Career Pathways of Athletic Directors: Consideration of the Impact of Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Lenora E.

2011-01-01

This study explored career pathways for becoming an athletic director (AD) at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisions I, II, and, III member institutions with consideration of gender and race/ethnicity. The study employed an exploratory, descriptive research design using a quantitative electronic survey tapping a census of all…

Polarisation Measurement with a Dual Beam Interferometer (CATSI). Exploratory Results and Preliminary Phenomenological Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis H. Lavoie J.-M... Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis H. Lavoie J.-M. Thériault... Polarisation measurement with a dual beam interferometer (CATSI) - Exploratory results and preliminary phenomenological analysis. ECR 2004-372. DRDC Valcartier

A Brief History of the Philosophical Foundations of Exploratory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulaik, Stanley A.

1987-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis derives its key ideas from many sources, including Aristotle, Francis Bacon, Descartes, Pearson and Yule, and Kant. The conclusions of exploratory factor analysis are never complete without subsequent confirmatory factor analysis. (Author/GDC)

Exploratory Application of Neuropharmacometabolomics in Severe Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Hagos, Fanuel T; Empey, Philip E; Wang, Pengcheng; Ma, Xiaochao; Poloyac, Samuel M; Bayır, Hülya; Kochanek, Patrick M; Bell, Michael J; Clark, Robert S B

2018-05-07

To employ metabolomics-based pathway and network analyses to evaluate the cerebrospinal fluid metabolome after severe traumatic brain injury in children and the capacity of combination therapy with probenecid and N-acetylcysteine to impact glutathione-related and other pathways and networks, relative to placebo treatment. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid obtained from children enrolled in an Institutional Review Board-approved, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of a combination of probenecid and N-acetylcysteine after severe traumatic brain injury (Trial Registration NCT01322009). Thirty-six-bed PICU in a university-affiliated children's hospital. Twelve children 2-18 years old after severe traumatic brain injury and five age-matched control subjects. Probenecid (25 mg/kg) and N-acetylcysteine (140 mg/kg) or placebo administered via naso/orogastric tube. The cerebrospinal fluid metabolome was analyzed in samples from traumatic brain injury patients 24 hours after the first dose of drugs or placebo and control subjects. Feature detection, retention time, alignment, annotation, and principal component analysis and statistical analysis were conducted using XCMS-online. The software "mummichog" was used for pathway and network analyses. A two-component principal component analysis revealed clustering of each of the groups, with distinct metabolomics signatures. Several novel pathways with plausible mechanistic involvement in traumatic brain injury were identified. A combination of metabolomics and pathway/network analyses showed that seven glutathione-centered pathways and two networks were enriched in the cerebrospinal fluid of traumatic brain injury patients treated with probenecid and N-acetylcysteine versus placebo-treated patients. Several additional pathways/networks consisting of components that are known substrates of probenecid-inhibitable transporters were also identified, providing additional mechanistic validation. This proof-of-concept neuropharmacometabolomics assessment reveals alterations in known and previously unidentified metabolic pathways and supports therapeutic target engagement of the combination of probenecid and N-acetylcysteine treatment after severe traumatic brain injury in children.

BMDExpress Data Viewer: A Visualization Tool to Analyze ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Regulatory agencies increasingly apply benchmark dose (BMD) modeling to determine points of departure in human risk assessments. BMDExpress applies BMD modeling to transcriptomics datasets and groups genes to biological processes and pathways for rapid assessment of doses at which biological perturbations occur. However, graphing and analytical capabilities within BMDExpress are limited, and the analysis of output files is challenging. We developed a web-based application, BMDExpress Data Viewer, for visualization and graphical analyses of BMDExpress output files. The software application consists of two main components: ‘Summary Visualization Tools’ and ‘Dataset Exploratory Tools’. We demonstrate through two case studies that the ‘Summary Visualization Tools’ can be used to examine and assess the distributions of probe and pathway BMD outputs, as well as derive a potential regulatory BMD through the modes or means of the distributions. The ‘Functional Enrichment Analysis’ tool presents biological processes in a two-dimensional bubble chart view. By applying filters of pathway enrichment p-value and minimum number of significant genes, we showed that the Functional Enrichment Analysis tool can be applied to select pathways that are potentially sensitive to chemical perturbations. The ‘Multiple Dataset Comparison’ tool enables comparison of BMDs across multiple experiments (e.g., across time points, tissues, or organisms, etc.). The ‘BMDL-BM

A Review of CEFA Software: Comprehensive Exploratory Factor Analysis Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Soon-Mook

2010-01-01

CEFA 3.02(Browne, Cudeck, Tateneni, & Mels, 2008) is a factor analysis computer program designed to perform exploratory factor analysis. It provides the main properties that are needed for exploratory factor analysis, namely a variety of factoring methods employing eight different discrepancy functions to be minimized to yield initial…

Scholarly Concentration Program Development: A Generalizable, Data-Driven Approach.

PubMed

Burk-Rafel, Jesse; Mullan, Patricia B; Wagenschutz, Heather; Pulst-Korenberg, Alexandra; Skye, Eric; Davis, Matthew M

2016-11-01

Scholarly concentration programs-also known as scholarly projects, pathways, tracks, or pursuits-are increasingly common in U.S. medical schools. However, systematic, data-driven program development methods have not been described. The authors examined scholarly concentration programs at U.S. medical schools that U.S. News & World Report ranked as top 25 for research or primary care (n = 43 institutions), coding concentrations and mission statements. Subsequently, the authors conducted a targeted needs assessment via a student-led, institution-wide survey, eliciting learners' preferences for 10 "Pathways" (i.e., concentrations) and 30 "Topics" (i.e., potential content) augmenting core curricula at their institution. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a capacity optimization algorithm characterized best institutional options for learner-focused Pathway development. The authors identified scholarly concentration programs at 32 of 43 medical schools (74%), comprising 199 distinct concentrations (mean concentrations per program: 6.2, mode: 5, range: 1-16). Thematic analysis identified 10 content domains; most common were "Global/Public Health" (30 institutions; 94%) and "Clinical/Translational Research" (26 institutions; 81%). The institutional needs assessment (n = 468 medical students; response rate 60% overall, 97% among first-year students) demonstrated myriad student preferences for Pathways and Topics. EFA of Topic preferences identified eight factors, systematically related to Pathway preferences, informing content development. Capacity modeling indicated that offering six Pathways could guarantee 95% of first-year students (162/171) their first- or second-choice Pathway. This study demonstrates a generalizable, data-driven approach to scholarly concentration program development that reflects student preferences and institutional strengths, while optimizing program diversity within capacity constraints.

Patients or volunteers? The impact of motivation for trial participation on the efficacy of patient decision Aids: a secondary analysis of a Cochrane systematic review.

PubMed

Brown, James G; Joyce, Kerry E; Stacey, Dawn; Thomson, Richard G

2015-05-01

Efficacy of patient decision aids (PtDAs) may be influenced by trial participants' identity either as patients seeking to benefit personally from involvement or as volunteers supporting the research effort. To determine if study characteristics indicative of participants' trial identity might influence PtDA efficacy. We undertook exploratory subgroup meta-analysis of the 2011 Cochrane review of PtDAs, including trials that compared PtDA with usual care for treatment decisions. We extracted data on whether participants initiated the care pathway, setting, practitioner interactions, and 6 outcome variables (knowledge, risk perception, decisional conflict, feeling informed, feeling clear about values, and participation). The main subgroup analysis categorized trials as "volunteerism" or "patienthood" on the basis of whether participants initiated the care pathway. A supplementary subgroup analysis categorized trials on the basis of whether any volunteerism factors were present (participants had not initiated the care pathway, had attended a research setting, or had a face-to-face interaction with a researcher). Twenty-nine trials were included. Compared with volunteerism trials, pooled effect sizes were higher in patienthood trials (where participants initiated the care pathway) for knowledge, decisional conflict, feeling informed, feeling clear, and participation. The subgroup difference was statistically significant for knowledge only (P = 0.03). When trials were compared on the basis of whether volunteerism factors were present, knowledge was significantly greater in patienthood trials (P < 0.001), but there was otherwise no consistent pattern of differences in effects across outcomes. There is a tendency toward greater PtDA efficacy in trials in which participants initiate the pathway of care. Knowledge acquisition appears to be greater in trials where participants are predominantly patients rather than volunteers. © The Author(s) 2015.

Exploratory Mediation Analysis via Regularization

PubMed Central

Serang, Sarfaraz; Jacobucci, Ross; Brimhall, Kim C.; Grimm, Kevin J.

2017-01-01

Exploratory mediation analysis refers to a class of methods used to identify a set of potential mediators of a process of interest. Despite its exploratory nature, conventional approaches are rooted in confirmatory traditions, and as such have limitations in exploratory contexts. We propose a two-stage approach called exploratory mediation analysis via regularization (XMed) to better address these concerns. We demonstrate that this approach is able to correctly identify mediators more often than conventional approaches and that its estimates are unbiased. Finally, this approach is illustrated through an empirical example examining the relationship between college acceptance and enrollment. PMID:29225454

The mesencephalic trigeminal sensory nucleus is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior in mice.

PubMed

Ishii, Toshiaki; Furuoka, Hidefumi; Itou, Takuya; Kitamura, Nobuo; Nishimura, Masakazu

2005-06-28

The mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5), which receives input from oral proprioceptors and projects to higher brain regions, is involved in mastication-induced modulation of satiation. To investigate how the Me5 is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior, we examined the effect of bilateral electrolytic lesions of the Me5 on feeding and exploratory behavior in mice. Mouse feeding and exploratory behaviors were analyzed using a food-search-compulsion-apparatus (FSCA), which was designed to distinguish between the two behaviors under standard living conditions. To assess anxiety in mice in an unfamiliar environment, exploratory activity was analyzed in an automated hole-board apparatus. Mice with bilateral Me5 lesions had unique feeding and exploratory behavior profiles in the FSCA compared with sham-operated mice. Me5-lesioned mice spent more time in the food chamber during each trial in the FSCA, but the number of entries into the food chamber was decreased by 40% compared to sham-operated mice. Moreover, Me5 lesions markedly inhibited exploratory behavior, manifested as low-frequency exploration. In spite of the low-frequency exploration in the FSCA, Me5 lesions had no effect on various exploratory activities analyzed in the hole-board apparatus, i.e., total locomotor activity, frequency and duration of rearing and head-dipping, and latency to the first head-dipping. These results suggest that the Me5 is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior through its ascending neuronal pathways in mice without modulating the emotional state.

Surgical Capabilities for Exploration and Colonization Space Flight - An Exploratory Symposium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pantalos, George; Strangman, Gary; Doarn, Charles R.; Broderick, Timothy; Antonsen, Erik

2015-01-01

Identify realistic and achievable pathways for surgical capabilities during exploration and colonization space operations and develop a list of recommendations to the NASA Human Research Program to address challenges to developing surgical capabilities.

CADDIS Volume 4. Data Analysis: Exploratory Data Analysis

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Intro to exploratory data analysis. Overview of variable distributions, scatter plots, correlation analysis, GIS datasets. Use of conditional probability to examine stressor levels and impairment. Exploring correlations among multiple stressors.

Comparing brain activity patterns during spontaneous exploratory and cue-instructed learning using single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of regional cerebral blood flow in freely behaving rats.

PubMed

Mannewitz, A; Bock, J; Kreitz, S; Hess, A; Goldschmidt, J; Scheich, H; Braun, Katharina

2018-05-01

Learning can be categorized into cue-instructed and spontaneous learning types; however, so far, there is no detailed comparative analysis of specific brain pathways involved in these learning types. The aim of this study was to compare brain activity patterns during these learning tasks using the in vivo imaging technique of single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). During spontaneous exploratory learning, higher levels of rCBF compared to cue-instructed learning were observed in motor control regions, including specific subregions of the motor cortex and the striatum, as well as in regions of sensory pathways including olfactory, somatosensory, and visual modalities. In addition, elevated activity was found in limbic areas, including specific subregions of the hippocampal formation, the amygdala, and the insula. The main difference between the two learning paradigms analyzed in this study was the higher rCBF observed in prefrontal cortical regions during cue-instructed learning when compared to spontaneous learning. Higher rCBF during cue-instructed learning was also observed in the anterior insular cortex and in limbic areas, including the ectorhinal and entorhinal cortexes, subregions of the hippocampus, subnuclei of the amygdala, and the septum. Many of the rCBF changes showed hemispheric lateralization. Taken together, our study is the first to compare partly lateralized brain activity patterns during two different types of learning.

Fighting Dark Networks: Using Social Network Analysis to Implement the Special Operations Targeting Process for Direct and Indirect Approaches

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Wouter De Nooy, Andrej Mrvar and Vladimir Batagelj , Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005), 5...Granovetter, “The Strength of Weak Ties,” 1350–1368. 151 de Nooy, Mrvar , and Batagelj , Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, 151. 152...Spacetime Wrinkles Exhibit (1995). de Nooy, Wouter, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj . Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek. Cambridge

Assessing the feasibility of distributing child poison safety messages through three existing parent information pathways.

PubMed

Gibbs, L; Waters, E; Robinson, J; Young, S; Hutchinson, A

2009-12-01

The objective of this exploratory study was to assess the feasibility of increasing parents' poison safety awareness and behaviours using existing pathways. The aim was to compare the release of true stories of child unintentional poisoning via three modes: (a) parent "networker"; (b) maternal and child health nurse; (c) the media. The stories spread by the parent networker were readily recalled by the parents, with examples of changed behaviour and spreading of the stories. Parents who were part of the maternal and child health nurse strategy were not able to recall the stories without prompts. The media strategy could not be implemented because of difficulties finding parents ready to publicise their story. Given that it is an exploratory study, it is not possible to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of each of the intervention strategies. However, it appears that a low-resource intervention using stories shared via parent networkers may have exciting potential as a health promotion tool. A stronger study design to examine its effectiveness is proposed.

Exploratory analysis of osteoarthritis progression among medication users: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

PubMed

Driban, Jeffrey B; Lo, Grace H; Eaton, Charles B; Lapane, Kate L; Nevitt, Michael; Harvey, William F; McCulloch, Charles E; McAlindon, Timothy E

2016-12-01

We conducted an exploratory analysis of osteoarthritis progression among medication users in the Osteoarthritis Initiative to identify interventions or pathways that may be associated with disease modification and therefore of interest for future clinical trials. We used participants from the Osteoarthritis Initiative with annual medication inventory data between the baseline and 36-month follow-up visit ( n = 2938). Consistent medication users were defined for each medication classification as a participant reporting at all four annual visits that they were regularly using an oral prescription medication at the time of the visit. The exploratory analysis focused on medication classes with 40 or more users. The primary outcome measures were medial tibiofemoral joint space width change and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) knee pain score change (12-36-month visits). Within each knee, we explored eight comparisons between users and matched or unmatched nonusers (defined two ways). An effect size of each comparison was calculated. Medication classes had potential signals if (a) both knees had less progression among users compared with nonusers, or (b) there was less progression based on structure and symptoms in one knee. We screened 28 medication classes. Six medication classes had signals for fewer structural changes and better knee pain changes: alpha-adrenergic blockers, antilipemic (excluding statins and fibric acid), anticoagulants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antihistamines, and antineoplastic agents. Four medication classes had signals for structural changes alone: anti-estrogen (median effect size = 0.28; range = -0.41-0.64), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (median effect size = 0.13; range = -0.08-0.28), beta-adrenergic blockers (median effect size = 0.09; range = 0.01-0.30), and thyroid agents (median effect size = 0.04; range = -0.05-0.14). Thiazide diuretics had evidence for symptom modification (median effect size = -0.12; range = -0.24-0.04). Users of neurovascular, antilipemic, or hormonal interventions may have less disease progression compared with nonusers.

Exploratory Model Analysis of the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Low Global Scheduler Problem

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-12-01

solution. The non- linear least squares model is defined as Y = f{e,t) where: 0 =M-element parameter vector Y =N-element vector of all data t...NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS EXPLORATORY MODEL ANALYSIS OF THE SPACE BASED INFRARED SYSTEM (SBIRS) LOW GLOBAL SCHEDULER...December 1999 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE EXPLORATORY MODEL ANALYSIS OF THE SPACE BASED INFRARED SYSTEM

The intersectionality of postsecondary pathways: the case of high school students with special education needs.

PubMed

Robson, Karen L; Anisef, Paul; Brown, Robert S; Parekh, Gillian

2014-08-01

Using data from the Toronto District School Board, we examine the postsecondary pathways of students with special education needs (SEN). We consider both university and college pathways, employing multilevel multinomial logistic regressions, conceptualizing our findings within a life course and intersectionality framework. Our findings reveal that having SEN reduces the likelihood of confirming university, but increases the likelihood of college confirmation. We examine a set of known determinants of postsecondary education (PSE) pathways that were derived from the literature and employ exploratory statistical interactions to examine if the intersection of various traits differentially impacts upon the PSE trajectories of students with SEN. Our findings reveal that parental education, neighborhood wealth, race, and streaming impact on the postsecondary pathways of students with SEN in Toronto.

Enrichment with Wood Blocks Does Not Affect Toxicity Assessment in an Exploratory Toxicology Model Using Sprague–Dawley Rats

PubMed Central

Ditewig, Amy C; Bratcher, Natalie A; Davila, Donna R; Dayton, Brian D; Ebert, Paige; Lesuisse, Philippe; Liguori, Michael J; Wetter, Jill M; Yang, Hyuna; Buck, Wayne R

2014-01-01

Environmental enrichment in rodents may improve animal well-being but can affect neurologic development, immune system function, and aging. We tested the hypothesis that wood block enrichment affects the interpretation of traditional and transcriptomic endpoints in an exploratory toxicology testing model using a well-characterized reference compound, cyclophosphamide. ANOVA was performed to distinguish effects of wood block enrichment separate from effects of 40 mg/kg cyclophosphamide treatment. Biologically relevant and statistically significant effects of wood block enrichment occurred only for body weight gain. ANOVA demonstrated the expected effects of cyclophosphamide on food consumption, spleen weight, and hematology. According to transcriptomic endpoints, cyclophosphamide induced fewer changes in gene expression in liver than in spleen. Splenic transcriptomic pathways affected by cyclophosphamide included: iron hemostasis; vascular tissue angiotensin system; hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrosis; complement activation; TGFβ-induced hypertrophy and fibrosis; monocytes, macrophages, and atherosclerosis; and platelet activation. Changes in these pathways due to cyclophosphamide treatment were consistent with bone marrow toxicity regardless of enrichment. In a second study, neither enrichment nor type of cage flooring altered body weight or food consumption over a 28-d period after the first week. In conclusion, wood block enrichment did not interfere with a typical exploratory toxicology study; the effects of ingested wood on drug level kinetics may require further consideration. PMID:24827566

Diverse pathways to care for children with stomach pain in a Canadian cosmopolitan city.

PubMed

Fortin, Sylvie; Gauthier, Annie; Gomez, Liliana; Bibeau, Gilles; Rasquin, Andrée; Faure, Christophe

2014-09-01

In Montreal, Quebec, 31% of the population is born outside Canada. Yet, only 9% of patient consultations for symptoms associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are from immigrants at the Paediatric Gastroenterology Clinic at Sainte-Justine's University Hospital Centre. This discrepancy inspired a multidisciplinary exploratory study (anthropological and paediatric) to examine the sociological, interpretative and pragmatic aspects of immigrant and non-immigrant patients and family life with FGIDs. This paper examines the discrepancy between immigrant and non-immigrant paediatric patients with FGIDs and presents the different pathways to care utilised by families. Semi-structured interviews were carried out between November 2008 and June 2009, with children and their parents. In total, 38 families were recruited: with 27 families (including a child experiencing abdominal pain, his/her siblings, mother and/or father as well as any other significant individual living in the family home) from the community and 11 from the paediatric gastroenterology clinic. A comparative analysis between the immigrant and non-immigrant groups focused on perceptions, meanings and actions taken to relieve/alleviate symptoms. Immigrant and non-immigrant families alternate and combine different therapeutic environments: home, alternative healing therapies and medical paths to care. Our analysis suggests that culture (as a set of values, beliefs and ways of being), as well as social interactions within family life and the clinic, shape pathways to care. The analysis highlights the centrality of receptiveness--and more widely the social dimensions--of all medical encounters. Treatment disparities between immigrant and non-immigrant families in pathways to care help us to understand these patients' social world and the intricate relationships between values and social milieux, between culture, practices of symptom management and rationales guiding diverse therapeutic actions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Type I interferon and pattern recognition receptor signaling following particulate matter inhalation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Welding, a process that generates an aerosol containing gases and metal-rich particulates, induces adverse physiological effects including inflammation, immunosuppression and cardiovascular dysfunction. This study utilized microarray technology and subsequent pathway analysis as an exploratory search for markers/mechanisms of in vivo systemic effects following inhalation. Mice were exposed by inhalation to gas metal arc – stainless steel (GMA-SS) welding fume at 40 mg/m3 for 3 hr/d for 10 d and sacrificed 4 hr, 14 d and 28 d post-exposure. Whole blood cells, aorta and lung were harvested for global gene expression analysis with subsequent Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and confirmatory qRT-PCR. Serum was collected for protein profiling. Results The novel finding was a dominant type I interferon signaling network with the transcription factor Irf7 as a central component maintained through 28 d. Remarkably, these effects showed consistency across all tissues indicating a systemic type I interferon response that was complemented by changes in serum proteins (decreased MMP-9, CRP and increased VCAM1, oncostatin M, IP-10). In addition, pulmonary expression of interferon α and β and Irf7 specific pattern recognition receptors (PRR) and signaling molecules (Ddx58, Ifih1, Dhx58, ISGF3) were induced, an effect that showed specificity when compared to other inflammatory exposures. Also, a canonical pathway indicated a coordinated response of multiple PRR and associated signaling molecules (Tlr7, Tlr2, Clec7a, Nlrp3, Myd88) to inhalation of GMA-SS. Conclusion This methodological approach has the potential to identify consistent, prominent and/or novel pathways and provides insight into mechanisms that contribute to pulmonary and systemic effects following toxicant exposure. PMID:22776377

Type I interferon and pattern recognition receptor signaling following particulate matter inhalation.

PubMed

Erdely, Aaron; Antonini, James M; Salmen-Muniz, Rebecca; Liston, Angie; Hulderman, Tracy; Simeonova, Petia P; Kashon, Michael L; Li, Shengqiao; Gu, Ja K; Stone, Samuel; Chen, Bean T; Frazer, David G; Zeidler-Erdely, Patti C

2012-07-09

Welding, a process that generates an aerosol containing gases and metal-rich particulates, induces adverse physiological effects including inflammation, immunosuppression and cardiovascular dysfunction. This study utilized microarray technology and subsequent pathway analysis as an exploratory search for markers/mechanisms of in vivo systemic effects following inhalation. Mice were exposed by inhalation to gas metal arc - stainless steel (GMA-SS) welding fume at 40 mg/m3 for 3 hr/d for 10 d and sacrificed 4 hr, 14 d and 28 d post-exposure. Whole blood cells, aorta and lung were harvested for global gene expression analysis with subsequent Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and confirmatory qRT-PCR. Serum was collected for protein profiling. The novel finding was a dominant type I interferon signaling network with the transcription factor Irf7 as a central component maintained through 28 d. Remarkably, these effects showed consistency across all tissues indicating a systemic type I interferon response that was complemented by changes in serum proteins (decreased MMP-9, CRP and increased VCAM1, oncostatin M, IP-10). In addition, pulmonary expression of interferon α and β and Irf7 specific pattern recognition receptors (PRR) and signaling molecules (Ddx58, Ifih1, Dhx58, ISGF3) were induced, an effect that showed specificity when compared to other inflammatory exposures. Also, a canonical pathway indicated a coordinated response of multiple PRR and associated signaling molecules (Tlr7, Tlr2, Clec7a, Nlrp3, Myd88) to inhalation of GMA-SS. This methodological approach has the potential to identify consistent, prominent and/or novel pathways and provides insight into mechanisms that contribute to pulmonary and systemic effects following toxicant exposure.

TransCONFIRM: Identification of a Genetic Signature of Response to Fulvestrant in Advanced Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Jeselsohn, Rinath; Barry, William T; Migliaccio, Ilenia; Biagioni, Chiara; Zhao, Jin; De Tribolet-Hardy, Jonas; Guarducci, Cristina; Bonechi, Martina; Laing, Naomi; Winer, Eric P; Brown, Myles; Leo, Angelo Di; Malorni, Luca

2016-12-01

Fulvestrant is an estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist and an approved treatment for metastatic estrogen receptor-positive (ER + ) breast cancer. With the exception of ER levels, there are no established predictive biomarkers of response to single-agent fulvestrant. We attempted to identify a gene signature of response to fulvestrant in advanced breast cancer. Primary tumor samples from 134 patients enrolled in the phase III CONFIRM study of patients with metastatic ER + breast cancer comparing treatment with either 250 mg or 500 mg fulvestrant were collected for genome-wide transcriptomic analysis. Gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix microarrays. An exploratory analysis was performed to identify biologic pathways and new signatures associated with response to fulvestrant. Pathway analysis demonstrated that increased EGF pathway and FOXA1 transcriptional signaling is associated with decreased response to fulvestrant. Using a multivariate Cox model, we identified a novel set of 37 genes with an expression that is independently associated with progression-free survival (PFS). TFAP2C, a known regulator of ER activity, was ranked second in this gene set, and high expression was associated with a decreased response to fulvestrant. The negative predictive value of TFAP2C expression at the protein level was confirmed by IHC. We identified biologic pathways and a novel gene signature in primary ER + breast cancers that predicts for response to treatment in the CONFIRM study. These results suggest potential new therapeutic targets and warrant further validation as predictive biomarkers of fulvestrant treatment in metastatic breast cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 22(23); 5755-64. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

The Social Networks of Small Arms Proliferation: Mapping an Aviation Enabled Supply Chain

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

each of the discrete arms 248 Wouter de Nooy, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj , Exploratory Social...303 Wouter de Nooy, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj , Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, 101. 304 Ibid., 21. 93 entity. The data...305 Wouter de Nooy, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj , Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, 101. 306 Linton C. Freeman, "Graphical

Exploratory Analysis of Supply Chains in the Defense Industrial Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-01

Instruments Industry Group 382: Laboratory Apparatus and Analytical, Optical, Measuring, and Controlling Instruments 3821 Laboratory Apparatus and Furniture ...I N S T I T U T E F O R D E F E N S E A N A LY S E S Exploratory Analysis of Supply Chains in the Defense Industrial Base James R. Dominy...contract DASW01-04-C-0003, AH-7-3315, “Exploratory Analysis of Supply Chains in the Defense Industrial Base,” for the Director, Industrial Policy. The

Genetic similarities between tobacco use disorder and related comorbidities: an exploratory study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Tobacco use disorder (TUD), defined as the use of tobacco to the detriment of a person’s health or social functioning, is associated with various disorders. We hypothesized that mutual variation in genes may partly explain this link. The aims of this study were to make a non-exhaustive inventory of the disorders using (partially) the same genetic pathways as TUD, and to describe the genetic similarities between TUD and the selected disorders. Methods We developed a 3 stage approach: (i) selection of genes influencing TUD using Gene2Mesh and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), (ii) selection of disorders associated with the selected genes using IPA and (iii) genetic similarities between disorders associated with TUD using Jaccard distance and cluster analyses. Results Fourteen disorders and thirty-two genes met our inclusion criteria. The Jaccard distance between pairs of disorders ranged from 0.00 (e.g. oesophageal cancer and malignant hypertension) to 0.45 (e.g. bladder cancer and addiction). A lower number in the Jaccard distance indicates a higher similarity between the two disorders. Two main clusters of genetically similar disorders were observed, one including coexisting disorders (e.g. addiction and alcoholism) and the other one with the side-effects of smoking (e.g. gastric cancer and malignant hypertension). Conclusions This exploratory study partly explains the potential genetic components linking TUD to other disorders. Two principle clusters of disorders were observed (i) coexisting disorders of TUD and (ii) side-effects of TUD disorders. A further deepening of this observation in a real life study should allow strengthening this hypothesis. PMID:25060307

Gene Network Construction from Microarray Data Identifies a Key Network Module and Several Candidate Hub Genes in Age-Associated Spatial Learning Impairment

PubMed Central

Uddin, Raihan; Singh, Shiva M.

2017-01-01

As humans age many suffer from a decrease in normal brain functions including spatial learning impairments. This study aimed to better understand the molecular mechanisms in age-associated spatial learning impairment (ASLI). We used a mathematical modeling approach implemented in Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to create and compare gene network models of young (learning unimpaired) and aged (predominantly learning impaired) brains from a set of exploratory datasets in rats in the context of ASLI. The major goal was to overcome some of the limitations previously observed in the traditional meta- and pathway analysis using these data, and identify novel ASLI related genes and their networks based on co-expression relationship of genes. This analysis identified a set of network modules in the young, each of which is highly enriched with genes functioning in broad but distinct GO functional categories or biological pathways. Interestingly, the analysis pointed to a single module that was highly enriched with genes functioning in “learning and memory” related functions and pathways. Subsequent differential network analysis of this “learning and memory” module in the aged (predominantly learning impaired) rats compared to the young learning unimpaired rats allowed us to identify a set of novel ASLI candidate hub genes. Some of these genes show significant repeatability in networks generated from independent young and aged validation datasets. These hub genes are highly co-expressed with other genes in the network, which not only show differential expression but also differential co-expression and differential connectivity across age and learning impairment. The known function of these hub genes indicate that they play key roles in critical pathways, including kinase and phosphatase signaling, in functions related to various ion channels, and in maintaining neuronal integrity relating to synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Taken together, they provide a new insight and generate new hypotheses into the molecular mechanisms responsible for age associated learning impairment, including spatial learning. PMID:29066959

Gene Network Construction from Microarray Data Identifies a Key Network Module and Several Candidate Hub Genes in Age-Associated Spatial Learning Impairment.

PubMed

Uddin, Raihan; Singh, Shiva M

2017-01-01

As humans age many suffer from a decrease in normal brain functions including spatial learning impairments. This study aimed to better understand the molecular mechanisms in age-associated spatial learning impairment (ASLI). We used a mathematical modeling approach implemented in Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to create and compare gene network models of young (learning unimpaired) and aged (predominantly learning impaired) brains from a set of exploratory datasets in rats in the context of ASLI. The major goal was to overcome some of the limitations previously observed in the traditional meta- and pathway analysis using these data, and identify novel ASLI related genes and their networks based on co-expression relationship of genes. This analysis identified a set of network modules in the young, each of which is highly enriched with genes functioning in broad but distinct GO functional categories or biological pathways. Interestingly, the analysis pointed to a single module that was highly enriched with genes functioning in "learning and memory" related functions and pathways. Subsequent differential network analysis of this "learning and memory" module in the aged (predominantly learning impaired) rats compared to the young learning unimpaired rats allowed us to identify a set of novel ASLI candidate hub genes. Some of these genes show significant repeatability in networks generated from independent young and aged validation datasets. These hub genes are highly co-expressed with other genes in the network, which not only show differential expression but also differential co-expression and differential connectivity across age and learning impairment. The known function of these hub genes indicate that they play key roles in critical pathways, including kinase and phosphatase signaling, in functions related to various ion channels, and in maintaining neuronal integrity relating to synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Taken together, they provide a new insight and generate new hypotheses into the molecular mechanisms responsible for age associated learning impairment, including spatial learning.

Exploratory Analysis in Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, David; de Freitas, Sara

2016-01-01

This article summarizes the methods, observations, challenges and implications for exploratory analysis drawn from two learning analytics research projects. The cases include an analysis of a games-based virtual performance assessment and an analysis of data from 52,000 students over a 5-year period at a large Australian university. The complex…

Social Impact in Personalised Virtual Professional Development Pathways

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Hazel; Whalley, Rick; Dunmill, Merryn; Eccles, Heather

2018-01-01

This article presents exploratory research into an education-based virtual mentoring provision, the Virtual Professional Learning and Development (VPLD) program, and uses the Elements of Value Pyramid to help frame findings in a way that highlights the participants' (mentors' and mentees') perceived value of working together. Participants were…

Gene Set−Based Integrative Analysis Revealing Two Distinct Functional Regulation Patterns in Four Common Subtypes of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

PubMed Central

Chang, Chia-Ming; Chuang, Chi-Mu; Wang, Mong-Lien; Yang, Yi-Ping; Chuang, Jen-Hua; Yang, Ming-Jie; Yen, Ming-Shyen; Chiou, Shih-Hwa; Chang, Cheng-Chang

2016-01-01

Clear cell (CCC), endometrioid (EC), mucinous (MC) and high-grade serous carcinoma (SC) are the four most common subtypes of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). The widely accepted dualistic model of ovarian carcinogenesis divided EOCs into type I and II categories based on the molecular features. However, this hypothesis has not been experimentally demonstrated. We carried out a gene set-based analysis by integrating the microarray gene expression profiles downloaded from the publicly available databases. These quantified biological functions of EOCs were defined by 1454 Gene Ontology (GO) term and 674 Reactome pathway gene sets. The pathogenesis of the four EOC subtypes was investigated by hierarchical clustering and exploratory factor analysis. The patterns of functional regulation among the four subtypes containing 1316 cases could be accurately classified by machine learning. The results revealed that the ERBB and PI3K-related pathways played important roles in the carcinogenesis of CCC, EC and MC; while deregulation of cell cycle was more predominant in SC. The study revealed that two different functional regulation patterns exist among the four EOC subtypes, which were compatible with the type I and II classifications proposed by the dualistic model of ovarian carcinogenesis. PMID:27527159

The Infinitesimal Jackknife with Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Guangjian; Preacher, Kristopher J.; Jennrich, Robert I.

2012-01-01

The infinitesimal jackknife, a nonparametric method for estimating standard errors, has been used to obtain standard error estimates in covariance structure analysis. In this article, we adapt it for obtaining standard errors for rotated factor loadings and factor correlations in exploratory factor analysis with sample correlation matrices. Both…

Disruption of the ErbB signaling in adolescence increases striatal dopamine levels and affects learning and hedonic-like behavior in the adult mouse.

PubMed

Golani, Idit; Tadmor, Hagar; Buonanno, Andres; Kremer, Ilana; Shamir, Alon

2014-11-01

The ErbB signaling pathway has been genetically and functionally implicated in schizophrenia. Numerous findings support the dysregulation of Neuregulin (NRG) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling in schizophrenia. However, it is unclear whether alterations of these pathways in the adult brain or during development are involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Herein we characterized the behavioral profile and molecular changes resulting from pharmacologically blocking the ErbB signaling pathway during a critical period in the development of decision making, planning, judgments, emotions, social cognition and cognitive skills, namely adolescence. We demonstrate that chronic administration of the pan-ErbB kinase inhibitor JNJ-28871063 (JNJ) to adolescent mice elevated striatal dopamine levels and reduced preference for sucrose without affecting locomotor activity and exploratory behavior. In adulthood, adolescent JNJ-treated mice continue to consume less sucrose and needed significantly more correct-response trials to reach the learning criterion during the discrimination phase of the T-maze reversal learning task than their saline-injected controls. In addition, JNJ mice exhibited deficit in reference memory but not in working memory as measured in the radial arm maze. Inhibition of the pathway during adolescence did not affect exploratory behavior and locomotor activity in the open field, social interaction, social memory, and reversal learning in adult mice. Our data suggest that alteration of ErbB signaling during adolescence resulted in changes in the dopaminergic systems that emerge in pathological learning and hedonic behavior in adulthood, and pinpoints the possible role of the pathway in the development of cognitive skills and motivated behavior. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Using Horn's Parallel Analysis Method in Exploratory Factor Analysis for Determining the Number of Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çokluk, Ömay; Koçak, Duygu

2016-01-01

In this study, the number of factors obtained from parallel analysis, a method used for determining the number of factors in exploratory factor analysis, was compared to that of the factors obtained from eigenvalue and scree plot--two traditional methods for determining the number of factors--in terms of consistency. Parallel analysis is based on…

Women's dietary diversity in rural Bangladesh: Pathways through women's empowerment.

PubMed

Sinharoy, Sheela S; Waid, Jillian L; Haardörfer, Regine; Wendt, Amanda; Gabrysch, Sabine; Yount, Kathryn M

2018-01-01

The relationship between women's empowerment and women's nutrition is understudied. We aimed to elucidate this relationship by quantifying possible pathways between empowerment and dietary diversity among women in rural Bangladesh. In 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 2,599 married women ages 15-40 (median: 25) living in 96 settlements of Habiganj District, Bangladesh, as a baseline for the Food and Agricultural Approaches to Reducing Malnutrition trial. We collected data on women's empowerment (highest completed grade of schooling and agency), dietary diversity, and demographic factors, including household wealth. We used exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis on random split-half samples, followed by structural equation modelling, to test pathways from schooling, through domains of women's agency, to dietary diversity. Factor analysis revealed 3 latent domains of women's agency: social solidarity, decision-making, and voice with husband. In the adjusted mediation model, having any postprimary schooling was positively associated with voice with husband (β 41  = .051, p = .010), which was positively associated with dietary diversity (β 54  = .39, p = .002). Schooling also had a direct positive association with women's dietary diversity (β 51  = .22, p < .001). Neither women's social solidarity nor decision-making mediated the relationship between schooling and dietary diversity. The link between schooling and dietary diversity was direct and indirect, through women's voice with husband but not through women's social solidarity or decision-making. In this population, women with postprimary schooling seem to be better able to negotiate improved diets for themselves. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Exploratory Study of Intimate Relationship Socialization among Black Collegiate Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shipley, Ahlishia J'Nae

2011-01-01

The pathways through which individuals learn to appraise and behave in intimate relationships greatly influence the quality and stability of their relationships. Research on intimate relationships among college students guided by a socialization framework focusing on learning and ways of viewing relationships is limited. The purpose of the present…

Negotiating Sustainability: Reclaiming Ecological Pathways to Bio-Cultural Regeneration in Egypt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salem, Abeer Abdel Hamid

2013-01-01

What can an indigenous Egyptian paradigm for social evolution that represents the composite of bio-cultural diversities of Egypt and multiple bio-regions within it look like? With such exploratory inquiry in mind, this dissertation research focuses on analyzing the practice of development in Egypt through the lens of place, critiquing its…

The Pedagogy of Science Teachers from Non-Natural Science Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Shaneka

2017-01-01

This is a descriptive, exploratory, qualitative, collective case study that explores the pedagogical practices of science teachers who do not hold natural science degrees. The intent of this study is to support the creation of alternative pathways for recruiting and retaining high-quality secondary science teachers in K-12 education. The…

Exploratory Climate Data Visualization and Analysis Using DV3D and UVCDAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maxwell, Thomas

2012-01-01

Earth system scientists are being inundated by an explosion of data generated by ever-increasing resolution in both global models and remote sensors. Advanced tools for accessing, analyzing, and visualizing very large and complex climate data are required to maintain rapid progress in Earth system research. To meet this need, NASA, in collaboration with the Ultra-scale Visualization Climate Data Analysis Tools (UVCOAT) consortium, is developing exploratory climate data analysis and visualization tools which provide data analysis capabilities for the Earth System Grid (ESG). This paper describes DV3D, a UV-COAT package that enables exploratory analysis of climate simulation and observation datasets. OV3D provides user-friendly interfaces for visualization and analysis of climate data at a level appropriate for scientists. It features workflow inte rfaces, interactive 40 data exploration, hyperwall and stereo visualization, automated provenance generation, and parallel task execution. DV30's integration with CDAT's climate data management system (COMS) and other climate data analysis tools provides a wide range of high performance climate data analysis operations. DV3D expands the scientists' toolbox by incorporating a suite of rich new exploratory visualization and analysis methods for addressing the complexity of climate datasets.

Exploratory Bi-Factor Analysis: The Oblique Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jennrich, Robert I.; Bentler, Peter M.

2012-01-01

Bi-factor analysis is a form of confirmatory factor analysis originally introduced by Holzinger and Swineford ("Psychometrika" 47:41-54, 1937). The bi-factor model has a general factor, a number of group factors, and an explicit bi-factor structure. Jennrich and Bentler ("Psychometrika" 76:537-549, 2011) introduced an exploratory form of bi-factor…

Multimedia Exploratory Data Analysis for Geospatial Data Mining: The Case for Augmented Seriation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gluck, Myke

2001-01-01

Reviews the role of exploratory data analysis (EDA) for spatial data mining and presents a case study addressing environmental risk assessments in New York State to illustrate the feasibility and usability of augmenting seriation for spatial data analysis. Describes augmentation with multimedia tools to understand relationships among spatial,…

Replication Analysis in Exploratory Factor Analysis: What It Is and Why It Makes Your Analysis Better

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Jason W.; Fitzpatrick, David C.

2012-01-01

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is a powerful and commonly-used tool for investigating the underlying variable structure of a psychometric instrument. However, there is much controversy in the social sciences with regard to the techniques used in EFA (Ford, MacCallum, & Tait, 1986; Henson & Roberts, 2006) and the reliability of the outcome.…

Stress management for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse: a holistic inquiry.

PubMed

Wilson, Debra Rose

2010-02-01

Among the many sequelae of childhood sexual abuse is a maladaptive response to stress. Stress has been linked to a reduction in the immune system's ability to resist disease. The purpose of this exploratory mixed-method study is to examine the experience of stress management training for 35 adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Data gathered for analysis include pre- and postintervention saliva samples for sIgA, Ways of Coping Questionnaire, and a postintervention qualitative interview. Stress management strategies enhance immunity (increase in salivary immunoglobulin A, p < .05) and coping (less distancing, p < .001; less escape-avoidance, p < .001; more planful problem solving, p < .01; and more positive reappraisal, p < .001). Grounded theory analysis finds three themes emerging: hypervigilance , an outward-focused hyperawareness; somatic detachment, a lack of inward focus on self; and healing pathway, the process of healing from the abuse. Healing is possible.

Comparisons of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Larry G.

Historically, most researchers conducting factor analysis have used exploratory methods. However, more recently, confirmatory factor analytic methods have been developed that can directly test theory either during factor rotation using "best fit" rotation methods or during factor extraction, as with the LISREL computer programs developed…

Improving Skill Development: An Exploratory Study Comparing a Philosophical and an Applied Ethical Analysis Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Saggaf, Yeslam; Burmeister, Oliver K.

2012-01-01

This exploratory study compares and contrasts two types of critical thinking techniques; one is a philosophical and the other an applied ethical analysis technique. The two techniques analyse an ethically challenging situation involving ICT that a recent media article raised to demonstrate their ability to develop the ethical analysis skills of…

Factor Retention in Exploratory Factor Analysis: A Comparison of Alternative Methods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mumford, Karen R.; Ferron, John M.; Hines, Constance V.; Hogarty, Kristine Y.; Kromrey, Jeffery D.

This study compared the effectiveness of 10 methods of determining the number of factors to retain in exploratory common factor analysis. The 10 methods included the Kaiser rule and a modified Kaiser criterion, 3 variations of parallel analysis, 4 regression-based variations of the scree procedure, and the minimum average partial procedure. The…

Seeing the Forest Despite the Trees: The Benefit of Exploratory Data Analysis to Program Evaluation Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinacore, James M.; And Others

1992-01-01

It is argued that there is a benefit to applying techniques of exploratory data analysis (EDA) to program evaluation. The evaluation of a rehabilitation program for people with rheumatoid arthritis (20 subjects and 21 comparisons) through EDA supports the argument, indicating outcomes more precisely than conventional analysis of variance. (SLD)

Pharmacogenetics of steroid-responsive acute graft-versus-host disease.

PubMed

Arora, Mukta; Weisdorf, Daniel J; Shanley, Ryan M; Thyagarajan, Bharat

2017-05-01

Glucocorticoids are central to effective therapy of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, only about half of the patients respond to steroids in initial therapy. Based on postulated mechanisms for anti-inflammatory effectiveness, we explored genetic variations in glucocorticoid receptor, co-chaperone proteins, membrane transporters, inflammatory mediators, and variants in the T-cell receptor complex in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients with acute GVHD requiring treatment with steroids and their donors toward response at day 28 after initiation of therapy. A total of 300 recipient and donor samples were analyzed. Twenty-three SNPs in 17 genes affecting glucocorticoid pathways were included in the analysis. In multiple regression analysis, donor SNP rs3192177 in the ZAP70 gene (O.R. 2.8, 95% CI: 1.3-6.0, P=.008) and donor SNP rs34471628 in the DUSPI gene (O.R. 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-1.0, P=.048) were significantly associated with complete or partial response. However, after adjustment for multiple testing, these SNPs did not remain statistically significant. Our results, on this small, exploratory, hypothesis generating analysis suggest that common genetic variation in glucocorticoid pathways may help identify subjects with differential response to glucocorticoids. This needs further assessment in larger datasets and if validated could help identify subjects for alternative treatments and design targeted treatments to overcome steroid resistance. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploratory analysis of the copy number alterations in glioblastoma multiforme.

PubMed

Freire, Pablo; Vilela, Marco; Deus, Helena; Kim, Yong-Wan; Koul, Dimpy; Colman, Howard; Aldape, Kenneth D; Bogler, Oliver; Yung, W K Alfred; Coombes, Kevin; Mills, Gordon B; Vasconcelos, Ana T; Almeida, Jonas S

2008-01-01

The Cancer Genome Atlas project (TCGA) has initiated the analysis of multiple samples of a variety of tumor types, starting with glioblastoma multiforme. The analytical methods encompass genomic and transcriptomic information, as well as demographic and clinical data about the sample donors. The data create the opportunity for a systematic screening of the components of the molecular machinery for features that may be associated with tumor formation. The wealth of existing mechanistic information about cancer cell biology provides a natural reference for the exploratory exercise. Glioblastoma multiforme DNA copy number data was generated by The Cancer Genome Atlas project for 167 patients using 227 aCGH experiments, and was analyzed to build a catalog of aberrant regions. Genome screening was performed using an information theory approach in order to quantify aberration as a deviation from a centrality without the bias of untested assumptions about its parametric nature. A novel Cancer Genome Browser software application was developed and is made public to provide a user-friendly graphical interface in which the reported results can be reproduced. The application source code and stand alone executable are available at (http://code.google.com/p/cancergenome) and (http://bioinformaticstation.org), respectively. The most important known copy number alterations for glioblastoma were correctly recovered using entropy as a measure of aberration. Additional alterations were identified in different pathways, such as cell proliferation, cell junctions and neural development. Moreover, novel candidates for oncogenes and tumor suppressors were also detected. A detailed map of aberrant regions is provided.

Exploratory and Higher-Order Factor Analyses of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) Adolescent Subsample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canivez, Gary L.; Watkins, Marley W.

2010-01-01

The factor structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV; Wechsler, 2008a) with the adolescent participants (ages 16-19 years; N = 400) in the standardization sample was assessed using exploratory factor analysis, multiple factor extraction criteria, and higher-order exploratory factor analyses. Results from…

The use of exploratory analyses within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence single technology appraisal process: an evaluation and qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Carroll, Christopher; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2016-04-01

As part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) single technology appraisal (STA) process, independent Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) critically appraise the company submission. During the critical appraisal process the ERG may undertake analyses to explore uncertainties around the company's model and their implications for decision-making. The ERG reports are a central component of the evidence considered by the NICE Technology Appraisal Committees (ACs) in their deliberations. The aim of this research was to develop an understanding of the number and type of exploratory analyses undertaken by the ERGs within the STA process and to understand how these analyses are used by the NICE ACs in their decision-making. The 100 most recently completed STAs with published guidance were selected for inclusion in the analysis. The documents considered were ERG reports, clarification letters, the first appraisal consultation document and the final appraisal determination. Over 400 documents were assessed in this study. The categories of types of exploratory analyses included fixing errors, fixing violations, addressing matters of judgement and the ERG-preferred base case. A content analysis of documents (documentary analysis) was undertaken to identify and extract relevant data, and narrative synthesis was then used to rationalise and present these data. The level and type of detail in ERG reports and clarification letters varied considerably. The vast majority (93%) of ERG reports reported one or more exploratory analyses. The most frequently reported type of analysis in these 93 ERG reports related to the category 'matters of judgement', which was reported in 83 (89%) reports. The category 'ERG base-case/preferred analysis' was reported in 45 (48%) reports, the category 'fixing errors' was reported in 33 (35%) reports and the category 'fixing violations' was reported in 17 (18%) reports. The exploratory analyses performed were the result of issues raised by an ERG in its critique of the submitted economic evidence. These analyses had more influence on recommendations earlier in the STA process than later on in the process. The descriptions of analyses undertaken were often highly specific to a particular STA and could be inconsistent across ERG reports and thus difficult to interpret. Evidence Review Groups frequently conduct exploratory analyses to test or improve the economic evaluations submitted by companies as part of the STA process. ERG exploratory analyses often have an influence on the recommendations produced by the ACs. More in-depth analysis is needed to understand how ERGs make decisions regarding which exploratory analyses should be undertaken. More research is also needed to fully understand which types of exploratory analyses are most useful to ACs in their decision-making. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Connectivism in Postsecondary Online Courses: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogg, Nanette; Lomicky, Carol S.

2012-01-01

This study explores 465 postsecondary students' experiences in online classes through the lens of connectivism. Downes' 4 properties of connectivism (diversity, autonomy, interactivity, and openness) were used as the study design. An exploratory factor analysis was performed. This study found a 4-factor solution. Subjects indicated that autonomy…

Bootstrap Confidence Intervals for Ordinary Least Squares Factor Loadings and Correlations in Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Guangjian; Preacher, Kristopher J.; Luo, Shanhong

2010-01-01

This article is concerned with using the bootstrap to assign confidence intervals for rotated factor loadings and factor correlations in ordinary least squares exploratory factor analysis. Coverage performances of "SE"-based intervals, percentile intervals, bias-corrected percentile intervals, bias-corrected accelerated percentile…

Establishing Evidence for Internal Structure Using Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Joshua C.

2017-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is a data reduction technique used to condense data into smaller sets of summary variables by identifying underlying factors potentially accounting for patterns of collinearity among said variables. Using an illustrative example, the 5 general steps of EFA are described with best practices for decision making…

Unmanned Multiple Exploratory Probe System (MEPS) for Mars observation. Volume 1: Trade analysis and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Daniel E.; Crumbly, Christopher M.; Delp, Steve E.; Guidry, Michelle A.; Lisano, Michael E.; Packard, James D.; Striepe, Scott A.

1988-01-01

This report presents the unmanned Multiple Exploratory Probe Systems (MEPS), a space vehicle designed to observe the planet Mars in preparation for manned missions. The options considered for each major element are presented as a trade analysis, and the final vehicle design is defined.

Sexual Harassment Retaliation Climate DEOCS 4.1 Construct Validity Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

exploratory factor analysis, and bivariate correlations (sample 1) 2) To determine the factor structure of the remaining (final) questions via...statistics, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and bivariate correlations of the prospective Sexual Harassment Retaliation Climate...reported by the survey requester). For information regarding the composition of sample, refer to Table 1. Table 1. Sample 1 Demographics n

Designing an Exploratory Text Analysis Tool for Humanities and Social Sciences Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrikumar, Aditi

2013-01-01

This dissertation presents a new tool for exploratory text analysis that attempts to improve the experience of navigating and exploring text and its metadata. The design of the tool was motivated by the unmet need for text analysis tools in the humanities and social sciences. In these fields, it is common for scholars to have hundreds or thousands…

Toward Reflective Judgment in Exploratory Factor Analysis Decisions: Determining the Extraction Method and Number of Factors To Retain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Jennifer L.

This paper considers some decisions that must be made by the researcher conducting an exploratory factor analysis. The primary purpose is to aid the researcher in making informed decisions during the factor analysis instead of relying on defaults in statistical programs or traditions of previous researchers. Three decision areas are addressed.…

Data Science Programs in U.S. Higher Education: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Program Description, Curriculum Structure, and Course Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Rong; Sae-Lim, Watinee

2016-01-01

In this study, an exploratory content analysis of 30 randomly selected Data Science (DS) programs from eight disciplines revealed significant gaps in current DS education in the United States. The analysis centers on linguistic patterns of program descriptions, curriculum requirements, and DS course focus as pertaining to key skills and domain…

A systems relations model for Tier 2 early intervention child mental health services with schools: an exploratory study.

PubMed

van Roosmalen, Marc; Gardner-Elahi, Catherine; Day, Crispin

2013-01-01

Over the last 15 years, policy initiatives have aimed at the provision of more comprehensive Child and Adolescent Mental Health care. These presented a series of new challenges in organising and delivering Tier 2 child mental health services, particularly in schools. This exploratory study aimed to examine and clarify the service model underpinning a Tier 2 child mental health service offering school-based mental health work. Using semi-structured interviews, clinician descriptions of operational experiences were gathered. These were analysed using grounded theory methods. Analysis was validated by respondents at two stages. A pathway for casework emerged that included a systemic consultative function, as part of an overall three-function service model, which required: (1) activity as a member of the multi-agency system; (2) activity to improve the system working around a particular child; and (3) activity to universally develop a Tier 1 workforce confident in supporting children at risk of or experiencing mental health problems. The study challenged the perception of such a service serving solely a Tier 2 function, the requisite workforce to deliver the service model, and could give service providers a rationale for negotiating service models that include an explicit focus on improving the children's environments.

"Exploratory experimentation" as a probe into the relation between historiography and philosophy of science.

PubMed

Schickore, Jutta

2016-02-01

This essay utilizes the concept "exploratory experimentation" as a probe into the relation between historiography and philosophy of science. The essay traces the emergence of the historiographical concept "exploratory experimentation" in the late 1990s. The reconstruction of the early discussions about exploratory experimentation shows that the introduction of the concept had unintended consequences: Initially designed to debunk philosophical ideas about theory testing, the concept "exploratory experimentation" quickly exposed the poverty of our conceptual tools for the analysis of experimental practice. Looking back at a number of detailed analyses of experimental research, we can now appreciate that the concept of exploratory experimentation is too vague and too elusive to fill the desideratum whose existence it revealed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Participant outcomes, perceptions, and experiences in the Internationally Educated Engineers Qualification Program, University of Manitoba: An exploratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friesen, Marcia R.

Immigration, economic, and regulatory trends in Canada have challenged all professions to examine the processes by which immigrant professionals (international graduates) achieve professional licensure and meaningful employment in Canada. The Internationally Educated Engineers Qualification Program (IEEQ) at the University of Manitoba was developed as an alternate pathway to integrate international engineering graduates into the engineering profession in Manitoba. However, universities have the neither mandate nor the historical practice to facilitate licensure for immigrant professionals and, thus, the knowledge base for program development and delivery is predominantly experiential. This study was developed to address the void in the knowledge base and support the program's ongoing development by conducting a critical, exploratory, participant-oriented evaluation of the IEEQ Program for both formative and summative purposes. The research questions focussed on how the IEEQ participants perceived and described their experiences in the IEEQ Program, and how the participants' outcomes in the IEEQ Program compared to international engineering graduates pursuing other licensing pathways. The study was built on an interpretivist theoretical approach that supported a primarily qualitative methodology with selected quantitative elements. Data collection was grounded in focus group interviews, written questionnaires, student reports, and program records for data collection, with inductive data analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics for quantitative data. The findings yielded rich understandings of participants' experiences in the IEEQ Program, their outcomes relative to international engineering graduates (IEGs) pursuing other licensing pathways, and their perceptions of their own adaptation to the Canadian engineering profession. Specifically, the study suggests that foreign credentials recognition processes have tended to focus on the recognition and translation of human and/or institutional capital. Yet, access to and acquisition of social and cultural capital need to receive equal attention. Further, the study suggested that, while it is reasonable that language fluency is a pre-requisite for successful professional integration, there is also a fundamental link between language and cognition in that international engineering graduates are challenged to understand and assimilate information for which they may not possess useful language or the underlying mental constructs. The findings have implications for our collective understanding of the scope of the professional engineering body of knowledge.

Gene Expression Differences in Peripheral Blood of Parkinson’s Disease Patients with Distinct Progression Profiles

PubMed Central

Soreq, Lilach; Lobo, Patrícia P.; Mestre, Tiago; Coelho, Miguel; Rosa, Mário M.; Gonçalves, Nilza; Wales, Pauline; Mendes, Tiago; Gerhardt, Ellen; Fahlbusch, Christiane; Bonifati, Vincenzo; Bonin, Michael; Miltenberger-Miltényi, Gabriel; Borovecki, Fran; Soreq, Hermona; Ferreira, Joaquim J.; F. Outeiro, Tiago

2016-01-01

The prognosis of neurodegenerative disorders is clinically challenging due to the inexistence of established biomarkers for predicting disease progression. Here, we performed an exploratory cross-sectional, case-control study aimed at determining whether gene expression differences in peripheral blood may be used as a signature of Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression, thereby shedding light into potential molecular mechanisms underlying disease development. We compared transcriptional profiles in the blood from 34 PD patients who developed postural instability within ten years with those of 33 patients who did not develop postural instability within this time frame. Our study identified >200 differentially expressed genes between the two groups. The expression of several of the genes identified was previously found deregulated in animal models of PD and in PD patients. Relevant genes were selected for validation by real-time PCR in a subset of patients. The genes validated were linked to nucleic acid metabolism, mitochondria, immune response and intracellular-transport. Interestingly, we also found deregulation of these genes in a dopaminergic cell model of PD, a simple paradigm that can now be used to further dissect the role of these molecular players on dopaminergic cell loss. Altogether, our study provides preliminary evidence that expression changes in specific groups of genes and pathways, detected in peripheral blood samples, may be correlated with differential PD progression. Our exploratory study suggests that peripheral gene expression profiling may prove valuable for assisting in prediction of PD prognosis, and identifies novel culprits possibly involved in dopaminergic cell death. Given the exploratory nature of our study, further investigations using independent, well-characterized cohorts will be essential in order to validate our candidates as predictors of PD prognosis and to definitively confirm the value of gene expression analysis in aiding patient stratification and therapeutic intervention. PMID:27322389

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

Steinberg, Daniel; Bielen, Dave; Eichman, Josh

Electrification of end-use services in the transportation, buildings, and industrial sectors coupled with decarbonization of electricity generation has been identified as one of the key pathways to achieving a low-carbon future in the United States. By lowering the carbon intensity of the electricity generation and substituting electricity for higher-emissions fossil fuels in end-use sectors, significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions can be achieved. This report describes a preliminary analysis that examines the potential impacts of widespread electrification on the U.S. energy sector. We develop a set of exploratory scenarios under which electrification is aggressively pursued across all end-use sectors andmore » examine the impacts of achieving these electrification levels on electricity load patterns, total fossil energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and the evolution of the U.S. power system.« less

Supporting cognition in systems biology analysis: findings on users' processes and design implications.

PubMed

Mirel, Barbara

2009-02-13

Current usability studies of bioinformatics tools suggest that tools for exploratory analysis support some tasks related to finding relationships of interest but not the deep causal insights necessary for formulating plausible and credible hypotheses. To better understand design requirements for gaining these causal insights in systems biology analyses a longitudinal field study of 15 biomedical researchers was conducted. Researchers interacted with the same protein-protein interaction tools to discover possible disease mechanisms for further experimentation. Findings reveal patterns in scientists' exploratory and explanatory analysis and reveal that tools positively supported a number of well-structured query and analysis tasks. But for several of scientists' more complex, higher order ways of knowing and reasoning the tools did not offer adequate support. Results show that for a better fit with scientists' cognition for exploratory analysis systems biology tools need to better match scientists' processes for validating, for making a transition from classification to model-based reasoning, and for engaging in causal mental modelling. As the next great frontier in bioinformatics usability, tool designs for exploratory systems biology analysis need to move beyond the successes already achieved in supporting formulaic query and analysis tasks and now reduce current mismatches with several of scientists' higher order analytical practices. The implications of results for tool designs are discussed.

Including Disabled Children in Learning: Challenges in Developing Countries. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 36

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croft, Alison

2010-01-01

This is an exploratory study suggesting ways of analysing challenges for developing countries in the move to greater inclusion of disabled children and young people in learning. The paper focuses on pedagogical challenges to realising more inclusive education. Pedagogy encompasses not only the practice of teaching and learning, but also the ideas…

Grounding Vision through Experimental Manipulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

Speculatrix" by their creator to emphasise their exploratory behaviour , described as: "it explores its environment actively, persistently, systematically...as most animals do" (Walter, 1950). These robots had very simple control circuitry, and their behaviour depended greatly on the morphology and...a long developing process. More studies are needed though to ascertain how the dorsal pathway (action) influences the ventral (perception) both in

Parent Pathways: Recognition and Responses to Developmental Delays in Young Children: A Mixed-Methods Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jennifer Tess

2013-01-01

The importance of early recognition and intervention for developmental delays is increasingly acknowledged, yet high rates of under-enrollment and 1-3 year delays in entry to the public early intervention system continue. Much research has examined developmental screening in health and child care settings, but less well understood is what prompts…

Application of Local Linear Embedding to Nonlinear Exploratory Latent Structure Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Haonan; Iyer, Hari

2007-01-01

In this paper we discuss the use of a recent dimension reduction technique called Locally Linear Embedding, introduced by Roweis and Saul, for performing an exploratory latent structure analysis. The coordinate variables from the locally linear embedding describing the manifold on which the data reside serve as the latent variable scores. We…

The School Counselor Leadership Survey: Instrument Development and Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Anita; Bryan, Julia

2015-01-01

This study examined the factor structure of the School Counselor Leadership Survey (SCLS). Survey development was a threefold process that resulted in a 39-item survey of 801 school counselors and school counselor supervisors. The exploratory factor analysis indicated a five-factor structure that revealed five key dimensions of school counselor…

Exploratory Factor Analysis with Small Sample Sizes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Winter, J. C. F.; Dodou, D.; Wieringa, P. A.

2009-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is generally regarded as a technique for large sample sizes ("N"), with N = 50 as a reasonable absolute minimum. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the conditions in which EFA can yield good quality results for "N" below 50. Simulations were carried out to estimate the minimum required "N" for different…

A Psychometric Investigation of the Multicultural and Special Education Survey: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utley, Cheryl A.

2011-01-01

An exploratory factorial analysis of the Multicultural and Special Education Survey (MSES) evaluated the professional development training needs of general and special educators in a midwestern state. Survey items were selected from the culturally and linguistically diverse multicultural, bilingual and special education literature bases (CLD). The…

An Exploratory Analysis of TPACK Perceptions of Pre-Service Science Teachers: A Regional Australian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyes, Vicente Chua, Jr.; Rizk, Nadya; Gregory, Sue; Doyle, Helen

2016-01-01

Four distinct constructs were identified from a survey of a sample of pre-service science teachers at a regional Australian University. The constructs emerged after employing Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on respondents' perceptions of pedagogical practices incorporating the use of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). The key…

Likelihood-Based Confidence Intervals in Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oort, Frans J.

2011-01-01

In exploratory or unrestricted factor analysis, all factor loadings are free to be estimated. In oblique solutions, the correlations between common factors are free to be estimated as well. The purpose of this article is to show how likelihood-based confidence intervals can be obtained for rotated factor loadings and factor correlations, by…

Exploratory and Confirmatory Analysis of the Trauma Practices Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Carlton D.; Sprang, Ginny

2009-01-01

Objective: The present study provides psychometric data for the Trauma Practices Questionnaire (TPQ). Method: A nationally randomized sample of 2,400 surveys was sent to self-identified trauma treatment specialists, and 711 (29.6%) were returned. Results: An exploratory factor analysis (N = 319) conducted on a randomly split sample (RSS) revealed…

High-Dimensional Exploratory Item Factor Analysis by a Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro Algorithm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Li

2010-01-01

A Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro (MH-RM) algorithm for high-dimensional maximum marginal likelihood exploratory item factor analysis is proposed. The sequence of estimates from the MH-RM algorithm converges with probability one to the maximum likelihood solution. Details on the computer implementation of this algorithm are provided. The…

Mission Attachment and Job Satisfaction among Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing Service Professionals: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fermin, Caroline P.

2017-01-01

This research study was an exploratory analysis to determine if a relationship existed between mission attachment and job satisfaction of emergency nonprofit domestic violence shelter/transitional housing workers. The study examined if the perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes were different between entry-level, middle-level, and senior-level…

An Exploratory Case Study of PBIS Implementation Using Social Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitcomb, Sara A.; Woodland, Rebecca H.; Barry, Shannon K.

2017-01-01

An exploratory case study is presented in which social network analysis (SNA) was used to explore how school teaming structures influence the implementation of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). The authors theorized that PBIS leadership teams that include members with connections to all other information-sharing…

What Is Rotating in Exploratory Factor Analysis?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Jason W.

2015-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is one of the most commonly-reported quantitative methodology in the social sciences, yet much of the detail regarding what happens during an EFA remains unclear. The goal of this brief technical note is to explore what "rotation" is, what exactly is rotating, and why we use rotation when performing…

Mining concepts of health responsibility using text mining and exploratory graph analysis.

PubMed

Kjellström, Sofia; Golino, Hudson

2018-05-24

Occupational therapists need to know about people's beliefs about personal responsibility for health to help them pursue everyday activities. The study aims to employ state-of-the-art quantitative approaches to understand people's views of health and responsibility at different ages. A mixed method approach was adopted, using text mining to extract information from 233 interviews with participants aged 5 to 96 years, and then exploratory graph analysis to estimate the number of latent variables. The fit of the structure estimated via the exploratory graph analysis was verified using confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory graph analysis estimated three dimensions of health responsibility: (1) creating good health habits and feeling good; (2) thinking about one's own health and wanting to improve it; and 3) adopting explicitly normative attitudes to take care of one's health. The comparison between the three dimensions among age groups showed, in general, that children and adolescents, as well as the old elderly (>73 years old) expressed ideas about personal responsibility for health less than young adults, adults and young elderly. Occupational therapists' knowledge of the concepts of health responsibility is of value when working with a patient's health, but an identified challenge is how to engage children and older persons.

Psychosocial risk exposures and labour management practices. An exploratory approach.

PubMed

Llorens, Clara; Alós, Ramon; Cano, Ernest; Font, Ariadna; Jódar, Pere; López, Vicente; Navarro, Albert; Sánchez, Amat; Utzet, Mireia; Moncada, Salvador

2010-02-01

The purpose was to explore the relationship between psychosocial risk exposures and labour management practices (LMP), as indicators of work organization and pertinent features for primary preventive intervention. Cross-sectional study of a representative sample of salaried working population in Spain (n = 7,612). Information was obtained in 2004-2005 using a standardized questionnaire administered through personal interviews at the household. Questions on working conditions were used to establish LMP indicators and the psychosocial exposures data were obtained on the basis of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) I (ISTAS21). A multivariate description was performed through multiple correspondence analysis, and associations between LMPs and psychosocial exposures were assessed by ordinal logistic analysis adjusting for age and sex. Correspondence analysis showed a good-bad coherent pattern regarding both psychosocial dimension and LMPs, though several LMPs categories were placed in the centre. Among the 14 possible associations of each psychosocial scale with LMP variables, several scales showed significant associations with more than eight LMP variables. Most relevant results referred to the LMP variable ''Consultative and delegative participation in methods''. In line with previous research, psychosocial exposures were associated with LMP. LMP may constitute a step on a pathway from work organization to health. Our exploratory work suggested that good psychosocial exposures were related to participatory working methods, being hired with a permanent labour contract, not being made to feel easily replaceable, having superiors with non-authoritarian and non-aggressive manners, not being threatened with dismissal, upward functional mobility, being paid according to the number of working hours and occupation, working between 31 and 40 hours per week and in regular morning shifts. Hence, the more these features became part of LMP in the workplace, the better the psychosocial work environment would be.

On the Likelihood Ratio Test for the Number of Factors in Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayashi, Kentaro; Bentler, Peter M.; Yuan, Ke-Hai

2007-01-01

In the exploratory factor analysis, when the number of factors exceeds the true number of factors, the likelihood ratio test statistic no longer follows the chi-square distribution due to a problem of rank deficiency and nonidentifiability of model parameters. As a result, decisions regarding the number of factors may be incorrect. Several…

A Note on Procrustean Rotation in Exploratory Factor Analysis: A Computer Intensive Approach to Goodness-of-Fit Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raykov, Tenko; Little, Todd D.

1999-01-01

Describes a method for evaluating results of Procrustean rotation to a target factor pattern matrix in exploratory factor analysis. The approach, based on the bootstrap method, yields empirical approximations of the sampling distributions of: (1) differences between target elements and rotated factor pattern matrices; and (2) the overall…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale: Examining the Variable of Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Shainna; Lambie, Glenn; Bloom, Zachary D.

2017-01-01

The Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS), developed by Bidell in 2005, measures counselors' levels of skills, awareness, and knowledge in assisting lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) clients. In an effort to gain an increased understanding of the construct validity of the SOCCS, researchers performed an exploratory factor analysis on…

Technical Communications in Aeronautics: Results of an Exploratory Study. An Analysis of Managers' and Nonmanagers' Responses. NASA Technical Memorandum 101625.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinelli, Thomas E.; And Others

Data collected from an exploratory study concerned with the technical communications practices of aerospace engineers and scientists were analyzed to test the primary assumption that aerospace managers and nonmanagers have different technical communications practices. Five secondary assumptions were established for the analysis: (1) that the…

Graphical and Numerical Descriptive Analysis: Exploratory Tools Applied to Vietnamese Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haughton, Dominique; Phong, Nguyen

2004-01-01

This case study covers several exploratory data analysis ideas, the histogram and boxplot, kernel density estimates, the recently introduced bagplot--a two-dimensional extension of the boxplot--as well as the violin plot, which combines a boxplot with a density shape plot. We apply these ideas and demonstrate how to interpret the output from these…

Validation of the Adolescent Concerns Measure (ACM): Evidence from Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ang, Rebecca P.; Chong, Wan Har; Huan, Vivien S.; Yeo, Lay See

2007-01-01

This article reports the development and initial validation of scores obtained from the Adolescent Concerns Measure (ACM), a scale which assesses concerns of Asian adolescent students. In Study 1, findings from exploratory factor analysis using 619 adolescents suggested a 24-item scale with four correlated factors--Family Concerns (9 items), Peer…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the URICA among Couple Therapy Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tambling, Rachel B.; Johnson, Lee N.

2012-01-01

Assessing and measuring client motivation to change has been of great interest to therapists and researchers in a variety of fields. This article presents the results of an exploratory factor analysis of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA), a measure of motivation to change, in a sample of individuals in couple therapy. Four…

Improving Your Exploratory Factor Analysis for Ordinal Data: A Demonstration Using FACTOR

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baglin, James

2014-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) methods are used extensively in the field of assessment and evaluation. Due to EFA's widespread use, common methods and practices have come under close scrutiny. A substantial body of literature has been compiled highlighting problems with many of the methods and practices used in EFA, and, in response, many…

The School Counseling Program Implementation Survey: Initial Instrument Development and Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clemens, Elysia V.; Carey, John C.; Harrington, Karen M.

2010-01-01

This article details the initial development of the School Counseling Program Implementation Survey and psychometric results including reliability and factor structure. An exploratory factor analysis revealed a three-factor model that accounted for 54% of the variance of the intercorrelation matrix and a two-factor model that accounted for 47% of…

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the WISC-IV with Gifted Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Ellen W.; Dandridge, Jessica; Pawlush, Alexandra; Thompson, Dawna F.; Ferrier, David E.

2014-01-01

These 2 studies investigated the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-4th edition (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003a) with exploratory factor analysis (EFA; Study 1) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; Study 2) among 2 independent samples of gifted students. The EFA sample consisted of 225 children who were referred for a…

FACTOR 9.2: A Comprehensive Program for Fitting Exploratory and Semiconfirmatory Factor Analysis and IRT Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Ferrando, Pere J.

2013-01-01

FACTOR 9.2 was developed for three reasons. First, exploratory factor analysis (FA) is still an active field of research although most recent developments have not been incorporated into available programs. Second, there is now renewed interest in semiconfirmatory (SC) solutions as suitable approaches to the complex structures are commonly found…

Ordinary Least Squares Estimation of Parameters in Exploratory Factor Analysis with Ordinal Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Chun-Ting; Zhang, Guangjian; Edwards, Michael C.

2012-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is often conducted with ordinal data (e.g., items with 5-point responses) in the social and behavioral sciences. These ordinal variables are often treated as if they were continuous in practice. An alternative strategy is to assume that a normally distributed continuous variable underlies each ordinal variable.…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis and Reliability Analysis of the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Taeho; Richardson, Jennifer C.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an effective instrument to measure student readiness in online learning with reliable predictors of online learning success factors such as learning outcomes and learner satisfaction. The validity and reliability of the Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) instrument were tested using exploratory factor…

Development of an Instrument to Measure Student Use of Academic Success Skills: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, John; Brigman, Greg; Webb, Linda; Villares, Elizabeth; Harrington, Karen

2014-01-01

This article describes the development of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills instrument including item development and exploratory factor analysis. The instrument was developed to measure student use of the skills and strategies identified as most critical for long-term school success that are typically taught by school counselors.

An Exploratory Analysis of a Middle School Science Curriculum: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Gregory S.; Hord, Casey

2016-01-01

An exploratory study of a middle school curriculum directly aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards was conducted with a focus on how the curriculum addresses the instructional needs of students with learning disabilities. A descriptive analysis of a lesson on speed and velocity was conducted and implications discussed for students with…

Battle of Narratives

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

18 De Nooy, Wouter, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj , Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005... Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj . Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Democratic National...Review 54(1):33-48; Brian Uzzi. 1996 . "The Sources and Consequences of Embeddedness for the Economic Performance of Organizations: The Network Effect

Using Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis to Leverage Social Indicator Databases: The Discovery of Interesting Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anselin, Luc; Sridharan, Sanjeev; Gholston, Susan

2007-01-01

With the proliferation of social indicator databases, the need for powerful techniques to study patterns of change has grown. In this paper, the utility of spatial data analytical methods such as exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) is suggested as a means to leverage the information contained in social indicator databases. The principles…

An exploratory analysis of the relationship between ambient ozone and particulate matter concentrations during early pregnancy and selected birth defects in Texas

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Associations between ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and birth outcomes have been previously demonstrated. We perform an exploratory analysis of O3 and PM2.5 concentrations during early pregnancy and multiple types of birth defects. Met...

Exploratory Two-Level Analysis of Individual- and School-Level Factors on Truant Youth Emotional/Psychological Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dembo, Richard; Wareham, Jennifer; Schmeidler, James; Winters, Ken C.

2016-01-01

Research on samples of truant adolescents is limited, with little known about mental health problems among truant youths. This study provided an exploratory, multilevel examination of mental health problems for a sample of 300 truant adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a single factor of multiple mental health problems at the…

TrkB signalling pathway mediates the protective effects of exercise in the diabetic rat retina.

PubMed

Allen, Rachael S; Hanif, Adam M; Gogniat, Marissa A; Prall, Brian C; Haider, Raza; Aung, Moe H; Prunty, Megan C; Mees, Lukas M; Coulter, Monica M; Motz, Cara T; Boatright, Jeffrey H; Pardue, Machelle T

2018-05-01

Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of vision loss. Treatment options for early retinopathy are sparse. Exercise protects dying photoreceptors in models of retinal degeneration, thereby preserving vision. We tested the protective effects of exercise on retinal and cognitive deficits in a type 1 diabetes model and determined whether the TrkB pathway mediates this effect. Hyperglycaemia was induced in Long Evans rats via streptozotocin injection (STZ; 100 mg/kg). Following confirmed hyperglycaemia, both control and diabetic rats underwent treadmill exercise for 30 min, 5 days/week at 0 m/min (inactive groups) or 15 m/min (active groups) for 8 weeks. A TrkB receptor antagonist (ANA-12), or vehicle, was injected 2.5 h before exercise training. We measured spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity using optokinetic tracking biweekly post-STZ; retinal function using electroretinography at 4 and 8 weeks; and cognitive function and exploratory behaviour using Y-maze at 8 weeks. Retinal neurotrophin-4 was measured using ELISA. Compared with non-diabetic controls, diabetic rats showed significantly reduced spatial frequency and contrast sensitivity, delayed electroretinogram oscillatory potential and flicker implicit times and reduced cognitive function and exploratory behaviour. Exercise interventions significantly delayed the appearance of all deficits, except for exploratory behaviour. Treatment with ANA-12 significantly reduced this protection, suggesting a TrkB-mediated mechanism. Despite this, no changes in retinal neurotrohin-4 were observed with diabetes or exercise. Exercise protected against early visual and cognitive dysfunction in diabetic rats, suggesting that exercise interventions started after hyperglycaemia diagnosis may be a beneficial treatment. The translational potential is high, given that exercise treatment is non-invasive, patient controlled and inexpensive. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Striatal and midbrain connectivity with the hippocampus selectively boosts memory for contextual novelty

PubMed Central

Kafkas, Alexandros; Montaldi, Daniela

2015-01-01

The role of contextual expectation in processing familiar and novel stimuli was investigated in a series of experiments combining eye tracking, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and behavioral methods. An experimental paradigm emphasizing either familiarity or novelty detection at retrieval was used. The detection of unexpected familiar and novel stimuli, which were characterized by lower probability, engaged activity in midbrain and striatal structures. Specifically, detecting unexpected novel stimuli, relative to expected novel stimuli, produced greater activity in the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA), whereas the detection of unexpected familiar, relative to expected, familiar stimuli, elicited activity in the striatum/globus pallidus (GP). An effective connectivity analysis showed greater functional coupling between these two seed areas (GP and SN/VTA) and the hippocampus, for unexpected than for expected stimuli. Within this network of midbrain/striatal–hippocampal interactions two pathways are apparent; the direct SN–hippocampal pathway sensitive to unexpected novelty and the perirhinal–GP–hippocampal pathway sensitive to unexpected familiarity. In addition, increased eye fixations and pupil dilations also accompanied the detection of unexpected relative to expected familiar and novel stimuli, reflecting autonomic activity triggered by the functioning of these two pathways. Finally, subsequent memory for unexpected, relative to expected, familiar, and novel stimuli was characterized by enhanced recollection, but not familiarity, accuracy. Taken together, these findings suggest that a hippocampal–midbrain network, characterized by two distinct pathways, mediates encoding facilitation and most critically, that this facilitation is driven by contextual novelty, rather than by the absolute novelty of a stimulus. This contextually sensitive neural mechanism appears to elicit increased exploratory behavior, leading subsequently to greater recollection of the unexpected stimulus. © 2015 The Authors Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:25708843

Exploratory plasma proteomic analysis in a randomized crossover trial of aspirin among healthy men and women.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoliang; Shojaie, Ali; Zhang, Yuzheng; Shelley, David; Lampe, Paul D; Levy, Lisa; Peters, Ulrike; Potter, John D; White, Emily; Lampe, Johanna W

2017-01-01

Long-term use of aspirin is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer and other cancers; however, the mechanism of chemopreventive effect of aspirin is not fully understood. Animal studies suggest that COX-2, NFκB signaling and Wnt/β-catenin pathways may play a role, but no clinical trials have systematically evaluated the biological response to aspirin in healthy humans. Using a high-density antibody array, we assessed the difference in plasma protein levels after 60 days of regular dose aspirin (325 mg/day) compared to placebo in a randomized double-blinded crossover trial of 44 healthy non-smoking men and women, aged 21-45 years. The plasma proteome was analyzed on an antibody microarray with ~3,300 full-length antibodies, printed in triplicate. Moderated paired t-tests were performed on individual antibodies, and gene-set analyses were performed based on KEGG and GO pathways. Among the 3,000 antibodies analyzed, statistically significant differences in plasma protein levels were observed for nine antibodies after adjusting for false discoveries (FDR adjusted p-value<0.1). The most significant protein was succinate dehydrogenase subunit C (SDHC), a key enzyme complex of the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The other statistically significant proteins (NR2F1, MSI1, MYH1, FOXO1, KHDRBS3, NFKBIE, LYZ and IKZF1) are involved in multiple pathways, including DNA base-pair repair, inflammation and oncogenic pathways. None of the 258 KEGG and 1,139 GO pathways was found to be statistically significant after FDR adjustment. This study suggests several chemopreventive mechanisms of aspirin in humans, which have previously been reported to play a role in anti- or pro-carcinogenesis in cell systems; however, larger, confirmatory studies are needed.

The Relationship of Bureaucratic Structure to School Climate: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of Construct Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lennon, Patricia A.

2010-01-01

This researcher examined the relationship of bureaucratic structure to school climate by means of an exploratory factor analysis of a measure of bureaucracy developed by Hoy and Sweetland (2000) and the four dimensional measure of climate developed by Hoy, Smith, and Sweetland (2002). Since there had been no other empirical studies whose authors…

Exploratory Bifactor Analysis of the WJ-III Cognitive in Adulthood via the Schmid-Leiman Procedure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dombrowski, Stefan C.

2014-01-01

The Woodcock-Johnson-III cognitive in the adult time period (age 20 to 90 plus) was analyzed using exploratory bifactor analysis via the Schmid-Leiman orthogonalization procedure. The results of this study suggested possible overfactoring, a different factor structure from that posited in the Technical Manual and a lack of invariance across both…

Rotation Criteria and Hypothesis Testing for Exploratory Factor Analysis: Implications for Factor Pattern Loadings and Interfactor Correlations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Thomas A.; Sass, Daniel A.

2011-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) has long been used in the social sciences to depict the relationships between variables/items and latent traits. Researchers face many choices when using EFA, including the choice of rotation criterion, which can be difficult given that few research articles have discussed and/or demonstrated their differences.…

Rotation to a Partially Specified Target Matrix in Exploratory Factor Analysis: How Many Targets?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Nicholas D.; Ahn, Soyeon; Jin, Ying

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the number of targets specified on the quality of exploratory factor analysis solutions with a complex underlying structure and incomplete substantive measurement theory. Three Monte Carlo studies were performed based on the ratio of the number of observed variables to the number of…

Next generation sequencing of carcinoma of unknown primary reveals novel combinatorial strategies in a heterogeneous mutational landscape

PubMed Central

Subbiah, Ishwaria M.; Tsimberidou, Apostolia; Subbiah, Vivek; Janku, Filip; Roy-Chowdhuri, Sinchita; Hong, David S.

2017-01-01

Background Advanced carcinoma of unknown primary (CUP) has limited effective therapeutic options given the phenotypic and genotypic diversity. To identify future novel therapeutic strategies we conducted an exploratory analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS) of relapsed, refractory CUP. Methods We identified patients in our phase I clinic where archival tissue was available for a targeted NGS CLIA-certified assay. Results Of 17 patients tested, 15 (88%) demonstrated genomic alterations (median 2 aberrations; range 0–8, total 59 alterations). Nine (53%) patients had altered cell signaling including the PI3K/AKT/MTOR (n=5, 29%) and MAPK pathways (n=3,18%); 7 (41%) patients demonstrated ≥1 alterations in tumor suppressor genes (TP53 in 5 patients), 8 (47%) had impaired epigenetic regulation and DNA methylation, 8 (47%) had aberrant cell cycle regulation, commonly in the cyclin dependent kinases. Ten (59%) patients had alterations in transcriptional regulators. Concurrent mutations affecting cell cycle regulation were noted to occur with aberrant epigenetic regulation (n=6, 35%) and MAPK/PI3K pathway (n=5, 29%). Conclusion Every patient had a unique molecular profile with no two patients demonstrating an identical panel of mutations. We identify two emerging novel combinatorial strategies targeting impaired cell cycle arrest, first with epigenetic modifiers and, second, with MAPK/PI3K pathway inhibition. PMID:28781987

Inter-subject phase synchronization for exploratory analysis of task-fMRI.

PubMed

Bolt, Taylor; Nomi, Jason S; Vij, Shruti G; Chang, Catie; Uddin, Lucina Q

2018-08-01

Analysis of task-based fMRI data is conventionally carried out using a hypothesis-driven approach, where blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) time courses are correlated with a hypothesized temporal structure. In some experimental designs, this temporal structure can be difficult to define. In other cases, experimenters may wish to take a more exploratory, data-driven approach to detecting task-driven BOLD activity. In this study, we demonstrate the efficiency and power of an inter-subject synchronization approach for exploratory analysis of task-based fMRI data. Combining the tools of instantaneous phase synchronization and independent component analysis, we characterize whole-brain task-driven responses in terms of group-wise similarity in temporal signal dynamics of brain networks. We applied this framework to fMRI data collected during performance of a simple motor task and a social cognitive task. Analyses using an inter-subject phase synchronization approach revealed a large number of brain networks that dynamically synchronized to various features of the task, often not predicted by the hypothesized temporal structure of the task. We suggest that this methodological framework, along with readily available tools in the fMRI community, provides a powerful exploratory, data-driven approach for analysis of task-driven BOLD activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A qualitative analysis of father-son relationships among HIV-positive young black men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Hussen, Sophia A; Gilliard, Danielle; Caldwell, Cleopatra H; Andes, Karen; Chakraborty, Rana; Malebranche, David J

2014-08-01

Young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are experiencing high and rising rates of HIV infection, more than any other age-risk group category in the USA. Contributors to HIV risk in this group remain incompletely elucidated. We conducted exploratory qualitative interviews with 20 HIV-positive YBMSM aged 17-24 and found that father-son relationships were perceived to be important sociocontextual influences in participants' lives. Participants discussed the degree of their fathers' involvement in their lives, emotional qualities of the father-son relationship, communication about sex, and masculine socialization. Participants also described pathways linking father-son relationships to HIV risk, which were mediated by psychological and situational risk scenarios. Our thematic analysis suggests that father-son relationships are important to the psychosocial development of YBMSM, with the potential to either exacerbate or attenuate sexual risk for HIV. Interventions designed to strengthen father-son relationships may provide a promising direction for future health promotion efforts in this population.

[Water resource quality as related to economic activity and health patterns in Sonora, Mexico].

PubMed

Manzanares Rivera, José Luis

2016-01-01

The aim of this work is to analyze the spatial distribution of potential pollution pathways of water resources given the economic activity in the Mexican border state of Sonora and propose a regional distribution in relation to cancer mortality rates across the state. The methodology is based in an exploratory and inferential data analysis using two sources of primary data: wastewater discharge concessions registered in the Public Registry on Water Rights [Registro Público de Derechos de Agua] (REPDA) and the records generated by the National Health Information System [Sistema Nacional de Información en Salud] (SINAIS) in the period 1998-2011 based on the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10). The spatial concentration analysis allows for the identification of specific cancer mortality causes at the regional level. Results indicate that the projected adjustments to the regulation NOM-250-SSA1-2014, which controls a subset of pollutants common in mining activity surroundings, is a matter of regional concern.

Visual hallucinatory syndromes and the anatomy of the visual brain.

PubMed

Santhouse, A M; Howard, R J; ffytche, D H

2000-10-01

We have set out to identify phenomenological correlates of cerebral functional architecture within Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS) hallucinations by looking for associations between specific hallucination categories. Thirty-four CBS patients were examined with a structured interview/questionnaire to establish the presence of 28 different pathological visual experiences. Associations between categories of pathological experience were investigated by an exploratory factor analysis. Twelve of the pathological experiences partitioned into three segregated syndromic clusters. The first cluster consisted of hallucinations of extended landscape scenes and small figures in costumes with hats; the second, hallucinations of grotesque, disembodied and distorted faces with prominent eyes and teeth; and the third, visual perseveration and delayed palinopsia. The three visual psycho-syndromes mirror the segregation of hierarchical visual pathways into streams and suggest a novel theoretical framework for future research into the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric syndromes.

Interactive and coordinated visualization approaches for biological data analysis.

PubMed

Cruz, António; Arrais, Joel P; Machado, Penousal

2018-03-26

The field of computational biology has become largely dependent on data visualization tools to analyze the increasing quantities of data gathered through the use of new and growing technologies. Aside from the volume, which often results in large amounts of noise and complex relationships with no clear structure, the visualization of biological data sets is hindered by their heterogeneity, as data are obtained from different sources and contain a wide variety of attributes, including spatial and temporal information. This requires visualization approaches that are able to not only represent various data structures simultaneously but also provide exploratory methods that allow the identification of meaningful relationships that would not be perceptible through data analysis algorithms alone. In this article, we present a survey of visualization approaches applied to the analysis of biological data. We focus on graph-based visualizations and tools that use coordinated multiple views to represent high-dimensional multivariate data, in particular time series gene expression, protein-protein interaction networks and biological pathways. We then discuss how these methods can be used to help solve the current challenges surrounding the visualization of complex biological data sets.

Planning representation for automated exploratory data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

St. Amant, Robert; Cohen, Paul R.

1994-03-01

Igor is a knowledge-based system for exploratory statistical analysis of complex systems and environments. Igor has two related goals: to help automate the search for interesting patterns in data sets, and to help develop models that capture significant relationships in the data. We outline a language for Igor, based on techniques of opportunistic planning, which balances control and opportunism. We describe the application of Igor to the analysis of the behavior of Phoenix, an artificial intelligence planning system.

Resettlement experiences and resilience in refugee youth in Perth, Western Australia.

PubMed

Earnest, Jaya; Mansi, Ruth; Bayati, Sara; Earnest, Joel Anthony; Thompson, Sandra C

2015-06-10

In Australia, the two major pathways of refugee entry are the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees resettlement programme and irregular maritime arrivals (IMAs) seeking asylum. The Australian Government's policies towards IMAs since July 2013 are controversial, uncompromising and consistently harsh, with asylum seekers held in detention centres for prolonged periods. Refugees and asylum seekers have distinct and unique stressors that make resettlement difficult. This exploratory study examines resettlement experiences for refugee youth in Western Australia using the psychosocial conceptual framework and qualitative methods. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were undertaken with verbatim transcripts analysed using thematic analysis to identify themes. Themes documented that language and its impact, and experience with education, health, and social activities, support structures provided to youth and supporting future aspirations as critical to successful resettlement. This exploratory study contributes to developing a broader understanding of the resettlement experiences of refugee youth, drawing on their current and past experiences, cultural differences and mechanisms for coping. Fluency in English language, especially spoken, was a facilitator of successful resettlement. Our results align with previous studies documenting that support programs are vital for successful resettlement. Although faced with immense difficulties refugee youth are resilient, want to succeed and have aspirations for the future. Strategies and recommendations suggested by refugee youth themselves could be used for developing interventions to assist successful resettlement.

Vocal exploration is locally regulated during song learning

PubMed Central

Ravbar, Primoz; Parra, Lucas C.; Lipkind, Dina; Tchernichovski, Ofer

2012-01-01

Exploratory variability is essential for sensory-motor learning, but it is not known how and at what time scales it is regulated. We manipulated song learning in zebra finches to experimentally control the requirements for vocal exploration in different parts of their song. We first trained birds to perform a one-syllable song, and once they mastered it we added a new syllable to the song model. Remarkably, when practicing the modified song, birds rapidly alternated between high and low acoustic variability to confine vocal exploration to the newly added syllable. Further, even within syllables, acoustic variability changed independently across song elements that were only milliseconds apart. Analysis of the entire vocal output during learning revealed that the variability of each song element decreased as it approached the target, correlating with momentary local distance from the target and less so with the overall distance. We conclude that vocal error is computed locally in sub-syllabic time scales and that song elements can be learned and crystalized independently. Songbirds have dedicated brain circuitry for vocal babbling in the anterior forebrain pathway (AFP), which generates exploratory song patterns that drive premotor neurons at the song nucleus RA (robust nucleus of the arcopallium). We hypothesize that either AFP adjusts the gain of vocal exploration in fine time scales, or that the sensitivity of RA premotor neurons to AFP/HVC inputs varies across song elements. PMID:22399765

Intelligence Collection Targeting and Interdiction of Dark Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

2006): 346. 26 Wouter de Nooy, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj . Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge...Pittsburgh, PA: Carnegie Mellon University, 2013. de Nooy, Wouter, Andrej Mrvar , and Vladimir Batagelj . Exploratory Social Network Analysis with...al-Qaeda’s leaders had closely followed the April 1996 assassination of Dzhokhar Dudayev, the Chechen prime minister, who was killed by a Russian

Analytics For Distracted Driver Behavior Modeling in Dilemma Zone

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

Li, Jan-Mou; Malikopoulos, Andreas; Thakur, Gautam

2014-01-01

In this paper, we present the results obtained and insights gained through the analysis of TRB contest data. We used exploratory analysis, regression, and clustering models for gaining insights into the driver behavior in a dilemma zone while driving under distraction. While simple exploratory analysis showed the distinguishing driver behavior patterns among different popu- lation groups in the dilemma zone, regression analysis showed statically signification relationships between groups of variables. In addition to analyzing the contest data, we have also looked into the possible impact of distracted driving on the fuel economy.

ECSIT links TLR and BMP signaling in FOP connective tissue progenitor cells.

PubMed

Wang, Haitao; Behrens, Edward M; Pignolo, Robert J; Kaplan, Frederick S

2018-04-01

Clinical and laboratory observations strongly suggest that the innate immune system induces flare-ups in the setting of dysregulated bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). In order to investigate the signaling substrates of this hypothesis, we examined toll-like receptor (TLR) activation and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in connective tissue progenitor cells (CTPCs) from FOP patients and unaffected individuals. We found that inflammatory stimuli broadly activate TLR expression in FOP CTPCs and that TLR3/TLR4 signaling amplifies BMP pathway signaling through both ligand dependent and independent mechanisms. Importantly, Evolutionarily Conserved Signaling Intermediate in the Toll Pathway (ECSIT) integrates TLR injury signaling with dysregulated BMP pathway signaling in FOP CTPCs. These findings provide novel insight into the cell autonomous integration of injury signals from the innate immune system with dysregulated response signals from the BMP signaling pathway and provide new exploratory targets for therapeutic approaches to blocking the induction and amplification of FOP lesions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Exploratory Analysis of Factors Affecting Participation in Air Force Knowledge Now Communities of Practice

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

reliability coefficients are presented in chapter four in the factor analysis section. Along with Crobach’s Alpha coefficients, the Kaiser - Meyer - Olkin ...the pattern of correlation coefficients > 0.300 in the correlation matrix • Kaiser - Meyer - Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (MSA) > 0.700 • Bartlett’s...exploratory factor analysis. The Kaiser - Meyer - Olkin measure of sampling adequacy yielded a value of .790, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity yielded a

The development and exploratory analysis of the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ)

PubMed Central

Darlow, Ben; Perry, Meredith; Mathieson, Fiona; Stanley, James; Melloh, Markus; Marsh, Reginald; Baxter, G David; Dowell, Anthony

2014-01-01

Objectives To develop an instrument to assess attitudes and underlying beliefs about back pain, and subsequently investigate its internal consistency and underlying structures. Design The instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers based on analysis of qualitative interviews with people experiencing acute and chronic back pain. Exploratory analysis was conducted using data from a population-based cross-sectional survey. Setting Qualitative interviews with community-based participants and subsequent postal survey. Participants Instrument development informed by interviews with 12 participants with acute back pain and 11 participants with chronic back pain. Data for exploratory analysis collected from New Zealand residents and citizens aged 18 years and above. 1000 participants were randomly selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll. 602 valid responses were received. Measures The 34-item Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) was developed. Internal consistency was evaluated by the Cronbach α coefficient. Exploratory analysis investigated the structure of the data using Principal Component Analysis. Results The 34-item long form of the scale had acceptable internal consistency (α=0.70; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.73). Exploratory analysis identified five two-item principal components which accounted for 74% of the variance in the reduced data set: ‘vulnerability of the back’; ‘relationship between back pain and injury’; ‘activity participation while experiencing back pain’; ‘prognosis of back pain’ and ‘psychological influences on recovery’. Internal consistency was acceptable for the reduced 10-item scale (α=0.61; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.66) and the identified components (α between 0.50 and 0.78). Conclusions The 34-item long form of the scale may be appropriate for use in future cross-sectional studies. The 10-item short form may be appropriate for use as a screening tool, or an outcome assessment instrument. Further testing of the 10-item Back-PAQ's construct validity, reliability, responsiveness to change and predictive ability needs to be conducted. PMID:24860003

An Exploratory Study of Student Motivations for Taking Online Courses and Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nonis, Sarath A.; Fenner, Grant H.

2012-01-01

An investigation of students taking online classes exposed crucial student perceptions important to their selecting online/web-assisted courses. An exploratory factor analysis provided three factors of "convenience," "enjoyment & independence," and "no other option available" as motivations for students taking…

Investigation of the factor structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV): exploratory and higher order factor analyses.

PubMed

Canivez, Gary L; Watkins, Marley W

2010-12-01

The present study examined the factor structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV; D. Wechsler, 2008a) standardization sample using exploratory factor analysis, multiple factor extraction criteria, and higher order exploratory factor analysis (J. Schmid & J. M. Leiman, 1957) not included in the WAIS-IV Technical and Interpretation Manual (D. Wechsler, 2008b). Results indicated that the WAIS-IV subtests were properly associated with the theoretically proposed first-order factors, but all but one factor-extraction criterion recommended extraction of one or two factors. Hierarchical exploratory analyses with the Schmid and Leiman procedure found that the second-order g factor accounted for large portions of total and common variance, whereas the four first-order factors accounted for small portions of total and common variance. It was concluded that the WAIS-IV provides strong measurement of general intelligence, and clinical interpretation should be primarily at that level.

Exploratory Bi-factor Analysis: The Oblique Case.

PubMed

Jennrich, Robert I; Bentler, Peter M

2012-07-01

Bi-factor analysis is a form of confirmatory factor analysis originally introduced by Holzinger and Swineford (Psychometrika 47:41-54, 1937). The bi-factor model has a general factor, a number of group factors, and an explicit bi-factor structure. Jennrich and Bentler (Psychometrika 76:537-549, 2011) introduced an exploratory form of bi-factor analysis that does not require one to provide an explicit bi-factor structure a priori. They use exploratory factor analysis and a bifactor rotation criterion designed to produce a rotated loading matrix that has an approximate bi-factor structure. Among other things this can be used as an aid in finding an explicit bi-factor structure for use in a confirmatory bi-factor analysis. They considered only orthogonal rotation. The purpose of this paper is to consider oblique rotation and to compare it to orthogonal rotation. Because there are many more oblique rotations of an initial loading matrix than orthogonal rotations, one expects the oblique results to approximate a bi-factor structure better than orthogonal rotations and this is indeed the case. A surprising result arises when oblique bi-factor rotation methods are applied to ideal data.

Beyond the usual suspects: a multidimensional genetic exploration of infant attachment disorganization and security.

PubMed

Pappa, Irene; Szekely, Eszter; Mileva-Seitz, Viara R; Luijk, Maartje P C M; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H; Tiemeier, Henning

2015-01-01

Although the environmental influences on infant attachment disorganization and security are well-studied, little is known about their heritability. Candidate gene studies have shown small, often non-replicable effects. In this study, we gathered the largest sample (N = 657) of ethnically homogenous, 14-month-old children with both observed attachment and genome-wide data. First, we used a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) approach to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with attachment disorganization and security. Second, we annotated them into genes (Versatile Gene-based Association Study) and functional pathways. Our analyses provide evidence of novel genes (HDAC1, ZNF675, BSCD1) and pathways (synaptic transmission, cation transport) associated with attachment disorganization. Similar analyses identified a novel gene (BECN1) but no distinct pathways associated with attachment security. The results of this first extensive, exploratory study on the molecular-genetic basis of infant attachment await replication in large, independent samples.

PDF-1 neuropeptide signaling modulates a neural circuit for mate-searching behavior in C. elegans.

PubMed

Barrios, Arantza; Ghosh, Rajarshi; Fang, Chunhui; Emmons, Scott W; Barr, Maureen M

2012-12-01

Appetitive behaviors require complex decision making that involves the integration of environmental stimuli and physiological needs. C. elegans mate searching is a male-specific exploratory behavior regulated by two competing needs: food and reproductive appetite. We found that the pigment dispersing factor receptor (PDFR-1) modulates the circuit that encodes the male reproductive drive that promotes male exploration following mate deprivation. PDFR-1 and its ligand, PDF-1, stimulated mate searching in the male, but not in the hermaphrodite. pdf-1 was required in the gender-shared interneuron AIM, and the receptor acted in internal and external environment-sensing neurons of the shared nervous system (URY, PQR and PHA) to produce mate-searching behavior. Thus, the pdf-1 and pdfr-1 pathway functions in non-sex-specific neurons to produce a male-specific, goal-oriented exploratory behavior. Our results indicate that secretin neuropeptidergic signaling is involved in regulating motivational internal states.

A Quantitative Model of Motility Reveals Low-Dimensional Variation in Exploratory Behavior Across Multiple Nematode Species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helms, Stephen; Avery, Leon; Stephens, Greg; Shimizu, Tom

2014-03-01

Animal behavior emerges from many layers of biological organization--from molecular signaling pathways and neuronal networks to mechanical outputs of muscles. In principle, the large number of interconnected variables at each of these layers could imply dynamics that are complex and hard to control or even tinker with. Yet, for organisms to survive in a competitive, ever-changing environment, behavior must readily adapt. We applied quantitative modeling to identify important aspects of behavior in chromadorean nematodes ranging from the lab strain C. elegans N2 to wild strains and distant species. We revealed subtle yet important features such as speed control and heavy-tailed directional changes. We found that the parameters describing this behavioral model varied among individuals and across species in a correlated way that is consistent with a trade-off between exploratory and exploitative behavior.

An Exploratory Study of Socialization Effects on Black Children: Some Black-White Comparisons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baumrind, Diana

1972-01-01

Major conclusion from this exploratory analysis was that if the black families were viewed by white norms they appeared authoritarian, but that, unlike their white counterparts, the most authoritarian of these families produced the most self-assertive and independent girls. (Author)

A data analysis framework for biomedical big data: Application on mesoderm differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells

PubMed Central

Karlsson, Alexander; Riveiro, Maria; Améen, Caroline; Åkesson, Karolina; Andersson, Christian X.; Sartipy, Peter; Synnergren, Jane

2017-01-01

The development of high-throughput biomolecular technologies has resulted in generation of vast omics data at an unprecedented rate. This is transforming biomedical research into a big data discipline, where the main challenges relate to the analysis and interpretation of data into new biological knowledge. The aim of this study was to develop a framework for biomedical big data analytics, and apply it for analyzing transcriptomics time series data from early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. To this end, transcriptome profiling by microarray was performed on differentiating human pluripotent stem cells sampled at eleven consecutive days. The gene expression data was analyzed using the five-stage analysis framework proposed in this study, including data preparation, exploratory data analysis, confirmatory analysis, biological knowledge discovery, and visualization of the results. Clustering analysis revealed several distinct expression profiles during differentiation. Genes with an early transient response were strongly related to embryonic- and mesendoderm development, for example CER1 and NODAL. Pluripotency genes, such as NANOG and SOX2, exhibited substantial downregulation shortly after onset of differentiation. Rapid induction of genes related to metal ion response, cardiac tissue development, and muscle contraction were observed around day five and six. Several transcription factors were identified as potential regulators of these processes, e.g. POU1F1, TCF4 and TBP for muscle contraction genes. Pathway analysis revealed temporal activity of several signaling pathways, for example the inhibition of WNT signaling on day 2 and its reactivation on day 4. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of biological events and key regulators of the early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. The proposed analysis framework can be used to structure data analysis in future research, both in stem cell differentiation, and more generally, in biomedical big data analytics. PMID:28654683

A data analysis framework for biomedical big data: Application on mesoderm differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells.

PubMed

Ulfenborg, Benjamin; Karlsson, Alexander; Riveiro, Maria; Améen, Caroline; Åkesson, Karolina; Andersson, Christian X; Sartipy, Peter; Synnergren, Jane

2017-01-01

The development of high-throughput biomolecular technologies has resulted in generation of vast omics data at an unprecedented rate. This is transforming biomedical research into a big data discipline, where the main challenges relate to the analysis and interpretation of data into new biological knowledge. The aim of this study was to develop a framework for biomedical big data analytics, and apply it for analyzing transcriptomics time series data from early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. To this end, transcriptome profiling by microarray was performed on differentiating human pluripotent stem cells sampled at eleven consecutive days. The gene expression data was analyzed using the five-stage analysis framework proposed in this study, including data preparation, exploratory data analysis, confirmatory analysis, biological knowledge discovery, and visualization of the results. Clustering analysis revealed several distinct expression profiles during differentiation. Genes with an early transient response were strongly related to embryonic- and mesendoderm development, for example CER1 and NODAL. Pluripotency genes, such as NANOG and SOX2, exhibited substantial downregulation shortly after onset of differentiation. Rapid induction of genes related to metal ion response, cardiac tissue development, and muscle contraction were observed around day five and six. Several transcription factors were identified as potential regulators of these processes, e.g. POU1F1, TCF4 and TBP for muscle contraction genes. Pathway analysis revealed temporal activity of several signaling pathways, for example the inhibition of WNT signaling on day 2 and its reactivation on day 4. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of biological events and key regulators of the early differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells towards the mesoderm and cardiac lineages. The proposed analysis framework can be used to structure data analysis in future research, both in stem cell differentiation, and more generally, in biomedical big data analytics.

Issues Related to the Frequency of Exploratory Analyses by Evidence Review Groups in the NICE Single Technology Appraisal Process.

PubMed

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Carroll, Christopher; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2017-06-01

Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) critically appraise company submissions as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Single Technology Appraisal (STA) process. As part of their critique of the evidence submitted by companies, the ERGs undertake exploratory analyses to explore uncertainties in the company's model. The aim of this study was to explore pre-defined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. The aim of this study was to explore predefined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. We undertook content analysis of over 400 documents, including ERG reports and related documentation for the 100 most recent STAs (2009-2014) for which guidance has been published. Relevant data were extracted from the documents and narrative synthesis was used to summarise the extracted data. All data were extracted and checked by two researchers. Forty different companies submitted documents as part of the NICE STA process. The most common disease area covered by the STAs was cancer (44%), and most ERG reports (n = 93) contained at least one exploratory analysis. The incidence and frequency of ERG exploratory analyses does not appear to be related to any developments in the appraisal process, the disease area covered by the STA, or the company's base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). However, there does appear to be a pattern in the mean number of analyses conducted by particular ERGs, but the reasons for this are unclear and potentially complex. No clear patterns were identified regarding the presence or frequency of exploratory analyses, apart from the mean number conducted by individual ERGs. More research is needed to understand this relationship.

Looking Inside the Black Box of “Attendance at Services”: New Measures for Exploring an Old Dimension in Religion and Health Research

PubMed Central

Idler, Ellen L.; Boulifard, David A.; Labouvie, Erich; Chen, Yung Y.; Krause, Tyrone J.; Contrada, Richard J.

2008-01-01

Research in religion and health has spurred new interest in measuring religiousness. Measurement efforts have focused on subjective facets of religiousness such as spirituality and beliefs, and less attention has been paid to congregate aspects, beyond the single item measuring attendance at services. We evaluate some new measures for religious experiences occurring during congregational worship services. Respondents (N=576) were religiously-diverse community-dwelling adults interviewed prior to cardiac surgery. Exploratory factor analysis of the new items with a pool of standard items yielded a readily interpretable solution, involving seven correlated but distinct factors and one index variable, with high levels of internal consistency. We describe religious affiliation and demographic differences in these measures. Attendance at religious services provides multifaceted physical, emotional, social, and spiritual experiences that may promote physical health through multiple pathways. PMID:19214241

Validation study of the Questionnaire on School Maladjustment Problems (QSMP).

PubMed

de la Fuente Arias, Jesús; Peralta Sánchez, Francisco Javier; Sánchez Roda, María Dolores; Trianes Torres, María Victoria

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the exploratory and confirmatory structure, as well as other psychometric properties, of the Cuestionario de Problemas de Convivencia Escolar (CPCE; in Spanish, the Questionnaire on School Maladjustment Problems [QSMP]), using a sample of Spanish adolescents. The instrument was administered to 60 secondary education teachers (53.4% females and 46.6% males) between the ages of 28 and 54 years (M= 41.2, SD= 11.5), who evaluated a total of 857 adolescent students. The first-order exploratory factor analysis identified 7 factors, explaining a total variance of 62%. A second-order factor analysis yielded three dimensions that explain 84% of the variance. A confirmatory factor analysis was subsequently performed in order to reduce the number of factors obtained in the exploratory analysis as well as the number of items. Lastly, we present the results of reliability, internal consistency, and validity indices. These results and their implications for future research and for the practice of educational guidance and intervention are discussed in the conclusions.

The mesencephalic trigeminal sensory nucleus is involved in acquisition of active exploratory behavior induced by changing from a diet of exclusively milk formula to food pellets in mice.

PubMed

Ishii, Toshiaki; Furuoka, Hidefumi; Kitamura, Nobuo; Muroi, Yoshikage; Nishimura, Masakazu

2006-09-21

Post-weaning mice fed exclusively milk display low-frequency exploratory behavior [Ishii, T., Itou, T., and Nishimura, M. (2005) Life Sci. 78, 174-179] compared to mice fed a food pellet diet. This low-frequency exploratory behavior switched to high-frequency exploration after a switch from exclusively milk formula to a food pellet diet. Acquisition of the high-frequency exploratory behavior was irreversible. Recently, we demonstrated that the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Me5) is involved in the control of feeding and exploratory behavior in mice without modulating the emotional state [Ishii, T., Furuoka, H., Itou, T., Kitamura, N., and Nishimura, M. (2005) Brain Res. 1048, 80-86]. We therefore investigated whether the Me5 is involved in acquisition of high-frequency exploratory behavior induced by the switch in diet from an exclusively milk formula to food pellets. Mouse feeding and exploratory behaviors were analyzed using a food search compulsion apparatus, which was designed to distinguish between the two behaviors under standard living conditions. Immunohistochemical analysis of immediate early genes indicated that the Me5, which receives signals from oral proprioceptors, is transiently activated after the diet change. The change from low-frequency to high-frequency exploratory behavior was prevented in milk-fed mice by bilateral lesion of the Me5. These results suggest that the Me5 is activated by signals associated with mastication-induced proprioception and contributes to the acquisition of active exploratory behavior.

RNA-Seq workflow: gene-level exploratory analysis and differential expression

PubMed Central

Love, Michael I.; Anders, Simon; Kim, Vladislav; Huber, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

Here we walk through an end-to-end gene-level RNA-Seq differential expression workflow using Bioconductor packages. We will start from the FASTQ files, show how these were aligned to the reference genome, and prepare a count matrix which tallies the number of RNA-seq reads/fragments within each gene for each sample. We will perform exploratory data analysis (EDA) for quality assessment and to explore the relationship between samples, perform differential gene expression analysis, and visually explore the results. PMID:26674615

Weather analysis and interpretation procedures developed for the US/Canada wheat and barley exploratory experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trenchard, M. H. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

Procedures and techniques for providing analyses of meteorological conditions at segments during the growing season were developed for the U.S./Canada Wheat and Barley Exploratory Experiment. The main product and analysis tool is the segment-level climagraph which depicts temporally meteorological variables for the current year compared with climatological normals. The variable values for the segment are estimates derived through objective analysis of values obtained at first-order station in the region. The procedures and products documented represent a baseline for future Foreign Commodity Production Forecasting experiments.

Existential Measurement: A Factor Analytic Study of Some Current Psychometric Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thauberger, Patrick C.; And Others

1982-01-01

Research in existentialism and ontology has given rise to several psychometric instruments. Used both exploratory and confirmatory principal-factor analyses to study relationships among 16 existential scales. Exploratory factor analysis provided some support of the theory that the avoidance of existential confrontation is a central function of…

The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alase, Abayomi

2017-01-01

As a research methodology, qualitative research method infuses an added advantage to the exploratory capability that researchers need to explore and investigate their research studies. Qualitative methodology allows researchers to advance and apply their interpersonal and subjectivity skills to their research exploratory processes. However, in a…

An Exploratory Study of Student Satisfaction with University Web Page Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gundersen, David E.; Ballenger, Joe K.; Crocker, Robert M.; Scifres, Elton L.; Strader, Robert

2013-01-01

This exploratory study evaluates the satisfaction of students with a web-based information system at a medium-sized regional university. The analysis provides a process for simplifying data interpretation in captured student user feedback. Findings indicate that student classifications, as measured by demographic and other factors, determine…

Caring Leadership in Schools: Findings from Exploratory Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louis, Karen Seashore; Murphy, Joseph; Smylie, Mark

2016-01-01

Purpose: This article (1) analyzes and synthesizes literatures from philosophy and education to propose a conceptual framework for caring in schools and caring school leadership and (2) reports the results of an exploratory analysis of the relationship of caring principal leadership to school-level supports for student academic learning.…

The Effects of Mobile Collaborative Activities in a Second Language Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilic, Peter

2015-01-01

This research is designed to explore the areas of collaborative learning and the use of smartphones as a support for collaborative learning through a year-long exploratory multiple case study approach integrating both qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Qualitative exploratory interviews are combined with Multidimensional Scaling Analysis…

Exploratory Honors Students: Academic Major and Career Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carduner, Jessie; Padak, Gary M.; Reynolds, Jamie

2011-01-01

In this qualitative study, we investigated the academic major and career decision-making processes of honors college students who were declared as "exploratory" students in their freshman year at a large, public, midwestern university. We used semistandardized interviews and document analysis as primary data collection methods to answer…

EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF PARTICULATE CHARACTERISTICS ON THE VARIATION IN PARTITIONING OF NONPOLAR ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS TO MARINE SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The partitioning of nonpolar organic contaminants to marine sediments is considered to be controlled by the amount of organic carbon present. However, several studies propose that other characteristics of sediments may affect the partitioning of contaminants. For this exploratory...

Exploring high school science students' perceptions of parental involvement in their education.

PubMed

Mji, Andile; Mbinda, Zoleka

2005-08-01

This exploratory study describes high school students' perceptions of their parents' involvement in their education and in relation to school achievement. A new 12-item Parental Involvement Scale was used to measure parents' involvement in curricular and extracurricular activities and using exploratory analyses to estimate the scale's properties. Exploratory analysis resulted in the reduction of the 12 items to 8, with an internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) .82. Grade 12 science students indicated that their less educated parents were involved in activities pertaining to their learning; however, high perceived parental involvement in curricular activities was related to low achievement. It is recommended that further exploratory analyses be undertaken to examine the reported two-dimensional model of the Parental Involvement Scale.

Exploratory factor analysis in Rehabilitation Psychology: a content analysis.

PubMed

Roberson, Richard B; Elliott, Timothy R; Chang, Jessica E; Hill, Jessica N

2014-11-01

Our objective was to examine the use and quality of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in articles published in Rehabilitation Psychology. Trained raters examined 66 separate exploratory factor analyses in 47 articles published between 1999 and April 2014. The raters recorded the aim of the EFAs, the distributional statistics, sample size, factor retention method(s), extraction and rotation method(s), and whether the pattern coefficients, structure coefficients, and the matrix of association were reported. The primary use of the EFAs was scale development, but the most widely used extraction and rotation method was principle component analysis, with varimax rotation. When determining how many factors to retain, multiple methods (e.g., scree plot, parallel analysis) were used most often. Many articles did not report enough information to allow for the duplication of their results. EFA relies on authors' choices (e.g., factor retention rules extraction, rotation methods), and few articles adhered to all of the best practices. The current findings are compared to other empirical investigations into the use of EFA in published research. Recommendations for improving EFA reporting practices in rehabilitation psychology research are provided.

Exploratory Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Compounds Correlated with Lutein Concentration in Frontal Cortex, Hippocampus, and Occipital Cortex of Human Infant Brain

PubMed Central

Lieblein-Boff, Jacqueline C.; Johnson, Elizabeth J.; Kennedy, Adam D.; Lai, Chron-Si; Kuchan, Matthew J.

2015-01-01

Lutein is a dietary carotenoid well known for its role as an antioxidant in the macula, and recent reports implicate a role for lutein in cognitive function. Lutein is the dominant carotenoid in both pediatric and geriatric brain tissue. In addition, cognitive function in older adults correlated with macular and postmortem brain lutein concentrations. Furthermore, lutein was found to preferentially accumulate in the infant brain in comparison to other carotenoids that are predominant in diet. While lutein is consistently related to cognitive function, the mechanisms by which lutein may influence cognition are not clear. In an effort to identify potential mechanisms through which lutein might influence neurodevelopment, an exploratory study relating metabolite signatures and lutein was completed. Post-mortem metabolomic analyses were performed on human infant brain tissues in three regions important for learning and memory: the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and occipital cortex. Metabolomic profiles were compared to lutein concentration, and correlations were identified and reported here. A total of 1276 correlations were carried out across all brain regions. Of 427 metabolites analyzed, 257 were metabolites of known identity. Unidentified metabolite correlations (510) were excluded. In addition, moderate correlations with xenobiotic relationships (2) or those driven by single outliers (3) were excluded from further study. Lutein concentrations correlated with lipid pathway metabolites, energy pathway metabolites, brain osmolytes, amino acid neurotransmitters, and the antioxidant homocarnosine. These correlations were often brain region—specific. Revealing relationships between lutein and metabolic pathways may help identify potential candidates on which to complete further analyses and may shed light on important roles of lutein in the human brain during development. PMID:26317757

The Consequences of Employee Commitment, Turnover, and Absenteeism: An Exploratory Analysis.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

and Absenteeism : An Exploratory Analysis Gt. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHOR(a) S. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBER(e) Richard T. Mowday N00014-81-K... Absenteeism therefore provides organizations with the opportunity to train employees to perform a number of different tasks. -35- Negative consequences...AD-A103 359 OREGON UNIV EUGENE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND-ETC Ft6 S/1 THE CONSEQUENCES OF EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT, TURNOVER, AND ABSENTEE -ETC(U

Pharmacogenetics Biomarkers and Their Specific Role in Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Treatments: An Exploratory Study on Rectal Cancer Patients

PubMed Central

Dreussi, Eva; Cecchin, Erika; Polesel, Jerry; Canzonieri, Vincenzo; Agostini, Marco; Boso, Caterina; Belluco, Claudio; Buonadonna, Angela; Lonardi, Sara; Bergamo, Francesca; Gagno, Sara; De Mattia, Elena; Pucciarelli, Salvatore; De Paoli, Antonino; Toffoli, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Background: Pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is still ascribed to a minority of patients. A pathway based-approach could highlight the predictive role of germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The primary aim of this study was to define new predictive biomarkers considering treatment specificities. Secondary aim was to determine new potential predictive biomarkers independent from radiotherapy (RT) dosage and cotreatment with oxaliplatin. Methods: Thirty germ-line SNPs in twenty-one genes were selected according to a pathway-based approach. Genetic analyses were performed on 280 LARC patients who underwent fluoropyrimidine-based CRT. The potential predictive role of these SNPs in determining pathological tumor response was tested in Group 1 (94 patients undergoing also oxaliplatin), Group 2 (73 patients treated with high RT dosage), Group 3 (113 patients treated with standard RT dosage), and in the pooled population (280 patients). Results: Nine new predictive biomarkers were identified in the three groups. The most promising one was rs3136228-MSH6 (p = 0.004) arising from Group 3. In the pooled population, rs1801133-MTHFR showed only a trend (p = 0.073). Conclusion: This exploratory study highlighted new potential predictive biomarkers of neoadjuvant CRT and underlined the importance to strictly define treatment peculiarities in pharmacogenetic analyses. PMID:27608007

A Functional and Regulatory Network Associated with PIP Expression in Human Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Debily, Marie-Anne; Marhomy, Sandrine El; Boulanger, Virginie; Eveno, Eric; Mariage-Samson, Régine; Camarca, Alessandra; Auffray, Charles; Piatier-Tonneau, Dominique; Imbeaud, Sandrine

2009-01-01

Background The PIP (prolactin-inducible protein) gene has been shown to be expressed in breast cancers, with contradictory results concerning its implication. As both the physiological role and the molecular pathways in which PIP is involved are poorly understood, we conducted combined gene expression profiling and network analysis studies on selected breast cancer cell lines presenting distinct PIP expression levels and hormonal receptor status, to explore the functional and regulatory network of PIP co-modulated genes. Principal Findings Microarray analysis allowed identification of genes co-modulated with PIP independently of modulations resulting from hormonal treatment or cell line heterogeneity. Relevant clusters of genes that can discriminate between [PIP+] and [PIP−] cells were identified. Functional and regulatory network analyses based on a knowledge database revealed a master network of PIP co-modulated genes, including many interconnecting oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, half of which were detected as differentially expressed through high-precision measurements. The network identified appears associated with an inhibition of proliferation coupled with an increase of apoptosis and an enhancement of cell adhesion in breast cancer cell lines, and contains many genes with a STAT5 regulatory motif in their promoters. Conclusions Our global exploratory approach identified biological pathways modulated along with PIP expression, providing further support for its good prognostic value of disease-free survival in breast cancer. Moreover, our data pointed to the importance of a regulatory subnetwork associated with PIP expression in which STAT5 appears as a potential transcriptional regulator. PMID:19262752

Exploratory factor analysis of self-reported symptoms in a large, population-based military cohort

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background US military engagements have consistently raised concern over the array of health outcomes experienced by service members postdeployment. Exploratory factor analysis has been used in studies of 1991 Gulf War-related illnesses, and may increase understanding of symptoms and health outcomes associated with current military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The objective of this study was to use exploratory factor analysis to describe the correlations among numerous physical and psychological symptoms in terms of a smaller number of unobserved variables or factors. Methods The Millennium Cohort Study collects extensive self-reported health data from a large, population-based military cohort, providing a unique opportunity to investigate the interrelationships of numerous physical and psychological symptoms among US military personnel. This study used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a large, population-based military cohort. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the covariance structure of symptoms reported by approximately 50,000 cohort members during 2004-2006. Analyses incorporated 89 symptoms, including responses to several validated instruments embedded in the questionnaire. Techniques accommodated the categorical and sometimes incomplete nature of the survey data. Results A 14-factor model accounted for 60 percent of the total variance in symptoms data and included factors related to several physical, psychological, and behavioral constructs. A notable finding was that many factors appeared to load in accordance with symptom co-location within the survey instrument, highlighting the difficulty in disassociating the effects of question content, location, and response format on factor structure. Conclusions This study demonstrates the potential strengths and weaknesses of exploratory factor analysis to heighten understanding of the complex associations among symptoms. Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between factor analytic results and survey structure, as well as to assess the relationship between factor scores and key exposure variables. PMID:20950474

An Exploratory Study of Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivators and Student Performance in an Auditing Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mo, Songtao

2011-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the association of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and student performance. This study performs an exploratory analysis and presents evidence to demonstrate that intrinsic motivators affect the connection between external motivators and student performance. The empirical tests follow the framework…

Situated Analysis of Team Handball Players' Decisions: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenzen, Benoit; Theunissen, Catherine; Cloes, Marc

2009-01-01

This exploratory study aimed to investigate elements involved in decision making in team handball live situations and to provide coaches and educators with teaching recommendations. The study was positioned within the framework of the situated-action paradigm of which two aspects were of particular interest for this project: (a) the relationship…

Therapeutic Writing: An Exploratory Speech-Language Pathology Counseling Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaki, Emi; Brown, Betty G.; Alemán, Sara; Hackstaff, Karla

2015-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study investigated the use of therapeutic writing for counseling long-term caregivers of spouses with brain injury and neurogenic communication disorders. Three participants wrote an average of six single-spaced pages of text. After analysis of the written text, the common themes of onset of diagnosis, anger, grief,…

A Study of the Exploratory Behavior of Legally Blind and Sighted Preschoolers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Myrna R.

1983-01-01

Fifteen legally blind preschoolers and 15 sighted controls matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status were observed with novel and non-novel toys. Analysis of the exploratory behavior revealed no significant differences between the interaction of each group with either toy except in patterns of sensory utilization. (CL)

An Exploratory Investigation of the Factor Structure of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dombrowski, Stefan C.; Watkins, Marley W.; Brogan, Michael J.

2009-01-01

This study investigated the factor structure of the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS) using rigorous exploratory factor analytic and factor extraction procedures. The results of this study indicate that the RIAS is a single factor test. Despite these results, higher order factor analysis using the Schmid-Leiman procedure indicates…

An Exploratory Study of Animal-Assisted Interventions Utilized by Mental Health Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Callaghan, Dana M.; Chandler, Cynthia K.

2011-01-01

This study implemented an exploratory analysis to examine how a sample of mental health professionals incorporates specific animal-assisted techniques into the therapeutic process. An extensive review of literature related to animal-assisted therapy (AAT) resulted in the identification of 18 techniques and 10 intentions for the practice of AAT in…

Examining Metacognitive Processes in Exploratory Computer-Based Learning Environments Using Activity Log Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Yoo Kyung

2010-01-01

Metacognition is widely studied for its influence on the effectiveness of learning. With Exploratory Computer-Based Learning Environments (ECBLE), metacognition is found to be especially important because these environments require adaptive metacognitive control by the learners due to their open-ended structure that allows for multiple learning…

The development and exploratory analysis of the Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ).

PubMed

Darlow, Ben; Perry, Meredith; Mathieson, Fiona; Stanley, James; Melloh, Markus; Marsh, Reginald; Baxter, G David; Dowell, Anthony

2014-05-23

To develop an instrument to assess attitudes and underlying beliefs about back pain, and subsequently investigate its internal consistency and underlying structures. The instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and researchers based on analysis of qualitative interviews with people experiencing acute and chronic back pain. Exploratory analysis was conducted using data from a population-based cross-sectional survey. Qualitative interviews with community-based participants and subsequent postal survey. Instrument development informed by interviews with 12 participants with acute back pain and 11 participants with chronic back pain. Data for exploratory analysis collected from New Zealand residents and citizens aged 18 years and above. 1000 participants were randomly selected from the New Zealand Electoral Roll. 602 valid responses were received. The 34-item Back Pain Attitudes Questionnaire (Back-PAQ) was developed. Internal consistency was evaluated by the Cronbach α coefficient. Exploratory analysis investigated the structure of the data using Principal Component Analysis. The 34-item long form of the scale had acceptable internal consistency (α=0.70; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.73). Exploratory analysis identified five two-item principal components which accounted for 74% of the variance in the reduced data set: 'vulnerability of the back'; 'relationship between back pain and injury'; 'activity participation while experiencing back pain'; 'prognosis of back pain' and 'psychological influences on recovery'. Internal consistency was acceptable for the reduced 10-item scale (α=0.61; 95% CI 0.56 to 0.66) and the identified components (α between 0.50 and 0.78). The 34-item long form of the scale may be appropriate for use in future cross-sectional studies. The 10-item short form may be appropriate for use as a screening tool, or an outcome assessment instrument. Further testing of the 10-item Back-PAQ's construct validity, reliability, responsiveness to change and predictive ability needs to be conducted. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Mapping the patent landscape of synthetic biology for fine chemical production pathways.

PubMed

Carbonell, Pablo; Gök, Abdullah; Shapira, Philip; Faulon, Jean-Loup

2016-09-01

A goal of synthetic biology bio-foundries is to innovate through an iterative design/build/test/learn pipeline. In assessing the value of new chemical production routes, the intellectual property (IP) novelty of the pathway is important. Exploratory studies can be carried using knowledge of the patent/IP landscape for synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. In this paper, we perform an assessment of pathways as potential targets for chemical production across the full catalogue of reachable chemicals in the extended metabolic space of chassis organisms, as computed by the retrosynthesis-based algorithm RetroPath. Our database for reactions processed by sequences in heterologous pathways was screened against the PatSeq database, a comprehensive collection of more than 150M sequences present in patent grants and applications. We also examine related patent families using Derwent Innovations. This large-scale computational study provides useful insights into the IP landscape of synthetic biology for fine and specialty chemicals production. © 2016 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

SATRAT: Staphylococcus aureus transcript regulatory network analysis tool.

PubMed

Gopal, Tamilselvi; Nagarajan, Vijayaraj; Elasri, Mohamed O

2015-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal organism that primarily colonizes the nose of healthy individuals. S. aureus causes a spectrum of infections that range from skin and soft-tissue infections to fatal invasive diseases. S. aureus uses a large number of virulence factors that are regulated in a coordinated fashion. The complex regulatory mechanisms have been investigated in numerous high-throughput experiments. Access to this data is critical to studying this pathogen. Previously, we developed a compilation of microarray experimental data to enable researchers to search, browse, compare, and contrast transcript profiles. We have substantially updated this database and have built a novel exploratory tool-SATRAT-the S. aureus transcript regulatory network analysis tool, based on the updated database. This tool is capable of performing deep searches using a query and generating an interactive regulatory network based on associations among the regulators of any query gene. We believe this integrated regulatory network analysis tool would help researchers explore the missing links and identify novel pathways that regulate virulence in S. aureus. Also, the data model and the network generation code used to build this resource is open sourced, enabling researchers to build similar resources for other bacterial systems.

An exploratory spatial analysis of social vulnerability and smoke plum dispersion in the U.S

Treesearch

Cassandra Johnson Gaither; Scott Goodrick; Bryn Elise Murphy; Neelam Poudyal

2015-01-01

This study explores the spatial association between social vulnerability and smoke plume dispersion at the census block group level for the 13 southern states in the USDA Forest Service’s Region 8. Using environmental justice as a conceptual basis, we use Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis to identify clusters or “hot spots” for the incidence of both higher than average...

Mitragynine Attenuates Withdrawal Syndrome in Morphine-Withdrawn Zebrafish

PubMed Central

Khor, Beng-Siang; Amar Jamil, Mohd Fadzly; Adenan, Mohamad Ilham; Chong Shu-Chien, Alexander

2011-01-01

A major obstacle in treating drug addiction is the severity of opiate withdrawal syndrome, which can lead to unwanted relapse. Mitragynine is the major alkaloid compound found in leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a plant widely used by opiate addicts to mitigate the harshness of drug withdrawal. A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the effect of mitragynine on anxiety behavior, cortisol level and expression of stress pathway related genes in zebrafish undergoing morphine withdrawal phase. Adult zebrafish were subjected to two weeks chronic morphine exposure at 1.5 mg/L, followed by withdrawal for 24 hours prior to tests. Using the novel tank diving tests, we first showed that morphine-withdrawn zebrafish display anxiety-related swimming behaviors such as decreased exploratory behavior and increased erratic movement. Morphine withdrawal also elevated whole-body cortisol levels, which confirms the phenotypic stress-like behaviors. Exposing morphine-withdrawn fish to mitragynine however attenuates majority of the stress-related swimming behaviors and concomitantly lower whole-body cortisol level. Using real-time PCR gene expression analysis, we also showed that mitragynine reduces the mRNA expression of corticotropin releasing factor receptors and prodynorphin in zebrafish brain during morphine withdrawal phase, revealing for the first time a possible link between mitragynine's ability to attenuate anxiety during opiate withdrawal with the stress-related corticotropin pathway. PMID:22205946

Potential Effects of Pomegranate Polyphenols in Cancer Prevention and Therapy

PubMed Central

Turrini, Eleonora; Ferruzzi, Lorenzo

2015-01-01

Cancer is the second leading cause of death and is becoming the leading one in old age. Vegetable and fruit consumption is inversely associated with cancer incidence and mortality. Currently, interest in a number of fruits high in polyphenols has been raised due to their reported chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic potential. Pomegranate has been shown to exert anticancer activity, which is generally attributed to its high content of polyphenols. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of known targets and mechanisms along with a critical evaluation of pomegranate polyphenols as future anticancer agents. Pomegranate evokes antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antimetastatic effects, induces apoptosis through the modulation of Bcl-2 proteins, upregulates p21 and p27, and downregulates cyclin-cdk network. Furthermore, pomegranate blocks the activation of inflammatory pathways including, but not limited to, the NF-κB pathway. The strongest evidence for its anticancer activity comes from studies on prostate cancer. Accordingly, some exploratory clinical studies investigating pomegranate found a trend of efficacy in increasing prostate-specific antigen doubling time in patients with prostate cancer. However, the genotoxicity reported for pomegranate raised certain concerns over its safety and an accurate assessment of the risk/benefit should be performed before suggesting the use of pomegranate or its polyphenols for cancer-related therapeutic purposes. PMID:26180600

Potential Effects of Pomegranate Polyphenols in Cancer Prevention and Therapy.

PubMed

Turrini, Eleonora; Ferruzzi, Lorenzo; Fimognari, Carmela

2015-01-01

Cancer is the second leading cause of death and is becoming the leading one in old age. Vegetable and fruit consumption is inversely associated with cancer incidence and mortality. Currently, interest in a number of fruits high in polyphenols has been raised due to their reported chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic potential. Pomegranate has been shown to exert anticancer activity, which is generally attributed to its high content of polyphenols. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of known targets and mechanisms along with a critical evaluation of pomegranate polyphenols as future anticancer agents. Pomegranate evokes antiproliferative, anti-invasive, and antimetastatic effects, induces apoptosis through the modulation of Bcl-2 proteins, upregulates p21 and p27, and downregulates cyclin-cdk network. Furthermore, pomegranate blocks the activation of inflammatory pathways including, but not limited to, the NF-κB pathway. The strongest evidence for its anticancer activity comes from studies on prostate cancer. Accordingly, some exploratory clinical studies investigating pomegranate found a trend of efficacy in increasing prostate-specific antigen doubling time in patients with prostate cancer. However, the genotoxicity reported for pomegranate raised certain concerns over its safety and an accurate assessment of the risk/benefit should be performed before suggesting the use of pomegranate or its polyphenols for cancer-related therapeutic purposes.

Improving skill development: an exploratory study comparing a philosophical and an applied ethical analysis technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Saggaf, Yeslam; Burmeister, Oliver K.

2012-09-01

This exploratory study compares and contrasts two types of critical thinking techniques; one is a philosophical and the other an applied ethical analysis technique. The two techniques analyse an ethically challenging situation involving ICT that a recent media article raised to demonstrate their ability to develop the ethical analysis skills of ICT students and professionals. In particular the skill development focused on includes: being able to recognise ethical challenges and formulate coherent responses; distancing oneself from subjective judgements; developing ethical literacy; identifying stakeholders; and communicating ethical decisions made, to name a few.

Exploratory Factor Analysis and Psychometric Evaluation of the Teacher Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Kerryann; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Mathews, Ben; Farrell, Ann; Butler, Des

2012-01-01

This paper presents an evaluation of an instrument to measure teachers' attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse and discusses the instrument's merit for research into reporting practice. Based on responses from 444 Australian teachers, the Teachers' Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse was evaluated using exploratory factor…

Development and Validation of the Personal Strengths Inventory Using Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liau, Albert Kienfie; Chow, Daryl; Tan, Teck Kiang; Senf, Konrad

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish the reliability and validity of the scores on a brief strengths-based assessment, the 22-item Personal Strengths Inventory (PSI). In Study 1, findings from exploratory factor analysis of 410 adolescents provided evidence for a five-factor solution--social competence (four items), emotional awareness (five…

An Exploratory Analysis of American Indian Children's Cultural Engagement, Fluid Cognitive Skills, and Standardized Verbal IQ Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsethlikai, Monica

2011-01-01

This exploratory cross-sectional study examined fluid cognitive skills and standardized verbal IQ scores in relation to cultural engagement amongst Tohono O'odham children (N = 99; ages 7 to 12 years). Guardians with higher socioeconomic status engaged their children in more cultural activities, and participation in more cultural activities…

An Exploratory Analysis of Job and Life Satisfaction among Entrepreneurs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Paul R.; DeCarlo, James F.

An exploratory study examined the job and life satisfaction of a sample of 32 female entrepreneurs residing in the tri-state area of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. To compare the entrepreneurs' concepts of life and job satisfaction to those of women in more traditional occupations, researchers also studied a sample of 32 female nursing…

FLT-PET/CT as a Biomarker of Therapeutic Response in Pemetrexed Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

therapy in a human patient. These images are from a 63 y/o male with NSCLC participating in our exploratory clinical trial of FLT- PET “flare”. (a... PET in a human NSCLC patient. Results: In NSCLC cells in vitro, we identified a burst in thymidine salvage pathway activity, assessed by 3H...25 Human PET imaging IRB approval was obtained through the University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board for use of FLT- PET /CT

Does Self-Image Matter? Client's Self-Image, Behaviour and Evaluation of a Career Counselling Session: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schedin, Gunnar; Armelius, Kerstin

2008-01-01

This exploratory study addresses differences in self-image as a client characteristic in career counselling by using the Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour (Benjamin, L., "Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology," 64(6), 1203-1212, 1996; Benjamin, L., "Journal of Personality Assessment," 66(2), 248-266, 1996) and an adaptation…

Technical Communications in Aeronautics: Results of an Exploratory Study. An Analysis of Profit Managers' and Nonprofit Managers' Responses. NASA Technical Memorandum 101626.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinelli, Thomas E.; And Others

Data collected from an exploratory study concerned with the technical communications practices of aerospace engineers and scientists were analyzed to test the primary assumption that profit and nonprofit managers in the aerospace community have different technical communications practices. Profit and nonprofit managers were compared in five…

The Effects of Using Exploratory Computerized Environments in Grades 1 to 8 Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sokolowski, Andrzej; Li, Yeping; Willson, Victor

2015-01-01

Background: The process of problem solving is difficult for students; thus, mathematics educators have made multiple attempts to seek ways of making this process more accessible to learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect size statistic of utilizing exploratory computerized environments (ECEs) to support the process of word…

Achieving Dramatic School Improvement: An Exploratory Study. A Cross-Site Analysis from the Evaluation of Comprehensive School Reform Program Implementation and Outcomes Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aladjem, Daniel K.; Birman, Beatrice F.; Orland, Martin; Harr-Robins, Jenifer; Heredia, Alberto; Parrish, Thomas B.; Ruffini, Stephen J.

2010-01-01

This exploratory study describes approaches to improving schools through retrospective, in-depth qualitative case studies. To select schools to be examined, the authors sought to identify Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) schools demonstrating two distinctive patterns of improved student achievement between 2000 and 2005, rapid-improvement (i.e.,…

Using the Beck Anxiety Inventory among South Africans Living with HIV: Exploratory and Higher Order Factor Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kagee, Ashraf; Coetzee, Bronwyne; Saal, Wylene; Nel, Adriaan

2015-01-01

We administered the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to 101 adults receiving HIV treatment. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a single anxiety factor that accounted for 68.7% of the variance in the data. A single score may be used to indicate the overall level of anxiety of individuals receiving HIV treatment in South Africa.

Are Review Skills and Academic Writing Skills Related? An Exploratory Analysis via Multi Source Feedback Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razi, Salim

2016-01-01

Because students learn from each other as well as lecturers, it is important to create opportunities for collaboration in writing classes. Teachers now benefit from access to plagiarism detectors that can also provide feedback. This exploratory study considers the role of four review types, open and anonymous, involving the students themselves,…

Analysis of E-Mail Produced by Middle School Students with Disabilities Using Accessible Interfaces: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Todis, Bonnie; Fickas, Stephen; Ehlhardt, Laurie

2011-01-01

The goal of this exploratory study was to investigate electronic communication as a potential method to enhance social communication in a range of students with disabilities. This study investigated the usability of an adapted e-mail interface, TeenMail, for 11 middle school students with significant learning and communication impairments who…

Bayesian Exploratory Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Conti, Gabriella; Frühwirth-Schnatter, Sylvia; Heckman, James J.; Piatek, Rémi

2014-01-01

This paper develops and applies a Bayesian approach to Exploratory Factor Analysis that improves on ad hoc classical approaches. Our framework relies on dedicated factor models and simultaneously determines the number of factors, the allocation of each measurement to a unique factor, and the corresponding factor loadings. Classical identification criteria are applied and integrated into our Bayesian procedure to generate models that are stable and clearly interpretable. A Monte Carlo study confirms the validity of the approach. The method is used to produce interpretable low dimensional aggregates from a high dimensional set of psychological measurements. PMID:25431517

Using the People of Color Racial Identity Attitude Scale among Asian American college students: an exploratory factor analysis.

PubMed

Perry, Justin C; Vance, Kristen S; Helms, Janet E

2009-04-01

In this study, an exploratory factor analysis of the People of Color Racial Identity Attitude Scale (PRIAS; Helms, 1995b) among a sample of Asian American college students (N = 225) was conducted. The factorial structure that emerged revealed mixed results in terms of consistency with the People of Color (POC) theory (Helms, 1995a). The measure's construct validity for Asian Americans may be improved through further scale development and revision. Directions for future research on the PRIAS are discussed. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Problem behaviours and symptom dimensions of psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disabilities: An exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Melville, Craig A; Johnson, Paul C D; Smiley, Elita; Simpson, Neill; Purves, David; McConnachie, Alex; Cooper, Sally-Ann

2016-08-01

The limited evidence on the relationship between problem behaviours and symptoms of psychiatric disorders experienced by adults with intellectual disabilities leads to conflict about diagnostic criteria and confused treatment. This study examined the relationship between problem behaviours and other psychopathology, and compared the predictive validity of dimensional and categorical models experienced by adults with intellectual disabilities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses appropriate for non-continuous data were used to derive, and validate, symptom dimensions using two clinical datasets (n=457; n=274). Categorical diagnoses were derived using DC-LD. Severity and 5-year longitudinal outcome was measured using a battery of instruments. Five factors/dimensions were identified and confirmed. Problem behaviours were included in an emotion dysregulation-problem behaviour dimension that was distinct from the depressive, anxiety, organic and psychosis dimensions. The dimensional model had better predictive validity than categorical diagnosis. International classification systems should not include problem behaviours as behavioural equivalents in diagnostic criteria for depression or other psychiatric disorders. Investigating the relevance of emotional regulation to psychopathology may provide an important pathway for development of improved interventions. There is uncertainty whether new onset problem behaviours or a change in longstanding problem behaviours should be considered as symptoms of depression or other types of psychiatric disorders in adults with intellectual disabilities. The validity of previous studies was limited by the use of pre-defined, categorical diagnoses or unreliable statistical methods. This study used robust statistical modelling to examine problem behaviours within a dimensional model of symptoms. We found that problem behaviours were included in an emotional dysregulation dimension and not in the dimension that included symptoms that are typical of depression. The dimensional model of symptoms had greater predictive validity than categorical diagnoses of psychiatric disorders. Our findings suggest that problem behaviours are a final common pathway for emotional distress in adults with intellectual disabilities so clinicians should not use a change in problem behaviours as a diagnostic criterion for depression, or other psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DataHub: Knowledge-based data management for data discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handley, Thomas H.; Li, Y. Philip

1993-08-01

Currently available database technology is largely designed for business data-processing applications, and seems inadequate for scientific applications. The research described in this paper, the DataHub, will address the issues associated with this shortfall in technology utilization and development. The DataHub development is addressing the key issues in scientific data management of scientific database models and resource sharing in a geographically distributed, multi-disciplinary, science research environment. Thus, the DataHub will be a server between the data suppliers and data consumers to facilitate data exchanges, to assist science data analysis, and to provide as systematic approach for science data management. More specifically, the DataHub's objectives are to provide support for (1) exploratory data analysis (i.e., data driven analysis); (2) data transformations; (3) data semantics capture and usage; analysis-related knowledge capture and usage; and (5) data discovery, ingestion, and extraction. Applying technologies that vary from deductive databases, semantic data models, data discovery, knowledge representation and inferencing, exploratory data analysis techniques and modern man-machine interfaces, DataHub will provide a prototype, integrated environement to support research scientists' needs in multiple disciplines (i.e. oceanography, geology, and atmospheric) while addressing the more general science data management issues. Additionally, the DataHub will provide data management services to exploratory data analysis applications such as LinkWinds and NCSA's XIMAGE.

[Factor structure validity of the social capital scale used at baseline in the ELSA-Brasil study].

PubMed

Souto, Ester Paiva; Vasconcelos, Ana Glória Godoi; Chor, Dora; Reichenheim, Michael E; Griep, Rosane Härter

2016-07-21

This study aims to analyze the factor structure of the Brazilian version of the Resource Generator (RG) scale, using baseline data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Health Study in Adults (ELSA-Brasil). Cross-validation was performed in three random subsamples. Exploratory factor analysis using exploratory structural equation models was conducted in the first two subsamples to diagnose the factor structure, and confirmatory factor analysis was used in the third to corroborate the model defined by the exploratory analyses. Based on the 31 initial items, the model with the best fit included 25 items distributed across three dimensions. They all presented satisfactory convergent validity (values greater than 0.50 for the extracted variance) and precision (values greater than 0.70 for compound reliability). All factor correlations were below 0.85, indicating full discriminative factor validity. The RG scale presents acceptable psychometric properties and can be used in populations with similar characteristics.

Genetic dissection of a regionally differentiated network for exploratory behavior in Drosophila larvae.

PubMed

Berni, Jimena

2015-05-18

An efficient strategy to explore the environment for available resources involves the execution of random walks where straight line locomotion alternates with changes of direction. This strategy is highly conserved in the animal kingdom, from zooplankton to human hunter-gatherers. Drosophila larvae execute a routine of this kind, performing straight line crawling interrupted at intervals by pause turns that halt crawling and redirect the trajectory of movement. The execution of this routine depends solely on the activity of networks located in the thoracic and abdominal segments of the nervous system, while descending input from the brain serves to modify it in a context-dependent fashion. I used a genetic method to investigate the location and function of the circuitry required for the different elements of exploratory crawling. By using the Slit-Robo axon guidance pathway to target neuronal midline crossing defects selectively to particular regions of the thoracic and abdominal networks, it has been possible to define at least three functions required for the performance of the exploratory routine: (1) symmetrical outputs in thoracic and abdominal segments that generate the crawls; (2) asymmetrical output that is uniquely initiated in the thoracic segments and generates the turns; and (3) an intermittent interruption to crawling that determines the time-dependent transition between crawls and turns. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Genetic Dissection of a Regionally Differentiated Network for Exploratory Behavior in Drosophila Larvae

PubMed Central

Berni, Jimena

2015-01-01

Summary An efficient strategy to explore the environment for available resources involves the execution of random walks where straight line locomotion alternates with changes of direction. This strategy is highly conserved in the animal kingdom, from zooplankton to human hunter-gatherers [1–8]. Drosophila larvae execute a routine of this kind, performing straight line crawling interrupted at intervals by pause turns that halt crawling and redirect the trajectory of movement [9–11]. The execution of this routine depends solely on the activity of networks located in the thoracic and abdominal segments of the nervous system, while descending input from the brain serves to modify it in a context-dependent fashion [9]. I used a genetic method to investigate the location and function of the circuitry required for the different elements of exploratory crawling. By using the Slit-Robo axon guidance pathway to target neuronal midline crossing defects selectively to particular regions of the thoracic and abdominal networks, it has been possible to define at least three functions required for the performance of the exploratory routine: (1) symmetrical outputs in thoracic and abdominal segments that generate the crawls; (2) asymmetrical output that is uniquely initiated in the thoracic segments and generates the turns; and (3) an intermittent interruption to crawling that determines the time-dependent transition between crawls and turns. PMID:25959962

Exploratory factor analysis of signalment and conformational measurements in Thoroughbred horses with and without recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.

PubMed

McGivney, C L; Gough, K F; McGivney, B A; Farries, G; Hill, E W; Katz, L M

2018-06-23

Conflicting results have been reported for risk factors for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) based on resting endoscopic evaluation and comparison of single conformation traits, with many traits correlated to one another. To simplify identification of signalment and conformation traits (i.e. variables) associated with RLN cases and controls diagnosed with exercising overground endoscopy (OGE) using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Prospective cohort. Pearson's rank correlation was used to establish significance and association between variables collected from n = 188 Thoroughbreds from one stable by observers blinded to OGE results. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 9 variables for cases and controls; common elements between variables developed a factor, with variables grouped into 3 factors for cases and controls, respectively. Correlation (loading) between each variable and factor was calculated to rank relationships between variables and cases/controls, with factors retrospectively named based on their underlying correlations with variables. Numerous inter-correlations were present between variables. Most strongly correlated in cases were wither height with body weight (r = 0.70) and ventral neck length (r = 0.68) and in controls body weight with rostral neck circumference (r = 0.58). Wither height (r = 0.61) significantly loaded the top-ranked factor for cases ('height RLN '), explaining 25% of conformational variance. Ventral neck length (r = 0.69) and age (r = 0.57) significantly loaded the second-ranked factor for cases ('neck length RLN '), explaining 16% of conformational variance. Rostral neck circumference (r = 0.86) and body weight (r = 0.6) significantly loaded the top-ranked factor for controls ('body size CON '), explaining 19% of the variance. Wither height (r = 0.84) significantly loaded the second-ranked factor for controls ('height CON '), explaining 13% of the variance. Horses had not reached skeletal maturity. Exploratory factor analysis allowed weightings to be determined for each variable. Wither height was the predominant conformational feature associated with RLN. Exploratory factor analysis confirms aggregated conformational differences exist between RLN cases and controls, suitable for future evaluations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[GABA-NO interaction in the N. Accumbens during danger-induced inhibition of exploratory behavior].

PubMed

Saul'skaia, N V; Terekhova, E A

2013-01-01

In Sprague-Dawley rats by means of in vivo microdialysis combined with HPLC analysis, it was shown that presentation to rats during exploratory activity of a tone previously pared with footshock inhibited the exploration and prevented the exploration-induced increase in extracellular levels of citrulline (an NO co-product) in the medial n. accumbens. Intra-accumbal infusions of 20 μM bicuculline, a GABA(A)-receptor antagonist, firstly, partially restored the exploration-induced increase of extracellular citrulline levels in this brain area, which was inhibited by presentation of the tone, previously paired with foot-shock and, secondly, prevented the inhibition of exploratory behavior produced by this sound signal of danger. The data obtained indicate for the first time that signals of danger inhibit exploratory behavior and exploration-induced activation of the accumbal nitrergic system via GABA(A)-receptor mechanisms.

Falls in older adults with major depressive disorder (MDD): a systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis of prospective studies.

PubMed

Stubbs, Brendon; Stubbs, Jean; Gnanaraj, Solomon Donald; Soundy, Andrew

2016-01-01

Depressive symptomology is now widely recognized as a key risk factor for falls. The evidence regarding the impact of major depressive disorder (MDD) on falls is unclear. A systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis was undertaken to explore the relationship between MDD and falls. Major electronic database were searched from inception till April 2015. Studies that defined MDD and measured falls prospectively in older adults (≥60 years) were included. Studies relying on depressive symptomology alone were excluded. The methodological quality of included articles was assessed and study findings were synthesized using an exploratory meta-analysis. From a potential of 415 articles, only three studies met the inclusion criteria. This included 976 unique older adults with a range of mean age from ≥65 to 83 years. The methodological quality of included studies was satisfactory. None of the included studies' primary aim was to investigate the relationship between MDD and falls. The exploratory meta-analysis demonstrated older adults with MDD are at increased risk of falling compared to non-depressed older adults (odds ratio (OR) 4.0, 95% CI 2.0-8.1, I(2) = 60%, n = 976). There is a paucity of research considering falls in older adults with MDD. Our results demonstrate that the odds of falling appear to be greater among people with MDD (OR 4.0) than in previous meta-analyses that have only considered subthreshold depressive symptoms. Given the distinct nature and challenges with MDD, more research is required to better understand the falls risk in this group.

Spectral Knowledge (SK-UTALCA): Software for Exploratory Analysis of High-Resolution Spectral Reflectance Data on Plant Breeding

PubMed Central

Lobos, Gustavo A.; Poblete-Echeverría, Carlos

2017-01-01

This article describes public, free software that provides efficient exploratory analysis of high-resolution spectral reflectance data. Spectral reflectance data can suffer from problems such as poor signal to noise ratios in various wavebands or invalid measurements due to changes in incoming solar radiation or operator fatigue leading to poor orientation of sensors. Thus, exploratory data analysis is essential to identify appropriate data for further analyses. This software overcomes the problem that analysis tools such as Excel are cumbersome to use for the high number of wavelengths and samples typically acquired in these studies. The software, Spectral Knowledge (SK-UTALCA), was initially developed for plant breeding, but it is also suitable for other studies such as precision agriculture, crop protection, ecophysiology plant nutrition, and soil fertility. Various spectral reflectance indices (SRIs) are often used to relate crop characteristics to spectral data and the software is loaded with 255 SRIs which can be applied quickly to the data. This article describes the architecture and functions of SK-UTALCA and the features of the data that led to the development of each of its modules. PMID:28119705

HIV incidence and CDC's HIV prevention budget: an exploratory correlational analysis.

PubMed

Holtgrave, David R; Kates, Jennifer

2007-01-01

The central evaluative question about a national HIV prevention program is whether that program affects HIV incidence. Numerous factors may influence incidence, including public investment in HIV prevention. Few studies, however, have examined the relationship between public investment and the HIV epidemic in the United States. This 2006 exploratory analysis examined the period from 1978 through 2006 using a quantitative, lagged, correlational analysis to capture the relationship between national HIV incidence and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's HIV prevention budget in the United States over time. The analyses suggest that early HIV incidence rose in advance of the nation's HIV prevention investment until the mid-1980s (1-year lag correlation, r=0.972, df=2, p <0.05). From that point on, it appears that the nation's investment in HIV prevention became a strong correlate of HIV incidence (1-year lag correlation, r=-0.905, df=18, p <0.05). This exploratory study provides correlational evidence of a relationship between U.S. HIV incidence and the federal HIV prevention budget over time, and calls for further analysis of the role of funding and other factors that may influence the direction of a nation's HIV epidemic.

Exploratory factor analysis of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Scale (CLES+T).

PubMed

Watson, Paul Barry; Seaton, Philippa; Sims, Deborah; Jamieson, Isabel; Mountier, Jane; Whittle, Rose; Saarikoski, Mikko

2014-01-01

The Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher (CLES+T) scale measures student nurses' perceptions of clinical learning environments. This study evaluates the construct validity and internal reliability of the CLES+T in hospital settings in New Zealand. Comparisons are made between New Zealand and Finnish data. The CLES+T scale was completed by 416 Bachelor of Nursing students following hospital clinical placements between October 2008 and December 2009. Construct validity and internal reliability were assessed using exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. Exploratory factor analysis supports 4 factors. Cronbach's alpha ranged from .82 to .93. All items except 1 loaded on the same factors found in unpublished Finnish data. The first factor combined 2 previous components from the published Finnish component analysis and was renamed: connecting with, and learning in, communities of clinical practice. The remaining 3 factors (Nurse teacher, Supervisory relationship, and Leadership style of the manager) corresponded to previous components and their conceptualizations. The CLES+T has good internal reliability and a consistent factor structure across samples. The consistency across international samples supports faculties and hospitals using the CLES+T to benchmark the quality of clinical learning environments provided to students.

Spectral Knowledge (SK-UTALCA): Software for Exploratory Analysis of High-Resolution Spectral Reflectance Data on Plant Breeding.

PubMed

Lobos, Gustavo A; Poblete-Echeverría, Carlos

2016-01-01

This article describes public, free software that provides efficient exploratory analysis of high-resolution spectral reflectance data. Spectral reflectance data can suffer from problems such as poor signal to noise ratios in various wavebands or invalid measurements due to changes in incoming solar radiation or operator fatigue leading to poor orientation of sensors. Thus, exploratory data analysis is essential to identify appropriate data for further analyses. This software overcomes the problem that analysis tools such as Excel are cumbersome to use for the high number of wavelengths and samples typically acquired in these studies. The software, Spectral Knowledge (SK-UTALCA), was initially developed for plant breeding, but it is also suitable for other studies such as precision agriculture, crop protection, ecophysiology plant nutrition, and soil fertility. Various spectral reflectance indices (SRIs) are often used to relate crop characteristics to spectral data and the software is loaded with 255 SRIs which can be applied quickly to the data. This article describes the architecture and functions of SK-UTALCA and the features of the data that led to the development of each of its modules.

The Association between Foster Care and Substance Abuse Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes: An Exploratory Secondary Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blome, Wendy Whiting; Shields, Joseph; Verdieck, Mary Jeanne

2009-01-01

The child welfare and substance abuse systems are integrally linked through the children and families they both serve. There is a dearth of knowledge, however, on how children who have experienced foster care fare when they are treated for substance abuse issues as adults. This article presents an exploratory study using the Alcohol and Drug…

An Exploratory Study Investigating the Viability of a Communication and Feedback Intervention for School Children at Risk of Exclusion: Analysis of Staff Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rechten, Frances; Tweed, Alison E.

2014-01-01

Every day nearly 900 children will be excluded from UK schools for disruptive behaviour and almost one-third of this population has a diagnosed mental health disorder. Exclusion from school is the endpoint of most schools' sanction-based behaviour management policies. This exploratory study investigated staff opinions for using a communication and…

Cracks in the Ceiling? Historical and Contemporary Trends of African American Deans of Schools of Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Leon; Hopps, June Gary; Briggs, Harold E.

2018-01-01

This article presents data from an exploratory study of the demographic and published scholarship profiles of the deans and university provosts of the top 50 schools of social work as ranked by the 2016 U.S. News and World Report ratings. Method: The authors used an exploratory design to conduct a content analysis of the demographic and…

Global Processing Speed in Children with Low Reading Ability and in Children and Adults with Typical Reading Ability: Exploratory Factor Analytic Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peter, Beate; Matsushita, Mark; Raskind, Wendy H.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To investigate processing speed as a latent dimension in children with dyslexia and children and adults with typical reading skills. Method: Exploratory factor analysis (FA) was based on a sample of multigenerational families, each ascertained through a child with dyslexia. Eleven measures--6 of them timed--represented verbal and…

The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Short Version: Scale Reduction via Exploratory Bifactor Modeling of the Broad Anxiety Factor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebesutani, Chad; Reise, Steven P.; Chorpita, Bruce F.; Ale, Chelsea; Regan, Jennifer; Young, John; Higa-McMillan, Charmaine; Weisz, John R.

2012-01-01

Using a school-based (N = 1,060) and clinic-referred (N = 303) youth sample, the authors developed a 25-item shortened version of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) using Schmid-Leiman exploratory bifactor analysis to reduce client burden and administration time and thus improve the transportability characteristics of this…

Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Saura, Jose Ramon; Palos-Sanchez, Pedro; Rios Martin, Miguel Angel

2018-03-19

The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets ( n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified.

Attitudes Expressed in Online Comments about Environmental Factors in the Tourism Sector: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The object of this exploratory study is to identify the positive, neutral and negative environment factors that affect users who visit Spanish hotels in order to help the hotel managers decide how to improve the quality of the services provided. To carry out the research a Sentiment Analysis was initially performed, grouping the sample of tweets (n = 14459) according to the feelings shown and then a textual analysis was used to identify the key environment factors in these feelings using the qualitative analysis software Nvivo (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). The results of the exploratory study present the key environment factors that affect the users experience when visiting hotels in Spain, such as actions that support local traditions and products, the maintenance of rural areas respecting the local environment and nature, or respecting air quality in the areas where hotels have facilities and offer services. The conclusions of the research can help hotels improve their services and the impact on the environment, as well as improving the visitors experience based on the positive, neutral and negative environment factors which the visitors themselves identified. PMID:29562724

Multidisciplinary collaboration in primary care: through the eyes of patients.

PubMed

Cheong, Lynn H; Armour, Carol L; Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia Z

2013-01-01

Managing chronic illness is highly complex and the pathways to access health care for the patient are unpredictable and often unknown. While multidisciplinary care (MDC) arrangements are promoted in the Australian primary health care system, there is a paucity of research on multidisciplinary collaboration from patients' perspectives. This exploratory study is the first to gain an understanding of the experiences, perceptions, attitudes and potential role of people with chronic illness (asthma) on the delivery of MDC in the Australian primary health care setting. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with asthma patients from Sydney, Australia. Qualitative analysis of data indicates that patients are significant players in MDC and their perceptions of their chronic condition, perceived roles of health care professionals, and expectations of health care delivery, influence their participation and attitudes towards multidisciplinary services. Our research shows the challenges presented by patients in the delivery and establishment of multidisciplinary health care teams, and highlights the need to consider patients' perspectives in the development of MDC models in primary care.

Autonomic effects of cognitive reappraisal and acceptance in social anxiety: evidence for common and distinct pathways for parasympathetic reactivity.

PubMed

Cristea, Ioana A; Valenza, Gaetano; Scilingo, Enzo Pasquale; Szentágotai Tătar, Aurora; Gentili, Claudio; David, Daniel

2014-12-01

Few studies investigated the effects of emotion regulation strategies on autonomic parameters in socially anxious individuals. We asked 99 socially anxious participants to give an impromptu speech in front of an audience in a virtual reality environment. In the anticipation phase, they practiced an emotion regulation strategy: negative functional reappraisal, acceptance, negative dysfunctional reappraisal. All strategies led to decreases in parasympathetic activity and increases in heart rate during anticipation. Parasympathetic activity remained low in the recovery phase, while heart rate increased, indicating a possible rebound effect of social performance. Exploratory moderation analysis revealed that for subjects with higher social anxiety, acceptance led to increased parasympathetic activity in the anticipation and recovery phases than negative functional reappraisal. Our results indicate that although globally parasympathetic reactivity seems to be a more general marker of simply attempting to regulate emotions, it could help distinguish between emotion regulation strategies for some participant subgroups. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of the talent development environment questionnaire for sport.

PubMed

Martindale, Russell J J; Collins, Dave; Wang, John C K; McNeill, Michael; Lee, Kok Sonk; Sproule, John; Westbury, Tony

2010-09-01

As sporting challenge at the elite level becomes ever harder, maximizing effectiveness of the talent development pathway is crucial. Reflecting this need, this paper describes the development of the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire, which has been designed to facilitate the development of sporting potential to world-class standard. The questionnaire measures the experiences of developing athletes in relation to empirically identified "key features" of effective talent development environments. The first phase involved the generation of questionnaire items with clear content and face validity. The second phase explored the factor structure and reliability. This was carried out with 590 developing athletes through application of exploratory factor analysis with oblique rotation, principal axis factoring extraction and cronbach alpha tests. This yielded a 59-item, seven-factor structure with good internal consistency (0.616-0.978). The Talent Development Environment Questionnaire appears to be a promising psychometric instrument that can potentially be useful for education and formative review in applied settings, and as a measurement tool in talent development research.

PAPST, a User Friendly and Powerful Java Platform for ChIP-Seq Peak Co-Localization Analysis and Beyond.

PubMed

Bible, Paul W; Kanno, Yuka; Wei, Lai; Brooks, Stephen R; O'Shea, John J; Morasso, Maria I; Loganantharaj, Rasiah; Sun, Hong-Wei

2015-01-01

Comparative co-localization analysis of transcription factors (TFs) and epigenetic marks (EMs) in specific biological contexts is one of the most critical areas of ChIP-Seq data analysis beyond peak calling. Yet there is a significant lack of user-friendly and powerful tools geared towards co-localization analysis based exploratory research. Most tools currently used for co-localization analysis are command line only and require extensive installation procedures and Linux expertise. Online tools partially address the usability issues of command line tools, but slow response times and few customization features make them unsuitable for rapid data-driven interactive exploratory research. We have developed PAPST: Peak Assignment and Profile Search Tool, a user-friendly yet powerful platform with a unique design, which integrates both gene-centric and peak-centric co-localization analysis into a single package. Most of PAPST's functions can be completed in less than five seconds, allowing quick cycles of data-driven hypothesis generation and testing. With PAPST, a researcher with or without computational expertise can perform sophisticated co-localization pattern analysis of multiple TFs and EMs, either against all known genes or a set of genomic regions obtained from public repositories or prior analysis. PAPST is a versatile, efficient, and customizable tool for genome-wide data-driven exploratory research. Creatively used, PAPST can be quickly applied to any genomic data analysis that involves a comparison of two or more sets of genomic coordinate intervals, making it a powerful tool for a wide range of exploratory genomic research. We first present PAPST's general purpose features then apply it to several public ChIP-Seq data sets to demonstrate its rapid execution and potential for cutting-edge research with a case study in enhancer analysis. To our knowledge, PAPST is the first software of its kind to provide efficient and sophisticated post peak-calling ChIP-Seq data analysis as an easy-to-use interactive application. PAPST is available at https://github.com/paulbible/papst and is a public domain work.

PAPST, a User Friendly and Powerful Java Platform for ChIP-Seq Peak Co-Localization Analysis and Beyond

PubMed Central

Bible, Paul W.; Kanno, Yuka; Wei, Lai; Brooks, Stephen R.; O’Shea, John J.; Morasso, Maria I.; Loganantharaj, Rasiah; Sun, Hong-Wei

2015-01-01

Comparative co-localization analysis of transcription factors (TFs) and epigenetic marks (EMs) in specific biological contexts is one of the most critical areas of ChIP-Seq data analysis beyond peak calling. Yet there is a significant lack of user-friendly and powerful tools geared towards co-localization analysis based exploratory research. Most tools currently used for co-localization analysis are command line only and require extensive installation procedures and Linux expertise. Online tools partially address the usability issues of command line tools, but slow response times and few customization features make them unsuitable for rapid data-driven interactive exploratory research. We have developed PAPST: Peak Assignment and Profile Search Tool, a user-friendly yet powerful platform with a unique design, which integrates both gene-centric and peak-centric co-localization analysis into a single package. Most of PAPST’s functions can be completed in less than five seconds, allowing quick cycles of data-driven hypothesis generation and testing. With PAPST, a researcher with or without computational expertise can perform sophisticated co-localization pattern analysis of multiple TFs and EMs, either against all known genes or a set of genomic regions obtained from public repositories or prior analysis. PAPST is a versatile, efficient, and customizable tool for genome-wide data-driven exploratory research. Creatively used, PAPST can be quickly applied to any genomic data analysis that involves a comparison of two or more sets of genomic coordinate intervals, making it a powerful tool for a wide range of exploratory genomic research. We first present PAPST’s general purpose features then apply it to several public ChIP-Seq data sets to demonstrate its rapid execution and potential for cutting-edge research with a case study in enhancer analysis. To our knowledge, PAPST is the first software of its kind to provide efficient and sophisticated post peak-calling ChIP-Seq data analysis as an easy-to-use interactive application. PAPST is available at https://github.com/paulbible/papst and is a public domain work. PMID:25970601

Multiple pathways to identification: exploring the multidimensionality of academic identity formation in ethnic minority males.

PubMed

Matthews, Jamaal S

2014-04-01

Empirical trends denote the academic underachievement of ethnic minority males across various academic domains. Identity-based explanations for this persistent phenomenon describe ethnic minority males as disidentified with academics, alienated, and oppositional. The present work interrogates these theoretical explanations and empirically substantiates a multidimensional lens for discussing academic identity formation within 330 African American and Latino early-adolescent males. Both hierarchical and iterative person-centered methods were utilized and reveal 5 distinct profiles derived from 6 dimensions of academic identity. These profiles predict self-reported classroom grades, mastery orientation, and self-handicapping in meaningful and varied ways. The results demonstrate multiple pathways to motivation and achievement, challenging previous oversimplified stereotypes of marginalized males. This exploratory study triangulates unique interpersonal and intrapersonal attributes for promoting healthy identity development and academic achievement among ethnic minority adolescent males.

Non-negative Tensor Factorization for Robust Exploratory Big-Data Analytics

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

Alexandrov, Boian; Vesselinov, Velimir Valentinov; Djidjev, Hristo Nikolov

Currently, large multidimensional datasets are being accumulated in almost every field. Data are: (1) collected by distributed sensor networks in real-time all over the globe, (2) produced by large-scale experimental measurements or engineering activities, (3) generated by high-performance simulations, and (4) gathered by electronic communications and socialnetwork activities, etc. Simultaneous analysis of these ultra-large heterogeneous multidimensional datasets is often critical for scientific discoveries, decision-making, emergency response, and national and global security. The importance of such analyses mandates the development of the next-generation of robust machine learning (ML) methods and tools for bigdata exploratory analysis.

Metabolomics strategy for the mapping of volatile exometabolome from Saccharomyces spp. widely used in the food industry based on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

PubMed

Martins, Cátia; Brandão, Tiago; Almeida, Adelaide; Rocha, Sílvia M

2017-05-01

Saccharomyces spp. are widely used in the food and beverages industries. Their cellular excreted metabolites are important for general quality of products and can contribute to product differentiation. This exploratory study presents a metabolomics strategy for the comprehensive mapping of cellular metabolites of two yeast species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. pastorianus (both collected in an industrial context) through a multidimensional chromatography platform. Solid-phase microextraction was used as a sample preparation method. The yeast viability, a specific technological quality parameter, was also assessed. This untargeted analysis allowed the putative identification of 525 analytes, distributed over 14 chemical families, the origin of which may be explained through the pathways network associated with yeasts metabolism. The expression of the different metabolic pathways was similar for both species, event that seems to be yeast genus dependent. Nevertheless, these species showed different growth rates, which led to statistically different metabolites content. This was the first in-depth approach that characterizes the headspace content of S. cerevisiae and S. pastorianus species cultures. The combination of a sample preparation method capable of providing released volatile metabolites directly from yeast culture headspace with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography was successful in uncovering a specific metabolomic pattern for each species. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Behavioral and Psychosocial Considerations in Intelligence Analysis: A Preliminary Review of Literature on Critical Thinking Skills

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services , Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite... discovery (teaching by problem solving), and exploratory (teaching by exploration). Research suggests while guided discovery and exploratory training...34 College Student Journal 38 (2004): 482-493. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO . 4 June 2008. - This study was conducted to determine whether an introductory

Focusing on What Counts: Using Exploratory Focus Groups to Enhance the Development of an Electronic Survey in a Mixed-Methods Research Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galliott, Natal'ya; Graham, Linda J.

2016-01-01

This paper illustrates the use of exploratory focus groups to inform the development of a survey instrument in a sequential phase mixed-methods study investigating differences in secondary students' career choice capability. Five focus groups were conducted with 23 Year 10 students in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Analysis of the focus…

Correspondence analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Correspondence analysis is a powerful exploratory multivariate technique for categorical variables with many levels. It is a data analysis tool that characterizes associations between levels of 2 or more categorical variables using graphical representations of the information in a contingency table...

Factor analysis of an instrument to measure the impact of disease on daily life.

PubMed

Pedrosa, Rafaela Batista Dos Santos; Rodrigues, Roberta Cunha Matheus; Padilha, Kátia Melissa; Gallani, Maria Cecília Bueno Jayme; Alexandre, Neusa Maria Costa

2016-01-01

to verify the structure of factors of an instrument to measure the Heart Valve Disease Impact on Daily Life (IDCV) when applied to coronary artery disease patients. the study included 153 coronary artery disease patients undergoing outpatient follow-up care. The IDCV structure of factors was initially assessed by means of confirmatory factor analysis and, subsequently, by exploratory factor analysis. The Varimax rotation method was used to estimate the main components of analysis, eigenvalues greater than one for extraction of factors, and factor loading greater than 0.40 for selection of items. Internal consistency was estimated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the original structure of factors of the IDCV. Exploratory factor analysis showed three dimensions, which together explained 78% of the measurement variance. future studies with expansion of case selection are necessary to confirm the IDCV new structure of factors.

Inquiry in conversation: Exploring the multiple solution pathway (MSP) lesson structure as a means to progressive discourse in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Criswell, Brett A.

This exploratory, descriptive study examined the way five chemistry teachers from four different schools enacted their visions of an activity labeled as the multiple solution pathway (MSP) lesson structure -- one in which students were given a relevant problem to solve and the opportunity to propose and explore several solutions to the problem. A theoretical and analytical framework for characterizing what transpired within these enactments was developed mainly out of Bereiter's principle of progressive discourse and its accompanying commitments, but also by drawing on Peirce's fallibilist epistemology, Gal'perin's notion of the orienting basis of an action, and Davydov's distinction between empirical and theoretical generalizations. Data from utterance-level discourse analysis of the videotaped lessons, supplemented by pre- and post-lesson interviews with both students and teachers was used to answer the research question: What is the nature of the interactions that occur during Multiple Solution Pathway (MSP) lessons and how are those interactions related to the structure of activity and the way in which ideas are explored within those lessons? The data showed that there were two general structures of activity utilized by the five teachers and that these different structures impacted the extent to which two of the progressive discourse commitments (expansion and openness) were supported. It also indicated that the teachers likely operated off a 'teacher as evaluator' metaphor and a discrepant event vision of the way the lesson should unfold, both features of which limited the extent to which progressive discourse was maintained in these lessons. Pedagogical implications for more fully realizing the potential of the MSP structure are presented.

Selective Mutism Questionnaire: measurement structure and validity.

PubMed

Letamendi, Andrea M; Chavira, Denise A; Hitchcock, Carla A; Roesch, Scott C; Shipon-Blum, Elisa; Stein, Murray B

2008-10-01

To evaluate the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the 17-item Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SMQ). Diagnostic interviews were administered via telephone to 102 parents of children identified with selective mutism (SM) and 43 parents of children without SM from varying U.S. geographic regions. Children were between the ages of 3 and 11 inclusive and comprised 58% girls and 42% boys. SM diagnoses were determined using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Children-Parent Version; SM severity was assessed using the 17-item SMQ; and behavioral and affective symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the dimensionality of the SMQ and a modified parallel analysis procedure was used to confirm exploratory factor analysis results. Internal consistency, construct validity, and incremental validity were also examined. The exploratory factor analysis yielded a 13-item solution consisting of three factors: social situations outside of school, school situations, and home and family situations. Internal consistency of SMQ factors and total scale ranged from moderate to high. Convergent and incremental validity was also well supported. Measure structure findings are consistent with the three-factor solution found in a previous psychometric evaluation of the SMQ. Results also suggest that the SMQ provides useful and unique information in the prediction of SM phenomena beyond other child anxiety measures.

Modeling and evaluating user behavior in exploratory visual analysis

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

Reda, Khairi; Johnson, Andrew E.; Papka, Michael E.

Empirical evaluation methods for visualizations have traditionally focused on assessing the outcome of the visual analytic process as opposed to characterizing how that process unfolds. There are only a handful of methods that can be used to systematically study how people use visualizations, making it difficult for researchers to capture and characterize the subtlety of cognitive and interaction behaviors users exhibit during visual analysis. To validate and improve visualization design, however, it is important for researchers to be able to assess and understand how users interact with visualization systems under realistic scenarios. This paper presents a methodology for modeling andmore » evaluating the behavior of users in exploratory visual analysis. We model visual exploration using a Markov chain process comprising transitions between mental, interaction, and computational states. These states and the transitions between them can be deduced from a variety of sources, including verbal transcripts, videos and audio recordings, and log files. This model enables the evaluator to characterize the cognitive and computational processes that are essential to insight acquisition in exploratory visual analysis, and reconstruct the dynamics of interaction between the user and the visualization system. We illustrate this model with two exemplar user studies, and demonstrate the qualitative and quantitative analytical tools it affords.« less

Level of Analysis in the Perception of Ongoing Instruction: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koopman, Cheryl; Newtson, Darren

1981-01-01

Instructional variables were manipulated to determine whether they influence the level of perceptual analysis. The relationships of perceptual analysis to concept learning and evaluations of the instructors were also examined in the study. (Author/GK)

[NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 3:] Technical communications in aeronautics: Results of an exploratory study. An analysis of profit managers' and nonprofit managers' responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Glassman, Myron; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Oliu, Walter E.

1989-01-01

Data collected from an exploratory study concerned with the technical communications practices of aerospace engineers and scientists were analyzed to test the primary assumption that profit and nonprofit managers in the aerospace community have different technical communications practices. Five assumptions were established for the analysis. Profit and nonprofit managers in the aerospace community were found to have different technical communications practices for one of the five assumptions tested. It was, therefore, concluded that profit and nonprofit managers in the aerospace community do not have different technical communications practices.

Conceptualizing age-friendly community characteristics in a sample of urban elders: an exploratory factor analysis.

PubMed

Smith, Richard J; Lehning, Amanda J; Dunkle, Ruth E

2013-01-01

Accurate conceptualization and measurement of age-friendly community characteristics would help to reduce barriers to documenting the effects on elders of interventions to create such communities. This article contributes to the measurement of age-friendly communities through an exploratory factor analysis of items reflecting an existing US Environmental Protection Agency policy framework. From a sample of urban elders (n = 1,376), we identified 6 factors associated with demographic and health characteristics: access to business and leisure, social interaction, access to health care, neighborhood problems, social support, and community engagement. Future research should explore the effects of these factors across contexts and populations.

Validation of the Polish version of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire among women.

PubMed

Brytek-Matera, Anna; Rogoza, Radosław

2015-03-01

In Poland, appropriate means to assess body image are relatively limited. The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). To do so, a sample of 341 females ranging in age from 18 to 35 years (M = 23.09; SD = 3.14) participated in the present study. Owing to the fact that the confirmatory factor analysis of the original nine-factor model was not well fitted to the data (RMSEA = 0.06; CFI = 0.75) the exploratory approach was employed. Based on parallel analysis and minimum average partial an eight-factor structure of the Polish version of the MBSRQ was distinguished. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a factorial structure similar to the original version. The proposed model was tested using an exploratory structural equation modelling approach which resulted in good fit (RMSEA = 0.04; CFI = 0.91). In the present study, the internal reliability assessed by McDonald's ω coefficient amounts from 0.66 to 0.91. In conclusion, the Polish version of the MBSRQ is a useful measure for the attitudinal component of body image assessment.

Psychosocial Health Status of Persons Seeking Treatment for Exposure to Libby Amphibole Asbestos

PubMed Central

Weinert, Clarann; Hill, Wade G.; Winters, Charlene A.; Kuntz, Sandra W.; Rowse, Kimberly; Hernandez, Tanis; Black, Brad; Cudney, Shirley

2011-01-01

A cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted to describe the psychosocial health status of persons seeking health care for exposure to Libby amphibole asbestos (LAA). Health indicators including depression, stress, acceptance of illness, and satisfaction with access and financial aspects of care were obtained via electronic and paper-pencil survey. The exposure pathway and demographic data were gleaned from the health record. Of the 386 participants, more than one-third (34.5%) demonstrated significant levels of psychological distress. The oldest group of women had the lowest levels of depression and stress and the highest acceptance of illness. Gender, age, and satisfaction with financial resources were significantly related to depression, stress, and acceptance of illness. Satisfaction with access to care was significant only for stress. No differences in depression, stress, and acceptance of illness were found based on residence, exposure pathway, or insurance status. PMID:22007326

Cortico-Cortical White Matter Motor Pathway Microstructure Is Related to Psychomotor Retardation in Major Depressive Disorder

PubMed Central

Bracht, Tobias; Federspiel, Andrea; Schnell, Susanne; Horn, Helge; Höfle, Oliver; Wiest, Roland; Dierks, Thomas; Strik, Werner; Müller, Thomas J.; Walther, Sebastian

2012-01-01

Alterations of brain structure and function have been associated with psychomotor retardation in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the association of motor behaviour and white matter integrity of motor pathways in MDD is unclear. The aim of the present study was to first investigate structural connectivity of white matter motor pathways in MDD. Second, we explore the relation of objectively measured motor activity and white matter integrity of motor pathways in MDD. Therefore, 21 patients with MDD and 21 healthy controls matched for age, gender, education and body mass index underwent diffusion tensor imaging and 24 hour actigraphy (measure of the activity level) the same day. Applying a probabilistic fibre tracking approach we extracted connection pathways between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), the SMA-proper, the primary motor cortex (M1), the caudate nucleus, the putamen, the pallidum and the thalamus. Patients had lower activity levels and demonstrated increased mean diffusivity (MD) in pathways linking left pre-SMA and SMA-proper, and right SMA-proper and M1. Exploratory analyses point to a positive association of activity level and mean-fractional anisotropy in the right rACC-pre-SMA connection in MDD. Only MDD patients with low activity levels had a negative linear association of activity level and mean-MD in the left dlPFC-pre-SMA connection. Our results point to structural alterations of cortico-cortical white matter motor pathways in MDD. Altered white matter organisation of rACC-pre-SMA and dlPFC-pre-SMA pathways may contribute to movement initiation in MDD. PMID:23284950

Cortico-cortical white matter motor pathway microstructure is related to psychomotor retardation in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Bracht, Tobias; Federspiel, Andrea; Schnell, Susanne; Horn, Helge; Höfle, Oliver; Wiest, Roland; Dierks, Thomas; Strik, Werner; Müller, Thomas J; Walther, Sebastian

2012-01-01

Alterations of brain structure and function have been associated with psychomotor retardation in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the association of motor behaviour and white matter integrity of motor pathways in MDD is unclear. The aim of the present study was to first investigate structural connectivity of white matter motor pathways in MDD. Second, we explore the relation of objectively measured motor activity and white matter integrity of motor pathways in MDD. Therefore, 21 patients with MDD and 21 healthy controls matched for age, gender, education and body mass index underwent diffusion tensor imaging and 24 hour actigraphy (measure of the activity level) the same day. Applying a probabilistic fibre tracking approach we extracted connection pathways between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), the SMA-proper, the primary motor cortex (M1), the caudate nucleus, the putamen, the pallidum and the thalamus. Patients had lower activity levels and demonstrated increased mean diffusivity (MD) in pathways linking left pre-SMA and SMA-proper, and right SMA-proper and M1. Exploratory analyses point to a positive association of activity level and mean-fractional anisotropy in the right rACC-pre-SMA connection in MDD. Only MDD patients with low activity levels had a negative linear association of activity level and mean-MD in the left dlPFC-pre-SMA connection. Our results point to structural alterations of cortico-cortical white matter motor pathways in MDD. Altered white matter organisation of rACC-pre-SMA and dlPFC-pre-SMA pathways may contribute to movement initiation in MDD.

The Type and Impact of Evidence Review Group Exploratory Analyses in the NICE Single Technology Appraisal Process.

PubMed

Carroll, Christopher; Kaltenthaler, Eva; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2017-06-01

As part of the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) single technology appraisal process, independent evidence review groups (ERGs) critically appraise a company's submission relating to a specific technology and indication. To explore the type of additional exploratory analyses conducted by ERGs and their impact on the recommendations made by NICE. The 100 most recently completed single technology appraisals with published guidance were selected for inclusion. A content analysis of relevant documents was undertaken to identify and extract relevant data, and narrative synthesis was used to rationalize and present these data. The types of exploratory analysis conducted in relation to companies' models were fixing errors, addressing violations, addressing matters of judgment, and the provision of a new, ERG-preferred base case. Ninety-three of the 100 ERG reports contained at least one of these analyses. The most frequently reported type of analysis in these 93 ERG reports related to the category "Matters of judgment," which was reported in 83 reports (89%). At least one of the exploratory analyses conducted and reported by an ERG is mentioned in 97% of NICE appraisal consultation documents and 94% of NICE final appraisal determinations, and had a clear influence on recommendations in 72% of appraisal consultation documents and 47% of final appraisal determinations. These results suggest that the additional analyses undertaken by ERGs in the appraisal of company submissions are highly influential in the policy-making and decision-making process. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploratory factor analysis of the 12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale in people newly diagnosed with advanced cancer.

PubMed

Bai, Mei; Dixon, Jane K

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to reexamine the factor pattern of the 12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12) using exploratory factor analysis in people newly diagnosed with advanced cancer. Principal components analysis (PCA) and 3 common factor analysis methods were used to explore the factor pattern of the FACIT-Sp-12. Factorial validity was assessed in association with quality of life (QOL). Principal factor analysis (PFA), iterative PFA, and maximum likelihood suggested retrieving 3 factors: Peace, Meaning, and Faith. Both Peace and Meaning positively related to QOL, whereas only Peace uniquely contributed to QOL. This study supported the 3-factor model of the FACIT-Sp-12. Suggestions for revision of items and further validation of the identified factor pattern were provided.

Exploring the Factor Structure of Neurocognitive Measures in Older Individuals

PubMed Central

Santos, Nadine Correia; Costa, Patrício Soares; Amorim, Liliana; Moreira, Pedro Silva; Cunha, Pedro; Cotter, Jorge; Sousa, Nuno

2015-01-01

Here we focus on factor analysis from a best practices point of view, by investigating the factor structure of neuropsychological tests and using the results obtained to illustrate on choosing a reasonable solution. The sample (n=1051 individuals) was randomly divided into two groups: one for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and principal component analysis (PCA), to investigate the number of factors underlying the neurocognitive variables; the second to test the “best fit” model via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). For the exploratory step, three extraction (maximum likelihood, principal axis factoring and principal components) and two rotation (orthogonal and oblique) methods were used. The analysis methodology allowed exploring how different cognitive/psychological tests correlated/discriminated between dimensions, indicating that to capture latent structures in similar sample sizes and measures, with approximately normal data distribution, reflective models with oblimin rotation might prove the most adequate. PMID:25880732

Transmission of Predictable Sensory Signals to the Cerebellum via Climbing Fiber Pathways Is Gated during Exploratory Behavior

PubMed Central

Lawrenson, Charlotte L.; Watson, Thomas C.

2016-01-01

Pathways arising from the periphery that target the inferior olive [spino-olivocerebellar pathways (SOCPs)] are a vital source of information to the cerebellum and are modulated (gated) during active movements. This limits their ability to forward signals to climbing fibers in the cerebellar cortex. We tested the hypothesis that the temporal pattern of gating is related to the predictability of a sensory signal. Low-intensity electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral hindlimb in awake rats evoked field potentials in the C1 zone in the copula pyramidis of the cerebellar cortex. Responses had an onset latency of 12.5 ± 0.3 ms and were either short or long duration (8.7 ± 0.1 vs 31.2 ± 0.3 ms, respectively). Both types of response were shown to be mainly climbing fiber in origin and therefore evoked by transmission in hindlimb SOCPs. Changes in response size (area of field, millivolts per millisecond) were used to monitor differences in transmission during rest and three phases of rearing: phase 1, rearing up; phase 2, upright; and phase 3, rearing down. Responses evoked during phase 2 were similar in size to rest but were smaller during phases 1 and 3, i.e., transmission was reduced during active movement when self-generated (predictable) sensory signals from the hindlimbs are likely to occur. To test whether the pattern of gating was related to the predictability of the sensory signal, some animals received the hindlimb stimulation only during phase 2. Over ∼10 d, the responses became progressively smaller in size, consistent with gating-out transmission of predictable sensory signals relayed via SOCPs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A major route for peripheral information to gain access to the cerebellum is via ascending climbing fiber pathways. During active movements, gating of transmission in these pathways controls when climbing fiber signals can modify cerebellar activity. We investigated this phenomenon in rats during their exploratory behavior of rearing. During rearing up and down, transmission was reduced at a time when self-generated, behaviorally irrelevant (predictable) signals occur. However, during the upright phase of rearing, transmission was increased when behaviorally relevant (unpredictable) signals may occur. When the peripheral stimulation was delivered only during the upright phase, so its occurrence became predictable over time, transmission was reduced. Therefore, the results indicate that the gating is related to the level of predictability of a sensory signal. PMID:27466330

Transmission of Predictable Sensory Signals to the Cerebellum via Climbing Fiber Pathways Is Gated during Exploratory Behavior.

PubMed

Lawrenson, Charlotte L; Watson, Thomas C; Apps, Richard

2016-07-27

Pathways arising from the periphery that target the inferior olive [spino-olivocerebellar pathways (SOCPs)] are a vital source of information to the cerebellum and are modulated (gated) during active movements. This limits their ability to forward signals to climbing fibers in the cerebellar cortex. We tested the hypothesis that the temporal pattern of gating is related to the predictability of a sensory signal. Low-intensity electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral hindlimb in awake rats evoked field potentials in the C1 zone in the copula pyramidis of the cerebellar cortex. Responses had an onset latency of 12.5 ± 0.3 ms and were either short or long duration (8.7 ± 0.1 vs 31.2 ± 0.3 ms, respectively). Both types of response were shown to be mainly climbing fiber in origin and therefore evoked by transmission in hindlimb SOCPs. Changes in response size (area of field, millivolts per millisecond) were used to monitor differences in transmission during rest and three phases of rearing: phase 1, rearing up; phase 2, upright; and phase 3, rearing down. Responses evoked during phase 2 were similar in size to rest but were smaller during phases 1 and 3, i.e., transmission was reduced during active movement when self-generated (predictable) sensory signals from the hindlimbs are likely to occur. To test whether the pattern of gating was related to the predictability of the sensory signal, some animals received the hindlimb stimulation only during phase 2. Over ∼10 d, the responses became progressively smaller in size, consistent with gating-out transmission of predictable sensory signals relayed via SOCPs. A major route for peripheral information to gain access to the cerebellum is via ascending climbing fiber pathways. During active movements, gating of transmission in these pathways controls when climbing fiber signals can modify cerebellar activity. We investigated this phenomenon in rats during their exploratory behavior of rearing. During rearing up and down, transmission was reduced at a time when self-generated, behaviorally irrelevant (predictable) signals occur. However, during the upright phase of rearing, transmission was increased when behaviorally relevant (unpredictable) signals may occur. When the peripheral stimulation was delivered only during the upright phase, so its occurrence became predictable over time, transmission was reduced. Therefore, the results indicate that the gating is related to the level of predictability of a sensory signal. Copyright © 2016 Lawrenson et al.

Impact of aspirin resistance on outcomes among patients following coronary artery bypass grafting: exploratory analysis from randomized controlled trial (NCT01159639).

PubMed

Petricevic, Mate; Kopjar, Tomislav; Gasparovic, Hrvoje; Milicic, Davor; Svetina, Lucija; Zdilar, Boris; Boban, Marko; Mihaljevic, Martina Zrno; Biocina, Bojan

2015-05-01

Individual variability in the response to aspirin, has been established by various platelet function assays, however, the clinical relevance of aspirin resistance (AR) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has to be evaluated. Our working group conducted a randomized controlled trial (NCT01159639) with the aim to assess impact of dual antiplatelet therapy (APT) on outcomes among patients with AR following CABG. Patients that were aspirin resistant on fourth postoperative day (POD 4) were randomly assigned to receive either dual APT with clopidogrel (75 mg) plus aspirin (300 mg)-intervention arm or monotherapy with aspirin (300 mg)-control arm. This exploratory analysis compares clinical outcomes between aspirin resistant patients allocated to control arm and patients that have had adequate platelet inhibitory response to aspirin at POD 4. Both groups were treated with 300 mg of aspirin per day following surgery. We sought to evaluate the impact of early postoperative AR on outcomes among patients following CABG. Exploratory analysis included a total number of 325 patients. Of those, 215 patients with adequate response to aspirin and 110 patients with AR allocated to aspirin monotherapy following randomization protocol. The primary efficacy end point (MACCEs-major adverse cardiac and cardiovascular events) occurred in 10 and 6 % of patients with AR and with adequate aspirin response, respectively (p = 0.27). Non-significant differences were observed in bleeding events occurrence. Subgroup analysis of the primary end point revealed that aspirin resistant patients with BMI > 30 kg/m(2) tend to have a higher occurrence of MACCEs 18 versus 5 % (relative risk 0.44 [95 % CI 0.16-1.16]; p = 0.05). This exploratory analysis did not reveal significant impact of aspirin resistance on outcomes among patients undergoing CABG. Further, sufficiently powered studies are needed in order to evaluate clinical relevance of AR in patients undergoing CABG.

Exploratory analysis of textual data from the Mother and Child Handbook using a text mining method (II): Monthly changes in the words recorded by mothers.

PubMed

Tagawa, Miki; Matsuda, Yoshio; Manaka, Tomoko; Kobayashi, Makiko; Ohwada, Michitaka; Matsubara, Shigeki

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the possibility of converting subjective textual data written in the free column space of the Mother and Child Handbook (MCH) into objective information using text mining and to compare any monthly changes in the words written by the mothers. Pregnant women without complications (n = 60) were divided into two groups according to State-Trait Anxiety Inventory grade: low trait anxiety (group I, n = 39) and high trait anxiety (group II, n = 21). Exploratory analysis of the textual data from the MCH was conducted by text mining using the Word Miner software program. Using 1203 structural elements extracted after processing, a comparison of monthly changes in the words used in the mothers' comments was made between the two groups. The data was mainly analyzed by a correspondence analysis. The structural elements in groups I and II were divided into seven and six clusters, respectively, by cluster analysis. Correspondence analysis revealed clear monthly changes in the words used in the mothers' comments as the pregnancy progressed in group I, whereas the association was not clear in group II. The text mining method was useful for exploratory analysis of the textual data obtained from pregnant women, and the monthly change in the words used in the mothers' comments as pregnancy progressed differed according to their degree of unease. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

A medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC): development and validation of a questionnaire.

PubMed

Jippes, Mariëlle; Driessen, Erik W; Broers, Nick J; Majoor, Gerard D; Gijselaers, Wim H; van der Vleuten, Cees P M

2013-09-01

Because successful change implementation depends on organizational readiness for change, the authors developed and assessed the validity of a questionnaire, based on a theoretical model of organizational readiness for change, designed to measure, specifically, a medical school's organizational readiness for curriculum change (MORC). In 2012, a panel of medical education experts judged and adapted a preliminary MORC questionnaire through a modified Delphi procedure. The authors administered the resulting questionnaire to medical school faculty involved in curriculum change and tested the psychometric properties using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and generalizability analysis. The mean relevance score of the Delphi panel (n = 19) reached 4.2 on a five-point Likert-type scale (1 = not relevant and 5 = highly relevant) in the second round, meeting predefined criteria for completing the Delphi procedure. Faculty (n = 991) from 131 medical schools in 56 countries completed MORC. Exploratory factor analysis yielded three underlying factors-motivation, capability, and external pressure-in 12 subscales with 53 items. The scale structure suggested by exploratory factor analysis was confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.67 to 0.92 for the subscales. Generalizability analysis showed that the MORC results of 5 to 16 faculty members can reliably evaluate a school's organizational readiness for change. MORC is a valid, reliable questionnaire for measuring organizational readiness for curriculum change in medical schools. It can identify which elements in a change process require special attention so as to increase the chance of successful implementation.

Global metabolomic profiling reveals an association of metal fume exposure and plasma unsaturated fatty acids.

PubMed

Wei, Yongyue; Wang, Zhaoxi; Chang, Chiung-yu; Fan, Tianteng; Su, Li; Chen, Feng; Christiani, David C

2013-01-01

Welding-associated air pollutants negatively affect the health of exposed workers; however, their molecular mechanisms in causing disease remain largely unclear. Few studies have systematically investigated the systemic toxic effects of welding fumes on humans. To explore the effects of welding fumes on the plasma metabolome, and to identify biomarkers for risk assessment of welding fume exposure. The two-stage, self-controlled exploratory study included 11 boilermakers from a 2011 discovery panel and 8 boilermakers from a 2012 validation panel. Plasma samples were collected pre- and post-welding fume exposure and analyzed by chromatography/mass spectrometry. Eicosapentaenoic or docosapentaenoic acid metabolic changes post-welding were significantly associated with particulate (PM2.5) exposure (p<0.05). The combined analysis by linear mixed-effects model showed that exposure was associated with a statistically significant decline in metabolite change of eicosapentaenoic acid [β(95% CI) = -0.013(-0.022 ≈ -0.004); p = 0.005], docosapentaenoic acid n3 [β(95% CI) = -0.010(-0.018 ≈ -0.002); p = 0.017], and docosapentaenoic acid n6 [β(95% CI) = -0.007(-0.013 ≈ -0.001); p = 0.021]. Pathway analysis identified an association of the unsaturated fatty acid pathway with exposure (p Study-2011 = 0.025; p Study-2012 = 0.021; p Combined = 0.009). The functional network built by these fatty acids and their interactive genes contained significant enrichment of genes associated with various diseases, including neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, and lipid metabolism disorders. High-dose exposure of metal welding fumes decreases unsaturated fatty acids with an exposure-response relationship. This alteration in fatty acids is a potential biological mediator and biomarker for exposure-related health disorders.

Beta Hebbian Learning as a New Method for Exploratory Projection Pursuit.

PubMed

Quintián, Héctor; Corchado, Emilio

2017-09-01

In this research, a novel family of learning rules called Beta Hebbian Learning (BHL) is thoroughly investigated to extract information from high-dimensional datasets by projecting the data onto low-dimensional (typically two dimensional) subspaces, improving the existing exploratory methods by providing a clear representation of data's internal structure. BHL applies a family of learning rules derived from the Probability Density Function (PDF) of the residual based on the beta distribution. This family of rules may be called Hebbian in that all use a simple multiplication of the output of the neural network with some function of the residuals after feedback. The derived learning rules can be linked to an adaptive form of Exploratory Projection Pursuit and with artificial distributions, the networks perform as the theory suggests they should: the use of different learning rules derived from different PDFs allows the identification of "interesting" dimensions (as far from the Gaussian distribution as possible) in high-dimensional datasets. This novel algorithm, BHL, has been tested over seven artificial datasets to study the behavior of BHL parameters, and was later applied successfully over four real datasets, comparing its results, in terms of performance, with other well-known Exploratory and projection models such as Maximum Likelihood Hebbian Learning (MLHL), Locally-Linear Embedding (LLE), Curvilinear Component Analysis (CCA), Isomap and Neural Principal Component Analysis (Neural PCA).

An Exploratory Study on the Pathways of Cr (VI) Reduction in Sulfate-reducing Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Bed (UASB) Reactor

PubMed Central

Qian, Jin; Wei, Li; Liu, Rulong; Jiang, Feng; Hao, Xiaodi; Chen, Guang-Hao

2016-01-01

Electroplating wastewater contains both Cr (VI) and sulfate. So Cr (VI) removal under sulfate-rich condition is quite complicated. This study mainly investigates the pathways for Cr (VI) removal under biological sulfate-reducing condition in the up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor. Two potential pathways are found for the removal of Cr (VI). The first one is the sulfidogenesis-induced Cr (VI) reduction pathway (for 90% Cr (VI) removal), in which Cr (VI) is reduced by sulfide generated from biological reduction of sulfate. The second one leads to direct reduction of Cr (VI) which is utilized by bacteria as the electron acceptor (for 10% Cr (VI) removal). Batch test results confirmed that sulfide was oxidized to elemental sulfur instead of sulfate during Cr (VI) reduction. The produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) provided protection to the microbes, resulting in effective removal of Cr (VI). Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) genera accounted for 11.1% of the total bacterial community; thus they could be the major organisms mediating the sulfidogenesis-induced reduction of Cr (VI). In addition, chromate-utilizing genera (e.g. Microbacterium) were also detected, which were possibly responsible for the direct reduction of Cr (VI) using organics as the electron donor and Cr (VI) as the electron acceptor. PMID:27021522

Anxiogenic Effects of Developmental Bisphenol A Exposure Are Associated with Gene Expression Changes in the Juvenile Rat Amygdala and Mitigated by Soy

PubMed Central

Patisaul, Heather B.; Sullivan, Alana W.; Radford, Meghan E.; Walker, Deena M.; Adewale, Heather B.; Winnik, Bozena; Coughlin, Janis L.; Buckley, Brian; Gore, Andrea C.

2012-01-01

Early life exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), a component of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, alters sociosexual behavior in numerous species including humans. The present study focused on the ontogeny of these behavioral effects beginning in adolescence and assessed the underlying molecular changes in the amygdala. We also explored the mitigating potential of a soy-rich diet on these endpoints. Wistar rats were exposed to BPA via drinking water (1 mg/L) from gestation through puberty, and reared on a soy-based or soy-free diet. A group exposed to ethinyl estradiol (50 µg/L) and a soy-free diet was used as a positive estrogenic control. Animals were tested as juveniles or adults for anxiety-like and exploratory behavior. Assessment of serum BPA and genistein (GEN), a soy phytoestrogen, confirmed that internal dose was within a human-relevant range. BPA induced anxiogenic behavior in juveniles and loss of sexual dimorphisms in adult exploratory behavior, but only in the animals reared on the soy-free diet. Expression analysis revealed a suite of genes, including a subset known to mediate sociosexual behavior, associated with BPA-induced juvenile anxiety. Notably, expression of estrogen receptor beta (Esr2) and two melanocortin receptors (Mc3r, Mc4r) were downregulated. Collectively, these results show that behavioral impacts of BPA can manifest during adolescence, but wane in adulthood, and may be mitigated by diet. These data also reveal that, because ERβ and melanocortin receptors are crucial to their function, oxytocin/vasopressin signaling pathways, which have previously been linked to human affective disorders, may underlie these behavioral outcomes. PMID:22957036

Exploratory behavior and recognition memory in medial septal electrolytic, neuro- and immunotoxic lesioned rats.

PubMed

Dashniani, M G; Burjanadze, M A; Naneishvili, T L; Chkhikvishvili, N C; Beselia, G V; Kruashvili, L B; Pochkhidze, N O; Chighladze, M R

2015-01-01

In the present study, the effect of the medial septal (MS) lesions on exploratory activity in the open field and the spatial and object recognition memory has been investigated. This experiment compares three types of MS lesions: electrolytic lesions that destroy cells and fibers of passage, neurotoxic - ibotenic acid lesions that spare fibers of passage but predominantly affect the septal noncholinergic neurons, and immunotoxin - 192 IgG-saporin infusions that only eliminate cholinergic neurons. The main results are: the MS electrolytic lesioned rats were impaired in habituating to the environment in the repeated spatial environment, but rats with immuno- or neurotoxic lesions of the MS did not differ from control ones; the MS electrolytic and ibotenic acid lesioned rats showed an increase in their exploratory activity to the objects and were impaired in habituating to the objects in the repeated spatial environment; rats with immunolesions of the MS did not differ from control rats; electrolytic lesions of the MS disrupt spatial recognition memory; rats with immuno- or neurotoxic lesions of the MS were normal in detecting spatial novelty; all of the MS-lesioned and control rats clearly reacted to the object novelty by exploring the new object more than familiar ones. Results observed across lesion techniques indicate that: (i) the deficits after nonselective damage of MS are limited to a subset of cognitive processes dependent on the hippocampus, (ii) MS is substantial for spatial, but not for object recognition memory - the object recognition memory can be supported outside the septohippocampal system; (iii) the selective loss of septohippocampal cholinergic or noncholinergic projections does not disrupt the function of the hippocampus to a sufficient extent to impair spatial recognition memory; (iv) there is dissociation between the two major components (cholinergic and noncholinergic) of the septohippocampal pathway in exploratory behavior assessed in the open field - the memory exhibited by decrements in exploration of repeated object presentations is affected by either electrolytic or ibotenic lesions, but not saporin.

Factor Analysis via Components Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentler, Peter M.; de Leeuw, Jan

2011-01-01

When the factor analysis model holds, component loadings are linear combinations of factor loadings, and vice versa. This interrelation permits us to define new optimization criteria and estimation methods for exploratory factor analysis. Although this article is primarily conceptual in nature, an illustrative example and a small simulation show…

Using Interactive Graphics to Teach Multivariate Data Analysis to Psychology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valero-Mora, Pedro M.; Ledesma, Ruben D.

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the use of interactive graphics to teach multivariate data analysis to Psychology students. Three techniques are explored through separate activities: parallel coordinates/boxplots; principal components/exploratory factor analysis; and cluster analysis. With interactive graphics, students may perform important parts of the…

Factor structure of DSM-IV criteria for obsessive compulsive personality disorder in patients with binge eating disorder.

PubMed

Grilo, C M

2004-01-01

To examine the factor structure of DSM-IV criteria for obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) in patients with binge eating disorder (BED). Two hundred and eleven consecutive out-patients with axis I diagnoses of BED were reliably assessed with semi-structured diagnostic interviews. The eight criteria for the OCPD diagnosis were examined with reliability and correlational analyses. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify potential components. Cronbach's coefficient alpha for the OCPD criteria was 0.77. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation revealed a three-factor solution (rigidity, perfectionism, and miserliness), which accounted for 65% of variance. The DSM-IV criteria for OCPD showed good internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis, however, revealed three components that may reflect distinct interpersonal, intrapersonal (cognitive), and behavioral features.

Conceptualizing Age-Friendly Community Characteristics in a Sample of Urban Elders: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Smith, Richard J.; Lehning, Amanda J.; Dunkle, Ruth E.

2012-01-01

Accurate conceptualization and measurement of age-friendly community characteristics would help to reduce barriers to documenting the effects on elders of interventions to create such communities. This article contributes to the measurement of age-friendly communities through an exploratory factor analysis of items reflecting an existing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency policy framework. From a sample of urban elders (n =1,376), we identified six factors associated with demographic and health characteristics: Access to Business and Leisure, Social Interaction, Access to Health Care, Neighborhood Problems, Social Support, and Community Engagement. Future research should explore the effects of these factors across contexts and populations. PMID:23350565

[NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Report 2:] Technical communications in aeronautics: Results of an exploratory study. An analysis of managers' and nonmanagers' responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Glassman, Myron; Barclay, Rebecca O.; Oliu, Walter E.

1989-01-01

Data collected from an exploratory study concerned with the technical communications practices of aerospace engineers and scientists were analyzed to test the primary assumption that aerospace managers and nonmanagers have different technical communications practices. Five assumptions were established for the analysis. Aerospace managers and nonmanagers were found to have different technical communications practices for three of the five assumptions tested. Although aerospace managers and nonmanagers were found to have different technical communications practices, the evidence was neither conclusive nor compelling that the presumption of difference in practices could be attributed to the duties performed by aerospace managers and nonmanagers.

Evaluation of Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, K. A.; Yale, M. S.; Bennett, D. E.; Haugan, M. P.; Bryan, L. A.

2014-12-01

The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure student attitudes toward physics and learning physics. Previous research revealed a fairly complex factor structure. In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from an undergraduate introductory physics course (n =3844 ) to determine whether a more parsimonious factor structure exists. Exploratory factor analysis results indicate that many of the items from the original CLASS have poor psychometric properties and could not be used in a revised factor structure. The cross validation showed acceptable fit statistics for a three factor model found in the exploratory factor analysis. This research suggests that a more optimum measurement of students' attitudes about physics and learning physics is obtained with a 15-item instrument, which describes the factors of personal application, personal effort, and problem solving. The proposed revised version of the CLASS offers researchers the opportunity to test a shortened version of the instrument that may be able to provide information about students' attitudes in the areas of personal application of physics, personal effort in a physics course, and approaches to problem solving.

Exploratory wavelet analysis of dengue seasonal patterns in Colombia.

PubMed

Fernández-Niño, Julián Alfredo; Cárdenas-Cárdenas, Luz Mery; Hernández-Ávila, Juan Eugenio; Palacio-Mejía, Lina Sofía; Castañeda-Orjuela, Carlos Andrés

2015-12-04

Dengue has a seasonal behavior associated with climatic changes, vector cycles, circulating serotypes, and population dynamics. The wavelet analysis makes it possible to separate a very long time series into calendar time and periods. This is the first time this technique is used in an exploratory manner to model the behavior of dengue in Colombia.  To explore the annual seasonal dengue patterns in Colombia and in its five most endemic municipalities for the period 2007 to 2012, and for roughly annual cycles between 1978 and 2013 at the national level.  We made an exploratory wavelet analysis using data from all incident cases of dengue per epidemiological week for the period 2007 to 2012, and per year for 1978 to 2013. We used a first-order autoregressive model as the null hypothesis.  The effect of the 2010 epidemic was evident in both the national time series and the series for the five municipalities. Differences in interannual seasonal patterns were observed among municipalities. In addition, we identified roughly annual cycles of 2 to 5 years since 2004 at a national level.  Wavelet analysis is useful to study a long time series containing changing seasonal patterns, as is the case of dengue in Colombia, and to identify differences among regions. These patterns need to be explored at smaller aggregate levels, and their relationships with different predictive variables need to be investigated.

Exploratory factor analysis of borderline personality disorder criteria in hospitalized adolescents.

PubMed

Becker, Daniel F; McGlashan, Thomas H; Grilo, Carlos M

2006-01-01

The authors examined the factor structure of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in hospitalized adolescents and also sought to add to the theoretical and clinical understanding of any homogeneous components by determining whether they may be related to specific forms of Axis I pathology. Subjects were 123 adolescent inpatients, who were reliably assessed with structured diagnostic interviews for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition Axes I and II disorders. Exploratory factor analysis identified BPD components, and logistic regression analyses tested whether these components were predictive of specific Axis I disorders. Factor analysis revealed a 4-factor solution that accounted for 67.0% of the variance. Factor 1 ("suicidal threats or gestures" and "emptiness or boredom") predicted depressive disorders and alcohol use disorders. Factor 2 ("affective instability," "uncontrolled anger," and "identity disturbance") predicted anxiety disorders and oppositional defiant disorder. Factor 3 ("unstable relationships" and "abandonment fears") predicted only anxiety disorders. Factor 4 ("impulsiveness" and "identity disturbance") predicted conduct disorder and substance use disorders. Exploratory factor analysis of BPD criteria in adolescent inpatients revealed 4 BPD factors that appear to differ from those reported for similar studies of adults. The factors represent components of self-negation, irritability, poorly modulated relationships, and impulsivity--each of which is associated with characteristic Axis I pathology. These findings shed light on the nature of BPD in adolescents and may also have implications for treatment.

Physics Metacognition Inventory Part II: Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taasoobshirazi, Gita; Bailey, MarLynn; Farley, John

2015-11-01

The Physics Metacognition Inventory was developed to measure physics students' metacognition for problem solving. In one of our earlier studies, an exploratory factor analysis provided evidence of preliminary construct validity, revealing six components of students' metacognition when solving physics problems including knowledge of cognition, planning, monitoring, evaluation, debugging, and information management. The college students' scores on the inventory were found to be reliable and related to students' physics motivation and physics grade. However, the results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire could be revised to improve its construct validity. The goal of this study was to revise the questionnaire and establish its construct validity through a confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, a Rasch analysis was applied to the data to better understand the psychometric properties of the inventory and to further evaluate the construct validity. Results indicated that the final, revised inventory is a valid, reliable, and efficient tool for assessing student metacognition for physics problem solving.

Cross-country Analysis of ICT and Education Indicators: An Exploratory Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratama, Ahmad R.

2017-03-01

This paper explores the relationship between world ICT and education indicators by using the latest available data from World Bank and UNESCO in range of 2011-2014 with the help of different exploratory methods such as principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis (FA), cluster analysis, and ordinary least square (OLS) regression. After dealing with all missing values, 119 countries were included in the final dataset. The findings show that most ICT and education indicators are highly associated with income of the respective country and therefore confirm the existence of digital divide in ICT utilization and participation gap in education between rich and poor countries. It also indicates that digital divide and participation gap is highly associated with each other. Finally, the findings also confirm reverse causality in ICT and education; higher participation rate in education increases technology utilization, which in turn helps promote better outcomes of education.

The homologous HD-Zip I transcription factors HaHB1 and AtHB13 confer cold tolerance via the induction of pathogenesis-related and glucanase proteins.

PubMed

Cabello, Julieta V; Arce, Agustín L; Chan, Raquel L

2012-01-01

Plants deal with cold temperatures via different signal transduction pathways. The HD-Zip I homologous transcription factors HaHB1 from sunflower and AtHB13 from Arabidopsis were identified as playing a key role in such cold response. The expression patterns of both genes were analyzed indicating an up-regulation by low temperatures. When these genes were constitutively expressed in Arabidopsis, the transgenic plants showed similar phenotypes including cell membrane stabilization under freezing treatments and cold tolerance. An exploratory transcriptomic analysis of HaHB1 transgenic plants indicated that several transcripts encoding glucanases and chitinases were induced. Moreover, under freezing conditions some proteins accumulated in HaHB1 plants apoplasts and these extracts exerted antifreeze activity in vitro. Three genes encoding two glucanases and a chitinase were overexpressed in Arabidopsis and these plants were able to tolerate freezing temperatures. All the obtained transgenic plants exhibited cell membrane stabilization after a short freezing treatment. Finally, HaHB1 and AtHB13 were used to transiently transform sunflower and soybean leading to the up-regulation of HaHB1/AtHB13-target homologues thus indicating the conservation of cold response pathways. We propose that HaHB1 and AtHB13 are involved in plant cold tolerance via the induction of proteins able to stabilize cell membranes and inhibit ice growth. © 2011 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

MTHFR, TS and XRCC1 genetic variants may affect survival in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes treated with supportive care or azacitidine.

PubMed

Visani, G; Loscocco, F; Ruzzo, A; Galimberti, S; Graziano, F; Voso, M T; Giacomini, E; Finelli, C; Ciabatti, E; Fabiani, E; Barulli, S; Volpe, A; Magro, D; Piccaluga, P; Fuligni, F; Vignetti, M; Fazi, P; Piciocchi, A; Gabucci, E; Rocchi, M; Magnani, M; Isidori, A

2017-12-05

We evaluated the impact of genomic polymorphisms in folate-metabolizing, DNA synthesis and DNA repair enzymes on the clinical outcome of 108 patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) receiving best supportive care (BSC) or azacitidine. A statistically significant association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677T/T, thymidylate synthase (TS) 5'-untranslated region (UTR) 3RG, TS 3'-UTR -6 bp/-6 bp, XRCC1 399G/G genotypes and short survival was found in patients receiving BSC by multivariate analysis (P<0.001; P=0.026; P=0.058; P=0.024). MTHFR 677T/T, TS 3'-UTR -6 bp/-6 bp and XRCC1 399G/G genotypes were associated with short survival in patients receiving azacitidine by multivariate analysis (P<0.001; P=0.004; P=0.002). We then performed an exploratory analysis to evaluate the effect of the simultaneous presence of multiple adverse variant genotypes. Interestingly, patients with ⩾1 adverse genetic variants had a short survival, independently from their International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) and therapy received. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that polymorphisms in folate-metabolizing pathway, DNA synthesis and DNA repair genes could influence survival of MDS patients.The Pharmacogenomics Journal advance online publication, 5 December 2017; doi:10.1038/tpj.2017.48.

Teacher Reporting Attitudes Scale (TRAS): confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses with a Malaysian sample.

PubMed

Choo, Wan Yuen; Walsh, Kerryann; Chinna, Karuthan; Tey, Nai Peng

2013-01-01

The Teacher Reporting Attitude Scale (TRAS) is a newly developed tool to assess teachers' attitudes toward reporting child abuse and neglect. This article reports on an investigation of the factor structure and psychometric properties of the short form Malay version of the TRAS. A self-report cross-sectional survey was conducted with 667 teachers in 14 randomly selected schools in Selangor state, Malaysia. Analyses were conducted in a 3-stage process using both confirmatory (stages 1 and 3) and exploratory factor analyses (stage 2) to test, modify, and confirm the underlying factor structure of the TRAS in a non-Western teacher sample. Confirmatory factor analysis did not support a 3-factor model previously reported in the original TRAS study. Exploratory factor analysis revealed an 8-item, 4-factor structure. Further confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated appropriateness of the 4-factor structure. Reliability estimates for the four factors-commitment, value, concern, and confidence-were moderate. The modified short form TRAS (Malay version) has potential to be used as a simple tool for relatively quick assessment of teachers' attitudes toward reporting child abuse and neglect. Cross-cultural differences in attitudes toward reporting may exist and the transferability of newly developed instruments to other populations should be evaluated.

Antisocial behaviour and psychopathy: Uncovering the externalizing link in the P3 modulation.

PubMed

Pasion, Rita; Fernandes, Carina; Pereira, Mariana R; Barbosa, Fernando

2017-03-22

In 2009, Gao and Raine's meta-analysis analysed P3 modulation over the antisocial spectrum. However, some questions remained open regarding the P3 modulation patterns across impulsive and violent manifestations of antisocial behaviour, phenotypic components of psychopathy, and P3 components. A systematic review of 36 studies was conducted (N=3514) to extend previous results and to address these unresolved questions. A clear link between decreased P3 amplitude and antisocial behaviour was found. In psychopathy, dimensional approaches become more informative than taxonomic models. Distinct etiological pathways of psychopathy were evidenced in cognitive tasks: impulsive-antisocial psychopathic traits mainly predicted blunted P3 amplitude, while interpersonal-affective psychopathic traits explained enhanced P3 amplitude. Supporting the low fear hypothesis, the interpersonal-affective traits were associated with reduced P3 amplitude in emotional-affective learning tasks. From the accumulated knowledge we propose a framework of P3 amplitude modulation that uncovers the externalizing link between psychopathy and antisocial behaviour. However, the main hypotheses are exploratory and call for more data before stablishing robust conclusions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Equilibrium thermodynamics and folding kinetics of a short, fast-folding, beta-hairpin.

PubMed

Jimenez-Cruz, Camilo A; Garcia, Angel E

2014-04-14

Equilibrium thermodynamics of a short beta-hairpin are studied using unbiased all-atom replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent. An exploratory analysis of the free energy landscape of the system is provided in terms of various structural characteristics, for both the folded and unfolded ensembles. We find that the favorable interactions between the ends introduced by the tryptophan cap, along with the flexibility of the turn region, explain the remarkable stability of the folded state. Charging of the N termini results in effective roughening of the free energy landscape and stabilization of non-native contacts. Folding-unfolding dynamics are further discussed using a set of 2413 independent molecular dynamics simulations, 2 ns to 20 ns long, at the melting temperature of the beta-hairpin. A novel method for the construction of Markov models consisting of an iterative refinement of the discretization in reduced dimensionality is presented and used to generate a detailed kinetic network of the system. The hairpin is found to fold heterogeneously on sub-microsecond timescales, with the relative position of the tryptophan side chains driving the selection of the specific pathway.

Effects of preweaning environmental enrichment on hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in developing rats.

PubMed

Lu, Cheng-Qiu; Zhong, Le; Yan, Chong-Huai; Tian, Ying; Shen, Xiao-Ming

2017-02-15

Previous studies have shown that environmental enrichment (EE) improves learning and memory in adult animals. However, the effects of preweaning EE (preEE) on hippocampus-dependent learning and memory as well as its possible mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we report that preEE enhanced the exploratory activity in rats immediately after weaning, and the EE group showed greater performance in a passive avoidance task than the control group (p<0.05), but not in the locomotion activity. Electrophysiology analysis showed that rats exposed to preEE exhibited larger field excitatory postsynaptic potentials after long-term potentiation induction than those in the control group (p<0.05). The protein levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases as well as activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein were significantly upregulated in the preEE group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Our results indicate that preEE can enhance hippocampus-dependent learning and memory function as postweaning EE does, and the upregulated activation of the ERK signal transduction pathway may be the underlying molecular mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 levels and APP processing pathway genes in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Bekris, Lynn M; Tsuang, Debby W; Peskind, Elaine R; Yu, Chang E; Montine, Thomas J; Zhang, Jing; Zabetian, Cyrus P; Leverenz, James B

2015-06-01

Of recent interest is the finding that certain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers traditionally linked to Alzheimer's disease (AD), specifically amyloid beta protein (Aβ), are abnormal in PD CSF. The aim of this exploratory investigation was to determine whether genetic variation within the amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing pathway genes correlates with CSF Aβ42 levels in Parkinson's disease (PD). Parkinson's disease (n = 86) and control (n = 161) DNA were genotyped for 19 regulatory region tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within nine genes (APP, ADAM10, BACE1, BACE2, PSEN1, PSEN2, PEN2, NCSTN, and APH1B) involved in the cleavage of APP. The SNP genotypes were tested for their association with CSF biomarkers and PD risk while adjusting for age, sex, and APOE ɛ4 status. Significant correlation with CSF Aβ42 levels in PD was observed for two SNPs, (APP rs466448 and APH1B rs2068143). Conversely, significant correlation with CSF Aβ42 levels in controls was observed for three SNPs (APP rs214484, rs2040273, and PSEN1 rs362344). In addition, results of this exploratory investigation suggest that an APP SNP and an APH1B SNP are marginally associated with PD CSF Aβ42 levels in APOE ɛ4 noncarriers. Further hypotheses generated include that decreased CSF Aβ42 levels are in part driven by genetic variation in APP processing genes. Additional investigation into the relationship between these findings and clinical characteristics of PD, including cognitive impairment, compared with other neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD, are warranted. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Muscle wasting in osteoarthritis model induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection.

PubMed

Silva, Jordana Miranda de Souza; Alabarse, Paulo Vinicius Gil; Teixeira, Vivian de Oliveira Nunes; Freitas, Eduarda Correa; de Oliveira, Francine Hehn; Chakr, Rafael Mendonça da Silva; Xavier, Ricardo Machado

2018-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the molecular pathways involved in muscle wasting in an animal model of osteoarthritis (OA) induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) in rats. Reduction of protein syntheses, increased proteolysis and impaired muscle regeneration are important pathways related to muscle wasting, and myogenin, MyoD, myostatin and MuRF-1 are some of their markers. Female Wistar rats were allocated into two groups: OA (submitted to the ACLT) and SHAM (submitted to surgery without ACLT). Nociception, spontaneous exploratory locomotion and body weight of animals were evaluated weekly. Twelve weeks after the disease induction, animals were euthanized, and the right knee joints were collected. Gastrocnemius muscle of the right hind paw were dissected and weighed. Gastrocnemius was used for evaluation of muscle atrophy and expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, Pax7, myogenin, MyoD, myostatin and MuRF-1. Histopathology of the knee confirmed the development of the disease in animals of OA group. Gastrocnemius of OA animals showed a reduction of about 10% in area and an increased IL-1β expression compared to animals of SHAM group. Expression of myostatin was increased in OA group, while myogenin expression was decreased. TNF-α, Pax7, MuRF-1 and MyoD expression was similar in both OA and SHAM groups. Nociception was significantly elevated in OA animals in the last two weeks of experimental period. Spontaneous exploratory locomotion, body weight and weight of gastrocnemius showed no difference between OA and SHAM groups. Gastrocnemius atrophy in OA induced by ACLT involves elevated expression of IL-1β within the muscle, as well as increased expression of myostatin and decreased expression of myogenin. Therefore, muscle wasting may be linked to impaired muscle regeneration.

Tecemotide in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer in the phase III START study: updated overall survival and biomarker analyses.

PubMed

Mitchell, P; Thatcher, N; Socinski, M A; Wasilewska-Tesluk, E; Horwood, K; Szczesna, A; Martín, C; Ragulin, Y; Zukin, M; Helwig, C; Falk, M; Butts, C; Shepherd, F A

2015-06-01

Tecemotide is a MUC1-antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy. The phase III START study did not meet its primary end point but reported notable survival benefit with tecemotide versus placebo in an exploratory analysis of the predefined patient subgroup treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Here, we attempted to gain further insight into the effects of tecemotide in START. START recruited patients who did not progress following frontline chemoradiotherapy for unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. We present updated overall survival (OS) data and exploratory analyses of OS for baseline biomarkers: soluble MUC1 (sMUC1), antinuclear antibodies (ANA), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte count, and HLA type. Updated OS data are consistent with the primary analysis: median 25.8 months (tecemotide) versus 22.4 months (placebo) (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.77-1.03, P = 0.111), with ∼20 months additional median follow-up time compared with the primary analysis. Exploratory analysis of the predefined subgroup treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy revealed clinically relevant prolonged OS with tecemotide versus placebo (29.4 versus 20.8 months; HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.98, P = 0.026). No improvement was seen with sequential chemoradiotherapy. High sMUC1 and ANA correlated with a possible survival benefit with tecemotide (interaction P = 0.0085 and 0.0022) and might have future value as biomarkers. Interactions between lymphocyte count, NLR, or prespecified HLA alleles and treatment effect were not observed. Updated OS data support potential treatment benefit with tecemotide in patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Exploratory biomarker analyses suggest that elevated sMUC1 or ANA levels correlate with tecemotide benefit. NCT00409188. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

PTEN IDENTIFIED AS IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

PubMed Central

Hosgood, H Dean; Menashe, Idan; He, Xingzhou; Chanock, Stephen; Lan, Qing

2009-01-01

Common genetic variation may play an important role in altering chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk. In Xuanwei, China, the COPD rate is more than twice the Chinese national average, and COPD is strongly associated with in-home coal use. To identify genetic variation that may be associated with COPD in a population with substantial in-home coal smoke exposures, we evaluated 1,261 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 380 candidate genes potentially relevant for cancer and other human diseases in a population-based case-control study in Xuanwei (53 cases; 107 controls). PTEN was the most significantly associated gene with COPD in a minP analysis using 20,000 permutations (P = 0.00005). SNP-based analyses found that homozygote variant carriers of PTEN rs701848 (ORTT = 0.12, 95%CI = 0.03 - 0.47) had a significant decreased risk of COPD. PTEN, or phosphatase and tensin homolog, is an important regulator of cell cycle progression and cellular survival via the AKT signaling pathway. Our exploratory analysis suggests that genetic variation in PTEN may be an important risk factor of COPD in Xuanwei. However, due to the small sample size, additional studies are needed to evaluate these associations within Xuanwei and other populations with coal smoke exposures. PMID:19625176

Web-based tools for modelling and analysis of multivariate data: California ozone pollution activity

PubMed Central

Dinov, Ivo D.; Christou, Nicolas

2014-01-01

This article presents a hands-on web-based activity motivated by the relation between human health and ozone pollution in California. This case study is based on multivariate data collected monthly at 20 locations in California between 1980 and 2006. Several strategies and tools for data interrogation and exploratory data analysis, model fitting and statistical inference on these data are presented. All components of this case study (data, tools, activity) are freely available online at: http://wiki.stat.ucla.edu/socr/index.php/SOCR_MotionCharts_CAOzoneData. Several types of exploratory (motion charts, box-and-whisker plots, spider charts) and quantitative (inference, regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA)) data analyses tools are demonstrated. Two specific human health related questions (temporal and geographic effects of ozone pollution) are discussed as motivational challenges. PMID:24465054

Web-based tools for modelling and analysis of multivariate data: California ozone pollution activity.

PubMed

Dinov, Ivo D; Christou, Nicolas

2011-09-01

This article presents a hands-on web-based activity motivated by the relation between human health and ozone pollution in California. This case study is based on multivariate data collected monthly at 20 locations in California between 1980 and 2006. Several strategies and tools for data interrogation and exploratory data analysis, model fitting and statistical inference on these data are presented. All components of this case study (data, tools, activity) are freely available online at: http://wiki.stat.ucla.edu/socr/index.php/SOCR_MotionCharts_CAOzoneData. Several types of exploratory (motion charts, box-and-whisker plots, spider charts) and quantitative (inference, regression, analysis of variance (ANOVA)) data analyses tools are demonstrated. Two specific human health related questions (temporal and geographic effects of ozone pollution) are discussed as motivational challenges.

The Intellectual Structure of Metacognitive Scaffolding in Science Education: A Co-Citation Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Kai-Yu; Wang, Chia-Yu; Chang, Hsin-Yi; Chen, Sufen; Lo, Hao-Chang; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2016-01-01

The issues of metacognitive scaffolding in science education (MSiSE) have become increasingly popular and important. Differing from previous content reviews, this study proposes a series of quantitative computer-based analyses by integrating document co-citation analysis, social network analysis, and exploratory factor analysis to explore the…

Statistical principle and methodology in the NISAN system.

PubMed Central

Asano, C

1979-01-01

The NISAN system is a new interactive statistical analysis program package constructed by an organization of Japanese statisticans. The package is widely available for both statistical situations, confirmatory analysis and exploratory analysis, and is planned to obtain statistical wisdom and to choose optimal process of statistical analysis for senior statisticians. PMID:540594

A Multi-Step Pathway Connecting Short Sleep Duration to Daytime Somnolence, Reduced Attention, and Poor Academic Performance: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study in Teenagers

PubMed Central

Perez-Lloret, Santiago; Videla, Alejandro J.; Richaudeau, Alba; Vigo, Daniel; Rossi, Malco; Cardinali, Daniel P.; Perez-Chada, Daniel

2013-01-01

Background: A multi-step causality pathway connecting short sleep duration to daytime somnolence and sleepiness leading to reduced attention and poor academic performance as the final result can be envisaged. However this hypothesis has never been explored. Objective: To explore consecutive correlations between sleep duration, daytime somnolence, attention levels, and academic performance in a sample of school-aged teenagers. Methods: We carried out a survey assessing sleep duration and daytime somnolence using the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS). Sleep duration variables included week-days' total sleep time, usual bedtimes, and absolute weekdayto-weekend sleep time difference. Attention was assessed by d2 test and by the coding subtest from the WISC-IV scale. Academic performance was obtained from literature and math grades. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the independent relationships between these variables, while controlling for confounding effects of other variables, in one single model. Standardized regression weights (SWR) for relationships between these variables are reported. Results: Study sample included 1,194 teenagers (mean age: 15 years; range: 13-17 y). Sleep duration was inversely associated with daytime somnolence (SWR = -0.36, p < 0.01) while sleepiness was negatively associated with attention (SWR = -0.13, p < 0.01). Attention scores correlated positively with academic results (SWR = 0.18, p < 0.01). Daytime somnolence correlated negatively with academic achievements (SWR = -0.16, p < 0.01). The model offered an acceptable fit according to usual measures (RMSEA = 0.0548, CFI = 0.874, NFI = 0.838). A Sobel test confirmed that short sleep duration influenced attention through daytime somnolence (p < 0.02), which in turn influenced academic achievements through reduced attention (p < 0.002). Conclusions: Poor academic achievements correlated with reduced attention, which in turn was related to daytime somnolence. Somnolence correlated with short sleep duration. Citation: Perez-Lloret S; Videla AJ; Richaudeau A; Vigo D; Rossi M; Cardinali DP; Perez-Chada D. A multi-step pathway connecting short sleep duration to daytime somnolence, reduced attention, and poor academic performance: an exploratory cross-sectional study in teenagers. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(5):469-473. PMID:23674938

Identifying Talent in Youth Sport: A Novel Methodology Using Higher-Dimensional Analysis.

PubMed

Till, Kevin; Jones, Ben L; Cobley, Stephen; Morley, David; O'Hara, John; Chapman, Chris; Cooke, Carlton; Beggs, Clive B

2016-01-01

Prediction of adult performance from early age talent identification in sport remains difficult. Talent identification research has generally been performed using univariate analysis, which ignores multivariate relationships. To address this issue, this study used a novel higher-dimensional model to orthogonalize multivariate anthropometric and fitness data from junior rugby league players, with the aim of differentiating future career attainment. Anthropometric and fitness data from 257 Under-15 rugby league players was collected. Players were grouped retrospectively according to their future career attainment (i.e., amateur, academy, professional). Players were blindly and randomly divided into an exploratory (n = 165) and validation dataset (n = 92). The exploratory dataset was used to develop and optimize a novel higher-dimensional model, which combined singular value decomposition (SVD) with receiver operating characteristic analysis. Once optimized, the model was tested using the validation dataset. SVD analysis revealed 60 m sprint and agility 505 performance were the most influential characteristics in distinguishing future professional players from amateur and academy players. The exploratory dataset model was able to distinguish between future amateur and professional players with a high degree of accuracy (sensitivity = 85.7%, specificity = 71.1%; p<0.001), although it could not distinguish between future professional and academy players. The validation dataset model was able to distinguish future professionals from the rest with reasonable accuracy (sensitivity = 83.3%, specificity = 63.8%; p = 0.003). Through the use of SVD analysis it was possible to objectively identify criteria to distinguish future career attainment with a sensitivity over 80% using anthropometric and fitness data alone. As such, this suggests that SVD analysis may be a useful analysis tool for research and practice within talent identification.

Identifying Talent in Youth Sport: A Novel Methodology Using Higher-Dimensional Analysis

PubMed Central

Till, Kevin; Jones, Ben L.; Cobley, Stephen; Morley, David; O'Hara, John; Chapman, Chris; Cooke, Carlton; Beggs, Clive B.

2016-01-01

Prediction of adult performance from early age talent identification in sport remains difficult. Talent identification research has generally been performed using univariate analysis, which ignores multivariate relationships. To address this issue, this study used a novel higher-dimensional model to orthogonalize multivariate anthropometric and fitness data from junior rugby league players, with the aim of differentiating future career attainment. Anthropometric and fitness data from 257 Under-15 rugby league players was collected. Players were grouped retrospectively according to their future career attainment (i.e., amateur, academy, professional). Players were blindly and randomly divided into an exploratory (n = 165) and validation dataset (n = 92). The exploratory dataset was used to develop and optimize a novel higher-dimensional model, which combined singular value decomposition (SVD) with receiver operating characteristic analysis. Once optimized, the model was tested using the validation dataset. SVD analysis revealed 60 m sprint and agility 505 performance were the most influential characteristics in distinguishing future professional players from amateur and academy players. The exploratory dataset model was able to distinguish between future amateur and professional players with a high degree of accuracy (sensitivity = 85.7%, specificity = 71.1%; p<0.001), although it could not distinguish between future professional and academy players. The validation dataset model was able to distinguish future professionals from the rest with reasonable accuracy (sensitivity = 83.3%, specificity = 63.8%; p = 0.003). Through the use of SVD analysis it was possible to objectively identify criteria to distinguish future career attainment with a sensitivity over 80% using anthropometric and fitness data alone. As such, this suggests that SVD analysis may be a useful analysis tool for research and practice within talent identification. PMID:27224653

Twitter Use in Libraries: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aharony, Noa

2010-01-01

Microblogging is a relatively new phenomenon in online social networking that has become increasingly prevalent in the last few years. This study explores the use of Twitter in public and academic libraries to understand microblogging patterns. Analysis of the tweets was conducted in two phases: (1) statistical descriptive analysis and (2) content…

Using Importance-Performance Analysis to Guide Instructional Design of Experiential Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Sheri; Hsu, Yu-Chang; Kinney, Judy

2016-01-01

Designing experiential learning activities requires an instructor to think about what they want the students to learn. Using importance-performance analysis can assist with the instructional design of the activities. This exploratory study used importance-performance analysis in an online introduction to criminology course. There is limited…

Physics Metacognition Inventory Part Ii: Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Rasch Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taasoobshirazi, Gita; Bailey, MarLynn; Farley, John

2015-01-01

The Physics Metacognition Inventory was developed to measure physics students' metacognition for problem solving. In one of our earlier studies, an exploratory factor analysis provided evidence of preliminary construct validity, revealing six components of students' metacognition when solving physics problems including knowledge of cognition,…

[Identification and evaluation of the neuroleptic activity of phenotropil].

PubMed

Akhapkina, V I; Akhapkin, R V

2013-01-01

The neuroleptic (antipsychotic) activity of phenotropil was studied in an experimental animal model. Phenotropil had a marked neuroleptic activity in models of positive (apomorphine-induced verticalization test) and negative (5-HTP-induced hyperkinesis test) symptoms of psychoses as well as in the m-cholinergic pathway hyperactivation (arecoline-induced tremor test). The compound markedly antagonized haloperidol catalepsy. Used in a single dose or as a course treatment, phenotropil did not provoke aggression nor intensify it. In contrast to typical and atypical antipsychotics, phenotropil had no sedative action and other adverse effects. It exhibited a positive effect on exploratory behavior and motor activity, had anxiolytic and antidepressant action.

Differences in Spatio-Temporal Behavior of Zebrafish in the Open Tank Paradigm after a Short-Period Confinement into Dark and Bright Environments

PubMed Central

Rosemberg, Denis B.; Rico, Eduardo P.; Mussulini, Ben Hur M.; Piato, Ângelo L.; Calcagnotto, Maria E.; Bonan, Carla D.; Dias, Renato D.; Blaser, Rachel E.; Souza, Diogo O.; de Oliveira, Diogo L.

2011-01-01

The open tank paradigm, also known as novel tank diving test, is a protocol used to evaluate the zebrafish behavior. Several characteristics have been described for this species, including scototaxis, which is the natural preference for dark environments in detriment of bright ones. However, there is no evidence regarding the influence of “natural stimuli” in zebrafish subjected to novelty-based paradigms. In this report, we evaluated the spatio-temporal exploratory activity of the short-fin zebrafish phenotype in the open tank after a short-period confinement into dark/bright environments. A total of 44 animals were individually confined during a 10-min single session into one of three environments: black-painted, white-painted, and transparent cylinders (dark, bright, and transparent groups). Fish were further subjected to the novel tank test and their exploratory profile was recorded during a 15-min trial. The results demonstrated that zebrafish increased their vertical exploratory activity during the first 6-min, where the bright group spent more time and travelled a higher distance in the top area. Interestingly, all behavioral parameters measured for the dark group were similar to the transparent one. These data were confirmed by automated analysis of track and occupancy plots and also demonstrated that zebrafish display a classical homebase formation in the bottom area of the tank. A detailed spatio-temporal study of zebrafish exploratory behavior and the construction of representative ethograms showed that the experimental groups presented significant differences in the first 3-min vs. last 3-min of test. Although the main factors involved in these behavioral responses still remain ambiguous and require further investigation, the current report describes an alternative methodological approach for assessing the zebrafish behavior after a forced exposure to different environments. Additionally, the analysis of ethologically-relevant patterns across time could be a potential phenotyping tool to evaluate the zebrafish exploratory profile in the open tank task. PMID:21559304

Exploratory analysis of textual data from the Mother and Child Handbook using the text-mining method: Relationships with maternal traits and post-partum depression.

PubMed

Matsuda, Yoshio; Manaka, Tomoko; Kobayashi, Makiko; Sato, Shuhei; Ohwada, Michitaka

2016-06-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the possibility of screening apprehensive pregnant women and mothers at risk for post-partum depression from an analysis of the textual data in the Mother and Child Handbook by using the text-mining method. Uncomplicated pregnant women (n = 58) were divided into two groups according to State-Trait Anxiety Inventory grade (high trait [group I, n = 21] and low trait [group II, n = 37]) or Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score (high score [group III, n = 15] and low score [group IV, n = 43]). An exploratory analysis of the textual data from the Maternal and Child Handbook was conducted using the text-mining method with the Word Miner software program. A comparison of the 'structure elements' was made between the two groups. The number of structure elements extracted by separated words from text data was 20 004 and the number of structure elements with a threshold of 2 or more as an initial value was 1168. Fifteen key words related to maternal anxiety, and six key words related to post-partum depression were extracted. The text-mining method is useful for the exploratory analysis of textual data obtained from pregnant woman, and this screening method has been suggested to be useful for apprehensive pregnant women and mothers at risk for post-partum depression. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory-II in a Psychiatric Outpatient Population

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background To further understand the relationship between anxiety and depression, this study examined the factor structure of the combined items from two validated measures for anxiety and depression. Methods The participants were 406 patients with mixed psychiatric diagnoses including anxiety and depressive disorders from a psychiatric outpatient unit at a university-affiliated medical center. Responses of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II, and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) were analyzed. We conducted an exploratory factor analysis of 42 items from the BAI and BDI-II. Correlational analyses were performed between subscale scores of the SCL-90-R and factors derived from the factor analysis. Scores of individual items of the BAI and BDI-II were also compared between groups of anxiety disorder (n = 185) and depressive disorder (n = 123). Results Exploratory factor analysis revealed the following five factors explaining 56.2% of the total variance: somatic anxiety (factor 1), cognitive depression (factor 2), somatic depression (factor 3), subjective anxiety (factor 4), and autonomic anxiety (factor 5). The depression group had significantly higher scores for 12 items on the BDI while the anxiety group demonstrated higher scores for six items on the BAI. Conclusion Our results suggest that anxiety and depressive symptoms as measured by the BAI and BDI-II can be empirically differentiated and that particularly items of the cognitive domain in depression and those of physical domain in anxiety are noteworthy. PMID:29651821

Is It Feasible to Identify Natural Clusters of TSC-Associated Neuropsychiatric Disorders (TAND)?

PubMed

Leclezio, Loren; Gardner-Lubbe, Sugnet; de Vries, Petrus J

2018-04-01

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a genetic disorder with multisystem involvement. The lifetime prevalence of TSC-Associated Neuropsychiatric Disorders (TAND) is in the region of 90% in an apparently unique, individual pattern. This "uniqueness" poses significant challenges for diagnosis, psycho-education, and intervention planning. To date, no studies have explored whether there may be natural clusters of TAND. The purpose of this feasibility study was (1) to investigate the practicability of identifying natural TAND clusters, and (2) to identify appropriate multivariate data analysis techniques for larger-scale studies. TAND Checklist data were collected from 56 individuals with a clinical diagnosis of TSC (n = 20 from South Africa; n = 36 from Australia). Using R, the open-source statistical platform, mean squared contingency coefficients were calculated to produce a correlation matrix, and various cluster analyses and exploratory factor analysis were examined. Ward's method rendered six TAND clusters with good face validity and significant convergence with a six-factor exploratory factor analysis solution. The "bottom-up" data-driven strategies identified a "scholastic" cluster of TAND manifestations, an "autism spectrum disorder-like" cluster, a "dysregulated behavior" cluster, a "neuropsychological" cluster, a "hyperactive/impulsive" cluster, and a "mixed/mood" cluster. These feasibility results suggest that a combination of cluster analysis and exploratory factor analysis methods may be able to identify clinically meaningful natural TAND clusters. Findings require replication and expansion in larger dataset, and could include quantification of cluster or factor scores at an individual level. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring content overlap during handoff communication using distributional semantics: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Abraham, Joanna; Kannampallil, Thomas G; Srinivasan, Vignesh; Galanter, William L; Tagney, Gail; Cohen, Trevor

2017-01-01

We develop and evaluate a methodological approach to measure the degree and nature of overlap in handoff communication content within and across clinical professions. This extensible, exploratory approach relies on combining techniques from conversational analysis and distributional semantics. We audio-recorded handoff communication of residents and nurses on the General Medicine floor of a large academic hospital (n=120 resident and n=120 nurse handoffs). We measured semantic similarity, a proxy for content overlap, between resident-resident and nurse-nurse communication using multiple steps: a qualitative conversational content analysis; an automated semantic similarity analysis using Reflective Random Indexing (RRI); and comparing semantic similarity generated by RRI analysis with human ratings of semantic similarity. There was significant association between the semantic similarity as computed by the RRI method and human rating (ρ=0.88). Based on the semantic similarity scores, content overlap was relatively higher for content related to patient active problems, assessment of active problems, patient-identifying information, past medical history, and medications/treatments. In contrast, content overlap was limited on content related to allergies, family-related information, code status, and anticipatory guidance. Our approach using RRI analysis provides new opportunities for characterizing the nature and degree of overlap in handoff communication. Although exploratory, this method provides a basis for identifying content that can be used for determining shared understanding across clinical professions. Additionally, this approach can inform the development of flexibly standardized handoff tools that reflect clinical content that are most appropriate for fostering shared understanding during transitions of care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergence of Exploratory, Technical and Tactical Behavior in Small-Sided Soccer Games when Manipulating the Number of Teammates and Opponents.

PubMed

Torrents, Carlota; Ric, Angel; Hristovski, Robert; Torres-Ronda, Lorena; Vicente, Emili; Sampaio, Jaime

2016-01-01

The effects that different constraints have on the exploratory behavior, measured by the variety and quantity of different responses within a game situation, is of the utmost importance for successful performance in team sports. The aim of this study was to determine how the number of teammates and opponents affects the exploratory behavior of both professional and amateur players in small-sided soccer games. Twenty-two professional (age 25.6 ± 4.9 years) and 22 amateur (age 23.1 ± 0.7 years) male soccer players played three small-sided game formats (4 vs. 3, 4 vs. 5, and 4 vs. 7). These trials were video-recorded and a systematic observation instrument was used to notate the actions, which were subsequently analyzed by means of a principal component analysis and the dynamic overlap order parameter (measure to identify the rate and breadth of exploratory behavior on different time scales). Results revealed that a higher the number of opponents required for more frequent ball controls. Moreover, with a higher number of teammates, there were more defensive actions focused on protecting the goal, with more players balancing. In relation to attack, an increase in the number of opponents produced a decrease in passing, driving and controlling actions, while an increase in the number of teammates led to more time being spent in attacking situations. A numerical advantage led to less exploratory behavior, an effect that was especially clear when playing within a team of seven players against four opponents. All teams showed strong effects of the number of teammates on the exploratory behavior when comparing 5 vs 7 or 3 vs 7 teammates. These results seem to be independent of the players' level.

Factor Analysis of Drawings: Application to College Student Models of the Greenhouse Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libarkin, Julie C.; Thomas, Stephen R.; Ording, Gabriel

2015-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify models underlying drawings of the greenhouse effect made by over 200 entering university freshmen. Initial content analysis allowed deconstruction of drawings into salient features, with grouping of these features via factor analysis. A resulting 4-factor solution explains 62% of the data variance,…

Determining the Number of Factors in P-Technique Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Lawrence L.; Molenaar, Peter C. M.; Rovine, Michael

2017-01-01

Determining the number of factors is a critical first step in exploratory factor analysis. Although various criteria and methods for determining the number of factors have been evaluated in the usual between-subjects R-technique factor analysis, there is still question of how these methods perform in within-subjects P-technique factor analysis. A…

Near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics analysis of complex traits in animal physiology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Near infrared reflectance (NIR) applications have been expanding from the traditional framework of small molecule chemical purity and composition (as defined by spectral libraries) to complex system analysis and holistic exploratory approaches to questions in biochemistry, biophysics and environment...

Genetic and environmental structure of DSM-IV criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder: a twin study

PubMed Central

Rosenström, Tom; Ystrom, Eivind; Torvik, Fartein Ask; Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi; Gillespie, Nathan A.; Aggen, Steven H.; Krueger, Robert F.; Kendler, Kenneth S; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted

2017-01-01

Results from previous studies on DSM-IV and DSM-5 Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) have suggested that the construct is etiologically multidimensional. To our knowledge, however, the structure of genetic and environmental influences in ASPD has not been examined using an appropriate range of biometric models and diagnostic interviews. The 7 ASPD criteria (section A) were assessed in a population-based sample of 2794 Norwegian twins by a structured interview for DSM-IV personality disorders. Exploratory analyses were conducted at the phenotypic level. Multivariate biometric models, including both independent and common pathways, were compared. A single phenotypic factor was found, and the best-fitting biometric model was a single-factor common pathway model, with common-factor heritability of 51% (95% CI = 40–67%). In other words, both genetic and environmental correlations between the ASPD criteria could be accounted for by a single common latent variable. The findings support the validity of ASPD as a unidimensional diagnostic construct. PMID:28108863

Genetic and Environmental Structure of DSM-IV Criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder: A Twin Study.

PubMed

Rosenström, Tom; Ystrom, Eivind; Torvik, Fartein Ask; Czajkowski, Nikolai Olavi; Gillespie, Nathan A; Aggen, Steven H; Krueger, Robert F; Kendler, Kenneth S; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted

2017-05-01

Results from previous studies on DSM-IV and DSM-5 Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD) have suggested that the construct is etiologically multidimensional. To our knowledge, however, the structure of genetic and environmental influences in ASPD has not been examined using an appropriate range of biometric models and diagnostic interviews. The 7 ASPD criteria (section A) were assessed in a population-based sample of 2794 Norwegian twins by a structured interview for DSM-IV personality disorders. Exploratory analyses were conducted at the phenotypic level. Multivariate biometric models, including both independent and common pathways, were compared. A single phenotypic factor was found, and the best-fitting biometric model was a single-factor common pathway model, with common-factor heritability of 51% (95% CI 40-67%). In other words, both genetic and environmental correlations between the ASPD criteria could be accounted for by a single common latent variable. The findings support the validity of ASPD as a unidimensional diagnostic construct.

Impact of social challenges on gaining employment for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: an exploratory moderator analysis.

PubMed

Davis, Lori L; Pilkinton, Patricia; Poddar, Swati; Blansett, Catherine; Toscano, Richard; Parker, Pamela E

2014-06-01

To explore whether psychosocial challenges impact effects of vocational rehabilitation in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A post hoc exploratory analysis of possible moderators of treatment was conducted on outcomes from a randomized, controlled trial of Individual Placement and Support in Veterans with PTSD. When examining groups within each moderator, there was a greater IPS supportive employment benefit in gaining competitive employment for those with inadequate transportation (number needed to treat [NNT] = 1.5) and inadequate housing (NNT = 1.5) compared with the main finding of the pilot study (NNT = 2.07). Compared with the main finding of the pilot study, there was no greater advantage of IPS for those with adequate transportation (NNT = 2.4) or adequate housing (NNT = 2.4). Compared with the main finding in the pilot study, those without a family care burden had a greater benefit from IPS (NNT = 1.4) and those with family care burden had a reduced treatment effect (NNT = 3.3). These results are exploratory and are not intended to guide clinical decision-making, but rather offer a potentially useful strategy in the design of larger trials of IPS.

Assessing the heterogeneity of aggressive behavior traits: exploratory and confirmatory analyses of the reactive and instrumental aggression Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) scales.

PubMed

Antonius, Daniel; Sinclair, Samuel Justin; Shiva, Andrew A; Messinger, Julie W; Maile, Jordan; Siefert, Caleb J; Belfi, Brian; Malaspina, Dolores; Blais, Mark A

2013-01-01

The heterogeneity of violent behavior is often overlooked in risk assessment despite its importance in the management and treatment of psychiatric and forensic patients. In this study, items from the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) were first evaluated and rated by experts in terms of how well they assessed personality features associated with reactive and instrumental aggression. Exploratory principal component analyses (PCA) were then conducted on select items using a sample of psychiatric and forensic inpatients (n = 479) to examine the latent structure and construct validity of these reactive and instrumental aggression factors. Finally, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted on a separate sample of psychiatric inpatients (n = 503) to evaluate whether these factors yielded acceptable model fit. Overall, the exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported the existence of two latent PAI factor structures, which delineate personality traits related to reactive and instrumental aggression.

Forebrain-Specific Loss of BMPRII in Mice Reduces Anxiety and Increases Object Exploration.

PubMed

McBrayer, Zofeyah L; Dimova, Jiva; Pisansky, Marc T; Sun, Mu; Beppu, Hideyuki; Gewirtz, Jonathan C; O'Connor, Michael B

2015-01-01

To investigate the role of Bone Morphogenic Protein Receptor Type II (BMPRII) in learning, memory, and exploratory behavior in mice, a tissue-specific knockout of BMPRII in the post-natal hippocampus and forebrain was generated. We found that BMPRII mutant mice had normal spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze, but showed significantly reduced swimming speeds with increased floating behavior. Further analysis using the Porsolt Swim Test to investigate behavioral despair did not reveal any differences in immobility between mutants and controls. In the Elevated Plus Maze, BMPRII mutants and Smad4 mutants showed reduced anxiety, while in exploratory tests, BMPRII mutants showed more interest in object exploration. These results suggest that loss of BMPRII in the mouse hippocampus and forebrain does not disrupt spatial learning and memory encoding, but instead impacts exploratory and anxiety-related behaviors.

Forebrain-Specific Loss of BMPRII in Mice Reduces Anxiety and Increases Object Exploration

PubMed Central

McBrayer, Zofeyah L.; Dimova, Jiva; Pisansky, Marc T.; Sun, Mu; Beppu, Hideyuki; Gewirtz, Jonathan C.; O’Connor, Michael B.

2015-01-01

To investigate the role of Bone Morphogenic Protein Receptor Type II (BMPRII) in learning, memory, and exploratory behavior in mice, a tissue-specific knockout of BMPRII in the post-natal hippocampus and forebrain was generated. We found that BMPRII mutant mice had normal spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze, but showed significantly reduced swimming speeds with increased floating behavior. Further analysis using the Porsolt Swim Test to investigate behavioral despair did not reveal any differences in immobility between mutants and controls. In the Elevated Plus Maze, BMPRII mutants and Smad4 mutants showed reduced anxiety, while in exploratory tests, BMPRII mutants showed more interest in object exploration. These results suggest that loss of BMPRII in the mouse hippocampus and forebrain does not disrupt spatial learning and memory encoding, but instead impacts exploratory and anxiety-related behaviors. PMID:26444546

Validation of the Adolescent Concerns Measure (ACM): evidence from exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Ang, Rebecca P; Chong, Wan Har; Huan, Vivien S; Yeo, Lay See

2007-01-01

This article reports the development and initial validation of scores obtained from the Adolescent Concerns Measure (ACM), a scale which assesses concerns of Asian adolescent students. In Study 1, findings from exploratory factor analysis using 619 adolescents suggested a 24-item scale with four correlated factors--Family Concerns (9 items), Peer Concerns (5 items), Personal Concerns (6 items), and School Concerns (4 items). Initial estimates of convergent validity for ACM scores were also reported. The four-factor structure of ACM scores derived from Study 1 was confirmed via confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 using a two-fold cross-validation procedure with a separate sample of 811 adolescents. Support was found for both the multidimensional and hierarchical models of adolescent concerns using the ACM. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability estimates were adequate for research purposes. ACM scores show promise as a reliable and potentially valid measure of Asian adolescents' concerns.

Thematic Analysis of Medical Notes Offers Preliminary Insight into Precipitants for Asian Suicide Attempters: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Choo, Carol C; Ho, Roger C; Burton, André A D

2018-04-20

One important dynamic risk factor for suicide assessment includes suicide precipitant. This exploratory study used a qualitative paradigm to look into the themes surrounding precipitants for suicide attempts in Singapore. Medical records related to suicide attempters who were admitted to the emergency department of a large teaching hospital in Singapore over a three year period were subjected to analysis. A total of 666 cases were examined (69.2% females; 63.8% Chinese, 15% Malays, 15.8% Indians), ages ranged from 10 years old to 85 years old (Mean = 29.7, Standard Deviation = 16.1). The thematic analysis process that was applied to the textual data elicited key concepts labelled as Relationship issues, Financial strain, Socio-legal-academic—environmental stress, and Physical and mental illness and pain. Interpreted with other recent local research on suicide attempters in Singapore, the findings have implications for informing suicide interventions.

Effects of beta-adrenergic antagonist, propranolol on spatial memory and exploratory behavior in mice.

PubMed

Sun, Huaying; Mao, Yu; Wang, Jianhong; Ma, Yuanye

2011-07-08

The beta-adrenergic system has been suggested to be involved in novelty detection and memory modulation. The present study aimed to investigate the role of beta-adrenergic receptors on novelty-based spatial recognition memory and exploratory behavior in mice using Y-maze test and open-field respectively. Mice were injected with three doses of beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, propranolol (2, 10 and 20 mg/kg) or saline at three different time points (15 min prior to training, immediately after training and 15 min before test). The results showed that higher doses of propranolol (10 and 20 mg/kg) given before the training trial impaired spatial recognition memory while those injected at other two time points did not. A detailed analysis of exploratory behavior in open-field showed that lower dose (2 mg/kg) of propranolol reduced exploratory behavior of mice. Our findings indicate that higher dose of propranolol can impair acquisition of spatial information in the Y-maze without altering locomotion, suggesting that the beta-adrenergic system may be involved in modulating memory processes at the time of learning. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Exploratory behaviour modulates the relationship between colony familiarity and helping in a cooperative bird.

PubMed

Expósito-Granados, Mónica; De La Cruz, Carlos; Parejo, Deseada; Valencia, Juliana; Alarcos, Susana; Avilés, Jesús M

2016-10-01

Individuals within animal groups may differ in personality and degree of familiarity raising the question of how this influences their social interactions. In Iberian magpies Cyanopica cooki, a portion of first-year males engage in cooperative behaviours and dispersal, allowing addressing this question. In this study, we first investigate the relationship between colony familiarity (native versus foreign) and reproductive status (breeding versus helping) of males during 21 years. Secondly, we measure the exploratory behaviour and monitor reproductive status of a sample of individuals with different colony familiarity during 2 years. Long-term monitoring revealed that foreign individuals were more likely breeders. The analysis on the subset of individuals in which exploratory behaviour was measured revealed a mediatory effect of exploratory behaviour in the association between colony familiarity and helping behaviour. Specifically, among foreign individuals, higher explorative males were more frequently involved in helping behaviour than lower explorative ones. Conversely, among native males, breeders were more explorative than helpers. Our results suggest that aspects of personality may mediate the value of familiarity in reproductive tasks in social species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factor Structure of the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale in Turkish Early Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Ertugrul; Topkaya, Nursel

2015-01-01

Although the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) is most often validated with the use of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on undergraduate students, exploratory factor analysis and multiple factor retention decision criteria necessitate the analysis of underlying factor structure to prevent over and under factoring as well as to reveal…

Factor Analysis of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brinkley, Jason; Nations, Laura; Abramson, Ruth K.; Hall, Alicia; Wright, Harry H.; Gabriels, Robin; Gilbert, John R.; Pericak-Vance, Margaret A. O.; Cuccaro, Michael L.

2007-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (varimax and promax rotations) of the aberrant behavior checklist-community version (ABC) in 275 individuals with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identified four- and five-factor solutions which accounted for greater than 70% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (Lisrel 8.7) revealed indices of moderate fit for…

Web 2.0 in the Professional LIS Literature: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aharony, Noa

2011-01-01

This paper presents a statistical descriptive analysis and a thorough content analysis of descriptors and journal titles extracted from the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) database, focusing on the subject of Web 2.0 and its main applications: blog, wiki, social network and tags.The primary research questions include: whether the…

Analyzing the Validity of the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory for Low-Income Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Michael A.; Alameda-Lawson, Tania; Byrnes, Edward

2017-01-01

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the construct and predictive validity of the Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory (AAPI-2). Methods: The validity of the AAPI-2 was evaluated using multiple statistical methods, including exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and latent class analysis. These analyses were…

Clusters of Occupations Based on Systematically Derived Work Dimensions: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, J. W.; And Others

The study explored the feasibility of deriving an educationally relevant occupational cluster structure based on Occupational Analysis Inventory (OAI) work dimensions. A hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to the factor score profiles of 814 occupations on 22 higher-order OAI work dimensions. From that analysis, 73 occupational clusters were…

Validating the Farsi version of the Pregnancy Worries and Stress Questionnaire (PWSQ): An exploratory factor analysis.

PubMed

Navidpour, Fariba; Dolatian, Mahrokh; Shishehgar, Sara; Yaghmaei, Farideh; Majd, Hamid Alavi; Hashemi, Seyed Saeed

2016-10-01

Biological, environmental, inter- and intrapersonal changes during the antenatal period can result in anxiety and stress in pregnant women. It is pivotal to identify potential stressors and prevent their foetal and maternal consequences. The present study was conducted to validate and examine the factor structure of the Farsi version of the Pregnancy Worries and Stress Questionnaire (PWSQ). In 2015, 502 Iranian healthy pregnant women, referred to selected hospitals in Tehran for prenatal care at 8-39 weeks of pregnancy, were recruited through a randomized cluster sampling. The PWSQ was translated into Farsi, and its validity and reliability were examined using exploratory factor analysis by SPSS version 21. The content validity of items on the PWSQ was between 0.63-1. The content validity index for relevance, clarity and simplicity were 0.92, 0.98, and 0.98, respectively, with a mean of 0.94. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.863. Test-retest reliability showed high internal consistency (α=0.89; p<0.0001). The psychometric evaluation and exploratory factor analysis showed that the translated questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to identify stress in Iranian pregnant women. Application of the questionnaire can facilitate the diagnosis of stress in pregnant women and assist health care providers in providing timely support and minimizing negative outcomes of stress and anxiety in pregnant women and their infants.

The Dispositions for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitaker, Manya C.; Valtierra, Kristina Marie

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the dispositions for culturally responsive pedagogy scale (DCRPS). Design/methodology/approach: Scale development consisted of a six-step process including item development, expert review, exploratory factor analysis, factor interpretation, confirmatory factor analysis and convergent…

Research on Internationalisation in Higher Education--Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yemini, Miri; Sagie, Netta

2016-01-01

Research on internationalisation in higher education has dramatically expanded over the last several decades. This study aims to provide an overview of the research developments undertaken between 1980 and 2014, on internationalisation in higher education. Explorative, systematic literature screening and analysis were undertaken, encompassing over…

Brain-computer interface using wavelet transformation and naïve bayes classifier.

PubMed

Bassani, Thiago; Nievola, Julio Cesar

2010-01-01

The main purpose of this work is to establish an exploratory approach using electroencephalographic (EEG) signal, analyzing the patterns in the time-frequency plane. This work also aims to optimize the EEG signal analysis through the improvement of classifiers and, eventually, of the BCI performance. In this paper a novel exploratory approach for data mining of EEG signal based on continuous wavelet transformation (CWT) and wavelet coherence (WC) statistical analysis is introduced and applied. The CWT allows the representation of time-frequency patterns of the signal's information content by WC qualiatative analysis. Results suggest that the proposed methodology is capable of identifying regions in time-frequency spectrum during the specified task of BCI. Furthermore, an example of a region is identified, and the patterns are classified using a Naïve Bayes Classifier (NBC). This innovative characteristic of the process justifies the feasibility of the proposed approach to other data mining applications. It can open new physiologic researches in this field and on non stationary time series analysis.

Timescales for exploratory tactical behaviour in football small-sided games.

PubMed

Ric, Angel; Hristovski, Robert; Gonçalves, Bruno; Torres, Lorena; Sampaio, Jaime; Torrents, Carlota

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to identify the dynamics of tactical behaviour emerging on different timescales in football small-sided games and to quantify short- and long-term exploratory behaviour according to the number of opponents. Two teams of four professional male footballers played small-sided games against two different teams with a variable number of opponents (3, 5 and 7). Data were collected using a combination of systematic observation and a non-differential global positioning system (15 Hz). The temporal diversity and structural flexibility of the players were determined by calculating the dynamic overlap order parameter q, entropy and trapping strength. Analysis of the exploratory dynamics revealed two different timescales, forming a different metastable landscape of action for each constraint. Fast dynamics lasted on average a few seconds and consisted of changes in tactical patterns. The long timescale corresponded to the shared tasks of offence and defence lasting tens of seconds. The players' tactical diversity decreased with an increasing number of opponents, especially in defence. Manipulating numerical imbalance is likely to promote changes in the diversity, unpredictability and flexibility of tactical solutions. The fact that the temporally nested structure of constraints shaped the emergence of tactical behaviour provides a new rationale for practice task design. The manipulation of numerical imbalance on the timescale of a few tens of seconds, on which the exploratory behaviour of players saturates, may help coaches to optimise the exploratory efficiency of the small-sided games.

Transcriptome-wide analyses indicate mitochondrial responses to particulate air pollution exposure.

PubMed

Winckelmans, Ellen; Nawrot, Tim S; Tsamou, Maria; Den Hond, Elly; Baeyens, Willy; Kleinjans, Jos; Lefebvre, Wouter; Van Larebeke, Nicolas; Peusens, Martien; Plusquin, Michelle; Reynders, Hans; Schoeters, Greet; Vanpoucke, Charlotte; de Kok, Theo M; Vrijens, Karen

2017-08-18

Due to their lack of repair capacity mitochondria are critical targets for environmental toxicants. We studied genes and pathways reflecting mitochondrial responses to short- and medium-term PM 10 exposure. Whole genome gene expression was measured in peripheral blood of 98 adults (49% women). We performed linear regression analyses stratified by sex and adjusted for individual and temporal characteristics to investigate alterations in gene expression induced by short-term (week before blood sampling) and medium-term (month before blood sampling) PM 10 exposure. Overrepresentation analyses (ConsensusPathDB) were performed to identify enriched mitochondrial associated pathways and gene ontology sets. Thirteen Human MitoCarta genes were measured by means of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) along with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content in an independent validation cohort (n = 169, 55.6% women). Overrepresentation analyses revealed significant pathways (p-value <0.05) related to mitochondrial genome maintenance and apoptosis for short-term exposure and to the electron transport chain (ETC) for medium-term exposure in women. For men, medium-term PM 10 exposure was associated with the Tri Carbonic Acid cycle. In an independent study population, we validated several ETC genes, including UQCRH and COX7C (q-value <0.05), and some genes crucial for the maintenance of the mitochondrial genome, including LONP1 (q-value: 0.07) and POLG (q-value: 0.04) in women. In this exploratory study, we identified mitochondrial genes and pathways associated with particulate air pollution indicating upregulation of energy producing pathways as a potential mechanism to compensate for PM-induced mitochondrial damage.

A novel approach to exploring potential interactions among single-nucleotide polymorphisms of inflammation genes in gliomagenesis: an exploratory case-only study.

PubMed

Amirian, E Susan; Scheurer, Michael E; Liu, Yanhong; D'Amelio, Anthony M; Houlston, Richard S; Etzel, Carol J; Shete, Sanjay; Swerdlow, Anthony J; Schoemaker, Minouk J; McKinney, Patricia A; Fleming, Sarah J; Muir, Kenneth R; Lophatananon, Artitaya; Bondy, Melissa L

2011-08-01

Despite extensive research on the topic, glioma etiology remains largely unknown. Exploration of potential interactions between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of immune genes is a promising new area of glioma research. The case-only study design is a powerful and efficient design for exploring possible multiplicative interactions between factors that are independent of one another. The purpose of our study was to use this exploratory design to identify potential pair wise SNP-SNP interactions from genes involved in several different immune-related pathways for investigation in future studies. The study population consisted of two case groups: 1,224 histologic confirmed, non-Hispanic white glioma cases from the United States and a validation population of 634 glioma cases from the United Kingdom. Polytomous logistic regression, in which one SNP was coded as the outcome and the other SNP was included as the exposure, was utilized to calculate the ORs of the likelihood of cases simultaneously having the variant alleles of two different SNPs. Potential interactions were examined only between SNPs located in different genes or chromosomes. Using this data mining strategy, we found 396 significant SNP-SNP interactions among polymorphisms of immune-related genes that were present in both the U.S. and U.K. study populations. This exploratory study was conducted for the purpose of hypothesis generation, and thus has provided several new hypotheses that can be tested using traditional case-control study designs to obtain estimates of risk. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to take this novel approach to identifying SNP-SNP interactions relevant to glioma etiology. ©2011 AACR.

The Drosophila Insulin Receptor Independently Modulates Lifespan and Locomotor Senescence

PubMed Central

Boylan, Michael; Achall, Rajesh; Shirras, Alan; Broughton, Susan J.

2015-01-01

The Insulin/IGF-like signalling (IIS) pathway plays an evolutionarily conserved role in ageing. In model organisms reduced IIS extends lifespan and ameliorates some forms of functional senescence. However, little is known about IIS in nervous system ageing and behavioural senescence. To investigate this role in Drosophila melanogaster, we measured the effect of reduced IIS on senescence of two locomotor behaviours, negative geotaxis and exploratory walking. Two long-lived fly models with systemic IIS reductions (daGAL4/UAS-InRDN (ubiquitous expression of a dominant negative insulin receptor) and d2GAL/UAS-rpr (ablation of insulin-like peptide producing cells)) showed an amelioration of negative geotaxis senescence similar to that previously reported for the long-lived IIS mutant chico. In contrast, exploratory walking in daGAL4/UAS-InRDN and d2GAL/UAS-rpr flies declined with age similarly to controls. To determine the contribution of IIS in the nervous system to these altered senescence patterns and lifespan, the InRDN was targeted to neurons (elavGAL4/UAS-InRDN), which resulted in extension of lifespan in females, normal negative geotaxis senescence in males and females, and detrimental effects on age-specific exploratory walking behaviour in males and females. These data indicate that the Drosophila insulin receptor independently modulates lifespan and age-specific function of different types of locomotor behaviour. The data suggest that ameliorated negative geotaxis senescence of long-lived flies with systemic IIS reductions is due to ageing related effects of reduced IIS outside the nervous system. The lifespan extension and coincident detrimental or neutral effects on locomotor function with a neuron specific reduction (elavGAL4/UAS-InRDN) indicates that reduced IIS is not beneficial to the neural circuitry underlying the behaviours despite increasing lifespan. PMID:26020640

A strategy to seal exploratory boreholes in unsaturated tuff; Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project

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

Fernandez, J.A.; Case, J.B.; Givens, C.A.

1994-04-01

This report presents a strategy for sealing exploratory boreholes associated with the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project. Over 500 existing and proposed boreholes have been considered in the development of this strategy, ranging from shallow (penetrating into alluvium only) to deep (penetrating into the groundwater table). Among the comprehensive list of recommendations are the following: Those boreholes within the potential repository boundary and penetrating through the potential repository horizon are the most significant boreholes from a performance standpoint and should be sealed. Shallow boreholes are comparatively insignificant and require only nominal sealing. The primary areas in which to place sealsmore » are away from high-temperature zones at a distance from the potential repository horizon in the Paintbrush nonwelded tuff and the upper portion of the Topopah Spring Member and in the tuffaceous beds of the Calico Hills Unit. Seals should be placed prior to waste emplacement. Performance goals for borehole seals both above and below the potential repository are proposed. Detailed construction information on the boreholes that could be used for future design specifications is provided along with a description of the environmental setting, i.e., the geology, hydrology, and the in situ and thermal stress states. A borehole classification scheme based on the condition of the borehole wall in different tuffaceous units is also proposed. In addition, calculations are presented to assess the significance of the boreholes acting as preferential pathways for the release of radionuclides. Design calculations are presented to answer the concerns of when, where, and how to seal. As part of the strategy development, available technologies to seal exploratory boreholes (including casing removal, borehole wall reconditioning, and seal emplacement) are reviewed.« less

An Exploratory Analysis of Game Telemetry from a Pediatric mHealth Intervention.

PubMed

Padman, Rema; Gupta, Disha; Sri Prakash, Bhargav; Krishnan, Chelladurai; Panchatcharam, K

2017-01-01

Pediatric obesity is a growing epidemic, with unhealthy eating habits and poor physical activity being major contributors. While video and mobile games have been shown to have a positive impact on behavior change in children, the mechanisms underlying game play that impact outcomes of interest are poorly understood. This research aims to examine the impact of a novel mobile gaming app on the design of behavioral interventions by learning from the rich and unique game telemetry generated from a randomized controlled trial of the app use by school children. In this exploratory analysis, we extract a partial dataset to build and analyze chronological sequences of game plays to understand key patterns in the game mechanics that players utilize as they navigate the game, and possible implications of the results.

Construction and Validation of Afterlife Belief Scale for Muslims.

PubMed

Ghayas, Saba; Batool, Syeda Shahida

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a scale in Urdu language for measuring different dimensions of afterlife belief. The scale was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis on a sample of 504 individuals (235 men and 269 women) recruited from different cities in the Punjab, Pakistan. After exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, 16 items were retained with three well-defined factor structures of afterlife belief: positive, negative, and extinction. The alpha coefficients of the subscales ranged from .65 to .78. Convergent and discriminant validity of the subscales of Afterlife Belief Scale was determined by finding its relationship with the Pleasant Afterlife Belief Scale, the Unpleasant Afterlife Belief Scale, the Anxiety Subscale of DASS, and the Belief in Equitable World Scale. The results support that the newly developed scale has promising validity.

An initial investigation of associations between dopamine-linked genetic variation and smoking motives in African Americans.

PubMed

Bidwell, L C; McGeary, J E; Gray, J C; Palmer, R H C; Knopik, V S; MacKillop, J

2015-11-01

Nicotine dependence (ND) is a heterogeneous phenotype with complex genetic influences that may vary across ethnicities. The use of intermediate phenotypes may clarify genetic influences and reveal specific etiological pathways. Prior work in European Americans has found that the four Primary Dependence Motives (PDM) subscales (Automaticity, Craving, Loss of Control, and Tolerance) of the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Motives represent core features of nicotine dependence and are promising intermediate phenotypes for understanding genetic pathways to ND. However, no studies have examined PDM as an intermediate phenotype in African American smokers, an ethnic population that displays unique patterns of smoking and genetic variation. In the current study, 268 African American daily smokers completed a phenotypic assessment and provided a sample of DNA. Associations among haplotypes in the NCAM1-TTC12-ANKK1-DRD2 gene cluster, a dopamine-related gene region associated with ND, PDM intermediate phenotypes, and ND were examined. Dopamine-related genetic variation in the DBH and COMT genes was also considered on an exploratory basis. Mediational analysis was used to test the indirect pathway from genetic variation to smoking motives to nicotine dependence. NCAM1-TTC12-ANKK1-DRD2 region variation was significantly associated with the Automaticity subscale and, further, Automaticity significantly mediated associations among NCAM1-TTC12-ANKK1-DRD2 cluster variants and ND. DBH was also significantly associated with Automaticity, Craving, and Tolerance; Automaticity and Tolerance also served as mediators of the DBH-ND relationship. These results suggest that PDM, Automaticity in particular, may be a viable intermediate phenotype for understanding dopamine-related genetic influences on ND in African American smokers. Findings support a model in which putatively dopaminergic variants exert influence on ND through an effect on patterns of automatic routinized smoking. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Searching for signatures of cold adaptations in modern and archaic humans: hints from the brown adipose tissue genes

PubMed Central

Sazzini, M; Schiavo, G; De Fanti, S; Martelli, P L; Casadio, R; Luiselli, D

2014-01-01

Adaptation to low temperatures has been reasonably developed in the human species during the colonization of the Eurasian landmass subsequent to Out of Africa migrations of anatomically modern humans. In addition to morphological and cultural changes, also metabolic ones are supposed to have favored human isolation from cold and body heat production and this can be hypothesized also for most Neandertal and at least for some Denisovan populations, which lived in geographical areas that strongly experienced the last glacial period. Modulation of non-shivering thermogenesis, for which adipocytes belonging to the brown adipose tissue are the most specialized cells, might have driven these metabolic adaptations. To perform an exploratory analysis aimed at looking into this hypothesis, variation at 28 genes involved in such functional pathway was investigated in modern populations from different climate zones, as well as in Neandertal and Denisovan genomes. Patterns of variation at the LEPR gene, strongly related to increased heat dissipation by mitochondria, appeared to have been shaped by positive selection in modern East Asians, but not in Europeans. Moreover, a single potentially cold-adapted LEPR allele, different from the supposed adaptive one identified in Homo sapiens, was found also in Neandertal and Denisovan genomes. These findings suggest that independent mechanisms for cold adaptations might have been developed in different non-African human groups, as well as that the evolution of possible enhanced thermal efficiency in Neandertals and in some Denisovan populations has plausibly entailed significant changes also in other functional pathways than in the examined one. PMID:24667833

The Counseling Competencies Scale: Validation and Refinement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambie, Glenn W.; Mullen, Patrick R.; Swank, Jacqueline M.; Blount, Ashley

2018-01-01

Supervisors evaluated counselors-in-training at multiple points during their practicum experience using the Counseling Competencies Scale (CCS; N = 1,070). The CCS evaluations were randomly split to conduct exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, resulting in a 2-factor model (61.5% of the variance explained).

Handwriting Instruction: An Analysis of Perspectives from Three Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Laurie; Brown, Tiffany

2015-01-01

Handwriting is an essential skill for learners, but advancements with technology have greatly altered perceptions towards handwriting and handwriting instruction. This study sought to determine the current state of handwriting through an exploratory analysis of the teaching experiences of three practicing elementary teachers with varying…

An Exploratory Study: A Kinesic Analysis of Academic Library Public Service Points

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazlauskas, Edward

1976-01-01

An analysis of body movements of individuals at reference and circulation public service points in four academic libraries indicated that both receptive and nonreceptive nonverbal behaviors were used by all levels of library employees, and these behaviors influenced patron interaction. (Author/LS)

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozee, Holly B.; Tylka, Tracy L.; Augustus-Horvath, Casey L.; Denchik, Angela

2007-01-01

This study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale (ISOS). Data from 576 college women were collected in three studies. Exploratory factor analysis uncovered two factors: Body Evaluation and Unwanted Explicit Sexual Advances; confirmatory factor analysis supported this factor…

Analysis of Students' Arguments on Evolutionary Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basel, Nicolai; Harms, Ute; Prechtl, Helmut

2013-01-01

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted to reveal students' argumentation skills in the context of the topic of evolution. Transcripts from problem-centred interviews on secondary students' beliefs about evolutionary processes of adaptation were analysed using a content analysis approach. For this purpose two categorical systems were…

HBCU Efficiency and Endowments: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coupet, Jason; Barnum, Darold

2010-01-01

Discussions of efficiency among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are often missing in academic conversations. This article seeks to assess efficiency of individual HBCUs using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), a non-parametric technique that can synthesize multiple inputs and outputs to determine a single efficiency score for…

Clustering of leptin and physical activity with components of metabolic syndrome in Iranian population: an exploratory factor analysis.

PubMed

Esteghamati, Alireza; Zandieh, Ali; Khalilzadeh, Omid; Morteza, Afsaneh; Meysamie, Alipasha; Nakhjavani, Manouchehr; Gouya, Mohammad Mehdi

2010-10-01

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), manifested by insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, central obesity, and hypertension, is conceived to be associated with hyperleptinemia and physical activity. The aim of this study was to elucidate the factors underlying components of MetS and also to test the suitability of leptin and physical activity as additional components of this syndrome. Data of the individuals without history of diabetes mellitus, aged 25-64 years, from third national surveillance of risk factors of non-communicable diseases (SuRFNCD-2007), were analyzed. Performing factor analysis on waist circumference, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) led to extraction of two factors which explained around 59.0% of the total variance in both genders. When TG and HDL-C were replaced by TG to HDL-C ratio, a single factor was obtained. In contrast to physical activity, addition of leptin was consistent with one-factor structure of MetS and improved the ability of suggested models to identify obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2, P<0.01), using receiver-operator characteristics curve analysis. In general, physical activity loaded on the first identified factor. Our study shows that one underlying factor structure of MetS is also plausible and the inclusion of leptin does not interfere with this structure. Further, this study suggests that physical activity influences MetS components via modulation of the main underlying pathophysiologic pathway of this syndrome.

Realist explanatory theory building method for social epidemiology: a protocol for a mixed method multilevel study of neighbourhood context and postnatal depression.

PubMed

Eastwood, John G; Jalaludin, Bin B; Kemp, Lynn A

2014-01-01

A recent criticism of social epidemiological studies, and multi-level studies in particular has been a paucity of theory. We will present here the protocol for a study that aims to build a theory of the social epidemiology of maternal depression. We use a critical realist approach which is trans-disciplinary, encompassing both quantitative and qualitative traditions, and that assumes both ontological and hierarchical stratification of reality. We describe a critical realist Explanatory Theory Building Method comprising of an: 1) emergent phase, 2) construction phase, and 3) confirmatory phase. A concurrent triangulated mixed method multilevel cross-sectional study design is described. The Emergent Phase uses: interviews, focus groups, exploratory data analysis, exploratory factor analysis, regression, and multilevel Bayesian spatial data analysis to detect and describe phenomena. Abductive and retroductive reasoning will be applied to: categorical principal component analysis, exploratory factor analysis, regression, coding of concepts and categories, constant comparative analysis, drawing of conceptual networks, and situational analysis to generate theoretical concepts. The Theory Construction Phase will include: 1) defining stratified levels; 2) analytic resolution; 3) abductive reasoning; 4) comparative analysis (triangulation); 5) retroduction; 6) postulate and proposition development; 7) comparison and assessment of theories; and 8) conceptual frameworks and model development. The strength of the critical realist methodology described is the extent to which this paradigm is able to support the epistemological, ontological, axiological, methodological and rhetorical positions of both quantitative and qualitative research in the field of social epidemiology. The extensive multilevel Bayesian studies, intensive qualitative studies, latent variable theory, abductive triangulation, and Inference to Best Explanation provide a strong foundation for Theory Construction. The study will contribute to defining the role that realism and mixed methods can play in explaining the social determinants and developmental origins of health and disease.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Trinity Inventory of Precursors to Suicide (TIPS) and Its Relationship to Hopelessness and Depression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smyth, Caroline L.; MacLachlan, Malcolm

2005-01-01

Numerous existing measures assess attitudes toward suicide yet fail to account for contextual factors. The Trinity Inventory of Precursors to Suicide (TIPS) is presented as an alternative, with implications for the development of prevention programs. Having previously reported exploratory analysis of the TIPS; confirmatory factor analysis and…

Using the 5Ps Leadership Analysis to Examine the Battle of Antietam: An Explanation and Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, Bradley Z.; Allen, Scott J.

2012-01-01

The authors describe an exploratory analytical tool called "The 5Ps Leadership Analysis" (Personal Attributes, Position, Purpose, Practices/Processes, and Product) as a heuristic for better understanding the complexities of leadership. Using "The 5Ps Leadership Analysis," the authors explore the leadership of General Robert E.…

Psychometric Properties and Factorial Structure of the Chinese Version of the Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Shu-Hui; Huang, Yun-Chen

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to validate a Chinese version of the Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test (GRAT) with Taiwanese students. In Study 1, a total of 2511 Taiwanese students participated and completed the translated GRAT. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis were undertaken to assess the…

Factor Analysis Methods and Validity Evidence: A Systematic Review of Instrument Development across the Continuum of Medical Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wetzel, Angela Payne

2011-01-01

Previous systematic reviews indicate a lack of reporting of reliability and validity evidence in subsets of the medical education literature. Psychology and general education reviews of factor analysis also indicate gaps between current and best practices; yet, a comprehensive review of exploratory factor analysis in instrument development across…

A Primer on Bootstrap Factor Analysis as Applied to Health Studies Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Wenhua; Miao, Jingang; McKyer, E. Lisako J.

2014-01-01

Objectives: To demonstrate how the bootstrap method could be conducted in exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with a syntax written in SPSS. Methods: The data obtained from the Texas Childhood Obesity Prevention Policy Evaluation project (T-COPPE project) were used for illustration. A 5-step procedure to conduct bootstrap factor analysis (BFA) was…

Exploratory Factor Analysis of a Force Concept Inventory Data Set

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Terry F.; Schumayer, Daniel; Gray, Andrew R.

2012-01-01

We perform a factor analysis on a "Force Concept Inventory" (FCI) data set collected from 2109 respondents. We address two questions: the appearance of conceptual coherence in student responses to the FCI and some consequences of this factor analysis on the teaching of Newtonian mechanics. We will highlight the apparent conflation of Newton's…

Development of the Spatial Ability Test for Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Sevda Göktepe; Özdemir, Ahmet Sükrü

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a test to determine spatial ability of middle school students. The participants were 704 middle school students (6th, 7th and 8th grade) who were studying at different schools from Istanbul. Item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis were used to analyse the data.…

DREEM on: validation of the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure in Pakistan.

PubMed

Khan, Junaid Sarfraz; Tabasum, Saima; Yousafzai, Usman Khalil; Fatima, Mehreen

2011-09-01

To validate DREEM in medical education environment of Punjab, Pakistan. The DREEM questionnaire was anonymously collected from Final year Baccalaureate of Medicine; Baccalaureate of Surgery students in the private and public medical colleges affiliated with the University of Health Sciences, Lahore. Data was analyzed using Principal Component Analysis with Varimax Rotation. The response rate was 84.14 %. The average DREEM score was 125. Confirmatory and Exploratory Factor Analysis was applied under the conditions of eigenvalues >1 and loadings > or = 0.3. In CONFIRMATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS, Five components were extracted accounting for 40.10% of variance and in EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS, Ten components were extracted accounting for 52.33% of variance. Total 50 items had internal consistency reliability of 0.91 (Cronbach's Alpha). The value of Spearman-Brown was 0.868 showing the reliability of the analysis. In both analyses the subscales produced were sensible but the mismatch from the original was largely due to the English-Pakistan contextual and cultural differences. DREEM is a generic instrument that will do well with regional modifications to suit individual, contextual and cultural settings.

[Developing Perceived Competence Scale (PCS) for Adolescents].

PubMed

Özer, Arif; Gençtanirim Kurt, Dilek; Kizildağ, Seval; Demırtaş Zorbaz, Selen; Arici Şahın, Fatma; Acar, Tülin; Ergene, Tuncay

2016-01-01

In this study, Perceived Competence Scale was developed to measure high school students' perceived competence. Scale development process was verified on three different samples. Participants of the research are some high school students in 2011-2012 academic terms from Ankara. Participants' numbers are incorporated in exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and test-retest reliability respectively, as follows: 372, 668 and 75. Internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's and stratified α) are calculated separately for each group. For data analysis Factor 8.02 and LISREL 8.70 package programs were used. According to results of the analyses, internal consistency coefficients (α) are .90 - .93 for academic competence, .82 - .86 for social competence in the samples that exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis performed. For the whole scale internal consistency coefficient (stratified α) is calculated as .91. As a result of test-retest reliability, adjusted correlation coefficients (r) are .94 for social competence and .90 for academic competence. In addition, to fit indexes and regression weights obtained from factor analysis, findings related convergent and discriminant validity, indicating that competence can be addressed in two dimensions which are academic (16 items) and social (14 items).

29 CFR 4.130 - Types of covered service contracts illustrated.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... services. (8) Chemical testing and analysis. (9) Clothing alteration and repair. (10) Computer services... maintenance and operation and engineering support services. (16) Exploratory drilling (other than part of...

29 CFR 4.130 - Types of covered service contracts illustrated.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... services. (8) Chemical testing and analysis. (9) Clothing alteration and repair. (10) Computer services... maintenance and operation and engineering support services. (16) Exploratory drilling (other than part of...

Development and psychometric properties rating scale of “clinical competency evaluation in mental health nurses”: Exploratory factor analysis

PubMed Central

Moskoei, Sara; Mohtashami, Jamileh; Ghalenoeei, Mahdie; Nasiri, Maliheh; Tafreshi, Mansoreh Zaghari

2017-01-01

Introduction Evaluation of clinical competency in nurses has a distinct importance in healthcare due to its significant impact on improving the quality of patient care and creation of opportunities for professional promotion. This is a psychometric study for development of the “Clinical Competency of Mental Health Nursing”(CCMHN) rating scale. Methods In this methodological research that was conducted in 2015, in Tehran, Iran, the main items were developed after literature review and the validity and reliability of the tool were identified. The face, content (content validity ratio and content validity index) and construct validities were calculated. For face and content validity, experts’ comments were used. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the construct validity. The reliability of scale was determined by the internal consistency and inter-rater correlation. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 16, using descriptive statistical analysis. Results A scale with 45 items in two parts including Emotional/Moral and Specific Care competencies was developed. Content validity ratio and content validity index were 0.88, 0.97 respectively. Exploratory factor analysis indicated two factors: The first factor with 23.93 eigenvalue and second factor with eigenvalue 2.58. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for determination of internal consistency was 0.98 and the ICC for confirmation inter-rater correlation was 0.98. Conclusion A scale with 45 items and two areas was developed with appropriate validity and reliability. This scale can be used to assess the clinical competency in nursing students and mental health nurses. PMID:28607650

MotionExplorer: exploratory search in human motion capture data based on hierarchical aggregation.

PubMed

Bernard, Jürgen; Wilhelm, Nils; Krüger, Björn; May, Thorsten; Schreck, Tobias; Kohlhammer, Jörn

2013-12-01

We present MotionExplorer, an exploratory search and analysis system for sequences of human motion in large motion capture data collections. This special type of multivariate time series data is relevant in many research fields including medicine, sports and animation. Key tasks in working with motion data include analysis of motion states and transitions, and synthesis of motion vectors by interpolation and combination. In the practice of research and application of human motion data, challenges exist in providing visual summaries and drill-down functionality for handling large motion data collections. We find that this domain can benefit from appropriate visual retrieval and analysis support to handle these tasks in presence of large motion data. To address this need, we developed MotionExplorer together with domain experts as an exploratory search system based on interactive aggregation and visualization of motion states as a basis for data navigation, exploration, and search. Based on an overview-first type visualization, users are able to search for interesting sub-sequences of motion based on a query-by-example metaphor, and explore search results by details on demand. We developed MotionExplorer in close collaboration with the targeted users who are researchers working on human motion synthesis and analysis, including a summative field study. Additionally, we conducted a laboratory design study to substantially improve MotionExplorer towards an intuitive, usable and robust design. MotionExplorer enables the search in human motion capture data with only a few mouse clicks. The researchers unanimously confirm that the system can efficiently support their work.

Simultaneous Classification and Multidimensional Scaling with External Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiers, Henk A. L.; Vicari, Donatella; Vichi, Maurizio

2005-01-01

For the exploratory analysis of a matrix of proximities or (dis)similarities between objects, one often uses cluster analysis (CA) or multidimensional scaling (MDS). Solutions resulting from such analyses are sometimes interpreted using external information on the objects. Usually the procedures of CA, MDS and using external information are…

Secondary School Burnout Scale (SSBS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aypay, Ayse

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop "Secondary School Burnout Scale." Study group included 728 students out of 14 schools in four cities in Turkey. Both Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were conducted on the data. A seven-factor solution emerged. The seven factors explained 61% of the total variance. The…

"Library Quarterly," 1956-2004: An Exploratory Bibliometric Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Arthur P.

2006-01-01

"Library Quarterly's" seventy-fifth anniversary invites an analysis of the journal's bibliometric dimension, including contributor attributes, various author rankings, and citation impact. Eugene Garfield's HistCite software, linked to Thomson Scientific's Web of Science, as made available by Garfield, for the period 1956-2004, was used as the…

Economic analysis of temperature reduction in a large river floodplain: An exploratory study of the WIllamette River, Oregon

EPA Science Inventory

This paper examines ecosystem restoration practices that focus on water temperature reductions in the upper mainstem Willamette River, Oregon, for the benefit of endangered salmonids and other native cold-water species. The analysis integrates hydrologic, natural science and eco...

Development of Questionnaire on Emotional Labor among Primary and Secondary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Yanling; Zhang, Dajun

2015-01-01

In this study, based on the analysis of existing definitions of emotional labor, operational definition of teachers' emotional labor is given and questionnaire on emotional labor among primary and secondary school teachers is developed. Research results: exploratory factor analysis shows that teacher's emotional labor involves three dimensions…

Outdoor Leader Career Development: Exploration of a Career Path

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagstaff, Mark

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of the proposed Outdoor Leader Career Development Model (OLCDM) through the development of the Outdoor Leader Career Development Inventory (OLCDI). I assessed the reliability and validity of the OLCDI through exploratory factor analysis, principal component analysis, and varimax rotation, based…

Enhancing Listening with Captions and Transcripts: Exploring Learner Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danan, Martine

2016-01-01

Through an analysis of students' reactions to transcription exercises, this exploratory study examined some of the differences between two forms of written help enhancing listening passages--second language (L2) captions and transcripts. This primarily qualitative analysis highlighted the role that student proficiency levels may have played in…

Teaching Visual Texts with the Multimodal Analysis Software

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim Fei, Victor; O'Halloran, Kay L.; Tan, Sabine; E., Marissa K. L.

2015-01-01

This exploratory study introduces the systemic approach and the explicit teaching of a meta-language to provide conceptual tools for students for the analysis and interpretation of multimodal texts. Equipping students with a set of specialised vocabulary with conventionalised meanings associated with specific choices in multimodal texts empowers…

The Concerns about Counseling Racial Minority Clients Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Meifen; Chao, Ruth Chu-Lien; Tsai, Pei-Chun; Botello-Zamarron, Raquel

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Concerns about Counseling Racial Minority Clients (CCRMC) scale among counselor trainees. Sample 1 was used for an exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Four factors were identified, Managing Cultural Differences ([alpha] = 0.82), Offending or Hurting Clients…

Factor Analysis by Generalized Least Squares.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joreskog, Karl G.; Goldberger, Arthur S.

Aitkin's generalized least squares (GLS) principle, with the inverse of the observed variance-covariance matrix as a weight matrix, is applied to estimate the factor analysis model in the exploratory (unrestricted) case. It is shown that the GLS estimates are scale free and asymptotically efficient. The estimates are computed by a rapidly…

Psychometric Properties of the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baloglu, Mustafa; Zelhart, Paul F.

2007-01-01

An exploratory factor analysis and several confirmatory analyses were performed to evaluate the factorial structure of the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (RMARS) through the responses of 805 college students. On 559 students' scores, the instrument's construct validity was tested through a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and was found…

Scale Development: Perceived Barriers to Public Use of School Recreational Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spengler, John O.; Ko, Yong Jae; Connaughton, Daniel P.

2012-01-01

Objectives: To test an original scale assessing perceived barriers among school administrators to allowing community use of school recreational facilities outside of regular school hours. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results: Using EFA and CFA, we found that a model including factors of…

Prevalence of Evaluation Method Courses in Education Leader Doctoral Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepperson, Tara L.

2013-01-01

This exploratory study investigated the prevalence of single evaluation methods courses in doctoral education leadership programs. Analysis of websites of 132 leading U.S. university programs found 62 evaluation methods courses in 54 programs. Content analysis of 49 course catalog descriptions resulted in five categories: survey, planning and…

The Student Perception of Faculty Scale: Development, Testing and Practical Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, Thomas S.

2017-01-01

This study involved a sample group of students residing in residential halls at a state university in a qualitative and quantitative analysis to measure their perceptions of the university's faculty. Exploratory, then confirmatory, factor analysis revealed a 3-factor model representing teaching faculty: a negative, emotionally challenging…

Exploratory Factor Analysis of Reading, Spelling, and Math Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Rebecca; Pan, Xingyu; Courville, Troy; Bray, Melissa A.; Breaux, Kristina; Avitia, Maria; Choi, Dowon

2017-01-01

Norm-referenced error analysis is useful for understanding individual differences in students' academic skill development and for identifying areas of skill strength and weakness. The purpose of the present study was to identify underlying connections between error categories across five language and math subtests of the Kaufman Test of…

Development of Taiwan Undergraduates' Volunteer Service Motivation Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ho-Tang, Wu; Chin-Tang, Tu; Mei-Ju, Chou; Jing-Fang, Hou; Meng-Shan, Lei

2016-01-01

This study aims to develop Taiwan undergraduates' volunteer service motivation scale. To begin with, item pool was proposed on the basis of literature. After discussing with three Taiwan undergraduates, item pool, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (N = 150) was proceeded, where three tests were conducted EFA: 1. Item analysis: comparisons of…

Gene expression factor analysis to differentiate pathways linked to fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression in a diverse patient sample

PubMed Central

Iacob, Eli; Light, Alan R.; Donaldson, Gary W.; Okifuji, Akiko; Hughen, Ronald W.; White, Andrea T.; Light, Kathleen C.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine if independent candidate genes can be grouped into meaningful biological factors and if these factors are associated with the diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FMS) while controlling for co-morbid depression, sex, and age. Methods We included leukocyte mRNA gene expression from a total of 261 individuals including healthy controls (n=61), patients with FMS only (n=15), CFS only (n=33), co-morbid CFS and FMS (n=79), and medication-resistant (n=42) or medication-responsive (n=31) depression. We used Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) on 34 candidate genes to determine factor scores and regression analysis to examine if these factors were associated with specific diagnoses. Results EFA resulted in four independent factors with minimal overlap of genes between factors explaining 51% of the variance. We labeled these factors by function as: 1) Purinergic and cellular modulators; 2) Neuronal growth and immune function; 3) Nociception and stress mediators; 4) Energy and mitochondrial function. Regression analysis predicting these biological factors using FMS, CFS, depression severity, age, and sex revealed that greater expression in Factors 1 and 3 was positively associated with CFS and negatively associated with depression severity (QIDS score), but not associated with FMS. Conclusion Expression of candidate genes can be grouped into meaningful clusters, and CFS and depression are associated with the same 2 clusters but in opposite directions when controlling for co-morbid FMS. Given high co-morbid disease and interrelationships between biomarkers, EFA may help determine patient subgroups in this population based on gene expression. PMID:26097208

State Policy Climates for College Student Success: An Analysis of State Policy Documents Pertaining to College Persistence and Completion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLendon, Michael K.; Tuchmayer, Jeremy B.; Park, Toby J.

2010-01-01

This article reports the findings of an exploratory analysis of state policy climates for college student persistence and completion. We performed an analysis of more than 100 documents collected from 8 states chosen largely on the basis of their performance on past "Measuring Up" reports. Our analysis of governors' state-of-the-state…

Four factors underlying mouse behavior in an open field

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Shoji; Young, Jared W.; Halberstadt, Adam L.; Masten, Virginia L.; Geyer, Mark A.

2012-01-01

The observation of the locomotor and exploratory behaviors of rodents in an open field is one of the most fundamental methods used in the field of behavioral pharmacology. A variety of behaviors can be recorded automatically and can readily generate a multivariate pattern of pharmacological effects. Nevertheless, the optimal ways to characterize observed behaviors and concomitant drug effects are still under development. The aim of this study was to extract meaningful behavioral factors that could explain variations in the observed variables from mouse exploration. Behavioral data were recorded from male C57BL/6J mice (n = 268) using the Behavioral Pattern Monitor (BPM). The BPM data were subjected to the exploratory factor analysis. The factor analysis extracted four factors: activity, sequential organization, diversive exploration, and inspective exploration. The activity factor and the two types of exploration factors correlated positively with one another, while the sequential organization factor negatively correlated with the remaining factors. The extracted factor structure constitutes a behavioral model of mouse exploration. This model will provide a platform on which one can assess the effects of psychoactive drugs and genetic manipulations on mouse exploratory behavior. Further studies are currently underway to examine the factor structure of similar multivariate data sets from humans tested in a human BPM. PMID:22569582

An exploratory analysis of Indiana and Illinois biotic ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA recognizes the importance of nutrient criteria in protecting designated uses from eutrophication effects associated with elevated phosphorus and nitrogen in streams and has worked with states over the past 12 years to assist them in developing nutrient criteria. Towards that end, EPA has provided states and tribes with technical guidance to assess nutrient impacts and to develop criteria. EPA published recommendations in 2000 on scientifically defensible empirical approaches for setting numeric criteria. EPA also published eco-regional criteria recommendations in 2000-2001 based on a frequency distribution approach meant to approximate reference condition concentrations. In 2010, EPA elaborated on one of these empirical approaches (i.e., stressor-response relationships) for developing nutrient criteria. The purpose of this report was to conduct exploratory analyses of state datasets from Illinois and Indiana to determine threshold values for nutrients and chlorophyll a that could guide Indiana and Illinois criteria development. Box and whisker plots were used to compare nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations between Illinois and Indiana. Stressor response analyses, using piece-wise linear regression and change-point analysis (Illinois only) were conducted to determine thresholds of change in relationships between nutrients and biotic assemblages. Impact stmt: The purpose of this report was to conduct exploratory analyses of state datasets from Illinois

Four factors underlying mouse behavior in an open field.

PubMed

Tanaka, Shoji; Young, Jared W; Halberstadt, Adam L; Masten, Virginia L; Geyer, Mark A

2012-07-15

The observation of the locomotor and exploratory behaviors of rodents in an open field is one of the most fundamental methods used in the field of behavioral pharmacology. A variety of behaviors can be recorded automatically and can readily generate a multivariate pattern of pharmacological effects. Nevertheless, the optimal ways to characterize observed behaviors and concomitant drug effects are still under development. The aim of this study was to extract meaningful behavioral factors that could explain variations in the observed variables from mouse exploration. Behavioral data were recorded from male C57BL/6J mice (n=268) using the Behavioral Pattern Monitor (BPM). The BPM data were subjected to the exploratory factor analysis. The factor analysis extracted four factors: activity, sequential organization, diversive exploration, and inspective exploration. The activity factor and the two types of exploration factors correlated positively with one another, while the sequential organization factor negatively correlated with the remaining factors. The extracted factor structure constitutes a behavioral model of mouse exploration. This model will provide a platform on which one can assess the effects of psychoactive drugs and genetic manipulations on mouse exploratory behavior. Further studies are currently underway to examine the factor structure of similar multivariate data sets from humans tested in a human BPM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a modified 16-item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS): Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

PubMed

Yu, Tzu-Chieh; Jowsey, Tanisha; Henning, Marcus

2018-04-18

The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was developed to assess undergraduate readiness for engaging in interprofessional education (IPE). It has become an accepted and commonly used instrument. To determine utility of a modified 16-item RIPLS instrument, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Data used were collected from a pre- and post-intervention study involving 360 New Zealand undergraduate students from one university. Just over half of the participants were enrolled in medicine (51%) while the remainder were in pharmacy (27%) and nursing (22%). The intervention was a two-day simulation-based IPE course focused on managing unplanned acute medical problems in hospital wards ("ward calls"). Immediately prior to the course, 288 RIPLS were collected and immediately afterwards, 322 (response rates 80% and 89%, respectively). Exploratory factor analysis involving principal axis factoring with an oblique rotation method was conducted using pre-course data. The scree plot suggested a three-factor solution over two- and four-factor solutions. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis performed using post-course data demonstrated partial goodness-of-fit for this suggested three-factor model. Based on these findings, further robust psychometric testing of the RIPLS or modified versions of it is recommended before embarking on its use in evaluative research in various healthcare education settings.

Autocrine CCL2, CXCL4, CXCL9 and CXCL10 signal in retinal endothelial cells and are enhanced in diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Nawaz, M I; Van Raemdonck, K; Mohammad, G; Kangave, D; Van Damme, J; Abu El-Asrar, A M; Struyf, S

2013-04-01

This study aimed at examining the presence and role of chemokines (angiogenic CCL2/MCP-1 and angiostatic CXCL4/PF-4, CXCL9/Mig, CXCL10/IP-10) in proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Regulated chemokine production in human retinal microvascular cells (HRMEC) and chemokine levels in vitreous samples from 40 PDR and 29 non-diabetic patients were analyzed. MCP-1, PF-4, Mig, IP-10 and VEGF levels in vitreous fluid from PDR patients were significantly higher than in controls. Except for IP-10, cytokine levels were significantly higher in PDR with active neovascularization and PDR without traction retinal detachment (TRD) than those in inactive PDR, PDR with TRD and control subjects. Exploratory regression analysis identified associations between higher levels of IP-10 and inactive PDR and PDR with TRD. VEGF levels correlated positively with MCP-1 and IP-10. Significant positive correlations were observed between MCP-1 and IP-10 levels. In line with these clinical findings Western blot analysis revealed increased PF-4 expression in diabetic rat retinas. HRMEC produced MCP-1, Mig and IP-10 after stimulation with IFN-γ, IL-1β or lipopolysaccharide. IFN-γ synergistically enhanced Mig and IP-10 production in response to IL-1β or lipopolysaccharide. MCP-1 was produced by HRMEC in response to VEGF treatment and activated HRMEC via the ERK and Akt/PKB pathway. On the other hand, phosphorylation of ERK induced by VEGF and MCP-1 was inhibited by PF-4, Mig and IP-10. In accordance with inhibition of angiogenic signal transduction pathways, PF-4 inhibited in vitro migration of HRMEC. Thus, regulatory roles for chemokines in PDR were demonstrated. In particular, IP-10 might be associated with the resolution of active PDR and the development of TRD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global Metabolomic Profiling Reveals an Association of Metal Fume Exposure and Plasma Unsaturated Fatty Acids

PubMed Central

Chang, Chiung-yu; Fan, Tianteng; Su, Li; Chen, Feng; Christiani, David C.

2013-01-01

Background Welding-associated air pollutants negatively affect the health of exposed workers; however, their molecular mechanisms in causing disease remain largely unclear. Few studies have systematically investigated the systemic toxic effects of welding fumes on humans. Objectives To explore the effects of welding fumes on the plasma metabolome, and to identify biomarkers for risk assessment of welding fume exposure. Methods The two-stage, self-controlled exploratory study included 11 boilermakers from a 2011 discovery panel and 8 boilermakers from a 2012 validation panel. Plasma samples were collected pre- and post-welding fume exposure and analyzed by chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results Eicosapentaenoic or docosapentaenoic acid metabolic changes post-welding were significantly associated with particulate (PM2.5) exposure (p<0.05). The combined analysis by linear mixed-effects model showed that exposure was associated with a statistically significant decline in metabolite change of eicosapentaenoic acid [(95% CI) = −0.013(−0.022∼−0.004); p = 0.005], docosapentaenoic acid n3 [(95% CI) = −0.010(−0.018∼−0.002); p = 0.017], and docosapentaenoic acid n6 [(95% CI) = −0.007(−0.013∼−0.001); p = 0.021]. Pathway analysis identified an association of the unsaturated fatty acid pathway with exposure (p Study−2011 = 0.025; p Study−2012 = 0.021; p Combined = 0.009). The functional network built by these fatty acids and their interactive genes contained significant enrichment of genes associated with various diseases, including neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, and lipid metabolism disorders. Conclusions High-dose exposure of metal welding fumes decreases unsaturated fatty acids with an exposure-response relationship. This alteration in fatty acids is a potential biological mediator and biomarker for exposure-related health disorders. PMID:24143234

Whole-transcriptome brain expression and exon-usage profiling in major depression and suicide: evidence for altered glial, endothelial and ATPase activity

PubMed Central

Pantazatos, Spiro P.; Huang, Yung-yu; Rosoklija, Gorazd B.; Dwork, Andrew J.; Arango, Victoria; Mann, J. John

2016-01-01

Brain gene expression profiling studies of suicide and depression using oligonucleotide microarrays have often failed to distinguish these two phenotypes. Moreover, next generation sequencing (NGS) approaches are more accurate in quantifying gene expression and can detect alternative splicing. Using RNA-seq, we examined whole-exome gene and exon expression in non-psychiatric controls (CON, N=29), DSM-IV major depressive disorder suicides (MDD-S, N=21) and MDD non-suicides (MDD, N=9) in dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 9) of sudden-death medication-free individuals postmortem. Using small RNA-seq, we also examined miRNA expression (9 samples per group). DeSeq2 identified thirty-five genes differentially expressed between groups and surviving adjustment for false discovery rate (adjusted p<0.1). In depression, altered genes include humanin like-8 (MTRNRL8), interleukin-8 (IL8), and serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade H (SERPINH1) and chemokine ligand 4 (CCL4), while exploratory gene ontology (GO) analyses revealed lower expression of immune-related pathways such as chemokine receptor activity, chemotaxis and cytokine biosynthesis, and angiogenesis and vascular development in (adjusted p<0.1). Hypothesis-driven GO analysis suggests lower expression of genes involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation, regulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission, and oxytocin receptor expression in both suicide and depression, and provisional evidence for altered DNA-dependent ATPase expression in suicide only. DEXSEq analysis identified differential exon usage in ATPase, class II, type 9B (adjusted p<0.1) in depression. Differences in miRNA expression or structural gene variants were not detected. Results lend further support for models in which deficits in microglial, endothelial (blood-brain barrier), ATPase activity and astrocytic cell functions contribute to MDD and suicide, and identify putative pathways and mechanisms for further study in these disorders. PMID:27528462

Whole-transcriptome brain expression and exon-usage profiling in major depression and suicide: evidence for altered glial, endothelial and ATPase activity.

PubMed

Pantazatos, S P; Huang, Y-Y; Rosoklija, G B; Dwork, A J; Arango, V; Mann, J J

2017-05-01

Brain gene expression profiling studies of suicide and depression using oligonucleotide microarrays have often failed to distinguish these two phenotypes. Moreover, next generation sequencing approaches are more accurate in quantifying gene expression and can detect alternative splicing. Using RNA-seq, we examined whole-exome gene and exon expression in non-psychiatric controls (CON, N=29), DSM-IV major depressive disorder suicides (MDD-S, N=21) and MDD non-suicides (MDD, N=9) in the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann Area 9) of sudden death medication-free individuals post mortem. Using small RNA-seq, we also examined miRNA expression (nine samples per group). DeSeq2 identified 35 genes differentially expressed between groups and surviving adjustment for false discovery rate (adjusted P<0.1). In depression, altered genes include humanin-like-8 (MTRNRL8), interleukin-8 (IL8), and serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade H (SERPINH1) and chemokine ligand 4 (CCL4), while exploratory gene ontology (GO) analyses revealed lower expression of immune-related pathways such as chemokine receptor activity, chemotaxis and cytokine biosynthesis, and angiogenesis and vascular development in (adjusted P<0.1). Hypothesis-driven GO analysis suggests lower expression of genes involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation, regulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission, and oxytocin receptor expression in both suicide and depression, and provisional evidence for altered DNA-dependent ATPase expression in suicide only. DEXSEq analysis identified differential exon usage in ATPase, class II, type 9B (adjusted P<0.1) in depression. Differences in miRNA expression or structural gene variants were not detected. Results lend further support for models in which deficits in microglial, endothelial (blood-brain barrier), ATPase activity and astrocytic cell functions contribute to MDD and suicide, and identify putative pathways and mechanisms for further study in these disorders.

Mental imagery during daily life: Psychometric evaluation of the Spontaneous Use of Imagery Scale (SUIS)

PubMed Central

Nelis, Sabine; Holmes, Emily A.; Griffith, James W.; Raes, Filip

2015-01-01

The Spontaneous Use of Imagery Scale (SUIS) is used to measure the tendency to use visual mental imagery in daily life. Its psychometric properties were evaluated in three independent samples (total N = 1297). We evaluated the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the questionnaire. We also examined the structure of the items using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Moreover, correlations with other imagery questionnaires provided evidence about convergent validity. The SUIS had acceptable reliability and convergent validity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that a unidimensional structure fit the data, suggesting that the SUIS indeed measures a general use of mental imagery in daily life. Future research can further investigate and improve the psychometric properties of the SUIS. Moreover, the SUIS could be useful to determine how imagery relates to e.g. psychopathology. PMID:26290615

HIV infection returning to Mexico with migrant workers: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Sowell, Richard L; Holtz, Carol S; Velasquez, Gabriela

2008-01-01

Men migrating to the United States are at high risk of acquiring HIV and spreading it to their wives and children in Mexico. Yet there is limited understanding of this phenomenon from the perspective of these men and their wives. This exploratory study used face-to-face interviews to gain insight into factors influencing the increased risk of Mexican men migrating to the United States for contracting HIV as well as the consequences of their infections on returning to Mexico. Transcripts from audiotaped interviews provided the data for analysis. Thematic analysis revealed two overall categories and six interrelated themes. Categories were HIV Risk and Living with HIV. Study themes included social isolation, lack of knowledge/denial, machismo, powerlessness, and making the best of it. Results provide new insight into the spread of HIV in rural Mexico.

Exploratory factor analysis of borderline personality disorder criteria in monolingual Hispanic outpatients with substance use disorders†

PubMed Central

Becker, Daniel F.; Añez, Luis Miguel; Paris, Manuel; Grilo, Carlos M.

2009-01-01

This study examined the factor structure of the DSM-IV criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) in Hispanic patients. Subjects were 130 monolingual Hispanic adults who had been admitted to a specialty outpatient clinic that provides psychiatric and substance abuse services to Spanish-speaking individuals. All were reliably assessed with the Spanish-Language Version of the Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders. After evaluating internal consistency of the BPD criterion set, an exploratory factor analysis was performed using principal axis factoring. Results suggested a unidimensional structure, and were consistent with similar studies of the DSM-IV criteria for BPD in non-Hispanic samples. These findings have implications for understanding borderline psychopathology in this population, and for the overall validity of the DSM-IV BPD construct. PMID:20472296

[Changing the focus: an exploratory study of drug use and workplace violence among women of popular classes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

PubMed

David, Helena Maria Scherlowski Leal; Caufield, Catherine

2005-01-01

This exploratory study aimed to investigate factors related to the use of illicit and licit drugs and workplace violence in a group of women from popular classes in the city of Rio de Janeiro. We used a descriptive and analytic quantitative approach was used, as well as a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with women who suffered or were suffering workplace violence, using the collective subject discourse analysis methodology. The results showed sociodemographic and work situations that can be considered as possible risk factors for drug consumption and workplace violence. The qualitative analysis shows how this group perceives the phenomena of drug use and workplace violence, expanding the comprehension about these issues and providing conceptual and methodological elements for additional studies on this subject.

Adaptation of a paradigm for examining the development of fear beliefs through the verbal information pathway in preschool-age children.

PubMed

Rifkin, Lara S; Schofield, Casey A; Beard, Courtney; Armstrong, Thomas

2016-12-01

Verbal threat information has been shown to induce fear beliefs in school-age children (i.e. 6-12 years; for a review see Muris & Field, 2010). The current study adapted an existing paradigm (Field & Lawson, 2003) to examine the impact of verbal threat information on self-report and behavioral measures of fear in preschool-age children. Thirty children (aged 3-5) were provided with threat, positive, or no information about three novel Australian marsupials. There was a significant increase in fear belief for the animal associated with threat information compared to the animal associated with positive or no information. Verbal threat information did not impact behavioral avoidance in the complete sample; however, findings from an exploratory subgroup analysis excluding three-year-olds indicated that children demonstrated significant behavioral avoidance for the threat condition compared to the positive condition. These findings provide additional support for Rachman's theory of fear acquisition (1977, 1991) and suggest this paradigm may be used to examine the age at which verbal threat information becomes a relevant mode of fear acquisition for young children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anxiety Outcomes after Physical Activity Interventions: Meta-Analysis Findings

PubMed Central

Conn, Vicki S.

2011-01-01

Background Although numerous primary studies have documented the mental health benefits of physical activity (PA), no previous quantitative synthesis has examined anxiety outcomes of interventions to increase PA. Objectives This meta-analysis integrates extant research about anxiety outcomes from interventions to increase PA among healthy adults. Method Extensive literature searching located published and unpublished PA intervention studies with anxiety outcomes. Eligible studies reported findings from interventions designed to increase PA delivered to healthy adults without anxiety disorders. Data were coded from primary studies. Random-effects meta-analytic procedures were completed. Exploratory moderator analyses using meta-analysis ANOVA and regression analogues were conducted to determine if report, methods, sample, or intervention characteristics were associated with differences in anxiety outcomes. Results Data were synthesized across 3,289 subjects from 19 eligible reports. The overall mean anxiety effect size (d-index) for two-group comparisons was 0.22 with significant heterogeneity (Q = 32.15). Exploratory moderator analyses found larger anxiety improvement effect sizes among studies that included larger samples, used random allocation of subjects to treatment and control conditions, targeted only PA behavior instead of multiple health behaviors, included supervised exercise (vs. home-based PA), used moderate or high-intensity instead of low-intensity PA, and suggested subjects exercise at a fitness facility (vs. home) following interventions. Discussion These findings document that some interventions can decrease anxiety symptoms among healthy adults. Exploratory moderator analyses suggest possible directions for future primary research to compare interventions in randomized trials to confirm causal relationships. PMID:20410849

The Emergence of Inclusive Exploratory Talk in Primary Students' Peer Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajala, Antti; Hilppo, Jaakko; Lipponen, Lasse

2012-01-01

In this study, we examine a prominent type of classroom talk, exploratory talk, in primary school peer interactions. Exploratory talk has been shown to be productive in facilitating problem solving and fostering school achievement. However, within the growing body of research concerning exploratory talk, the relation between exploratory talk and…

An economic and financial exploratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cincotti, S.; Sornette, D.; Treleaven, P.; Battiston, S.; Caldarelli, G.; Hommes, C.; Kirman, A.

2012-11-01

This paper describes the vision of a European Exploratory for economics and finance using an interdisciplinary consortium of economists, natural scientists, computer scientists and engineers, who will combine their expertise to address the enormous challenges of the 21st century. This Academic Public facility is intended for economic modelling, investigating all aspects of risk and stability, improving financial technology, and evaluating proposed regulatory and taxation changes. The European Exploratory for economics and finance will be constituted as a network of infrastructure, observatories, data repositories, services and facilities and will foster the creation of a new cross-disciplinary research community of social scientists, complexity scientists and computing (ICT) scientists to collaborate in investigating major issues in economics and finance. It is also considered a cradle for training and collaboration with the private sector to spur spin-offs and job creations in Europe in the finance and economic sectors. The Exploratory will allow Social Scientists and Regulators as well as Policy Makers and the private sector to conduct realistic investigations with real economic, financial and social data. The Exploratory will (i) continuously monitor and evaluate the status of the economies of countries in their various components, (ii) use, extend and develop a large variety of methods including data mining, process mining, computational and artificial intelligence and every other computer and complex science techniques coupled with economic theory and econometric, and (iii) provide the framework and infrastructure to perform what-if analysis, scenario evaluations and computational, laboratory, field and web experiments to inform decision makers and help develop innovative policy, market and regulation designs.

Identifying Items to Assess Methodological Quality in Physical Therapy Trials: A Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Cummings, Greta G.; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-01-01

Background Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. Objective The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Design A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Methods Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Results Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Limitation Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. Conclusions To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. PMID:24786942

Identifying items to assess methodological quality in physical therapy trials: a factor analysis.

PubMed

Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Cummings, Greta G; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-09-01

Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

Factor analysis methods and validity evidence: A systematic review of instrument development across the continuum of medical education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetzel, Angela Payne

Previous systematic reviews indicate a lack of reporting of reliability and validity evidence in subsets of the medical education literature. Psychology and general education reviews of factor analysis also indicate gaps between current and best practices; yet, a comprehensive review of exploratory factor analysis in instrument development across the continuum of medical education had not been previously identified. Therefore, the purpose for this study was critical review of instrument development articles employing exploratory factor or principal component analysis published in medical education (2006--2010) to describe and assess the reporting of methods and validity evidence based on the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing and factor analysis best practices. Data extraction of 64 articles measuring a variety of constructs that have been published throughout the peer-reviewed medical education literature indicate significant errors in the translation of exploratory factor analysis best practices to current practice. Further, techniques for establishing validity evidence tend to derive from a limited scope of methods including reliability statistics to support internal structure and support for test content. Instruments reviewed for this study lacked supporting evidence based on relationships with other variables and response process, and evidence based on consequences of testing was not evident. Findings suggest a need for further professional development within the medical education researcher community related to (1) appropriate factor analysis methodology and reporting and (2) the importance of pursuing multiple sources of reliability and validity evidence to construct a well-supported argument for the inferences made from the instrument. Medical education researchers and educators should be cautious in adopting instruments from the literature and carefully review available evidence. Finally, editors and reviewers are encouraged to recognize this gap in best practices and subsequently to promote instrument development research that is more consistent through the peer-review process.

Validation of the Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-28) on a Sample of At-Risk New Zealand Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Jackie; Munford, Robyn; Thimasarn-Anwar, Tewaporn; Liebenberg, Linda

2017-01-01

Purpose: This article reports on an examination of the psychometric properties of the 28-item Child and Youth Resilience Measure (CYRM-28). Methods: Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's a, "t"-tests, correlations, and multivariate analysis of variance were applied to data collected via interviews from 593…

The Impact of Boarding on Campus on the Social-Emotional Competence of Left-Behind Children in Rural Western China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Shutao; Dong, Xuan; Mao, Yaqing

2017-01-01

This study aimed to determine if boarding on campus benefited left-behind children's social-emotional competence (SEC). We developed a SEC scale for the Chinese context and culture using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis. Data were collected from 6638 school-aged children from 74 rural boarding…

An exploration of the structure of mentors' behavior in nursing education using exploratory factor analysis and Mokken scale analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Yanhua; Watson, Roger; Hilton, Andrea

2016-05-01

To understand nursing students' expectation from their mentors and assess mentors' performance, a scale of mentors' behavior was developed based on literature review and focus group in China. This study aims to explore the structure of mentors' behavior. A cross-sectional survey. Data were collected from nursing students in three hospitals in southwest China in 2014. A total of 669 pre-registered nursing students in their final year clinical learning participated in this study. Exploratory factor analysis and Mokken scale analysis was employed to explore the structure and hierarchical property of mentors' behavior. Three dimensions (professional development, facilitating learning and psychosocial support) were identified by factor analysis and confirmed by Mokken scaling analysis. The three sub-scales showed internal consistency reliability from 87% to 91%, and moderate to strong precision in ordering students' expectation about mentors' behavior and a small Mokken scale showing hierarchy was identified. Some insight into the structure of mentoring in nursing education has been obtained and a scale which could be used in the study of mentoring and in the preparation of mentors has been developed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Situ Distribution Guided Analysis and Visualization of Transonic Jet Engine Simulations.

PubMed

Dutta, Soumya; Chen, Chun-Ming; Heinlein, Gregory; Shen, Han-Wei; Chen, Jen-Ping

2017-01-01

Study of flow instability in turbine engine compressors is crucial to understand the inception and evolution of engine stall. Aerodynamics experts have been working on detecting the early signs of stall in order to devise novel stall suppression technologies. A state-of-the-art Navier-Stokes based, time-accurate computational fluid dynamics simulator, TURBO, has been developed in NASA to enhance the understanding of flow phenomena undergoing rotating stall. Despite the proven high modeling accuracy of TURBO, the excessive simulation data prohibits post-hoc analysis in both storage and I/O time. To address these issues and allow the expert to perform scalable stall analysis, we have designed an in situ distribution guided stall analysis technique. Our method summarizes statistics of important properties of the simulation data in situ using a probabilistic data modeling scheme. This data summarization enables statistical anomaly detection for flow instability in post analysis, which reveals the spatiotemporal trends of rotating stall for the expert to conceive new hypotheses. Furthermore, the verification of the hypotheses and exploratory visualization using the summarized data are realized using probabilistic visualization techniques such as uncertain isocontouring. Positive feedback from the domain scientist has indicated the efficacy of our system in exploratory stall analysis.

Factor Analysis of the Brazilian Version of UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale.

PubMed

Sediyama, Cristina Y N; Moura, Ricardo; Garcia, Marina S; da Silva, Antonio G; Soraggi, Carolina; Neves, Fernando S; Albuquerque, Maicon R; Whiteside, Setephen P; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F

2017-01-01

Objective: To examine the internal consistency and factor structure of the Brazilian adaptation of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Methods: UPPS is a self-report scale composed by 40 items assessing four factors of impulsivity: (a) urgency, (b) lack of premeditation; (c) lack of perseverance; (d) sensation seeking. In the present study 384 participants (278 women and 106 men), who were recruited from schools, universities, leisure centers and workplaces fulfilled the UPPS scale. An exploratory factor analysis was performed by using Varimax factor rotation and Kaiser Normalization, and we also conducted two confirmatory analyses to test the independency of the UPPS components found in previous analysis. Results: Results showed a decrease in mean UPPS total scores with age and this analysis showed that the youngest participants (below 30 years) scored significantly higher than the other groups over 30 years. No difference in gender was found. Cronbach's alpha, results indicated satisfactory values for all subscales, with similar high values for the subscales and confirmatory factor analysis indexes also indicated a poor model fit. The results of two exploratory factor analysis were satisfactory. Conclusion: Our results showed that the Portuguese version has the same four-factor structure of the original and previous translations of the UPPS.

To Explore the Experiences of Women on Reasons in Initiating and Maintaining Breastfeeding in Urban Area of Karachi, Pakistan: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Shaheen Premani, Zahra; Kurji, Zohra; Mithani, Yasmin

2011-01-01

This is an exploratory study that explores the experiences of lactating women in initiating, continuing, or discontinuing breastfeeding in an urban area of Karachi, Pakistan. Objectives. To explore the experiences of lactating women and to understand their support and hindering mechanisms in initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. Methods. This is an exploratory design assisting in exploring the participant's experiences of initiating and maintaining breastfeeding to better understand their world. Purposive sampling was used, and data was analyzed through manual thematic analysis. Results. The data revealed that mother's knowledge, sociocultural environment, breastfeeding decision, and self- and professional support acted as driving forces for the participants. However, sociocultural environment, physiological changes, time management, and being a housewife to breastfeed their children were all challenges and barriers that the participants thought hindered their breastfeeding initiation and maintenance. Conclusion. Breastfeeding is a natural but taxing phenomenon, and breastfeeding mothers experience supporting and hindering factors in initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. PMID:22389780

[Mediolateral gradient of the nucleus accumbens nitrergic activation during exploratory behavior].

PubMed

Saul'skaia, N B; Sudorgina, P V

2012-04-01

In Sprague-Dawley rats, by means of in vivo microdialysis combined with HPLC analysis it has been shown that an exploratory behavior in a new environment is accompanied by a rise in extracellular levels of citrulline (an NO co-product) in the mediolateral regions of the n. accumbens with the maximum observed in the medial n. accumbens. Infusions of 7-nitroindazole (0.5 mM), a neuronal NO synthase inhibitor, into the medial n. accumbens prevented the exploration-induced rise of extracellular citrulline levels in this area. The second presentation of the same chamber did not produce any significant changes of extracellular citrulline levels in the medial n. accumbens, although there was a tendency of a small increase. The presentation of a familiar chamber did not affect citrulline extracellular levels in this area. The data obtained indicate for the first time that exploratory activity in a new environment is accompanied by the nitrergic activation in the entire n. accumbens with the maximal activation in the medial part of this brain area.

Exploratory of society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cederman, L.-E.; Conte, R.; Helbing, D.; Nowak, A.; Schweitzer, F.; Vespignani, A.

2012-11-01

A huge flow of quantitative social, demographic and behavioral data is becoming available that traces the activities and interactions of individuals, social patterns, transportation infrastructures and travel fluxes. This has caused, together with innovative computational techniques and methods for modeling social actions in hybrid (natural and artificial) societies, a qualitative change in the ways we model socio-technical systems. For the first time, society can be studied in a comprehensive fashion that addresses social and behavioral complexity. In other words we are in the position to envision the development of large data and computational cyber infrastructure defining an exploratory of society that provides quantitative anticipatory, explanatory and scenario analysis capabilities ranging from emerging infectious disease to conflict and crime surges. The goal of the exploratory of society is to provide the basic infrastructure embedding the framework of tools and knowledge needed for the design of forecast/anticipatory/crisis management approaches to socio technical systems, supporting future decision making procedures by accelerating the scientific cycle that goes from data generation to predictions.

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Farrokhi, Farahman; Mahdavi, Ali; Moradi, Samad

2012-01-01

Objective The present study aimed at validating the structure of Career Decision-making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ). Methods Five hundred and eleven undergraduate students took part in this research; from these participants, 63 males and 200 females took part in the first study, and 63 males and 185 females completed the survey for the second study. Results The results of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated strong support for the three-factor structure, consisting of lack of information about the self, inconsistent information, lack of information and lack of readiness factors. A confirmatory factor analysis was run with the second sample using structural equation modeling. As expected, the three-factor solution provided a better fit to the data than the alternative models. Conclusion CDDQ was recommended to be used for college students in this study due to the fact that this instrument measures all three aspects of the model. Future research is needed to learn whether this model would fit other different samples. PMID:22952549

Identification of biomarkers in human head and neck tumor cell lines that predict for in vitro sensitivity to gefitinib.

PubMed

Hickinson, D Mark; Marshall, Gayle B; Beran, Garry J; Varella-Garcia, Marileila; Mills, Elizabeth A; South, Marie C; Cassidy, Andrew M; Acheson, Kerry L; McWalter, Gael; McCormack, Rose M; Bunn, Paul A; French, Tim; Graham, Alex; Holloway, Brian R; Hirsch, Fred R; Speake, Georgina

2009-06-01

Potential biomarkers were identified for in vitro sensitivity to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib in head and neck cancer. Gefitinib sensitivity was determined in cell lines, followed by transcript profiling coupled with a novel pathway analysis approach. Eleven cell lines were highly sensitive to gefitinib (inhibitor concentration required to give 50% growth inhibition [GI(50)] < 1 microM), three had intermediate sensitivity (GI(50) 1-7 microM), and six were resistant (GI(50) > 7 microM); an exploratory principal component analysis revealed a separation between the genomic profiles of sensitive and resistant cell lines. Subsequently, a hypothesis-driven analysis of Affymetrix data (Affymetrix, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA) revealed higher mRNA levels for E-cadherin (CDH1); transforming growth factor, alpha (TGF-alpha); amphiregulin (AREG); FLJ22662; EGFR; p21-activated kinase 6 (PAK6); glutathione S-transferase Pi (GSTP1); and ATP-binding cassette, subfamily C, member 5 (ABCC5) in sensitive versus resistant cell lines. A hypothesis-free analysis identified 46 gene transcripts that were strongly differentiated, seven of which had a known association with EGFR and head and neck cancer (human EGF receptor 3 [HER3], TGF-alpha, CDH1, EGFR, keratin 16 [KRT16], fibroblast growth factor 2 [FGF2], and cortactin [CTTN]). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay analysis confirmed Affymetrix data, and EGFR gene mutation, amplification, and genomic gain correlated strongly with gefitinib sensitivity. We identified biomarkers that predict for in vitro responsiveness to gefitinib, seven of which have known association with EGFR and head and neck cancer. These in vitro predictive biomarkers may have potential utility in the clinic and warrant further investigation.

Exploratory statistical and geographical freight traffic data analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-01

Data from freight traffic roadside surveys in Mexican highways are analyzed in order to find consistent patterns or systematic relationships between variables characterizing this traffic. Patterns traced are validated by contrasting against new data ...

Cross-Validation of Levenson's Psychopathy Scale in a Sample of Federal Female Inmates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brinkley, Chad A.; Diamond, Pamela M.; Magaletta, Philip R.; Heigel, Caron P.

2008-01-01

Levenson, Kiehl, and Fitzpatrick's Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRPS) is evaluated to determine the factor structure and concurrent validity of the instrument among 430 federal female inmates. Confirmatory factor analysis fails to validate the expected 2-factor structure. Subsequent exploratory factor analysis reveals a 3-factor structure…

Improving Alcohol Screening for College Students: Screening for Alcohol Misuse amongst College Students with a Simple Modification to the CAGE Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Purcell; El-Sabawi, Taleed; Cangin, Causenge

2016-01-01

Objective: To improve the CAGE (Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye opener) questionnaire's predictive accuracy in screening college students. Participants: The sample consisted of 219 midwestern university students who self-administered a confidential survey. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, receiver operating…

Callous-Unemotional Traits in a Community Sample of Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Essau, Cecilia A.; Sasagawa, Satoko; Frick, Paul J.

2006-01-01

This study examined the structure, distribution, and correlates of a new measure of self-reported callous-unemotional (CU) traits in 1,443 adolescents (774 boys, 669 girls) between the ages of 13 to 18 years. The Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits was subjected to exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Exploratory…

Effect of the Level of Inquiry on Student Interactions in Chemistry Laboratories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Haozhi; Talanquer, Vicente

2013-01-01

The central goal of our exploratory study was to investigate differences in college chemistry students' interactions during lab experiments with different levels of inquiry. This analysis was approached from three major analytic dimensions: (i) functional analysis; (ii) cognitive processing; and (iii) social processing. According to our results,…

A Genre Analysis of English and Turkish Research Article Introductions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kafes, Hüseyin

2018-01-01

This corpus-based exploratory study investigates the rhetorical organization of research article (RA) introductions in the field of social sciences, using an adapted version of Swales' (1990) framework of move analysis. A corpus of 75 research article introductions in English by American academic writers and in English and Turkish by Turkish…

Technical Analysis of Teacher Responses to the Self-Evaluation Scale-Teacher (SES-T) Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erford, Bradley T.; Lowe, Samantha; Chang, Catherine Y.

2011-01-01

The Self-Evaluation Scale--Teacher version, used to assess teacher perceived self-esteem of students, was analyzed. A unidimensional model emerged from exploratory factor analysis, with cautious acceptance of data fit. Reliability and external aspects of validity were supported by the Self-Evaluation Scale--Teacher data.

Exploring Classroom Interaction with Dynamic Social Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bokhove, Christian

2018-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory project in which technology and dynamic social network analysis (SNA) are used for modelling classroom interaction. SNA focuses on the links between social actors, draws on graphic imagery to reveal and display the patterning of those links, and develops mathematical and computational models to describe and…

Seeking Social Capital and Expertise in a Newly-Formed Research Community: A Co-Author Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forte, Christine E.

2017-01-01

This exploratory study applies social network analysis techniques to existing, publicly available data to understand collaboration patterns within the co-author network of a federally-funded, interdisciplinary research program. The central questions asked: What underlying social capital structures can be determined about a group of researchers…

A Social Judgment Analysis of Information Source Preference Profiles: An Exploratory Study to Empirically Represent Media Selection Patterns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefl-Mabry, Joette

2003-01-01

Describes a study that empirically identified individual preferences profiles to understand information-seeking behavior among professional groups for six selected information sources. Highlights include Social Judgment Analysis; the development of the survey used, a copy of which is appended; hypotheses tested; results of multiple regression…

The Representation of Diversity in Marketing Principles Texts: An Exploratory Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foxman, Ellen; Easterling, Debbie

1999-01-01

Content analysis of portrayals of organizations and individuals in 32 marketing textbooks showed that in many respects their depiction of the actual U.S. workplace was not accurate. Women and people with disabilities were underrepresented; results for ethnic minorities were unclear because of difficulties of identification in print. (SK)

Multivariate Genetic Analysis of Learning and Early Reading Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrne, Brian; Wadsworth, Sally; Boehme, Kristi; Talk, Andrew C.; Coventry, William L.; Olson, Richard K.; Samuelsson, Stefan; Corley, Robin

2013-01-01

The genetic factor structure of a range of learning measures was explored in twin children, recruited in preschool and followed to Grade 2 ("N"?=?2,084). Measures of orthographic learning and word reading were included in the analyses to determine how these patterned with the learning processes. An exploratory factor analysis of the…

Structural Analysis of Correlated Factors: Lessons from the Verbal-Performance Dichotomy of the Wechsler Scales.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macmann, Gregg M.; Barnett, David W.

1994-01-01

Describes exploratory and confirmatory analyses of verbal-performance procedures to illustrate concepts and procedures for analysis of correlated factors. Argues that, based on convergent and discriminant validity criteria, factors should have higher correlations with variables that they purport to measure than with other variables. Discusses…

A Comparative Analysis of Black and Mexican American Residential Segregation in Southwestern Cities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meier, Michael; Feagin, Joe

Discrimination, poverty, and ethnic attachment or choice have been identified as 3 factors that might explain residential segregation. This paper purported: (1) to comparatively document the nature and extent of metropolitan segregation of Mexican Americans and Blacks in the Southwest; (2) to perform an exploratory analysis of the significance of…

The Psychometric Properties of the School Engagement Measure in Adolescents in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yusof, Noradlin; Ang, Rebecca P.; Oei, Tian Po S.

2017-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the school engagement measure (SEM) in Singapore. The sample consisted of 1,027 students from a multi-ethnic Singapore adolescent community. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed that the two-factor solution, namely, (a) Emotional and (b) Cognitive…

Pedagogy and the PC: Trends in the AIS Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badua, Frank

2008-01-01

The author investigated the array of course topics in accounting information systems (AIS), as course syllabi embody. The author (a) used exploratory data analysis to determine the topics that AIS courses most frequently offered and (b) used descriptive statistics and econometric analysis to trace the diversity of course topics through time,…

Measuring Adjustment to College: Construct Validity of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldt, Ronald C.; Graham, Melody; Dew, Dennis

2011-01-01

This study employed confirmatory factor analysis to examine the quality of fit of two measurement models of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (N = 305). Following the observation of poor fit, exploratory factor analysis was used. Results indicated six factors that account for the variance in Student Adaptation to College…

"A Smile I Could Not Explain": Educational Impact of an International Residency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Shari D.; Yi, Charlie; Baker, Blossom B.; Crowley, Eugene; King, Debbie S.; Korinek, Adam W.; Reinsch, N. Lamar

2015-01-01

This article reports a discourse analysis of journals from adult learners during a 1-week residency in Cape Town, South Africa. The theoretical posture is a critical dialogic perspective, making use of a postcolonial understanding of intercultural interactions. The purpose of the study was exploratory. The analysis suggests that demographic…

Toward exploratory analysis of diversity unified across fields of study: an information visualization approach

Treesearch

Tuan Pham; Julia Jones; Ronald Metoyer; Frederick Colwell

2014-01-01

The study of the diversity of multivariate objects shares common characteristics and goals across disciplines, including ecology and organizational management. Nevertheless, subject-matter experts have adopted somewhat separate diversity concepts and analysis techniques, limiting the potential for sharing and comparing across disciplines. Moreover, while large and...

Disability Research in Counseling Psychology Journals: A 20-Year Content Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foley-Nicpon, Megan; Lee, Sharon

2012-01-01

We conducted an exploratory content analysis of disability research in 5 major counseling psychology journals between 1990 and 2010. The goal was to review the counseling psychology literature to better understand the prevalence of disability research, identify research methods most often conducted, and elucidate the types of concerns most…

Automatically visualise and analyse data on pathways using PathVisioRPC from any programming environment.

PubMed

Bohler, Anwesha; Eijssen, Lars M T; van Iersel, Martijn P; Leemans, Christ; Willighagen, Egon L; Kutmon, Martina; Jaillard, Magali; Evelo, Chris T

2015-08-23

Biological pathways are descriptive diagrams of biological processes widely used for functional analysis of differentially expressed genes or proteins. Primary data analysis, such as quality control, normalisation, and statistical analysis, is often performed in scripting languages like R, Perl, and Python. Subsequent pathway analysis is usually performed using dedicated external applications. Workflows involving manual use of multiple environments are time consuming and error prone. Therefore, tools are needed that enable pathway analysis directly within the same scripting languages used for primary data analyses. Existing tools have limited capability in terms of available pathway content, pathway editing and visualisation options, and export file formats. Consequently, making the full-fledged pathway analysis tool PathVisio available from various scripting languages will benefit researchers. We developed PathVisioRPC, an XMLRPC interface for the pathway analysis software PathVisio. PathVisioRPC enables creating and editing biological pathways, visualising data on pathways, performing pathway statistics, and exporting results in several image formats in multiple programming environments. We demonstrate PathVisioRPC functionalities using examples in Python. Subsequently, we analyse a publicly available NCBI GEO gene expression dataset studying tumour bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide in R. The R scripts demonstrate how calls to existing R packages for data processing and calls to PathVisioRPC can directly work together. To further support R users, we have created RPathVisio simplifying the use of PathVisioRPC in this environment. We have also created a pathway module for the microarray data analysis portal ArrayAnalysis.org that calls the PathVisioRPC interface to perform pathway analysis. This module allows users to use PathVisio functionality online without having to download and install the software and exemplifies how the PathVisioRPC interface can be used by data analysis pipelines for functional analysis of processed genomics data. PathVisioRPC enables data visualisation and pathway analysis directly from within various analytical environments used for preliminary analyses. It supports the use of existing pathways from WikiPathways or pathways created using the RPC itself. It also enables automation of tasks performed using PathVisio, making it useful to PathVisio users performing repeated visualisation and analysis tasks. PathVisioRPC is freely available for academic and commercial use at http://projects.bigcat.unimaas.nl/pathvisiorpc.

'Lonely within the mother': An exploratory study of first-time mothers' experiences of loneliness.

PubMed

Lee, Katharine; Vasileiou, Konstantina; Barnett, Julie

2017-08-01

Loneliness is associated with life transitions such as new motherhood, yet there are few studies investigating the issue in this population. Using data from semi-structured interviews and an interpretative phenomenological analysis, this exploratory study sought to understand seven new mothers' experiences of loneliness. Experiences were organised around three themes, reflecting loneliness arising from making unfavourable self-comparisons with perceived mothering 'norms', from reduced social contact and relationships lacking in empathy. Accounts were homogeneous and point to potential solutions to ameliorate loneliness in new mothers; encouraging empathy in new mothers' partners and countering prevalent unrealistic representations of motherhood with more pragmatic accounts.

Researching primary engineering education: UK perspectives, an exploratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Robin; Andrews, Jane

2010-10-01

This paper draws attention to the findings of an exploratory study that critically identified and analysed relevant perceptions of elementary level engineering education within the UK. Utilising an approach based upon grounded theory methodology, 30 participants including teachers, representatives of government bodies and non-profit providers of primary level engineering initiatives were interviewed. Three main concepts were identified during the analysis of findings, each relevant to primary engineering education. These were pedagogic issues, exposure to engineering within the curriculum and children's interest. The paper concludes that the opportunity to make a real difference to children's education by stimulating their engineering imagination suggests this subject area is of particular value.

"We Now Have a Patient and Not a Criminal": An Exploratory Study of Judges and Lawyers' Views on Suicide Attempters and the Law in Ghana.

PubMed

Osafo, Joseph; Akotia, Charity S; Andoh-Arthur, Johnny; Boakye, Kofi E; N-B Quarshie, Emmanuel

2018-05-01

This study explored the views of judges and lawyers of the superior courts of Ghana on the law criminalizing attempted suicide. Qualitative data were collected from 12 experienced legal practitioners of the superior courts (five judges and seven lawyers) using a semi-structured interview schedule. Thematic analysis of the data yielded three main perspectives: In defence of the Law, Advocating a Repeal, and Pro-Health Orientation. Although exploratory, the findings of this study offer cues for stepping up suicide literacy and advocacy programmes toward either a repeal of the law or a reform.

Arc_Mat: a Matlab-based spatial data analysis toolbox

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xingjian; Lesage, James

2010-03-01

This article presents an overview of Arc_Mat, a Matlab-based spatial data analysis software package whose source code has been placed in the public domain. An earlier version of the Arc_Mat toolbox was developed to extract map polygon and database information from ESRI shapefiles and provide high quality mapping in the Matlab software environment. We discuss revisions to the toolbox that: utilize enhanced computing and graphing capabilities of more recent versions of Matlab, restructure the toolbox with object-oriented programming features, and provide more comprehensive functions for spatial data analysis. The Arc_Mat toolbox functionality includes basic choropleth mapping; exploratory spatial data analysis that provides exploratory views of spatial data through various graphs, for example, histogram, Moran scatterplot, three-dimensional scatterplot, density distribution plot, and parallel coordinate plots; and more formal spatial data modeling that draws on the extensive Spatial Econometrics Toolbox functions. A brief review of the design aspects of the revised Arc_Mat is described, and we provide some illustrative examples that highlight representative uses of the toolbox. Finally, we discuss programming with and customizing the Arc_Mat toolbox functionalities.

Measurement of self-evaluative motives: a shopping scenario.

PubMed

Wajda, Theresa A; Kolbe, Richard; Hu, Michael Y; Cui, Annie Peng

2008-08-01

To develop measures of consumers' self-evaluative motives of Self-verification, Self-enhancement, and Self-improvement within the context of a mall shopping environment, an initial set of 49 items was generated by conducting three focus-group sessions. These items were subsequently converted into shopping-dependent motive statements. 250 undergraduate college students responded on a 7-point scale to each statement as these related to the acquisition of recent personal shopping goods. An exploratory factor analysis yielded five factors, accounting for 57.7% of the variance, three of which corresponded to the Self-verification motive (five items), Self-enhancement motive (three items), and Self-improvement motive (six items). These 14 items, along with 9 reconstructed items, yielded 23 items retained and subjected to additional testing. In a final round of data collection, 169 college students provided data for exploratory factor analysis. 11 items were used in confirmatory factor analysis. Analysis indicated that the 11-item scale adequately captured measures of the three self-evaluative motives. However, further data reduction produced a 9-item scale with marked improvement in statistical fit over the 11-item scale.

[Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version Scale of the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher Evaluation Scale (CLES+T)].

PubMed

Kim, Sun Hee; Yoo, So Yeon; Kim, Yae Young

2018-02-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the clinical learning environment, supervision and nurse teacher evaluation scale (CLES+T) that measures the clinical learning environment and the conditions associated with supervision and nurse teachers. The English CLES+T was translated into Korean with forward and back translation. Survey data were collected from 434 nursing students who had more than four days of clinical practice in Korean hospitals. Internal consistency reliability and construct validity using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis were conducted. SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 22.0 programs were used for data analysis. The exploratory factor analysis revealed seven factors for the thirty three-item scale. Confirmatory factor analysis supported good convergent and discriminant validities. The Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was .94 and for the seven subscales ranged from .78 to .94. The findings suggest that the 33-items Korean CLES+T is an appropriate instrument to measure Korean nursing students'clinical learning environment with good validity and reliability. © 2018 Korean Society of Nursing Science.

Psychometric Properties of Creative Self-Efficacy Inventory Among Distinguished Students in Saudi Arabian Universities.

PubMed

Alotaibi, Khaled N

2016-06-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of Abbott's Creative Self-Efficacy inventory. Saudi honors students (157 men vs. 163 women) participated. These students are undergraduates (M age = 19.5 year, SD = 1.9) who complete 30 credit hours with a grade point average of no less than 4.5 out of 5. The results showed that the internal consistency (α = .87) and the test-retest reliabilities (r = .73) were satisfactory. The study sample was separated into two subsamples. The data from the first subsample (n = 60) were used to conduct an exploratory factor analysis, whereas the data from the second subsample (n = 260) were used to perform a confirmatory factor analysis. The results of exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis indicated that creative self-efficacy was not a unidimensional construct but consisted of two factors labeled "creative thinking self-efficacy" and "creative performance self-efficacy." As expected, this two-factor model fit the data adequately, supporting prior research that treated creative self-efficacy as multidimensional construct. © The Author(s) 2016.

Temperament and problem solving in a population of adolescent guide dogs.

PubMed

Bray, Emily E; Sammel, Mary D; Seyfarth, Robert M; Serpell, James A; Cheney, Dorothy L

2017-09-01

It is often assumed that measures of temperament within individuals are more correlated to one another than to measures of problem solving. However, the exact relationship between temperament and problem-solving tasks remains unclear because large-scale studies have typically focused on each independently. To explore this relationship, we tested 119 prospective adolescent guide dogs on a battery of 11 temperament and problem-solving tasks. We then summarized the data using both confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory principal components analysis. Results of confirmatory analysis revealed that a priori separation of tests as measuring either temperament or problem solving led to weak results, poor model fit, some construct validity, and no predictive validity. In contrast, results of exploratory analysis were best summarized by principal components that mixed temperament and problem-solving traits. These components had both construct and predictive validity (i.e., association with success in the guide dog training program). We conclude that there is complex interplay between tasks of "temperament" and "problem solving" and that the study of both together will be more informative than approaches that consider either in isolation.

An Instrument to Measure Dental Students' Communication Skills With Patients in Six Specific Circumstances: An Exploratory Factor Analysis.

PubMed

Aalboe, Joanna A; Schumacher, Mitzi M

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the internal structure of an instrument assessing dental students' confidence in their ability to communicate with patients in six specific circumstances (anxious, in pain, etc.) using exploratory factor analysis. In a Communication in the Dental Health Care Setting course at a U.S. dental school, second-year dental students in two years (2013 and 2014) responded to the six items on a survey instrument. Of the total 123 students, 122 fully completed the instrument, for a response rate of 99%. Analysis of the results identified a unidimensional scale with regards to patient-specific communication self-efficacy and explained 74% of the total variance. The scale had good internal consistency reflected by high Cronbach's alpha (α=0.929, 95% CI [0.907, 0.947]). These findings suggest the instrument may be a useful tool in assessing the development of patient communication skills in second-year dental students following a course in communication. Further exploration utilizing confirmatory analysis, determining predictive validity, and assessing convergent and discriminant evidence is warranted.

Exploratory Item Classification Via Spectral Graph Clustering

PubMed Central

Chen, Yunxiao; Li, Xiaoou; Liu, Jingchen; Xu, Gongjun; Ying, Zhiliang

2017-01-01

Large-scale assessments are supported by a large item pool. An important task in test development is to assign items into scales that measure different characteristics of individuals, and a popular approach is cluster analysis of items. Classical methods in cluster analysis, such as the hierarchical clustering, K-means method, and latent-class analysis, often induce a high computational overhead and have difficulty handling missing data, especially in the presence of high-dimensional responses. In this article, the authors propose a spectral clustering algorithm for exploratory item cluster analysis. The method is computationally efficient, effective for data with missing or incomplete responses, easy to implement, and often outperforms traditional clustering algorithms in the context of high dimensionality. The spectral clustering algorithm is based on graph theory, a branch of mathematics that studies the properties of graphs. The algorithm first constructs a graph of items, characterizing the similarity structure among items. It then extracts item clusters based on the graphical structure, grouping similar items together. The proposed method is evaluated through simulations and an application to the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. PMID:29033476

Pathway enrichment analysis approach based on topological structure and updated annotation of pathway.

PubMed

Yang, Qian; Wang, Shuyuan; Dai, Enyu; Zhou, Shunheng; Liu, Dianming; Liu, Haizhou; Meng, Qianqian; Jiang, Bin; Jiang, Wei

2017-08-16

Pathway enrichment analysis has been widely used to identify cancer risk pathways, and contributes to elucidating the mechanism of tumorigenesis. However, most of the existing approaches use the outdated pathway information and neglect the complex gene interactions in pathway. Here, we first reviewed the existing widely used pathway enrichment analysis approaches briefly, and then, we proposed a novel topology-based pathway enrichment analysis (TPEA) method, which integrated topological properties and global upstream/downstream positions of genes in pathways. We compared TPEA with four widely used pathway enrichment analysis tools, including database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery (DAVID), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), centrality-based pathway enrichment (CePa) and signaling pathway impact analysis (SPIA), through analyzing six gene expression profiles of three tumor types (colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer and endometrial cancer). As a result, we identified several well-known cancer risk pathways that could not be obtained by the existing tools, and the results of TPEA were more stable than that of the other tools in analyzing different data sets of the same cancer. Ultimately, we developed an R package to implement TPEA, which could online update KEGG pathway information and is available at the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN): https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/TPEA/. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Pathway cross-talk network analysis identifies critical pathways in neonatal sepsis.

PubMed

Meng, Yu-Xiu; Liu, Quan-Hong; Chen, Deng-Hong; Meng, Ying

2017-06-01

Despite advances in neonatal care, sepsis remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in neonates worldwide. Pathway cross-talk analysis might contribute to the inference of the driving forces in bacterial sepsis and facilitate a better understanding of underlying pathogenesis of neonatal sepsis. This study aimed to explore the critical pathways associated with the progression of neonatal sepsis by the pathway cross-talk analysis. By integrating neonatal transcriptome data with known pathway data and protein-protein interaction data, we systematically uncovered the disease pathway cross-talks and constructed a disease pathway cross-talk network for neonatal sepsis. Then, attract method was employed to explore the dysregulated pathways associated with neonatal sepsis. To determine the critical pathways in neonatal sepsis, rank product (RP) algorithm, centrality analysis and impact factor (IF) were introduced sequentially, which synthetically considered the differential expression of genes and pathways, pathways cross-talks and pathway parameters in the network. The dysregulated pathways with the highest IF values as well as RP<0.01 were defined as critical pathways in neonatal sepsis. By integrating three kinds of data, only 6919 common genes were included to perform the pathway cross-talk analysis. By statistic analysis, a total of 1249 significant pathway cross-talks were selected to construct the pathway cross-talk network. Moreover, 47 dys-regulated pathways were identified via attract method, 20 pathways were identified under RP<0.01, and the top 10 pathways with the highest IF were also screened from the pathway cross-talk network. Among them, we selected 8 common pathways, i.e. critical pathways. In this study, we systematically tracked 8 critical pathways involved in neonatal sepsis by integrating attract method and pathway cross-talk network. These pathways might be responsible for the host response in infection, and of great value for advancing diagnosis and therapy of neonatal sepsis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolic changes and DNA hypomethylation in cerebellum are associated with behavioral alterations in mice exposed to trichloroethylene postnatally

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

Blossom, Sarah J., E-mail: blossomsarah@uams.edu; Cooney, Craig A.; Melnyk, Stepan B.

2013-06-15

Previous studies demonstrated that low-level postnatal and early life exposure to the environmental contaminant, trichloroethylene (TCE), in the drinking water of MRL +/+ mice altered glutathione redox homeostasis and increased biomarkers of oxidative stress indicating a more oxidized state. Plasma metabolites along the interrelated transmethylation pathway were also altered indicating impaired methylation capacity. Here we extend these findings to further characterize the impact of TCE exposure in mice exposed to water only or two doses of TCE in the drinking water (0, 2, and 28 mg/kg/day) postnatally from birth until 6 weeks of age on redox homeostasis and biomarkers ofmore » oxidative stress in the cerebellum. In addition, pathway intermediates involved in methyl metabolism and global DNA methylation patterns were examined in cerebellar tissue. Because the cerebellum is functionally important for coordinating motor activity, including exploratory and social approach behaviors, these parameters were evaluated in the present study. Mice exposed to 28 mg/kg/day TCE exhibited increased locomotor activity over time as compared with control mice. In the novel object exploration test, these mice were more likely to enter the zone with the novel object as compared to control mice. Similar results were obtained in a second test when an unfamiliar mouse was introduced into the testing arena. The results show for the first time that postnatal exposure to TCE causes key metabolic changes in the cerebellum that may contribute to global DNA methylation deficits and behavioral alterations in TCE-exposed mice. - Highlights: • We exposed male mice to low-level trichloroethylene from postnatal days 1 through 42. • This exposure altered redox potential and increased oxidative stress in cerebellum. • This exposure altered metabolites important in cellular methylation in cerebellum. • This exposure promoted DNA hypomethylation in cerebellum. • This exposure enhanced locomotor activity and exploratory behavior.« less

Altered synaptic phospholipid signaling in PRG-1 deficient mice induces exploratory behavior and motor hyperactivity resembling psychiatric disorders.

PubMed

Schneider, Patrick; Petzold, Sandra; Sommer, Angela; Nitsch, Robert; Schwegler, Herbert; Vogt, Johannes; Roskoden, Thomas

2018-01-15

Plasticity related gene 1 (PRG-1) is a neuron specific membrane protein located at the postsynaptic density of glutamatergic synapses. PRG-1 modulates signaling pathways of phosphorylated lipid substrates such as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Deletion of PRG-1 increases presynaptic glutamate release probability leading to neuronal over-excitation. However, due to its cortical expression, PRG-1 deficiency leading to increased glutamatergic transmission is supposed to also affect motor pathways. We therefore analyzed the effects of PRG-1 function on exploratory and motor behavior using homozygous PRG-1 knockout (PRG-1 -/- ) mice and PRG-1/LPA 2 -receptor double knockout (PRG-1 -/- /LPA 2 -/- ) mice in two open field settings of different size and assessing motor behavior in the Rota Rod test. PRG-1 -/- mice displayed significantly longer path lengths and higher running speed in both open field conditions. In addition, PRG-1 -/- mice spent significantly longer time in the larger open field and displayed rearing and self-grooming behavior. Furthermore PRG-1 -/- mice displayed stereotypical behavior resembling phenotypes of psychiatric disorders in the smaller sized open field arena. Altogether, this behavior is similar to the stereotypical behavior observed in animal models for psychiatric disease of autistic spectrum disorders which reflects a disrupted balance between glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses. These differences indicate an altered excitation/inhibition balance in neuronal circuits in PRG-1 -/- mice as recently shown in the somatosensory cortex [38]. In contrast, PRG-1 -/- /LPA 2 -/- did not show significant changes in behavior in the open field suggesting that these specific alterations were abolished when the LPA 2 -receptor was lacking. Our findings indicate that PRG-1 deficiency led to over-excitability caused by an altered LPA/LPA 2 -R signaling inducing a behavioral phenotype typically observed in animal models for psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural white-matter connections mediating distinct behavioral components of spatial neglect in right brain-damaged patients.

PubMed

Vaessen, Maarten J; Saj, Arnaud; Lovblad, Karl-Olof; Gschwind, Markus; Vuilleumier, Patrik

2016-04-01

Spatial neglect is a neuropsychological syndrome in which patients fail to perceive and orient to stimuli located in the space contralateral to the lesioned hemisphere. It is characterized by a wide heterogeneity in clinical symptoms which can be grouped into distinct behavioral components correlating with different lesion sites. Moreover, damage to white-matter (WM) fiber tracts has been suggested to disconnect brain networks that mediate different functions associated with spatial cognition and attention. However, it remains unclear what WM pathways are associated with functionally dissociable neglect components. In this study we examined nine patients with a focal right hemisphere stroke using a series of neuropsychological tests and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in order to disentangle the role of specific WM pathways in neglect symptoms. First, following previous work, the behavioral test scores of patients were factorized into three independent components reflecting perceptual, exploratory, and object-centered deficits in spatial awareness. We then examined the structural neural substrates of these components by correlating indices of WM integrity (fractional anisotropy) with the severity of deficits along each profile. Several locations in the right parietal and frontal WM correlated with neuropsychological scores. Fiber tracts projecting from these locations indicated that posterior parts of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), as well as nearby callosal fibers connecting ipsilateral and contralateral parietal areas, were associated with perceptual spatial deficits, whereas more anterior parts of SLF and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) were predominantly associated with object-centered deficits. In addition, connections between frontal areas and superior colliculus were found to be associated with the exploratory deficits. Our results provide novel support to the view that neglect may result from disconnection lesions in distributed brain networks, but also extend these notions by highlighting the role of dissociable circuits in different functional components of the neglect syndrome. However these preliminary findings require replication with larger samples of patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prioritizing biological pathways by recognizing context in time-series gene expression data.

PubMed

Lee, Jusang; Jo, Kyuri; Lee, Sunwon; Kang, Jaewoo; Kim, Sun

2016-12-23

The primary goal of pathway analysis using transcriptome data is to find significantly perturbed pathways. However, pathway analysis is not always successful in identifying pathways that are truly relevant to the context under study. A major reason for this difficulty is that a single gene is involved in multiple pathways. In the KEGG pathway database, there are 146 genes, each of which is involved in more than 20 pathways. Thus activation of even a single gene will result in activation of many pathways. This complex relationship often makes the pathway analysis very difficult. While we need much more powerful pathway analysis methods, a readily available alternative way is to incorporate the literature information. In this study, we propose a novel approach for prioritizing pathways by combining results from both pathway analysis tools and literature information. The basic idea is as follows. Whenever there are enough articles that provide evidence on which pathways are relevant to the context, we can be assured that the pathways are indeed related to the context, which is termed as relevance in this paper. However, if there are few or no articles reported, then we should rely on the results from the pathway analysis tools, which is termed as significance in this paper. We realized this concept as an algorithm by introducing Context Score and Impact Score and then combining the two into a single score. Our method ranked truly relevant pathways significantly higher than existing pathway analysis tools in experiments with two data sets. Our novel framework was implemented as ContextTRAP by utilizing two existing tools, TRAP and BEST. ContextTRAP will be a useful tool for the pathway based analysis of gene expression data since the user can specify the context of the biological experiment in a set of keywords. The web version of ContextTRAP is available at http://biohealth.snu.ac.kr/software/contextTRAP .

Genetic testing in combination with preventive donepezil treatment for patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: an exploratory economic evaluation of personalized medicine.

PubMed

Djalalov, Sandjar; Yong, Jean; Beca, Jaclyn; Black, Sandra; Saposnik, Gustavo; Musa, Zahra; Siminovitch, Katherine; Moretti, Myla; Hoch, Jeffrey S

2012-12-01

To evaluate the cost effectiveness of genetic screening for the apolipoprotein (APOE) ε4 allele in combination with preventive donepezil treatment in comparison with the standard of care for amnestic mild cognitive impairment (AMCI) patients in Canada. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model with a societal perspective and a time horizon of 30 years. For each strategy, we calculated quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), using utilities from the literature. Costs were also based on the literature and, when appropriate, Ontario sources. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Expected value of perfect information (EVPI) analysis was conducted to explore the value of future research. The base case results in our exploratory study suggest that the combination of genetic testing and preventive donepezil treatment resulted in a gain of 0.027 QALYs and an incremental cost of $1,015 (in 2009 Canadian dollars [Can$]), compared with the standard of care. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the base case was Can$38,016 per QALY. The ICER was sensitive to the effectiveness of donepezil in slowing the rate of progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD), utility in AMCI patients, and AD and donepezil treatment costs. EVPI analysis showed that additional information on these parameters would be of value. Using presently available clinical evidence, this exploratory study illustrates that genetic testing combined with preventive donepezil treatment for AMCI patients may be economically attractive. Since our results were based on a secondary post hoc analysis, our study alone is insufficient to warrant recommending APOE genotyping in AMCI patients. Future research on the effectiveness of preventive donepezil as a targeted therapy is recommended.

Network analysis of exploratory behaviors of mice in a spatial learning and memory task

PubMed Central

Suzuki, Yusuke

2017-01-01

The Barnes maze is one of the main behavioral tasks used to study spatial learning and memory. The Barnes maze is a task conducted on “dry land” in which animals try to escape from a brightly lit exposed circular open arena to a small dark escape box located under one of several holes at the periphery of the arena. In comparison with another classical spatial learning and memory task, the Morris water maze, the negative reinforcements that motivate animals in the Barnes maze are less severe and less stressful. Furthermore, the Barnes maze is more compatible with recently developed cutting-edge techniques in neural circuit research, such as the miniature brain endoscope or optogenetics. For this study, we developed a lift-type task start system and equipped the Barnes maze with it. The subject mouse is raised up by the lift and released into the maze automatically so that it can start navigating the maze smoothly from exactly the same start position across repeated trials. We believe that a Barnes maze test with a lift-type task start system may be useful for behavioral experiments when combined with head-mounted or wire-connected devices for online imaging and intervention in neural circuits. Furthermore, we introduced a network analysis method for the analysis of the Barnes maze data. Each animal’s exploratory behavior in the maze was visualized as a network of nodes and their links, and spatial learning in the maze is described by systematic changes in network structures of search behavior. Network analysis was capable of visualizing and quantitatively analyzing subtle but significant differences in an animal’s exploratory behavior in the maze. PMID:28700627

Comparative Analysis of Academic Grades in Compulsory Secondary Education in Spain Using Statistical Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veas, Alejandro; Gilar, Raquel; Miñano, Pablo; Castejón, Juan Luis

2017-01-01

The present study, based on the construct comparability approach, performs a comparative analysis of general points average for seven courses, using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the Partial Credit model (PCM) with a sample of 1398 student subjects (M = 12.5, SD = 0.67) from 8 schools in the province of Alicante (Spain). EFA confirmed a…

Bibliometrics of the World Wide Web: An Exploratory Analysis of the Intellectual Structure of Cyberspace.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Ray R.

1996-01-01

Examines the bibliometrics of the World Wide Web based on analysis of Web pages collected by the Inktomi "Web Crawler" and on the use of the DEC AltaVista search engine for cocitation analysis of a set of Earth Science related Web sites. Looks at the statistical characteristics of Web documents and their hypertext links, and the…

Return on Investment Analysis for the Almond Board of California

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-01

general approach for the analysis is first to identify relevant factors concerning consumer behavior using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and...That completed the intermediate stage of the conceptual model below, referring to the latent drivers of consumer behavior that affect the almond... consumer behavior remains a challenge that will have to be continuously addressed by the ABC management. Finally, to improve the methodology for

Community intellectual disability nurses' public health roles in the United Kingdom: An exploratory documentary analysis.

PubMed

Mafuba, Kay; Gates, Bob; Cozens, Maria

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to explore how public health policy in the United Kingdom was reflected in community intellectual disability nurses' (CIDNs)' job descriptions and person's specifications. The role of CIDNs has evolved due to policy changes. As these roles evolve, job descriptions and person specifications are important in highlighting employer's expectations staff, priorities, and professional values of their employees. This study involved an exploratory documentary analysis of n = 203 CIDNs' job descriptions and person specifications in the context of role theory. The CIDNs' public health roles identified in this study are health education, health protection, health prevention, health surveillance, and health promotion. Key policies themes were intellectual disability health access, public health strategies, policy evaluation/redesign, and public health policy. There is a lack of public health role clarity and inconsistency in role expectations across organizational boundaries in the United Kingdom.

Measuring hope among families impacted by cognitive impairment

PubMed Central

Hunsaker, Amanda E.; Terhorst, Lauren; Gentry, Amanda; Lingler, Jennifer H.

2014-01-01

The current exploratory investigation aims to establish the reliability and validity of a hope measure, the Herth Hope Index (HHI), among families impacted by early cognitive impairment (N=96). Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the dimensionality of the measure. Bivariate analyses were used to examine construct validity. The sample had moderately high hope scores. A two-factor structure emerged from the factor analysis, explaining 51.44% of the variance. Both factors exhibited strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alphas ranged from .83 to .86). Satisfaction with social support was positively associated with hope, supporting convergent validity. Neurocognitive status, illness insight and depression were not associated with hope, indicating discriminant validity. Families impacted by cognitive impairment may maintain hope in the face of a potentially progressive illness, regardless of cognitive status. The HHI can be utilized as a reliable and valid measure of hope by practitioners providing support to families impacted by cognitive impairment. PMID:24784938

Permutation methods for the structured exploratory data analysis (SEDA) of familial trait values.

PubMed

Karlin, S; Williams, P T

1984-07-01

A collection of functions that contrast familial trait values between and across generations is proposed for studying transmission effects and other collateral influences in nuclear families. Two classes of structured exploratory data analysis (SEDA) statistics are derived from ratios of these functions. SEDA-functionals are the empirical cumulative distributions of the ratio of the two contrasts computed within each family. SEDA-indices are formed by first averaging the numerator and denominator contrasts separately over the population and then forming their ratio. The significance of SEDA results are determined by a spectrum of permutation techniques that selectively shuffle the trait values across families. The process systematically alters certain family structure relationships while keeping other familial relationships intact. The methodology is applied to five data examples of plasma total cholesterol concentrations, reported height values, dermatoglyphic pattern intensity index scores, measurements of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity, and psychometric cognitive test results.

[Introduction to Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)].

PubMed

Martínez, Carolina Méndez; Sepúlveda, Martín Alonso Rondón

2012-03-01

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) has become one of the most frequently used statistical techniques, especially in the medical and social sciences. Given its popularity, it is essential to understand the basic concepts necessary for its proper application and to take into consideration the main strengths and weaknesses of this technique. To present in a clear and concise manner the main applications of this technique, to determine the basic requirements for its use providing a description step by step of its methodology, and to establish the elements that must be taken into account during its preparation in order to not incur in erroneous results and interpretations. Narrative review. This review identifies the basic concepts and briefly describes the objectives, design, assumptions, and methodology to achieve factor derivation, global adjustment evaluation, and adequate interpretation of results. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Bayesian Factor Analysis as a Variable Selection Problem: Alternative Priors and Consequences

PubMed Central

Lu, Zhao-Hua; Chow, Sy-Miin; Loken, Eric

2016-01-01

Factor analysis is a popular statistical technique for multivariate data analysis. Developments in the structural equation modeling framework have enabled the use of hybrid confirmatory/exploratory approaches in which factor loading structures can be explored relatively flexibly within a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) framework. Recently, a Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) approach (Muthén & Asparouhov, 2012) has been proposed as a way to explore the presence of cross-loadings in CFA models. We show that the issue of determining factor loading patterns may be formulated as a Bayesian variable selection problem in which Muthén and Asparouhov’s approach can be regarded as a BSEM approach with ridge regression prior (BSEM-RP). We propose another Bayesian approach, denoted herein as the Bayesian structural equation modeling with spike and slab prior (BSEM-SSP), which serves as a one-stage alternative to the BSEM-RP. We review the theoretical advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and compare their empirical performance relative to two modification indices-based approaches and exploratory factor analysis with target rotation. A teacher stress scale data set (Byrne, 2012; Pettegrew & Wolf, 1982) is used to demonstrate our approach. PMID:27314566

Developing a Basic Scale for Workers' Psychological Burden from the Perspective of Occupational Safety and Health.

PubMed

Kim, Kyung Woo; Lim, Ho Chan; Park, Jae Hee; Park, Sang Gyu; Park, Ye Jin; Cho, Hm Hak

2018-06-01

Organizations are pursing complex and diverse aims to generate higher profits. Many workers experience high work intensity such as workload and work pressure in this organizational environment. Especially, psychological burden is a commonly used term in workplace of Republic of Korea. This study focused on defining the psychological burden from the perspective of occupational safety and health and tried to develop a scale for psychological burden. The 48 preliminary questionnaire items for psychological burden were prepared by a focus group interview with 16 workers through the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II and Mindful Awareness Attention Scale. The preliminary items were surveyed with 572 workers, and exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlation analysis were conducted for a new scale. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were extracted: organizational activity, human error, safety and health workload, work attitude, and negative self-management. These factors had significant correlations and reliability, and the stability of the model for validity was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. The developed scale for psychological burden can measure workers' psychological burden in relation to safety and health. Despite some limitations, this study has applicability in the workplace, given the relatively small-sized questionnaire.

Effects of Type of Exploratory Strategy and Prior Knowledge on Middle School Students' Learning of Chemical Formulas from a 3D Role-Playing Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ming-Puu; Wong, Yu-Ting; Wang, Li-Chun

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the type of exploratory strategy and level of prior knowledge on middle school students' performance and motivation in learning chemical formulas via a 3D role-playing game (RPG). Two types of exploratory strategies-RPG exploratory with worked-example and RPG exploratory without…

50 CFR 300.106 - Exploratory fisheries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Exploratory fisheries. 300.106 Section 300.106 Wildlife and Fisheries INTERNATIONAL FISHING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS Antarctic Marine Living Resources § 300.106 Exploratory fisheries. (a) An exploratory fishery, for...

50 CFR 300.106 - Exploratory fisheries.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Exploratory fisheries. 300.106 Section 300.106 Wildlife and Fisheries INTERNATIONAL FISHING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS Antarctic Marine Living Resources § 300.106 Exploratory fisheries. (a) An exploratory fishery, for...

A clinical evaluation committee assessment of recombinant human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (tifacogin) in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia

PubMed Central

Laterre, Pierre-François; Opal, Steven M; Abraham, Edward; LaRosa, Steven P; Creasey, Abla A; Xie, Fang; Poole, Lona; Wunderink, Richard G

2009-01-01

Introduction The purpose of this analysis was to determine the potential efficacy of recombinant human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (tifacogin) in a subpopulation of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) from a phase III study of severe sepsis. Methods A retrospective review of patients with suspected pneumonia was conducted by an independent clinical evaluation committee (CEC) blinded to treatment assignment. The CEC reanalyzed data from patients enrolled in an international multicenter clinical trial of sepsis who had a diagnosis of pneumonia as the probable source of sepsis. The primary efficacy measure was all-cause 28-day mortality. Results Of 847 patients identified on case report forms with a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia, 780 (92%) were confirmed by the CEC to have pneumonia. Of confirmed pneumonia cases, 496 (63.6%) met the definition for CAP. In the CEC CAP population, the mortality rates of the tifacogin and placebo groups were 70/251 (27.9%) and 80/245 (32.7%), respectively. The strongest signals were seen in patients with CAP not receiving concomitant heparin, having microbiologically confirmed infection, or having the combination of documented infection and no heparin. The reduction in mortality in this narrowly defined subgroup when treated with tifacogin compared with placebo was statistically significant (17/58 [29.3%] with tifacogin and 28/54 [51.9%] with placebo; unadjusted P value of less than 0.02). Conclusions Tifacogin administration did not significantly reduce mortality in any severe CAP patient. Exploratory analyses showed an improved survival in patients who did not receive concomitant heparin with microbiologically confirmed infections. These data support the rationale of an ongoing phase III study exploring the potential benefit of tifacogin in severe CAP. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00084071. PMID:19284881

Path analysis of the chronicity of depression using the comprehensive developmental model framework.

PubMed

Fandiño-Losada, Andrés; Bangdiwala, Shrikant I; Lavebratt, Catharina; Forsell, Yvonne

2016-07-01

Background Depressive disorder is recognized as recurrent or chronic in the majority of affected individuals; but literature is not consistent about determinants of the disorder course. Aims To analyse the relationships between familial, personal and environmental characteristics in different life phases and their effects on the chronicity of depression in a population-based sample. Methods It was a longitudinal panel study with three waves (W1-W3) for 651 adult men and women with diagnosis of minor/major depression or dysthymia at W1 of the Swedish PART (mental health, work and relations) study. Risk factors and co-morbidities were assessed with questionnaires. The main outcome was an episode of minor/major depression or dysthymia at 10-12 years of follow-up (W3). Liability for depressive episodes was determined using exploratory structural equation modelling (SEM), following a path approach with step-wise specification searches. Results Most of the risk factors determined, directly or indirectly, depression severity at W3. Somatic trait anxiety, partner loss and other negative life events at W1, depressive symptoms at W2, and life difficulties and other dependent life events at W3 had direct effects on the outcome. Conclusions SEM model revealed complex and intertwined psychopathological pathways leading to chronicity of depression, given previous episodes, which could be assembled in two main mechanisms: a depressive-internalizing path and an adversity path comprised of life events. Pathways are simpler than those of depression occurrence, emphasizing the relevance of personality factors as depression determinants, and excluding disability levels, co-morbidities and social support. These novel findings need to be replicated in future studies.

Development of lifetime comorbidity in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Ormel, Johan; Petukhova, Maria; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Green, Jennifer Greif; Russo, Leo J.; Stein, Dan J.; Zaslavsky, Alan M; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Alonso, Jordi; Andrade, Laura; Benjet, Corina; de Girolamo, Giovanni; de Graaf, Ron; Demyttenaere, Koen; Fayyad, John; Haro, Josep Maria; Hu, Chi yi; Karam, Aimee; Lee, Sing; Lepine, Jean-Pierre; Matchsinger, Herbert; Mihaescu-Pintia, Constanta; Posada-Villa, Jose; Sagar, Rajesh; Üstün, T. Bedirhan

2010-01-01

CONTEXT Although numerous studies have examined the role of latent variables in the structure of comorbidity among mental disorders, none has examined their role in the development of comorbidity. OBJECTIVE To study the role of latent variables in the development of comorbidity among 18 lifetime DSM-IV disorders in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) surveys. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Nationally or regionally representative community surveys in 14 countries with a total of 21,229 respondents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES First onset of 18 lifetime DSM-IV anxiety, mood, behavior, and substance disorders assessed retrospectively in the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). RESULTS Separate internalizing (anxiety and mood disorders) and externalizing (behavior and substance disorders) factors were found in exploratory factor analysis of lifetime disorders. Consistently significant positive time-lagged associations were found in survival analyses for virtually all temporally primary lifetime disorders predicting subsequent onset of other disorders. Within-domain (i.e., internalizing or externalizing) associations were generally stronger than between-domain associations. The vast majority of time-lagged associations were explained by a model that assumed the existence of mediating latent internalizing and externalizing variables. Specific phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (internalizing) and hyperactivity disorder and oppositional-defiant disorder (externalizing) were the most important predictors. A small number of residual associations remained significant after controlling the latent variables. CONCLUSIONS The good fit of the latent variable model suggests that common causal pathways account for most of the comorbidity among the disorders considered here. These common pathways should be the focus of future research on the development of comorbidity, although several important pair-wise associations that cannot be accounted for by latent variables also exist that warrant further focused study. PMID:21199968

Concerns of Asian Indians: An Exploratory Thematic Content Analysis of Unobtrusive Documentary Data for Asian American Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohapatra, Manindra Kumar

This paper investigates the priority of social and political issues in America's Asian Indian subcommunity and, secondarily, proposes content analysis for investigations of Asian American sub-cultures. The data sources and methodology are described first: letters to the editor published between September 1, 1983 and June 30, 1984, were selected…

On the Factor Structure of a Reading Comprehension Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salehi, Mohammad

2011-01-01

To investigate the construct validly of a section of a high stakes test, an exploratory factor analysis using principal components analysis was employed. The rotation used was varimax with the suppression level of 0.30. Eleven factors were extracted out of 35 reading comprehension items. The fact that these factors emerged speak to the construct…

A Multilevel Analysis of the Impact of a Professional Learning Community, Faculty Trust in Colleagues and Collective Efficacy on Teacher Commitment to Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, John Chi-kin; Zhang, Zhonghua; Yin, Hongbiao

2011-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between a professional learning community (PLC), faculty trust in colleagues, teachers' collective efficacy, and their commitment to students. The findings from exploratory factor analysis indicated that three clear components could be extracted from the scale of Professional Learning Communities…

Evaluating wood failure in plywood shear by optical image analysis

Treesearch

Charles W. McMillin

1984-01-01

This exploratory study evaulates the potential of using an automatic image analysis method to measure percent wood failure in plywood shear specimens. The results suggest that this method my be as accurate as the visual method in tracking long-term gluebond quality. With further refinement, the method could lead to automated equipment replacing the subjective visual...

Exploring the Dimensionality of a Brief School Readiness Screener for Use with Latino/a Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quirk, Matthew; Rebelez, Jennica; Furlong, Michael

2014-01-01

This study contributed to the school readiness literature by examining the factor structure and reliability of a revised version of the Kindergarten Student Entrance Profile (KSEP). Teachers rated 579 Latino/a children during the first month of kindergarten using the KSEP. Factor analysis procedures (exploratory factor analysis [EFA] and…

Effect of Internet-Based Learning in Public Health Training: An Exploratory Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Ying; Yan, Weirong

2017-01-01

Internet-based learning is increasingly applied in medical education, but its effect in the field of public health training is still unclear. This meta-analysis was undertaken to explore the impact of Internet-based learning on students'/professionals' knowledge of public health compared with no intervention and with traditional face-to-face (FTF)…

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Usage and Achievement of Turkish Students in Pisa 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aypay, Ahmet

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the ICT usage and academic achievement of Turkish students in PISA 2006 data. The sample of the study included 4942 students from 160 schools. Frequencies, independent samples t-tests, ANOVAs, pearson correlation coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, and regression analysis were used. A high percentage…

Understanding Older Adults' Perceptions of Internet Use: An Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Robert; Spears, Jeffrey; Luptak, Marilyn; Wilby, Frances

2015-01-01

The current study examined factors related to older adults' perceptions of Internet use. Three hundred ninety five older adults participated in the study. The factor analysis revealed four factors perceived by older adults as critical to their Internet use: social connection, self-efficacy, the need to seek financial information, and the need to…

Community College Student Engagement Patterns: A Typology Revealed through Exploratory Cluster Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saenz, Victor B.; Hatch, Deryl; Bukoski, Beth E.; Kim, Suyun; Lee, Kye-hyoung; Valdez, Patrick

2011-01-01

This study employs survey data from the Center for Community College Student Engagement to examine the similarities and differences that exist across student-level domains in terms of student engagement in community colleges. In total, the sample used in the analysis pools data from 663 community colleges and includes more than 320,000 students.…

Development and Psychometric Properties of the Math and Me Survey: Measuring Third through Sixth Graders' Attitudes toward Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adelson, Jill L.; McCoach, D. Betsy

2011-01-01

The Math and Me Survey was designed to measure elementary students' attitudes toward mathematics. The authors conducted content validation, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, reliability, and external validity analyses to improve it and to test its psychometric properties. The final Math and Me Survey…

Exploratory Factor Analysis as a Construct Validation Tool: (Mis)applications in Applied Linguistics Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karami, Hossein

2015-01-01

Factor analysis has been frequently exploited in applied research to provide evidence about the underlying factors in various measurement instruments. A close inspection of a large number of studies published in leading applied linguistic journals shows that there is a misconception among applied linguists as to the relative merits of exploratory…

Wilderness on the internet: identifying wilderness information domains

Treesearch

Chuck Burgess

2000-01-01

Data collected from an online needs assessment revealed that Web site visitors with an interest in wilderness seek several different types of information. In order to gain further insight into the process of Web use for wilderness information, a follow-up analysis was conducted. This analysis was exploratory in nature, with the goal of identifying information domains...

Single Session Web-Based Counselling: A Thematic Analysis of Content from the Perspective of the Client

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodda, S. N.; Lubman, D. I.; Cheetham, A.; Dowling, N. A.; Jackson, A. C.

2015-01-01

Despite the exponential growth of non-appointment-based web counselling, there is limited information on what happens in a single session intervention. This exploratory study, involving a thematic analysis of 85 counselling transcripts of people seeking help for problem gambling, aimed to describe the presentation and content of online…

Student Motivational Profiles in an Introductory MIS Course: An Exploratory Cluster Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Klara

2014-01-01

This study profiles students in an introductory MIS course according to a variety of variables associated with choice of academic major. The data were collected through a survey administered to 12 sections of the course. A two-step cluster analysis was performed with gender as a categorical variable and students' perceptions of task value…

The Afro-American Work/Family Nexus: An Exploratory Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Patricia Hill

1986-01-01

Sketches out a framework linking black labor market trends in the post World War II era to actual and potential changes in black family patterns. Summarizes selected scholarship and then provides a gender-specific analysis of the changing employment status of black Americans. Urgres that links be made between black family life and the political…

Words Du Jour: An Analysis of Traditional and Transitional Course Descriptors at Select J-Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spillman, Mary; Kuban, Adam J.; Smith, Suzy J.

2017-01-01

Journalism education may be at a tipping point. It is unclear, however, what new form curricula might take. Through an analysis of individual course titles and descriptions that appeared in the 2013-2014 undergraduate catalogs of 68 selected universities, this exploratory study finds that most departments/schools are not offering classes that…

Psychometric Properties of Adaptation of the Social Efficacy and Outcome Expectations Scale to Turkish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakioglu, Fuad; Turkum, Ayse Sibel

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Social Efficacy and Outcome Expectations Scale (SEOES) on Turkish. The sample group included two groups of university students (ns = 440, 359). The validity of the scale was assessed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity, and…

The Development of a Mathematics Self-Report Inventory for Turkish Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akin, Ayça; Güzeller, Cem Oktay; Evcan, Sinem Sezer

2016-01-01

The purpose of the current study is to develop a mathematics self-report inventory (MSRI) to measure Turkish elementary students' mathematics expectancy beliefs and task values based on the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation. In Study-1 (n = 1,315), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and reliability analysis are used to evaluate the…

An Exploratory Study Examining the Feasibility of Using Bayesian Networks to Predict Circuit Analysis Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Gregory K. W. K.; Dionne, Gary B.; Kaiser, William J.

2006-01-01

Our research question was whether we could develop a feasible technique, using Bayesian networks, to diagnose gaps in student knowledge. Thirty-four college-age participants completed tasks designed to measure conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and problem-solving skills related to circuit analysis. A Bayesian network was used to model…

Assessing Model Fit: Caveats and Recommendations for Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, John L.; Nicholls, Adam R.; Clough, Peter J.; Crust, Lee

2015-01-01

Despite the limitations of overgeneralizing cutoff values for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; e.g., Marsh, Hau, & Wen, 2004), they are still often employed as golden rules for assessing factorial validity in sport and exercise psychology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the appropriateness of using the CFA approach with these…

An exploratory investigation of weight estimation techniques for hypersonic flight vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, E. L.

1981-01-01

The three basic methods of weight prediction (fixed-fraction, statistical correlation, and point stress analysis) and some of the computer programs that have been developed to implement them are discussed. A modified version of the WAATS (Weights Analysis of Advanced Transportation Systems) program is presented, along with input data forms and an example problem.

Development, Implementation, and Analysis of a National Survey of Faculty Goals for Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruck, Aaron D.; Towns, Marcy

2013-01-01

This work reports the development of a survey for laboratory goals in undergraduate chemistry, the analysis of reliable and valid data collected from a national survey of college chemistry faculty, and a synthesis of the findings. The study used a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. Faculty goals for laboratory emerged across seven…

Web-Based Tools for Modelling and Analysis of Multivariate Data: California Ozone Pollution Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinov, Ivo D.; Christou, Nicolas

2011-01-01

This article presents a hands-on web-based activity motivated by the relation between human health and ozone pollution in California. This case study is based on multivariate data collected monthly at 20 locations in California between 1980 and 2006. Several strategies and tools for data interrogation and exploratory data analysis, model fitting…

Representations of Childcare in the Australian Print Media: An Exploratory Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenech, Marianne; Wilkins, David P.

2017-01-01

While an increasing body of Australian and international research has explored the relationship between media and education, few studies have examined this relationship in the context of early childhood education. This paper contributes to this research gap by reporting on a corpus-assisted discourse analysis of how childcare is represented in 801…

Operation Team Spirit: Program Review and Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

research was strictly qualitative in nature. The specific method being used was exploratory case study analysis... study , method is used for the specific acts of conducting research , while methodology refers to the qualitative nature of research performed. While...the researcher . According to Leedy and Ormrod (2005), some of the types of methods and their respective purposes include: • Case study :

Factors Influencing the Demand and Supply of Public School Teachers in Indiana: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debertin, David L.; Huie, John M.

1975-01-01

Describes a conceptual model representing the demand and supply of public school teachers and the relationship between the assessed valuation of property within a school district and the training, experience, and salary levels of teachers in the district, based on an analysis of data from 269 Indiana school districts. (Author/JG)

The Relationship of Core Self-Evaluations and Life Satisfaction in College Students with Disabilities: Evaluation of a Mediator Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smedema, Susan Miller; Chan, Fong; Yaghmaian, Rana A.; Cardoso, Elizabeth DaSilva; Muller, Veronica; Keegan, John; Dutta, Alo; Ebener, Deborah J.

2015-01-01

This study examined the factorial structure of the construct core self-evaluations (CSE) and tested a mediational model of the relationship between CSE and life satisfaction in college students with disabilities. We conducted a quantitative descriptive design using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.…

Modeling the effects of study abroad programs on college students

Treesearch

Alvin H. Yu; Garry E. Chick; Duarte B. Morais; Chung-Hsien Lin

2009-01-01

This study explored the possibility of modeling the effects of a study abroad program on students from a university in the northeastern United States. A program effect model was proposed after conducting an extensive literature review and empirically examining a sample of 265 participants in 2005. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA),...

Demonstrations of Agency in Contemporary International Children's Literature: An Exploratory Critical Content Analysis across Personal, Social, and Cultural Dimensions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathis, Janelle B.

2015-01-01

International children's literature has the potential to create global experiences and cultural insights for young people confronted with limited and biased images of the world offered by media. The current inquiry was designed to explore, through a critical content analysis approach, international children's literature in which characters…

An Empirical Analysis of Chinese College Learners' Obstacles to MOOC Learning in an English Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Liangxing

2017-01-01

This article reports a study applying an exploratory factor analysis to discovering the underlying factor structure of Chinese college students' obstacles to learning MOOC in an English context. Seven obstacle factors are identified: 1. academic and language skills; 2. internet skills; 3. course instruction/management; 4. learning motivations; 5.…

Content Analysis of Conceptually Based Physical Education in Southeastern United States Universities and Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Suzanne Ellen; Greene, Leon; Satinsky, Sonya; Neuberger, John

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to explore PE in higher education through the offering of traditional activity- and skills-based physical education (ASPE) and conceptually-based physical education (CPE) courses, and to conduct an exploratory content analysis on the CPE available to students in randomized colleges and universities in the…

An Exploratory Analysis of Work Engagement, Satisfaction, and Depression in Psychiatry Residents.

PubMed

Agarwal, Gaurava; Karpouzian, Tatiana

2016-02-01

This exploratory study aims to measure work engagement levels in psychiatry residents at three psychiatry residency programs using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). In addition, the study investigates the relationship between total engagement and its subscales, resident satisfaction, and a depression screen. Recruitment of 53/79 residents from three psychiatry residency programs in Illinois was completed. The residents were administered a questionnaire consisting of the UWES, the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (Prime-MD) depression screen, and a residency satisfaction scale. Statistical analysis using independent samples t test and a one-way analysis of variance was used to assess differences on engagement total score and subscales and satisfaction scale. A logistic regression was used with the engagement subscales and the satisfaction scale as predictors of belonging to the depressed or non-depressed group. Psychiatry residents scored in the high range for total engagement and all its subscales except for vigor which was in the moderate range. Residents who screened positive for depression reported lower total engagement than those who were negative on the depression screen. Vigor was the only significant predictor (p = .004) of being in the depressed group after logistic regression. Total engagement and the subscale of dedication significantly predicted overall residency satisfaction (β = .473, p = .016). Higher total UWES-15 and its subscales of vigor and dedication are correlated with a lower rate of screening positive for depression and higher residency satisfaction. This exploratory study lends support for further study of this psychological construct in medical training programs, but replication is needed.

Measuring Workplace Climate in Community Clinics and Health Centers.

PubMed

Friedberg, Mark W; Rodriguez, Hector P; Martsolf, Grant R; Edelen, Maria O; Vargas Bustamante, Arturo

2016-10-01

The effectiveness of community clinics and health centers' efforts to improve the quality of care might be modified by clinics' workplace climates. Several surveys to measure workplace climate exist, but their relationships to each other and to distinguishable dimensions of workplace climate are unknown. To assess the psychometric properties of a survey instrument combining items from several existing surveys of workplace climate and to generate a shorter instrument for future use. We fielded a 106-item survey, which included items from 9 existing instruments, to all clinicians and staff members (n=781) working in 30 California community clinics and health centers, receiving 628 responses (80% response rate). We performed exploratory factor analysis of survey responses, followed by confirmatory factor analysis of 200 reserved survey responses. We generated a new, shorter survey instrument of items with strong factor loadings. Six factors, including 44 survey items, emerged from the exploratory analysis. Two factors (Clinic Workload and Teamwork) were independent from the others. The remaining 4 factors (staff relationships, quality improvement orientation, managerial readiness for change, and staff readiness for change) were highly correlated, indicating that these represented dimensions of a higher-order factor we called "Clinic Functionality." This 2-level, 6-factor model fit the data well in the exploratory and confirmatory samples. For all but 1 factor, fewer than 20 survey responses were needed to achieve clinic-level reliability >0.7. Survey instruments designed to measure workplace climate have substantial overlap. The relatively parsimonious item set we identified might help target and tailor clinics' quality improvement efforts.

International survey on attitudes toward ethics in health technology assessment: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Arellano, Luis E; Willett, Jeffrey M; Borry, Pascal

2011-01-01

The objective of this exploratory study was to survey international health technology assessment (HTA) professionals to determine attitudes toward ethics in HTA. An exploratory, quantitative, cross-sectional study design was developed. The sample population (n = 636) was selected from authors of the 206 articles published in the International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care between 2005 and 2007. A survey instrument was piloted and e-mailed. The response rate was low (n = 104; 16.4 percent). Respondents were primarily middle-aged (46 ± 11 years) male (62 percent) health professionals from Western countries (n = 92; 88.5 percent), with a mean of 10 (± 6 years) years of HTA experience. Although at least 90 percent of respondents agreed that healthcare decisions involved value judgments and that ethical analysis was important to HTA, respondents were divided as to whether normative (n = 45; 44.6 percent) or descriptive (n = 38; 37.6 percent) ethical recommendations were necessary. Most respondents (n = 83; 81.4 percent) believed that HTA should include citizen participation, but two thirds (n = 67; 67.0 percent) agreed that the final decision should be restricted to decision makers. A majority of respondents thought that ethical analysis could be discussed anywhere within the HTA process, either by an expert trained in ethics (n = 62; 60.8 percent) or by an external consultant (n = 80; 78.4 percent). This study showed that ethical discourse in HTA is constrained by practical considerations, which serves to limit moral inquiry. To increase ethical analysis, a positive attitude toward ethics needs to be fostered within the HTA community.

Challenges in covering health disparities in local news media: an exploratory analysis assessing views of journalists.

PubMed

Wallington, Sherrie Flynt; Blake, Kelly D; Taylor-Clark, Kalahn; Viswanath, K

2010-10-01

News coverage of health topics influences knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors at the individual level, and agendas and actions at the institutional and policy levels. Because disparities in health often are the result of social inequalities that require community-level or policy-level solutions, news stories employing a health disparities news frame may contribute to agenda-setting among opinion leaders and policymakers and lead to policy efforts aimed at reducing health disparities. This study objective was to conduct an exploratory analysis to qualitatively describe barriers that health journalists face when covering health disparities in local media. Between June and October 2007, 18 journalists from television, print, and radio in Boston, Lawrence, and Worcester, Massachusetts, were recruited using a purposive sampling technique. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone, and the crystallization/immersion method was used to conduct a qualitative analysis of interview transcripts. Our results revealed that journalists said that they consider several angles when developing health stories, including public impact and personal behavior change. Challenges to employing a health disparities frame included inability to translate how research findings may impact different socioeconomic groups, and difficulty understanding how findings may translate across racial/ethnic groups. Several journalists reported that disparities-focused stories are "less palatable" for some audiences. This exploratory study offers insights into the challenges that local news media face in using health disparities news frames in their routine coverage of health news. Public health practitioners may use these findings to inform communication efforts with local media in order to advance the public dialogue about health disparities.

Measuring Workplace Climate in Community Clinics and Health Centers

PubMed Central

Friedberg, Mark W.; Rodriguez, Hector P.; Martsolf, Grant; Edelen, Maria Orlando; Vargas-Bustamante, Arturo

2018-01-01

Background The effectiveness of community clinics and health centers’ efforts to improve the quality of care might be modified by clinics’ workplace climates. Several surveys to measure workplace climate exist, but their relationships to each other and to distinguishable dimensions of workplace climate are unknown. Objective To assess the psychometric properties of a survey instrument combining items from several existing surveys of workplace climate and to generate a shorter instrument for future use. Methods We fielded a 106-item survey, which included items from 9 existing instruments, to all clinicians and staff members (n=781) working in 30 California community clinics and health centers, receiving 628 responses (80% response rate). We performed exploratory factor analysis of survey responses, followed by confirmatory factor analysis of 200 reserved survey responses. We generated a new, shorter survey instrument of items with strong factor loadings. Results Six factors, including 44 survey items, emerged from the exploratory analysis. Two factors (Clinic Workload and Teamwork) were independent from the others. The remaining 4 factors (Staff Relationships, Quality Improvement Orientation, Managerial Readiness for Change, and Staff Readiness for Change) were highly correlated, indicating that these represented dimensions of a higher-order factor we called “Clinic Functionality.” This two-level, six-factor model fit the data well in the exploratory and confirmatory samples. For all but one factor, fewer than 20 survey responses were needed to achieve clinic-level reliability >0.7. Conclusion Survey instruments designed to measure workplace climate have substantial overlap. The relatively parsimonious item set we identified might help target and tailor clinics’ quality improvement efforts. PMID:27326549

Exploratory factor analysis of the functional movement screen in elite athletes.

PubMed

Li, Yongming; Wang, Xiong; Chen, Xiaoping; Dai, Boyi

2015-01-01

The functional movement screen is developed to examine individuals' movement patterns through 7 functional tasks. The purpose of this study was to identify the internal consistency and factor structure of the 7 tasks of the functional movement screen in elite athletes; 290 elite athletes from a variety of Chinese national teams were assessed using the functional movement screen. Cronbach's alpha was calculated for the scores of the 7 tasks. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to explore the factor structure of the functional movement screen. The mean and standard deviation of the sum score were 15.2 ± 3.0. A low Cronbach's alpha (0.58) was found for the scores of the 7 tasks. Exploratory factor analysis extracted 2 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1, and these 2 factors explained 47.3% of the total variance. The first factor had a high loading on the rotatory stability (loading = 0.99) and low loadings on the other 6 tasks (loading range: 0.04-0.34). The second factor had high loadings on the deep squat, hurdle step and inline lunge (loading range: 0.46-0.61) and low loadings on the other 3 tasks (loading range: 0.12-0.32). The 7 tasks of the functional movement screen had low internal consistency and were not indicators of a single factor. Evidence for unidimensionality was not found for the functional movement screen in elite athletes. More attention should be paid to the score of each task rather than the sum score when we interpret the functional movement screen scores.

SOCR Motion Charts: An Efficient, Open-Source, Interactive and Dynamic Applet for Visualizing Longitudinal Multivariate Data

PubMed Central

Al-Aziz, Jameel; Christou, Nicolas; Dinov, Ivo D.

2011-01-01

The amount, complexity and provenance of data have dramatically increased in the past five years. Visualization of observed and simulated data is a critical component of any social, environmental, biomedical or scientific quest. Dynamic, exploratory and interactive visualization of multivariate data, without preprocessing by dimensionality reduction, remains a nearly insurmountable challenge. The Statistics Online Computational Resource (www.SOCR.ucla.edu) provides portable online aids for probability and statistics education, technology-based instruction and statistical computing. We have developed a new Java-based infrastructure, SOCR Motion Charts, for discovery-based exploratory analysis of multivariate data. This interactive data visualization tool enables the visualization of high-dimensional longitudinal data. SOCR Motion Charts allows mapping of ordinal, nominal and quantitative variables onto time, 2D axes, size, colors, glyphs and appearance characteristics, which facilitates the interactive display of multidimensional data. We validated this new visualization paradigm using several publicly available multivariate datasets including Ice-Thickness, Housing Prices, Consumer Price Index, and California Ozone Data. SOCR Motion Charts is designed using object-oriented programming, implemented as a Java Web-applet and is available to the entire community on the web at www.socr.ucla.edu/SOCR_MotionCharts. It can be used as an instructional tool for rendering and interrogating high-dimensional data in the classroom, as well as a research tool for exploratory data analysis. PMID:21479108

Exploratory activity and habituation of Drosophila in confined domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soibam, B.; Chen, L.; Roman, G. W.; Gunaratne, G. H.

2014-09-01

Animals use locomotion to find food, shelter, and escape routes as well as to locate predators, competitors, and mates. Thus, locomotion is related to many behavioral traits, and can be used to characterize these more complex facets of behavior. Exploratory behaviors are random and need to be assessed through stochastic analysis. By comparing ensembles of trajectories from Drosophila and a model animal, we identify a pair of principles that govern the stochastic motion of a specific species. The first depends on local cues and quantify directional persistence, i.e., the propensity of an animal to maintain direction; the second, its attraction to walls, is relevant for exploration in confined arenas. Statistical properties of exploratory activity in several types of arenas can be computed from these principles. A pair of spiral arenas are designed to demonstrate that centrophobicity, or fear of the center of an arena, is not a fundamental feature of exploration. xxxx We provide evidence to show that the decay in an animal's activity following its introduction into a novel arena is correlated to its familiarity with the arena. We define two measures, coverage and habituation, to quantify familiarity. It is found that the relationship between activity and coverage is independent of the arena size. Finally, we use an analysis of exploration of mutant species to infer that in Drosophila, habituation relies on visual cues.

Exploratory High-Fidelity Aerostructural Optimization Using an Efficient Monolithic Solution Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jenmy Zimi

This thesis is motivated by the desire to discover fuel efficient aircraft concepts through exploratory design. An optimization methodology based on tightly integrated high-fidelity aerostructural analysis is proposed, which has the flexibility, robustness, and efficiency to contribute to this goal. The present aerostructural optimization methodology uses an integrated geometry parameterization and mesh movement strategy, which was initially proposed for aerodynamic shape optimization. This integrated approach provides the optimizer with a large amount of geometric freedom for conducting exploratory design, while allowing for efficient and robust mesh movement in the presence of substantial shape changes. In extending this approach to aerostructural optimization, this thesis has addressed a number of important challenges. A structural mesh deformation strategy has been introduced to translate consistently the shape changes described by the geometry parameterization to the structural model. A three-field formulation of the discrete steady aerostructural residual couples the mesh movement equations with the three-dimensional Euler equations and a linear structural analysis. Gradients needed for optimization are computed with a three-field coupled adjoint approach. A number of investigations have been conducted to demonstrate the suitability and accuracy of the present methodology for use in aerostructural optimization involving substantial shape changes. Robustness and efficiency in the coupled solution algorithms is crucial to the success of an exploratory optimization. This thesis therefore also focuses on the design of an effective monolithic solution algorithm for the proposed methodology. This involves using a Newton-Krylov method for the aerostructural analysis and a preconditioned Krylov subspace method for the coupled adjoint solution. Several aspects of the monolithic solution method have been investigated. These include appropriate strategies for scaling and matrix-vector product evaluation, as well as block preconditioning techniques that preserve the modularity between subproblems. The monolithic solution method is applied to problems with varying degrees of fluid-structural coupling, as well as a wing span optimization study. The monolithic solution algorithm typically requires 20%-70% less computing time than its partitioned counterpart. This advantage increases with increasing wing flexibility. The performance of the monolithic solution method is also much less sensitive to the choice of the solution parameter.

Website Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Larry S.

2009-01-01

This dissertation reports the results of an exploratory data analysis investigation of the relationship between the structures used for information organization and access and the associated storage structures within state government websites. Extending an earlier claim that hierarchical directory structures are both the preeminent information…

Response of extracellular zinc in the ventral hippocampus against novelty stress.

PubMed

Takeda, Atsushi; Sakurada, Naomi; Kanno, Shingo; Minami, Akira; Oku, Naoto

2006-10-01

An extensive neuronal activity takes place in the hippocampus during exploratory behavior. However, the role of hippocampal zinc in exploratory behavior is poorly understood. To analyze the response of extracellular zinc in the hippocampus against novelty stress, rats were placed for 50 min in a novel environment once a day for 8 days. Extracellular glutamate in the hippocampus was increased during exploratory behavior on day 1, whereas extracellular zinc was decreased. The same phenomenon was observed during exploratory behavior on day 2 and extracellular zinc had returned to the basal level during exploratory behavior on day 8. To examine the significance of the decrease in extracellular zinc in exploratory activity, exploratory behavior was observed during perfusion with 1 mm CaEDTA, a membrane-impermeable zinc chelator. Locomotor activity in the novel environment was decreased by perfusion with CaEDTA. The decrease in extracellular zinc and the increase in extracellular glutamate in exploratory period were abolished by perfusion with CaEDTA. These results suggest that zinc uptake by hippocampal cells is linked to exploratory activity and is required for the activation of the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system. The zinc uptake may be involved in the response to painless psychological stress or in the cognitive processes.

Atlas-guided cluster analysis of large tractography datasets.

PubMed

Ros, Christian; Güllmar, Daniel; Stenzel, Martin; Mentzel, Hans-Joachim; Reichenbach, Jürgen Rainer

2013-01-01

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and fiber tractography are important tools to map the cerebral white matter microstructure in vivo and to model the underlying axonal pathways in the brain with three-dimensional fiber tracts. As the fast and consistent extraction of anatomically correct fiber bundles for multiple datasets is still challenging, we present a novel atlas-guided clustering framework for exploratory data analysis of large tractography datasets. The framework uses an hierarchical cluster analysis approach that exploits the inherent redundancy in large datasets to time-efficiently group fiber tracts. Structural information of a white matter atlas can be incorporated into the clustering to achieve an anatomically correct and reproducible grouping of fiber tracts. This approach facilitates not only the identification of the bundles corresponding to the classes of the atlas; it also enables the extraction of bundles that are not present in the atlas. The new technique was applied to cluster datasets of 46 healthy subjects. Prospects of automatic and anatomically correct as well as reproducible clustering are explored. Reconstructed clusters were well separated and showed good correspondence to anatomical bundles. Using the atlas-guided cluster approach, we observed consistent results across subjects with high reproducibility. In order to investigate the outlier elimination performance of the clustering algorithm, scenarios with varying amounts of noise were simulated and clustered with three different outlier elimination strategies. By exploiting the multithreading capabilities of modern multiprocessor systems in combination with novel algorithms, our toolkit clusters large datasets in a couple of minutes. Experiments were conducted to investigate the achievable speedup and to demonstrate the high performance of the clustering framework in a multiprocessing environment.

18 CFR 430.11 - Advance notice of exploratory drilling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... exploratory drilling. 430.11 Section 430.11 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN... exploratory drilling. The Commission encourages consultation with any project sponsor who is considering... project and prior to initiation of exploratory drilling. (a) Any person, firm corporation or other entity...

Formative Qualitative Evaluation for "Exploratory" ITS Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Tom

1993-01-01

Discusses evaluation methods applicable to exploratory research areas, provides an overview of qualitative and formative methods for exploratory research on intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) and describes an exploratory study in ITS knowledge acquisition which involved working with three educators to build an ITS for high school physics.…

18 CFR 430.11 - Advance notice of exploratory drilling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... exploratory drilling. 430.11 Section 430.11 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN... exploratory drilling. The Commission encourages consultation with any project sponsor who is considering... project and prior to initiation of exploratory drilling. (a) Any person, firm corporation or other entity...

18 CFR 430.11 - Advance notice of exploratory drilling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... exploratory drilling. 430.11 Section 430.11 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN... exploratory drilling. The Commission encourages consultation with any project sponsor who is considering... project and prior to initiation of exploratory drilling. (a) Any person, firm corporation or other entity...

18 CFR 430.11 - Advance notice of exploratory drilling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... exploratory drilling. 430.11 Section 430.11 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN... exploratory drilling. The Commission encourages consultation with any project sponsor who is considering... project and prior to initiation of exploratory drilling. (a) Any person, firm corporation or other entity...

18 CFR 430.11 - Advance notice of exploratory drilling.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... exploratory drilling. 430.11 Section 430.11 Conservation of Power and Water Resources DELAWARE RIVER BASIN... exploratory drilling. The Commission encourages consultation with any project sponsor who is considering... project and prior to initiation of exploratory drilling. (a) Any person, firm corporation or other entity...

Antibiotics and activity spaces: protocol of an exploratory study of behaviour, marginalisation and knowledge diffusion

PubMed Central

Charoenboon, Nutcha; Zanello, Giacomo; Mayxay, Mayfong; Reed-Tsochas, Felix; Jones, Caroline O H; Kosaikanont, Romyen; Praphattong, Pollavat; Manohan, Pathompong; Lubell, Yoel; Newton, Paul N; Keomany, Sommay; Wertheim, Heiman F L; Lienert, Jeffrey; Xayavong, Thipphaphone; Warapikuptanun, Penporn; Khine Zaw, Yuzana; U-Thong, Patchapoom; Benjaroon, Patipat; Sangkham, Narinnira; Wibunjak, Kanokporn; Chai-In, Poowadon; Chailert, Sirirat; Thavethanutthanawin, Patthanan; Promsutt, Krittanon; Thepkhamkong, Amphayvone; Sithongdeng, Nicksan; Keovilayvanh, Maipheth; Khamsoukthavong, Nid; Phanthasomchit, Phaengnitta; Phanthavong, Chanthasone; Boualaiseng, Somsanith; Vongsavang, Souksakhone; Greer, Rachel C; Althaus, Thomas; Nedsuwan, Supalert; Intralawan, Daranee; Wangrangsimakul, Tri; Limmathurotsakul, Direk; Ariana, Proochista

2018-01-01

Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health priority. Leading UK and global strategy papers to fight AMR recognise its social and behavioural dimensions, but current policy responses to improve the popular use of antimicrobials (eg, antibiotics) are limited to education and awareness-raising campaigns. In response to conceptual, methodological and empirical weaknesses of this approach, we study people’s antibiotic-related health behaviour through three research questions. RQ1: What are the manifestations and determinants of problematic antibiotic use in patients’ healthcare-seeking pathways? RQ2: Will people’s exposure to antibiotic awareness activities entail changed behaviours that diffuse or dissipate within a network of competing healthcare practices? RQ3: Which proxy indicators facilitate the detection of problematic antibiotic behaviours across and within communities? Methods We apply an interdisciplinary analytical framework that draws on the public health, medical anthropology, sociology and development economics literature. Our research involves social surveys of treatment-seeking behaviour among rural dwellers in northern Thailand (Chiang Rai) and southern Lao PDR (Salavan). We sample approximately 4800 adults to produce district-level representative and social network data. Additional 60 cognitive interviews facilitate survey instrument development and data interpretation. Our survey data analysis techniques include event sequence analysis (RQ1), multilevel regression (RQ1–3), social network analysis (RQ2) and latent class analysis (RQ3). Discussion Social research in AMR is nascent, but our unprecedentedly detailed data on microlevel treatment-seeking behaviour can contribute an understanding of behaviour beyond awareness and free choice, highlighting, for example, decision-making constraints, problems of marginalisation and lacking access to healthcare and competing ideas about desirable behaviour. Trial registration number NCT03241316; Pre-results. PMID:29629190

Antibiotics and activity spaces: protocol of an exploratory study of behaviour, marginalisation and knowledge diffusion.

PubMed

Haenssgen, Marco J; Charoenboon, Nutcha; Zanello, Giacomo; Mayxay, Mayfong; Reed-Tsochas, Felix; Jones, Caroline O H; Kosaikanont, Romyen; Praphattong, Pollavat; Manohan, Pathompong; Lubell, Yoel; Newton, Paul N; Keomany, Sommay; Wertheim, Heiman F L; Lienert, Jeffrey; Xayavong, Thipphaphone; Warapikuptanun, Penporn; Khine Zaw, Yuzana; U-Thong, Patchapoom; Benjaroon, Patipat; Sangkham, Narinnira; Wibunjak, Kanokporn; Chai-In, Poowadon; Chailert, Sirirat; Thavethanutthanawin, Patthanan; Promsutt, Krittanon; Thepkhamkong, Amphayvone; Sithongdeng, Nicksan; Keovilayvanh, Maipheth; Khamsoukthavong, Nid; Phanthasomchit, Phaengnitta; Phanthavong, Chanthasone; Boualaiseng, Somsanith; Vongsavang, Souksakhone; Greer, Rachel C; Althaus, Thomas; Nedsuwan, Supalert; Intralawan, Daranee; Wangrangsimakul, Tri; Limmathurotsakul, Direk; Ariana, Proochista

2018-01-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health priority. Leading UK and global strategy papers to fight AMR recognise its social and behavioural dimensions, but current policy responses to improve the popular use of antimicrobials (eg, antibiotics) are limited to education and awareness-raising campaigns. In response to conceptual, methodological and empirical weaknesses of this approach, we study people's antibiotic-related health behaviour through three research questions.RQ1: What are the manifestations and determinants of problematic antibiotic use in patients' healthcare-seeking pathways?RQ2: Will people's exposure to antibiotic awareness activities entail changed behaviours that diffuse or dissipate within a network of competing healthcare practices?RQ3: Which proxy indicators facilitate the detection of problematic antibiotic behaviours across and within communities? We apply an interdisciplinary analytical framework that draws on the public health, medical anthropology, sociology and development economics literature. Our research involves social surveys of treatment-seeking behaviour among rural dwellers in northern Thailand (Chiang Rai) and southern Lao PDR (Salavan). We sample approximately 4800 adults to produce district-level representative and social network data. Additional 60 cognitive interviews facilitate survey instrument development and data interpretation. Our survey data analysis techniques include event sequence analysis (RQ1), multilevel regression (RQ1-3), social network analysis (RQ2) and latent class analysis (RQ3). Social research in AMR is nascent, but our unprecedentedly detailed data on microlevel treatment-seeking behaviour can contribute an understanding of behaviour beyond awareness and free choice, highlighting, for example, decision-making constraints, problems of marginalisation and lacking access to healthcare and competing ideas about desirable behaviour. NCT03241316; Pre-results.

A replication of a factor analysis of motivations for trapping

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroeder, Susan; Fulton, David C.

2015-01-01

Using a 2013 sample of Minnesota trappers, we employed confirmatory factor analysis to replicate an exploratory factor analysis of trapping motivations conducted by Daigle, Muth, Zwick, and Glass (1998).  We employed the same 25 items used by Daigle et al. and tested the same five-factor structure using a recent sample of Minnesota trappers. We also compared motivations in our sample to those reported by Daigle et el.

Data Acquisition and Preparation for Social Network Analysis Based on Email: Lessons Learned

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Mrvar , A., and Batagelj , V. (2005), Exploratory Social Network Analysis with Pajek (Structural Analysis in the Social Sciences series). Cambridge, New...visualization of large networks. This program was developed by Vladimir Batagelj and Andrej Mrvar of the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Pajek evolved...theory, presumes Wasserman & Faust as foundation Amazon: 55% purchase rate among viewers 5. de Nooy, W., Mrvar , A., and Batagelj , V. (2005

Gene ontology analysis of pairwise genetic associations in two genome-wide studies of sporadic ALS.

PubMed

Kim, Nora Chung; Andrews, Peter C; Asselbergs, Folkert W; Frost, H Robert; Williams, Scott M; Harris, Brent T; Read, Cynthia; Askland, Kathleen D; Moore, Jason H

2012-07-28

It is increasingly clear that common human diseases have a complex genetic architecture characterized by both additive and nonadditive genetic effects. The goal of the present study was to determine whether patterns of both additive and nonadditive genetic associations aggregate in specific functional groups as defined by the Gene Ontology (GO). We first estimated all pairwise additive and nonadditive genetic effects using the multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) method that makes few assumptions about the underlying genetic model. Statistical significance was evaluated using permutation testing in two genome-wide association studies of ALS. The detection data consisted of 276 subjects with ALS and 271 healthy controls while the replication data consisted of 221 subjects with ALS and 211 healthy controls. Both studies included genotypes from approximately 550,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Each SNP was mapped to a gene if it was within 500 kb of the start or end. Each SNP was assigned a p-value based on its strongest joint effect with the other SNPs. We then used the Exploratory Visual Analysis (EVA) method and software to assign a p-value to each gene based on the overabundance of significant SNPs at the α = 0.05 level in the gene. We also used EVA to assign p-values to each GO group based on the overabundance of significant genes at the α = 0.05 level. A GO category was determined to replicate if that category was significant at the α = 0.05 level in both studies. We found two GO categories that replicated in both studies. The first, 'Regulation of Cellular Component Organization and Biogenesis', a GO Biological Process, had p-values of 0.010 and 0.014 in the detection and replication studies, respectively. The second, 'Actin Cytoskeleton', a GO Cellular Component, had p-values of 0.040 and 0.046 in the detection and replication studies, respectively. Pathway analysis of pairwise genetic associations in two GWAS of sporadic ALS revealed a set of genes involved in cellular component organization and actin cytoskeleton, more specifically, that were not reported by prior GWAS. However, prior biological studies have implicated actin cytoskeleton in ALS and other motor neuron diseases. This study supports the idea that pathway-level analysis of GWAS data may discover important associations not revealed using conventional one-SNP-at-a-time approaches.

ESEA: Discovering the Dysregulated Pathways based on Edge Set Enrichment Analysis

PubMed Central

Han, Junwei; Shi, Xinrui; Zhang, Yunpeng; Xu, Yanjun; Jiang, Ying; Zhang, Chunlong; Feng, Li; Yang, Haixiu; Shang, Desi; Sun, Zeguo; Su, Fei; Li, Chunquan; Li, Xia

2015-01-01

Pathway analyses are playing an increasingly important role in understanding biological mechanism, cellular function and disease states. Current pathway-identification methods generally focus on only the changes of gene expression levels; however, the biological relationships among genes are also the fundamental components of pathways, and the dysregulated relationships may also alter the pathway activities. We propose a powerful computational method, Edge Set Enrichment Analysis (ESEA), for the identification of dysregulated pathways. This provides a novel way of pathway analysis by investigating the changes of biological relationships of pathways in the context of gene expression data. Simulation studies illustrate the power and performance of ESEA under various simulated conditions. Using real datasets from p53 mutation, Type 2 diabetes and lung cancer, we validate effectiveness of ESEA in identifying dysregulated pathways. We further compare our results with five other pathway enrichment analysis methods. With these analyses, we show that ESEA is able to help uncover dysregulated biological pathways underlying complex traits and human diseases via specific use of the dysregulated biological relationships. We develop a freely available R-based tool of ESEA. Currently, ESEA can support pathway analysis of the seven public databases (KEGG; Reactome; Biocarta; NCI; SPIKE; HumanCyc; Panther). PMID:26267116

Factor Analysis of the Brazilian Version of UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale

PubMed Central

Sediyama, Cristina Y. N.; Moura, Ricardo; Garcia, Marina S.; da Silva, Antonio G.; Soraggi, Carolina; Neves, Fernando S.; Albuquerque, Maicon R.; Whiteside, Setephen P.; Malloy-Diniz, Leandro F.

2017-01-01

Objective: To examine the internal consistency and factor structure of the Brazilian adaptation of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale. Methods: UPPS is a self-report scale composed by 40 items assessing four factors of impulsivity: (a) urgency, (b) lack of premeditation; (c) lack of perseverance; (d) sensation seeking. In the present study 384 participants (278 women and 106 men), who were recruited from schools, universities, leisure centers and workplaces fulfilled the UPPS scale. An exploratory factor analysis was performed by using Varimax factor rotation and Kaiser Normalization, and we also conducted two confirmatory analyses to test the independency of the UPPS components found in previous analysis. Results: Results showed a decrease in mean UPPS total scores with age and this analysis showed that the youngest participants (below 30 years) scored significantly higher than the other groups over 30 years. No difference in gender was found. Cronbach’s alpha, results indicated satisfactory values for all subscales, with similar high values for the subscales and confirmatory factor analysis indexes also indicated a poor model fit. The results of two exploratory factor analysis were satisfactory. Conclusion: Our results showed that the Portuguese version has the same four-factor structure of the original and previous translations of the UPPS. PMID:28484414

Measuring trust in nurses - Psychometric properties of the Trust in Nurses Scale in four countries.

PubMed

Stolt, Minna; Charalambous, Andreas; Radwin, Laurel; Adam, Christina; Katajisto, Jouko; Lemonidou, Chryssoula; Patiraki, Elisabeth; Sjövall, Katarina; Suhonen, Riitta

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine psychometric properties of three translated versions of the Trust in Nurses Scale (TNS) and cancer patients' perceptions of trust in nurses in a sample of cancer patients from four European countries. A cross-sectional, cross-cultural, multi-site survey design was used. The data were collected with the Trust in Nurses Scale from patients with different types of malignancies in 17 units within five clinical sites (n = 599) between 09/2012 and 06/2014. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, multivariate methods and psychometrics using exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, item analysis and Rasch analysis. The psychometric properties of the data were consistent in all countries. Within the exploratory factor analysis the principal component analysis supported the one component structure (unidimensionality) of the TNS. The internal consistency reliability was acceptable. The Rasch analysis supported the unidimensionality of the TNS cross-culturally. All items of the TNS demonstrated acceptable goodness-of-fit to the Rasch model. Cancer patients trusted nurses to a great extent although between-country differences were found. The Trust in Nurses Scale proved to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring patients' trust in nurses in oncological settings in international contexts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.