 series of nadir-viewing satellite backscatter instruments, covering the period from November 1978 - December 2003. In 2004, data from the Nimbus 7 SBUV and NOAA 9, ll, and 16 SBUV/2 instruments were reprocessed using the Version 8 (V8) algorithm and most recent calibrations. More recently, data from the Nimbus 4 BUT instrument, which was operational from 1970 - 1977, were also reprocessed using the V8 algorithm. As part of the V8 profile calibration, the Nimbus 7 and NOAA 9 (1993-1997 only) instrument calibrations have been adjusted to match the NOAA 11 calibration, which was established based on comparisons with SSBUV shuttle flight data. Differences between NOAA 11, Nimbus 7 and NOAA 9 profile zonal means are within plus or minus 5% at all levels when averaged over the respective periods of data overlap. NOAA 16 SBUV/2 data have insufficient overlap with NOAA 11, so its calibration is based on pre-flight information. Mean differences over 4 months of overlap are within plus or minus 7%. Given the level of agreement between the data sets, we simply average the ozone values during periods of instrument overlap to produce the MOD profile data set. Initial comparisons of coincident matches of N4 BUV and Arosa Umkehr data show mean differences of 0.5 (0.5)% at 30km; 7.5 (0.5)% at 35 km; and 11 (0.7)% at 40 km, where the number in parentheses is the standard error of the mean. In this study, we use the MOD profile data set (1978-2003) to estimate the change in profile ozone due to changing stratospheric chlorine levels. We use a standard linear regression model with proxies for the seasonal cycle, solar cycle, QBO, and ozone trend. To account for the non-linearity of stratospheric chlorine levels since the late 1990s, we use a time series of Effective Chlorine, defined as the global average of Chlorine + 50 * Bromine at 1 hPa, as the trend proxy. The Effective Chlorine data are taken from

Children's Budget Watch: Investments in Our Future. A Profile of State and Federal Spending for Children in Pennsylvania, FY 1989-1990 through FY 1995-1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Harrisburg.

This report profiles trends in state and federal spending for children in Pennsylvania from fiscal year (FY) 1989-1990 through 1995-1996, and highlights budgetary trends and the impact of federal welfare reform on selected children's health, nutrition, early care and education, elementary and secondary education, income support, and child welfare…

Spatial and Temporal Inter-Relationships between Anomalies and Trends of Temperature, Moisture, Cloud Cover, and OLR as Observed by AIRS/AMSU on Aqua

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susskind, Joel

2008-01-01

AIRS/AMSU is the advanced IR/MW atmospheric sounding system launched on EOS Aqua in May 2002. Products derived from AIRS/AMSU by the AIRS Science Team include surface skin temperature and atmospheric temperature profiles; atmospheric humidity profiles, fractional cloud cover and cloud top pressure, and OLR. Products covering the period September 2002 through the present have been derived from AIRS/AMSU using the AIRS Science Team Version 5 retrieval algorithm. In this paper, we will show results covering the time period September 2006 - November 2008. This time period is marked by a substantial warming trend of Northern Hemisphere Extratropical land surface skin temperatures, as well as pronounced El Nino - La Nina episodes. These both influence the spatial and temporal anomaly patterns of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles, as well as of cloud cover and Clear sky and All Sky OLR. The relationships between temporal and spatial anomalies of these parameters over this time period, as determined from AIRS/AMSU observations, will be shown, with particular emphasis on which contribute significantly to OLR anomalies in each of the tropics and extra-tropics. Results will also be shown to validate the anomalies and trends of temperature profiles and OLR as determined from analysis of AIRS/AMSU data. Global and regional trends during the 6 1/3 year period are not necessarily indicative of what has happened in the past, or what may happen in the future. Nevertheless, the inter-relationships of spatial and temporal anomalies of atmospheric geophysical parameters with those of surface skin temperature are indicative of climate processes, and can be used to test the performance of climate models when driven by changes in surface temperatures.

Spatial and Temporal Inter-Relationship between Anomalies and Trends of Temperature, Moisture, Cloud Cover and OLR as Observed by AIRS/AMSU on Aqua

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susskind, Joel; Molnar, Gyula

2009-01-01

AIRS/AMSU is the advanced IR/MW atmospheric sounding system launched on EOS Aqua in May 2002. Products derived from AIRS/AMSU by the AIRS Science Team include surface skin temperature and atmospheric temperature profiled; atmospheric humidity profiles, fractional cloud clover and cloud top pressure, and OLR. Products covering the period September 2002 through the present have been derived from AIRS/AMSU using the AIRS Science Team Version 5 retrieval algorithm. In this paper, we will show results covering the time period September 2006 - November 2008. This time period is marked by a substantial warming trend of Northern Hemisphere Extra-tropical land surface skin temperatures, as well as pronounced El Nino - La Nina episodes. These both influence the spatial and temporal anomaly patterns of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles, as well as of cloud cover and Clear Sky and All Sky OLR. The relationships between temporal and spatial anomalies of these parameters over this time period, as determined from AIRS/AMSU observations, will be shown with particular emphasis on which contribute significantly to OLR anomalies in each of the tropics and extra-tropics. Results will also be shown to evaluate the anomalies and trends of temperature profiles and OLR as determined from analysis of AIRS/AMSU data. Global and regional trends during the 6 1/3 year time period are not necessarily indicative of what has happened in the past, or what may happen in the future. Nevertheless, the inter-relationships of spatial and temporal anomalies of atmospheric geophysical parameters with those of surface skin temperature are indicative of climate processes, and can be used to test the performance of climate models when driven by changes in surface temperatures.

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Alaska

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Alaska's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in math and grade 8 in reading. In grade 4 reading, the percentage reaching the…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Massachusetts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Massachusetts' test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 4 reading and math and grade 8 math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Utah

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Utah's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 8 reading. In grade 4 reading, the percentage scoring proficient on the state test showed a…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles California's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Montana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Montana's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 4 reading and math and grade 8 reading. In grade 8 math, however, the percentage proficient…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Colorado

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Colorado's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on NAEP than…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Wisconsin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Wisconsin's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in math at grades 4 and 8 and in reading at grade 8. In grade 4 reading, the percentage scoring…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Maryland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Maryland's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased at grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test than…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Alabama

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Alabama's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on the state…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Texas' test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in reading at grades 4 and 8 and in math at grade 8. In grade 4 math, however, the percentage scoring…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Florida

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Florida's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on the state…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Arkansas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Arkansas's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) went up in math at grades 4 and 8. In reading, the percentages scoring proficient on the state test went up at…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Pennsylvania's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 8 reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test than on NAEP in…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Ohio's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 4 reading and grade 8 math. In grade 8 reading, the percentage of students scoring proficient…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Arizona

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Arizona's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were generally larger on the state…

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. Iowa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles Iowa's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 4 reading and math and in grade 8 math. In grade 8 reading, the percentage of students reaching…

Comparison of Decadal Water Storage Trends from Global Hydrological Models and GRACE Satellite Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scanlon, B. R.; Zhang, Z. Z.; Save, H.; Sun, A. Y.; Mueller Schmied, H.; Van Beek, L. P.; Wiese, D. N.; Wada, Y.; Long, D.; Reedy, R. C.; Doll, P. M.; Longuevergne, L.

2017-12-01

mostly underestimated. Future GRACE and model studies should try to reduce the various sources of uncertainty in water storage trends and should consider expanding the modeled storage capacity of the soil profiles and their interaction with groundwater.

Activity Profiles in International Women's Team Handball Using PlayerLoad.

PubMed

Wik, Eirik H; Luteberget, Live S; Spencer, Matt

2017-08-01

Team handball matches place diverse physical demands on players, which may result in fatigue and decreased activity levels. However, previous speed-based methods of quantifying player activity may not be sensitive for capturing short-lasting team-handball-specific movements. To examine activity profiles of a women's team handball team and individual player profiles, using inertial measurement units. Match data were obtained from 1 women's national team in 9 international matches (N = 85 individual player samples), using the Catapult OptimEye S5. PlayerLoad/min was used as a measure of intensity in 5- and 10-min periods. Team profiles were presented as relative to the player's match means, and individual profiles were presented as relative to the mean of the 5-min periods with >60% field time. A high initial intensity was observed for team profiles and for players with ≥2 consecutive periods of play. Substantial declines in PlayerLoad/min were observed throughout matches for the team and for players with several consecutive periods of field time. These trends were found for all positional categories. Intensity increased substantially in the final 5 min of the first half for team profiles. Activity levels were substantially lower in the 5 min after a player's most intense period and were partly restored in the subsequent 5-min period. Possible explanations for the observed declines in activity profiles for the team and individual players include fatigue, situational factors, and pacing. However, underlying mechanisms were not accounted for, and these assumptions are therefore based on previous team-sport studies.

Modulating laser intensity profile ellipticity for microstructural control during metal additive manufacturing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roehling, Tien T.; Wu, Sheldon S. Q.; Khairallah, Saad A.

Additively manufactured (AM) metals are often highly textured, containing large columnar grains that initiate epitaxially under steep temperature gradients and rapid solidification conditions. These unique microstructures partially account for the massive property disparity existing between AM and conventionally processed alloys. Although equiaxed grains are desirable for isotropic mechanical behavior, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition remains difficult to predict for conventional solidification processes, and much more so for AM. In this study, the effects of laser intensity profile ellipticity on melt track macrostructures and microstructures were studied in 316L stainless steel. Experimental results were supported by temperature gradients and melt velocities simulated usingmore » the ALE3D multi-physics code. As a general trend, columnar grains preferentially formed with increasing laser power and scan speed for all beam profiles. However, when conduction mode laser heating occurs, scan parameters that result in coarse columnar microstructures using Gaussian profiles produce equiaxed or mixed equiaxed-columnar microstructures using elliptical profiles. Furthermore, by modulating spatial laser intensity profiles on the fly, site-specific microstructures and properties can be directly engineered into additively manufactured parts.« less

Modulating laser intensity profile ellipticity for microstructural control during metal additive manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Roehling, Tien T.; Wu, Sheldon S. Q.; Khairallah, Saad A.; ...

2017-02-12

Additively manufactured (AM) metals are often highly textured, containing large columnar grains that initiate epitaxially under steep temperature gradients and rapid solidification conditions. These unique microstructures partially account for the massive property disparity existing between AM and conventionally processed alloys. Although equiaxed grains are desirable for isotropic mechanical behavior, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition remains difficult to predict for conventional solidification processes, and much more so for AM. In this study, the effects of laser intensity profile ellipticity on melt track macrostructures and microstructures were studied in 316L stainless steel. Experimental results were supported by temperature gradients and melt velocities simulated usingmore » the ALE3D multi-physics code. As a general trend, columnar grains preferentially formed with increasing laser power and scan speed for all beam profiles. However, when conduction mode laser heating occurs, scan parameters that result in coarse columnar microstructures using Gaussian profiles produce equiaxed or mixed equiaxed-columnar microstructures using elliptical profiles. Furthermore, by modulating spatial laser intensity profiles on the fly, site-specific microstructures and properties can be directly engineered into additively manufactured parts.« less

Determination of Principal Curvatures and Contact Ellipse for Profile Crowned Helical Gears

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feng, P.-H.; Litvin, F. L.; Townsend, D. P.; Handschuh, R. F.

1999-01-01

Helical gears with localized bearing contact of tooth surfaces achieved by profile crowning of tooth surfaces are considered. Profile crowning is provided by application of two imaginary rack-cutters with mismatched surfaces. The goal is to determine the dimensions and orientation of the instantaneous contact ellipse that requires the determination of principle curvatures of pinion-gear tooth surfaces. A simplified solution to this problem is proposed based on the approach development for correlation of principal curvatures and directions of generating and generated tooth surfaces. The obtained equations are applied for profile crowning where the normal profiles of the rack-cutters are either a circular arc or a straight line.

Variability and trend in ozone over the southern tropics and subtropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toihir, Abdoulwahab Mohamed; Portafaix, Thierry; Sivakumar, Venkataraman; Bencherif, Hassan; Pazmiño, Andréa; Bègue, Nelson

2018-03-01

Long-term variability in ozone trends was assessed over eight Southern Hemisphere tropical and subtropical sites (Natal, Nairobi, Ascension Island, Java, Samoa, Fiji, Reunion and Irene), using total column ozone data (TCO) and vertical ozone profiles (altitude range 15-30 km) recorded during the period January 1998-December 2012. The TCO datasets were constructed by combination of satellite data (OMI and TOMS) and ground-based observations recorded using Dobson and SAOZ spectrometers. Vertical ozone profiles were obtained from balloon-sonde experiments which were operated within the framework of the SHADOZ network. The analysis in this study was performed using the Trend-Run model. This is a multivariate regression model based on the principle of separating the variations of ozone time series into a sum of several forcings (annual and semi-annual oscillations, QBO (Quasi-Biennial Oscillation), ENSO, 11-year solar cycle) that account for most of its variability. The trend value is calculated based on the slope of a normalized linear function which is one of the forcing parameters included in the model. Three regions were defined as follows: equatorial (0-10° S), tropical (10-20° S) and subtropical (20-30° S). Results obtained indicate that ozone variability is dominated by seasonal and quasi-biennial oscillations. The ENSO contribution is observed to be significant in the tropical lower stratosphere and especially over the Pacific sites (Samoa and Java). The annual cycle of ozone is observed to be the most dominant mode of variability for all the sites and presents a meridional signature with a maximum over the subtropics, while semi-annual and quasi-biannual ozone modes are more apparent over the equatorial region, and their magnitude decreases southward. The ozone variation mode linked to the QBO signal is observed between altitudes of 20 and 28 km. Over the equatorial zone there is a strong signal at ˜ 26 km, where 58 % ±2 % of total ozone variability is

The effects of New York's bypass surgery provider profiling on access to care and patient outcomes in the elderly.

PubMed

Peterson, E D; DeLong, E R; Jollis, J G; Muhlbaier, L H; Mark, D B

1998-10-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of provider profiling on bypass surgery access and outcomes in elderly patients in New York. Since 1989, New York (NY) has compiled provider-specific bypass surgery mortality reports. While some have proposed that "provider profiling" has led to lower surgical mortality rates, critics have suggested that such programs lower in-state procedural access (increasing out-of-state transfers) without improving patient outcomes. Using national Medicare data, we examined trends in the percentages of NY residents aged 65 years or older receiving out-of-state bypass surgery between 1987 and 1992 (before and after program initiation). We also examined in-state procedure use among elderly myocardial infarction patients during this period. Finally, we compared trends in surgical outcomes in NY Medicare patients with those for the rest of the nation. Between 1987 and 1992, the percentage of NY residents receiving bypass out-of-state actually declined (from 12.5% to 11.3%, p < 0.01 for trend). An elderly patient's likelihood for bypass following myocardial infarction in NY increased significantly since the program's initiation. Between 1987 and 1992, unadjusted 30-day mortality rates following bypass declined by 33% in NY Medicare patients compared with a 19% decline nationwide (p < 0.001). As a result of this improvement, NY had the lowest risk-adjusted bypass mortality rate of any state in 1992. We found no evidence that NY's provider profiling limited procedure access in NY's elderly or increased out-of-state transfers. Despite an increasing preoperative risk profile, procedural outcomes in NY improved significantly faster than the national average.

[Effect of irregular bedrock topography on the soil profile pattern of water content in a Karst hillslope.

PubMed

Jia, Jin Tian; Fu, Zhi Yong; Chen, Hong Song; Wang, Ke Lin; Zhou, Wei Jun

2016-06-01

Based on three manually excavated trenches (projection length of 21 m, width of 1 m) along a typical Karst hillslope, the changing trends for soil-bedrock structure, average water content of soil profile and soil-bedrock interface water content along each individual trench were studied. The effect of irregular bedrock topography on soil moisture distribution was discussed. The results showed that the surface topography was inconsistent with the bedrock topography in the Karst hill-slopes. The bedrock topography was highly irregular with a maximum variation coefficient of 82%. The distribution pattern of soil profile of moisture was significantly affected by the underlying undulant bedrock. The soil water content was related to slope position when the fluctuation was gentle, and displayed a linear increase from upslope to downslope. When the bedrock fluctuation increased, the downslope linear increasing trend for soil water content became unapparent, and the spatial continuity of soil moisture was weakened. The soil moisture was converged in rock dents and cracks. The average water content of soil profile was significantly positively correlated with the soil-bedrock interface water content, while the latter responded more sensitively to the bedrock fluctuation.

A framework for profiling the characteristics of risk governance in natural hazard contexts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, G.; Tweed, F.; Whittle, R.

2014-01-01

Over recent decades there have been moves away from traditional forms of government towards broader practices of "governance". These moves are as relevant to the handling of natural hazards as they are to other societal concerns. Key characteristics of such changes include the emergence of multi-level governance processes, shifts away from the exercise of centralised authority towards the involvement and collaboration of a multiplicity of actors, the creation of new forms of authority and control, and changing distributions of responsibilities between the state and other actors. However, the extent to which these shifts have taken place across the varied national contexts in Europe and can be observed specifically in relation to the governance of natural hazards is not at all clear. Such developments may also be evaluated in different ways; where some might see progressive reforms, others might see damaging undermining of established arrangements. In this paper, we propose a risk governance profiling framework that can be used to draw out the key characteristics of the ways in which natural hazards are governed in a particular governance setting. The framework can be flexibly applied in relation to a specific hazard and national, regional or local context, and enables qualitative profiling across a spectrum of eight key governance characteristics. Past trends and likely future changes can also be represented. We discuss the formulation of this framework as well as giving examples of profiles for different hazards in different parts of Europe. We suggest ways in which comparisons can be made between governance profiles, providing a stimulus and focus for debate and discussion around the trends of change in governance practice that have been, and are continuing, to take place.

Trends in Cochlear Implants

PubMed Central

Zeng, Fan-Gang

2004-01-01

More than 60,000 people worldwide use cochlear implants as a means to restore functional hearing. Although individual performance variability is still high, an average implant user can talk on the phone in a quiet environment. Cochlear-implant research has also matured as a field, as evidenced by the exponential growth in both the patient population and scientific publication. The present report examines current issues related to audiologic, clinical, engineering, anatomic, and physiologic aspects of cochlear implants, focusing on their psychophysical, speech, music, and cognitive performance. This report also forecasts clinical and research trends related to presurgical evaluation, fitting protocols, signal processing, and postsurgical rehabilitation in cochlear implants. Finally, a future landscape in amplification is presented that requires a unique, yet complementary, contribution from hearing aids, middle ear implants, and cochlear implants to achieve a total solution to the entire spectrum of hearing loss treatment and management. PMID:15247993

Trends in cochlear implants.

PubMed

Zeng, Fan-Gang

2004-01-01

More than 60,000 people worldwide use cochlear implants as a means to restore functional hearing. Although individual performance variability is still high, an average implant user can talk on the phone in a quiet environment. Cochlear-implant research has also matured as a field, as evidenced by the exponential growth in both the patient population and scientific publication. The present report examines current issues related to audiologic, clinical, engineering, anatomic, and physiologic aspects of cochlear implants, focusing on their psychophysical, speech, music, and cognitive performance. This report also forecasts clinical and research trends related to presurgical evaluation, fitting protocols, signal processing, and postsurgical rehabilitation in cochlear implants. Finally, a future landscape in amplification is presented that requires a unique, yet complementary, contribution from hearing aids, middle ear implants, and cochlear implants to achieve a total solution to the entire spectrum of hearing loss treatment and management.

Statistical power for detecting trends with applications to seabird monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatch, Shyla A.

2003-01-01

Power analysis is helpful in defining goals for ecological monitoring and evaluating the performance of ongoing efforts. I examined detection standards proposed for population monitoring of seabirds using two programs (MONITOR and TRENDS) specially designed for power analysis of trend data. Neither program models within- and among-years components of variance explicitly and independently, thus an error term that incorporates both components is an essential input. Residual variation in seabird counts consisted of day-to-day variation within years and unexplained variation among years in approximately equal parts. The appropriate measure of error for power analysis is the standard error of estimation (S.E.est) from a regression of annual means against year. Replicate counts within years are helpful in minimizing S.E.est but should not be treated as independent samples for estimating power to detect trends. Other issues include a choice of assumptions about variance structure and selection of an exponential or linear model of population change. Seabird count data are characterized by strong correlations between S.D. and mean, thus a constant CV model is appropriate for power calculations. Time series were fit about equally well with exponential or linear models, but log transformation ensures equal variances over time, a basic assumption of regression analysis. Using sample data from seabird monitoring in Alaska, I computed the number of years required (with annual censusing) to detect trends of -1.4% per year (50% decline in 50 years) and -2.7% per year (50% decline in 25 years). At ??=0.05 and a desired power of 0.9, estimated study intervals ranged from 11 to 69 years depending on species, trend, software, and study design. Power to detect a negative trend of 6.7% per year (50% decline in 10 years) is suggested as an alternative standard for seabird monitoring that achieves a reasonable match between statistical and biological significance.

Optimization of the cooling profile to achieve crack-free Yb:S-FAP crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, H. S.; Qiu, S. R.; Zheng, L. L.; Schaffers, K. I.; Tassano, J. B.; Caird, J. A.; Zhang, H.

2008-08-01

Yb:S-FAP [Yb 3+:Sr 5(PO 4) 3F] crystals are an important gain medium for diode-pumped laser applications. Growth of 7.0 cm diameter Yb:S-FAP crystals utilizing the Czochralski (CZ) method from SrF 2-rich melts often encounters cracks during the post-growth cool-down stage. To suppress cracking during cool-down, a numerical simulation of the growth system was used to understand the correlation between the furnace power during cool-down and the radial temperature differences within the crystal. The critical radial temperature difference, above which the crystal cracks, has been determined by benchmarking the simulation results against experimental observations. Based on this comparison, an optimal three-stage ramp-down profile was implemented, which produced high-quality, crack-free Yb:S-FAP crystals.

An alarming trend: Change in the risk profile of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction over the last two decades.

PubMed

Mentias, Amgad; Hill, Elizabeth; Barakat, Amr F; Raza, Mohammad Q; Youssef, Dalia; Banerjee, Kinjal; Sawant, Abhishek C; Ellis, Stephen; Murat Tuzcu, E; Kapadia, Samir R

2017-12-01

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of mortality around the world. We sought to study changes in the risk profile of patients presenting with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We retrospectively studied all patients presenting with STEMI to our center between 1995 and 2014. Patients were divided into four quartiles, 5years each. Baseline risk factors and comorbidities were recorded. Sub-analysis was done for patients with established CAD and their household incomes. A total of 3913 patients (67.9% males) were included; 42.5% presented with anterior STEMI and 57.5% inferior STEMI. Ages were 64±12, 62±13, 61±13 and 60±13 in the four quartiles respectively. Obesity prevalence was 31, 37, 38 and 40% and diabetes mellitus prevalence was 24, 25, 24 and 31%, while hypertension was 55, 67, 70 and 77%, respectively, p<0.01 for all. Smoking prevalence was 28, 32, 42 and 46, p<0.01. When subgroup analysis was done for patients with history of CAD, prevalence of smoking, obesity, diabetes and hypertension significantly increased across the four quartiles. When patients were divided to four groups based on household income (poor, low middle, middle and high income), prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, smoking and obesity were significantly higher in patients with low income. Despite better understanding of cardiovascular risk factors and more focus on preventive cardiology, patients presenting with STEMI over the past 20years are getting younger and more obese, with more prevalence of smoking, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. This trend is greater in the lower income population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of VLT/X-shooter OH and O2 rotational temperatures with consideration of TIMED/SABER emission and temperature profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noll, S.; Kausch, W.; Kimeswenger, S.; Unterguggenberger, S.; Jones, A. M.

2015-11-01

Rotational temperatures Trot derived from lines of the same OH band are an important method to study the dynamics and long-term trends in the mesopause region near 87 km. To measure realistic temperatures, a corresponding Boltzmann distribution of the rotational level populations has to be achieved. However, this might not be fulfilled, especially at high emission altitudes. In order to quantify possible non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) contributions to the OH Trot as a function of the upper vibrational level v', we studied a sample of 343 echelle spectra taken with the X-shooter spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope at Cerro Paranal in Chile. These data allowed us to analyse 25 OH bands in each spectrum. Moreover, we could measure lines of O2b(0-1), which peaks at about 94 to 95 km, and O2a(0-0) with an emission peak at about 90 km. The latter altitude is reached in the second half of the night after a rise of several km because of the decay of a daytime population of excited O2. Since the radiative lifetimes for the upper levels of the two O2 bands are relatively long, the derived Trot are not significantly affected by non-LTE contributions. These bands are well suited for a comparison with OH if the differences in the emission profiles are corrected. For different sample averages, we made these corrections by using OH emission, O2a(0-0) emission, and CO2-based temperature profile data from the multi-channel radiometer SABER on the TIMED satellite. The procedure relies on differences of profile-weighted SABER temperatures. For an O2a(0-0)-based reference profile at 90 km, we found a good agreement of the O2 with the SABER-related temperatures, whereas the OH temperatures, especially for the high and even v', showed significant excesses with a maximum of more than 10 K for v' = 8. The exact value depends on the selected lines and molecular parameters. We could also find a nocturnal trend towards higher non-LTE effects, particularly for high v'. The

Motivational and emotional profiles in university undergraduates: a self-determination theory perspective.

PubMed

González, Antonio; Paoloni, Verónica; Donolo, Danilo; Rinaudo, Cristina

2012-11-01

Previous research has focused on specific forms of self-determined motivation or discrete class-related emotions, but few studies have simultaneously examined both constructs. The aim of this study on 472 undergraduates was twofold: to perform cluster analysis to identify homogeneous groups of motivation in the sample; and to determine the profile of each cluster for emotions and academic achievement. Cluster analysis configured four groups in terms of motivation: controlled, autonomous, both high, and both low. Each cluster revealed a distinct emotional profile, autonomous motivation being the most adaptable with high scores for academic achievement and pleasant emotions and low values for unpleasant emotions. The results are discussed in the light of their implications for academic adjustment.

Reflecting on Social Emotional Learning: A Critical Perspective on Trends in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Diane M.

2009-01-01

This critical cultural analysis of trends in the field of social emotional learning (SEL) in the United States considers how ideas concerning emotional skills and competencies have informed programmatic discourse. While currently stressing links between SEL and academic achievement, program literature also places emphasis on ideals of caring,…

Regional Kendall test for trend

USGS Publications Warehouse

Helsel, D.R.; Frans, L.M.

2006-01-01

Trends in environmental variables are often investigated within a study region at more than one site. At each site, a trend analysis determines whether a trend has occurred. Yet often also of interest is whether a consistent trend is evident throughout the entire region. This paper adapts the Seasonal Kendall trend test to determine whether a consistent regional trend occurs in environmental variables.

Parents Ask about School Profiles = Los padres preguntan acerca del perfil escolar.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

RMC Research Corp., Portsmouth, NH.

This guide, which includes both English and Spanish versions, explains that a school profile is like a report card for a school. It tells how students are achieving and what the school is doing to help all students achieve. Each school that receives money under Title I of the Improving America's Schools Act, the Federal aid program that provides…

Evolutionary profiles from the QR factorization of multiple sequence alignments

PubMed Central

Sethi, Anurag; O'Donoghue, Patrick; Luthey-Schulten, Zaida

2005-01-01

We present an algorithm to generate complete evolutionary profiles that represent the topology of the molecular phylogenetic tree of the homologous group. The method, based on the multidimensional QR factorization of numerically encoded multiple sequence alignments, removes redundancy from the alignments and orders the protein sequences by increasing linear dependence, resulting in the identification of a minimal basis set of sequences that spans the evolutionary space of the homologous group of proteins. We observe a general trend that these smaller, more evolutionarily balanced profiles have comparable and, in many cases, better performance in database searches than conventional profiles containing hundreds of sequences, constructed in an iterative and computationally intensive procedure. For more diverse families or superfamilies, with sequence identity <30%, structural alignments, based purely on the geometry of the protein structures, provide better alignments than pure sequence-based methods. Merging the structure and sequence information allows the construction of accurate profiles for distantly related groups. These structure-based profiles outperformed other sequence-based methods for finding distant homologs and were used to identify a putative class II cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CysRS) in several archaea that eluded previous annotation studies. Phylogenetic analysis showed the putative class II CysRSs to be a monophyletic group and homology modeling revealed a constellation of active site residues similar to that in the known class I CysRS. PMID:15741270

Current status and future trends in turbine application of thermal barrier coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheffler, Keith D.; Gupta, Dinesh K.

1988-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the current status and future trends in application of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) to turbine components, and in particular to high turbine airfoils. Included are descriptions of the favorable results achieved to date with bill-of-material applications of plasma deposited TBC, and recent experience with developmental coatings applied by electron beam-physical vapor deposition.

Economies of scale and trends in the size of southern forest industries

Treesearch

James E. Granskog

1978-01-01

In each of the major southern forest industries, the trend has been toward achieving economies of scale, that is, to build larger production units to reduce unit costs. Current minimum efficient plant size estimated by survivor analysis is 1,000 tons per day capacity for sulfate pulping, 100 million square feet (3/8- inch basis) annual capacity for softwood plywood,...

The Contribution of TIMSS to the Link between School and Classroom Factors and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drent, Marjolein; Meelissen, Martina R. M.; van der Kleij, Fabienne M.

2013-01-01

Worldwide, the interest of policy-makers in participating in studies from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) has been growing rapidly over the past two decades. These studies offer the opportunity to relate the teaching and…

An enhanced trend surface analysis equation for regional-residual separation of gravity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obasi, A. I.; Onwuemesi, A. G.; Romanus, O. M.

2016-12-01

Trend surface analysis is a geological term for a mathematical technique which separates a given map set into a regional component and a local component. This work has extended the steps for the derivation of the constants in the trend surface analysis equation from the popularly known matrix and simultaneous form to a more simplified and easily achievable format. To achieve this, matrix inversion was applied to the existing equations and the outcome was tested for suitability using a large volume of gravity data set acquired from the Anambra Basin, south-eastern Nigeria. Tabulation of the field data set was done using the Microsoft Excel spread sheet, while gravity maps were generated from the data set using Oasis Montaj software. A comparison of the residual gravity map produced using the new equations with its software derived counterpart has shown that the former has a higher enhancing capacity than the latter. This equation has shown strong suitability for application in the separation of gravity data sets into their regional and residual components.

Trends in dental and allied dental education.

PubMed

Neumann, Laura M

2004-09-01

Educational programs play an important role in preparing a qualified dental work force. This article reviews the current status and trends in dental, advanced dental and allied dental education programs in the United States and examines their impact on the dental work force. This analysis focuses on survey data collected by the American Dental Association during the past 10 to 15 years and compares recent patterns in applications, enrollment and graduation with previous trends. The numbers of educational programs, applicants, enrollees and graduates have increased in dentistry, dental hygiene and dental assisting, while dental laboratory technology has declined in all measures. The proportion of women in dentistry has increased, while the ethnic profile of dental and allied personnel has shown little change. Both the cost of dental education and student debt continue to increase. Despite increases in the number of educational programs and overall numbers of graduates from dental and allied dental education programs, the proportion of underrepresented groups still lags behind their representation in the overall population, and the number of allied personnel falls short of practice needs. Patterns in applications, enrollment and graduation are important determinants of the dental and allied dental work force. The cost and funding of education significantly affect the attractiveness of dental careers and the sustainability of educational programs and should be monitored carefully by the profession.

Population trends from the North American Breeding Bird Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterjohn, B.G.; Sauer, J.R.; Robbins, C.S.; Martin, Thomas E.; Finch, Deborah M.

1995-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Most Neotropical migrant birds are difficult to count accurately and are moderately common over large breeding distributions. Consequently, little historical information exists on their large-scale population changes, and most of this information is anecdotal. Surveys begun in this century such as Breeding Bird Censuses and Christmas Bird Counts have the potential to provide this information, but only the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) achieves the extensive continental coverage necessary to document population changes for most Neotropical migrant birds. Conservationists and ecologists have begun to use BBS data to estimate population trends, but there is still widespread confusion over exactly what these data show regarding population changes. In this chapter, we review the current state of knowledge regarding population changes in Neotropical migrant birds and the methods used to analyze these changes. The primary emphasis is on the BBS (Robbins et al. 1986) because this survey provides the best available data for estimating trends of Neotropical migrants on a continental scale. To address questions about methods of analyzing survey data, we review and compare some alternative methods of analyzing BBS data. We also discuss the effectiveness of the BBS in sampling Neotropical migrant species, and review possibilities for use of alternative data sets to verify trends from the BBS.

Lifetime Stable isotopes profiles in whale earplug: assessment of foraging and migrations in the Northern Hemisphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansouri, F.; Crain, D.; Winfield, Z.; Trumble, S.; Usenko, S.

2017-12-01

Whale earplugs, historically used for aging, were used to reconstruct lifetime stable isotope profiles for carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) for individual whales by delaminating lamina within the earplug. These stable isotope profile, which provide Continuous lifetime records of feeding, foraging ecology, and migration, were determined for 20 individuals from 4 baleen species including fin, minke, humpback, and blue whales spanning more than a century (1869 - 2014) using stable isotope analysis. Approximately 1 mg tissue from each lamina (n=1200) was analyzed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope using continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer (CF-IRMS). This research using whale earplugs have combined age estimates with stable isotope measurements to reconstruct lifetime foraging profiles with a 6-month resolution, providing an unprecedented opportunity to assess periods and trends in dietary fluctuations as well as migration between different foraging area which have distinct isotope values. Trends with these profiles suggest long-term changing in migration, while annual variability highlights seasonal fasting and feeding. Isotopic ratios were also used to identify subpopulations of Atlantic fin whales, which enabled us to assign unidentified humpback and minke whales to the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans. This historical archive of data provides us an unprecedented tool to assess long term marine ecosystem and subsequently marine organism transition to alternate foraging area and shed light on the whale's population status in the Northern hemisphere.

Closing the Achievement Gap for Economically Disadvantaged Students? Analyzing Change since No Child Left Behind Using State Assessments and the National Assessment of Educational Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blank, Rolf K.

2011-01-01

A critical state-level indicator of progress in public education is student achievement annual performance and change over time. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has been very active in tracking and reporting on student achievement results and using state assessment scores and other data to analyze achievement trends. A central…

Spatial Visualization as Mediating between Mathematics Learning Strategy and Mathematics Achievement among 8th Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rabab'h, Belal; Veloo, Arsaythamby

2015-01-01

Jordanian 8th grade students revealed low achievement in mathematics through four periods (1999, 2003, 2007 & 2011) of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). This study aimed to determine whether spatial visualization mediates the affect of Mathematics Learning Strategies (MLS) factors namely mathematics attitude,…

Facial profile parameters and their relative influence on bilabial prominence and the perceptions of facial profile attractiveness: A novel approach

PubMed Central

Denize, Erin Stewart; McDonald, Fraser; Sherriff, Martyn

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate the relative importance of bilabial prominence in relation to other facial profile parameters in a normal population. Methods Profile stimulus images of 38 individuals (28 female and 10 male; ages 19-25 years) were shown to an unrelated group of first-year students (n = 42; ages 18-24 years). The images were individually viewed on a 17-inch monitor. The observers received standardized instructions before viewing. A six-question questionnaire was completed using a Likert-type scale. The responses were analyzed by ordered logistic regression to identify associations between profile characteristics and observer preferences. The Bayesian Information Criterion was used to select variables that explained observer preferences most accurately. Results Nasal, bilabial, and chin prominences; the nasofrontal angle; and lip curls had the greatest effect on overall profile attractiveness perceptions. The lip-chin-throat angle and upper lip curl had the greatest effect on forehead prominence perceptions. The bilabial prominence, nasolabial angle (particularly the lower component), and mentolabial angle had the greatest effect on nasal prominence perceptions. The bilabial prominence, nasolabial angle, chin prominence, and submental length had the greatest effect on lip prominence perceptions. The bilabial prominence, nasolabial angle, mentolabial angle, and submental length had the greatest effect on chin prominence perceptions. Conclusions More prominent lips, within normal limits, may be considered more attractive in the profile view. Profile parameters have a greater influence on their neighboring aesthetic units but indirectly influence related profile parameters, endorsing the importance of achieving an aesthetic balance between relative prominences of all aesthetic units of the facial profile. PMID:25133133

The Wire Flyer Towed Profiling System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roman, C.; Ullman, D. S.; Hebert, D.

2016-02-01

The Wire Flyer is an autonomous profiling vehicle that slides up and down a standard towed cable in a controlled manner using the lift created by wing foils. The vehicle is able to create high resolution water-column sections within a specified depth band in an automated manner. The Wire Flyer is different than standard undulating tow bodies in that it decouples the vehicle's motion from the tow cable dynamics. Due to this separation the vehicle is able to profile with nearly 1:1 horizontal to vertical motion. A heavy depressor weight is fixed to the end of the cable and the cable shape remains relatively static during operation. The vehicle uses a closed loop wing angle controller to achieve desired vertical velocities between 0 and 2.5 m/s for ship speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 m/s. During typical operations, updated commands and condensed data samples can be sent to and from the vehicle via an acoustic modem to adjust the profiling pattern to ensure the desired coverage. The current 1000 meter rated vehicle is equipped with a SBE 49 FastCAT CTD, and can carry additional sensors for oxygen, Chlorophyll fluorescence and acoustic echosounding. Results showing the vehicle performance as well as the quality of the processed CTD data will be presented from three test cruises to the New England Shelf Break Front. Many shallow and deep sections were obtained with horizontal resolution that is not otherwise achievable with undulating tow bodies, underway CTDs, standard CTD tow-yos, gliders or free swimming AUVs. A typical survey at ship speeds of 3-4 knots can profile over a depth band between 200 and 600 meters depth with a repeat cycle length of less than 1 km. The vehicle concept is depth independent and could work with a full ocean depth design. Application areas for the system include sub-meso scale observations of fronts, vent and seep plumes, oxygen minimum layers, mixing and mid-water bioacoustics.

Is psychological membership in the classroom a function of standing out while fitting in? Implications for achievement motivation and emotions.

PubMed

Gray, DeLeon L

2017-04-01

Education researchers have consistently linked students' perceptions of "fitting in" at school with patterns of motivation and positive emotions. This study proposes that "standing out" is also helpful for producing these outcomes, and that standing out works in concert with perceptions of fitting in. In a sample of 702 high school students nested within 33 classrooms, principal components analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were each conducted on half of the sample. Results support the proposed structure of measures of standing out and fitting in. Multilevel latent profile analysis was then used to classify students into four profiles of standing out while fitting in (SOFI): Unfulfilled, Somewhat Fulfilled, Nearly Fulfilled, and Fulfilled. A multinomial logistic regression revealed that students of color and those on who paid free/reduced prices lunch were overrepresented in the Unfulfilled and Somewhat Fulfilled profiles. A multilevel path analysis was then performed to assess the direct and indirect associations of profile membership with measures of task value and achievement emotions. Relative to the other profiles, students in the Fulfilled SOFI Profile express greater psychological membership in their classrooms and, in turn, express higher valuing of academic material (i.e., intrinsic value, utility value, and attainment value) and more positive achievement emotions (i.e., more enjoyment and pride; less boredom, hopelessness, and shame). This investigation provides critical insights on the potential benefits of structuring academic learning environments to foster feelings of distinctiveness among adolescents; and has implications for cultivating identities and achievement motivation in academic settings. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimization of the cooling profile to achieve crack-free Yb:S-FAP crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fang, H; Qiu, S; Kheng, L

Yb:S-FAP [Yb{sup 3+}:Sr{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F] crystals are an important gain medium for diode-pumped laser applications. Growth of 7.0 cm diameter Yb:S-FAP crystals utilizing the Czochralski (CZ) method from SrF{sub 2}-rich melts often encounter cracks during the post growth cool down stage. To suppress cracking during cool down, a numerical simulation of the growth system was used to understand the correlation between the furnace power during cool down and the radial temperature differences within the crystal. The critical radial temperature difference, above which the crystal cracks, has been determined by benchmarking the simulation results against experimental observations. Based on thismore » comparison, an optimal three-stage ramp-down profile was implemented and produced high quality, crack-free Yb:S-FAP crystals.« less

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. New Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles New Mexico's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentages of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grade 4 math and grade 8 reading and math. In grade 4 reading, the percentage basic on NAEP …

State Test Score Trends through 2008-09, Part 1: Rising Scores on State Tests and NAEP. North Dakota

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on Education Policy, 2010

2010-01-01

This paper profiles North Dakota's test score trends through 2008-09. Between 2005 and 2009, the percentage of students reaching the proficient level on the state test and the basic level on NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) increased in grades 4 and 8 in both reading and math. Average annual gains were larger on the state test…

Data Transfer Advisor with Transport Profiling Optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, Nageswara S.; Liu, Qiang; Yun, Daqing

The network infrastructures have been rapidly upgraded in many high-performance networks (HPNs). However, such infrastructure investment has not led to corresponding performance improvement in big data transfer, especially at the application layer, largely due to the complexity of optimizing transport control on end hosts. We design and implement ProbData, a PRofiling Optimization Based DAta Transfer Advisor, to help users determine the most effective data transfer method with the most appropriate control parameter values to achieve the best data transfer performance. ProbData employs a profiling optimization based approach to exploit the optimal operational zone of various data transfer methods in supportmore » of big data transfer in extreme scale scientific applications. We present a theoretical framework of the optimized profiling approach employed in ProbData as wellas its detailed design and implementation. The advising procedure and performance benefits of ProbData are illustrated and evaluated by proof-of-concept experiments in real-life networks.« less

Can A Food Retailer-Based Healthier Foods Initiative Improve The Nutrient Profile Of US Packaged Food Purchases? A Case Study Of Walmart, 2000-2013

PubMed Central

Smith, Lindsey; Ng, Shu Wen; Popkin, Barry M.

2015-01-01

Healthier foods initiatives (HFIs) by national food retailers offer an opportunity to improve the nutritional profile of packaged food purchases (PFPS). Using a longitudinal dataset of US household PFPs, with methods to account for selectivity of shopping at a specific retailer, we modeled the effect of Walmart’s HFI using counterfactual simulations to examine observed vs. expected changes in the nutritional profile of Walmart PFPs. From 2000 to 2013, Walmart PFPs showed major declines in energy, sodium, and sugar density, as well as declines in sugary beverages, grain-based desserts, snacks, and candy, beyond trends at similar retailers. However, post-HFI declines were similar to what we expected based on pre-HFI trends, suggesting that these changes were not attributable to Walmart’s HFI. These results suggest that food retailer-based HFIs may not be sufficient to improve the nutritional profile of food purchases. PMID:26526244

Student profiling on university co-curricular activities using cluster analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajenthran, Hemabegai A./P.; Shaharanee, Izwan Nizal Mohd; Jamil, Jastini Mohd.

2017-11-01

In higher learning institutions, the co-curricular programs are needed for the graduation besides the standard academic programs. By actively participating in co-curricular, students can attain many of soft skills and proficiencies besides learning and adopting campus environment, community and traditions. Co-curricular activities are implemented by universities mainly for the refinement of the academic achievement along with the social development. This studies aimed to analyse the academic profile of the co-curricular students among uniform units. The main objective of study is to develop a profile of student co-curricular activities in uniform units. Additionally, several variables has been selected to serve as the characteristics for student co-curricular profile. The findings of this study demonstrate the practicality of clustering technique to investigate student's profiles and allow for a better understanding of student's behavior and co-curriculum activities.

Can we achieve Millennium Development Goal 4? New analysis of country trends and forecasts of under-5 mortality to 2015.

PubMed

Murray, Christopher J L; Laakso, Thomas; Shibuya, Kenji; Hill, Kenneth; Lopez, Alan D

2007-09-22

Global efforts have increased the accuracy and timeliness of estimates of under-5 mortality; however, these estimates fail to use all data available, do not use transparent and reproducible methods, do not distinguish predictions from measurements, and provide no indication of uncertainty around point estimates. We aimed to develop new reproducible methods and reanalyse existing data to elucidate detailed time trends. We merged available databases, added to them when possible, and then applied Loess regression to estimate past trends and forecast to 2015 for 172 countries. We developed uncertainty estimates based on different model specifications and estimated levels and trends in neonatal, post-neonatal, and childhood mortality. Global under-5 mortality has fallen from 110 (109-110) per 1000 in 1980 to 72 (70-74) per 1000 in 2005. Child deaths worldwide have decreased from 13.5 (13.4-13.6) million in 1980 to an estimated 9.7 (9.5-10.0) million in 2005. Global under-5 mortality is expected to decline by 27% from 1990 to 2015, substantially less than the target of Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4) of a 67% decrease. Several regions in Latin America, north Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and southeast Asia have had consistent annual rates of decline in excess of 4% over 35 years. Global progress on MDG4 is dominated by slow reductions in sub-Saharan Africa, which also has the slowest rates of decline in fertility. Globally, we are not doing a better job of reducing child mortality now than we were three decades ago. Further improvements in the quality and timeliness of child-mortality measurements should be possible by more fully using existing datasets and applying standard analytical strategies.

Oral cancer: enduring characteristics and emerging trends.

PubMed

Rosebush, Molly S; Rao, Shailaja Kishan; Samant, Sandeep; Gu, Weikuan; Handorf, Charles R; Pfeffer, Lawrence M; Nosrat, Christopher A

2011-01-01

Oral cancer is arguably the most serious condition that dental providers may encounter in their practice. The relatively poor prognosis associated with oral cancer highlights the importance of the dental team's awareness of the disease. While many characteristics of oral cancer have endured over time, new research is revealing trends that are changing the way we approach its screening, diagnosis and treatment. In this report, we provide a translational overview of oral cancer, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, clinical management, as well as our recent findings on the role of chronic inflammation in the development of the disease. In addition, our recent genetic profiling approach in both cancer cell lines and in patients has identified potential biomarkers, molecular pathways and therapeutic drugs (Velcade and Aspirin) for oral squamous cell carcinomas. This comprehensive review should be of interest to all dental professionals.

Critical Analysis of Different Methods to Retrieve Atmosphere Humidity Profiles from GNSS Radio Occultation Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vespe, Francesco; Benedetto, Catia

2013-04-01

The huge amount of GPS Radio Occultation (RO) observations currently available thanks to space mission like COSMIC, CHAMP, GRACE, TERRASAR-X etc., have greatly encouraged the research of new algorithms suitable to extract humidity, temperature and pressure profiles of the atmosphere in a more and more precise way. For what concern the humidity profiles in these last years two different approaches have been widely proved and applied: the "Simple" and the 1DVAR methods. The Simple methods essentially determine dry refractivity profiles from temperature analysis profiles and hydrostatic equation. Then the dry refractivity is subtracted from RO refractivity to achieve the wet component. Finally from the wet refractivity is achieved humidity. The 1DVAR approach combines RO observations with profiles given by the background models with both the terms weighted with the inverse of covariance matrix. The advantage of "Simple" methods is that they are not affected by bias due to the background models. We have proposed in the past the BPV approach to retrieve humidity. Our approach can be classified among the "Simple" methods. The BPV approach works with dry atmospheric CIRA-Q models which depend on latitude, DoY and height. The dry CIRA-Q refractivity profile is selected estimating the involved parameters in a non linear least square fashion achieved by fitting RO observed bending angles through the stratosphere. The BPV as well as all the other "Simple" methods, has as drawback the unphysical occurrence of negative "humidity". Thus we propose to apply a modulated weighting of the fit residuals just to minimize the effects of this inconvenient. After a proper tuning of the approach, we plan to present the results of the validation.

Apparent Trend of the Iron Abundance in NGC 3201: The Same Outcome with Different Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kravtsov, Valery V.

2017-08-01

We further study the unusual trend we found at statistically significant levels in some globular clusters, including NGC 3201: a decreasing iron abundance in red giants toward the cluster centers. We first show that recently published new estimates of iron abundance in the cluster reproduce this trend, in spite of the authors’ statement about no metallicity spread due to a low scatter achieved in the [Fe II/H] ratio. The mean of [Fe II/H] within R˜ 2\\prime from the cluster center is lower, by Δ[Fe II/H] = 0.05 ± 0.02 dex, than in the outer region, in agreement with our original estimate for a much larger sample size within R≈ 9\\prime . We found that an older data set traces the trend to a much larger radial distance, comparable with the cluster tidal radius, at Δ[Fe/H] ˜ 0.2 dex, due to higher metallicity of distant stars. We conclude the trend is reproduced by independent data sets and find that it is accompanied by both a notable same-sign trend of oxygen abundance that can vary by up to Δ[O/Fe] ˜ 0.3 dex within R≈ 9\\prime and an opposite-sign trend of sodium abundance.

Intelligence and Academic Achievement With Asymptomatic Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection.

PubMed

Lopez, Adriana S; Lanzieri, Tatiana M; Claussen, Angelika H; Vinson, Sherry S; Turcich, Marie R; Iovino, Isabella R; Voigt, Robert G; Caviness, A Chantal; Miller, Jerry A; Williamson, W Daniel; Hales, Craig M; Bialek, Stephanie R; Demmler-Harrison, Gail

2017-11-01

To examine intelligence, language, and academic achievement through 18 years of age among children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection identified through hospital-based newborn screening who were asymptomatic at birth compared with uninfected infants. We used growth curve modeling to analyze trends in IQ (full-scale, verbal, and nonverbal intelligence), receptive and expressive vocabulary, and academic achievement in math and reading. Separate models were fit for each outcome, modeling the change in overall scores with increasing age for patients with normal hearing ( n = 78) or with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) diagnosed by 2 years of age ( n = 11) and controls ( n = 40). Patients with SNHL had full-scale intelligence and receptive vocabulary scores that were 7.0 and 13.1 points lower, respectively, compared with controls, but no significant differences were noted in these scores among patients with normal hearing and controls. No significant differences were noted in scores for verbal and nonverbal intelligence, expressive vocabulary, and academic achievement in math and reading among patients with normal hearing or with SNHL and controls. Infants with asymptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection identified through newborn screening with normal hearing by age 2 years do not appear to have differences in IQ, vocabulary or academic achievement scores during childhood, or adolescence compared with uninfected children. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Predicting Node Degree Centrality with the Node Prominence Profile

PubMed Central

Yang, Yang; Dong, Yuxiao; Chawla, Nitesh V.

2014-01-01

Centrality of a node measures its relative importance within a network. There are a number of applications of centrality, including inferring the influence or success of an individual in a social network, and the resulting social network dynamics. While we can compute the centrality of any node in a given network snapshot, a number of applications are also interested in knowing the potential importance of an individual in the future. However, current centrality is not necessarily an effective predictor of future centrality. While there are different measures of centrality, we focus on degree centrality in this paper. We develop a method that reconciles preferential attachment and triadic closure to capture a node's prominence profile. We show that the proposed node prominence profile method is an effective predictor of degree centrality. Notably, our analysis reveals that individuals in the early stage of evolution display a distinctive and robust signature in degree centrality trend, adequately predicted by their prominence profile. We evaluate our work across four real-world social networks. Our findings have important implications for the applications that require prediction of a node's future degree centrality, as well as the study of social network dynamics. PMID:25429797

A Multilevel Analysis of Japanese Middle School Student and School Socioeconomic Status Influence on Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takashiro, Naomi

2017-01-01

The author examined the simultaneous influence of Japanese middle school student and school socioeconomic status (SES) on student math achievement with two-level multilevel analysis models by utilizing the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Japan data sets. The theoretical framework used in this study was…

Factors Contributing to Mathematics Achievement Differences of Turkish and Australian Students in TIMSS 2007 and 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arikan, Serkan; van de Vijver, Fons J. R.; Yagmur, Kutlay

2016-01-01

Large-scale studies, such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), provide data to understand cross-national differences and similarities. In this study, we aimed to identify factors predicting mathematics achievement of Turkish students by comparing to Australian students. First, construct equivalence and item bias…

Logistic Regression and Path Analysis Method to Analyze Factors influencing Students’ Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noeryanti, N.; Suryowati, K.; Setyawan, Y.; Aulia, R. R.

2018-04-01

Students' academic achievement cannot be separated from the influence of two factors namely internal and external factors. The first factors of the student (internal factors) consist of intelligence (X1), health (X2), interest (X3), and motivation of students (X4). The external factors consist of family environment (X5), school environment (X6), and society environment (X7). The objects of this research are eighth grade students of the school year 2016/2017 at SMPN 1 Jiwan Madiun sampled by using simple random sampling. Primary data are obtained by distributing questionnaires. The method used in this study is binary logistic regression analysis that aims to identify internal and external factors that affect student’s achievement and how the trends of them. Path Analysis was used to determine the factors that influence directly, indirectly or totally on student’s achievement. Based on the results of binary logistic regression, variables that affect student’s achievement are interest and motivation. And based on the results obtained by path analysis, factors that have a direct impact on student’s achievement are students’ interest (59%) and students’ motivation (27%). While the factors that have indirect influences on students’ achievement, are family environment (97%) and school environment (37).

The Impacts of Student-, Teacher- and School-Level Factors on Mathematics Achievement: An Exploratory Comparative Investigation of Singaporean Students and the USA Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ker, H. W.

2016-01-01

Reports from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) consistently show that there is a substantial gap in average mathematics achievement between Singapore and the USA. This study conducts an exploratory comparative investigation on the multilevel factors influencing the mathematics achievement of students from these two…

Breast Cancer Trends

MedlinePlus

... Trends What CDC Is Doing Research African American Women and Mass Media Campaign Public Service Announcements Print Materials The Right to ... Cancer Trends Language: English Español (Spanish) Recommend ...

Challenges for Children and Women in the 1990s: Eastern and Southern Africa in Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, Nairobi (Kenya). Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office.

This report profiles conditions in the lives of children and women in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), and attempts to identify and analyze trends and issues which are emerging in ESA and which have particular significance for UNICEF activities. During the 1980s, ESA experienced unprecedented economic decline due to falling commodity prices and…

Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Trend Accuracy

PubMed Central

Gottlieb, Rebecca; Le Compte, Aaron; Chase, J. Geoffrey

2014-01-01

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are being increasingly used to monitor glycemia in people with diabetes. One advantage with CGM is the ability to monitor the trend of sensor glucose (SG) over time. However, there are few metrics available for assessing the trend accuracy of CGM devices. The aim of this study was to develop an easy to interpret tool for assessing trend accuracy of CGM data. SG data from CGM were compared to hourly blood glucose (BG) measurements and trend accuracy was quantified using the dot product. Trend accuracy results are displayed on the Trend Compass, which depicts trend accuracy as a function of BG. A trend performance table and Trend Index (TI) metric are also proposed. The Trend Compass was tested using simulated CGM data with varying levels of error and variability, as well as real clinical CGM data. The results show that the Trend Compass is an effective tool for differentiating good trend accuracy from poor trend accuracy, independent of glycemic variability. Furthermore, the real clinical data show that the Trend Compass assesses trend accuracy independent of point bias error. Finally, the importance of assessing trend accuracy as a function of BG level is highlighted in a case example of low and falling BG data, with corresponding rising SG data. This study developed a simple to use tool for quantifying trend accuracy. The resulting trend accuracy is easily interpreted on the Trend Compass plot, and if required, performance table and TI metric. PMID:24876437

Temporal expression profiling of plasma proteins reveals oxidative stress in early stages of Type 1 Diabetes progression

DOE PAGES

Liu, Chih-Wei; Bramer, Lisa; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo; ...

2017-10-07

We report that blood markers other than islet autoantibodies are greatly needed to indicate the pancreatic beta cell destruction process as early as possible, and more accurately reflect the progression of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D). To this end, a longitudinal proteomic profiling of human plasma using TMT-10plex-based LC-MS/MS analysis was performed to track temporal proteomic changes of T1D patients (n = 11) across 9 serial time points, spanning the period of T1D natural progression, in comparison with those of the matching healthy controls (n = 10). To our knowledge, the current study represents the largest (> 2000 proteins measured)more » longitudinal expression profiles of human plasma proteome in T1D research. By applying statistical trend analysis on the temporal expression patterns between T1D and controls, and Benjamini-Hochberg procedure for multiple-testing correction, 13 protein groups were regarded as having statistically significant differences during the entire follow-up period. Moreover, 16 protein groups, which play pivotal roles in response to oxidative stress, have consistently abnormal expression trend before seroconversion to islet autoimmunity. Importantly, the expression trends of two key reactive oxygen species-decomposing enzymes, Catalase and Superoxide dismutase were verified independently by ELISA.« less

Temporal expression profiling of plasma proteins reveals oxidative stress in early stages of Type 1 Diabetes progression

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Chih-Wei; Bramer, Lisa; Webb-Robertson, Bobbie-Jo

We report that blood markers other than islet autoantibodies are greatly needed to indicate the pancreatic beta cell destruction process as early as possible, and more accurately reflect the progression of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D). To this end, a longitudinal proteomic profiling of human plasma using TMT-10plex-based LC-MS/MS analysis was performed to track temporal proteomic changes of T1D patients (n = 11) across 9 serial time points, spanning the period of T1D natural progression, in comparison with those of the matching healthy controls (n = 10). To our knowledge, the current study represents the largest (> 2000 proteins measured)more » longitudinal expression profiles of human plasma proteome in T1D research. By applying statistical trend analysis on the temporal expression patterns between T1D and controls, and Benjamini-Hochberg procedure for multiple-testing correction, 13 protein groups were regarded as having statistically significant differences during the entire follow-up period. Moreover, 16 protein groups, which play pivotal roles in response to oxidative stress, have consistently abnormal expression trend before seroconversion to islet autoimmunity. Importantly, the expression trends of two key reactive oxygen species-decomposing enzymes, Catalase and Superoxide dismutase were verified independently by ELISA.« less

Profiles of Motivation for Reading Among African American and Caucasian Students

PubMed Central

Guthrie, John T.; Coddington, Cassandra S.; Wigfield, Allan

2009-01-01

Previous research has investigated motivations for reading by examining positive, or affirming, motivations including intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy. Related to them, we examined two negative, or undermining, motivations consisting of avoidance and perceived difficulty. We proposed that the motivations of intrinsic motivation and avoidance are relatively independent, and thus, can be combined to form meaningful profiles consisting of: avid, ambivalent, apathetic, and averse readers. With Grade 5 students we found that these motivations were relatively independent for both Caucasian and African American students. The two motivations uniquely explained a significant proportion of variance in reading comprehension and other cognitive reading variables. Although intrinsic motivation was stronger for Caucasians, avoidance was stronger for African Americans. The profile of the African American students contained higher proportions of averse and ambivalent readers than the Caucasian profile. The profile of avid readers showed higher reading achievement than the other profiles. PMID:19960100

Importance of baseline specification in evaluating conservation interventions and achieving no net loss of biodiversity.

PubMed

Bull, J W; Gordon, A; Law, E A; Suttle, K B; Milner-Gulland, E J

2014-06-01

There is an urgent need to improve the evaluation of conservation interventions. This requires specifying an objective and a frame of reference from which to measure performance. Reference frames can be baselines (i.e., known biodiversity at a fixed point in history) or counterfactuals (i.e., a scenario that would have occurred without the intervention). Biodiversity offsets are interventions with the objective of no net loss of biodiversity (NNL). We used biodiversity offsets to analyze the effects of the choice of reference frame on whether interventions met stated objectives. We developed 2 models to investigate the implications of setting different frames of reference in regions subject to various biodiversity trends and anthropogenic impacts. First, a general analytic model evaluated offsets against a range of baseline and counterfactual specifications. Second, a simulation model then replicated these results with a complex real world case study: native grassland offsets in Melbourne, Australia. Both models showed that achieving NNL depended upon the interaction between reference frame and background biodiversity trends. With a baseline, offsets were less likely to achieve NNL where biodiversity was decreasing than where biodiversity was stable or increasing. With a no-development counterfactual, however, NNL was achievable only where biodiversity was declining. Otherwise, preventing development was better for biodiversity. Uncertainty about compliance was a stronger determinant of success than uncertainty in underlying biodiversity trends. When only development and offset locations were considered, offsets sometimes resulted in NNL, but not across an entire region. Choice of reference frame determined feasibility and effort required to attain objectives when designing and evaluating biodiversity offset schemes. We argue the choice is thus of fundamental importance for conservation policy. Our results shed light on situations in which biodiversity offsets may

Trends of Mycobacterium bovis Isolation and First-Line Anti-tuberculosis Drug Susceptibility Profile: A Fifteen-Year Laboratory-Based Surveillance.

PubMed

Bobadilla-del Valle, Miriam; Torres-González, Pedro; Cervera-Hernández, Miguel Enrique; Martínez-Gamboa, Areli; Crabtree-Ramirez, Brenda; Chávez-Mazari, Bárbara; Ortiz-Conchi, Narciso; Rodríguez-Cruz, Luis; Cervantes-Sánchez, Axel; Gudiño-Enríquez, Tomasa; Cinta-Severo, Carmen; Sifuentes-Osornio, José; Ponce de León, Alfredo

2015-09-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes the majority of tuberculosis (TB) cases in humans; however, in developing countries, human TB caused by M. bovis may be frequent but undetected. Human TB caused by M. bovis is considered a zoonosis; transmission is mainly through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, and it is less frequently attributed to animal-to-human or human-to-human contact. We describe the trends of M. bovis isolation from human samples and first-line drug susceptibility during a 15-year period in a referral laboratory located in a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. Data on mycobacterial isolates from human clinical samples were retrieved from the laboratory's database for the 2000-2014 period. Susceptibility to first-line drugs: rifampin, isoniazid, streptomycin (STR) and ethambutol was determined. We identified 1,165 isolates, 73.7% were M. tuberculosis and 26.2%, M. bovis. Among pulmonary samples, 16.6% were M. bovis. The proportion of M. bovis isolates significantly increased from 7.8% in 2000 to 28.4% in 2014 (X(2)trend, p<0.001). Primary STR resistance was higher among M. bovis compared with M. tuberculosis isolates (10.9% vs.3.4%, p<0.001). Secondary multidrug resistance (MDR) rates were 38.5% and 34.4% for M. bovis and M. tuberculosis, respectively (p = 0.637). A rising trend of primary STR monoresistance was observed for both species (3.4% in 2000-2004 vs. 7.6% in 2010-2014; p = 0.02). There is a high prevalence and a rising trend of M. bovis isolates in our region. The proportion of pulmonary M. bovis isolates is higher than in previous reports. Additionally, we report high rates of primary anti-tuberculosis resistance and secondary MDR in both M. tuberculosis and M. bovis. This is one of the largest reports on drug susceptibility of M. bovis from human samples and shows a significant proportion of first-line anti-tuberculosis drug resistance.

Trends of Mycobacterium bovis Isolation and First-Line Anti-tuberculosis Drug Susceptibility Profile: A Fifteen-Year Laboratory-Based Surveillance

PubMed Central

Bobadilla-del Valle, Miriam; Torres-González, Pedro; Cervera-Hernández, Miguel Enrique; Martínez-Gamboa, Areli; Crabtree-Ramirez, Brenda; Chávez-Mazari, Bárbara; Ortiz-Conchi, Narciso; Rodríguez-Cruz, Luis; Cervantes-Sánchez, Axel; Gudiño-Enríquez, Tomasa; Cinta-Severo, Carmen; Sifuentes-Osornio, José; Ponce de León, Alfredo

2015-01-01

Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes the majority of tuberculosis (TB) cases in humans; however, in developing countries, human TB caused by M. bovis may be frequent but undetected. Human TB caused by M. bovis is considered a zoonosis; transmission is mainly through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, and it is less frequently attributed to animal-to-human or human-to-human contact. We describe the trends of M. bovis isolation from human samples and first-line drug susceptibility during a 15-year period in a referral laboratory located in a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. Methodology/Principal Findings Data on mycobacterial isolates from human clinical samples were retrieved from the laboratory’s database for the 2000–2014 period. Susceptibility to first-line drugs: rifampin, isoniazid, streptomycin (STR) and ethambutol was determined. We identified 1,165 isolates, 73.7% were M. tuberculosis and 26.2%, M. bovis. Among pulmonary samples, 16.6% were M. bovis. The proportion of M. bovis isolates significantly increased from 7.8% in 2000 to 28.4% in 2014 (X 2 trend, p<0.001). Primary STR resistance was higher among M. bovis compared with M. tuberculosis isolates (10.9% vs.3.4%, p<0.001). Secondary multidrug resistance (MDR) rates were 38.5% and 34.4% for M. bovis and M. tuberculosis, respectively (p = 0.637). A rising trend of primary STR monoresistance was observed for both species (3.4% in 2000–2004 vs. 7.6% in 2010–2014; p = 0.02). Conclusions/Significance There is a high prevalence and a rising trend of M. bovis isolates in our region. The proportion of pulmonary M. bovis isolates is higher than in previous reports. Additionally, we report high rates of primary anti-tuberculosis resistance and secondary MDR in both M. tuberculosis and M. bovis. This is one of the largest reports on drug susceptibility of M. bovis from human samples and shows a significant proportion of first-line anti-tuberculosis drug resistance. PMID:26421930

School-readiness profiles of children with language impairment: linkages to home and classroom experiences.

PubMed

Pentimonti, Jill M; Justice, Laura M; Kaderavek, Joan N

2014-01-01

This study represents an effort to advance our understanding of the nature of school readiness among children with language impairment (LI), a population of children acknowledged to be at risk of poor academic achievement. The academic, social-emotional, and behavioural competencies with which children arrive at kindergarten affect the nature of their future educational experiences, and their overall academic achievement. To examine whether there are reliable profiles that characterize children with LI just prior to kindergarten entrance, and the extent to which profile membership is associated with characteristics of children's homes and preschool experiences. Questions addressed were twofold: (1) To what extent are there reliable profiles of children with LI with respect to their school readiness? (2) To what extent is children's profile membership associated with characteristics of their homes and preschool classrooms? Participants were 136 children with LI from early childhood special education classrooms. We utilized latent class analysis (LCA) to classify individuals into profiles based on individual responses on school readiness measures. We then used multilevel hierarchical generalized linear models to examine the relations between profile membership and children's home/classroom experiences. LCA analyses revealed that a four-profile solution was the most appropriate fit for the data and that classroom experiences were predictive of these profiles, such that children in classrooms with more instructional/emotional support were more likely to be placed in profiles characterized by higher school readiness skills. These results suggest that the school readiness profiles of young children with LI are associated with the quality of children's classroom experiences, and that high-quality classroom experiences can be influential for ensuring that young children with LI arrive in kindergarten ready to learn. © 2014 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Achieving interoperability for metadata registries using comparative object modeling.

PubMed

Park, Yu Rang; Kim, Ju Han

2010-01-01

Achieving data interoperability between organizations relies upon agreed meaning and representation (metadata) of data. For managing and registering metadata, many organizations have built metadata registries (MDRs) in various domains based on international standard for MDR framework, ISO/IEC 11179. Following this trend, two pubic MDRs in biomedical domain have been created, United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK) and cancer Data Standards Registry and Repository (caDSR), from U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and National Cancer Institute (NCI), respectively. Most MDRs are implemented with indiscriminate extending for satisfying organization-specific needs and solving semantic and structural limitation of ISO/IEC 11179. As a result it is difficult to address interoperability among multiple MDRs. In this paper, we propose an integrated metadata object model for achieving interoperability among multiple MDRs. To evaluate this model, we developed an XML Schema Definition (XSD)-based metadata exchange format. We created an XSD-based metadata exporter, supporting both the integrated metadata object model and organization-specific MDR formats.

Does Context, Practice or Competition affect Female Athletes’ Achievement Goal Dominance, Goal Pursuit, Burnout and Motivation?

PubMed Central

Fernández-Rio, Javier; Cecchini, Jose A.; Méndez-Giménez, Antonio

2017-01-01

Abstract The goal of this study was to assess the effects of two different achievement sport contexts, practice and competition, on the motivational profile of professional/semi-professional athletes. Forty-eight Spanish national/international-level female athletes (basketball = 18; handball = 12; soccer = 11; volleyball = 7), mean age 25.14 ± 3.43 years, agreed to participate in the study. They completed a questionnaire, prior and after training and competition, to assess achievement goals, achievement goal dominance, goal pursuit, motivational climate, motivation, burnout and perceived recovery-exertion. Data analyses revealed that, both in practice and competition, these team-sport athletes overwhelmingly showed a strong mastery-approach achievement goal in dominance as well as in pursuit. A significant finding was that this group of national/international-level, professional/semi-professional athletes not only adopted a mastery-approach achievement goal, but they also actively pursued it. It is also remarkable that this profile remained stable at post-tests, even after a painful defeat in competition, which produced a significant negative effect on the athletes’ burnout (emotional and physical exhaustion and devaluation of sport participation) and self-determined motivation. As expected, the difference between total recovery and perceived exertion significantly increased after practice and competition. National/international-level team-sport professional/semi-professional female athletes held and pursue stable mastery-approach goal dominance. PMID:29134051

Space-based observations of nitrogen dioxide: Trends in anthropogenic emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Ashley Ray

Space-based instruments provide routine global observations, offering a unique perspective on the spatial and temporal variation of atmospheric constituents. In this dissertation, trends in regional-scale anthropogenic nitrogen oxide emissions (NO + NO2 ≡ NOx) are investigated using high resolution observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). By comparing trends in OMI observations with those from ground-based measurements and an emissions inventory, I show that satellite observations are well-suited for capturing changes in emissions over time. The high spatial and temporal resolutions of the observations provide a uniquely complete view of regional-scale changes in the spatial patterns of NO 2. I show that NOx concentrations have decreased significantly in urban regions of the United States between 2005 and 2011, with an average reduction of 32 ± 7%. By examining day-of-week and interannual trends, I show that these reductions can largely be attributed to improved emission control technology in the mobile source fleet; however, I also show that the economic downturn of the late 2000's has impacted emissions. Additionally, I describe the development of a high-resolution retrieval of NO2 from OMI observations known as the Berkeley High Resolution (BEHR) retrieval. The BEHR product uses higher spatial and temporal resolution terrain and profile parameters than the operational retrievals and is shown to provide a more quantitative measure of tropospheric NO2 column density. These results have important implications for future retrievals of NO2 from space-based observations.

GEM-TREND: a web tool for gene expression data mining toward relevant network discovery

PubMed Central

Feng, Chunlai; Araki, Michihiro; Kunimoto, Ryo; Tamon, Akiko; Makiguchi, Hiroki; Niijima, Satoshi; Tsujimoto, Gozoh; Okuno, Yasushi

2009-01-01

Background DNA microarray technology provides us with a first step toward the goal of uncovering gene functions on a genomic scale. In recent years, vast amounts of gene expression data have been collected, much of which are available in public databases, such as the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). To date, most researchers have been manually retrieving data from databases through web browsers using accession numbers (IDs) or keywords, but gene-expression patterns are not considered when retrieving such data. The Connectivity Map was recently introduced to compare gene expression data by introducing gene-expression signatures (represented by a set of genes with up- or down-regulated labels according to their biological states) and is available as a web tool for detecting similar gene-expression signatures from a limited data set (approximately 7,000 expression profiles representing 1,309 compounds). In order to support researchers to utilize the public gene expression data more effectively, we developed a web tool for finding similar gene expression data and generating its co-expression networks from a publicly available database. Results GEM-TREND, a web tool for searching gene expression data, allows users to search data from GEO using gene-expression signatures or gene expression ratio data as a query and retrieve gene expression data by comparing gene-expression pattern between the query and GEO gene expression data. The comparison methods are based on the nonparametric, rank-based pattern matching approach of Lamb et al. (Science 2006) with the additional calculation of statistical significance. The web tool was tested using gene expression ratio data randomly extracted from the GEO and with in-house microarray data, respectively. The results validated the ability of GEM-TREND to retrieve gene expression entries biologically related to a query from GEO. For further analysis, a network visualization interface is also provided, whereby genes and gene annotations

GEM-TREND: a web tool for gene expression data mining toward relevant network discovery.

PubMed

Feng, Chunlai; Araki, Michihiro; Kunimoto, Ryo; Tamon, Akiko; Makiguchi, Hiroki; Niijima, Satoshi; Tsujimoto, Gozoh; Okuno, Yasushi

2009-09-03

DNA microarray technology provides us with a first step toward the goal of uncovering gene functions on a genomic scale. In recent years, vast amounts of gene expression data have been collected, much of which are available in public databases, such as the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). To date, most researchers have been manually retrieving data from databases through web browsers using accession numbers (IDs) or keywords, but gene-expression patterns are not considered when retrieving such data. The Connectivity Map was recently introduced to compare gene expression data by introducing gene-expression signatures (represented by a set of genes with up- or down-regulated labels according to their biological states) and is available as a web tool for detecting similar gene-expression signatures from a limited data set (approximately 7,000 expression profiles representing 1,309 compounds). In order to support researchers to utilize the public gene expression data more effectively, we developed a web tool for finding similar gene expression data and generating its co-expression networks from a publicly available database. GEM-TREND, a web tool for searching gene expression data, allows users to search data from GEO using gene-expression signatures or gene expression ratio data as a query and retrieve gene expression data by comparing gene-expression pattern between the query and GEO gene expression data. The comparison methods are based on the nonparametric, rank-based pattern matching approach of Lamb et al. (Science 2006) with the additional calculation of statistical significance. The web tool was tested using gene expression ratio data randomly extracted from the GEO and with in-house microarray data, respectively. The results validated the ability of GEM-TREND to retrieve gene expression entries biologically related to a query from GEO. For further analysis, a network visualization interface is also provided, whereby genes and gene annotations are dynamically

Road profiling of traffic accidents in Jos, Nigeria, 1995-1999.

PubMed

Bombom, Leonard S; Edino, Marcus O

2009-09-01

Road traffic accident data in Nigeria generally lack exact coordinate information. Accident analysis is, therefore, restricted to aggregate data on trends, magnitude and temporal dimensions. This article addresses the road accident problem in Jos between 1995 and 1999 through a road profiling approach. Results show that four gateway routes, seven multi-lane roadways (including two gateway routes) and seven road intersections accounted for 84% of all traffic accidents, 84% of injured casualties and 88% of fatalities. This approach allows for quantification of impacts of controlling for accidents by deliberate profiling of roads for close monitoring and policing. For example, reducing accident counts and fatalities by 50% each on gateway routes will amount to approximately 35 and 40% reduction in accident and fatality counts, respectively. Countermeasures must consider these roadways and intersections as important inputs in their accidents and casualty reduction targets.

Profiles of genius and persecution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falk, Dan

2009-10-01

It is no secret that Jewish scholars have made enormous contributions to science, achieving far more than one might expect given their relatively small numbers. They have also faced a staggering array of obstacles, culminating in the near-total destruction of European Jewry under the Nazis in the Second World War. These two themes - genius and persecution - are the twin currents that flow through Ioan James' compelling Driven to Innovate, uniting a series of profiles that might otherwise be of interest primarily to a more specialized audience.

The 2002 to 2010 mask survey trend analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Greg; Chan, David

2011-03-01

Microelectronics industry leaders consistently cite the cost and cycle time of mask technology and mask supply as top critical issues. A survey was designed with input from semiconductor company mask technologists and merchant mask suppliers and support from SEMATECH to gather information about the mask industry as an objective assessment of its overall condition. This year's assessment was the ninth in the current series of annual reports. Its data were presented in detail at BACUS, and the detailed trend analysis is presented at EMLC. With continued industry support, the report can be used as a baseline to gain perspective on the technical and business status of the mask and microelectronics industries. The report will continue to serve as a valuable reference to identify the strengths and opportunities of the mask industry. Results will be used to guide future investments in critical path issues. This year's survey is basically the same as the 2005 through 2010 surveys. Questions are grouped into six categories: General Business Profile Information, Data Processing, Yields and Yield Loss Mechanisms, Delivery Times, Returns, and Services. Within each category are multiple questions that ultimately create a detailed profile of both the business and technical status of the critical mask industry.

Annual cycle and spatial trends in fatty acid composition of suspended particulate organic matter across the Beaufort Sea shelf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connelly, Tara L.; Businski, Tara N.; Deibel, Don; Parrish, Christopher C.; Trela, Piotr

2016-11-01

Fatty acid profiles of suspended particulate organic matter (POM) were determined over an annual cycle (September 2003 to August 2004) on the Beaufort Sea shelf, Canadian Arctic. Special emphasis was placed on the nutritional quality of the fatty acid pool available to zooplankton by examining spatial and temporal patterns in the proportions of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the essential fatty acids 22:6n-3 (DHA) and 20:5n-3 (EPA). EPA and DHA were the two most abundant PUFA throughout the study period. A log-ratio multivariate (LRA) analysis revealed strong structure in fatty acid profiles related to season and depth. Dominant fatty acids accounting for the observed trend included 18:5n-3, 18:4n-3, 16:1n-7, 20:5n-3, 18:0 and 20:3n-3. We observed a shift in fatty acid profiles from summer to autumn (e.g., from 16:1n-7 and EPA to 18:5n-3 and 18:4n-3) that likely corresponded to a shift in the relative importance of diatoms versus dinoflagellates, prymnesiophytes and/or prasinophytes to the POM pool. Fatty acid composition during winter was dominated by more refractory saturated fatty acids. A surprising finding was the depth and seasonal trend of 20:3n-3, which was higher in winter, aligned with 18:0 in the LRA, but behaved differently than other n-3 PUFA. We interpret fatty acid profiles during summer to be predominantly driven by phytoplankton inputs, whereas fatty acid profiles in winter were dominated by fatty acids that were left over after consumption and/or were generated by heterotrophs. The highest diatom inputs (EPA, the diatom fatty acid marker), n-3/n-6 ratios, and C16 PUFA index were located in an upwelling region off Cape Bathurst. This study is the first annual time series of fatty acid profiles of POM in Arctic seas, expanding our knowledge of the composition of POM throughout the dark season.

Changes in the Caucasian male facial profile as depicted in fashion magazines during the twentieth century.

PubMed

Nguyen, D D; Turley, P K

1998-08-01

The purposes of this study were to (1) measure changes in the young adult Caucasian male profile through time and (2) describe the male profile depicted in current fashion magazines. Profile photographs (n = 116) of male models collected from leading fashion magazines of the last 65 years were analyzed. They were reproduced as slides, and the images were scanned and projected onto a computer monitor. Soft tissue landmarks were digitized and the profiles were corrected for size differences. Six linear, nine angular, and three proportional parameters were measured. Anteroposterior lip position, lip curl, and vermilion area showed statistically significant correlations (r > or = 31, p < 0.01) with the progression of time. Other angular measurements and vertical facial proportions did not change significantly (r < or = 17, p > 0.05). The results showed that (1) the male profile depicted in fashion magazines has changed significantly with time and the changes were in the area of the lips; and (2) there was a trend of increasing lip protrusion, lip curl, and vermilion display. We conclude that similar to the female profile, the esthetic male profile has changed with time.

Procedural and Conceptual Print-Related Achievements in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lanter, Elizabeth; Freeman, Daniel; Dove, Stephanie

2013-01-01

A comparative analysis between emergent procedural and conceptual print-related achievements was conducted for 32 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) aged 4 to 8 years. To minimize the influence of linguistic competence on the assessment, the ASD print-related profile was compared with that of a language-matched sample of typically…

A multi-level differential item functioning analysis of trends in international mathematics and science study: Potential sources of gender and minority difference among U.S. eighth graders' science achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Xiaoyu

Science is an area where a large achievement gap has been observed between White and minority, and between male and female students. The science minority gap has continued as indicated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS). TIMSS also shows a gender gap favoring males emerging at the eighth grade. Both gaps continue to be wider in the number of doctoral degrees and full professorships awarded (NSF, 2008). The current study investigated both minority and gender achievement gaps in science utilizing a multi-level differential item functioning (DIF) methodology (Kamata, 2001) within fully Bayesian framework. All dichotomously coded items from TIMSS 2007 science assessment at eighth grade were analyzed. Both gender DIF and minority DIF were studied. Multi-level models were employed to identify DIF items and sources of DIF at both student and teacher levels. The study found that several student variables were potential sources of achievement gaps. It was also found that gender DIF favoring male students was more noticeable in the content areas of physics and earth science than biology and chemistry. In terms of item type, the majority of these gender DIF items were multiple choice than constructed response items. Female students also performed less well on items requiring visual-spatial ability. Minority students performed significantly worse on physics and earth science items as well. A higher percentage of minority DIF items in earth science and biology were constructed response than multiple choice items, indicating that literacy may be the cause of minority DIF. Three-level model results suggested that some teacher variables may be the cause of DIF variations from teacher to teacher. It is essential for both middle school science teachers and science educators to find instructional methods that work more effectively to improve science achievement of both female and minority students

Student Drop-Out Trends at Sultan Qaboos University and Kuwait University: 2000-2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Ghanboosi, Salim Saleem; Alqahtani, Abdulmuhsen Ayedh

2013-01-01

The current study aims to explore the drop-out trends at Sultan Qaboos. University and Kuwait University. Archival data of the period 2000-2011 were used to achieve this goal. Main findings showed that (a) male drop-out rates are higher than female drop-out rates; (b) drop- out rates at scientific colleges are higher; (c) drop-out rates of…

Relationships among Instructional Practices, Students' Motivational Beliefs and Science Achievement in Taiwan Using Hierarchical Linear Modelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liou, Pey-Yan; Ho, Hsin-Ning Jessie

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine students' perceptions of instructional practices in the classroom, and to further investigate the relationships among instructional practices, motivational beliefs and science achievement. Hierarchical linear modelling was utilised to examine the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2007…

Lung Cancer Trends

MedlinePlus

... the Biggest Cancer Killer in Both Men and Women” Stay Informed Trends for Other Kinds of Cancer Breast Cervical Colorectal (Colon) Ovarian Prostate Skin Cancer Home Lung Cancer Trends Language: English Español (Spanish) Recommend ...

Trends in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Planning & Management, 2002

2002-01-01

Several architects, planners, administrators, and contractors answer questions about trends related to school construction, interior design, business, security, and technology. Trends concern funding issues, specialized designs, planning for safety, technological integration, and equity in services. (EV)

Concurrent profiling of polar metabolites and lipids in human plasma using HILIC-FTMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Xiaoming; Li, Ruibin

2016-11-01

Blood plasma is the most popularly used sample matrix for metabolite profiling studies, which aim to achieve global metabolite profiling and biomarker discovery. However, most of the current studies on plasma metabolite profiling focused on either the polar metabolites or lipids. In this study, a comprehensive analysis approach based on HILIC-FTMS was developed to concurrently examine polar metabolites and lipids. The HILIC-FTMS method was developed using mixed standards of polar metabolites and lipids, the separation efficiency of which is better in HILIC mode than in C5 and C18 reversed phase (RP) chromatography. This method exhibits good reproducibility in retention times (CVs < 3.43%) and high mass accuracy (<3.5 ppm). In addition, we found MeOH/ACN/Acetone (1:1:1, v/v/v) as extraction cocktail could achieve desirable gathering of demanded extracts from plasma samples. We further integrated the MeOH/ACN/Acetone extraction with the HILIC-FTMS method for metabolite profiling and smoking-related biomarker discovery in human plasma samples. Heavy smokers could be successfully distinguished from non smokers by univariate and multivariate statistical analysis of the profiling data, and 62 biomarkers for cigarette smoke were found. These results indicate that our concurrent analysis approach could be potentially used for clinical biomarker discovery, metabolite-based diagnosis, etc.

The Empathizing-Systemizing Theory, Social Abilities, and Mathematical Achievement in Children

PubMed Central

Escovar, Emily; Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam; Uddin, Lucina Q.; Menon, Vinod

2016-01-01

The Empathizing-Systemizing (E-S) theory describes a profile of traits that have been linked to autism spectrum disorders, and are thought to encompass a continuum that includes typically developing (TD) individuals. Although systemizing is hypothesized to be related to mathematical abilities, empirical support for this relationship is lacking. We examine the link between empathizing and systemizing tendencies and mathematical achievement in 112 TD children (57 girls) to elucidate how socio-cognitive constructs influence early development of mathematical skills. Assessment of mathematical achievement included standardized tests designed to examine calculation skills and conceptual mathematical reasoning. Empathizing and systemizing were assessed using the Combined Empathy Quotient-Child (EQ-C) and Systemizing Quotient-Child (SQ-C). Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that mathematical achievement was not related to systemizing or the discrepancy between systemizing and empathizing. Surprisingly, children with higher empathy demonstrated lower calculation skills. Further analysis using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) revealed that the relationship between EQ-C and mathematical achievement was mediated by social ability rather than autistic behaviors. Finally, social awareness was found to play a differential role in mediating the relationship between EQ-C and mathematical achievement in girls. These results identify empathy, and social skills more generally, as previously unknown predictors of mathematical achievement. PMID:26972835

The Empathizing-Systemizing Theory, Social Abilities, and Mathematical Achievement in Children.

PubMed

Escovar, Emily; Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam; Uddin, Lucina Q; Menon, Vinod

2016-03-14

The Empathizing-Systemizing (E-S) theory describes a profile of traits that have been linked to autism spectrum disorders, and are thought to encompass a continuum that includes typically developing (TD) individuals. Although systemizing is hypothesized to be related to mathematical abilities, empirical support for this relationship is lacking. We examine the link between empathizing and systemizing tendencies and mathematical achievement in 112 TD children (57 girls) to elucidate how socio-cognitive constructs influence early development of mathematical skills. Assessment of mathematical achievement included standardized tests designed to examine calculation skills and conceptual mathematical reasoning. Empathizing and systemizing were assessed using the Combined Empathy Quotient-Child (EQ-C) and Systemizing Quotient-Child (SQ-C). Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that mathematical achievement was not related to systemizing or the discrepancy between systemizing and empathizing. Surprisingly, children with higher empathy demonstrated lower calculation skills. Further analysis using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) revealed that the relationship between EQ-C and mathematical achievement was mediated by social ability rather than autistic behaviors. Finally, social awareness was found to play a differential role in mediating the relationship between EQ-C and mathematical achievement in girls. These results identify empathy, and social skills more generally, as previously unknown predictors of mathematical achievement.

A Revised Framingham Stroke Risk Profile to Reflect Temporal Trends

PubMed Central

Dufouil, Carole; Beiser, Alexa; McLure, Leslie A.; Wolf, Philip A.; Tzourio, Christophe; Howard, Virginia J; Westwood, Andrew J.; Himali, Jayandra J.; Sullivan, Lisa; Aparicio, Hugo J.; Kelly-Hayes, Margaret; Ritchie, Karen; Kase, Carlos S.; Pikula, Aleksandra; Romero, Jose R.; D’Agostino, Ralph B.; Samieri, Cécilia; Vasan, Ramachandran S.; Chêne, Genevieve; Howard, George; Seshadri, Sudha

2017-01-01

Background Age-adjusted stroke incidence has decreased over the past 50 years, likely due to changes in the prevalence and impact of various stroke risk factors. An updated version of the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP) might better predict current risks in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) and other cohorts. We compared the accuracy of the standard (Old), and of a revised (New) version of the FSRP in predicting the risk of all-stroke and ischemic stroke, and validated this new FSRP in two external cohorts, the 3 Cities (3C) and REGARDS studies. Methods We computed the old FSRP as originally described, and a new model that used the most recent epoch-specific risk factors' prevalence and hazard-ratios for persons ≥ 55 years and for the subsample ≥ 65 years (to match the age range in REGARDS and 3C studies respectively), and compared the efficacy of these models in predicting 5- and 10-year stroke risks. Results The new FSRP was a better predictor of current stroke risks in all three samples than the old FSRP (Calibration chi-squares of new/old FSRP: in men 64.0/12.1, 59.4/30.6 and 20.7/12.5; in women 42.5/4.1, 115.4/90.3 and 9.8/6.5 in FHS, REGARDS and 3C, respectively). In the REGARDS, the new FSRP was a better predictor among whites compared to blacks. Conclusions A more contemporaneous, new FSRP better predicts current risks in 3 large community samples and could serve as the basis for examining geographic and racial differences in stroke risk and the incremental diagnostic utility of novel stroke risk factors. PMID:28159800

Computational resources for ribosome profiling: from database to Web server and software.

PubMed

Wang, Hongwei; Wang, Yan; Xie, Zhi

2017-08-14

Ribosome profiling is emerging as a powerful technique that enables genome-wide investigation of in vivo translation at sub-codon resolution. The increasing application of ribosome profiling in recent years has achieved remarkable progress toward understanding the composition, regulation and mechanism of translation. This benefits from not only the awesome power of ribosome profiling but also an extensive range of computational resources available for ribosome profiling. At present, however, a comprehensive review on these resources is still lacking. Here, we survey the recent computational advances guided by ribosome profiling, with a focus on databases, Web servers and software tools for storing, visualizing and analyzing ribosome profiling data. This review is intended to provide experimental and computational biologists with a reference to make appropriate choices among existing resources for the question at hand. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Socioeconomic Context and Emotional-Behavioral Achievement Links: Concurrent and Prospective Associations Among Low- and High-Income Youth

PubMed Central

Ansary, Nadia S.; McMahon, Thomas J.; Luthar, Suniya S.

2012-01-01

Temporal associations in the relationship between emotional-behavioral difficulty and academic achievement were explored in 2 samples followed from 6th through 8th grade. The first sample comprised 280 students entering an economically disadvantaged urban middle school and the second comprised 318 students entering an affluent suburban middle school. Among disadvantaged youth, emotional indices were concurrently associated with poorer achievement while prospective associations between substance use and achievement were evident. For privileged adolescents, only a significant concurrent relationship emerged between social anxiety and achievement, although nonsignificant trends in the data suggest other, albeit weak, associations. The findings are discussed in terms of similarities and differences in these temporal associations across 2 samples representing extremes of the socioeconomic continuum. PMID:23129975

The Tc Trend In The Zetta Reticuli System: N Spectra - N Trends.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adibekyan, V.; Figueira, P.; Delgado Mena, E.; Sousa, S. G.; Santos, N. C.; González Hernández; , I.; Israelian, G.

2017-10-01

It is suggested that the chemical abundance trend with the condensation temperature, Tc , can be a signature of rocky planet formation or accretion. Recently, a strong Tc trend was reported in the Zetta Reticuli binary system (Saffe et al., 2016), where ζ2 Ret Ret shows a deficit of refractory elements relative to its companion (ζ1 Ret). This depletion was explained by the presence of a debris disk around ζ2 Ret. Later, Adibekyan et al. (2016b) confirmed the significance of the trend, however, casted doubts on the interpretation proposed. Using three individual highest quality spectra for each star, they found that the Tc trends depend on the individual spectra (three spectra of each star were used) used in the analaysis. In the current work we re-evaluated the presence and variability of the Tc trend in this system using a larger number of individual spectra. In total, 62 spectra of ζ2 Ret and 31 spectra of ζ1 Ret was used. Our results confirm the word of caution issued by Adibekyan et al. (2016b) that nonphysical factors can be at the root of the T c trends for the cases of individual spectra.

Error in Radar-Derived Soil Moisture due to Roughness Parameterization: An Analysis Based on Synthetical Surface Profiles

PubMed Central

Lievens, Hans; Vernieuwe, Hilde; Álvarez-Mozos, Jesús; De Baets, Bernard; Verhoest, Niko E.C.

2009-01-01

In the past decades, many studies on soil moisture retrieval from SAR demonstrated a poor correlation between the top layer soil moisture content and observed backscatter coefficients, which mainly has been attributed to difficulties involved in the parameterization of surface roughness. The present paper describes a theoretical study, performed on synthetical surface profiles, which investigates how errors on roughness parameters are introduced by standard measurement techniques, and how they will propagate through the commonly used Integral Equation Model (IEM) into a corresponding soil moisture retrieval error for some of the currently most used SAR configurations. Key aspects influencing the error on the roughness parameterization and consequently on soil moisture retrieval are: the length of the surface profile, the number of profile measurements, the horizontal and vertical accuracy of profile measurements and the removal of trends along profiles. Moreover, it is found that soil moisture retrieval with C-band configuration generally is less sensitive to inaccuracies in roughness parameterization than retrieval with L-band configuration. PMID:22399956

International variations and trends in renal cell carcinoma incidence and mortality.

PubMed

Znaor, Ariana; Lortet-Tieulent, Joannie; Laversanne, Mathieu; Jemal, Ahmedin; Bray, Freddie

2015-03-01

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence rates are higher in developed countries, where up to half of the cases are discovered incidentally. Declining mortality trends have been reported in highly developed countries since the 1990s. To compare and interpret geographic variations and trends in the incidence and mortality of RCC worldwide in the context of controlling the future disease burden. We used data from GLOBOCAN, the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents series, and the World Health Organisation mortality database to compare incidence and mortality rates in more than 40 countries worldwide. We analysed incidence and mortality trends in the last 10 yr using joinpoint analyses of the age-standardised rates (ASRs). RCC incidence in men varied in ASRs (World standard population) from approximately 1/100,000 in African countries to >15/100,000 in several Northern and Eastern European countries and among US blacks. Similar patterns were observed for women, although incidence rates were commonly half of those for men. Incidence rates are increasing in most countries, most prominently in Latin America. Although recent mortality trends are stable in many countries, significant declines were observed in Western and Northern Europe, the USA, and Australia. Southern European men appear to have the least favourable RCC mortality trends. Although RCC incidence is still increasing in most countries, stabilisation of mortality trends has been achieved in many highly developed countries. There are marked absolute differences and opposing RCC mortality trends in countries categorised as areas of higher versus lower human development, and these gaps appear to be widening. Renal cell cancer is becoming more commonly diagnosed worldwide in both men and women. Mortality is decreasing in the most developed settings, but not in low- and middle-income countries, where access to and the availability of optimal therapies are likely to be limited. Copyright © 2014 European Association of

Steric and mass-induced Mediterranean sea level trends from 14 years of altimetry data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Criado-Aldeanueva, Francisco; Del Río Vera, Jorge; García-Lafuente, Jesús

2008-02-01

Long-term series of almost 14 years of altimetry data (1992-2005) have been analysed along with Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and temperature and salinity profiles to investigate sea level trends over the Mediterranean Sea. Although sea level variations are mainly driven by the steric contribution, the mass-induced component plays some role in modulating its oscillation. A spatially averaged positive trend of 2.1 ± 0.6 mm/year has been observed, but a change in sign in 2001 seems to appear. Steric effects (mainly on thermal origin) account for ˜ 55% of sea level trend. Although Mediterranean Sea is a semi-enclosed basin, this value is comparable to that reported for the global ocean. Sea level rise is particularly important in the Levantine basin south of Crete with values up to 10 ± 1 mm/year. Other areas of sea level rise are localised throughout the Levantine basin and in the Adriatic and Alboran Seas, with more moderate values. Sea level drop areas are localised in the Algerian basin, between the Balearic Islands and the African coasts and, particularly, in the Ionian basin. In this area, negative trends as high as - 10 ± 0.8 mm/year are detected mainly due to the mass-induced contribution, which suggests decadal changes of surface circulation. The inferred sea level trends have been correlated with North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) indices and a low but significant correlation has been detected between sea level in the Levantine and Balearic basins and NAO index.

DNA and RNA profiling of excavated human remains with varying postmortem intervals.

PubMed

van den Berge, M; Wiskerke, D; Gerretsen, R R R; Tabak, J; Sijen, T

2016-11-01

When postmortem intervals (PMIs) increase such as with longer burial times, human remains suffer increasingly from the taphonomic effects of decomposition processes such as autolysis and putrefaction. In this study, various DNA analysis techniques and a messenger RNA (mRNA) profiling method were applied to examine for trends in nucleic acid degradation and the postmortem interval. The DNA analysis techniques include highly sensitive DNA quantitation (with and without degradation index), standard and low template STR profiling, insertion and null alleles (INNUL) of retrotransposable elements typing and mitochondrial DNA profiling. The used mRNA profiling system targets genes with tissue specific expression for seven human organs as reported by Lindenbergh et al. (Int J Legal Med 127:891-900, 27) and has been applied to forensic evidentiary traces but not to excavated tissues. The techniques were applied to a total of 81 brain, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, heart, kidney and skin samples obtained from 19 excavated graves with burial times ranging from 4 to 42 years. Results show that brain and heart are the organs in which both DNA and RNA remain remarkably stable, notwithstanding long PMIs. The other organ tissues either show poor overall profiling results or vary for DNA and RNA profiling success, with sometimes DNA and other times RNA profiling being more successful. No straightforward relations were observed between nucleic acid profiling results and the PMI. This study shows that not only DNA but also RNA molecules can be remarkably stable and used for profiling of long-buried human remains, which corroborate forensic applications. The insight that the brain and heart tissues tend to provide the best profiling results may change sampling policies in identification cases of degrading cadavers.

The cosmological dependence of cluster density profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crone, Mary M.; Evrard, August E.; Richstone, Douglas O.

1994-01-01

We use N-body simulations to study the shape of mean cluster density and velocity profiles in the nonlinear regime formed via gravitational instability. The dependence of the final structure on both cosmology and initial density field is examined, using a grid of cosmologies and scale-free initial power spectra P(k) varies as k(exp n). Einstein-de Sitter, open (Omega(sub 0) = 0.2 and 0.1) and flat, low density (Omega(sub 0) = 0.2 lambda(sub 0) = 0.8) models are examined, with initial spectral indices n = -2, -1 and 0. For each model, we stack clusters in an appropriately scaled manner to define an average density profile in the nonlinear regime. The profiles are well fit by a power law rho(r) varies as r(exp -alpha) for radii whereat the local density contrast is between 100 and 3000. This covers 99% of the cluster volume. We find a clear trend toward steeper slopes (larger alphas) with both increasing n and decreasing Omega(sub 0). The Omega(sub 0) dependence is partially masked by the n dependence; there is degeneracy in the values of alpha between the Einstein-de Sitter and flat, low-density cosmologies. However, the profile slopes in the open models are consistently higher than the Omega = 1 values for the range of n examined. Cluster density profiles are thus potentially useful cosmological diagnostics. We find no evidence for a constant density core in any of the models, although the density profiles do tend to flatten at small radii. Much of the flattening is due to the force softening required by the simulations. An attempt is made to recover the unsoftened profiles assuming angular momentum invariance. The recovered profiles in Einstein-de Sitter cosmologies are consistent with a pure power law up to the highest density contrasts (10(exp 6)) accessible with our resolution. The low-density models show significant deviation from a power law above density contrasts approximately 10(exp 5). We interpret this curvature as reflecting the non

Turning Despondency into Hope: Charting New Paths to Improve Students' Achievement and Participation in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Alberto J.

2004-01-01

This monograph offers a realistic look at current trends in student achievement in science education, the participation of underrepresented populations, and the many factors that serve to sustain them. In addition, it offers new insights and concrete suggestions for change based on the analysis of recent reports and promising field-based studies.…

Science Achievement Gaps by Gender and Race/Ethnicity in Elementary and Middle School: Trends and Predictors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, David M.; Cooc, North

2015-01-01

Research on science achievement disparities by gender and race/ethnicity often neglects the beginning of the pipeline in the early grades. We address this limitation using nationally representative data following students from Grades 3 to 8. We find that the Black-White science test score gap (-1.07 SD in Grade 3) remains stable over these years,…

Academic Effort and Achievement in Science: Beyond a Gendered Relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamuti-Trache, Maria; Sweet, Robert

2013-12-01

This study employs the 2004 School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) data to examine whether academic effort manifested by greater investments in school and homework does result in higher literacy scores in science for Canadian students. The study compares four gender-immigrant profiles: Canadian-born males, immigrant males, Canadian-born females, and immigrant females on their scores on teacher-assigned grades in science and on the SAIP science literacy test, and across a range of dispositions, beliefs, and behaviors suggested in the literature as predictive of achievement in science. Study findings show that Canadian-born students, particularly boys, have higher performance in the science literacy test despite their lower achievement in the science classroom and the least investments of time in doing science homework. In contrast, immigrant female students demonstrate the highest academic effort and achievement in science courses which are not matched by similar results in the science literacy test. We discuss these results in relation to different socialization experiences with science and technology that limit female and immigrant students' abilities to transfer knowledge to new situations that have not been learned in the classroom.

A microfabricated low-profile wideband antenna array for terahertz communications.

PubMed

Luk, K M; Zhou, S F; Li, Y J; Wu, F; Ng, K B; Chan, C H; Pang, S W

2017-04-28

While terahertz communications are considered to be the future solutions for the increasing demands on bandwidth, terahertz equivalents of radio frequency front-end components have not been realized. It remains challenging to achieve wideband, low profile antenna arrays with highly directive beams of radiation. Here, based on the complementary antenna approach, a wideband 2 × 2 cavity-backed slot antenna array with a corrugated surface is proposed. The approach is based on a unidirectional antenna with a cardiac radiation pattern and stable frequency characteristics that is achieved by integrating a series-resonant electric dipole with a parallel-resonant magnetic dipole. In this design, the slots work as magnetic dipoles while the corrugated surface radiates as an array of electric dipoles. The proposed antenna is realized at 1 THz operating frequency by stacking multiple metallized layers using the microfabrication technology. S-parameter measurements of this terahertz low-profile metallic antenna array demonstrate high efficiency at terahertz frequencies. Fractional bandwidth and gain are measured to be 26% and 14 dBi which are consistent with the simulated results. The proposed antenna can be used as the building block for larger antenna arrays with more directive beams, paving the way to develop high gain low-profile antennas for future communication needs.

Students' motivational beliefs in science learning, school motivational contexts, and science achievement in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Cheng-Lung; Liou, Pey-Yan

2017-05-01

Taiwanese students are featured as having high academic achievement but low motivational beliefs according to the serial results of the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Moreover, given that the role of context has become more important in the development of academic motivation theory, this study aimed to examine the relationship between motivational beliefs and science achievement at both the student and school levels. Based on the Expectancy-Value Theory, the three motivational beliefs, namely self-concept, intrinsic value, and utility value, were the focuses of this study. The two-level hierarchical linear model was used to analyse the Taiwanese TIMSS 2011 eighth-grade student data. The results indicated that each motivational belief had a positive predictive effect on science achievement. Additionally, a positive school contextual effect of self-concept on science achievement was identified. Furthermore, school-mean utility value had a negative moderating effect on the relationship between utility value and science achievement. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the functioning of motivational beliefs in science learning among Taiwanese adolescents with consideration of the school motivational contexts.

Leprosy trends in Zambia 1991-2009.

PubMed

Kapata, Nathan; Chanda-Kapata, Pascalina; Grobusch, Martin Peter; O'Grady, Justin; Bates, Matthew; Mwaba, Peter; Zumla, Alimuddin

2012-10-01

To document leprosy trends in Zambia over the past two decades to ascertain the importance of leprosy as a health problem in Zambia. Retrospective study covering the period 1991-2009 of routine national leprosy surveillance data, published national programme review reports and desk reviews of in-country TB reports. Data reports were available for all the years under study apart from years 2001, 2002 and 2006. The Leprosy case notification rates (CNR) declined from 2.73/10 000 population in 1991 to 0.43/10 000 population in 2009. The general leprosy burden showed a downward trend for both adults and children. Leprosy case burden dropped from approximately 18 000 cases in 1980 to only about 1000 cases in 1996, and by the year 2000, the prevalence rates had fallen to 0.67/10 000 population. There were more multibacillary cases of leprosy than pauci-bacillary cases. Several major gaps in data recording, entry and surveillance were identified. Data on disaggregation by gender, HIV status or geographical origin were not available. Whilst Zambia has achieved WHO targets for leprosy control, leprosy prevalence data from Zambia may not reflect real situation because of poor data recording and surveillance. Greater investment into infrastructure and training are required for more accurate surveillance of leprosy in Zambia. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Relationship between Self-Concept and Achievement in TIMSS 2007: A Comparison between American and Japanese Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoshino, Asako

2012-01-01

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between eighth-grade students' maths-related self-concepts and their achievements in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007. The students' maths self-concept was compared with other variables, namely their mothers' education, their fathers' education…

Cognitive Profiles of Mathematical Problem Solving Learning Disability for Different Definitions of Disability

PubMed Central

Tolar, Tammy D.; Fuchs, Lynn; Fletcher, Jack M.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.

2014-01-01

Three cohorts of third-grade students (N = 813) were evaluated on achievement, cognitive abilities, and behavioral attention according to contrasting research traditions in defining math learning disability (LD) status: low achievement versus extremely low achievement and IQ-achievement discrepant versus strictly low-achieving LD. We use methods from these two traditions to form math problem solving LD groups. To evaluate group differences, we used MANOVA-based profile and canonical analyses to control for relations among the outcomes and regression to control for group definition variables. Results suggest that basic arithmetic is the key distinguishing characteristic that separates low-achieving problem solvers (including LD, regardless of definition) from typically achieving students. Word problem solving is the key distinguishing characteristic that separates IQ-achievement-discrepant from strictly low-achieving LD students, favoring the IQ-achievement-discrepant students. PMID:24939971

Metabolomic Profiling in Individuals with a Failing Kidney Allograft

PubMed Central

Biancone, Luigi; Bussolino, Stefania; Merugumala, Sai; Tezza, Sara; D’Addio, Francesca; Ben Nasr, Moufida; Valderrama-Vasquez, Alessandro; Usuelli, Vera; De Zan, Valentina; El Essawy, Basset; Venturini, Massimo; Secchi, Antonio; De Cobelli, Francesco; Lin, Alexander; Chandraker, Anil; Fiorina, Paolo

2017-01-01

Background Alteration of certain metabolites may play a role in the pathophysiology of renal allograft disease. Methods To explore metabolomic abnormalities in individuals with a failing kidney allograft, we analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS; for ex vivo profiling of serum and urine) and two dimensional correlated spectroscopy (2D COSY; for in vivo study of the kidney graft) 40 subjects with varying degrees of chronic allograft dysfunction stratified by tertiles of glomerular filtration rate (GFR; T1, T2, T3). Ten healthy non-allograft individuals were chosen as controls. Results LC-MS/MS analysis revealed a dose-response association between GFR and serum concentration of tryptophan, glutamine, dimethylarginine isomers (asymmetric [A]DMA and symmetric [S]DMA) and short-chain acylcarnitines (C4 and C12), (test for trend: T1-T3 = p<0.05; p = 0.01; p<0.001; p = 0.01; p = 0.01; p<0.05, respectively). The same association was found between GFR and urinary levels of histidine, DOPA, dopamine, carnosine, SDMA and ADMA (test for trend: T1-T3 = p<0.05; p<0.01; p = 0.001; p<0.05; p = 0.001; p<0.001; p<0.01, respectively). In vivo 2D COSY of the kidney allograft revealed significant reduction in the parenchymal content of choline, creatine, taurine and threonine (all: p<0.05) in individuals with lower GFR levels. Conclusions We report an association between renal function and altered metabolomic profile in renal transplant individuals with different degrees of kidney graft function. PMID:28052095

Metabolomic Profiling in Individuals with a Failing Kidney Allograft.

PubMed

Bassi, Roberto; Niewczas, Monika A; Biancone, Luigi; Bussolino, Stefania; Merugumala, Sai; Tezza, Sara; D'Addio, Francesca; Ben Nasr, Moufida; Valderrama-Vasquez, Alessandro; Usuelli, Vera; De Zan, Valentina; El Essawy, Basset; Venturini, Massimo; Secchi, Antonio; De Cobelli, Francesco; Lin, Alexander; Chandraker, Anil; Fiorina, Paolo

2017-01-01

Alteration of certain metabolites may play a role in the pathophysiology of renal allograft disease. To explore metabolomic abnormalities in individuals with a failing kidney allograft, we analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS; for ex vivo profiling of serum and urine) and two dimensional correlated spectroscopy (2D COSY; for in vivo study of the kidney graft) 40 subjects with varying degrees of chronic allograft dysfunction stratified by tertiles of glomerular filtration rate (GFR; T1, T2, T3). Ten healthy non-allograft individuals were chosen as controls. LC-MS/MS analysis revealed a dose-response association between GFR and serum concentration of tryptophan, glutamine, dimethylarginine isomers (asymmetric [A]DMA and symmetric [S]DMA) and short-chain acylcarnitines (C4 and C12), (test for trend: T1-T3 = p<0.05; p = 0.01; p<0.001; p = 0.01; p = 0.01; p<0.05, respectively). The same association was found between GFR and urinary levels of histidine, DOPA, dopamine, carnosine, SDMA and ADMA (test for trend: T1-T3 = p<0.05; p<0.01; p = 0.001; p<0.05; p = 0.001; p<0.001; p<0.01, respectively). In vivo 2D COSY of the kidney allograft revealed significant reduction in the parenchymal content of choline, creatine, taurine and threonine (all: p<0.05) in individuals with lower GFR levels. We report an association between renal function and altered metabolomic profile in renal transplant individuals with different degrees of kidney graft function.

Zika pandemic online trends, incidence and health risk communication: a time trend study.

PubMed

Adebayo, Gbenga; Neumark, Yehuda; Gesser-Edelsburg, Anat; Abu Ahmad, Wiessam; Levine, Hagai

2017-01-01

We aimed to describe the online search trends of Zika and examine their association with Zika incidence, assess the content of Zika-related press releases issued by leading health authorities and examine the association between online trends and press release timing. Using Google Trends, the 1 May 2015 to 30 May 2016 online trends of Zika and associated search terms were studied globally and in the five countries with the highest numbers of suspected cases. Correlations were then examined between online trends and Zika incidence in these countries. All Zika-related press releases issued by WHO/Pan America Health Organization (PAHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the study period were assessed for transparency, uncertainty and audience segmentation. Witte's Extended Parallel Process Model was applied to assess self-efficacy, response efficacy, susceptibility and severity. AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average with an eXogenous predictor variable (ARIMAX) (p,d,q) regression modelling was used to quantify the association between online trends and the timing of press releases. Globally, Zika online search trends were low until the beginning of 2016, when interest rose steeply. Strong correlations (r=0.748-0.922; p<0.001) were observed between online trends and the number of suspected Zika cases in four of the five countries studied. Compared with press releases issued by WHO/PAHO, CDC press releases were significantly more likely to provide contact details and links to other resources, include figures/graphs, be risk-advisory in nature and be more readable and briefer. ARIMAX modelling results indicate that online trends preceded by 1 week press releases by WHO (stationary-R 2 =0.345; p<0.001) and CDC (stationary-R 2 =0.318; p=0.014). These results suggest that online trends can aid in pandemic surveillance. Identification of shortcomings in the content and timing of Zika press releases can help guide health communication efforts in

Zika pandemic online trends, incidence and health risk communication: a time trend study

PubMed Central

Neumark, Yehuda; Gesser-Edelsburg, Anat; Abu Ahmad, Wiessam

2017-01-01

Objectives We aimed to describe the online search trends of Zika and examine their association with Zika incidence, assess the content of Zika-related press releases issued by leading health authorities and examine the association between online trends and press release timing. Design Using Google Trends, the 1 May 2015 to 30 May 2016 online trends of Zika and associated search terms were studied globally and in the five countries with the highest numbers of suspected cases. Correlations were then examined between online trends and Zika incidence in these countries. All Zika-related press releases issued by WHO/Pan America Health Organization (PAHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during the study period were assessed for transparency, uncertainty and audience segmentation. Witte's Extended Parallel Process Model was applied to assess self-efficacy, response efficacy, susceptibility and severity. AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average with an eXogenous predictor variable (ARIMAX) (p,d,q) regression modelling was used to quantify the association between online trends and the timing of press releases. Results Globally, Zika online search trends were low until the beginning of 2016, when interest rose steeply. Strong correlations (r=0.748–0.922; p<0.001) were observed between online trends and the number of suspected Zika cases in four of the five countries studied. Compared with press releases issued by WHO/PAHO, CDC press releases were significantly more likely to provide contact details and links to other resources, include figures/graphs, be risk-advisory in nature and be more readable and briefer. ARIMAX modelling results indicate that online trends preceded by 1 week press releases by WHO (stationary-R2=0.345; p<0.001) and CDC (stationary-R2=0.318; p=0.014). Conclusions These results suggest that online trends can aid in pandemic surveillance. Identification of shortcomings in the content and timing of Zika press releases can help

Influence of enteric-coated lactose on the release profile of 4-aminopyridine from HPMC matrix tablets.

PubMed

Martínez-González, Ilona; Villafuerte-Robles, Leopoldo

2004-01-01

A weakly basic experimental drug, 4-aminopyridine, was taken as a model to study the influence of enteric-coated lactose (EL) on the release profile from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose matrices. Powder mixtures were wet-granulated with water. The dried granulation was compressed with a hydraulic press at 85 MPa. Dissolution studies were made using HCl 0.1 N and then phosphate buffer pH 7.4. Dissolution curves were described by M(t)/M(inf) = k*t(N). A trend toward increasing exponent (n) and decreasing release constant (k) values is observed with increasing EL concentrations up to 9%; this is attributed to an increasing obstruction of the diffusion path by isolated EL particles that are insoluble in HCl and are surrounded by a water-filled space. After a critical EL concentration, the water-filled spaces surrounding EL particles percolate, producing the opposite effect, increasing the release constant and decreasing the exponent (n) values as the EL proportion increases from 10% to 50%. EL particles (2% to 9%) decrease the drug and water transport in matrices dissolving in HCl. Thereafter, at pH 7.4, the pores formed by dissolution of EL particles produce the opposite. Both processes contribute to flattening the release profile. Release profiles with decreasing release constant values show a logarithmic trend toward increasing values of the exponent (n), changing from diffusion toward relaxation-erosion-controlled processes.

Trends in stratospheric NO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruzdev, A. N.

2009-04-01

Data of spectrometric ground-based measurements of stratospheric column NO2 contents at stations within the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) are analyzed for linear trends. The trend analysis takes into account the NO2 seasonal variation, effects of the 11-year solar and geomagnetic activity cycles, effects of the quasi-biennial oscillation and the El Nino - Southern Oscillation, and the effects of the El Chichon and Pinatubo eruptions. The latitudinal distributions of the annual and seasonal trends in NO2 have been obtained. The annual trends are mostly positive in the southern hemisphere middle and low latitudes and negative in the European sector of the northern hemisphere middle latitudes. In the high and polar latitudes of the two hemispheres, the annual estimates of trends are mostly statistically insignificant. However, a positive NO2 trend is observed at 78°S in the Antarctic, while positive and negative trends are observed in the northern hemisphere high latitudes. The maximum positive and negative trends are about 10% per decade by module. Seasonal estimates of the trends differ generally from the annual estimates. At stations of Zvenigorod, Jungfraujoch (northern hemisphere middle latitudes), Lauder, and Macquarie Island (southern hemisphere middle latitudes) the signs of the NO2 trends do not depend on season, although the trend values vary with season. At other stations, trend values, their statistical significance, and even their signs can vary with season. Nitrogen oxides affects the photochemical balance of stratospheric ozone directly and indirectly, influencing the effectiveness of ozone destruction in the chlorine cycle. The observed significant trends in stratospheric NO2 should result in noticeable perturbations of the rates of ozone destruction in the nitrogen cycle. The sensitivities of photochemical balance of stratospheric ozone to long-term changes in stratospheric NO2 and chlorine are estimated using a

Ethnicity and birth outcome: New Zealand trends 1980-2001. Part 1. Introduction, methods, results and overview.

PubMed

Craig, Elizabeth D; Mantell, Colin D; Ekeroma, Alec J; Stewart, Alistair W; Mitchell, Ed A

2004-12-01

New Zealand Government policy during the past decade has placed a high priority on closing socioeconomic and ethnic gaps in health outcome. To analyse New Zealand's trends in preterm and small for gestational age (SGA) births and late fetal deaths during 1980-2001 and to undertake ethnic specific analyses, resulting in risk factor profiles, for each ethnic group. De-identified birth registration data from 1 189 120 singleton live births and 5775 stillbirths were analysed for the period 1980-2001. Outcomes of interest included preterm birth, SGA and late fetal death while explanatory variables included maternal ethnicity, age and New Zealand Deprivation Index decile. Trend analysis was undertaken for 1980-1994 while multivariate logistic regression was used to explore risk factors for 1996-2001. During 1980-1994, preterm birth rates were highest amongst Maori women. Preterm rates increased by 30% for European/other women, in contrast to non-significant declines of 7% for Maori women and 4% for Pacific women during this period. During the same period, rates of SGA were highest amongst Maori women. Rates of SGA declined by 30% for Pacific women, 25% for Maori women and 19% for European/other women during this period. Rates of late fetal death were highest amongst Pacific women during 1980-1994, but declined by 49% during this period, the rate of decline being similar for all ethnic groups. The marked differences in both trend data and risk factor profiles for women in New Zealand's largest ethnic groups would suggest that unless ethnicity is specifically taken into account in future policy and planning initiatives, the disparities seen in this analysis might well persist into future generations.

Influence of changing travel patterns on child death rates from injury: trend analysis.

PubMed Central

DiGuiseppi, C.; Roberts, I.; Li, L.

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To examine trends in child mortality from unintentional injury between 1985 and 1992 and to find how changes in modes of travel contributed to these trends. DESIGN: Poisson regression modelling using data from death certificates, censuses, and national travel surveys. SETTING: England and Wales. SUBJECTS: Resident children aged 0-14. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Deaths from unintentional injury and poisoning. RESULTS: Child deaths from injury declined by 34% (95% confidence interval 28% to 40%) per 100,000 population between 1985 and 1992. Substantial decreases in each of the leading causes of death from injury contributed to this overall decline. On average, children walked and cycled less distance and travelled substantially more miles by car in 1992 compared with 1985. Deaths from road traffic accidents declined for pedestrians by 24% per mile walked and for cyclists by 20% per mile cycled, substantially less than the declines per 100,000 population of 37% and 38% respectively. In contrast, deaths of occupants of motor vehicles declined by 42% per mile travelled by car compared with a 21% decline per 100,000 population. CONCLUSIONS: If trends in child mortality from injury continue the government's target to reduce the rate by 33% by the year 2005 will be achieved. A substantial proportion of the decline in pedestrian traffic and pedal cycling deaths, however, seems to have been achieved at the expense of children's walking and cycling activities. Changes in travel patterns may exact a considerable price in terms of future health problems. PMID:9116546

Trends in physical activity and participation in sports clubs among Icelandic adolescents.

PubMed

Eithsdóttir, Sigríthur Th; Kristjánsson, Alfgeir L; Sigfúsdóttir, Inga D; Allegrante, John P

2008-06-01

Physical activity among adolescents and its implications for health status is of increasing concern. We examined trends in physical activity and participation in sports clubs among Icelandic adolescents. Cross-sectional survey data were used to determine levels of vigorous physical activity and participation in sports clubs (defined as engaging in moderately intensive activity four times or more a week) for cohorts of Icelandic adolescents in 1992, 1997, 2000 and 2006. There was a 6% increase in the rate of vigorous physical activity and a 15% increase in active sports club participation among 14- and 15-year old Icelandic adolescents from 1992 to 2006. The trends were consistent across genders; however, only 53% of boys actually achieved the recommended criterion for vigorous physical activity, with the percentage of girls averaging 16% lower than that for boys. Additionally, there was an overall increase in the proportion of inactive adolescents, with girls consistently reporting higher levels of inactivity than boys even though the net increase in inactivity was higher for boys. Although our results show an overall increase in vigorous physical activity and participation in sports clubs over the past decade among both genders, our data also indicate that over half of all Icelandic adolescents are not achieving the recommended level of participation in physical activity. Furthermore, less than one third of the population studied is achieving the recommended level of activity through organized clubs. Initiatives to increase physical activity among the least active of adolescents should receive high priority in public health.

Demographic and Educational Influences on Academic Motivation, Competence, and Achievement in Minority Urban Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcon, Rebecca A.

Using the Scale of Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Orientation in the Classroom (S. Harter, 1980) and the Self-Perception Profile for Children (S. Harter, 1985), this study of 222 urban early adolescents (median age=149 months) examined differences in motivation that might affect academic achievement and perceptions of competence. Socioeconomic status…

Leadership profile: HealthAchieve 2013 Nursing Leadership Award Winner, Tiziana Rivera.

PubMed

Rivera, Tiziana

2014-03-01

Tiziana Rivera, the winner of the 2013 Nursing Leadership Award at the November HealthAchieve conference, is chief nursing executive and chief practice officer at Mackenzie Health. As such, she provides strategic leadership for the development and implementation of a shared vision for professional practice, nursing and all disciplines to promote innovative care and the development of care delivery models that will improve quality of care and population health.Prior to assuming her position at Mackenzie Health, Rivera provided strategic leadership for the Seniors' Health Program at Trillium Health Centre, where her role focused on the development of seniors' health services across the continuum of care. She has published numerous articles in refereed journals, conducted several research studies and presented her papers provincially, nationally and internationally. Rivera has a clinical appointment at the University of Toronto Faculty of Nursing, a faculty adviser position at Ryerson and an adjunct faculty position at the School of Health Sciences, York University and at the School of Health Sciences, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning.In the following Q and A, Rivera shares her thoughts on leadership in nursing and perspectives on several critical issues.

Turbulence profiling for adaptive optics tomographic reconstructors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laidlaw, Douglas J.; Osborn, James; Wilson, Richard W.; Morris, Timothy J.; Butterley, Timothy; Reeves, Andrew P.; Townson, Matthew J.; Gendron, Éric; Vidal, Fabrice; Morel, Carine

2016-07-01

To approach optimal performance advanced Adaptive Optics (AO) systems deployed on ground-based telescopes must have accurate knowledge of atmospheric turbulence as a function of altitude. Stereo-SCIDAR is a high-resolution stereoscopic instrument dedicated to this measure. Here, its profiles are directly compared to internal AO telemetry atmospheric profiling techniques for CANARY (Vidal et al. 20141), a Multi-Object AO (MOAO) pathfinder on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT), La Palma. In total twenty datasets are analysed across July and October of 2014. Levenberg-Marquardt fitting algorithms dubbed Direct Fitting and Learn 2 Step (L2S; Martin 20142) are used in the recovery of profile information via covariance matrices - respectively attaining average Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients with stereo-SCIDAR of 0.2 and 0.74. By excluding the measure of covariance between orthogonal Wavefront Sensor (WFS) slopes these results have revised values of 0.65 and 0.2. A data analysis technique that combines L2S and SLODAR is subsequently introduced that achieves a correlation coefficient of 0.76.